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After the nth time Buffy’s cell phone dinged to announce an incoming text message and the twelfth time she muttered “Oh, Dawnie,” William set down the Sunday paper and turned to Buffy where she sprawled across the bed.

“What’s goin’ on, pet?” he asked mildly. “You and li’l sis have been texting all morning. Wouldn’t it be easier to call and talk to her?”

Buffy looked at him. He didn’t need words to interpret that look. It plainly said “you really don’t get women, do you?” He shrugged and went back to the paper until the next ding and mutter.

“All right, kitten, why don’t you tell me about it? I know you’re dyin’ to natter on like some teenage girl.”

Buffy sat up, her thumbs busy with another text. “Uh, do you think that might be because I am a teenage girl?”

“Not for much longer,” William reminded her. “Now out with it. What’s the Li’l Bit done that’s got your knickers in a twist?”

“It’s not what she’s done,” Buffy said slowly. “It’s what she wants me to do.”

“An’ what would that be?”

“Basically, she wants me to purchase the contents of the nearest shopping mall and ship them to her for her Christmas. She’s decided she’s too old for Santa Claus and I’m the next best thing.” Buffy sighed. “But do you think she’ll take ‘I don’t have a job’ for an answer? And after last year, I think she feels a wee bit entitled.”

“Why’s that?”

“I sort of liberated Ted’s credit cards and took her on a fairly frightening shopping spree.”

William nodded thoughtfully and watched her obliquely as she answered yet another text from Dawn. “We could go shopping today,” he suggested.

Buffy shook her head without looking up at him. “I really can’t,” she said. “I’ve got a little left in my savings, but I’m going to need to pay for my exam next month. She’s just going to have to be disappointed in me. I’m getting used to it.”

William plucked the phone from Buffy's hand and pulled her onto his lap. "I told you before, I'm coverin' the cost of your test. And whatever you want to get Dawn for Christmas. So go get some clothes on and we'll hit the mall."

Buffy wiggled in his embrace, a slow flush spreading across her cheeks. "I wasn't... Will, I didn't mean to hint that I want you to buy presents for my sister."

He ran one hand down her back and caressed the curve of her buttocks, slightly distracted from her words by her naked, wriggly presence on his lap. "Buffy," he said finally, leaning in to place a kiss on her chest, "I know you weren't. But I want to do this for you, for her, okay?"

"William," Buffy said, drawing his name out as his free hand slipped up her leg and gently parted her thighs. "I... oh, right there... I, can I think... oooh."

William laughed, his lips latching on to the pert, pink nipple staring him in the face. "I don't know, love," he said around his mouthful of breast. "Can you think?"

Buffy gasped as two fingers slipped inside of her and twisted to hit that one sweet spot; his thumb danced lightly over her clit, eliciting a series of panting moans. William grinned, then winced as her nails embedded themselves in his upper arm. He tipped her off his lap and back onto the bed, moving into her smoothly. He stilled for a moment to savor the sensation of her surrounding him, the hot slickness of her channel pulsating against him. Then Buffy shifted her hips, brought one slim leg around his waist, and urged him back into motion.

***

"I was serious, Buffy," he said some time later. "Wanna go on a shopping spree with me?"

Buffy bit her lower lip. "I don't know," she said. "It seems a little 'Pretty Woman'-ish, you know?"

William shook his head. "Nah, you're more of a Holly Golightly," he teased.

"A what now?"

"I forgot, nothing before the twenty-first century makes your radar. 'Breakfast at Tiffany's,' Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, it's a classic. Guess we're hitting the video store after the mall."

Buffy crossed her arms and jutted her chin forward, his only warning that she was about to get extra-stubborn. "I never agreed to a shopping spree, William. It's one thing for you to let me live here..."

"LET you... Bloody hell, woman!"

"Shut up, William, and let. Me. Talk."

William clamped his jaw shut so hard his teeth ached.

"Thank you," Buffy said with a sweet, and completely insincere, smile. "It's one thing for you to let me live here rent-free, and y’know, support me so I can do the school thing. It's something else entirely to ask you to supply my little sister with presents she doesn't need. And probably doesn't deserve. So, no shopping trip."

"But you're not asking, Buffy. I am. Shit, I'm not even asking, I'm at the point of beggin'. Let me... you and Dawn, you've both lost so much. I know material things aren't going to make up for that, but if there's somethin' li'l sis wants that I could give her, or anythin' you want... I just want to spoil you a bit, sweet girl. Would make me happy." William glanced up at Buffy from beneath his lowered lashes, knowing she was a sucker for the kicked-puppy look.

True to form, she took one look at him, sighed, and relaxed her rigid shoulders. "All right, but we’re not going overboard."

"Oh yes we are," William said. "If you're gonna let me do this, we're gonna do it right.”

She kissed him long and hard before bouncing off the bed to get dressed.

***

Several hours later, William was seriously regretting his offer. He was exhausted, but Buffy showed no signs of slowing down any time soon. Finally, in desperation, he handed over his credit card and told her to find him at the Barnes and Noble when she was done. Before she could protest, he fled the scene for the relative safety of the bookstore.

He was well into the latest John Irving novel, and his third cup of coffee, when an alarming pile of shopping bags plopped down in the chair next to him with a weary sigh. From somewhere beneath the bags, Buffy's voice emerged. "I am officially all shopped out," she said.

"Huh. Didn't think it was possible, pet," William said. He reached over and removed some of the packages from her lap so he could see her. "Will Miss Dawn approve, or will we have to make a return trip for more goodies?"

"I think we may be safe," Buffy replied. "Now, can we go home, Mr. Pratt? I need a bubble bath and a foot rub."

William smirked. "I believe that can be arranged." He stood, took hold of the majority of Buffy's purchases, and followed her to the car.

***

He waited until they were home to show Buffy what he had selected for Dawn. "Will she like it, d'you think?" he asked nervously.

Buffy turned the leather-covered journal over in her hands. "She'll love it, William. Oh, and you got her glitter pens, too?" She grinned at him. "It's like you're totally in touch with your inner twelve year old girl."

“Oi! You little brat!” William growled and backed Buffy up against the nearest wall. He pressed against her and pinned her arms to the wall on either side of her head. He nipped at her throat and ground his burgeoning erection against her. "Do I feel at all girly to you, pet?" he demanded.

Buffy shook her head silently. William sucked on her pulse point and pressed against her a little harder. She squeaked and fixed wide, unblinking eyes on him.

He backed off a little bit. He loosened his grip on her wrists and leaned toward her ear. "This okay?” he asked gently. “Not scarin' you, am I?" He kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear just to watch her squirm.

Buffy shook her head again, then grabbed one of his hands and shoved it unceremoniously down her pants. He groaned when his fingers met her wet heat. "Pretty much the opposite," she said on a sigh.

William grinned. "Good," he said as he popped the catch of her jeans and shimmied them down her legs. "'Cause I wanna do all sorts of nasty things to you right now."

"Okay," Buffy agreed breathlessly.

***

"What would you say to gettin' out of town for a bit?" William asked later that night.

Buffy twisted around in his arms. They had just finished 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' and were still snuggled together on the couch. "I would say, adios, Sunnydale! Oh, do we have to come back?"

William kissed the tip of her nose. "Hmm, I do have that pesky job..."

"Oh, all right," Buffy sighed. "Where do you want to go? And when?"

"Winter break’s coming. My last class is the twenty-third, we could leave right after and spend Christmas on the coast. Thought we could rent a house on the beach for a while, maybe till after the New Year. What d’you think?”

"That sounds nice,” she said in a quiet little voice.

William sat them upright on the couch, rearranged limbs till they were facing each other. "What’s up, pet? Thought you’d like a change of scenery.”

"I… I would, it sounds like fun. It’s just, I don’t know, mom always made Christmas so special and now… I’m not even going to be with Dawnie.," she said quietly. A tear rolled down her cheek. “I miss… I miss my family.” In that moment she looked very young and lost.

“Oh, Buffy,” he said. “I know.”

“Do you still miss her, your mom?” Buffy crept closer to him, laid her hand on his leg.

“I do,” William said, putting his arms around her. “It’s been almost six years now, and I still miss her every day.”

Buffy breathed heavily and rested her head on his chest. They stayed like that for a long time.

***

Buffy’s cell phone rang insistently before the sun was even up on Christmas Day. William reluctantly released his hold on Buffy’s waist as she slid off the bed to answer the call. He missed her warmth immediately.

“Hello?” she said, her voice thick with sleep. Even from across the room, William could hear Dawn’s squeaky chipmunk voice loud and clear. He burrowed deeper into the covers and pulled a pillow over his head as the sisters talked.

He must have dozed off, because he came awake with a start when Buffy laid cold hands on his chest. “Hey, sleepyhead,” she whispered in his ear.

William groaned and pulled her hands off his bare skin. She curled against him, and the rest of her body was just as chilled as her hands. “Why so cold, sweetness?” he murmured. He rubbed her back and wrapped his legs around hers in an effort to impart some warmth.

“It’s cold outside of bed,” Buffy said. “You should get up and build a fire.”

He cracked an eye open. The room was filled with early morning sunlight now, and the rays fell on Buffy’s golden head, making her glow. “Mornin’, gorgeous,” he said with a smile. “Happy Christmas.” He captured her lips for a long, slow kiss.

“Merry Christmas to you,” Buffy said when they parted. “Dawn called already, she loved her gifts. She wanted me to thank you for everything.”

“So the Bit’s havin’ a good Christmas then? I’m glad.” William tucked the blanket a little closer around their bodies. He yawned widely. “How ‘bout you? Want your present?”

Buffy sat up straight and bounced a little. “Yes, please,” she said with a grin.

William kissed her lightly before climbing out of bed to retrieve her gift from his suitcase. He shivered in the cool air. “Hmm, think you’re right, love, we could use a fire in here.” He turned back to Buffy in time to catch her little pout. “Take me five minutes. Your present’s not gonna go anywhere.”

Once he had a fire blazing in the small fireplace, he returned to Buffy’s side, her small gaily wrapped gift in hand. He slid under the blankets and planted his cold feet on Buffy’s calves. He smirked at her cry of protest. “Payback,” he said.

William pushed the gift into Buffy’s hands. “Open it up,” he urged. He tried to quell his nerves.

Buffy smiled and quickly ripped the paper off. She glanced up at him when she saw the black velvet jewelry box. Then she opened the box and ran her shaking fingers over the locket held within. “Oh,” she breathed. “William, it’s beautiful!”

William reached for the necklace, removing it from the box and moving to fasten it around Buffy’s neck. He traced one finger over the delicately engraved flowers that decorated the front of the locket, accented by a small princess-cut emerald. “It was my mother’s,” he said softly.

Buffy’s gaze locked on his. Tears filled her big eyes. “Will,” she whispered.

“D’you like it?” William asked.

She nodded silently and leaned forward to kiss him. “I do,” she said. “I love it.”

William smiled. “Good.” He tugged her closer to him. She twined her arms around her neck and pulled him down for a passionate kiss. He moaned into her mouth as her breasts pressed against his chest. “Love you, Buffy,” he murmured.

Buffy drew back from his embrace, her hands tangled in his hair. “I love you, William. I love you so much.” She smiled sweetly and he thought he’d never seen a more beautiful sight than this girl with her love for him shining from her eyes.

***

William was sitting on the all-season porch, watching the clouds gather above the stormy seas and sipping a cup of coffee, when Buffy joined him. He smiled as she settled herself on his lap.

“Well, good morning, kitten,” he said, nuzzling into her neck. “Thought you were gonna sleep all day.”

Buffy bit his ear gently. “Someone wore me out,” she told him. “But I’m awake now. Want your present?”

“Ah, Buffy, you din’t have to get me anything,” William protested, even as she jumped up and hurried back to the bedroom. She returned a minute later with a flat square package. She plopped back down on his lap and handed him the gift. He opened it slowly to reveal a recording of T.S. Eliot reading several of his poems.

“Buffy,” he said, kissing her softly, “this is fantastic. I did my senior thesis on Eliot.”

“I know,” she said with a blush. At his questioning glance, she shrugged. “It was on your bookshelf. Sometimes I actually want to read something that’s not going to be on that stupid exam.”

“You’re not tellin’ me you read my thesis?” he asked.

“Maybe?”

William laughed. “You are… you’re somethin’ else, Buffy. And this is just perfect, love. Thank you.”

Buffy dipped her head down, her hair falling around their faces. “William, I can’t ever thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me. For me and for Dawn.”

William felt dizzy; her sweet breath and the scent of her hair, her big eyes – he was overwhelmed. “Buffy,” he said hoarsely. “You’ve got nothin’ to thank me for. I love you, there’s nothin’ I wouldn’t do for you.”

“Oh, William,” she whispered, her lips brushing his gently, her eyelashes fluttering against his cheek. And he was lost once more.





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