Party Time

A/N As of today, I have had my account on this site for 5 years. I haven't been posting that long, but I thought it was worth celebrating so here is a Buffy Next Generation oneshot. As far as plans go for the WWS, season 9 of the rewrite (following straight from season 8) will be starting soonish, I'm not sure when yet, but it is coming. At present I am working on a BA (Hons) degree in history and creative writing, so my original writing is taking some precedence, but I am trying to rework in some WWS content so. Hope you enjoy!

New Sunnydale, the world without shrimp 2021

The town hall has been set up by Willow early that morning, and the end result had it looking like a box of confetti had exploded. Apparently, Tara had come around to the idea of magical decorations. "Bio-degradable turtle-friendly decorations are the way forward Tara, I'm just trying to protect the environment!" Willow had said, mid-flailing her arms about and giving her wife the kind of puppy-dog eyes that would have her agreeing to almost anything.

I said almost anything.

"Ok, well as long as that's all you're trying to do." Came the reply, Tara's face creasing into a smile as she looked down at her (also) very smiling eleven-year-old, who was nodding profusely. River had decided to have a big party for her birthday, she'd invited almost everybody she knew, and Willow had arranged for her various aunts and uncles to make appearances - some a little later in the day than others. And by midday exactly that was dancing all around the town hall. Xander had arranged for the use of the hall and helped Willow set up, he'd brought Jack along for the big things because his son had just gone through a growth spurt and was now towering over him at 6"1' - though Anya was pleased at the opportunity to take him shopping for new clothes.

Everything had been magically placed to fit perfectly into the space available, dance music was playing through some large black speakers mounted onto the wall behind the stage. River was sitting on one of the chairs lining the wall, in tight conversation with Wednesday Wyndam-Burkle about the latest science magazine. Something told Willow that her and Fred should ought to get their girls together more often if they were going to actually study on their playdates.

After the food was served, by food I mean, overfilled platters of cookies and little sandwiches that the kids could munch into. As the children tucked into various unhealthy lunch options, with a few choice kids only opting for the carrot sticks because their parents were enforcing a new vegan diet. As Tara scanned the room, she saw River grinning madly as she watched her friends each take a turn at whacking the pinata with a giant stick, something told her that River could actually see through the blindfold - her magic having just started to emerge in all sorts of impressive powers that neither her nor Willow expected. But then again, she'd had her hands full with Esme lately.

She walked quietly over the playpen they'd set up in the corner - for parents who had smaller children they wanted to bring too. Her daughter Esme was sitting quietly in the corner minding her own business but keenly observing her feet, which were periodically turning completely invisible. Emma - Dawn and Leo's youngest - on the other hand was bawling her eyes out, apparently, she wasn't best pleased with the lack of attention and within a few minutes Joyce had run over to play with her. Ever the big sister and spitting image of her mother, Joyce Silvera had a knack for being helpful. And at the sight of her Emma stopped crying.

"You ok Joycey?" Tara said, picking Esme up out of the pen and cooing at her as she watched the twelve-year-old offer her little sister some cucumber. Joyce looked a little down, Tara had noticed she often looked a little down when River was with Wednesday because she just didn't know how to break into their little twosome. She was interested in science, she liked helping her parents with slayer training and building up her own strength so that one day she would be able to be a good watcher. She simply didn't fit. Tara felt a kindred spirit with her at times, she remembered the years she had spent not feeling like a proper scooby, and that without Willow she wouldn't have fitted at all. She remembered a time when Dawn had felt the same.

"Yeah, just not sure what to do. My friend Alice isn't here, I asked her to come but she said she was busy, and now I don't know what to do. Mom is busy helping Henry try and 'make friends'" Joyce replied, actually holding up the bunny ears for emphasis. Emma was much happier now Joyce had started to play with her, but Tara could tell something still wasn't quite right. She felt bad about it, but Emma always gave her the creeps, somehow the tiny three-year-old could hypnotise people into doing almost anything. She was three, and already they could all tell a little bit of Leo's demoness had been passed on to her.

"Well why don't we get you some food, and we can sit and chat about how your watcher studies are going? Or I can try and find your aunt Buffy for you?" Tara said, trying to be kind, she could tell Joyce would rather be anywhere else but here at this moment and if she could just find her own wife, she could check everything was going smoothly enough that no one would miss her for a while.

"Ok." Joyce said quietly and put Emma back down in the pen, she was seemingly immune to Emma's charms and could quite easily let her stoop in her tears for a while. Dawn would be around in a minute anyway to pick her and coo at her.

As Tara took Joyce up to the food table she passed Buffy, who was wondering around in search of some more plastic cups. "Hey Buffy, have you seen Willow anywhere? I was just going to check on how the pinata's going." Buffy gave a shoulder shrug and pointed to the corner of the room where Willow was standing in deep conversation with Xander. Then she looked down at Joyce and smiled taking her hand,

"Hey you, how about we go and get ice cream?" She asked, this made Joyce smile at last. She saw Buffy as her hero, as the one girl in all the world who saved it time and time again. She took Buffy eagerly by the hand and lead her through the crowd over to the ice cream stool.

Tara continued walking with a tired Esme gently resting on her shoulder, half-stirring half-snoring. Tara gripped her a little tighter and placed her warm palm over Esme's lower back, cuddling down into her mama's arms. Tara stopped for a moment and turned her head slowly, kissing Esme's forehead lightly she smiled to herself. And it was a soft smile, the type of smile that you make savouring the small everyday moments of life.

As she continued on her way, eventually making it over to Willow, she had to interrupt Xander mid-sentence with a whispered 'shh' and a gesture towards the sleeping baby. "Oh, sorry Tara." He said, placing a hand on her shoulder and mysteriously disappearing over to the main dance floor to watch Giles attempt something he was far too old to be allowed to do in public.

"Hey sweetie," Willow started, stroking a finger lightly over the ends of Esme's hair, she kissed Tara lightly and smiled, her eyes glazing over as she felt the familiar tingle of love run up the back of her leg. Then she pressed her lips together and closed her eyes just for a single moment before River came running up to them.

"Hi honey." Tara said, giving Willow a little nudge as she saw the big beaming grin on her daughter's face. "So have you had a good birthday so far?"

River nodded exaggerating her smile as she focussed her attention on Willow. "It was the best birthday ever mommy." She said in a sweet voice, cosying up to them and letting Esme wrap her whole hand round her littlest finger.