Willow nodded her agreement. Her palms were sweaty and damp. She was a nervous wreck. God, you think this was the first time she had done this. Well, technically it was the first time she had done this, but whatever.
"I�m ready,� the redhead replied, eyes resolute.
Faith nodded in approval. �We�re going to give it to the bastards,� the Slayer promised her. �And it�s okay here.�
Willow nodded again. It wasn�t like she was going to use magic or anything. No, this was a run of the mill sort of thing around the WWE. People would probably be expecting it. Okay, they probably wouldn�t be expecting it, especially in light of what happened on RAW. But again, whatever. It was you do here. It was okay, it was expected.
Revenge was okay here.
***
Jeff was exhausted. As expected, Heyman had insisted on a match between the Next Big Thing and those who dared to interfere in his business. So it was Edge and the Hardy Boys versus Lesnar, Heyman, and William Regal. And Lesnar was really giving it to them.
Jeff was currently in the ring, trying to get his wind back. Lesnar had power bombed the hell out of him. Edge was off fighting Regal at ringside while Matt was giving it to Heyman. Jeff was left alone with the big monster.
He heard a change in the way the fans were screaming. He knew that scream. It was an �our heroes are saved� scream. But who in the hell would be saving . . .
Willow and Faith. It made sense, but he couldn�t be sure. He was kind of out of it. Jeff hoped maybe Bubba had recovered from his hardcore match and was making his way down to ringside. But then he caught a flash of red hair. Willow. And wherever Willow was, Faith was too far off. What the hell were they doing here?
***
Willow waited apprehensively backstage. She was waited for the signal from Faith. Her eyes flicked over the action in the ring. A power bomb had just flattened poor Jeff Hardy. She felt bad about that. All they did was try to rescue her and Faith and now were paying for it.
Dimly, she saw Faith weaving her way through the crowd. Waiting until the brunette had cleared the barricade, Willow charged out to ringside.
***
Faith watched as Willow leapt onto the ring apron, successfully distracting the referee. Wasting little time, Faith snuck up behind Molly Holly.
Before the woman could even registered what happened, she was out cold. Faith leaned over and plucked something out of the woman�s pocket. Matt was still busy with Heyman, Edge busy with Regal. Brock was approaching Willow, so Faith knew it was time.
Now for the fun part. The brunette slipped into the ring behind Lesnar. She quickly spun him around. Brock barely registered who was behind him before it happened. This time the confrontation would happen with out the muscle relaxant. This time, Brock would have to face up to her in her natural state. Faith reared back her fist and let Brock Lesnar know what a Slayer was all about.
He went down like a ton of bricks.
***
Willow continued to argue with the ref until Faith had managed to drag Jeff Hardy over top of the unconscious Lesnar. As the brunette jumped out of the ring, Willow ended her fight with the ref. The redhead hopped off the apron and Faith joined her.
The ref turned around and immediately administered the three count. He called for the bell, raising Jeff Hardy�s limp arm up in the air. The fans were going wild.
Ecstatic, the two girls pulled the young wrestler out of the ring. Finding him still hurting from the match, they slung his arms around their necks and proceeded to help him up the ramp. Matt and Edge joined them quickly. Both men looked extremely shocked.
�How did you manage to . . .� Edge trailed off, looking at the still prone figure of Lesnar in the ring.
Faith grinned. Knowing there was a camera following them closely, the brunette pulled Regal�s brass knux out of her pocket. Technically, she didn�t use them, but no one else needed to know that.
�Got �em off Molly,� she explained with a grin.
�That was really dangerous!� Matt informed them.
Willow rolled her eyes and hefted Jeff up a bit. �They should know better than to piss us off,� was her reply.
�But what if they come after you again?� Matt demanded.
�Then they get more of the same,� Faith answered happily.
�When we�re done in the showers, we�re going to talk about this,� Matt told them. Edge nodded his agreement. Jeff wasn�t able to nod, but he wholeheartedly agreed.
�Only when you�re done in the showers?� Faith pouted. �But time is precious. How about multitasking? You take a shower while yelling at us. I wouldn�t mind the spray.�
�Faith,� Willow groaned, shaking her head. �Stop acting so horny.�
�Whose acting?� the brunette shot back as they dragged Jeff backstage. A slightly embarrassed Matt Hardy and a laughing Edge followed them.
***
�I am so not in the mood for a lecture,� Willow informed the gathered group of wrestlers.
Jeff gave a little laugh at that. �It�s too bad because Matt is going to give you one,� Jeff replied. The slight redhead rolled her eyes and turned to frown at the elder Hardy. �What?�
�You really shouldn�t have done that,� Matt stated firmly. �It was extremely dangerous and stupid.�
�Gee Dad, thanks for that,� Faith frowned at him. �Relax, we�re big girls. We can take care of ourselves.�
�Not against Brock and Heyman,� Matt insisted. �What are you going to do if they decide to come after you? Without those brass knux, do you even stand a chance?�
�Kind of reminds you of Angel, huh?� Willow said to Faith. The brunette wrinkled her nose.
�Kind of, but Angel would have tried to ground us by now.�
�Are you even listening to me?� Matt demanded. �And who the hell is Angel?�
�This tall, dark, broody guy who always tries to tell us what to do,� Willow responded. �And we are listening, we�re just choosing to not care.�
�How can you not care?� Matt exploded.
�Matt�s right,� Trish interjected. �Lesnar is dangerous. And now he�s pissed at you. You�re in hot water now.�
�They will come after you,� Edge added.
Bubba nodded his agreement. �Count on it.�
�So?� Faith raised an eyebrow. �No offence, cause you guys are nice and stuff, but that doesn�t concern you. Red and me can handle ourselves. Don�t need babysitters.�
�Well, isn�t that too bad,� Matt countered snidely. �Because as of now, you two have some.�
�Will I get some too?� Faith smiled demurely. Matt turned red again and sputtered a bit.
Willow slapped her friend upside the head. �Knock it off,� she admonished. �I think he�s talking about putting us under lock and key. Not under anything else.�
�Not lock and key,� Jeff protested for Matt who was still rather red over Faith�s last comment. �Just keeping an eye out for you.�
�You guys like locks?� Faith asked innocently. Jeff and Edge burst out laughing while Matt continued to sputter.
Willow just shook her head. �Worse than Anya,� she muttered.
Faith frowned. �Not so,� she protested. �I�m alluding to sex. Anya just plain blurts that stuff out.�
�Who�s Anya?� was Trish�s question.
�Hello! Remember us?� Matt waved his hands in front of them. �We were talking.�
Willow rolled her eyes. �All right big brother. What would you like for us to do?�
The five other wrestlers exchanged glances. Matt turned back to the two new girls. �We have a proposition.�
Faith smiled wickedly at his choice of words. Matt seemed to realize this and blushed once more.
Faith�s smile widened. �We�re all ears.�
***
�No, this is stupid!�
Faith rolled her eyes. �Isn�t a little late for objections?� the Slayer watched her redheaded friend pace their hotel room. �We kind of already agreed.�
�But it�s a bad idea!� Willow insisted.
�How?� Faith countered. �We help them, they help us. Works out pretty good.�
"You�re just saying that because you want in Matt�s pants,� Willow huffed.
�True,� Faith agreed. �But if you want, I like Jeff�s pants are available.�
Willow glared at her friend. �Not funny.�
�Wasn�t joking,� Faith shrugged. �Look Red, you�re freaking out for no reason. I know you think you deserve to be alone and miserable. I�m surprised you�ve stayed with me this long. We don�t really want others around. But let�s face the facts, we need them. We won�t survive here much longer if not.�
Willow sighed. �This is all Heyman�s fault,� the redhead muttered sourly.
�Look, you�re acting like it�s the end of the world,� Faith gave her a look. �It�s not. It�s just an alliance. It�s for our benefit and for theirs. Just stop freaking out.�
�I guess I don�t really have a choice do I?� Willow pouted.
�Nope,� Faith shook her head. The brunette gave her a grin. �We�re a part of Team Extreme. Whether you like it or not.�
***
�A damn inter-gender tag!� Matt swore loudly.
Willow raised an eyebrow at him. �Who in the right mind would get into the ring with Faith?� the redhead asked. �She�s been through the entire roster, except for Trish. Wait, it�s not Trish is it?�
The blonde in question snorted. �Like I�d ever team up with Lesnar,� Trish rolled her eyes. �No that privilege gets bestowed on Ivory.�
�Ivory?� Faith repeated. �Which one is that one?�
�Brunette, loud, lasted about three minutes,� Willow supplied. �What motivated her to get back in the ring with Faith?�
�Nothing,� Jeff answered sourly. �That�s what Matt is trying to tell you. Faith is not in the match.�
The brunette frowned. �Then who is?�
Matt turned to Willow. �You are.�
�Me? Why me?�
Trish smiled reassuringly at the frightened redhead. �You�ll be fine,� she soothed, applying makeup to Willow�s face. The girls had retreated to Trish�s locker room to get ready. Faith was pacing the floor in extreme agitation.
�This is insane,� the brunette muttered for the umpteenth time. �Lesnar and Heyman both have it in for Willow. Inter-gender tag gives them the perfect opportunity to have her in the ring legally. I don�t like it!�
�Matt and Jeff will not let that happen,� Trish stated firmly. �They�ll take care of Willow out there. And you�ll be at ringside as well. Don�t worry too much about it.�
�Don�t worry,� Willow repeated. �This that all you can say?�
�No,� Trish grinned mischievously. �I can say you�re lucky your first match ain�t a bra and panties match.�
Willow paled considerably. �I don�t have anything to worry about,� the redhead agreed. �Matt and Jeff will take care of me.�
�Attagirl.�
***
�She isn�t ready for this,� Jeff informed his brother.
Matt sighed and ran a hand through his long dark hair. �I don�t know Jeff,� he shrugged. �We�ve never seen her in action before-�
�That�s because she�s a manager!� Jeff interrupted loudly. �She�s not supposed to be in action!�
�That�s what we use to say about Trish,� Bubba piped up. �Now she�s the Champ.�
�Willow is shorter and much smaller all around than Trish,� Jeff shot back. �Have you seen her arms? I could wrap both of them in one of my hands.�
�You�ve tried?� Edge asked.
Jeff glared at the laughing man. �Shut up.�
�Look, you�re overly concerned about the little redhead,� Edge smiled at him teasingly. �Think you could tone it down? You might scare her off.�
�What are you on?� Jeff demanded.
�Look Jeff we know you like Willow-�
�What?� Jeff whirled on his brother.
�We know you like Willow,� Matt repeated. �But you will probably scare her off if you keep this up.�
�I don�t know-� Jeff stopped abruptly. �I just don�t want to see her hurt.�
�And?� Edge needled.
�And I like her,� Jeff admitted, hands thrown up in the air.
�No shit,� Bubba muttered under his breath.
�But that is not the problem!� Jeff continued. �The problem is Willow ending up in the ring against Heyman or Lesnar.�
�Not an option,� Matt stated. �We will make sure that doesn�t happen.�
�Besides, who knows, maybe she�ll be okay in the ring,� Edge shrugged.
Jeff sighed. �We can always pray.�
***
"Making their way to the ring, being accompanied by Faith, the team of Willow and Jeff and Matt Hardy!"
Willow winced at the ring announcer's introduction. Willow in a match, oh boy that was all wrong. Not that Willow couldn't hold her own, but this was her first match ever. And Brock Lesnar with his slime ball agent Paul Heyman was in the other corner.
"Just breathe," Faith whispered in her ear. Willow frowned at that. All the advice anyone could give her was relax, calm down, breathe, it will be okay. Who were they trying to convince? Willow or themselves?
The Hardys ran off ahead, sliding into the ring to stare down Lesnar and Heyman. Ivory skipped around behind the monster wrestler, jeering at the approaching redhead.
"She's one of the ones we don't like, right?" Faith asked Willow.
"Oh yeah," Willow answered. "We hate her."
"Gonna be okay?"
Willow took a deep breath and climbed the ring steps. "I better be."
***
The match had started off okay. Well, it started off horribly. Lesnar was pounding the crap out of Jeff, throwing the man from corner to corner. Willow winced every time Jeff hit the ring, which was a lot. The poor guy looked so out of it. And Lesnar wasn't backing off. He kept tossing Willow pointed glares that she returned. So what if the jerk didn't like her? She hated him.
Then that brat Ivory tagged herself into the match. She kicked Jeff while he was down, celebrating like she had actually done something. Jeff threw her off and turned to Willow.
"Want in?" he asked. Like she had a choice. Jeff was practically falling over. She nodded and held out her hand.
Jeff tagged her in before limping between the ropes. Poor guy. Actually, poor Willow. She watched Ivory approach, the brunette extremely cocky.
"Always wanted to kick your ass," she jeered. Willow rolled her eyes. This woman might have been a veteran in the ring, but she wouldn't stand a chance on the Hellmouth. Willow on the other hand, had done a lot more than just survive the last six years on the Hellmouth. She helped keep the damn thing on a leash.
Ivory charged at her, hands immediately going for the hair. Willow saw it coming and ducked, linking her arm through Ivory's and propelling the brunette over her head. Jumping quickly to her feet, Willow latched on to a bunch of Ivory's hair. Using it to pull the woman up, Willow promptly gave her a suplex. She turned, waited for Ivory to stagger up, and then delivered a huge spear. Gathering her legs up, Willow waited for the count.
Then a pain exploded on the backside of her head. Damn it, she had forgotten about Lesnar and Heyman. Willow crawled off Ivory and held her head in her hands, trying to clear the cobwebs. She heard a loud smack and knew Ivory had tagged out. Willow lifted her head. She saw Heyman approaching her on the titantron. The greasy agent was mocking the Hardys, causing the ref to go over and restrain them. Willow grinned to herself.
What an idiot.
She flipped over, placing her weight on her hands, and delivered a mighty kick below the belt. Heyman's eyes crossed. His hands covered his privates and the man fell to his knees. Willow scrambled over to her corner and tagged Matt in. Jeff dragged her out of the ring.
"You okay?"
"Lesnar's in there!" Faith interrupted. Jeff swore and jumped into the ring. Faith placed a hand on Willow's back.
"Okay?"
"Five by five," the redhead muttered back. Faith grinned.
"Don't be stealing my catch phrases," she warned.
Willow rolled her eyes and turned back to the ring. The Hardys had everything under control until that twit Ivory leapt into the fray. Willow gave an irritated sigh and dove back into the ring. She yanked Ivory backwards by the hair and gave her astounding DDT. Willow then proceeded to throw the limp woman over the ropes. Turning back to the others, Willow saw Matt throw Heyman up over the ropes.
Lesnar was being beaten around by both brothers. Watching them, Willow got an idea. It was very un-Willow-like, but what did she care?
Shrugging, the redhead leapt up onto the turnbuckle.
***
Jeff saw Willow climb up to the turnbuckle and wondered what the hell she was thinking. Matt delivered a neckbreaker to Lesnar. The big man bounced up from the contact and whirled around, facing Willow. Then Jeff figured out what she was planning.
The redhead leapt off the top, executing a Hurricanrama worthy of Lita. He turned to Matt, slightly shocked. His brother shrugged and motioned for him to go up top. Jeff complied, watching his brother set up Lesnar for the Twist of Fate. Jeff flew off the top, landing a perfect Swanton. Lesnar was out.
Matt grinned and then promptly tagged Willow in. The redhead practically skipped over to the fallen man and went for the pin.
One. Two. Three.
They won.
***
The celebration carried on up the ramp. Faith hugged her friend fiercely, chortling over how awesome she was. Willow grinned and motioned to the unconscious figure of Heyman on ringside.
"Matt didn't hit him hard enough to knock him out," she needled her friend.
Faith faked an innocent look. "It's not cheating if the ref don't see it," the brunette replied in response.
The Hardys interrupted their conservation. Jeff pulled Willow into a celebratory hug while Matt and Faith high fived one another.
"This calls for a celebration!" the elder Hardy brother announced. He motioned them all backstage. "Come on, we're going drinking."
***
Faith groaned when a stream of sunlight hit her eyes. The brunette buried her head under a pillow. Hadn�t she talked to Willow about letting sun into the room while she was sleeping?
Faith snuggled down into her bed when her hand brushed across something hard and yet soft at the same time. It felt like skin. Skin meant a person. There was someone else in her bed.
Faith opened her eyes and raised her head.
�HOLY SHIT!� she exclaimed, jerking upright. What the hell was Matt Hardy doing in her bed? And without a shirt. Faith didn�t want to find out if he had his other clothing on. She doubted it.
Matt grumbled slightly at the noise. �Jeff, I�m sleeping,� he muttered irritated.
�Good, then maybe this is just some sort of freaky dream,� Faith gasped. Matt frowned into his pillow. Jeff sounded a lot like Faith this morning. And why was Jeff in his bed? The elder Hardy raised his head and took in the sight of Faith. In his bed. Topless.
Faith turned to look at Matt. She noticed his wide eyes and where they were focused. She glanced down and gave a tiny yelp. She was without a shirt as well. Actually, Faith was without clothing period. She drew the covers up around her.
�What happened?� she asked Matt.
�We went drinking,� Matt answered slowly. �You said you could drink me under the table and then everything goes black.�
�You don�t think we...� she trailed off.
Matt looked around. He caught a glimpse of a condom wrapper lying on the night table. �At least we had safe sex,� he offered meekly.
Faith groaned and turned away from him. She looked over the side of the bed. There was a wastebasket and it was full of used contraceptives. �We had a lot of safe sex,� she muttered back deadpanned.
Matt leaned over her shoulder and took in the sight. He gave a slight whistle. �Damn.�
Faith gathered her head into her hands. Damn it, she thought she had changed. Thought that she was finally past all this psychotic and slutty behaviour. But here she was, naked with a guy she barely knew. It made her want to cry.
�Faith, I�m so sorry.�
Her head jerked up at that. �What?� she asked.
�I�m sorry,� Matt repeated. The man looked shameful, running his hand through his long dark hair. �I can�t believe I took advantage of you like this.�
�Wait,� she interrupted. �How do you know you took advantage? Do you remember anything like that?�
�No, but when I last recall, you were about two drinks ahead of me,� Matt shrugged. �You were drunker. If anyone got us up here, it was most likely me.�
�Matt, you don�t-�
�Please, I am sorry,� Matt closed his eyes. �I can�t believe I could take advantage of such an innocent girl.�
Faith gave him a strange look. �You�re apologizing,� she stated. �And you think I�m some innocent girl.�
�Well, kind of-� Matt was cut off when Faith threw herself into his arms. Shocked as he was, Matt hugged her back. Faith felt tears prickling her eyes.
�You�re such a nice guy,� she whispered.
�At this moment, I beg to differ,� Matt replied, rubbing circles on her back. �Are you crying? Oh God Faith, I�m so sorry. I�m such an ass.�
�No, you�re nice,� she insisted, pulling back. �Trust me, you�re a lot nicer than most guys. God, the first time this happened to me, the guy just laughed when I woke up. He told me I had been begging for it and then smacked my ass on the way to the shower.�
Matt�s eyes darkened at that. �Who the hell-�
�I doubt you would know him,� Faith interrupted. �That was years ago. I thought I was past all this now.�
�Years? Faith how old were you?�
�Fifteen,� she offered meekly. Tears starting streaming down her face. �I know, I�m a slut but-�
�Wait!� this time it was Matt interrupting her. �I never said you were a slut. And don�t you dare think that. Stuff like this happens Faith. It doesn�t make you a slut.�
�You don�t know me,� she told him tearfully.
�Then enlighten me,� he demanded.
�That�s a tall order,� she replied. Matt shrugged.
�I got all day.�
***
Willow was curled up against something nice and soft. She didn�t really question it much, just burrowed her head in further. And then she heard a thumping noise. Funny, it sounded just like a heartbeat. Willow moved her head away from the noise and placed her head down on something softer. She would have been content to lie there but something was tickling her nose. Willow brushed away at whatever it was, opening her eyes in the process. First thing she saw was a rainbow. And then she saw whom it was attached to. What was Jeff Hardy doing in her bed? And topless might she add. Memories of the night before came flooding into her mind. They went drinking to celebrate. Matt and Faith had a drink off. Willow and Jeff just got plain drunk. And Edge, he dared them to do something... Then all was black.
Willow glanced down. She didn�t have her top on, but her bra and other articles of clothing were still on. But there was the problem on the hickey on the top of her left breast.
�Oh god,� Willow whispered. Her mind was whirling. What about Tara? What had she done? God, first she was a murderer and now a drunken slut. Panic welled up inside her throat. Her head was positively throbbing. Willow frantically climbed out of bed, tears coming down her cheeks.
�What?� Jeff woke up, confused. �What�s-� He broke off when he saw Willow. Jeff quickly put two and two together and discovered he was a jerk. �Willow, I�m so sorry-�
�I have to get out of here!� Willow interrupted, stumbling out of the bed. She staggered to her feet.
�Maybe you should sit down,� Jeff offered. �You don�t look so good.�
Willow ignored him and raced for the door. She tripped and fell to her knees. That was the good news. The bad news was she also accidentally let loose a lightning bolt that blew up a vase on the hotel dresser.
�Whoa,� Jeff breathed.
�Oh shit,� Willow moaned, settling back on her butt. �I�m so horrible!� Willow bent over crying. She heard rustling and figured Jeff was making his escape. She was surprised as hell when she felt his arms go around her.
�It�s okay Willow,� he whispered into her hair. �It�s all right. Shit like this happens. Granted, I�ve never seen anything like that before. Want to explain?�
Willow leaned back into his arms. Through a flood of tears, the whole story came out. From Jesse�s death to Warren�s death, all of it came pouring out. She told him everything. Vampires, Slayers, werewolves, witches, everything. She held nothing back. It felt so good to let it out. After a while, she went silent. There, he had the full story, now he could do what he wanted with it.
Jeff slowly rubbed Willow�s arms in a comforting manner. His mind was processing everything she said. And for the strangest reason, he didn�t doubt any of it. First of all, he had just seen her blow up that vase. Secondly, Willow didn�t seem like the type to make up something like that. And thirdly, it did explain an awful lot about the girls.
Finally, he had to say something. �Remind me to never piss Faith off.�
Willow laughed at the absurdity of the comment. Jeff gave a tiny chuckle, happy to hear her laugh. Willow buried her face into his neck.
�You don�t think it�s bizarre?� she asked him.
�Oh, I think it�s bizarre,� he told her. �But I�m okay with it. First of all, I never thought you two were all that normal in the first place. And secondly, I like bizarre.� She gave another laugh. Jeff smiled and placed his chin on top of her head.
�You�ve been through a lot,� he whispered to her. �I can�t even begin to imagine, but I�m glad you trust me with it. You�re a good person Willow; you shouldn�t let it drag you down. It�s over and done with. Time to move on.�
Willow listened to his words and they made sense. She was aware of these arguments; people had been giving them to her for months. Nine months to be exact. Nine months since it happened. Maybe it was time to move past it. Willow was also aware of how nice Jeff smelled. She cuddled up into his lap, face pressed against his neck. Her chest was fully pressed against his, with her bra as the only barrier. He didn�t stop her, probably didn�t want to. Willow could feel his hard on pressing into her thigh. She was kind of surprised; she didn�t usually get that reaction out of guys. But then again, she was a sex symbol now. Oh, sex.
Willow kissed his neck. She didn�t know why, she just wanted to. Jeff gave a muffled groan at the contact. Willow gave herself a wicked grin and continued to kiss his neck.
�Um, Willow?�
Willow ignored him. She was busy. Her lips traveled down from his neck to his chest. Jeff had a nice chest. She flicked her tongue over his nipple. He gave a slight jump at that. Willow kissed her way back up, peppering kisses on his Adam�s apple. She tilted his head up, kissing the spot underneath his chin. Jeff�s hands remained rigid on her hips, allowing her to do what she wanted.
Willow pushed him backwards onto the ground so she was straddling him. She continued to kiss his neck, his chest, his chin, but avoided his mouth for a while. That was her objective, the best for last kind of deal.
Meanwhile, a little war carried on inside her head.
-What about Tara? The loudest demanded.
Tara�s dead. She loved her, always would, but Tara was gone. It had been nine months since she died.
-Is it fair to Jeff that you still love Tara? It demanded next.
Loving Tara didn�t prevent her from feeling for Jeff. She loved Tara, always would, but that didn�t mean she couldn�t love anyone else.
-What about Warren? What about the blood on your hands? Aren�t you supposed to be alone and miserable now?
Willow would never be alone. She would always have people who loved her. She realized that months ago. Her friends could let her leave, but not alone. They had waited for Faith to arrive before letting her go. Her loved ones wouldn�t let her be miserable. And why fight them?
-What about this? Are you supposed to be punished? Isn�t this whole wrestling thing about penance?
No, it�s about dealing. And Jeff was about moving on.
-Do you deserve to?
Willow needed to.
-Is this what you really want?
Jeff pushed away from her, hands stopping at her bra strap. �Are you sure?� he asked.
Willow smiled. �Yes,� she answered to both. Jeff pulled off her bra and the voice faded into the background. Willow smiled and placed her lips over his.
Yes, this was definitely what she wanted.
***
Faith let herself into her hotel room quietly. She poked her head in, looking for Willow. Seeing the light on in the bathroom, Faith walked fully into the room.
�Wills?� she called out.
�Faith?� came the answer from the bathroom. The redhead came out, combing her long red hair out. �Where were you?� the redhead asked.
�Um, that�s a long story,� Faith answered uneasily. She made for her suitcase, pulling clean clothes out. Inside, she was fighting over what to tell her friend.
Willow stood in the bathroom doorway contemplating what to tell Faith. She had to let her know that Jeff knew, but felt uneasy about it. Suddenly both girls turned to face one another and simultaneously confessed.
�I told Matt.�
�I told Jeff.�
There was a brief silence as each girl digested what the other said. Again, in unison, they pointed accusing fingers at each other.
�You had sex with him!� they declared as one. Both girls faltered and blushed at the words. Willow sighed and walked over to flop down on her bed. Faith settled into a sitting position on hers. Both girls were silent for a second.
�What happened?� Willow finally asked.
�Well, I think we all got plastered last night,� Faith started. The redhead nodded her head in agreement. �Anyway, Matt and I wound up in his room,� the brunette continued. �And we commenced having a lot of sex. I woke up in the morning hangover and mortified. I guess I was freaked out that I did something so slutty again. Then Matt starts taking the blame and apologizing. Gods Red, I�ve never heard that before. All those guys just blamed me for it, but he thought he did something. He thinks I�m some sort of innocent little girl. And I felt so grateful I just...�
Willow gave her a small smile. �You thought maybe he could understand everything,� she finished for her.
Faith nodded and continued. �He didn�t kind of believe at first, but then I lifted the dresser up with one hand. And then I bent one of those room service trays in half. He was a believer after that.�
�And then you slept with him again!� Willow declared. Faith blushed and ducked her head.
�We also shared a shower,� the brunette admitted.
Willow gave a whistle. �Matt must be some sort of machine,� the redhead giggled.
�And what about Jeff?� Faith countered.
Willow faltered a bit. Her face got a slight blush as she smiled dreamily. �I woke up wearing my bra and pants,� Willow started. �And this,� she pulled her shirt down to show Faith her hickey.
�Nice,� Faith giggled. Willow glared at her and snapped her shirt back into place.
�I freaked,� she continued. �I jumped out of bed while Jeff was apologizing. I guess I was in too much emotional turmoil to really control myself. I tripped and let out a bolt, demolishing that vase.�
Faith turned and saw the broken pieces of a vase in the trashcan. �How did he take it?�
�Surprisingly well,� Willow smiled at the memory. �Just gathered me up in his arms and asked for the truth. And I told him everything. From Buffy to graduation to the world without shrimp, everything. I didn�t leave anything out. And he just accepted it. Oh and he is more frightened of you now.�
Faith chuckled. �Smart boy.�
Willow shook her head. �I don�t know, but it just hit me. I was so tired of being sad, of feeling guilty. I actually wanted to move on. And I really wanted in his pants. I basically jumped him on the floor.�
�This floor?� Faith asked, eyes bugging. Willow blushed and nodded. Both girls were quiet as they digested everything said.
�I feel better,� Faith announced. Willow nodded her agreement. �Well, at least nothing too bad happened last night,� the Slayer continued. �I mean, that drunk, we could have done a lot of stupider things.�
Willow went red as a beet. "Well, you didn�t do anything stupider,� the witch amended. Faith shot her a look. Willow sighed and rose up, turning her back to her friend.
�Jeff noticed it when we were showering,� Willow explained.
�Noticed what?� Faith demanded.
Willow�s shoulders slumped in defeat. She rolled up the back of her shirt.
Faith�s jaw hit the floor.
***
Edge groaned as he awoke. That was one hell of a celebration last night. Everyone had been plastered and was most likely now paying for it. His head throbbed painfully. Though his body was protesting, Edge pushed himself into a sitting position. His entire backside felt sore. He mildly wondered if Bubba had put him ass first through a table.
Edge shook his head and then regretted doing so. The large man crawled out of his bed. His hotel room looked nice and intact, meaning he hadn�t done anything too stupid last night. He was blacking out some parts and couldn�t remember how he got back here, but decided it was okay. He could ask the others later.
Stumbling into his bathroom, Edge made to take a shower. He certainly hoped none of his friends had done anything too stupid last night.
***
When the blonde wrestler had made his way down for breakfast, he found all his friends seated at one table. He noted with amusement that Matt Hardy had an arm slung around Faith�s shoulders. Jeff Hardy was sitting very close to Willow so the redhead could rest her head on his shoulder. Edge didn�t have to be a genius to figure what had happened to them last night. Sitting down, he caught Trish�s eye. She nodded at the four, rolling her eyes comically. Edge grinned knowingly in return.
�Hey Edge,� Faith greeted him. �What stupid thing did you do last night?�
�I don�t think I did anything stupid last night,� he answered thoughtfully. �At least I don�t remember.�
�We all seem to be having that problem,� Willow shrugged. �This morning offered very few answers.�
Bubba shook his head. �I knew we shouldn�t have left the lot of you so drunk,� the big man lamented. �Lord knows what you could have done.�
�Well, actually things have been slowly coming back to me,� Willow objected. �Like, I remember that after Faith and Matt left, it was just me, Jeff, and Edge.�
The redhead turned to smile at Edge. �Do you remember that?� she asked him sweetly.
Edge shook his head, wondering why the redhead was acting so strange. He noticed Faith biting her lip. The blonde tossed the Hardy brothers inquisitive looks but only got half shrugs in return.
�Well, after that, I remember the three of us got to talking,� Willow continued. �We were talking about fun things to do. Edge told me he thought it would be funny if I got a tattoo, and then he dared me to get one. And I�m guessing from the large green dragon on my back that I took him up on that dare.�
�You have a tattoo?� Trish declared incredulously. The blonde woman jumped off her boyfriend�s lap and raced over to her friend. �Let me see,� she demanded.
Willow complied, turning slightly and lifting up the back of her shirt. Sure enough, there was a large snake-like dragon on the girl�s back. It was outlined in a deep black with emerald scales. The body was coiled a few times, with the dragon hunching over at the neck. It�s eyes were red and glared out at the viewer, so seemed to do so.
�That is cool,� Matt offered.
Trish nodded her agreement. Willow smiled a thanks at all her friends and pushed her shirt back down. Waiting until the blonde woman was once again seated, the redhead returned to Edge.
�Don�t you remember that?� she asked.
�Nope, but cool tattoo,� he grinned at her. Faith gave a little snort.
�It�s too bad that you don�t remember, because that means you don�t remember what happened next,� Willow smiled at him. Edge frowned, becoming slightly apprehensive.
�What happened next?� Bubba wondered.
�Well, since I took Edge up on his idea, I figured he should take me up on one of mine,� Willow shrugged. Faith was starting to shake with silent laughter. Jeff stared at the redhead beside him in confusion.
�What?�
�Well, I said it�d be funny if Edge got Lita�s name tattooed on his butt,� Willow giggled. �And he most definitely took me up on that.�
There was a brief silence. Then all the wrestlers save Edge burst out into laughter. The blonde Canadian was not really all that amused. No wonder his ass was sore.
�But Edge,� Willow spoke again. �I don�t remember seeing the final product. And considering how drunk we all were, I�m concerned something might have gone wrong. I think you better make sure it�s your girlfriend�s name on your butt. Because I wouldn�t want to be you if she found out it wasn�t.�
�I have to go,� Edge said quickly. He jumped up and raced for the elevator, his friend�s laughter following him. Edge prayed to whatever gods were listening that it was indeed Lita�s name on his butt. Otherwise, he was in for some hurting.
***
Edge made his way down the hallway, acknowledging the snickering with a nod and a grimace. Everyone had heard about the drunken trip to the tattoo shop. But now, everyone had the same question:
"Is it Lita's name on your butt?"
Edge sighed and pushed his way into the locker room, Trish trailing behind him. He flicked his eyes over the room, noting that his worst nightmare had come true. There were no other males in the room. He was left alone in the locker room with Willow, Faith, and Trish.
"Come on Edge," the redhead started to whine. "We have to know now!"
"I don't think so," he tossed back angrily. "No way am I showing the three of you the tattoo on my butt. If I wasn't in trouble with Lita before, then I would be now."
The three girls exchanged a look before turning back to him. Edge couldn't help but feel a tiny fear creep up his neck. He was surrounded.
"We did warn you," Faith sighed. "And now you must pay the consequences."
"What are you girls talking about?" he demanded. They didn't answer. Suddenly, he heard a tiny click. He turned around to find that Trish had locked the door. He whipped around and fearfully noted that Faith and Willow were advancing on him.
"Don't make this more painful than it has to be," Trish advised him. "Just take it like a man."
Inside, Edge debated if anyone would hear his screams for help. It was his momentary distraction that gave the girls the opening they had been looking for.
As one, they pounced.
***
Twenty minutes later, Edge was grouchily pulling his pants back up. The trio of divas or devil women, he didn't know which, were still laughing. He didn't know if it was his tattoo or what they had just done to him.
You know, getting your pants pulled off by three incredibly sexy women sounds more fun than it actually is. They were very methodical about the whole thing. Willow and Trish sat on him while Faith yanked his pants down. They pulled his boxers down as a group.
And gotten an eyeful of his new tattoo. They had collapsed into laughter right on the spot. Only then was he able to throw them off and climb to his feet.
They remained laughing on the ground as he pulled his boxers and pants up. He fixed them all with an angry glare, but that only made them laugh harder.
"Yuck it up," he muttered darkly. "See if I ever speak to you again."
"Oh Edge, lighten up!" Willow giggled, climbing to her feet. She enveloped him into a hug while still laughing.
"At least you know it's Lita's name on your butt," she offered. Edge rolled his eyes.
"And that's the only saving grace," he moaned. "But did you have to attack me like that. Not only do I feel stupid, but my ego is now severely bruised."
"Don't sweat it," Faith waved it off. "All you need to do is some public relations. I'm sure you would be the envy of the locker room if you told everyone three divas were fighting over who got to take your pants off."
"And then it would get back to Lita and she would kill me," Edge made a face. "Not making me feel better. And this stupid tattoo-"
"I like it," Trish offered, smothering some remaining giggles behind her hand.
"Sure you do," Edge glared at her. "You're all just having a laugh at my expense. Doesn't anyone care about my pain?"
"What pain?" Willow punched him lightly in the shoulder. "It's not that bad."
"Not that bad?" he repeated incredulously. "Did you not get a good look at my butt? Did you not see what was there?"
"Oh, don't worry," Faith assured him. "We got an eyeful."
"I like the purple bear," Trish grinned at him.
"And the pink and red hearts add something to the overall display," Willow put in, a few giggles squeaking through her lips. Edge gave them a pout and sat down.
"Do not tell the others," he pleaded with them. "I don't want everyone to know about the debacle that is my butt."
"What's going on in there!" came a shout from the outside. There was some pounding on the locked door, followed by a string of curses.
"Nothing is going on!" Faith replied. "We're all just making four way whoopee with Edge here."
Willow burst into outright laughter as the pounding increased significantly at Faith's comment. She could make out the angry sputtering of Matt, Jeff, and Bubba. Trish took pity on them, unlocking the door and letting the three spill into the room. They took in the laughing girls, the red-face Edge, and the fact that his boxers were peeking out of his pants.
"What were you guys doing for real?" Jeff asked, making his way over to Willow.
"We assaulted Edge," she informed him primly. Faith nodded her agreement.
"We had our way with him," the brunette added.
"Got his pants down and saw his tattoo," Trish finished happily before planting a kiss on Bubba's cheek.
"Are you telling me that the three of you jumped Edge and pulled his pants down?" Matt asked, looking for clarification. He got three happy and satisfied nods in return. Bubba shook his head resignedly.
"Evil," he muttered under his breath.
"But we're avoiding the big issue here," Jeff protested, calling for everyone's attention. The youngest Hardy turned to Edge with a smirk.
"Dude, what exactly is on your butt?"
***
Dearest Buffy, Xander, and Dawn,
I know that you guys worry about me. And I know that the communication has been of the lacking since I left. You usually have to call me instead of me ever making the effort to call you. And I know you guys keep saying that you understand, but I don't think you do. I think it hurts you that I act this way. That I'm cutting myself off from Sunnydale and ultimately from all of you. I still hold to the fact that I have never done anything to deserve friends like you guys. You are the best things that ever happened to me. Ever.
Xander, what can I say? There were so many things left unsaid from that day on. I was on autopilot until Faith came, and I never got to say the things that you deserve to hear. You are the best friend anyone on this planet could hope to have. You loved me from childhood, an unconditional love that I didn't have in my parents. You were my first love, though you never did figure it out. But most importantly, you were my family since the day we met. You would always be there for me and I will always be there for you. Though I haven't really been putting that into practice for the last few months, but it holds. You saved me Xander. You saved me, preserved that last piece of light left in my soul when you jumped in between that statue and me. And I know that the only reason that I even had a chance to save myself was because of you. I love you so completely that sometimes I can't tell you end and I begin. You are part of my soul and heart forever.
Buffy. My best friend, even though I did a great injustice to you. Several times over the past two years in fact. One, I pulled you from heaven. Two, I tormented you in my revenge mode. Three, I left with your enemy, seemingly choosing her over the woman who saved my life over and over again. And I don't think anything will ever make things right between us. Not to the way they used to be back in high school when we would dish our deepest secrets to each other. But I want to find a way back; I desperately want to find my way back there. And I know I can't do it on my own, so I'm hoping that one day you'll be willing to work with me towards that goal.
Buffy, I returned you to life, but it was you who gave it to me all those years ago. If you hadn't come along, I don't know who I would be right now. I know sometimes you blame yourself for the darkness that entered my life. That you think if you had never come to Sunnydale, I would have been saved.
Stop that right now. In case you don't remember, if it wasn't for you, I'd be dead. Sucked dry in the Master's coming out party. But I wasn't, because you were there. You saved me and opened my eyes to this world around us. I grew through you, so much more than I had on my own. And for this I can never hope to repay you. Though maybe I'll try.
Dawn. Beautiful little Dawnie who came into our world just in the last three years, but are so entrenched in our hearts. You were the best little sister any one can ask for. And you put up with so much in your lifetime, things that I can't even imagine. And you handled it so much better than I handled my own pain. You really are an inspiration in ways you can't seem to fathom. You're not invisible, you're not insignificant. Yes, you were created rather than born, but you belong to us. And we belong to you, until the end of time. I hope that one day you'll see yourself as the wonderful human being that you are.
Sorry for the sappiness. I just had to get all that off my chest. I know I promised to write and then didn't really keep my promise, but that changes. I've changed, but for the better for once.
These people here, they are so much better than you can imagine. I have wonderful friends in Faith, Trish, Matt, Lita, Edge, and Bubba. And something a bit more in Jeff. We look out for each other here. Help each other in and out of trouble. That being evident in the whole debacle of Edge's butt. Which is something I can explain at another point, even though he's threatening bodily harm if I do.
I know it seems bizarre that I found peace here, a place that thrives on violence. I guess it really isn't a peace so much as an understanding. Tara is gone and that hurt. But it won't hurt for all time. I haven't changed so much as I have dealt. Though it took a lot of effort on the part of people around me.
I guess that's all I have to say for now. I know you guys are left a little hanging, but don't worry. Clear April 30 off on your calendars. I'm coming back guys, and I'm bringing the whole entourage with me.
Love you lots,
Willow Sasha Rosenburg
PS: And yes Xander, I do have your Hogan autograph, so just keep your pants on.
END