*Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. All of these characters, minus the ones I create, already exist in the Buffyverse.*
Though nothing had changed, the house seemed smaller than she remembered.
The rooms had a slight dust covering, but otherwise they were untouched. Neither her nor her sister had dared to move anything. After all, this was the first time they had entered the home since their mother's unexpected passing last week.
Buffy and Dawn had come early home from their shopping trip due to Dawn's nausea. Six months pregnant and the nausea never seemed to fully pass for the younger sister. Upon their arrival home, Buffy found their mother on the couch, not breathing. While Dawn called for help, Buffy tried to revive her mother through CPR, but it was no use. Later that day, the girls found out that their mother had passed from a brain aneurysm. It would not have mattered if they even went on the trip as Joyce was fast asleep when it had happened.
"Mom?" Dawn questioned her older sister. Buffy hadn't moved since they've arrived back at their childhood home. She stood in the entry with a glazed look in her eye.
"How'd you know?" Buffy replied snapping out of her daze.
"Cause I've been thinking about her too," Dawn admitted, moving back to the living room. "And this little one." Dawn adjusted her hands to caress her stomach.
"She really wanted to meet her," Buffy said joining Dawn on the couch. Joyce was thrilled when her daughter announced her pregnancy and was there every step of the way until her death.
"I know." Dawn's eyes searched around the living room looking at all the pictures her mom had hung of their family. "It just sucks. Liam has all these memories of his grandmother and my daughter will never even get the chance to meet her."
Buffy felt sympathetic towards her sister as Dawn cried in her arms. Liam had twelve years with Joyce and was her only grandchild until Dawn became pregnant, so the two had developed a special bond with one another.
"What did you do to my wife?" Xander asked storming out of the kitchen with a spatula in hand. Since Dawn announced that she was expecting, Xander had become slightly overprotective which was a lot considering he was overprotective to begin with. When they arrived to the Summers' home, Dawn immediately sent him to the kitchen to make her something to eat. This allowed her at least some time to herself.
"Xander, I'm sure there is a perfectly good explanation as to why Dawn is crying. Crying is healthy," Willow reminded. Buffy was thankful for her best friend, well both of them. Before Xander and Dawn got together, which was a surprise to everyone, it was Buffy, Willow, and Xander. They always had each other's backs and were there for one another when the going got tough.
Buffy had invited Willow along with them today. Joyce was like a second mother to her friends and her death was just as painful for them as it was for the sisters.
"Wills, I know you took that one Psych class in college, but that doesn't mean you can possibly know how my wife is feeling," Xander argued. Willow was just about to respond when Buffy cut her off.
"Guys, lay off the pregnant lady," Buffy said helping her sister wipe away her tears. "Look, this is not easy for any of us and tomorrow's not going to be any easier, but we will make it through because we have each other."
"Hey Buff?" Xander asked grabbing her attention. "When did you get so smart?"
"Oh you know, one Psych class and college degree later," Buffy smiled.