“Every night this week I’ve seen them” Buffy said. “And every time we meet, they pretend I’m not there.” She sat down heavily at the kitchen table, agitated.
“Well, they did say they were here to fight vampires” Willow replied, trying to console her friend. “So obviously they’re going to patrol a lot. And you did kinda almost stake one of them.”
“I thought he was a vampire!” Buffy exclaimed. “They had these kids surrounded.”
“Vampire kids” Willow said quietly. As Buffy glared at her, she tried to explain herself. “What I mean is, usually you can tell when someone’s a vampire.”
“Yeah, but when you see some frightened kids being threatened, you assume the scared ones are the humans, and the scary ones are the vamps.”
“Maybe they’re not ignoring you” Tara suggested. “Maybe they’re just doing their job, and too busy to acknowledge you.”
“Oh trust me, they’re ignoring me. And this is my town! I should be ignoring them!” Willow and Tara both looked at her. “Ignoring them in a keeping my eye on them kind of way.”
“Hey, look at the time” Tara said, looking at the clock. “Shouldn’t Dawn be ready for school by now?”
“Dawn!” Buffy yelled. Willow and Tara both covered their ears.
“Ok, ok!” Dawn yelled back from upstairs.
“I wondered how long her enthusiasm for school would last” Buffy said. “Three days, gotta be a record.”
“So, you ready for your interview?” Willow asked.
“As ready as I’ll ever be” Buffy told her.
“I could meet you afterwards?” Tara offered. “We could go somewhere for lunch, to celebrate.”
“Optimism, I like that” Buffy said, smiling.
“Or commiserate” Tara conceded.
“Hey, I’m staying positive. This is my chance to get out of burger hell.” She turned to Willow. “What about you, Will? Gonna come and either welcome me back to the real world, or console me when I burst in to tears at the sight of anything with a gherkin in?”
“Sorry, I’ve got class all day” Willow said. But we’ll do something tonight.”
“Ok.” Buffy looked at the clock again. “Dawn! C’mon!”
********************
“Good luck!” Willow and Tara said together as they waved to Buffy. Then they turned and carried on their way to college.
“Do you think she’ll do ok? Willow asked.
“I hope so. I think she needs to do something she enjoys, otherwise the slaying will just get too much again.” Tara shuddered. “I mean, having a dangerous life thrust upon you because its your destiny must be pretty harsh, but having to flip burgers at the same time…”
They walked on in silence for a while, then Willow asked “So, what’cha gonna do today?”
“Hmm, the house is all empty. Think I might go for a walk.”
As they reached the university, Willow turned and took both of Tara’s hands in hers. “Have a good time” she said, leaning in for a kiss.
“You too sweetie” Tara said, giving a small wave as Willow turned and headed for the main building. She watched her lover walk away for a moment, a small smile on her lips, then she turned and headed back out of the campus.
********************
“I’m here for a job interview” Buffy told the receptionist, a teenaged girl who gestured vaguely at some seats, then went back to her important tasks of chewing gum and filing her nails. Buffy walked over to the seats and sat down.
A few minutes later, a woman walked up to the desk. She glanced down at a piece of paper, then looked up. “Buffy Summers?”
Buffy leapt to her feet. “That’s me.”
The woman smiled and offered her hand. “Rachel Hudson. I’m the manager of Sunnydale gym.”
They shook hands, then Ms Hudson led Buffy through the main gym area. “We have all the usual machines and facilities” she said, gesturing around the large room. She pointed at some corridors leading off from the main area. “We also have several halls, which we use as indoor courts, and for the various classes we teach here.” They turned down one of the corridors then through a side door in to an office. Ms Hudson gestured at a chair in the middle of the room, then joined the other two occupants of the room sitting behind the large desk. “This is Mr Johnson” she said, indicating the large man to her right, “and this is Mrs Lewis.” She indicated the athletically built woman on her left.
Buffy gingerly sat down, then stared at the three interviewers like they were the inquisition. She realised her fingers were digging in to the arm rests, and forced herself to release her grip.
“Now then, Ms Summers” Ms Hudson said, pushing her glasses up her nose. “The job would initially be three nights a week, teaching self defence classes. If all goes well, your duties at the gym would then be increased to make the job full time, coaching other sports, fitness training, and so on. Do you see any problems with that arrangement?”
“Oh, no, not at all” Buffy said quickly. She wiped a bead of sweat from her brow, then resumed her tight grip on the arms of the chair.
I’ve faced down demons, hell gods, even Snyder she thought.
This shouldn’t make me this nervous. She looked up at the interview panel, and three pairs of eyes stared back at her.
“So” Mrs Lewis said. “Why don’t you tell us a little about yourself?”
********************
Tara walked through the park, enjoying the sun on her face. Her mind went back to the conversation she had had with Willow here a week ago. She hadn’t realised how much her Willow kept bottled up. Still, everything had been let out in the open, and the slight tension that had grown between them was gone.
She was walking alongside a stream, listening to the sound the water made over the pebbles, when she saw something that made her grin. A wooden bridge spanned the stream. She stepped on to it, remembering the song she had sung to Willow here, and a red glow rose in her cheeks. She couldn’t imagine herself ever singing in public, not unless the dancing demon turned up again, but still, she had meant every word.
“I’m under your spell…” she sang softly under her breath. The words had once held a sinister double meaning, but now she felt free to sing them again.
“Oh, um, hi” a voice interrupted her thoughts.
Tara turned to see an Asian girl standing next to her. One of the Order members, she remembered. She had thought it odd at the time that someone so young had been included in the meeting. But then again, Dawn had been there too.
“You’re, um, one of the Slayer’s friends, right?” she asked.
“Yes, Tara” she said with a smile. “And you’re Omiko, one of the order of, well, order.”
The girl smiled. “I’m told there was a time when we actually called ourselves that, but it always used to confuse people, or make them laugh. Now its just ‘the Order’.” She looked down, shyly. “And, um, you can call me Omi. If you want.”
“So, um, what are you up to?” Tara asked.
“Oh, just out for a walk. Y’know, new town to see. Plus everyone else is asleep or training. Then I saw you and I thought, well, that I’d come and say hi.” She gave a nervous grin, then turned and rested her arms on the bridge railing.
Tara looked sidelong at the girl. It could be a complete coincidence, their meeting here. But Omi was a member of an organisation she knew nothing about. For all she knew, she was there to see what information she could get about the Slayer. Still, she didn’t want to appear unfriendly.
And maybe I can find some stuff about them. “Your necklace” she said. Omi turned, and her hand went to the piece of jewellery. Then she unfastened it and offered it to Tara.
Tara studied the pendent on its chain. It was a stylised eye, the edge of the eye in silver, the iris formed by a small blue crystal. “Its pretty” she said. Omi smiled. “You all wear necklaces” Tara continued. “The pendent denotes your role, yes?” Omi nodded. “Soldiers wear a sword, wizards a lightning bolt and scholars have a book.” She handed Omi’s necklace back to her. “Mike never told us what your role is.”
“I’m a seer” Omi told her, fastening the chain around her neck.
“You see visions of the future?” Tara asked, intrigued.
“Um, something like that. Anyway, I don’t want to intrude.” The girl began backing away. “I’m sure I’ll see you again. Bye!” She waved, then turned and walked off.
Tara stared at her retreating back, a little surprised by her rapid departure. Then she turned and continued on her way
********************
“And you have no criminal convictions?” Ms Hudson asked. Buffy shook her head. Despite the many times slaying had caused her problems with the authorities, she had always managed to avoid being arrested. Well, being charged, anyway.
“Well, that was the last of the questions, if no one has any others?” the manager asked.
Buffy visibly relaxed, leaning back in to the chair.
Oh god, I’m still alive. she thought.
And I answered all their questions, there shouldn’t be any problems.Mr Johnson spoke up. “I’m concerned by your lack of qualifications.”
Well, there is that. Buffy thought, her heart sinking.
“Mr Johnson teaches our current self defence course, as well as several martial arts classes” Ms Hudson said.
As Johnson leaned back, his biceps and pectoral muscles shifted under his T-shirt. Buffy could almost swear the movement was deliberate, to show off his physique. “You don’t have any qualifications in martial arts or athletics, and no experience of teaching.” His voice assumed a slightly smug tone. “And frankly, you look like you’d have trouble defending yourself, let alone teaching others to.”
Buffy’s eyes narrowed. The man had been confrontational throughout the interview, his tone either aggressive or sarcastic. “I assure you, I can take care of myself” she said coldly.
“Excuse us” Ms Hudson said, then began a whispered conference with the other two. She listened hard, and her Slayer hearing picked up the occasional phrase.
“The demand for our self defence course has tripled over the last year, I’ve no idea why…
“She’s the best candidate by far, not that we’ve had many…
“Look at her, what’s she gonna do in a fight, threaten to tell her mommy?”
They finished whispering. “Did you bring suitable clothes for a workout?” Ms Hudson asked. “Good” she said as Buffy nodded. “Perhaps you could give us a demonstration of what you’re capable of.”
“With pleasure” Buffy said, glaring at Johnson. She hurried to the changing rooms, changed her clothes, then met Ms Hudson and Mrs Lewis in one of the halls off the main gym. There was no sign of Johnson.
As the two women moved to the edge of the floor, Buffy began one of her usual warm up routines, then performed several handstands, back-flips and summersaults. Then she moved in to a more aggressive routine, aiming punches and kicks at an imaginary opponent. She finished, and as she caught her breath she was pleased to see impressed looks on the women’s faces. Then she heard the clapping.
Johnson stood in the doorway, now dressed in workout clothes. He finished his mocking applause. “Very pretty” he said. “You’d make a good dancer. Or maybe you could be a stunt double for one of those girls in those action shows, lots of play fighting.”
“I don’t play” Buffy said confidently. She could see what was coming next, and Johnson didn’t disappoint her.
“Lets see how you do against a real opponent” he challenged, moving to a crash mat covered area at the far end of the hall. As Buffy followed he continued. “Now, I’ll be the attacker, and you can be the helpless victim.” He smirked at her. “You shouldn’t find that too difficult.”
“I’ll do my best” the Slayer said, coming to stand opposite Johnson. He walked casually toward her, then grabbed her forearm. He grinned, expecting her to be unable to break his grip. The smile faded as Buffy rotated her arm, forcing him to let go. She blocked his next two attempts, smiling as his smug expression changed to one of frustration. Then she deliberately turned her back to him, allowing him to place his arm around her neck in a choke-hold. Gripping his forearm, she threw him over her shoulder and on to the mats.
Buffy turned as she heard applause, this time without the sarcasm. Ms Hudson and Mrs Lewis were both grinning, clearly enjoying their colleague’s defeat.
“So you want to play rough” the man said as he got to his feet. As Buffy turned back to face him, he charged…
********************
“And then?” Tara asked.
“I got the job!” Buffy exclaimed, grinning widely. Several of the café’s other customers looked round as her voice rose.
“I meant with Mr Johnson.”
“Oh, I kicked his ass.” When she saw Tara’s worried look, she smiled. “Its ok, I was careful not to do any permanent damage. Except to his pride, maybe.”
Tara laughed. “I wish I could have seen the look on his face.”
“You may get to if you visit me at work” Buffy said. “I don’t think his expression is gonna change any time soon.”
Tara giggled again. “So when do you start?”
“Three weeks. I’ll give my notice at the Doublemeat tomorrow.”
“Sweetie, this is so great!” Tara said, her voice high pitched with excitement.
“I know!” Buffy exclaimed, even more excited. “I get to do the one thing I know I’m good at for a living. Plus, the place is nice, and the people there seem ok.” As Tara raised an eyebrow she added: “Except one. And I don’t think he’s gonna speak to me unless he has to. And if he annoys me, I’ll just remind him off today.”
“Oh, wait till we get home” Tara said, giggling again. “Willow’s gonna love this story.”
********************
Willow sat giggling as Buffy finished telling her her story. “So when I’d knocked him down, like, eight times, he finally gave up and Ms Hudson offered me the job.”
“That’s great Buffy” Willow said, still trying to get her giggling under control.
“Congratulations!” Dawn shouted as she entered the room, a plate in her hands. She placed it on the coffee table to reveal a cup cake with a candle stuck on top. “This calls for a celebration.” She went over and joined Willow and Tara on the couch.
Buffy eyed the cake dubiously. “My ‘well done you got a job’ party is a cake with a candle?”
“We’ll do something later” Dawn told her. “This is all I could think of at short notice. Now blow your candle out.”
Buffy grinned, then looked over at Willow and Tara, a serious expression on her face. “Now, you two are just going to have to be brave about this.” She leaned forward and blew at the candle. The flame wavered, but did not go out.
“Oh come on, don’t you have super Slayer breath or something?” Dawn teased. Buffy took a deep breath, then finally blew the candle out.
“Guys, watch the TV” Tara suddenly interrupted.
“The teenager reported that his two friends had been missing for several days.” The newsreader’s voice now filled the silent room.
He claimed he and his friends had been partying in the desert, and upon waking the next day, assumed they had made their own way home. It was several days before he realised they had never returned. The newsreader shuffled his papers.
Two officers who went to investigate the scene of the disappearances have also failed to return. Sunnydale police are planning a large scale search of the entire area, and would appreciate any volunteers. “From one job I get cakes, from the other I get this” Buffy said with a sigh. “So, what do you think?”
“There could be anything hiding out there” Willow said.
Buffy leaned forward. “So tomorrow, we go and find it.”
********************
To Be Continued… -----------------------------------------------------------
"Kiss rocks? Why would anyone wanna kiss... Oh, wait, I get it"
- Willow, Band Candy
by TheWhiz » Tue Sep 24, 2002 8:49 am 
)
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Update!
) so I thought it was time for them to do it properly. And I remember the first time I saw the ep I liked that Willow brought Tara a rose the first time they met up 
Ahem, sorry, rant over. But my point is it seemed to me the only way Willow could ever recover from her addiction would be to work at it herself, with Tara’s help. 
Seriously though, your's and everyone else's kind words are much appreciated.