Alright.. here it is... and it's still not to the point where I wanted it to be (timeline wise)... but.. dammit... I left you guys on a wicked cliffhanger and I never meant for you to have to wait this long for the resolution. (Oh, and it hasn't been beta-read... again.. a haste thing... so forgive any stupid mistakes)
***tkheaven -- Seeing the Light can be found here:
www.slashaholics.org/wiccanways/fiction/darkwiccan_lightHere We Go!
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Tara burst through the door her to her and Willow’s old bedroom at the Summers’ home and found her wife curled onto her right side clutching at her belly. The sheets were soaked through as a result of the hacker’s water breaking and the blonde rushed over to Willow’s side and knelt down by the bed.
“Will, are you alright?” She asked, trying her best not to sound panicked.
“Yeah, just…um… ow”, Willow answered tensely.
“Contraction?”
“Yeah…” Willow confirmed, and then added needlessly, “My water broke.”
“I see that”, Tara smiled encouragingly.
“I think I scared Emily pretty bad”, Willow stated, the contraction now having passed. “My water broke right when she finished doing her thumb trick, I think she thinks she may have caused it.”
Tara couldn’t help herself from laughing at the imagery. “Oh no”, she chuckled, covering her mouth in amusement. “How many contractions have you had?” She asked after a moment.
“Just the one”, Willow replied.
“Okay”, Tara noted, getting into business mode, “I’m going to run you a warm bath like Ghaena suggested. Buffy just called for her so she should be here soon.”
“Good”, said the redhead.
“Will you be okay here for a few minutes while I run the bathwater?” The wiccan inquired.
“I think so.”
Tara nodded and set to work.
*****
“Do you think they’re ok?” Buffy asked, looking nervously up the stair well.
“It sounds like they’re running a bath”, Anya commented. “Maybe Willow did just wet herself. Not that it would be her fault, mind you. But sometimes the baby’s weight can press just right on the old bladder. I remember with Joseph I had more than one near miss and then there was that time at Xander’s boss’ retirement dinner when---“
“An, honey”, Xander interrupted her, “We um, we know the story.”
“I’m just trying to be supportive”, his wife twittered, clearly annoyed.
Buffy began to pace in front of the stairs. “Should we be doing something? I think we should be doing something. Boiling water… making a casserole… I forget which.”
“Increasing water temperature is for birth”, Anya explained, “creating a dish that no one will ever eat is for death.”
“Who died?” Asked Dawn as she came in through the front door, her eyes wide with worry.
“No one, Dawnie”, Xander assured her.
“Oh, then, what’s going on?” The brunette queried, “Why is everyone down here looking all nervous?”
“We think that Willow’s just gone into labor”, explained Buffy.
“What? When? Where is she?” Dawn fired off all at once.
“Labor. Just now. Upstairs with Tara.” Her sister reiterated.
Over in a corner of the room, Emily sat huddled with her knees up to her chest, her face introspective and sad. Joseph approached his upset friend and sat down next to her.
‘What’s wrong?’ he asked.
‘Mama’s having the baby.’ she answered.
‘So?’
‘I don’t know if I’m ready to be a sister.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘What if I do something wrong?’ Emily queried. ‘What if she doesn’t like me?’
‘You’ll be okay’, Joseph guaranteed.
‘How do you know?’
‘Because I was a baby once, and I like you’, the little boy stated with certainty. Emily smiled.
“Well, shouldn’t we be doing something?” Dawn stated, “Getting her to the hospital?”
“Willow and Tara have planned for a home birth”, Xander explained.
“But the baby is a little early”, the slayer commented, “maybe we should take them to a hospital.”
“We should probably let Ghaena decide that when she gets here”, responded Xander, “she should be here soon. Shouldn’t she?”
*****
“How are you doing, honey?” Tara asked as she gently massaged Willow’s shoulders with a warm washcloth. The redhead had been soaking in the relaxing warmth of the tub for almost two hours now, her contractions still coming, steady, but slow.
“Okay, I think”, Willow answered. “Shouldn’t Ghaena be here by now?”
“I’m sure she’s on her way”, the blonde soothed, trying to keep any nagging thoughts of worry at bay.
“Could you go check?” requested Willow.
“Sure”, Tara obliged, standing and moving to the door. “Do you want me to get you anything while I’m downstairs?”
“Something to drink, maybe”, Willow replied, “And could you call mom?”
Tara smiled warmly, “Anything. I’ll be right back.”
The wiccan made her way into the hall and down the stairs where she was met with a herd of worried eyes staring back at her.
“Any sign of Ghaena?” she asked.
“None”, Buffy answered, “I’ve been whispering for her like very two seconds. Maybe you should do it. Maybe it’s an ancestors only paging system.”
“I have been”, Tara replied, letting out a worried sigh.
“She might be in trouble”, Xander posed. “Maybe she needs a little slayer action.”
“Good idea”, Buffy concurred, turning to Tara. “I’ll do a quick patrol, see if I can find her.”
“Thanks”, said Tara. “We should be alright for a while. Given the way Will’s going now, it’s looking like a long labor.”
“Still, she should be here”, stated Buffy, opening the front door as she grabbed her coat. “One errant midwife coming up.” The slayer disappeared behind the door.
“Anything I can do?” offered Xander.
“Could you call her mom?” Tara asked. “And maybe run to the store and get some Gatorade or juice. Will likes the purple.”
“Juice?”
“Gatorade”, the blonde clarified. “Oh, and maybe get some crackers. If this is going to take as long as it looks, we have to keep her strength up.”
“Wow, you sure are info-girl”, Xander smiled sweetly.
“Ghaena’s been teaching me”, Tara explained. “I’m just going to grab her a glass of water. I should get back upstairs.”
Xander nodded and went for the phone.
*****
Anya was asleep on the couch, a child in each arm huddled up against her. Emily sleeping with her head on her shoulder, Joseph sleeping with his head in her lap. Dawn sat in the chair by the desk, her chin resting in her hand, she tried to politely stifle a yawn as she watched Xander nervously pacing back and forth from the hallway into the living room over and over.
“Alexander, please”, Sheila Rosenberg spoke up from where she was seated in one of the easy chairs. “You’re making me dizzy.”
“Sorry”, he apologized and swiftly sat down on the floor. “It’s just… it’s been four hours since Buffy left---“
“I’m back”, the slayer said as she came in, “is she here?”
“Is who here?” Sheila asked.
“I guess not”, the petite blonde surmised.
“You mean you couldn’t find her?” Dawn asked, jumping to her feet.
“I’m here”, Ghaena announced, bursting in through the door, breathless, a large sack slung over her shoulder.
“Oh look, I found her”, Buffy proudly announced.
“So you did find her?” Xander asked.
“Um…no… I just said that”, the slayer mumbled. “But hey… she’s here.”
“I am”, the midwife confirmed. “I’m sorry I’m late. I ran into a bit of… a tangle. I take it Willow and Tara are upstairs.” Three heads nodded in affirmative. “Excellent, I’ll just---“
“Ghaena?” Sheila asked, rising to meet her, her hand extended in greeting. “Hi, I’m Sheila Rosenberg, Willow’s mother.”
“It is a pleasure”, Ghaena smiled congenially, taking the other woman’s hand. “Now if you’ll excuse me…” The priestess indicated to the stairs.
“Oh, yes of course”, Sheila responded, stepping aside. Ghaena smiled and started up the steps, but was once again stopped by Mrs. Rosenberg. “Oh, Ghaena, just a moment, you have something in your hair.” She reached up and pulled the offending article out. “There we are…”, she said, examining it, “Oh, it’s only a black feather. I hope it wasn’t…er… ornamental.”
Ghaena glared at the item in Sheila hand. “No”, she stated, almost coldly. “If you would oblige me by burning it, I’d be most appreciative.”
“Oh”, Sheila stammered, “Alright.”
“Thank you”, the priestess said and she disappeared up the stairwell.
“Oh!” Mrs. Rosenberg exclaimed, looking more closely at the feather. “No wonder she wants it burned. There’s blood on it!”
The Scoobies, minus the still sleeping Anya, moved in to inspect the aberrant plume.
*****
“Tara, it’s me Ghaena”, she announced, tapping on the bedroom door, “can I come in?”
The blonde swiftly opened the door and allowed the midwife inside. “We were worried”, said Tara, stepping aside to let Ghaena put down her burden.
“Yes, I’m sorry”, the brunette apologized, “But I had something unexpected come up that I had to deal with. How is she?”
“Doing as well as can be expected”, Tara explained, leading the midwife to the bathroom door. “She’s soaking in the tub.”
Ghaena nodded and Tara stuck her head inside the small room. “Will, Ghaena’s here, is it alright if she comes in?”
“But I’m naked”, Willow complained, covering her swollen breasts with her hands.
“It’s nothing I haven’t seen before, Willow”, Ghaena called from behind Tara. “Now is not exactly the time for modesty.”
“Um…uh…” Willow squirmed. “Okay, I guess.”
Tara moved the rest of the way in to the bathroom, allowing the priestess inside. Ghaena moved swiftly over to the redhead and placed her hands on her belly. “How often are your contractions?” she asked.
“Um, every fifteen minutes or so”, Willow answered, slightly taken by Ghaena’s failure to ask for permission to touch her.
Ghaena sat back on her heels. “Well, I never thought I’d have to say this to you, Willow”, Ghaena stated, “But you’re too relaxed. I think it’s time you took a walk.”
“A walk?” the hacker asked, her eyes disbelieving.
“Aye”, the midwife confirmed. “A few trips up and down the stairs should set things to moving. Fully clothed, of course, “ she added with a smile. “I’ll leave it to Tara to get you out and ready.” She said, standing and moving to the door, but quickly turning back to say, “I’m sorry if I startled you by being so ‘down to business’ just now. But because of my delay in arriving, I wasn’t sure how far along you were when I got here. Alright?”
“Oh…sure”, Willow answered.
“Right then”, she said and stepped out.
*****
“What do you want for breakfast?” Buffy asked as she walked to the kitchen, Xander and Dawn in tow. The first rays of sunlight were beginning to peak over the horizon as Willow entered her twelfth hour of labor. After numerous trips up and down the stairwell, Ghaena suggested that they all settle down and watch a funny movie, or at least something that Willow found humorous as laughter could also help to speed up labor. So after arguing over movie titles, they had finally settled on tuning into the cartoon channel and watching reruns of “Sponge Bob Squarepants”. It had worked and now Willow, Tara and Ghaena had once again returned to the bedroom upstairs.
“Oh about two or three… gallons of coffee”, Xander stated, rubbing at his eyes in an effort to keep them open.
“Second that”, yawned Dawn.
“We should call Giles”, said Buffy, moving to the fridge and pulling out the milk.
“Let’s wait until the baby is actually born”, suggested Xander, “You know… next year.”
“Second that”, Dawn repeated.
“Guys, come on”, Buffy spoke firmly, “Be fair. Look at how tired we are… can you even imagine how Willow feels?”
All three of them looked up to the kitchen ceiling, as if they were trying to look through and into the bedroom above.
*****
“Willow, you have to push!” Ghaena instructed firmly.
Willow sat naked on the birthing stool that the midwife had brought with her in her sack. The chair was set up just in front of the edge of the bed so that Tara could sit behind her wife offering herself as physical and emotional support.
“I can’t”, Willow sobbed, tears of pain and exhaustion streaming down her face.
“Yes you can”, Ghaena encouraged.
“I can’t, I can’t”, the redhead cried.
“Willow, yes you can”, Tara soothed, wiping sweat soaked strands of red hair out of her lover’s face.
“I can’t, Tara”, Willow blubbered, “I’m so tired.”
“I know baby”, the blonde replied, “But you’re almost there. I promise.”
“Willow”, Ghaena stated, getting her attention, “The baby’s head is crowning. Just two more pushes and we’re done. Just two more, you can do that.”
“Just two?” she asked, weakly.
“That’s right”, the midwife replied, “But they have to be good, strong ones. You can do it.”
“You can do it, darling”, Tara responded, trying to give her wife confidence.
“Alright, here we go now”, Ghaena announced, “and push!”
Willow bore down with everything that she had. Pressing and pushing, she gripped at the handles on the side of the chair for support as Tara continued to offer words of encouragement and praise.
“Her head’s out, Willow”, Ghaena declared, “Let’s try for the rest of her. Keep pushing!”
The redhead kept on, giving the last of the little strength she had left to this one final push. Michelle greeted the world with a resounding wail as Ghaena lifted her into the air and placed her in her mother’s arms. Willow held her baby to her chest, unable to do anything but cry, no longer tears of pain, but tears of joy. Tara rocked her beautiful wife and child in her arms, kissing at her love’s temple as tears of her own formed in her eyes.
“Good work, Willow”, Ghaena smiled.
*****
After she had finished attending to Willow and the baby, Ghaena left the three of them alone to go downstairs and tell the others. The priestess arrived at the base of the steps, finding everyone now awake and looking up at her expectantly. The brunette smiled, and crossed over to where Emily was standing, and knelt down in front of her.
“Emily”, she said, her eyes gleaming, “Would you like to meet your little sister?”
Everyone breathed a huge sigh of relief for Willow and the baby.
“Can I, really?” the little girl asked, wide eyed.
“Why don’t you take your grandmother and go upstairs and greet the new member of the family?” Ghaena smiled.
“Is Willow alright?” Sheila questioned, stepping forward.
“She’s exhausted”, Ghaena answered, “But fine. I suggest you make this visit brief.”
Mrs. Rosenberg nodded and took Emily’s hand, leading her upstairs.
“So, Willow’s okay?” Buffy asked, needing the reassurance.
“Perfectly fine”, the midwife replied.
“And the baby?” Xander inquired.
“The most beautiful blonde-haired babe you’ve ever seen”, Ghaena grinned.
Again everyone exhaled in relief.
*****
“Willow, Tara?” Sheila knocked, “It’s mom and Emily. Can we come in?”
The door opened with a beaming Tara on the other side. “Please do”, she smiled.
The two of them stepped in to the bedroom and looked over to see Willow reclined against the headboard of the bed, a sheet covering her still nude body, one breast discreetly exposed as Michelle suckled on it. The hacker did look very, very tired, but also extremely happy. She smiled at her mother and older daughter, inviting them over with her eyes.
Tara stayed back as her mother-in-law and Emily approached her wife, unable to stop a new rush of happy tears to her eyes.
“Emily”, Willow stated softly, “this is Michelle. She’s your new sister.”
“She’s so little”, Emily replied, looking almost afraid.
“Babies are like that”, Tara explained, moving up to kneel behind her daughter, placing her arms softly on small shoulders. “Why don’t you say hello?”
“Hello, Michelle”, said Emily, then she turned to look back at Tara, “Is it okay if I kiss her?”
“Of course”, Tara smiled. Emily hesitantly leaned forward and placed a delicate kiss on the newborn’s head. Willow and Tara beamed at their firstborn’s show of affection.
“She’s beautiful, Mommy”, the little girl whispered.
“Hey, mom”, Willow said, looking up to her mother.
“Hey”, Sheila replied, dropping out of character to use the colloquialism. “Emily’s right. She’s beautiful, Willow.”
“Thank you”, her daughter responded, grateful, but tired.
Mrs. Rosenberg quickly recognized her child’s growing fatigue. “You’re tired”, she stated, suddenly feeling awkward. “Why don’t I take Emily to get some breakfast so that you three can rest?”
“Thanks, Sheila”, said Tara, “We’d appreciate it.”
“That’s what grandma’s are for”, she smiled, “come on, Emily, how would you like a banana split for breakfast?”
“Really?” Emily’s eyes went wide with gleeful anticipation.
“Mom!” Willow chided.
“What?” She asked. “It’s not everyday she gets a new baby sister. Besides, it has fruit.”
“Mommy?” Emily pleaded.
“I think it would be alright”, Tara agreed, quickly adding, “Just this once. And you are eating two vegetables with dinner tonight.”
“Okay”, her daughter sighed.
Mrs. Rosenberg chuckled, taking her granddaughter’s hand and leading her out of the room. “We’ll be back after a while”, she said leaving the other women alone.
“How are you?” Tara asked, sitting on the bed next to her love and their new child.
“Tired”, Willow responded plainly.
“I mean otherwise”, the blonde clarified.
“Oh… overwhelmed”, the redhead stated honestly, “but good. Great, even.”
Tara let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. “I love you”, she said softly, placing a light kiss on Willow’s lips.
“I love you too.”
********
TBC....
Mini W/T is on her way
I love it 
by fairydust » Sat Jun 22, 2002 9:57 pm 
. Will someone shoot that stupid bird?!!!! 
That story reminded me why you are one of my fav fic writers!!!
Dude, you are frickin' awesome... 
at: 6/24/02 11:24:51 am