ONE NORMAL LIFE / TWO EXTRAORDINARY LIVES

CHAPTER 59 - I FOUND YOU

Willow and Dawn returned to the cabin a while later, when the mosquitoes were getting to them.

They'd agreed William would be alright on the beach by himself for a while. He was now just sitting there, knees bent, watching the water.

They were only in the cabin a few minutes, when Buffy burst through the door. She went to the bedroom door, opening it, just as Willow told her, "He's not there."

"What? Where is he?" she asked, fear beginning to grip her.

"Relax Buffy, he's out sitting on the beach."

"What? You let him out there alone? I thought I told you..."

Dawn interrupted her sister, "Number one, Buffy, William didn't eat all day or come out of his room until this evening, when we went to get ice cream. And we tried to get him to do both, believe me. Second, you handed him off to us like he was yesterday's trash, left for the whole day, so where do you get off coming in here, guns blazing, asking us 'how could we this?' or 'how could we that?' that's what I'd like to know Buffy! I'd like to know how the hell could you do this to him? Leave him here depressed, anxious, alone? Where's your comeback now, Buffy?" Dawn asked, her eyes livid.

Buffy sagged, as if someone had just let all the air out of her tires, "You're right, Dawn. I did leave. I'm so sorry, I've got to go and find him, apologize."

"What happened between you two, Buffy? Willow asked, "you guys were getting along so great, we heard you this morning, you know."

"And last night," Dawn added, rolling her eyes.

"He asked me to marry him," Buffy said, softly.

"He what?" Dawn asked.

"William asked me to marry him," she repeated.

"That's great! That's wonderful! That's...what's wrong, Buffy? I don't understand."

"Neither do I Dawn, neither do I. It's just...how can I say yes? And right now? It's...William’s not Spike, not really. I know; I've been treating him sort of like he is, at least with all the familiarness, and then last night...but he's not. Once he gets to know me, he probably wouldn't even want...to."

"Oh, Buffy!" Willow said, shaking her head.

"Buffy, you know what? You're one stupid bitch," Dawn said.

Buffy's head jerked up.

"Yeah, that's what I said! When are you going to get it through that thick skull of yours that Spike, whether he's Spike, or, now his human self, William, loves you? You and only you!"

"Um, excuse me Dawn, if you don't mind?"

Dawn nodded at Willow.

"Another thing you might want to consider, is how many people in this whole world, Buffy, get another chance at love like you've been given? Do you even know how unbelievable this is? What a miracle it is for Spike, William, and by the way, I do see the similarities between the two, we all do, so forget the bull about William not being Spike and all that crap, Buffy. But on to what I was saying, do you realize that this is a miracle? That you and he, of all the people in the world, have been blessed with a second chance?"

Buffy just looked at her, like she was deciding something.

Willow nodded, "Go to him, for God sakes Buffy!"

Buffy ran out the sliding door and looked down at the beach. It was empty.

"William!" she yelled, and didn't hear anything.

Dawn and Willow came running out.

"He was just there a couple of minutes ago," Dawn said, helplessly.

"I'll go walk around the campground," Willow said, "maybe someone's seen him. Maybe he just went to use the one of the restrooms."

"I don't think he would," Buffy said, knowing he didn't like public places, much.

"Oh God, you don't think...?"

"No, Buffy. I don't think anything bad happened to him. Willow has the protection spell on him to keep all demons away, and I don't think he just walked into the water and drowned," Dawn said, giving voice to Buffy's fears.

"I'm going to look for him," Buffy said, and pulled out a stake from her purse.

"You going to stake him?" Willow asked.

"No, but if I find anyone has messed with him, demon or otherwise, I'll be staking them," she said, and took off down the road in front of the cabin.

“I’ll stay here, in case he comes back,” Dawn volunteered, handing Willow a couple of flashlights.

Willow decided to walk through the campground. Lots of people were still outdoors, tending their own little fires, sitting on outdoor furniture, roasting marshmallows. She stopped by each she saw, asking if they'd seen William. Finally, the last g of of people she asked told her they had.

"British accent? Yeah, we saw him, headed across the field there, toward the barn," he to to Willow, "saw him when I was coming back from the store, wished me a good evening. Nice fellow, seemed like."

"Oh, thanks a million," she replied, hurrying off toward the other side of the campground. Halfway there, she ran into Buffy.

"Someone saw him, said he was heading in the direction of the barn."

Buffy looked toward where Willow was pointing, "Or the woods," she said, noticing the dark trees, beyond.

"I've got it," Buffy said, starting int dit direction.

"I'm coming with you," Willow said, not waiting for her reply.

They quickly walked over toward the barn. The door was open.

"You check down here, Willow, I'll take the loft."

"Gotcha," Willow answered, handing Buffy one of the flashlights.

Willow walked around the cavernous barn, shining her flashlight into the nooks and crannies, while Buffy went upstairs. The loft was only half as large as the first floor, but contained lots of old crates, a piano, and other asundry items relegated to disuse.

"William!" she called, "It's Elizabeth."

She listened but didn't hear anything, until she turned to leave, then thought she heard a small sound coming from the far corner. Quietly, stake in hand, she crept around the crates. Finally, she could make out his form, sitting against a wall in the corner, head down on his knees, hands over his head, rocking himself.

Her heart broke, as she recognized the position from whenke hke had been living in the school's basement.

"William," she said, as she knelt down next to him, "it's me, Elizabeth. I'm so sorry I left like that this morning. I’m so very sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you, please believe me, I never want to hurt you anymore," she said, starting to cry, as she hugged his unresponsive form.

"He's not down here Buffy!" Willow called.

"Buffy?"

Buffy got up to walk closer to the steps; "He's here Willow. He's up here. Um, listen, I'm going to stay here with him for a while. We'll be back in...I don' t know. Just come back if we're not back in an hour, okay?"

"Sure Buffy, um, is he okay?"

"I think so, he will be. Thanks, Willow."

"Okay, going to go tell Dawn you found him. Bye."

"Bye."

She returned to where William was still sitting hunched over. She knelt down next to him, putting her arms around him to still his rocking. He therthere, tightly wound, unmoving, despite her arms around him.

"Please talk to me. Please forgive me, I'm so sorry, William. I don't want to see you hurt. I only want us to be together. Please," she said, her voice breaking.

She worked her hands underneath his, pulling his face upward.

He looked at her as though he had just awoken, “I’ve figured it out,” he said, softly to her.

“What?” she asked, scared.

“Why you’re afraid,” he answered, looking her in the eyes.

“Why I’m…”

“I…I’vt yot you down. I’ve been gone,” he said, “I’ve been gone and I don’t even know where and you’ve been alone. I’m so sorry.”

She looked at him; his eyes were filled with some sort of pain she couldn’t fathom.

Her own eyes spilled over, “No, William. No! You didn’t leave me. You saved me, saved my life, do you hear me? And then…you…you were lost. You were…it doesn’t matter! You’re found now. I found you! You’re not lost now!” she said, meaning the much more than this moment in the barn.

He pulled her toward him, onto his lap, kissed the tears on her cheeks, on her chin, on her eyes, her lips, “Neither are you anymore, Elizabeth. Neither are you.”

They sat there for the next half-hour, kissing each other, rediscovering the taste of each other’s mouths, whispering, ‘I’m sorrys,’ and ‘I knows,’ and ‘love yous,’ before finally falling into a sort of peace with each other.

“Let’s go home, William,” Buffy finally said.

He nodded.

They rose up, and arms around each other made their way back to the cabin.

Dawn was just about to send Willow back out, when they came in.

“Hey guys,” Buffy said, while William just nodded.

She turned to him, “Why don’t you go get into bed, and I’ll bring you something to eat,” she said.

“Okay,” he said, and went off.

“There’s a sandwich I made him earlier in the fridge,” Dawn said, “should still be good.”

“Okay, thanks, Dawn,” Buffy said, “I want to make him some tea, too.”

Buffy busied herself in the kitchen. William came by on his way to the bathroom. They smiled at each other, shyly.

“You guys okay now?” Willow asked, expectantly.

“Yeah, we’re good. More than good, I think.”

“Just give yourselves time, Buffy. That’s all you guys need, is a little more time. Soon you guys will be firing on all engines. Just trust yourself, don’t over think everything all the time.”

“Yes, mother, I will. Thank you, Willow.”

“Just don’t let me repeat myself, Missy!” Willow said, as she grabbed a book off the dining room table to take to her room.”

“I won’t, I promise,” Buffy answered, laughing softly.


William had helped Elizabeth carry the sandwich and cups of tea to the bedroom. After they had the tea, and he’d had his sandwich, they turned off the lights and settled down to sleep.

Like the first nights, they kissed, him pulling her on top him, moaning, she went to remove her top.

“Um, maybe we shouldn’t,” he said. “Maybe it’s…maybe we should give this some more time,” he said, bravely, although dying to touch her.

“Oh. Okay. Yeah, maybe,” she said, rolling off of him.

They continued to kiss, until they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

The next morning, she awoke to once again feel his hardness at her backside, and his hand fondling her breast.

She smiled. He was still asleep. At least she thought he was, until he pushed against her, and his fingers started moving across her nipple, causing her breath to catch in her throat.

She put her arm around her, pulling him over and kissed him, her arm around his neck.

“Hey,” Buffy said, smiling, “thought you were trying to be all noble, proper, and what-not, there last night, William.”

He sighed, “If you’ll please excuse my language, Elizabeth, but the hell with proper,” he said, smiling shyly, yet almost devilishly at her, “I’ve come to the conclusion that proper is most highly overrated.”

And to add emphasis to that statement, he kissed her so passionately, she thought she was going to melt into the bed. And she very nearly did.


END CHAPTER 59

I know I usually don’t update until I get a few chapters, and I also know I promised I’d get them out of Michigan by the next update, but I got these finished today, and well, they just went along with the last update, so here they are!