In the Phoenix's Eyes
By: Kandice
Summary: Xander learns of family in England and goes there with Giles to learn of his true heritage. (Xander-centric)
Timeline: This is set right after "Tabula Rasa" in season six (when Giles leaves at the end of the episode.) and during Order of the Phoenix in the HP-verse. Also, this is obviously AU in both verses.
Disclaimer: I do not own any recognizable characters and places. The Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy own all Buffy-related content. Harry Potter belongs is owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended to anyone.
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Of all the things I believed in
I just wanna get it over with
Tears warm behind my eyes, but I do not cry
Counting the days that pass me by
Buffy Summers sat at the bar, staring vacantly in front of her. She was confused. Everything had happened so quickly and after something like forever, here she was at the Bronze again. The only difference was that her friends weren't there with her. She looked to the stage.
I've been searchin' deep down in my soul
Words that I'm hearin' are starting to get old
Xander Harris hung up his phone and looked around his apartment. As he stood up from the chair he was sitting at, his fiancée, Anya Jenkins appeared from the bedroom door dragging two suitcases.
"Xander, would you mind helping me, here?" Anya complained as a suitcase dropped to the ground.
The dark haired man nodded and grabbed the baggage that had dropped. "Are you sure you want to come, An?"
Anya froze. "Of course I want to come. What would I possibly do in Sunnydale without you? Besides, you're the funny one. Everybody else trying to imitate Angel"
Xander grinned. 'Thanks, An. Did you go to Buffy's house and leave the letter?"
"It's done!"
"Good." He looked around at his condo. "Willow will take care of this place. I told her she could stay here while we're gone."
"How long do you think that will be?" asked the ex-demon.
They arrived at the elevator. Xander pressed the down button and the doors opened with an obnoxiously happy "ding!" The couple got in and the doors slid closed. Xander remained silent in thought even as the doors opened with another "ding!"
They went out to the taxicab that stood waiting for them. The driver helped them put in the luggage then they all got into the car.
"Xander?" Anya prompted with a soft poke in his ribs.
Xander jumped slightly with a feeble giggle at his ticklish-ness. "I don't know how long we'll be gone."
"Well where are we going to be staying?"
"Giles said we could stay at his place for as long as we need."
Anya frowned. "But Giles' flat is in Bath. That's a bit far from London."
"He's got a condo up by London. I think he said about ten minutes out of town. That's where we're staying."
"And that's where I'll get to meet your family!"
"That's where *I* get to meet my family, too." Xander added as the car came to a stop in front of the airport.
Feels like I'm starting all over again
The last three years were just pretend
And I said...
Tara Maclay looked around the room she shared with Willow and her eyes moistened against her will. She took a pile of clothing out of one of the drawers and put them in a travel bag. She opened another drawer and did the same.
Her father had sent a letter and asked for her to come to England and stay with them. She agreed after a bit of hesitation and sent her father's owl back with a letter that said she would be there in a day.
If she honestly thought about it, there was no point in not agreeing to come because she knew her father. He would make sure that she came to England, before she had argued that she couldn't because of Willow. Now though...now there was nothing holding her back.
Goodbye to you
Goodbye to everything
That I knew
Tara walked over to the bed, then glanced toward the door, She didn't stop the tears that came.
You were the one I loved
The one thing that I tried to hold on to
Willow Rosenberg remained seated staring ahead of her but not seeing anything. She had gone into Buffy's bedroom because Tara was packing in their room. Someone had come into the house about an hour ago, but she had ignored it and they had left. From the sound of it, it was Anya. She had gone in less than five minutes though and Willow remained in her corner of the room with tears sparkling down her cheeks.
I used to get lost in your eyes
And it seems that I can't live a day without you
Rupert Giles, ex-watcher of the Watcher's Council located in England, put his carry-on bag into the compartment above him and took his seat on 21-D. He looked across the row at the two empty seats and glanced back. Xander and Anya came up and took the seats 21-A and 21-B that Giles had been looking at a minute ago. Anya pet Giles' head and smiled.
Giles couldn't help but return the smile to Anya. "Who did you leave the Magic Box to?"
Anya beat Xander to the window seat and sat down with a grin at him. She then leaned over to look at Giles. "Oh, Willow said she would take care of it until I got back. I'm excited. I don't remember being on a plane before!"
The speaker above their heads crackled for a second, then a female voice came on. "Welcome aboard British Airways, Boeing 777 flying From Sunnydale, California non-stop to London, England. At this time I ask all passengers, to fasten their seatbelts and look to the front, where a demonstration of how to use the emergency life vests will take place..."
Anya grew excited at the announcement and she looked to the left at where a lady stood and demonstrated how to get the live vest to blow up and how to jump out of the plane.
"I don't think that I'd be smiling the whole time if that actually happened..." Anya trailed off as she looked out the window, and the lights of Sunnydale began to get more and more distant ever second.
Closin' my eyes, you chase my thoughts away
To a place where I am blinded by the light
But it's not right
Goodbye to you
Tara wiped the tears from her face and picked up her bags. After one last look around the room, she walked out, quietly went down the stairs and out the door. Dawn greeted her at the front porch with a sad smile.
"Where are you going now?" asked Dawn Summers, lil' sister of the slayer.
"I haven't seen my Dad in a long time and he asked me to come and stay with them." Tara explained quietly while Dawn helped her put her things into her car.
"You'll visit, won't you?"
Tara hugged the teenager and almost started crying again as she thought about how much Dawn was now something akin to a sister.
"I'll visit. I promise. I just don't know when yet." Tara let go of Dawn with a smile. "Be good, Dawnie."
Goodbye to everything
That I knew
You were the one I loved
The one thing that I tried...
Buffy stood up from her place at the table that she had taken and headed out of the Bronze with a vague feeling that Spike had been watching her. She was headed home. A nice movie night with Dawnie might do her good.
...to hold on to
Spike walked up beside Buffy. She looked over at him and he looked at her questioningly.
Buffy turned her face away from Spike, breathing deeply as if trying to hold back tears. With a frustrated look, Spike abruptly turned and walked away. Buffy stood watching his disappearance for a second, but continued her way out the door and disappeared into the night.
And it hurts to want
Everything and nothing at the same time
I want what's yours and I
Want what's mine
Willow finally stood up slowly and went to the doorway of Buffy's room. She looked out and started down the stairs, but stopped suddenly when she saw Tara and Dawn talking. Tara got behind the driver's seat and drove away.
Willow stood and watched Dawn look after Tara's disappearing car then turn and head back up the walkway. The witch came down the rest of the stairs, and entered the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator door, took out a bottle of Aquafina and went around the island to the table. She took the unmarked envelope that sat innocently on the counter then sat down at the kitchen table.
Willow took a sip of the water then opened the envelope from which a letter fell out of and two keys. The red head studied the keys that fell out, then unfolded the letter to read it. She quickly recognized Xander's writing and small worries appeared in the back of her mind as she began reading.
To my favorite ladies,
First off, I have to say, don't worry. I'm fine and nothing happened. Well, one thing did. You see, I got a call from someone in England and he told me that I have family over there. I checked with my parents over here and apparently my Dad was originally from England. Isn't that just so insane?
So anyway, turns out I have a couple of cousins and an aunt and uncle over there too. Willow- you know how my parents aren't all that talkative unless it's when they're yelling through the house at each other, so I didn't get much more information out of them. I did however learn enough that I want to meet my cousin Harry. He's fifteen or sixteen; I can't keep it straight but something like that.
Anyway, I've decided to go to England and meet this extended family of mine. It seems interesting and I guess I'll be having an adventure on my own...well, not totally on my own because Giles will be about an hour away, and Anya decided to come with me. She says that Willow, you promised to keep the Magic Box running while we're away.
Buffy, I'm sorry for leaving right now when you came, but this is actually something pretty big for me. I hope I'll be back soon and I'll give you a call every now and then. I don't know the address that we'll be staying at because...well, I never asked. I'll e-mail you the address or something.
All my love to the Buffster, Willow and Dawnie. Say hello to Tara for me!
All the best,
-Xander
P.S. Willow, The keys are for you. They're to my condo. I figured that since I won't be there that you can stay there with Tara. Love you all!
Willow's eyes once again began to water, but she quickly wiped away the tears as Buffy walked into the kitchen and sat down across from her best friend.
"Hey Will. What's that?" she asked. Willow handed her the keys and went to the phone. After dialing a few numbers she stood and waited for someone to pick up.
I want you
But I'm not giving in this time
Goodbye to you
Tara stopped at the Stop sign and looked up at her rearview mirror watching the silent street behind her.
Goodbye to everything that I knew
Xander smiled as he noticed that Anya was already asleep next to him. He looked out the window and smiled sadly as he saw nothing but the darkness.
You were the one I loved
The one thing that I tried to hold on to
Willow hung up the phone and went back to the table looking at Buffy, who dropped the letter a second before that. They looked at each other in silence.
The one thing that I tried to hold on to
Dawn walked into the kitchen and also took a seat at the table. She took a piece of chocolate from the center bowl and popped it into her mouth, then studied her sister and Willow.
"What's wrong?" she asked quietly.
"Giles, Anya and Xander left." Buffy replied shortly, with a worried glance in Willow's direction.
"Xander?" Dawn repeated with wide-eyes.
Goodbye to you
If anyone had been watching the dark blue Ford Escort that rode down the still street, they would have noticed the girl inside searching frantically through a book and then seen the car literally disappear into nothing accompanied by a loud CRACK.