A/N : *author ducks flying objects, hides behind one of the objects that has landed in front of her, waves a sign above her head with the words 'I'm sorry' on it in big letters* Seriously guys, let's just chill. Have a little faith in me, okay? Yeah, I know, the lack of Spuffy sucks right now, and I don't think you're gonna like this chapter much either, but please keep on reading cos I promise there will be a happy Spuffy ending, just give it time, and in the meantime, enjoy the W/X-ness. *runs and hides from possible negative reactions to this chapter* Despite the fact some of you were mad at me, I still appreciate the reviews, so thanks to; Veggie-Babu-Chan, rainbow2, Holy Trnity, ms trick, SweetBitter, buffspike, Rachel, SpIkEs AnGeL, luvin-echo16, Moluvsnumber17

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 14 - Loves Me, Loves Me Not

It was Tuesday morning and Susan, the maid, answered the ringing of the main doorbell to find Liam 'Angel' O'Connor on the other side. He asked to see 'Lizzy' but was instead taken to the second sitting room, where Lady Joyce was partaking of breakfast, the liquid variety of course.

"Good Morning, Lady Summers" the young man greeted her, as he was brought into the room "I just came by to see Elizabeth, I was worried when she wasn't in school yesterday" he said with a frown as Lady Joyce sipped at her wine.

"Oh she'll be fine" she told the boy, waving away his concerns with her hand "it's just a little female affliction, shall we say" she smiled as she lied smoothly "Nothing serious"

"Could I see her?" Angel wanted to know, it'd been days since he'd seen his girlfriend and it was strange that she hadn't even called him.

"I don't think that would be a good idea" Joyce shook her head slightly, as she eyed the young man standing before her "but, if you have a moment, I'd like to speak with you" she smiled wider, gesturing for him to take a seat across from her.

"I don't wanna be late for school" Angel shifted uncomfortably, adjusting the book bag on his shoulder. He really did not want to spend time with his girlfriends crazy drunk of a mother.

"I won't take but a moment of your time" the Lady of the house urged him to sit down and with a silent sigh, Liam did as she asked. He was a little bemused when the woman sat in silence for several moments before finally turning her full attention on him and speaking quite loudly.

"You may think this is rather a strange question for me to ask you" Angel winced at that, wondering what was coming "but, do you love my daughter?"

"Yes, ma'am, I do" he answered without hesitation, despite being a little surprised by the bluntness of the question.

"I believe she loves you too, Liam" the older woman smiled, reaching a hand out to cover his "but may I suggest that she is told exactly how you feel" she advised, sipping her drink and withdrawing her hand again "I believe my daughter is very much as I was when I was young" she smiled wistfully as if remembering happier days of her life "She needs a young man on which she can rely, who is sure to be there for her..."

"I'll always be there for her" Angel cut in, despite the fact he'd been taught never to interrupt his elders, still Lady Joyce didn't seen to mind.

"I know that, Liam, I have every faith in you" she assured him "but Elizabeth needs to know how you really feel, she must understand that you are serious about spending your life with her...if that is true, of course" she raised a questioning eyebrow and Angel was getting increasingly uncomfortable discussing this relationship with his girlfriends mother.

"It is true" he nodded once "but I..."

"I don't wish to make your life decisions for you" Lady Joyce interrupted this time "naturally you must think carefully about it, and talk to your parents, I have no doubt, but I just thought I'd let you know my thoughts on the matter" she smiled once again as she watched the cogs turning in Angel's head, she'd certainly given him something to think about. As he realised what she was implying, he smiled and she was pleased to see it.
"Thank you" he nodded as he stood, "I really should be getting to school now"

"Indeed" the Lady agreed "I will tell Elizabeth that you stopped by"

With that, Angel swept from the room, the smile still on his face as he left the Summers residence and made his way to school.

In the hallway outside the sitting room where Lady Joyce still sat, a certain red-head put her hand to her mouth.

"Oh Goddess!" she gasped, almost unable to believe what she'd just heard.

Lady Joyce wanted Angel to propose to Buffy?! This was so not of the good. She was about to run and warn her friend when the door opened and she bolted down the corridor as Lady Joyce emerged and moved toward the main staircase. She was headed towards Buffy's room herself, with news of the impending proposal. If her child was going to be so unruly, it seemed the only way to deal with her was for Liam to make an honest woman of her. It would cure her of her disgusting behaviour, of that Lady Joyce was certain.

"Elizabeth!" she called as she came into her daughters room. Buffy barely heard her as she lie in her bed, her back to the door, face still tear stained and her thoughts all on Spike "Honestly child, I know you are to keep to your room, but to stay in bed all day is just ridiculous..." her mother snapped "I know you're not asleep Elizabeth, you used to do this when you were a child" Buffy closed her eyes tight and willed her mother away, but Lady Joyce did not leave, "Very well" she sighed "I shall say what I came to say and then I'll go. Your young man, Liam O'Connor, was here just a moment ago, quite worried about you. I have high suspicions he might make you an offer in the not too distant future...if I were you Elizabeth, I would make the right choice, and I do believe you know what that is. Of course, if you make the wrong choice, there will be consequences..." she finished menacingly as she swept back out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

And Buffy wept.

Willow had been half way to finding Xander when her mother had caught her and told her to get up to the second floor to help the maids to change the bed clothes there. She was fetching and carrying laundry when Xander almost ran straight into her.

"Hey" he smiled and she sighed, glad they had found each other.

"Xander I have to tell you something..." she began all in a hurry, until she noticed his less than happy expression, "Are you okay?" she checked.

"I just went passed Buffy's room" he told her sadly "she's still crying"

"I wish we could fix all this for her" Willow sighed equally as upset by all this as Xander, "and I think it's gonna get worse" she explained "I heard Lady Joyce talking to Angel about proposals"

"Oh God" Xander closed his eyes and looked pained. He knew what his mother was like when she got an idea in her head, and he had no doubt at all that Angel would agree to marrying Buffy, he loved her after all, that was obvious to everyone.

"It's awful that she can't be with the man she loves" Willow allowed herself one tiny smile as she advanced on Xander, adding "like me"

"Will, not here" he whispered harshly, putting his hands up to stop he coming closer. The red-head frowned as tears came to her eyes.

"But I thought...I thought you felt the same" she said shakily, making Xander feel sick. He didn't mean to hurt her. Gently taking hold of her wrist he pulled her into the corner, out of sight.

"I do" he assured her "you know that I do, but we can't just go around kissing and stuff where people can see us, you know my mom would burst a blood vessel and I'm pretty sure yours wouldn't be far behind" he explained, rationally, and though Willow did know he was right, she hated having to hide how happy she was just knowing Xander cared about her.

"But I love you" she told him honestly, as they looked into each others eyes.

"I know sweetie" Xander smiled, tucking a few strands of red hair behind her ear "and...God, I don't know how it happened" he shook his head lightly, though his gaze never left hers "but, I love you too" he said sincerely.

The tears in Willows eyes finally escaped down her cheeks until Xander carefully wiped them away with his thumbs.

"What's the matter?" he asked her softly.

"I can't believe it" the girl before him choked out "I dreamt it so many times but...I never thought...you really love me?" she checked, unable to believe it was real.

"Yeah" he smiled "I really do" as he checked no-one was around, before pulling her into his arms and kissing her, to prove just how much she really meant to him.

It was the next evening when Angel visited the Summers house again. Lady Joyce was of course thrilled to see him and told the nearest servant to show him to the south parlour whilst she herself fetched her daughter.

"Elizabeth!" she called as she entered Buffy's bedroom, to find her sitting on the wide window sill, looking out across the town "Well, at least you're out of bed today" her mother sighed "now be a good girl, if you remember how to be..." she told Buffy's back as she went into the wardrobe and produced a gown "and put on this dress, because Liam is waiting downstairs to speak to you, I think you can guess what about" she said as Buffy finally turned to look at her mother, tears in her eyes again, as she watched Lady Joyce smooth out the blue dress on the bed.

"Mom, I can't" Buffy choked out "I just..."

"I don't want to hear it Elizabeth" Lady Joyce snapped, heading for the door. She turned back just before she left and looked upon her daughter with some distaste "Your stubbornness comes from your father, I'm certain of it, I was never so argumentative. Now do as you are told, and try to remember you are my daughter and a lady..."

Buffy went back to looking out of the window, tears cascading down her face and sobs threatening to shake her whole body, as she tried to tune out her mothers words. How could she pledge her heart to Angel, agree to be his wife and lover forever, when her heart and head were so full of another man, of Spike. She loved the bleach blond that she barely knew, despite the fact she knew it should be impossible to fall so hard and fast.

As her mother finally left her alone, she turned to look at the dress on her bed. It was the embodiment of Elizabeth, but nothing like the real Buffy. Much like the clothes she'd worn to the Bronze, Buffy knew she must put that girl away in a box at the back of the closet and forget about her. Again she must be Elizabeth Summer, Lady Joyce's daughter and soon Elizabeth O'Connor, Liam's wife..what other choice did she have?

Ten minutes later, in the dress she hated and with her hair done as best she could in the short time she had, Buffy came into the room where Angel waited for her. She looked him up and down and realised with a silent sigh that she didn't even find him remotely attractive anymore, not when she could still see Spike in her minds eye.

"Lizzy, I feel like I haven't seen you in forever" Angel smiled at the sight of her and rushed to hug her close "Are you okay?" he checked as he pulled back, no doubt he noticed the tear tracks on her face.

"I'm fine" she lied, she'd had a lot of practice lately.

"That's good" Angel nodded obviously he believed her, and the two sat down on the nearest sofa together "I actually came here" Angel began somewhat nervously "because, well, I've been worrying about you so much these past few days, I realised that I wanted to be here to take care of you whilst you were going through, well, whatever it was..." he rambled, his hands playing with one of Buffy's and she knew what was coming, she felt sick. "Lizzy, I always want to be there for you, to take care of you and love you" Angel told her seriously, staring at her until she looked up from the floor and their eyes met "So, I wanted to ask..." he smiled as he dropped from the sofa onto one knee in front of her "will you marry me?"

Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, steeling herself against emotions that wanted to drown her and thoughts of Spike that wanted to torture her, she found her voice beneath a sea of turmoil and forced the words she knew she must say passed the lump in her throat.

"Yes" she answered almost inaudibly, "Yes, I will"

To Be Continued...

[My next update will be in a few days on Trouble With Boys :-)]