Kennedy turned and faced her lover. She gently caressed her cheek waiting for her eyes to lock into her own.
"What's wrong?" She asked in her most soothing tone.
"I'm just worried about Buffy."
"But not about what's going on with this demon."
"How did you know?"
"I know you. Your face. It's not the I'm-worried-this-apocalapse-is-going-to-be-apocaliptic face. Its the my-friend-is-hurting-but-not-because-they've-been-hit face. Do you want to talk about it?"
"There is nothing I can do about it. But then I think, I don't really want to do anything about it. I know its mean and I shouldn't feel this way, but she broke my best friend's heart. First figuratively; then literally. I just got to get my mind off this."
"Is there anything I can do to help with that?" Her tone turned from soothing to seductive. Willow gave her a sly smile.
"It wouldn't hurt to try...."
********************
Xander rubbed his eyes and looked down at the volume again.
"Nope, still not words."
"Lets take a break."
"There is not enough coffee in the world.... You wanna get out of here?"
"What about the end of the world?"
"If the world ends while we're out we'll notice. Come on, I'll buy."
******
"And that right there is where I saw my first vampires. One was Darla and the other was this guy that looked like De Barge." Xander pointed with his ice cream.
"Ohh, and there is where Angelus put Buffy in the hospital... I don't mean he carried her, I mean he kinda beat her up."
"Wow, I never... I mean....."
"Who was your first vampire?"
"I never saw one before I opened that book and went to Pylea. So Angel was actually my first vampire."
"Yeah, how are hell dimensions?"
"Not fun. I don't recommend it."
"So, why?"
"Why what? Why don't I recommend going to a hell dimension?"
"Why do any of this. From non-super power human to non-super power human, its not the best gig. You get passed over, left behind at the homestead. Why not get your mathematic groove on and live a normal life?"
"I'm with people who love me.... some type of screwed up family. And in Pylea the bad guys always won... I like to help the good guys. You?"
"Same. I think we should be getting back, it's getting late."
*********************
"I've found it!" Giles took off his glasses then looked up with a painful expression at the group that crowded him.
"Why don't you guys go in the other room?"
The room emptied until only the original Scoobies and Dawn remained.
"Who is it?"
"Xander."
"Me? Are you sure you aren't reading it wrong?"
"I can't be. It specifically points to you. It also says you must fight to the death."
"Does it say who's?"
"No."
"So to repeat myself, where do we go from here?"
"Buffy has to train Xander. You guys have to find out more about the thing he is going to face, a weak spot would be nice."
"No, I know a way that would be better. Lets stop this. I don't fight to the death, I fight to the 'hurt badly but then Buffy saves my hide.'"
"I know it must be a shock, but you already know that everything in the Codex happens."
"Ok, but I'm living proof that doesn't matter. I heard the prophecy and went down to the master's layer anyway, had I known that I'm what released the master I would have stayed home."
"Oh, I see what your saying. I could just stick my fingers in my ears and never 'hear' a prophecy."
"Xander, I know you must be scared but you do know you can do nothing of the sort."
It was Buffy's turn to try and comfort Xander. "Training wont be that hard, you've been fighting long enough so we can just skip the basics and get right down to the hard core stuff."
"Hey Buff, you wanna watch that mouth of yours? Young lady in the room." Xander pointed at Dawn then winked.
"You can even use the entire Magic Box, since it still looks kinda like a war zone."
"Its funny. You know the kind of funny that makes you want to play jump rope with your own intestines." Xander paused for a moment. "You should tell the others what's happening. That is if they aren't eavesdropping."
"Hey! We don't eavesdrop!....ooops..."
***********************
Xander sat down between the rubble in the magic shop. He and Buffy had been training every day for the past three weeks. The Magic Box had been turned into some kind of training playground. The first day it was set up Buffy had seemed very happy and proud of both their work. She was in her element and had confessed to him she was happy she could share it with him.
Unlike Riley or Angel, Xander refused to fight /i Buffy. She knew it might have something to do with his father. It also could have been that he didn't want to try and fight her. She was the slayer and he wasn't, he knew no amount of training would make him as strong as her and he was ok with that. That was something else Buffy wasn't used to. Most men wanted to see if they could take her on, someone who was comfortable with her being so strong was something she only saw in Xander.
They were now both sitting on the floor trying to catch their breath.
"That last part was really good."
"Ya think? I thought maybe that last thing with the axe was a little sloppy."
"No, it was good. Especially since it was your first time doing it."
"Well I do have the best teacher in the world."
He gave her one of his Xander half smiles and handed her some water.
"Buffy... I hope you don't... Don't hate me, ok? I have to tell you something."
Buffy braced herself to hear the worst and nodded for him to continue.
"I bought Giles out. The Magic shop is mine... well actually... I'm giving it to you. I know how much you love this place, and they'll never be able to fix it up for retail anyway."
"Oh My God!!!! Xander!" Buffy turned to her friend and hugged him, forcing him to lie amongst the rubble.
"This is the sweetest thing any one has ever done for me!! I can't believe you did this!!"
She looked down at him and felt so overwhelmed with so many emotions. She pressed her lips to his, but was cut short when he pushed her off him.
"Buffy, no."
"Why?"
"Because... I don't need to be thanked like that. I did it because I wanted to make you happy."
"You do. You make me happy."
"But that doesn't mean you need to /i me a happy."
Xander ran his hands through his hair and they both sat there silent for a few moments.
"I'm in love with you Xander."
Xander stared at her as though she were insane, and then shook his head.
"Well you have the worst timing ever."
"What's wrong?" She asked in her most soothing tone.
"I'm just worried about Buffy."
"But not about what's going on with this demon."
"How did you know?"
"I know you. Your face. It's not the I'm-worried-this-apocalapse-is-going-to-be-apocaliptic face. Its the my-friend-is-hurting-but-not-because-they've-been-hit face. Do you want to talk about it?"
"There is nothing I can do about it. But then I think, I don't really want to do anything about it. I know its mean and I shouldn't feel this way, but she broke my best friend's heart. First figuratively; then literally. I just got to get my mind off this."
"Is there anything I can do to help with that?" Her tone turned from soothing to seductive. Willow gave her a sly smile.
"It wouldn't hurt to try...."
********************
Xander rubbed his eyes and looked down at the volume again.
"Nope, still not words."
"Lets take a break."
"There is not enough coffee in the world.... You wanna get out of here?"
"What about the end of the world?"
"If the world ends while we're out we'll notice. Come on, I'll buy."
******
"And that right there is where I saw my first vampires. One was Darla and the other was this guy that looked like De Barge." Xander pointed with his ice cream.
"Ohh, and there is where Angelus put Buffy in the hospital... I don't mean he carried her, I mean he kinda beat her up."
"Wow, I never... I mean....."
"Who was your first vampire?"
"I never saw one before I opened that book and went to Pylea. So Angel was actually my first vampire."
"Yeah, how are hell dimensions?"
"Not fun. I don't recommend it."
"So, why?"
"Why what? Why don't I recommend going to a hell dimension?"
"Why do any of this. From non-super power human to non-super power human, its not the best gig. You get passed over, left behind at the homestead. Why not get your mathematic groove on and live a normal life?"
"I'm with people who love me.... some type of screwed up family. And in Pylea the bad guys always won... I like to help the good guys. You?"
"Same. I think we should be getting back, it's getting late."
*********************
"I've found it!" Giles took off his glasses then looked up with a painful expression at the group that crowded him.
"Why don't you guys go in the other room?"
The room emptied until only the original Scoobies and Dawn remained.
"Who is it?"
"Xander."
"Me? Are you sure you aren't reading it wrong?"
"I can't be. It specifically points to you. It also says you must fight to the death."
"Does it say who's?"
"No."
"So to repeat myself, where do we go from here?"
"Buffy has to train Xander. You guys have to find out more about the thing he is going to face, a weak spot would be nice."
"No, I know a way that would be better. Lets stop this. I don't fight to the death, I fight to the 'hurt badly but then Buffy saves my hide.'"
"I know it must be a shock, but you already know that everything in the Codex happens."
"Ok, but I'm living proof that doesn't matter. I heard the prophecy and went down to the master's layer anyway, had I known that I'm what released the master I would have stayed home."
"Oh, I see what your saying. I could just stick my fingers in my ears and never 'hear' a prophecy."
"Xander, I know you must be scared but you do know you can do nothing of the sort."
It was Buffy's turn to try and comfort Xander. "Training wont be that hard, you've been fighting long enough so we can just skip the basics and get right down to the hard core stuff."
"Hey Buff, you wanna watch that mouth of yours? Young lady in the room." Xander pointed at Dawn then winked.
"You can even use the entire Magic Box, since it still looks kinda like a war zone."
"Its funny. You know the kind of funny that makes you want to play jump rope with your own intestines." Xander paused for a moment. "You should tell the others what's happening. That is if they aren't eavesdropping."
"Hey! We don't eavesdrop!....ooops..."
***********************
Xander sat down between the rubble in the magic shop. He and Buffy had been training every day for the past three weeks. The Magic Box had been turned into some kind of training playground. The first day it was set up Buffy had seemed very happy and proud of both their work. She was in her element and had confessed to him she was happy she could share it with him.
Unlike Riley or Angel, Xander refused to fight /i Buffy. She knew it might have something to do with his father. It also could have been that he didn't want to try and fight her. She was the slayer and he wasn't, he knew no amount of training would make him as strong as her and he was ok with that. That was something else Buffy wasn't used to. Most men wanted to see if they could take her on, someone who was comfortable with her being so strong was something she only saw in Xander.
They were now both sitting on the floor trying to catch their breath.
"That last part was really good."
"Ya think? I thought maybe that last thing with the axe was a little sloppy."
"No, it was good. Especially since it was your first time doing it."
"Well I do have the best teacher in the world."
He gave her one of his Xander half smiles and handed her some water.
"Buffy... I hope you don't... Don't hate me, ok? I have to tell you something."
Buffy braced herself to hear the worst and nodded for him to continue.
"I bought Giles out. The Magic shop is mine... well actually... I'm giving it to you. I know how much you love this place, and they'll never be able to fix it up for retail anyway."
"Oh My God!!!! Xander!" Buffy turned to her friend and hugged him, forcing him to lie amongst the rubble.
"This is the sweetest thing any one has ever done for me!! I can't believe you did this!!"
She looked down at him and felt so overwhelmed with so many emotions. She pressed her lips to his, but was cut short when he pushed her off him.
"Buffy, no."
"Why?"
"Because... I don't need to be thanked like that. I did it because I wanted to make you happy."
"You do. You make me happy."
"But that doesn't mean you need to /i me a happy."
Xander ran his hands through his hair and they both sat there silent for a few moments.
"I'm in love with you Xander."
Xander stared at her as though she were insane, and then shook his head.
"Well you have the worst timing ever."
