Reveal
by DawnBTVS
Chapter 26
[reviews]
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Mutant Enemy, Fox, Joss, etc.
Rating: PG-13 (think Buffy show for violence/subject matter/language)
Time Frame: December, 2nd Week.
Pairings: G/J, B/W, X/W
A/N: Finally home for Christmas Break. I should be more active in my chapter production now.
Buffy sat on her bed, Indian style with the palms of her hands squeezing her knees. The blonde had waked Willow, and the rest of the day had been spent in quiet with a heavy emphasis on avoidance of what had occurred. Buffy, unsure of how to console Willow, and the redhead out of embarrassment and self judgment. Buffy exhaled, eyes pinned to the phone resting in front of her, the blonde mentally trying to decide whether to call Willow or not.
The two had walked home at the end of the day, neither discussing what happened, and any attempt at conversation quickly sputtering out until the final three miles were spent in silence. Buffy frowned, remembering how Willow had stiffened and stepped out of reach when Buffy went to link her arm with the redhead's and Buffy couldn't help the spark of anger but she had forced it down. Just like she was forcing any talk about her fears down, unwilling to let Willow know how scared the Slayer was. Buffy eased off the bed and walked out of her bedroom, smoothly trodding down the staircase to greet her mother in the living room.
"Is everything alright?" Joyce asked, shifting as Buffy sat down next to her mother. An old black and white movie was playing on the television screen, but the sound had been lowered in an effort to not wake the blonde.
Buffy gestured with her head towards the stairs. "Mom time sounded more practical than just staring at the phone."
Joyce regarded her daughter, watching Buffy stare at the screen, focused on a kiss between the male and female leads. "Planning to call somebody?"
Buffy flickered her attention back to her mother and shrugged her shoulders. "I would if I could muster the courage, but it's kind of hard to because I'm not sure if Willow's even still awake for one thing," Buffy stated, pausing to glance at the box of chocolates on the coffee table. "Early Christmas gift?"
"I tried to hold off but with the gallery workload getting heavy for the holiday... you and Willow could come by and see the Christmas gallery showing. I know there were... extenuating circumstances last year but I think Willow would appreciate it," Joyce suggested, small smile on her face.
Buffy nodded. The circumstances had been the blonde getting kicked out of Hemery and the resulting search for a new town to move to. "She probably knows more art than most of Sunnydale, even without a passing interest in the subject." Buffy sighed and bit her lip before staring at her mother, "Willow told me that her parents are doing an annual vacation down to Rio Branco in Brazil for the next month. They're leaving in a few days and... I understand Willow doesn't celebrate Christmas like we do but it'd be nice to have a third party again."
Joyce folded her hands in her lap and regarded Buffy's nervous look. "The month?" At Buffy's nod, Joyce glanced at the television screen where the couple that had been kissing were whispering to one another at a dining room table at a big dinner party. "Why are you having trouble calling her?"
Buffy frowned, not pleased that her mother was putting her on the spot. Buffy turned her body so she was resting back against the opposite arm rest, front to front with her mother. "It's more a me issue, not Willow even though it kinda pertains to her but it's not her fault, really. It's confusing, Mom."
"I have time, Buffy," Joyce said, reaching over and grabbing the remote. She turned the television off and laid the remote back next to the stack of art magazines that had been touched only once.
"I can't..." Buffy muttered, stopping to stare up at the ceiling in an effort to try and find a way to explain this without explaining what it meant supernaturally. "Over the past two years, my decisions have been questionable at best, I know and I know that it's been extremely difficult on you and Dad. I never meant to break you two up."
Joyce shook her head, instantly grabbing Buffy's hand with her own. "Honey, you didn't do anything to break your father and I up. Yes, the trouble didn't help the situation, but it was all there long before. The yelling was confined to the bedroom before your... late night excursions."
Buffy grimaced, dismayed at the thought that her parents would have broken up anyway. She swallowed, eyes locked on her mother's hand. "Half the Sunnydale population has left town because of those... creatures."
Joyce let Buffy's hand go and nodded her head. "As a last resort, we could visit your father in Los Angeles."
"Aren't you scared?" Buffy asked, gazing at her mother. Joyce smiled softly.
"Yes, Buffy. But... the conversations I've had with gallery visitors has told me that there's somebody or something out there that knows how to deal with these... demons. Some kind of real life superhero," Joyce chuckled, noticing Buffy's strained smile. "Too grown up for superheroes?"
"Not quite," Buffy whispered, offering up a small smile at her mother's look. "I want to call Will but there's issues. God..." Buffy sighed, wanting to just blurt everything out, instead hugging her arms around her stomach. "I want to confide in you, Mom. I'd love nothing more than that but I can't... I can't put you in that kind of position."
Joyce frowned, shaking her head. "I don't understand, Buffy."
"You're the best Mom a girl could ask for but there's just some things that you're better off not knowing. This... is one of those times."
Joyce exhaled, a weary expression coming over her face, resting a hand against the side of her temple. "Why do you shut me out, Buffy? I'm trying to understand you, especially after what's happened the past two years with staying out until past midnight and finding torn clothes shoved at the bottom of your laundry." Joyce closed her eyes as Buffy bit her trembling lip, staring down at her lap instead of the pained expression on her mother's face.
"It's for your own good, Mom," Buffy whispered, eyebrows furrowed.
Joyce glanced at her daughter. "Is it? Sometimes, Buffy, I really wonder if you'll ever tell me anything. I had to corner you and Willow about your relationship and now you won't tell me what's bothering you." Joyce kept her eyes on her daughter as Buffy lifted her eyes up to her mother's.
"I..." but whatever thought Buffy had, died on her lips. Buffy eased herself off the couch and turned towards the stairs.
"If Willow wants, she can help choose the Christmas tree."
Buffy offered a grateful smile and gave a short nod. "Okay." Buffy headed to the stairs, starting up, but paused halfway up. Her mother had turned the television on, but her head was in her hands. Buffy sniffled and continued up to her room.
~~~BTVS~~~
Willow's eyes flashed open, shutting instantly upon flashing towards the sunlight streaming in through her window. She groaned softly, rolling onto her side, but staying underneath the covers. "Buffy?" Willow called out quietly, before realizing she was in her own bed, in her own home. She could hear footsteps downstairs and recognized, from the ding of the coffee machine and soft mutterings, that her parents were likely having breakfast.
"Now, here's the weather for Sunnydale today on this bright morn-" chirped from the alarm but Willow promptly shut it off, registering that it was a little after six A.M. Willow sighed, peeling the covers off herself, taking note that she was drenched in sweat from her nightmare.
"Not real. A nightmare only," Willow muttered to herself, trying to wipe away the remnants of sleep as she sat up in bed. Willow pulled up the sleeve of her top and winced, taking in the faint scratch along the inside of her forearm. Willow pushed herself off the bed, running a finger over the scratch as she stumbled towards the bathroom. "Have to check," she gasped, throwing herself up against the sink upon opening the door. "Green," she mumbled to herself, relief washing over her.
"Willow! Are you awake, dear?" Sheila called up.
"I'm up, Mom. Just getting ready," Willow answered back.
~~~BTVS~~~
Buffy glanced to her right, staring down at the notebook of her table mate with a frown, before glancing down at her own. While her notebook was full of scribble marks with various arrows connecting ideas and thoughts along with a mixture of short hand and long hand remarks, the other notebook was pristine. Every remark lined up neatly, the majority of it in shorthand that looked like it came from a printer. Buffy's looked the way she had written it... in a panic.
"Buffy, what do you do? Not like it ain't hard to take notes off the board," chided Wendy, the Texan girl smiling at the blonde. "If ya want, you can borrow my notes again. Pretty soon, I'll be dragging along a copier for you."
Buffy bristled slightly but settled when Wendy's smile dimmed slightly. "My notes may be hard to read from someone else's point of view, but it all has a system," Buffy insisted, trying to defend her writing.
Wendy shook her head. "Xander's the same way. That is... when he bothers taking notes," Wendy admitted. Buffy frowned, not happy being compared to Xander, especially academically. "So, what ya'll have planned? I mean, you and Willow? Xander's gonna stay at my folks place. Says his folks are a bit... testy anyways."
Buffy bit her lip. She knew Xander hadn't told Wendy about... her and Willow and she certainly didn't feel like letting the girl in. "Willow's parents are going on vacation and I'm gonna invite her to spend Christmas at our house."
"Isn't she Jewish?" Wendy commented, a puzzled expression on her face.
Buffy sighed. She and Xander really could be a perfect match. "Yes, but that doesn't mean we can't spend time together during the Holidays."
"True," Wendy commented while smoothly scribbling down the latest notes while Buffy exhaled, hastily trying to get them down before they were erased. Wendy glanced at Buffy, scrutinizing the blonde for a few seconds. "I hope I ain't imposing but... I got a question for ya, Buffy. Well, I couldn't help hearing from some others that maybe there's something between you an' Willow. It's just... ya'll with the Halloween dressing and the dancing together n' all... It true?"
Buffy sized the brunette up, gritting her teeth at the knowledge that somebody was spreading rumors about her and Willow. Even if they were true, and granted they did dance in public at a school sponsored event... that didn't give the right for others to gossip behind their backs! "If it is, are you gonna concern yourself with it?" Buffy challenged.
"No. I think it's nice ya found somebody. I can't imagine being without Xander after we met." Wendy giggled and flashed Buffy a grin, "Says he might show me his Snoopy dance. Willow told me he does a good impression too."
"I'll bet," Buffy remarked, failing to completely hide the smile. "Wait, where are we?" Buffy asked, peering at Wendy's still copying hand to catch herself up.
"Sure you don't want a copy of my notes?"
Buffy shook her head. "I'm stubborn. System," Buffy reminded Wendy, pointing at her own haphazard notes. Wendy smiled and nodded.
"I'll make you a copy in case you want 'em. Willow likes to compare her notes to mine anyway."
"Really?" Buffy asked, annoyed. Here she was, borrowing the notes from Willow and they were likely the same as Wendy's.
"Sure is efficient with her schoolwork."
"No taking it lightly with Will."
The bell rang, signaling the end of class much to Buffy's surprise, the blonde trying to finish the last few notes as Wendy began packing her class tools beside her. Buffy glanced over, furrowed her brow, and continued scribbling. "If you're looking for Willow, I think she's in the computer teacher's class," Wendy remarked, earning a grateful smile from Buffy.
"Thanks, Wendy."
TBC