Not Donkey Kong

With Buffy settled in college, Xander decided to visit Joyce and Dawn, but as he approached the house he sensed something was wrong and got back in the car. It'd been months since he'd seen them and he'd sent neither postcard nor present. A quick trip to the store was in order.

Ten minutes later...

Xander knocked lightly on the door thrice.

"Xander," Joyce said surprised but pleased to see him. "Come in, come in!"

"Hey, Miss S. Where is the light of my life?"

Joyce looked at what Xander had brought curiously. "Buffy is at school."

"I know that, I was referring to someone taller with darker hair," he joked.

"Xander?" Dawn's voice wavered as if she couldn't believe it was him.

"Dawnie!" Xander said spinning around and opening his arms.

Xander found his arms filled with crying girl and Joyce quickly took the grocery bag from him so he could hold her. Thanks to Willow he knew what to do. Picking her up bridal style he carried her to the couch and sat down with her in his lap.

Rubbing her back and Kissing her head when appropriate he listened to her and waited for her to recover, as he recalled Willow's periods were like an emotional roller coaster until she'd gone on birth control and they'd evened out.

Joyce handed Xander the small stuffed baboon he'd bought which he gave to Dawn.

"I figured since Buffy took Mr. Gordo with her, I'd get you your very own Butt-monkey," he told her.

Dawn burst out in tears and kissed Xander dead on the lips. "I love it!" she cried burying her face in his chest.

Though surprised he simply rocked back and forth while rubbing her back.

'And he wondered why Willow fell for him,' Joyce thought as she snuck off to find her camera. This was going to go in the album and was probably going to be this year's Christmas card. She was pretty sure that Xander hadn't even realized she left obvious lipstick prints on several parts of his face. She got several great shots of Xander looking down on Dawn, asleep in his arms, with a great deal of affection in his eyes before he noticed she was there.

He smiled, completely oblivious of the direction Joyce's thoughts were heading, just happy to be home with people who cared for him, when a green aura sprung up around them slowly growing in intensity until it lit the room with a blinding flash.

A stuffed baboon fell to the floor, but there was no one remaining to see it.

Typing by: Stephenopolos

AN: An idea for a unique Disgaea cross.