RoundRobin: Chapter 14 - AmberBensonFan

["Jude" <AmberBensonFan@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Rising From The Wreckage
Chapter 14

Tara gave Buffy a sideways smile, something the Slayer noted as 
being 'distinctly Tara.' She'd seen that particular look grace the 
Witch's beautiful visage countless times before, but it always 
reserved for a special redhead. Now, Buffy couldn't help but respond 
with a smile of her own, as she realized she was the recipient of 
that awfully cute look this time. "Tara, I?" Buffy began, but wasn't 
quite sure what to say. The kiss they just shared was great, 
amazing, and wonderful; though it was also new, scary, and felt 
decidedly far more comfortable than she ever thought it would have 
been. The Slayer wasn't dumb, far from it in fact, but she was at a 
loss for words on how to really describe what it felt like to kiss 
those bee-stung lips. 'Like coming home. It was safe and warm.' Buffy 
finally got her mind to wrap around the sensations, albeit they could 
never be all encompassing to what she really felt just then.

"Shhh," Tara interjected, placing a finger tenderly against Buffy's 
lips to silence the Slayer. Her cerulean eyes told the woman before 
her that words weren't needed just yet and Buffy gave her a smile 
that spoke of her appreciation. Taking a hand, callused from 
countless battles, within her own, the Witch pulled Buffy to the bed 
where she sat back and positioned the blonde between her legs. She 
leaned up against the smaller woman, her full breasts pressed up 
against a well-muscled back, and wrapped her arms around the tiny 
waist. 

Buffy sighed and allowed herself to fall into the arms that encircled 
her, a feeling of contentment flooded her body and her eyes drifted 
shut to enjoy the moment. Actions did speak louder than words and 
both women knew that though their bodies still ached for the other on 
a purely sexual level, their hearts knew that the closeness was the 
only thing needed just now. 

~~~

Dear Diary:

Hmmm, ever wonder why people do that? I mean, why write 'dear diary?' 
It's not like you're really writing a letter, you're just scribble 
thoughts down on a piece of paper. I don't know, I guess it's just 
to make us feel better about talking to ourselves. 

Anyway, it's no big surprise that the end of the world is coming 
again and yeah, yeah, in comes Buffy to the rescue again. Well, okay 
maybe not just Buffy this time. Oh, I didn't tell you! OMG, Giles 
came back home finally. Yeah, sure, he came with the end of the world 
prophecy thing, but the point is he's back and I hope he's going to 
stick around this time, if Buffy can save the world again, which she 
so is, cause get this, Buffy needs Willow and Tara this time.

Giles was saying stuff about how they have to bond or something. I 
just figured it meant we'd finally get Willow back and we'd be a 
family again, like before everything happened with all the magic and 
stuff. But then I heard some noises coming from Willow and Tara's 
room, except it was only Tara and Buffy in there and I heard what 
Xander said. I don't think they're really doing that and just the 
thought of my sister and sex is just so completely ewwwww! But I 
mean, what happens when Willow comes home? If Buffy and Tara do hook 
up will Willow leave again? Does this bond that Giles keeps talking 
about mean they all have to, well, ya know.

I'm not sure if I can really talk to anyone about this. Well, I can 
probably talk to Tara cause she's always so easy to talk to, but what 
do you really say? 'Hey? You and my sis getting it on?' I don't think 
so. 

Anyway, we just sent off some emails to Willow. I hope she at least 
reads them, but I really hope she comes back home. Yeah, I'm still a 
little grrr over the accident and the whole broken arm thing, but I 
mean come on, this is Willow. She always stuck up for me when Buffy 
was being all 'slayer-ish' and from what Angel's been telling us 
she's being doing pretty good with getting better.  

Oh, there's the door to Tara's room. Maybe I'll go see if I can talk 
to her without sounding like some perv or something. I'll write more 
later if I find out anything new.

~~~

"I have to talk to Giles before I go out on patrol," Buffy's voice 
finally broke the comfortable silence of the bedroom.

Tara nodded, but tightened her hold around the Slayer. "I really like 
this," she informed, her tone soft and gentle.

Buffy closed her eyes and gave the hands still around her waist a 
gentle squeeze of acknowledgement. "Me too." Neither woman made a 
move to extract themselves from the embrace until Buffy added, "But 
unfortunately vamps and apocalypses don't wait for snuggle-time." She 
moaned against the thought of leaving the arms around, but finally 
made the effort to stand up.

Tara remained on the bed, an unreadable expression on her face as she 
studied the blonde in front of her. Thoughts tumbled across her 
mind, words were fragmented, as she tried to think of something to 
fill the suddenly awkward air between them.

Buffy beat her to it with a simple, "Catch ya later, then," and the 
Slayer was out the door.

~~~

"Tara?" Dawn's voice filtered into the room through the door that 
Buffy left partially ajar when she left ten minutes ago.

The blonde looked up and smiled at the site of the young woman she 
considered a sister. "Hey, Dawnie, what's going on?"

Dawn smiled and took the greeting as an invitation. She stepped into 
the room and sat next to the witch. "I, um, I kinda wondered if I 
could talk to you for a sec?"

Tara watched as Dawn fidgeted next to her and gave her a smile that 
she hoped would ease whatever worried the teen. "Sure, Dawn, you 
know you can always talk to me."

"Well, I was kind of wondering about the prophecy," Dawn decided 
before she came in to start with something easy and not come bursting 
out with 'Are you and Buffy going to date?'

"I don't really know," she started. "Giles seems to have most of the 
information, have you tried talking to him?"

"Ah, not so much, no," Dawn answered hesitantly and refused to look 
directly at the blonde.

"Dawn?" Tara queried as she picked up on the nervous tension that 
rolled off the younger girl. "What's this really about?" Her voice 
was gentle as it encouraged Dawn to speak her mind.

"I'm just worried, that's all. I mean," Dawn started and quickly 
found her mouth speaking words her mind told her was not so much of 
the good. "What if willow comes back and finds out you guys are 
together and then she'll leave again."

"Oh," Tara expressed as she let out a long breath and used the pause 
to collect her thoughts. "Dawnie," Tara tried, but the teen wouldn't 
look up. "Dawn," she tried again and added to her plea a finger 
under the girl's chin and gently pressed until their eyes 
locked. "I'm not sure what's going on between Buffy and I, but 
that's not to say I love Willow any less. It's kind of like," Tara 
paused and tried to see if she had the words, or even the 
understanding to really express this. "It's kind of like they each 
have their own place in my heart, ya know? I always assumed that the 
part Buffy held was just in a 'dear friend' kind of way. When she 
stood up for me, when you all did, against my family, something just 
seemed to click. Here was this savior of the world who could have 
easily let my dad take me back home and not be bothered, especially 
after that spell I did?" Tara's thoughts returned to that day and she 
grew quiet for a moment. 

That day she cast a spell on all the Scoobies that made them blind to 
the demons that happened to show up. She put them all in very real 
danger, each fighting for their lives against invisible foes. She 
took from them the right to decide whether or not to accept Tara if 
she were a demon. She took from them their free will to make any 
decision on the matter and left them in a lethal situation as a 
result. Not really that much different from what Willow did. The 
blonde shook her head from her thoughts and gave the teen who waited 
patiently a smile.

"I'm sorry," she apologized meekly. "Point is, I always just assumed 
it was a hero worship thing that grew into a nice friendship. Now, I 
don't know, I think that friendship could easily become something 
more. But Willow always had my heart too. I think she had it before 
I ever met her," Tara smiled sheepishly at her overly romantic 
statement.

"So, what are you gonna do?" Dawn pressed gently. "I mean, you can't 
just have them both, right?"

Tara went to answer immediately but held back to mull Dawn's question 
over a bit. Why couldn't the three of them work something out? She 
knew Willow always had some type of feeling for Buffy and always 
suspected there might be something on Buffy's end too. In fact, 
there was a time there that she prepared herself for when Willow 
would knock on her door one night and say things between them were 
over because she and Buffy finally found their way together. Now 
things were a little different and a lot more complicated. It was 
something that she'd have to talk to both women about and that meant 
getting Willow to somehow come home and keep her here after she finds 
out about the prophecy.

"I don't know, Dawn, I guess we'll just have to play things out and 
see where they go each day. How do you feel about that? I mean, the 
possibility of maybe Buffy and I?" she trailed off, not really sure 
how to asked, 'do you mind if I date your sister' even though it was 
a fairly simple question.

Dawn knew what was being asked and she didn't have any answers. Her 
own thoughts and emotions about this were so confused and in fact, 
that's what brought her to Tara's room in the first place. Except, 
instead of answers, she got more questions. She shrugged and stood 
up with a smile, "Don't know, guess we'll do like you said and take 
it one day at a time, right?"

Tara gave the teen a smile followed by a nod. "Dawn, if you ever need 
to, I'm always here for you to talk to, okay?" The blonde knew she 
already said that much when the girl first came in, but she really 
wanted Dawn to know that no matter what happened - no matter who she 
wound up dating or not dating - that she'd always be there for her.

Dawn returned both the smile and nod and left the room. Tara slumped 
back against the bed and blew out a breath of air. "What a mess," she 
groaned and rolled over onto her side.

~~~

"So, the witch won't play?" The voice echoed in the quiet 
room. "Just as well, we've got the vampire now. Still, she holds 
too much power to let the other side have, do something about that, 
won't you?" The question wasn't a request, it was a demand, and 
everyone in the room knew it.

"Yes, sir," another voice intoned, quickly followed by the soft 
sounds caused by shuffled feet as three men in suits left the room.

Mr. Bester turned back to the window and watched his men working on 
the unconscious vampire. The chip was implanted deep inside and if 
it were just a matter of removing it things wouldn't be so 
difficult. Their purposes, however, meant they'd have to get in, 
remove the chip, reprogram it, and reinsert it - all without damaging 
the vampires brain in the process. He might be dead, but he still 
had a malicious mind and it would be a great waste to ruin that, 
especially now that they were without the witch.

He tapped his fingers idly on the wood grained surface of the table 
he stood before. Thoughts wandered to others he could call into 
service. He already had those weaseling lawyers, the tech wizard 
kid, and now the vampire. But something else was needed, more power 
on their side, particularly something that would counter the power of 
the witches. His men were efficient, but he didn't last this long by 
trusting humans. No, he needed a counter plan in case the red witch 
managed to get back to her friends, but he also needed something that 
would counter the blonde witch as well.

A gentle knock came at the door, "Sir?" a voice lowered in respect 
called in.

"Ahhh, any word?" Mr. Bester asked while he kept his eyes on the 
surgery being performed in the other room.

"Yes, sir, we've acquired what you've asked for. Awful lot of 
trouble, sir, but it's in the waiting room for you."

"Very good." Mr. Bester turned and left the room and walked right 
past the man at the door as though he weren't even there. He quickly 
made his way to the waiting room and smiled at the woman who had her 
booted feet propped up on the desk. "So good of you to come."

She turned in her seat and narrowed her eyes at the man. "Yeah, 
well, a get outta jail free card ain't something I'm gonna just toss 
away."

"Faith, is it?" He asked and took a seat behind the desk.

"Yeah, look, the sooner you get on about whatever evil scheme ya got 
going on the sooner I can get going, okay? I've heard all the same 
mumbo jumbo before so let's cut to the chase, k?"

Mr. Bester chuckled and shook his head. "I somehow doubt you've heard 
this all before, my dear girl." He smiled at the growl that came 
from Faith from that. "Point is, I need a slayer to handle a slayer."

Faith kept her face neutral but her insides were doing jumping jacks 
at warp speed. 'B? He's after B and he wants me to do the dirty 
work.' She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, on the 
outside it looked like she was bored, but inside she used it to help 
clear her mind. 'Okay, get the 411, play the game a bit, and sneak 
back to the Scoobies and pray they don't kill me before I can fill 
them in on whatever's going on.'

"Somehow I think you'll be just perfect for us," Mr. Bester was 
saying. "Now, if you'll follow me, I'll show you around and get you 
settled in. I'm sure you're probably hungry considering what they 
serve in prison can hardly be considered food. We'll get you fed and 
then we'll talk."

"Yeah, whatever," Faith shrugged and lazily let her feet drop to the 
floor with a thumb-thud before she got up and followed him out the 
door.

~~~~~~~~
RoundRobin website: www.megawitches.net/Story/RoundRobin/mwrr.htm