Down Twisted
by drkdreamer
Chapter 3
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Chapter 3
8:30 a.m.
Alex Roberts was just finishing up her punishing exercises when, out of nowhere, her front doorbell once again began to ring. The dark woman had woken up at 6:00, made her bed and eaten a light breakfast of toast and a hard fried egg. She then washed up her meager dishes and proceeded to dress in her usual exercising fare. It consisted of some indecently tight, gray shorts that where a left over from her high school days and a faded, sleeveless half shirt that had once belonged her best friend. The woman wiped the sweat from her brow as she padded over to the door, completely forgotten about what she was wearing. As the door opened, Alexandra couldn't help but grin as she saw just who was standing there. Slayer and Witch stood there in the bright, morning sunlight wearing matching tee-shirts and shorts, the slightly guilty looks crossing those two sets of lips washed away the happy expression from her own face. Buffy Summers and Willow Rosenberg could clearly tell they'd interrupted something because Alex had her hair, uncharacteristically, pulled back into a pony tail and the sweat was literally steaming into those outrageous shorts that clung to her slim hips. The blonde, also, couldn't help but be more than a little stunned by those hard looking abs that the dark woman was flashing not mention the muscular yet feminine arms and legs!
"Ladies, to what do I owe this pleasure?"
Willow quirked a grin at the woman before answering that question with one of her own.
"Could we come inside, please, Alex?"
True to her manners, the dark woman stepped backwards and allowed the teens into her home. They silently followed the Southerner back into the living room where she motioned for the girl's to get comfortable.
"Okay. Now kindly tell me what you to my door this fine morning."
Slayer and Wiccan locked eyes, it was Buffy whom spoke first.
"It's like this; me and Wills have decided to spend some time down at the beach. We just thought that maybe if you weren't too busy, you might like to join us."
Alex could only sit there in stupefied silence, she was genuinely surprised that even think about inviting her along to go with them.
It's awfully sweet, thought the older woman, and it has been quite a while since I've stepped foot near an ocean.
The more she thought about it, the more the idea appealed to Alex. With gray eyes twinkling, she informed them of her answer.
"Give me ten minutes for a super quick shower then we'll head out. Please feel free to help yourselves to drink, if ya want. I've got some Cokes in the fridge, I'll be back shortly."
Alex had already pivoted upon her heels when a stray thought suddenly occurred to her.
"Guys, where exactly is this beach located?"
Hearing nothing but dead silence behind her back forced the dark woman to swing back around to stare questioningly at her young guests. Willow realized that honesty was a big issue to the Southerner and she strove to explain.
"It's not far, perhaps not more than twenty-five minutes away. You'll have to drive, Alex but we've got the money for gas. We realize you probably want to get ready to go hunting as soon as you possible can but, both Buffy and I want you to have at least one nice day in Sunnydale. Please, Alex Roberts, let us give you that today."
Staring into two sets of beseeching eyes, Alexandra knew she was whipped much like a dog. She had the presence of mind to ask herself when the hell she became such pushover but her brain chose That moment to keep quiet.
"Allright," she said with a defeated sigh," I'll allow myself one day of pleasure. Incase I forget to say this later, Thanks! This is one of the nicest things that's happened to me in quite a while but ya gotta make me a promise. Swear to me that this won't be an everyday occurrence."
The dark Southerner was wholly satisfied when both teens solemnly swore this would be the one and only time they'd do anything of this nature. Slayer and Witch released the breaths they'ed been holding as Alex turned and walked into her bedroom. Once the door closed, they looked woefully into one another's eyes.
"I really didn't think she'd go for it, Will."
"Neither did I," said the half smiling green eyed girl. "I can't help but believe that a huge part of her wanted to say no. Why do you suppose that is, Buffy?"
The blonde thought that her brainy best friend was dead on with her assumption. Every pore of the dark woman literally screamed out that fun was simply not in her vocabulary.
"I believe that there's a lot to Alex that is closed off but, and I hate to even admit this, that might turn out to be a good thing."
That left the red head with a surprised look on her face. In none of their previous conversations about Alexandra Roberts had the other girl expressed concerns like this. They had agreed to do their level best to convince the older woman to give up her quest to end another person's life, now, it seemed that the Slayer had changed her mind.
"What's going on, Buffy, why are you suddenly changing your mind about Alex?"
The genuine confusion in that familiar voice caused Buffy Summers to smother back a curse. Her words had obviously come out wrong, she felt it prudent to explain herself.
"Oh, Will, that's not what I meant. I promised both you and Cordelia that I would help Alex and I will do just that. All I was trying to say was that it's probably good that she doesn't share all of herself with us. To be sure, Alex is an intriguingly, charming woman. No doubt about that, but consider this. If she where to revel everything that she keeps inside, what's to say that we Wouldn't be sucked into her darkness that we can both sense bubbles just underneath her surface?"
Willow, of course, had to agree with the astute Slayer. Still, in her heart of hearts, she couldn't help wishing that they would come up with a way to save the dark woman.
"Do you think it even remotely possible that we might stop her from killing Skyton?"
Buffy had to bite the tender inside of her lower lip because That was the 10 million dallor question. Try as she might, and had been doing since first meeting the Southerner, she could detect no gray areas in that woman. Alex was all hard edges and deep chasms, the Slayer fully suspected that once she made up her mind about something Alexandra Roberts hardly ever changed it. Seeing as how Willow was still patiently awaiting an answer, Buffy put a tight lid upon those particular thoughts.
"I really don't know, Wills, all we can do is try."
It was at that precise moment that the object of their shared thoughts strolled back into the living room. Her hair still wet from the recent shower, Alex unthinkingly brushed it back from her forehead. "Lets jet, people."
It took less than a minute for all parties to exit the house. It was a typical day in Sunnydale, clear sky and lots, lots, lots of the sun's warmth spilling across the land. The trio made their way into the car and headed off for a day of fun.
Willow had been exactly right, thought Alex twenty-five minutes later as they pulled deserted parking area.
The coastline was utterly pristine and after stepping from her car, Alex found herself wholly assaulted by the salty smell of the utterly familiar ocean breeze. Before she even knew what was happening, Alexandra's fertile mind was locked firmly upon a beach thousand of miles away and a full twelve years in the past. The sublimely sweet, achingly beautiful memories began replaying in her head before she had any sort of chance to recall them. Buffy and Willow, completely unaware that Alex remained standing by the car, were laughing gaily as they walked onto the hot sand. They'd actually walked a little further onto the beach before the Wiccan realized Alex Roberts was, in fact, not following them. She'd stopped and was about to call out the dark woman's name when she caught site of the Southerner's stunned, pain filled visage. The expression was fraught with equal parts hurt, longing and dark remorse, the complete magnitude of it made even her want to cry aloud.
"S'matter, Will?"
The Witch had no words to respond and simply pointed back towards the mutely standing Alex. Buffy took one look at her best friend's tear stained green eyes and instantly whipped around to stare at the dark woman. In all her years as the Slayer, Buffy Summers had never once seen that much suffering splashed so expressively across another human beings face and she hurt for Alex Roberts.
"Don't move, I'll go see what's wrong with her, Wills."
So saying, the slender yet compact blonde walked back to where the woman remained standing. Buffy then hesitated because, though she stood no more than 6 inches from the Southerner, Alexandra Roberts never even seemed to realize she was standing there.
"Alex... Alex tell me what's wrong."
Those infinitely sad eyes blinked just once after hearing those concerned words. She perfectly understood, of course, that she was merely standing there in the warm sunlight like a proverbial bump on a log. Alex Knew she damn well better assure the younger girl that nothing was wrong before all her secrets came rushing to the forefront.
"It's nothing, I promise you Buffy. Why don't ya just mosey on back to Will and find us a nice place to crash. Think I'm just gonna walk around for a bit, be back in a little while, you dig?"
Alex turned and made her escape before the Slayer could think about stopping her. Buffy Summers frowned, what in the hell was going on inside that woman's brain?!? That question was still puzzling around in her brain as she sauntered back to her waiting friend. Willow had been watching the dark Southerner's silent journey towards the opposite end of the beach, she flashed a utterly confused look at her best bud.
"Alex just needed some time to herself. She'll be back in a few, 'kay Will?"
The girl with the emerald eyes simply stared into that contrite hazel gaze. The Wiccan knew her best friend had done her best; she turned an elfin grin the other girl's way.
"Sure, Buffy. We gonna wait here or get comfortable ourselves?"
A rather snarky grin crossed the Slayer's face at the sound of those incredibly bland words. Without too much thought, Buffy flung an arm across the smooth shoulders of her best friend.
"Comfort is the only sane way to go, Wills. Looks like the perfect spot right over there, dontcha think?"
Both teens where grinning as they sat down, just a few feet from the water's edge. Willow's body was still tingling from Buffy's innocent gesture; she was desperately trying to convince herself not to want some more of that action.
That plea sounds way weak, thought the Wiccan, even to mine own ears!
Sitting directly across the couch, Buffy's hazel eyes where riveted to the Hacker's partially opened lips. They looked to be incredibly soft to the blonde and the longer she stared, also so damn inviting.
Jesus, the bemused Slayer's brain whispered, what the hell am I doing to myself?
There was the faintest self mocking smile on her face as the blonde silently acknowledged that she had always been more than just a little attracted to the brainy red head. There was just something about Willow that had drawn Buffy to her, right from the moment Cordelia had torn down the shy girl's composure. Despite the other girl's geeky exterior, Buffy Summers had always thought that Will was also inherently beautiful. It slew her, if you'll pardon the expression, to realise that the majority of the high school populace didn't share her thoughts. She had put the attraction firmly outta her mind because Willow Rosenberg had also turned out to be the single best friend the Slayer had ever had. Now, almost five years later, the chemistry, that had always existed between the two girls, was pushing to the forefront.
Why now, the blonde thought to herself, why is it now that I can't stop thinking about stripping that girl naked and loving her to the very best of my ablitites? When did it happen, when did I start dreaming about making slow, sweet love to Willow when I damn well know she doesn't in that way?!?
It was at this point that the dark Southerner came walking back towards where the teenager's where sitting. After getting one good look at the equal parts need/want in their gazes, had to smile in the most wistful of ways.
Thank you God, her brain was fairly shouting, maybe Buffy and Willow would have the guts to come together, without any help on my part!
It was such a nice thought but Alexandra Roberts intuitively sensed that this would never be the case. Cordy had stressed that the girl's where the best of friends and had graphically explained all the trials/tribulations that the Slayer and Wiccan had gone through, up to this point. The dark woman had therefore reasoned that they'd already be a full fledged couple, if only that courage had been there from the very beginning of this friendship.
Besides, Alex mockingly thought to herself, life has brutally thought me that I'm just NOT that lucky.
Seeing as how Buffy and Willow where now staring right back at her, the woman wisely banished those thoughts from her mind. She couldn't really believed that she'd spazzed out earlier and sought to explain her actions.
"Guys," she began after sitting down, "I think I need to apologize. I'm truly sorry I freaked out on ya back there; chalk it up to a case of too fast-too much-too soon. I'm sorry, can ya find it in your heart's to forgive me?"
"It's cool Alex," said the gently smiling Willow," I think both Buffy and I can honestly say been there-done that. Bites, doesn't it?"
The Southerner racked a careless hand through her jumbled locks, stunned that they where going to let her off this easily. It surprised her utterly to realize that Cordy had been right, they where becoming mighty friendly!
"You put that so much nicer than me, Willow. I would've said it leaves you screwed, blued and tattooed but, hey, that's just how I speak. Still, I'm ashamed of my reaction. Tell y'all what, after we're through with the beach, why don't we stop somewhere for some ice-cream. It'll be my treat, of course."
Buffy Summers erupted in high laughter, delighted by how good the afternoon would turn out to be.
"Careful, Alex or you might make us believe that, underneath that hard exterior, beats the heart of a big ole softy."
That rather surprising statement caused the dark woman to grin craftily back at the smiling blonde.
"You'd be amazed, Buffy Summers, to learn about how soft I can be when it comes to certain subjects. Besides, kiddo, I think you're hiding a surprisingly soft nature yourself."
The Slayer was shocked by how the older woman's eyes had flicked towards Will and kinda tweaked her out to know that Alex Roberts could tell how she really felt toward the lovely red head. Buffy could see how that woman might have more to say on this account and she wanted none of that. The compact blonde rose to her feet and, after first shucking off the shorts and tee, simply stood there in a reveling black swimsuit.
"Come on, Wills, I'll race ya to the water!"
Hearing the teasing edge in her best friend's voice caused to Willow to, hurriedly, stand and tear off her outer clothes. She had to chuckle at the stunned looks both the blonde and dark woman shot her way after they got a good look at her formfitting, pink bikini. She clasped hands with the dumbstruck Slayer and looked questionably at the Southerner. Alex, with her own lopsided smile, shook her head.
"Sorry, I didn't bring a swimsuit with me. Y'all go on and have some fun."
Watching as the two girls entered the surf, Alexandra Roberts face was sufficed with a genuinely happy smile. They just looked so damn good, it made her feel all tingling inside to think about them in a love relationship. There was also just a small amount of hurt attached to that statement because Alex could easily recall how it had been to be that young, with a world of possibilities stretched out before her own feet. The woman, in no way begrudged them this time because it had been the major high point of her entire existence. Thinking along those lines would only return her mind to the painful memories she'd been trying to escape with her short jaunt down the beach. Alex bloody well KNEW she couldn't afford to allow such a thing to happen.
With renewed intent, she returned her gaze to the laughing Slayer and Witch. Watching them frolic happily in the surf began to ease the massive ache that resided somewhere deep within her shattered heart. Her smile grew wider as she saw the girl's begin an impromptu underwater fight. With reckless glee, they splashed water back and forth at each other. After a while Willow got in a particularly huge gush of water in Buffy's face. The Slayer merely looked over at her blushing bud with one eyebrow arching smooth off her head. With an evil smile, Buffy Summers slipped underneath the waves only to jerk the stunned Wiccan down to where she waited. A frown marked Alex's face as she watched the preceding actions, hearing Willow's startled yelp caused her to actually give serious thought to getting her butt out in the water just to make sure everything was okay! The woman had risen to her feet when, with another huge splash, Buffy and Willow resurfaced. The Slayer had a tight grip of her best buds hands and Alex had to clench her teeth because all that seemed to accomplish was to pull the Wiccan's slender body ever closer to Buffy's own. She considered the mostly prudent course of simply slamming her eyes shut when the blonde's remorseful words drifted across the water.
"God, Will, I'm so sorry. I was just playing around with ya, didn't mean for you to swallow half the ocean."
Willow Rosenberg, after hearing the genuine sorrow in her best friend's voice, fought hard to keep the entirely sneaky grin from covering her face. She'd expected Buffy to do something, after thoroughly dousing the surprised Slayer, but being dragged underneath the ocean had never once entered her mind. As they often played the silly game of one upping each other, the silent Witch was trying to figure out an appropriate attack of her own. The dragging thing was, of course, also open to her but Willow's fertile brain was tracking along another path. Droplets of water beaded along the Slayer's forehead to run haphazardly down the other girl's smooth cheekbones, the Wiccan couldn't help but be slightly jealous of said liquid.
There was dangerous lights flickering back from those marvelously deep, green eyes and Buffy knew a moment of true fear as Willow stepped a shade closer. Being this near her best friend's wet, utterly desirable curves where turning her brain into a mush ball of naughty thoughts. The blonde had to moisten her suddenly dry lips as the highly erotic image of seeing herself bending over to suck the water from Willow bikini top shot through her brain. It rocked her, completely and utterly rocked her down to the depths of her foundations and Buffy was frozen there, never realizing that she'd let go of the Wiccan's hands. For one tantalizing moment, Willow actually thought the compact blonde had looked at her with slumberous, desire filled eyes. She paused, scant inches away from the other girl's flushed face, waiting for the hazel to over take the blue in Buffy Summers gaze. It was only then that the gently smiling girl leaned down to, with devastating slowness, lick the water from the Slayer's right cheek.
"Consider us even, Buff, meet you back on the sand."
Meanwhile, back on the beach, Alex Roberts was laughing herself silly from viewing that rather heated little moment.
Holy God, she thought, Willow's really got some jumbo, coconut sized balls!!
She continued laughing as the Wiccan, nonchalantly, took a seat right across from her. The red head couldn't really believe she'd just done something like That. Never, in all the times they'd known each other, had Willow been so forward. She was now almost certain that she'd just blown the best friendship she'd ever known.
Buffy continued standing rigidly in the water, wholly stunned by the red head's actions. That agile tongue had felt way too good and the blonde's brain was firmly locked upon how very much she'd like to feel it sliding against other pertinent parts of her body. That thought only caused the desire to burn hotter deep within her bones.
Stop, she was pleading with her mind, I gotta stop thinking like This.
Willow redressed, already regretting doing such a low thing to her own best friend.
God, she thought, I really must be some Grade-A kinda freak!
Alex was well aware that Will must have surprised herself but also couldn't resist gently teasing the younger girl.
"Remind me, Darlin', to never piss you off. You got a majorly dangerous streak, Will. I'd hate to imagine just what punishment you'd give me."
Those frankly teasing words promptly caused Willow Rosenberg to blush crimson. Buffy, after first making damn sure she had her raging hormones back under control, had finally made it back to the beach. She frowned at the still shocked expression clearly visible upon Will's face.
"I gotta agree with Alex. Next time, Wills, give me a little warning before you decide to blow every gasket in my brain, okay?"
The Hacker/Witch was now mortally horrified by this situation. It pained her to no end, to hear the self deprecating tone in her bud's voice.
"My bad, Buffy. You did deserve some sort of payback and I just couldn't think of anything else to do. I do now solemn swear Never to do such a bad thing to my best friend ever again."
The startled Slayer couldn't stop herself from utterly detesting such a promise. She would later ponder what rash thought made her speak before thinking about what she was gonna say.
"Don't worry about it, Will, it's not like I'm pissed or anything. I just never really considered that you'ed ever want to lick any part of me. I was shocked but, since I've always called you yummy, maybe I should test that theory out for myself sometimes."
Alex, by this time, had resorted to burying her face in her hands. There where all but killing her with these sexy little innuendos and it looked like neither one of them even knew what kind of torture they where putting her through.
All right guys, she rakishly thought, let's cut through the pussyfooting and just get down to the meat of the matter, kay? Damn, I really gotta resist allowing myself to think about Those kinda things!
She risked a glance up at the silent Wiccan's simply astounded expression and promptly dropped her head back down again.
Well that pretty much settles it, thought Alex to herself, if I don't burn out, if Skyton doesn't kill me, you two will certainly be the death of me yet.
The dark Southerner stood, though, studiously avoiding glancing at either teen. She took a look at her wristwatch and saw that it was now 4:30 p.m.
"I believe it's high time for that ice-cream run, don't you?"
After looking up into Alex's perfectly bland expression, Buffy and Willow simply had to agree. The trio left the beach, got into the car and headed towards 'Mr. Jiffy's Ice-cream and More'. They spent about 15 minutes inside the quaint little shop and Alex was amused by differences in their frozen choices. The Slayer had went for two scoops of Cherry Jubilee, Willow went for the single serving of Rocky Road. The dark woman had chosen her customary scoop of Mint Chocolate Chip, sugar cone of course.
I dunno, thought Alex as she thoroughly enjoyed the French style concoction, but I think perhaps you made you ice-cream choices because of that little display back on the beach.
Now, the dark woman, the blonde and the red head where motoring back to suburbia. They made it back to the one story house just before the sun went down. After exiting the car, Alexandra Roberts was still feeling pretty good about everything. Her jaunty step up the front walk was, however, cut short by the headline that literally screamed its way off the rolled up newspaper that resided at her front door. With little finesse, the dark woman ripped the rubber band off and those bold words printed there confirmed her worst fears. Buffy and Willow had stopped just a few feet behind the silent Southerner. When she turned to face them, all the joy was sucked from their bodies. Alex suddenly looked every one of her 30 years as harsh grooves now appeared around her lips. Worst of all was the crystalline gray eyes that now looked their way; it was as if the very humanity had flown from Alexandra Roberts gaze. The teenagers clasped hands suddenly fearful of the words about to come from that woman's mouth. In the end, it was only two words.
"He's here."