Long Way From Home - Chapter 34

Buffy passed into the new year a happy girl, when she'd checked her phone the next day the only communication she'd had from Angel was a text message wishing her a happy new year. In the next week, however, she got an angry phone call from her father about the money she had spent on Christmas presents. Buffy countered him by saying that maybe next time he should let her come home.

It was fast approaching her birthday bash now and she was looking forward to hearing the song that Zero had been practicing. Spike had admitted he didn't write it and she'd told him it was the thought that counted, so long as it was nicer than the last song he sang to her she'd be happy.

Willow was happily dancing about the room and Buffy giggled at her.

"I don't think I've ever seen you this happy, it's my birthday I'm meant to be the happy one." Buffy smiled to herself as she watched Willow spinning around the room.

"I can't believe he put me on the guest list, this years great! Now that we're all officially boyfriends and girlfriends do you think we could all go out for dinner sometime?" Willow sat on the edge of her bed and caught her breath.

"Double date? Can't see why not." Buffy turned her attention back to painting her nails.

"Spike working today?" Willow eyed her friend suspiciously; she was certainly making a fuss over herself.

"Yes and I may be dropping in to see him. See if I can get it out of him what he got me for my birthday." She grinned mischievously and screwed the lid back on the nail varnish.

"I see, you just can't wait another few hours to find out?" Willow shook her head and smiled as she put stuff into her bag.

"Meh." Buffy poked her tongue out and blew on her nails, then slipped her feet into her shoes.

She sat for a moment mulling something over in her head, taking a deep breath she turned to Willow with a nervous look.

"Will, if I stayed over summer and got in to the masters next year would you stay too?" Buffy watched as her friend turned to look at her with disbelief.

"This decision have something to do with a certain blond guy?" Willow sat next to her and watched for a reaction, Buffy pouted.

"Maybe, partly. I don't want to go home this summer, I'd rather be here." She looked hopefully at her friend.

"Of course I'd stay for the summer, you think I would rather be at home?" Willow rolled her eyes at the thought of having to go back to her parent's house. "Does Spike know you want to stay?"

"No, I haven't really decided yet. Dad wants me to come home but I think if I tell him I want to have some freedom and that you're here he wouldn't go off the deep end."

"We'll talk more later, I'm meant to be meeting Oz in the park. Walk with me to the gates?" Willow raised her brows and Buffy nodded then gathered up her stuff.


Having seen Willow safely to the park Buffy strolled along the frosty path to the museum, watching her breath catch in the air. She put her hands in her pockets and thought over the idea of staying in Oxford with Spike. Part of the reason she didn't want to go home was because Angel would show up and she didn't know how she would feel if she saw him again.

Walking down the steps into the museum she smiled at the girl behind the shop counter and continued in to find Spike. She watched him from a distance as she rearranged something in one of the cases on the first floor. He was swearing at it and didn't notice her standing there. Buffy sighed at the sight of him, he was frowning intensely at whatever he was doing and it made him even more handsome.

If she saw Angel this summer she feared she would crumble, she couldn't lose Spike but Angel would be convincing and her father would pressure her. She wouldn't leave Spike, she was safe in his arms and that's where she was going to stay, exactly where she really wanted to be, wrapped up in his embrace.

Buffy took a step towards him and he looked up and smiled at her, his whole face softening. She moved quickly to close the gap between them and slipped her arms about his waist, holding him tight.

"Hey kitten." He pulled back and smiled into her eyes.

"Whatcha doing?" She pulled a puzzled face at him like a school kid.

"Playing with traps." He grinned and intimated the case. "Want to help?"

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