AN: Hey guys. Here's the next chapter! Yay! Still blown away at the number of favs and followers this story is getting so I was wondering what is it that you guys really like (or hate)about this story? I'd like to hear that in the reviews.
Also I have a challenge for you. As you've been able to tell I've been doing this story purely from Xander's POV. This means there's a lot of things from the other scoobies POV that could be told. If anyone wants to try their hand at that feel free.
Of course I'm just playing in Joss's sandbox, no money blah blah blah. Now ON WITH THE STORY!
Xander was in the kitchen making a list of potential pitfalls facing the group. The problem was remembering details, that was the hard part, such as the time they had their nightmares come real. He remembered very clearly kicking that damn Clown's ass, and remembered seeing Buffy as a vampire, and knew there was a kid involved...but just couldn't remember his name. He sighed at looked up the clock; it was only ten. Buffy wouldn't be home from patrol for at least three more hours. He needed someone to talk to and Dawn was already in bed and Mrs. Summers was gone on a buy for the Gallery. He put the pen down and ran his hands through his hands and tried to remember.
He was beginning to think that this was fruitless as he'd already made so many changes, as the other nights events proved and was in the process of making more. He was hoping that Willow would be up to getting Kendra and Faith called with the Scythe before Buffy had to face the Master. Three Slayers would even up the odds for that fight rather nicely, then they could get inventive on disposing the bones. Xander grinned as he imagined driving over them with a steam roller. He was still enjoying that daydream when he heard a shriek from upstairs.
He bolted from his chair and bounded upstairs and went into Dawn's room to find the girl sitting up in bed shaking. He went over to her and she leapt into his arms crying, he stroked her back and rocked her while making comforting noises. Dawn clung on for dear life.
"H-h-he had me again, Xander!" she said sobbing.
"It's ok, I'm right here. Shhhh…" he said, kissing the side of her head.
"I'm sorry...I thought tonight I could..." she said through her tears.
"It's ok, Dawnie...I'm right here, I'll always be here for you, your sister and your mother. Nothing will hurt you while I'm around, and if it does...I'll let your sister beat it up for me," Xander said and was rewarded with a small chuckle amid the tears.
"Can you stay here for a while?" she asked.
"I've camped out in your room every night since the Piper came, haven't I?" Xander said. He had the sore back to prove it, too. Sleeping on Dawn's bedroom floor wasn't really restful, especially with her having two or three nightmares a night. It was fortunate that Xander knew how to deal with this kind of thing. New Slayers had nightmares all the time, and while most of the time he avoided sleeping in their rooms he had held all of them just like he was Dawn while they calmed down.
"You really don't mind?" she asked, her tears slowing but her voice still stuffy sounding.
"Not at all, we all love you Dawn and that includes nightmares, especially after being taken like that," Xander said ruffling her hair.
Dawn hugged him again, "Thank you. I'm glad your parents kicked you out." She then scrunched up her face and said, "I mean...uh…"
"It's ok, Dawn Patrol, I know what you meant," Xander said kissing her on the forehead. "Now back to bed, you still need sleep. I'll be right here if you have another bad dream."
"Ok, love you, Xander," Dawn said as she yawned and laid back down, Xander tucked her back in and kissed her forehead again.
"Love you too, kiddo." He then sat on the floor. He still had thinking to do.
Xander jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder, he looked over to see Buffy kneeling next to him.
"She have another nightmare?" she asked sitting next to him and leaning her head on his shoulder.
"Yeah, she calmed down quicker this time though, it'll take time but she's tough. Tougher than she knows," Xander Buffy's hand and kissing it.
"You going to camp out here tonight?" she asked.
"Yeah," Xander said.
"I can stay tonight if you want to sleep in a real bed," Buffy offered.
"I appreciate the offer, but I promised I'd stay. We'll switch off tomorrow, ok?" Xander said.
"What have we done to deserve you?" Buffy asked.
"Pissed off a chaos demon?" Xander joked.
Buffy hit him on the arm playfully, "I'm serious!"
"How was patrol?" Xander asked, changing the subject.
"Quiet, whatever the Master is planning he's being cagey about it," Buffy said.
"We're going to beat him, sweetheart," Xander said, hugging her.
"Yeah, but you've said the last time I died doing it," Buffy said.
"Not going to happen this time if I can help it, and if it does I'll just bring you back again," Xander said.
"I'm scared," she said.
"I know you are, I am too. So much has changed, but I'm working on some force multipliers as well as back up for you," Xander said.
"Like what?" Buffy asked.
"Unconventional Slaying gear for example. Starting with Super Soakers," Xander said.
"Super Soakers?" Buffy asked.
"Yup, filled with Holy Water," Xander said and Buffy choked back a guffaw in deference to her sleeping sister.
"That...that is brilliant," she said once she got control of herself.
"Yeah, can't wait to spring it on Giles," Xander said and yawned.
"Let's get some sleep," Buffy said and got up. Xander laid down on the floor and was just about dozing when he heard the soft sound of a pillow being dropped on the floor.
"Wha?"
"I'm camping out here with you and my sister. Family sleepover in Dawn's room," she said.
"I love you," he said as she laid down next to him.
"I love you, too," she replied snuggling close to him.
Xander woke to a click and a whir. He opened his eyes and saw a grinning Dawn with an old Polaroid camera her mother let her play with.
"Morning, sleepy heads!" she said cheerfully.
"I see someone is in a good mood," Xander said as he yawned and began to sit up only to be pulled down by Buffy.
"It doesn't look like she wants you to leave," Dawn said. "You two look cute like that."
"Watch this, Dawnster," Xander said his voice conspiratorial. "Bacon."
Buffy's eyes shot open, "Bacon? Where?"
"In the kitchen, I'll go fix it if you let me up," Xander said.
"Oh, morning," she said and kissed him to a snap and whir.
"Making a collection?" Xander asked his soon to be sister-in-law.
"Has she been taking pictures of us?"
"Yes," Xander said.
"Why?" Buffy asked.
"She thinks we're cute," Xander said.
"I'm right here!" the ten-year-old said, indiginat.
"So you are!" Xander said and began tickling Dawn on the ribs.
"Ack!" Dawn squealed and bounded out of her bed.
"Breakfast?" Xander asked with a grin.
"Bacon?" Buffy asked hopefully.
"Yes, there will be bacon," Xander said.
"Bacon…."Buffy said imitating a zombie.
"You, my dear, are a pill," Xander said swatting Buffy's rear causing her to squeak.
"You better be careful, or you'll get me...you know," Buffy edited herself for the benefit of her sister's ears.
"Je t'amie," Xander said.
"Je t'amie," Buffy said kissing him again then they headed to get ready for the day.
Xander was in the hall between class and Cordy had seemed to be true to her word. News Buffy's pregnancy had spread over the whole school in less than a week. As had word of who the father was. He wasn't overly concerned about it for himself, but he knew it was driving Buffy crazy. Xander sighed and knew there was nothing he could do as it would've come out eventually. Buffy would be showing in just a couple of months and then the cat would be out of the bag anyway.
"Harris!" Xander heard a familiar unwelcome voice shout.
"Larry, have you learned to start a fire yet?" Xander replied.
"Very funny, Harris. So you and Buffy did it?" Larry asked.
"She's pregnant, I'm the father, do the math," Xander said.
"There was math involved?" Larry asked.
"Yes, one plus one equals three," Xander said rolling his eyes.
"So what was she like?" Larry asked.
"A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell, Larry," Xander said, rolling his eyes at having to put up with this from the still in the closet football player.
"Oh...so do you think she'll give me a ride?" Larry asked leering.
"Ok, that's enough….Larry come with me," Xander said and motioned him into the men's room.
"What is this Harris, not wanting the school to see me paste you?" Larry said, raising a fist.
"Nope, wanted to talk to you about you discreetly," Xander said crossing his arms.
"About what?" Larry asked, suspicious of Xander not cowering or flinching.
"I know you're gay, Larry. I see all the signs of it, you hide it well, but I have a cousin that lives in Texas, he is a couple years older than I am and he is too, so I know the signs. He came out his Junior year. He's a jock just like you, on the football team and such and was afraid his teammates would reject him," Xander said.
"You don't know anything about me, Harris," Larry growled.
"Hey, I'm not going to say a word about it, man. It's not my place to," Xander said.
"You mean you aren't going to blab?" Larry asked, confused.
"No, that would be cruel. However I do think it would be good for you to come out. My cousin had the guys on his team setting him up with guys and in fact they introduced him to his current partner. They'd be married now if they weren't both guys," Xander said as he started to tell Larry his own future.
"They didn't make fun of him?" Larry asked.
"Nope, they mostly already knew anyway, but respected him too much to say anything and keep in mind this is in TEXAS. You live in enlightened California," Xander said putting a hand on the jock's shoulder.
"And he wasn't beat up or anything?" Larry asked.
"There was a jerk that tried it, but the rest of the team turned him into paste," Xander said, inserting the first full on lie into the story.
"Wow...can it really be that easy?" Larry asked.
"Not saying it's going to be easy, Larry. But I do think you'll find more support than not," Xander said.
"I'll think about it, Xander," Larry said, looking like he was about to fry one of his ten brain cells thinking about it.
"That's all you can do, man," Xander said and left Larry to his thoughts, he'd probably miss his next class working through what Xander told him.
Xander walked into the library where Willow, Owen and two other students were scanning books into the computer under Ms. Calendar's supervision.
"Oh...Xander, about helping Willow, I talked to her and I'm mentoring her on that special project you talked to me about," Jenny said.
"But I thought you couldn't help her with it," Xander asked, pleasantly surprised.
"I thought a little about it and while I won't be able to help with the more advanced work, I'll be able to give her a grounding on the basics," she said.
"Yeah, and in exchange I'm helping digitize the books in the library," Willow said.
"Here's a few more," Buffy said as she carried some large old books in.
"Ah, the new arrivals. I haven't had a chance to go over them as of yet. Put it over there by Willow," Giles said.
"How long is this going to take?" Xander asked.
"A couple of hours," Jenny said.
"Great, we won't have time to practice tonight," Xander said.
"Why not?" Willow asked.
"I have to be at work at five, Wills," Xander said.
"Oh...stupid job," Willow said.
"It's not like he's got any real responsibility...oh...wait, he does, Buffy with Xander's bun in the oven," Fritz said.
"That's not nice!" Willow said.
"The truth hurts," Fritz said and Buffy glared daggers at him.
"It's ok, Will, the Borg Drone is allowed his opinion," Xander said hoping the Borg had already been introduced on Star Trek.
"Laugh all you want Burger Boy, I and others like me will be running this world while people like you will be feeding us. The digital kingdom has arrived and those of us jacked in will have all the power. Its bad enough that you sub-humans have already bred," Fritz said.
"That's enough, Fritz," Jenny snapped.
"Yes, quite. Buffy and Xander are in a difficult enough position without being insulted," Giles said.
"Anyway, I get off at eight, so I'll bring dinner home from work since your Mom isn't home yet," Xander said ignoring Fritz.
"Ok, how long are you going to be here?" Buffy asked.
"I need to talk to Giles about something real fast, then I'll be going, see if I can pick up a bit more time," Xander said.
"Ok, see you tonight then," Buffy said kissing him.
"Je t'amie," Xander said.
"Je t'amie," Buffy replied squeezing his hand.
"I'm going to be sick," Fritz said.
"Only because you'll never know the touch of a woman," Owen said, uncharistically vocal, causing Willow's eyebrows to raise and she leaned over and kissed Owen.
"Je t'aime," she said.
"Look, Buffy! I started a fad!" Xander said as both Buffy and Willow grinned at him.
"I'm leaving now," Fritz said sounding disgusted and left.
"Let's go into my office, Xander," Giles said.
"Right," Xander said, kissing Buffy once more then followed the Watcher into his office.
Xander followed Giles into the office, once the door was closed he asked, "What would someone need for a verification spell?"
"Why do you want to know?" Giles asked, looking up. Over the last two months, Giles had gone from extremely stuffy and liable to have an attack of some sort at every little inconvenience to much closer to the wonderful Watcher who took everything in stride that Xander had come to depend on. It was nice.
"I was thinking very seriously about sending the ingredients to Tara and a letter that she could do the spell on."
"Well, let me see," he said, taking a book off the shelf behind him, thumbing through it quickly, finding the page he wanted. "A feather from a white dove, a ball of beeswax and a string. You cast the spell and attach the feather to the string with the beeswax and if there are any untrue parts, it will point them out. Rather vague, but it seems to be simple enough."
"So, cost?"
"Beeswax is not terribly expensive, and the amount required is very small, so not more than a dollar to cover that for ten or twenty uses of the spell. I have some here, though. And the feather shouldn't have a cost, and string is usually plentiful. Why do you ask?"
"Wondering if Tara can get her own supplies in case she doesn't trust ours."
"It's not a terribly expensive spell. The costs can get extravagant when ingredients are rare or unique, or just difficult to get to. Now, as to this spell, you have told me that when you met Tara before, she was already a practicing magic-user?"
"Yeah, her mother and grandmother both had some powers, to, but I never got to meet them."
"Then in all likelihood they already have a spell, if not identical to this one, very similar, and just as effective and inexpensive," Giles said.
"Good, now if we can figure out how to convince them to come out here," Xander said.
"Have you thought about living arrangements for them?" Giles asked.
Xander rubbed his temples wincing, "No...I forgot about that part," he admitted then sat down.
"Xander...how are you holding up? You've been running non-stop since the first day you got here," Giles said concerned.
"Worse than I'd like, better than you fear," Xander said with a sad smile.
"You have a lot going on, with Buffy being pregnant and while I know you are emotionally old enough to handle becoming a father, you still have many of the same challenges any teen pregnancy faces. Added on what you are already trying to accomplish…" Giles trailed off.
"I know, but I can't stop, the Hellmouth waits for no man and eats the ones that stop to take a breather," Xander said, sighing.
"If you need to talk, I'm here," Giles said.
"Thanks, that helps in and of itself," Xander said.
Giles nodded and then said, "Was there anything else you needed?"
"Not really, how's the research on the Scythe coming?" Xander asked.
"Slowly, we never knew it existed, and operational security has limited my resources."
"Right, can't really ask about it without the Council getting curious, it's going to be bad enough when we finally use it," Xander said.
"You really think activating all of the Potentials is a good idea?" Giles asked.
"We couldn't have beaten the First without doing it and there didn't seem to be any negative impacts," Xander said.
"Before you ask I might have found a lead on some information about Lucifer, a reference to the Book of Lucifer but I haven't been able to track down any copies as of yet," Giles said.
"Book of Lucifer as in part of the Bible?" Xander asked.
"Yes, there were many texts during the early Church, the Council preserved many of them after the Synod of Hippo canonized the Catholic Bible. The books that didn't make it into the official Canon were supposed to be destroyed, but the Council felt they were too important for their historical importance as well their supernatural significance to be destroyed," Giles said.
"So it's possible that the Council has it, but again it'll attract attention," Xander said yawning.
"Not sleeping well?" Giles asked.
"Dawn's been having nightmares since the Piper took her," Xander said rubbing his eyes.
"You're burning the candle at both ends Xander, you need a break," Giles said.
"I know, I know. I'm just afraid that the instant I take that break something bad will happen," Xander said allowing his weariness to come out in his voice. As much as he loved Buffy, she wasn't ready to have him lean on her, not yet.
"Does Buffy know how tired you are?" Giles asked.
"No, and please don't tell her. She's got enough to worry about without adding me to the mix," Xander said.
"Noble, but foolish," Giles said.
"Right on both counts, G-Man, but what can I do about it?" Xander asked.
"Don't shut her out, she's more perceptive than she lets on and has probably picked up a little on how worn out you are," Giles said.
"She hasn't said anything," Xander said.
"She may not realize just how bad off you are. Talk to her, you're going to be together for a long time, Xander, she'll be the one person you'll always be able to confide in. At least that is the way it should be," Giles said, putting a hand on Xander's shoulder.
"I just don't want her to worry," Xander said.
"You can't control that, she WILL worry. She has to know something isn't right, knowing just what it is and how you are dealing with it will help as it will be a known problem other than the unknown," Giles said.
"So even if I can't stop, I should still talk to her?" Xander said.
"Yes, and the sooner you start sleeping in the same bed the easier that will be," Giles said.
"Pillow talk, got it. Just gotta save up for a bigger bed," Xander said chuckling tiredly.
"You have thought about this, right?" Giles asked.
Xander smiled and said, "It's on the list, just have to move it up. It might be cheaper for me to make one instead of buying one, and I know it'll last longer," Xander said.
"Possible, but will you be up to it?" Giles asked.
"It'll relax me, honest. Working with wood was how I unwound uptime," Xander said.
"Then the idea has my full endorsement," Giles said.
Xander looked at the clock and said, "I better go, I still might get an extra hour at the Palace."
Xander clocked in at the Palace and sighed. He took position at the grill and was there working about two hours with Manny yammering the whole time about what a future Xander had with Double Meat Palace. Xander just ignored him and worked, then he heard a familiar voice.
"Hey! Buddy!" Jesse said.
"Jesse! What are you doing here?" Xander said with a grin. It HAD been a slow night.
"Scoping out the babe action...there really isn't much here though is there?" Jesse said.
"Not unless you want to count Nutty Natalie in the corner booth," Xander said causing Jesse to shudder in revulsion.
"So, when's the wedding going to be?" Jesse asked.
"When we get around to it?" Xander said, sounding unsure of what his best friend was hinting at.
"Wonk wonk wahhhhh….so sorry...the answer we were looking for was two weeks!" Jesse said.
"Two weeks, I can't even pay for the license in that time, Jesse!" Xander exclaimed.
"Don't worry about it, Willow's taking care of that part. Not like her parents are going to miss a hundred bucks out of their accounts, welll ok, more like two thousand, but they just gave it to her cause she asked anyway, didn't even question it."
"Two...two...thousand?" Xander stammered.
"It's not that you need STUFF, not living with the in-laws," Jesse said.
"Two THOUSAND?" Xander nearly shouted.
"Hey, I heard you the first time, buddy, but tell Manny that you're taking the rest of your shift off cause you need to go try on a tux for your wedding. Hurry up, Owen's got his car running in the parking lot," Jessie said.
"Where is Willow?" Xander asked.
"Kidnapping Buffy and Dawn to go dress shopping," Jesse said.
"Go, son, with my blessing. You only get married once...unless you are my uncle Phil," Manny said, just appearing from behind causing Xander to jump.
"Uh...thanks...Manny," Xander said and left with Jessie and Owen.
Xander was still stunned as Owen and Jessie drove him to the rental place and sat in the back of Owen's car. The other two scoobies had Queen playing from Owen's cd player.
"I didn't know you listened to Queen, Owen," Xander said.
"I think you don't know that much about me at all actually, Xander," Owen said.
"Sorry man, it's been a bit crazy," Xander said sheepishly.
"Not what I'm getting at. The first time around I wasn't part of this, was I?" Owen asked.
"No, not really," Xander admitted.
"Was I killed like Jesse was?" Owen asked.
"No, Buffy tried to date you actually and ended up dumping you. Something about you being danger guy, but you with Willow seems to be working. As far as I know you were alive and well when I was shot," Xander said.
"See, told ya!" Jesse said.
"How'd me dating Buffy work with you around?" Owen asked.
"The first time around she didn't see me as a guy. It was a bit irksome, but if she's dated you it would've been better than who she actually ended up with," Xander said.
"Who was that?" Jesse asked.
"Deadboy...I mean Angel," Xander said.
"The vampire with a soul from LA?" Owen asked.
"Yeah," Xander said in remembered frustration.
"How does that work?" Jesse asked.
"It didn't," Xander said simply.
"Did I interrupt Willow dating anyone?" Owen asked after a minute.
"It doesn't matter, I haven't said anything about anyone's relationships 'cause everything is different now," Xander told him sighing and leaning back. "Maybe that's for the best."
"Why?"
"Because being the all-knowing-oracle-of-everything sucks."
"Why?"
"Because I can't fix everything."
"Like?"
"I can't stop Faith's mom from being a raging alcoholic. Hell, I can't even stop my own mom from that. I can't stop Tara's dad from being a dickwad. I can't stop..."
"Dude, dude," Jesse said, his hand on Xander's arm. "You stopped Angel from losing his soul. You stopped me from dying. You stopped the Harvest. You are only sixteen, even if you are older in spirit. You aren't Superman. And you were the one with the 'sometimes we don't win' speech just a couple of days ago."
"You know, this summer my parents are going back to Boston, to visit my grandparents, you did say that was where Faith was, correct?" Owen asked suddenly.
Xander looked aghast. "If you are suggesting transporting a minor across state lines without parental consent I don't think that 'felony' covers the start of the trouble we would get into."
Owen considered that. "Well, how old is she, exactly?"
"She was not quite sixteen when we met her toward the beginning of senior year. That's a year and a half from now, so she's 14? Her birthday is in December, if I remember right."
"If it's as bad as you have alluded to, she won't be missed. Or if she is, she would be considered a runaway," Owen told him thoughtfully. "No one would think to look for her in California, and if she is in school and doing well, the school won't look terribly closely at her records, I don't think. It is Sunnydale."
"How the hell to convince her though?" Xander pondered as he leaned back, mulling the problem over.
"If it's that bad, it won't take much. Offer the girl the chance at something a whole lot closer to normal than she has now, and I think she'll jump. Especially if she's got the jump-first mentality that Buffy seems to display so prominently. Besides, I'm a charming, older man. That seemed to work for you."
Xander shook his head and ignored the comment. "She does that. Willow found Tara, I think she can handle finding Faith, too. And if you cause my best friend any distress over this, I will have to hurt you."
"No, no. I really have no interest in dating a woman who's three times as strong as I am, and requires half the sleep," Owen told him with a smile.
"Besides that I imagine Faith will still be pretty emotionally fragile. I don't think dating in general would be a good idea for her until we get her on solid mental ground. I wonder if she'll still get the same Watcher if we manage to activate her early," he spoke aloud though he was talking more to himself, and meaning Wesley, though he knew somewhere in his head that she'd had a Watcher before that.
Jesse finally chimed in, putting his hand on Xander's shoulder. "Ok, we're here, now act like a good, normal man about to get married for the first time. No wigging out the normies."
Owen dropped Xander off at the house, Xander was still having trouble thinking of it as his. Of course, the past couple of months had been very strange. He opened the door and went inside. He wasn't physically tired, but emotionally he was exhausted. He'd have words with a certain redhead in the morning. In the meantime, he went down to the basement and put a tape into a cassette player and power chords starting belting out as he pulled out an old jump rope he'd found here and started jumping rope. He also started singing along to the song as he went through his jumping routine. As the song faded out he put the jump rope up and pulled out a mat. Then 'Gonna Fly Now' start as he started doing push ups, there weren't really lyrics with this song which allowed xander to keep count of his push ups. He was getting better but he still wasn't up to the hundred he could do before getting shot. He was up to thirty-five before the song ended, and he was winded. When 'Hearts on Fire' started he flipped on his back and started crunches. He's started seeing what he was calling his baby fat going away, but he'd only been on this routine for about two weeks and the girls didn't know about it as he did it while Dawn was doing her homework and Buffy was on patrol and the whole routine only lasted about twenty minutes. The only downside Xander could think of was that the basement steps weren't fit for a good Rocky run up them, then 'Burning Heart' started and he did more rope skipping for cool down.
He was so focused on his workout that he hadn't noticed the audience he'd attracted. He put the mat up and stopped and rewound the tape. Then he turned to the steps where Buffy and Dawn sat. Dawn a bit bug eyed.
"Do you do that every night?" the younger Summers sister asked.
"Yeah, gotta get back in shape, or rather into shape as this body had never been in shape," Xander said.
"Did you get kidnapped too?" Buffy asked, not as in shock as her sister. Xander knew she knew how serious he was, they'd talked about it some.
"Yep...still don't know what we're going to do about rings though," Xander said.
"We have pizza ordered, you can take a quick shower then we can eat," Buffy said.
A grin spread on Xander's face, "Pizza sounds awesome!"
Xander came downstairs just as the pizza arrived, he was in sweats and a tee shirt. He was greeting by Buffy with a kiss as she carried delicious smelling boxes into the dining room. Dawn was already there with her homework, which Xander checked over as Buffy got plates and drinks.
"So how was your time with Willow?"
"It was fun, even though Buffy got something in her eye...A LOT!" Dawn said.
"I'm sure she did, lots of dust tonight, huh sweetie?" Xander said, squeezing Buffy's hand.
"See! It happened again!" Dawn said.
"So since our friends seem to think that we need to get married in two weeks what are we going to do for rings?" Xander asked.
Buffy just pulled out an envelope and handed it to Xander who looked at it curiously.
"Be careful with that, she got whatever it was in her eye after opening it," Dawn said sagely.
"Ok, short stuff," Xander said absently as he opened the letter. It was handwritten and it said.
Dear Buffy and Xander,
While I would have hoped for different circumstances for this, I'm very glad to be able to give you my blessing for your upcoming marriage. Willow, Jesse and Owen came to me with this idea just after everyone found out Buffy being pregnant, well...Willow was the ring leader I'm sure, however it has my full endorsement. I'm really sorry I was not able to be there tonight, but I HAD to go for this last minute sale, there was no way to postpone it. I would've been there tonight if I could've been, sweetheart.
That being said, when I get back expect both of you to be kidnapped again by me to get Xander at least a ring. I don't know if you want to wear mine or not Buffy considering how my marriage to your father ended. I'm not even sure if you are going to wear the dress or get a new one. I understand either way. I love you, Buffy and am coming to love Xander. I know he adores you.
Love,
Mom
By the time Xander finished the letter he was feeling a bit misty himself. To be accepted so completely especially after colossally screwing up like he did...it meant a lot.
"I warned you!" Dawn said.
"So you did, Dawn Patrol, so you did," Xander said squeezing Buffy's hand once more.
Later that night Xander was in Buffy's room, Xander was sitting on the floor while Buffy was cross-legged on her bed. They both had pads and pens.
"So, what do you think I should do?" Buffy asked.
"About what?" Xander asked.
"Mom's ring," said
.
"It's a traditional setting?" Xander asked.
"What do you mean?" Buffy asked.
"And you call yourself a girl," Xander teased. "One with the stone raised up. A Tiffany setting, you know, with the prongs."
"There are kinds? I thought that was the only kind," Buffy said pouting.
"No, you learn these things dealing with a bunch of new Slayers," Xander said.
"I thought they were all young," Buffy said.
"Most were, but the spell call ALL potentials that could still fight, some of them were married with kids. We kinda learned the hard way that slaying and that kind of setting isn't a good mix," Xander said.
"They lost their stones?" Buffy asked.
"Yup...much to the woe to the local vamp population," Xander said causing Buffy to chuckle.
"I can imagine," she said.
"So, guest list?" Xander asked.
"Figured that was pretty much set to us scoobies, Mom and Dad and if we time it right Angel and Doyle," Buffy said.
"I was thinking about inviting Cordy," Xander said.
"Why? Oh...dumb question, huh?" she said.
"In my previous life we were close..eventually, kinda thought she'd be there if I ever did get married. Then she died…" Xander said trailing off into a bad memory.
"She dies?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah, something to do with the visions," Xander said absently.
"Doyle's visions?" Buffy asked.
"Long story, never got all of it," Xander said.
"How many people would you want at the wedding that probably aren't going to be here?" she asked.
"Several; Faith, Tara, Vi, Kennedy, Wes, Gunn, Folorunso..." Xander said.
"Lots then, huh?"Buffy asked.
"Yeah...lots of real good friends," Xander said.
"You miss them?" Buffy asked.
"I do, but I could've stayed in Heaven and seen all of them. I chose this Buffy, never forget that," Xander said.
"You gave up Heaven for me, for us, Xander. How do I live up to that?" she asked.
"I wasn't finished. And I wanted this. Heaven can wait."
"It can?" she asked.
"Sure, just ask Meatloaf, smart man," Xander said starting his fiance laughing which was interrupted by a scream from Dawn's room sending them both to the girl's room to banish another nightmare.
When Xander had called Willow in the morning when he got back from his jog, She was already up and halfway out the door on the way to school. So he'd gotten showered and dressed really quickly, and ready to go. The girls would be fine on cereal; he'd fed them well the day before, and that wasn't always necessary. He grabbed a granola bar and headed out, letting them sleep, making sure that Dawn's alarm was set.
When he got to the library, Willow was already hip deep in books that she was scanning in. "I'm actually glad that you took off suddenly yesterday," Giles was saying to her, holding a massive book. "This book wasn't one that should have been scanned, or even, taken out of it's box. It holds the essence of a rather nasty demon. I am not even sure why it's here, but I will lock it in the book cage in case something comes up where we need it. Perhaps it would be safer back in the Council's library," he said, wandering off and starting to mutter to himself.
"Always glad to help," Willow told him, though her attention was mostly on the page she was scanning, then she looked up like a startled meerkat. "Wait, what-did-you-just-say?"
"This book, it holds the essence of a demon. Heaven only knows what would have happened had you actually scanned it." Willow blanched.
"Oh, that," Xander said with distaste, suddenly remembering this week's escapades, and why he'd had a Bad Feeling about the book scanning the night before. "We would have killed it. But only after it wrecked havoc for a week throughout the internet. Why don't we just destroy it Giles?"
"Can't. The book is as tough as the demon and Molocha was nearly invincible, so I doubt we killed it, Xander," Giles said.
"Alright, maybe it got bound back into the book. It's not like we wouldn't again if we had to."
"Be that as it may, this is definitely going to the Council Library," Giles said, going into his office to make preparations for that to be sooner rather than later.
"So, what did you want to talk with me about?" Willow asked, stepping away from the computer like it was dangerous.
"You, have been VERY, VERY Bad," Xander said, wagging his finger at her.
"Whatever do you mean?" Willow asked innocently, barely containing a smile.
"Two THOUSAND dollars, Wills?"
"My parents can afford it, besides you're happier now than I've ever seen you, in spite of the stress of your memories and the baby. You are my best friend and Buffy's rapidly becoming so also, and I wanted to help," Willow said sounding more like the woman she would eventually become.
Xander blinked a little as he got a little misty and soon found himself wrapped in a Willow hug. He hugged her back. "What have I done to deserve friends like you?"
"By being Xander, silly. Now no more complaining about us helping you, you hear me mister?"
"Jawohl! Fraulein Rosenberg!"
"Hey! Jewish!" Willow complained at his German.
"Not all Germans were Nazis, a fact you know all too well."
"Yes, but it's fun to tweak you," she replied and hugged him again.
"Now I need a word with Giles about unconventional weapons."
"What's you're evil demented brain cooking up now?" Willow asked, raising an eyebrow.
Xander smirked and said, "Go for the eyes, Boo! Go for the EYES!"
Willow looked at him blankly instead of laughing like he expected. He tilted his head at her lack of reaction. She then said, "Huh?"
"Minsc? Giant miniature space hamster?"
"Got nothin'."
Xander then sighed, "Never mind, it must not be out yet."
"Oh...future cultural reference that will have me on my butt laughing in a few years?"
"Something like that...anyway...TO THE WATCHER CAVE!" Xander said and got his laugh out of Willow as he went into Giles's office.
"What can I do for you Xander?" Giles asked as Xander entered his office.
"Unconventional weapons, specifically Super Soakers filled with Holy Water."
"What in blue blazes is a Super Soaker?" Giles asked, pausing in his wrapping of the book of Moloch.
"It is to water guns what the Maxim Machine Gun was to real guns."
"Really?" Giles asked, frowning.
"Yep, happen to have one right here," Xander said reaching into his backpack and pulled out a super soaker. "This is the water chamber, much larger than your run-of-the-mill water pistol. This puts air pressure into the chamber, which increases range and power of the blast, the best ones can get a range of 70 feet, but accurate fire is only good up to 40 feet, less than a crossbow but has the added benefit of potentially blinding a vamp," Xander said.
"Blinding them?" Giles asked.
"Yup, spray Holy Water in the eyes act as if you sprayed hydrochloric acid in ours, or at least pepper spray then easy staking," Xander said.
"It is unconventional, but there are drawbacks," Giles said.
"Yup, the lack of a 50,000 gallon Holy Water Reservoir. Uptime I'd have loved to arm our younger slayers with these and have them snipe the vamps while more experienced slayers did the heavy fighting, but we never had enough Hotel Whiskey," Xander said, lapsing into soldier speech.
"But you still think this would be useful?" Giles asked.
"Yup. Obviously I wasn't there for Buffy's fight with the Master, and she really didn't talk about it...ever, but I've managed to piece together how it went down."
"Really?" Giles said, interest growing.
"Yup, she took a crossbow with her, which as good a shot Buffy is he must have caught or dodged at the last second, which forced her into melee range. At this point he either did Dru's mental whammy thing or beat her physically, drank her then left her in the pool Angel and I found her in," Xander said, his voice low in the bad memory.
"He drank from her?" Giles asked.
"Yes, then he left," Xander said quietly.
"He….he...he rose?" Giles asked aghast.
"Yeah, we revived Buffy and then she kicked his ass, but she was scarred by the experience. When we dust the Master though, we need to obliterate his bones. The vampires tried to resurrect him after we killed him," Xander said.
"My dear boy, the things you've been through."
"Someone had to do it, Giles, otherwise the world would've ended or worse."
"I can still wish that you didn't have to do this."
"I know how you feel, the butterflies every time you send them out and can't go yourself. Praying they all come home safe and sound."
Giles put a hand on his shoulder. "It is a burden they don't understand."
"They will when they are leaders, and all of them will be."
"Yet you'll still be their General, I think."
"Not a role I ever wanted," Xander said with a shrug.
"Yet one you are good at."
"Thanks."
Xander met Buffy and the rest of the Gang for lunch. Willow and Buffy were making up invitations, while Jesse and Owen were scarfing food. Xander for his part was lost in thought.
"Babe," Buffy said and Xander looked up. "What's wrong?"
"Just thinking," Xander said.
"You just haven't eaten yet," she said, sounding worried.
"Guess I'm not hungry," he said with a weak grin.
"Waiting on the next shoe to drop?" Jesse asked.
"Guess so...I'm sorry to be in a funk, guys," Xander said.
"No, you're exhausted, between the Palace, and training us and sitting up with Dawn…" Buffy said trailing off.
"Sitting up with Dawn?" Willow asked.
"She's been having nightmares since the Piper took her," Xander said and yawned.
"My point has been made," Buffy said crossing her arms.
"Yes, dear," Xander said employing the normally surefire male defense phrase, however he was quickly disappointed.
"Don't you, yes, dear me, Xander Harris. You need to start taking better care of yourself, starting with a good night's sleep," Buffy said.
"I would if I could, Buffy, but there's too much to do. Besides, I can sleep when I'm dead," Xander said, not thinking.
"You listen to me, Xander Lavelle Harris, you are not going to die on me, not for at least eighty years, you hear me?" Buffy said, angry.
"Buffy...the middle name...please," Xander nearly whined. He really wasn't fighting what she was saying, he just couldn't comply, not yet.
"Now...I want you to go home and get some sleep, right now!" Buffy said her voice getting louder, and soon the whole lunch room was full of wolf whistles and cat calls as the lunch room totally misinterpreted Buffy's statement.
Xander winced at the sudden racket, "Sweetie, can you please keep it down?" When the noise got to about eighty decibels Xander let his head crash to the lunch table then proceeded to bang his head on it.
"I think you broke him, Buffy," Owen said.
Then Xander heard a voice from nightmares.
"Summers! Harris! My office...NOW!"
"No...no...no...not the troll," Xander muttered.
"What was that, Harris?" Snyder said.
"Nothing, Mr. Snyder," Xander said, rubbing his temples.
"How'd you know my name?" Snyder asked.
"You've been expected since Mr. Flutie...died," Xander said.
"I see...Now both of you move it," Snyder said as Xander and Buffy got up from the table.
Buffy and Xander arrived at the Principal's office with Snyder a few minutes later. Snyder went behind his desk and pulled out two files. He threw them onto the desk. Xander squeezed Buffy's hand knowing she was far more worried about this than he was. He'd had lots of practice staring down school officials after all, where she hadn't.
"Sit, both of you," Snyder said.
They sat and waited for Snyder to speak. Xander just sat calmly knowing that he was just making them sweat. Unfortunately, it was working on Buffy. Xander wanted to grin at his fiancée's discomfort. She could and had faced down vampire's intent on killing her and this small weak man had her nervous. Xander suppressed a sigh.
Seeing that his ploy was working on at least one of them, Snyder started by opening Buffy's folder. "Now, Miss Summers. I see you have quite the track record for being a mischief maker. You burned down a school building resulting in you being expelled."
"Well, yeah, but," she started.
"And you Mr. Harris, perpetually dismal grades until about two months ago?"
"So you're going to bust my chops for finally applying myself?" Xander answered coolly.
"It's suspicious when Hot Dog Haven material such as yourself starts getting dangerously close to the Honor Roll."
"Right now I'm at the Double Meat Palace, actually," Xander said getting weary of this, rapidly.
Snyder took a look at her intermediate transcript and humphed. "I do not tolerate delinquents."
"Correction, you don't tolerate children," Xander said getting really fed up, that and the combination of actually being tired wasn't helping his discretion.
"You want to get expelled, Harris?" Snyder asked.
"No, and you can only give me detention for mouthing off," Xander said as Buffy stared at him wide-mouthed.
"And you've got it, bucko," Snyder said.
"Color me terrified," Xander said.
Snyder harrumphed then moved on, "Now what is this I hear about Miss Summers being pregnant?"
"None of your business," Xander said seriously.
"Don't tell me what my concerns should be. You are setting a bad example for the entire student body with this."
Xander shrugged. "As if you give a damn about this student body. The only reason you are here is because you can't get laid so you take it out on us who don't believe we have any power over you, but let me tell you something. I'm not your average sixteen year old and I know mine and my fiancée's rights. You harass me or mine I will have your ass in a sling with the school board. And if that doesn't work I will go to the governor," Xander's voice then got low, dark. "And if that doesn't work this town isn't safe. Wouldn't want you to have an unfortunate accident with a barbecue fork."
"Xander!" Buffy squealed.
Xander's intensity only served to infuriate Snyder and take him by surprise. "You, Mr. Harris, are expelled."
"It doesn't work that way. First I have to have done something to warrent it," Xander told the principal, and he did so quietly and without emotion. He was back in Africa in his mind and feeling more than a little ruthless.
"Threatening violence on a school administrator," Snyder said.
He shrugged. "Never threatened you at all, just gave you a friendly warning that this town isn't safe. Besides, we both know you know more about this town then you let on," he told the Principal, then looked at his watch.
Snyder sputtered at that for a moment. "What do you mean by that?" he said almost angrily.
"Gee, wouldn't you know it, it's time for our next class," Xander said flatly,
"I'm watching you both," he said.
"Knock yourself out," Xander said.
Snyder's eyes narrowed at that, but then the bell rang and Xander helped Buffy up and they left quickly before he could say anything else.
"What was that?" Buffy asked him.
Xander sighed and said, "Africa."
"Africa?" Buffy asked confused.
"Yes, Africa. You're right, I'm exhausted right now and my inner diplomat is taking a nap which let Africa come out to play. Maybe not the best time, but the Troll needs to know he's not pushing me around," Xander said.
"So, you still haven't told me about Africa," she said.
"No, I haven't. Mostly cause I haven't had time, and certain ears that don't need to hear about it. However if you are willing to forego post-wedding sex I'll tell you then. I think we will be safely away from ears, but be warned, long dark story," Xander said.
"You really don't care if he expels you?" Buffy asked.
"No...if he finds a way to make it stick I can pass the GED test easily enough, but in spite of what they say it doesn't carry QUITE the same prestige as an actual High School diploma, it'll still get my foot in the door," Xander said and caught Buffy's stricken expression and continued, "However making it stick will be a challenge."
"You sure?" Buffy asked.
"As sure as I am that I love you more than life itself," Xander said seriously.
First thing after school, Xander met up with the gang in the library. Xander buddied up with Buffy to help her with her French homework while Willow helped Jessie with his math. Owen worked on scanning books with Ms. Calendar. Dawn then came in, and gave everyone a hug.
"Hey, East," Jesse said as she hugged him.
"Dawnie!" Willow greeted the ten year old.
"Summers the younger!" Owen joined in.
"Dawn Patrol," Xander said grinning, then yawning.
"You need SLEEP," Buffy admonished again.
"Not till summer," Xander said, with false cheerfulness.
"It better be sooner," Buffy said.
"I'm off at the Palace tonight, so maybe tonight," Xander said.
"No maybes, yes….sleep even if I have to tie you to my bed," Buffy said.
"That sounds more like fun then rest," Jesse quipped.
"Comments not welcome from the peanut gallery, especially with precocious ears about," Xander chided his friend.
"Huh?" Jesse said only to be elbowed by Willow.
"How can being tied up be fun?" Dawn asked.
"Too late," Buffy said resigned.
"I'll explain...when you are thirty," Xander told Dawn who stuck her tongue out at him.
"I wanna know!" Dawn said.
"I'm not telling you, too young," Xander said.
"But Jesse knows, and you've said I'm more mature than he is," Dawn protested.
"That is because you are a girl and only in some ways. This isn't one of them," Xander said.
"Fine….I'll just ask Janice tomorrow. She'll know. Her sister is a skank," Dawn said.
"Dawn Marie Summers!" Buffy said.
"Janice is the one that said it," Dawn protested.
"That doesn't mean it needs repeated, Dawnster," Xander said as the assembled Scoobies giggled.
"I'd like to see you guys help raise your soon to be sister-in-law," Xander said, grumpy.
"Xander, you're grumpy, maybe you should take a nap," Willow said seriously.
"I for one second the motion," Buffy said, enthusiastically.
"Can I put his hand in warm water if he does?" Dawn asked.
"Word to the wise, Dawn, don't announce that while your intended victim is A) Awake and B) in control of your tv watching privileges," Xander said causing Dawn to squeak.
"I'm sorry. Wouldn't think of it ever again," Dawn promised.
"Very good, Dawn," Xander said then yawned and got looks from the assembled Scoobies, especially his fiancée. "Ok...ok. I'll take a nap, but first I have Scooby stuff to go over. More of list of things to be on the look out for. So in preamble.."
"I'm so proud! He used preamble," Willow gushed, interrupting.
"I'm glad you're proud, Wills, but can we focus please?" Xander said, punctuating his statement with another yawn.
"Sorry," Willow said.
"Ok, I'm keeping this short cause my many protests aside a nap is starting to sound like a good idea. First I can't guarantee any of this is going to happen, or when. So with that out of the way the first thing on my list is Sid. Sid is actually a semi good thing. He's a living puppet. Demon hunter that got cursed. Not going to go into detail other than the only reason he sticks in my mind is I thought he was funny. Next and on this one I'm not sure of the year, but the swim team is going Creature of the Black Lagoon. Remember this because I went undercover...in a speedo," Xander said.
"I think I'll like that one," Buffy said with a grin.
"I'm sure," Xander said dryly then continued, "Next was our nightmares coming true. All I remember on that is a boy in a coma was the cause, and beating up a clown. After that was an invisible girl attacking Cordy and I hang my head in shame as I cannot, for the life of me remember her name. This is a problem because she became invisible because she felt ignored, and she was. The only thing signed in her yearbook was 'Have a great summer!'."
The group winced at that. Owen then said, "The poor girl...kiss of death."
"Yup, hence my shame. Anyway she comes pretty close to killing Cordy, so this one is serious, but not sure when she goes invisible," Xander said.
"Finding her should be a priority. A simple hello might be enough to stave off her becoming invisible," Giles said.
"Good point, since she was obsessed with Cordelia we might keep an eye on her crew for anyone that just isn't fitting in," Xander said and yawned again.
"Anything else?" Jesse asked.
"That's all I have for right now," Xander said yawning again.
"Come on Dawn...let's get Xander home so he can sleep," Buffy said.
"Does that mean you're making dinner?" Dawn asked.
"Probably, why?" Buffy asked.
"Cause I just remembered I'm having dinner at Janice's," Dawn said as she packed up her stuff.
"Really? Does Janice know this?" Xander asked.
"Not really, but Buffy's cooking. She'll understand," Dawn said.
"Dawn, your sister isn't that bad of a cook," Xander admonished.
"No...she CAN boil water reasonably well," Dawn agreed.
"Gee...thanks," Buffy said.
"I fear for any defendant that faces Dawn on a jury, she's so...charitable," Xander said as he finished gathering up his stuff and the new family went home.
Buffy didn't actually have to tie Xander down 'cause he fell asleep almost as soon as he laid down. Though a good sleep it wasn't. He soon found himself in the burned out landscape of Lucifer's Sunnydale.
"Not again. Can't you leave me alone, you bastard!" Xander raged.
"I don't know if that term can apply to me, as I don't actually have a mother and my Father doesn't have an equal. A point he and his new favorite, Michael made imminently plain when Michael cast me to Hell. Which means I only have one parent which precludes marriage," Lucifer said as he appeared beside Xander.
"You aren't answering my question," Xander said drily.
"You made yourself a Player, my boy. That comes with consequences," Lucifer said.
"I've always been in this fight, you know that," Xander said.
"Ah...this is true, but it wasn't until Azrael sent you back that you revealed yourself as a Player," Lucifer said.
"So I'm now in the same league as Buffy and Angel? A Champion?" Xander asked.
"Oh, no...nothing so...pedestrian. The Slayer and the ensouled Vampire are weapons of your side, but they are mere soldiers in this war. Leaders to be sure but of no more importance than any other officer, kill them another pest will take their place. You on the other hand...hmmm...should I even tell you. Azrael wasn't able to, he stretched his ability to affect things near the breaking point sending you back after all. Then again, I've never been one to obey the rules," Lucifer chuckled lightly at the last.
"You're enjoying this aren't you?" Xander asked and started walking looking for a way out of the dream.
"Immensely, but there's no need for you to take off now. I'm just getting warmed up," Lucifer said.
"For what? Playing with my intestines again?" Xander asked.
"You still sore over that?" Lucifer asked.
"What makes you think I wouldn't be?" Xander asked aghast.
"Oh come on...what's a little evisceration between friends?" Lucifer asked.
"We aren't friends," Xander said.
"Come on, just because we're on different sides doesn't mean we can't be pals. I'm bored...at least you're INTERESTING," Lucifer said.
"Great...just great. Lucifer, Prince of Lies finds me interesting. My life is complete now," Xander muttered.
"It is quite an honor I know, I find so few actually interesting. Christ, boring, so predictable, Adam and Eve...good grief were THEY shallow, The first vampire..you think Angel is bad? Why do you think I started locking their souls away? Much more fun without them," Lucifer said.
"You sure like to hear yourself talk," Xander said.
"Too much?" Lucifer asked.
"Just a bit," Xander snarked.
"Ok, smartass. Answer me ONE question and I'll leave you alone for the rest of tonight," Lucifer said.
"Make it the rest of eternity and you've got a deal," Xander said sounding bored.
"See...Player. Making with the deal, but unfortunately what I want to know isn't worth eternity," Lucifer said.
"Ask and I'll decide that," Xander said.
"Ok...why'd you do it?" Lucifer asked.
"Do what?" Xander asked.
"Sign up to be Azrael's prime stud?" Lucifer said.
"You mean come back?" Xander asked.
"Yup, why? Love wouldn't have been enough, you could've stayed in Heaven and spent time with your fair-haired slayer. So why," Lucifer said, the last a whisper.
"To kick your ass. You messed with my life you sick bastard and put both me a Buffy through hell. That deserves some pay back and I'm going to see you BURN for it," Xander said.
"Vengeance? Channeling the ex a bit much there aren't you my boy?" Lucifer asked.
"I thought we had a deal?" Xander asked.
"No, you never actually agreed to the terms," Lucifer said.
"Ok, fine, I agree the question isn't worth eternity, but it should be good for say...five years?" Xander said.
"What kind of opening bid is that? Two days." Lucifer countered.
"Ok, you're right. A year." Xander offered.
"You wound me. I don't think you like me very much," Lucifer said sounding hurt.
"Save it for someone that cares and I'm waiting," Xander said.
"Fine, three days," Lucifer said.
"And who's out of their tree? Nine months."
"Ooo...good one, get me to leave you alone while the missus is hormonal, but not happening. Five days.
"Had to try, six months," Xander countered
"A week," Lucifer said.
"Getting warmer, four months," Xander said.
"A fortnight," Lucifer said.
"Three months."
"Three weeks," Lucifer said.
"You can do better, I've come down from five years," Xander said.
"Fine..a month," Lucifer groused.
"Six weeks," Xander replied.
"Deal…" Lucifer said not sounding happy about it.
"Deal," Xander said and the hell vision faded.
Buffy and Xander walked up the steps of St Mary's and opened the door. It was a stone building with nice but not overly ornate stained glass. Xander sighed and was kicking himself for not seeing the padre since he got back, he'd just been too busy or too possessed, or too something. There was a part of him that was more nervous about this meeting than when he went to tell his parents about the baby. He really respected the padre and he didn't have very many adult role models.
"You seem nervous," Buffy said squeezing his hand.
"The padre and I go way back, the voice of my conscience is his and I haven't been by to see him since I got back and truthfully I'm ashamed of that. I've missed him," Xander said.
"Is he dead in the future?" Buffy asked.
"Yes, but he went...normally. I think he's seventy five or eighty now," Xander said.
"Oh…so kinda like a grandfather?" Buffy asked.
"I guess so, but he was on the list so we might as well kill two birds with one stone," Xander asked.
"You think he'll agree to performing the ceremony?" Buffy asked.
"I hope so," Xander said quietly. Buffy gave him a quick hug and they went in to the building. Once the door was closed Xander called out, "Padre!?"
"Do my ears deceive me, or do I hear Xander Harris?" a voice sounded and a frail priest stepped out of the confessional.
"Hey, long time no see," Xander said walking up to the priest and giving him a hug.
"Oh, it hasn't been so long, my boy," the Padre said.
"It's been longer than it should've been," Xander said.
"You're a good boy, Xander, however my eyes aren't so bad that I think I see the reason you haven't been around," the father said with a smile.
"She is a big part of why I haven't been around, Padre. Buffy this is Father Mulcahy, Father, this is Buffy Summers," Xander said.
"Pleased to meet you Father," Buffy said shaking the older man's hand.
"Always a pleasure to meet Xander's friends. How are Willow and Jesse by the way, I haven't seen THEM either in a while," Father Mulcahy asked.
"Doing well, Willow's actually seeing someone and Jesse is still trying to catch Cordelia's eye," Xander said.
"Wonderful, always nice to hear good news. Lord knows this town is sorely lacking in it," the Father said. "Now my boy, I doubt you brought your girlfriend down here just to meet me. I guess you need Holy Water?"
"Why would you ask that, Padre?" Xander asked.
"I'm old, Xander, not stupid. I know Buffy is the Slayer. The Church has a vested interest in keeping tabs on them. Though I would wish the Church would take a more active role in the way the Watchers handle those poor girls. No offense, Miss Summers," the Padre said.
"None taken, Father," Buffy replied, a smile forming on her face.
"Well, this is a surprise," Xander said sitting down in a pew.
"I'm a little surprised to find you with her, usually the Slayer is kept away from the world she protects," Father Mulcahy said.
"I wasn't raised by the Council, Father. I didn't know anything about my Calling until I was...well Called," Buffy said.
"That is news to warm my heart, my dear. Maybe with friends like Xander you may live longer than your sister slayers," the Padre said.
"That's the hope anyway, Padre," Xander said.
"Anyway, I have a couple of gallons of Holy Water ready, I was hoping to make contact with the Slayer when I heard she would be in town," Father Mulcahy said.
"Wow...how long have you been blessing it?" Buffy asked.
"About three month's now," Father Mulcahy said.
"Padre! You shouldn't push yourself that hard!" Xander said forgetting that his sixteen-year-old self didn't know the first thing about blessing water.
"You know what it takes to bless water that will be effective against the undead? Buffy's watcher must be more liberal minded than most," Father Mulcahy said while raising his eyebrows.
Xander sighed and looked at Buffy, "We really appreciate it, Padre. But that actually wasn't the reason for our visit."
"Oh? Then why are you here then?" Father Mulcahy said.
Xander pulled out his father's letter of permission to marry and handed it to the Padre. Buffy squeezed Xander's hand as the Father read the letter. Father Mulcahy's expression became blank as he read.
"I am so sorry, my son. Where have you been staying?" Father Mulcahy's voice sounding with deep concern which made Xander a bit misty.
"He's been staying with me, my sister and Mother. The least I could do as I'm the reason he got kicked out," Buffy said softly.
"I see, and how far along are you?" Father Mulcahy asked.
"Only a few weeks," Buffy answered.
"You plan on carrying the child to term?" Father Mulcahy asked.
"And raising it, together," Xander said.
"That will be a challenge, Xander," the Padre said.
"I know it will be, but its the right thing to do. I won't be my father," Xander said.
"So you'd be here for the mandatory counseling session then?" the Padre asked.
"That and we'd also like you to perform the ceremony, Buffy doesn't know any priests, and for me...it'd mean a lot if you would. I'm going to be missing a lot of friends for this as it is," Xander said.
"I see. I can't give you an answer yet on performing the ceremony. I want to go through the counseling session first before I make a decision on that. However I am honored that you considered me for the duty," Father Mulcahy said.
"I understand, though the circumstances surrounding Buffy's pregnancy come from the spooky side of the street," Xander said.
"Come with me both of you, we'll be more comfortable in my office," Father Mulcahy said.
Buffy and Xander joined Father Mulcahy in his office and Father Mulcahy had him tell the story of how Buffy came up in a family way. The Padre was attentive and didn't interrupt until Xander and Buffy were finished with the tale.
"The things people will do to try to solve their problems when the Church is here to help," Father Mulcahy lamented.
"I know, but what can you do?" Xander asked.
"Ok, so now I know HOW it happened, and I have to commend you Xander on your honorable intentions. Buffy, as I'm sure your mother as already told you, your judgement in this matter was lacking. However it is understandable. Slayer's have short enough lives as it is," Father Mulcahy stroked his chin in thought.
"Xander could you step outside for a few minutes, I need to speak to each of you alone now and I think I'll talk with Buffy first," the Padre said.
"Ok, just come and get me when you're ready. I'll be taking a nap. I haven't been sleeping well the past few nights," Xander said and was rewarded with a smile from Buffy.
"My little sister was taken by a demon the other night and Xander's been helping her with her nightmares," Buffy told Father Mulcahy.
"The poor child, she wasn't harmed was she?" Father Mulcahy asked.
"No, thank God, at least not physically," Xander said.
"Go rest, son. We'll get you when we are done," Father Mulcahy said.
Xander got up, hugged and kissed Buffy and went out and stretched out on a pugh. It didn't take him long to fall asleep, which was dreamless. It wasn't long before he was being shook.
"Five more minutes," he mumbled as he slowly awoke.
"Sorry, honey, but its your turn," Buffy said.
"How long was I asleep?" Xander said as he sat up.
"I was with the Padre for an hour," Buffy answered.
Xander shook his head, "Nice having a nap without dreams."
"Have they been bad?" Buffy asked.
"Buffy, I haven't had a good dream since the Master's cave the first time around," Xander said.
"I'm sorry," Buffy said tearing up and hugging him.
"You have nothing to be sorry for," he said as he held her.
"Yes I do, you and Willow and Jesse and Owen shouldn't be involved in this," Buffy said, crying openly then added, "But I love you too damn much to ask you to run."
"I wouldn't go anyway, Buffy. The first time around you did your best to keep me out of the fighting, it didn't work then and its not going to work now. I will be by your side no matter what," Xander said as he held his fiancée.
"I really don't deserve you," she said.
"And you think I deserve you? I'm a first class loser, Buff. To have had you as a friend and now a lover...I pinch myself every morning. I love you with everything I am," Xander said.
"You better go, he's waiting on you," Buffy said.
"Ok, be back soon," Xander said kissing her forehead and giving her one last hug before going back to the Padre's office.
Xander found the Father standing in his office door smiling. "It's obvious you care for each other deeply," he said as Xander closed the door to the office.
"Sit. Buffy is a remarkable young woman," Father Mulcahy said.
"Yes she is, she's my best friend and I can't imagine life without her in it," Xander said.
"I know young people feel things strongly, and Buffy, as mature as she is, seems like a typical sixteen year old that has had tremendous responsibility given her, You on the other hand...what happened to you to make you so much older than you were last time I saw you, my boy?"
"I don't know what you are talking about, Padre," Xander said with his trademarked stupid grin.
"I can't help you if you won't tell me the truth, son. Your bearing, posture, the way you look around. You've been at war for a long time Xander. Far longer than you could've possibly known Buffy. Indeed far longer than the last time I saw you," Father Mulcahy said gently.
"I'm still me, Padre," Xander said.
"Of that I have no doubt, the question I have is how old are you? You aren't sixteen anymore, that is obvious. Just like it's obvious you are suffering from PTSD. I'm sure the nightmares are keeping you up just as much as Buffy's sister is," Father Mulcahy said.
Xander sighed and leaned back in the chair and said, "I just can't keep this from anyone, can I?"
"Keep what, my son?"
"Nine years from now I was walking home with Buffy from a movie…" Xander started and told the Father the story of how he ended up here and a brief description of his activities since getting back.
"And I thought Buffy had the heavier burden," Father Mulcahy said.
"In many ways she still does, she's still the one that has to face the Master and everything else," Xander said leaning back forward.
"You love her?" Father Mulcahy asked.
"With everything I am. I always have, ever since I wiped out the first day I saw her to just before I came in here," Xander said.
"And you've seen her at her best and worst too, which is more than many young couples can say," Father Mulcahy said.
"Our first fight when I got back was over me telling her mother about her being the Slayer. Mrs. Summers said we fought like an old married couple," Xander said, smiling at the memory, one of the few from the horrible night that had been the Harvest.
"I can imagine. Tell me of your dreams, please," the father said.
""Well I have a lot of bad ones as you can imagine. Angelus, Adam, the Mayor. Giant Praying Mantis, hyena...I assume you don't need an exhaustive list of what we've faced over the years, but the worst ones have only been since I've been back with Lucifer," Xander said.
"What are they like?" Father Mulcahy asked.
"He's mostly annoying, likes to hear himself talk and talk and talk, then in the first one he got bored and played with my guts for an hour before he let me wake up," Xander said, his voice distant.
"What have you gotten yourself into, my dear boy?" Father Mulcahy asked and gave Xander a hug.
"I don't know, but in the last dream, Lucifer called me a Player, whatever that means. Giles hasn't been able to find out anything outside of the Bible on Lucifer," Xander said.
"That is because the Church won't let the Watchers have those books. I'll do some research myself and see if we can't get you some answers, but it does seem that God has given you a tougher challenge than he does most of his children," Father Mulcahy said.
"I just hope I'm up to it," Xander said.
"Meaning you wish someone else had the burden. God never gives us more than we can handle, and indeed there'll be happy times with this as well. When are you planning the wedding?" Father Mulcahy asked.
"Less than two weeks," Xander said.
"Get me the actual date and were you planning on being married in the Church?" Father Mulcahy asked.
"Well, neither Buffy nor I are actually Catholic," Xander said sheepishly.
"I understand, how about Saturday after next?" Father Mulcahy asked.
"That would be fine. We really appreciate it," Xander said.
"Let's go tell Buffy, I'm afraid I put a little too much fear of God into the poor girl."
Xander got home from the Palace and heard voices in the kitchen, specifically three of his favorite voices to hear. Buffy's, Dawn's and Joyce's. He grinned and called out, "Honey, I'm home!"
Sooner than he expected he was enveloped in a hug from Buffy and was being kissed, then she broke off and said, "Missed you,"
"EWWW, kissing," Dawn said playfully.
"We'll if it isn't a female Fred Savage," Xander quipped.
"Whose Fred Savage?" Buffy asked.
"The Princess Bride?" Xander asked.
Buffy blinked blankly at him causing Xander to grin, "You've never seen the Princess Bride?"
"No...is it even been made yet?"
"Yeah, it's old, next movie night we'll watch it. You'll like it," Xander said.
"Dinner's still warm, Xander. We went ahead and ate since you weren't sure when you'd be off," Joyce said.
"Thanks, Mrs. S." Xander said.
"Xander, you're marrying my daughter, I think it's time you started calling me Joyce," she said.
"That's going to take some getting used to," Xander said.
"Marrying my daughter or calling me Joyce?" Joyce asked with a grin.
"What do you think, Mrs. S?" Xander responded with smirk.
"Go eat, Buffy said she didn't want to talk about the ring situation until after you were home," Joyce said.
Xander went into the kitchen and soon found his vision swimming, and wiped his eyes. Home…even when he had lived with Anya it wasn't like this. The only time he'd ever felt like this was at the school, in Cleveland, with Buffy and Faith and the rest of the mini-Slayers. Now he was feeling it again, with Buffy, Dawn and their mother.
"You ok?" Buffy said as she wrapped her arms around him.
"Yeah, just realized something tonight," Xander said turning around to hold her properly.
"What's that?" she asked.
"I'm really home," he said, kissing her.
"Of course you are, you big lug," Buffy said obviously confused.
"Right, of course I am. Look I'm not really that hungry. Let's go talk rings with your mother," Xander said and they went back into the living room.
Xander and Buffy sat on the couch.
"So I assume, Willow gave you my letter?"
"Yes, she did, Mom," Buffy said
"You really don't have to Mrs. S," Xander added.
"My little girl is getting married," Joyce started only to be interrupted by Dawn.
"No I'm not, Buffy's getting married," Dawn said from the floor where she was working on homework.
"You are my pumpkin belly. Buffy is my little girl," Joyce said.
"Oh...ok, thanks for clearing that up," Dawn said with a mischievous grin.
"I feel so sorry for the guy that falls for her," Xander said with a grin.
"Anyway, back to the subject. Have you decided what you want to do?" Joyce asked.
Xander looked and Buffy who took a deep breath, "I'd love to be able to wear your ring, Mom. However my nightly activities...I'd feel terrible if something happened to it and with Slaying...it could happen all too easily," Buffy said.
"Oh…." Joyce looked thoughtful. "I didn't think about that actually."
"You aren't upset?" Buffy asked.
"No, why would I be upset?" Joyce asked.
"Its just that...it doesn't have anything to do with the divorce and I don't want you to think that I think its jinxed or something," Buffy babbled.
"Buffy, I understand, I should've thought about it. I'm glad you did, I wouldn't want you feeling bad because you lost the stone fighting evil," Joyce said.
"You understand?" Buffy asked.
"Of course I do, as I said, I'm glad you thought of it," Joyce said.
"Actually, Xander did," Buffy said sheepishly.
"Xander?" Joyce asked.
"I've been surrounded by super-powered girls virtually my entire life, Mrs. S. I picked up a lot. Besides, when Willow activated the potentials she activated ALL of them. Trust me...really freaky seeing an eighty year old take out a vampire with a face kick," Xander said shuddering with the memory of the Widow Anderson.
"Who was this? The way you normally talk I thought most of the activated Slayers were on the south side of thirty," Buffy asked.
"The Widow Anderson, let's just say being called...woke up more than fighting abilities in her. She was...kinda grabby," Xander said shuddering again at the memory. The girls began laughing uncontrollably.
"You mean she'd…" Joyce trailed off as Xander started nodded eyes closed in remembered pain.
"Every time I was within arm's reach. She had impeccable aim, too," Xander said sending his family into greater peals of laughter.
"Poor Xander, next time she'll have to go through me, ok?" Buffy said.
"Thanks, Buff. But you weren't able to stop her last time," Xander said.
"I was trying?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah, she was only at the school for a few weeks before I got shot. Refresher course and from what I've gathered since then, you were nursing a sizable crush on me at least. Which actually explains why Faith kept asking me if you'd.." Xander began before Joyce cleared her throat. "Sorry, Mrs. S. Lost in memory there."
"I never get to hear anything good," Dawn complained.
It was a good day to go ring shopping. Xander ran his hand through his hair, trying not to look too much at the price tags of the rings that the man was showing them. The girls were oohing and aahing over a huge array of very fancy-and very not-Slayer-friendly-rings.
"I know you said you wanted just the wedding ring for Buffy, wasn't it?" he confirmed, his higher-register voice something between Will Truman and Fran Drescher. He winced slightly, because knowing character names from shows he didn't even watch was just one more thing to show how much of his time was spent as the only male in a sea of females. "But this lovely four ring set is just so beautiful, I had to show it to you."
Buffy looked at it, frowning. A short primer on acceptable ring setting from Xander the night before had her looking suspiciously at anything with prongs. "I think it's lovely, really," she said, "But as active as I am at school, and after school, I'm just so afraid of losing the stone on these high settings."
There was a nice tear drop diamond in a bezel setting that he'd been eyeing for about ten minutes. "What about this one," he pointed to the ring.
"Oh, I suppose that one would be alright," he said, "For a starter ring."
"What do you think is wrong with it?"
"Oh, we put lower quality diamonds in settings like that, ones that aren't as pretty," he explained dismissively. Xander already knew that, but he also knew that it would be more affordable, with little sacrifice in overall appearance.
Xander shook his head. "I think I'll just look around if you ladies want to keep looking here?"
Buffy nodded, and Xander went in search of either a competent sales clerk or a selection of rings more to his liking. He found both three counters over. "Hi," a perky young lady said from behind the counter. Her nametag declared her to be Elizabeth. "Eric does like to upsell the sparkle doesn't he?"
"Yes, the problem is that my fiancée is very active, and is afraid of losing her stone or part of her ring. We were wanting something small with a flush, bezel or channel setting."
She smiled radiantly, and he might have flirted with her in a different time and place. "A man who knows his rings, I'm impressed. Well, you are at the right counter. Are you wanting a full set?"
"No, just wedding rings. We'll be married next week."
"Ok, then," she said pulling out a flat of similar rings, but all different sizes. "A week isn't enough for something custom, of course. And I'm sure you'll want to come back in a few years to get a nice ring to go with as an anniversary present?"
"I hadn't thought about that, but, yeah, maybe. We'll see."
"I understand, you're young, you don't know how your finances are going to be next week, let alone next year, or in two or five years."
"Exactly," Xander said, relaxing. "Joyce is going to pay for these, which she doesn't have to do with everything else, so we aren't going to get terribly extravagant just to end up losing the thing."
"You are right, of course. Your girl a cheerleader?"
"Last year, but she just moved here, and didn't make it in time for tryouts this year. We'll have to see about next year with her being pregnant," Xander told the girl absently as his eyes looked up and down the different rows of rings. He pulled out one that looked nice, and tried it on.
"Hmm," she said as he handed it back to her. "Size 10 1/2, but it looks a bit small for you, so, try this one," she said, handing him an almost identical one, but it looked just a little wider. He put it on his finger, and it fit smoothly, and rested comfortably without being too big.
"Feels right," he said, then waved at Buffy, who was over by him at nearly super-human speed. He showed her the ring, and said, "What do you think?"
"It looks good on you, hon," she said, her mother catching up. "Ooo, matchies," she said, picking up a much smaller ring in the same style, and slipping it on her finger. "It fits just right," she said, and kissed him.
"We may want to get yours a bit large, with your condition," Elizabeth said, almost whispering, "Most womens' fingers swell, and they don't always go back to their original size."
"Just like everything else," Buffy said with a sigh and a shrug. "Can we get it resized in about a year if it's not fitting right?"
"Of course," she said. "Just bring in the original receipt, and the ring and we will make whatever adjustments that you need."
"Ok, so checklist, Willow is my Maid of Honor, Jesse is your Best Man, everyone has dresses and tuxes," Buffy said sounding a bit nervous. They were in the library waiting on everyone for training, though with wedding plans, training was limited to conditioning exercises and strength training instead of combat training.
"Check and check," Xander said.
"Invitations are ready to go out, though Mom's already called everyone to warn them, though Aunt Arlene and Aunt Lolly are definitely coming," Buffy said with a smile.
"Good, they seem nice, I only met them once," Xander said.
"You did?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah, it was...ah hell. I don't want to talk about that time, not when we've got something happy to look forward to," Xander said.
Buffy's expression darkened, "It was at Mom's funeral wasn't it?"
Xander squeezed her hand, "It's not set in stone, Buffy."
"Thanks, just knowing that she's…"Buffy shook her head, "But that's years from now."
"True, but it still isn't easy," Xander said smiling at her.
"Xander, you have a phone call," Giles said.
"Angel?" Xander asked.
"No it is a Samantha Maclay about the letter you sent to her and her daughter?" Giles said.
"Xander?" Buffy asked.
"Wedding guests hopefully, but more importantly a tutor for Willow," Xander said getting up and going into Giles' office as Buffy nodded.
He picked up the receiver and said, "Hello."
"Is this Xander Harris?" a soft voice said.
"Yes it is, Giles told me you are Mrs. Maclay?" Xander said.
"Yes I am. Your letter was fascinating reading, especially the wilder parts of your story. I'd be tempted to discount it except every truth spell we've done on it comes up clean. Which bears a question, where do we go from here?" Mrs. Maclay said.
"Well first you and Tara are invited to a wedding," Xander said with a grin.
"A wedding?" Mrs. Maclay asked.
"Yes, Mrs. Maclay. I never had the pleasure of meeting you the first time around, but your daughter...she was...is a very special woman and someone I've been proud to call a part of my family," Xander said.
"So what is your relationship with my daughter?" she asked.
"She's a Scooby. I don't know how to explain it really, but I know she's gay," Xander said.
"Yet you call her family," Mrs. Maclay said.
"In every way that matters she is family, and I want her at my wedding," Xander said.
"So we aren't part demon?" she asked, and Xander could hear the unshed tears in her voice.
"No, you've got something special, yes, but its not evil or demonic and you'll have friends here," Xander said.
"What about living expenses I...we don't want to be a burden," she said.
"There's plenty of jobs in Sunnydale, and the prevailing wages around here are a bit higher than normal while the cost of living is a bit lower than normal, particularly housing," Xander said.
"Ok...we'll be on the next bus. Thank you for this. I don't know how to repay you just for the truth much less a way out," she said openly crying now.
"There's nothing to repay, Mrs. Maclay. You're family," Xander said getting misty himself.
The next day after last period Xander roamed the halls armed with an invitation, which would be the hardest one to deliver. He didn't know why Cordy was being SO bitchy this time around, but it was time to get to the bottom of it and fix it. He and Cordy had managed to be good friends up until she died. That was one thing that Xander had serious trouble with, the Powers That Be were supposed to be on their side, and they just let her die from visions the bastards gave her. It wasn't right, not when she'd done so much good and had the potential for more. It wasn't like she fell in battle or something that would've been beyond their control. No, Cordelia Chase's death was fully on the Powers heads as far as Xander was concerned and he hated them for that. At least Azrael had been upfront and honest with him and more importantly given him a choice. Cordy never had one.
"What do you want?" Cordy asked as he approached her.
"Mostly to give you this, but I thought we could talk a bit privately," Xander said and Harmony let out an OOoooooo. "Hey Harm, nice to see you in the sun for a change!"
"What's that mean?" Harmony said.
"Nothing, just that you don't get much sun in the future," Xander said giving into the childish notion.
"What is this, Harris?" Cordy asked.
"That is a wedding invitation, but I wanted to talk to you, instead of us sniping at each other like we've been doing for the past couple of months. I want to know what's changed. You've NEVER been this mean to me before, unless you were REALLY pissed at me," Xander said.
"You want to know what the problem is?" Cordy asked.
"Yes," Xander said.
"You've changed, is what the problem is. You've started dressing in something that doesn't hurt my eyes to look at anymore. I've heard whispers about you maybe being cool after all, and its pissing me off!" she shouted.
"That's what has your panties twisted?" Xander asked incredulous.
"Not only that Xander, but you do the one thing guaranteed to make you a pariah again and no...you somehow turn that around too. Larry beat someone up that was furthering my campaign against you. I don't know why you're doing this, but I thought you knew your place in this school now you and Buffy are challenging that and I don't like it," Cordelia shouted a small crowd. "And what's worse you're starting to look damn hot! How dare you put on some muscle!"
"Hmmmm…..ahhhh….errr…." Xander stammered. This was the last thing he'd expected, however he should have. Her reputation in this school was the only thing Cordy valued right now. It was the only she really had. Like him and Willow, her parents didn't really care about her. He sighed and said, "Gee...I'm sorry, Cordy. I didn't know I was having that kind of impact on the social structure of the school."
"See there you go again being way cooler than you were two months ago. What happened to you?" Cordelia asked her voice sharp.
Xander was done with this he needed to tell her the truth just to put a stop to this. "Library. NOW!" Xander snapped his voice in a tone that had caused mini-Slayers to wilt and move double time. The effect on Cordelia Chase wasn't that immediate though so he added, "NOW Chase, move it!"
The assembled crowd oohed and ahhed as they watched the former Zeppo of the school and the former Queen marched to the library. However none of them actually went in. Xander shook his head at that.
"Why did you do that? Do you hate me that much?" Cordy asked, seeming on the verge of tears.
"Because you're being childish, High School...the year after it's over none of this matters, hell the day after graduation it doesn't matter," Xander said.
Cordy started crying, "But its all I have!"
Xander sighed and said, "No, it isn't. You are smart, beautiful and I've seen you kick ass. You don't need Harmony or Aurora or the rest of this god-forsaken school. You want to know what's changed with me?"
"Yes, why did you suddenly become… whatever this is. It can't just be Buffy," Cordy said through her tears.
"It's not, the truth, I'm actually twenty-five years old…" Xander began and to Cordelia's credit didn't interrupt until he finished.
"So we really dated, the first time around?" Cordy asked.
"Yes, but it wasn't something that was meant to be," Xander said.
"But you and Buffy...that's meant to be?" she asked.
"At least that's what Az says," Xander said.
"And Az is the Angel of Death and you are buddies with him?" Cordelia asked.
"Something like that," Xander said.
"And how do I know you aren't just completely crazy?" she asked.
"Cause I know about Ziggy," Xander said.
"You don't...there's no way you know about that…" Cordelia asked.
"Cause we dated, Cordy. In the end we were pretty good friends, which is why I want you at my wedding," he said.
"Really?" she asked.
"Really," Xander said.
"And how does Buffy feel about this?" Cordy asked.
"It's as much Xander's wedding as mine. While from my perspective, I think he's insane he seems to feel pretty strongly about it. You tell her everything?" Buffy asked as she came over to Xander and kissed him.
"Yeah, seems we've upset the natural order of the school. That's why she's been so bitchy," Xander said to Buffy.
"Still here you two," Cordy said.
"Yeah, oh...before I forget. You might want to set up a nest egg. Your father's been playing fast and loose with his taxes and its going to bite him in our senior year," Xander said.
"What do you mean?" Cordelia asked.
"Meaning your family loses everything. You can't even go to college because of it," Xander said softly.
"What?" Cordelia asked.
"You were accepted to Columbia and couldn't go, so you moved to LA and became Angel's employee," Xander said.
"Who's Angel?" Cordelia asked.
"Oh...you've never met him. Vampire with a soul. Broods a lot, goes through about a gallon of hair gel a day," Xander said.
"And he's your friend," Buffy said.
"Can we not use the f word in describing my relationship with Angel. Ally, comrade in arms, sure, but no...not friends," Xander said.
"Whatever you say, dear. Just know he's welcome to watch football or whatever guys do after we're married," Buffy said.
"I don't think Angel watches sports, besides baseball is my game," Xander said.
"Angels?" Cordy asked earning a dirty look from Xander causing both girls to burst into laughter.
"I'm doomed!"
Xander had a squealing Dawn on his shoulders as he and Buffy jogged home after school. Xander was grinning; things were going very well for this week. He'd saved Tara, he'd fixed things with Cordelia. He was getting married to the love of his life. The Master was still out there, but Xander felt he could enjoy this and worry about the grown up Batboy later. The three of them reached the house and went in laughing with Dawn and were surprised to see Hank Summers in the living room.
"Dad!" Buffy said happily as she went over to hug him.
"Daddy!" Dawn squealed and jumped off of Xander's back to attempt to tackle her father.
"Hi girls. How have you been?" Hank asked.
"Pretty good. Its been quiet, which is good for the wedding, but we weren't expecting you until Friday or Saturday. Of course I AM happy to see you," Buffy said.
"I managed to get a little extra time off so I thought I'd spend it with my two daughters and soon-to-be-son-in-law," Hank said.
"Good to see you again, Mr. Summers," Xander said.
"Call me Hank, Xander," Hank said.
"That is a losing battle, Hank. I've been trying to get him to call me Joyce since I found out about the baby, but he won't do it," Joyce said as she came out of the kitchen. "Hi, kids."
"Hi, Mrs. S," Xander said.
"Hi Mom. What are we doing for supper?" Buffy asked.
"You're father is taking us out to eat," Joyce said.
"Where're we going?"
"The Sizzler!" Hank said.
Xander started chuckling a bit and said, "Good choice Mr. S. Feeding a Slayer can be expensive as Mrs S can attest to.
"She eat a lot?" Hank asked.
"All Slayer's do. Our biggest bill at the school was food," Xander said.
"How much do they eat?" Hank asked.
"Faith and Buffy were banned from three all-you-can-eat buffets in Cleveland," Xander said thoughtfully.
"Oh," Mr. Summers scratched his head thoughtfully. "That does explain some things."
Xander wasn't usually used to nervousness, but today was an exception. He was meeting for the first time one of the people he knew the best. And her mom. He wasn't actually so nervous about the mom part; he was pretty sure that Samantha would be a wonderful addition to their adult support group. Giles and Joyce could certainly use the help; his parents were, well, his parents, Willow's were too busy being successful, and Owen had enough leeway that bringing them into the know didn't seem prudent. Jesse's parents knew there was something going on, but thus far, since Jesse's low-C average had been turned to a high-B, they hadn't questioned it a whole lot.
Xander remembered that they'd left town after Jesse's death, so he wasn't sure how they would react, and there was still the whole secret identity thing. Even if they weren't keeping to it as strictly as the Council might like, it still didn't behoove them to go flaunting it about town if they didn't have to. Weird word, behoove. It was a Willow word if he'd ever seen one. Or thought it.
"Why are you nervous?" Buffy asked him. She and Willow had come down to the bus station with him because he thought a couple of friendly female faces might help things.
He smiled. It wasn't, 'are you nervous,' but 'why,' and that made him feel better for some reason. "Tara is very, very shy. Even at nineteen, when even shy people are supposed to come out of the box, experience this thing we call life and then crawl back in."
"And she's only sixteen now?"
"And will have her mom with her."
"And we are friends-but-not-yet and she will explode with pressure?"
"I hadn't quite put it into those words, but yes."
"It's ok, Xander, she'll be fine, I'll take her home with me and she can stay in one of the guest rooms and we'll learn to be witches together and."
"Breathe, Will."
Willow took a breath. "Is she, you know, pretty?"
"Why do you want to know?" Xander asked, scrunching his face up in confusion. "Is this a girl test thing, because I'm so not falling for that sort of trick. Did you two get together and plan this?" he asked, distracting them from asking more questions that would be answered when Tara and Samantha showed up in the next half hour.
"No," Willow said, "No planning. You do think she's cute."
"Will, I told you, she bats for the other team.. Yes she's easy on the eyes, but so are you and so is Buffy. Relationships are about far more than that," Xander said and was rewarded with awws then he added, "Thank you Doctor Phil! Saved my life again!" Then both girls started tickling him in the ribs.
Willow stifled a giggle, and the crappy speakers announced some bus showing up, but the quality of the sound was such that he couldn't make out the bus number. "Is that ours?"
Xander looked around the buses outside the terminal, and caught sight of two women with waist length blonde hair, but both had their backs to him. "Maybe..." he said, straining to catch a glimpse of their faces.
It was difficult to recognize Tara as she was dressed in an oversized grey sweatshirt and sweatpants. Her hair was up in a simple ponytail. Her mother was dressed similarly. They both looked tired. But it was her. He got up and both Buffy and Willow joined him.
"Xander Harris?" the older woman asked.
"The one and only, you must be the lovely and gracious Samantha Maclay," Xander said putting out his hand and soon found himself enveloped in a hug.
Then painfully shy Tara hugged him too, though she was blushing when she pulled back. Xander just smiled at her then put his arm around Buffy. "Tara, Mrs. Maclay. This is my fiancée Buffy Summers and my bestest bud Willow Rosenburg. Willow as I said in my letter has potential as a witch, you'll be staying with her until you can get settled. Is there anything you need now?"
"We kinda had to leave all of our clothes to get away, but first rest. It's hard to sleep on a bus," Samantha said.
"I know what you mean, we'll get you to Willow's, let you rest then get you some essentials," Buffy said.
"I'm sure we'll be really good friends, Tara. Ms Calendar has been teaching me magic and seems to think I'm pretty good," Willow said.
"Th-that's gr-great," Tara said and was blushing again looking at her feet.
"It's ok, Tara, we don't bite," Willow said hugging the other girl, which caused Tara to blush even more. Willlow backed off as if burned, "I'm sorry, I get excited easily and I tend to babble a lot and maybe I should shut up now."
"Let's get them to your house Wills, where they can rest, then you and Buffy can take them shopping in the morning," Xander said.
"Welcome to Sunnydale," Buffy said.
"Nervous, buddy?" Jesse asked as Xander bounced on the balls of his feet.
"Yeah, just a little bit, the last time I tried this some moron claiming to be me from the future convinced me to bolt like a scared rabbit," Xander said then chuckled at his own little joke.
"That's won't happen this time, you've got a vampire here, one Slayer, Willow and me to keep you here. I've got Krazy Glue," Jesse offered.
"Dude, the shoes are rented and Father Mulcahy would skin us both alive if we ruined his floor," Xander hissed.
"Hey Xander," Angel said as he came up.
"How are you doing in here?" Xander asked.
"I'll be fine as long as I don't touch any of the crosses," Angel said.
"Hellooo, salty goodness," Cordy said as she also walked up to greet the groom before the ceremony.
Xander rolled his eyes, "Cordy, this is Angel."
"THIS is Angel the….grrr Angel?" she asked.
"She knows?" Angel asked.
"Yeah, she kinda worked for you for a while," Xander said.
"Really?" Angel said.
"Yeah," Xander said.
"Huh…" Angel said and headed back to his seat.
"Is he always such a conversationalist?" Cordy asked.
"No, sometimes he's quiet," Xander said with a grin and leaned over to Cordelia and said in a stage whisper, "I think the hair gel gets in his mouth."
Cordy stifled a laugh and went to her seat. Then the door opened and Tara and Samantha entered the church, the pair of them came up to Xander.
"Thank you for everything," Samantha said.
"Y-y-yes, Th-thank you for inviting us," Tara stammered.
"You're family," Xander said.
"Hot family I might add," Jesse said.
Xander shot his best guy friend a withering look. and said to the ladies, "I'm glad you are here."
After everyone was in place, and the small audience was seated, someone turned on music. It was just the traditional march, but as Xander caught sight of Buffy, and for a moment he couldn't breathe. There had been many hours in the last two weeks when he'd not been allowed near the upstairs as Mrs. S and some others were doing magic on her old dress. He wasn't privy to more details than that, but the results were spectacular. Buffy was slightly shorter than her mom, so he knew that the dress would have probably been shortened, but he couldn't see how. The sleeveless bodice did things that made Xander think of what would happen later, if they got to that. The skirt was full and huge and intricate. She wore a simple veil, and didn't have a huge train, and the whole thing just made his mouth go dry and he swallowed. She'd never looked so beautiful. Not even in the dress she wore the first time she faced the Master.
It seemed like both forever and only a couple of seconds before she was at his side.
"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of God and the face of this company, to join together Alexander Harris and Buffy Summers in holy matrimony; which is an honourable and solemn union and therefore is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently and soberly. Marriage is a gift from God given to us so that we might experience the joys of unconditional love with a life-long partner. If any one can show just cause why they may not be lawfully joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace," he looked around for the few moments of the required pause, but no one said anything. "Who gives this woman away?" Father Mulcahy asked.
Hank cleared his throat. "I do," and then after a subtle elbow to the ribs from Buffy, "Her mother and I do."
"Thank you, Dad," Buffy said, and he gave her a small hug, as if trying to figure out how to do so without messing up anything. He probably was.
"I want you to be happy," Hank said. "I love you."
"Now, Dad," Buffy almost whispered, and Hank sighed just a little.
"Xander," he started, not letting go of Buffy's hand. "I've only known you for a few weeks, but I feel you are an honorable man, and you make my daughter happier than I have ever seen her. I hope that the two of you have a long and happy life together."
Xander awkwardly took Hank's hand and shook it, and then suddenly his hand was holding Buffy's, and he helped her up the steps to where they were supposed to be standing. He heard Father Mulcahy talking, but it was just some background noise to the magical beauty that he had in front of him. Jesse poked him, and he started paying attention. Just in time, too. "Alexander, repeat after me," Father Mulcahy was saying.
"First Father, I have something to say to Buffy," Xander said lowering his voice so only those near the altar could hear and took Buffy's hands. "Buffy, I've loved you from the first moment I saw you. I've seen you at your best, and at your worst. I've seen you triumphant in challenges we have yet to face. I've cheered you up, chewed you out. Laughed with you and cried with you. You've been my best friend far longer than you've actually known me. Thank you for the honor of being your husband, and I promise to live up to this trust until the day I draw my last breath, interfering angels aside."
"Xander...wow...I've known you just a short time, and in that time I've seen your strength, your caring, your goofiness and most importantly, your capacity to love. You love deeper than anyone I've ever met and I thank you for sharing that with me," Buffy said with tears in her eyes, Xander saw Willow wipe her eyes a bit and thought he even heard a sniffle from Jesse.
After the impromptu vows that those who heard knew meant far more than the ones that were traditionally said, and Xander nodded for the Father to continue, Xander dutifully repeated his vows with all of his heart. "I, Alexander Harris, take you, Buffy Summers, to be my wife; and I promise before God and these witnesses to be your loving and faithful husband; in plenty and in want; in joy and in sorrow; in sickness and in health; as long as we both shall live."
Buffy said her vows, and Father Mulcahy asked for the ring, and Jesse did the one thing that he was supposed to be there for, and handed Xander Buffy's ring. "May this ring be blessed so he who gives it and she who wears it may abide in peace, and continue in love until life's end."
Xander placed the ring on her finger, and said, "With this ring, I thee wed," as he'd been instructed in the week leading up to the ceremony.
Willow gave Buffy Xander's ring, and the Father said, "May this ring be blessed so that she who gives it and he who wears it may abide in peace, and continue in love until life's end."
Buffy slipped the ring onto Xander's finger, and she said, "With this ring, I thee wed."
The Father said, "Buffy and Xander are now beginning their life together. May they have the love and support of family and friends, and a long happy life together. As Xander and Buffy have given their vows to live together as husband and wife, for as long as both draw breath, and given each other a ring as a token of their love and affection for each other, and so that all may know of their vows, I now pronounce them husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
EN: :) This is fixed, as well as "Angel." The full title of this on the writing side is "The Difficult We Do Immediately, the Impossible takes a Couple of Days"
