Title: Grace
Author: wintercreek
Disclaimer: Danielle is mine. The rest are not.
Spoilers: Through S6. Ignoring S7 spoilers.
Dedication: For the Xander fans. Specifically, Dr. Tamwe, Saturn Girl, Jane McCartney and shoelacedreamer. Since you four were so delighted by the last Xander piece, here's another for you!
A/N: I've decided that since all of my stories are (hopefully) aligned with one another in terms of facts and continuity, I will weave them together and call it the wintercreek universe. Fourth in the wintercreek chronology. Xander and Danielle, who appears later in odwalla.
If you all like it, I can do how-we-mets for all the new couples in odwalla.
Italic text denotes thought.
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grace n. 1. Seemingly effortless beauty or charm of movement, form, or proportion.
She wasn't his type. They all agreed. Buffy and Dawn offered their expert opinions and announced that she wasn't for Xander. Even Xander decided there, on that particular spot in the Bronze, that this woman was nothing but a dead end for him.
He couldn't keep his eyes off of her.
This strange, exotic woman in the UCSunnydale shirt moved like no one Xander had ever seen. She led slightly with her hips as she walked, as though the rest of her had fallen a bit behind. "She's French. I'm sure of it," Buffy had pronounced.
"What?!" Dawn was incredulous, at best.
"I knew a French guy who walked like that," Buffy explained matter-of-factly.
"That doesn't mean that all French people walk like that!" an outraged Dawn replied.
Buffy shrugged. "I just think she's French, ok?"
Xander looked up. "What?"
~*~
2. A characteristic or quality pleasing for its charm or refinement.
The mystery woman had a small mole near her left eye. She had long, nearly black hair with highlights the color of hot chocolate on a snowy day. Dark eyes sparkled in a tan face. Seated alone at a table with a cup of coffee, she projected the air of a lady. Slender legs crossed delicately at the ankles, posture perfect. Clearly not Xander's type.
It's not like she'd talk to me anyway. It's not like any woman should be willing to talk to me. Not after what I did to Anya. I'm just doomed to live a lonely life. What I deserve. It's better to keep to myself, not to risk being like my father.
She even held her coffee cup with her pinky curved gently out.
"Excuse me, ladies." Xander stood up, leaving Buffy and Dawn to look bemusedly after him.
"What's he doing? Didn't we all agree that she's not his type?"
"Maybe he's changed his vote."
The man in question himself was oblivious to the Summers women's discussion. His primary concern was successfully crossing the dance floor. And then figuring out what to say. Unfortunately for Xander, the only suave opening line that came to mind was "Hey, I'm Xander. What's your name?"
It seemed to work well enough. "I'm Danielle. Nice to meet you. Would you like to sit down?" Her rich voice held a light French accent. Her nose twitched just a little as she smiled up at Xander.
"Uh, uh, yes. Thank you." Ugh. Way to go, Romeo.
"Where are you from? Are you a student here?" Danielle immediately jump-started the conversation.
"Well, I grew up here in Sunnydale. I'm not a student, actually; I'm working with a construction crew. I like to build things."
"Ah, a working man."
"Yes. And you?"
"I'm from Portland, but before that I'm from France. My family moved to the United States when I was sixteen. I've just finished my freshman year here at UCSunnydale."
"Oh. What do you think you want to do?"
"I think I want to teach French. Or possibly teach English to French people. I love languages and I love helping people say what they need to say, so that's what I hope to do, anyway."
~*~
3. A sense of fitness or propriety.
"Xander?"
"Yes?"
"It's 6 am. We should go home."
"Oh."
They'd talked all night. The Bronze had finally closed around 2 am, so Xander and Danielle had continued to an all-night diner. Together, they stood and walked out to the parking lot side by side. Once they reached Danielle's car, she turned to face Xander. "Thank you. I had a lovely time."
"I'm glad. Can I see you again? I mean, may I see you again?"
"Of course. I would be delighted." Danielle gave Xander her phone number, climbed in her car, and drove off.
Xander, for his part, walked over to his new-ish car, and got in. He didn't start the engine yet, sitting to allow himself to savor the new and unusual feeling settling somewhere in his being. A sense of peace, and of finding something so long lost that he hadn't known it was missing.