North and South...and West
by Rin
I'm So Tired
[reviews]
One Year Later...
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As the sun was almost finished setting, Willow was walking from the library. Her tired eyes and lazy walk said everything. She had taken on an extra wide load in hopes of getting her law degree sooner. It was just taking a toll on her physical health, and probably her mental, too. It was a good thing Buffy and Samuel completely held her emotional.
Walking up the stairs to their townhouse, she was glad to finally be home. She had gone to class, and been in the library since seven in the morning. Buffy and Samuel weren't even awake yet. Plus, she had barely eaten a thing all day, opting to work nonstop in hopes of finishing her paper a week early. That way, she could take Buffy to the ball their neighbors were holding this weekend.
"Ugh...finally." Willow looked around the front room, and was glad they'd managed to sell their house in Washington. She was glad Ms. Calendar and Dawn decided to join them, since there was no way she could help Buffy with the housework.
"Will, is that you?" Buffy came out of the kitchen holding baby Samuel, who was almost two years old now.
"Yeah, it's me. Sorry I'm late." Willow yawned before she kissed Buffy's cheek, and took Samuel from her. "Daddy was working hard, Sammy. Did you take care of Mommy for me?"
"Daddy!" Samuel hugged Willow's neck tight, and nodded his head.
"Of course you did. You're my big boy." Willow kissed the little boy before putting him down, and letting him go play with his toys. She put her satchel down before falling onto the couch. "At least I got the paper finished, so I can definitely take you to the ball this weekend."
"I told you not to worry about that. We can go some other time. This paper and your health are more important." Buffy came over, and sat down beside her husband. "When was the last time you slept more than four hours a night? You're startin' to look paler than usual, and you're definitely gettin' thinner. Have you not been eatin' lunch again?"
"Well, I didn't have time to pack one before I left this morning. I'll try to remember tomorrow." Willow patted Buffy's knee before laying her head down in her lap. "Mmm...this is nice."
"You really should get somethin' to eat, and then I'm puttin' you to bed." Buffy ran her fingers through Willow's hair. "Plus, you were supposed to go to the barber last week. When your hair is past your shoulders, you start to look like a girl, especially being as thin as you're gettin'."
"Does that bother you?" Willow rolled over, and looked up at the blonde with a smile on her face.
"What?" Buffy smirked at how cute the redhead was.
"That I look like a girl?" Willow saw the blonde roll her eyes, and let out a light chuckle.
"If you recall, I exclaimed how beautiful you were in that family portrait." Buffy lowered her voice to a whisper before leaning over, and placing a light kiss on Willow's lips. "Now, up! We're gonna put somethin' in that belly, and put you to bed."
"Oh, sounds fun." Willow smirked, as she sat up, and followed Buffy to the kitchen after grabbing Samuel.
"No funny business. There will only be sleep tonight." Buffy put on her resolve face, and tried her best to resist the pout. How could she ever think Willow would change? If anything, she was more loving and affectionate, even if she had been too tired this past month to really make love.
"Smells good." Willow sat down at the table, and allowed Buffy to bring her food. Normally, she'd protest at the 'hand and foot' routine but the blonde at least let her hold Samuel in her lap this time. "Did you help Mommy cook tonight?"
"Yep." Samuel just nodded his head. He wasn't big into conversations yet, shy like Tara, reserved like Oz. He did have Buffy's confidence, though. He definitely had her smarts.
"Such a good boy." Willow kissed his forehead before digging into her food. "You gonna help us give you a bath later?"
"Yep." Samuel nodded his head again. He seemed to like helping. It always amazed Dawn how much the little boy was helpful, and rarely a pain in the rear like her own rambunctious son.
"Good. We'll let you pick out your pajamas tonight if you do a good job helping." Willow loved that this little boy was such a great kid. She only hoped he stayed that way. "Now, let Daddy finish eating, and we'll go give you a bath before bed, okay?"
"Okay, Daddy." Samuel hopped off Will's lap, and went over to sit on Buffy's lap, who had occupied the seat across from the older redhead.
"Dawn's already upstairs, and Ms. Calendar is in bed. I don't think she's feelin' all too well." Buffy ran her fingers through Samuel's short red hair, as he just sat there, and bounced on her knee. "I'm gonna get the doctor to come check on her tomorrow, if that's all right with you."
"Of course. I'll give you some money for the apothecary, too, just in case. I didn't realize that Boston winters were so cold. I think it even started snowing a little between classes." Willow finished her roast and potatoes before moving to do the dishes. Buffy stood to protest. "No. Sit. I can do the dishes. You go on upstairs, and get Samuel ready for his bath. I'll be up in a minute."
"You're so stubborn sometimes." Buffy smiled, and kissed Willow before carrying baby Samuel upstairs. The townhouse was definitely smaller than what they were used to but it was exactly what they needed. Plus, they had agreed to move to Charleston once Willow was finished anyways, so there was no need to invest in another home. The cozy little townhouse did them just fine.
Willow finished the dishes, and headed upstairs to see Samuel attempting to undress himself, Buffy there to help. She went to check on Dawn and Ms. Calendar before they called it a night, as well. Dawn was playing with baby RJ, mostly chasing after him, trying to calm him down for bed, and Ms. Calendar was asleep. Making her way back into their bedroom, Willow noticed Samuel was now shaking from the cold on his naked body.
"Good job! Did you get undressed by yourself this time?" Willow closed the door, and went over to put two logs on the fire.
"Mommy helped." Samuel let his mommy wrap him in a towel to keep him a little warm before they got the water in the small basin. "Cold?"
"Yes, baby. It's cold. We'll get you warm. Just a minute, okay?" Buffy pulled Samuel into her warmer body, while Willow poured the now warm water into the tub.
"I have final tests coming up in a few weeks, and then I'll be out for Christmas." Willow had given up much pretense of Hanukkah. She still lit the menorah, and made latkes but she didn't bother with presents, or any of the other festivities. She only felt bad that she couldn't give Samuel and Buffy all they deserved but they had to be frugal with their money to insure they would have enough until she graduated. She was going to break down, and get Samuel that wagon he'd been eyeing at the market downtown. There was no letting Buffy talk her out of it this year.
"Good. Then, you can finally rest, and we can enjoy the holidays." Buffy was worried about Willow. The redhead was wearing herself thin, even if she tried her best to hide it. Still, Buffy knew. "Ready, baby?"
"Yay!" Samuel carefully crawled into the basin, and started to wash himself. He really was becoming a big boy. "Soap?"
"Here ya go." Buffy handed him the soap, and watched him rub it all over his body, including scrubbing his little fingers through his hair. "Good job. Now rinse."
"Cup?" Samuel took the cup, and rinsed himself off. Buffy put in a hand to make sure the soap was completely out of his hair this time. When he was finished, he stood up. "All done."
"Great job." Willow walked over, and pulled him out with the towel wrapped around him. She towel-dried his hair before taking him over to his side of the small room. There, he had a tiny bed, and a small dresser. "Which pajamas would you like tonight? Blue or stripes?"
"Blue." Samuel let his daddy finish drying him before pulling his blue nightshirt over his head, and pulling his underpants on him. "Thanks, Daddy. Story?"
"Of course." Willow pulled the covers back on the tiny bed, and Buffy came over to help tuck him in for the night. The older redhead told Samuel a story, one of dragons and knights, damsels and horses. As it happened every night, the little boy was asleep before the ending, and the two parents kissed his forehead before making sure he was snug and warm for the night. "I'm thinking it's about that time for me, too. Think you can tell ME a story?"
"Only if you're a be a big boy, and dress yourself." Buffy smirked before pulling off her corset, and pulling on her night smock.
"I thought you liked me better undressed." Willow pouted a little before pulling off her sweater. Her hair fuzzed, and there was no way she could avoid taking a bath of her own. She started to heat up some more water over the fire. "Care to join me?"
"I would love to, actually." Buffy pulled off her night smock, as she grabbed two towels from the rack. "We haven't taken a bath together since...well, since Washington really."
"Wow. It's been that long? How dare us..." Willow smirked, as she poured the water into the claw foot tub in the corner. "I'm just glad this place had a big tub. That's one amenity I couldn't do without. Not again, anyways."
"I bet you all smelled real good durin' the war." Buffy smiled, as she glided into the water. The steam felt good on her frozen body. Willow followed suit, as she slid in behind Buffy.
"Wearing dresses in the blazing sun back in California? That was torture. Braving the stink of a thousand soldiers two weeks ripe? That was hell." Willow chuckled a little, as she wrapped her arms around her wife. "I thought you said no funny business."
"Well, it has been a little over a month...and you did finish your paper. I suppose we could celebrate a little." Buffy relaxed against Will before closing her eyes in content. She really did miss these quiet, sensual moments. "Did they tell you whether you'd be finished next year or not?"
"No, not yet but I'm way ahead of schedule. I'm in the second year level classes already, and I'll have them all finished by next winter, so I don't see why they wouldn't let me leave a year early if all the work was finished." Willow just relaxed her back against the cold tub, and let Buffy's warmer body heat her own.
"If they don't let you, I'll just go beat 'em up for ya." Buffy smiled through her closed eyes. She could fall asleep like this. It was warm, it was comfortable, and it was in Willow's arms. "I guess we should..."
"Buffy, do you have an extra..." Dawn stopped in her tracks. There was vomit all down her night smock, and she stared at the two in the tub. Buffy was relaxed completely against Will, and they were both naked...or one would assume. "Sorry. I was lookin' for an extra towel. RJ just got sick on me."
"We see that." Buffy leaned further back into Willow, hoping that she was covering all female parts successfully. "There's some in the kitchen from yesterday's wash."
"Okay, thanks." Dawn left the room. It was the first time she hadn't teased them about catching them naked together. Then again, she knew that Buffy was frustrated lately because Will hadn't been able to perform due to his lack of energy. She didn't want to get her sister upset, or ruin the mood for them if Will was able to make love. She'd heard men sometimes have that problem. The way those two go at it, though, she'd never expected Will to have trouble functioning. He'd also been working triple time at his law school, too.
"That was close. She hasn't walked in on us since she first arrived in Washington." Buffy let out a big sigh of relief, and Will's wasn't far behind. "We should really start lockin' that door."
"I know. I'm just afraid we'll fall asleep, and forget to unlock it, and something happens that they can't get in to tell us." Willow pulled the soap from the stand, and began to wash Buffy's body. "I like it when you're all wet like this. Your skin always glows."
"We can sleep. I can hear it in your voice, you're about to nod off. This can wait until you're well rested. I don't want you to feel pressured to make love, or think that it's your duty. Sure, it'd be nice but I want you well first, okay?" Buffy turned around, and helped Willow wash herself. The redhead's eyes were seriously drooping. Still, she tried so hard to stay awake, and at least tend to Buffy's needs. She hated leaving her wife in a tizzy.
"Love you." Willow's eyes were dropping fast, so Buffy helped her get out of the tub before wrapping a towel around her, drying her off, and pulling a nightshirt over her head. The redhead didn't argue for once, and she even let Buffy pull undergarments on her. She really was tired.
Buffy didn't even have all the oil lamps turned out before Willow was asleep in the bed. Smiling, she just crawled under the bed herself, and curled up to her husband. She would be glad when that Christmas break was here, so that the redhead would take care of herself better, and not worry so much about finishing school so fast.