Epilogue
Three Months Later
"It's not Lurconis, Wesley.
Trust me on this one. Your demon database is wrong." Xander said
as he pulled a soda from the office refrigerator.
Wesley frowned at the computer screen.
"But the signs all point to him. How can you be sure he's dead?"
Xander popped the top of the can
and took a sip. "Because Buffy killed him with a makeshift flame thrower.
So if you saw a demon and he didn't look like a BBQ Demon-ka-bob, it ain't Lurconis."
"Ah. Well then, clearly I
must continue my research." He bent his head and began typing on the keyboard.
Xander grinned over at Angel.
It continually amazed him how much his life had changed. For the better.
He had an apartment, which was above
ground, a few blocks away from the office. He had a job that he loved
and that helped people in need. It surprised him how much he enjoyed working
at Angel Investigations. Here he was part of a team; a feeling he'd never
had in Sunnydale. Wesley was actually an okay guy once you got to know
him. Especially now that he'd removed the British flag from his ass.
Even Cordelia had been great.
When Angel explained that Xander would be staying and working with them, she
looked at Angel and asked if that meant she had to take cut in pay. After Angel
said no, she gave Xander a big hug and welcomed him to LA. She had been
somewhat concerned that Xander might be looking to get back together with her.
Until Xander grinned her and planted
a big kiss on Angel's surprised lips.
Screaming something about images
burned into her retinas for eternity, she fled the office. Xander and
Angel were both thrilled to discover a way to get rid of her when they wanted
privacy and used the technique on many an occasion.
Angel. That was the best thing
about LA. He and Xander were taking their relationship slowly. They
had become good friends, which surprised Xander even more than the two of them
dating. Wesley and Cordelia had both encouraged Angel to talk to the Oracles
about his curse and he'd finally given in. The Oracles had told Angel
that as long as he remained a warrior for The Powers That Be, his soul could
not be taken from him.
Xander was looking forward to testing
that theory. Soon.
He was pulled out of his thoughts
by the sound of the telephone. Cordelia answered it and then turned to
Xander in concern as she placed the call on hold. "Psycho Slayer #1 on
line two for you."
The smile slid from Xander's face
as he glanced at Angel. Buffy calling here. This cannot be good,
he thought.
With trepidation, he went into Angel's
office and shut the door. He stared at the blinking light for a moment
before picking up the receiver. "Hello?"
"Um...hi." Buffy's voice was
soft and uncertain.
"This is a surprise."
"I read your letter."
"Oh?" Xander's voice was hopeful.
He'd written that letter before he'd left Sunnydale. He'd wondered if
she'd ever read it.
"I can't say I understand, Xander.
It hurts too much. Knowing two of you...that you're...it hurts."
"I know. I'm sorry that you
were hurt. Especially that way—"
Buffy cut him off. "Do you
make him happy?"
Xander thought about how to answer
that question. He didn't what the correct response was. He decided
to be honest. "Yes. We make each other happy."
"Giles told me that his soul—"
Her voice broke.
"No, his soul isn't going anywhere."
"That's the part I'm having trouble
with. Why can he be happy with you and no threat hanging above his head
and not me?"
Xander sighed softly. "Because
he could never be what you needed him to be Buffy. Your world is all black
and white. Right and wrong, clearly defined. And his isn't. He isn't.
He turned himself inside out trying to be what you needed. But it almost
destroyed him and a lot of other people."
"I never asked him to." She
whispered.
"I know that. You didn't have
to. You just looked at him like he was this white knight in a fairy tale.
And he didn't want to disappoint you so that's who he pretended he was."
"So who is he really?"
"He's Angel." Xander replied
simply. "And he's not black or white. His soul isn't like some big
cosmic light switch that turns his demon on and off. He chooses to be
good. He chooses to help people. And he struggles with that choice
every day. But that's not a struggle you would ever have been able to
see, much less understand."
"But you do?"
"I try. I'm not always successful...but
I try."
"Well...I wish I could say I was
happy for you guys but---"
"You're not there yet. It's
okay."
"I'll try, Xander. Can...can
I call you next week?"
Xander smiled into the phone.
"That would be nice."
"Oh, I sent you guys something.
I didn't know what to do with it and thought the two of you might. It
should be there any minute."
"Thanks, Buffy! I appreciate
that."
She chuckled. "Don't thank
me yet. You haven't seen what it is."
"I'm glad you called."
"Me too. I'll talk to you
next week. Bye, Xander."
"Bye."
Xander set the receiver back on
the hook and stood. He opened the office door and walked outside to three
people watching him with concern. He grinned widely, vastly relieved.
"It's okay. She's not thrilled but we won't have to worry about a pissed
off Chosen One showing up on our doorstep."
A smiling Angel began to say something
but he was interrupted by a knock at the door. The others stared at the
doorway, wondering who would be arriving at the office this time of night.
Xander waved off their concerns
as he moved to the door. "It's okay. Buffy said she sent us something.
This is probably it." He swung open the door and his mouth fell open in
shock.
"Hello, cutie."
Spike stood on the threshold, a
battered duffel bag in his hands. He pushed past Xander and strode into
the office. "So where can I dump my stuff?"
As they all stared in horror at
their new arrival, Xander uttered the words on everyone's mind...
"Fucking bitch!"