Every Little Thing

Chapter One

Buffy sat in Giles living room, telling him all about the hell that was registration at U.C. Sunnydale. Her, Willow, and Oz had to get in line before sunrise to make sure they were able to snag a spot in the most popular classes. Since they were freshman, they were at the very bottom of the totem pole, and spaces were extremely limited. Luckily they had all managed to get a spot in Professor Walsh's Psych class, but only Willow was lucky enough to get into Art History with Doctor Roberts. 

As Giles stood over the stove making a pot of tea, she began rummaging through the various items on his end table. She knew he was feigning interest in her ramblings, but Willow was busy with Oz, and Xander was still gone on his self guided tour of America. She had even resorted to hanging with Cordelia a few times this summer, though she too was gone now, searching for superstardom somewhere in Los Angeles. 

Thumbing through the yellow notepad that he kept next to his phone, a certain name grabbed her attention. It couldn't be. Giles would have mentioned something if he had heard from him, wouldn't he? Working her bottom lip between her teeth, she grabbed the pad once more. Flipping the pages exactly as she had before, she stopped when she saw the name once again. 

There it was neatly scribbled in Giles handwriting, his name. Beneath it  a phone number, and an address in Los Angeles. Her mind was reeling, he could call Giles but not her. A part of her understood but the other part, the irrational heart broken part of her was furious that he hadn't even felt her important enough to let her know he was okay. Ever since he left she had worried about him, every single day. She didn't know where he was, what he was doing, hell he could have died and she wouldn't  have known. 

Quickly copying down the information from notepad, she folded the paper and quickly shoved it into her back pocket. Giles came out of the kitchen, two tea cups in hand, only to see Buffy grabbing her purse and slipping back into her black flats. Glancing at the notepad next to his phone, he knew exactly what she had seen. 

"Buffy, it's not what you think," he urged as he gently lowered the glasses in his hands to the bar beside him.

Not really wanting to hear anything he had to say at the moment, and not trusting herself to speak, she simply nodded her head as she slipped her crossbody over her shoulder. 

"He wanted to let me know where he was in case there was ever an emergency, pulling his glasses off to polish he continued, "No good would have come from him contacting you Buffy, you know that.". 

Cutting her eyes across to meet him own, she attempted to swallow the thick lump that had formed in her throat. Closing her eyes full of unshed, she tried her best not to fall a part in front of him . "I didn't even know where he was, if he was okay," she whispered, her voice heavy and full of emotion.  

His heart broke for the girl. Despite his personal problems regarding Angel, he would never deny his love for Buffy. 

"You know calling him won't solve anything Buffy, it will only make things harder, for the both of you." Still refusing to meet his eyes, she nodded slightly as she walked out the front door mumbling something about her mother needing help with dinner. 

Giles sighed as he watched her scurry out his apartment, he couldn't believe that he had forgotten about the phone call he received last week. He couldn't believe he was left the damn notepad out for her to find. Watching her leave in silence, he only hoped that Angel was strong enough to resist whatever temptation was coming his way. 

OoOoO

She sat on her bed staring at the crumpled up piece of paper. Her body craved the sound of his voice more than her lungs required air, besides she was already suffocating beneath the void of his absence. Oxygen was overrated.