The car pulled into the drive and Dawn let out a groan from the back seat.
"What's the matter, Dawnie? Sorry the escape from reality is over?"
"That or she's realized we're back in enough time for her to make school tomorrow."
"No, it's not that; although the school thing is kind of a let down."
"Then what is it?"
"I forgot to get gifts for my friends! All that playing around we did and those cool places we went and I didn't get one little trinket for anybody." I grinned as I opened my door and made my way to open the trunk.
"I'm sure they'll understand. We were kind of busy, after all." Buffy came around the back of the car to grab a few bags from me as Dawn was still climbing out. I left my stuff where it was and Dawn grabbed her own bags as we made our way up the front walk to the door. The door opened on its own as Xander and Willow both came out to help.
"Hey Dawnster, let me get one of those for you. Gotta say, totally missed you guys." Xander seemed very happy to see us; a sign of Willow's counseling I was sure. Gradually the gaggle of helpful and happy people made their way into the living room with all the bags. Buffy immediately made for the kitchen and the snack food she found there. I followed her in for a glass of water as Dawn made her way to the bathroom and back out again at the same time the rest of us gathered with Willow and Xander who were conspiring quietly in the living room.
"Maybe you should sit down for this, Buffy." She looked a little worried at Willow's tone, but sat between me and Dawn on the couch, her eyes on Willow's solemn face but it was Xander who spoke first.
"Look, while you were gone we talked a lot about what you said to us about Buffy." I realized he was looking at me and my gaze swung from Buffy to the face that matched his serious tone. "Willow pointed out to me a lot of ways I haven't been doing quite all I could to help you out, especially right after you got back. I wanted to tell you as soon as you got back that I'm sorry."
"We also put our heads together over some of the finance stuff and we came up with a kind of tentative plan to help fully get you back on your feet." Buffy's hand had clutched mine as Xander apologized and her grip only got tighter as Willow broke in. I looked back at her face to see a single tear make its way slowly down her left cheek. I brought my left hand up to gently wipe it away with the back of my finger and she turned her face to me, her eyes shining. I smiled knowingly back at her and she saw the 'I told you so' without me having to say a word. She smiled through her tears and pulled my hand up to her lips before turning back to her friends.
"Thank you guys. I know you're there for me when I need you." She stood up and leaned over the coffee table to embrace both of her supporters. They finally extracted themselves and tears were wiped all around as Buffy stood back up.
"Okay, well I think dinner is a good first order of business and then we can sit down together and talk about my other new business venture." Dawn went upstairs to get cleaned up before she ate and I volunteered to make a run out for some food, but got shot down by Willow who had gone shopping and was dead set on making a decent meal on our first day back. I helped out around the edges and we chatted a little about our trip. I almost thought she was going to burn the chicken, she was laughing so hard at some of the tumbles I'd taken on the slopes. We did finally get it together and onto the table to be joined by Buffy and Xander still talking in the living room. The food was good but what was even better was the look on Willow's face as Buffy explained about being paid to hunt demons and kill vampires.
"Wow, that kinda makes my plan look a little... wimpy." Buffy patted her hand and spoke reassuringly.
"I'm sure it's not wimpy, Will. Besides, this will still be a part time gig and I'll be keeping my job at the Double-Meat. I've gotta show a steady income for social services. Oh my God!" At her sudden change in tone I sat up, all of my attention on her face. "What day is today?" A glance at my watch later and she wasn't any calmer. "I can't believe I could forget this."
"Forget what?"
"My interview redo with social services is tomorrow. I don't know what I'm going to do." I almost chuckled. Here was a warrior who had saved the world countless times and fought evil on a nightly basis but was still rattled by a social services worker. Can't say as I can blame her, though. Dawn's eyebrows were up, but she seemed otherwise unaffected.
"So what's the game plan?"
"I'm not sure. I've gotta clean the house tonight and make sure you get off to school on time tomorrow." She looked at Dawn with a mock glare and she groaned again in response, but nodded her head. "I don't know how I'm going to explain about her taking days off of school."
"Don't worry, I'll be here too. I got your back." She looked at my face and visibly relaxed, her right hand finding mine beneath the table.
"Thanks." I glanced quickly at the other faces around the table and they were all watching us. Buffy seemed oblivious to them as my eyes found hers again and she leaned forward for a quick kiss as though it was the most natural thing in the world. I felt butterflies at the realization she was alright with her friends knowing we were together. My chest swelled and suddenly I could take on the world again. I returned her contented smile with feeling and turned to see Xander averting his eyes. Shortly the table got cleared and I started the dishes while Willow took Buffy back to the living room with Xander to break down the rest of their money plan. Dawn stuck around helping me dry and she gave me a very nice piece of information.
"You do know that you're my sister's boyfriend, right?" I glanced up at her entire lack of preamble, but after a second's surprise I nodded my head. "Good, because she called you that when she was talking with Xander just now and I just wanted to make sure you were clear." I smiled at her innocence, sure that she knew more than she was letting on, but I'd play along for now.
"Yep, we've been together now off and on for a while. Our last big kind of fight was right before she lost it this last time, but we're doing okay now."
"That's good. I kind of like having you around to talk to. I know you're not as old as my dad, but its nice having someone like that around I can ask stuff I can't ask my sister." My eyebrows shot so far up they were in danger of flying off my face at the mere thought of what she'd just mentioned. She saw my shock and giggled a little as she clarified herself, but it didn't help. "I mean just about like guys and stuff. Stuff Buffy doesn't really know too much about. I mean she's never had much luck with guys." I made a mental note to talk with Buffy about Dawn's conversation about guys, but there was time for that later.
"Alright, kiddo, what say we head on in to join the rest of the gang?" The dishes were washed and drying, the counter wiped down, and the trash all in one place. We walked in with my arm around her neck giving her a noogie. Buffy glanced up from the papers spread before her with a smile on her face at our entrance. I recognized some of her bills and some notes in Willow's handwriting full of numbers. I moved past Buffy to sit on her left as they kept talking. Dawn announced she was going upstairs to finish her homework for tomorrow. She turned away from my glare over her not finishing before we got back like she'd promised, but I couldn't help but smile as she hurried up the stairs like she was a little kid again.
I turned my attention back to the pile of paperwork in front of us and listened to Willow as she broke down the rest of her plan. We went over a lot of stuff before my head started to hurt and I had to excuse myself to get a glass of water and rest my eyes. I was leaning forward against the counter, holding myself up with my left hand as my right massaged my eyes and then the bridge of my nose. I felt someone come up behind me so I didn't jump when her cool smooth fingers traced a pattern on the back of my neck, instantly relieving my pain. My eyes opened and I threw my mind at the figure behind me only to find Willow standing there with a very pleased expression on her face as I whiled around to face her.
"I thought you were Buffy for a second."
"I know. Thought I'd surprise you." I gave her a second to compose her thoughts before I let her tell me what she'd come here to say. "Look, I had that talk with Xander, like I promised. He took a few days, but he came around with a full amount of helpfulness. It was his idea to try for a loan in his name because he's the only one of us with a steady job. I kinda get the impression you think he doesn't like you because you can do things he can't, but that's not it at all. He's always had this kind of thing with Buffy's boyfriends, like he always thinks they're not good enough for her. It's kind of something we all got used to back in high school but don't take it personally."
"I don't dislike Xander and what I said to both of you had nothing to do with my feelings for either of you. It had to do with her."
"Don't you think I know that? There is something you don't know that I think you should, seeing as you've got some experience in the area."
"What area would that be?" She turned to her right and took a few steps away from me before turning back in my direction but without looking at me as she started talking.
"Xander's been drinking, like every night. Like he's okay sometimes, during the day, but he keeps thinking about Anya and everyday she's gone it's only gotten worse. I was hoping maybe you would have a talk with him or something. Tell him that he can't drink away what's he's done. What do you think?"
"I'll try. But not tonight, though; Buffy and I need to go patrolling. We haven't killed anything in like a week." She quirked a smile, my mission was accomplished. I gave her a big hug, sharing in the comfort of someone else on our side and knowing how we felt.
"Well, first we have to slay the bills." I followed her out with my glass of water and Buffy's juice I knew she'd be asking me for as soon as I got back. Her eyes sparkled as I handed it to her and sat down beside her but it wasn't long before she had to take a break of her own, slouching her head against my shoulder her nose burying itself against my delt. I chuckled as I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her to me.
"I need to go kill something." She whined her voice muffled against my chest. I looked up at the eyes of her friends and nodded. Xander actually volunteered that we finish up the next day. Willow was soon to follow and Buffy waved goodbye to her friends as she pushed me further onto my back and climbed on top of me.
"I thought you wanted to go hunting." My tone was playful as my arms found their way around her to keep her from escaping.
"I do. I just need to relax and let the headache go away before I try and stand up again."
"Hmm. Head swimmage." She giggled as I imitated her and then I rolled us back to a sitting position to turn her around and work on her back. My hands worked her tight neck muscles and down her shoulder blades before finding their way back up again. She moaned under my touch and I saw Dawn's head peek down the bottom edge of the top stair. I grinned and waved as she jerked her head back up quickly. Buffy pulled away from me and stood to stretch her arms and pop her joints. Dawn came the rest of the way down the stairs, right side up this time, and bounced off the last step.
"Whatcha doin?"
"Actually we're about to go patrol. Did you get your homework done?"
"Yes."
"All of it?" Her sister was unrelenting.
"I said yes. I'm just gonna watch some TV while you're gone and I'll be asleep by the time you get back."
"Okay then, I love you." They hugged and I held out Buffy's coat to her. She reached into its pocket for her hat and put it on as we headed down to the sidewalk.
"How do you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Well, I just got done driving for quite a few hours, I haven't had a shower or a change of clothes all day and I feel a lot liked smacked ass. But you, you put on a hat and a smile and you're beautiful. I never could do that." She had on what I imagined my foolish grin looked like. I think I liked it.
"Stop it, you're gonna make me blush and then I wouldn't be able to intimidate the vampires before I killed them." I had to chuckle at that one and she grabbed my hand as we made our way toward the first cemetery.
"So." I decided to lead off slowly. "You're alright now with your friends knowing about you and me? When did that happen?"
"I don't know, it just kinda happened. Like I was talking with Xander and it just kind of slipped out. You should have seen his face. So I figured it was already out there and just went with it. You're okay with that, right?" What do you think I'm stupid? Of course I agreed with her, how could I not?
"Babe, I'm okay with you; I don't care what anyone else thinks." She smiled at my words and we walked in silence for a few minutes before I thought of the other subject I wanted to bring up. "So, Dawn thinks it's cool to have me around because she can ask me about stuff she can't ask you." I felt only minor qualms about betraying Dawn, but it was worth it to see Buffy's face.
"What! She said that? What kind of stuff?"
"That's what I asked her, but she said it was just guy stuff. Stuff, she said, you weren't too good at." I almost kept my straight face as I delivered that last comment but lost it as her face contorted in about six different directions. I had to stop walking, I was laughing so hard. She stared down at me as I doubled over, indignant Buffy in full effect. God she was cute when she did that. If only she couldn't kick my ass, it might be even cuter.
"What's so funny? You think she's right?" Uh oh; I sobered quickly and straightened to face her before she got really upset.
"No, babe. It's the fact that I think she's wrong that I find funny. C'mon, you don't really think I'd be here if you didn't know anything about guys, do you? Besides, I love you; I don't care if you're good at guys, you're good at me." Okay, it was a little corny but I couldn't resist. My sincerity won her over and she stepped into my opened arms for a smooth kiss. We made our way gradually through two cemeteries without action and decided to split up to cover two more before meeting for the walk through the fifth and then home. I'd had a few vamps in the one I picked and was running a little late for our rendezvous. I rounded the corner and stopped to see Buffy in front of the gate fighting one vampire while another was suspended from his collar by... Spike? I watched Buffy somehow get pinned beneath the vamp she was fighting and I would have stepped in, but it looked like she was... talking? With Spike. She flipped him off of her and stood to deliver a double kick to its chest as Spike continued talking. I could hear some of their conversation from where I was, as long as I stayed very quiet. She pinned the vampire down and turned up at Spike's comment.
"I am not telling my friends about us." What? Was there still an 'us' for them? No, she couldn't do that after telling her friends about our 'us' tonight. I focused back in on their conversation as the vampire dusted and their voices rose.
"I tried to kill my friends, my sister last week, and guess how much they hate me. Zero. Zero much. So I'm thinking, sleeping with you, they'll deal." I felt better, a lot better. Buffy turned and walked away as Spike dropped the other vamp. Spike's voice sounded a little desperate as he called after her and his voice distracted the other vamp who turned around to look at him.
"In that case, why won't you sleep with me again?" Buffy turned around with a disgusted look on her face and glared at Spike before she staked the unsuspecting vamp and turned to walk away again, her response delivered to the air in front of her.
"Because I don't love you." My own heart swelled as Spike's must have fallen. I made my way down the wall to the edge of the gate where I looked up at Spike as he spoke without seeing me.
"Like hell."
"You're just a glutton for punishment, aren't you? When are you gonna learn?" He leaped down in a rather impressive display of flapping leather and outstretched arms to land face to face with me.
"None of this would have happened if you hadn't come along. This is all your fault, boy. When I get this chip out of my head..." I almost laughed in his face. Instead I punched him in his face and spoke to him as he lay on the ground glaring up at me.
"Whatever makes you feel better, Spike; as long as it's not Buffy." I turned my back on him and followed her footsteps around the corner and caught up with her half a block down.
"Hey, sorry about leaving, I ran into Spike and I had to bail."
"It's cool. Any other action tonight?"
"Not enough." I glanced up at her mischievous tone and we hurried the rest of the way home. Dawn was in bed asleep, as promised. Willow was still awake and she waved at me as I leaned against her door frame waiting for Buffy to get out of the shower.
"What's up?"
"Not much. I'm a little nervous about trying to see Tara tomorrow. I always worry about what I'm going to say to her."
"I can relate. Sometimes I just look at Buffy and my tongue goes dry and ties itself in knots. There's nothing I can do." I looked back at Willow as she got caught up in the romance of my thoughts.
"I know, remember. It's kind of weird when you broadcast sometimes at night, it's like I'm there instead of you." Her comment took me off guard and I couldn't help the look on my surprise on my face as she chuckled suggestively. "Kidding."
"Oh thank God. For a second I though you were serious."
"It's more like I'm just in the room watching, now that our link has faded."
"Please tell me you're still joking." She shook her head with a sly smile on her face and I could feel my cheeks go crimson.
"You really do need to work on your control at night, but it's not that bad. Normally I just wake up at night with the smell of sweet vanilla and a touch of fruit all around me. It's actually kind of nice, seeing as I could never actually be there like that for real." I stood there for a moment and pondered that thought. I couldn't help it and I apologized immediately but she shrugged me off. "Don't worry about it, nothing I haven't thought about a dozen times." I pushed that thought to the back of my mind for later and made some reassuring comments about her for the next day.
"- and good luck with Tara." I closed her door behind me and made sure my mental walls were fully in place before I made my way back down the hallway to the bathroom as Buffy came out. We kissed in passing and I took a quick turn to wash off the road grime and vampire dust. I felt immeasurably better as I slipped beneath her cool clean sheets and wrapped my arms around her. One last time, I checked my walls and felt Willow's resignation that tonight I was in control.
The next morning came entirely too soon. Before I knew it Buffy was up and at 'em while I still was wiping the sleep out of my eyes. Dawn was quickly roused and prepared for her school day and left on time with Xander, fed, clean, and her homework checked. I cleaned up the kitchen while Buffy made a walk through of the entire house looking for anything that needed touching up and Willow cleaned her room and quickly made herself scarce after some comforting words from Buffy and a hug for good luck. We finally met back in the living room looking at each other nervously.
"Ready to do this?"
"I don't know, but I'm here for you. You said they had to redo this interview because that last lady went kind of... loony?"
"Yeah. I don't know what could have gotten into her. She seemed perfectly fine when she told me she was recommending probation."
"If she was so dead set on more supervision then why did they take so long to schedule this?"
"It's kind of a small office, maybe they just got overworked and didn't have time to put back together their file on Dawn." I sensed something was going on beneath the surface here, but I respected if she didn't want to tell me so didn't pry into it. She paced around the living room one more time nervously looking for something to clean and I walked around the other side of the coffee table to meet her and catch her in my arms.
"Hey, it's gonna be just fine. They're not here to see if you can dust, they want to make sure Dawn is being taken care of. Don't worry about it; the supportive boyfriend is here to take the brunt of the attack." She smiled, but it was a nervous smile, and I suppressed my own urge to flee from the impending danger. Before the anticipation could get any worse the doorbell rang and I let her go to answer the door.
"Good morning, my name is Cathy and I'm here for the interview. You must be Buffy Summers." The woman was pleasant, smiling, and couldn't have been much older than Buffy was. She shook both of our hands politely and greeted me by name as Buffy introduced me.
"Would you like some ice tea? Made fresh this morning." I offered as she seated herself on the sofa.
"Some ice tea would be wonderful, thank you. Not too much sugar, please." I nodded at Buffy as I left the room to fetch three glasses of the sweet tea. I returned to find Cathy reviewing some notes but both women smiled as I entered so I took that as a good sign. Buffy seemed much relieved as I handed her the glass and she took a sip. I stood behind her seat in the recliner looking down on both of them.
"I understand that you're the steady boyfriend of Miss Summers and that you sometimes stay the night. Is that correct?"
"Yes, ma'am, it is."
"Ma'am, you make me sound old. Call me Cathy, please. And what is it you do, Jake."
"I own and operate my own private investigator service through an online based, nation wide, directorate." I handed her a business card from my wallet and smiled at Buffy's wide eyed glance. I don't think I'd ever made it sound so official before, but it did have a nice ring to it.
"Impressive indeed. And you are how old, Sir?"
"Sir is my father, I'm only 32."
"I see. And how would you describe your relationship with Dawn?" I thought for a moment about Dawn's words for me the other night and smiled easily as I answered.
"I look at her as kind of a younger sister. She reminds me a lot of my niece I don't get to see anymore. I help her with school projects and sometimes pick her up after school to talk about her day before Buffy gets home from work."
"That sounds nice. Speaking of, Miss Summers, I understand you've been working at a fast food restaurant the Double-Meat Palace? How long have you been working there?"
"A few months now. It pays the bills."
"That's good to hear. Now who else actually lives here in this house?"
"My friend Willow; she's in class right now, but she helps out around here too. She watches Dawn sometimes too, when I'm at work."
"That's nice of her. It seems like you've got a very nice place here, Miss Summers." I glanced at Buffy who seemed to be more receptive of this Cathy than she'd been with that last lady they'd sent out.
"Would you like a quick tour?" Seemed like Buffy was now eager to show off what she'd been so nervous about before.
"I'd love to. Please, lead the way." Leaving the tea on the coasters, we followed Buffy through most of the rooms in the house and the only room Cathy had to insist on seeing was Dawn's. Impressed by the normal teenagerness of the room and its cleanliness, she led the way out and back downstairs where we sat again in near comfort. I kept my post standing behind Buffy and tried to send out reassuring and calming vibes to everyone.
"Miss Summers I must apologize for the last interviewer you dealt with. She just hasn't been the same since her incident and the whole office has been very busy trying to spread the workload around. That being said, I am very impressed with your household and your support of your sister, Dawn. And while it is somewhat irregular for the sometimes spend the night boyfriend to do so just a few doors down from the charge, I also see Jake here to be a good male influence. I hope it works out between the two of you. I think my job here is done, unless there are any questions."
"No, no questions. Thank you for coming by, you really are much nicer than that last lady was." They stood and we waked with her to the door where she turned and shook hands with us again.
"It was my pleasure. And thank you for the tea." I closed the door behind her and Buffy let out a huge sigh of relief. I put my arm around her shoulders and we walked back into the living room.
"That went a lot better than last time." We sat down on the couch and her fingers caught and played with my hand. "Thank you for being here, it went so much smoother. And when did you make tea?"
"This morning after I got up, while you were running around trying to make sure everything was perfect."
"And it's a good thing I did; you saw how perfectly the whole thing went. Why do you think that was?"
"It might have something to do with your love for your sister and how well you care for her. Or it could be because I was flirting with her the whole time." Her backhand across my chest stung the breath from me for a second but I recovered in enough time to make another comment. "Okay, so I wasn't flirting with her. I didn't have to after paying her off yesterday." This time she tackled me and we fell off the couch onto the ground. I let her pin me without a fight and she glared down at me from where she sat on my chest. I chuckled softly before she kissed me and let me up.
"I've gotta get ready for work." I pulled her back to me and tucked her head beneath my chin. She tilted her face up to run her nose through my beard, tickling herself and scrunching it up as she did.
"You don't think I'm going to let you go that easily, do you?" We rocked slowly back and forth and I just held her as the tension slowly eased its way out of the room. She finally pulled back and smiled at me.
"We really did it, didn't we? Thank you for stepping in, it was very cool with the whole 'own and operate my own business' thing. And since when do you have business cards? Do I get business cards? Can they say 'Slayer' on them? 'Cause that could be kinda cool." I chuckled at her sudden burst of energy.
"They can say whatever you want." I let her go and she planted a kiss on my chin before making bouncing away from me on her way up the stairs. I stood there for a second, smiling after her, before heading into the kitchen. I grabbed a soda from the fridge and took note of the replenished food supplies both there and in the cupboards around the kitchen. I guess my talk with Willow and Xander really did pay off. I smiled contentedly as Buffy kissed me on her way out the door, flashing a smile at my promise to pick her up from work later. I made sure the house was locked up and made my way back to the apartment, bringing up my bags and sighing as I started sorting loads for the wash. I shook my head at our return to normalcy from our awesome vacation and stopped that line of thought with another. 'As normal as we can get, anyway.'