What I Am
by sailor80
21
[reviews]
Willow followed Buffy upstairs. The house was quiet for a change, and they both were grateful for the silence. They dropped their bags at the foot of the bed. Buffy maneuvered around the corner and flopped on her back with a sigh. Willow smiled at her, and Buffy said, "C'mere."
Willow smiled back. She jumped onto the bed and bounced a few times. The last time she folded her legs under and landed on her knees. She thrust her arms out with a flourish. "Ta da!" she said, and giggled.
Buffy laughed, too. "You're too cute. C'mere." Willow slid forward until her knees nearly touched Buffy's torso. Buffy tapped her lips. "Here."
Willow didn't hesitate. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to Buffy's. They kissed for a long time, and broke apart with a smack.
"Hey, I wasn't finished," Buffy protested.
"Neither am I," Willow said. "But we need to be comfortable."
"Comfortable is good," Buffy agreed, and followed Willow up to the head of the bed. They laid on their sides and looked at each other for a long time. Buffy's fingers stroked Willow's cheek. She kissed the redhead leisurely. They had hours and there was no need to hurry. Buffy rolled onto her back and pulled Willow onto her. They both sighed with relief, and Buffy slid her hands down Willow's back. She flexed her thigh and pulled Willow against her, and smiled into their kiss when Willow's groan vibrated against her tongue. When they stopped to breathe, Buffy brought her hands to Willow's face. "I love you so much."
"I love you, too," Willow answered. She lowered her face through Buffy's hands and dropped half a dozen light kisses on her lips. Then she lowered her head to Buffy's shoulder with a contented sigh.
Buffy slid one hand down to Willow's waist. The other went through her soft, red hair over and over. Buffy let everything go except the feelings Willow incited. She submerged herself in them, and time seemed to slip.
They were in the hospital waiting room. Buffy counted heads. Dawn was curled up in Willow's lap, and Willow, eyes closed, rocked them. Xander and Anya napped. Giles looked grey and exhausted as he slumped over his knees. Faith paced.
Something had happened to Tara. Buffy leaned down and kissed Willow's and Dawn's heads, then went to Faith. "C'mon. Willow will call."
Faith shook her head and looked Buffy in the eye. "It's my fault, and I'm not moving from here until I know what's going on."
Buffy tried to be gentle. "Faith, you know what happened. There's nothing you can do about it right now, and you look like you're about to bust a vein. They're getting ready to change shifts. Let's make sure everybody gets to their cars."
Faith shook her head again. "Can't do it, B."
"Ok, Faith," Buffy answered slowly. "At least sit down for a few minutes. You're making me crazy with the pacing."
"You paced when it was Red," Faith pouted.
"All right, whatever," Buffy said with exasperation and returned to sit at Willow's side. "Want me to take her for a while?"
Willow opened her eyes and smiled at Buffy. "We're all right. How's Faith?"
"Freaked."
Willow nodded and laid her cheek against her daughter's head for a moment. "Understandable."
"Yeah," Buffy answered. She put her hand at the base of Willow's neck and massaged gently.
A young intern approached Faith. "Ms. Spencer?"
Faith was on him in a nanosecond. "How's Tara?"
"Um," he stalled, and looked around.
"Just tell me," Faith demanded with a growl.
"All we can really do is sedate her. I'd like to keep her overnight for observation." He looked embarrassed.
"Can I see her?"
"She's being admitted right now."
"Can I see her?"
"Just for a moment," he acquiesced, and turned to leave the room. Faith followed him.
Tara looked suspiciously at Faith for a moment, then said "Firecracker!" with a big smile.
Faith forced herself to smile back. Tara's arm was in a cast, and that was in a sling. Her lip was bruised. "Hey, Blondie," she answered.
Tara pulled several strands of hair around to examine them. "I'm Blondie!" she said excitedly.
Faith moved to the bedside while the intern backed out and closed the door. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart." She pushed back the hair Tara had examined.
Tara looked at her solemnly. Her lip began to quiver and tears began to slide down her face. "I'm bad. I'm bad." She struggled unsuccessfully against the sling. "All the fish went home and I'm all alone."
Faith restrained her with a hug. "You're not alone," she said softly.
Tara tolerated the embrace for a few seconds before beginning to squirm. Faith let her go, and Tara smiled hugely at her again before yawning.
"Bedtime," Faith said cheerfully. "Lay down, sleepy girl."
To her amazement, Tara did. She curled on her uninjured side, back to Faith.
Faith leaned in and kissed Tara's temple. "Sweet dreams," she said softly, and backed away. She turned and went into the hallway and back to the waiting room.
Everyone was awake this time, and they all jumped up asking questions. When they settled, Faith told them, "We can bring her home tomorrow." She hung her head.
Buffy reached her first. She put her arm across the younger woman's shoulders. "Let's get some air, okay?"
Faith nodded, and Buffy led her out.
Buffy, frowning, returned her attention to Willow. The redhead had fallen asleep, and Buffy smiled at her soft snores. She continued to stroke Willow's hair until she, too, fell asleep.
When Faith and Tara returned, Buffy woke up just enough to make sure that they were the source of the noise, and returned to deep sleep.
Faith left Tara on the couch and went to get them drinks. She eyed the milk for a moment before closing the refrigerator and rummaging through the cabinets until she found an unopened package of Oreos®. "Score!" she said triumphantly, and put the cookies on the counter. She got glasses from another cabinet and filled them with milk.
She returned to the living room with their snack. "You gave blood, so you get cookies."
"Um, I don't think that quite counts," Tara answered.
"Who's the Slayer?"
"You are," Tara laughed. She sobered. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. And startin' tomorrow, I'm giving you some self-defense training." Faith's tone was serious.
"I'm not so good with all the," Tara jabbed the air.
"With the?" Faith asked.
"Fighting."
"That's not fighting. Fighting is jumping on his instep and driving an elbow into the solar plexus. And when the vamp lets go, run like hell." Faith handed Tara four cookies. She promptly pulled four more from the package and put them on her thigh. Faith picked up the top one and twisted it apart. She ate the piece with the least filling adhering to it and set the other aside, and methodically repeated the process while Tara watched with a raised eyebrow.
"That what you wanted to talk about?" Tara asked.
"Nope." Faith kept her attention on the cookies. Tara waited, but Faith remained quiet. Tara bit into a cookie. Faith looked sidewise at her and said, "That's sacrilege," around the cookie she was chewing .
"To each her own," Tara answered. She handed her last cookie to Faith. "I had a good time tonight. Thank you."
"Me, too." Faith finished her milk and put the glass aside. "Wanna do it again next week?"
"All except the vampire part."
"Deal." Faith leaned over and kissed Tara's cheek. "Whatcha wanna do now?"
"I think I'm ready for bed."
"Ok. I'll be up later."
"G'night, Faith." Tara moved next to Faith and kissed her, and when she finished, she stood up and went upstairs.
Faith took the cookies and their glasses to the kitchen. She put the cookies away and washed the glasses. Then she checked that the first floor was secure. Satisfied, Faith got a couple stakes from the weapons chest and left to patrol.
Upstairs, Tara listened to Faith moving around and knew when she heard the front door open and close that it would be much later before Faith came to bed. Faith continued to come close emotionally and back away at the last second. Tara understood why, but it still frustrated her. She reminded herself that they had known each other only a few weeks. She laid in the dark room and looked at the small strip of sky visible between the curtains.
Joyce was surprised at how quiet the house was when she returned home. She immediately went upstairs to check who was home. She found Buffy and Willow asleep and completely dressed except for their shoes. Willow was still lying on Buffy, whose arms circled her. Joyce smiled at them and went down the hall to the other bedroom. She peeked in and saw only Tara. She frowned, worried that Tara and Faith's date hadn't gone well.
Joyce went to her room and changed into pajamas. She sat in bed and read while she waited for Faith to return. She was deep in her book when the front door opened. Joyce marked her place and put the book aside. She got out of bed, pulling her robe on as she went.
Joyce joined Faith in the kitchen, where the Slayer was making sandwiches. "Hey Mrs. S.," Faith greeted her without turning from her task.
"Hi, Faith. How was your date?"
Faith smiled, and Joyce heard it in her voice. "It was good. We're gonna do it again next week." Faith quartered the sandwiches and moved them to a plate. She brushed the crumbs into her palm and put them in the trash and returned everything to the refrigerator. She pulled out two sodas and joined Joyce at the counter.
"So why were you out patrolling?" Joyce got up and got glasses and ice for both of them.
Faith finished chewing and swallowed before answering. "Vampires," she said matter-of-factly. "Thanks," she added when Joyce opened the sodas and filled the glasses.
"What vampires? You said you wouldn't take her on patrol." Joyce returned to her seat.
"I didn't. Stupid newbie vampires jumped T-Blondie while we were walking home."
"Is she all right?"
Faith nodded while she bit into her sandwich again. She chewed it a few times, then said around it. "Us ta rtch."
"Don't talk with your mouth full," Joyce scolded gently.
"She got a scratch on her neck," Faith said after swallowing. She wolfed down the rest of the sandwiches and washed them down with half the soda. "I killed both of them. But they pissed me off so bad I had to go work it out." Faith slid from the chair, stood, and stretched. She put her plate and glass in the sink, then walked toward the living room. "Good night."
"Good night, Faith." Joyce followed her upstairs. From habit, she checked again on Buffy and Willow, who hadn 't moved, before getting into her own bed.
Faith took a quick shower before getting into sleeping clothes. She slid into bed beside Tara, wrapped herself around the girl, and fell quickly into sleep.