What If??

“What did you want to discuss, love?” Tara murmurs quietly as she hugs Buffy to her gently as they stop on the back porch.

“I want to discuss what I’m going to do with the money that I have coming to me from the Watcher’s Council.” Buffy admits softly, placing a quick kiss on Tara’s lips.

“It’s your money to do what you want with.” Tara looks at Buffy, blinking her eyes in confusion as to why Buffy’s wanting to discuss this with her.

“No.” Buffy shakes her head as she reaches up to brush her thumb gently over Tara’s cheek. “It’s our money, Tara. What is mine, is yours. By my figuring, it should be somewhere around the $150,000 range. I was wanting to give my mom a good chunk of it to help pay the house off. I don’t know how much she owes, but…” Buffy trails off shrugging her shoulder.

“I think that’s a wonderful idea.” Tara smiles lovingly at Buffy. “Do what you wish with it, Sarim. You have earned it, time and time again.”

Buffy grumbles quietly before placing a firm kiss on Tara’s lips. “Fine. Maybe after things settle down. Possibly after Christmas, we can go look for a house, what do you think?”

Tara blinks in surprise at her lover, stunned. “You want to buy a house?”

“I want us to buy a house. Something with room for me to make a work-out room. A nice, open airy room with lots of windows to get sunlight in for you a room to paint in, then whatever else you want.” Buffy shrugs smiling as tears of happiness come to Tara’s eyes.

“You do realize that Mr. Giles and your mother are probably going to be dating and possibly getting serious, don’t you?” Tara wiggles her eyebrows as Buffy growls and rolls her eyes.

“I don’t even want to think about that!” Buffy sighs heavily before slowly nodding her head. “I know, don’t know how happy I am about it, but I know.”

“Truthfully, Buffy. Would you be happy with your mother dating anyone?” Tara questions knowingly, with a lift of her eyebrow.

Buffy scrunches her nose up in disgust at the thought of her mother dating. When Tara laughs at her, Buffy growls and lifts her in her arms to hug her tightly. “Okay, I get your point. Just have to deal with it.” Buffy tilts her head as she listens as Faith leaves the house. “Hmmm. Faith just left to get rid of some pent up energy. Ooooh… Mom and Giles are planning on going out to dinner tonight. Uggghhh.” Buffy lowers Tara back to the ground and buries her face in her neck. “Disgusting.”

“Oh, sweetie!” Tara chuckles and hugs Buffy tightly. “Just look at it this way, it gives us something to pick on them about, instead of your mother always picking on us.”

Buffy nods her head against Tara’s neck slowly. “Yeah, but it’s still disgusting! Just the thought of mom and Giles.” Buffy shivers and whimpers loudly.

Tara groans at her lover’s antics before shifting her upper body away from Buffy and lifting her head to look in her lover’s mischief filled eyes. “I bet you’re just wanting something to take your mind off those bad, nasty thoughts, aren’t you?”

Buffy’s eyebrows disappear under her hair and she grins. “Got something to take my mind off those thoughts?”

“I’m sure I can think of something.” Tara murmurs quietly before kissing Buffy softly, the two women brushing their lips against each other continuously for a few long moments before Tara groans and slowly deepens the kiss.

Buffy pants heavily after they finally break the kiss, getting some much needed oxygen into their starved bodies. “That worked.” Buffy blinks trying to clear the haze from her eyes, before grinning happily at her lover.

“You’re easily distracted.” Tara murmurs, chuckling softly. “Let’s go in, sweetie. Figure out what we’re going to do the rest of this weekend.”

“I know what I want to do.” Buffy growls playfully as she grabs Tara’s butt as her lover walks ahead of her into the house.

Tara squeaks and jumps slightly. “We can’t do that all weekend!” Tara tries to smack at her lover’s playful hands as they sneak in and caress different body parts.

“Who says we can’t?” Buffy laughs as she finally pulls her hands away from Tara as they start to walk into the living room.

“Dear, Lord.” Giles mumbles under his breath at the two women as he rubs the back of his neck, trying to ignore Joyce giggling beside him.

“If you two ever do get a place of your own, we’re not going to come and visit for at least a month!” Joyce jokes with the two young women.

“Try years.” Buffy growls playfully, scooping Tara up in her arms before easing down in the chair with her lover in her lap.

“Planning on keeping me barefoot and pregnant in front of the stove?” Tara jokes, her eyes twinkling as she looks into Buffy’s glowing eyes.

“Nope.” Buffy shakes her head, nipping gently on Tara’s bottom lip. “Maybe in the bed, but you don’t have to be in front of the stove all the time. But someone would have to cook, wouldn’t they?” Buffy questions, tilting her head as she thinks about it. “We can order out, no problem.” Buffy grins and winks at Tara. Leaning in, Buffy whispers softly in her ear. “I don’t think I have the right equipment to make you pregnant, but we can practice and try anytime and as often as you want!”

Tara blushes and smacks Buffy on the shoulder. “Behave!” Tara grumbles loudly before leaning into Buffy’s ear. “Want to practice now?” Tara laughs as Buffy’s body tenses almost immediately. “Easy, sweetie. Talk to your mom before she blows a gasket.” Tara nods her head towards Joyce who’s blushing at the two women.

“No fun.” Buffy grumbles as she holds Tara to her. “Mom, can we talk for a few minutes?” Buffy finally asks quietly, looking intently at her mother.

Joyce raises an eyebrow in question at her daughter. “Yes, we can.”

Buffy brushes her lips softly over Tara’s cheek before standing up and letting her lover sit in the chair. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“I love you, Sarim.” Tara murmurs softly as she watches Buffy start to follow her mother towards the kitchen.

“As I do you, Kalina.” Buffy smiles and winks at Tara before disappearing into the kitchen after her mother.

Joyce turns and looks at her daughter silently, wondering what she wants to discuss.

“Okay, first off… can I just say, EWW?” Buffy wrinkles her nose up in disgust. “You and Giles just is not right!!” Buffy watches as her mom blushes and looks down. Sighing quietly, Buffy continues. “But I guess out of everyone, it kind of makes sense.”

Joyce looks up in surprise at her daughter. “Buffy, are you sure?”

“Yeah, yeah. Like Tara just told me, I wouldn’t be happy with you dating anyone, so better the devil we know, right?” Buffy shrugs as she sits down and looks at her mother. “Mom, I know you’ve been struggling to make ends meet, especially with me going to college. I was wondering how much you owed on the house, that way I could pay it off for you, or at least give you a nice chunk to make things easier on you, when we get the money from the Council.”

Joyce stares in stunned surprise at her daughter. “Buffy, you don’t have to…”

Buffy holds her hand up to halt her mom. “I know I don’t have to, mom. I want to do this. I eventually would like to get a place for Tara and I, that way you and Giles can have freedom also. When Faith gets back I’ll see if she wants to move in with us, or maybe get someplace close by. It isn’t like this will happen next week, but I’m hoping after the first of the year that maybe we can look for somewhere to live. I’m going to be real particular about the house Tara and I move into. I’ve already got an idea of what I want, and I’m not going to settle for anything less. I just have this funny feeling I’m going to have to have a house built for what I want.” Buffy admits quietly.

“What exactly are you not willing to give on?” Joyce questions curiously.

“I want a huge work out room for myself, and a big open area that gets a lot of light for Tara to paint in.” Buffy smiles as she thinks about it. “If it had a finished attic that we could maybe do some kind of glass panes for a roof, that would be great. Maybe Tara can do a magical reinforcement on it, or something to keep from anything breaking them. Or we could spend out the money for bullet proof glass, that’d work!”

Joyce slowly shakes her head at her daughters ramblings. “What about the bedroom, kitchen, living room…” Joyce chuckles as Buffy shrugs her shoulders.

“Don’t care. Except the bedroom. Want a huge bedroom with a gigantic bed.” Buffy’s eyes light up at the thought, a completely wicked grin crossing her face imagining all the fun they could have on a huge bed.

“I don’t think I want to know what’s going through your mind.” Joyce grumbles as she slowly stands. “Honey, don’t worry about paying for my house. Use the money you’ll get to go towards a house for you two. Plus there’s always Rupert, if we take this further. I would say that he would be likely to move in here, instead of us staying in his apartment.” Joyce wiggles her eyebrows as Buffy moans and drops her head to bang it on the counter.

“Don’t want details, mom!” Buffy grumbles loudly.

“Good. Keep yours to yourself, also!” Joyce jokes as she walks out of the kitchen.

“There is something just so wrong about this.” Buffy growls quietly before she stands up to start looking in the refrigerator, her growling stomach starting to get the best of her.

*********

“What did you do with Buffy?” Tara questions as Joyce comes to sit back down besides Giles.

“My rotten daughter is still in the kitchen, probably trying to find something to feed that monster she has in her stomach.” Joyce grumbles before she starts to chuckle. “Make her keep the money, Tara. I’ll be fine without it, and the rate she’s going she’s going to need every bit of it as a down payment for your guys’ house.”

“Goddess, what is she planning now?” Tara rolls her eyes as she thinks about what Buffy may have decided on.

“Just a huge room for her to have as a work-out room, which I think a full basement would be the best thing for that. Plus something about a furnished attic with bullet proof glass all around for it to get the best light? I won’t mention the huge bed she’s planning on buying, either.” Joyce chuckles as Tara blushes and shakes her head.

“I don’t know about her. Before we know it she’ll insist on buying something that’s ten times bigger than anything we will need.” Tara grumbles as she stands to see what Buffy’s up to.

Giles listens and watches as Tara leaves the living room. Turning his gaze on an obviously contemplative Joyce, he reaches over to pat her knee gently. “My dear, if you need help with the bills I would be more than willing to help you. I have money saved away, plus what the Council will be sending me as back pay. What money I would have spent on Buffy to take care of her, I used to upgrade our books and weapons to make things easier.”

“Thank you, Rupert. But I’m fine. Just a little thin with the house expenditures, college and of course food.” Joyce lips quirk at the last. “But I’ve been making due.”

Giles sighs quietly and turns to face Joyce more fully, grasping one of her hands in both of his. “My dear, I must insist. If Buffy had been found when she was younger, instead of falling through the cracks, her watcher would have paid for all her food, clothes and everything out of the money that he was given. It is something that I would have been more than willing to do, but I couldn’t offer it to you, because you didn’t know about her calling.”

Joyce sighs softly and shakes her head. “How about we see how things go, then we can bring up this conversation again at a later date?”

“If I agree with that, would you be willing to take money to help feed Buffy and Faith?” Giles offers, hoping to at least take care of the food bill. “I know you probably will be spending two or three hundred dollars a week on food with everyone that eats here, if not more.”

Joyce silently nods her head in agreement. “That is one of my biggest expenditures, and with Buffy and Faith now eating here, it would be a great help.”

“Will you let me give you the money each week cover the food for everyone?” Giles questions, reaching up to brush a fingertip over Joyce’s cheek. “Please, Joyce.”

Joyce closes her eyes and slowly nods her head. “I’ll accept it, but only if you promise to come over for dinner at least a couple times a week.”

“I think that could be arranged.” Giles smiles, finally allowing himself to relax. “As is the thought of maybe taking you out a couple times a week to give you a break, also.”

“Thank you, Rupert.” Joyce smiles, watching as Giles slowly leans in to press a soft kiss against her lips. Blinking as he eases back, Joyce grins and winks at the watcher. “I believe you deserve something more than that.” Joyce cups Giles’ cheeks with her hands and kisses the watcher deeply, smiling into the kiss as she hears him groan loudly.

**************

Tara smiles softly as she watches Buffy sorting through the containers in the refrigerator. “Bottom Tupperware container, love.” Tara suggests softly watching as Buffy pulls the container out.

“YES!” Buffy yells as she grabs the wings. “How do I need to reheat these?” Buffy turns her gaze back on Tara, her eyes slowly raking across Tara’s body.

“You can throw them in the microwave, but they would be better in the oven.” Tara explains quietly.

“Oven then.” Buffy tilts her head and watches as Tara grabs a large pan out of the cabinet and places aluminum foil on it, spraying it down with cooking spray before taking the wings from her. Watching her lover pre-heat the oven before placing the wings on the pan, Buffy eases her body against Tara’s back, placing soft kisses on her neck. “I love you.” Buffy whispers, grasping Tara’s waist gently.

Tara hums quietly, closing her eyes at the lips gently caressing over her neck. “I love you, too.” Tara finally whispers, opening her eyes to finish preparing her lover’s wings to be re-heated. Moaning as Buffy’s hands gently stroke over her hips and around to caress her stomach. “Ease back, love.” Tara shifts with Buffy so she can place the wings in the oven for them to warm up.

“Can I play while we wait for the wings to heat up?” Buffy huskily whispers into Tara’s ear as she trails her fingertips over Tara’s stomach, wiggling them between her jeans and shirt, dipping her fingers teasingly just inside her waist band.

“Play, but try and behave to a certain degree, sweetie. We aren’t here by ourselves.” Tara explains unnecessarily.

“I know.” Buffy grumbles quietly. Easing her hand up to brush Tara’s hair over the front of her shoulder so she has better access to the back of her neck, Buffy nips playfully as she let’s her fingers tease lightly over Tara’s body. “I love the way you feel, the way you taste, the way you kiss, the way you touch me, even the way you do your homework. You‘re one brilliant and beautiful woman.” Buffy whispers softly. “I guess I could say that I love everything about you.”

Tara groans quietly as Buffy wiggles her fingers under her shirt to stroke the underside of her breasts while pressing firmly into her back. Closing her eyes in pleasure as Buffy continues to kiss and stroke her body softly.

“What would you like to do tonight?” Buffy questions between soft kisses across Tara’s neck and shoulders.

“What do you want to do?” Tara inhales deeply as Buffy wraps both arms strongly around her waist and feels like she’s trying to crawl inside her body.

“Be with you.” Buffy presses her cheek against Tara’s shoulder, holding her lover against her tightly. “In any way you want, as long as I’m near you, I’m happy.” Buffy admits quietly.

Tara eases Buffy’s hands far enough away so she can turn around, wrapping her arms around her lover. “I love you, sweetie.” Tara murmurs as she kisses her softly before resting her head against Buffy‘s.

“I love you, too, Tara.” Buffy holds Tara gently, stroking her hands lovingly over her back.

“Would you like a salad or something else to go with the wings?” Tara smiles as she feels Buffy shake her head in response. “After you eat, can we lie down and take a nap?” Tara whispers, feeling the late night and the busy, draining morning slowly catching up to her

“Of course.” Buffy eases back, smiling at Tara as she strokes a thumb over her cheek. “You’re going to eat something first, though, right?”

Tara nods her head, smiling. “I’ll fix myself a salad and sub sandwich while your wings finish heating.”

“I’ll help.” Buffy brushes her lips softly over Tara’s, closing her eyes in pleasure as Tara holds her in the kiss for a few moments. Slowly breaking the kiss and licking her lips, Buffy growls quietly. “God, you taste good.”

Tara chuckles softly and shakes her head. “Nope, that’s you.” Tara pulls her in for a quick kiss before turning to open the refrigerator, pulling the ingredients out.

*******************

Faith sighs quietly as she finally heads back towards Revello Drive. Doing some serious soul searching while she walked around Sunnydale, she thought about what she’d seen that morning. Now that she had time to think about what Tara and Buffy had done, and the conversation that had taken place, she felt a tingle of fear sweep through her at what the two women could do. After thinking along those lines for a while, she had slowly calmed down and the fear had disappeared as she knew… and maybe, more importantly, understood that they would never hurt her as long as she didn’t do something to hurt the people they loved.

Faith thought long and hard about when she came to Sunnydale, the steps she made and finally allowed herself to be completely honest, seeing where they all made mistakes and how with a few simple things it could have been avoided. But for once in her life, she didn’t dwell on the mistakes, she just thought about them, acknowledged them and moved on, knowing it would be detrimental to her health, and her burgeoning friendship with the group now, if she dwelled on them.

Replaying what had been said to her while in the coma, Faith tucks her hands deep in her pockets and hunches her shoulders as she replays the almost broken sound of Buffy’s voice as she had begged her to come back, that she missed her sister slayer. That more than anything rolled around inside Faith’s mind. Having a family, having a sister, touching some deep part of her she never realized was missing something.

Growling quietly as she thinks about the pain and terror that Tara had obviously grown up with, Faith finally allows her thoughts to rest on the blonde Wicca. Knowing that if it wasn’t for her, she would still be in a coma and would probably have never known that the conversations Buffy, Joyce and Xander had had with her were real. Feeling a protectiveness for the blonde that she’d never felt before, Faith decides then and there that nothing, NOTHING would hurt the woman again, as long as she was alive. She needed, and most importantly, wanted her friendship.

Not knowing how this part of her life will play out, Faith smirks as she realizes she doesn’t really care how it falls. She just wants to work on being friends with this group of people the best way possible, and let it go where it will.

Thinking once again about the montage of feelings, and pictures of what had happened previously, Faith shivers uncontrollably as what Sarim had done when the Watcher’s Council had killed her lover, Kalina, rolls around in her head. The way the Slayer had literally went tearing through the Council ripping the people apart that were in charge, along with the people that had hunted her, and killed Kalina. Knowing the other slayer had actually went insane when Kalina had been killed makes Faith wonder what would happen if something should happen to Tara. The thought settling in her mind that she would die for this group of people. Not to make up for what she had done in the past, but because she finally realizes that’s what she wants to do.

Stopping to look up at the front of Buffy’s house, Faith allows a small smile to cross her face. “This is home.” Faith whispers before trotting up to the front door to enter the one place she feels comfortable at.