SPLIT SOULS

Buffy awoke to the sound of her alarm roaring to life, then instantly hit snooze. It wasn't her fault the sun wanted to rise so early was it? No. And it was with that comforting thought that she began easily leading herself back into the land of sleeping slayers.

"BUFFY!" someone shouted into her room.

"Aghh…what?" she groaned trying to wrap the pillow around her head.

"That's the third time I've called for you." Joyce chided. "Didn't you say you had to meet up with Mr. Giles early today?" Or was I just imagining your insistence this past week?" Buffy groaned pulling the pillow tighter around her head.

"What time is it?" she questioned knowing her mother was still standing in her doorway.

"It's after six."

"Great." She mumbled. Fifteen whole minutes to get over to the magic box. But at least it was early enough to where perhaps not too many people would witness her in all her morning glory. Groaning she pulled herself out of bed and stretched her mussels. "Could you maybe make me some coffee before I head out?"

"It's in the craft," Buffy nodded her thanks. "Long night?" Her daughter looked at her tiredly.

"The longest." Joyce laughed at this.

"Oh come on it was only studying? How bad could it be?"

"Yeah well you try studying after a whole night of playing body guard for the world and let's see how you fare." She mumbled rubbing at her eyes.

"Okay you win, go ahead and get ready."

A few minutes later after changing into a pair of jeans and white sweater she headed down stairs to join her mom.

"Here you go, black and two sugars as ordered." Buffy took the coffee gratefully taking a few sips trying to wake up. "So how was patrol last night? The world still safe and unharmed?"

"Yep as always."

"And my baby girl?" Joyce questioned a little more seriously noticing the slight bruising under her daughter's left eye. Buffy reached a hand up to her eye and winced at the slight swelling.

"A little worse for wear but altogether pretty good, just really tired. I came across some slug demon last night and let me just say eeewww. Part of the reason patrol took so long last night was because I didn't want to go anywhere near the damn thing. But no worries."

"Oh I'm always going to worry Buffy" she caught her daughter's expression darkening and quickly added "and it's not just because you're the slayer, it's simply because I'm a mom." Buffy smiled relieved in the fact that her and her mom finally had an open relationship; she hated hiding things from her. "And besides I know you can handle yourself and if not that's what I'm here for." She raised a brow at her mom.

"Yeah if I recall you were pretty scary in your skillet wielding days." She grinned remembering how her mom had knocked spike out cold with the frying pan last year.

"Oh sweaty you haven't seen nothing yet. Wait until I whip out the Tupperware now that's scary."

"Wow! Now, don't go scarring all the little future dust bunnies away now, I'll be out of a job, not that I get paid, but still." She glanced at the clock. "HEY!!!" she screwed up her nose seeing that it wasn't even six yet. She still technically had over a half an hour to get ready "That's just mean."

"Well I figured if I woke you up early you'd actually have time to wake up, plus I'm starved for company."

"You're twisted mind still manages to astound me." Buffy mumbled actually thankful to be up on time to get ready. "Thanks."

"No problem dear. Now why don't you do yourself a favor and go brush your hair."

"Ha-ha very funny." Joyce shook her head as she watched Buffy retreat into the bathroom. Then began to laugh knowing Buffy just got a glimpse of what she almost went out looking like.

"Okay I'm here." Buffy said entering the Magic Box and looking around. Not seeing anyone besides Anya at the register she headed into the back room thinking maybe Giles was getting things set up for some extra training. She stuck her head in. "Hey isn't there going to be anyone around to witness my once in a lifetime punctuality?" she looked around the empty room. "Huh? Curios, mats but no tweed." She glanced over at the ex vengeance demon who was just coming up from the basement, "Hey Anya, have you seen Giles?"

"Oh yes. He said that seeing that you would probably be late he was going to go ahead and finish picking up the last shipment we ordered and get it out of the way and if you happened to show up before he had gotten back than to just sit tight because he'll probably need your help unloading the order. Actually here he left you a note incase you showed up. Not that I read it or anything." Buffy just rolled her eyes and glanced at the note Anya had handed to her, knowing it would only repeat what she already knew. She read over the note briefly.

"Thanks." Anya had obviously read the note. Not that she was surprised.

"Hey Buffy are you going to be here until Giles gets back?" Anya asked looking at the register hesitantly."

"Yeah probably, why?"

"Well I know you're sale skills are probably little to none." She saw the slayers face drop. "But hey you're great at kicking things right?" She picked up an envelope and put it in her purse. "Anyway I need to take this check to the bank and since it's so early it's not very likely that there'll be any costumers wanting to spend there hard earned cash so I figured it would be okay if I left you to guard the register."

"Umm." She didn't know if she should feel insulted or not.

"Oh don't worry, I know watching the register is a very time consuming, tedious job, I mean it can even be scary. All that money and even more greedy people wanting to steel it." She smiled encouragingly at the slayer. But I'm sure you can handle it for about fifteen minutes."

"Sure…I think?"

"Good. I'm glad we understand each other. I'll be back shortly." And with that Anya headed out the door.

It was official; she would never understand that woman. EVER. Sighing she sat herself down behind the counter and pulled out her Calculus book hoping to maybe get some last minute studying in before the exam tomorrow, knowing she wouldn't be able to pull off an all nighter again. Though she really didn't see the point, considering she couldn't get past the second part of the review, not to mention understand the first.

"Not like I'll ever need it" she thought. "It's not likely that I'll even live through college, let alone have a career besides slaying." She sighed setting her head in her hands and focused on the problem in front of her.

A bell rang over the shop door; she assumed it was eighther Anya or Giles. But when she happened to glance up she was met with a pair of nervous blue eyes. A warm prickle ticked up her spine as they made eye contact. The girl before her gasped audibly than fumbled over her words "Um i-is there a M-Mr. Giles here?" Buffy was caught off guard by the girls affect on her but quickly recovered and offered her a smile, not really sure why her body had reacted that way, but deciding to ignore it for now.

"Yeah he should actually be getting back fairly soon, by the way I'm…"

"B-Buffy." The girl offered stuttering slightly then smiled holding Buffy's gaze captive.

"Uh yeah…" Buffy looked at the blonde puzzled, "should I be worried?" she meant it as sarcasms figuring that perhaps they had met and she had just forgotten but the blonde before her actually seemed to crumble in on herself.

"Y-you don't remember?" The girl's smile faltered obviously disappointed. Buffy looked at her again thoughtfully. Taking in the girl as a whole. Tall maybe a few inches taller than herself. Long blonde hair and the most gorgeous blue eyes she had ever seen. The intensity held her transfixed, she couldn't look away. When she realized she was staring she shook her head and frowned. The girl didn't seem particularly familiar but there was an air of resemblance, of something. If the warm tingle she was still feeling was any indication. "I-I'm sorry i-it's j-just...I." The blonde was stuttering terribly and blushed deeply dipping her head to hide behind her hair. When Buffy didn't say anything too struck by the familiarity of the move the girl turned to leave. Without thinking Buffy reacted reaching over the counter to stop her, grabbing her hand. The contact sent a jolt through the both of them.

"Wait." Buffy whispered trying to gather her thoughts, but they kept wondering back to the warmth and comfort she felt passing through her from the girl's hand, she searched her mind for a name but found none. Instead she was confronted by the memory of finding a girl, slowly being beaten to a bloody pulp back when she still went to Hemry. In a field close to where she did her patrols in one of L.A.'s cemetery's.

It had been late probably after two or three in the morning, her parents had gone out on a romantic weekend hoping to find what was missing in their relationship and weren't expected till late the next day. Merrick had insisted she lengthen her patrols during this time.

She had just been doing her last sweep of the night when she heard a scream coming from a nearby field. Without a second thought she followed the commotion expecting the usual but what she saw turned her stomach. A girl lay sprawled on the ground a group of three slowly taking turns at cheap shots to her gut. The girl looked up coughing up a mouthful of blood, pleading them to stop.

Even if they had heard her they didn't seem to notice. That's when a pair of terror filled eyes met Buffy's. She had just come into view of the others, and to her shock they weren't vampires at all but human. The rage at seeing this girl so broken at the hands of people she risked her life everyday to protect set her on a carnal attack. She reached for the largest of the three and pulled him off the ground by his collar, she could smell the liquor on his breath and snarled. Behind her the girl was gargling something that sounded like a warning from the ground. Buffy turned in time to see a baseball bat coming at her head. Without thinking she threw the man she was holding a good twenty feet and dodged the attack catching the bat mid swing, throwing her attacker off guard.

He looked at her in shock then fear his hands beginning to shake as he loosely held the bat. "Please don't…" he croaked out as she grinned. After freeing the bat from his hands she quickly sent him to the ground, with a hard crack to the ribs, followed by a knee to the groin.

"Now" she snarled to the youngest of the three who was trying to back away unnotice with a voice she herself hardly recognized. "As for you, get them out of here." The boy stared at her frozen. "NOW!!" snapping out of it he rushed over to the man she had thrown off in the field. Ignoring the body of the other who was still gasping on his knees and seeing no other threat she turned her attention back to the girl who was trying feebly to get up and failing miserably. When she saw Buffy making her way towards her she doubled her efforts whimpering in pain. "I'm not gonna hurt you." Buffy coaxed trying to erase the anger from her voice, even though her body was shaking with rage. Then she realized she was still holding the bat in her hand and that it was beginning to crack from her strained grip. She quickly loosened her hold, but the girl had seen

"W-What a-are y-y-you?" the girl choked out, still trying to back away from her. A growl could be heard in the distance. Buffy looked up catching movement heading their way, and groaned. She had been hoping to get the girl out of here before they had attracted too much attention. She checked behind her and watched as the three men left in an old pickup truck. She realized sadly that had they hung around she would of let the vampires have them and wouldn't have been phased. Probably would have been doing the world a favor. She looked back over at the girl and realized that they still needed to get out of there.

"Look I'm not going to hurt you…" the growls were growing louder "But right now we need to get out of here and the sooner the better is so looking to be a positive option." The girl stared at Buffy for a long moment studying her, a perplexed look occasionally crossing her face. Finally she shook her head as if puzzled than looked at Buffy as if something didn't fit.

"W-what are y-you?" she asked again almost in wonderment suddenly no longer fearful.

"Very, very hungry" Both blondes turned their heads to look into a pair of golden eyes. The girl before Buffy gasped than was once again trying to get up.

"Just stay down," she whispered to the girl not wanting her to hurt herself, than stood to intercept the vampire as he charged, making sure to keep the split bat from view.

"Really me too!" she addressed the vampire, "But if it wasn't for you I could be at home eating a nice yogurt right about now, but no, you guys have to ruin everything." She roundhoused the side of his head sending him to the ground.

"I'm going to gut you girl." He snarled jumping up and swinging at her head.

"Actually" she joked side stepping his attacks "I changed my mind; I could really go for a stake I mean hey I'm a growing girl."

"Wh-" the vampire looked down at the bat protruding from his chest in shock than turned to dust.

"Gotta love the protein." she smiled at her own little pun, as corny as it was then turned to find the girl just staring at her. "Um…" At that point the girl fainted. Sighing Buffy reached for the sleeping girl, glad she didn't have to explain herself right at that very moment and being careful not to jostle her too much quickly made her way home.

When she got to her house she set the still sleeping girl on the couch and quickly checked for any broken bones and after only finding one of her lower ribs cracked she sighed in relief. It wasn't bad enough to take her to the hospital so she figured it would be best to just wrap them and let her sleep for now. She had had a rough night and needed to rest, the girl could decide what she wanted to do about her attackers in the mourning.

After getting the first aid kit from her room and returning, the girl was starting to come to. "How do you feel?" She asked wincing herself as she saw the girl grab her side. She knew what it felt like to break a rib, she had broken a few herself in the past. "Can I get you something?" the girl looked at her confused than realization dawned on her.

"Uh could I-I maybe have some W-Water or s-something?"

"Yeah I'll be right back." Buffy got up and headed to the kitchen getting a glass to fill with water along with a few aspirins figuring it would probably help her sleep. She filled the glass then returned to the living room handing the girl both the water and the aspirins.

"T-thank you." She said before downing half the water and taking the aspirins. When she had finished she looked at Buffy confused. "H-how did I g-get here?" She paused then added, remembering the girl's obvious strength. "T-That was s-stupid w-wasn't i-t?" when Buffy didn't say anything she quickly looked down at her hands allowing her hair to fall around her face. "H-how d-did…" she tapered off then started again. "W-What did you d-do to them?"

"Mostly just scarred them off but hopefully gave them something to think about as well." The girl nodded her understanding still keeping her head down. "Did you know them?"

"Y-yes." The girl whispered tensing. Buffy wasn't quite sure if she should pry, she didn't want the girl to close up.

"Did you want to call the police or-?"

"No." for the first time the girl hadn't stuttered, Buffy took that as a sign to just leave it alone.

"Um I already checked to see if you had broken anything, and I don't think you have but you do have at least a fractured rib or two, it's really not worth going to the hospital though unless you feel you should." The girl nodded again not saying anything. "If you want to go home…" Buffy didn't miss how the girl's body went rigid at the mention of going home. "You don't want to go home do you?"

"N-no not r-right n-now." She looked at Buffy nervously. "I-I don't want to t-t…" she trailed off again allowing her hair to hide her face. Buffy reached over pushing the girl's hair back behind her ear causing the girl to look up at her. Striking blue eyes met her own. Now that she could see the girls face she admitted to herself that even despite the bruises the girl was quite attractive. This thought kind of shocked the slayer though. She had never looked at another woman in any more than a friendly type of way, and a girl who she had just met let alone the fact that she was horny from slaying wasn't the place to start playing analyzer. Putting her knew conflicting thoughts to the side she focused on the topic at hand.

"Well you're welcome to stay here if you want." Buffy offered holding her gaze.

"T-thank you." The girl said looking down finally breaking eye contact with the slayer and ran a finger over her swollen lip.

"Okay well if your going to stay why don't we get you cleaned up and I'll give you a change of cloths and then maybe we can wrap your ribs okay?" When the girl nodded she reached behind her producing the first aid kit and pulled out some antiseptic and a clean rag to wash some of the small cuts on the girl's arms and face with. After pouring some of the alcohol on the rag she began to gently rub at the girls arms not wanting to hurt her. When she had finished with the girl's arms she moved to her face. Seeing that her split lip was the worst of it she went for it first. "This may sting." She whispered, leaning in dabbing lightly on and around the wound.

"I-I don't e-even know y-your name." the girl mumbled tears coming to her eyes at how gentle Buffy was being.

"Buffy." She supplied moving up to another cut beside her eyebrow when the pouty lips were becoming too distracting. When she noticed the tears coming to the girls eyes she pulled back. "What's wrong? We can use water if it stings too much…"thinking that perhaps it was she was just about to head back to the kitchen when the girl grabbed her hand stopping her.

"N-no it's o-okay. R-really." She took a deep breath. "I-It's just been a r-really long night is all." She looked down at the hand she was still holding and quickly released it. "S-sorry." Buffy frowned at the loss of contact but quickly tried to hide it.

"It's okay. How about I finish with this and if you want I'll give you a shirt to wear that'll be easier to sleep in?" She indicated the dirty blood stiffened shirt the girl had on.

"P-please?"

"Not a problem." Buffy sat back down returning to the minor cuts on the girls face before noticing the ones on her hands and knuckles. "Here." Buffy reached for the girl's hands and began cleaning them while being mindful of the bruises beginning to show, trying to cause her as little pain as possible. But that wasn't all she was being mindful of, as she continued to methodically clean the girl's hands she began to notice the warmth radiating through her at their point of contact and also the way her heart was seeming to pick up on its own accord. Once again pushing those thoughts aside she focused on finishing what she had started and not ogling the girl in front of her.

When she had finished she put the antiseptic away and retrieved a few wraps from the box and set them on the table. "I'm going to go and get you a T-shirt I'll be back in a minute." She got up and went to her room taking the first aid kit with her and put it away. Quickly she pulled out one of her larger shirts from the closet, one that had a Tweety bird on it and headed back down thankful that she had gotten a moment to get her pulse under control. "Here." She said handing the shirt to the girl. "You'll only need to hold the shirt about halfway up in order for me to wrap your ribs. So if you want to change first I can just wrap your ribs when you're done."

"T-thank you." She looked down at the shirt and grinned. Buffy's breath caught at how beautiful she looked when she smiled. "C-cute." She looked at Buffy her eyes twinkling. "I-I used to l-love t-tweety bird growing up."

"Me too."

"O-obviously." She said point blank giggling causing, Buffy to laugh with her.

"I'm just going to let you change and go try to find my dignity which just miraculously disappeared." She joked going into the kitchen to give the girl some privacy, "just yell when you've finished." After a few minutes the girl called saying she needed a little help getting the T-shirt on.

The button up shirt couldn't have been too difficult to get off but the T-shirt may have posed a problem with her ribs being so sensitive. "Sorry I should have thought of that." Buffy said as she stepped cautiously back into the room. She wasn't sure she could handle seeing the girl in only a bra. But to her relief the girl was just having trouble getting her the last arm through one of the arm holes. Breathing a sigh of relief she made her way over. "Hold on a second." She set her hand on the girls shoulder to get her to stop fidgeting and then pulled the shirt as far as it could stretch so the girl could put her arm through more comfortably, "Okay now just put your arm through."

"T-This is e-embarrassing."

"Don't worry, Tweety will behave himself from now on." She said helping the shirt over her arm making the other girl laugh "there, now if you can just hold the shirt so it doesn't fall I'll wrap your ribs." Buffy smiled hearing the girl laugh and reached for the ace bandage to wrap around the girls ribs while she held her shirt. Even in the dim light she could see the beginning of some pretty serious bruises forming over almost perfect cream colored skin. "Is this too tight?" she asked when she had finished.

"N-no it's perfect, t-thank you B-buffy." She smiled at Buffy before looking more serious. "I-I don't know w-why or h-how but…" tears began weling in her eyes again.

"Shhh." Buffy sat in front of the girl and wiped at the tears falling down her face. "It'll be okay I promise." As the girl continued to cry Buffy eventually sat down next to her and wrapped her arms around her trying to sooth her crying until it subsided. "Shh, I won't let them hurt you anymore." She kept on talking to her whispering soft encouragements until she felt the girl relax.

After the girls tears had finally subsided Buffy looked down and saw that the girl had fallen asleep obviously exhausted. Carefully she laid the girl down on the couch and lay a blanket over her. "goodnight." She whispered before heading to her own room, thoughts of the shy blonde filling her head.

The next morning she went downstairs to check on the patient but was stunned to find her gone. She scowered the house but all she found was the girl's bloodstained shirt that she had thrown away before going to sleep the night before. The only evidence proving it hadn't been a dream. When she thought about trying to reach her she realized that she didn't even know the girls name. Deciding that she was probably a student at Hemry she figured she'd eventually run into her at school, but when that didn't happen she didn't know what to think. All she could do was pray that perhaps when she checked the yearbook that came out in another month that maybe she'd find her in there, something anything to go on. She needed to know she was safe.

Thoughts of the girl who she had saved plagued her for weeks. Then Merrick had died at the hands of a master vampire and everything had been put on hold. Then she had faced off with the master and burned down the school gym which in turn had gotten her expelled. She had looked for the girl a few times after her expulsion but when her parents had finally decided there was nothing left of their marriage to salvage and her mom had decided to move them onto a hell mouth she had eventually forgotten about the whole thing, along with just about everything else that had happened back in L.A.

Finally realizing where the girl was from caused a smile to form on her face. When she noticed the girl was still hiding behind her hair she reached up and pushed it behind her ear causing the blonde to look at her with curious eyes. "Sorry. I never did get your name." Buffy whispered feeling a warm buzz pass through her at the brief contact. Not believing that the girl that had haunted her dreams for weeks was now standing before her.

Shining blue eyes rose to meet hers and her breath caught. The girl she admitted to herself was still breathtakingly beautiful.

"T-Tara" the girl murmured without breaking eye contact. "S-so you r-remember…"

"Yeah." Buffy breathed squeezing the hand she still held gently "It took me a moment but yeah." She looked at the taller blonde concerned "How come you pulled the disappearing act on me?" she asked just speaking the first thing to come to mind. "Sorry that's none of my business."

"N-No it's o-okay a-after I left-" she was cut off as Anya burst into the store, followed by a blushing Giles.

"Buffy!" Anya yelled running into the store and pulling Buffy out of her trance, "Go find orgasm buddies elsewhere, this is a business. Try to be professional will you!" Giles just groaned whipping his glasses off, cleaning them against his shirt.

"Anya please." He begged. Buffy looked down and realized she was still holding Tara's hand and quickly dropped it wanting to smack herself in the head for being so stupid.

"She didn't scare you off did she?" Anya asked addressing Tara who was blushing terribly now and looking at the floor. "Giles do something we might lose her." Anya stage whispered to Giles, the thought of loosing out on a sale making her fearful.

"Anya if anyone has scared the poor girl off I would have to say it would be you." Giles commented returning his glasses to his face.

"Buffy do you think you could unload this order, it's rather heavy and I don't think my conscious would let me leave this girl alone with Anya." Buffy smiled at Giles attempt at humor.

"Actually I think Tara was looking for you." He looked at the taller blonde and smiled.

"Yes dear what can I do for you?"

"P-perhaps we c-could speak in private?" she asked glancing nervously at Buffy and Anya. Seeing Giles raised brow she quickly added. "Lucinda sent me." The older man's eyes lit up.

"Ah yes Tara, I'm sorry Lucinda had told me your flight wouldn't get in until later this afternoon." He reached over to shake the girl's hand. "It's good to see you, I trust you had a decent trip?" he questioned.

"Y-yes it w-was fine thank you." She glanced at Buffy who was looking at the two of them confused. Giles caught the girl's line of vision and remembered that he still hadn't had a chance to inform Buffy of the girl's arrival.

"Ah yes," he released Tara's hand and looked at Buffy "This is Tara Maclay…an old friend of mine suggested that she may be of some help to us concerning the hellmouth and its recent activity." Buffy nodded for him to go on. "She has been recommended and highly advised by many of her predecessors to come here where she might be able to make use of her powers." That last sentence caught Buffy's attention.

"Powers?" Buffy questioned looking at the girl before her and remembering how they had met. "She's not another slayer is she…Because unless I died and simply don't remember…Oh god Faith! Did Faith die?" she questioned getting antsy thinking of something happening to her sister slayer who had been placed on a smaller hellmouth in Cleveland. Tara turned shocked eyes on Buffy when she had mentioned the word slayer, then something seemed to dawn on her.

"S-so that's w-why?" Tara said more to herself, but Buffy caught it and taking it the wrong way began to pace which caused Tara to stare at her in surprise.

"Buffy calm down please." Giles attempted levity on the girl. "Not quite sure what had gotten in to her.

"Calm down? CALM DOWN?!! Giles, how did it happen?" Buffy paused for moment thinking. "No never mind I don't want details?" Buffy rubbed her face then looked up sharply. "Wait I take it back yes I do! How? When? And more importantly why wasn't I told?" She ran her hands through her hair roughly then whispered to herself. "I knew we shouldn't have left her there to fend for herself…I just wish-"

"BUFFY!" Giles yelled over the slayers ranting finally catching onto what Buffy was getting at. Buffy looked at him sadness written across her features. "Nobody died." He said more calmly after having gotten the slayers attention. The look of relief flooding her face eventually turned to one of embracement, than aggravation.

"What were trying to do? Give me a heart attack?" she looked at a giggling Tara than back at Giles. "I can't believe I just went on like that." She said blushing then turning an icy look on Giles. "I can't believe you just let me go on like that."

"I actually thought it was quite funny watching you make an idiot of yourself in front of the new girl." Anya offered indicating Tara. Buffy groaned.

"Thank you Anya." Buffy said tightly, Anya quickly becoming one of her least favorite people at the moment.

"Sorry but I was only stating the obvious." The ex vengeance demon said trying to defend herself ducking behind the counter.

"Quite." Giles added to himself then quickly shut his mouth and tried a different approach catching the slayers glare. "Perhaps we should get back on topic?" Giles offered.

"Go on." Buffy growled still not happy with how they all seemed to be ganging up her.

"Anyway as I was saying Tara is a very powerful-" Anya piped up enthusiastically.

"Witch."

"Sorceress." Giles corrected. Buffy cast a surprised look at Anya then looked at Giles questioningly.

"There's a difference?" To her knowledge they were one of the same. Potato, Patoto she thought.

"Yes there is and quite. Had you read the handbook you would have known." Giles reprimanded still annoyed at Buffy's refusal to do so.

"Hey I read some of it." Buffy shot back at her watcher.

"Despite common belief the cover does not count." Giles countered making Buffy blush.

"M-Maybe I should explain." Tara offered trying to ease the tension. Buffy looked at Tara to go on "A-A witch is taught or l-learns on her own time…" "Tara tried to explain. "W-While a sorceress is s-someone w-who is taught from the time she is born the magic already existing in her b-blood." She smiled at Buffy who still didn't seem to quite understand the difference. "A sorceress is m-more powerful b-because the magic in her b-blood holds the power of her a-ancestors and is passed down to her." She grinned as Buffy returned her smile in understanding then watched as the slayer frowned thinking about the night all those years ago.

"So how come…?" Buffy caught herself mid sentence catching a nervous look from Tara. "…You've decided to join us in SunnyHell?" Buffy said quickly "I mean sure the weathers nice, but really that's about it." She joked hoping no one noticed her falter. Tara nodded her appreciation at Buffy's diversion from her original question.

"L-Lucinda the head of the coven I was a p-part of suggested I offer my services here since there w-wasn't much more she thought the c-coven could offer me in t-terms of expanding my abilities." She looked at the slayer slyly. "P-plus r-rumor about a girl called the s-slayer caught my interest." She gave Buffy a knowing look which caused the Slayer to flash her a brilliant smile. The thought of being one of the reasons Tara had decided to come to Sunnydale making her stomach flutter.

"Really?" Buffy asked still smiling Tara nodded.

"Tara?" Giles asked catching the look passing between the two girls. "Have you met Buffy before?"

"Y-yes…" Tara stammered being caught off guard. Buffy saw the quick change in expressions and looked at her watcher surprised he had put that together.

"See I told you they were orga-" Buffy shot Anya a look daring her to continue. "Never mind." Without missing a beat Buffy turned back to Giles.

"We met in L.A. one night when I was on patrol." Tara found her voice.

"I-I w-was out t-too l-late and a vampire a-attacked m-me…Buffy s-saved me." She looked down knowing not likeing lying to the older man, though it wasn't a complete lie. A vampire had attacked them. Giles looked at Tara thoughtfully then back at Buffy who confirmed what Tara had said.

"Yeah she had gotten a little roughed up so I brought her to my house and let her stay the night. The next morning she left before I had a chance to wake up and see her off."

"It w-was actually because of Buffy t-that I began my training. M-My m-mother had taught me some b-but…I never s-started to really take it s-seriously until a-after our meeting" Giles ran the information through his mind seeing it to be rather prophetic, knowing that Tara was now possibly one of the strongest sorceresses he had ever met and also knowing that even she probably had no inclination to the powers that she truly held and for them to be reunited at a time like this and on the Hellmouth?

"I see well perhaps a meeting of fate then?" he offered trying to recall if he had read anything pertaining to this in one of his texts.

"P-Perhaps." Tara agreed loosely, looking back over at Buffy who seemed to be off in her own little world and smiled lovingly at the slayer. "B-Buffy do you thing y-you could show me around later?" she paused then stuttered out "T-that is i-if you w-want to…"

"I'd love to." Buffy piped up eagerly then stopped to think remembering Tara's flight had come in earlier than expected.. "Have you had a chance to get settled in yet or are you going to need to take care of that first?"

"I'm actually g-going to be a student at the college out here." She glanced at where the slayer had left her Calculus book. "Maybe we'll have some of the same c-classes t-together?" then quickly looked down blushing when Buffy flashed a huge smile. "I-I ugh d-dropped my things off there e-earlier…" watching the very obvious adoring interaction between the girls made Giles smile. He hadn't seen Buffy so genuinely happy in months, not since Faith had been deported to Cleveland and Angel finally leaving for L.A.

"Buffy perhaps you could show Tara around while I put away the new shipments it'll take a few hours to tally the accounts?" he watched as Buffy grinned eagerly practically bouncing on her toes.

"Did you still want me to unload the car?"

"No go ahead I'm sure I can manage it on my own." Buffy looked at him questioningly.

"Are you sure?" She pointed towards the car, "It would only take a second?"

"No go on Buffy I may be old but I'm not crippled." Giles added somewhat offended. Buffy turned to look at Tara.

"So would you like to tour the magnificent Hellmouth to which I call home?" Tara giggled at Buffy's pour attempt at an English accent then covered her mouth in attempts to muffle it. "Well I thought it was pretty good?" Buffy added pouting.

"It was." Tara agreed still giggling. "Really." Anya and Giles both snorted causing Buffy to blush.

"Hey!" she narrowed her eyes on the watcher. "I hope you're planning on wearing the body suite today, cuz I'm gonna totally womp on you later." Tara laughed at Giles mock terror already knowing Buffy wouldn't hurt the older man.

"B-Behave." She whispered in Buffy's ear sending a chill down the slayers spine.

"I'd rather not." Buffy whimpered out then realized as she heard Anya try and muffle her laughter with a cough that she had said that out loud. "Maybe we should go?" she suggested blushing hard knowing the ex demon knew exactly what she had meant by that particular comment and not wanting to stick around to hear her voice it. She looked at Tara who just smiled and followed her to the door. "Giles we'll be back in a few hours." She held the door open for the blonde letting her exit first.

"Alright Buffy have fun." Giles said turning to look at Anya who was still laughing. Buffy just groaned and let the door close as she heard a snorted "yeah" come from inside.

(okay first chapter here what do you think?) Feedback is a beautiful thing ya know...hint hint