For the Sake of the Song (17/17)
One Year Later
William opened one eye and squinted at the clock before turning to Buffy and trailing light kisses down her bare back. “Wake up, sunshine,” he murmured in her ear. “Got lots to do today.”
“Mmpf,” Buffy grumbled into her pillow. She swatted at him and pulled the covers up around her ears. “Tired. Sleep now.”
William leaned against the headboard and smiled down at her rumpled blond head. “All right, you can sleep in. But no presents for graduates who don’t get out of bed on time…”
Buffy opened her eyes and peered up at him. “Presents?”
He nodded. “But we can wait till after graduation if you’d rather,” he said.
“No, no, I’m awake.” She rolled over and stretched. “See, all wide-eyed and bushy-“ A huge yawn interrupted her declaration of wakefulness. “Okay, so maybe some coffee would be of the good here.”
“I can go brew a pot.”
Buffy grabbed his arm when he moved to get out of bed. “Oh, no, mister, you said presents, I want presents! Coffee can wait. Now gift me. Gift me good.”
William laughed and kissed her. When he was finally able to pull himself away from her lips and limbs, he reached into the drawer of the bedside table. Buffy rolled her eyes at him.
“I have really got to remember that you have no concept of how to hide things,” she said.
“If you’re going to be sassy, I can just put this somewhere you’ll never find it.”
Buffy smiled sweetly. “I’ll be good. Promise.” Buffy held out her hand expectantly and glanced up at him in surprise when he handed her two airplane tickets. “We’re going to… England? Are you serious?”
“Yeah. Been talking to Giles, and he and Jenny are planning a trip with Dawn and Alistair this summer. Thought we could go, too.”
“Oh, my god, that’s fantastic! Thank you!” Buffy sat up and hugged him tightly.
“Glad you like it, pet. We’re going to be there a bit longer than everyone else. We’ll fly out with them, but after they leave, we’ve got another two weeks to explore. Maybe head over to France, if you like.”
Buffy sort of melted into his arms. “This is perfect, William,” she said.
“Well, that means it’s just about good enough for you, then.” He kissed her softly. “Have I told you lately how proud I am of you? You’ve been working so hard, you deserve a treat before you start grad school.”
“Ugh, don’t remind me,” Buffy groaned. “Why am I not taking a year off?”
“Because you really want to be a psychologist? Or you’re crazy, I’m not sure which.” William brushed her messy hair away from her face. “Now, you want some breakfast in bed before I go fetch your family from the airport?”
Buffy tugged him down onto the mattress next to her. “Only if you’re on the menu,” she said with a saucy grin.
***
William watched with pride as Buffy strode across the stage in her cap and gown, and collected her diploma from the dean of students. She turned toward the audience with a brilliant smile; even though she couldn’t see him in the sea of faces, he knew that smile was just for him.
A warm hand gripped his tightly, and he looked over at Dawn’s shining face. “You’re going to do it at dinner, right?” she whispered in his ear.
William nodded and swallowed around the sudden lump in his throat. “That’s the plan, pigeon,” he said. “Now shush, no one else’s supposed to know. Not till big sis does.” He flicked his eyes past Dawn to Giles and Jenny, who were, of course, paying no attention to either of them. Jenny was busy keeping Alistair entertained and quiet, while Giles was looking suspiciously teary-eyed and polishing his glasses.
William was lost in his thoughts through the rest of the graduation ceremony and was startled when Dawn tugged on his sleeve. “C’mon,” she said. “Let’s go find Buffy!”
He followed her slender form through the crowd, and within five minutes, he spied Buffy’s golden hair. She turned and spotted him and Dawn. She grinned widely and waved her diploma in the air. William rushed to her side and swept her into his arms, hugging her close. “There’s my girl,” he said. “So proud of you, love.”
Dawn pushed him aside as soon as he released Buffy and gave her sister an enormous hug. “Yay! Can we go eat now?” she demanded. She winked at William over Buffy’s shoulder. He rolled his eyes at her and shook his head.
Buffy laughed at Dawn. “Always thinking with your stomach,” she teased. “But no, I want to talk to some of my friends and professors first. You’ll just have to wait. Maybe Jenny has some Cheerios you can munch on or something.”
Dawn sighed and came to stand next to William, waiting as patiently as an over-caffeinated seventeen year old was able while Buffy accepted congratulations from Giles and Jenny and planted adoring kisses on Alistair’s chubby cheeks. Buffy’s friends - Willow and her girlfriend Tara, Xander and his fiancé Anya - crowded around her in an excited buzz.
It was almost an hour later when Buffy was ready to leave the Portland State University campus. She slipped her hand into William’s and linked arms with Dawn. They headed north on the pedestrian trail towards downtown, where they were to meet everyone for dinner at Buffy’s favorite restaurant. Buffy and Dawn chattered excitedly as they walked the tree-lined path. William let them natter on, happy just to be with his two best girls on a beautiful spring day. His right hand drifted to his pocket and surreptitiously patted the small box contained there.
William let his mind drift. Finding Buffy again - or rather, being found by Buffy - had been a turning point for him. He had realized, especially after the things Norah had said to him, that he had been intensely lonely for most of his life. Even during his relationship with Dru, he had kept his distance from everyone around him. It was only with Buffy that he had opened up and allowed someone in, let someone know who he really was. Since they had reconnected, he’d found himself accepted into her tight-knit circle of friends and family. To a man who’d spent much of his youth as an object of ridicule and his early adult years trying to maintain a tough-guy image that truly didn’t fit, it was a welcome change to be liked for himself.
They had reached a small park on Southwest Madison when William came to a sudden stop. He looked at Buffy’s shining hair and happy face, dappled in the sunlight, and drew her off the path and onto the grass. Buffy and Dawn wore identical expressions of surprise when he dropped to one knee in front of Buffy. He heard Dawn’s excited, “Oh my god!” as he took Buffy’s hand in his, but he couldn’t pay attention to anything but the look in Buffy’s eyes.
“I was going to wait,” he said, “but I just can’t. I love you, Buffy Anne Summers. You have made my life worth living. Every day that I spend with you is a day that I am grateful to be alive. Please, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” He fumbled for the ring box in his pocket and held it out to her. “And please don’t run away from me this time,” he added with a grin.
Buffy flushed at his final words, but the huge smile never dropped from her face. “Oh, William,” she said, falling to her knees and raining kisses on his face. “Yes, yes, of course!”
Tears filled William’s eyes as he carefully slid the ring onto her trembling finger. They shared a tender kiss before they were both knocked sideways by the force of Dawn wrapping her long arms around them.
“Oh my god, you guys, I’m so happy!” she squealed into William’s ear. “Hang on, I need to take a picture!” She pulled her camera from her purse and began snapping pictures.
William chuckled at Dawn’s antics before looking back at Buffy. He gazed at her solemnly, the barest hint of a smile curving his lips. “I love you,” he said, and kissed her again.
“I love you, too, Mr. Pratt,” Buffy said.
“You’re always gonna be my girl, right?”
“I am. I promise.” Buffy glanced down at her ring and back up at William. “Always.”
And she was.