Title: Sweet Sixteen Author: Pattyanne snapkik@yahoo.com Disclaimer: I only own the story Feedback: Lots of it, please! Summary: AU (My first) Everybody's human. William and Buffy are teenage neighbors, meeting for the first time. Rating: Will vary. This chapter rated PG Part Six... ~~~~~ "Tonight's the night, I've waited for Because you're not a baby anymore You've turned into the prettiest girl I've ever seen Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen.." ~~~~~ William pushed open the back door and glanced around. "Uncle Rupert? I'm going to pick up something else for Buffy! I'll see you at the party." He was pulling the door closed when his uncle came hurrying down the stairs and into the kitchen. "Do be careful, William. I'm still not comfortable with you driving such a powerful car." "I'll be careful," William assured him. "Just because the car CAN go from zero to sixty in 3.8 seconds, doesn't mean I'll do it." The older man folded his arms across his chest and frowned. "I'm not as much concerned with the acceleration as I am with the speed you may be tempted to drive at. Your grandmother talked until my ears bled the night you brought that automobile home." William chuckled. "Yeah, I got a bit of that, too," he said. "But I promised her I'd obey all the laws...and I WILL he added, seeing the doubtful look on his uncle's face. "I don't want to die, you know. And I'm certainly not taking any chances with...my passengers." By 'passengers', he was referring to anyone who might ride in the car, but he was most protective of Buffy. There wasn't a chance in the world he would take with the safety of the girl he was falling for like a ton of bricks. Uncle Rupert was still fretting. "She couldn't stop remind- ing me that you are the sole heir to a considerable fortune, not to mention a ti..." "I know all that," William interrupted. "She reminds me of it every time she writes." He checked his watch. "I have to go now or I'll be late." "William..." "I'll see you at the party," he said again. "I'm going to stop and get some flowers." Pointing to a small wrapped package on the kitchen table, he asked, "Will you take that over with you? I don't want it broken in the flaming car crash I'm anticipating." "That's NOT funny, William! You know, I may not be your parent but I AM your guardian here in the states, and you..." "Bye, Uncle Rupert," William said loudly, closing the door on his sputtering relative and making a run for the driveway. As he settled into the low slung leather interior of his new car, he felt a surge of masculine lust that had nothing to do with the fairer sex. It was, instead, a rush of pure satisfied machismo that had it's roots in the thrill of mastering a powerful V8 engine. Although he felt comfortable in it now, he'd actually been a little afraid of it the night he'd brought it home. He'd driven cars before, but never one with the kind of muscle this one had. Barely depressing the accelerator shot him fifty feet down the road, and all you had to was breathe heavily on the steering wheel and it would turn. But he was in control of her now, and she drove like an absolute dream. As the car roared to life, he looked over at Buffy's bedroom window. She was in her room, no doubt getting ready for her party, but she came to the window when she heard the car start. Leaning out, she smiled and waved. Sliding his sunglasses on, he returned her greeting, then threw the car into reverse and backed out of the driveway. The sun felt good on his shoulders, and he leaned over and cranked up the sound system. ~~~~~ "What happened to that funny face? My little tomboy now wears satin and lace I can't believe my eyes, you're just a teenage dream Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen.." ~~~~~ The night he'd brought the car home, she had been in her front yard watering the flower beds. When he had pulled into the driveway of his uncle's house, she'd dropped the hose in shock. William had smiled at her as she approached, then leaned over and opened the passenger side door. "Take you for a ride, pretty lady?" he'd asked. Buffy had squealed with excitement as she jumped in to the car. He'd answered a string of questions as he'd driven her the distance of the high school and back. His new ride was a Ferrari 360 Spyder, with less than 2 miles on the odometer. Black as original sin, with a paint job consisting of five separate coats, polished to a mirror-like finish, she had a tan interior of buttery soft leather, the highest quality sound system available, and her speed topped out at nearly 200mph. Though Buffy had loved the car on sight, her mother hadn't been nearly as enthused when she'd seen it. It had taken quite a bit of persuasion on his part to allay the fears she had about her only child riding around in such a powerful car. He'd actually had to coax Joyce into the car herself, and take her for a spin, swearing that he would never drive reck- lessly with Buffy in his care, before she relaxed and gave in. ~~~~~ "When you were only six, I was your big brother Then when you were ten, we didn't like each other When you were thirteen, you were my funny valentine But since you've grown up, your future is sewn up And from now on you're gonna be mine, so...." ~~~~~ William stepped up to the counter, smiling charmingly at the elderly lady standing behind it. "I'd like sixteen long stemmed red roses, please." "Baby's breath?" the lady inquired, tearing off a sheet of green floral wrap. He shook his head. "Queen Anne's Lace." The saleswoman looked impressed. "I don't get that request very often," she admitted. "So I don't usually keep it on hand." "I called ahead," William replied, extracting his wallet from his back pocket. The woman smiled. "I remember." There were no other customers in the shop, so she took extra care and made up a beautiful arrangement of deep crimson buds nestled in small snowy flowers. When the flowers were handed over and paid for, William left the shop and headed for his car. He was halfway down the street where he'd parked, when a car slowed down beside him, the driver tapping his horn. Angel pulled a little closer to the curb as Cordy lowered the passenger side window of the Trans Am. "Need a ride?" Angel called out, a smug grin on his face, perhaps expecting William to climb onto a bicycle. William returned the smile. Oh, this was going to feel so damn good. "No, thanks," he said, pulling out his keys. "I've got my own." When he stopped next to the Ferrari and opened the door, both Angel and Cordy's jaws sagged the exact same amount at the exact same time. With a casual wave, he started the car and pulled out into traffic. A small part of his mind chided him for being a show off, for trying to upstage a creep who wasn't worth the effort. But the larger part didn't give a damn. It was just enjoying the view in the rear view mirror. ~~~~~ "If I should smile with sweet surprise It's just that you've grown up before my very eyes You've turned into the prettiest girl I've ever seen Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen.." ~~~~~ "Happy Birthday, Buffy." "Oh...thank you. They're beautiful." She accepted the bouquet from him, cradling the flowers in her arms. Burying her face in the soft petals, she sniffed deeply. "They smell so good." William smiled, enjoying the pleasure she was getting from the roses. "Come in," she said, grabbing his hand and hauling him in off the porch. The party was just getting started, and there were about a dozen people he recognized from around the neighborhood. Several were adults, obviously friends of her mother's. The house was festively decorated, and there was a buffet set up on the patio. All the trees and bushes had been strung with tiny colored lights, and her mom had hired a disc jockey to provide the music. Buffy's eyes were absolutely sparkling with excitement, and for a brief moment he wished he could be giving this party for her at Black Oaks. She would look stunning in a white gown, with the collar of diamonds his Great Grandfather had placed around the throat of his grandmother on her sixteenth birth- day. Those diamonds were sitting in a vault with all the other jewels his family had been amassing for the past five hundred or so years, collecting dust. His grandmother never wore them any- more and Aunt Susan was more interested in her horses and her children, and couldn't be bothered with attending the sorts of functions the jewels would be appropriately worn to. Someday, he promised himself, he was going to take Buffy to Black Oaks and cover her from head to toe in diamonds, rubies and sapphires. He would drape her naked body in ropes of pearls, and watch as they picked up the luster of her skin, then make love to her in the tall, soft grass by the pond. He would cover her with kisses, as his hands..... Shaking his head sharply, he cut off that particular train of thought before something embarrassing happened. His slacks were far too snug to risk getting sexually aroused. Instead, he redirected his attention on the birthday girl. Spot- ting a small table in the corner that had been set up for her gifts to be placed on, he pulled her across the room and located the one his uncle had delivered for him. Leaning over, he whispered in her ear, "I want to give this to you now...is there somewhere we can go and..." Buffy glanced around the room, pinpointing her mother's location, then began leading him towards the stairs. "My room," she said softly. With his heart beating a wild accompaniment, he followed her upstairs. ~~~~~ "If I should smile, with sweet surprise It's just that you've grown up before my very eyes You've turned into the prettiest girl I've ever seen Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen..." ~~~~~ TBC (There's going to be some of what you've all been waiting for in the next chapter. If you're interested...)