|
|
Once frozen love becomes a pool, how sweet the water runs
~The Rembrandts “The End of the Beginning”
“You’re too good for him, Buff. Always were.”
The kind words, the slight pressure of Xander’s arm around her shoulder brought tears to Buffy’s eyes. She tried to speak, but the words stuck fast at the lump in her throat.
He heard the slight choking noise and smiled. “You don’t have to.” With his free hand, Xander wiped away her tears. Happy as it made him to be with her, he hated to see her crying, to know the pain that Angel leaving had caused. “I just want you to know I’m here for you.”
The Slayer laid her head on is shoulder as they walked, a vague smile on her face. Something in the action felt natural, right. Around Xander, she didn’t have to try. Everything just happend, things fell into place of their own accord. Nothing was forced. “You always have been.” She stopped and pulled Xander around to face her, luminous eyes scanning his face. “Xander, I feel like I owe you-”
His finger pressed gently against her lips stopped Buffy’s words. “You don’t. Ther isn’t any way I could not help you. I love you, Buffy. No, don’t say anything. I don’t want you to. You love Angel. Maybe there’ll be a time for us someday--I hope so--but not now. If there’s something out there for us, I want it to be just us. He’s too close now. Give it time.”
Buffy leaned forward and kissed Xander on the cheek, resisting the urge to move to his lips. He was right. She needed time to heal or they would never work. “Thank you.” Together, they stood and watched the moon slowly make its way across the night sky.