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Chapter 2: Sunnydale

The excited red head bounced up and down as she waited for her friend to get off the plane at the Sunnydale Airport. She squeaked in excitement when she saw Buffy, she started to run towards her friend but the blonde pointed at her to wait a moment. Willow stopped in confusion until she saw Buffy set her carryon luggage and laptop case on the floor beside her and then motioned for Willow to come closer. The red head ran at her long time best friend at full speed, almost knocking her over and causing other people in the area to turn and look at them.

Even though Willow, Oz and Olivia had gone to New York City to see Buffy for the 4th of July it still felt like it had been so much longer! They had stayed with Buffy in her small apartment for almost a month and it wasn't long enough. After graduating from Sunnydale University where she studied computers, Willow and Oz had dreamed of getting a job with NASA together but instead Willow became the computer science teacher at Sunnydale High. Oz also worked with computers but instead of working for NASA, he created his own computer software company, working at home allowed him be with Olivia during the day. Willow was so grateful for her wonderful husband.

"Buffy, I have missed you so much!" Willow said squeezing her best friend as tight as she could.

Buffy laughed as they swayed back and forth. "I missed you too, Wills!"

Pulling back from their embrace, Willow smiled as she picked up Buffy's laptop bag. "Come on, let's go get your luggage."

"There is more than I originally planned on bringing…" Buffy trailed off.

Willow smiled brighter. "Maybe because you secretly want to stay longer."

Buffy shook her head. "No, not really." Looking around the airport, she remembered the last time she was here but decided to push that thought back. She didn't want to think about that right now, or ever again. It was one of the worse moments she had experienced. "This place look so different."

"Well, it has been about 10 years since you have been here." Willow commented. "I'm sure it looks tiny compared to New York City or all the other places you have visited on your book tours."

"Actually…" Buffy whispered. "I'm the one who feels tiny." Buffy couldn't help but remember the tears and fear she felt the last time she was in this airport, it was the day she left Sunnydale and her whole world changed.

0o0o0

"So." Willow buckled her seatbelt, smiling. "Do you want to go straight to your parent's house, stay with me tonight or maybe we could grab something to eat."

Buffy smiled, she didn't really want to go to her parent's house at all so at the last minute she called her Grandma to ask if she could stay with her. It would be nice to spend time with her Grandma, instead of her mom who would no doubt be bugging her about her past mistakes. Her Grandma on the other hand focused more on Buffy's accomplishments. Looking at the clock on the car dashboard she noticed that it was after 11pm. "I could go for something to eat but what is open this late in Sunnydale?"

"This isn't the same Sunnydale you left, Buffy." Willow laughed. "There are a few places open pretty late now, especially near campus for students that are up late studying."

"Or partying." Buffy smiled. She may not have attended college in Sunnydale but college students were universal.

Willow nodded. "That too. So, Chinese?"

Buffy nodded back. "Yum! Sounds good!"

"Just remember, this is still Sunnydale." Willow reminded her. "It's not going to be NYC yummy."

0o0o0

After pigging out on Chinese food Buffy had crashed at Willow's house on her couch, in the morning they went out for breakfast with Oz and baby Olivia before Willow dropped Buffy off to rent a car then Willow went off for her last day of school before Christmas break started. Willow was excited that it was only a half day, the break was much needed. She remembered what it was like for her and her friends before break so she didn't even plan on doing anything but eating treats during class. While they were at breakfast Willow told her of their plans to buy a house with an extra room so that way whenever Buffy came to visit she could always stay with them.

Buffy pulled up in front of her Grandma's large red Victorian style house and went to the trunk to grab her bags. She stood out on the sidewalk and just looked at her Grandma's house. She had a lot of great memories in this house. Making her way up the steps, she opened the door and smelt a familiar smell the only thing it was missing was the smell of something in the oven. Looking around the house she was happy to see that something hadn't changed, the old Grandfather clock still stood in the foyer next to a wooden table with a bowl for car keys that had been there since Buffy was a little girl. She would often visit her grandma on breaks from school when she was little and when her family moved to Sunnydale she spent even more time in the beautiful house. The house had 5 bedrooms, her Grandma said it was in hopes of her two daughters filling them with grandchildren but to her disappointment she now only had one Grandchild. Buffy had a cousin but Cecelia had died when she was very young, her aunt never got over the death of her daughter and never had any other children.

Buffy looked straight forward from her spot at the door, setting down her luggage, she smiled when she could see the bottom of the stairs. Everything in the house reminded her of the great times she had in the house. Walking over to the open archway leading into the living room, she was sure the same couch would be there that had always been there. The couch where she had many long study sessions and even longer make out sessions with… Buffy suddenly froze when she saw someone sitting on the couch, it was the very same person she had all those wonderful study and make out sessions with, just sitting there reading a book. She took a deep breath and whispered. "Angel…"

The gorgeous dark haired man looked up when he heard his name. Buffy could only think once thing, he was like a fine bottle of wine… he got even better with age. His dark brown hair was now brushed over to the side instead of the usual spikes she remembered, he looked as if he worked out more than he used to but his eyes still looked as soulful as they always had. "Buffy." He said as he put a book mark in his book and stood up. "Wow, it's been a long time."

"A lifetime." Buffy said still whispering. "What are you doing here… I mean, did my Grandma tell you I was going to be here?"

"No." He shook his head. "I had no idea you were going to be here, it's really great to see you." He reached out to hug her, she was surprised by the hug. It wasn't something she expected after what had happened with them and how long it had been since they had seen each other.

"Yeah, you too." She hugged him tightly, she remembered how it felt to be in his arms but remembering it was never as good as actually being there. Closing her eyes, she let go of all the anxieties she had about being back in Sunnydale. Angel always had that effect on her. She didn't want to let go but she knew the hug had to end. "So… you're here…"

"Oh, right." Angel laughed as sat back on the arm of the floral print couch, just like he used to so many times. "I'm surprised no one told you, I'm your Grandma's doctor."

"You're a doctor?" Buffy asked shocked.

Angel nodded. "I know, it's not really what the old me would be doing. I always talked about being a teacher, but I discovered a new passion."

"I understand that." Buffy nodded looking into his dark chocolate eyes. "I'm not exactly a fashion designer."

"Life doesn't always work out the way you want it too." He smiled. "You seem… happy though, what did you end up doing?"

"Um… I'm surprised no one told you." She repeated his statement. "I write books."

"I guess we both took extremely different paths." He glanced down at his hands before looking up at her again. "Do you plan on staying here?"

"Yeah." Buffy nodded. "For the next few weeks anyway, I heard about my Grandma being hurt so I decided to come home to visit. You're her doctor, how is she?"

"She's good." Angel told her as he stood up from the arm of the couch, he didn't want to go into too much detail though, it didn't feel like it was his place. "She's handling it pretty well, you know how she is about taking it easy though."

"She rather wouldn't." They both said at the same time and laughed.

"You get that from her." He smiled and tucked a piece of blonde hair behind her ear. "Well, if you are going to be here then I should get going. I have a few things to do, I just didn't want your Grandma to be alone."

"Oh, of course." Buffy nodded, he probably had other patients to see or a girlfriend or maybe even a wife to get back to. She quickly looked to his left hand but didn't see a ring, Angel was never big on rings. The only ring he ever wore was the Claddagh rings that they had exchanged on their first anniversary when they were sixteen.

She didn't know if Angel saw her looking for a ring but he smiled. "I guess I will see you around, Buffy."

Buffy nodded. "Probably. I will be here for a little while."

"Good." Angel walked over to the coffee table and picked up his book then turned back towards Buffy. "It really is great to see you again, Buffy."

0o0o0

Once Angel had left Buffy grabbed her bags and put them in her old room she stayed in when she would stay at her Grandma's house and then made her way to her Grandma's room. She lightly knocked on the door and opened the door a crack. She saw her grandma lying in bed with her leg in a brace, propped up on a pillow. "Buffy, sweetheart! You are here! Come in!"

Buffy smiled even though it was hard for her to see her Grandma like that. She was always the strongest person Buffy had ever known. "Hey, Grandma." Walking over to her Grandma she climbed into the large bed and laid down beside her.

Anne places a kiss to her granddaughters head. "I thought you were getting in last night."

"I did." Buffy replied getting even more comfortable in her Grandma's bed. "I was hungry after getting off the plane so Willow took me to get something to eat and it was so late we just went back to her house."

"Oh, how is Olivia doing?" Her Grandma asked. "Willow and Oz haven't been bringing her with them since I got hurt. They don't want her climbing all over me. Nonsense! That little girl is so sweet, I wouldn't mind! It's almost like having a great grandchild."

Buffy looked at her Grandma out of the corner of her eye, was she trying to hint at something? "She is the only great grandchild you are going to get."

"Don't say that, Sweetie." Anne hugged her granddaughter closer. "You still aren't dating anyone?"

Buffy shook her head. "There was this guy…"

Anne gave her granddaughter a look, telling her to explain.

"It was on the plane." Buffy continued. "His name is Ford, he bumped into me at the airport trying to get to his flight on time but he ended up missing it anyway and they put him on a different flight which just happened to be mine too. He switched seats with someone so that he could sit next to me, and we talked the whole way to Los Angeles."

Anne smiled. "Please tell me you got his number."

Buffy nodded. "I did get his number but…"

"There is a but?" Anne frowned.

"The whole time I was talking to him, he reminded me of Angel." She told her Grandma. "Dark hair, dark eyes… even the forehead!"

"Someone else had a forehead like that?" Her grandma laughed.

Buffy chuckled. "It's not a bad forehead for Angel to have."

Anne shook her head and sighed. Her granddaughter was still as much in love with her high school sweetheart as she had been years ago. She wasn't sure if Angel still had those feelings for Buffy as well but she still held out hope that they would reconnect on Buffy's visit. "What about this Ford guy? Is there any spark there?"

Buffy thought for a moment then shook her head. "He seems like a great guy, someone I could be friends with but I don't know if I would date him. I told Willow about him, she said I should call him and give it a chance."

"If you like him then you should give him a call, but if you don't feel anything there don't force a relationship." Anne told her. "But… just keep in mind that I would like a great grandchild and your parents would like a grandchild."

Buffy groaned and put a pillow over her face.

0o0o0

"Mom!" Joyce Summers called as she walked into her mother's house.

Buffy ran down the stairs quickly. "Mom." She whispered. "Grandma is sleeping."

"Buffy!" Joyce looked at her daughter for the first time in person in 10 years. "I didn't know you were here. I thought you would have stayed with us."

"I figured someone needed to be with grandma." Buffy said, leaving off the part about not wanting to be around her mom too much.

Joyce looked confused for a moment. "Where is Angel? He is normally here with her."

"What do you mean normally?" The blonde asked her mom confused. "Doesn't he have other patients?"

"Of course, he does." Joyce nodded walking into the kitchen to check to see if there was a list of groceries that were needed for the house. "He just takes a special interest in your Grandmother."

"Joyce…" Buffy smiled when she heard her father's British accent calling from the other room. He walked into the kitchen to find his wife looking over a list that Angel must have written, with his daughter standing on the other side of the kitchen island. "Buffy!"

Buffy ran across the room to give her dad a hug. "Hey, Daddy!"

"Why didn't I get that kind of greeting?" Joyce asked softly.

"It has been far too long since you have been home, Buffy." Her father, Rupert said with a small smile.

Buffy nodded. "I know, it's just…"

"If she hasn't moved all the way across the country for nothing, she would be home more often." Joyce commented as she walked past her husband and daughter.

Buffy rolled her eyes as her dad turned to watch his wife walking back towards the door. "I believe it is comments like that one that causes you to lose your warm welcome, Love."

Buffy smirked at her dad and he winked at her. "I am going to stay with your Grandmother while your mother goes to the store for her. You should go with your mother, pick up anything you will want while you are here."

Raising her eyebrows at her dad questionably, she shook her head but earned a nod from her father in return. Buffy huffed, she knew she wasn't going to get out of this. Her dad wanted her to make up with her mom, he always talked about it. "Fine."