Kragdon

review away. heres chapter 23
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**complications**

Rolling over her arm reaching across to be placed over the body beside her Buffy’s eyes popped open when she felt nothing but a cold sheet. Sitting up wrapping the sheet that was covering her more firmly around her body.

Calling out “Faith?”

Hearing no answer she moved to the edge of the bed listening for any sound that might tell her where the others that had stayed last night were. The house was completely silent. Standing looking to make sure that the door was closed she dropped the sheet covering herself with her robe that was resting precariously on her vanity table chair.

Opening the door she tuned her slayer hearing for any sounds other then the normal house ones before venturing out of her room. Calling again “Faith?”

Pausing on the top stairs she opened up her and faiths connection, she felt the brunette but had yet to hear from her. Slightly worried at what that might mean she started down the stairs, going first to the living room, seeing no one there she moved to the kitchen everything was quiet and spotless. Even the gang was gone. Confused beyond belief she headed to wards the backyard feeling as if she were being pulled there by an unknown force.

Walking to the end of the porch Buffy froze spying the object of her desire. Faith stood ten feet away in the middle of the back yard in a sports bra and shorts practicing Tai chi. Sweat glistening off of her body made it seem like she was glowing as the sunlight encased her body, stealing Buffy’s breath away just for a moment.

Faith was so caught up in what she was doing, in the peace and tranquility that surround and filled her whole being she had failed to notice the tingle that was spreading up and down her body that alerted her to the blonde's presence. Finishing her set she walked over to the tree that she had laid her towel down at. Wiping the sweat off of her face she turn jumping just a little when she spotted the blond leaning against a pole with a cup of coffee in her hand.

“Morning.”

Walking up to the blond and placing a kiss on her cheek Faith murmured “morning” in to Buffy’s ear, brushing past into the kitchen where the coffee was calling her. Fixing herself a cup while deep in thought. Faith had Failed to fall completely asleep after the nightmare that she had had, even Buffy’s reassurance hadn’t been enough to stop the feelings of dread that she was holding within her. Feeling arms wrap around her waist she leaned back into the warmth that the body behind her provided.

“Whats wrong?” Buffy asked quietly her head buried in the nape of Faiths neck breathing in the scent of her lover. Cinnamon and Cherries with a hint of something that was uniquely Faith. Pulling her body closer when she felt Faith start to pull away from her both physically and emotionally.

“It’s nothing I’m fine…” Turning her head seeing uncertainty in her lover’s eyes, “Really.” With a kiss placed on buffy’s forehead she disentangled herself from the blond forgetting all about her coffee she headed towards the stairs saying “I’m going to take a shower.”

“Want some company?” buffy asked as she felt the tingle of arousal spread through her body at the thought of a wet soapy faith.

“Alone” Faith said disappearing around the corner, missing the perplexed and disappointed look that crossed the blond slayers face.

Buffy could feel something very wrong, but at the moment couldn’t pinpoint why. On the verge of following the brunette up regardless of Faiths feelings and say something she was distracted by the phone ringing.

“hello.”

‘Ah buffy, good your up.’

“hey Giles, Is everything alright”

‘hmm oh yes everything is fine I was just wondering what time you and Faith would be joining us at the magic box to continue planning Dawns rescue.’

“We’ll be there as soon as possible, as soon as we are dressed”

‘right then…. (in the background) no Xander I will not ask, now please sit down and research.’

“Giles?”

‘Hmm.’

“are you sure everything is alright?”

‘Oh yes, Xander is just being his tedious self, I’ll see you in a little while then’

“yeah, bye”

Click…

“Buffy?... Dawn? I’m home.” Came a shout from the front door, eyes widening at the voice of her mother.
“Mom?”

“Buffy good you can help me with my bags”

“Mom what are you doing here?”

“Didn’t dawn tell you?” Joyce asked looking confused for a moment before just waving it off reminding herself how forgetful her oldest was. “I got a call about an auction house that was willing to sell to the Gallery. I told Dawn to tell you, speaking of which where is your sister?”

“Uh mom, maybe you should sit down, there is something that I have to tell you.”

“What? Whats wrong is it Dawn? Did something happen to your sister? Buffy What?” Joyce went from curiosity to full blown panic in a fraction of a second when she saw the look on her daughters face, she was so caught up that she started to hyperventilate.

Pulling her mother into a hug, rubbing her back trying to calm her down Buffy moved them to the couch ignoring the open door. Sitting her mother down and then joining her placing a hand on her moms knee Buffy started her explanation.

“Mom there is something that you should know, about Dawn.” Looking into her mothers eyes she told her mother about glory and how Dawn was a key, leaving out the alternate universe and Faith parts; not knowing how her mother would react to those two things. When Buffy finished, Joyce stood up and started to pace, replaying in her head what her daughter had just told her, finally thinking that she had everything right she heard

“Hey B. I’m gonna borrow a pair of your underwear I can’t find mine I think they might of got thrown out the window last night.”

“Okay Honey”

At which she did the only thing she could do, she fainted

Hearing the thump of a body hitting the floor she looked, seeing her mother passed out on the floor she got up from the couch.

“Mom... mommy?” checking her pulse and any signs of bruising Buffy picked her up and placed her on the couch rushing into the kitchen to grab a bag of peas from the freezer. Not even stopping as she ran past a dressed and confused looking Faith and into the living room; where her mom was starting to come too.

“Buffy? What happened?” Joyce asked as soon as she was aware of her surroundings.

“umm you fainted?” buffy answered avoiding her mother’s eyes. Hoping against hope that her mom wouldn’t ask why. Though whether it was a blessing or not the question that she was dreading was replaced with “Buffy, why is Faith standing in the kitchen?”

“Umm, because she lives here now?” she answered hoping that she looked like she was confident in her answering and not like she was asking for permission.

“Living here?”

“Uh huh.” Buffy answered with a nod, completely prepared to pout if the need arised.

“I think I need to lie down?”

“Umm, you are lying down, mom.”

“Good.” Joyce answered with an affirmative nod of her head as if that were the most sane answer that she could give which was possibly true at that moment.

“Hey B. I don’t mean to interrupt or nothin’ but we really need to motor soon if we want to but the bitch down.”

“Yeah, okay, I’ll just run upstairs and get dressed, I’ll be right back.” Leaving reluctantly Buffy ran upstairs giving a worried look to both of the remaining women in the living room.

“Soo…” Faith started now feeling suddenly nervous, as she looked down at her shuffling feet.

Lifting the bag of peas a little higher on her head, opening her eyes slightly she starred at the fidgeting brunette for a moment of two her nerves jumping a little as an awkward air pervaded the atmosphere only to be broken as Buffy bounded down the stairs shouting she was ready to go.

Joyce laid there running through her head all that had just happened from learning that her youngest daughter who was really a key had been kidnapped by a ex-god and her oldest was now in a lesbian relationship with the only person who had switched bodies with her and try to kill her multiple times. Thinking this over and over Joyce came up with the most suitable solution that she could come up with.

“I need a drink.” Standing up, heading into the kitchen she grabbed the bottle of vodka that had been up until this moment unopened and well hidden in the basement. She paused coming across the sleeping tied up Travers near the washer and dryer. Placing her hand over her eyes, taking a deep breath, shaking her head once and then again. She turned away from the man not being able to handle what she had seen at that very moment. Finding what she was looking for opening it and taking the first of many drinks from the bottle as she turned and headed back up into the house to her room, planning to get incomprehensibly drunk no matter what. She would just deal with everything tomorrow, she vowed as she closed her bedroom door.

TBC….