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A/N: Thanks ever so much for the reviews! Thanks for supporting the story and I'll try to have an update as soon as possible.

Chapter 10

“Can I take your coat ma’am” the butler had asked when they entered the ballroom on Corinthian Gardens. Buffy simply smiled at him and let him help her take her coat. From the level above the ballroom one could see the multitudes of people gathered to support a benefit one of the big names in England had gladly hosted. Sparkling champagne can be seen flowing all over the occasion not to include the diamonds that each and every guest sported. Buffy felt so mediocre, mingling with this people makes her look so… plain. She doesn’t have big diamonds on her ears and neck; she didn’t have vagarious gowns that probably cost more than her lifetime education.

Then why was she here then if she didn’t feel as comfortable among these people? Well, it had something to do with never coming alone in these ‘bloody’ occasions.

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[i]After the supposed trip they had the other day, William had been super busy as soon as he stepped foot back into his house. Faith was there following him all around the mansion and he had spent all his time either in meetings with Angel or in the study having a meeting with Angel. Buffy wasn’t really surprised for he knew William was a busy man plus after the phone call he had received the other day in the yacht, she had felt him tense up and seemed to always be thinking about something. The only reason Buffy thinks he comes home, is to sleep, and he hardly does that too.

One morning, as Buffy was walking with Prue around the house, she passed by the westside of the mansion where the study of William resided. Buffy decided to have the initiative to knock on his door and maybe visit him. They hardly seen them around the house and Prue hasn’t have a glimpse of him for over a week. That, and another thing that was bothering her mind. It was nearing the date that Lakeside would want her answer, she had asked for an extension on it saying she had to settle some previous engagements and they had said that they’d give her another week then that was it, if she were not to give them an answer they’d have to give her position to someone else.

She didn’t know what kept her from saying yes and just go for the job that is what she had wanted all along. It’s why she’d here in England in the first place. In her mind, she says that it was for Prue. She had been attached to her charge more than she ever thought she would and she didn’t want to leave her just like that. But in the back of her mind, she was wondering about that almost kiss she and William had shared, did it mean anything? Maybe it was just a moment thing? Whatever it meant she wanted to find out.

She slightly tapped at the door, hearing no response, she pushed it slowly open. She found William slumped over his desk, sleeping. Prue struggled free of her hold and landed herself on top the desk. She crawled over slowly to her father’s head which rested on top of the old oak wood. She patted his hair quite a few times then started to slap William’s cheek until he finally stirred from his sleep.

Seeing this Buffy quickly grabbed Prue from the table, fearing that William would get mad for making her wake him up especially now that he hardly gets any sleep.

William was woken up by the feeling of his right cheek being slapped by a small hand. He stirred and tried to open his eyes against the bright light coming from the windows. He felt the hardwood under him and concluded that he had yet again fallen asleep in his study, papers scattered under him. He tried to get his head up despite the body pain he felt for sleeping in this position. He found Buffy and Prue in front of him, and blinked back to clear his eyesight of them. Buffy seemed to be saying something but he can’t seem to hear her clearly. She was retreating for reasons he didn’t know. “Wait.” He said as he rose from his seat and walked over to the small bathroom adjoining study. He washed his face and drank a little before returning back to the study.

Buffy was on he lounging area, Prue on the floor crawling under the coffee table. The sight before him made a smile creep up from his lips. He can’t remember the last time he did that this week. His little girl looked so adorable, obviously oblivious of the world around her. He had been busy this whole week about… he didn’t even want to think about that right now. He haven’t seen Prue, which wouldn’t have mattered before but now it was different, Buffy made it different, he had missed her so much he didn’t even know about it until he saw her there crawling around.

He walked over, threw a smile Buffy’s way then stooped down just in time as Prue came out from the end of the coffee table. “Hey princess” he scooped her up and sat on the lounge chairs nearby, placing Prue on his lap and laying down on the couch trying to get comfortable and stretching his back.

Prue crawled up on his chest and started punching William. He started to cough, “Oh, baby… not there daddy’s not feeling very well.”

Buffy rose from her seat, “Prue,” she chided, something William noticed she does a lot, as if Prue would be able to understand her. “Don’t do that.” She picked her up, “Daddy’s have had a hard day. She’s very violent isn’t she?”

“Just like her dad!” William said proudly.

Buffy laughed, “Well, we better go, I know you have a lot to do.”

“No, no.” William stopped them, “I’ve really missed her,” Prue slipped out of Buffy’s grasp landing on William’s lap yet again. He ruffled her hair and brought her closer to him. “Stay, I could definitely use the distraction.”

“Distraction? From what?”

William looked her way as if pondering if he should even mention it to her or not. It’s not really any of her concern, she can’t possibly be of any help… unless of course. No, he couldn’t. “Well…” he prolonged, “it’s not really something you’d like to know.”

“Try me.” Buffy answered quite confidently, if there was something she didn’t like much it’s that she is kept out of the loop and she can definitely feel that something is boiling up right in front of her.

“So, you doing anything this weekend, luv?” He obviously have changed the subject and Buffy decided to let it go, she’d find out what was up with him somehow.

“Nothing in particular really…” She trailed off.

“That’s good, I need a favor” Buffy raised her brow in question, “There’s this benefit on Saturday, something about orphans or something. I was wondering if would like to come with me.” Buffy made a move to object, but it didn’t escape her mind to think if this was a date “and I’ll get someone to look after Prue. There’s just something with never coming alone in these ‘bloody’ occasions.”

Buffy laughed, probably to cover up her disappointment she didn’t know why she felt, but shut it when she saw him give her a look, “Sorry. But I don’t think…” He actually thought he could persuade Buffy with a batt of an eyelash and hell it was not working… okay maybe a little, especially when he used Prue as his accomplice. He held her up in front of him, throwing his voice, badly one might say, saying, “Please go with daddy, Ms. Buffy. I would greatly appreciate it. I’ll promise never to throw up on you anymore or pee and poo in my diaper… much.”

Buffy didn’t know how to answer except with a smile and a nod uttering a “fine!” as if she was being forced into it, which in this case she is but she knew better.[/i]

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“Would you like something to drink?” William asked as they descended the beautifully decorated stairway. Buffy had stood at the top of the stairs astound by the vision before her, people were already passing by them yet she didn’t care just stared at the mass of people before her.

“Huh?” Buffy shook her head, “yeah…”

“Okay then, pet. I’ll be right back,” he squeezed her shoulder, “go on and socialize.” Buffy looked at him warily, “you’ll be fine.” He assured one last time before he went to the direction of the bar.

[i]‘Okay, Buffy. You’ll be fine, just walk around, smile to the people and you’ll do great! Okay…’[/i] she chided to herself as a woman in all black and pearls made eye contact with her, seemingly not very pleasant. As she retreated and decided to look for William before she gets lost, her back hit another, she thought twice before confronting the figure, “I’m so sorr-“

“Buffy!” It was Cordelia looking her best in a elegant black cocktail dress with big pearls around her neck and on her ears. “So William did take somebody after all huh?” She offered her hand to her as Cordelia walked them around the floor, smiling and waving to almost every person she sees. “Social events, they can take so much out of you” Buffy simply nodded and gave her an ‘uhuh’ as if she had been to these kinds of occasions her whole life. “Look there’s William right there” she pointed on to the direction of the adjoining room.

And indeed William was there talking to an old couple, holding two drinks in his hand. He seemed to be very much into the conversation yet he kept looking from side to side obviously looking for a way out. Cordelia just shook her head as she headed the other direction tailing Buffy behind. “Men.” She said under her breath.

“So, who was that William was talking with?” Buffy ask as they sat on one of the few available tables.

Cordelia waved to another couple, before turning to Buffy, “Oh those were his in-laws, Drusilla’s parents, they’re not in very good terms” she whispered the last part as if it were a forbidden rumor.

Buffy just nodded her head, she didn’t feel very comfortable asking more questions about matters that really don’t concern her, even though deep down she’d really like to know. “So, you here with Angel?” she changed the subject as she took a champagne glass from one of the waiters walking around with strays on their palm, how they balance them, Buffy had often wondered.

“Yeah, he’s here somewhere…” she waved to the mass of people in the middle of the floor walking around having meaningless conversations with people their probably never see again unless of course there was another benefit or gathering of this sort. “Probably talking his way around, you know how he is. So, I heard William took you and Prue on a sailing trip?”

“Yeah,” Cordelia asked her to proceed, “it was fun…” Cordelia was waiting for Buffy to continue on yet she just remained silent. “What?”

“Thats all?”

“Well…Oh! Here comes Angel.”

“Hey sweetheart,” Angel went over to Cordelia and gave her a peck on the cheek. “Are you having fun?”

Cordelia looked at him knowingly, “Do I ever have fun at these event?”

Suddenly Angel noticed Buffy, “Buffy right? So William did come,” he immediately scanned the crowd for any trace of his friends, “so where is he?”

“He’s over there with Lindsay and Darla, they seem to be deep in conversation. Oh how William would love to get out of that.” Cordelia answered with a heartfelt laugh as she took a sip of her drink.

Suddenly Buffy felt a hand on her shoulders, “Sorry took me so long, pet.” William handed her a drink, “You having fun?”

Before Buffy could reply, Cordelia had butted in, “We are here you know, William. I’d be nice if you actually included us in you and your dates conversation.” Not a lot may have noticed, hell nobody probably did, but Buffy’s face heat up at that.

“Sorry…” William turned towards the brunette, “Are you having fun Cordy?”

“What do you think?” she answered him with narrowed eyes, then somebody she apparently know passed by and a smile could be seen forming on her lips yet again as she waved at the person.

William had an unusual expression on his face as if it was the first time she had seen Cordelia act this way which caused Buffy to give out a giggle. “What are you laughing at?”

Buffy looked at him eyes sparkling, “nothing” which William raised a brow at.

“Look, man” Angel pulled William to the side, “we need to talk.”

William excused them from Buffy and Cordelia as he and Angel went over to the side, “What’s wrong?”

“What did they say?”

“Nothing really, just advised me and stuff on a whole lot of bogus, saying a bunch of bullshit, playing the ‘we’re just doing what’s best’ card.” William shook his head in disbelief.

“You have to look out, man” Angel said as he looked around, much like a spy relaying a secret information. “I heard that the examiner would be around within the next week.”

“How do you know that?”

“I just heard it around.” Angel was concerned for William, if there was one thing he hated more than losing a case it’s seeing the people he cared for get hurt. Even if sometimes he didn’t want them to know this softer side of his. “You have to be careful, don’t leave anything that might put any of us in jeopardy lying around, if you need to keep things discreet then do so too. You got it?”

“You know… maybe I wanna stop trying and get it over with… let them win it.” Angel looked at him warily, “I’m not ready for this…”

“If you love her enough you would… she wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.”

“Very well.”

“I think you should bring the lady home,” Angel suggested as he looked at the ladies way and glanced at his watch, “try to make a good impression.”

William closed his eyes as he exhaled felling fed up inside with the circumstances he was in. This wasn’t how he expected his life to be, this was not the happily ever after his precious wife had wanted. He loved her more than anything in this world, that’s why he’s gonna do everything in his power for this to go his way… for her.
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They had drove home in silence, each not knowing what to say to the other thou both wanting to have a conversation. As Willima parked the car on the driveway, he got out of the car expecting to open the car door for Buffy but she had gotten out on her own. As he opened the door into the house she had let her walk in first. He didn’t know what to say… didn’t know how to act. Does he just leave her and go straight up to bed? Does he walk her to her room… since well she doesn’t really have an apartment he needed to drop her off to. Then he thought, why was he worrying about this, he invited her to come to the benefit with him because he didn’t want to go alone, she was not his date… right?

“So, I better get going then… early day tomorrow.” Buffy said as she started for the back of the house where their quarters stood. “You should too I know you have a lot to do tomorrow.”

“Yeah…” William answered as he saw her walk away from him, “Buffy!” he called for her as he ran towards her. “I needed to give you something…”

“What is it?” She asked.

“Something I wanted to give to you a week ago…”

And there it was, the almost kiss she had said they had was turning into a real one. She didn’t know how to feel. This was her boss… her employer. She was pretty sure somewhere this was not allowed or maybe it was… she was too nervous to feel anything, William probably thought she was a moron for she was probably freezing up on him but damn did he kiss good.

“…a proper kiss.”

Buffy opened her eyes, cheeks flushed. “I think that can be considered a proper one…”

to be continued...





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