A/N: In a Barney Miller crossover, "The Person Inside" (in that section till "Family Affair" gets a section), I show how Buffy grieving the loss of her parents explains the character's actions in that universe. (As I say in my Author's Note, that could have given Anissa Jones great dramatic opportunity and avoided the tragedy that letting them put her in pigtails & play with dolls a few times later as the character struggled with entering a new phase of life – adolescence – without her parents. Thankfully, fan fiction lets Buffy overcome it in that universe.)
Here, she moves out to San Francisco rather than stay in the New York area in that universe. In meeting Danny, she finds both frustration and – if he'll admit it – a somewhat kindred spirit. Early season 4 creates the most tension of times Danny doesn't already have a girlfriend/fiancé, so it made the most interesting plot; thanks to RKORadio for help with this & other things in the story. As I show in various fics, D.J. had to have control; one glaring moment in "Crimes and Michelle's Misdemeanor" itself shows that, as I note - Michelle looked to see if the coast was clear as if someone could make her go to bed, though none of the guys could keep her there.
Déjà Vu All Over Again
Buffy Davis, thirty, wiped a tear as she sat in the hospital waiting room. Her twin brother, Jody, squeezed her hand. "Shouldn't you go try Cissy again?" she asked, referring to their older sister.
"I'd rather stay with you; besides, my message said to come here," Jody said, lovingly stroking Buffy's very long, blonde hair. He knew Buffy had struggled the most when they lost their parents around 25 years earlier. She whispered her thanks as the doctor entered.
"Mr. and Miss Davis," the doctor said. They stood. "Your uncle is recovering right now from a mild stroke. It's fortunate you found him when you did."
"Will he be okay?" they asked.
Their uncle's butler, Mr. French, returned as the doctor finished going over the situation and prognosis. "I informed Mr. Davis' partners and made proper business arrangements," Mr. French reported once the doctor was done. "What irony that it happened here on vacation." He'd come to visit Cissy, who had moved out to Silicon Valley with her husband's job, Jody, who worked for the Giants, and Buffy, who had just taken a teaching job there.
"I think he worked extra hard once we started moving out; even this was a 'working vacation,'" Buffy said. She caught Jody's look. "It's okay; I'm not blaming myself because I moved out. I know the way I grieved our parents' death you worry."
"He should be fine with rehab," the doctor reiterated. "But, he'll have to cut his workload. And, there may be some small remnants of the stroke, but nothing really severe, we don't think."
Cissy raced in at that moment and the siblings hugged. The older sister got filled in before they went up to see Uncle Bill. After they had talked and then seen him, Cissy told Buffy, "I know it's rough, but it's Friday evening. You need something to take your mind off this."
"I know; but I don't have any tests to grade, or 20-page book reports to look over."
Jody chuckled. "You teach first grade. Your goal is that they read a book that size." He didn't have kids yet, unlike Cissy, so he wasn't sure if that was too small for that age, but it lightened the mood, anyway.
"True. Although some are pretty advanced in reading. Which reminds me: One third grader, really bright and talkative, met me and has told me things about the area a few times since I'm new here. Including that her dad's a widower."
"Go for it, Buffy," Cissy insisted. "Call him up."
Buffy blushed. It would take her mind off of this, and she needed that. Still... "I couldn't just call him. I'd need a reason," she finally said.
"Well, what else did this girl tell you? Maybe you can build on that," Jody offered.
Buffy hummed. "Oh. She mentioned her Honeybee slumber party. I said we didn't have Honeybee clubs back east. She told me a bit about them but I could call and ask more."
"There's your reason. You can hang out in the park tomorrow afternoon." Jody put an arm around her. "Being here every waking moment won't make Uncle Bill get better any faster."
"I know. I wish it could, though," she lamented. The others agreed.
Stephanie Tanner, eight and a half, handed the phone to her dad, Danny, and raced upstairs to see her older sister D.J., thirteen. "Deej, if you need a boyfriend, I might have a future as Cupid."
D.J. grinned, but before she could speak, her dumb and weird best friend, Kimmy Gibbler, broke in with, "So who can you set me up with, squirt?"
"Kimmy, Cupid isn't a miracle worker." Stephanie didn't like Kimmy's extreme dumbness, and loved to tease her just as Kimmy teased Stephanie. A funny idea hit her and she said, "Although, I do know a male who would love you if you don't mind lots of hair."
"Lay him on me, squirt. I'm ready for love tonight." She held out her arms, closed her eyes, and pursed her lips.
"Sure. Here, boy." Stephanie whistled, and their dog, Comet, a Golden Retriever, raced in, jumped up, and licked Kimmy's face. D.J. snickered despite herself, knowing Kimmy could sound too boy crazy at times, though Kimmy would never actually go after all those boys, unlike classmate Kathy Santoni. Little things like this, D.J. reasoned, might help remind her to think before she said such things, lest a real boy try to take advantage of her.
"Ewww," Kimmy said as she pushed the dog back down and then petted him.
"Anyway, what happened?" D.J. wanted to know.
"Okay, you know one of the first grade classes got a new teacher," Stephanie said. "Her name's Miss Davis. I was telling her about the Honeybee slumber party you took me to, and she called and wanted to talk to Dad about the Honeybees; they didn't have them where she grew up and taught, only Brownies. Her uncle had a stroke and she needs something to take her mind off that, so she thought if Dad was interested we could have lunch in the park together."
"Wow, sounds like you really talked Dad up."
"Well, I didn't say a lot about him, but I did say he's available, a great guy, wonderful dad… okay, maybe it was a sales pitch. But, she seems really nice."
D.J. nodded at Stephanie's ramble; it was just like their dad. And, if Stephanie was this excited, like their mom could get, this Miss Davis probably was a nice woman.
After they talked for a minute or two more, Danny dashed upstairs and announced they were going to have a picnic in the park. "Okay, is this a date or isn't it? What do I wear? What will she wear? Should I shave? Wait… I just did that a couple hours ago."
"Dad," D.J. reminded him, "just be yourself."
Kimmy had extra advice. "But, don't try to clean the ground; the park's supposed to have dirt."
Danny and the rest of the family gathered in a park near their house by what they knew would be a good landmark. Stephanie motioned to Buffy and introduced her family as Buffy carried her picnic basket over. "This is our dad, Danny Tanner, Uncle Jesse and his fiancé Becky, Dad's best friend, Joey – he's the comedian I told you helps raise us along with Uncle Jesse – and then D.J. and that's Michelle over on the swings."
Danny called Michelle over as the food was set out, but she wouldn't come.
"Oh, I can solve that. She just needed a better intro since you sounded like you were doing a batting lineup" Joey imitated a PA announcer. "Batting sixth, and playing shortstop, number 32, Michelllle Tannerrrrr." He then made the noise of a crowd cheering.
Buffy laughed; Joey was as funny as Stephanie had described. Michelle came over from the swings, but only once D.J. called her over. Buffy had already begun talking with them.
"Anyway, as I was saying, 'Buffy' is just the nickname I always go by; my real name is Ava. Actually, Jody and Cissy are their nicknames, too."
"I like Michelle," Michelle said of her name.
Stephanie pointed out to Michelle, "We have nicknames, too; just not ones we'd go by like real names. Dad always called me his little ladybug."
"Princess is better than Ladybug," Michelle contended.
Not wanting to encourage a bit of an attitude on Michelle's part about what was probably her nickname, Buffy ignored her and asked, "What was yours when you were younger, D.J.?"
"She was my little tennis ball head," Danny said wistfully. "I miss those days; it's always been hard for me to see my girls grow up. It seems like just yesterday she had this thin layer of blonde fuzz around her head like a tennis ball."
"Though hopefully without that oval stitching around it," Buffy said. Everyone - including D.J., who had been embarrassed by Danny's comment - began laughing.
Once they finished lunch, Stephanie and Michelle threw a Frisbee right next to the blanket. As they did, Buffy asked Jesse and Becky when they were getting married. "We haven't set a date, but we'd like it to be soon," Jesse said.
"Maybe early next year," Becky speculated.
"It sure was nice of you to move in when your sister died," Buffy told Jesse. "I'm sure they'll miss having you there."
"Uncle Jesse's leaving?" Michelle asked in a shocked tone. The Frisbee went past her.
Danny began stammering. "Uh, see, I…she…well, Jesse…uh…"
Buffy ignored Danny's stumbling; it could relate to any of the conversations around them. She told Michelle, "He'll move out when he gets married, but I'm sure he'll still be around a lot."
"Why are you leaving us, Uncle Jesse?" Michelle asked him in a very sad voice.
"Well, didn't someone tell…?" Buffy was aghast, but not sure what to be more stunned by: Her telling Michelle something she shouldn't have yet; or Danny for not telling her.
Michelle stomped away, upset. Stephanie jogged after her and flashed Danny an "I've got this" signal; Becky and D.J. joined them.
"Well, Jesse was supposed to tell her," Danny explained.
"I did; she was just asleep," Jesse rationalized.
Trying hard to make light of something serious, Buffy said, "I'm sorry I spilled the beans, but children can't learn through osmosis."
"Is that some new math?" Jesse guessed. "I can't understand that stuff myself."
"Jess, that means absorbing something without effort," Danny said. "It's very important in a good sponge; you do all the work, the sponge just sits there." He turned to Buffy. "It's okay; I just kept waiting for the right time." Lowly, he confessed, "Maybe I asked Jesse to explain to avoid dealing with the change."
"Small children do absorb a lot; but they're active learners, they need freedom to ask questions and be told things so they can ask, just like my students do. Which means, being awake, of course," Buffy quipped. "She'll need time to get used to it if she's attached to him, too."
"It's like Jesse's a mom, she's so attached," Joey said. He couldn't help but poke fun at Jesse's hair obsession. "Especially when he worries about bad hair days." Jesse glared hard.
"Well, again, I'm sorry to shock her like that," Buffy said regretfully. "But, it is good she heard; she'll need time to process something akin to a divorce with him not there; she doesn't have the experience adults do to understand. It's not like having a baby where you wait till you show a lot because the child can't understand the wait or possible miscarriage. You know this will happen," she finished somewhat insistently.
Stephanie had returned by now. "When Dad gets that look, he's thinking about our mom," she explained for Buffy, indicating Danny's face.
Buffy smiled tenderly, mad at herself for lecturing, even as gently as she had. She should have guessed that was the problem. "You relied on him like you did your late wife, huh, Mr. Tanner?"
"Yeah. You sounded like a cross between her and Michelle's pediatrician just now," he joked. "But, please, call me Danny; you're a lot better looking than he is."
"Okay. Anyway, it's great you've had him; it's important to have help," Buffy said, relating it to her own past. "The family thought they were doing us a favor by splitting us up to give us individual attention when our parents died, but it made it worse, especially for me. At D.J.'s age, I snuck around in pigtails and played with dolls to keep things like before they died. Finally I got grief counseling and I channel my love for little kid stuff into teaching. I'm a leader, I take charge very well, but it's an outlet to enjoy that," Buffy elaborated. She chuckled; she knew she'd spilled a lot at once, but she felt the need to explain after her earlier min-tirade.
Danny thought for a moment. "I suppose I have relied on others a lot. Even D.J.."
"Sure," Buffy replied, holding out her hands, "it's normal when a parent dies for older kids to take on a few added duties; they usually do it naturally, like when Stephanie ran after Michelle just now and talked to her, and D.J.'s still helping to explain things."
Danny concurred. "I remember D.J. willingly skipped her first non-mother-daughter slumber party to watch Michelle once," he related as D.J. carried Michelle up to them; Becky followed.
"So," D.J. was soothing the near-four-year-old, "Uncle Jesse still loves all of us. It's just like all those times we just talked about where a man leaves his home, and a woman leaves her home, and they come together and make a brand new home."
"And, someday, a brand new loving family just like yours," Becky said, "with cousins you can play with and everything."
"But, why can't Uncle Jesse and Becky live with us?" Michelle wanted to know.
Buffy was glad to see Michelle was much calmer and asking questions in a normal tone. "I suppose I should try to fix this damage I did by explaining a little, too."
"You don't have to," Jesse said. "We got canned recently 'cause I wouldn't let this woman client treat me like a piece of meat; I'm totally devoted to Becky. But, if this business Joey and I started doesn't work out, we might have to move back in; rents are horrible in this area."
Buffy chuckled. "It's good to save money; it's why I share a 2-bedroom apartment with my brother. When he marries I could even move into their place."
That made Danny think of something. "That's right, Princess. If I would marry," Danny told Michelle, "we've already got a loving home, so a new Mommy would move into our house. Uncle Jesse's just not a Mommy or a Daddy."
Buffy sensed a light going on in Michelle's head. "She's starting to understand; she just needs time to ask more questions over the next days and weeks, as she works out the concepts." She turned to Danny, afraid that she'd blown it. "I'm sorry I was mad you hadn't told. When I think about you losing your wife, I guess I understand."
"Oh, it's no problem; in fact, if you're not doing anything next Friday night, maybe we could go out." Danny liked the fact that she cared about his girls, and was nice otherwise. She hadn't seemed too mad at him, and any that she had been he could chalk up to Pam-like excitability – and to concern for his girls – as well as worry over her own uncle..
Buffy agreed.. She was grateful to have a second chance.
Danny and Buffy sat in the back of Jody's car two weeks later. "You two lovebirds be nice now," Jody teased as he drove them back to Danny's house.
"Thanks again for picking me up and dropping us off and picking us up again…" Danny chuckled at his rambling. He had to admit the thirty-year-old beside him was kind, sweet, gentle, all the things he'd want in a woman. "I'm glad that was just a scare with your uncle, and he didn't have to be admitted back to the hospital."
"Yeah, he just fell trying to walk too much too soon," Buffy summarized. Jody had picked Buffy up after school. They'd waited a few hours to make sure everything checked out. "And, as you said, you got to put Michelle to bed and it was still a good time for a late Friday dinner date."
Danny reminded himself he didn't have to look defensive. Truthfully, D.J. had decided to let him and the other guys try to put Michelle to bed, and he hadn't been able to get her to stay. All three of them had wimped out when she pleaded with them to let her stay up, come out of her room, or whatever. Maybe Jesse and Joey had managed once he left, or maybe D.J. had finally done so. Either way, Michelle had to be asleep by now, right?
"Oh, didn't you say you had a stroke recovery expert on your show earlier this year?"
"We did; come on in, Buffy, I can get you the number in my briefcase." She said she could always come over tomorrow, but Danny insisted. The lateness of the evening had made it seem more romantic, and part of him wanted a romantic "good night."
Buffy didn't mind. Danny was so sweet. More laid back, yes, such as the kids not calling Joey "Uncle Joey" – Becky had said she'd probably want hers calling him "Uncle." But, Buffy could live with calling him "Joey." California still seemed unusual to her, more laid-back than she was used to. She was so refined, having lived with Uncle Bill and Mr. French since she was six, even calling Danny by his first name right away had seemed a little unusual. Still, Danny was more conservative than some Californians she'd met; she knew of a couple families that didn't have bedtimes for their kids, and knew Danny used age-appropriate ones.
She was stunned, then, once they entered and Danny ran upstairs. Michelle opened the kitchen door and peeked around. At least, Buffy could tell that Michelle knew she had to be in bed. The preschooler entered with a toy shopping cart and said, "You won't tell D.J, right?"
"Your daddy's home now, I'll tell him to put you back to bed." She knew Michelle, at her age, wouldn't instantly connect her being there with Danny being back.
"He won't." She calmly turned on the TV and sat on the couch. "D.J. was mad, though.'
Buffy knew children tested limits at this age. She presumed that Michelle was fantasizing that he wouldn't, until Danny came downstairs and, instead of taking her back to bed, started rambling. He talked Michelle to sleep.
"Sorry, here's the name and number," he said, handing a paper to her. "I need to get her back to bed. See you tomorrow? Well, it already is, isn't it?"
"It is. I might stop over." Considering their first meeting, she tried not to judge Danny. He could have been nervous with her there. He could have been ready but Michelle fell asleep too fast. Who knew, maybe it was the first time she'd kept getting up and Danny had had to think about how to handle it.
The only thing she knew was, at least someone would have put her to bed. Maybe it had been D.J. after Danny left. The way Michelle had looked around, someone would enforce that limit. Only a small part of Buffy wondered how many limits he really enforced.
She didn't have to wonder the next day, though.
She'd stopped in and was sitting and talking with Danny. "So, did Michelle finally sleep through the night?" He nodded. "You're a nice dad. With all these leaves falling in mid-October, there's sure a lot more chores the kids can do. Where we lived they fell earlier, though; just one more thing to get used to out here, I guess."
"I don't know what I'd do if I had a maid and butler. Maybe I'd exchange jobs with the maid and let her host the show," he joked. "You're great with kids, too; I can see why your first graders like you." Their lips drew closer, and they kissed for an instant.
This kiss excited her. Buffy had been kissed before, but Danny seemed extra special. Sure, he had eccentricities with cleaning, but he was open about it and it seemed Pam never had a problem with it; although she wondered if it had been much more subtle when Pam was alive. Danny, too, ws thrilled. He'd gotten oer the jitters of dating again after Pam's death, and now enjoyed the idea of seeing someone so kind and caring.
They kept talking for a little bit, even after D.J. and Stephanie called for Danny. He turned and called to them in the kitchen. "Can it wait?" It couldn't. "What is it?"
Back in the kitchen, Stephanie rolled her eyes. "You said Michelle was a sitting duck swimming right in front of the door," Stephanie whispered to D.J., "but for your plan to work, Dad has to come in here."
"Don't worry." D.J. stood to the side of the pool, leaned over, and opened the door a bit as Michelle continued to play with a toy boat in her wading pool. "This is what Michelle did." She saw their dad and Buffy glance over and then closed the door. "He should have seen just enough, it'll make him curious. He'll still step in the pool, so we've even got our backup."
To their astonishment, though, Buffy stepped into the kitchen, maneuvering around the pool. "I said I'd check… what's going on here?" she asked.
"Is our dad behind you?" D.J. asked, her face falling, but still holding out some hope.
Always more excitable, Stephanie used the fact she'd gotten to know Buffy more to launch into a hushed monologue. She hurried up to Buffy and spoke in a way that reminded Buffy of Colonel Hogan during a few Hogan's Heroes episodes. In fact, she wondered if she should, like Sergeant Schultz, say "I know nothing, I see nothing!" Of course, that would be hard in this instance.
"Look," Stephanie whispered rapidly, ignoring D.J.'s gesture indicating she should remain calm, "our dad has ignored it when Michelle's been naughty for two years. Dad does with us but D.J.'s the only one who's ever enforced limits with her, now she wants to make Dad do it."
"Buffy?" they heard from the living room.
D.J. decided to play along and let Buffy in on it. "My guidance counselor said I had to make him," the young teen explained.
"Hey, I can't hear you when you whisper," Michelle complained.
D.J. ignored her and whispered tensely, "My plan is to get Michelle to admit she's a little princess who he lets do everything. Are you with us or not?"
Buffy was dumbfounded; her nod was more a reflex than anything. So, that hadn't been an aberration last night. At least she could tell Michelle knew to listen to D.J.. "Watch your step if you come in," she called out as she tried to digest what she'd just been told and devise a strategy.
"So much for falling back on wet shoes," Stephanie muttered. D.J. agreed; she decided that they should have let their dad's new girlfriend in on this earlier, so they could go over the plan.
"What's going on?" Danny asked. He opened the door and stepped around the pool Michelle was wading in. "I hope you girls have an explanation."
Buffy's mind whirled as D.J. explained what all Michelle had done, and Stephanie indicated that the key word was "Michelle." She didn't know why Danny did this, but she was devising a strategy to handle it. She really liked them all. But, Danny clearly needed help. And, Michelle needed to learn to obey the rules.
The key, to Buffy, was simple as Danny picked Michelle up in a towel and sat her on the counter. She didn't want him to actually say he wouldn't punish her. She mouthed the words "wait for me" to D.J. and hoped her hunch was right.
"Oh, Daddeeee," Michelle said longingly. "You wouldn't punish your little princess." She began alternating butterfly kisses, very sweet "I love you, Daddy"s, and puppy dog looks. D.J. and Stephanie stood by, unsure what would happen now that D.J. couldn't tell their neat freak dad to remember a wet shoe.
"Oh, Michelle, I…I never punished you because… I've wanted to think of you…as my baby…but you're…a big girl and you… you're old enough to know… I should punish you… Awww, you're so sweet. I don't want my little princess to be sad."
Buffy saw Danny let go of her and back away. "So, you're ordering D.J. to discipline for this." She grabbed Michelle and handed her to D.J. "You're doing the right thing, Danny, making D.J. sit her in the corner or wherever timeout is; let's follow D.J. so she knows it's from you, too."
Now, it was Danny's turn to be caught off guard. "Uh, wait, do we have to?" he asked as he followed Buffy, D.J., and Stephanie up to Michelle's room.
"Yes, we have to, and you're doing the right thing by punishing her," Buffy said.
"Now what, Deej?" Stephanie asked as they arrived upstairs.
"I guess we play along," D.J. responded quietly before giving Michelle a short lecture about what she'd done despite being told not to do it, and how Danny was, in fact, enforcing this limit using D.J. to help, just like if a dad and mom would together.
The fact Danny was actually in the room with her and Michelle as the little girl was put in a little chair against the wall helped a lot. So did the fact he walked away – with the others' help – when Michelle called for him. He even managed a weak "you know to stay there for what you did."
Once Danny, Buffy, and the oldest girls were outside the door, he asked them to step in their room with them. "What just happened?" Danny asked.
"Well, Dad, Buffy's idea was kind of like my emergency fallback; but she put it differently and, probably better," D.J. said, giving credit where it was due. She'd wanted to think her plan was foolproof, but Buffy was quicker, being older. She gave Buffy a high five.
Buffy was just glad her idea had matched D.J.'s to a sufficient extent; she supposed some privilege could have been removed or chores given, too.
"I'd hoped Dad would step in the pool so I could tell him to think of his wet shoes, but it worked, that's the important part," D.J. concluded.
Buffy smiled, a bit embarrassed. "I guess I wouldn't have had to tell your dad to watch his step," she admitted. Still, she wouldn't blame herself. That had been a "fly by the seat of your pants" situation if there ever was one.
"I'm glad you did. I wouldn't want to step in a pool in these nice shoes," Danny acknowledged. He wouldn't say it, but that might have made him finally make her sit6 in the corner even without D.J.'s help.
Buffy turned to Danny. "I'm sure Michelle's doctor had that talk years ago about Michelle needing boundaries to learn right from wrong," Buffy said evenly.
Danny nodded. "I remember; he mentioned the two I's, isolate and ignore. I've always been good at the second part," he emphasized.
"That's good. But, she needs to see there are consequences to actions; just ignoring something doesn't always work. And, sometimes, the best consequence is time in a safe place where she can think about her misdeed or just calm down. At her age, she's probably where an extra chore or removed privilege can work for some things if it's not immediate."
"I've never even taken a privilege from her; I consider that punishment, as you know. I just can't stand to see my little princess sad. She's my baby," he said. "Especially with the change with Uncle Jesse moving out; now that she knows, we've transitioned to D.J. getting up with her more, but she has school, and…" Danny sighed.
"She'll know you love her; she knows D.J. does. In fact by giving her boundaries and enforcing those it shows that you care about helping her grow up well-adjusted and with certainty in her life." Buffy stepped closer to him and spoke softly. "Is this really about missing Pam?"
"What? No, no, it's just… she's my baby."
Buffy folded her arms, sounding more cross and shifting to a more formal name. "Mr. Tanner, I am going to have a lot more sympathy for you if you just come out and admit it. Because wanting her to stay a baby like she was when you lost your wife is just like me wanting to stay a little girl rather than go through the stress of changing after losing my parents."
Danny wandered around the girls' room. "It's been rough. She kept painting on her dresser till I got her to stop around when she turned two. Then, she colored on the wall once. Removing crayons didn't help; she found them and kept doing it. D.J. caught me cleaning it off the walls as she colored. D.J. yelled 'no' and calmly took her up and put her in the corner." He finally turned toward Buffy. "Michelle cried a bit… she didn't color on the walls anymore. But, I went up to my room and cried a little, too, when she did that. Because I knew Pam would have done the same thing, and she wasn't there."
"Oh, Danny," Buffy said, feeling really sad for him.
"I could tell Dad really missed Mom then," D.J. said simply. "But, I couldn't let her think there were no consequences at all to marking up the wall, and we'd tried taking the crayons away."
Danny smiled. "You've always been so good to her, Deej. Just like your mom." With his hands in his pockets, he added, "And, Michelle really is well-behaved overall." D.J. agreed; once she saw a firm limit she listened very well, it's just that without a consistent boundary she tested more. "I just tell Michelle she's my baby because I know it'd be too hard for her to understand I've been waiting because of losing Pam."
Stephanie spoke. "Yeah; but now you need to be the dad, Dad," she said.
"It'll take your father some time," Buffy said. "If you and D.J. let her out of her corner together, that'll help. Maybe make her go to bed as a team tonight; you, Jesse, Joey, and D.J.." She chuckled. "She might say the rule is 'no swimming in the kitchen' now, if she thinks that's what started it. But, I think you can have a decent transition to being the one who enforces the rules. And, she'll know you love her. She might not understand totally, but she can understand having to enforce limits made you sad about Pam not being here to help."
"Sure. Thanks for being patient with me," he told all three.
D.J. and Stephanie hugged him, and he hugged back. "We know you can do it, Dad," D.J. said.
Several weeks later, Buffy arrived at the rehab center just after lunch. "Hey, Uncle Bill," she said, giving him a hug as he sat at the lunch table. He tried to move his large arm some, but hugged with his right. "How was lunch?"
"Fine," Uncle Bill slurred slightly. "You went to church with Danny's family?"
"Well, with the girls. The oldest two have asked Jesus to save them, but they don't go consistently. Pam took them more often, now the mom who hosted the Honeybee slumber party drives a van in their neighborhood and gets them if they call." She considered what she'd learned about the Tanners. D.J. and Stephanie were quite nice overall,a nd D.J. helped that Kimmy girl a lot, which was a big feather in her cap. She didn't have a church yet out there – she hadn't even had a regular one back home – but she liked the kind, considerate attitude the minister emphasized, and the need to help others, not to earn salvation but to earn blessings and rewards that couldn't fade away. She supposed she might go there regularly. She added, "Danny goes at Christmas and Easter, but overall, he's more interested in cleaning."
Mr. French, Cissy, and Jody were there with him. "Your description of how much he cleans is is most irregular. It seems more fitting for a maid, and even that would have to be one intesnely passionate about the subject," Mr. French commented.
"True. But, he's not totally obsessed with it." She hummed. "Maybe a bit more with the stress of Jesse moving out and disciplining Michelle; he's still struggling to be consistent."
"At least he got Michelle to bed the first night after you learned about his problem," Cissy said.
"Well, after he had to put her in timeout; she realized a warm, cozy bed was better than a boring chair against a wall. But, yeah, he's kind of lax yet but generally… he's getting better. He doesn't need D.J. right there with him anymore."
Jody could sense something, being Buffy's twin. "Kind of remind you of you grieving?"
"There's a little déjà vu, I guess." Her shoulders sagged. "It seems sadder when it's a parent who struggles. I mean, Jesse and Joey each have problems asserting authority, they don't want to be like their dads." She decided it was easier not to get waylaid by the specifics – Jesse's dad getting way too angry or Joey's being so militaristic he stood at attention upon hearing his voice even 20 years since he'd last seen him. "So, D.J. had to do a lot. And, the cleaning might be from losing Pam, too; he said he didn't at all for a few months right after she died, then… well, it's not that bad. He's improving," she reiterated.
"Give it time," Uncle Bill said. "I'm anxious to meet him."
"While you were gone the nurses came by. They've been getting Uncle Bill out a bit around here," Cissy informed her.
"With some help we could probably go there and visit," Jody said.
"I asked about tomorrow," Uncle Bill said. "Wait, this is Sunday, isn't it?"
"Correct; it would be most stress-free to accomplish this goal on a weekend," Mr. French noted.
"Actually I told D.J. I'd go see her after school; she seemed a bit worried about her body image," Buffy said. "If you all want to meet me there it's not too far, over on Girard Ave.. That's just a few minutes away." Indeed, there was a home for Alzheimer's patients next to it that D.J. would volunteer at next year. That sounded like a good idea to them.
Buffy showed up Monday after school shortly before her family. Danny let her in and they kissed and talked for a moment before she ran up to D.J. and Stephanie's room.
"Hey, Buffy," D.J. said happily, "this is my friend Kimmy I was telling you about."
"Hey, how's your uncle, Woodrow Wilson?" Kimmy asked.
D.J. shot her a look, but Buffy went one step further. "Kimmy, I understand you only know how to get along by teasing unless it's a close friend, but please do not call my uncle 'Woodrow Wilson.' Even if Wilson was President, he doesn't need reminded of his stroke. He needs encouraged to recover from it."
"Sorry," Kimmy said humbly. "I guess it is a little touchy."
"Yeah; look," Buffy said, trying to calm down, "they are coming to have a very short visit, but don't make him think about it more than he does. He's really trying hard to get better." She turned to D.J. and asked how she was doing.
"Well, I was starting to take your advice till Kimmy told me she had a pool party coming up in 2 weeks for her birthday."
"Oh, happy birthday, Kimmy," Buffy said cheerfully. "I sure hope it's indoors." Unlike D.J., who had thought it a dumb idea because she pictured any swimming pool as being outdoors, Buffy was used to high class people with indoor pools. Yet, with Kimmy, one never knew.
"It's an indoor one, but it's not my birthday," Kimmy replied. "My parents just have it whenever they want. My brother's a bellhop and figured out how we can sneak in, so they agreed we could have it there. It seems like the perfect time; the chance might not be there come January."
"Anyway, I need to fit into one of these bathing suits," D.J. said, deciding to totally disregard Kimmy's explanation. She'd long ago given up trying to understand some of her friend's ideas.
Buffy put a hand on D.J.'s shoulder. "D.J., why do you think your friends care about your outside? It's your inside that matters most."
"But, it's not just them, I mean, look at these pictures. They're beautiful."
"D.J.," Buffy said softly, "you're beautiful just like you are. You're a beautiful person inside who has handled a father with grieving problems and a mischievous preschooler with grace, skill, and – partly thanks to the school counselor you've told me about – real wisdom." D.J. closed her eyes. "D.J., that's the person everyone cares about. And if someone only cares about you because you fit into something, they're not friends."
"Thanks. I just want to be…" She stared at the model's photo.
"Airbrushed? Have all your pores removed through a photography trick?"
"Give me the right boy," Kimmy spouted, "he could airbrush me."
Buffy glanced at Kimmy and said, "Don't try to help." Back to D.J., she suggested, "Let's go to the food court for a while and talk about how to plan a sensible diet, before you start worrying about eating at all."
"Wow," Kimmy said, her eyes widening. "It's just like when she guessed we were up to something when we thought about hitchhiking; this woman knows what you'll do before you do it!" She stopped herself, realizing that, "Your mom was the same way, huh?" She wasn't always very bright or a good thinker, but she knew when D.J. gave her a look, or even before, that things involving Pam's death were quite sensitive.
"Yeah. I wasn't going to do it yet, but, well, okay." D.J. was privately grateful for Buffy's actions in convincing her to look at the positives and not worry about only looks. It just seemed a little annoying. And yet, she realized that if she had the freedom to choose… well, Stephanie would have found out somehow, she rationalized, so it wouldn't have been any different. At least this Buffy was really nice – and clever. "You can tell Kimmy's got a good heart, like I've told you, huh?" she asked, recalling the previous flub.
"Sure. I'm sure she understands when it comes to your mom. And, now you understand it's going to be the same way for someone even when they're just hurt," Buffy told Kimmy with confidence. Kimmy agreed.
When Buffy, D.J., and Kimmy came downstairs, Uncle Bill – using a cane and being supported by Jody and Cissy – and the others had just come in. "Uncle Bill, I'm so glad you could make it out." Buffy introduced the others.
Stephanie had pulled a chair over by the time she was done. "Would you like to have a seat?
"We won't be long, but… it might be better to rest," he said reluctantly.
"That's correct, Mr. Davis, do not attempt to overexert yourself, as recovery will proceed more slowly if you do," Mr. French said.
Kimmy guessed he was the butler. "Yeah, you have to help your butler lift those big words."
Michelle had run in from playing and asked why he couldn't move one side much. Danny explained, "He's older, and some older people have a problem with their brain called a stroke. He's staying in a place that'll help him get better." He offered the others some refreshments.
"Well, we shouldn't stay long, he just wanted to get out a little more," Cissy said.
"I heard there's cake coming, though," Bill said excitedly.
"Oh, boy, where?" Michelle asked excitedly.
"Uncle Jesse and Becky are bringing cake samples for their wedding cake; I told them to wait till you got here, and I just called them," Danny told the guests.
"Well…" D.J. dithered. Maybe Buffy was right. Still, she didn't want too many. "Save me a bite of a couple of my favorites. Buffy and I are going to the food court to eat, if that's okay, Dad."
"Sure; have fun." Danny smiled at Buffy's family. "Looks like my daughters are really taking to her. Obviously, it'll take some time, but…" he trailed off.
"It's been less than two months, but it is fun to see the start of this," Bill agreed.
At that moment, Jesse and Becky entered through the back door. Stephanie grunted a little trying to push the chair till Joey helped her help Uncle Bill stand and walk to the kitchen; it was easier than pushing the chair. As everyone gathered around the samples, Danny introduced them and said, "We'll give a little to our guests, and then we'll sample the samples after supper. Jesse and Becky brought that, too."
"I want all that cake now!" Michelle insisted.
"No, Michelle, it'll spoil our suppers," Joey pointed out.
"We're waiting till after supper to eat ours, too," Jody pledged, hoping it would help.
"Michelle, ever meet a real queen?" Uncle Bill asked to distract her.
Cissy took her by the hand and led her over to Mr. French. She didn't know if Michelle could understand their uncle as well, since his speech was still a bit slurred, so she repeated excitedly, "Yeah, Michelle, Mr. French can tell you about the time he met the Queen of England." She and her husband had a couple children themselves, and this brought back great memories of when her children had first heard about the trip.
"Was she pretty?" Michelle began. She asked normal questions – with Stephanie asking a few of her own - as little samples of each type of cake were put in a baggie for each of the guests, and the Tanners talked to Uncle Bill, Jody, and Cissy.
"I believe Her Majesty does like chocolate," Mr. French responded to one of Michelle's questions.
"I bet she'd pig out on all that." Michelle licked her chops and walked over to the table again. She stood on a chair as the Tanners prepared to say "goodbye" to their guests.
Then, she startled everyone by diving in. "Michelle… Michelle, I said you'll spoil your dinner," Danny reminded her calmly as she crawled on the table and gobbled the cake.
"You'll spoil dinner for a month," Mr. French said. "I thought it was Mr. Gladstone who did impersonations; she appears to think she is the Tasmanian Devil!"
Jody and Cissy had already left the kitchen, having helped Uncle Bill out. They heard chuckling and Mr. French's astonished voice and stepped back in while Uncle Bill sat on the couch. Michelle was still crawling on the table eating all the cake samples – when asked she said her favorite was 'chocolate," even though there were quite a few different chocolate ones.
"Aren't you going to stop her?" Jody asked with a bit of shock.
"I wanted her to have a little treat, I guess," Danny said, "with them moving and all the change that'll come." He finally picked her up after she'd crawled through the chocolate, eating for well over half a minute. "We better get her a bath. She's going to have a big tummyache, I bet. Steph, you want to let our guests out?"
"Sure, Dad," Stephanie said with a frown. Even at not quite nine, she could sense what Michelle had just done was not normal; yet she knew if D.J. had been there, Michelle wouldn't have dared. Sneak one bite, sure, even a sample; but all that?
As they walked through the living room, Cissy said, "I see what Buffy means about your dad having problems, Stephanie. Huh, Uncle Bill?"
"Won't he do something?" Mr. French asked. "Those samples appear as though the Germans bombed Chocolate City during the Blitzkrieg"
"I don't know." Inside, Stephanie wondered how bad it would get.
D.J. and Buffy were in the latter's car after their dinner at the food court. "That's so amazing having a butler like that. Too bad we'd made arrangements on the fly," the teen noted, "but I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to talk."
"Me, too; Uncle Bill's staying here till he recovers since we're all out here, rather than go back home." She turned down Girard and added, "I wasn't totally sure they'd make it, either; remember, I came from school. I guess I worried about whether he'd feel up to it."
D.J. understood. "Our mom's death was really sudden, but I can see how it would make you wonder, when you lost both parents like that. I remember how Steph was when Dad didn't call home for three hours after that earthquake last year." They pulled up out front.
"Ours were sudden, too," she said. They got out and walked up to the door.
Stephanie greeted them by handing one of Comet's rope toys to D.J.. "Here, Deej, you might want to chew on this."
D.J. was puzzled; she couldn't figure out what younger kids were thinking at times; especially Stephanie. "Why would I chew on one of Comet's toys?"
"Follow me." As she led them out to the kitchen, she said, "You know those chocolate samples? Each of our guests got one little piece of a few to take home. Dad took Michelle upstairs for a bath before supper. She's sleeping off a tummyache." She opened the refrigerator and pulled out the remains of the cake samples. As she placed them on the kitchen table, she added, "That's because Michelle did this to the samples." D.J.'s and Buffy's mouths stood agape.
"Deej, you're home," Danny said casually as he came downstairs. He saw D.J. gawking at the small remains of what had been a bunch of cake samples. "Pretty funny, huh? At least till her tummyache. She even got some of the carrot cake by accident."
"Dad… how did she…?"
Stephanie used an exaggerated voice and hand gestures to make her point. "She crawled on the table, through the chocolate, with all of us around it. She ignored requests to stop, didn't seem to hear anyone's voice, and made a total and complete mess!"
"I can't believe it," D.J. cried out.
"If she'd just taken a spoonful or even grabbed one with her hand, I could see that," Buffy explained. "But, two-year-olds have more self-control than to get up on a table and crawl through chocolate for… how long?"
Jesse was there by now, too, having come down with Becky from his room. "What would you say, Beck? Over half a minute?"
"Close to a minute." She walked over to D.J., who was still holding the chew toy and looking irate. "I know you feel like chewing on that right now. And, I don't blame you. I thought for sure your dad would make Michelle stop or pull her off a lot earlier. But, you have to realize when he gets like this, he's probably hurting. A lot."
"Didn't you at least sit her in the corner?" Danny shook his head.
"Take dessert away for, I don't know, six months?" Buffy joked, flailing a hand. "Now that I think about it… that long… I'm thinking a one-year-old would stop when told. Especially with authority figures there."
Her mind flashed back to that time when Michelle looked to see if the coast was clear. She didn't want to bring it up, but she knew who the authority figure was who Michelle would have listened to right away; maybe stopped at grabbing a sample or maybe not even that. One who would have corrected Michelle right away even if the adults hadn't. And, Buffy had taken D.J. away from there. She felt angry at herself, but at the same time, she reminded herself that if things were this bad, D.J. had needed a break, too. So, she told herself not to blame herself for anything.
Danny tried to distract them from the problem. "Actually, she said she didn't even like chocolate while I was cuddling her upstairs. Finally, right before she drifted off to sleep she decided she did again. Boy, that was a phase I never expected."
D.J. threw down the chew toy as she spoke. "I'm sure you wish Mom was here to share it with you, but she isn't. I wish she was here, too, Dad," D.J. told him, her voice cracking a bit. "But, that doesn't mean you can just ignore…" She pointed to and looked at small remnants of the cake samples once again. "…that! It looks like…" She was at a loss for words."
"I liked their butler's comment about Germany bombing Chocolate City," Stephanie recalled.
Buffy allowed herself a small laugh. "That is so Mr. French." She suddenly became more serious as she said, "Do you realize what that would mean at a wedding reception?"
"I'm sure she'd know the difference," Danny said.
She hated to admit it. Still, Becky had to confess, "That's what I thought about crawling on the table for almost a minute versus just grabbing some…" Becky trailed off. "I guess I should have stopped her."
Joey had come up from his basement apartment by then. "Yeah, me too; it's so sad to see her with a tummyache,' he related.
Buffy couldn't believe it. "And how does she learn it's wrong? Just telling her is one thing, but if she doesn't have some consequence she could just… knock over the wedding cake and grab just enough." Buffy sighed. "I'm sorry, I know I'm getting too riled about this."
"Don't worry, it looks like D.J.'s about to do the same," Jesse told her. He patted Danny on the back. "Just like Pam, huh? I remember a couple times as a teenager," he said for Buffy's sake, "Danny and Pam were married but even if I made Mom and Dad give up, when Pam found out what I'd done…" he trailed off while Danny nodded.
"Well…' Danny felt like he was being forced to give in. He held out his hands and gestured with them. "Okay, maybe no dessert tonight." Others glared as he continued. "Of course, she probably won't even feel like eating supper now."
"How about no desert for a week," D.J. countered as Jesse, Becky, and Joey put the sample crumbs in baggies
"Come on, Deej, don't you think that's a little harsh?"
"Danny," Buffy said, "this isn't just a kid who swiped a cookie from the cookie jar. This isn't even a kid who looked guiltily at their mom or dad as they did it."
"True; she didn't even look at us like that," Stephanie noted.
This upset Buffy; she elaborated for Stephanie's sake. "Children test limits, sure, and need patience while they make sure of those boundaries; some test more than others, of course. But, by this age they should have enough self-control that it shows in a look if they know you're watching them at the cookie jar, or something internal that makes them stop at just a handful or when they hear your voice. But she didn't just grab a sample and take off. She crawled on a table through the food for almost a minute!" She shook her head. Her upbringing had been so different, so refined and proper! "I know Californians are more laid back sometimes, but this is ridiculous."
"Oh, don't worry, I know she'd have listened to me," D.J. said solemnly. "But, you're right, this is bad enough... My guidance counselor at school warned me last month if Dad never enforced any limits and Michelle was allowed to get really out of control, it could get to the point where I'd have to consider…" She sighed and mumbled, not wanting to think about it.
"Come on, Deej…" Danny replied softly, "you know we've never had to think about that."
"Dad, you know I'd be gentle like Mom, but do you remember a talk you and Mom had about how to handle a kid like Uncle Jesse used to be?" D.J. asked.
Jesse had a look of pride until he said, "Wait, that's not a good thing in this case, is it?"
"I'm talking about a total rebel, where nothing else is working." D.J. looked seriously at Danny and confided, "Mom told me when I about eight, when I first heard of spanking and asked what it was. She said you and she had a discussion, and you both said you couldn't do it but maybe Mom could give a light slap that only hurt the feelings, if nothing else ever worked. Only if the kid was like Uncle Jesse, totally not listening to anything."
"I said your mom would be the one who had to do it. And, it's still true; I couldn't stand to think about it with any of you girls."
"I think what D.J.'s saying is, you need to put a stop to this behavior now before it would be necessary," Buffy said. "We didn't believe in it, either. Jody heard of it, and Uncle Bill said that was how some friend's parents showed they loved him. Well, that was a mistake, because Jody wasn't totally attached and had one of those times kids do where they don't know if they're loved, so he almost pushed till he got one, except he admitted beforehand that that's why he did it, so Uncle Bill didn't do it." She smiled at D.J.. "I like the way your mom explained it. She gave you confidence that she knew you'd never need it, yet helped you understand different families and how some had different strategies." D.J. nodded.
Danny let out a gust of air. "Deej… I know you'd try very hard not to hurt her…"
"Trust me, Dad, I'd be right there making sure," Stephanie pledged.
Danny squeezed her. "I know. You're always so excitable, just like Mom. And, you have that gift of sensing what a person's feeling. I remember you knew D.J. hadn't done something I blamed her for because of the type of tears."
"And you know if I'm lying so well. Like Mom always knew what I was going to do," D.J. said.
Buffy stepped forward a little. "I'm sorry I got so frustrated just now, but what Michelle did does show such a lack of self-control that she might need warned of something serious enough, as you say, that hopefully she's sensitive enough the mere thought would make her stop before doing something like this at a wedding reception; or any other time. I think if you're not comfortable grounding her from dessert, D.J. should. You said her birthday's what, next Monday?" It was. "Work with her on self-control till then. Hope she doesn't lose any more privileges in the meantime, and help her to realize how what she did was wrong on a number of levels."
"Do you think I should warn her…" D.J. trailed off, not liking the idea herself.
Danny could feel the others' stares. "If you want, Deej." He looked down. "I know I'm making you replace Mom a lot more than I wanted."
"We're all here to help you, Dad," D.J. promised as she put an arm around him. They hugged.
"I'm sorry if I seem like I'm intruding too much," Buffy said. "In a way, I feel guilty myself. I've botched things for D.J. with how she's tried to help, and even giving away that bit about Jesse moving out. Maybe I'm trying to make up for it."
"Oh, it's no problem. In some ways… I can hear Pam saying the same things," Danny muttered.
Buffy was glad. "Hopefully she won't be too wound up by her birthday, and won't do that to her birthday cake. Although, you seem to have her under control enough, D.J.…" She chuckled. "I'm reminded of what Jody says Yankee great Yogi Berra once said – 'it felt like déjà vu all over again.' Hopefully, if you do have trouble, just a talk is the worst that'll happen." She caught Danny's questioning gaze. "Sure, I'll be over." She turned to D.J. and remarked, "I think you went a little overboard insisting the theme couldn't be a 'princess party' – whether she behaves well is going to depend on whether she knows right from wrong, not being a princess. But, I think 'Teddy Bear Picnic' will be super fun, anyway."
"Sure. And, Mr. Bear can be the host for the stuffed animals that come just like we are for the kids," Stephanie remarked. Buffy agreed, knowing it was also an extra way for D.J. to keep tabs on Michelle; she couldn't blame her pig for anything.
The party had been a whirlwind of activity, as she'd expected. She let out a "whoosh" as she helped clean up the kitchen.
"I know the feeling," Danny said as he and Michelle walked down from where she'd taken her bath. "What a party."
"Yeah; you sure Joey and I can leave to do those photo shoots in the woods tomorrow early?" Jesse asked.
"Don't worry. I'll be really good. Really, really, really…"
"Okay, Michelle we get the point," Joey stopped her.
"It was quite a day. It was fun to finally 'meet' Mr. Bear; I've heard a lot about him," she told Stephanie as she helped to fold some chairs.
Stephanie felt grateful to have someone who played along with her concerning him. "Thanks; he had lots of fun. Although he thought Aaron Bailey's tiger was a bit too wild; he's flown into the bushes twice before you came."
"The tiger or Aaron?" Buffy and Stephanie shared a laugh.
"Both."
D.J. came in from the living room, prompting Michelle to repeat, "Thanks, Stephanie."
"Michelle, I know I said you should, but you've already told her that three or four times," D.J. said with a smile.
"I know. I like saying 'thank you.'"
"Well…" D.J. knew she'd sounded a little upset when she caught Michelle out of timeout earlier, which came on the heels of a few other things. "We know how thankful you are," D.J. said, picking her up and hugging her..
Danny realized that Michelle had been extra wild even before Buffy came, insisting she could "do anything" since it was her birthday. Then, when combined with things like defiantly grabbing cake and eating it when she was supposed to be in timeout, D.J. had gotten quite mad when she'd caught her.
"The important thing, Princess, is Steph knew you were truly sorry; and those were 'I'm a bad girl' tears. And, not just sorry you got caught, but…" Danny chuckled. Even though it would have been really gentle, he didn't like to think of how close D.J. had come with Michelle. He figured he'd distracted her enough from that thought, so he turned to Buffy and said, "I'm rambling again, huh?"
"She listens to her oldest sister very well. And, I think you'll listen to your dad, too, now. Right, Michelle?" Buffy asked the tot.
"You got it, Dude." Michelle was adamant; what mattered was, "I'll be a very good girl now."
"I'm sure you will." Thankfully, she'd never have to bring up the possibility of it again like she had today. "No more cake in her room; I checked," D.J. hastened to add. Danny took Michelle and hugged her before standing her on the ground again.
Buffy smiled sadly. "Sometimes I feel like I've actually made things worse for you. Although, I guess most of the stuff that happened would have, anyway."
"We might have had to talk about me getting really tough eventually," D.J. said. "So, don't' blame yourself, Buffy. You'll make a great mom." She put an arm around Buffy. "You try to understand how rough it is for me if Dad struggles at times thinking about losing Mom."
"See if you think that way if I ever catch you doing anything wrong," Buffy chided her.
D.J. was silent. She wanted to say that she never did anything bad, but she knew she did. She knew she needed Christ's forgiveness just like anyone else. Finally, after a moment, she simply stated, "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
"If I ever tell your dad on you, it'll only be because I care and want to make sure you realize there's consequences yourself. But, I think you understand that pretty well. And, you girls are all pretty well-behaved."
D.J. agreed; if she ever did get really upset, for instance, she always apologized right away.
"From all I've seen, you girls are all great. Even at her worst, Michelle listened when you just talked about being your toughest." And, Buffy and D.J. knew even that would have been really gentle. They really were a great family. Just like Buffy had always wanted.
The adults wondered why she had suddenly gotten so quiet as the girls dispersed. Finally, Becky walked over from the dishwasher and said, "I bet you're thinking about your parents."
"Yeah. I'm just dreaming right now, because I see you and Jesse, but… well, I'm still plenty young enough to have my own, but if Danny and I would marry… his youngest would be the age I was when I lost mine. Sometimes I wonder, you know, could I really be good at it?"
"Well, you sure got a good grade from D.J.," Becky remarked. "I'm sure you'd do a great job." She thanked her, and they hugged.
Over a year later, Michelle happily scattered flowers around as she walked down the aisle. She was ecstatic – she would finally have a mommy. As much as D.J. had tried – and she'd been very proactive once Buffy had begun to encourage her and get involved herself – it hadn't quite been like having a real one.
At the end of the procession, Buffy walked arm in arm with Uncle Bill, gazing at her maids of honor, including Stephanie, D.J., and her own sister, tears glistening in her eyes. She thought about her parents, and the great love she'd felt with her uncle and butler. She wished her parents could be there for this special occasion. But, she knew they were watching.
The speech, the vows, everything was so wonderful. Hearing her uncle state her was giving her in marriage… she could tell he was wistful, too. She said "I do," and she and Danny kissed for a moment that was so fantastic she wished it would never have to end.
Danny was excited, too. He'd felt like he couldn't even look at another woman when Pam died, but he'd gotten used to seeing and even dating them. The way this had worked was so special; his new wife really did seem to understand him. He'd always miss Pam, but she'd helped him to channel his feelings and not be so sad that he ignored misbehavior from Michelle anymore. Of course, now that she was going to be the mom, she understandably would be handling discipline more, anyway, but that was okay. They were a team now, after all.
The couple relaxed with their families after the reception that evening. "Everything's set for the honeymoon," Joey told Danny in a Bullwinkle voice.
"How come my new mommy says you never talked like Bullwinkle, Mr. French?" Michelle asked.
"I am a butler; why should I wish to talk like a moose?' Mr. French inquired.
"Why not; try it," Michelle said.
"Yeah," Joey said, still in his Bullwinkle voice. "Say this – 'Hey Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of a hat… Hey, where'd my hat go? There it is, hopping down the road." He pretended to run after his make-believe hat.
Seeing Mr. French's nonplussed look, Uncle Bill quipped, "See, French, as crazy as it was raising three kids, it could have been a lot crazier."
"I believe my own voice is sufficient for any event which may arise," French stated.
"But, Joey's voices are funnier," Michelle countered.
"Face it, Michelle," Jody said, "you'll have to settle for a mom who likes that stuff."
"It's going to seem weird, huh?" Cissy asked the older girls.
D.J. nodded. "Mom'll always be Mom, but… we've already had so many special times in the last year and a half or so."
Stephanie agreed, a small lump in her throat. "We've helped Michelle with so much, in a way, now she can take the lead for us when it comes to calling you 'Mom.' She's so excited about that; aren't you, Michelle?" She put an arm around her.
Michelle agreed wholeheartedly. "Even if I'm naughty."
"Which hasn't been too often; you really are turning into a wonderful young lady, just like your older sisters," Buffy said.
"Yeah, we've really heard a lot of great things," Jody said.
"I hear you girls are even spending one night with your new Aunt Cissy while your mom and dad are on their honeymoon," Uncle Bill said.
The girls were excited. They had so many fun things to plan with them. They followed them away and discussed those, leaving Danny and Buffy to talk.
"D.J. told me at the end of the semester she might get to go to Spain. She said I was an easier sell, but she had a plan to convince you," Buffy revealed. "Part of which involved Comet wearing a sombrero."
Danny chuckled. "Not exactly déjà vu, I bet; we can give you plenty of funny things on our own without repeating any of yours," Danny said. He added that he'd probably say "yes" if Buffy agreed but that she should let D.J. do what she'd planned; he liked to encourage his children to think for themselves, and if she could present a good argument, he'd buy it.
"Oh, I'm sure we'll see plenty of stuff that seems like déjà vu all over again," Buffy teased, thinking of that quote Jody had told her about. "It'll be wonderful to spend my life loving you."
"Same here. You've helped me so much; losing Pam is still rough, but now, well, I can get through it."
Buffy smiled and spoke even more softly than Danny had. "Truthfully, being here has helped me, too. I feel like I have a chance to help the girls dream, to help them through so much. And, to be with a man who really completes me. I know it was frustrating at first, and I pitied you more than anything for a short time. But, I love you so much now, Danny."
"I love you, too, Buffy."
After they kissed for a moment, the girls returned. They stood and watched, then Buffy said, "Come on, let's have a group hug for the photographer."
Kimmy indicated that Mr. French and Joey were both taking pictures, in addition to the official photographer. "Sure; do you people want the funny voiced one or the one who sounds like a Vulcan?" Kimmy asked.
They chuckled. "Either one," D.J. said as Danny, Buffy, and the girls embraced. All agreed that the important thing was that they were all one big, loving family now.
Note: I have 1 more idea, then I'll be so busy with other stuff, like my books at lulu dot com mentioned in my profile, I'll like retire for the 837th time. However, if this is my last TV Unvierse or AU off the TV Unvierse (that is, an alternate history of sorts), thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy all my others. The last will be BU, the Book Unvierse being much more fun for me, anyway, with the girls more mature & better behaved, though elements would have happened post TVU, I think, too, with future horse jumping contests. But, you can read it for that.