North and South...and West
by Rin
Makin' Amends
[reviews]
Buffy, Mary, Dawn, and Susie were in the kitchen making Thanksgiving dinner. William decided to stay the extra week to have dinner with his family...and Dr. Giles, who they all were starting to seriously suspect had a thing for their mother.
Will had killed the turkey the night before, and plucked and prepared the beast with Buffy's help. Mary came in and supervised after she heard the commotion and giggles from the kitchen. Afraid her kitchen wasn't going to survive those two, she came in to help as well. 'Never get two lovebirds to pluck a turkey...' That was her new motto.
Willow walked in the kitchen door, holding fresh cranberries she'd picked from the bushes out back. She brought the basket over to the counter island, and accepted the powdery kiss from Buffy, whose face was doused with flour from making the biscuits.
"Some sweets for my sweet." Willow wiped the flour from Buffy's face, and leant in to kiss her again. They kept kissing and making lovebird eyes at each other until Dawn chirped up.
"Geez! You two never quit! Connor and I were never anything like that were we, Mary?" Dawn sent questioning eyes to the older woman, who just puckered her lips, and held in her giggle. "We were nothin' like you two, though. Wherever one is, there's the other...and did you know I caught them doin' it in the barn again yesterday?"
"Now, Miss Buffy, Mr. Will. I done tol' you 'bout makin' it in the barn." Mary tried to suppress her giggle. "You jus' come out of there with hay stuck up yo dress."
"Mary!" Dawn covered her ears. She'd been sexually active before her older sister...but that didn't mean she wanted to SEE said sister in those compromising position.
"It's not my fault my husband's a wild stallion." Buffy smirked at the gaping face of her sister. Catching a glimpse of Willow, the redhead wasn't faring much better.
"Buffy! Geez!" Dawn covered her eyes that time. "It's bad enough we can hear you screamin' all the way up here from the quarters...every night, I might add."
"Not every night..." Buffy kept her smirk at bay. "Besides...we're still newlyweds. We're entitled to a little naked action."
"Miss Buffy, you watch your mouth now." Mary had that amused scolding look on her face. "That's not how a lady speaks."
"Yeah, yeah..." Buffy wrapped her arm around Willow's waist, and pulled her closer. "Wanna help me with the crust?"
"Sure..." Willow's face was still blood red, as she went about helping her wife.
"Aww...you're still blushing..." Buffy leant over to kiss Willow again, much to the protest of her sister and a chuckling Dawn.
"Hey...looks like Buffy's still harrassin' Mr. Will..." Forrest came in the kitchen, a big smile on his face. "I brought the potatoes and beans up. Thought I'd help peel, while you ladies do your thing...but it looks like I'm not the only man in the kitchen today."
"Where's William?" Dawn took the jar of beans from Forrest, and emptied the contents into a new pan.
"Upstairs readin' to Ms. Joyce." Forrest pulled out his knife, and went about peeling the potatoes with skill.
"Good. Mama needs him here. I'm glad he decided to stay a little longer." Buffy took Willow's pie pan, and placed them both in the second stove. "I suppose I'll go upstairs to take my bath. Dawn, will you take up mama's elixir?"
"I can't, Buffy. I just started the beans, and we'll need to pull the turkey out soon." Dawn hated taking up her mother's medicine. She hated to see her mother so weak and tired.
"I'll do it." Willow grabbed the spoon and elixir from the cabinet.
"You sure, baby? We still don't know how she's taken to you yet." Buffy looked worried.
"Well...it's time I started to show her I'm worthy of her daughter, don't you think?" Willow followed Buffy up the stairs. "Besides...as soon as I get done here, I can join you upstairs for that bath...kill two baths in one..."
"Ohh...sounds like a good plan..." Buffy smirked, and kissed Willow before going to start heating the water for their bath.
Willow tapped on Joyce's bedroom door quietly, not wanting to wake her if she were asleep. William opened the door, his eyeglasses almost falling off his nose. He welcomed her in the room when he saw that she had the elixir, though he wasn't sure it was a good idea that of all people, Will had it.
"Why did you bring the medicine? Where are Buffy and Dawn?" William was beyond worried, as he ushered Will into his mother's room. He could see the quiet stare his mother sent Will. It was hard to decipher.
"Dawn's still cooking, and Buffy's drawing a bath." Willow walked close to the bed, and portioned out the elixir. Taking a deep breath for courage, she held the spoon out for Joyce to take. For several seconds, the older woman just eyed the spoon and Willow.
"Could you excuse us for a moment, William? I'd like to speak to Will alone." Joyce swallowed the medicine, and noticed that William was about the protest. "Now, son. It'll be alright. Go see if Mary needs help in the kitchen."
"Yes, Mother." William left the room but he didn't have to like it.
"Come, sit." Joyce patted the side of her bed. "Don't be frightened. I don't have a gun."
Willow sat down on the bed, and Joyce took her hand, studying it, and the golden band that now resided on her left finger.
"I owe you a sincere apology, Will. I've seen how happy my daughter is with you, and I was a fool to ever stop her from marryin' you." Joyce just kept Will's hand in between her own. "You two are adorable together, and I'm sure you'll produce beautiful grandchildren for me."
"Um...thanks?" Willow blushed, and felt even more guilty now. How were they going to give Joyce grandchildren?
"No...thank you, son. You've brought happiness back to this family. I only wish I'd seen it sooner. All of this mess could've been avoided." Joyce started to cough, and Will poured her a fresh drink, helping her drink it. "Rupert tells me how great you two seem together, and I can't help but feel even worse for trying to keep you apart. I only wish I could've seen Buffy's face at the wedding."
"She was beyond beautiful. I have a picture in my wallet, if you'd like to see." Willow made to go get her wallet from downstairs but Joyce wouldn't let the redhead stand.
"Maybe at dinner. We have a lot of amends to make...but I have a feelin' you've already forgiven me."
"From my understanding, Mrs. Summers, you haven't been yourself lately."
"Please...call me Joyce? Or better yet...mother?" Joyce cupped the redhead's cheek in her hand, and couldn't help but feel how soft his cheek was...just like his hands. "You're the gentlest man I've ever known, and I'm happy to have you in the family."
"That...wow...I mean...thanks, Mrs...um...mother..." Willow felt weird calling this woman mother. She never even called her own mother that; it was always Sheila, or yes ma'am...that's when the woman was even around to call her anything.
"Will, son...promise me that you'll make Buffy happy?"
"Always." Willow hugged the woman, and left the room with a bounce in her step. She couldn't wait to tell her wife!