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"So I wasn't the only one to have whacked out dreams, that's kinda a relief."

Faith was sitting on the bed behind Tara.

"You know I never would have figured I was good at this kinda shit if it hadn't been for Kathy."

Faith said, patting Tara's hair. She had just put it up using an array of clips and little spangly things.

"No, and you weren't the cause of them. The gang did this spell, they conjured the power of the first slayer, among other things."

Tara had to stop herself from leaning back into Faith.

{{Wouldn't do to go running off without telling your girlfriend where you're going then}}

Tara wasn't sure what to think. Faith had stopped playing with her hair and her fingers were caressing the back of Tara's neck.

"Um, Faith..." Tara said reluctantly.

"Oh...yeah sure, Willow, right" Faith looked unhappy but not at all regretful.

"So, why did I have the dreams? Oh god, I don't believe I asked that, it's because I'm a slayer?"

Tara nodded. {{That is all she needs to know at this point, why scare her. It's not like she won't find out in time.}}

# # # # # # #

(AS FAITH LEAVES IN WHO ARE YOU)

"A-a-are you okay?" Tara asked walking up to Willow.

"Shit" Willow mumbled, pushing the bracelet into her pocket and trying to rub the tears from her face.

"It-it's okay Willow, I saw what happened." Tara moved forward and took Willow into her arms and held her. "It will all be okay, she'll come back."

"But how do you...?" Willow looked up into Tara's eyes, she couldn't help but smile. "You see that and you're here telling me she'll come back. Aren't you jealous, I mean when Oz saw me kissing Xander he..."

Tara kissed Willow softly, interrupting her.

"I know how you feel about h-h-her. I know what's happened betw-ween you, I know what has still to come, everything is still as it should be."

"Willow, who are you talking to?" Buffy said stomping over, crossbow in hand. "Where's Faith?"

# # # # # # #

"Do you still have the bracelet?" Tara asked Faith, catching her off guard.

Faith lifted her wrist before she'd thought. Tara just nodded.

"How did you...? She told you, or did you, no, you knew about them. What is it you're hiding girlfriend?"

"You wanna go out shopping?" Tara asked changing the subject.

Faith just rolled her eyes.

"What is it about you prissy girls and shopping? I will never get why you like to spend so much time walking around looking at shit."

"I just thought you may want to get something to send back with me."

Faith's smile broadened as she jumped up and grabbed her jacket. "What're you waiting for?" Faith asked impatiently, holding the door open for Tara.

# # # # # # #

(DURING SUPERSTAR)

The demon moved forward trying to grab her. Tara put up her hands and

recited a spell.

{{Distract him, if I can get away I won't have to do anything to draw attention. They can't find out why I'm here yet}}

Smoke started forming in front of her hands making it hard for the demon to follow her. Tara

made her way to the nearest door.

{{Great a closet, can't be helped}}

The door rattled as the demon threw its full weight on it, trying to get to Tara.

{{Things can't end here, I still have so much work to do, things to see}}

The room darkened to match Tara's thoughts, blackness somehow surrounding her.

{{How did this demon know what I'm here for? It didn't seem to attack me for any reason to start with.}}

The darkness around her was slowly brightening yet still black.

"You can't stop it, it's already happening, if you kill me they will just send someone else." Tara told the figure appearing in front of her.

"Is that so?" it replied, lifting its arm to strike out.

 # # # # # # #

"What about this?" Faith asked walking up to Tara with a leather jacket in one hand.

"Um, uh..." Tara blushed

"Come on, it'll suit you and I bet if I get you in the rest of the outfit there'll be one happy witch thanking me later."

Faith grabbed Tara's hand and pulled her towards the dressing rooms.

{{Why did I bring her in here?}} Tara asked herself again {{I should have known she'd want to dress me up like her. I mean look at her, she's practically drooling at these things. She didn't' bat an eye in any of the other shops}}

Tara walked out of the store nervously.

"Come on Tara, you look hot, get your butt out here, now."

"I don't know Faith, I've never warn clothes like this."

Tara made her way out to Faith, catching her reflection in the window as she did.

{{I look just like Faith. What would Willow think if she saw me like this? She's never known anything but the shy gentle Tara, she has no idea that there's another side}}

"I've got somewhere else I'd like to take you before we head back, Faith." Tara said slipping her fingers into her belt and walking off.

{{Goddess, I must look so strange}}

"No way, you can't be serious."

Faith stood outside the shop and shook her head.

"Faith, you're a slayer. If you're going to do any good you need to keep in practice, now come on. It's not like you haven't ever been in a weapons shop before."

"Sure, but what am I gonna to do with them?"

"We're going to practice." Tara held the door open for Faith who was still shaking her head.

"What do you mean 'we,' Tara?" she asked once in the shop.

"I mean, we're going to use these weapons. You're going to practice with me, unless you feel like asking someone else...like Angel. You think you can handle me?"

"You think some decent clothes can change that you're some prissy, girlie girl? Like you could stand against me, like you said, I'm a slayer. I saw you in Sunnydale, you're one of the normal people."

"Don't believe everything you see Faith. Looks can deceive, hide, obscure...you of all people should know that."

# # # # # # #

(DURING WHO ARE YOU)

"We recon until nightfall, and then the ritual hiding begins."

"So we don't do any of the action bit. I mean I know, you said you don't, but do you ever fight?"

"Not much, I mean when there's something we need a group of us for we all get together and help out, but usually it's just up to Buffy. She's the one who knows how to fight after all, kinda built that way, all slayery and stuff." Willow smiled to herself.

"Can you fight?" Tara asked, concern creeping into her voice "I mean, has anyone ever taught you, like Mr Giles or Buffy?"

Willow shook her head sadly "Nope, most of what I know I've picked up. When Buffy ran away the other year we kinda taught ourselves. What about you, you just said you couldn't fight but then, why would you ask about it?" Willow frowned and pressed her lips together tightly.

"It's okay Willow" Tara smiled reaching out and squeezing Willow's hand. "I just mean, well, I just thought that being so close to someone who fights you might know how."

# # # # # # #

"Are you okay?" Tara asked worried.

Faith stood up and rubbed her side.

"Sure, five by five."

Tara frowned but Faith smiled at her "No really, didn't really give you any credit, thought you were just having me on about fighting. Who knew someone as girlie as you could kick a slayer's butt, huh?"

Tara blushed and took up her earlier fighting position.

"Come on Faith, we haven't got that much longer before Angel is coming

over to see you."

"Yeah but..." Faith was interrupted as a pole swung through the air towards her head.

"That's not fair, you didn't....warn... me."

Tara laughed as Faith scrambled around to find her weapon. "And when do demons give warning, Faith?"

# # # # # # #

(DURING WHO ARE YOU)

"I am you know."

"What?" Willow turned around to look back at Tara.

"Yours."

Willow smiled as she left the room.

As the door closed the back of Tara's neck started to tingle.

"Do you guys look in on everything?" she asked.

"Only what we need to see." a female choice said as two human-like forms became visible in Tara's dorm room. "You have made contact with them all?" a male voice asked

"Um, w-w-well," Tara looked down at her hand "I haven't made contact w-with them a-all, but they are here, and I am establishing things as they should be."

Something about talking to them made her feel so young and unsure of herself.

"And they don't know why you are here?" the male said as he moved forward and opened his hands. He held a flat black box.

"Take this, you need to study it." the female said looking directly at Tara.

"What is it?" Tara asked, hesitantly reaching out for the box.

"That you shall find out." the male said, already becoming transparent.

"As you said, things are as they should be. You are doing well." The female said just before the two of them were gone, leaving Tara alone with the box.

# # # # # # #

"Ta' would ya open the door for me." Faith yelled, startling Tara.

"What are you doing, Faith?"

Faith smiled and continued into the room with the large box in her arms.

"Not telling, you've just gotta wait and see."

Tara sat on the little couch in Faith's room and watched. Faith put the box down in the middle of the

room and walked back towards the door.

"Hey, I thought you were going to show me what was in the box?" Tara asked.

"Yep, you thought that." Faith called back.

"Well, aren't you?" {{What is she up to. She's been acting strange all day}}

"Nope. Oh, and don't go snooping in there yourself. When I get back it'd better still be closed."

Tara rolled her eyes as Faith blew her a kiss and walked out of the room giggling.

{{What a change, she must have really come to grips with her past. I can only hope that she doesn't flip when she finds out about mine.}}

"Shut your eyes." Faith called out. When she got no response she peeked around the door. "Oh, why didn't you say they were shut?"

"You didn't tell me to say my eyes were shut, you said to shut them." Tara teased, eyes still tightly shut.

She could hear Faith enter the room, she sounded different some how but Tara couldn't work out how. Her question was soon answered.

"Okay, you can open them now sweetie"

Tara opened her eyes and smiled.

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