[Reviews - 12]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 2149 times

- Text Size +




Epilogue



William shifted nervously after knocking softly on the front door and he sighed heavily as he heard movement inside. He smiled as the door opened and although he had met Joyce before, he didn't think he had ever been this nervous.



"Hello William," Joyce smiled as she looked at him. "Please come in."



"Thank you," William said as he entered Joyce's home and stopped just inside the foyer as Joyce shut the door softly behind him.



"Buffy will be right out," Joyce told him before she motioned him into the living room. "Please have a seat. There are a few things I'd like to talk to you about."



William felt his heart skip a beat and he forced a smile on his face as he sat down on the sofa across from Joyce. He looked around the room and the silence was beginning to get to him before he finally spoke. "You have a beautiful home Mrs. Summers."



"Thank you William," Joyce smiled. She could see his leg bouncing and knew he was nervous. No need to prolong his agony, she thought. "So, tell me. What exactly are your intentions toward my daughter?"



William looked at the smiling woman in front of him and he felt like he was ten again. He cleared his throat and was about to speak when Buffy came into the room.



"Hey," Buffy said, smiling at him as walked over to where he was seated.



"Hey," William said, sighing in relief as Buffy grabbed his hand and sat down beside him.



"I think dinner is almost ready," Buffy told them "And before you ask I already checked it. It's not burnt," she said, smiling as she looked over at her mother.



"I didn't say a thing," Joyce chuckled before winking at William. "She knows her way around a kitchen about as much as my ex-husband knew about monogamy."



"Does that mean you can't cook?" William asked, turning his head to look at Buffy.



"I can cook!" Buffy laughed. "I just can't do it well."



"I see," William laughed. "Don't they have cooking classes over at the college?"



"Probably," Buffy smiled. "And you haven't even tasted my cooking yet. You might like it."



Joyce snorted out a laugh and stood as she heard the timer in the kitchen. "I'll guess we'll see," she said before turning and leaving the room. "Dinner will be in a few minutes. You two come on into the dining room."



Buffy smiled as she stood and watched her mother leave before she pulled William from the couch. She leaned up on her toes and gave him a brief kiss before grabbing his hand and leading him out of the room. The past month had been heaven and she wasn't sure how it could get any better. As Buffy and William helped Joyce set everything out on the table, Buffy couldn't think of anything that would make her life any better than it was now.





~*~*~





Nothing except this Buffy thought as she and William walked arm and arm down the sidewalk several blocks from her mother's home. Dinner hadn't been a complete disaster and she knew William only ate everything he was served so he wouldn't hurt her feelings. Her mother had joked about the chicken being tough, saying it was a Buffy special. They had all laughed and Buffy was glad her mother seemed to like William. Joyce's initial reaction to him when Buffy had first started to write to him had been less than welcome, but now things seemed like they were looking up.



"You're awfully quiet," William said as he slowed his steps and looked over at Buffy.



"Just thinking," Buffy told him, smiling as she looked up at him.



"About what?"



"Everything," Buffy told him. "About you being here and how happy you make me."



William smiled as he stopped and leaned down to give her a small kiss. "Not nearly as happy as you make me," he told her.



Buffy grinned big as she stared up at him and her smile widened as she saw where they had stopped. "I always loved this house," she said, looking at the small cottage nestled behind a large tree with a rose garden that trailed around both sides of the house.



"Yeah?" William said, smiling as Buffy's eyes seemed to light up as she walked to the small white picket fence that surrounded the property.



"Yes," she smiled. "I always thought it looked like something from a fairy tale the way the ivy climbs the side of the house. It looks so out of place here."



"I can see where you'd get that," William smiled as he looked at the small house and the surrounding gardens. "It's quite beautiful."



"Yeah," Buffy said with a dreamy sigh.



"Come on," William said as he grabbed Buffy's hand and pulled her to the gate.



"What are you doing?" Buffy asked as William opened the gate and they walked into the yard.



"Going to take a closer look," William told her as he looked back at her.



"William. This is someone's home," Buffy whispered loudly as they walked up the stone walkway to the front door.



"Well, we aren't going to hurt anything. Just having a look around is all."



Buffy stared on with wide eyes as William knocked on the door and her hand clutched his tightly. She looked around her, trying to see if anyone was out and about before she finally looked back at William. "No one's home. Let's go."



"Wait a minute," William said as he reached down and grabbed the doorknob. He smiled as the handle turned and looked back at Buffy as he opened the door. "Want to take a peek inside?"



"What? Are you crazy?" Buffy almost shrieked. "We can't go in there."



"Sure we can," William grinned. "No one's home, remember?"



Buffy saw prison bars and striped jumpers as William pulled her into the house. The door shut softly behind them and she felt her heart pounding in her chest. The furnishings were light in color and the space was large and airy. Roses from the garden adorned almost every surface and their fragrance filled the room. A large rock fireplace sat along the right wall and the small kitchen was directly in front of them.



A set of stairs was off to the left and as she saw William start toward them, she grabbed his arm. "We can't be in here," she whispered with wide eyes. "What if the owners come back?"



"They won't," William smiled. "And we'll only be a minute," he told her as he grabbed her hand and started for the stairs.



Buffy's breathing increased as they climbed the steps and she held onto William's hand tightly as they made it to the upper landing. There were three rooms and a bath and as she nervously peeked into each room she hardly had time to register William was gone before her fear at being caught finally caused her to flee the upper portion of the house.



She found him standing in the kitchen, staring out into the backyard. When he turned and smiled at her, she shook her head at him before she pointed a finger at him. "You're completely insane, aren't you?"



"No," William laughed. "Well, unless being insanely in love with you counts," he said as he took a few steps toward her.



"It doesn't," Buffy told him. "Now let's get out of here. Please?"



"Fine," William sighed. "But I wanted you to see this first," he said as he took her hand and led her over the small breakfast nook that featured large picture windows which looked over the gardens.



Buffy stopped by the table and stared out at the gardens and she couldn't help but smile at the beauty of it all. "It really is beautiful isn't it?" she asked, smiling as she felt William put his arms around her waist.



"Yes, it is."



Buffy wrapped her arms around William's and smiled as she leaned back into him. "You do know if we get caught in here we're going to jail, right?" She smiled.



William chuckled before giving her a light squeeze and leaning down and kissing her neck. "If you say so Ms. Summers."



"Well I do," Buffy chuckled "And they will if they." Buffy looked down at the table and her next words escaped her as she saw a small velvet ring box sitting with its lid open. The glistening diamond ring that sat there staring at her made her heart pound in her chest and as William let go of her and stepped back, she finally let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding in.



She looked up at him as he reached around her and lifted the box before taking the ring out. He was smiling at her and her heart beat double time when he bent down on one knee. "Oh my god," she whispered out before her hand flew to her mouth.



William smiled as he stared up at her before taking her hand. "I've loved you from the moment I saw you. You're the only thing in this world that I can't live without. Marry me Buffy?"



Buffy didn't know if she were crying or laughing but the joy she felt caused tears to roll down her face. She didn't care about anything at that moment but the man in front of her and she smiled brightly as she removed her hand from her mouth. "Yes, I'll marry you," she squeaked out before William grinned big and stood.



She watched as he put the ring on her finger and as it slid into place, she squealed before she launched herself into his arms. She kissed him hard, pouring every ounce of love she felt for him into the kiss and laughed and cried as she hung onto him. "I love you so much," she cried.



"And I love you," William told her as he held her tightly to him.



When her tears stopped, Buffy pulled back to look at him and she sighed happily as she stared up at him. "I don't think getting arrested will bother me much now," she grinned.



"Kind of hard to be arrested in your own house, don't you think?" William grinned.



Buffy looked at him and as his smiled widened she turned her head and looked around the small cottage before looking back up at him. "Your house?" She asked quietly.



"No," William told her. "Our house. Willow helped me pick it out."



"This is our house?" Buffy asked him softly, more tears filling her eyes as William nodded his head at her and smiled.



"Ours." William chuckled into the kiss Buffy gave him and laughed as she did the same. When they finally broke apart, he reached up and pushed her hair away from her face before leaning his head against hers. "I love you Buffy."



"I love you too, William."









6 years later....





The sound of laughter drifted through the open window and Buffy smiled as she stared out into the backyard. She sighed happily as she saw William and her smile widened when she saw the curly-haired five-year-old chase his father. The two had been out there since lunch playing and every time Buffy looked out, she had to remind herself it was all real.



Her life had been one happy memory since the day William had returned from Vietnam and she wouldn't trade it for anything. Laughter always filled their small home and as Buffy walked outside to her husband and son, she smiled as they both turned to look at her. "You're both going to be itching rolling around in the grass like that."



"No we won't. Will we?" William asked his son and he got a small giggle in response. William stood and scooped the giggling boy up and walked over to where Buffy was standing on the porch.



"I think you need a bath young man," Buffy said as she looked down at Thomas before she grinned when his face scrunched up.



"But I just had one last night!"



Buffy chuckled before looking over at William. "I fought him last night, now it's your turn."



"You heard your mum, bath time," William told him, trying not to smile.



Thomas stomped his foot, huffing as he looked up at William. "You said I could get as dirty as I wanted."



"Yeah, but that didn't mean you didn't have to get clean afterwards," William told him.



Thomas sighed heavily and shook his head before he clenched his jaw and stared at his feet. "Bloody hell."



Buffy's eyes widened and her mouth flew open as her head snapped up and she looked at William.



"I did not teach him that," William said loudly as he stepped quickly off the porch.



"And just who did?" Buffy asked as she took the two steps off the porch and into the yard.



"Um, Xander?" William said lamely as he smiled and backed away from Buffy.



"You are so dead mister," Buffy said before she smiled and gave chase as William turned and ran.



Thomas sighed and sat down on the steps before laying his head in his hands and propping his elbows on his knees. He shook his head as he watched his parents chase each other before they both fell down laughing as they rolled around in the yard. "And they get mad when I get dirty."





The End





You must login (register) to review.