Beyond Dreams

Second Disclaimer: I do not own the book, Tipping the Velvet, nor the rites to its characters or stories. Though yes, I do have a copy of the book cause it’s amazing. No copywrite infringement is intended, this is merely yet another expression of mine that a movie more accurate to the story should be made and released in America. Ms. Waters, you totally rock.

So here’s your awaited chapter. I’m a little surprised that the bit got clicked on so much before I even posted this. I don't really know where I'm going with this, honestly, and I'm sorry it took longer than I said it would. I had an idea for something to do... and then I neglected getting started until, like, Saturday night/Sunday morning. By then, unfortunately, the idea had fizzled out of my head and I hadn't a clue what it was to be. So, pretty much, I'm winging it. Sorry if it's crap. ^.^

Also, accurate to show transcripts up through “Pangs” the Thanksgiving eppie.

Willow looked over at Buffy again, blushing a red to match her hair, and hugged the box of presents closer to herself. Joyce was wearing the goofiest ‘Santa’ hat, a red and white thing that fit tightly to her head, the broad white fuzz sticking out at least three inches tall, maybe three and a half, and perhaps an inch thick. The red velvet capped her skull close, and a fuzzy red spring rose from it to have a fluffy white ball bounce about above her head any time she moved. It was adorably dorky, and just the thing she would have expected from Xander, not Mrs. Summers.

“Hey mom!” Buffy’s voice was cheerful, making Willow blush yet more. It was that same cheerful voice and smile as the dream. Shaking her head, she took a big breath, then smiled brightly at Mrs. Summers too.

“Hi Ms. Summers.” Willow cleared her throat and trudged up behind the luggage laden Slayer. “I… um… like your hat.”

“Xander…” Joyce grinned fondly and reached up to touch the bouncing ball of white fluff. “Come on in. I didn’t know if one of you would be sleeping in the guest room, or if you wanted to do the sleepover thing from when you were younger. I have some fresh sheets and pillows ready either way. Willow, honey, do you need some help with that box?”

“I’ve got it, thanks Mrs. Summers.” Willow blushed again, but remained smiling as she followed her blonde friend into the house. The smells of dinner cooking wafted through the house, and the smile on Willow’s face became less forced. She loved Mrs. Summers’ cooking. Maybe this wouldn’t be too hard after all.

“Let’s do the sleepover thing. It’ll be fun. I mean, it’s not like we aren’t used to sleeping in the same room anyway.” Buffy laughed and trudged up the stairs without looking back. “Right Will?”

Or not…

~

“So how has college been going for you, Willow? You’re in a class with Buffy, aren’t you?”

“Psychology, with Professor Walsh.” The redhead smiled shyly at Mrs. Summers, shrugging, as she helped to arrange dinner for the night. Buffy was watching TV, and despite the two Summers’ protests, she’d insisted on helping in the kitchen. “How has the gallery been doing?”

“Quite wonderful, actually.” Joyce’s eyes brightened at the thought. “Sunnydale may not be a thriving metropolis, but the sales of pieces have gotten good, especially so close to the holidays and New Year. We also just got a shipment in fresh from Ireland. Some of it is supposed to be Druidic artifacts.”

The two of them chattered amiably over that subject for several moments, Willow warming to the idea of being exposed to things that the ancient Celts and Wiccans used. It was only a minute or two in before Joyce invited Willow to help her arrange and display the pieces, after Mr. Giles had approved none of them as being still effectively arcane. The zombie mask just over a year ago had been quite enough of that.

“Willow! Come check out this commercial!” The redhead was startled into nearly letting a slippery potato shoot out of her hands and fly at the older Summers. Quick reflexes and her friends’ mother’s obvious familiarity with Buffy’s house habits, saved them from a runaway spud though. As a result Willow only caught the tail end of the commercial for some new movie that was supposed to be out for Christmas. They didn’t catch much TV in their dorm, and hadn’t really paid attention to anything on the tube when over at Giles’, and thus hadn’t known about it. “It looked really cool, we should go see it.”

“What’s it called?” Willow looked up at the Twix commercial currently playing as Joyce returned to the fixing of that nights sustenance… er… making dinner that is.

“Tipping the Velvet. British accents and trying to make it as a performer and cross-dressing and stuff. We should take Giles, he’d probably break his glasses cleaning them so much.” She laughed softly to herself, stretching and failing to notice Willow’s shocked expression. Since when, exactly, had Buffy been interested in watching movies about British cross-dressers?

“Oh… um… okay. Sounds fun. It’s a comedy?” Willow asked, moving slowly back toward the kitchen and away from her confusing, and tempting, friend.

“I think it’s a dramatic comedy romance thing.” Buffy said with a smile and shrug. “You guys need any help in there? I hate that my guest’s working and I’m not…”

“Nah, we’ve got it covered, Buffy. I like this homey, family stuff. It’s fun.” Willow smiled shyly and turned back into the kitchen. She’d have to research that movie, see what it was about. What the hell was a ‘dramatic-comedy-romance-thing’ anyway?


TBC

For those of you wondering, Tipping the Velvet is an amazing book by the author Sarah Waters. It was published in 1998, so I do know that saying they’d made a movie of it to be released in Christmas of 99 is pushing it… but suspension of disbelief, yanno.