********
TITLE: Family Confidential
AUTHOR: Laragh
CHAPTER RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: Willow, Tara and any other characters from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise belong to Joss Whedon, FOX, ME and a whole host of other entities, none of which are me.
SUMMARY: The promised sequel to
Hacker Confidential. How are Willow, Tara, JJ and all their family getting on 4 years into the future?
SPOILERS: Perhaps minor references to the show or stealage of dialogue, but mostly just spoilers for all of
Hacker Confidential . If you haven’t read that...well, you really will have no idea what’s going on lol.
FEEDBACK: Yes please
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Howdy all
So there’s a very good chance I fucked up some of the Hanukkah stuff in this chapter, what with relying on just the internets for my info. If something is horribly out of place, let me know and I’ll fix it! Early update, just for BuffyFan4ever
Chapter 17 ********
“And do you remember what Judah and his brothers called their army, Jacob?”
JJ looked off in serious thought for a few moments as he sat on Ira’s knee, trying to recall the answer to the question he was being asked from the numerous times he’d heard the (much simplified) story of Hanukkah before. After a second, the answer came to him and he clapped his hands together in victory.
“Maccabees!”
“Correct!” Ira exclaimed proudly, “And they fought and they fought before they finally drove the Syrians out of Israel. Then the Maccabees returned to Jerusalem and entered the Temple, but there was only enough oil to let a lamp burn for one day. But the oil continued to burn and burn for eight whole days.”
“And that’s why we light the Menorah for eight days, right Grandpa?” JJ asked, looking over at the Menorah that was set up on the windowsill, “Can we light it now?”
“That’s right,” Ira answered before shaking his head, “And not until sundown. We light it then so that everyone can see the light shining.”
Ira respected both Willow and Tara’s secular religious view and never tried to push anything on his grandson, but he delighted in the fact that he could keep up the traditions with his family and found Hanukkah to be more enjoyable than ever since JJ had come along.
He was able to relay the stories and traditions that had been instilled in him so greatly as a child with a lot more joy than he’d ever been able to with Willow; her mother always taking the fun away from the holiday by making it academic.
He was pulled from his thoughts as he saw Willow come into the room with an excited look on her face.
“Can we light the candle yet?”
Ira almost burst into laughter but remained composed as JJ just looked at his mother wistfully, as if he hadn’t just asked the same question himself.
“No, Momma. Not until sundown. Duh.”
“It kinda looked like sundown from the kitchen,” Willow said almost sadly before perking up again and flopping down on the sofa beside her father and son, “So what are we talking about in here?”
“Maccabees!” JJ replied excitedly, “They fought a huugggee battle and won, even though there were lots and lots more of the other guys!”
“I know,” Willow responded with equal enthusiasm, “They were pretty cool, huh?”
“Yea,” JJ nodded before his stomach rumbled, “I’m hungry.”
Willow pointed towards the doorway.
“Why don’t you go see if Grandma and Mommy are finished cooking dinner?”
JJ jumped down from his grandfather’s lap and scurried out the door.
“They’re cooking up a feast in there,” Willow commented with a smile at her father, “Who woulda thought the goys of the family would be making Hanukkah dinner?”
“Because it’s been so different the past 5 years,” Ira replied dryly, “Non-Jewish or not, I would much rather defer to their cooking skills than risk mine. Although you didn’t inherit my dire culinary skills.”
“No,” Willow responded with a small laugh, “But ever since I taught Tara how to make brisket and Bubbe’s latkes, mine don’t even begin to compare.”
Ira smiled fondly.
“She does do my mother justice.”
They lapsed into a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Ira but his hand on his daughter’s knee warmly.
“You’ve been looking particularly bright these past few weeks,” he said with a smile, “It’s nice to see you so bubbly.”
“Was I a dull bore before?” Willow asked with a grin.
“No, no,” Ira shook his head, giving his daughter’s knee a squeeze before retrieving his hand, “You just look happy.”
Willow smiled to herself for a moment. She and Tara had discussed when they would tell people about the pregnancy again now that Willow actually was pregnant and had again agreed that they would wait until they were past the three month mark.
They thought it might be difficult to keep quiet, especially over the holiday period and Tara’s birthday when it would be unusual for Willow not to drink, but they had a cover story planned about being on antibiotics for a lingering infection to reduce any suspicions.
“I
am happy, Dad,” she chuckled, “I have a great job and a wonderful family and it’s Hanukkah and Christmas is in a couple of weeks. Things are good. Things are great.”
Ira smiled down at his daughter but was stopped from saying anything as JJ skidded into the room, pulling Tara along behind him, who had Michelle on her heels.
“Candle, candle!” JJ shouted excitedly.
“I need to start the latkes in about 10 minutes,” Tara spoke up, before pointing out the window, “It’s getting dark.”
“I’ll get the matches,” Willow said, standing up and walking over to the mantle above the fire where a box of matches was hidden behind a photo frame, “Everyone ready?”
There was a chorus of yeses as she turned back around and moved to kneel in front of the Menorah where JJ was jumping up and down on the balls of his feet. She smiled as Tara knelt the other of her son as Ira and Michelle stood behind them.
Willow picked up the Shamash candle and held it out for JJ to hold. The boy held it securely between his hands as Willow struck the match and brought the flame up to ignite the wick.
JJ’s eyes went wide as he watched the candle in his hand burst with a bright flame and tightened his hold to make sure he didn’t drop it.
“Do you remember the song about lighting the menorah?” Tara asked, having learnt many of the Hanukkah tunes before their first holiday season with JJ, “Ner Rishon, Ner Sheni...”
“Ner Shelishi, Ner Revii, Ner Chamishi,” Willow continued, smiling at her son, “Ner Shishi, Ner Shevii, Ner Shemini...”
JJ started nodding as he recognised the tune and joined in with his mothers’ singing.
“We put them in starting from the right, we add one more on every night. But don't forget when you start to light, to do it from the left to right,” he sang giddily, beaming as Tara helped him guide the Shamash over to the single candle on the Menorah to light it, then brought the Shamash back to its holder, his singing getting louder, “The Shamash is highest, it's the ner. That lights every wick from here to there. No other candle can compare...to the Shamash, the highest ner!”
Tara, Willow, Michelle and Ira all started clapping loudly as the boy finished and JJ blushed but looked very pleased with himself.
“Grandpa, sing the other song!” he asked excitedly, tugging on the end of Ira’s pants, “The, the Ma...Maz...”
“Maoz Tzur?” Ira asked, knowing his grandson hadn’t quite mastered the lyrics to that song yet. He leant down and picked JJ up in his arms, before smiling around the room, “Only if everyone joins in.”
He used his spare arm to wrap around Michelle’s shoulders, holding her into him as Willow entwined her fingers with Tara and rested her head on her wife’s shoulder. Ira cleared his throat.
“Maoz tzur...”
“Yeshua-si...” the others all joined in straight away, swaying softly in time to the tune.
JJ bounced up and down in Ira’s arms throughout until halfway through when he reached out towards his mothers. Tara held her arms out for him to climb into and embraced him tightly against her chest until the finished and JJ smiled shyly around at all the adults.
“I like that one.”
“I know you do,” Tara replied, squeezing her son warmly, “Do you want to help me with the latkes?”
“Are they the crispy things?” JJ asked animatedly and got a nod in return, “Yea, yea, yea!”
Willow watched as JJ jumped down and ran out of the room, pulling Tara along with him until they disappeared completely.
“I always loved Hanukkah,” Willow commented softly, “But it’s so much more ever since he came along.”
“I felt that way when you were born,” Ira replied fondly, “Children bring a magic to the holidays that they never had before.”
“Yea...” Willow looked off dreamily for a second, “And I know you might think I’m a bad Jew for saying this, but I love his little face on Christmas morning when he goes downstairs and thinks Santa’s been.”
“You’re not a bad anything,” Ira reassured.
Willow leaned over to give her father a one-armed hug.
“Thanks, Dad.”
“So what is ‘Santa’ bringing JJ this year?” Michelle asked, “Is he still looking for a trampoline?”
“The past three years he’s been asking for a trampoline,” Willow replied with a roll of her eyes, “And the past three years, 'Santa' has left a very clear note saying that they are way too much of a neck-breaking hazard. He always grumbles but loves his presents once he opens them. We’re getting him a laptop.”
Ira looked shocked.
“But he’s only a child!”
Willow laughed.
“Welcome to the age of technology. We’re getting him one of those ones they make for kids. It’s Disney themed and has all these games and learning aides to help with spelling and math and all kinds of things. Computers are the standard these days, Dad; he’s going to need to be tech-savvy.”
“I see some of the kids I work with have those,” Michelle responded with a knowing smile, “They look like they have a lot of fun.”
Willow smiled and nodded.
“Yea, they’re supposed to be. Alex is getting the same thing; myself and Anya are going shopping with Alice tomorrow to get things for the kids.”
Everyone had agreed when the various children had been brought into the fold that only parents would give presents to the kids at Christmas, to stop any mass buying or people feeling obligated to spend money they didn’t have. Ira and Michelle were part of the arrangement, not buying JJ anything for Christmas, but Ira did give JJ small presents on each night of Hanukkah, which Willow and Tara were fine with.
“Oh, a girlie day,” Michelle replied with a smile, “That sounds like fun.”
Willow burst out laughing.
“Fun? You’ve clearly never seen Anya in shopping-mode. She brings a whistle and everything. God help anyone who stands in the way of her and whatever ‘pretty thing’ she’s set her eye on.”
Michelle’s eyes widened slightly but she was stopped from saying anything as JJ skidded into the room.
“Mommy says dinner’s ready,” he said, his words crashing into each other, “And we gotta hurry ‘cause the crispy things are hot and yummy!”
“Okay, we’re coming,” Willow replied with a laugh in her voice, “Who can resist the crispy yummies?”
JJ tried to speak but found his excitement too much to be able to and grabbed Willow’s hand, tugging at her.
Willow let herself be led out of the living room and into the dining room, Ira and Michelle following behind her, where Tara had set the brisket and side dishes in the centre of the immaculately-decorated table and was serving latkes onto everyone’s plate.
“Dinner’s ready,” she said with a half-smile as she plated the final latke, “I’ll go get the wine.”
She took one of the wine glasses on the table, then knelt down as JJ climbed onto the chair with his special dishware and took his plastic cup.
“Apple juice, honey?”
JJ nodded his head and went to pick up the latke on his plate but was stopped as Tara put a hand on top of his.
“Wait until everyone’s ready, little man,” she whispered before straightening up again, “I’ll be right back.”
Tara left the room and filled JJ’s cup with apple juice, the wine glass with apple cider and uncorked the bottle of kosher wine before going back into the dining room. She put her son’s cup down beside him and Willow’s down, then filled her own, Michelle and Ira’s glasses with wine before finally taking a seat between Willow and JJ, the older couple sitting opposite.
She took Willow’s hand and rested them on top of the table before smiling around at everyone.
“Happy Hanukkah, everybody.”
“Happy Hanukkah,” four other voices returned the sentiment before JJ tugged on the side of Tara’s shirt.
“Can I eat now, Mommy?”
“Yes, JJ, you can eat,” Tara replied with a laugh, ruffling the top of her son’s head, “Everyone can eat.”
Everyone did just, savouring their latkes before the brisket and vegetables were passed around and each plate was filled.
“This really is delicious,” Ira spoke up through a mouthful of greenbeans, blushing and bringing his hand over his mouth as he swallowed, “Delicious.”
“It’s great, baby,” Willow added, leaning over to place a quick kiss against her wife’s cheek.
“Michelle did all the veggies,” Tara replied modestly.
“Well the veggies rock,” Willow said, reaching over to one of the bowls, “So good I’m gonna have some more.”
Ira gave an amused smile.
“Hungry today, Willow?”
Willow peered over at Tara, who threw a sly wink back. Willow speared a piece of carrot on her fork and nodded.
“Yea. I’ve been pretty hungry lately.”
Ira just nodded, not picking up on the grin that passed between his daughter and daughter-in-law and cut another piece of brisket off for himself.
When everyone’s plate was empty and stomachs were full, the 5 settled back in the living room; Ira and Michelle sitting on the sofa with JJ between them as Tara sat in one of the armchairs, Willow on her lap.
After a few minutes of chatting, Ira excused himself out of the room, only to return a few minutes later, holding something behind his back. He walked back over to his seat and sat down, sliding a rectangular-shaped gift, wrapped in dark paper with the Star of David printed all over it, into JJ’s lap.
“Happy Hanukkah, Jacob,” Ira said stoically but with warmth.
Michelle leant down and kissed JJ on top of his head.
“Happy Hanukkah, sweetpea.”
JJ held the present in his hand for just a moment before ripping the paper off, revealing a new set of sharpened coloured pencils and a pristine colouring book, the front cover indicating it was full of Jewish symbols and pictures to colour in.
“Wow,” he said with wide-eyed wonder, “Thanks Grandma, thanks Grandpa!”
“You’re welcome,” Ira and Michelle answered at the same time.
“I’m gonna colour now!” JJ said excitedly, pushing himself onto the floor and lying on his stomach, before looking up at Willow, “Wanna colour with me, Momma?”
“You bet,” Willow replied enthusiastically, copying her son’s actions and lying opposite him on the floor as he flicked open the colouring book, “Do you want to colour the dreidel or the menorah first?”
“Menorah,” JJ answered before smiling a toothy grin up at his mother, “Then we can play with the real dreidel!”
Willow smiled and held a hand out.
“Yellow, please. Oh and orange!”
JJ handed over the two coloured pencils and Willow started shading the flames on the candles while JJ coloured in the menorah.
“She always did love colouring,” Ira commented with an amused grin, “And always a stickler for staying inside the lines.”
“It changes the picture if you scribble outside of it,” Willow shot back in a sing-song voice, never taking her focus away from her task.
The side of Tara’s lip quirked into a half-smile.
“Ever the perfectionist.”
“Well, if you strive for perfection, you’re more likey to get it,” Willow answered, grinning back at her wife for just a second, “I got you.”
Tara blushed and cleared her throat before standing up.
“I’ll just refresh your wine,” she said, taking Ira and Michelle’s glasses before leaving the room.
“It’s endearing how sweet you are with each other after all these years,” Michelle commented fondly.
“What does endearing mean?” JJ asked as his pencil shaded in the colour on the page.
“It means...” Willow started with a warm smile and wink towards Michelle, before she focused back on her son, “That I love your Mommy very, very, very much.”
“Oh,” JJ nodded to himself, satisfied with that answer, “Me too.”
Tara returned then and handed Ira and Michelle their glasses back before retaking her seat.
The conversation flowed easily for the rest of the evening between the adults, differing on who was doing the talking when Willow and JJ finished their picture and JJ asked Ira to play dreidel with him, leaving the women alone to talk until JJ jumped up, giddy, quite a while later, and ran over to his mothers, holding out his hands and the shiny bounty he had acquired.
“Look, look, I got,” he started before looking down and counting, “...3, 4, 5, 6, 7...7 quarters!!!”
“He is quite the adept at the game,” Ira blushed as he stood up from the floor, clicking his neck back and forth.
“Wow, you cleaned Grandpa out,” Willow said with a laugh, before glancing down at her watch with a sigh, “It’s bedtime, little man.”
It was already an hour later than the boy’s normal bedtime, having been allowed stay up for the occasion, but Willow knew if they didn’t get him to sleep soon, he’d be extra cranky the next day.
JJ pouted but didn’t try to argue.
“Okay,” he reluctantly agreed, “Can I put my money in my piggy bank first?”
“You bet,” Willow nodded, “Go upstairs and put your money away and brush your teeth. I’ll be right up. Say goodnight to Grandpa and Grandma.”
JJ went over and hugged each of his grandparents individually, then went and threw his body around Tara’s leg.
“‘Night Mommy. Love you.”
“I love you, too,” Tara replied, lifting JJ up and holding him close as she kissed the top of his head.
JJ smiled at Tara as she set him down before tottering out of the room and up the stairs.
“We’re going to head off too, I think,” Ira spoke up, “I think little boys and old men have similar bed times.”
Willow laughed and moved forward to embrace her father.
“Thanks for coming, Dad. Happy Hanukkah.”
“And to you,” Ira hugged back warmly.
They parted and Willow went to hug Michelle while Tara hugged Ira and then her aunt. The older couple gathered their jackets and Willow and Tara waved them off before closing the front door.
“Okay, I’m on bedtime duty,” Willow said, pushing off the door and going towards the stairs.
“And I’ll clean up,” Tara replied, smiling at her wife, “Shall we say...sofa in twenty minutes?”
“I’ll be ready and waiting for cuddles,” Willow grinned over her shoulder, “Meet you there.”
Willow continued up the stairs and went into her son’s bedroom, where she saw JJ, already in his pyjamas, standing over his bookcase.
“Hey, you’re in jammies and everything,” she said with a warm smile, “Teeth clean?”
“Yep!” JJ replied, turning around with two books in hand and flashing his teeth, “See?”
“I do,” Willow replied as JJ walked towards to her and over to his bed, “What books have we got this evening?”
JJ handed the two thin books over to his mother as she sat on the edge of the bed.
“One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish and The Cat in the Hat,” Willow read off the titles with an approving tone, “Feeling Seussical?”
JJ giggled as he pulled his covers up around himself and settled his head on the pillow.
“Fish one first.”
Willow picked up the first book and opened it to the first page, beginning to read.
“One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish. Black fish, blue fish, old fish, new fish. This one has a little star. This one has a little car. Say! What a lot of fish there are! Yes, some are red. And some are blue. Some are old. And some are new. Some are sad and some are glad. And some are very, very bad!”
She continued reading the rhyming prose of the story through its end before promptly starting the second book, letting small accents come out for the various characters and using small hand actions to make the story more interesting until she came to the final pages.
“Then he said, that is that. Then he was gone, with a tip of his hat. Then our mother came in, and she said to us too, did you have any fun? Tell me, what did you do? And Sally and I did not know what to say. Should we tell her the things that went on there that day? Should we tell her about it? Now what should we do? What would you do, if your mother asked you?”
JJ stuck his tongue out between his teeth.
“I wouldn’t tell you anything!”
“Oh you wouldn’t would you?” Willow grinned, moving her hands down to JJ’s sides above the covers, “I’d have to tickle it outta you!”
JJ squirmed as Willow pretended to tickle him before she leant down and kissed his forehead.
“Night, little man. I love you.”
“Love you, Momma,” JJ replied sleepily, his eyes starting to droop.
Willow kissed her son a final time before standing up and leaving his bedroom, flicking his nightlight on as she passed it, leaving his door a jar so she or Tara would hear if he called for them.
She quietly made her way downstairs and into the living room, where she saw Tara was already sitting on the sofa, head leaning back against the pillows and her eyes closed.
“No sleeping during cuddle time,” Willow said as she collapsed onto the sofa beside her wife, “It goes against our marital contract.”
“I’m not sleeping,” Tara murmured as her hand wrapped around the redhead’s shoulders, “Just resting my eyes.”
Willow swung her legs onto the couch and let them hang over the arm rest, moving her head so it was on Tara’s lap, looking up at her wife.
“Well rest ‘em on me, ‘cause I wanna get lost in those baby blues I fell in love with.”
Tara fluttered her eyes open and smiled down at her wife.
“Hello, beautiful girl.”
“Hello, gorgeous woman,” Willow replied with a grin, “Are you tired?”
Tara started playing with the ends of Willow’s hair, curling them against her fingers and smiled softly.
“A little. I’m always worried when I cook Hanukkah dinner in case I mess it up. Especially in front of your father.”
Willow raised an eyebrow.
“What? Why would you be...” she trailed off as a thought occured to her, “Because you’re not Jewish? Baby, that’s silly.”
Tara gave a small shrug.
“He’s so good about not pushing the Jewish stuff with JJ, I figure the least we can do is give him a good Hanukkah.”
Willow reached up and entwined one set of hands with the blonde’s.
“Okay, well first of all, yes, he is very good at respecting our beliefs, but how we raise our child is really nothing to do with him and we’d have a big issue if he tried to interfere. Secondly, Dad loves Hanukkah just ‘cause it’s with us and your cooking is always amazing. And thirdly,” she said, sitting up just momentarily to press a kiss against Tara’s lips, “You’re the sweetest woman in the world.”
Tara gave a small blush as Willow settled her head back on her wife’s lap.
“I’m a little tired too. We should probably go to bed early anyway, a day of Anya-style shopping awaits me tomorrow.”
Tara nodded for a moment before suddenly shaking her head in confusion.
“Wait, what?”
“Tomorrow,” Willow replied, an errant yawn escaping her lips, “You know, shopping for the kids. We do it every year.”
“No, I know what you’re talking about,” Tara replied, frowning, “I just didn’t know it was tomorrow.”
Willow blinked a couple of times.
“Did I...did I not tell you? Oh baby, I’m sorry, I thought I told you. We decided on tomorrow because the toy store in the mall is having a 50% off one-day-only sale.”
“It’s alright,” Tara replied before shaking her head again, “But, sweetheart, I’m sorry, you can’t go.”
Willow looked puzzled.
“Why not? We don’t have plans, do we? Damn baby brain, my head’s like a sieve.”
“No, we don’t have plans,” Tara answered, “But there isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that I’m letting my pregnant wife go out with Anya while she’s in shopping mode. She pushed two women out of the way to get that drum set for Alex last year and you got caught it the crossfire. I seem to remember you coming home with a cut lip.”
“It was an accident,” Willow protested, “The mother swung for Anya and got me instead.”
Tara looked at her wife pointedly.
“And what happens when, as she inevitably will, Anya pisses off another parent and you end up falling over or knocking your tummy against something?”
Willow glanced down at her stomach, then back up at Tara.
“I didn’t think of that.”
Tara squeezed the hand in hers.
“I’ll go shopping instead.”
“Okay,” Willow agreed, “That’s probably a good idea.”
“Good,” Tara replied with an easy smile, “Happy Hanukkah to us.”
Willow smiled back and moved her spare hand to rest over her stomach.
“And Happy Hanukkah to little us.”
but an opening is an opening.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! 
J.J. is so cute.
Happy Womb Emancipation Day!!! 
I can totally picture Willow saying this and then sticking out her tongue. No way I'd be able to keep the secret.
