Fic: Chosen 2/?

["jend1205" <jend1205@xxxxxxxxx>]

Author: Jen D
Disclaimer: I don't own just like it. 
Rating: G-R and all points between mostly language and violence
Pairing: Willow/ Buffy
Spoilers: I guess all of the shows this is A/U but some of it might 
come up.


Joyce Giles sat on her front step and looked at the house across 
the street that the red headed slayer now occupied. She thought back 
to two nights ago when she had met Willow. The girl had shown up at 
her front door with a child that couldn't be more than a couple of 
years old. What that poor girl must have went through growing up. 
First being told that she wasn't allowed to have a normal life 
anymore that she had to go out every night and fight to save the 
world from the things that go bump in the night. Then to lose her 
mother, gain a child and still know she could die at anytime. Then to 
lose her watcher last week and told that she had to pack up and move 
to a strange town. Joyce knew then what she had to do. She got up and 
headed across the street. The door was opened and she could hear the 
music coming from inside. She knocked but no one answered so she 
opened the screen door and stuck her head in, "Willow are you home." 
Getting no answer she stepped inside and followed the music upstairs. 
Joyce found Willow and Dawn in the first room she came to. She stood 
in the doorway watching them dance around. Joyce smiled as she 
watches Willow spin Dawn around and the child squealed with delight. 
Willow finally noticed Joyce and turned the music down, "Mrs. Giles I 
did hear you come in."
"I knocked and then just followed the music. I hope you don't mind me 
just showing up but I wanted to talk to you."
"No you are always welcome. I was just trying to wear her out a 
little for nap. Would you like to have some coffee? I was going to 
make a pot after I put Dawn to bed."
"That would be wonderful", Joyce told her, "and I'll just wait 
downstairs for you." Joyce went back down the stairs and looked 
around the house. She noticed several paintings that were leaning 
against the wall. She was startled at what she saw. Willow came down 
to find her admiring them, "Do you like art, Mrs. Giles?"
"You could say that. I'm co-owner of an art gallery downtown. Do you 
realize what you have here?"
"Yeah I do. These were done by an artist by the name of Anne Rose", 
Willow said and smiled.
"Yes, she was a brilliant painter. As far as I am concerned she was 
one of best of her generation. How did you get these? She died a 
couple years back and some of these would be worth hundred of 
thousands of dollars", Joyce told her and then saw the shadows cross 
Willow face.
"She was my mother", Willow sighed. Joyce stood there and suddenly it 
made sense, she knew that Anne Rose had died from a tumor.
"Willow, I'm sorry. I didn't know."
"It's ok, you wouldn't. Now how about that coffee." Joyce took one 
last look at the painting and followed Willow into the kitchen. She 
was surprised to see that the kitchen was spotless, "You seemed to 
have been busy."
"I wanted to get things settled as soon as I could so I worked all 
night last night. I don't have a lot of time and a lot to do. We did 
Dawn room yesterday. She gets cranky if she doesn't sleep and a 
cranky two-year-old is so not what I need right now. I worked on the 
kitchen last night, so at least I could cook. All I really have to do 
is put things on the wall and finish my room and we will have it 
licked. Why don't we move to the living room and get comfortable", 
Willow said. Joyce stopped at the shelf on one side of the living 
room and let out a slow whistle, "Willow, my god you have albums. 
Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, ABBA, Cream, oh wow."
"They were my mom's and some where Merrick's. I even have a record 
player. Sometime if you want you can come over and we can listen to 
them when I get it set up."
"I would love that. CD's are nice but sometimes you just want to hear 
the imperfections of an album."
"I agree. When I was a kid, my mom favorite way to wake me up on 
Sunday's was to blare `Dancing queen' at full blast. She thought it 
was torture but I loved it. So Mrs. Giles what brings you over today"?
"Please call me Joyce. Mrs. Giles seems so formal." Willow studied 
the women on the couch, "It is formal and you are my watcher's wife, 
so I have to be formal."
"Did you call Merrick mister?"
"No he was different, he hated formalities."
"Me too, I give you permission to call me Joyce. Would it help if I 
ordered it", Joyce asked knowing enough that a slayer wouldn't ignore 
a watcher's orders but not sure if his wife counted.
"Yes ma'am it would. As Mr. Giles wife I could not refuse", Willow 
answered stiffly.
"Good now relax and to answer you question I came over to invite you 
to dinner. I was thinking that maybe if you got to know me you would 
trust me enough to look after Dawn when you went back to slaying."
"Mrs. Joyce", Willow started trying to keep some formalities, "I 
couldn't put that on you. Dawn can be a handful sometimes. Not 
usually but sometimes."
"Willow stop, I know how kids are, I have one remember." Willow 
thought about the blonde girl she met the other day. Yes she 
defiantly remembered her. How could she not, Buffy had occupied many 
a thought in the last couple of days, not that she could do anything 
about the thoughts but they were there none the less. 
"It would be easier to have someone who knew what I did. Someone who 
could protect her if something happened. Mrs. Joyce you do realize 
that if the demon population finds out about her, they may try to use 
her against me."
"I understand and I will do everything to protect her", Joyce 
answered.
"Ok, that's one less thing I have to worry about. Now I am betting 
you have other question for me", Willow asked and took a drink of her 
coffee.
"Yes, what happened to your father?"
"Nothing he lives in New York. He is a writer. He calls me once a 
month to find out how I am but we really haven't seen each other in a 
couple of years. Dawn father was killed right after my mom found out 
she was pregnant. It was kind of ironic that a vampire killed the 
stepfather of the vampire slayer. He was a truck driver, he was out 
of town at the time, there was nothing I could do."
"I'm sorry", Joyce said and pulled the red head into a hug. Willow 
stiffened at the close contact. 
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable", Joyce said.
"No it's ok, I'm just not used to physical contact. My mom wasn't a 
touchy feely mother. I try hard to be with Dawn but it just weird 
with someone else. I'm a pretty distant and more then one person has 
called me cold but I have to be. I can't let a bunch of emotions get 
in the way."
"I understand now will you come to dinner? It's Friday and I'm sure I 
will have Xander and Cordy for dinner and two more would be better. I 
love to cook when I can."
"I accept. I'm going to go over to the college this afternoon anyway 
to sign up for winter classes so the day is shot from the get go."
"You're planning on going to school? How?"
"I went to UCLA. I was a sophomore there and I really don't want to 
dropout. I got my GED. Education is very important to me."
"You are an unusual kid", Joyce laughed. Upstairs Willow heard Dawn 
whine, "Well Dawn's up, so I ought to go get her and head out. Mrs. 
Joyce thank you for coming over and you are welcome anytime." Joyce 
got up and went to the door; "Ok I will see you tonight then."
"Yes thank you."