Never A Night Like ThisPG 13~Part 48b~~*~*~*~*~*~
Running into the house, Lily and Hadley raced up the stairs with Brady close behind. “That was close!” Hadley said out of breath, throwing herself back on her bed.
“Do you think Mikey will find us up here?” Lily coughed slightly, moving to the window to see the little boy standing against a tree, hiding his eyes and counting.
“Maybe.” Hadley moved up to stand beside her best friend.
Brady licked her lips and barked softly. Wagging her tail, she jumped up and looked out the window with the children. Looking at Hadley, Brady quietly snorted and took off downstairs.
“Brady!” Hadley warned the now growing puppy.
“Looks like we’re playing partners!” Lily laughed as she grabbed Hadley’s hand. “Come on! We have to hide on them.”
Hadley and Lily frantically rushed around in the little girl’s room before deciding to dive and hide under the bed.
"Is he coming?" Hadley whispered.
"I don't know." Lily whispered back.
"Girls?" Mikey's voice rang through the house.
"He's coming!" Hadley and Lily could barely contain their excitement, holding each others hands. They watched as Brady came into the bedroom, only really being able to see her paws - which stopped abruptly. "Go away!" Hadley hushed, trying as if to make Brady disappear.
Mikey's feet appeared and Lily let out an excited squeal. Brady's paws came closer and she barked as her snout appeared in front of the hiding girls.
"Ahhh!" Hadley and Lily screamed before dissolving into a fit of giggles.
"I found ya!" Mikey jumped up and down as his best friends climbed out from underneath the bed.
"Brady, you bad girl." Hadley kissed the top of the puppy's head, still giggling.
Brady panted, licking her lips. She relaxed as all three children huddled around her and gave her the attention she always craved.
~*~*~*~*~
Willow sat in the kitchen, scanning through loads of her old photos and headshots. Sighing, she packed up one folder and pushed it aside. After going through other folders of her photos, she finally decided she was getting tired of looking at herself. She couldn’t believe that her holiday was almost over. Her loft in LA would no longer be lonely once February rolled around.
“Anyone home?” A voice yelled.
“In here!” Willow hollered back. She watched Anya walk in with two bags of groceries. “Hey Anya, what brings you over here? We’re all out of peanut butter.” She grinned.
“Don’t need it, I have a lot here.” Anya patted a grocery bag and leaned over Willow’s shoulder. “Ow, check out that black lace.” She snickered. “Nice picture.”
“Thanks.” Willow quickly flipped the photo over so it was facing down. “So where’s Xander?”
“Working late. Where’s…everyone?” Anya raised an eyebrow.
“Tara’s closing the diner, Tori is just getting off her shift, Hadley is playing outside with her friends, and Dawn went with Faith and Buffy to the movies.”
“Why wasn’t I invited?” Anya grumbled.
Willow smirked. “Why? You want to go to a movie?”
“Are you hitting on me?” Anya gasped.
“Um, nope.” Willow shrugged. “So what’s with the groceries?”
“Oh! Right.” Anya took off her coat and began to empty the bags. “I brought some stuff over for our annual Christmas dinner. I was hoping that I’d be able to store this here and when the time comes, Xander and I can cook here with you and Tara.”
“Sure!” Willow grinned widely. “What are you and Xander cooking this year anyway?”
“Well, I insisted that we eat healthier this year. After Thanksgiving, I don’t want Xander popping another button off his pants. I’m already having to buy new clothes, I don’t want to go through guy clothes and find him a decent pair of pants.”
Willow nodded slowly and continued to listen.
“So I brought some vegetables and fruits over for salads.” The ex-demon beamed.
“Yum! Fruit salads are delicious.”
“They are.” Anya smiled. “I also bought some sparkling grapefruit drinks, I can’t drink now that there’s a little fetus growing inside me, and Xander promised he wouldn’t drink either. But I bought enough for everyone.”
“Anya, wow.” Willow was impressed. This motherhood was working for her. “Thank you.”
“Is this where we hug?” Anya smiled and opened her arms. “I like bonding time, never expected it with you, but here we are…so can I have a hug?”
Willow giggled and pulled Anya in for a hug.
“Aww, is Scooter too small to play hide and seek with the kids?” Anya asked, looking over the small puppy bed beside Willow.
“Yea, Tara is worried about Scooter being trampled on.” Willow smiled.
“Well yes, I’d agree.” Anya frowned. “Those children are running in and out of the house.”
Willow smirked. “They’re just playing Anya. Besides, I already warned them that if they don’t stop running in and out, I’d be forced to choose a place for them to play.”
“Can you give me a few pointers about being a parent?” Anya asked, sitting in a chair beside the red head.
“Now?” Willow asked, she reached over and scratched Scooter behind the ears.
“Not now, but whenever? I’ll ask Tara too.” Anya pulled out a jar of peanut butter and opened the lid.
“First of all, we need to learn manners so your children won’t pick up on bad habits.” Willow grabbed the jar out of Anya’s hands.
“And grabbing isn’t a bad habit?” Anya pouted.
“I’m making you a sandwich.” Willow smiled, grabbing a loaf of bread from the fridge.
“Oh.” Anya closed her mouth and smiled. “Thank you.” She beamed when she used her manners.
“Very good…and you’re welcome.” Willow shook her head and smiled to herself.
~*~*~*~*~
“So tell me B, what was your favourite part of the movie?” Faith asked, looping her arm into her girlfriend’s.
“Please.” Dawn rolled her eyes. “You two weren’t even paying attention to the movie.”
“We were too.” Buffy said, frowning slightly. “It was about this man who um, loses his way home and bumps into a woman and they fall in love.”
“Right.” Faith agreed.
“Wrong!” Dawn grinned and sighed. “Woman gets lost and man finds her.”
“I was close.” Buffy pouted and looked around. “So what’s next on the agenda?”
“Tori doesn’t get off of work for another hour, we can look around the mall for a bit.” The young Summers suggested. “Unless of course, you two would like to be alone now.”
Faith smirked and ran her hands up and down Buffy’s sides, from behind. “What do you say? Alone time…or kid sister time.” She whispered into the blonde’s ear.
Buffy bit her lip and looked at Dawn, extracting herself from her girlfriend’s embrace. “Why don’t we just hang out until Tori gets off work, then we can go and uh-”
“Make out some more?” Dawn smiled lightly, her eyebrows raising slightly.
“Exactly.” Faith smiled and wrapped an arm around Buffy as they continued walking. “I love how smart your sister is B.”
Dawn smiled and bumped shoulders with her sister. “Faith thinks I’m smart and she thinks I’m sexy.”
Buffy raised an eyebrow. “And?”
Faith laughed and pulled them forward before some sibling argument broke out.
“Hey! You’re not supposed to laugh, you’re supposed to correct her.” Buffy said to Faith.
“Buffy, I love you and only you. Dawn has got the whole package at her age, but I’m in no way interested.” Faith’s eyes looked into Buffy’s. “Okay?”
Buffy nodded and kissed Faith lightly. “Okay.”
Dawn smiled and waited for a few minutes while they slayers kiss’ grew more intense. “Ahem.” She cleared her throat, but they never parted. Dawn coughed and nothing. “Hey!” She clapped her hands and beamed when Faith and Buffy jumped apart. “It’s about time, what good is your slayer hearing if you can’t hear me when I’m like two feet away?”
“She’s still here?” Buffy whispered.
“Hey!” Dawn mumbled.
~*~*~*~*~*~
“Enchanted?” Tara looked through a book from the Magic Box.
“Yup, nice and enchanted.” Anya smiled.
“But harmless.” The blonde witch said slowly.
“Yup, nice, enchanted and harmless.” Anya beamed and pulled out a few more books from the pile. “I don’t know why Willow wants to go through every single book we have about enchanted rings. There’s a million out there, but they all have their own meaning.”
“She wants to be thorough.” Tara smirked and closed the book. “We just want to know why it burns only when we, um, make love.” She blushed.
Anya smiled and nodded her head, completely comfortable with the topic. “Well, I’m no genius, and you’d think Willow would’ve figured this one out, since she’s the brain, but it could have something to do with your energy flow.”
Tara furrowed her brow and licked her lips. “You mean, because of the power we both possess already…it intensifies?”
“Could be it.” Anya shrugged.
“Still doesn’t explain why this ring is enchanted.” Tara looked at her left hand. “It never hurts me.”
“So when you make love to Willow, the ring burns her?” The ex-demon asked.
“Sort of, I guess. The ring glows and it gets a little hot, but it’s only happened once as far as I know.”
Leaning back on the couch, Anya rubbed her swollen belly. Looking down at her stomach, she had a thought. “Oh! Maybe-” She stopped herself before finishing the sentence.
“Maybe what?” Tara frowned.
Anya sighed and shook her head. “Nothing, I had a thought but it’s gone now.”
“So the ring is enchanted, it glows and burns Willow slightly-”
“Maybe Willow’s evil!” Anya said.
“What? Anya, no, Willow’s not evil.” Tara giggled.
“Who wants Mochas?” Willow came into the front door with three kids piling in behind her. “Mikey’s parents should be here in an hour to pick him up.”
“I want a mocha!” Anya got up on her feet slowly.
“Will Xander let you have caffeine?” Willow asked.
“What he doesn’t know, won’t hurt him.” Anya pouted. “Come on Will, give me the freakin’ _mocha already! Don’t make me do a smack down!”
Tara stifled her giggles and stood up behind her lover. “Why don’t I make some herbal tea instead?” She kissed Willow’s shoulder before going into the kitchen.
“See Anya? Herbal tea is good for the baby, healthy baby.” Willow smiled.
Anya stayed silent for a moment and smiled, before following Tara into the kitchen.
“Who wants their chocolate milk?” Willow asked, turning to where Hadley, Lily and Mikey sat by the coffee table. “Just let me clean off the table.” She put down the tray and began to clear things off.
~*~*~*~*~*~
“Tara? Maybe this whole ring thing is supposed to be a mystery.” Anya suggested, sitting at the kitchen table, blowing on her hot tea.
“Willow won’t fully rest until she figures this out.” Tara sighed.
“Can’t you make hot passionate love to her, until her knees buckle and she can’t move?” Anya asked, like it was one of the most natural conversations in the world.
“Anya.” Tara blushed. “I c-could do that, but I can’t keep making love to her everyday. I mean I could, but then house work would never get done, bills would never be paid and Hadley and Tori will never
get to school on time.”
“But you
could.” Anya smirked.
“So? What’s the what?” Willow asked, taking a seat beside Tara. “Anything on the ring?”
“Nope, not that ring anyway. Will, there’s a lot of books about different rings, what if this is supposed to be a mystery?” Tara smiled softly.
“A mystery? No!” Willow frowned. “What if…what if…why does it have to glow?” She pouted.
“Because of our energy. When we make love, it stirs up so much energy, you said so yourself that this ring is enchanted, and maybe that’s all it does baby.” Tara whispered. “Maybe it only glows because we’re united, we’re soul mates.”
Willow thought about it, and it didn’t sound so complicated after all. “Oh.”
“See Tara? Now you can make wild passionate love to Willow without using it as a distraction.” Anya grinned and took her tea out to the other room, where the children sat.
Willow raised an eyebrow. “Talking about making love to me?” She smirked.
“Well you know, I constantly think about it, why not talk about it.” Tara teased and kissed Willow softly.
The doorbell rang throughout the house. “Willow, Tara…door!” Anya yelled as the children giggled.
Willow kissed Tara one last time before getting up. “Hold those lips, I’ll be right back.” She grinned and kissed Tara once again before turning around and leaving the kitchen.
Tara smiled and looked down at her ring again. “Just don’t drive my Willow completely crazy with your mystery.”
Willow stopped at the door and looked back to find Anya, Hadley, Mikey and Lily huddled around the coffee table, waiting to see who it was on the other side of the door. Shaking her head, she opened the door and found a familiar face smiling back at her. “Hey Jessica.” Willow smiled and hugged her friend. “Wow, it’s been a month already?”
“Pretty close.” Jessica smiled. “I um, had a delayed flight, I hope you don’t mind me dropping by like this.”
“Not at all.” Willow smiled. “Come in.”
“Thanks.” The actress/model smiled at the four people who smiled at her. “Company?”
“Family.” Willow smiled. “Anya’s here all the time, bugging Tara about pregnancy.”
“Congratulations.” Jessica smiled at the ex-demon. “The retreat finished early.” She turned back to Willow. “Chel won her age category.”
“Really?” Willow’s eyes went wide and she grinned. “That’s so cool.”
“I know.” Jessica beamed.
“Why did it finish early?”
“Well when they say you’re gone for a month, they only meant approximately a month.” The brunette took off her coat. “Where’s Tara?” She asked.
“In the kitchen.” Willow smiled. “We have some tea on, and I have an extra mocha if you want it.” She dragged her ex-girlfriend into the kitchen. “Hey baby, look who stopped by.”
Tara looked up and saw Jessica coming in behind Willow. “Hey Jess.”
“Hi.” Jessica waved and smiled. “I really hope I wasn’t interrupting anything.”
“Nonsense.” Tara waved her hand and grinned. “Besides, you’re welcomed over here whenever you feel like it.”
“Yes, and didn’t I invite you over for the holiday’s anyway?” Willow grabbed a cup and poured some tea into it, passing it over to Jessica.
“You did, but-”
“No buts.” Tara smiled softly.
Jessica grinned and sat down beside the blonde. “So how’s work?” She asked.
“Great tips!” Tara smiled and laughed. “It’s okay, I just can’t wait to find a better job you know?” She looked at the girl beside her. “And you? How was your trip home?”
“Long.” Jessica sighed. “But it was cool.”
“So your flight was delayed?” Willow asked.
“Yes, big snow storm in Toronto right now. That’s where my next flight goes. My charter plane won’t even take me home.” Jessica sighed. “Again, I can leave if-”
“You’re staying here, and that’s final.” Tara gave the brunette a caring smile. “Since you’re here, you should stay until you were originally going to leave here.”
“Tara’s smart, you should listen to her.” Willow grinned and laced her fingers into the blonde’s. “We have an extra room Jess, stay, please.”
Jessica nodded silently. Even though Willow was no longer the love of her life, she still felt like they could be the best of friends.
“Then it’s settled. Our house has no more vacancy in it now.” Willow giggled. “Wow, the Rosenberg Inn, I feel like I’m in an episode of Seventh Heaven.”
Jessica and Tara exchanged smiles. “Well, I’m going to get Mikey’s things together before his mother gets here, and make sure Anya stayed away from any sugary goodness, Goddess knows she’ll pump those kids full of sugar.” Tara smiled and leaned in to kiss Willow lightly before leaving.
“Wow, so things are going great I see.” Jessica smiled.
“Perfect.” Willow beamed.
“How’s Dawn and…Tori…?”
“Awesome as well. Those two have gotten closer, it’s hard to keep an eye on them though, not that we have too. Buffy doesn’t like talking about her younger sister’s love life that much, especially if it goes deep within the whole, sex life category.” Willow babbled.
“I totally get that.” Jess smiled. “Thank you Will.”
“For?”
“Still being a part of my family.”
Willow touched Jessica’s shoulder. “Always.” She smiled.
~*~*~*~*~
Thank you all for your lovely feedback. I hope to have more up soon, we'll have to see. Thank you again. 
~Holly~ 
"I've got this ache, and I thought it was for sex, but it's to tear everything to fucking pieces." Ginger - Ginger Snaps
"I am a tongue whore...you gave me tongue, what am I supposed to do...sit back and keep my mouth shut?" -Me-
"I know who you really are...you're the one who cries when you're alone." - Where Will You Go? - Evanescence
Edited by: Taras Shadow 
at: 11/15/03 6:13 pm
I hope to have more up soon, seeing as I only have a few more updates left. Pray that my computer holds up and that. Love ya's! Enjoy! 
Holly 
,
It was so sad though. 
Katie having to leave Lily. 
and 
were very sweet about it though. Hadley is so sad. 
more. Update soon, please? 
at: 11/14/03 4:58 pm
Please keep up the excellent work.
But first...
Oh, and Hadley is such a sweetheart. I feel really sorry that Lily has to go. That just sucks. 
Love sammi xx
GAH! I missed an update! But I read it and now all is well. It is so cute! I cant wait to find out what the ring's enchantedness is! Im guessing Anya is right though! If she thought what I thought and all the other kittens are thinking. Keep up the great work Holly and update soon!