[Reviews - 154]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 2516 times

- Text Size +




Title: Sweet Sixteen
Author: Pattyanne
snapkik@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: None of the BtVS
characters belong to me.
Feedback: Would be lovely.
Summary: AU. William and Buffy
are teenage neighbors meeting for
the first time.



Part Fourteen (a)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Outside the rain begins
And it may never end
So cry no more, on the shore a dream
Will take us out to sea
Forevermore.....forevermore..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"Well, don't you look nice this evening?"

William glanced in the mirror and saw his uncle stand-
ing in the open door of the poolhouse. Adjusting his
tie, he tugged at it to loosen it a fraction.

"You know," he said, grinning, "this is the first time
I've worn one of these since I left England. I'd forgotten
how much I hate them."

Rupert Giles tugged off his glasses and began to
clean them, a sure sign that something was on his
mind.

"I assume you have a date with Buffy tonight?" he
asked casually.

"You assume...right," William replied, giving up
on the tie and reaching for his suit coat. "I'm taking
her out to dinner." He didn't feel like volunteering the
information as to where he was taking her, knowing that
such an admission would be inviting a shocked ex-
pression and a lecture about conducting himself as a
gentleman at all times, and that perhaps taking a young
lady to a hotel for a meal was not really the "right"
thing to do.

Perching his glasses on his nose once more, the older
man gave his nephew a long and considering look. "You're
seeing a lot of her, aren't you?"

William just shrugged. "Every chance I get," he said. "Can
you blame me?"

Rupert sighed and smiled. "I suppose I can't. She's a lovely
girl. Quite charming and very....American."

An odd tone to the remark caught Williams's attention as
he picked up his car keys. Dropping them in his pocket,
he turned to confront his uncle. "Is there some kind of
hidden meaning in that comment?" he asked, frowning.

Rupert's cheeks reddened slightly. "Not...well, I don't
mean for there to be, but....I was wondering one thing."

"What's that?" William folded his arms across his chest.

"You and Buffy are from completely different worlds. I
know that you've adapted quite well to the States, and you
definitely fit in with all your new friends...."

"But..?" William prompted.

Rupert cleared his throat, staring at his feet. "Have you
told her about YOUR world, William?" he asked quietly.
"The world that you will be obliged to return to one day?"

Oh, this was going to be a whole new lecture sub-
ject, and William wanted no part of it right now. That
particular future seemed to be a hundred years away.

The only thing he cared about was the here and the
now. He had just found the most beautiful girl on
earth, had just fallen completely in love with her, and
was set to explore all the wonderful possibilities of
that love. Buffy WAS his future, he had no doubt of
it...but it was too soon to start figuring out which ob-
stacles would be the most difficult to climb.

"Buffy knows where I'm from," he replied vaguely. "I've
told her about Black Oaks. Please don't do that."

Rupert had begun to wander around the room, picking
up articles of clothing and folding them into neat little
piles. Placing a shirt on the top of his stack, he turned
and stared right at William.

"Have you told her...everything? Not just about the
estate, and the house in London, and the retreat in
Scotland...but about you. About who you are...and
what's expected of you."

William took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "Not
yet," he admitted. "But I will. Soon."

Rupert hesitated a moment, then nodded. "I hope you
do," he said. "If there's a chance that Buffy will be the
girl you choose someday, then it's only fair she know
what's in store for her."

About to walk out the door, William stopped and looked
back. "Buffy IS the girl I've chosen," he said firmly. "I
want you to know that. We'll...work things out."

His uncle joined him by the door. "William...please
understand, I think she's a lovely girl. I can see
that you have deep feelings for her and I have no doubt
that she returns those feelings." He patted the young
man's shoulder. "I'm on your side, you know. You're
my sister's only child and I'm...well, quite fond of you."

William smiled. "Goodnight, Uncle Rupert," he said,
anxious to be gone. "And....try not to worry so much."

As he watched his nephew walk around the hedge that
separated his property from the Summers house, Rupert
Giles shook his head and sighed. "It's not MY worry you
need to be concerned with, William," he murmured, closing
the door behind him.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Close your eyes and dream
And you can be with me
'Neath the waves
Through the caves of hours
Long forgotten now
We're all alone...we're all alone..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Buffy opened the door, smiling widely.

William nearly passed out at the sight she
presented him.

Her dress was a deep, lush crimson silk that
clung sweetly to her curves. The skirt of the
dress was full and swished around her legs when
she walked, it's hem dropping to a little above
her knees.

But the feature of the garment that really made
his mouth water was the neckline, a deep V
shape that looked remarkably easy to get inside
of.

She was wearing sheer stockings and red, heeled
sandals. Her hair was curled and held back from
her face by a pair of garnet studded combs.

His eyes were drawn to the hollow of her throat,
where a small, heart shaped pendant dangled.

Realizing he was standing there like a mute idiot, he
mentally kicked himself in the arse and stepped
inside when she moved back from the door.

"I can't even find the words to tell you how beautiful
you look," he said quietly, leaning over to whisper
in her ear, and wondering where her mother was.

Buffy's smile was dazzling. Her light summer tan
seemed almost golden to his eyes, and she was
wearing the most beautiful shade of scarlet lipstick
he'd ever seen on a girl. Glossy and deep, it made
her mouth look like a piece of exotic and juicy
fruit, and he wanted to take a bite out of her right
then and there.

"William. You look handsome tonight."

Joyce was halfway down the stairs, an empty
laundry basket in one hand.

He forced himself to take his eyes off Buffy and
reply to her mother.

The three of them stood in the foyer, making the
usual small talk of where they were going and when
Buffy was expected home.

William's announcing a 7:00 reservation got them
out the door and into his car.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Close the window, calm the light
And it will be all right
No need to bother now
Let it out, let it all begin
Learn how to pretend..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The Chandler Arms was a fifteen minute drive
from Buffy's house.

Waiting for a green light, William turned his full
attention on his passenger. "New dress?"

A tiny smile curved her lips. "Brand new," she
admitted. "Do you like it?"

He nodded slowly. "Very much," he said. "Red's
my favorite color."

Buffy paused. "I remember," she murmured,
her cheeks turning pink.

An exhilerating rush of excitement washed over
him. She had remembered! Had bought this dress
with him in mind, wanting to appeal to him and
attract him.

Knowing this caused a heady feeling of pride and
possession, coupled with intense sexual aware-
ness, that kept him on edge for the remainder
of the drive.

William turned onto a long drive, located just
off the main highway. Passing by the Country Club
and it's inevitable golf course, he continued another
half mile before pulling into the semi-circular drive-
way in front of the hotel.

A valet appeared, opening the passenger side
door for Buffy, then traded places in the driver's
seat with William.

Once inside the hotel lobby, Buffy looked around
in amazement. It was the most beautiful...the most
elegantly appointed...and the most daunting place
she'd ever set foot to carpet in.

Slightly intimated by it's expensive glamour, she
held tightly to William's hand and prayed that she
wouldn't do anything stupid or clumsy.

The restaurant he was taking her to was on the
far side of the hotel lobby, identified only by a
small sign set on what looked to her like an easel.

Although she felt nervous and out of place, she
couldn't help notice that William was decidedly
not.

He dealt with everything, showing an ease of manner
that only came from years of experience. A back-
ground of wealth and privilege was apparent in his
every move and word.

If he'd been any other boy she knew, Buffy would
have thought that he was being pretentious and show-
offy to try and impress her.

William's demeanor was neither of those things,
but was instead the completely natural behavior of
someone who was used to people doing what he
told them.

He was, quite frankly, the most 'adult' seventeen
year old boy she knew.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Once a story's told
It can't help but grow old
Roses do, lovers too
So cast your seasons to the wind
And hold me dear...hold me dear.."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


She sat behind a menu so enormous that it blocked her
from his view.

Smiling, William tapped on the back of it. "Have you
decided yet, luv?"

Buffy set the menu down on the table in front of her, a
small frown furrowing her brow. "It's all in French," she
said, looking up at him helplessly.

Shit! He'd forgotten, and he could have kicked himself
when he saw her blush.

"I took Spanish," she added.

He gave her a reassuring smile. "May I order for you?"

Buffy shrugged. "I think you'll have to."

"All right." He studied his own menu. "What kind of foods
do you prefer?"

The kinds of food she preferred were nowhere to be
found on this menu, she was sure, but she'd never been
a picky eater, so she smiled and said, "I'll eat just about
anything."

William swallowed hard and cleared his throat. Glancing at
her, he saw nothing but an ingenuous smile on her pretty
mouth, so he took the remark at face value and didn't
comment on it.


TBC......
(In part 14-B)





You must login (register) to review.