Part 9 - Xander's decision


Monday, 10 a.m.

Joyce walked downstairs to see that Buffy was up already, and almost
out the door. "Where are you going so early?" It was Fall Break, so
she hadn't expected to see Buffy before noon.

"Xan's house," Buffy called back without stopping. Xander
had insisted on going back home the previous day, and she hadn't had
time to do much other than call him that night. Giles had distracted her
with yet another evil demon plot, and she hadn't had time to get his help.
She, Giles and Willow had handled the problem, which had ended up not being
that difficult after all.

So when she'd gotten home at midnight, she'd called him, knowing he'd
be up still. She asked if everything was okay, and he'd promised her
it was. So she'd slept, but not very well.

This morning she needed to see for herself that things were ... if
not normal, at least not immediately dangerous.

She knocked on the door, and it was opened by Mr. Harris. She had
never met the man, and was a little disappointed by what stood in front of
her now. He looked normal enough, if a little sullen. He was tall, and broadshouldered,
with dark hair and brown eyes. He was muscular, Buffy pictured him as having been a
bully all of his life. *I hate bullies* she frowned at him.

"What do you want," he grumbled, rubbing at his eyes.

Buffy gathered that he was either just awakened, or hung-over. From
what Xan had told her, it was probably the second one. "I'm here to
see Xander," she said shortly and pushed her way inside. Not waiting, she walked to the
door of the basement stairs and knocked. "Hey, Xan," she called.

She waited and heard footsteps coming up the stairs, and the sound of
the door being unlocked. *So that's how he knew everything would be
okay. He knew he could hide down there.* Buffy sighed, but put on a fake smile when
Xander opened the door for her.

She saw the flash of fear/hatred in his eyes when he saw his father,
and realized the man was still standing in the hall.

"Come on in," Xander said to Buffy, not taking his eyes off LaVelle.

Buffy stepped in and he closed and locked the door behind her. She
hugged him, and he kissed the top of her head. "Just had to check up
on me, huh?" he asked with a smile. Buffy looked up and kissed him,
before answering, "Well, worrying about you is part of the loving you package."


"Well, then, I guess I have to deal with it then," he winked at her.
"Come on," he took her hand and they walked downstairs. He let go of
her hand and started pacing, and Buffy had a bad feeling. She sat on
the edge of the bed, and waited for him to start talking.

"Don't freak, just hear me out," he said. She nodded, and he
continued. "He lost his job, big surprise. He wants ... demands that I help
support the family until he can find a job. Somehow I think he doesn't
have any intention of actually doing that. But he's told me in no uncertain
terms that I'm quitting school. He wants me to find a job immediately.

"I know, I'm eighteen, and technically I could just move
out. But I can't do that. I can't leave her alone with him, Buffy. She's not
that strong, he'd kill her. So what I'm thinking is I do this, long enough
to save up some money to get her away too.

He stopped pacing, and shrugged, looking at her. "Um, yeah. That's
all I've got."


"Oh," Buffy said, shaking her head at the suddenness of it. "Are
you sure about this, Xan? I mean, just in twenty-four hours, you've
decided to change your entire life. Isn't that a little drastic?"

"Do I _have_ any other choices?" Xander questioned her. "And I
think I've run through the pros and cons of all those choices I do
have pretty well. That's what Giles would have suggested if I'd
asked for advice on what to do."

Buffy sighed in resignation. "Well, I hate that you're leaving school
because _he_ told you to."

"I'll get my G.E.D. eventually," Xander replied. He sat next to her,
and put his arm around her waist. "I'd have to, if I ever want to
get a half-way decent job." He chuckled at her distressed expression,
and kissed her gently. "You're much more upset about this than I am,"
he said. "I got news for you, the only reason I really went to school
was to be around you and Willow. School and I weren't really friends."

"I know," Buffy said. "I just want you to be happy, Xan."

"I am now that you're here," he replied with a smile. "I love you,
Buffy."

"I love you too, Xan," she replied.

He pulled her to him and kissed her again, passionately.


Buffy whimpered as his tongue slipped inside her mouth, and felt
herself being pulled onto his lap. She broke the kiss and let her
hands roam over his chest outside his shirt, hoping he'd get the hint.
He hadn't tried to move their relationship any further, and she was
tired to staying where they were. She'd mentioned this to Willow, and
Willow had informed her 'That's eewww, because that's Xander you're talking
about.' Buffy hadn't minded the reaction, it at least told her Willow was
okay with their relationship.


"So what put you in such an affectionate mood?" she asked, before
moving to kiss him again.

*Not that I'm complaining* She moved her lips to his earlobe, and he
moaned.

"Um..." He frowned, "What did you say?"

Buffy giggled, and kissed him again on the lips.


Xander kissed her back, and then trailed his kisses down to her
throat, smiling as he received the same response from her that
she'd gotten from him. He continued to nibble at her neck, and
moved his hands away from her waist. He knew what she was doing
with that teasing her hands were doing, he wasn't dumb. He just
hadn't wanted to push things too fast and scare her away before.
But now she was making it clear she wasn't going to scare.

Hopefully.


Buffy moaned as his hands squeezed her breasts gently through the
white tank top she was wearing. *Finally, we're making progress* she
thought and pulled him down on the bed with her.