The Good, The Bad and The Fangy
by dawnm
Closer
[reviews]
Author's Note: Sorry that it took so long to get this chapter up. Life has been pretty harsh since the holiday. I'm trying to get back into my normal routine now and hope to have future updates posted more regularly. Thanks for reading the story.
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Chapter 9 - Closer
"Mmmm." A knock at the door prompted Buffy to end the kiss, albeit reluctantly.
"We should probably get that, huh?" Willow said dazedly.
"Don't wanna." Buffy said, sticking out her lower lip. Willow grinned at the pouting blonde as Buffy turned toward the door. Holding her towel securely around her, the slayer opened the door a crack to see who it was. "Xena." She stepped back to let the warrior enter the room.
"I just wanted to bring you these." Xena said, handing a pile of clothes to Buffy.
"These aren't ours." The slayer said, eyeing the clothes. "Well, not all of them." She added, recognizing her leather pants in the stack.
"They don't wash the leather with the rest. They treated your pants. But the rest of your stuff will take a while to dry." Xena explained. "I borrowed some things for you to wear in the meantime. Get dressed...we'll meet you downstairs for dinner."
"I guess that means this is for you..." Buffy said, handing Willow the dress from the pile of clothes after Xena had left the room.
"Then this must be yours." The redhead pointed out, smiling as she picked up the crop top. It was similar in style to the green top that Gabrielle wore, but it was blue and looked to provide little more coverage than a skimpy bra.
"Great." Buffy chuckled sarcastically as she took the offered item. They retired to their respective corners and dressed with their backs to each other. When Buffy finished, she turned to Willow who was working on the laces at the front of the dress. "Wow."
"I look stupid, don't I?" The redhead paused looking down self-consciously, the laces at her chest still untied.
"No! Are you crazy?" Buffy asked incredulously, crossing the room to stand in front of her girlfriend. "You're gorgeous." Willow blushed under the blonde's appraisal. "You always look amazing, but this...this little number is particularly fetching." The hacker's protest died on her lips as she read the desire in Buffy's eyes. The blonde toyed with the laces on the front of Willow's dress. When her fingers brushed the exposed flesh at the neckline, the redhead nearly jumped out of her skin.
"You, uh, you look...that is, blue is a good color for you." Willow stammered, her eyes slowly scanning the slayer's scantily-clad chest and exposed midriff. When the hacker's gaze finally traveled back up to Buffy's face several seconds later, she knew she'd been caught.
"So...you like?" Buffy asked seductively, resting her hands on Willow's hips and pulling the blushing redhead toward her. The hacker's enthusiastic nod made Buffy chuckle.
"You, Buffy Summers, are a big tease." Willow said with an impish grin.
"Not true." The slayer emphasized her case with a lingering kiss. "Have I ever refused you anything?" Buffy asked innocently. A gulp was the hacker's only response.
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Giles stalked down the halls of Sunnydale High toward the library in a daze, mentally formulating a plan for dealing with Faith. He would have to call the Watcher's Council and turn her over to them, he decided. He had no other choice. Until they arrived, he would likely have to stand guard with the tranquilizer rifle at the ready.
The watcher pushed open the library doors, eyes darting in the direction of the book cage. "Damn!" Giles strode toward the cage, searching for any sign of the dark slayer, who at first glance appeared to be absent. He came to a stop in front of the bars as his initial fear was confirmed. The cage door was still in tact, but Faith was no longer inside. A quick glance up at the east wall of the cell removed all doubt as to how the slayer had escaped. The one small window inside the cage stood open. Muttering a few choice words under his breath about slayers' recovery abilities, he turned to check on Oz who was only now beginning to stir on the library floor. "Are you all right, Oz?"
"Not sure." The boy replied, trying to focus in spite of the pounding in his skull. "What happened?" He asked, mustering all of his strength to push up into a sitting position.
"Faith...happened." Giles replied distractedly. "You might recall...she killed Angel and had her sights set on me. You and Xander tried to stop her and she attacked you. Sorry about...." The watcher gestured at Oz's position on the floor and the tranquilizer dart that had not long ago been embedded in the boy's back. "I assure you it was unintentional."
Oz nodded, taking the apology in stride. "Where is everybody?" He asked, scanning the library. With a frustrated sigh, the watcher began to pace, only pausing briefly to remove his glasses and pinch the bridge of his nose. It was a clear sign to Oz that whatever had happened while he was knocked out was not good. The boy finally scrambled to his feet and pushed himself into a chair at the nearest table, listening to Giles relay the events of the past several hours.
"We have to get out of here." The watcher said as he concluded his brief explanation. "Faith could come back at any moment." With that he scooped up Willow's laptop and a small stack of spell books from behind the desk and approached the boy. "Can you walk?" Oz nodded and climbed to his feet, slow but steady. "Let's go." Giles said, leading the way out of the school.
"My place." The watcher decided, once they were in his car. "We'll be safe there...I hope."
The short drive was made in silence and both of them relaxed slightly when they entered Giles' home. Oz collapsed on the couch, still recovering from the effects of the tranquilizer. The watcher hurried around the room gathering spell ingredients and muttering incantations. Within half an hour, he had erected magical barriers around the house to warn them of any unexpected visitors and to keep out most threats, though he wasn't certain that rouge slayers would fall into that category.
"What now?" Oz asked, looking up at Giles.
"Now, I have to find Buffy...somehow. She is our only hope, I'm afraid."
"How?"
"The spell they cast...I suspect there may be some clue on Willow's computer, but I haven't been able to access it." Giles admitted, fumbling with his glasses in frustration. "Xander tried to guess the password as well, but thus far we've both failed. You know Willow better than I do and you seem to have a knack for working with those dreadful machines. Will you give it a try?" The watcher looked at the boy expectantly.
Oz reached for the laptop on the coffee table. "Yeah. Sure."
"Well then, perhaps I should call and check on Xander." Giles decided.
"Hello, Cordelia." The watcher made a face as he glanced at the clock on the wall. "Um, sorry to be calling so late. I was hoping there might be some news about Xander's condition."
"No, nothing yet." She replied, fatigue evident in her voice. "He's still not awake."
"It is quarter past midnight. Are you still at the hospital?"
"The night nurse let me stay. They still haven't been able to reach Xander's parents. I didn't want him to be alone, in case he wakes up."
"I'm sure he would be happy to know you are there." Giles assured her. "I am at home. Will you let me know if there is any change?"
"Sure."
"Oh and, Cordelia...you should be aware that Faith is no longer in my custody. It appears that she woke while we were at the hospital and effected an escape before I returned to the library."
"Great." Cordy said flatly. "Do you think she will come after Xander?"
"I don't rightly know...It would be wise to use caution. However, I suspect that her primary target will likely be me. She seemed rather determined to stop me from finding Buffy." The watcher said thoughtfully. "Try not to worry, but do be careful."
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Considering both Gabrielle and Willow's low tolerance for alcohol, Xena decided to forego the ale and instead ordered water with their meal. The dinner conversation revolved around new ideas for getting Buffy and Willow back to Sunnydale. After some discussion, the warrior decided that their best hope was to visit the Temple of the Fates and ask for their help. With that decided and the meal finished, Xena excused herself to go to the stable to check on Argo. As she stood up, she nudged the slayer's shoulder and jerked her head toward the door in a not-so-subtle gesture.
"I take it you want me to join you?" Buffy said with an amused smirk, rising from her chair with an eyebrow raised at the warrior's odd behavior. Xena gave a slight nod and moved toward the door, glancing back to see that the blonde was following. "So, you gonna tell me what's up?" Buffy asked, eyeing the warrior curiously as they had stepped out of the inn and into the night.
"I just wanted to talk to you...about Gabrielle." Xena muttered, glancing at the slayer apprehensively.
Buffy tilted her head, looking up at the warrior with a curious expression. "What about her?" Xena shifted uncomfortably, unsure how to broach the subject. As if a light bulb went on, Buffy's quizzical look turned into a knowing smile. "Is this about what I think it's about? Cause if this is about...I gotta tell ya, I have zero experience."
A blush rose on the warrior's cheeks and she aimed a death-glare at the blonde who was smiling amusedly at her. Buffy couldn't suppress a chuckle. "Thanks for your help." Xena said sarcastically, turning her back to the slayer.
"I'm sorry." Buffy said, working her face into a more serious expression. "I guess I'm just a little surprised. I mean...you've had relationships before, haven't you?"
"Not like this." Xena said, turning to meet the blonde's gaze. Buffy registered the meaning, finally starting to understand the warrior's distress. "My relationships in the past weren't exactly based on love." Xena said bluntly.
"Then...this is a good thing." Buffy said firmly. "You love her. She loves you. So...how is this not a good thing?"
"It's complicated."
Buffy shook her head. "Doesn't have to be."
"Gabrielle is so young..."
"Trust me, she's not that young." The blonde said suggestively. Xena locked piercing blue eyes onto the amused hazel of her friend. Buffy wavered slightly, but didn't back down. "Give the girl some credit. She's old enough to know what she wants...and what she wants is you." She added with a teasing grin.
"But--"
"I really don't think you have anything to worry about." Buffy interjected.
Xena looked unconvinced. "How about you sleep with me tonight?" The warrior suggested. "Gabrielle can sleep with Willow."
Buffy chuckled wickedly. "That's a really nice offer, but...I'm spoken for." She replied with a playful wink.
Xena frowned at the slayer, though a spark of amusement lit her eyes. "You know that's not what I meant."
"Sorry...my bad." Buffy offered an apologetic smile. "Giles says I have a 'tendency toward inappropriate humor.'"
"It's all right." The warrior smiled, then looked up at the blonde as a thought occurred to her. "How is it that you're so calm about all of this?"
"I'm not really. Trust me." Buffy said soberly as she began to pace restlessly in front of the warrior. "But...I realize now that I wasted like three years being afraid, hiding from this. For a slayer, three years is pretty much a lifetime. And I think I've learned my lesson about avoiding my feelings. Willow is the absolute best thing in my life and I just wanna hold on to her and never let go."
"I know what you mean." Xena said thoughtfully, reaching out to lay a hand on Buffy's shoulder. "Thanks."
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"Here." Oz said bitterly, shoving the laptop across the coffee table toward the watcher.
"What?" Giles looked questioningly at the werewolf, reaching out to pick up the machine. "How? Xander and I tried every conceivable password." The watcher studied the boy in awe. Oz stalked across the room angrily. "What's the matter? This is good news. This contraption could tell us what we need to know." Giles' brow furrowed in confusion, his gaze following the werewolf as he paced.
"Nothing." Oz replied absently. "Yeah, great news. If there's nothing else, I'm gonna go."
"Of course. You should go home and get some rest." Giles said, baffled by the abrupt change in the boy's mood. Oz turned and walked toward the door. "Oh, um, Oz, what is the password...in case I need it again?"
The teen paused in the doorway with his back to the watcher, gripping the door handle and drawing in a deep breath. In a distant voice he answered, "Buffy. The password's Buffy."
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"Hey." Buffy called, entering her room to find Willow and Gabrielle stretched out on the bed, deep in conversation. The bard stopped talking mid-sentence and both girls fell silent. Buffy smiled, immediately suspecting that they'd been talking about her and Xena while they were outside. "I leave you alone for ten minutes and you're already in bed with someone else?" Willow giggled. Buffy dropped a kiss on the redhead's lips before sitting down beside her.
"Well...I guess I'll leave you two alone." Gabrielle chuckled nervously as she stood up. The bard looked at the door, but couldn't quite make a move toward it. Instead, she cast a distressed glance at Willow that clearly said 'help me'. The hacker went to her side and whispered in her ear.
"Hey...it'll be okay." Gabrielle nodded and offered a weak smile before making her way to the door and finally saying goodnight.
"You wanna tell me what you two were talking about?" Buffy asked with a playful smile, pulling the redhead closer to the bed.
"What about you and Xena? She practically dragged you out of the inn." Willow asked with a mischievous grin, standing between the slayer's legs, looking down into smiling hazel eyes.
"Just girl-talk. Or maybe warrior-slayer girl-talk? If there is such a thing." Buffy tilted her head to the side considering the thought. "So, what juicy gossip did I miss?" She asked, drinking in the sight of the beautiful green eyes before her.
"Oh...just sidekick talk." Willow said with an impish grin, evading the question.
"Have I told you lately how adorable you are?" Buffy asked, tracing soft circles on the back of the redhead's hand.
"You...might have mentioned that...before dinner." The hacker said nervously, her voice faltering.
"Did I also happen to mention that I love you?" Buffy asked, reclining on the bed to rest on her elbows. "Cause I do."
"I love you too." Willow favored the blonde with a sweet Willowy smile, leaning over her on the bed to steal a kiss.
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Gabrielle stepped into her room to find Xena sitting at the foot of the bed seemingly lost in thought. "Hi." The bard said, turning back to close the door. The warrior got up to greet her, laying a hand on Gabrielle's shoulder. The jittery bard jumped at the unexpected touch and Xena retracted her hand and took a step back, a wounded look in her eyes.
"Are you...afraid of me, Gabrielle?" Xena asked softly, her voice barely more than a whisper.
"No! Of course not, Xena." The bard rushed to answer, mentally kicking herself for her reaction as she moved toward the warrior. Xena didn't argue, but looked down at the floor uncertainly. "I love you." Gabrielle whispered, tentatively reaching up to touch the warrior's face.
"What's wrong, Gabrielle?" Xena questioned, finally meeting the bard's gaze.
"Nothing's wrong." She replied, her pulse racing as thoughtful blue eyes studied her tenderly. Gabrielle retreated from the warrior, seeking sanctuary at the bedside table where she fumbled for her hairbrush. Brushing her hair served as a lame excuse for her withdrawal; she knew it and Xena knew it.
The warrior stood for a moment looking at her back, disheartened at the distance between them. Gabrielle mindlessly ran the brush through her strawberry-blonde locks over and over again, silently berating herself for being such a pitiful coward. With a dejected sigh, Xena made her way to the bed, quickly undressing down to her sleeping shift, and crawled under the covers turning her back to the bard.
When Gabrielle finally worked up the courage, she took a deep breath and discarded the brush before turning toward the warrior. Seeing that Xena had already settled in bed, the bard took pause, wondering just how long she had been standing there lost in her thoughts. After quickly dressing in her nightgown, Gabrielle sat down on the bed, staring at the warrior's back. "Xena?"
It was clear by the brunette's breathing that she wasn't asleep, but she offered no reply and didn't stir. "I'm sorry, Xena." She whispered, her voice wavering as the words spilled out.
Hearing the ache in Gabrielle's voice, the warrior quickly turned to comfort her. "Shhh...it's okay." Xena soothed, reaching up to wipe away a single tear that was gliding down the bard's cheek. "Don't cry, Gabrielle."
The warrior looked up at her with eyes filled with love and concern and the bard did the only thing that she could do. Reaching out with hands and lips, she pushed the stunned brunette back onto the mattress, bombarding the warrior's senses as she deepened the kiss.
And Xena did the only thing that she could do. She welcomed the bard with open arms and eager lips, only abandoning the kiss when she was hanging by the last thread of her sanity. Desire tangled with doubt in the sapphire eyes as Gabrielle took a ragged breath and grasped for answers to the unspoken questions in the warrior's gaze.
Driven by her own yearning, the bard opted for the 'actions speak louder than words' approach, bringing her body fully down onto Xena's again, finding her raison d'être in the warrior's exquisite lips. Gabrielle shifted to free a hand and timid fingers began to roam as if they had a mind of their own, lingering on Xena's taught stomach before drifting upward.
The warrior tensed involuntarily at the pure electric shock that coursed through her body and called on her last bit of resolve to break the kiss. "Gabrielle..." What was meant as a warning sounded more like a plea as Xena strained to speak rationally through the haze of desire. "We've got to slow down." The warrior managed to whisper, reaching out to still the bard's shaking hand with her own.
Gabrielle offered no reply, struck mute by her own sudden aching need. "We don't have to do this...don't have to rush." Xena assured her, brushing a few tendrils of reddish-blonde hair from the bard's flushed face. "I want to wait until you're ready."
Gabrielle laughed at the absurdity of the statement. "You make me so crazy, Xena, that I may never be ready."
"That makes two of us." The warrior replied with a lopsided grin. "So, I'll settle for waiting until you're sure."
"I'm sure." Gabrielle said without hesitation, boldly stealing a quick kiss. Seeing the question lingering in the soft blue eyes, the bard wrapped her arms around the warrior, vanquishing the last bit of space between their bodies. "I need you, Xena." She whispered, punctuating the words with tender kisses to the sensitive flesh of the warrior's neck.
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Continued in Chapter 10