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A/N: Sorry this one’s so short – more coming soon!


Chapter 3 – America

When Joyce and Lizzy were back in the states, they stayed a few months with Hank in Los Angeles. Hank helped Joyce legally change Lizzy’s name to Elizabeth Anne Summers. Joyce also decided to start calling Lizzy ‘Buffy’. She wanted to distance herself from her life in England as much as she could. Buffy didn’t really notice her name change since she was only 18 months at the time.

Joyce purchased a small Craftsman style home in town of Sunnydale, approximately 3 hours from LA. Hank was disappointed, but understood why Joyce didn’t want to raise her daughter in the city, especially after spending so much time at Pembrook. A child should have a yard to play in. Hank visited frequently. Joyce opened a small art gallery in town once Buffy started school. They led a very happy life. Joyce really didn’t date; she didn’t feel she could trust a man again after Rupert.

At first Rupert visited Buffy every year. He usually came for her Birthday. It deeply pained him to see Joyce and to see the happy life she had with Buffy. All he could think about was that this was the life he was missing out on. By Buffy’s 6th birthday, the visits stopped. Rupert was drinking heavily. Lilah had taken away the control of the families affairs from him and managed them herself. She was mortified at Rupert’s conduct. She sent him to rehab several times, but it never lasted. He was simply a drunk.

Fortunately, Buffy asked Joyce very few questions about her father. She just accepted that he wasn’t around. Hank was a better grandfather than he was a father to Joyce, so Buffy had a strong male influence in her life. Then when Buffy turned 15, Hank passed away. He suffered a fatal heart attack. Buffy and Joyce were devastated. They were all alone in the world now. Joyce considered trying to contact Lady Lilah or Giles, but after her last conversations with them she decided it was best if she and Buffy stayed on their own. Lilah had never forgiven Joyce for leaving Rupert. She felt a woman should ignore her husband’s indiscretions. A bitter control freak and a drunk weren’t what Buffy needed in her life. So she didn’t call and just tried to make sure she was the best parent she could be. Having a teenage daughter was hard, but they managed. The day Buffy graduated was the happiest day of Joyce’s life. Joyce had hoped Buffy would attend Berkley or Stanford, but unfortunately Buffy’s grades weren’t that great. But Buffy was great at cheerleading and got a partial scholarship to Sunnydale University. They were okay with her grades and had great hopes about what she could do for their cheerleading program.


Buffy’s POV

Summer – 2000

Now that I’m 18 I can’t wait to start college in the fall. A lot of my friends are going out of state for school, but I chose Sunnydale U. since I want to stay close to my mom. And by best friend Cordy’s going there too and we’re going to be roommates. The cheerleading scholarship they offered me didn’t hurt either. I always worry about my mom and finances. I know she doesn’t make that much at the gallery and I highly doubt my deadbeat dad sends her child support. I don’t know what type of work he does – we haven’t heard from him since I was little. I can barely remember what he looks like. Mom inherited some money when grandpa passed away, but she shouldn’t blow it all on sending me to school, especially with my grades.

I have high hopes for college. High school was great. I was pretty popular, had lots of friends. I dated a great guy name Riley, but we broke up right after prom. He decided that he was going to go to school in Iowa, where he was originally from and we didn’t think we could handle a long distance romance. I wasn’t really in love with him either, so it really wasn’t a big deal. I‘ve dated a few other guys, but I’ve never really been in head over heels love, like in the movies. I’ve never had sparks fly when I kissed a guy.

My mom rarely dates, and if she does, they guy never last past the third date. I always wonder what happened with my parents. Sometimes I want to ask my mom, but she finds it very painful to talk about Dad, so I don’t ever bring him up. I wonder if they were in love. Once an Englishman named Ethan Rayne came to visit my mom. I was 14 at the time. Apparently he knew my mother when she lived in England. He was very nice to me and even brought me a present. A stuffed pig a call ‘Mr. Gordo’. He said he had a teenage daughter who loved stuffed animals and hoped I did too. Mom was very polite to him, but I heard them arguing after I went to bed. I snuck into the hallway to listen.

“Joyce, Rupert is drinking himself into a stupor. I have forgiven him and so should you. You should at least let him see his daughter!”

“It was Rupert’s choice to stop seeing Buffy. I am not going to take her to England because he can’t handle coming to America.”

“He can’t handle coming to America because of how cold you were to him when he did come. Joyce, you were the love of his life and you are still his wife! I should have told you Rupert was a sex addict before the two of you married. But I thought he had it under control.”

“Sex Addict! How ridiculous. He just couldn’t keep it in his pants. The man obviously has no self-control. Not that your one to talk – I know about you and Drusilla. Apparently I’m not the only one who carries a grudge.”

“Yes it’s true, but I have now forgiven Rupert and I’m trying to help him get his life back on track. Seeing Buffy would definitely help.”

“I’m sorry Ethan, but that’s not going to happen. Thank you for coming by, but I think you should leave now.”

As mom showed Ethan to the door, I snuck back to my bedroom and thought about what I had heard. I wondered who ‘Drusilla’ was – what an odd name! My parents are still married and my dad was a sex addict! Wow, no wonder my mom was so uptight about sex. She had always told me to wait until marriage, that having sex led to nowhere but trouble.


A/N: Please review! Thanks!





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