Title: The Good, The Bad and The Fangy

By: dawnm

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy or Xena. All Hail Joss Whedon, Rob Tapert, et al. Please don't sue me for trying to have a little fun with them.

Spoilers: Takes place around Buffy s3 ep. "Choices" and Xena s2 eps. "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Return of Callisto", but events from all episodes prior to those are fair game for mention here as well.

Rating: PG-13ish

Classification: Romance/Action/Crossover

Pairings: Buffy/Willow, Xena/Gabrielle

Summary: What might a slayer slay 100 years B.C.? How do two California city girls fare in the wild outdoors? **Sequel to my story "Ages Apart".**

Feedback: I'd love to hear what you think of the story. Feel free to email me anytime with comments or questions. Email: dawnm92@yahoo.com.

Chapter 9 - Closer

"Mmmm." A knock at the door prompted Buffy to end the kiss, albeit reluctantly.

"We should probably get that, huh?" Willow said dazedly.

"Don't wanna." Buffy said, sticking out her lower lip. Willow grinned at the pouting blonde as Buffy turned toward the door. Holding her towel securely around her, the slayer opened the door a crack to see who it was. "Xena." She stepped back to let the warrior enter the room.

"I just wanted to bring you these." Xena said, handing a pile of clothes to Buffy.

"These aren't ours." The slayer said, eyeing the clothes. "Well, not all of them." She added, recognizing her leather pants in the stack.

"They don't wash the leather with the rest. They treated your pants. But the rest of your stuff will take a while to dry." Xena explained. "I borrowed some things for you to wear in the meantime. Get dressed…we'll meet you downstairs for dinner."

"I guess that means this is for you…" Buffy said, handing Willow the dress from the pile of clothes after Xena had left the room.

"Then this must be yours." The redhead pointed out, smiling as she picked up the crop top. It was similar in style to the green top that Gabrielle wore, but it was blue and looked to provide little more coverage than a skimpy bra.

"Great." Buffy chuckled sarcastically as she took the offered item. They retired to their respective corners and dressed with their backs to each other. When Buffy finished, she turned to Willow who was working on the laces at the front of the dress. "Wow."

"I look stupid, don't I?" The redhead paused looking down self-consciously, the laces at her chest still untied.

"No! Are you crazy?" Buffy asked incredulously, crossing the room to stand in front of her girlfriend. "You're gorgeous." Willow blushed under the blonde's appraisal. "You always look amazing, but this…this little number is particularly fetching." The hacker's protest died on her lips as she read the desire in Buffy's eyes. The blonde toyed with the laces on the front of Willow's dress. When her fingers brushed the exposed flesh at the neckline, the redhead nearly jumped out of her skin.

"You, uh, you look…that is, blue is a good color for you." Willow stammered, her eyes slowly scanning the slayer's scantily-clad chest and exposed midriff. When the hacker's gaze finally traveled back up to Buffy's face several seconds later, she knew she'd been caught.

"So…you like?" Buffy asked seductively, resting her hands on Willow's hips and pulling the blushing redhead toward her. The hacker's enthusiastic nod made Buffy chuckle.

"You, Buffy Summers, are a big tease." Willow said with an impish grin.

"Not true." The slayer emphasized her case with a lingering kiss. "Have I ever refused you anything?" Buffy asked innocently. A gulp was the hacker's only response.

***********************

Giles stalked down the halls of Sunnydale High toward the library in a daze, mentally formulating a plan for dealing with Faith. He would have to call the Watcher's Council and turn her over to them, he decided. He had no other choice. Until they arrived, he would likely have to stand guard with the tranquilizer rifle at the ready.

The watcher pushed open the library doors, eyes darting in the direction of the book cage. "Damn!" Giles strode toward the cage, searching for any sign of the dark slayer, who at first glance appeared to be absent. He came to a stop in front of the bars as his initial fear was confirmed. The cage door was still in tact, but Faith was no longer inside. A quick glance up at the east wall of the cell removed all doubt as to how the slayer had escaped. The one small window inside the cage stood open. Muttering a few choice words under his breath about slayers' recovery abilities, he turned to check on Oz who was only now beginning to stir on the library floor. "Are you all right, Oz?"

"Not sure." The boy replied, trying to focus in spite of the pounding in his skull. "What happened?" He asked, mustering all of his strength to push up into a sitting position.

"Faith…happened." Giles replied distractedly. "You might recall…she killed Angel and had her sights set on me. You and Xander tried to stop her and she attacked you. Sorry about…." The watcher gestured at Oz's position on the floor and the tranquilizer dart that had not long ago been embedded in the boy's back. "I assure you it was unintentional."

Oz nodded, taking the apology in stride. "Where is everybody?" He asked, scanning the library. With a frustrated sigh, the watcher began to pace, only pausing briefly to remove his glasses and pinch the bridge of his nose. It was a clear sign to Oz that whatever had happened while he was knocked out was not good. The boy finally scrambled to his feet and pushed himself into a chair at the nearest table, listening to Giles relay the events of the past several hours.

"We have to get out of here." The watcher said as he concluded his brief explanation. "Faith could come back at any moment." With that he scooped up Willow's laptop and a small stack of spell books from behind the desk and approached the boy. "Can you walk?" Oz nodded and climbed to his feet, slow but steady. "Let's go." Giles said, leading the way out of the school.

"My place." The watcher decided, once they were in his car. "We'll be safe there…I hope."

The short drive was made in silence and both of them relaxed slightly when they entered Giles' home. Oz collapsed on the couch, still recovering from the effects of the tranquilizer. The watcher hurried around the room gathering spell ingredients and muttering incantations. Within half an hour, he had erected magical barriers around the house to warn them of any unexpected visitors and to keep out most threats, though he wasn't certain that rouge slayers would fall into that category.

"What now?" Oz asked, looking up at Giles.

"Now, I have to find Buffy…somehow. She is our only hope, I'm afraid."

"How?"

"The spell they cast…I suspect there may be some clue on Willow's computer, but I haven't been able to access it." Giles admitted, fumbling with his glasses in frustration. "Xander tried to guess the password as well, but thus far we've both failed. You know Willow better than I do and you seem to have a knack for working with those dreadful machines. Will you give it a try?" The watcher looked at the boy expectantly.

Oz reached for the laptop on the coffee table. "Yeah. Sure."

"Well then, perhaps I should call and check on Xander." Giles decided.

"Hello, Cordelia." The watcher made a face as he glanced at the clock on the wall. "Um, sorry to be calling so late. I was hoping there might be some news about Xander's condition."

"No, nothing yet." She replied, fatigue evident in her voice. "He's still not awake."

"It is quarter past midnight. Are you still at the hospital?"

"The night nurse let me stay. They still haven't been able to reach Xander's parents. I didn't want him to be alone, in case he wakes up."

"I'm sure he would be happy to know you are there." Giles assured her. "I am at home. Will you let me know if there is any change?"

"Sure."

"Oh and, Cordelia…you should be aware that Faith is no longer in my custody. It appears that she woke while we were at the hospital and effected an escape before I returned to the library."

"Great." Cordy said flatly. "Do you think she will come after Xander?"

"I don't rightly know…It would be wise to use caution. However, I suspect that her primary target will likely be me. She seemed rather determined to stop me from finding Buffy." The watcher said thoughtfully. "Try not to worry, but do be careful."

***********************

Considering both Gabrielle and Willow's low tolerance for alcohol, Xena decided to forego the ale and instead ordered water with their meal. The dinner conversation revolved around new ideas for getting Buffy and Willow back to Sunnydale. After some discussion, the warrior decided that their best hope was to visit the Temple of the Fates and ask for their help. With that decided and the meal finished, Xena excused herself to go to the stable to check on Argo. As she stood up, she nudged the slayer's shoulder and jerked her head toward the door in a not-so-subtle gesture.

"I take it you want me to join you?" Buffy said with an amused smirk, rising from her chair with an eyebrow raised at the warrior's odd behavior. Xena gave a slight nod and moved toward the door, glancing back to see that the blonde was following. "So, you gonna tell me what's up?" Buffy asked, eyeing the warrior curiously as they had stepped out of the inn and into the night.

"I just wanted to talk to you…about Gabrielle." Xena muttered, glancing at the slayer apprehensively.

Buffy tilted her head, looking up at the warrior with a curious expression. "What about her?" Xena shifted uncomfortably, unsure how to broach the subject. As if a light bulb went on, Buffy's quizzical look turned into a knowing smile. "Is this about what I think it's about? Cause if this is about…I gotta tell ya, I have zero experience."

A blush rose on the warrior's cheeks and she aimed a death-glare at the blonde who was smiling amusedly at her. Buffy couldn't suppress a chuckle. "Thanks for your help." Xena said sarcastically, turning her back to the slayer.

"I'm sorry." Buffy said, working her face into a more serious expression. "I guess I'm just a little surprised. I mean…you've had relationships before, haven't you?"

"Not like this." Xena said, turning to meet the blonde's gaze. Buffy registered the meaning, finally starting to understand the warrior's distress. "My relationships in the past weren't exactly based on love." Xena said bluntly.

"Then…this is a good thing." Buffy said firmly. "You love her. She loves you. So…how is this not a good thing?"

"It's complicated."

Buffy shook her head. "Doesn't have to be."

"Gabrielle is so young…"

"Trust me, she's not that young." The blonde said suggestively. Xena locked piercing blue eyes onto the amused hazel of her friend. Buffy wavered slightly, but didn't back down. "Give the girl some credit. She's old enough to know what she wants…and what she wants is you." She added with a teasing grin.

"But--"

"I really don't think you have anything to worry about." Buffy interjected.

Xena looked unconvinced. "How about you sleep with me tonight?" The warrior suggested. "Gabrielle can sleep with Willow."

Buffy chuckled wickedly. "That's a really nice offer, but…I'm spoken for." She replied with a playful wink.

Xena frowned at the slayer, though a spark of amusement lit her eyes. "You know that's not what I meant."

"Sorry…my bad." Buffy offered an apologetic smile. "Giles says I have a 'tendency toward inappropriate humor.'"

"It's all right." The warrior smiled, then looked up at the blonde as a thought occurred to her. "How is it that you're so calm about all of this?"

"I'm not really. Trust me." Buffy said soberly as she began to pace restlessly in front of the warrior. "But…I realize now that I wasted like three years being afraid, hiding from this. For a slayer, three years is pretty much a lifetime. And I think I've learned my lesson about avoiding my feelings. Willow is the absolute best thing in my life and I just wanna hold on to her and never let go."

"I know what you mean." Xena said thoughtfully, reaching out to lay a hand on Buffy's shoulder. "Thanks."

***********************

"Here." Oz said bitterly, shoving the laptop across the coffee table toward the watcher.

"What?" Giles' looked questioningly at the werewolf, reaching out to pick up the machine. "How? Xander and I tried every conceivable password." The watcher studied the boy in awe. Oz stalked across the room angrily. "What's the matter? This is good news. This contraption could tell us what we need to know." Giles' brow furrowed in confusion, his gaze following the werewolf as he paced.

"Nothing." Oz replied absently. "Yeah, great news. If there's nothing else, I'm gonna go."

"Of course. You should go home and get some rest." Giles said, baffled by the abrupt change in the boy's mood. Oz turned and walked toward the door. "Oh, um, Oz, what is the password…in case I need it again?"

The teen paused in the doorway with his back to the watcher, gripping the door handle and drawing in a deep breath. In a distant voice he answered, "Buffy. The password's Buffy."

***********************

"Hey." Buffy called, entering her room to find Willow and Gabrielle stretched out on the bed, deep in conversation. The bard stopped talking mid-sentence and both girls fell silent. Buffy smiled, immediately suspecting that they'd been talking about her and Xena while they were outside. "I leave you alone for ten minutes and you're already in bed with someone else?" Willow giggled. Buffy dropped a kiss on the redhead's lips before sitting down beside her.

"Well…I guess I'll leave you two alone." Gabrielle chuckled nervously as she stood up. The bard looked at the door, but couldn't quite make a move toward it. Instead, she cast a distressed glance at Willow that clearly said 'help me'. The hacker went to her side and whispered in her ear.

"Hey…it'll be okay." Gabrielle nodded and offered a weak smile before making her way to the door and finally saying goodnight.

"You wanna tell me what you two were talking about?" Buffy asked with a playful smile, pulling the redhead closer to the bed.

"What about you and Xena? She practically dragged you out of the inn." Willow asked with a mischievous grin, standing between the slayer's legs, looking down into smiling hazel eyes.

"Just girl-talk. Or maybe warrior-slayer girl-talk? If there is such a thing." Buffy tilted her head to the side considering the thought. "So, what juicy gossip did I miss?" She asked, drinking in the sight of the beautiful green eyes before her.

"Oh…just sidekick talk." Willow said with an impish grin, evading the question.

"Have I told you lately how adorable you are?" Buffy asked, tracing soft circles on the back of the redhead's hand.

"You…might have mentioned that…before dinner." The hacker said nervously, her voice faltering.

"Did I also happen to mention that I love you?" Buffy asked, reclining on the bed to rest on her elbows. "Cause I do."

"I love you too." Willow favored the blonde with a sweet Willowy smile, leaning over her on the bed to steal a kiss.

***********************

Gabrielle stepped into her room to find Xena sitting at the foot of the bed seemingly lost in thought. "Hi." The bard said, turning back to close the door. The warrior got up to greet her, laying a hand on Gabrielle's shoulder. The jittery bard jumped at the unexpected touch and Xena retracted her hand and took a step back, a wounded look in her eyes.

"Are you…afraid of me, Gabrielle?" Xena asked softly, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"No! Of course not, Xena." The bard rushed to answer, mentally kicking herself for her reaction as she moved toward the warrior. Xena didn't argue, but looked down at the floor uncertainly. "I love you." Gabrielle whispered, tentatively reaching up to touch the warrior's face.

"What's wrong, Gabrielle?" Xena questioned, finally meeting the bard's gaze.

"Nothing's wrong." She replied, her pulse racing as thoughtful blue eyes studied her tenderly. Gabrielle retreated from the warrior, seeking sanctuary at the bedside table where she fumbled for her hairbrush. Brushing her hair served as a lame excuse for her withdrawal; she knew it and Xena knew it.

The warrior stood for a moment looking at her back, disheartened at the distance between them. Gabrielle mindlessly ran the brush through her strawberry-blonde locks over and over again, silently berating herself for being such a pitiful coward. With a dejected sigh, Xena made her way to the bed, quickly undressing down to her sleeping shift, and crawled under the covers turning her back to the bard.

When Gabrielle finally worked up the courage, she took a deep breath and discarded the brush before turning toward the warrior. Seeing that Xena had already settled in bed, the bard took pause, wondering just how long she had been standing there lost in her thoughts. After quickly dressing in her nightgown, Gabrielle sat down on the bed, staring at the warrior's back. "Xena?"

It was clear by the brunette's breathing that she wasn't asleep, but she offered no reply and didn't stir. "I'm sorry, Xena." She whispered, her voice wavering as the words spilled out.

Hearing the ache in Gabrielle's voice, the warrior quickly turned to comfort her. "Shhh…it's okay." Xena soothed, reaching up to wipe away a single tear that was gliding down the bard's cheek. "Don't cry, Gabrielle."

The warrior looked up at her with eyes filled with love and concern and the bard did the only thing that she could do. Reaching out with hands and lips, she pushed the stunned brunette back onto the mattress, bombarding the warrior's senses as she deepened the kiss.

And Xena did the only thing that she could do. She welcomed the bard with open arms and eager lips, only abandoning the kiss when she was hanging by the last thread of her sanity. Desire tangled with doubt in the sapphire eyes as Gabrielle took a ragged breath and grasped for answers to the unspoken questions in the warrior's gaze.

Driven by her own yearning, the bard opted for the 'actions speak louder than words' approach, bringing her body fully down onto Xena's again, finding her raison d'être in the warrior's exquisite lips. Gabrielle shifted to free a hand and timid fingers began to roam as if they had a mind of their own, lingering on Xena's taught stomach before drifting upward.

The warrior tensed involuntarily at the pure electric shock that coursed through her body and called on her last bit of resolve to break the kiss. "Gabrielle…" What was meant as a warning sounded more like a plea as Xena strained to speak rationally through the haze of desire. "We've got to slow down." The warrior managed to whisper, reaching out to still the bard's shaking hand with her own.

Gabrielle offered no reply, struck mute by her own sudden aching need. "We don't have to do this…don't have to rush." Xena assured her, brushing a few tendrils of reddish-blonde hair from the bard's flushed face. "I want to wait until you're ready."

Gabrielle laughed at the absurdity of the statement. "You make me so crazy, Xena, that I may never be ready."

"That makes two of us." The warrior replied with a lopsided grin. "So, I'll settle for waiting until you're sure."

"I'm sure." Gabrielle said without hesitation, boldly stealing a quick kiss. Seeing the question lingering in the soft blue eyes, the bard wrapped her arms around the warrior, vanquishing the last bit of space between their bodies. "I need you, Xena." She whispered, punctuating the words with tender kisses to the sensitive flesh of the warrior's neck.

Chapter 10 - Hearts Afire

"Gabrielle…" She whispered the bard's name as if it were a prayer. Xena clung to the younger woman, all of the warrior's defenses reduced to a pile of rubble.

Guided by instinct alone, Gabrielle found Xena's lips with her own and kissed the brunette with an urgency borne purely of love, further disarming the warrior who had nothing in her vast experience to compare this to. Xena returned the kiss, alternately stroking the bard's hair and face, unable to do more as she found herself regressing to an awkward teenage girl - something she had never truly been. The warrior's breath caught in her throat when Gabrielle's hand brushed against her side, moving steadily toward her breast leaving a trail of sparks in its wake.

The bard ended the kiss, looking down into the smoky blue eyes of the woman beneath her as if seeking permission to go on. Xena smiled an oddly shy smile for the warrior. She lifted Gabrielle's hand to her lips, placing a soft kiss in the palm, before guiding it back to her own breast signaling her approval. The younger woman blushed as she felt an unfamiliar ache build inside her, but the flicker of desire in Xena's eyes was all the encouragement she needed.

Gabrielle rejoined their mouths all the while tugging at the warrior's sleeping shift, longing to feel the satin skin beneath. Xena shifted to allow the bard access and breathed a soft moan into Gabrielle's mouth as a warm hand slipped under the garment and moved across her bare stomach in a tender caress. Further exploration by the bard left the warrior breathless and unable to maintain the kiss. With shaking but persistent hands, Gabrielle grasped the cloth and removed it with only minimal fumbling in the process.

Any boldness she had felt skittered away as the bard took in the sight before her. Feeling decidedly cowardly, she lay motionless, looking pleadingly into the warrior's eyes. Xena offered a comforting smile and turned toward Gabrielle, guiding the strawberry-blonde down onto her back on the mattress. The bard smiled sheepishly, her eyes expressing relief that she was no longer leading.

As intent green eyes dared to scan the beauty above her and desire lit Gabrielle's features, Xena's heart nearly stopped. She leaned in, placing a brief kiss on the bard's lips before capturing her bottom lip between her own, running her tongue along the expanse of silky pink flesh. Gabrielle whimpered, clutching at the warrior's back, and nearly fainted when a strong hand caressed her thigh, coming to a rest at the curve of her hip.

Xena paused at the hem of the nightgown, stopping her loving assault on the bard's lips to meet her gaze with the question. Unable to speak beyond the lump of desire in her throat, Gabrielle simply nodded in reply, reaching for the warrior's hand to help her remove the last barrier between them. Both women were lost in the sensation when skin finally met skin and an intense heat burned between them in spite of the chill in the air around them.

Small hands traveled the expanse of the warrior's back, kneading the muscles that played beneath the skin. Xena murmured words of love as she trailed kisses from the bard's shoulder to the pulse point of her throat, bringing a hand between their bodies to Gabrielle's breast. The bard's breath hitched in her throat at the contact and a pleased smile teased the corners of the warrior's mouth as the strawberry blonde moved against her. Gabrielle bit her lower lip, trying to suppress a plea. Despite her effort, a somewhat high-pitched moan escaped, broadcasting her need better than any words could have.

***********************

"You cold?" Buffy asked the shivering redhead.

"A little."

"Get up." The blonde said, climbing to her feet.

"Huh?"

"Come on. Up." Buffy pulled Willow off the bed and folded back the covers. "Now, get in." She smiled at the confused redhead. "Under the covers. It'll be warmer." Willow nodded her understanding and kicked off her shoes before climbing into the bed.

"Mind if I join you?" Buffy asked as the redhead snuggled down under the blankets with a contented smile.

Willow nodded her approval, her green eyes sparkling as she looked up at the blonde. "I'd mind if you didn't. I've been looking forward to this all day." Buffy smiled a mischievous smile, raising an eyebrow at the comment. "Oh, I didn't mean…I meant the cuddles…I've been looking forward to, um, cuddles…all day."

Buffy chuckled, kicking off her shoes and climbing into bed as the redhead babbled. The slayer silenced her with a soft kiss. "I knew what you meant, Will." She smiled adoringly at her blushing girlfriend, pulling the covers up over them and settling back against the pillows. Willow looked at her expectantly and Buffy smiled, opening her arms and inviting the hacker to settle in at her side. "Better?"

"Uh huh." Willow said contentedly. "You?"

"Much." Buffy agreed, pulling the redhead closer.

After a moment, Willow looked up at her girlfriend. The look in her eyes told Buffy that something was on her mind. "What's up?"

"Oh, I was just thinking…Gabrielle seemed kinda upset when she left. Do you think she'll be okay?" The hacker asked thoughtfully.

As if on cue, distinctive sounds from the room next door carried through the wall and the redhead's eyes grew three sizes.

Buffy couldn't suppress a chuckle. "They, uh, sound like they're doing just fine."

"Buffy!" Willow gasped in shock.

"What?" She asked, smiling innocently at the embarrassed hacker. Willow pulled the covers up over her head and buried her face in Buffy's shoulder. "Hey, what are you doing under there?" Buffy teased, trying to lift the blankets to catch a peek at the blushing redhead.

Willow flung back the covers with her mouth hanging open, too speechless to even form the words to deny her girlfriend's implication. "God, you're beautiful." Buffy blurted out; all traces of humor gone from her voice as her hazel eyes worked at memorizing Willow's face.

The emotional roller coaster seemed to grind to a halt for the hacker, leaving her heart stuck on pure love. "Aww, Buffy." Willow reached out to take her girlfriend's hand. "You're so sweet to me. I…I don't know what I'd do without you."

Sadness flashed in the green eyes at the thought of losing Buffy and the slayer lifted Willow's chin forcing her to look at her. "Hey…you're never going to have to find out. I promise. I'm not going anywhere." Willow offered a watery smile and Buffy continued, "I have everything to live for now…I've got you." Leaning forward, she kissed the tip of Willow's nose. On impulse, the hacker tilted her head to capture Buffy's lips. The blonde smiled into the kiss, pleasantly surprised at the turn of events.

Pulling away to look at her girlfriend, Willow wore an impish grin. "Are you laughing at me?" She asked, playfully pushing the slayer back onto the mattress. Buffy shook her head, but couldn't help chuckling at the redhead's 'tough-girl' display. "You shouldn't laugh at me…." Willow whispered the warning in the blonde's ear and the slayer stopped laughing when every nerve ending in her body jumped to attention as Willow's warm breath danced across her skin.

Buffy encircled the hacker's waist and pulled her down on top of her. "You…are driving me crazy." She whispered into the hacker's ear, giving her a taste of her own medicine. For a moment Willow thought she might pass out as her pulse began to race, but Buffy released her hold on the redhead and relaxed back into the mattress giving the hacker some space.

"Sorry." Willow said with a sheepish smile, shifting her weight off of the blonde to lay down beside her.

Buffy smiled an easy smile, turning onto her side to face her girlfriend. "Nothing to be sorry for." She said cheerily, leaning in for a kiss and taking Willow's breath away in the process. Both girls soon lost themselves in each other's lips and hands began to roam of their own accord.

Several minutes later, it was Buffy who ended the kiss, trying to catch her breath after Willow's wandering hand brushed against her breast. For her part, Willow seemed utterly shocked to discover what her hand had been doing. The hacker rushed to apologize, but Buffy put a finger to her lips, silencing her. "S'okay. I just wasn't expecting…" The slayer explained breathlessly, then offered a lopsided grin. "So not complaining."

As if to prove her point, Buffy brought their lips together again, pulling Willow into her arms as she nipped at the hacker's lower lip. Willow parted her lips, inviting entrance, and their tongues met somewhere in the middle. As the kiss deepened, countless minutes passed, each driving the other to the brink of insanity and neither wanting to stop any time soon. It was Willow this time who finally pulled away with a start, gasping for air when Buffy shifted and a leather-clad knee accidentally landed in a particularly sensitive place.

Buffy's brow furrowed in concern when the hacker nearly jumped off the bed at the contact. "God, Will. I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?"

"No…not hurt." Willow squeaked out.

"Oh." The blonde looked confused for a second until the meaning dawned on her. "Oh! Will…I'm so sorry. Not part of the plan." Buffy said, dropping onto her back on the mattress again.

"Plan?" The redhead asked in a high-pitched voice, glancing nervously at her girlfriend.

Buffy smiled. "Relax, Will. I just meant…we should take things slow." She said, reaching up to run her fingers through silky auburn hair. "Tonight I thought we could just cuddle…and maybe kiss. Cause…how could I resist kissing these lips?" She smiled, running her index finger along the curve of the lips in question.

The hacker's response conveyed both nervousness and relief. "Oh! Yeah…slow is…" Willow breathed. "Slow is good." Her eyes lingered on Buffy's mouth as she spoke and her expression changed, giving away the longing she felt.

"Are you disappointed?" Buffy asked, trying to define the look on the redhead's face.

"Wha--?" Willow snapped out of her daze, meeting the blonde's eyes. "N-no. I was just hoping…" Willow trailed off as her gaze fell again to her girlfriend's lips.

Buffy smiled. "For another kiss?" She asked, finishing the hacker's sentence.

Willow gave an enthusiastic nod. "Uh huh. Kissing is good."

Buffy's eyes sparkled adoringly. "You don't even need to ask. Come here." A smile spread across the redhead's face as she moved into the waiting arms and met the enticing lips.

***********************

"Gabrielle?" Xena froze, all color draining from her face when she saw tears in the vulnerable green eyes. "Did I hurt you? Did I do something wrong?" Fear gripped her heart as she wrapped the bard in a tender embrace.

"No, Xena." Gabrielle smiled, reaching up to touch the warrior's cheek. "You're wonderful…very gentle. I'm just…happy. I've never been so happy. I love you, Xena."

"I love you too, Gabrielle." The warrior whispered, clinging desperately to the bard as tears of relief spilled from soft blue eyes. "If I'd hurt you--"

"You didn't." Gabrielle insisted, pulling back to look into Xena's eyes. "No one has ever cared for me the way you do." The bard wiped a stray tear from the warrior's cheek and softly pressed her lips to Xena's. Desire flared between them again and Gabrielle pulled the warrior into her arms, driven by a need to touch and love the woman in front of her, all previous shyness forgotten.

Willing herself to relax, Xena shut her eyes, fighting her fear behind closed doors. This would prove to be the hardest part for the warrior - relinquishing control and accepting Gabrielle's love. For years, the warrior had wielded her sexuality like any other weapon in her arsenal and none could resist her charms. It was a game of power, control and manipulation that Xena always won…never feeling, never loving, never giving her heart to anyone.

The bard seemed to sense the warrior's internal struggle. "Xena?" She brushed her fingers across her lover's cheek. Stormy gray-blue eyes opened to meet her gaze. Gabrielle's heart ached at the vulnerability there. "Are you okay?" Xena nodded and tried to put on a small smile. "Can I…touch you?" The warrior nodded again.

The bard tentatively reached out, gliding her hand along Xena's arm up to her shoulder. Bringing her lips to Xena's throat, Gabrielle placed whisper-soft kisses along the warrior's collarbone while her hand rested over her lover's heart. The battle raged on inside the warrior. The bard paused. With a note of sadness, she said, "We don't have to. I just wanted to…show you…I love you, Xena."

The hurt green eyes pulled Xena from her musings. "I know, Gabrielle. I'm sorry for being distant." Her arms encircled the bard. "I want you."

Gabrielle captured Xena's lips, kissing her urgently, and the warrior felt herself being swept away. When the bard's hand found her breast, Xena relinquished control to her lover. Gabrielle noticed the change instantly, as the warrior seemed to tremble beneath her touch. One of Xena's hands raked through her reddish-blonde hair while the other tugged at her waist, pulling the bard closer.

Recognizing the gift that was being offered, Gabrielle didn't hesitate, cherishing every moment - kissing, holding and touching the warrior. The love in the bard's eyes intensified each caress driving Xena to the brink of insanity before she reached her peak and tumbled over the edge melting in her lover's arms.

Her breath coming in gasps, Xena fought to speak. "Gabrielle…"

The bard rained tender kisses on the warrior's face. "You don't have to say anything, Xena."

"I do." The warrior insisted, capturing the bard's hand and bringing it to her heart. "I love you."

Gabrielle fought back tears again as her heart swelled with emotion. "I love you, Xena."