The Good, The Bad and The Fangy
by dawnm
Mutual Understandings
[reviews]
Author's Note: Please read and review. I'd love to know what you think of the story. Also, feel free to email me with any questions or comments.
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Chapter 6 - Mutual Understandings
"Oz? Hey Oz, man...wait up." Xander called across the hallway, jogging to catch up with the werewolf.
"Hey." Oz answered without enthusiasm, reluctantly slowing down so the other boy could fall into step beside him.
"I haven't seen you around much." Xander said nervously. "Uh, I was wondering if you've heard from Will."
"Haven't seen her." Oz stared absently down the hall. Xander looked at the werewolf, seeing a look cross his face that the taller boy couldn't decipher.
"I just figured, I mean...if anyone would know where she was, it'd be you." Xander stumbled over the words awkwardly. Oz met his gaze then and bitterness flashed in the werewolf's eyes.
"Why don't you ask Buffy?" Oz turned to walk away.
"That's the thing..." Xander said, stepping in front of the werewolf to stop his departure. "The Buffster's missing in action too." He answered, oblivious to the implication in the other boy's words. Oz glared at him briefly, then pushed past the larger boy and disappeared into the sea of students. Xander stared after him with his mouth hanging open in surprise.
"There's something strange going on here." Xander said as he strolled into the library.
"Yes, I know." Giles replied, pushing the newspaper across the front counter toward the boy. "This does not bode well."
"What?" Xander looked confused. "I don't think we're on the same page here." He added, picking up the paper to scan the headlines. "I was, uh, talking about Oz. But...oh yeah...this is not good. 'Three more girls were admitted to Sunnydale Memorial last night with severe blood loss. All three victims suffered unexplained neck wounds'." He read aloud. "So not good."
"Yes. I'm afraid if we don't find Buffy soon..." The watcher paused, removing his glasses.
"We'll be lookin' at Suckfest '99." Xander filled in.
"Perhaps." Giles admitted, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What was it you were saying about Oz?"
"Oh, I just ran into him in the hallway. Asked him if he'd heard from Willow." Xander said. "He was being all cryptic-guy, like he was mad and then he just took off."
"Odd...that doesn't sound like Oz." Giles said, his brow furrowed in thought.
"So, did you find anything useful on Will's computer?" Xander said. "It looks like that's our only hope." Giles began to pace again, irritation plainly written on his features.
"I can't even get into the blasted thing!"
"What do you mean?" Xander looked confused.
"It seems that Willow...has some sort of encryption on it." The watcher's voice was drenched in annoyance. "I've been at it all night, trying to guess the password."
"Maybe I should give it a try." Xander suggested, walking over to the table to sit down in front of the laptop. "After all, I am her best friend. If anybody could guess her password, it'd be me, right?" The watcher looked unconvinced, but finally waved his hand at the machine figuring that it was worth a try.
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Buffy led Xena a few paces into the cave, stopping the warrior in front of Gabrielle before letting go of her grip on Xena's hand. The slayer stood silent, blocking the only escape route, waiting for someone to begin. She and Xena, both soaked through from the rain, began to puddle on the floor.
"See...isn't this cozy?" Buffy asked when no one spoke. Willow looked at their silent friends and then at Buffy, offering a sheepish smile. "So...who wants to go first?" The slayer prompted. Gabrielle shifted uncomfortably and stole a quick glance at Xena who was staring off into the darkness of the cave.
"You're not gonna make this easy, are you?" Buffy asked, looking pointedly from the warrior to the bard. "Okay, time to kiss and makeup." Xena and Gabrielle both looked at her, their expressions a mixture of surprise and panic, as the slayer took each of their hands and linked them together before taking a small step back. They stared between them at their joined hands and both visibly relaxed.
"I'm sorry, Gabrielle." The tenderness in the warrior's voice made the bard's stomach do flips.
Buffy met Willow's gaze above the linked hands of their friends, silently communicating. Willow's concern showed on her face and Buffy offered a reassuring smile and motioned for the redhead to come closer. Willow made her way over to Buffy and eagerly took the hand she was offered.
"I don't understand. What are you sorry for, Xena?" The bard pleaded, searching the stormy gray-blue eyes in front of her. A rueful smile flashed on the warrior's face as she met Gabrielle's gaze.
"For...not being more supportive." Xena told the half-truth, leaving the rest unsaid. The other half was the selfish part - her bitterness that Gabrielle would be leaving her behind to make a life with Perdicus.
"Supportive?" The bard looked questioningly up at the warrior, confusion etched in her features. "I don't know what you mean."
"Look, Gabrielle...seeing you happy will make me happy." Xena said, looking down lovingly at the bard. A pained look flickered across her face and she looked away before continuing. "And if that means settling down with Perdicus, then...you have my blessing." The warrior choked on the words, barely managing to complete the sentence.
Shaking her head, disappointment written in her features, Gabrielle pulled her hands from Xena's and stepped back to lean against the wall. A wide array of emotions played across the bard's face. Hurt was evident, along with a spark of anger. Tears threatened again and she balled her fists at her sides and fought the urge to cry, attempting to stop the pain from showing on her face. Lost in her own emotions, Xena couldn't process Gabrielle's reaction and she continued, trying to reassure the bard that she would support her marriage to Perdicus.
"If it's me you're worried about...let me set your mind at rest. I'll be fine." The warrior said, though her face looked anything but fine. Grief pinched her features, darkening her eyes to sapphire as she looked down at the bard.
"It's good to know how little I mean to you." The bard's words were the epitome of biting sarcasm. Feeling irreparably wounded and suddenly trapped, Gabrielle raced toward the mouth of the cave, seeking escape.
"Hey, don't go." Buffy reached out for her, stopping her. The bard forcefully pulled herself from the slayer's grasp with an enraged look in her eyes. Seeing the tender concern on Buffy and Willow's faces then, Gabrielle's anger dissipated and the heartache spilled over.
"I'm sorry." The bard said, looking at her friends apologetically as she fell into the slayer's offered embrace. "After everything that we've been through...I mean nothing to her." Gabrielle muttered, sobbing into Buffy's shoulder.
"That's not true." Buffy said soothingly. "Tell her, Xena." The slayer glared at the warrior who watched in confusion, clueless as to what she had done to upset the bard.
"You know I care about you, Gabrielle." Xena said softly, stepping up to put a hand on the bard's shoulder. "You're my best friend..." Gabrielle jerked away from the touch, laughing bitterly in response to the warrior's words.
"You'll be fine if I marry Perdicus?" The bard asked caustically, stepping out of Buffy's arms to glare at Xena. "Well, I won't be fine, Xena." Gabrielle's voice was firm, but quiet as she looked up at the warrior and her green eyes softened a bit. "I don't love Perdicus...I love you."
"You're still young, Gabrielle." Xena said, dismissing the 'I love you' the bard had spoken. The warrior looked at the floor, trying to distance herself from the woman in front of her.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Gabrielle raised her voice, starting to anger again.
"You're priorities will change." Xena asserted, still avoiding the bard's gaze.
"What? Is that really what you think, Xena?" The bard crossed her arms defiantly over her chest. Xena simply nodded. "You don't know what you're talking about!"
Seeing the discussion falling apart again, Buffy stepped forward to try to calm them down. "Hey, guys, everything all right?"
"Just great!" Gabrielle laughed sarcastically. "Xena is impossible!" Buffy couldn't stop herself from chuckling slightly at the comment. The warrior glared at the slayer.
"Sorry, but it's true." Buffy chuckled. Gabrielle laughed at that, relishing the fact that her opinion was validated. The warrior turned to stare at the bard then.
"You're one to talk. You are the most infuriating woman I've ever met!" Xena informed her. This elicited another chuckle from Buffy while Gabrielle stood stewing over the comment, offering them both a scowl.
"Might not be my place to say this, but...I think you two were made for each other." Buffy said with a mischievous smirk. Willow giggled as she came to stand beside the slayer. The warrior and bard were silent, neither one willing to reply to the comment.
"Xena..." Gabrielle stepped forward finally, catching the warrior's gaze. "I've loved you since the day we met. I've tried to deny it...tried to be just your friend, but every day, I just love you more. I don't want any life without you. If you care about me at all...please stop pulling away from me. Please stop being so difficult. You are driving me insane." The bard stared into Xena's deep blue eyes and saw a small spark of amusement. The warrior pulled Gabrielle into her arms. Buffy and Willow made a hasty retreat, sensing that this was a private moment between their friends.
"Why do you put up with me?" Xena's voice had an air of amusement and her blue eyes smiled down at the bard as she held her in her arms.
"I don't know." The bard said with a teasing smile, snuggling into the warrior's chest. "Maybe because you put up with me." Xena laughed.
"Did you really mean what you said?" The warrior asked, her voice turning suddenly serious. "All this time...?" Gabrielle pulled back a little to look into Xena's eyes.
"Yes." She nodded.
"Are you sure...that this is what you want?" Xena searched the green eyes as if they would answer.
"Believe me...I'm sure." Gabrielle said softly, reaching up to touch the warrior's cheek.
"I love you, Gabrielle." Xena said breathlessly on her way to capturing the bard's lips. Gabrielle wrapped her arms possessively around the warrior's neck and surrendered to the kiss, vaguely wondering how long her legs would hold her. Xena held the bard tenderly, kissing her lips, running her fingers through strawberry blonde hair, cherishing the woman that she couldn't bear to lose. The bard yearned for more. She softly nipped the warrior's bottom lip before running her tongue teasingly across Xena's lips, seeking entrance into the warrior's mouth.
Overwhelmed by the sensation, Xena responded with a soft whimpering moan. When the warrior's lips opened slightly as the sound escaped, Gabrielle took the opportunity to slip her tongue into the warrior's mouth. The warrior's arms tightened around the bard in response, crushing their bodies together, giving into the longing and desire growing between them.
Buffy had to clear her throat three times to get their attention while Willow looked on, blushing wildly, but with a small smile. When the warrior and bard registered the sound and realized that they had an audience, they slowly pulled away from each other, looking like two guilty teenagers. "Sorry to interrupt, but it's kind of a small cave." Buffy noted with a teasing smile. "And...you're embarrassing my Willow." The redhead hid behind Buffy.
"Sorry." Gabrielle offered sheepishly.
"S'okay. I totally understand." Buffy smiled suggestively and pulled the redhead from behind her. "We're just glad that you two finally worked things out. Right, Will?"
"Uh huh." Willow nodded enthusiastically. "No more fighting please. Although the making up is fun...but you don't have to fight to do the making up part. I mean, it's much nicer with just the snuggles and the smoochies a-and..." Lost in her babble, the redhead stared at Buffy with a dreamy look on her face.
"I think they get it, sweetie." Buffy laughed, pulling her girlfriend into a sideways embrace and kissing her on the cheek. Willow giggled and snuggled into to the blonde's side, wrapping her arms around Buffy's waist.
"You called me sweetie." The redhead said as she planted a series of soft kisses on the blonde's neck.
"That's cause you're so sweet." Buffy smiled adoringly at Willow as she pulled her closer. "I might have to call you cutie too. Cause you're so cute." The hacker smiled blissfully, blushing a little, unused to such attention but cherishing every word.
"Nope. You're the cute one." Willow said, leaning in to meet the blonde's lips.
"And you think we're out of control?" Xena interrupted, smirking at the two girls.
"They can't help that they're in love." Gabrielle smiled, settling into the warrior's side with her arms wrapped securely around Xena's waist.
"Yeah. We can't help it that we're in love." Willow said flashing the warrior a playful grin. Buffy chuckled.
"You're too adorable, you know?" The blonde said, turning the redhead's face to capture her engaging green eyes. Turning to Gabrielle, she said. "Um, could you keep her quiet for a minute." She gestured to Xena and winked at the bard. "I have something I need to do." With that, she turned into Willow's embrace and did the best she could to kiss the redhead senseless.
Gabrielle turned the warrior's face toward hers and smiled up at her before guiding Xena's lips to her own. For several minutes, the cave was quiet, except for the whispers of love shared between kisses. When the warrior felt her self-control slipping, she reminded herself that they were not alone and eased her hold on the bard, pulling away slightly to catch her breath. Gabrielle gazed up at her lovingly, capturing the warrior's intense blue eyes. "I love you, Xena." The warrior was struck speechless, realizing that she finally had what she had wanted for so long.
"I love you, too, Gabrielle." Xena finally managed to whisper. Knowing that she couldn't continue holding the bard without losing the last shreds of her control, she reluctantly pulled away and turned to look at their friends. Buffy and Willow were still wrapped in each other's arms, no longer kissing, simply resting their foreheads together as they gazed meaningfully into each other's eyes. It seemed that they were having a conversation without any words. "If you two are ready...we should probably get going. I think the rain has stopped."
"Oh. Okay." Buffy replied without moving. She was having serious trouble dragging her eyes away from Willow's. With a wide smile and a wink, she finally forced her attention away from the redhead and toward the warrior, taking Willow's hand as they ended their embrace.
----------------------------- Continued in Chapter 7