Hey Kittens...sorry it's taken so long to get this up. It's basically light hearted fluff. No worries! I needed to write something light, rather than dark at this moment. Again, thank you all for your kind words and condolences, I appreciate it a lot.
It's been hard this past month, but as much as I hate to say it, life does go on and that's what I'm trying to do - move on. Slowly of course, but still. Anyway, here's your long waited update. Enjoy!
Title: Baby, There’s Always Tomorrow
Author: Holly aka Taras Shadow
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, ME, UPN with the exception of Tori, Hadley, Libby, Orlando, Mikey, Lily and Emelia and other non-Buffy characters.
Feedback: Yes please, everything is welcome.
Pairings: W/T, B/F, X/A, D/Tori
Rating: PG-13 to NC-17
Summary: The Rosenberg-Maclay family get settled into their new life as they and all the Scoobies are sure to face rough roads ahead. Each day will be challenging in the everyday life of Sunnydale, California and the gang will either become closer than ever, or drift apart.
~Chapter Seven~~*~*~*~*~*~
Tori sat outside the hospital entrance, looking at patients going in and out. Her eyes searched the parking lot for any sign of Buffy, Faith and Dawn.
“Hey, what are you doing over here?” Willow came up to her and sat down.
“Waiting for the others,” Tori whispered, biting her nails.
“She’ll be fine,” Willow placed her hand on the young adult’s shoulder. “Did you want something to drink?”
Tori finally looked up at the redhead and placed her hand over the other woman’s. “No,” she smiled softly, “but thank you.”
“I’ll be with Tara in Hadley’s room if you need us, okay?”
Tori nodded and watched the redhead make her way back down the hall, towards her nieces room. Looking back out the window, she saw three familiar heads walk towards the emergency sliding doors.
“Hey,” Dawn was the first to scoop her into a hug and hold her.
Faith and Buffy stood back a bit, holding hands.
Tori pulled back as Dawn cupped her face. “What took you guys so long?”
Faith cleared her throat. “Uh, it was my fault...I was out shopping...for shirts...”
Buffy blushed slightly. “Sorry, Dawn reached me on my cell and then I had to run to the mall to grab Faith then we came straight here. How are things?”
“Hadley’s just getting her vitals taken again, and then she’s going for her procedure first thing in the morning,” Tori wiped her eyes and took her girlfriend’s hand. “We can go in and see her, before it gets too late?”
“Sure baby,” Dawn squeezed her girlfriend’s hand as the four of them made their way down to the hospital room.
~*~*~*~*~
“And then she said I had pretty eyes!” Hadley squealed about Nurse Jean.
“Uh huh,” Tara smirked and kissed her daughter’s hand. “You like her don’t you?”
“She’s pretty,” Hadley smiled. “But not as pretty as you or mommy.”
“Nice save,” Willow giggled, sitting in a chair beside the bed. “Maybe we can get her flowers as a thank you, before we leave, would you like that?”
“Yes!” Hadley beamed. “Can I pick out the flowers? Can they be a nice pink or purple? Does this mean she’s on a date with me? Do I have to kiss her?”
“Um...” Tara chuckled. “No, there will be no kissing and I can’t believe I’m telling our five year old daughter now, that there will be no kissing,” she looked over at her wife, who just smiled and winked. “No date, and yes you can pick out the colour of flowers.”
“Yay!” Hadley smiled happily and clapped her hands together.
“Whoa, what’s all they happiness going on here, without us?” Buffy walked in with the three other girls following.
“Auntie Buffy! Aunt Faithy! Auntie Tori! Aunt Dawnie!!”
Faith raised her eyebrows. “Someone’s in a good mood,” she bent over the bed to kiss the little girl on the forehead. “Who’s the girl?” she teased.
“Nurse Jean,” Hadley grinned.
“There really is a girl?” Faith stepped back and chuckled.
“Who is she and what does she look like?” Tori raised an eyebrow.
“She’s a nurse,” Tara explained. “She has long dark hair and blue eyes.”
“And she smiles pretty and when her hair is up, some of it hangs down slightly! And she has these cool shoes and-”
“Oh my Willow, you’ve created a babbling monster,” Dawn laughed.
“I did nothing of the sort!” Willow blushed and grinned.
“Starting young?” Tori teased, moving to the bedside and ruffling her tiny niece’s hair. “Mama should be a little worried,”
“Why? I can’t date her!” Hadley scowled.
“She’s feisty,” Faith laughed. “My kind of girl.”
“Hey! That is my Maclay!” Buffy frowned and crossed her arms over her chest, pouting cutely.
“Chill B,” the dark slayer wrapped her arm around the blonde’s waist and squeezed affectionately. “I have no intentions stealing away your Maclay...but damn you irresistible Maclay women. If there is another one in the family, she’s mine!” Faith threw a quick glance at Willow and winked.
Willow opened her mouth and closed it again. She wrapped her arms around your belly to protect the baby from the sexy brunette. “What is with you guys and wanting to call Maclays! I saw them first so..” the redhead stuck her tongue out and she grinned as she heard Hadley giggle.
“Well, there is D-Donnie,” Tara teased.
“Ew,” Tori gagged.
Dawn popped a kiss on her girlfriend’s cheek.
“Ew,” Faith repeated. “I’m happy with my wi-” she was elbowed by Buffy, catching herself mid-sentence. “I-I mean, my whiny girlfriend.”
“Whiny?!” Buffy yelped, but calmed down when Faith gave her an apologetic look.
“Mommy, can you snuggle with me?” Hadley moved over to make little room for her mommy.
Tara smiled affectionately at her wife as the redhead climbed in carefully, pulling the small blonde into a sweet embrace. “Visiting hour is almost over,” she looked at the clock.
“We’re not leaving,” Tori stood firmly.
“Tori, you can come by first thing in the morning,” Tara said calmly.
“But-”
Tara looked at her sister with an agonized look.
Nodding in agreement, Tori was defeated, burying her head in her girlfriend’s neck briefly.
Jean walked in the room and stopped dead in her tracks. “Oh my, aren’t you loved,” she smiled at the little blonde, who was curled up in Willow’s arms.
“This is my family, well some of my family because my uncle Xander and Auntie Anya aren’t here with my baby cousin Alex and Brady my dog,” Hadley babbled.
“You are just so precious,” Jean grinned, showing her dimple.
Faith and Tori’s eyes grew wide. “Wow,” the brunettes breathed slightly.
The Summer sisters looked at their loves with a curious look, raising their eyebrows and folding their arms over their chest.
“I uh...I’m Faith,” the brunette held out her hand.
“I’m Tori,” the other brunette smiled.
“Ah yes, Hadley talks a lot about you two...all of you really,” Jean smiled warmly. “I’m Jean.”
Dawn and Buffy introduced themselves. “I need a drink,” the eldest sister excused herself, dragging Faith with her.
“Um, what the hell was that?” Buffy hissed as soon as they reached outside the door.
“What?” Faith questioned.
“You and Tori were practically drooling over her!”
“Hell yea, B...did you see her? She’s not my type but damn, that kiddo has got taste!” Faith chuckled but stopped quickly. “Really, I’m not attracted to her like that, honestly.”
“Really?” Buffy muttered.
“Really...Buffy, you know that you’re the only one for me...shit, we got married! I love you.” Faith kissed her wife gently. “Okay?”
Smiling, Buffy nodded. “Okay.”
“Now, can we go back in there? I hate to miss a five year old flirting,” Faith laughed, opening the door to the room.
“Will you hold me hand?” Hadley asked as Jean took her blood pressure. SHe blushed when her Jean took her hand and held it on her own.
Faith wrinkled her nose in amusement, loving every moment of it. Yes, if her and Buffy were ever able to have children, a little girl like Hadley would just be the perfect daughter.
“I’m sorry, but visiting hours will be over in five minutes,” Jean smiled apologetically.
“Aww, can’t they sleep on the floor?” Hadley pouted.
“As much of a cutie you are...I’m afraid I can’t bend the rules that far for you,” Jean pouted too and squeezed the tiny hand gently. “Plus princess, you need your sleep.”
Hadley nodded. “Night Jean!”
“Night sweetie, I’ll be here in the morning,” she grinned and said goodnight to the rest of the family before quietly leaving.
Tori, Dawn, Faith and Buffy left shortly after, giving Hadley much kisses, promising her that they’d be back in the morning.
“Mama?” Hadley asked in a sleepy voice.
“What is it babygirl?” Tara whispered, brushing silky strands of hair away from her daughter’s face.
“Everything will be okay, right?”
Willow and Tara made eye contact. “Yes sweet baby, everything will be okay,” the blonde stroked the tiny cheek softly. “And when you wake up afterwards, we’ll be right there for anything you need.”
“Yes, and we’ll even buy a little gift for you,” Willow smiled.
“Can it be a teddy bear?” Hadley asked with a little voice.
“Yes, what colour?”
“Blue and green,” the little girl smiled, loving her both her parents eyes.
“Okay, we’ll see what we can do,” Willow whispered.
“Yay!” Hadley grinned before snuggling deeper into her mommy’s embrace. “Can mama fit?”
Tara smiled and squeezed in on the bed as well. “Yup, I can fit,” she whispered.
Hadley shifted so that all three were snuggling together perfectly. “Night, I love you,” she whispered, kissing her parents before closing her eyes.
"We love you too," Tara and Willow met each others gaze through the dim hospital light outside their door window. Leaning over, the redhead brushed her lips over Tara’s gently. “I love you, Tara.”
Tara smiled and whispered her words of love back to her wife. Their hands met in the middle as they kept Hadley safe between them before drifting off lightly - waiting for tomorrow’s nerve wracking day, to arrive.
~*~*~*~*~
To Be Continued~Holly~
Baby, baby, baby when all your love is gone, who will save me from all I'm up against out in this world
- Bright Lights - Matchbox Twenty
"Show me where to touch you." - Tara, It Ain't Fickle (Luciddream)
Edited by: Taras Shadow

at: 7/16/04 1:07 am