“No,…No…please…don.no…”
Buffy’s childlike whimpers roused William from a deep sleep. Opening one eye he could see Buffy lying on her side facing his direction. Her forehead was lined with worry, even in sleep. She turned her head suddenly, burying it deeper into the pillow she was resting on, and William knew she was having a nightmare. Sliding over to her carefully, he brushed his hand lightly over cheek and then traced the creases of her worried brow.
“Buffy, love, it’s just a dream,” he whispered as she turned quickly away from him, and onto her other side. Not willing to let it go, William slid closer to her. Rubbing small comforting circles into her back he continued to whisper to her softly as his hand crept slowly around her waist, encircling her in his arms.
“Come back to me.”
Jerking herself out of his embrace and into a sitting position, Buffy glanced wildly around the room. Grasping the white sheet to her already fully clothed form she took short panic induced breaths while trying to orient her self.
“Buffy,” William implored softly, “Buffy, look at me.”
Closing her eyes, Buffy was finally able to take a deep breath, she turned her face in the direction of Williams and when she opened her eyes again, he was staring at her with a gentle concern that made her tremble.
“Sorry,” She whispered averting her eyes from his intense gaze. “I had a, a dream and it scared me.” She began to untangle herself from the bed linen, “I didn’t mean to freak out on you.”
“It’s okay Pet. You don’t have to…”
“It’s not okay!” She interrupted quickly. “You’ve put me back together so many times ever since…I shouldn’t have acted that way and I’m sorry.” William noticed that she was starting to circle the room, looking for something.
“I haven’t put you back together Pet, I’ve been here for you, completely different, and what are you looking for?”
“My bag.” She replied still searching the room quickly. “I need my bag and, my things.”
William walked over and opened the door to his bedroom, gesturing her out of the room he closed the door behind him as he followed her out.
“This way love.”
She followed down the long hallway of his apartment until they came to a small door right across the hall from the guest bathroom.
“I set your stuff up in here. I figured you would want your privacy and all.”
He watched her pick up the bag and take a quick mental inventory of what was inside.
“I washed a few things for you. They’re all in the laundry closet just there.” He told her pointing out into the hallway.
She nodded and moved past him quickly. Opening the door to the laundry she quickly collected her clothes, all folded neatly on top of the dryer and made her way back into the room. William watched her intently as she began to haphazardly stuff the items into her bags.
“I’m going to get out of your hair.” She told him quickly, not stopping to look at the confused look on his face. “You’ve been so nice to me, and I don’t want to put you out anymore, I’ll just change clothes really quick and then I’ll be...”
“Buffy, wait, you don’t have to…”
“I really appreciate what you did but.”
“Buffy!” William exclaimed showing his obvious frustration. “What are you on about? Did I make you feel like you had to leave?”
He could tell that he’d frightened her when she backed away from him so that the bed, and a few feet of space separated them.
“Well, did I?” He knew he was being impatient with her but he wanted answers and currently all he was getting was a thoughtful glare. Finally Buffy shook her head. “Alright,” he sighed as he scratched the back of his neck, “do you have somewhere you can go?”
“There are lots of places I can go where I’m not….”
“Buffy, you’re not in my hair, you’re not imposing, and if the only place you have to go is a shelter, then you’re staying with me. I don’t know if you noticed Pet, but I’ve got a pretty big place here all to my lonesome and…”
“I won’t sleep with you.” She told him effectively stopping him in his tracks.
“Excuse me?” He asked staring at her in disbelief
Shaking her head she zipped up her duffle bag and slung it over her shoulder. “You heard me,” she muttered as she picked up the khaki pants she’d worn home from the hospital along with a white spaghetti strap tank top from the bag she’d just finished packing.
“Wait a minute.” William grabbed her arm as she attempted to pass him. “Is that why you think I’ve been helping you the past week? Is that why you think I brought you into my home? I want to help you Buffy, nothing more. If you want to stay here you can, but you’ll be staying here,” he gestured to the room they were standing in. “This would be your room. I’m not asking you to share my bed.”
“Why then?” She asked not able to meet his eyes, so she focused on his hand still grasping her forearm.
“Because you need it, and I want to. I don’t want anything in return.” He released her then, and took a step backward to grant her some personal space. “If it would make you more comfortable I could see if I could pull some strings at the hospital maybe get you a job, and you could pay me rent.”
Buffy sighed quietly and William could practically see the wheels in her mind turning. “Okay,” she whispered, “but I don’t think I want to work at the hospital. I just don’t think I could…”
“Say no more pet. I have other strings I can pull too. We’ll figure it out.” When she nodded he stepped out of the room all together, “I’m going to give you some privacy pet, let you get changed up, if you like we can go shopping later and get you something more comfortable to sleep in than my t-shirt and old boxers okay?”
He had started to head back into his bedroom when he heard Buffy call out to him once more.
“William, wait, I’m really,”
“Yes pet?”
“I’m really sorry about before. It’s just that I’ve never met a man who didn’t want to help me just for the sake of helping.” He nodded, not wanting to interrupt her if she had more to say. “And, this morning, when I woke up and you had your arms around me, my mind automatically went for the worse possible scenario and I don’t want you think I’m not grateful because I am and.”
“Pet,” William interrupted.
“Yeah,” she breathed, looking into his eyes for the first time since she’d awoken from her dream.
“It’s really okay. Truth be told the only reason you slept in my bed last night was you had cried yourself to sleep in my arms, and I was too lazy to bring you in here. I don’t plan on you sharing my bed on a regular basis. I comfort people through touch Buffy, hugging, and the like it’s the way I treat all of my friends. I would very much like to be your friend if you’ll let me. Will you, Buffy, will you let me be your friend.
“Yeah,” she replied, barely above a whisper, and a small half smile forming on her face. “Yeah, I think I’d like that.”
*Song at the beginning: There for you by Flyleaf*