North and South...and West
by Rin
Flawless
[reviews]
As the weeks passed, a pattern started to embed itself on the household. Dawn would wake in the middle of the night in a sweat and panic, Buffy would soothe her back to sleep, while Will tended to Samuel. Once everybody was back in bed, nobody would wake until the first signs of sunrise, where Willow would make her way to the backyard, and continue to condition her body. Dawn would crawl into bed with Buffy, and the two sisters would take care of Samuel when he woke.
Whenever Willow came inside, she would start breakfast for the family, and be joined by the others and Mrs. Calendar within ten minutes. Dawn was so amazed that this man would do all this, just to make sure that she felt comfortable around him. He was almost emasculating himself by taking on traditional women's roles. Dawn was comfortable around a man for the first time in weeks.
The sisters would take Samuel on a walk in the afternoon, right after Julia Grant visited for tea. When Will arrived home from work, the family would go about having dinner, and sitting in the den afterwards to talk. Dawn was enjoying this time with her sister's family immensely. That was...until one morning, she was sick.
Willow had the doctor come by, and talk to Dawnie after the third day. The young girl would be sick in the morning but fine the rest of the day, never a fever but vomit would occur. Buffy hated to think what it might be, after spending time with Tara. The doctor only confirmed what she feared: her sister was pregnant.
Dawn wouldn't leave her room after that, choosing to stay cooped up inside. The pattern was lost, and the progress the young woman had made over the past few months had completely backfired. How could one horrible act bring about something that was supposed to be beautiful? How could she return home, for fear of Riley Finn discovering that she was pregnant with his bastard child?
Buffy wrote home, informing her mother, whose reply was to show up at their house in Washington. William and Dr. Giles had joined their mother on the trip, and Forrest and Mary were overseeing the plantation. The entire family was there (save for Drusilla, who was not well enough to make the trip...thank god), and Buffy only wished that it were better circumstances that brought them all together again.
"Something on your mind?" Willow looked over from her spot in bed, and noticed her wife had a speculative expression plastered across her face.
"What's not on my mind is the better question?" Buffy looked over at Willow, and sighed. She had tried to be strong for her sister but it was hard to think that anybody could turn a beautiful thing into something ugly.
"Wanna talk about it?" Willow closed her book, and held it in her lap. "You've been quiet since your family arrived today."
"I just...how could this happen to Dawnie? She's the sweetest girl I know." Buffy took Willow's book from her, and placed it on the bedside table. "I guess I just don't understand...or my mind doesn't want to understand."
"That's understandable." Willow smirked a little at her clever answer, as Buffy cuddled into her side.
"I know Dawnie wants to keep the baby...but I can't imagine what'll happen if Riley Finn ever finds out." Buffy started to play with Willow's nightshirt. "I could kill him."
"Don't talk like that, baby." Willow kissed Buffy's forehead, and ran her fingers through those soft, blonde locks. "He'll get what's coming to him, I'm sure of it. In the meantime, all we can do is be there for Dawn. She can live with us for as long as she needs."
"She was doin' so good, though. I think she was startin' to forget it happened." Buffy sniffled a little, and relaxed under Willow's hands.
"I don't think this is something she'd ever forget...but I know what you mean." Willow pulled Buffy's head up to give her a sweet, loving kiss. "We'll take care of her. I'm sure your mother won't leave unless she feels all is well."
"You're amazin'...ya know that?" Buffy leaned up to give Willow another sweet kiss. "You've been so patient and lovin'...and you've even womanized yourself a little to help Dawnie cope. I know how hard that is for you, since you've come this far to make yourself a man."
"I'd do anything for you, and that extends to your family. Dawn is family, and I'll do anything to see that she gets better." Willow had made sure the doctor visited weekly, to help Dawn cope mentally and emotionally, and not just physically. "I love you, and know how much your sister means to you. I want to see her happy, so that you can be happy."
"I am happy...even if I haven't been able to show it lately." Buffy kissed Willow again, and kept their lips touching softly. "I love you, and want to show you how grateful I am."
"You already do..." Willow's hormones were on overdrive. Buffy was deliberately driving her crazy at this point. They hadn't made love since before Dawn's arrival. Two months was torture, especially after all the great sex they were having before they'd learned about the situation. "We don't have to, if you're not..."
"I want to...believe me, it's been killin' me not to touch you, too." Buffy brought their lips together in a passion that had built up, and not been released for months. She entwined her hands in Willow's red locks, and made sure their mouths never parted. With all the ugliness this act had been to Dawn lately, Buffy found that she still craved it nightly from the redhead. Yet, she had held back, afraid that her sister would hear them through the walls. Tonight, though...Dawn was sleeping upstairs with their mother. Buffy couldn't contain that little bit of selfish glee upon finding out the night's sleeping arrangements. "I want you to remind that this is truly beautiful, that it's not the ugliness we've been surrounded by every day."
"I will, Buffy. I always will." The redhead went about removing Buffy's smock gently, brushing her fingertips lightly against that silky skin she'd missed so much. Placing soft kisses against the blonde's exposed neck and shoulder, Willow proceeded to remind Buffy just how beautiful making love was.
--
It was decided. Dawn would stay with them until she was full and ready to return home, be it next month, next year, or ten years from now. Joyce and crew finally headed back to SunnyDale after two weeks, and only with a constant reminder that they couldn't let their own lives be disrupted. The wedding between Dr. Giles and Joyce was on hold until Dawn was better, and they both would return with William when the baby was due in six months.
The pattern started to pick back up again, except Dawn would sleep better at night, Samuel was getting bigger (and had started walking), and Buffy was no longer afraid to have sex with her husband on a nightly basis. All in all, it was a better pattern for everybody.
Everybody except Amy.
The young woman didn't understand what was happening exactly but got the summary from Jenny. Mrs. Rosenberg's sister was pregnant, and would be living with them until further notice. Dawn was a nice enough lady but Amy was annoyed by her.
What really started to bother Amy was that she was having lustful thoughts about a man that was NOT her husband. Rack would be so upset, and probably hit her if he ever found out. Mrs. Calendar would probably fire her, or talk to Mrs. Rosenberg, or worse, General Rosenberg, the object of her desire. What was it about this man that made all the women want him? Was it his boyish good looks? His charm? His intelligence? His money? His rank? Perhaps, it was the way he adored his wife, and never looked at another woman? Maybe it was a combination of everything.
Amy was determined to find the flaw in him, to help alleviate her own desires. Maybe then, she wouldn't have to worry about calling out another man's name during her wifely duties. She still didn't understand how Mrs. Rosenberg initiated as much sex as her husband. It was written all over her face: General Rosenberg was one helluva lover. Amy was never that interested in it. Maybe Rack wasn't that great. He just went in, did his business, and got out. Amy didn't see the excitement in that. What was General Rosenberg doing to his wife that made her want it all the time?
All Amy knew is that she was dying to find out.