Addicted

Author: Stormforce
Rating: G
Feedback: Sure, let me know what you think ^_^ Stormforce24@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: Ha! I don't own anything... except my video games...and I'll fight for them >_>


The morning sun shown though the curtains, lighting the darkened room, and hitting Willow right in the eyes. With a groan the redhead turned on to her back and stretched just before opening her eyes and staring at the ceiling. Slowly turning her head, Willow softly smiled to herself as she watched the sleeping blonde next to her. Then it happened. --Oh no, not now.-- Willow wanted to groan, but stayed quiet. Her fingers itched, she wanted just a taste, --No! I can't! What if Tara found out?-- That still didn't help, she still wanted it.

Sighing she slowly slipped out of bed and hurried to shower, then maybe, if she was alone, she could do that thing she wanted. The redhead silently slipped into the bathroom, and started the shower and undressed. Her mind was reeling, she loved Tara with all her being, yet, she loved the other too. The redhead just knew she'd be in for it if Tara, or even Buffy found out... Faith, she wasn't too sure about. The dark haired woman would probably shrug and laugh, and say it was her life.

Back in the bedroom, Tara peeked one eye open, then the other, and sighed when she heard the shower start. The blonde slowly raised her head, and looked around, good, Willow wasn't in the room, maybe she'd have just enough time for a little...no, she couldn't. What if Willow came back and found her doing it? What would she say then? But she wanted it! She wanted to do it! Her right hand twitched. --Oh, forget it, I'll just hide it again when the shower is turned off.--

Taking a deep breath, Tara leaned over, and opened the bottom drawer in the nightstand, and reached to the back. A smirk crossed her face as her fingers wrapped around the item, and the small vinyl case saw the light of day once more. Tara flinched as the Velcro made a loud ripping sound in the silent room, and she stilled. Had Willow heard that? Her heart pounded against her chest as she waited for something, anything, to let her know if Willow would make an appearance. Nothing though, the water continued running.

Once again, Tara's heart sped up as the stream of water shut off, --Oh no!-- her eyes widened, could she get it back in the drawer before Willow came out? No time! She quickly shoved the item under her pillow just as Willow stepped out of the shower, "Good morning, sweetie."

Willow blinked, had Tara said that like she was scared? Breathless? "Good morning, love." What was wrong with Tara? Really, she looked like she'd just seen a ghost. Willow reminded herself to ask about it later, right now, she was just a little afraid to. The shower hadn't helped her itch one bit, and it began growing at a steady pace. She needed it, she needed to calm her addiction, but she couldn't do that with others around.

Twisting her fingers, and hearing the small pop of her knuckles, Tara could feel it growing stronger. She wanted to do it. But would Willow understand her new addiction? She was an adult, she should be able to control it, right? So why couldn't she?! Darn it, that just plain sucked!

Just down the hall, Buffy had watched Faith leave the room... almost quickly, and shrugged. With her lover out of the room, she could now get it out, oh yes, she could finally do it again. The small blonde reached under the bed, and pulled out a small box, and opened it. There it was, that vinyl case that held it, Buffy sighed in relief, she was finally holding it again. She quickly opened the case, not caring how loud the Velcro sounded in the empty room, and pulled the items from the case. Buffy put the case in the box, and shoved it under the bed once more.

"Buffy?" Dawn's muffled voice floated though the door as her sister knocked, and turned the knob.

Buffy "eeped" and dove on the bed, making sure the item was hidden under the pillow, "Yeah, Dawn?"

Dawn stared, what was that about? She'd seen her sister land on the bed just as the door swung open, --My sister is weird.-- "Just wanting to know what we're doing today."

"Oh, hanging around the house, unless there's something you wanted to do." --Hopefully not.--

--Oh, good! Yes! Now I can go do that...-- "Nope, staying in is fine." the youngest Summers chirped, and hurried off to her room.

Joyce Summers, mother to Buffy and Dawn, and adopted mother to Buffy's friends and lover, silently walked down the stairs, and headed for the kitchen. The eldest Summers woman stopped in the doorway, and stared at Faith. What was the dark haired girl doing? Her arms in front of her, and her head down, was she rolling something? No, that couldn't be it, Faith stopped smoking after the entire household continued to hide her cigarettes, "Faith?"

"Ahh!" Faith jumped, and spun around, keeping her hands behind her back, "G-good morning, Joyce-mom."

She stuttered, Faith never stuttered, "What are you doing?"

"Oh..." Faith laughed, nervously, "nothing, nothing at all... Umm...just, wanted to help make breakfast." she gave the older woman an innocent smile.

Joyce slightly narrowed her eyes, sizing Faith's reaction, and statement, "That's okay, Faith, you don't have to help." she finally said, thinking she'd deal with... whatever it was later. Come to think of it, everyone had been acting like that. The older woman silently hoped no one was on drugs.

"Thanks, Joyce-mom!" Faith bolted, still keeping her hands behind her back, Joyce noted as the dark haired girl slipped past her.

The dark haired girl quickly slipped out the front door and sighed as she looked down at the item in her hands, "Why, why do I have to be addicted to this?" she dropped her head, "This sucks." Thanking any one who was listening that she actually wore baggy black jeans, Faith tucked the item in her pocket and re-entered the house.

In the kitchen, Joyce sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time, what was up with those girls? Faith was jumpy, not to mention the others. She had walked in on each of the girls, and every time, each one had nearly jumped out of their skin. And every time, they had their hands in front of them, and their head down. It couldn't be drugs could it? She really had no idea, but it was something small enough to be hidden, so she had come to the conclusion they were rolling joints. Only problem was, she didn't see any signs of drug use.

After twenty minutes, the girls finally began showing up and setting the table for breakfast, and silently waited. Joyce sat down the pancakes, wondering two things, one: Just how could five plates stacked with ten pancakes apiece, disappear in under ten minutes? And then there was two: Just what was going on with them? As the eldest Summers woman watched the girls, she narrowed her eyes, and every now and then, she would see a twitch.

Were all the girls, at that very moment, on something? They had to be doing something, otherwise, they wouldn't be so jumpy. Her eyes narrowed further, she would get to the bottom of it, and it would happen today. Joyce was brought from her thoughts as the doorbell rang, "I'll get it!" Dawn hopped up, and sped to the front door.

Standing from the table, Joyce picked up her plate, and Dawn's, and listened in on her daughter's conversation, "Amy!" Dawn grinned as she opened the door, "Did you get it? Please tell me you got it!"

"I did." Amy giggled, and opened the backpack in her left hand, "See?"

"Cool!" Dawn laughed, "C'mon, let's go up to my room, don't want the others to see it, or...never mind. Let's go." Two pair of feet thundered up the stairs, and a door, halfway slammed shut.

Her fingers itched, and her hand just slightly twitched, "Thanks mom!" Buffy quickly stood, "I'll be in my room!" she said, and bolted up the stairs.

Faith just shrugged, seemed like Buffy didn't want any quality time, that was fine, they would have time that night... besides, she needed to scratch an itch of her own, and covered the item in her pocket with her hand, "Thanks Joyce-mom, need any help?"

"No, go on, do what ever it is you want to do." Faith was a blur as she ran out the front door.

Willow cut her eyes towards Tara, "Um, love, I'm going to call my parents, then, umm... well, go outside, okay?"

"Okay," Tara nodded, "I want to call my parents, too, and then, I'll be... upstairs." The blonde sighed, yes she loved Willow, but she had that itch, and it needed to be scratched... if only for a few moments.

Joyce tried not to listen in on Willow's, then Tara's conversation with their parents, and smiled as she thought back. Sure, she was the adopted mother of the girls, including Anya, and one boy, Xander, but then again, all the parents were adopted by the kids. The eldest Summers sadly washed the dishes, and began drying them as she thought of Faith's parents. "I wish you could be here to see what a wonderful young woman she turned out to be." she whispered to the air, "You were taken too soon."

Maybe, Joyce thought, that's why Faith was currently using drugs -in her mind- she had lost her parents to a drunk driver five years before. She just knew Faith's parents wouldn't like her using, just like she, herself, didn't like the thought of it. It was time for a merged family meeting. Joyce would place a call to Tara and Willow's parents, and as a group, they would confront their children. That was the best thing, right? Yes, it had to be, because it seemed like the entire group was using, even Dawn!

Willow quickly moved though the kitchen, "I'll be outside." she chirped, carrying her laptop case with her.

"Okay, darling." Joyce nodded, finished washing and drying the dishes, and then peeked out the door at Willow. She lowered her head. Just like Faith earlier, Willow had her head down, and her hands in front, like she was rolling up a joint...and she was even talking to herself. Only problem was; Joyce couldn't make it out, it sounded like garbled mumbling, and it wasn‘t because of her laptop, that was sitting next to her.

As she walked towards the stairs, she wondered if she should call Amy's mother, and decided to see what those girls were up to. Climbing the stairs, she stopped halfway, loud giggling could be heard from Dawn's room. Okay, that could be just a teen girl thing, right? Better check. She continued her climb, and finally came to a stop in front of the door. When she knocked, two quiet screams filled the room, and she quickly opened the door in time to see the two girls hiding something. She narrowed her eyes.

"Yes, mom?"

"Just wondering if you're alright."

"We're fine." Dawn laughed nervously, and watched her mother nod as she closed the door.

Joyce moved to Buffy's room, and without knocking, opened the door, only to see, and hear, Buffy's "Eep!" as she slid something under her bed. "Never mind." she closed the door.

Going towards Willow and Tara's room, she just couldn't think the sweet girl was on something, she just couldn't be, right? She knocked, and opened the door, and heard the loud "SMACK!" of a drawer closing, and Tara quickly spun around to face her; her chest heaving as she took deep breaths, "Tara, dear, are you alright?" Joyce asked, stepping into the room, "You know, you can tell me any thing."

The blonde smiled, "I know, but I'm fine."

"If you're sure, dear."

"Oh, I am."

Joyce nodded, and quietly left the room, and as the door shut, she heard the drawer open once more, "That's it." she whispered, "They're all using!"

Hurrying down the stairs, Joyce placed three calls. One to Willow's parent's, who said they would be right over, another to Tara's parents, and got the same response. And the last to Amy's mother, who also gave the same response. Seeing as how Amy lived across the street, her mother was there in less than five minutes, scaring the heck out of Faith -who quickly hid the item in her hands, and waved.

Ten minutes later, Faith got the heck scared out of her again when both, the Maclay's and Rosenberg's showed up. Again she hid the item, and thought she should find a better place to hide. "What was the frantic call about, Joyce?" Lori Maclay asked as she sat down next to her husband.

"Our children are using!" Joyce nearly burst into tears.

"What?" Ira blinked, that did not sound like Willow.

Mrs. Madison took a deep breath, "Where is that child of mine?" her eyes narrowed.

Composing herself, Joyce stood, Willow is on the back porch, Tara is in their room, and Amy is with Dawn. Shall we get them?"

"Yes, let's." Mr. Maclay stood.

The Rosenberg's silently walked into the kitchen, and looked out the back door, and there was Willow, just as Joyce had seen her earlier. It really did look like she was rolling something. "Willow." Sheila stepped outside, "Bring what ever is in your hand, and come inside, now."

Willow had startled, nearly jumping out of her skin, and lowered her head, "Yes, ma'am." As she rose from the porch, Willow quickly slipped the item in her pocket, picked her laptop up, and slipped by her parents. --Crap! Now they'll all know!-- she wailed inside her head.

Upstairs, the Maclay's opened the bedroom door without knocking, and just caught a glimpse of Tara shoving something under her shirt, "Momma?! Dad?!" her eyes were wide, and her heart pounded against her chest.

Donald Maclay stared at his daughter, and sighed, "Tara, get downstairs, and bring what you hid with you."

"Y-yes, sir." The blonde gulped, and quickly bolted off the bed, and down the stairs, with Buffy, Dawn and Amy right behind her.

Following the others down, Joyce sighed, "I'll get Faith." she spoke softly and headed to the front door, "Faith." she said, opening the door, and saw the dark haired girl hide something behind her back, "Get in here, we know you're hiding something."

--Crap!-- she thought, just as Willow had only moments before, "Okay..." she lowered her head like a whooped puppy, and silently entered the house.

Willow, Tara and Buffy were sitting on the couch, and in front of them sat Dawn and Amy on the floor. Taking a deep breath, Faith sat down on the floor in front of her lover, never looking up.

Ira rubbed his hands over his face as he stood in front of the group of girls, "Willow, my little tree, why did you not come to us?"

Lori nodded, "Yes, Tara, you also, any of you girls are welcome to come to any of us and talk. About anything, problems in school, your relationship...your..." she hated to say it, but she had to, "addiction." At that, all six girls lowered their heads, "Why didn't you?"

Amy's mother let out a sigh, "Listen girls, we were young once, and we did foolish things, its all part of learning from our mistakes. You should have told us you had a problem, now look, you all have it!"

"But...I didn't know..." Willow glanced around, "I didn't know there was a problem."

"Of course you didn't." her mother spoke, "This kind of thing, you won't know until it's too late. This kind of thing could kill you!"

"KILL!?" Six voices shouted, "What are you talking about?!" Dawn blinked, "How can video games kill me?!"

"Video games?" Joyce stared at her youngest daughter, "You're not using drugs?"

Faith laughed, hard, and could barely keep herself upright, "Joyce-mom, I'm not on drugs. Here, see." even though she was slightly ashamed that the others would see, she wanted to show her adopted mother the truth. A shiny black Gameboy SP was pulled from her pocket, and laid on the coffee table.

"Faith?" Buffy blinked, "You too?" she asked, pulling out her own silver SP, and laying it next to Faith's.

"Me too." Tara giggled, showing a green see-through SP, and watched as Willow pulled out a blue see-through SP.

Dawn glanced at Amy, and nodded, "Here's mine." she held up a light purple SP, as Amy held up her matching SP. "We're not on drugs, just addicted to Pokemon."

"Oh!" Buffy shouted, "Which are you playing? I've got the Ruby version."

"Emerald for me." Tara smiled.

"Mine's Sapphire!" Willow bounced in her seat.

Faith laughed, "I got the Ruby version, too."

Dawn pulled the little cartridge out of her Gameboy, and grinned, "I just happen to have the FireRed version."

"And I have the LeafGreen version." Amy giggled.

Willow slid the small button on the side of the Gameboy to the "On" position, and waited, "How many have you all caught?" she grinned, "I just got Zapdos!"

"Oh!" Buffy shouted, as she turned hers on, "You'll have to show me! I've only got to 145, Articuno."

"I finally got Dragonite." Tara said as the music began playing on her SP, and laughed at the looks she was getting, "It's 149, if that helps."

"I know that!" Faith laughed, "You've gotten that far?! Wait! What is it? Male or female? There's a fifty-fifty chance of it being either, so which is it?" she knew getting the female Dragonite was tougher than getting the male.

The blonde smirked, "Female."

"No way!" Dawn and Amy stared wide-eyed.

As the girls continued to talk about their games, their parents continued to blink, "What's a Zapdos?" Ira asked, very confused.

"Ooh! Who's your favorite?" Amy quickly asked with a smirk as she glanced around at the girls.

"Pikachu!" Everyone laughed.

"What's a Pikachu?" Lori blinked again.

"I have a better question, besides what's a Pokemon," Mr. Maclay spoke, catching the attention of the parents, "since when did our children get into games?" his only answer was a shrug.


THE END


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