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Chapter 24 Meet the Family



“So it’s just you, me and you’re uncle right?” Buffy asked finally breaking the long silence since the car ride. They were off to the infamous Giles mansion. Giles apparently had invited them to dinner which she only found out later that afternoon when William oh so casually mentioned it. At first she refused to go and he agreed with her saying, ‘oh, okay’ but as she thought about it, this was William’s uncle, he’s father figure… her possible future father-in-law? She might be getting ahead of herself but she still wanted to make a good impression and them ditching him at dinner can’t be it.



“God, I hope so…” was William’s whispered reply.



“Will? Please say something the silence is really killing me.”



“What do you say we turn the car around and I’ll just go and cook you up something back at my place?” he asked with hope as he slightly glanced at Buffy and continued driving.



She gave out a sigh, “Why are you so insistent of not going? I’m the one who’s suppose to be nervous in this, you know.” she reasoned.



“Why are you so insistent on going?” he answered her back, “I know how these things go, Buffy and trust me you won’t enjoy it.”



She shook her head, “You’re impossible you know that and if you didn’t want us to go why did you tell me huh?” she asked proving a point, “Plus we already said we would go and you can’t possibly know I won’t enjoy it!”



“Because I know that if you find out… I’m dead for not telling you.” he explained to her. “Luv, I have done this before, thank God Dru was insane enough to take it,” he explained. “He grilled her, Buffy and in some way she was able to persuade him but I sure as hell know it wasn’t easy and I don’t fancy you taking a toll on that.”



“It can’t be that hard,” she insisted, “I’m sure I can win you’re uncle’s heart.”



“Trust me, luv. It ain’t easy. And why do you want to meet him so much anyway?” he asked.



“I just want to.” she answered as if it were an explanation, hearing no reply and figuring that William wasn’t going to be contented with that answer, “I wanna meet him okay. He’s practically you’re father and I wanna meet him.” Suddenly when she realized what she had implied she suddenly ducked her head scolding herself for thinking such things, William would probably think she was the clingy kind of girl. It was too early in the relationship to say such things. ‘Stupid Buffy!’



But all her uncertainty vanished when she felt his hand move up to her to intertwine his fingers with hers. “That’s really sweet, pet. But you don’t have to.”



“But I want to,” she said again but this time with a pout something she knew he could never resist.



Finally giving up, “Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he said as he drove past the big double gates and up the driveway.



“And if you’re uncle is anything like you. I’m sure I can win him with my charm,” she smiled at that as the car door opened for her.



“Good evening, Madame.” The man greeted her on who she presumed must have been the butler.



“Here you go, Rob.” she heard William spoke as he exited the car and dropped the keys in the man’s hands, “Take care of her.”



“Will do, Sir William.”



“Okay, that was awkward.” Buffy whispered as William offered his arm to her. “Milady,” she felt like she was going to a ball or something only wearing casual clothing.



“Good evening, Sir William.” a maid greeted them at the door, “Your uncle Rupert said to wait for him at the den,” she said. “May I take your coat ma’am?” she asked Buffy.



“I guess.” she replied letting the woman take her coat. “This way, pet.” he told her as he lead her through the hall and into a large room.



As soon as they entered the room William plopped down on the large couch in the middle in front of the 58 inch television grabbing the remote and flipping through the channels. “Wow, that’s the biggest TV I’ve ever seen,” she said wide-eyed.



“Impressive isn’t it?” he told her as he patted the seat next to him. “This is the only reason why I even consider coming here,” he draped his arm around her.



“Oh, so that’s where you get your love for TV…” she said in realization.



“Not remotely.” William answered, “According to Giles the telly is just quote: a useless electronic device that is purposely used to influence the already infected minds of the youth, unquote,” he finished.



Buffy just stared at his head tilted, no idea what he had just said, “So, why would he have this big of a TV? If he doesn’t like watching it…”



“Beat’s me!” he replied finally giving up on watching anything, pulling Buffy closer to him, “Dinner sure is taking forever huh?” she just nodded her head playing with the hem of her skirt. “Nervous, luv?” he asked kissing the top of her head.



“A little.” she answered in a whisper.



“Aw…don’t worry sweetheart, I’ll be there.”



“Thanks.” he kissed her temple wanting to ease her nervousness.



Suddenly the doors opened, “Sorry to keep you waiting.” Giles apologized, “Buffy right? I’m Rupert Giles.” he reached a hand out.



Buffy smiled at him and accepted his hand, “It’s very nice to meet you, Sir.” she greeted, “You have a very lovely home…”



“Why, thank you. But please, call me Giles. Shall we proceed into the dinning hall?” he gestured for then to leave the room.



William took Buffy’s hand that was fidgeting which he found out she does whenever she was nervous, “It’s gonna be okay…” he whispered, “If ever you do wanna leave just say the word, okay?” he told her as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze.



~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~



“May I offer you something to drink, Buffy?” Giles asked after they were able to settle down. They were seated on a long table, Giles seating on the head Buffy and William across from each other.



“Alcohol you mean?” she asked, receiving a nod from Giles, “No thank you. Buffy and alcohol are very much un-mixy things.” she explained.



Giles looked a bit bewildered over her choice of words but dismissed it, “Very well. William I guessed it would be the usual beer.”



“Yeah, thanks.” William replied as Giles went into the basement cellar.



“You’re gonna be drinking?” Buffy asked, “How are we gonna get home? I for one am not driving unless you want your car to be ready for the junkshop by tomorrow morning.” she warned.



William gave out a small chuckle, “Don’t worry, pet. I won’t drink too much at least not enough so that I would get drunk.” Buffy looked at him skeptically, “I promise okay, no need to worry.”



“Fine.” she compromised, “But if you get drunk, when you wake up you would have wished you would have drunk more from the torture I’m gonna put you through.”



“And what kind of torture is that?” he asked, one eyebrow raised.



“You’ll just have to get drunk and see then huh?” she gave him a big smirk as she said this.



“Well guess who came to join us.” Giles said as he entered the dining hall, Drusilla in tow. “Buffy, this is Drusilla, a family friend. Drusilla, Buffy.” the older man introduced the two ladies who both had a fake smile plastered on their faces.



‘So this is Drusilla…’ Buffy thought as she smiled at her and gave her a once over, ‘she’s beautiful in her own way, she can give her that. This is William’s ex, the ex who hurt him so much he almost gave up on love, the one who used him? How is she a family friend then?’ she’ll have to ask about that later.



‘Buffy?!’ Drusilla’s mind screamed, she knew that William had been dating someone at least from what she heard around, they said she was a pretty little blonde totally not his William’s type in her opinion. ‘But what kind of a name is Buffy?!’ her mind wondered as she gave her a once over. She doesn’t look that tough, she smiled inwardly she guessed it was gonna be easier than she thought.



“Ladies, I think you both know William.” Giles continued his introductions as he pulled out a seat for Drusilla right beside him.



“Of course, it’s nice to see you again, Spike.” she greeted him with a smile as she placed her hand over his “It’s been a while hasn’t it?”



‘We just saw each other yesterday,’ his mind answered, ‘why are you touching my hand?’ “Yeah it has,” he answered her for all to hear with a smile.



‘Of course it’s nice to see you again, Spike’ Buffy mocked in her mind, how can she act like that around William, around her boyfriend and is she holding his hand? And how can he be that welcoming to her, he didn’t even flinched with her touch? I thought he hated her, oh god… he’s gonna get it later.



“Shall we start?” Giles asked as every dinner’s beverage was served.



~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~



Dinner was pretty pleasant from everybody’s point of view… except for Buffy that is. During the whole meal, everybody made small talk, the usual conversation would revolve around politics, books and the news all of which Buffy had no such interest about. The three other occupants of the table however seemed to be very opinionated when it came to these topics. Buffy never thought of William as the brainy type, she knew he had a good degree and seemed to be very smart when it came to running a business but to be that insightful was just beyond her.



As Giles ushered them into the living room for some coffee and ice cream, she realized that she was beginning to become aggravated with a certain brunette. All the while through dinner she would give William unnecessary touches, a little hand holding here, a little shoulder touch there, which he seemed to tolerate, that irritated her even more. Buffy never pictured herself as the jealous type but Drusilla was just rubbing her in the wrong way that she can’t even begin to explain.



As they sat themselves on the living room, Giles asked William if he could have Buffy to herself for maybe just a minute. The first thing that ran into Buffy’s mind was, ‘Don’t you dare leave me here, William.’ But instead he agreed and suggested that he and Drusilla take their coffee by the veranda.



Now Buffy was stuck in the living room with Rupert Giles in complete silence. “Umm…” she started.



“Yes” he replied, “Well, William talks a lot about you…”



“Does he really?” she asked.



Giles began to take of his glasses and cleaned them, “Well, er- not really. You know William’s not much of a talker.”



“You can say that.” she agreed.



“So why don’t you tell me a little ‘bout yourself then, Buffy” Giles suggested. ‘oh boy!’ Buffy thought. “So what is it you do?”



~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~



Back at the veranda, William and Drusilla were seated on a small table set, two chairs at the side separated by a table in the middle as they stared out into the sky.



“What are you trying to play with, Dru?” William asked finally not being able to take the silence any longer.



“Whatever do you mean?” she asked.



“I’m not dumb, Dru. You have been nothing but pleasant to both me and Buffy all the way through dinner, what’s up huh?” he asked her with a raised brow.



“Nothing is up, I was just trying to be civil for once, can’t a girl just play nice?” William tilted his head to the side, not believing a word she was saying, “Fine. What do you want me to do? I just thought maybe we could get along.”



“Uh, huh…”



“I mean it.” she looked at him with pleading eyes, “I know we parted in bad terms… that was probably my fault, but I want us to stay friends, or at least try to be.”



William wondered, this is a new side of Dru he’s seeing, a side he doesn’t know if he should believe.



“I’m trying to do this as a favor for, Rupert, okay?” she told him, “We might as well get along if we’re going to do this.”



“Do what exactly?”



~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~



“So what is it you do again, dear?” Giles asked.



“Dating service.” she answers again, with Giles narrowed eyes she explains further, “But not the bad kind.”



“I see…that’s very…” Giles tried to think of an appropriate adjective.



“New agey?” she suggested.



“Excuse me?”



“That’s how my friend, Willow describes it. She’s studying to be a doctor.” she offered.



“Uh, huh. How about you? You seem to be too young to be out of college.”



“Oh, well…” Buffy fidgets, here is the question she’s been dreading, what would Giles think of his nephew dating an undergrad. “See… I didn’t actually finished college…” she trailed off.



“Oh, I see… Why?” he asked wanting to know the reason why a woman like her would be deprive of an education, surely William would never consider dating a mediocre, would he?



“Sort of a rebellious thing and a little money thing?” she continues to fidgets, while trying to read what’s on Giles mind. “I rather let my sister use the money for college than me… but the irony is, she got a scholarship just last week so…guess it’s really not necessary huh? But I like what I’m doing now so not much regret, but if ever I want to go back to school I’m sure I can just reenroll and…” she babbled, “Sorry.”



“No, it’s rather okay.” he answers as he takes off his glasses and clean them again.



Just at that moment, William and Drusilla walked back into the living room, William taking his seat beside Buffy, draping her arm around her as Drusilla took her place on the one sitter.



“Glad you to have you back.” Buffy whispered into William’s ear as Giles went onto the mini-bar and grab himself and Drusilla another drink.



“That tough huh?” he asked her as she kissed her temple.



“So are you ready for your trip, William?” Giles sat himself back on his seat and gave Drusilla her drink. “I was thinking maybe you and Dru can use the privet jet this time.” he took a gulp of his scotch.



“Trip?” Buffy asked looking up at William question in her eyes.



William just closed his eyes and cursed inwardly, ‘Damn! He haven’t told Buffy yet.’ When he opened them Buffy was still looking at him obviously wanting an answer. “Well…”



“You haven’t told her yet?” Drusilla intercepted, “Me and him are gonna be off to Chicago this weekend.” she informed the petite blonde still staring at William not believing he didn’t even care to mention it to her.



Did she just say she and him? Now she knows why he didn’t tell her, he didn’t want her to know that she would be away with that whore. I guess he ran out of luck, the way he acted around her sure made sense now, he was flirting with her how dare he and in front of her. And that bitch just went along with it, didn’t she know that he had girlfriend. Buffy was getting infuriated; she can’t believe this is happening. She tried to stay calm and wait for his explanation which in her opinion wouldn’t really change much of what she already figured out in her mind, but she’s still giving him the benefit of the doubt.



But William’s biggest mistake was staying completely silent, Buffy opened her mouth in shock as she excused herself from the people in the room and left for the front door. William immediately stood up and ran after her.



“Well that sure is rude.” Drusilla said to the air as she took a sip of her drink.



“Buffy wait!” William called as he ran after her.



Buffy continued her long strides ignoring the voice that called for her, damn house why is it so big she can’t find the front door?



As soon as William reached her he held on to her shoulder and stepped in front of her blocking her way, “Luv, listen.” he told her almost pleading. He knew he was wrong not to tell her sooner, it just didn’t cross his mind.



“Don’t even try…” she held her had up his face, “I just wanna go home.” she walked around him and continued her search for the exit.



“Buffy, please… let me explain.” he tried to reason with her.



“What is there to explain…” she continued her long strides finally finding the long hallway that lead her in, she felt William’s hand on her shoulder again trying to stop her from leaving. “Fine,” she stopped, “tell me why you didn’t mention that you were gonna be off to Chicago, why you acted the way you did around ‘her’ tonight and why just by chance she’s also going away with you…” she dared him, “Explain it to me, William, ‘cause I’m sure after you calmly reason everything out I would totally understand it.” she continued, anger in her voice.



William just looked at her with pleading eyes, trying to find the reason she wanted to hear, hell any reason would do. “I thought so.” she told him as she walked off grabbing her coat from the maid who handed it to her and headed off into the night with a broken heart.



to be continued...

A/N: See what William does next, does he make up for it. Click on the next chap to find out! =)





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