Simple Choices
by rebelrsr
Chapter 30
[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: General spoilers for S5, starting with "The I in Team." Eh, who am I kidding? This is really AU now.
A/N: Thanks to Ivy for pre-reading and Zigpal and Lilly for the beta. There would be no writing without you guys.
Faith looked back at Tara, noticing the way her blue eyes had darkened. Tara's white teeth worried on her full bottom lip nervously. "T, look..." Under normal circumstances, they would have already been horizontal. "This ain't the time."
"It is the time, Faith." Tara pulled her legs up, sitting Indian style. "Sit down, Faith."
Scowling, Faith shook her head. What the hell was going on?
"Please," Tara added. She held out a beckoning hand. "I'm not playing games, I promise. This is important."
Reluctantly perching on the edge of the bed, Faith waited for Tara to continue.
"I...I'm sorry for surp-prising you like that." Tara ducked her head, and Faith was sure her face was beet red. "It d-didn't work the way I thought it would."
Ah, hell. Rushing to reassure Tara, Faith put a hand gently under Tara's chin, pulling it up. "Hey, T. Any other time, I'da been right there with you." She smiled. "Noticed you right away, when B and Red dragged me along." Running her thumb across the soft lips, Faith shrugged. "I ain't saying no, T. Just...not right now."
The warmth she'd felt during the healing was still there. In fact, it was growing; the heat pulsed with each heartbeat.
Smiling crookedly, Tara kissed Faith's thumb.
The gentle warming under her skin became an inferno with that single act.
"T?" Faith asked, nearly panting. "What's going on?"
"Like I told you," Tara responded softly, "this is part of the plan." She sucked Faith's thumb into her mouth, swirling her tongue around it.
No way. Fucking Tara was not part of The Plan. Faith still wasn't clear on what, exactly, the plan was. She was crystal clear on the fact she wasn't screwing Tara with B and the Scoobs giggling about it in the kitchen. Yanking her hand away she sprang from the bed, intending to tell Buffy and Company what they could do with their plan. It didn't happen that way.
Two steps across the room, Faith froze.
"Come back to bed, Faith." Tara's voice wasn't loud or demanding. It simply seemed to wrap around Faith, working in conjunction with the ephemeral hands stroking over Faith's body. "I won't pressure you. Let me explain why this, why we are supposed to happen."
Faith didn't have a choice. She turned without thought and plodded back to the bed. "We're supposed to happen," she echoed. Happen? Like a car wreck? "T, I know the Scoobs think I'm a whore, but I don't really just hop into bed with anyone." They had to meet at least a few requirements.
"I know that, sweetie." Tara's hand gripped Faith's.
Trying to concentrate, Faith shook her head and pulled at the collar of her shirt. It was so hot in here. "They all know you brought me in here to fuck, don't they?" Envisioning the smirk on Xander's face and the sanctimonious look on Buffy's had her grinding her teeth.
"Easy, sweetie." Tara pulled on their joined hands, and Faith found herself lying almost entirely on top of the other girl. "They don't matter. What's going on between us...that's all that matters."
It wasn't that easy. Faith stiffened. "Damn it, Blondie. Why you?" She meant to force Tara to tell her what was going on. Instead, the words came out almost a plea.
"We're connected, Faith. From the healing." Leaning up, Tara kissed her softly. "This will strengthen the bond so you and your Slayer can stay in control when you face Adam."
As soon as Tara said the words, Faith felt the Slayer uncoil deep inside. She tensed, readying for a fight. She didn't understand what Tara was saying. Bond or no bond, Faith vowed not to let the Slayer loose on Tara.
The invisible hands stopped the sensual caress, beginning a massage of the tight muscles at the back of her neck.
"Don't worry, Faith. You won't hurt me," Tara murmured. "I'm not a threat. Trust me."
Trust? Hell no. Faith tried to pull away. Tara's tightened grip and the Slayer's sudden refusal held her in place. "Talk, Blondie." Starting to panic, Faith kept herself still, senses stretched to their limits. One wrong move by her Slayer, and she'd find a way — any way — to protect Tara.
"Your Slayer...all Slayers, probably, need a stabilizing influence. Someone who can help you keep the primal forces of the Slayer in check." Tara locked her eyes onto Faith's.
The tingle was back. Faith closed her eyes and shuddered.
Heart hammering, Faith heard Tara go on. "Think back to Willie's. Buffy didn't attack Willow like you thought she would." Tara's lips nibbled delicately on Faith's neck while her hands worked on releasing her belt. "Buffy's Slayer recognized Willow."
Faith's Slayer was pushing for more freedom. "So..." Faith tried to make sense of the explanation, ignoring her body and the Slayer. "You can help with the Slayer."
"Yes." Warm fingers undid the button on Faith's jeans. The zipper hissed down.
The air seared her throat as Faith gasped. "Tara...how..." It was so hard to think. Sweat slicked her skin, beaded her upper lip. Why are we in bed together? she wanted to ask. It came out as, "Why this?"
"Why not?" Hands slipped under Faith's shirt, unerringly heading for her breasts. "I mean, I guess I could strengthen the bond if we meditated together." Tara rubbed her thumbs over and around Faith's nipples. "Isn't this more fun?"
***
"You...you think we should go check on them?" Buffy whispered in Willow's ear. It had sounded good when Tara had made the offer. Now that she was alone with Faith, though, Buffy was regretting the whole thing. What if Faith hurt Tara?
"No." Willow's answer was firm. "Buffy, Tara said she'd be fine. Remember? They already have a bond from the healing."
It helped a little. Buffy leaned her head against Willow's shoulder and looked at Giles, Graham, and Xander clustered around a rough-drawn map of the Initiative base.
"There's a tunnel entrance here." Graham pointed to a spot at the edge of the campus.
"Sorry, guys," Buffy joined in reluctantly. "If you're talking about the sewer entrance, it's blocked off now. There was a rockslide a few weeks ago. It's covered in several feet of rocks." If things hadn't been so grim, she would have laughed at the three pairs of puppy dog eyes looking at her. "That leaves just the elevator access."
Xander shook his head. "I hope you're wrong, Buff."
"Why?" Buffy looked at him in confusion. "It's a way in. Isn't that what we need?" She reached for Willow's hand. "We go in; we find Adam and Riley; we kick their asses."
He simply looked back at her, and Buffy wondered just when Xander had learned Giles' patented disappointed grimace.
"OK, so if that's not the plan, what is?" she mumbled sullenly.
"It's not a bad plan, Buffy," Xander rushed to reassure. "We just can't go in like that. Think about it. Tiny little box. One door."
When he put it like that..."I guess we could try to clear the sewer entrance." Buffy remembered the seemingly endless pile of boulders she and Riley had discovered on patrol. "Two Slayers can move a lot of rock."
"Can I ask a question?" Joyce asked from the island where she had mounds of sandwich makings laid out.
"Sure, Mom." Right now, Buffy would even let Anya join in. They needed new ideas.
Joyce finished cutting the bread in front of her while the gang at the table watched and waited. "How did Professor Walsh get in and out of the Initiative?"
That was it? That was the big question? Buffy rolled her eyes. "Mom, the professor used the entrance through Lowell House. The elevator we can't use."
"Really?" There was an edge to Joyce's voice, and Buffy winced. Her mother must have seen the eye roll. "Because I'm wondering how your professor managed to build a secret monster in her lab with no one the wiser. Wouldn't there have been supplies and equipment she'd need that the rest of the troops couldn't see?"
After a moment's silence, Willow's voice filled the room. "I don't know about you guys, but I feel stupid."
"I always feel that way, Will. This time..."Xander rubbed his neck. "Gotta say, this is worse than usual. Mrs. Summers, maybe I should make the sandwiches and you should be sitting here."
Joyce chuckled. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, honey. I think I'll pass. Team Mom is enough for me." Winking, she told him, "Just don't forget that moms sometimes know more than just how to fold towels, OK?"
***
"Graham, are there blueprints to the base?" Willow jumped up, heading for the living room and her laptop before he could answer. They'd been so stupid and wasted so much time. Mind racing, she returned to the kitchen and set up her computer. "Well? Are there blueprints?"
"Probably." At Willow's glare, he said more firmly, "Yes. I just don't know where we'd find them."
Willow did. She was typing even before he fell silent.