Summary: Buffy and gang in L.A. to heal and try to figure out what to do next.
Disclaimer: Joss owns all
Beta'd by spikespetslayer
Saying Goodbye
Chapter 2
(Two days later at the Hyperion)
Casually leaning against the door, she smiled faintly at the figure sitting on the bed muttering over the newspaper in his hand. "What's the matter, not going to be a five star day? Planets not in alignment, or has Charlie Brown missed the football again?"
Shaking his head, Xander turned the paper toward her so that the headline was visible.
"Hey Buffy. They're trying to say that Sunnydale must have been on a fault line and it had to have been a freak earthquake that did all that damage, but they can't find any proof to support that. I can't believe with everyone fleeing town days and weeks before it happened that's the best they can come up with."
Sitting down on the bed, and she wrapped her arm around his shoulders. "The power of denial. So how are you doing? I've barely seen you since we got here."
"I just needed some time alone to think and make arrangements. You know all that future plans and stuff." Xander said quietly.
"I know. I still can't believe your going to Africa." Stunned disbelief colored her voice.
"Well, Giles said he needed someone trustworthy to help track down some of the new slayers, and, well, I guess now is as good a time as any to try my road trip again. And with Willow and Kennedy heading to Brazil I guess I just want to do my part, and besides, you and Dawn are going to London with Giles. Faith and Robin are heading to Cleveland, it's not like we're going to be the Scooby's anymore."
"Hey," Buffy protested, "We will always be there for each other, and we're going to call and write, o.k. maybe not write so much, but hey international calling, I'm all over that. Dawn really wants to go to Rome; all this researching has her wanting to visit museums and libraries all over the world. She wants to study ancient languages. First I want to help Giles get started reorganizing the Council, but I don't think I want to stay in London very long. All those British accents – I don't know if I can deal." Her voice broke at the end.
Xander leaned hugging her tightly. "I understand. I think about Anya every second. I know I wasn't Spike's biggest fan or a fan at all really." The sides of his mouth turning up slightly. "But what he did ... getting his soul back, on purpose even, and sacrificing himself. Well, that was more than I ever expected. Just like Anya saving Andrew. In the end, they left as heroes. Not just as heroes for us, but for the whole world."
They sat quietly for a while just taking comfort in each other, the grief not so overwhelming when it was shared.
"Have you talked to Angel?" he asked, hoping that he didn't miss the melodrama that he was sure to come with all the questions and explanations.
"Yeah, apparently he's trying to turn Wolfram and Hart around, make it work for good instead of evil. I just don't know, though. I hope it doesn't corrupt him, having all that power and money to throw around. I just don't think it can be of the good, and he's really upset with the whole me and Spike thing."
"He still loves you; of course he's going to be upset. He'll get over it, give it time. Whoa, listen to me, spokesperson for soulful vamps everywhere. First Spike, now Angel. I better quit while I'm ahead or behind or whichever."
"Xander? Do you think that it will ever get easier? Do you think that all this will just fade away? Do you think you will forget her?" Her words barely above a whisper.
"I think that I will always love Anya. Hopefully someday I can find someone that I love just as much or at least enough to spend the rest of my life with. Is that what your worried about? Forgetting him?"
"Yeah a little. I think I just need some time away. Angel wants to know if I'm coming back but I just don't know right now." She said with a sad sigh. "Part of me still expects Spike just to walk in the door and make some snarky comment, call me shirty, whatever that means, give me one of the those sexy grins, and the way he kind of rolls his hips when he-"
"I'm going to stop you there because that was verging on way to much information" Xander interrupted quickly, seeing where she was headed.
"Sorry" Buffy said sheepishly but the grin on her face was far from embarrassed. "So when do you leave?"
"My flight is at nine tomorrow morning. I figured the sooner the better," he explained, looking down at his hands.
"Well Willow doesn't leave till tomorrow night. And seeing as how it will be a while before we see each other again, how about we go find her and go get some ice cream and spend some Scooby time, just us three."
"Oh – ice cream. Sugary goodness, with sprinkles and my two favorite girls, how could I resist." Arm in arm they left the room to find Willow to bond before their impending separation. Sometimes it feels like you're always saying goodbye.
TBC