A/N: Ok, um, I wrote in the death of Oz early for two reasons: One, I had to give them a conflict to face that a five year old would remember, and two, because in the last week two people I knew have passed away. One was my 87 year old grandfather, and the other was a nineteen year old young man. So, I'm still kinda grieving myself. Anyway. So, Amy's expecting, Willow's expecting, and Faith's a mommy. And I killed Oz. Oh, an explanation on the godparent issue: it's not neccessarily a religion thing as more of a covering all the bases with guardians should anything happen to the parents. (Amy hadn't hooked up with Andrew yet, so she needed someone to fall back on and her father had died) So the rest of the Scoobs picked up on it and it was a way to make sure their kids would always be taken care of. But with Riley and Sam it was a religious thing (In Who Are You? Riley's late for church.) But if you've noticed, though, all of the Scoobs have a very active role in the trips life. Anyway, I promised an explanation on why TA was so special: so I'm paying up. It's weird, but nobody's asked about Jimmy. Face, as always, your reviews always make me smile.

Chapter Eleven

Willow nearly collapsed as she felt Spike carry her into the house. She - she couldn't breathe. He was dead? How - how could he just be dead? No. Oz wasn't dead. He didn't know about the baby - his child. She felt the tears stream down her cheeks. Xander was at her side in a heartbeat. Dependable Xander.

"Hey, Wills. Shhh. It's okay."

"He's dead."

"Oz?"

She snapped her eyes to his face. How could he possibly know that? She'd just gotten the news herself. Xander had been here at the house.

"The trips freaked out. TA said something about Oz. Then Spike brought you up here . . . "

"And put two and two together." Willow finished.

"How are you?" He hugged her to him.

"I - I . . . Goddess, it's worse the second time around."

"I know Wills. I don't have to bring up the yellow crayon again?"

"No. It's a different kinda grief." She said smiling through her tears.

* * * * *

TA watched as Uncle Xander hugged Aunt Willow. The tears had stopped awhile back, and the grownups had tried to get the kids upstairs. Aunt Ginny was put in charge of all of the kids. She held little Nicky on her hip as she paced. This was worse than anything, knowing stuff she wasn't supposed to know sucked.

And she was stuck in here with stupid Dylan Finn.

"TA, sit down. You're doing that aunt Buffy Freaky walk." Jimmy said. TA narrowed her eyes. Stupid Finn was rubbing off on him.

"Jimmy. Shut up."

"Hey, you two, knock it off. And TA, do as you're told." Dylan snipped, giving her a look.

That was it. Nobody, 'cept for her parents, aunts and Uncles could tell her what to do like that. Her eyes narrowed, she kicked off her shoes and kicked him hard. Right in the privates. He started crying and grabbed for her hair. She took her five year old fist and punched him on the mouth. He yanked her hair back and aimed for her mouth. He missed and hit her eye instead. Joy started screaming and pulled Dylan back. Jimmy grabbed TA and pulled her back. Ginny screeched and had all of the grown-ups racing up the stairs to the room.

Amy was the first to enter, followed by Faith and Willow. Ginny quickly handed the baby to Amy and raced to separate them. She grabbed Dylan by the ear and lead him down the stairs. Faith grabbed onto TA and carried her kicking and screaming down the stairs.

* * * * *


TA's eye and Dylan's jaw were turning purple when all the grown-ups sat in front of them. Amy was pacing in front of them, while the rest of them sat opposite of the two in the chairs.

"What were you thinking? Fighting? Tara Anne, what have I taught you?"

"That magic can be bad?"

"Not that! About fighting?"

TA gave a big sigh as she looked at her Uncle Spike for help. She gave him the puppy dog face.

"Sorry, princess, can't help you. Answer your mum." He stood up, took a cigarette out and left the room.

"Fine." She pouted. Lowering her head she repeated the talk her mommy always gave her. "Leave the fighting to Aunt Buffy, Aunt Willow, Aunt Dawnie, Uncle Xander, Angel and Uncle Spike, cuz if I fight someone bigger I could get hurt. But Mommy, he bossed me around! He told me to shut up and sit down. Aunt Buffy said no guy has the right to boss me around just cuz he's got a pen -"

"Buffy!" Amy turned quickly to the wide eyed slayer.

"Well, I never said that to her face! I was talking to Ginny when she was all upset about that guy that -"

"The guy that what?" Ron and Charlie whipped around to face the red-faced Ginny.

"This -this here, is not about me! And I'm a grown woman by the way. This, this here? It's about Buffy's slip up."

"Thanks Ginny." Buffy said sarcastically.

"No problem, sis." Ginny said sweetly.

"Yes, let's do remember the two five year olds sporting the bruises." Giles said, rubbing the top of his nose.

"Anyway. TA, you know it's wrong for hit people. Especially Dylan. That's like you hitting Jimmy."

"Nuh-uh. Jimmy isn't a creep."

"'least I'm not a freak."

"Puh-lease. You're a scary soldier spawn freak."

"Tara Anne! Dylan! Where do you two pick this up?"

"Yeah, the spawn of Captain Cardboard and Princess had a bit of a tussle. . ."Spike said walking back in with Molly and Arthur Weasley. He stopped when he saw the angry glares on the faces of the other adults in the room.

"I figured it had to have started with Captain Peroxide." Angel said, rolling his eyes.

"Oi. I'm not bleedin' deaf."

"Tara Anne, Dylan, go up to bed. We'll discuss your punishments in the morning."

"You can't punish me. You're not my mother!" Dylan said jumping up.

"No, but I am, soldier."

They all turned to face Sam, looking worse for wear. Dylan's eyes got huge as he raced forward to hug his mother.

"Where's Dad?"

And Sam broke into tears.

* * * * *

Hours later, early the next morning they finally figured nearly everything out. Xander rubbed his eyes as he looked up blurrily from the Weasley's couch. Molly was up organizing breakfast, the five children busily eating. Well, four out of five. Faith was up, giving little Nicky his bottle.

TA and Dylan still had ugly looking bruises. Xander chuckled as he stood up and walked the five feet across the room. He grinned as Molly pushed him into a seat and put the plate of eggs and bacon in front of him. He took in the sour pusses.

"Not to sound too terrified, but we can't let the kids walk around with bruises. Someone would call protective services on us."

"Not that the battle scars aren't cool and all." Faith started, grinning at TA. But then she spotted Amy, "But you should have known better. Shouldn't we get rid of the bruises?" She said, quickly changing the topic.

"I've got that, dears. Tara Anne, Dylan, come here." Molly wiped her hands on her apron and whipped out her wand and did a quick healing charm and watched as the bruises quickly healed. "Now, they'll still be tender, can't take away the pain completely. But you can't see them."

"Wicked mojo, Mrs. W." Faith said.

"Thank you dear. Amy, are you hungry?"

"I have been craving Coco Puffs and spinach dip."

"Yuck."

"Eew."

"Xander!" Faith smacked him.

"Ow. Slay gal strength. Mere mortal . . "

Jimmy and Joy both rolled their eyes as they finished his sentiments, "With One Eye."

"It's still raining?" Amy asked, smiling at her children.

"It won't stop until he's not gone anymore." TA said, talking for the first time.

"Who, honey?"

"Uncle Oz. It won't stop raining and the spells won't stop flying. He'll still be gone, but the world'll cry itself dry." Tears sprung up in her eyes as she raced up the stairs.

"Whoa." Faith said under her breath.

* * * * *

Two days later, Amy sat nervously between Lorne and Hermione as they tried to explain this all to her.

"She sang for me. She's a whole bundle of things."

"Yes, and I've been doing research on - well, about her. The triplets are quite a marvel, actually. You see, the children were conceived while you both were still rats. So, you're body was more susup -"

"'Mione, I was there. I remember. But Jimmy and Joy aren't like her."

"No. You see, there were two eggs, and Jimmy and Joy's split making them -"

"What she's trying to say," Lorne cut in, "Is that Jimmy and Joy are diluted and TA is concentrate."

"Which is why she is far more powerful this young. But there's something unique in her. She - she picks up other's traits. She - she"

"She feels like she was them." Amy said softly.

* * * * *

Sam stayed in her room for two days. She cried off and on. Dylan stood at the doorway and listened as Aunt Buffy talked to her.

"Sam?"

"I - I lost the baby, Buffy. And Riley - he acted as if I did it on purpose. He discharged me and told me to head back to civilization."

"Sam. . .I'm so sorry."

"How could he do that to me? Especially when I need him so much?"

Dylan didn't know what to do. So he ripped up TA's favorite stuffed toy.

* * * * *

TA cried at finding Mr. Pointy all ripped up. But Aunt Ginny quickly fixed it. She knew Dylan was mad. But she hadn't done anything. Why'd he have to take it out on Mr. Pointy?

Faith and Buffy hadn't seen TA slip into the pantry as they talked in the kitchen. She strained to hear them.

"I've got two weeping women on my hands. Willow over losing Oz. And Sam over losing the baby."

"The funeral's tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah. Charlie and I both think we should stay, you know, to be here for Will. But she insists that we go. It's not as if -"

"But it's your honeymoon, Buffy." Willow said, making her way into the kitchen.

"Will -"

"No, you should go. It's your honeymoon. You deserve to have a this."

* * * * *

It rained on the day they buried Oz. It was fitting that it rained. It shouldn't be beautiful when you put a loved one in the ground. TA, Joy, and Jimmy didn't wear black, though. Willow insisted everyone wear bright colors. One for every different hair color Oz had ever had. He was almost as bad as Tonks. Willow threw the rose down on top of the coffin as she watched them lower it into the ground. She didn't cry. And as TA wrapped her little arms around her, the sun peeked out from behind the clouds.

A/N2: Another very choppy and depressing kinda chappy. Stay tuned for the births and more happy stuff in the next chapter. AS always, how'd I do?