This Place and Time

The next evening Xander was lying in his bed thinking
heavily of last nights events.

'Angel is kind of a cool guy. I mean when he's not
broody or an evil soulless bastard out terrorizing
everyone.'

He fidgeted and turned over in his bed. It was only
fifteen minutes before he had to go out and meet the
gang for that nights patrol. He felt incredibly
anxious.

Xander was turning over and over tirelessly on the
mattress. He still couldn't believe that Angel had
walked him home and for reasons involving his safety.
It made him feel weird. Not in a bad way, just a
confusing one.

'This is so weird. I can't believe me and Angel are
doing the buddy thing. No wait not friends, or chums,
or....' Xander let out a deep breath. 'One day doesn't
really change anything.'

Rolling over he clenched his teeth, grinding them and
buried his face deep in his pillow. "Argh," He moaned.

'No, maybe it does. I mean I agreed to make nicey nice
with Deadboy.' He thought a moment remembering he
shouldn't think of Angel as that anymore. Part of his
apology and his promise to himself was to make things
as comfortable between him and Angel as possible. In
doing so he had to remember not to call him Deadboy
anymore, even in thoughts.

He rolled over again. Were he and Angel friends? They
had talked so much last night actually opening up.
Whatever it was it felt like friendship to Xander. But
these thoughts only served to confuse him more.

When he began replaying last night in his head again
for about the tenth time, he became more distraught.

**************

Angel had asked him to explain about everything that
had happened when he and Buffy were looking for
information on The First.

Xander began and told him what he knew. Which wasn't
much. Angel however was glad to find out whatever he
could, he wanted to be prepared in case this thing
ever tried to harm him again. Knowing everything he
could about it was the only way to do that. Xander
went through everything. He told Angel about how he
helped Buffy research, about how worried she was as
well as the rest of them. This The First was serious
business, they both knew it. Then he explained about
his encounter in Willie's bar and how he tried to act
his most intimidating, and how Willie had gave him the
complements about how imposing a figure he was.

Angel had smiled when Xander went over what he had
said to Willie. When Xander had looked up he saw
Angel's smile and began to blush.

*******************

That was another thing that was seriously getting to
Xander. What was it about Angel smiling at him made
him blush like he did? He wanted to tell himself it
was just nervousness or that it was just his sheer
determination not to look like a fool that had made
him blush. However, he knew somewhere deep down that
that wasn't the case.

He rolled again. This thinking was getting him back to
the same places he'd been over a hundred times in the
last couple hours. But he needed to be sure. So he
continued his thinking process.

*******************

After Xander had explained everything he knew, Angel
got up and moved his hand toward Xander's thigh. When
Xander was about to say something Angel grabbed the
plate that had been sitting in Xander's lap.

"Plate," Angel said as he picked up the plate and fork
and slightly waved it in front of Xander's face.

This made Xander blush yet again. He was beginning to
get tired of feeling so flush. He felt like a little
girl with a high school crush. Except he was totally
NOT lusting after AnOh that's awesome, a comic book
store. LoL, I just had a QaF flash in my mind, sorry.
OK, I'm done. Thanks again.
And the fic is called "This place and Time", it was my
first and I couldn't think of anything else. So here's
the next to parts, thanks, thanks, thanks.
And might I add, first fic, poor grammer/discription.
Hope its not too cringe worthy.
_____________
Ch4
The next evening Xander was laying in his bed thinking
heavily of last nights events.

'Angel is kind of a cool guy. I mean when he's not
broody; or an evil soulless bastard out terrorizing
everyone.'

He fidgeted and turned over in his bed. It was only
fifteen minutes before he had to go out and meet the
gang for that nights patrol. He felt incredibly
anxious.

Xander was turning over and over tirelessly on the
mattress. He still couldn't believe that Angel had
walked him home, and for reasons involving his safety.
It made him feel weird. Not in a bad way, just a
confusing one.

'This is so weird. I can't believe me and Angel are
doing the buddy thing. No wait not friends, or chums,
or....' Xander let out a deep breath. 'One day doesn't
really change anything.'

Rolling over he clenched his teeth, grinding them, and
buried his face deep in his pillow. "Argh," He moaned.

'No, maybe it does. I mean I agreed to make nicey nice
with Deadboy.' He thought a moment remembering he
shouldn't think of Angel as that anymore. Part of his
apology and his promise to himself was to make things
as comfortable between him and Angel as possible. In
doing so he had to remember not to call him Deadboy
anymore, even in thoughts.

He rolled over again. Were he and Angel friends? They
had talked so much last night. Actually opening up.
Whatever it was it felt like friendship to Xander. But
these thoughts only served to confuse him more.

When he began replaying last night in his head again
for about the tenth time, he became more distraught.

**************

Angel had asked him to explain about everything that
had happened when he and Buffy were looking for
information on The First.

Xander began and told him what he knew, which wasn't
very much. Angel however was glad to find out whatever
he could, he wanted to be prepared in case this thing
ever tried to harm him again. Knowing everything he
could about it was the only way to do that. Xander
went through everything. He told Angel about how he
helped Buffy research, about how worried she was as
well as the rest of them. This The First was serious
business, they both knew it. Then he explained about
his encounter in Willie's bar and how he tried to act
his most intimidating, and how Willie had gave him the
complements about how imposing a figure he was.

Angel had smiled when Xander went over what he had
said to Willie. When Xander had looked up he saw
Angel's smile and began to blush.

*******************

That was another thing that was seriously getting to
Xander. What was it about Angel smiling at him made
him blush like he did? He wanted to tell himself it
was just nervousness that it was just his sheer
determination not to look like a fool that had made
him blush. However, he knew somewhere deep down that
that wasn't the case.

He rolled again. This thinking was getting him back to
the same places he'd been over a hundred times in the
last couple hours. But he needed to be sure. So he
continued his thinking process.

*******************

After Xander had explained everything he knew, Angel
got up and moved his hand toward Xander's thigh. When
Xander was about to say something Angel grabbed the
plate that had been sitting in Xander's lap.

"Plate," Angel said as he picked up the plate and fork
and slightly waved it in front of Xander's face.

This made Xander blush yet again. He was beginning to
get tired of feeling so flush. He felt like a little
girl with a high school crush except he was totally
NOT lusting after Angel. He decided in his mind that
in no way was that even a possibility.

"Oh, thanks." Xander said getting control over himself
as he slouched in his seat trying to look more relaxed
and less uncomfortable.

Angel went into his kitchen area while he deposited
the plate, fork and mug in the sink. He made his way
back and Xander noticed Angel take a similar position
in his own chair. Angel slouched a bit trying to get
more comfortable.

It was Xander's turn to finally start a conversation.
"Uh, Angel? Just what did that thing do to you anyway?
I mean, it must have been pretty bad. I was told you
almost killed yourself." Xander's words were softly
spoken. He wasn't sure whether he was over stepping
his bounds. But he really wanted to know.

Angel sighed. "It showed me......things. People. Who I
murdered as Angelus." Xander's eyes widened a bit.
This had to be bad, he knew this story was going to
get worse. "I saw Jenny Calendar. She told me to lose
my soul to Buffy again. That it was the only way for
me to be truly free."

Xander was still angry over the loss of Miss Calendar.
She had been kind to all of them, and her and Giles
had seemed to be truly in love. He still felt
heartache over her loss and what it meant to Giles.
Giles was like the father he never had and he would
like nothing more than for the English librarian to
find someone and be happy. He truly hated Angelus for
taking Jenny away. But he tried not to think of Angel
as him. Angel didn't deserve to suffer for something
Angelus did. Xander wanted to think of them as
separate people now so he felt sympathy for Angel's
situation.

"But I wouldn't play it's games. I ran away out into
the night and waited for the sun. It seemed the only
way to keep you all safe, especially Buffy. I just
can't lose control again, I can't become him again."
Angel was staring off at nothing.

Xander looked at him trying to read his expression.
Angel looked so sad, Xander thought. Xander wished he
could have given a hug, they always seemed to work for
him when he was depressed. Willow was always there for
support when he was feeling low. When his parents were
too unbearable and when his father had beat him;
Willow was always there and she would hold him close
until he felt better.

Now he wished he could give that same comfort to
Angel. But he was still new at this friendship thing.
He didn't know how Angel would interpret that, so he
stayed his distance and decided to change the subject.

"Hey, did I ever tell you about the time I was on the
swim team?" Xander said out of the blue forcing Angel
to snap out of his thoughts.

He looked Xander directly in eyes. "What?"

"Oh yeah, you mean you didn't know? Big demon bust, I
finally became a studly jock." Xander looked at Angel
and began to tell tale of the swim team. He told him
about how he decided to join and go undercover to
figure out what was going on.

When Angel heard about how Buffy, Willow, and Cordy
had reacted to Xander in a speedo he smiled a big
grin.

Xander became uncomfortable at the wide smile. This
time he blushed furiously. He cursed himself in his
head because he knew he was doing it again, but he
couldn't help it. It was the biggest grin he'd ever
seen Angel sport. When he thought about it he realized
that he had never seen Angel smile or even attempt to
smile before today. He thought maybe that's why he
blushed, perhaps afraid to admit that he liked seeing
Angel smile. Xander thought it looked good on him, not
brooding was definitely a step in the right direction.

He just let that idea sit there for a bit. Not willing
to think it through. It was too much for him to wrap
his mind around at the moment.

So he began to tell a new story. He told Angel about
how they discovered Oz was a werewolf. He figured
Angel wouldn't know considering he was Angelus at the
time. He told Angel about all the people they
suspected to be the wolf. Also explaining the werewolf
hunter and how much of a bind they were all in to
hurry up and find out who it was before the hunter
killed the wolf and effectively killing whichever
human it was.

Angel had begun remembering Angelus' Sunnydale
adventure soon after coming back to this world, and
after gaining his sanity again. He recalled Angelus
encountering a werewolf while on a hunt. But it was
blurry here and there, he knew soon he'd remember some
if not all of it, which wasn't something he was
looking forward to. However he decided not to mention
it to Xander, he didn't want to scare the boy.

Xander continued his story but he left out the part
with Larry. Another thing he really didn't want to
bring up again anytime soon. True he had told Willow,
but the whole situation was just too awkward to him.
It unsettled him and he just couldn't mention it
again.

When Xander finished the story he realized Angel had
actually sat there and listened to the whole thing.
Xander knew he tended to babble and go off track.
Whenever he started telling stories everyone had
usually just told him to stop babbling, get to the
point and continue without side-tracking or to just be
quiet and not talk. However, Angel never once faltered
from staring and listening intently. He occasionally
gave a head nod indicating he was listening. Xander
didn't know what to think of that, but it was nice to
finally have someone listen to him for a change.

When they began talking again Xander occasionally
slipped in a story here or there, it became mostly
inane chatter. Angel really didn't tell too many
stories about himself or his life, but that was OK
with Xander. He figured Angel for a listener, which he
really enjoyed. So he just kept talking.

***************************

' And we talked for hours.' Xander thought.

OK this was getting nowhere very fast. It was time to
go out on patrol.

Xander jumped off his bed and ran straight to the
door. He felt a sudden jolt energy as he ran toward
the cemetery. He knew Angel would be there and he was
excited to get the chance to talk with the souled
vampire again, maybe even get to know a little more
about him this night.

These thoughts only briefly crossed his mind.

‘No way am I excited to see Angel, just jumpy and
ready to go slay some evil undead.'

He repeated that to himself over and over as he made
his way to the cemetery. To Angel.