Chapter Three: Xander
"Am I gonna have to turn the car around?" Xander asked looking into the rearview mirror at the squabbling children in the back seat.
"No!" They said.
"Then quit hitting each other," Xander said. The two stopped but continued to make faces at each other.
"Kids!" The woman in the passenger seat turned around. "We'll go back."
"Sorry, Mom," they mumbled.
"Thanks hon," Xander smiled at his wife.
The beautiful woman smiled, "Anytime."
The Harris' were off to the mall to find Buffy a birthday present. Xander couldn't believe his best friend was thirty. Actually, he still couldn't believe that eight years had gone by so fast. Eight years, and he was married and had two kids. His wife was a gorgeous Latino woman from Los Angeles, and their kids were beautiful. He was glad they got their mother's looks. They got his sense of humor though, and he couldn't decide if that was a good thing.
He parked the mini-van and soon they were walking around the mall. Teresa pushed Nicole in the stroller since she was only three. And Xander held Ryan's hand. They walked by stores and the kids begged to go into Kay-Bee's toy store.
"What do you get a thirty year old?" Xander asked Treas.
Teresa shrugged, "I dunno. Ask me in five years."
"Four," Xander put his arm around her. "You're twenty-six. Good try though."
Teresa smiled, "Damn. Thought that one would slip by you." She kissed him.
"Dad, can we get Aunt Buffy this?" Ryan asked holding up a G.I Joe.
Xander frowned, "How about something a little less masculine. Try finding her something a girl would like."
"Barbie?" Nicole asked hopefully looking down the pink drenched aisle.
"Maybe next year," Xander said touching her nose, she giggled.
"You're seriously going to get her something from a toy store?" Teresa asked.
Xander shrugged. "Why not? It'll be like a fun, little time warp."
Teresa rolled her eyes. "Okay."
They settled on a princess set, complete with tiara, wand and feather boa, and a stuffed pig that looked like Mr. Gordo. Buffy had lost hers in Sunnydale. Of course, the kids got away with getting a toy too, the soldier action-figure for Ryan and Barbie for Nicole. They ate at the food court and shopped around a little more. Xander bought Teresa a set of earrings she had been eyeing and bought everyone little presents to give at the party.
It felt good to splurge like this. He had always been strapped for money. Being the expert at odd jobs and such, until he finally decided just to settle down and do his woodwork. People from all over came to his store to buy his one of a kind chests, jewelry boxes, dressers, tables and other stuff he made. Teresa, who had managed her family's restaurant in L.A, helped Xander with all the book keeping and inventory. Business was good, and after Xander's rich uncle Morty left him a nice inheritance, which shocked the hell out of him, they were living pretty well. Finally.
By the time they got home, it was dark and the kids were already asleep. Xander and Teresa carried the snoring Ryan and thumb-sucking Nicole into their rooms, prodded them into their pajamas and kissed them good night.
Xander and Teresa settled into their own bed and Xander wrapped his arms around his wife, sighing as he did so.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Hmm? Nothing," Xander replied.
"No, you're thinking about something," she turned to face him. "I know you, Harris. I can see those rusty gears turning." She caressed his hair back.
Xander sighed, "I was just thinking about stuff."
"Stuff?"
"Yeah. Eight years have gone by."
"Since the...?"
"Yeah, since the."
"Was she pretty?"
Xander was taken aback. He had told Teresa about losing Anya and about what he'd been through in Sunnydale. She completely understood, but had never asked about it or about Anya. She always let him talk and she listened.
He swallowed a lump in his throat. "Yeah. She was pretty, and strong, and funny."
"You loved her a lot."
"Yeah."
She settled back into his arms, "Would I have liked her?"
"No," he said simply. "No one liked her at first. She was, uh, outspoken."
"Do you think about her?"
"Everyday," he answered honestly. He held Teresa tight. "But now I have you, and we have the kids. I'd never give that up. I love you."
"I love you too, Xander."
They fell asleep in each other's arms, like they had every night before. He'd never let Teresa go, but he'll never forget Anya. Eight years had gone by fast, but if he closed his eyes sometimes, it was just like yesterday.
