New Paths

Buffy sighs in relief after they drop Forrest off at the college campus, Giles heading back to the store to continue researching additional spells that might help while she and Tara watch from the shadows to make sure Forrest makes it back to the Initiative. The somewhat confused man finally making it into Lowell House.



“Let’s get Amy and take her back to your house.” Tara leaves her fingers in Buffy’s back pocket, having cast a small spell to protect them from anything that means them harm, but will leave them pretty much as normal, if they were to brush up against someone accidentally.



Buffy digs out her keys to her dorm room, unlocking the door and entering to look around and make sure nothing looks like it had been messed with.



Tara releases her lover and settles down on her haunches to look at the rat. “Hi, Amy. We’re going to see if we can get you changed back. We’re pretty sure we found the spell you used.” Tara comments softly, stroking a finger through the cage across the rat’s head. Smiling softly as it makes a little squeaking noise that sounds very, very happy. “You understand, don’t you?” Tara tilts her head as the rat runs around and stands up on her back legs. “Okay, just to throw it by you, but did you call on the Goddess Hecate when you did the spell?”



Buffy watches curiously as Amy goes ballistic in the cage. “I would say that’s a definite yes.”



“So would I.” Tara grins crookedly at her lover before turning her gaze back to Amy. “We’re going to take you to Buffy’s house and do the spell there. I’m sure you’d rather have a little more privacy than here at the college.” Tara chuckles as Amy runs up to her and her little paws grasp her finger. “Sorry it’s taken so long. By the way, my names Tara.” Tara introduces herself to the rat before standing and looking back at Buffy. “You ready?”



“Just about.” Buffy nods as she tucks away a couple more weapons and pulls on a light jacket with a short sword hidden away. “That’s it.” Buffy looks around for another double-check to be sure before nodding to her self that she grabbed everything that she thinks she’ll need. “Do we need to get anything else from your room?”



“I don’t think so.” Tara picks up the cage Amy’s in and follows Buffy out of the room, tucking her fingers back into her lover’s back pocket, reactivating the spell as they head down the stairs to go to Buffy’s home.



“I can carry Amy.” Buffy offers to take the rat from Tara.



“I have her. I’d rather both your hands be free just in case.” Tara sighs quietly as they walk at a pretty good clip towards Buffy’s house. With everything that’s happened, it was already early evening. “Do you think the Council will help?”



“Hell if I know.” Buffy grumbles quietly at the thought of the Watcher’s Council. “They have to have contacts in the different governments around the world. So I know they can probably have things looked into, whether or not they will is a different story. For all we know, they might like the idea of using demons in this way. I wouldn’t put it past them.”



“You might have a point.” Tara whispers, that thought not having occurred to her. “Let’s hope that they’ll help us. I just have a hard time dealing with the fact that they’re experimenting on demons, and they’re using their soldiers in these experiments also. What’s to keep them from deciding to use someone that isn’t at death’s door to experiment on, not that it’s right what they did with Riley.”



“There isn’t anything, unless they all of a sudden grew a conscience.” Buffy grumbles quietly. “I honestly don’t think they have detection devices for witches, Tara. But they do know that you and Willow are witches because of Riley… which is my fault.”



Tara pulls Buffy to a stop and turns her to look deeply into hazel eyes. “It’s not your fault, honey. For all we know, they could have been scoping out the Wicca Group, and following all the women there to see if any of them have actual powers. Eventually they would have found out, whether earlier or later it would have happened. So don’t blame yourself, okay?”



“It’s hard not to.” Buffy leans into the soft caress of Tara’s hand down her cheek. “If I hadn’t dated him, they wouldn’t have a clue about witches and slayers, or at least us in particular. But now they know about me and Faith being slayers, you and Willow being witches and Oz being a werewolf. This is so not a good thing.” Buffy sighs, her eyes lighting on Amy in the cage. “But… they don’t know anything about Amy.” Buffy purses her lips in consideration, watching as Amy looks back at her, her little nose twitching.



“That could come in handy.” Tara agrees to the contemplative look on Buffy’s face. “Let’s go, honey. You haven’t had anything to eat since this morning, and a bowl of cereal doesn’t get you very far.”



Buffy looks down at her stomach, having not even noticed that it was rumbling its displeasure pretty loudly. “Food would be a good thing. You haven’t eaten much either, have you?”



“No, I haven’t. Come on, love.” Tara runs her hand down Buffy’s shoulder and arm before threading their fingers together, tugging on Buffy’s hand gently to start them walking again.



Buffy walks beside Tara silently, her senses open to everything around her, though her mind is on her lover. Sure they’d had a few small arguments here and there, but nothing serious. And on a scale of one to ten, she’d definitely consider this at least a nine, and she’s completely at fault, and she’s going to have to be the one to dig herself out of the hole she’d buried herself in. Lifting Tara’s hand to her lips, she presses a soft kiss to the flesh as they make their way down Revello Drive. “I love you.” Buffy whispers the words and rubs her cheek against the back of Tara’s hand.



“I love you, too.” Tara looks into her lover’s apologetic eyes as they work their way up the walk towards Buffy’s house. “We’ll work our way through this, honey. It was a pretty big bump in the road, but what we feel for each other is even bigger.”



“Thank God.” Buffy murmurs, shifting up the short distance and pressing a firm kiss on Tara’s lips. “Don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have you. And I don’t want to know.” Buffy growls softly at the thought before turning to open the door, letting Tara enter the house first, following directly behind her lover.



“I’d rather us be together for many, many years, decades, even century’s to come.” Tara agrees, grinning crookedly as she feels Buffy’s warm hand come into contact with her hip as she walks into the living room.



“I’d like that, too.” Buffy whispers, her eyes dropping to Amy as Tara sets the cage down on the coffee table. “I better get a robe for her. Don’t think she’ll much care for flashing us, though at least it’ll just be us women here.” Buffy blushes lightly at the thought of when she’d come back completely naked.



“I thought I heard you come in.” Joyce steps into the living room from where she’d just pulled the chicken out of the oven, wiping her hands on the towel as she looks at Amy. “Decided to bring her here instead of checking on her at the dormitory?”



“Actually, I think I can change her back.” Tara admits to Joyce, her eyes following Buffy as the slayer jogs up the stairs before turning back to Joyce. “We returned Forrest to the campus. Mr. Giles did a little hypnosis spell on him to where he doesn’t remember being taken by us, and thinks he got in a bit of a disagreement with a demon instead.” Tara explains to Buffy’s mother. “I just found out about Amy today, and since we’re kind of at a loss as to what to do in regards to the Initiative, we spent the last couple hours researching spells to hopefully switch Amy back to her normal self.”



“That would be wonderful.” Joyce smiles at the thought, looking down at Amy as the rat sits back on her back legs with her little paws on the wire around the cage. “Does she know what we’re saying?”



“Yes, she does.” Tara smiles sadly down at the rat, opening the door, she holds her hand out to Amy, allowing her to climb on it before lifting her gently. “This is going to be a major adjustment for you, Amy. You’ve been a rat for around a year, give or take now, so things are going to be different in more ways than one. I can’t imagine what pain or heartache you’ll go through, but I’m sure we’ll be here to help you.” Tara looks at Joyce then Buffy as the slayer comes hurrying down the stairs.



“We will.” Joyce nods in agreement as she settles down in the chair. “Is there anything we need to do?”



“If someone can just be ready to cover her with the robe, if this works.” Tara takes a deep breath as she sets Amy down in the middle of the living room floor away from everything before pulling the spell out of her pocket, looking it over one more time, praying that it will work.



Buffy kneels beside Amy, the robe spread out behind her, holding the top part of it above the rat, so hopefully she’ll more or less be over the witch when she’s changed back into her human form. Unconsciously listening to Tara as the witch speaks the spell in what is probably Latin, watching Amy intently as she notices a swirling haze slowly coalescing around her.



Tara sighs in relief as she feels the spell working, finishing the incantation, she watches as the rat slowly turns into a young woman, her lover quickly wrapping the robe around Amy and hugging her to her.



Amy whimpers and leans into the slayer’s strong body, shaking uncontrollably as the tears start to fall, finally lifting her eyes to look into Tara’s eyes. “Thank you.”



“You’re welcome, but thanks are unnecessary.” Tara smiles softly at the young woman.



Amy smiles and closes her eyes, shivering lightly, before turning her head to look into Buffy’s worried hazel eyes. “And thank you.”



“Same goes here, Amy. I’m just glad you’re back.” Buffy smiles and gently rubs her hand over the witch’s back. “Do you want to get some clothes on first, eat, shower…?” Buffy trails off.



“Bath. Nice long, hot bath.” Amy finally decides after a few minutes. “Then I don’t know if I would rather have hot cocoa, coffee or a soda. And something to eat besides the pellets and veggies you guys have been feeding me.”



Joyce chuckles and nods towards the stairs. “Buffy, help her upstairs, just to be on the safe side. I’ll fix a mug of hot cocoa that she can sip while she’s in the tub and I’ll make a pot of coffee. We’re having baked chicken for dinner, which I can cover and put back in the oven to keep warm until you’re ready to join us. We’re also having mashed potatoes, creamed corn, macaroni and cheese and an apple pie for dessert. Anything else you want besides those items?”



Amy’s almost salivating when Joyce finishes rattling off the food. Debating with herself if she wants to eat first instead of taking a bath, but getting a whiff of herself as she shifts to stand, she decides on the bath. “That sounds wonderful, Mrs. Summers.” Amy blinks before turning back to Buffy. “She knows about the weird things that happen?”



“Oh, yes and then some.” Buffy steady’s the swaying Amy as the witch hesitantly makes her way towards the stairs.



As they make their way upstairs, Amy looks over her shoulder at Buffy who’s right behind her, making sure she doesn’t fall. “And since when did you start liking women, Buffy? You were all into the manly hunks of goodness when you were in high school.”



Buffy blushes and darts a look at Tara over her shoulder. “Since I met a beautiful, blue-eyed, blonde that entered my heart at first sight. And honestly, it’s just the one woman, Amy.” Buffy admits continuing up the stairs, turning back to keep her eyes on the ex-rat after she sees the soft smile coming from her lover.



“She sucking up?” Joyce comments softly as she turns to smirk at Tara.



“Somewhat.” Tara nods as she grabs the rat cage. “Is it okay if I put this down in the basement for now, until we figure out what they want to do with it?”



“Of course. If it’s any consolation, I do think she’s really sorry for what she did.” Joyce follows Tara through the dining room to the kitchen, standing at the top of the stairs as Tara descends them.



“She is sorry. But I can’t forgive her too quickly, or the lesson won’t be learned.” Tara admits sadly as she heads back up the stairs looking at Buffy’s mom. “Mama taught me well on this. There’s a fine line you have to walk in punishment. But I think the way I’m handling this is probably the best and most memorable way.” Tara blushes darkly at the thought of holding out on Buffy, but from the response she’s already gotten, she’s positive that she’s on the right path to making the slayer think before she does something like this again.



“Dare I ask?” Joyce quirks an eyebrow questioningly at the blonde witch as she notices the dark blush.



Tara winces slightly and kind of wobbles her head. “I don’t feel quite comfortable discussing this with you.”



Joyce snorts softly, Tara’s non-answer an answer in itself. “In other words, my daughter is going to be sleeping on the couch at least for tonight.”



Tara laughs at how quickly Joyce put it together. “Maybe not that drastic, but very much along those lines. She’s sucked up enough to be off the couch at least.”



Joyce laughs delightedly at the thought as she quickly puts some milk on low on the stove before she covers the chickens and places them back in the oven before stirring the rest of the items on the stove on low. Placing the mashed potatoes in the microwave to heat up when it’s time for dinner, she turns and grabs the cocoa and small marshmallows out of the cupboard to make the hot chocolate for Amy.



“I’ll go ahead and put a pot of coffee on. Do you want flavored or regular?” Tara questions curiously as she pulls the three sealed containers over, knowing Joyce keeps regular coffee beans and usually at least two flavored coffee beans on hand.



“I don’t know what she would prefer.” Joyce admits, blinking. “I have hazel nut and Irish crème as the other two flavors. I guess I can ask when I take the cocoa upstairs.”



“I’ll wait and fix it afterwards then.” Tara chuckles and slides the containers back before reaching up to the cabinets and pulling down plates to start setting the table.



Joyce carefully pours the hot mixture into a large mug and grabs the bag of marshmallows before heading upstairs.



Tara sighs softly as she grabs the silverware setting it on top of the plates along with the napkins. Carrying the items into the dining room, she sets the table as she silently debates on how far she’s going to push the no sex with Buffy. Having a feeling her lover is going to be on a tear through the demon community and in need of some serious relief. Shaking her head, she decides to wait and see what happens.



***



“Are you going to be okay in here by yourself?” Buffy questions hesitantly after turning the water on and dumping some bubble bath in it after the huge grin she gets from Amy after she asked if she wanted bubbles.



“I think so.” Amy nods. Not feeling completely steady on her feet, but not being too wobbly either. “I wouldn’t trust myself going up and down the stairs by myself yet, but I think I’ll be okay in here alone.” Cautiously she sits down on the toilet, plucking at the robe. “I have a million questions.”



“I’m sure you do.” Buffy smiles sadly at the witch. “But first things first, let’s get you bathed and fed. Then we’ll go from there, until Tara and I need to head out on patrol. Mom might be able to answer some of the more generic questions.” Buffy sighs quietly as she looks consideringly at Amy. “Let me get you clothes, towels, razors and whatever else I can think you might need.”



“Thank you, Buffy.” Amy whispers again, stopping the slayer with a hand on her arm. “You didn’t have to be so nice to me about this, you know? I mean, I wasn’t always…”



“Shhh.” Buffy shakes her head and pats the witch on the hand. “One step at a time, Amy. I feel guilty as hell that we couldn’t figure out how to get you changed back before now.”



“Don’t. It wasn’t your fault. I did it to myself, Buffy. I’m just thankful I’m me again.” Amy allows a huge smile to cross her face as she pats herself on the face and runs her fingers through her hair. “And I’ll be even more thankful after I get a couple dozen layers of grunge off me, along with the two inch long body hair…” Amy jokes, smirking at the slayer.



“Very European.” Buffy winks and chuckles as she heads out the door.



“Not in Europe, Buffy!” Amy calls after the slayer, giggling before going ahead and easing the robe off and climbing into the bubble-filled tub, groaning quietly as she sinks down into the water.



“Is it okay if I come in?” Joyce questions softly at the doorway, not looking into the room.



“Of course, Mrs. Summers. I’m already in the tub and completely covered with bubbles.” Amy chuckles as she picks up a hand filled with bubbles and watches Buffy’s mom come in.



“You can call me Joyce, dear.” Joyce comes in and holds up the mug. “Would you like marshmallows in it, or just the hot chocolate?”



“With marshmallows please.” Amy shifts up, her eyes wide and licking her lips as she smells the chocolate.



Joyce chuckles as she sets the mug on the counter and fills it with marshmallows before handing it to the young woman. “Coffee, regular, Hazelnut or Irish Crème?”



Amy whimpers quietly as she takes a sip of the homemade hot chocolate. “God, this is wonderful.” Licking her lips she tilts her head and groans. “I can’t make up my mind. Whatever you want to make will be wonderful, I’m sure.”



“Maybe a little Irish Crème to go with the apple pie for desert wouldn’t be bad.” Joyce winks as she heads out of the room, passing Buffy.



“I borrowed a pair of your sweat pants for Amy, I hope you don’t mind.” Buffy holds up the pants and the t-shirt she had grabbed for Amy, her other hand filled with towels, wash cloths, razor, deodorant and other items she thought of that Amy might want or need.



“Anything she needs, dear. I’m going to go back downstairs and relax in front of the television for a little while.” Joyce pats Buffy on the shoulder as she gets ready to pass her daughter. “And you are in deep kimshee with Tara, aren’t you?”



“Don’t remind me.” Buffy pouts. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her that upset. Not even when Spike pissed her off, she wasn’t as mad then as she was today.”



“You better do some serious sucking up and kissing ass if you want to be sharing the same bedroom with her, let alone anything else.” Joyce smirks wickedly as she hurries down the hallway towards the stairs, laughing as she hears the loud whimper coming from her daughter.



“I am in soooo much trouble.” Buffy sighs heavily as she cautiously steps into the bathroom, groaning at the grin on Amy’s face. “Yeah, yeah, I don’t need to hear it from you, too.”



Amy shrugs and sips on her cocoa. “I’m curious as to what you did to piss Tara off. The few times she was in the room, she didn’t seem to be easily upset.”



“She is when I do something really, really stupid, or when someone tries to do something to me.” Buffy admits as she sets the items on the counter, before grabbing the wash cloth and razor, setting them on the edge of the tub for Amy. “I have clothes for you to wear, towels to dry off with, deodorant and a new toothbrush. If you want different shampoo, conditioner or body wash, I can see what we have in the closet.”



“These are fine, Buffy. Don’t go out of your way. As soon as I’m on steady feet and somewhat acclimated to what’s going on, I’ll need to call my dad… Is he still here in Sunnydale?” Amy questions, her eyes big as it occurred to her that something could have happened to him, or he could have left.



“I honestly don’t know.” Buffy shakes her head, wincing at her own lack of keeping up on Mr. Madison. “I’ll check the phone book, but I didn’t think about keeping track of him. I’m sorry.”



“I understand, Buffy. I’ll look later, don’t worry about it right now. Just see if you can do as your mom said and do some serious sucking up to your girl…” Amy starts giggling at the thought again. “I still can’t believe you hooked up with a woman. That’s one thing I never would have believed if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.”



“Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, Amy. Paybacks are a bitch.” Buffy growls playfully, before smiling at the woman and heading towards the door. “Call out when you’re ready, or if you need help. I’ll come up to be sure that you make it down the stairs okay.”



“Thank you.” Amy sighs quietly as she finishes her mug of cocoa, licking the little chocolate mustache off her upper lip before settling back down into the hot water, groaning quietly in pleasure.