(The battles done, and we kinda won, so we sound our victory cheer)
That's it. It's all over. We're safe. I'd like to smile, but I just don't think that's in me anymore. I know I won't be able to smile without them... not a real smile anyway. But this is the way it has to be. I always used to hate people like me, who saw no other way but the one they chose.
"I am so glad you and Will are safe... I don't know what I'd do if you were gone." She hugs me and leaves my apartment promising to see me tomorrow morning, like a victory breakfast.
Bastard. That's what I am. I should stay. It shouldn't matter what's going on with me. I couldn't do something else selfish?
I grab the boxes and start to fill them. Not much stuff, and I don't care about my security deposit so I'll just leave the apartment the way it is.
God I need a drink.
******
Looking back at the apartment when everything is packed up I think I should say something. I can't call; they'll try to change my mind. I could leave a Dear John letter... But who would I be breaking up with? Spike?
Plus there would be that whole part to each person I would have to write, saying what I'll miss most about each of them. That's just too corny for me. I'm Xander damnit, better keep it simple.
I take a piece of paper out and place it on the counter. I take my Sharpie and write boldly: Everyone, Bye. Love, Xander
Well that included everyone. I better catch my flight.
*#*#*#*#**#*#*#*#**#*#*#*#**#*#
"You're gonna ask Xander what?" Willow pours Giles his tea and sits next to him at the kitchen table.
"I was planning on asking him to be a watcher. Of course since there is no more council I thought I could start anew. Plus Xander would never again be able to say that the council is full of stuffy old English men."
"Wow, that is so... HUGE! I don't know what to say. I hope he says yes! I could totally see him being a watcher.... Oh, but wait. Do you have to be super smart like you to be one? Cause I love him but I don't think-"
"No. Something I have learned over the years with Buffy is that you don't need smarts as much as instinct, or to know when is the right time to fight, I think Xander would make an excellent watcher."
"You want Xander to be a watcher? How are you going to re-build the council? How are you going to get enough people... or get a system of finding the potentials? Or get enough money for half of the expenses? I mean the trips back and forth to England alone have to cost a bundle." Buffy chimed in un-invited.
"We wont be going back to England. I think the council should be based near a hell mouth. That was one of the problems with the old one, they never knew what it was like to actually live on a hell mouth."
Buffy's eyes and smile brightened immediately, "You and Xand would be staying here?"
Giles nodded. That's all she needed, she hurled herself atop him hugging him tightly.
"Buffy... I ....Cant.....Air..." She loosened her grip.
"Sorry." Of course she didn't mean it. She was too happy. Giles would be staying, that's all a slayer needs. Her friends and her watcher, and right after a huge battle that they won... life was great. She looked at her watch.
"Xander is an hour and a half late... I should call him."
"I am sure he's tired. Why don't we go over there after we stop by the Espresso Pump? Nothing to wake some one up like way too much sugar than the human body should hold." Willow got up and yelled up the stairs for Dawn.
"I'm with the red head. What about you Giles? Wanna get a mocha?"
"You can go right on ahead. And don't you tell him what we talked about, understood?"
"Ok, you're the watcher. And maybe Xander will be too." She shrugged and put on her coat.
Willow opened the door and waited for Buffy to go through first.
"Dawn says she doesn't want to come. She seems kinda pooped. This is only her 3rd apocalypse, she needs to get used to it."
Buffy and Willow walked happily to their friends apartment.
*************
Willow saw a Wicca at the Espresso Pump so Buffy walked the rest of the way by herself. Turning the key he had given her for emergencies she walked into the apartment noticing he must have cleaned up a little. Xander wasn't one to clean after a big fight... She would have to make fun of him later for it. She knocked on his bedroom door before opening it to find him not there.
"Xand? You here? Ok, now I am mad. I told you I would be here first thing in the morning, and what do you do? Well I don't know... Why am I talking to an empty bed?" She shook her head and was on her way out when she saw it over on the counter. A note. She practically ran to his second dresser drawer, no comics. She opened the other drawers, trying to find some remains of Xander Harris but came up empty.
"Oh My God!"
That's it. It's all over. We're safe. I'd like to smile, but I just don't think that's in me anymore. I know I won't be able to smile without them... not a real smile anyway. But this is the way it has to be. I always used to hate people like me, who saw no other way but the one they chose.
"I am so glad you and Will are safe... I don't know what I'd do if you were gone." She hugs me and leaves my apartment promising to see me tomorrow morning, like a victory breakfast.
Bastard. That's what I am. I should stay. It shouldn't matter what's going on with me. I couldn't do something else selfish?
I grab the boxes and start to fill them. Not much stuff, and I don't care about my security deposit so I'll just leave the apartment the way it is.
God I need a drink.
******
Looking back at the apartment when everything is packed up I think I should say something. I can't call; they'll try to change my mind. I could leave a Dear John letter... But who would I be breaking up with? Spike?
Plus there would be that whole part to each person I would have to write, saying what I'll miss most about each of them. That's just too corny for me. I'm Xander damnit, better keep it simple.
I take a piece of paper out and place it on the counter. I take my Sharpie and write boldly: Everyone, Bye. Love, Xander
Well that included everyone. I better catch my flight.
*#*#*#*#**#*#*#*#**#*#*#*#**#*#
"You're gonna ask Xander what?" Willow pours Giles his tea and sits next to him at the kitchen table.
"I was planning on asking him to be a watcher. Of course since there is no more council I thought I could start anew. Plus Xander would never again be able to say that the council is full of stuffy old English men."
"Wow, that is so... HUGE! I don't know what to say. I hope he says yes! I could totally see him being a watcher.... Oh, but wait. Do you have to be super smart like you to be one? Cause I love him but I don't think-"
"No. Something I have learned over the years with Buffy is that you don't need smarts as much as instinct, or to know when is the right time to fight, I think Xander would make an excellent watcher."
"You want Xander to be a watcher? How are you going to re-build the council? How are you going to get enough people... or get a system of finding the potentials? Or get enough money for half of the expenses? I mean the trips back and forth to England alone have to cost a bundle." Buffy chimed in un-invited.
"We wont be going back to England. I think the council should be based near a hell mouth. That was one of the problems with the old one, they never knew what it was like to actually live on a hell mouth."
Buffy's eyes and smile brightened immediately, "You and Xand would be staying here?"
Giles nodded. That's all she needed, she hurled herself atop him hugging him tightly.
"Buffy... I ....Cant.....Air..." She loosened her grip.
"Sorry." Of course she didn't mean it. She was too happy. Giles would be staying, that's all a slayer needs. Her friends and her watcher, and right after a huge battle that they won... life was great. She looked at her watch.
"Xander is an hour and a half late... I should call him."
"I am sure he's tired. Why don't we go over there after we stop by the Espresso Pump? Nothing to wake some one up like way too much sugar than the human body should hold." Willow got up and yelled up the stairs for Dawn.
"I'm with the red head. What about you Giles? Wanna get a mocha?"
"You can go right on ahead. And don't you tell him what we talked about, understood?"
"Ok, you're the watcher. And maybe Xander will be too." She shrugged and put on her coat.
Willow opened the door and waited for Buffy to go through first.
"Dawn says she doesn't want to come. She seems kinda pooped. This is only her 3rd apocalypse, she needs to get used to it."
Buffy and Willow walked happily to their friends apartment.
*************
Willow saw a Wicca at the Espresso Pump so Buffy walked the rest of the way by herself. Turning the key he had given her for emergencies she walked into the apartment noticing he must have cleaned up a little. Xander wasn't one to clean after a big fight... She would have to make fun of him later for it. She knocked on his bedroom door before opening it to find him not there.
"Xand? You here? Ok, now I am mad. I told you I would be here first thing in the morning, and what do you do? Well I don't know... Why am I talking to an empty bed?" She shook her head and was on her way out when she saw it over on the counter. A note. She practically ran to his second dresser drawer, no comics. She opened the other drawers, trying to find some remains of Xander Harris but came up empty.
"Oh My God!"