"The Bitch He's Sleeping With."
Buffy let the phone ring for another minute then went back to the van. She grinned at Oz and Willow. "No answer, she'll be out shopping, getting those last minute, expensive 'guilty cause I don't see you much any more' presents. She's always done that, ever since she first went back to work."
"Is that why you suddenly rushed out again this morning and added another thirty dollars to your overdraft?" Willow smiled. "Like mother, like daughter."
Buffy grinned. "Whatever! Come on let's go. She'll be so rapped when she gets home and finds her presents under the tree. I don't know how much time we'll have."
Oz started the engine. "I don't think your Mom likes surprises. Why don't you go when she's in? She's not a six-year-old. She'd rather see you than get presents."
Willow looked at him, puzzled. "What's the matter? You've been acting odd ever since Buffy told you she wanted to go home before heading off to Mike's for the holidays."
He smiled, tightly. "I don't like surprises either. Why didn't you ask Xander to drive you?"
"I tried." Buffy said, also puzzled, Oz didn't usually mind driving. "His Mom was acting so weird on the phone that I didn't even leave a message. The sooner he moves out of there, the better."
Willow smiled. "She's always weird."
"OK. Weirder than usual. When I asked where he was she just snorted and said 'As if you don't know' and accused me of rubbing her nose in it."
"She'll have been drunk. The next time you talk to her she'll be so sorry. There's no real harm in her."
"She wasn't drunk. I've rung before when she's been drunk. No slurring, no loud music in the background. She sounded like she'd been crying."
Oz stopped the van outside Buffy's old home. He checked out the cars parked nearby and relaxed. "I'll keep the engine running. If you want to get to Mike's before it's really dark, you've gotta hurry."
Buffy grinned and grabbed the bag of presents. She let herself in and went into the lounge. There were a lot of presents under the tree. Mom must have gone overboard this year, probably as it was the first one they'd spend apart. She forced herself not to look at them. They were going to have an opening day when she got home. She quickly arranged her offerings around the tree and went into the kitchen to leave a note. As she passed through the hall, she heard a loud bump from upstairs.
Burglars? She silently climbed the stairs. She heard laughter. Happy Burglars? The noise was coming from the main bedroom. She stopped, suddenly realizing what was happening. The bedroom door was open. Why would they bother closing it? No one else was supposed to be here.
She looked at the open door, then back at the stairs. A long, low moan came from the bedroom. Buffy jumped and headed for the stairs. Then she stopped. Although part of her was totally grossed out by the thought of her Mom having sex, another part was annoyed that she hadn't been told about this lover. By the increasing moaning that was coming from the room, it hadn't taken Joyce long to get over the disappointment of Buffy's Christmas trip.
She walked quietly to the open door and leaned casually on the doorframe. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Joyce was almost facing her, her eyes were closed and she was straddling the man's crotch. His cock was inside her and she was moving up and down on it, moaning as she rubbed her clit against his pelvis. He was propped up on one arm, his back to Buffy, the muscles in his back straining as he pushed himself up into Joyce. He was licking and biting at the nipple in front of his face and stroking her ass.
Buffy just stood there amazed. She wanted to leave, but her legs wouldn't move. To her horror she felt her stomach tensing, her nipples aching and her pants getting wet. She was getting turned on by her mother having sex... hot, steamy sex... with a strange man... a strange man with a gorgeous body.
As she watched, Joyce stopped moving and thrust down on him hard, throwing her head back and screaming as she came. She stayed in that position for a moment, panting. He pulled his mouth away from her breast and drew her head down for a kiss. Their mouths caressed each other's gently.
Joyce pulled away from him carefully. He was still hard. Buffy looked at his cock. She couldn't take her eyes off it. He made Mike look small. He pushed Joyce back on the bed, she laughed, kissing him hungrily and spreading her legs under him. He drove into her and they both groaned. He fucked her hard and fast, his mouth buried in her neck. Joyce shouted. "Oh God! Oh yes honey that's..." She was arching her back under him as he pounded into her, meeting his thrusts with her own. "Oh Xander! That's wonderful!"
Buffy went cold. All of a sudden she got her voice back. She screamed.
********************
Xander pulled away from Joyce and they both looked at her in horror. Buffy backed out of the room and ran downstairs to the kitchen, her heart beating so hard she could hear it.
Xander? Xander was up there... in her mom's bedroom... in her mom's bed... ramming his huge cock into her body. It was gross. It was horrible... and she... she just lay there and let him... urging him on... kissing him. Oh God! She was going to be sick.
She sat down on one of the stools. Xander's Mom had known. From the presents under the tree he was obviously spending Christmas here. He must have told her. That's why she'd been so weird on the phone. Oh yes... and, she suddenly realized, Oz knew. He'd been wiggy about the surprise thing from the start.
The kitchen door burst open, Xander, now dressed, stood looking at her. "Buffy. We... er... I wanted to tell you. She just didn't know how to say it."
She looked at him. "How long?"
He relaxed slightly at her quiet tone. "What?"
"How long have you been fucking my mother?" The suppressed venom in her tone made him jump.
"It's not like that..." He stopped and looked at her. "September. We should have said..."
Buffy glared at him. "No, you shouldn't have said anything. It shouldn't have happened. It shouldn't be happening. I shouldn't have to walk in on my mother and my friend screwing. You're disgusting! I know all you used to think about was sex. Is this the only way you could get some? Taking advantage of a vulnerable, older woman."
His eyes narrowed. "You're the one who's disgusting Buffy. We've been together for nearly four months. I know now why she never wanted to tell you.... Buffy. I love her. If you can't accept that..."
Buffy laughed, a little hysterically. "No, I can't accept that. You see I know you. As soon as something better comes along, you'll be off." She walked toward him. "Well guess what?" She said sweetly. "It just has." She ran her hand down his chest to his crotch, rubbing gently at his stiffening erection. "I was very impressed. I stood there for at least five minutes, my pants are wet through.... You've got a fabulous body, Xand, and a gorgeous cock.... I'd love to feel it inside me." She licked her lips and looked up at him. His face was expressionless. The only part of his body responding was his cock. She smiled and rubbed harder.
He pulled her hand away, but she pushed him back against the counter, stroking his ass and the hard muscles of his thighs. "Why don't we go up to my old room and discuss this? You don't know how good it feels to have slayer muscles throbbing round your cock."
At that he laughed and pushed her away. "Like I said. You're disgusting! You'd go through with it as well, just to get me away from Joyce. Your memory's going Buff.... Slayer muscles aren't that good, remember Faith." He looked at her seriously. "Buffy. I love her. You're right! You don't need to accept it. The only people who do are Joyce and me. I'm moving in here after Christmas. So what if you're not happy with it, or if my mom hates it, it's nothing to do with either of you."
"Buffy... Honey!" Joyce said from the doorway. "I'm sorry. I should have told you..."
Buffy shook her head. "I don't want apologies.... What is the deal with telling people. His mother knew. She snapped my head off on the phone last night. Oz knew. He tried everything to put me off coming here. When were you going to tell me? The day of the wedding or the birth of my half brother or sister?" She smirked. "Oh sorry, forgot... that can't happen." She turned to Xander. "She got herself knocked up last year. These little relationships don't last long. The baby died, but it messed up her tubes. She can't have any kids, has she told you that."
Joyce collapsed against the doorpost, never in her wildest imaginings had she thought Buffy would try to hurt her with that. She looked at Xander's furious face and silently pleaded. Don't tell her, please don't tell her.
He didn't. He stood between them, glaring at Buffy. "Very mature Buffy, lash out at the person who loves you, try to alienate her. You know all my secrets, why not start on me now. I'll give you a start, Bug Woman, Hyena, Ampata..."
"Shut up! I'm fed up of the sound of your voice." Buffy shouted.
"Come on, I'm giving you free reign over my whole back catalogue of disasters."
Buffy came closer, threatening. "Shut up or..."
"Or what? You'll kill me. You can do that, you're the slayer, the one girl in all the world..."
"Shut up!" She launched herself at him, punching him wildly on the jaw. He fell back, hitting his head on the corner of the counter. "Just shut up!" He lay there, unmoving.
Joyce knelt down next to him, feeling his pulse and checking his breathing. She looked up at Buffy, appalled. "He's not breathing! Ring 911." Buffy did not respond. She just stood there, horrified at what she had done. "Buffy!" Joyce screamed. "Get an ambulance now! He's not breathing!"
********************
Buffy and Joyce sat next to each other on plastic chairs in the E.R.. Joyce hadn't spoken to her daughter since she'd sent her to call an ambulance. Buffy stared into space, images of the broken body of Ted the robot coming back to haunt her. Oz and Willow leaned against the wall just looking at them. To everyone's surprise Oz had done all the talking. Joyce had been too upset, Buffy was on the verge of breaking down and Willow had gone into shock. The cover story was that he had slipped on a wet patch and hit his head. It would do for now, but if he died....
Willow looked at Oz. "How long have you known?"
"Almost since it started, but I only asked him about it a month ago." He sighed. "Werewolf thing. I could smell her on him and him on her. Just like..."
"Just like what?" Willow asked, frowning.
He looked away. "Just like that summer, while Buffy was away. I didn't know Joyce then, so I didn't know who he'd been with."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Oz smiled gently. "Baby.... It wasn't my secret."
********************
They moved him into a room. Joyce and Buffy still weren't talking. There was a doctor and a nurse in with him but they let them all wait outside. The doctor came out, followed by the nurse, they all stood up. "Is there a member of Mr Harris' family here? Mother or..." She looked at Joyce.
A voice came from behind them. "I'm his mother." They turned, a small, dark-haired woman stood there. She nodded at Joyce. "She's just the bitch he's sleeping with." Everything went quiet, you could have heard a pin drop.
The doctor looked taken aback for a second. She smiled at Mrs Harris. "Would you like to come in?" She marched past them and into the room. Joyce turned away. She walked down the corridor, tears in her eyes. Round the corner was an empty bench, she sat down and buried her head in her hands.
After a minute someone sat next to her. To her surprise it was the nurse from Xander's room. She smiled at Joyce. "He's going to be fine. A bit of a headache, well a major headache. We're just keeping him in for observation."
Joyce stared into the distance. "Why're you telling me? After all I'm not a relative."
The nurse looked at her. "His mother, she was pretty harsh. But you're gonna have to get used to that from some people."
"But not from you?"
The nurse grinned. "Hey girl.... I undressed him. All I could think was 'Lucky bitch'." She stood up. "I'm sure they'll let you see him soon. I'll come and get you."
Joyce smiled at her. "Thanks."
********************
Buffy sat down next to her. "Mom. We need to talk."
"I think you talked enough for all of us."
"I said horrible things. I'm sorry. I was in shock. You've been lying to me for nearly four months. Louise saw you both together and you still lied to me."
Joyce shook her head. "You could have killed him. You nearly killed one of your best friends because he was with me. What's the matter with you Buffy?"
"No. I nearly killed one of my best friends because he's Xander, this had very little to do with you. He's the only person who can get me so worked up. We've nearly come to blows three or four times. I know I lost it, but the punch on his jaw wouldn't have done any real harm, I didn't hit him that hard. It was falling over and hitting the counter that did the damage." She looked at her mother. "I love you and I love Xander and I don't want either of you to stop talking to me. So as far as I'm concerned you can both screw who you like."
"Buffy!"
Buffy smiled. "I'm just not sure... He's not got a good track record where women are concerned. I don't want you getting hurt, but as he said. It's not up to me."
"What's caused this change of heart?"
"I've had time to think things over, I had an 'almost row' with Oz...." Buffy sighed. "...and there is no way I ever want to be in agreement with 'That Woman'." She nodded down the corridor to where Xander's mother was waiting for the elevator.
********************
The nurse came for her. "Come on. He won't sleep until he's seen you."
She walked into the room. She sat by the bed and looked at him. He smiled at her. "I hear mom's been behaving badly. She didn't mean it. She was sober you see. She's not used to it."
"I thought you were dead."
"Not a chance. You don't get rid of me that easily. She didn't hit me that hard. It was the falling over in a heap thing that did it."
She smiled. "Yes... Buffy said that as well.... You'll be home in a few days. The nurse told me. She's really nice."
"Gorgeous legs."
"Behave!"
He grinned, then looked at her seriously. "How much did you hear... in the kitchen?"
"Most of it. I heard her trying to get into your pants, if that's what you mean."
"It wasn't.... but she was only doing that to..."
"I know.... I also heard you tell her you loved me. Twice."
"That was what I was thinking of... I meant it too, both times."
"Good." She bent down and kissed him. "I love you, Xander.... Now go to sleep."
The End
Coming soon - 'Playing It Hot' part four: Playing Dress Up