Chapter 10
They walked hand in hand, occasionally throwing glances in each other's direction and when their eyes would meet for the briefest of moments they'd smile and look away.
Angel walked behind them and caught the looks and the feelings and it weighed heavily on him but he refused to give into the hopelessness. He knew from experience that new love should never be threatened, it was beauty incarnate and it was to be treasured.
They each had their usual slaying gear, a few stakes each tucked away in waistbands and pockets. A few crosses for the two scoobies and a vial or two of holy water.
Somehow Xander still didn't feel right, like he was missing something, a vital something and his mind lingered on the feel of the cold blade in his hand not long passed. That had felt right, he couldn't explain it but had that felt so very right in hands.
He'd have to talk to Giles.
"Xander..." Angel interrupted his reverie "You mind if I have a private conversation with Buffy?"
Buffy looked at Xander and gave him a smile; she took his hand and squeezed it softly then nudged him towards the direction of the nearest graveyard and dropped back into step with Angel. Xander looked back but shrugged and walked on ahead, if she needed to talk with him who was he to hold her back.
"Buffy..."
She turned to face her ex boyfriend and looked him in the eyes; his eyes were the window to his very soul. Even now after so many years passed she couldn't deny she had feelings for the man before her, she probably would always have feeling for him. However he wasn't the centre of her world anymore and she could and had lived without him. A few years ago he had made the decision for them both, to leave and never return and while at the time she had fought him on it she could now see the wisdom she had failed to.
"Angel..." She offered with an encouraging smile.
The vampire sighed, he could get lost in those eyes if he allowed it. Shaking them thoughts away he took her hand and smiled at her.
"I'm glad for you... and for Xander"
Buffy grinned knowing how much that last bit must have torn at him but she nodded her thanks and kissed him on the cheek.
They caught up to Xander at the graveyard entrance and he sent a look her way but she smiled and caught his hand in hers. Pulling him forward to walk at her side she prodded his belly with her free hand.
"Come on; let's go bag us some vampires"
He sent a pointed look Angel's way and got a scowl in return. It never hurt to have a little fun at the old guy's expense. Xander thought after so many years living on the hellmouth he at least deserved that.
Buffy chose not to respond instead she slapped his stomach playfully, it was a warning but he couldn't help the smile from appearing on his face.
It didn't take long to find a few newly risen vampires, you could always tell them apart. More animal than man, clothes littered with dirt from where they'd crawled out of there now empty graves and the feral look in their eyes whenever they saw somebody with a heartbeat.
Buffy quickly dispatched them without as much as a quip.
She wanted to patrol and get out of the graveyard as quickly as possible. Maybe there'd be enough time for a movie with her new honey. It still felt weird to think of Xander in that way, but a good kind of weird and the more she thought about it the better it made her feel.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a punch to the jaw; she was knocked backwards over ten feet and landed with a thump at the base of a tree. She shook her head and looked to her attacker.
It was just another vampire.
Has she thought that someone grabbed at her left arm. She pulled on it and brought the vampire straight down onto her knee with brute force.
His bones cracked and she pulled a stake out of her belt and slammed it home.
This vampire had brought friends, a lot of friends.
Angel was holding his own against five vampires, trying to keep them at bay whilst waiting for an opening. Xander was been circled by two of their brethren, he dodged and weaved out of been hit just hoping to stay alive long enough to dispatch one of them.
Buffy kipped up and was immediately surrounded by six of them; she kept her stake handy and waited for the first move.
They always moved first.
One launched himself at her punching straight at her head. She swept her head to side and grabbed his arm then swung him full force into the tree she'd landed at.
He fell with a thud.
Another was on her; she brought her right arm up to block the wild punch and let out one of her own. It connected and sent the vampire flying back; he cracked his back off a tombstone and landed limply on the ground.
Angel had managed to whittle his enemies down to three, two dust piles were been swept up by their feet as they danced the dance of death, the only problem being that Angel was an expert.
Xander had managed to seriously injure one of his own by breaking its leg, it limped but was otherwise unarmed. He caught a glimpse of Buffy sweeping through the vampires she was facing, moving so fluidly and gracefully he was in awe.
He was brought back to reality by a thundering blow to his chin, his head rolled back and he left the earth for the briefest amount of time, lingering in the air before he fell with a hearty thud.
The vampire's hands were on his neck, choking him. He punched and kicked; he poked and gouged cursing at the animal that was on him.
His vision was blurring, his heart slowing and all he could think of was that if he died now and didn't return how much of a cosmic joke would his life turn out to be.
The fangs pierced his neck and he groaned, his eyesight completely leaving him.
"XANDER!"
He heard the voice, it was hers. That beautiful voice that could always make him smile. She was everything to him and he had never got a chance to show her how much he loved her. The light in his life and he tried to reply but something was stopping him. He focused and tried to speak but he felt his last painful exhale.
Xander Harris died.
Buffy slammed full force into the vampire, she didn't even blink as she turned his face into mush with one powerful punch. She grabbed his arms and twisted them like they were twigs and before he even had a chance to feel the pain she stabbed him through the heart.
She kneeled down at the side of Xander; she knew that he was immortal. She knew he would return to her. She cried all the same.
Angel finished his last vampire off and noticed his friends.
The vampire crouched next to Buffy who was crying into Xander's shirt. His face was so pale and his clothes were covered in his own blood.
He didn't know what to say, so he gently patted Buffy's head and back as she cried.
Suddenly Xander gasped for breath and Angel fell backwards in shock. He almost slammed a stake home but his ears picked up the soft beats of the human heart beneath the bloody exterior. The wounds on his neck were totally removed as if they had never been there.
Buffy crashed into him with a powerful hug and kissed his face twenty times before she even let him breathe another breath. She rolled her fingers softly down his face and smiled as the tears fell from her eyes.
"I'm sorry I wasn't quick enough to save you"
Guilt central, thy name is Buffy Summers.
"Don't" He whispered, been dead took it out of a guy "Don't ever feel like that, you're one person Buffy and while I'm pretty sure you're amazing and super powerful. I can assure you, you are not a god"
She looked away at the ground but he gently pulled her chin around with his fingers and made her look him in the eyes.
"I'm serious Buffy, you're just a person. Like me and like... well not deadboy here and why the hell are you looking at me so oddly"
Angel gulped; he'd seen some things in his time; some miraculous brilliant spectacles of existence. Even he had never seen a man return from certain death without the aid of medical attention of some kind.
"I'm immortal Angel." Xander offered.
A blank look was his only reply.
"Spike said he knew about immortals years ago, I just assumed you knew too"
"There was that whole "it's not you it's me thing" we did for the last century"
Xander cracked a smile and stood up with the aid of Buffy clinging to his arm, he slapped Angel on the shoulder.
"You're telling jokes. Good for you!" Xander chuckled "Look why don't we walk back to the magic box and I'll explain it as best I can"
