By: Tater Title: The Long Road Home .
Rating: So far PG13
Summery: Where did Angel go during the Summer after Graduation? What about
Buffy? And more so, what if she took time off to mold herself, because then
she knew she wasn't completely baked? What if, instead of being angry with
Angel, she understood, and wanted to give him his only wish for, her; a
normal life.
Author's Notes: BX- Before Xander AX- After Xander --- I need a title
please someone help me!
Set During: S3/S1-2?
PART 4: The beginning of Buffy vaction
Buffy laid down on her hotel room bed. It was comfy, had a lot of pillows. She liked it, the bed reminded her of home a place she missed, but was yet ready to return to. She looked at the clock, it was about 1:30 here in Georgia, meaning it was still a decent hour in California. She picked up the phone and called her mother.
"Hello?" A friendly voice answered.
Buffy smiled, she loved the sound of her mothers voice. She missed that.
"Hey mom."
"Hey honey, how have you been. I haven't heard from you since you got there."
"I'm doing good. And I just left Sunnydale three days ago. I am reajusting to the time change, and I'm trying to find my way around here. It's different."
"Well how is the south?"
"Depending on where you're at you have hicks, rednecks, yuppies, and rich people."
"Where are you staying?"
"I am staying at the Waverly, room 227. It's in Marietta, near Atlanta."
"Is it nice?"
"Yea, it is. It's about 30 minutes from a town called Cartersville in Bartow County. It kinda reminds me of a slightly bigger version of Sunnydale, and it's dull. I managed to stake a few vampires there."
"Well, I am glad to hear everything is doing well but I do wish you'd come home sweetie."
"Mom, we've talked about this, in two weeks I will head home and visit for a while and then I am off again."
There was silence, and Buffy remembered the day she told her mother.
A few days before:
Buffy had already made arrangements on when she would leave, and where she would go. Georgia, she had decided. Though she didn't know why. She had done a thing she saw Cher do in the movie Mermaids, she pulled out a map, closed her eyes and just picked. She had told her friends the day before about her plans, but she'd yet to tell her mother. Which she knew she had to do. Today.
Ugh. Buffy thought. Too much thinking for one person before having her coffee.
The slayer made her way down the staires where her mother said at the table, drinking coffee, with her usual bagel and reading the paper.
"Good morning honey. How'd you sleep?"
Buffy forced a smile. " I slept well."
To be honest, she hadn't slept well since Angel ended things. Especially now that he was gone. Her dreams were plagued with Angel being with other women, being happy, even acting normal. No more brooding or guilt. Like she had caused his pain and hatred for himself, and it all went away once she did. And not only that, she still dreamed of the night she sent him to hell, and she would awake the to hear the echo of Angelus' words taunting their night together. Never did she find out what it was Angel truely thought about it. He had told her once though, Angelus was brutally honest.
"That's good honey. Your dad called about the this Summer. He wants to know- " Buffy didn't allow her to finish before she interrupted,
"Uh mom, we need to talk." Her face because serious.
"What is it honey?" Joyce's own face now had worry written all over it.
"It's nothing bad it's just- well you see. I- Mom, in a few days I am leaving and going away for a little while."
"Oh, is this something about slaying? Is there a demon somewhere else?"
"No mom." Buffy gave her a half grin. "I am going to travel for a while. On my own."
Joyce just looked at her daughter. "So you'd been back in a few days?"
"No. I am not sure when I'll come home. And I don't plan on attending college this semester."
"What?! Why?!" Joyce now feared her daughter was running again, only this time she wanted consent. She hadn't even had her daughter back a whole year and she wanted to leave again, and possibly throw away what all she had worked hard to earn this year.
"Mom, calm down. I will come home every few weeks, and whenever there is Hellmouth trouble, but I need to figure out the human side of me, I already know the slayer side. I just want to clear my head."
Joyce smiled. She knew exactly what to do. Buffy was probably doing this for some attention, or some sort of way to rebel. Of course she knew how to fix this, reverse psycology.
"I understand honey. Go ahead, things will alright here. A few days you say?"
Buffy was a little tack aback by her mothers response. "Yes. I'm going to Georgia, get a little taste of those southern people."
"How nice. When will you return home after you leave?"
"Two to three weeks. I'll be here a few days, and I'll leave again."
"Alright. It sounds like a plan."
Buffy smiled, she never expected her mother to act like this. It was a blessing.
Before Buffy could say anything else, her mother suggested they go to the beach, which she happily agreed to.
Things went well until she started packing, that's when her mother really paniced, her plan hadn't worked as well she figured it would have. In fact it backfired.
"Buffy?"
........
"Buffy....?"
............
"Hello, Buffy are you there?"
Buffy was startled as she was drawn from her memory. "Yea, I'm here. Sorry."
"Is everything alright sweetie?"
"Yea mom, everythings fine. I just got lost in Buffyland. Well, I'm pretty tired. I just thought I'd called to tell you how I was."
"Alright baby. I love you."
"I love you too. 'Night."
With that they hung up.
Buffy went over to her drawer and pulled out one of Angel's silk shirts he left in the Mansion. Slowly, Buffy trudged into the bathroom to take a steeming hot shower.
The water felt wonderful as it ran through her hair, and down her back. She could feel the dirt washing it away, it felt nice. She only wished it could to the same with her heart. One lone tear ran down her cheek, opening the flood gates for the rest. She hadn't cried about him since he told her he was leaving. Buffy sank down to the bottom of the shower and sat there until she had no more tears to cry. Now it was only dry sobs that escaped her lips, along with questions like 'Why?' , 'How could he?' , and 'What did I do wrong?'
When she finally crawled into bed, the lump in her throat stayed there, threatening to release any tears she had left. Slowly, she fell into a fitful nights rest.
LA Same Night- 9:30
Angel sat in his office. Boxes still needed unpacking. It's been about three weeks since he'd left Sunnydale, and forced himself not to go back everyday when the sun fell. He needed to remind himself that what he was doing for his mate was for the best.
Cordeila walked into his office. "I'm going home." She said.
She had seen him four days ago when he came in and all but crashed the party she was at. It had been filled with actors, casting directors, and anybody worth noticing. The look on his face that night told her he needed someone, that he needed a friend. So she had come up with this whole business idea, hoping to get his mind off of the slayer, whom she knew too was probably thinking about him at this moment. But hey, all she could do was try, and what a better way then to make money off of what Angel does for a living.
Angel simply nodded to was she said, causing her not to leave, but to walk into his office and sit in a chair infront of his desk.
"Hey no brooding." She said giving him a half smile. He looked up at her, he hadn't even noticed she had come all the way into his office. He forced a slight half smile that was filled with pain and grief.
"Angel, I know it hurts. Believe me, I do. Even if our situations are different, I understand the pain of not being with the person you love. None of us are even sure why you chose to leave her, but I'm sure it was what you felt was right. Just remember that you can't spend your time sulking over her, because for every minute you sit here after dark moping around, you could be out saving an innocent who needs you. Keep in mind she loves you Angel and that will never change."
He only nodded. Cordeila wasn't sure what more she could say to get his mind off of Buffy. All he needed was time. Before she could tell him that the phone rang. She jumped up to get it.
"Angel Investigations, we help the helpless."
Quickly she grabbed a pin and paper. "Yea, okay. We'll be right there."
She turned towards her boss. "We have our real first case, I'll call Doyle."
Sliently Angel got up and grabbed his coat. For a short while, Buffy actually wasn't on his mind, but we all know, that will only last a little while.
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PART 4: The beginning of Buffy vaction
Buffy laid down on her hotel room bed. It was comfy, had a lot of pillows. She liked it, the bed reminded her of home a place she missed, but was yet ready to return to. She looked at the clock, it was about 1:30 here in Georgia, meaning it was still a decent hour in California. She picked up the phone and called her mother.
"Hello?" A friendly voice answered.
Buffy smiled, she loved the sound of her mothers voice. She missed that.
"Hey mom."
"Hey honey, how have you been. I haven't heard from you since you got there."
"I'm doing good. And I just left Sunnydale three days ago. I am reajusting to the time change, and I'm trying to find my way around here. It's different."
"Well how is the south?"
"Depending on where you're at you have hicks, rednecks, yuppies, and rich people."
"Where are you staying?"
"I am staying at the Waverly, room 227. It's in Marietta, near Atlanta."
"Is it nice?"
"Yea, it is. It's about 30 minutes from a town called Cartersville in Bartow County. It kinda reminds me of a slightly bigger version of Sunnydale, and it's dull. I managed to stake a few vampires there."
"Well, I am glad to hear everything is doing well but I do wish you'd come home sweetie."
"Mom, we've talked about this, in two weeks I will head home and visit for a while and then I am off again."
There was silence, and Buffy remembered the day she told her mother.
A few days before:
Buffy had already made arrangements on when she would leave, and where she would go. Georgia, she had decided. Though she didn't know why. She had done a thing she saw Cher do in the movie Mermaids, she pulled out a map, closed her eyes and just picked. She had told her friends the day before about her plans, but she'd yet to tell her mother. Which she knew she had to do. Today.
Ugh. Buffy thought. Too much thinking for one person before having her coffee.
The slayer made her way down the staires where her mother said at the table, drinking coffee, with her usual bagel and reading the paper.
"Good morning honey. How'd you sleep?"
Buffy forced a smile. " I slept well."
To be honest, she hadn't slept well since Angel ended things. Especially now that he was gone. Her dreams were plagued with Angel being with other women, being happy, even acting normal. No more brooding or guilt. Like she had caused his pain and hatred for himself, and it all went away once she did. And not only that, she still dreamed of the night she sent him to hell, and she would awake the to hear the echo of Angelus' words taunting their night together. Never did she find out what it was Angel truely thought about it. He had told her once though, Angelus was brutally honest.
"That's good honey. Your dad called about the this Summer. He wants to know- " Buffy didn't allow her to finish before she interrupted,
"Uh mom, we need to talk." Her face because serious.
"What is it honey?" Joyce's own face now had worry written all over it.
"It's nothing bad it's just- well you see. I- Mom, in a few days I am leaving and going away for a little while."
"Oh, is this something about slaying? Is there a demon somewhere else?"
"No mom." Buffy gave her a half grin. "I am going to travel for a while. On my own."
Joyce just looked at her daughter. "So you'd been back in a few days?"
"No. I am not sure when I'll come home. And I don't plan on attending college this semester."
"What?! Why?!" Joyce now feared her daughter was running again, only this time she wanted consent. She hadn't even had her daughter back a whole year and she wanted to leave again, and possibly throw away what all she had worked hard to earn this year.
"Mom, calm down. I will come home every few weeks, and whenever there is Hellmouth trouble, but I need to figure out the human side of me, I already know the slayer side. I just want to clear my head."
Joyce smiled. She knew exactly what to do. Buffy was probably doing this for some attention, or some sort of way to rebel. Of course she knew how to fix this, reverse psycology.
"I understand honey. Go ahead, things will alright here. A few days you say?"
Buffy was a little tack aback by her mothers response. "Yes. I'm going to Georgia, get a little taste of those southern people."
"How nice. When will you return home after you leave?"
"Two to three weeks. I'll be here a few days, and I'll leave again."
"Alright. It sounds like a plan."
Buffy smiled, she never expected her mother to act like this. It was a blessing.
Before Buffy could say anything else, her mother suggested they go to the beach, which she happily agreed to.
Things went well until she started packing, that's when her mother really paniced, her plan hadn't worked as well she figured it would have. In fact it backfired.
"Buffy?"
........
"Buffy....?"
............
"Hello, Buffy are you there?"
Buffy was startled as she was drawn from her memory. "Yea, I'm here. Sorry."
"Is everything alright sweetie?"
"Yea mom, everythings fine. I just got lost in Buffyland. Well, I'm pretty tired. I just thought I'd called to tell you how I was."
"Alright baby. I love you."
"I love you too. 'Night."
With that they hung up.
Buffy went over to her drawer and pulled out one of Angel's silk shirts he left in the Mansion. Slowly, Buffy trudged into the bathroom to take a steeming hot shower.
The water felt wonderful as it ran through her hair, and down her back. She could feel the dirt washing it away, it felt nice. She only wished it could to the same with her heart. One lone tear ran down her cheek, opening the flood gates for the rest. She hadn't cried about him since he told her he was leaving. Buffy sank down to the bottom of the shower and sat there until she had no more tears to cry. Now it was only dry sobs that escaped her lips, along with questions like 'Why?' , 'How could he?' , and 'What did I do wrong?'
When she finally crawled into bed, the lump in her throat stayed there, threatening to release any tears she had left. Slowly, she fell into a fitful nights rest.
LA Same Night- 9:30
Angel sat in his office. Boxes still needed unpacking. It's been about three weeks since he'd left Sunnydale, and forced himself not to go back everyday when the sun fell. He needed to remind himself that what he was doing for his mate was for the best.
Cordeila walked into his office. "I'm going home." She said.
She had seen him four days ago when he came in and all but crashed the party she was at. It had been filled with actors, casting directors, and anybody worth noticing. The look on his face that night told her he needed someone, that he needed a friend. So she had come up with this whole business idea, hoping to get his mind off of the slayer, whom she knew too was probably thinking about him at this moment. But hey, all she could do was try, and what a better way then to make money off of what Angel does for a living.
Angel simply nodded to was she said, causing her not to leave, but to walk into his office and sit in a chair infront of his desk.
"Hey no brooding." She said giving him a half smile. He looked up at her, he hadn't even noticed she had come all the way into his office. He forced a slight half smile that was filled with pain and grief.
"Angel, I know it hurts. Believe me, I do. Even if our situations are different, I understand the pain of not being with the person you love. None of us are even sure why you chose to leave her, but I'm sure it was what you felt was right. Just remember that you can't spend your time sulking over her, because for every minute you sit here after dark moping around, you could be out saving an innocent who needs you. Keep in mind she loves you Angel and that will never change."
He only nodded. Cordeila wasn't sure what more she could say to get his mind off of Buffy. All he needed was time. Before she could tell him that the phone rang. She jumped up to get it.
"Angel Investigations, we help the helpless."
Quickly she grabbed a pin and paper. "Yea, okay. We'll be right there."
She turned towards her boss. "We have our real first case, I'll call Doyle."
Sliently Angel got up and grabbed his coat. For a short while, Buffy actually wasn't on his mind, but we all know, that will only last a little while.
Please send feedback!