TWENTY-SEVEN

"So, is he really gone?" asked Willow after she had nearly hugged Xander to
death.

"I hope so," said Xander. "Jammed a knife right up his chest."

"Good!" said Willow. "That'll show him to possess people."

"Err, guys," said Xander, "It's not that I'm not pleased to be back here
with you, but I would … really like to talk to Buffy alone for a moment."

"Oh, sure," said Willow. "We'll go play with Spike." She pushed Giles out
of the door and then helped Marcus find his way out. She looked at Buffy and
Xander before closing the door behind her.

"Hey," said Xander after a long, awkward silence. "Heard you were wandering
in my mind."

"Oh, yeah, that," she answered. "Marcus sent me."

"So you were really there," said Xander, "And I wasn't imagining things.
When Karakos … when he… you know… what happened?"

"I sort of got kicked back here," said Buffy. "And then I went and watched
Happy Days reruns with Spike."

"That's nice to know," said Xander. "I was kind of worried."

"Really?"

"Yeah," said Xander sheepishly, looking down. "I was really afraid that you
were… you know."

"That's sweet," said Buffy. "I mean, not the me dying bit, but… about you
being worried."

"Well… you know me."

"Yeah, I do," said Buffy. "I mean, at least, more than before."

"What do you mean?"

"That whole mind travelling thing, it was like an eye-opener of sorts,"
said Buffy. "I got to see parts of you I never saw before."

"Like what?"

"Oh, you know. All your memories, thoughts…" Buffy decided to leave out
'fantasies'. "Somehow all mysteriously Buffy-related. For my viewing
pleasure, I guess."

"You saw… everything?" asked Xander softly.

"Everything." Buffy decided that a little exaggeration wasn't going to harm
anybody.

"Okay…" Xander gulped nervously and then fidgeted, before speaking quickly,
stammering between words. "I… I just want to let you know … that I only did
that the one time with you on my mind… I swear… it was just that it was
after that whole 'sexy dance' thing you did with me and I .. I … was very
lonely that night and …"

"Xander, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh." Xander flushed. "Good."

"I'm also kind of hoping that I never will," continued Buffy. "But what I
do know is that you're the world's biggest sweetheart, and you never even
mentioned a word about it to anybody."

"Huh?"

"I saw you… and Angel. At the hospital… when I was sick. I also saw you
both in his apartment the night I died. I saw what you did," said Buffy.
"Thank you."

"Anybody could have done that for you."

"But nobody did. Except you."

Xander's cheeks turned to a soft red as he turned away from her. He said
nothing.

"You know, he was right," said Buffy.

"Who?"

"Angel," she told him. "You are my White Knight. I've been so blind I
couldn't see it… until now. Looking back, I don't really think I deserve all
you've done for me."

"Don't say that," said Xander, walking closer to her. "If you didn't save
my butt like a thousand times over, I probably wouldn't have been alive to
do all those things anyway."

Buffy inched her way closer to him, speaking in a tone he thought was
somewhat familiar. "Did I ever thank you for saving my life?"

"No…" squeaked Xander.

"Can I?"

"Yea….mmmh.." Xander was interrupted by Buffy's lips pressing against him.
She wrapped her arms around her neck and kissed him over and over again. It
took Xander a few seconds to recover from the initial shock, but when he
did, it returned the gesture with equal passion. He ran his fingers through
her hair and slowly brought his hands down to the small of her back.

After a while they pulled apart, and Buffy gazed lovingly into his eyes.
"Xander?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Were you really thinking of me when you had sex with Faith?"