North and South...and West
by Rin
Home
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Everything was packed, and all matters were finally settled. Before the gang left Boston forever, they bid ado to their few friends and neighbors. Liam Angel was the only one upset to see them leave, though he did hold a cool stoicism that rivaled that of Daniel's. Willow tried to hold back her jealousy when he held on to Buffy a little too long during their hug goodbye.
Their first stop was Washington, to visit Sam and his family at the Executive Mansion for a small Christmas party. Small was not what it turned out to be, as the ballroom was full of colorful dresses, and tight-ass politicos. Willow just held Samuel in her arms, and carried him in the line, as they waited to greet Sam and Julia. Buffy gripped Will's forearm, and stayed close, while Faith, Dawn, and Jenny kept RJ occupied in the other room.
When they reached the president and first lady, Sam's serious face melted into a smile, and Julia let out a sigh of relief. They all hugged and chatted with promises to catch up later in the evening, as they were invited to stay the night to take a break from their travels. Will and Buffy heartily accepted the invitation, knowing it would be good to catch up with old friends. They went to inform the others, as they left the Grants to their meet and greet.
Once the party had ended, the entire gang had gathered with the Grants, and followed them up to the second floor. Sam and Julia had the chief usher show the others to their room before retiring to the East Sitting Hall with Buffy and Will, little Samuel going to bed with the others.
"It's good to see you again. I'm happy to congratulate you on your law degree." Sam pulled out an envelope from his interior coat pocket.
"Official orders? I thought when I retired from the military, I wouldn't see these again." Will tried to smile but her face fell a little. Was she being sent somewhere?
"It's my recommendation letter. I've written to an old friend from my early war days that runs a law practice down in Charleston. He's agreed to hire you on the basis of my recommendation. I know you'll get along; you always reminded me a little of him." Sam handed the envelope to the redhead, and noticed the sigh of relief. "I just put it in an official envelope to boost your pride a little, so you wouldn't think I thought you incapable of finding a job on your own. You don't have to accept the position. It's just an offer to help you get started."
"Wow, Sam. Thanks...I mean...it's really nice, thank you, Mr. President." Will took the envelope, and placed it in her own coat.
"None of this Mr. President stuff around me, Will. I've had enough of people kissing my ass all night. Not you, too." Sam chuckled, as he lit a cigar, offering Will one, and smiling when it was refused. "Still clean as a whistle, I see...and no beard yet, either. Does the misses not like the stubble?"
"I can't say that she does." Will blushed a little, and squeezed Buffy's hand in her lap.
"Your little Samuel is getting so big. How old is he now?" Julia placed her hands in her own lap.
"He's four, soon to be five." Buffy was glad to see her old friend. She missed those afternoon teas and visits with all the Washington ladies. "How are yours?"
"Don't make me say; it reminds me of how old I am." Julia seemed to glow. First Ladydom agreed with her.
"Tell me more about this recent case. I had a colleague bring me the weeklies, explaining the sentence, and how the criminal would be fulfilling her punishment within your household?" Sam leaned forward slightly, interested in his former aide's answer.
"Faith really isn't a criminal at heart. She was just handed some back luck in life, that's all. I couldn't trust anybody else to understand that. I saw how Mr. Law looked at her, even during the case." Will sighed. She knew Sam would want to discuss this.
"I thought I read that pompous ass Travers was representing her?" Sam remembered Quentin from his own days at West Point.
"Oh, that's just what I called him because it's all he ever was. He was very by the book." Willow wanted to claim that the eggnog wasn't making her think clearly tonight.
"Yes, well, I hope you don't take home every criminal you represent." Sam eyed the young man with both pride and admonishment. "You have too big a heart, Will. That will either be your downfall, or your Excalibur."
--
They pulled into the Charleston station a day earlier than anticipated, and Buffy and Dawn were almost jumping out of their seats, excited to see their family again. Dawn had decided that she and RJ would move back to SunnyDale, and leave her sister's household. She'd been a burden too long, almost 4 years now. RJ was getting so big, almost three years old himself. Looking over at her little son, asleep beside her, Dawn decided that moving them back home was the best decision. Besides, it was getting a little crowded in the Rosenberg household.
"We're a day early. Mother will be surprised to see us so soon." Dawn noticed that Buffy was fidgeting her fingers. Will was still asleep beside her, Samuel in his lap. "Perhaps you should wake your husband and son? Wouldn't want them to miss out on all the carryin'. I swear, I don't know how you managed to get so much stuff in that little townhouse."
"Hey, some of it was yours, too. Besides, after Christmas, Will and I plan on findin' a nice house to settle in. The plantation is big but not that big." Buffy smirked at her sister before she placed her shaky hands on Willow's neck. There was a sigh of content, and a slight purr from the redhead.
"Mmm...baby, not right now. Sleepy..." Willow was starting to wake, and her smile indicated that 'not right now' was probably actually happening now in her dream. Buffy just smirked before blowing in the redhead's ear. "Mmm...baby, you know I can't right now...too much blood."
"He sure has some strange dreams..." Dawn blushed, having an idea what the young man was talking about. "Um...maybe you should shake him before he says more than I want to know about you two?"
"Will, baby...we're here. The train's stoppin'. Time to get up, and be all manly." Buffy whispered into the redhead's ear.
"I'm up...see?" Willow's eyes were swollen from sleep, as she rubbed the blurry from them. Stretching as best she could with Samuel in her lap, she let the little boy sleep. They could put him and RJ in the carriage with Jenny while they packed everything. "We're here? Do you see Forrest?"
"No, dear. We're a day early. Forrest won't be here. We'll have to borrow a carriage, unless you want to show off those muscles, and carry everything while we walk." Buffy smirked, as she noticed her husband's pout start to form. "None of that now. You know I can't resist kissin' you when you pout like that."
"That was the reason for it." Willow just pouted fully behind her smile, and waited until Buffy rolled her eyes in amusement before leaning forward for a kiss. "Mmm...now, that's a good way to wake up."
"And on that note, we've stopped, and it's time to get off this train. I feel like I've been sittin' for days." Dawn stood and stretched, as she gathered RJ in her arms. The others weren't far behind her.
"That's cause we have been sittin' for days, Junior." Faith's cleavage stuck out from her bodice, as she stretched her arms above her head in front of Buffy. Whether intentional or not, Buffy still blushed, as she walked past the brunette, and took a sleeping Samuel from Will.
"Faith, make sure all our luggage is gathered, while I see about getting us a carriage." Willow just departed the train, and went in search of a way home. 'A day early...Buffy must be excited to see Joyce.'
Once everything was settled, the rest of the trip to SunnyDale was easy. There was a slight snow on the ground, and they went slower than usual but tomorrow was Christmas Eve, and that meant that Mary would be getting ready to make her goose. A nice bath would be nice, too...and a warm bed. They hadn't been back here since...well, since Samuel was born, and Tara...
The memory must've registered in them both at once, as Buffy and Willow made sad eye contact.
"Mother will be happy to see her grandsons have grown so much." Buffy wanted to change the subject because she knew the next memory was Willow feeling guilty about killing Warren, and this was to be a happy time. They were returning home.
"I know she will. It'll be good for you to live close to her again. I know you've missed her more than you admit." Willow squeezed Buffy's hand, and placed a kiss on her palm. "We should be there shortly. There's Mont Royal."
"It's a shame the house burned down. It was such a beautiful place. We'll have to visit the Mains, and see how they are adjusting since Ory's death." Buffy didn't know what to think when her mother had written them about Ory's murder. She had known him well, since he and William would play together as boys. The Mains were dear friends before the war tore everybody apart. Perhaps it was a good time to mend things.
"That would be nice. We can take them one of Mary's pumpkin pies." Dawn remembered how Buffy and Brett Main, the youngest daughter, would stay together at balls, even though it was obvious Buffy was itching to leave. "If we can keep your husband from eatin' it all before we get there."
"Oh, look! There it is...oh, Will!" Buffy almost jumped in her seat when she saw the plantation on the horizon. "There's your water wheel."
"Huh...I figured that thing would be long gone by now." Willow was surprised to see her contraption still there, albeit frozen along the creek but still there. "Remember in the barn when I was making it? You practically attacked me."
"Yes, well, if you wouldn't have been ignorin' me, maybe I wouldn't have had to attack you." Buffy smirked, and her eyes seemed to darken. Faith recognized the signs, and couldn't resist.
"Woah, B...you get naughty with Red here in the barn?" She had this seductive smirk on her face, and Jenny just smacked her arm to shush her.
"Wait...you finished buildin' that thing before you were married...long before, actually. Buffy, you and...really?" Dawn was shocked to hear such things about her sister.
"Oh! No...no...nothing like that. She just kissed me." Willow blushed even further, already red from Faith's earlier comment and the memory.
"Head out of the clouds, Dawnie...though it was some kiss. As I recall, you had me on the cotton..." Buffy smirked. She loved to make the redhead squirm, and squirm she did.
"Hey look! The house!" Willow looked out the window, and was happy for the distraction.
"Oh...you're not gettin' off that easy, Will Rosenberg. You owe me for leavin' me in such a frenzy that day." Buffy was surprised at her own conversation, at least in front of other people.
"I did not! Xander interrupted." Willow pouted again, and received the usual kiss from Buffy, though this one held more promise than the earlier one on the train.
"Okay, enough you two. I realize we've been cooped up in a little dwelling for a long time but it would be nice if we could make it there without you two undressing each other." Jenny smirked. It was good to see these two in such high spirits. They deserved it after all the pain and heartache they'd gone through these past two years. "If I had a five dollar note for every time I've caught them in the act, I would be wealthier than the Queen of England."
"Me, too." Dawn smirked, as she almost bounced in her seat. "Oh, mother and Dr. Giles are going to be so happy to see us so soon."
"I wonder if William is doin' okay since Drusilla left him." Buffy was worried about her big brother. Even though she never understood the attraction, that crazy older woman was the sun and stars to William.
"I'm sure he's doing fine, dear. His baby sisters are coming home, so he shouldn't be that sad anymore." Jenny patted Buffy's knee, as they pulled into the entranceway to SunnyDale plantation. The anticipation of arriving seemed to make everybody bounce in their seats a little, or it could've been the road.
When the carriage stopped, nobody moved. They just sat there, and stared up the stairwell, waiting for something to happen. When nothing did, Faith decided to get things moving, as she stepped from the carriage to help the driver with the luggage. She noticed Jenny was the only other person that had exited the carriage. The others just sat there, and stared at the doorway.
"Well, you comin'? I can't carry it all by myself, and this guy can't stay here all day." Faith held the door open, and helped Dawn out of the carriage first. Then, Will exited, and Buffy followed. Once Will paid the driver, he took off back to town, as they all just stood there, and stared up at the entryway.
"Home." Buffy finally smiled, and relaxed.
"Home." Willow handed Samuel to Buffy, as she went to help Faith grab the luggage.