Getting Ahead of Myself
by sailor80
Twenty-nine
[reviews]
Buffy's afterglow was chased away by her daughter's annoyed squawking. She looked at the clock before rolling from bed. Dawn had let them have an extra hour, Buffy realized while pulling on her robe.
Willow sat up and stretched. She released the spell before Buffy opened the door, then got out of bed herself. Willow put her robe on and headed downstairs.
The house was quiet and the kitchen empty. Willow prepared a bottle for Dawn and started the coffee maker. She got a tray from one of the cabinets and started adding things to it. Mugs first, and spoons, followed by yogurt, fruit, and napkins. When the coffee finished, she put four slices of bread in the toaster and fixed coffee for both of them. Toast, half buttered, half with jam, was the final addition to the tray.
By the time she returned to the bedroom, Buffy was playing peek-a-boo with Dawn, who crowed with delight at Willow's appearance. Willow put down the tray and handed over the bottle. Dawn threw herself back into the pillows, and Willow handed the tray to Buffy so she could get into bed with them.
The three of them took their time with breakfast. Dawn shared Willow's yogurt and Buffy's toast with minimal mess. When they were finished eating, the three of them headed to the shower.
By the time they got downstairs, Joyce was settled on the couch with coffee and the paper. She put the paper aside to welcome Dawn onto her lap. While Dawn occupied herself with her grandmother, Buffy carried the remains of their breakfast into the kitchen. Willow followed her, and lounged against the counter while Buffy did the dishes. After that, they returned to the living room, where Dawn and Joyce were sharing the comics.
Willow sat nearby and started reading the paper. She looked up each time Dawn giggled. Buffy wandered restlessly from room to room, and hurried to pick up the phone when it rang. A few moments later, she returned to the living room to ask, "Mom, is it ok if we barbeque this afternoon? Xander said he'll bring the grill and some hot dogs."
Joyce looked over Dawn's head. "It's fine, honey. It'll be good to have all of you together."
Buffy went back to the phone. When she finished talking with Xander, she called Giles and invited him to join them. Then she headed upstairs. Two minutes later, she kissed Dawn and Willow goodbye and set out for the market.
Xander and Anya were there when Buffy got back. Tara and Faith were up, and everyone was dressed. Joyce was taking pictures of Xander and Dawn playing together. When Buffy went out to gather the remaining groceries, Faith followed her.
They put the things that needed to stay cold in the refrigerator, and Faith went to the basement to get a cooler. They filled it with ice and drinks and carried it into the back yard.
Faith laughed when she saw the clothing spread across the grass. Buffy blushed and hurried to gather everything while Faith set up the lawn chairs. Buffy was able to slip into the basement and dump the clothing in a basket without being seen, but she knew she hadn't heard the last about it from Faith.
When Giles arrived, they moved outside. Buffy and Willow covered a squirming Dawn with sunscreen before letting her go to crawl, scoot, and roll in the grass. Xander and Faith were on the ground with her most frequently. Anya watched Xander and Dawn play with a curious look on her face, but none of them dared ask what she was thinking.
They lingered in the yard long past sunset, enjoying the weather and time outside without weapons. Buffy and Willow were the first to go in, to put Dawn to bed. Joyce and Giles were next, settling on the couch with glasses of wine. Xander and Anya said goodbye, leaving Faith and Tara alone.
Faith got up from her chair and went to Tara. She leaned over her and said, "I wanted to do this all day," before kissing her.
Tara pushed herself up, and Faith pulled them half a step back so they were wound around each other. When they stopped for a breath, Tara asked, "That all you wanted to do?" through her half smile. Faith's eyes twinkled gold at her and the Slayer chuckled throatily. Tara kissed her deeply before Faith could answer. Faith lifted Tara easily, and her legs circled Faith's waist.
Unless it was a witch thing, Faith wasn't interested in sex under the stars. The next time they came up for air, Faith asked, "Can we go in?"
"Why?" Tara murmured and wound her tongue through Faith's ear. Faith pushed her back just enough. "I'll be quiet."
"Not you I'm worried about," Faith smiled.
Tara smirked back. "Trust me, baby."
"With my life," Faith answered, and let Tara press against her.
From the shadows near the nursery window, Willow watched them. She was angry, and didn't understand why. She backed away from the window with a frown. Rationally, she knew she should forgive Faith and let everyone get on with her life. It was obvious that Faith had grown and changed for the better, but it didn't change Willow's visceral feeling of immediate rage.
She chewed on her lip as she checked Dawn one more time. Her daughter was sleeping, and Willow brushed her fingertips across her head. She was growing so fast. It was unnerving. Willow had mostly raised herself, and in a most sensible manner, but worried that she didn't know exactly how to be a parent. Buffy came in and stood beside her, one arm around Willow's waist, the other beside Willows on Dawn's head.
Willow could feel Buffy's smile without seeing it, and she smiled, too. Buffy leaned her head against Willow's. "Pretty cool, huh?"
Willow relaxed a little. "In a really scary way. You know, like when you're waiting for the other shoe to drop."
"Yeah, I know." Buffy squeezed Willow. "Let's go to bed. You know she won't let us sleep late two days in a row."
"All right," Willow agreed. She glanced outside once more, but saw nothing except lawn, so she turned half way around, keeping in touch with Buffy the entire time, and let the blonde lead her to their bed.
While Dawn napped after lunch on Monday, Willow researched. The symbol on Roland's head had bothered her since seeing it there, knowing she had seen it somewhere before. Her fingers moved swiftly across the keyboard, as she searched her usual sites.
Buffy watched over her shoulder sometimes, but mostly she dusted and straightened up, and ran up and down the stairs to tend the laundry. She was passing by on her way to the nursery when Willow crowed, "I knew it!"
"Knew what?"
"That tattoo thingy, I saw it before. Just couldn't remember where. Here it is." Willow turned the laptop so Buffy could see the symbol, which wasn't an exact match, but had the basic elements.
"Better let Giles know," Buffy said. "I'll call him." She went to the phone while Willow continued to read. She left Giles a message, grinning as she always did at the exasperated tone on his machine's greeting.
Buffy folded the last load of laundry and put it on Faith and Tara's bed. Then she jogged upstairs, and hurried to the nursery. Dawn was waking up, she knew, and Willow was engrossed in research.
When Buffy stepped into the nursery, Dawn's head turned toward her, and she smiled, showing one new tooth. "Hey, kiddo," Buffy said as she approached the crib. "Ready for lunch?"
Dawn sat up and stretched, and Buffy laughed softly. She waited for Dawn to pull herself upright before offering her hands. "How's your diaper?" Buffy asked rhetorically.
She stripped Dawn and laid her on the changing table, and blew raspberries on her stomach before opening the diaper. "You know, I've killed things that made this big a mess," she teased her daughter, and continued to talk to her while getting her cleaned up and into a new outfit. Although they had just purchased it, it was obvious this would be the only time Dawn wore it. Buffy smiled to herself. "Shopping's always good," she told Dawn and lifted her to her shoulder.
They went downstairs. Buffy expected to find Willow on her computer, but she was in the kitchen preparing their lunch. After they ate, Willow packed up her computer and Buffy packed Dawn and all her accoutrements, and they set out for the magic shop.
They let themselves in, and when the bell didn't bring anyone, Buffy yelled. Both Tara and Giles answered, and moments later appeared, one from the book loft, the other from the basement.
"Will found out something about the knights," Buffy said.
"Excellent," Giles answered. He pulled out a handkerchief and rubbed his hands while Willow opened her laptop on the counter. She brought up the copy of the saved page and left him to it.
"I'm still doing inventory in the basement," Tara said.
"I'll help," Willow answered, and they went downstairs.
Buffy leaned against the counter and looked around while Giles read. The store was nearly ready to open, she realized. It needed one more good cleaning before the shelves were restocked. Giles had installed a huge round table in the back third of the store. It was surrounded by chairs that didn't match, but were complementary. They looked comfortable, which would be a welcome change from hours spent in the library's unupholstered seats.
When Giles finished reading, he went behind the counter and picked up the phone. He punched in a long string of numbers and tapped his foot impatiently while he waited for the connection. He gestured to Buffy to turn the computer so he could see the monitor, and she did so.
The conversation was brief, and when he hung up, Giles looked at Buffy. "I could use your assistance with some of the bookcases."
"All right," she answered, and picked up Dawn's stroller. "What was that about?"
"Ah, the Knights of Byzantium. I don't understand why Willow was able to find information about them, yet the Council claims to know nothing."
Buffy followed him into the book loft. Giles suggested that Buffy put Dawn near enough the window that she could see out while they worked, and once Buffy verified that Dawn would be in her line of sight the entire time, placed her where Giles suggested and handed her some of her toys.
Dawn played quietly while Buffy struggled with the huge wooden bookcases. "You could have taken the books out," she complained to Giles.
"You would only complain about reshelving them," he pointed out.
"Uh, yeah, I mean, you're getting free labor."
"Only until we open. Then, Anya will help out here."
"Where is she?"
"Finishing her last few days at her current employment."
"Huh," Buffy grunted, and got the second set of shelves where Giles wanted them.
The phone rang while he gave directions for the next unit, and he hurried to answer it after he finished. Buffy concentrated on what she was doing, and when she finished, turned her attention to Dawn while she waited for Giles to return. Dawn was sleepy, and the second time she yawned, Buffy laid the stroller back so she could nap.
She heard Giles' side of the conversation, and the scratching of pen on paper as he made notes. It was several minutes between the time he hung up the phone and came back upstairs. He didn't say anything about the conversation, so while Buffy moved another bookcase, she asked, "Well?"
"Well what?"
"What did they say about the knights?"
"How did you know I was talking about them?"
Buffy ignored his attempt to redirect the conversation. "What did they say?"
"We should avoid them. They will attempt to negotiate a truce."
"Oh, yeah, and what, they'll get the message in four months?" Buffy grunted with effort as she moved it the last inch.
"Just because they look old-fashioned doesn't mean they are," he lectured.
"Like you, right?"
Giles ignored her and pointed to the last set of shelves. He showed her where he wanted them and stepped out of the way.
When they were finished, Buffy carried Dawn downstairs. She put the stroller down near the table and moved from seat to seat until she found the one she liked best. "Dibs," she called, although no one was near.
The table interested Buffy more than the chairs. It emitted a low level buzz to her Slayer sense, and she carefully examined it. Intricate carvings surrounded the edge, and another ring of them circled the center of the table. She didn't recognize the engravings as letters or shapes, but did look closely at them, and wondered whether any of the others would notice them.
After a few minutes, Dawn began to stir, and Buffy got up to get a bottle from the bag. Tara and Willow came upstairs just as Dawn stretched and woke, and they settled themselves at the table near her while she drank her bottle. It wasn't long before Faith and Joyce wandered in.
"B, that blonde chick was back today." Faith said after she kissed Tara and slid into the chair next to her.
"What, Mom got some more ugly sculptures in?"
"Nah, today she bought ugly paintings," Faith smiled.
"They are not ugly," Joyce said firmly.
"Ugly," Faith and Buffy said in unison. "I'll be delivering them tomorrow," Faith added.
"Wow, Mom, at this rate, you'll be able to retire soon," Buffy teased.
"Be careful what you wish for, Buffy," Joyce answered.
Giles joined them at the table. He removed his glasses and began to polish them. "I spoke with the Council today about the Knights of Byzantium," he started. All eyes turned to him, and he cleared his throat. "They, um, are single-minded in their quest to destroy the Beast, whatever it is, and have been quite ruthless in the past."
"How ruthless?" Joyce asked.
Giles replaced his glasses, but didn't look at her. "They have destroyed entire towns, and overthrown governments. They were last seen during the Inquisition, when they destroyed a monastery deep in the Czechoslovakian mountains, near what is now Kutná Hora, for alleged heresy. That is the last mention of either the Knights of Byzantium or the Key to All Worlds until now."
"Of course they come here," Buffy said. "I hate the Hellmouth."