Tara's knock on the door received no reply, so she opened the door carefully wondering if Miss Summers had already left without her instructions. To her surprise the young girl was being kissed by her boyfriend in such a manner Tara knew the young woman was loved and cherished at the same time.
"I'm sorry, but I did knock." Tara apologized, as she stood in the doorway.
Spike reluctantly pulled away from his girl's sweet lips, keeping her secure in his arms as he said, "Not a problem, just letting my girl know how much I love her."
Buffy leaned against Spike as she asked, "Did my mom sign my papers?"
Tara smiled as she answered, "Yes, and she has a copy of the instructions and of the phone numbers I'm about to give you as well."
"So, after you go over them with me, I can go?" Buffy asked, just as someone else knocked on the door.
Spike smiled when he and Buffy both said, "Come in!"
Ethan stepped in and smiled at the picture William and Buffy made. He could still remember when his brother, Nathan, had meet Anne; it was like he was reliving the past. He couldn't wait to visit his wife and tell her about Buffy. His Julia would be happy to know that her William had found the one he was meant to spend his life with.
"Well, saves me a trip to find you," Spike teased, "We're about to be released."
"Do you want me to wait outside?" Ethan asked.
"No, please come in," Buffy answered.
"I just have to go over the discharge papers that Mrs. Summers already signed, and then Buffy is free to go." Tara looked back and told the new arrival.
Ethan nodded as he entered the room and listened to the young nurse tell Buffy that her exam was all normal. He couldn't shake the feeling that things for Dru were about to get worse before they got better. The call he planned on making Monday to Jenny Carpenter, would have to be tomorrow instead. Deep down he knew the road to the Summers family recovery was going to be a long, hard road for them to travel.
"Ethan, Mr. Giles has offered us his guest house," Spike spoke up after Tara had finished with the instructions and left the room. "Buffy knows the way."
"Is that alright with you, Buffy?" Ethan asked. He wanted to make sure she was comfortable.
"Sure! I wasn't looking forward to the long drive."
"I'll call and cancel the reservations once we get there." Ethan replied as he turned to his nephew and asked, "Are you coming with us then?"
"Yeah, if you don't mind; I'm not sure I'd be welcomed back at the Summers' home right now," Spike answered. "I'm sure I can go and pick up my things tomorrow," he looked at his watch and added with a touch of surprise in his voice, "or should I say later today."
Buffy stretched a bit to look at Spike's watch and noticed the time, "Wow! No wonder I'm really sleepy, it's almost three in the morning."
"Better get you off to bed then before you turn into a pumpkin." Spike teased, as he took her hand in his.
"Let's check and see where Faith is." Buffy suggested.
"'Angel was dropping her off at the house with the clothes and things." Spike informed her as he led her out of the room with Ethan holding the door open for them as they passed.
"Thanks, old man." Spike teased.
Ethan's smile and the affection in his voice lightened his reply, "You are not too old to put over my knee," causing Spike to chuckle and Buffy to giggle as she said, "Mom was getting Dad and Dru and then going home."
"I guess we just need to make sure everyone else has gone home," Spike surmised out loud.
"Okay, and then how do we get to Giles' house?" Buffy asked.
"I have a friend's car I borrowed." Ethan offered. "We can return it later after we pick up William's.
"Good plan, I need to get my girl settled in." Spike said when he noticed Buffy trying to fight back a yawn and failing. "I'm a bit knackered myself."
Ethan watched his nephew gently pull Buffy closer to his side and place his arm protectively around her shoulders. His instincts told him this young woman would come out of this ordeal stronger and intact. He couldn't help but think that Dru Summers might not be so lucky.
*******
Joyce sat quietly throughout the drive home. She wanted to turn and confront the young woman behind her, but felt this was neither the time nor place. A part of her thought what she was seeing from Dru right now was all an act. What worried her was how Hank would handle knowing Dru lied to them all this time.
Hank played how he would tell Joyce about what Dru had told him tonight. Each one ended badly with him having to choose between daughters. He knew it wasn't how it had to end, but right now he was having a hard time seeing Joyce and Buffy forgiving Dru her trespasses.
Dru looked out the window, lost in her own thoughts and not seeing anything that was going on around her. In her mind she was making plans on what to take with her and where to go. She'd only need the bare essentials for now, and then she'd write and see if they'd send her the rest once she found a place to stay. L.A. would be the best place to go; somewhere big enough she could be lost in. A place she could create a new life for herself.
"Don't worry, Luv. Miss Edith will take care of everything; you won't need to worry about a thing."
Dru felt a cringe of doubt at hearing her old protector's voice in her head. A part of her was relieved and felt safe. Whereas the other part felt dirty and afraid, because she wasn't sure she wanted to be reminded of those dark times in her life.
"Tsk, tsk, my girl, having doubts about me. You know I won't let anything bad touch your soul. I'll take it all upon me, little one."
Dru secretly glanced forward, just to make sure they didn't hear the voices going on in her head. She knew now why all this was happening to her; it was her punishment for being a bad girl. Now for sure she'd never get to Heaven or hear the Angels call her name when it was time. No, she'd be given to the devil and the demons would drag her by her hair to the dregs of hell where she belonged. Her grandmother was right about her, she was evil just like her mother.
The ride continued in silence as Joyce wondered if her family would be a family come morning. There was no way she could keep the knowledge of Dru's lies a secret from her husband until then. But again it might be for the best, she thought, thinking she needed to rest and face this problem further with a fresh mind and more thought. She looked at the clock in the dashboard and realized it was already tomorrow.
*******
Faith yawned as she, Angel, Darla, and Lorne put away the small amount of groceries they'd picked up on their way over to Giles' guest house. He'd told them where the sheets were so they could make up the beds. The youngest Jenkins, opened up a few of the windows to let in some fresh air.
Darla could see Faith had something on her mind as she asked her, "Spit it out, Faith."
Faith sighed as she said, "How do I greet her?"
Loren smiled softly and said, "Like you do every day."
"But then she might think I don't want to talk about it." Faith replied.
"Did it ever stop her before?" Angel asked.
"No." Faith answered as she started to understand. "I get it, let her know nothing's changed and it's friendship as usual."
Darla gave her a wink as she agreed, "You got it, baby. Just be you and the rest will work out and she will appreciate you for it. Don't treat her like a victim, but like you'd treat her any other day."
"We'll wait for them to get here before we go." Angel told Faith, "I'm just not ready to let you out of my sight yet."
Faith walked over to her brother and hugged him as she said, "I'm one lucky girl, to have a brother like you."
"And you'll always have me." Angel promised.
"So, Spike is rather a dish of hotness." Lorne chuckled, "Buffy will have her hands full with that one."
"I think it's the other way around." Angel snorted, teasingly. "He's going to have his hands full, he's got pussy whipped written all over him."
"Is that your crude way of telling me I have no chance to have my 'brokeback' moment with Blondie?" Lorne said jokingly, causing the others to laugh and it helped to lighten the mood.
"Let's get moving, we have a few things to do before they get here." Darla giggled, "And Faith and I will make up Spike's room." She said while giving Lorne a knowing look, "I know how you like to joke around."
Lorne pretended to look crushed, "You wound me, Sweet pea."
Angel laughed as he reminded the man, "No, she remembers the last trick you pulled on her when you almost made her believe I was leaving her for you."
"What can I say, it was worth it to see her face when I told her you and I were getting married." Lorne snickered. "It's great having friends you can play around with. I hope Spike has a good sense of humor. Cutie is going to need one if he hangs true with our Buffy."
"I think he's going to fit in just fine." Faith said, and Darla agreed, "I'm with Faith."
"Well, this isn't getting the house in order." Angel sighed, "So Buffy can get some rest when she gets here, we now plan to vacate as soon as they get here. No lolly gagging around."
"Gotcha, baby." Darla agreed.
The four people moved quickly to put away groceries and make the rooms habitable for those coming to retire easily. Faith hoped Buffy would be okay with her being here; not that she wanted her friend to breakdown and tell her everything tonight. She just hoped Buffy would be comforted by her being here for her. Buffy had been the first and only real girlfriend she ever had, and hoped that didn't change. She hoped that if they did not remain best friends when all of this was over and the truth came out, that they would still be good friends.
*******
Joyce watched as Dru quietly stepped out of the car; something just wasn't right about the girl. She was sure her stepdaughter was most likely thinking of how she could get out of trouble and failing at it. She still couldn't believe all this time Dru had kept her mouth shut. She wished she could remember more about that night, as it still seemed like a bad dream. She couldn’t trust any of her memories being true to what really happened.
She watched as Hank unlocked the door; suddenly he looked lost and so much older. It looked as if this night had aged her husband beyond his forty-eight years. The painful expression on his face when he looked at Dru made her worry yet again about what had happened while she was with Buffy.
The sad smile on Dru's face when Hank softly touched her when she passed him pulled at her heartstrings. Something wasn't right and she would, no she needed, to get to the bottom of it all. No longer would she sit back and let her family just get through life. They would now and for the rest of their lives learn to function and act like a family. First, she would confront Hank in private and see what he knew, and then she would have a heart to heart talk with Drusilla.
*******
"Turn right at the next light, and his house is at the end of the drive." Buffy told Ethan as she sat safe in Spike's arms.
As they approached the large house Spike whistled and said, "Wow, you call that a house?"
"It was built by one of the founding fathers of Sunnydale. He built the house for his wife and kiddies, and the guesthouse was for the in-laws," Buffy said as she looked up at Spike with a smile. "Until Giles moved in, it had remained empty. We all thought it was haunted by the Sunnydale first family."
"Nice, so it gives a new definition of 'you're never alone'," Spike snorted, "Well, if you get all spooked, you can come and I'll protect you."
"Might be I have to protect you." Buffy teased back.
"Oh, would you slay a few ghosts to protect me Slayer?" Spike asked with smirk on his face.
"That's me, Buffy the ghost slayer," Buffy replied, "I will whip off their sheets and send them packing."
Spike chuckled as the car came to a stop in the back, since the gate had been left open for them. Buffy jumped when the gates began to close with a hideous squeaking noise. Ethan even gasped, causing all three people to start laughing.
"Now, Uncle, are you afraid of the undead?" Spike joked, knowing his uncle was a bit of a superstitious man.
"You know how I feel about those things," Ethan was quick to say, "I remember a few times a young man climbed into bed with his aunt and uncle saying monsters and ghosts were in his room."
"Hey! None of that now, no telling stories about me." Spike acted affronted, but enjoying hearing Buffy laugh, even if it was at his expense.
"I can see now who will have to be the strong one in this relationship." Buffy dramatically sighed, giving Spike a wink.
"Look what you've done now." Spike said as he rolled his eyes while at the same time helping Buffy out of the car and taking her hand in his.
"I see Angel and the gang are here." Buffy told them having seen his car.
"I hope you're ready to get pounced on," Spike warned her, causing Buffy to stop and think about something.
"Ethan, would you mind going in alone right now? I need to say something to William before we go in there." Buffy asked as she squeezed Spike's hand.
"I will even go one step ahead and keep the friends at bay for the moment," Ethan replied as he gave her a reassuring smile. "Take your time."
Spike looked down at his girl with a confused and worried expression on his face. "What is it, Pet?"
Buffy moved so she could stand right in front of him as she stared up at him. The last thing she wanted right now was to face her friends without telling this man what she needed to say.
"William Spike Rayne, I want to tell you before I get overwhelmed in there that
I love you." Buffy told him with a smile and her emotions pouring out of her eyes.
He could see the love she held for him and it almost brought him to his knees. Never did he think anyone would love him like she was right now. Something told him this was just the beginning of something amazing for both of them as he leaned down and rubbed his nose against hers.
"I will love you until the day I exist only in your memories. Even in death will I love thee more than life and pray you'll join me."
"Oh, Will, you're making me cry," Buffy sniffled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a loving kiss that branded them both forever.
Anya stood in the darkness with her lover's arms around her and watched the happy couple. Leaning back she sighed and told her man, "They will bring so much love to the world around them. I'm so happy they found each other."
"As I'm happy to have found you, my heart." Giles said as he hugged her close. "I think we should leave them to their privacy and we will see them tomorrow."
"I love you old man, more than you'll ever believe."
"Then come and make me believe." Giles whispered as he led his ladylove away from the window.
*******
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Author's Chapter Notes:
I wish to thank whoever nominated this story for awards. It recieved runner up for best Angest at Blood Ties. I'm thrilled and shocked. Thank you guys.......