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Author's Chapter Notes:
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Joyce took a deep breath before entering the hospital room. She knew that her friend needed positive thinking and support. She went in a moment later with a warm smile. “Anne.”

Anne sat up more fully and returned her friends smile. “Joyce! Oh I’m so glad to see you. I just tried to watch some television and discovered that there are no less than eight talk-shows on right now, all of them featuring people I hope never to meet. There are thirteen year old girls who beat up their mothers and men who went to prison and now work as clowns. Where do they find them?” She shook her head and laughed.

“I always worry that they’re too easy to find.” Joyce sat down in the chair next to the bed.

“You’re probably right.”

Joyce nodded. “The kids are stopping by your house so that William can get some clean clothes before they come.”

Anne sighed and nodded. “How is he doing this morning?”

“Seems better then last night, from what Buffy told me.”

“My poor baby; he just panicked… couldn’t even listen to me. The doctors are not sure what it is yet. They’re going to remove it and then we’ll know and even if it is the cancer back…I’ll fight…I’ll do the chemo again. William just…”

“Got scared.”

Anne nodded. “He didn’t do that last time. I did…I told you I thought I was going to die, but he wouldn’t even consider it. Yesterday…” she started crying lightly “he looked at me like I was already gone.”

“Oh Anne.” Joyce leaned over to hug her.

“Thank you for taking care of my baby.” Anne said as they pulled apart a moment later. “I know he’s a big boy, but…”

“He’s still your baby.”

She nodded.

“William is always welcome at our house. You know that Buffy and I adore him.”

“I can’t tell you what a relief it is to know that he has such good friends, I…I…” Anne blinked to stop herself from crying again.

Joyce rested her hand on the other woman’s shoulder. “I know. Just remember that we are your friends too.”

Anne smiled. “Thank you.”

Joyce shook her head. “There is one thing I should…I have to go to LA on Saturday and I won’t be back until Monday morning. Are you comfortable with the kids staying alone while I’m gone?”

Anne nodded and gave her a confused look. “They’re eighteen. Surely you’ve left Buffy alone before.”

“I meant alone together.”

“Oh. But William wouldn’t…surely not while she has a boyfriend. I don’t think there’s any reason for concern.”

“Buffy broke up with Angel.”

Anne smiled brightly. “She did! Oh but William never mentioned that.”

Joyce smiled at her friend’s obvious delight and shrugged. “I don’t know if she’s told him yet. I don’t get the impression they did a lot of chatting last night.”

Anne considered the news. “I still like to think that William will be a gentleman. Although…” her eyes sparkled mischievously “I hope he steals a kiss or two.”

“So you’re ok with it.”

“They’ll be going off to college in a few months Joyce; we’re going to have to get used to the possibility…”

Joyce laughed. “Perhaps you can just never end that sentence and I can live in blissful ignorance.”

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Buffy nodded for the fortieth time. “Yes Mom.” She sighed in frustration and looped her arm through her mothers. “We aren’t going to throw any ragers, accept candy from strangers or burn down the house; everything will be fine.” She eagerly walked her to the door.

Joyce shook her head. “Buffy…”

“You’re going to be late Mom.”

Joyce looked from her daughter to William and sighed. They’d been so busy the past couple of days that she hadn’t had a chance to have a private talk with Buffy. She wasn’t exactly sure what she would have said anyway. “Alright, I’ll call when I get there.”

“We’ll be here.”

Joyce nodded. “William.”

He looked up.

“Try to keep my daughter out of trouble.”

William nodded solemnly. “I’ll try.”

“Mom!”

Joyce laughed, picked up her overnight bag and left.

Buffy looked at William and shook her head.

He grinned. “Does that mean I’m in charge? I think that means I’m in charge.”

“It doesn’t…”

“Sounded like I’m in charge. Don’t worry I’ll take the responsibility very seriously; you’ll eat lots of vegetables, do extra homework and…”

Buffy slapped him playfully on the shoulder. “You’re such a dork.”

“You know you love it.”

Buffy rolled her eyes, but couldn’t hold back her giggle.

They were both feeling a bit giddy. The past few days had been tough, but Anne’s surgery seemed to be a success. The doctors were keeping her at the hospital for another couple of days and were still checking out a few what they called inconsistencies in her blood work, but things were looking good. They hadn’t found any evidence that the cancer had returned. The lump, it seemed, was just a benign tumor. They were all being pretty careful not to celebrate too soon, but there was a distinctly relieved aura about them.

“So what do you want to do?”

William shrugged. “I’m actually kind of tired.”

“Oh, did you want to go rest for a while.” Buffy tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

He shook his head. “No. I think I can hold off for a bit. But maybe we can find something low energy for the afternoon?”

Buffy nodded. “Movie?”

“That sounds good.”

“Cool. Let’s watch it my room.” Buffy started towards the stairs.

William frowned. The living room television was considerably bigger, he thought, why would she want to watch upstairs.

She turned back and saw that he hadn’t followed yet. “If you’d rather we can watch down here.” She shrugged. “I just figured that upstairs would be more comfy…you know just in case you fell asleep.”

“Oh. That…that makes sense. That’s umm…very considerate.” He nodded and followed.

Buffy could tell that he was uncomfortable; he always pulled out the super polite manners when he was nervous. What she couldn’t tell was whether or not he was the right kind of uncomfortable.

William followed Buffy into her room and found her rearranging pillows against the headboard.

“There.” She announced a moment later. “You get comfy and I’ll put in a DVD. Any preferences?”

“You pick pet.” William was sitting on the far right side of her bed with his back against her headboard.

If he moves any closer to the edge, he’ll fall off, Buffy thought with a grin. She held up one of her favorite movies. “Are you sure?”

William laughed but nodded. “It’s the cheerleaders again isn’t it?”

“You can pretend otherwise, but I’m on to you.”

“Really?”

“Yep. You love watching all the cute girls bouncing around.” Buffy slipped the disc in, grabbed the remote and headed back towards her bed.

“Oh certainly, the cheerleaders are lovely; it’s the dialogue I find questionable.”


She sat down next to him and looked up with widened eyes. “You’re not even going to deny it?”

He laughed. “Why should I? I’m a single, red-blooded man; it’s my god-given right, no not right it’s more like a duty, to appreciate an attractive female form.”

She laughed and shook her head. “I see.” She loved the rare glimpses of William’s naughty side his playfulness were giving her. She finished setting the movie up to play and placed the remote on her nightstand. “Well scoot over here before you end up doing your appreciating from the floor.”

William blushed when he realized that he was that transparent in his actions and shifted somewhat towards the center of the bed.

“Better.” Buffy moved to rest her head against his chest. “See now you can be my pillow.”

William didn’t respond, probably couldn’t have at that moment. The touching thing had always been a problem. But up until the past few days, she had only touched him briefly and not very frequently. Now it seemed like she was always hugging him or reaching over to hold his hand. Most of the time it was obvious that she was just trying to comfort him; this was more confusing. Did she really see him so platonically that she thought nothing of putting him in her bed and snuggling against him? He ignored the small flare of his temper that told him he should remind her that he was not a toy and that he should show her just what all the touching was doing to him. He forced his body to relax instead and brought his arm to rest gently against her hip.





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