Solstice by SLynn

Chapter 4: Scars

After meeting with Angel and talking over options, the next course of action was to find Eamon. Maps were drawn up and areas designated for searching. The real problem lay with who would go where with who.

The division, once decided, seemed almost unnatural. They'd make three groups: Buffy with Giles, Angel with Tara and Xander with Willow. They'd decided to patrol for three hours until 2:00 am and then regroup at the Magic Box.

Willow for one was glad. She'd spent next to no time alone with Xander and welcomed the opportunity. She didn't want to be nosey, but she also wished she could be more included in her best friends' lives. Lives because it wasn't only Xander shutting her out these days, it was also Buffy.

Willow, unfortunately, was doing most of the talking. She talked about the weather (a relatively mild winter). She talked about classes (all A's of course). She talked about the Magic Box (business seemed better). In short, she talked about everything except what she wanted to. Xander.

"Okay Xander," she sighed, growing tired of hearing her own voice, "I give up. At least you could say..."

"Shhhh," he said rather irately.

"Well, fine then," she said equal irate.

Xander grabbed hold of her arm.

"No," he whispered, "I heard something."

Willow listened too.

"I don't..."

Xander held a finger up to his lips and Willow listened again. And heard it.

Breathing.

Both were standing stock still listening to the sound of breathing coming just to their lefts off in the bushes. Instinctively, Xander started to step in front of Willow, forgetting for a moment he was with probably the most powerful witch in the America's. In all likelihood he would be needing her protection, not vise versa, but he didn't think like that. Willow was his friend and he'd do what he could for her while he could. The gesture wasn't lost on her.

The both watched. Intent on what was before them. Hearing it come closer and closer. Willow saw Xander reach for a stake in his jacket pocket and found herself doing the same. They were as ready as they could be.

Then it made itself known.

A stray. Just a stray.

Willow let out a small laugh.

"Well," Xander said with a smile, "I've still got that killer instinct."

Just as he finished saying it, someone jumped from the other side onto Willow. Willow had gone from tense, too relieved, too panicked, all in fewer than ten seconds.

The vampire had a good hold on her, was snarling and seemed almost rabid. Xander, stake still in hand, rushed in to help pull him off. The vamp, new by the looks of his filthy clothes, pushed him off, the distraction causing him to loosen his grip on Willow just enough for her to break free. Xander, having been initially knocked off his feet, jumped up again this time ready. It was all over in less than a minute.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said shaking off the dust, "I think so... oh Xander!"

"What?" he asked worried thinking she wasn't alright after all.

"No," she said coming over to him, "you're bleeding."

Xander looked down at himself. There was blood on his chest where vamp had shoved him away.

"It's just a scratch," he said shrugging it off.

"No," she said sternly, "we're going back now. We need to get that taken care of now."

"Willow really..."

"No buts," she said forcibly, "I mean it Xander. Now."

They were the first ones back.

"Okay," she said, "Off with it."

"Aren't you going to buy me dinner first?"

"Seriously Xand," she said determined not to smile.

"Fine," he said taking off his jacket and sitting down.

"The shirt too," she yelled from the back where she'd gone to get the first aid kit.

Xander complied without another word. Willow, coming back in, realized why he'd become so quiet. She hadn't thought about it. She knew Constance had tortured him. Had hurt him and done truly awful things, but she hadn't really pictured it until now. Seeing him, his back to her sitting quietly hunched over in a chair, marks still on his back.

Willow tried to pass it off like she hadn't seen but knew that wouldn't do. She couldn't help thinking that after all this time he was just as much scarred on the outside as he was on the inside.

"You were right, it's not too bad. Deep though, but shouldn't need stitches."

She sat in front of him and he didn't look up at her. Willow cleaned and bandaged him as fast as she could in silence.

"Done," she said with a small smile, unable to get the tears out of her eyes. He looked up at her, finally, and smiled a bit back.

Willow threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. It was the closest they'd been in what seemed eons. After a moment Xander gently pulled away from her, kissed her on the forehead and stood up to put on his shirt.

Willow wiped her eyes and looked away. She didn't want to see the marks on him again.

The bell rang.

"Well, that was fun," Buffy's voice said from the front.

"Not exactly my idea of it," Giles added, "but to each his own. Or her own as the case may be."

Buffy and Giles stopped, confused by appearance of the other two.

"What's wrong?" Buffy asked, concerned something had happened.

"Nothing," Willow lied, trying to wipe her eyes discreetly.

"Xander?" Buffy asked. He'd been facing the other way the entire time.

"Really," he said turning slowly, "it's nothing."

"You're hurt," she said, seeing the tear on his shirt and walking towards him.

"It's nothing serious. Willow cleaned me up. Little scratch. I've had worse shaving."

"He's fine," Willow added, more composed. "We got surprised by a vamp coming out of the bushes."

Buffy still looked concerned.

"You saw more then we did," Giles interjected, "Nothing all night."

"Well," Willow continued, "it was just that one for us. Maybe Tara and Angel had better luck."

"No such thing," Angel said walking in almost on queue.

"Nothing," Tara sighed.

"Where did you run into that vampire Willow?" Giles asked.

"On main street, just by the water works building."

"We'll all try there again tomorrow."

Buffy sat in the car beside Xander, holding his hand, in front of her house. They'd left the shop together half and hour before, but she still hadn't gone inside.

"What really happened tonight?" she asked, "Not the vampire, afterwards."

"Willow, she saw my back. It upset her."

Buffy nodded and understood. She'd been the only one of them to actually see the damage Constance caused. She knew it was shocking.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said sounding anything but.

"Want to come inside?"

Xander nodded. He didn't want to be alone right now. Didn't think he could stand it.

Once inside, they tried to be quiet. It was very late and Buffy's mother and sister were both asleep upstairs.

"I could make us some coffee or cocoa," she said softly.

"If you want," he whispered back to her, still holding her hand in his.

"Or if you're hungry I could burn us something?"

"No," he answered, stifling a chuckle.

"Come here," she said smiling now, her voice still low as she pulled him to her.

Their lips met instinctively. Both of them needing to be closer to the other. Needing to feel safe again. To feel whole, the way they did in each others arms.

Both finding what they needed.