Part twenty five...

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"Children, behave...

That's what they say when we're together

And watch how you play

They don't understand,

And so we're..."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

"You sound pretty sure about all this," Willow

said.

 

Anya nodded. "I've been thinking about it for a long

time," she said. "It seems right that it should be

tonight."

 

"Are you scared?"

 

"A little bit. But I'm more scared of losing Xander," Anya

said, her voice quiet. "Guys have needs....you know. I

don't want him to go and get them satisfied somewhere

else."

 

"He wouldn't!" Willow said firmly.

 

Buffy was the first one to ask the obvious

question.  "Well....where are you going to go?"

 

Anya opened her evening bag and pulled out a

small piece of paper. "I made a reservation at the

hotel down the road,  The Chandler Arms."

 

"Oh! William and I went there!" Buffy said without

thinking.

 

Both the other girls looked at her with their mouths

slightly agape.

 

"For dinner!" Buffy added quickly. "There's a really nice

restaurant in the lobby, and...and he took me to dinner

there. That's all.  Really!"

 

Wanting very much to change the subject, she glanced

into the purse Anya was holding. "What....what are those?"

she stammered, although she knew perfectly well what she

was seeing.

 

Her friend giggled and blushed, extracting a small package

from her bag. "Condoms," she whispered.

 

Willow gasped loudly. "Where did you get them?" she

squeaked. "Did you...you went into a store and BOUGHT

them? Ewww..."

 

"What do you mean 'ewww'?" Anya asked. "How else can

you get them? Geez, Willow."

 

"Well, it's just...just that.." Willow stammered, her

cheeks turning as red as her hair. "I always thought

that...you know...that the boy would get those

things," she added in a whisper.

 

Anya just shrugged. "Hey, it's a modern world," she

said, snapping her bag closed. "And a girl should be

ready to share the responsibility for having safe sex."

 

"Uh-huh," Buffy said doubtfully. "So where did you buy

them?"

 

Now it was Anya's turn to blush. "I didn't," she finally

confessed. "I found them in my mother's dresser."

 

"Ewwwww!" both Buffy AND Willow exclaimed, horrified at

the notion of anyone's mother having a need for contra-

ceptives.

 

"Your mother?" Willow asked, making a face.

 

Anya nodded and rolled her eyes. "Don't remind me."

 

"But what if....what if she...you know...needs them?"

Buffy queried. "What if she asks you where they went?"

 

"That won't happen," Anya said. "It's been a year

since my dad left and the men aren't exactly beating

down the door."

 

"A year?" Willow whispered. "What if they've...ex-

pired?"

 

"Condoms don't expire," Anya stated, taking on the air of

someone who knew all there was to know about a subject,

then losing it instantly. "Do they?" she asked, turning to

Buffy.

 

"How would I know?" Buffy asked. "I've never even....really

seen one."

 

"Check the label," Willow advised.

 

Before Anya could open her purse again, the door to the

lounge swung open and three girls walked in. "Hey, Anya,"

one of them said brightly, "Xander wanted me to ask you if

you'd fallen in or something."

 

Anya sighed and made a face. "Sweet," she muttered. "I

may just change my mind about my....plans."

 

After she'd left, Buffy and Willow exchanged glances.

 

"So," Willow began hesitantly, blushing again, "you and

William....you aren't....I mean, you haven't....you know.."

Her voice sank to a bare whisper. "...done it?"

 

"No," Buffy whispered back, shaking her head for em-

phasis. "Have you and Oz?"

 

"Uh-uh. I mean...we've done some things...but not that."

 

"Us, too."  Buffy took in a deep breath. "Do you think she's

right about this being....a good night for it?"

 

Willow shrugged. "I don't know. I guess it depends."

 

"Yeah....I guess."

 

After a short silence, an unspoken agreement to drop the

whole subject made itself known and they left the bathroom

to return to their dates.

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"Running just as fast as we can

Holding onto one another's hand

Trying to get away into the night

And then you put your arms around me

And we tumble to the ground and you say..."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

"Are you all right?"

 

Buffy looked at William and smiled. "Sure. Why do you

ask?"

 

His face was concerned. "You look a little flushed," he

said. "Is it too warm in here for you?"

 

She swallowed hard, trying to control her blush. "Maybe

a little."

 

"Do you want to go outside? Get some fresh air?"

 

Did she?  At this point, she wasn't quite sure WHAT she

wanted.  Everything she'd thought herself so certain of

seemed to be peeling away, layer by layer, leaving her

confused and a little scared.

 

Anya's announcement of her intentions had stirred

up all the deeply buried longings that Buffy had been

dealing with since meeting William, longings that she'd

THOUGHT were being satisfied....for her, anyway.

 

But what about for him?  Was he REALLY satisfied with

the 'pretend' lovemaking they'd been indulging in? 

 

He'd always seemed to be and never pressured her to

do anything more, something she'd been grateful for.

 

**Guys have needs...**

 

Anya's words kept echoing in her head.

 

**I don't want him to go and get them satisfied

somewhere else...**

 

William would never do that. She was as certain of it

as she was of her own name.

 

**Boys reach their sexual peaks at 17...**

 

She wondered if that was really true. And, if it was,

when did girls reach theirs?  Personally, she felt like

she was going to explode from the pressure of her

need for William, felt it on a daily basis in fact.

 

"Buffy?"

 

His hand was cool on her skin, his thumb stroking

the curve of her cheek.

 

"I'm all right," she said quickly, smiling for him.

 

"You sure?  Do you want something to drink?

 

"Okay. Yes, that...that's a good idea."

 

His own smile widened as his eyes searched hers

for the answer to her jittery demeanor, but he said

nothing more about it and took her back to their

table.

 

"Be right back," he promised.

 

"I'll be here."

 

She could see Oz and Willow out on the dance

floor.  The music was slow and soft, and they swayed

gently to its beat.  Xander and Anya were nowhere

to be seen, and she wondered if they had already

ducked out and were on their way to the hotel.

 

A quick glance at the wall clock showed that it was

only a little past nine.  The dance was officially over

at midnight, and the limousine was then going to take

them back to Revello Drive, where they'd all decided to

have a moonlight swim and then go out for breakfast.

The girls had made arrangements to spend the night

at Buffy's house, while the boys would stay in the

pool house.

 

Now, she wondered if Anya and Xander would be

back before it was time to leave, or if she'd have to

try and explain Anya's absence to her mother in the

morning.

 

The thought of trying to come up with a believable

story for her mother, who was no slouch when it came

to ferreting out a fib, was beginning to give her a headache,

and she suddenly wished that Anya had chosen another

night to lose her virginity, a night where she, herself, wasn't

going to be indirectly involved in the cover up.

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"I think we're alone now

There doesn't seem to be anyone around

I think we're alone now

The beating of our hearts is the only sound..."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

She was so deeply immersed in her thoughts that

she didn't at first realize that William had returned,

jumping slightly when he touched her shoulder.

 

"Oh!  Thank you," she said, a little breathlessly, as

she accepted the glass of punch he'd brought her and

took a sip. "That's good."

 

"Buffy...what's bothering you, love?"  He was beginning

to look seriously worried as he sat down beside her. "Aren't

you having a good time?"

 

"Of course I am," she said without hesitation. "It's

wonderful. You're wonderful."  Looking into his eyes, so

filled with love and caring, knowing it was all there for

her, made her heart thud faster in her chest. Impulsively,

she slipped her hand behind his neck and tugged him

down. "Kiss me."

 

His body turned and he scooted his chair closer to hers,

his lips dropping a soft kiss on hers that lengthened and

deepened. By the time he pulled back, they were both

feeling the effects.

 

"Tell me something," he whispered, his breath stirring

a strand of her hair.

 

"I love you."

 

He smiled. "I love you, too...but that's not what I

meant."

 

"Oh," she giggled. "Sorry. What did you mean?"

 

He hesitated for just a moment, then looked into her

eyes with serious intent. "Tell me what's on your mind.

Is it because Angel and Cordelia are only a few tables

away?  Is it making you uncomfortable?"

 

"No."  Her answer was truthful. She hadn't even noticed

them until he'd brought them up.

 

"Because if it's bothering you...."

 

"No," she said again, shaking her head. "I don't care a

bit about them."

 

"But something's bothering you?"

 

She hesitated a fraction too long. "Not really."

 

"Buffy..."

 

"It's nothing to do with us. I swear."  She held up her

right hand, 'witness stand' style.

 

His eyes searched her face, seeking and finding re-

assurance. But it wasn't enough. "Let's go outside for

a few minutes," he said, pushing his chair back and

standing up, then tugging her to her feet.

 

He didn't give her a chance to agree to or decline his

proposal, pulling her out through the double doors and

towards the front exit.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"Look at the way

We gotta hide what we're doing

'Cause what would they say

If they ever knew, and so we're

Running just as fast as we can

Holding onto one another's hand..."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

Buffy followed along after him, holding up the

front of her dress with her free hand to avoid

tripping over it.

 

William led her out the main doors, then steered her

towards a small garden area at the outer edge of the

building.  There were several outdoor patio tables set

up for the afternoon lunch crowd, and the entire area

was circled with a fragrant display of rose bushes in

a rainbow of different colors.

 

Guiding her to the farthest edge of the garden, he made

her sit down on a glider swing.

 

Buffy waited for him to start questioning her more

pointedly, but he didn't say a word; merely sat down

beside her and placed his arm around her shoulders,

pulling her up against him.

 

She was the one to break the silence. "Why did we come

out here?"

 

"I just wanted to be alone with you for a while," he replied,

dropping a soft kiss on top of her head.

 

"Oh," she smiled, snuggling closer. "That's a good reason."

 

Oddly enough, now that they WERE completely alone,

she began wanting him to try and coax answers out of

her.  "About the way I was...inside," she began.

 

William said nothing, just continued looking at her.

 

"Don't you want to know why?"

 

"Yes. If you want to tell me."

 

All of a sudden, she wanted to do just that. Wanted

to unload the huge and heavy secret she was struggling

with and have him help her sort it out.

 

Unfortunately, it wasn't her secret to tell.

 

But the urge was too strong to be denied. There were

things she needed to know, and telling him that secret

would open up a dialogue.

 

Trying to wriggle around it without giving anything

away, she turned on the swing, meeting the deep blue

gaze that always saw through her to her soul.

 

"Do you ever think about....about sex?" she asked.

 

"Constantly," he said, grinning widely.

 

The comment brought a bit of lightness with it, making

her laugh and push at his chest. "Come on...I'm

serious."

 

"Yeah, me too."

 

"William!"

 

"Well, you'll have to be a little more specific," he

said. "What part of sex are you referring to?"

 

"The...the having of it."

 

"Is this really what you were thinking about?" he

asked.

 

"Partly," she admitted.

 

Tilting his head, he gave her a speculative look. "The

'having of sex'.  With you?"

 

"Uh-huh. Yes."

 

"My answer still stands."

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"Trying to get away into the night

And then you put your arms around me

And we tumble to the ground and you say..."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

There was only one way she could think of to get

the answers she needed without embarrassing

herself. "I have this friend...."

 

Unlike most people who used this particular dodge,

her claim was legitimate.

 

The corner of his mouth turned up, but all he said

was, "Yes?"

 

"And she's...she's planning to...she's planning

the...the having of sex."

 

The slight smile he'd been wearing disappeared. "She

is?"

 

"Yeah," she nodded. "It's the first time for her and

she....."

 

"When?" he cut in, suddenly looking quite serious.

 

The question caught her off guard. "Well...um...tonight,

she thinks."

 

William swallowed hard. "So...so your 'friend' thinks

she's ready for that?"

 

"Yes. See, they've been together for a while now,

and she thinks...she's afraid that she might lose him

if they don't start doing it soon. She says that...that a

boy has needs...and she doesn't want him to go some-

where else to...to get rid of the needs. But I don't

think he would do that. And...and is that really a good

reason for her to have sex, even if it's just part of the

reason."

 

"Well...."

 

"She loves him a lot, and he loves her, so...so it's not

JUST because she's afraid of losing him. She said that

she really wants to, since they've been going together for

like...two years now, and she made a reservation at the

hotel...and I think they already left to go there."

 

"What?!"

 

"So...he has needs, and she has them, too."  Now that

she'd gotten going, she couldn't seem to stop. "What do

YOU think?" she asked. "Does it sound like she's doing

the right thing for the right reasons?"

 

William was struck dumb for just a moment.

 

"Do you?"

 

"Before I answer that," he said quietly, "is there any

chance in the world that you're actually talking about

us?"

 

Buffy's brow furrowed. "No."

 

"Oh."

 

"But sort of."

 

"Sort of?"

 

"Not about going to the hotel and having...it. Just...it

made me think...what about YOUR needs?  You're a

boy...and you're seventeen. Are you peaking?"

 

"Am I doing WHAT?"

 

"Peaking. She said that boys have their sexual peaking

when they turn seventeen."

 

"Who said?"

 

"An....my friend."

 

"All right," he said quickly, holding up one hand to

stop any further flow of nervous words. "I think I've got

it. I don't know whether or not it's right for your friend. I

guess that's something everyone needs to decide for

themselves."

 

Buffy nodded, hanging on his words.

 

"But as far as MY needs go, then yes...I have them.

'Course I do."  He reached up and tucked a strand of her

hair back in place. "After all....I'm madly in love with a

very beautiful girl. I want to make love to her all the time.

And," he added, pulling her closer, "she satisfies all my

needs."

 

"Really?"

 

"Yes. I can wait until OUR time is right."  He kissed her

lightly. "And I promise not to peak before you do."

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"I think we're alone now

There doesn't seem to be anyone around..."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

All the little tiny doubts that had been stabbing at her

drifted away, and she could have kicked herself for ever

having them in the first place. 

 

She should have known better than to compare William

with other boys. He was completely different from the

rest of the immature bunch who only thought about one

thing.

 

"So...."  He kissed her again, a bit longer this time. "Now

 that we've cleared the air...do you want to go somewhere

and satisfy a few of our needs?" 

 

Well....maybe not COMPLETELY different!

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"I think we're alone now

The beating of our hearts is the only sound..."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

TBC....

 

 

Part twenty six.....

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"I love how your eyes close

Whenever you kiss me

And when I'm away from you

I love how you miss me..."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

All of a sudden, she was feeling much lighter

of heart.  The tension and worry that she'd been

dealing with ever sine Anya had dropped her bomb-

shell was fading away into nothing, and she now

remembered what this evening was really all about.

 

A certain sense of mischief began directing her actions,

and she pulled out of William's arms and rose to her

feet, giving the glider a hard push that caused him to

topple backwards into the cushions.

 

His look of surprise made her giggle. "We should get

back inside," she told him, struggling for a straight face.

 

She turned and headed back towards the entry doors,

hearing a quietly muttered "Bloody HELL, we should" 

coming from behind her.

 

Before she made it another five feet, a strong arm slid

around her waist as William pulled her close, turning her

to face him.  Lapis blue eyes gazed into hers with a

tender amusement and warmth that made her heart beat

faster.

 

When his mouth came down on hers, she met it with

open and innocent passion, and all the love she felt.

 

Her pulse skipped one beat after another, and the only

clear thought she could retain was, **Yes. This is how it's

supposed to feel when the boy is right, when you're kissing

the one person you were meant to be with, when no one else

can make you feel quite the same way..**

 

William's hands tightened on her waist, then slipped up

behind her until she could feel their heat on the bare

skin of her back.  They pulled apart only to take a breath

before coming back together.

 

"I love you," he whispered, his lips brushing fleetingly

across her cheek.

 

Buffy dropped her head back, giving him access to

more of her face and throat.

 

Through the wild rush of her blood pounding in her ears,

she heard the music coming from inside, soft and slow,

and deeply romantic. She clung to his arms as his

mouth found her's again. 

 

It was a delicious free fall, with their bodies pressed

intimately close in a heightened state of sensual

awareness. 

 

William suddenly pulled out of their kiss. He took her

hands and placed them on his shoulders, then returned

his own arms to their resting place about her waist.

 

"Dance with me?"

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"I love the way you always treat me tenderly

But, darling, most of all

I love how you love me..."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

The moonlight, the scent of the roses, the music...Buffy

couldn't imagine a scene more perfect.

 

Until he asked her to dance with him.

 

William always asked. Their first night at the Bronze,

on the patio during her birthday party, earlier this

evening when they'd first walked through the doors.

 

He never assumed, never took it for granted, even though

he was more than entitled to do so, given their feelings

for each other.

 

His hands held her lightly, every touch a caress that

made her skin tingle as he moved her along the pathway

through the garden. The music was clear, carried along

on the soft spring air.

 

Even though she had left childhood and childlike things

behind, she still retained enough of a sense of it to feel

that this was magic, pure and simple.

 

Every romantic fairytale she'd ever read in a book,  or

watched on a movie screen, contributed to her appreciation

of the moment.

 

Moving closer, she pressed her cheek against his jacket

front, directly over the steady drum beat of his heart.

 

"Buffy?"

 

"Hmmm?"

 

"I love you."

 

"I love you, too, William."

 

He skimmed a kiss across the top of her head.

 

"Can I ask you something?"

 

Buffy nodded, her eyes drifting shut. "Yes."

 

"Do you think about the future very often?"

 

She did....frequently constructing elaborate flights

of fancy as she inked the words  'Mr and Mrs. William

Darlington' on the inside cover of every book she owned,

surrounding the words with clumsily shaped hearts and

tiny flowers.

 

'Sometimes," she confessed.

 

William tightened his arms around her. "When you do...am

I a part of it?"

 

There was nothing tentative or uncertain about his question,

he merely wanted to hear her say it.

 

So she pulled back just a bit, and looked up into those

amazingly blue eyes. "Yes. You're in every part of it."

 

Smiling, he drew her close again. "And....will you marry

me someday?"

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"I love how your heart beats

Whenever I hold you

I love how you think of me

Without being told to..."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Of all the things in the world she might have expected

to hear him say, that was the most surprising, the one

she'd never have imagined.

 

Picturing this moment, dreaming about it, planning for

it, even doodling in her notebook about it....was nothing

compared to the reality of it.

 

He stepped back from her, holding her hands in a light

clasp. "Say something."

 

Buffy felt as though she'd stepped into a puddle of

glue. Her feet refused to move, no matter how strongly

she ordered them to.

 

There was only one thing TO say.

 

"Yes."

 

His smile became broader. "You promise?"

 

"I promise."

 

With a loud "YES" , he bent over and scooped her up

in his arms, then spun her around in a circle several times

until she asked him to stop.

 

Placing her back on her feet, he kept a tight grip around

her waist. She was a little shaky, but it was a delightful

sensation that she didn't particularly want to lose.

 

"So...what sort of a ring would you like?"  William asked,

as casually as if he were offering her a choice between

tea and coffee. "Someday, I mean."

 

"Um....I don't know. I never really thought about it."

 

That much was true. As often as she'd imagined herself

happily married to this boy, she'd never considered

the small details involved.

 

"Well, you might want to start thinking about it," he

teased.

 

But all Buffy could think about at the moment was

how beautiful he was, especially when he smiled the

way he was smiling now.

 

"Are you thinking about it?"  he asked after a moment.

 

"About what?"

 

"The sort of engagement ring you want. If you place

your order now, I'll throw in a matching wedding band."

 

"Oh. No, I was thinking....it's just that...did you know

that you're kind of beautiful?  For a boy, I mean."

 

The question surprised him, she could tell.

 

"I can't say I've ever thought about it."

 

She believed it. He wasn't the type to dwell on

a subject like that. "Haven't you ever looked in a

mirror?"

 

"Sure. Almost every day, at some point."

 

"And what do you see in it?" she asked.

 

He hesitated for a long moment, then shrugged. "The

usual. Two eyes, a nose and a mouth, pretty much

where they should be."

 

Buffy shook her head. "Boy, remind me never to look in

that mirror," she said, shaking her head. "Not if that's

what it does to YOU!"

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"I love the way your touch is always heavenly

But, darlin', most of all

I love how you love me...."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

William's hands moved up her sides, stopping at

the swell of her breasts and pulling her closer.

 

Immediately, her sensitivity there...her desire to

have him touch her properly...nearly overwhelmed

her.

 

She pushed herself against him and his hands

tightened, pressing inwards as their mouths searched

for and found each other.

 

Starting off slow, the kiss rapidly built in intensity,

bringing heat and pressure into their love play.

 

Buffy parted her lips when she felt his tongue

probing. He slipped into her mouth with practiced

ease, touching her in all the ways she liked best.

 

Tongues entwined, breathing ragged, they strained

together with softly whimpered sounds of pleasure

in their throats.

 

William moved his hands behind her back, rubbing

her in slow circles, then gliding down to hold her

hips firmly against his.

 

Their lips met and parted, then met again.

 

Buffy opened her eyes and was surprised to see

that his were open as well, that he was looking at

her, studying her face.

 

She couldn't control her smile. "You're peeking,"

she said against his mouth.

 

"Well, I AM seventeen after all," he  said without

missing a beat.

 

"Not THAT kind of peaking!" she laughed, giving his

shoulder a light push.

 

"My mistake." 

 

Diving back into the kiss, he wrapped his arms around

her and lifted her right off her feet, then walked over to

a darkened niche in the building, hiding them from anyone

who might venture outside for "fresh air".

 

He placed her back on her feet, leaning his body

against hers. "So, tell me something."

 

"Like what?"

 

"This 'friend' of yours...the one who's ready for the

having of sex?"

 

"What about her?"

 

"Anyone I know?"

 

She looked at him in pretend shock. "Nosy!"

 

"Come on....tell me."

 

"No."

 

"Why not?"

 

"Why do you want to know?" she evaded.

 

"I don't know...I just do."

 

"When did you become a gossip?"

 

"The minute you let that cat out of its bag."

 

"Forget it."

 

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll get it out of you,

though."

 

The unspoken part of that sentence gave her a

pleasing shiver.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"I love how you hug me

Love how you squeeze me, tease me, please me

Love how you love me..."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

"I thought only girls gossiped."

 

"Well, now you know better."

 

Leaning into him, she said, "Torture me however you

want. I'm still not talking."

 

William released a deep sigh, then bent his head

and nipped at her ear. "Tell," he insisted.

 

"Uh-uh!"

 

He tilted her head up and kissed her throat. "Tell."

 

"Nope."

 

His lips traveled over her cheek, breath hot on her

skin. "Tell."

 

It felt so good that she almost gave in.

 

"Nnnnnnno.  I don't think so."

 

"If you love me, you'll tell me," he said, giving her

bottom a firm squeeze that forced her tightly against

him.

 

"Nice try."

 

Pulling back, he gave her an intent look. "I'll kiss

it out of you," he warned.

 

"Take your best shot," she replied smartly.

 

At that point, the whole silly encounter came to

an abrupt end. 

 

From around the side of the building, they heard

loud voices, voices they both recognized.

 

"Get away from me, Xander!" Anya was shouting. "I

mean it!  I don't want to EVER see you again."

 

"Anya....come on....wait up!"

 

"Go to hell!"

 

Buffy and William moved along the wall, peeking

around the side in time to see Anya shove Xander

away from her so hard that he skidded in the damp

grass and landed on his rear.

 

"Anya!," he called plaintively, struggling back up to

his feet. "I'm sorry!  Can't we just...you know...go

back and try again?"

 

Whirling around on one heel, Anya stomped off,

Xander trailing after her and pleading for her to

wait.

 

The quarrelers disappeared back into the country

club.  William stared after them, then shook his

head. "Umm...never mind."

 

"Boy that cat wasn't LET out of its bag," Buffy added

with a sigh. "It was DRAGGED out."

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"I love how you love me..."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

TBC....

 

 

 

 

Part twenty-seven....

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"Stars shining bright above you

Night breezes seem to whisper "I love you"

Birds singing in the sycamore tree

Dream a little dream of me..."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

"Did you find out anything?"

 

"Uh-huh....come over here."

 

William followed Buffy across the lunchroom to

a small alcove where no one was sitting. They

placed their trays on the table and sat down to eat.

 

"So..?" William urged. "What happened?"

 

Buffy sighed, placing her napkin carefully in her

lap. "Well...the night of the dance, Anya told us that

she was ready for....you know."

 

William nodded. "For the having of sex, I remember."

 

"Yeah, well....they didn't."

 

"I remember that, too."

 

He remembered it all too clearly.  The ice in the air

for the rest of the evening had almost been visible.

 

Anya had wanted nothing to do with Xander, and

after he'd spent a good half hour begging her to talk

to him, he'd gotten angry to the point where he'd

wanted nothing to do with her, either.

 

William had done his level best to keep Buffy

away from the table for the duration of the dance,

not wanting to have her evening spoiled by their

rancor.

 

He'd steered her over to have the photographs her

mother wanted taken, then pulled her out onto the

dance floor for several songs.

 

When the band had taken it's scheduled break, he'd

held onto her hand and wandered around the room

with her, stopping to talk with various friends and a

couple of the chaperoning teachers.

 

Oz and Willow, also picking up on the tension, had

pretty much followed the same course, leaving Anya

and Xander at the table to fume alone.

 

Although they'd managed to keep things on track at

the dance, by the time the limousine dropped them

off at Buffy's house the mood of the evening was

irretrievably broken.  The girls had gone to Buffy's,

while William and Oz had returned to the pool house,

no breakfast out, no moonlight swim.

 

Xander, upon stepping out of the limo, had turned his

back and walked off, refusing to answer when William

had called after him.

 

At that point, Anya had burst into tears and ran off

into the house.  Willow and Buffy had no choice but

to kiss their dates goodnight and follow their friend

inside.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"Say "nighty-night" and kiss me

Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me

While I'm alone and blue as can be

Dream a little dream of me..."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

Buffy took a bite of her sandwich, then wiped

her mouth carefully with her napkin.

 

He could tell she was collecting her thoughts and

probably having an internal debate as to whether

or not she should tell him the unpleasant details.

 

Since he didn't want to push her in either direction,

he held his peace and waited for her to speak.

 

"Anya made a reservation at the hotel next to the

country club...where we went for dinner?" she went

on, handing him a bottle of apple juice.

 

William twisted the tight cap off for her and handed

it back. "Mm-hmm."

 

"She told Xander about it and they went over to the

hotel...and everything was going fine until...."

 

These pauses in the conversation were maddening,

but he still said nothing and let her go at her own

pace.

 

"They were.."  Buffy lowered her voice. "...getting

undressed and then Anya went to get her purse...she'd

brought some con.....some protection."

 

William smiled just a little as Buffy's cheeks turned

red at the thought of uttering the word 'condom'

out loud. "That was sensible," he said quietly, stifling

his urge to laugh.

 

"Maybe," Buffy said, "but when she turned around,

she saw Xander taking a....taking one out of his

wallet. He'd brought them, too!"

 

He waited, and waited, for the 'crisis' part of the

story...but Buffy seemed to be through. Puzzled, he

shrugged, "So....what happened?"

 

"Well, Anya was furious, of course," she said,

taking a drink of her juice. "So, she left...and you

know the rest."

 

William was truly perplexed. Something was

definitely missing from this story.

 

"I'm not following you, love. Why was she furious?"

 

"Because....HE brought condoms." She whispered

the last word.

 

"Yeah, I got that part. But why was she mad?"

 

She set her juice bottle down on the table,

looking at him as though she couldn't believe

what he'd just said. "Because," she said again,

"he had condoms in his wallet. He...he just

assumed that they...that they would be....doing

something."

 

Leaning his elbow on the table, William rested

his chin on his fist. "But they WERE going to be

doing something," he pointed out.

 

Buffy looked even more incredulous. "Yes...but

HE didn't know that. So why did he bring them

to the dance?  And why did he have them in the

first place?"

 

Now it was beginning to make sense. "Buffy,"

he laughed.  "That doesn't mean he was taking

it for granted that they'd have sex. He probably

carries them in his wallet all the time."

 

The remark was a tactical error on his part.

 

She sat back and folded her arms across her

chest, and he saw immediately that he wasn't

doing himself any favors with that explanation.

 

"Why would he do THAT" she asked, "if he

wasn't expecting something or already doing

it with someone else?"

 

William was beginning to wish he'd just gone

ahead and joined in her indignation from the

get-go, condemning his friend without a fair

trial by a more impartial jury...one that had

nothing to lose.

 

Unfortunately for him, he was too far into it

to turn around.

 

"I'm just saying," he tried to explain, "that it's

a good idea to be prepared.  It's not just him.

All guys do....."

 

Another big mistake. He knew exactly what was

coming next.

 

Buffy's eyes widened. "Do you?"

 

As a matter of fact, he did, but fessing up to it

now didn't seem like a particularly good idea. Like

driving a car into oncoming traffic, it was counter

productive behavior that could get you killed.  "Me?"

he hedged.

 

"Yes, you."

 

The next time he saw Xander, William decided,

he was personally going to kick his ass up and

down Main Street.

 

"Buffy."  He reached for her hand. "Why would

I do that?  I'm in love with YOU, and I can wait

until the time is right."

 

This was all perfectly true, and he was pleased

and a little relieved that he hadn't been forced

to admit the WHOLE truth, or lie to her.

 

"So you don't have one in your wallet?"

 

Goddamn it!

 

"No. I don't have one in my wallet."  Still not a

lie, since they came in strips of three.  He hated

himself for the small deception, but it was for a

good cause.

 

Then to his immense relief, the bell rang,

signaling the end of lunch break.

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"Stars fading, but I linger on dear

Still craving your kiss

I'm longing to linger til dawn, dear

Just saying this...."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

He found Xander in the boy's gym.

 

Sitting down on the bench beside him,

William opened his locker and grabbed

his PE clothes. "Hey."

 

"Hey."

 

"You okay?"

 

Xander looked at him. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why

wouldn't I be?"

 

"No reason." William stripped, then pulled his

shorts and tank top on.

 

There was a long pause, then, "Is this about

me and Anya?"

 

"Now that you mention it."  Observing him

out of the corner of his eye, William tried to

keep his face steadfastly neutral.

 

Xander stood up and put one foot on the

bench, then the other, tying his shoes with

a yank that almost snapped the laces. "How'd

you find out?"

 

"Anya told Buffy, and...."

 

"SHE told YOU." Sitting back down on the

bench, Xander threw his jeans and t-shirt

into his locker, slamming the door with an

echoing 'clang'.  "She's got a big mouth,

doesn't she?"

 

William tensed. "Be careful, Xander," he

said quietly, turning to look at his friend with

serious intent. 

 

Returning that look for a moment, Xander

then glanced away. "Sorry," he muttered.

 

They sat without speaking for a moment

before Xander burst out with, "I do NOT

understand women.  What the HELL do they

want from us?"

 

"Well, I don't know about most women,"

William said, "but I know that Anya DIDN'T

want you whipping out that giant economy

size box of Trojans you've got in your bedside

table."

 

"Hey, I didn't have the box, okay?" Xander

protested loudly. "I just had a couple."

 

William looked at him skeptically.

 

"All right, I had six."

 

"Six? Talk about being over confident."

 

"Oh, shut up."  Xander said irritably, then

sighed. "So.....what do I do now?  I apologized

a dozen times and she won't give a fucking

inch."

 

"Grovel," William advised without hesitation.

"Beg. On your knees, if you have to."

 

"You're not serious." 

 

"It's your only hope."

 

"No way!" Xander shook his head. "I am NOT

gonna grovel.  Harris men DON'T grovel."

 

William closed his locker door. "Then say goodbye

to her."

 

"All right, I'll grovel."

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you

Sweet dreams that leave your worries behind you

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Her mother picked Buffy up early for a dental

appointment, so William was alone when he

pulled his car into the driveway of his uncle's

house.

 

Parked along the curb was a limousine. It was

a smaller version of the one they'd hired for the

dance, and the driver stood next to it, leaning

against the door as he examined a newspaper.

 

William stood in the driveway for a moment, staring

at the limo, then at the house, then back at the

limo.  For some reason he couldn't quite define,

it made him uneasy to look at it.

 

"Can I help you?" he asked the driver. The man

looked up briefly, then shook his head, no.

 

Inexplicably, William's heart rate increased. The

closer he got to the back door of the house, the

harder it pounded in his chest.

 

Pausing for a moment, he grasped the handle

and opened the door.

 

There was a middle aged man sitting at the

kitchen table, sipping tea. He looked up when

William stepped into the room, smiling as he

rose to his feet.   "Hello, Your Grace. It's so good

to see you again."

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"But in your dreams, whatever they be

Dream a little dream of me...."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

 

TBC......

 

(A-ha!  What do you think of THAT?)

 

 

Part twenty-eight:

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"While I'm far away from you, my baby

I know it's hard for you, my baby

Because it's hard for me, my baby

And the darkest hour is just before dawn.."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

William did his best to smile pleasantly. "Hello,

Westham," he said, dropping his books on the kitchen

table. "How have you been?"

 

"Oh, quite well, your grace," the man replied, re-seating

himself when William indicated that he should please do

so. 

 

Keeping his voice quiet, William glanced in the direction

of the kitchen door. "Is she....?"

 

"Ah. Yes," the older man nodded. "The duchess is taking

tea with your uncle in the...the...."

 

"Living room," William supplied. "Thank you."

 

Leaving his grandmother's secretary and personal

assistant to finish his tea, William made his way down

the short hall, pausing in the arched doorway, taking in

the scene before him.

 

Abigail Darlington, the dowager Duchess of Richmond,

was perched on the edge of the sofa, holding a teacup

and saucer in her hand and regarding his  uncle with an

air of  genteel superiority.

 

Neither very tall or particularly imposing, she managed to

give the impression of being both.  Only a little above five

feet in height, she was built along the same petite lines as

Buffy was. She had a lustrous wealth of steel gray hair,

neatly pinned up, and the same blue eyes that both William

and his father had inherited.

 

Poor Uncle Rupert looked completely at sea. The knot of

his tie was loose, and his collar button was undone. His

hair looked as though he'd been raking his fingers through

it, and, at the moment, he was polishing his glasses with a

fervor that should have worn the lenses clean away.

 

".....in any case, Abigail," he was saying quietly, "his grades

are outstanding, his conduct has been impeccable. I know that

business with the car worried you...and it did me, as well...but

even that has proven to be nothing to be concerned about. He's

an extremely careful driver."

 

His grandmother leaned forward, placing her cup and saucer

on the coffee table. "I hardly need you to sing me my grandson's

praises, Rupert," she said.  "What I am concerned about has

nothing to do with his schooling or his ability to handle that

obscenely overpriced automobile."

 

William cleared his throat, causing both occupants of the

room to turn in his direction.  "Grandmother," he scolded

teasingly, "did you come all this way just to interrogate my

uncle about what I'm doing here in Sunnydale?"

 

The faded blue eyes instantly regained a measure of their

youthful sparkle as the duchess turned to her grandson.

"William," she smiled, rising to her feet and opening her

arms.

 

Without hesitation, he crossed the room and pulled her

frail body into a gentle embrace.  The familiar fragrance

of her perfume instantly rocketed him back to his childhood,

and he closed his eyes, letting the feeling wash over him for

a moment.

 

A few seconds later, she drew back, lowering herself to the

sofa again and taking him along with her.  "Oh, look at you,"

she said, brushing his curls back, "in need of a haircut, I see.

Thank god you haven't bleached all the lovely color out of it

again."

 

William grinned.  "I very nearly did, but let's not talk about

my hair. How have you been, Abby?  Still as mean as ever,

terrorizing half of London?"

 

"I'll have you know that I'm the darling of the social scene

these days," the duchess replied, giving him a light rap on

the back of his hand. 

 

"I have no doubts."  William sat back and gave his grand-

mother a speculative look.  "Why are you in California?"

 

"I simply felt like a bit of travel. I'm not becoming younger,

you know.....what exactly is THAT expression on your face

trying to say?"

 

"Something along the lines of 'you haven't been out of

England since World War II and would you mind telling me

why you're really here' ," he answered.

 

The duchess narrowed her eyes slightly, then turned to

Giles. "Rupert....would you mind terribly excusing yourself

from the room?"

 

Not only did he not 'mind', he was almost comically eager

to follow the request.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"Each night before you go to bed, my baby

Whisper a little prayer for me, my baby

And tell all the stars above

This is dedicated to the one I love..."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

When they were alone, the duchess leveled her gaze with

her grandson's. "I spoke with Drusilla Haversham last week.

She tells me she hasn't heard from you for quite some time."

 

William could feel doors inside of him slamming shut.  He

really should have known that this little surprise visit from

Grandma Abby was about Dru.

 

All his life, as far back as his earliest memories, the

Haversham family had been a firmly established part of his

world.  Their property adjoined Black Oaks, and both families

had been prominent in the same social circles. 

 

He and Dru, being close in age, had naturally drifted

together. From childhood playmates to preteen crushes,

they had moved through their days cocooned in the safety

of wealth and privilege.   They had developed a closeness

that was unusual between boys and girls of such a young

age, telling each other secrets and dreams they never confided

to anyone else.

 

Still fresh in his mind were the time framed photographs

of their early years; snapshots taken of them learning to

ride, swimming in the pond behind the main house, taking

music lessons together, crawling through the hay barns on

both estates to play with the litters of kittens born every spring,

and attending parties and dances given by the cream of British

aristocracy.

 

So, it was no great surprise when their families began to

plan their futures as a combined one, naturally assuming

that the young Duke of Richmond would one day take Lady

Drusilla Haversham, daughter of the Earl of Sunderly, as his

wife and duchess.

 

An impression that William knew he would now have

to correct.

 

Taking a deep breath, he sat back against the sofa and

crossed his arms over his chest. "I know I haven't been

keeping up with my correspondence as well as I should."

 

One thin gray brow arched. "And why is that?  Are you

so terribly busy here with your school work?  Or is there

another reason?"

 

William met his grandmother's piercing gaze without

flinching. "Actually...I've met someone....a girl...and..."

 

"Yes," the old lady sighed irritably. "I thought that must be

the case. William, how on earth could you have allowed

yourself to become involved to such an extent that you

neglect your duties."

 

"Grandmother..."

 

"When I allowed you to come and live here, you promised

me that you would remember who you are...what you are

responsible for."

 

"I haven't forgotten anything," he protested. "I know who and

what I am.  Nothing has changed in that sense."

 

The duchess gave him a skeptical look. "Indeed?  Well, when

you boarded the plane for America you were practically en-

gaged to Drusilla Haversham. Plans were being discussed for

your futures, and...."

 

Sharply aware of what was coming, William jumped to

his feet. "Discussed by you and Sunderly," he said. "And

I was NOT practically engaged to Dru. We're friends...and

that's all we are...all we ever will be."

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"Life can never be exactly like we want it to be

I could be satisfied, knowing that you love me

But there's one thing I want you to do

Especially for me

And it's something that everybody needs..."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

Abigail was silent for a moment, watching the

tense set of William's shoulders.  She gave him time

to calm himself before she spoke. "I see.  And...is

Drusilla aware of your feelings?  Because, after

speaking with her, I was left with the impression that

she expects you to formally ask for her when you are

both of age."

 

This information surprised him.  He and Dru had never

spoken seriously of such things.  The only mention made

of it had been when they were small...and all of THAT

had been talked about in the most obscure 'someday when

we are grown up and married we can do exactly as we

please and no one can tell us differently' manner of children

rebelling against parental rules and regulations.

 

Surely....surely Dru wasn't still holding on to such an

errant promise, a statement uttered by one small child

to another.

 

"Grandmother," he said firmly. "I have absolutely no in-

tention of marrying Drusilla....not at any time in my life.

Ever."

 

"William."  Her voice was equally firm. "You are not a

part of this world," she said, gesturing around the room with

one be-ringed hand. "This is nothing more than an extended

vacation for you. You do not belong here.  You are the Duke

of Richmond, the sole heir to a vast fortune, and you

must....."

 

He jerked his head sharply and turned away.

 

Abigail paused, recognizing the familiar obstinate posture

that William always adopted when he felt pressured into

something, and told he 'must'.

 

Knowing that to do otherwise would push him even more

firmly in the opposite direction, she softened her voice.

 

"This girl you've met.  Does she know who you are?"

 

His silence told her the answer to that query.

 

"I see.  Are you planning to?"

 

"Yes...yes, of course I am."

 

"Then why haven't you?  What are you waiting for?"

 

William clenched his fists and stared out the window.

 

It was a perfectly good question, but he had no perfectly

good answer for it.  He didn't know why he hadn't told

Buffy everything.   It wasn't as though he hadn't had

plenty of opportunity to do so.

 

"It's because you KNOW, William. No matter how much

you may care for this girl, she can never be the partner

you need. She knows nothing of our world, and she could

never fit in.  Like goes to like, William. Swans do not mate

with geese."

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"While I'm far away from you, my baby

Whisper a little prayer for me, my baby

And tell all the stars above

This is dedicated to the one I love...."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

Still gazing out the window, he spotted the dusty black

Cherokee pull into the driveway next door.  Buffy stepped

out, talking about something with her mother, her smile

bright and her eyes sparkling.

 

Drusilla's image retreated even further from his thoughts. Her

dark beauty could never begin to compare to Buffy's golden

glow. 

 

This was what he wanted....what he WOULD have.

 

 

 

William suddenly turned to face his grandmother.

 

"I know precisely who I am," he stated. "I am the Duke

of Richmond.  And I WILL marry the girl that I choose. Not

you...not Sunderly...not the bloody Queen, herself.  I've

found the girl I will make my wife, my duchess, and no

one...no one...is going to come between us. I promise you

that, Grandmother."

 

"William!  This is not finished!  Don't you DARE leave this

room!"

 

 

But he was already gone.....

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~

"This is dedicated to the one I love...."

~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

TBC...