Fic: Simple Choices...NC-17 Buffy/Willow (33/?)

["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, Lilly, and KK for the 
beta. There would be no writing without you guys. 
 

"Blow up?" Willow stared at Faith. "That's a joke, right? Very 
funny." She forced a tinkling laugh. 

No one else joined in.

"Oh, Goddess." Sinking back into her chair, Willow rubbed tired eyes. 

"Before we lose ourselves in panic and despair," Giles commented 
dryly, "perhaps we should let Faith tell the rest of her story." He 
gestured at Faith. "What, exactly, did Agent Finn tell you?"

***

Faith hadn't imagined her moment of glory quite like this. In her 
head, this moment was more about rushing in to save the day. With 
swords or stakes. Definitely not explanations. "Uh?" Looking around 
the room, she realized everyone except Willow was watching her. 

"J-just take it sl-slow, sweetie." Tara rubbed a hand over her thigh. 

"Right." Slow. Faith sucked in a deep breath and tried to remember 
the argument between Riley and the older man. "B's boy didn't 
actually tell me anything. I ran into him when I was on campus. He 
was having a fight with some grey-haired guy."

Faith was so focused on the memory,  she twitched in surprise when 
Graham asked, "About my height, short hair, nasty temper?"

"Sounds right." Faith looked at him and raised her hands, palm 
out. "I wasn't really looking."

He grimaced and waved a hand for her to go on.

Her leg started bouncing, and Faith decided she was sparring with 
Buffy the second this planning session was over. She really needed to 
beat on something. Buffy would have to do. "Anyway, they got real 
intense over blowing up the caves. The old guy said they didn't want 
to leave the equipment or something for the college kids to find."

"That's S.O.P," Graham said.

Now he was the center of attention. 

"Standard Operating Procedure." He smiled tightly. "We don't leave 
expensive and potentially dangerous materials behind. We either evac 
it, or we destroy it."

"See, now that's the problem." Faith pointed a finger at him. "That 
got Riley all wound up. He thought the caves might get destroyed with 
the equipment."

The rustle of Joyce bundling up the empty grocery bags was deafening. 

"You were much better when you were in a coma." Anya's irritated 
voice sliced through the sounds of the plastic. "At least then you 
could not bring us bad news."

Faith froze. Was she supposed to laugh? Or was Xander's girlfriend 
serious?

"Better we know now than after we had already made our plans." Faith 
relaxed when Giles gave her a half-smile of encouragement. "It seems, 
however, that our tentative strategy needs some work. Suggestions?" 
He looked at Xander and Graham.

***

"We could stick with the current plan, and move up the timetable," 
Xander replied thoughtfully. "Daylight might have given us the 
element of surprise, but we might get lucky and hit before Adam's 
ready for us."

Graham disagreed. "If we move now, rather than later, I can't get to 
my men. It would just be the nine of us." He scanned the room. "I 
don't like those odds."

Buffy didn't, either. However, it was a better chance than they 
usually had when things went wrong. "It doesn't matter," she said 
slowly. Her mind moved sluggishly, examining all the information. "We 
have to get Adam." Biting her lip, she added, "And Riley. The demons 
in the holding cells are for later, if we get a chance."

"Buffy?" Tara peered at her through her hair. "The b-bombs will take 
care of the de-demons, right?"

"I guess so." Buffy wasn't sure where Tara was headed. She looked at 
the military experts. "If the caves go boom, won't the demons go, 
too?"

Xander nodded. "Yep. No need for stakes and blood. Just C4 and an 
ignition switch."

"Then we stop worrying about the actual base." Tara's voice picked up 
confidence. "Adam is still keyed into my magic. What if we draw him 
away from the base ? from his Plan? We take him out while Graham and 
the Marines make sure the demons don't get loose before the 
explosion."

Before Buffy could really take in Tara's idea, Faith bolted off her 
stool. She spun, grabbing Tara roughly by the arms. "No! No way!" 

Buffy climbed carefully from her chair. The Slayer rumbled a soft 
warning, alert and ready if Faith lost control.

"You're out of your fucking mind if you think I'm letting you be some 
kind of bait for the Tin Man." There was an edge to Faith's voice 
Buffy had never heard before. Not bravado. Not the Slayer needing to 
be in charge. 

Dear God. Faith sounded scared?for Tara. 

"Faith," she said softly. "We'd all be there to protect her." Buffy 
blindly reached out for Willow's hand and gripped it tightly. 

"I said no, B." Faith's head snapped around. Her eyes were dark and 
intense. 

Staring hard into those eyes, Buffy couldn't see the Slayer. This was 
just Faith. For now. 

Extending her hand toward Faith, Buffy tried again. "I understand." 

Faith's eyes hardened further.

"I do. If it was Willow?" she let the words trail off and swallowed 
hard. "If it was Willow, I'd be trying to find a way to chain her up. 
Keep her safe."

Faith's head dipped in a short nod. "Then you know we ain't doing it 
this way."

"If it was Willow," Buffy continued, feeling Willow's fingers squeeze 
hers, "there wouldn't be a chain strong enough to hold her if she 
knew she could help." 

"B?" Faith pleaded. Buffy could see the fear in her eyes. "We can't?
It's Tara."

There was no way out of this. Buffy knew it, and she knew Faith 
understood that, tooe, even if she didn't want it to be true. "I 
know." The quiet, almost-apology would have to be enough. They were 
running out of time. 

***

"Why don't you guys w-work out the details?" Tara asked, looking 
directly at Buffy. Faith was poised in front of her, tense, on edge, 
and ready to explode. She needed to make sure that didn't 
happen. "Faith and I will be in the living room when you're ready."

She could tell Buffy wasn't thrilled with that idea. Her lips pressed 
together, and Tara sensed the refusal.

"Please." What else could she do? Tara slid from her seat and stepped 
around Faith. As she did, she took both of Faith's hands, drawing the 
other girl's arms around her own stomach. "Come on, sweetie. Let's go 
talk." 

They had to maneuver around Buffy's still form on the way to the 
door, but they made it. The door swung closed behind them.

"It ain't happening, T." Faith yanked away, stalking past her and 
pacing frantically across the room.

Tara watched her for a few minutes, considering her options. She 
could try the same technique she'd used in the kitchen. However, 
Faith's protective streak was working against her this time. She had 
to get Faith focused on the fight and on her job as a Slayer. 

No handling this time, just honesty.

"Yes, it is," Tara responded. "It has to, Faith."

Even expecting a response, she took a small step back when Faith 
whipped around to glare at her.

Fighting the need to cross her arms protectively and hunch forward, 
Tara raised her head and glared back. "This isn't about me or you, 
Faith. This is about killing Evil." She enunciated the last 
sentence. "You're the Slayer." 

"B's the Slayer," Faith denied immediately. 

Tara bit back a scream of frustration. "Faith," she forced out as 
softly as possible, "a Slayer or The Slayer?it doesn't matter. Your 
job?Buffy's job, too, is to kill Evil. Right now, that means Adam and 
whatever else the professor created."

She saw Faith's head nod in agreement. Willing or not, Faith 
understood her job.

"Using me is the only way to get Adam out into the open." Tara walked 
forward. "It's dangerous." She took Faith's unresisting hand. "That's 
why you, Buffy, and Willow will be there with me."

"I still don't like it," Faith mumbled. 

Tara raised their joined hands, pressing a soft kiss to Faith's 
knuckles. "You don't have to like it, sweetie. You just have to do 
it."

Faith's callused fingers rubbed against hers. "We won't let him hurt 
you."

Eyebrows rising, Tara peered at Faith in surprise. "Sweetie?" She 
felt a sudden pull at the rough, near growl in Faith's voice.

The warm copper tinge to Faith's eyes reached out to her, too.  

"I?" Faith faltered, appearing confused for a second. Then the frown 
wrinkling her brow smoothed. "We will keep you safe. We promise."




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

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