New Paths

“It was…” Cordelia actually stops herself and groans. “Queen C about to make an appearance.” Cordelia admits, as the group finishes saying their goodbyes as they get ready to head back to LA.



Tara blinks at the brunettes comment and looks at her lover who is a few feet away talking with Faith quietly. Looking back at the ex-cheerleader, she grins crookedly. “Queen C is okay, Buffy’s told me a little bit about your guys’ high school days.”



Cordelia rolls her eyes. “Hopefully I’m not quite the bitch I was then. But I was actually going to say it was nice to meet you, but considering the reason behind us meeting…” Cordelia relaxes as she gets a soft chuckle from the witch.



“It’s nice to actually put a face with the name. And thank you for coming to help save me.” Tara blushes lightly at the thought of all the people coming to help her lover get her back from Riley’s clutches.



“Buffy would have done the same thing for us.” Cordelia shrugs. “We plan on keeping in touch, and if any of the group wants to come visit, we have the Hotel for now with plenty of rooms.”



“We might take you up on a small vacation after I finish with my finals.” Tara smiles softly as Buffy presses gently against her side and wraps her arm around her waist.



“Finished one today, a couple more to go.” Buffy strokes her fingers gently over Tara’s waist as Faith comes to stand beside Cordelia.



“Hey, Queenie?” Faith smirks as Cordelia looks at her with narrowed eyes.



“What, Faith?” Cordelia wonders what Faith’s up to as she sees the glimmer of mischief in brown eyes. When Faith’s lips curl up into a full smile, she swallows at the sight of the dimples appearing.



“I was just wonderin’ what the fringe benefits are with your group…” Faith trails her eyes slowly up Cordelia’s body, chuckling deeply. “Gunn and Fred are together, and it looks like Liz and Wes are circlin’ each other…”



Cordelia rolls her eyes and snorts at the slayer, waving her hand dismissively at the woman. “I didn’t sleep with my last boss, what makes you think I’ll sleep with you?” Cordelia laughs at the pout crossing Faith’s lips before she waves goodbye to Buffy and Tara before striding towards the car. A slow, sensuous smile crossing her lips as she actually thinks about taking Faith up on her offer. The thought of them making love not quite such an unpleasant thought, as a matter of fact it was becoming a very, very pleasant fantasy as it had occurred to her a couple times in the last day with her talking with the slayer, but deciding if it does happen, the slayer is going to have to work for it. It won’t be any of this ‘get some, get gone’ that Faith was used to.



“’Cause I’m warm, breathing, won’t lose my soul and have a heartbeat?” Faith let’s her eyes drop down to the sway of the ex-cheerleaders hips, unconsciously licking her lips as she slowly follows the woman.



“There is that…” Cordelia whispers softly, unaware of Faith hearing her comment.



Faith grins, unconsciously bouncing as she follows the brunette to the car, darting a look over her shoulder at the laughter coming from Buffy and Tara. Wiggling her eyebrows at the slayer and witch, she gives them a thumbs up sign before climbing into the vehicle behind Cordelia, chuckling at the thought of the six people in the car, almost wishing it was a smaller vehicle instead of the large convertible it is. Silently wondering what the future holds in store for her.



Buffy starts giggling and buries her face in Tara’s neck as her lover wraps her arms around her.



“What are you laughing at honey?” Tara whispers as she watches the group leave, heading to LA.



“I think Cordy is going to attempt to tame Faith… I almost wish I could be there to see that.” Buffy smirks and starts laughing at the thought of Cordelia and Faith being a couple.



“There’s no taming a slayer, Buffy. All you can do is love them with everything in you, and if you’re really, really lucky they’ll return your love.” Tara whispers, hugging Buffy tightly.



“Even when they’re stubborn and do stupid things?” Buffy whispers, pulling back to look into smiling blue eyes.



“Even then.” Tara runs her fingers lovingly through Buffy’s hair, part of her realizing that Giles and Joyce had quietly disappeared into the house. “I love you.” Tara whispers softly.



“I love you, too.” Buffy gently kisses Tara, groaning quietly as her lover deepens the kiss as they slowly slide and wrap around each other in one of the most erotic kisses she can remember having.



“Goddess…” Tara exhales heavily, blinking her eyes as the desire flows through her, her eyes captured by Buffy’s. The want and desire so obvious in Buffy’s eyes, her knees weaken. “I want to make love with you, Buffy.”



Buffy licks her lips and nods her head, carefully lifting Tara in her arms and striding towards the house. “Mom and Giles…”



“I think they know we’re sexually active, and honestly I really don’t care what they think.” Tara purrs into Buffy’s ear before nibbling on the flesh.



Whimpering Buffy hurries up the stairs while her legs can still function.



Joyce fights the laugh that wants to escape as she watches her daughter disappear up the stairs with Tara ensconced in her arms and Rupert stops at the opening to the dining room, his eyes wide at the sight of the two women hurrying by him.



“Dear Lord.” Giles murmurs, blushing as his eyes dart over to the quietly laughing Joyce.



“Would you like to go out for dinner? We can bring something back for the girls.” Joyce offers, standing to grab her purse a few moments later after getting control of her laughter.



“Yes, yes, quite.” Giles blushes darker as he hears a loud moan floating down the stairs.



Joyce blushes at the sound, even as she tries not to laugh as the watcher darts out the door like his ass is on fire, her own embarrassment worth it for the look and actions of the watcher. Joyce yells to the girls just before she shuts the door as she leaves the house. “We’ll be back around eight.” Eternally grateful that Tara is okay, but still there isn’t enough money in the world that’ll make her listen to her daughter making love. “Rupert, would you mind if we stop at a store somewhere for me to pick up some earplugs?”



“Oh, bloody hell.” Giles groans, holding the door open to his car as Joyce climbs in. Rubbing a hand over his jaw, he shakes his head. “More like get their room soundproofed.” He mumbles more to himself, before a small smile crosses his lips as he shuts the door, thankful that the two women are alive and well, knowing that it could have ended so differently for them. Of course, that’s no guarantee that something bigger and badder won’t show up on the horizon, but it’s something that they’ll tackle when it happens, smiling at the thought of being able to call in the LA gang if they need to. The discussion he had with Elizabeth about Faith had settled what misgivings he still had that Faith was being sincere and really wanting to do right this time. Sending up a silent prayer for the dark-haired slayer, he opens his car door and slides in. “Where to my dear?”



“I’m open, wherever you would like to go.” Joyce smiles at the watcher as he grins at her with a twinkle in his eye. Realizing that she wouldn’t mind having someone for her self, and Giles would definitely fill that opening since she’d always liked the watcher, but felt funny about pursuing anything with him after the whole band candy incident.



“Well, let’s see where we end up.” Giles starts the vehicle and puts it in gear as he heads out, unaware of Joyce’s thoughts, though he does get a glimpse of a secretive smile crossing her lips.



***



The End