2 Years Later
Cleveland, Ohio 2021
Harris Residence
Living Room
It was fantastically entertaining for Josh to watch his father in this state of manic panic as he paced back and forth with a look of concern etched in his features.
Josh had never seen his father act like this before, not even when he and mom met Emmy for the first time. But as soon as Xander found out that Sarah was going on her first date it was as if the entire world was going to crumble from some major apocalypse—and Josh had read all about the apocalypses his dad and mom faced.
Josh shifted his gaze to his mom as she entered the living room with a plate of cookies for himself and Emmy sitting on the couch with open textbooks spread around them making it look as if they were doing their homework but in actuality, they were waiting the minutes until they were left alone to continue their make-out session.
"Honey, you're being overdramatic," Buffy said as she set the plate of cookies down on the coffee table.
Xander stalled mid-step and glared at his wife, "I'm not being overdramatic. I'm never overdramatic."
Buffy rolled her eyes, "Right." She smirked at the couple sitting on the couch watching Xander with amusement. "She's just going to the movies," Buffy said.
"It's not just 'going to the movies'… You think a boy and a girl at their age are just 'going to the movies'? Did you?" Xander stared at Buffy knowing her reply.
Buffy's smirking expression fell. If her daughter was anything like her, she wasn't just 'going to the movies' there would certainly be hand holding or worse, kissing. I'm too young to have a daughter kissing on dates. Buffy began to panic.
"Excuse me," Buffy quickly walked out of the living room and headed for the stairs to go to Sarah's bedroom.
"That's what I thought," Xander continued to pace back and forth leaving Josh and Emmy snickering with amusement.
Sarah's Bedroom
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Buffy entered the bedroom to see Sarah standing at the tall mirror hanging on the wall staring at herself terrified with nerves.
Immediately, Buffy's panic dissipated shifting into empathy for her daughter. She remembered her first date ever and being terrified that she wouldn't look the part or she'd say something stupid.
"Can I come in?" Buffy asked.
Sarah whirled around, "Please," she said, pleading for her mother's help.
Buffy entered the bedroom and crossed the short distance to her daughter. She smiled lovingly as her eyes took in the dark green long sleeved mini dress Sarah wore with black tights.
"I don't know what to do with my hair. I'm not good with hair. I've never been good with hair. I hate my hair. Hair is stupid. Why can't I have your hair?" Sarah nervously rambled.
Buffy turned Sarah by her shoulders to face the mirror and said, "Relax. Breathe." Buffy ran her fingers through her daughter's dark blonde wavy hair. "Your waves are perfect. But this is a special night and your hair needs something… a little extra." Buffy said, taking the long strands from the front of Sarah's hair and began to braid it, "Something simple but cute."
Sarah watched as her mother reached for a brown bobby-pin to keep the braid in place.
Touching under Sarah's chin, Buffy turned her face towards her and smiled tenderly. "You need a little eyeshadow." She reached over towards the makeup kit.
"Close your eyes." With the tip of the blending brush, Buffy carefully applied a bit of toned down pink eyeshadow over Sarah's eyelids. "Okay, open your eyes."
Sarah opened her eyes looking at her mother so thankful that she was there to help her. For four hours she's been locked up in her bedroom in a panic of what to wear. She didn't want to come off as trying too hard or childish. These were the moments she wished she inherited her mother's stylish fashion sense.
"A little mascara goes a long way," Buffy said taking the black mascara in the makeup kit and applied the mascara to the teen's lashes. "And a bit of lipgloss," Buffy uncapped a light pink lipgloss and coated her daughter's heart-shaped lips. "There. Perfect." She looked at her daughter with a kind motherly smile, "You're almost ready."
Sarah turned back to the mirror and was shocked to see herself. Now more than ever before, she saw what everyone else seemed to see. She looked so much like her mother. She always knew that she did and could see the resemblance but she actually felt pretty.
Tearing her eyes from the mirror, Sarah looked to the closet to see her mother rummaging through it. She took out a pair of studded black leather heeled ankle boots. "Wear these," she handed Sarah the shoes. "And this," Buffy fastened a thin black belt around Sarah's slim waist. "It's all about the accessories."
Sarah watched her mother fix her dress and the belt.
Buffy took a step back and eyed her daughter carefully. Sarah felt nervous under her mother's judging eyes and shifted uncomfortably.
"Wear the gold bangle that Aunt Tara got you and… hold on," Buffy walked out of the bedroom leaving Sarah frozen where she stood.
A minute later, Buffy returned into the bedroom holding a short black leather jacket, "And this."
Sarah's eyes widened, "Really?"
It was a rarity that her mother let her borrow her clothes—especially her jackets. A year ago Sarah had taken her expensive long red leather jacket and she splattered paint all over it. Ever since Sarah was not allowed anywhere near her mother's closet.
"Really," Buffy smiled helping her daughter into the jacket. "Now you're ready."
Terrified again, Sarah whirled around to Buffy breathing heavily. "What if we have nothing to talk about? What if I can't say anything other than a few vowel sounds? I've never been good at the talking thing like you or Josh. I'm not cool or witty—"
"—Sarah," Buffy held her hands around Sarah's shoulders to calm her panicked babble, "breathe. It'll be okay. You've talked to him before, right? I mean, you kinda had to if he asked you out."
"Yeah…" Sarah nodded then shrugged, "… I guess… We have a few classes together but we haven't really talked all that much during those classes… W-we text."
Oy, this generation… Buffy released a deep breath, "He obviously likes you. You are very cool and unbelievably witty. You're a total catch. Just be yourself."
"I'm nervous," Sarah admitted.
Buffy's kind smile widened, "Really? I couldn't tell, you seem just so put together and very un-nervous." She teased getting her daughter to laugh. "It's gonna be great. You're gonna have fun."
"What if it isn't fun? What if this is the only date I'll ever have?"
"Then your father will be ecstatic." She tried to tease but Sarah did not budge. "Honey, I guarantee you that this will not be the only date you'll ever have. And if it doesn't work out, well," Buffy shrugged, "that's why you date to see if you're compatible. But from everything you've told me about him, I think you're gonna have a fun time. Seize the moment."
Sarah frowned carefully taking in her mother's advice, "Seize the moment, right…"
Walking down the stairs, Buffy was immediately met by Xander, who still wore a petrified look on his face.
"Did she change her mind? Is she not going out on this date? Is she wearing her onesie pyjamas with those Disney characters on it?"
Buffy's brows rose high up her forehead, "Do you mean is our fifteen-year-old daughter suddenly four years old again?—No. She's perfectly accessorised and she's going on this date."
Xander's frown deepened, "Damn it, that was not what I wanted to hear."
Shaking her head at him, Buffy placed her hands on his shoulders, "You need to relax, too. It's going to be fine. This is a good thing." Buffy tilted her chin upwards to kiss him when a soft knock on the door interrupted them. "That must be her date, what's his name?"
"You don't know?" Xander's brows pinched together.
"I-I-I know…" Buffy winced, "… Crap, I don't know—I mean, I do know but I just… forgot…" She moved to the door to open it. Xander hovered over her shoulder. "Will you stop it. You're hovering."
Xander didn't budge. Buffy rolled her eyes and opened the door.
Buffy and Xander stared at the teen completely gobsmacked.
Sarah's date was tall and athletically built. His features were dark, almost mysterious. His eyes were a warm chocolate brown colour. His hair was also dark brown and messily spiked. He wore a dark blue button-down shirt and a pair of black jeans, with weathered brown boots.
"Hello, Mr and Mrs Harris. I'm Joel, Sarah's date." Joel swallowed nervously and kept a polite smile plastered across his handsome face.
Xander and Buffy stared at the sixteen-year-old.
"Are you kidding me?" Xander broke the awkward silence with an outburst. "Angel?—She's going on a date with Angel!" He looked at his wife. "Like mother, like daughter."
"That is so not Angel. He is nothing like Angel." Buffy argued.
"Yea-huh! Joel—Angel—Joel—Angel!" Xander's eye was wide and on Buffy. "Look at him!" His arms waved in the air. Buffy looked apologetically at Joel, still standing at the doorstep unsure how to react to the arguing parents. "He's tall with mysterious eyes and he has board shoulders, and hair that goes straight up!"
Buffy scoffed, "Paul is nothing like Angel."
"—Joel," Joel corrected.
"—Who?" Buffy asked the teen.
"Me."
"You're Paul," Xander frowned.
"I'm Joel. Not Paul or Angel whoever they are…" Joel said nervously.
Buffy and Xander stared at the young man in deep confusion.
"Really?"
The parents whirled around to see Sarah standing at the bottom step with her arms crossed over her chest.
"Can you guys not harass my date?"
Pushing their argument aside, Xander and Buffy looked stunned to see their fifteen-year-old. She appeared so grown up.
Xander took a step forward wearing a lopsided loving smile. "You look beautiful."
His smile fell when he realised that Joel was still standing behind him waiting patiently.
"Are you guys gonna let him in?" Sarah asked.
Xander silently waved his hand for Joel to enter the house.
Hesitantly, Joel entered the house afraid of Mr Harris. Though Mr Harris didn't look like it out front, Joel got the feeling that Mr Harris could kick the crap out of him, no problem. He turned his gaze from the unwelcoming father to Sarah. He swallowed nervously and awestruck by her beauty.
Xander eyed the teen. He was taken back by the complete adoration that was set across his features. The sixteen-year-old looked at his daughter in the way he looked at his wife; with tender affection and massive attraction. His frown deepened hating every moment of this.
"Tell her to be home by ten-thirty." Buffy placed her hand on his arm.
"Be home by ten," Xander repeated, still glaring at Joel. Buffy lightly smacked his stomach, making Xander flinch in pain. "Ten-thirty." He corrected.
"Give her twenty dollars." Buffy tossed Sarah a wink.
"What?—Why?" Xander tore his eye from Joel and looked at his wife. "Is Joel not gonna pay for anything on this date?" He looked back at the teen accusingly.
Joel's jaw bobbed up and down terrified, "I-I-I will, Mr Harris—I mean, sir." He pulled out two ticket stubs from the front of his jeans pocket, "I already bought the tickets. T-then get popcorn and-and —"
"You can relax, Joel." Buffy rolled her eyes at her husband and ordered, "Xand, just give her the money."
Digging into his back pocket for his wallet, Xander pulled out a twenty dollar bill and gave it to his daughter. "If he doesn't hold the door open for you, slam it in his face." Xander kept his eye firmly on Joel.
Shaking her head with a smirk, Sarah took the bill and stuffed into her purse hanging on her shoulder. "It'll be okay, Daddy."
Xander's heart dropped to his stomach realising she wasn't so little anymore.
Sarah moved around her parents towards Joel and let him take her hand then looked at her mother, "Thank you, Mama." She whispered then reached out to her and gave her a hug.
"Do you have a stake?" Buffy asked quietly.
Sarah nodded her head, "Yeah."
"Good. Have a good time," she tossed her a smile.
Buffy and Xander watched their fifteen-year-old being led by the hand down the pathway heading towards the movie theatres, which was only blocks away.
"Our kids are officially dating," Buffy said, circling her arm around Xander's waist.
Xander's arm hung lazily around the back of her neck, "When the hell did that happen? And why do you and our daughter have the same taste in brooding guys?"
Looking at him oddly, Buffy's brows pinched together, "We don't know if he broods. Take comfort that he's a breathing teenager." She broke away from him and walked past the living room where her son was kissing his girlfriend in a sloppy heated fashion.
"Oh, he totally broods. Did you see him? He's all… sensitive and tortured looking." Xander reached into the living room turning on another light to break up the make-out session then continued to follow Buffy into the kitchen.
Josh and Emmy broke their kiss and shared a giggling smile.
Emmy settled under Josh's arm and ran her finger down the column of his throat. "Do you think we'll be anything like your mom and dad? Arguing like an old married couple?"
Shrugging at the question, Josh hated conversations like this, mostly because of the idea of being with someone as long as his parents have been together freaked the hell out of him. He was only eighteen years old. He was not ready in the slightest to settle down with anyone. He wanted to graduate high school and go to MIT as a Mathematics major.
Besides, Josh wasn't sure if he'd ever have what his parents have. His parents have that big 'let's grow old together, L-O-V-E'. Though he was really in love with Emmy, he wasn't ready to say that she was 'the one' or even tell her how he felt about her. He wasn't sure if he believed in that kind of stuff. Or worse, hearing her say that she didn't feel the same.
From what he and Sarah had read in the Watchers Diaries originally their dad wasn't 'the one' for their mother as they always thought. According to the diaries, their mother was head over heels in love with someone else entirely, a guy named, Angel, who also happened to be a vampire.
Josh vaguely remembered meeting Angel as a kid but Angel was just a name that was said every so often.
Sarah might've read about their mothers passionate and tragic relationship with Angel over a dozen times.
Josh found it difficult to imagine his parents not together. Even more so, he found it almost impossible to imagine his mother in love with someone who wasn't his father. It stunned him and Sarah that their parents weren't together until a number of years later.
"Josh?"
Snapping out of his thoughts, Josh swallowed and looked at his girlfriend, "Huh?—What?"
"Where are you? You got that weird look on your face again… What are you thinking about?"
The school year was almost over and Josh wasn't sure if he wanted to enter college with a girlfriend. More and more every day he's been thinking about breaking it off with Emmy. They've been pretty separated lately, ever since all of this college stuff began to play out. Breaking up was the last thing he wanted but he felt like he was holding her back. He didn't want to hold her back if she found someone better at Vanderbilt University.
"Nothing important," he tucked a piece of her curly dark brown hair behind her ear and let his finger slid down the sharp line of her jaw.
1 Month Later
Harris Residence
Prom Night
Running down the steps in a bundle of nerves, Josh struggled with the navy blue tie around his neck. He didn't know why he was so nervous, it wasn't like he hasn't gone out with his girlfriend a hundred times before. He knew Emmy had been looking forward to this night for a while. Josh wanted everything to be perfect for her, 'cause he still wasn't sure how long they would last.
Jeez, Josh stop it! You love this girl. You want to make her happy tonight. Keep your head in the game. He ordered himself.
He ran into the living room where Buffy sat on the couch with Sarah watching Xander struggle with the camera. They've insisted that he should just use the cell phone but Xander refused.
"Mom!"
Buffy turned her head to see Josh standing at the living room entrance with wild green eyes.
"Help! I can't tie this stupid thing!" He held the untied bowtie in his hands. "It doesn't look right!"
Wearing a small smile, Buffy stood from the couch and went over to her son.
"Relax," Buffy said and helped him tie the dark coloured tie with experienced ease.
"We gotta go to Emmy's house," Josh looked at his father with a cocked brow, "please, no overload on the pictures, okay, Dad?"
Xander looked up from the camera in his hands with a pouting frown, "I'll take as many pictures as I want."
Buffy straightened the tie's knot and straightened the lapels of Josh's blue jacket. She lifted her eyes to his face and bit back the emotion tightening in her throat. He looked so grown up and was so handsome, just like his father.
"Teary?" Josh frowned unsure why his mother was beginning to cry. She never cried.
"Oh, they're good tears!" She said quickly, wiping them away. "I just can't believe you're so grown up. I miss the days when you used to cling to my leg or when you used to call me mommy."
Josh smiled.
"Now look at you," she placed her hands against his chest. "You're all grown up; going to your prom, soon you'll be graduating high school and going to college. My little pumpkin belly isn't so little anymore." She ran her fingers through his combed dark short hair.
"I love you, Mom."
Buffy brushed the backs of her fingers against his cheek, "I love you, too, honey."
Josh took his mother's hands and shifted side to side, "There is, uh, one other thing I need help with." Buffy waited for him to tell her. "I don't know how to dance. I'm about as good as dad."
"Hey!" Xander stood in the background with Sarah under his arm hugging him.
Sarah reached over to the radio on the bookshelf and turned it a ton:
"If pa's eyes were windows into a world so deadly and true,
You couldn't stop me from looking but you kept me from crawlin' through,
And if it's a funny old world, mama, where a little boy's wishes come true,
Well, I got a few in my pocket and a special one just for you,"
"Well, you have to stand close," Buffy took a step closer to him and took his hand. "Take my hand."
Josh took her hand.
"Put your other hand here on my back." She adjusted his hand to touch her back. "I'll put my hand on your shoulder." Buffy looked at him easily seeing his nerves. "You're halfway there."
"Now, what?"
"You lead with your left foot." Buffy gently directed looking down between them. "Take a step towards me."
Josh followed her gaze and looked down between them at their feet. He took a step with his left foot.
Buffy took a step back then said, "Now to the right." They stepped to the right. "Then back… and to the left."
Watching their feet between them, Josh swallowed nervously that he'd step on his mother's toes but he hadn't and for that, he was relieved.
"You're not so bad," Buffy told him.
"Better than Dad?" Josh's smile grew.
Xander frowned, "Still standing right here."
Sarah tightened her arms that were around her father's waist with a laugh.
Chuckling, Buffy shook her head and said, "Much better than your dad."
Looking down at his daughter, Xander hugged her tighter into his side and teasingly said, "Its like I'm invisible."
"Well, it was me in my Beatle boots, you in pink curlers and matador pants,
Pullin' me up of the couch to do the twist for my uncles and aunts,
Well, I found a girl of my own now, ma, I popped the question on her birthday,
She stood waiting on the front porch while you were telling me to get out there,
And say what it was I had to say,"
Needing to show off his skills, Xander walked over to them and broke up the dance, "May I cut in?"
Buffy looked at him, "Are you going to step on my toes?"
"When have I ever stepped on your toes? I'm an excellent dancer."
Rolling her eyes, "Alright, fine. C'mon, Patrick Swayze," Buffy let him take her hand and pull her close into his body.
His other hand rested on her lower back. Buffy gently grasped his bicep.
He dropped his gaze to her face and took the first step with his left foot beginning their dance.
Josh took a step back, standing beside Sarah watching their parents dance at the centre of the living room. They seemed to be lost in a gaze and the melody of the music.
Buffy unleashed a bright megawatt smile when Xander twirled her around and gracefully pulled her back into his arms. He buried his nose into her hair unable to keep the smile from his face. The teens didn't hear their father whisper words of love into Buffy's ear as they danced the remainder of the song.
Graduation Day
Forest High School
Football Field
The sun was high in the blue cloudy sky.
Proud parents of the senior body Class of 2021 sat in foldout chairs, eager to see their children walk across the stage to get their High School diploma.
Xander couldn't help but toss his eye around the area with a suspicious gaze.
Buffy leaned over to him and whispered, "What are you looking for?"
"I dunno… seeing if the," he frowned and eyed the Mayor standing on the stage with the Principal shaking students hands as they passed, ", the Mayor will turn into a snake… or Snyder's ghost."
Buffy let out a faint laugh and placed her hand on his knee, "The Mayor checks out as a normal human and as for Snyder's ghost… Honey, if he were to haunt anyone, it would've probably been me. That troll had it in for me from day one."
"Can you believe that we have a kid graduating high school and we don't need to detonate it?" Xander smirked.
Buffy smiled and took Xander's hand, "There was something ironic about it when we did though."
"Shh," Sarah held her index finger against her lips. "They're gonna say Josh's name and you're gonna miss it."
Xander glanced over the long row beside him at Willow, Tara, and their young daughter, Aviana, Dawn, Faith, and Giles, who had landed in Cleveland Hopkins International Airport the night before were all here to celebrate Josh's achievement.
The Vice Principal stood at the podium wearing a kind smile on her face, "Nicholas Richard Harman."
The young man walked across the stage accepting the diploma and tossed his parents sitting in the audience a smile.
"Josh's next!" Willow grinned with excitement.
"This is it," Xander whispered tightening his hand that clutched around Buffy's.
Buffy and Xander sat a little straighter with a mixture of anticipation and total excitement to see Josh standing at the front of the line waiting to walk up the steps to receive his diploma.
"Joshua Rupert Harris."
Buffy's heart pounded in her chest as she watched her son shake the Principals hand then the Mayor's hand. The three smiled for the camera. He looked into the audience when he heard his family cheering, "Yay Josh-y!"
Josh blushed and rolled his eyes as he finished the short journey across the stage and down the steps to walk back to his seat.
After the ceremony, the families dispersed waiting for their graduates.
"Where's Sarah?" Buffy asked.
Xander looked around with a frown and found his daughter across the field talking to a few a people. His frown deepened recognising her daughter's boyfriend, Joel. "Over there… she's with Joel."
"When are you going to give that boy a break?" Buffy crossed her arms over her chest and smirked at her husband.
"When he's less Angel-ish," he replied.
Buffy rolled her eyes and began to look away when she caught a glimpse of her son hot on Emmy's heels walking towards somewhere more private.
"What's going on with Josh?" Buffy knew whatever the conversation was it wasn't good.
Xander looked over his shoulder to see Josh talking to his girlfriend under the bleachers. From where he stood, he could also see Emmy wiping the tears from her eyes.
Angrily, Emmy glared up at him and shook her head. "You have a lot of nerve, asshole." She said loud enough for Buffy to hear.
"Oh, no," Buffy said sadly.
"What? Can you hear them?" Xander asked.
Buffy sorrowfully nodded her head, "Sounds like Josh and Emmy just broke up."
Surprised, Xander turned back to the arguing couple and shook his head, "If there's one thing Harris' are known for, it's our terrible timing."
"Let's give him a few minutes and go find Giles and the others." Buffy pulled Xander by his elbow toward the small group waiting for Josh to arrive.
Willow grinned at her two best friends as they walked over to them. "You officially have a high school graduate!"
Plastering smiles on their faces, Buffy and Xander pretended as if they hadn't seen their son break up with his girlfriend under the bleachers.
Xander circled his arm around Buffy's shoulders and pressed his mouth against the side of her head.
"Hey!" Josh ran over to them seemingly still frazzled from his fight and ultimate break up with his girlfriend of three years. "Pictures then cake anyone?"
Josh felt the weight of his father's gaze and swallowed, "I don't want to talk about it."
With understanding, Xander nodded his head and wrapped his arm around his son, "Okay."
Buffy stepped over wanting a hug from her oldest child, "You looked great up there. Very stoic."
Josh looked at his mother and said, "I broke up with Emmy."
"We know," Buffy said without passing judgement. She tenderly combed her fingers through Josh's dark hair. "How 'bout some cake?"
Thankful for their acceptance and understanding, Josh nodded and looked at his family giving them his attention by accepting their hugs.
"Alright, let's do these pictures, I want cake," Josh said and looked around for his little sister to take this family photo. He spotted her across the field walking over hand in hand with Joel. "Yo, Sar, hurry up!" He called out as he fixed his cap back on his head.
"Family picture!" Willow excitedly clapped her hands together and promptly received amused eye rolls from both Giles and Faith.
Josh stood between Buffy and Xander and Sarah stood at Xander's side, under his arm. They smiled at the camera.
Harris Residence
Dining Room
The large blended family sat around the long dining room table trading stories from their time spent apart. It was not often that the entire Scoobie gang were able to get together at the same time and at the same place.
Aviana sat on Buffy's lap as she coloured in her colouring book. Buffy picked out different colours for the toddler as she half listened to Dawn, who spoke a mile a minute about her training in England. Giles had taken the youngest Summers girl under his wing after she had graduated from Oxford University. She had the great interest and potential to be a wonderful Watcher.
Sarah sat close to her grandfather showing him her portfolio she has been building for her college application.
"Xander, have you seen these?" Giles asked looking up from the colourful abstract painting in his hand.
"She's good," Xander sat back in his chair looking at his daughter proudly. Nor Buffy or he knew where Sarah got her artistic talent from. Neither of them could draw a straight line if their lives depended on it. But somehow, Sarah found her talent and they couldn't be more proud.
"Quite extraordinary," Giles glanced over at Sarah, who was bashfully smiling.
Shifting uncomfortably in her chair, Sarah said, "Thanks, Pop-pop."
Giles wrapped an arm around the teen's shoulders and pressed his mouth against her dark blonde hair. "And where do you want to take this talent of yours?"
"Uh, Rhode Island School of Design," Sarah replied. "But, I-I don't know if I can get in. It's a really selective school…"
"You'll get in," Xander stated matter-of-factly then sipped the beer in his hand.
Sarah rolled her eyes, "Dad is a little overconfident."
Giles smirked, "Oh, I believe that you'll get in." He looked at his granddaughter, "Hm, I guess that makes me overconfident, as well." He chuckled.
"Oh, jeez, Pop-pop, not you too!" Sarah buried her face in her hands as Giles laughed.
Buffy looked up from the colouring book and tossing her gaze around the table, smiling softly at the chatting family when her eyes landed on Josh. He tried to mask his heartache with a smile, but Buffy saw straight through it. She shifted her eyes, Xander, sitting at the other end of the table. They shared a look of mutual understanding, both recognising their son's pain.
Later
Josh's Bedroom
Knock. Knock.
Xander entered Josh's bedroom to see him sitting on the edge of the bed. His head hung low and his elbows rested on his knees. He appeared terribly unhappy.
"Do you want to talk about it now?" Xander asked and took a seat beside his son.
"Breaking up with her was the right thing to do," Josh said, still trying to convince himself despite his broken heart and the desire to crawl back to her on his hands and knees.
Xander silently nodded his head then asked, "For her or for you?"
"Both of us," Josh replied and looked at his father. "I don't wanna hold her back when she goes to college. I really love her but… I don't want to stop her from anything—like if she finds somone else—someone she really loves… I should've waited but she kept talking about the future over and over... She had all of these plans and I…" Josh trailed off. "I told her that I love her—That I'm really in love with her but maybe we need to take a break."
Xander slowly nodded his head, he had a good idea how badly his son felt. He had done something very similar but instead of saying, 'take a break' like Josh, Xander broke up with Anya in order to be with his wife.
Maybe not so similar... Xander thought with a frown. But he understood the gutwrenching pain.
"I was engaged to someone else."
Josh looked at his father with surprise. "What?"
Xander smiled sadly remembering Anya. It has been a long time since he's thought of her but she was never forgotten. She would always have a place in his heart.
"Yup," he looked at his son. "Before your mom... I thought for a long time that she was 'the one'. She had an entire life planned out for us. And for a while, I thought it was a good idea... But as the months drew closer, leading up to the wedding, I was having second thoughts. I began to question my love for her… Unfortunately—or fortunately, depending on how you look at it… something happened and, uh, I just knew… I couldn't give Anya what she wanted. That future she planned and deserved, I couldn't give her because I had already planned it with someone else a long time ago."
"Mom?"
Nodding his head, Xander glanced down at the silver band around his left-hand ring finger. "It took your mother and I long time to find each other—even though we saw each other every day. Right from the start, I was head over heels in love but she—Your mother has a very odd history with men," Xander frowned seeing Josh's confused face. "The point of this story is… don't completely shut the door on Emmy because you never know… You may wake up one day with perfect certainty."
"She could be 'the one' like Mom?"
Xander shrugged, "Maybe. But perhaps maybe you do need this break to live a little… see what else is out there. And in time, you'll figure it out someday… maybe… somehow, if she's it, some way, you'll find each other again."
"That's a lot of trust in fate."
Thinking about it carefully, Xander smirked with a shrug and said, "Well, Josh, that's a risk you might have to take. I did."
Song Used: "The Wish" by Bruce Springsteen 1987
