Four days can be a long time when your mind is moving at a thousand miles an hour. She never thought ninety-six hours could roll by so slowly, but she was wrong. Dead wrong. After her afternoon with Dawn, laughing and catching up. Reliving past glories and dwelling on ancient history, she returned to her Hotel room invigorated and at the same time full of restrained contempt over what she was going to do the next day.

Like every dated organisation, good and bad, the Watcher Council functioned on order. Unlike days past where she could wander into Giles Apartment or Library unannounced, these days appointments had to be made. A record of Meeting's kept. After all, Rupert Eugene Giles was an important man, Chief Watcher and all that nonsense. Fortunately however she already had an appointment. True, she was originally going to use it to beg for a relocation to Spain, but after what Dawn had imparted the day before … well, tearing strips of flesh off the man she had once looked up to and revered sided as just as good of a preference to spend her allocated hour then anything else she could think up.

How dare he and Willow control her grief and worry about Xander! Placing it in a proverbial shoebox and putting it to the back corner of her mental-closet. How could they manipulate her after everything they had been through with one another?

As soon as she pushed open the doors to his office she knew she would be having a fight on her hands. She knew this because levitating besides Giles lazily as she stormed into the room was the astral form of Willow. Obviously Dawn had contacted them both earlier and gave them the heads up that she was now in the 'know' towards what they had both done to her memories and perceptions months earlier to conceal Xander's machete attack.

Sure, Dawn down played it stating that his injury wasn't life threatening, but still as far as she was concerned one of her dearest friends had been seriously injured and she had every right to know about it. Regardless to whether she and Xand were talking or not she had a right to resolve any personal differences in the event the unthinkable did happen. People died from infections and South Africa didn't exactly have the best reputation worldwide with respects to medicine and medical care. If Xander had passed on before she had the chance to beg him to forgive her … well, there would be no place in Hell she wouldn't tear apart in order to find both of these people. They could just momentarily count themselves lucky that Xander had NOT died, that is all she had to say!

In her crazed mind there was no way either of them could justify what they did to her, and she let them know that with full barrels. They didn't even flinch, infact they both looked pretty bored during the proceeding. And after twenty minutes of rambling rants, Giles eventually passed over a small box of tissues. It was only then that she realised that she had been crying. When she started crying she did not know, but she was humbled by the realisation of it. In her head she heard Willow's voice telling her that they were going to leave her now. She remembered being started for a second and then realising that telepathy was the only way her friend could communicate in her 'spirit-like-state'. Giles nodded in agreement and left the room as Willow evaporated away with a sadden look upon her face.

With the two gone she finally noticed an impressive stack of Blue Filing Folder's, placed one on top of the other that had been sitting behind Giles. There were nine of them and each was full to near capacity. The mound of paperwork seemed to beckon her and she slowly approached weary of the possibility of being observed. After all, only official Watcher's were permitted access to personal data and research and she knew this to be a Research because the Folder's were Blue. Slayer's had Red Folder's and Watcher's had White. No-one without proper authorisation could accesses any other Folder but their own or upon a 'Needs Only' Basis. As she looked down upon the top of the highest place Folder she saw a Name and a Volume number 'Researcher: A Harris, Volume 1'. Eagerly she looked down upon the spine of all the other Folder's that lay below the one at the top. Each and all were 'A. Harris' from Volume one straight to Volume nine.

Her mouth went dry at the implications and the possibilities. She had just finished demanding to know more about what Xander had been doing and not to be coddled and protected and Giles and Willow were already prepared for it. They had made Xander's COMPLETE personal information available and they had given her privacy to review every official word because they both had known that their own credibility with her would now be left in question.

Hungrily, she removed the top folder and begun to read. She didn't stop reading until she had finished the last and most current report contained in the bottom last folder. It had been eight hours since she turned the first page to when she put down the last. In that time she had not been disturbed and she had gone through an entire tissue box.

She did not clearly remember how she made it back to her Hotel room, her motions being on full auto pilot. But she did remember crawling into the large and swank bed as imagined images of Xander's newly exposed life danced around in her head. Sleep refused to come for her that night and the following day she remained still under the covers hating herself for having invited Xander into her life. All she wished now was to have been left ignorant. How could she ever have a conversation with him again knowing what she now knew? No wonder Willow looked down on her with sadness when she faded away, unlike the Wicca-Extreme she had had the benefit of insider knowledge, knowledge that had been absorbed over a respectable amount of time. But for her? She had been forced to digest three years of hardships and triumphs all in the span of hours. For her it was almost too much.

Even now as she was being driven in a Classic Grey Ghost Rolls Royce, sitting besides her excited sister all she could think about were snippets of what she read days earlier. Like those three-days when Xander had been lashed to a tree. He had come to the defence of a Wilder-beast Were person. Stopping and distracting a small squad of Poacher's as their intended victim made it's escape. It was a simple case where it was one against twelve, the twelve won out but Xand didn't make it an easy victory for them. He had the crap beat out of him seven different ways, but the Poacher's were smart enough to know that a body that was riddled with bullets and knife wounds would drawn the attention of the Authorities. Yet one that was eaten and devoured by hungry Lion's and the like would not be. With prolonged thoughts of torture and fear on their minds they tied a semi-conscious and bleeding Xander securely to a tree, lashing him so tightly that the restraints actually cut into his skin when he tried to pull free at his bindings.

For three days, he suffered the African sun with no cover or protection. No water. No food. And no-one within a hundred miles to hear his parched screams that kept the various predators at bay. At the beginning of the forth day, blistered and experiencing sever sunstroke, his energy had all but left him and he was ready for the Pride of Lions that had shifted closer and closer to him over the passing day's to have their meal. Fortunately the were-person he had saved days earlier had reverted back to his human form and had come in search for his body to bury with some measure of dignity so as to not allow his carcass to rot and be ravaged by carrion eaters. None, Xander reported in his Journal, were more surprised at his survival and breathing-like-status then his new best friend. This stranger got Xander to a nearby aide station and he was transported to a Hospital later that day. There he remained for a week, recovering from his heat stroke, his beating and taking in plenty of fluids and vitamins to combat his dehydration. All awhile as the local Bush Patrol's hunted down the Poacher's who did this to him using the descriptions he had offered them on his attackers.

The were-person was from the first Demon-esk Tribe he had come across since his arrival in Africa a month earlier and by coincidence the Youngman he had saved was one of the Chieftain's several son's. When he was discharged from the Hospital he was escorted to the Tribe and there he was able to receive their collective gratitude for his courage and open-mindedness at recusing one of the 'Princes' and not being distrustful of their 'physicality's' during the full moon phase. It was with them that Xander formed the first of many Treaties and from them his reputation spread across the plains to other were-tribes and demon habitats. All forerunning to his fairness and acceptance to what they all were. For that first year all he had to do was walk into any of these tribes and announce that he was Xander Harris of the 'Watcher Clan' and he had man, woman and … 'thing' lining up to be his ally. In one year he had advanced more info to the Watcher's data base for the region than what had been achieved in over five hundred years.

Three years ago she called him 'Andrew', a spiteful insult to get him to stay away from Africa. What an idiot she was. Xander was a freakin' 'Rock God' down there!

The memory of these simple entries made her eyes presently itch, both with pride and sadness. Yet she quickly dispelled it all, forcing herself to think 'happy-thoughts'. This was Dawns big day. She was about to meet her hero and be interviewed for a position of a life time and one that could guide her in future endeavours. The last thing she needed was for this Lady Croft person make enquires into why the '+ one' had red puffy eyes.

The invitation arrived earlier that day, on an engraved card none the less. Allowing Dawn to invite a person of her own choosing to an intimate and personal dinner with her Ladyship. It took Dawn all of two-seconds to identify why this was. An issue later affirmed when Henry, Lady Croft's Butler and personal Chauffeur arrived to collect them. Apparently Lady Croft was curious to the kind of company Dawn kept and genuinely speaking the '+ ones' always revealed more about the habits and character of the person being interviewed. Originally Dawn was of the mind to dismiss the use of the extra invitation, but quickly changed her mind. If she did that it would make her sound 'unsociable' and without friends. Invite a boy along and she might give the impression that she was perhaps a little bit TOO sociable. Invite a classmate and it would look as though she might be trying to show off her accomplishment to a peer. Bringing her sister along however was a 'This porridge is just right' moment. Buffy had spent the last two and a half years in Rome so she could not possibly embarrass her with any current stories and Dawn had just enough sisterly control over what Buffy would and could say to ensure that foe-par moments could be avoided.

They had been driving for close to two-hours and Buffy was starting to have difficulty keeping her mind focused on the here and now, which is why she was repeatedly rehashing over in her thoughts things she had read about in Xander's personal accounts. Suddenly the Roll's drew into a private entrance and driveway, in the far off distance the amber glow of many, many lights could be seen.

"Ladies, I would like to welcome you both to Croft Manor House, Buckinghamshire."

To her left, Dawn, released a squeal and then leaned forward, straining at her seatbelt to peer assertively through the front windshield. Buffy couldn't help but smile; it had been a long time since she had seen Dawn this excited.

After four-minutes of additional driving they finally reached their destination. The car came to a steady and almost polite stop; Henry got out and opened the side door for his passengers. As soon as Buffy extracted herself from the classic vehicle she found her mouth opening of it's own accord in awe and wonder. This had to be the biggest home she had ever seen in her entire life. Looking beside her she was relieved to see Dawn imitating her features exactly.

As though he had seen this a thousand times before, Henry raised his voice in a level manner. "I know it can look quite intimidating, but believe you me it is no less impressive then any other hundred room Palaces." The man servant extended his hand outward to direct them up the stairs to the main entrance.

If it was at all possible, the inside appeared larger then the outside. In union the two females gulped as they started to recognise that this was not going to be the cosy and intimate gathering they had thought it would be.

As though the sound of their fear was a prompt for action a figure began to descend the marble staircase. The only thought that ran through Buffy's mind as their host began to join them was a simple one: If Wonder Woman and Superman ever had a daughter, then this is what she would have looked like. There was a regal quality in her movements, like everything she did was effortless and instinctual. But Buffy could not discount the hard and harsh gaze that accompanied the movements. This was a woman who was above the prompt and pleasures of Society, infact from the cool look and manner, the Slayer was of the opinion that Lady Croft detested the Station she had been born into.

As soon as Lara reached the bottom of the stairs she extended her hand out to Dawn. "A pleasure to meet you Ms. Summer's. I have been looking forward to this day for quite a while; I just never had the excuse to initiate contact. I must say the things I have heard about you appear to be an understatement."

Dawn looked as though she was a baby rabbit caught in the headlamps of an oncoming truck. "R…really? You've heard about me? From who? Because it might all be lies."

"Goodness, I hope not. My source thinks very highly of you and he doesn't speak highly of too many people. But of those he does, you are at the top of his list." Lara moved in closer and whispered in a consistorial way. "And for the record, he doesn't lie. At least not to me."

Dawn chucked, but it was clear to everyone that it was a nervous reaction. "So I have a fan, huh? Should I be worried or grateful?"

Lara smiled a very practiced and easy smile and turned her attention to the blonde standing besides her. "And you must be Buffy, Dawn's sister."

Buffy couldn't but feel a little put off by her identification, to the best of her knowledge Dawn didn't notify anyone that she was going to be her '+ one' and when she and Dawn were picked up by Henry a couple of hours earlier he did not make any communications prior or during the journey. Her participation in this night's affair should have been a complete 'unknown'.

"Do I have a 'Fan' as well?" The edge in her voice would be impossible not to interpret as a suspicious one. Buffy had been in these situations before, being invited to impressive surroundings, allowing herself to be caught off guard only to discover it to be a trap of some kind.

"You Ms Summer's? I suspect that you would have many. But in this instance what I known of Dawn I learned through basic research. After all, I do not invite anyone into my Family Home who I do not know forwards and backwards. In learning of Dawn's various achievements's I also found your photo crossing in front of me as well. I know who you are because I have made your sister of keen interest."

Buffy should have been reassured by these comments, but instead all she felt was more trepidation. Dawn had spent most of that first afternoon regaling her of 'who' Lara Croft was. Her various achievements and her 'questionable acquisitions'. She was a Treasure Hunter who had a habit of getting involved in exotic adventures. Could it be that Lara Croft had discovered that Dawn was once 'The Key'? Could this meet and greet be all about stealing another rare treasure?

"You don't trust me, do you Ms Summer's? That is a shame because I was dearly hoping we could all become good friends."

Buffy's eyes narrowed slightly, for starters she never trusted anyone who expected them to be instant friends straight off the bat. Lara had an angle she was playing, her instincts, slayer and female were practically screaming in her ears telling her so. This intimate gathering could not just be about a internship. Croft had gone out of her way to try and impress them, to impress Dawn. Part of her wanted to grab her sister by the hand and drag her out of this place, but she knew that if she did this in front of her little sister's hero that she would never be forgiven. After all, Lara hadn't done anything adverse … yet. She guessed she should just play everything by ear for the moment.

"Let's just be friend's. The 'Good' can come after we have gotten to know each other a bit better. Okay?"

That Cat that swallowed the Canary smile rose upon the 'Hostess-with-the Mostest' face. "That seems very reasonable, Buffy. And I am certain that at the end of the night we will all be one step closer to achieving that."

Dawn let lose a relaxed sigh at the end of those words, relief evident that World War III had been adverted and her chance to lose out on the internship she had set her heart towards had not been lost.

Over the next several moment's a various collection of light engagements were made. Each female trying to feel out the other, figuratively speaking. Short discussions were made by Lara towards Dawn's favourite subjects and Lecturers. To both of their surprises dawn and Lara shared the same interests and also favourite Teacher's as well. Even though Lara had gone through Oxford fifteen years earlier, the rotation of educator's, especially of the quality demanded by the school were small and minor ones. So it appeared that many of Dawn's Teacher's had also taught Lara when she was a student as well.

Dinner was a four coarse meal and the Slayer felt more and more confident as the evening progressed in her earlier assessment of Lara. She was working far too hard to become a 'friend' to Dawn and herself, not a Mentor. After an hour of back and forth conversation, very little of the dialogue had centred around the title Dawn was hoping to earn. For her sister's sake Buffy held her impatient tongue, the last thing she wanted to do was ruin, what must have been to Dawn, the best ever night of her life.

"So Dawn, do you have a boyfriend?"

The question caught Buffy by surprised and her 19th Century dessert spoon slipped from her grasp and collided with the crystal bowl that had been served earlier with ice cream and succulent strawberry pieces. The *clank* was deep and it echoed in the vast dining hall. This question was asked by her three-days earlier and she was told firmly by her sister to mind her own business. However, now, given the present barer of the query she supremely doubted that her little sis would be as rude or as elusive in providing an answer. With keen interest evident upon her face, she leaned forward.

"Come now Dawn, you are an attractive, intelligent and charming young woman. There are plenty of very eligible bachelors at Oxford, I know, I was there. There must be at least several young men of means attending your classes alone. Are you saying none of them have ever approached you for coffee?"

Dawn blushed and looked down to the napkin draping her lap. "Well, there are twelve boys actually. A couple of Lord's and such in-waiting. Gentry' types, property owners and the like. Sure they've asked me, some more then twice if I would be interested. They're nice, they're certainly polite. But they're not exactly what I'm looking for. Y'know, man wise."

A row of perfectly white and pearly teeth became exposed. "Oh really? It sounds to me that you know *exactly* what your looking for." Lara leaned back in her high back chair. "Can I phantom a guess? He's an older gentleman, isn't he?"

Dawn blushed again. A physical response that Buffy did not like seeing at all. She had had too many experiences with 'older' gentleman and she didn't want her sister go down the same road. Buffy looked at Lara with an impassioned look, one that sought a explanation on how she had guessed her response.

Lara continued to smile and took pity on the blonde. "She referred to the others as 'boys' yet selected to identify this would be individual as a 'man'. My guess is that it's probably one of her Professor's, it wouldn't be the first time a bit of infatuation and puppy love went astray. When I was a student I had the most embarrassing crush on *"

"*IT"S NONE OF THE PROFESSOR'S!!! It's somebody else!" Dawn looked down once more at her lap ashamed that she had lost her composure and raised her voice in front of her host.

"Who?" It was the only question that came to her lips as Buffy returned back to a normal seating position, ignoring the obvious discomfort her sister was in.

"It's …" Dawn suddenly thought different to blatantly revealing the name to her sister and mid sentence chose another tact. "He's not older, older. He's not like Giles-age. He's just older then me. And it's only by about 5-years or so, which considering the ages of *YOUR* BF's I think you should be a little bit less arrogant about. 'Kay?"

Buffy crossed her arms in front of her, still far from impressed with the explanation just given.

"She's right, Buffy. Love has no age-limit. Speaking for myself, I'm madly and deeply involved with a man several years my junior. Does that make me a cradle snatcher? A cougar as you American's call it? Tell me, Dawn, does he know that you care about him?"

"Care? Yeah, he knows that. But I don't think he knows I love him, at least not like that."

"If you don't mind my curiosity, why do you love him then?"

The question was a gentle and reassuring one and it caused dawn's lips to turn slightly upwards, her eyes shining like she was caught in a pleasant and important memory. "Because he told me I was extraordinary once. That I wasn't 'Special', that I was extraordinary. He didn't have too, say it I mean. But he took one minute aside, as everyone else was going about their business, doing their own thing. Y'know ignoring me. He stepped up and spoke to me, I mean *actually* spoke to me like I was his equal and not someone who was years younger. And then he told me I was extraordinary, kissing me after he did so. And when he did that I didn't care about our ages. I didn't care that he was older then me, or I was younger then him. I just wanted him to kiss me like that again and again and again and never stop kissing me.

"People can always find things to love about an other person. They can love the way they look, the way they speak, the way they laugh. They can love the way that person thinks and smiles. The way that they tell jokes, good ones and bad ones. But I fell in love with him though because he made me feel as though he would always be there to watch over me, to protect me. Which when you come to think about it in its basic form is a pretty primal response for us gals isn't it. We tend to chose to be with the ones who we feel will protect us the most."

"That's got to be the stupidest explanation to love someone I ever heard. He tells you your 'extraordinary' and then he plants one on you and from that your prepared to spend the rest of your days pining away for something that might never happen. From your own admission he doesn't know you're even infatuated with him and your turning down Dukes- in-waiting and Lords. That's crazy. Don't get me wrong, you living like a Nun thrills me to pieces. But your letting your life slip on by."

The sound of a crystal dessert bowl was heard being pushed away, what followed was a brief silence before the pearly whites of the world's most perfect smile revealed itself. "I don't think Dawn's explanation was stupid, Buffy. Infact I found it very revealing of Dawn as a person, and in truth I envy her. I have had many male suitors in my lifetime, Buffy, and every single one of them has always tried to take advantage or has betrayed my trust.

"Two years ago when I was leaving an expedition in Kilimanjaro, just outside of what the locals call the 'Mountain of the Gods', my Jeep went into a ditch, the rear axle snapped. You say that such people as the ones Dawn describe should be given up on, well I call that foolish. Because out of no-where along came such a man. Call it fate, call it coincidence, but he was looking for the 'Cradle of Life', the same place we were returning from. And also from where my latest male friend perished after choosing to ignore my wishes. Trying to seek fame and riches for himself. If we had not met him when we did he would most likely have perished if he tried to enter the 'Cradle'. So I guess in the end we both helped each other out.

"At any rate I had just lost one … lover. My mind was not in a right place, it was bitter and it was distrustful. Usually after something like that I would end up locking myself up in my room for a month. But this young man, a man I never met and was a complete stranger drove me and my party right back into Kilimanjaro, a three to four hour drive, without any word of compensation for the journey to any of us. Just helping out stranger's in trouble, talking and making jokes, lifting our … *my* spirits, he was younger then me, but it was clear by the lines of his face that his experiences were … interesting ones. And a part of me desperately wanted to know of these 'experiences'.

"Like with Dawn and her mystery man, there are just moments Buffy that you know who is right for you and who isn't. Just as I knew when that strange young man made me laugh when that was absolutely the last thing I wanted to do. We then parted company with no expectations that we would see each other ever again. Eight months later however I was back in another area of Africa, Ethiopia, and like fate we found ourselves seeking out the same mystery object. During that time we got to know one another a little bit better.

"And Dawn is absolutely right, it's a primal thing, all the men I have been with all share one common theme: they could all handle themselves in a fight or some other disaster, but this person … this man, this man several years my junior, made me feel for the first time as though I was protected. That it was alright for me to be a … a female and not someone who is always trying and struggling to compete in the violence of a 'Man's World'. Somebody like that, like the man Dawn describes, accepts you. They don't try to change you; they don't try to control you. They embrace who you are and they love you for it. For all your egos and your frailties."

"Yeah, well I don't need to get in a round table discussion on my 'Love-Life' or lack thereof, please." Buffy then pushed herself away from the table. "And I don't mean to be rude, but it's nearly nine and your driver drove us for close to two-hours to get here. Which mean's even if Dawn and I left right now it's doubtful we'd be back in Oxford before 11."

"You're right, I've just gotten all caught up with wanting to know you both better that I forgot the whole purposes of why I invited you in the first place." Lady Croft now turned her attention to the younger sibling. "Dawn, do you wish to be my intern?"

The eyes of the younger Summer's sister grew wide; could it really have been that easy? One stunned upward and downward motion of her head followed another then another, then another, speeding with it's frequency until she finally choked out a verbal reply. "YES! Yes, I would love that."

"Excellent, it's settled then. And you are absolutely right, Buffy; it is far too late for you to make your journey back to Oxford. So I invite you both to be my guest's for the night."

Dawn looked at her elder sister expectantly. Buffy, rolled her eyes and then nodded her compliance before she stood up from the table. "Well if that's that then, I think I might take myself outside to gather some of that old country air I've heard so many people talk about."

As soon as Buffy left the Dining Room, Lara leaned over to speak with Dawn again. "Did I say anything to upset her?"

Dawn shock her head. "No, she's recently had a break-up. So I think that all our talk about 'True Love' has probably been a little upsetting for her. Buffy has never had much success in that area. She's come close, but there has always been one thing or another standing in her way. And your talking about Africa probably didn't help much either, not that that was your fault. You didn't know."

"Know what?"

"A few years ago Buffy and this guy … Xander is his name, anyway Xander and Buffy work for the same, um, 'Company'. And this Company wanted to transfer Xand over to Africa. Xand was pumped, but Buffy got in his face telling him that he wasn't qualified. They had an argument, things were said, y'know that kinda stuff. They made up before he left, but she still didn't agree with the new direction he was taking with his life. So she stopped having too much to do with him. They never spoke or chatted, so what Xander was doing was pretty much a mystery to her. She only got third hand info. Anyway she returned back from her own posting a few days ago and discovered exactly the kinda things he was getting up too in Africa. I think her discoveries hit her pretty hard, finding out about the kinda things he has done. She's probably carrying around a lot of guilt for not being the friend she thought she should have been."

Lady Croft leaned back in her chair. "Interesting. Xander must be important to her."

"Xander is important to all of us, not just Buffy. He's the glue. He's the 'Heart' of everything we once were." Dawn turned her head to the exit Buffy had walked out just a few moments before letting her cryptic references float un answered in the air. "A body can't live without its heart, and if it does then it's a pretty sad and stinkin' life. Buff has just now started to work that out. A life … A World without Xander, really isn't much of a life or a World worth living in."

Dawn felt the cool and reassuring grip of Lady Croft's hand as it reached across the table and took her's. "Believe it or not, Dawn, I understand exactly what you are saying."

With her free hand Lara touched the intercom to her right side. "Bryce?"

An unfamiliar voice emitted from the speakers in the ceiling. "Yeah, Lara."

"Would you be a Dear and escort the younger Ms Summer's to the Library and show her the plate and can you also arrange for refreshments as well?"

"Sure."

As soon as 'Bryce' signed off a more noticeable voice was heard, this time Dawn recognised it as the Man Servant, Henry. "Would the young Ms like some camomile with a drop of lemon bought to her?"

Dawn looked up at the ceiling and called out to the speaker's. "Yes, please, Henry." Dawn then realised the wantoned smirk on Lara's face. "How? How did he know that I like camomile with lemon?"

"I told you before, I have excellent resources. Now it's time, as they say for you to 'Pay for your supper.' Bryce will be here in a moment to take you into the Family Library, don't be too put off by his general presentation, he always looks like a refugee from a Rambo Movie only lacking in the muscles department. Now he will be showing you a very old plate. I would like your analysis of it."

"You're not coming with me?"

"I thought I would give you some privacy. I'll be joining you shortly to find out what you have discovered."

At the conclusion of her statement, Lara got up and exited the room through the same door's her sister did. A moment later a young dishevelled man in an olive green army jacket that was three-sizes too big for him entered the room.

1234

It took all of ten seconds for Lady Croft to spy the pensive Buffy Summer's. She was staring out over the vast estate that had been her own since she was nine years of age. The guest's face full of hounded resentment, her knuckles clenched white.

With easy care she approached the young woman, aware already that this other person had already heard her carefully treaded approach. "I'm not very good at this I'm sorry to say. Apologising for my actions, careless or unknown as they may have been, it is not something I generally do. But I was not aware that you had just finished a relationship. My comments and encouragements to your sister must have stung. I'm truly sorry for subjecting you to that."

Buffy released a bitter laugh. "I'll get over it, I always do."

Lara continued her path ever forward, proceeding with the conversation. "Dawn also told me abit about your friend in Africa as well. If I had known you were worried about him I never would have mentioned my own experiences."

Buffy actually looked up at this comment, staring at the moon through the intermittent clouds. "That however, I don't think I will get over so easily. And for the record, I'm not worried. I was, but not anymore. At least not as much as I should be."

"Why?"

"Because he's doing fine. What is worse he is doing fine without me."

"And you resent him for that?"

"God, no! But a person, y'know, likes to feel needed."

At this stage now Lara was standing right besides the blonde. "Dawn said that this man, Xander, was your 'Heart'. Forgive my curiosity, but why did she say that?"

Buffy turned to look at Lara and was again surprised that she had to crane her head up to meet the other's eyes. But unlike before when she had first gazed into them the harshness was no more, what she saw was instead more imploring worry. The look of a person watching another drowning and not being able to do anything to help them. The Slayer knew that Dawn's gaff was a reference to the joining spell she and the gang had performed five years earlier when they went up against A.D.A.M. But she was not inclined to reveal this to a person she had just met.

"She meant that he was special. That Xander was more then just my friend; he was a member of my family. And in every family the members serve a purpose. Some member's are stronger, some are smarter, and some are more aware and moral. Xander was my small private family's heart. He loved us all unconditionally, no matter what we said or how we did things. He was our … Heart."

A wave of relief seemed to wash itself over the 6ft beauty at the completion of these words, barely noticeable in the darkness of the outside, fortunately Buffy's Slayer sight gave her the benefit of seeing the change in expressions.

Buffy shifted her gaze up to the moon once more. "When he volunteered to go to Africa, my first thought was 'you bastard'. I was so angry with him. How dare he do this too me. For as long as I have known him I have always worried about him. I can't really explain it. He was my … anyway, myself, him and another friend of ours were basically offered out own Posting's. I chose Italy; this other friend selected Brazil and with the World all but at his feet, where does he chose? Africa."

"And you thought he was being selfish?"

"Kinda, yeah. At first anyway. I mean how could I have a good time in Rome, living it up if I was always thinking of him and what he might be enduring? How could I be laughing and going to Night Clubs when at the back of my mind I'm worrying about him and malaria, spears and blowguns, AIDS, Lions and Tigers and Bears. So yes, I thought he was being selfish and being a bit of a dumbass as well. I also didn't think he was qualified or if he knew what he was getting into. I told him such as well. His own response to this effort however put me right in my place. It had been along time since I had felt that … bad. We mended our bridges before he left, but I couldn't support him for what he was doing. He left England knowing and believing that he did not have my support. But for the most part it was all about the shame I felt and I lacked the courage to change that."

"And now you think differently."

"No. Now I *KNOW* differently. He's proven he doesn't need me anymore. He didn't need any of us. He made himself completely self-sufficient."

"And that scares you?"

Buffy was starting to find the questions to personal and tedious, so she tried to turn the tables on her host. "Wouldn't it scare you?"

"Look around you, Buffy. What do you see?"

"A pretty big place and a mowing headache."

"My mother passed away when I was three, my father disappeared during an expedition and presumed dead when I was nine. Do you have any idea what it's like to be nine years old, no parent's or other relatives and be the sole inheritor of the Croft name and title as well as it's two-hundred million pound estate with funds in the Bank of England estimated at another four hundred million pounds? I grew up alone, with the exception of Henry, and angry at the world. Everyone wanted a piece of me, I had no one else. I became resentful, the rebellious teenager. I grew up a wild childe. When everyone else my age in the Social Circuit was buying Bentley's, I was riding Harley's. When others were travelling to the South of France for vacations I was spending time in the north of Scotland training with the SAS. Whatever the Society Types did, I did the exact opposite."

"Your point being?"

"My point is Buffy is that from nine I was more or less alone. I felt as though I had a responsibility for no-one, only myself."

"Again, your point?"

"My point, *Buffy*, is that you had and have someone who you felt a responsibility for. Whether it was your sister or this Xander gentleman. You had the opportunity, the gift of caring for someone other then yourself. That is irreplaceable and precious. Whether you know it or not these experiences guided you to who you are now, just as with Xander. He is probably who he is now because at points along his journey he had you to be there for him. His successes are equally yours, so don't hate him or yourself."

"So your saying that it is because of me that he is the man he is today?"

Lara smiled again, baring a glimpse of her perfect teeth. "I can say without hesitation and doubt that if this 'Xander' person was standing here besides you and me right now and I asked him how he became the impressive man that he is today. His reply would probably be 'Because of Buffy."

The blonde couldn't help herself, she smiled at that pleasant thought and she now found herself warming up to this woman whom she had originally been sceptical of. But she still felt as though Lady Croft still possessed the advantage over her and decided to cease some ground. "So what about you and your Wildman of Borneo? Does he have a name, or what?"

Lara looked up at the heavy moon and laughed. "Of coarse he was a name. He has an eye that twinkles. A laugh that cascades into you ears like honey. A voice that can be softer then an Angel's sign or as harsh as a Lion's roar."

In the darkness, Buffy rolled her eyes at the poetic description. Was Croft really this sappy or was she having fun with her? "Well then, what is it?"

"I wish I could tell you Buffy, but I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I am famous and he, well, he isn't. You have not had the benefit of being scrutinised by the British Tabloid Press, have you? No? Well, I have. It's not a pleasant experience. They would tear up any past secret he had thought had been forgotten and make it news worthy. For the last few months I have worked very hard not to make any reference to him by name, it has now become pretty much second nature now. What if I was to tell you who it was and you were over heard chatting about with this piece of info in some store by either another customer or sales person. Celebrity Gossip can earn a person a decent amount of dollars in this day and age. You'd be surprised how many scandals have played out in the media over an unsubstantiated bit of idol and errant conversation."

"Well then what could be so scandalise? That you love a guy a few years your junior? Big deal."

"Believe it or not, Buffy, it *WOULD* be a big deal."

Buffy's eyes narrowed, she was starting to enjoy herself with this game of impromptu twenty-questions. "Then tell me, I promise, I swear, I won't say anything to anyone. You don't even have to tell me his name if you don't want to. Why? Is he already married?"

Lara sighed and shook her head in amusement. She then looked down on her diminutive new friend. "Married? As it so happens yes he is. To me."

"What!?! So what's the problem?"

"Because it was a Tribal Ceremony, the kind Tourist's participate in. Hardly recognisable in any court of law. We were invited to a Marriage Ceremony, got drunk that night on fermented juice and we both got caught up in the proceedings asking if the Elder could marry us both as well. Not exactly exchanging of the vows, is it? More like I drink from his cup, he drinks from mine. I do a very provocative dance around the campfire and we go into the nearest hut to consummate the union."

"Still it sounds pretty nice. Unique."

"Nice and Unique it might be, but hardly recognisable."

"So what's the scandal?"

"I'm Lady Croft, Buffy. My Ancestry can be dated back with ease several hundred years. I am on the first name basis of all the Prince's and Duchesses of this country of England. I am … I was destined to be married in St Paul's Cathedral, whether I liked it or not. Not on dirt, wearing a grass skirt and certainly not gyrating in front of a Village of 300 stranger's."

Buffy could help but giggle at the imagery and the bind her new 'friend' found herself in. "So what's the big deal? You said it yourself that it wasn't recognised as an official ceremony."

"It's a big deal because the man I married *DOES* recognise it. Believe me I have asked him several different ways to ignore the proceedings and have asked to Marry him in a actual church. Me! I'm the one actually proposing here, can you believe it?"

Buffy released another giggle and looked about the vastness of the Manor surrounding her. "I have to admit, that's kinda hard to believe."

"He said that it would be disrespectful to the Tribe and the Elder who married us if we ignored their traditions. As far as he's concerned we're husband and wife."

"He sounds pretty stubborn."

"Noble in his pig-headedness through and through. It's one of the things that I adore the most yet at the same time infuriates me."

Without meaning too Buffy found her mind drifting back to the many arguments she had shared with Xander, forcing her to comment on it now. "Oh, I think Xander would have this guy of your's beat. If Xander felt he was in the right he would have no problems digging in his heals. Right to the point that you would want to tear your hair out from the roots."

A smile crossed Lara's lips again as she spied up at the Moon once more, unfortunately Buffy had missed this simple and sly motion. "It sounds to me that my gentleman friend and your Xander have a lot in common. Practically, two peas in a pod."

"Yeah, it does. They're both as stubborn as a mule. I'm wagering you haven't given up yet have you?"

Under the moonlight Lara shook her head in the negative. "No. just changing tactics, that all. I'm hoping I can get his 'Family' on my side. Maybe with their help I can get him to see the errors of his ways and marry me properly. With usher's and flower girls, Priest's and Limo's. The whole deal."

"Doesn't sound like a big ask? I mean you said it yourself, your loaded and this place? Wow. I doubt they'll turn you down."

"The trouble is he doesn't know about my wealth. He knows I am an Adventurer of sorts and that I have the kind of resources that most explorers would drool for. But my wealth and title? No, completely oblivious. And as towards his nearest and dearest? They have not a clue that he and I are wed. The last time he tried to get married, so he says, ended up as a first rate disaster. So he's trying to keep ours under raps to see if we can go the distance before he tells anyone."

"Not very romantic if you ask me."

"He has his reasons and I have to respect that. But then again my own personal history is not so stellar. I'm a veritable 'Black Widow' where relationships are concerned."

"So what are you planning to do?" Buffy asked becoming more comfortable around the woman.

"Like I said, integrate myself into the lives of the people he treasures and hope that they will help me change his mind and see things my way."

Suddenly, like a beam of light Buffy saw what was happening. Why tonight was so odd. "You were using Dawn and me as a dry run, weren't you?"

Both the Ladyship's eyebrows arched. "Excuse me?"

"Me and Dawn, you put on this 'impress you' dinner and chit chat as a dry run for when you try and make friends with your Man's family."

Lara turned on her heels, an amused smile crossing her lips. "I think we have been out here long enough, Buffy. Let's go rejoin your sister in the library."

Buffy followed, feeling now ever more relieved that there wasn't anything sinister about the night at all.