Blast from the Past by Zarrah

1 :: 2 :: 3 :: 4 :: 5 :: 6 :: 7 :: 8 :: 9 ::

Chapter 1

Buffy Summers juggled the shopping bags in her arms, stopping briefly when one slipped, before continuing the climb to her apartment. The last of her shopping done, she now possessed more wine than any six people needed and enough food for a small army.

She reached her door, fumbling with her keys when she heard the phone ringing inside her apartment. With a silent curse she shoved the key in, unlocking the door before rushing through the doorway. Placing her bags down on the couch, she headed for the phone and snatched up the receiver.

"Hello."

"Ready for a weekend of debauchery?"

"Willow!" Buffy squealed, happily. "Oh my God it's so good to hear your voice."

Willow's laughter sounded like music to her ears. She smiled big before lowering herself into a nearby chair.

"I know. I hate we hardly get to talk anymore."

"Me too," Buffy smiled, sadly. "You are still planning on coming this weekend, aren't you?"

"Oh, I wouldn't miss it! Who else have you heard from?"

"Well, Cordelia called. She won't be in until Friday evening."

"Why so late?"

"Something about a last minute re-shoot. She called yesterday bitching about her co-star stepping into her light and making her look pale or some such crap." Buffy laughed, leaning back into her chair and thought of her now very famous friend.

Cordelia Chase, one of Sunnydale High's elite, currently lived her dream in New York. She left everything behind and moved to the City of Lights right after graduation. The Queen Bee, or so they called her, graced billboards and appeared in countless movies. Of all the girls in their clique, Cordelia was by far the most successful.

"Anyway, you know how Cordelia is," Buffy grinned. "She apparently hasn't changed much."

"Did you really expect her to?"

"No, but I hoped. If the others are still self-centered like they use to be, we're going to be in trouble."

"We'll just ignore them like we always did."

Buffy laughed. "Sounds like a plan to me."

"Have you heard from the others?"

"Yes. Amy, Harmony and Anya are all coming in on Thursday, so I guess it will just be the two of us until then."

"Well, you aren't going to hear me complain. I miss the one-on-one chats we use to have."

"Me too," Buffy said, remembering her closest friend and their talks fondly. She and Willow were inseparable in high school and their friendship stayed strong throughout the years. "So, when does your plane land?"

"I should get in around seven Wednesday evening. Are you still picking me up at the airport?"

"I'll be there."

"Great! Well I still have a few class assignments to go over with the substitute and I need to talk with the Dean, so I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay Willow. I can't wait to see you."

Buffy practically bounced in her seat by the time both girls said their good-byes. Four years had passed since she'd seen her oldest friends and the Sunnydale High ten-year class Reunion drew closer by the day.

Of the friends, Willow and Buffy were the closest. The once-shy red-head now held the title of `professor' at a very prestigious college in up state New York and Buffy couldn't wait to see her again. Getting a chance to reminisce with her oldest friends is exactly what she needed. Living in L.A. was lonely, but she hoped to ease some of the pain she felt with the weekend's planned activities.

They all decided to crash at Buffy's apartment for a little girl's weekend out. She lived the closest to Sunnydale and it made more sense than everyone renting a hotel room.

After graduation, every one moved on with their lives, moving to the far corners of the country, herself included. Her mother moved them to L.A. and together, they established the large art gallery Buffy now owned since her mother's passing two years ago.

Being away from her friends left a hole in her life, but she felt liberated. She did whatever she wanted, and dated whomever she saw fit, without having to have her friends' constant approval.

The girls would soon be all together again and Buffy couldn't wait. No matter how inferior her friends made her feel, seeing them again left her feeling giddy with excitement. She'd looked forward to this all year long.


* * * *


Buffy paced nervously in front of the large windows at LAX, awaiting the arrival of Willow's plane. She hadn't seen her since her mother's funeral. They tried to talk at least once a week since Buffy felt so isolated living in L.A. alone.

She felt completely out of touch with the real world. Running the gallery took up most of her free time. Although her employees were around her same age, she learned the hard way not to mix business with pleasure. Watching her days turn to nights from behind the glass windows of her gallery wasn't the life she imagined for herself, but like it or not, it's all she had.

L.A. was a large city and although Buffy loved her life there, her limited amount of friends just didn't seem like enough. She missed the gang and the reunion seemed like the perfect excuse for them all to get together again.

Buffy walked over to the small crowd gathering, awaiting other passengers. Straining her neck, she waved when she saw the bright smile she knew belonged to Willow. She let out a squeal when her friend looked up and saw her.

She quickly pushed her way through the crowd, making her way toward Willow. Tears and laughter erupted when the two girls finally made it to each other and the other occupants of the airport couldn't help but smile at their squeals of excitement.

"Oh God Buffy, I'm so happy to see you! Let me get a good look at you," Willow said, pulling back from her.

Buffy stood up straight, preening for her friend and grinning like an idiot. Hours spent at the salon getting her long blonde locks highlighted and her tan a warm golden brown apparently paid off. Willow seemed to approve.

"My, my," Willow grinned. "Who is this woman you've become?"

"I'm not that different."

"Sure you are. Just look at those curves!"

Buffy agreed with her there. No longer the wafer thin, petite girl from high school. Her five-foot-three frame filled out, womanly curves now graced her petite figure and she smiled knowing all her hard work in the gym finally paid off.

"Well, I can't say you've changed much," Buffy laughed. Willow's red hair was still cut short--the ends just barely touching her shoulders. She'd added a few streaks of highlights since the last time they were together. Her clothing style had taken a turn for the better it seemed. No longer did she see the wild colors or prints. A very stylish gray pants suit made her look every bit the professional she was.

"You know me," Willow said. "I'm scared of change."

"Liar."

Both girls laughed before Buffy sighed happily. "I've missed you so much."

"Don't you dare cry, missy!"

Buffy grinned. "I can't help it. You know I get emotional over nothing. It feels like I haven’t seen you in forever."

"I know," Willow said, the two finally turning and making their way over to the baggage carousel to gather Willow's luggage.

It only took a few minutes before they spotted her bags. They made the slow progression through the hoard of people trying to escape the airport and they both laughed once making it outside.

"Let's get out of here. We have tons of catching up to do before the others get here tomorrow."

"I'm right behind you."

* * * *

Buffy held her sides with both hands. The constant laughter had her in stitches. The four friends who'd managed to make it into L.A. early sat around her living room telling stories of the last ten years of their lives. She constantly wiped her eyes, tears streaming down her face from the best laughing fit in ages. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed so hard.

After more wine than any of them needed, they were all in gossip mode and the girls we're spilling every little dirty secret they knew.

"And then Anya tells him, `Multiple orgasms are a must, so if you can't deliver, then let me know up front. I would hate to waste the next forty-eight hours of my life if you aren't going to please me'." Amy's face was red by the time she finished trying to imitate her fast-talking, very blunt friend.

The room burst into another round of giggles before Buffy said, "Oh, Anya, you didn't?" She stared at the most flamboyant of her friends. Anya was by far the most outrageous person she'd ever met. She was blunt and spoke her mind no matter what the circumstances.

The loudest of the group, she hadn’t changed much from what Buffy could tell. Always the comedic relief, nothing that came out of her mouth surprised anyone.

Anya looked much like she did in high school. Her short brown hair looked flirty, just like her. Her five-foot-five frame still thin but there wasn't anything skinny about her. The most voluptuous of them all, Anya used sex like a weapon. Anywhere and anyway is what Anya liked and the men she picked to fill her nights weren't your average Joes.

"What?" Anya said, smiling. "He was cute but come on; I don't have time for casual sex. I'm not getting any younger. If I plan on meeting mister right, I have to weed out the mistakes before I wake up one day and realize the man next to me has very few sexual skills and his penis isn't even that large in the light."

"You know Anya, maybe you need to look into hooking up in a threesome situation until you find your stud. It will cut back on the time you spend hunting Mr. Right," Harmony said without looking up. She scanned their old high school yearbook, idly flipping through the pages. Her voice barely made it over the roar of laughter from the others.

"Oh, now there's a plan," Amy chimed in.

"Or--you can just wait until Saturday and see if Xander is still available," Harmony grinned.

Harmony Kendall, the vainest girl Buffy had ever met, still preened like a princess. Even in pajamas she looked ready for a night on the town.

Buffy watched her when she turned her head and looked at everyone, grinning before turning the book so the others could see. Her perfectly manicured fingertips tapped loudly on the picture of Xander and she tossed her over-bleached hair back across her shoulder before going back to the book.

"Oh please," Anya sneered. "He stands me up for the Prom for some stupid family gathering and you expect me to just invite him back into my bed? No, thank you."

"Good lord, Anya!" Willow squealed. "His grandmother died. I can't see faulting him on something he had no control over."

"Well, I spent good money for that dress only to have icky Andrew fawn all over me like I was Aphrodite herself all evening! Xander Harris can bite my ass."

"Speaking of icky…guess who I just found?" Harmony said in a sing-song voice, smiling wide before turning to look up at the girls.

"Who?" Amy asked, swallowing the last bit of her wine before motioning to Willow to refill her glass.

"Why, it's Buffy's very own, one-man cheering section."

Buffy felt her heart lurch in her chest. Her friends all jumped up from their seats and ran to Harmony's side to see the guy no one had seen in ten years. She smiled, looking away briefly, before watching them practically fall in the floor laughing.

"Come on guys," Buffy said, shaking her head. "He wasn't that bad."

"Holy shit, I wonder if he'll be at the reunion," Amy asked, "I so want to see him again!"

"I wonder what he did after high school?" Anya asked, staring down at the picture. The scrawny, curly brown haired boy staring back at her from the page sent her into another fit of giggles.

"I bet he's some janitor somewhere, still writing that ridiculous poetry and stealing glances at the ladies over those wide-framed, dorky glasses," Harmony laughed.

Buffy continued to smile before standing and walking to the kitchen to grab another bottle of wine, listening to the others talk about William.

It was true he hadn't been the most popular in school. He was the one guy everyone targeted for their punching bag. Not literally, but the punches they threw at him were just as bad.

On any given day, someone would humiliate him. His tall, gangly frame stood out amongst the Californians. His complexion, almost a pasty white color, made him look sickly and his mop of curly brown hair always hung around his ears and over his forehead. He stayed to himself and rarely spoke to anyone…besides her.

In the two years he'd attended Sunnydale, he never missed the opportunity to speak to her. She found it cruel how people treated him but at the time, felt powerless to stop it. She stood by and watched so many of her friends taunt him and call him names and even though their actions were childish and immature, she did nothing to stop them.

She hadn't thought of him in years, the last time being when she was feeling rather lonely and in her "poor me" mood. She'd pulled down her memento box and looked through the poems he'd written her. After all these years she didn't have the heart to toss them out. Nerd or not, William Gregory held a special place in her heart. He was without a doubt, the sweetest guy Buffy had ever met.

Everyone attending Sunnydale High knew William had a major crush on her. Anytime anyone saw him, he was either staring at her or scribbling in his journal. And everyone knew what he wrote about. Almost daily someone would snatch the journal away from him and read it aloud. Poetry and stories filled the pages. Most of them were about true love and beauty so rare Buffy couldn't help but smile.

She knew most of what he wrote was about her and at the time she'd laughed along with the others because it was the cool thing to do. It wasn't until the day she found out her jock boyfriend, Angel, cheated on her that she found a small note tucked into her locker. The words, "He will never be good enough for you," struck her like a bolt of lightening. She took the time to really examine William then and what he wrote for only her.

From that moment on, every time she found a new poem, she secretly read the verses until she'd practically memorized them. Reading between the lines, she could see the heartfelt words he wrote just for her and she finally looked at him.

She didn't see the boy everyone thought him to be. She saw the boy he wanted her to see. She saw a kind soul who, even though countless people taunted him daily for his affections toward her, never stopped trying.

The laughs and jokes at his expense didn't stop and even though she'd laughed and gone along with her friends' teasing of him to keep up appearances, a part of her liked the thought of him caring so much for her. And he did. She could see it in his written words and the way he looked at her.

William Gregory had been in love with her.

"Hey, Buffy," Amy yelled from the living room, "Remember when he asked you to the Prom?"

Buffy turned her head, smiling back into the other room when their laughter continued and the memory came back to her. She didn't know how many times she wished she could go back and change the events of that day. She could still see the tears in William's eyes. The pained expression on his face when the entire room burst into laughter after someone overheard their conversation still haunted her.

He was the butt of jokes for weeks after that…all because of her. They laughed and called him names and Buffy did nothing to stop them. She never defended him, or offered to help, and a piece of her died every time someone made his life hell because of her.

She liked William. Not as much as he liked her, but she liked him. He wasn't the quintessential jock with good looks and a body to go along with it. He was quiet and shy and, even if she admitted only to herself, had the most amazing blue eyes of anyone she'd ever met. He wasn't terrible to look at either, but at the time, anyone not wearing the latest fashions was considered less than desirable. His geek status alone put him in the no-touch zone. He never should have registered on her radar…but he did.

She never told anyone what she thought of him. Not even Willow. Her friends would have had her committed for even thinking it. William was a social leper at the time and even though her personal life was in shambles, she would have given anything to have someone actually hear what she had to say. Having someone around who actually cared about her would have been a Godsend. And she knew William would have listened. He would have clung to every word and offered her the world to make it better.

She tried talking to him after school the day he asked her to the prom, but the minute she approached him, he gave her a weak smile and said, "Don't worry, Buffy. I know where I stand with you, now. I always thought you were different from them. I guess I was wrong."

He turned and walked away from her then. She stood there alone and watched him leave while she held the poem and rose he'd given her. His words stung and reminded her of the person she didn't want to be. She watched him walk away and knew she had finally broken him.

It was the last time he ever spoke to her.

No longer did she find him staring at her, or find the unsigned poems slipped into her locker. No matter how many attempts she made to talk to him, he walked past her like she didn't exist. Much like she had done to him. It hurt to be treated that way. She knew then the hell they made his life.

She never told a single person she called his house two days before prom, only to have his brother tell her to never call back. Their treatment of William was unfair--even hers. No one knew him. They never wanted to. And now…ten years later, they still laughed at the boy who'd worn his heart on his sleeve.

She sighed heavily thinking about it all. She hated treating people like inferior beings but when she heard the laughter coming from the other room she knew some things would never change, especially with her friends.

She turned and walked slowly back into the living room before making her way to the sofa and sitting down. She stared at her friends, their snickers over William having died down to an eerie silence. "Okay, what gives?" she asked, sipping her wine.

"Oh, nothing," Harmony said, flashing a completely fake smile.

Buffy noticed the sly looks her friends gave her before she lifted one eyebrow and sat up in her seat. "Really? Because it looks like the four of you just found out your boyfriend cheated on you."

Willow smiled, turning her head towards Buffy. "It's the King and Queen Prom photo," she said, quietly.

"Oh." Buffy needed no more explanation. The memory of her and Angel posing for the picture and dancing to their song flashed back in her mind. She hadn't thought of him in years and she liked it that way. It took her a long time to get over him, but she did. Apparently her friends didn't think she had--or thought she shouldn't have.

Leaning back in her seat, she took a big sip of her wine, hoping to clear her mind of memories she'd just soon forget. She would have fun this weekend if it killed her. She needed this more than anything she could think of.

* * * *

"Oh God, why didn't someone make me stop drinking last night?" Amy asked, covering her eyes to try and block out the light in the room.

"I told you to slow down on the wine," Harmony laughed. She pulled the curtains back, filling the once-dark living room with light and Amy screamed before ducking her head under a pillow on the couch.

"Geez Harmony, don't you get tired of being so damn happy all the time?" Anya asked, stumbling into the room. "All that smiling has to be bad on the complexion."

"Oh, actually I read smiling was very good for the facial muscles," Harmony smiled.

"Yeah, so did I," Willow said, raising her hand and covering her mouth before she yawned.

"Is Buffy up yet?"

"I haven't seen her."

The front door opened and Buffy smiled before saying, "That's because I heard of a stray being at the airport ahead of schedule."

She entered the apartment with Cordelia right behind her. She dropped Cordelia 's numerous bags just inside the door, grunting in relief. She watched the prima-donna stroll across the room like she didn't have a care in the world.

"Cordelia!" The room sang in unison.

"You're early! We weren't expecting you until later tonight," Willow said, walking over and giving her friend a hug.

"Yeah well, I told Ben if he didn't get his shit together and stop screwing up my light, I'd kill him slowly by telling the world how dickless he really is."

"No way!" Amy yelled. "Tell me you did not sleep with him."

"No, I didn't sleep with him," Cordelia said, rolling her eyes before she flopped down on the sofa and stretched her arms out across the back of it. Her long brunette hair was pulled into a complicated twist at the back of her head and her make-up flawless. The short black dress she wore exposed her long shapely legs and her spiked heels complimented the outfit. She looked every bit the star she was and she made sure everyone around her knew it at all times.

She looked at the faces around the room, making sure all eyes were on her before she smiled and said, "I just fucked him and left him lying there basking in the Cordelia haze of love."

Laughter once again erupted and the girls sat down to hear how life in the Big Apple was treating their now very famous friend. Everyone listened intently, riveted to tales of the actors Cordelia had been romantically involved with, and the biggest point of interest, of course, was how well they performed.

"So, what have I missed?" Cordelia asked, slipping off her shoes and pulling her feet up on the couch.

"Not a whole lot," Amy informed her.

"So you haven't left me out of anything?"

"Nope, just multiple bottles of wine and scary stories," Harmony said.

Cordelia raised one eyebrow. "Scary stories?"

"Yes, as in Xander Harris," Anya spat out, rolling her eyes.

"And Andrew," Harmony reminded her.

"Ewww," Cordelia said, her face twisted in disgust at hearing the two names.

"Oh, and let's not forget, William," Amy chimed in with a giggle before everyone in the room laughed.

Buffy smiled when every girl in the room turned to her and she found herself laughing along with her friends at the mention of his name. She couldn't understand why, after ten years, she still felt like a sixteen year old girl being pressured into being a royal bitch toward someone who was probably a really nice guy, no matter how dorky he seemed.

"Oh my God, I wonder if he'll be at the reunion." Cordelia asked, smiling.

"We wondered the same thing."

"Hey Buffy, you going to make nice with the dork if he's there?" Cordelia grinned.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "You guys are impossible, you know that?"

"No we're not," Anya grinned. "He was a dork."

"Says who?" Buffy asked.

"Says everyone!"

Buffy forced a laugh, shaking her head and averting her eyes. They would never change, that much was obvious.

"Hey, not to change the subject or anything, well, actually yes, but anyway…guess what I have for you ladies?" Cordelia asked, before standing up and crossing the room to her luggage. She reached into one of her bags before turning with a huge smile on her face.

"Oh please say its Keanu's home phone number," Harmony belted out.

"No, you dork," Cordelia said, shaking her head. "I have these." She grinned before waving the tickets in her hand back and forth.

"Tickets?"

"Not just any tickets," Cordelia said, walking back over to the couch. She tossed the tickets down on the coffee table, crossed her arms over her chest, and smirked at them all.

Anya leaned over the table, looking at the tiny pieces of paper before letting out a squeal. "Holy shit, Cordelia! Who the hell did you have to blow to get your hands on these?"

Cordelia laughed and wiggled her eyebrows. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Hell yes I would!" Anya yelled, smiling.

"What are they?" Buffy asked, straining her neck to get a peek at the tickets.

"Only the most delicious night's entertainment you've ever had." Anya said, smiling.

"Oh really?" Willow asked, curious.

Buffy craned her neck, looking to see what the tickets were and her eyes went wide when she saw. "The Pleasure Dome! I am so not going in there!"

"Oh, yes you are!" Anya and Cordelia yelled in unison.

"What's the Pleasure Dome?" Willow asked, looking at her friends.

Buffy sat back and rolled her eyes. "It's that new sin factory downtown they try to pass off as a club.

"Sin factory?" Harmony asked, just as confused as Willow.

"Oh God, Buffy, lighten up. How long has it been since you got laid anyway?"

"Excuse me?" Buffy asked, shocked, before turning to look at Anya. "What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

"Because you're a prude, that's why," Anya yelled.

"I am not!"

"Yes, you are. You always have been. Look at precious Buffy, with her virtue in tact. Are you still a blushing virgin?"

"Ladies!" Cordelia yelled before the situation got out of hand. "Chill the fuck out and sit down."

Buffy crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Anya. She never wanted to rip her hair out like she did in that moment. They all sat back down and got quiet, all eyes on Cordelia.

"All right, for you less than worldly people," Cordelia said, smiling. "The Pleasure Dome is the most exclusive club on the west coast. It's invitation only and home to the most delicious, lick-able hard bodies you've ever laid eyes on!"

"Oh my," Willow said, grinning. "So, are we talking naked goodness?"

"Oh baby, we're talking about the best hunks of salty goodness this side of heaven!"

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