Chapter Twenty-One
Author's Note: Right now I am mourning the cancellation of Angel. I don't
watch that much television and now there isn't anything left to watch,
grrrrrrrrrrrr....icky people at the WB. Email me if you want to know how you
may help save the show (not another petition, I promise, but if you want
the address to that I can give that too you too!)
Anyways, thanks to Johanna, KrazyKar, Courtney, kari and lilmamaday for
your kind reviews. I hope you guys enjoy the chapter! Thanks again for
reading! LA
Dawn ran out of the car and towards the building where her sister lived. "This is the coolest thing."
William followed behind Dawn. Dawn used William's cell phone and called up to Buffy's room. "Yeah, I'll be down in a sec," she told William as she hung up the phone.
Buffy began to race down the stairs and went outside into the warm sunlight. "Hey guys!" She said as she hugged her sister and smiled at William. "How are you?"
"Good, can we see your room?" Dawn asked eagerly.
Buffy smiled. "Of course, let's go up now," Buffy said as she led hr sister and William in the door and up the stairs. Neither Dawn nor William had seen Buffy since they helped her move in months earlier.
Dawn was chit-chatting with Buffy as William just stared at Buffy. She looked different. She looked stressed and tired. He also thought she had lost some weight but of course he didn't mention anything to Buffy at that time.
"Buffy, where is your roommate? Is she still nice? Her name is Anna right?" Dawn asked.
"Anya, her name is Anya and she is out shopping with our friend Tara. Tara actually lives right next to us in the room to the left, but she should just move in because she is always here with us! They are both very nice." Buffy smiled. "How have you been William?" Buffy asked changing the subject.
"I've been all right. Not too much happening now. I am going home to visit my mum in a few weeks, but nothing else." William looked around the room. He knew how much Buffy's family and friends had meant to her. They went frame shopping to find frames for all of her photographs before she went to school. He remembered it took what seemed like hours to pick out the frames and then he helped her fill each frame with a photo. As he looked around her room there were no pictures of her family or her friends. There were just pictures of her with a blonde haired man.
Buffy smiled. "That's nice." She sat on her bed and played with Dawn's hair. She missed her sister, even if all they did was fight when they were around each other.
"Do you guys want to grab some lunch? Your mother gave me money to take you and Dawn out." William asked.
"Yeah, you can get away from the cafeteria food for at lest one meal," Dawn told her smiling.
"Sure, that would be nice," Buffy said smiling again. She gathered her belongings and left with her family.
They wound up at some little restaurant on the town's border. After everyone ordered their meal, Dawn went to the bathroom.
"So everything at school is good?" William asked Buffy, trying to pry information out of her.
"Yes, everything is going very well. I have great friends, I have a wonderful boyfriend and I like my classes. I have had a great freshman year so far," she smiled.
William could see through Buffy's smile. It was weak and almost hallow. There was no substance to the smile. He didn't know which one of the things that Buffy had mentioned was bothering her, but he narrowed it down to one of them. "That's good. I didn't know you had a boyfriend. What is he like?"
Buffy looked down at the table and nervously smiled again. "Riley is great, he really is. I love him so much. He is a junior and is in a fraternity. He is beautiful. He is just an over all great guy."
William nodded slowly. Buffy hadn't looked him in the eye for the entire time she spoke of Riley. A flag was going off in William's head. There was just something that Buffy said about Riley that didn't make him feel well. He wanted to question things farther but Dawn was returning to the table and William didn't want Dawn to start asking questions or going back and telling Joyce about Riley.
Dawn talked the entire lunch. She asked Buffy questions about college and what Buffy was doing. She also continued to tell Buffy stories form her school and from their house. She wouldn't stop talking. It was apparent that she too missed her sister.
"Do you need or want to go any where before we take you back to school?" William yelled in the backseat once everyone was in the car. Buffy choose to sit in the back seat with Dawn instead of in the front with William.
"No, I have my car at school too so I have been able to go places."
William looked back and nodded his head as he began to drive back to Buffy's school. He didn't like the way that Buffy was acting. She wasn't herself and it truly bothered him.
William parked the car in the lot and got out of the car. Dawn and Buffy followed. Dawn and William went back up and visited for a few more hours with Buffy. By the end of their visit Buffy was almost back to herself. She laughed with William and Dawn.
At four-thirty William and Dawn were getting ready to leave. Their visit had come to an end. Buffy was getting ready to walk them out. She grabbed her keys and walked them out.
"When are you coming home again?" Dawn asked.
"I don't know, I haven't really thought about it. Why?"
"Because I miss having you home. Can you come to visit soon?" Dawn asked as they reached the stairs to outside.
Buffy put her arm around her sister. "We'll see what happens."
Buffy stood in front of her sister and William. They chatted a few more minutes until it was really time for them to leave. Dawn wrapped her arms around Buffy and Buffy did the same back. "I love you so much," Buffy told dawn."
"I know, I love you too," Dawn replied.
Buffy then stood in front of William. "Thank you for bringing the little brat to visit me," she said smiling. Dawn knew she was just kidding.
"No problem. Buffy," William said as he got serious. He looked her in the eyes and began to talk. "If you ever need anything, anything at all, call me. No questions asked, all right?"
Buffy nodded her head. She didn't say anything at first to William; she just threw her arms around him. She rested her head on his shoulder. All she said to him was a whispered yes.
"What the hell is going on here? What do you think you are doing with your arms around my girlfriend?" A man began to shout as he got out of his car. The door to his car remained wide open as he ran on the grass and over towards and William.
Buffy quickly broke away from William and rushed towards the blond man yelling.
"Riley, Riley, it's all right. He's just-"
"He's just leaving I hope. What makes him think you could touch you,"
"Riley, it's all right-"
"Buffy," William began to speak.
"Riley, this is William, I told you about him. He's-"
"Just leaving. Buffy, I will talk to you soon." William said as he began to walk towards the car.
"No, no you weren't," Riley said as he stood right next to William. He tried to take a swing at William. William ducked. The two continued to battle it out as Dawn stood next to Buffy.
"What's going on?" She asked confused.
"Come on, let's go to the car," Buffy said as she stopped trying to talk to Riley. Her conversation with him was just ignored anyway. She took her sister to the car and closed the door. She turned on the radio to try to muffle the sounds of the fighting.
"Buffy, who was that? Was that your boyfriend?" Dawn asked.
"Yeah, that's Riley."
"I thought you said he was a good person? He is trying to beat up William! William didn't do anything! What do you think mom and dad would-"
Buffy jumped in and interrupted Dawn. "Dawnie, you can not tell mom and dad about this!"
"What? Why not Buffy-"
"Dawn, please just listen to me. Mom and dad can not know, all right? If you promise me you won't say anything I'll come home and we can do whatever you want to do, all right? Please just don't tell mom and dad."
Dawn looked at Buffy. She didn't know why Buffy was acting so weird. "Fine, but you said we could do anything."
Buffy smiled. She didn't have a chance to say anything because her car door opened. It was William and Riley.
"Buffy, I am so sorry. I thought William was kissing you and I flipped out. I didn't understand what was going on. I didn't realize who he was. My god, I am so sorry baby."
Before she said anything she looked at William. William replied, "yes, it as just a big misunderstanding. We've been talking."
Buffy got out of the car with Dawn following behind her. Riley hugged her. "I'm sorry, I'll make it up to you, I promise," he said as he let go of her.
"I think we better leave now," William said as he walked towards his car door. Dawn got back into the car after saying good bye to her sister again.
Buffy walked over to William and apologized to him again as Riley was telling a joke and making Dawn laugh. "I'm sorry about that."
William smiled. "It's all right, it wasn't your fault. Just promise me that you will take me up on that offer. I mean it Buffy. If you need anything, anything at all call me." William told her. He felt uneasy leaving Buffy there.
Buffy felt uneasy being left there with Riley alone. She feared what would happen after her family left. "Yes, I promise."
Buffy and Riley waved as William and Dawn pulled away and left. Riley faced Buffy. "I feel really badly about what happened. Let me take you out to the restaurant you like. You can get all dressed up and look really elegant. I'll come back around seven to pick you up?"
Buffy nodded. She didn't really want to go but she was afraid of saying no. "Sure Riley, that sounds great. I'll see you then."
After dinner, Riley returned back to Buffy's room. Anya and Tara had left a note saying they were going to the movies. Riley and Buffy decided to rent a movie and to have a relaxing night. Riley apologized over and over again for earlier that day. Buffy asked him if he would stop. It was over and done with and in the past.
As they watched the movie, they snuggled in the comfort of each other's arms. Riley was the first to fall asleep. Buffy stopped watching the movie and just thought about the day and the event that had happened. She didn't understand Riley and his thought process at all. There was no reasoning with him at all.
"Hello?" Buffy said as she answered the phone. It was nine-thirty the following morning when the phone woke her up.
"Buffy, hi. It's me," said Xander. "I'm sorry I woke you up. I wanted to call and let you know that my grandmother passed away last night."
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said as she got out of bed and walked into the hall way. She didn't want to disturb Riley who was still sleeping. "Xander, I'm so sorry. How are you doing? And your mom and Angel how are they?"
"I'm all right. I was at home. Mom and Angel were at her house with her when she died. They are both sleeping now. I just wanted to call and let you know."
"Thanks for calling Xander. Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Well, do you think you could come to the wake and the services after? It's going to be so hard to be around mom, she has been such a mess."
"Of course I'll be there. Do you need anything at all?"
"No, I think I am going back to bed too. I'll call you when the arrangements have been made. Thanks Buff."
"No problem Xander. I'll talk to you soon then. Bye." Buffy said as she hung up her phone. She felt bad for him and there was nothing she could physically do for him.
She opened the door quietly and hung up her phone and crawled back into bed quietly so she wouldn't wake up Riley.
Riley turned and looked at her. He had been awake. The phone had woke him up. "Is everything all right?" He asked as he put his arms around Buffy.
"Xander's grandmother died last night."
"That sucks," Riley said as he sat up. "So why did you call you?"
"Because I knew her and because he asked me if I would be there for him with the services and stuff. I wonder how his mom is doing. She must be a mess."
"And you told him you couldn't, right?"
"No, I told him whatever he needed. I would do for him and his family. I have explained this Xander thing to you. We have a close relationship. He is like a brother to me."
"So you've said. It just seems like you have a lot of those honorary brothers," Riley said as he pulled on his jeans.
"It's not my fault I'm close to him and William like that. They are good people. Anyway, I'll be going home soon for a few days and I thought I'd tell you."
Riley finished dressing and kissed Buffy's cheek. "Sure, whatever. I have to get going. I'll talk to you later baby."
"All right, bye sweetie," She said as he closed the door and left her building.
"Hello?" Buffy said as she answered the phone. She was in the middle of writing a big paper for one of her classes.
"Hi Buffy," William said on the other end of the line. "Did Xander call you?"
"Hey William. Yes, Xander did call me. I'll be coming home for a few days soon. It's so sad."
"Yeah it is sad," he answered back. The death of Xander's grandmother wasn't the real reason why William was calling. He wanted to make sure Buffy was all right. "Listen Buffy, I don't know how to bring this up but, is everything all right with you?"
Buffy was confused. "Yes, I am fine. Why wouldn't I be fine?"
"It's just, well, you acted a little different yesterday. You also look like you've lost a lot of weight. I could be away off base here but it seemed like you were just different. You are all right, aren't you? You know you could tell me anything."
Buffy was sick and tired of this spiel. Everyone and their mother seemed to have an opinion about how Buffy was acting. "William, I am fine, I promise. Thanks for your concern but I am fine. Things with Riley are fine. He took me out for this great dinner and he talked last night until we fell asleep and he wouldn't stop apologizing about what happened between you guys yesterday. Things are fine."
William nodded his head on the other end of the phone. He thought it was funny how she mentioned Riley as soon as he asked if she was all right. He wanted to do something but didn't know what to do. "All right. I'm sorry I bothered you with this but I had to make sure. I'll talk to you soon."
"All right William. Thank you for being honest with me. I'll see you in a few days. Bye," Buffy said as she hung up the phone.
Dawn ran out of the car and towards the building where her sister lived. "This is the coolest thing."
William followed behind Dawn. Dawn used William's cell phone and called up to Buffy's room. "Yeah, I'll be down in a sec," she told William as she hung up the phone.
Buffy began to race down the stairs and went outside into the warm sunlight. "Hey guys!" She said as she hugged her sister and smiled at William. "How are you?"
"Good, can we see your room?" Dawn asked eagerly.
Buffy smiled. "Of course, let's go up now," Buffy said as she led hr sister and William in the door and up the stairs. Neither Dawn nor William had seen Buffy since they helped her move in months earlier.
Dawn was chit-chatting with Buffy as William just stared at Buffy. She looked different. She looked stressed and tired. He also thought she had lost some weight but of course he didn't mention anything to Buffy at that time.
"Buffy, where is your roommate? Is she still nice? Her name is Anna right?" Dawn asked.
"Anya, her name is Anya and she is out shopping with our friend Tara. Tara actually lives right next to us in the room to the left, but she should just move in because she is always here with us! They are both very nice." Buffy smiled. "How have you been William?" Buffy asked changing the subject.
"I've been all right. Not too much happening now. I am going home to visit my mum in a few weeks, but nothing else." William looked around the room. He knew how much Buffy's family and friends had meant to her. They went frame shopping to find frames for all of her photographs before she went to school. He remembered it took what seemed like hours to pick out the frames and then he helped her fill each frame with a photo. As he looked around her room there were no pictures of her family or her friends. There were just pictures of her with a blonde haired man.
Buffy smiled. "That's nice." She sat on her bed and played with Dawn's hair. She missed her sister, even if all they did was fight when they were around each other.
"Do you guys want to grab some lunch? Your mother gave me money to take you and Dawn out." William asked.
"Yeah, you can get away from the cafeteria food for at lest one meal," Dawn told her smiling.
"Sure, that would be nice," Buffy said smiling again. She gathered her belongings and left with her family.
They wound up at some little restaurant on the town's border. After everyone ordered their meal, Dawn went to the bathroom.
"So everything at school is good?" William asked Buffy, trying to pry information out of her.
"Yes, everything is going very well. I have great friends, I have a wonderful boyfriend and I like my classes. I have had a great freshman year so far," she smiled.
William could see through Buffy's smile. It was weak and almost hallow. There was no substance to the smile. He didn't know which one of the things that Buffy had mentioned was bothering her, but he narrowed it down to one of them. "That's good. I didn't know you had a boyfriend. What is he like?"
Buffy looked down at the table and nervously smiled again. "Riley is great, he really is. I love him so much. He is a junior and is in a fraternity. He is beautiful. He is just an over all great guy."
William nodded slowly. Buffy hadn't looked him in the eye for the entire time she spoke of Riley. A flag was going off in William's head. There was just something that Buffy said about Riley that didn't make him feel well. He wanted to question things farther but Dawn was returning to the table and William didn't want Dawn to start asking questions or going back and telling Joyce about Riley.
Dawn talked the entire lunch. She asked Buffy questions about college and what Buffy was doing. She also continued to tell Buffy stories form her school and from their house. She wouldn't stop talking. It was apparent that she too missed her sister.
"Do you need or want to go any where before we take you back to school?" William yelled in the backseat once everyone was in the car. Buffy choose to sit in the back seat with Dawn instead of in the front with William.
"No, I have my car at school too so I have been able to go places."
William looked back and nodded his head as he began to drive back to Buffy's school. He didn't like the way that Buffy was acting. She wasn't herself and it truly bothered him.
William parked the car in the lot and got out of the car. Dawn and Buffy followed. Dawn and William went back up and visited for a few more hours with Buffy. By the end of their visit Buffy was almost back to herself. She laughed with William and Dawn.
At four-thirty William and Dawn were getting ready to leave. Their visit had come to an end. Buffy was getting ready to walk them out. She grabbed her keys and walked them out.
"When are you coming home again?" Dawn asked.
"I don't know, I haven't really thought about it. Why?"
"Because I miss having you home. Can you come to visit soon?" Dawn asked as they reached the stairs to outside.
Buffy put her arm around her sister. "We'll see what happens."
Buffy stood in front of her sister and William. They chatted a few more minutes until it was really time for them to leave. Dawn wrapped her arms around Buffy and Buffy did the same back. "I love you so much," Buffy told dawn."
"I know, I love you too," Dawn replied.
Buffy then stood in front of William. "Thank you for bringing the little brat to visit me," she said smiling. Dawn knew she was just kidding.
"No problem. Buffy," William said as he got serious. He looked her in the eyes and began to talk. "If you ever need anything, anything at all, call me. No questions asked, all right?"
Buffy nodded her head. She didn't say anything at first to William; she just threw her arms around him. She rested her head on his shoulder. All she said to him was a whispered yes.
"What the hell is going on here? What do you think you are doing with your arms around my girlfriend?" A man began to shout as he got out of his car. The door to his car remained wide open as he ran on the grass and over towards and William.
Buffy quickly broke away from William and rushed towards the blond man yelling.
"Riley, Riley, it's all right. He's just-"
"He's just leaving I hope. What makes him think you could touch you,"
"Riley, it's all right-"
"Buffy," William began to speak.
"Riley, this is William, I told you about him. He's-"
"Just leaving. Buffy, I will talk to you soon." William said as he began to walk towards the car.
"No, no you weren't," Riley said as he stood right next to William. He tried to take a swing at William. William ducked. The two continued to battle it out as Dawn stood next to Buffy.
"What's going on?" She asked confused.
"Come on, let's go to the car," Buffy said as she stopped trying to talk to Riley. Her conversation with him was just ignored anyway. She took her sister to the car and closed the door. She turned on the radio to try to muffle the sounds of the fighting.
"Buffy, who was that? Was that your boyfriend?" Dawn asked.
"Yeah, that's Riley."
"I thought you said he was a good person? He is trying to beat up William! William didn't do anything! What do you think mom and dad would-"
Buffy jumped in and interrupted Dawn. "Dawnie, you can not tell mom and dad about this!"
"What? Why not Buffy-"
"Dawn, please just listen to me. Mom and dad can not know, all right? If you promise me you won't say anything I'll come home and we can do whatever you want to do, all right? Please just don't tell mom and dad."
Dawn looked at Buffy. She didn't know why Buffy was acting so weird. "Fine, but you said we could do anything."
Buffy smiled. She didn't have a chance to say anything because her car door opened. It was William and Riley.
"Buffy, I am so sorry. I thought William was kissing you and I flipped out. I didn't understand what was going on. I didn't realize who he was. My god, I am so sorry baby."
Before she said anything she looked at William. William replied, "yes, it as just a big misunderstanding. We've been talking."
Buffy got out of the car with Dawn following behind her. Riley hugged her. "I'm sorry, I'll make it up to you, I promise," he said as he let go of her.
"I think we better leave now," William said as he walked towards his car door. Dawn got back into the car after saying good bye to her sister again.
Buffy walked over to William and apologized to him again as Riley was telling a joke and making Dawn laugh. "I'm sorry about that."
William smiled. "It's all right, it wasn't your fault. Just promise me that you will take me up on that offer. I mean it Buffy. If you need anything, anything at all call me." William told her. He felt uneasy leaving Buffy there.
Buffy felt uneasy being left there with Riley alone. She feared what would happen after her family left. "Yes, I promise."
Buffy and Riley waved as William and Dawn pulled away and left. Riley faced Buffy. "I feel really badly about what happened. Let me take you out to the restaurant you like. You can get all dressed up and look really elegant. I'll come back around seven to pick you up?"
Buffy nodded. She didn't really want to go but she was afraid of saying no. "Sure Riley, that sounds great. I'll see you then."
After dinner, Riley returned back to Buffy's room. Anya and Tara had left a note saying they were going to the movies. Riley and Buffy decided to rent a movie and to have a relaxing night. Riley apologized over and over again for earlier that day. Buffy asked him if he would stop. It was over and done with and in the past.
As they watched the movie, they snuggled in the comfort of each other's arms. Riley was the first to fall asleep. Buffy stopped watching the movie and just thought about the day and the event that had happened. She didn't understand Riley and his thought process at all. There was no reasoning with him at all.
"Hello?" Buffy said as she answered the phone. It was nine-thirty the following morning when the phone woke her up.
"Buffy, hi. It's me," said Xander. "I'm sorry I woke you up. I wanted to call and let you know that my grandmother passed away last night."
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said as she got out of bed and walked into the hall way. She didn't want to disturb Riley who was still sleeping. "Xander, I'm so sorry. How are you doing? And your mom and Angel how are they?"
"I'm all right. I was at home. Mom and Angel were at her house with her when she died. They are both sleeping now. I just wanted to call and let you know."
"Thanks for calling Xander. Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Well, do you think you could come to the wake and the services after? It's going to be so hard to be around mom, she has been such a mess."
"Of course I'll be there. Do you need anything at all?"
"No, I think I am going back to bed too. I'll call you when the arrangements have been made. Thanks Buff."
"No problem Xander. I'll talk to you soon then. Bye." Buffy said as she hung up her phone. She felt bad for him and there was nothing she could physically do for him.
She opened the door quietly and hung up her phone and crawled back into bed quietly so she wouldn't wake up Riley.
Riley turned and looked at her. He had been awake. The phone had woke him up. "Is everything all right?" He asked as he put his arms around Buffy.
"Xander's grandmother died last night."
"That sucks," Riley said as he sat up. "So why did you call you?"
"Because I knew her and because he asked me if I would be there for him with the services and stuff. I wonder how his mom is doing. She must be a mess."
"And you told him you couldn't, right?"
"No, I told him whatever he needed. I would do for him and his family. I have explained this Xander thing to you. We have a close relationship. He is like a brother to me."
"So you've said. It just seems like you have a lot of those honorary brothers," Riley said as he pulled on his jeans.
"It's not my fault I'm close to him and William like that. They are good people. Anyway, I'll be going home soon for a few days and I thought I'd tell you."
Riley finished dressing and kissed Buffy's cheek. "Sure, whatever. I have to get going. I'll talk to you later baby."
"All right, bye sweetie," She said as he closed the door and left her building.
"Hello?" Buffy said as she answered the phone. She was in the middle of writing a big paper for one of her classes.
"Hi Buffy," William said on the other end of the line. "Did Xander call you?"
"Hey William. Yes, Xander did call me. I'll be coming home for a few days soon. It's so sad."
"Yeah it is sad," he answered back. The death of Xander's grandmother wasn't the real reason why William was calling. He wanted to make sure Buffy was all right. "Listen Buffy, I don't know how to bring this up but, is everything all right with you?"
Buffy was confused. "Yes, I am fine. Why wouldn't I be fine?"
"It's just, well, you acted a little different yesterday. You also look like you've lost a lot of weight. I could be away off base here but it seemed like you were just different. You are all right, aren't you? You know you could tell me anything."
Buffy was sick and tired of this spiel. Everyone and their mother seemed to have an opinion about how Buffy was acting. "William, I am fine, I promise. Thanks for your concern but I am fine. Things with Riley are fine. He took me out for this great dinner and he talked last night until we fell asleep and he wouldn't stop apologizing about what happened between you guys yesterday. Things are fine."
William nodded his head on the other end of the phone. He thought it was funny how she mentioned Riley as soon as he asked if she was all right. He wanted to do something but didn't know what to do. "All right. I'm sorry I bothered you with this but I had to make sure. I'll talk to you soon."
"All right William. Thank you for being honest with me. I'll see you in a few days. Bye," Buffy said as she hung up the phone.