Chapter Six: The Party
(I knew it. I couldn't get away with that ending. So here's more... Enjoy!)
Faith pulled into Dawn's driveway. Robin got out and undid the car seat in the back. He handed Faith a tiny bundle. She peeked inside at her baby girl. The mocha colored baby yawned and Faith smiled. She looked at Robin and at her watch. "We're late."
"I told you to check if we had everything," Robin said. They walked to he front door and rang the doorbell.
"I told you not to forget her bottles," Faith replied.
"I didn't. You forgot the formula," he reminded.
Faith rolled her eyes and Jack opened the door. "Hey!" he greeted giving Faith a hug and shaking Robin's hand. "You guys are the last."
"It was his/her fault!" They said simultaneously.
Jack laughed, "Okay." He leaned over to Robin, "It's was her fault, wasn't it?" He whispered.
"Yeah," Robin chuckled.
"I heard that!" Faith glared.
Jack cleared his throat, "Ahem. Dawn's in the kitchen and everyone else is out back." He led them through the house.
"Faith!" Dawn exclaimed when she saw the dark-haired slayer. Dawn was holding one of the twins on her hip and stirring dip at the same time. Her and Fait hugged and Dawn peered at the pink bundle in her arms.
"Her name's Belle," Robin told her.
"Oh," Dawn breathed. "She's beautiful."
"Thank you," Faith and Robin smiled at each other.
"I want a girl!" She said looking at Jack.
Jack threw up his hands. "Don't look at me like that. We'll do it, then end up with another boy that we can't get rid of him."
Dawn glared at her husband and handed the twin to him. "Everyone's out back. Buffy's the one with the crown."
Faith and Robin followed Jack outside to the huge backyard. Willow, Kennedy and Teresa were sitting and chatting, Andrew and his girlfriend, Veronica, a small mousy-looking girl with glasses, were setting the picnic tables and Xander was chasing the kids around.
The girls and Robin all hugged and said hello. "Where's Xander?" Faith asked. "Oh, he's attacking the children," Teresa replied.
"Rah! The Xander-Monster's gonna get you!" He roared sending the kids shrieking in laughter.
"It's the lesser known Xander-demon, who scares small children with his lame monster impressions," Faith said.
"I've heard of those," Robin said. "They aren't dangerous."
"But can get to be quite annoying," Willow said.
"Annoying? Should we slay him?" Dawn asked setting down the dip and bowl of chips in front of them.
"I got some stakes in the car," Kennedy offered.
Xander glowered at the girls, "That's right everyone make fun of Xander, the butt monkey."
They all laughed.
"Where's Buffy?" Faith asked.
"Inside," Willow replied.
"Dawn said she was out here."
"She said she wanted to change," Willow said.
Faith handed Belle to Robin and went inside. She walked through the house to the master bedroom, the only room with the door closed. She knocked softly on it. "Hey, B," she said using her nickname for Buffy. "You decent?" She opened the door slightly and peeked inside. Buffy was sitting on the king sized bed, crying. Faith opened the door and rushed in. "Buffy! What's wrong?" she asked startling Buffy.
"Faith, hey," she wiped her eyes and attempted a smile. She got up to hug the former rouge slayer.
Faith hugged her back and held her at arms length. "What are doing sitting in here and crying?"
"Sitting in here and crying," Buffy replied. "Where's Belle? I wanna see my god daughter."
"Uh uh," Faith raised an eyebrow, " No 'it's-my-party-and-I can-cry-if-I- want-to' excuses. What's up?"
Buffy shook her head, "Nothing, just thinking."
"Oh," Faith understood. "About David?"
Buffy blinked, deciding whether to lie or not. "Yeah, about David."
Faith put her arm around Buffy's shoulders, "Aw, B. It's okay. I get it. But it's been almost three years, you can move on. I'm sure he'd want you to." 'I did move on,' Buffy thought. 'Then I left.' She smiled at Faith. "You're right. Thank you. For understanding."
Faith smiled, "That's my girl." She got the crown that had been lying next to Buffy and put it on her head. "Now, let's go party!" Faith started dancing around, leading a laughing Buffy out of the room. They went back to the party outside. Jack and Xander, were manning the grill. Andrew was arguing with Billy about who the best X-men character was.
"Nah uh!" Andrew said. "Wolverine first appeared in 'Alpha Fight'."
Billy shook his head, "He was in 'The Incredible Hulk #180'. 'Alpha Fight' was Spiderman and Wolverine."
"Veronica!" Andrew called.
"Sweetie, you're fighting with a six year old, and he's right," Veronica said in her soft voice.
Andrew turned to Billy who crossed his arms smugly over his chest. Andrew's mouth gaped open and he glared at Billy. He huffed over and sat next to Veronica. Buffy chuckled softly shaking her head. Willow was feeding Selene baby food and talking with Teresa and Veronica, Kennedy was helping Dawn round up the kids. Faith saw Robin cradling their daughter in his arms. He was whispering to her a little lullaby. Faith smiled. She turned to Buffy, "This is what it's all about, isn't it?"
Buffy watched her friends. Friends wasn't strong enough a word to describe what they all shared and family was just a label. They were soul mates, forever entwined in each other's lives. Linked together by a bond stronger than any magic in the world. She wasn't sure if you were allowed to have more than one soul mate, but then again she wasn't much for following the rules.
She looked at Faith, "Yeah, it is."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After sitting down to their respective dinner of hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, jello salad which none of the adults ate except for Dawn, and all other yummy foods.
"I'm stuffed!" Buffy announced, pushing her plate away and sitting back.
"I think I'll have to accept defeat too," Xander dropped his fork and adjusting his belt. "Or else the button on my pants is going to fly off and someone's gonna lose an eye."
Buffy giggled at her one-eyed friend. "Dawn, you made too much food."
Dawn who was munching on carrot sticks and barbecue sauce, shrugged, "Oh well, there'll be leftovers for tomorrow."
"Bleah, not eating ever again," Willow said.
"We still have to have cake," Faith pointed out.
"Cake?" Xander perked up. "Who has cake?"
"I thought you said you were full," Buffy said to Xander.
Xander looked at Buffy, "There is always room for cake."
"And ice cream," Dawn said.
"And ice cream," Xander said and Buffy rolled her eyes playfully.
"That's my man," Teresa said leaning over and stroking the hair at the nape of Xander's neck.
"Okay so where's my cake? And my presents?" Buffy asked.
Andrew and Jack came out carrying a huge cake. Sparklers lighted the purple frosted cake. Kennedy followed with presents. They set the cake in front of Buffy and everyone gathered to sing happy birthday.
"Aw, you guys," Buffy smiled.
"Speech!" Robin called out.
"Yeah, Buff, say something," Willow said.
"No, I can't," Buffy said blushing.
"You only turn thirty once," Xander reminded.
Andrew who had his video camera clicked the red record button. "C'mon Buffy, the camera's rolling."
Buffy rolled her eyes, "Fine," she stood up and watched the sparklers on her cake. She couldn't think of anything to say. She swallowed, "Thank you. Thank you all. And not just for this wonderful party, but for everything." She looked down at her little girls. Madison reached up to hold her hand. "You two, are the best things that ever happened to me. I live for you." She looked at Xander and Willow. "There are so many things I wish I told you guys, but I never had to, because you guys already knew. Dawnie, you're my sister and I love you. You all have been such a big part of my life. We've been through everything. A lot of people say that, but we are the only ones who honestly know it." She squeezed her eyes shut, holding back tears. "It's been a tough road. We've lost so much, but gained so much more. So, thank you for being here." She finished and looked up at her friends. Xander, Dawn, and Willow were all smiling at her with tears glistening in their eyes. Behind the camera Andrew sniffled loudly. Even the kids all looked solemn.
Faith wiped her face with the back of her hand. "You'd better blow out those candles before the cake explodes." And everyone laughed. Buffy bent over and blew them out.
"What'd you wish for, Mommy?" Hope asked.
Buffy smiled. "Nothing. I already have everything."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Later that night, they all sat around in Dawn and Jack's living room, drinking and talking. All the kids had tired themselves out and were now sleeping in Billy's room and the twins room. The house was big enough that everyone was staying over. Buffy's present's were scattered around. She loved the stuffed pig and almost cried again when Xander gave it to her, Willow's present made her cry though, Dawn gave her sister a garnet necklace, Andrew gave her a limited edition Dorothy Hammil figurine, and Faith gave her vibrator, as a gag gift, and a book about growing old. Buffy was having such a good time. They played silly games, like Truth and Dare and Spin the Bottle, both in which Xander had to kiss Andrew. He rinsed his mouth out with Scope afterwards. Of course, they were all a little drunk.
"I don't know why Xander's being such a homophobe," Willow commented, obviously drunk. "I want two." She threw down two cards.
Her, Buffy, Faith, Jack, Robin and Andrew were playing poker. Buffy, the dealer looked at Willow and handed her two cards. She could see Willow's hand in the silly giant glasses Xander bought her.
"I am not being a homophobe!" Xander protested. He returned to the table where he, Teresa, Kennedy, and Veronica where playing Scrabble.
"Yes, you are," Willow told him.
"Am not!"
"Homophobe."
"Bluffer."
"I am not bluffing!"
"Uh, yeah you are Will," Robin said.
"We can see your hand in your sunglasses," Buffy confessed.
Willow looked shocked. "You've all been cheating off me?"
They nodded sheepishly. And Willow burst out laughing. "You guys were cheating off me for beans?"
"It is stupid currency," Jack admitted. "But we don't have poker chips."
"If you thank that's stupid, you guys should try playing for kittens," Buffy said. She looked down at her cards, blinking back tears. She pushed back her chair, "I'm out." She set her cards down on the table and went to the kitchen, taking her glass with her. She downed the vodka and cranberry juice, grabbed un unidentifiable bottle and poured amber liquid into the empty glass. She downed that quickly. "Bleah," she made a face and poured another glass. Stupid memories. She wished she could ask Willow to do a permanent forget spell, but her friend wouldn't do it. She closed her eyes. ***'And the only person I can stand to be around is a neutered vampire who cheats at kitten poker!' That night in the demon bar, where Spike had taken her to find out what was after her. She had had one too many drinks and was ranting about her problems and her friends. And Spike was there. He was always there. And then he wasn't. For five years he wasn't. And she hated him again.
She finished off her third glass when Andrew poked his head in. "Uh, Buffy? Me and Veronica are leaving, now."
"What?" Buffy set down her glass. "Why?"
Andrew shrugged, "Veronica has an early class."
"But you can't drive. You're drunk," she said to him.
Andrew smiled. He wasn't the drunk one here. "Actually, I didn't drink and besides, we walked over."
"Oh. Well, I'll walk you guys back, just in case," she said.
"It's all right Buffy," He opened his jacket, "I came prepared." Buffy saw a small bottle of holy water and a wooden cross with a pointy tip.
"Then I'll walk you to the door," She took a couple of wobbly steps and Andrew caught her before she tripped flat on her face. "Or, you'll walk me to the door."
"Okay." Andrew held Buffy up as they walked to the door. Everyone hugged Andrew and Veronica good-bye. Xander opted for a manly handshake. "Happy Birthday, Buffy" Andrew whispered in Buffy's ear.
"Thank you," She whispered back. Jack opened the door and a familiar figure was standing in the doorway, cigarette in mouth, hand poised ready to knock.
"Uh, hi?"
To be continued.....
