The Simple Black Dress
by cathy nort
chapter 8
[reviews]
"Well hello Daisy Mae."
Buffy had found her way to the road and was walking so deep in thought that she hadn't been aware of where she was at. She looked up and saw it was Willow who had spoken and the redhead was unloading several packages from the trunk of Morgan's car.
Buffy walked up the drive until she was beside Willow just as she was closing the trunk. Buffy reached for one of the bags. "Here, let me give you a hand."
Willow allowed her to grab one of the bags and took the opportunity to kiss Buffy quickly on the cheek then she stepped back and surveyed the blond. "Out hiking mountain girl?"
Buffy laughed. "Don't I look cute? It took me hours to select this outfit."
They went into the house and to the room they were sharing where Buffy sat on the bed. Willow proudly showed Buffy what she had bought one item at a time. Buffy nodded politely as each item was held up but Willow saw that her girlfriend was hardly interested in the purchases so she stopped and went over to the bed. "What's up sweets? You're not being dazzled."
"I know. Kinda not in the mood." Buffy was still disturbed by her encounter with Daphne's mother. It wasn't her rudeness that so upset her, although it was that too, but one thing she had said kept revolving in Buffy's head. "That's not my daughter in there." In there? In where?
Willow sank down beside to Buffy who then spent the next few minutes telling the redhead about meeting Jodi.
"She doesn't sound like a very nice person." Willow said.
"Angry. She was so angry. And it seemed to be at the whole world. All I did was mention Daphne and boom!"
Willow rubbed Buffy's shoulder and kissed her softly on the mouth. "Don't let it upset our week here. I want it to be perfect."
"Me too," Buffy said. But did she mean it? Last night, that episode, wasn't something you could just brush off. It was scary. Being physically attacked was one thing. Buffy, a Slayer, had more than her share of that, and that itself didn't alarm her unnecessarily. What alarmed her was Willow and that the redhead either was ignoring it or couldn't remember that it happened at all. That Willow was lying about it wasn't possible. She would never in a million years lie to Buffy. The mystery remained as to why. Buffy and Willow had not been knocked out cold for no reason. What was the reason?
And another thing, when Buffy had started to follow Willow she had had trouble. She had been almost in a stupor. Her co-ordination had been awful. She had been unsteady, staggering even. What had been wrong with me, Buffy wondered.
Buffy felt Willow's hand squeeze hers. "Honey. I'm losing you. Quit thinking so much. It's so unlike you. I thought you were a girl of action and this girl," Willow leaned in close to Buffy her lips almost on Buffy's, "wants some action on HER if you know what I mean. Now I'm going to lock the door so we're not disturbed and I'm going to show you some moves I've been fantasizing about."
* * * * *
"I've invited Daphne over tonight," Morgan said at dinner. "She's a monopoly nut. And so am I. I was hoping you two would indulge us in a little round."
"For sure. Me and my blond friend here are the champions of Sunnydale. Everyone just crumbles into lumps of coal at he mere mention of our names." Willow was in a bubbly mood. She always was after being intimate with Buffy. And Buffy knew she was the cause and that alone made her feel warm inside.
"Isn't that right Buffy? We strike fear in the hearts of everyone who pretends to be monopoly experts."
"The truth is, Morgan, I haven't played since I was eight years old. Willow must have me confused with another blond friend of hers."
Daphne arrived at seven o'clock and the board was all layed out on the kitchen table. The girl had brought an overnight bag with her so it was evident she would be staying the night. She looked tomboyish in her faded flannel shirt and worn jeans, Buffy thought. And cute despite the scar that looked rawer in the brightness of the overhead light.
"I met your mother today." Buffy said to Daphne as they sat down.
The smile on Daphne's face faded. "Oh. She didn't mention it when I saw her a few minutes ago. I hope she was more pleasant then she usually is."
"Daphne," Morgan's voice was in the tone of a reprimand. She obviously was close enough to Daphne that correcting her was not out of the question."Let's not go there."
The dark haired girl shrugged and started counting her money a frown crossing her face.
Willow had gone back to the bedroom to freshen up. Buffy watched her as she returned. She could see her as she came down the hall. She looked oh so lovely Buffy thought to herself. How lucky I am to be in love with her and her with me. She smiled as Willow came into the kitchen. Willow had brushed her hair, put on some fresh lipstick and changed from her tank top and shorts. She was now wearing the black dress she had worn to the wedding. Both Morgan and Daphne looked up as Willow sat down.
Buffy noticed the two glanced from Willow to each a look of conspiracy seemed to pass between them.
"That dress so becomes you, Willow." Morgan said. "What do you think Daphne? Isn't she a doll?"
Daphne was looking directly at Buffy. "She's gorgeous. Absolutely knock out gorgeous."
"Ok guys." Willow's shyness surfaced. "Enough. I'm going to go home with a swelled head and an inflated ego if you keep this up. I'll be impossible to live with. Besides I don't want to talk about knockouts. Buff had a nightmare last night so let's not bring knockouts up."
Daphne's eyes widened. "Oh? A nightmare? I find nightmares awful. Did it upset you?"
"I didn't know that," Morgan cut in. She was watching Buffy intently now. "I hope it wasn't about my hospitality."
Buffy turned to Willow with a "why did you bring that up" look. Willow cringed realizing she had made a mistake.
Daphne pressed the issue. "About what Buffy? As horrid as I find them they always raise my curiosity. How scary was it?"
"Not scary actually. Just unusual. For a dream that is. It was so vivid that I could swear it actually happened." Buffy wanted to drop the subject but she saw that both Morgan and Daphne were keenly interested so she described the 'dream'. "Willow was sleep walking. As a matter of fact she was wearing the very same dress she's wearing now. She went out the patio doors and I followed her. She disappeared behind the barn out back and then I found her lying, unconscious, on the ground. Someone had knocked her out. Then......wham....I got knocked out too. That's all there is to it. It's more strange than frightening."
"Is that the whole dream?" Morgan asked. "Is there any more?"
"No. Not really. By the way when I went walking this morning I went past your barn. Do you always keep it locked up? I was hoping I could take a peek inside one day. There's something fascinating about barns. They're intriguing."
Morgan was taken off guard. "Oh. The barn. It's not safe. I keep it locked up so kids don't get inside. It's really falling apart and I'm afraid someone might get hurt in there. Buffy, I'd rather you not be in there."
"Hey, are we going to play monopoly or aren't we? I'm anxious to kick some butt." Daphne said successfully steering the subject away from both the barn and Buffy's dream.