Willow walked into the living room, and looked at Buffy and Dawn curled up
on the couch together, it was nine-thirty. Tara, Anya and Xander had
arrived about a half an hour ago and were hanging around the kitchen with
Giles.
"Hey, guys." Willow tried not to be intrusive, but she needed to talk to Buffy. She and Dawn were looking through the photo albums that were piled around the room.
Buffy looked up, "Hi, Will, how goes the phone drill?"
"Well, I've called everyone that you marked as family, and your Great Aunt Bethany can't come, she's too sick, but she's calling everyone else. I spoke to the people at the funeral home and all you have to do is go by there sometime this afternoon and make some decisions about the service."
"Thanks, Will."
"Buffy, I didn't mention it earlier, because I wasn't sure how to, but, I put an obituary in the paper today. I thought it would be important, since the service is happening so soon, to have it in the paper… Are you mad?" Willow was worried that Buffy would get angry about her taking charge of something so personal, and even more so for how she had executed it.
Buffy's eyes began to water, "Did you write it?"
Willow took a deep breath and sighed, "No, actually, Tara did."
"Tara? But she hardly knew my mom." Surprise drove the tears from Buffy's eyes, she looked from Dawn to Willow, "What could she have to say?"
"Well, that was the thing, she asked me like five questions about your mom and wrote it."
Willow pulled out a copy of that day's obituary section and held it out to Buffy. "I think she did a really good job."
Buffy grabbed the paper out of Willow's hand and read it while Willow waited silently for her to turn in a verdict, "Will, where's Tara?"
Buffy's voice was steely and her face showed no emotion. Willow began to fear for her girlfriend.
"She's in the kitchen… Buffy, she meant well, I thought it was good…" Willow's defenses of Tara fell on deaf ears as Buffy got up and walked through the front hall to the kitchen. Dawn and Willow exchanged frightened looks, but they didn't hear the yelling they expected. They heard a very emotional Buffy break down in sobs as she thanked the blonde witch. "Tara? Thank you for writing this…"
"Wow, I thought she was going to freak." Willow sank down onto the couch next to Dawn, "How are you doing?"
"It doesn't seem real." Dawn was focusing on a picture of Joyce when she was much younger, about Buffy's age, "Moms don't just die."
"Yeah," Willow looked around, "I know what you mean."
"Willow, can I ask you something?" Dawn was being quiet and kept looking over Willow toward the kitchen, like she wanted to get this out before Buffy came back.
"Sure, Dawnie, ask away…" Willow smiled to be reassuring, but it made her look nervous instead.
"What do you think of Giles?" Relief spread over Willow's face at the mention of her mentor. This was easy, not some question about the afterlife or lack of one, like she had feared.
"I love Giles. He watched out for us in high school. Giles is one of the trust-worthiest grown-ups I know. Even if he wears tweed."
Dawn scrunched up her nose, "Is that what they call that stuff?"
Willow reached out and tousled Dawn's hair, "Goofball…"
Tara walked into the living room, trailed by Anya and Xander, interrupting the quiet moment between the friends. They arranged themselves around the living room, and Anya's eyes kept darting from face to face. With no one talking, Willow became nervous and tried to start a conversation.
"What did Buffy think of the obituary?" Too late, she realized her question was not the good conversation starter she had hoped for.
"She thought it was fine, she thanked me for it." Tara smiled at Willow and scooted closer to her.
"Good, I wasn't sure how'd she react … where is she?"
Tara's face went a little gray, "Still in the kitchen with Mr. Giles. The obituary really hit her hard."
Xander gave a half grin and looked at Dawn, trying to keep her mind off of the bad things at hand, "The kitchen just isn't cool enough for us anymore. We needed a place with a more happenin' clientele."
Dawn turned her head towards a picture of Joyce on the end table, "They're talking about me aren't they?"
Tara leaned over and picked up a photo album, "Why don't we look at some pictures? That'll be nice."
"I love you, Giles." The whisper in his ear was shocking; it seemed to fill the room. He found himself half-moaning back to her, "Oh, Buffy…"
She pulled away and walked around the kitchen island, slowly ticking off fingers and list items as she went, with each item taking away some of her speed.
"We have to meet the lawyer at eleven, go to the funeral home, and get ready for Dad." She sighed and looked at him, "Why is there so much to do, Giles?"
Rupert recovered slowly from their embrace, pulling out his glasses and cleaning them, avoiding her eyes. "I'll help with whatever I can, Buffy, but keeping busy is not necessarily a bad thing right now."
"Well, it's almost ten, Dawn and I need to get ready to go. Willow and Tara are going to stay here and hold down the fort. So, you can come with us if you want to."
"No, I should go home and clean up," he took a deep breath and put his glasses back on, "You can call me later if you need anything." He walked to the island and gave Buffy a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, still fearful of being found out and still fearful of not being able to let go.
"Okay, thank you, Giles." She held his eyes then, for what seemed like hours, and the blush that crept over them both finally made Buffy lower her gaze. "I'll call you later."
Rupert cleared his throat, "Yes, please do. I'll be home all day, let me know if you need me to come over."
Giles walked out of the kitchen and down the front hall, he looked into the living room to see the children looking through the photo albums of Dawn, Buffy and Joyce. All of their backs were turned to him, so he quietly grabbed his coat from the rack and walked out the front door before they could catch him in a conversation.
Buffy walked down the front hall and stared at the freshly closed front door.
Willow turned around and saw her friend staring at the door, "Buffy? Was that Giles?" When she didn't respond, but just stood with her arms crossed, Willow tried again, her voice heavy with concern, "Buffy?"
Buffy shook her head and looked into the living room, "Uh, yeah, Will?"
Willow got up and went over to her, "Was that Giles, is he okay?"
"Yeah, he's fine. He just needed to go home and clean up." Buffy looked at Dawn, "Speaking of which, Dawn, we need to get ready to see the lawyer."
"Buffy, do I have to go?" Dawn was reluctant to leave the house and the comfort of familiar things, "You can find out just easily without me there."
Buffy didn't want to argue, but couldn't help the irritation in her voice. "Dawn, no arguments please, I need you to go."
"But I want to stay here!" Buffy couldn't stand the whining, or the idea of getting into all the reasons the she wanted, no, needed Dawn to go, so she snapped at her sister.
"Dawn! Go get ready!"
Dawn jumped up and ran angrily up the stairs, emphasizing each step.
Buffy gave a pointed look to her friends, "Don't. Say. Anything." And with that, she turned and walked up the stairs.
* * * * *
The lawyer's office was decorated in rich dark woods; Giles would know what kind, thought Buffy. She and Dawn sat opposite from the lawyer, in two identical chairs. They looked like the couples on TV who were visiting the doctor to find out if they were having a baby, waiting for some kind of news, good or bad.
"Hello, Ms. Summers, I went over your mother's will this morning. I think you'll be pleased to know that Joyce prepared for this set of circumstances, both recently and a while ago. So, all of your needs should be met by the arrangements she made."
Buffy was jarred by the use of the word 'pleased' – and her 'needs should be met' – what was going on here?
"Um, I'm sure everything is in order, but we're mostly concerned about Dawn."
The lawyer looked a little confused by Buffy's comment, "I'm sorry, Ms. Summers, but I'm not sure what you're asking. What about Dawn concerns you?"
Buffy couldn't help but chuckle and smirk, "Who has custody of Dawn?"
"That isn't established in your mother's will…"
"What?" Buffy had thought for sure, out of everything, that her mother would have made sure to leave specific instructions about Dawn's care. Had she misread her mother during all of those serious talks about "taking care of Dawn?"
"Please, Ms. Summers, let me finish," The lawyer had taken on an air of comfort and authority, she obviously knew what she was doing, "Dawn is 14 years old. According to California law, in the event of the divorce or death of parents, as long as an appropriate guardianship is established, for example: a relative of age who provides a stable home environment, Dawn can choose her guardian. It's her choice. Your mother assumed that Dawn would want you as her guardian, she had all of the paperwork drawn up," the lawyer pulled a small stack of papers out of a manila folder, " and all that remains is for you both to sign them and get them notarized. We can file them tomorrow, and barring any dispute, in 24 hours you will be Dawn's legal guardian."
Buffy took Dawn's hand, and sighed. "Well, Dawn, you heard her. It's your choice."
Dawn looked at Buffy and said, "There's a first time for everything."
"Hey, guys." Willow tried not to be intrusive, but she needed to talk to Buffy. She and Dawn were looking through the photo albums that were piled around the room.
Buffy looked up, "Hi, Will, how goes the phone drill?"
"Well, I've called everyone that you marked as family, and your Great Aunt Bethany can't come, she's too sick, but she's calling everyone else. I spoke to the people at the funeral home and all you have to do is go by there sometime this afternoon and make some decisions about the service."
"Thanks, Will."
"Buffy, I didn't mention it earlier, because I wasn't sure how to, but, I put an obituary in the paper today. I thought it would be important, since the service is happening so soon, to have it in the paper… Are you mad?" Willow was worried that Buffy would get angry about her taking charge of something so personal, and even more so for how she had executed it.
Buffy's eyes began to water, "Did you write it?"
Willow took a deep breath and sighed, "No, actually, Tara did."
"Tara? But she hardly knew my mom." Surprise drove the tears from Buffy's eyes, she looked from Dawn to Willow, "What could she have to say?"
"Well, that was the thing, she asked me like five questions about your mom and wrote it."
Willow pulled out a copy of that day's obituary section and held it out to Buffy. "I think she did a really good job."
Buffy grabbed the paper out of Willow's hand and read it while Willow waited silently for her to turn in a verdict, "Will, where's Tara?"
Buffy's voice was steely and her face showed no emotion. Willow began to fear for her girlfriend.
"She's in the kitchen… Buffy, she meant well, I thought it was good…" Willow's defenses of Tara fell on deaf ears as Buffy got up and walked through the front hall to the kitchen. Dawn and Willow exchanged frightened looks, but they didn't hear the yelling they expected. They heard a very emotional Buffy break down in sobs as she thanked the blonde witch. "Tara? Thank you for writing this…"
"Wow, I thought she was going to freak." Willow sank down onto the couch next to Dawn, "How are you doing?"
"It doesn't seem real." Dawn was focusing on a picture of Joyce when she was much younger, about Buffy's age, "Moms don't just die."
"Yeah," Willow looked around, "I know what you mean."
"Willow, can I ask you something?" Dawn was being quiet and kept looking over Willow toward the kitchen, like she wanted to get this out before Buffy came back.
"Sure, Dawnie, ask away…" Willow smiled to be reassuring, but it made her look nervous instead.
"What do you think of Giles?" Relief spread over Willow's face at the mention of her mentor. This was easy, not some question about the afterlife or lack of one, like she had feared.
"I love Giles. He watched out for us in high school. Giles is one of the trust-worthiest grown-ups I know. Even if he wears tweed."
Dawn scrunched up her nose, "Is that what they call that stuff?"
Willow reached out and tousled Dawn's hair, "Goofball…"
Tara walked into the living room, trailed by Anya and Xander, interrupting the quiet moment between the friends. They arranged themselves around the living room, and Anya's eyes kept darting from face to face. With no one talking, Willow became nervous and tried to start a conversation.
"What did Buffy think of the obituary?" Too late, she realized her question was not the good conversation starter she had hoped for.
"She thought it was fine, she thanked me for it." Tara smiled at Willow and scooted closer to her.
"Good, I wasn't sure how'd she react … where is she?"
Tara's face went a little gray, "Still in the kitchen with Mr. Giles. The obituary really hit her hard."
Xander gave a half grin and looked at Dawn, trying to keep her mind off of the bad things at hand, "The kitchen just isn't cool enough for us anymore. We needed a place with a more happenin' clientele."
Dawn turned her head towards a picture of Joyce on the end table, "They're talking about me aren't they?"
Tara leaned over and picked up a photo album, "Why don't we look at some pictures? That'll be nice."
"I love you, Giles." The whisper in his ear was shocking; it seemed to fill the room. He found himself half-moaning back to her, "Oh, Buffy…"
She pulled away and walked around the kitchen island, slowly ticking off fingers and list items as she went, with each item taking away some of her speed.
"We have to meet the lawyer at eleven, go to the funeral home, and get ready for Dad." She sighed and looked at him, "Why is there so much to do, Giles?"
Rupert recovered slowly from their embrace, pulling out his glasses and cleaning them, avoiding her eyes. "I'll help with whatever I can, Buffy, but keeping busy is not necessarily a bad thing right now."
"Well, it's almost ten, Dawn and I need to get ready to go. Willow and Tara are going to stay here and hold down the fort. So, you can come with us if you want to."
"No, I should go home and clean up," he took a deep breath and put his glasses back on, "You can call me later if you need anything." He walked to the island and gave Buffy a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, still fearful of being found out and still fearful of not being able to let go.
"Okay, thank you, Giles." She held his eyes then, for what seemed like hours, and the blush that crept over them both finally made Buffy lower her gaze. "I'll call you later."
Rupert cleared his throat, "Yes, please do. I'll be home all day, let me know if you need me to come over."
Giles walked out of the kitchen and down the front hall, he looked into the living room to see the children looking through the photo albums of Dawn, Buffy and Joyce. All of their backs were turned to him, so he quietly grabbed his coat from the rack and walked out the front door before they could catch him in a conversation.
Buffy walked down the front hall and stared at the freshly closed front door.
Willow turned around and saw her friend staring at the door, "Buffy? Was that Giles?" When she didn't respond, but just stood with her arms crossed, Willow tried again, her voice heavy with concern, "Buffy?"
Buffy shook her head and looked into the living room, "Uh, yeah, Will?"
Willow got up and went over to her, "Was that Giles, is he okay?"
"Yeah, he's fine. He just needed to go home and clean up." Buffy looked at Dawn, "Speaking of which, Dawn, we need to get ready to see the lawyer."
"Buffy, do I have to go?" Dawn was reluctant to leave the house and the comfort of familiar things, "You can find out just easily without me there."
Buffy didn't want to argue, but couldn't help the irritation in her voice. "Dawn, no arguments please, I need you to go."
"But I want to stay here!" Buffy couldn't stand the whining, or the idea of getting into all the reasons the she wanted, no, needed Dawn to go, so she snapped at her sister.
"Dawn! Go get ready!"
Dawn jumped up and ran angrily up the stairs, emphasizing each step.
Buffy gave a pointed look to her friends, "Don't. Say. Anything." And with that, she turned and walked up the stairs.
* * * * *
The lawyer's office was decorated in rich dark woods; Giles would know what kind, thought Buffy. She and Dawn sat opposite from the lawyer, in two identical chairs. They looked like the couples on TV who were visiting the doctor to find out if they were having a baby, waiting for some kind of news, good or bad.
"Hello, Ms. Summers, I went over your mother's will this morning. I think you'll be pleased to know that Joyce prepared for this set of circumstances, both recently and a while ago. So, all of your needs should be met by the arrangements she made."
Buffy was jarred by the use of the word 'pleased' – and her 'needs should be met' – what was going on here?
"Um, I'm sure everything is in order, but we're mostly concerned about Dawn."
The lawyer looked a little confused by Buffy's comment, "I'm sorry, Ms. Summers, but I'm not sure what you're asking. What about Dawn concerns you?"
Buffy couldn't help but chuckle and smirk, "Who has custody of Dawn?"
"That isn't established in your mother's will…"
"What?" Buffy had thought for sure, out of everything, that her mother would have made sure to leave specific instructions about Dawn's care. Had she misread her mother during all of those serious talks about "taking care of Dawn?"
"Please, Ms. Summers, let me finish," The lawyer had taken on an air of comfort and authority, she obviously knew what she was doing, "Dawn is 14 years old. According to California law, in the event of the divorce or death of parents, as long as an appropriate guardianship is established, for example: a relative of age who provides a stable home environment, Dawn can choose her guardian. It's her choice. Your mother assumed that Dawn would want you as her guardian, she had all of the paperwork drawn up," the lawyer pulled a small stack of papers out of a manila folder, " and all that remains is for you both to sign them and get them notarized. We can file them tomorrow, and barring any dispute, in 24 hours you will be Dawn's legal guardian."
Buffy took Dawn's hand, and sighed. "Well, Dawn, you heard her. It's your choice."
Dawn looked at Buffy and said, "There's a first time for everything."