Notes:
Long one!!! Sorry for the delay, was a tad sick – am better
now!! This one is not very easily described so read away! Please review – you know
how it makes me tingly inside and causes my fingers to continue their visit on
the keyboard….
-------------------------------
msu: yah, am worried story is going too slow, am I
getting too involved? Have tried to be better! Whadya think?
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is the film, it is an Indian film but if you are in an area
close to a fairly large Asian population, you should find a store that has it!
The actors are Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukerji.
Nshadows: Tx! Am a desperate persona!
MarkedOne: so glad ur still reading! Tx! Aww – how was vacation? Didya
go anywhere fun and exciting?
dustyvamp: thank you!! Spike and Buffy VERY soon! If not in the next
chapter, definitely in the one after that!
Kirsten: aww, Poor Brian! I am edging slightly, but…who knows. S/B
reunion is coming ASAP.
Slyffindor Protegy: am vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv insecure
writer. Thank you!
falcon: hehe – that is soooooooooooo cool! Thanks for the lovely
comments.
Carol 2620: mucho thank you's to you!!
DEE: Thank you for reading! It's really uplifting!
UR ALL SO DAMN LOVELY!!!!!!
Kay: hmm…no….he is a lot older…..
Addicted: aww thank you, ur so sweet! *grins* *hhhuuuggsss*
Spikeslittledevil: Am truly touched that you are so caring J
YOU ARE ALL LOVELY PPL – AM BEYOND HAPPY!!!
Gina: thankya, I love Cordy, she's a nutty one.
Undefined: u.r.a.bootifool.persona.
Alison : HOLS ARE TRES GOOD. Thank you!!! Love
hols!! More please? am back on Tuesday….
Lia: tank tu amiga!! I am too SLOW.
Sophie: thank you!! Could you help me with the
French? I'm not good but I kinda get by. I want to show Liz's French nature but
don't wanna do it wrong! Could I maybe run some lines by you?
elfgirl: he he, Liz/Buffy? Voila?
spikez: thank you! Lol, no, I don't like totally AU, it becomes a bit
tacky from me. Plus I wanted a challenge, and It's not exact to the KKHH
script, just the main gist and a scene or two, converted.
Dimple: thankya! Love ya!
KK: that is sooo nice of you to say! S/B is an intense scene – so I'm takin
my time to do it justice.
__________________________
Stuff between these lines:
---
are song/poem lyrics, disclaimed at beginning of episode if necessary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Thank you Rupert."
"Yeah, thanks Uncle Giles."
Giles and Peter chuckled as Liz plopped herself in the taxi next to Peter.
"Do be sure to call me."
"We will."
"Goodbye, good luck."
"Thank you!!! Byyyeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!"
Giles smiled again as Liz waved furiously out of the window. When the taxi drove around the shrubbery, away from sight, Giles nodded in a proud way and still smiling, went back into the house, Sergio at his heel.
~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The drive was relatively short, a half-hour, perhaps. Liz was fidgeting at an extreme rate and Peter was equally as bad. When the taxi pulled into the Camp, their anticipation reached an almost unbearable point, and without even fully absorbing their surroundings, allowed themselves to be ushered, with their belongings, into separate rooms, in different areas of the camp.
In reality, the camp was large, including sports courts for basketball and rounders (the British version of baseball-ish). There was a ramp leading over the lake and several wooden buildings and tents were scattered over the area. There were a forest of cabins in clusters around the edges and Liz was lead to one of the cabins in a cluster near the entrance. There were three bunks, two of which were already filled. The last one remained empty and Liz, slightly nervous, made her way to it.
"Hi, I'm Verity." A girl in the top bunk, parallel to Liz's waved and smiled.
"I'm Liz."
"You're lucky you got here before your bunk mate, you got top."
"You too."
"Yeah, I was here last year. Most of the newbies end up on bottom."
"What grade are you in?"
"I'm going into three."
"Cool, that's mine too. Do you know who'll be our teacher."
"We all want Ms Summers, but you could get Mrs Forthright."
"I heard about Ms Summers, have you ever had her?"
"Yeah, she taught me last year. She's reeeaaaalllllllyyyyyy nice."
Liz nodded and smiled at Verity. The other girl was round faced, plain brown hair and green eyes. She was dressed as any true tomboy would be, shorts, a scruffy long shirt and pigtails.
"Hello."
Liz looked down and a boy smiled back up at her.
"Hi." She replied, smiling.
"I'm your Bunkie."
"Do you mind? I took top, but we can swap every week or something."
"No, its fine. I'm Tom."
"I'm Liz."
"Are you new?"
"Yeah."
"Me too."
Liz was about to continue their conversation when a voice silenced the room.
"Hey guys." A blonde, petit woman was standing before them. Her hair was down, pulled back in a half-pony tail with fiddly wisps coming out in a messy/beautiful way and her face was shining and bright. She wore a pink sundress, with flower sandals and a simple cross necklace.
Liz immediately felt she liked this new woman, whoever she was. The other kids seemed to agree and one asked, "Are you going to be our cabin teacher?"
The teacher grinned and nodded. "Yup."
"Oh yes. Score!" Verity called out and two other people agreed.
The blond teacher smiled and continued. "Alllllright. Let me take this register, I've got another cabin you know."
"One of the camp staff, Mark, is also in charge of this cabin so if you have a cabin problem, he's the best other person to go to."
She waited while everyone nodded and then continued.
"There are a few rules. No fighting, no bullying, your
rooms must be tidy, we'll be checking them, your beds are included in said
tidying."
She grinned at them in a knowing fashion and added, "Other than that, basic
rules, be polite, stay within sight, listen to us, and have fun!"
"You betcha Ms Summers."
Liz nearly gasped out loud. THIS was Buffy Summers? She was so different from…an evil freak woman. This woman was pretty and glowy and nice.
"Alright, you have ten minutes to sort yourselves out, then everyone has to meet at the cafeteria for lunch."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Sara, she's feisty that one." Spike sighed and fell onto the couch.
The house was so empty without Liz. It wasn't that he was worried. The widowed vampire was aware that his baby was in safe hands; probably having fun doing whatever it was that she was doing. It was more that Spike had realised that other than Liz…he had nothing, he did nothing. When his friends had commented on the fact, he has dismissed them. He did lots of things other than work. He watched TV, played tennis, read, drew, and went out with… Liz.
What else could be out there for him?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Now that we're all out here, I'd like to introduce the camp. This is camp Horwood. It's a chance for all you guys to meet some other kids in your area from other schools and to meet some friends for next year in your own respective classes."
"There are four respective grades, 2,3,4 and 5. For each of these grades there are pupils from seven respective schools."
"Each of you has a teacher and a parent or camp staff who are responsible for you. You should have been told who those two people are. They are the ones you should go to, but if you can't find them, feel free to ask for help from any one of us."
"I hope you all have a great summer! Let's eat!"
The camp administrator, an old woman, robust and scarily cuddly looking sat down and the food rush began.
Peter had recognised her instantly. She had barely
changed, her face was older, but she still held the same aura of strength and
dignity that had commanded respect long ago. Her face was happy, her movement
flowing…it was so strange to see her this way. He caught himself thinking of
Sara, of how she would have grown with similar grace and beauty…. but no. Now
was not the time. Once his task was achieved, he could rest easily in his
memories.
*Not quite yet, you old fool*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Liz found that not only did she have most of her day with Buffy, but also that the camp was a lot more fun than she had expected.
There was a lot of dancing, singing and acting mainly for 'lessons'. There were sports to play, the lake to swim in and the music centre to use.
"Alright then folks. I have like totally arrived." Buffy melodramatically flipped her hair across her shoulder. Pouting her lips she sashayed towards the blanket covered area of grass where Liz and her friends were giggling.
"In today's class DARLINGS, we are going to put on a HORROR skit."
Staying in her horrendous mock-role Buffy dumped a box in front of her kids and proceeded to pull out all manner of costume.
"I want colours DARLING, Blues and greens, be imaginative! Make up your own MONSTORS, then, when everyone is finished, we'll scuttle on to the PRODUCTION!"
Seeing that the class were no longer laughing, and instead had taken to looking at her like she'd grown another head, Buffy dropped the act.
"So I shouldn't head into acting then?" Buffy asked wryly.
They all nodded in a mock-sombre fashion and Buffy rolled her eyes before emptying out the box fully.
Once the stampede was over and everyone was busy setting himself or herself up, Buffy started wandering round helping out where she could and admiring the imaginative process at work.
"Hey Liz, you look pretty normal, what are you?"
"I'm a vampire."
Buffy stopped her eyes bugging and smiled instead. "I thought vampires would have a cloak or some big teeth and really warty skin…"
"Nope. I think vampires look really normal but then they have a vampirey face that they put on when they're hunting people."
"Oh."
Liz nodded, playing up to the silly little girl stereotype and struggled to
hide her glee at Buffy's somewhat pained face.
"Ok, why don't you do the 'vampirey' face so people can tell what you are."
"Sure."
Buffy nodded, a little unnerved at how close to reality Liz's interpretation of vampires was. Luckily for Buffy's mental state, the rest of the kids stuck to the basic idea and she was faced with pointy-hatted/warty witches, toilet-papered mummies and hairy yetties.
Liz had eerily made a mask that bore uncomfortable
resemblance to a game face and Buffy was certain that Liz had some connection
with vampires. The thought that vampires had tainted a child as gorgeous as Liz
made Buffy's blood curl and she knew that the mystery had to be solved.
*You can take the girl out of the Slayer hood but you can't take the Slayer out
of the girl. *
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Come on, Liz."
"I'm coming!"
Wrapping her blanket round her shoulders tighter, Liz followed Peter towards the phone booth at the entrance of the camp.
"Have you seen her?" Liz whispered, barely containing her excitement.
"Yes."
"Well?"
"She looks the way I remember her to look."
"I think she's great."
"She's a lot more feminine. I remember when she was an active Slayer I barely ever caught her in a dress, but she wears one quite often now, and her hair is a lot more styled. I think when she retired it must have released such a huge tension for her."
"I can't imagine her fighting monsters and being really tough."
"I'm not surprised. She had a very traumatic past if I remember correctly, she was quite tense. It was your father that kept her level and able to cope."
"We're here."
"Ok, time to call your Dad."
"Abuelo…?"
"I do not like the sound of that."
"Well, I mean, we've been here for two days already…. I like Buffy…maybe we should get Dad out here too?"
When he heard Spike pick up the phone, Peter passed the handset down to Liz.
"Hello?"
"Hey Dad."
"Liz! Princess, please come home. I'm missing you so much."
"Dad! I'm not coming home. You can come here with me and granddad if you want but I really want to stay! It's so much fun here and I'm practising my English…"
"Liz – I have meetings."
"You need a holiday."
"Alright, I'll be there by the end of the week. Where is this damned camp?"
Peter took the phone from Liz and directed Spike to the camp brochures that the old man had purposely left in his son-in-law's dining room.
"Alright, I give. See you in three days."
"Bye, William."
"Bye Peter, Tell Liz I love her."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Morning Brian, come on in." Dawn smiled as the smiling man walked into Edgewood and picked up Felia.
"Hey Dawn is Giles in?"
"Yeah, he's in the kitchen. Watch out though, he's been in a grouch all week."
Brian nodded an easily found his way to the kitchen. Giles was talking on the phone.
"Yes Buffy, I am fine…No no, Dawn has kept me on that infernal diet of yours…she did…It was probably a lucky shot…game face…well, that is unusual…. why don't you just come out and ask her?"
After a few moments of talking on Buffy's end, Giles sighed and spoke again.
"Buffy, how are you, really…the wedding is coming up in a few months, you're not giving yourself much time to prepare…I know you don't want a big fancy wedding, but Buffy it is a wedding. I'm just worried your heart isn't in it."
Brian shifted uncomfortably at the door. That was precisely what he had come to talk to Giles about. He knew there was someone in Buffy's past, someone she would probably never forget, but she was healed – or so she said. However, Brian couldn't help an uncomfortable feeling that the woman he loved did not feel entirely the same way. There was always that…hesitation…before she said 'Me too' or, on the rare chance she did say 'I love you', it sounded forced – no, not forced – but, painfully convincing enough for not only Brian, but perhaps herself.
He didn't doubt she loved him, but in a quiet, simple way. Was that even love? Love was meant to be fiery and passionate, consuming and refreshing – that's how he felt, anyway.
"Alright Buffy, Goodbye." Giles hung up the phone and pinched the bridge of his nose once more.
"Hey Giles."
Startled, Giles looked round to see Brian enter the kitchen, smiling and holding a magazine of some kind.
"Hello, Brian."
They talked idly for some minutes, scanning the dresses and decorations that Buffy had left to Brian and making general comments about nothing in particular.
"I love her very much, Giles."
Confused by the seemingly random change in topic, Giles nodded. "Of course you do, Brian. No one ever doubted it."
"She doesn't love me, does she?"
Giles looked away, instinctively and then cursed himself for doing so in such a guilty manner.
"Don't be silly Brian." He muttered and stood, leaving the room.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Buffy eased open the cabin door and stood quietly while watching Peter and Liz together.
"Tell Daddy to stay safe and not miss me too much and to please put my drawing kit away because I forgot." Liz kissed Peter goodnight and he ruffled her hair before leaving. Just as he got to the door her noticed Buffy.
"I just came in to say goodnight. I'm a bit late." She said.
"Everyone's asleep, except Liz."
"I'll say goodnight to her then."
Buffy smiled as Peter left and then walked up to Liz's bunk.
"Hey Liz."
"Hey."
"My that was an awfully long list of things for your Daddy to do! Maybe your Mummy will give him a hand, eh?"
"No, I don't think so."
"Oh, why not?"
"Well, she's too busy in heaven."
Buffy's mouth semi-froze in an 'oh' expression and her face fell slightly. "Maybe she's hanging out with my Mom?"
"Is your mum in heaven too?"
"Yeah, she is."
Liz nodded and bit back the few tears that seemed to have come out. Having Buffy talk to her like that, in a comforting way…it made her remember Sara and what could have been.
"Hey now, no crying. They're very happy up there. It's a lovely place, Heaven."
"Yeah?"
"I'm positive." Buffy said, no pain laced in with her words. "Whats that?"
Liz looked down to the frame in her hands, the picture against her chest.
"It's a picture of my mum."
"I have a picture of my mom too, at home. Can I see yours?"
"Sure."
Liz gave Buffy the photo frame and watched as Buffy smiled at her and then looked.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
