Chapter 5
December 20th, 2003, continued…
The twins were placed in their playpen with warm bottles while the grown-ups ate. Kara didn't expect the girls to finish their milk without falling asleep, but the twins would have insisted they were hungry just from smelling the food Joyce had made. At any rate, it would help them sleep in the new environment.
"So, how was the drive?" Joyce asked.
"Pretty good, once we passed Riverside and the traffic cleared. The girls loved staring out the windows once we got half way up the mountain. You all should check out the stars, if you haven't been outside since it got dark," Kara replied.
"Great food, Mom," Dawn said, stuffing herself with potatoes.
"Thank you, Dawn. Slow down a little, honey. There's enough for seconds."
Dawn looked up guiltily. "Sorry," she mumbled.
"Any idea when the rest of the Scoobs are showin' up?" Spike asked.
"Some time tomorrow. Xander and Anya are picking up Wills and Tara, so it all depends on when they get out of the house," Buffy answered.
"I don't get why Willow and Tara don't just 'poof' themselves here," Dawn added.
"Dawn, magic shouldn't be used for personal gain. Teleporting here when there isn't an emergency is a waste of elements," Giles reminded her.
"Is there anything about magic that's supposed to be fun?" she wondered.
"No!" Buffy, Sebastian, Giles, and Spike exclaimed simultaneously.
"Okay…I get the picture," the teen replied, and sunk down in her seat.
"Eh…you two got here just in time, since we haven't gotten around to trimming the tree, yet," Joyce said, steering the conversation to a lighter topic.
"After we make sure it's not crooked," Buffy added.
Giles and Sebastian groaned, leaving Kara and Spike confused.
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After dinner, Spike and Kara got settled in their room, which turned out to be big enough to place the playpen in the corner, so Dawn got her room to herself.
The tree was finally straightened to satisfaction, and the decorating commenced. The activity of everyone moving about interested the twins, and they watched curiously as the tree became no longer bare. Once the lights were turned on, they were fascinated. Ana climbed out of the playpen and walked up to the tree.
"Oooo. Touch?" she asked Kara, pointing to a red bulb.
"No, just look."
"No touch?" she asked, shaking her head.
"That's right, Ana. No touch. It's pretty, huh?"
"Uh-huh!" she replied, nodding vigorously. "Up?"
Kara picked her up and walked around the tree, letting Ana see all sides. Not to be left out, Lillian tugged on Dawn's pant leg and asked for the same thing. She leaned forward in Dawn's arms and sniffed the tree.
"Mmmm. Tree smells pwetty," Lillian said, with a happy sigh. "Da'?"
"What, sweetheart?" Spike asked, crossing over to Dawn.
"Want one?" she asked, pointing to the tree.
"We're not at home, Bit. We're sharing this one here."
She thought for a moment, then nodded. "Okay." She squirmed. "Down?"
Dawn set Lillian down. The younger twin walked over to Batou and plopped down on the rug next to him. She stroked his head as she snuggled up to his soft fur. He nuzzled her foot, and she giggled.
"That is so cute!"
"Yeah. They've become best pals," Kara replied. "I don't have to worry about them toddling on the grass. He follows their every step. It's a relief, since some dogs don't handle new additions very well…but I wasn't really worried about Batou."
"Wuv Ba-toe," Ana affirmed.
"Yes, we do, sweetie. Who else do you love?"
"Mommy! An' Da'…an' Dahn!" She grinned, proud of herself for answering the question.
"Anybody else?"
Ana looked around the room at the other adults, who were holding their own conversations. "Joice!" she pointed out.
"Okay. What about your sister?" Kara prompted.
"No!" she replied, shaking her head and giggling, as she turned it into a game.
"No? What's wrong with Lillian?"
Ana wrinkled up her little nose, and replied, "Stinky!"
Dawn nearly choked on her soda when she laughed, which made Ana laugh. "Has she said that before?" Dawn asked, once she'd cleared her throat.
"Yeah. It's become her latest favorite game. Every time Lillian needs a diaper change before Ana, I hear, 'Mama, Lilli stinky!' coming from this one. Then, Lillian usually throws something at her. She doesn't seem to have a sense of humor about teasing."
"Wow. Your day really isn't dull, is it?"
"Nope!"
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Kara took Batou for a walk in the backyard so he could relieve himself before they went to bed. The late-night air was below freezing, of course, so both parties wanted to make it a quick trip. Once they were back inside, she dried off his feet with an old towel she'd brought along, and left her snow boots by the door.
"Good night, old friend," she said quietly. "Go lie down by the fire place."
Kara turned out the lights and walked upstairs to her and Spike's room. Buffy and Sebastian were in the room at the far end of the hall. Their window overlooked the backyard and the lake. Dawn had chosen the room at the opposite end, presumably with the purpose of not hearing any possible late-night activities. Spike had gone in the first room he saw, the middle of the five, when he brought up their luggage, so they would be between the other couples arriving tomorrow. The upstairs bath was to the left of their room.
Spike was tucking a blanket around the twins when she slipped in the bedroom. The house was cozy, but he never took the chance of them being cold, no matter where they slept.
"Hey," she whispered.
"They're sound asleep, luv. All the excitement today."
"Yeah, it was a lot to take in. I'm going to brush my teeth, and I'll be right back."
He was waiting for her with the covers peeled back, dressed in a pair of black sweats. Kara was glad he'd remembered those. This wasn't home, where he could parade around naked all the time. There were too many people around, and she especially didn't want Dawn to get an eyeful of more than she should. Kara had packed pajama sets in flannel, thermal, and fleece – not knowing how well the house would be heated. She remembered all too well one trip up here where she had frozen if she wasn't completely buried in a sleeping bag because the cabin they'd rented only had a heater in the living room.
"I think this week is going to be fun," she said, as she slid into bed.
"Yeah…I had my doubts about a whole week cooped up with the Scoobs, but tonight wasn't too bad."
"Well, we don't have to be around everybody all the time. I'm sure everybody else will want their space, too. As long as nobody kills each other, I'll be happy."
"I promise not to bite anybody, but you," he joked, nipping playfully at her shoulder.
"Better not. I like being the special one," she pouted. "That would make me all growly."
"But I like you growly. It's really…bloody…sexy."
"Spike…the girls are right there!"
"So?" He carried on kissing her neck. "We'll just be really quiet. This late, they sleep like the dead, anyway."
"You are such a bad influence…"
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The first ones up in the morning were Giles and Joyce. They enjoyed coffee together in the quiet living room, before sounds of life could be heard. Sebastian was awake next, also used to being an early riser.
"Eggs sound good for breakfast?" Joyce asked.
"Sure, but you don't have to. I'm quite capable," the knight replied.
"I know you are, but they wouldn't just be for you. We've only had coffee and toast so far."
"Oh, well, carry on, then," he said, chagrined.
They'd been talking and eating a while, when they heard childish giggling coming from upstairs. Joyce walked into the main room, mom senses at work, and spotted the twins sneaking out of their parents' room.
"Where are you two going?" she asked, hands on her hips.
"Uh-oh," they sang, pausing at seeing Auntie Joyce at the bottom of the stairs. They looked at each other, then at her, then back to each other…
"Are you hungry?" Joyce asked.
"Uh-huh!" they replied.
"Stay there. I'll come get you," she ordered. They sat down on the top step and waited, recognizing the tone in her voice. Joyce picked them up and carried them down to the kitchen. "We have company, gentleman."
"Good morning, Anastasia, Lillian," Sebastian said, nodding to each of them in turn. Lillian reached for him, so he took her and set her on his lap. "Did you sleep well?"
"Uh-huh."
Still carrying Ana, Joyce set about warming some cereal for the girls from the supply Kara had brought. Batou came trotting over, awakened by the twins' voices. He sat down next to Sebastian's chair, watching over Lillian.
"Sometimes I wonder if that dog is just a dog," Giles murmured.
"Oh, Rupert, that's silly. He's just well-trained, and protective," Joyce said.
"There's a look in his eyes that's a bit too intelligent," Giles added.
"You've had your nose buried in those books of yours too long, dear," she teased. Joyce carried two small bowls to the table and set one in front of the knight, who looked suddenly nervous. "Don't be afraid, Sebastian. Just give her small bites with the little spoon. Piece of cake."
The girls were fed, cleaned up, and had diapers changed by the time Kara came downstairs looking for her escape artists.
"I'm going to have to put bells on both of you," she sighed, upon seeing them safe at the table. "I knew I'd forgotten something last night. The baby gate is still in the bed of the truck. Did they try to go down the stairs by themselves?"
"No. I heard them giggling and came right out here to see them still at the top, and told them to stay put. They would have gotten away with the sneaking plan, if it hadn't been for the giggling," Joyce replied, amused.
"You two aren't supposed to leave the room without Mommy or Daddy. We had this talk last night," Kara scolded.
"Sahwy," they chorused, blue eyes wide and nervous.
"Okay. No going down the stairs without a grown-up."
"Yes, Mommy," they replied in unison.
"Good girls. Did you have a good breakfast?" Kara asked, her tone lighter now that the matter had been settled.
"Uh-huh. Ce-rol," Ana replied. Lillian nodded, sitting on Sebastian's lap again. She liked her godfather. He had a kind voice, and Daddy said he was fam-o-lee.
Kara chose cereal and milk for breakfast. She took the seat next to Sebastian, her left arm within Lillian's reach. Her daughter laid her hand on Kara's arm and sent a questioning feeling to her mother's mind.
"I'm not mad, Lilli," Kara whispered in her daughter's ear. Lillian didn't outwardly show it, but she was the more sensitive of the two, needing assurance more often that she understood what her parents were feeling. Kara ruffled her daughter's curls before returning to her breakfast.
Giles often watched the interaction of the twins with their parents. Although they looked as human as the next child, he knew very well that the girls were unique, and the researcher in him was curious about the supernatural tendencies the sisters would probably develop. Physically, Anastasia was ahead of the curve in development of skills for her age, much more steady on her feet than expected for an 11-month-old. Lillian's vocabulary grew almost daily, at least from his perspective, and she had a discerning intelligence that might have been unnerving, if the girl wasn't so sweet. If the girls were already exhibiting special powers, Kara and Spike hadn't mentioned it. He didn't really expect them to, until it was unavoidable. They had good cause to be protective.
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Batou started barking when they heard a car approach around noon. Buffy was right out the door to greet her friends and help carry stuff.
"Merry Christmas, guys! Welcome to home away from home. You're just in time for lunch."
"Hey, Buffster. You're certainly cheery today," Xander commented, giving her a hug.
"It's the clean air, or something. How was the trip?"
Willow grimaced, from behind Xander. Buffy took that as a hint the story would come later.
"Seasons Greetings!" Anya said. She passed into the house, carrying presents.
Xander popped the trunk and started unloading the groups' luggage. He picked up his and Anya's, and followed his wife.
"Please don't make us ride back with them!" Willow said, once the couple was out of earshot. "They bicker over the radio, or directions, the whole time."
"It wasn't quite that bad," Tara added generously.
"Pretty much! Anya's Miss Mood Swing right now, just to warn you."
"Well, that's what you guys get for being too afraid to drive yourselves," Buffy teased. "You're stuck with those two, unless you want to teleport home."
"Don't tempt me," Willow muttered. Buffy laughed, and squeezed her best friend.
"Come on. Mom made pasta."
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After lunch, and giving the new arrivals a chance to put their things away in their respective rooms, the group needed to decide what to do with the afternoon. Spike would be asleep until around 4 o'clock, so Kara needed to take the girls along wherever they decided to go. In the end, the women decided to head the short distance into Big Bear City and shop, leaving the guys with a few hours to watch sports, or something. Willow and Tara rode in the truck with Kara, and the rest went with Joyce in her car.
"I swear they've grown in the last two weeks," Tara stated, looking at the twins.
"Probably have. I have to buy everything a little big, or I'm replacing it after they've barely worn it. Don't know where their height is coming from. The women in both our families have all been short."
"Maybe it's the Ossirian angle asserting itself, then," Willow proposed.
"Possibly. Kalari's family was tall. Like everyone being at least 6 foot, tall. So, what's new with you guys?"
Tara shrugged, indicating that it was Willow's decision to tell, or not.
"Well, I finally accepted a job…" Willow began.
"That's great, Will!"
"Yep…and it means we're moving, from Sunnydale…"
"Ah. That's where the nervous look is coming from," Kara observed.
"Well, it's actually not that far from you, so yay, for still knowing someone…but, I don't know how to break it to Buffy. We'll be 2 hours from Sunnydale…"
"And not so accessible," Tara prompted.
"Right. It's a great opportunity, doing stuff I like, and they're even giving me moving expenses, and Tara's internship is done in a few weeks, so we're both free to move…"
"Willow, you don't have to justify it to me. I know how it is to step out on your own, and we all have to do it. Don't feel guilty for growing up. You still talk to Xander all the time, even though he moved away, right?" Kara asked.
"Yeah…"
"Then you and Buffy will stay in touch, too. Besides, she has Sebastian now…so, not very lonely," Kara finished.
"See, Will? We've both told you the same thing. Relax, sweetie. Buffy won't be mad," Tara added.
They parked, the SUV pulling in next to them, and conferred with the others where to start.
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Xander plopped down in front of the cable TV. Giles and Sebastian found a cribbage board and took a seat at the table.
"This is nice," Xander said, after a while.
"What is?"
"Having no estrogen in the house."
"It is peaceful," Sebastian admitted.
"And quiet," Giles sighed.
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Monday, the group went ice-skating. It was the first time Buffy had done it since she and Angel had been interrupted by the attack from the Order of Taraka. Dawn had taken lessons for a while because Buffy did it, when they were little, so she also felt very comfortable on the ice. Kara and Spike did a couple circuits around the perimeter with the twins, then handed them over to Joyce and Anya, who were chatting on the sidelines. And Xander provided lots of entertainment by falling on his butt, repeatedly.
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Tuesday, Giles and Joyce stayed at the cabin with the twins while the rest of the group went skiing. Buffy, Dawn, Willow, and Tara signed up for beginner's lessons. Kara and Spike took off on a cross-country trail. Sebastian hit the moguls. Xander and Anya disappeared shortly after they arrived, so who knows what they were up to?
"I'm really sorry, Dawnie!" Buffy said for the 10th time.
"I know…shut up about it already. Can we just get inside?" The ski instructor picked up Dawn and carried her into the lodge to the medic's office.
"Let's get this boot off and take a look at that ankle."
Xander spotted Willow and Tara coming in a short time later.
"What happened? I just saw Dawn being carried in here."
"You know Buffy's Slayer grace? Completely disappears on skis. She and Dawn got tangled up going down the hill, and Dawn twisted her ankle," Willow replied.
"And Dawn said it hurt too much to put weight on it, so they're checking it out."
"Do you think she broke any bones?" Anya asked.
"Ahn!"
"What? It's a legitimate question! And I've seen enough of them to know they are very painful to humans!"
"I don't think so, Anya," Tara answered. "It's most likely just a sprain."
"Yeah, they weren't going fast enough to break anything," Willow said encouragingly.
The medic examined Dawn's ankle and foot, feeling carefully for any fractures. Buffy nervously chewed her lip, waiting for the diagnosis. If she broke her sister, their mother was going to kill her.
"Well, I can't be 100 sure without an X-ray, but I don't think it's anything more than a bad sprain, Miss Summers. I'm going to wrap it up, and give you some ice packs and a pair of crutches to take home. You should stay off that foot for a few days."
"Yay…right before Christmas," Dawn muttered. "Do I get any fun painkillers?"
He shook his head and chuckled. "Just over-the-counter meds will be fine." He stood and walked into an adjoining closet, coming out a few minutes later with a pair of crutches at the right height. "Who do I give the bill to?"
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"$50 for crutches and an ace bandage? Geez!" Buffy complained.
"It would be more at the doctor's office. Besides, you owe me. This is all your fault because you couldn't steer," Dawn retorted, hobbling towards the snack bar. She was desperate for a hot chocolate.
"My ski's felt wonky," Buffy lamely replied.
"Hey, what's the verdict, Dawnster?"
"I have to use these for a few days. So much for fun in the mountains," she groused.
"Hey, we can still think of lots to do!" Willow said cheerfully.
"And you can guilt Buffy into waiting on you," Anya added, trying to be helpful. Dawn's face perked up, while Buffy scowled at the oblivious ex-demon.
"Can we get food and go home?" Dawn pleaded.
"Sorry, Dawnie. Both drivers are still out there somewhere. But we can keep you company in here! Have a nice lunch by the windows? I'll even chip in for the restaurant upstairs," Buffy offered. Dawn arched her brow, gesturing to the crutches. "Umm…Xander can carry you up, right, Xan?"
"…Sure, Buff."
"Fine. Let's get the humiliation over with," Dawn griped. She hoped Xander wouldn't bang her foot on the wall.
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It wasn't until a couple hours later that Kara came back in, hungry after walking for miles. Spike had begged off shortly into the walk to go ski with Sebastian. Tara spotted her first, and waved.
"Hey, how was the lesson?"
"Cut a little short, unfortunately," Tara replied.
"What happened?"
"Buffy and Dawn had a minor collision, and Dawn sprained her ankle. She's on crutches for a couple days."
"Oh, no!" Kara said sympathetically. "Where are they now?"
"Upstairs, in the restaurant," Willow replied. "She really wants to go home."
"Uh, okay…is everyone else going to stay?"
"I think so. We've just been waiting for someone to come back with car keys," Tara replied.
"Right…well, I'll be back later, then." Kara went up to find the Summers'.
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"Goodness, Dawn! What happened!" Joyce exclaimed, as her youngest hobbled into the house.
"Buffy did it," she pouted.
"What!"
"It was an accident, Mom. Geez, she's such a drama queen. I had a little trouble controlling my skis during the lesson, and we got tangled up. Her ankle's just sprained."
"It hurts, Mommy," Dawn said, milking sympathy.
"Aww, pumpkin…let's get you comfortable on the couch, and I'll find you some painkillers. Buffy, prop her foot on that cushion. Dawn, sweetie, would you like some soup, or something?"
"No…I'm okay. Buffy bought me lunch."
"It was the least I could do," the Slayer grumbled. Her sister wasn't nearly as hurt as she was playing to be. The ankle hadn't even been purple, for goodness sake.
Kara watched amusedly, then checked on the twins, who were napping upstairs. Giles continued reading his novel, wisely staying out of the whole mess.
"Well, I'm going to head back, if that's okay…" Kara announced.
"That's fine, Kara. Go have fun. Buffy and I have everything under control," Joyce replied. Buffy huffed, and plopped into one of the armchairs.
So much for catching up with her boyfriend.
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Buffy and Dawn were teased much of the rest of the night, once the story had been told to all. Dawn had the pout working on Sebastian and Spike…until the twins commanded their attention. This had her pouting further, as she realized she really wasn't the baby of the group anymore. Not that she wanted to be thought of as a baby…she was 17, after all…but, the attention was nice. Being the youngest could suck, but it could also make you feel special.
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Christmas Eve…
Kara spent most of the day in the backyard with the twins, making a snowman. Which meant that they watched from the porch steps as she did all the work, and gave commentary on the shapes. Kara held them while they tried to make its face.
The rest had scattered after breakfast, except Dawn, to do their own thing. Spike was awake by 3 o'clock, sensing it was nearly dark, thanks to the heavy clouds that had built up throughout the day.
"'Morning, luv. Niblet. Where are the munchkins?" He staggered sleepily into the kitchen for his first mug of blood.
"Down for a nap. We built a snowman today." Kara kissed him while the microwave heated Spike's breakfast. "How did you sleep?"
"Bed got cold," he mumbled.
"Want me to turn on the electric blanket when I get up…old man?" she teased.
"Who you calling old? I'm not the one with a 10,000 year-old deity in my head."
"Are you two on that again?" Dawn called from the living room. "I'll settle it now – you're both ancient."
(Well, isn't she a ray of sunshine today.)
(That's actually improvement. You should have heard her when she first got up.)
(The others coming back soon?)
(I hope so…)
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Dinner went well, and Dawn perked up when a classic movie she liked came on. The traditional exchange of one Christmas Eve gift opened commenced. The twins were most interested in the shiny paper and bows, too distracted to play with their new toys for more than a couple minutes. They were ushered to bed early with the promise of more presents in the morning.
The evening wrapped up with a viewing of "Mickey's: A Christmas Carol."
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The answering machine picked up at Giles' apartment after two rings.
"Rupert…are you there? Blast…you're probably on holiday. This is Reggie. Call me back as soon as you get this message. Something has happened at Council Headquarters…something terrible."