FIC: These Roads We Travel (13/?)

[Kimber <kacoe@xxxxxxx>]

TITLE: These Roads We Travel (13/?)
AUTHOR: Kimber (kacoe@xxxxxxx)
DISCLAIMER: All BTVS characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.
SUMMARY: The long awaited next story in "The Road Series".
SPOILERS: Everything is fair game.
DISTRIBUTION: The usual suspects. Anyone else, e-mail me please.
AUTHORS NOTES: This comes because I've had so many great responses to the series and
many people begging for another. Be careful what you wish for.

{{Indicates flashbacks}}
-----------

{{"I'm no good for her. For anyone." She paused a moment. "I'm leaving."

"You've got to be kidding me! I thought you were gonna try and make this work? I thought
we were going to be a family? What the hell is going on?!"

"I can't! It's not what I'm about. It's not for me and I'm sorry I dragged you into it,
really, I just. . ."

"Not only did you drag me into it, you dragged a child into this world! How can you be so
selfish!"

"I know. . .I know how wrong it is. . .all of it, but believe me it's for the best.
She'll just wind up resenting me when she's old enough to know how much of a freak her
mother is and always will be."

"She'd love you, no matter what." He sighed. "Just like I do."

She shook her head. "Don't waste your time. . .you know it's not mutual." He winced, but
she continued. "Look, I packed last night so you don't have to worry about me bothering
you. I'll send you money for the kid every month so you at least have one good thing to
tell her about me. I have to go."

"Please. . .why are you doing this? Talk to me." His eyes were wet. He didn't care.

"No. Don't do this, J. You know I'm not gonna talk through it. . .work through the
pain. It's just not my gig." She grabbed her jacket. "Goodbye." and closed the door
behind her.

He dropped to his knees in front of the cradle that held their two month old daughter, and
cried.}}

------

"Daddy?" Lisa stood in her living room with a very nervous Laurel at her side. "You
around?"

"Up here, princess!" Came the disembodied reply from the second floor. "I'll be down in
a minute!"

"Maybe this wasn't such a hot idea." Laurel said as she inched towards the front door.

Lisa grabbed her arm. "Oh no you don't. It's only my dad. . .you nailed me with Faith
and Buffy at the same time. Payback sucks, doesn't it?" She grinned.

"Oh, and, um. . .*princess*? Paybacks do suck, just you wait." Laurel winked at her.

Before Lisa could respond, her father came down the stairs carrying a large box. "How
about a hand, princess? You're old man isn't as young as he used to be."

Lisa went to him and helped him set the box down in the living room. "Don't hand me that
old man stuff, J. You've got a long time to go before retirement and preparation H." She
smirked at him.

"Well, what do we have here? You didn't tell me you brought company with you. And here
we are bantering back and forth. You're friend must think we're nuts." He put his hand
out to Laurel. "Hi, I'm Lisa's father, Jason, but you can call me J if you'd like. My
daughter seems to like it enough." He glanced at her and winked.

Laurel smiled. "Nice to meet you, J. I'm Laurel Rosenberg."

"Laurel, huh? *The* Laurel Rosenberg I've heard so much about? It's nice to see that
Lisa finally decided to bring you home for a proper introduction."

"Daddy!" Lisa blushed.

"What?" He looked at her innocently before kneeling down and opening the box. "I was
beginning to think you made her up, Li. I was sure someone that wonderful couldn't
possibly exist. . .especially in an *interesting* town like Sunnydale."

Lisa shook her head and blushed again.

"So you've heard about me?" Laurel smiled. She had a feeling she was going to get along
with Lisa's father very well. She knelt down next to him and helped empty the contents of
the box. "So what else has she said? Did she tell you about my little walking on water
trick? Personally, I think that's her favorite." She grinned up at Lisa.

"Walking on water? Hmm, let me see. . .no, no, I don't recall that, but I do seem to
remember her saying something about having a great set of. . "

"Daddy!!!" Lisa turned pale.

". . .eyes. Great big green ones in fact." He leaned closer to Laurel and examined her
face. "Yup, I'd have to agree with her on that one." He nodded.

Laurel didn't know what to make of the exchange so she simply nodded and smiled.

"I can't believe you." Lisa pouted. "Can't you ever behave yourself around my friends?"

"Who me?" He looked up at her innocently. "I'm just being playful, princess. I thought
you liked having a hip dad?"

"Yeah, right." She rolled her eyes. "Don't let him fool you, Lau-Lau. He can be a
geezery old man when he wants to be." She finally turned her attention to the box they
were unpacking. "God, what are you doing with that old thing?"

"Your Aunt needs it." He smiled. "I'm gonna be an uncle! She's due in February."

"That's great! I'll have to give her a call later on when I get back."

"Yes, well. . .I have to get my infant fix from someplace." He winked at her. "God knows
you're not gonna deliver anytime soon."

"Daddy!!" Lisa blushed even deeper than before. She didn't think it was possible.

Jason laughed when he saw the expression on Laurel's face. "Don't worry, Green Eyes, it's
no secret to me that my daughter is 'differently orientated'. We had a talk about it a
long time ago." He smiled at Lisa affectionately. "Like mother like daughter I
suppose." He shrugged and looked sad for a moment, but then suddenly he was back to
smiling. "What do you say I make us some iced tea?"

"We're not staying long. I just came by to grab some extra clothes and to have you and
Laurel meet."

"Jenna will be home in about an hour. It would be nice if you stuck around long enough so
that she can remind herself what you look like."

Lisa rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine." She took Laurel's hand and headed to the stairs.
"We'll be down in a while. Save the iced tea for when Jenna gets here." She turned to
him. "Love you, daddy."

He smiled. "Love you too kiddo. Be good." He winked at Laurel.

-----------

Anya's eyes went wide. "You!"

Willow smiled despite being caught in Xander's library by the ex-vengance demon. "And
you." She nodded.

"You're dead."

"Am not! I'm just. . .broken." She smirked. "And it's nice to see you too."

"Have you told Buffy? You must have been quite uncomfortable. Especially since she and
Faith are. . ."

"Stop!" Willow put her hand up in the air. "Too much information. I'm well aware of the
'Buffy and Faith situation' thank you very much." She rolled her eyes. "And how did you
know about that anyway?"

"Xander told me. He said he thought you'd have a cow over it but. . ." She shrugged.
"The reference was lost on me I guess. I thought humans could only give birth to other
humans. Unless of course that has to do with you being immortal and all."

Willow couldn't help but chuckle. Anya would never change, and for that she was strangely
grateful. Anya approached her and put her hand through Willow's body. She did this
several times until Willow backed away giggling. "Cut it out! That tickles!"

"Sorry. How come you're transparent? Haven't you figured out how to fix that yet?"

"That's what I'm trying to do now. Xander, being the lovable but lazy oaf that he is,
hasn't put all of his books away yet. So I sort of don't have any real place to start
looking."

"What about. . .?" Anya's eyes went wide and she stomped her foot. "Hey! That's why he
was asking me about the Powers That Be and all of that temporal fold stuff!" She crossed
her arms and pouted. "How long has he been keeping you from me?"

Willow grinned sheepishly. "Uh, yeah, that's why." She thought for a moment. "Not
long. Only a few days or, um, maybe a week or so. But, Anya, you have to promise me that
you won't tell anyone in Sunnydale that I'm here. I don't want to give them false hope
about me coming back, seeing how I don't know if that's actually possible yet."

"Fine. I promise." She turned and grabbed a few books and began putting them on the
shelf. "It's probably for the best that you not come back anyway. It would really put a
cramp in Buffy and Faith's relationship."

"Anya!" Willow rolled her eyes. "Look, I'm not mad about that. Buffy can make her own
decisions. Who am I to say that she can't move on? Especially since she thinks I'm
dead. I'd never begrudge her moving on and loving someone else, even if it is Faith."

Anya thought for a moment. "So if you are able to go back, what then? Aren't you just
going to ruin what they have now by doing that? Faith never struck me as one that shares
very well with others."

Willow sat at the table and absorbed the little revelation Anya just made. What would
happen if she was able to go back? Buffy would be happy, but the longer she was away, the
harder it would be for Buffy and Faith to end what they started. And who was to say that
Buffy would be willing to end it anyway? Who ever said that Buffy would definitely take
Willow back? Someone was going to get hurt either way. . .there was no way around it.
Unless. . .she never went back at all.

Willow sighed at all the information suddenly swimming around her head. "Oh, God, I think
I need to sit down."

"You're already sitting." Xander said from the doorway.

"Good for me." She commented before folding her arms on the desk and burying her head
there.

A book went sailing across the room and nailed Xander right in the forehead. "Ouch!!
Anya, what was *that* for?"

She stalked up to him. "You need to ask?" She gestured to Willow. "Why didn't you tell
me she wasn't dead?"

"Anya, honey. . ." He took her hand gently and walked her over to the table so they could
join Willow. "Willow asked me not to. At least not until we figured out how permanent
her condition is. We just didn't want to get anyone's hopes up, that's all."

"Oh, Xander. . .all you had to do was tell me what was going on and I could have helped
with this mess right from the beginning. Going though musty old books is *such* a waste
of time."

He regarded her curiously. "And how could you possibly do anything that I can't? I have
all the resources of the living and the dead available to me and still we've come up with
nothing."

"I can get you an audience with The Powers." She said smugly. "They owe me a few
favors."

"What?" Willow looked up at her. "How can The Powers That Be possibly owe you?"

"It's a long story. They weren't always omnipotent beings you know. They were human
once."

Xander shook his head and smiled.

"What?" Anya looked at him, annoyed.

"Nothing." He leaned over and kissed her. "I just love you, that's all. And I'll never
doubt you or keep anything from you again."

"Well good." She smiled.

"Okay, so when do we do this?" Willow asked. "But wait. Maybe it's not such a good
idea. I mean, Buffy. . .she's happy. . .right? I mean. . .argh!. . .I don't know. Maybe
we need to rethink this whole plan." She got up and walked over to the window. "Maybe
it's not such a good idea I go back."

"Will." Xander walked up behind her. "What are you saying?"

"Maybe I'm here for a reason. Maybe Buffy and Faith. . .maybe they're better off without
me around." She shrugged.

"Five minutes with Anya and you're questioning your whole existence."

"Hey!" Anya yelled from behind them.

"No offense, hun." He smiled at her and turned back to Willow. "Look, Will. We have a
shot here at getting you circulated in the world again. . a really good shot. Tell me you
wouldn't do anything to hold Laurel again."

She turned to face him. "That's not fair, Xander."

"It is. You have to think about her too you know. Think about how much you love her and
miss her. How you always said you'd do anything for her to make her happy. She's your
life, Will."

Willow closed her eyes and thought about her daughter from the moment she was just an idea
in Willow's and Buffy's hearts, to when she was born, to the first time she heard Laurel
say 'mommy'. Every cut, bruise and bad dream Willow either kissed away or did a spell
for. Xander was right. Laurel was everything.

"Will." Xander whispered. "Open your eyes."

She slowly opened her eyes and wiped the tears away she hadn't been aware of shedding. "I
love her more than my life. More than anything, Xander. You know that."

He smiled. "I know." He reached out and touched her shoulder. She startled a bit from
the sudden 'solid' feeling of it and her eyes went wide with surprise. "And that's what
just brought you back together." His voice was thick with emotion.

As soon as she realized what he was saying, she leapt into his arms and gave him a
crushing hug. "Oh my god!" A million thoughts entered her mind. Getting back to Laurel,
finding Buffy. . .making love to Buffy as many times as they could before passing out.
She blushed as she followed that thought then suddenly found herself fall through Xander
and to the ground.

He looked down at her and chuckled. "You have to concentrate, Will. Otherwise you just
go all fuzzy again."

She shook her head and tried to clear her thoughts. "How did you find out?"

He shrugged. "I went to an old friend and asked. I don't know why I didn't do it in the
first place." He smiled down at her. "Your dismount could use a little work though."

Willow smirked. "Gee, thanks." She got up off the ground and dusted herself off.

"So what now?" Anya asked.

"I don't know. I can imagine that having an audience with The Powers isn't any kind of a
picnic so for now, I think I should research my other options."

"Will. . ." Xander hedged.

"Don't." She shook her head. "I need to think about this, Xander. There are a lot of
ramifications involved. Last time I went off without thinking I wound up in a million
little pieces."

He put his hands up in defeat. "Okay, okay. Just. . .don't think about it too long. I
could use another hug like that very soon."

She smiled and nodded, then back to shelving the books.


--
Your humble bard,
~~Kimber


Official Noodle wetter and distributor, Gutter-Slut and Vice President and Treasurer of
the Riley/Oz neutering society and garden club...Personnel Recruiter for all main gutter
and sub gutter affairs.



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