ONE NORMAL LIFE / TWO EXTRAORDINARY LIVES

CHAPTER 192 – CHRISTMAS EVE IN LONDON

DECEMBER 24, 2009
2:30PM

Since Willow had driven, they rode back to Giles’ with her. They didn’t mind. Although it had stopped drizzling, the weather had turned quite chilly.

“I’m going to go and call Kennedy,” Willow said, as soon as they walked in. “Tell Giles I’ll be down in a little while to help him out.”

“Don’t worry Will; I’ll go see if he needs any help. Oh, and tell Kennedy Merry Christmas from me, too,” Buffy said, as she headed for the kitchen with William beside her.

“Umm... it smells delicious in here!” Buffy said, nudging William.

“Um...yes, quite.”

“Buffy, William, I didn’t hear you,” Giles said, turning away from stirring something on the stove to face them.

“Yeah, we’re stealthy like that,” she replied, biting back further color commentary on how her and Spike’s combined years as slayer and vampire, lent itself to said stealthy-ness, out of concern for how William would react at being reminded about the past. It was still light years away for him to feel comfortable enough to consider any part of his past a joking matter.

“What would you like me to do?” Buffy asked, walking over to the stove.

“Nothing really, Buffy.”

“Giles, I assure you I’m not nearly as incompetent in the kitchen as I was back in Sunnydale,” Buffy said, looking at William for support.

“Quite competent,” he assured.

“Truly, I believe you, Buffy,” Giles said with a small chuckle. “It’s just that Mrs. Grieves already prepared everything, all I’m doing is warming up what she already cooked.”

“Oh...”

“Though you could set the table, if you’d like. William can show you where everything is kept.”

“I can do that.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

“I think I’m going up to my room for a while,” William said, after he’d shown her where the better dishes and silverware were kept in the dining room’s buffet and china cabinet. “That is, unless you need my help.”

“No, I think I can handle it alone. Are you okay?” Buffy asked, putting her hand on his arm. He’d been sort of quiet, since they’d met up with Willow and she’d excused herself to use the bathroom before they left Greenwich Market to return to Giles’. She couldn’t help but wonder, what, if anything, had been discussed in her absence. Real or imagined, it made her uneasy to perceive that he might be pulling away from her again.

“I’m fine,” William answered, responding to her anxiousness with a reassuring smile. “ Really, I just have some things that I need to do before dinner. I’ll see you in about an hour.”

“Then I don’t mind,” Buffy said, reaching up to kiss him on the cheek. He turned his face at the last minute, letting his lips be the unintended recipient, instead.

The kiss was sweet and lingering, nothing like the urgency of the ones they shared when he’d come after her last night. William deepened the kiss just enough to make her sigh with pleasure. It was a sound that he had gone too long without hearing, and which made it all the more difficult when he gently broke off the kiss and stepped back from her. As he looked at her face, flushed with desire, William felt a surge of manly pride he’d sorely been lacking as of late.

“Wow,” Buffy said softly, as she opened her eyes. “I think I’ll be fine with you going up to your room more often. Except, then you’d actually be going up to your room more often, which would mean you wouldn’t be with me... nevermind.”

He couldn’t help grinning, once more enchanted by her unique way of putting things. Just another thing he’d missed about her so much.

“Speaking of which...”

“Okay, go on then, before I have my way with...” Buffy stopped, her cheeks coloring as she realized what was just about to come out of her, 'hello-sailor-it's-been-a-long-time,' big; that's emphasis on big, mouth.

Too late.

William's eyes widened as he easily filled in the blanks. If possible, her cheeks became even redder.

William leaned over so that his mouth was right next to her ear, “Saucy,” he said in that low, sexy voice of his, that always, always got to her. He straightened up, and with a knowing grin, headed out of the room.

“That’s me,” Buffy said weakly, as she followed to the dining room doorway, and watched as he walked down the hall.

“I like it,” William said, turning to wink at her over his shoulder, before ascending the stairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The table looks very nice,” Giles said appreciatively, as he walked into the dining room.

“Eh...it’s the least I could do, and it wasn’t much at that, but at least I know where everything goes, even though it’s been a while since I’ve set such a fancy table.”

“Your mother taught you, I take it?”

“Well, of course, though I think she thought I was going to be forever hopeless when it came to these things,” Buffy said, with a laugh. “When I was about fourteen, and still living in Los Angeles; back before I was called, she signed me up this six-week Cotillion thingy. It was supposed to make young ladies and gentlemen out of us.”

“Ah...the social graces.”

“Yep, that was supposed to teach us how to eat properly, how to set a table correctly, and how to make sparkling small-talk,” she said, with a laugh. “At the end, they had a dance, with old-fashioned dance cards and everything. Like a coming out party. Guess my mom wouldn’t have wasted her money or time, if she’d known exactly how I was going to be coming out.”

“I doubt very much that Joyce would have considered your education in such matters a waste of neither time, nor money, even considering what was about to happen to you.”

“You’re right,” Buffy said, smiling softly at the warm memories of Joyce she was sharing. “Something like knowledge is never wasted.”

“Exactly.”

“That’s what I tell my students all the time.”

Giles smiled.

“Well, guess I’m going to go get ready for dinner, if you don’t need me...oh, hey Willow!”

“Hi guys, what’s up?” Willow asked as she came down the stairs. “Can I do anything to help?”

“Don’t even bother, Willow. Giles claims to have it all under control.”

“Well, that’s thanks to Mrs. Grieves, I assure you. Otherwise, I’d have you both slaving in the kitchen.”

“Oh, I just remembered I have something for you, Giles. Willow, is your trunk unlocked?”

“Yeah, it’s unlocked.”

“Okay, I’ll be right back then.”

~~~~~

“Here, this is from Wesley,” Buffy said, handing Giles the cardboard tube. “I’m not sure what it is, but it sounded like it was important. Then again, I suppose all you Watchers always feel that all old scrolls are of the utmost importance.”

“Well, some more so than others, but I do suppose that’s a result of the job,” Giles said, carefully taking it from her hands and trying not to show any untoward emotion. Especially, if his expectation was correct, it was very important for both William and her. Not to mention, this so-called old scroll had just spent the night in an unlocked boot!

“Willow, can I talk to you a minute?” Buffy asked.

“I’ll be in the study for now. Dinner is in about an hour.”

“Okay, Giles.”

“What’s up, Buffy? Is William okay.”

“He seems to be, though he was a bit quiet on the way home.”

“I noticed.”

“Did he say anything to you back at the market? I mean, when I went off to the bathroom?”

“He’s just worried because he couldn’t find anything for you. I think he feels bad about that mostly.”

“Oh, that’s okay then. I mean, as long as it’s not something else. I don’t care if he got me anything or not, I’m just so glad I came.”

“I know you are. I was sort of worried it would be tense between us, but it was okay.”

“You and William? Why?”

“I just got in his face a couple of times last night, and told him that he was being an ass. Just that.”

“Well, if that’s all,” she said, with a small, relieved laugh. “Oh, how’s Kennedy?”

“She’s having a good time with her family, but wishes that I would’ve come along. It’s hard on both of us, you know?”

Buffy nodded, sympathetically.

“Why didn’t you?”

“Kennedy’s family offered to pay for my ticket there as well, and I know they can easily afford it, but it’s just...well, I just felt like that’s something that I shouldn’t be taking advantage of. If Kennedy and I are supposed to be making a life for ourselves then part of that is affording things like taking trips, etc. I just didn’t want to put myself into a position with her family that would make them think I was involved with her because her family is rich.”

“I get that, Willow, and I respect it, but you’ve been together a long time. I really doubt they could think that.”

Willow shrugged. “I don’t know, it’s just that being gay...well, it’s like I have to double-think the sort of stuff that I probably wouldn’t if I was straight.”

“Who are you kidding, Willow? If it was Oz’s family, you’d have done the exact same thing.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Willow said, grinning.

“You know I am. Okay, I’m off to get ready for dinner. See you in about an hour.”

“See ya.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The study door was open, and Giles motioned Willow inside. She walked up to his desk, where he had opened up the scroll. He pushed it over for her to have a look. She studied it for a moment, then looked up at him, her eyes growing big.

“Is that what I think it is?”

“Yes it is, Willow,” Giles answered, nodding slowly, as his eyes poured over the ancient text that foretold of a vampire who would help to save the world, and in return, be given back his humanity. “It’s the original scroll of the Shanshu Prophecy.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3:45PM

Hunched over his desk, pen in hand, William stopped to look at his pocket watch. It was nearly time for dinner. With a critical eye, he once again read the words he’d written on the page, knowing it was lacking, and perhaps if he’d had more time, it might have been better. In lieu of a Christmas gift, he hoped Elizabeth would forgive his pathetic effort at trying to say what was in his heart. At least he knew that he wouldn’t be scorned for his effort. As he mulled this over, it dawned on him he had something he very much wanted to give her. His mouth suddenly went dry, knowing that he had to wait until the best possible time to do so. Hopefully, that would ‘best time’ would present itself tomorrow.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Wow!” Willow said, as she looked over the scrolls.

“Indeed,” Giles echoed.

“How did Wesley get this?”

“I believe that it’s been in his possession for a long time; ever since he left Wolfram & Hart. In any case, I was hoping the original translation might provide some answers for what’s been going on with William. Truth be told, I’ve been quite concerned about him recently. He’s been going downhill for some time now.”

“He seems pretty okay today.”

“Yes, with the exception of today. Not to minimize the very important influence that Buffy has on William, but it would take more than just one day to convince me that he’s not still in some sort of...crisis.”

“You think there’s a crisis?” Willow said, her brow furrowing.

Giles had never given voice to this before, but now that he’d spoken it, he knew it to be true.

“I do, Willow.”

“Don’t you think you should talk to Buffy about this? Wait...she can’t know,” Willow said, remembering what she knew about the prophecy’s two-year clause.

“That remains to be seen. In any case, you and I will look this over within the next few days; then we’ll decide. Tonight, however, is Christmas Eve. There’s no point in Buffy having to worry.”

“Of course you’re right, Giles,” Willow said, letting out her breath. “They both deserve to be as happy as they can, for as long as they can.”

Giles nodded, and gave her hand a fatherly pat.

Willow watched distractedly, as Giles rolled up the scrolls and put them back into the tube then locked them up in the bottom drawer of his desk.

“Come,” Giles said, “I believe you said something about helping me in the kitchen...”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3:45PM

After changing into the nicest pair of pants he’d brought with him, his wine colored dress shirt, and black jacket; William went downstairs.

“Giles, Willow,” William greeted them.

“Well, don’t you look spiffy,” Willow said appreciatively, as he entered the dining room.

“You look very nice yourself, Willow. Um...where’s Elizabeth? I thought I heard her...”

“Nope, must’ve been me you heard. I guess she’s still getting ready. Why don’t you go and check on her?”

William nodded. Just as he got halfway up the stairs, he saw her at the top of them. He inhaled sharply, as he took her in. She was wearing a dark green, almost black silk skirt, and a red, sleeveless silk top. Her hair was hanging in loose curled tendrils, except for a slim, red jeweled barrette holding back one side.

Buffy stopped and smiled at him.

“Elizabeth, you...you look lovely.”

“Thanks, you look lovely yourself,” Buffy said, as she started down the stairs.

William came up, to meet her halfway.

“If you’d do me the honor, of allowing me to escort you to the dining room,” he said, as he bowed and offered her his arm.

“It would be my pleasure, William,” Buffy said, smiling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4:00PM

“Willow, Buffy, William; I’d just like to say that I’m so very glad that you’re all with me here this year. For the most part, I’m a practical man; a man who’s spent years training as a watcher, and helping to fight the forces of darkness. As a result, I’ve done or said things that have been more than a little jaded. They say that an old dog can’t be taught new tricks. However, you have taught me,” Giles said. He nodded to each of them, in turn, but ending his statement as he looked at Buffy, “that despite what sometimes appears as insurmountable odds, love does conquer all. At least, if you’re willing to open yourself to it. So, to each of you, I wish you peace, and the Happiest Christmas and New Year.”

“Thank you,” Buffy mouthed to Giles, her eyes shining with unshed tears, as they clinked wineglasses.

She looked down at her other hand that was holding William’s, not knowing or caring, who had taken whose first, during the toast. All she knew is that she was so grateful to be here with the man she loved, with her best friend, and with Giles, who’d for the most part, treated her more like a daughter than her own father had.

“Merry Christmas,” Buffy echoed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

7:00PM

Giles discreetly looked down at his watch, then up at the old-fashioned clock above the mantle in the parlor. They had adjourned there after dinner to talk and exchange their presents, although, Buffy hadn’t yet given William his, nor had he presented her with what he’d written; it was too personal to give it to her in front of the others. There had been two phone calls during this time -- one from Xander, and the other from Dawn, who promised to call tomorrow, as well.

Giles rose, clearing his throat. “It’s been a lovely evening, but I’m afraid I have another engagement.”

“On Christmas Eve?” Buffy asked, concerned. “Please, tell me it’s not Council related, Giles.”

“No, nothing like that,” Giles said, shaking his head. “I’ve been invited to a friend’s home. Do you remember Olivia, Buffy?”

“Is that the woman who came to visit you that time we all lost our voices?”

“Yes, that’s her.”

“I didn’t know you still kept in contact with her. I never heard you mention her again.”

“No, you’re right. That experience pretty much sent her packing; can’t say that I blame her, it’s a lot to expect civilians to accept the sort of life we lead.”

Everyone nodded.

“But you’re seeing her now?”

“Well, not exactly. We hadn’t spoken in some time -- she was married for a while -- then we ran into one another a couple of months ago, and have been communicating rather frequently since then. In any case, she’s invited me over to her home for the evening, so that’s where I’m headed.

“Go Giles!” Willow said, grinning.

“Um, yes, I’ll be off then,” Giles said, ignoring the friendly bait.

“Have a good time, Giles,” Buffy said.

“And all of you as well,” Giles returned.

“Did you know anything about this?” Buffy asked William, as soon as Giles had left the parlor.

“Yeah, what’s the inside scoop?” Willow asked.

William shook his head. “It’s the first I’ve heard of him seeing anybody. Honest, he never said a thing to me, nor did I ever hear him talking to anybody on the phone, nothing. Then again, I’ve been sort of preoccupied...”

“That’s okay,” Buffy said, putting her hand on William’s arm. “I’m just glad he has somebody, or at least, the chance of having somebody. He’s been alone too long.”

Willow nodded.

“So, what do you want to do?” Buffy asked them.

“Actually, Vi invited me to meet her and a couple of the girls at a pub that’s still open for a while.”

“Oh...”

“You guys want to go with?”

Buffy looked at William then shook her head. “Nah, I think we’ll just stick around here.”

“See you guys tomorrow, then. Merry Christmas Eve!” Willow said, as she sashayed out of the room. A few minutes later they heard the front door open and close.

“Guess it’s just you and me,” Buffy said.

“Yes,” he said softly.

“This is nice, isn’t it?” Buffy asked, as they watched the flames from the gas fireplace.

He nodded, sensing her eyes on him.

“What are you thinking about?” Buffy asked a few minutes later, when the silence stretched between them.

“Guess I was thinking about Christmas Eve when I was a boy.”

Buffy nodded. “Christmastime does that; makes one reminisce. I remember you telling me that you went to church on Christmas Eve as a boy.”

“I remember you telling me you didn’t,” William said, with a wry grin.

“I did last year, with you. Although, I’m sure Julian’s little church is nothing compared to Westminster Abbey.”

“Many of my earliest memories are of the little local church we attended near where we lived. It was very much like the one we went to last year. My mum and I only went there on alternating years after my father died.”

They were quiet for a moment, when suddenly he turned to her.

“Do you want to go see Westminster Abbey tonight? I mean, not for services; I just...I can’t go inside now. We could take the Tube, if you don’t mind walking a short ways, it’ll take us practically right to it. Or, we could take a cab, let you see some of London by night...”

“Either way, I’d love for you to show me it. Or whatever else you want to show me.”

“Good then,” William said. He stood and offered her a hand up. “Go get your coat.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

9:00PM

With her arm in William’s, Buffy looked up in at the white, towering cathedrals of Westminster Abbey, as the illuminating lights made them shimmer in the night sky.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, reverence in her voice.

“That it is, luv,” he said softly.

In his mind’s eye, he could see himself with another woman on his arm, as they made their way into the church for Christmas Eve Mass. He swallowed back a fresh wave of pain, as he remembered his mother. She was gone forever, had been gone for over a century. That fact alone never failed to stop him cold in his tracks.

“You okay?” Buffy asked, hearing him sigh.

“Yeah, just thinking about my mum. She would get up at dawn and spend hours, baking Christmas goodies for the next day. The house would smell good for weeks before Christmas, but on this day...” William said, his eyes focused on the past, “...on this day, the smells would be especially wonderful.”

“I bet you tried to sample the treats, didn’t you?” Buffy asked, giving him a playful jab in the ribs.

“How did you know?” William asked, looking at her in wonder.

“Just an educated guess,” Buffy replied, smiling. She remembering him wandering into the kitchen trying to steal nibbles the few times she attempted to bake.

“I did, and my mum would shoo me away, though it was more of a game between us. She would pretend to look away, and I would grab a cookie, or a small cake, and make off with it, only to repeat the same thing a few minutes later,” he said, grinning.

“She sounds lovely.”

“She was...I miss her,” William said, sadly.

“I know. I miss my mom a lot around this time of year, too,” Buffy said, adding, “You were a good son.”

A small bitter laugh escaped his lips.

“You were, William. No matter what hap...”

“Please don’t, Elizabeth. Not right now, not right here. Please.”

“Okay,” Buffy said softly, giving his arm a comforting squeeze.

After composing himself for a few moments, William continued.

“After we’d eaten, she’d allow us to open up one gift. For me, that was usually a book I’d been coveting. Knew me so well, she did. Also, she knew it would give me something to do without my getting underfoot while she spent the next few hours getting ready to come here; wanted to look just right. Know what? She didn’t need all that time; she was beautiful just as she was.”

Now Buffy had tears in her eyes. She turned to him, and gently kissed him on the cheek. William looked at her in surprise, then pulled her towards him. They stood there hugging each other for a long while.

“Come on, let’s walk around the grounds,” he suggested.

William showed her where they would go in for mass, and then they wandered around to the South Transept.

“That’s lovely,” Buffy stopped and pointed to a beautifully lit, large stained glass window with a rose design.

“Inside there is the Poet’s Corner,” William said.

“Why is it called that?”

“Dead poets are buried there.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“Not at all,” William said.

“So who’s buried in there?”

“I know Geoffrey Chaucer, who wrote Canterbury Tales is one of them. If memory serves, Charles Dickens is also interred here, along with Thomas Hardy, Lord Tennyson, Samuel Johnson...”

“The actor? Oh, wait, that’s Samuel L. Jackson, my bad. Go on.”

“I can’t recall whom else, but there’s quite a few more.”

“That’s okay, I probably wouldn’t recognize their names anyway. Though, I did know most of those you named, except for Samuel L. Jackson. I mean, Johnson. Right?”

He grinned. “Yes, Johnson, but without the ‘L’ as far as I know. Anyway, don’t know all of them myself, luv. The first time I ever heard that this was where dead poets were buried, well, let’s just say part of me was aghast. The other, quite unrealistic part of me had fanciful notions that I, William Worthington, might someday write well enough to also earn the right to be laid to rest here. Can you imagine?" William said, shaking his head at his remembered, youthful audacity. “ What a right git I was! I suppose I still am...”

“I don’t think you’re a right git,” Buffy said seriously.

He rolled his eyes in response.

“In any case, you’re my right git; or maybe that’s the right git for me. Whichever way you want to put it,” Buffy said teasingly, as she pulled the arm he had linked in hers, closer.

“Thanks ever so,” William replied dryly, but smiled none-the-less.

They walked around a bit longer before William suggested they take a taxi back to Giles.
They had come by the Tube, but the temperature had steadily been dropping since they’d been out, and snow had begun to fall. Although he’d worried about being able to find one on Christmas Eve, they didn’t have to wait long before he was able to hail one for them.

“Where to?” Asked the cabdriver whose name was Arnie.

William gave him Giles’ address on Winforton Street then asked if he would drive around London a bit first.

“You don’t mind do you, Elizabeth? You haven’t had much chance to see anything since you’ve arrived.”

“No, I don’t mind. It sounds nice. As long as Arnie doesn’t, since it’s Christmas Eve.”

“I don’t mind, ma’am. Had my Christmas dinner hours ago. I’ll be on until half past midnight.”

“Great,” Buffy said, his friendly, down to earth demeanor reminding her of certain other cabdriver in Chicago. Bernie had been so much help to them all, going way above and beyond his duty in helping her and Dawn the first time they’d met him, then later when she’d come back by herself. Lastly, to picking them up from that accursed hospital the night they’d gotten William out of there, to even driving them safely across the state line, and into Indiana to Leroy’s house.

“Although,” Buffy said pointedly, as she turned towards William; “I’ve already seen the most important thing in London.”

William shook his head in wonder, as looked into her eyes.”

“Yes, many feel that way about Westminster Abbey,” Arnie agreed, and his two passengers in the back smiled at one another.

~~~~~~~~~

For the next forty-five minutes or so, Arnie narrated as he drove them around London. William would from time to time lean over and whisper to her things that he remember from his day, or cloak his words so that their meaning would only be clear to her.

“You’re from the States, miss, aren’t you?” Arnie asked, as they finally headed back to Greenwich.

“What gave me away?” Buffy deadpanned.

Arnie chuckled. “Whereabouts?”

“California; Julian to be precise.”

“Can’t say that I’ve ever heard of that place, miss.”

“It’s about an hour north of San Diego.”

“Ah...San Diego I’ve heard of. Been saving my money to take a trip across the pond myself one day. I’ve got a cousin who’s a cabdriver himself over there.”

“Really? He doesn’t drive a cab in Chicago, by chance, does he?”

“No, can’t say that he does. He’s in Boston. I take it you know someone who drives a cab in Chicago?”

“Yes, his name is Bernie, and he was very kind to us. You sort of remind me of him.”

“Thank you miss. I’m honored you think so. We cabbies are our own band of brothers, you know?”

“I think I do.”

END CHAPTER 192