Title: Long Way From Home - Chapter 1 - Reunion.
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Summary: Buffy and Willow are enjoying a rare sunny day in November, sitting on the grass discussing study Willow spots an old friend from Sunnydale.
Timeline: Buffy and Willow are students at the University of Oxford, Spike is a part time masters student and fronts a band with Oz. Set in England, Buffy is early 20s Spike is late 20s - everyones human.
Series: Part 1 of ?
Pairing: Buffy and Spike. Everyones Human AU.
Rating: PG13
Disclaimer: everyone else owns Buffy and all associated with her.
Feedback: always welcome so email me - webmaster@talesoftheslayer.com
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Buffy sipped her icy frappuccino through a straw and readjusted the books she clasped to her chest. Psychology lessons were getting heavy on the literature.
She let her thoughts slip to the long lazy days of summer she had enjoyed back home in LA, now it was nearing the middle of November and Buffy got the feeling this would be the last warm day in a long time. In her first university year with Willow over in England she hadn't been prepared for the long winter that the country suffered. The only time Buffy had known minus figures on the centigrade scale was on skiing trips with Angel and her family, they seemed to be a regular occurrence over here.
Now she made the most of every warm pleasant day that Oxford had to offer, knowing that anytime she could find it raining for weeks on end. Turning to face Willow she watched her friend taking in the view of the open stretch of grass that ran along side the gravel broadwalk of Christchurch park.
"You wanna sit for a while Buffy? We've got the rest of the afternoon free."
"Sure, too nice a day to waste on study." Buffy dropped her books to the grass then pressed her palm to the floor, checking for signs of damp.
When Willow sat down Buffy followed suit and sat Indian style on the floor, taking great pains to avoid getting grass stains on her new jeans.
"I only meant we should sit for a while, not that we shouldn't study. I know mid semester exams are a little way off but we both need to get more study time in." Willow smiled at her and could see that Buffy needed some down time.
"Oh." As she pulled the straw from her mouth a look of disappointment swept across her face. "But it's so nice out today, I just thought we could use the chance to relax like old times."
"This isn't high school Buffy. We really need to… oh my god Buffy is that Oz? It is Oz." An excited edge entered Willows voice as she turned to her friend.
"Who's Oz?" Buffys question was answered when Willow jumped up and pointed.
"Oz!!" She waved her hands frantically and shouted.
The man in question turned to face them, Buffy thought he had a vaguely familiar look about him as he stood there handing out blue flyers.
"You remember him Buffy, he went to our high school. Played down the Bronze with that band." Willow grinned down at her like a giddy schoolgirl and then turned her attention back to waving her hands at him. "Oz!"
He squinted at them both then smiled in recognition and started walking towards them.
"Willow Rosenberg?" Oz tucked his flyers into his bag. "It is you."
"Wow Oz, here. How?" Willow sounded a little breathless as she stood and fidgeted with her bag.
Buffy remained seated on the grass and sipped her drink. It was strange to see Willow so nervous around a guy they hardly knew.
"Yeah it's crazy. Moved here last year, met this guy and started a band." He dug into his bag and pulled out a flyer. "Zodiac, Friday, be there?"
Standing up Buffy took the flyer from him and looked at it. "Zero?"
"It's profound." Oz nodded his head.
"I'm sure it is." She sipped her drink and looked as indifferent as possible.
"Oh Oz, you remember Buffy, Buffy Summers?" Willow had started to pick at the corner of her bag, fraying it even more.
"Sure. You always hung out together with that Xander guy. He here?" Oz wore his usual placid look as he turned back to Willow.
"No! He's um, back in Sunnydale."
"Too bad."
Buffy smiled inwardly, Willow had sounded so defensive. She knew that Willow and Xander had been going through a rough patch, Willow had mentioned how bad the summer had been when they were on the plane. When her friend had told her she had lost faith in long distance relationships ever working out it had got Buffy thinking about Angel. Still, he had promised to be around in LA at Christmas break and that he'd come visit next year. But suddenly she felt a chill run through her.
"Will, I'm going to take a walk, I'm feeling a little off." She smiled and hugged her friend, feeling like the fifth wheel it was better that she left them alone to catch up.
"See you Friday?" Oz smiled at her.
"Sure." Gathering up her books she headed off up the broadwalk.