FF Tornado of Souls - 1/8 - PG13 - B/F W/Oz W/T

["Hunter Ash <carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx>" <carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx>]

Tornado of Souls
Part 1/8

Author: Frau Hunter Ash 
Copyright © 2002 by Hunter Ash. All Rights Reserved.
Email: carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx Feedback welcome!!
Homepage Addy: http://www.hunterash.com/ 

Disclaimers: The characters and show all belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, 
Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, and God only knows who else. The storyline, 
however, is the sole property of the author. This story cannot be 
sold or used for profit in any way. Copies of this story may be made 
for private use only and must include all disclaimers and copyright 
notices.

F/F romance: the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship 
between people of the same and opposite <G>. If this offends or is 
illegal for you, then please leave. Come back when you are older, 
have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws. 

Spoilers: Up to Season Three  to Faith, Hope and Trick.  

Summary: Buffy is back from running away, Faith has appeared and 
it's after the battle with the ancient vampire. Buffy is trying to 
adjust to being back in Sunnydale but she seems withdrawn, almost 
secretive. Hint: It's not Angel.

Rating: PG-13

Author's Note: Pairings  B/A (done, Angel is dead), W/O, X/C, W/T 

* * *

Willow smiled as she opened the door to Buffy's room but then 
frowned. Was that actually Buffy Summers lying on her bed with a 
book open in front of her?  

"Wow. Studying?"

Buffy began blushing and shut the book before sitting up.

"Hey, Will," Buffy stammered. "I, uh, just reading. No studying 
here. You know me."

Willow started to reach for the book and was surprised when Buffy 
grabbed it up and tossed it on her shelves. The red-haired honor 
student frowned and noticed immediately Buffy absently playing with 
the tusk around her neck.

The budding witch decided not to push it right then. Buffy had only 
been back two weeks from her attempt to runaway from her life and 
Willow still wasn't sure how far she could question the Slayer about 
the little changes Willow had noticed.

After a fight with zombies and Buffy's reinstatement into school, 
things had returned almost back to normal but there was still a 
little tension at times between the Slayer and the Scooby gang.  

"So what are your major plans for the weekend?" Willow asked, 
throwing herself down on the bed with an exaggerated sigh and was 
pleased when Buffy grinned.  

"Faith, of course, wants to hang out at the Bronze tonight and find 
someone to get horizontal with after slaying," Buffy grinned.  

Willow nodded, not surprised. She knew Buffy was working hard at 
making Faith feel welcome after the first awkward adjustment period 
of discovering another Slayer and having a very big and very powerful 
vampire after same Slayer.

A Slayer with an attitude, a smart-ass mouth and a sharp wit that 
rivaled Cordelia in wounds left by words.

"That tells me what Faith wants," Willow smirked. "What do you want 
to do?"

Buffy raised her eyebrows in surprise; Willow wasn't usually so& so& 
catty.

"Well, are you going to the Bronze tonight?" the Slayer asked, 
knowing that she owed her friend some quality time. Buffy knew 
Willow was the one most hurt by her disappearance for months among 
her friends and she meant to make that up to the red-head.

"Yeah, Oz is playing and I thought I'd play devoted groupie," Willow 
grinned and Buffy laughed, ruffling her friend's hair. Willow lost 
her grin as she coughed several times. "I hate fall allergies," she 
muttered.

"I missed you, Will," Buffy admitted softly.  

"Why didn't you let us know you were okay?" Willow asked, keeping her 
voice soft. They hadn't really talked about the time Buffy was gone 
and Willow had been patient, figuring Buffy would eventually open up.

Willow really hoped the time was now, there was so much she wanted to 
know about Buffy's time away from Sunnydale. She especially wanted 
to know about that boar's tusk around Buffy's neck, the massive claw 
scars on Buffy's left thigh, and the Celtic knotwork band tattoo 
around Buffy's right bicep.

Willow didn't quite believe the story of a drunken night at a tattoo 
parlor. The band consisted of some very intricate Celtic interlacing 
around Buffy's arm to a circle with a symbol in the center of the 
circle, like a medallion. Willow's research hadn't found what that 
symbol was yet either and it was driving the computer geek crazy.

The scars Buffy explained as a rather tough demon that had gotten too 
close, causing a wound deep enough to scar the Slayer.  

"I wasn't alright," Buffy said with a frown, her eyes becoming 
distant as she leaned against the headboard of her bed. "I was 
scared and running. I had sent Angel to Hell. Not Angeleus but Angel."

"You told me and Giles, I never should have done that spell," Willow 
muttered and Buffy reached out for her hand.

"Not your fault, you were trying to save him," Buffy tried to 
smile. "It was just the fates, karma or whatever that he had already 
cast the spell to summon that stupid demon and I had to stop the 
spell."

"What did you do all those months? Didn't you want to call?"

"Every day," Buffy nodded. "I was afraid if I talked to any of you 
I'd lose it and come running back or reveal too much and you'd find 
me."

"But why?" Willow couldn't resist asking. "I'm your best friend! 
We're supposed to turn to each other!"

"Yes," Buffy nodded, her eyes filling with tears. "I wanted to, 
Will. I was afraid of your disappointment, your anger, and I knew 
you'd talk me into slaying."

"But you came back to it," Willow protested.

"Yes, destiny and all that stuff," Buffy said calmly. "I learned that 
I can't run from it, it's what I am. I'm unique, even different than 
Faith and I have a responsibility because of it."

"Wow, Giles would do a back-flip if he heard you say that!"

Buffy managed to grin at that one.

"Yeah, he always thought I was too casual about the destiny of being 
the Chosen One thing," Buffy agreed.

"How are you different from Faith?" Willow asked, wanting to keep her 
friend talking and to ignore her own coughing. 

"She likes the slaying and accepts that she'll probably die young, 
kinda a fatal approach," Buffy said slowly, as if thinking of her 
words. "I learned some stuff about myself that& it's just different 
than it was before."

"Is that why the tattoo and tusk?"

Buffy's hand went immediately to the tusk and a panicked look darted 
across her eyes.

"Told you, nothing to report there," Buffy said lightly but her voice 
was strained. "This guy I made friends with in the diner gave me the 
tusk, said he knew by looking at my aura that I was a warrior and 
should have it. The tatt, well that was the idea of a friend after 
we'd been drinking."

Willow glanced away, knowing her friend was lying and debated whether 
to force the issue or not.

"Hey, Buffy!" a voice called from the hallway.

"Yeah, Mom?" Buffy yelled back as Willow frowned.

"Don't forget you've got your visit with your Father Sunday until 
Tuesday night," Joyce Summers called. "I've already talked with 
Principal Snyder and your teachers so there won't be a problem."

"Thanks, Mom, I'll be packed."

"Sunday until Tuesday?" Willow questioned.

"Yeah, have to take advantage whenever Dad is in the country for a 
visit," Buffy shrugged. "Only three days."

"And three nights," Willow complained. "Three nights when Oz just 
happens to be turning furry like."

"Faith and you can keep wolfie watch in the library," Buffy pointed 
out.

"I know, I'm just gonna miss you," Willow whined. Buffy smiled as the 
honor student coughed and looked miserable.

"I'll be back Tuesday morning," she promised. "Oz and I can eat a 
huge breakfast while you look on with those adoring eyes at your 
favorite boyfriend."

"Hah! Only boyfriend!" Willow pointed out.

"Better than no boyfriend," Buffy countered.

"I thought you and Scott were doing okay," Willow frowned again.

"It's so damned hard, Will," Buffy complained. "What the hell do I 
talk about? Do you have any hobbies? Mine is killing vampires, demons 
and keeping a werewolf locked up."

"You've got us to talk to about that stuff," Willow said slowly.

"What does that leave with Scott?" Buffy whined. "School? I don't 
think so."

"You're smarter than you let on, Buffy, why not?"

"It's almost secondary to anything," Buffy tried to explain. "Only 
Mom is encouraging me to think of college, not even Giles thinks I'll 
make it that far because I'm the Slayer. School is secondary, family 
is supposed to come second, my friends aren't even supposed to know, 
and I 'm not supposed to have a love life!"

Willow was unsure how to respond, feeling inadequate once again. She 
had no idea how to help her friend. Buffy was popular, beautiful, 
and intelligent and had more on her shoulders than Willow could even 
imagine.

The only one who could relate was Faith and everyone was still trying 
to adjust to the dark Slayer's abrasive personality. It had gotten 
easier after the mess with that ancient vampire known as Kakistos, 
Faith had eased up a bit and so had the Scooby Gang. Xander was still 
fascinated with the dark Slayer, Cordelia was jealous of the new 
girl, and Joyce was easily accepting. Willow had been intrigued with 
Faith but had quickly found her annoying when Faith had turned her 
sharp wit and tongue on the shy red-head, especially when the Slayer 
realized that Willow was easily teased.

Buffy had been resentful of everyone's easy acceptance of Faith until 
facing Kakistos with Faith and understanding something of the terror 
and hardships the other Slayer had faced. She was still reluctant to 
accept the brunette Slayer totally on face value though.

"Wanna head down to the Espresso Pump for some cocoa?" Buffy 
suggested. "Mom is heading down to the gallery, she can drop us off."

"Sounds good," Willow grinned.

* * *

Buffy took a deep breath and stepped into the light in the Bronze.  
She could sense a vampire or demon nearby and knew they probably felt 
her arrival too. Now that things had changed so drastically, the 
Slayer knew unless she was willing to expend the energies, the undead 
and demons would sense her just as quickly as she sensed them. It 
would make slaying harder, but then the changes would make slaying 
interesting in other ways, she grinned wolfishly.

She had already taken a cruise around two cemeteries and dusted seven 
vampires. Now Buffy was steeling herself to face her friends again. 
Ever since her return, things had been awkward. She had expected the 
yelling and figured she deserved it. To all of them, she had ran away 
and didn't even bother to write or call and tell them she was safe.

The Scooby Gang had continued on without her, taking over the Slayer 
duties, risking their lives every night because she wasn't there.  
They had all been worried sick about her and she had taken their 
anger and accepted the guilt. The truth would have been worse and 
Buffy knew they could never understand what she had been through.

Especially Willow. Buffy knew she had hurt Willow the worst by her 
absence and silence but it had been necessary. Just like the silence 
continued to be necessary.

Buffy grinned when she spotted Xander and Cordelia necking on a sofa 
with Will sitting in a chair near them, watching the Dingoes play on 
stage. The Slayer started towards her friends and froze, sensing 
another nearby.

She quickly spotted Faith on the dance floor with Scott, Buffy's 
would-be boyfriend but ignored them. It wasn't the other Slayer she 
was sensing and it wasn't a vampire or demon. Buffy spotted the 
young male hesitating on the dance floor as he looked for her. Her 
eyes narrowed as he noticed her then looked back at his companion; 
the young student was annoyed that he wasn't paying attention to her.

The young male smiled, kissed her and apparently offered to get them 
something to drink because a moment later he was headed for the bar.

Buffy decided that she should get a drink before joining her friends 
and worked her way around the dance floor. She slid through the 
crowd until she was up to the bar and standing next to the young 
man.  

Buffy knew that he was checking her out from head to toe and pulled 
off her leather jacket, revealing a tank top that barely covered her 
body and showed off her tattoo and boar tusk nicely. She knew he saw 
both and felt his muscles relax. While he waited for his drink he 
absently picked up a pen and began doodling on a napkin in front of 
him.

The Slayer smiled slightly and waited to order her drink as he took 
his and headed back to his date.

Not even a Hunter would have noticed their interaction.

* * *

"Hey, B!" Faith grinned cheerfully. "What's the up?"

"Not much, I checked the north side tonight," Buffy smiled. She was 
actually becoming used to Faith, finally able to see through the 
tough outer shell.

"I grabbed the west earlier," Faith nodded, sitting in Scott's lap as 
he looked slightly panicked at Buffy, wondering what her reaction 
would be.  

Buffy merely ignored the move and took a sip of her coke. It was 
true that she and Scott hadn't broken up officially but she wondered 
if they had really been dating either. The Slayer discovered she 
didn't care and certainly wasn't going to fill Faith's need for drama 
by causing a scene.

Buffy almost laughed when Faith looked disappointed and almost glared 
at her. The Slayer also caught Willow's sharp eyes watching the 
interactions. Sometimes her friend was too sharp and the Slayer 
wondered if returning had been a good idea, especially now that Faith 
was here.

It wouldn't be hard to disappear again. Hell, Faith had even taken 
over her boyfriend, lived in her house, was accepted by her friends 
and the Council. It would be easy.

The only problem was that Buffy didn't want to leave. The Scooby 
Gang was her family, more so than any other unit could ever be. Even 
if they didn't understand her and what it felt like to be her, she 
still loved them greatly. They reminded her a bit of the hyena pack 
that Xander had formed when he had been possessed. The Scooby Gang 
was like an animal pack or family.

Buffy smiled to herself, watching Faith. Maybe that's why she fought 
with the brunette Slayer all the time; they were both alpha types in 
the pack.  

Oz jumped off the stage during a break and pulled Willow up out of 
her chair and proceeded to kiss her deeply, letting her know that he 
had missed her during the day. Buffy was suddenly confused and 
fought to keep the emotion from her face or eyes. Oz was more than 
happy to see Willow; Buffy could sense his arousal from the music gig 
and holding Willow. What was surprising was that Willow wasn't 
aroused even though the kissing they were doing would have had Buffy 
more than a little wet.

"Get a room, you two!" Faith growled as she pulled Scott back onto 
his feet.

"That's your style, not ours," Willow snapped, keeping her arms 
around Oz' neck.

"What? You prefer the back of his van to a room?" Faith taunted.

Willow blushed a bright red and Oz whispered something in her ear, 
encouraging her to ignore the brunette Slayer. Faith laughed and she 
turned to follow Scott to the dance floor, taking a quick glance in 
Buffy's direction with a frown.

"God, she drives me crazy," Willow muttered and Buffy raised her 
eyebrows in surprise. Instead of settling into a Scooby friendship 
or tolerance like the rest of the gang had, Willow's irritation with 
Faith was just getting worse.

"Just ignore her, girlfriend," Cordy advised.  

"What's your problem, Will? Faith's okay ever since they got rid of 
that Kali guy," Xander asked.

"I don't know," Willow muttered as Oz kissed her forehead and headed 
back towards the stage.  

"She just knows how to hit your buttons," Buffy commented.

"I remember when you were complaining that she was trying to take 
over your life," Willow remarked as she sat back down, watching Oz 
jump back onto the stage.

"Yeah, that's what it felt like," Buffy nodded honestly. "I was 
still off balance from coming home."

"How is school going, Buff?" Xander asked.

"Well, Snyder isn't happy that I'm going to be gone for two school 
days but it's not like I'm skipping out if my Mom clears it ahead of 
time," Buffy said easily.

"Two days?" Cordy frowned. "How the hell do you rate getting out of 
here for two days?"

Buffy grinned. "My father's in LA and I'm going to spend a couple of 
days with him."

"You get LA and I get Sunnyhell?" Cordy demanded.

"Looks like!" Buffy's grin widened.

"I can't win!" Cordy whined.

"Sure you can, Cordy," Xander smiled, nuzzling her neck. "You get to 
be seen with me!"

"Arrrggghhh!" Cordelia growled and smacked Xander playfully on the 
arm as the Scooby Gang laughed. They knew it was still a sore spot 
that she had actually fallen for Xander Harris, Sunnydale reject and 
she was the most popular girl in school.

Now she was one of the "rejects" because of it and her friendship 
with the Scooby Gang.  

"How did I get stuck with you?" she whined.

"My incredible good looks, extremely kissable lips and sexy body?" he 
ventured and Willow rolled her eyes as Buffy almost choked on her 
soda.

* * *

"Any sign of Faith and Scott?" Xander asked as they walked out of the 
Bronze into the cool night air.

"Nah, she probably&" Willow started to mutter and quickly snapped her 
jaws shut. It was Buffy's ex-boyfriend she was about to comment on 
about various sexual positions with Faith in some nearby alley.

"How does your Mom like having two delinquents in the house?" Cordy 
asked, a slight bite to the question and pretended to look innocent 
as Xander and Willow glared at her. Buffy ignored the taunt in the 
question.

"She demands that we both keep up our grades and not run away again, 
either of us," Buffy said calmly.  

"She isn't worried you might take off again in LA?" Cordy asked.

"Tactful, much?" Willow demanded.

"It's okay, Will," Buffy said softly. "I ran away, I gotta deal with 
the anger you guys feel about it."

"Oh generous much?" Cordelia demanded. "Going to tell us about your 
special box that you lived in on the street?"

"Delia!" Xander snapped. "Crossing a line here! We've already gone 
through this!"

"No, we yelled at her for leaving and not telling us where she was," 
Cordy snapped back. "This is me yelling at her because she's been so 
damned secretive about everything since she got back! Weird tatts and 
what is that Indian type thing around your neck? Go native or 
something?"

Willow was surprised at how much Buffy's eyes suddenly shined with 
anger.

"Something like that!" Buffy growled. "It was given to me by my&by a 
good friend and it symbolizes that I'm a fighter, a strength totem."

Buffy could see Cordelia about to launch into another attack but the 
Slayer spun on her heels, holding up her hand for silence. Xander 
clamped his hand over Cordy's mouth before she could protest.

The Slayer was off in a run before the scream finished reaching the 
others.

Willow, Xander and Cordelia skidded to a stop at the end of the 
alley, in time to see Buffy ramming a stake into the chest of a 
vampire as another figure fought with two others. Xander started to 
move to help the Slayer when the other three figures fell into the 
dim lighting and the Scooby members gasped in surprise. Two of the 
fighters were vampires in game face and the third was a werewolf.

"Oh God," Willow muttered. "How do we help her?"

"Wouldn't happen to have a silver bullet in a pistol would you?" 
Cordy demanded sarcastically.

"No, and not a trank dart either," Xander complained. "It's not a 
full moon!"

Buffy turned and tackled the figures to the grimy alley floor.

"No!" Willow screamed and Xander grabbed his friend by the 
arms. "She'll get bit!"

"Won't do you any good if you get bit too!" he snapped in her ear.

It was hard to tell what was happening in the shadows. The growls, 
screams, moans and shouts of rage didn't ease the tension among the 
students either. Finally, two figures seemed to disappear and two 
stood up facing each other.

Buffy stepped into the light and watched calmly as the werewolf 
turned and dashed down the alley, jumping on top of a dumpster and 
then over a fence.

"Buffy, quick!" Xander yelled, letting go of Willow. "We can follow 
him!"

"No, it's okay," Buffy said quickly, holding up her hand as the gang 
joined her. "Let him go, I'm too tired and wigged to chase him."

"Wigged?" Willow squeaked. "You weren't bitten were you?"

Both Xander and Willow began searching Buffy for any sign of blood or 
bite marks until she smacked their hands with a smile.

"No! I wasn't bitten!" she snapped playfully. "I'm wigged about the 
fact that it's not a full moon and we just ran into a werewolf."

Better that than the truth, she reflected.

"Oh, okay, I understand that," Willow said softly, sighing with 
relief. It was bad enough that they had to lock Oz away for three 
nights out of every month without having to worry about a Slayer 
werewolf.

"Can we go home now?" Cordelia demanded.

Buffy smiled and nodded.  

* * *

"You awake, B?" a voice called from the door and Buffy sat up in her 
bed.

"Yeah, Faith," she called back softly and felt Faith enter her room 
and sit down on the edge of the bed.

"Do we need to talk about Scott?" Faith asked, her voice sounding 
small and unsure.

Buffy laughed a slightly bitter laugh.

"You intentionally throw yourself at him, sitting in his lap and 
making out and now you ask if I've got a problem with it? What's 
wrong with this friendship picture, Faith?"

"I'm sorry," Faith said softly as Buffy reached over and turned on 
her bedside lamp. "I'm working on the friendship thing. I never had 
any friends before."

"I know and I'm not mad," Buffy said calmly. "Scott and I never 
clicked, just don't make it a habit, okay?"

"I don't know why I did it," Faith suddenly complained. "I don't 
even like him that much. He's cute as hell but not a lot more to 
him, you know. He can't even begin to understand what we go through."

"Yeah, I understand completely," Buffy nodded. 

"It was like I was doing it more to get a rise out of you than to be 
with him," Faith said thoughtfully.

"Why in the world do you want to fight with me all the time?" Buffy 
demanded.

Faith suddenly grinned, her brown eyes dancing.

"Well, you know me, B," she said in a husky voice. "Either fighting 
or sex, best things in the world."

Buffy felt her face turning red as she shook her head.

"You're impossible, Faith!" she declared firmly. "Everything is 
either a fight or sex, is that it? Including us?"

Faith shrugged, the impish glint apparent in her eyes. "I like 
either."

"Straight here!" Buffy growled.

"Oh tell me another one!" Faith grinned as Buffy's blush 
deepened. "Don't tell me you haven't thought about throwing Willow 
across your bed and kissing her silly."

"Willow?" Buffy squeaked as her eyes widened in surprise and terror.

"Why not? She wants you," Faith grinned. "I can feel it coming off 
of her every time she's near you."

"And you?" Buffy demanded. Faith lost her smart-ass grin and then 
tried to regain it but Buffy could tell the smile was strained.

"I like sex, B," Faith smiled, trying to shrug off the 
question. "You're incredibly hot and there's that Slayer energy 
between us. Gotta lead to fireworks when we get it on."

"Dream on, Faith," Buffy snapped. "You're telling me you just want 
sex; no romance, no love?"

"Over-rated," Faith said quickly. "Eat lots of chocolate, same 
results."

"I saw Devil's Advocate too," Buffy countered. "Keanu chose love."

"No, he chose to blow his brains out instead of having incredible 
sex, waste," Faith smirked.  

"So, sleeping with me wouldn't be a waste?" Buffy taunted, wanting to 
push Faith for some reason and then it hit her. She was going away 
for three days and the reason she was going away. Buffy was going to 
miss everyone, even Faith.

"Definitely not a waste," Faith nodded as she stood up and headed for 
the door. "Never say never, B."

Buffy shook her head. By Gaia, she'd have to be careful with that 
one. The blonde Slayer had too many secrets and having Faith living 
with her wasn't helping. Once again, Buffy was regretting that her 
mom had insisted Faith stay with them when she found out Faith was 
staying in a rat-infested hotel in the roughest part of town.

The Slayer suddenly felt very old and touched the boar's tooth next 
to her cross. Not only did she have the usual things to fight for: 
friends, family, the world in general, but now she had the entire 
world to fight for. The world no one saw and few knew about.  

* * *

Faith was surprised to open the door and find Willow on the other 
side early Monday morning. The brunette Slayer's frown matched the 
red-head's.

"What? You forget B's out of town?" Faith demanded, running a brush 
through her hair as she tried to finish getting ready for school. It 
was one of the demands from the Council and Giles that she could have 
done without, Faith thought. She did not need to go to school, 
damnit! She'd tolerate it though; staying in Sunnydale and in the 
Summers' house depended on keeping up grades and curbing her street-
life type behavior.

"No, I forgot my biology book here when we were studying Saturday 
night," Willow complained around a cough.  

"What the hell do you need books for?" Faith smirked as she moved 
aside, letting Willow in. "You've probably got the damn thing 
memorized."

"Don't start!" Willow snapped. "Just remember, you might need my 
help one of these days in school."

"Not from you, Red," Faith snapped back, her brown eyes flashing.

Willow hesitated at the bottom of the stairs.

"Faith, why are you pushing me so hard?" Willow asked softly, her 
eyes hurt.

The brunette Slayer hesitated, looking confused for a moment. Willow 
could almost see the struggle and wondered if Faith was going to 
retreat behind the hard shell or actually open up.

"I could ask the same thing," Faith frowned.

Willow sighed. "I don't know," the girl said truthfully. 

"You feel like a threat, Red," Faith said slowly. "I react on 
instinct to a threat. You're not a vampire so you get the smart ass 
reaction."

"Why would I be a threat?" Willow asked, clearly puzzled. "You're 
smart, beautiful, strong and a Slayer. How could I be a threat?"

"One word from you and Buffy would toss me aside," Faith said softly, 
hating herself for displaying any kind of weakness.

"I thought you didn't need anyone," Willow countered.

Faith resisted a snide comment or even hitting Willow.  

"I'm sorry," Willow said softly.

"I'm trying not to run, okay?" Faith snapped. "Everyone tells me I 
can make a new start here; I just want a fair chance."

"Then why pick on me?" Willow demanded. "I can understand Cordelia, 
she's shallow and it's a requirement for high school, but why you?"

Faith continued to frown.  

"I'm jealous, okay?" Faith finally snapped.

Willow leaned against the wall, obviously surprised.

"Of what?" she asked softly.

"You're beyond smart, you're cute as hell, you got a cool boyfriend, 
you've got family, friends and Buffy," Faith admitted, turning her 
back as she clenched her hands into fists.

"I don't believe this," Willow muttered. "You're beautiful and can 
have any guy you want. And why are we fighting about this?"

Faith turned around with a grin. "Got me, Red."

"Truce?" she offered after a moment.

"Yeah, just lay off the teasing?" Willow countered.

"Yeah, if you help me figure out something," Faith lobbed.

"What, a homework problem?" Willow perked up immediately; school was 
something she really knew she excelled at beyond everyone around her, 
except maybe Oz and his hidden intelligence.

"No, more personal," Faith said slowly. "I've watched you watching 
Buffy, something's bugging you too."

"What do you mean?" Willow asked, suddenly closed down.

"Look, I've only been here less than a month and I didn't know her 
before she ran away but I can sense the tension with all of you," 
Faith said slowly, walking up the stairs with Willow. "And you've 
been watching her like a hawk and I don't think it's just lust."

"What?!"

Faith reached out with typical Slayer speed and caught Willow before 
the red-head could fall down the stairs in surprise as Faith 
laughed.  

"You're also cute when you blush," Faith grinned.

"Do you have to make everything sexual?" Willow complained. "And I am 
not&boyfriend, Oz, straight here!"

"Yeah, right," Faith muttered with a grin.  

"Not that gay is bad but&" Willow stammered as Faith steered her back 
up the stairs.

"Don't worry about it, Red," Faith grinned. "Just friendly teasing, 
no harm, no foul. Let's get your book and head to school."

"Okay," Willow muttered.  

They found Willow's book on Buffy's dresser and Faith picked it up 
and found Willow frowning, looking at a set of bookshelves. 

"What is it?" Faith asked, watching Willow's thoughtful expression.

"Well, Buffy's smart, smarter than she let's anyone know," Willow 
muttered, looking at the books that were a new addition to the 
bookshelves that were normally crowded with knick knacks instead of 
books. Now there were several books and Willow looked over them with 
a bookworm's curiosity. "But studying and books do not happen in the 
same sentence with Buffy Summers."

"History of the Celts," Willow read aloud. "Celtic Mythology, A Trip 
Through Scotland and Wales, Gaelic/English Dictionary?"

"Buffy taking a special class?" Faith asked.

"No, there's nothing like that at Sunnydale High," Willow said 
absently, noticing a binder. Willow's hand hesitated but Faith 
decided the issue by reaching past Willow and grabbing the binder.

"Come on, let's go to school, we'll look at this over lunch, what 
say?" Faith said.

Willow glanced at the clock and nodded.

* * *