Chapter 31 Capture her heart… or something

It has been three months since… well a lot has happened three months ago, he was in love then it all broke into hell. He thought he could get the girl of his dreams back but that was over with too. Now here he was standing into front of the mirror in the bounds of one of the churches in Los Angeles fixing his bow tie; which apparently picked this day of all the days to not tie itself. As he continued to struggle with the black piece of cloth, he was startled by a sudden knock at the door. “Come in.”

“Hey, man…” Oz came in wearing a black and white suit. He had surprisingly dyed his hair a jet black this time, something normal for once. “How’re you feeling?”

“I’m okay…” he answered as he continued to fidget with the cloth. Finally giving up, “Bloody hell!” he threw it onto the floor and stared at himself in the mirror.

“Having the jitters, huh?” Oz said casually as he stooped down and grabbed the bow tie then he stood behind William and tied it perfectly into place. “There, perfect.”

“Where’s Xander?” he asked as he placed his suit on.

“He’s out there somewhere, probably talking with the guest or something.” He nodded his head in response still staring at his reflection in the mirror. “Look, man…” Oz started as he sat in one of the couches in the room. “Are you sure about this?”

“About what?” he asked nonchalantly as he sat beside him.

“About this!” he gestured with his hand. That was probably the first time William ever saw him have a real expression on his face. “This whole charade. Xander asked me to talk some sense into you. Bachelor life is so much better, are you sure you want this?”

“Good question.” That was what he had been asking himself these past few months. Was this really what he wanted? Would he really happy with this decision? Will he someday look back and regret the whole thing? But after all that was said and done he still came to the same conclusion there was nothing he could do. He just shrugged his shoulders, “I agreed to it.”

Oz nodded his head, there was nothing he could do now, he tried it didn’t work as planned. If this thing really wasn’t meant to happen well… they needed a miracle and that miracle better befall upon them soon.

There was a knock at the door it was Xander. “Hey, you guys ready? Ceremony’s about to start. The bridesmaids are lovely!” he said the last part with much enthusiasm.

The two men just gave each other a knowing look. “Yeah,” William rose from his seat as they made their way out of the hall. Just as they neared the church proper William noticed that there was one door opened ajar, light was spilling in from the inside. He paused and asked Xander and Oz to walk right ahead of him promising he’ll be right out.

As he neared he heard sounds, sounds of someone who seemed to be crying. As he pushed open the door he saw her, his bride standing in front of the full-length mirror dressed in a white chiffon gown. “You look lovely, pet…”

Hearing the familiar voice she turned back and looked as she tried to hide the evidence of her tears. “Hey, you don’t look so bad yourself.”

William just shrugged and smiled at her, “Are you almost done? The ceremony’s about to start.” He told her as he picked up the veil on the chair and placed it on her head and sheltered her face with it, “Beautiful.” And she just smiled at him in response. “I’ll be waiting for you outside, come out when you’re ready…”

He was about to close the door, “Spike wait!” he looked back in and gave her a questioning look, “I don’t think I can do this.” She sat in the middle of the room her gown bunching up beside her as she did.

“Is something wrong?” he asked her with concern as he sat down beside her. “Are you feeling sick, Dru? I can call for Eth-“ he was about to get up and out the door but she stopped him.

“I’m not sick,” she told him as she looked at him in the eye, “I thought I could do this, I thought I could pull it off but I can’t. I’m sorry.”

“Why?”

“Because you don’t love me.” He didn’t know how to answer that so he just opted to stay silent and held on to her shoulders. “I thought it could be just like before, maybe if I tried harder, maybe if we spend enough time but it didn’t work out,” she tried to explain herself. William had been nice enough these past few months. He really was a true gentleman doing all the things a fiancée should do and being involved in the wedding preparations as if he really wanted to get married. But she knew the truth he was just being considerate. “Your heart belongs to someone else,” she said the last part in a whisper. “You go on, you’re free. The wedding’s off.”

William was still a bit disoriented with all the things he just heard, closing his eyes a bit to sort things out, “What about your da, he would-“

“I’ll take care of him,” Dru threw him a smile. “He his after all a daughter-whipped soddin’ old man right?”

He grinned back at her saying more thanks than any word could possibly contain. “What do you say we tell the guest together, huh?” he offered his arm to her. “Though it would be a shame to let all those presents go to waste don’t you think so?”

She gave him a warm smile, “I’ll tell them, you go on ahead.”

“I have no plans for today, pet. I was thinking it was gonna be my wedding, sort of cleared up my schedule for it.”

“Haha,” she laughed at him sarcastically. “I mean you should go and look for… Biffy, Buddy, Betty…?”

“Buffy,” he supplied.

“Yeah… her.”

“And tell her what exactly?” William asked her as he helped her up and she began changing into a much more comfortable outfit as if what just happened was suddenly blown by the wind. That was what Drusilla had always been sorrowful today then blissful the next.

“That you love her,” she told him as if it was the most obvious answer. “Can you unzip me please?” she turned her back to him and he slowly zipped her out of her gown.

“It’s not gonna be that easy… telling her I love her is not enough.” Dru disappeared behind one of the curtains and began taking her clothes off as she muffled something. “What did you say, pet?”

She peeked her head out, “I said, it is gonna be that easy, and it is enough… believe me,” she said as her head disappeared back into the curtain. ‘Maybe’ he thought. Maybe Dru was right; maybe it was enough. ‘When did I start getting advice from women who always seemed to be on the edge of sanity’ as if reading his mind. “I’m not crazy Spike, I know I’m right.” He just smiled at that, one problem though he didn’t know where to start looking. Then it dawned on to him, ‘Oz!’ his mind screamed as he started for the door. “By the way, Spike,” Dru called as she opened the curtain now dressed in something a little less formal and the hell less ruffly. “If you’re wondering…. Nothing happened that night.”

“Thanks, pet.” he looked back at her as he spirited out of the hall.

“I expect to get an invitation to your wedding!” Dru called out, “If you two do get a wedding.” But he didn’t hear anything cause he was already half way down the street.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A bus was speeding through the high way as it ran past the “Welcome to Sunnydale” sign. Sadness was clearly evident on Buffy’s face as she was riding the bus from LA, she perfectly knew what today was and that’s the same reason why she was leaving LA.. There was nothing else left for her there anymore. After months of struggling with her and Willow’s business, she finally decided to throw in the towel; there was really no hope for it going anywhere. With their business down there was really no reason for her to stay in LA thus she was taking the bus back to Sunnydale.

The vehicle came to a stop as the each passenger boarded off. Buffy slowly made her way down the steps as she got a taxi to bring her home. She really didn’t know what she was doing here, she had nothing planned or anything. She thought of maybe going back to school. With Dawn’s scholarship there was nothing stopping her from pursuing a better education.

As she opened the door to her house and called for her mom, as she expected no one was home. Joyce was probably still at the gallery and Dawn was probably still hanging out with her friends. It was almost six but she could have gone out to a movie, it was Friday night after all. She mused the time when she was the out and in a party during Friday nights.

After hauling her things up to her room and leaving a note on the refrigerator for her mom and Dawn stating that she had come home and was gonna be taking the SUV out. She grabbed her purse and hopped up on the car and drove.

She passed along the streets of Sunnydale, passing the park where there were kids playing around the jungle gym and an old couple cuddled under the tree. She looked away and tried to clear her mind.

She never knew how to drive before but in the duration of the past three months Scott was able to teach her. ‘Scott’ she thought. Well… big surprise they didn’t work it out. It’s not because he wasn’t a nice guy. He was nicer than any woman could possibly be with it was just that he lacked something, something she couldn’t seem to put her finger on. Plus there was another problem… he wasn’t sure of his gender, as it turned out he was gay. They haven’t officially broken up but it was sort of a given after he came out of the closet. It was sort of funny actually, for once a guy didn’t cheat on her or leave her but turned out gay! As she turned back and looked at the couple sitting down on the park bench, ‘they’re probably taking their grandchildren in to play.’ She knew that Scott didn’t exactly leave her then why does she feel like it is.

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

“Thanks for the ride Mrs. Johnson.” Dawn called as she walked up the porch and to the back of the house. As she entered the kitchen she saw that there was a note on the fridge.

Mom,

I’m back! Just took the SUV for a drive. Don’t wait up!
Buffy.

PS: Dawn, I’m not here to ruin you life.

Before Dawn could contemplate what she had read the door bell rang. Making her way into the hallway she opened the door to see… “Spike?”

As soon as he had the information he wanted. William jumped right into his car and made his mark all over the road possibly going over the speed limit but he didn’t care. He suddenly had this rush of determination where he just had to find her talk to her, even if he had no idea what to tell her once he actually catches up with her.

Oz had told him that Buffy was on her way back to Sunnydale; at least that was the information he had heard from Willow. The redhead got a scholarship to some university in the north. She finally had the courage to stand up to her mother. She didn’t want to be a medical student, not really and this scholarship offered her a full education as long as she kept her grades up so she took it right away. That’s why Buffy left LA according to Oz because according to her she really didn’t have any reason to stay there.

Learning that Buffy was back in Sunnydale, the first thing that popped into his mind about Buffy’s whereabouts was that she would return home. That was the most expected thing for her to do so here he was in their front door ringing the door bell.

“Hey, bit?” William greeted her. She threw her arms around him as if they were life long friends who had lost contact through the years.

“What are you doing here?” she asked him as soon as they parted ways.

“I was kinda looking for your sis? Is she home?”

“Oh… You’re looking for Buffy…” Dawn had a disappointed look on her face. “She left this note,” she held up the piece of paper, “Said she went out for a drive… do you wanna come in and wait maybe?”

“Did you just say she went out for a drive?”

“Yeah, says so right here… I’m sure she’ll be back.”

William raised an eyebrow, something until now Dawn still found super hot. She knew it was wrong this was her sister’s boyfriend after all but a little crush never hurt anyone right? “Have you seen your big sis drive, bit?”

“Oh yeah, best you hurry.” Before William could burst back into his car, Dawn called for him and he looked back. “You really love her don’t you?”

“Yes, I do,” was his simple answer.

Dawn smiled, “Take care of her, okay? Now go and find her! Capture her heart or something! Is that what cool people say nowadays? Or did that sounded funny?”

“Capture her heart? Bit, I think you’re reading too much romance novels,” he teased and yet added, “…but that made a lot of sense. Thanks, pet.” He offered her a smile, ‘now where the hell am I gonna look for her?’

to be continued...

A/N; One chapter for today... you can hold out till tomorrow right? =) Thanks for all the reviews!





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