If my research is correct, this timeline is 2004 as season 3 of VM ended then. This is summer after season 3 and summer after season 4 for BTVS.
Chapter 8: Summer Fun
*****The Next Day*****
Buffy was enjoying her day of sailing and flirting with Logan. He wasn't like any other guy she'd dated. His wealth reminded her of guys from Los Angeles. However, nothing else about him did.
Dick taught Willow how to dive off the boat while Tara used a life jacket to splash around. At first, she was scared of sharks, but Willow reassured her.
"You know I'd kill any shark that got near you, sweetie," Willow said, giving her a wink.
Tara giggled, reassured and insisted on using the boat's ladder to make it to the water.
Dick caught her, though, and he showed her how to back float. It was easy in the life jacket to gain a bit of confidence, and Dick had her splashing in the water in no time.
However, she refused to try to water ski. Willow tried it once, but she wasn't able to stand up on the skis. They had a lot of fun teasing her about it.
"It wasn't that easy!" she protested.
"I thought it was," Buffy said with a smirk.
Willow glared. "That's just because you're all gifted with the physical stuff, and you know it, missy!" she exclaimed.
Both Dick and Logan took a turn showing off on the skis—fun times were had on the water by all of them.
The girls were very surprised that the captain of the boat had a prepared dinner for them.
"Is this how people with too much money live?" Tara asked as she looked at the table prepared.
"Yep," Dick said, pulling out her chair for her. "So get used to it. My girls will be treated like queens."
Tara and Willow laughed.
Logan rolled his eyes. "You're piling it on a bit thick there, Dick," he said.
"You're just jealous 'cause they like me more!" Dick said with a smirk.
"Well, I'm the one that's actually family as Willow is my sister's sister, which kind of makes her my sister," Logan said smugly. "As big brother, it's my duty to keep her away from unsavory characters like you!"
The girls laughed again, enjoying the mock fight.
"How about we just all get along?" Willow suggested with a grin.
"As long as Dick understands the hierarchy, we'll get along just fine," Logan said pointedly.
Dick snickered but didn't argue further, knowing Logan was mostly just kidding.
Willow was really enjoying being center of attention by boys in a nonsexual compacity for once. However, it did make her miss Xander.
"I'm so glad Xander's going to move to town," she said to Buffy. "We have to help him find an apartment."
"Who's Xander?" Dick asked.
"He's our best guy friend," Willow said. "He and I have been best friends since kindergarten. There was another friend, Jesse, but he's gone." Her sad look made both men not ask Jesse related questions.
"Xander's the best," Buffy said with a beaming smile.
"Did you date him?" Logan asked.
Buffy shook her head. "No, he's not dated either of us—he kissed Willow once when she was into guys, though," Buffy said.
"Really?" Dick asked, interested.
"That was a mistake," Willow said, shuddering as she thought of the ugly fallout.
"Xander is a sweetheart," Tara said. He was always so accepting of her from the beginning.
"He has a serious girlfriend, but Anya doesn't want to move," Buffy said. "I'm not sure if they'll make it or not."
"Even though I've not met him, I can say for sure, they won't make it," Logan said. When Buffy and Willow frown up at him, he continued. "No relationship can withstand a guy moving out of the town his girlfriend lives in so he can be closer to two other girls."
"Hey, it's not like that!" Buffy protested. "The three of us have been through a lot. He saved my life once. Sunnydale is a hell hole that he wanted an excuse to leave more than just to be with us."
"When is he getting to town?" Tara asked.
"He should be here Monday to secure a place," Buffy said. "He's starting his job on campus next week, I think."
"Good," Tara said.
"He's not a student?" Dick asked.
"No, he doesn't like school," Willow said.
"That's understandable," Dick said. "I don't like it much either."
"But it's a necessary evil," Logan said.
"I'm sure Weevil will be able to find him a place he can afford," Buffy said. "Weevil lives in a small complex not far from me."
"Weevil? You're on first name bases with Weevil, a former gang leader?" Dick asked.
"She got on his bike the other night," Logan reminded him.
"I met him when I went with Xander on his job interview," Buffy said. "He said he could teach me to ride a bike since all my friends and my mother have given up on teaching me to drive cars."
"Hey, some of us want to live," Willow said quickly.
"I could teach you," Logan offered.
When even Tara looked unsure, Logan gave the women a puzzled look. "She can't be that bad?"
"Well…" Tara said, not sure how to frame a polite response.
"I'm not!" Buffy said. "I hit one car that stopped too suddenly that one time!"
"Her foot also sticks to the gas pedal and fear for your life suddenly becomes a real thing," Willow said with a smirk.
"All my friends are cowards," Buffy said with a pout.
"Maybe, you just need a car that handles well," Logan said.
"Your car is mammoth," Buffy said.
"Yes, but I do have my mom's smaller car in the garage," Logan said. "We can try that."
"Cool!" Buffy said. "And maybe I'll break down and get my own cell phone."
"I can't believe you don't have a phone," Dick said. "That's just whack!"
"I broke two and decided phones weren't for me," Buffy said. "But Neptune isn't as dangerous as Sunnydale, so maybe I'll do better."
"I've never been to Sunnydale," Logan said.
"Me either," Dick said.
"Let's keep it that way," Buffy said. Willow and Tara nodded in agreement.
Logan thought it was odd that all three women looked very grim at her words.
*****A Week Later*****
Buffy was humming as she sat at the breakfast table. The week had been fabulous. In fact, Buffy was hard pressed to remember the last time that she had so many days in a row go so well. After her boating time with Logan, Dick had taken Willow and Tara home while Logan took Buffy. She had allowed him to kiss her goodnight, grinning up at him afterward.
"You are very good at that," she said.
"I've had some practice," he said modestly.
"I can tell," she said with a wink.
She had enjoyed that fact that Logan didn't push her but allowed her to kiss him and then hop out of his car.
The next day, Weevil had let her ride his bike. First, he was on it and let her steer the bike. He gave her many tips while she drove around the campus parking lot, getting comfortable. Eventually, he let her go onto the empty streets around campus—Sundays were a desert on campus. When she felt ready, she was allowed to drive solo in the parking lot. She wasn't ready to go onto the streets by herself.
"I knew you could do it," Weevil said with a grin.
"It's not so bad without any cars to avoid," Buffy said with a rueful smile.
"Next time, we'll go out on the open highway, so you don't have to stop all the time. That's the best way to get a good feel for it," Weevil said.
They'd had coffee and muffins afterward.
She'd spent Monday helping her mom organize her shop.
Keith Mars had taken them both to lunch, and Buffy was very smitten with her mother's new beau. He was witty and clever, and he clearly liked her mother. Buffy couldn't remember the last time her mother had seemed so carefree and happy.
"When Mac gets back from her camping trip, I'll ask her if she can tweak your website," Keith said. "She's very gifted and did wonders for my own."
"I think she comes back this weekend sometime," Buffy said. "She said two weeks."
Keith nodded and pulled up his site on his cell to show her mother what Mac did.
Xander stopped by after they returned to lunch, and both Summer women were happy to see him.
Turns out that Weevil's building did have a place open as it came with free rent if he would agree to be the building's handy man. Weevils criminal history wouldn't allow him to do it. Xander had been beyond thrilled to not have to worry about making rent.
"Not only can I treat myself to actual cable, but I can get a movie channel or two!" Xander had declared with an excited grin.
When Keith had found out that Xander did have some real skill, he asked Xander to look at his shower that didn't keep pressure or heat.
"Our maintenance man is really lazy," he said. "It's taken a lot for me to keep Veronica from pulling out her taser on the guy."
Buffy had found out that Veronica, Keith's daughter wasn't scheduled to return home until August fifteenth. She was looking forward to meeting the girl that everyone spoke about with such awe and admiration. Even Dick, who admitted to not liking her, seemed to hold her in some high regard. Since she didn't use her fists like Buffy, Buffy was very intrigued.
She'd spent the rest of the weekdays helping Xander move into his new place and going shopping with him for things he needed. Willow and Tara also had enjoyed dragging him to various places they'd discovered. He'd went from his parents' basement to finally having his own place, so it was a big deal for him. Xander enjoyed having all the attention and settling into his new apartment.
Of course, he was just happy to be back with his girls even if he felt a stab of pain at the loss of Anya's esteem over the move.
Buffy also spent time with Weevil as he lived in the same building with Xander. Xander and Weevil were already fast friends, bonding over a love of muscle cars.
She had gone to the movies last night with Logan, and they went to dinner beforehand. During the appetizer, she'd admitted that she'd not been to a movie theatre in years, and his eyes had been wide in disbelief.
"Seriously?" he asked.
"There wasn't a movie place in Sunnydale, and we usually spent our down time dancing at this club in town called the Bronze," she admitted. "We'd watch movies at each other's houses, though."
"Okay, that settles it," Logan said. "We are going to the movies after dinner." He pulled out his phone to see what was playing.
"I'm game," Buffy said.
"We have a new Harry Potter movie," Logan said.
"What's that?" Buffy asked.
"Seriously?" Logan asked in surprise. "It's based on the books where Harry Potter is a wizard, and he goes to magic school."
"Really? That seems kind of fun," she said.
"But you've missed out on the first two," Logan said. "The Notebook is a romantic drama. Troy is ancient action. Or Mean Girls—that looks like a high school comedy of some kind."
"Well, a romantic movie could be fun, but if it makes you cry, I'm not sure I will look at you the same," Buffy said with a smirk.
"Then we are definitely saying no to The Notebook," Logan said. "Mean Girls it is."
The two of them enjoyed the movie immensely and had a spirited conversation afterward, sharing how freakishly accurate the move was in some respects to their own experiences at high school.
Eventually, he took her home and walked her to her door.
"That was fun," Buffy said, smiling up at him.
"Yes, it was," Logan said. "It's easy being with you."
"I kind of feel the same," Buffy said.
Logan smiled. "Good night, Buffy," he told her, placing another soft kiss on her lips before walking away.
Thinking about her night, kept her singing the next morning as she poured milk into cereal.
Joyce came into the kitchen. "Good morning, sweetie," she said.
"Good morning," Buffy said.
"Did you want eggs? I can cook you something," Joyce said.
"No, that's okay," Buffy said. "I'm going to Xander's in another hour. He'll feed me again."
Joyce laughed. "I'm so glad he's here with us," she said.
"Me, too," she replied. "He said he's doing brunch—Weevil's helping him. Tara and Willow are coming over."
"That sounds fun," Joyce said. She opened up a kitchen drawer and then turned back to Buffy. "I got you something."
"You did?" Buffy asked, surprised.
"Here's a new cell phone," Joyce said.
Buffy's eyes lit up. "Awesome! Thanks, Mom!" she said, getting up and hugging her.
"The number is inside the box. It's already turned on," Joyce said. "Now you can be reached at any time."
"Oh, so that's what this was about," Buffy said with a grin.
"Of course," Joyce said. "Keith told me that I can track your location with it if I want."
Buffy laughed. "Well, then, I'm glad you'll always be able to find me if I get lost!"
Joyce stroked Buffy's hair. "This is a good move, and I love that you're doing normal things with normal friends," Joyce said. "Having a cell phone is what other kids your age have."
"And soon, I'll have a license!" Buffy said. "Logan's going to let me drive his mom's car this afternoon."
"His dead mother's car?" Joyce asked in alarm. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"Mom!" Buffy said. "I'm not going to wreck it! I'm going to drive around campus where there's hardly anyone. That's what Weevil had me do, and it helped a lot."
"Learning how to avoid accidents with other drivers is the biggest part of being a good driving, Buffy," Joyce said.
"Yes, I know, Mom," Buffy replied. "Baby steps."
"You should call your friends and give them your new number," Joyce suggested.
"Good idea," Buffy said. She called Willow first. Then she said, "I wonder if Mac is back."
"Your new friend that's the same major as Willow?" Joyce asked.
"Yes, she's a computer gal," Buffy said. "I have to go find her number." She went to her room and found it on her dresser.
Mac answered on the first ring. "Hello?"
"Hi, Mac. This is Buffy. You gave me your number before your trip," Buffy said.
"Yes, I remember," Mac said. "How's your summer going?"
"Amazing. How was the trip?" Buffy asked.
"I survived," Mac said.
"I finally got a cell phone, so this is my new number," Buffy said.
"Great. I'll save it," Mac said.
"Are you busy this morning?" Buffy said. "I'm having brunch at a friend's, and Willow and Tara will be there. We'd love to have you join us."
"Sure," Mac said. "Just text me the address."
"I will," Buffy said. "See you soon." She hung up and then sent Mac the address to Xander's.
An hour later, she was having a good time with her friends, impressed with Xander's quiche.
"I can't believe you know how to make a quiche!" Buffy said.
"I watched a cooking show on my fancy new cable channels," Xander said smugly.
"It's good," Mac said, giving him a dimpled smile.
"You have a dimple! That's so cute!" Xander said. "None of the girls have dimples."
"So what's that supposed to mean?" Willow asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Nothing! Just an observation," Xander said quickly.
Weevil snickered. "Be careful, man. We are greatly outnumbered," he said.
"I've been outnumbered for years," Xander said. "I'm used to it."
Mac enjoyed watching her new friends interact, finding it highly amusing that Weevil seemed so at ease with them.
*****Fourth of July*****
A month in her new town, and Buffy was surrounded by new friends, playing an intense game of beach volleyball. It was her, Weevil, Mac, and Xander against Logan, Dick, Willow and Tara.
How Weevil got talked into spending time with two men he detested was due to Buffy's influence. She'd been dating both Weevil and Logan, and the two were aware of it. However, she hadn't slept with either as she was just enjoying having fun and getting to know them both. Weevil hung out with her more as he and Xander were becoming good friends. Neither Xander nor Buffy was sharing their dark hellmouth history with the former gang leader, though. They liked having a friend who knew them without any tragedy marring his opinion.
This was the first time, though, that Logan and Weevil had crossed paths.
Willow and Tara both wanted to spend the Fourth with Dick and Logan as Xander had only got to hang out with them once. Xander wasn't sure what to think about the couple's friendship with Dick even though he understood Willow wanting to know Logan since he was the brother of her bio-sister. The guys seemed nice enough, though, so he was happy to hang with them on his favorite holiday. Xander had figured a bit of friendly competition would break the ice and suggested the game of volleyball almost immediately.
Both Logan and Weevil found it really hard to say no to Buffy as she was so joyful and enthusiastic about everything. It was like she'd been kept from having fun for a long time and was experiencing things for the first time. Neither man was prepared to cause her to frown even if they didn't like that she seemed to be attracted to both of them.
Wallace Fennel was taking his brother Darrel to the beach when he spotted some familiar faces. Mac was playing volleyball with Weevil. He blinked—not sure he was seeing everything right. He saw some people he didn't know, but then he recognized Logan and Dick.
Weevil was playing a game of volleyball with Logan Echolls and Dick Casablanca.
It must be the end of the world.
*****To Be Continued*****
I decided to push time a bit, so we can get through the summer and the return of Veronica. We're closer! Review if you'd be so kind. Thanks!
