Disclaimer: Ha! I wish. But, nope, B:tVS belongs to Joss and ME. Oh, and chappie titles for the most part come from Evanescence lyrics.

Rating: PG-13. Swearing, angst, violence, minor child abuse. You have been warned …

Pairings: B/S eventually. W/T Others uncertain

Distribution: Yeah, sure, take it. Tell me first, though.

Reviews: DEFINITELY! Reviewers are the best!

Previously:Buffy, now a famous actress, has agreed to return to Sunnydale for her not-quite-so-loving father's funeral …

The petite blonde woman stood in the parking lot, impatiently pushing a few strands of hair away from her slight flushed face as she glance around at the apparently deserted building. She readjusted her duffle bag on her shoulder and walked resignedly towards the minivan that was to be her ride.

I could have taken a private jet and been driven around in a limo, but no, I just had to travel alone and 'normally,' Buffy thought wryly as she loaded the van with her possessions.

Perhaps some underlying wish of getting back in touch with her life in Sunnydale had led Buffy to decide to take this trip as any other average citizen would.

oOoOo

Earlier that morning …

Buffy had been woken at – in her opinion – an entirely ungodly hour by a knock and a yell at her apartment door.

After several minutes of loud banging, she decided that it couldn't be ignored, so threw on a robe and stumbled blindly to answer the calls.

Yanking the door open, she discovered an entirely-too-cheerful Anya smiling brightly at her. "Morning, Buff. Ready to go?"

Ever so eloquently, Buffy mumbled, "Wha'?"

Anya frowned. "You forgot your flight leaves this morning didn't you? And you made me promise to drag myself out of bed early and send you to the airport when I could have put this time to good use by making myself more money!"

She continued her lecture as Buffy stumbled back into the apartment, mumbling something about the 'high rent' and 'you think when you pay so much, security or someone would keep people from visiting this early.'

Unfortunately, Anya hear her and answered, "Geesh, Buffy, you really are a grump in the mornings. I keep telling you, you need to get an orgasm buddy. You'll be much happier and satisfied everyday."

Buffy just turned bright red and groaned. Years of knowing Anya still had not made her immune to the older girl's blunt way of speaking.

Anya was oblivious, and continued to rush her friend. "Come on! You don't want to be late for this flight …" she said as she pushed Buffy into the bathroom.

oOoOo

After much yelling and pushing, the two finally managed to get to the car and start the short drive to the airport.

On the way, Anya told Buffy what information she had gathered. "'K. From what I know, you father died in a car crash a week or so after he was released from jail. His body was barely identifiable, so there won't be a whole open-casket thing. The actual funeral is planned for a couple days from now."

"Who do you actually expect to attend the thing?" Buffy asked, worried.

"It'll be fine. This funeral is set up through a church, so at the least, there'll always be some sympathetic people who want to mourn with you. Or, there'll just be crazy people who like funerals."

Buffy glanced at Anya, and said with sarcasm, "Right. That makes me feel so much better."

"You really should invite your old friends."

The younger blonde's face suddenly grew solemn. "I haven't seen them in 5 years, Ahn. Do they even still know me? And another thing – it feels weird, that this whole trip just a publicity thing to show that I 'care' about someone I don't actually care about."

"First of all, the whole world knows you now. And, you really do need to go back to Sunnydale. Maybe not exactly for Hank, but at least to get in touch with your family there. I find it very sad that I'm your only friend. I mean, what would you do if I died someday?" Anya asked earnestly.

Buffy rubbed her eyes tiredly. "I don't know, Ahn. I don't know …"

oOoOo

At the airport, as the girls were parting …

"You won't be able to survive without your own personal flight attendant and chauffeur," Anya had said with a straight face.

"I haven't become that spoiled," Buffy huffed. "I'll be fine."

"If you say so …" And before Buffy could answer, she continued, "You have your flight ticket, when you get to Sunnydale, go to the car rental. You should have a sedan under the name 'Buffy Summers.' I actually remembered not to use 'Elizabeth Summers!' Wasn't that …

Flashback

Buffy had walked just beyond Sunnydale town boundaries, and now she stood by the side of the road, sticking out her thumb once in a while, hoping to catch a ride.

Eventually, a large battered pick-up truck stopped, revealing a plain and muscled woman.

"Hey, kid, where ya headed?"

"Anywhere but here," Buffy answered seriously.

The woman's mouth twisted into a lopsided grin. "Ha. Sticking with the classics? All right, I'll give you a ride. What's yer name, kid?"

Buffy thought about it for a minute. She really wasn't 'Buffy' anymore; this was a new life. "Elizabeth," she finally answered. "Elizabeth Summers."

"O.K., Elizabeth, hop in ..."

It became second nature to Buffy to use her new alias. Naturally, it was the name she gave the world when she became well known. 'Buffy' was stored away to be buried beneath the dust along with the rest of Sunnydale.

End Flashback

… make sure you have your ticket and everything else you need." Anya finished her extensive set of instructions.

Not about to admit that she couldn't do this by herself, Buffy smiled and answered, "Yes, 'mother.' I got it. Now stop worrying."

Making sure that everything was ready, the girls hugged briefly, and then parted.

Even though the flight to Sunnydale was short, it had felt like a miserable eternity to the young star. Buffy had realized, with some surprise, that this was her first economy-class flight. And for the duration of the journey, she had been seated in a narrow seat between a loudly snoring lady, and a man who kept elbowing her.

To make matters worse, she was directly in front of a boy who wouldn't stopkicking the back of her seat. She was just about to lose her temper and turn around to yell at the toddler when she noticed the large and protective woman sitting next to him, glaring menacingly at her.

After that, all she could do was sit still and count the seconds until the flight was over. She was quite proud of herself for nearly making it to a million before she lost track.

She had never felt more relieved than when the flight ended. Buffy got off the plane as quickly as she could, but in her haste to leave, she had gotten lost in the airport.

It took her nearly half an hour to find car rentals, and when she got there, Buffy found that a minivan, not a sedan, had somehow been reserved under her name. Losing the argument with the clerk, she had no other option but to take the car.

God, I hope I don't kill anything, she thought as she began her drive.

Needing nothing more than a good cup of coffee right now, Buffy decided to drive around town and see how much had changed in the past few years. Not surprisingly, the small town was almost exactly as she had left it. She was glad to see that the Espresso Pump, once one of her favorite hangouts, was still open.

Buffy managed to find a parking space, and then proceeded to walk in the shop. As she pushed through the doors, she thought she caught a glimpse of a familiar red-colored head.

No, it isn't … Buffy thought with amazement as she tuned her head for a better look, … Willow?

She looked at the pair of girls laughing and chatting at a table.

… and Dawn?

Tell me to continue … or something …

le faye