Part Three--A Very Nice Tail
Time heals Xander from his physical wounds. The emotional scars remain. You never fully recover from something like that. But, at least he is back to peak physical functioning. He is totally recovered from the shock that he needs Buffy as much as she needs him. If the slayer can live with it then so can he.
Our heroes are chilling out at the Bronze. They are on the dance floor casually swaying to the music of a ballad. Buffy has something really important to ask Xander.
"Xander, how much do you love me?"
He doesn't answer. She pulls her head from his shoulder, making eye contact.
"Xander?"
"Yes, my sweet slayer?"
"Aren't you going to answer me?"
"Just ask me what you want to ask me, my darling. Don't try to trick me into whatever it is you want me to do."
"That was a very long sentence, Xander."
"Buffy, do you want to ask me something?"
"Yes, but I'm afraid."
"Out with it, Blondie."
"My parents get together once a year, for my benefit mostly. They go to my daddy's beach house. Would...would you come with us, it's tomorrow?"
"Oh, Buffy."
"Please, honey." She fondles his face.
"Okay, I'll go."
"You will?"
"Yea, I know how important your parents are to you."
Buffy gets very nervous. "I have to tell you one more thing, sweetie. Ah…my daddy…he…he doesn't sort of like you."
Xander laughs nervously. "Your daddy doesn't even know me, Buff."
"Yes he does. My mother talks about you all the time. He thinks you're too irresponsible and crazy."
"But, you still want me to face him?"
"Well, honey, he's wrong…about the irresponsible part, anyway."
Laughing, "I'll still go."
"You are a really good boyfriend, Xander."
After dancing a few minutes.
"It doesn't sound right to call you my boyfriend. We're ten times more than boyfriend/girlfriend."
"Well, there's a way we could be something else but you never want to discuss it."
Buffy was grooving on the music. What he said didn't register at first. When it does.
"What did you just say?"
"I try never to repeat myself."
"You bum!"
After a few more minutes of dancing Xander stops. He gently grabs Buffy by the shoulders.
"Buff, I love you. I'll do whatever you want me to do to announce it to the world, devils and daemons included."
They kiss very passionately. Buffy has to comment.
"Xander, we've been together for awhile now. How can your kisses still take my breath away? I still get chills when I hear your voice sometimes."
"I have no idea, Buffy Anne Summers. Every day you are still in love with me is magic. I hope I never lose that perspective."
They kiss again. Their love has deepened. It is now planted firmly with all the other great structures of our universe. It is battle tested, crises toughened and pleasantly contained within the very fabric of our world. It is a part of natural law, even. You can look it up!
They put as much as they possibly can into the next few kisses. They leave the Bronze.
They still have not had enough of each other. As they get to the point where they need to split up.
"Remember, Xander, you can't be late. I'll see you tomorrow."
He gets her into a very heavy embrace. He puts even more into a second kiss. Buffy can't help herself.
"Hell, the best way for me to make sure you get up in time is if I'm laying right beside you."
They stroll toward Xander's house. Buffy stops. She stares at Xander.
"Did you just seduce me to come home with you?"
"Yep."
"Oh, okay, I can get into that."
"Oh, baby!!"
And into that they do. Good night.
The next morning Buffy wakes Xander. He is very nervous.
"Are these pants okay, Buff?"
"My father won't even notice your pants."
"Do we want him to notice? Okay, worse case scenario is he kicks me out of his house. No, worse case scenario, how about if he tells me never to look at you, again?"
Buffy kisses him. "My father lives all the way in LA"
"Yea, but it's only a short plane ride."
"Xander, calm down. We're not going to face a daemon. My daddy is a very calm, rational man."
"Does he know what I've done to you?"
"What, that I'm pregnant?"
"He knows you're pregnant? Holy shit…wait a minute!"
Buffy starts laughing. He grabs her.
"Are you trying to be funny?"
"Honey…"
"We should have never slept together. Oh, my God, what if he asks where you slept last night? Why did you stay here?"
Very sheepishly, "Because you seduced me. You wouldn't let me go home to my mommy."
"You're no help at all."
"Xander, I love you. That love is not up for approval today."
The slayer embraces the boy very passionately.
"Okay, I believe you. Are we ready?"
"Yes, I packed for both of us."
"Well, at least you can do something domestic. You can't cook but at least you're of some use."
"Don't push it, lover, you know I haven't decided whether you're actually good enough to patrol with me. I can still pull rank."
"Let's go slayer…Wait a minute. Your father doesn't have like a pet name for you, does he?"
"I'm his pumpkin."
"Oh, no."
They go to Buffy's house. Joyce hugs him. She notices his discomfort.
"Xander, you're very nervous, aren't you?"
"Yes, very nervous. Buffy is his Pumpkin. I don't even like pie."
Buffy and Joyce enjoy a good laugh.
Joyce has to comment; "I've never seen you like this before, Xander."
"I don't like this side of me, either."
They drive to the beach house. Buffy hugs her dad. Joyce does, too."
Xander notices the genuine affection between them.
Buffy grabs Xander's hand. "Dad, this is Xander."
Hank shakes his hand. A little too long for Xander's liking. Her dad looks right through him. It's going to be a rough two days.
They get settled. Buffy and Joyce make lunch. That leaves Xander with Mr. Summers. It doesn't take long for the interrogation to begin.
"Xander, you were friends with my daughter first before you started going together?"
"Yes, the three of us, Buffy, Willow Rosenberg and myself were friends together."
"But then you started to notice her in a different way?"
"No, actually I noticed her from the beginning but she didn't notice me."
"Well, I thank you for your honesty. But your vigilance finally paid off?"
"It was a long process."
"I'm sure you know how much I care for her, Xander. I'd like to think I have a say in her future."
"Of course, sir."
"What do you have to say about her future…and yours?"
"I'm sure your wife told you about my parents. They left me a sizable chunk of money. I wish I didn't have it, of course, but it's there."
"I'm sorry about your parents, Xander. It must have been terrifying."
"It still is sometimes but your daughter helps."
"Xander, I'm sorry, but your relationship with Buffy confuses me. It doesn't make any sense. Joyce makes it sound as if it's this life long commitment. You're both too young for that."
Xander can see this is not going in a good direction. Hank continues.
"Buffy barely makes it in school as it is. She's scattered all over the place. She's depressed most of the time. With your troubles, Xander, I don't see it heading anywhere but to disaster for both of you. My daughter has shown herself to be emotionally unstable. I hardly think you could be in much better shape."
Xander is frustrated. He doesn't know what to say. Actually, he can't say anything.
Hank looks at him with compassion. "Xander, please tell me I'm wrong. I'll listen to anything you have to say."
Xander is very nervous. "Sir, everything you said is very heavy. I'll need time to think of how to answer you. I promise I'll get back to you. I would like to talk to your daughter about it."
"Okay, then I might as well finish. If you can't answer my questions I can't possibly give your relationship my blessing."
Xander is really upset. Hank is not being unreasonable. Everything he said was true. If Xander can't tell him anything about his daughter's peculiar profession then he has nothing to say. The man is right!
When Buffy and Joyce come back with lunch they see something major has taken place. Buffy can see that Xander is really bothered. Lunch is very quick. Xander looks at Buffy.
"Buffy, could we take a walk on the beach?"
"Okay, Xander, could you meet me down there?"
Xander excuses himself. Buffy turns to her father.
"Daddy, what did you say to him. I love him you know? It's not a school girl crush. He's it; he's the one. My search is over. He's the only one who can make sense out of my life."
She storms away to join Xander. Joyce looks at Hank.
"What did you say to him, Hank?"
"I just asked him some questions about he and Buffy. He said he would get back to me as soon as he talked to Buffy."
"You know, she has never been happier, Hank."
"I just want to hear what he has to say, Joyce. You know we split up over what was going on in Buffy's life. I still have to make sure she has a chance for happiness. She has been so sad and upset these last few years."
Joyce and Hank watch our two heroes stroll on the beach.
Buffy has caught up to Xander.
"You're too serious, Xander. What could my father have possibly said to get you into your super serious mood?"
"Do you really want to know what horrible, horrible things your father said to me?"
"Yes, I told him the way things are between us. I told him…"
"Stop it Buffy."
They walk in silence a few minutes.
"Your father wanted to know what kind of future we envisioned together? He wanted to know how an obviously unstable girl like yourself could possibly find happiness with an equally troubled person like me?"
Xander is staring at Buffy who is becoming quite agitated. They stop walking as Xander continues.
"Then he asked, how could two misfits like us possibly be anything else but a disaster together?"
"And, of course, you took what he said seriously?"
He grabs Buffy's shoulders. "Don't go there, Buffy."
She shakes his hands off. "Here we go again. Anytime anybody brings up anything about us, anything at all, you take it to heart."
"Do you want to split up, Xander? Is that what this is all about? You don't have the guts to just do it!"
Buffy begins to eye the ring on her finger. Xander reacts
"Don't you dare touch that ring! This is not about us splitting up. Those people up there are your parents. If you'd lost them you would know how important they are. They sweat through hell trying to figure you out. They have a completely false picture of you."
Buffy is really paying attention but suddenly gets very nervous as he continues.
"They know nothing about you. I can't answer any of your father's questions. You know why?"
Buffy starts to walk away. Xander stops her.
"I can't answer your fathers questions about us because he doesn't even know who we are. Neither one of them have any idea who you are."
"You think I don't know that, Xander? This isn't news. Where have you been?"
"You're too much, Buffy!" Xander storms away from her.
Buffy's mom and dad are still watching them. Hank comments.
"They certainly have heated arguments, don't they?"
"So it would appear. Whatever you said, he is certainly taking it seriously."
Buffy catches up to Xander.
"What is the point here, Xander?"
"Did you ever think of telling them?"
Buffy is incredulous. "Yea, sure!"
"I'm serious, Buffy."
Very disgustedly, "I can't tell them. You know that."
She starts to walk away from him but he grabs her arm.
"You can't tell them because the watcher's council says slayers never tell their parents? I wonder if Mr. Howard came up with that one?"
Buffy is very nervous. "I guess. Giles says it's forbidden."
"I'm completely serious, Buffy, this is bullshit!"
Buffy gets a major knot in her stomach. Tears come to her eyes.
"Stop it, Xander. You are really scaring me, now."
Xander hugs her. "This is ridiculous. It bothered you when your dad moved out. It still bothers you. You've been going through this suffering and putting them through hell for nothing."
Buffy has her head down. Xander looks into her eyes.
"You have to last, honey. You need them. Do you know they split up because of this?"
Buffy stares at Xander before answering.
"Is this more of your master plan? Part of your big picture so we can grow old together?"
"Yes it is, Buffy. Your whole family thing tears you up and you know it."
"But what about Giles?"
Xander grabs her by the shoulders. "If I can get Giles to agree will you do it?"
"He'll never…"
"Answer me."
Buffy is fully in tears now. "Okay…okay!"
They walk back to the house. Buffy is crying heavily. She goes right to her room. Xander approaches Mr. Summers.
"Mr. Summers, could I use the phone to call back to Sunnydale?"
"Sure, is everything all right?"
"Not at the moment but it might be."
Xander goes into the house to use the phone.
Hank has his eyebrows raised. Joyce comments.
"I told you he was exciting, Hank."
"I can't wait to see what he does next."
Xander gets Giles on the phone.
"Is Rebecca there, Giles?"
"Yes, she is."
"Could you put it on speaker phone?" He does.
"I'm here with Buffy at her parents resort house."
"How are things going?"
"Couldn't be worse, G-man."
"Explain, Xander."
"I'm here with Buffy the vampire slayer. You know the woman I was made to love. Mr. Summers is asking me some very "giving up his daughter's hand" type questions. He wants to know how his emotionally unstable daughter, Buffy Summers, and the equally unstable, Xander Harris, could ever make it together?"
Rebecca can already guess what he wants to do.
"These are her parents, Giles, my future in-laws. I can't have a talk with them. I can't have a reasonable discussion with my father-in-law. Therefore, he wants me to leave his daughter alone. You know what, Giles? Based on the information he has he would have to be a pretty lousy father to let his daughter take up with me."
He pauses before he says the next part.
"Do you see anyway out of this mess, Giles?"
"Xander, both you and Buffy know the stakes involved with her profession."
"I want to tell them, Giles."
"Absolutely not! Out of the question, Xander. You two bend, hell you break most of the rules now. But, you can't change this one."
"Giles, did Mr. Howard come up with this rule? G-man, I'm a little mad at you. Did you know her parents broke up because of the disagreements over their juvenile delinquent daughter? That's cruel, Giles. That tears Buffy up. It makes her weak. You know she needs all the strength she can get. She needs the support of these two loving people in her life."
Giles doesn't answer.
"Are you still there, Giles?"
"Yes, Xander, I'm still here."
"What does Rebecca think?"
"She's too busy crying."
"This will help her last, Giles. I want us to grow old together."
"The two of you will drive me crazy, Xander…but, I do have to say you have a point. I actually do trust you when it comes to Buffy's welfare."
Xander is very excited.
"Hold on, Giles, let me get her."
He gets her. "Speak, oh great watcher person."
"Buffy?"
"Yes, Giles?"
"After much debate and thought…we have decided it is okay to tell your parents of your vocation."
Buffy is stunned. Xander answers for the both of them.
"Oh, thank you, oh thank you, Giles. And, Rebecca, thanks for the tears. I could feel them melting his library card, I mean heart."
Both Rebecca and Giles laugh.
"See you later, old folks. No offense to you, Rebecca." They hang up.
Xander begins to laugh. Buffy is as white as a ghost. She looks at the boy.
"You won't laugh so hard when I tell you that you get to tell them."
"Yea, sure."
Xander sees the resolve on her face.
"You're serious, aren't you? No way, slayer!"
"Yep, you have to tell them. Your idea, you have to tell them." She fingers her ring.
"That's part of what this ring means."
"You chicken. The great vampire slayer, chicken to the core."
"You can cut me up as much as you want but I was never more serious in my whole life. Go tell them!"
Buffy runs to her room, locking the door behind her. Xander runs after her.
"You come out of there right now, Buffy Anne Summers!"
"Xander, you are raising your voice. My daddy will hear that and think you are yelling at his pumpkin, which you are doing!"
Xander pleads with her. "Buffy, this is ridiculous."
Hank asks Joyce. "What's going on now?"
"She locked herself in her room and he's telling her to come out."
Buffy is taking a hard stance.
"I'm not coming out, Xander. If you're my boyfriend you'll tell them."
"This isn't a boyfriend/girlfriend thing."
"It's a husband/wife thing. I'm looking at the ring."
"I like what you do with the ring. Sometimes it's "my" ring. Sometimes it's "your" ring and sometimes its "the" ring depending on what you want from me."
"This is your kind of thing, Xander, now go do it and get it over with."
He mumbles to himself. "My kind of thing. What the hell does that mean?"
"Just get out there and do it, Xander!"
"You owe me big time for this."
Buffy really didn't think he would do it. "You're going to do this?"
"Dues, I have to pay dues to be with Hank's little pumpkin."
"You better not let my daddy hear you say that."
Xander decides to do it. He goes back to the sundeck. Joyce and Hank are still there.
"Mr. and Mrs. Summers, first of all, the reason I have to tell you what I am going to tell you is because your daughter is a chicken. Do you guys have anything to drink? Hard stuff like whiskey?"
Joyce answers. "Yes, we do."
"You might want to have some when I tell you this."
Joyce and Hank look at each other. Joyce gets them all a double whiskey.
Xander takes a big gulp. He begins.
"I know you've had lots and lots of trouble with Buffy. In fact you think she is completely irresponsible and depressed and…"
Joyce interrupts. "Move on, Xander, we get it."
"I'm sorry. Joyce, as we know, we live in Sunnydale. We'll, another name for it is the Hellmouth. It's called that because there are all kinds of otherworldly things going on there. Joyce, I'm sure you've experienced many things you just couldn't explain. Mr. Summers, I'm sure there are many things that Joyce has tried to explain to you that were very weird. And, I'm sure you have had many arguments about Buffy's strange behavior."
Joyce and Hank are transfixed. Xander is explaining their whole relationship with Buffy and with each other for the past three years.
Xander drinks his whiskey. "Now this next part is why you will need the Whiskey.
Xander takes a deep breath. "Into every generation there is born one girl whose job it is to be in the forefront in the battle against evil."
Hank and Joyce get another drink. They put one beside Xander as he continues.
"To you your daughter is Buffy Summers, troubled teen who has a thing for burning down schools and sneaking out at night. She is distant and sullen and angry most of the time. You probably feel you don't know anything about her."
He downs his second drink and picks up the third.
"That's because your daughter is also known as; Buffy The Vampire Slayer."
The boy allows that to sink in for a moment. Then he continues.
"She has been the slayer for three years now. Mr. Summers this is probably harder for you to understand than for Joyce. Joyce, I think you have had suspicions that things are not as they appear."
Joyce and Hank are looking at one another. They have had many a bad time over this.
"You don't look like you think I'm crazy. Have you known that your daughter is different? I mean very different?"
Joyce speaks up. "There were just so many things I couldn't explain. Hank and I…" She starts crying."
Hank has to ask. "What does this mean, vampire slayer?"
"It's going to sound weird. Everything I tell you is going to sound bizarre. On most nights we patrol. This means we roam the cemetery and other places for newly created vampires. When we find them your daughter stakes them in the heart. They normally explode to ashes. There are also super vampires who constantly try to terrorize us,"
Hank recovers from the shock to ask a question. "Where do you come in, Xander?"
"I fell in love with your daughter a long time ago. I was really blown away by her beauty, of course, but also by this tremendous burden she has to carry on her shoulders."
He takes another slug of his drink before continuing.
"I knew I had to try to protect her but it was a joke most of the time. With this chosen one thing comes increased strength and power. She had to protect me most of the time."
Buffy's parents are spellbound. They didn't even know their daughter. Joyce has a question.
"Who's Angel?"
"He was a 247 year old vampire with a soul. Your daughter was in love with him or, at least she thought she was. He lost his soul. This turned him back into his evil alter self, Angelus. I believe you had some scary interactions with him Joyce?"
"Yes, I did. I had no idea he was evil."
"He killed Jenny Calendar. He also killed my mother and father and turned them into vampires."
Hank speaks. "That's how your parents died, they were murdered? I'm sorry, Xander. Is he gone, now?"
"Yes, finally."
Joyce is curious. "Can I ask what happened to him?"
"This is going to sound very harsh. I had to kill him."
"You killed him? Are you a vampire slayer, too?"
"Yes, but I'm not the same thing as Buffy. She's the only slayer."
He takes another sip of his drink.
"Buffy has a person who looks after her. He's sort of our boss."
Joyce interrupts. "Rupert Giles, right?"
Xander nods. "Buffy trains with him. I train with a woman named Rebecca. Most of the others train with her too."
"The others?"
"Yes, Willow, Cordelia, Oz, six or seven others."
"Willow Rosenberg?"
"Yea, I know, kind of hard to believe."
Hank gets up. "All this is very hard to believe, Xander. So what do you do?"
"Well, I help Buffy, mostly. Sometimes I have things after me, same as Buffy."
Joyce is filled with questions. "Those times you were in the hospital. It was because you were attacked?"
"Beaten up or tortured or stabbed, kicked, punched."
"And all this is because our daughter is the vampire slayer?"
Joyce interrupts. "And Xander is her White Knight."
No one really notices Buffy come. She immediately comments. "He's that and more, dad. Just about everything that happens to him happens because of me."
She continues as her father stares wide-eyed. "If he wasn't around I wouldn't be around. He has saved me more times than I can count."
Xander brings the attention back to Buffy. "But, this is about your daughter. She has a responsibility on her shoulders like nobody else in the world. She is brave and courageous. And, despite what she faces every night, she is loving and kind and gentle. And, she still loves you guys very much."
Joyce and Hank are both crying. Buffy joins them in a hug. Xander misses his own family even though they were nothing like the Summers. He gets up to take a walk on the beach.
Hank and Joyce have a million questions for Buffy. Joyce starts.
"Honey, why didn't you ever tell us?"
Through tears. "It's so dangerous, Mom. The more you know the more dangerous it is. Everybody gets hurt all the time. I didn't want to endanger you. I didn't want you guys to be like Xander's…"
Hank interrupts. "Xander told us his parents were killed by Angel."
"Not only that, daddy, they were changed into vampires."
"You mean every time he goes up against the vampires he has to face his parents?"
"Well, actually, they're his step parents but, they're the only parents he's ever known."
Joyce continues. "Buffy, how does he…how can he take it?"
Hank answers. "It's because of your love for him, isn't it? That's what he lives for. I saw it when I was talking to him. Whenever he said anything about you. Whenever he sees you his face just lights up. He loves you from the bottom of his heart, doesn't he?"
Buffy, in total tears. "Yes, daddy, he does."
"Our little daughter is not only the savior of the world but her love has brought this boy a new life."
Joyce chimes in. "Buffy, you're a wonderful daughter."
"I know I've caused you guys so much pain by not telling you."
Hank shakes his head as he looks at Joyce. "More than you even know, pumpkin. We…we almost destroyed each other worrying about you."
Joyce is crying again as she exchanges glances with Hank. "Oh, sweetie, this explains so much. I…I blamed your dad for so much that was happening to you. Hank…I'm so sorry!"
Hank is also in tears as he talks. "I thought…I thought if I left it would…it would help."
Buffy looks back and forth between them. "You both did a great job."
Hank continues. "Buffy, you just took the weight of the world off my back, or I should say your Xander did."
Joyce reaches over, grabbing Hank's hand. "Off our backs, Hank, off our backs."
Hank stares at his wife. All of a sudden their irreconcilable difference don't look so formidable.
Buffy feels really good. "I suddenly feel much lighter, too."
She looks to the beach where Xander is mulling about.
"I have to go see Xander." She runs down to him. Her happiness is tempered by his sadness.
"I am so sorry about your mother and father, Xander."
"I know you are, honey." They hug. "Go back up with your family. This is really an important time for you. I'll be up a little later." He smiles sweetly at her.
Buffy goes back up to her parents. They look at Xander for a moment. Buffy shares.
"While his parents were alive I had a chance to kill Angelus but I couldn't do it."
"Why?
"Because if I killed Angelus I also killed Angel."
"Whom you were in love with?"
She nods. "After he changed Xander had a chance to kill him, too, but he didn't. One of his many friends had a spell to bring him back."
Hank can't believe it. "Wait a minute. Xander helped to get the person back who was his chief rival for you?"
Joyce adds. "And someone who had killed his mother and father?"
"Yep."
"Why, Buffy?"
"Because he wanted me to see that it was not Angel in my heart but him."
"What happened?"
"It back fired. Another one of the super vamps, Drusilla, had a counter spell. Willow and I were hypnotized to do Angelus's bidding."
Tears come to her eyes. "I…I tried to kill Xander with a sword. Then after Xander killed Angelus I tried to kill him again."
The slayer breaks down. Joyce comforts her. "Oh, honey, I'm so sorry."
Hank is incredulous. "Buffy, how did he get over that?"
"It's a long, long story, dad. For awhile…for a while he couldn't even look at me. But then he just beat it. It was the happiest day of his life."
Joyce can't believe it. "Buffy, is this what you meant when you said I didn't know how special Xander really is?"
"Mom, we could talk for hours about stuff he does for me. I don't understand it most of the time. Believe me, there are women all around him who could take care of him better and offer him more comfort. I always think he's going to wake up one day and…and…"
Joyce interrupts. "He doesn't love anybody else, honey, he loves you." She looks at Hank before continuing. "When you love somebody it doesn't make any sense. Even when you have big problems the love doesn't go away."
Hank can't help it. He starts to tear up when he realizes Joyce is talking about their love as well as Buffy and Xanders.
Hank sniffs back his tears. "Buffy, if you guys are battling vampires and monsters all the time, how come we never hear about it?"
"Maybe you have. Do you remember it being in the paper about a big drug lord who had a fortress on the coast? He was killed by unknown assailants?"
"You can't mean the weird guy who practically ran the valley?"
"Meet two of the unknown assailants."
"Honey, that's impossible. That was the big time. He was in power for over fifty years. The government couldn't even touch him!"
"He was a daemon, dad. His name was Malcolm. Xander killed one of his pet monsters. He sent a hoard of assassins after him. This is another time I almost got Xander killed. We couldn't be together. They were following me. You know Xander couldn't have that. So he came up with this plan to take him out. It worked."
"Buffy, who are you guys? How could you take down a big drug lord like him?"
"Xander's vampire friend, who is totally in love with him by the way, got us in. Her reflection doesn't show on a video screen."
Joyce comments. "Of course."
"At first Xander was going to die to save me."
"But, you nixed that, right?"
"Right. So then we both went after him. We chased him down a tunnel. Giles and Cordelia finished him off."
"You guys are too much. Xander came up with this whole plan so you guys wouldn't have to love in the shadows?"
"Yes, and because Malcolm was going to join the new Master and open up the Hellmouth but, that's a different story."
Hank has to get another drink.
"To sum this all up. You are in constant danger because of who you are but by some unbelievable stroke of fate you have a white knight who follows you around trying to protect your life and make it easier for you?"
Buffy nods. "Honey, you better frame him, somehow."
The slayer admits her insecurity. "I'm constantly afraid of losing him."
"So am I, now. Tell him he passes any possible test I could have for him. I feel stupid even bringing it up."
Joyce has a question. "What about him, Buffy? What are his needs? Is he in as much danger as you?"
"There isn't a daemon in Hellmouth or anywhere else that doesn't want him dead."
"How does he survive?"
"With all his friends. That vampire, Rachel, she has saved his life a few times. He has all sorts of friends."
Paul has a different opinion. "It's not them, Buffy, it's you. He survives because you love him. You are his motivation, honey."
"I know that, daddy."
"Can I ask you one more question? She nods. "Xander made you tell us, didn't he?"
"Yes, daddy, he did."
"So he isn't somebody who just worships the ground you walk on and never says a harsh word to you?"
"Wrong guy, dad. He makes me do all kinds of things. He gets ridiculous. Anytime we kiss or anything he thinks I'm going to get too weak to fight the daemons."
Joyce smiles. She has to ask. "Do you?"
Buffy rolls her eyes. "I can barely walk." They both laugh.
Hank still can't believe this. "Wow, what a weekend so far. Well, what do we do, Buffy?"
"Dad, I'm sure Xander has thought about this by now. I'll let him tell you. But, I really need you guys…alive. Just please listen to whatever Xander has to say. He'll probably call Giles first."
"Your watcher, right? Xander told us about him."
She nods. "Honey, you really trust Xander, don't you?"
"Totally. He knows what he is doing. He drives me crazy but he knows what he is doing."
Hank has great idea. "You know what I think he needs…a good drunk."
Joyce talks to Buffy. "Why don't you go down to him, honey. Hug him or something."
Buffy runs down to Xander. She is bursting with emotion but Xander has his serious face on. She looks at him.
"I already know what you're going to say. We just put them in danger, which puts me in danger. I already have them ready for your responsibility talk. But, lets have some normal time, first, okay?"
"Will I get to see you in a bathing suit?"
"Maybe, if your lucky."
Xander grabs her. "Remember, my daddy is watching you."
He lets her go. "That's right, I have to be nice to you."
Buffy stares at her parents who are sitting rather lovey-dovey.
"Xander, everything you do still blows my mind. If my parents get back together because of this…because of you."
"A little too much for you to handle, princess?" Xander begins to fondle her neck. She still looks at her parents.
"Well, if you're going to reject me."
Xander starts to walk down the beach.
"Linda, Stacey, anybody want me?"
When Buffy hears him yelling, she runs to him. "Will you shut up? My parents will think you're cheating on me."
"Go get your bathing suit on, now."
They run back to the house. Buffy goes to change. Xander wore his bathing suit. Joyce and Hank stare at Xander.
"Did I do anything wrong?"
Joyce gives him a quick hug. "No Xander. We…we don't know what to say to you."
"Do you want to know anything else about us? I mean about Buffy?"
Paul is curious. "Xander, we heard all about what you do for Buffy. What does she do for you, exactly? What's her part of the give and take bargain?"
"She loves me. I mean, she really does. She needs me. I'm way down deep with her. That's all I ever wanted since I met her. Half the time I can't believe it."
"What about all the pain in your life, Xander?"
"When she started loving me the pain got better. It's really a tough business we're in. Buffy is the light. She's the whole thing. Don't listen to her if she tells you she doesn't know what she does for me. All she has to be is herself."
Buffy comes down in her bathing suit. Xander is definitely moved.
"Wow…this helps too, of course."
Hank and Joyce laugh. Buffy starts to run. Xander catches up with her.
Buffy turns to him. "You shouldn't look at me like that in front of my parents. It's embarrassing."
"I'm sorry. I've never seen you in a bathing suit before."
"What's the big deal?" She runs away from him. They romp into the water.
They have a really good time. Xander can't help it. He starts to nibble on Buffy's back.
"Arggg! Daddy, daddy!"
"Will you be quiet?"
"My daddy will save me from you."
"He told me to take you. He said to make a pie out of you."
For the next two days they swim and eat and dance and have fun. When it is almost time to go home Buffy asks Xander to really read Hank and Joyce the riot act. Buffy is afraid that they will openly try to help which would be disastrous. They gather on the sun deck.
"What we have done this weekend is endanger your life and Buffy's life."
They are shocked at this. They pay strict attention.
"There is no limit to the terror of these daemons. A short time ago they captured me. Both my mother and my father cut me and burned me and sucked on me. One of the other vamps drugged me to think she was Buffy. She tortured me for hours. They were trying to kill my love for Buffy, to get me to hate her and fear her. They did this to try to weaken her. If they can weaken her they can kill her."
Both Buffy's parents have their mouths open as he continues.
"They will not go after you if you stay out of it. You can still help but not openly. That would be so bad for Buffy. Even our love." He looks at Buffy. She shakes her head and rolls her eyes. He continues.
"She doesn't like it but she can't get all weak kneed and still be strong. If it interferes with her safety…"
Buffy interrupts. "Move on, Xander."
"My agenda is to try to help Buffy and make it easier for her."
Buffy has to comment. "What he really means is he dives in front of me everytime I get attacked. That's why he's in the hospital all the time."
"Yea, whatever. Buffy is the main player. The rest of us are just helpers. I just ask you. Please stay cool, calm and cool. We'll make sure you'll always know what's going on."
Joyce and Hank look at each other. Joyce reacts first.
"Xander, you really do know what you're doing, don't you?"
"Just barely."
Paul adds. "That was some speech, son. You have us convinced. We'll do what you say. You can use this beach house anytime you like. You can use the cars, any money we have. I would like to make an announcement about something else that has happened this weekend. I'm going to be moving to Sunnydale. Joyce and I are going to see if we can get our marriage back together."
Buffy starts crying. Joyce and Hank hug.
Hank is going to make arrangements to transfer his work to a location closer to Sunnydale. His business is flexible. He can even work out of the house. With his added income Joyce can sink more money into her business. They see their role as one of providing a secure base for Buffy and, for Xander if he wants it.
It sure was one hell of a weekend. Even in Sunnydale some things can turn out good!
Go on to Part Four
Send Feedback
Go Back to the Fanfic Main Page
Buffy and the Slayerettes are Property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and the WB. No Copyright Infringement is Intended.