DISCLAIMER: BTVS is the property of Mutant Enemy and Twentieth Century Fox.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
PAIRING: Willow/Tara
Love Through Touch
By Nyka
Part One
"Don't" A jab to the throat.
"Ever" A kick to the stomach.
"Mess with" A jump kick to the groin.
"My friends" Buffy flipped the Vamp over her shoulder and dropped to her kness.
She staked him before he could regroup and attack.
"What's going on. I thought today was Halloween" Willow grumbled as she pulled herself up off the ground.
"It is. But why are so many Vamps out" Tara took the offered helping hand Willow reached down.
"Yeah that's the third one staked tonight" Willow complained as she turned to the Slayer.
"Maybe he wanted to be a filler in a Happy Wiccan sandwich" Buffy teased.
Tara blushed and Willow turned away slightly so as not to show her shit eating grin.
"It's weird. One or two Vamps out on Halloween I can understand. but three wearing the same necklace, in the same graveyard?" Willow complained.
"Necklace? What necklace? I didn't see any necklaces" Buffy said looking confused.
"This necklace" Willow bent and picked up the thin chain that had fallen to the ground when Buffy dusted the undead man.
"Oh that necklace" Buffy fingered the small charm on the thin silver chain "they all had 'em?"
"Yeah" Willow took two more chains from one of the many pockets of her costume "They all wore them"
"But they aren't all the same" Buffy said after studying the charms closely "This one only has one bar, the other two have three"
"Well maybe they fell off" Willow said studying them as well.
"No sign of breakage. Maybe it's a note of rank or something?" Tara shrugged a strap back onto her shoulder.
"Vamps with rank? This is a job for Giles, the mighty book man" Buffy said.
Both Wiccans nodded their agreement.
"I am scary" Anya yelled.
"Anya, you're dressed as a giant rabbit. It's not at all frightening" Giles said polishing his already spotless glasses.
"Bunnies are the most terrifying thing on earth" Anya argued passionately.
"If you were dressed as a bunny and jumping out behind people yelling 'boo' on one of the other 364 days of the year you would be, quite frightening" Giles said helpfully.
"You scare me Anya" Dawn said sweetly from the small corner of the Magick Box she'd hunched herself into.
"See at least someone has the good sense to be afraid" Anya said pointing at Dawn.
"You frighten me at times as well Anya" Giles said off-handedly. He dropped the sixth text onto the table.
"Where are Buffy, Willow and Tara" Dawn asked for the third time in as many minutes.
"I'm sure they're on their way" Giles said before going in search of yet another text.
"Maybe they got attacked by Vamps and are fighting for their very lives right at this moment!" Anya said dramatically.
Dawn sucked in a gasp.
"Anya do shut up" Giles said politely as he dropped a seventh text on the table "I'm sure they're fine"
The bell on the door rang as the three woman in question entered.
"Oh yay, just in time for research" Buffy said with no excitement in her voice at all.
"Ahh, well yes" Giles said and went to find more text on charms.
"Tara. Wow" Anya stuttered "I see someone else decided to dress up like a frightening bunny"
"Actually she's a Playboy Bunny. I'm a hobo and Buffy's a biker chick" Willow said helpfully as she leered at her scantily clad girl friend. "And stop staring Anya you're about to start drooling"
"So that's what you hide under all those baggy clothes" Anya stared harder at Tara's surprisingly lush figure.
"Tara, half naked." Xander said from the door of the basement "Tara......sexy......Me.......Xander"
"Oh god" Willow groaned "Stop staring at my girl Xander"
"Here" Buffy pulled off her fake leather jacket and wrapped it around the blushing Wiccans shoulders "Better?"
"Much" growled Willow before Tara could even think to answer.
"I can't believe we didn't find anything" Willow grouched the next afternoon as they rested in the Quad between classes.
"All those books. We went through like 50 books and nothing" Buffy crossed her arms and leaned back in the chair "A fat load of nothing"
"Actually it was 48 books and two demons Codex" Tara clarafied.
"You'd think out of all that stuff we'd find a Vampire sect that wore that charm" Buffy whined.
"Vampires?" A voice came from behind them.
All three young women turned to face the newcomer. She stood the same height as Buffy. She had dark hair, and eyes denoting her Indian heritage, with delicate features that made the expressive face quite lovely.
"Yeah you know the Masquerade, I love those books" Willow smiled and tried to convince the woman through sheer will that they weren't as insane as they seemed.
"They don't wear charms in the Masquerade. They can smell your rank in the blood" the young woman pointed out.
Willow and Tara exchanged glances, they thought they were the only ones who read the Masquerade.
The young woman turned to walk away.
"Hey" Buffy called as she righted herself in her chair. She waited til the woman faced her "How did you hear our conversation?"
"I have ears like a dog" the young woman said.
"How do you know so much about Vamps?" Buffy asked with honest interest.
"I live on a Hellmouth. I have to know about Vampires" the woman turned again and walked away.
"Have you guys ever seen her before?" Buffy asked the two astounded Wiccans.
"No. I'd of remembered her" Tara said staring after the other woman.
"So would I" Willow agreed also staring.
"That sexy huh?" Buffy teased.
Both Wiccans blushed.
"And she knew about the HellMouth?" Giles asked for the third time.
" Yeah, she even knew about the Vampire books that Willow and Tara are addicted to" Buffy rolled her eyes.
"Hey those books could be real. You never know" Willow argued.
"Real? I doubt it. What are they about? Vampires who are pretending to be Humans who are pretending to be Vampires?" Giles said sarcastically.
"No. If you read them you'd know" Willow stuck out her tongue.
"Right like Vampires really have their own underground society" Giles rolled his eyes.
"You're just angry because we didn't find anything about the charms in your ever growing menagerie of useless books" Willow snapped at the Watcher. She had less and less patience for his sometimes biting remarks.
"Well, maybe we could do a 'spell' and find out what they're up to" Giles sneered at the young witch.
"Jealous because your texts failed you. I didn't even offer a spell" Willow yelled at the offending Watcher.
"My texts did not fail me, I just don't have the one that it's in" Giles said giving Willow an arch look.
"Did too fail you" Willow muttered.
"Did not" Giles muttered.
"Did too" Willow argued louder.
"Did not" Giles yelled.
"Hey do I have to seperate you two?" Buffy said pointing at them like they were stuborn children.
"Alas no" Giles said storming from the room "I won't be arguing with a child"
"He started it" Willow complained.
"I did not" Giles stomped back in the room.
"Did too" Willow argued.
Buffy slapped her hand against her own forehead "I don't have the strength for this"
"Did I come at a bad time?" A familiar voice said from the upper landing of the shop.
Buffy turned to face the newcomer "Hey it's you" she turned to Giles "That's her. The woman from the Quad. The Masquerade chick"
"Hello" Giles said politely "wel- um Welcome to the Magic Box" he held out a hand to shake.
The young woman backed away "Sorry, I'm not good with the touching"
"Are you a demon? There's lots of demons who don't like to be touched" Anya said as she entered the main shop from a store room.
"I'm not a demon. Are you?" The stranger asked giving Anya a good looking over.
"I used to be" Anya sighed.
"Let me guess. You were a Glamourphite?" the woman smiled.
"Thank you but, no. But I'll give you two more guesses" Anya smiled sweetly. She liked this newcomer.
"Some type of Nymphete demon perhaps?" the woman tried giving Anya another once over.
"Again, thank you but no. You'll never guess it" Anya clapped in glee "One more" Anya waved a single finger for emphasis.
"A Vengance demon"
"You guessed it" Anya said sounding disappointed "How'd you guess?"
"You had to be one of the three. Those are the only demons that could possibly be as attractive as you" the stranger explained.
"Thank you. You're smarter than you look" Anya said sweetly.
"Thanks. I think" the woman frowned, she was almost sure she'd just been complimented. Almost.
"Well. You seem to know a bit about demons. But who are you?" Giles said as he cleaned his glasses for the fourth time since first speaking to the woman.
"I could ask you the same" the stranger challenged.
"I'm Rupert Giles" Giles said placing his glasses imperiously on his nose.
"You're a Watcher" the woman said reverently "The HellMouth has a Slayer... Good to know"
"What do you know about the Slayer?" Giles was suddenly aware that they knew nothing of this woman. He sent Buffy a gesture that put her on instant alert.
Buffy readied herself for attack on a moments notice.
"I know that the Slayer is a girl with an unfair destiny. She has to save the world from everything that goes 'bump in the night' so to speak" the stranger eyed Buffy as if she could sense something coming from that corner.
"Oh. You know alot for just being a regular girl" Giles advanced slightly.
The young woman backed up "I wouldn't say I'm your average everyday Jane. Neither are any of them" she gestured towards Willow, Tara, Buffy and Anya.
"What makes you say that?" Buffy asked letting her gaurd down.
"Well they" she pointed to the two Wiccans "Smell like powerful sex magick. And you smell wild. Feline, almost. He smelled like books, old books. And she" she pointed to Anya "Smells like money"
"You can smell us"? Willow said still blushing from the sex magick comment "So you have ears and a nose like a dog?"
"Technically" the woman said "So what you're the Slayer?" she directed the question at Buffy.
"Yeah. But the quesiton is who are you?" Buffy asked. She darted forward trying to get ahold of the other woman, but was dodged at every turn. Each time she thought she had her, the woman would slip away just seconds before Buffy could connect. Buffy gave up after a few moments of Cat and Mouse.
"Hopefully a friend" the woman said as if Buffy hadn't been chasing her mometns before.
"We usually know our friends names" Tara pointed out.
"Yeah. That would be a start wouldn't it. I'm Hyatt, Hyatt Al-Faqadi" she bowed slighty to the room at large.
"Al-Faqadi? Like the Assamite?" Willow asked as her eyes grew larger.
"Yes like the Assamite" Hyatt nodded in Willow's direction "I'm a direct descendent"
"So the Masquerade is real?" Giles asked.
"Most of it. The System of Government, sometimes even the names" Hyatt said slowly.
"Well I-" Giles cut himself off "Do come in and explain"
"I told you it was real" Willow smirked.
"Only some of it, but yes it's real" Hyatt walked slowly past Buffy testing her surrounding air to assure herself the Slayer would make no move to touch her.
Anya tried to remember everything she knew about the Assamite sects. Her jaw nearly hit the floor when she remembered something about the Al-Faqadi family "Fatima Al-Faqadi was a world renown Vampire assassin" Anya ran to get a text. She came back a few minutes later "Her family supposedly are all born with a sixth sense" Anya moved forward to touch Hyatt, but the young woman quickly moved out of reach "It's said to be conveyed through touch. The family is said the be reclusive"
"So that's why your all no touchy" Buffy said following Hyatt to the table where Willow and Tara sat.
"Yeah. My gift, my curse. I touch you and I know what you know, I feel what you feel" Hyatt rolled her eyes "A pain in my ass really"
"Could you clear something up for us" Tara asked shyly.
"Sure if I can" Hyatt smiled at the beautiful Wiccan.
"Fatima and the Dark Rose of Argon. Were they really lovers?" Tara nearly whispered.
"Yes they're lovers. But contrary to the books Fatima never let Lucita leave after she murdered her sire. They've been 'together' for nearly 300 years" Hyatt imparted with a smile.
"Ah romance" Tara joked "You kill a woman's sire and she loves you for eternity"
Hyatt made a sound in agreement "I thought you'd might like a little help with this charm problem you were having"
"What could you possibly know that could help us" Giles said pacing "My nearly inexhaustable library didn't do us much good"
"I have a book you don't have" Hyatt pointed out patiently.
"And what would that be" Giles said givng the woman a pointed look.
"I have the Diary of Nicodemus Mijelleo" Hyatt said pulling the leather bound book from the bag she carried on her shoulder.
"That book is supposedly lost" Giles said. He came close and carressed the aged text with amazement.
"Fatima took it when she killed bastard 900 years ago" Hyatt shrugged "It's been sitting in our Library. We also have the Demon Codex of Aklar Phantaman. As well as books of charms dating back to before your calendar was used"
"I do believe I'd love your library" Giles said opening the book slowly. He flipped slowly through the yellowing pages.
"Giles wait" Buffy stilled his hand "This is it this is the charm"
"Oh shit" Hyatt said studying the charm Buffy pointed at "Thats the sect of Shadows"
"The Lasombra?" Willow asked hoping to get a look at the text as well.
"No older than even them. They're called the Vivione Kadesh. The First of the blood seakers. Old as time itself" Hyatt sighed.
"Why do I have the feeling that we're dead" Buffy muttered as she slouched in her chair.
"Because your observation is as keen as ever. These are the sleeping ones. The very parents of evil itself. They make Glory look like Demon Fashion Barbie" Tara said quietly.
"We're dead in the most horrible sense if they are allowed to awaken" Giles said cleaning his glasses.
"Well when do they awaken?" Buffy asked truly scared.
"According to this" Willow translated slowly. As she reached the end of the sentence she stiffened and met Hyatt's eyes over the table.
"Last night" Hyatt said slowly.
Part Two
"What?!" Buffy screamed "Yesterday? Oh great the end of the world happened yesterday" she began to laugh hysterically.
"I think the Slayer just lost her mind" Hyatt said politely to Willow.
"Buffy calm down please!" Willow grabbed the Slayer's wildly swinging arms as she continued her tirade.
"You want me to calm down when the world started to end YESTERDAY!" Buffy accidently started to fling Willow as well as her arms began again full force.
"Wait, wait" Tara said studying the text closely "These charts are off. The math, it isn't right. So the dates gotta be wrong"
Hyatt studied it as well "No last nights date is right. The Lesser Vampires began to awake last night. They have to get ready for the ceremony. But according to this" she and Tara simultaneously corrected the math mentally "They awake in-"
"Two months" Tara chimed in with the end of Hyatt's sentence.
"Oh the end of the world happens in two months cool" Buffy said instantly calming down.
"From Hysterical to Sarcasm in 2.3 seconds. Wow Slayers are weird" Hyatt comment raising her brow "And really tiny"
"Hey you're about knee-high to a grasshopper yourself" Buffy commented giving the girl a once over.
"I'm the same size as you" Hyatt whined.
"So don't make short remarks" Buffy challenged.
"I'm not the Slayer. But I'm sure whatever you lack in height, you make up in skill and strength" Hyatt smilingly assured her.
"You're right I do. So how do I go about keeping these Hand Maid Vamps from readying this Ceremony thing" Buffy settled back at the table next to a well shaken Willow.
"The Ceremony is called the Gathering. Luckily not all the Vivione Kadesh are resting in Sunnydale" Hyatt turned more of the yellowed pages.
"How many do rest in Sunnydale?" Willow asked once she regained her ability to speak.
"According to this...30 to 50" Tara said slowly with an unsure voice.
"You don't sound positive" Buffy pouted "We need positive numbers here people"
"Nicodemus wasn't known for his math" Giles said cleaning his glasses once again.
"His spelling wasn't ledgendary either" Hyatt admited "But he could fight"
"He wasn't a good enough fighter to beat Fatima" Willow pointed out.
"It's hard put to be good enough to beat or even survive Fatima" Hyatt shivered slightly "I wouldn't want to go up against her"
"But she wouldn't kill you" Tara nearly whispered "Your a direct descendent"
"So?" Hyatt looked Tara in her eye "She's killed family before"
"She has?" Willow couldn't hide her surprise.
"Dante Ad-Algiri, he believed that blood magick in it's purest form was the only way to do witchcraft" Hyatt sighed "She has his skull displayed in the family library to discourage anyone else from tryng to enter the craft that way"
"B-b-blood in it's p-purest form?" Tara whispered turning her gaze to Willow.
"Blood in it's purest form? What does that mean? outside the body?" Buffy said off-handedly.
"No. Fresh from the womb" Willow said sadly "It's a terrible thing to do. Even Vamps don't eat infants"
"You mean he sacrificed new-born children?" Buffy cringed.
"Sometime's he'd cut them from the womb himself" Hyatt ran her finger over her own belly " If they were ready to be born or not"
"Wow. Talk about skeletons in the closet" Buffy winced.
"He was on my mothers side. I take after my fathers side" Hyatt assured her.
"What? Annoying?" Buffy asked deceptively sweet.
"Yes" Hyatt agreed "Just like you"
"I like you" Buffy held out a hand to shake "You don't even take my shit"
"Ah" Hyatt pointed to the offered hand "No touchy. NO touchy touchy"
"Oh yeah I forgot you were a telepath" Buffy blushed, for some strange reason she really wanted to touch the other woman.
"Actually she's an Empath" Willow corrected "It's different"
"Oh like Deanna Troi" Buffy said trying to understand.
"Yeah but without the boobs" Hyatt said looking down at her own chest.
The other three women's gaze followed her's.
"Your's aren't that bad" Willow assured her.
"Yeah" Buffy agreed under her breath.
Hyatt turned to stare at the Slayer quizzically.
"Oh I forgot. Ears like a dog" Buffy slouched in the chair.
"What'd she say" Willow begged "Was it naughty?"
"Yeah she said my breasts aren't as nice as your's" Hyatt lied.
Willow turned the same shade as her hair. Tara coughed to hide her laughter.
"Oh Buffy's got a naughty lesbian streak" Anya piped up from where she computed her inventory.
"Yeah watch your back Anya. I know I am" Buffy winked at the ex-deomon.
Anya blushed remembering all those naughty dreams she'd had about the Slayer "Sorry, but I save all my orgasms for Xander"
Hyatt stared at the woman as if she'd lost her mind.
"Anya likes sex talk. I think it's the only thing she really knows about besides eviscerating people" Willow explained.
"Oh" Hyatt said as if she understood perfectly.
"Ah well" Giles said cleaning his glasses and wondering when the talk left that of the up-coming Vampire awakening and turned to other more 'carnal' things "I supposed we should welcome you to the Scoobies, as they call themselves. If you have any questions ask Tara. She was our newest arrival before you" Giles left and dissapeared into the shelves of books.
Buffy, Willow, Tara and Anya stared after him in awe.
"He just welcomed you to the Scoobies" Buffy said flatly.
"I think Giles likes you. I hope it's not that icky older man like" Anya said going back to her work.
"W- welcome to the Scoobies" Tara smiled.
"Yeah. One more for reasearch" Buffy smiled "And I think she likes research"
"Why do you think I like research?" Hyatt asked staring the Slayer down.
"You brought books. Books make Giles happy" Buffy explained.
"Who do you make happy?" Hyatt asked unexpectedly.
"No one" Buffy said quickly.
"Good" Hyatt said simply.
"There's alot of sexual tension in this room. Go have an orgy" Anya said waving them off as she headed for the basement.
"For some sick and demented reason. I like her" Hyatt said to no one inparticular.
"Oh yeah, you'll fit right in" Buffy said rolling her eyes.
Much later after Hyatt had departed and Buffy had gone to patrol, Willow and Tara relaxed back at Buffy's home.
"I thought you said Buffy wasn't into girls" Tara said snuggling into Willow's belly as they readied themselves for bed.
"I didn't think she was. But I could be wrong. Wrong is a strong possibility" Willow said adjusting the pillows behind her own head.
"I really think she might 'like' like Hyatt if given the chance" Tara said staring lovingly up at her soulmate.
"Hyatt does seem like the type that Buffy couldn't intimidate. But the whole touching thing. Buffy is really into touch" Willow said honestly thinking it over for the first time since sub-counsciously considering matchmaking between the Slayer and the bull-headed woman they met earlier that day.
"What do we know about empaths, and destiny" Tara asked as if she were speaking to a child.
"There's someone for everyone in the known universe, and empaths are usually antagonistic to their soulmates at the initial meeting. It's like an instinct, some kind of protection for them from the one person that is the other half of their souls." Willow quoted directly from the Enciclopedia Grimoire she'd found on the net. "So you think that Buffy may be the other half of Hyatt's soul?"
"Yeah. I mean I have a feeling that she is. I know we just met her today, but I've known Buffy longer, and seeing them fight together today.." Tara broke off unable to finish her thought. Willow had begun what was becoming a nightly ritual for them "Willow could you possibly hold off nibbling on my ear for the rest of this discussion?"
"I don't wanna discuss this fully tonight" Willow whined as she transferred her nibbling to Tara's neck, a place she knew was quite sensitive on her lover.
"But it's Buffy's future happiness" Tara tried. Not that she tried too hard.
"I'm more worried about my current happiness right now" Willow said huskily into the valley of Tara's half exposed breasts. Willow had yanked down her nightgown to nearly nipple level.
"You're right" Tara moaned giving in "We can discuss this tomorrow"
Willow chuckled her agreement.
Part Three
Tara woke up to the feeling of Willow's warm body splayed across her tummy. She smiled to herself when she realized they they were laying belly to belly with Willow on top of her.
"Will's honey wakey time" Tara whispered in her most loving voice.
"No Mommy I don't wanna see the tadpoles" Willow muttered and turned her head away from her lover.
Tara held the laugh in as long as she could. It wasn't very long.
It was Tara's hysterical laughter that initially woke Willow. Second thing to wake her, was falling on the floor.
"Tara, what's so funny?" Willow demanded sleepily from the floor.
"Nothing sweetie" Tara wiped her eyes "I just thought of something from my childhood"
"Oh? What?" Willow asked. It was rare Tara imparted things about her childhood.
"I'm sorry hun you had to be there" Tara covered up quickly "Now get up off that floor and give me my good morning kiss"
Willow complied.
Buffy sat up in her bed to the sound of laughter coming from Willow and Tara's room. She suddenly remembered what she'd dreamed about the night before.
"Oh god" Buffy knuckled her forehead as if it would get the other woman out of her head "Can't I even think about something else?"
Buffy climbed out of her bed and sat in front of her vanity mirror. She began to brush the tangles from her hair. Her hair was something she took pride in. Even though it was hell getting the Vamp dust out of it. She ran the soft bush through her blonde locks and her mind suddenly turned to Hyatt. She wondered if Hyatt was doing the same thing as her. Buffy stopped brushing and shook her head as if the action would make thoughts of the other woman fall out of her ear. "I wonder if her hair is this soft" buffy though aloud "Maybe she'll let me touch it and find out" Buffy snorted "Maybe I'll actually go five minutes without thinking about her"
"Talking to yourself Buffy? Are you losing your mind?" Dawn called in from the hall way.
"Yeah my mind. For a minute there I thought you were a responsible and intelligent person" Buffy called back.
Dawn huffed and stomped back into her room.
Buffy clicked her tongue "Point 1 to the Buffster"
"Morning Buffy" Tara called as she raced past the open door and into the bathroom Dawn had just vacated.
"Hey I was next" Buffy whined.
"My baby beat ya to it" Willow said entering the room.
"Will just the woman I wanted to see" Buffy spun to face her best friend "I have a question"
"Sure ask me anything" Willow made herself comfortable on the end of Buffy's bed "Except about my sex life. But everything else I'll answer"
"I don't need to ask about you sex life Will. I hear it everynight" Buffy deadpanned and watched Willow turn three shades of red.
Willow cleared her throat "You were gonna ask me something?"
"What do you think of Hyatt" Buffy asked before she realized what she was asking.
"What do you think of her?" Willow countered.
"I think she's annoying, disrespectful, comical-" Buffy started.
"And you like her" Willow cut her off.
"Yes" Buffy squeaked holding her head in her hands "I can't stop thinking about her"
"Sounds like me and Tara" Willow said.
"I'm not in love with her" Buffy argued "I just met her yesterday. A-and she insulted me"
"You think we'll see her today?" Willow asked pushing her hair out of her face.
"I hope so" Buffy said softly "I owe her a good sparring match"
"I hope you mean the verbal kind. After all you are the Slayer and she's just a normal girl" Willow pointed out.
"I meant verbal" Buffy assured her friend, //not that I'd mind pinning her to the mat//.
"Oh good. Maybe she'll come today" Willow said with a smile "But right now I gotta see a girl about a shower"
"Ok Wills have fun" Buffy waited until Willow was just outside the door before she called "And try to keep the noise down this time!"
Later the Scoobies joined up at the Magic Box...
"So I hear there's a new Scooby. Why wasn't I imformed we were taking on new members?" Xander asked when they all got settled.
"Giles took a liking to her" Willow explained.
"Yeah" Buffy agreed "We didn't have much say in it"
"Ah so the G-man's gotta new girl friend?" Xander nodded "What's she like?"
"She's not his girl friend Xander" Willow giggled at the thought "She's our age, and she's nice"
"Yeah she's nice unless you're me" Buffy muttered.
"She brought out the kinky lesbian in Buffy" Anya said helpfully.
"K-k-k-k-k-k-k-inky w-what?" Xander stuttered.
"Kinky lesbian" Anya repeated.
"I....me....you...Xander..." Xander seemed to be in his own little world.
"Why isn't she here?" Buffy whined softly.
"Maybe she didn't know she was supposed to come" Tara spoke for Buffy's ears only "We didn't exactly tell her we wanted her to come back today"
"Can't we call her or something?" Buffy whispered.
"She didn't leave a number. Not that we asked" Willow said.
Anya and Xander wandered off. Anya smacking Xander on the back of his head trying to bring him back from his dreamland.
"But maybe you could call her. She is an empath after all" Tara said slowly.
"Yeah. She might be able to pick up on the fact that she's needed here" Willow surmised.
"I wouldn't say she's needed here" Buffy muttered.
"What do we know about the Vivione Kadesh?" Tara asked sensibly.
"Everything she's told us" Buffy admited testily.
"Do we have the Vivione Kadesh in any of our texts?" Willow question her much like Tara had.
"Only mentions but no real information" Buffy admited grouchily.
"So we need her for more research materials and her expertise in demons" Tara said sweetly.
"Yeah yeah yeah, can we just call her now?" Buffy asked.
"Come'ere we'll show you how" Willow led the way to the training room.
"So all I have to do is to picture her face, in my mind" Buffy said uneasy about how simple they made it seem.
"No. You also have to concentrate on the message your sending. You have to have the exact words you want her to hear. Then you have to concentrate enough to breach the shell of your spiritual body and-" Willow rambled on though Buffy ceased to listen.
"Okay, Okay I got it. Think hard on what I'm trying to say to her, concentrate on her, and on my spiritual self rather than my physical body" Buffy explained back to her Wiccan friends when asked to.
"Yes. And be serious about this Buffy, or it won't work" Willow chastisized the tone that the Slayer had used.
"Sorry" Buffy had the decency to blush.
"Okay we'll leave you alone to do it" Tara fairly dragged Willow out of the room behind her.
Buffy departed the room thrity minutes later looking shaken and surprised.
"From that look I'm guessing it worked" Willow said to her lover who was busy helping Anya Alphabetize the Beginners Magic books.
"She looks like she just had a Spiritual awakening" Tara said as she watched Buffy lower herself into the wooden rocking chair.
"Or an amazing orgasm" Anya chimed in.
"It's possible she just had both" Willow chuckled.
"Yeah we did kinda forget to mention that part of the meditation" Tara smiled.
"You taught her to talk to that Empathic Hottie from yesterday" Anya gave them an amazed look "did you tell her that once she returns from her astrial form, all that pent up energy is-"
"Released" Willow chuckled.
"No" Tara said slyly "But I"m pretty sure she know's now"
"I think I misjudged you two" Anya said smiling at the two Wiccans with something akin to respect.
"We have a few tricks up our magickal sleeves" Willow winked at Tara, who blushed.
"I think we might have to go over there and see if she's alright" Anya said with a smirk "I wonder if she can speak in full sentences yet"
"Probably not" Willow muttered "It hasn't been an hour yet"
Twenty minutes later Buffy was speaking in full sentences, and royally laying into her friends.
"Why didn't you tell me about all the built up mystical energy before my little trip?" Buffy demanded loudly.
Xander had been sent home with Giles so that the women could be alone.
"We thought it would be a nice surprise" Willow smiled innocently "Call it a reward for accomplishing your mission"
"It was a surprise. But did Hyatt share in this little surprise?" Buffy asked outright.
"Probably why?" Tara asked.
"Well it was surprisingly easy to contact her" Buffy pointed out.
"Maybe she was sleeping" Willow guessed.
"Or meditating" Tara offered.
"Actually I was meditating before I began my training" Hyatt said.
They all jumped having not heard her enter.
"Oh. What kind of training?" Willow asked happily.
"I'm supposed to be sparring with my sisters right now" Hyatt said taking a seat next to Tara and Anya.
"Physical sparring? Like Fighting Sparring?" Buffy asked suddenly interested.
"Yeah. I'm gonna get killed for missing my session" Hyatt sighed "So what is it you wanted me for?"
"Buffy missed you, she wanted you here for some -" Willow began.
"Sparring" Buffy jumped in "I wanted to know if you wanted to spar with me?"
"It's the perfect excuse. I missed my session this morning to spar with the Vampire Slayer" Hyatt considered this for a second "Works for me"
"Ok let's keep this sparring fair, no biting, no scratching, no nipple twisting-" Anya announced acting as the unoffical ref.
"Nipple twisting?" Everyone chorused.
"Whatever. First person to pin the other on the mat for 8 seconds wins" Anya said perkily "My money's on the Slayer any takers?"
"I'll put down 10 on Hyatt" Tara challenged reaching into her pocket.
"You're on" Anya reached for her own cash.
"I feel like a piece of meat" Hyatt muttered.
"You look deliscious" Buffy said overhearing the remark.
Hyatt blushed.
"And begin" Willow called.
Both women assumed Defensive positions. They circled around each other searching for the weakest point in the other. They thrust and parried for long moments each backing off and attacking at random moments. Then suddenly Buffy rushed forward and grabbed Hyatt by her arms hoping the wrestle her to her knees. Hyatt slid under the Slayer and between her legs causing Buffy to flipped over herself and land on her back. Both recovered quickly kicking out and back onto their feet.
"Your stronger than you look" Buffy commented. She'd been surprised by the power of the slide that caused her to flip.
"Not everything is as it seems" Hyatt said cryptically.
"Did I ruin you concentration earlier?" Buffy taunted.
"That Astrial Energy is tricky stuff. Bleeds off best as sexual energy. Makes for one hell of a party" Hyatt smirked as she pulled off her top shirt. Beneath she wore a fitting blue shirt with three quarter sleeves. There was atleast a half inch between the end of the gloves she was wearing and the bottoms of the sleeves.
Buffy foolishly thought it was an advantage. She thrust forward again grabbing for just above Hyatt's wrists. Hyatt quickly deflected the blow and caught both Buffy's wrist and pushed forward until they were pressed up against each other.
She forcefully hugged the slayer to her pressing the woman's own hands into her lower back and onto spinal nerves that were close to her skin. Buffy didn't feel anything and pushed Hyatt off her.
Hyatt smiled to herself. Buffy had pushed her off a few moments to late. She wasn't sure how the move would affect the Slayer but she knew it would do something. //Just let her jump// Hyatt tilted her head engaging the slayer to attack.
"Hey" Anya whispered to Tara when she recognized what Hyatt had just done "Go call Giles. I think this one might actually beat Buffy"
"No way" Tara said but rose to do as asked.
For long minutes the women circled each other, leaping forward to strike a blow only to retreat seconds later. Buffy tried a back moon kick that caught Hyatt in the back of her knee, but didn't do much in bringing her down. Hyatt tried a low sweep that Buffy kicked off hoping to weaken Hyatt's knee's.
Giles arrived just as Buffy made a move she was sure Hyatt wouldn't expect. Buffy dove at Hyatt's legs hoping to bring her down by pinning them to the floor. Hyatt arialed over the dive flipping forwards in mid-air and twisting back to face the slayer before her feet touched the ground. Buffy to had recovered quickly, and was trying to shake off a sudden weakness she felt in her legs. Hyatt smiled. It was working.
Hyatt jump kicked at Buffy who swung her body under it but brought up a leg the further weakened Hyatt's already tortured knee's. Hyatt landed clumsily and Buffy took it as a chance to break in. She jump kicked aiming for the stomach, but Hyatt grabbed both her legs and twisted causing Buffy to spin out. Hyatt also mimicked the spin out. Buffy landed roughly on her feet with Hyatt only inches behind her. Suddenly Buffy felt her legs give out and Hyatt took the chance and wrapped her arms around Buffy's and followed her as she dropped down onto the mat.
When they hit Buffy reversed their positions twisting mid flip and bringing herself to straddle Hyatt.
"1, 2, 3," Anya chanted.
Hyatt brought her legs up from behind Buffy wrapping them just above the slayers waist and slamming her body on the mat behind her. Before either could take advantage or Anya could count both rose to their feet.
"Your almost as strong as me" Buffy said with a frown "What are you the next Slayer?"
"No. But you'd find out if you researched my family history" Hyatt taunted "How do your legs feel?"
"Peachy. How are your knees?" Taunted back.
"Better than your legs" Hyatt wondered if she'd take the clue. She didn't.
Buffy jumped up high and forward hoping to throw Hyatt off balance when she retreated, a ploy that worked with many a vamp. Hyatt was unfamiliar with the move but took it in stride. She stepped back as if in retreat, then darted forwards grabbing the slayers legs and flipping her over backwards. Buffy agilely landed on her feet feeling her legs go weak again she compensated by flipping once more.
"Smooth" Hyatt complimented.
"Thanks" Buffy rushed forwards and both women locked arms.
"You know one of us has to lose" Buffy said as they wrestled for a few moments.
"But why does it have to be me?" Hyatt grunted as Buffy attempted to force her down.
"Because I'm the Slayer and you want to stroke my battered ego" Buffy tried hopefully.
"Ok just this once" Hyatt relaxed the muscles in her arms and Buffy forced her down to the mat. She made a token struggle to make the fight look real.
"1, 2, 3, 4-" Anya chanted.
"5, 6," Tara and Willow joined in.
On 6 Hyatt slid her arms up to Buffy shoulders and hugged the slayer to her once again. But this time she also brought their lips together.
Buffy was distracted by the kiss and Hyatt was able to flip them over without breaking the kiss, or Buffy's distraction.
"Fuck, there goes my 10 bucks" Anya grouched.
"3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8! Hyatt wins!" Willow and Tara both squealed. "Pay up Anya, your not cheating my girl"
"Fine" Anya grudgingly handed over the money.
Hyatt released Buffy from the kiss with a sigh "I win"
"What?" it took Buffy a few moments to collect herself "You cheated"
"I didn't cheat" Hyatt defended "I kissed. There's a difference"
"I though you couldn't touch anyone without getting hurt" Buffy sat up slowly as Hyatt rose off of her.
"I take it you didn't notice what part of my arm you were holding before I 'decided to let you win'" Hyatt smirked.
Buffy looked at Hyatt's arm and saw that the sleeve was pushed up nearly to her shoulder and she had a hand sized bruise forming on the bottom of her forearm.
"Oh my god did I do that to you?" Buffy leapt to her feet and gently took Hyatt's arm in her grasp.
"I bruise easy. I doesn't even hurt" she hissed when Buffy's fingers swept over the purpling bruise "Much"
"I'll get some ice" Willow offered and left the room.
"Let me see" Tara took Hyatt's arm from Buffy's grasp "I'm not gonna hurt her" Tara promised when Buffy seemed to not want to release Hyatt's arm.
"Am I hurting you?" Tara asked when she touched the skin of Hyatt's arm.
"Nuh uh. Actually you have an extremely pure heart. Your touch is warm but it doesn't burn" Hyatt explained.
" So different peoples touch, feels different ways?" Buffy asked trying to understand.
"Yeah. Hatred burns, like there's a fire on the inside trying to come out. Anger stings, like needles digging into my skin. Love, tingles like butterfly wings. Friendship is warm, like your favorite blanket. Rage is, extremely painful, unless it isn't misdirected or pure evil. Which is rare"
"Oh sucks to be you" Buffy thought aloud.
"Trust me I know" Hyatt sighed.
"So I feel like friendship?" Tara asked.
"Yes. And there's something so...free...about you. It's like you don't know how to hate, you only love" Hyatt touched two fingers to Tara's temple "You truly do have a pureheart"
Tara blushed when she noticed Buffy's scrutiny and Hyatt's amazed eyes.
"So your saying Tara here is what? An earthly Angel?" Buffy joked.
"Something like that" Hyatt agreed.
"I brought some ice" Willow spoke up having entered moments earlier and heard Buffy's remark "And of course my girl is an angel"
When Willow handed the ice pack to Hyatt their fingers brushed. "Hey hold on" Hyatt took off her gloves and touched Willow's hand "Wow"
"Wow what?" Buffy, Willow, and Tara asked in unison.
"It's a love chain. I touch you both and I can feel how you feel for each other, and there's something else but I can't quite place it" Hyatt concentrated, it took her a moment but she finally understood "You're-"
"You're part Vampire" Giles nearly shouted as he burst into the room.
Part 4
"P-part Vampire?" Tara stuttered "Giles what are you talking about?"
"She's not part Vampire" Buffy argued with the Watcher "I'd sense it if she was"
"It says so right here in this text" Giles adjusted his glasses.
"Right like they've been real helpful lately" Willow said with no little venom.
"Well this one is quite helpful" Giles snapped at her. He turned and stomped out of the training room.
"Part Vampire?" Hyatt chuckled "That's definately a first"
"So the book is wrong?" Buffy asked.
"No. His interpretation of the book is wrong" Hyatt corrected "I'm sure he'll explain it to you"
They all gathered around the table, even Anya who remained silent and angry due to her loss of money.
"It says here that the Al-Faqadi family is cursed. It seems even Vampires frown upon Fratricide" Giles continued to read "Apparently, the elders took this to shame and cursed Fatima. 'May your descendents die of the lack of the life giver, or disease of the life giver, lest the one whom brings death to her own family takes pity and realses their pain'. I believe by life giver they mean blood. She turned you. But I don't understand how you can walk in the sun" Giles stared Hyatt in the eye.
Hyatt rolled her's "She doesn't turn anybody. Everyone in our family is eaither born with or develops a blood disease. When you first become sick, Fatima gives you some of her blood"
"You drank her blood?" Willow asked frowning.
"No it's a blood transfusion. A few of the side effects are: Advanced sight, smell and hearing, also strength and agility" Hyatt sighed.
"So that's where it comes from" Buffy sat back "She saved your life and gave you super powers. But do you drink blood?"
"No. She just gives up the blood once to break the curse. After that we're fine. No resistance to sunlight, nothing. The curse is really on her though. She has to remain knowing that the reason her family suffers is because she killed her descendent"
"He was sacrificing infants" Anya spoke for the first time "I'd of killed him too if I knew about him. Eviscerated his ass off"
"Fratricide is Fratricide" Hyatt shrugged.
"Well that sucks" Willow said sadly "Being punished for doing something good"
"Yeah" Buffy sat up in her chair "Kinda makes me nervous about saving the world"
"Have any of you eaten it's just past lunch time" Giles hoped to change the subject. He felt bad about accusing the girl about being a vampire.
"Lunch?" Hyatt looked at the clock "I'm so beyond dead. My father's gonna shit a brick!"
"That would be painful. And a nice vengance curse" Anya nodded.
"Want us to go with you?" Buffy asked "You'll have your own walking excuse"
"Your own walking, talking, ass kicking excuse" Willow added with a smile.
"That might help" Hyatt forced a smile.
"Well let's get moving then" Buffy moved to stand. She froze halfway out of the chair "Do you mind undoing whatever it is you did to my legs?"
"Oh" Hyatt blushed "I forgot. Sorry" She slid from her chair and onto her knees in front of Buffy's.
Buffy stiffened when Hyatt slid her arms around her waist "What's with the hugging? Hugging got us into this mess"
"I have to release the knot" Hyatt explained. She slid two fingers of each hand to the base of Buffy's spine and slowly began to massage. Her fingers slid towards the bones than up.
Buffy began to feel the muscles ease, and the pressure she didn't realize was there began to dissipate "You've got to teach me that move"
"It paralyzes vamps. They can only move from the waist up when you do that" Hyatt explained releasing the 'hug' she'd been giving to Buffy.
"What does it do to normal humans?" Willow asked. She knew what the nerves in that part of the back were for.
"It renders them unconscious I believe" Giles scratched his head "I wonder why I never thought to teach it to you"
"Maybe because I wouldn't want to hug a Vamp?" Buffy offered.
"You more than hugged Angel" Willow pointed out.
"Shut up Will" Buffy muttered.
"Who's Angel?" Hyatt asked rising from her knees. When she was standing fully erect she reached to help Buffy to her feet.
Buffy excepted the helping hand and quickly realized why it was offered. She was slightly dizzy for a moment and the world seemed to tilt "Wow. That moves a doozy"
"Ain't it" Hyatt agreed "Who's Angel?"
"I'll tell you later" Buffy avoided "Shouldn't we be explaining your mis-adventure to the parental units right now?"
Hyatt groaned. This was not gonna be peachy "I'm parked out front"
After the surprise of how exspensive the car Hyatt drove was they were on their way.
They all piled into the silver Coupe and chatted the entire way to Hyatt's home.
"It's a Mansion" Buffy exclaimed.
"It's a Palace" Willow breathed.
"It's a Tomb" Tara whispered.
Hyatt gave a look that told Tara she had the correct answer.
"Come on, we'll go through the kitchen" Hyatt directed them out of the spacious garage where they 'oohed' and 'ahhed' over the various cars.
"This looks like the Garage off of Batman" Willow said filled with excitement.
"This is the family garage" Hyatt explained when they exited "These are the cars we drive. Daddy's Garage is on the Southern most edge of the estate"
"He has his own Garage?!" Buffy and Willow squealed.
"He has his own everything" Hyatt said tiredly. She open the last door leading to the outside.
The yard was huge. Huge, green and immaculate.
Tara thought it looked lonely.
Everything was perfect. Alot of work went into this yard, she surmised, but very little love. If any at all.
The house was made of stone. Only the front entrace way had glass windows. The above stairs rooms all sported stained glass, coloring the natural light.
They avoided the front entrance.
Hyatt led them in through the side kitchen. At first sight the huge kitchen appeared empty. But with further observation they realized a woman sat at the center island, sipping was seemed to be red wine.
Buffy was startled she hadn't noticed the woman sitting there. She hadn't been staring 'that' hard.
"Nahl Mama" Hyatt whispered.
The woman made an aggravated noise and began to speak to Hyatt shortly in a different language.
"But-" Hyatt began only to be cut off. This time the woman spoke english.
"And who are these...people you've brought into my house?" Her voice sounded deeper when she spoke english, heavily accented.
"This is Buffy, Willow, and Tara" Hyatt introduced them all nodded at them respectively.
"Hello Mrs. Al-Faqadi" Buffy said politely.
Willow mimicked Buffy's greeting. Tara nodded at the woman mutely.
"Ah, is this your excuse for missing your morning training? Fatima was quite upset" Hyatt's mother said ignoring the greetings.
"I was training with Buffy this morning. It was kind of a last minute...thing" Hyatt explained.
"Trained? With her? She's so small. She's barely a match for you" Hyatt's mother sized the slayer up "Though you are about the same height"
"Buffy's the Slayer" Hyatt said. She had yet to look the woman in her eye.
"The Vampire Slayer? Buffy the Vampire Slayer?" the woman laughed. It sounded evil, and slightly insane "It sounds like a bad prime time drama"
"Yeah, thanks, remind me" Buffy muttered. She wasn't liking this woman very much.
"I don't believe I asked you to speak" she snapped.
"I don't believe I need to ask" Buffy snapped back.
Hyatt and Tara both sucked in a breath.
She leaned back in the chair and eyed Buffy once more "You've got moxy. I like that" she turned to face Hyatt "Take your 'friends' to your room. I'll tell your father our here. He wishes to speak to you" with that she dismissed the four girls from her mind.
They all walked out silently.
The hallway's Hyatt led them through were silent. Barely any life appeared to be in the house. At the end of a rather dull corridor, Hyatt stopped and opened a door that didn't seem to be there. Stairs appeared leading down.
Buffy balked. It was pitch black from where she could see. Even her slayer sight seemed to be failing her "I'm not going down there"
"What's wrong Buffy chicken?" Willow taunted though she too was nervous
"No" Buffy poked out her lips "You go first"
"No way" Willow shook her head.
"I'll go" Tara said. She stepped up next to Hyatt "Come on"
Hyatt stepped down into the darkness with Tara only inches behind her.
Buffy and Willow both rushed to join them.
The moment the door closed they were awash with light. Lights of all different colors seemed to be dancing before their very eyes. Blues and red mixed into purples of so many shades their began to decifer them as white light.
"What was that?" Willow asked in amazement.
"Stained glass windows" Tara said softly.
"This way" Hyatt led them down a hall that gave off as much life as the ones above the stair gave off dreariness. She opened a solid wooden door that opened to a room the size of Buffy living room and kitchen put together.
"This is all your's?" Willow gasped.
"I feel poor" Buffy commented studying the actual size of the room.
"Actually your alot richer than you think" Tara and Hyatt said in unison.
"I've got money" Hyatt said softly "But you've got something better"
"What?" Buffy scoffed.
"Family" Tara said. She made her way over to the four poster bed "What's the point of having everything. If there's no one to share it with"
"Don't you have brothers or sisters?" Willow asked "We walked past all those doors"
"Brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles cousins, you name I've got it. They're all in this house to" Hyatt laughed "but it doesn't make us family"
"Do you have a cousin Beth?" Willow asked suddenly.
"Beth, Bethany, Mary-Elisabeth, and Beth-Ann" Hyatt sounded off " Age: 2, 7, 14, and 23. In that order"
"Oh. Do they have potty mouths?" Willow asked.
"Mary-Elisabeth does. Like a sailor" Hyatt chuckled.
"Willow honey hush" Tara said softly.
Willow bit her lip.
"So you have money. Are you rich or just your dad?" Buffy asked scooching nearer to Hyatt on the bed.
"He gives us a weekly allowance of $500. Most of mine is in the bank" Hyatt said.
"You save it?" Willow asked amazed, she'd of been in shopping heaven.
"I didn't have anyone to spend it on. I already have enough stuff" Hyatt chuckled.
Buffy looked around the room. It was sparse. Everything seemed to be in it's place "Either your really neat, or you don't buy much"
"Both" Hyatt admitted.
"You could spend it on me" Willow offered "And Tara too"
Buffy cleared her throat.
"Oh and Buffy too. This really dumb Vamp ruined her favorite jacket, she could really use a new one" Willow hinted.
Tara nudged her soulmate. She was really pushing it.
"So how much are you banking? Are we talking Million's here?" Buffy asked rubbing her hands together, she had a gleam in her eye.
"Yeah a couple million. I'm a trust fund baby. Got it all when I turned 19. He still gives me allowance though. I don't think he know's how old I am" Hyatt sighed "he alway did have a habit of calling me Nerida. She's only 16"
"Is she your sister?" Willow asked.
"One of them" Hyatt reached onto a night stand that stood not far from her bed. She grabbed a framed picture and handed it to Willow "This is all of us. It's about 4 years old though"
Willow examined the picture. She counted nine children and two adults. There were only two males in the photo "You only have one brother? There's nine kids in this"
"Nine kids? I though having two was pushing it" Buffy exclaimed.
"There's only eight kids in my family. The baby belonged to a cousin. She died" Hyatt whispered.
"The baby died?" Tara's eye's widened.
"No. My cousin. The baby is almost 5 now. Her name is Zasha" Hyatt touched the infant in the picture fondly.
"Oh is she around?" Tara wanted to meet the person that could make this suddenly solemn girl smile.
"She's on her way. Trust me. I give about 3, 2, 1" Hyatt counted down on her fingers.
"Hyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatt" a twinkling voice screamed. A blurr of demin and bright red flew into the room through the open door and made a bee-line for the four people sitting on the bed.
It stopped feet from them "Your really pretty"
Willow blushed when she realised the child's gaze was fixed on her "T-thank you"
"Just tellin' the truth. Truth can hurt" The little girl climbed onto the bed and directly into Willow's lap.
Zasha was a bit lighter than Hyatt's olive complexion, and she had brown hair with a natural red highlight. Her face was an angelic mix of baby and maturing child. She had dimpled chubby cheeks and sparkling light brown eyes.
Willow immediately fell in love "Truth might hurt sometimes. But sometimes it makes life alot easier"
"Did it make your life easier?" Zasha asked snuggling into her new friend.
"It definately made my day better" Willow tickled her under her chin.
"Good things are best in small doses" Zasha decided "What's your name?"
"Willow" Willow said "And your Zasha"
"Yup. But you can call me Star" Zasha stage whispered.
"Zasha means 'Morning Star'. She was born at dawn" Hyatt explained.
"Oh. So what's the word for Dawn?" Buffy asked.
"Ayumi" Hyatt said "That's my sister's name"
"You have a sister named Dawn?" Buffy asked.
"Ayumi means Dawn" Hyatt explained.
"Same difference" Buffy huffed.
"Yes I have a sister named Dawn. And she's fifteen just like your's" Hyatt explained.
"Wow" Buffy's brow's lifted "So 'lil' miss morning star' you gonna say 'hi' to the rest of us?" Buffy turned her attention abruptly to the little girl who was staring at her in a way that gave her the wiggin's.
"There's something special about you" Star said in answer "I don't quite know what it is. But it's there" Star pointed to Tara "Her too. Like she's an Angel of something"
"Tara's my angel" Willow offered.
"Yeah, but she's more than that" Star looked into the second Wiccan's eyes. Whatever she found there she excepted. She settle back into Willow's arms.
"Hyatt" a deep voice called from the doorway.
They all turned to find a man who stood about 6'8 standing in the opening. He wore a stern look that didn't bode well.
"I'll be right back" Hyatt rose from the bed and left. She didn't look to happy.
"Well that can't be good" Buffy said tempted to follow her new friend.
Hyatt returned a while later looking no happier than when she left. In fact she seemed more tense.
Tara noticed her entering first.
"He didn't hit you did he?" she asked while both Willow and Buffy were distracted by the enchanting little girl.
"Just a few smacks. They don't show" Hyatt shrugged rubing her shoulders "Next time I'll leave a note"
"He'll just be mad that you didn't tell him to his face" Tara said knowing the situation. She'd been through it herself.
"I'll deal with it" Hyatt snapped "I'm ok Tara"
"So was I" Tara grabbed Hyatt's now bare arm "This was a whole sleeve when you left. That was more than a few smacks"
"Just leave them out of this please?" Hyatt begged.
"Just know. You have us now too" Tara said softly "Hey Hyatt ready to go?" she said loudly.
Willow and Buffy looked up from the hand game Star had convinced them to play with her.
"Yeah. Say bye Star. We have to go" Hyatt pasted on a fake smile.
Star obediently hugged Willow and Buffy good bye. When she reached Tara she gave the Wiccan an extra kiss and a whispered message. Tara merely nodded.
"Bye Hyatt" She kissed her cousins cheek "I'll tell Bri that you'll see her next time" she whispered. Star was unaware of Buffy's slayer hearing thinking her words went no further than Hyatt's ears.
Hyatt smiled in response "Let's go"
"Hyatt lives in a Palace" was the first thing out of Willow's mouth when they reached the Magic Box.
"So the Empath is rich?" Anya's brow shot up "Are you single too?"
"No" Buffy answered before Hyatt could open her mouth.
She recieved strange looks all around.
"What?" she asked defiantly.
"Do you know something we don't?" Tara asked slyly.
"No" Buffy said turning her back "I'm going home. I want a nap before I go to patrol"
"I have some errands to run" Hyatt backed towards the entrance slowly.
"Want some company?" Tara asked softly.
"Sure" Hyatt waited as the Wiccan grabbed a weaved bag and headed towards her.
"Make sure your back before dark" Buffy called to them as they headed out the door.
"We can take care of ourselves Buffy" Hyatt assured her.
"I know. But I kinda like doing it to" Buffy babbled.
"Whatever. We'll be back before dark" Hyatt left the doorway.
Tara waved followed her.
Part 5
"What kind of errands are these?" Tara asked when they pulled off from the curb.
"I'm taking my account off of the family account and changing banks" Hyatt said not taking her eyes off of the road.
"You're leaving aren't you?" Tara settled back in the seat.
"Not Sunnydale" Hyatt turned left and slowed into traffic.
"Good. If you need a place to stay-" Tara began.
"I'll be ok Tara" Hyatt said shortly.
"I know" Tara sighed "But to be alone-"
"Weren't you?" Hyatt hunched a bit in her seat.
"Yeah I was. Then I met Willow" Tara sighed at the memory.
"And you haven't been alone since" Hyatt finished "You have that truly, madly, deeply in love look on your face" Hyatt chuckled.
"I'm really that obvious" Tara stated "Wow"
"Lucky" Hyatt rolled her eyes and pulled up behind the bank.
"Buffy won't let you be alone" Tara warned as she climbed out of the car. They entered the bank together.
"I guess I'll just have to put up with her" Hyatt said in mock aggrivation.
"Oh you'll be so put out" Tara followed in form.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Buffy asked Willow. The redhead was practically staring at her.
"I'm trying to decide something" Willow said simply.
"What are you trying to decide?" Buffy sat back ready for a long conversation.
"How good of a liar you are" Willow gave Buffy her resolve face "You lied to me about not liking girls"
"I didn't lie" Buffy sat up straight giving her friend a serious look.
"You like Hyatt" Willow pointed out.
"No I-" Buffy began only to meet the resolve face once again "But she's not a girl she's Hyatt"
"Hyatt is a girl Buffy" Willow giggled "But I'm thinking it's like me and Tara. It's not really the 'softer sex' thing. It's just Tara"
"Yeah. Do you like her?" Buffy asked scooting closer to Willow's chair.
"I thought you were gonna take a nap?" Willow said leaning back. She enjoyed baiting the Slayer.
"This is better than a nap" Buffy whined "Do you?"
"Yeah I like her. She seems like a good person" Willow sighed "Tara seems to like her"
"Their 'running errands' together already" Buffy rolled her eyes "Their probably talking about us"
"Like we're talking about them?" Willow laughed.
Buffy laughed along with her, then sombered "We haven't talked like this in so long Will"
"Yeah we haven't" Willow agreed "Where did our friendship go?"
"To hell on a bus" Buffy frowned staring at the floor "And I think I was driving it"
"I know you were in heaven Buffy" Willow started to tear up "You don't have to lie"
"I know. Will, everything was so beautiful there. But-" Buffy stopped herself mid sentence.
"But what Buffy?" Willow asked.
"It wasn't perfect. You guys weren't there. I was in heaven. But missed my family" Buffy choked out.
Willow slid from her chair and wrapped the Slayer in a gentle hug "Well it was hell here without you" Willow allowed the tears to fall for the first time since she found out she'd pulled her best friend, not from hell, but from heaven "I'm sorry Buffy"
"Sorry for what?" Buffy asked through her own tears.
"Sorry for dragging you from heaven, and back into this hell" Willow sobbed into Buffy's shoulder.
"You didn't do anything wrong Willow. You gave me back my family" Buffy pulled away from the weeping witch and forced her to look her in the eye "Willow I may have been in heaven, but family is more important than bliss"
"I think I was alot happier before I knew I pulled you from heaven" Willow sighed and rubbed at her red nose "I guess ignorance is bliss"
Buffy made a serious face "Bliss is delicate"
Willow tried to choke the laugh back in her throat but it escape as a strangled cough before exploding into full blown hysterics.
Both women were rolling on the floor by the time they were through laughing.
Anya watched them with confusion "They've gone insane"
"Done" Hyatt slapped closed her new account book.
"So now what do we do?" Tara asked smiling.
"Wanna go shopping?" Hyatt asked checking her balance slip one last time "It's not like I don't have the money"
"Oh I don't need anything" Tara shook her head.
"What about Willow?" Hyatt asked starting the car "And Buffy. We could get her a new jacket"
"It's dusk" Tara pointed out.
"Damn, I forgot about the Slayers curfew" Hyatt bit her lip "Can't break curfew now can we" she eye'd Tara.
"No" Tara shook her head, she turned and eyed the back seat "Got any weapons?"
"Axe, crossbow, blessed sword, water guns filled with holy water, and the ever convenient, and conventional stake" Hyatt smiled.
"To the Mall" Tara pointed to the windshield "Oh and do you have an extra cross I could wear?"
"Gold, silver, or a rosary?" Hyatt said opening her glove compartment. Several necklaces fell out.
"Were you a Girl Scout?" Tara joked rifling through the tangled chains.
"No, just well trained" Hyatt pulled into the mall lot. She parked close to the entrace, directly under a lamp.
"Let's go spoil our honeys" Tara said offering an elbow.
Hyatt didn't notice that Tara hadn't spoken in the singular.
"Where are they?" Buffy paced the Magic Box.
"Maybe Hyatt took Tara home" Willow paced a few steps behind Buffy.
"Maybe they're dead" Anya said passing them both.
"Don't say that" Both women yelled at the ex-demon.
"I'm calling the house" Buffy rushed to the phone only to have Anya keep her from picking up the reciever "This is not the time"
"Are you paying for this call?" Anya demanded.
Buffy lifted the woman by her shirt and tossed her a few feet away. She then snatched the phone from the cradle and rapidly dialed her home number. Dawn picked up on the second ring.
'hello'
'Dawn is Tara with you?'
'hi Buffy, no she's not here' there was a pause 'Spike said he saw Tara out with some 'pretty bird' they were heading for the mall'
'I'm gonna kill her'
'Tara?' Dawn sounded worried.
'No not Tara. The 'pretty bird' she was with' Buffy clarified 'If she shows up at home, tell her to call Willow at the Magic Box ok?'
'Ok Buffy bye'
Buffy hung up the phone and turned to face a desperately worried Willow.
"Their not there?" Willow ran her fingers through her hair pulling out a few hapless strands.
"I told them to be in by dark" Buffy growled "If anything happens to them-" Buffy choked on the thought "I'm going to patrol"
"Ok. I'll be here just in case they come back" Willow hugged herself and sat down.
"I'm sure they're fine Willow" Buffy ran a loving hand over the Wiccans disheveled hair. She left without speaking to Anya.
"Did she really have to toss me away?" The Ex-demon whined.
"Did you really have to say they might be dead" Willow snapped.
"Well they might" Anya pouted.
"How does Xander live with you?" Willow said with her temper in her voice.
"Naked mostly" Anya said honestly.
"Too much info" Willow complained. She fisted her eyes hoping the rub away the mental image Anya just placed there.
Buffy patroled the streets as well as the graveyards. She hoped to see them heading for home and much as she hoped not to see them. The Vampire activity had increased since Halloween and had Buffy worried for her two friends.
She'd been patroling for less than an hour and had encountered 6 vamps. They were all dust but four had sported the charm of the Vivione. "Please be safe" she whispered to the breeze.
Headlights temporarily threw off her Slayer vision before her pupils dilated to the new light. She eyed the passing car, noticing it was red and not the silver that Hyatt drove. She could hear loud music basing it's way through the metal shell when they were still 50 ft away from her. Buffy squinted and tried to act normal. Like she was just a girl walking home after dark.
The car pulled up beside her and the window slowly rolled down.
"Hey baby heading my way?" a masculine voice said from the open window.
"Oh I'm just heading home" Buffy said placing a fake nervousness in her voice. The breeze changed and she could smell death. Someone if not everyone in that car was dead, or undead.
"Hop in, we'll give you a ride" the boy who offered was attractive.
Buffy noticed that he cast no reflection in the side mirror "Sure" she climbed into the back seat "What kinda car is this?"
"It's an Echo" The driver said.
He cast no reflection either. Neither did the girl who sat beside her. But she was wearing a charm. Three posted.
"So when does your master wake up?" Buffy asked innocently as she met the women's eyes.
"What?" All three vamps chorused.
"Congratulations. Your dead" Buffy said before launching her attack.
Outside the car nothing appeared amiss. The little red car pulled over to the side of the road and shook a bit before it was still. A girl climbing out the drivers door and brushed off her pants. She then began sweeping what looked like dirt piles out of the seats, before climbing back in turning down the music rolling the windows down and leaving.
Hyatt took Tara home. They entered through the front door using Tara's key.
"I thought I'd die when he-" Hyatt laughed.
"I know" Tara joined in.
"Tara, your home" Dawn came down the stairs and hugged the Wiccan to her. Shopping bags and all.
"Yeah I'm here. Were you worried?" Tara dropped the bags, and embraced the smaller girl.
"Buffy called and asked if you were here. I told her you weren't. She said to call Willow at the Magic Box when you came home" Dawn rushed to say. It was then she noticed the other woman "Who are you?"
"Dawn, this is Hyatt, Hyatt this is Buffy's little sister Dawn" Tara said before grabbing the phone and dialing the number from memory.
"You look alot like one of my friends" Dawn said circling the older woman.
"I do who? And please don't circle me" Hyatt said turning to follow Dawn's progessive circle.
"She doesn't like it when I do that either" Dawn stopped "Her name is Ayumi"
"Ayumi Al-Faqadi?" Hyatt asked.
"Yeah. You know her?" Danw sat down on the couch and gave Hyatt a serious once over.
"I should. She's my little sister" Hyatt laughed "I didn't know she had any friends"
"You'd be surprised" Dawn said cryptically.
"Somehow I think I would be" Hyatt deadpanned.
"Ok Willow. You'll tell Buffy when she shows up?" Tara finished her call "I love you too baby. G'bye" She turned to Hyatt "We're in trouble" Tara singsoned.
"We came bearing gifts" Hyatt tried.
"That might distract her for a hot minute" Dawn said helpfully "But did you bring me anything?"
"Yeah we did" Tara rummaged through the bags she and Hyatt had lugged in "Ah" she said and picked up the entire bag "This is yours"
Dawn accepted the bag "All of it?" she tested the weight "This is kinda heavy"
"Yup all of it" Tara smiled "I think we got the right size"
"This had to put a good dent in your bank account" Dawn remarked as she climbed the stairs.
"No. Just my allowance" Hyatt whispered to Tara.
"Was what all your allowance?" Tara asked.
"Not even half. And that was for all of it" Hyatt motioned towards the group of bags on the floor.
"Are you gonna wait for them to get home?" Tara asked hopefully.
"Yeah. I can't leave you to face them alone" Hyatt took a seat on the couch.
"Good. So how do you feel about Buffy" Tara took the cushion next to her.
Spike listened raptly from the basement stairs.
Buffy pulled up to the Magic Box in her newly pilfered car. She honked twice and saw Willow peek through the window. Buffy hung out of the car window and waved.
Willow disappeared from view and came out of the door moments later "They're at your house" She said climbing into the passenger side "Where'd you get this car?"
"I stole it from some vamps" Buffy said proudly "It's brand spankin new too"
"Can we keep it?" Willow asked hopefully.
"I don't see why not. Your gonna have to hack us up the title and stuff though" Buffy said "So off to my house to claim the wayward women right?"
"Yes" Willow pulled on her seat belt. She sniffed briefly "Buffy no more slaying vamps in the car please?"
"Ok" Buffy agreed "The stench is bad isn't it"
"Nothing a little Fabreeze can't cure" Willow said ever optimistic.