Chapter 7.
The room became silent.
Tension was so thick in the air Buffy felt as though she could slice into it with a knife. But somehow she was able to remain calm, remain relaxed. And somehow she was able to pretend that she wasn't afraid.
"So what have you been doing with yourself?" Willow asked brightly, a little too brightly.
Buffy paused before answering, letting the question sink in. Everyone looked at her expectantly. "I guess I've just been working, reading, taking care of the girls. We moved to LA last month, so it wouldn't interfere with school for Jamila, and Kalika and Lalita are both starting at kindergarten soon. I start back at work soon, so everything will get busier..." she trailed off, unsure of what else to say.
"Where did you meet up with Angel?" Joyce asked her daughter, unsure of whether or not she really wanted to know the answer.
"The beach. I've been taking the girls down there most days. We kind of ... scared each other half to death, or unlife, or whatever." Buffy smiled as the little girl in her lap moved in her sleep.
"Are they identical?" Giles asked, indicating Kalika.
"Only when you first meet them." Buffy began, "After that you never have trouble telling them apart."
"What do you mean?" Anya asked, curiously.
"They all look the same, but they're very different. Mila's deaf, so most people cotton on to which girl she is, then after that you have Kalika, my born destroyer, and then you have Lily and she's, well she's like the sweetheart of all the girls. She's happiest when she's around people."
"Born destroyer?" Xander asked.
"One of the reasons I came home." Buffy answered softly. "The girls each have magical powers, Lalita demonstrated hers' in front of Wesley and Angel. I need to learn how to teach them how to control their powers, or I need someone to teach them. The only people I know of who might be able to help them are Giles and Willow."
Giles stared at her, fascinated. "What kinds..."
"Of powers do they possess?" Buffy finished for him. "Kali can literally blow things up with her mind. She can 'read' fingerprints too. Lily can transport things through time and space. She calls it 'shimmering', and she can also move things with her mind. Mila gets visions, she can see people's auras and she has this strange 'touch and see' thing, which is pretty recent. She touches a person and she can tell you their life story." Buffy was silent for a moment. "I don't know how to deal with it all. I can look after them, be their mom, but their powers... I don't understand them. Where they got them, why they have them, how they're supposed to control them."
Angel patted her shoulder, trying to reassure her as tears began to slide down her cheeks.
Hastily she brushed her tears away. Angel leaned over to pick Kali up. "Help me put her to bed?" he asked her softly.
Buffy got up to help him, thankful for his request, which allowed her to regain some of her composure.
No smile turned up the corners of her mouth as she tucked Kalika into bed for the second time. She didn't even turn to look at him when she spoke to him. "Thank you. For getting me out of there. For helping me, even though I don't know why you do."
He moved to her and wrapped his arms around her. Neither said anything, both just took comfort from the safety, and security of being in each other's arms.
Silently Angel kissed the top of her head. "I wish I knew what to do to make this all easier for you."
For several minutes Buffy said nothing. "Just stay."
The room became silent.
Tension was so thick in the air Buffy felt as though she could slice into it with a knife. But somehow she was able to remain calm, remain relaxed. And somehow she was able to pretend that she wasn't afraid.
"So what have you been doing with yourself?" Willow asked brightly, a little too brightly.
Buffy paused before answering, letting the question sink in. Everyone looked at her expectantly. "I guess I've just been working, reading, taking care of the girls. We moved to LA last month, so it wouldn't interfere with school for Jamila, and Kalika and Lalita are both starting at kindergarten soon. I start back at work soon, so everything will get busier..." she trailed off, unsure of what else to say.
"Where did you meet up with Angel?" Joyce asked her daughter, unsure of whether or not she really wanted to know the answer.
"The beach. I've been taking the girls down there most days. We kind of ... scared each other half to death, or unlife, or whatever." Buffy smiled as the little girl in her lap moved in her sleep.
"Are they identical?" Giles asked, indicating Kalika.
"Only when you first meet them." Buffy began, "After that you never have trouble telling them apart."
"What do you mean?" Anya asked, curiously.
"They all look the same, but they're very different. Mila's deaf, so most people cotton on to which girl she is, then after that you have Kalika, my born destroyer, and then you have Lily and she's, well she's like the sweetheart of all the girls. She's happiest when she's around people."
"Born destroyer?" Xander asked.
"One of the reasons I came home." Buffy answered softly. "The girls each have magical powers, Lalita demonstrated hers' in front of Wesley and Angel. I need to learn how to teach them how to control their powers, or I need someone to teach them. The only people I know of who might be able to help them are Giles and Willow."
Giles stared at her, fascinated. "What kinds..."
"Of powers do they possess?" Buffy finished for him. "Kali can literally blow things up with her mind. She can 'read' fingerprints too. Lily can transport things through time and space. She calls it 'shimmering', and she can also move things with her mind. Mila gets visions, she can see people's auras and she has this strange 'touch and see' thing, which is pretty recent. She touches a person and she can tell you their life story." Buffy was silent for a moment. "I don't know how to deal with it all. I can look after them, be their mom, but their powers... I don't understand them. Where they got them, why they have them, how they're supposed to control them."
Angel patted her shoulder, trying to reassure her as tears began to slide down her cheeks.
Hastily she brushed her tears away. Angel leaned over to pick Kali up. "Help me put her to bed?" he asked her softly.
Buffy got up to help him, thankful for his request, which allowed her to regain some of her composure.
No smile turned up the corners of her mouth as she tucked Kalika into bed for the second time. She didn't even turn to look at him when she spoke to him. "Thank you. For getting me out of there. For helping me, even though I don't know why you do."
He moved to her and wrapped his arms around her. Neither said anything, both just took comfort from the safety, and security of being in each other's arms.
Silently Angel kissed the top of her head. "I wish I knew what to do to make this all easier for you."
For several minutes Buffy said nothing. "Just stay."