Getting Ahead of Myself
by sailor80
Thirty-one
[reviews]
Noise from downstairs drew their attention, and they separated. Buffy held on to Willow's hand as they went to investigate. They followed the sound to the kitchen, where Dawn beat on the tray to her high chair while Faith sat in a chair and rubbed her head. Tara was at the freezer, getting ice, while Joyce struggled to look sympathetic.
"What happened?" Buffy asked, and Joyce burst into giggles.
"Oh yeah, nothin' like sympathy," Faith muttered. She flinched when Tara put ice on her head.
"You'll be all right," Tara said, amusement obvious in her voice. She looked at Buffy and Willow. "Your daughter bounced a can of Spaghetti-os off Faith's head," she said, smiling, then returned her attention to Faith. "I told you to put them in a bowl."
"Getti ohs!"
"I will next time," Faith said, and glared at Dawn, who laughed.
"Are you hungry?" Tara asked. "I made plenty."
"Thanks," Willow said, and pulled away from Buffy to get plates, cutlery and glasses. Buffy got milk from the refrigerator and filled the glasses before sliding into a chair beside Willow.
The others stayed at the table and talked around them while they ate. When they finished, Buffy removed Dawn from her high chair and took her upstairs to prepare for bed while Willow, Faith, and Tara cleared up the mess in the kitchen. Joyce followed Buffy upstairs.
Joyce stood in the bathroom and watched Buffy bathe Dawn. "Hey," she said softly, to let Buffy know she was there.
"Hey," Buffy answered without turning. She finished rinsing the soap from Dawn's hair and removed the stopper. Buffy stood, raising Dawn with her, and when she turned around, Joyce draped a towel over Dawn. "Thanks."
The three of them went to the nursery. Joyce sat in the rocker and watched Buffy dry, diaper, and dress Dawn. Then she handed Dawn to Joyce, who rocked while studying her daughter.
"What?" Buffy asked finally.
"Are you all right?"
"Yeah," Buffy answered unconvincingly.
"And Willow?"
"I don't know."
"What's going on?"
"You heard what Giles said." Buffy went and stood beside one of the windows and looked out into the back yard. "We got crazies lined up to kill Dawn and end the world."
"There must be a way to stop them."
"I hope so." She saw a glint of metal and swore softly. "Stay here," Buffy instructed. She turned out the light, and the hall light. From the top of the stairs, she yelled, "Faith! Check the back yard!" and charged down the stairs. She used the newel post to turn the corner on the stairway and skidded to a stop in front of the weapons chest. She grabbed the first two swords she saw. "Willow!"
"Right here," Willow answered softly from behind her.
Buffy stood and turned. She offered the short sword to Willow. "Mom and Dawn are in the nursery."
Willow nodded and took the sword. "Be careful." She kissed Buffy quickly before heading upstairs.
Buffy opened the front door. Three of the knights stood on the sidewalk. They stared at each other for nearly a minute before one of them said, "We are here for the Key."
"One," Buffy said angrily, "I don't have your stupid key. Two, I told you to leave us alone."
The knights turned their attention away from Buffy as Faith and Tara appeared from the side of the house, dragging another knight by the feet. They pulled him to the sidewalk and joined Buffy on the porch.
"Take your friend and leave," Buffy ordered.
"We will send as many as it takes."
"And we'll whip all of them," Faith answered. "Now get the hell outta here before I lose my temper."
The showdown continued for several more seconds. The silence was broken by the arrival of Sunnydale police cruisers from either end of the block. Four officers got out of the vehicles. They stayed behind the open vehicle doors and drew their weapons, aiming them at the knights.
"Ladies, go inside. We'll handle this," one of the officers called.
Buffy, Faith, and Tara were happy to oblige. Faith and Tara blocked the officers' view of Buffy, so they didn't see the long sword. Once they were inside, Buffy thrust the sword toward Faith and tore up the stairs.
Both Joyce and Willow were looking at the door when Buffy appeared. She stopped in the doorway and looked from Dawn to Willow.
"Buffy?" Willow asked.
"You're right, Will. I'm sorry." Buffy entered the room and took Dawn from Joyce. She settled her on her shoulder, then wheeled around and picked up the diaper bag before heading for the hallway.
Willow laid the sword on the floor and followed Buffy to their room. Joyce trailed behind them. Buffy laid Dawn on their bed and went to the window. There were more lights outside now. Two additional squad cars and an ambulance had joined the confusion. She watched as the three conscious knights were handcuffed and placed into separate cars, which quickly pulled away.
Buffy heard the knock on the door and decided to let Tara and Faith handle the police. She watched the ambulance pull away before closing the bedroom door softly.
"Buffy, what's going on?" Joyce asked.
Buffy looked past her mother to Willow. "The knights were here." Buffy looked back to her mother. "We have to leave tonight. When Faith and Tara are finished, I'll get them to drive us to the airport."
"You can't just leave," Joyce said.
"We can, and we are." Buffy went to the bed, where Willow sat beside Dawn. "What can't you live without?"
Willow looked up at her. "You. Dawn."
"Computer?" Buffy asked.
"Tara will need it to research. I can get another one."
Buffy nodded. She heard the front door open and close, and a few moments later, the swirling red and blue lights disappeared. There was rapping on the door just before it opened.
"Neighbors called the cops," Faith reported.
Buffy nodded. "We're taking off for a while."
"I figured." Faith answered.
"We'll hide in the back of the Jeep, and you guys take us to LA. We'll take the first flight we can get away from here." Buffy looked back to Willow for confirmation.
"Lemme know when you're ready to roll," Faith said, and followed Tara from the room. They went to the kitchen, where Faith calmly prepared half a dozen bottles. She gathered food and snacks for Dawn, then jogged upstairs to get another diaper bag. She threw in extra diapers, wipes, and three changes of clothes, then hurried back to the kitchen and finished packing it. She put the bag by the door, and passed Tara, who sat quietly at the kitchen table, her eyes closed, on the way to the basement.
Faith brought two extra quilts and a blanket up from the basement and put them with the diaper bag. Then she joined Tara in the kitchen. Faith put one hand on Tara's and realized she was doing some kind of magic, and sat without talking until Tara finished.
Upstairs, Willow gathered a change of clothes for both of them and the envelope that held documents she thought they might need. Their keys went into the bag along with a light jacket for each of them. Willow put her wallet in her hip pocket and slid Buffy's in the other one.
Across the hall, Joyce handed Buffy all the cash she had on hand and hugged her tightly. "Be careful, honey, and come home soon."
"As soon as we can, Mom." Buffy kissed Joyce's cheek. "Love you."
"Love you, too, honey." Joyce squeezed her one more time before letting go.
Buffy and Willow came downstairs moments after Tara finished. Buffy carried Dawn and the diaper bag. Willow followed with a backpack. "Faith," Buffy called.
Tara and Faith came in from the kitchen. "You ready?"
"Yeah."
"C'mon, then." Faith picked up the diaper bag and blankets. Tara grabbed her bag on the way past the couch.
They entered the garage through the back door. While Tara adjusted the seat and mirrors, Willow put the bags in the floor behind the front seats. Faith spread the quilts in the back of the Jeep. Willow climbed in first, and took Dawn from Buffy, who scrambled in. They lay facing each other, Dawn, between them, and Faith spread the blanket over them. She closed the lift gate and got into the passenger seat.
Tara drove carefully while Faith watched to be certain they weren't being followed. In the back, Buffy and Willow talked in low tones, trying to decide where to go.
"B, you might hang at Fang's for a day or two," Faith suggested. "He oughta be able to suggest some good places."
Buffy and Willow talked about it, and Buffy said, "All right, take us there."
"I don't know where his place is."
"Call him and get directions."
"Phone's in my purse," Tara said.
Faith's conversation with Wesley was brief. She jotted down directions on a pad Tara handed her, then closed the phone. She glanced casually behind them. "How long's that cop been back there?"
"Since the last exit."
Just then, the lights and siren came on, and Tara pulled over. "Leave the engine running," Faith said.
Tara nodded and put the Jeep into park. She lowered the window just enough to hear and be heard. At first, everything seemed routine. Then he asked to search the vehicle. When he left the window to open the lift gate, Faith told Tara, "Go, now."
Tara didn't ask any questions. She didn't like the officer, who seemed uncomfortable in the CHP uniform. Tara floored the accelerator, driving faster than she had since fleeing her hometown.
"Willow, can you put a glamour on the car?" Tara asked.
"No problem," Willow answered, and after a few seconds of composing her thoughts, began to chant quietly. Tara felt the magic began, and slowed down to just over the speed limit. Moments later, the patrol car flew by, lights and siren activated.
It was still dark when they reached the Hyperion, and Faith was glad Wesley had mentioned the underground garage. They parked next to the only other vehicle there, and everyone got out. Buffy stretched before picking up Dawn. Faith grabbed the bags with one hand and held the garage door with the other. They filed in behind Buffy and followed the signs to the lobby.
Angel jumped up from the couch when he heard their footsteps. He moved toward Buffy but stopped when he saw Dawn. He looked at her for a few seconds, then shrugged. He hugged her gently, then Willow, and gestured for them to take a seat.
"What's going on?" he asked.
Buffy groaned. "Hellmouth crazies."