Chapter – 21

It was the slight dipping of the bed from her lover's weight that woke her from her nap. She peeked out from under long lashes and found her lover watching her.

"Staring," she murmured huskily.

"I prefer, gazing adoringly..."

"Smirking now."

"I prefer, smiling lovingly..."

"Lying now."

"I prefer…" A deep breath, an arched eyebrow, and a grin, then softly "…absolutely… but you love me anyway."

"I prefer… like a lot."

"Touché."

With a smirk of her own, she asked sitting up, "Was I asleep long?"

"Around three hours, I would have let you sleep longer, except rumor has it that Faith is being cut loose today." Kennedy leaned in and planted a soft kiss on Willow's lips. Even after ten years, the same electric shudder ran through her body just like it had the very first time she had kissed Willow. Even more so now, because after all these years, Kennedy finally knew without a shred of doubt that Willow loved, was in love with her just as deeply as she was with Willow. All the doubts she had carried around for the past decade over whether Willow could ever love her as deeply, as passionately, and as truly as she had Tara were finally laid to rest.

Faith, Bo and Lauren weren't the only ones the night of the rescue that had experienced the almost other worldly exchange of chi, both Kennedy and Willow had experienced it too. Somehow, and after two weeks Willow had yet to figure out exactly how, when Willow had extended the healing circle around Kennedy to include Faith, she had somehow tapped into the exchange of chi and all the emotions it was carrying.

For those few brief seconds, not only had Willow and Kennedy experienced what the other three felt about each other, somehow, someway what Willow and Kennedy felt for each other got added into the mix and it had been glorious.

As abruptly as it started, it ended, and Willow's healing spell was once more just a healing spell, but…

The memory, the taste, the feelings, they lingered on.

The accidental hijacking of chi, and the effects of that chi upon them had been a blessing in disguise. It had opened both Willow and Kennedy's eyes, as well as the lines of communication between them and for that they both would be eternally grateful.

As wonderful as it was, still was, it had broken Willow's heart a little to realize that Kennedy even after ten years of being together still had doubts about the depth of the love Willow felt for her. Had felt that she was and always would be Willow's second choice, believed whole-heartily that if Tara were to walk through the door that Willow would walk away without a glance, without a word.

Now though all those doubts had been shredded, and Kennedy knew that Willow loved her just as deeply, just as passionately, just as truly as she had and still loved Tara. Not any more, not any less, but utterly and completely the same. Willow might have fallen in love with them for different reasons, but in love with them both she was. Kennedy was wise enough to understand there was and always would be a part of Willow that belonged and was in love with Tara. And she was also wise enough, finally, to realize that in no way did it lessen or take away from what Willow felt for her.

They had talked for hours on end the day after the rescue, talked in a way neither was sure they ever had before. New life had been infused into their relationship and in some ways it felt like they were falling in love all over again.

It hadn't ended with the exchange of emotions though, both felt more connected to not just each other, but to everyone around them, as well as what them different from most of the human race. Willow to the earth and her magic and Kennedy to what made her a Slayer.

Neither however, had mentioned to anyone else what they had experienced that night, though they both agreed they needed at the very least to talk to Bo, if not Faith and Lauren too.

Together they had decided to wait until Faith was released from the Ash's medical center to approach Bo and if the rumor Kennedy had heard and what had sent her upstairs to wake Willow was true, it seemed today would be that day.

But first things first. They needed to find Faith before she tried to leave the Ash's compound. As Willow got up off the bed, she had to wonder how the hell she had allowed Giles and Trick to convince her and Kennedy to be the ones to tell not just Faith, but both Bo and Lauren, that at least for the foreseeable future, they were all going to be roomies.

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"Well?" Faith asked as she rushed out of the bathroom, still dripping wet, having thrown on her jeans and t-shirt without bothering to dry herself when she heard Lauren enter her room.

"Ever hear of a towel," Lauren asked with a smirk.

Faith just shot her a look, not bothering to answer. Lauren's smirk just grew larger and earned her another dirty look and an arched eyebrow from the Dark Slayer.

When Lauren saw Faith start to tap her foot impatiently she decided to give in and tell her what she wanted to hear. "Everything looks good, if you were human, I'd say way above exceptional. But not really knowing your physiology I'm not sure what average is, or above average for a 'Triune', or even a Slayer, so good is arbitrary. Maybe I should have Buffy, Kennedy and a few other Slayers come in to do the same tests as you did so I can get some sort of comparison, a base line. I'll should talk to Giles, maybe he has something already, I'm sure that council of his… or maybe not… considering there was only one Slayer at a time…"

Faith rolled her eyes, Lauren had her own version of a Willow babble, though usually it had a whole bunch of medical terms thrown in and both Faith and Bo were in agreement that Lauren's Dr. Geek speak was kinda hot. And that was a random thought, one she shouldn't be having and just another reason she needed to get away from Wonderland, Bo and Lauren. "Lauren!"

"Oh, sorry," Lauren gave Faith a sheepish smile, "I'm releasing you, though I do want to see you again in five days for a checkup and possibly a few more tests, I still haven't figured out what that last drug is."

"Fine, fine." Faith said, half assed listening to her. She grabbed her packed bag off the bed and was out the door before Lauren could say anything else.

"Good-bye to you too, Faith," Lauren mumbled under her breath, "…and thanks for saving my life and…" Lauren kept right on mumbling under her breath as she left the room and headed in the same direction that Faith went, it was time she went home too.

She had yet to be back home since she'd been abducted, and the thought of going there quickly had her stomach tied up in knots. She couldn't bear to be alone for more than a few minutes at a time, the panic and fear would slam into her, and leave her shaken down to her very core. She would find herself running down the corridor to Faith's hospital room, praying that someone, anyone would be there. She found too that she couldn't close her eyes to sleep unless Faith was nearby, even Bo couldn't keep the nightmares away. She didn't know what the hell she was going to do once she went home. Maybe she could just crash in Faith's hospital room for another night, she didn't think anyone would mind, after all she had to be back here later to meet Faith and Bo. She made a U-turn and started heading back to her lab, still rationalizing her reasons for not wanting to be alone or go home, while a part of kept whispering just what a chicken-shit she was.

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Faith was staring deeply into her very large glass of Jack, neat. It was her third, a little bit of liquid courage before the big talk between her, Lauren and Bo. The day had gone to hell in a hand basket, in fact it had taken the non-stop express there.

Willow and Kennedy had ambushed her as she was getting ready to leave the medical center. She stood there dumbfounded as they explained to her, while she could leave the medical center… she couldn't go home.

Giles and Trick had spent two days questioning Chao-ahn, who had been, thanks to Vex's quick thinking captured, while the others had been fixated on everything else that was happening that night after Chao-ahn had shot Kennedy and Faith. They had learned little of the who, what or where of Cailleach, or even what her plan was or ultimately what she was after. She was a mystery even to those she surrounded herself with. The only information that Chao-ahn had to offer was that Cailleach wasn't after just Faith, but Bo and Willow too and she only knew that because she had accidentally overheard a conversation between Cailleach and the Norn, who was still nameless.

Why Cailleach was interested in Willow and Bo was unknown to Chao-ahn, but to Giles and Trick it actually made sense. Why settle for one bad ass, when you can have three? They knew it wasn't as simple as that though, there was more to this than just what they were seeing. However, with this key piece of information both Giles and Trick agreed, that the merry chase the five rogue Slayers had led Faith on was all part of the plan to get her here to Wonderland, and had Faith not found Bo on her own, Cailleach would have found a way for them to meet.

With this knowledge Giles and Trick had decided it wasn't safe for her to go home, or any of them for that matter, so… for the foreseeable future, not just she, but Willow, Kennedy, Buffy, Kenzi, Bo and Lauren would all be staying here… together… in a guest house on the property of the Ash's compound. She didn't need to hear anything else after that. She could give two shits, what their reasons were, and while there was a part of her that understood completely without needing all the reasons why it wasn't safe, and even agreed, knowing that it was a decision, if the shoe had been on the other foot, that she herself would have made, there was another part of her that went into total panic mode at the thought of being cooped up with Bo and Lauren for only the goddess knew how long.

And while she sincerely wished them the best, truly believed she wanted Bo and Lauren's relationship to work, she sure as fuck didn't want to have it rubbed in her face day in and day out. She needed time and space away from them and staying in the same house was just too goddamn much to ask, her heart and soul were already breaking, this would shatter them completely.

She had briefly thought about bolting, but after everything everyone had gone through in the last few weeks she couldn't do that to them again. So she had squashed down the panic and went with them, first home to pack and then back to the compound to the 'guest' house that was to be her home sweet home until Cailleach was put down like the rabid dog she was.

With a heavy sigh she got up from the barstool, and caught sight of herself in the large mirror behind the bar. She had been too lost in her own inner turmoil when she had been getting dressed to realize that unconsciously she had wrapped herself up in her own version of protective armor.

Hair wild, the finger-run thru it look, or as she heard someone say once, the just fucked look. Make-up dark and heavier than she had worn in years, the black kohl eyeliner making her eyes secretive and fierce. Dark, blood red lipstick. Skin tight black leather biker pants, Doc Martins and a semi see-thru long sleeve black shirt. Her thick rubber belt, which she didn't even remember packing, let alone putting on, snug around her hips. Thick heavy silver chain, a one-of-a-kind, handcrafted naked women, knees drawn up and arms wrapped securely around them, head resting on the top of her knees dangled from the chain. Large, thick black double buckle strapped bracelet on her wrist, and silver rings on each finger.

What the hell had she been thinking? This was how she had dressed to keep the rest of the world at arm's length, it was her defensive armor. She had thought she wasn't that person anymore, didn't need to hide behind that outer defensive shell, but somewhere inside though she was, that much was glaringly obvious.

She tossed back the Jack in one long gulp. Fuck this! She wasn't going to do it, she had done this once already, she didn't need to do it again. She couldn't, she wouldn't, she slammed the glass down on the bar and turned to leave. She made it two steps when the door on the other side of the room opened and Lauren came strolling in, making a bee-line straight for the bar. Seemed she wasn't the only one that needed some liquid courage. There would be no escaping now, and Faith wasn't sure if she was relieved or scared as hell, quite possibly it was a little of both.

"Might as well pour me another while you're at it Rocky."

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Lauren actually jumped at the sound of Faith's raspy voice. She had been so focused on having a drink or two, or four, before the 'talk', that she hadn't even seen the Slayer. She figured she would be the first to arrive. Coming here had been her only option because pacing around in her brand spanking new room alone for the next three hours before their meet and grieve time just didn't work for her. So here she was, and she wasn't surprised, not really, to see Faith here too.

"Poison?" She asked, and turned to look at Faith and read her in one quick glance. From Faith's defensive posture, the way she was dressed, her make-up, no one had to tell Lauren that Faith was in fight or flight mode. Had anyone asked how she knew, she would have told them it was because she had come to know Faith so very well over their confinement, but that would have been a half truth. Even without all the intimate knowledge she had of Faith, all Lauren would have to do was look at her own reflection in the mirror and it would tell her everything she needed to know, because like Faith, she too had unconsciously reverted back into her own version of defensive armor.

Hair pin straight, parted down the middle. Dark green eye shadow, thick darker green eyeliner, the line extended past the edge of her eyes giving her a decidedly exotic, almost tribal look. Dark chocolate lipstick. Painted on well-worn ripped black stretch denim, a pair of steeled toed combat boots. Black faded D.O.A band shirt, the one with skull and wings graphic, sleeves cut off. Silver choker with a woman's symbol dangling from it. Silver and dark brown leather cuff, on one wrist, and silver rings, like Faith, on each finger.

"Jack, neat." Answered, while eyes lazily inspected.

Lauren poured them both a large Jack, she slid one down the bar to Faith. She tossed the Jack back in one long pull and poured herself another, then smirked at the arched eyebrow the Slayer gave her. She picked the glass up again, only this time she just took a sip, even though she wanted to throw it back in one shot, but she refused to give into the panic she was starting to feel again.

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Faith covertly watched Lauren as she sipped the Jack. She had no problem reading Lauren, she knew Lauren just as intimately as Lauren knew her. It was almost a relief that Lauren was in fight or flight mode, just like she. The nervous jerky tapping of Lauren's finger on the bar, the defensive posture and the panic that Faith could almost feel coming from Lauren bothered her though.

It upset, and sadden her to think that her presences or anyone else's could make Lauren feel this way. They had been through hell and high water together and the fierce protectiveness she had felt towards Lauren in that hellhole hadn't simply disappeared once they were rescued and Faith doubted that it ever would. She knew too that fierce protectiveness was a two-way street. She wondered if it sadden Lauren too, that being around each other made them both feel this way.

As much as she kept telling herself that she needed time and space from both Lauren and Bo, she had to wonder how long she really could have stayed away. This was her home, this was her family, and the thought of not seeing or talking to either of them, any of them on daily basis was unimaginable, unacceptable to her in the cold light of day.

It was time to suck it up. She wasn't the first woman on the face of the earth to have her heart broken. It would hurt like bloody hell, and she was sure there would be many nights spent crying into her pillow, cursing the world, love and everything in-between. Hell she might even resent Lauren and Bo a little for what they had, but she would survive. Besides wasn't it lesbian law that you had to be friends with your exes and their new loves?

She picked up her drink and ambled down to the other end of the bar, she stood close to Lauren and nudged her lightly with her shoulder.

"I never did thank you for saving me…" Faith said softly.

"Or I you, for saving me…" Lauren said just as softly.

They both knew without any more words spoken that they were talking about more than just what happened the night of the rescue. They had saved each other in that dark, dank, horror filled place. There would be a time, somewhere in the future when they might sit down and talk about it all, but tonight wasn't that night.

"I'm not…"

"Neither am I…"

Again, they didn't need to lay it out on the table, the few words were enough for them both to understand that neither of them was ready to have this talk with Bo tonight. The hard stuff, the fighting, the agonizing talk could come later, tonight was a night to celebrate being alive. It was a night meant for drowning in the joy of coming out whole and sane from the hell they had been in before they jumped into a talk that could quite possibly leave all of them bloody puddles on the floor.

So fuck it, screw the serious talks, because they were both alive, and for right now that was enough. And as easy as that, the panic and nervousness completely drained away, and for now at least, all was right in the world.

Faith gave Lauren the once over and quirked an eyebrow.

Lauren answered the unspoken question. "From my hardcore days…" Lauren rolled her eyes, she felt a little silly, but silly or not she loved the way these jeans fit, they were completely and utterly broken in. "You?"

"Want, take, have, get some, get gone days…" Faith laughed. "Shot?" At Lauren's nod she vaulted over the bar, found the Jose Cuervo, grabbed two shot glasses and poured them each one. She grabbed the Jack bottle and the Jose and put them on the bar, then vaulted back over. She picked up both shot glasses, handed one to Lauren, raised hers, and tapped it against Lauren's, "To you, Rocky."

"And to you, Joe," Lauren replied. They both downed their shots and with a smile Lauren picked up the bottle intent on pouring them another.

Faith took out her cellphone while Lauren was pouring them another shot, she quickly typed a text message. She turned the phone around and showed the message to Lauren.

Lauren's shit eating grin when she read the text was answer enough. "Would you care to do the honors?" Faith asked, her own mouth turning up into a shit eating grin when Lauren hit send.

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Long determined strides carried her down the length of the hallway towards the Playroom. She was a half hour early but she wanted to be there already when Lauren and Faith arrived. She was glad she had insisted that they all talk, putting this off any longer would just make things worse, and would only ensure that they were all left bloody and broken.

Her head was clear for the first time in weeks, and she was glad she had given in and fed. Though she still felt guilty about it. Eventually she was going to have to learn how to deal with the guilt, but that was something to work on for another day, she had enough on her plate tonight as it was. She still didn't have a clue what she was going to say, but all of this needed to be brought out into the light of the day that much was clear. Scenario after scenario ran through her head as she walked the final steps and reached for the door.

Before Bo had a chance to open it she was assaulted by the opening strands of Aerosmith's, Walk this Way blaring almost ear shattering loud from behind the closed door.

What the fuck?

Half afraid of what she was going to find on the other side, she walked partially inside and into a party in full swing. She stopped dead in her tracks, mouth dropping open. As she looked around the room she realized that everyone who had been involved in the rescue was there, including Giles, Trick and Vex. Her head whipped around as the first sound of that whiskey voice came screaming through the stereo system.

'backstroke lover always hidin' 'neath the covers, till I talked to your daddy, he say, he said "you ain't seen nothin' till you're down on a muffin, then you're sure to be a-changin' your ways'

Bo blinked once, then again and shook her head, not believing what she was seeing or hearing. Faith, karaoke mic and stand in hand, crooning in a low, raspy, smoky voice that spoke of a multitude of promises, heat, desire, lust, carnality, sex. She strutted her way over to Lauren, who was halfway across the room, in the area they had cleared out to make a make-shift stage.

Lauren, hair hanging around her face, playing the air guitar like she was a rock star. Those long fingers dancing sensually along the imaginary strut of her guitar, decided to meet Faith halfway. When they were less than a foot from each other, Lauren tossed an air kiss at Faith, then with a smirk she turned and pranced away, Faith returned the smirk and she too turned and pranced away. They were poetry in motion, fluid, graceful and hot as all holy hell.

Bo watched them amazed, and totally turned on. After a few paces they both spun and started slithering their way towards each other again. They didn't stop until they were up close and personal. Faith sliding in tight, glued to Lauren's side, practically straddling Lauren thigh, singing, almost purring to Lauren in that smoky, throaty voice, 'walk this way, walk this way, walk this way, walk this way, just gimmie a kiss… like this!'

Bo held her breath in anticipation, and from the looks of it both Lauren and Faith were as well as they leaned towards each other. Closer and closer they drew, less than a centimeter between them…

Faith jerked back with a smug smile, and Lauren tossed her head, her own smug smile forming when her hair whipped Faith lightly across the face. Then Faith twirled, continuing to sing, as she arrogantly swaggered away from Lauren, who laughed then turned and did her own version of an arrogant strut.

"Gonna catch flies BoBo!" Kenzi stage-whispered, as she tapped Bo under the chin to get her to close her mouth, "You're late, we started without you!"

"I see that," Bo said, eyes still glued to Faith and Lauren.

"Kinda feel bad we didn't think to have a welcome home party ourselves, instead of them having to throw one for themselves…" Kenzi rambled.

"Party?"

Had she been a tad more sober Kenzi might have realized that something was wrong with this picture, but she wasn't so she stuck her foot right smack dab in the middle of her mouth, "Didn't you read the text?"

Text, what text? "No…" Bo held her hand out to Kenzi, "…let me see, don't have my cell."

Kenzi shoved her cell in Bo's face, she reluctantly dragged her eyes away from the hottest sight she had ever seen and quickly scanned the text from Faith, 'Welcome Home from Hell-ville party tonight at 8pm in the playroom. Your hosts for the evening the almost dearly departed, Joe & Rocky. ^) So… bring it sons.'

Son of a bitch! They had completely blindsided her! Wait until she got her han… Bo's thoughts trailed off as her brain turned to mush, her knees to jello as looked up from the text. She watched, mouth falling open again as Faith and Lauren turn around and start making their way towards each other once more as the song started to come to an end. Faith sliding on her knees the last few feet, stopping between Lauren's spread legs, like she, they, had done this a thousand times, purring up at Lauren one last time, 'walk this way, walk this way, just gimmie a kiss...' as Lauren played her heart out on her air guitar, strumming, finger's sliding, caressing the invisible strings like they were her lover's body, '…like this!'

Bo shook herself from her lust induced haze as the song ended and started to walk towards them, grimacing in something akin to pain at how tight the crotch of her pants suddenly felt. She began to clap slowly, and flinched a little as Badass by the Bouncing Souls came screaming out of the speakers next.

Faith turned her head and shouted over the music from between Lauren's spread legs, "Jane! You're here…" then she backpedaled across the floor on her butt over to the table where the Jose and Jack bottles, as well as the two shots she had poured before her and Lauren's impromptu karaoke rock concert waited for her, she handed one to Lauren, who had followed after her, clinked her glass to Laurens and tossed it back.

Lauren shook her head in amusement at Faith's antics then tossed her own shot back. She sat down on the floor next to Faith, gave her the shot glass, nodded yes to Faith's unspoken question, damn straight she wanted another shot! She turned slightly, and waved at Bo. While Faith was pouring them another shot, Lauren eyed Bo slowly up and down, then did it again just for the hell of it.

Dangerously tight fitting black glove leather pants, so snug Lauren was positive that not even air could get between Bo and her leather. Knee-high black boots, her ever present knife strapped to her thigh. Plunging neckline black lycra shirt, which Lauren was sure was sleeveless, bare-arms hidden by Bo's trademark black duster, and because it seemed to be a theme for the night, silver rings on each finger, and a braided black leather wrist cuff. Bo's hunting outfit, though it was harder looking than normal, more like what Bo had worn when she first arrived in Wonderland. But, this outfit was definitely, just like Lauren's and Faith's… a fight or flight, defensive armor outfit.

Bo, herself… she just oozed sex, sensuality, lust, desire, hunger, all of it and more. Lauren had forgotten how Bo radiated that aura after she fed. There were times, like now, Lauren swore she could actually see it surrounding Bo and good god, it made her sweat. She wasn't the only one though, Faith, who was no slouch in the oozing sex department herself, was sweating right along with her.

"Nice outfit…" Lauren husked, then looked at Faith, then back at Bo, then back at Faith, who smirked at her, Lauren smirked right back. Then because this whole thing was a little bit inane, the shots, the concert, playing air guitar, singing, throwing themselves a party. Just being silly, because they could, because they were gloriously alive, they couldn't help themselves they busted out laughing.

"Um… thank you?" Bo said baffled, which only made Faith and Lauren laugh harder.

She wanted to be mad, but she just couldn't, not while they were smiling up at her that way, nor with the joyous sound of their laughter echoing in her ears.

Seeing them this way was everything, so alive, so full of life, so beautiful. It was a sight over the last few weeks Bo had thought she might never see again and seeing it now was ambrosia for her soul. Suddenly it became clear, that all they wanted, all they needed right now, even her, was to celebrate being here, being home, being alive, being together with their friends and family, because all the other shit, Cailleach, what was happening between the three of them would all still be there tomorrow. So tonight was a night to just be… because sometimes just being was more than enough. How… how could she possibly deny them that?

She took the last two long strides over to them, and sat down right in-between Faith and Lauren. She picked up the Jose and a shot glass, which she put right back down, "So…" she purred, waving the bottle of Jose, she gave them a slow, sensual smile, the devil dancing in her eyes and asked, "…who's up for a body shot?"

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Faith was perched on the wide window sill in her new home away from home, face resting up against the cool glass as she stared sightlessly out in the darkness beyond. Her emotions were running the gamut from panic to joy. Tonight had been a blast, if she had to rate it she would have put it in the top ten of the best nights of her life.

It had been wonderful to finally get the chance to spend time with Lauren somewhere other than that hellhole or a hospital room. To get a glimpse of the woman that Bo had fallen in love with. To see her smile, laugh, and learn that she too had a wicked side to her, something all three of them shared.

The shots had flowed freely and they weren't the only ones to jump on the Karaoke bandwagon for impromptu concerts. The Ash-hol-y-ness himself, who after five or six shots, let his 'crown' down and did a killer rendition of Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga's remake of The Lady is a Tramp with Kenzi, to a standing ovation. Dyson took a little more persuasion, three-quarter's of battle of Jose type persuasion, and a solemn blood vow that it would never ever leave the room, did a kick-ass imitation of Elvis Presley, Little Sister. Even Vex, with a little coaxing from Buffy got up on the bar and performed Guns N' Roses remake of , Knockin' on Heaven's Door, which because he was, simply Vex, dedicated to her and Lauren. Val, Kenzi and Buffy were his backup singers and Faith wished she had thought to record it, then again there was always next time. But no amount of, begging, pleading or alcohol could get Giles and Trick to pick up the Karaoke mic, much to everyone's disappointment.

The night stayed fun and light. As a group they all let their proverbial hair down, the world, real life, was left outside the door. They partied well into the night until finally only, Willow, Kennedy, Kenzi, Hale, she, Bo and Lauren were left. Willow and Kennedy ended up in a corner playing drunken make-out, while Kenzi and Hale tried vainly to shoot pool. Reality was they were too busy making goo-goo eyes at each other to actually make a good shot, denial still hot and heavy between them.

She and Lauren had been sitting on top of the bar, Bo standing between them. The three of them were watching the other two couples trying to decide which of the pair were funnier. Sitting on the bar, nicely buzzed, Faith realized that for the better part of the night Bo hadn't strayed far from either her or Lauren's side. Then again, neither she nor Lauren had strayed far from each other or Bo all night long either.

It was then that Bo picked up the bottle of Jose and waved it at them, the devil in her eyes and she asked once again, 'So… who's up for a body shot.'

She had opened her mouth to say no, but what came out was, 'Me', followed by, 'and me', by Lauren. She couldn't say who was more surprised, her, Lauren or Bo and in that second Faith decided that Bo was catnip for anything that walked on two legs. Irresistible, stimulating, carnal, and just oozing sexuality. The low humming, almost purring noise that came out of Bo as she poured that first body shot down the back of Faith's hand, sent a shudder of pure lust down her spine. And the shots just continued to flow, as Bo did shots off of not just her, but Lauren as well, never picking a spot that was blatantly sexual, instead picking body parts that up until tonight Faith had never thought of as erotic. With a little push, a little coaxing, and a few more shots from a shot glass and not a body part on Lauren's and Faith part, Bo finally managed to cajole both her and Lauren into doing body shots off each other and once she had accomplished that, Bo threw herself into the body shot mix.

It was unexpected, yet it wasn't, somehow or another, all three of them knew the night would end this way, didn't mean it still didn't come as a surprise. And it was erotic, scary, and downright hotter than hades and only the Goddesses herself knew what would of happened if Kenzi hadn't sent a pool ball flying across the room to take out the few dirty glasses still on the bar.

The jarring sound of breaking glass, broke the sensual spell Bo had cast over them. By silent agreement they decided to call it a night, none of them ready to process what had just happened, not when there was so much else going on between. They helped Willow and Kennedy back to their room, who for some odd reason started laughing hysterically when they bid them goodnight and started making their way to their own rooms in the Ash's guesthouse.

She should have been surprised but she wasn't when all three of them made their way to the opposite side of the house, somehow or another they had picked rooms next to each other. No wonder Kennedy and Willow had been laughing.

But that wasn't what had Faith staring out slightly panicked into the night, not the body shots or the fact that on some unconscious level they had all manage to stay close to each other in this Taj Mahal sized house.

What started the panic ball rolling was the realization of just how easy it was to be around Bo and Lauren. There was a laidback, natural rapport between them. A comfort level, a familiarity, that Faith hadn't experienced a lot in her life, it scared and thrilled her at the same time. She had clicked with Bo from the get go and Faith's gut was telling her that the same would have been true had she met Lauren under different circumstances. Then again even under the horrific circumstances they had met under, Faith had instantly trusted Lauren, and that was another thing that very rarely happened to her over the course of her life. But there was more there than just that though and as her thoughts started to go there, she made them come to a screeching halt. She couldn't give them a voice, she wouldn't, but they started to wander there again anyway and the panic came hot on their heels.

The soft knock on her door nearly caused her to fall off the window sill. Who the hell would be knocking on her door at four in the morning? She was almost afraid to find out, because she wasn't quite sure what she would do if it turned out that it was…

"Faith?" came the soft whisper.

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Faith swung the door open, and found a nervous Lauren peeking up at her through her hair sheepishly. "Is everything alright?"

"I… um…" Lauren stammered, maybe this wasn't the brightest idea she ever had. "Saw your light on, I was going to get a bottle of water… and I… I… just wanted to make sure you were okay…" she said as Faith waved her into the room. "You know, with the… this being your first day out. All the alcohol and… I see you're okay, I should just go and let you get some sleep. Sorry, I bothered you…" Lauren snapped her mouth shut, cutting off the full-scale babble mode she was in. Good goddess she sounded like an idiot. "Yeah, um… I'm gonna go now…" Lauren said turning back towards the door. "Sorry again."

"Hey…" Faith gently grabbed Lauren's arm stopping her from leaving. She wasn't sure what was going on, but one thing she was sure of, was that Lauren for some reason was terrified, she could practically smell the fear coming off of the good doctor.

She walked Lauren, who didn't resist, over to the couch in the sitting area of her ginormous bedroom. "Sit…" she told her with a gentle smile. She went over to the mini-fridge and grabbed two bottles of water then joined Lauren on the couch.

"Want to tell me what's going on?" Her voice laced with concern.

Lauren took a large gulp of water, then an equally large gulp of air. She felt silly now letting her fears get the best of her. She knew what this was, she was experiencing something similar to PTSD, she should be able to handle this on her own, she was a fucking doctor, after all. Then again, the expression, 'Doctor's make the worst patients,' was pretty much one-hundred percent accurate.

"It's nothing, really…" Lauren lied, they had enough shit going on without her throwing this into the mix and she really didn't want to mar the otherwise terrific night they all had.

"Liar," Faith said softly, and smiled at the incredulous look Lauren gave her.

"It silly… stupid… I should just go, let you get some sleep…" Lauren made to rise from the couch only to be stopped by Faith.

"It's not silly if it has you this scared." She felt a protective rush towards Lauren, and there was no way she was letting her leave without talking to her. Whatever was scaring her, they would tackle it together. "I'll even start, I'm scared of spiders…" she told Lauren with a cocky smile and received a wavy smile in returned. She captured Lauren's eyes and then said softly, "Just talk to me Lauren."

On a soft sigh, the words came out, "I'm afraid to close my eyes, afraid to sleep, all I see is that place, what happened to you, to me. I'm afraid to be alone and… and… the only time I feel safe is when I'm around you…"

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For just a brief second when Faith woke she thought she was back in that hellhole. It was the feel of Lauren pressed so possessively to her back, her hand warm and a secure within her own that had trigged the reaction. This was how they had slept, almost from day one, in that shit hole.

After Lauren's confession last night, there was no way in hell that Faith was going to send her back to her own room. They had talked for another hour or so and when she noticed Lauren's eyes start to droop she suggested they get some sleep. They could talk more in the morning if Lauren wanted to. She had intended to sleep on the couch, but when Lauren had held her hand out to her silently imploring her to share the bed, she just couldn't say no.

Unlike there though, here for the first time, Faith was acutely aware of the soft, firm breasts burning a hole in her back. The brush of Lauren's breathe across her neck. The heat of Lauren's core pressed so intimately to her buttocks. The long legs curved along the backs of her own. The strong arm wrapped around her body and the softness of the hand within her own. She had to fight back the urge to turn around in that warm one-armed embrace and touch all that silky warmth behind her.

This was not good, it was so not good in so many ways, Faith would never be able to count them. Her life wasn't fuck up enough right now, she just really didn't need to add this to the long list. She couldn't be attracted to Lauren, she shouldn't, but there was a part of her that knew she had been almost from the start. The fiery woman who had tried to protect her, fought for her, trusted her, and wouldn't give up in that hellhole had called out to something in Faith even there, she just didn't want to see it.

Faith had to wonder…

…how the hell they weren't all going to come out of this bloody and broken?

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Lauren was dealing with her own devils. She had woken the second after Faith had, just like she had all those weeks they were held captive. Just like Faith, she noticed for the first time, the hard, yet soft body she was pressed so tightly to in a wholly new way.

Every inch of her body that touched Faith's was tingling and oversensitive. The musky scent that seemed to just be Faith, delighted her senses and touched off a small bonfire in other parts of her body. Her fingers itched to trace along the six-pack that lie under her hand, to learn all its contours and feel its satiny smoothness. And without her permission her mind wandered to what it would be like to kiss those full lips.

This could not be happening, should not be happening. She would not let it happen. But there was a part of her, just like Faith, who knew she had been attracted to Faith almost from the start. The warrior, her fierce protector, the woman who wouldn't just lie down and quit, who kept right on fighting no matter what. The woman who had made her laugh, and smile in that shit hole. The woman who had been willing to give up her life to save hers. Until now, Lauren just didn't want to see it.

Lauren had to wonder…

…how the hell they weren't all going to come out of this bloody and broken?

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"Morning," Faith nonchalantly detangled her hand from Lauren's and sat up. She was just going to make herself forget what she had been feeling. It was a simple as that. Denial, denial, denial and a little bit more of denial was going to be her new motto. "I don't know about you but I could use some coffee."

"Sounds good," Lauren said as she got up from the bed, denial was going to be her new best friend too, "I'm going to go get changed and I'll meet you back here in a few." Lauren walked over to the door, she opened it and stepped into the hall, she turned around, "Faith?"

"Yeah," Faith answered and walked the few feet to join Lauren in the doorway, firmly keeping her eyes on Lauren's face as she made the trip.

"Thanks for last night." Impulsively she leaned in and hugged Faith, who hugged her back just as hard.

"Anytime." And she meant it, no matter what she felt, no matter this attraction she would never turn Lauren away, she would always be there if she needed her… no matter what.

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Bo turned around and walked back down the steps she had just walked up. Well that certainly answered the question of why Lauren's bed hadn't been slept in last night. On some level she had been totally aware of the attraction between Faith and Lauren, hell she had tasted it, felt it, in their chi, she just hadn't wanted to see it.

Bo had to wonder…

…how the hell they weren't all going to come out of this bloody and broken?

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