Title: Sweet Sixteen Author: Pattyanne snapkik@yahoo.com Disclaimer: None of the BtVS characters are mine. Feedback: Love some, thanks Rating: Will vary, all the way to NC-17. Summary: AU. William and Buffy are teenage neighbors meeting for the first time. Love at first sight, y'all... Part 13.... ~~~~~ "Just an old fashioned love song Playing on the radio And wrapped around the music Is the sound of someone promising They'll never go..." ~~~~~ The crowd at the beach was surprisingly sparse for a hot Sunday afternoon. Not that they cared. As far as Buffy and William were concerned, they were the only people in the world at that moment. "Come on." He jumped to his feet and grabbed her hand. "Let's go in the water." Buffy giggled as he hauled her to her feet and began dragging her along behind him. The instant her foot moved from the warm, loose sand to the wet hard- packed, she squealed and pulled back. "It's too cold." William laughed, refusing to allow her retreat. "Don't be a baby," he teased, tightening his grip. "No...it's freezing." She managed to slip her hand out of his, then turned to run. Ten yards away she got, before he caught her and scooped her up in his arms. Buffy shrieked and kicked, belying her eagerness to escape by wrapping her arms around his neck. "Put me down," she demanded. "Never!" he shouted, running down to the water line. His bare feet kicked up the shallow water as he waded in up to his knees. When he pretended to drop her, she literally climbed up his body. "Don't you dare," she threatened, trying to look as though she meant business. "Or you'll what?" he asked, holding her a little tighter. Buffy tried to think up a suitable warning. "I'll...I won't kiss you for the rest of the day!" His eyes widened with mock horror. "Really?" he asked, grinning wickedly, then bending his head until his lips nearly touched hers. "You would do that to me?" he whispered. She felt the warmth of his breath on her lips....and melted. "No," she said softly, placing her hand on his cheek and pulling him closer. ~~~~~ "You'll swear you've heard it before As it slowly rambles on No need in bringing them back 'Cause they've never really gone.." ~~~~~ She kissed him so sweetly, so thoroughly, that his arms trembled and he was forced to set her on her feet. When her toes touched the cold water, she squeaked and jumped up, wrapping her legs around his waist as she hung on his neck. William, who was wearing only a pair of cut off jeans, gasped against her soft lips at the feeling of pressure she was innocently exerting on his lower parts. He didn't want to lose his contact with her lips, so he placed one hand on the back of her neck, digging his fingers into her thick hair, and the other he slipped down under her bottom to hold her up. With a slight push, he ground her against him a little harder. When they finally broke apart to take in air, he leaned his forehead against hers and stared into her eyes. "I love you," he whispered. "I love you, too." Buffy's head was spinning, while her heart beat sped up significantly. She felt like a clock- work toy gone wildly out of control. Moving out of the water, William carried her back to their blanket and set her down on it. ~~~~~ "Just an old fashioned love song Coming down in three part harmony Just an old fashioned love song One I'm sure they wrote for you and me.." ~~~~~ "Are you hungry?" Buffy smiled. "Starved." "Let's go get something." Taking her hand, he helped her to her feet and they set off across the warm sand, heading for the snack bar. There were only a couple of people in line. William stood behind Buffy and slipped his arms around her waist, leaning down to speak quietly in her ear. "What sounds good, love?" Buffy studied the menu. It contained the usual assortment of fast food...hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken strips and so on, along with the customary side dish of french fries. "Ummm....I guess I'll have a hamburger," she said, shrugging like it didn't really matter. "Yeah, me too." After ordering, they sat down on a bench to wait for their number to be called. With their hands seemingly glued together, they made casual small talk. "School starts on Wednesday," William said, rubbing his thumb against the back of her hand. Buffy made a face. "Ugh...don't remind me." "What? You don't like school?" he asked. She shrugged, leaning her head against his shoulder. "It's okay, I guess. I've gotta pull up my grades this year, or my parents'll do something drastic." He didn't like the sound of that at all. "Like what?" Buffy raised her head and looked at him. "Boarding school, maybe. Somewhere with no...distractions." "What?" William was concerned and it showed in his expression and his tone. "Where?" "I don't know," she replied. "My dad didn't say." There wasn't a chance in the world that he would let such a thing happen, William decided. He didn't care what he had to do. He had just found this girl, no way in hell was he going to lose her. "Listen," he said, placing his hand beneath her chin and tilting her face up. "I'll help you. With anything you need, I promise. We'll get your grades up...all right?" Buffy believed him completely. She just knew that he could do whatever he said he could do, and he would do it for her. "All right." He kissed the back of her hand as their order number was called. ~~~~~ "To weave our dreams upon And listen to each evening When the lights are low To underscore our love affair With tenderness and feelings That we've come to know.." ~~~~~ "Your shoulders look a little pink," Buffy said, reaching for her tote bag. "Sit up." William sat up beside her and watched what she was doing. His eyes gleamed when she pulled out a bottle of sunblock. She crawled around behind him on her knees and squirted a glob of the white cream on his warm skin, giggling when he jumped and said, "Cold." "Sorry." Buffy smoothed the cream around his shoulders, rubbing it into his skin with a gentle touch. He let his head drop forward, luxuriating in the feel of her hands kneading his flesh. When she was finished, she placed the cap on the bottle and set it aside, then pulled him back until he was reclining in her arms. "Thank you, love," he said, bringing one hand up to stroke her sun warmed hair. "You're welcome." Sighing with complete happiness, she pressed her cheek against his soft curls. They sat in peaceful silence for a few minutes, then William said, "Let's go out tonight. Somewhere nice." Buffy smiled and nodded. "Okay. Where?" He hesitated for a moment. "There's a restaurant in the lobby of the Chandler Arms," he suggested. "The where?" "It's....a hotel. Close to the country club," he said, trying to keep his tone casual, not wanting her to think he was trying anything sneaky. There was a short silence, then Buffy tightened her arms around him. "What should I wear?" ~~~~~ "Just an old fashioned love song Coming down in three part harmony Just an old fashioned love song One I'm sure they wrote for you and me.." ~~~~~ TBC.....