Disclaimer: All the characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Fox,
etc... except of course the ones I make up.
Summary: Spike and Buffy are going to have a baby together!!! I know, I know, it's been done about a million times but I promise that this one is different. Anyway, it also deals with all different types of families that could exist in the Buffyverse.
Spoilers: None really
Continuity: It's the sequel to "Apocalypse now... Again". However, you don't really need to read it to understand this fic. It picks up a few weeks after where "Apocalypse Now... Again" leaves off. Also, I just thought I'd point out that Tara is alive and with Willow, both witches are living with Buffy. Also, Xander and Anya are married and Anya is about four and a half months pregnant.
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FAMILY
Chapter 7: Worry
Tara followed her big brother into the hotel room that he and her father were staying in. It was nice. The type of stuffy, upper-middle class place that Tara would imagine her father staying in. She allowed a short laugh to escape her lips, and Donny turned around, surprised.
"What?" He asked.
"Nothing," Tara smiled at him.
Donny shrugged and shook his head at her, unable to not smile at his sister. He led her into another room where Tara saw her father laying on his bed, a white maroon comforter spread over his frail frame.
"Tara?"
The witch played shyly with the ends of her green, bohemian-style shirt. "Hi, Dad."
Mr. McClay was obviously just as uncomfortable as his daughter was. He fiddled nervously with the comforter, not realizing that he was mimicking Tara's actions. It was strange for her to see him like that... nervous and frail. He was always so strong in her eyes, so powerful. This, of course, wasn't always such a good thing.
"Tara," he grumbled quietly, "what are you doing here."
"D-Donny said that you-uh-you wanted to see me."
Ashamed, Mr. McClay looked down, avoiding his daughter's eyes. He was never one to be in touch with his feelings. And even when he was, he was never one to let them show. But Tara was his only daughter, and he would do what he had to.
"Yes," he mumbled, "I did."
Tara nodded understandingly and she saw Donny leave her father's room out of the corner of her eye. She walked uncomfortably over to her father's bed and sat down on it. Mr. McClay said nothing.
"What do you want to see me about?" Tara asked rhetorically.
Mr. McClay looked up at his young daughter who, in the past few years, had become such a beautiful young woman. She looked just like her mother.
"I'm dying, Tara."
Carefully, daintily, Tara put her hand on her father's. "I know."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dawn and Spike walked out of the back training room to see a paranoid Willow pacing back and forth from the sales counter to the wooden table and back. Buffy was trying to say something but it was apparent that the words wouldn't form. When Buffy saw Spike and Dawn enter, she pleaded for their help with her eyes.
"Where is she?" Willow asked, tears just barely falling from her eyes. "Oh god, do you think they hurt her. What if they took her away? What if- what if they forced her to go back home with them? What if-"
"Will, stop," Buffy told her, "she fine. I promise you that she's fine."
"You can't know that!"
"I can't, but my intuition is just telling me that she's really, really okay."
"Yes," Anya agreed helpfully, and Buffy prayed that Anya didn't say anything stupid, "Tara's okay. I mean, she's a witch and everything, right? If Donny tried to hurt her or anything, she could just... turn him into a toad or something."
Willow rolled her eyes, fell onto a chair by the table and sighed loudly. "I don't know what to do."
Buffy walked over to her best friend and kneeled in front of her. The Slayer took Willow's trembling and sympathized with her eyes.
"There's nothing you CAN do Willow, you just gotta wait it out."
"But-"
"Don't argue with me because you know I'm right. Look, we've been through worse. She's been through worse. Don't forget, she lived with brother for eighteen years before she had you. She'll be okay. The best thing you can do right now is just be calm."
"Buffy's right," Dawn agreed as she walked to stand beside Willow. "You shouldn't work yourself up over this."
Willow nodded and took a deep, relaxing breath. "Okay, I'll try to chill. But I just love her so much, Buffy, she makes me crazy."
Buffy nodded understandingly and shot a look at Spike. "Yeah, Will, I get that."
Dawn looked at Dave and began to giggle uncontrollably. David's cheeks became a bright pink. Janice began to giggle along with her best friend.
Buffy stood up with a little help from her sister and groaned. "That just gets harder everyday."
"Tell me about it," Anya said, placing a hand on her growing stomach. "You'd think it would give me a break but NOOOOOOO."
"I don't think it gets a say in that," Buffy told her as she stifled a laugh, "but you gotta love it all the same."
"Yeah," Spike agreed, "when it comes to love, you never really do get a say in the matter."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Xander twirled his stake between his fingers. It was a talent he found very useful when vampire action in the graveyard was at a low, and one needed to pass the time. He began to whistle, and Giles shushed him.
"Sorry Mr. Stuffy English Guy."
"You'd think after years of going patrolling you'd know better than to whistle in the middle of a cemetery," Giles lectured him.
Xander pouted mockingly, "I'm sowy."
Giles rolled his eyes and sighed angrily. He calmed himself and collected his thoughts. "I really worry about you lot. You're about to be a father and your not much more than a child yourself."
Xander became serious and furrowed his brow. "Do you really think that, Giles?"
"I don't know," Giles admitted, taking off his glasses and wiping them on his shirt, "I mean you're all just so young. And the lives you lead... you face death almost everyday. Spike IS dead. I'm not saying that I'm not happy for you because I am. I've always encouraged Buffy to lead as normal a life as possible and maybe this will set a hopeful example for Dawn, but still, I worry. These children, they're being brought into a very difficult life without having any say in the matter and-"
"Like Buffy," Xander interrupted. "They're being brought into a hard life without any say like Buffy and you don't want them to be unhappy the way she was. Giles, have you seen Buffy lately? I don't think I've seen her this happy since... ever."
"I know, Xander but-"
"But nothing. You said that you were happy for us so just... be happy for us. You think we haven't realized that there's going to be stuff that we're going to have to deal with? Believe me, we have. But it'll come when it comes and when it comes we'll deal. We'll deal just like we always have."
Giles sighed and put on his glasses. He was happy for them, he really was. He knew how he felt about the whole situation. Maybe he was a little unsure about the whole Buffy/Spike thing, but he was entitled. As Buffy's watcher, it was his right and responsibility to worry about her.
But for now, Giles thought he should start worrying about himself, being as how a gang of three very nasty vampires was strutting right toward him and Xander.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"So, it sounds like things are going really well for you, Tara," Mr. McClay said with a smile.
Tara smiled back and nodded. "They are."
"I'm glad you've found a place in the world, where you're happy..." the old man demurred, looked away from his daughter, and then looked back up at her, "are you still doing magic."
"Yes," Tara answered honestly without a stutter or even hint of a tremor in her voice, "I am."
"But you're careful?"
"Very."
"That's good."
Silence.
"Dad?"
"Yes?"
"Why did you want to see me?"
"I told you Tara, I'm-"
"Is that really it? No... ulterior motive? No trying to get me to come back with you? Take care of you? Be your slave?"
"Tara, I swear, I'm telling you the truth."
"Is it? Or is it the same truth you've been telling me my whole life. Donny says that you aren't lying, and you say that you aren't lying, but I can't trust either of you so how am I supposed to know?"
"Tara, do you have any idea it is for me to allow you to see me like this?"
Tara looked at her feet and her cheeks became a pink color, "yes."
"I wouldn't come all this way, sick as I am, to lie to you."
"So say I do trust you, say I take your word and open myself up to you again, what do you want from me."
A smile played at the corner of Mr. McClay's stone mouth. "What are you doing for Thanksgiving?"
TBC...
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Okay everyone, you know the drill, please review!!!
Summary: Spike and Buffy are going to have a baby together!!! I know, I know, it's been done about a million times but I promise that this one is different. Anyway, it also deals with all different types of families that could exist in the Buffyverse.
Spoilers: None really
Continuity: It's the sequel to "Apocalypse now... Again". However, you don't really need to read it to understand this fic. It picks up a few weeks after where "Apocalypse Now... Again" leaves off. Also, I just thought I'd point out that Tara is alive and with Willow, both witches are living with Buffy. Also, Xander and Anya are married and Anya is about four and a half months pregnant.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
FAMILY
Chapter 7: Worry
Tara followed her big brother into the hotel room that he and her father were staying in. It was nice. The type of stuffy, upper-middle class place that Tara would imagine her father staying in. She allowed a short laugh to escape her lips, and Donny turned around, surprised.
"What?" He asked.
"Nothing," Tara smiled at him.
Donny shrugged and shook his head at her, unable to not smile at his sister. He led her into another room where Tara saw her father laying on his bed, a white maroon comforter spread over his frail frame.
"Tara?"
The witch played shyly with the ends of her green, bohemian-style shirt. "Hi, Dad."
Mr. McClay was obviously just as uncomfortable as his daughter was. He fiddled nervously with the comforter, not realizing that he was mimicking Tara's actions. It was strange for her to see him like that... nervous and frail. He was always so strong in her eyes, so powerful. This, of course, wasn't always such a good thing.
"Tara," he grumbled quietly, "what are you doing here."
"D-Donny said that you-uh-you wanted to see me."
Ashamed, Mr. McClay looked down, avoiding his daughter's eyes. He was never one to be in touch with his feelings. And even when he was, he was never one to let them show. But Tara was his only daughter, and he would do what he had to.
"Yes," he mumbled, "I did."
Tara nodded understandingly and she saw Donny leave her father's room out of the corner of her eye. She walked uncomfortably over to her father's bed and sat down on it. Mr. McClay said nothing.
"What do you want to see me about?" Tara asked rhetorically.
Mr. McClay looked up at his young daughter who, in the past few years, had become such a beautiful young woman. She looked just like her mother.
"I'm dying, Tara."
Carefully, daintily, Tara put her hand on her father's. "I know."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dawn and Spike walked out of the back training room to see a paranoid Willow pacing back and forth from the sales counter to the wooden table and back. Buffy was trying to say something but it was apparent that the words wouldn't form. When Buffy saw Spike and Dawn enter, she pleaded for their help with her eyes.
"Where is she?" Willow asked, tears just barely falling from her eyes. "Oh god, do you think they hurt her. What if they took her away? What if- what if they forced her to go back home with them? What if-"
"Will, stop," Buffy told her, "she fine. I promise you that she's fine."
"You can't know that!"
"I can't, but my intuition is just telling me that she's really, really okay."
"Yes," Anya agreed helpfully, and Buffy prayed that Anya didn't say anything stupid, "Tara's okay. I mean, she's a witch and everything, right? If Donny tried to hurt her or anything, she could just... turn him into a toad or something."
Willow rolled her eyes, fell onto a chair by the table and sighed loudly. "I don't know what to do."
Buffy walked over to her best friend and kneeled in front of her. The Slayer took Willow's trembling and sympathized with her eyes.
"There's nothing you CAN do Willow, you just gotta wait it out."
"But-"
"Don't argue with me because you know I'm right. Look, we've been through worse. She's been through worse. Don't forget, she lived with brother for eighteen years before she had you. She'll be okay. The best thing you can do right now is just be calm."
"Buffy's right," Dawn agreed as she walked to stand beside Willow. "You shouldn't work yourself up over this."
Willow nodded and took a deep, relaxing breath. "Okay, I'll try to chill. But I just love her so much, Buffy, she makes me crazy."
Buffy nodded understandingly and shot a look at Spike. "Yeah, Will, I get that."
Dawn looked at Dave and began to giggle uncontrollably. David's cheeks became a bright pink. Janice began to giggle along with her best friend.
Buffy stood up with a little help from her sister and groaned. "That just gets harder everyday."
"Tell me about it," Anya said, placing a hand on her growing stomach. "You'd think it would give me a break but NOOOOOOO."
"I don't think it gets a say in that," Buffy told her as she stifled a laugh, "but you gotta love it all the same."
"Yeah," Spike agreed, "when it comes to love, you never really do get a say in the matter."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Xander twirled his stake between his fingers. It was a talent he found very useful when vampire action in the graveyard was at a low, and one needed to pass the time. He began to whistle, and Giles shushed him.
"Sorry Mr. Stuffy English Guy."
"You'd think after years of going patrolling you'd know better than to whistle in the middle of a cemetery," Giles lectured him.
Xander pouted mockingly, "I'm sowy."
Giles rolled his eyes and sighed angrily. He calmed himself and collected his thoughts. "I really worry about you lot. You're about to be a father and your not much more than a child yourself."
Xander became serious and furrowed his brow. "Do you really think that, Giles?"
"I don't know," Giles admitted, taking off his glasses and wiping them on his shirt, "I mean you're all just so young. And the lives you lead... you face death almost everyday. Spike IS dead. I'm not saying that I'm not happy for you because I am. I've always encouraged Buffy to lead as normal a life as possible and maybe this will set a hopeful example for Dawn, but still, I worry. These children, they're being brought into a very difficult life without having any say in the matter and-"
"Like Buffy," Xander interrupted. "They're being brought into a hard life without any say like Buffy and you don't want them to be unhappy the way she was. Giles, have you seen Buffy lately? I don't think I've seen her this happy since... ever."
"I know, Xander but-"
"But nothing. You said that you were happy for us so just... be happy for us. You think we haven't realized that there's going to be stuff that we're going to have to deal with? Believe me, we have. But it'll come when it comes and when it comes we'll deal. We'll deal just like we always have."
Giles sighed and put on his glasses. He was happy for them, he really was. He knew how he felt about the whole situation. Maybe he was a little unsure about the whole Buffy/Spike thing, but he was entitled. As Buffy's watcher, it was his right and responsibility to worry about her.
But for now, Giles thought he should start worrying about himself, being as how a gang of three very nasty vampires was strutting right toward him and Xander.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"So, it sounds like things are going really well for you, Tara," Mr. McClay said with a smile.
Tara smiled back and nodded. "They are."
"I'm glad you've found a place in the world, where you're happy..." the old man demurred, looked away from his daughter, and then looked back up at her, "are you still doing magic."
"Yes," Tara answered honestly without a stutter or even hint of a tremor in her voice, "I am."
"But you're careful?"
"Very."
"That's good."
Silence.
"Dad?"
"Yes?"
"Why did you want to see me?"
"I told you Tara, I'm-"
"Is that really it? No... ulterior motive? No trying to get me to come back with you? Take care of you? Be your slave?"
"Tara, I swear, I'm telling you the truth."
"Is it? Or is it the same truth you've been telling me my whole life. Donny says that you aren't lying, and you say that you aren't lying, but I can't trust either of you so how am I supposed to know?"
"Tara, do you have any idea it is for me to allow you to see me like this?"
Tara looked at her feet and her cheeks became a pink color, "yes."
"I wouldn't come all this way, sick as I am, to lie to you."
"So say I do trust you, say I take your word and open myself up to you again, what do you want from me."
A smile played at the corner of Mr. McClay's stone mouth. "What are you doing for Thanksgiving?"
TBC...
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Okay everyone, you know the drill, please review!!!