Thank you so much to NoaluvJames for my beautiful prezzie!!!!
Cover art by NoaluvJames
Why did you look the other way
When I told you I had something to say
Can you imagine that
Can you imagine that it could be
Why do you scream at everything unfair
Tell me would you know the truth if it were there
If you would reach for me
If you would reach for me, it could be
Something real
When your faith has left before the morning
Someone there softly breathing
A body to awaken
When the time comes to tear you
A cruel enemy
You could hold onto me
What is there that strips you of your pride
There is nothing left of you inside
If you would reach for me
If you would reach for me it could be
Something real
When your faith has left before the morning
Someone there softly breathing
A body to awaken
When the time comes to tear you
A cruel enemy
You could hold onto me.
William awoke to a loud crash coming from the living room. Jumping out of bed and putting on his clothes he grabbed a baseball bat that he kept tucked in between his headboard and nightstand. You could never be too careful living alone in Downtown L.A.
He began to tiptoe towards the door to his bedroom when it hit him, there was a burglar in his house, in his living room, and Buffy was asleep on his couch. Gripped with fear he turned the door knob to his bedroom and carefully walked out into the long, dark hallway, baseball bat at the ready just in case.
Peering around stopping short of his living room, he pressed himself against the wall as much as he could and listened, hoping the darkness of the house would shroud him long enough to gain the opportunity to make a move.
That’s when he heard her.
He could hear a woman crying. He could hear Buffy crying and he went into cave man mode.
Must. Keep. Buffy. Safe.
His brain was repeating this mantra over and over again when he lunged into the living room, ready to fend off any attacker he may find there. What he saw instead chilled him to the bone.
In the darkness he could make out Buffy’s small form, huddled in the corner between his kitchen and the sliding glass door leading to his porch. He reached over quickly and turned on the overhead light to the lowest setting illuminating the room in a soft white glow.
He placed the baseball bat down slowly and made his way over to Buffy’s trembling figure. He could see the lamp that used to occupy the end table closest to his couch had been smashed into pieces. There was a line of blood marring the floor leading up to the space she now occupied.
He had no way to tell how severe her injuries were, and he knew he needed to take a look at her. Not wanting to scare her anymore than she already was, he dropped to his knees and slowly began to crawl.
“Buffy. Love, what happened?” The sound of his voice made her jump and she buried her face in her hands trying to hide herself completely.
William sat up on his knees when he finally reached her. He could see that she had a long cut on her knee and several smaller nicks on her lower legs. The obvious result of crawling from the couch to the corner.
Gently William attempted to pry her hands away from her face. “Buffy, I need to get a look at you.” Using a little more force he got both of her hands in his and was able to inspect her a little bit better.
There was blood all over and he couldn’t discern one wound from another with her in this condition. He needed to get her cleaned up and fast.
“Buffy, look at me. Elizabeth, I need you to hear me. We’ve got to get you cleaned up, I’m going to take you to the bathroom so we can wash this stuff off of you okay.” She looked up at him, still sniffling her tears away and nodded.
“Right then,” William nodded in response and lifted her easily into his arms. Careful not to step on any of the glass that was scattered around his living room floor, he carried her to the bathroom.
Setting her gently down on the counter beside the sink he grabbed a washcloth from the medicine cabinet, wet the cloth with luke warm water and began to inspect the damage she’d done. All of the cuts on her legs seemed to have just broken the skin. The one on her knee was deep but nothing a butterfly bandage wouldn’t take care of. He was surprised and relieved when he found that her arms were un-cut, all of the blood having been from hugging her knees close to her on the floor.
Without thinking William walked over and turned on his shower, turning the dials and testing the water until he was satisfied with the temperature. He walked back over to Buffy who was sitting, almost catatonic, on his counter.
“Buffy, you need to hop in the shower pet, before we dress the cut on your knee okay.” He started to leave to give her some privacy but she grabbed his arm, asking her with her eyes to not leave her alone. He stared at her for a moment, understanding passing between them. She was afraid.
Sighing William pushed away the voice inside of him telling him to walk away and he helped her off the counter. Her clothes were covered in blood and he knew that they were ruined. “I’ll be right back pet I promise, you stay right there.”
Leaving the bathroom he quickly walked to his kitchen, making a mental note to be careful of the glass that he had yet to clean up. Grabbing a trash bag from his cabinet he made his way back to Buffy.
Walking back into the bathroom he found her sitting Indian style on the toilet holding a piece of wadded up tissue paper to her knee.
“You don’t want to do that love,” he told her rushing to grab the tissue. She flinched away from him when he grabbed it and he slowed his movements. “Buffy you don’t have to be afraid of me. I just don’t want you to get paper inside of your cut. It’ll get infected that way.” Looking up at him she nodded and hugged her arms around her middle slowly rocking herself back and forth.
William took her hand and pulled her to stand in front of him. Hanging the trash bag on the towel rack behind him he gently grasped the hem of her shirt. Looking into her eyes for permission she nodded slightly and he lifted it over her head.
William knew it was wrong but he couldn’t help but take in the sight of her. He’d undressed women before but only in the throes of passion and never really took time to appreciate the beauty in the act it self. She was remarkable in ways he’d never noticed on a woman before, and that was above and beyond her body. He was a guy, he couldn’t help but notice how gorgeous she was, but it was more than that. The trust she gave him every time he touched her made her that much more beautiful.
Standing in front of him clothed only in a bra made entirely of lace, and matching panties William knew he needed to give her some privacy, for both of their sakes. Turning his back to her and facing the wall he said, “I’ll let you take care of the rest.”
He could hear her undressing her self and closed his eyes. Stop being such a bloody git! He berated himself. She’s coming to you for help, not so you can ogle her every chance you get. You’re lucky she didn’t notice you looking at her. That’s the last thing she needs.
The sound of the shower door closing brought him back to the here and now. “I’m just going to step out pet, grab some clean clothes for you. I’ll be right back.” Moving quickly out of the bathroom and shutting the door behind him William stood with his back leaning against the frame of the door. Closing his eyes he counted back wards from 10, bringing himself back down to earth.
“Get it together whelp,” he muttered to himself as he walked across the hall to the guest bedroom where he’d put Buffy’s things. Opening up her backpack he rummaged through it quickly trying to find something suitable for her to sleep in. She only had another pair of jeans and 2 t-shirt packed in the small bag. All of which were visibly dirty. She also had another pair of tennis shoes, 2 pairs of socks and large toothed comb. He gathered all of her clothes and walked over to the laundry closet directly beside the bathroom. He threw her things into the washing machine, set the time to click on in an hour, and headed into his bedroom collecting a black t-shirt and a pair of boxers.
Returning to the bathroom he knocked on the door to alert Buffy of his presence before he entered. “I’ve got you some P.J.s, here pet. I’m just going to lay them here on the…” The sound of a quiet sob interrupted him and he listened carefully. He could hear Buffy crying over the rushing water of the shower. Turning towards her all he could see was her form, blurred by the glass of the shower door huddled on the floor, rocking gently back and forth.
His first instinct was to hold her. Climb into the shower, fully clothed and let her find comfort in his arms. He stopped himself before he could reach the handle to the door. She needed this. She needed to cry, to go through what ever it was she needed to go through and there was no way he could keep her from that. William ached for her. Unable to understand what she was going through and incapable of being able to protect her from it, he buried his face in his hands and cried right along with her.
Song at the beginning: "Reach" by Tara Maclean