CHAPTER TWO - THE WELCOME
"Xander."
The words sounded so empty to Willow. All her emotions had been replaced by shock. She had no feeling to put into her voice. Xander was standing before her. Xander. Her best friend. The boy she had spent practically her entire childhood with. He was her first love. He was Xander and he was standing in front of her. She had thought he was in China doing some building stuff. He had left soon after they buried Anya. He had called it the opportunity of a life but they all knew that he was running away. But they didn't try to stop him. The only girl he had ever loved had just died, if anyone had the right to run away it was him. When he didn't call they put it down to him needing space. Then a month passed by, then two, then three, then half a year was gone and nothing. They began to consider the possibility that he might never come back. Another month passed, the another, then another and the possibility no one wanted to accept became the answer that no one could avoid. But now he was standing right in front of her. Xander was standing in front of her and what's more he had grown the most horrible bushy frontiery beard she had ever seen.
"Hi, Will. I'm back." There was no ceremony in his voice. No rejoicing, no celebration, just a subdued relief.
"Xander." Repeated Willow. She hadn't blinked since opening the door as if fearful he might suddenly vanish. "You're back."
Xander shuffled his feet and gave a little uncomfortable smile, "Yeah."
From inside the house Buffy had grown increasingly curious about Willow's behaviour. She was standing open mouthed at the front door as if she had seen a ghost or something. Or something? Something like a vampire! Buffy leaped up from her chair and rushed over to the door, violently drew it fully open and stared in disbelief. It was Xander. It was Xander! Xander was back!
"You're back." She said in an excited tone. The sort of tone a kids use when they finally unwrap a Christmas present they actually want. "And you've got a beard."
Xander's hand instinctively reached up to his beard and he began to caress it like the wise old Chinese guys he had seen. "Yeah." He smiled again. The same uncomfortable smile as before.
Now it was Dawn's turn to become curious at the behaviour of those at the front door. She managed to draw herself away from the hypnotic images of celebrity couples to walk over towards the door. She saw Willow and Buffy open mouthed and wide-eyed staring at whoever had just knocked.
"Hey guys. Who is it?" No response. She moved closer. "Guys?" Still no response. Now she was at the edge of the door. She reached out and gently pushed it out of her view. It was Xander. He had returned and he was looking hot! More hot then she remembered. Well, maybe the beard wasn't the best look for him. But still.damn! He looked good. A lust descended over Dawn's eyes. "You're back." She said in her best sultry voice.
Xander gave her a strange look as if he had just noticed something he wasn't quite sure of and smiled the uncomfortable smile again. "Hey Dawnie."
For a period of about fifteen seconds nobody spoke. There was complete silence. Willow stared at Xander, Buffy stared at Xander, Dawn stared at Xander and Xander felt the eyes of the three girls staring at him. Finally he had had enough.
"You don't suppose I could come in, could I? It's kind of cold out here." He wasn't exactly sure whose permission he should be getting so he directed his request at all three.
They all responded. Between the confusing overlapping three-way chatter Xander was apologised to twice, invited inside three times and complimented on his beard not at all. He was offered a drink, a snack, a seat and something, under Dawn's breath, that it's best not to repeat here. When all were sitting comfortably the questions began. Where had he been? What had he done? Who had he met? Why hadn't be called? Had something terrible happened? Did they really teach people to catch flies with chopsticks? Xander answered all their questions. He told them of his trip out to China with the thoroughly enjoyably stopover in Hawaii. He told them of the mud tracks that they had to drive heavy equipment through, which got so flooded they could swim quite easily on them. He told them of the beautiful mountains and unbelievably expansive plains. He told them of the delights of the local people, though he left out the most popular delight amongst his men. He talked until they had no more questions to ask him and the grip of sleep had become to have its effect. Willow took a very sleepy Dawn upstairs and Buffy brought out a blanket and pillow for Xander. He thanked her and settled down on the couch. Buffy watched him for a second with her head cocked slightly to one side. Then she moved towards the stairs. She paused at the light switch and said in almost a whisper, "It's nice to have you back." Then she turned off the light and was gone. This left Xander trying to find which position caused him the least amount of time. After a minute or so of manoeuvring he stopped and just lay there. A small ray of light entered the room from a streetlight across the road via a crack in the curtains. Xander pulled out a photograph from his pocket and held it in this light. The photograph was of a young, most likely in her earlier twenties, Chinese girl. She had long chestnut brown hair, which reached past her shoulders, and dark brown eyes. She was exceptionally beautiful. And she was heavily pregnant.
"Xander."
The words sounded so empty to Willow. All her emotions had been replaced by shock. She had no feeling to put into her voice. Xander was standing before her. Xander. Her best friend. The boy she had spent practically her entire childhood with. He was her first love. He was Xander and he was standing in front of her. She had thought he was in China doing some building stuff. He had left soon after they buried Anya. He had called it the opportunity of a life but they all knew that he was running away. But they didn't try to stop him. The only girl he had ever loved had just died, if anyone had the right to run away it was him. When he didn't call they put it down to him needing space. Then a month passed by, then two, then three, then half a year was gone and nothing. They began to consider the possibility that he might never come back. Another month passed, the another, then another and the possibility no one wanted to accept became the answer that no one could avoid. But now he was standing right in front of her. Xander was standing in front of her and what's more he had grown the most horrible bushy frontiery beard she had ever seen.
"Hi, Will. I'm back." There was no ceremony in his voice. No rejoicing, no celebration, just a subdued relief.
"Xander." Repeated Willow. She hadn't blinked since opening the door as if fearful he might suddenly vanish. "You're back."
Xander shuffled his feet and gave a little uncomfortable smile, "Yeah."
From inside the house Buffy had grown increasingly curious about Willow's behaviour. She was standing open mouthed at the front door as if she had seen a ghost or something. Or something? Something like a vampire! Buffy leaped up from her chair and rushed over to the door, violently drew it fully open and stared in disbelief. It was Xander. It was Xander! Xander was back!
"You're back." She said in an excited tone. The sort of tone a kids use when they finally unwrap a Christmas present they actually want. "And you've got a beard."
Xander's hand instinctively reached up to his beard and he began to caress it like the wise old Chinese guys he had seen. "Yeah." He smiled again. The same uncomfortable smile as before.
Now it was Dawn's turn to become curious at the behaviour of those at the front door. She managed to draw herself away from the hypnotic images of celebrity couples to walk over towards the door. She saw Willow and Buffy open mouthed and wide-eyed staring at whoever had just knocked.
"Hey guys. Who is it?" No response. She moved closer. "Guys?" Still no response. Now she was at the edge of the door. She reached out and gently pushed it out of her view. It was Xander. He had returned and he was looking hot! More hot then she remembered. Well, maybe the beard wasn't the best look for him. But still.damn! He looked good. A lust descended over Dawn's eyes. "You're back." She said in her best sultry voice.
Xander gave her a strange look as if he had just noticed something he wasn't quite sure of and smiled the uncomfortable smile again. "Hey Dawnie."
For a period of about fifteen seconds nobody spoke. There was complete silence. Willow stared at Xander, Buffy stared at Xander, Dawn stared at Xander and Xander felt the eyes of the three girls staring at him. Finally he had had enough.
"You don't suppose I could come in, could I? It's kind of cold out here." He wasn't exactly sure whose permission he should be getting so he directed his request at all three.
They all responded. Between the confusing overlapping three-way chatter Xander was apologised to twice, invited inside three times and complimented on his beard not at all. He was offered a drink, a snack, a seat and something, under Dawn's breath, that it's best not to repeat here. When all were sitting comfortably the questions began. Where had he been? What had he done? Who had he met? Why hadn't be called? Had something terrible happened? Did they really teach people to catch flies with chopsticks? Xander answered all their questions. He told them of his trip out to China with the thoroughly enjoyably stopover in Hawaii. He told them of the mud tracks that they had to drive heavy equipment through, which got so flooded they could swim quite easily on them. He told them of the beautiful mountains and unbelievably expansive plains. He told them of the delights of the local people, though he left out the most popular delight amongst his men. He talked until they had no more questions to ask him and the grip of sleep had become to have its effect. Willow took a very sleepy Dawn upstairs and Buffy brought out a blanket and pillow for Xander. He thanked her and settled down on the couch. Buffy watched him for a second with her head cocked slightly to one side. Then she moved towards the stairs. She paused at the light switch and said in almost a whisper, "It's nice to have you back." Then she turned off the light and was gone. This left Xander trying to find which position caused him the least amount of time. After a minute or so of manoeuvring he stopped and just lay there. A small ray of light entered the room from a streetlight across the road via a crack in the curtains. Xander pulled out a photograph from his pocket and held it in this light. The photograph was of a young, most likely in her earlier twenties, Chinese girl. She had long chestnut brown hair, which reached past her shoulders, and dark brown eyes. She was exceptionally beautiful. And she was heavily pregnant.