Chapter 4:
There was an eerie silence in the room, although, for some reason it felt almost deafening. Buffy smiled nervously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and folding her arms across her chest. She felt uncomfortable as the group of people in front of her kept throwing questioning glances her way. Anya sat next to, who Buffy guessed must be her boyfriend since he had put his hand intimately on her thigh, counting on her fingers and mumbling words under her breath that Buffy couldn't make out.
"Cute kid, can see where she gets her looks from," Oz said with a smile in relation to Tara's physique and facial features.
"Thanks, she's adorable sometimes, although not so much when she was younger." Buffy let out a laugh, her gaze fixed on Oz who seemed to be the only one interested, except for Spike. Anya continued to count on her fingers while Xander and Angel had started a conversation, and Buffy went on; "When she was a baby, God she was difficult!” She laughed a little again. “But I managed…"
She stopped then, having suddenly heard her name being mentioned, and looked over at Xander and Angel who seemed to be in deep conversation. But the minute she locked gazes with them, they became quiet. Another eerie silence.
"Wow, so you were 16 when you had her, that’s so young!" Anya finally blurted out, a smile on her face.
'So that's what she was counting? Took her long enough to figure it out, it’s not like it’s rocket science or anything,' Buffy thought with a suppressed laugh, before a frown creased her face as she once again felt uncomfortable being in this position with a group of strangers.
"Where's her da'? " Spike asked carefully, having spent the last five minutes contemplating whether or not to ask her. But clearly it was a touchy subject, since Buffy abruptly changed the subject and cut him of mid sentence.
"So, what brings you guys to li’l old Sunnydale?" A conversation about Tara's father was one she definitely wasn't having with people she hardly knew, in fact, she wasn't ready to have that with anyone, anytime soon, the feeling and emotions still raw and fresh in her mind, even though it had been 4 years.
"We’re in a band called Love’s Bitch," Xander told her, a huge smile on his face. Xander might not have been the best looking guy of all the band members, but he was obviously very proud of his achievement of being a key member of such an important group.
"Do you mind if I use the bathroom?" Oz asked then, standing up and gesturing with one hand, not knowing where the bathroom was located within the Summers’ household.
"Sure, it's up the stairs and then it’s the first door on the left." Buffy smiled, gesturing towards the stairs. Then she turned her gaze back to Xander. "So that's what the mass squealing last night at the Bronze was about!" She laughed. Spike had taken Oz's seat on the single couch, and was now leaning back, hands clasped together on his lap. Head tilted to the side, he was looking at Buffy up and down, something she was unable to miss. Her cheeks turned into a rosy shade of red.
"Pretty much. Our lead singer, Devin, was being a complete idiot and got caught doing something he shouldn't have. Long story short; we’re here in Sunnydale to find a new lead vocalist." Angel explained, leaning forward and rested his arms on his knees.
"Well, I wish you guys the best of luck; having to deal with all those people who just wanna get your autograph and be in the lime light for a while. Hope you’ll find someone who can actually sing!" Buffy laughed, fiddling with the material hanging down from her side cut top.
"I think we already have," Spike said with a smile. Buffy had a blank look on her face, so he nodded at her to indicate that she was the one he was talking about.
"M-me?! You want me t-to sing for you guys?" Buffy laughed out, pointing at herself in disbelief.
"You have a really great voice, and it would bring a whole new style to the band," Anya said with pleading eyes.
Buffy just let out another disbelieving laugh and shook her head. "I can't! I have commitments here; my daughter, school, my job. I can't just leave for a few months."
"But we’re desperate here! We need someone A.S.A.P, and you would be just the right person for us," Angel pleaded, pointing at her.
"You guys haven't even heard anyone else yet! And…" Buffy was about to go on when there was a knock at the door. "I'll just get that." She gestured at the door and hurried over to open, desperate to escape more questions and the pleading looks she just knew they would give her.
"Xander, make her say yes! She'd be great, but you can't persuade her through sex, because your mine." Anya smiled brightly, patting Xander on the leg and giving him a hug.
"AUNTIE DAWNIE, AUNTIE WILLOW!" Tara's bright scream could be heard from the kitchen, and a moment later the little 4 year old came running out and barreled into the two women who had just walked through the door.
"How's my favorite little niece doing? You've gotten so big, and you look so pretty!" Dawn swooped Tara into her arms and hugged her tight.
"Hi Buffy." Willow smiled, embracing her best friend since 5 years in a warm hug. Buffy returned the smile and hugged her back, watching as Dawn; her younger sister, handed the girl her birthday present.
"Hey Buffy!" The sisters hugged as well. Willow gave Tara her gift, and watched the little girl’s face brighten before she ran into the lounge room to sit down and open her presents. Completely oblivious to the group watching her, she ripped the pink Barbie wrapping paper off and squealed with delight.
"Mommy, look what I got!" Tara jumped up with her two gifts in her arms as Buffy, Dawn and Willow walked into the lounge room.
"Oh wow! Why don't you go show Grams what you got, I bet she'll never guess!" Buffy said with excitement, hyping up the moment for Tara. Spike smiled seeing the interaction between mother and daughter. Buffy made a great mother.
"Buffy, OH MY GOD! What are Love’s Bitch doing in our house?! " Dawn gasped out, quickly grabbing onto Buffy's arm. Buffy was just watching her daughter, whose smile hadn't left her face, as she toddled off into the kitchen and out the back, where Giles and her mother were currently entertaining some of their other relatives. Dawn had to shake her arm to get her attention.
"Huh…? Oh, they’re Giles' friends," was Buffy’s only response, as if having a famous rock band siting in your lounge room was a perfectly normal thing. She just couldn’t see what the big deal was, just shrugging at Willow and Dawn’s reactions.
"Forgive my sister's lack of excitement, she doesn't get out much!" Dawn laughed, moving to stand a little bit in front of Buffy; who just poked her tongue out at her sister. "I'm Dawn, and this is Willow," Dawn went on, pointing to Willow who was standing next to Buffy. She was looking towards the stairs, her mouth in the shape of an ‘o’ as Oz descended.
"Oz, this is Willow. Willow, meet Oz." Buffy smiled, introducing the two. Willow blushed as Oz smiled as well.
"H-hi!" Willow laughed nervously, and her already red face went a deeper shade of crimson.
"Hey!" Oz said, offering his hand in greeting. But instead of shaking it, he brought it up to his mouth and placed a kiss on top of her knuckles, causing Willow to let out a silent gasp. Buffy raised her eyebrows, a knowing look on her face as Willow sent her a death glare; ‘Why hadn't Buffy told them Loves bitch was going to be there?!’
"I'm gonna let you guys get acquainted while I’ll start getting things ready for lunch," Buffy said then, de-tangled herself from Dawn's grasp and made her way over to the kitchen.
..............................Kitchen.............................
Buffy could hear muffled voices and laughing coming from the lounge room as she peeled the cling rap off of the salad bowls. Looking out through the window in the kitchen, she watched Tara run around the backyard with her cousins, and the grown-ups standing around the barbeque as they were cooking the meat. Buffy smiled as Tara squealed while chasing the other kids. She tucked a small stand of hair behind her ear, just as someone coughed from the doorway. Buffy let out a startled gasp and turned to face the intruder.
"Sorry luv, didn't mean to scare you." Spike smiled at her.
"That's ok." Buffy let out a nervous laugh as Spike stood up from leaning on the door frame, and made his way into the kitchen.
"Need any help with that, pet?" he asked, taking the cling rap off of the remaining bowl.
"No I'm good, thanks anyway!" Buffy smiled. Spike just smiled back and spent the next couple of minutes watching her intently as she moved around the kitchen.
"What?" Buffy let out a laugh, catching Spike looking at her yet again. He was now leaning on the island bench, standing on the opposite side from her.
"Nothing." He chuckled. After a few more minutes of Buffy watching Spike watch her, she finally raised her eyebrows.
"Ok, what? I don't have something on my face do I?" Buffy went to wipe her face with the back of her hand.
Spike came around the bench to stand in front of her. "Missed a bit…" Reaching up, Spike brushed his thumb over her cheek, causing Buffy to close her eyes. His gentle touch was soothing, but at the same time igniting a fire inside her that she thought had burned out a long time ago.
"So… do you have a boyfriend, husband?" And with those words, the spell was broken and Buffy opened her eyes, noticing he'd stepped back and was once again leaning on the bench in front of her.
"A world of no. Go the single mother!" Buffy laughed out, moving around the kitchen collecting cutlery and cups, placing them next to the numerous bowls of food. Spike smiled to himself; this new found information was definitely of the good. "Buffy?"
Buffy's only reply was a ‘mmm’ , before looking up and met his gaze. She stopped in her tracks.
"What would you say if I asked you to join the band?"
"I already told you guys, I can't. I have commitments here, like my daughter, school and my job. I can't just up and leave everything, as much as I'd love to" Buffy sighed, sadly meeting his gaze.
"Can you at least think about it some more, pet? Come to the auditions?" Spike pleaded, moving to stand closer to her again.
"And why should I?" Buffy smiled up at him then, raising a brow.
"’Cause if you don't, I'll come and personally collect you myself and drag you there kicking and screaming." Buffy's smile broadened at the image she got. Spike just smiled back, and they both started to laugh.
.....................................Lounge Room.............................
"You guys want my sister to be your new vocalist?! OH MY GOD, this is so unbelievably cool!" Dawn squealed, looking at Willow.
"T-that's really great," Willow said nervously, sparring another glance at Oz.
"I don't think she’ll do it though," Xander sighed.
"Oh, that just sucks! I'll talk to her about it, try and convince her to join." Dawn smiled, the enthusiasm at the thought of her sister joining a band still quite evident on her face.
"I'll talk to her too." Willow blushed as she glanced at Oz, catching him looking at her. She quickly averted her eyes back to Dawn.
"Good, it would be so awesome if she would accept! I think having a female voice on the band will bring a whole new tone to it, not to mention attract a whole new male fan population, ‘cause she's gorgeous. I’m talking instant success, not to mention more money!" Dawn smiled. Anya's eyes brightened at the word ‘money’, which set her and Dawn off on a conversation about how they might be able to get more people into the band.
For sisters, Dawn and Buffy were totally different. Dawn had long brown hair, whereas Buffy’s was golden. Ever since they were kids, one could easily tell their personality traits were different. They’d been fighting constantly, but as they grew older, they also grew closer and their friendship stronger.
"You better make with the major convincing soon, we don't have much time left," Xander said, his arms around Anya.
"I'm on it!" Dawn gave him an assuring smile, deciding that there was no time like the present. Leaving Willow with the rest of the band, she made her way into the kitchen.
.................................Kitchen...................................
"You’re kidding right? Tell me you’re joking!" Buffy laughed, not believing what Spike had just told her.
"I'm serious, luv," he laughed out.
"You really are serious? A fan actually ran up on stage, naked? That's just priceless!" Buffy laughed even harder, clutching her stomach as she did so.
"Unfortunately, he was an ugly bloke too." Spike smiled as Buffy burst into another fit of giggles. Dawn, who had just entered the kitchen, watched the two interact with each other. She smiled at Spike before turning to her sister.
"Hey Buffy."
"Hey Dawnie," Buffy said, turning away from Spike to look at her sister.
"I'm so having a huge conversation with you later." Taking a glass down from the shelf, Dawn poured herself a drink.
"If this is about the whole ‘joining the band’ thing, I'll think about it, ok? But I don't think I can, Dawn." Buffy sighed, looking at her sister who had a questioning look on her face.
"Come on, it'll be great!" Dawn was bouncing up and down in front of her sister.
"I can't, ok! I have Tara to look after," Buffy told her and looked out the window again, smiling at seeing her daughter playing with her cousins.
"But you can! Mom and I can look after Tara, and you can call everyday, and we'll get to see you on TV and on concerts and… Come on, Buffy! You’ve always said you wanted to be in a band, and...." Dawn stopped at the look on her sisters face. Buffy's eyes glazed over, remembering everything she’d wanted to do as a child, the things she had planed. Then he had to come along and ruin everything. Destroying her.
"That was before I got… before I had Tara, excuse me." Buffy rushed past Spike, hurriedly making her way up the stairs.
"Shit..." Dawn sighed out, running a hand through her hair.
"You ok, bit?" Spike asked, a million questions running through his head.
"Yeah, just… " She was interrupted by the doorbell. "I'll get it!" she yelled out, motioning for Spike to wait. She left the kitchen, Spike following behind. He walked into the lounge room and started a conversation with his fellow band members.
...............................Upstairs.........................
Standing in front of her mirror, Buffy pulled down her jeans a bit and lifted up her top. She lightly ran her fingers over the faded scars. The night it had happened, the night he’d marked her, those were a permanent reminder. Buffy let the tears roll down her face as the words repeated themselves over and over in her head.
"Mommy?" The patter of Tara's light steps could be heard, just outside Buffy's door. Pulling up her jeans and flattening her shirt, Buffy wiped her eyes and turned just in time to see Tara come into view.
"Hey baby, what's up?" Buffy knelt down as Tara walked over to her mother and wrapped her arms around her neck. Buffy stood as Tara wrapped her leg's around her mother’s waist.
"Aunt Dawnie said you needed a hug. Don't be upset, Mommy." Tara smiled, stroking Buffy's hair from her face with her small hand. Buffy just let out a laugh and let a last tear fall. "I love you, Mommy." Tara hugged her mother tight.
"Love you to baby. Now, let’s go see if lunch is ready," Buffy finally said, still holding Tara in her arms. Making her way down the stairs. Tara started to wriggle, indicating she wanted to be put down. Then the girl ran into the lounge room, and the room became quiet.
"Hey li’l Bit." Spike smiled. Tara slowly made her way over to the man with strange hair. Tilting her head to the side, she looked at him.
"Wanna watch a movie with me, Mr…?" Tara scrunched up her nose, not knowing what his name was.
"Call me William, or Will. Sure I'll watch a video with you." He smiled as Tara tugged on his hand to get him to follow her.
Buffy watched the scene from the hallway. "You have no idea what you’ve just gotten yourself into!" Buffy laughed as Tara dragged Spike towards the stairs. Spike just smiled.
"Pet, my sister has three kids. One eight, one five and a three year old. I can handle anything!" Tara was already halfway up the stairs. There was a DVD player and a TV in her room, which she was only allowed to watch after her room had been cleaned, or when it was nap time, or when she was playing with someone.
"I hope you like Barbie then!" Buffy laughed, watching Spike and Tara make their way up the remaining stairs. Then the doorbell sounded again. Buffy shook her head, watching Spike disappear into Tara's room.
"God, luv, you get cuter every time I see you!"
"Hey pop, Nan." Buffy smiled, hugging her grandparents.
"Be a good girl and tell us where your mother is, dear," Her Nan asked after giving Buffy a hug.
"She's out back." Buffy smiled, closing the front door behind them. Hearing laughter coming from Tara's room, Buffy made her way up the stairs.
"You could do that, bit," Spike said as Tara was dancing in front of the TV, trying to mimic the characters movements.
"Ah yes... Barbie in Swan Lake... one of my personal favorites." Buffy smiled, leaning against the door frame.
"I now understand what you meant by ‘have no idea what I got myself into’," Spike said, looking back at Buffy from his position on the floor. Tara had plonked herself back down on the floor, intently watching the movie.
"Oh, but there’s more!" Buffy smiled at the blank look on Spike’s face. "Barbie as Rapunzel, Barbie’s princess, and the pauper; Barbie and the nutcracker." Buffy laughed at Spikes ‘Oh yay!’
"You've gotta watch! You’re missing it… look!" Tara said, poking Spike in the face.
"Cute, real cute!" Buffy laughed, pushing off from the wall.
"Thanks, pet," Spike smirked, causing Buffy to blush.
"Eww, not you, that's gross!" Buffy smiled, a teasing note in her voice.
"You wound me with your words, pet!" Spike said, placing his hands over his heart in mock hurt. Buffy just shook her head before making her way out of the room and down the stairs.
"Willium, wanna play 20 questions?" Tara asked then, finally turning her attention away from the TV.
"Ok bit, you go first. Ask away!" Spike smiled, leaning back as Tara started her questions.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
thank you to all those who have reviewed on the last chapter:) cordykitten, Sara, sexiespikelover, Ariadne, sasha, Ivana, Jessica and smlcspike
As you've probably noticed or not.....that last 2 chapters used to be one.....it was originally a 6000 word chapter but i thought i'd make it to separate ones......:)
(i'd just like to thank Pet and Chriss Nicole for BETAing this story for me:)
As you've probably noticed or not.....that last 2 chapters used to be one.....it was originally a 6000 word chapter but i thought i'd make it to separate ones......:)
(i'd just like to thank Pet and Chriss Nicole for BETAing this story for me:)
Chapter End Notes:
:) Another chapter down.....sorry again for the lateness of the update:( i'll try not to take as long next time.....thank you to all those who have reviewed:)......and thank you again to Pet and Chriss Nicole for BETAing this story for me:)