Inell's Fanfiction Archive

Joyce looked up from her magazine when she heard the front door open. She smiled as Buffy and Willow came into the living room, asking, "Did you girls enjoy the movie?"

"It was okay," Willow said, not able to meet Joyce's eyes for fear the mother instinct would kick in and the older woman would be able to read everything in them.

"There was a lot of fighting," Buffy said, "big explosions. Lots of boom."

"Boom?" Joyce repeated, frowning as she studied the girls. Willow had not looked up since they had entered and Buffy was speaking strangely, and also seemed to be avoiding looking at her. "Buffy, is something wrong? Did something happen on patrol?"

"No. It was slow. We ran into Faith and cut out early," Buffy said, glancing at Willow, wishing she knew what she was supposed to say and do.

"No slaying tonight," Willow said, finally glancing at Joyce and smiling before looking back down. This was worse than she had thought it would be. There was silence following her words as Buffy shifted nervously beside her. Why didn't she say something? She was a slayer, besides it was her mother.

"Why don't you girls sit down and tell me about the movie?" Joyce suggested, feeling the beginnings of a headache as the usually talkative girls stood there in silence. She knew something was wrong. They were acting unusual.

Buffy pushed Willow to the sofa, sitting next to her lover as she mentally tried to figure out what to say. She looked at her Mom, noticing the statement of concern and began to feel guilty. This was stupid. They shouldn't be scared of her Mother. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly before deciding on the perfect thing to say. "Mom, we need to talk."

"I assumed that we were talking, Buffy," Joyce said.

Buffy glanced at Willow and made a face, knowing the words in her mind were perfect. She looked back at her Mom and tried to say them, but something else came out instead, "Mom, I love Willow and she loves me and we've been together for the last two months."

"Buffy," Willow cringed at the slightly defensive tone to Buffy's voice, knowing that her friend was so worried she might lose her mother.

"Oh?" Joyce managed to say, having not expected that at all. She looked from one girl to the other, noticing things she'd not seen before. The clasped hands, the closeness of their positions, the love. What was she supposed to say? They were staring at her now as if they expected her to go crazy and start yelling. Did they really expect her to react badly? She was hurt that Buffy would ever doubt her love, especially over something like this. She cleared her throat and asked, "Is there anything else?"

"Anything else?" Buffy repeated in confusion. She'd expected the fireworks by now. The denial and disgust and maybe then the acceptance. Instead, she got asked a silly question.

"I guess that means there's not," Joyce said before finally smiling. "Buffy, you can relax. While I am a bit startled, I'm not upset."

"You're not?" Willow sighed, giving a small smile as she compared Joyce's reaction to that of her own mother. There would have been screaming and threats of therapy and then she probably would have been kicked out of the house. Thankfully, that talk wouldn't have to come until graduation, if her parents even made it home for that.

"Willow, I love you as if you were my own," Joyce said, knowing how difficult it was for the girls to be honest about their relationship, but also still hurt that they hadn't trusted her more. "I could never be angry that Buffy was in love with you or you with her. I will admit that I am hurt that it has taken you this long to tell me. Do the others know?"

Buffy shook her head, still staring at her mother in amazement, "No, you're the first. Well, Angel does but he smelled me on Willow and I'll just shut up now."

"Ahem," Joyce cleared her throat again as Buffy turned bright red and looked at the floor. "Is that awkward, Angel knowing?"

"He's been wonderful," Willow said honestly, "letting us talk to him, giving us advice. This is all so new, different. We weren't really sure how anyone would react, what they'd say or think. I mean, we don't care about strangers or the kids at school. But, our friends and you, well, we weren't sure how you'd take it."

"If they are really your friends, they accept all the aspects of who you are, including the people you choose to love," Joyce said softly, seeing the slight fear in Willow's eyes. She looked back at Buffy and had to ask, "What?"

"You," Buffy said, having to smile. "You just find out that I'm in love with a girl, something a lot of parents would be majorly freaking out about, and you're giving us advice and support."

"That's what Mother's do, Buffy. They love their children. You act as though loving Willow should be considered a flaw, something bad. I don't see it that way. She loves you, obviously, and she knows it all. The real you. All I want is for you to be happy. It would appear that you've found your happiness with Willow. I'm still a bit surprised, but I'll get over it," Joyce said. "Besides, this is nothing compared to finding out that my daughter is a slayer and faces death nightly, thank you very much."

"I love you, Mom," Buffy said as she got up and hugged her mother tightly. "Thank you," she whispered before kissing her cheek. Pulling back, she smiled, "I don't understand you most the time, but I'm glad you're my Mom."

"I love you, too Buffy," Joyce said before smiling. "Now, sit down and tell me how you two figured it all out. And when do you plan on telling the others? Two months, you said? From your earlier statement, I can assume that the relationship is physical. I'd prefer you to be open with me concerning the relationship. I don't want any skulking around, and no more secrets."

"Mom, take a breath," Buffy said, sitting beside Willow as she tried to follow her mother's stream of statements. As her mother ignored her and continued to ask questions, she looked at Willow and smiled. "See, that wasn't so bad."

"I don't know. She asks a lot of questions," Willow whispered back as she smiled in response.

"She's a Mom. What do you expect?" Buffy asked before kissing her lover. She pulled back and glanced at her now silent mother. She blushed as she said, "Sorry. I forgot."

"Don't apologize," Joyce said, "this is just going to take some getting used to."

"I'm kind of tired. Do you think we can finish this discussion in the morning?" Buffy asked, noticing that it was nearly one in the morning.

"Of course," Joyce said, watching her daughter yawn. "Willow, are you staying over tonight?"

"Um, well, if it bothers you, I can go home," Willow stuttered, not sure just how accepting Joyce was.

"You're always welcome here, Willow. You girls sleep well. We'll talk more tomorrow," Joyce said, kissing Buffy's cheek then impulsively giving Willow a hug before she headed upstairs. When she was in her room, she shut the door and sat on the bed, a dazed statement crossing her face as she allowed everything to finally sink in.