Three years later ~

"So, what are you feelings on moving?" Dr. Kate asked. Buffy sat on the comfy grey couch with an iced coffee in her hands and her legs tucked under butt. She shrugged and looked at her therapist. "I don't know. Anxious. That's a definite. I'm happy that Beatrice has this new job and that Ethan finally proposed, but . . . you know me and change, Kate, we don't mix." Kate wrote something down.

"Buffy, you may not like the occurrence of change, but I think you are very well able to come through it."

"Oh? Why is that?" Buffy asked taking a sip of coffee. Dr. Kate smirked re-crossing her legs.

"You came to me three years ago with an I-Don't-Give-A-Shit attitude and look at you now. You cut your hair, you got rid of the make-up. You smile, you are without a doubt the best and most determined patient recovery that I've ever had."

"Yes, except for the insomnia. The nightmares, the panic attacks, the skipping meals, and the ability to close in on myself without talking for days. Recovery medal anyone?!" She asked holding up her coffee, Kate made a noise through her nose.

"It's a working process. Have you been taking the anti-depressants?" Kate asked casually, writing on her notepad.

Buffy always wondered if she was actually writing something down or just doodling. Shrugging, she answered, "Sure, kind of. I skip a couple sometimes."

"Why?"

"Because they make me hyper." She mumbled.

Kate looks up from her paper and nods, "Like 'jumping off the walls' or 'you can't sleep' hyper?"

"Both, I'm so perky all of the time and I hate that I can't get that feeling without cramming two green pills down my throat. Besides, taking them every day makes me feel like there's something wrong with me. Like I'm crazy."

"The fact that you feel that way means you aren't crazy. People that are legitimately crazy don't think they're crazy, they think they're right." Both were silent.

"Have you thought about what we talked about last session?"

"How I'm a bitch?" Buffy countered and Kate gave her a look.

"No, the 'I love yous.' That you haven't been saying to Ethan or Beatrice, not that this is bad, or like you need to say it to them, but you've told me you love them both and are afraid to say it. I asked you to think about why, now have you figured that out?" Kate asked and Buffy took a long sip of her drink, before looking back into the blue eyes of a woman that has become part of her three people life line.

"Yes."

"Why?"

Buffy shrugged, not saying anything as she stared at the ground. Kate let it go, for now. "Alright, now these meetings are required by law until you're eighteen in one year, so the schedule will be every other Saturday. Starting, not next Saturday, but the next, understand?" Kate asked and Buffy nodded.

"I want you to try and put yourself out there. Don't strain or put too much pressure on yourself, but try and make friends. Perhaps even a boyfriend?" Buffy gave the woman one of her steely glares. Kate ignored the slight shudder of fear that went down her spine. God, this girl had the 'fuck you' glare down to a science.

"Or not, but you are a very pretty girl Buffy."

"Sure." Buffy grumbled picking at her straw.

"Anyways, just try. Alright. That's time for today." Kate said and stood. Buffy slowly unfolded herself from the couch and stood also. She slipped hers shoes on.

"See you in two weeks, Kate." Buffy said walking to the door.

"Buffy." She stilled and looked back.

"Happy Birthday."

"Thanks." Buffy walked from the office without another word.

She saw Beatrice standing in the lobby of the clean and gorgeously structured building. Beatrice was tall and slim with nearly waist length black hair and brilliant brown eyes that always seemed to smile at everyone, even those that don't deserve it.

She was kind and gentle. Buffy had been distant of her at first, but slowly started to warm to her after Beatrice took an interest in the same movies Buffy liked. They were both tear jerker fans. That only had Buffy opening the floodgates. She loved Tris, and she was hesitant and pissed off that she couldn't tell her.

Then, Ethan appeared complaining about how there was smelly soap in the bathroom. Buffy smirked. It had taken Buffy a really, really long time to open up to Ethan. In fact she hadn't started to fully trust him until about eighteen months ago when she witnessed him protecting a woman and children from an abusive father.

He'd been so brave and kind that she couldn't not like him. Of course she loved him the minute he adopted her. She cussed him out, threw things, kept him up at night, with her nightmares; and he still kept her. Asking for nothing in return. He never laid a hand on her and he never called her names or kicked her down.

She loved them both. In fact every ounce of her being wished they were her parents. Well, they kind of were. "Birthday girl! Ha she's seventeen again." Buffy raised an eyebrow.

"I've never been seventeen before, Ethan." Buffy states. He nodded, shrugging.

"I know, movie reference." Buffy tried not to laugh, she really, really did, but his face looked so much like an innocent gerbil as he said it, that she just erupted, leaning against the wall.

"So dinner? Ideas?" Beatrice asked coming to stand next to Ethan with her own amused smirk.

"Honestly? Let's just go ahead and get going to Sunnydale." She suggested and both stared at her like she had grown a second head.

"But we were going to go tomorrow, after your birthday." Ethan said and Buffy nods, shrugging.

"Yeah, but a car ride with music, books and really unhealthy shit from fast food places, sounds heavenly right now." She said and immediately Ethan was on board while Beatrice gave him a look.

"But I-." she was cut off by Buffy's puppy dog look. Oh yes, she had that mastered with these two.

"Oh, c'mon B, she wants greasy shit, the house is packed so is the car. I don't feel like sleeping on wood, let's do a mini road trip and gain thirty pounds." He suggested with a wink. Buffy bounced excited, nodding quickly.

Ethan and Buffy shared a love for unhealthy foods and running. Buffy didn't sleep and she found that running got her attention off of everything. So she was up with Ethan at six and they ran five miles together, every morning. That was also a bonding moment between them.

"Fine. I'm out voted." Tris gave in and Buffy grinned wrapping an arm around Tris' shoulders, "It'll be so much fun."

They all chuckled walking back through the garage and to their car.