Fathers (Book 4 girlxgirl)

How You Met My Father

I have no idea how to feel right now.

We walk down the street, looking for the building in question.

As soon as we find it, things are going to change. I'm not sure exactly how and where it's going to go, but it's going to go somewhere. All I can hope is that it doesn't completely collapse and send me down a terrible path. Which is really the only chance we might have to make things right. If I go too far, we might not get that opportunity. So I have to find a way to stay in control and not fly off the handle no matter what he says. Or at least not do anything I'm going to regret.

And there's no telling how far I might go if things don't go very well. I've tried to be a good person since getting amnesia and falling in love, but it hasn't always worked out the way it should. There's still part of me that can't help but act on impulse even when I don't want to. I didn't even realize what I was doing to B when she accidentally walked in on me basically naked. Trying to provoke her into a reaction and finding some kind of fun in the process. Maybe it's just inevitable for things to fall apart.

It's a good thing she wasn't put off by what happened. I don't know what I would've done if she didn't feel comfortable because of what I did. Not that I would've blamed her if she did. We agreed not to go there with each other until we figure our own stuff out. And I just crossed the line without even thinking about it. I have to be better at keeping things separate and on the path we said we were. I can't lose B after everything that's happened.

That way she can keep me from doing something terrible to my dad. We're not in the same place we were the last time I saw him. I was a defenceless kid who couldn't do more than complain and he was this all powerful man in my life. No matter how he might have changed over the years, that's definitely not true anymore. I'll have the power in this relationship... I just hope that I don't use it in a terrible way if he pushes my buttons.

That's why I have to have B focused.

She stops on the street, looking confused.

Which I guess is going to be harder than I thought.

"What is it B?"

She looks around for a second, then down at the piece of paper in her hand.

"I think we're here."

I look around at the buildings, seeing the addresses before comparing the one written on the paper B is holding.

I guess she's right.

Giving it the once over, I look at what could laughably be called a building. It's falling apart, with some windows boarded up even with the wood obviously not in great condition. Some just have sheets hanging as windows, blowing in the wind. The fire escape is barely hanging on to the wall its attached to.

"Good to know he hasn't moved up in the world."

No response from my fellow slayer has me looking at her.

"What?"

She gives me her sympathy face.

"Look, I get why you made a joke, but try to keep an open mind. If he's living like this, it's probably cause he had it rough."

That's one option.

"Or maybe he's trying to throw us off. Make us think he's pathetic."

"Or he's just pathetic."

We watch each other for a while.

"Are you ready?"

I take a deep breath.

"Might as well."

With that, we head into the building, the door barely on its hinges as we go through it. Going up to the elevator, it's out of service, so we head for the stairs. We get to the fourth floor and there's not even a lock on the door.

"Great security this place has."

She comes back at me.

"At least we know it'll be easy to leave. Good escape routes."

Hmm...

"That's true."

B and I make it to his door, stopping. There's a long silence between us in the hallway.

"Your dad knows we're coming right?"

"He said he did."

Again nothing really happens in the hallway while neither of us do anything.

"Should we... knock?"

I shrug.

"Might as well."

Raising my fist, I knock on the door a few times. Nothing happens. We glance at each other a couple times as we wait. B speaks up.

"Maybe he's not..."

Just then, the door opens and he's standing there... my father. He's mostly bald but with badly shaved facial hair and wearing a ripped wife beater t-shirt with holes in his jeans. He looks at Buffy first with a curious look, then we lock eyes.

I... I don't know what to do.

After we stare at each other for a long time, he gives me a small smile.

"Firecracker..."

His smile gets bigger even though I haven't said anything.

"It's good to see you."

More silence for awhile.

I should probably say something.

"Hey dad..."

There's an uncomfortable silence between us after that. Eventually, he looks over at B.

"Is this the friend you mentioned?"

B does her best to smile, holding out her hand.

"It's nice to meet you sir. My name's Buffy."

My father shakes her hand.

"It's nice to meet you Buffy, and please, call me Pat."

They end their handshake.

"Okay... Pat..."

We stand in silence for a while. Then he steps back out of the doorway for us.

"Please... come in."

B and I look at each other.

Well, I guess he's not worried about us being vampires. Either that or he doesn't know about them.

I go first,crossing the threshold with B quickly following. When I get a few feet in, I take a look around. It's pretty seriously run down. Not much better than the outside with broken windows, parts of the drywall with holes in it, a broken down couch and a very old TV, with a small dirty kitchen. He closes the door and B comes over to stand next to me.

I'm not really sure what to do. There isn't really a place for us to sit. Seems like B kinda feels the same.

My dad makes his way over to the kitchen where a small table is with three chairs, one of which looks different than the other.

"Please, come sit down."

We look at each other, then head over to the kitchen table. He pulls out two of the chairs before sitting in the third one. I sit down and B does the same next to me. Silence follows for a long time.

Well, now we're here. I thought if I actually got a chance to sit down with him that something would come to me. But now... I just don't know what to say.

"I'm sorry about the accommodations. If I could afford something better, I would."

B jumps in at this point.

"It's fine. We're just happy to be here."

Interesting using the word 'we' there B.

"So... tell me about yourself Buffy. How long have you known my daughter?"

She looks at me before saying anything and I give her a nod.

We should probably start with what we agreed to say.

"A few years. We met through work and just kinda became friends."

"Well that's good, I'm glad to hear you found friends firecracker. Especially a nice girl like you Buffy. Or... at least you seem very nice."

B can't help but respond.

"I have my moments."

After a few moments of silence, my dad continues.

"So... you said that you met through work. What is it that you do?"

We glance at each other before she says anything.

"You could call it crisis management."

That has him grinning.

"Really?"

He turns his focus to me.

"Did you go to school for that?"

B and I glance at each other. She's the first to answer.

"You could say we had training. Although it was more of an apprenticeship type thing. When we graduated, that's when we met and started hanging out."

"And you've been friends ever since?"

"Basically."

His grin turns into a real smile.

"I'm happy for you firecracker. It sounds like you have a really good life."

I should actually say something.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly say that."

That makes his smile go away. Silence follows before he finally says something.

"Tell me."

Again I turn my attention to B and she gives me a sympathetic nod. It makes me focus on my dad.

"I got into the whole crisis management thing... because I was in crisis. After you disappeared, I kinda went into a shame spiral. I did a lot of things I'm not proud of. B was the one who caught me after I fell. She helped pull me back from the bad path I was on. Helped me see what I was doing to myself. She saved me."

Watching me with a sad expression, he turns to B for a second.

"Thank you Buffy. Thank you for being there for my daughter when I couldn't be."

He comes back to me.

"And I'm sorry. I know that I was part of what made you go down the path you did. It pains me to know that you had to do all that without your family. Without me."

There's a pause from him.

"I wish I could do something to make up for it."

Really?

"You could tell me why."

He stares at me, obviously not sure how to respond.

"Why did you leave me?"

Another silence follows, but just before he does, there's a knock on the door.

There's someone here?

"Are you expecting someone?"

He's got a confused look on his face.

"No..."

Whoever it is knocks again. It makes him stand up, making his way towards the door.

"I'll get rid of them."

As he goes, my ex and I look at each other.

Is this some kind of set up? Are whoever's behind it going to attack us?

He opens the door and I get a seriously bad vibe. From the way B reacts, I'm pretty sure she's feeling the same way. We both tense up.

Something's definitely wrong about this.