The Nearness Of You

I'm glad to hear that everyone was sad to see the children leave that means hopefully people liked them. Who knows I may bring them back. Or not. I was already inspired by the reviews I received to write this next chapter.

Author's Note: I have gone back and extended chapters 1 to 17 on this story. Feel free to go back and reread it. I will continue to work on the chapters and extent them.

Please continue to review.

-----Goodbye-----

"Come on in, Darmian," Buffy said looking at how disheveled the man looked. Darmian always made it a point to be groomed to perfection, but now he looked terrible.

"What happened to you mate," Spike asked taking in Darmian's condition.

Darmian walked into the house and slumped down onto the coach. He wasn't sure why he decided to pay Buffy a visit, but he was miserable and she was the only person that he could talk to. Putting his head into his hands he remained silent as he reconsidered telling her what was wrong.

"I love her," was all the man was able to slur out.

"Who?" Buffy asked, sitting next to Darmian on the sofa. She absent-mindedly rubbed his back like a parent would do for a child.

"Emma, I gotta get her back," Darmian explained as if that were the only obvious answer.

"Emma is at school right now, but she will be home a 3:30 and you can see her then," Buffy replied to the very obviously drunk immortal who sat beside her.

"Not her, Emma from the future. The love of my life," Darmian yelled out as though the two other occupants in the room had suddenly gone daft and forgotten the last month of their lives.

"I think he is cracking up," Spike said watching the pair on the couch.

"Spike, he is just drunk," Buffy said defending Darmian.

"I look at my bed and remember seeing her there and then my bed seems way to empty to sleep in alone," Darmian groaned in misery.

"How about I make you some coffee," Spike offered, trying not to laugh at the piss-drunk man that was on his couch.

"I should have asked her to stay," he said in dismay.

"Darmian, your drunk and confused. Emma is at kindergarten right now and there was no other Emma that I know of," Buffy said slowly hoping to clarify whatever Darmian was rambling about.

"She was fucking here and you all saw her! Emma, Connor, and Jennifer remember them? They came here to kill Noah? What is wrong with you?" Darmian started yelling furiously. He was not amused by Buffy's sudden case of amnesia.

"I don't know what you are babbling about, but you had better cool off," Buffy warned.

"Fine. I'll just go talk to somebody else that wants to talk," Darmian said slamming the door on his way out of the house.

"What got into him?" Spike queried aloud.

"I don't know, but he kept insisting that we didn't know something," Buffy said shaking her head.

o8o8o8o

"Hurts doesn't it?" asked the little man, he was dressed horribly and was wearing a stupid hat.

"Fuck off," Darmian growled at the stranger.

"The name's Whistler. Not that you really care in your condition I'm sure." he said eyeing the inebriated man.

"What do you want," inquired Darmian.

"There seems to have been a problem with a spell that was cast and 'The Powers' sent me here to deal with it," Whistler explained.

"What spell?"

"The one that was supposed to make you forget that Emma ever came back in time," the shorter demon clarified.

"That's why Buffy didn't know," realization dawned upon Darmian.

"That would be why the slayer doesn't remember and 'The Powers' cant have you reminding her of what she forgot," Whistler said.

"Come to perform some spell to shut me up?" Darmian challenged staggering to his feet.

"That has already been tried, seems magic don't really work on you. So I came here to ask you to not talk to anybody else about what happened," the cheerful demon explained his position.

"Why shouldn't I remind everyone?" he challenged.

"There could be devastating consequences," was the cryptic response that was given.

"I want her back," Darmian made his demands.

"And you can have her in another ten years, until then just focus on teaching, protecting, and training the girl," Whistler requested.

"Ten years? That would make Emma only fifteen years old. That's still a bit young, don't you think?" Darmian pondered over what Whistler was telling him.

"Then wait until she is older. The point is you are being given a woman that men would kill to have and the only price is that you wait for her," Whistler said getting up from his seat and walking towards the door.

"Fine I'll keep quiet," he replied begrudgingly.

Darmian was left alone with his drunken thoughts and it took him a while to piece everything together. He wasn't immune to magic, so it must be a spell that was made for the sole purpose of him remembering the events.

Then everything clicked together as Darmian realized the chain around his neck was what protected his memories. Emma didn't want him to forget their time together, so she gave it to him as a present. The immortal felt like laughing at 'The Powers', because his girl was cleverer then they anticipated.

o8o8o8o

"Mum! Can you tell Connor to stop playing with my crayons," Emma cried out exasperated that yet another drawing was ruined by the toddler.

"Connor just wants to play with you honey," Buffy explained for the millionth time.

"He always follows me around and messes up everything," Emma whined about the injustice of have to always watch out for Connor.

"He just wants your attention," Buffy replied completely amused by the pair of children.

Jennifer chose that moment to wake up and scream until her face turned purple. Buffy groaned in annoyance and picked up the infant to go get her a bottle. Connor smiled and followed close on Buffy's heels.

Buffy had been working on a painting of her family and friends, but the children were constantly demanding her attention. She cursed the fact that Spike was sleeping and that it was her turn to watch all of the children. Buffy considered cheating and inviting Willow over to hang out and baby-sit. Instead she accepted her responsibilities as a mother and a slayer.

The knocking at the door startled Buffy. Everyone she knew was too busy to be knocking on her door at this time of day. Buffy's friends were all either at work or sleeping. Suspiciously, Buffy opened the door, prepared for any attack.

"How's it goin' slayer," Whistler greeted.

"Not you again," Buffy sighed leaning in the doorframe, blocking his entrance into her home.

"C'mon I'm one of the good guys," Whistler said with a grin.

"What great wisdom do you wish to impart with me this time?" Buffy asked sarcastically.

"Your girls got some tough times up ahead. Especially the little one," said the tacky dressed man.

"Whatever you are hinting at, just spit it out Whistler. As you can see I'm watching the kids right now and I don't have time for cryptic answers," the slayer said glaring.

"I just stopped by to say watch them carefully. You have no idea what precious tots you have and how much they are going to change the world," Whistler replied.

Buffy looked at him funny and considered what the demon on her doorstep was saying to her. She knew that all she could do was love her girls and train them on how to stop evil. The rest was up to fate. She felt good hearing Whistler talking about the girls' future, which meant that they would get a chance to grow up and accomplish great things in their lives. Something parents want of their children.

---The End---

Sort of…

AN: I will be working on a sequel to this story that takes place in the future, to show everyone what happens when the kids return from the past and what all the Scoobys are like in the future. And if I become inspired enough I may continue on with this story, but the well has run dry here and is overflowing in the sequel.

Please review and tell me what you all think of my ending and my idea for the sequel.

Lots of Love,

Discord Marie