Blackness of Sunnydale
SETTINGS: The sequel to Colours of Quortoth
NOTES: You guys asked for a sequel, so…here goes nothing.
RATING: PG-13
PAIRING: B/Stephen
SPOILERS: Up to season five, maybe a little of BTVS season six/AtS season three.
CHAPTER ONE: DARKThe Summers household was filled with activity, the heavy footsteps of people running up and down stairs, the loudness of the music that echoed throughout the house, the sounds of people yelling, though they did not fight at all. An air of excitement was running through the house, and not a single person within the small home thought that anything could change that feeling.
Dawn was smiling, real smiles that lit up entire rooms. She told anecdotes happily, the cheer in her voice so obvious that the other occupants of the household wondered how they ever thought that Dawn Summers could be complete without her older sister. It was so very obvious that Dawn had been putting on a brave face, had been merely pretending to be alright while her sister had been gone. Now that the house could see her true face, hear her true voice, they could tell that they had misjudged Dawn completely.
Willow was grinning happily, sitting in the arms of her girlfriend, peacefully taking in the raucousness of the household. She could only entertain one thought, and one thought only. Her best friend was back. All was right with the world.
Tara was happy to have Willow happy. It had been extremely taxing to see Willow taking a slow downward spiral after the failed resurrection spell nearly four months earlier. But now, with the Slayer back in this reality, Willow's smiles finally seemed genuine.
Angel was content, simply to just sit back and watch his son. It was amazing to think that the bright young man seated next to him was the child that had been stolen from him only two weeks ago. It seemed so unreal. And to see him sitting there with Buffy no less…it seemed as though it was just a dream. It had been Cordy, Gunn and Fred's constant questions about when Angel was next going to see Connor…Stephen, that had made Angel realise that it was real.
Giles was always at the Summers home even though he was staying at a hotel for the duration of the holiday season. He would be going back to England soon, though he had plans to be back in California by late September. He wanted to witness Buffy becoming a mother.
The Slayer, for the most part, seemed to be happy to be back, but anyone who knew her well enough could tell that she was struggling to keep herself calm in the presence of so many people.
Being Christmas Day, there were ten people in the house, herself included, which was more people than had been in Quortoth in total. It was overwhelming, and she still had yet to tell them the entire truth about the time she had spent in a hell dimension.
Four and a half centuries spent being completely alone until the final two years of her torment. It was difficult adjusting to the noise in her world. It was harder for Buffy than it was for Stephen, even though he had never seen what the world had to offer.
Stephen had found himself thoroughly enjoying the newness of the life he'd just been granted. For someone who'd only ever spoken to two other people in his life, he seemed to fit into the group perfectly. Dawn had taken a special interest in her new brother-in-law and had done everything she could to make sure he felt at home in the Summers household.
Xander had taken Stephen under his wing as well, educating him in the finer points of all sorts of sports and television shows, which Stephen seemed to be genuinely interested in. He was having an easier time being integrated into the world than Buffy was having being reintegrated.
She was quiet a lot of the time, often removing herself from group situations to walk out of the house and into the cool night air. She'd suffered from several panic attacks in the house when things had become over-whelming. She had concealed them well enough from everyone, including Stephen. She would excuse herself and go to the bathroom, escaping the fish-bowl stares that the others would give to her.
Even with the over-whelming attention that the group was giving her, she would still accept each and every hug that any of the Scoobies offered to her. A week of being back meant that Tara and Anya had gradually stopped hugging the Slayer, but Xander, Willow and Dawn would still randomly hug the girl.
Buffy sighed silently and looked around the room. With seven of the ten Scoobies in the living room, it was becoming crowded. Willow and Tara were still sharing their corner of the couch with Angel beside them. Buffy sat in Stephen's lap on Angel's other side, Buffy playing idly with Stephen's fingers.
The presents had been opened, and breakfast had been eaten. Spike, Giles and Dawn were in the kitchen, preparing the food for lunch, Dawn insisting that everyone allow her to set the table by herself. Even Anya had commented on how nice the decorations on the table had looked. Buffy wouldn't have been surprised if her sister decided to go into a field of interior design. Her sister had an eye for colours and patterns.
"So, tonight," Xander started from his seat beneath Anya and across from where the two other couples and Angel were seated. "Are we gonna go watch the fireworks or what?"
Stephen looked confused at that, a look that Xander didn't miss at all.
"Oh, fireworks, man, they're…they're like lights in the sky. Explosions of…whatever the hell they put in those things. You'll see. You'll love it," Xander assured him.
Stephen nodded his thanks and leant his head forward, gently kissing Buffy's shoulder. She leant back into him, enjoying the feel of his arms around her small waist, the feel of his lips against her neck. She sighed in contentment.
Things were hard, that was for sure, but nothing was going to ruin her home-coming. As that positive thought ran through her head, she heard a knock at the door. She went to move, but heard Dawn's footfalls running towards the door.
"I got it!"
Buffy, already half off Stephen's lap, stood up entirely and went to see who else had arrived for Christmas lunch. Her gaze swept over Dawn who had become very still, amazement written in Dawn's eyes.
"Dawnie? Who's at the door?"
Dawn swallowed and looked towards her older sister. "It's Daddy."