Queen Bee
by cathy nort
final
[reviews]
(one month later- Seattle, Washington)
"How can you eat that stuff?" Dorie asked as she sat down placing her backpack on the chair beside her's. She was referring to the chocolate covered donut Dusty was just about to take a bite out of. Then Dorie looked around trying to catch the eye of the waitress so she could order. She had found Dusty sitting at the outdoor cafe in the arty area of this lovely city, a cup of latte was steaming in front of her as she prepared to take a bite out of the pastry.
Dusty paused in mid-bite. "Whatever do you mean?"
Dorie made a face. "It's icky. It'll clog your arteries."
Dusty couldn't care less. Her arteries were the least of her worries. She bit down and made an overly dramatic showing of chewing the donut.
Dorie, of course, was a Slayer and much depended on her maintaining a trim, well nourished body. On the other hand watchers weren't as disposed to have to maintain their physical well being. The waitress had seen Dorie sit down and moved over to the table.
"Orange juice. Large." Dorie said.
After the waitress had scurried off she left leaned forward. "We were lucky weren't we?"
Dusty nodded her mouth too full to reply.
"If you hadn't frozen that vial from the other girl, how long ago was that, you'd never have been sitting here now."
"Or would you be as vibrant looking as you are at this moment." Dusty added after finally swallowing. "Don't get too complacent. It won't last. It's not as strong as the fresh vials are. We only have a few weeks before we start to deteriorate."
"And you have the girl selected?" The waitress returned and placed the orange juice in front of Dorie. "Put it on her bill," Dorie said sipping from the glass.
"I have the girl selected. She's stopping by tonight. We'll prepare her from there."
"What's her name?"
Dusty frowned then looked off down the street thoughtfully. "I can't remember. Does it matter?"
Dorie shrugged. "Not really. It's just seems........... Oh never mind."
Dusty shrank back in her chair. "I try not to get too close to the hosts. It's less painful that way. It's the part of this I hate the most so I don't want to know their names."
Dorie had to smile. "You remembered the girls from Sunnydale. How come?"
Yes, I have, Dusty thought to herself. Yes, I remember them very much. Dusty finished her donut and sipped absently at her latte.
Dorie seemed disinterested for a few moments but her next words proved she was not the case at all. "You're in love, aren't you?"
Dusty tilted her head to one side. "How's that?"
"You're in love with Buffy. I can see it in you. It's as clear as........."
"That's not true. Exactly."
Again Dorie smiled impishly. "Not exactly? Oh? Well, I bet I can tell you what is going to happen after we do this whateverhernameis girl."
"What is going to happen?"
Dorie drained her glass and set it down. She leaned forward resting on her elbows. "We will be going back to Sunnydale. For Buffy. For you. Personally I liked the redhead better. She was cute."
"I liked her too as a matter of fact. That's why you weren't exactly right about my feelings." Dusty said in total frankness. Why lie to Dorie? She was as part of this as was anybody. Dusty needed her skills as well as Dorie needed Dusty's. "Yes, I fell in love. With both of them. And that's is just how it is."
"How come? You don't seem to remember any of your other victims."
"Don't use that term again!" Dusty voice turned venomous. "Ever." As fast as her anger had shot up, it subsided. She looked away. "It makes me uncomfortable. Guilty."
Dorie didn't press the issue. Instead she pursued the feelings Dusty had for the Sunnydale girls. Dorie herself had wanted to return to Sunnydale. But for different reasons than Dusty's. Hellmouth. Unlike the blond Slayer Dusty had fallen for, and was the main focus, now, of Dusty's life, Dorie wasn't a reluctant Slayer as Buffy seemed. Dorie was an obsessed Slayer. There was nothing more exciting than those moments when she drove the stake home. When she saw those despicable creatures vaporize. Oh, the thrill. It's better than.......sex.
Dusty could have the girls, Dorie thought. I WANT Hellmouth for myself.
"And just where does the redhead fit in, Dusty? Are you into menage? Threesomes?" Dorie asked
Dusty disappeared into her thoughts no longer aware of the girl across from her. Dorie was right. Menage a trois was a wonderful fantasy. Especially when the fantasy was a possibility with the two from Sunnydale. While she had been stalking Buffy she had, naturally, come into contact with her. And with Willow. Learned about them as was required for her needs but she had found herself becoming attached, against her will, to them. As individuals.. And when she had kissed Willow that night it had, at first, been all about the trap she was setting. But that kiss became real. To her. And it was she, Dusty, that was now in the trap. She had never, in the years she had lived, fallen for anyone. And here she was now in love with two young women. Then to make it worse, they were in love with each other.
When she had gone down to the basement. When Buffy was under the effects of the herbal tea she had already known she would be unable to use the Slayer as a host. The kiss they had shared, as short as it was, had erased any doubts there might have been. She was almost relieved when Buffy took the matters into her own hands. Dusty knew it was she herself that allowed it. Dusty would never have been so careless otherwise. Would she have?
Where do I fit in? How can I fit it? Dusty chewed on her lower lip pondering the unanswerable.
Sunnydale. They needed to return.
Someday