Therapy

Chapter 9/Therapy
Disclaimer in chapter 1

The Summers girls sat in the kitchen giggling and making up a grocery list, as the phone rang.

"Hello" Dawn answered, "Just a Mo' I'll get her." She shoved the phone toward Buffy,
"It's for you 'Ms.' Buffy Summers."

Buffy took the phone, "This is Buffy Summers, may I help you?"

Dawn listened to the one-sided conversation. Buffy stood up and paced. Finally she leaned back against the wall.

"I see, and how soon would that be?"

"Yes, I see."

"I will be here, Fine."

"I'll call if I have any questions, yes."

"How much? OH!" the color drained from her face.

"Thank you, Good-bye."

She hung up the phone and promptly slid down the wall, gapping and stunned.

" Buffy, Buffy, what's wrong? What's happened??" Dawn was on her knees pleading.

"OH.MY.GOD." Buffy bellowed.

"What?" shrieked Dawn.

"It's wonderful. The council, they came through. I am to be paid retroactively for the last two years, we now have full insurance benefits and my annual salary will be $35,000"
Buffy fairly crowed.

Both girls jumped up and down, in the kitchen and down the hall doing their own version of the 'happy dance' yelling and screaming in elation.

Willow walke and and stood there stunned.

"Willow, oh God, it's so great. The council is going to pay me. They're expressing a check for back pay and all the paperwork. It should be here by Monday. I don't have to go back to DMP, and I can enroll in summer courses. When is the cut-off date? Do you know?" Buffy babbled.

"It's the end of the month, I think." Willow stammered, "That's great Buffy."

Later after they had all calmed down and they sat around the kitchen island drinking sodas and chattering. Willow spoke up.

"I went to see Jule this morning, and I've decided to move back to my dorm. Xander is coming to pick me up in a while, so I need to go pack."

Buffy and Dawn sat stunned, Buffy said, "Wil, Please don't think we're angry at you."

"No, I see now what you were trying to say to me. I need to be on my own. I have a lot of growing up to do." She swallowed, " I've created a lot of problems for you both with my 'need to help'. I've got to learn to let my friends live their own lives. "

"You're still my best friend Wil, you know that?" Buffy offered.

"I am amazed you still call me a friend, after all the pain I have caused you, both of you."
Blinking back tears she continued, " You will always be my best friend, but now I need to face the truth of what I have done, and what I was becoming. I don't expect you to forgive me. But you will never know how sorry I truly am."

Dawn piped up, "I think it's a sign of how much we're all growing to face the truth. We will all come out a lot stronger if we just keep growing."

Dawn, you can be so wise for such a brat" laughed Buffy.

"Time to pack" said Willow, as she headed up the stairs.

"Well that just leaves the Summers girls for movie night, should we hang out till she leaves?" asked Dawn.

"I don't know," Buffy answered, " Go get changed, I'm calling DMP to say I QUIT! Just think, no more greasy hair and face, no more smell, no more tired feet, no more plastic smiles. I QUIT, I QUIT, I QUIT."

By the time the girls had changed and Buffy called her former employer, Xander was there to move Willows things. He offered them a ride to the mini mall.


Once they were inside the video store Buffy asked, "What do you think Spike would want to watch other than blood and gory?"

"Oh some goofy comedy or an 'Action Flick'. Why?"

"Cause I invited him tonight."

"Oh my God, Buffy and Spike have a Saturday night Date!" Dawn gushed.

"It's not a date, it's just a movie at home." Buffy sighed.

"Yeah right, it's not a date, but we need to be sure to get something for him to drink, and some little marshmallows, OK?" Dawn said.

"I had already planned on stopping by 'Willy's' but why marshmallows?"

"We're out of 'em and he loves 'em in his cocoa. DUH!"

The girls finished their shopping and headed home.


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