15 Minutes of Fame
Chapter 8
Los Angeles…
Buffy stood amid the busy rush of holiday travelers that populated LAX. People were going every which way carrying more luggage than was probably necessary, and Buffy merely stood in the middle staring at the brightly lit board with utter confusion.
'This really shouldn't be that hard,' she mentally scolded herself. 'Flight 242, nonstop to JFK…why isn't it listed? Please don't tell me they canceled my flight. If that plane doesn't take off someone is going to get hurt.'
"Attention LAX passengers," the overly-cheerful and slightly annoying voice called over the PA system, "Flight 182 to Denver will be boarding shortly. Thank you!"
"That really doesn't help me," Buffy grumbled.
"Something wrong?" Giles asked coming up behind Buffy carrying a soda in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. He offered the soda to her, Buffy gladly accepting it.
"I can't find my flight on the board, and that irritating lady won't stop announcing other people's flights over the PA," Buffy said after taking a swig of the drink.
Giles smiled remember the numbness he had felt in the London airport before his first trip to the states. Everyone seemed to know exactly where they were going; everyone, that is, except Giles himself. He had asked multiple airline employees, but they had been of no help. Shaking his head with humored remembrance, Giles stepped up beside his stepdaughter and pointed to the board. "First of all," he said, "You're looking at the wrong board."
"I am?" Buffy asked feeling the blood rise to her cheeks and turn them a deep shade of red.
"Yes, this is the arrival board. You're flight won't be listed on this one. You want the departure board, it's on the other side," Giles said. He tried to hide his laughter as he led Buffy around the wall to the spot where numerous other passengers were staring up at the board, confused looks on their faces.
"Okay now I feel more at home," Buffy joked. She glanced up at the board, searching for her flight. "There it is!" she shouted proudly. "Flight 242, LAX to JFK, departs in one hour from gate 39B."
"Well that gives us some time then doesn't it?" Giles asked. "What do you say we find your mother and head to the food court? I hear they have a delicious cheeseburger and French fry combo."
"Sounds great," Buffy said as the two headed in search of food.
Just under an hour later a teary eyed Joyce stood at Gate 39B with her daughter and her husband. Around them, people were bidding farewell to family and friends and joining the line of passengers ready to board the plane.
"Mom, I'm only gonna be gone for a few days," Buffy said trying to soothe her mother. "I swear I'll call as soon as we land."
"You better," Joyce said hugging her daughter once more. "Don't forget to give William a hug for me," she added.
"I will," Buffy assured her. Giving Giles a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, she grabbed her bag and headed for the door. After handing the attendant her boarding pass, Buffy turned and gave her parents one last smile and wave before boarding the plane.
JFK Airport…
Spike paced the floor in front of Gate 46 nervously. In his hand was clutched a small bouquet of daisies, a flower which he knew for certain were Buffy's favorite. 'Do I give her the flowers or not? Is that being too forward?' he thought as he paced. Never before had he been this nervous about meeting someone. 'It's only been a few months mate, calm down. She's still the same old Buffy she always was.'
"Attention ladies and gentlemen, flight 242 nonstop from Los Angeles will be landing at Gate 46 in approximately twenty minutes. Again that is flight 242 from Los Angeles at Gate 46. Thank you."
"Bloody hell," Spike swore under his breath. "Twenty minutes, what the hell am I supposed to do for twenty minutes?" Looking around he spotted a small coffee shop but decided against the highly caffeinated beverage. 'Nerves are shot as it is,' Spike thought. 'No need to add to the fire.' Instead he opted to explore a small gift shop that sat adjacent to the coffee shop.
Stepping inside, Spike was greeted by a wall of brochures for various activities and places to be found within the city and its suburbs. Looking over the pieces of paper, Spike began to think about the many things he had planned for the next few days. Not only had he decided on which tourist spots to visit, but he had also planned to go to some of New York's best kept secrets; a tiny restaurant in Little Italy that made the best pizza in the city, and café just outside Central Park.
Continuing his exploration, Spike walked to the back wall and looked over the diverse collection of stuffed animals, key chains, bumper stickers, and other such items. He picked up a small white bear wearing the infamous "I Love NY" T-shirt.
"Cute isn't it?" the sale clerk asked.
"What?" Spike responded, caught off guard by the girl's question. "Oh the bear, yeah it's adorable."
"Your girlfriend will love it," the girl added.
"What makes you think I'm meeting my girlfriend here?"
"Well the flowers for one thing," the girl pointed out. "Either they're for your girlfriend of a friend that you want to be your girlfriend. Either that or they're for your mother; in which case, please ignore everything I have said."
Spike laughed at her remark. 'Reminds me of Buffy. Buffy, crap what time is it?!' Glancing quickly at his watch Spike saw that nearly fifteen minutes had passed. "Sorry to rush out," he said stuffing the bear back onto the shelf, "but I've got to meet my…uh…girlfriend."
"Oh, sorry to keep you," she said heading back in the direction of the counter. "Hope she has a good visit."
"Thanks," Spike added before leaving the store.
Aboard Flight 242…
Buffy sat in the most uncomfortable position of her life. The woman to her right had no turned her cell phone off since they took off. She spoke loudly and in the most irritating voice one could imagine and apparently the person she was talking to was a comedian because every fifteen seconds an annoying, purely nasal laugh erupted. To her left a man sat, or rather reclined, snoring as he had done since they left L.A.
'Get me out of here,' Buffy prayed to whatever deity was listening. In an earnest attempt to distract herself from the torturous confines of her current situation, her mind wandered to the last few weeks.
School had become a little more difficult; teachers just did not seem to think that the work they assigned was ever enough to keep the students busy and therefore assigned more. Buffy tried her hardest to keep her head above the water, and with the help of Willow, Tara, and a few of their close friends, she was succeeding. It didn't help that Buffy was constantly receiving email from Riley attempting to explain his, shall we say, momentary lapse of decency. Often, Buffy would read the email just for a good laugh.
Among the other email were continuous letters from Spike. His career had apparently taken off much quicker than expected and he was now working on his second Broadway play, A Week from Tomorrow. He'd written Buffy to tell her of the success of his first play and how excited and supportive his professors were. Buffy couldn't be happier for Spike, and had to wonder what it was like. To be noticed by complete strangers as someone you aren't had to be a weird feeling.
"Attention ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking," the voice boomed over the intercom. "We will begin our descent so we ask that all seats be put into their upright and locked position. Thank you."
'Here we go,' Buffy thought.
JFK Airport…
Back out in the all out madness that is the airport, Spike fought his way towards Gate 46. People were beginning to gather in the seating area and through the window Spike could see the back half of the enormous plane. 'Here we go,' he thought.
Over the heads of anxious people in front of him, Spike could see a familiar blonde head come through the doorway. "Buffy," he breathed just above a whisper. "Buffy!" The blonde head snapped up and caught sight of the person shouting her name.
"Spike!" she shouted back, waving her arm excitedly. Making her way through the crowd, Buffy dropped her bags and threw her arms around Spike's neck.
Spike wrapped his arms around her tiny waist, absolutely loving that he got the chance to be this close to her. He breathed deeply, inhaling the scent of her hair, and smiled broadly. "How was your flight?" he asked once they had parted.
"It was a nightmare," she laughed grabbing one of her bags while Spike took the other. "Of course I got stuck between the two worst people in the world."
Spike laughed; his spirits had risen a great deal just by being in her presence. "So are you hungry? I know a great little café we could stop at."
"Sounds like heaven," Buffy said.
Okay, so there it is. Do I really need to repeat the whole "reviews=more chapters" thing? Didn't think so. ;)