[Reviews - 685]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 2563 times

- Text Size +




Author's Chapter Notes:
Let's see, first: my website has a new layout....bit more sunny than my last one

ATF Chapter 2 will be up on Friday...

And I really hope I'm not losing people with this story...both the reviews and reader counter are down...I hope you're not giving up on the story...and hey, reviews help me writing the new one faster...the one that has to be finished before I post it...

But...I want to thank, thank, thank everyone who is reading and reviewing...I love you for it
Chapter 38


It had been just under three weeks since Buffy had finally been a big girl about her feelings and told William she loved him and things were getting better and better.

William was there honestly every day and evening--once he got there at seven thirty in the morning he wasn't likely to leave until at least eight at night. He and

Buffy had been pushing just how far they could go without having sex--they'd decided that since everything else about their relationship was rushed, they were going to wait--though neither said it the phrase 'until we're married' was added in both their heads--to sleep together.


Buffy had told Sam that she could see Angel whenever she wanted to, but so far she hadn't asked and, frankly, didn't seem to be missing him all that much. She was happier than Buffy had ever seen her and William said she was excelling her school work--which despite Angel's offer of payment, he ws now providing for free.


"Mommy?" Sam asked, coming downstairs late one night after William had left.


"What are you doing up, honey?" Buffy and William had put her to bed at least two and a half hours ago.


"I was thinking about something...I wasn't sure so I was thinking about it. And now I'm sure."


"Sure about what?" Buffy asked when Sam made no move to continue. She was more than a little confused that her six-year-old daughter was up at nearly eleven o'clock at night and was standing there, having a normal conversation with her.


"Sure about wanting to ask you. Why doesn't Daddy live with us?"


After sputtering around for a minute, Buffy stopped to try to get her thoughts together.


"Sweetheart, you know that your Daddy and I," but then a thought occurred to her, in the last two or so weeks, Sam had never once called William, 'William.' She'd sort of inferred that she was talking to him, she'd look at him if she was in the room or say 'he' until Buffy would say 'William' and Sam would nod before continuing on.


"You mean William, honey?"


"Of course I do, silly. He's my daddy after all," she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.


Buffy wasn't sure if she should question Sam on her decision, it seemed--from all the given information--that she'd put a lot of thought into it, and Buffy knew she and William hadn't pushed her into it--they'd both tried not to force the whole father/daughter thing on Sam.


"Why doesn't he live here too?"


"Because Sam, we wanted to make sure you wanted him to live with us too."


"I want him to live with us; can he?"


"Of course he can. Do you want to ask him tomorrow or should I?" Buffy wanted to give Sam as much control as possible.


"Can I?"


"Sure sweetheart, but I think you need to get back to bed so you're not too tired tomorrow."


"Okay...and Mommy? I love you."


"I love you too sweetheart, sweet dreams."


Buffy sat for a few minutes, thinking about what had just been decided. William was quite possibly going to be moving in with them. Did she want that? Well of course she wanted it, but was it too soon? She'd only been divorced for two and a half months...but he'd been around her every day for months before that. And he was spending nearly every day, all day at the house.


Maybe this living together thing would work...as long as William wanted it.


()X(X()X()X()X()X()


"Mommy? Can I ask him now?" Sam asked a few minutes after they finished lunch the next day--while they were just talking.


"Sure, you can ask him now," Buffy said after taking a deep breath and reminding herself that this was right thing to do.


"Ask me what? You girls and you're secrets...probably some girly thing," William joked.


"Will you live with us?" Sam asked bluntly.


William froze.


When he didn't answer her right away, Sam continued on with her reasons, "Because you're my daddy and daddies should live with mommies and their kids. And I miss you when you're not here. So you should live here." Before he could ask or say anything, Sam remembered one other question, "Can I call you 'daddy' now?"


William had to blink back tears and compose himself before he could answer, "Of course you can call me daddy, sweetie, and of course I'll live with you and your mum...I love you and your mum so I think it's a great idea."


"Yay!" Sam broke into a huge grin and practically knocked William over when she launched herself at him and hugged him tight. "You're a very good daddy, too. I love you, daddy," she whispered.


William gave up entirely on not crying, "I love you too, sweet bit. Love you, too," he murmured catching Buffy's eye.


Buffy who was a little less worried about her tears, made her way over to them and hugged the both of them. After a moment Sam let go and looked at her mom and dad as she sat back down, "Why are you guys crying?"


"Just happy sweetheart."


"Very happy," William added.


"Okay," Sam said, relieved.


"Sam," William started.


"Hmm?" she said taking her attention away from her chocolate chip cookie, a huge grin still on her face.


"Is it--I'm going to take your mum in the living room for just a minute, you finsih your cookie and we'll be right back," while it was true that someone who was just a friend and trying to figure out how much he could get, might ask a six-year-old for permission, while tha twas true, a father didn't ask his six-year-old daughter for permission to talk to her mother.


"Okay."


Buffy silently followed William into the living room of her mother's house, still blinking back a few lingering tears. "I want you to know something," she began, before he had a chance, "What Sam just asked you, I didn't push her into any of it at all. She asked me last night 'why her daddy didn't live with us' and I realized she meant you--she hasn't been calling you William recently, you know--anyway, when I knew she meant you I just asked if she wanted me to ask or is she wanted to do it herself...I know it's not a big difference, but I want you to know that, that was all her. Not that I don't want it too," she hastily added when she realized what she could have sounded like, "But I think you already knew that so I want you to know that Sam wanted it, too I guess."


William loved the way she scrunched up her face when she was saying something and realized she didn't really know what she was saying. "Think I know what you mean, luv. And I'm glad you told me, it does help with some things...but I actually wanted to ask you something."


"Well that's okay, but hang on a second," Buffy interrupted.


William looked at her, puzzled. Puzzled, that is until Buffy threader her fingers through his hair, "I love your hair you know, it's so soft and...pretty," And pulled him against her. "We can't do much because, well you know, Sam's righ there, but I thought that such a big decision deserved at least one celebratory kiss."


"I think it does too," William whispered, leaning closer into her and brushing his lips against hers lightly. "But you know, I do need to ask you something," he said, leaning his forehead against hers as her arms slipped around back.


"Must be something important if you'd rather ask me that than kiss me," Buffy teased, though she was just the tiniest bit worried.


"It is important," he said after a moment, hesitating before moving forward, "I was thinking that if we're going to live together that maybe we could get a new place that's just ours."


"I hadn't really thought about that," Buffy said thoughtfully. "It does seem like a good idea though, I feel like we're imposing on my mom and I think it would help Sam settle down if we get into a sort of routine, you know let her know that it's not going to change again."


"So you want to do it?" William asked backing up so he could look into her eyes fully.


Buffy took a deep breath and let it out, "Yeah, I want to."


"Good," his grin rivaled Sam's in its intensity. "Think I can show you a place I have in mind?"


"You have a...We just decided on this, how do you have a place in mind?"


"I'm ever hopeful, luv. Ever hopeful. So do you want to see the place or not?"


"No need to get snippy about it. Want to go now or do you want to finish school with Sam first? Could we maybe go now? I won't be able to concentrate on school worrying if you two'll like the place or not."


"Then by all means, let's get going." Buffy went back into the kitchen and explained things to Sam, leaving William in the living room to absorb everything. "We're
ready," Buffy said a few minutes later, a very happy looking Sam behind her.


"Good," William was silently assuring himself that he was doing the right thing, that what he was about to do was the right thing to do.


And, hopefully, it would be worth it.



TBC…..





You must login (register) to review.