Buffy began to wonder why it was so vital that she stay in her fathers’ house. He was never there, except for dinnertime, which was always spent in front of the TV. On Saturday night, she had had enough.
“Dad, can I go home now?” she said as she stood in front of the television set. Hank looked up at his daughter with a blank expression.
“You want to leave?”
“Yes! I mean, I love you Dad I really do, but I miss home and friends and my boyfr- other friends.” Buffy chose not to dispel the information of her new lover in case he developed a protective streak. Thankfully, he didn’t notice. “I want to go home.”
“But… we never spend any time together and I thought this would give us a chance to talk.”
“About what?” Buffy didn’t want to sound whiny, but she was getting irritated. She spent the days leading up to then alone, bored and sitting in front of the TV. The irritation was overwhelming.
“Buffy, sweetie, I was just thinking that…” Hank rubbed his temples with his hand. “Please sit down, we need to discuss something important.” Buffy was unsure what he would have to say and peered at him suspiciously. Nonetheless, she sat on the couch next to him.
“Alright. Your mother and I are going to get a divorce. I’m sure you know this by now. At first, I was positive I could persuade your mother to give up the idea. I came to realize that I was foolish to think I could persuade your stubborn mother to do anything.” Hank chuckled nostalgically. “However,” Buffy was ready for the worst, “this is the worst possible timing. You see, I am traveling abroad for the next few months. I was going to surprise you with this trip, but as you can tell, now is as good a time as any. We need to discuss something to that effect.
“Buffy, your mother has made it quite clear that she wishes to keep you in Sunnydale. I realize I haven’t been the best father I could be, but now, I think this is my chance to make things right. I would like it if you came here to live with me from now on.” Buffy’s jaw dropped.
“First you would go on this trip with me until the school year was over, and then you would come to live here permanently. I realize that this may come as quite a shock, but understand this is the chance of a lifetime! I can give you the best education, clothes; we can travel to every country together, whatever you want. As for your friends, you would keep in touch with them, but you can make new friends here: the sons and daughters of other powerful members of government.
“Sunnydale is a wonderful town, but it is nothing like D.C., I’m sure. It’s a beautiful city with lots of cultural events and gorgeous scenery. You would really like it here, I promise. Of course… it is up to you. I mean, you can continue living in that small town if you want but I feel that you would be giving up the opportunity of a lifetime. So, what do you think? Want to stay with your old Dad?” The smile on his face completely opposed the look of horror on Buffy’s. His grin faded as he recognized her expression.
“Buffy, honey, this is a good thing. Besides, your mother will be getting married soon and she is going to go on honeymoon. When she get’s back, she won’t have any time for you, starting married life and all.”
“Oh, cause you have spent so much time with me since I got here.”
“Things have been busy lately, I’ll admit that. But work will calm down soon enough. You and your mother just came at a rather rough time.” Buffy tried to relax, despite the news. Her father was right: it would be an unbelievable opportunity and she did not have many friends to leave behind, besides William and Angel in a way. However, that would mean barely ever seeing William. Then again, how much longer would they last? They were both juniors and would go to college soon, probably to different schools.
And Buffy still wanted to give her father a chance to make up for his absence.
“Dad, can I think about this for a while?” she said meekly.
“Ok, that’s fine. I know you’ll make the right decision.” Hank smiled at his daughter, patted her on the shoulder and walked out of the room. He yelled back, “I’ll have my driver bring you to the airport tomorrow morning. You can think about it there, but I am going to need a decision by the end of next week. Good night, Buffy.”
……………………
Buffy woke up at seven am and was back home by four. After a quick “hi” to her mother and George, Buffy ran to her room to call William. It only rang once before he picked up.
……………………
“Hello?” he said out of breath.
“Hi, William. We need to talk right now.”
“What’s up?” William was nervous by the tone of panic in her voice.
“My Dad wants me to live with him in DC.” Her comment was met with silence at first.
“For the summer?” he asked hopefully.
“No. Like from now on. He want me to travel to Europe and then stay with him.”
“But… but what about us? About high school? About-“ he started to hyperventilate.
“William, calm down!”
“I mean, that’s almost 3,000 miles away!” William tried not to panic, but the idea of Buffy leaving him made his world crumble.
“I know,” she responded weakly. “But I haven’t decided yet.”
“Well… why would you move there? You said it yourself: there’s nothing for you there.”
“I know, I know, but… this could be a really good opportunity. I’d have the best schooling; I’d get to travel… My dad is trying to make up for being gone so long and my mom is going to be busy with George anyway. She doesn’t want me in the way.”
“But I want you in the way! I mean… I want you here! With me, Buffy.” He didn’t want to beg, but he was willing if he could keep her there.
“I haven’t decided yet. I want to be with you too, William, I do. But this chance may never come up again. I have to think what’s best for me. I’m trying to be strong about this, and we could always talk on the phone and e-mail and-“
“Buffy, you are being ridiculous.”
“What, you don’t want to be with me if I’m not right there?”
“Of course I want to be with you, but come on Buffy! We aren’t going to be able to handle a long-term relationship. I want you to be here with me.”
“William, if you really felt for me then you woul-“
“I love you, Buffy.” It just came out of him, but the moment it did, he realized it was the most honest statement he ever made. But Buffy was silent on the other line. Finally, she took a deep breath and spoke.
“If you really feel that way, then you have to think what’s best for me. I’ll let you know.” The dial tone buzzed in William’s ear: a painful reminder that she could fade from his life soon. He knew he was being melodramatic, but he couldn’t lose her. Simultaneously, he was angry that she waited to tell him. How did she expect him to respond?
Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to consider his emotional turmoil. He had to catch a bus to mall.
William wanted to look his best when Buffy came back from her trip, so he made an appointment to get his hair bleached again. The roots were coming in heavily he thought it would be a nice surprise. It did not seem so important anymore, but he didn’t want to seem rude and his roots were looking pretty terrible.
When he finally reached the mall, he was pained by the memory of the last time he’d been there. Nonetheless, William trudged on and tried to find the hair place again. After a half hour of searching the seemingly endless lines of stores, he reached the mildly familiar salon and the extremely familiar Lorne, smiling and waving to him behind the window.
William was silent as his hair gradually bleached. Eventually, Lorne had had enough.
“What is it, baby cakes? I know you’re not the most talkative kid on the planet but I’m bored out of my mind and you look like a little kid with a stolen power ranger toy.” Lorne laughed to himself for a bit, but when he realized he was alone, his bright smile faded to a frown. “Come on hun, what’s wrong?” William did not want to respond, but the situation leaked out of him before he could think about it.
“It’s Buffy. First, she used me to get back at this insane bird, then claimed she liked me too much to bother, so we got together and we’re in a relationship, but she still wants to deal with Dru and I barely see the point anymore and now she wants to leave me and move 3000 miles away to have a “better life” without me in it and I just can’t handle all of this.” William was panting by the end of his speech, which in turn, left Lorne uncharacteristically speechless for a moment. Fortunately, that was remedied soon after.
“She’s moving away? Why?”
“Her father wants her to move to D.C. to live with him after traveling across the world. He wants to make up for his absence in her life by putting her in the best schools. Besides, she claims her mother could do without her when she get’s married over the summer.”
“Oh darling, that’s wonderful. Good for her!”
“Good for her?! What about me?” William exclaimed.
“What about you?”
“She’s leaving me! She’s going 3000 miles away to get away from here and she doesn’t even care that she’s leaving me.” Lorne looked thoughtful for a bit.
“Is she sure she’s moving yet?”
“Well… no, she didn’t decide yet, but-“
“And her father wants her there and will give her everything she needs for a good education if she goes?”
“Yeah, but-“
“And you want her to stay here-“
“Yeah!”
“Where she won’t get as a good an education, or connections, or travel, or the love she needs from a mother who is gone all of the time?” This shut William up. “Sweetie, I know you really care for her, but moving might be the best thing for her right now.”
“But I love her,” he whined pathetically.
“Did you tell her that?” Lorne was sympathetic, but knew Buffy was not the cold-hearted girl William was making her out to be.
“Yes. She said that if I really felt that way, then I had to think about what would be best for her.”
“But you haven’t.” Lorne said matter-of-factly.
“No…”
“William, this is a fantastic opportunity. She wouldn’t be leaving you, she’d go away to better life. Do you really want to take that from her? If you really loved her, wouldn’t you want the best for her?” William pondered what Lorne said. “You think about that honey, I have to wash you out.”
When his hair was dry and he paid, the boy finally spoke again. “What should I do, then?”
“Well… show her how you feel. If you think you are better for her then moving, show her that. People respond to action more than words. “ Suddenly, William’s face brightened. “What?”
“I just had an idea.” He dashed out of the store, and then back. “Thanks Lorne!” As he ran out the door again, Lorne called out after him.
“No problem Hun!”
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Hey guys! Sorry for taking so long, I just had break and things were pretty crazy. Only one more chapter to go after this one! Hopefully I'll be done within the next few days ;) After that, I may write another fic... but we shall see. Enjoy and please review!
Chapter End Notes:
One more chapter! Stay tuned :)