Title: Just a Dream

Summary: After the unexpected death of her parents, Buffy leaves LA & moves to Sunnydale with her younger sister, Dawn. There, she starts a new school, makes new "friends", & finally meets her knight in shining armour. But her life is far from a fairytale fantasy - parties, drama & forbidden love are only a few of the things in store for her.

Disclaimer: Unfortunate as it is, I own nothing related to BtVS or AtS, it is all the brilliant work of Joss Whedon & co. I do however own a select few of my own awesome characters ;)

Author's Note: I never expected to come out with a new story, let alone so soon after finishing (well almost) Life After You, but here I am! Between university & parenting, I figured I'd have zero time for writing - but one of my professor's suggested taking an hour to do what you love for a break, & this is what I end up doing =) I realize I'm no expert writer with an amazing talent, but I seriously enjoy fanfiction & I hope that some of you enjoy my stories in return =) Oh & the title is pretty random - kind of loving that song right now ;)

This isn't some extra-super-genious plot, just your average AU with a few twists of my own & I'm being 100% honest when I say none of my material comes from over fanfictions - it may not be original, but all of the writing & ideas came from my own mind =)

So, read & enjoy & review =) !

~.~.~

10 months earlier...

No good came of being grounded, that was a fact. Small room, four walls, a bed and plenty of magazines was definitely not her idea of a good time on a friday night - but it was what she left with after getting caught making out with her boyfriend in an empty classroom during school hours.

In her defense during the entire two years that she had been going to the school, that classroom had been used a total of six times. How was she supposed to know they were hosting an orientation for new students in there? It was the principals fault, he should have posted a sign or something. It wasn't like they were the only couple that used it - it was a known spot.

In her parents defense, they hadn't grounded her strictly to her bedroom - that was by choice. She didn't want to be around them, she was more than angry - she was livid. They always seemed to ground her for no reason - skipping class, shoplifting, partying... jeez, she was sixteen years old, what else was she going to do, take up knitting?

As she flipped through yet another pointless teenage magazine, the phone rang. She reached over and picked it up, expecting to hear her mother's voice on the other end. She had called not even an hour ago to check in and make sure she was still in the house. How could she leave with mini-mom downstairs? Her thirteen year old sister, Dawn, was even a bigger pain in her butt than her parents.

"Hello?" she said, her tone exaggerated and bored.

"Yes, my name is Sarah, I'm calling from Los Angeles Memorial - is there a relative of Mr. and Mrs. Hank Summers available?"

"I'm their daughter," Buffy replied.

"Oh dear... is there anyone else in the household, perhaps an aunt or grandparent?"

"Nope, just me and my little sister, and I doubt you'd want to talk to her... what's going on?"

"Sweetie, I don't think I should be the one to give you this kind of information - is there a number you could give me for an older relative?"

Buffy's anxiety was beginning to increase the longer this secretary put off whatever it was she clearly did not want to explain. "I... I don't want to. Why won't you tell me? I'm their daughter for God's sake..."

"How old are you... I'm sorry, I didn't get your name."

"Buffy... I'm seventeen."

She could hear the receptionist let out a heavy sigh before speaking. "I suppose you have a right to know as much as anyone... are you sure there isn't-..."

"Just tell me, please..." she begged.

"Buffy, honey, it's your parents. They've been in a bad accident, and I'm afraid that-..."

"No. No, that isn't true... there must be some mistake. I was just talking to my mom and they were on their way home... they'll be here any minute, I know it. You... you're wrong."

"I wish I was, but... is there someone you can call, someone who can bring you here? There are forms that are required to be filled out, and well... the rest can be explained once you arrive."

"My... my grandmother. She lives, uh, she lives close by... I'll... I'll call her now... and then she'll tell you, she'll fix it..."

"Please, hurry," the receptionist said softly before the line went dead.

Buffy didn't take time to think before quickly dialing her grandmother's number. "Nanny, nanny it's me. I... someone called from the hospital. They said that mom... that mom and dad were in an accident and... I don't know what to do."

"Buffy, I need you to listen to me very carefully, alright? I'm going to phone the hospital and find out exactly what is going on. While I'm doing that I want you to get yourself and your sister ready, and me and your grandpa will pick you up shortly."

Buffy nodded, then realized her grandmother couldn't see her. "Okay... yeah... but she was wrong, right Nanny? Mom and dad, they're fine... right?"

"Oh Buffy I hope so."

~.~.~

Buffy could feel her grandfather's arms around her, holding her tight to him as tears rolled down her cheeks. None of this was real. It couldn't be.

"No... no," she cried. "They can't be gone... I... I need them... and the things I said... I was so mean... and I didn't... I didn't get to tell them how much I love them..."

"Shh cupcake," he whispered, trying his best to console her, but unable to hold his tears from falling as well. "You didn't need to tell them, they knew. Love doesn't need to be spoken, they knew... that's all that matters."

"But I should have said them..."

~.~.~

Present...

When did she get so much stuff? Boxes and boxes of useless crap that she had somehow collected over seventeen years of living surrounded her. Most of it had been tucked away into a closet in her bedroom, stuff that she should have thrown away during the move. But now, she couldn't bring herself to throw anything away.

Mom could have bought it, or dad... it could have been something special at one time, something meaningful that they bought for her because they loved her.

So many thoughts ran through her mind as she sorted through item after item. Her shelves were already stacked full of mini statues or random collectibles - she was running out of space.

This room didn't feel like hers, it felt foreign to her. Sure, it was better than the last one she'd been in - crammed together with Dawn, and Lucy, the daughter of her parents friends.

After the accident, while the guardianship was being sorted, her and her younger sister moved in next door with a couple that had been her mother and father's closest friends. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't ideal - and it was too close to their house. Too close to the memories that haunted her every second of every day.

In a way, she was glad to be anywhere but there. She had grown up in LA, she knew every corner of the city, and it was a pretty big one. Now here she was, in the smallest town she had ever stepped foot in, living with an aunt and uncle. But she had gotten far away from their house, hoping that it would help to drown out the memories... but they had followed her.

Still, she couldn't complain. Things could be worse.

"Hey honey, how are you doing?" her aunt asked as she stepped into the room.

Buffy turned to face her and tried her best to smile. "Fine.."

"Fine, huh? Well, I suppose I could accept that answer - but this is me you're talking to here. I've known you since before you could talk, and when you could, I was the one you turned to... remember?"

"I remember Janie, but it just... it isn't the same this time. I really can't talk about it, okay? At least not yet..."

Janie nodded. "I'll take a rain check then. Do you need any help unpacking?"

Buffy shook her head. "No, I don't have much left. And I kind of enjoy it, you know, keeping myself busy and all that."

"Okay, well when you're finished come on downstairs. I'm taking you and Dawnie out for a little shopping spree. Big day tomorrow."

Buffy nodded as she let out a sigh. "Big day, right... starting a new school in a new town where I don't know anyone. I can be whoever I want to be - but all I want to be is alone."

Janie smiled as she reached out to take her neice's hand in hers. "You don't mean that. You had a lot of friends back home, and you'll make plenty here. And you may say that you don't want any, but making friends is the best way to keep yourself busy... am I wrong?"

Buffy shrugged. "Guess not."

Janie leaned over and kissed Buffy's cheek lovingly. "Half an hour, then we're going out to waste your uncle Nick's hard earned money on shoes."

~.~.~

AN: Okay, so basically just a short intro into the story, hope you enjoyed & if you want more, let me know =) Believe me when I say some much needed Spuffy action is straight ahead!