Disclaimer: The goat ate it…really, he did

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Chapter 23

"What'd she mean, you weren't alone?"

Trust Willow to narrow right in on the gritty part. Buffy had to smile at the intense look the redhead was giving her. She always had the cutest little wrinkle between her eyebrows when she was concentrating.

"I wasn't quite sure at first," Buffy answered, "There was a lot of information to sort through. I'm still going through it all actually. But basically what she…" Buffy trailed off as there was a sharp rap on Willow's door.

"Shoot," Willow grumbled and, letting go of Buffy, reluctantly began to scoot off the bed.

"I'll get it, don't worry," the Slayer waved her tired friend back into bed and got up.

"Tell them to go away," Willow flopped back on the bed and covered her face with her pillow. Then she had a thought. "Unless it's an end of the world thing. I might get up for that."

"Well it's not the end of the world," Buffy called back to her a few moments later, having opened the door, "But you might want to get up anyway."

"Why?"

"Xander's here."

"Xander!" Willow flung the pillow away and scrambled off the bed. She was bombarded with a complex group of feelings.

She was happy Xander was here, of course. She loved her Xander-shaped friend, always had. But she couldn't help the surge of annoyance at the interruption of such an important conversation or the nervousness and guilt. She was nervous because of the fact that Buffy and Xander hadn't exactly parted amicably and guilty because she felt like she was doing something wrong having this conversation with Buffy. Like they were going behind Xander's back. So she drew a deep breath and settled herself, then flung the door open to stand behind Buffy, not really knowing what to expect.

"Xander!" She repeated, smiling hugely, "I didn't know you were here yet. We were expecting you tomorrow. How are you? Come here."

Scooting past Buffy she threw her arms around Xander and hugged him close, ignoring the tension in his shoulders. "Be good," she whispered in his ear, knowing Buffy could probably hear it.

"I'm doing good, Willow," Xander murmured and hugged Willow tightly, letting the tension relax a little. He knew Buffy was here but he hadn't been expecting to run into her so fast. "We caught an early flight. How are you?"

"Oh, you know, peachy with a side of keen."

"Hello Xander," Buffy had no intention of being dismissed. She had sent Xander postcards along with everyone else, but seeing the tension in his jaw as he looked down at her she figured they weren't as well received.

She didn't really care though. Xander and she had been friends for much to long for her to allow him to get away with ignoring her for too long. She loved Xander and she knew that he loved her, despite their current issues. In the past her first instinct would have been to apologize and then overlook the problem, hoping it would just go away. All the Scoobies did it, it was their way of coping.

Buffy had come to realize through her years of introspection, however, that didn't really work. All it got them was a lot of pent up feelings and the occasional explosive argument. Master Shin had taught her it was much better to be able to confront the issue face first. He'd done that in his usual dramatic fashion. She liked the old guy but he had some weird teaching methods.

"Hello, Buffy," Xander barely glanced at her before focusing on Willow again, "Did you hear about the kidnappings?"

"So they got to some of the girls then?" Buffy asked, forcing him to focus on her.

"Buffy, Faith, and Lucky stopped them here," Willow told her friend, frowning at him in irritation. "We were waiting for news from Giles."

"I thought you were going through with this charade so that you could catch these guys?" Xander accused Buffy, scowling at her, ignoring Willow's comment.

"I am and I still think it's the best way," the blond Slayer studied her friend.

He looked pretty much the same, still tall and lanky. The years had changed him somewhat though. He was trimmer now, having lost the extra pounds that had seemed to follow him around. He was no longer a couch potato and it showed. The years also showed in the tension lines around his good eye and mouth. The stress of rebuilding the Council and then the years in Africa had imprinted themselves on his being. Buffy was glad to see he still had a sense of humor though. His eyepatch had a skull and cross-bones on it.

"What gives you the right to make any decisions, Buffy," Xander scoffed, "You abandoned us. We've been the one's taking care of these girls during the past five years and I think we've done a damn fine job!"

"I know that. You've probably done a better job than I could have. But that still doesn't change the fact that I'm in a better position to help undercover."

"What makes you think we even need you're help, Buffy?"

"Xander!" Willow had to interrupt as Xander sneered at the blond, he was going too far. She knew that he had harbored a lot of resentment toward Buffy for leaving like she had, but she hadn't known it was this bad.

"It's alright, Willow," Buffy stroked Willow's back as the witch stood in front of her protectively. "Xander and I have a lot of issues to deal with, a lot of talking to do. But before we can get to that," she stared Xander in the eye, letting him see how serious she was, "We need to deal with the situation at hand. To do that though, I need to explain a few things to everyone."

"Are you sure, Buffy?" Willow looked down at her with concern.

"Yeah," Buffy sighed and nodded, "everyone's here now, so it's time. If you wouldn't mind meeting us Giles' office, Xander, we'll be there shortly."

Xander stared at her for a moment, still angry. He was angry because she was back and acting like nothing was wrong and he was angry that she wasn't yelling at him like he thought she would and he was just…angry.

"Xander, please," Willow grabbed his hand and squeezed. She hated being in the middle.

"Alright, I'll listen to your story for Willow, but we're not done Buffy."

"That's fine. I'll be happy to talk to you later."

Xander snorted and turned around, shaking his head in anger and confusion over her calm reaction. She wasn't acting at all like he thought she would. The old Buffy would have been yelling or completely ignoring him, not this…whatever it was.

"Are you okay?" Willow asked Buffy as she shut the door behind Xander and turned to face her friend.

"I'm fine," Buffy assured her, "I was expecting it, to tell the truth. He's right in a way. I did abandon him and…everyone. You were my friends and a part of me thinks I should have stayed to set up the Council and to help Xander through his grief and you with your magick and everything."

Willow stood for a second. Her initial reaction was to instantly comfort the blond but there was a part of her that agreed with the statement. She had felt slightly abandoned as well. But that was the selfish part of her she had to give Buffy the truth.

"There's a part of me that wants to agree with that," Willow murmured, looking at the floor, "But there's a bigger, more mature, part of me that knows that would have been a mistake. Whether Xander likes to admit it or not, or even me for that matter, you needed to go. Not just for the power situation, though that was crucial, but for yourself as well. We all went through Hell in Sunnydale, Buffy, but you especially. You needed some time to just be you and we needed the time apart to cool down and grow up." She said the last with a small smile and a shrug.

"Thank you," Buffy slipped her arms around the startled redhead, pulling her close. "Thanks for understanding."

"Okay," Willow sniffled after a little while and pulled herself away from the temptation that was Buffy Summers. "We've got some people to meet and some 'splaining to do."

"Right, let's go," Buffy reached up and placed her lips on Willows', giving her a slow, sweet kiss, "But don't think I've forgotten about you. We need to finish our conversation, young lady."

"'Kay," Willow gulped and allowed herself to be dragged out of the room by her hand.

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Author's Note:

As some of you might have noticed I have begun posting this story over at Twisting the Hellmouth. I am editing it and adding in details and such, if anyone cares to go partake. My author name over there is still the same. I hope you all are happy with the newest chapter to this story, it just sort of rolled out of my head (it's kinda weird up there).

Next chapter should be up soon!