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After receiving a clean bill of health and given some mild painkillers for her slightly bruised tailbone, Buffy and William made their way out of the hospital in silence.

"Buffy, it's just the same to you, I'd rather not take you home. I'd rather take you to my home."

"If it's just the same to you...I'd really like that," she said, smiling warmly at him.

"You know...just when I think I have you figured out, you manage to somehow throw me for a loop," he said in wonderment, shaking his head.

"Oh, how is that? I've always thought I was pretty predictable."

William stopped in front of his car, giving her an incredulous look. "Are you serious?"

She shrugged. "Yeah."

"You are nothing of the sort. I admit, at first I thought you were. I thought I could guage each response and reaction...but now, now you blow me out of the water."

Buffy laughed, "Give me a for example."

"Well, right now for example. I figured you were gonna fight me on taking you to the hospital, and you didn't."

"That's cause behind this cold and tough exterior, I'm really a baby when it comes to pain," and she grinned cheekily.

"Okay, that right there...cold and tough. You're not cold. You think you are, you try to be, but you're not."

"Hey! I am so."

William laughed this time, "You're insulted that I don't think you're cold?"

She grinned. "I guess a part of me would like to think I am. That way no one can ever know if they've hurt me. If they knew how to hurt me, then they'd do it all the time."

"The wrong people would hurt you, Buffy. There are people out there that do that sort of thing for sport, but you have to know by now, that I'm not one of them."

"I know," she admitted softly. "So, tell me. How am I not cold and tough?"

"Well, when we're making love, you are the hottest woman I've ever been with and ever want to be with."

She turned away from him, wrinkling her nose. Grabbing her arm, he made her look at him. "What's that then?"

"I just..." she shook her head, "forget it."

"No, tell me, I want to know."

She took a deep breath, gestured a bit and then said quickly, "I don't like hearing about you with other women. Okay? Happy?"

He smiled broadly, "Very."

"It's kind of not fair, you know."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you've had other women...You're my first. I've had no other men."

"And you won't either," he growled, snatching her in his arms. "Not if I have anything to say about it. If you want me to rip his arms off and club the guy to death with them, by all means, go for it."

She giggled, "Now there's an image."

"Buffy, look at me, luv."

She looked up at him to find his expression solemn, his gaze full of such love it made her knees weaken and her heart pick up speed.

"I only want you," he declared. "You are it for me. Forever."

Buffy could see the truth in his eyes and she held onto him, gripping him tightly to keep from falling. "Wow," she breathed.

"Do you believe me?"

And the thing was, she did. She really did. When she'd first found out about Dru, she'd been hurt and it had put the nail in her coffin that no one could ever truly care for her, at least not like her sister did. She thought he was there just to keep a promise to Dru, and just to keep his conscious clean, but really, he didn't have to put up with any of the crap she threw at him since then. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she'd been well aware that she'd been testing him; wanting to see how far she could go with pushing him before he'd just up and leave. Then she could say, "See? You never loved me. No one does."

Yet, he'd stubbornly stayed, and persistently showed her how much he did care. He was firm and loving, understanding sweet. He didn't put take her crap like a doormat, and he didn't not let her be who she needed to be to protect herself. He took it, he bore it, and he still said he loved her.

And, he didn't have to help her with anything regarding the ghosts. For all intents and purposes, and Dru aside, that was her responsibility to take care of.

A person could only take so much, and William had taken it all. He'd even refused to give into his baser instinct and sleep with her until he could have her love. Her gut told her he loved her, she had just chosen to ignore that. Sometimes, it was easier to ignore your intuition, especially in matters of the heart.

"Yes, I believe you," she said finally and watched his expression change to one of wonder and delight.

He smothered her in a kiss. "Thank you."

Wisely, it seemed, he knew not to ask if she loved him. And perhaps when she didn't feel as if she were dangling on a precipice when it came to that matter, she'd tell him too. The words now were clogged in her throat, and her heart felt as though it were going to fall out of her chest when she came close to just admitting it to herself. The feelings she held for him were at once comforting and exhilarating, and then frightening. Frightening because she was so afraid to let herself go. What if she did and it blew up in her face? Then what? Move on? Carry on to someone else? Buffy was pretty positive that when it came to William, one did not just "move on" and "find someone else". She didn't think she'd be able to do it. If she gave herself over to him, she was making herself an easy target for heartbreak for eternity. And mourn for him for an eternity, she would.

Won't you anyway, even if you don't admit it? the nagging voice in her head asked.

"Will, I..." she started and then stopped.

He froze in her arms and emotion clogged her throat. If he was expecting it, and she couldn't deliver....

"Yes?" he prompted hoarsely.

"William, I ..." she looked up at him, hoping maybe he could read it on her face and in her eyes. "I do care for you...so...much. I ... " she blew air out of her mouth, frustrated. "I suck at this."

"No, you don't--"

"I do! I am emotionally challenged and--"

"Stop saying that!"

"I sound like I belong in a WB drama or the movie of the week."

He started to laugh, smothering her in another kiss and holding her tightly to him. "Buffy, you just gave me more than I thought I'd get for a long while. Any step you take is good with me. I just need to know once in a while I'm not just the guy that you slept with. That I'm somehow more than that."

"You are," she said meekly.

"Thank you."

"Can we go now? My tailbone is sore. I need some drugs."

Laughing, William helped her in the car, gave her a peck on the lips, and off they went.





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