Title: Goodbye doesn't mean forever
Joss own "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and Ann owns the "California diaries"
Author's Note: Dawn Summers exists in this fic; she is a completely different person from Dawn Schafer.
Buffy is about 5 months along in this story. Gracie is seven months old, Jeff is 10. And Dawn Schafer in 13. Dawn Summers is about 11.
Since I don't want to write Dawn Schafer every time I mean "Dawn Schafer" I will just to refer to her as Dawn. Buffy's sister is Dawnie.
The Scooby Gang will appear later in this fic. Plus, unlikely pairings and friendships will also occur.
3 days later
Jack Schafer waited on the porch with Gracie for the arrival of Buffy. Dawn went shopping with Sunny and said she would be back soon. Jeff was watching TV and Carol was fixing a snack. The whole family seemed to be waiting for Buffy with various degrees for excitement. Jeff was looking forward to Buffy's stay because they were good friends and when she has the baby, it might be a boy. Dawn would be able to talk to her about things she wasn't able to with Carol. Carol was excited about meeting her, and he was happy to see his niece after a long time.
But there were some concerns. They didn't know how having yet another baby in the house would be. For the first few months, Gracie would cry loudly, driving Dawn and Jeff crazy. They both have lost a lot of sleep because of that. And school was another concern. Joyce had arranged to have Buffy home-school until the baby's birth, so that Buffy would be a little less stressed. But when Buffy did go back to school, how would she deal. Joyce had told him that Buffy was suspended for being a murder suspect and that she was continually in trouble. He had the feeling that she was downplaying a lot of it but he didn't question it.
He just hoped that the area he gave her would be enough. When he and Sharon divorced several years back he realized that he might need to stay at home a lot more and have people stay over so he could discuss work related issues and such. He added an apartment, somewhat, to the house. The apartment included a small living room, a bathroom, and two bedrooms. One of the bedrooms will be turned into a nursery for the baby and Buffy would take the other bed room.
He looked up, when an old jeep pulled into the driveway. He picked up Gracie and went to greet them. Carol and Jeff then came out and stood by waiting and watching. Joyce got out of the jeep first, followed by Buffy and then by his other niece Dawnie. He hugged Joyce tightly and then embraced his nieces. He was relatively surprised when he saw Buffy's still slim figure. When Carol was pregnant with Gracie, she was already getting pretty large. Buffy was barely showing. Another one of life's mysteries.
"Hey Buffy. It's nice to see you again." He greeted warmly after he released her from the hug. She gave a small smile back to him.
"It's good to see you too, Uncle Jack." She returned. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Joyce and Dawnie take out several bags loaded into the jeep. Jeff then walked up to him and greeted Buffy.
"Hey Buff. Long time no see." He said in his way of a greeting. She smiled at him.
"Hey Jeff, what's up?" she replied while giving him a small hug. He hugged her back and Carol stepped up.
"Hello Buffy. I'm Carol." She said while giving Buffy a small hug. Dawnie went up to them received her own hugs from Jack and Carol. Jeff simply gave her a small wave. Joyce came around and gave Buffy a hug and held her for several moments.
"Well, that's all of your things sweetheart. I really hope that, that is all of the things you'll need and want. I love you and I will always love you. I expect phone calls every night, and a phone call for when you go into labor. I want to be one of the first people to hold my grandchild. Understood?" Joyce told her daughter, her tone serious yet light. Buffy smiled and gave her mom a mock salute.
"Yes Ma'am." She said. Joyce grinned and kissed her on the forehead.
"You know I love you. Be safe. Be happy. Take care of yourself." Joyce said gathering both her daughters in a hug.
Joyce and Dawnie went to the car and got in. Joyce started the engine while Dawnie leaned out the window.
"Bye Buffy! Call us and try to have your baby on a week I don't have school so we can visit for a while." She called. She waved one more time before she leaned back in. Buffy watched as the jeep pulled out of sight. She watched for a while longer until jack put a hand on her shoulder.
"Why don't we get you settled in?" he asked. Buffy nodded and turned towards the house. It was a lot bigger then her Sunnydale house and also very pretty. She followed Jack into the house, grateful for a new start for her and her baby.
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