Fic: Simple Choices...NC-17 Buffy/Willow (24/?)

["Chris" <elizabethrex1@xxxxxxxxx>]

Disclaimer: All things Buffy belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and 
lots of people in expensive suits. I'm not making any money here, 
just trying to create a happier Buffyverse for my favorite characters.
Spoilers: General spoilers for S5, starting with "The I in Team." Eh, 
who am I kidding? This is really AU now.
A/N: Thanks to Ivy for pre-reading and Zigpal for the beta. There 
would be no writing without you guys. A special nod to Lilly, who 
recently joined the beta crew. Thanks for talking me through the plot 
issues.


"Is that wise, Buffy?" Giles queried.

Buffy frowned. "We need information. He has some. Isn't that a good 
thing?" She wandered over and sat on the floor ? near Willow, just 
not so close to cause comment. Buffy didn't want to push their 
relationship into the already tense situation. Adam first. 

She saw Giles shift in his chair. "We certainly can use information. 
However, Buffy, I am afraid it might be a trap rather than an actual 
meeting." He met her eyes and shrugged. "Is there a way to contact 
Graham and verify the request?"

"I could call Lowell House, I guess." When Giles grimaced, Buffy said 
defensively, "It isn't like we have a secret code or anything. There 
was never a problem before Walsh turned out to be some mad scientist 
and her experiment started killing people."

"What if you don't go to the meeting?" Buffy twisted to look at 
Xander after his question. He grinned a little. "We need the info, 
Buffy. Are you the only one who can get it?"

Without thinking, Buffy nodded. "I am the one with the neat 
Initiative pager."

"Jesus, B. Get over yourself," Faith mocked. "Just because you got 
all friendly with that uniformed boy toy doesn't mean someone else 
can't check out the meeting, make sure it's safe."

Buffy glowered at Faith, searching for an appropriately nasty 
response.

"Hey, before this gets all violent, can we maybe talk about why we 
think it's a trap and how to deal with it if it is?" Willow broke 
in. "Everyone take a deep breath and calm down. It's like you've all 
been drinking the Professor's potion. Less anger, more talking and 
logic."

Buffy slumped back. Willow was right. Scooby meetings were usually 
tense; they'd never been so openly hostile before. "Sorry, guys. 
Guess I'm still a little wound up." She scanned the room, grinning 
sheepishly. "I'll try to cut back on the psycho bit. I promise."

"My bad, too, B." Buffy's eyes widened. Had Faith actually 
apologized? "I think we're all kinda tired of the Scooby 
togetherness. Let's figure this out so we can all go back to our own 
thing."

"Good idea. Any plans on how to do that?' Willow asked. 

Faith glanced at Xander. "Think so. Xan and I'll meet your 
connection, B. While you were having your big talk, the rest of us 
decided Adam doesn't know about me. Means he probably isn't on the 
look out. Xan's got enough military know how to pass for one of the 
Initiative guys. We'll take a little stroll across campus and see if 
this Graham has some real information."

It went against the grain to sit back and not be on the front line. 
Buffy tapped her fingers on the carpet, trying to find another 
solution. She couldn't come up with one. "Fine." It sounded grudging, 
so she added a small smile. "Graham saw Faith when we dropped off 
Riley. It should be enough. If he gives you any trouble, head back 
and we'll think of something else."

***

Faith wasted no time. Once Buffy was on board ? even reluctantly ? 
she sprang off the couch. "Let's go, X-man. Time for a little action."

"Now? Don't we need to make a plan? Grab some weapons?" Xander 
climbed off the couch, kissing a pouting Anya before following Faith 
out of the room. 

"Plan on the way. And weapons?" She raised an eyebrow. "It's 
daylight. No vamps. We're going instead of Buffy because Adam 
probably isn't looking for us. You want to pack to visit the co-eds?"

Faith grinned when Xander held up both hands in a gesture of 
surrender.

Smacking him on the shoulder, she opened the kitchen door and led the 
way outside. "Besides, think about it. Did you want to be there when 
B finds out she has to get all cozy with the Slayer?"

"Good point. Very, very good point." Xander squinted in the bright 
sunlight. "Alright. We avoid a Buffy freak and maybe find out how to 
beat Adam. Both good things." He stuffed his hands in the pockets of 
his camouflage pants, jingling his keys. "You think this is a trap?"

"Don't know." Faith walked as fast as she dared. Leaving Xander 
behind wasn't an option, but the sleep hadn't helped with her excess 
energy. "This Graham seemed OK the other night, and he wasn't too 
happy with his bosses. Maybe it's exactly what B said. A chance to 
pass on some information."

Downtown Sunnydale looked deserted. Not even midday shoppers or 
business people wandered the sidewalks. Faith frowned. It wasn't 
normal. Only at night were the streets quiet. Despite the bright 
sunlight, she let her senses roam. Nothing close. 

Xander noticed her preoccupation. "Something wrong?" He tensed, eyes 
roaming the street.

"Can't feel anything." They'd picked up the pace by unspoken 
agreement. "Just wasn't expecting the whole lack of people." Faith 
glanced at Xander. "Kinda thinking I should have let you grab the 
gun."

"No." Surprised by the response, Faith turned her head. He 
smirked. "Look, we don't want to call attention to ourselves. My 
outfit is bad enough. Luckily, with the Initiative running around, 
anybody we meet won't think too hard about it. Add a gun?"

It made sense. "Right. Guess I've got a lot to learn from the new 
Xander." Faith smirked. "Not much of the Zeppo left, huh?" Wanting to 
keep things from spiraling into a rehash of the past, she jostled his 
shoulder. "Looks good on you. All that confidence is sexy."

She thought she'd overplayed her hand for a minute. Xander stiffened, 
glaring at her. Scrambling for a way to undo her error, Faith wasn't 
expecting the return shove to her shoulder. "Be careful, Faith. Anya 
gets a little touchy when women ogle her personal sex toy."

The laughter felt good. Faith grinned at Xander. "Possessive, is she? 
Must mean you're worth keeping." Her dimples flashed as a blush 
covered Xander's face. "No worries, then. I'll just have to be on the 
look out for my own toy. Don't want your girl to come after me."

As they left downtown behind and entered the edge of the UC-Sunnydale 
campus, Faith and Xander sobered. Faith's Slayer senses 
screamed. "Damn. What the hell's going on here? My head's about to 
blow off from all the demons and shit."

"Welcome to Adam's playground." Xander swept the area alertly. "The 
Initiative base is under the campus. You're probably picking up the 
demons Buffy saw in the cells."

Faith swallowed hard. From the strength of her internal response, the 
demons numbered in the hundreds. Even being in City Hall with the 
Mayor's crew hadn't been this bad. "I can see why B's so hyped to 
take care of this. Adam's bad, yeah, but all those demons?Even 
without him in the picture, she'd have a tough time taking on numbers 
that big."

The sound of footsteps heading their way interrupted. Faith raised 
her hand, signaling Xander to stop. Muscles tensed for a fight, she 
waited.

Graham pounded down the sidewalk. "Change in plans," he gasped out, 
not slowing. "Run. "

***

"OK, gang. Someone want to fill me and Will in while we grab some 
breakfast?" Buffy stood up, rubbing her stomach. "I'm starving."

Joyce stood as well, moving toward the kitchen. "I can get you some 
eggs, toast, and bacon. If we're going to be here much longer, I'll 
have to do another supply run. Two Slayers and Xander mean we go 
through a lot of food."

Willow hesitantly joined her best friend/girlfriend in the kitchen. 
She'd known Joyce since the early days; suddenly, her favorite mom-
type figure made her nervous. Perching on a chair, she watched Joyce 
quickly beat some eggs and pour them into a skillet. "Did you guys 
come up with anything?"

The sound of Joyce moving the slowly hardening eggs around was loud.

"Um, hello?" Willow tried to smile. "It was just a question. Feel 
free to jump right in with answers."

Eventually Giles spoke up. "Yes, well, Faith and Xander believe that 
two Slayers can defeat Adam." Willow watched as he snatched off his 
glasses and began cleaning them. 

"That's it? That's the grand plan?" Buffy sounded incredulous. "I 
know the Chosen Two were a force to be reckoned with; I just don't 
think you realize how bad Adam kicked my ass the last time."

Giles replaced his glasses. "Indeed." He cleared his throat, 
fidgeting where he stood in the doorway. "There?ah, there were a few 
suggested alterations to your last battle plan."

"You mean the one where I tried not to become a grease spot on the 
floor?" Willow winced as Buffy's voice rose. The blonde's impatient 
comments weren't helping. Giles stared at the floor, lips pressed 
tightly together.

"Buffy, give him a chance to explain, OK?" Willow met hazel eyes with 
a muted version of Resolve Face.

 Buffy resisted, and Willow turned up the volume on her resolve. 
Buffy crumbled. Slumping into her seat, she waved an apologetic hand 
at the room.

"Oh, for God's sake," Anya burst into the conversation. "Just tell 
her already." Giles remained silent, and Willow hid a grin as Anya 
threw her hands in the air. "Fine. I'll do it. Buffy," she announced, 
voice ringing, "you can't beat Adam. Your Slayer can."









Willow: "It's a good fight, Buffy, and I want in."
Buffy:  "I kinda love you."
                      --'Choices'

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