Chapter 30: A Place to Call Home

One week later

July 2nd, 2004

Dawn sat on the couch flipping channels, her boredom plain from her face. Buffy leaned against the kitchen counter, rifling absentmindedly through a magazine.

Finally, Dawn gave up and switched the television off, looking at her sister. "Buffy? What are we still doing here?"

Buffy looked taken aback. "What are you talking about?"

"I think you know what I'm talking about," Dawn said. "A year ago, Rome sounded like a great idea. We all needed something new. And I think we accomplished that. I finished high school. So now...what's keeping us here?"

Buffy sighed, closing her magazine. "I have a job here, Connor has a job here...we have friends here. You have Amelia, and Gina, and James..."

"I know, but aside from all that. What am I supposed to do now? I'm a high school graduate...but where do I go from here?" Dawn asked. She took a breath, preparing herself before putting her next proposal on the table. "I've been doing some research, just out of curiosity, and I found out that there are a lot of colleges in California that have rolling admissions."

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "You want to move back to California?"

"Not even necessarily California. But Buffy...don't you miss home? Even a little bit?"

"Last time I checked, home was a giant crater," Buffy said.

"You know that's not what I mean. I mean the United States. Italy has been great, but do we really have a future here?" Dawn asked.

Buffy frowned. "Have you talked to Connor about this?"

"Yes, actually, I have. And he wants me to go to college, if that's what I want. And he said that he could get another job with a moving company or wherever anywhere I wanted to go," Dawn said quietly.

Buffy took that in. "So what's stopping you, then?"

"Buffy, I would never just go off without you," Dawn said. "I don't want to go anywhere unless you want to come, too."

Buffy slowly walked over and sat down on the couch beside her sister. "And by anywhere, you mean LA."

"Well, it makes the most sense. It's a lot easier to move somewhere where you at least know someone. And with Willow, Xander, and Giles all in different countries...it seems like the best place to settle down."

"My seventeen year old sister, talking about settling down," Buffy said, shaking her head.

"Eighteen in a week, and yes. I'm not talking about saving up for retirement, but I am thinking about the future. Connor and I are getting married. And I want to have somewhere we can really call a home."

"That's really sweet. It really, really is. But LA might be the best option for you, but it sure as hell isn't for me," Buffy reminded her gently. "I can visit. But settling down there permanently, so close...I don't think it's the best idea." She took a breath. "But if it's what you and Connor want, I'm sure I could join Willow, or Giles-"

"No way. You're my family." Dawn shook her head stubbornly. "Package deal."

Buffy rested her head in her hands. "I just don't know, Dawn. I do miss the US. And California. I really do. But what is there for me there? You know, I've been thinking about it, and I think I finally figured out why I've felt so lost this year. And it's because I have no purpose."

"That's not true."

"Yes, it is. My life used to be about fighting vampires. Saving the world. Then I gave that up. Willingly, and I don't regret it. But I don't think I ever realized how much that was who I was, not until I wasn't it anymore. But that's who I was. The Chosen One. And now I don't know where I go from here."

Dawn didn't know what to say. "If you miss being a part of the good fight, I know that in England there's a lot more going on. We could go and you could help Giles with all the new slayers there."

"But see, I don't know if I want that either. I think that when I made that decision, it was because I thought I could be something besides the slayer. But now, what am I? A waitress? And not even a very good one. Maybe the most important part of my life is over."

"Don't you ever say that. Buffy, there is still so much out there for you. You gave up years of your life fighting vampires, and now this is your reward. You just need to get out there and enjoy it. Maybe you haven't found what else it is you're meant to do yet, but you will."

"Except I don't even know where to start," Buffy confessed. "I don't know how to be anything but the slayer."

"That's not true. You know how to be a damn good big sister," Dawn said with a smile.

Buffy smiled back. "If it makes you happy, we can go to LA. I'm not saying give up the apartment and pack everything, but maybe...a trial period."

"Are you sure?" Dawn asked worriedly. "I mean...I know how hard it is for you to be around Angel-"

"No, you really don't have any idea," Buffy said grimly. "But I've dealt with it before. I'm just...weaker than I've been in a while. And I'm worried."

"Like when you guys kissed at Christmas?" Dawn asked.

Buffy groaned. "More than kissed. There were...hands. In places where they shouldn't be hands. And I think that's enough of a visual for you."

"Definitely. But you both know better now, maybe you just needed to get that out of your systems," Dawn suggested.

"We'll never be out of each other's systems," Buffy admitted. "There are just moments when we're better at pretending that we're over each other."

Dawn hesitated. "Well, we can deal with where we're going to live later, but Connor and I did decide that we'd like to get married in LA. It seems like the best place where we could have everyone there, and it's the first place we met."

Buffy smiled. "I definitely understand that. Everyone wants us to visit anyway, so we can go anytime you'd like. And then, we can take it from there."

Dawn reached out and hugged her sister. "Thank you. Actually, while we're having this little heart to heart...there's one more favor I'd like to ask you," Dawn said as they pulled away. "Will you give me away at the wedding?"

Tears sprang to Buffy's eyes. "I would be honored." They hugged again.

3 weeks later

July 23rd, 2004

"Gina, stop crying!" Dawn insisted. "We're going to see each other soon, for the wedding!"

Gina nodded, wiping her eyes. "I know. But it just won't be the same without you here!" she wailed.

Buffy, Dawn, and Connor were in the airport, surrounded by Gina, James, and Amelia, who had all come to see them off. After getting all of their affairs in order, the three of them were heading to Los Angeles indefinitely. Immediately after Dawn's conversation with Buffy, Connor had put in his two weeks notice at Rome Movers and Co.. Buffy had notified their landlord that they would be moving out of the apartment, and as far as she knew the next tenants were already lined up. Connor had also turned in the keys to his apartment without looking back.

Dawn turned to Amelia next. "I'm really going to miss you," Dawn whispered, giving her friend a tight hug. "But you'll be there for the wedding, too, and you can visit all the time."

Amelia nodded. She had already been accepted into the local university, where she would be starting in the fall. "I'm happy for you, though. I've been here long enough now that Italy is my home. It's not yours."

"I don't know what I would have done without you," Dawn admitted. They hugged again, tears in both their eyes.

"Work isn't going to be the same without you, man," James confessed to Connor. "But hey, at the end of the year I'm out of here too. My study abroad will be over and I'll be back to Massachusetts."

Connor gestured in Gina's direction. "What about..."

James smiled nervously. "Well, it's still a few months off, but I was actually thinking about taking her with me. If she wants to, that is."

"Whoa. That's a pretty serious move," Connor said appreciatively.

"Well if things keep going the way they're going...and my family absolutely loved Gina when I brought her home for Christmas. And there's nothing keeping her here. So we'll see," James said.

The final boarding call for their flight was announced. Everyone shared final hugs and promised to call before Buffy, Dawn, and Connor headed to the gate, waving at their friends behind them. Gina cried into James's shoulder and Amelia smiled sadly at Dawn.

As they walked through the tunnel to the plane, their friends out of sight, Dawn turned to Connor. "I didn't realize how hard it would be to say goodbye," she admitted.

He squeezed her hand. "This is what you want, though. Right?"

Dawn nodded. "Yes. It is." She put her arm around him and they followed Buffy the rest of the way to the plane.

Two days later

July 25th, 2004

"Finally done sleeping off that jet lag?" Angel asked Dawn as she wandered into the lobby of the Hyperion, coffee in hand.

She smiled sleepily. "Yes, I think so."

Angel nodded towards Dawn's hand. "I didn't get a good look before- may I?" Dawn nodded and held out her hand proudly so Angel could admire her engagement ring. "Not bad," he said with a smile.

Dawn smiled back. When they had initially told Angel the news over the phone he had seemed more than a little taken aback, but now that they were actually here he seemed to be warming up to the idea. "Thank you, by the way. For having us again."

"You know you're welcome as long as you'd like," Angel said. He cleared his throat oddly, as if he were leading up to something. "By the way, I was just wondering...you guys being back here, is that a permanent thing?"

Dawn nodded slowly. "We're not quite sure yet. I mean, Connor and I definitely want to settle down somewhere after the wedding. And Buffy..." She took a sip of coffee. "Well, we're definitely considering LA. It just depends on...things." She hurriedly raised her mug to her lips again before she could say anything else.

Angel seemed to understand. "I see." There was a brief awkward silence. "So, have you two set a date yet?"

"Not yet. We're hoping soon, though. Before the end of the summer would be nice, as long as everyone can fly in," Dawn said. "We just need to decide on a location and then we can choose a date. Also, you'll be happy to know that wherever we have it, it will be at sundown. It's important to both of us that you can be there."

Angel looked touched. "Thank you. You should probably talk to Cordelia about the location thing, she probably knows all the hot spots where people get married these days."

"Yeah, I will. We don't really want something too traditional, you know? I have a feeling we'll know when we find the right place," Dawn said thoughtfully.

They heard the stairs creak and turned their heads to see Connor and Buffy descending them. Connor looked well-rested and chipper. Buffy, on the other hand, looked like she could stand to sleep another day. Or three.

"Good morning Connor, Buffy," Angel said politely. "There's coffee in the office if you'd like some."

Connor came over and kissed Dawn good morning. Buffy made a beeline for the coffee, seeming to avoid Angel's gaze as much as possible. He watched her, and after a moment, followed. Dawn and Connor exchanged glances.

"Why don't we go outside," Dawn suggested, giving Connor's hand a pointed tug. He followed her into the courtyard so they could give Buffy and Angel their privacy.

"Is it really the best idea to leave them alone?" Connor wondered aloud.

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Of course. And whether they like it or not, they should talk."

"You're going to kill me for asking this...but are you okay?" Angel asked, hovering in the doorway to his office.

Buffy didn't look up as she finished filling her coffee mug. "Thanks for the compliment. I'm still jet lagged as hell after traveling halfway around the world, so I apologize for not sparkling."

"That's not what I meant," Angel said. He took a step closer to her. "You have dark circles, and you look thin. Are you taking care of yourself?"

Buffy glared at him over her coffee. "Wow, you really know how to flatter a girl."

"I'm worried about you, Buffy," Angel insisted.

"Have you been talking to Dawn?" Buffy asked suspiciously.

Angel raised an eyebrow. "No. Why, is she worried about you too?"

Buffy shook her head. "No. But I don't know what you're worried about, the past year of my life has been a picnic compared to the eight or so before that," she lied. Angel just stared at her. "Stop looking at me like that," Buffy said angrily.

"Buffy...I know that it's hard for us to be around each other."

"Speak for yourself, I'm fine," Buffy said, attempting to leave the room. Angel quietly stopped her with a gentle hand on her shoulder. A shiver went down her spine at his touch. Her reaction was noticeable enough to contradict herself, so she gritted her teeth and turned to face him.

"I want you to know that you can still talk to me," Angel said quietly.

Buffy considered him for a moment. "I'll keep that in mind."

Back in the courtyard, Dawn and Connor were sitting down, enjoying the sun when Dawn suddenly sat up so straight that she almost spilled the remainder of her coffee. "Oh my God," she said, her eyes wide.

Connor frowned. "What? Did you leave your straightener on or something?"

"No, it's not that." Dawn stood up suddenly, looking all around. "It's this place. It's perfect! I can't believe I didn't think of it before!" She spun around. "Do you remember what happened right here, almost in this very spot?"

Connor smiled. "The first night we kissed, of course I remember." Their very first kiss had been out on the street while patrolling, but right after returning they had their second right in the courtyard of the hotel.

Dawn grinned. "Yes! Plus this is where we met. This place was the start of everything for us. And it's adorable. With some little lights in the trees over there, and the sun setting..."

"What are you talked about?" Connor asked, completely lost.

Dawn rushed over and grabbed his hands excitedly. "Connor, this is it! This is where we should get married!"

Connor looked around. "Here? At the hotel?"

"Yes, right here in the courtyard! It's perfect! This place means so much to us, plus it won't cost anything, and our guests can all stay right here. What do you think?" she asked, her cheeks pink with excitement.

Connor turned around, surveying the place. "Well, as long as Angel's okay with it...I agree. I think it would be perfect."

Dawn squealed with excitement, rushing towards the hotel. "Buffy, Angel? Can you come out here for a second?"

Confused, Buffy and Angel emerged from his office. "What is it?" Buffy asked wearily.

Dawn grabbed Connor's hand. "Angel, we were wondering if it would be okay if we had the wedding here."

"At the hotel?" Angel asked.

"Yes. Right here, in the courtyard. I think it would be really nice, and this place has meant a lot to us," Dawn explained.

Angel glanced at Buffy. "I don't see why not. Wait till you tell Cordy, she'll be so excited to decorate."

Dawn threw her arms around Angel. "Thank you so much! It's going to be beautiful! Now we just need to pick a date!" She grabbed Connor's hand and half-dragged him behind her as she darted excitedly into the hotel, bitten by the wedding planning bug.

"Well I guess we have a wedding to plan," Buffy said, a real smile playing at her lips for the first time all morning. Her eyes met Angel's and he smiled back.

One more chapter to go! I can't promise that it will be quick because I just started a new semester today, but I will do the best I can! I have been envisioning this final chapter for literally years and I can't wait to finally share it with all of you. Keep the wonderful feedback coming!