Disclaimer: Joss owns all, I am but a mere mortal...although I'd like to own James Marsters..*drools*
Three Families, One Town, and True Love (maybe)
Chapter One: The Giles/Summers Clan
Buffy Summers sighed as she looked out the window of her new bedroom. The small town of Sunnydale was dreary and boring compared to LA and she hated that her mother had moved there family there. It's not that she didn't like Rupert, he was okay, but he wasn't her father. Why her mother decided to marry someone she met on a dating site was beyond her.
Granted, her real father was somewhere in New York doing some girl two years older than her...but he was still her father. Buffy knew her parents relationship was horrible, but the union was still what had started there family and she thought it diserved some respect. Yet here they were, only two years after her parents divorce and Joyce had already remarried.
Her thoughts wondered back to that small apartment she, her mother, and sisters had had in LA. They had been so Happy there. It wasn't nearly as big as the house she lived in now, but it was home. This wasn't home...this was just were her things were and were she slept.
"You okay?" asked a small voice from behind her. She turned to see a small, fiery red head wearing a white blouse, and black pants. Buffy cringed inwardly, she knew her step-sister Willow meant well, but she didn't really want to talk to the any of the Giles' about this.
Maybe if it'd been Dawn, who had always been her confidant, despite her youth, it'd be different. But she really didn't think of Willow as a sister yet.
"I get it you know," said Willow, "Really: I do. I mean, no offence to Joyce, she's great. But we were doing just fine before."
Buffy turned and looked at the red head in surprise, she has been so positive about everything so far, Buffy had just assumed she didn't mind the marriage.
"Yeah...we were, weren't we?" Buffy agreed.
"Definitely!" said Willow with a sad smile, "but this is how things are now, and we might as well make the best out of it. Our parents are in love, and there happiness matters to all of us."
"I know, it's just...I feel like we're the goddamn Brady Bunch, like Dawn wasn't the Jan to my Marcia enough as it is. It's driving me a little bit insane."
"Me too," said Willow, "But, I mean...it could be worse. I could be bunking with Cordelia instead of you and Dawn."
The two girls laughed, out of the six kids, Buffy's older sister Cordelia had been the most opposed to the marriage.. She hadn't shut up about the injustice of it all since the Summer's had moved in. This had led to Xander telling her to shut up a lot. The two weren't getting along very well. The whole siduation was stressful on the parents and entertaining to the other four children.
But Buffy liked Xander, and Willow, despite not liking the arrangement. The only Giles she really had a problem with was Wesley, and that's only because he thought he was right about everything and never shut up...kind of like Cordy.
"Yeah...thank God for small favors," Buffy agreed through her laughter.
"And who knows? You might even like Sunnydale High...there are a few Cordelia's in the bunch, but there are also some pretty cool people as well," said Willow encouragingly.
"You really think so."
"I know so: you'll have a million friends, including me and Xander and you'll be like, super happy."
"You sure you aren't just saying that to make me feel a little better?" asked Buffy, "You actually mean it?"
"Well, to be quite honest, it's a little bit of both. But I do still mean it: you'll find your niche...or place...yeah, place definently makes me sound less like the world's dorkiest girl."
Buffy raised an eyebrow at Willow questioningly.
"Really, you'll be fine."
"I better..or this siduation will get even worse."
"You have a flare for the dramatic."
"I didn't use too as much...I think I've been spending too much time with Cordelia...I might kill myself if I turn into her."
"Or kill her," replied Willow with a sly smile.
"Well yes...if we're going to be honest that's the more likely cenerio," agreed Buffy with a small smirk.
The two laughed, smiled, and were even about to hug. The sisterly bounding, however was interrupted by Cordelia screaming at Xander in utter fury, yet again.
This time, it was to give her back the remote control. The two came downstairs just in time to see Xander dangling the remote above Cordy's head tauntingly.
However, within secounds, Cordelia had Xander pinned to the ground and hold the remote triumphantly in the air like a trophy, cackling like a somewhat deranged hyena.
"Ow: Cordelia, get off of me!" yelped Xander as he struggled beneath the girl he should've been able to throw off with ease.
"Oh dear Lord," said Wesley, quietly as he stared at the scene. Dawn could barely contain her laughter and was actually starting to turn red, Willow and Buffy found themselves in a similar predicament.
Buffy smiled, maybe things would be okay.
"XANDER, you cretin. Give it back, RIGHT NOW!" screeched Cordelia as she once again lost control of the remote, "XANDERRRR!!!!!!"
Various crashes sounded as Xander ran into lamps, end tables, and other peices of furniture in order to escape the crazed cheerleader that was now his step-sister.
"Get thee gone, Satan!" he exclaimed, jumping over the couch, she chased him into the other room and before long a faint 'ow' could be heared.
Wesley pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance and Dawn actually doubled over with laughter.