One Last Shot
by Whedonist
Chapter 19
[reviews]
A/N: Work be damned...well not really it pays the bills. Enjoy
Disclaimer: See priors.
Chapter 19
"Well ladies, that's the tour. Make yourselves at home."
"Thanks again Jim. This is really nice of you."
"No problem Red."
Willow quirked an eyebrow and he shrugged.
"It seemed to fit you. I like it."
"Fine."
"Hey I hate to bail on you guys your first night here, but I got a bowling meet tonight. I should have been there a half an hour ago."
"Sure sure go. Have fun and be one with the bowling." Willow stepped up and gave the man a hug. "I'll tell Buff. Again Thanks Jimmy."
"No problem. Tell cupcake I'll see her in the morning."
"K" Willow turned to go back to the guest bedroom to get some reading done. The MCATS had gone well, but she still had the final interview and she wasn't as familiar with some of the harder science subjects as she felt she could be. She walked over and plugged her MP3 player into the stereo and hit random. Letting the music filter through she tucked into her books.
Buffy walked in with a towel wrapped around her body and just stood against the door frame looking at her girlfriend. Willow noticed the blonde in the doorway and smiled.
"Hey sexy."
Buffy smiled and dropped the towel. She walked over to the bed and crawled up to the redhead.
"I think you should put the books away."
Willow smiled up at the blonde and closed the book she was reading. "Is that so?"
"Yeah it is." Looking back at the open door she got up and shut it. "Don't want Jim to get a free show."
"He went bowling."
"So we're alone?"
"That'd be a yes. Did you have something in mind?"
"I did, you sans clothing and me in a nice big bed, working out the frustrations of the day." Buffy cocked her head to the side and listened to the music. "Who's this?"
"The Yeah Yeah Yeah's."
"Uh?"
"A newer group. It's their debut kinda cool and different."
"I like 'em."
"Buff," Willow said pulling the blonde to her, "you looked really upset when you came out of the apartment building. What did they say?"
She relaxed into Willow and sighed, "Xander and his mouth. Nothing that he hasn't accused me of before. It's just that he dragged you into it and I said some things about him and Faith that maybe I shouldn't have. He questioned you and I and I couldn't stop the words. Where does he get off?"
"I told you he was being a poopy head today. It doesn't matter anyhow. I know why I'm here and I feel confident enough to say that I know why you're with me."
"I don't know Will. I mean. You tilted my world hard when you came here and I'm not saying it was a bad thing and what you've done for me, I don't know if I could ever thank you enough, but he's right in some ways. I denied my feelings for you for so long and it wasn't until after Tara died or really until after I saw the big bad in you that it hit me. I mean it's why I think I was drawn to Angel and Spike. I haven't figured out Riley yet."
"That matters how? Buff, if you haven't caught on by now, I like all your bits. The light ones and the dark ones, oh and the gray ones to."
"I know you've made that clear. I don't know why I'm so bugged."
"Cuz' one of your oldest friends is being an ass?"
"That might be it. It's just that me and the relationship haven't ever seen eye to eye in fact I'm on cloud nine and the relationship is on the ground in some ways and well, I don't want us to be for all the wrong reasons."
"The wrong would be what?"
"I...honestly I don't know."
"Buff, do you know that the past two months have been some of the best in my life. That for the first time in as long as I can remember I feel like a complete person."
Buffy looked away and shook her head no.
"I know there are some rules about being a complete person before getting involved, but here's the thing, I think that's a load of crap. I loved Tara more than I can verbalize, but I still felt not whole. With you, there's wholeness and there's a rightness to it all. It, if I'm being really uber honest, scares the bujeezes out of me. I also know that you seem to be doing better than I've seen you be since like before the end of our freshman year."
"So what then? What does it mean?"
"What does what mean?"
"It just can't be this easy. My whole life has been one struggle after another and then you're here and the you and the I is not hard it's just us in this really new and fantastic way that isn't a struggle it's the easiest thing in my wacky world..." Buffy trailed off and shrugged.
"So let me see if I can try clear this up: you are worried because it's easy and with easy comes worry because nothing's been easy for you?"
"Yeah, but when you say it it sounds very non sensy."
"Hmm...well slayer I guess you're just going to have to get used to it." Willow got up and fiddled with the player, scrolling through she found the song that she wanted and hit play. "If you would be so kind as to entertain me and just listen." Willow walked over to the bed laid down next to Buffy, took her hand and closed her eyes.
Baby I'm afraid of a lot of things but
I ain't scared of loving you
And baby I know you're afraid of a lot of things
But don't be scared of love... 'cause
People will say all kinds of things
But that don't mean a damn to me
'Cause all I see is what's in front of me
And that's you
Buffy smiled at the lyrics and rested her head on the witches shoulder. She sighed and sunk down into the bed.
Well I've been dragged all over the place
I've taken hits time just don't erase
And baby I can see you've been fucked with too
But that don't mean your loving days are through
'Cause people will say all kinds of things
But that don't mean a damn to me
'Cause all I see is what's in front of me
And that's you
Well I may be just a fool
But I know you're just as cool
And cool kids, they belong together
"So are you trying to tell me something Wills?" Buffy smirked and tugged on a lock of red hair.
"Just don't let Xander mess with your head. He can be good at that when the mood strikes him. If we keep talking and working it out, I see a long and kinda bumby future for the two of us."
"And you can be so sure of this how?"
"Call it a witch's intuition just like and I can be certain of you gettin' lucky in the near future as well."
Buffy smiled at Willow and said, "I already am."
The redhead giggled, "Am I turning the mighty slayer into a cheese ball?"
"If anyone could do it Wills, it's you."
"Come 'ere my great big ball of cheese." Willow crushed Buffy to her and blazed a trail of kisses down Buffy's face and body.
************************************************************
"X, how...what the fuck were you thinking?" Faith blurted out.
After Buffy had left, the air in the room had grown thick and stale with the shouting match slayer and watcher had gotten into. Faith had pulled Xander into the back bedroom and was currently trying to find out what the hell had caused him to say the things he had. Xander had just stared at his girlfriend.
"Xander, I'm not saying that what B said was right either, but babe you were way out of line."
He looked up at his girl and sighed. "I don't, I mean she just...if anyone can press my buttons it's Buffy. I'm happy that her and Will are together and I just don't know."
"So when you gonna apologize for being an ass?"
"What?"
"Ya know make with the I'm sorry's. You owe both of 'em."
"You can't be serious? Why? She...she insulted me. She questioned us. If anyone's been acting ass like it's not me."
Faith stared at her boyfriend. She couldn't figure out how in the hell he could be that dumb.
"In case you've been knocked unconscious for the past two and a half years. Who was responsible for kicking Buff out of her own house? Wills right, you haven't apologized for that or for half the stuff that went down during the First and you're sittin' back and expectin' both Red and B to be copasetic with everything. Xand, that's fucking' stupid."
"Right, like you made with the sorries to huh?"
"Oh, don't you dare, B and I are..." Faith stopped and thought back trying to remember if her and Buffy had ever had the I'm sorry I was such a bitch to you conversation and couldn't remember ever having one. "Ya know what you're right. So here's the deal you can sit here with the rest of the gang and be an ass and sleep alone tonight. I got a sister to find and try and set some things right with." Faith didn't wait for his response, she just grabbed her coat, keys and phone and walked out in to the chilly night air.
When she came out of the building, she punched in Buffy's cell. She waited as the voicemail picked up and left a short message. She dialed Wills' cell next and chuckled as a breathless witch answered the phone.
"What?"
"Nice to talk to you to Red. What are you and the other one up to?"
"Use your imagination and if this isn't life threatening Faith I suggest you call back at another time."
"Red...Willow wait don't hang up."
"What do you want Faith?"
"I just ...I hate phone's. Where are you two at? I need to talk to you guys."
"I don't know if that's such a good idea."
"Well too damn bad I've got some shit to say and I'm not gonna quit buggin' you until it's said. So tell me the address so we can get this over." Faith huffed out.
"Fine," Willow conceded and rattled off the address. "I'll leave the front porch light on."
"See you soon." Faith disconnected and frowned.
************************************************************
"And you invited Faith over why?" Buffy asked annoyed.
"Because she seemed to really want to talk to us."
"Grumble grumble." Buffy pouted and sunk down into the bed. "I was hoping for you and me alone time. Something we haven't had for nearly two weeks. I like it when it's just you and me."
"Think of it this way. It will be just one less conversation we have to have later."
"Fine, but I'm still not thrilled."
Willow smiled and tugged on the blanket. Exposing the upper body of the blonde, Willow crawled back to her and nuzzled her chest.
"We've at least got a half hour before she get's here and I'm not sure if I ever told you about me and my love affair with breasts."
She set a wicked grin to her face and looked up at Buffy. She saw a small bead of sweat form and fall from the blonde's brow.
************************************************************
Faith knocked on the door and then walked in. The cab ride over had taken longer than expected. There was an accident on the bridge and she had caught the tail end of it.
"Willow, B? Anyone home?"
"In the kitchen Faith." Buffy called out.
Faith walked through the house to the back. Willow and Buffy were eating sandwiches and dressed in robes. Faith shook her head and laughed.
"You go slayin' B?"
Buffy cocked her head to the side in question.
"Hungry and well it looks like the witch here satisfied the horny part."
Willow reacted first and threw a pickle at the brunette. Buffy laughed when it hit the girl in the middle of the forehead and dropped to the floor.
"Ok I take it back just don't throw any more food. You guys mind if I sit?"
"Sit away."
"Cool. So uh, I'm not really sure where to start and since getting' this out ain't the funnest time I've ever had let me just get it over with k?'
Both girls just looked at Faith.
"So B after you left X and I got in to it 'cuz both of you are right in a way. No one's said they're sorry for any of the shit that went down in Sunnyhell 'cept maybe Red here and well you deserve that at the very least. You and I we didn't have the big heart to heart when I came back to town what with the apocalypse and all and then there was just a shit storm of stuff that we didn't get to talk about. So I just want to say I'm sorry for well all of it. Sorry for the shit that went down when I first got to town, for Angel, for hurting Willow, Willow sorry about having you held at the mayor's office, B sorry for not stickin' up for you more when I got back from L.A. and I'm sorry it's took so long to say I'm sorry."
Buffy glared at her sister slayer and tried to think of something to say. To say she was floored would be an understatement. Finding her voice she let out, "And what Faith you think that you coming here and saying all this we were going to make with the koombiyah's and everything would be ok?"
"Not even close B, but I figured that at least it's a start ya know? Angel he said that the first steps are usually the hardest and he's right, but it needed to be said. You can take it for what it's worth which proly ain't much right now, but someday maybe you can not want hate me." She got up and started to walk out of the kitchen.
"Faith wait." Buffy called out. "Don't go."
Faith turned around and let out a sigh of relief.
"You want something to drink or eat?' Willow asked.
"Water and maybe a sandwich?"
"K." Willow got up and let the two start talking.
By the time Faith was ready to go it was 4 am, Jimmy had come home and went straight to bed and both Willow and Buffy agreed that Faith should just crash and ride back with them in the morning to Manhattan. They had gone to bed and all three girls had only gotten a few hours sleep before leaving the next day. Buffy went to work with Jimmy, Willow went to the library to cross reference some stuff on the dead girls and Faith went back to the apartment.
She walked in and was surprised when only Xander seemed to be hanging around.
"Hey." She said.
He just looked up at her and shrugged.
"X we need to talk."
"I know."
She walked over to the couch and sat down resting her head on his shoulder.