1
Fifteen year old Buffy Anne Summers gaped openly at the huge mansion that her Uncle Rupert Giles owned as he pulled up to the gate. She was to spend the summer with her English uncle and his American wife and experience the English culture. She should have felt excited about spending the summer in another country, at least that was what her mother had told her, but she wasn’t excited. She never wanted to come to England. She wanted to go to Paris with Cordy’s family and see the Eiffel tower and Notre Dame. But her family had other plans. Uncle Rupert wanted to see her and there was no way to get out of it. So here she was, in dreary ole England, ready to have the most boring summer of her life.
“So this is Giles Manor,” She sighed, trying to hide the boredom she felt. Big mansions had never impressed her. Buffy was never one for the flashy things in life. She believed in the saying that less was more.
“Yes. I do hope you’ll be happy here Buffy. It will be your home for the next three months,” her uncle rubbed his glasses with a white handkerchief.
Buffy just shrugged and looked on as the gate opened and allowed them entrance. Her eyes widened as even more of her temporary home came into view. It was more majestic then she had first thought. It looked like Tara times two. How could she even think of living in such a palace?
“Home sweet home,” Jenny turned, smiling warmly at her young niece’s reaction. “Don’t worry. It looks bigger then it actually is.”
Buffy seriously doubted that. She was going to get lost in that place. At least she wasn’t going to be the only teenager there. According to her mother, Jenny had a sister that was just her age. Hopefully they will get along just fine. If not…well she could always stay in her room and sulk until her Uncle had enough and sent her back home to Sunnydale.
“Ethan, drop us off in front of the house and then take Miss. Summer’s luggage up to her room,” Giles directed the driver, stuffing the glasses back into the chest pocket of his shirt. He couldn’t help but be nervous with his new charge. His sister Joyce had trusted him to care for her daughter for the next three months, and that he would do. Thank heaven’s for Jenny’s support. Her experience with practically raising Willow gave her insight on the mind of a teenage girl. Perhaps, this sojourn will not be so horrendous after all.
“Yes Master Giles,” Ethan nodded, winking at the young girl setting between his employer and new wife.
Buffy just rolled her eyes and followed Giles out of the car. She looked up at the house and sighed. She so didn’t want to be there. This was bound to be the worst summer ever.
~*~
After spending a hour unpacking and discovering that Jenny’s sister had gone to the library to study, Buffy decided to get out of the stuffy huge mansion and take a walk around the grounds. She needed a breath of fresh air after spending so much time indoors. At first her Uncle was reluctant to let her roam the grounds on her own, but thankfully Jenny stepped in, reminding him that the grounds was only so big and there were servants and caretakers that could show her back to the main house if she got lost.
So far, she wasn’t too impressed. All she saw were stables and cabins where the servants and caretakers lived. Bored now. There must be something here for a bored teenager to do. Sighing in aggravated disappointment, Buffy turned to head back to the main house when the first strings of a guitar filled the air and a soft lilting voice began to sing. Frowning, Buffy became curious once more and followed the music until she came to what must be one of her uncle’s gardens. She had to admit, it was beautiful here. Roses, lilies, any flower in existence must be here, and setting on one of the benches, guitar in hand and eyes to the sky was one of the most beautiful men she had ever laid eyes on. Platinum hair, slicked back from his face and mesmerizing blue eyes…he was definitely a hottie. Buffy stood there and watched in silent awe as he continued his song. She didn’t dare make a sound, least he stopped or disappeared, a figment of her imagination.
She stood there and let his song take her away to a world where she was at last happy and free to just be who she was. There was no disapproving mothers or sputtering Uncles here. There was just this beautiful boy and his music. She sighed as the song finally came to an end.
“You’re new,” he replied, his eyes sweeping up and down her body, taking her in. It was as if he was judging whether she was worth his time or not. “You must be Mr. Giles niece I keep hearing so much about.”
Buffy frowned. She didn’t like the thought of her Uncle’s employees talking about her. They didn’t even know her, so how can they talk? She took a deep breath, trying to calm the butterflies that were battling inside her stomach.. Never before had she been so nervous talking to a guy before…but then again, she had never talked to gorgeous boys that has a singing voice that could reduce her to a puddle of hormones.
“You have a name pet?”
Buffy blushed with a shy smile. This boy was obviously older then her . Talking to him…it was like nothing she had ever done before. “Buffy Anne. Summers. From Sunnydale.”
“William Bennett. From Manchester. Nice meeting ya,” William grinned, his blue eyes bright with curiosity. “So you liked my song?”
“It was beautiful. Did you write it?”
He nodded, this time he was the one that blushed. Obviously, he wasn’t used to talking about his work. “I love it. Takes my mind off of life for a while. When I sing and play, it’s like a whole new world.”
Buffy just smiled, not knowing what else she could possibly say. She felt so young…too young. Usually, she had no problem talking to the members of the opposite sex…but now…it was like the first time she ever went out on a date. William…he seemed so cool…so sure of himself. There were no boys like that back in Sunnydale.
“William!” An angry voice yelled, taking William’s attention away from Buffy. “Are you done pruning those roses yet, boy? If not, I’ll make sure you don’t play that damn guitar for a week!”
“Bloody hell,” Spike cursed, getting to his feet and glaring in the direction the voice came in. “Guess that’s my cue to exit, love. It’s been…interesting meeting you. Maybe we can hang sometime.”
“Oh…that’d be good. I mean I’m new here, need all the friends I can get… because everyone needs a friend,” her eyes widened as she realized just how lame that sounded. God, what was wrong with her? She never got this tongue tied before? William must think she was mentally challenged or something.
“Damn right they do,” William smiled before taking off, leaving an intrigued Buffy staring after him.
As Buffy walked to the cabin, she wondered about William Bennett. He was definitely a hottie. No doubt about that. But what did he do here? Was he the gardener? How did he learn to play the guitar like that? Hmmm…maybe this summer won’t be so boring after all. What, with the mystery of William Bennett to solve, things could only get more interesting.

A/N-I’d like to thank everyone for their wonderful reviewsJ
Thank you so much. I hope you like this chapter just as well as the third. Also, I forgot to mention that William is 17 in this story. He’ll be older in later chapters, of course. Thanks again! *hugs* You guys are the best.
Again, thank you Lisa for the great beta job.

2
The next morning, Buffy woke up bright and early. It was a new day and there was a new boy to investigate. Not a moment to lose. Slipping on a pair of jeans and her favorite sweater, Buffy pulled her shoulder length hair up into a pony-tail and headed downstairs for breakfast. Can’t flirt with cute boy on an empty stomach.
“Good morning. It’s good to see you up this early,” Jenny grinned as Buffy entered the kitchen, she smiled at the red hair girl seated at the counter, what looked to be a text book under her nose.
“You must be Buffy,” the red-head stood and took Buffy’s hand in a firm handshake. “I’m Willow. Welcome to Rosenberg Manor.”
“Willow,” Jenny’s voice held a warning. She obviously wasn’t happy by her sister’s name for the place.
“Ok. It’s Giles’s estate, but I like Rosenberg a lot better. So does Oz,” Willow pouted, the smile not leaving her eyes for even a moment. “Old Jenny and Giles are a couple of sticks in the mud. Thank goodness you’re here. I definitely need the help in livening up the place.”
“Buffy, have a seat. Stay for a while,” Jenny smiled, scooping a helping of eggs onto two plates. “I bet you’re hungry. Willow, are you meeting Oz today?”
“That’s the plan. We’re all meeting in the South garden today to watch them rehearse,” Willow grinned as she felt a surge of excitement about watching her boyfriend work his art and just having that “hey I’m dating a guitarist” knowledge. “You don’t mind taking Buffy with you, do you? It’d be good for her to get out of the house and meet people her own age.”
“I don’t mind at all,” Willow giggled, leaning over to whisper in Buffy’s ear. “I can’t wait to introduce you to Oz. He’s the coolest boyfriend out there.
Buffy just smiled, feeling a bit awkward. She wasn’t really used to being the new girl and having to be introduced to people. It seemed so…unnatural to her. “Can’t wait,” She looked to at the table, as if she was examining the varnish. So far…she didn’t know what to think about her Uncle’s home. Not even the thought of getting to know the handsome William from the garden could cheer her up. She didn’t want to meet new people, not really. She just wanted to find William again and listen to his voice take her to places she had never been before…somewhere among the clouds.
Fifteen minutes later, French toast was eaten and now Buffy was ready for whatever the day brought. With a wave to Jenny, she allowed Willow to pull her out of the house and down the path she had taken the day before.
“Oh you should hear Oz play, and Will…he has the voice of an angel,” Willow grinned, unaware of how Buffy’s eyes widened at the name of Will.
Could she be talking of her William? Buffy kind of hoped so. She couldn’t wait to see him again and dazzle him with her bubbly personality. No more shy, quiet Buffy from the night before. This time she’ll be outgoing and smart. Flirtatious even. Someone that a guy like William…who must be totally cool, judging from his status as a hottie…might be interested in.
“Oz!” Willow left her side, racing towards a red head boy around their age and buried herself into his arms, ignoring the guitar that hung from a strap situated on his shoulder.
“Hey,” the guy known as Oz grinned, tightening his hold on the red-head.
“Come meet my cousin in law, Buffy. Buffy, this is the love of my life Oz. Buffy’s visiting us for the summer,” Willow grinned,
“Hi,” Buffy smiled, a bit nervous.
“Hey,” Oz nodded with a slight smile. Buffy was almost relieved to find that he was an American as well. At least that was one thing she had in common with Oz and Willow. “I heard about you. From California, right?”
“Sunnydale, born and raised,” Buffy nodded as all thought left her as William approached. He was even more handsome then he was the night before. All thoughts of being flirtatious and witty went out the window. Once again, Buffy felt like the shy new girl on the first day of school.
“Ready to rock, mate?” William asked, lighting up a cigarette, much to Buffy’s horror.
“Of course. Hey. Meet Buffy,” Oz motioned in her direction.
William grinned when he looked at her, his eyes bright and friendly. “Met already. Yesterday to be exact. She’s my new fan. Aren’t you, love?” He winked at her as her cheeks grew pink in a slight blush.
“Oh so you’ve heard William sing already?” Willow playfully slapped Buffy’s arms. “Why didn’t you tell me that you two met already.
“Maybe because you wouldn’t let the poor girl get anything in, pet,” William laughed at the dirty look Willow through him.
“Monster,” Willow pouted.
“Spaz,” William grinned.
“Bloodsucker.”
“Witch.”
“Do they always do this?” Buffy frowned, worried that a real would erupt.
“Yeah. Don’t worry, it’s a game with them. Who can call each other the worst name,” Oz laughed. “Are you two done?” he interrupted the name calling contest. “We have to practice that new song William. We don’t have time for this.”
William and Willow both stopped their arguing, feeling a bit sheepish. They both knew that Oz hated the game they had created among themselves and who knew what impression it gave Buffy.
“Sorry, mate,” William bowed his head, “we can’t help it sometimes.”
“So…where do you practice?” Buffy asked, wanting to change the subject and get to know her new friends a bit more…especially William. She was as intrigued by him as ever.
“The garden when William’s old man isn’t old. William’s house…when his old man’s away. Doesn’t like the noise,” Oz explained, heading in the direction his friend had come.
Buffy only nodded and followed her new found friends until they reached a small cottage with a garage to the side. It was cute…in a nice, British sort of way.
“It’s not Giles’s Manor, but it’s home,” William grinned as they began to set up instruments.
“What does your father do?” Buffy asked, taking in her surroundings.
“He’s the gardener for your Uncle,” William shrugged. “I was helping him yesterday.”
“Ready man?” Oz asked, plugging in the guitar
William nodded and stepped up to the microphone, throwing Buffy another flirtatious smile. “I think we should dedicate this one to the new girl on the place. Buffy. A little song that I wrote last night. Right after my first meeting with what seemed to be a very sweet girl.”
Buffy’s mouth fell open in a mixture of shock and delight. He obviously thought of her last night if he wrote a song about her. She watched as he handed Oz the sheet music and listened to William’s voice carry her away once again:
Are we done for now,
Or is this for good,
Will there be something in time?
With us there should.

Only girl for me is you
There can be no other one
If I didn't have faith
I would come undone

So much promise in your eyes
Seems that I can only see
It always makes me wonder
If you save it all for me

Maybe you do
Maybe you don't
Maybe you should
Probably wont...

Because there will be...

There will be other guys
Who will whisper in your ear
Say they'll take away you sadness
And your fears

They may be kind and true
They may be good for you
But they'll never care for you
More than I do

I'll be always there
There to the end
I can't do much
But be your one true friend

To the end
Through the end
Our lives to spend
With each other till the end
Of time...

Still see the promise in your eyes
And still wonder if it's for me
But I know it's still there
Even when you sleep

So I say, good night sweet girl

Both Buffy and Willow clapped, completely taken away by the song. Buffy didn’t know what to say. She had never been an inspiration for a song before and to know that she had inspired William to write such beautiful words and put them to music…just knowing that made her warm inside and all her nervous concerns disappear. He obviously thought highly of her to write a song like this.
“William, that was great,” Willow went up to throw her arms around her friend, her green eyes bright with pride. “You guys are going to blow them away with that audition.”
“Now do you see why I let him write all the songs?” Oz grinned, obviously proud of the new song. “The guy’s a genius.”
“Bloody hell, you two know how to embarrass a bloke. Truth is, the sodding song wouldn’t have been written if I hadn’t the proper muse,” his eyes fell on Buffy and his lips curved into a gentle smile. “Isn’t that right, love?”
Buffy could only smile and stare, which was totally rude. Her mother would have a heart attack if she knew that her daughter stared so openly at someone, but she couldn’t help herself. Not only was William a hottie, he wrote a song about her…or at least was inspired to write the song anyway. She had never felt so flattered in all her life and had no way of knowing how to react.
“Hey you. Stop flirting. You’re going to scare Buffy back to America,” Willow playfully slapped William’s arm before sliding into her boyfriend’s arms. “So now that we know what song you’re going to audition for, what’s the plan for tonight?”
“There’s that Carnival in town. We can go to that,” Oz grinned. He loved the traditional Carnival. There was always something to do and the attractions were a sight.
“I don’t know…I mean…I have my cousin here and…,” Willow stammered. She wanted to go, but she didn’t want to leave Buffy behind, or make her feel like a third wheel. It was bad enough that William avoided going anywhere with the two of them. That’s when the light bulb came on in her head. William and Buffy. They seemed to have hit it off somewhat…why don’t they go together? It’d be perfect! “Wait. Why don’t William come with us this time? Me, you, William, and Buffy. It’d be like a double date.”
Buffy’s eyes widened at the prospect of going anywhere with William. This was too good to be true. She looked at him and smiled, pleased to see the interest in his eyes.
“I like that idea,” William nodded. “I‘ll go…that is if the lady don‘t mind.”
“Ok. Sure. Why not,” Buffy agreed. She felt like she was floating on cloud nine. She had a date. With William. This was going to be the perfect chance to get to know him better. She couldn’t believe her good luck.
“Cool! Buffy and I will head back now and get ready while you guys go to your audition. We’ll be ready by seven,” Willow squealed, taking Buffy’s hand and heading back to the house. She was going to show her new cousin a good time tonight, and by the chemistry she just witnessed between William and Buffy, a good time was sure to be had.

Good Night Sweet Girl-Ghost Of The Robot

3

Buffy stood in front of the mirror, putting the finishing touches on her hair. She sighed, wondering just how interested William really was in getting to know her better. She still found it amazing that he wrote a song about her. That was the nicest thing a boy had ever done …especially after only meeting her.

“Ready?” Willow peeked in. She wore a pretty green sundress that brought out her eyes, and her flaming red hair was piled in a cascade of curls on top of her head. She was ready for a night of fun with Oz and wanted to know Buffy was ready for William. The boys were going to be there any second and it would be best to be gone as soon as possible. Preferably before Giles returned from wherever he was off to at the moment.

“Willow…what do you know about William?” Buffy asked, her curiosity stronger then ever. She wanted to make sure that they were compatible somehow…that they would get along. Not that she thought they wouldn’t…it’s just that…they may not.

“Well…he’s the gardener’s son. He’s the singer in Oz’s band. He once had a girlfriend, but they broke up because she was a lousy ho-bag, and he’s completely available,” Willow grinned, feeling very knowledgeable about her boyfriend’s best friend. “And it’s possible that he likes you. He doesn’t write a song just for any girl, you know.”

Buffy blushed just as the door chimes went off. Willow’s eyes widened with delight as she grabbed Buffy’s hand and pulled her towards the stairs. “They’re here. Let’s get out of here.”

Buffy gasped as Willow opened the door to Oz and William. William was especially handsome in a pair of nice jeans and a blue shirt that matched his eyes. His blond hair was tousled into wild curls that was begging Buffy to run her fingers through them.

“Ladies ready?” Oz asked, his eyes bright in anticipation. He was hoping to get Willow alone for a while, so his friend could get to know her cousin a bit better.

“Of course,” Willow linked her arm through Oz’s and headed for the car.

Buffy took William’s offered arm and followed him to the back seat. She had to admit her excitement. This was going to be fun. She loved carnivals, especially when a handsome guy was her date.

William on the other hand was rather nervous. He was never a real ladies man, despite what he tried to project. To tell the truth, he was rather shy around women, and this Buffy was no exception. Sure, he tried to act cool, but he didn’t really think she was buying it. Well at least she was impressed with his song. She seemed to be anyway.

When he had first noticed the pretty blond watching him, he had thought she was an actual muse, the kind from all those Greek myths, but then he remembered the talk his father gave him about being nice to the boss’s niece if he should ever come across her. At first, he didn’t know what he was going to say to her. Obviously, she was the prettiest blond he had ever seen. Remembering how he usually reacted to pretty women, he decided to remain true to form and flirt, finding himself becoming more intrigued by this shy girl from America.

That night, when he had gotten home, he couldn’t get Buffy Summers off his mind, so he decided to write the song and maybe show it to Oz the next day. He had no idea that Buffy herself would be there to hear it. He was about to change his mind when he saw Buffy standing there, watching Willow and Oz being all lovey dovy, but knew that he couldn’t. The bloody song was the only one he had brought and Oz would insist on playing it if William had tried to back out. So, again he played the flirt card and played the song, pleased by the amazement in saw in her eyes. She obviously liked it, which made him over the bloody moon.

Now here he was, escorting the girl of his dreams to the carnival, having no idea what he was going to talk to her about. What if she ended up hating him? Or the other way around? After all, America and England were two separate cultures altogether. What could they possibly have in common? Music. Music was definitely something. They both liked it. Tonight, he was determined to find something else that he and Buffy shared.

The ride to the carnival was made in silence. Everyone was caught up in their own thoughts. Willow wondered just how well William and Buffy would get along. Oz was thinking of ways to get Willow alone. William was thinking about Buffy and of course, Buffy was thinking about William.

At last they arrived. Willow and Oz stepped out of the car and took a deep breath of the evening air. They were definitely looking forward to a night of fun and perhaps romance. Watching their companions emerge from the car, they couldn’t help but hope that they wouldn’t be the only ones finding romance that night.

“William man, I’ll take Willow and you take Buffy. We’ll meet back here at closing time. That ok with you?” Oz asked, wrapping a arm around his girlfriend, who looked a little concerned at the thought of leaving William and Buffy alone. They barely knew each other. What’s to say that they’ll get along?

“Uh…I’m ok. How about you, kitten. Do you mind being alone with the big bad here?” William asked, trying to sound confident and cool. He didn’t want Buffy to know that the thought of being alone with her made butterflies tumble around in his stomach. He wanted her to think of him as confident and flirtatious. The epitome of cool.

“I don’t mind,” Buffy smiled, pushing all nervous thoughts to the back of her mind as she wiped her sweaty palms against her jeans. This was her chance to really get to know her date. There had to be more to him then guitars and music. What that was…well she didn’t know, but she was as determined as hell to find out.

“Cool. We’ll see you later,” Willow waved, following Oz into the churning crowd, leaving Buffy alone with William in a awkward silence.

“Well, looks like it’s just you and me, pet. What do you want to do first?” William asked, his eyes blue and bright.

Buffy shrugged, not knowing what else to say and not sound like some naïve twit. God, she had been so determined this morning to wow him with her flirtatious nature, but now…shy Buffy had made a come back and she wasn’t planning on leaving anytime soon. She cursed herself for not being over this foolish shyness. Why couldn’t she be the Buffy she was in Sunnydale? Why did she feel the need to hide somewhere whenever William was nearby? If she wanted William to really like her, she had to speak up more. She had to stop this shy librarian gig she had going.

William grinned, grabbing her hand. He knew just the thing to impress the young American blond. He had a good arm and the pink pig hanging over the booth for the dunking game had Buffy’s name written all over it.

Buffy’s eyes widened as William pulled her in the direction of what looked to be a dunking booth. What was he up to and why? She would ask, but he seemed so sure and determined that she didn’t see the point of asking. She would just roll with the punches here. See where the night took them. Maybe the night wouldn’t be such a disaster after all.

To Buffy’s amazement, they were in front of a dunking booth, listening to taunts from the guy that was to be the dunkee. She suddenly knew what this was about and felt a twinge of delight. She just stood back and watched. This was definitely going to be interesting.

“Come and show your skill,” the woman in charge of the booth smiled, her eyes lighting up with instant attraction when she saw the handsome man approach. The attraction instantly faded when she saw that he wasn’t alone. Damn. All the cute ones were taken. “Win a bear for your girl there?”

“How much are tickets?” William asked, judging the distance to the trigger that would drop the partially bald man into the water below.

“For you handsome, I’ll give you three throws for the price one,” The woman smiled, flirtatious once more, ignoring the dirty looks the petite blond threw her way. Spike just shrugged and handed her the money, his eyes full of determination. He was going to win that pig or die trying.

“Oh big fella!” The small middle aged man on the stool laughed. “Going to try to dunk me huh? Tough luck pal! It don’t look like you could throw much of anything if you ask me!”

Spike narrowed his eyes and threw the ball, just to miss. The dunkee just laughed, his eyes full of mirth and confidence.

“Hah! Nice try! How about I take the little girl home tonight! She looks to need a man! Because you certainly can’t throw like one!”

Again Spike threw the ball, just to miss again. His anger was near the boiling point. This asshole was going down, but when he reached for the ball, he found it gone. To his astonishment and anger, the man was still running his mouth.

“You throw like a girl, Blondie!”

Splash! The man went into the water as the ball hit the target. All eyes were on Buffy as she stared angrily at the now soaked man.

“Care to say that again?” Buffy glared at Spike’s tormenter, her arms crossed. The man just sputtered and climbed out of the tank to take his place on the stool, waiting for the next customer. He had nothing else to say to the man with the angry girlfriend who had an arm of a major league pitcher.

“Want to pick out a animal?” The girl asked, smiling with pride. It did her heart good to see Paul taken down a peg or two, and by a woman no less.

“The pig please,” William shrugged, feeling a bit proud of the girl he was with. There was obviously more to Miss. Buffy Anne Summers that meet the eye. He definitely wanted to find out more about her.

“Mr. Gordo, coming right up,” The hostess laughed, winking at Buffy.

“Thank you,” She smiled, letting William take her hand and lead her away. Honestly, she couldn’t say what had made her throw that ball. She just didn’t like how that man was taunting William. She couldn’t just stand there. She had to do something and she did.

“Where did you learn to throw like that, pet?” William asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.

“My dad. Before he left us, we used to play catch. I’d throw and he’d catch,” Buffy smiled at the memory. It had been a long time since she thought of her father. The last time she had seen him, he had hugged her and said he’d always be there for her. Three months later, he took his secretary and disappeared from the country. She hadn’t heard from him since. She was hurt at first, but now she just shrugged it off and accepted that Hank Summers was no longer a part of her life.

“He must be proud,” William sighed, thinking of his own father and how the man seemed to detest the very sight of him. William was everything his father wasn’t. Well versed, talented, hard-working, and everyone…except his father, seemed to adore him. William would do anything to hear even a kind word from Angelus Bennett, but that would never happen unless the man was on his death bed.

“I haven’t seen him in two years…I mean…well he left my mom and me. I haven’t heard from him since he moved to Europe,” Buffy sighed, becoming a bit confused on why she was telling William this. She barely knew the guy and already she was telling him her life story. She hadn’t spoken of her father for years, yet here she was telling William about how she and her mom were left high and dry.

“Oh…sorry to hear that, love. He missed out on a great girl,” William grinned, taking her hand in his and squeezing it tightly as he resisted the urge to get down on his knees and pledge that he’d never leave her side. It would take wild horses to make him leave. What would she say if he did that? She’d probably take off on the first plane back to America to tell her mum about the crazy git back in England who wanted to pledge his very existence to her will being after knowing her for only a day.

“Don’t be. I’m over it. I came to terms with the lack of a father figure a long time ago,” Buffy shrugged, a blush heating her cheeks as she noticed just how perfectly her hand fit into his. It’s like her hand was made to fit into his.

“How old are you William? I mean…you seem so mature…I mean…God, you must think I’m so mentally challenged,” Buffy sighed in disgust. This wasn’t going as planned at all. She seemed so tongue tied around him. If he was one of the boys from school, she would have no problems being flirtatious and funny. With him…she was just coming across as a lame geek with a crush, she was sure.

Deep laughter was her answer, and she found herself pressed against his chest, his arms gently wrapped around her waist as his blue eyes sparkled with mirth. “Love, mentally challenged you’re not. If you must know, I just turned 17 last month. Oz threw a party. You should ask Willow about. Was a bloody good time.”

“Wish I was there,” Buffy blushed, not daring to move, afraid of breaking this moment. Never had she felt so…at home…in a guy’s embrace before. He was warm, strong, and oh god, he smelt so wonderful…she could stay like this forever.

“Buffy,” William sighed, leaning his head against hers. He had no idea what he was doing. He had just met this girl…yet, he wanted to be closer to her then he had ever wanted to be to anyone in his life. What was it about this American girl that made her so irresistible to him? Why did he feel like he had just found his other half?

“Hmm?” She sighed, getting lost in his azure gaze, all thoughts lost to her now.

“Want to go on the Ferris wheel?”

She blinked as the spell shattered and he released her, just to pull her in the direction of the Ferris wheel looming in the evening sky. She could do nothing but follow and hope that she’d get to be in his arms again and soon. She didn’t know where this was going with the handsome British boy, but she didn’t mind. At times, surprises were the best things ever. She was just going to set back and let the cards fall where they may. Hopefully they’ll land her right back in William’s arms, to stare into those beautiful eyes for eternity.

~*~

The night had been a success. William had gotten to know Buffy more then he had ever thought possible, and was certain that what he felt was pretty close to love. He definitely wanted to see her again.

Two hours later, William and Oz had said good-night to the girls and were heading back to William’s place to crash for the night. Just by looking at him, Oz knew that William was smitten with Willow’s cousin-in-law. He just hoped that his friend knew what he was getting into. Not only was Rupert Giles a snob when it came to members of the lower class dating his family…Buffy was due to go back to America at the end of the Summer and there was no word if she’ll ever return to England again. With all his problems, a broken heart was something William didn’t need.

“Buffy…she’s really something isn’t she?” William sighed, keeping his eyes straight ahead, not wanting to see the worried frown Oz was most likely wearing. He knew all about how Mr. Giles had tried to come between Oz and Willow. He had sat with his friend as he worried that he’d never see his girlfriend again.

“About Buffy, man…be careful…alright?”

William sighed. He had known this was coming. Again, he bloody well got why Oz was concerned, and he appreciated it, but Buffy…there was just something about her. The girl was bloody amazing. “I’m sure ole Ripper won’t be a problem,” He laughed as Oz winced at the nickname William had picked out for his father’s employer so long ago.

“It’s not just Mr. Giles, Will. Buffy’s not from here. She’s an American and will most likely be returning to America once the summer’s over. You probably won’t see her again. Can you seriously tell me you’d be able to let her go? I know you, man. Once you fall in love…it’s like intense.”

“Listen mate, I appreciate your concern. Really, I do. Look, I know that deciding to pursue this girl may not be the right decision…but, I don’t know…bullocks, there’s just something about her. I want to get to know her and perhaps make her visit here more memorable somehow. If it makes you feel better, I promise to take things slow. I won’t go all poems, candy and flowers.”

Oz just sighed and shook his head. Somehow, he knew that any further argument was useless. William was determined to start something with Buffy Summers. He just hoped that his friend won’t end up regretting it.