As always, the BTVS/AtS characters are not mine. I'm just playing with them. Thanks for the reviews still.
Chapter 15
"Buffy! You're back! How was your trip, sweetie?" Joyce asked, hugging her daughter. "Where's Sebastian?"
"He had some business to take care of. Oh my god, Mom. It was amazing! We flew in a private jet to Fiji, for a week, and it was so beautiful. We went snorkeling, and ate some fabulous food, and got massages…it was so great! Then, he took me to his country estate in England, which was huge! And really beautiful, but in a different way, obviously, and Sebastian taught me how to ride a horse, and we rode bikes around the countryside. It was very green! Anyway, I got the whole tour of the estate, and met more of the servants. And Sebastian gave me the whole family history. There's a portrait for everybody on the walls. Oh! There's even a painting of Spike with his family. Mom, you wouldn't recognize him – he looked like such a dork…"
"Buffy!"
"Sorry…but his mom was pretty…and I got to see what Sebastian's sister looked like, and Dawn does kind of resemble her. The house is gorgeous…you'll have to see it one of these days. He has all these original paintings all over the place."
"So, I take it you had a really good time," Joyce teased.
"I was babbling, wasn't I? Sorry…it's just…I've, like, been on cloud 9 since the wedding, and it's all been so great. He's great. I'm so lucky, Mommy."
"Oh, sweetheart, I'm so happy for you! And just look at you! You're the picture of health. What happens next?"
"Well, we'll be living in the apartment. It has plenty of room. And you and Giles are here, and my work. Our work. Pretty much perfect, except for the occasional apocalypse. Even those don't sound so bad, with Sebastian right there with me."
"And maybe one of these days I'll be a grandmother?"
"Mom…"
"I know, I know…Slaying comes first, the world needs you, blah, blah, blah…but can't I dream about fat grandbabies?"
"Yeah, you can…just expect them to come from Dawnie before they come from me. I'm not raising an infant on the Hellmouth."
"Okay, dear. Plenty of time for all that. Let's head over to the shop. Rupert will want to see you."
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Dawn came home every summer. She lived in Buffy's old room, which was bigger than her old room, and farther from Joyce and Giles' bedroom. She and Buffy had a lot of girls' nights over the summer. Sebastian was still stationed on the Hellmouth, but he took an occasional 2-day mission. Buffy didn't really mind, since she knew how much he missed traveling, and he wasn't taking dangerous assignments. Dawn looked forward to the company, too, since Michael, and her new friends, had all gone home, too. She spent her days working in The Magic Box.
Thomas' first birthday came August 5th. He greatly resembled Xander now, including his love to eat. Anya was fiercely protective, but he was a happy and active baby. The twins were very happy to have someone else to play with at family gatherings. They were two and a half, and understood they had to be more careful with the boy than with each other.
The same concern didn't apply to Connor. The three of them could get quite rowdy, and more than once, someone had almost taken a header down the stairs if not for the quickness of one of their parents. Lillian now extended her telepathic communication to Connor, as well as her sister. They'd been doing it for a couple months, but the adults still found it disconcerting when the three of them would look at each other, nod in agreement, and run off with an idea.
The most creative trouble they would get in to usually ended up being Lillian's idea. Especially over at the Hyperion, which had so many interesting hiding places.
"Hey, Lorne. Where are the girls?" Kara asked, coming in to pick up her daughters.
"They're right – oh, hell. I'm sorry, Kara. I only turned my back for a second when I heard you pull up."
"It's okay. No one knows better than me how fast they can disappear. Ana! Lillian! Time to go home!" she called.
Faint giggles came from the kitchen. Kara smiled knowingly, and pointed towards the door. She moved quickly, silently pushing the door open. "Gee, it's too bad they aren't out here. I guess I'll have to go back home and eat all those cookies by myself."
Connor popped his head out of a cabinet. "Cookies?"
"I don't have any here, Connor. They're all back at home."
"Damnit!" he exclaimed. Kara and Lorne's eyes widened. She looked back at Lorne, who frantically waved his arms and mouthed 'not me'.
"Uh, Connor? I don't think Cordy or your dad would like you to say that word, okay? Maybe you should go ask 'em about it."
"Okay! Bye, Kara." He ran out past Lorne, and they heard him clomping up the stairs a minute later.
They burst out laughing as soon as he was out of earshot. "Angelcakes is going to have to watch what he says more often. That was hilarious!" Lorne said.
"Yep. I just hope the girls haven't picked up on it, though we've already had a discussion about using the word 'bloody'," she said quietly. "Girls! We have to go. Daddy's making dinner, and you know he doesn't like it if we're late."
"Coming, Mama!"
"How did you get up there!"
"We climbed! We're big gurls!"
"Well, can you get down?"
"Uh-huh."
"I think we need to start locking this door," Lorne commented.
"Yeah…might be a good idea. It's a good thing I can't have a heart attack. Those two have no fear." The girls started to run past her out into the lobby. "Hold it! We don't need to race to the car. What do you say to Uncle Lorne for disappearing on him?"
"We sorry!" they chorused.
"Good girls. You need to obey the rules. They keep you safe, okay?"
"Yes, Mommy. Bye, Uncle Lorne."
"Bye-bye, sweeties. I'll see you next week." He straightened and looked at Kara. "Cordy should be around next time, too. Two sets of eyes."
"Okay. Don't worry about it too much. You're good with them, and they like you. I need to get going before Spike tans my hide." Kara took the girls' hands and led them out to the car. She buckled them into their car seats, and left.
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"Hey, baby! Sorry we're a little late. The girls were playing hide-n-seek again."
"Daddy!" They ran into the kitchen and tackled his legs.
"Hey, bits. Did you have fun today?"
"Uh-huh! Uncle Lorne taught us songs!"
"Really…you'll have to show me after dinner. Hey, you." He grabbed Kara for a kiss.
"Eew!" the twins exclaimed.
"Eew! You think kissin' your mum is gross?"
"Daddy, you're a boy!"
"So?"
"Eew!" Lillian repeated.
"I'll show you 'eew'!" Spike swooped in, picked her up, and placed a raspberry on her little tummy. Lillian flailed, shrieked, and giggled.
"Put me down, Daddy!"
"Nope! Not 'til you change you mind." He did it again right on her belly button.
"Me next! Me next!" Ana exclaimed, jumping up and down. She wanted her turn to giggle, too.
He set Lillian on her feet and turned to Ana. "You want one of these? Are you sure?"
"Eeek!" she cried, and took off running, laughing. Her father was on her in two strides, and swung her up in the air. "Again, Daddy!"
Kara turned the stove off, laughing. Lillian had joined in, tugging on her father's pant legs while he tickled Ana. He tripped trying to avoid stepping on Lillian's feet, and went down on his butt, Ana still safe in his arms. Both girls turned on him and started trying to tickle anywhere they could reach. This was a frequent occurrence, but Kara never got tired of watching it. They were Daddy's little girls, heart and soul.
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Willow and Tara had been living in their new apartment for almost two years. Willow had made an impression at the company with her quick mind and helpful manner. The job challenged her, while still leaving time for Tara, and a life. Tara worked at a crisis center near the UCI. Even though her focus had been on children in college, she still had plenty of training in general psychology and trauma. She found the work sometimes draining, but rewarding, and the experience was nothing but a plus.
"What are we doing this weekend?" Willow wondered.
"I don't know. Halloween is Monday," Tara replied.
"A Monday? That always sucks. It's much more fun on a weekend. I don't suppose the whole gang can get together, like we used to."
"Probably not, sweetie. We all work, now."
"Yeah, and in different cities. I miss the high school days, sometimes, when it was a guarantee I'd see Buffy and Xander in class every day, and Giles would be in the library in a 3-piece suit."
"You guys share e-mail practically every day…"
"I know…but it's not the same…"
"Wanna drive up to Sunnydale this weekend?" Tara offered.
"Yeah…thanks…"
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Buffy hosted her first Thanksgiving. Miraculously, the apartment was still standing afterwards. The Thanksgiving of 2005 became infamous as Buffy's first real attempt to cook without a bear interrupting the party. Of course, everyone tried to warn her not to attempt the whole thing with no prior experience, but she stubbornly insisted, wanting to be a good hostess for the first major holiday after her marriage.
So, they ate slightly blackened turkey, stuffing that had only been mixed with water and not with butter, a pie that was a little soupy in the middle, and over-cooked vegetables with no seasoning. Sebastian brought out the salt and pepper shakers, much to everyone else's relief. Buffy looked so hopeful as they started to eat, that no one said a word about the questionable quality of the food.
"Well, you certainly put in a lot of effort, dear," Joyce said diplomatically.
"I wanted it to be special, since this is the first time everyone's been here all together."
"The place looks great," Xander added.
"Thanks. It was a bit too much of a guy's home when I moved in." The men in the room sent a sympathetic glance Sebastian's way, before glancing back at their plates.
(Mommy, the 'tatoes are icky!)
(So eat the other things on your plate, Lilli.)
(Yuck!)
(Lilli…look, your sister's eating. Aunt Buffy went to a lot of trouble to make dinner.)
(I don't want this! Daddy's not eating.) she pouted.
(That's because Daddy doesn't need to. Eat your mashed potatoes. They're fine. See?)
(Fine, but not the orange ones.)
(Everything alright, luv?)
(Yeah…your daughter's just being stubborn. She doesn't want to eat the food.)
(Don't blame 'er! Harris is a better cook.)
(Spike, be nice…I'm sure she'll do better next time…)
"Hey! No telepathy at the table. It's like whispering without the…whispers," Dawn said.
"Don't knock it, Dawnie. It's the only time Spike is quiet," Xander quipped.
"Like you're one to talk, whelp."
"That's true," Anya agreed.
"Anyone ready for pie?" Buffy asked.
"Do you have whipped cream?"
"I think so. It was on the list."
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"Is your sister that bad at cooking everything?" Michael asked later.
"Pretty much. She can make cereal, toast, and order take-out. Oh, and ice cream sundaes."
"Ouch."
"Yeah…I'm really glad Mom never took off and left Buffy to feed me. It would have been scary."
"I like your family. They're kooky, but it's clear they love each other. Mine – not so much," he remarked.
"Yeah…no offense, but I kinda wondered sometimes why your parents stay together."
"None taken. I've wondered that, too. Maybe they're afraid of being more miserable alone than they are together. I've never asked. Does your mom mind me coming with you all the time?"
"Nah. I think she thinks of you as another one of her own, by now. Mom is everybody's mom. Especially Spike."
"Yeah, I noticed that. He always listens to her."
"Yep…especially with advice on women. Well, we're back at Casa Summers slash Giles. I'm pretty sure there's still ice cream in the freezer," Dawn said.
"An excellent idea. I could use some Phish Food. Those beans left a funny taste in my mouth."
"You, too?"
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February 2nd, 2006…
"I'm three!"
"I'm three, too!"
"But Mommy says I'm older!"
"So!"
"So it's my birfday first!"
"Cease that bloody racket, you two, before I come in there and paddle your bums!"
"Uh-oh! Daddy's mad," Ana whispered.
"Your fault!"
"Is not!"
"Is, too!"
"Is not!"
"Anastasia, Lillian, enough! It is too bloody early for all that yelling. Go downstairs to your mum, now, or I'm coming in that room!" Spike bellowed.
"Yes, Daddy!" they chorused. The twins wasted no time in following his orders and running to the kitchen.
"What did you two do?" Kara asked suspiciously. "I heard Daddy yelling."
"We were loud…"
"And you woke him up?"
"Uh-huh…"
"Can we go outside, Mommy?" Lillian asked.
"Promise to stay out of the mud, and don't even think of touching that pool."
"We promise!"
"Alright…I'll be watching you."
"Yes, Mommy!" Once in the backyard, they ran straight to the plastic playhouse they'd gotten for Christmas.
(You okay? You haven't been sleeping well lately.)
(Yeah…it's nothing. Just temporary.)
(Anything I can do to help?)
(I just want some quiet…)
(Okay…sweet dreams, baby.)
Kara resumed mixing the cake batter. She couldn't shake the feeling, though, that he was hiding how much this bothered him from her.
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A reason to be upset showed up later in the afternoon, on their doorstep. It was a package addressed to the twins, care of their parents. Kara opened the box, and found two porcelain dolls inside, one with darker hair than the other, and both with blue eyes. A note said "Happy Birthday, from your Grandmum." Drusilla
Kara took the box upstairs, leaving the twins in the care of her sister, and entered her bedroom.
"Spike."
He rose up on his elbows, looking almost as tired as when he went to bed. "Yeah, luv?" he answered hoarsely.
Kara handed him the box. "Is she in town?"
"Not that I can sense…"
She nodded. "I don't like this, Spike. She knows where we live. She knows the twins' birthday."
"These are just dolls, pet."
"That's just where it starts! Before we know it, they'll be receiving bleeding hearts for their sweet 16!"
"No, luv, Dru keeps those all for herself," he joked.
"Damnit, Spike! This isn't funny! She's fixated on my daughters! As long as she lives, Drusilla's a threat."
"Kara…I can't stake her. It'd be like killing my own mum."
"Then find another way."
"Mommy, wha's wrong?"
"Nothing, Lilli. I'm just trying to get everything ready for the party." Lillian's perceptiveness grew with every year. It was starting to get difficult to block emotions from her.
"Sure?"
"Yes, sweetie. Why don't you go show Aunt Stephanie what you figured out on the piano."
"Okay."
Once the guests were arriving, Kara's thoughts were pulled elsewhere as she was kept busy. Tara took one look at her as she was bustling about, though, and knew something was wrong.
"Hey, what's up?"
"Just getting some snacks out. How's work been?"
"Kara…you haven't stopped moving the whole time I've been here. Best friend, here. I know something's wrong."
"Alright…let's go outside where we'll have some privacy." Tara followed Kara out the door and down the path to the orchid house. Once they were inside, Kara started to explain. "The girls got a package today."
"Okay…"
"From Drusilla."
"Oh."
"Yeah…it was two porcelain dolls, made to look just like them, with a note that said 'Happy Birthday, from your Grandmum'. Obviously, I took the box upstairs and showed it to Spike. He says he can't sense her in the area, but something's been bothering him. He's hardly slept for four days. Vampires don't generally get insomnia."
"And you've tried asking him about it?"
"Of course! He says he's fine! He also blew off the whole doll thing, saying they're just dolls. Am I overreacting, here? Drusilla is dangerous and insane, and she has a fixation with my daughters…"
"Well, I wouldn't necessarily call it a fixation…"
"She knows their birthday. There's no way she could know it unless she went digging for it."
"Still…it's been over 2 years since she took Lillian…and she did keep her safe from Wolfram and Hart."
"So she could take her for her own uses! I told Spike to do something about it, but I know he won't. He's always said he couldn't stake her. It'll probably take seeing Dru's fangs in Lilli's throat before he would," Kara spat.
"Kara, Spike's devoted to your family. He won't let anything happen to the girls."
"He might! Just from being too complacent. If I have to take the girls to Ossiriand and throw away the key, I'll do it. I'm not losing another child when I can prevent it from happening."
"You're not going to lose them. Spike's right about one thing. The dolls are just dolls, unless they're enchanted. Throw them away, and forget about it. You won't be finding Drusilla today, and there are two little girls inside expecting a party. Take some deep breaths, clear your mind, and focus on a happy day," Tara soothed.
Kara sighed. "You're right…I should just take a page from the Serenity prayer. I want to respect the Sire-Childe bond as long as we're not in danger, but I can't help feeling like that's a part of him I can't touch. She'll have to something truly horrible for him to hate her enough to end her, and I'm afraid of the choice he'll make in that moment. We've barely been mated a day compared to 120 years of feelings and history."
"Sweetie, she can't offer him anything anymore. Spike has everything he ever wanted his entire existence right here. He has the love and acceptance of family. So…unless you're attacked, let it go. We made sure the house is as safe as possible, remember?" Tara replied.
"Yeah, I know. It's the bad thing about having a life that's so perfect."
"What is?"
"Knowing that perfection can't last."