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Chapter 11

When Buffy came to, she was laying with her head in William’s lap on one of the schoolyard benches. William was worriedly stroking her brow, practically begging her to wake up.

“William, I’m ok,”

He suddenly realised she was awake stopped stroking her brow. “I have called the car and the doctor, they should be here any minute,” she could still see the concern all over his face.

“Which one?” Buffy asked as she tired to sit up, acutely aware of the intimacy of there situation.

“Which one what?” he said while helping her to sit up

“The Car or the doctor? Which one will be here in a minute,” she tired to straighten herself up.

“Car, I can see your witty sarcasm is still intact,” she glared back at him.

“I’m fine William, please don’t bother the doctor. I just had a dizzy spell that’s all. I have been couped up so long my body went into shock with all the fresh air,” she went to stand but her legs gave away. William caught her, Buffy felt her pulse quicken at his touch.

“Why must you be so stubborn,” his voice had grown husky of its own volition, he brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

She looked between his eyes and his lips, both as inviting as the other. She could make things so simple if she took the invitation.

“I’m, it’s not, you see,” maybe the fainting spell was catching up with her.

“You need to sit down,” he took her hand and helped her back onto the bench.

“Yes sitting, sitting is good.” She hugged herself keeping the chill in the air from seeping into her skin.

“Here have this,” William took off his jumper and wrapped it around her shoulders.

“Thanks.”

“So are you going to tell me what happened back there?”

She turned to him and for a fleeting moment she considered lying again, but it served no purpose. As muddled as their current situation was lying to William was not going to help.

“I was overwhelmed. This thing with Ella, I have just been getting through it minute to minute some days and on better ones, hour to hour. It hit me we are raising a child. Not for the next few hours or weeks William, but or the next few years. Hell, for the rest of our lives. So yeah, I am a little overwhelmed here.”

“I know,” William ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

“Do you? Do you really? I had a life back in America, sure not much of one but I was working at it. Making choices and now my choices have been made without any consultation. Angel he should have known better. He was there when I killed my chia pet through negligence. Why did he choose me to raise Ella? Why? Why isn’t he here William? He wanted this life, not me. Why?” her sobs came from nowhere and shook her whole body.

William took her into his arms and held on tight. He tried to calm her and she rocked back and forth, her anger and sorrow flowing freely.

“Buffy, pet, look at me, please,” he inquired softly when her sobs had died down some.

She looked up at him with watery eyes, “What?”

“I know that I haven’t been the greatest help to you. I know that it’s got to be hard for you, it’s hard for me too.”

“But you at least live here! I don’t. This is the first time I’ve even seen this area and this is now supposed to be my home.” That seemed to cause another onslaught of tears.

Taking a handkerchief out of his pocket, he handed it to Buffy to dry her eyes and blow her nose. She took it and a small giggle erupted. Then another small giggle, and soon a big belly laugh.

“What?” he asked, staring at her as if she had sprouted seven heads. “What is it?”

“You carry handkerchiefs. I never thought people actually did that,” Buffy said through her laughter.

He had to smile, despite the fact that she was blatantly making fun of him. Her laughter was infectious.

It was then that the car pulled up. “Master William?” the driver said, concerned, as he climbed out the car. “Do you need some help with Mistress Summers?”

“Buffy, please don’t call me that… that name. It sounds much too formal for me! Or it just makes me sound like some kind of… mistress.”

William chuckled at her, “I’m sorry Robert. I should have rang you. Buffy is all right now and we’re going to spend a little more time out and about.”

Robert nodded, “Yes sir.”

“Would you mind calling the doctor as well, please? Tell him everything is in order.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Thank you.”

Robert climbed back in the car and he went on his merry way. Buffy looked up at him inquisitively.

“What?” William asked.

“Have you ever had a day without someone at your beck and call?”

William frowned thoughtfully. “I’m not sure… perhaps.”

“Would you know what to do with yourself without them?”

William smiled, “I’m not completely inept, Buffy. I could figure it out.”

“Then why do you need them?”

He took a deep breath. “Tradition. We had, well, servants for years. I had a nanny. Dru had a nanny. We always just had help. At this point, it is more of a tradition to carry on than a significant need. Moreover, I have to admit, it does help. That house is huge—“

“Oh, you mean the mansion we live in? Yeah, I’m aware.”

William chuckled, “Can you imagine trying to dust that entire place?”

“I see your point. I guess I’m just not used to it. When we were growing up and I got bossy and told Angel to get me something, he would always tell me that I had two arms and two legs and could do it myself.”

“So came the feminist in you,” William noted fondly.

Buffy smiled, “One thing I always had was a sense of self. I’ve always been quite independent…” She trailed off, gazing around her.

“And you don’t feel that way now,” William pointed out softly.

“No, I don’t,” she told him honestly.

“And I haven’t been around to help make the transition easier.”

“You are the only one I really know here. Well, Willow and I are fast becoming friends.”

“I know,” he replied without thinking.

“How do you know that?” she asked suspiciously.

He cleared his throat and sat up straighter, “Just that seeing how you two are. I can see that you get along well.”

“Oh.”

“I want to help make this easier for you. What can I do?”

“I just… I want to have a life here, William. A life outside of you and Ella. I want to fit in somehow or at least feel like I could fit in here.”

William smiled broadly and shook his head.

“What?” she asked indignantly.

“Oh, Buffy, I think when it comes to you others have to fit in with you, not you fit in with them.”

“Did you just pay me a compliment?”

He nodded, his eyes twinkling. “I did at that.”

“Thank you,” she said, almost shyly.

“Feel like walking some more?”

“I think so.”

“Feeling all right? You sure?”

Nodding, Buffy stood. “I’m sure. Let’s go.”

“Come on, I want to show you the local yoga centre. Maybe that would be something that’d help.”

“Maybe it would.”

~~

It was not so much as a yoga centre but more like an abandoned Boy Scout Hall. However, the moment Buffy stepped inside she felt instantly at home. Perhaps it was the smell of sandalwood coming from various incense stick burning around the room or the familiar sight of yoga mats stacked in the corner.

“This is great,” she told William as she walked around taking it all in. It was the happiest he had seen her since she had gotten here. He felt a sense of accomplishment that he had finally been able to do something to help as opposed to his usual state of hindrance.

That feeling was short lived, as what he assumed was the class instructor came and introduced himself to Buffy.

“Welcome to the Birkam Yoga Centre. I’m Riley,” William looked him up and down as he outstretched his hand and watched as Buffy took it willingly.

He was everything that he was not. First, he was not wearing a suit. In fact, he looked as though he had just rolled out of bed wearing sweats and a singlet. His hair had not been washed in it looked like years. Surely this unkempt Neanderthal did not hold any interest for…..

“Buffy Summers, how long have you been practising?” did he just see an eyelash flutter. She was not falling for this pseudo hippy wannabe.

“I spent the last year here at the centre, but before that I spent three years in India studying with a yogi over there.” William snorted. Was this guy serious?

“Learn how to steal picnic baskets too?” he asked.

“Excuse me?” Riley asked as he finally noticed William in the room.

“Yogi Bear, did he teach you to steal picnic baskets?” the two of them looked at him as though he was the strange one. “Did you ever see cartoons as a kid?”

“William, a yogi is the highest form of yoga teacher there is, not a cartoon bear.” He could see the contempt rolling off her in waves.

“I know it is Buffy, they do not hand out degrees at Oxford for just turning up.”

“I think I will leave you and your boyfriend to it,” Riley turned to leave.

“Oh, no, he’s not my boyfriend he’s my brother in law.” Buffy moved away from him, and went to talk to Riley.

As William watched the two of them talk passionately about yoga classes, he saw a change in her manner. The Buffy that he had met at the wedding all those lifetimes ago was returning. The passion was returning to her eyes. He should have felt happy, even relived at the sight. Nevertheless, as he looked at the reason for her passion, a pang of disappointment hit him.





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