Chapter six

Buffy was dying. She had been walking around the museum with William, Anne and Miss Davies for several hours already and she was on the verge of passing out. Buffy had fought pretty much every demon and evil oogy-boogy out there and won but she was fighting a losing against the torture device strapped to her chest. William, cheeks flushed and obviously excited, was pointing out various exhibits, Buffy tried desperately to pay attention, this was what she wanted, she wanted to learn more about William and what he was passionate about, but the pain was almost unbearable. Buffy strained to keep a neutral expression on her face but the lack of oxygen was beginning to affect her ability to control her motor skills. William glanced towards her and a look of concern flitted across his face.

"Miss Anne, are you alright? You look like you're in pain." Buffy attempted to smile but it came out looking more like a grimace.

"I'm fine, there's just a pebble in my shoe." William didn't seem convinced, but returned to the exhibits, sensing that she didn't want to create a fuss, but moved a fraction of an inch closer to her, in case she fainted and he needed to catch her. This is ridiculous, I'm the Slayer, I don't faint, I just need to lie down for a little bit. As she was thinking this, Buffy's oxygen deprived legs gave out and she was unconscious before she hit the floor.

Behind him, William heard a heavy thud and his mother's cry of shock; he spun around to see Miss Anne on the floor and his mother tottering to her feet. Rushing to Anne's side, he laid his fingers against her wrist to test her pulse. It was weak but definitely there. When he spoke, his voice was filled with quiet authority;

"Mother, please, get back into your wheelchair, I do not want to have to contend with two fainting victims." Without putting up a fight, Anne sat back obediently, in the chair.

"You there," William singled out a member of the small crowd they had attracted;

"Go fetch the doctor, this woman needs medical help." The man ran off, presumably in search of the doctor, leaving William to tend to Miss Anne. He laid his warm hand against her cheek and patted it softly.

"Anne, Miss Anne, please wake up. I need you to wake up" William was sitting on the floor of the museum, cradling his mother's companion's head in his lap, all traces of refinement and manners forgotten. People were sure to talk about this, sure to make up some rumor challenging both Anne and William's decency, but at that moment William honestly couldn't care less. The only thing he could think of was Miss Anne.

Buffy was sitting up in her bed, with her blankets tucked up to her chin. Everyone had been bustling around her, practically worrying her to death ever since the party returned home from the museum. She thought it was all too much, she had died twice and these people were making a huge deal over a fainting spell. There was a quiet knock at her door and William's voice came floating over to her;

"How is she feeling?" He asked the nurse that Anne had assigned to Buffy the first day she came, Catherine or something.

"She is fine" Buffy grumbled, attempting to swing her legs over the side of her bed, but Catherine pushed her back.

"She's still a little weak; she just needs to get some rest." The maid answered. William cleared his throat and walked away.

"Great" Buffy griped, "I'm being treated as an invalid now, don't I even have the power to decide how I'm feeling?" Catherine giggled,

"Of course, ma'am, I just didn't want Master William to worry."

"Yeah, like he would worry about me." The young maid looked at Buffy, clearly stunned.

"Why, Miss Anne, how could you say such a thing? Master William was very worried about you before; I've never seen him pale as when they brought you home."

"I have" Buffy mumbled under her breath, the maid ignored her and went on, moving closer and whispering in a low, secretive tone, the kind one adopts when about to divulge a juicy piece of gossip.

"In fact, I think he quite fancies you"

"Fancies?"

"You know, finds you attractive, has a desire for your company."

"Well, if he does, he has a funny way of showing it." Again, Catherine looked at Buffy as if she just asked her who the Queen of England was.

"But Miss Anne, he has been quite forward with you, well, as forward as Master William can be." Buffy was intrigued, but didn't want to show the maid as much.

"If you don't mind, I think I will take a nap, the fainting spell must have taken more out of me than I thought." Catherine nodded; her eyes filled to the brim with curiosity and a million unanswered questions and bustled from the room. Buffy sat up in her bed, leaning against the headboard, trying to clear her mind of thoughts she knew she shouldn't be having.