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Author's Chapter Notes:
finally the trip from hell is over and I'm back....hope you're still reading.

also, there's a spuffy ficathon that needs some people to sign up: here
Chapter 26


Buffy and Faith had several more drinks and several more dances, Buffy ending up fairly drunk at the end of the night. She still wouldn't tell Faith what was bothering her, but she was having a good time. It was right what they said about alcohol making you forget, apparently.

"One more dance," Buffy begged, pulling Faith to the dance floor.

"Nu-uh, blondie. It’s about closing time and I'm driving you home," Faith tried to pull Buffy out the back door.

"But I don’t want to go yet," Buffy pouted, falling back against a wall. Faith, who was balancing herself by pulling Buffy, was put off balance by Buffy falling and in turn fell against her. "See, you don't either," Buffy said when she felt Faith fall onto her.

"No no no," Faith protested, but Buffy had her arms firmly locked around Faith's waist by that point.

"Please?" Buffy said leaning up to kiss Faith.

But Faith stopped her, turning her own head to the side and pulling back as far as she could from Buffy. "Come on B. You're drunk and I'm taking you home so you can get to sleep."

"Does no one want me?" Buffy hadn't listened to a word Faith had just said.

"Ahh," Faith muttered, pulling Buffy back to her and hugging her tightly, "So now we see what's the problem. It's not that I don't want you, honey. We've had fun tonight, but that's what it was: fun. I don't know who else made you think they didn't want you, but I'm sure they were just using that as an excuse. You're a great girl, Buffy. And trust me if you were into girls I'd be all for it.

As it is, let me drive you home and we can be friends okay? I have the feeling you could use someone to talk to every once in a while."

"No," Buffy said, "I appreciate it, but I think I need to just get my shit figured out."

"You sure?"

"Yeah," Buffy said sadly, "But thanks for helping me have a fun night."

"Trust me, it was my pleasure. Now, I know you're thinking more clearly now, but I'm still driving you home. I'm sure you can get your car somehow tomorrow."

"I didn't drive here," Buffy told her as she remembered that fact herself. "I walked."

"Well that just makes it easier, I guess; I'm still driving you home though. If only to keep my mind at rest."

"Thanks Faith," Buffy said sincerely, letting Faith lead her out the back door.



He wasn't someone she was particularly attracted to, but three years ago he definitely would have been her type. And since that was what had gotten her into all of this, Buffy figured that maybe she should get back to some old habits and see what that did to things.

Tall, well built, with broad shoulders and light brown hair, he looked much more like Angel than anyone else she'd given a second glance in years. But maybe that was actually what she needed.

"Riley?" Buffy asked, coming to his table for the first time--he was always the one to come to her.

"Buffy?" He looked at her anxiously; he'd been working up the nerve to go ask her to dance. He danced with her several days a week but he was still nervous every time he had to go up to her and talk to her.

"Would you like to come sit with me maybe?" She knew it was maybe stupid considering he was with his friends, and he didn't even really know her, and why would he want to sit with her? But she thought she'd give it a try anyway. It was time.

"Guys," he looked at his three companions, "I'll see you back at the house."

Buffy grinned, pleased that she hadn't been turned down again, but her grin faded slightly as Riley possessively slung his arm around her shoulders and seemed slightly...satisfied when his friends called after them, teasingly. But she felt better once they sat down and started talking. Riley was a sweet guy--nice, simple, and sweet.

"So, Riley," Buffy said when they were seated. "We haven't had a chance to talk much before. I thought it would be good to talk a bit before we dance again or anything."

"That would be nice, Buffy," he said sincerely. "Is there anything you want to know specifically, or....?"

"Well I can't think of anything in particular right now so why don't you start," Buffy didn't want things to be awkward so she decided to let him start and then she'd follow his lead.

"Well," he began before smiling sheepishly, "How about: How old are you? Are you from Sunnydale? Are you in school? What are you studying if you are? What's your favorite color?" he asked the last one very quietly.

Buffy laughed in response, but stopped when she saw his blushing and knew he was serious. "Sorry," she apologized, "I just wasn't expecting that many questions I guess. Let's see if I can answer them all. I'm nineteen, I am from Sunnydale, I'm not in school and my favorite color is purple probably. Sorry if that didn't tell you very much, I guess I'm just not that interesting."

"I'm sure you're very interesting," he told her. "Maybe I just didn't ask the right questions."

"Maybe not. Why don't you answer the same questions though and I'll try to think of some new ones, too."

"I'm twenty two--twenty three next month, I'm from Iowa, came here for school. I'm going to UC Sunnydale right now and I'm graduating this year actually. I'm majoring in business administration and what was that last one? Oh, yes, my favorite color is blue."

"Iowa? Really? Which part in particular?"

"Fostoria," He told her. "It's this tiny little town--just over two hundred people--in north west Iowa, almost at the Northern border."

"Wow," Buffy was stunned, "That's tiny! How were there even people in your school? I mean, with 200 people..."

"It was a kindergarten through high school school. But, yeah, it was small. It's nice though; you get to know literally everyone in the town--it's kind of like having one huge family."

"That would be nice sometimes. Are you planning on going back after graduation?"

"I'm not so sure yet. I mean, if I stay there everything is going to be the same you know? Like it'll all be so predictable...But then I think that that might be nice, so I'm really not very sure."

"Well, you have some time to figure it out. And even if you don't go back right after graduation you can always go back later, right?"

"Right. Would you like a drink, Buffy?"

"Just a coke, thanks," she answered, deciding to stay away from alcohol for the night.

"I'll be right back then," Riley made his way through the crowd to the bar. There was quite a crowd at the bar and the bartender was stealthily taking the girls' orders first, so Buffy had a while to wait for Riley to come back with drinks.

This was nice. No expectations, no worrying about how he was going to treat her because of her job--he didn't know her job so therefore he couldn't judge her on it. This was a clean, fresh start.

Exactly what she needed.



TBC.........pretty please review so I know if you're still with me? and I posted a chapter of Just a Thing as well





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