[no subject]

[C A Moore <cab_moore@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Here is the nudity promised last time, forgot which
part I was posting.

TITLE: History Visiting (3/?)
AUTHOR: C A Moore (cab_moore@xxxxxxxxx)
PAIRINGS: Eventually B/W, mild B/R, W/T, B/f in
transit
RATING: PG, I suppose, nothing very explicit, yet.
More by implication though, and some nudity; nothing
18+, I think.
DISCLAIMER: Buffy Universe is the property of
Joss/Mutant Enemy/WB. Helen, Jo, Chris & Jane are mine
SUMMARY: A visitor comes to Sunnydale and ruffles a
few feathers. Fits "in the cracks" between "Doomed"
and "A New Man".
SPOILERS: In this part I don?t remember spoiling past
Doomed
AUTHOR?S NOTES: It?s B/W but don?t hold your breath it
will take a while (blasted story keeps expanding).
Mary Sue alert (I don?t need to tell you who). Note
referances to one of the characters as an unnamed
redhead is a technique I was using to help maintain
suspense, but I think it works better when your are
reading the story in one go, rather than in parts. For
the moment all I will say is that Jo spends a very
busy day, and it should become clearer as the story
progresses.



Jo left the college library unsatisfied, the selection
of occult books was small, and nothing covered the
topic she was interested in. Like her survey of the
town?s magic shops, it had told her nothing she didn?t
already know. Perhaps there was one person in
Sunnydale who might know, but that would have to wait.
She saw Willow and was about to move to meet her when
she saw she was with someone she hadn?t seen before, a
blonde girl. Watching the two of them she saw they
were talking, and it didn?t take her long to guess the
subject. Her senses told her that the other girl was,
like Willow, a witch, and her intuition told her
something extra. She wasn?t very surprised, but this
development added a new interest to her job.

*****

After Buffy had left, grumbling about her psych
assignment, Willow decided to take a walk around
campus and had met Tara, and the two of them had
continued walking, talking about various things.
Willow chatted on, moving to the subject of Jo.
?She is amazing, I mean she knows so much; she?s
better with computers than I am, I could hardly keep
up with what she was doing. Then the next minute there
she is sparring with Buffy looking as good as ever,
not a hair out of place.?

Tara walked beside Willow listening; hearing Willow?s
admiration for this new girl was giving her decidedly
mixed feelings, strengthening her suspicions about
what she felt for Willow. 

Willow continued, oblivious to the effect her topic
was having on Tara.
?Not that she ever seems to have a hair out of place.
It?s incredible. She can wear anything as if it was
the height of fashion. I guess it helps that she has
the shape for it ??

Tara decided to change the subject at this point, as
she wasn?t sure how long she could remain impassive if
the conversation continued in the present vein. ?Have
you um, found any good spells recently?? she asked.

*****

Seeing Jo approach them in the Bronze, both Buffy and
Willow were put in mind of Willow?s alternate, vampire
self. She was wearing black leather, very vampire;
Willow had to stop herself from repeating her ?Well,
look at those? slip. Buffy had to stop herself feeling
for a throat pulse, remembering what almost - might
have happened last time. She settled for taking the
other girl?s wrist and checking for a pulse, with mock
seriousness to hide her concern. Jo just smiled,
broadly amused by their reaction to her outfit.

Having established Jo?s life status, Buffy became more
relaxed.
?I thought I said wear something inconspicuous?

?We?re patrolling aren?t we? I thought this would be
pretty inconspicuous in Sunnydale at night? Jo replied
?anyway we will get in a little partying as well,
won?t we??

Buffy and Willow had to concede the point ? any
vampire seeing Jo with them would probably mistake Jo
for a fellow demon, not a potential meal.
Buffy smiled
?Alright let?s go?

Although Buffy didn?t usually like too many civilians
on patrol, having Jo there keeping an eye on Willow
made her feel more secure. She still wasn?t as
impressed as Giles with the girl?s fighting ability,
but she had to admit that she would be more than a
match for any garden-variety vampire.

Her faith in Jo was never put to the test. When they
returned to the Bronze two hours later there was only
one less vampire in Sunnydale, and that was one she
had caught rising.
?It?s as if they?re avoiding us?, she complained.

She had a point. The highpoint of the patrol had been
when Spike, seeing Jo a little separate form the
others, had come on to her, and then suggested they
kill the Slayer together.

When he tried to grope her, just as it started to dawn
on him that she was wasn?t a vampire, she had applied
her boot. Buffy smiled at the recollection, and
wondered if he was still walking strangely. Still, it
was strange that Spike hadn?t noticed that she was
human earlier, but she supposed that the outfit was
pretty convincing and wishful thinking had
accomplished the rest.

They managed to get a table, or more accurately Jo
looked significantly at a table and it emptied; she
was really enjoying the effect her outfit had on
people. Buffy hoped the people at the table had just
been nervous, she didn?t like the idea that the
vampire uniform might command that much respect in
Sunnydale.

Jo went to get drinks, leaving Buffy and Willow to
mind the table. As she returned, they noticed her turn
down several invitations from hopeful males.
Buffy referred to this when she sat down
?I hope we?re not cramping your style?

Jo realised what she was referring to, and explained,
?It?s not you. I?m already with someone?

?Details please??

?What can one say about Chris? Blonde, beautiful,
smile that lights up the entire room? Jo summarised,
smiling herself.

A moment of silence followed, and lengthening as Buffy
and Willow contemplated their relationships past and
present.

Feeling the need to break their introspective silence
before they came to any overly depressing conclusions
Jo suggested a diversion.
?You know how guys sometimes spend their time spotting
and judging girls to pass the time??

?And?? Buffy enquired.

?Spot a girl, give a rating out of 10, and justify it?
Jo explained, ?It can be fun once you get into it?

Buffy frowned slightly at the suggestion, but opened
with a six for a brunette sitting alone in a corner.
Soon even Willow was joining in, forgetting her sombre
thoughts with this new diversion.

There wasn?t that many people in the Bronze, so the
game quickly lost momentum, and the conversation
drifted into more conventional areas. Buffy was glad
that Willow hadn?t noticed some of the looks that Jo?s
explicit explanatory gesturing had attracted, but she
had to admit that the game was a good icebreaker.

None of them were in a dancing mood, so they decided
to go on one last patrol sweep, and then back to the
dorm for more conversation.

The second patrol was even less eventful than the
first. Buffy guessed that Spike had finished his
night?s lurking early, on account of injury. Despite
the lack of activity, or perhaps because of it she
couldn?t shake the feeling that something was about
happen, and it wasn?t nice.

When they got back to the dorm Jo noticed her anxiety,
and commented
?You look tense. Anything in particular??

?No, just the regular Slayer thing? Buffy replied,
hiding her apprehensions behind humour. ?Worrying
about how I?m gonna have to save the world next, the
usual?

Although Buffy was dismissive, Jo was concerned.
?You need a hot shower and a massage?

?Yes, mom?

Jo could be stubborn too
?I mean it. You can?t expect to be able to fight if
you can?t learn to rest and relax once in a while?

Buffy looked rebellious.

?She?s right Buffy?
When Willow joined Jo, Buffy realised she was lost and
meekly went off to shower.

While she was gone Jo and Willow talked about
relationships in a general way. Willow lamented the
lack of any suitable partners, and announced that she
was happy in her current situation.

Jo smiled and said,
?That?s a bit pessimistic. You?re young; you have a
lot of time to find the right person. You might find a
partner where you least expect it. When I met Chris it
was nothing like I was expecting; we were just friends
for years, then everything changed?

?I thought I had, with Oz?

?You think there is only one person? There must be
hundreds, or thousands of people that you could form a
lasting relationship with. You just have to keep
hoping. One day you?ll just look at someone and know,
or maybe you?ll just drift into it; but you will know,
if you just keep looking?

Willow found herself thinking of that moment when she
had linked hands with Tara to move the vending
machine, that feeling of a link, a harmony, of
potential. She smiled; at least she had found someone
to help with her wiccan studies, someone who
understood.

Realizing that she had lost her audience Jo asked
?Thinking about a potential lover??

Willow jerked out of her reverie answered
automatically.
?Yes?? then realising the question, and blushing ?I
mean, no?

Buffy entered, saving Willow from further
embarrassment.
?Did I miss anything??

?Nothing much, just boyfriend talk? Willow replied,
quickly.

Jo just glanced at Willow thoughtfully before turning
to Buffy, who was looking for cloths in the closet.

?Don?t worry about wearing anything, just lose the
robe an lie down on the bed. The best massage is
always on bare skin?

Buffy just gave her a panicked look, so she continued
?Come on. You fight demons every day, and you afraid
of your own body? Nudity taboos are learned. There are
lots of people around the world who aren?t ashamed of
their bodies, and believe me some of them have a
hellova lot more to worry about than you?

Willow interjected at this point, looking a little
disconcerted
?You?re a nudist??

?Currently undercover, obviously? Jo replied without a
trace of embarrassment.

?So you?d be just as comfortable naked, right now??
Buffy enquired sceptically.

?Would _you_ be more comfortable if I was naked?? Jo
asked, with an ominous glint in her eye.

Neither girl could think of an appropriate comeback,
so her offer was met with silence.

Sympathising with their discomfort she backed down a
bit.
?Sorry to preach, but sometimes I like to try and make
people think outside the square a little. Nudity makes
you feel vulnerable; all things considered that?s a
natural reaction. I just don?t like people to dismiss
something without thinking about it?

Buffy compromised on topless. Willow was caught by
surprise as she disrobed and defiantly walked to the
bed and lay face down. She couldn?t help seeing; ?Wow?
she thought, then wondering what Tara would look like,
before getting lost in embarrassment, and feeling yet
another blush coming on.

Buffy found herself relaxing surprisingly fast under
Jo?s skilful manipulation; she was still trying to get
used to the new sensations of her position when she
felt her thoughts beginning to drift as she relaxed,
and barely noticed as Jo began explaining what she was
doing to Willow.

It felt good, really good. Her thoughts drifted to
meeting Jo the first time, only yesterday, though it
felt like weeks. She remembered feeling her pulse,
standing there as the tall red head had looked into
her eyes, smiling slightly. She allowed had mind?s eye
to travel downwards; what would it be like to? She
stopped that line of thought as she realised what was
happening, what she was feeling. 

The thoughts were easily dismissed, but her body
proved more reluctant to forget, doing this after
patrol may not have been a good idea. Frantically she
tried to think of something else; school, classes,
teachers? hmm Ms Calendar was kind of? whoops! Um?
slaying? makes you hungry and? damn. People? Angel?
NO! Spike, Giles? Don?t even want to think it. Xander,
goofy adorable Xander, after all he would be sure to
be thinking about you at a time like this? nope.

Willow (of course!) her best friend was sitting there,
watching. That ought to put a damper on things; she
dwelt on that for a while? maybe not. Rats! Who was
left? Mom! That ought to do it (don?t even think about
failure!) it seemed to work, or maybe her frantic
thinking had distracted her, either way Jo appeared to
finish, hopefully none the wiser about the effect she
was having on the Slayer. She saw Jo sanding beside
the bed looking at her, perhaps a little too smug.
Suddenly she felt the massage start again. What the?
Willow! She should have been paying more attention to
the conversation.

Willow touch was lighter, and more uncertain, and,
Buffy realised with alarm, even more... stimulating.
By the time Willow had settled into a more relaxing
rhythm, and Buffy had managed to control her hormones,
the mental image of Joyce Summers had sustained
considerable damage. God, I?m gonna need a lifetime of
therapy, or... she resolved to move things along with
Riley more quickly; that should do the trick.

She found herself almost sorry when it was over, but
was relieved to see that Willow was completely
oblivious to the sensations she had caused the Slayer.
Jo farewelled them and said that she was leaving in
the morning, and might not have time to come around in
the morning to say a final goodbye. The Slayer went to
sleep, pleasantly relaxed, her mind firmly set on
Riley.

*****

Giles slept uneasily. Lately he had been feeling
increasingly out of touch with the Slayer?s life, an
impotent observer from the sidelines. He had failed to
keep the Word of Valios from the demons, and now when
a new threat presented itself his lack of computer
skills left him feeling useless again. As he moved in
his restless sleep a silent figure moved slowly
towards the bed. His movements stopped as hands
gripped his head; after a few hours the figure left
the now peaceful sleeper. As it passed through the
door, a stray beam of light glinted on red hair.

*****



****

Kinda mild for Riley bashing, I know, but I'm only
laying a foundation so far: this story line will stay
with the series until after mid to late season 5, so I
can't get that ambitious yet

CBMoore



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