"I didn't know you came here." Buffy sat next to her friend. The air was warm, just like any day in Sunnydale, California.
"Yeah.... I do sometimes. Like when I left Anya at the alter... I guess I didn't know where else to go. Why are you here?"
"Got a little crowded. I know I should be all gung ho about this thing Angel's here for, but it doesn't really seem that big a deal."
"Doesn't that seem just a little jaded?"
"Yeah, I guess your right. So why are you here?"
"Just thinking. I don't do it very often so I thought I would think in the quiet."
"Are you thinking about this demon?"
"I'm thinking it's a good thing you didn't keep those powers that helped you read peoples minds."
"Ohhhh you're thinking of me naked."
Xander burst out laughing. He couldn't help it, the memory of the way she looked at him, 'Is that all you think about?' And then him running off.
"Naw, I'm just thinking about things, the way I wanted them to be, and the way they are."
"That whole heart stopping thing was not on my top ten list. And dying. Then there is being the slayer, falling in love with a vampire, having sex with a vampire, having to fight off the first evil. I was going to marry a big football star, be a Dallas Cheerleader. What were you going to do Xand?"
"I don't know really. I just knew I wasn't going to be my father. After that, I didn't care much what I did. It was ok for me to be a directionless looser, as long as I didn't hurt the people I loved. Then this girl came along, and she ruined everything. She changed everything I knew was true about life."
He looked over to Buffy who at the moment was feeling very guilty for what she had done to him. He smiled, something she wasn't expecting, and spoke again.
"Thank you. If it weren't for you Buff I would have never known what I was able to do, the kind of person I am capable of being. Because of you I may not make the most money, or ever leave this one Starbucks town, but I'm a part of the fight against evil. And I help in the fight, not because I'm sure we're gonna win, but because its worth fighting for. Its not the end of the battle that matters, its what you do to get there, it proves who you are. I now know who I am, and I have you to thank."
He hugged her then, and they stayed there until the sun came down on Joyce Summer's grave.
***************
Angel was cursing himself for not seeing it in the text sooner. He looked at the time, he had to call Giles and tell him what was to come.
"Giles, there is no time, you need to come to Sunnydale."
"Is my presence really necessary? I am trying to re-build some kind of council over here, of course I'm not making it exactly like that old barbaric coun-"
"Giles, if you don't come now there will be no England."
"Right, I'll be right there."
*************
"Qorzble?"
"Yes."
"The name isn't all that intimidating."
Angel looked annoyed at the slayer.
"It wants to end the world, and the Codex says it could happen."
"I thought the Codex was more concrete than that. Like when it said Buffy would die. I didn't think there would be maybes."
Xander was unsure about this whole prophecy, but mostly he was afraid. Afraid it was right and the world would end.
"Well I didn't actually look in the codex, I was reading a volume when it referred to the codex. Giles has the volumes we need, he's coming back from England to help."
"So the prophecy in the Codex could say Buffy kicks its butt and we celebrate? Cause I'm all for that."
"Or it could say it's the end of the world." Gunn pointed out.
"You guys never see the glass half full, do you?" Dawn looked over to the LA crew, noting all their grim faces, with the exception of Lorne.
"Girlie is right, I think we should hope for the best."
"So when the worst happens we can be caught with our heads between our knees?"
"You're not going to start your speeches again, are you?" Willow looked over to her friend who looked like she was about to give the group an earful.
"Oh come off it Will, my speeches weren't that bad."
"You lectured a Plummer.... on the phone."
"If you don't want to listen Thats fine. But I'm the general, the one in charge. And when it comes to fight, whether you came with best intentions or not doesn't matter, we HAVE to win. You people don't like my speeches but maybe it would be good for you to listen once and a while, you might learn something."
"And you would think after all this time being the slayer it would have gotten through your head by now."
Xander got up and went to get his coat. He thought this harsh cruel Buffy would be gone. But maybe the other one, his friend, was the one that didn't belong. Maybe the slayer had already taken over her. He wasn't going to stick around and watch his friend die.
"You're leaving?" She said it as thought she had never expected him to do it.
"Yeah, I am. Buff, if you hadn't noticed you would be nowhere without every single one of us. You wanna make speeches? Don't make them to the people who have saved your life more times than anyone can count. The reason you are so powerful, is us. We make you powerful. Think about that, maybe you'll learn something."
"Are you trying to teach me how to be the slayer?"
"No, I'm trying to teach you how to be like the rest of us. Human...... no offence."
"None taken." Lorne and Angel said simultaneously. Xander slammed the door once he had conformation he hadn't offended any demons. Buffy sat there with her cheeks still flushed with anger towards the man that just left the room. Willow got up and ushered Kennedy and Dawn out with her. She waited for the other two women to get to the top of the steps before she spoke.
"Remember Adam Buffy. You need him. You need to get him back." She met her girlfriend at the top of the stairs. Buffy looked to the LA crew who were silent. None were willing to speak since this was really none of their business. But Angel spoke up; "He saved you life, more than once. You should talk to him. I know you two are the kind of friends.... You'll be no good without him. If you want we can go, rent a couple of motel rooms-"
"No, I'll go."
********************
Xander woke up with a start. He looked at the far right corner of his bed and saw the shadowed petite form.
"Buff."
"I didn't mean you."
"It doesn't matter. The knife is still in my back. I said what I said today and you practically spit it back in my face."
"I don't know what came over me. I want everyone to come out of this ok. Now it's not a room full of potentials I have to protect, it's the people I love. The people I don't want to ever think about living without. I guess I kinda got crazed."
"You think maybe Thats too much for one person? Maybe you might try letting people in. I of all people know you should start to let people in and take some of that burden off. If you don't than your heart might stop beating, then there's this whole thing with weird funky dreams of slayers...."
"I'm sorry."
"I know."
Right before Xander fell asleep he felt the covers pull back and the bed move to the extra weight next to him.
****************
"It looks like Buffy, but the funny things she's doing in my kitchen make me think she's a Buffy-bot."
Xander sat down at the counter looking at the stacks of food that were already prepared.
"An attitude like that wont get you any more waffles mister. This is just an extension of the earlier 'Buffy is really sorry' statement."
"Thanks. Did you call the others and say where you are, you're ok, and you're really sorry for what you said last night but it was mostly because you were all stressed out?"
"I thought the groveling would go better in person. Giles is due to be here sometime this afternoon so I think I'll go see them before then."
"Giles is bringing the codex, right?"
"Yes."
She said slowly, knowing he was thinking of changing that some how.
"You know we could go on a road trip. You, me, Dawnster, Wills. We've taken care of these apocaplases; let some one else handle this one. I mean it; we should at least get one off. We can drive to all fifty states."
He told her hopefully. She wanted so much for something like that to happen.
"Xand there is something I've been meaning to tell you something about that 'driving to all fifty states' thing...."
"Yeah.... I do sometimes. Like when I left Anya at the alter... I guess I didn't know where else to go. Why are you here?"
"Got a little crowded. I know I should be all gung ho about this thing Angel's here for, but it doesn't really seem that big a deal."
"Doesn't that seem just a little jaded?"
"Yeah, I guess your right. So why are you here?"
"Just thinking. I don't do it very often so I thought I would think in the quiet."
"Are you thinking about this demon?"
"I'm thinking it's a good thing you didn't keep those powers that helped you read peoples minds."
"Ohhhh you're thinking of me naked."
Xander burst out laughing. He couldn't help it, the memory of the way she looked at him, 'Is that all you think about?' And then him running off.
"Naw, I'm just thinking about things, the way I wanted them to be, and the way they are."
"That whole heart stopping thing was not on my top ten list. And dying. Then there is being the slayer, falling in love with a vampire, having sex with a vampire, having to fight off the first evil. I was going to marry a big football star, be a Dallas Cheerleader. What were you going to do Xand?"
"I don't know really. I just knew I wasn't going to be my father. After that, I didn't care much what I did. It was ok for me to be a directionless looser, as long as I didn't hurt the people I loved. Then this girl came along, and she ruined everything. She changed everything I knew was true about life."
He looked over to Buffy who at the moment was feeling very guilty for what she had done to him. He smiled, something she wasn't expecting, and spoke again.
"Thank you. If it weren't for you Buff I would have never known what I was able to do, the kind of person I am capable of being. Because of you I may not make the most money, or ever leave this one Starbucks town, but I'm a part of the fight against evil. And I help in the fight, not because I'm sure we're gonna win, but because its worth fighting for. Its not the end of the battle that matters, its what you do to get there, it proves who you are. I now know who I am, and I have you to thank."
He hugged her then, and they stayed there until the sun came down on Joyce Summer's grave.
***************
Angel was cursing himself for not seeing it in the text sooner. He looked at the time, he had to call Giles and tell him what was to come.
"Giles, there is no time, you need to come to Sunnydale."
"Is my presence really necessary? I am trying to re-build some kind of council over here, of course I'm not making it exactly like that old barbaric coun-"
"Giles, if you don't come now there will be no England."
"Right, I'll be right there."
*************
"Qorzble?"
"Yes."
"The name isn't all that intimidating."
Angel looked annoyed at the slayer.
"It wants to end the world, and the Codex says it could happen."
"I thought the Codex was more concrete than that. Like when it said Buffy would die. I didn't think there would be maybes."
Xander was unsure about this whole prophecy, but mostly he was afraid. Afraid it was right and the world would end.
"Well I didn't actually look in the codex, I was reading a volume when it referred to the codex. Giles has the volumes we need, he's coming back from England to help."
"So the prophecy in the Codex could say Buffy kicks its butt and we celebrate? Cause I'm all for that."
"Or it could say it's the end of the world." Gunn pointed out.
"You guys never see the glass half full, do you?" Dawn looked over to the LA crew, noting all their grim faces, with the exception of Lorne.
"Girlie is right, I think we should hope for the best."
"So when the worst happens we can be caught with our heads between our knees?"
"You're not going to start your speeches again, are you?" Willow looked over to her friend who looked like she was about to give the group an earful.
"Oh come off it Will, my speeches weren't that bad."
"You lectured a Plummer.... on the phone."
"If you don't want to listen Thats fine. But I'm the general, the one in charge. And when it comes to fight, whether you came with best intentions or not doesn't matter, we HAVE to win. You people don't like my speeches but maybe it would be good for you to listen once and a while, you might learn something."
"And you would think after all this time being the slayer it would have gotten through your head by now."
Xander got up and went to get his coat. He thought this harsh cruel Buffy would be gone. But maybe the other one, his friend, was the one that didn't belong. Maybe the slayer had already taken over her. He wasn't going to stick around and watch his friend die.
"You're leaving?" She said it as thought she had never expected him to do it.
"Yeah, I am. Buff, if you hadn't noticed you would be nowhere without every single one of us. You wanna make speeches? Don't make them to the people who have saved your life more times than anyone can count. The reason you are so powerful, is us. We make you powerful. Think about that, maybe you'll learn something."
"Are you trying to teach me how to be the slayer?"
"No, I'm trying to teach you how to be like the rest of us. Human...... no offence."
"None taken." Lorne and Angel said simultaneously. Xander slammed the door once he had conformation he hadn't offended any demons. Buffy sat there with her cheeks still flushed with anger towards the man that just left the room. Willow got up and ushered Kennedy and Dawn out with her. She waited for the other two women to get to the top of the steps before she spoke.
"Remember Adam Buffy. You need him. You need to get him back." She met her girlfriend at the top of the stairs. Buffy looked to the LA crew who were silent. None were willing to speak since this was really none of their business. But Angel spoke up; "He saved you life, more than once. You should talk to him. I know you two are the kind of friends.... You'll be no good without him. If you want we can go, rent a couple of motel rooms-"
"No, I'll go."
********************
Xander woke up with a start. He looked at the far right corner of his bed and saw the shadowed petite form.
"Buff."
"I didn't mean you."
"It doesn't matter. The knife is still in my back. I said what I said today and you practically spit it back in my face."
"I don't know what came over me. I want everyone to come out of this ok. Now it's not a room full of potentials I have to protect, it's the people I love. The people I don't want to ever think about living without. I guess I kinda got crazed."
"You think maybe Thats too much for one person? Maybe you might try letting people in. I of all people know you should start to let people in and take some of that burden off. If you don't than your heart might stop beating, then there's this whole thing with weird funky dreams of slayers...."
"I'm sorry."
"I know."
Right before Xander fell asleep he felt the covers pull back and the bed move to the extra weight next to him.
****************
"It looks like Buffy, but the funny things she's doing in my kitchen make me think she's a Buffy-bot."
Xander sat down at the counter looking at the stacks of food that were already prepared.
"An attitude like that wont get you any more waffles mister. This is just an extension of the earlier 'Buffy is really sorry' statement."
"Thanks. Did you call the others and say where you are, you're ok, and you're really sorry for what you said last night but it was mostly because you were all stressed out?"
"I thought the groveling would go better in person. Giles is due to be here sometime this afternoon so I think I'll go see them before then."
"Giles is bringing the codex, right?"
"Yes."
She said slowly, knowing he was thinking of changing that some how.
"You know we could go on a road trip. You, me, Dawnster, Wills. We've taken care of these apocaplases; let some one else handle this one. I mean it; we should at least get one off. We can drive to all fifty states."
He told her hopefully. She wanted so much for something like that to happen.
"Xand there is something I've been meaning to tell you something about that 'driving to all fifty states' thing...."
