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Author's Chapter Notes:
Sorry this is so late, been having humongous internet problems.....and sorry in advance for the short chapter....also another note: I have a fic LJ: Suzee_05

If there are any mistakes it's cos I'm trying to get this up quick before I lose the internet again :)
Chapter 10:

“Sam, this isn’t funny anymore sweetheart, where are you?” William finally yelled in exasperation.

“I’m up here silly,” Sam yelled from her perch on one of the oak tree’s branches. “But I don’t think I can get down,” Now she sounded more than a little worried, “Will you help me?”

“Sure, honey, you just wait ‘til I get over there okay, then jump down to me.” William said as he walked over to the tree where Sam was.

“You’ll catch me?” She asked in concern.

“Of course, I’ll catch you silly.” William answered, throwing her own word back at her. “Okay,” he said once he was in position, “On three I want you to jump toward me and I’ll catch you, ‘k?” When Sam finally nodded and smiled, he started counting, “One. Two. Three!”

“You caught me!” Sam yelled when she was safely in his arms, before hugging him fiercely around the neck.

“Well, yeah, couldn’t have you hitting the ground, now could we?”

“But don’t tell mommy I was in the tree.” Sam said worriedly.

“Why don’t you want me to tell your mum?” William asked curiously.

“She told me not to go in the tree again, last time she couldn’t get me down because I went too high. She said it scared her when she couldn’t get me down.”

“You worried me too, bit,” William informed her. In fact, he had never been so worried in his life, at least not that he could remember. It wasn’t how high she was in the tree, though he could easily understand how that had scared Buffy, she was such a little thing after all; no, what had scared him was not being able to find her, the prospect that something had happened to the wonderful little girl currently in his arms. And the fact that that scared him as much as it did, scared him in and of itself.

He wasn’t supposed to care so much for a little girl he’d just met.

Or for her mother.

He was a single, fairly good looking guy in his twenties. He wasn’t supposed to be playing “family” with a married woman and her daughter.

He really needed to go on a date.

*(*(*(*I*)*)*)*

“Mommy!” Sam said as she came running into the kitchen and gave her mother a hug.

“Hi, sweetheart, how was recess?”

“It was fun, Katie and I played hide and seek for a little bit, but she said that she’s going to start school too, so I can’t play with her as much.” Sam said, with only a slight hint of disappointment.

“That’s good that she’s going to start school.” William interjected.

“Yep, I told her how much fun it was so now she wants to do it too. What’s for lunch?” Sam asked, moving on in the way only a child can.

“We’re having grilled cheese sandwiches and William,” Buffy added when he looked slightly surprised, “Can have one too or he can have a ham sandwich.”

“Well that depends,” he said in all seriousness, “Are your grilled cheeses all melty?”

“Oh no, Sam,” Buffy said to her daughter in mock horror, “He’s starting to talk like us!” To which Sam just giggled.

“Well….are they?” William pressed.

“Very melty,” Sam assured him.

“Then I’ll take one.”

Buffy laughed at the two of them, “Three melty grilled cheese coming up,” She said, returning moments later with their food.

“So, luv,” William asked once they’d gotten settled, “What have you been doing today?”

“Nothing much,” Buffy answered with a shrug, “Just some odds and ends, nothing very important.”

“Uh uh!” Sam interrupted before William could dispute what Buffy had just said.

“Sam,” Buffy said, giving her daughter a warning glare.

But Sam continued on, unfazed, “Mommy was going to finish her painting today, it’s very pretty.” Leave it to Sam to be her best publicist.

“Really it’s nothing, just something I’ve been messing around with for awhile,” Buffy insisted. “How’s school been going today?” She asked, hoping to change the subject.

William would let her think she’d won this one—for now—but at some point he was going to see her painting. “I think it’s been going pretty well. What about you bit?”

“William’s teaching me how to tell time….well kind of.” She said unsurely.

“No, I am teaching you how to tell time, don’t sell yourself short, pet. We’re just getting started, but you’re doing a great job so far.” William worked to assure her, “Much better than I did when I was your age.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Anyone care to fill me in?” Buffy asked, feeling left out, even though she was telling herself it was ridiculous.

“I’m teaching her how to tell time and so far we’ve got it down to the quarter hour stuff, you know—11:15, 11:30, 11:35, 12 o’clock, that kind of stuff….once I’m sure she’s got that down, which shouldn’t’ take much longer,” Buffy didn’t miss the smile on her daughter’s face at the compliment.” Then we’re going to try for the ten minute stuff—10 after, 20 after, 30, 40, you get the drift. Should have her telling time in no time,” William said, wincing when he realized what he’d just said. “OR, we should have her telling time very soon.”

“I’m very proud of you sweetheart,” Buffy told her daughter.

“Thank you mommy,” Sam said sincerely.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Buffy exclaimed, “William and I have something we need to talk to you about. Do you want to tell her?” She asked, looking at William.

“Either way…Sure I’ll tell her,” he said when Buffy didn’t say anything. “Sam, in a few weeks we’re going to do some cooking too as part of school. But,” he continued before she could interrupt him, “For the first few weeks I’m going to just have to work with your mum so that she can help when I start teaching you. And the way that we’re going to have enough time for it, is your recess is going to be five minutes shorter on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, but on Friday it’ll be 20 minutes longer.

That way I can teach your mom on Fridays and have enough time. Then, once I’m ready to start teaching you too, we’re going to add it on after lunch as a part of school.

Does that sound okay?” God, he hoped she didn’t say no.

Sam walked around the table and stood next to William, whispering in his ear so that only he could hear. “Will you help me make mommy a birthday cake?”

“Of course, cupcake.”

“Okay then.” Sam smiled winningly at him.

“What was that about?” Buffy asked.

“It’s a secret,” Sam supplied.

“Yeah, a secret,” William seconded, grinning conspiratorially.

“Well secret or no, it better be something I’m going to like,” Buffy told them, only becoming even more uneasy when Sam and William just looked at each other before smiling.

“Fine, since you two are obviously not going to tell me,” Buffy said in a huff, trying to guilt Sam into telling her.

“Uh uh uh,” William cut in, “We’re not telling you –no matter what you do. Are we Sam?”

“Nope.”

“Fine, since you’re not going to tell me, no matter what I do,” Buffy said dramatically, “Can we decide what it is you’re going to teach me how to cook?”

“I don’t know, I was thinking about keeping it a surprise,” William teased.

“Well, what if I don’t like surprises?” Buffy asked.

“Maybe I’ll just have to teach you to like them.”

“Maybe you will.” And suddenly she became aware of what she was doing…she, Buffy Summers-O’Connor was flirting with someone. Who wasn’t her husband.


TBC……Please Review

(author’s note: sorry for the short chapter, but that’s just how it worked out…and also I know I sort of left last chapter hanging and made it seem like something had happened to Sam, that actually was to serve 2 purposes: to see if Nikki was right that I could write a cliffhanger and also to show just how much William cares for Sam….and a little hint for the next chapter, I’m going to clarify something kazzy_cee pointed out earlier….)





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