Wisdom and Comfort

by Mike McD

Copyright © 2004

o163210@iprimus.com.au

Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer nor do I own any other characters. This is a work of fiction written for fun and enjoyment.
Distribution: The Mystic Muse    http://mysticmuse.net
Anywhere, just let me know.
Feedback: Is appreciated.
Author's Notes: This takes place in the future. Sunnydale didn't collapse into a crater after the battle with the First Evil.
Pairing: Willow/Buffy

"Honey, I'm home!" Willow called out as she came in the front door of 1630 Revello Drive.

"I'm in the kitchen." Buffy replied. Willow put her laptop bag on the coffee table and headed into the kitchen where the smell of food cooking made her mouth water.

Entering the kitchen, Willow saw Buffy at the sink peeling potatoes for the Christmas dinner they were having that night. Wrapping her arms around Buffy's waist, Willow kissed Buffy's neck and inhaled the alluring smell that was Buffy.

"Smells good enough to eat." Willow purred into the Slayer's ear.

"Dinner won't be ready for at least another hour, Willow." Informed Buffy.

"Who said I was talking about the food?" Willow punctuated the question by nibbling on Buffy's right ear lobe. The blonde gave a low growl and dumped the potatoes in the sink. She turned around and passionately kissed the redhead who responded with vigor; her left hand sliding down onto Buffy's ass while her right hand slid up to cup the Slayer's breast. Reluctantly Buffy broke off the kiss.

"Behave you. Save it for later."

Willow gave Buffy sweet puppy dog eyes that belied the salacious intent behind them.

"Don't you wanna play?" Willow asked and tweaked Buffy's hardening nipple through the shirt. Buffy went a little weak at the knees at the sensation. Summoning her self-discipline, Buffy pushed her lover back.

"I said later, you horn dog! Besides, you wanna explain to Dawn and Xander that dinner was late because we were too busy having sex to cook it?"

"Buffy, I'm pretty sure that once we explained it that Xander wouldn't mind." Buffy rolled her eyes at Willow's comment.

"I bet he wouldn't." Buffy smirked. "Now, you go and get changed while I finish the vegetables." With that, Buffy turned Willow around and gently pushed her out of the kitchen. Willow pouted at her love as she headed up the stairs to get changed.

"Spoil sport."

With Willow changed and the vegetables in the oven cooking, the two women curled up on the couch together sipping a glass of wine.

"I worry about Dawn." Buffy announced out of the blue.

"Huh? Why? Is there something wrong?" an instantly concerned Wiccan asked.

"Relax Will, it's nothing Hellmouthy. It's just that I'm worried, you know, about her choice of relationships."

Willow just gave her a look.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. With my history I shouldn't talk about bad relationship choices."

Willow started counting off on her fingers.

"Angel, Parker, Riley, Spike..."

"Another word out of you Rosenberg and you can add your name to that list." The Slayer groused at, then kissed, the woman snuggled beside her.

"Besides, I ended up pretty good, didn't I?"

"Uh huh, and just who do you have to thank for that?" Willow replied. Buffy grumbled a bit. Willow pressed on.

"Who got sick and tired of seeing his two best friends get their hearts broken and decided to play match maker? Who organized the blind date? Who told his two best friends to stop pussyfooting around and admit their feelings?"

"Who asked if he could watch?"

Willow giggled at the memory.

"He's a guy, Buffy. A wonderfully sweet and lovable guy, but still a guy. Frankly, I'd be worried if he DIDN'T ask to watch."

"Yeah, I guess you're right Will." Buffy allowed, smiling.

"So, what's the big concern with Dawnie?" Willow asked, dragging the conversation back to its original track.

"She's been in college now for, what, two years now? She's had four boyfriends, all bastards. The first two cheated on her, the third one tried to sacrifice her to some demon god, and the last one dumped her for some unknown reason."

"Uh, actually..." Willow started then thought better of continuing.

"What did you do?" Buffy's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Nothing!"

There was a moment of silence as Buffy glared at Willow who finally wilted.

"I heard that Tray had a reputation as a Parker Jr. and I happened to mention it to Xan. So Xander invited him to his place for a beer and a talk."

"So Xander told him to get lost." Buffy concluded, incorrectly as it turned out.

"He didn't need to. Look, imagine you're Tray. All you wanna do is trick Dawn into liking you enough to get into her pants. Then you get invited to have beers with her big, scary, one eyed, protective, older guy friend at his place; a place that has all sorts of medieval weapons hanging off the walls. You're gonna do the math and decide it ain't worth getting your head smashed in by some cycloptic head-case wielding a morning star."

"Xander's not a..." Buffy's temper flared red-hot. She could hardly believe that Willow, Xander's best friend for over twenty years, could call him a cycloptic head-case. Especially since Xander lost his eye saving that bitch Kennedy.

"I know he's not, and you know he's not, and Dawn knows he's not. But to a pin dick pea brain like Tray, Xander looks EXACTLY like the sort of guy who gets you on the front page of the newspapers and not in a good way. More like in a `police are still searching for more body parts' kinda way."

"Yeah? Well, anyone who thinks that needs a Slayer sized ass kicking."

"Totally." Willow agreed as she watched Buffy calm down. "Now enough with the Xander, what's the big worry with Dawnie?"

Buffy sighed.

"I'm just worried that Dawn is gonna suffer the Summers Romantic Curse."

"The Summers Romantic Curse? It's time to face facts here. Dawn would be lucky if all she suffered was the Summers Romantic Curse. You have to remember she's also a Scooby and the Scooby Romantic Curse is way worse. Ok, sure, it took you like 10 years to finally settle down but that's a hell of a lot better than some others we know."

Willow took Buffy's hand in hers to try to comfort her somewhat.

"Dawnie isn't a little girl any more. She's a beautiful, strong, independent, and intelligent young woman. Yes, she's going to have a rough ride romantically. No, there's nothing that we can do to stop her from getting hurt, no matter how much we wish otherwise. And yes, one day she will find the guy or girl of her dreams and they'll make all the tough times worth it."

Buffy smiled at her lover.

"How did you get so wise?"

Willow shrugged.

"I've got to admit that your mom and I had a similar talk back in high school just after the Fluke. Your mom was the best."

The memory of her mom still brought Buffy sadness. Not a day went by when she didn't wish her mom were still alive. But it was little moments like this that reminded Buffy that her mom was not truly dead.

She lived on in all the lives that she touched and in the hearts of those who loved her.

"Yeah, she is the best, isn't she?"

Willow patted Buffy on the knee.

"Good. Now that's settled, I can go check on the dinner."

"I still retain the big sisterly right to worry about Dawn!" Buffy told Willow as the redhead got up and headed into the kitchen.

"Uh, Buffy." Willow called from the kitchen.

"Yeah Will."

"You can stop worrying about Dawn. Or maybe you should start worrying."

Buffy entered the kitchen.

"Why? What's..." Buffy's jaw dropped as she looked out the back window and saw what Willow was looking at in the backyard.

In the middle of the backyard stood Dawn.

Locked in the middle of a passionate kiss.

With Xander.

Willow's eyes lit up with happiness for her best friend.

Buffy's narrowed darkly at the sight.

"I'm gonna kill him."

The End