In Love with a SIT and the Slayer

By Ry_Rain

Ry_Rain@hotmail.com

Disclaimer: Although I wish I did, I do not own any characters except Michelle Spencer

Pairing(s): Buffy/OFC, Kennedy/Willow

Rating: PG-13 for cursing

Summary: A new so called Slayer comes to Sunnydale. Why does she look so familiar?

Warning: If the thought of a same sex relationship goes against your beliefs then don't read this.

A/N: Thanks to starkiller for being a beta.

In Love with a SIT and the Slayer
By: Ry_Rain

I'm in love. With two people. One of which is my best friend. I think I've always been in love with her. Ever since the first time I laid eyes on her. She has never been mean to me. She's saved my life a few times as a matter of fact, but then again, that's her job, to save people. See, she's Buffy Summers, the Slayer.

The other person, Kennedy, is a slayer in training or SIT. It scares me how sometimes she reminds me of the dark-haired slayer Faith, yet I'm still in love with her. I wasn't at first. She's just so . . . charming and sweet and . . . CUTE! She's also very outgoing. The exact opposite of . . . Tara.

I feel so bad about this. I love Tara so much and now I'm lying in bed next to another woman. Which just happens to be Kennedy. Although, I think she knew about Buffy. She never doubted I loved her, though or at least I hope she didn't. God, what if she did? Now I feel even guiltier. What if she didn't know? I really hoped she did. Willow looks at her clock. "God, its midnight! I really need to get some sleep."

"What was that?"

"AHHH!" Willow sits bolts upright. " Kennedy! I didn't realize I had spoken out loud. Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you up."

"Don't worry." Kennedy replies as she sits up as well to look at Willow, "I wasn't really sleeping. How could I with all the tossing and turning you were doing? Do you make this much noise when you're . . . " Willow got a stricken look on her face, "having a dream?" Willow lets out a sigh of relief. Kennedy eyes Willow wickedly. "What did you think I was gonna say?" Kennedy now gave Willow a sexy grin, loving the fact that she was making Willow squirm and blush furiously.

"I didn't assume you were going to say anything." Ohhh, Kennedy thought, she's so cute when she babbles. "I mean, how could I know what you were going to say? I can't read minds. Even if I could I wouldn't but . . . " Willow was unable to continue her babbling as Kennedy's lips firmly pressed against her own. Willow opened her mouth slightly after Kennedy ran her tongue along Willow's lower lip.

The need for air finally took over. "Wow, I found a way to bring you out of babble mode." Willow turns as red as a beet. "You look so cute when you blush." Kennedy laughs and smiles as Willow flops back down on the bed pulling her down with her.

Willow looks at Kennedy with a never before seen glint in her eyes. "You wanna know the answer to the question you really wanted to ask?"

Kennedy, always wanting a laugh, replied, "Darn tootin'!"

"Now you've ruined the mood, you know!" Willow said as she got her laughter under control.

"Sorry," Kennedy mumbled not really meaning it.

Willow was able to get serious again pretty fast. "Well, back to what we were about to find out. I don't really know the answer, but," Kennedy whimpered as Willow leaned up and kissed her, "why don't we try to find out tonight?" Kennedy let out a moan as Willow attacked her neck. They were both in heaven until . . .

Knock, knock. "Willow? Dawn was wondering if you could help her with her homework."

"Urggh! Dammit! I'll be right down! Why? Why can't she help Dawn. She is her sister!" Willow complained as Kennedy just looked at her trying not to laugh.

"I helped but you know how I am when it comes to history that doesn't involve monsters or weapons."

"It's alright," Willow said as she opened the door and smiled at Buffy. "You know I don't mind. Dawn's the sister I never had."

"Thanks, Will. I tried to help but I think I just confused her even more. Oh, and I have to go in early tomorrow. There's a new teacher and Principle Wood wants me to show her around."

"Sure he did. I bet you volunteered because you didn't want to be here when Giles and the girls get back." Buffy gives Willow her best, `who me?' look. "Uh huh. Just what I thought."

"Hey!" Dawn yells upstairs, "Girl who needs help still waiting down here!"

"I'm coming, Dawnie!" Willow starts heading downstairs but adds while Buffy is still in hearing distance, "What did I tell you about asking Buffy for help with your history homework? Who do you think helped her pass?" She looked back at Buffy and stuck her tongue out. Buffy just mock glared at her.

"Its not my fault she waited `til midnight to do her homework!" Willow laughed at this while Dawn just glared at her.

Having already made it downstairs, Willow told Dawn just wait, "Well, I wonder where she picked up that habit, Miss Burned a Baby Eating Demon the Night Before the SATs."

"Well, I have to admit she picked that up from the aforementioned person, but you forgot a small part of her name."

"And what would that be?" Willow said taking the bait.

"Well, her full name is Miss Burned a Baby Eating Demon the Night Before the SATs AND Did Better Than Willow Rosenberg!"

"Dude," Kennedy said as she came out of the bedroom, "Buffy did better on the SATs then you did?"

"Yes, but . . . but . . . I can't think of anything semi-nice to say so I'm not gonna say anything at all!" Willow then stomped into the dining room while Buffy and Kennedy laughed upstairs.

"How you feeling, Kennedy?" Buffy asked with a knowing smile.

"I'm good, thanks for asking. Why are you asking?"

"I was standing outside the door longer then you think. What happened yesterday between the two of you?"

"That is none of your business. Now if you'll excuse me . . ." Buffy just stared at her. "What? Why are you staring at me like that? All right, all right. We kissed. Twice." Kennedy was smiling like an idiot, which made Buffy smile back. "The first time, she turned into Warren because of a hex Amy put on her, and the second time, she turned back to herself."

"I already knew all that but I wanted to hear it from you. I haven't seen Willow this happy since Tara died, but if you hurt her, I don't care if slayers aren't supposed to kill humans, I swear to God . . ."

"I get it. I get it. I've gotten the big brother talk before. `Cept, its actually a threat coming from you." Kennedy smiled trying to charm her way out of the rest of the `big brother' talk.

"I'm immune to your charms, Kennedy, but that is all there is to my `big brother' talk. Go back to bed. Who knows how long Dawn will need help. I really confused her."

Kennedy laughed and said, "All right. Goodnight, Buffy."

"Night, Kennedy."

Chapter Two
An Hour and a Half Later . . .

"Finally," Willow said as she watched Dawn head upstairs. She looked at the clock. "It's 1:30 in the morning and Giles is bringing the girls back tom . . . today." Kennedy is probably asleep. Looks like she won't get the answer to her question anytime soon. Willow started laughing at herself. She remembered something she said when talking to Buffy about Angel, "Love makes you do the wacky."

"It sure does. Ah, I'm so tired. Buffy's lucky, she gets to go into work early. I have really got to get a job."

Later that morning . . .

"We're back!" yelled Giles as he and the other SITs came in the door. "Hello? Is anybody home?"

"Yeah. Quiet down. Willow was up later last night helping Dawn with her homework. Hey guys!"

"Hey!" answered the other SITs as they came into the living room.

"Where is everyone?" Giles asked.

"Well, like I said Willow is still sleeping. Buffy had to go in early, so her and Dawn are at the school. Spike's in the basement and Andrew . . . I'm not quite sure where he is. Hey, how was the trip?"

"Oh, my god! It was great!" All the girls started talking at once and Kennedy couldn't understand them. Giles just stood there shaking his head and cleaning his glasses.

"Ahhhhh! Ahhhh!" They looked at Kennedy as she sprinted up the stairs. The look on her face told them something had happened while they were gone. They quickly followed. When they got upstairs they heard Kennedy softly talking to someone.

"Shhh. Its okay. Its gonna be okay. You were just having a nightmare." Kennedy was everyone at the door and motioned for them to go away. After they had gone she continued rubbing the soothing circles on Willow's back and talking softly. "Shhh. It's all right, baby. It's all right. Guess what? Giles and everyone else are back," Kennedy heard a soft giggle muffled by her shoulder, "but then you knew that didn't you?" Willow looked at her and smiled. Kennedy smiled back then lightly hit her. "Don't ever do that again without consulting me first! You scared the hell out of me!"

"I'm sorry. I figured you wouldn't want to answer all kinds of questions."

Kennedy smiled at her and said, "They're gonna ask more questions now." She then motioned at the position they were in. "I kind of sprinted up here when I heard you scream. They followed me and saw us like this. Sorry."

"Its all right. They'd find out pretty fast, with me kissing you all the time. I mean, I know a few of them are kind of slow, Buffy's blonde, and Giles is British but , give them some credit," Kennedy smirked at her. "What?"

"You're babbling," Willow blushed at this, "and now you're blushing. It's taking all I got to not ravage you here right now."

"Why don't you? We've yet to answer your question from last night."

"There are people downstairs, or I wouldn't be holding back and we wouldn't be able to be having this conversation right now." Kennedy winked at her, which caused Willow to blush even more. "We really should head downstairs so everyone can see you're alright."

"I don't wanna." Willow pouted while Kennedy pointedly looked at her. "I know, I know. Lets go downstairs. I want to show off my new girlfriend."

"You have a new girlfriend? Why didn't you tell me? What's she like?"

"Well, she is very sexy. About an inch, maybe two, shorter then me. She has shoulder length brown hair and beautiful brown eyes that remind me of a doe's. Which, by the way, I happen to find very endearing."

"Willow, I love you."

"I love you too, Kennedy. Come on. Lets go downstairs. They are all probably freaking out worrying about me."

"Let's go." Kennedy and Willow headed downstairs holding hands.

Over at the high school . . .

"Hi. I'm looking for Buffy Summers. I'm supposed to meet her. They said she was back here."

"I'm Buffy. You must be Michelle. Hi."

"Hi. Sorry about the babbling. It's a nervous habit I picked up from a best friend of mine when I was five. I haven't stopped since then and I doing it again. I'm just gonna shut up now."

Buffy laughed and smiled at Michelle, "Its all right. My best friend also happens to have that same habit. Come on, I'll show you around. You don't have a homeroom or first period class so we have plenty of time."

"Cool." They looked at each other and smiled.

Back at the house . . .

Giles glared at Willow and Kennedy as they came down the stairs. He noticed them holding hands and his expression softened. "Are you all right Willow?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Actually, I was kind of faking. I was just really tired and wanted to be left alone. I'm sorry."

"The past couple of days have been kind of hard on her. All of us actually." Giles gave Kennedy a quizzical look. "We'll explain later when everyone is here."

"Okay. Well we had picked up some breakfast on the way and we might wanna go in there if you guys want any. I have no idea how they can eat that much and stay that skinny," mumbled Giles.

Willow and Kennedy laughed. "I've already eaten. Kennedy brought me some breakfast earlier this morning." Kennedy grinned wickedly at the double meaning behind what Willow had said. Willow saw it and started blushing as the three of them walked into the kitchen. All the girls were around the counter where there was a box of donuts.

"Are there any jelly left?" Giles asked as he rummaged through the box. All the girls looked up with guilty expressions as well as a little bit of jelly on their lips. Chloe even had some on her nose, which Kennedy was kind enough to point out and she quickly wiped it off.

Later that afternoon . . .

"Buffy?" Buffy looks up at the sudden voice. She sees it's Michelle and waves her over. "I was wondering if you knew of any place I could get something; to eat food that wasn't put in the microwave. I haven't had time to go to the grocery store to get real food and I've been eating fast food all week."

"Tell you what. Why don't you come over to my house and eat dinner. It's a pretty full house but there's always room for one more."

"Really? `Cause that would be great. What time should I be there and where exactly is `there'?" Buffy laughs and starts writing down directions.

Ten minutes later . . .

"You know what? These directions are just becoming really complicated and confusing. Where do you live? I can have my friend come pick you up. It will be a lot easier then for me to write these and you actually try to follow them." Michelle gives Buffy her address. Unbeknownst to them, Principle Wood had been listening and he smiled. Then, he headed towards his office.

He then made a phone call. "Hello? Wood here. Yes I got the address. Someone will be there picking her up at 5:30 so you only have a hour and a half and it takes her a half hour to get there."

A half hour later, back at the house . . .

"What time am I picking her up at again?"

"5:30 Willow. Calm down. All you're doing is going to pick up some teacher Buffy invited over to dinner. Tell you what, I'll go with you. I know you don't like that part of town." Even though I don't know why.

"Thank you, Kennedy. What are we having for dinner? I mean there's gonna eleven of us, thirteen if you count Spike and . . . where is Andrew?"

Kennedy shrugged her shoulder at the Andrew part but answered, "I believe Xander said he was making his moms most famous meal. What that is I have no idea. He wouldn't tell me. Said it was a family secret."

"Call to the Chinese place. I don't even think the stove in Xander's house worked and that's if they even had one. I swear, every time I ate dinner over there we always had some kind of delivery or take out, Chinese food, pizza . . . and now I'm babbling which you find cute but . . ." Kennedy suddenly jumped up from where she was sitting on the bed and passionately kissed Willow.

"I love you. Even more so when you babble," Willow blushed, "and when you blush, you look extremely sexy."

Squeaking as she spoke, yet her voice still husky with desire, Willow replied, "We should go downstairs with everyone else before we lose track of time. We don't wanna be late picking up . . ."

"Michelle. Her name is Michelle and you're right. Lets go." They headed downstairs, this time Kennedy giving Willow a piggyback ride to the living room.

At Michelle's apartment . . .

Knock, knock. Its only 5:00. Buffy's friends are early, Michelle thought. She went to answer the door. "I wasn't expecting you guys so soon." The people at the door were not Buffy's friends, Michelle could tell this right away. Before she could do anything to protect herself, one of the men lashed out with a crow bar and hit her on the forehead creating a large gash. Michelle fell to the floor like a ton of bricks. The other man picked her up and carried her over to the couch.

"Sorry, sis," said a voice with a Boston accent. "Council's worried about what files you might have taken. But, as long as you only took the ones they said you could then we're five by five." The person the voice belonged to walked into the room as Michelle started coming to.

"Faith," Michelle rasped right before the man with the crow bar knocked her out again.

Chapter Three

A half hour later . . .

"This is the place," Kennedy said as she and Willow pulled up to Michelle's building. She looked over at Willow and saw weird look on her face. "Willow, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. This is just where Giles used to live. Oh, my god," Willow said while looking at the paper with Michelle's address on it, "I just realized Michelle is living in Giles's old apartment. I wonder if Buffy noticed."

"I don't think she did. Wouldn't she had said something if she had? She has been really distracted lately. She probably didn't even think twice about it."

"Yeah, well, lets go get her." Willow and Kennedy got out of the car and headed down the stairs towards Michelle's apartment. When they got there they realized the door was slightly ajar. Willow looked over at Kennedy and said, "That can't be good." Especially since Michelle is new in town and doesn't know to keep her door locked after dark.

"Let me go first." Willow nodded and moved aside to let Kennedy go in first. Kennedy slowly pushed the door the rest of the way open. She walked inside and motioned for Willow to follow her. Once they were all the way inside the house they noticed the place had been torn apart. "Willow, is that what I think it is?" Kennedy asked as she pointed to a red puddle on the floor by the door.

"Blood. What the hell happened here? Where's Michelle?" They spun around as they heard a groan coming from behind them. That was when they noticed the crosses nailed to the walls above all the windows. Willow pointed to the couch when she saw movement on it. They both ran over there. "Are you Michelle?" Michelle nodded. "I'm Willow, Buffy's friend. We have a first aid kit back at the house. We can get you cleaned up and fed. Kennedy, help me." Together they proceeded to help her stand up.

No. I'm all right. I just need to take some Tylenol to get rid of this major headache I have."

Kennedy looked at her and said, "You have a major headache because you have two huge gashes on your forehead." Michelle lifted her hand and gingerly touched her forehead. When she looked at her hand she saw blood on her fingertips. "See you need a first aid kit and you're not safe here alone."

"Kennedy's right, Michelle. You were going to come over for dinner anyway. We can come back in the morning and get some of your things. Kennedy, help me get her to the car." It didn't take long to get Michelle in the car. She wasn't acting as hurt as she looked.

"Its not as bad as it looks. I bruise really easily. My sister always hated that. She would just grab my arm and a hour later I would have a bruise. She always got in trouble."

Willow, knowing it was good to keep her talking asked her, "What was her name?"

"Faith." Willow stopped short upon hearing the brown haired slayers name. She turned around and looked at Kennedy who had also stopped. Michelle had continued walking but realized no one as holding her up, stopped, and turned around. "What's wrong? Why did you guys stop?"

Willow turned back around to look at her. She was even paler then before if that was even possible. "Nothing's wrong. Lets get going. Everyone's probably worrying about us and wondering why we're taking so long." They all piled into Xander's car and took off.

Back at the house . . .

"What is taking so long?!" Buffy asked loudly. "They should have been back by now. The food is getting cold and the girls are getting hungry. I don't know how much longer Xander can hold them
off.

"We're back! Dawn, go get the first aid kit and a washcloth. Kennedy, go get a big bowl full of warm water." Kennedy headed towards the kitchen when Willow grabbed her arm. "Don't tell Buffy about Michelle's sister. I don't want her worrying about that right now, okay?"

"Okay, I won't tell her. Do you think it was her that did this? Do you think she's out of jail?" Kennedy looked really worried. She looked into Willow's eyes and saw the calm expression on her face was just a mask covering the true way Willow was feeling, petrified. She did believe Faith did this and that it was the same Faith that they knew. "I'll go get the water."

Buffy then came out of the kitchen with two plates: one for Willow and one for Michelle. "What's going on, Will?" Buffy asked as she saw Willow kneeling in front of Michelle carefully examining her. Michelle looked up when she heard Buffy's voice, "Oh, my god! Michelle, what happened?"

"Kennedy and I got to her apartment after she had been attacked. Her place was ransacked. There were papers everywhere. All the drawers were turned over on the floor and all the cabinets were open with their contents on the floor." Willow turned back to Michelle, "Do you know what they might have been looking for?" Michelle nodded. "What were they looking for?"

Michelle looked away before answering. She didn't want them to see she was lying. "They were looking for some files they thought I took when I quit my job to take up teaching." By now Kennedy and Dawn had come back with the stuff they had been asked to get.

"Here." Buffy handed Willow and Michelle their plates. "Looks like the bleeding's stopped. Why don't you guys eat and then, Michelle, we can get you cleaned up. Kennedy, you and Michelle look about the same size. Do you mind lending her some clothes for tonight?"

"Nah. I don't mind. I'll go get some." Kennedy headed upstairs and Dawn followed closely behind. She could tell something was going to happen but she had no idea whether it would be good or bad. And she didn't want to wait around and find out.

"Michelle and Willow finished their dinner quickly. Buffy took their plates as Willow cleaned up Michelle's wounds. When she was done, Michelle stood up and said, "Thank you. For everything. I'm going home now. Thanks again. I really appreciate it. I really do but I can take care of the rest of this myself. I just need to talk to my sister and sort things out between us. We were never really that close."

"Your sister did this to you?" Kennedy asked as she walked back into the room with clothes for Michelle.

"No. Two great big goons did this," she said as she pointed to her forehead, "my sister, Faith, she was the one who messed up my apartment." Willow and Kennedy looked at Buffy to see her reaction. She was just standing there, in the middle of the room, motionless.

"Your sister's name is Faith?" Michelle nodded. Buffy finally started moving. She was pacing ion front of the TV. "Where did you live before you moved here? Boston?" Michelle shook her head giving Buffy a weird look. "How about England?" A shocked expression came over Michelle's face as she nodded. "Okay." Buffy sat down in an easy chair across the room from Michelle.

"Buffy? Are you all right? I'm sure it can't be who you think it is."

"Oh yeah? How can you be so sure? I don't even know Michelle's last name. Principal Wood never told me."

"Well, oh, I don't know, since I'm right here why don't you ask me. Which, by the way, the last name is Spencer. My sister's last name is the same just in case you were wondering." Michelle looked over at Willow, "What did you mean when you said Buffy couldn't be sure she was who she thought she was?"

Willow looked at Buffy who was glaring at Michelle who was looking at her. It was Kennedy who finally said something. "They use to know a girl named Faith in high school. She screwed up their lives and then turned herself into the cops to try to make up for everything she did."

"Well, my sister was in jail but obviously, considering tonight, she's not anymore. So . . . wait a minute. Why did you ask me if I lived in Boston before I moved here?" Michelle asked Buffy.

"Faith was from Boston. When she first got here she had a deep accent." Buffy sat thinking for a while. She kept stealing glances at Michelle. What am I doing? I'm straight and she's obviously related to Faith. I can't believe I didn't see it. They look so much alike.

Willow looked over at Buffy. She seemed to be lost in thought. "Buffy? Are you alright?"

Buffy snapped out of it. "Five by five." Buffy flinched immediately after she said that. "I can't believe I just said that. All this talk about Faith is messing me up." Michelle was staring at Buffy. "What are you staring at?"

"Did you just say `five by five'?" Michelle asked. Buffy just nodded. Michelle even sounds just like Faith, especially when she says that. Michelle stood up and started pacing. "I think you might be about to kick me out of your house. My sister, Faith, is the same Faith you guys know. She always says `five by five'. Got that from me actually." Everyone in the room sat or stood in Michelle and Kennedy's case, in silence, staring at each other, not sure what to say.



Chapter Four

Willow moved on the couch next to Michelle who had sat down only moments before. Kennedy then followed suit, sitting on the arm of the couch next to Willow. Buffy glared at her but didn't say anything. Willow, seeing the glare pulled Kennedy down on the couch so she was half on the couch and half in Willow's lap. Silence filled the room, yet it wasn't an awkward silence or tense full.

Buffy and Michelle were staring at each other. Neither of them broke eye contact. They didn't even blink. Willow's eyes were watering just watching them. Finally, Buffy got up but she still held eye contact with Michelle. "Where did you work in England?" Buffy asked in a monotone, continuing to stare at Michelle.

Michelle finally broke eye contact when she looked up the stairs and then looked down in shame. Buffy, Kennedy, and Willow all followed her gaze, where they saw Giles standing looking very annoyed and shaking his head with disappointment at Michelle. He started walking down the stairs when Michelle said, "Giles, don't say anything. I know what you're going to say so just save it. Please, I have a major headache and would just like to go home." She then looked at Buffy, Kennedy, Willow, and finally Giles, but not being able to make eye contact with him and said, "Thank you for everything. Good-bye." She started towards the door.

"Wait, Michelle," Buffy said. Michelle turned around and looked at her. "Its not safe for you to be by yourself. Stay here tonight."

"I'll be fine. Look," Michelle then proceeded to remove the bandage from her head. Willow moved to stop her but the look Giles gave her stopped her short, "My forehead is already healed. That's why I had a headache. Its gone now. The gashes were healing. Faith knew it would take a lot to knock me out and that I would heal fast.

"How would she know that you would heal fast and how the HELL do you heal so fast?" Michelle looked over at Giles and he nodded his head. "What is going on here?" Buffy demanded.

"The few members of the Watcher's council who weren't at the headquarters sent Faith after me to get some files I stole when I left. They were files on the First, you, and your friends. I thought you guys might want them."

"Did they get them? And if they did, how bad is that? What could happen? What would they do?"

"Well, that all depends on who you're talking about. That doesn't matter though because they did not get them."

"How can you be so sure?" Kennedy asked.

"You guys found me on the couch right?" Kennedy and Willow nodded. "Well when I came to the first time I had been moved over there. I would know if I had been moved again. Underneath on the cushions is a fireproof lockbox. It has all my important files in it. We can go get them now if you want to. I made sure to grab my keys before Willow and Kennedy here dragged me out of my house."

"All right, let's go. Giles, you'll watch the girls?" Giles nodded. "Good. Can we walk there?" Michelle nodded. "Let's head out."

Ten minutes later . . .

"Here we are. Michelle moved to unlock the door and let everyone in. Being the last one in she closed the door. "It's the cushion on your left when you're standing in front of the couch. Here," Michelle threw Buffy her keys. "They're the small ones on the stake key chain."

"You have a stake key chain? Where did you get it?" Kennedy asked, looking around at the mess in the living room. She bent over to upright a end table. She looked behind her at Willow, smirked, and winked at her.

"I made it. You can never be too prepared. My SIT had one too, but she never took her keys with her so it was useless." Michelle hurried up to the loft, not wanting to look at Kennedy, knowing she would completely break down. "Did you get the files?" she asked from upstairs.

"Yeah, we got them. You want us to help you clean up?"

Michelle came back downstairs and said, "Nah, but thanks Willow. It will only take a second." Everyone stared at her and then looked around the room trying to prove a point. Michelle just rolled her eyes and smirked. She then wiggled her nose, Samantha from Bewitched style and everything was cleaned up and fixed. She looked around the room admiring her work while everyone else stared at her in shock and awe.

Kennedy walked up to Willow and grabbed her hand. "Is that how you were able to heal your wounds so fast?" Michelle nodded. "Then, how come you would bruise so easily when Faith would grab you when you were kids?"

"Like I said, we never were really close. I bruised easily but I willed them to not go away until our mother came home and saw them. She didn't know about my powers. Faith and I were adopted. Social Services took us away from our birth parents because just the smallest slap would put a huge bruise wherever I was hit and well, they hit me and Faith A LOT."

"These files are really interesting. I know Giles would love to see them. Please, for my peace of mind, stay back at the house. Please?" Buffy asked. She didn't want to be worrying about Michelle with Faith out on the loose.

Kennedy and Willow were looking at Michelle awaiting her answer. They both had quickly grown a like her. They wanted her to stay at the house as well. Kennedy wanted to know more about magic and Willow wanted to be able to talk to someone outside the Scooby Gang.

Michelle was hesitant at first but after seeing the pleading looks on their faces, she gave in. "All right. I'll stay but just for tonight. I don't really like getting help or anything. I' m really independent." Willow and Kennedy jumped up and hugged Michelle. Buffy held back and mouthed thank you. Michelle nodded her head.

"Let's go back to the house. I'm really worried about everyone else. We have been gone for quite a while." The four of them headed home. Michelle carrying Kennedy on her back and Buffy
carrying Willow.

Chapter Five

Ten days later . . .

"Please? Let me go home. They didn't find the files they were looking for so they don't think I have them, therefore they won't come after me again." Michelle had been with Buffy and company for ten days now and just wanted to go home and sleep in her own bed.

"No one is stopping you from going home, Michelle."

"Yeah, but Giles, they all give me the puppy dog eyes when I mention going home and I can't. I'm helpless against the puppy dog eyes. I was thinking you could serve as a distraction or something. I just wanna sleep in my own bed in my own house." Giles just smiled at what Michelle was saying. He knew her well enough to know the real reason why she wanted to leave. She was in love with the Slayer. He started laughing. Michelle looked at him confused and asked, "What's so funny?"

"You," Giles stated simply.

"Me? I'm stressed and you think its funny. That's great! That's just dandy. The one person I thought would understand me, laughs at me. He laughs at me." "Are you done ranting yet?" Michelle nodded. "Good, and I'm not laughing at you. I am laughing at your situation." Michelle gives him a strange look, not understanding what he was getting at. "Michelle, I've known you my entire life. I know you. The `puppy dog' eyes only work when they come from a certain person."

"What are you talking about?" Michelle asked Giles as though he was a crazy.

Giles seeing through her act, said, "You know full well what I'm talking about. You are in love with a certain blond slayer."

"No, I am not! Why would you think that?"

"Well for one thing, I may wear glasses, but I definitely am not blind. Buffy might be, but I'm not. I've seen the way you look at her." Michelle opened her mouth to protest but Giles started back up again before she could. "Don't even try to deny it. You don't cave about staying until you see her give you the `puppy dog' eyes as you call them. The walls start coming down when Willow and Kennedy give them to you but you don't give until you see them from Buffy. If you want to leave, do so before the three of them get home."

"I know I can leave before they get home but that's . . .rude. I should let them know I am leaving so they don't think I'm ungrateful or that I've been kidnapped by Faith and her goons."

"Excuses, excuses, Michelle. You know Faith would never try to kidnap you. You are in love with Buffy but you don't want to admit it. Get over it, tell her, and shut up about it. Its obvious she has some sort of feelings towards you as well. She is wanting you to stay here."

"She's just doing her job. She thinks she's protecting me. Beside, Giles, she's straight as an arrow. She loved Angel, then Riley, then Spike. She's straight, Giles. No doubts about it." Giles just glared at her and shook his head.

"You are so blind, Michelle. She may not be gay, but trust me, she is not as straight as an arrow as you say. She's my slayer and I know her better than her father probably does. Trust me. She has feelings for you. She's just too scared to tell you. Yes, the Slayer is scared. All the people she has ever loved have either turned evil or just left her. She thinks she jinxed or something. Show her that she isn't. You have to make the first move because she sure isn't going to."

"What if she says no?" Michelle asked completely forgetting she was denying the whole thing. "I don't think I can handle the rejection." Michelle looked very vulnerable all of a sudden. Giles had never seen her like this before. It was obvious she had fallen hard for Buffy and that this wasn't just some crush that would go away.

"Michelle, trust me. She won't say no. She probably won't even realize you're asking her out on a date."

"Gee, thanks Giles. That really helps boost my confidence," Michelle commented. Buffy and Dawn then came through the door smiling until they saw the looks on Giles and Michelle's faces.

"What's wrong? What happened? Is everyone alright?"

Michelle laughed and Buffy looked at her as though she was sprouting horns. "I'm sorry. Everyone's fine. Giles and I were just arguing about something." Buffy looked at her not believing a word she was saying. "Really, everything is fine. There are no demons, vampires, or anything evil on the way. We weren't arguing about anything serious." Buffy and Dawn started looking at her in shock. She looked down at herself and saw that she was glowing. "Shit!"

Giles started chuckling. "She can't lie. If she does she starts glowing. There are no monsters or anything but we were arguing about something serious. It doesn't concern either of you or anyone else . . . yet." Michelle glared at Giles as the glowing was replace with a blush. She wouldn't look up because she didn't think she could look Buffy in the eye.

"Okay," Buffy said, looking at Michelle wondering what was up. "Michelle," Michelle looked up at her. "I was wanting to see that movie, Darkness Falls but nobody wants to go with me. Do you wanna?"

Michelle looked at her in utter disbelief and nodded her head because she was speechless. Giles nudged her in the back causing her to move forward slightly. "Sure. I'd love to go."

"Cool. If you want we can go over to your place and get some different clothes. I figured we could go out for dinner as well. Someplace nice." Dawn rolled her eyes and headed upstairs as she realized her sister was asking Michelle out.

"That would be great."

"Good. Dinner and the movie are on me." Michelle opened her mouth to protest. "Nope. No arguing. I'm paying and that's that." Buffy then walked upstairs to find something to wear. For some reason she wanted to impress Michelle.

Giles chuckled and started to say something but Michelle interrupted him. "Do not even say I told you so. Besides," Michelle smirked at him, "you were wrong. She made the first move, not me." She then headed into the kitchen.

Chapter Six

A hour later at Michelle's apartment . . .

"Oh, my god! Michelle someone trashed you apartment again!" Buffy exclaimed as she walked into the apartment. She looked over at the couch. The cushions were gone and the box was on the floor. The other files laying discarded all over the floor.

Michelle walked in. "Oh, well. They probably didn't even make it up to the loft. My clothes are probably fine. Let me go change." Michelle headed upstairs and snapped her fingers. The whole room cleaned up and went back to normal. The couch cushions were even back on the couch. Buffy wondered where they had been. She then looked down at herself.

She had on a long black dress with a high neck and low back. She was wearing high heels and minimal jewelry, a simple gold cross necklace, a pair of diamond earrings, and a tennis bracelet. Her hair was swept up in a fancy bun with strands sticking out in the back and two surrounding her face. She was very dressed up considering they were going to dinner and a movie.

"Well that power must come in handy after a huge par-" she became speechless as she watched Michelle walk down the stairs, "ty," she finished lamely. Michelle looked gorgeous. She had on a black skirt that came down right above her knees. Her shirt was dark blue and had a neck that bunched around her collarbone and was sleeveless. She was wearing a silver cross necklace that looked a lot like the one Angel gave Buffy when they first met. That was when Buffy noticed Michelle was wearing a claddagh ring. "Wow!" Buffy said. "You look great."

Michelle smiled, "Thanks." She walked over to the mirror to put on her earrings, silver dangling crosses, on. "I wasn't sure about what to do with my hair so I just left it down. Do you think it looks alright?" She turned around to look at Buffy.

"It looks great, Michelle," Buffy smiled. "You look great. We are way overdressed for dinner and a movie, but oh well. The restaurant I got reservations at is really nice so we'll fit right in. We'll just be out of place at the movie theater."

"Well, that's all right. I don't mind if you don't. Are you ready to go or . . . what?" Buffy was just smiling at her. She began to slowly walk towards Michelle who was also walking towards her. They met halfway. "Are you all right?" Michelle asked.

Buffy nodded. "I've never felt better." She then leaned in and kissed Michelle. They kissed for a good couple of minutes. They finally broke apart for air, touching foreheads. "We better get going. We don't want to miss our reservations. They were really hard to get."

Michelle kissed Buffy one more time, grabbing her keys off the coffee table, and headed towards the door, "Are you coming?" Buffy nodded and followed her.

At the restaurant . . .

"I was kind of hoping the menus would be in English. Giles actually made the reservations for me," Buffy said, blushing as she tried to find something to order.

Michelle took her menu away from her and said, "Don't worry. Let me order. I speak fluent French and they are always nicer when you actually speak the language. Garcon," Michelle got the waiters attention and waved him over.

The waiter was very snotty thinking Michelle was just copying some movie or something, never believing she actually spoke French. "May I take you order?" he asked in English.

"Oui, merci. Nous voulons de pates avec boulettes de viande et pain d'ail.

The waiter looked at Michelle with surprise. He hadn't expected either of them to know French. "Oui, right away."

Buffy looked at Michelle in awe. "Wow, the was cool. What did we order?"

"Well, you ordered pasta with meatballs and garlic bread, well actually, we both got that. I couldn't decide on anything else. I hope that's alright."

"Yeah, that's fine. I love pasta. Well, what should we talk about while we wait for our food? You already know everything about me, what about you? All I know about you is your sister is Faith and you were adopted. Where else have you lived besides Boston and England?"

"Well, lets see. I actually lived here when I was five. My sister and I had been split up. I also lived in Belgium. One of the families I was with were in the military. They also brought me to Alaska and Hawaii with them. I lived with another family in New York, South Carolina, and Alabama." Buffy was looking at her with her mouth wide open. "Are you trying to catch flies?" Michelle smiled at her as she snapped her mouth closed. "Its all right. I know that that may seem mind blowing, but it was cool. I also visited a lot of places when I was in Europe, like France, Germany, Ireland, and Switzerland. The Alps are beautiful."

"Wow! That's really cool. I've never even left the state of California."

"Yeah, well, I had to live with several different families to go to all those different places. It wasn't all that great. I was always having to leave my friends. I've kept in touch with some of them but others, I can't even remember some of their names. My best friend when I was five, I can't remember her name. She lived here though. Maybe she still does."

"She most likely does, that is . . . well you know not many people leave here on there own free will. They either live here or they die here. Sorry about so blunt but . . ."

"Yeah, I know. Here comes our food." The waiter then placed their plates in front of them. "I hope you like it. It's usually really good. I've been here before."

"This is really good," Buffy said as she ate the pasta. "Is this melted cheese on the top?" Michelle nodded her head. She just sat there watching Buffy eat. "Aren't you going to eat?" Michelle laughed, nodded, and began eating her pasta.

Buffy and Michelle sat, ate, and talked all night long. "I say we just skip the movie," Michelle said. "We can get some junk food and watch movies at my place. I have a huge DVD collection. Any movie you want to see, if its out on DVD, I have it or did you really want to go see that movie?"

"Darkness Falls? Please. I see enough of that stuff everyday. I don't need to pay $8 to go see it with a whole bunch of other people. Besides, Willow and I took Kennedy and the other girls to go see it last week." Buffy's eyes widen once she realized what she said. Michelle eyed her suspiciously. "They all said it was pretty bad."

Michelle smiled at her, "Nice save. I was waiting to see how you were going to handle that." Buffy started blushing. "Maybe I'll just have to take you to see it and you can decide for yourself?" Michelle asked, winking at her as the waiter brought the check over. Michelle snatched it before Buffy could. "Let me pay. These meals were pretty expensive."

"If you insist." Buffy then looked to see how much the dinner had cost. She saw it was written in euros. "How much did dinner cost?"

"Doesn't concern you." Michelle put her credit card in the folder and gave it to the waiter. She then put $10.00 under her plate as a tip. The waiter came back with Michelle's credit card and receipt. She signed the restaurant copy and said, "Merci. Come on Buffy. Lets go." Michelle and Buffy headed out to the car. Buffy was shivering. "Here," Michelle said as she took off her coat, "Take my coat."

"Thanks, but won't you be cold?" Buffy looked over at Michelle and saw her sleeves were longer. "Your shirt was sleeveless earlier this evening, right?" Michelle laughed, nodded, and wiggled her nose. "Ah, magic." Buffy stopped them and turned Michelle around so she was facing her. "Be careful with the magic please? I don't want to lose you before I really get to know you."

Michelle cupped Buffy face and pulled her into a kiss. "Don't worry about anything. I know how to control it. I know what happened with Willow. That's not gonna happen with me. I promise. Okay?" Buffy nodded right before Michelle pulled her into another kiss. "Good. Lets go watch some movies."

END CHAPTER EIGHT