~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~Part: 41~
"Daddy?" Willow repeated as she looked at Drusilla.
"Of course," Drusilla smiled, "I can not give William a prezzie and not give Daddy anything."
"Okay, um, well, what does he read?" Willow asked, deciding that this went beyond weird. Going clothes shopping with Drusilla was one thing, but buying presents for the two vampires that had repeatedly tried to kill her and her friends? That pretty much topped the list of strangest things she'd ever done.
"He does not read poetry like my William," Drusilla admitted, "but he enjoys mystery books. He tries to solve the crime before the book detective."
"Mysteries?" Willow repeated slowly, her lips twitching as she resisted the urge to laugh. Angelus, Master of Sunnydale, one of the most evil and sadistic vampires in the world, was an arm chair detective. Who would have thunk it?
"Yes, he loves a good mystery," Drusilla smiled fondly, "There is one that he read to me recently that had a funny little man with a moustache and it was on a train. I enjoyed that one ever so much."
"Murder on the Orient Express?" Willow asked, smiling as she said, "That is one of my favorites! I love Hercule Poirot. Does he have any others? And Then There Were None is fantastic."
"That is the title," Drusilla said. "He is quite fond of that funny little man. I believe he has several other books with that same detective. The one you mentioned is not familiar, though. Do you think he would enjoy it?"
"I love it, but I don't know what Angelus would like," Willow said, "I mean, it isn't a Hercule Poirot story, but it's very involved and has a great plot. It's written by the same author so that's why I mentioned it."
"If you like it, I'm sure Daddy will enjoy it," Drusilla said, "Do they have that title here?"
"I'm sure they do," Willow walked over to the mystery section and easily found the two shelves that held the titles of Agatha Christie. She couldn't believe she was suggesting one of her favorite mysteries as a possible gift for the vampire that had nearly killed her at the school only a few months before. Of course, she couldn't really say all that much because he hadn't harmed her when he easily could have. That had been the night when said vampire had haunted her dreams and invaded her fantasies so maybe it wasn't so surprising that she'd now be helping select a gift for him. She found the book and showed Drusilla, "Here it is. It is a really good mystery, if he'd never read it."
"I shall him read it to me, I think, because you count it as one of your favorites," Drusilla decided as she took the small paperback novel from Willow. She looked from it to the large book of poems that she was buying William and smiled, "I think they will both be surprised by their prezzies. Thank you for helping me buy them, Willow."
"No problem," Willow smiled at her friend, knowing that Angelus and Spike would not only be surprised but would also be rather pleased that Drusilla had chosen such personal items for them. She again found herself wondering what would happen when Angelus and Spike did return to Sunnydale to find out that Drusilla had nearly died and then had spent time with her and Buffy and Cordelia. There was still a chance that they wouldn't find out, true, but it didn't seem quite as likely today as it had last night. Drusilla was their friend, now, and Willow didn't think that the vampire would fail to mention her trip to the mall or any of the other experiences she'd had while Spike and Angleus were away. She was doing her best not to dwell on what might happen and instead focus on the present. She was learning that she didn't really know Spike and Angelus very well at all so there was no way to predict how they would react to everything that had occurred while they were gone.
"Oh, Daddy would love this," Drusilla said as she saw a sketchbook near the check out. She picked it up and added it to her pile, telling Willow, "Angelus is a wonderful artist but he's nearly used up all of his paper since he lost his soul."
"He is talented," Willow admitted, deciding not to mention that the way she knew was because she'd seen the sketches he'd left for Buffy when he'd been in revenge seeking stalker mode. That was probably one reason he was nearly out of paper, she decided somewhat crossly as she remembered how upset Buffy had been at finding those sketches and just how plain awful Angelus had made their lives the last few months. Even if he was sexy as hell and the stuff fantasies were made of, it didn't mean she could forget that he'd killed Jenny and had tried to kill them all and that he'd delighted in making their lives hell.
"Daddy has not been very nice to you, has he?" Drusilla asked quietly, remembering the various things he had mentioned doing during his game with Buffy. Then, she had not cared at all, finding them amusing. She'd not known Buffy as anything other than the slayer and she'd not known Willow or Cordelia at all. Now, though, she counted the girls as her friends, as her only friends. Willow was much more than just a friend, having saved her, not just from the poison but also from the darkness.
"Not really," Willow found herself smiling at Drusilla, wondering how the vampire could seem kind of crazy one minute and then be so insightful and observant the next. She had to laugh as she said, "But, really, it's not that surprising. I mean, Buffy's a slayer. Not only that, but Angel was in love with her. I'm thinking that Angelus probably wasn't too thrilled at that, though he really should be thanking her. Like you said earlier, if it hadn't been for Buffy and the love that Angel felt for her, well, Angelus would still be locked up in a cage inside Angel. But, no, instead of thanking her, he has to make our lives miserable and threaten us and kill Jenny. The last couple of weeks have been the calmest we've had and most of that time we were worried that he was planning some horrible thing that would result in all of our deaths so calm isn't exactly a good word."
"Daddy's game with the slayer is finished," Drusilla said, "he is no longer interested in killing you or your friends. He has let his anger go, the curse and its aftereffects are no more."
"I'm glad to hear that," Willow confessed with a smile, "Anyway, enough about Angelus and his silly behavior the last few months. Why don't we pay for those books and then we can check out another store or something before meeting Buffy and Cordy for a late lunch?"
"That's a great idea," Drusilla went to the cashier and handed the three books to the man. she smiled at him as he rang up the purchases, watching as Willow handed over the credit card. She took the bag from him and said, "Thank you very much, sir."
Willow took her receipt and followed Drusilla out of the store. She laughed when she heard her stomach growl, telling Dru, "I think that's a sign that we should go on and head to the food court. I'm pretty hungry."
Drusilla laughed and said, "Perhaps it has been long enough for Cordelia and Buffy to finish with all the clothes. We can stop at more stores once you have been fed."
"I don't know if there is such as a thing as long enough when it comes to Buffy and Cordelia and shopping for clothes, but maybe they're as hungry as I am so they'll be there," Willow smiled as they started walking towards the food court.
~Part: 42~
"I can't believe we beat them here," Cordelia said as she surveyed the area where they had agreed to meet Willow and Drusilla.
"Willow in a bookstore is as bad as you in a clothing store," Buffy said with a smile as she sat down on the bench beside the fountain to wait for her best friend.
"Hey now, I seem to recall a certain bottle blonde slayer right there with me buying some clothes," Cordelia defended with a smirk. "In fact, I think you probably bought more than I did."
"Okay, okay….she's as bad buying dusty old books as *we* are buying clothes," Buffy laughed, "and I had to buy more than you because I just found out that my friends think I dress like a slut."
"Not all the time," Cordelia smiled as she sat down beside the slayer. "I do have to say that the new clothes appear to be quite promising, though. I didn't see a single skirt that didn't cover your butt and there were no see through tops at all."
"I so do not wear butt baring skirts and shirts you can see through!" Buffy glared at Cordelia. "I agree that my skirts might be a bit too short and some of my shirts are too tight or low cut, but I'm not into the whole 'look at my bra' thing."
"You say tomato, I say tomato," Cordelia shrugged, smiling as she added, "but I do think the new clothes look amazing with your figure."
"Thanks," Buffy responded, having to admit that Cordelia was right. She had never really given it much thought until her friends had been so kind to finally point out that some of her clothes were a bit more sleazy than sexy. She'd bought a few skirts, but had actually been rather pleased with some of the new pants that had arrived. She knew it was already late spring and would soon be summer, but she'd splurged on several pairs of lightweight pants that would probably be great for patrols. It was much better to be a little warm while patrolling if you were able to have the freedom to move. Added bonus was that they had been on sale and available in some really pretty colors. She'd gotten some shorts for lazy summer days and some new tops to wear with all of her purchases. It had been a lot of fun, and she had to acknowledge that Cordelia really did know clothes.
"Those pants make you look taller plus you don't have to worry about flashing your undies to everyone when you're kicking demon butt," Cordelia said.
"You're always thinking ahead, Cordy," Buffy laughed, wondering if Willow was as hungry as they were and would arrive soon. They'd finished their shopping and taken everything to the car. The trunk of Cordelia's car was nearly full of bags so it was probably a good thing that they didn't have many more places to shop. She smiled as she said, "I like the stuff Willow bought. Now if we can just make sure she wears it instead of leaving it in the closet."
"She'll wear it if I have to steal all the old stuff out of her closet," Cordelia threatened, having to laugh as she said, "but I don't think it will come to such drastic measures. She bought things that she found comfortable and that made her feel confident. There weren't too many daring items, but even those suited her. Overall, I think she looked great. She was sexy but sweet, which is so Willow."
"It is, isn't it? She's so special and she just doesn't see it. I know she's insecure, hell, we all are in some way or another, but I'm glad that she's starting to realize just how wonderful she really is," Buffy smiled.
"Part of the insecurity thing is my fault," Cordelia made a face, "I was so rude to her for so many years, always putting her down and teasing her. I can't believe she forgave me for how I treated her, that she is willing to be my friend."
"That's Willow," Buffy shrugged before adding, "need I remind you that this is the girl that is out shopping right now with Drusilla? Of course, Drusilla wasn't as mean to her as you were so maybe that's not a good example."
"Very funny, slayer," Cordelia rolled her eyes, before curiously asking, "What do you think about the sudden friendship with Drusilla?"
"I thought Willow was crazy when I first found out," Buffy admitted, "but I've changed my mind. I actually like Drusilla. I know she's a vampire and that she's technically the enemy and Angelus' childe and all that, but I like her, I trust her for some reason. She seems to be completely devoted to Willow, which is always a good thing in my book, and she's not at all what I expected. Strange as it may sound, I can call her friend and mean it."
"I like her," Cordelia stated, "and I think that she likes all of us. She's sweet, for an evil and dangerous vampire, and today has been a lot of fun."
"Definitely better than being stuck at school," Buffy laughed, a smile crossing her face as she saw a familiar redhead and vampire walking towards them. She stood up, waving back at Drusilla as she told Cordelia, "I'm starving. Let's eat!"
~Part: 43~
"I'm starving!" Buffy said when she and Cordelia reached Dru and Willow.
"I can't believe you two beat us here!" Willow said with a smile.
"That's what I said!" Cordelia laughed.
"Kitten's tummy is all growly and hungry," Drusilla said as she took Willow's hand, "so we need to get her food so we can shop more."
"I think we could all use some food," Buffy agreed, exchanging a look with Willow as she asked, "What about Dru? Is it, um, you know, time for her to *eat*?"
"Do they have chocolate?" Drusilla asked eagerly, "I so love chocolate."
"There's a place that has the best chocolate milk shakes in the mall," Cordelia told Drusilla. She asked, "Have you ever had a milk shake before?"
"No," Drusilla shook her head before looking at Willow and asking, "What is a milk shake?"
"It's like ice cream but you drink it," Buffy laughed, "okay, that's not the best explanation. You've got to taste it and then it will make sense. We'll get you a large milk shake with extra chocolate. You're going to love it."
"I am sure that I will love it, pretty pet," Drusilla smiled at Buffy. She had enjoyed the chocolate doughnuts that the slayer had given her earlier so she didn't have any doubts that she wouldn't also enjoy this milk shake thing that her new friends were talking about.
"Dru, honey, do you need to feed soon? I mean, I don't know what type of schedule vampires keep when it comes to meals and I don't want you to get weak or anything," Willow said with a soft smile.
"I fed this morning, Willow-mine, so I am not yet hungry," Drusilla replied, pleased that her pretty angel was taking care of her just as the stars had promised. She was enjoying the chocolate and other tasty human food that she was being introduced to by her new friends, understanding finally why her William would often snack on things meant for mortals. She had tried some crackers one time but had not enjoyed them at all. They probably would have been better if they had been covered in chocolate, she decided. She smiled at Willow, "I shall feed when we return home. For now, I would be most interested in trying this milk shake treat that was mentioned."
"I'll take you to get a milk shake, Dru," Cordelia volunteered. She hooked her arm through the vampire's and smiled as they started walking, "Milk shakes are one of my favorite indulgences. If you like it and you want me to, I can show you how to make them at home. They're pretty good and you can make all kinds of flavors. I can make a great strawberry banana with real strawberries and bananas. It's better than most of the ones you buy out places."
"Okay, why does the thought of Drusilla in the kitchen strike me as a bit weird?" Buffy asked Willow as Cordelia and Drusilla walked away.
"Not even that. Why does the thought of *Cordelia* in the kitchen sound so scary?" Willow laughed.
"You're right," Buffy laughed along with Willow, "I never would have thought that Queen C liked to make milk shakes."
"You know, she's pretty cool," Willow declared, smiling as she watched Cordelia point out the items on the menu to Drusilla.
"She definitely knows clothes. I can't believe how good she was at finding sale prices and putting outfits together," Buffy shook her head, "I spent half what I would have had I gone shopping by myself and I ended up with more clothes."
"Well, not only is she a great shopper, but she's actually nice when she drops the whole 'snotty cheerleader popular girl' act," Willow admitted, "she's smart and caring and really likes being our friend. Plus, she loves Xander and makes him happy. What do you want to get eat? I can't make up my mind."
"I think I want pizza," Buffy decided. "A couple slices and a soda."
"Hmm…pizza sounds pretty good. I can't decide between that and a burger. Hearing about the milk shakes made me get a craving," Willow said.
"Well, why don't get the pizza now and we can have Cordy make milk shakes later tonight as a sleepover snack?" Buffy suggested. "I have to admit that the strawberry banana shake she was talking about sounded pretty yummy."
"I'm sure Drusilla wouldn't mind having another shake tonight. She seems to have a fondness for junk food," Willow laughed, "I wonder if we should make her a salad or something to balance all the chocolate and sugary sweets she's had since we've been introducing her to our favorite foods."
"Willow, she's a vampire. I don't think it matters if she balances sweets with healthy food," Buffy said. "She drinks blood to survive and why am I so cool with that? I'm the slayer. I'm supposed to be anti-blood sucking for survival, but I'm not even phased at the idea of Drusilla gulping down a couple of pints of AB negative. God, between becoming friends with her and the unspoken truce with Angelus, well, I'm a terrible slayer, aren't I?"
"Maybe you're growing up," Willow said with an affectionate smile at her best friend as they stood in line at the pizza counter. She shrugged, "You're learning that life isn't black and white. There is tons of gray and you have to learn to adapt and adjust. I mean, Drusilla is a vampire, she's the daughter of the master of Sunnydale, she talks to the stars and might be a little psychic, but she's also very sweet and funny and she makes you feel protective of her. As for the truce with Angelus, that doesn't make you a terrible slayer. It just means that you're smart enough to realize that a deal with him that keeps Sunnydale under control is far better than an all out war that would end up getting a lot of innocent people killed. Personally, I think your ability to see past the whole 'vampires are evil and should be destroyed' preaching of the council is wonderful and just another reason of many that you're my best friend."
"I so would say something witty and sweet in response, but I can't because I think I might cry," Buffy said with a smile as she hugged the redhead. "I love you, Willow!"
"I love you, too, Buffy," Willow said as she hugged her best friend before saying, "but can we stop with the mushy bonding for now and get some food? I'm starving!"
~Part: 44~
"I like the mushy bonding," Buffy said with a laugh as she let Willow go, "but food does sound like a good idea."
"I'll have a slice of cheese and a slice of pepperoni," Willow ordered when they finally made it to the counter. The mall was starting to get more crowded as it got later and most of the people seemed to be ordering food. She was glad that they were nearly finished with the shopping, ready to go home and be lazy for the rest of the night.
"I want two slices of the works," Buffy ordered after Willow. Once they received their food, they easily found Cordelia and Drusilla at a table waiting for them.
"I bought a cheeseburger," Drusilla informed Willow with a smile as the redhead sat down, "and a milk shake and french fries."
"That sounds good," Willow told Dru with a smile. She looked at Cordelia and asked, "If it's not a problem or anything, could you maybe make some milk shakes tonight? Buffy and I are both craving a strawberry banana now."
"I'd love to," Cordelia smiled, "I actually got a bottle of water because I was going to suggest making milk shakes. I promised Dru that I'd teach her how to make them."
"I like the milk shake better than the doughnuts," Drusilla informed Buffy, "you were right. It is wonderful. I can not wait to learn how to make the tasty treats myself. Daddy and William will be ever so surprised when I make them a chocolate milk shake."
"Oh, yeah, I'm thinking surprised would be a great word to describe their reaction to your milk shake making," Willow said with a smile at the brunette. She had decided earlier to stop worrying about what would happen when Angelus and Spike returned to Sunnydale. Instead, she was enjoying time spent with good friends.
"So, what did you buy at the bookstore, Willow?" Cordelia asked, deciding to change the subject. She was hungry and enjoying her meal and didn't want the subject to somehow progress to making blood flavored milk shakes for the vampires because that thought would have ruined her appetite.
"I didn't buy anything, surprise, surprise," Willow said, "but Drusilla bought a few things."
"Kitten helped me find prezzies for Daddy and William," Drusilla beamed.
"You helped pick out presents for Angelus and Spike?" Buffy arched a brow as she looked at the redhead.
Willow shrugged, "Yeah, well, Dru needed some help. They were all her ideas, though. I just showed her where to look."
"I'm sure they'll love their gifts, Dru," Buffy said with a smile at the vampire, though she was still trying to decide if she liked the idea of her best friend buying presents for the two vampires that had tried to kill them all several times.
"This pizza is either really good today or I was getting pretty hungry," Willow said as she ate a slice.
"I think it's a little of both," Buffy smiled at the redhead as she finished her first slice.
"After we're finished eating, we can go to Belladonna and then Curios and finally end up at Bath Body and More, which is closest to the exit where the car is parked," Cordelia decided as she finished her burger and started to eat her fries.
"It sounds like a plan," Buffy agreed, "I think you'll like Curios, Dru. It's this neat little shop that has all kinds of knick-knacks and stuff. I bought my Mom this pretty snow globe there for her birthday."
"I am having such fun today, pets," Drusilla smiled at the three girls, wondering what they would do once their shopping had been completed. She remembered Willow mentioning something earlier about watching movies and eating junk food. Drusilla liked that idea, finding herself very fond of the junk food her new friends ate.
"Me too," Willow agreed with a smile before finishing her slice of pizza.
"Me three," Buffy said before she wiped her mouth with her napkin. The pizza had been filling, and she was ready for some more shopping now.
"Okay, dorky or not, I've got to say it," Cordelia sighed dramatically, her eyes amused as she said, "Me four."
~Part: 45~
Willow had spent too much money at Belladonna. Not only had she bought new panties and bras that she really didn't need, she'd also bought a few pieces of sexy lingerie to wear just for fun or to wear underneath her new clothes. She knew that no one else would ever see the sexy lingerie, but they'd made her feel beautiful and seductive so she'd indulged. She had also bought new sleeping clothes, choosing a pair of silk boxers and a matching tank top that was also silk. Drusilla had picked out the color, a dark green that Cordelia declared looked wonderful with her hair and pale skin.
Buffy had bought a new nightgown to keep at Willow's since she was going to let Drusilla keep her other one. In all honesty, Willow couldn't tell much of a difference between the new one and the old one, except the new one had a ribbon on the front. Cordelia had followed Willow's example and taken advantage of the sale on bras and panties, buying several pairs of each. Drusilla had touched a majority of the items in the store, but she hadn't wanted to purchase anything. It would appear that vampires were not really into the entire wearing undergarments thing.
They had gone to Curios following Belladonna. Drusilla had loved the store, just as they had predicted. The vampire had spent nearly half an hour looking around at everything. In the end, she'd bought herself a pretty jewelry box and a few other small items. They were now at Bed, Bath, and More, the last stop before they'd be leaving the mall. Drusilla was smelling every scent offered, seeming to enjoy the vast array of fruit based items that BB&M were known for. Dru had immediately chosen a bottle of the Apple body spray that Willow and Buffy both used and was now just browsing.
Willow got a bottle of the jasmine shampoo that she loved, knowing that she was nearly out. She needed some new body wash, but she wasn't sure what scent she wanted this time. She smelled the new scents, enjoying a new citrus blend quite a bit. She liked the smell of oranges, which was the stronger scent in the blend. She got a bottle of the body wash before moving to where Drusilla was looking.
"Have you found anything you like?" she asked Drusilla with a smile.
"The apples that smell like you and Buffy," Drusilla informed her. "What are you getting, kitten?"
Willow showed Drusilla her purchases, smiling as the vampire spoke favorably about the scents. She said, "I love this jasmine shampoo. It smells good, but it also is great for your hair. I think we should get you a bottle of it."
"That would be lovely," Drusilla smiled with pleasure. She loved the smells in this store, not able to decide which ones she preferred. She was happy that she had found the apple spray, liking the idea of sharing that scent with her new friends. She watched as Willow walked over to the shampoo and got another bottle before she turned back to the scents. She picked up a bottle of lotion, smelling vanilla mixed with something she couldn't distinguish. She liked it a lot, adding that to her purchases. She was not quite sure what they meant by shower gel, but she had seen Willow getting some so she decided it was something she should buy, herself. She selected a bottle that was a pretty pink, smelling strawberries as she inhaled.
"I love strawberries," Buffy told Drusilla as she joined the vampire. She got a bottle of lotion and smelled it. "I don't need lotion at all, but I have this terrible habit of buying things I don't need when I come here."
"Buffy-pet, what is shower gel?" Drusilla asked the slayer, wanting to make sure it was something she would use. Willow had allowed her to buy anything that she wanted during their shopping adventures, using the credit card that her parents supplied, but Drusilla did not want to spend foolishly.
"It's like soap, only better," Buffy said with a smile. "I never use a bar of soap anymore. I just use shower gel and a sponge. Oh, oh, oh, if you don't have a sponge, we're so buying you one! You'll never want to use a wash rag again. I'll go find you a good one."
"Thank you," Drusilla said as she held on to the shower gel. She liked the smell of this gel much better than the plain white soap she normally used. She went back to the other scent she had really liked. She smiled when she found it, deciding to buy a bottle of the shower gel for Angelus and William.
"Vanilla Spice, huh?" Willow nodded, "it's one of my favorite scents. I use the lotion."
"I am buying this shower gel soap for Daddy and William," Drusilla told Willow. She asked, "The smell is not too girly, is it?"
"Is what too girly?" Cordelia asked as she moved beside Willow.
"Vanilla Spice," Willow said, telling Dru, "I don't think it's girly, Dru. I'm sure it will be fine to give them."
"Xander uses it," Cordelia informed them, "I got him a bottle of shower gel last time I was here. Before that, he was using this horrible soap that smelled like pine. It was awful."
"I shall buy it, then," Drusilla decided.
"Are we ready to check out?" Buffy asked as she joined them. "I need to leave before I buy anything else that I really don't need!"
"It's so hard to come in here and just buy one thing," Willow agreed, "I always end up buying so much. It's just, the smells are always so nice."
"Oh, Dru, here's the sponge thingy I was talking about," Buffy handed over the brush.
"I'm ready to check out," Cordelia declared. "I've spent too much money today. Besides that, I'm tired of shopping and ready to just lay around and be lazy. Oh my God, did I really just say that I was tired of shopping?"
"I hope they have ice skates in hell," Willow said, her green eyes lit with amusement.
"So funny," Cordelia rolled her eyes before they all started laughing on their way to check out.
~Part: 46~
"I need to go by my house to get my stuff," Cordelia told the others once they had put their packages in the trunk. She couldn't believe how much they'd bought, her trunk barely able to close due to all the bags. She smiled as she shut it, thankful that she had a lot of trunk space.
"Shotgun!" Buffy and Willow called out in unison, laughing as they began to argue over the front seat.
"We're both mature people. We can settle this like adults," Willow said with a smile, flexing her fingers as she got ready.
"One, two, three," Buffy called out, "Paper, rock, scissors!"
"Ha! Scissors cut paper," Willow smirked, arching a brow as the slayer grumbled.
"Fine, I'll sit in the back," Buffy relented, smiling at Drusilla who was watching them with curious eyes. "Come on, Dru. It looks like it's you and me in the back seat this time."
"You're weird," Drusilla declared with amusement as she got into the back seat of the car.
"You know, I don't think I've ever been to your house, Cordy," Buffy said after she made herself comfortable.
"I have, once," Willow said thoughtfully, "It was your birthday party in second grade, wasn't it Delia? Xander ate too much cake and threw up, and Jesse pushed you into the pool because you called me a nerd and then you made him leave for ruining your dress. The was the one and only time I was invited to the Chase mansion."
"I remember that. I was so mad because my Dad had to go out of town on business and he wasn't there for my birthday. And I wanted to have the party at the skating rink but my Mom insisted I have it at the house so that she wouldn't have to deal with all the details. She spent the whole day inside drinking and talking on the phone instead of spending time with me," Cordelia smiled sheepishly as she admitted, "I was pretty mean to everyone that day. I'm really sorry."
Willow laughed, "Cordelia, it was ten years ago! Trust me, you've called me far worse than nerd since then and I've forgiven you. Besides, I can understand being made at your parents cause they're not around. I don't even think mine remember what day my birthday is, usually sending me a check a month too early or too late. I don't care anymore, but I used to, when I was younger."
"I'm used to them now," Cordelia smiled, "so I don't care that I hardly see them. In fact, it's usually a bit awkward when we are all together. They don't know how to deal with having a kid and I don't really know how to deal with having parents, so it's just weird and we're all relieved when we go our separate ways. They always remember my birthday, though, and they are around somewhere, either at work or the club, if I ever did need them for anything."
"That's something," Willow nodded, "I don't think mine have been in Sunnydale for longer than four weeks a year since I turned eight and they decided I was mature enough to take care of myself. The business trips and lecture circuit kept growing and now they're never here. It's so much better that way, with me helping Buffy and all. They stop in for a few days here and there, make the motions of being concerned parents but they never listen to me and don't know me at all. Some people really shouldn't be allowed to have children and be parents."
"You have to have a license to own a dog but they let just anyone be parents," Buffy semi-quoted from one of her favorite movies.
"Exactly!" Willow smiled at the slayer, noticing that Drusilla was listening intently. She smiled sheepishly at her new friend and said, "Sorry about that, Dru. I love my parents, but I honestly don't really like either of them that much. Let's move on from serious subjects, shall we? We're supposed to be having fun and acting silly!"
"Silly is good, Kitten," Drusilla smiled at the redhead, sensing that her new friend did not wish to discuss her parents any longer. She pitied the foolish couple that had given birth to such a beautiful and intelligent daughter and did not realize just how special their daughter truly was. She had seen Buffy scowling as Willow had spoken about her parents, realizing that the slayer felt the same way that she did about the absentee parents of their redheaded friend. She also felt compassion for Cordelia. The girl's parents were around, but it did not sound to her as if they knew anything about their beautiful daughter, just as Willow's parents did not know her. She felt very lucky to have her Daddy, knowing that he cared about her and would do anything for her. True, he had left for several decades, but it had not been his choice. That silly soul had taken him away from her and William. Now, though, they were a family again. Her smile widened as she looked at her new friends, focusing finally on Willow. Her family.
~Part: 47~
"Do you guys want to come in?" Cordelia asked as she pulled her car to a stop in front of her house.
"Sure," Buffy said as she got out of the car. She looked around, letting out a whistle, "Cordy, my house could fit in here twice!"
"It's not that big," Cordelia laughed, rolling her eyes as she found her house key. "Maybe one and a half times."
"How many rooms are there?" the slayer asked.
"There are five bedrooms, but Daddy has an office and there's a lounge as well as a living room," Cordelia said as she walked inside, flipping on the light before turning to the others. "Drusilla, come in. Welcome to my home."
"It's very lovely," Drusilla said as she walked inside, noticing how pretty everything was decorated. Her home was only a few blocks away from Cordelia's, and the mansion on Crawford Street that her Daddy had chosen was much larger than the cheerleader's, but it was not as pretty inside.
"Are your parents home?" Willow asked, noticing how quiet the house was and thinking how lonely it must be being in such a large place with no one else around. At least her house was smaller and didn't seem nearly as lonely, with Buffy and Xander always dropping in and hanging out. Cordelia lived on the edge of town, though, in a development that had large houses and grounds that kept the nearest neighbor at a distant.
"They're out of town," Cordelia shrugged, "I honestly don't remember where they are this time, but Daddy's secretary can reach him if I need anything. Do you guys want to stay down here while I run upstairs and get my stuff?"
"We'll explore," Buffy smiled at the brunette before she turned to Drusilla and Willow. "Come on, ladies. Let's look around."
"It won't take me that long," Cordelia said as she darted up the stairs and headed to her room to pack for her overnight stay at Willow's house.
"I can't believe that Cordelia is stuck in this huge house by herself all the time when her parents go out of town," Willow remarked as they entered what appeared to be a formal living room.
"It is so quiet," Drusilla said as she followed the redhead. She wondered if Cordelia had a dolly to talk to when she got lonely. Drusilla did not get lonely very often, having her Daddy and William around when things got too quiet, but, when they were busy or out, she had her dollies to keep her company. She did not see any dollies in this lonely old house, closing her eyes partially as she listened intently, not hearing any dollies speaking to her. She guessed that Cordelia was not as bothered by the silence as she, or perhaps the teen spoke to her friends when the loneliness became overwhelming. That was why the cheerleader did not have any dollies, Drusilla decided. She smiled as she realized that she would no longer need her dollies. She now had Willow and her new friends to speak to now when she got lonely and things were too quiet.
"Dru, you okay?" Buffy asked when she noticed Drusilla standing quietly, seemingly lost in thought.
"Wonderful, pretty pet," Drusilla smiled at the blonde teen, "My dollies are going to be ever so happy when I put them away and let them sleep. I shall be very careful and smooth out their skirts so that they do not wrinkle. My dollies are very tired of talking. I shall give them each their own box and make sure that they are very comfortable before I put them away. Oh, we shall all have tea first, so that my dollies can meet my new friends before they sleep. They will love you all just as I do."
"That sounds like a good idea, Drusilla," Willow smiled at the vampire, not really following what she was saying but deciding it was better to just agree than to question when Drusilla was in one of her slightly insane moods. She had been alert and normal for the majority of the afternoon, but it would appear that she was having one of her spells right now. The redhead moved closer to the vampire, taking her hand and squeezing it softly as she added, "I can't wait to meet your dollies and have tea. I'm sure that it will be a lot of fun."
"Yeah, it will be fun. I mean, I haven't been to a tea party in years," Buffy agreed with Willow, rather proud that she was learning to deal with Dru's momentary flashes of craziness.
"Why don't we go look around a bit more while we wait for Cordelia?" Willow suggested as she started to walk out of the living room and down the hall. Drusilla followed her, a pleased smile on her face as she thought of the tea party that she would hold before putting away her dollies. She eventually moved past those thoughts as she enjoyed snooping, as Buffy called it, with her new friends.
~Part: 48~
"Hello? Where are you guys?" Cordelia called out as she came downstairs. She put down her bag, looking around the living room and not seeing any of her three friends.
"Hide and seek, Cordelia. You're it!" a familiar voice called from down the hall, followed by a laugh as the slayer slammed a door shut.
"This is *so* not amusing!" Cordelia whined, though her lips were curling into a smile as she thought about the layout of her house and tried to figure out where they might be hiding.
"Quit talking and try to find us, Cheerleader!" Willow's voice came from the opposite direction of Buffy's. There was a laugh as the redhead added, "If you can!"
"Oh, listen here Smart Girl, I so can find you!" Cordelia said as she got serious about the game. She walked into the living room, her eyes sweeping over every possible hiding spot and finding nothing. She left the living room and walked down the hall, alert as she listened for any noise that might indicate a hiding spot.
Willow moved from behind the curtain in the parlor where she had been hiding when she saw Cordelia walk down the hall. She smiled as she crept into the living room, knowing that the brunette had already searched that room. She listened as doors were open and Cordelia cursed when her search came up empty. She didn't feel sorry for Cordelia being 'it' at all. After all, they'd only decided to play the game because they'd looked around the entire downstairs and had still been waiting for Cordelia. Buffy had suggested hide and seek since the house was so huge, thinking it might be a fun way to get back at Cordelia for taking so long to pack a bag for an overnight stay. Willow had to agree that it wouldn't have taken her five minutes to pack, yet it had taken Cordelia at least twenty by that time, but she hadn't been sure about playing the game. Drusilla had loved the idea of playing hide and seek, and Willow had relented after she'd been faced by two begging friends. They'd split up and hidden, having only a few minutes to wait before Cordelia had come downstairs.
"Boo," Buffy whispered as she joined Willow in the living room. She motioned for Willow to follow her as they both sat behind the sofa. Still whispering, she said, "Cordelia is in the kitchen now. I was hiding in the study under the desk and she didn't see me. After she left, I snuck out to meet here."
"Cordelia's going to kill us!" Willow covered her laugh with her hand. "Do you know where Dru went to hide?"
"Not a clue, but she seemed familiar with the game so I wouldn't be too worried about her," Buffy said.
"Dru can take care of herself," Willow agreed. She grew thoughtful as she asked, "Do you think Angelus taught her hide and seek when they were out hunting or something?"
"Probably. He does love to play games," Buffy grimaced, remembering his last game of torment the slayer, of which she'd been the unwilling participant.
"I give up, damn it!" they heard Cordelia saying as came back towards the front of the house. "I've checked every room downstairs and I can't find any of you. You know, it's not really fair that I have to find a slayer, a vampire, and a witch. And if you guys went outside to hide, I am so making you walk back to Willow's house!"
"You didn't win, but did you have fun?" Willow asked as she stood up from behind the sofa, watching as Cordelia turned to glare at her.
"I like to win so, no, I did not have fun," Cordelia glared before she reluctantly smiled, "Okay, maybe a little fun, but winning would have made it a lot of fun."
"I had fun," Buffy said as she moved beside Willow. "I was hiding under the desk in the study. I just knew you were going to find me, but you didn't."
"I checked the closet in there but I didn't even think about the desk," Cordelia rolled her eyes before turning to look at Willow, "where were you?"
"Behind the curtain in the parlor," Willow smiled as Cordelia cursed.
"God, it's even worse than just losing. You two were hiding in obvious places and I didn't find you. What about Dru?" Cordelia asked.
"I was in the shower in the downstairs bathroom," Drusilla spoke up as she joined them. She was smiling as she said, "That was ever so much fun, pets! Can we play again?"
"Yeah, but this time, slayer's it!" Cordelia called out as she took Dru and Willow's hands and ran up the stairs, the three girls laughing as they disappeared from sight.
"Find us if you can, slayer!" Drusilla called out with a giggle.
"Count to twenty, Buffy!" Willow called out, "Then you can try to find us. Notice that I said try?"
"Ha, ha, ha. Let's see who's laughing when I find you all!" Buffy said, a smile crossing her face as she listened to the laughter coming from upstairs. Drusilla was right. Silly was a lot of fun. She closed her eyes and started to count, "One, two, three."
~Part: 49~
They had played Hide & Seek for nearly an hour. Buffy had managed to find Cordelia, but had not been able to locate Willow or Drusilla. She had tried her best, figuring that she'd have to be able to sense Dru, being that she was the slayer and Drusilla was a vampire, but she'd only found empty rooms. She'd finally given up, learning that Drusilla had been hiding in a closet that she knew she had checked while Willow had been hiding under a bed that Buffy hadn't thought anyone could fit underneath. The redhead had followed the slayer as *it*, managing to find Cordelia and Buffy but finally giving up before she found Drusilla. They had gone ahead and let Dru be *it*, though they knew it was pointless for a human to hide from a vampire. Drusilla had located them all easily, beaming when Buffy declared her the overall winner, for not being caught and for finding them all.
After they'd finished playing, they'd left Cordelia's and dropped by Buffy's house. Joyce had been home, so Willow had helped Buffy take everything inside while Drusilla and Cordelia discussed what they would do for the remainder of the evening. Buffy had packed a bag quickly after checking with her Mom to see if she could stay over with Willow. After they'd left the Summers' home, they'd gone back to Willow's place. She'd sat on her bed as her friends went through her closet, choosing things to throw away as they also put away her new items. She'd been given gifts by Cordelia and Buffy, a couple of things that she'd not bought because she felt they might be a little too revealing or sexy. Trust her friends to notice and give them to her as presents. They knew she'd wear them if they were gifts, the sneaky little brats.
Once her closet had been rearranged, Cordelia had bagged up the clothes that Willow agreed to get rid of. They'd gone downstairs and crashed, the redhead having never realized just how tiring shopping could be. Drusilla had surprised them all with prezzies, giving Buffy a pretty snow globe that she'd liked from Curios, Cordelia a shawl that she'd admired at Toko, and Willow a necklace that had a little silver kitten charm that had emeralds as the kitten's eyes and the book of erotic poetry that she'd picked up at the bookstore before putting it down to concentrate on non-lusty thoughts. The redhead blushed a bit when she saw the book, relieved that Cordelia and Buffy hadn't noticed it. She'd have loved to explain why Drusilla had thought she'd enjoy *that* particular gift.
Drusilla was delighted that her new friends liked their prezzies. She curled up on the sofa beside Willow, snuggling against the redhead as she asked, "What are we doing next, Kitten?"
"Movies!" three voices rang out before laughing.
"It's definitely movie time," Buffy said with a large smile as she shook the snow globe, watching as the white flecks of 'snow' drifted down over the city. She put the globe on the table, her hazel eyes looking at her friends, "I want to just sit here and not move for a few hours."
"Me too," Willow agreed, "shopping is exhausting!"
"Amateurs," Cordelia scoffed, amusement in her brown eyes as she got to her feet and moved to the cabinet that held Willow's movie collection. "So, girls, what are we going to watch?"
"16 Candles is a must," Willow said before looking at Dru, "what kind of movies do you like, Dru?"
"Happy movies," Drusilla declared with a smile. She could not remember the last movie that she had watched, television and film being things that William found more interesting. During their travels, they were not often staying in locations where luxuries such as a television were available.
"Definitely happy movies. I can't handle sad movies at all," Cordelia smiled.
"Me either," Buffy agreed, "I bawled when I watched Bambi and those mean old hunters killed his mother. It took me days to get over that!"
"And that was only a few months ago," Willow pointed out, shaking her head as she laughed, "I still can't believe you'd never seen Bambi when you were a kid."
"Well, I guess I tried to stay away from those cry inducing movies," Buffy shrugged before saying, "and, oh, Old Yeller? My mom had to turn it off when I was a kid because I was crying so loud!"
"This coming from someone who loves horror movies where body parts are flying around," Willow snickered.
"What can I say? I'm complex," Buffy said loftily.
"We got 16 Candles," Cordelia said as she removed the movie from the shelf. "I want to see Dirty Dancing!"
"Nobody puts Baby in the corner," Buffy quoted before sighing, "I love that movie!"
"Dru, you want to come over here and pick out something?" Cordelia asked, watching as the vampire smiled and listened to them.
"Can I?" Drusilla got to her feet and moved beside Cordelia. She carefully picked up a movie case, studying it as she read the words.
"I want to see…." Buffy grew thoughtful as she ran through the list of Willow's movies that was pretty well memorized in her head, "the Goonies! That movie is just so cute and I think Dru will love it. It's about these kids that go looking for treasure and…"
"Buffy, don't tell her all about it! Let her watch the movie!" Willow laughed as Cordelia picked out The Goonies from her movie collection. "Do you see anything good, Dru?"
"There are so many choices, Willow-mine," Drusilla confessed, "I do not know where to begin."
"What sounds good?" Buffy asked as she pulled her leg underneath her, wondering what movie Drusilla might really enjoy.
"Oh, this one is called Princess Bride," Drusilla said as she picked up the case. She smiled at them, "Is this one good?"
"You've never seen The Princess Bride?" Buffy asked.
"Inconceivable!" three voices rang out together.
Willow laughed as she nodded at Drusilla, "As you can tell, we all like that one a lot. Great choice, Dru."
"Do we want to make some popcorn or something?" Buffy asked, grinning sheepishly, "I'm already hungry again. God, I bet I gain ten pounds today!"
"You'll work that off in no time," Willow said with a smile, "besides, that's part of the fun of sleepovers. Eating a lot and being lazy and just hanging out with friends."
"I'll show Dru how to make milk shakes while you guys make some popcorn and get some other snacks together," Cordelia said as she hooked her arm through Dru's and walked into the kitchen.
"Great. We'll get some food and some milk shakes and then we can sit on our butts and watching some fantastic movies," Buffy followed them into the kitchen.
~Part: 50~
"Do you really think this is going to work?"
"I wouldn't have wasted the last two days if I had doubts, boy," Angelus responded to Spike's question sharply.
"Sorry," Spike smirked as he faced the dark haired vampire. His blue eyes moved over the elder man before meeting chocolate brown eyes that were watching him.
"No, you're not," Angelus said, his lips twisting into a slight smile as he muttered, "Cheeky damn brat."
"I love it when you talk dirty," Spike purred, watching as Angelus' eyes drifted down to the erection that was pressing against the denim of his jeans.
"Not now, childe," Angelus said as he turned his attention back to the reason he was in LA instead of back in Sunnydale. The demon was bleeding from a cut on his lip, his broken hand resting against his leg. With a friendly smile, Angelus said, "So, Paul, where were we?"
"You were at the part about the ascension," Spike volunteered in a bored tone as he moved to sit on the desk.
"That's right," Angelus snapped his fingers, "you were telling me how I could get rid of Wilkins before he became more of an annoyance than he already is. My sources were correct about that sword, weren't they?"
"Yes," the demon nodded, resigned to the fact that he was going to die. Maybe if he was helpful, Angelus would make it swift instead of enjoying a lengthy torture.
"Can we go now?" Spike asked as he kicked the side of the desk. He wanted to leave LA and go back home. They'd already been gone too long, in his opinion, and he missed his Princess. He was glad that Angelus had suggested them returning tonight after their meeting, a part of him still worried about what had happened to Drusilla even as the rest of him knew that she seemed to be happy and fine now. Luckily, it would appear that their meeting would be over soon.
They'd come to LA to locate some sword that Angelus had heard about, finding that it was in the possession of this stupid Greftion demon, Paul, shortly after arriving. The sword was pretty plain, if you asked Spike, but Angelus had decided that he wanted it to use to get rid of that creepy Mayor Wilkins. There were whispers of an ascension occurring in the next year and Angelus just wanted to get rid of Wilkins before any such whispers became truth. An ascension was not something any of them wanted to happen, hence the reason Angelus had been able to find out where the sword was being kept from the master of LA. They'd arranged their meeting with this Paul, planning to make an arrangement to borrow the sword, take it back to Sunnydale, kill Wilkins, and then return it. It hadn't gone quite that way, Spike's lips twisted into a smirk. Oh, Paul had been more than happy to let them use the sword, having received a phone call from the local master that hadn't really given him much choice in the matter. It was just that, as they were discussing the ascension, the miserable little demon had pinched his arse.
The bloody wanker had been checking him out since they'd arrived. Angelus had found it amusing, while Spike had just found it annoying. He wasn't being arrogant when he admitted that he was rather used to being admired. He knew he was a good-looking chap, even if he couldn't look in a mirror, so it didn't really bother him if someone happened to find him attractive. He wasn't interested in any of them so it never went beyond a lusty look or an appreciative smile. This bastard, though, had had the nerve to walk up and pinch his arse. Spike hadn't even had time to voice his disgust and disapproval at the action before Angelus reacted. The hand that Paul had used to make the ill-fated pinch was broken in seconds, a calm smile on Angelus' face not hiding the yellow in his eyes or the anger in his voice. Angelus was possessive as all Hell, just one of the many things that Spike loved about the elder vampire, and there was no way that he was going to let Paul survive after touching someone that belonged to him.
Now, the beaten and bloody demon was sitting in a chair, answering a few last questions before Angelus finished him off. That will teach the tosser to go around pinching arses without being asked, Spike smiled as he impatiently tapped his fingers against the desk. He smiled innocently at Angelus as the dark haired vampire turned to glare at him for interrupting yet again with a question about when they'd be able to leave. Spike deliberately ran his tongue over his lips, his hand moving down to adjust the large bulge that had been pressing against his jeans since Angelus had stopped playing nice. He felt Angelus' eyes follow his hand, sincerely hoping they'd have time for a quick shag before leaving the office.