Title: "Research"

Author: A.M. Glass

EMail: glasswrks@yahoo.com

Copyright: March 27, 2000

Rating: 'PG-13'

Disclaimer: Joss, Fox Studios, Mutant Enemy, et al, have something to do with "Buffy The Vampire Slayer". No copyright infringement is intended or inferred.** The story is the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: This hasn't been beta read, so, any mistakes are mine and mine alone. I don't even have Mircosoft Word '97 for this one.

Spoiler: One tiny one for 'Bad Beer'.

Feedback: It always helps.

"Are you sure you want to go in here?" Buffy asked Willow as they stood outside the entrance to the Red Rose bar.

"Not really, but yes. I want to go in, you know it's for research."

"Right, research," Buffy replied. "Okay, let's get going." Opening the door, Buffy entered first, scoping out the place. Other than a few pool tables, dart boards and a small dance floor, it looked like any other small bar. Not that she had made it a habit of going to bars, not since she had become, 'Cave-Slayer.'

"Wow," Willow said as she entered after Buffy.

"Let's go find a table," Buffy said, taking Willow by the hand and leading her to an empty booth. "Okay, we're here. How long do we have to stay?"

"Not long, I promised," Willow replied.

"What will you have?" they were asked by the waitress.

"I have a coke, Will?"

"Water please."

"Right," the waitress replied, leaving them to get their drinks.

"Buffy?"

"Yeah Will."

"Are you sure you don't mind coming here?"

"It's for school right?" Willow nodded, crossing her fingers beneath the table. "No, I don't mind." Buffy looked out to the dance floor, there weren't that many couples dancing, but she could see the looks she and Willow were getting. And some of them were downright predatory in nature.

"Hello Red. Would you like to dance?"

"Me?" Willow squeaked.

"I don't see any other red heads at this table," came the reply.

"Go on Will. I'll stay right here."

"You heard your friend. Come on, just one dance."

"O... okay," Willow replied nervously as she scooted out of the booth, and walked over to the dance floor.

"All for research Will," Buffy said to herself. "Thanks," she told the waitress as the drinks were dropped off. Drinking her coke, Buffy watched as Willow slowly began to relax.

She noticed that her friend had caught the eye of more than one person in the bar, as others kept cutting in on her dance partner.

Buffy sat up as she watched one of Willow's partners moved around until they were behind Willow. She watched as this person wrapped an arm around Willow's waist, and pulled her against their body. Buffy took another drink of her coke, and wished it was something stronger.

Willow turned around and placed her arms on her partner's shoulders, their foreheads touching.

This was *not* the Willow Buffy knew and loved. This was a completely different Willow Rosenberg.

As soon as the music ended, Willow made her way back to the booth where Buffy waited for her.

"Enjoy yourself?" Buffy asked when Willow sat down.

"Oh... yeah. It was fun," she replied, slightly out of breath, a light sheen of perspiration dotting her forehead.

"How much longer do *we* have to stay?" Buffy asked.

"I... I thought maybe another half-hour. We just got here."

"Hey Red, a couple of my friends want to meet you... that is, if it's okay with your friend here."

"Actually, this is my dance," Buffy answered, getting out of the booth and holding her hand out to Willow.

"It is?"

"Sure it is, come on."

"I'm sorry, maybe later," Willow told her original dance partner.

"Alright Red. You know where to find me."

Buffy led Willow to the dance floor, she was well aware that they were being watched by Willow's *new* friends.

"Buffy, you didn't have to this. I would have just said, 'No thank you'," Willow told her.

"Too late now Red, they're watching," Buffy answered, going to the middle of the dance floor. Willow looked over to the other side of the room, Buffy had been correct, they were being watched.

As the music started, Buffy took Willow into her arms. She let the rhythm of the music dictated her movements as she closed her eyes.

Willow followed Buffy's lead, she had seen Buffy dance before, and she could tell right away, that *this* was different. Her movements were far more sensual than she had ever seen before. And she could only follow her friend's directions.

Buffy kept Willow as close to her body as she could. She wasn't sure why it had bothered her so much to see Willow dancing with someone else, it just had.

Soon, she copied the same move she had seen earlier. She moved slowly around Willow until she was behind her, she placed her right arm around Willow's waist, bringing her closer. She took her other arm and crossed Willow's chest and gripped her right shoulder, leaving Willow's neck exposed.

The music slowed down, as did Buffy, but she made no move to release Willow from her grip.

"Do you like this Red?" she breathed into Willow's ear, her tongue flicking the nearby earlobe.

"Buff... Buffy, what's going on?" Willow managed to say as her body followed the moves Buffy made. She closed her eyes, unable to withstand the sensations Buffy generated in her.

"Will... trust me."

"Okay."

"I'd never hurt you, and I'd never let anyone else hurt you."

"I know."

Before Willow knew what was happening, Buffy had turned her around so that she was now facing the other girl. Buffy moved her leg between Willow's and leaned back, Willow had no choice but to follow. Bringing them back to an upright position, Buffy moved her hand up Willow's arm, lightly caressing it.

When she reached Willow's face, Buffy let her thumb trace the other girl's lips. She was startled by how soft they were.

She didn't want to frighten Willow in any way, but while they were dancing, she noticed the looks Willow's former dance partners were giving her. She knew the only thing she could do was to make it obvious that Willow was taken.

She watched as Willow closed her eyes, trusting her so much, that she allowed this intimate gesture without a second thought.

That alone blew Buffy out of the water.

Willow had stuck by her, sure they had their moments, but even those couldn't destroy the friendship she cherished above all else.

And before she knew what she was doing, her lips replaced her thumb. What surprised her even more was that Willow hadn't pulled away. In fact, she wrapped her arms around her and held tight. Buffy decided then and there, that whatever Willow wanted, Willow got.

When the kiss ended, they both heard clapping coming from the patrons.

"Um... I think we have an audience Will," Buffy told her.

"We do?" she answered breathlessly.

"Oh yeah," she answered, blushing.

"Maybe we should go?"

"Okay," Willow said, reluctantly releasing her hold on Buffy.

They walked off the dance floor and went back to their booth. Buffy paid for her drink and was about to head for the door when Willow's dance partner arrived.

She was in her early thirties, about five-five with strawberry blonde hair. She was wearing what could be compared to what Harrison Ford would have worn in any of the Indiana Jones movies.

"Hiya Red," she said gruffly, chomping on the end of a cigar.

Willow smiled at the stranger and shocked Buffy by hugging the older woman and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Well, aren't you going to introduce us Willow?" another woman asked as she walked up to them. She was taller than all three of them, with jet black hair and startling blue eyes. She also had an accent that Buffy couldn't place, but she knew it was from the south somewhere.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Buffy, these are my aunts... sort of aunts. Dr. Janice Covington and Melinda Pappas."

"Wha..?"

"Is she always like this Red?" Janice asked.

"Hush now Janice. She's in shock that's all. Willow, you'd better get back to your dorm room. We'll call you later okay sweetheart?"

"Okay Aunt Mel," she said hugging the statuesque woman.

"What am I? Chopped liver?"

"Sorry Aunt Janice," Willow replied, hugging the other woman.

"Janice, leave her be," Mel told companion.

"Wha..."

"Come on Buffy. Let's go," Willow said, leading the still stunned Slayer out of the club.

"Well, what do you think Mel?" Janice asked as they watched Buffy and Willow head down the street holding hands.

"I think it's going to be okay," she said, wrapping her arms around Janice's waist, letting her head rest on the smaller woman's shoulder.

"Ya think... whatever her name is will get mad once Willow tells her about the set-up?"

"Her name is Buffy," Mel whispered into Janice's ear, please by the shudder she felt running through her partner's body. "And yes I do, but... it'll work out."

"I hope so. Say, could I interest you in a drink?" Janice said turning around.

"Yes you could," Mel replied, as she bent down and captured the attractive archaeologist's lips.

The end.

**The characters of Melinda Pappas and Dr. Janice Covington are from Xena: Warrior Princess.