A/N : Thanx so much to the latest reviewers; Ember91, Brunettepet, wicked-angel-413, Ape18, demonica mills, spiked-gurl, boeketjebloemen, Spikez-babe91, funkydevil206, Spuffy2008, Moluvsnumber17, XspikeXbuffyX, Baby Girl Geller-Green, Daniel Wesley Rydell, and littlewiccan. Yes, Spike is on the way though we have a little more stuff to get through first. The real Spuffyness will be a while coming but I think it would be terribly unrealistic to rush it, neither of them are just gonna dive right in and be all 'I love you' immediately - we have quite a long way to go yet. Here's hoping you guys stick with it and continue to enjoy the story.
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
Chapter 9 - The Sister
"She's ready to see you now" a kindly looking nurse-type said as she exited Drusilla's room, leaving the door ajar. William shared a glance with Buffy, glad of the supportive smile she gave him, and the fact that her hand slipped into his as they walked through the door.
By the window sat a young woman with such dark hair it made her pallid skin look all the more pale. She wore a long creamy coloured lacy dress that Buffy swore came out of the Victorian era. She didn't look crazy, just frighteningly still as she stared out across the scenery, but then Buffy had never met a real live crazy person before.
"Drusilla, luv" William said gently as they approached.
"And there he is" she grinned not yet turning her head, "My sweet brother William come to visit me like a good boy"
She finally turned then and spared a look at Buffy.
"And he's brought a little friend for us to play with" she continued, the look in her eyes somewhere between playful and dangerous. Luckily Buffy was an expert at hiding fear. She didn't even flinch as the brunette came towards her, stopping just a stride away.
Dru closed her eyes and put her hands up in front of her, palms facing Buffy who shared a look with William. He gestured for her not to worry as Drusilla swayed side to side her hands eventually shifting to hold her head.
"Oh William" she sighed, frowning first then smiling, "It's dark where she is" she said when she finally opened her eyes and faced him, "but the sun will shine through in the end" she decided, "and you my darling boy" his sister continued, putting a hand on his shoulder and leaning in to whisper in his ear, "All the birds will sing for you, and all the stars will too" she giggled, making William smile himself.
"Dru, this is Buffy Summers, she's a friend of mine" he introduced.
"Hey" the blonde waved a little, feeling very awkward suddenly.
"She is the pretty one you were waiting for" Drusilla laughed like a child, "Yes, she'll do very well..." she paused and a strange look came over her face before she grabbed Buffy's hand and walked across the room to her bed where they both sat down.
"Do you like dolls?" the brunette asked as she reached across the bed.
"Uh, I guess" Buffy lied as a china doll was thrust into her hands.
"Say hello to Miss Edith then" Drusilla ordered and William noticed how stupid Buffy must feel.
"Dru, maybe Buffy doesn't want to..." he started, but soon stopped when the blonde smiled at the doll in her hands.
"Hey Miss Edith, nice to meet you" she said. Drusilla smiled triumphantly at her brother, a look that said 'see, she wants to be my friend too'.
An hour passed in which William felt very much the third wheel. His sister chatted animatedly to Buffy about all manner of things, and for the most part her probing questions were not too inappropriate. Despite the fact he was almost completely left out of conversation, Will found he didn't mind. To see Dru like this, so happy and almost normal, with Buffy who herself seemed so at ease, it gave him a great feeling of contentment.
"Dear William" Drusilla frowned suddenly, "Princess is a bad girl" she scolded herself, "Left the sweet boy all alone in the corner like a dunce"
"Sorry" Buffy said, as she suddenly noticed how right Dru was, "You came here to see your sister and I kinda got all the attention"
"He doesn't mind" his sister grinned, "Too kind, too soft...let the damsels run amok to save them from distress"
"I never let you run amok, Dru" William smiled indulgently, "Never got a choice in what you did, couldn't stop you if I wanted too"
"Free spirits can't be caged like birds" she shook her head, one hand going absently to her throat, "Poor chick will choke with bars to bind her" her grip tightened on her own neck til she started to go a funny colour and Buffy wasn't sure what to think.
"No, luv" William was immediately at his sister's side, prising her fingers from her own windpipe, "Don't do that, pet"
Tears came to her eyes as he held both her hands in his and she started to rock back and forth as she looked at him.
"Princess didn't mean it" she promised, as she began to cry and William pulled her into a hug. He was used to this, strange mood swings and the like. It usually meant she was due her drugs and as if they'd read his mind a nurse tapped on the door and entered quietly. Buffy got up to leave, feeling very awkward and out of place.
"Bye Dru" she said softly as she made for the door.
On the other side she leaned against the wall and expelled a breath. Meeting William's sister was an intense experience, and nothing like what she'd expected. She tried to imagine how it must have been for him, trying to cope with looking after her when he was just a child. She couldn't understand how anyone would begin to deal with that. The more she got to know William, the more Buffy realised that she was far from the only one to have suffered as she grew up. Yes, she'd lost her parents and it was a tragedy but it was not the only bad thing to happen in the world.
"Buffy?" William was by her side when she looked up and without a word she put her arms around him and pulled him into a hug.
"Hey now, what's this about?" he said nervously, though having her in his arms did feel wonderful. A moment later she pulled away, a tear escaping down her cheek.
"I'm sorry" she told him, "You're a different person to what I thought, and, well..." she had trouble saying all that she meant and William hated to see her struggle with it.
"I'm sorry too" he apologised, "Dru can be a little..."
"No" Buffy interrupted, shaking her head, "She's great, really. It's not her fault she does some weird stuff...and y'know before the whole strangling deal...she's fun to hang with"
William smiled at that, cautiously bringing his hand up Buffy's cheek and wiping away the lone tear she didn't seem to have noticed she'd shed.
"You know, Buffy" he said softly, "You try to hide it, but underneath it all, you're really a very sweet girl, aren't you?"
"Yeah, right" the blonde scoffed at that, automatically going back into carefree mode, but he could see in her eyes it was all a lie. Once the facade had been allowed to let slip it was pointless putting it back in place, even she herself knew that but it didn't stop her trying for the most part.
"Tell anyone, and you die bloody" she told him with a smirk that showed she was teasing.
"Never say a word, luv" he promised her, "Scouts honour" he added with the appropriate salute as they headed back out of the building.
"You were a boy scout?" she asked him with a disbelieving look till he turned away.
"Just for a day" he admitted, "I'm allergic to camping" he smirked, making her laugh out loud as they made their way back to the car.
It was about a half hour later when William pulled the car into the lot of a small country hotel. He and Buffy would be staying just the one night, visiting Drusilla again tomorrow morning and then driving down to London after lunch.
"So, this is where you stay every weekend that you visit Dru?" Buffy asked as they climbed out of the car and pulled their bags from the back.
"Yes" William nodded, "and you should actually feel quite at home, the owners are American"
"Seems like there's more people from my country over here than yours" she smiled as they arrived at the front door and he opened it for her like a gentleman should.
They'd barely reached the front desk when a girl a little taller than Buffy but much younger looking came galloping from a door, colliding with William and nearly knocking him over.
"Hello, Bit" he smiled, hugging her for a moment. Buffy felt ridiculous for feeling a little jealous as she watched the pair together.
"I can't believe how much you've grown" William told the girl when they parted, "Quite the young woman now, you are"
The young brunette coloured at his words, ducking her face behind her hair and turning away, coming face to face with Buffy.
"Hi" she said, frowning at what she considered to be 'a total skank-girl'.
"Oh, Dawn this is Buffy Summers" William quickly introduced, "Buffy this is Dawn, the owner's daughter. You two are fellow Americans you know"
"Huh" the younger girl looked entirely unimpressed as she headed back behind the counter, telling William she'd go find her parents to get him booked in.
"She's...friendly" Buffy commented as soon as she was gone and William shrugged.
"I've been coming here for a couple of years now" he explained, "Most of the time Dawn's away at boarding school but in the holidays we spend some time together whilst I'm here. Her parents are almost always busy and she gets lonely"
Their conversation was interrupted when Dawn re-appeared with her mother and the visiting pair were handed a key each. The young brunette seemed eager to follow William wherever he went and it was strange to the young man to note that Dawn and Buffy seemed to be shooting nasty looks at each other because of him. Whilst it was embarrassing he found it was also a little thrilling to know your attention was so much sought after, particularly by those of the opposite sex.
Eventually, Dawn's mother called her away, telling her to leave the guests alone as Buffy and William headed up to their respective rooms. From the outside, the hotel looked of an average size, yet somehow the bedrooms seemed huge. Buffy guessed the large windows and grand views beyond had something to do with that. As she stood staring out at the hills and trees there was a tap on her door before William entered.
"Is your room okay?" he asked her and she shrugged.
"Yeah, it's okay" she said, trying to look serious but having difficulty as smile broke out on her face, "Will, it's huge! Of course it's okay, better than okay. Kinda sucks you have to pay for all this though" she realised, "I don't really have a lot of cash or I could..."
"Now, Buffy" he silenced her, "We agreed not to talk about that"
She nodded that she remembered and decided to let it go. Anyone other than William she might have felt worse about his kindness, but he put her at such ease. Other guys she met, most of them in fact, would expect some kind of payment for all they gave her, in which case Buffy never would've accepted their offers. She was a lot of things but a hooker was not one of them, she didn't do the sexual favours thing. She was totally comfortable here, knowing William wasn't like that and would never try anything, though she had to admit that somewhere deep inside, she kind of wished he'd want her that way.
"I suppose we should get something to eat and then get some sleep" he suggested, glancing at the view that seemed to have her hypnotised.
"William, it's barely eight o'clock" she smirked, "And you're thinking about sleeping?" she checked.
"In case you've forgotten, Miss Summers" he smirked back at her, "Some of us have to play chauffeur again tomorrow - not just back to the home to see Dru but then all the way down to the other hotel in London" he reminded her.
With that he turned to leave, stopping just short of the door when she spoke to him.
"Y'know this time tomorrow, chauffeur or not, we will not be sleeping by eight" she told him as he turned back. The look in her eye made him blush, and she giggled.
"You wanted to see the wild side of life" she reminded him, "and it all starts tomorrow"
"Looking forward to it, luv" he smiled, despite his embarrassment, finally leaving her alone.
Tomorrow was going to make for an interesting day, what with another visit to see Drusilla, and then on to London where Buffy planned to show William how one partied with the best of them. As strange as it seemed, they were both quite looking forward to it.
To Be Continued...