Note: I use Xander as comic relief, like he was in the show. His line at the very beginning is kinda corny, especially considering I am not a big fan of the 60s Tv series.

Chapter Fifteen: Settling Down

"Holy Homes a Third World Country Could Live In!" Xander exclaimed when Buffy pointed to Wayne Manor.

"Does it have its own zip code?" Kennedy asked, leaning forward in her seat to see around Xander's head.

Alfred laughed. "No, but it probably should."

Willow divided her sightseeing time between the city that was visible at a distance on her left and the manor on her right. Both were equally fascinating to her, but the manor was where they were going to be staying and it was impressive, to say the least.

It took only a few moments to get the luggage out of the car and into the house. Alfred had already told Buffy that she could put her friends in any of the rooms on the second floor, except for the master bedroom. Though the house had been destroyed, and rebuilt, this room was still considered to be Bruce's parent's room. Alfred had tried to get him to take it as his own, but Bruce had chosen to stay in the same room he had had as a child, and that had not changed after the manor had been rebuilt.

Buffy decided to put Willow and Kennedy in the room at the end of the hall from Bruce's room, on the other side of the staircase. She put Xander at the other end of the hall opposite.

"This house has been home to the Wayne Family for six generations," Alfred explained as everyone pitched in on the luggage, and fell in line behind the butler as he went to the front door. "Master Bruce is the last of that line."

Buffy glanced up and saw Willow looking at her strangely. When the Slayer cocked an eyebrow in question, Willow just shrugged and smiled. "Jet lag," she answered as Buffy closed the trunk of the Rolls and they fell in line. "Just good ol' jet lag from Brazil."

Getting them settled in took no time at all, or wouldn't have if the gazing around in wide-eyed wonder had been toned down a bit, but Buffy was patient, and soon Xander and his one suitcase were happy in his newly appointed room, and Willow and Kennedy with their four pieces (three of the four belonged to Willow) of luggage were tucked away also. Will had brought books and potions, ingredients and such because Buffy had neither seen or heard of an occult book store in Gotham like the Magic Box. She was sure there would be one in a city this size. She was just going to have to drive around and look.

While her friends unpacked, Buffy went to Bruce's room and sat on the bed. As she sat there, staring at nothing, her phone rang. It was Bruce.

"I'm not going to make it back until around five or so," he told her. "Lucius and I have some work to do."

"Okay," she said, not trying to hide her disappointment. Her friends were great and she was happy they were here, but being away from Bruce made her feel lonely no matter how many people were around, and she missed everything about him.

"Why don't you ask Alfred to gas up the Mercedes that is in the garage and you and your friends, go shopping."

"Willow and I did love to window shop back in Sunnydale," Buffy mused aloud, thinking back. "Xander not so much."

He laughed. "Buffy, I mean shop as in go in, try stuff on, and then buy it. You can go to the place on Fifth."

"Whoa! Way out of my price range there."

"Not mine," he stated. "I'll call them and tell them you are coming and whatever you buy, I will take care of. No problem at all."

"Bruce," Buffy began, shaking her head even though she knew he could not see it. "You don't have to…"

"But I want to," he told her. "Please, take your friends, and go spend my money."

She felt kind of strange being given permission to 'spend his money'. "Are you sure?" Not sure herself.

"Yes," he chuckled. "I am. And get a few evening gowns. I have a few charity events and parties I have to go to over the next few weeks. I'd like to show you off."

"What will they say in the papers if you show up with the same girl all the time?" She teased, wishing she could reach through the phone and kiss him. His voice was giving her chills.

"That I have finally found the one woman who makes me happy." The sincerity and emotion in his answer made her want to cry. "That maybe I am ready to settle down."

"Settle down? As in…" She felt light headed all of the sudden.

"As in settle down," he told her. "Permanently."

"Oh!" She didn't know what else to say.

"We'll talk about it later. I have to go, but do what I told you to. Go crazy. Fill up the trunk and the backseat." He paused for a few seconds and then said, "I love you."

"And I love you," she answered back, meaning it with all of her heart, soul, mind, and body.

After they hung up, she sat staring at the phone in her hand. Had they just really had that conversation? Had she heard him correctly? Settle down! He wanted to settle down? With her? She had trouble grasping it. It just didn't seem real.

There was a knock at the door. Opening it, Buffy found Willow on the other side. She let her in and closed the door behind them.

"So this is your room? Well, his room, that you share with him," Willow said, her face splitting into a grin so wide, her head would break in half if she smiled anymore wider.

"Yeah," Buffy chuckled, still not over the conversation she and Bruce had just had. She sat down on the bed again.

"Hey. Is something wrong?" Willow sat on the chair next to the bed, concern deep on her face. "Buffy?"

"I think Bruce is going to ask me to marry him."

Willow's smile faded and her jaw went slack. Her eyes opened up to the size of saucers and her features paled. Buffy thought her best friend was about to pass out.

But then…

Willow let out a squeal that was earsplitting and then she began jumping up and down like a loon.

Xander came busting in, looking around for whatever was attacking his friend. Finding nothing, he stared at Willow in bewilderment until Kennedy came in, almost knocking him over, and ready to fight.

"Everybody calm down!" Buffy yelled, grabbing Willow and holding her still.

"What is going on up here?" Alfred asked as he came to the door.

"Willow is just so happy to be here. She loves it. She is going to sit down now and be quiet." Buffy said the last sentence slowly; making sure Willow got the memo. The witch sat down, smiling sheepishly. Alfred just shook his head and left.

"Sorry!" Willow called after him and then put her hands over her mouth, a fit of giggles threatening to take over her.

"What happened?" Xander asked.

"Tell them, Buffy," Willow said, her voice muffled by her hands.

"Listen, all he said was something about settling down. Permanently. Or rather that is what the papers would think if he started showing up with just one girl, the same girl, all the time. I blew it out of proportion. He said we would talk about it later." All of this Buffy recited with one breath, and then took a few deep ones to make up for it.

"Wait a minute." Xander snapped his fingers, looking a Buffy with his one eye very seriously. "Did he… Are you going to marry Bruce Wayne?"

"He hasn't asked me! It was just a conversation. A strange one, but…"

Willow was nodding. "Yes! He said you two would talk about it later."

"Ok. Enough! Buffy snapped. "He said I needed to go shopping. He wants me to go shopping and after a little resistance on my part I gave in. You guys are coming with me!"

As they drove, Buffy was determined not to throw her friends out of the car. She was nervous enough driving the expensive car as is, without their shenanigans.

Willow had taken to trying to figure out which sounded better: Buffy Anne Summers-Wayne or Buffy Anne Wayne. To her it was a tossup.

Xander wanted to know if he could be hired on as the gardener. He said he only needed one good eye to mow the lawn and trim hedges.

Kennedy thought that Buffy should register while they were at the clothing store. Or at least look into it.

Buffy wanted to bang her head on the steering wheel. She told them to knock it off before they got into the store. She did not want someone to hear them talking and then it show up in the paper the next day. Buffy told them she wasn't even sure she had heard him correctly. Maybe she hadn't. Maybe that part of the conversation had just been her imagination.

Willow told her she was being silly.

Xander told her she was in shock.

Kennedy told her she was in denial.

When they parked, and got out of the car, there was a woman standing in front of the doors. She wore the uniform of one employed there, and her smile widened and she looked absolutely gleeful as she approached Buffy, her hand outstretched.

"Are you Miss Summers?" She asked.

"Yes," Buffy stated slowly, unsure of what was going on. "Why? What…"

"Mr. Wayne called. He asked that you and your friends be given our outmost courtesy and discretion." She motioned to the store. "So, we have shut the store down to the public for the remainder of the day."

"Whoa!" Xander exclaimed from behind Buffy. "He had the place close down just for you."

"Actually," the woman stated, opening the door and motioning them graciously inside. "He purchased it just after lunch."

Buffy tried to get Bruce on the phone, but he wasn't picking up. She called his secretary and then Lucius' but neither woman could get her in contact with Bruce. Apparently he was in a very important meeting and could not be disturbed. She left several messages on his phone, begging him to call her as soon as he was able. She could not believe he had done this. If this didn't make it in the papers, she didn't know what would.

Finally Willow came over and took her phone away from her, and dragged her over to the woman's fashion.

"This stuff is expensive," Kennedy stated, looking but not touching.

"I bet you get a real great discount now that your boy toy owns the store." Xander. He got an elbow in the ribs from Willow and a withering look from Buffy that made him turn around and walk away very quickly.

There were several employees standing around, keeping their distance, but readily available if Buffy should need anything at all. It was kind of disturbing. So was how quiet the place was.

It took Buffy awhile, but she eventually began shopping. Willow and Kennedy helped. Xander remained out of sight.

It took two and a half hours. Buffy tried on so much stuff, much more than she ever had in her life. Shoes, gowns, shirts, everything! By the time they were done she had eight pairs of shoes, three pairs of boots, four evening dresses, ten outfits, a new watch, some earrings (to go with the evening gowns), three shawls (Willow had picked them out), a long coat (for cold nights), some things to sleep in (even though there were a few items she did not remember picking out that kind of made her blush when the clerk rang them up), plus things like a hair brush, panty hose, underwear, and three swim suits, one that was a one piece, and two that were two piece.

The price for all of it made her head swim, and she had to fight to keep from putting it all back.

The employees carried all the bags out and put them in the trunk of the car. It all barely fit. Buffy was in such a daze, not believing what she had just done, that Xander decided he should drive back to the manor. Kennedy smacked him in the head and took the keys. She drove them home.

Alfred greeted them and helped unload and take everything up to Bruce's room. It was nearly five in the afternoon, so everything was left on the floor of the room, and Buffy and her friends followed Alfred down to the dining area. Whatever he was cooking smelled delicious.

Just as Alfred was setting the food on the table, calling them all to eat, Bruce arrived. Buffy wanted to drag him into another room and let him have it about buying the store and about all the money she had spent and then kiss him like there was no tomorrow and then some.

Instead, she introduced him to her friends, and then they all sat down to eat. That was when the fun started.

The friendly kind of fun, and then the not so friendly fun reared its ugly head.