The Road Home
Summary: AU; everyone's human. Buffy Summers dodges family and friends to escape her wedding and make it back home, single. But when she returns to L.A., she finds herself stuck with a grumpy, homeless roommate without who, she soon finds, home wouldn't be home at all.
Disclaimer: 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and all associated with it belongs to Mutant Enemy, Fox, Joss Whedon etc. I own squat.
A/N: Let me warn you, for five chapters, now, you might not like me very much. However, I'll accept your flames but I won't change much of my plot cause I've already written up to chapter 26. As always, let me know what you think.
24. Choking on Her
Will woke to Buffy kissing his forehead and mumbling, "Hey, baby, you ready to get going?"
She left the room before he could answer, tying her robe around her as she went into the bathroom to shower. Will sat up with a frown, and shouted at the door, "Why're we up so early? It's only... bloody hell," He muttered to himself, "It's 11:30!"
Buffy yelled out something but it was drowned by the noise of the water. Scratching his head, Will pushed the sheets off him and rolled out of bed. Standing naked, he looked around searchingly for his sweats. When he didn't find them, he ventured out of the room, still undressed and not giving a damn about it.
He padded to the room he'd been using, the guest room that was painted purple, signalling that it had been a girl's room once. Pulling open his closet, he frowned when he realized almost all his clothes were being packed for the move.
He felt a pang at the thought of moving, knowing it was more significant than changing houses and addresses. Wherever he went, now, this house where Buffy Summers lived would always be his home.
Sighing, he shut the closet and bent, rifling through the open airbag, searching for clothes. He had been in that position for a few minutes when he felt cold, wet hands wrapped around his waist. Smiling, he felt Buffy's small breasts pressing against his back and he straightened.
"Done already, luv?" He asked, placing his hand over hers on his stomach.
"Nah," She whispered, her breath against his bare back sending shivers down his spine. "I came to get something."
"Really?" One eyebrow rose. "Now, what could that be?"
Slipping around his slim frame to face him, she grinned. "You."
A good hour later, they emerged from the house, ready to shop. As they slipped into the car, Will reached for his seatbelt when Buffy moaned. He looked at her, frowning. "What's the matter, pet?"
Buffy, who was checking her pockets and purse, said, "I think I left my wallet in our room. It's got all my money..."
"You won't have to spend a penny, luv," He reassured her.
Buffy shook her head. "No, it's got my cards and everything..."
Will nodded. "I'll go get it." He opened his door and slipped out when he felt her soft hand on his arm. He looked back questioningly and saw the worry in her eyes.
"Hey... is something wrong, Will?" She was hesitant and suddenly, Will wished he hadn't shown his slightly withdrawn mood today.
He wanted to ask her about Liam, but he didn't want to, being afraid of the answer. Instead, he smiled softly and caressed her cheek with his thumb. "I'm fine, Elizabeth. Really."
Then, before she could question him further, he turned and left the car.
Unlocking the front door and entering the foyer, he glanced at the sleeping cat on the couch before heading up.
He opened the room to Buffy's room – which she had referred to as their room – and was hit with the smell of vanilla and strawberries from the night. Unbidden, in spite of his quiet mood that day, a smile crept across his lips. He started humming, amazed at what little a thing could cheer him up. He headed for Buffy's dresser, eyes looking for her wallet, but his head thinking of her.
Of how she gasped when he bit her earlobe.
Her easy moans as he kissed the juncture of her neck and shoulder.
Her eagerness to have every inch of her smooth, golden skin to be marked as his...
He broke out of his trance when he couldn't find the wallet. Frowning just a bit, he increased his concentration, looking on the bedside tables where all he found was the leftovers of candles and rose petals. He headed for her dresser, again, and slid open the topmost drawer.
Ah, there it is. Will pocketed the small thing and was about to close her drawer when he noticed something peeking under the shelf paper.
Knowing this wasn't right, and yet, unable to help himself, Will pulled out the offending colorful object and froze when it turned out to be a stack of photographs.
Of Buffy.
With Liam.
Swallowing through the lump that suddenly reappeared in his throat, Will forced himself to look at the pictures. An old photo of the two was on the top. Buffy was a good head shorter than she was now and Liam, his amazing elder cousin, wasn't as well built. They were standing on the steps of the very same house with the tall brunette he guessed was Dawn and an elder woman with glossy blonde curls, both on either side of the couple. Undoubtedly, the latter was Joyce Summers, her mom.
But that wasn't what he was looking at. Liam wore a tux, and Buffy was in a strapless silk dress of scarlet, her hair done up skilfully in a bun. She wore a little too much make up, but she looked beautiful. Apparently, Liam thought so, too, because the gap between them as they stood wasn't much. His hand on her bare shoulder made Will's jaw lock firmly. He put the picture on the back of the stack.
And here it was again. On the beach, lying on a towel, Buffy in a striped two piece with Liam sitting on his knees near her back, a bottle of lotion in his hand. Willow was there, too, with a blue haired boy who seemed shorter than her, but again, the proximity Buffy and Liam shared sent a pang to his heart.
More snaps of the two from high school. Holding a sign up in a peace march; meeting at the sidelines after a game; picnics on top of the grassy hill that overlooked the valley. Each picture suffocated Will, yet he continued rifling through them, feeling almost a desperate need to find a photo which showed a not-so-happy Buffy.
He reached more recent photos, still a couple of years old, but not from high school. Her hair was shorter, straighter. She looked like a woman who knew her own mind. He was more muscular, used a lot more hair gel, now. Standing together in the snow in front of the gallery in New York. Attending a Christmas party at one of his colleague's places. Smiling happily at the gate of an old, Victorian style house, him holding the 'For Sale' sign upside down.
Never did he see anything that made him think she was unhappy.
As he arrived on the last photo, he realized that weeks ago, he had almost seen these photos on her mirror, but been diverted. Buffy, in a classic black dress, held on to Liam's arm with her left. And, clearly visible, on her left hand was a huge diamond solitaire.
Will dropped the photos. Thankfully, the drawer was still open and they fell into it. He looked ahead, unseeing for quite a few minutes before shaking himself out of his stupor.
Swallowing hard, a shaking Will walked down the stairs and unlocked the door with shaking hands. When he got into the car again, Buffy turned to him from the magazine she'd been reading with a grin. "Hey, did you..." She broke off when she saw his white face. "Will, what's the matter? Are you alright?"
Her concern made him look at her. Wordlessly, he handed her the wallet and looked down at where her left hand was holding his arm. He swallowed.
Then smiled.
"I'm fine, kitten, prob'bly a bit under the weather, that's all. No need to worry your pretty little head."
But her deep frown didn't recede. "Are you sure?" She pressed her hand to his forehead. "Because we can go later, if you want... you should get your rest..."
"'Lizabeth," He said, grabbing her hand and holding it tightly between his own two. "You're skipping work to help me with this. Plus, it's Friday—I'll get all the rest I want tomorrow and day after. Also, you're so dolled up..." He looked lasciviously at her ensemble of cargo pants and a tank top, "I want to show you off."
Buffy blushed, pulling her hand away. "Ass." She said, slipping on her sunglasses. "Make me wish I'd worn something else."
Will chuckled, though he felt like crying. "I'd rather you wouldn't wear anything, luv."
He leaned in and they shared a soft, lingering kiss. As he put the car into gear, Will noticed the smile on her face and it was nothing like any smile she'd worn when she was with Liam. This one was more carefree, more genuine. More real.
And at that moment, Will decided that her history with his cousin would make no difference to their relationship. He'd be damned if he let Liam steal his girl away.
Unless, of course, the history turned out to be the present, too.
When the couple returned from shopping, Willow and Tara were lounging in their living room. Instantly, Tara, who loved home furnishings as much as the next homemaker, launched herself on the bags. Will was showing her things one by one when he noticed Willow telling Buffy something serious in the hallway. Tuning out Tara's exclamations, he tried to hear what they were saying but all he could understand was 'phone' and 'worried'. Thinking it was probably Dawn, again, Will left Tara to look at the purchases and slipped into the kitchen.
He pulled out a few bottles of soda from the fridge, yawning as he did. Boy, if there was one thing that wore you out more than sex and shopping was shopping after sex. Especially when you were with Buffy, who seemed to have endless energy no matter what concerned. He was grinning as he started to head out when he saw the red, blinking light of the answering machine.
Moving forwards, he hit the button and listened as a woman urged him to insure his car. Chuckling, he was about to move out when he heard a familiar voice that froze him in his tracks.
"Buffy, hey, baby. If you're there, then can you meet me in London sometime next week? Anya and Xander will be there, too. We all can sit and work out things about the wedding."
Will dropped the bottles, and a part of him that wasn't frozen in shock thanked God they were plastic. When he heard a soft gasping noise from behind him, he turned to see Willow and Buffy watching him with wide eyes and open mouths. Buffy looked particularly afraid, apprehensive and wary.
Will didn't say anything for a while. Then, his cheery voice rang out in the silence. "Mind explaining that, luv?"