Author: Coopster5000
Rating: R for further sakes.
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the property of Joss Whedon/Mutant Enemy.

"Hey Will " shouted a blonde while walking into a giant house on the corner of Grant View where some houses doubled the size.

"Hey Buff. What's up?" said the redhead walking into the hallway drying her hands on a green rag. "Wooh," said Willow coming to a stop upon noticing her friend holding a blonde child no more then six years old in her arms. "I didn't know you adopted?"

"I didn't." she rolled her eyes at her friends witty behavior "this is my cousins kid. She just moved here." she carefully placed the sleeping child on the couch in the living room as not to wake her, "she's out looking for a job so I'm..."

"Babysitting," the redhead offered the blonde when no words came forwards.

"I hope it's not a problem I brought her over," questioned the blonde with a worried look on her face.

"O no, no, no. no problem at all. I love kids...it's just......"she paused for a moment looking down at the floor not being able to look into her friends eyes. "Kennedy doesn't want kids in the house....or in general," she barely whispered.

"Oh Will,"said Buffy quickly moving to hug her best friend "I guess you talked to Kennedy?"

"Ya," she sniffled as tears ran down her face. "That's kinda why I asked you to come over. She said she doesn't want children. I even said it didn't have to be know it could be in two or three years be she still said no." sniffles turned into sobs as Willow clung to her best friend, "she didn't want little brats mucking up the house.. Plus she said she didn't want to put her life on hold for a child that wasn't even hers."

"So what are you going to do?" asked Buffy pushing the redhead away slightly to look into her green eye's, "I don't wanna be mean but are...are you still going to ah..ah date or be married?"

"Married! No, she hasn't even proposed yet. It's been seven years," she crossed her arms in rejection.

"Yeah in know, freshmen year of college." Buffy said looking at her thoughtfully, "so all I need to know is.... are you in love with her?"

Biting her lip and pondering the question, "I was, know..... know I'm not so sure. I want kids. I want somebody who wants kids. I.... I can't just break up with her though," she complained.

"Sure you can," insisted the blonde .

"Wouldn't that be a little weird," asked Willow continuing to bite her bottom lip, "I mean she kinda works for me."

"So do I," remarked Buffy not fazed by Willow's line of thought.

"Yeah but you're my friend not my soon to be ex-girlfriend," stated Willow.

"One I'm your best friend, get that right," smiled Buffy as she ticked off numbers on her hand, "two fire the bitch cause she's done nothing good for your life. And three umm I'm not sure what three is yet."

"Okay but if I fire her where are we gonna get a new fashion designer for the company," smirked back the redhead.

"Oh! I got my three. Three," she held up three fingers, "you fire Ken and you hire my cousin. She's a fashion designer and currently without a job. Also I really don't want her working at the clothing stores in the mall."

"How old is she?" questioned the redheaded producer.

"We're almost twenty-five she's .... a little over a year older then us. Please Willow, give her a chance. Let her work with Kennedy a while if you decide not to fire her," begged the blonde women.

"Uhmmm,"

"Please, as your bestest best friend do this for me." she clasped her hands together in a begging manner.

"Okay! Only because you're my bestest best friend," laughed the producer, "tell her she starts on Monday."

Just as the conversation was ending the little blonde that was curled up on the couch only minutes before walked into the hallway rubbing her sleepy eye's.

"Cousin Duffy, where are we?" asked the little girl softly.

Laughter filled up the small hallway and two pairs of eye's came to rest on the slim redhead.

"Duffy, ha ha. She called you Duffy," she continued to laugh.

"Very funny Will," Buffy said as she picked up the child. "Hey sweet we are at my best friends house."

"Hi," said Willow waving to the shy child that was trying to hide in her cousins hair.

"Hi," squeaked backed the blonde, blue eyed child. Slowly the child started to open her mouth to speak but before she could a phone started ringing.

"O darn," said Buffy trying to grab her cell that was in her pocket and not drop her cousin at the sam time. Putting the little girl down she turned to her oldest friend, "hey Will, can you watch her for a sec I need to take this." with that she walked into the kitchen.

"Yeah, sure. No problem," dropping to her knees so that she was eye level with the child. "Hi I'm Willow," said the redhead holding out her hand "what's your name?"

"I'm Emily," said the blonde grabbing the redheads hand "but sometimes my mommy calls me Em or Emma."

"Wow. Well Emily you have a very lovely name." replied Willow with a smile "so what name do you like better?"

"I like Em," said the little girl.

"I like Em too. So how old are you Em?" questioned Willow trying to start a converstion with Buffy's cousin.

"I'm five and three quarters." she said with a proud nod.

"Wow you're a big girl and very smart too."

"Yep. Mommy's teaching me how to count to the high numbers," she gave the older women a wide smile.

"What number can you count to?" asked Willow impressed by the young girls enthusiasm.

"Ninety-five," replied Emily excitedly.

"So are you in Kindergarten or in first grade?"

"I'm in second," Emily said as she wiggled her way down to the floor to sit in a comfortable position. "Do you want to sit with me?"

"Okay," smiled Willow as she also sat Indian style next to the little girl.

"So how long have you and Duffy been friends?" asked Emily deciding it was her turn to ask questions.

"Hmm," rubbing her chin in concentration, "well Duffy and Ihave been friends since sohmore year of highschool along with our other friend Xander. So that would be nine years."

"So what do you and Duffy do? My mommy makes clothes," asked the blue eyed chiled in wonder.

"Well I'm a producer for this clothing line. I hire models and make sure the clothing looks good on them before Duffy takes there picture and we then put them in a magazine."

"Cool," said Emily with a giant smile plastered on her face "do you think I could be a model?"

"I think you can be anything you want," said Willow putting her arm around the little blonde.

"Hey! That's the same thing my mommy says," Emily said, eye's wide.

"Well listen to your mommy because she's a very smart lady."

"Hey Willow, are you and Duffy models?" asked the sitting blonde.

Looking at the light haired child for a few seconds before answering "no sweetie, I'm not. I'm just a producer."

"What about Duffy? Is Duffy a model?"

"Sometimes, but Duffy likes to take pictures of the models instead. Duffy's a...."

"WILLOW!" said the other blonde "stop calling me that. She's gonna be forty and still calling me Duffy." she walked back into the kitchen only to shout "Emma get ready your moms gonna be here in a little bit."

Leaning closer to Willow "can I tell you a secret," she said in a whisper .

"Of course," smiled Willow.

"I call her Duffy because I know she doesn't like it. See look I can say her name , Buffy."

Laughing Willow stood up "that's a very funny secret."

"Hey Willow how come your house is so neat. It looks like nobody lives hear," questioned the soon to be six year old.

"That's because my ex doesn't like messes." ‘Did I just say ex?!? Does that mean I wanna break up' thought the redhead. Shaking her head to clear the unwanted thoughts she turned her attention back to the little girl in front of her. "Hey you wanna go outside. I got doggies."

"Yeah, yeah," shouted the blonde jumping up and down.

"Okay put your jacket on," said Willow leading Emily towards the door.