Things that go bump in the night

Giles looked over at Raya as she looked through the papers he had given her. Birth certificate, transcripts, social security card. He even had Willow enter into her alleged colleges so she was in the systems and no red flags would turn up. On paper she was Horus’s sister. She had laughed at that detail.



“So this is everything I will need?”



“Yes, if anything else arises it will most likely be something that I can have taken care of quickly.” Raya studied the papers. She hadn’t thought it would be this complicated but times were different here. Knowing that people got bent out of shape over a social security card made her sorely miss the days when all you had to do was kill someone and you were respected.



“Have you considered my offer?” Giles thought over the last few days. He was no fool; he knew enough of the gossip to know that Faith was letting her fears get the better of her. And the wolf was barely holding on.



“Yes I have. Can you give me one more month before I tell you my decision? Even if Faith and I do not work, I am still Skylar’s mother.” Giles nodded and took a sip of his tea.



*******



~That night~



Horus and Raya were walking up to the house, they had gone and watched ‘American Werewolf in Paris’ at Willows house and had been appalled at the lack of accuracy.



Raya opened the door and stepped inside, turning she froze. There on the couch was Asher, Andrew was sitting on his lap and the two were involved in a passionate kiss.’ ANDREW!” her mind screamed.



Turning she looked up at her son who stood behind her watching the two with an unreadable expression. Jumping when her son slammed the door and the two young men jumped apart.



Andrew turned as pale as that little dancing dough man on the TV and with more grace than Raya had ever seen him possess jumped up and ran for the back door with Horus hot on his heels.



Raya and Asher only looked at each other for a second before racing for the backyard. They stopped on top of the porch to see Andrew racing toward them with Horus almost on top of him before suddenly the big man buckled and went down.



Asher grabbed Andrew and rushed him into his room. When Raya heard the door lock, she stepped off the porch and waked over to her son.

Horus lay on his back clutching his ankle, sweating from the obvious pain.



“Horus…there are so MANY way you could have handled that better.” Raya knelt down to inspect her son’s ankle. “It’s only a sprain. See that wouldn’t have happened if you had filled the gopher holes like I told you.”



Horus leaned on Raya for support and carefully helped him into the house. Reaching the kitchen she looked up to see Faith and Wilson standing in the living room in there nightclothes looking utterly confused.



Easing him into the chair she went to grab a dish rag and ice. She completely ignored her mate and the hippie man. Sitting down she none to gently pulled Horus’s foot onto her lap and inspected it.



“It’s just a sprain.” Turning toward the couple. “It’s just a sprain. Go back to bed.”



“What was all that noise about?” Faith asked curiously, taking in the knocked over lamp on the table beside the couch and the way the running rug that went down the hallway to the back door was flipped over.



“It appears Andrew and Asher are lovers.”



“Shit. REALLY?” Faith smiled at the declaration and turned to look at Wilson. He had paled some and Raya thought he looked like he had swallowed a bee. ‘One can dream’ she thought as she wrapped athletic tape to hold the ice in place. She knew in an hour the sprain would be gone.



Turning to the couple. She fixed her best glare before looking Wilson in the eye. “This is a family matter. Please leave us be.” Raya knew Faith would most likely defend the big hippie man and was surprised when she didn’t. Watching Wilson return to bed Faith turned and looked down, concerned over Horus’s ankle most likely.



“Faith will you go check on the boys. I’m sure they still are waiting for my son to rip them a new one.” Faith nodded and went down to the hall. After a few minutes of knocking and whispering Faith opened the door and went inside.



Whipping her head around she stared at her son, who seemed to shrink from her gaze.



“Okay Horus, what the hell is that? Asher is an adult and a damned fine young man. And you told me yourself you didn’t care that he lay with other men. And I know it’s never been an issue with the Laws so what the hell?”



“I know I handled that horribly mother, I acted on instinct. Andrew was nineteen when Asher’s was twelve. My son is a man. But he’s a new man. Andrew has been an adult for years now…and it’s ANDREW” Horus couldn’t seem to stress that point enough.



“I agree. Andrew is older than I would have liked for the boy. But how do you think Buffy felt when you began seeing Dawn? You have no words to say on this matter. I think Andrew…is…odd. But he is a good man and Asher seems happy with him.”



“You knew?”



“No I did not know. I had the occasional suspicion but nothing gave me reason to think I was onto anything so I let it go.” Raya lifted the pack, noting how the bruising was already fading. “You need to apologize to them both Horus.”



Horus nodded and gingerly stood, limping down the hallway he knocked on his sons room, waiting for Faith to exit he stepped in.



********



Faith walked back into the kitchen, watching while Raya cleaned up the table and waited for her to turn.



“We should be friends Raya.”



“I do not wish to be your friend.”



“Then what would you have us be? No, no don’t answer that.” Faith sighed.



“We need to work out an agreement of some sorts if you’re going to keep seeing Skye.”



“Who does that man think I am?” Raya asked out of no where.



“He knows your Skye’s parent.” ‘Okay he doesn’t know that she’s ‘literally’ her other parent.



“Truly? He knows that I mated with you and you became pregnant? Then what kind of man is he to stand in my way?”



“He is not standing in your way. There’s nothing to be in the way OF” Faith was pissed; she couldn’t let the woman see how she affected her. She had already spent half the night convincing Wilson that she loved HIM, not her old lover.



Raya slammed down the rag and walked towards her. This time Faith was prepared if Raya decided to do something if she say…put her hand down Faiths pants. But no, she just stood there with that damned unreadable expression as if trying to peer into her soul.



“You love me Faith. I feel it, I see it. We are true-mates. I have worked endlessly since the day I disappeared to come back to you. To our family. I understand you’re scared, believe me I do. I understand you moved on. And if I had truly died, Wilson isn’t the worse you can do. But I did not die. I am standing RIGHT here and you still deny me.”

Raya turned and walked out the door, heading back to the guest house she shared with Cordelia. Walking in she stopped when she saw the seer sitting on the couch, reading a book.



“How was your night with Horus?” Cordelia asked, without looking up from her book.



“It was good. Asher and Andrew are lovers.” She laughed at the comical expression on Cordelais face. “And Horus nearly broke his ankle when he tripped on a gopher hole, chasing the poor man.” This time they both laughed.



“Come sit with me. Do you want one?” Cordelia asked, holding up a glass of something that looked like chocolate milk. “Its Kahlua and Baileys.”



“Sure” Raya held out her hand while Cordelia fixed her a glass.



~One Hour Later~



“…and what the hell kinda name is Wilson anyway?” Raya asked. Cordelia silently begged whatever God was out there that the woman would pass out…NOW. Nope nothing.



“Who does he think he is with his red hair and that beard?” Raya leaned back, knowing full well that her complaints. “Giles offered me a job…in Germany”



Cordelia looked up. “What’s the job?”



“Id be team leader to a team of slayers on a hellmouth in Nuremberg.” Raya studied her glass. Trying not to think of it as a possibility but Faith had been so adamant she wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep up just throwing herself at the slayer.



“What about Skye?” Cordelia asked, unknowingly voicing the question Raya had been trying to ignore.



“I don’t know. I’m just so tired Cordy.” Raya looked over at her friend. “I spent five years trying to come back here, only to find I am no longer wanted. Not by Faith anyway. And I love my children and Asher but its just…it feels like there’s a hole in me no matter where I go if I can’t have Faith.” Raya fought back tears “And I want her to be happy. Even if it’s not with me, but I KNOW how happy we were and still could be but she’s so scared she’s not seeing it.”



“Maybe you should leave. Skye loves you, but she’s a child. Shell pick up on the animosity between her parents no matter what. But if you leave, it could be what makes Faith see the light so to speak.” Cordelia was very against the tall woman leaving but Faith had proven to be more stubborn that she had anticipated.



“I’m going to bed. Ill see you in the morning.” Raya stood and left the room.



Cordelia put her book down and groaned. Women were so complicated.



TBC



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