Cherish The Day
Chapter Eight
Buffy had saved the blue lace dress, which Elizabeth had bought her for a special occasion and it seemed that she was finally going to get the chance to wear it. A group of William's friends were having a party and of course he'd asked her to go with him. Despite everything, she was actually a little nervous. She'd never met his friends before and she wanted to make a good impression. She checked her hair one more time before going downstairs. William had hired a coach and was going to pick her up from the Darcy's.
Elizabeth and her husband smiled when Buffy walked into the room.
"William is a very lucky man." The Watcher smiled as she fastened a flower to the front of Buffy's dress and kissed her cheek. A knock at the door signaled that it was time for her to leave. Giving the couple one last smile, she opened the front door and climbed into the coach.
Once Buffy had sat down, William took her hand and kissed it.
"It never ceases to amaze me how beautiful you are."
Buffy smiled and squeezed his hand. "Thank you."
He smiled in return and the rest of the short journey was made in silence.
---
As they stepped into the warm house, Buffy made sure she stayed close to William. He handed his coat and Buffy's shawl to the butler and guided her into the main room. It was full of people, all talking and laughing amongst themselves. They made their way around the room and William introduced her to a load of people whose names she was sure she was going to forget.
Finally a man approached them in his early forties. "Ah, William, just the person. Perhaps your lady friend could spare you for a moment. Robert and I are having a spot of bother with a Greek book we've purchased. Thought you could lend a hand."
William glanced at Buffy and she nodded her approval. She didn't really want to be left alone, but she could see he was needed. She watched as he disappeared into the crowd and looked around. Everyone seemed engrossed in their own conversations. She sighed and looked down at the floor.
"Excuse me." Said a female voice from behind her. She turned to find herself facing a young girl who was about the same age as her. "Didn't you come here with William Kingston?"
"Yes I did." Buffy replied.
"I thought so. I'm Mary Elton. William has told me so much about you, would you care to join me and my sisters?"
Buffy smiled. "I'd love to."
---
William cursed under his breath as he walked out to the stable. He couldn't believe he's managed to leave it in the coach. He just hoped the footman hadn't found it and made off with it. Stepping into the coach he reached his hand into the pocket of the door and sighed in relief. He pulled out the small bag and slipped it into his pocket. Climbing out of the coach he turned to the door and jumped.
"Oh, Miss. You scared me." There was a dark-haired woman stood between him and the stable door. "Are you lost?"
She took a step closer to him. "I'm not lost, but you are my sweet thing. I can be your guide."
"I don't think so." He replied nervously as the woman looked at him strangely. "If you'll excuse me, my friends are waiting for me."
"They know nothing of you, of what you can be. I can unleash your full potential. You will be my knight, and I will be your princess."
William shook his head, sure now that this woman was insane. "I have to go."
The woman took another step closer and they were now only about a foot apart. Their eyes locked and William suddenly found himself unable to look away.
"Be in me." She said softly and slid her vampiric features into place. William wanted to scream, wanted to run, but he was helpless. The vampire took a step closer, her fangs bared ready for the kill.
---
"Well Miss Summers, you and our William seem quite taken with each other." Buffy spun around to George Knightly standing behind her.
"Yes we are *taken* with each other." Buffy replied rolling her eyes, she was so tired of hearing that word.
"I really don’t think that he deserves a creature such as yourself. You are far too much of stunning a beauty to bother with him and his mediocrity." The George continued making sure to flash his gold cuff links.
"Get a life! He’s more of a man than you’ll ever be. And if you call being kind, compassionate, loving and sensitive ‘mediocrity’, then paint me mediocre." Buffy replied as she left to find William. She turned the corner and almost ran into the middle of a conversation.
"I am so glad that this ‘Buffy’ girl has come along. For a while there I thought that William was in love with me. Could you imagine ME and Him? Good Lord not in this century or any other for that matter. I was planning on letting him down gently."
"Gently?" The other young brunette asked incredulously, "Telling some one that they are beneath you is not gentle."
"I know Constance but I have to get the point across. I do not want him. I certainly don’t love him. I don’t even like him."
"Cecily, you never given him a chance. He is a gentle soul.... A bad poet. Actually a bloody awful poet. But George is so..."
Buffy shook her head as she realized what party this was. This was the party the night that William died. The night that Spike had described to her. Buffy began to panic as she frantically searched for William.
Buffy entered the main room and saw Robert talking to another young man.
“Robert!”
The quiet man nearly jumped at the shrillness in her voice. “Buffy.”
“Where did he go? Where’s William.”
“Well uhm...ehmmmm..... Well.”
“WHERE?” Buffy growled.
Robert sighed, “He went to the stable.”
“The stable,” she thought aloud as she rushed out the door. A horse drawn carriage delayed her slightly as it passed down the cobblestone road. She ran toward the stable, looking out for Darla and Angelus in the process.
Buffy stopped as she reached the door. She saw the vampiress begin to sink her teeth into William’s neck.
Buffy grabbed the vampiress by the shoulders and hauled her off William.
He watched in amazement as she backhanded the raven-haired girl and then pulled a small vial out of her purse and splashed the vampire’s face.
Drusilla screamed in agony as the holy water burned her skin. She jumped back yelling and screaming.
Buffy dropped the purse and hitched up her dress and gave the vampiress a scissor-kick to the face and then pulled out a stake strapped to her inner thigh.
William’s eyes popped open at the sight as he sat back stunned, holding onto the slight scratches to his neck, which had already stopped bleeding. Dru pushed Buffy who narrowly dodged impaling herself on a pitchfork. William grabbed another bottle of the holy water from Buffy’s purse and threw it onto the vampiress hitting her hands as she lunged for Buffy.
Dru turned running out of the stable screaming. "It hurts. It hurts. Daddy? I want my daddy."
Buffy ran out after the vampiress who quickly disappeared into the night.
---
William took a deep breath and smiled at Buffy.
"Well, it was lucky you came along when you did."
She scowled, marched over to him and hit him. The blow sent him staggering back and he reached up to touch his jaw, which hurt, not just physically but in his heart.
"What the hell were you doing here?" Buffy yelled angrily. William flinched; he couldn't bear to think of her being angry with him.
"I'm sorry, I didn't think…" He said quietly.
"No, you didn't." She continued to shout. "You could have been killed."
"But I wasn't." He said. "You saved me."
"Don't you get it, William?" Buffy asked, her voice starting to crack. "You know the sorts of creatures that are out there and I can't be around to protect you all the time. I just can't believe you were stupid enough to come out here by yourself after dark."
She looked around the stable and her brow furrowed in confusion.
"What were you doing out here anyway?"
"I forgot something." William said meekly.
Buffy's eyes blazed with anger once more.
"You forgot something?!" She yelled. "You nearly got yourself killed because you forgot something? What the hell was it? The Crown Jewels?"
William lowered his eyes and reached into his pocket. Pulling out the item he'd retrieved earlier he walked over to Buffy and took her hand.
Just feeling his skin against hers made Buffy's anger fade a little.
"What?" She asked, trying to keep her voice stern. William said nothing and merely handed her a small velvet bag. With trembling hands she opened it and pulled out a small diamond ring. Her eyes went wide, more so when William dropped to one knee.
Her eyes went from him to the ring and back to him again. Her mouth opened but somehow she couldn't find the words to speak. "Buffy, I love you. Will you be my wife?"
She gazed into his love-filled eyes for a moment before bursting into tears and dropping to her knees beside him. He brushed the tears from her cheeks.
"I was hoping for a straight forward 'yes'." He said with a small smile.
Buffy paused for a moment before throwing her arms around him. "Will, I love you so much. Of course it's yes."
Filled with joy, William pulled her into a passionate kiss, which Buffy returned. As their mouths warred with each other’s, Buffy pushed William's jacket off his shoulders and began to loosen his tie.
"Buffy, people might see." William panted between kisses, not really wanting her to stop.
"Let them see." Buffy replied. "I want everyone to see how much I love you."
She leant over and blew out the light in the lantern.
"I love you too." Said William, and in the darkness of the stable they showed each other just how much.