Causatum
by sailor80
Six
[reviews]
Buffy woke up alone. She was disappointed that she had missed Willow. Despite that, it was nice to have some quiet time alone. She took a leisurely shower, then went through the house and gathered the laundry and lugged it to the basement. She started the first load and went to the kitchen. She emptied the pot of coffee Willow had made and took her cup into the back yard. It was another lovely day, and Buffy sat in the sun and enjoyed the warmth.
After putting the first load of laundry in the dryer and the second in the washer, she called Giles. They talked briefly, and Buffy suggested that the Council supply all of them with cell phones. Giles agreed to call the Council with her request. They decided to meet at the Magic Box for training at 2 p.m.
Buffy went through the first floor, dusting and neatening, then did the same on the second floor. She finished the laundry and put piles of clean, folded clothing on Dawn's bed. She put her own clothes away. She wasn't sure what to do with Willow's clothes, and left them in the basket in her room. Something else to discuss, which room they would use, went on her to do list.
There were frozen meals in the freezer, and she put two in the microwave for her lunch. Something was bothering Willow, she realized while watching the boxes rotate in the microwave. Probably back to school anxiety, she decided, and tried not to be distracted by it. After she ate, she packed a bag with clothes to change into after training, and walked down to the Magic Box. She knew she was early, and used the extra time to stretch and warm up before Giles arrived. She was working on the heavy bag when he came in.
"Hi, Giles."
"Hello, Buffy. The phones will be here tomorrow."
"Cool." She hit the bag a few more times, then stopped it. Buffy helped Giles into the protective padding he wore when they sparred. "What are we working on today?" she asked.
"Close hand to hand," he told her, and they started.
After an hour, Giles called for a break. Buffy leaned against the wall and drained a bottle of water. When she recovered, they went back to work, this time with swords. After Buffy tagged him three times in five minutes, he ended their session. She went into the small bathroom and cleaned up. She left through the backdoor and took a shortcut to the bank. She checked the balance first, and couldn't immediately comprehend the amount. Buffy withdrew $100 and went to the florist. She bought flowers for her mother's grave, and bought more flowers for the house.
She walked to the cemetery and found her mother's grave. Her tombstone was still next to it. Buffy ignored that, and placed the flowers at her mother's marker. "I haven't forgotten you, Mom," she said softly. "There's so much going on. Dawn's good, she's grown up so much. Willow, well it's a long story, but we're good together." She paused. "I guess you know all this, but I wanted to tell you we miss you." Buffy stood for a few moments more, then headed home.
Dawn was doing her homework at the dining room table. Willow sat across from her doing her own schoolwork. Buffy smiled at the sight of her two favorite people. She laid the bouquet on the table. Buffy took a few more steps to stand beside Willow. She put a hand on Willow's shoulder, and leaned down to kiss her when Willow turned.
After a few moments, Dawn told them, "Break it up, you two."
Buffy pulled away from Willow and grinned at her sister. "Hello to you, too."
"You're in a good mood," Dawn observed.
"Why not? It's a great day," she answered. "Where are the vases?"
"Under the sink," Willow answered, and went back to her schoolwork.
Dawn looked at her, frowning slightly, before returning to her homework. Buffy scooped up the flowers and went to the kitchen. She came back a few minutes later with the flowers and placed them on the vacant end of the table. "What's for dinner?" she asked.
"You tell me," Dawn answered.
"Will?"
"Hmm?"
"What do you want for dinner?" Buffy asked.
"Whatever," Willow answered without looking up from her book.
"Chinese?" Buffy offered.
"That would be good," Dawn said.
"Go call them," Buffy instructed. "You know what we like."
Dawn slid out of her chair and headed to the kitchen. The menus were on the side of the refrigerator near the phone.
Buffy squatted beside Willow's chair and put a hand on her thigh. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing," Willow replied.
"Will, I can tell something's bothering you. Has been most of the day."
Willow put her book down and looked at Buffy for the first time. "How can you tell?"
"We're connected somehow." Buffy moved her hand up to Willow's heart. "We have been for a long time. I'm just more aware of it lately."
Willow put her hand over Buffy's and closed her eyes for a moment. She realized that she could feel Buffy as a warm, safe place inside. She opened her eyes and looked down at Buffy.
Buffy stood up, and Willows gaze followed her. "C'mere," Buffy requested, and took a step back to give Willow room to leave the chair.
Willow stood up and turned toward Buffy. She held Buffy's hand to her chest as she stepped closer to the Slayer. Buffy put her free arm around Willow's waist, and Willow laid her head on Buffy's shoulder.
"I love you, Will. There isn't anything you can't tell me," Buffy said quietly.
Willow didn't say anything. She rested against Buffy and slowly relaxed.
"Sweetheart," Buffy prompted.
Willow raised her head and looked into Buffy's clear hazel gaze. "I love when you call me that," she said quietly.
"Sweetheart," Buffy repeated.
A smile crept across Willow's face. She raised her free hand to Buffy's cheek. The tension and anxiety she had carried since lunchtime dissipated. Buffy backed up, and Willow followed. Buffy turned the corner on the table, sat in the chair, and pulled Willow onto her lap. Willow didn't resist.
"What is it, Wills?" Buffy asked quietly.
Willow sighed before answering. "I ran into Aislin today. We had lunch."
Buffy waited for her to continue.
"She said some things. About me." Willow was uncharacteristically brief.
"What did she say?" Buffy prodded.
"Nothing bad. It just, well, it was true, but I don't know why she said it," Willow floundered.
"What did she say?" Buffy repeated gently.
"That no one would think any less of me if I took some time off," Willow said finally, looking at the floor.
Buffy's brow scrunched up in confusion. "Why did that upset you?"
"I don't know. It just did. I don't know how to explain it. She wasn't here when we went through it. She doesn't know how we are. We just do it, like the Power Puff girls or something, you know, 'saving the world before bedtime.' And then we go on with our lives. I mean, if we made a big thing out of it every time we saved the world, we'd never have lives." Willow looked at Buffy again. "It's what we do, right? It's not a big deal. Well, it is, but not this time."
"It was a big deal to me," Buffy told her softly.
"I guess I just took it wrong. Like she was telling me I'm weak or useless or something."
"You know better." Buffy lowered her head to make sure Willow saw her. "Right?"
Willow nodded.
"What else did she say?" Buffy asked.
"That's pretty much it," Willow told her.
"You know it's okay for you to take some time off."
Willow drooped again. "You think I need to?"
"This isn't about what I think, Will."
"I don't want to, Buffy. I just want my life like it used to be. Going to school and helping you."
Buffy quelled the panic that rose easily. "Don't you want to be with me?"
"More than anything." Willow kissed Buffy briefly. "I didn't mean that, not at all. I just, everything's so mixed up. This is the only thing that isn't. When I'm here with you everything is clear and simple. When I'm with you or Dawn, I'm good. When I'm not, it's harder. Gods, Buffy, I don't want to be all clingy, but I need you so much." Willow dropped her head to Buffy's shoulder.
Buffy tightened her grip on Willow's waist and raised one hand to stroke her hair. "I need you, too, Wills." She turned and kissed Willow's forehead. "I feel like something's missing if I'm not touching you."
Dawn watched them from the doorway. She had heard the last part of their conversation, and she walked to them. Dawn put one hand on each of their shoulders. The effect was instantaneous. It felt like an electrical circuit completed, and all of them sighed with relief at the warm feeling that flowed through them, one to the other.
"Okay," Buffy said after a few moments. "This is strange."
"Let it go until tomorrow, please," Willow asked.
Buffy nodded. "We can do that." She looked at her sister. "Does it do the same thing to you?"
"Not that I noticed," Dawn answered. "I mean, yeah, I get a rush when I touch both of you at the same time, but it's not like anything's wrong or missing if we're not together."
"Strange," Buffy said.
"Yeah, but it beats the heck out of most strange things we get," Willow said.