But you only disappear...

[fallen_april]

[OOI: In which there is cocoa, big-sisterly comfort, and a disappearance.]

April is on the prowl for Ben. Not JD. She can't talk to JD yet, because how can she tell him that Buffy just...

No, she has to find Ben. Freak out at Ben, then figure out what to tell JD.

If only she knew what happened...

Comments

[kingofgaychickn]

And she finds him eventually, because Ben is never very hard to find.

He smiles, immediately.

"Hey, it's the beautiful bride!" He pauses, taking in her expression with one easy sweep of his warm eyes. "April, what's the wrong?"

[fallen_april]

"Buffy's gone."

Simple words. Layers of meaning.

And it hasn't even occurred to her yet that she now doesn't have a maid of honor. It's not that important.

[kingofgaychickn]

Ben puts a hand on her arm, searching her eyes for answers.

"What do you mean... gone? I thought she died and came back here. How can she be gone?"

Yes, he knows of Buffy through JD and some through April, too. Never got to meet her though. He was planning on doing that at the wedding. Since he'd be best man and she'd be maid of honor.

[fallen_april]

"As in she was in my room and I was hugging her and all the sudden she just wasn't there."

Freak. Freak. FREAKOUT.

[kingofgaychickn]

"Okay."

Time to think of what the hell to say and what the hell this means.

"Okay." Ben holds her arm a little tighter. "Maybe you should sit down." And breathe.

[fallen_april]

"I don't know what to do. I can't tell JD, not until I at least know what's going on and how am I even supposed to find that out?" April lets Ben lead her to a chair, though, as she babbles nervously.

[kingofgaychickn]

They're sitting.

Ben thinks this is a good first step.

And then, he hugs her, because he knows she's freaked out and because he has no idea what to do either.

"This is the Inn. It wouldn't let anything bad happen to her, right? I'm sure she's fine."

He sounds really reassuring for having no idea what he's talking about.

[fallen_april]

April clings, and lets herself start crying, which is what she's been wanting to do for a while now. "What if she never comes back? JD'll worry about her so much, and she needs this place and... and..."

[kingofgaychickn]

"I don't know. I wish I did, but I don't." Ben says, keeping his strong arms around her, and then he mutters, "God, I wish I did."

[fallen_april]

Deep breaths.

"I have to tell him by tonight," she says softly. "He has to know before the wedding. Otherwise he won't know why she's not there."

[kingofgaychickn]

"Yeah." Ben nods.

He hasn't let go of her yet. "Yeah, he needs to know tonight. Give him time to process it."

[fallen_april]

"I don't even know what to say, though. I don't know what happened."

[kingofgaychickn]

Ben shakes his head.

"Just tell him what you told me. That's all you can say."

[fallen_april]

"I know, just..." April cuddles against him. "I'm so worried about her."

[kingofgaychickn]

"I am too." Ben says quietly, hugging her tight. "And I don't even know her."