DISCLAIMER: Buffy, Angel and the gang belong to the evil Joss and I only own the characters I make up. In a perfect world however I would own all of them, Buffy and Angel wouldn't have broken up and Riley would never have existed.
SUMMARY: Buffy visits Sunnydale.
RATING: PG
SPOILERS: General (if any)
TIMELINE: Over 17 years after IWRY
DISTRIBUTION: You want you can have it, just tell me where you put it.
NOTES: This story takes place in decisions between where Hope left to meet her boyfriend and the Buffy and Angel wedding. To make sense of it, you may need to read the other stories in the series first.

After she'd dropped Hope and Spike off at Angel's, Buffy drove towards Sunnydale with a sense of dread which grew as she got closer to town, she just had a gut feeling that this was a major mistake. By the time she'd pulled up in front of the house that she had once called home, she became sure that some sort of evil power was behind her mother's invitation. Buffy grabbed her bag and headed slowly towards the front door, when she got there she knocked and a few seconds later the door opened.

"Buffy, I'm so glad you came" Joyce said, giving her a hug. She looked around and said, "Where's Hope?"

"Angel's got her" Buffy replied, entering the house.

"Are you sure..." Joyce began.

"Mom, don't go there. He's her father, he needs to spend time with her" Buffy said, barely restraining her frustration, it had only been two minutes and already her mom had started with the Angel bashing.

"Sorry. I was just looking forward to getting to know her" Joyce replied, stiffly.

Changing the subject Buffy asked, "Where should I put my bag?"

"Your old room" Joyce answered, "While you do that, I'll put some coffee on". She walked off to the kitchen.Buffy walked up the stairs and headed to her old room. When she opened the door, it was like a timewarp, she could actually picture Angel climbing through her window. Apparently her mom had created a shrine in her honour after she'd left more than 17 years earlier. She put down her bag and absorbed all the good memories and expelled the bad ones, and even though she did this she realised that she'd really changed and that time never did stand still.

She went back downstairs and had coffee with her mother. Their conversation was extremely uncomfortable and strained, because neither of them knew how to fix all their problems. Afterwards they both went to bed and prayed that tomorrow would be better.

*

When Buffy awoke the next morning, she quickly showered and dress, while she fought the temptation to call and check on Hope and Angel. She was on her way downstairs when she heard voices, she walked into the kitchen to find Willow talking on the phone.

"Hi Buffy" Willow said, hanging up and hugging her.

"Good morning" Buffy replied, heading straight for the coffee pot. "Where's mom?"

"Work emergency" Willow said, happily. "You're all mine for today".

"Great" Buffy told her, knowing that she'd rather spend the day with Willow than with her mom anytime.They sat down in silence, trying to think of what to say when Willow asked, "What do you do?"

"Well, when Hope was two and Spike showed up, he'd babysit while I went to college. I eventually got my psych degree and now I'm a high school counsellor" Buffy told Willow.

"Wow, I'm impressed. Not only a college degree but you actually got Spike to do something nice" Willow answered. "Oz and I are both teachers at Sunnydale high".

"I think that's great Wils. And by the way Spike wasn't doing it for me, he always did everything for Hope, I could never figure out why though" Buffy said. "So what are we gonna do today?" Buffy asked, changing the topic.

"It's a surprise" Willow answered, mysteriously.

*

A few hours later they were relaxing at the Expresso Pump after tackling the mall, the old high school remains, the UCS campus and Giles' magic shop. Now they were gossiping and catching up on the years they'd missed, when they heard a somewhat familiar voice say, "Buffy?"

"Yeah?" Buffy answered turning around.

"It's me...Riley Finn" the guy said.

"I'm sorry but I don't..." Buffy began.

"Buff, he was our psych TA" Willow tried to remind her.

Buffy looked closer and then said, "Oh yeah. You were the guy that kept talking to me about cheese".

Riley turned bright red and replied, "So long time huh?"

"Yeah. Do you live here?" Buffy asked, trying to be polite.

"No, just visiting friends. You?" Riley asked, wondering if she'd consider going out with him now.

"Same" Buffy answered.

"So you visiting with your husband and kids?" Riley probed.

"I'm not married and my daughter's with her dad" Buffy said, wondering how in the hell to get rid of the fishboy without coming off as a total bitca.

"I'm divorced myself, four times. Can you believe that? I also have eight kids" Riley replied, sounding proud of his status as a four time loser.

"Four times?" Willow said, trying not to laugh. She couldn't believe she'd tried to fix Buffy and this guy up in college.

Riley checked his watch and said, "I have to go, but it was great seeing you again. Maybe I could call you sometime?"

"Sorry, but I don't have a phone" Buffy said, without really thinking.

"Write or visit?"

"I don't have a house" Buffy said, then got up and quickly headed to the ladies room.

Willow looked at Riley and said, "Don't look at me, I don't know nothing".

Ten minutes later Buffy finally came out. "Is the creature gone?"

"Five minutes ago" Willow answered.

"I can't believe you tried to fix me and him up once?" Buffy replied.

"Call it temporary insanity" Willow said. "Speaking of that, how are you and Angel?"

"We've decided to try again..." Buffy replied, kinda uncertainly.

"I think I'm sensing a but here" Willow answered.

"What if we screw it up again.? It's not only us this time, there's Hope to consider" Buffy said, softly.

"Buff, you and Angel deserve another chance. Did you know that he hasn't dated since he got his humanity back, he was still waiting for you. And I am so betting you live like a nun, because sub-consciously you are waiting for him too" Willow replied.

Buffy thought about Willow's little speech for a minute and then said, "You're right. Thanks Wils".

"Hey, what else are best friends for" Willow answered.

They finished their drinks and headed back to Joyce's for a bonding session.

They decided to bond by having a movie afternoon, they watched a whole heap of movies that they'd seen back in high school.

"I'm telling you Will's. That girl in American Pie looked exactly like you in high school" Buffy told her.

"No way" Willow replied, disgustedly. "For one I've never, ever played the flute and secondly if I had I certainly wouldn't have done that with it".

Buffy was laughing at Willow, when Joyce walked through the door. "Hi" Joyce said to them.

"Hi Joyce, I'd better go". She hugged Buffy and said, "call me" as she left.

"So how was your day?" Joyce asked, when they were all alone.

"Fine" Buffy replied, suddenly feeling like she was 15 again.

"Good" Joyce replied, then set about making dinner.

A few minutes later she asked, "So how are you and Angel going to work out custody of Hope?"

"Well...Mostly he's gonna visit us" Buffy replied.

"US?" Joyce questioned.

"Angel and I...we...kinda got back together" Buffy told her mom.

"What?" Joyce yelled, in shock.

"Look, mom I know you don't like him, but he's my choice. I've been in love with him forever and it's always gonna be him" Buffy said, trying to convince her mom.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"No. I just know if I don't try I'm gonna regret it for the rest of my life" Buffy answered. "The only thing I am sure of is that I still love him".

"Just be careful. Promise me, not just for Hope but for you too" Joyce asked.

"I will" Buffy promised.

They talked for awhile and then headed for bed.

Buffy was thinking about tomorrow and how she'd be seeing not only her daughter but also her Angel.

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