Roomies

Buffy shot up, the sudden movement jerking Spike back to reality. He frowned as the girl in his arms fought to untangle herself from the bedding.
Succeeding, Buffy frantically dressed and ran a brush through her hair, blowing a kiss to Spike who had barely moved from his sleep induced coma-like state.
He blinked as the door slammed shut, a ‘seeya later’ yelled over her shoulder as she disappeared. He shrugged, punching his pillow to a comfier shape and rolling over onto it.

Buffy tripped up the steps in her haste, falling through the doors anto tto the gallery where her mom stood with a disapproving look on her face and her hands on her hips.
“Hey,” She greeted breathlessly, “Sorry I’m so late, I fell asleep.”
Jofrowfrowned at her eldest.
“You fell asleep till four in the afternoon?” She enquired, fighting to keep the smile off her face. It was obvious from the killerwatt grin on Buffy’s face that there was another explanation, but she was satisfied that her daughter was happy and would tell her when she was ready.
“I got you the bulbs, varnish and candles.” Buffy told her, handing her the bag of goodies she held.
Joyce indicated that Buffy should put them in the office and led the way, going straight past the doorway to the store room at the back of the gallery.

Buffy dropped her shopping on the desk that her mother did most of her work at and turned to speak to her. Noticing she had gone, Buffy stood in the doorway to see where she was.
Observing that the door to the store room was open she walked over to the door, poking her head around it. Joyce smiled and extended an arm, inviting Buffy to see what she was smiling at. Buffy stepped up to her mother and gasped. There was a huge framed picture of Buffy as a child with her best friend.

She had been best friends with Willy since the day they had met. His parents had moved in to the house next door and his bedroom had faced right into hers. It was the stuff childish sitcoms were made of with an added bit of turmoil mixed in. Willy’s dad was sick. Cancer. They had moved to the States so that he could get the very best treatment money could buy. She smiled, money had bought them happiness, it had treated his cancer, given her a best friend, given her mom a friend to talk to when her dad was ‘busy’ out of town.

“It’s beautiful.” She told her mom, tears pooling in her eyes as memories of happier times flooded her. Even if Willy was the biggest wimp on the block and got them into a few scrapes, it was the best time of her life. She had a mom and a dad who loved her, a baby sister who too too young to get her in trouble.
e pie picture was gorgeous. It was at least three foot tall and showed Willy with his arms around her, their cheeks pressed together with matching grins on their faces. The oils on the canvas had captured the moment beautifully and the warmth that emitted from it made Buffy tingle deep inside.

“You really like it?” Joyce asked somewhat nervously. It was the first painting she had done in a number of years and while she was proud of the piece she couldn’t decide whether she genuinely liked it or if she just liked the memories.

“I do. I want it.” Buffy told her solemnly, giving her a tight squeeze. She realized that she hadn’t seen her mom as much as she should have since college had started in the fall. Vowing to spend more time with her next term she spared a glance at the clock. “Ah geez!” She exclaimed, “I gotta go pack for the holidays. I’ll be round at about 8ish. Is that OK?”

“Sure honey,” Joyce kissed the top of her head softly, “Our guests will be arriving at that time.”

“Are you going to tell me who they are yet?” Buffy teased, her mother had been keeping it a secret for over a month and she was desperate to find out who it was that would be staying with them.

“You’ll find out tonight. I’ll see you later sweetie.” Joyce called as Buffy made her way out of the gallery, heading back to the dorms.

“Hey,” Buffy breathed as she entered the dorm. Spike was standing over his bed, a large duffel bag stuffed half full of clothes. “You have plans?”

Spike nodded. He and Buffy hadn’t really had a chance to talk about what had happened, but she seemed to be responsive to him in any case. He smirked at her while she ogled his naked chest, so different from the first time she had ogled him. The disgust that previously marred her pretty face had recently been replaced with lust.

“My mom’s planned something. Not sure what. Surprise bullshit.”

“Same here!” Buffy exced aed a little too perkily, “Oh well, I’ll find out tonight.”

“Well, have a great break. I’ll see you in a couple of days?” Spike asked, more than said. He knew he voice had belied his look as he was trying hard not to think about her and what last night meant. She smiled, moving towards him and throwing her arms around his neck. He leant in and pressed a deep kiss to her waiting lips. She giggled as he spun her around and dropped her back to the ground.

“Bye pet.” And with that, the doorway was empty, the dorms silent. Buffy packed her clothes and toiletries in a hurry, not wanting to be the only one in the dorms at this time of night.

“Hey.” Buffy was greeted at the door by her younger sister. Her night of impiety at the Bronze had obviously not had the parental backlash that Buffy had expected. Setting her case down in the hallway she was dragged into the living room by an excited Dawn. “Guess who’s here!” She crowed, dragging her elder sister into the kitchen.

Buffy met met with a pair of piercing blue eyes and a familiar smirk,
“It’s William!”