Buffy and Xander entered the house and went immediately into the living
room, where the rest of the Scooby gang waited.
Giles was the first to notice them. "It seems that you two have finished your conversation."
Buffy and Xander looked at each other, before she answered. "Yeah, we had a lot to talk about."
Willow stood up from the seat the was sitting on and walked up to him. She stood a few seconds in front of him before she pulled him into a strong hug.
"Never do anything like that again, Xander," she whispered.
"Promise Will," he answered.
After they ended the hug Cordelia also threw her arms around him. When she untangled herself from him she started poking him with her finger in the chest.
"I knew it. I knew that you weren't really working for the Mayor. I knew that you would rather kiss Snyder than work for the wrong side."
Xander rolled his eyes at that. "Yeah Cordy, you knew it. And because of that you had your speech at the Bronze and pleaded with me to stop working for the Mayor."
Cordelia's face now went blood red with rage. "I don't plead," she told him menacingly and poked him with each word in the chest.
But Faith interrupted her. "Hey C, give the X-Man a break, okay. He is barely five minutes back and you already scaring him that much that he would gladly return to the Mayor."
Cordelia now calmed down. "Okay, maybe I didn't know it for sure," she admitted. "But I'm glad that you are back."
"Thanks Cordy."
But the happy atmosphere was interrupted by Wesley.
"You are not serious about this," he told the group and looked with disbelief at them. "He killed Quentin Travers and he was also responsible for the death of the retrieval team. And you are all welcoming him back like nothing happened. I could at least understand your wish, to rather lock him away than killing him," he said and looked at Buffy. "But this is too much."
Xander looked guiltily at the floor, while Wesley held his speech. However, he was rescued by the most unlikely person.
"Wesley, could you please shut up," Joyce told the watcher angrily. "Have you paid any attention during the last hour? Xander went undercover, in order to get as much information about the Mayor as possible. He not only risked his life he also risked his friendship with Buffy and Willow so he could do it. And you dare to judge him?"
But before Wesley could answer Faith also started addressing him.
"Yep W. I mean, the only thing you can come up is that he killed that asshole Travers. And as far as I remember the retrieval team tried to kill him in the first place, so I think that qualifies as self defence. So, as far as I see it the X-Man has done more good than bad. And if you have a problem with him being in the group you can go. "
"She is right," Buffy continued. "No one forces you to stay. But I warn you: If you try something stupid like sending another team for him you should at least tell them that they not only have to deal with him but also with an extremely pissed off slayer."
"That also counts for me," Faith threw in.
"And me," Willow said.
One after one the rest of the Scoobies spoke up and declared their solidarity with their former and now rewelcomed member.
Wesley stared with disbelief at them
"I. I. I will report this to the Council," he shouted and left the house as fast as possible.
Joyce now looked worried at Xander who still stared at his own shoes.
"Are you okay Xander?" she asked.
"No," he told her, but lifted his head and anyone could see the big smile plastered on his face. "I'm more than okay. I'm home."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
After Wesley's fast departure the gang stayed the whole night at the Summer's residence. Xander again told them the whole story from his point of view. After that he had a long talk with Willow and another one with Cordelia.
Surprisingly even Angel talked with him and thanked him for what he had done for the group, even when th admitted that it was no fun getting shot down.
Meanwhile there was a whole party going on in the Summer's living room, with Oz selecting the music.
It was about three o'clock when Xander remembered that he had to make an important phone call, one that needed to be done as soon as possible.
So he left the house through the back entrance. He stepped on the porch and pulled a cigar out of his jacket and lighted it up with his zippo.
Smoking a cigar after a successful mission was something his alter ego from Halloween had done. Old habits die hard.
So he smoked the cigar and after a few seconds he pulled his cellphone out of his pocket. He quickly dialled number he knew by heart.
After a few seconds someone answered the phone on the other line.
"Kyle? How are you doing man? Glad to hear that. Hey, you told me if I ever got problems and enough money for the equipment to solve them I should call you. Well, I'm kneedeep in problems but I also got enough money. So, are you near LA anytime soon. Ah I see, in three weeks. Yeah, I will mail you the list as soon as possible. Bye."
anytime soon in the near of LA - should be: need LA anytime soon soons - should be: soon
Xander put the cellphone back into his jacket and finished his cigar. After that he turned around and entered the Summer's house, to enjoy the party.
The End
Giles was the first to notice them. "It seems that you two have finished your conversation."
Buffy and Xander looked at each other, before she answered. "Yeah, we had a lot to talk about."
Willow stood up from the seat the was sitting on and walked up to him. She stood a few seconds in front of him before she pulled him into a strong hug.
"Never do anything like that again, Xander," she whispered.
"Promise Will," he answered.
After they ended the hug Cordelia also threw her arms around him. When she untangled herself from him she started poking him with her finger in the chest.
"I knew it. I knew that you weren't really working for the Mayor. I knew that you would rather kiss Snyder than work for the wrong side."
Xander rolled his eyes at that. "Yeah Cordy, you knew it. And because of that you had your speech at the Bronze and pleaded with me to stop working for the Mayor."
Cordelia's face now went blood red with rage. "I don't plead," she told him menacingly and poked him with each word in the chest.
But Faith interrupted her. "Hey C, give the X-Man a break, okay. He is barely five minutes back and you already scaring him that much that he would gladly return to the Mayor."
Cordelia now calmed down. "Okay, maybe I didn't know it for sure," she admitted. "But I'm glad that you are back."
"Thanks Cordy."
But the happy atmosphere was interrupted by Wesley.
"You are not serious about this," he told the group and looked with disbelief at them. "He killed Quentin Travers and he was also responsible for the death of the retrieval team. And you are all welcoming him back like nothing happened. I could at least understand your wish, to rather lock him away than killing him," he said and looked at Buffy. "But this is too much."
Xander looked guiltily at the floor, while Wesley held his speech. However, he was rescued by the most unlikely person.
"Wesley, could you please shut up," Joyce told the watcher angrily. "Have you paid any attention during the last hour? Xander went undercover, in order to get as much information about the Mayor as possible. He not only risked his life he also risked his friendship with Buffy and Willow so he could do it. And you dare to judge him?"
But before Wesley could answer Faith also started addressing him.
"Yep W. I mean, the only thing you can come up is that he killed that asshole Travers. And as far as I remember the retrieval team tried to kill him in the first place, so I think that qualifies as self defence. So, as far as I see it the X-Man has done more good than bad. And if you have a problem with him being in the group you can go. "
"She is right," Buffy continued. "No one forces you to stay. But I warn you: If you try something stupid like sending another team for him you should at least tell them that they not only have to deal with him but also with an extremely pissed off slayer."
"That also counts for me," Faith threw in.
"And me," Willow said.
One after one the rest of the Scoobies spoke up and declared their solidarity with their former and now rewelcomed member.
Wesley stared with disbelief at them
"I. I. I will report this to the Council," he shouted and left the house as fast as possible.
Joyce now looked worried at Xander who still stared at his own shoes.
"Are you okay Xander?" she asked.
"No," he told her, but lifted his head and anyone could see the big smile plastered on his face. "I'm more than okay. I'm home."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
After Wesley's fast departure the gang stayed the whole night at the Summer's residence. Xander again told them the whole story from his point of view. After that he had a long talk with Willow and another one with Cordelia.
Surprisingly even Angel talked with him and thanked him for what he had done for the group, even when th admitted that it was no fun getting shot down.
Meanwhile there was a whole party going on in the Summer's living room, with Oz selecting the music.
It was about three o'clock when Xander remembered that he had to make an important phone call, one that needed to be done as soon as possible.
So he left the house through the back entrance. He stepped on the porch and pulled a cigar out of his jacket and lighted it up with his zippo.
Smoking a cigar after a successful mission was something his alter ego from Halloween had done. Old habits die hard.
So he smoked the cigar and after a few seconds he pulled his cellphone out of his pocket. He quickly dialled number he knew by heart.
After a few seconds someone answered the phone on the other line.
"Kyle? How are you doing man? Glad to hear that. Hey, you told me if I ever got problems and enough money for the equipment to solve them I should call you. Well, I'm kneedeep in problems but I also got enough money. So, are you near LA anytime soon. Ah I see, in three weeks. Yeah, I will mail you the list as soon as possible. Bye."
anytime soon in the near of LA - should be: need LA anytime soon soons - should be: soon
Xander put the cellphone back into his jacket and finished his cigar. After that he turned around and entered the Summer's house, to enjoy the party.
The End