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A/N- I didn't forget about it! I swear!
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The early morning sun beats down on the streets of the Port Of Sunnydale, heating the cobblestone roadways to the point it would burn a barefooted townsperson. People know keep their shoes on their feet on days like these. Steam rises from the stone, humidity heavy in the air, as residents and visitors to the Port trudge their way to their respective destinations.
Heads of lettuce wilt in the market, children carrying their families' goods are weighed down with the burden of responsibility at a young age. But such is the way of the world in Sunnydale. Children are forced to grow up too fast. Some say 'God forgot about this town.'
Buffy Summers walks through the streets, observing her surroundings with the quiet hatred that one finds in most people her age in Sunnydale. This town has taken their childhoods, their chances, their love… Women await their lovers, and children for their fathers, a game of waiting that never ends. Never will end. Buffy learned that lesson long ago.
She rushes to her work, realizing she has tarried far too long in her contemplation. She sighs, and vows to stop thinking so much. It only complicates things. A woman isn't supposed to think. Thinking causes anger, and anger causes too much trouble. Buffy learned that lesson, too.
She'd been working at Giles' bar for a month when the first incident had happened. He was the first sailor she punched. Well, she had asked her fellow barmaids, what would you have done? He had been asking for it. People learned very quickly to keep their hands off the young Buffy Summers.
Those who hadn't, well, they learned soon enough. A few broken noses later, Buffy was even more desirable, the forbidden fruit of sailors. Adam and Eve were tempted in the garden; seafaring men are tempted in Giles' bar.
There is a buzz about town today; the word on the street is that the Angelus is sailing back to Port. The Angelus was a fine ship; many of the crewmembers were from Sunnydale. Thus many of the townspeople were anxiously awaiting news of the ship and its crew.
Buffy arrives at Giles' bar, seeing her best friend Willow pace nervously around the bar. "Wills?" she calls to her, and a stunned Willow is brought back to reality. Buffy laughs, "Just go down there Will. You're not going to get anything done today. I'll cover for you."
A grateful smile crosses Willow's lips, lighting up her eyes. "Thanks, Buff," she smiles. Daniel is the coxswain on the Angelus, and anytime anyone even mentions the ship, her ears perk up for news of her lover.
Though Buffy still thinks Willow is foolish for pining and waiting on Daniel, she lets it go. Willow knows exactly what Buffy thinks. There is no point in repeating it.
Giles looks at Buffy sadly, scared for the young woman. "Go with her Buffy, get outside. Take the day off," he tells the pair. Buffy moves to object him, but Giles gives her the Look. The look of a father to his daughter.
Buffy sighs and obeys. Giles is the closest thing to a parent she'll ever have. Her mother never cared when she was younger, and these days, she just sits at home and drinks herself blind. Giles has employed her, cared for her these past few years. She didn't know what she would do without him. When Buffy was first hired, it was for her beauty, an attraction for the bar. Giles has developed a genuine love for the girl.
The two leave the bar, Willow's enthusiasm carrying her and dragging Buffy to the docks. A crowd has gathered, waiting, just waiting for the ship to come in. Buffy sometimes thinks that is what Sunnydale is all about- waiting. Waiting for the world to somehow change, waiting for lovers and fathers and best friends who'll probably never return.
She looks at the bright eyes of the people, of Willow, and envies how their happiness comes so easily. She knows Willow is not stupid, but she wonders how she can so blindly trust in love.
Children race through the crowd, running and bumping into people as they play their games. None of the citizens are rich; they wear the common garments of poverty. No one in Sunnydale is very wealthy, and few are well off. Life is lived one day at a time, one good day at the market to the next bad one.
A child climbs a tree, splintering his hands on the rough wood, but he does not care. The higher up he climbs, the more he can see off into the distance. Small ships litter the port, mostly merchants sailing along the coast to sell their goods. Suddenly he sees it, a point in the distance rapidly coming closer, flying across the blue water.
"It's coming!" the child yells, jubilation in his voice. He has no attachment to the ship; he is just a child caught up in the town's excitement. "It's here!" he yells again, sending murmurs of excitement through the crowd. Like a wave, it spreads, reaching out to the edges of the crowd.
Willow turns to Buffy, paling in her nervousness. She has not seen Daniel in months, and she wonders about his love for her. She wishes she could relay her fears to Buffy, but she knows her friend is no one to go to for comfort on the subject of sailors. She tries to swallow down her fears, but the "what ifs" keeping coming. What if he doesn't love me anymore? What if he's moved on?
Buffy sees her best friend nervousness, her anxious demeanor and takes pity on her. She gathers her up into a hug and whispers softly to her. "He loves you, you know. He's just waiting for that ship to dock so he can see you," she says comfortingly. She doesn't believe it, and Willow knows it, but she is grateful to her friend for trying.
The ship docks and the people crowd around it, packing themselves even more tightly. Someone sets down a wooden plank and the sailors file off the ship quickly, many different emotions crossing their faces. Some jubilant, some excited, some nervous, some sad. They are happy to see the Port again. But for those who have lived here, it is a bittersweet homecoming- years in this hell of a town, only to return to it.
Willow sees Daniel among the crowd and she runs to him, and he runs to her and they crash in a hug that Buffy is willing to bet could shatter some bones. She snorts at all the women in the crowd, acting just like Willow. Running to their men, their sailors. Fools.
She raises a cool eyebrow as she spots a sailor with no woman as his appendage. He must not be from here. He's made his false promises in another godforsaken town. They're all the same.
She sees Darla coming towards him. Jerk! You're cheating on your wife with her? But then Buffy realizes she has no idea about that sailor. He probably doesn't even have a wife. But still... Darla? You couldn't do better than that?
Buffy sees he could do better than that. He is dark and curiously pale, Buffy would think that he'd be in the sun all day, with an air of mystery about him. He's certainly attractive. To other women, Buffy amends in her head. Not to her. Not at all. No. Not attractive at all.
Their eyes meet across the crowd and Buffy turns away quickly, hiding her eyes. She wonders what has come over her.
Willow and Daniel are walking back to the bar, love in their eyes. Buffy sighs again. Fools. Will they ever learn? Nothing good ever came of love. Nothing good ever came of loving a sailor.
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A/N- Okay, I'm REALLY really sorry about the long wait for this chapter. ::dodges rocks being hurled in her direction::. When I started the fic, I had a whole idea planned out-- sadly, my creative muse left me and real life started again. Another reason this fic is progressing so slowly is that I was searching through ff.net and found a B/S fic with exactly the same premise--and I know for a fact that whoever wrote it pulled their inspiration directly from where I did. I haven't read the fic, as to not copy the story in any way, but I still don't like the idea of doing something that someone else has done before. But don't worry, I'm still going to write it, because of all the amazing feedback I've been receiving. My other AU story, Slayer and the Slave, is my main priority, but I promise to try and update this story as much as my muse lets me.
Thank everybody who reviewed this, and especially those who sent me personal emails telling me to get working. They are the true inspiration of this story.
Lady Moiraine, aimee, Ashley A, Ann, Nelo, elle, chris, AngelRose4, Emba, Jillian Ryn, big bertha, Lindsay, Kathleen, TK2,
My personal harasser- Balloonphobia,
To Erica for her request.
And to Kendra for telling me to get off my lazy ass.
Much love to all of you.
-D