I hadn't thought that there was anything else to say about this one, but it turns out I was wrong. Hope you like the finale. - ml

Chapter 2

Willow tried to explain the concept of statistics to Xander as the redhead and her two best friends walked to Buffy's house.

"Okay, forget standard deviation and median," Willow said. She was realizing that she had to tailor her explanation to her audience. Plus, she was getting tired of the blank stares Buffy and Xander were giving her.

"Do you have a quarter?" She asked Xander, who reached into his pockets and found one.

"Now, if I were to flip this coin, what are the odds it will land heads up?" Willow asked.

"Fifty-fifty," Buffy replied. Xander nodded.

"What if I flip this coin like a hundred times and it lands heads up each time…"

"We would know that you had a two-headed coin," Xander replied.

Willow gave her best friend a glare. "As I was saying, if I flipped the coin and it came up heads each time. On the one hundred and first toss, what would be the odds that this particular toss would land heads up?"

"It would still be fifty-fifty, wouldn't it," Buffy answered.

"Right," Willow said. Now she was getting somewhere.

Xander wasn't so sure. "So, you're saying I'm like the quarter. That it's still a coin toss as to how I'm going to turn out?"

"No, what I'm saying is that while statistics may say you're more likely to do something, they don't mean you have to do something. If seven out of ten people make a bad decision, that still means that three people made a good one. How you turn out is up to you. Xander, you've lived your whole life so that you wouldn't become your dad. Do you really think that you'll turn out like him?" Willow realized that was the big question.

Xander hung his head. "I know that I don't want to, I mean who makes it their goal in life to turn into an abusive drunk? But it's not like I'm going to have a lot of options. I'm not good at school, or much of anything else. What if it's just a matter of time until I turn into him?"

Buffy remembered Ampata's words to her earlier that day. The mummy girl had asked the Slayer, "Surely Xander knows how much he means to you?" Buffy had been ashamed that she never told Xander the difference he made in her life.

Buffy stopped and pulled Xander to a halt by a stone wall outside the Shady Hill Cemetery. "Xander, maybe I haven't been the best friend. You say that you aren't good at anything. You saved me when I fought the Master. You saw what was happening in Sunnydale and you were willing to risk your life. I thought you knew that only a special person would do that. You can't even vote yet and you've helped close the mouth of hell. Pardon me for saying this, but if you think you're nothing, I gotta say that you're kinda dense."

That earned Buffy a half-smile from Xander.

"I love you, Xander. You keep me grounded." She pulled Xander's head down and kissed his cheek. "I should have told you sooner."

Both Buffy and Xander had tears running down their cheeks as they stood by the stone wall.

Now it was Willow's turn to talk to her oldest friend. She began to speak slowly and softly. "I spent a lot of time over the last year hoping that you would tell me that you loved me. I never thought you needed to hear me say that I loved you. To tell you that I noticed the difference that you made in my life. So I'm telling you now, Xander Harris. I love you. Sorry it took so long for me to say it."

"I love you both so much," Xander said. "But I don't deserve either of you. You're both so above anything I should be able to reach for." He forced his tears to stop and started walking again.

Buffy and Willow shared a quick glance. They could tell that Xander was shutting off his emotions. Willow had seen this happen a hundred times before, but she hadn't known the reason. Both girls knew that it was going to take time to convince their best friend that he wasn't worthless.

Buffy took the lead as they walked to the Summers' house. As the Slayer entered her home she shouted, "Mom, I'm home. Willow and Xander are with me."

Joyce Summers came into the living room to greet the children. "Where's Ampata? "

Buffy had forgotten about the mummy girl. "Umm, she got homesick at school today and decided to go home."

"Oh dear, was it something that happened in school?"

"It just seemed to be too much for her and she kinda fell to pieces." Willow had explained to the Slayer what happened. In a way, she felt empathy for the teenager who had to give her life to ensure bountiful harvests. She felt that her own teenage years were being sacrificed so that she could keep humanity safe.

"Did she get her luggage before she left?" Joyce asked.

Buffy nodded. One more thing she would have to find a way to get rid of later.

Joyce noticed how sad the children all looked. Her instincts told her that this was something more than a group of teenagers missing an exchange student. "What else is wrong?" She asked, hesitantly.

"Mom, can we talk, upstairs, for a minute?" Buffy requested.

"No," Joyce thought, "this isn't good at all." She went through her mental checklist as she followed Buffy. There had been no calls from the school, so it wasn't likely that her darling daughter had once again played 'Firestarter' in the school gym. No calls from angry parents or police. No calls from her ex-husband, not that she was ever expecting that to happen again. Not after the wonderful hearing on child support they went through after Buffy came back last summer. None of the teens were bloodied. "Okay, most likely personal. Maybe not even something to do with Buffy. Could something have happened to Willow? No, that wasn't how it felt. Xander."

Buffy went into Joyce's bedroom and shut the door once her mother was inside. "It's Xander." Mrs. Summers mentally congratulated herself. "Chalk up one up to parenting experience," she thought. After all, when raising a teenage daughter, one had to enjoy even minor flashes of insight.

"Mom?"

"Sorry, honey. What's wrong?"

The only way Buffy could get through this was to be blunt. "Rip off the Band-Aid," she thought. "Xander's dad is abusing him. It's been going on for a long time. It's convinced him that he's worthless and that he'll end up hurting the people he loves. Willow and I don't know what to do." Buffy sat on her mother's bed as she finished.

Joyce had to say that she wasn't surprised. She had never wanted to repeat her lone encounter with Tony Harris. It had been at the hospital after Xander had been beaten up by some gang members on PCP. The elder Harris had been annoyed at having to come to the hospital, and then had tried to hit on Joyce.

Buffy looked up at her mother, looking small and confused. "Willow says that Xander used to come over to her house in the middle of the night and sleep beside her bed. He was always bruised. She didn't know; I mean who does that to their child? Her dad figured it out, but he just used it to keep Xander from asking her out…He gave Xander papers that showed how abused kids get into abusive relationships later in life… But her dad didn't do anything to stop the beatings… Can you help?"

Joyce sat beside her daughter and drew her into a hug. "Please, you've gotta help," Buffy pleaded as she started to cry.

Through her own tears, Joyce felt pride over the strength of Buffy's compassion for her friend. Her daughter may not be the best student, but she was a good person with a good heart. That was all a parent could ask of their child. "We'll figure something out," she whispered to her daughter.

She drew back and composed herself. "First things first. We need do get you guys something to eat. Then we'll talk to Xander after dinner. He can stay here tonight if it's okay with you."

Buffy smiled at her mom and nodded.

"I'm sorry, but we'll probably have to go to the police in the morning to report this. Then there will be lawyers and it probably won't be very pleasant. We'll probably have to talk to Willow's father, too. But Xander's dad will never hit him again. I promise you."

Buffy hugged Joyce again. Sometimes, the Slayer thought, she didn't always remember how wonderful her mom was. "Thank you," she managed to say.

"Any time," Joyce answered. "Now, are you ready to go downstairs?"

"Let me clean up for a second," Buffy answered. "I think my makeup is kinda messed up. I probably have raccoon eyes."

Buffy washed her face and went into her room to change her top. She saw Ampata's trunk. After breaking the lock and taking a quick peak inside, she knew she would have to deal with this later tonight. Since it was dark, she pushed the trunk through the window and onto the roof before rejoining her mother.

When Buffy was ready, they went downstairs to find Willow and Xander sitting silently on the couch. Buffy could tell that Willow was in extreme guilt mode, and Xander was feeling awful for causing so much trouble. She came up to them behind the couch and put her hands on the shoulders of her friends.

Joyce decided that at least a portion of the talk had to come before dinner. She sat in the recliner and addressed the teens. "Buffy had told me what happened. It's really important that neither of you blame yourself for any of this. We're going to help each other through this, you have to believe me." Xander and Willow both nodded.

"Okay. Xander, I want you to stay here tonight." As Joyce expected, the teen tried to protest. "There is no use arguing. We all care about you and you need to be safe. So either you stay here, or Buffy, Willow, and I will go home with you." As soon as the words left her mouth, she was aware that sentence could have been taken a number of ways. Fortunately, none of the teens smirked. That in itself convinced Joyce about the seriousness of the problem.

"Are you hungry?" Joyce asked Xander, who nodded.

"I've already got some things started in the kitchen, it'll only take a minute to add some things for you and Willow.

Willow asked Mrs. Summers, "Can I help?" Joyce nodded. The two of them entered the kitchen as Xander and Buffy stayed in the living room.

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When Willow and Joyce were in the kitchen, the redhead said, "I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive my dad. He had to know what Xander meant to me. How could he know that Xander was being abused and do nothing to stop it."

Joyce shook her head. "I don't know. I could think of a hundred reasons why he might keep from reporting it, but you won't know unless you ask him. I know he disappointed you and he let Xander continue to be hurt. You'll have to decide if you'll forgive him or not."

"Ms. Summers…Joyce. Would it be better for Xander if he went away? Started someplace new?"

Joyce cast a sad smile at the young woman. It was a brave, compassionate question. "Part of me thinks all of you should leave Sunnydale. It's such a strange town." Willow smiled at the thought that Joyce was far more accurate in her statement than she realized. "But even though Xander has been through a terrible ordeal, he's still one of the kindest young men I've ever met. I think a lot of the credit for that goes to you."

Joyce continued. "I've seen Xander come around to see Buffy when you're not here, and it's like part of him is missing. I've noticed how often he touches you, little, reassuring hugs, leaning against you, touching your hair. And I've seen how often you touch him. Although I know your parents love you, they aren't very nurturing. The way that the two of you found each other, the way you complete each other. It amazes me."

Willow sighed with relief. She had to ask Joyce if Xander should leave. She was reassured by the woman's response. "I'll go see what the guys want to drink."

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Buffy tried once again to get through to her guy friend. She sat beside him on the couch and took his hand. "Xander, I can't imagine what you've been through, but you've got to believe me when I say that whatever your parents have told you, you've already made a difference in a lot of people's lives. You've made things better."

"I hear what you're saying, Buff, but you aren't the voice in my head. I constantly hear my dad telling me that I'm stupid, I'm worthless, I ruined his life. No matter what I do, I'll never be able to run away from that. I'll always know that to him I'm a disappointment."

An odd thought suddenly struck Buffy, something she had heard as her two friends were playfully bickering one day. "Xander, who taught you to read?"

"Willow."

"Who taught you to make waffles?"

"You know that story, Buffy. Willow taught me. The Rosenberg's still have the stain on the ceiling."

"Who in this world do you love the most?"

Xander looked down towards the carpet. "You know I love Willow more than anything."

"Does she love you?"

Xander didn't say anything.

"Xander, she just said that she did." He nodded. Buffy hoped the noise she heard outside wasn't coming from the roof.

"Xander, the most important person in your life loves you. She thinks you're great. So there's no way you're a failure."

Xander smiled. "I hadn't thought of it that way." He looked into the eyes of his blonde friend. "Buffy, I have to ask you something. I want to ask you as Willow's friend, not as mine." The Slayer nodded. "Would it be good for Willow if I dated her?"

Buffy was able to answer without hesitation, "You two love each other more than any couple I've ever met. You know more about each other than people who've been married for decades. You would face down a demon for her. Yeah, you're good for her."

"What if I mess up?"

"Then you'll work to make it better. Everybody messes up, even Willow."

"Will you tell me if I do something stupid?"

"I think I can pretty much guarantee that."

The two of them hugged on the couch. Xander knew that he had a long way to go before he could undo what the people he lived with had done for him, but for the first time in years, he felt some hope.

Willow walked into the living room and saw her two best friends in an embrace. On any other day she would have been jealous, but tonight she just happy that Buffy had been able to reach Xander.

The two teens looked up at Willow. They broke their hug and Xander walked to Willow. "Thank you," he said to his friend. He took the redhead in his arms. "I hope you know how much you mean to me. Sometimes I feel like you made me out from castoff clothes and twinkie wrappers. All I want to do is make you happy; make you proud of me."

Willow relaxed in Xander's arms. "Well, if you're trying to make me happy, this is a pretty good start."

Buffy got up and walked to the window. After taking a look outside, she came up to the pair and whispered. "I know this isn't the best time to mention this, but Ampata left a trunk here at my place. After I washed my face, I checked it out. There was a dried up body in it. It now looks like the body has broken out of the trunk and it's walking through the neighborhood. Any ideas?"

Both of the Slayers best friends turned to her and said, simply, "Call Giles."

"Works for me." Buffy said.

The end.