Welcome Home Aunt Dawn
by BFtc2
Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Feedback: Again, any is welcome.

"Come on honey, the twins and I are ready. What's taking you so long?" The slayer shouted up the stairs to her slow moving wife. Looking down at the two adorable children in their car seats, the girl smiled at the babies. "Your mommy's gonna make us late, and I know your aunt is waiting to meet you two." Hearing the topic of the one sided conversation coming down the stairs, Buffy looked up into apologizing brown eyes and couldn't stop her forgiving smile from appearing. "And what kept you?"

Gesturing to the bulging diaper bag hanging over her shoulder, Faith smiled somewhat embarrassedly. "I just wanted to make sure we didn't forget anything the twins might need."

Laughing softly, the blonde shook her head as she picked up one of the car seats. "From the looks of that bag, you packed up the whole nursery." When Faith picked up the other car seat and went to reach for the handle of Buffy's load, the older slayer slapped her wife's hand away. "I can carry Maxie to the car, you just worry about Logan and that growth on your hip." Seeing the protest about to come out of Faith's full lips, she continued. "And don't you even think about telling me I'm too weak. I've been out of the hospital for three days with you waiting on me, I'm fine and completely capable of carrying our daughter to the car."

Smiling and sighing at the same time, Faith followed her wife out the door. "Yes dear."

** 3 YEARS PRIOR **

Her brown eyes glanced over the dance floor, watching her friends and loved ones shaking all they had. Rubbing her thumb in a circular pattern over the back of her girlfriend's, and now wife's, hand. Turning her gaze to look at the most beautiful woman she'd ever met, her lips curled into a euphoric smile. 'I still can't believe she said yes, and that we're sitting at our wedding table, at our reception.'

Feeling her wife's stare, Buffy turned her head to look at Faith. When she saw the blissfully happy look on her lover's face, her green eyes tearing up and the smile she presented her wife with was a trembling one. 'She's truly happy, and all it took was for the two of us to find each other, put each other through hell, only to fall madly in love, and get married. Definitely a match made on the hellmouth, nothing's simple here.'  Leaning forward, the blonde pressed her lips to her lover's in a tender kiss.

Bringing her free hand up to cup the blonde's cheek, Faith looked questionably into glistening green eyes. "What's with the tears B? Are you... are you unhappy?" Looking down at their joined hands, she feared the response she'd get to the question. 'I knew it was too good to be true. She's finally realized the mistake she made and wants out of the marriage.'

Softly pinching Faith's chin, she forced the other girl to look up at her. "Faith, I'm so happy I can't hold it in anymore. They're happy tears, how could I be unhappy when I finally got to marry my soul mate?" Stealing a quick kiss, Buffy smiled lovingly at the brunette. "We were destined to be together, the powers that be said so."

Frowning at this news, Faith asked, "When did this happen?"

"Last night," leaning in closer to her wife, Buffy ran a hand through the girl's soft brown curls. "I got a visit in my dreams, and they explained that our souls, yours and mine, are joined. They told me that we completed each other, and that part of the reason we fought was because we were denying what our hearts felt. It was their little wedding gift for years of great service." Seeing the tiny rivulets running down Faith's cheeks, Buffy kissed her wife's eyelids, taking the tears into herself. Resting her forehead against the brunette's, she whispered, "We're meant to be sweetie, this isn't a dream, and I couldn't be happier."

The maid of honor walked up to the newly weds, a bright smile gracing her pixie like features. Pushing some of her wispy red hair out of her twinkling eyes, she asked, "Are you two gonna sit there all night, or are you gonna show everybody how it's done?" Willow's smile grew wider when the couple turned to look at her, the unconditional love and devotion shinning in their eyes was almost tangible.

Rising up from the table, never releasing her wife's hand, Faith looked Willow in the eye. "If you guys need help on how to dance, me and B will have no problems teaching ya." Looking at the blonde standing next to her, she asked, "What do ya say baby?"

Leaning in to softly kiss her wife's full glossy lips, Buffy smiled adoringly  into deep brown eyes. "You know I can't resist you when you dance, and there's no way I'm gonna turn you down." Tugging on the brunette's hand, she led them around the table and followed the red head into the cluster of dancers. Pulling Faith tightly to her, they began to sway to the beat of the music pumping out of the large speakers. "I love you Faith Summers."

Smiling at the use of her married name, Faith looked into sea green eyes. "And I love you Buffy Anne Summers." Tightening her hold around the blonde's waist and softly kissing the girl's forehead, she smiled brightly at the love of her life. "Forever and always, I'll love you."

Resting her head on the brunette's shoulder, Buffy's tone was one of confirmation, saying, "Forever and always my Faith."

** PRESENT DAY **

Looking at the peacefully sleeping babies snuggled in their car seats, Buffy turned back around in her passenger seat. "They're out like a light." Reaching out, she took hold of her wife's free hand, squeezing it affectionately. Bringing the appendage to her lips, she placed a soft kiss on the smooth surface of its back. "Thank you for giving me the two most gorgeous children I've ever seen."

Turning her gaze to the blonde, Faith smiled before going back to watching the road. "You're the reason they're gorgeous B, and you don't know how thankful I am that they're quiet. They definitely didn't get that from me." Still watching the road, she squeezed the hand that held her's captive. "I just hope I don't ruin their lives by being me."

Buffy didn't hesitate to comment on this, saying, "By being you and being in their lives, you'll only make them better." Smiling sadly at her wife's profile, she shook her head slightly. "I don't care how many times I have to tell you to get you to believe me over your past, but you're not a screw up and you're worthy of more love than there is on this planet we keep saving."

A single tear slid down the brunette's cheek as she whispered, "B..."

"You're gonna be the best parent to our little ones because you've been promising to do everything different from what your mother and father did." Rubbing her thumb back and forth across the back of Faith's hand, the blonde sighed. "I've heard you talking to them while they sleep in the middle of the night, and I see the way you are with them awake. No one as gentle and loving and protective as you would ever hurt a child, least of all those two."

** 3 YEARS PRIOR **

The blonde slowly came out of her dreaming state, hearing soft whimpers behind her, feeling the arms around her contracting and relaxing. "Faith?" Buffy said softly in a sleep husky voice. "Baby wake up." Turning in her lover's arms, feeling their hold tighten again, her brows drew together in a worried frown. Cupping her wife's cheek, she whispered, "Honey it's just a nightmare. You're safe, I'm with you and nothing's gonna happen to you. Sweetie please, wake up for me." Seeing her partner's eyes flutter open, Buffy gave her a sad smile. "Are you all right?"

Blinking a few times to get the sleep out of her eyes, Faith pulled the other girl closer to her. Holding her wife in a tight hug, she felt the shiver of remembrance speed up her spin. "My step father and mother... Our kids will never go through that." Kissing Buffy's exposed shoulder, she said, "They'll never be hurt like that or made to feel worthless."

Tightening her hold on the younger slayer, Buffy gently ran her hands over silky brunette hairs. "They'll loved by both of us Faith. You're not your mother and you're not the things she said you were." Tears glazing over her green eyes, Buffy sighed softly. "You're my everything honey. I know that when we have children you'll be a great parent Faith, people with big hearts always are."

Smiling into the darkness, Faith let out a deep breath. "There's no way I can go wrong as long as you're with me B. You're the one who keeps the insecurities and fears from holding me down." Giving the blonde an affectionate squeeze, Faith yawned softly. "I wouldn't be who I am now if you hadn't been there. I've changed so much, and it's all for the better." Yawning once again, her eyelids becoming heavy, Faith mumbled a 'Thank you B' before surrendering to sleep again.

Listening to her wife's soft even breathing for a moment, Buffy smiled and shut her eyes. 'We'll have kids and Faith will fuss over every little thing they do, and I'll love her that much more for it.' Snuggling deeper into Faith's embrace, the blonde allowed sleep to reclaim her.

*****

"I can't believe they all got together to get us here. Our own private beach for our honeymoon." Turning her head in her beach chair, she looked at her wife through dark sunglasses. "I could kiss them for this." Her gaze wondered over the body in the chair beside hers, her thoughts turning to kissing someone else.

"Ya have to kiss Red and T twice, they're the ones who took Dawn off our hands for two weeks." Faith could feel the lusty gaze of her lover travelling over her skin. Instead of reacting to it, she chose to sit still and continue soaking up the rays. A smirk playing at the corners of her lips, she continued, "I love your sis B, but there're some things I don't wanna do infront of her."

Taking off her sunglasses and dropping them in the sand, Buffy got up and went over to her wife. Sitting down in the grinning brunette's lap, wrapping her arms around the girl's neck, she smiled suggestively. "And what kind of things wouldn't you want to do infront of my darling little sister?"

Leaning forward to take Buffy's lips in a slow lustful kiss, Faith pulled back with desire flaring in her brown eyes. "If I told you all of those things now," her hand travelled up the blonde's sides to her back, untying the green strings to her lover's bikini top. "It would be a pretty boring honeymoon."

"We just can't have that." Buffy said before sweeping down and capturing her partner's mouth with her own.

** PRESENT DAY **

Hearing Dawn's plane called over the sound system, the two slayers hopped up from their seats. Each mother carrying a wide eyed child happily sucking on a pacifier, the two walked over to the gate excitedly. When the doors were opened, both girls were quickly scanning the mass of people walking out, hoping to catch a glimpse of their missing family member.

Buffy was the first to spot the young brunette decked out in leather pants, black boots, and a blood red tank top making her way toward them. Shaking her head, but smiling, she leaned toward her wife. "Remind you of anyone?"

"She looks good B." Faith said with an approving smirk.

Dropping her bags at her sides, Dawn couldn't take her eyes off the little ones in both slayers' arms. Looking from one baby to the other, she asked, "Which one do I get to hold first?" Seeing the disapproving look in her older sister's eyes, she smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. Hi Buffy, Faith, I've missed you so much." She said as if she'd been practicing for the past three hours. Then looking back at her niece and nephew, she asked again, "So which one can I hold?"

Laughing at her sister-in-law's antics, Faith passed over little Max to her aunt's out stretched arms. While Dawn cooed softly to the baby, rocking back and forth slightly, Faith stepped behind Buffy and wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist. "She'll be a great baby sitter while she's home." She whispered into her wife's ear.

Chuckling softly, the older slayer nodded. "Yes she will."

...continued in Mother Worries...