"He's right, you know," Elisa sighed, dabbing a damp cloth in water. She lifted it up and gently pressed it against Xander's swollen eye. Xander flinched, but didn't pull away.
"What about," Xander asked. He already knew whom Elisa was talking about. She had been quiet ever since her brother had left Anya's.
"He won't give up," Elisa replied, bandaging the last cut on Xander's face. He watched her closely, noticing the fleeting emotions that crossed her face. Elisa was obviously distraught. He could understand, if only a little. He remembered how hard it had been for Buffy to fight Angelus, her one-time lover. But this was family. Xander could only imagine how it would feel if something happened to his family. Not his blood relatives, but those he considered to be his true family: Willow, Buffy, and Giles. How would he deal with it?
"So, what are you going to do?" Xander asked. Elisa looked at him and shrugged. She turned around and began to clean, returning the first aid supplies to the kit lying beside her. Xander could tell something else was bothering her. "Hey," he said gently, touching her shoulder.
Elisa turned back to face Xander. Tears shone in her eyes. Xander grabbed her arm and pulled her into a giant bear hug. Grateful, Elisa slid her arms around Xander's body and buried her face in his neck. They stood like that for a long time, simply holding each other. Eventually, Elisa broke free and pulled back. She was exhausted and made a futile attempt to restrain a yawn.
Xander smiled, "Tired?" She nodded her head. "Why don't you go ahead," he said, motioning to the bedroom. "I'll just set myself up out here."
Elisa watched as Xander set up the couch and prepared to go to bed. She sighed and withdrew into the next room. Elisa slowly climbed into the shower and turned on the water. As the hot stream flowed over her aching body, she broke down. The events of the past few days had finally taken their toll on her. She sobbed, deep, heart-wrenching sobs that took her breath away. She slid down the wall, sitting on the floor of the tub and cried.
A few minutes later, Elisa heard a soft tapping on the door. Receiving no response, the tapping became insistent knocking. Elisa slid back up into a standing position. "Elisa," Xander called, his voice barely audible over the running water.
"Just a minute," she responded, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand and turning off the faucet. She grabbed a towel from the rack and wrapped it around her body. Pushing her hair from her face, Elisa opened the door.
Xander quickly turned toward the door when he heard the doorknob turn. He had heard his guest in the bathroom crying, and it tore at his heart. He didn't want her to know that he had heard her, so he searched for an excuse. Elisa stuck her head into the bedroom, steam escaping around her. She shivered as the cool air hit her damp skin. "Yes?" she asked.
Xander found himself at a loss for words. He stared at the girl in front of him. Mentally shaking himself, Xander asked, "You okay?"
Elisa gave a small smile and replied, "Yeah, I'm fine."
"That's good," Xander returned her smile and handed her the clothes she had bought earlier that day. "Figured you could use these." She disappeared back into the bathroom to change. Elisa took her time, using it to gather her thoughts. When she came out again, she found Xander sleeping on his bed.
Elisa grinned. "Well, I'm not sleeping on the couch," she thought. Seeing no other alternative, she crawled under the covers and lay next to Xander.
Xander yawned and stretched, having been barely asleep. He rolled over onto his side. Opening his eyes, he saw the Slayer curled up on the other side of the bed.
Though her back was to him, Elisa felt Xander's eyes on her. "Was that your girlfriend?" she asked him, touching the photo on the bedside table. Xander lifted himself up on his arm to see whom she was talking about. He wordlessly motioned for Elisa to hand him the frame and she obeyed. He gently rubbed the frame. He remembered when the picture had been taken. Anya looked so happy, but he remembered how miserable he had been. He had been unhappy for a long time. When did that happen? What went wrong?
"Yeah, she was," Xander replied. He sighed and placed the photo back in its place, leaning over Elisa.
Elisa rolled over to face Xander. "If you don't mind my asking, what happened?"
He remained silent for a few moments and Elisa feared she offended him. "We just weren't compatible, I guess," he said finally. "For starters, she used to be a vengeance demon."
"A what?" Elisa exclaimed with a startled laugh.
"A vengeance demon," Xander restated. "The age difference was a major factor."
"And just how did that happen?" Elisa asked.
"Well, it's a long story, really," Xander said with a smile. "You see, it all started with this girl I dated in high school, Cordelia Chase. She and I hated each other for years but one day. . ."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Xander glanced at the alarm clock. It was almost four in the morning, but he wasn't really tired. He and Elisa had spent the night talking. Xander smiled at the dark shape lying next to him. Elisa was amazing. He could talk to her for hours and still crave to know more about her. She was different from everyone he knew. She had no preconceived notion about who he was. He wasn't just 'Good old Xander.' There was the possibility to be more.
Elisa had become quiet a while ago and Xander had assumed she had fallen asleep. He closed his eyes, intending to do the same.
Elisa's voice broke the silence. "How long have you loved her?"
Xander played dumb, "Who?"
"You know who. How long have you loved Buffy?"
Xander was shocked. 'How did she know?' He decided to be honest with her. "Since I first laid eyes on her. I've tried to get over her, but I can't. Seeing her everyday just strengthens my love for her. It's ruined every relationship I've ever had."
Elisa sighed. 'Figures.' Out loud, she told him, "I have to leave."
Xander's eyes shot open. "What do you mean, 'you have to leave?'"
"I have to get away from here. This town," Elisa clarified. Her voice was thick with emotion. She didn't want to leave. This was a strange time in a foreign place. She had already made some new friends who were helping her to adjust. But she knew what she had to do. She said a quick prayer, begging for the strength to follow through with it.
Xander stared at Elisa's profile. His mind struggled to process what she had just told him. "Why?" Xander feared it was because of what he had just told her.
She sighed, "Because of my brother." Elisa knew she needed to explain further. "He won't stop coming after me. Right now, I don't know if I could kill him. I just don't want to put everyone else in danger, so it's just best if I leave."
"So just like that, you're going to leave?"
"Yes, I am."
"Then I'm going with you." The words just popped out of his mouth, but as he heard them, he realized they were the truth. He couldn't let her go alone. He wouldn't.
"But you have so much here. I couldn't let you give all of that up," Elisa argued.
"Well, let's see. I have my friends, job, and home," Xander conceded. "My friends will be here for us when we return. My job is in construction, so I'm sure I could find work anywhere we go. And my home, I'm renting. I'm sure Willow would like to play housekeeper while we're gone. Besides, right now, Buffy is with Riley. I can't handle it. Seeing her with him every day, it's killing me slowly. He's not right for her. I want to be with her. But I want her to want to be with me, too. Not because I'm the only one left, but because she really wants to be with me. If she needs time to figure that out, then time is what she'll get."
"But. . ."
"Look, you don't know this time. You need a guide, someone you trust," Xander pointed out. "Do you trust me?"
Elisa looked deep into his eyes, seeing them clearly even in the dark. "Yes, I trust you."
"Then it's settled. We're both going," Xander smiled. "We'll see the world and when it's safe, we'll come back. Who knows what will happen by then?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Elisa asked Xander, looking over at him with worry in her eyes. They stood outside the Magic Box, preparing to tell the others they were leaving. Xander's car was parked outside, loaded with the bare essentials for their trip.
Xander looked at her and smiled. "Ready and able," he said. He then pulled the dark-haired girl into the store behind him.
"Guess what guys?" Xander's voice rang out. "Elisa and I are going on a road trip."
The end