(Song lyrics later on in this part: Shadows in a Mirror - Chris Isaak)
&&&&&&&&
One week later
Friday night, 5 pm
"So then I told him that he was shirking his duties as a Principal,
and that I'd complain to the Mayor and the City Council, and the
School Board," Joyce was recounting her triumph over Principal Snyder
to Buffy over their dinner. Buffy was listening vaguely, enough to
mutter, "Uh-huh," and "oh" occasionally. She looked down at her
plate, and pushed the food around strategically while her mom wasn't
paying attention. She'd lost her appetite in the last few days. Not
that she didn't eat at all, but it didn't much interest her.
Nothing interested her anymore. Not going back to school. Definitely
not Slaying. Xander had managed to keep Giles and Willow content with
whatever excuses he had come up with, and they weren't banging down
the door insisting to see her. Xander had visited her every day after
dinner, and she'd been surprised by his protectiveness. It was sweet,
though, and she didn't mind it from him like she minded it from her
mom. At least he didn't push her to talk to him. On the contrary he
usually tried to distract her, and make her smile. He'd turned out to
be a really good friend, and she was hoping at the moment he would
show up soon tonight, because she didn't much want to deal with her
mom's impending nagging.
She realized the room had fallen silent, and looked up to see her mom
looking at her with concern. "What?" she asked defensively. "I'm
sorry, I got distracted. So you defeated Snyder?"
"Yes, it's all straightened out. So, anyway, do you have plans
tonight?"
"Not really," Buffy shrugged. "I'm not much in the social mood right
now."
"So I've noticed, Buffy. You're worrying me. You're like a You don't
want to go out, you sit around home all day, you won't talk to Giles
or Willow. I'd be much more concerned if you were completely
isolating yourself, but at least you spend time with Xander. Which is
a surprise to me, I would think the person who you would spend time
with above anyone else is Angel--"
Buffy jumped at the name. She tried to remain calm, though. That was
the last thing she needed, her mom to see her lose it. Joyce noticed
the reaction, though, and looked at her daughter closely, trying to
read her expression. "Is that it?" Joyce asked. "Did you two break
up?"
A sudden laugh escaped Buffy's lips. "I guess you could call it
that," she said, and then jumped up from the table as she felt the
tears threatening. "I'm sorry. I really can't..." she gave up and ran
upstairs to her room.
&&&&&&&&&&
Buffy laid on her bed, holding Mr. Gordo, her only comfort when she
had to either cry or lose her mind. She heard the doorbell, and
brushed the tears away, knowing who it was before her mom
called, "Buffy, it's Xander!" She looked in her mirror, and rolled
her eyes at her
She heard a tap at her door, and said, "Come in, Xander," returning
to sit on her bed.
"Hey," Xander smiled as he entered. He guessed from the state of her
appearance that she'd been crying, but didn't bring up the issue. He
had decided long ago that it wouldn't be a good idea to attempt to
push Buffy to talk about something she didn't want to. He figured
that she would just push back even harder and possibly shut him out
alltogether. So he had settled on trying to be the best friend he
could, and making sure she knew he was available in the event she
felt like talking.
The next thing he noticed was the song playing on her CD player.
I'm watching somebody's world at an end.
And wishing that somehow we could love again.
Shadows in a mirror tell me that I'm wrong.
Shadows in a mirror, tell me that we're through.
He sighed, and said, "I'm going to take that CD out of your house. I
swear you must have it on repeat, and I don't think it's doing much
to ease the depression." He walked over and turned it off.
"I like it," Buffy shrugged. "Someone who knows how I feel. But if
you want to try to cheer me up, go for it," she challenged him.
"Oh, I think I can do that," Xander said. "Willow, Oz, and I went
patrolling yesterday," he offered with a grin.
"Oh no," Buffy said.
"Yeah, that pretty much covers it," Xander replied, chuckling. "The
general way it went was this: vampire attacked Willow, Oz attacked
vampire. Oz got thrown across the field, vampire returned to Willow
intent on biting her. So then Xander tried to be macho-helping-guy
but somehow the vampire managed to get the stake out of my hand and
attempt to stake _me_ with it. Which I must say was a new and
unexpected demon reaction. Lucky for me, I was fast in the reflex
department, and I dodged out of the way. Unluckily for Willow,
though, who had managed to get herself off the ground only to be run
into by yours truly. The vampire ran off as we went tumbling to the
ground, but Oz jumped the vampire, and staked him after a short
struggle."
Buffy looked at him, trying to keep a serious expression on her face.
She really, really didn't want to prove him right that he could cheer
her up. She couldn't help it, though, the mental image of her friends
falling over themselves literally in the attempt to slay a vampire
was too much caused a giggle to escape her. Xander smiled, willing to
be the source of her amusement as long as she was laughing.
"I'm sorry, that was mean," she apologized. "I am really grateful to
you guys for pulling substitute Slay duty while I've been out of
commission."
"No thanks needed," Xander replied sitting next to her. "We get that
you're going through something, and we're happy to help in any way we
can."
"Still, I think you guys are going above and beyond the call of
friendship," Buffy said. "Demon fighting is not a typical hobby for
most teens."
"Maybe not, but it makes life interesting," Xander said. He looked at
his watch and said, "I should go soon. I have a date with Cordelia."
"So how are you two doing?" Buffy asked.
"Okay, I guess," Xander shrugged.
"Not so much enthusiasm," Buffy said sarcastically. "I can't take
it."
Xander chuckled, and said, "Don't get me wrong, I like her. I don't
know though..."
"What's not to know?" Buffy asked. "I mean, you like her, she likes
you. Besides the obvious 'She's Cordelia' argument, what's standing
in the way?" she teased.
"Well, she's leaving soon for the summer vacation with her parents. A
lot can happen during the summer, so I guess I'm just keeping myself
prepared."
"For?" Buffy said, confused.
"For when she comes to her senses and decides she was insane to want
to date me," Xander explained.
"You're too hard on yourself, Xander," Buffy said, shaking her
head. "You're a great guy, and I think Cordelia's lucky to have you.
If she doesn't see that, then _that's_ when she's insane."
"Thanks, Buffy," Xander replied. "That was a very good-friend thing
to say."
"I don't 'just say' things, Xander. I meant it," she said with a
smile. "Okay, go. You don't want to keep Cordelia Chase waiting. I
don't imagine it would be a pretty sight."
"Definitely not," Xander agreed. "You sure you'll be okay?" he asked.
"I'm sure," she reassured him. "Go have fun, I'll see you later."
Xander stood and walked to the door, saying, "Okay, but if you need
anything--"
"I'll call you," Buffy finished the sentence, with a grin. "Go."
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow," Xander replied, and exited the room.
Buffy sighed to herself after Xander left, and pushed the play button
on her CD player remote. "I miss you, Angel," she said, as she looked
down at the Claddagh ring on her finger. She'd gotten in the habit of
talking as if he could hear her, and she hoped that somehow he
could. "You were and still are my whole world. How am I supposed to
go on, now that it's over?"
End Three
&&&&&&&&
One week later
Friday night, 5 pm
"So then I told him that he was shirking his duties as a Principal,
and that I'd complain to the Mayor and the City Council, and the
School Board," Joyce was recounting her triumph over Principal Snyder
to Buffy over their dinner. Buffy was listening vaguely, enough to
mutter, "Uh-huh," and "oh" occasionally. She looked down at her
plate, and pushed the food around strategically while her mom wasn't
paying attention. She'd lost her appetite in the last few days. Not
that she didn't eat at all, but it didn't much interest her.
Nothing interested her anymore. Not going back to school. Definitely
not Slaying. Xander had managed to keep Giles and Willow content with
whatever excuses he had come up with, and they weren't banging down
the door insisting to see her. Xander had visited her every day after
dinner, and she'd been surprised by his protectiveness. It was sweet,
though, and she didn't mind it from him like she minded it from her
mom. At least he didn't push her to talk to him. On the contrary he
usually tried to distract her, and make her smile. He'd turned out to
be a really good friend, and she was hoping at the moment he would
show up soon tonight, because she didn't much want to deal with her
mom's impending nagging.
She realized the room had fallen silent, and looked up to see her mom
looking at her with concern. "What?" she asked defensively. "I'm
sorry, I got distracted. So you defeated Snyder?"
"Yes, it's all straightened out. So, anyway, do you have plans
tonight?"
"Not really," Buffy shrugged. "I'm not much in the social mood right
now."
"So I've noticed, Buffy. You're worrying me. You're like a You don't
want to go out, you sit around home all day, you won't talk to Giles
or Willow. I'd be much more concerned if you were completely
isolating yourself, but at least you spend time with Xander. Which is
a surprise to me, I would think the person who you would spend time
with above anyone else is Angel--"
Buffy jumped at the name. She tried to remain calm, though. That was
the last thing she needed, her mom to see her lose it. Joyce noticed
the reaction, though, and looked at her daughter closely, trying to
read her expression. "Is that it?" Joyce asked. "Did you two break
up?"
A sudden laugh escaped Buffy's lips. "I guess you could call it
that," she said, and then jumped up from the table as she felt the
tears threatening. "I'm sorry. I really can't..." she gave up and ran
upstairs to her room.
&&&&&&&&&&
Buffy laid on her bed, holding Mr. Gordo, her only comfort when she
had to either cry or lose her mind. She heard the doorbell, and
brushed the tears away, knowing who it was before her mom
called, "Buffy, it's Xander!" She looked in her mirror, and rolled
her eyes at her
She heard a tap at her door, and said, "Come in, Xander," returning
to sit on her bed.
"Hey," Xander smiled as he entered. He guessed from the state of her
appearance that she'd been crying, but didn't bring up the issue. He
had decided long ago that it wouldn't be a good idea to attempt to
push Buffy to talk about something she didn't want to. He figured
that she would just push back even harder and possibly shut him out
alltogether. So he had settled on trying to be the best friend he
could, and making sure she knew he was available in the event she
felt like talking.
The next thing he noticed was the song playing on her CD player.
I'm watching somebody's world at an end.
And wishing that somehow we could love again.
Shadows in a mirror tell me that I'm wrong.
Shadows in a mirror, tell me that we're through.
He sighed, and said, "I'm going to take that CD out of your house. I
swear you must have it on repeat, and I don't think it's doing much
to ease the depression." He walked over and turned it off.
"I like it," Buffy shrugged. "Someone who knows how I feel. But if
you want to try to cheer me up, go for it," she challenged him.
"Oh, I think I can do that," Xander said. "Willow, Oz, and I went
patrolling yesterday," he offered with a grin.
"Oh no," Buffy said.
"Yeah, that pretty much covers it," Xander replied, chuckling. "The
general way it went was this: vampire attacked Willow, Oz attacked
vampire. Oz got thrown across the field, vampire returned to Willow
intent on biting her. So then Xander tried to be macho-helping-guy
but somehow the vampire managed to get the stake out of my hand and
attempt to stake _me_ with it. Which I must say was a new and
unexpected demon reaction. Lucky for me, I was fast in the reflex
department, and I dodged out of the way. Unluckily for Willow,
though, who had managed to get herself off the ground only to be run
into by yours truly. The vampire ran off as we went tumbling to the
ground, but Oz jumped the vampire, and staked him after a short
struggle."
Buffy looked at him, trying to keep a serious expression on her face.
She really, really didn't want to prove him right that he could cheer
her up. She couldn't help it, though, the mental image of her friends
falling over themselves literally in the attempt to slay a vampire
was too much caused a giggle to escape her. Xander smiled, willing to
be the source of her amusement as long as she was laughing.
"I'm sorry, that was mean," she apologized. "I am really grateful to
you guys for pulling substitute Slay duty while I've been out of
commission."
"No thanks needed," Xander replied sitting next to her. "We get that
you're going through something, and we're happy to help in any way we
can."
"Still, I think you guys are going above and beyond the call of
friendship," Buffy said. "Demon fighting is not a typical hobby for
most teens."
"Maybe not, but it makes life interesting," Xander said. He looked at
his watch and said, "I should go soon. I have a date with Cordelia."
"So how are you two doing?" Buffy asked.
"Okay, I guess," Xander shrugged.
"Not so much enthusiasm," Buffy said sarcastically. "I can't take
it."
Xander chuckled, and said, "Don't get me wrong, I like her. I don't
know though..."
"What's not to know?" Buffy asked. "I mean, you like her, she likes
you. Besides the obvious 'She's Cordelia' argument, what's standing
in the way?" she teased.
"Well, she's leaving soon for the summer vacation with her parents. A
lot can happen during the summer, so I guess I'm just keeping myself
prepared."
"For?" Buffy said, confused.
"For when she comes to her senses and decides she was insane to want
to date me," Xander explained.
"You're too hard on yourself, Xander," Buffy said, shaking her
head. "You're a great guy, and I think Cordelia's lucky to have you.
If she doesn't see that, then _that's_ when she's insane."
"Thanks, Buffy," Xander replied. "That was a very good-friend thing
to say."
"I don't 'just say' things, Xander. I meant it," she said with a
smile. "Okay, go. You don't want to keep Cordelia Chase waiting. I
don't imagine it would be a pretty sight."
"Definitely not," Xander agreed. "You sure you'll be okay?" he asked.
"I'm sure," she reassured him. "Go have fun, I'll see you later."
Xander stood and walked to the door, saying, "Okay, but if you need
anything--"
"I'll call you," Buffy finished the sentence, with a grin. "Go."
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow," Xander replied, and exited the room.
Buffy sighed to herself after Xander left, and pushed the play button
on her CD player remote. "I miss you, Angel," she said, as she looked
down at the Claddagh ring on her finger. She'd gotten in the habit of
talking as if he could hear her, and she hoped that somehow he
could. "You were and still are my whole world. How am I supposed to
go on, now that it's over?"
End Three