"But if you try to go out alone,
Don't think I'll understand.
Stay with me,
Stay with me" - Shakepeare's Sister, Stay
Xander blinked at the sight of fluorescent lights. He jerked a bit, feeling someone squeeze his hand. He turned to his head to the side, and saw Willow sitting next to him, smiling.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" she asked.
"Never better, now," he grinned as he sat up, and reached over to grab her head, and pulled her close, kissing her tenderly. She returned it with the same tenderness. *Love you. * Neither was sure who thought of it, but both agreed to it. And they weren't shocked by the sudden telepathy for it seemed to always be there, but they were only aware of it now. She put her arms around his neck, also drawing him close. She nuzzled his neck lovingly.
~I was so afraid of losing you. ~ He thought worriedly.
~It's all right. I'm here. You can't lose me remember? ~
He mentally laughed, ~Yeah, guess we're stuck together for life. Think you can stand me that long? ~
In a mock-shocked tone, she exclaimed, ~Alexander Lavelle Harris! I've put up with you for nearly two decades now. I certainly can take a couple more. ~
He winced, ~Please, Will, not my full name! You know I hate it. ~
~I know, that's why I used it, silly! ~ Willow giggled. ~I'm just teasing, darling. ~
~Thought that was my job, to be Joke guy. ~
"Hey! I guess you two are feeling better," a voice remarked laughingly.
The pair pulled away from each other, and simultaneously glanced up at Buffy, both blushing furiously at being caught in the act. She stood nearby, though it looked like she was losing a battle against keeping a straight face. They then both got up, and Buffy went over to hug tightly the couple at the same time.
"So, you two okay now?" She asked more seriously, her voice conveying her worry and concern for her closest friends. Xander and Willow both backed up a step, and nodded simultaneously. Buffy blinked at the dual effect.
"Uh, ok, what's with the stereo thing?" She glanced at them both unsurely.
The pair turned to look at each other. ~Should we explain? ~ ~Probably, though be a good idea to pop some popcorn before the evening showing, huh? Or whatever time it is now? ~ ~It is evening; I'm not sure how long we were out though. ~ ~'Kay, fair enough. ~ They then both turned back to Buffy and grinned.
They then both said, "Long story," and then glanced at each other, and laughed.
Buffy folded her arms in front of her, and raised an eyebrow in Spock-like fashion, "Obviously. ...Ok, when you two decide on the unsynchronized explaining event, let me know." Then, Giles came out from behind the stacks, and stopped in his tracks.
"Xander, Willow? You are all right?" he asked in hushed tones, not sure whether to believe what he was seeing.
"We're fine, Giles," Willow smiled. Buffy couldn't help thinking that it was nice they weren't doing _everything_ together. Giles then walked over and in one motion, hugged Willow fiercely. She started at his unusual emotional response, but then just patted his back reassuringly. Giles then stepped back, blinking to try to hide the tears threatening to emerge in his eyes.
"Oh, great, Willow gets all the attention, while I've been to hell, and where's the love for me?" Xander commented.
"Of course, Xander, I'm happy to see you are well again." Giles said, grasping Xander's shoulder in a gesture of friendship. He then studied him a moment, "You are better?"
"Yup, the Xandman takes a licking and keeps on ticking." he thumped his chest to prove his resilience.
"Err, yes. Willow, if you don't mind, I, or perhaps Buffy could check your injury. Make sure there is no sustaining damage." Giles then said. He went over to her, but Buffy stopped the Watcher with a hand on his chest.
"Why don't I take care of her, while you two talk guy talk out here?" she said, and Giles nodded with a grateful look on his face. Buffy then took Willow by the arm and ushered her to the ladies room to tend to the wound with some privacy.
Meanwhile, Giles then said to Xander, "Well, then. Do you have any memory of what happened to you two? I'm particularly concerned how Willow came to be attacked for one, and the fact it was at the identical position to your own wound is especially disconcerting."
Xander flopped down in a chair, "It's a really long and strange trip, Giles. I can remember what happened, and it's still confusing."
"Well, I had surmised that you and Willow are soulmates. Possibly, two sides of a soul that was severed in a fallen angel a long time ago."
"Oooh, foul ball or whatever's its equivalent in cricket. It's a bit more than that." Xander then went on to explain as much as he could remember of what had happened.
Don't think I'll understand.
Stay with me,
Stay with me" - Shakepeare's Sister, Stay
Xander blinked at the sight of fluorescent lights. He jerked a bit, feeling someone squeeze his hand. He turned to his head to the side, and saw Willow sitting next to him, smiling.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" she asked.
"Never better, now," he grinned as he sat up, and reached over to grab her head, and pulled her close, kissing her tenderly. She returned it with the same tenderness. *Love you. * Neither was sure who thought of it, but both agreed to it. And they weren't shocked by the sudden telepathy for it seemed to always be there, but they were only aware of it now. She put her arms around his neck, also drawing him close. She nuzzled his neck lovingly.
~I was so afraid of losing you. ~ He thought worriedly.
~It's all right. I'm here. You can't lose me remember? ~
He mentally laughed, ~Yeah, guess we're stuck together for life. Think you can stand me that long? ~
In a mock-shocked tone, she exclaimed, ~Alexander Lavelle Harris! I've put up with you for nearly two decades now. I certainly can take a couple more. ~
He winced, ~Please, Will, not my full name! You know I hate it. ~
~I know, that's why I used it, silly! ~ Willow giggled. ~I'm just teasing, darling. ~
~Thought that was my job, to be Joke guy. ~
"Hey! I guess you two are feeling better," a voice remarked laughingly.
The pair pulled away from each other, and simultaneously glanced up at Buffy, both blushing furiously at being caught in the act. She stood nearby, though it looked like she was losing a battle against keeping a straight face. They then both got up, and Buffy went over to hug tightly the couple at the same time.
"So, you two okay now?" She asked more seriously, her voice conveying her worry and concern for her closest friends. Xander and Willow both backed up a step, and nodded simultaneously. Buffy blinked at the dual effect.
"Uh, ok, what's with the stereo thing?" She glanced at them both unsurely.
The pair turned to look at each other. ~Should we explain? ~ ~Probably, though be a good idea to pop some popcorn before the evening showing, huh? Or whatever time it is now? ~ ~It is evening; I'm not sure how long we were out though. ~ ~'Kay, fair enough. ~ They then both turned back to Buffy and grinned.
They then both said, "Long story," and then glanced at each other, and laughed.
Buffy folded her arms in front of her, and raised an eyebrow in Spock-like fashion, "Obviously. ...Ok, when you two decide on the unsynchronized explaining event, let me know." Then, Giles came out from behind the stacks, and stopped in his tracks.
"Xander, Willow? You are all right?" he asked in hushed tones, not sure whether to believe what he was seeing.
"We're fine, Giles," Willow smiled. Buffy couldn't help thinking that it was nice they weren't doing _everything_ together. Giles then walked over and in one motion, hugged Willow fiercely. She started at his unusual emotional response, but then just patted his back reassuringly. Giles then stepped back, blinking to try to hide the tears threatening to emerge in his eyes.
"Oh, great, Willow gets all the attention, while I've been to hell, and where's the love for me?" Xander commented.
"Of course, Xander, I'm happy to see you are well again." Giles said, grasping Xander's shoulder in a gesture of friendship. He then studied him a moment, "You are better?"
"Yup, the Xandman takes a licking and keeps on ticking." he thumped his chest to prove his resilience.
"Err, yes. Willow, if you don't mind, I, or perhaps Buffy could check your injury. Make sure there is no sustaining damage." Giles then said. He went over to her, but Buffy stopped the Watcher with a hand on his chest.
"Why don't I take care of her, while you two talk guy talk out here?" she said, and Giles nodded with a grateful look on his face. Buffy then took Willow by the arm and ushered her to the ladies room to tend to the wound with some privacy.
Meanwhile, Giles then said to Xander, "Well, then. Do you have any memory of what happened to you two? I'm particularly concerned how Willow came to be attacked for one, and the fact it was at the identical position to your own wound is especially disconcerting."
Xander flopped down in a chair, "It's a really long and strange trip, Giles. I can remember what happened, and it's still confusing."
"Well, I had surmised that you and Willow are soulmates. Possibly, two sides of a soul that was severed in a fallen angel a long time ago."
"Oooh, foul ball or whatever's its equivalent in cricket. It's a bit more than that." Xander then went on to explain as much as he could remember of what had happened.
