Xander stood at attention as he waited along with the other members of his
class. It had been a grueling eight weeks, that was for sure, but it was a
piece of cake compared to high school. His instructors all gave him
exceptionally high marks in hand-to-hand combat skills, physical strength
as well as mental, and they had all recommended him for special ops
training. He accepted when he saw it would give him more money for school.
He followed his class as the commencement drills came to a close and they marched out. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of red. He chanced a look to see Willow, Buffy, Giles, Joyce and two people he hadn't met, but from Buffy and Willows letters had to be Tara and Riley. They were all cheering as he walked. Xander stood a little straighter as he marched. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Xander scooped the blonde up and laughed, twirling her in the air as she squealed.
"Xander Harris, put me down!" she screamed.
Xander laughed and let her go. "Sorry Buffster, I just missed you, that's all." He beamed and looked at the group assembled to meet him.
Willow hurried up to the young man in front of her and wrapped him in a hug that almost cut off his air supply. She bounced happily and Xander hugged her back, just glad to see everyone was alright.
"Oh. Xander. I have to introduce you." The redhead stepped away from her best friend and reached her hand back. The blonde behind her took Willows hand and shuffled forward. "Xander, this is Tara." she said softly.
Xander extended his hand and smiled broadly. "Hi Tara. I'm the one they've been telling you lies about." He said, nodding his head.
Tara immediately looked up. "N-no. They haven't s-said anything b-bad about you." She stammered, her face a mask of concern.
Xander saw he had erred and began trying to calm Tara down. "Sorry, Tara. I was kidding. Buffy, Willow and I go way back. I know they're my friends."
Tara nodded and stepped back, letting her hair fall over her face. Xander felt a pang of guilt for causing such a reaction in the obviously shy girl.
"Xander, Tara's my girlfriend." Willow said softly.
Xander just stared at the blonde, his mouth agape. Fortunately for him, his silence was only a few seconds long. "Nice choice Will. She's a beautiful young woman." He said sincerely, wrapping an arm around his oldest friends shoulder.
Willow positively beamed now. "You're not freaked?" she asked.
Xander shook his head. "Nah. I don't care who you love, as long as you're happy." He said, looking over Willow once. "And it looks like you are very happy."
Willow nodded. "I am. I am Happy McHappy, the happiest little elf." She said, intertwining her fingers in Tara's.
Buffy rushed foreword, dragging Riley. "My turn, my turn." She bounced. "Xander Harris, meet Riley Finn. He's in the Marines too." She said.
Xander shook the young mans hand. "Really?"
Riley nodded. "Yeah. Captain."
Xander's face fell immediately and he snapped to attention.
Riley grinned. "At ease private." He said softly, looking around. "It's kind of a hush-hush op. So don't draw attention to it." He smiled.
Xander nodded nervously. "Yes sir."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Relax Xander." She sighed. "So, what are you doing now? I mean...where, are you shipping off?"
Xander smiled. "The Navy ships off, Buff." He paused for a second. "And I guess since the Navy and Marines kind of travel in the same circles, I guess I could ship out to." He shrugged. "But I haven't been assigned yet. That's later."
Buffy nodded and looked to Riley.
Riley just smiled. "He'll probably go to weapons training, depending on what he's interested in. Maybe MP. If so he's headed to Fort McClellan, Alabama." He smiled.
Xander nodded. "Ok. Sure."
Willow shook her head. "No. Done with training. Coming home now." She pouted.
Xander smiled. "Sorry Wills. I have about, four years to go." He grinned. "I may even be assigned in Alaska."
Willow paled visibly.
Tara took the redheads hand and grinned. "I-I think he's joking sweetie." She whispered.
"Come on. I have two weeks and I want to spend it with my best friends." Xander said, wrapping his arms around Buffy and Willow's shoulders. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The vampire ducked as Xander swung again. But this time, it was a feint. Xander spun and dropped the vamp, and plunged his stake into the vampires' chest. It turned to dust instantly.
Buffy ran up and grinned apologetically. "Sorry Xander. I let him slip by."
Xander shook his head. "Yeah. I missed this." He mumbled, grinning. "No big Buff. I got him."
Buffy nodded. "I saw that. Go kung-fu Xander." She grinned. "Learn all that in the marines?"
Xander nodded. "Yep. I picked up on the hand-to-hand stuff really quick, thanks to the scooby training I received before signing up."
Buffy grinned. "I am so gonna get compensated for that, right?" she teased.
Xander smiled. "I saved your life our sophomore year...how about we call it even?" he asked.
Buffy shook her head. "I have saved your life lots since then. I mean, geez." She flipped her hair in an exaggerated air. "What's a girl gotta do to make a living around here?" she laughed.
As the two friends walked through the cemetery, they saw a bright flash of light come from behind one of the mausoleums, followed by a vampire flying several feet through the air and landing with a wet thud over a headstone next to them. Buffy quickly punched a stake through the vamps heart.
Xander watched as an infuriated Willow stormed from behind the crypt and stalked over to the headstone. "Where did he go? Which way?" the redhead demanded.
Buffy grinned sheepishly. "I sort of staked him."
Willow deflated instantly. "That was my job. He saw my Tara and I wanted to make him suffer." She growled, folding her arms and pouting.
Xander tried to calm the redhead. "Come on Wills. You know how Buffy gets if she doesn't get her way slaying. All pouty and quiet, and then poof. Instant explosion Buffy." He winked at the slayer to let her know he was joking.
Willow did brighten a little. "Well still. It was my girlfriend that mister creeping-around-and-peeking-at-people saw." She pressed, just as Tara came around the crypt.
"W-willow...sweetie?" she said, rushing up to the hackers' side. "Are you ok?" the blonde witch checked Willow for any marks or worse.
Willow only smiled under the menstruations of her girlfriend. "I'm fine. Buffy was there to save me." She said dreamily, staring at Tara.
Buffy actually blushed. "I didn't do much. Just a quick stake and a small poof." She shrugged. "So. Pizza, movies and an all night attempt in futility?" she said to the gathered group.
Willow's smile actually faded and she looked at Xander. "You shouldn't leave." She said softly. "You just got back."
Xander nodded. "I'm sorry Willow. I have to go where they send me, when they send me. I don't have a lot of choice."
Xander thought back to the large envelope that was hand delivered to him by four MP's and sighed. Inside was a letter from his drill instructor, saying he had been very impressed with Xanders performance in basic, and he had made a few calls to old friends on his behalf. One of the calls panned out and they wanted an interview with him. But first, Xander had to sign a Top Secret non-discloser statement and agree to travel to Colorado within three days. This was two days ago. Xander sighed. He would be leaving tomorrow morning at seven a.m. and he would be gone for...who knows how long. He sighed.
"Will we get to watch Apocalypse Now?" Xander asked.
Willow smiled. "I'll miss you Xander, but not that much." She grinned.
Xander wrapped an arm around Buffy and Willow's shoulders, walking between the two of them. "I promise I will write." He said. "I mean, how long can I stay away from my best buds without going nuts?" he asked. Willow and Buffy both smiled as they walked towards Buffy's house to enjoy their last night together before Xander shipped out of their lives.
He followed his class as the commencement drills came to a close and they marched out. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of red. He chanced a look to see Willow, Buffy, Giles, Joyce and two people he hadn't met, but from Buffy and Willows letters had to be Tara and Riley. They were all cheering as he walked. Xander stood a little straighter as he marched. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Xander scooped the blonde up and laughed, twirling her in the air as she squealed.
"Xander Harris, put me down!" she screamed.
Xander laughed and let her go. "Sorry Buffster, I just missed you, that's all." He beamed and looked at the group assembled to meet him.
Willow hurried up to the young man in front of her and wrapped him in a hug that almost cut off his air supply. She bounced happily and Xander hugged her back, just glad to see everyone was alright.
"Oh. Xander. I have to introduce you." The redhead stepped away from her best friend and reached her hand back. The blonde behind her took Willows hand and shuffled forward. "Xander, this is Tara." she said softly.
Xander extended his hand and smiled broadly. "Hi Tara. I'm the one they've been telling you lies about." He said, nodding his head.
Tara immediately looked up. "N-no. They haven't s-said anything b-bad about you." She stammered, her face a mask of concern.
Xander saw he had erred and began trying to calm Tara down. "Sorry, Tara. I was kidding. Buffy, Willow and I go way back. I know they're my friends."
Tara nodded and stepped back, letting her hair fall over her face. Xander felt a pang of guilt for causing such a reaction in the obviously shy girl.
"Xander, Tara's my girlfriend." Willow said softly.
Xander just stared at the blonde, his mouth agape. Fortunately for him, his silence was only a few seconds long. "Nice choice Will. She's a beautiful young woman." He said sincerely, wrapping an arm around his oldest friends shoulder.
Willow positively beamed now. "You're not freaked?" she asked.
Xander shook his head. "Nah. I don't care who you love, as long as you're happy." He said, looking over Willow once. "And it looks like you are very happy."
Willow nodded. "I am. I am Happy McHappy, the happiest little elf." She said, intertwining her fingers in Tara's.
Buffy rushed foreword, dragging Riley. "My turn, my turn." She bounced. "Xander Harris, meet Riley Finn. He's in the Marines too." She said.
Xander shook the young mans hand. "Really?"
Riley nodded. "Yeah. Captain."
Xander's face fell immediately and he snapped to attention.
Riley grinned. "At ease private." He said softly, looking around. "It's kind of a hush-hush op. So don't draw attention to it." He smiled.
Xander nodded nervously. "Yes sir."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Relax Xander." She sighed. "So, what are you doing now? I mean...where, are you shipping off?"
Xander smiled. "The Navy ships off, Buff." He paused for a second. "And I guess since the Navy and Marines kind of travel in the same circles, I guess I could ship out to." He shrugged. "But I haven't been assigned yet. That's later."
Buffy nodded and looked to Riley.
Riley just smiled. "He'll probably go to weapons training, depending on what he's interested in. Maybe MP. If so he's headed to Fort McClellan, Alabama." He smiled.
Xander nodded. "Ok. Sure."
Willow shook her head. "No. Done with training. Coming home now." She pouted.
Xander smiled. "Sorry Wills. I have about, four years to go." He grinned. "I may even be assigned in Alaska."
Willow paled visibly.
Tara took the redheads hand and grinned. "I-I think he's joking sweetie." She whispered.
"Come on. I have two weeks and I want to spend it with my best friends." Xander said, wrapping his arms around Buffy and Willow's shoulders. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The vampire ducked as Xander swung again. But this time, it was a feint. Xander spun and dropped the vamp, and plunged his stake into the vampires' chest. It turned to dust instantly.
Buffy ran up and grinned apologetically. "Sorry Xander. I let him slip by."
Xander shook his head. "Yeah. I missed this." He mumbled, grinning. "No big Buff. I got him."
Buffy nodded. "I saw that. Go kung-fu Xander." She grinned. "Learn all that in the marines?"
Xander nodded. "Yep. I picked up on the hand-to-hand stuff really quick, thanks to the scooby training I received before signing up."
Buffy grinned. "I am so gonna get compensated for that, right?" she teased.
Xander smiled. "I saved your life our sophomore year...how about we call it even?" he asked.
Buffy shook her head. "I have saved your life lots since then. I mean, geez." She flipped her hair in an exaggerated air. "What's a girl gotta do to make a living around here?" she laughed.
As the two friends walked through the cemetery, they saw a bright flash of light come from behind one of the mausoleums, followed by a vampire flying several feet through the air and landing with a wet thud over a headstone next to them. Buffy quickly punched a stake through the vamps heart.
Xander watched as an infuriated Willow stormed from behind the crypt and stalked over to the headstone. "Where did he go? Which way?" the redhead demanded.
Buffy grinned sheepishly. "I sort of staked him."
Willow deflated instantly. "That was my job. He saw my Tara and I wanted to make him suffer." She growled, folding her arms and pouting.
Xander tried to calm the redhead. "Come on Wills. You know how Buffy gets if she doesn't get her way slaying. All pouty and quiet, and then poof. Instant explosion Buffy." He winked at the slayer to let her know he was joking.
Willow did brighten a little. "Well still. It was my girlfriend that mister creeping-around-and-peeking-at-people saw." She pressed, just as Tara came around the crypt.
"W-willow...sweetie?" she said, rushing up to the hackers' side. "Are you ok?" the blonde witch checked Willow for any marks or worse.
Willow only smiled under the menstruations of her girlfriend. "I'm fine. Buffy was there to save me." She said dreamily, staring at Tara.
Buffy actually blushed. "I didn't do much. Just a quick stake and a small poof." She shrugged. "So. Pizza, movies and an all night attempt in futility?" she said to the gathered group.
Willow's smile actually faded and she looked at Xander. "You shouldn't leave." She said softly. "You just got back."
Xander nodded. "I'm sorry Willow. I have to go where they send me, when they send me. I don't have a lot of choice."
Xander thought back to the large envelope that was hand delivered to him by four MP's and sighed. Inside was a letter from his drill instructor, saying he had been very impressed with Xanders performance in basic, and he had made a few calls to old friends on his behalf. One of the calls panned out and they wanted an interview with him. But first, Xander had to sign a Top Secret non-discloser statement and agree to travel to Colorado within three days. This was two days ago. Xander sighed. He would be leaving tomorrow morning at seven a.m. and he would be gone for...who knows how long. He sighed.
"Will we get to watch Apocalypse Now?" Xander asked.
Willow smiled. "I'll miss you Xander, but not that much." She grinned.
Xander wrapped an arm around Buffy and Willow's shoulders, walking between the two of them. "I promise I will write." He said. "I mean, how long can I stay away from my best buds without going nuts?" he asked. Willow and Buffy both smiled as they walked towards Buffy's house to enjoy their last night together before Xander shipped out of their lives.