This chapter again was betaed by Jinxgirl – thanks for that. Things start to get interesting here, I hope you like it. Please review!

Chapter 5: Tucking Buffy In

Half an hour later, Buffy, Faith and Mrs. Summers were back at the Summers’ house. They had managed to convince Steph to let Buffy go, arguing that she could just as well recover at home since nothing could be done for her at the hospital anyway, and at last the doctor had agreed. But she had ordered Buffy to rest at least for three days to prevent her injuries to get worse again, which Buffy had promised.

“I’ve got to go, girls“, her mom said just now, “I’m late already. And I want you to rest, Buffy, do you hear me? You’re not to leave your bed unless apocalypse is approaching!“

“Nice choice of words, Mrs. S,” said Faith, grinning.

“Well, let’s hope it won’t come to that,” Buffy remarked, waving her mum good-bye, yawning. “I’m not up for saving the world today – I’m beat.“

“Well, what’re ya standin’ round here for? Get to bed, then!“ Faith ordered in a mock-stern voice.

Buffy gave her a sly look. “Are you going to tuck me in, Faithy?“ she asked in a little girl’s voice.

Faith felt her heartbeat quicken and her mouth getting dry. The mental pictures flashing through her head at the thought of tucking B in had nothing to do with children, but rather involved her caressing ... No! Don’t go there!

She realized that B was looking at her, confused by her reaction, or the lack thereof. Say something, quick!

“Faithy?“ She spluttered, trying hard to sound outraged instead of horny. “You gotta be kiddin, B! Say that again and you get yourself a one-way ticket back to the hospital!“

Buffy pouted. “That’s not a very nice thing to say ... Faithy.“

“Just go.“

Grinning at her Slayer-sister’s scowl, Buffy turned towards her room – but looked back in surprise when Faith didn’t follow, but lingered in the hall. “You coming?“

The dark-haired Slayer looked at her, almost startled. “Comin?“

“What did you think? That I’d lay there watching TV while you’d sit in the living-room? Please! How boring is that?“

In fact, Faith hadn’t been sure if Buffy wanted her in her room. She’d only be there once, for mere moments, and that had been before …

Now she followed her, still unsure what to do, and stopped right at the door, watching with growing uneasiness how B was getting ready for bed – and with an excitement that was harder to conceal with every second, for the blond girl didn’t seem to mind changing in front of her. But then, why should she? They both had done so countless times after training, and it didn’t mean anything to her.

Faith, on the other hand, found it increasingly difficult to breathe as the slim blond girl started to undress, pulling her shirt over her head (which took a while due to her injury), pulling down her jeans, so she stood before her just in bra and panties.

Thankfully she was half turned away (although a little voice in Faith’s head kept reminding her that she wouldn’t mind getting a good look at B’s boobs), and before she would turn round, remove her bra or worse: do both, Faith mumbled something that sounded remotely like bathroom and fled!

When she returned – a little more composed and considerably cooled down – she found B laying in bed, struggling with the remote control of her TV. “Stupid, stupid … thing!”

“You’re gonna break it, if ya aint careful,” Faith remarked. “Slayer strength, remember?”

“Why don’t you just switch the damn thing on instead of standing there and making smart-ass comments?”

Faith chuckled, relaxing slightly. “Maybe if you asked nicely …”

Next second, she inwardly cursed herself for being so thoughtless, because B adapted her childish manner again, pouting and battering her eyelashes in a ridiculously exaggerated way – “Pleeeease?” – which forced her to turn towards the TV rather abruptly. Hell, she looks fuckin cute when she does that!

“That’s better!” she said, trying to cover her emotions. “What movie?”

“You pick one.” Buffy gestured towards her (not very big) collection.

Faith took a closer look – and pulled a face. “Oh, come on, B! Pretty Woman? You’ve Got Mail? And … eww … Sleepless In Seattle? What is this? Chick Flicks Golden Edition?”

“Hey! They are very nice films!”

“What about some good old horror flics? Nightmare On Elm Street and such?”

“Are you crazy? I watched that one once – kept me awake for three days …”

Faith stared, then started to laugh. “You … you can’t be serious, B! You’re a fuckin Slayer, you’re fighting vamps and demons and … and you’re tellin me you’re scared by a stupid movie?” She was holding her stomach now.

Buffy was a little miffed by her sister-Slayer’s reaction. “It’s not that funny!”

“Oh, believe me, it is!”

“You tell me your choice, then!”

That sobered Faith at once. “No way I’m watching one of these …”

Buffy shrugged and stiffed a yawn. “I think I’m too tired anyway …”

She looked at Faith, who was standing at her bedside, obviously unsure what to do. “You have got to be tired, too,” she realized suddenly. “Sitting in hospital chairs all night can’t be too comfortable.” Without a second’s hesitation, she moved to one side to make room in her bed. “Come on, there’s plenty room for both of us!”

Faith couldn’t believe it. Was this really happening? Or had she slipped in one of her hopeless fantasies again? Was B really asking what she thought she was? Asking her to sleep with – to join her for a nap? Inviting her into her bed? Maybe she was still sleeping next to B’s bed at the hospital, and this was just a dream like all the previous times … That seemed far more likely than …

“You can have one of my shirts, if you want …” Buffy offered, obviously oblivious to Faith’s internal struggle. “It might be a little tight around the chest, but …”

That comment shook the dark-haired Slayer out of her thoughts, yet it wasn’t exactly helpful.

“Ah, I’m … I’m five by five, B …” she managed to get out. “I think I’ll just …” She had intended to say ‘go’, but somehow her mouth seemed to have stopped following orders of her brain. “… crash on the couch or something!”

B gave her a strange look. “Really, what is it with you today, Faith? Why would you sleep on the couch? It’s not like we’ve never shared a bed before!”

But that was before I fell for you! Faith thought. But she could hardly say that loud, couldn’t she? So she just adapted what she hoped to be a nonchalant behavior. “Whatever. A shirt would be nice.”

“In the second drawer from the top.” Buffy jerked her head in the general direction. “You got free choice again.”

“Well, I hope it’s better than your DVD-collection”, Faith teased – and snorted with laughter when she started rummaging through the drawer. “Oh, B …”

“What now?” Buffy asked, her annoyance only half-pretended. “Is it ‘Make-Fun-Of-Buffy’-Day and I didn’t get the memo?”

But when Faith turned round and showed the shirt she had chosen, she couldn’t help but giggle: It read Xena – Warrior Princess in colorful letters, and underneath was a picture of Lucy Lawless in leather, fighting some guys. “You like the shirt better than the movies, I take it?”

“Definitely.” And without further ado, she began to strip off her clothes. A normal thing to do for Faith, as far as Buffy was concerned, since the dark-haired Slayer had never had a problem with showing her body … it truth, it took Faith all her self-control to undress in front of B in a casual manner. Pull yourself together, dammit! Since when have you become such a wimp? She was a little flustered when she turned round, spreading her arms. “And? Whadda ya think?”

Buffy smiled. “Looks good on you – you’re more of the ‘Warrior Princess’-type anyway!”

“Yeah, the ‘psycho-murderer’-type!” The words slipped out before Faith could stop them. A quick glance showed her that B looked shocked.

“That wasn’t … I didn’t mean it that way!”

Faith raised her hands. “It’s five by five, B, I know you didn’t. Just forget it, ‘kay?”

The blond Slayer nodded, though a little hesitant. “Okay.” To avoid an awkward silence, she added: “I didn’t know you were into Xena, Faithy!”

Faith decided to ignore the nickname, since she wasn’t really bothered … it rather gave her butterflies. “Same here, B”, she shot back. “Always thought you’d be more of a Dawson’s Creek girl …”

“Are you kidding me? Two girls kicking ass – how could it get any better? That’s totally our show, don’t you think?”

Faith couldn’t help but grin. She was happy – and unbelievably relieved! She was in B’s room, bantering and fooling round … that meant B considered her a friend, right? Someone you’d watch a DVD with, someone you’d lend a shirt, someone you’d share your bed with … such someone could be, would be considered a friend, wouldn’t she? And when she’d mentioned her past, her betrayal, B’s expression had shown hurt, but no accusation, rather something like … compassion? Concern? But why would B …

“Are you going to stand there all day?”

Faith realized she’d spaced out again. “No, I’m coming.” Slowly she made her way to the bed and, plucking up her courage, slipped under the covers next to B – carefully leaving a free space between them. She so badly wanted to touch her … to simply brush against her body … Just make it look like it happened by chance, she wouldn’t even notice … But she knew she couldn’t. It was hard enough as it was, being so close to her: Their Slayer-connection was perking up, it made Faith’s head buzz … but then, maybe that was just the physical proximity to B, her scent, the warmth of her body …

While she, rather more clumsily than unusual, tried to make herself comfortable, she didn’t dare to look at the girl next to her. She was afraid that if she did, her eyes would betray her feelings, would show her need, her passion and desire, her desperate yearning for her …

One look, and B would know everything – and that, Faith was telling herself again and again, was never going to happen. If she’d nothing else, she at least would keep her pride.