[Reviews - 835]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 3733 times

- Text Size +




Buffy was tired, William could tell just by looking at her as they exited the restaurant.

“Ready to go home, luv?” he asked, placing his hand once again on the small of her back.

She looked up at him, a teasing grin on her flushed face. “Trying to get rid of me already?” she asked, her speech slightly slurred. According to his calculations, she’d had three glasses of wine and little in the way of food.

“You look tired is all,” he told her.

She nodded, “I am,” and she promptly yawned. She pouted slightly, her lower lip jutting out in the most adorable way that had William mesmerized and wetting his lips. “But I don’t want to go home.”

He gulped. “Y-you don’t?”

She shook her head, “No, I just feel so...crazy there.” Sighing, she shrugged, “Oh well. I’m sure I’ll get used to it...or not.”

“Crazy?”

“You know, with all the ghosties wanting to make themselves known.”

“Maybe if you didn’t fight it, they wouldn’t bother you so much.”

Buffy wrinkled her nose and turned away from him. “Home it is!”

Chuckling slightly at her sudden chipper behavior, if slightly drunk and therefore helped,

William led her to the car and soon they were off. Buffy rested her head against the headrest and stared out the window. William made a mental note to take her out during the day and show her around.

The sound of soft snoring is what clued William into the fact that Buffy had fallen asleep.

Pulling up to her estate, he turned the car off and stared at her in the moonlight. There was a slight drizzle outside now and he could see the patterns of rain from the windshield on her lovely face.

“You really are beautiful,” he whispered to her and reached out to gently move some hair from her face. “And so interesting to me.”

He watched her, trying to decide what to do. He hated the idea of waking her. He also hated the idea of bringing her in and then abruptly leaving. A smile started to spread across his face as a plan formed. He could take her in and then find one of the guest rooms to sleep in. Yes, that’s what he’d do.

Climbing out of the car, William jogged around the car and tried to open her door as quietly as possible. Lifting her gently out of the seat, he pulled her up into his arms. She was light as a feather. He frowned, she needed to eat more.

“William?” she said, stirring slightly and looking up at him with drowsy green eyes.

He smiled, “Go back to sleep.”

Yawning, she nodded and rested her head back on his shoulder. Angel, he thought. Kicking the door closed with his foot, William started for the house. Her maid was there as soon as he entered and she appeared startled that Buffy was in his arms, but after assuring her that her mistress was fine, Edina showed him to her room.

Flicking on the light for him, she bustled around him and turned down the bed for him.

“Thanks, Edina, you can leave now. I can take care of Miss Summers from here,” William told her.

“But—“

“It’s all right, Edina. Thank you. Uh, if you could though, prepare a room for me? I’ll be staying the night.”

She clearly did not approve, but said nothing as she gave a curt nod, and walked out.

William smiled down at Buffy’s serene face and eased her into bed gently. Her hair sprawled out on the pillow and her limbs stretching, she looked like a Goddess. He drank her in, thinking her the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Tugging off her shoes, he placed them next to the bed and covered her. Sitting down next to her, he smiled down at her.

“Taken quite a shine to her, haven’t you?”

William’s head snapped to the side and there was Dru, standing there as though she were alive, save for the night gown she’d died in. “Dru,” he breathed, his heart racing.

“You scared me.”

“Which part scares you? The fact that I’m dead or that I just popped out of nowhere?”

“Honestly? Both.”

She giggled and Buffy stirred.

“She’ll hear me,” Dru whispered. “Come, let’s have a chat shall we?”

Nodding, and still trying to get used to the idea that Dru was there and talking to him while dead, he followed her out the room and down the hall to a room whose light was shining out into the hallway.

“Oh, Edina picked one of the smallest rooms. Don’t think she liked you bringing Buffy up,” Dru said,
smiling.

William grumbled. “Don’t bloody care if she liked it or not. This is the year 2006, right? Not bloody 1810.”

Dru giggled, her little girl giggle. “I think you’re smitten, William.”

Closing the door behind him, he undid his tie and took off his jacket and glared at her. “I don’t know what you’re on about.”

Dru smiled, “You are smitten with my sister. No need to deny it William. I can see it.”

“Dru,” he said wearily, “Not that I don’t enjoy seeing you, but what are you doing haunting me and not her?”

Dru sighed, a sad expression overcoming her face as she sat on the edge of his bed.

“She tunes me out. She tunes us all out.” She brightened then, smiling mischievously.

“Though I did visit her in her room the other night and turned the lights on for her when she asked. Then continued to follow her and ‘light her path’.”

William had to chuckle, “You’re like a kid.”

“Well! You die and see how great it is when your own sister shuts you out.”

William sighed, “What about when you died? A nice visit then to have let her known instead of having to hear from your mother? She told me what that woman said.”

Dru sighed and waved her hand, “Closed me off.” She looked up at him. “You’d think I’d penetrate, seeing as how I’m her sister and all. When that woman sets her mind to something, she follows through I tell you.”

William grinned, “So I’m learning.”

“Just admit it, come on. You’re taken with her,” Dru pressed excitedly. William expected her to start clapping and bouncing up and down like a schoolgirl at any moment.

He said nothing.

“You’re no fun,” Dru pouted, then turned serious. “You haven’t convinced her yet.”

“I’m working on it.”

“Work harder. I don’t want her to die, William.”

“I don’t get it Dru. Buffy is not the type to fall into the wrong crowd or get stuck in some bad relationship—“

“Loneliness can wreak havoc. Buffy won’t admit it, even to herself, how lonely she is. I just see her trying to fill herself up with all the wrong things and it all ending tragically. She can’t go back there, William, she can’t. She must stay here. With you.”

“What do you mean with me?” William demanded.

Dru smiled and began to fade. “You know what I mean.”





You must login (register) to review.