Loving Willow
by Rin
11
[reviews]
Part XI:
School had been slow, and she couldn't wait to see Willow. When she arrived at school, there was no sign of her girlfriend, and she was beyond worried, since Will hardly ever missed a class. Last year, when she was barely standing from the flu, she still insisted on coming to school. Only when she had promised to baby her had she stayed in bed. Now, Fred was confused. After she came home from class last night at the university, she had tried calling Willow numerous times but she kept getting the machine. She was aware that she went patrolling with Buffy and Faith but she found it strange that she was still out so late. When she found that Willow wasn't in school, she began to panic. Then, she saw Buffy in the library during lunch, and she calmed down, knowing that the blonde wouldn't allow anything to happen to the redhead. Figuring that Willow was just sick, she decided to visit her girlfriend right after school. She had been away for two days in Los Angeles, checking out the UCLA physics department, and having numerous discussions with the professors. She came home early last night, and went to her night class, hoping to talk to her girlfriend when she returned home. She missed her, and wanted to let her know just how much.
Deciding that Willow was sick, Fred made her way to the local convenient store on her way to the Rosenberg house. She picked up a few ingredients for Will's favorite soup that just so happened to be good for the ickies, too. She made sure to get a teddy bear, some flowers, a 'get well' card, and many different medicines, still unaware of what exactly was wrong. She had a bounce in her step when she rang the doorbell. Arms full, she stood slack-jawed and wide-eyed as Faith opened the door, baring no clothing. Seeming totally comfortable, she ushered the girl in the door. Fred began to panic even more than before, unsure of why exactly Faith would be standing in her girlfriend's living room naked.
"Hey, Fred. Will and I were just about to take a shower." She hitched a thumb towards the stairwell. "Whatcha need?"
"Um...well...that is...Willow...need...talk...oh my..." Fred was speechless as Faith's comments finally sunk into her mind. "Faith...I need to go...tell Will I came by...I'll talk to her later...." Faith arched an eyebrow at the loaded down girl standing in front of her.
"Something wrong?" Fred shook her head fiercely, trying not to let tears well up in her eyes at the thoughts she was harboring.
"No, no...nothing's wrong."
"Did you need something?"
"No...I ...that's..."
"Well, it looks like you wanted something..." She looked confused, and Faith nodded towards the bags, and other necessities in her arms.
"Oh, yeah...it's for my ...Hey!" Faith grabbed the card that the teddy bear was holding, and her jaw tightened. Fred shifted from foot to foot under the angry glare that Faith was shooting her way as she opened the card.
"What's this?"
"Hmm...well, you know...I thought Willow was sick, and I wanted to come take care of her...she wasn't in school today...so I..."
"Damn right she wasn't in school today. What's the big idea?"
"What do you mean? I'm not allowed to take care of my sick girlfriend?" Faith moved into Fred's personal space, and glared strongly into Fred's eyes, causing the other girl to tremble at the feral stare coming from the dark slayer.
"Hell, no! Your girlfriend? Yeah, right!! Willow would never want to be with somebody like you..." Faith narrowed her eyes, and moved her arm back to place a strong blow to Fred's face. Fred noticed this, panicked, and dropped the contents in her arm, as she placed her hands in front of her face protectively and closed her eyes tightly waiting for the damage. When she heard the quiet swoop echo from Faith's arm movement, she fell back wincing in pain as a supernaturally strong fist connected with her face, causing her to gasp for breath, and move her hand to find the blood falling from the cut beside her right eye.
"Why?" She cried, begging for answers to Faith's sudden anger. "What have I done to you? I don't understand." Faith snickered, staring down at Fred's trembling body, blood seeping from the side of her face, and an apparent large red mark around the blood, obviously forming a large bruise.
"Don't understand my ass. You know what you did. You were trying to steal her from me. Well, you can never have her. She's mine! Stay away from Willow! She doesn't want you!" With that, Fred glanced at the stairs with her tear-blurred eyes, and noticed Willow at the bottom, staring at the scene. Seeing her girlfriend, she began to feel mixed feelings of confusion, fear, anger, and relief. Still unsure of what was going on, she tried to stand, only to be punched in the jaw by Faith again. Falling back to the floor, she tasted the bitter coppery taste from the cut on her bottom lip. She began to sob in pain and hurt, and she began curling up into a ball, when all of a sudden, she felt graceful, warm arms wrap around her form. She moved into the body, and felt the embrace tighten around her, causing her to bury her face into the naked chest of her savior. Smelling the familiar scent of green tea and aloe, she relaxed, realizing that Willow was her savior. Then, another smell captured her attention. Willow smelled strongly of sex and blood. Moving back to look at her with tear-stained eyes, Fred noticed that Willow's body was covered in large and small cuts, welts, bite marks (some that had obviously bled), and large and small bruises. Scared that Faith had harmed her, she wrapped her arms around Willow, and sobbed again, whispering apologies and comforting words. Willow returned the embrace, and started stroking Fred's chestnut locks.
"Shh...Fred, it's okay. Faith says she's sorry for hitting you, and she promises not to do it again." The last part of the comment was aimed at Faith as Willow looked at her dark lover, daring her to protest. "She just gets overprotective of me. She must've been scared seeing you with all sorts of flowers and things. They are lovely flowers, Fred. Thank you." Fred moved back, tears falling freely, and smiled at her girlfriend.
"I thought you were sick, so I wanted to take care of you. I got back from LA a day early, and you weren't in school today. You never miss. Baby, I was so scared that something happened to you. I just wanted to come over, and make you better. I love you so much, Will." Willow looked at her face, and went back to stroking her hair, and smiled back sympathetically.
"That's so sweet, Fred. You didn't have to, though. I have Faith. You know that. She takes care of me. I do appreciate the gesture, though. It means a lot that my friends care." Fred began to panic again. This was not her Willow. Something was different. For one, she was in the middle of the living room, walking around freely with no clothes on, and Faith was doing the same thing. She was being matronly, and not loving. Something was off in the way that she held her, too. And her words...that Faith took care of her? The biggest problem that Fred found was that Willow didn't say 'I love you' back. That had never happened before; they always reciprocated. Willow wasn't acting like herself, and Fred finally put two and two together. The way Faith was acting, punching her...twice. Faith would never have punched the girl, she liked her too much. As a matter of point, the fact that Faith was actually over at Willow's to begin with was strange. The fact that the room, and the two of them smelled strongly of sex. Faith and Willow's reaction to the girl the entire time she was there. Something was definitely off, and when she finally let her mind register that it had happened again...the 'incident'...only with Faith instead, Fred stood up, and gasped, putting her hand over her mouth in an attempt to scream, yell, and say something she'd regret later. Willow and Faith had had sex. And from the marks on both girls' bodies, especially Will's...it was apparently brutal, primal, and harsh.
Not wanting to deal with the fact her girlfriend had cheated on her again, she bolted for the door, and was out of the house in no time, completely forgetting everything at Willow's house, even her purse. She just continued running, and running, and never stopped until she got to her house, slamming the front door behind her, and not stopping until she buried under her covers, clutching them tightly as she sobbed until her throat was dry, scratchy, and her voice was gone.
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After finally getting dressed later that night, Faith and Willow were feeding each other ice cream from the carton, while sitting practically on top of each other on the couch. The puppy was sitting next to them, watching the two girls in their attempt at doing something besides having sex. Sometimes, Faith would poke Willow in a spot where her wounds were bad, and Willow would wince in obvious discomfort and pain. However, when the pain subsided, she leaned over and kissed Faith slow and sensual, making sure to thank her lover for the ice cream. After a particularly long kiss, Willow leaned back, licking her lips, savoring the taste of Faith on her own mouth. She smiled smugly, eyes still closed, and moaned her pleasure.
"Mmm...Faith and double chocolate cookie dough ice cream...such a wonderful taste...it's almost like tasting heaven." She opened her eyes to see her lover's dark, lustful eyes staring back at her, with the same smug expression.
"Mmm...you don't taste so bad yourself." She placed the carton and spoon on the coffee table, and moved Willow to straddle her lap, as she wrapped her arms around her waist, pulling her into her body further. "You know what I'm thinkin'?"
"No...tell me." Willow wrapped her arms loosely around Faith's neck, playing with her long dark locks.
"I was thinkin' about how much I love you."
"Oh, yeah? How much?" Willow moved in to kiss Faith's ear, her breath sending shivers through the dark slayer's body.
"It's like heaven being with you. Every second of every day that I'm not with you, I'm lost. It's only when I'm with you that I'm whole. You're my everything. I love you so much, Willow." She gently stroked her arms up and down her back loosely, causing the redhead to squirm her hips further into her lover.
"You know...I gotta say...I feel the same way." She continued kissing a trail around Faith's neck, her whispers making the hairs on the back of Faith's neck stand at attention. Purring from beneath her ministrations, Faith gently caressed her lover, and just held her. Willow stopped when she felt the obvious change in her lover's mood. "Wanna just cuddle?" Faith nodded, and kissed Will's nose sweetly. "You're the best ever. I love you so much, Faithy."
"I love you, too, baby." They kissed sweetly before moving to turn the television on, repositioning themselves apart on the couch. Willow took the ice cream to the kitchen, and Faith just motioned for the puppy to join her, allowing her to pet her. "You're so cute, and special...you know that?" The puppy's big brown eyes met her own, and she smiled. "Will saved you from the park. We brought you home. This is your home now. Do you like that?" The puppy's nub just wagged against her lap. "We're your people now, and you're our puppy. It makes you special because you were brought into a home full of love. Our love, and now you're a part of that." She continued petting her, until Willow joined her on the couch, cuddling up against her body, and petting the cocker spaniel, too. The puppy seemed to enjoy the attention, and Willow and Faith shared a warm, loving smile. "We should name her."
"Hmm...you're right. What sounds good?"
"We should think of somethin' special, like that will let us remember how we got her, or why we brought her home instead of leavin' her."
"Well, we found her by the swings in the park...I'm not sure that'll work."
"Oh, I got it. We were patrollin'. We should call her slayer."
"Slayer, huh?" Faith nodded, and Willow smiled at her girl's cuteness. She turned her attention to the tan puppy, and she looked up at the redhead. "Do you like that? Slayer?" Not being prone to give much of a reaction other a nub wag, it was decided that the puppy would be called 'Slayer.'
"That's so cute."
"And fierce. Matches what you are. Fierce when you're slaying but so loving and kind and generous...I love you, Faith. You're so amazing." Willow leaned in, and kissed the dark girl lovingly, eliciting a moan from both sides, obviously pleased with the other.
"I love you, too, Willow Rosenberg. With everything that I am, and more." Faith leaned in for another kiss, and then when their mouths parted, they positioned themselves and the puppy on the couch for snuggles, and a night of television reruns.
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Joyce Summers entered the high school library the next day after school, finding Fred, Xander, and Cordelia around the table, feverishly going through dusty books. Giles came out of his office, looking through a book, while sipping a mug. When he finally noticed her presence by the doorway, he motioned for her to enter, and she took a seat beside Fred at the table.
"Joyce. I'm glad you could make it. I'm afraid there's been some news that the four of us need to discuss."
"What about Buffy, Faith, and Willow? Shouldn't they be here, too?" Xander unaware of the situation between the girls, and Fred's obvious discomfort and shifting at the mention of the three girls' names, continued. "I mean two slayer, and the witch...are we planning a party or something? And what about Buffy's mom? Calling reinforcements?"
"I'm afraid it involves the three of them, and Angel as well to some degree. They cannot find out about what we discuss, otherwise, there could be serious damage or consequence to one or all of us involved. I need you all to understand that the situation is highly dangerous but thanks to Angel's lead, we have more information on the crystal, which is why the four of us are here."
"Mr. Giles, I just called wanting to know if my daughter was alright. This control thing has started to completely strip her of her identity. She's not like my Buffy anymore."
"Yes, Joyce. I'm afraid you're right, which is why we need to be careful dealing with this. The crystal is being used for more than control. We have discovered that it forms as a sort of contest to 'mark' another, causing the people around the people involved in the crystal's thrall to suffer the consequences. I received a call from the Council last night, informing me of some information that they received regarding the Argonasis crystal."
"Well, spill, G-man."
"Yeah. No offense but I don't want to be here all night." Cordelia crossed her legs in obvious impatience.
"Yes, well, right. Apparently, the person controlling the crystal decides who will be involved, and why. He or she cannot control what exactly happens when there is more than one person involved in the marking contest, which would explain why Buffy did not lose complete control right away, and managed to function in other fields. The crystal's message to those involved is to control only those functions trying to be detained by the holder."
"That explains why Buffy hasn't been successful with her slaying. Obviously, somebody wants her to not find them, or be able to harm them if she does."
"Precisely, Cordelia."
"Where does Will come into this, though? That's the part that doesn't make sense." Giles sighed at Xander's question, and removed his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He pulled out his cloth, and began cleaning his glasses.
"Well, yes. That brings me to my next point. There have been recent discoveries that have further progressed the crystal's hold."
"And...?"
"Well, according to Buffy, and Fred here as well..." Fred ducked her head, still in serious pain over the loss of her girlfriend. Cordelia placed a comforting hand over the one that was tightly clutching the book on the table. "Apparently, Faith has managed to...er... 'mark' Willow, giving us the information we need to proceed in our research."
"What do you by 'mark' exactly? You mean like...she bit her like a wolf or a vampire." Cordelia glared at her boyfriend's idiotic question, and decided to help Giles.
"No, you idiot. It means, she fucked her first. Like in the wild, the animals mark their mates...am I getting through?"
"But Willow wouldn't sleep with Faith. That doesn't make sense. She's got Fred." Seeing Fred wipe a free falling tear, he was confused. "Right? She does still have you...I mean...doesn't she? You guys didn't break up or anything?" Cordelia kicked his shin, and he winced in pain, grabbing it as an immediate reaction.
"Shut up! Your failure to process information that is clearly in front of you baffles me sometimes. I honestly don't know why I'm still dating you." He looked sad at her comment, and she relaxed her features. "Look, something happened. Fred went to Willow's house yesterday, and Willow wasn't acting like herself. She and Faith had obviously been involved in some rough, kinky sex. She ran out before she was hit again."
"That explains the cuts on your face, and the black eye and cheek. Fred, dear, are you okay?" Joyce placed a comforting arm around the girl's shoulder as she nodded her head under her distress.
"I'll be fine. It's just...I want my Willow back. That wasn't her. Something's going on, and Faith would never hit me. She only hit me when she thought I was trying to make a move on my own girlfriend. It was awful but I want her back so much. I love her, and this is the only thing that'll bring her back so let's get to work."
"Yes. Fred is right. Buffy, Faith, and Willow are involved in this spell. Angel is as well."
"Explains the awful plaid pants phase he was going through several months back."
"Yes, Cordelia. That does explain it. Somebody is trying to unleash Angelus again, or at least was until Buffy started going after Willow, which brings us to the point. Willow and Faith were unaware of their loss of control, perhaps because their involvement wasn't meant to be known. It is my opinion that the morning that we found Buffy and Willow...involved...that Willow was not in control, either but she was unaware. However, Buffy was fully aware, causing her to be the main target, or the person that poses the most threat to the holder. We need to find this person or thing, and destroy the crystal properly. If not, then I'm afraid that we'll never see them as we know them again."
"Which is of the bad," Xander griped.
"I don't know...I kind of like chipper, sweet Faith." Everybody looked at Joyce, wondering if she had lost her mind as well. "What? It's nice to see her happy. Can't blame a mother for that. I'm not saying that it's right, and I'm completely behind you here, Rupert, I was just saying that I like to see her happy."
"It gives me the creeps. The Faith right now isn't exactly going to be on the cover of Sanity Fair anytime soon. Her moods appear to change when they involve Willow."
"Yes, Cordelia. And I'm afraid until we destroy the crystal, that everything that she does will be about Willow, making her and Buffy dangerous and unpredictable."
"What's Angel's part in this?"
"Well, the holder apparently wanted him to court Buffy again, and bring Angelus back. Now that Buffy is literally obsessed over Willow, and finding a way to destroy Faith for marking what she believes to be hers, Angel's anger will come forward, since his obsession is over Buffy."
"Why can't relationships ever be easy on the Hellmouth?" Fred sighed.
"Just that, the Hellmouth. We're talking constant problems, no happiness for you, try again later. It's written somewhere, I'm sure." Xander motioned around the books on the table.
"Well, how do we go about finding this crystal, Rupert?"
"I'm afraid one of us will have to play detective by following Faith and Buffy's patrol routes from now on...but do not let it be known that you are suspicious. If you do, then they could perceive you as an enemy, and harm you without second guessing."
"Faith already has made it obvious that Fred's not on her list of good people."
"Yes, Cordelia, thank you. Fred and I will stay here, and try to gather the items needed to destroy the crystal permanently. Joyce, I would say that the best thing you could do would be playing buffer between the girls. Keep Buffy at home, and do not let Faith and Buffy in the same place if you can help it at all. However, do not put yourself in any danger. If you feel a threatening situation coming, I'll leave you a tranquil gun, and you can call me if the need arises. Xander and Cordelia will patrol with the girls and Angel, paying particular attention to the places that they avoid, and reporting back to Fred and I here afterwards. Then, the next day, I will send one of you out to investigate the potential location of the crystal. Is everything clear?" Nods went around the table, and everybody closed shop for the night. Each person made their way to their next task, complete with instructions to bring back their friends and loved ones.