PART VII - "Love is never lost, only delayed."
Buffy knees threatened to buckle beneath her as she received P-Giles's news. "NOOOOOOOO! He can't be dead! HE CAN'T BE!" Tears flowed freely down her face in torrents as she began to speak in tones so soft that almost no one could hear. "We were supposed to spend the rest of our lives together... I was supposed to grow old with him..."
Willow broke down in Oz's arms, loudly crying and morning the loss of her best friend. Oz promised himself that he would take time to grieve later, for now his whole being was focused on comforting his beloved girlfriend.
Cordelia excused herself to the ladies room, trying without success to hide the tears that were streaking down her face. As she raced to the restroom, her only thought besides that of disbelief that her friend was dead, was why Buffy's life seemed to be one tragedy after another.
X-Giles and the Sliders seemed to be unable to comprehend the implications that Xander's death would mean in this world. X-Giles sighed in silent agony for the Slayer of this world, who seemed as slated for tragedy as his own Slayer.
Buffy began to gasp for air as her sobs left her short of breath. In panic, Buffy raced for the doors of the library, needing solace to deal with her pain.
Willow began to stand up to follow Buffy, but Xander placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'll go after her." In a soft, tiny voice he added, "I'm the only one who can."
*****
Xander raced out of the library, but Buffy was nowhere to be seen. But, if this Buffy was anything like the Buffy of his world, he knew exactly where she was. The moon was still high in the night sky, a sure sign that now was not the time to let down his guard. I really don't think Buffy could handle losing TWO Xanders in one night. Not to mention the whole aversion to death complex I've got. Xander picked up his pace, determined to be there for Buffy whether she needed him or not.
Buffy let her feet drag along the ground as she swayed aimlessly on one of the children's swings in the playground. Her face contorted in anguish, she mourned the loss of her love, her Xander. She was thinking about their last meeting alone before Spike abducted him, when her Slayer senses picked up movement directly behind her. She waited for the vampires to come and send her to meet her beloved when she recognized exactly who was behind her. A small smile lit up her eyes briefly as she felt his familiar presence surround her like a warm blanket. "Xander..."
Xander stopped dead in his tracks when he heard her call his name. Busted. I was hoping she wouldn't notice I was here just yet. Just how in the hell did she know I was here? "How did you know it was me?"
Buffy unconsciously licked her lips. "You wear the same aftershave. It's one of my favorite scents. That, and I'd know your presence anywhere, I can feel it. It's a part of me."
Xander blushed slightly, at the same time cursing fate. The same fate that cursed him to be born on a world where the woman he loved would never share his feelings. And cursed the Xander of this world to find and win the heart of Buffy, only to die horribly. When will they be able to finally find happiness? Xander looked at the woman who was and also wasn't the woman he loved. Deciding that he was going to have to take the first step, Xander walked over behind Buffy and gently stroked her soft blond hair. Instead of flinching away as he expected, she slowly relaxed into his touch and leaned back against him. In a low soothing voice he spoke to her. "You want to talk about it?"
Buffy slowly nodded her head in affirmation, knowing that if she could trust anyone, she could trust the man who was seemingly identical to her Xander in almost every way. She waited as he lowered himself into the neighboring swing, and focused her deep green eyes on his soft brown ones and knew that she could handle this, just as long as he was there with her.
Buffy knees threatened to buckle beneath her as she received P-Giles's news. "NOOOOOOOO! He can't be dead! HE CAN'T BE!" Tears flowed freely down her face in torrents as she began to speak in tones so soft that almost no one could hear. "We were supposed to spend the rest of our lives together... I was supposed to grow old with him..."
Willow broke down in Oz's arms, loudly crying and morning the loss of her best friend. Oz promised himself that he would take time to grieve later, for now his whole being was focused on comforting his beloved girlfriend.
Cordelia excused herself to the ladies room, trying without success to hide the tears that were streaking down her face. As she raced to the restroom, her only thought besides that of disbelief that her friend was dead, was why Buffy's life seemed to be one tragedy after another.
X-Giles and the Sliders seemed to be unable to comprehend the implications that Xander's death would mean in this world. X-Giles sighed in silent agony for the Slayer of this world, who seemed as slated for tragedy as his own Slayer.
Buffy began to gasp for air as her sobs left her short of breath. In panic, Buffy raced for the doors of the library, needing solace to deal with her pain.
Willow began to stand up to follow Buffy, but Xander placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'll go after her." In a soft, tiny voice he added, "I'm the only one who can."
*****
Xander raced out of the library, but Buffy was nowhere to be seen. But, if this Buffy was anything like the Buffy of his world, he knew exactly where she was. The moon was still high in the night sky, a sure sign that now was not the time to let down his guard. I really don't think Buffy could handle losing TWO Xanders in one night. Not to mention the whole aversion to death complex I've got. Xander picked up his pace, determined to be there for Buffy whether she needed him or not.
Buffy let her feet drag along the ground as she swayed aimlessly on one of the children's swings in the playground. Her face contorted in anguish, she mourned the loss of her love, her Xander. She was thinking about their last meeting alone before Spike abducted him, when her Slayer senses picked up movement directly behind her. She waited for the vampires to come and send her to meet her beloved when she recognized exactly who was behind her. A small smile lit up her eyes briefly as she felt his familiar presence surround her like a warm blanket. "Xander..."
Xander stopped dead in his tracks when he heard her call his name. Busted. I was hoping she wouldn't notice I was here just yet. Just how in the hell did she know I was here? "How did you know it was me?"
Buffy unconsciously licked her lips. "You wear the same aftershave. It's one of my favorite scents. That, and I'd know your presence anywhere, I can feel it. It's a part of me."
Xander blushed slightly, at the same time cursing fate. The same fate that cursed him to be born on a world where the woman he loved would never share his feelings. And cursed the Xander of this world to find and win the heart of Buffy, only to die horribly. When will they be able to finally find happiness? Xander looked at the woman who was and also wasn't the woman he loved. Deciding that he was going to have to take the first step, Xander walked over behind Buffy and gently stroked her soft blond hair. Instead of flinching away as he expected, she slowly relaxed into his touch and leaned back against him. In a low soothing voice he spoke to her. "You want to talk about it?"
Buffy slowly nodded her head in affirmation, knowing that if she could trust anyone, she could trust the man who was seemingly identical to her Xander in almost every way. She waited as he lowered himself into the neighboring swing, and focused her deep green eyes on his soft brown ones and knew that she could handle this, just as long as he was there with her.