The next afternoon provided the new arrivals with a rare sunny day and no
fog. Buffy and her mother sat on a bench in Piccadilly Circus watching the
passer-by, and taking in their new surroundings.
"Oh my God, Mom. It's so beautiful here." Buffy said in complete awe while looking around the city.
"Yes it is, honey," said Joyce. She was more thrilled than she could say with how the change of scenery had piqued Buffy's interest so quickly. She rewrapped the remainder of the fish n' chips they'd been munching on and stuffed them into a paper bag. "So how do you like the apartment? I know it's smaller than what we're used to, but it was the only thing available and it was so very close to the museum and not too far from school either, and I just think–"
Buffy smiled, "Mom it's beautiful. I love it. And it's perfect."
Joyce smirked, "I know, I'm rambling," Buffy rolled her eyes comically. "Take pity on your old mother, Buffy, she tends to get overexcited."
Buffy smiled, and scooted closer to her mother to lean against her shoulder. Her jet lag had dissipated, and along with it, the dark, heavy burden she'd been feeling on her small shoulders for two long months. Being in a new place opened up doors in her mind like nothing else could have done.
"C'mon, dear, we should go back to our new home, so we can actually live in it," said Joyce with a wry grin. The Summers women stood up from the bench, and headed back to the apartment.
Buffy really did like the apartment. In fact, the whole building complex was just stunning. The flat had two bedrooms and two baths, a living room, kitchen, and a bonus room, and it had come furnished. Buffy's room was by far the best. It had a window overlooking the park and a walk-in closet. The midnight blue walls were blank, but she decided to fill them up with many pictures. Maybe some pictures of her dad, for whom she still hoped would not sever his ties with her. She'd definitely try to find a poster print of some John Waterhouse paintings, and have her mother frame them. She'd make her room her sanctuary. Her safe place, so that maybe sleep and dreams would no longer hold any horror for her.
Joyce Summers was absolutely exhausted. After a whole afternoon and evening of unpacking, and making a home, she definitely needed a breather. Thinking Buffy might like to have an 'ice cream' break; Joyce leaned into her daughter's bedroom door.
"Buffy, I thought maybe we could-" Joyce paused when she realized Buffy wasn't in her room. Frowning slightly, she headed towards one of the bathrooms. When she didn't find her there, Joyce felt a sense of dread start to creep over her.
'Don't be ridiculous Joyce,' she admonished herself. 'She wouldn't have gone anywhere without telling you. And nothing could've happened to her in here.' But then, Joyce had thought that nothing bad could have happened to her little girl in the quiet town of Sunnydale; and ever since then, her illusions of a safe world crumbled, and she began to panic easily at the slightest hint of trouble.
A loud knock at the door made her jump, as she continued to search the apartment, calling for her daughter. She knew she was being irrational, but her heart refused to calm its pounding, as she approached the door slowly. Her imagination was getting the better of her, and visions of policemen, waiting to give her the news every parent dreads hearing flashed through her mind.
When she finally did open the door, she was met with a pair of kindly, bespectacled blue eyes set in a handsome, friendly face. She immediately felt a rush of relief; for some reason she was sure that this stranger was soon to become a friend.
"Er, hello, I'm Rupert Giles. I live down the hall." He spoke in a cultured British accent. "You must be Mrs. Summers."
"Please call me Joyce," she replied and she took his hand when he offered it. "Won't you come in? I'm sorry the place is such a mess. As you can see, we haven't quite finished unpacking." Joyce gestured helplessly towards the boxes piled up high in front of the couch.
"Oh, please, don't concern yourself about that," Rupert replied, finding himself instantly at ease with his new American neighbor. "I had just dropped by to-"
Rupert stopped in mid-sentence when he heard a slight moan coming from somewhere nearby. Joyce whirled around, looking for the source of the noise when they heard someone say, "No stop," softly. Joyce hurried over to the couch, slipping through a tight space between the boxes and an end table in order to reach her daughter.
'No wonder, I couldn't find her,' she thought with relief. 'She was hiding herself so well.'
Buffy was twisting in her sleep, a pained expression on her face. Joyce reached out and tenderly placed a hand on Buffy's cheek. "Baby, it's okay," she whispered. "It's just a dream. Angel isn't here. It's just a dream. Shhh. It will be okay," she cooed. Buffy blinked her eyes open, and upon seeing her mother, she sat up rapidly, throwing her arms around her and hugging her tightly. Wiping away her tears with her long sleeved sweatshirt she looked up to see a bewildered but compassionate looking man. Feeling embarrassed, she pulled away from her mother, trying to regain her composure, and she offered the stranger a slight smile. The man smiled back at her kindly.
"Mr. Giles," said Joyce straightening up from the couch. "This is my wonderful daughter, Buffy."
Offering a hand to the young girl he said, "Oh, please, call me Rupert. Or Giles, people seem to prefer that name for some reason," he chuckled.
Buffy shyly took the offered hand. "Nice to meet you," she said.
"Can I offer you something, Giles?" asked Joyce. "We haven't had a chance to go shopping yet, but I'm sure we have some tea somewhere."
"Oh no, thank you, I didn't want to impose," Giles replied. "I just stopped by because the manager asked me to drop off this key for you." He reached into his pocket, and held out a brass key to the ladies.
"Key for what?" asked Buffy, sounding a little shakier than she'd have liked.
"It's the key for the gym and pool. It's connected, but they keep the door locked." He smiled, "And if there is anything I could do for you, please don't hesitate to call. I'm in flat 1530, and I'd be happy to be of service."
"Thanks so much, Giles, we really appreciate it." Joyce smiled, taking the key, and then slipped her arm around Buffy's shoulders.
"Not at all," replied Rupert. "I'll just get out of your hair then, and let you get settled." With a grin, he walked to the door and let himself out.
Joyce hugged her daughter to her once they were alone. Buffy squeaked at her mother's sudden embrace.
"Uh, Mom? Air becoming an issue here,"
Joyce let go of her daughter and stood back. "I'm sorry, sweetie. You just gave me a scare earlier."
"When? Did I jump out from behind the door and yell 'boo'?" Buffy asked, perplexed.
"No, I– I couldn't find you before, and...Oh, I guess I'm being irrational, but I couldn't find you anywhere, and I thought something had happened. I'm a lot jumpier ever since..." Joyce trailed off, not wanting to upset her daughter by putting words to her fears.
Buffy shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah. I'm sorry, Mom. I'll just never leave the apartment, okay?" Buffy smiled, but her heart wasn't really in her little jest.
"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. It's not your fault, you know that, right?" Joyce eyed Buffy with concern.
"Yeah, I do." Desperate to lighten up the mood, Buffy said, "I think I'm gonna go down to the gym, and check out the equipment. Maybe I'll go for a swim." Buffy headed down to her room to change.
"Sounds good, dear. I'll order us up some dinner. The management left us some take-out menus. Is Chinese all right? "
"That's fine!" Buffy shouted.
Ten minutes later, Buffy stepped out of the elevator in the lobby and asked the woman at the front desk where the gym was. Buffy thanked her, and headed in the direction the lady had pointed. Unlocking the double glass doors, Buffy stepped inside and stood in awe. For a fitness center belonging to an apartment complex, it was huge. The hum of treadmills and elliptical trainers filled her ears, and she saw rows of women and men exercising. She headed towards the locker room area, eyeing the weight machines, but then she spotted the pool, and grinned. The Olympic-sized swimming pool was deserted; she had it all to herself. Spotting the ladies' locker room, she grabbed a towel, and ran inside.
Clad in a very modest one-piece bathing suit, she found her way to the pool's entrance. Tossing her towel and clothes on a bench, she walked to the edge of the deep end, and dived in. The instant she hit the water, Buffy felt at peace. It was her primary essence. It ran through her soul and made her feel whole, a feeling that hadn't been there for a long time. She glided through the water letting it sooth her. After thirty minutes of laps and just enjoying herself for the first time in a long time, she got out of the pool. She dried herself off, and then wrapped the towel around her waist like a sarong. She pulled her oversized t-shirt over her head, and heading back to the locker room, she squeezed the excess water from her long, brown hair.
"Hey you," A man's voice startled her out of her post-swim euphoria. She looked over her shoulder to see a dark-haired man jogging towards her. On instinct, she started to run to the exit and down the hallway to the locker rooms. She could her him behind her, and her heart was pounding as she tried to get to the ladies' room before he could catch her. Just as she was about to reach the door, a hand came down on her shoulder. She let out a scream.
"No!" She whirled around, her eyes widening in fear, and her hands came up in a protective gesture.
The young man looked at her for a moment. "Uh...are you okay? I didn't mean to scare you." He held up the pair of shorts she had left behind. "Are these yours?"
Her lip trembled, and her shoulders slumped in relief and embarrassment. She took the shorts from him, and whispered, "Thank you," then swiftly turned and disappeared inside the locker room.
Xander Harris blinked in surprise. 'Mental note to tell Spike about the freaky pool girl later tonight,' he thought, shaking his head as he headed back to the pool for a swim.
Buffy, having taken off her shirt and bathing suit, stepped into the shower stall. Letting the hot water run over her head, she began to cry. "When am I going
"Oh my God, Mom. It's so beautiful here." Buffy said in complete awe while looking around the city.
"Yes it is, honey," said Joyce. She was more thrilled than she could say with how the change of scenery had piqued Buffy's interest so quickly. She rewrapped the remainder of the fish n' chips they'd been munching on and stuffed them into a paper bag. "So how do you like the apartment? I know it's smaller than what we're used to, but it was the only thing available and it was so very close to the museum and not too far from school either, and I just think–"
Buffy smiled, "Mom it's beautiful. I love it. And it's perfect."
Joyce smirked, "I know, I'm rambling," Buffy rolled her eyes comically. "Take pity on your old mother, Buffy, she tends to get overexcited."
Buffy smiled, and scooted closer to her mother to lean against her shoulder. Her jet lag had dissipated, and along with it, the dark, heavy burden she'd been feeling on her small shoulders for two long months. Being in a new place opened up doors in her mind like nothing else could have done.
"C'mon, dear, we should go back to our new home, so we can actually live in it," said Joyce with a wry grin. The Summers women stood up from the bench, and headed back to the apartment.
Buffy really did like the apartment. In fact, the whole building complex was just stunning. The flat had two bedrooms and two baths, a living room, kitchen, and a bonus room, and it had come furnished. Buffy's room was by far the best. It had a window overlooking the park and a walk-in closet. The midnight blue walls were blank, but she decided to fill them up with many pictures. Maybe some pictures of her dad, for whom she still hoped would not sever his ties with her. She'd definitely try to find a poster print of some John Waterhouse paintings, and have her mother frame them. She'd make her room her sanctuary. Her safe place, so that maybe sleep and dreams would no longer hold any horror for her.
Joyce Summers was absolutely exhausted. After a whole afternoon and evening of unpacking, and making a home, she definitely needed a breather. Thinking Buffy might like to have an 'ice cream' break; Joyce leaned into her daughter's bedroom door.
"Buffy, I thought maybe we could-" Joyce paused when she realized Buffy wasn't in her room. Frowning slightly, she headed towards one of the bathrooms. When she didn't find her there, Joyce felt a sense of dread start to creep over her.
'Don't be ridiculous Joyce,' she admonished herself. 'She wouldn't have gone anywhere without telling you. And nothing could've happened to her in here.' But then, Joyce had thought that nothing bad could have happened to her little girl in the quiet town of Sunnydale; and ever since then, her illusions of a safe world crumbled, and she began to panic easily at the slightest hint of trouble.
A loud knock at the door made her jump, as she continued to search the apartment, calling for her daughter. She knew she was being irrational, but her heart refused to calm its pounding, as she approached the door slowly. Her imagination was getting the better of her, and visions of policemen, waiting to give her the news every parent dreads hearing flashed through her mind.
When she finally did open the door, she was met with a pair of kindly, bespectacled blue eyes set in a handsome, friendly face. She immediately felt a rush of relief; for some reason she was sure that this stranger was soon to become a friend.
"Er, hello, I'm Rupert Giles. I live down the hall." He spoke in a cultured British accent. "You must be Mrs. Summers."
"Please call me Joyce," she replied and she took his hand when he offered it. "Won't you come in? I'm sorry the place is such a mess. As you can see, we haven't quite finished unpacking." Joyce gestured helplessly towards the boxes piled up high in front of the couch.
"Oh, please, don't concern yourself about that," Rupert replied, finding himself instantly at ease with his new American neighbor. "I had just dropped by to-"
Rupert stopped in mid-sentence when he heard a slight moan coming from somewhere nearby. Joyce whirled around, looking for the source of the noise when they heard someone say, "No stop," softly. Joyce hurried over to the couch, slipping through a tight space between the boxes and an end table in order to reach her daughter.
'No wonder, I couldn't find her,' she thought with relief. 'She was hiding herself so well.'
Buffy was twisting in her sleep, a pained expression on her face. Joyce reached out and tenderly placed a hand on Buffy's cheek. "Baby, it's okay," she whispered. "It's just a dream. Angel isn't here. It's just a dream. Shhh. It will be okay," she cooed. Buffy blinked her eyes open, and upon seeing her mother, she sat up rapidly, throwing her arms around her and hugging her tightly. Wiping away her tears with her long sleeved sweatshirt she looked up to see a bewildered but compassionate looking man. Feeling embarrassed, she pulled away from her mother, trying to regain her composure, and she offered the stranger a slight smile. The man smiled back at her kindly.
"Mr. Giles," said Joyce straightening up from the couch. "This is my wonderful daughter, Buffy."
Offering a hand to the young girl he said, "Oh, please, call me Rupert. Or Giles, people seem to prefer that name for some reason," he chuckled.
Buffy shyly took the offered hand. "Nice to meet you," she said.
"Can I offer you something, Giles?" asked Joyce. "We haven't had a chance to go shopping yet, but I'm sure we have some tea somewhere."
"Oh no, thank you, I didn't want to impose," Giles replied. "I just stopped by because the manager asked me to drop off this key for you." He reached into his pocket, and held out a brass key to the ladies.
"Key for what?" asked Buffy, sounding a little shakier than she'd have liked.
"It's the key for the gym and pool. It's connected, but they keep the door locked." He smiled, "And if there is anything I could do for you, please don't hesitate to call. I'm in flat 1530, and I'd be happy to be of service."
"Thanks so much, Giles, we really appreciate it." Joyce smiled, taking the key, and then slipped her arm around Buffy's shoulders.
"Not at all," replied Rupert. "I'll just get out of your hair then, and let you get settled." With a grin, he walked to the door and let himself out.
Joyce hugged her daughter to her once they were alone. Buffy squeaked at her mother's sudden embrace.
"Uh, Mom? Air becoming an issue here,"
Joyce let go of her daughter and stood back. "I'm sorry, sweetie. You just gave me a scare earlier."
"When? Did I jump out from behind the door and yell 'boo'?" Buffy asked, perplexed.
"No, I– I couldn't find you before, and...Oh, I guess I'm being irrational, but I couldn't find you anywhere, and I thought something had happened. I'm a lot jumpier ever since..." Joyce trailed off, not wanting to upset her daughter by putting words to her fears.
Buffy shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah. I'm sorry, Mom. I'll just never leave the apartment, okay?" Buffy smiled, but her heart wasn't really in her little jest.
"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. It's not your fault, you know that, right?" Joyce eyed Buffy with concern.
"Yeah, I do." Desperate to lighten up the mood, Buffy said, "I think I'm gonna go down to the gym, and check out the equipment. Maybe I'll go for a swim." Buffy headed down to her room to change.
"Sounds good, dear. I'll order us up some dinner. The management left us some take-out menus. Is Chinese all right? "
"That's fine!" Buffy shouted.
Ten minutes later, Buffy stepped out of the elevator in the lobby and asked the woman at the front desk where the gym was. Buffy thanked her, and headed in the direction the lady had pointed. Unlocking the double glass doors, Buffy stepped inside and stood in awe. For a fitness center belonging to an apartment complex, it was huge. The hum of treadmills and elliptical trainers filled her ears, and she saw rows of women and men exercising. She headed towards the locker room area, eyeing the weight machines, but then she spotted the pool, and grinned. The Olympic-sized swimming pool was deserted; she had it all to herself. Spotting the ladies' locker room, she grabbed a towel, and ran inside.
Clad in a very modest one-piece bathing suit, she found her way to the pool's entrance. Tossing her towel and clothes on a bench, she walked to the edge of the deep end, and dived in. The instant she hit the water, Buffy felt at peace. It was her primary essence. It ran through her soul and made her feel whole, a feeling that hadn't been there for a long time. She glided through the water letting it sooth her. After thirty minutes of laps and just enjoying herself for the first time in a long time, she got out of the pool. She dried herself off, and then wrapped the towel around her waist like a sarong. She pulled her oversized t-shirt over her head, and heading back to the locker room, she squeezed the excess water from her long, brown hair.
"Hey you," A man's voice startled her out of her post-swim euphoria. She looked over her shoulder to see a dark-haired man jogging towards her. On instinct, she started to run to the exit and down the hallway to the locker rooms. She could her him behind her, and her heart was pounding as she tried to get to the ladies' room before he could catch her. Just as she was about to reach the door, a hand came down on her shoulder. She let out a scream.
"No!" She whirled around, her eyes widening in fear, and her hands came up in a protective gesture.
The young man looked at her for a moment. "Uh...are you okay? I didn't mean to scare you." He held up the pair of shorts she had left behind. "Are these yours?"
Her lip trembled, and her shoulders slumped in relief and embarrassment. She took the shorts from him, and whispered, "Thank you," then swiftly turned and disappeared inside the locker room.
Xander Harris blinked in surprise. 'Mental note to tell Spike about the freaky pool girl later tonight,' he thought, shaking his head as he headed back to the pool for a swim.
Buffy, having taken off her shirt and bathing suit, stepped into the shower stall. Letting the hot water run over her head, she began to cry. "When am I going