Ginger Snap

Thanks for all the reviews, guys. What say I attempt to put this story in the bag today? It's early. I'm not working. Maybe...at a guess...five more parts? I could do that in a day. Let's see if I can put my fic where my mouth is.

Edited to note: I just figured out I had one chapter in here twice, so I'm fixing it now.

Chapter Five

*

Buffy watched in silence as what looked like the entire population of Sunnydale filed into City Hall. She felt sick. She'd never realized until now how much she appreciated her 'secret identity'. Now the whole town was going to know, just because her mom couldn't take a hint.

Mom was already inside, busy blowing the problem even further out of proportion. She'd made Buffy carry in bundlessignsigns and placards with the dead children's faces on them, all of them blaring "Never Again!" in red letters. There was even talk of a button campaign. Buffy had escaped as soon as she could, while Mom was talking to Sheila Rosenberg and Giles. Willow had promised to stay and report what was said, but Buffy couldn't bear to be surrounded by people who had never paid attention to all the bad stuff happening in Sunnydale until this moment.

That, and Faith hadn't shown up yet. Buffy sat on the bench outside the doors and hugged herself against the cold. Going back to class after lunch had been the last thing she'd wanted to do. Even though Faith didn't say anything, Buffy knew that she was upset about the way Mom had treated her in the cafeteria. Faith looked up to Buffy's mom, and it hurt to see her being repaid like this. Buffy remembered how easily Faith and Mom had talked on the way home from the ski trip. Nothing had changed, since then, so why the hell was Mom being such a--so mean to Faith? It didn't make sense.

Faith had left soon after that, too quickly for Buffy to suggest that she could skip class so they could go and test drive that broom closet. Besides, she knew that ditching her history quiz wasn't the best way to prove to her mom that she was being responsible, and that nothing bad would come of her dating Faith. Buffy felt caught between the two of them, and the way her mom was acting right now, she knew which of the two she'd choose, in a heartbeat.

If only she was here.

Buffy sighed, paying attention to the gathering inside City Hall with half an ear. It sounded like they were starting to get down to business--the crowd quieting, and the squeal of feedback from the microphone. She stood up and paced back and forth, staring down the dark streets looking for the familiar, swaggering form.

Instead, she heard her name called from the air above her head.

"Hey, B!"

Buffy twisted around and looked up. Faith grinned down at her from a small balcony above the foyer of City Hall, lit from behind by the lights in the meeting room.

"What are you doing up there?" she asked, relieved to see Faith, at least. "We're supposed to be busy being vigilant, or something."

"And I have front row seats. C'mon up." Faith pointed to where an oak tree was growing right beside the walls of the building.

Buffy didn't question it. She jumped up to grab the lowest branch of the tree, then swung herself in an easy flip to the small patch of roof where Faith was standing. The whole hall full of people was easily visible from here, and they were at about the level where the heating ducts were spread across the ceiling. The Mayor was speaking, waving one of the "Never Again!" signs, to the obvious approval of the crowd.

Buffy winced. It wasn't like she didn't want to help the kids, and find whoever had murdered them, and then kick that person's ass ten ways from Sunday, but the way the town was going about it just seemed wrong. It was way too torches and pitchforks to do any good. Any demon--or evil cult, or whatever--would see this mob coming from a mile away and probably view it more as a nice light snack than as a threat.

"So, the view?" she asked, glancing sideways at Faith.

"What about it?" Faith kicked a loose pebble off the roof. She shrugged her leather jacket more firmly around her shoulders.

"That's why you're up here? No other reason, like, my mom is a raving psychotic?" Buffy nudged closer to Faith, wrapping her arms around her and resting her head on her shoulder as they peered down into the meeting hall.

"No."

"Because she is."

Faith snorted softly. "Maybe she finally izedized I'm bad news. Wouldn't be the first time."

Buffy hugged Faith tighter. "I like your news. It's like the entertainment section. It's the first thing you turn to, because sports are boring and editorials are stupid."

Faith shook her head and said nothing, staring sadly at Buffy's mom, preaching to the converted. People chanted and lifted their signs, following her like an orchestra pursuing the maestro's wildly waving arms.

Buffy wanted to kick the lot of them in the ass. Faith's muscles were tightening under her cheek. Obviously, stronger intervention would be required. "Faith, look at me."

Faith frowned, but after a moment she turned. Buffy didn't wait, but kissed her, her tongue insisting on entering Faith's mouth. Faith grunted but returned the kiss. She was still stiff and tense. Buffy clutched her shoulders and moved forward, being aggressive, pushing her way into Faith's space. She traced the inside of Faith's mouth, their tongues wrestling, wet and slippery. Buffy pressed upwards again, a sharp move, and caught Faith's full lower lip between her teeth, biting down. Faith gasped, and suddenly Buffy was the one being pushed, Faith turning her and catching her foot behind Buffy's knees so that Faith's arms were the only thing holding her up.

Faith leaned in, deepening the kiss, her body tight and heavy against Buffy's. Buffy's breath came quickly, fire shooting from her nipples down between her legs. Her body filled with fire, like lava, hot and liquid between her thighs and spreading outwards. Faith sucked on her tongue and Buffy felt a surge of wetness in her crotch. She moaned, moving her hands upwards, underneath Faith's jacket.

"I know what you're doing," Faith muttered into the curve of her jaw, then set to work sucking and nibbling on the sensitive flesh.

"I'm...umm...showing you..." Buffy whimpered, thoughts deserting her head for a moment. "That this matters. Oh, God, yeah, like that, yesss...Faith...that I want this."

"Yeah," Faith whispered, sliding one hand down Buffy's stomach and cupping her pussy through her pants. "I know, baby."

Buffy opened her mouth to say something intelligent, but all that came out was a low mewing sound as Faith started to undo her pants. She reached for Faith's breasts, bs rbs rolling over her nipples through her shirt. She spread her legs as much as she could, bracing against the window behind her, as Faith pushed a hand into her waistband. Sensation rolled along her nerves in waves, centering on Faith's fingers, tingling to the very tips of her toes. Buffy moaned, and pinched Faith's nipples just to hear her gasp a curse.

"Buffy!" Willow's voice drifted up from the tree they'd climbed to reach the roof.

"Oh, fuck," Faith whispered, still sucking on Buffy's neck, her fingers buried inside Buffy's fly. Buffy panted harshly, moving her hips to try and get more friction, and at the same time thinking up a nice, elaborate plan to murder Willow at the first opportunity...like, right after she came.

"Buffy, for real! Faith!"

Buffy groaned in frustration and caught her breath enough to yell, "What?" at Willow.

"You'd better get down here!"

"In a minute!"

"No, now! Your mom's coming!" Willow's voice dropped to the closest she could come to a whisper while still shouting. "You do know windows work both ways, don't you?"

"Shit!" Faith yanked her hand out of Buffy's pants. Buffy whined in disappointment. "You could see us?" Faith called down to Willow.

"Mrs. Summers sure got an eyeful. Everyone else was facing the front. Now get down here!"

Buffy sighed and did up her pants. Faith backed off, getting the closed look on her face again. Buffy grabbed her hand and lifted it to her mouth, licking her own juices off Faith's hand, paying special attention to each finger. Faith stared at her as she did, her eyes dark with arousal, her chest moving quickly. "This doesn't change anything," Buffy said, holding Faith's hand between hers. "Faith...I love you."

Faith's breath caught in her throat.

"I do," Buffy repeated, staring into Faith's dark eyes, wide with surprise and longing. "We'll get through this, okay?"

"Yeah," Faith said. "Buffy. I love you too."

Buffy kissed her, soft and slow, like last night. She'd known Faith loved her--she'd said it before--but never straight to her face, like this. Buffy felt like her heart was hollow, joy and pain tangling together. There was so much happiness, mixed up with the terrible things that had been happening. That, and for the first time in her life, fear of her mom. She was afraid of what her mom would say. Buffy took a deep breath. "Let's get down there," she whispered.

They both swung easily off the roof, reaching the ground before anyone came out of City Hall. Willow eyed them sideways, as if they had suddenly transformed into something weird and she didn't trust that they were still the same people.

"So that's what you guys...uh...do?" she asked, her voice squeaking on the last word.

"We'd do a hell of a lot more if we weren't on a roof," Faith said. "Or getting interrupted all the time."

"Oh," Willow whispered, her face turning as red as her hair. "That's, um...neat." She stared innocently at the wall for a moment, then added, "Nice hickey, Buffy."

"Buffy!"

The three of them turned, guiltily, as Buffy's mom burst out of the front door and strode towards them. She stared at Buffy's neck, well-marked by Faith's mouth. "We're going home," she said tightly. "Now."

Buffy knew better than to argue. She could feel Faith's eyes burning on her back as she left.


*

To be continued.