SquidgeWorld Archive

"Thanks for the help," Riley said, kissing Buffy gently on the lips. "I was feeling overwhelmed by the comic book collection." He picked up another box of comics, and made his way up the stairs leading out of Xander's basement. Buffy was right behind him carrying a box of her own.

"No problem," she said. "I've read most of Xander's collection, so I know how picky he can be about them."

"You're telling me. I picked one up and started flipping through it... man, what an evil eye I got."

"You should've known better than to get between him and his Spider-man."

"It amazes me how well you guys know each other. You, Xander, Willow and Giles... Well, you're like family. It's nice to see."

"It's nice to be," Buffy said, placing her box in the trunk of Giles' car. "But now the family's bigger. You and Tara... even Anya... are all extended family."

"Extended?" Riley frowned at that, but Buffy didn't notice. Her listening was hampered by Anya's sudden appearance.

"All I'm saying is" the ex-vengeance demon whined, "my shoulder is only recently healed. I can't believe you are forcing me into labor."

"No one is forcing you, An." Xander stepped up to the car and put a big box into the back seat. "If you don't want to help me move... don't."

"Oh, sure," Anya said. "Then all of a sudden you're cutting off the sex."

Xander looked up to find Buffy and Riley grinning at him. He actually blushed. "An, private talk. Remember?"

"Fine. But I doubt I'll be able to service you tonight after working all day."

Xander winked at Riley and Buffy with his back to Anya. "Oh, well.. I suppose I'll survive."

"What?" Anya said in a panic. "I didn't really mean it."

"It sounded like you meant it," Xander said, trying not to laugh. "Didn't you think so, Buff?"

"Oh, yeah," she said, playing along. "But no big, right?"

"Nah. No big loss."

"What?" Anya's voice was getting higher by the second.

"I'm teasing," Xander said, letting her off the hook. "Now go get another box."

"Fine," Anya said in a huff.

Xander turned and followed her inside. Riley went to follow but stopped when he realized Buffy wasn't moving. "You coming?" he asked.

"Not just yet. I'm gonna rearrange the trunk. I think we can get some more stuff back here."

"You women and your packing," he said as he turned to go inside.

"You men and your sexist stereotypes," she called after him.

Once he was inside, she turned to the trunk and began moving things around. Just as she had thought, there was plenty of room once everything was in order. She went around to the back seat, planning to move another box or two into the trunk. She stopped short when she saw a small leather journal lying under the car, its edge barely visible. She picked it up and opened the first page. Xander's name graced it in his own handwriting.

Buffy glanced around to make sure no one was looking before she turned the next page. She began to read. It was about her.

... and nearly killed myself when I saw her. Her name is Buffy, and she's amazing.

Buffy blushed and took another look around.

I actually got a chance to talk to her, and like a moron, I blew it. "Can I have you?" What kind of question is that? I bet I Freudian slipped my way right out of any chance I had with her.

She laughed at the memory of that first encounter. She had thought he was cute. Strange. She had forgotten that she had been attracted to him before Willow clued her in on her own Xander crush. The coast was still clear, so she continued reading.

...sounds crazy, but I overheard her and the new librarian talking about vampires. Vampires! At first, I thought I must have been hearing things, but I wasn't. The librarian was giving her a lecture about being the vampire slayer. I'm not sure what any of that means, but I'm hoping Buffy turns up at the Bronze tonight, so I can find out.

The sound of voices snapped Buffy back into the present. Xander and Anya were on their way with more boxes. She shut the journal and dropped it into her book bag which occupied the front passenger seat.

"Did it all work out the way you expected?" Xander asked, approaching the car.

"Wh-what?"

"You were rearranging, right?"

"Oh, yeah... uh, plenty more room."

"Cool. I was hoping we could make this trip and just one more."

"You said that three trips ago," Anya complained. "Can't we just leave the rest?"

"No. Willow and Tara are at the apartment. Why don't you and Buff take the car over there? You can be unpacking while Riley and I load up Mom's car." Xander smiled at his girlfriend warmly. "Can you do that for me?"

"I suppose," Anya said, kissing him softly.

***

A half hour later, Xander and Riley were finishing loading the second vehicle. Something had been bugging Xander for the past hour, and he finally found the voice to say it. "You really meant what you said."

"Yeah," Riley said. "I just didn't feel like Sisko was as compelling a captain as Picard."

"No, I mean... what you said about Buffy."

"Oh... yeah. Don't get me wrong. I'm a lucky guy, and I know it."

"Yeah, but... "

"What?"

"Do you really want to spend your time with someone who doesn't...? Are you sure she doesn't... you know, love you? Because Buffy can be hard to read sometimes."

"I know. And I want to believe that she does... love me, but..."

"But you can't help what you know?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry, man. I said that I never had feelings for Buff. Not true. For a while, when she first moved here, she was all I could think about. But once Angel came into the picture... It was rough, man... having to be around her, but not being with her. Is there anything I can do? I can talk to her if you want."

"No," Riley said. "Let's just see what happens."

***

Later that night, Buffy lay in her bed reading Xander's journal in the lamp light. She felt guilty. She really did. But Xander hid so much of himself behind his sarcasm and wit that it was refreshing to see behind the facade. Still, the things that he had written were intensely personal. She had gone through most of high school. All the talk of his feelings for her had ceased. She found that she was strangely sad to think he was over his crush on her. His flirtation and jealousy had always been an interesting part of their relationship. She skipped ahead in the journal and found that he had begun writing poetry.

"I don't know you at all, do I , Xander?" she said out loud. Then, one of the poems caught her attention. It was titled "Tomorrow, Like Today," which she thought sounded nice. The date was recent... just after their encounter with Dracula. She shook off the lingering feelings of guilt and read.

Tomorrow, Like Today
You will see me with your blindness
and touch me with ephemeral feelings
that were never meant to last

Tomorrow, Like Today
You will lose me in the chaos
that consumes your every moment
both in future and in past

Who I am, I cannot fathom
for only you can know it
where I am is lost within you
and the things I cannot say

What I want is just to hold you
in the silence, in the darkness
what I have is less than nothing
in the scalding light of day

Tomorrow, Like Today
you will take my love for granted
and fail to see beyond my ramblings
to the heart of who I am

Tomorrow, Like Today
you will dance beyond my grasping
and leave me with this emptiness
someone much less than a man

For BAS

Buffy looked again at the initials. It was for her. She reread it, hoping that she was imagining it. On the second reading, it brought tears to her eyes. Had she really been so blind? She had thought Xander long over his feelings for her, but the poem proved her wrong. Strangely, instead of bothering her, she found herself feeling flattered. After reading his writings, she knew Xander's feelings welled from some place much deeper than she could ever have imagined. The pain so obvious in the poem came from that deep place, too. She had never acknowledged his feelings as genuine, and he had felt slighted. Now she knew the truth, and something had to be done.

She closed the book and wiped the tears from her eyes. She had thought her life was finally making sense. Now, suddenly, she felt uncertain of her choices. Would the last few years have turned out any differently if she had known of Xander's feelings? She decided not think about that. It was far too confusing. Instead, she would go to sleep and leave her thoughts to the darkness.

***

Buffy found herself in Sunnydale High, coming out of Principal Flutie's office. Someone bumped into her, and sent her books crashing to the floor. Xander stopped in the hall and bent down to help her. She smiled at him, thinking she knew what he would say. Instead, a serious look crossed his face as he said, "Tomorrow, like today, you will see me with your blindness and touch me with ephemeral feelings that were never meant to last."

Before she could respond, she realized she was standing outside the school. Xander was in front of her, nervously trying to ask her to the Spring Fling. As she listened, he said solemnly, "Tomorrow, like today, you will lose me in the chaos that consumes your every moment, both in future and in past."

Even as his words lingered in her mind, the scenery shifted again. This time, she was in the hospital. She was on the run from the police. Xander tapped her on the shoulder. She turned and embraced him, so glad that he was alive. She had seen him lying still on the floor of the library. It had shaken her to her core. She look up at him, just in time to see the tears in his eyes as he said, "Who I am I cannot fathom, for only you can know it. Where I am is lost within you and the things I cannot say."

Her next stop was outside Angel's mansion. She was standing just behind Xander as he watched her kissing Angel. She had hidden the vampire's return from Xander and the others. She had known what they would think. "What I want is just to hold you in the silence, in the darkness. What I have is less than nothing in the scalding light of day."

Then, Xander looked into her eyes. He was crouching in front of her there in the Bronze. It was the beginning of her freshman year in college. She was feeling less than capable. He had called her his hero. Now, he looked at her and whispered, "Tomorrow, like today, you will take my love for granted, and fail to see beyond my ramblings to the heart of who I am."

She closed her eyes and felt the tears run down her cheeks. When she opened them again, she was standing in the city dump just two nights earlier. The Toth was taking aim at her with his mystical rod. Xander turned to her and said, "Tomorrow, like today, you will dance beyond my grasping, and leave me with this emptiness... someone much less than a man." He pushed her out of the way and took the blast himself. She fought her emotions, trying desperately to hold back her tears. She wiped them away with the back of her hand, and found herself in the middle of Xander's new apartment.

"What took you so long?" Xander asked, stepping into the room.

"I... don't know. I'm confused," she whispered.

"Are you?" He smiled at her, and she couldn't help smiling herself.

"Maybe not as much as I would like to be," she said.

"I'm sorry that you know," he said, stepping closer to her. "I never wanted to burden you."

"You haven't," she said, smiling at him. "Can I...?"

"What?"

"Is this a dream?"

Xander reached down and took her hands in his own. "You know that it is."

"Can I... kiss you?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he smiled and leaned into her. The kiss was tender. Buffy felt as though she were floating off the ground. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She didn't want the moment to end. When their lips parted, he ran his fingers through her golden hair. "Was that what you needed to know?" he asked.

"I think so," she smiled. "I think I understand."

Buffy sat up straight in her bed. The dream was over. Her heart was still beating rapidly. She could swear that she still felt him at her lips. "Oh, God," she whispered into the night. "What do I do now?"

***

Xander finished sanding the display case he was building for Giles' shop. He stepped back and admired his handiwork. "Not bad, if I say so myself, G-man."

"Yes," Giles said. "Though, for what I'm paying you, I would think you would have both cabinets finished."

"You aren't paying me anything."

"Oh, yes. Good job, then."

Buffy came in, just as Xander was putting away his tools. He saw her out of the corner of his eye. "Wassup, Buff? They let you out of class early?"

"No. I didn't go. I need to talk to you."

"Shoot."

Buffy looked up at Giles. "Actually, I was hoping we could talk in private."

Xander looked at her with a puzzled look. "Sure. Um... I have to finish here, but I can swing by the dorms on the way home."

"It really can't wait," she said. She turned to Giles and gave him her best pout. "Can I borrow him for an hour, Giles?"

"I suppose," her Watcher responded. "But we open in a few days, so an hour is all I can spare."

"Cool," she said.

"I'll just leave my tools," Xander told Giles. He followed Buffy out the door and down the sidewalk. "Where are we going?" he asked.

"My place. Mom should be at work, and Dawn is at school," she said.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No. Why?"

"You being all Mystery Girl on me."

"Sorry. I'm just..."

"Wigged. I can tell." Xander decided it best not to ask any more questions until they had some privacy. Whatever Buffy was freaked about was evidently a big deal. But for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why she only wanted to talk to him about it.

When they arrived at Buffy's, she called out for her mom and Dawn. Once she was convinced that they were alone in the house, she led Xander into the living room.

"What's going on?" Xander asked. "You've got me worried."

"I've got me worried, too," she said. Then, with no warning whatsoever, she threw her arms around him and kissed him passionately.

He was caught up in it at first, enjoying the moment. He had never known so much passion in a "first" kiss. Then, confusion set in, and he pushed her away. "What the hell is going on? Are you under a spell of some kind? Because, if so, I had nothing to do with it."

"No spell," she said, a little embarrassed.

"Then what's the what here? Last time I checked, I looked nothing like Riley." He plopped down on the couch. "Now, I think I'm gonna barf."

"Was it that bad?" she asked.

"As kisses go, it was great. It just scared the stuffing out of me."

She smiled and sat down next to him. "I'm sorry."

"What's this all about?"

"It's about me breaking a confidence."

He looked up at her. "My journal."

He caught her off guard. Her eyes grew big. "You knew?"

"I saw you stuffing it in your book bag as Anya and I walked up." He put his head in his hands.

"Why didn't you say something?"

"And have Anya asking why she never knew I kept a journal. She'd want to read it. I figured that you were tempted to read it, too, but I trusted you not to."

"Oh."

"You read it," he said, shaking his head. "I never meant for you to... know certain things."

"About your feelings? Why?"

"Because it's never mattered before," he said softly. "Not to you."

"Xander, I'm sorry. Not just for reading your journal, but for everything. For not seeing how much you care. For..."

"Freaking me out just now?"

"Yes. But not for the kiss."

He looked up at her. "So what are you thinking here? That since you read me journal you may have developed feelings for me? That I should leave Anya? That you should dump Riley?"

"No. I... Idon't know. I just thought we could see what happened."

"Test the waters?"

"Right."

"Behind their backs? No thanks. I've been down that road before. This is insane."

"I know. But... "

"No buts," he said, standing to his feet and heading for the door. "I'm gonna go, and we'll pretend this never happened."

Buffy grabbed his arm before he could turn the knob. "I don't think I can do that," she said. He turned to look at her and she kissed him again. If possible, it was even more passionate than their first.

"I'm leaving," he said between kisses. "Really, I am."

"Leave," she whispered between kisses. "Before we do something crazy."

"Right," he said, gasping for air. "But why won't my feet work?"

She kissed him hungrily and there was no longer any need for talking.

***

Joyce Summers arrived home a little earlier than usual. She had experienced a dizzy spell at work and thought it best not to push herself too hard. Instead, she stopped by the grocery and made her way home. Buffy would be over for dinner, and Dawn would be home from school soon. She figured she had time for a short nap before the girls arrived. She pulled into the driveway and sat there for a minute. Here head was spinning again. She dropped her keys and when she went to pick them up, she leaned against the horn. "Smooth, Joyce," she said to herself. Seconds later, as she began unlocking the door, she could have sworn she heard noises from inside the house. Her suspicions were confirmed when Buffy greeted her at the door.

"Mom, what are you doing home so early?" Buffy's eyes seemed to find everything but her mother.

"I could ask the same of you," Joyce said. "And what happened to your hair?"

Buffy felt the mess that had been her hairdo earlier in the day. "Oh, this... I was..."

"You were fighting something weren't you?" Joyce asked. "You're all out of breath too." She looked around nervously. "Was it in the house? Did you get it?"

"Not quite," Buffy said with a smile. "But he didn't put up much of a fight. I'll get him in round two."

"So long as you're okay," Joyce said. "I'm gonna take a nap. Wake me up when Dawn gets home."

"Sure," Buffy said. She waited for her mom to retreat up the stairs before opening the front door to find Xander standing there. She kissed him again, stepping outside with him.

"That was close," he said.

"Not close enough," she whispered.

"I meant the thing with your mom."

"Oh."

"So what now?"

"Move things to your place?"

"Okay, slow down. We need to think this through. We aren't the only two people to consider here."

"I know," she said, shuffling her feet.

"Let's take tonight to do some soul searching. We'll meet for lunch tomorrow and compare notes."

"Deal. Can I kiss you again?"

"Oh, yeah," he said, taking her in his arms. After another moment of passionate necking, Xander turned to go. "Our secret, right?"

"Absolutely," she said with a smile.

Unseen by either of them, Dawn watched from the bushes. She had seen Xander climbing out of Buffy's window, and found a hiding spot so she could find out what was going on. What she heard she didn't like one bit. The only question, she decided, was who to tell first.

The next day -

"Kissing? Xander and Buffy were kissing?" Willow asked.

"That's what I saw," Dawn said. "It was gross."

"Are you sure it wasn't a friendly kiss," Tara asked as she handed Dawn a soda.

"No way. There was tongue action," Dawn grumbled.

"When did this happen?" Willow questioned. "How long have they...? Why haven't they said...? What about Riley?"

"And Anya," Tara reminded.

"Who cares about Anya?" Willow and Dawn asked in unison.

"But what is Buffy doing?" Willow asked. "She's gonna wreck her relationship with Riley for Xander. I nearly lost Oz the same way. She's gonna regret this."

"In all fairness," Tara said. "It is certainly possible that Buffy and Xander could be happy together. I mean, maybe they feel like it's worth the risk. At any rate, don't you think we should talk to them about it, instead of discussing them behind their backs?"

"No," Dawn mumbled.

"Tara's right," Willow said. "I'll go talk to Buffy."

"Oh, great," Dawn said. "You blab and I end up in the hospital."

"No. I'll tell her I saw them. She won't have to know that you tattled... um, told me."

"I'll talk to Xander," Tara said. "I think he was going to be working on those cases for Giles. I'll swing by there."

"Good," Willow said. "And remember... Riley and Anya must know nothing. We'll just keep our calm and find out what's going on."

"What the hell are you thinking?" Willow asked. Buffy was sitting on a bench outside of UC Sunnydale. "Xander?"

"Calm down, Wills."

"No. There is no calm. What about Riley?"

"I've given that a lot of thought," Xander told Tara. "I've got to tell Anya. But what do I say?"

"That I really loved you, but all of a sudden I have these feeling for Xander?" Buffy asked.

"No," Willow said. "Not a good way to start."

"That's my point," Xander said. "There's nothing to say. Buffy could wake up tomorrow and be completely over me."

"You think that's possible?" Tara asked. "That it's just a fling?"

"It is so NOT a fling," Buffy explained. "I thought about him all night. Even when Riley came over..."

"I couldn't focus on her at all," Xander said. "It was all Buffy."

"And this feels different than anything I've ever felt before," the Slayer explained. "It's not that Riley isn't wonderful..."

"...because she is," Xander explained. "But she's not Buffy. God, I'm pathetic aren't I?"

"No," Willow said. "It sounds like you're in love... with Xander."

"I guess I am," Buffy said with a smile.

"I really am," Xander said.

"There where does that leave you and Riley?" Willow asked.

"Nowhere," Riley said from behind her. "Nowhere at all."

"Because I'm going to KILL you!" Anya screamed.

"Uh-oh," Tara said, trying to stand in front of Xander. "Let's just talk this out."

"No," Riley said. "I'm leaving. There's nothing else to say."

*******

"Why is this happening to me?" Buffy said, falling backward onto her bed in dismay.

"Because you and Xander were fooling around behind Riley and Anya's backs?" Willow offered.

"It was a rhetorical question, Will."

"Oh. Sorry."

"It's been two weeks."

"And Xander still hasn't called or anything?"

"No. It's not fair. Riley left me, too, but I'm not following him all over the planet."

"Yeah, but Riley isn't likely to do you bodily harm. Xander just wanted to make sure she didn't do something crazy."

"He loves her."

"Well... yes, he does. But he loves you. too. And he loves YOU enough to risk a sure thing with Anya. I think that says something."

"He probably won't even want to talk to me when he gets back," Buffy moaned, covering her face with a pillow.

"I have it on good authority that you're wrong," Xander said from the doorway.

Buffy shot up off her bed and threw her arms around him. "Oh, God. You can't believe how glad I am to see you."

"I think I can guess," he said, kissing her passionately. They both got so wrapped up in the kiss that they forgot all about Willow until she cleared her throat. "Hey, Will," Xander said.

Willow just smiled. "I think I'll leave you two to your... whatever. Call me later, Xan, and fill me in on your trip."

"Will do, Will."

Willow stepped out of the room and left them alone.

"So why would you think I wouldn't want to talk to you?" Xander asked.

"Well, hello... I wrecked your relationship with Anya, and she went all vengeance demon again."

"No, she didn't. She threatened to, sure. But in the end, she did the right thing. I think following her let her know how much I really cared. In the end, she told me she just wanted me to be happy."

"Is she coming back?"

"No," he said, looking suddenly sad. "Not any time soon, anyway."

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"Me too. About them getting hurt, I mean. Not for loving you." He turned to look her in the eye. "Never for loving you."

"Then, we're okay?"

He put his arms around her and kissed her gently. "We're great. I do have one request, though."

"If this has anything to do with spandex..."

"No. No spandex. But... remember what almost happened here that day we kissed?"

"Yeah?"

"Let's hold off on that."

"O-okay."

"Only because I don't want to rush things. I don't want to have finally had my chance to be with you and screw it up. Let's build a strong foundation before we get to the wild monkey love."

"You know for an aspiring poet you really say some strange things."

He smiled at her. "What about Riley?"

"He's gone. He got reinstated into the military. He thought it would be best to put some distance between us."

"I see. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I probably would have ended up driving him away from me eventually, anyway."

"Why do you say that?"

"I don't know," she said. "I kind of got the idea that he wasn't really feeling like he was too big a part of my life. I think somehow I knew he wasn't the one, so I kept him at a distance."

Xander decided it best not to confirm that for her. Instead, he held her close. "I missed you," he said.

"I missed you, too. I was worried you'd come back as a frog or something."

"A frog?"

"Okay, so I let my imagination run wild a little."

"Not that I don't find the whole frog thing 'rrr-ribbiting,' he said with a smile. "But I have something important to ask you."

"Okay," she laid her head against his chest. "What is it?"

"Would you like to go out with me sometime?"

She looked at him with the biggest smile she had known in weeks. "I'd love to."

Three weeks later -

"So you spent the night at Xander's?" Willow asked.

"Yep," Buffy said non chalantly.

"In his bed?" Tara asked.

"Yep."

Willow turned a little red. "Um... how was...er, was he... did you...?"

"He was a perfect gentleman," the Slayer said. "We kissed a little." Willow and Tara raised their eyebrows. "Okay. We kissed a lot. But that's all we did. No... other stuff."

"Are you okay with that?" Willow asked. "The... no other stuff part?"

"Yeah. I mean, I want to... do other stuff. So does Xander. We just... I don't want to lose him, Will. I feel like I jumped into the physical stuff too fast with Parker and Riley. Xan and I want to take things slow and build something that will last."

"Sounds serious," Tara said with a smile. "Sounds good."

"Yeah," Willow agreed. "It's kinda cool that my two best friends make each other so happy."

"Says you," Spike said, stepping into the magic shop with Giles. "I find the love birds particularly annoying. They're all giggles and songs."

"It's called 'love,' Spike," Giles said.

"I hate it," the vampire complained. "It goes against everything I stand for."

"What a surprise," Giles mumbled.

"C'mon, Spike," Willow said. "You loved Dru. You know what it's like."

"Dru wasn't insipid and disgusting like the Harris boy and our precious little Slayer here," Spike complained. "No... they gotta spread this love crap around, rubbing our noses in it."

"You're just jealous, Spike," Buffy said.

"What the hell does that mean?" Spike averted his eyes. "Am not!"

"Sure you are," Buffy continued. "You haven't had a gal pal since Harmony booted you out. You just wish you had someone to love."

"Oh, that. Whatever, Slayer..."

The door to the Magic shop opened, and Xander walked in. "What's the what, people? Everybody's lounging about when there's work to be done."

"What work?" Buffy asked, after greeting him with a kiss.

"You didn't tell them?" he asked Giles.

"You volunteered them," Giles said. "I thought it best if YOU told them."

"Volunteered?" Spike said in disgust. "Is that why I was dragged all the way out here when the sun is barely down?"

"I don't like the sound of this," Willow said. "When Xander volunteers us, it's usually trouble."

"Untrue," Xander said. "That time I volunteered us at the homeless shelter everything turned out fine."

"If you call having an old guy ralph on you 'fine,' Willow said, wincing at the memory. "I had to throw my whole outfit away."

"And the lady we were helping kept dropping her cigarette ashes in the soup," Buffy said. "Please tell me you haven't volunteered us for something equally awful."

"Actually, no," Xander said. "But it will require hard work."

"The suspense is killing me," Spike moaned.

"I wish," Xander said sharply.

"What's the sitch?" Buffy asked again.

"Well, remember the family that lost their house when Buffy torched that Polger'nash demon in their basement?"

"Oh, thanks for bringing that up," Buffy said. "I still feel bad about that."

"Well, don't. You're gonna help me build them a new house."

"What?" Willow asked. "How?"

"She means how can we afford to do that?" Tara asked. "I thought they didn't have insurance."

"They didn't," Giles said. "The father had been laid off, not knowing it was the demon bringing him bad luck."

"Right," Xander said. "But I called Cordelia to see if she knew any rich folks who could help, and she turned me on to this software guy... something Nabbit."

"Dag Nabbit?" Willow offered.

"You called Cordelia?" Buffy asked. "And she turned you on?"

"To the software guy," Xander said. "You always miss the most important part of the sentence."

"Nevertheless," Giles said. "I think this is an excellent opportunity."

"You would," Spike complained. "I, on the other hand, am out of here."

"I got some donations," Xander said. "I can pay you $10.00 an hour."

"Like I said," Spike said with false enthusiasm. "When do we start?"

"Tomorrow," Xander said. "It's going up on the same lot, so everybody meet there after your classes. Spike, you're there just after sundown or you don't get paid."

Spike gave Xander a mock salute. "Yes, sir!" The vampire strolled out of the shop, while Xander just shook his head.

"Why I even offered is beyond me," Xander mumbled. "Everybody else cool with this?"

"I'm in," Willow said.

"Sounds like fun," Tara said. "Count me in."

"I've already asked my new assistant to fill in for me," Giles said.

"I'm in on one condition," Buffy said, wrapping her arms around him.

"What's that?" he asked.

"I get to wear one of those cool tool belts," she said.

"You'll have to wear more than that," Xander quipped. "Or I won't get any work done myself."

"Oh, brother," Giles mumbled.

One month later -

Xander and Buffy walked through the completed home that the Scoobies had helped Xander's construction team build. The ribbon cutting ceremony was for the next day, and Xander had asked Buffy to go through it for one last inspection.

"This place looks great, Xan," she said. "I can't believe you actually did it."

"We did it," he said. "I couldn't have done it without you guys... especially you."

"Why? What did I do?"

"You made me a better man. A few years ago, I wouldn't have had the confidence to even attempt something like this. You bring out the best in me."

She smiled and kissed him tenderly. "Not that I hate the thought of being alone with you, but exactly why did you need me to come out here for the final walk through?"

"Oh, there was just something I wanted you to see in the master bedroom."

"Really?"

"Not like that. Just come on." He led her upstairs. The door to the master bedroom was closed. He turned to Buffy and smiled. "Close your eyes."

The Slayer did as she was asked, letting her boyfriend lead her into the bedroom. She wasn't sure what to expect, but she was sure it would be something romantic. Xander had a habit of surprising her.

"Okay," Xander said, as he shut the door behind them. "Open them."

Buffy opened her eyes to find that the entire room was furnished like a bistro. There was a small cafe table with menus. There were assorted pictures of Paris lining the walls, candles in the window sill and a bottle of wine chilling near the table.

Xander pulled a remote control from his pocket, and romantic music poured softly from a CD player in the corner. "What is this?" Buffy asked.

"The closest I could get us to Paris," Xander said matter-of-factly.

"Paris? I always wanted to go there."

"I know. I hope to take you there for real soon. It'll make a much better honeymoon than Chuck's All-You-Can-Eat Chicken Shack and Motor Lodge, which was my original plan."

Buffy gazed into his eyes expectantly. "Honeymoon? There's gonna be a honeymoon? In Paris?"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," he reminded. "You haven't said 'yes' yet. Come to think of it, I haven't even asked you yet."

She didn't know what to say. "Honeymoon?"

"I think your record has a rut in it," Xander smiled. "Have a seat." He pulled Buffy's chair out for her. "I'll place our order. Waiter!"

Giles stepped into the room dressed in a tuxedo. "Good evening, sir. Madame."

"Honeymoon," Buffy said to Giles.

"Wine, it is," Giles said, opening the bottle and pouring them each a glass. "Would you care to order now?"

"We'll have two of the house specials," Xander said. "And could you send the flower girl over?"

"Certainly," Giles said, taking their menus and departing.

Xander smiled as Willow entered, carrying a basket of assorted flowers. "Flowers for your lady, sir?" she asked.

"Please."

"Which one would the lady prefer?" Willow asked Buffy with a smile.

"Honeymoon," Buffy said, looking at Willow.

"I don't think I have those," Willow said. "How about some lovely wild flowers?" She removed a bouquet from the basket and handed them to Buffy. She then turned and began pinning a rose to Xander's jacket. "A flower for the gentleman, as well," she explained.

"Thank you," Xander said, throwing her a wink.

Willow bowed and made her exit. As soon as she was through the door, Tara entered with salads. "Good evening," she said. "My name is Tara, and I'll be serving you this evening. Enjoy your salads. I'll be back in a few minutes with the main course. Is there anything else I can get you while you're waiting?"

"Honeymoon," Buffy whispered.

"I'll check with the chef for you," Tara said with a smile. She exited, leaving Xander and Buffy alone.

"You okay?" Xander asked, taking her hand. She just looked at him and smiled. "Well, can you at least stop saying 'honeymoon' long enough to listen to my new poem?" She nodded. He pulled a slip of paper from his pocket. Holding her hand, he read.

Tomorrow, Like Today
You will see me with new eyes
You will know the depth of my love
and return it from a secret place

Tomorrow, Like Today
You will find me always near you
walking through the daylight
captured by your grace

Who I am, I find within you
and in the mirror of your eyes
where I am is home within you
far beyond 'what ifs' and 'whys'

What I want is just to hold you
in the silence of this room
knowing we'll face the night together
with the morning coming soon

Tomorrow, Like Today
we will give our love completely
and see beyond the hardships
to the heart of destiny

Tomorrow, Like Today
we will dance to our own music
and count our days as endless
as the sands beneath the sea

When he finished, he made eye contact with Buffy, who was wiping tears from her eyes. "So what do you think?"

"It has a much better ending than the first version," she said, leaning over the table and kissing him.

"Well, it could have," Xander said. "If you'll say 'yes' to my next question."

"What question?" she asked, though she already had her answer prepared.

Xander stood up from the table and knelt on one knee. Buffy dried her eyes with her napkin, and looked Xander in the eyes. He didn't seem nervous at all. "Buffy," he said, with tears welling in his own eyes. "Would you do me the honor of marrying me?" He leaned up close to her. "This is the part where you say 'yes' and stuff," he whispered. "So what do you say?"

Buffy smiled at him with the brightest smile she had ever worn. "I say... yes and stuff." She kissed him gently at first, but then with more passion. Just outside the door, Giles, Willow and Tara cheered.

"No job for Spike?" Buffy asked, motioning to the door where her friends stood rejoicing.

"He's outside," Xander said with a smile. "Waiting to drive us home in the limo."