-'And Justice for All.'-
Pairings: a little angst for right now, something more substantial later.
A/N: This is the sequel to Enter Sandman, Sad But True, and Eye of the Beholder. Xander looses people in the fight. If you save one life you loose another. You cant save them all, you might not even be able to save one. Everyone dies sooner or later. Either way, Justice is served.
A/N 2: God knows you can't write more unless you get reviews.
Disclaimers: I don't own anything relating to Buffy, Angel, or Metallica.
Timeframe: S2 AU. Maybe I stole a little from S3 "The Wish." But just a little.
Dedicated to the ones you can't save, and to the ones you can.
////////////////////////////////////
Cordelia walked from behind the stacks. Ever since the 'weird spell thing' that had happened a week ago, she kept finding herself watching him. She didn't know exactly how to approach him. 'Hi Xander, I just wanted to say I'm sorry about stomping all over your feelings, by the way, do you want to go to the Janitors closet?' Yeah right. I'd have better luck asking Giles to the janitors closet.
Cordelia let out a small "eww" before quietly walking out of the library.
////////////////////////////
Xander let out a small sigh as he saw Cordelia walk out of the library. Things had been...different between them. They weren't together, if they even were in the first place. And they weren't bitter mortal enemies like they once were. Xander smiled to himself. 'Ah the good old days, when the air was clean and the vamps were dusty.'
He chuckled a little to himself, which earned him a slight glare from Giles. "Xander, do you somehow find the ritual of Antiosis to be funny?"
Xander tried to play it cool. "Yes?"
That earned him another slap upside the head.
*Thwack!*
"OW, Dammit Giles, when did everyone decide that it was okay to slap me upside the head for no apparent reason."
Buffy deadpanned as she read from a demonology encyclopedia. "It was either when you decided to go out with Cordelia or when you pulled that little spell of yours last week, we haven't decided."
Xander felt the room drop a couple of degrees as everyone glared daggers at him. He winced in defeat. "Oh, _okay_ well let me know when you do."
Willow turned the page she was reading, not bothering to look up. "Oh, we intend on."
////////////////////////////
Cordelia can't believe what a social leper she had suddenly became. After word got out that she had actually 'gone out' with Xander Harris, the popular clique shunned her for 'dabbling in the riffraff.' When she actually defended her choices, she removed any chance of getting back in their good graces. And everyone else shunned her because, well, she was Cordelia Chase. She started back down the hall, and noticed someone from earlier. She sighed. "Go ahead. Dazzle me with your oh-so-brilliant insults. Just join the club."
The young girl seemed a little confused. "Hardly. Uh, actually, I've been looking for you. Ever since we met this morning, I was, like, thank God there's one other person in this town who actually reads W."
Cordelia shook her head. "But Harmony..."
The girl grinned and started walking to the common area. "Oh, she follows me around. If that girl had an original thought, her head would explode."
Cordelia grinned and held out her hand. "I'm sorry, but I forgot your name, what was it?"
The girl smiled and took her hand to shake. "It's Anya, and don't worry, I'm new here. We only met this morning."
Cordelia walked along side her talking about the latest trends when she noticed Anya's pendant. "Is that Gucci?"
Anya smiled briefly. "Um... no. It's an actual old thing, sort of a, um... good luck charm my dad gave me."
Cordelia. "Too bad I didn't have one of those pre-Xander."
Anya had an evil smirk on her face. "Apart from being without class, the guy's obviously blind. Deserves whatever he gets. I mean to actually make you feel bad for putting thought into it and breaking it off before it got too serious. You were just looking out for him if you think about it."
"I'm not even thinking about him. I am past it. I am living my life."
"Still, I mean... Don't you kinda just wish..."
Cordelia shook her head. "I don't wish. I act. Starting now, Xander Harris is gonna get a bellyful of just how over him I am."
////////////////////////////////////////
Xander watched as Cordy and the new girl walked into the cafeteria. He still had a few smoldering embers in his heart for her. It was that that really disgusted him. She threw him out, ripped his heart to shreds, and what does he want. He sighed. He still wanted her. "Dammit all to hell."
"What?"
Xander was brought out of his rambling by a slightly hungry slayer with half of a bologna on rye sandwich stuck in her mouth. "Nothing Buff."
She smiled and continued to devour the contents of her lunch. Xander shook his head and took a bite of his Hershey bar. "I don't understand how you're able to eat that much."
She finished her sandwich and grinned up at him before taking a sip of Coke. "This coming from the human trash compactor. God, last time you came over to my house you ate so much, my mom had to go for groceries mid- dinner."
Xander reached into his brown paper bag and pulled out an apple. "Nah Buff, you don't understand how good it really is to have a home cooked meal. God, at my house, Greek Valley is speed dial number one. Mr. China's delivery is number two, three through seven is Dominos, Little Caesars, Pizza Hut and the rest of the pizza places."
Buffy grinned and took another sip. "What are eight and nine? If you say Olive Garden or something like that, I swear I'm gonna hit you."
Xander smiled. "Nah, You're number nine...Willow is number eight."
Buffy looked apologetically at him. "You miss her don't you?"
Xander held the apple in his hands, looking at its red shine. He smiled a little. "Yeah I do, but Oz is good for Willow. I'm happy that she's happy. I just wish she'd stop being mad at me."
Buffy's eyes widened. "Oh my God. You like Willow don't you?"
Xander gave her a sideways look. "Listen Buffy, I'll admit that when she first started going out with him, I was a little bit..."
"Jealous? Overbearing?"
"...cautious. But Oz and I had a little, you know, guy-to-guy talk. The point is that I love Willow. I really do, but it's the same way I love you."
Buffy started to tear up a little. "You love me Xan?"
Xander smirked gleefully and took her Coke. "You had your chance."
Buffy pouted and kicked his shin under the table. "Ow." He took the hint and handed back her Coke. "I love the both of you as much as a man can, just not that way. But honestly I don't know what I feel half the time." He sighed. 'Not anymore.'
"And what about Cordelia?"
Xander sighed as the bell rang, signifying that lunch was over. He picked up his bag and walked towards class with Buffy. "I don't know, whatever we might've had, she doesn't want any of it."
He saw Cordy and the new girl talk excitedly and laugh on their way back to class. Buffy turned and saw what he was looking at. She patted him on the shoulder for a second before slapping him upside the head.
*Thwack!*
"Jesus! If you do that one more time..."
Buffy grinned as she ran infront of him. "Never get between a slayer and her caffeine."
Xander smiled and gave chase.
//////////////////////////////////
Willow watched as a giggling Buffy tore down the hall shortly followed by a grinning Xander. Xander saw her and slowed down a little to see if he could talk to her. If there was a group of people, she would just find someone else to talk to. She never let herself be alone in the same room with him for more than a second. When she didn't run away, he slowly walked towards her. "Hi."
Willow nodded and gave a brief smile. "Hi."
Down the hall Buffy stopped, wondering what happened to Xander. She turned to see the two of them really start to talk to each other for the first time in days and decided to leave them be.
Xander took a step forward. "You haven't called me back."
She nodded. "I know. Oz keeps on telling me I should talk to you. So does Buffy."
He grinned. "Yeah, they're persistent aren't they?"
She smiled. "I know that you didn't mean anything, that you were just trying to teach Cordelia a lesson, but it hurt me. It really did."
Xander put a hand on her shoulder. "Listen I..."
"NO, YOU LISTEN!" she knocked off her hand and began to yell at him. " I'VE BEEN IN LOVE WITH YOU SINCE WE WERE THREE! THREE!!!"
"Will, I..."
"I WANTED YOU TO LOVE ME. WHEN YOU CHOSE THAT BITCH, I FINALLY BEGAN TO GET OVER YOU. THEN YOU PULL SOME SHIT LIKE THAT AND I ALMOST _GAVE_ MYSELF TO YOU."
"But you didn't. God Wills, I love you, I love you. You know what my FUCKING family life is like. You know that you and Jesse were my only family for years."
Willow started to break down in tears. "God, Xander..."
"I wouldn't have messed that up for anything. And I know I would've. I'm not good enough for you. Hell, I know I'm not even good for you."
He looked at her with tear filled eyes. The tiny redhead hugged him for all she was worth. He almost squeezed the life out of her. "Oz _IS_. I didn't like him at first because you are my sister. I don't care if we're not related; you are my sister in every way that counts to me. I love you and I need you. I need you to be my Willow JUST as much as you need me to be your Xander."
Willow cried out in his chest. The tears soaked into his red shirt. "I love you Xander."
Xander smiled and kissed the top of her head. "I love you too Wills."
///////////////////////////////////
Cordelia and Anya watched the display from up the stairs. Anya turned to the cheerleader. "Who is that?"
Cordelia felt a tear run down her cheek. She wiped it away immediately. "That's Willow."
Anya put her hands on her hips. "You mean the little bookworm that's had a crush on him since they were like two?"
Cordelia nodded her head and smiled a little in spite of herself. "Yep, that's her."
They looked on as the two happy friends walked themselves to class. Anya smirked. "Don't you just wish that all of his friends just turned to flesh eating worms and started to devour his genitals?"
Cordelia looked at her a little funny and walked back to class. "No, I don't know. It's just that, even when he messes up, EVERYONE forgives him. But look at me, I mean no one is crying in my arms or trying to make me feel better. I mean the whole 'love spell' or whatever it was. Hello? I mean everyone just forgives him for messing with everyone's feelings. I try to make the right decision and everyone just leaves me."
Anya nodded. She put her hands behind her neck and undid the clasp of her antique locket and put it around Cordelia's neck. "It looks like you might need this more than I do."
Cordelia just tensed and sighed. "I just wish that he knew what it was like to lose everyone."
Cordelia took a step back and gasped when she saw a wrinkled and raw- looking demon staring back at her. Anyanka, the Patron Saint of all women scorned, smiled evilly. "Done."
Pairings: a little angst for right now, something more substantial later.
A/N: This is the sequel to Enter Sandman, Sad But True, and Eye of the Beholder. Xander looses people in the fight. If you save one life you loose another. You cant save them all, you might not even be able to save one. Everyone dies sooner or later. Either way, Justice is served.
A/N 2: God knows you can't write more unless you get reviews.
Disclaimers: I don't own anything relating to Buffy, Angel, or Metallica.
Timeframe: S2 AU. Maybe I stole a little from S3 "The Wish." But just a little.
Dedicated to the ones you can't save, and to the ones you can.
////////////////////////////////////
Cordelia walked from behind the stacks. Ever since the 'weird spell thing' that had happened a week ago, she kept finding herself watching him. She didn't know exactly how to approach him. 'Hi Xander, I just wanted to say I'm sorry about stomping all over your feelings, by the way, do you want to go to the Janitors closet?' Yeah right. I'd have better luck asking Giles to the janitors closet.
Cordelia let out a small "eww" before quietly walking out of the library.
////////////////////////////
Xander let out a small sigh as he saw Cordelia walk out of the library. Things had been...different between them. They weren't together, if they even were in the first place. And they weren't bitter mortal enemies like they once were. Xander smiled to himself. 'Ah the good old days, when the air was clean and the vamps were dusty.'
He chuckled a little to himself, which earned him a slight glare from Giles. "Xander, do you somehow find the ritual of Antiosis to be funny?"
Xander tried to play it cool. "Yes?"
That earned him another slap upside the head.
*Thwack!*
"OW, Dammit Giles, when did everyone decide that it was okay to slap me upside the head for no apparent reason."
Buffy deadpanned as she read from a demonology encyclopedia. "It was either when you decided to go out with Cordelia or when you pulled that little spell of yours last week, we haven't decided."
Xander felt the room drop a couple of degrees as everyone glared daggers at him. He winced in defeat. "Oh, _okay_ well let me know when you do."
Willow turned the page she was reading, not bothering to look up. "Oh, we intend on."
////////////////////////////
Cordelia can't believe what a social leper she had suddenly became. After word got out that she had actually 'gone out' with Xander Harris, the popular clique shunned her for 'dabbling in the riffraff.' When she actually defended her choices, she removed any chance of getting back in their good graces. And everyone else shunned her because, well, she was Cordelia Chase. She started back down the hall, and noticed someone from earlier. She sighed. "Go ahead. Dazzle me with your oh-so-brilliant insults. Just join the club."
The young girl seemed a little confused. "Hardly. Uh, actually, I've been looking for you. Ever since we met this morning, I was, like, thank God there's one other person in this town who actually reads W."
Cordelia shook her head. "But Harmony..."
The girl grinned and started walking to the common area. "Oh, she follows me around. If that girl had an original thought, her head would explode."
Cordelia grinned and held out her hand. "I'm sorry, but I forgot your name, what was it?"
The girl smiled and took her hand to shake. "It's Anya, and don't worry, I'm new here. We only met this morning."
Cordelia walked along side her talking about the latest trends when she noticed Anya's pendant. "Is that Gucci?"
Anya smiled briefly. "Um... no. It's an actual old thing, sort of a, um... good luck charm my dad gave me."
Cordelia. "Too bad I didn't have one of those pre-Xander."
Anya had an evil smirk on her face. "Apart from being without class, the guy's obviously blind. Deserves whatever he gets. I mean to actually make you feel bad for putting thought into it and breaking it off before it got too serious. You were just looking out for him if you think about it."
"I'm not even thinking about him. I am past it. I am living my life."
"Still, I mean... Don't you kinda just wish..."
Cordelia shook her head. "I don't wish. I act. Starting now, Xander Harris is gonna get a bellyful of just how over him I am."
////////////////////////////////////////
Xander watched as Cordy and the new girl walked into the cafeteria. He still had a few smoldering embers in his heart for her. It was that that really disgusted him. She threw him out, ripped his heart to shreds, and what does he want. He sighed. He still wanted her. "Dammit all to hell."
"What?"
Xander was brought out of his rambling by a slightly hungry slayer with half of a bologna on rye sandwich stuck in her mouth. "Nothing Buff."
She smiled and continued to devour the contents of her lunch. Xander shook his head and took a bite of his Hershey bar. "I don't understand how you're able to eat that much."
She finished her sandwich and grinned up at him before taking a sip of Coke. "This coming from the human trash compactor. God, last time you came over to my house you ate so much, my mom had to go for groceries mid- dinner."
Xander reached into his brown paper bag and pulled out an apple. "Nah Buff, you don't understand how good it really is to have a home cooked meal. God, at my house, Greek Valley is speed dial number one. Mr. China's delivery is number two, three through seven is Dominos, Little Caesars, Pizza Hut and the rest of the pizza places."
Buffy grinned and took another sip. "What are eight and nine? If you say Olive Garden or something like that, I swear I'm gonna hit you."
Xander smiled. "Nah, You're number nine...Willow is number eight."
Buffy looked apologetically at him. "You miss her don't you?"
Xander held the apple in his hands, looking at its red shine. He smiled a little. "Yeah I do, but Oz is good for Willow. I'm happy that she's happy. I just wish she'd stop being mad at me."
Buffy's eyes widened. "Oh my God. You like Willow don't you?"
Xander gave her a sideways look. "Listen Buffy, I'll admit that when she first started going out with him, I was a little bit..."
"Jealous? Overbearing?"
"...cautious. But Oz and I had a little, you know, guy-to-guy talk. The point is that I love Willow. I really do, but it's the same way I love you."
Buffy started to tear up a little. "You love me Xan?"
Xander smirked gleefully and took her Coke. "You had your chance."
Buffy pouted and kicked his shin under the table. "Ow." He took the hint and handed back her Coke. "I love the both of you as much as a man can, just not that way. But honestly I don't know what I feel half the time." He sighed. 'Not anymore.'
"And what about Cordelia?"
Xander sighed as the bell rang, signifying that lunch was over. He picked up his bag and walked towards class with Buffy. "I don't know, whatever we might've had, she doesn't want any of it."
He saw Cordy and the new girl talk excitedly and laugh on their way back to class. Buffy turned and saw what he was looking at. She patted him on the shoulder for a second before slapping him upside the head.
*Thwack!*
"Jesus! If you do that one more time..."
Buffy grinned as she ran infront of him. "Never get between a slayer and her caffeine."
Xander smiled and gave chase.
//////////////////////////////////
Willow watched as a giggling Buffy tore down the hall shortly followed by a grinning Xander. Xander saw her and slowed down a little to see if he could talk to her. If there was a group of people, she would just find someone else to talk to. She never let herself be alone in the same room with him for more than a second. When she didn't run away, he slowly walked towards her. "Hi."
Willow nodded and gave a brief smile. "Hi."
Down the hall Buffy stopped, wondering what happened to Xander. She turned to see the two of them really start to talk to each other for the first time in days and decided to leave them be.
Xander took a step forward. "You haven't called me back."
She nodded. "I know. Oz keeps on telling me I should talk to you. So does Buffy."
He grinned. "Yeah, they're persistent aren't they?"
She smiled. "I know that you didn't mean anything, that you were just trying to teach Cordelia a lesson, but it hurt me. It really did."
Xander put a hand on her shoulder. "Listen I..."
"NO, YOU LISTEN!" she knocked off her hand and began to yell at him. " I'VE BEEN IN LOVE WITH YOU SINCE WE WERE THREE! THREE!!!"
"Will, I..."
"I WANTED YOU TO LOVE ME. WHEN YOU CHOSE THAT BITCH, I FINALLY BEGAN TO GET OVER YOU. THEN YOU PULL SOME SHIT LIKE THAT AND I ALMOST _GAVE_ MYSELF TO YOU."
"But you didn't. God Wills, I love you, I love you. You know what my FUCKING family life is like. You know that you and Jesse were my only family for years."
Willow started to break down in tears. "God, Xander..."
"I wouldn't have messed that up for anything. And I know I would've. I'm not good enough for you. Hell, I know I'm not even good for you."
He looked at her with tear filled eyes. The tiny redhead hugged him for all she was worth. He almost squeezed the life out of her. "Oz _IS_. I didn't like him at first because you are my sister. I don't care if we're not related; you are my sister in every way that counts to me. I love you and I need you. I need you to be my Willow JUST as much as you need me to be your Xander."
Willow cried out in his chest. The tears soaked into his red shirt. "I love you Xander."
Xander smiled and kissed the top of her head. "I love you too Wills."
///////////////////////////////////
Cordelia and Anya watched the display from up the stairs. Anya turned to the cheerleader. "Who is that?"
Cordelia felt a tear run down her cheek. She wiped it away immediately. "That's Willow."
Anya put her hands on her hips. "You mean the little bookworm that's had a crush on him since they were like two?"
Cordelia nodded her head and smiled a little in spite of herself. "Yep, that's her."
They looked on as the two happy friends walked themselves to class. Anya smirked. "Don't you just wish that all of his friends just turned to flesh eating worms and started to devour his genitals?"
Cordelia looked at her a little funny and walked back to class. "No, I don't know. It's just that, even when he messes up, EVERYONE forgives him. But look at me, I mean no one is crying in my arms or trying to make me feel better. I mean the whole 'love spell' or whatever it was. Hello? I mean everyone just forgives him for messing with everyone's feelings. I try to make the right decision and everyone just leaves me."
Anya nodded. She put her hands behind her neck and undid the clasp of her antique locket and put it around Cordelia's neck. "It looks like you might need this more than I do."
Cordelia just tensed and sighed. "I just wish that he knew what it was like to lose everyone."
Cordelia took a step back and gasped when she saw a wrinkled and raw- looking demon staring back at her. Anyanka, the Patron Saint of all women scorned, smiled evilly. "Done."