"I know it's not a lot, Buffster, but...happy birthday!" Xander said while
blowing one of those annoying kazoos. Anya struck him in the stomach with
her elbow. "That's very aggravating, so stop. We got you presents, because
that is the ritual. So open the presents now!" Xander put his arms around
Anya, "Calm down, honey. It's not time to open the gifts yet." She frowned,
"Oh."
Willow and Xander planned Buffy's whole party. It was hard to keep it a surprise from Buffy, since it was at her house. But they managed and she was very shocked. Her living room was decorated in streamers and confetti. Tara even made a wonderful dinner and cake. Buffy almost cried on how much they truly cared. Her friends back home would never do this.
"It's wonderful you guys. I never expected any of this. Thank you so much!" she said while hugging everyone. "This birthday is great. I have the sweetest friends and-and do I smell chicken alfredo? Yes, I do. Oh my God! I have to have some, NOW!" Buffy was so excited. Tara gave Buffy a bowl full. She took a bite into her mouth and moaned. "Oh my God! I have never had anything in my mouth that tasted this good. Tara, oh my God, you are becoming my cook!" She ate up her delicious dish in seconds and went on to the cake.
"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Buffy. Happy birthday to you," they all sang. It sounded like a choir of dieing cats or cows –something in pain and howling. The flames flickered to and fro. It made haunted shadows on Buffy's face. She was reminded of Angel for some odd reason. A slight chill from an open window sent shivers down her spine. She blew the candle out, with much moral support from her friends. It left her in the dark.
"What was that?" Xander cried while being in the dark. It sounded like a door was being opened and then closed hard. "It's okay ya' poofter," Spike said while standing behind the seated Buffy. Buffy was freaking out. "Oh- okay. Time to turn the lights back on. Like now! Right now. Turn the lights on," she babbled. Anya turned on the lights and clapped her hands. "Okay, present time!"
Buffy sat on the couch, her legs underneath her. Xander was sitting in the reclining chair with Anya in his lap. Tara and Willow were sitting on the floor and Spike was relaxing with his back against the sofa. "The anticipation is killing me," Anya said while jumping up and down on Xander's lap. Willow handed her a brilliantly wrapped gift. The wrapping paper was metallic silver with black swirls all around. On top of the gift was curly ribbon that reminded Buffy of a poorly made paper wig. Buffy traced the swirls on the package. "If you do not open it now, I will open it for you," Anya said harshly. Xander patted her on the back and gave Buffy an apologetic smile. She tore the paper off the gift and gasped.
"Oh my God!" Buffy screamed. "It's Scooby!" She tore apart the plastic holding the slippers together. She put them on her feet. "They are so cute! And they are keeping my tootsies all nice and warm." She unwrapped the other thin gift that was inside the bigger one. "Awwww. It's so cute! It's a little dream diary. And a fuzzy pen!" She tickled the back of Spike's neck. "It's fuzzy!" She walked over to Xander and Anya. "It's the cutest!" Anya smiled, "I got you the dog slippers because I know how Xander hates my cold feet pressed up against his hot naked body." Her eyes got hazy and she bit her lip. "Anyway, I thought Spike could enjoy your feet warm, when you're in bed together." Buffy blushed at the thought and looked at Spike. He had been so understandable about the having no sex thing. She wasn't ready yet. Honestly she didn't think she would ever be ready. Sex wasn't just a past time or something you did because you were bored. Sex was a passionate bond between two people. Buffy didn't know if she was prepared for that commitment, that connection. "Thanks Anya. I think he will appreciate it." She hugged both of them. Anya whispered into Xander's ear, "Be proud. I didn't even get jealous when she groped you for way to long." Xander sighed. "It wasn't a grope. It was a friendly hug."
Willow handed Buffy another present. "Open. Open. It's Tara's and mine!" Buffy smiled at the love between Willow and Tara. They were so lucky.
She shook the present and heard a jingle. She tore open the covering and eyed the gorgeous object that laid on her lap. "Oh my god." She picked up the frame. She traced her fingers over the smooth cherry stained wood. In the frame had a picture of all of her friends –Willow, Xander, Tara, Anya, and Spike. "It's beautiful. When did you guys-It's great. Thanks." She hugged Willow and Tara. Her eyes got a little misty after that.
"Sorry Oz couldn't be in the picture or be here. His parents, which I never even knew he had, found out about the whole band groupie thing and that girl Veruca, who "accidentally" drugged his drink and made him do the wacky," Willow said babbling. "Is he okay?" She shook her head, "Kind of. I think he had an allergic reaction to the drug she gave him. He's in therapy now." Some "Oh's" came from the group followed by silence. "More presents!" Buffy said trying to end the awkward quiet.
Willow picked up a small box from the kitchen table, where all the gifts had been. "I don't-Hey Spike did you get this for Buffy?" She threw him the box. "Nah, why, Red?" She shrugged, "I haven't seen it before. Maybe its like Giles or Joyce's." She sat down by Tara again. "Here ya go Buffy." She smiled and unwrapped the box. It looked like one of those velvet boxes that you put rings in it. She opened the black wanna-be-velvet box. A ring. Wait, hasn't she seen that ring before? She took it out and looked at it. "Hey, Xan, turn that lamp on right beside ya', please."
When he brightened up the room, Buffy dropped the ring on the hardwood floor. That was Angel's ring –his family initials. It was silver, but on top it had a black square that had the letters "L O A", Liam Angelus O'Connor. He got that ring for his sixteenth birthday from his father. Angel never took that ring off. Buffy even asked to try it on once, but he didn't dare. So if she had his ring that meant two things: He was either dead or... He couldn't be watching her, could he? Angel was in jail for many years. Why now? Why now.
"Buffy? Are you alright?" Spike asked, playing with her hair. "Hm, what?" She looked around all faces were on her. "Are you okay?" Willow asked. "Yea perfectly fine. A little woozy." The ring was still on the floor. Maybe she just hallucinated the initials? It could happen, right? "Are you sure you're okay?" Xander insisted. "Yea, but ya know...ice cream sure is sounding magically delicious right about now. Who's up for some milky goodness?"
"Are you sure you're gonna be soddin' okay?" Spike asked. Everyone went home, tired from all the fun and games. Buffy had been acting weird, which was understandable because of the ring. She didn't tell anyone that it looked exactly like Angel's. It could have just been a coincidence?
"Spike, I swear that I will be fine. I just got shaken up with all the sugar and surprises and everything. I promise." She was playing with the hem of her shirt. She did that when she was lying. "Do you want me to stay here until your mum comes home or you can come ov'r 'ere and we can." Buffy cut in with a short, reassuring kiss. "I'm fine. I swear. If I get scared or anything, I will call you. I am fine, really. And by the way, I really love my gift you gave me. It's so beautiful." He smiled, "Not as half as beautiful as you." Spike gave Buffy a stunning silver bracelet that looked much like his own. In amongst all the silver was a string of gold. "Thank you Spike, for everything." He smiled and kissed her one last time before he went over to his own bed.
Buffy quickly went to her bed to slumber and hopefully, not think of anything related to Angel. It was just too much to think that he was out of jail and in London. She didn't even want to considered that he was watching her or, even worse, in her house. What if she was just imagining everything? What if she told someone and they put her in a straitjacket? What if ...No she had to stop with the "what if's". They just led to more badness.
Willow and Xander planned Buffy's whole party. It was hard to keep it a surprise from Buffy, since it was at her house. But they managed and she was very shocked. Her living room was decorated in streamers and confetti. Tara even made a wonderful dinner and cake. Buffy almost cried on how much they truly cared. Her friends back home would never do this.
"It's wonderful you guys. I never expected any of this. Thank you so much!" she said while hugging everyone. "This birthday is great. I have the sweetest friends and-and do I smell chicken alfredo? Yes, I do. Oh my God! I have to have some, NOW!" Buffy was so excited. Tara gave Buffy a bowl full. She took a bite into her mouth and moaned. "Oh my God! I have never had anything in my mouth that tasted this good. Tara, oh my God, you are becoming my cook!" She ate up her delicious dish in seconds and went on to the cake.
"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Buffy. Happy birthday to you," they all sang. It sounded like a choir of dieing cats or cows –something in pain and howling. The flames flickered to and fro. It made haunted shadows on Buffy's face. She was reminded of Angel for some odd reason. A slight chill from an open window sent shivers down her spine. She blew the candle out, with much moral support from her friends. It left her in the dark.
"What was that?" Xander cried while being in the dark. It sounded like a door was being opened and then closed hard. "It's okay ya' poofter," Spike said while standing behind the seated Buffy. Buffy was freaking out. "Oh- okay. Time to turn the lights back on. Like now! Right now. Turn the lights on," she babbled. Anya turned on the lights and clapped her hands. "Okay, present time!"
Buffy sat on the couch, her legs underneath her. Xander was sitting in the reclining chair with Anya in his lap. Tara and Willow were sitting on the floor and Spike was relaxing with his back against the sofa. "The anticipation is killing me," Anya said while jumping up and down on Xander's lap. Willow handed her a brilliantly wrapped gift. The wrapping paper was metallic silver with black swirls all around. On top of the gift was curly ribbon that reminded Buffy of a poorly made paper wig. Buffy traced the swirls on the package. "If you do not open it now, I will open it for you," Anya said harshly. Xander patted her on the back and gave Buffy an apologetic smile. She tore the paper off the gift and gasped.
"Oh my God!" Buffy screamed. "It's Scooby!" She tore apart the plastic holding the slippers together. She put them on her feet. "They are so cute! And they are keeping my tootsies all nice and warm." She unwrapped the other thin gift that was inside the bigger one. "Awwww. It's so cute! It's a little dream diary. And a fuzzy pen!" She tickled the back of Spike's neck. "It's fuzzy!" She walked over to Xander and Anya. "It's the cutest!" Anya smiled, "I got you the dog slippers because I know how Xander hates my cold feet pressed up against his hot naked body." Her eyes got hazy and she bit her lip. "Anyway, I thought Spike could enjoy your feet warm, when you're in bed together." Buffy blushed at the thought and looked at Spike. He had been so understandable about the having no sex thing. She wasn't ready yet. Honestly she didn't think she would ever be ready. Sex wasn't just a past time or something you did because you were bored. Sex was a passionate bond between two people. Buffy didn't know if she was prepared for that commitment, that connection. "Thanks Anya. I think he will appreciate it." She hugged both of them. Anya whispered into Xander's ear, "Be proud. I didn't even get jealous when she groped you for way to long." Xander sighed. "It wasn't a grope. It was a friendly hug."
Willow handed Buffy another present. "Open. Open. It's Tara's and mine!" Buffy smiled at the love between Willow and Tara. They were so lucky.
She shook the present and heard a jingle. She tore open the covering and eyed the gorgeous object that laid on her lap. "Oh my god." She picked up the frame. She traced her fingers over the smooth cherry stained wood. In the frame had a picture of all of her friends –Willow, Xander, Tara, Anya, and Spike. "It's beautiful. When did you guys-It's great. Thanks." She hugged Willow and Tara. Her eyes got a little misty after that.
"Sorry Oz couldn't be in the picture or be here. His parents, which I never even knew he had, found out about the whole band groupie thing and that girl Veruca, who "accidentally" drugged his drink and made him do the wacky," Willow said babbling. "Is he okay?" She shook her head, "Kind of. I think he had an allergic reaction to the drug she gave him. He's in therapy now." Some "Oh's" came from the group followed by silence. "More presents!" Buffy said trying to end the awkward quiet.
Willow picked up a small box from the kitchen table, where all the gifts had been. "I don't-Hey Spike did you get this for Buffy?" She threw him the box. "Nah, why, Red?" She shrugged, "I haven't seen it before. Maybe its like Giles or Joyce's." She sat down by Tara again. "Here ya go Buffy." She smiled and unwrapped the box. It looked like one of those velvet boxes that you put rings in it. She opened the black wanna-be-velvet box. A ring. Wait, hasn't she seen that ring before? She took it out and looked at it. "Hey, Xan, turn that lamp on right beside ya', please."
When he brightened up the room, Buffy dropped the ring on the hardwood floor. That was Angel's ring –his family initials. It was silver, but on top it had a black square that had the letters "L O A", Liam Angelus O'Connor. He got that ring for his sixteenth birthday from his father. Angel never took that ring off. Buffy even asked to try it on once, but he didn't dare. So if she had his ring that meant two things: He was either dead or... He couldn't be watching her, could he? Angel was in jail for many years. Why now? Why now.
"Buffy? Are you alright?" Spike asked, playing with her hair. "Hm, what?" She looked around all faces were on her. "Are you okay?" Willow asked. "Yea perfectly fine. A little woozy." The ring was still on the floor. Maybe she just hallucinated the initials? It could happen, right? "Are you sure you're okay?" Xander insisted. "Yea, but ya know...ice cream sure is sounding magically delicious right about now. Who's up for some milky goodness?"
"Are you sure you're gonna be soddin' okay?" Spike asked. Everyone went home, tired from all the fun and games. Buffy had been acting weird, which was understandable because of the ring. She didn't tell anyone that it looked exactly like Angel's. It could have just been a coincidence?
"Spike, I swear that I will be fine. I just got shaken up with all the sugar and surprises and everything. I promise." She was playing with the hem of her shirt. She did that when she was lying. "Do you want me to stay here until your mum comes home or you can come ov'r 'ere and we can." Buffy cut in with a short, reassuring kiss. "I'm fine. I swear. If I get scared or anything, I will call you. I am fine, really. And by the way, I really love my gift you gave me. It's so beautiful." He smiled, "Not as half as beautiful as you." Spike gave Buffy a stunning silver bracelet that looked much like his own. In amongst all the silver was a string of gold. "Thank you Spike, for everything." He smiled and kissed her one last time before he went over to his own bed.
Buffy quickly went to her bed to slumber and hopefully, not think of anything related to Angel. It was just too much to think that he was out of jail and in London. She didn't even want to considered that he was watching her or, even worse, in her house. What if she was just imagining everything? What if she told someone and they put her in a straitjacket? What if ...No she had to stop with the "what if's". They just led to more badness.