FIC: Per Omnia Saecula Saeculorum 10

["cdreramius" <mike_mcd@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Title: Per Omnia Saecula Saeculorum
Author: Tony McD
Rating: M (15+ for language and adult themes)
Summary: The events and consequences immediately after `Grave'.
Distribution: Anywhere, just keep my name on it. As long as I am
remembered, I will never truly die.
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer nor do I own any
other characters. This is a work of fiction written for your enjoyment.

*-*-*-*-*

None of them felt like cooking that night so Xander ordered Chinese
for the remaining Scoobies.

They were very subdued, especially Xander who said hardly anything,
allowing Dawn to try to fill the silence with the occasional question
or remark.

Clearing away the remains of the meal, the three sat down on the couch
together to watch TV. Flipping through the channels and finding
nothing terribly exciting, they settled on an old John Wayne western.

"You know what the first thing I'm gonna get when I start my new and,
might I add, vastly better paid job? Decent cable." Buffy declared.

"Great, that means we'll spend even longer looking at more channels
only to find that there's still nothing worth watching." Grumbled
Dawn. Buffy struggled to come up with a counterpoint.

"But think about it, there's all sorts of... stuff. Educational things
like... documentaries... about lions."

Dawn snorted in mock disgust.

"Fabulous. You promise to show me the world, I get the Discovery
Channel." Dawn went back to watching the Duke dispense justice in the
Old West. "When do you start the new job?"

"Next week. I've gotta go hand in my cow hat at the Double Meat tomorrow."

"That's gotta be heartbreaking."

"And yet somehow I'll find a way to cope."

Buffy surprised herself by enjoying the movie. Normally she wasn't
much of a western fan but tonight she was.

As the credits rolled, she looked down at Dawn, fast asleep with her
head in Buffy's lap and the rest of her body crunched and twisted into
an almost painful shape on the end of the couch.

Buffy herself was leaning up against Xander who was starting to nod
off himself. She gently shook Dawn awake.

"Come on, time to get to bed."

Dawn mumbled a response and got up, stretching with cat like grace,
and shuffled upstairs.

"I'd better get going too." Xander told Buffy as they got up.

"Going? Going where?"

"Home, Buffy. You know, that place I'm renting for not a small amount
of money but hardly ever seem to be there."

"Oh." Buffy deflated a little. "It's just... well, it's late and I
thought... you might wanna stay here tonight."

Xander considered it for a moment. True, it was late and he really
didn't feel like heading back to his place after being though the
emotional roller-coaster of the last few days.

"Yeah, I think I might stay. The couch is pretty comfy to crash on."
Observed Xander.

Buffy opened her mouth to say something, but then thought better of
it. Instead she went to the linen closet to get pillows and blankets
for Xander before heading up to bed herself.

*-*-*-*-*

et vidi caelum novum et terram novam primum enim caelum et prima terra
abiit et mare iam non est

(And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the
first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.)

*-*-*-*-*

Lying in bed, Buffy couldn't to get to sleep, her thought drifting
aimlessly. No matter how she tossed and turned she was completely
unable to get comfortable. She was contemplating getting up and going
on a late night patrol when there was a faint tap at her door.

It opened to reveal Xander who hesitantly took a step inside before
stopping, unsure if he should turn around and go back to the couch.

Buffy pulled the sheets down beside her in invitation to Xander to
join her, which he did. Xander instinctively snuggled close to her and
Buffy held him reassuringly.

There was a Willow shaped hole in their hearts that night as Buffy and
Xander fell asleep in Buffy's room.

*-*-*-*-*

Ego obdormivi et soporatus sum, exsurrexi, quia Dominus suscepit me.

(I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.)

*-*-*-*-*





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Willow: "It's a good fight, Buffy, and I want in."
Buffy:  "I kinda love you."
                     'Choices'

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