Buffy awoke to the feel of her phone vibrating beneath her pillow. She peeled open her eyes and peered at the digital clock on the bedside table while digging underneath the pillow for her phone. The red numbers read 9:43 in the morning.
The number on the screen didn't ring a bell, but the contents of the message did. Hey, sweet cheeks. Crystal wants to see you. She'll be at Caritas by 7. Just give me the OK and I'll have one of the guys come get you.
Buffy stretched before typing in, OK, see you then.
She put the phone on the bedside table and took the hair tie she'd left there, tying her hair in a messy bun before heading to the bathroom, running into her father's new wife along the way.
'Buffy,' Linda said with a small smile. 'Didn't hear you come in last night. Did you sleep well?'
She gave the other woman a polite smile. "I did, thanks. My… friend dropped me off."
Linda's eyebrows climbed high on her forehead. 'Oh, Buffy, I'm so sorry, I forgot about your predica--' She frowned. 'You can read lips? I thought this happened two weeks ago.'
Buffy internally cursed, thinking quickly. "Uh, about that. I took a speech-reading class as an elective back in college. I guess I learned more than I thought."
'Huh, that's really convenient,' Linda said, looking impressed. She gestured towards the kitchen. 'Want some breakfast? There's some leftover sausages. I can make some eggs.'
She smiled. "Yes, thank you. I'll just go to the bathroom first." She did her business and freshened up before going into the small kitchen, taking a seat at the table. "Did my dad leave for work?"
'He left at eight, but he usually comes home by six.'
She nodded. "That's good. I'll get to see him before I go. I have another doctor's appointment at seven."
Linda raised her eyebrows again, glancing at her as she put a pan on the stove. 'I don't think I've had doctors who kept office hours that late.'
"Oh, well it's actually a friend of mine who… has a clinic. I don't want to bother her during her office hours, so she just sees me when she's got the time." Buffy internally winced. She hadn't had to do this much lying since before her mother found out about her calling.
Buffy ate breakfast, making small talk with Linda, and then she took her pain medications and hopped in the shower. She relaxed and watched reruns of Seinfeld, the corners of her mouth quirking into an ironic grin when she found that she could read the actors' lips as well. It made her head spin a little when two or more people were talking at once, though. Linda baked her pre-packaged chocolate chip cookies and showed her pictures from her and Hank's wedding. Buffy felt a stab of remorse when Linda told her how worried her father had been when her invitation was sent back, and then how shaken they were when they found out how Sunnydale literally got obliterated.
'It was surreal,' Linda said, a look of awe coming over her features. 'Your father was so relieved when you called in. Was there warning? How did you manage to get out in time?'
Buffy gave a sheepish and ironic smile at the types of 'warnings' they did indeed receive. "We, uh… stole a school bus."
They talked and watched more television, and then Linda disappeared somewhere in the building to do laundry. Hank came home a little after six with a bag of takeout and cans of soda.
"Hi Dad," Buffy said with a smile, kissing his cheek when he sat down on the couch to greet her. "I have another doctor's appointment. An old friend of mine is coming to pick me up."
Hank glanced around before nervously gesturing a rectangular shape with his fingers.
She gave him a reassuring smile. "That's okay. I realized last night that I took a speech-reading class as an elective back in college. I was rusty but I can get by pretty well."
He smiled, relieved. 'That's a bit convenient, don't you think?'
Buffy chuckled. "Yeah, Linda said the same thing."
Hank brought his index finger up in a halting gesture. 'Hold on. Phone.' He got up and went into the kitchen.
Buffy glanced up at him as he walked into the living room and sat beside her, the phone nestled between his ear and his shoulder. 'Do you know a Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, honey?'
She nodded. "That's the friend who's bringing me to the doctor."
He nodded. 'Alright, Al. You can send him up,' he said into the phone before hanging it up.
Less than three minutes later, Hank got up to answer the door and Wesley gave a sheepish smile.
'Hello, Buffy.'
She smiled. "Hey, Wes. I'm just gonna get some shoes on."
Buffy put on some boots, kissed her father and Linda goodbye, grabbed her purse and was making her way out the door.
'Text my phone if anything,' Hank said to her.
She nodded. "Will do."
--
'You can go on ahead. I'll just find parking,' Wesley said, stopping in front of Caritas.
"You don't want me to go with you?" Buffy asked out of courtesy.
'It's fine, Buffy. Crystal must be waiting for you.'
"Thanks for picking me up, Wesley," she said, grabbing her purse off the floor and getting out the car.
She walked into the karaoke bar and smiled as Lorne waved at her from his spot on the stage. Crystal greeted her with a smile as she took a seat at the bar.
'Drink?' Crystal asked.
"I'll have a ginger ale," Buffy said, remembering that she'd taken pain medication.
'I've got some good news,' Crystal said as she put a coaster and her glass of ginger ale out in front of her.
"Do tell," Buffy said, grinning.
'The coven and I have discussed what can be done to mobilize your healing process and we've come up with an mixture. I'm just waiting on the last ingredient. A friend of Willow's is having it shipped in. It should arrive by tomorrow.'
The Slayer wrinkled her nose. "Nothing gross in there, I'm hoping."
'They're all herbs, so it'll essentially be like drinking a tea. But one of the ingredients is known to be a little bitter.'
She nodded. "I think I can handle bitter." She turned around when she felt a hand on her shoulder, smiling when she saw Spike. "Hi."
He grinned back. 'Hi.'
Crystal smiled at them. 'Back to business,' she said, heading towards a customer.
'I take it she's gotten a fixer-upper for you?' he asked, his hand touching the small of her back as he sat on the stool beside her.
"Yeah, just waiting on one ingredient." She nodded at him. "What have you been up to all day?"
He grinned sheepishly. 'Just woke up.' He nudged her with his elbow. 'Eat yet? We could grab something here if you'd like.'
She nodded. "That sounds good." She hopped off her stool and followed Spike to a small table a little ways from the stage.
Lorne appeared a few minutes later, putting two menus on the table. 'What can I get you lovebirds?' he said, grinning.
Buffy blushed. "I'll have a refill on my ginger ale."
'O neg, and you could sprinkle a bit of Weetabix, yeah? I think I left a box in your pantry.'
'Weirdo,' Lorne said good-naturedly, leaving to get their drinks.
Buffy smiled. "I never knew where Giles got his Britain-y food."
'Got it shipped in,' Spike said. 'But I know this little shop in L.A. that sells stuff from the U.K. They're a part of a franchise that originally set up shop in Greenwich Village in New York. There's a restaurant next door. A bit pricey, but it's good.'
"What kind of food do they serve there?" she asked curiously.
'Bangers and mash, Shepherd's pie, Welsh rarebit, Coronation chicken…'
Buffy gave him an amused smile. "English, please."
'Oh, it is,' he said, grinning back. 'They've got sticky toffee pudding, but it's not as good as it is back home.'
"Not sticky enough?" she teased.
He poked her side and she squealed.
Lorne put their drinks down on the table. 'Your ginger ale and your O neg,' he said. 'What'll you be having tonight?'
"I don't know," Buffy giggled. "Captain Peroxide here keeps distracting me."
'Hey! Same could be said for you!' Spike said, pretending to be offended.
"Nuh uh," she laughed, sticking her tongue out. "I get my hair bleached at a salon." She glanced up at Lorne. "I feel like a burger. Any recommendations?"
'The Mushroom Swiss Burger is quite tasty,' Lorne said.
"I'll have that, then. Well done, please."
Lorne glanced at Spike. 'Should I even ask?'
'I'll have the usual.'
'Sheesh, have some variety in your life!'
'Fine. I'll have the usual with extra hot sauce.'
Lorne rolled his eyes as he walked to the back.
'So,' Spike said, placing his hand on Buffy's. 'You, me, bangers and mash?'
Buffy blinked. "Uh… Huh?"
'Is that an affirmative or is that you being confused?' Spike teased.
"It might be a little bit of both," she admitted.
'Bangers and mash is English for sausage and mashed potatoes, love,' he explained, grinning.
She shook her head in disbelief. "Why couldn't they just call it sausage and mashed potatoes?"
He shrugged. 'Too verbose, I suppose.' He glanced at her. 'So. You, me, sausage and mashed potatoes?' he rephrased.
Buffy smiled. "Sure."
Spike beamed. 'I'm going to make you try all the weird things!' he said giddily. 'Well, weird in American terms.'
"What, pray tell, are you going to feed me?"
'Ever try dandelion and burdock?'
"I think that would be a sure no," Buffy replied, wrinkling her nose. "You're not going to make me eat flowers, are you? Do they do that back in Britain?"