A proud six-year-old Xander helped a beaming five-year-old Willow carry her first place prize-winning completion of an electric circuit out of the Sunnydale Elementary School auditorium. Willow was the youngest person to ever win the Elementary School Science Fair. Both could not help but grin from ear to ear as they made their way to her house.
Xander wasn't so great at the whole school thing, but he never got yelled at for it. He got yelled at when his Daddy couldn't find the remote, or when he tried to run when he was getting the belt. But that didn't mean he couldn't be proud of Willow.
Willow only ever got yelled at when she didn't apply herself, but Xander couldn't understand how Willow wasn't applying herself when she was the smartest person in the whole school. This time Willow's parents couldn't yell at her. Her award would make Mr. and Mrs. Rosenberg smile and hug his favorite friend. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer just incase the winter chill got to her.
Willow leaned into him and smiled, Xander was being extra huggy and that made her feel tingly. If no one else noticed her, Xander always would.
Unfortunately, colliding into two much bigger second grade boys interrupted their happy walk. They were the very two second grade boys who had placed second to Willow.
The biggest boy ripped Willow's carefully done poster from her hands and gave the two younger students a condescending smirk. "You couldn't have done this, you're too dumb."
Little Xander wouldn't let anyone ever talk about Willow that way. "Well she's smarter than you, stupid-head."
Xander may have been brave (or stupid), but it didn't matter when he found himself pinned to the ground by Stupid-head's friend; but that wasn't what had him worried. What had him worried was a crying Willow being backed against a wall.
Seeing the boy on top of him raise his fist, he squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the pain, but he didn't feel pain he felt the second grader pulled off of him. Stupid-head was pushed away from Willow and joined his friend in a pile on the ground.
An older boy with darkish-blonde hair stood above the now powerless bullies. "I'm gonna give you till the count of three." Both looked at each other, turned, and ran down the street.
Xander rushed to Willow and wrapped his arms around her shaking form in a relieved hug. Somehow he couldn't help but feel ashamed; he had failed to protect Willow.
The boy picked up the slightly dirty poster and dusted off the ribbon with care. He walked up to them and handed Willow the poster with a small smile. "I like your poster." With that he set off in the opposite direction.
Willow looked at Xander and sniffled, "Who is that boy?"
A/N: If you didn't get it the boy was Oz.