Title: Baby Steps

Part Title: Where Did I Go Right?

Series: More Than Tea

Author: Jmaria

Rating: Pg-13

Spoilers: Some for my story Chamomile, so basically 5 (6ish) by 5 (set in books 6 7) by 2 (3ish) . . . confused?

Disclaimers: Puppet master here, claiming no ownership on the parts of the HP or BtVS people. I do, however, very muchly own Chamomile and Edgar.

Summary: Buffy does some listening.

A/N: Title is from the song by Hilary Duff. Yes, I listen to her music. No, I am not cracked. Well, not much anyway.

Where Did I Go Right?

Buffy rubbed a hand along Cammi's back, listening to the steady beat of her daughter's heart. She'd picked up Cammi, laying her daughter on her chest so that Cammi could hear her mother's heart as well. Buffy's crying had woken her, and the slayer had put on a happy face to reassure her daughter that everything was okay.

As much as her actions were for Cammi's benefit, they were more of a comfort to Buffy. Cammi soothed her mother in a way that no one else could. Cammi sighed in her sleep, burrowing closer to her mother's warmth. Buffy lost herself in the moment. It was the most peace she'd felt since being brought back to life. She closed her eyes and let herself feel something other than pain and sorrow. That was how Dawn found them.

"Is she up?" Dawn whispered.

"No, she's sleeping." Buffy opened one eye. "Why aren't you resting like the mediwitches told you to?"

"Couldn't sleep. Ginny said that Tonks was still -" She choked up, tears coming to her eyes. "She said Tonks was still - that they haven't been able to wake her yet. Percy's still in there with her. He won't leave her side."

"Really?" Buffy said nonchalantly.

Dawn felt anger bubble within her. Buffy had closed her eyes again, trying to regain that feeling of peace. Dawn gritted her teeth. She looked around the room.

"Where's Charlie?" She said stiffly.

"I don't know."

"He was in here with you, how can you not know where he is?" Dawn snapped.

"Dawn -"

"Buffy, I don't know what happened between you two in the past - well, except for the groiny part that made Cammi-"

"Dawnie!"

"Oh please, like I still believe babies come from cabbage patches." Dawn rolled her eyes. "Like I was saying, Charlie is a good guy, Buffy. He's been a better father than Dad ever was to us. He's like - he's like Giles. Only not a stevedore, or he might be. I'm not totally sure I know what that means. But he's a good father. Did you know he sings to her when she can't sleep? Or that -"

"Dawnie, I never said he wasn't a good father." Buffy sighed. "I don't doubt that for a second." Buffy opened her eyes again. "He wants me to stay here."

"And that would be the worst thing to happen?" Dawn was confused.

"Dawn, we have to go back to Sunnydale." It was better to get it all out in the open.

"Why?"

"I'm the slayer -"

"I'm so sick of that being your answer to everything!" Dawn cried. "I've been here for nearly five months. Cammi barely remembers Sunnydale, I'm going to Hogwarts - what about the family?"

"Dawnie, they aren't your real family." Buffy sighed. "Cammi and I are. And the gang."

"For what, a whole year?" Dawn said bitterly. "And now the Weasleys don't matter? It doesn't matter that I want to stay? You've been making all these huge life altering decisions about what's best for me. You sent me here, Buffy. You sent us here because you knew you weren't going to make it. You never told Charlie about us or that you were the slayer."

"No, I didn't, but -"

"And the Weasleys aren't family? That's total crap! They took us in and treated us like we'd been there our whole lives. They are as much our family as the Scoobies are."

"Dawnie, I have to go back to Sunnydale."

"And that means we have to go too?"

"Dawn don't do this. You weren't any safer here than you were in Sunnydale. Cammi got kidnapped by the bad guys."

"She's related to a slayer, I'm sure she'll get used to it."

"That's not fair, Dawn." Buffy replied, hurt tingeing her voice.

"Oh, and this is? At least Charlie's taught me how take care of myself. You've -"

"Dawn, dear are you -" Molly paused in the doorway. "There you are. The mediwitches said you need more bed rest. Maybe you should go lie down."

"Yeah." Dawn said tiredly. She was mad at Buffy, but she didn't have the energy to yell anymore.

"Get some rest, dear. A certain young man was getting quite worried about you."

Dawn blushed brightly, knowing just who Molly was talking about. Molly gave her a quick hug. Dawn smiled sadly up at her. Buffy felt a stab of betrayal as she watched them. It was silly, but it felt like everyone was against her.

"How are you doing, dear?" Molly asked, making her way over to Buffy.

"Well, besides the fight with Charlie and the one with Dawn? I'm surviving."

"It's hard on them." Molly said knowingly. "Dawn's gone through a lot of changes since you - passed."

"And I get that."

"Your mother's passing wasn't easy on her. Not to say that it was easy on you, Merlin knows." Molly sat down. "The battle wasn't easy either. She's upset about Tonks."

"She mentioned Tonks."

"Dawn became quite close to her. Tonks and Percy tutored her." Molly thought worriedly about the young women who'd helped bring her son back into the family fold.

"What boy?"

"Pardon?" Molly was snapped out of her thoughts.
"You mentioned a boy? A boy who likes Dawnie."

"Oh yes, Connor. The boy who came with you?"

"Connor, Angel's son Connor?" Buffy stammered. "No. No, she cannot like Connor."

"He seemed like a nice boy."

"I'm sure he might be, but they cannot be attracted to each other. He's Angel's son. My Angel -" Buffy broke off. It was never good to mention your ex to your baby's grandmother.

"Because Angel was the first boy you loved?" Molly smiled knowingly. "Dawn had mentioned that you two had - now what did she call it? Oh yes, a 'star-crossed, Romeo and Juliet tragic love' but with more crying and heartbreak and without the double suicide."

"It's not just that." Buffy sighed. "Ok, it is kinda just that, but he's been in a hell dimension for sixteen years. That is never a good sign."

"Dawn told us quite a few things, when she wasn't off trailing the twins or learning how to fly on a broomstick or her magic. She's an amazing young woman, you should be proud of all she's accomplished. I know your mother would be." Molly smiled.

"Yeah, I think you're right." Buffy said sadly.

"It's not my place to interfere, Buffy. I will say that Charlie loves those girls."

"I know he loves Cammi -"

"It's not just Cammi. He loves Dawn just as much. She was so afraid that he would send her back with Angel." Molly pushed herself out of the chair. "Well, I better go make sure Percy gets some food in his system. Maybe you should get some rest as well, dear."

Buffy watched her leave. She placed Cammi back down on the bed. Dawn hadn't wanted her to step in and play Mom to her when Joyce had died, but she readily accepted Molly as a surrogate. Dawn was a ball of contradictions. Charlie didn't want her as a partner because she had lied to him. Her friends felt guilty for bringing her back. Cammi was just happy to be near her mother.

What bothered her the most is that she really didn't want to leave. As much as she loved her friends, Dawn was right. Being with the Weasleys was like being back home, before Buffy had found out she was the slayer. She didn't know how much she missed that until it was thrown back in her face.

Tears trickled down her cheeks as she cried into her hands. There was no way she could make it all better again. She couldn't fix this. She felt something furry rub her leg. Buffy sniffled as she looked down to the much abused Edgar.

The mongoose tilted his head at her and blinked twice. She gave him a half-hearted smile. Dawn's pet had been a great help in the last battle. She owed the little weasel.

I am not a weasel. Edgar's voice came through her head.

"You're not supposed to be able to do that, are you?" She asked.

I do as I chose to. It's a Summers' thing. The mongoose retorted.

"You haven't been a Summers' that long." Buffy raised an eyebrow.

That hasn't stopped your sister or your daughter. Edgar limped over to the bed where Cammi slept. She should remain here, Dawn as well.

"Ya know, everyone has been telling me what I should and shouldn't do. I'm her mother, not you or anyone else."

You didn't let me finish. Another Summers' trait, I'm afraid. Edgar paused, looking back at her. You should too. It's no longer a place of nightly battles as the Hellmouth is. It's now a place of healing.

"Gee, your mongoose wit and knowledge astound me." She said bitterly.

It should. Edgar made his way back over to the door. There is another who is ready to become the vital strand of Sunnydale. She's repented long enough. You can rest now, slayer. Isn't that what you died for? To find a place to rest?

Buffy watched as the creature left, his yellow fur a streak of color in the colorless halls. She rose from her chair, her mind racing. Had that been what she had wanted? Rest? Cammi stirred and Buffy found herself curling beside the infant. It wasn't long until both were sound asleep.

That was how Charlie found them. In sleep, they looked so much alike and so very delicate. He knew that wasn't so, for all of the women in his life had been made of stronger stuff. Charlie pulled the blanket over mother and child. Then he sat back down in the chair beside the bed, keeping an eye on them.