~**~
My Beloved Friend ... by Zauriel Angelus.
~**~
Disclaimer: Buffy and all related characters belong to Joss Whedon & Co. I just play with them in my story. Please let me tell it. I don't acquire any profits whatsoever. Honest !!
Rating: pg...I think
Summary: Alternate Universe. There is no Hellmouth in Sunnydale. Everyone is basically leading normal lives here. No vamps. Of course that doesn't mean things won't be interesting. B/X , F/X , romance , heartbreak and pain...that's about it.
Author's notes 1 : This is a re-write or as I prefer to describe it, one of my re-animated stories. One of my old firsts polished up new. With this I was just experimenting if I could do romance . I got this little idea and thought it'd be cool to write a fic about it. Pretty much something I got after watching a weirdly affecting Hindi movie. Non-action oriented Just familiar characters we know given some more real-life twists.
Author's notes 2 : Okay next off I need to explain that Xander and everyone else is a little older here. They're adults but its still basically the present k ? Although thinking about it this was written about two years ago but anyway …That done with I hope you enjoy this.
Dedication : To Shawn aka Ozmandayus , without whom EM wouldn't exist. To Lori Bush , without whom, any understanding of character would be lost to me. To Lesley whose encouragement made me believe in myself. To Wicked Ray who gave new meaning to the word 'Nonsense' : ) I love your work man.
To everybody who reviewed this story the first time around and to those who've reviewed now , my thanks again goes to (in no particular order - Dreamer , Sarz , Chocoholic , Ozmandayus , Lori Bush , Alamar , Aenima , Sarah , Gee , Xandman2000 , Christopher "Ravensbard" , vampiregirlsuck2000 , Lesley Ann Coolgan , Queen Angel , Michael , Edwin Alicea , Teri , Krisseth2000 , casualattitude , Jane McCartney , Jonathon "White werewolf", Rob Clark, Ripper, JimboS, Herb Schimdt, Ripper and hey why not … ? To Danno too (How are you doing buddy ? ) did I miss anyone ? If I did gimme a heads up and I'll get ya here pronto.
Thanks again for all your comments and reviews. My appreciation holds no bounds for everyone of you :)
And last but not least ...to every BX'er out there who keeps the faith alive. To all who ever dreamed, May they come true for you :)
Feedback : Yes please …?
~ part 2 ~
Two little eyes slowly opened and peeped out from under the bed sheets. A muffled scream was heard as they rest upon the clock on the opposite wall.
" Happy birthday to me !!" Annie said in a lower volume, glad that her little outburst hadn't woken up everyone in the house.
She jumped out from her bed and carefully tip-toed downstairs while keeping a lookout for her dad and Grandfather. Walking about in twilight proved to be a little hazardous though as she tripped over herself a few times before her sense of vision adjusted to the complete darkness in the house.
When she finally reached her destination she found a dozen boxes of presents on the living room table. Annie smiled and immediately set to work as she cleared the stack of presents in search of her target.
Mom's letter
Annie gasped and smiled widely when she saw the envelope that had a big purple eight pasted upon it and a note that simply said Happy birthday. She quickly turned on the table lamp and opened the envelope excitedly to read her mother's words.
And thus so … she began reading
* Happy Birthday Anne , You're eight years old today. I believe you would look so much like your father. Same eyes , same face , am I right Annie ? *
" No !! I'm more like mother !!" Annie argued and then continued reading.
* Tell me Annie does your father still sleep with his shoes on ? *
" Yup !"
* When will he ever change ? *
Annie shrugged at that and laughed.
* You're a big girl today Anne . You are able to understand all that I tell you. Today I'm going to tell you a little story about me, your father and ... Anne *
waitaminute...
" Anne …?"
****** (We're going back in time. WHEEEEE !!!!)******
" Excuse me ....heheh ....Excuse me ... sorry ... coming through here !! Sorry !! ..Excuse me."
Alexander Harris cut through the crowd of students with frantic pace . He glanced at his watch and sighed . If he was late again she might just kill him and knowing how good she was at kicking his ass , he felt better if he were to not risk it.
My ass can only take so much
A few leaps over a few bushes and chairs later and he finally reached the entrance to the indoor college gym and basketball court , He breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the word that spelled out in big black bold letters. Xander ran a hand through his hair and composed himself . His hand turned the knob on and slowly pushed the door open as he wore a confident little smirk on his face.
" You're late ... again."
" No , I'm not !" Xander turned his head to the left and frowned. He'd recognized the owner of that voice anywhere and true enough, there she was in blue sweats , a petite young girl with short dark brown hair tucked into her favourite red cap, just finishing her warm up stretches.
The one and only Buffy Summers.
" Oh …I understand completely." She stated mockingly " I know its hard to always lose to lil' ol me so tell you what big boy … I'm gonna be merciful and make your absurdly humiliating defeat quick and painless !"
Buffy snapped her fingers at the end of her speech , her eyes shining with absolute confidence and a twinkle of a look that somehow screamed predator.
" Alexander Harris won't lose today ." Xander retorted rather proudly, puffing his chest out as he did so.
" That's what you always say ." she muttered with a roll of her eyes and picked up the baseketball on the floor. " You keep losing anyway."
" Oh Lady Buffy , Duchess of Buffonia , ruler of Buffdom ... we will see who wins today Tomboy!!!"
Xander grinned, satisfied with the reaction the remark got out of her. She always hated it when he made fun of her name. Exactly the reason why he's the only one who calls her by her first name when everyone else usually calls her by the last.
" Oh ... we'll see alright." Buffy scowled almost growling.
They stood only inches apart , glaring at the other. Neither was backing off and as the ball was tossed high up into the air , the game was on.
~**~
Defying all laws of gravity , the orange ball gracefully flew and landed without a sound through the hoop.
" OH NO!!!!"
Xander slumped as he failed yet again in stopping his opponent from scoring another basket. Buffy was jumping up and down excitedly as she did her cute little victory dance, waving her arms crazily into the air as she screamed out loud .
" NA !! NANA!! NA!! NANA !! Doo !! Doo!! Doo!! Doo!! "
Xander looked on disgustedly, helpless to do anything to stop her. Buffy was having a whale of a time as she laughed away in triumph.
" The slayer strikes again !!! Woo Hoo !!!" said Buffy with a triumphant fist into the air. " Just two more to go Bucko !!"
" Bring it on !!!" Xander answered, not wanting to give up just yet.
" That's the spirit !!! Losing isn't everything y'know ?" she taunted.
The young man jumped back up ready to take her on again. Another ball toss and Xander using his longer arms grabs the ball first.
" Think you can beat me today slayer ? I learned a few tricks of my own !!!"
Xander feinted to the left, dribbles forward with a few fancy turns and then shakes around for show. Buffy guards and watches him closely , sticking her tongue out at his bravado.
" Watch the king dribble to VICTORY !!! ONWARD !!!!" Xander laughed maniacally .
Seconds later the ball enters the hoop again after Buffy steals the ball from Xander
" Woo !! Hoo !!!"
" Oh noooooo !!!"
" Game point now ! HA !!! dribbling my foot !!! You're a riot y'know ?" Buffy grinned wickedly.
She braces herself , moving swiftly with the ball , passing the young man with deceptive ease as she leaps into the air. The game was as good as over.
Was there really any doubt to who the victor was ?
Before the ball could leave her hands she suddenly trips and falls to the wooden floor with a painful thud.
Xander capitalizes on the free ball and slams it in for an easy dunk .
" YES !!! I BEAT YOU !!! I FINALLY BEAT YOU !!! WOO HOO !!" he triumphantly shouts. "CAN YOU FEEL THAT SLAYER ?!!! OH YEAH !! WOO HOO!!!"
Getting up with a grimace on her face, Buffy thrusts a finger to the young man's chest , startling him.
" CHEATER !! You tripped me !! Just cos you can't win doesn't mean you have to cheat !!" poking her finger harder into his chest.
" Hey I am NOT a cheater !!! Take that back SUMMERS !!"
" Cheater !! Cheater !! HARRIS is a CHEATER !!! " she screams even louder in sing-song.
"AM NOT !!!"
"ARE TOO!!!"
"AM NOTTTTT !!!"
"ARE TOOOOOO !!!"
Xander pulls her arm and pins it to her back.
" Take that back !!!" he threatens.
" OOOOOWWW !!!!!" Buffy screams louder causing Xander to cover his ears and let go.
" Stop screaming like a girl !!!" he yelps in annoyance.
" Hey don't call me a girl !!I take offense at that."
" Right … you're definitely not a girl !!!"
" At least I'm not one of those idiotic 'girls' that you always chase around !!! What do people call them ? I seem to forget … Oh YES !!! Why aren't they're bimmm-boooos ….?"
" Hey ! I don't chase them . They chase me ." the young man said in his defense.
" Riiiiight. Xander is SO Handsome !! Xander's so CUTEEE!!!" she mocks "BLEARgHHH!!"
" Not as handsome as you though. You have a better moustache !!!"
" Was that a joke ?!!"
" So what if it was ?"
" I don't like jokes."
" I don't like you."
They're nose to nose now , only a breath away from each other. It was a silent staredown till they both shout out …
" SHUT UP !!!"
Turning around , they equally stomped away in disgust .
" Hmph !!!"
~**~
" Arrogant little cretin !!!"
Wha ... ?
Willow Rosenberg turned around to see her friend mumbling away before sitting down next to her. Willow sighed knowing fully well what had happened and shook her head.
Buffy was still furiously into her rant though, totally missing her redheaded friend's dismay.
" He's so full of himself !!! What a Jerk !!!"
Willow took in a breath of air, bracing herself before she tiredly asked the question.
" You fought with Xander ?"
******
" … again ? "
" She's so darn irritating ! Mocking me in her squeaky little voice !!! That holier than thou attitude !! Just because she's better than me doesn't make her all superior !!! Right Oz ?"
Xander finally turned to face the person he was talking to and upon sudden eye contact, the normally cool dude and composed guy muttered out his reply rather nervously.
" Okay ..."
Daniel Osborne rubbed his temple to think for a moment before he spoke again. This was really giving him a headache. Then somehow an idea dawned upon him. So he began …
" Hey man, I know that but you have to talk to each other sometime ."
******
" I'm never EVER talking to him." Buffy replied stubbornly crossing her arms in front of her. " Why don't you get that ? It's such a simple concept to digest !!!"
Willow rolled her eyes, inwardly counting to three before speaking.
" You can do that if you want …" she started smiling from ear to ear before she continued again. "… but aren't you forgetting that he's your ..."
******
" ... best friend ? "
Oz finished his argument with a little wolfy grin.
" Well ... er ..."
******
"... yeah ."
Buffy reluctantly admits.
******
~**~
In the crowded hallway where students were walking by Buffy and Xander glanced sheepishly at each other from a distance before approaching to meet midway.
They hesitate to say anything at first but somehow manage to blurt out at the same time.
" I'm sorry."
They both smile and laugh.
" Hug ?" Xander asked.
Buffy nodded in agreement.
" Hug it is."
They embrace each other naturally as best friends could only do, happy as can be.
-------------------
end part 2.
End notes : I really hope you like this part. I'm working on part 3 right now as well as my other fics but I think its safe to say that a new part will be out quite soon. Of course I make no promises. Thanx again for reading : )
FEEDBACK !!!!!!!
Till next time I remain ………