It was just a bad day

by Rin

[reviews]

A/N: I'm sorry I've been gone so long. I've just been working on getting published...yada yada. Plus, I just got back from vacation in TN. I didn't desert stuff...just a little busy, that's all. Look for updates on the Red Series and Loving Willow More in the next couple of days.

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They had officially been girlfriends for six months, and the only person that knew was Ms. Summers. Willow felt guilty about hiding her relationship with Buffy from Xander but the blonde always managed to kiss the guilt away rather quickly. Her parents hadn't been back to the house for four months, and the redhead didn't even get a phone call from them, informing her where they were, or even to make sure she was okay. Joyce had noticed, too, and had helped Willow move into the guest bedroom. She knew that the girls had adhered strictly to her house rules of no hanky-panky, and the older woman was proud of her daughters, for that was what the young redhead had become to her. The girls had even slept in separate rooms, as per her order, and Joyce had never felt so close to Buffy in her life. Things were looking up for her little dysfunctional family, and there was no chance that she would change it for the world.

"Hi, sweetheart. Where's Willow?" Joyce kissed her daughter in greeting, as the young blonde walked through the kitchen door, fresh from school.

"She stayed to help Ms. Calendar with some computer club. I'm supposed to pick her up at 8, and we're going to the Bronze." Buffy accepted the motherly kiss on her forehead, and hugged her mom in a half-hold.

"Won't she be hungry?" Joyce had been concerned for the redhead. Four months without word from her parents was starting to take a toll on the young girl, and it was obvious. She had talked to Buffy about it but her daughter had only said that the Rosenburgs weren't known for their great parenting skills, even though they were psychologists in the field.

"I'm sure she will. I'll take her sandwich, or something that she can eat before we leave the school." Buffy started bouncing on her heels. She was antsy to see her girlfriend again, and she hadn't been separated from her even an hour yet. Their recent devotedness was becoming harder to hide, and pretty soon the gang would catch them in the act before the girls even had time to segue them into the development in their relationship.

"Are you sure? I can make dinner later, and we can eat together here before you leave. It's Friday, so I'll make your curfew 12 instead of 10." Joyce had the concerned mother look on her face, and the thought of 2 extra hours alone with Willow caused Buffy to beam with excitement. That's how she found herself shaking her hand enthusiastically to the plan. "Great. You said 8? I'll make chicken and rice. I know that you love that, and if you're not too careful, that girlfriend of yours might start liking it, too."

"She already does." Buffy smiled with gusto, and her excitement was plastered all over her face. It was actually shocking that Giles hadn't asked her the reason why she was so happy all the time; that fact was suspicious to the blonde, since her Watcher asked her about every minor detail. The biggest problem was Angel, though. Their former mutual attraction had turned one-sided ever since her relationship with Willow blossomed, and the master vampire was furious. There were several times that the slayer silently questioned if the souled vampire had actually done the violent crimes that he brought for her to investigate. His jealousy over the entire situation was overly uncalled for, and she still didn't trust him completely, even if he had saved her ass more than once. Whenever she would be out patrolling, he would just show up randomly, and start ranting about the wrongness of what she and Willow were doing, and how the evil in this town would soon discover that the redhead was her weakness, and use that against her. Taking his words to heart, she had held that fear for months, and it would only increase the more he said it. She talked about it with her girlfriend, and Willow had only told her that there was no way she letting anything break them apart; only death could do that, and Buffy had already died once before, so they could even get through that little fact. The blonde just smiled forlornly, and kissed her girlfriend tenderly.

"That reminds me." The older blonde went about getting a glass of juice, and made sure that she had her daughter's full attention before she continued. When the girl nodded, she continued. "Your principle called today; frightful little man."

"You're telling me." Buffy's tone told Joyce all she needed to know; the authoritative figure at the high school was a monster.

"He told me that a janitor caught you and Willow making out in a broom closet, while skipping classes." Joyce took a swig of her juice, and raised an eyebrow in admonishment. "Care to tell me what that was about?"

"We weren't skipping!" Buffy jumped the gun. The entire incident
was misconstrued; that evil little troll of a man used every little thing possible to rag on her. "It was our free period, and there was a freshman class being taught the ways of the library, so we had to..."

"That's quite alright. I don't need details." Joyce held her hand up to stop her daughter from explaining further. "What I would like to know is why he suspended you?"

"It's totally bogus, mom. He said that we were disrupting the entire school but nobody was even around us. The only one that actually saw us was the janitor, and Snyder just happened to walk by when we were leaving the closet!" Buffy was in full argument, ready to defend her fair redheaded maiden. "He's suspended us for two weeks on the grounds of unnatural conduct, and disruption."

"What an evil little man." Joyce had only heard the cocky principal tell her that the girls were suspended for two weeks, and didn't give any indication as to why it was happening. She was shocked, and even more so, since Willow was included in the sentence.

"I know! He's not happy unless I'm jumping through his hoop of the week, and this time he brought Willow into it; the man is going down." Buffy would defend her maiden's honor to the death; hell, she already had, and that didn't stop her. There was no way Snyder could do much damage. However, he had, especially to Willow, who prided herself on school. Two weeks without school was like five years in prison for the redhead.

"Buffy, now calm down." Joyce placed a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder, and suggested she sit down on the barstool at the kitchen island. "It seems to me that Principal Snyder has no proof to go on, other than what the janitor saw."

"And he didn't even see anything really...just us rearranging our clothes." Buffy blushed; both from anger and the memory of kissing Willow.

"I'll look into it; call the school board tomorrow, and see what they have to say about it. If he wants to play ball, then he has no idea who he's messing with; that's for sure." The conviction and resolve in her voice almost scared Buffy, not used to hearing her mother aiming her 'mom's mad' tone at somebody other than herself.

"I'm more worried about Willow. She's been quiet ever since, and I suspect that the computer club meeting doesn't really last until 8. She sees Ms. Calendar as a mentor, and probably wanted to talk to somebody." Buffy sighed deeply, reining in her emotions. "I think the thing that bothers me most is that...well, the thought that Willow might not ever want to come out of the closet with me. I know it's hard to do for a person, and she's known these people longer than I have, and they've picked on her for years, and it only gives them more incentive to pick on her but...it's just so hard keeping it a secret. I'm so happy, and I don't want the fact that I'm in love with her to be the reason everybody teases her."

"Oh, Buffy..." Joyce looked at her frightened, tearful daughter, and took her in a warm embrace, smoothing her hair like she did when the girl was little. "Don't worry, sweetheart. We'll figure this out. Willow adores you; you have nothing to be scared of, Buffy." Clutching to her mother with all her force, the slayer broke down, and remembered every negative word that Angel had said to her.


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"Ms. Calendar? Can I talk to you?" Willow was tentative about her approach. She knew that her teacher was trustworthy but it was still a sore subject. Even though Buffy left school happy after their brief kisses, the redhead was a tightly wound bundle of nerves, ready to pop at any second. The stupid janitor had to say something, and Snyder had to be right there; it was getting harder to keep her hands off of Buffy, and she was the one that had pulled her girlfriend into the broom closet to begin with, and now she felt extra guilty, not to mention frightened, angry, confused, and worried.

"Of course, Willow. What's on your mind?" Jenny put her files away in her desk, and grabbed her purse from the drawer. Looking up when Willow didn't answer, she noticed the panicked expression on the redhead's face. "Is everything okay?"

"No." Her voice was small, and barely audible but her teacher put her purse back on her desk, and came around to embrace the suddenly sobbing girl.

"Shh...whatever it is, it'll be fine. We always manage to make it through whatever the Hellmouth throws at us; this time will be no different. You'll see; Buffy will manage to come through in the end, like she always..." The redhead just started to shake even fiercer in her arms, and Jenny was suddenly more than worried for her student. "Has something happened?"

"It's us...Buffy and I..." Willow took several deep breaths before she passed out from the strong sobbing, and managed to calm herself down somewhat before she continued.

"What about you and Buffy? Did you have a fight?" Ms. Calendar released the embrace but kept her hand on her student's shoulder.

"No, quite the opposite really." The redhead felt bad when she started to feel those belly rumblings that had gotten them in trouble to start with; she ducked her head shyly.

"Well, why don't you explain it me, and we'll come up with a solution." Nobody knew about the two girls' relationship yet but the witch had picked up a stronger vibe between them the past few months. If she had paid more attention, Jenny would have noticed it long before but she was too preoccupied with her burgeoning romance with Rupert to really focus on the younger couple.

"We're an us. Buffy and I...we're together, as in candy and flowers together, not best friendly together." Willow kept her voice quiet, and clinched her eyes shut, waiting for the blowout. Luckily, nothing came but a wide-eyed expression, and a sudden gasp.

"Wow...um...that's...that's certainly news. I wasn't aware either of you were even...I mean...wow. When did all this happen?" Jenny had to wipe her shocked expression from her face before the redhead became uncomfortable. She wasn't surprised that the girls would eventually pursue a relationship, and it didn't bother her a bit but she was shocked that they had started their courtship so soon. The teacher let out a deep sigh of relief, as she realized that she no longer had to worry about Angelus being a threat to Buffy. She was still unsure of what exactly her position in her gypsy family was regarding the souled vampire; all Jenny had been told was to watch, and make sure that he stays away from anything that makes him happy. The vampire was to suffer, and it seemed like he had been pushing himself on Buffy. He was an attractive man, and she was surprised that the young slayer kept sweeping off his obvious advances; there were even a few times that the gypsy even sensed he was using mental powers to sway the blonde but to no avail. Nothing he used worked, and now...now she knew why.

"About six months ago." Willow grinned sheepishly. It was obvious that her mentor was going to be supportive; she was just in shock at the moment, so the redhead had to give her time to adjust to the news first.

"Huh...that certainly is news. Why didn't you tell anybody? Actually, more importantly, how did you manage to keep it a secret for so long?" Jenny furrowed her brow in curiosity, and watched the redhead start to relax more in her presence.

"Um...well...it's kind of new to us, too. We've wanted to tell
everybody; it's hard to hide...you have no idea how hard it is to sit next to Buffy in the library, and not be able to hold her hand, even if we are playing footsy under the table most of the time. I'm sure you've wondered about my little squeak fits." Willow took a deep breath. This was easier than she thought, and that was refreshing after the day she had. "Snyder suspended us."

"What?! How?! Why?!" Jenny was furious. First, she gets the shocking news that Willow and Buffy were an item, and now the little troll perusing the hallways in the guise of Sunnydale High's principal had the nerve to suspend them.

"All good questions. It's just...well, it's hard...keeping my hands off of Buffy...and well, I kinda got a little frustrated, and pulled her into a janitor's closet when nobody was looking." Willow ducked her shoulders, and grinned sheepishly. "The janitor caught us, and Snyder was walking by when we came out..." Willow thought about that for a moment, and noticed the irony of the situation. "I guess that means literally and figuratively."

"That doesn't make sense, though. That's hardly grounds for suspension." Jenny stood up, feeling the need to pummel something. She'd had it to her eyeballs with Snidely Whiplash; now that complaint she was thinking about filing wasn't such a bad idea after all.

"That's what we said but he only added a week when Buffy snapped! It took me all afternoon to convince her not to go all slayer on him." Willow wiped the tearstains from her cheeks, and watched her teacher pace.

"Okay, so...how long did he give you?" She stopped pacing, and started to think up a plan.

"Two weeks." Willow ducked her head again, and kept her voice dejected.

"That's two weeks too many. We have to do something about this; he can't get away with it, even if he is the principle. There are other higher ups; we can take this to the school board..." Jenny stopped at Willow's panicked expression. "Oh, I'm sorry, Willow. Is something else wrong?"

"Take it to the school board? Where people would find out...about us, and have everybody in town know?" Her voice was squeaky, and she was nearing babble mode. One more nudge, and she'd be there.

"Oh, naturally, I suppose you're true but this is a hate crime, true and true. Willow, you have to know that there is no reason for your suspension, and that it's unjust. I'm sorry; I wasn't thinking about the effects it would have on your relationship because you're right, people would know. If you're not comfortable with that, then we'll drop it completely." Jenny swallowed audibly, and berated herself for jumping the gun. Calming herself down, she sat next to the redhead again. "I hate to see you like this, and I hate that Snyder did this. He has no right but I understand you wanting to keep this private, so I won't..."

"No. I want you to." Willow was on the brink of something; it was there on the tip of her tongue but it was being stubborn. Standing up, she gathered enough courage to stand up for what she believed was right. "I love Buffy, and sure...we were hiding in a closet kissing...but you're right, he punished us for more than that. He suspended us for unruly conduct, and disruption of student progress! Well, I'm putting my foot down! See? Right there...that's me putting my foot down." Willow put on her strongest resolve face, and stomped her right foot on the ground with a nice thunk of her sneaker. Just then, Buffy walked in, and saw the determination on her girlfriend's face. Ms. Calendar turned around, and smiled warmly at her. It kind of surprised the blonde because other than Giles, and the occasional slayer thing, the computer teacher had nothing to do with her; now, here she was smiling at her like her mother had earlier.

"Um...hi..." Buffy waved tentatively, and walked in the classroom further. Willow heard her, and immediately grabbed her into a fierce kiss, full of conviction and resolve. The blonde didn't mind in the least, and when her girlfriend released her hold, they fell apart panting for air. "Wow...I mean...wow."

"Yeah..." Willow took several breaths before she managed to keep her hormones in check. The issue of sex had started to surface wordlessly, as their heated makeout sessions in their bedrooms had progressed to further skin on skin contact, and groans of parting for the night. However, now was not the time to jump Buffy's bones. She was on a mission, and that was to excavate Snyder, and proclaim their relationship a reality to the world. For once in her young life, Willow Rosenberg was not afraid of what others would say about her, and that felt good. "Thanks, Ms. Calendar. I'll see you Monday." The redhead grabbed her confused girlfriend's hand, and left the still shocked teacher (from the sudden brazen spirit of her pupil) to her own mission: write a large letter of complaint.


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"So...gonna tell me what all that was about back there?" Buffy was curious. Willow had huddled closer to her than she ever had, just like any regular couple would that was walking down the street. It excited the blonde but confused her at the same time. Her mother had managed to calm her down, and the welcome boldness of her girlfriend helped to throw her fears to the wind. From what she was reading from her girlfriend, Buffy knew that Willow wasn't going to abandon her in this pivotal moment of truth.

"I talked to Ms. Calendar about us, and she helped me decide to fight the suspension." She stopped, and Buffy halted with her, since they were attached. The blonde just looked at her girlfriend with shock, and a sudden jolt of pride.

"Wow, Will. I mean...this is big. You do realize that almost the whole town will know about us if we fight?" Buffy was too proud of her suddenly activist girlfriend, and couldn't shake the smile from her face.

"I know." The redhead cupped her girlfriend's cheek, and kissed her lovingly a few times, keeping her hormones at bay. They were coming out, not giving a free show. "I'm ready, if you are."

"I've been ready the day I met you." Buffy accepted another kiss, and another, and another. Standing in front of the Bronze, they heard a couple of deep, manly chuckles behind them. The girls removed themselves gently from their embrace, and glared at the three-vamp intrusion.

"Look what we have here, George. A couple of dykes; should be an easy dinner. There's no man to protect them like the good Lord intended." The three surrounded them, and didn't catch the blonde palming a wooden stake.

"Do you think we dare, Dick?" The former politician wiped the blood from his suit shirt that spurted from his last meal. "I mean...maybe we can teach them the ways of a proper family. It might be fun." His evil smirk indicated exactly what he had in mind, and when he turned his attention to his friends, the only thing left of him was dust in the wind.

"Hey! That was my second in command there, you little prevert (a/n: yes, I meant to spell it this way)!" George waited for the other vampire to attack, while he kept his knitted brow on the sidelines, watching his minions fight for him. When his secretary fell into the clutches of the evil little liberal girl, his eyes widened in panic; he only talked the big talk (and messed that up most of the time) but he couldn't do the walking himself. That's why he had an entire army of vampires at his beck and call but now...now, there was nobody to save him from the Slayer, as she once again rid the world of the evil that plagued it.

"Well, that was refreshing...and sort of felt metaphorical, oddly enough." Buffy dusted the evil ashes from her body, and entwined her fingers with both of Willow's hands, pulling her girlfriend to her using the momentum, and kissing her firmly atop the ashes of the dead politicians.

"We should tell Xander before he finds out from somebody else. I don't think he'd ever forgive me for stealing his big crush away from him." Willow swung their clasped hands between them, as they walked into the Bronze, immediately searching for their friend.

"There was no stealing to be had; after all, I was the one who stole you from him before he even realized he could've had you. I feel sorry for him." Buffy leaned into the redhead, and didn't let Willow pull her hand away when they sat down at the table, spotting Xander and Cordelia at the bar.


Xander and Cordelia. Now, that was an odd couple, and they had been caught making out in broom closets all over the school, yet here they were, no worse for wear, except maybe Cordy's reputation, which took a HUGE pitfall when she decided to actually continue seeing the goofy teenager. Yet, the cheerleader actually was enjoying the company of the Scooby gang, even if she'd never admit it at loud. Making their way over to the table with bottles of water, the two brunettes greeted their friends.

"Hey, Buff, Will! Haven't seen you around lately." Xander tried to hug them but found it difficult when Cordelia was attached to his arm. Not that he minded; he was actually starting to enjoy their little tiffs and makeups, as his hatred for his former taunter grow into something akin to admiration. There were more layers to Cordelia Chase than anybody would have ever guessed.

"Well, you know...bunch of slaying stuff." Buffy was going to let Willow take the lead. She was more than ready to scream from the highest banister that she was in love with the redhead but she kept it calm because of her girlfriend's wallflower nature.

"Actually, Xander...there's something we need to tell..." Before Willow had a chance to finish her sentence, Larry came up to their table, and slapped both girls on their backs like he was a proud father. Willow jerked forward from the force, rubbing her shoulder where he hit with her, while Buffy looked at her concerned before glaring at the football player.

"Bout damn time, Rosenberg. Welcome to the family." He placed both of his hands on their conjoined hands, which Xander was just now noticing was different than usual. Their clasped appendages had a more...intimate air than what he was used to seeing.

"What was all that about?" Xander was still a little shaken from his encounter with 'gay' Larry; he still hadn't managed to erase the images of the brutal guy, the person that had tortured the brunette boy more than anybody else, from his mind...singing 'It's Raining Men' in the boys locker room shower after school last week.

"Is this about the two of you being lesbian lovers? Because if it is...that's so passé." Everybody at the table turned shocked eyes towards Cordelia; apparently her fallout with her sheep hadn't severed her connections to the goings-on at the school completely. "What? Don't act all shocked. It's not news; it's been going around for over a month now." She looked at their wide-eyed expressions again. "What? You did know that you were the big gossip, didn't you?" Again, no comment so she kept talking. "You didn't! Why am I not surprised; I don't know why I hang out with you losers, you never hear the good gossip in this circle."

"Okay...one, what the hell are you talking about?" Xander looked at his girlfriend like she'd gone crazy. "And two...Buffy and Willow aren't gay. Willow's got this big crush on me, and Buffy has Soulboy."

"You knew I had a crush on you, and you didn't say anything?" Willow looked at him with betrayal in her eyes at the confession; at least Xander had the decency to look guilty. Buffy softly placed her free hand on Willow's cheek before she started to cry, and the redhead leaned into her deceptively soft hand.

"Wh...I...h..." Xander was speechless. It was obvious the girls were more intimate, just by that simple gesture; that meant nothing to his boggled mind. His chest started convulsing upon seeing the blonde being so adoring to his oldest friend, and all the air seemed to explode in his lungs, as though ten slayers had punched him in the stomach at once. He keeled over in pain, and rushed to the bathroom, where he barely made it to the toilet before the vomit rose from the back of his throat.

Meanwhile back at the table, Cordelia was just picking at her nails, and pretending that she wasn't worried about her obviously distraught boyfriend. Buffy was comforting Willow still, and the cheerleader was just not interested. Sure, it was the talk of the whole school about their suspension but she didn't really care where either of them stuck their hands, as long as it wasn't in her or Xander's pants. Actually, she would never admit it out loud but the two girls were actually really cute together. If the time came, she would defend them; she had pull over people in the school still, and she would make sure people didn't bother them. Like now, with Devon and those creeps from his band, especially that creepy little guitar player, who was rudely running his eyes all over Willow's body like he owned her. She decided to go check on Xander for backup in case things got ugly, plus she was really worried about him. The band was finished for the night, so Devon and Oz came over to the table, rearing right in between the two girls, causing their hands to unwind from the force.

"Well, girls...sounds like you just need a real man to show you the ropes." Devon took Xander's water bottle from the table, and downed it in one big gulp.

"Yeah, real manly." Buffy glared at him, and shot a warning glance towards Oz, who was currently too close to Willow's body for her comfort, and it was obvious that the redhead wasn't comfortable, either.

"Hey." Oz nodded his head her way but kept his steely, predatory glare on Willow, who was obviously more than uncomfortable. She wanted to smack this guy; he had been practically stalking her around the halls, and she had even seen him drive past in his corroded van when she would pick up clothes and stuff from her house before she walked to Buffy's house. He had tried talking to her once or twice but he just kept staring at her, and she would politely shift away until he got the hint...which he never did.

"Oh...this one's really articulate. I feel myself starting to swoon already." Buffy rolled her eyes, and recognized the one too close to Willow as the guy that had been stalking her girlfriend. There was something off about him, and she couldn't figure out what yet...but her slayer senses were telling her he was supernatural. "Guys, I suggest you find two other girls; we're not interested."

"Oh, you are." Oz narrowed his eyes to slits, and raised an eyebrow without further explanation.

"Really? Well...that's news to us, seeing as how we'd like you to leave right now." Buffy started to push Devon out of the way, so that she could get to Willow, who was starting to shake with fear. Cordelia had disappeared, off to look for Xander, so the slayer had no backup if something went wrong.

"Leave your little dyke friend here, and I'll show you my world." Oz had this awkward feral gaze, and when Buffy saw his eyes flash, she knew where she had recognized the slayer memory. The boy was a werewolf, and it had been the one that she had seen too many times stalking in her backyard at night, while she looked out her window...missing the warmth of Willow's body snuggled to hers ever since her mom made them separate into rooms. She remembered the wolf hunter from a few weeks ago, and decided to take Cain's lesson to heart. There was an easy way to lure him out to kill him but she needed to find something sharp and silver, and hope that Willow trusted her completely.

"Okay, guys. Just give us a minute, and we'll leave with you." Buffy watched her girlfriend's eyes bulge out of her sockets, and the boys walked back to finish packing their equipment. Turning to her girlfriend, she put on her apologetic, pleading face. "Will, I need you to trust me right now. That guy that's been stalking you...he's the werewolf Giles and I didn't catch a few weeks ago. Devon's clean but not a threat, so I need you to be brave for me right now."

"Of course, Buffy...anything. Really? Oz is the wolf?" Willow was still shaken from the confrontation, and the blonde placed a comforting squeeze on her upper thigh, which caused the redhead to shake for a completely different reason.

"Yeah...if we get these guys out there, I figure that you can distract Devon, while I do the slayer thing. No harm no foul. What do you say? Wanna be my partner?" Buffy smirked mischievously, and Willow raised her eyebrows at the naughty thoughts she could tell were running through her girlfriend's mind. All she could do was nod. "Okay, stay here; I'm going to the bar to grab a knife, and we'll head out the back way." Again, Willow nodded, as the blonde rushed through the crowd of people, and leaned over the bar to grab a knife, hiding it in her usual stake compartment. The boys had made their way down there in time to find the girls ready to leave. "All ready. You lead the way."

"Good. You girls will be cured of this silliness in no time." Devon put his arms around both girls' shoulders, and led them towards the backdoor, while Oz sneered at him for taking his potential mate. When the shut behind them, Buffy nodded her head towards Willow, ducked out towards the van where Oz was loading his equipment, and pulled the small wolf down the alley. Willow tried to converse with Devon, who thought that Oz's screaming was from wild sex, and not from his dying from silver poisoning.

When Oz closed his eyes with one last breath, Buffy kicked his body for good measure. She took the knife from his chest, and stuck it back in her pocket. The minute that the silver implement was embedded in his arm the first time, Oz had turned into the wolf without even his knowledge, throwing Buffy off guard. It was nowhere near the full moon, and neither were aware that werewolves could change at will. The surprise didn't last too long, though, as Buffy continued pounding her knife into the young man's body repeatedly, making sure that the implement had time for the silver to rub against his blood. Disposing of the body would come later, as she shoved the wolf behind the dumpster; she could only hope that nobody would come out here before Giles had time to dispose of the body. She had made sure that the boy's death was brutal, not allowing him one claw mark; releasing her frustration and anger on him was more fulfilling than those three idiot vampires from earlier.

Rounding the corner, she found Willow struggling against Devon, who had her pinned to the wall, arms above her head. Buffy ran to the rescue, and pulled the singer from his position; one that only she was allowed to be in with Willow. Shoving his body in an uncomfortable position, she gave him her patented Slayer glare...the one that made the bad guys run.

"Geez...you can have the little dyke." Devon didn't see the fist headed towards his face, as he crumpled over in pain, holding his jaw. It felt like the blonde had completely broken his jaw, and he didn't see how that was possible. He panicked when it actually hit him that the jaw really was broken, and he cried all the way down the alley, completely missing the dead wolf on his way.

"Are you okay?" Buffy watched him stumble away, and wasted no time checking on her girlfriend.

"Yeah. He...he just heard you...and thought you were...you were ...you know..." She ducked her head, and rubbed her wrists where he had clutched them so hard. Buffy took her hands, and placed gentle kisses on them. "Are you okay? It sounded bad; I heard growling"

"Yeah. He turned all wolfy on me." Buffy wrapped her arms around Willow, pulling her in for a comforting embrace. She was covered in blood, and was a little shaken from the entire day's festivities. It seemed that the world was out to get them that day, and they were starting to feel closer to each other because they were able to defeat everything thrown at them. "I hate to leave Xander like this but I can't go back in there all bloody."

"Well, thanks...now I'm all yucky, too." Willow sighed. "I guess we
should give him time; I'm sure Cordy is giving him all the gossip right now. I just...Buff..." She looked up into those hazel eyes that would calm her with just a glance. "I don't want to hurt him but I'm not giving you up...I lo..." She stopped, realizing what she was saying, and how much it really was true.

"Wills?" Buffy kept her breathing calm; she had wanted to say the same thing for some time now but was afraid she'd scare her girlfriend. After all, she was Willow's first ever relationship; there were endless possibilities for the future.

"Nothing. We should call Giles...get him to take care of the body, and head home. I'm feeling a little tired." Willow took her girlfriend's hand, and they walked back to the Summers house in relative comfort.

"Hey...Will?" The three words Buffy had longed to say and hear from Willow were right there, and she decided that maybe it would be okay if she said it first. Shutting her bedroom door behind them (they were an hour early from their prolonged bedtime, and managed to weasel their way past Joyce), Buffy looked at Willow...who was staring at her from across the room. Pulling her shirt over her head, the blonde just kept her gaze on her girlfriend. There would be no more beating around the bush; it was time to do something.

"Buff...what are you doing?" Her voice was soft, and held every inch of lust imaginable. The blonde unbuttoned her jeans, and pushed them past her ankles, as she leaned over to pull her boots off to allow her access to remove her pants. Never once did she lose eye contact with her girlfriend; it was like a slow, tortuous strip tease.

"What does it..." Buffy saw the scared expression on the redhead's face, and all thoughts of being barely clad flew from her mind. Wrapping her arms around her girlfriend, the blonde ushered them both towards her bed, and managed to get Willow into a t-shirt before they spooned under the covers, and sent all thoughts of intolerance and hatred behind them.


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A/N: Tell me if anyone caught my little political and stereotypical jabs. I'm interested to see if I wrote those clearly.