SUMMARY: I HATED Buffy's sorry excuse for a 19th birthday party, so I wrote my own. Any harm that may come to stupid-ass-Fish-Boy is purely coincidental.
SPOILER: Whichever eppy gave Buffy the sucky-as-all-Hell birthday party, this takes place in the middle of it
DISTRIBUTION: Sandee, of course - My site - - Crystal and Butterfly if they want it - A Soul's Redemption - Buffy & Angel Star Crossed Lovers - Anyone else - sure, just email me & lmk where it's going - I like seeing my name in print =)
RATING: TV-PG
DISCLAIMER: Stupidhead Joss owns da characters. I own da insanity. Ooh, and a new NSYNC tee shirt. =)

"You know Giles, Riley just wants you to like him." Buffy said as she walked him to his car.

"Yes, well....." what could he say. That Riley seemed like an incompetent prick? That he didn't really have a headache but that he couldn't stand being around Buffy's *new* friends any longer?? He missed their pasts together and longed for their old birthday celebrations, the ones that revolved around demon hunting and sentimental gifts from Angel. Now some bloody professor was cutting in on his territory with all her little cronies and the worst thing was that Buffy was letting her.

"Giles?" Buffy looked concerned. "You didn't answer me. "Are you that sick? Can you drive or do you need Xander to give you a lift?"

"I'm.......I hope you enjoyed your party, Buffy."

"I did, and I love my new journals, thank you." she smiled. "My real birthday isn't until tomorrow, you know."

He nodded. "Are you spending the day with your mother?"

"Ha ha. She did send me five hundred dollars though."

"And your father?"

"Ha!"

They'd reached the car now and he didn't really want to leave even though he knew she wanted him to. "I'm sorry, Buffy."

"Me too," she shrugged. "My grandmother Elizabeth sent me this," she pulled out a garnet adorned cross from under her shirt. "It's my birthstone. Her birthday is the same day as mine and she got this for her wedding from my great-grandmother. I've always loved it, when she was little, she used to let me wear it when I stayed at her house. Now it's mine." she touched it lovingly and put it back inside her shirt where it wouldn't be seen by anyone.

"It's very pretty," Giles debated and then added, "Did you hear from Angel?"

"No. And I don't expect to. I don't even want to." she folded her arms and shivered. "It's over forever and I'm glad. I have Riley now."

Giles barely was able to hold his dinner. He swallowed hard and said, "Is Riley a substitute for Angel, or a replacement?"

Buffy didn't answer right away, so Giles hugged her without it being returned and then got into his car. She stood there for an hour crying after he drove away.

*****

The next morning, Buffy woke up to an amazing smell. She opened her eyes and her mouth dropped. Her half of the room was full of daisies.

She got out of bed and started smelling them, then she saw the card.

She pulled it off and read it, smiling.

Happy Birthday, Buffy. I'll never forget. Love, Angel

Send feedback to Isa

Back to the Fanfiction Archive