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Author's Chapter Notes:
same as all the others, I dont own these characters, dont sue.

sorry its been a while, will update more soon!
"I only came to apologize," she began, taking a deep breath and looking directly at him. When she saw the bruises and the cuts on his face though, her voice nearly broke. When he began to move towards her though, she held up her hand, effectively stopping him in his tracks. "I should have thanked you for taking care of me last night. I know that I was sick, and despite the fact that you cared for me, I...I still hurt you."

"T'wasn't anything I didn't deserve, love" he said softly, his blue eyes lowering to the ground in shame. "I hurt you, in a way far worse."

"You didn't hurt me" Buffy whispered softly, and his eyes lifted to meet hers. "True, you forced me, but the pain was so fleeting...you are right, I did feel something." She said slowly, only realizing the possible implications as she spoke the words. She realized that what she was saying was true, and she was both ashamed and relieved in a way.

"Buffy, I..." William trailed off, taking a hesitant step closer to her. When she took a step back away from him instead, he turned and leaned on a dresser to the side of the bed. His blonde head bowed in defeat, and his muscular arms taught with frustration, and, was it fear? "I wish you had known me, before. Before all of this, before this place, before they dragged me here. I was a very reserved person, a bookworm really. I probably would have bored you to death, I wasn't exactly the type of bloke that a girl like you would fall for, but I was, well, I was a, a good person. I was sort of an optimist, believing in true love, and happy endings, and all that rot. I was a ponce" He stole a glance at her, but she stood perfectly straight in the doorway, emotionless. He continued again, deciding to go with the straight route.

"When they stabbed me that night, I didn't die. But I wasn't living either. It was like I drifted away, like what happens when you are asleep. Occasionally, you dream, you are aware of things going on around you, but for the most part, time passes without your knowledge. I would exist sometimes, but only for fleeting periods of time, and very rarely in true physical form. Around you though, well, that was the first time I had been *actually* alive in decades. With you here, I am real." He turned back to face her, and took another step closer to her. This time, she didnt back up though, and remained watching him with something echoing pity written in her eyes.

"This must hurt" she said softly, lifting a hand to trace his bruised face gently. William closed his eyes at her touch, and lifted his pwn hand so that it gently covered hers.

"But even pain is better then feeling nothing at all" He said, opening his eyes once again to meet hers. They remained there for a moment,in silence, before Buffy spoke again.

"Please, can I have some time alone? I need to process this." She said, no hint of fear in her voice. Recognizing that to deny her request would drive her even further away, he nodded his ascent.

"Take as long as you need," he said, before turning back into the bedroom. Buffy backed up slowly, and then turned away from the room. With her mind racing, she paid no attention to where she was going, just wandering through the cathedral halls. She knew she should hate him, he was keeping her captive here, a prisoner to his whim. Yet, if what he said was true, he had been a captive much longer, and her presence was the only real reprieve he had experienced in over a hundred years. Either his freedom, or hers. Who could make that choice? Buffy clenched her fists, and was about to scream her frustration, when she realized where her absent wanderings had taken her. Once again, she was back in the chapel.

Unlike the other times she had visited it though, this time it was back in decent condition. True, it looked like it had been neglected for some time, but the pews were still in place, the tapestries, although dirty, were still hanging from the walls. As she stood staring in bewilderment, she heard angry voices approaching her from behind. Stepping to the side, suddenly a large group of people made their way into the church. Some in the front carried torches, others crosses, and even some knives. A frail looking woman was ushered in the center of the group, a black shawl covering her head, and her pale arms crossed over her thin body. As she processed past, a dark madonna, her grey eyes meeting Buffy's for a heartbeat. She continued her walk though, a morbid waltz forward to the altar amidst the frantic activitiy of the mob.

Buffy cringed when she recognized William in the back of the group, held by two large men. His clothing torn, his face and hands bloody, and his eyes displaying a heart that was breaking, he was yanked forward to the altar. He struggled weakly, but was soon grabbed and thrown onto his back on the stone platform. Ripping off his shirt and using it to tie him down, the people screamed at him, spit on him, and struck him repeatedly. His eyes swept the area where Buffy stood, but he was unseeing. In fact, it appeared that no one could see her. They proceeded with their beatings, calling the young man a heretic, devil's spawn, and a demon. With what little strength he had, William lifted his hand, and stretched out his hand to his mother. Frightened of what he might do, the crowd stepped back and away from the altar.

"Mother, please, help me" he called out softly, his voice laced with pain. Buffy's breath caught in her throat as she saw the woman take a step towards him. The woman reached up and lowered the shawl from her head.

"He is evil" she said, her voice rising to a screech. "Kill him!" She called out, and just before the crowd descended upon him, Buffy caught a glimpse of William's stormy blue eyes wide with misery from his own mother's betrayal. When the first person plunged the knife into the broken man, his expression never changed, and remained blank with shock and confusion. Buffy watched as another person hacked into him with a knife, and another, and finally could not take it anymore. With a sob, she ran from the room. Unknowingly, she ran right past the place where the old man sat, a smile playing across his face.

Apparently, his little show and tell had worked.





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