Memory Lane chapter 12. The World is Older Than You Know.

"Somnus." Willow replied and Buffy instantly fell asleep.

"Buffy?" Clark asked in shock and fear.

"It's ok Clark. I just put her to sleep. But she is going to be mad at me when she wakes up." Willow explained.

"Willow, I know you just want to protect Buffy but forcing her to sleep like that is wrong." Clark eyed Willow remembering some of the things Buffy had told him about Willow and how they had been working on fixing up their friendship from a distance.

"But, you said so yourself she is in no shape to go out hunting vampires." Willow pointed out.

"You think so and I think so but Buffy is her own person. You can't just force your will on your friends just because you don't agree with them. Pretty soon you might force your will on them one time too many and you might be out a friend." Clark explained.

Willow's eyes grew big and round. "You think she won't forgive me this time? Really? Not even with 'I apologize' cookies? But, Buffy always forgives me. She is Buffy. " Tears came to her eyes as she realized that Clark had a very good point. "What can I do to get her to forgive me this time? Should I make something better than cookies? What is better than cookies?" She panicked.

"Willow, calm down. Maybe you should start by waking her up and apologizing to her for trying to take away her free agency. Then we will try to talk her into going back to sleep." Clark advised.

"It won't work, she had resolve face. Couldn't we just let her sleep until tomorrow and then try to get her to forgive me?" Willow asked.

"Willow," Clark started to argue with her

"It's just. I can't...it's a healing sleep I can't wake her up until she wakes on her own. "

Clark closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "Willow did it ever occur to you that there might be a fire or a tornado. Those happen around here you know. "

WIllow's eyes grew wide as she realized that no it hadn't occurred to her what could happen if Buffy were unable to wake up in an emergency.

"Oops." Willow blurted with wide eyes. "I guess I will have to either get a slayer to stay with Buffy or maybe do that myself. She stated, Do you think your mom would mind if I made some cookies tonight?"

Buffy's eyes opened to find Willow sitting and watching over her in the sunshine. "What the?...Willow!" Buffy hissed when she realized what had happened.

"I know what you are going to say, Buffy...Ok, not really but I know you aren't a happy camper at the moment. All I can say is I am so so sorry and I promise to try harder to be a good friend. Please don't stay mad at me." She said while revealing a tray of cookies and sweet rolls.

"Willow you can't keep doing this!" Buffy exclaimed while trying not to eye the sugary goodness in the offering.

"Clark, warned me that you might not be able to continue to forgive me if I kept doing things like that."

"Clark, was right." Buffy furrowed her brow. "What happened?" she asked referring to the super fast vampire that escaped last night.

"Faith's patrol group never found the vampire last night."

Feeling slightly mollified Buffy turned to the sugary goodness. "Will's since when do you make sweet rolls?" She asked and bit into one. Instantly her eyes widened. "This is the best cinnamon roll I have ever had in my entire life. And it was true. The cinnamon roll had chocolate chips and pecans inside and the top was lightly frosted the roll itself was soft and cinnamony.

"Honestly, Mrs. Kent made them."

"I love that woman." Buffy stated in between bites. Suddenly her appetite was gone as she remembered Mrs. Kent and Mr. Kent had seen Clark carry her in last night. They needed an explanation.

"How am I going to tell them?" She lamented.

"Buffy you are an old pro at doing this now. You have helped hundreds of girls tell their families about what is going on with them." Willow pointed out.

"Yes, but whenever it is important to me I mess it up. Just look at the times I told my mom and dad." Buffy explained.

"I'll tell you what...I'll tell them about it. I have experience giving the talk too." Willow said.

"Really? Thanks so much Wills." With that Buffy hugged her redheaded friend.

Willow sighed in relief her friend had forgiven her again. She had been worried after talking to Clark but all was right again in her world. She intended to learn from her mistakes this time.

Clark appeared in the doorway. "Buffy I have my parents downstairs waiting to tell them."

Buffy's eyes got wide her breathing sped up and she started abusing her bottom lip in her teeth.

"Hey, it's ok," Clark advised seeing as she was so nervous. "I really think they will be ok with it. But either way I am not going to leave you. I will be by your side Buffy the entire time."

Buffy took a deep breath of air and tried to calm down. "OK thanks Clark." She said as he pulled her into his arms for a hug and to kiss her abused lips.

Together the three of them walked down the stairs and into the Kent's living room where Martha and Jonathan Kent sat waiting.

"Oh, Buffy should you be out of bed so soon?" Martha asked with the loving concern of a mother.

Buffy smiled as she soaked in what might be the last moments of loving concern she might have from Martha Kent. "I am alright. All better in fact."

"How is it that you are so much better so quickly? Last night you looked like you should be in a hospital." Jonathan observed.

"That is one of the things Willow is going to explain." Buffy stated as she took a firm hold of Clarks hand and sat down.

"I guess where to begin?" Willow asked herself, as she stood in front of everyone and felt the old shy Willow try to rise up and take hold. Taking a deep breath Willow launched in and started telling the Kent's about things that go bump in the night and, of course, the slayer.

Martha and Jonathan listened in growing horror as Willow outlined the truth of the world in which they lived.

Buffy seeing the looks on their faces started getting more and more nervous.

Clark blinked in surprise at how strong of a grip Buffy had. It was nothing to him but if he had been human he would have some crushed bones in his hand.

Finally Willow finished up and they waited for a reaction from the Kents. It was a long moment before Martha said, "I just can't believe it."

Buffy winced like she had been struck her when her stomach started churning.

"It's a lot to take in." Willow advised before Buffy could say anything. "Oh, I almost forgot the DVD."

Turning on a DVD Willow stood back. On screen a dark and brooding looking man (Angel) looked nervous next to an older British gentleman, (Giles).

"Ladies and gentleman," Giles stated. "I would like to introduce you to the only known vampire to have a soul. This is Angel , though when he loses his soul he is known as Angelus. Angel if you would go into game face please."

Angel rolled his eyes but did as Giles requested. Morphing into his 'game' face he stepped forward. "This isn't makeup or special effects. I am a real vampire."

"That is Angel?" Clark asked.

Buffy nodded thinking if she wasn't so nervous she would be laughing at how Angel was acting on screen. He was obviously nervous as he switched back and forth from his face to his 'game' face.

"That should be sufficient Angel." Giles states.

At this point Willow paused the DVD. "I thought we would just watch that one point so you know we aren't making this up or crazy or anything."

"I still think this must be an elaborate hoax." Jonathan Kent stated.

Clark knowing that his parents were just having a hard time believing in vampires decided to add his two cents in.

"I understand why you might think that. But, dad they are telling you the truth. I've seen them myself. You asked me before if Buffy was meteor infected, she isn't but she is a Slayer.

Martha and Jonathan turned to look at Buffy.

"Surprise," Buffy stated hesitantly. A long moment of silence later and Buffy stood and started pacing and talking very quickly. "I am sorry we kept this from you for so long. It's just we have a lot of girls to protect and so the secret is important to keep secret. I know I should have told you sooner it is just I didn't want to lose what I found here. Now, I am sure you want me to leave and never darken your door again. And, I understand that I really do. After all, knowing my secret is like uber bad. And you are probably thinking of calling people with straitjackets. But, I am not crazy and I am not lying. You probably want me to leave but I think I love your son and you. But, you are right. I shouldn't have bothered you with this stuff. It isn't anything that anyone wants to know. So I guess I will just leave."

Clark was about to panic Buffy was talking about leaving. He felt really good when she said she thinks she loves him but now he was really worried he was wrong about his parents being able to handle the truth.

"Hold on young lady." Jonathan stated, "Why do you think we would want you to leave now?"

"Well, don't you" Buffy asked? "It is not something good and warm fuzzy. And it takes a while to accept."

"That may be. But, why would you think that we would want you to leave now?" Martha asked.

"Well, because no one ever takes the world is older than you know speech that well. " Buffy explained.

Willow deciding she would try to help them understand more explained. "The first time she told her parents they put her in the psych ward and the second time she got kicked out of her home."

Martha and Jonathan were even more horrified.

"Buffy, you will always have a home here. No matter what."

At hearing this Buffy couldn't keep her tears of joy held inside. "Thank you. I really didn't want to have to go."

"There is however one thing I want to know." Jonathan turned to Willow to ask a dark look in his eye. "Just what is it that you want from my son?"

"Huh?" Willow asked.