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Banner by Alissa.


Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks again to Deanna for the beta-reading!

So, I put together a little soundtrack for this fic. If anyone is interested, you can see it on my LJ.
http://dorians-kitten.livejournal.com/

All the lovely reviews have made me snoopy dance! Thanks :D
Sunnydale, California 1996

“That was a lot of puke. I mean, like a really lot.” Buffy scrunched her face to show her disgust, but her tone held a note of wonder and awe.

William, still a bit queasy, raised his head and nodded miserably.

“Do you think you got more in you?”

“I don’t know. I ate a lot of pizza and cake.”

“Yeah,” Buffy agreed, nodding vigorously, sending her pigtails bouncing.

William watched their movement for a moment before starting to feel dizzy again. He looked back down at the floor.

“I can do a cartwheel now. Do you want to see? It’ll cheer you up.” The newly turned six year old girl asked eagerly.

“I don’t think so, Buffy. Maybe you could just sit down?”

“Okay.” She boosted herself up to sit on the bench next to him and swung her legs back and forth beneath her.

They sat in silence for a few moments before Cordelia and Willow ran over.

“Buffy, your mom says that we have time to ride the twister one more time. Come on!”

“Nah. I’m gonna sit with William.”

The girls looked at her like she was crazy before shrugging and heading toward the ride without her.

William’s face lit up as though he were looking upon a goddess. “But it’s your favorite and it’s your birthday.”

Buffy shrugged. “I’ll stay with you.”

Oxford, England 2008

William watched Buffy dance with a slight frown. They’d decided to try the club again. This time he was glad to have Wesley and Fred join them, as well as Liam.

Buffy and Fred had hit the dance floor almost immediately, leaving the three men to guard their table, drinks and bags.

Liam watched William’s increasing displeasure with a grin. Poor lad has got it bad, he thought while biting back a chuckle at William’s heavy sigh. He leaned closer. “That is no kid, my friend.”

William glared but nodded, reluctantly agreeing. “I’m well aware,” he snorted softly. “It was actually easier when she was still a kid.” He glanced back towards Buffy and clenched his jaw. “Who is that guy?” He gestured irritably towards the young man who had just approached Buffy and Fred. William narrowed his eyes. “Is he what girls consider good looking, do you suppose? Is she laughing? How could she even hear him so close to the speakers?”

Liam chuckled at that. “All this time, I thought it was Dru that did a number on your head. But that little thing beat her to it, didn’t she?”

“Leave it alone, Liam.”

“William, lad, that girl looks at you like you’re the second coming. What’s the problem?”

It was William’s turn to laugh. “Bollocks, that girl looks at me and sees her big brother, her apparently homosexual big brother.”

Wesley had only been half-listening to the conversation. He choked on his drink. “How’s that again?”

Liam flashed him a big grin. “Oh yes, it turns out Willie here and I are lovers. I’m thinking he’s the wife, right?”

William scowled as Wesley appeared to consider it and Liam reached over to pat him on the back.

“It can’t be helped, mate. You’re the pretty one. Besides, I just don’t have the thighs for a mini skirt.” He laughed at his own joke. “Look, you love her and she loves you. The hard part’s done. Now we just have to convince her to play with your sadly neglected prick.”

“You’re disgusting. You do know that you’re a seriously troubled pig of a man, yes?”

“The consensus seems to point that way. But I ask you, if I were really so bad would I give the warning?”

William furrowed his brow and tipped his head to the side. “And what warning is that?”

“Go dance with your girl, or I will.”

William glared at him before turning back to look at the dance floor. He watched as Buffy danced with Fred and considered doing what Liam had suggested. He didn’t doubt that Liam would be true to his word and dance with Buffy if he didn’t head over there soon.

Wesley laughed softly. “He does make a point, William.” When William simply glanced his way, eyebrow arched, he continued. “The girl wouldn’t be here if she didn’t care about you and you are most definitely not her brother. Perhaps you should… remind her of that.”

“Why didn’t I think of that?” He mumbled as he stood up and pushed back his chair. William’s eyes settled on Buffy and, with an air of determination, he headed her way.

He was nearly there when a large and clearly inebriated man swayed and knocked Buffy off her feet. Falling hard, Buffy gasped audibly and reached for her ankle. William was at her side in a flash, lifting her into his arms before she’d even noticed his presence. She squeaked and looked at him in shock.

“Will!”

“I’ve got you.”

“I’m… I can walk… you don’t have to…” she was still protesting when they got back to the table.

William ignored her words as he gently placed her on a chair and dropped to his knees to check her ankle. “I don’t understand how you walk in these bloody things.” He quickly untied the lacings holding on her dainty high-heeled sandal and began tracing her ankle with his thumb.

“Hey, I love these... Ouch!”

“It’s already swelling. We should go to the hospital.”
Rolling her eyes, Buffy placed her hand on William’s shoulder. “It’s probably just twisted. I’ll put on some ice and it will be fine again tomorrow.”

Continuing to rub her ankle, William frowned up at her. “I don’t know, Buffy. What if it’s a fracture?”

“It’s not fracture, Will. Seriously, I’ll just make an icepack when we get home.”

Hearing her call his place home gave William a quick, warm feeling. “All right, I’ll call for a cab.”

“Already done,” Liam waved his phone and grinned. “They said it would be outside in a few moments.”

William looked up, surprised. “Thanks.” He gave Fred and Wesley a smile. “Sorry guys, I think Buffy should really get off this foot.”

Fred nodded. “Of course, we’ll get together again soon.”
She grinned at Buffy, “It was really nice to finally meet you.”

“You too!” Buffy grinned at the other girl. She was about to continue when William slid his arm under her knees and around her waist to pull her back into his arms. Buffy smacked at his chest lightly. “I’m not a cripple. Put me down.”

“Oh, let him play the hero, lass.”

William chuckled. “Yeah, it makes me feel all manly.”
“Is that so?” Buffy giggled.

“Yep. Next thing you know I’m going to take up playing Rugby and learn how to belch the alphabet.”

“Ugh,” Buffy wrinkled her nose in displeasure, “please don’t.”

William feigned an injured look. “What pet, you don’t think I’d look fetching in a team jersey?” He gave her a little toss, shifting her closer to him and winked.

Buffy’s eyes widened; she’d never seen William act so playful in front of other people. She found it was both delightful and irritating, as a part of her liked that Will had only shared that part of himself with her. She was his best friend, she thought, she should get to see stuff no one else did.

“I feel that I should point out that you playing hero has not always worked out so well in the past.”

“You wound me, pet.”

“I seem to recall a broken wrist.”

Liam walked in front of them. “Now that sounds like a story. I’ll get the door and you all can share it.”

Buffy spoke first. “William was trying to rescue me.”

“Only after you climbed that tree, which I’ll remind you I did suggest at the time was a bad idea,” he nodded a thank you to Liam as he turned to walk through the door. “Anyway, Buffy climbs this tree in my yard and when she gets too high, she panics and says she can’t climb down.”

“So Will decides to climb up and save me, only he falls and I hear this horrible crunching sound.”

“At which point Buffy is magically able to climb down again.”
“Hey, I was so worried about you, I forgot to be scared.” She gave him a half-hearted swat.

William smirked. “Or, you were just messing with me to begin with.”

Buffy’s mouth made a little ‘O”. “I was scared to death for you. I made the doctors let me stay with you at the hospital the whole time we were there.”

William looked at Liam and nodded. “It’s true. She spent the entire day at my side and once I fell asleep, she decorated my cast with doodles of pink and yellow flowers.”

Liam chuckled loudly and grinned at Buffy. “You didn’t?”

Buffy shrugged and bit her lip. “I was like eight at the time.” She pouted for moment before spotting the taxi. “Look, it’s here.”

Liam grabbed the door so that William could place Buffy on the seat and then walked with him around to the other door.

William paused for a second before getting in to give him a serious look. “Thanks, for um… thanks.”

Liam inclined his head in a gesture of understanding and waited until William got in before grinning widely. Leaning down, he quickly wished Buffy a speedy recovery and then bunching William’s shirt in his hand, pulled the younger man towards him for large smacking kiss on the forehead. “Don’t forget to call me later, sweetmeat.” He winked playfully at Buffy as William swore and wiped his face in disgust, and shut the door.

William turned to Buffy. “You realize he could easily carry on like this for months?”

Buffy cringed. “Did I mention the sorry part?”

“I don’t know, pet. My ego is pretty well wounded here. I think you’re going to have to make it up to me.”

“And how could I do that?”

William appeared to consider it for a moment before pointing expectantly at his cheek. When Buffy only giggled in response, he spoke. “Seriously, luv, you cannot expect me to go to sleep knowing that my last kiss came from that brute of an Irishman.”

Buffy laughed again, but leaned over obligingly to give him a quick kiss on the suggested cheek. As she brushed her lips across his skin, she was shocked to find herself noticing how good he smelled. She wondered fleetingly if he would taste that good as well. She scolded herself for the rampant pervy thoughts as she settled back on to her side of the seat. “Better?,” she asked.

“Definitely.”


Chapter End Notes:
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