Title: Tomorrow, Like Today (3/3)

Author: Jeffrey Patrick

Type: B/X... Go figure.

Setting: Right after the events of "The Replacement."

Description: Buffy stumbles across Xander's journal and puts 2 and 2 together (That's 4, people).

Disclaimer: I own nothing but a Rice Krispie Treat sculpture of Kathie Lee Gifford and charcoal rendering of Elvis Presley as Herbert Hoover. Buffy and all related characters are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and the WB! It's their stuff. I just use it without permission.

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"Why is this happening to me?" Buffy said, falling backward onto her bed in dismay.

"Because you and Xander were fooling around behind Riley and Anya's backs?" Willow offered.

"It was a rhetorical question, Will."

"Oh. Sorry."

"It's been two weeks."

"And Xander still hasn't called or anything?"

"No. It's not fair. Riley left me, too, but I'm not following him all over the planet."

"Yeah, but Riley isn't likely to do you bodily harm. Xander just wanted to make sure she didn't do something crazy."

"He loves her."

"Well... yes, he does. But he loves you. too. And he loves YOU enough to risk a sure thing with Anya. I think that says something."

"He probably won't even want to talk to me when he gets back," Buffy moaned, covering her face with a pillow.

"I have it on good authority that you're wrong," Xander said from the doorway.

Buffy shot up off her bed and threw her arms around him. "Oh, God. You can't believe how glad I am to see you."

"I think I can guess," he said, kissing her passionately. They both got so wrapped up in the kiss that they forgot all about Willow until she cleared her throat. "Hey, Will," Xander said.

Willow just smiled. "I think I'll leave you two to your... whatever. Call me later, Xan, and fill me in on your trip."

"Will do, Will."

Willow stepped out of the room and left them alone.

"So why would you think I wouldn't want to talk to you?" Xander asked.

"Well, hello... I wrecked your relationship with Anya, and she went all vengeance demon again."

"No, she didn't. She threatened to, sure. But in the end, she did the right thing. I think following her let her know how much I really cared. In the end, she told me she just wanted me to be happy."

"Is she coming back?"

"No," he said, looking suddenly sad. "Not any time soon, anyway."

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"Me too. About them getting hurt, I mean. Not for loving you." He turned to look her in the eye. "Never for loving you."

"Then, we're okay?"

He put his arms around her and kissed her gently. "We're great. I do have one request, though."

"If this has anything to do with spandex..."

"No. No spandex. But... remember what almost happened here that day we kissed?"

"Yeah?"

"Let's hold off on that."

"O-okay."

"Only because I don't want to rush things. I don't want to have finally had my chance to be with you and screw it up. Let's build a strong foundation before we get to the wild monkey love."

"You know for an aspiring poet you really say some strange things."

He smiled at her. "What about Riley?"

"He's gone. He got reinstated into the military. He thought it would be best to put some distance between us."

"I see. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I probably would have ended up driving him away from me eventually, anyway."

"Why do you say that?"

"I don't know," she said. "I kind of got the idea that he wasn't really feeling like he was too big a part of my life. I think somehow I knew he wasn't the one, so I kept him at a distance."

Xander decided it best not to confirm that for her. Instead, he held her close. "I missed you," he said.

"I missed you, too. I was worried you'd come back as a frog or something."

"A frog?"

"Okay, so I let my imagination run wild a little."

"Not that I don't find the whole frog thing 'rrr-ribbiting,' he said with a smile. "But I have something important to ask you."

"Okay," she laid her head against his chest. "What is it?"

"Would you like to go out with me sometime?"

She looked at him with the biggest smile she had known in weeks. "I'd love to."



Three weeks later -


"So you spent the night at Xander's?" Willow asked.

"Yep," Buffy said non chalantly.

"In his bed?" Tara asked.

"Yep."

Willow turned a little red. "Um... how was...er, was he... did you...?"

"He was a perfect gentleman," the Slayer said. "We kissed a little." Willow and Tara raised their eyebrows. "Okay. We kissed a lot. But that's all we did. No... other stuff."

"Are you okay with that?" Willow asked. "The... no other stuff part?"

"Yeah. I mean, I want to... do other stuff. So does Xander. We just... I don't want to lose him, Will. I feel like I jumped into the physical stuff too fast with Parker and Riley. Xan and I want to take things slow and build something that will last."

"Sounds serious," Tara said with a smile. "Sounds good."

"Yeah," Willow agreed. "It's kinda cool that my two best friends make each other so happy."

"Says you," Spike said, stepping into the magic shop with Giles. "I find the love birds particularly annoying. They're all giggles and songs."

"It's called 'love,' Spike," Giles said.

"I hate it," the vampire complained. "It goes against everything I stand for."

"What a surprise," Giles mumbled.

"C'mon, Spike," Willow said. "You loved Dru. You know what it's like."

"Dru wasn't insipid and disgusting like the Harris boy and our precious little Slayer here," Spike complained. "No... they gotta spread this love crap around, rubbing our noses in it."

"You're just jealous, Spike," Buffy said.

"What the hell does that mean?" Spike averted his eyes. "Am not!"

"Sure you are," Buffy continued. "You haven't had a gal pal since Harmony booted you out. You just wish you had someone to love."

"Oh, that. Whatever, Slayer..."

The door to the Magic shop opened, and Xander walked in. "What's the what, people? Everybody's lounging about when there's work to be done."

"What work?" Buffy asked, after greeting him with a kiss.

"You didn't tell them?" he asked Giles.

"You volunteered them," Giles said. "I thought it best if YOU told them."

"Volunteered?" Spike said in disgust. "Is that why I was dragged all the way out here when the sun is barely down?"

"I don't like the sound of this," Willow said. "When Xander volunteers us, it's usually trouble."

"Untrue," Xander said. "That time I volunteered us at the homeless shelter everything turned out fine."

"If you call having an old guy ralph on you 'fine,' Willow said, wincing at the memory. "I had to throw my whole outfit away."

"And the lady we were helping kept dropping her cigarette ashes in the soup," Buffy said. "Please tell me you haven't volunteered us for something equally awful."

"Actually, no," Xander said. "But it will require hard work."

"The suspense is killing me," Spike moaned.

"I wish," Xander said sharply.

"What's the sitch?" Buffy asked again.

"Well, remember the family that lost their house when Buffy torched that Polger'nash demon in their basement?"

"Oh, thanks for bringing that up," Buffy said. "I still feel bad about that."

"Well, don't. You're gonna help me build them a new house."

"What?" Willow asked. "How?"

"She means how can we afford to do that?" Tara asked. "I thought they didn't have insurance."

"They didn't," Giles said. "The father had been laid off, not knowing it was the demon bringing him bad luck."

"Right," Xander said. "But I called Cordelia to see if she knew any rich folks who could help, and she turned me on to this software guy... something Nabbit."

"Dag Nabbit?" Willow offered.

"You called Cordelia?" Buffy asked. "And she turned you on?"

"To the software guy," Xander said. "You always miss the most important part of the sentence."

"Nevertheless," Giles said. "I think this is an excellent opportunity."

"You would," Spike complained. "I, on the other hand, am out of here."

"I got some donations," Xander said. "I can pay you $10.00 an hour."

"Like I said," Spike said with false enthusiasm. "When do we start?"

"Tomorrow," Xander said. "It's going up on the same lot, so everybody meet there after your classes. Spike, you're there just after sundown or you don't get paid."

Spike gave Xander a mock salute. "Yes, sir!" The vampire strolled out of the shop, while Xander just shook his head.

"Why I even offered is beyond me," Xander mumbled. "Everybody else cool with this?"

"I'm in," Willow said.

"Sounds like fun," Tara said. "Count me in."

"I've already asked my new assistant to fill in for me," Giles said.

"I'm in on one condition," Buffy said, wrapping her arms around him.

"What's that?" he asked.

"I get to wear one of those cool tool belts," she said.

"You'll have to wear more than that," Xander quipped. "Or I won't get any work done myself."

"Oh, brother," Giles mumbled.




One month later -



Xander and Buffy walked through the completed home that the Scoobies had helped Xander's construction team build. The ribbon cutting ceremony was for the next day, and Xander had asked Buffy to go through it for one last inspection.

"This place looks great, Xan," she said. "I can't believe you actually did it."

"We did it," he said. "I couldn't have done it without you guys... especially you."

"Why? What did I do?"

"You made me a better man. A few years ago, I wouldn't have had the confidence to even attempt something like this. You bring out the best in me."

She smiled and kissed him tenderly. "Not that I hate the thought of being alone with you, but exactly why did you need me to come out here for the final walk through?"

"Oh, there was just something I wanted you to see in the master bedroom."

"Really?"

"Not like that. Just come on." He led her upstairs. The door to the master bedroom was closed. He turned to Buffy and smiled. "Close your eyes."

The Slayer did as she was asked, letting her boyfriend lead her into the bedroom. She wasn't sure what to expect, but she was sure it would be something romantic. Xander had a habit of surprising her.

"Okay," Xander said, as he shut the door behind them. "Open them."

Buffy opened her eyes to find that the entire room was furnished like a bistro. There was a small cafe table with menus. There were assorted pictures of Paris lining the walls, candles in the window sill and a bottle of wine chilling near the table.

Xander pulled a remote control from his pocket, and romantic music poured softly from a CD player in the corner. "What is this?" Buffy asked.

"The closest I could get us to Paris," Xander said matter-of-factly.

"Paris? I always wanted to go there."

"I know. I hope to take you there for real soon. It'll make a much better honeymoon than Chuck's All-You-Can-Eat Chicken Shack and Motor Lodge, which was my original plan."

Buffy gazed into his eyes expectantly. "Honeymoon? There's gonna be a honeymoon? In Paris?"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," he reminded. "You haven't said 'yes' yet. Come to think of it, I haven't even asked you yet."

She didn't know what to say. "Honeymoon?"

"I think your record has a rut in it," Xander smiled. "Have a seat." He pulled Buffy's chair out for her. "I'll place our order. Waiter!"

Giles stepped into the room dressed in a tuxedo. "Good evening, sir. Madame."

"Honeymoon," Buffy said to Giles.

"Wine, it is," Giles said, opening the bottle and pouring them each a glass. "Would you care to order now?"

"We'll have two of the house specials," Xander said. "And could you send the flower girl over?"

"Certainly," Giles said, taking their menus and departing.

Xander smiled as Willow entered, carrying a basket of assorted flowers. "Flowers for your lady, sir?" she asked.

"Please."

"Which one would the lady prefer?" Willow asked Buffy with a smile.

"Honeymoon," Buffy said, looking at Willow.

"I don't think I have those," Willow said. "How about some lovely wild flowers?" She removed a bouquet from the basket and handed them to Buffy. She then turned and began pinning a rose to Xander's jacket. "A flower for the gentleman, as well," she explained.

"Thank you," Xander said, throwing her a wink.

Willow bowed and made her exit. As soon as she was through the door, Tara entered with salads. "Good evening," she said. "My name is Tara, and I'll be serving you this evening. Enjoy your salads. I'll be back in a few minutes with the main course. Is there anything else I can get you while you're waiting?"

"Honeymoon," Buffy whispered.

"I'll check with the chef for you," Tara said with a smile. She exited, leaving Xander and Buffy alone.

"You okay?" Xander asked, taking her hand. She just looked at him and smiled. "Well, can you at least stop saying 'honeymoon' long enough to listen to my new poem?" She nodded. He pulled a slip of paper from his pocket. Holding her hand, he read.

Tomorrow, Like Today
You will see me with new eyes
You will know the depth of my love
and return it from a secret place

Tomorrow, Like Today
You will find me always near you
walking through the daylight
captured by your grace

Who I am, I find within you
and in the mirror of your eyes
where I am is home within you
far beyond 'what ifs' and 'whys'

What I want is just to hold you
in the silence of this room
knowing we'll face the night together
with the morning coming soon

Tomorrow, Like Today
we will give our love completely
and see beyond the hardships
to the heart of destiny

Tomorrow, Like Today
we will dance to our own music
and count our days as endless
as the sands beneath the sea



When he finished, he made eye contact with Buffy, who was wiping tears from her eyes. "So what do you think?"

"It has a much better ending than the first version," she said, leaning over the table and kissing him.

"Well, it could have," Xander said. "If you'll say 'yes' to my next question."

"What question?" she asked, though she already had her answer prepared.

Xander stood up from the table and knelt on one knee. Buffy dried her eyes with her napkin, and looked Xander in the eyes. He didn't seem nervous at all. "Buffy," he said, with tears welling in his own eyes. "Would you do me the honor of marrying me?" He leaned up close to her. "This is the part where you say 'yes' and stuff," he whispered. "So what do you say?"

Buffy smiled at him with the brightest smile she had ever worn. "I say... yes and stuff." She kissed him gently at first, but then with more passion. Just outside the door, Giles, Willow and Tara cheered.

"No job for Spike?" Buffy asked, motioning to the door where her friends stood rejoicing.

"He's outside," Xander said with a smile. "Waiting to drive us home in the limo."


The End