By Joyce watched on in amusement. Dru, Buffy and William were all currently seated on the sofa in the lounge room, arguing over what movie they were going to watch. She let out a silent laugh as Drusilla leant over Buffy and smacked her brother across the back of the head with a DVD case. He glared in response and sighed in defeat as Dru rushed to the TV to put the movie on. Joyce took a sip of her tea, eyebrows raised when William wrapped his arm around her daughters shoulders and pulled her into his embrace.
The last couple of weeks had been a strange series of events, that was for sure. After 4 years of not saying two words to each other, they had chosen to spend the last 3 weeks bickering and arguing to no extent. It was a wonder they hadn’t driven the other insane with all the nonsense that seemed to surround them.
“What’s so funny?” Giles asked, amused at the expression that marred Joyce’s features.
“Oh!” She turned, not realising someone had been watching her. “Just reminiscing,” she smiled. “Back in the day.” She let out a laugh.
“Ah! To be young again.”
“You know, I never really understood what happened with those two,” sighing, she shook her head, pushing the thought to the back of her mind. “They used to be so happy together.”
“Yes well….”
“Dru! I swear to God…” Spike groaned, gritting his teeth. “If you don’ turn tha’ bloody thing off…”
“Spike!” Batting her eyelashes, Buffy whined out. “You said we could watch it,” she grinned seeing his face crumble.
Giles shook his head as his son immediately was silenced. “Oh God. She’s already got him wrapped around her little finger.”
“Just like old times, eh?” Joyce laughed, turning and walking back into the kitchen.
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“William, you promised,” tears were forming in her eyes, as pouting her lips, she continued, “You promised you’d watch it with me.”
“I-I did soo…NOT!” William exclaimed jumping up from the couch and away from Buffy.
“YES you did!” Buffy’s small fists reached up to wipe away the tears that had fallen from her eyes. “MOM!”
“William, you made her cry!” Dru yelled, patting Buffy on the back.
“Bollocks,” he sighed, hesitantly making his way back over to where Buffy sat.
“William! Did I not teach you manners?” Giles asked, hearing his son’s exclamation.
“It’s fine,” Joyce smiled.
“Are you sure it’s ok to leave them here?”
“Positive,” she smiled. “Besides, I thinks it’s time Buffy found some new friends her age.”
“I’ll be back in a little while. I just need to get some light bulbs,” he sighed.
“Mrs Haynesly took them when she moved out?”
“All of them apparently.”
“We’ll be fine.” Looking at the three children settling on her couch, she smiled. “Won‘t we?”
“We’re watching Swan Princess,” Buffy beamed, holding up the video. Dru giggled in response while William had other ideas. A frown marred his face as he grumbled.
“Bloody Swan Princess,”
“Play nice,” Giles warned before being walked to the door by Joyce.
“This is going to be the bestest movie EVER!” Buffy laughed, bouncing in her chair.
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“I can’t believe 3 weeks have gone by already,” Dru sighed, one arm around Buffy’s waist.
“I know,” Buffy sighed back in response. They were standing halfway down the driveway looking back at the cabin, a cabin they weren’t going to see for another year.
“Did you kids have fun?”
“Mom,” Buffy whined. “I hardly think we’re kids anymore.”
“Honey, until you get married and start popping out little versions of you, you’ll always be a child,” she wrapped her arms around her daughter, resting her chin on Buffy’s head. “Besides, to me, you’ll always be my baby.” With a kiss to Buffy’s head, she turned and made her way back inside the cabin to have one last look around, making sure nothing was going to be left behind.
“All set?” Spike asked, shutting the boot to the Desoto.
“I think so,” with her arm through Buffy’s, Dru walked towards the car and opened the back door.
“Do…,” Dru turned to her with questioning eyes. “Do you mind if I sit in the back? I’m kind of tired.” Buffy missed the disappointed look that came across Spike’s face as his sister reached to open the front passenger door.
“Sure,”
“Thanks.”
“Lets get this show on the road!” Giles yelled, after Joyce locked the cabin up and hopped in the car. Buffy reached over the back seat to retrieve her pillow that had been thrown in last, over the top of the bags and propped it against the window. Her eyes were closed and her breath evened out before they had even been in the car for half an hour.
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“Would you stop looking at her, and look at the damn bloody road!” Dru hissed out in a whisper, catching her brother staring in his rear view mirror at Buffy’s sleeping form.
“I can’t help it!” he hissed back, swerving the Desoto back into the correct lane. A few seconds later the ringing of Dru’s phone was heard. She retrieved it from her bag and sighed when she heard her father’s voice.
“Don’t worry Daddy, everything is fine…” she glanced over at Spike. “No….one of William’s contacts fell out,” she shrugged at Spike’s bemused look of ‘Is that all you can come up with?’ “Well it could have been because I smacked him over the head….No, Daddy I won’t do it again,” she sighed. “I’m whispering because Buffy’s asleep….Yes Dad…Bye Daddy.”
“Don’t look at me like that!” Spike hissed. Dru held her hands up in surrender.
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“Oh boy,” Dru whispered upon seeing who stood by their front door. “This is not good.”
“Mmmm,” Buffy moaned stretching her arms above her head causing her singlet shirt to ride up, exposing a large amount of her toned stomach. Spike let out a groan, catching the glimpse of her flesh in this review mirror as he put the car in park.
“Spike!” Dru whispered, smacking her brother on the chest.
“Would you bloody stop hitting me woman!”
“God! Do you two ever stop bickering?” Buffy yawned, wiping the sleep from her eyes.
“Blondie Bear!” There was a high pitched squeal and Buffy’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. “You’re home!” Harmony Kendal was standing on Spike’s front porch in a pink mini skirt and a barely there pink singlet, pink stiletto heels to match.
“I’m just gonna grab my stuff and go home,” Buffy whispered, sounding defeated.
