A/N : Thanx to; kargrif, Amandamanda3, spuffy4eva, pixiecorn, Freezyboncoolipants, ms trick, ressa, Spuffyfan4eva, Screeching Dargon, Carol, Bridge, velja, Moluvsnumber17, spikespet2002, MaidenRo, for the latest reviews. To Bakaman and anyone else bored of the fluff, as promised there will be some Big Bad action v. soon, I just have a lot of back-story to deal with as well as the present. However, there will still be fluff, especially of the Spuffy kind, since that was my main starting point for this whole fic. I owe it to everyone that read Our Little Secret to have much happy Spuffy love in this sequel. Now, without further ado, here's the new chapter...
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
Chapter 8
Rebecca had just left the High School grounds on Tuesday when her cellphone sprang into life. She pulled it from her bag as she waved goodbye to her friends who walked off in the opposite direction.
"Hey Mom" she frowned slightly wondering why her mother would be calling her right now. She'd be home and see her in just a few minutes, it meant something was up.
"Sweetie, Giles called an emergency Scooby meeting" she told her daughter, "Your Dad's taking the tunnels to the Magic Box and I'm almost there, the rest of the gang got there a while ago"
"How come the Slayer is the last to arrive?" Rebecca thought that was kind of strange and Buffy was glad that she couldn't be seen to blush via the phone.
"Your Dad and me, we kinda didn't hear the phone..." she said, voice disappearing into nothing and Rebecca quickly changed the subject.
"So, you want me at the magic shop, yes?" she checked.
"Yes, but could you stop by the school and walk over with Josh?" Buffy asked, "Cordy and Xander were already there when it all went red alert and since you're walking right by..."
"It's fine, Mom" Becky smiled before they both said their goodbye's and hung up.
Another near apocalypse, or so it seemed. Becky had seen so many already and always wondered at how every single Scooby came through relatively unscathed.
Of course not all apocalypses were started by demons and evil people, she thought as a smile came to her lips. It felt as if World War Three would break out when Aunt Cordy and Uncle Xander's wedding was approaching. Still, the day itself had been beautiful, and despite the fact she had only been five years old, Becky remembered it like yesterday.
"Hold still, Xand" Buffy told him sternly as she tried to help him tie his tie.
"I can't help it, Buff" he apologised, "It's just, oh my God, I'm getting married" he grinned as she finished off the bow around his neck.
"Is Aunt Cordy having a baby?" little Rebecca asked from the chair nearby and Xander looked panicked.
"Geez, I hope not" his eyes were comically wide with alarm and Spike smirked at his daughter.
"Why would you say that, baby?" he asked the girl who made a face before answering.
"Cos Mommy said men and ladies get married when they love each other and she also said when they love each other they have babies...so when people get married they're usually having babies, right?" her expression faltered between a smile and a frown as she worried whether she'd messed up what she meant to say or said something naughty.
"Sometimes it works that way, honey" Buffy smiled, walking over to the chair and picking her daughter up off it, standing the child on her feet, "but not this time"
"You sure about that?" Xander asked his best friend and Buffy tried not to laugh at his expression.
"Course she's bloody sure" Spike told him, growing tired of this now, "And if she's not I am. I'd know if she was having a sprog, change in scent maybe or hearin' double heartbeats when it's quiet..." he was interrupted by the door opening to reveal Willow and Tara.
"Mind if we switch?" the red-head asked Spike and Buffy who carried Becky in her arms, "Cordy's gone into hyper fashion mode and I kinda wanna wish my guy good luck" she smiled at Xander as the little family left the room.
"Er, maybe you should wait out here" Buffy considered as she moved to open the door to the bride's room and changed her mind half-way, "I don't know how dressed she'll be"
"How about me and the little one go check on the guests" Spike nodded, holding out his arms to take the five year old from the Slayer.
Buffy handed her over, kissing Spike on the cheek before disappearing into Cordy's room.
"You all ready to do your bridesmaid bit, little one" he asked his daughter as carried her through to the hall where the guests waited patiently for the wedding ceremony to begin.
"Uh-huh" she nodded, "I'm gonna walk down the aisle with Aunt Cordy and hold her pretty flowers while she marries Uncle Xander" she grinned, "Mommy said everybody'll wish they had a job as important as mine, and that I look super pretty in my dress"
"That you do, little love" he smiled, setting her down on the ground and kneeling down in front of her, "Prettiest girls here, you and your Mum" he told her, "Just don't tell your Aunt Cordy that, okay?"
Becky nodded, still grinning as she looked around at the flowers that adorned the room and all the other guests in their pretty clothes. It was like a fairytale and she hoped one day when she was big she would have a special day like this, that was just for her.
- - -- - - - -
Becky was still grinning at her memories when she crossed over the road to meet her cousin. Of course he wasn't her true cousin by blood, anymore than her aunts and uncles were her parents siblings, but they were family in a bigger sense that blood ties and they mattered more to each other than they ever thought possible.
It was ironic to think that Cordy had in fact been pregnant on her and Xander's wedding day, though neither of them had realised it. When it was announced after the couples honeymoon everyone had been surprised how well Xander had taken it, given how worried he'd seemed about the prospect of kids at his wedding, but when it actually happened, he was so thrilled to know he was going to be a Daddy.
"Hey Joshua!" Becky called when she caught sight of him, only grinning wider when he scowled at the use of his full name. Everybody called him Josh, from parents to teachers to school friends. He was only Joshua when he was in trouble or when Becky was teasing him. As she frequently reminded him though, that's what cousins were for. That and saving your ass when you got yourself in trouble.
"I told you not to call me that" the almost eleven year old complained as Becky reached his side. A couple of his friends looked at her in a most disconcerting way for small boys to look at a girl and she rolled her eyes.
"Josh, we have to get going" she told him, "Family crisis, y'know?" she told him with a look and he nodded his understanding.
"I'll see you guys tomorrow" he told his friends as he swung his bag onto his back and walked away with Becky.
"It's a Scooby meeting, right?" he checked as they came back across the street and headed for the Magic Box, "Is it really bad?" he worried.
"I dunno yet" Becky told him honestly, "But y'know whatever it is, we can deal" she gave him a reassuring smile, "We got Slayers, vampires, witches, and most important of all ordinary people who'll risk it all to help save the world. How could we possibly fail?" she said more confidently than she felt. She heard too many stories of her parents near death experiences as well as those of her friends and family. It didn't help knowing that being the youngest, one day she and Josh would be forced to stand alone - the new generation of Scoobies.
Becky was in such a daze thinking about it that she didn't stop at the edge of the road when Josh did, and a car would have hit her if not for the drivers superior reaction times, and her cousins hand that grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
"Geez, and they think I need a baby sitter to walk me home" Josh sighed before turning to the driver of the car, "Hey Michael"
"Hey Josh, how's my favourite student?" the young man grinned and Becky soon found she was in a whole different kind of daze when she spotted him. He was undeniably the most gorgeous man she'd ever seen in her life!
"I'm fine" she heard Josh answer, "but I might have to skip it this week, family stuff" he shrugged and Michael didn't ask anymore questions. He was a new friend of Xander's after recently starting working on the same site. He'd mentioned his love of playing the guitar and Josh had been begging for lessons for months and so his wish had been granted and every Wednesday night the boy got taught by Michael. Unfortunately, Josh was beginning to think he wouldn't get past the basics before the world ended!
"Well, keep a tight hold of you friend there" Michael glanced briefly at Becky who could do nothing but stare, "and get your Dad to call me about your lesson"
"No problem" Josh waved goodbye as his friend drove off and he rolled his eyes as Becky's gaze stayed locked onto the back of the car till it disappeared from sight.
"That's Michael?" she asked with some astonishment when she resumed walking towards the Magic Box with her cousin.
"Yeah" Josh nodded, giving her a look, "Whats the big?"
"You didn't tell me your guitar tutor was Michael Morris!" she said, swatting him across the arm.
"Ow!" he cried, rubbing the area she'd hit, "Slayer strength!" he reminded her to be more careful and she looked suitably apologetic when she replied.
"I'm sorry but, my God, I haven't seen him since I was nine and he was twelve" she sighed at the sweet childhood memory, "I wanted to marry him"
Josh faked vomiting as they arrived outside the magic shop but quickly stopped when Becky looked daggers at him. His arm still ached from her last playful blow.
"Ah, Rebecca, Josh, I'm glad you're here" Giles told them as they arrived.
Both young people knew the conversation before their arrival must have been intense by the way their parents were so eager to hug them.
"Dad, Becky says she wants to marry Michael" Josh complained to Xander who looked over at the girl as Spike hugged her.
"I did not!" she defended herself as everyone looked at her with amused expressions, "I just...I didn't know that his Michael, was my Michael, as in the guy I thought I was in love with at age nine!"
"Oh, Michael Morris" Buffy gasped, remembering all too well her little girls' crush.
"Oh Mom, I just saw him and it was like, I can't even tell you" Becky enthused, "I thought I'd forgotten him but he is so gorgeous, all these feelings came rushing back..."
"Mom, please make her stop" Josh complained but Cordelia just smiled.
"One day, little man, you might understand what she's talking about" she told him, "I know I do"
She shared a look with Xander then that the kids would never fully understand, but the rest of the Scoobies understood only too well.
- - - - - - - -
Xander and Anya were a few feet from their apartment, both too physically and emotionally exhausted to say a word. Just a few hours ago the Scooby gang had taken on the hell-god Glory and won, thankfully without any major casualties on their side.
A brief celebration had followed, really just a de-brief and a chance to patch up minor wounds as they reflected on how lucky they'd been. After that they all headed to their separate homes, but there was a surprise waiting for Xander and Anya.
"Excuse me?" Xander frowned when he found a young woman sitting outside his apartment, her back leant against the door, knees pulled up to her chest and face hidden.
When she glanced up at the sound of his voice, he couldn't believe who it was.
"Cordelia?" he gasped, dropping to his knees beside her, "What are you doing here?" he wondered, "Are you okay?"
Anya looked on, possibly even more confused than her boyfriend.
"It's kind of a long story" Cordy shrugged, "I just, things got complicated in LA and I...truth is I didn't have anywhere else to go" she said sadly, looking down at the floor.
It was true that she and Xander had never been the best of friends, even when they were going out all they really did was make out and fight. Their break-up had been painful but after that he'd made an effort, even paying for her Prom dress for her. When she left Sunnydale they had a proper goodbye, even shared one last kiss, but that was supposed to be the end of it.
Anya cleared her throat and Xander looked between his old and current girlfriends.
"Oh, Ahn, you remember Cordelia Chase?" he said awkwardly, "And Cordy, Anya Jenkins"
The two girls looked at each other as Cordy got to her feet, grabbing hold of her backpack as she did so.
It was strange to Xander, to see Miss Chase in plain pants and sweatshirt top. No labels, no fancy accessories, something was more wrong than she was admitting.
"I should go" she said turning away, "I don't know why I came here"
"Where will you go?" Xander asked her back as she went to walk away. She stopped but didn't turn back.
"I don't know" she admitted quietly and Xander spared Anya a glance before speaking again.
"Stay here" he told his ex-girlfriend who looked back at him with some surprise, "It's been a long few days lately but, after the night I've had I don't think I could sleep anyway" he smiled slightly, "Come in, tell us what's up, okay?" he told her and after a moment the brunette girl nodded in agreement.
As Xander unlocked the door and let the two women inside he took an uneven breath before following them. Until he'd seen her, he'd forgotten how much he'd really cared for Cordelia, maybe even how much he still cared for her now. He had no idea she was thinking the exact same thing, regardless of the fact another woman literally stood between them.
It was three hours later, and Anya had fallen asleep on the couch some time ago. Still Cordelia and Xander sat talking about old times, laughing and arguing playfully over high school feuds. He'd caught her up on life in Sunnydale, though a lot of it she already knew, and now it was time for her to admit her reason for showing up on his doorstep tonight.
"C'mon Cor, spill it" he urged her, "I know something is seriously up for you to show up at my door" he half-smiled and she watched the bubbles on top of her latest mug of coffee as they floated around.
"It started with Faith" she admitted, "Angel spends so much time with her, helping her. I kinda get it, I do, but since Doyle...went away" she swallowed hard, "It was harder anyway, everything started to come apart. Wes showed up, then Faith. They're fighters, Xand, and I was just Vision girl...You know how hard it is to be on the outside of the Power circle" she told him and he nodded sadly that he understood all too well.
"But like you said, you're Vision girl" he reminded her, "That doesn't help?"
Cordy shook her head and put her mug down on the table.
"Not anymore" she told her ex-boyfriend, "I was all vision-y but...some demon did a spell, overloaded me with intense visions til I went comatose...when everything got fixed, my visions were gone"
"That's good though, right?" Xander frowned, "No more pain and stuff"
"Yeah, no more pain" Cordy half-smiled, "No more special-gal status" she added with even less enthusiasm and Xander felt bad for her. He glanced over at Anya who slept soundly still, before reaching out a hand to cover that of his ex-girlfriend.
"You'll always be special, Cordy" he told her softly, "I've never met another woman like you, and I never will"
She smiled at that, it really helped to hear that at least someone cared, even if it was Xander Harris, but then maybe she'd judged him too harshly before. Her time in LA had forced her to grow up fast and she realised better now what she'd really had when Xander loved her. If only it were not too late to go back.
- - - - - - - -
"Yes, well" Giles cleared his throat as the assmebled Scoobies all took a seat, "As much fun as this talk of boys is, we do have something rather more pressing to discuss"
"It's another apocalypse, right?" Rebecca sighed, now resigned to the fact that despite it's closeness, she might not make it to her sixteenth birthday after all.
"We might not be talking about the end of the world just yet" the old Watcher told her with a half-smile, but that expression soon disappeared as he glanced at Joyce and she nodded.
"You have to tell them Rupert" she said sadly, knowing already how bad it was.
"C'mon Giles, I don't handle suspense well" Buffy urged him and the Watcher sighed.
To Be Continued...
A/N2 : If you liked this then please review, and if you didn't, please review anyway and let me know what was wrong (I hope nothing was!) Also please note, I have posted a Christmas Special fic related to verse of this fic. There will be two more Xmas fics added soon, hopefully in the next few days. I would obviously apprecaite all opinions on these fics to, so if you read, please remember to review.