Disclaimer: I don't own anything. If I did then Sims 2 University would be mine and would've met the Fantastic Four cast and drooled over Chris Evans and crap. I'm babbling like I'm hyper, even though I'm not.
Author's note: Oh my god I am so embarrassed. I never read over my author's note or disclaimer last chapter. Not only did I babble on about complete nonsense but also I missed out so many words. Aargh! I wondered why my friends were looking at me strangely after they read it. I have a feeling this chapter won't be much different either but at least I read it over more than once! Anyway, thank you very much for your reviews. I really enjoy getting them. It's why I write. Now this chapter is pretty much leading onto the main plot so be patient. I'm almost there. In the mean time you can tell me how I'm doing so far and whether I'm OOC at all. I had absolutely no idea how to write Joyce, which is why she doesn't say much. Anyway. Read and Review.
"1630. Revello drive. It's been like years since I was last here," Johnny announced.
"You were here last summer. Or so I was told…" Buffy trailed off. She didn't want to bring up the time when she had run away to New York. Hopefully Johnny wasn't paying attention.
"Yeah, what was that all about huh?" he asked. Maybe he was listening.
"A whole summer right next to us and you didn't bother to look us up?" he seemed angry.
"I needed to get my head straight. Sort out my priorities." Buffy mumbled.
"Yeah. Just so you know, Family is usually at the top of the list,"
"You can talk," Sue said with a wink at Buffy.
"If you must know the most important thing in my life is my family." Johnny said nobly.
"And cars, girls and that goddamn playstation." Reed muttered.
"Well at least my priorities are alive! Science is all you think about." Johnny retorted.
"Cars and playstations aren't alive dumb-ass." Ben said in his low gravely voice.
"That's what I said. At least two of my priorities are alive!" Johnny lied. Ben rolled his eyes. Johnny was the most stubborn person in the world excluding his sister and wouldn't back down so it was no use perusing a fight.
Buffy put her key in the door and turned it quickly.
"Mom?" she called out as she pushed the door open. There was no reply. "Mom, Sue and Johnny are here!" She shouted. "Mom?"
"She must've gone out," Buffy said with a shrug when she was greeted with more silence. "Make yourself at home," she added to Ben and Reed.
"Nice place" Ben said politely.
"Thanks. Me and Mom did all the decorating."
"Really? I never knew Buff could paint," Johnny was impressed.
"Why so surprised?" Buffy asked her cousin.
"You were always a bimbo who could only cheer. Then you started acting like some gothic rebel but still looked like the popular cheerleader. Now from what I hear you're a freak who has so much potential but is always around when something weird happens and therefore are weird and freaky." Buffy looked offended by Johnny's speech.
"Your friend Harmony told me that when I was here last year." He added. Buffy's jaw dropped.
"Harmony isn't my friend." She said angrily. "I can't believe you let someone talk about me like that. I bet you even asked her out so you could hear more. What happened to being a family guy?"
"I am a family guy! That's why I stood her up." Johnny protested.
"Or you found a better date!" Buffy said accusingly.
"How the hell did…of course not!" Buffy glared.
"You can just feel the tension." Ben said after a minute of Johnny and Buffy glaring at each other.
"Sorry," Buffy said, "I've just had so much on my mind."
"Like what?" Sue asked worriedly. "Is it about this Angel guy?"
"No. It's just…school work."
"Or lack of it," Johnny muttered.
"Johnny!" Sue hissed. Buffy looked confused. "We heard about what happened at the end of your sophomore year." Sue said with genuine sympathy.
"Oh, they let me back into school. It's just I had a fall out with my friend that's all."
"Don't worry. If you guys are so close then chances are you will start talking again." Sue said, the tone of her voice was soothing and relaxed; it almost helped to take away the pain.
The front door swung open.
"Buffy?" Joyce Summers walked through the front door with a few bags of shopping.
"Hi Mom," Buffy replied. Joyce walked into the living room and realised her daughter was not alone.
"Hi Aunt Joyce." Sue said.
"Oh my, I forgot you two were coming today. How are you?" Joyce gave her niece and nephew a hug. "How's New York?"
"Great."
"And from what I've heard you're engaged?" Joyce asked curiously. Sue broke out into an even bigger smile and nodded excitedly.
"Wow, news travels fast." Ben said in surprise.
"Didn't you see how many phone calls Sue made at the airport?" Johnny asked. "She was all hyped up and screaming."
"That reminds me, I really need to find a better ring." Reed muttered feeling a little embarrassed.
"I like it," Sue said and gave her fiancée a quick kiss. "It has a more sentimental value. Makes me feel more loved."
"How the hell does a piece of metal make you feel loved?" Johnny asked.
"It's part of a gasket from our space trip." Sue said in a matter of fact voice. "It brought us closer together," Sue said happily while Johnny mouthed it along with her.
"You've said that so many times over the past two days." Johnny said, earning him a slap from his sister.
"I think it's sweet." Buffy said.
"Me too. Have you decided on a date?" Joyce asked excitedly.
"Mom! They got engaged two days ago!" Buffy cringed.
"It doesn't hurt to be prepared." Joyce said to her daughter.
"Well we have several dates in mind but we're not to sure. It might just be March 17th-"
"St. Patrick's day? You guys are still stuck on that?" Johnny asked in disbelief.
"Lemme guess. It has that sentimental value." He added mockingly.
"Yes actually. It was the day we first met." Reed said literally glowing with happiness. "I remember that day, at your Aunt's boarding house. It was … 15 years ago I think.''
"Yep. Except you thought I was just a silly little girl,"
"You said three words to me and then ran off giggling."
"I was twelve!"
"Not that reminiscing with you guys isn't fun but how about you continue that little talk some other time." Johnny interrupted.
"It's just cos you don't understand." Buffy said with a smirk.
"And you do? Yeah. You and Angel must have been quite the couple."
"Well at least I know what it's like to fall in love."
"Yeah, falling in love with a complete psycho is so normal."
"What?"
"C'mon. He tried to kill you and your mom. And your friend's fish!" Buffy opened her mouth to give a smart comeback but the lump in her throat stopped her. Tears started welling up in her eyes. The teenager put a few loose strand of hair behind her ear self consciously and ran upstairs to her bedroom.
"She's still a little sensitive on that subject," Joyce explained.
"Poor kid." Ben mumbled. Sue glared at her brother.
"What?" he asked innocently.
"Go and say you're sorry."
"Why? She started it."
"So! Why can't you just be the mature adult and apologize. You're 21 now Johnny. You're not a little kid anymore." (Author's note: Yeah I know I've been calling Johnny a teenager for the past few chapters but I changed my mind. Besides him being 21 works out with my preF4 timeline. I spent AGES trying to work out the age gap between Sue and Johnny. In the end I made up a sensible idea with only ONE picture for evidence. Sorry for babbling. I'm not hyper. Just feel like typing a lot because it us really impressing the people in my class. They're all watching my hands in amazement. I'm on fire!)
"It's not that I'm not mature. I just don't take the blame for other people's mistakes."
"Or your own."
"Just go and say sorry kid." Ben grumbled.
"Yeah. What's the harm in that?" Reed put in.
Johnny exhaled loudly. "Fine." He walked slowly and heavily up the stairs, shooting daggers at his sister on his way up.
"Buffy?" Johnny knocked lightly on his cousin's bedroom door. There was no reply. "Buffy? Can I come in?" Johnny realised he wasn't going to get an answer so he opened the door anyway. It was empty.
"Huh?" Johnny walked in and checked behind the door, in the closet and even under the bed. Then he noticed the window was open.
"Okay then." He muttered to himself and looked out the window. He was sure he could see Buffy running down the street, she was surprisingly fast. Shall I follow? Johnny debated the thought in his head for a few seconds. Why not? Johnny climbed out the window.
"Flame on." He muttered quietly and burst into flame. The young man took off into the sky. Following the slim short figure down the street. This better be Buffy.