Finding Her Way Home
by rebelrsr
Chapter 37
[reviews]
Disclaimer: All things Buffy belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and lots of people in expensive suits. I'm not making any money here, just trying to create a happier Buffyverse for my favorite characters.
Spoilers, etc.: Pretty much everything after the Gift.
A/N: Character thoughts are enclosed by **. Flashbacks are enclosed by //. Thanks to Ivy for the preread and Zigpal and Lilly for the beta and encouragement! I couldn't do it without you.
Archiving: By permission only.
A/N2: I'm mixing parts of S6 and S7 with very little regard to canon. For purposes of the fic, Dawn is over the age of consent *wink*.
Special Note: For those who've skipped the disclaimer — DAWN IS 18 IN THIS FIC. If the thought of her having sex offends you, please go read something else.
"Fine isn't good enough," Dawn warned. "I want it all, Faith. I want amazing, hot, wild...Show me those skills I've heard about for so long."
If Dawn wanted, Faith vowed to provide. Hands moving surely, Faith reached around Dawn's back, releasing the catch on her bra. The material sagged forward. Palms caressing over soft skin, Faith slid the straps down, lifting each of Dawn's hands from the comforter until her bra was completely off.
Ignoring the desire flaring in her own body, Faith slowly raised her head, suckling on Dawn's right nipple.
A mix between a groan and a whimper sounded in her ear. Wetness coated her thigh as Dawn rocked against her.
"No, D. Let me do the work this time," Faith whispered. Her hands fell to Dawn's hips, stilling the restless motion. "Be patient, baby. I'll get you there," she vowed. "Sit up, D."
Dawn did as requested, rising until she sat squarely on Faith's thigh.
"Perfect," Faith said, eyes worshiping the tanned and toned body hovering over her. "Remember, baby. You don't like, we stop." Gliding her right index finger through Dawn's damp pubic hair, Faith teased the swollen bundle of nerves just peeking out.
She was rewarded with a jerk of slim hips, and her name springing from Dawn's lips.
"That's it, baby. Let me know what you like." Faith watched Dawn intently, enjoying the play of emotions on her face. Head back, eyes closed, Dawn was flushed and panting. As Faith continued her caresses, the muscles in Dawn's face tightened. "Feels good, don't it, D?" Faith added a little more pressure.
"Yes." The reply ghosted out, overshadowed by Dawn's gasping breaths. "Faith...please..."
Smiling softly, Faith raised her head, brushing her lips over Dawn's. "I'm here, baby. I've got you." She moved her finger down, ignoring the faint whine from Dawn.
"Don't stop," Dawn ordered, body moving restlessly against Faith's thigh.
"I won't, D," Faith promised. "Give me a second..." During the exchange, Faith's finger slipped inside Dawn, gently stroking her inner walls. A callused thumb replaced her finger on Dawn's clit. "I'm not stopping until you ask, baby."
***
"I'm surprised," Buffy deadpanned. "How about you, Will?"
Willow rolled her eyes. "Surprised? No. Freaked? More than a little."
Turning back to Anya and Drew, Buffy ignored Giles. "What do you have so far?" she asked intently.
"If you'd been paying attention," Anya snapped, "you'd know we have nothing. Zip. Zero-"
Before she could rant further, Drew cut in. "There are vague warnings about the Seal and a ritual the First has to perform. We just can't find any reference to what the ritual entails."
It wasn't good enough. Buffy gripped Willow's hand tightly, trying to cage the sudden impatience causing her leg to bounce. "What can we do to-
The sharp sound of shattering glass interrupted. Everyone turned to look. "Sorry." A skinny, young redhead blushed and waved a hand at the crowd. "It slipped out of my hand."
***
Willow stared at the liquid dripping off the coffee table and onto the rug underneath. "Goddess, we are so stupid." She pointed at the spill. "We didn't tell them, Buffy. How could we not tell them?" Her voice rose with each word. Now they were the center of attention.
Buffy didn't respond out loud. Instead, her wry inner voice spoke through the link. *I admit to not being the brightest crayon in the box, Will. What are you babbling about?*
"The dream, Buffy," Willow answered. "Look..." she pointed at the spilled drink. "It's like the dream." Buffy still looked lost, and Willow pulled away, planting her hands on her hips. "Remember me and you working in the DMP?"
Finally, realization hit Buffy. Her eyes widened and she nodded. "Oh, yeah. The dream."
A throat cleared gently. "Perhaps you would care to fill the rest of us in, Willow?" Giles smiled uncomfortably. "I wouldn't ask if it didn't appear you thought it might be useful."
Tension sprang up in her link with Buffy. Willow stiffened at the impact; her eyes flickered to her wife.
Looking pale, fists clenched at her side, Buffy met her eyes.
Willow waited until Buffy nodded curtly before continuing. "Buffy and I shared a Slayer dream last night." Had it really only been last night? Willow rubbed burning eyes. "It was weird. In the first scene, we were working at the DMP and the soda machine wouldn't shut off. It just kept pouring out, all over my shoes." She grinned self mockingly. "That's why the spilled drink reminded me."
"I didn't know you could share those dreams." Drew closed the book she was still holding and frowned up at Willow. "Are you sure it was a Slayer dream?"
"I'm sure," Buffy answered brusquely. "I've had them before. I've even shared them before. With Faith."
Sounding hesitant, Giles entered the conversation. "Perhaps we could study that at a later time? I believe we need to hear about the dream now. It might help shed some light on how to defeat the First."
Flushing, Willow took Buffy's hand, pulling her back to the floor in front of the couch. "It's a little fuzzy now. After the thing at the DMP, we were in Restfield and we found this axe thing." She looked at Buffy for help.
"Not an axe, Will. A scythe." Buffy tilted her head, brows meeting between her eyes. "You know, it was huge. It should have been heavy, but it wasn't."
"Ooh, ooh...it had writing on it, too. Runes, I think." Willow bounced excitedly on the floor.
Drew leaned across the couch, digging through a pile of books next to Anya. "Do you remember which runes?" She opened a book, flipped through the pages and tossed it aside before opening the next book.
"Um..." Willow looked at Buffy. "Maybe?"
"That's better than me." Buffy shrugged sheepishly. "I can maybe tell you what the scythe itself looked like. Why?" She watched Drew toss more books aside.
Drew didn't answer. She mumbled to herself and finished the pile of books on the couch. "It sounds familiar. I'm sure I saw something like that while we were looking for information on the Seal. I just...I can't find it now."
"We'll have you and Willow make a sketch." Giles perched on the arm of the couch. "Go on. Tell us about the rest of the dream. After the bit in Restfield, what happened next?"
"That's where it got really weird," Buffy announced.
Willow chuckled. "Yeah, because me working in the DMP wasn't odd enough." Buffy bumped her shoulder, a trickle of amusement traveling through their link. Despite the gravity of the situation, Willow felt happier than she had in days. This was what they were; this was their lives. Not hiding away in a cabin. She and Buffy were meant to be here, researching and talking about the latest evil in town.
Stroking the back of Buffy's hand, she continued recounting the dream. "After Restfield, we were in a church, a Catholic church. The priest was doing one of the old Latin masses — the part where he confesses his sins and changes the bread."
"Are you sure you and Buffy hadn't been drinking before you went to sleep?" Anya demanded.
"Yes, Anya. You got us." Willow threw her hands over her face dramatically. "We had that whole case of beer with dinner."
Drew choked on a giggle, and Buffy vibrated with her own suppressed laughter against Willow's side.
"Well, I mean..."Anya mumbled. "It's all a little hard to believe. Some fast food restaurant, a weapon, and a Church?"
***
"Welcome to a Slayer's head, Anya." Buffy pushed away from Willow, her momentary amusement dying. "Ask Faith about the one we shared before Graduation — if she even remembers it." Buffy did. The sound of Faith's blood dripping onto the sheets blocked out the murmur of conversations in other parts of the room for a second.
"It may be strange, Buffy, but Mama says Slayer dreams always have meaning — even the parts you think are crazy." Drew didn't flinch when four pairs of eyes locked on her. "The thing at the DMP, the mass...they mean something. We just have to discover what."
***
Faith gently moved a strand of hair off Dawn's face. The bright blue eyes were closed, the soft lips opened on quiet breaths. "What did we just do, D?" she whispered to the sleeping girl. Dawn's quiet snores were her only answer.
She couldn't stay. Faith's muscles twitched restlessly. The bed — and the body in it — were warm. Faith shivered as she climbed out and carefully covered Dawn with the blankets. Grabbing her discarded clothes, Faith pulled them on. She managed one step toward the door before a whisper in here ear pulled her up short.
"Don't go," the nearly soundless voice said.
Faith looked back at the bed. Dawn was still asleep. Frowning, Faith opened her senses. Nothing. What the hell? Shaking her head, Faith strode to the door, opening it quietly and slipping out into the hall. "Sleep tight, D," she whispered as the door slid shut.