Part 29
Buffy saw Xander's parents walk into the room, and let them have a
few moments with their son. If they were playing the doting parents,
she wasn't going to ruin the mood. She knew it was rare enough for
Xander to get that from them.
"He wants to see you," Mary Harris appeared at the doorway.
"Thanks, Mary," Buffy said with a smile as she stood. She walked in,
and stood at Xander's bedside.
"Who all's here, Buff?" Xander asked.
"The usual suspects," Buffy said with a shrug. "Giles, Willow, Oz,
Mom." She almost mentioned Angel, but thought better of it. She
didn't want to risk upsetting him, he was still so weak.
"That's all?" Xander questioned.
"Yeah," Buffy lied.
Xander looked at his parents for a moment before speaking. "Mom, Dad,
give me a minute alone with Buffy."
They left, and he turned back to her. "Why are you lying to me?"
"What?" Buffy's heart sank.
"Angel's here, isn't he?"
Buffy closed her eyes against the feeling of having screwed things up
enormously. "Yes." She looked at his angry eyes and said, "But Xan--"
"No buts," Xander shook his head. "I can't believe you lied to me.
Dad saw you, Buffy. He said you were in his arms." A single tear
rolled down his cheek. "Please leave."
"Xander--"
"LEAVE!"
Buffy jumped at the harsh tone of his voice, and started to argue.
She then realized it was a bad idea to get him worked up. "Fine. I'll
go. But you're going to hear me out sooner or later," she said and
then turned to go.
***************
Buffy saw Xander's parents walk into the room, and let them have a
few moments with their son. If they were playing the doting parents,
she wasn't going to ruin the mood. She knew it was rare enough for
Xander to get that from them.
"He wants to see you," Mary Harris appeared at the doorway.
"Thanks, Mary," Buffy said with a smile as she stood. She walked in,
and stood at Xander's bedside.
"Who all's here, Buff?" Xander asked.
"The usual suspects," Buffy said with a shrug. "Giles, Willow, Oz,
Mom." She almost mentioned Angel, but thought better of it. She
didn't want to risk upsetting him, he was still so weak.
"That's all?" Xander questioned.
"Yeah," Buffy lied.
Xander looked at his parents for a moment before speaking. "Mom, Dad,
give me a minute alone with Buffy."
They left, and he turned back to her. "Why are you lying to me?"
"What?" Buffy's heart sank.
"Angel's here, isn't he?"
Buffy closed her eyes against the feeling of having screwed things up
enormously. "Yes." She looked at his angry eyes and said, "But Xan--"
"No buts," Xander shook his head. "I can't believe you lied to me.
Dad saw you, Buffy. He said you were in his arms." A single tear
rolled down his cheek. "Please leave."
"Xander--"
"LEAVE!"
Buffy jumped at the harsh tone of his voice, and started to argue.
She then realized it was a bad idea to get him worked up. "Fine. I'll
go. But you're going to hear me out sooner or later," she said and
then turned to go.
***************
