<...> = Thoughts / **...** = Memories / Paragraphs starting { and finishing } are dreams / ~...~ = Action Related Sounds

PART ONE - FORCES OF NATURE

Willow gently laid down her head on her pillow. She had just come from practising spells with Tara . They had attempted a particularly difficult spell from a book called 'THE GAIA CODEX'. Needles to say they failed, the small explosion, the wall and the splitting headache she had, were testament to that. All she wanted now was, some quiet time, to rest. <Considering I live on the hell mouth that would be a miracle.>

After a few moments, using several breathing techniques Giles had once told her about, she slowly felt herself fall into slumber. ------------------------------

Buffy sat perched on the top of an old tombstone. She was bored. Usually Friday nights were her most busy. It was the night she patrolled the cemetery, and when a lot of Vamps came out to feed on the young party goers. But not tonight. Hopping down she started back off around the cemetery for one last sweep before making her way back to the collage dorms. ------------------------------

Giles and Xandar were working the night away, well Giles was, Xandar had crashed out on the Sofa nearly three hours before.<He and Anya should really pace there love making or 'Orgasmic Activities' as she called it.> He shook his head. Trying to ignore the sound of Spike cursing at a contestant on some game show, and went back to his books.

"You stupid ignorant fat arced cow how could you bloody get that wrong." Spike raved. Giles would never admit it but part of him kind of liked having Spike around. Spike was thoroughly British and Giles liked having someone around who understood some of his more homely language. He loved Buffy, Willow and Xandar, as if they were his own children, if he was honest, but he did dearly miss home and other Brits. ------------------------------

~KICK~ ~PUNCH~ ~PUNCH~ ~PUNCH~ ~KICK~

The eight Vamps that had ambushed Buffy as she got out of the cemetery weren't easy novices and had beaten her severely she was on the floor breathing heavily and bleeding 'a lot' she thought they were just going to beat her and then turn her. Then one of them pulled out a gun. < At least I won't be a vamp. > becoming a Vampire was her worst nightmare, she would rather die and stay dead. Looking down the barrel of the gun Buffy thought what to do.

She decided to rush the Vamp, she didn't particularly want to, even she couldn't survive bullet holes, but it was really her only choice, she was alone, unarmed, out numbered and weak from the fight. Just as she was about to put her plan, if you could call it a plan, into action, a large cat pounced onto the Vamp knocking him to the ground and ripped out its throat. With no throat left, the vamp was decapitated and it combusted. Buffy watched as the large panther like cat, panther was the closest thing she could match it with, except this cats coat was reddish instead of black and from what Buffy could remember from school this animals ears were more prominent, turned and roared at the remaining two vamps.

They stared at the cat in amazement before turning and running. The cat looked at the disappearing vamps, then Buffy, then the vamps again, then back to Buffy. It turned and stalked towards Buffy. It licked it's lips as it stopped in front of Buffy. She closed her eyes, she knew she was easy prey for this animal, she braced her self for death. That's why she was surprised when she felt the cat licking her wounds, opening her eyes and looking down at the cat she found it staring back with obvious happiness in it's eyes.

Realising she was safe, for now anyway, Buffy got up. With the aid of the wall and her new cat friend, who lifted its head for her to lean on when she needed Buffy slowly hobbled towards Giles place. He was nearer than campus and she wasn't in any particular shape for the walk.

PART TWO - SAFE HOUSE

Giles went to the door when he heard the knock, he was shocked to find a badly beaten Buffy in front of him and terrified when he saw the large panther like cat that accompanied her. Helping Buffy to the couch, keeping a watchful eye on her feline friend.

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"And 'it' didn't attack you ?" Giles asked about referring to the cat, which Buffy had took to calling 'Blossom', for ease of reference. Buffy had just filled Giles in on her patrol.

"No, in fact 'she' helped me !" Buffy replied stressing the 'she' part, she didn't feel right referring to this animal as an 'it'. 'It' was a word she reserved for demons.

"Well I think it best you stay here tonight, you can take my room." Giles offered helping his charge, of course he was no longer Buffy's watcher, but he still felt responsible for the young slayer. Inside his room he sat the wounded slayer on his bed. "As for your friend I think..." Giles trailed off as 'Blossom' made herself at home on Giles bed with Buffy.

"I think she likes it right here with me ." Buffy said with a smile patting the bed.

"Well I think it better she slept outside." He went to take her by the neck only to be growled at."OR she could stay here with you." Giles left Buffy and Blossom alone.

Buffy pulled off her cloths, the stare of Blossom making her slightly self conscious. Buffy had discovered that she felt a lot more comfortable in the nude when she had wounds from a fight, in fact she quite liked sleeping in the nude full stop. The fact that she shared a dorm room with Willow was the only reason she had stopped doing just that.

Buffy climbed under the covers, she was soon joined by her new feline friend who crawled right under the covers, from the bottom of the bed, her head popping up by Buffy's. 'Blossom' snuggled up close next to Buffy purring slightly.

"Giles won't like you being 'in' his bed." Buffy told 'Blossom'. The cat just replied with stronger purring. The truth was Buffy didn't want her to leave she found the cats presence very calming, soothing. Kind of like an old comfortable familiar blankey. "You really want to stay don't you ?" She got an idea. Buffy took a pendant of Saint George which she wore around her neck and put it around 'Blossom's'. " I now pronounce you my official protector for tonight , now Giles can't complain" Buffy said to 'Blossom'. 'Blossom' replied with a very cheerful sounding purr before snuggling even closer to the slayer.

Buffy also snuggled closer to 'Blossom' wrapping her arms around the feline form, pulling the cat closer to her,' Blossom didn't complain. If it wasn't for all the very strange events that had occurred to Buffy while living in Sunnydale and on a hellmouth she was sure she would find falling asleep with a large wild, panther like, cat odd.

But she didn't, so while listening and feeling the soothing heart beat of the beast lying next to her Buffy gently fell asleep while stroking the cat, it's pours placed on her sides. < I can't wait to tell Willow about this one.>

PART THREE - AWAKENING

Consciousness came to Buffy as the light of the morning sun shone through the window. She gently pulled her arms closer pulling the sleeping from next to her closer. She felt hair against her nose, skin against her skin, arms around her waist.

<Skin against skin? Arms around waist? That's not right.>

Nervously Buffy opened her eyes to find , not a large wild, red haired sleeping cat, but instead, a red haired, rather naked, sleeping Willow.

<What's Willow doing here?> Buffy theorised that Giles must have called her Wicca friend last night and she fell asleep there.< But that doesn't explain why she's naked.> It was then the Slayer noticed the necklace hanging around Willow's neck. A necklace which she had put around the cats neck last night. < Oh my god. Could the cat be Willow.> It would explain why the cat seemed somehow familiar to Buffy the night before. Also knowing what Buffy knew she knew it was possiable. < God, Buffy get a grip of course Willow isn't the cat. > Buffy shook her head. <I've been living on the hellmouth for to long.> It was then Buffy realised she was till holding on to Willow's naked body. Tightly.

<God she feels nice.> Buffy snuggled closer, resting her hands on Willow's derriere, a smile gracing her lips. <My God what am I saying, what am I doing.>In panic Buffy quickly unwrapped herself from her friend and climbed out of the bed, suddenly realising how inappropriate it was having these feelings for her friend.

She had nothing against homosexuality she just never considered herself to be gay, but that didn't bother her, it just confused her a lot . What disturbed her was copping a feel of her sleeping friends body, in essence taking advantage of her.

Buffy knew she was attracted to Willow, well in all honesty she was in love with Willow. She accepted her feelings the moment she realised them, which was during the whole Oz / Varuca fiasco. In fact it was the love and jealousy that fuelled her anger that had caused her to threaten Oz into leaving. That was the reason Buffy felt so responsible for Willow's pain after Oz left, because she was responsible. Buffy regretted the moment she realised how much it hurt her friend.

Looking down at the peaceful sleeping beauty that was Willow Rosenberg, Buffy was glad Willow had misunderstood her when she had said 'I love you' before going to look for Varuca. She knew Willow could never love her back, at least not in the same way she love the red headed wicca, but she was content with having Willow as her friend if that was all she could have. Foe Buffy being allowed to be Willows friend was pure heaven.

Slipping her cloths back on Buffy left the bedroom to look for Giles.

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Buffy padded into the kitchen of Giles apartment, which was where she found the ex-watcher cooking what Giles often referred to, as a good full English breakfast. What Buffy called it was a sign saying ' I want a heart attack '. The plates on the counter were each filled with two fried eggs, four sausages, bacon, baked beans and toast. <God how can the British eat that in the morning.>

"Hey Giles." Buffy said stiffling a yearn.

"Ah, Buffy finally decided to join the land of the living I see." Giles smirked at his own little joke, Buffy just glared at him. "Yes..well..I called your mother told her what happened, I also tried to call Willow at your dorm but I never got an answer....".

"Giles what do you mean? Willow came here." Buffy interrupted.

"What do you mean?" Giles asked with confusion. "I've been up all night and Willow never came."

"But I woke up next to Willow. She's in you bed now. If you didn't let her in then how..did..she..." Buffy's voice trailed off as she remembered her crazy theory as to why her friend was in bed with her and naked.

"What is it. ?" Giles was worried at the slayers silence. Buffy looked at Giles with what looked like shock.

"Giles I think you had better sit down."

....to be continued....