Part Seven

Dawn watched the reflection as she ran the brush through her hair. She loved her long hair, but at times like this she seriously thought about getting it chopped back. As she was drawing the brush down for the umpteenth time, she noticed out of the corner of her eye some movement behind her. She moved her head to the side and noticed with some amusement that Xander seemed to be having trouble working out what to wear. He walked into the bathroom, obviously to see what he looked like, as his room had no mirror, and obviously wasn't happy with the result.

She started to brush her hair again, thinking about what today might bring. Even though she had shared a very enjoyable outing to the mall yesterday with Xander, he seemed to clam up later that evening. She wondered if it was the thought of seeing other old friends again. Or maybe it was because the number Dawn had for Willow was now disconnected. Whatever the reason, Xander didn't seem to want to talk about it to Dawn last night.

Not that Dawn let it worry her that much. She had no idea what he was going through, and if he needed some quiet time then she would let him have it.

Dawn noticed in the reflection again, Xander walking out of his room, across the hall and entering the bathroom with a different shirt on. She waited for a few seconds before he walked out again, already having taken his shirt off.

Over the next five minutes he did it again and again. At first Dawn found it amusing, now it was frustrating her.

"Xander!" she half yelled for him.

She didn't turn, only waited for his presence to appear in the reflection behind her. When he did, she noticed that he had changed his clothes yet again. She was sure he had gone through everything he had bought the day before.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

Xander gave her a strange look. "Well, you were the one you yelled for me to come here, so I was sort of hoping you would tell me."

Dawn turned around and gave him one of the Summer's patented looks. The look that said, "Don't be a moron."

"Okay, so I am little nervous about what to wear," Xander admitted. "I mean I have no idea if this looks good or not."

Dawn gave him the once over, not really needing to. She had virtually decided what to buy yesterday. She knew he looked good.

"So, were you this nervous getting ready, when you use to go out with her?" she asked.

Xander looked at himself in the mirror, rolling his head to the side, as if a different angle would make a sudden change in his opinion. "Yeah, well sometimes." He stopped and remembered one occasion. "Actually after Valentines Day in 1998, I decided not to dress up to much. Getting dumped when you look good, changed my outlook for a few years."

"Xander, I doubt she will notice what you are wearing. She'll be too excited to see you."

Xander found the opportune time to return the 'Summer's look'.

Dawn laughed. "Okay, but I bet it isn't for at least 10 minutes."

****************

"I'll get it," Xander said as he heard the doorbell ring. He walked steadily down the stairs, trying to keep his nerves under control. The thing was, unlike Dawn, who he had seen practically every day before he disappeared, he had only seen Cordelia twice since they graduated High School. She may have not seen him for ten years, but Xander felt a similar sensation on the prospect of seeing her. The reality was however they each had no idea what the other was like anymore. Xander hoped that would be different in the future.

He also hoped that maybe she had some idea of what happened to Anya. Not that he planned that to be the first question out of his mouth. He didn't want to depress the whole day.

Taking a deep breath, he opened the door, his smile widening in time with the doorway. They may look a little older, but Xander had doubt that standing in front of him was Cordelia Chase and Wesley Wyndham Pryce. He would have offered them to come in, but was unable to as Cordelia virtually jumped on him, wrapping her arms around Xander and squeezing him tight.

As Xander returned the embrace, he took a moment to savoir the feel of Cordelia again. Not in any sexual way. It was just a way of connecting himself to the situation he found himself in. Now into his third day in the 'teens' ( a name which Xander thought was terribly un-inspired for the second decade of the century), he had, at least on a conscious level gotten used to the fact he was now the youngest looking 30 year old in Sunnydale. But his autopilot still was set 10 years ago.

After a few seconds of resting his head on Cordelia's shoulder, he looked up and saw Wesley looking a little uncomfortable. They had never had the best relationship, but Xander didn't want that to be a factor today.

He gave him a welcoming smile. "Hi Wesley." Not he most inspired of welcoming, he realised, but it was all he could up with in the present situation.

"Xander.." Wesley started, before stopping. "Somehow, saying it is good to see you is a little redundant. However, for the want of something better, It is good to see you."

Xander chuckled a little. Wesley may be a protector of the stars, but he was still the wordsmith. "Umm, Cordy," Xander said as she started to disengage him arms. He looked down at her face and could tell she had been crying. "How about we go inside?"

Cordelia looked up at him and nodded. "I still can't believe its you"

"Take it from me, from my side there is a lot harder things to get used to," Xander replied, offering his hand, now that it was free, to Wesley, who shook it warmly.

Xander looked at both of them, studying what they looked like, 10 years on. The years had been good to both of them. "It's so good to see you both," Xander said, before motioning them inside.

As they entered the room, Dawn came down the stairs, glad to have let Xander have his re-union by himself.

"Hey," she called out as she got to the bottom.

Cordelia reached over and grabbed Dawn in a hug, "It's been too long," she said softly to her.

"Yeah," Dawn replied, knowing that until Xander returned, Sunnydale held little good memories for Cordelia. They had talked about it a few times, whenever Dawn approached the idea of Cordelia moving back. Cordelia was adamant that it was something she never thought she could do. After her and Wesley's business started, Dawn stopped asking her. She knew Cordelia would be a LA girl and that was the end of that.

Eventually they had all moved out onto the back landing, where Dawn had set up a BBQ area last summer. Dawn watched with interest, Xander interact with Cordelia and Wesley. It amazed her how naturally they talked back and forth. They started to swap stories, and even though most of them came from Cordelia, she after all had 10 years worth, Xander listen to each one. He looked for Wesley's comments, made a few of his own, and within 10 minutes it was hard to believe that he had been away at all.

Dawn was a little jealous on how easy they were all talking. Xander seemed so much more comfortable with them, Dawn couldn't help to feel a little upset. It was as if the fact she was twenty-four made no difference.

Xander didn't see the girl that finished high School with better than expected results. He didn't see the girl that got her degree in Journalism, even with all of the tragic events of her sophomore year. As far as Dawn could tell, all Xander saw was the same girl he used to baby-sit.

"Umm, anyone want a drink?" Dawn said, interrupting the conversation.

She was answered with a round of yes's and got up to grab them.

Dawn's silence did not go un-noticed by Cordelia. She was wondering what was wrong, and this gave her the perfect opportunity.

"I'll help," she said, leaving Xander and Wesley to talk amongst themselves.

Xander watched them go, before turning back to Wesley. "You seem happy together?" he asked genuinely.

"Yes, we are. Thank you," Wesley replied.

"Do you mind if I ask you some stuff?" Xander requested. He had stopped asking Dawn questions, feeling that she had been through enough. He hated to see her upset, and each question he asked about those years tendered to have sad answers.

'Not at all," Wesley replied leaning forward a little, giving Xander his full attention.

"Dawn told me pretty much everything, but there were a couple of questions." Seeing that Wesley just nodded, Xander continued. "Do you have any idea what happened to Anya?"

Wesley closed his eyes and inwardly cursed. It had slipped his mind that Xander would want to know about Anya. He only wished that he had better news. "We never found out where she went or why. I think she was searching for a reason for living. We tried to make her feel welcome, but, well as you know we all had our own pain to deal with."

Xander nodded in silence. It was no worse than what he expected. He hoped that she found some peace, and a reason to live. And who knows, maybe one day...

"What about Angel?"

At the sound of his former boss's name, Wesley took off his glasses and wiped them on his shirt. The four of them had been through so much, it still hurt that he had not seen his friend for five years. "I don't know. He came to us after we got back from Buffy's funeral, and simply told us that he didn't think it was worth it."

Xander looked confused at the quote. "Dawn said he told her the same thing," he stated hoping Wesley would fill in the gaps.

"He was human," Wesley stated, realising that Dawn had probably not even known.

"Human?" Xander replied amazed at such a revelation.

"It was prophesied that once Angle had stopped the coming apocalypse, he would be rewarded with the gift of becoming human. So after the demons were defeated in San Francisco, Angel was rewarded. I think in his heart he thought he would be able to spend the rest of his life with Buffy."

"But she died," Xander stated softly.

Wesley nodded. "So I think he wondered what it was all for. The years of fighting." Wesley couldn't hide some of his anger in his voice. "We all wondered how the 'Powers that Be' could have used him, us like that."

Xander could only nod. Angel was never his favourite person, but he had come to understand him a little. And the one thing he never doubted was his love for Buffy. "Have you heard from him at all?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

Xander shrugged. "It was just something Dawn said. Apparently Angel and Giles were trying to find out what happened to me. Just curious to know if they found anything."

"Not that I know of," Wesley replied, intrigued by question. "Have you spoken to Giles?"

Xander shook his head. "I will in a few days."

*****************

Cordelia watched the two men talk to each other out the window. She was glad to see them getting on so well. To be honest she was ecstatic that the re-union had gone so well. She had pictured it being rather awkward. But after the first couple of minutes, they started talking and hadn't stopped since. She turned back to face Dawn, who was grabbing some drinks out of the fridge.

"So, does it seem real to you. Cause I'm still floating with the news," she said.

Dawn placed the bottles on the bench before answering. "Still not real."

Cordelia frowned at Dawn's response. It lacked almost any enthusiasm. "Okay, what's up?"

"What do you mean?" Dawn replied innocently not meeting Cordelia's gaze.

"You and your, oh so not 'jumping up and down cause Xander is alive' attitude." Cordelia replied standing with one hand on her hip.

Dawn stopped what she was doing and faced her interrogator. "Believe me I am jumping up and down still," she replied with a little smile.

Seeing the smile, Cordelia softened her posture and voice. "So what's the sitch?"

"It's just me being silly no doubt." Dawn answered, before pausing, taking a deep breath. "I'm jealous." Seeing the look Cordelia gave her she added, "I know it's pathetic."

"What are you jealous of?" Cordelia asked, not expecting that answer.

"I know it's being selfish, but he was out there talking away the years to you and Wesley like he had never been gone, and when he is with me, it is usually going over some horrible occurrence in the past, or kidding around."

Cordelia frowned. "But that is good isn't it. That he can talk to you about that stuff."

"Yeah, but I want him to be able to talk to me. Not about what happened, but just talk. Like friends do."

Cordelia sighed. This was something she was a little concerned about. She had talked to Dawn about Xander a lot over the years and she always wondered just how much Dawn was living on the dream of Xander returning. The fact that Dawn made very few friends, and the ones she did were never that serious, always worried Cordelia. And now when all of her dreams had happened, she found out it wasn't what she expected.

"You have to remember Xander and I grew up together. We may not have liked each other for a lot of that time, but we are familiar with each other..."

"But I was here for the last five years.." Dawn protested.

"And you were nine years old at the start. It's a little different," Cordelia interrupted carefully.

"I know," Dawn replied, not for the first time cursing the fact she had to be so young back then. "I'm just...well, I suppose I wanted it to be easy. Not really living in reality there was I?"

"No," Cordy laughed. "But he has only been back for a few days. He will need you in the weeks ahead. He has to adjust to a lot more than we do. Just be his friend by giving him the space he needs."

"I know. I'm just so happy to have him back."

Cordelia grasped Dawn's hand. "You and me both, kiddo" she said affectionately.

Dawn rolled her eyes at Cordy's use of her old nickname for her.

"So," Cordelia started changing the subject, "did you dress Xander, or does time travel give you taste?" Cordelia asked.

Dawn just burst out laughing.

End Part Seven