Welcome Home
by Rin
Family Again
[reviews]
A/N: It feels good to be back...
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Five months, three weeks, six days, seven hours, nine minutes, and thirty-seven seconds. That's how long it took Buffy to get over the whole thing. The only reason she did was Lindsey (Willow's lawyer) had pressed charges against the precinct, and one cop in particular, Malcolm Black. They found the footage, and all the photos and disks he'd made from his camera in his apartment across from the precinct. He'd written all over them, cum all over them, drawn hearts around Willow's head, and obscene images and words in specific places. None of the pictures were pleasant, and there was sound, Malcolm himself, on the original video. He had dubbed his voice out on the tapes he'd given the news stations. The whole thing had him commenting on how he was going to ruin lots of lives, and he couldn't wait to see what happened. The best part: he kept making little comments about what they were saying, mimicking their mouths. It was all made clear that he was angling it a certain way to hide that Faith was only crying, not really bobbing her head up and down from oral sex but from sobs wracking her body. When Buffy saw the news on the television, she was playing on the floor with Elita, teaching Bubbles that the baby was okay.
The entire time away from her wife, all she did was sob. Her book tour was cut short due to the fact that she couldn't take Elita with her. Willow had kept her those two weeks, and Buffy swore the baby came back smarter than ever. The little girl must've known what was going on because she would stay gripped to Willow just as Buffy was trying to take her, bringing them all three tight together, and her mommies awfully close to kissing. It was hard on both girls.
Willow had been fighting the whole time, ushering Lindsey's help, and Faith as well, as the three of them tried to uncover the truth behind the lies, and fix everything with their families. Xander, Fred, and Andrew were on Willow's side, trying to help the redhead get her wife back, while Dawn, Anya, and Kennedy were on Buffy's, telling her that she deserved better. All of the couples were split down the middle because of one stupid video. It was only fitting that she should get the phone call from Buffy on the eve of Elita's first birthday, apologizing that she was more than sorry, and that she'd wanted to not believe it but the video was hard to get past, and now that the whole video was shown, she begged and begged Willow to come back to her, that she was an idiot to ever doubt in the first place. It took the redhead all of seventeen seconds before she hung up the phone, grabbed her purse, and was out of her office, on her way to her 'home.' Finally. It was the moment she'd been trying to get to for almost six months. She was by the phone, just like she promised.
Willow didn't even bother ringing the doorbell, knowing the door would be unlocked. She rushed in, pulled Buffy to her, and just attached their mouths together, holding her so close that Elita couldn't squeeze through them. They just kept kissing, and Elita kept giggling, yelling 'Mommy! Mommy!' at them, while Bubbles barked next to her, finally stopping his sniff and growl at the baby. They never stopped kissing, just stayed attached, after being apart so long.
"I was an idiot to..."
"I would never..." Neither got another word in, just kept kissing, never stopping, too consumed by the worries falling away around them. Finally, Elita got frustrated that she wasn't getting any love, and Bubbles was right there with her. Tugging at both of their legs, while the cocker spaniel nuzzled their feet with her nose, the two managed to pull the couple apart.
"Yes, I see you two. I take it you're finished growling at Elita now?" Buffy leaned down, scooped their little girl up, and swirled her giggling form around until she was stopped by Willow. Bubbles barked her joy, while Willow just showered the little girl with lots of kisses.
"Stop, Mommy." Elita slapped Willow's cheeks between her hands, and Buffy just giggled. Willow wrapped her arms around her 'wife,' and brought them all together for a 'family' hug. "Mommy sad."
"Not anymore, baby. Not anymore." Buffy's eyes were brimming with tears of joy, letting her doubts and embarrassment wash clear from her body. "I was an idiot, Will. I didn't want to believe it but I did, even though every part of me told me not to. It was pure idiocy. I'm sorry I ever doubted you."
"I'm sorry it took this long to prove it." The two just stayed together, as they moved to the couch. Elita snuggled into Willow's arms, while Buffy rubbed the little girl's back. Naptime was past due, for all of them. "It took Lindsey longer than expected to get the subpoena on the Sunnydale police. When he did, they just kept looking for all the seedy underbelly, and let me just say..."
"Will...I can't believe that I'm the biggest idiot in the world. To let you go was the biggest mistake of my life."
"Buf, it's not your fault. I saw the tape. Even I started to believe it after seeing it for the umpteenth time."
"But it's not true."
"It's not true." They just smiled at each other, leaning in for a kiss. Elita's breathing calmed, and they both knew she was asleep. Willow walked up the stairs that she once called her own, and would again. They both tucked the little girl in before shutting the door, attacking each other on their way to the bed, stripping each other of all divestitures.
"God, how I've missed you..." Buffy was leaned over her wife, both nude, ready to start a little afternoon delight. Instead of moving further, she just let her hair fall on either side of Willow's face, staring into her eyes, watching to make sure she was really there.
"Buffy, you cut your hair." Willow twirled the hair in her fingers before tucking the strands behind her wife's ears, and urging her forward.
They both thanked the deities that they could be together again, and that Elita took an extra long nap that day.
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"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, Happy birthday Elita, happy birthday to you..."
"And many more, until you live to be a hundred and four, and you...Hey!" Xander rubbed the back of his head, where Faith smacked him. It was the only way he would've stopped.
"Just shut up, and eat your cake, Wonder Boy." Faith passed the plate to him, and settled herself and Jesse's plate on the picnic table, not caring that ice cream and cake crumbles were falling on her new jeans. The whole time, she watched for Kennedy. Even though Willow and Buffy made up, Kennedy had yet to even call her. She finished her Dark Series showing in San Francisco last week, and was supposed to be at this party. Yet she was yet to show.
"Aunt Faith, do you think Elita has a birthmark?" Jesse just continued staring at the younger girl, who was taking the bites of ice cream Willow was dishing to her.
"I'm not sure. You'd have to ask Aunt Willow, or Aunt Buffy. Why?" Faith was curious where this was going. Jesse turned five two months ago, and she'd start school in the fall. It was hard to believe it'd been over five years since they'd started this little makeshift family.
"Mommy was telling me that every human had birthmarks. She says she found Daddy's while playing Shiver me Timbers." Jesse turned her head to look at the wide-eyed Faith. "Can we play later?"
"Um...not so sure that's really a good game for little girls. What's your mommy been teaching you anyways?" Faith looked over to see Anya feeding baby Merrick. Xander had moved over to her to help, which was probably smart, since Faith had a mind to smack him upside the head again.
"She tells me that humans are pathetic. What's a human?"
"Um...something your mother's not." Faith wasn't sure she was the one to have this conversation with the five year old. Although, she did think at that moment that she would do better raising the kid than the crazy Harris couple.
"What is she then?"
"Um...a vengeance demon."
"What's a vengeance demon?" Jesse's eyes got wide, and Faith felt a good teasing point was at stake.
"She's the patron saint of scorned women."
"I thought you said she was a vengeance demon?"
"She is; just...she's the saint thingy, too."
"What's that mean?"
"I dunno...from what I can gather, she's the demon that helps women when they've had their hearts broken."
"Kinda like Aunt Buffy and Willow?"
"Yeah...sorta, I guess."
"What's she do?"
"Um...I think she started the Russian Revolution."
"What's the Russian Revolution?"
"Hey, I think Elita's about to open her presents!" Faith pointed, hoping the little girl would take the bait. Thankfully, she had enough of her daddy in her to be sidetracked easily.
"No she's not; you're silly, Aunt Faith." Jesse shook her head, like she'd seen her father do to her mother from time to time.
"You're probably right." Faith started bouncing her legs up and down, letting Jesse take a ride, while Buffy and Willow went about cleaning up the cake and ice cream mess. "What do you think about your baby brother?"
"He poops a lot."
"Ya don't say?" Faith chuckled.
"Yeah, and he cries a lot, too. That's all he does, poop and cry."
"Well he is a baby."
"I hope I never become a baby."
"You were a baby."
"Was not."
"Was, too."
"Was not."
"Was, too." Faith chuckled at the childlike innocence in Jesse's face. She wouldn't give up hanging out with her 'niece' for anything. Last year, she was slated to be on tour for her fourth birthday but Faith told the tour manager that she was flying back to Sunnydale. After lots of arguing, she made it to SunnyD, a big plush stake in hand, and was back in Wisconsin for the next show with only seconds left to spare. She didn't regret a thing.
"What do ya think about your daddy?"
"He cries and poops a lot, too. He's a baby, too."
"And your mommy?" Faith was having too much fun with this.
"She just complains a lot, and she won't let me have a bunny. She's says they're evil. Are bunnies evil, Aunt Faith?"
"No, bunnies are the best animals ever. Everybody should have at least a dozen bunnies. Want me to take you to the park tomorrow, and help you catch one?" Faith smirked that evil smirk that let Jesse know her aunt was up to something bad.
"But mommy says they're evil."
"Your mommy doesn't know anything. Just ignore her."
"When I brought home the bunny last time, she screamed, though..."
"Yeah...because she was happy. Your mommy just 'loves' bunnies." Faith watched the little girl's face contort to confusion then acceptance. The bait was hooked.
"Okay, we can go catch a bunny tomorrow." Jesse turned around, a little childlike bounce to her body, excited about the future bunny trip. Shame she didn't remember screaming her head off at the stuffed bunnies when she was only baby Merrick's age.
"Mind if I come, too?" The voice behind her caused Faith to turn, to see Kennedy standing there, hands in coat pockets, hopeful look on her face.
"Depends..."
"On?"
"How many bunnies you plan to help us catch. We don't want no slackers." Faith tried to be smug but she was jumping in her skin. It took all of her strength not to just jump in Ken's arms like a little kid, like some cheesy romance where the guy twirls the girl around in circles until they both get dizzy and vomit on one another. She swallowed, and watched her ex form a smirk.
"Have you ever known me to slack?"
"I guess that means you're in?" Faith didn't want to sound hopeful but she could tell she wasn't succeeding. The entire time they been apart, she'd had time to think about their future. Once all of the junk was figured out about the tape, then she'd decided about two months ago that she needed to get that Tiffany's ring out, and give her a good polish. She'd done that twice every day, and the elaborate velvet box was sitting on her nightstand, facing towards her, so it would be the last thing she saw when she went to sleep, and the first thing she saw when she woke up; the way she wanted to live her life with Kennedy from then on out.
"Oh, I'm definitely in." Kennedy took a risk, and sat down beside her on the picnic table. "I'm sorry I doubted you."
"I'm sorry, too."
"About what? You didn't do anything."
"I was the one that toilet papered your house."
"That was you? I thought the punk kid next door did it. You know, it didn't take two days after I bought that place before he managed to knock over my mailbox?" Kennedy took her hands out of her pockets.
"Really? Um...that was me, too." Faith averted her eyes. Whoever the neighbor kid was, was getting grief for no reason.
"Huh...I guess you were the one that threw the baseball through the window then."
"Uh...no, that actually wasn't me."
"One less thing I have to apologize to him for yelling about then." They relaxed, and Jesse just cocked her head to the side, studying Kennedy's face.
"You're brown."
"Um...tan, actually."
"Why isn't Aunt Faith brown?"
"I'm from Boston; Kennedy's family is from Brazil." Faith smirked. It was fun to watch kids grow and learn. Her mom had always yelled at her, and told her she was nothing but a waste of space; that she was more trouble than she was worth. Faith had believed her up until her mother's death, which happened while the young woman was doing her time here in the LA women's prison. It wasn't until she started playing with the guys, and met Willow Rosenberg that she'd finally left her mother behind her, finally coming to terms that she 'was' worth it. Faith had every mind to make sure that these kids grew up with exactly that mind set.
"Where's Brazil? Is it beside California?"
"No, kiddo. It's in South America."
"There's a South America? Where's North America?" Jesse didn't understand why her aunts were laughing at her. She just shrugged, and left it alone. "Do you think they'll 'ever' let Elita open her presents? I'm getting bored."
"Just like your mommy; it's scary." Kennedy inched her hand over on the bench, and entwined her fingers between Faith's, who squeezed them in response. "Guess we have a date then?"
"Could be sooner if ya wanna come over for some Jack after this..."
"I'm trying to cut back, actually." Kennedy sighed, and it was her turn to squeeze their hands. "I'd like some coffee, though."
"We'll have to stop by the store then."
"Why?"
"No coffee. Remember? I don't really drink the sh...stuff." Faith looked at Jesse, glad that she was too preoccupied, since Elita had 'finally' started tearing at her gifts.
"We can just drink water, then. No need to buy coffee if you don't drink it."
"True..." Faith leaned over a little, and the two just fell into a warm, gentle kiss. Nothing too heated...yet. Just enough to know that they could do it again. Just enough to calm their nerves. Just enough to say, 'I love you.'
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"She's asleep." Buffy ducked into the bedroom, and kept the door open a crack, as she let her robe fall to the floor. Willow was reading a book on the myth of the werewolf. Buffy just arched an eyebrow in amusement, which caused her wife to blush, and push the book aside.
"Just in case..."
"In case of what?"
"You never know these days..."
"Well, I for one think that you've lost your mind." Buffy inched into the bed, in her previously occupied spot before she went to calm Elita down again. "Want me to help you find it?"
"Oh, it's long gone. Never to be found...bit the dust. Never to be..." Willow stopped, and had no problem with it, as Buffy just melted their lips together, straddling her still nude wife. "Think we'll ever get dressed?"
"Well...I'm voting on no while in the presence of one another but yes in the presence of other people." Buffy just nibbled Willow's ear, trying her best to make up for six months of torture that neither needed to go through. It was set in stone, though. They would always find their way back to each other in the end. It was predestined.
"I read your book at least seven times already." Willow just held her wife's body close, enjoying the sucking sensations the blonde was making on the sensitive spot behind her ear.
"And..." Buffy never stopped what she was doing but shifted a little.
"I can't wait to see what happens in the next. The show's not that big with the reviewers I know but everybody I pass on the street want to know if I can get them your autograph." Willow caressed Buffy's ass, enjoying the smooth skin beneath her fingertips.
"I'm sure..." The blonde just chuckled, and moved her kisses further down Willow's neck. "They ask me for yours, too."
"More like they ask you for the slayer's autograph..."
"Or the sexy redhead..."
"You think she's sexy?"
"Not as sexy as you but she's definitely nice to look at..."
"What if I told you I like to look at the blonde?"
"I'd still know that you'd want to see my blonde more." Buffy stopped her kisses, and apologized again through her eyes. Willow just sighed in response.
"Things happen that people can't control. I get that now but from now on, no more angry Buffy, okay? We talk things out before we kick the other out. Okay?" Willow made little arcs with her fingertips along Buffy's back.
"More than okay." Makeup sex had never been better.
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A/N: Didn't make you wait that one...