SUMMARY: Missing moment from right after the Buffy series finale.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or the situation, and I'm not making any money from this. I'm only being a fangirl and enjoying the series ending!

Girl Talk

By Alicia

"Buffy! Buffy!"

Buffy wasn't sure exactly where she had been, but jet planes and landings over Paris had been involved.

"Buffy! Rest stop!"

Buffy sat up, knocked her knee on the seat in front of her, and groaned. "Let me get this straight," she said foggily. "We just blew up Sunnydale. And we decided to park at a truck stop because someone had to go to the bathroom?"

"I told you she wakes up cranky," Willow said over her shoulder.

Buffy didn't think she had anything in her bag suitable to throw at Willow...just sharp, pointed objects. She reached for the familiar spot at her left side, and there was nothing there. Her flight out of the canyon over the top of the bus came back in more vivid detail than her dream had been. No time to bring anything.

"You reason with our cranky leader," said Kennedy. "I'm getting inside before anyone buys any more M&Ms."

"Coming?" Willow asked.

Buffy pushed herself a little further into the very uncomfortable seat. "No, I'm good. Bring me some chocolate for later?"

Willow flopped into the seat next to Buffy.

"Ow!"

"Sorry."

"And you're not going in because?"

Willow laughed. "They have sports gear in the truck stop. We have the bus to ourselves for a little while."

"Yes, but I'm sleeping!"

"Not anymore." Willow put her feet on the seat ahead, so she was crouched in the most ridiculous looking position.

Buffy mimed her. Kind of comfortable.

"Buffy, are you okay?"

Hmmm, she'd known Willow was going to go there eventually. "We never had the chance to buy you new shoes. Those are pretty, though. Can I try them on?"

Willow giggled, slipping off one shoe and handing it to Buffy.

Willow had understood her. Sometimes they had their own language, just like twins.

Buffy pushed her toes into the bottom of the designer shoe and wiggled them around. "You have big feet."

"You have a funny shaped head."

"I do not!"

"Do too. I've worn your headphones."

"When?"

"Sunnydale High School summer road trip. I took 'em when you were sleeping."

"Since when did the school exist long enough for a summer road trip?"

"Okay, I made that up."

"You're good at making things up," Buffy said. She thought of some of the spells Willow had performed over the past day...all the power from those same hands that were now idly playing with her hair.

"You look good in braids."

"I don't look like a commander in braids."

"See anyone in here to command?"

The bus was empty, although the PSU State song was coming from the inside of the truck stop loudly enough for both Buffy and Willow to hear.

Willow slipped a tie out of her own hair and wrapped it around the braids she'd put in Buffy's. "There."

"Now I look like I'm at a sleepover."

"With your best friend."

"Yeah," Buffy said. She put her head on Willow's shoulder, and drifted back to sleep, as the rest of the rowdy crowd swirled around them.