"Buffy?" Joyce's voice rang out with shock.

Buffy sat up, confused and happy. She said quietly, "Mom?"

They reunited in a hug. Tears of happiness glided down Buffy's cheeks. A moment later, they seperated. Joyce then started to get angry.

"Buffy, why did you just leave?!" Joyce walked around the room and then turned to Buffy, waiting for an answer that she would accept.

Buffy answered in an quivering voice, "I..I had to go." She shifted on her bed, facing her mother.

"Where did you go, Buffy?!" her mom walked up in front of her, placing her hands on her hips.

Buffy looked up at her mom. "I went to go kill Spike and Drusilla," she was no longer crying and had a slayer's tone in it.

"What if they had kill-" Joyce was cut off by her daughter.

"They didn't kill me! See? I'm here, in one piece." the replied in defiance and partly with an attitude.

"Buffy," Joyce's voice was harsh. "This isn't a joke! And don't you ever, ever give me that tone again!" she shook her finger at her daughter.

Buffy was angry and ready to defend herself. She stood up and walked to her dresser before replying. "Didn't you ever figure it out?" her voice was calm but angry.

Joyce stood in shock. She had never heard her daughter talk like this before. Joyce was ready to back herself up, too. "What was I supposed to figure out, Buffy?"

Buffy threw up her hands. They landed with a smack on her sides. "That I'm a slayer. I can take care of myself. I'm not a little girl!" her tone was much like the one she had used before.

"You expect me to just understand that you're a slayer? You went away for four months and you come back expecting everything to be alright?" Joyce practically yelled at Buffy. She walked to the other side of Buffy's room.

Buffy moved over to her cabnet and picked up Mr. Gordo. "No! I don't expect that at all. I just want you to understand that I had to go," she then sat on her bed, hugging Mr. Gordo close to her chest, like she was about loose him.

This time, Joyce calmed down. She was starting to understand why her daughter had to leave. "Buffy, you just can't go off like that again, okay? Promise me." She looked at her daughter, not knowing what to expect.

"Mom," Buffy stood up and walked over to her mom. She looked her in the eyes. Her voice softened and had a strong tone it. "I more than anything to make that promise to you, but I can't." Her voice weakened by what she just said. Buffy closed her eyes and when she opened them, her mom was crying. "I will promise you that I'll tell you before I leave." Buffy went and sat on her bed and cried.

Joyce walked over to her daughter and hugged her once more before speaking. "I love you, Buffy."

"I love you too, Mom." Buffy replied with all the love the had for her mother.

More, soon. Feedback goes here.

Please send me feedback! Please?

Go here for more of Kuma's stories.