TITLE: Burgandy
AUTHOR: Ben Is Glory
RATING: PG-13
PAIRING: B/S
DISCLAIMER: BtVS and practically everything else on God's green earth is Joss's. Except for the title, that's CoRo's. Wait! The plot's mine! Bwahaha. For the most part, anyway ;p
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Um… yeah. Some people guessed where I was going with my story. Not completely, mind you, but I 'spose this was a bit predictable. I still love it though! Almost as much as I love the end of Forever, from which some of this chappy is inspired. Also? Angst is good. Also also? MISS AMNA YOU IS IN MY STORY! XD ha… I thought you might like that, girlie. I heart you! Okay, enough of my rambling. Go read, eh?
FEEDBACK: Don't make me whip out the sassy eggs! ((Yeesh, too much Forever)) Gimme feedback!
NOMINATED: Burgandy is nominated at the Vampire's Kiss Awards! WEE! Exciting.
***
"But…" Buffy started. "I just don't understand." Her tears were flowing uncontrollably now. "You're lying. This is just a fucking joke. Tell me you're joking, Dawn!" Her younger sister's sobs were the only response she got. Buffy went through what her sister had told her again in her mind.
"Hey, Mom!" Dawn called out as she shut the front door behind her. It was around five, and she had just come back from a sleepover at her best friend Janice's house. "Mom?" the teenager called again. "Mom, where are you?" The teenager searched the house only to find it empty. She didn't remember seeing Joyce's car in the driveway, so she figured her mother just went out for something quick.
Around thirty minutes later, Dawn got the worst call of her life. "Hello?" she answered, hoping it was her mom.
"Is this Buffy Summers?" the voice on the other end asked. It was unfamiliar to Dawn.
"No, this is her sister Dawn. Who is this?" she asked, a twinge of fear lingered in her voice.
"This is Doctor Moore down at the Sunnydale Hospital. I'm afraid I have some bad news. Do you want to sit down?"
"What's wrong?" Dawn said, ignoring the last comment. Her voice quaked.
"Your mother, Joyce Summers? She had, well, I'm sorry to say she had an aneurysm about an hour ago. She was able to make it to the ER, but there was nothing we could do to help. She passed away peacefully. She probably experienced very little pain. I'm so sorry for your loss. Is there someone you can call?"
The moment Dawn heard the words "passed away," she shut down. Her legs gave out, and she fell to the floor. Hot tears poured out.
"Sweetie? Sweetie are you still there?" It was Doctor Moore, but that was the least of Dawn's problems. She was stunned. How could her mother be gone? What was she going to do without her mother?
The next couple of hours were a blur. Dawn passed out and woke up around six thirty. She was convinced it was all a dream, until she realized the house was deserted. Her mind was spinning, and she felt like she was going to be sick. The one clear thought that rang out in her head was, "I've got to call Buffy."
"I just… I just don't understand," Buffy repeated.
"It was the headaches, Buffy," Dawn stated bitterly. She whimpered into the phone. "What are we going to do?" Fresh tears appeared in her eyes.
"I don't know! I don't know, Dawnie," she cried. By this time, Willow was horrified, and she had moved to be with Buffy on her bed. She ran small circles on the blonde's back with her hand. "I'm packing a bag," she declared abruptly. "I'll be there as soon as I can, okay? Don't. Go. Anywhere."
"I'll be here," the brunette sobbed. "Buffy, I'm so scared."
"I know. I am too. I'll call you from the airport. Lock the doors." She hung up the phone and tried to regain her composure. She stole a quick glance at the clock. Six fifty-five. "Oh my God, I have to call Will."
"Why don't you let me do that, okay sweetie? You just pack," Willow offered, feeling terrible.
"Thanks, Wills." Buffy gave her a weak smile. "I really appreciate it." She moved to her closet to start packing, and Willow picked up the phone, quickly dialing Will's number.
"'Ello?" answered a British voice.
"Hi, Will. It's Willow. Um… something important's come up, and Buffy can't make your date."
"What? What's wrong?" he asked, slightly panicked. Is she breaking up with me? he wondered.
"I'll wait for her to fill you in, but she's leaving New York tonight. She's very sorry. She'll call you later, okay?"
"Is there anything I can do?"
"Not right now," she answered.
"Tell him I love him," said Buffy.
"Oh, Will?"
"Yeah, pet?" he responded.
"She says she loves you," Willow told him.
William smiled at the last comment. "I love her, too. Thanks."
"Bye." She hung up the phone and turned back to Buffy, who had tiny streams of tears running down her face. The redhead moved over to the closet and enveloped her roommate in a big hug.
"I just don't know what to do, Willow!" she wept into the other girl's shoulder.
"Shh, I know, sweetie. It'll be all right. I love you," she soothed.
"I love you, too."
***
Around an hour later, Buffy was at the airport staring up at the monitors telling which flights were leaving when. There was a plane leaving at eight forty-five, which would put her home around nine Pacific time. She charged the tickets to her Visa and walked down to her terminal to wait.
It seemed to take days for the plane to finally board, and when she was on the plane, Buffy couldn't figure out what to do with herself. Finally, she fell asleep but had constant nightmares. She woke up only to have an hour left on the flight. There was one thought that she just could not get out of her head: where would Dawn go? It's not like she can go live with Dad. she thought. The slightest notion of not knowing what to do with Dawn brought about another round of tears.
When her plane landed, Buffy got off in a state of catatonia. Nothing made sense anymore, and she was not coping. She hurried to baggage claim, got her things, and headed out to find a cab.
"1630 Revello Drive, please," she told the cabby.
"You okay, Miss?" he asked her noticing her red eyes and tear-stained cheeks.
"I'll be fine," she lied.
Soon, the taxi turned onto Hadley, and Buffy reached in her purse for her cell phone. She dialed her house number and waited. Dawn answered on the first ring.
"Buffy?" her tiny voice squeaked.
"I'm almost home, Dawnie," she informed her sister and clicked off the phone.
Several minutes later, the cab pulled up in front of the Summers house, and Buffy quickly paid the driver. She grabbed her belongings and hurried to her front door. It swung open, and Dawn looked out at her older sister, bawling.
Buffy dropped her bags and flung her arms around Dawn. The two sank to the floor and cried in the doorway.
-TBC-
***
A/n: I just realized, there's a lot more story I have yet to tell. Please stay with me! I promise naked Spike soon! Swear! =D Heh. And review? Cause it makes me happy and write and things of that nature!