What I Am
by sailor80
Fifteen
[reviews]
Tara woke first. The gap in the curtains let in the soft grey light that told her the sun was still low in the sky. Faith was again wrapped around her. Tara's first thoughts were happy: She survived her birthday without turning into a demon, and Faith was warm against her back.
She managed to get out of bed without waking Faith, and gathered what she needed to shower and dress. A few minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom and dropped her pajamas on her bag and picked up her boots.
Willow was all ready at the computer, and she looked up at Tara. "Morning."
"Good morning."
"There's coffee in the kitchen." Willow stretched.
"Thanks." Tara pulled out a chair at the head of the table and sat down to put on her boots. "How long have you been up?"
"Not long."
"Wh-what are we doing today?"
"Umm," Willow stalled for a few moments, thinking. "I'm still working on what Riley brought us, and we need to catch up with him. I have to go to Calc today. There's a test. And we probably should try to get up with Giles and Xander." She looked at Tara. "Did I miss anything?"
"I need some clean clothes."
Willow looked down at her outfit. "Yeah, me, too."
"Sounds like a busy day," Tara observed. She tied the laces on her second boot and pushed her pant leg down over them.
"I guess," Willow answered. She looked from the screen to Tara. "What's going on with you and Faith?" she asked in as neutral a tone as she could manage.
"I don't know yet," Tara answered.
"Be careful, okay? I don't want anything to happen to you," Willow said earnestly.
Tara smiled a small smile. "Okay," she said, and paused. "Thanks, but I'm okay."
"I know," Willow said. "I just worry."
"Thanks," Tara repeated. She got up and went into the kitchen to get coffee. She looked through the cabinets, then the refrigerator, before returning to the dining room. She sat down with her coffee and asked Willow for paper and a pen.
Willow passed them to her silently. After a few seconds, she looked away from the computer screen to Tara, who was writing. Willow glanced at the paper before asking, "Whatcha doin'?"
"Grocery list," Tara answered without looking up. "I never saw anyone eat as much as Buffy and Faith."
Willow grinned. "Slayer thing. Different metabolism."
Tara added one more item to the list and looked at Willow. "What else is a 'Slayer thing'?" she asked.
Willow pushed away from the keyboard. "Speed. Strength. Stamina." Willow smiled to herself for a moment before continuing. "Incredible night vision. Enhanced smell. They don't smell," she rushed to add, "I mean, they can smell demons and stuff. Prophetic dreams. Loyalty. And they can sense all kinds of baddies, especially vampires."
Tara recalled Faith in the garden the night before and nodded.
"They heal really fast," Willow continued. "And like you said, they eat like they'll never get another meal and never gain any weight. Oh, and they're both impatient and impulsive and stubborn. Did I mention they hate to lose? And Buffy's a control freak. Faith, too, I guess, but I think that's just them. I don't know for sure, they were both Slayers when I met them."
"Wow," Tara said softly when Willow finished cataloging the Slayers' qualities.
"Definitely wow." Willow grinned. "So, we've got to hit both dorms, and probably Faith's apartment, and the grocery store."
"And your test," Tara added.
"And the calc test. Anything else?"
Tara put the pen down. "Um, you said something about Xander and Giles and R-r-riley."
"Yeah." Willow frowned and cocked her head toward the doorway. "Excuse me," she said while getting to her feet.
Tara watched Willow leave the room. Willow's footsteps on the stairs were measured, then sped up considerably.
Willow opened the door to the master bedroom. Buffy was thrashing in the bed, obviously in the middle of a disturbing dream. Willow hurried to the bed and kneeled near Buffy. "Shh, sweetheart," she said softly, and began smoothing her hair.
Buffy thrashed a few seconds longer, but stopped as soon as Willow's hand slid off her hair onto her shoulder. Buffy sat up suddenly, her eyes open wide. "Will?" she asked.
"Right here, baby." Willow rubbed Buffy's back gently.
Buffy moved quickly to wrap Willow in her arms. "I had a bad dream," she murmured.
"I know." Willow kissed Buffy's check. "It was just a dream," she said softly, and ran her hands up and down Buffy's bare back, and kissed her cheek again. "Okay now?""
"Perfect now," Buffy sighed. She rested her head on Willow's shoulder. "Love you."
"Love you, too," Willow answered. She let them stay like that for several minutes. "Ready to get up?" she asked.
"I guess," Buffy said slowly. She pulled away from Willow and moved one hand to her cheek.
Willow smiled, and it grew when Buffy smiled back. She kissed Buffy once. "Good morning."
"Better now." Buffy stretched.
Willow slid off the bed. "See you downstairs."
"'Kay," Buffy said to her retreating back.
Tara was nowhere in sight when Willow got back to her computer. She shrugged and returned to her calculus notes. She didn't really need to study, but it soothed her nerves and gave her something to do besides think about the situation they were in.
A few minutes after Willow went upstairs, Tara looked up to see Faith in the doorway. She smiled at Faith, who came toward her quickly. Faith stood over her and said, "Don't do that again,"
"Do what?" Tara frowned.
"Leave without tellin' me." She bent over and hugged Tara's neck quickly, then stood up again.
"Okay," Tara said slowly and got to her feet on the other side of the chair. "Coffee?" she offered.
Faith nodded and let Tara pass. She followed her into the kitchen and watched Tara prepare two cups of coffee. Faith yawned. "I need some air," she said roughly.
Tara nodded and handed one mug to Faith before following her out onto the patio. Tara sat in a chair, and Faith sat on the patio beside her and leaned against Tara's legs. Tara's hand crept down and began to stroke Faith's hair. "Tell me again what I did," she asked.
"You didn't tell me you were gettin' up."
"Ah."
"I don't like wakin' up alone," Faith said defensively. A few moments later, and softer, she said, "I had a nightmare."
Tara felt Faith stiffen, and had an idea what it cost Faith to tell her she had been afraid. "I'm sorry," she said gently, and continued stroking Faith's hair while Faith relaxed against her again.
"You owe me a snuggle," Faith said.
Tara giggled.
"If you tell anyone I said that, I'll have to kill you," Faith said calmly and sipped coffee. "You got your birthday wish," she observed.
"I did," Tara agreed, smiling.
Faith set her mug aside and yawned and stretched. She shifted so she was between Tara's legs when she settled back. She looked back and up at Tara. Tara smiled and bent forward. Her hair fell around them as she kissed Faith briefly.
After that, they sat in companionable silence. Tara watched and listened as the garden came to life in the warm morning sun. One hand played idly with Faith's hair. Faith leaned against Tara and drank her coffee.