Disclaimers: I don't own these characters blah blah blah you all know the drill.
Author Note: My friend the amazing Portakeeper87 (check out her stuff!) got me hooked on Buffy recently. This past month I've watched all of Seasons 1, 4, 7, and more than half of 2. Yup! So this story is all thanks to her and her insane craziness. This is my first Buffy fic by the way. Set in S2 end of Innocence. Tell me what you think!
***
"Mm. I'm sorry I didn't have the time to make you a real cake..." Joyce apologized.
"No, this is good." Buffy insisted giving her mother a rather halfhearted smile.
Joyce sat down on the couch, propping her legs up on the coffee table.
"But we're still going shopping on Saturday."
Joyce Summers glanced at her daughter expectantly. Buffy was uncharacteristically reticent today. She paused. "So, what'd you do for your birthday? Did you have fun?"
Fun, Buffy thought, savoring the irony. I guess the surprise party was all right. Except for the fact that Miss Insane-in-the-Membrane and Captain Peroxide thought it would be 'fun' to put Humpty-Dumpty back together again and wreak havoc on the world. Not to mention Angel.
Tears nearly sprang into her eyes and her heart twisted in agony at the mere thought of his name. She loved him. And he had wounded her deeper than any blade. But she had cried enough for him. No, she would shed no more tears for Angelus. Buffy lowered her head and answered softly, "I got older."
Joyce frowned, looking at her daughter's solemn face. "You look the same to me."
The older woman leaned forward, striking a match to light the single candle perched atop the mountains of icing on the vanilla cupcake. Snuffing the match out, she turned to Buffy, smiling gently. "Happy Birthday. Now I don't have to sing, do I?"
"No"
"Well, go on, make a wish." Joyce motioned towards the flickering candle.
Buffy stared at the billowing orange flame.
Like wishing for things to change would be of any use. I'm the slayer. There's no way out except death. And I don't really need to wish for death. 'Cause Angel, Drusilla, and Spike can take care of that. As well as my loyal demon pals. And Robots. And Witches. I never asked for this kind of life. I never wanted to be the Chosen One. I just wish I were a normal girl. A normal girl with a normal life. Like that's gonna happen.
She turned away from the candle.
"I'll just let it burn."
***
"Sleep tight, my love…"
Buffy woke with a start, fumbling at the quilt that had been draped over her. The steady rise and fall of her mother's chest indicated that Joyce had fallen asleep as well. Buffy yawned. The movie was almost over.
" …Goodnight, my love."
She brushed an errant strand of hair away from her face and hugged her knees to her chest. The candle had melted to a tiny misshapen pile of wax, now attached to the top of her birthday cupcake. But the flame was still twinkling brightly. She leaned forward and gently blew it out.
Complete. Utter. Darkness.
"Remember that you're mine, sweetheart…"