Xander set down the Jeep keys on the coffee table. He checked the mail and looked out the front window to the mountain top view he had for the past five years. Each time he saw the view he never tired of it. He breathed in deeply and yelled, "Hope!! Hope, honey I'm home!" Dawn came out of the kitchen and wiped her hands on the apron she had on. "She is upstairs. She doesn't want to be bothered right now. Said she had important work to do."
"Did she say what it was?"
"No, but she did put up that do not disturb sign."
"So Dawnie how was the council?"
"Good."
"I haven't seen my favorite slayer in months, how is she?"
"Great. Giles built her a new training room, she is soo happy. Like a kid in a candy store."
"Speaking of kid in a candy store, how do you like the new library I helped build?"
"I love it!! I mean all those books.... Oh, I'm teaching myself a new language."
"Really? That makes, what.... 11?"
"12!" She squealed in excitement.
Xander laughed, Dawn passed up Giles in the learning department a long time ago. He said it was because he was management and could no longer try to 'look stuff up.'
"So, when is the teacher coming home?"
"She had to say after with a couple of students. Something about extra credit."
"Oh, well how did your day go?"
"Fine. You know the drill little miss watcher. I go there, tell 100 sweaty guys this is what I want to build, and they go at it. Uneventful."
That was when the door opened and shut, causing cold air to infiltrate the room.
"Sorry I'm late guys, you know students. They are all studious."
"Its ok Buffy."
"Where's Hope?"
"Upstairs. Apparently she has some important work to do."
"Well I have to go talk to her, come on Xander. After all she is your girl."
They made there way up the stairs and knocked on the door.
"Hope, honey, can I come in?" Xander waited for a moment and then opened the door.
A small blonde who couldn't be more than four ran up to him giving him a big hug.
"Daddy!!" She squealed in delight.
"I don't get a hug?"
"Sorryz momma." She turned to her mother and hugged her tightly too.
"I feel there is some favoritism here."
"Hope can't help it if she's a Daddy's girl." Xander brushed some hair out of the little girl's face.
"Whatcha doing up here?"
"Ray was being toto, and I was bein' Dorothy."
"Very important work, we're sorry we disturbed you. By the way, where is Ray?"
The husky came out from his hiding place and sat down next to the group.
"Don't worry Ray, I wont tell the other dogs about this." The dog barked in appreciation for the people's silence.
"Who's your favorite from OZ?" Hope asked looking from one parent to the other.
"Well honey I-" Xander was cut off by his wife.
"Gotta love a Tin man." Buffy leaned in and kissed Xander who was smiling.
"Eww Mommy is gross."
Xander leaned in and whispered in her ear, "I love it when you're gross Mommy."
"Play your cards right and tonight I'll be really gross."
Xander rubbed her stomach. "Well at least we don't have to worry about you know what."
"You're really funny Daddy. Come on, I'm hungry."
Xander picked up Hope and started down the stairs.
"Daddy, mommy is always hungry."
"I know, she eats like an oinker when she has a baby in her tummy honey."
"I heard that!!"
Xander pretended to be very frightened by that, which made the small girl giggle.
Everything was right with the world, and this tin man knew he had a heart because it was finally healed.
"Did she say what it was?"
"No, but she did put up that do not disturb sign."
"So Dawnie how was the council?"
"Good."
"I haven't seen my favorite slayer in months, how is she?"
"Great. Giles built her a new training room, she is soo happy. Like a kid in a candy store."
"Speaking of kid in a candy store, how do you like the new library I helped build?"
"I love it!! I mean all those books.... Oh, I'm teaching myself a new language."
"Really? That makes, what.... 11?"
"12!" She squealed in excitement.
Xander laughed, Dawn passed up Giles in the learning department a long time ago. He said it was because he was management and could no longer try to 'look stuff up.'
"So, when is the teacher coming home?"
"She had to say after with a couple of students. Something about extra credit."
"Oh, well how did your day go?"
"Fine. You know the drill little miss watcher. I go there, tell 100 sweaty guys this is what I want to build, and they go at it. Uneventful."
That was when the door opened and shut, causing cold air to infiltrate the room.
"Sorry I'm late guys, you know students. They are all studious."
"Its ok Buffy."
"Where's Hope?"
"Upstairs. Apparently she has some important work to do."
"Well I have to go talk to her, come on Xander. After all she is your girl."
They made there way up the stairs and knocked on the door.
"Hope, honey, can I come in?" Xander waited for a moment and then opened the door.
A small blonde who couldn't be more than four ran up to him giving him a big hug.
"Daddy!!" She squealed in delight.
"I don't get a hug?"
"Sorryz momma." She turned to her mother and hugged her tightly too.
"I feel there is some favoritism here."
"Hope can't help it if she's a Daddy's girl." Xander brushed some hair out of the little girl's face.
"Whatcha doing up here?"
"Ray was being toto, and I was bein' Dorothy."
"Very important work, we're sorry we disturbed you. By the way, where is Ray?"
The husky came out from his hiding place and sat down next to the group.
"Don't worry Ray, I wont tell the other dogs about this." The dog barked in appreciation for the people's silence.
"Who's your favorite from OZ?" Hope asked looking from one parent to the other.
"Well honey I-" Xander was cut off by his wife.
"Gotta love a Tin man." Buffy leaned in and kissed Xander who was smiling.
"Eww Mommy is gross."
Xander leaned in and whispered in her ear, "I love it when you're gross Mommy."
"Play your cards right and tonight I'll be really gross."
Xander rubbed her stomach. "Well at least we don't have to worry about you know what."
"You're really funny Daddy. Come on, I'm hungry."
Xander picked up Hope and started down the stairs.
"Daddy, mommy is always hungry."
"I know, she eats like an oinker when she has a baby in her tummy honey."
"I heard that!!"
Xander pretended to be very frightened by that, which made the small girl giggle.
Everything was right with the world, and this tin man knew he had a heart because it was finally healed.
