Author: Missocki
Rating: R for 'spicy talk' and various other things that are more racy than PG-13.
Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or any characters in it. However, the story itself is from my special little mind. And as always, feedback is always welcome!

"Hey Mom?" Joy turned to her mother who was setting down the last of their bags.

"Yes honey?"

"Can I jump on the bed?" Joy smiled a wicked smile.

"What?" Buffy's eyes widened in amazement.

"Please? I mean look! The bed is huge and so springy!" She fall backwards on the bed and bounced back upright, "See?"

"I can believe you would ask me that!" She gave the patented Mom glare that her mother taught her.

"I'm sorry." Joy bowed her head.

"You should be. You are supposed to say 'May I jump on the bed'," with that Buffy threw herself on the bed and began to jump.

"God! Mom! How are you able to get me like that every time?" she asked as she joined her mom on the bed.

"Your Grandma Joyce of course," Buffy answered between bounces.

"Man, I'm gunna miss her and Grandpa Rupert," she bounced.

"Why wouldn't you? I would have missed Mom and Dad if I had left town to go to College."

"I am, I mean going to miss you and Daddy. I love you guys so much." Buffy smiled and wrapped her arms around her daughter knocking them both down to the bed.

"My little girl is all growned up," she faked a sniffle.

"Mom. I not all that growned."

"Better not be!" They both sat up.

"I still don't get how anyone could have been mean to Aunt Tara and Grandma Beth," she frowned a little bit.

"Me neither. But I do know one thing that Beth told me one time."

"What?"

"Things happen for a reason. The bad things, the good things, all of them. She told me that her marriage to Mr. MaClay was one of those bad things, but the one good thing he gave her was Tara. She told me that something good always comes out of something bad," she ran her hands through her daughter's hair, "She also told me that without sadness we would never know true happiness, and without dark, we wouldn't know light."

"Wow. Ms. MaClay is always so wise."

"Yup."

"But so are all of you."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that all of you, you and Dad, Aunt Willow, Aunt Tara, Aunt Anya and Uncle Xander, Grandma and Grandpa, and Grandma Beth, are wise in the sense that you know things that you can only learn from life, and you guys know when to share with me, Alex, and Rupe."

"That was the kindest and wisest thing I have ever heard you say."

Joy smiled, "well, it's true."

"Too bad you can't be that smart more often." She giggled. Joy tickled her.

"Mercy! Mercy! I give, I give!" Joy smirked.

"I win! Go me!" She stood up and did a victory dance, a very silly, ass shaking, victory dance.

"Alright that's enough! You can stop gloating now." She did.

"Okay, then can we go eat now? Not only am I hungry, but I'm dying to hear some more of the tales of yore."

"Funny. But I'm with you I'm starving."

"Yours always hungry Mom. Why is that?" She shrugged her shoulders.

"Dunno. But get your butt out of the room and down to the restaurant in the lobby if you hungry as you claim to be." With that the two left the room and returned an hour later.

"-and he looked the bartender right in the eye and said 'Do you remember what happened two weeks ago?' The bartender nodded, taking another look at the monkey, 'Well, now he sizes everything'," Joy said to her mother as they walked into the room, Buffy and her then broke into a fit of giggles.

Buffy snorted, Joy laughed harder, "That was the best joke you've ever told, the grossest, but definitely the funniest."

"Well I try. But speaking of things told, what about your epic, uh, epic?"

"Oh, alright!" Buffy lay down on the bed, Joy lay down next to her. "That night was that one that I'll never forget."

"Well, obviously, I mean, it's like twenty years later and you telling me." Buffy jabbed Joy in the ribs.

'So, that night brought all of us even closer together. Willow and Tara helped me get over Angel, and pass French. The rest of that semester passed rather quickly, but then does time usually fly by?'

'That summer was so much fun for all of us. I remember one day that all of us were at the beach. We had dragged Xander out of his house to come to the beach with us. He and Cordelia broke up that semester too, and he was really hurt. Not that any of us could blame him really.'

"Come on Xand!" Willow begged him.

"Yeah Xander, get your butt out of bed and down to the beach with us!" I pleaded.

"It'll be fun, and m-maybe you'll met someone," Tara explained.

"Fine I'll go!" Xander gave in. We spent most of the day at the beach. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, the water was warm, and not a cloud in the sky. I remember Xander trying light a grill for us to have burgers and him not being able to do it.'

"Well, it's great to know I lack the culinary skills of a caveman."

"Can I try?" a pretty brunette woman asked him. She had been walking by and saw the whole thing. "Maybe I could get it?" Xander was speechless. Not to mention drooling at her bikini. She tilted her head to the side, looking for his answer.

"I think he said sure," I translated as Xander nodded excitedly. He handed her the lighter, and in one try she got it lit.

"See fire, I'm Anya by the way," we introduced ourselves.

"And this is Xander," I explained, as Xander still hadn't regained his mental ability to form coherent words. Anya eyed him appreciatively.

"You can j-join us if you want," Tara offered.

"Really? I don't want to interrupt anything."

"Are you kidding? You saved the day. I think you wouldn't be interrupting anything at all." I said, Anya agreed and sat down on the blanket next to Xander, so close that their shoulders we touching. The rest of us shared a look, the 'somebody's-hooked' look. Xander didn't even notice this, he was to busy checking out Anya.

"So, food?" he threw on the hot dogs and burgers. While eating we realized that Anya was a little, um-"

"Crass? Tactless? Sex Obsessed?" Joy offered.

"The second one, we didn't discover the last one until a few weeks later…"

'We were at the Bronze, the four of us and Anya. Xander had left to buy us some drinks. And some how the conversion turned to…'

"Xander's a Viking in the sack."

"WHAT?!" The three of asked simultaneously.

"Well, he is. Just saying'."

"Okay, so one wants to dance?" I asked not wanting the visual of Xander and Anya that just popped into my head. No, no thoughts of Xander in a Viking helmet and-no. Willow and Tara quickly agreed joining me on the dance floor. Xander and Anya soon joined us. About half an hour later, I and Anya went to sit down and Xander went to the bathroom.

Willow and Tara were still dancing together. A slower song then came on over the speakers, and the two of them began to dance to the song. They were focused on nothing but each other. Willow had her arms around Tara's waist and Tara arms were around Willow's neck. Tara then placed her head on Willow's shoulder.'

"Are they organism friends?" Anya asked me as we watched the two of them dance. I spit out my drink.

"W-what?"

"Are they having sex?"

"NO! They're friends and hello? Not gay!"

"Well, not for long. Look at them. They are totally hot for each other."

'They are not!" I looked at the two of them. Sure they were so cute together, but together together? I didn't think they liked each other that way.'

"The rest of the night went along fine. Although Anya's comments were really starting to annoy Willow.

"What is her deal? Does she have to tell us everything out Xander and her's love life? Because I don't want to know!" Willow asked us after we left the Bronze.

"Not to mention all the people all over the Bronze she thought were having sleeping together." Tara added. She and Willow were holding hands as were Willow and I.

"Hee Hee. Yeah, you believe some of the people she thought were 'together'."

"Like who?"

"Oh, you guys don't want to know." I was sure, back then, that they would have freaked and been weird around Xander's new honey. So I kept that to myself, but it wasn't until a week before school started that I would learn that wasn't necessarily true.

Will's parents decided to take her with them to a convention they were going to. They hadn't been home for most of the summer, and I guess they wanted to make up for it. Come to think of it, they were gone most of that last school year too. Anyway, Tara was spending the night at my house.'

"Man, you would not believe the cutie that I met earlier today. He was working at the Espresso Pump. His name is Riley. He's a little older, but so sweet."

"That's cool Buffy. I'm happy for you. Did he ask you out?"

"We're having dinner tomorrow night."

"Wow."

"Yeah, and I think he might have a friend for you if want, sometime."

"Um, no. I wouldn't be interested."

"Why?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yeah."

Tara looked like she was thinking about something. And I guess she made up her mind. She took a deep breath. "Buffy, I have something I have to tell you, but you have to promise not to tell anyone. I mean NO one."

"You can trust me Tara."

"Not even Willow."

"I promise. So share."

She sighed, "I'm gay."

"Huh?"

"I'm a lesbian. I like girls not boys."

"Oh, OH!"

"I-if y-you d-don't w-want to b-be m-my f-friend, I Und-derstand I-I-"

"Are you kidding? Just cause your gay doesn't mean I'm not going to be your friend. Your one of my best friends. Do you honestly think I'll let you get rid of me that easily?"

"Do you mean it?"

"Of course. I love you Tara, buuddy." I hugged her. She pulled back.

"Wow, I've wanted to tell you for such a long time."

"How long for you known?"

"A couple of years."

"Wow, that's a long time. So, do you like anyone?"

"Umm, what?" she blushed deeply.

"You do like someone."

"N-no. N-no one." she blushed even harder.

"Yes you do. Who is it? Do I know her?"

"Y-you c-could say that."

"Is it me? It's not me is it?" Tara laughed.

"No, but-"

"Tara. I promise I won't tell her or anyone I promise."

"Willow," she whispered and ducked her head down hiding behind her hair.

"Did you just say Willow?"

"Y-yes."

"Willow? As in our best friend, redheaded Willow?"

"Yeah, sweet, beautiful, smart, green-eyed, redheaded, wonderful Willow."

"Huh. How long?"

"What do you mean?"

"How long have you had a crush on Willow?"

"Oh. Since the first time I met her."

"Oh, my Goodness. That is the cutest thing I have ever heard," Joy exclaimed.

"Yeah, it is one of the cutest admissions of love that I've ever heard," Buffy said pointedly.

"What's one of the others?"

"You earlier. That was adorable."

"Oh, yeesh. Are you going to give me crap about this for the rest of this trip?"

"No crap giving here. No sir-ee."

"I feel a but coming on…"

"It's just I want to know something."

"What would you like to know?"

"What you like about him."

"Oh," she closed her eyes as if imagining him, "his eyes for one thing. Those blue eyes, I look into them and I see his heart. And I love his hair, that dark red, soft hair of his. Not to mention his smile, you know the one that lights up the whole room? And he is so sweet, kind, and one of the funniest and most charming men I've ever met. He's been my best friend for ever and has always looked out for me, and been there for me. How could I not be in love with him?"

"Yeah, I kinda love him too."

"Well, you have known him since he was born, you should love him."

"Very true."

"Mom?"

"Yes?"

"What do you love about Dad?"

"His smile. That was the first thing I noticed about him. I loved his voice, I could listen to him all day. He saved my life, and he went out of his way to do it too. And okay, he was just an overall hottie."

"Oh, God."

"Hey, you asked."

"I know," she yawned.

"I second that. So sleep?" Buffy looked to her daughter, but she was already fast asleep. "I'll take that as a yes." She then bent down and kissed her child's forehead. "Good night." Buffy slowly got up off the phone, and got her phone off the nightstand, and dialed her husband's number.

"Hello?"

"Hi honey."

"Buffy! I'm glad you called. I was getting worried about my two favorite girls."

"Well, not to worry. We're both fine. Your kid is fast asleep."

"Good. How was the drive?"

"Good. The radio broke the second we got on the highway, so she begged me to tell her a story."

"Bollocks. Which one are you telling her?"

"One about Willow and Tara."

"Oh, really? How far did you get?"

"When Tara told me about how she felt about Willow."

"The bad bit is coming up soon."

"Yeah, but I seem to remember one good part of that incident."

"And that was?"

"You."

"I love you too."

"Goodnight, sexy."

He laughed, "You have called me that in-"

"Three days. I know. But I just had to remind you. I love you."

"I love you too. Good night luv." He hung up.

'Yup, still tinglely and sigh.' She smiled and went to bed.