"I know," he murmured, kissing her hand. "And that's precisely why I took the steps to move us back here. You want to raise our child in a place that's home to both of us, and well... Sunnydale was my home for many years."
He tilted his head. "Not to mention, it has sentimental value for me as well. Not only did you and I meet here, but this is also where I fulfilled my destiny as a Watcher. This is where I first met a young, precocious bubblegum-popping teenage girl, and helped her on her way to becoming the strong, resourceful, resilient woman she is today."
He saw Jenny's smile and knew he'd been unable to keep the note of pride from his voice. With Buffy, it always seeped through.
"I think the kids will be happy to see you."
"See us both," he corrected with a nod. "And perhaps, before the baby arrives, you'd be able to put your teaching degree back to good use."
Jenny brightened at the prospect. "Hey, you're right! I guess I didn't think of that. Maybe I could get a job at the new high school."
"I'm sure you could."
They pulled up in front of 1630 and cut the engine, climbing out of the car. Xander and Dawn were already awaiting them out on the front porch, and Jenny beamed as a bright grin exploded on Dawn's face while she made a beeline for the car.
"Welcome back!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around Jenny's neck.
Jenny chuckled, stumbling slightly from the force of the hug before she held Dawn in return, stroking her hair. "Good to be back, Junior," she replied, kissing the girl's cheek.
Rupert and Xander greeted each other in the semi-awkward way specific to men, before the boy went to the trunk to help with their bags.
"We're so glad you guys are staying here for a few days," Dawn gushed, "It's been just crazy around here."
She raised her eyebrows. "Really? What's been going on?"
Xander gave a one-shouldered shrug of nonchalance, hauling Jenny's suitcase out of the trunk. "Oh, nothin' much. Just some cursed talismans, mentally-ill vampires, talking to the dead... y'know, the usual."
While Jenny smirked at the lad, Giles furrowed his brows. "Cursed talismans?"
Jenny quirked a brow at him. "That's the confusing one of the three?"
"Well in Giles' defense, we haven't dealt with that before. Crazy vamps and talking to dead people, yeah."
"Spike is chained up in our basement," Dawn chimed in, as if mentioning some banal everyday occurrence.
Giles' mouth moved over unformed words, pondering just where to start. Finally, he sighed. "Let's just get our things inside."
"Good idea," Jenny smiled, and she and Dawn headed for the house, Dawn seizing her arm and chattering along the way while he and Xander grabbed the bags.
"I took Willow to the cemetery the other day," Xander told him, hauling one of the suitcases out of the trunk.
Giles glanced up at him. "You did? To see Tara I assume."
He nodded. "Yeah. I mean, since she went to England before we could have a memorial, I thought maybe it'd be good for her to..." He trailed off, shrugging slightly.
Giles watched the boy. "How did she take it?"
"It was hard on her."
Giles nodded his understanding. "I imagine it was."
"She had to have sat there for an hour, just staring at the headstone, tracing Tara's name... I stayed with her the whole time."
He patted the young man's shoulder. "You're a good friend, Xander."
He cracked a slight smile. "Thanks." Then, he reached down for a garment bag, slinging the strap over his shoulder. "How's Jenny doing?"
"With what?" he asked, a bit more quickly than he would've liked. Willow hadn't revealed Jenny's condition to Xander, had she?
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He tilted his head. "Not to mention, it has sentimental value for me as well. Not only did you and I meet here, but this is also where I fulfilled my destiny as a Watcher. This is where I first met a young, precocious bubblegum-popping teenage girl, and helped her on her way to becoming the strong, resourceful, resilient woman she is today."
He saw Jenny's smile and knew he'd been unable to keep the note of pride from his voice. With Buffy, it always seeped through.
"I think the kids will be happy to see you."
"See us both," he corrected with a nod. "And perhaps, before the baby arrives, you'd be able to put your teaching degree back to good use."
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"I'm sure you could."
They pulled up in front of 1630 and cut the engine, climbing out of the car. Xander and Dawn were already awaiting them out on the front porch, and Jenny beamed as a bright grin exploded on Dawn's face while she made a beeline for the car.
"Welcome back!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around Jenny's neck.
Jenny chuckled, stumbling slightly from the force of the hug before she held Dawn in return, stroking her hair. "Good to be back, Junior," she replied, kissing the girl's cheek.
Rupert and Xander greeted each other in the semi-awkward way specific to men, before the boy went to the trunk to help with their bags.
"We're so glad you guys are staying here for a few days," Dawn gushed, "It's been just crazy around here."
She raised her eyebrows. "Really? What's been going on?"
Reply
While Jenny smirked at the lad, Giles furrowed his brows. "Cursed talismans?"
Jenny quirked a brow at him. "That's the confusing one of the three?"
"Well in Giles' defense, we haven't dealt with that before. Crazy vamps and talking to dead people, yeah."
"Spike is chained up in our basement," Dawn chimed in, as if mentioning some banal everyday occurrence.
Giles' mouth moved over unformed words, pondering just where to start. Finally, he sighed. "Let's just get our things inside."
"Good idea," Jenny smiled, and she and Dawn headed for the house, Dawn seizing her arm and chattering along the way while he and Xander grabbed the bags.
Reply
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Giles glanced up at him. "You did? To see Tara I assume."
He nodded. "Yeah. I mean, since she went to England before we could have a memorial, I thought maybe it'd be good for her to..." He trailed off, shrugging slightly.
Giles watched the boy. "How did she take it?"
"It was hard on her."
Giles nodded his understanding. "I imagine it was."
"She had to have sat there for an hour, just staring at the headstone, tracing Tara's name... I stayed with her the whole time."
He patted the young man's shoulder. "You're a good friend, Xander."
He cracked a slight smile. "Thanks." Then, he reached down for a garment bag, slinging the strap over his shoulder. "How's Jenny doing?"
"With what?" he asked, a bit more quickly than he would've liked. Willow hadn't revealed Jenny's condition to Xander, had she?
Reply
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