This Place and Time

When Xander arrived at the cemetery he was exhausted.
He headed toward the entrance were Buffy, Willow and
Oz were waiting. Buffy was standing off to the left
while Willow and Oz were standing to her side.

"Hey guys," Xander said while trying to catch his
breath.

When he got closer he noticed that Oz and Willow were
holding hands." Hey Xander, how are you?" Willow said
with a smile.

"Uh, Wills?" Xander looked down indicating her and
Oz's joined hands.

"Oh, uh, yeah. Didn't I mention? Me and Oz sorta made
up." She looked a bit nervous. Xander wasn't aware
that her and Oz had made up. But he supposed it was
probably for the best, nothing should have happened
between him and Willow. He was happy that her and Oz
had made amends.

"Oh, that's great Wills. I'm happy for you," he looked
over at Oz who gave him a cold stare. Things probably
weren't going to get any better between them. Oz now
had to watch his back, he was definitely not going to
leave Xander alone with Willow anytime soon. He
trusted Willow, but Xander was a different story.

Xander figured that Christmas was probably the last
time he was going to spend any alone time with Willow
for a while.

Buffy looked on as things got silent. When Xander had
seen Oz's cold eyes piercing through him he had
effectively stared at the ground. So Buffy decided to
take control and break this scene up before things got
intensely uncomfortable. "Well if we’re all done here
I'd like to start the patrol now." All three looked at
her.

Willow was glad that Buffy said something. She didn't
like that her boyfriend and her best friend were now
on hostile terms. In any other scenario she would have
tried to make piece between them. But she was still
trying gain Oz's trust back. Trying to say anything
might seem like defending Xander, and she didn't want
Oz to be upset with her. At least not until she had
time to assure him that she would never do anything
behind his back again. "Of course Buffy, let's get
started."

"Oh, uh, where's Angel?" Xander asked trying to sound
indifferent.

"He should be here any moment. But we'll split into
our teams now." Buffy would have normally sent Oz,
Xander, and Willow as a group while her and Angel
spent some alone time together. Ever since that
incident with The First she really didn't feel like
letting Angel out of her sight. But she didn't want to
make waves. Something was bound to happen if they had
split into their usual groups. So she let out a sigh
and continued, "Willow and Oz you'll be with me.
Xander you wait here for Angel, you two are together."

Xander wanted to smile, he'd get to spend some more
alone time with Angel. But he didn't smile. "Oh, yeah,
fine."

"OK then Oz, Willow c'mon." She turned and stared
Xander directly in the eyes. "Be a good boy Xander and
try not to fight with Angel. I'd hate to have to force
you two to get along." With that she, Oz, and Willow
made there way into the entrance of the cemetery while
Xander stood there watching them go.

Xander stood there waiting for Angel to show, he
really was excited but completely confused. He still
didn't know what he felt, but right then and there he
decided that he didn't care anymore. Whatever happens
happens, if him and Angel became best pals then so be
it. He knew that he genuinely liked Angel, so he
wasn't going to try to convince himself otherwise.

"Xander," Angel was standing there looking at him with
a confused look plastered across his face.

Xander jumped when he realized that Angel had been
there watching him zone out. "Oh GOD, Angel please,
don't do that. How long have you been there?"

Angel still looked confused, "Only about thirty
seconds, give or take. What's going on?"

Xander looked at him and felt embarrassed. Angel had
been there for half a minute watching Xander zone out.
' Man he must think I'm a space case.' He sighed, "Oh,
she, Willow, and Oz went in. Just me and you tonight."
Angel still looked a bit confused. "C'mon lets get
started."

Angel just shrugged and followed Xander into the
cemetery. There were twelve cemeteries in Sunnydale,
this one was the biggest. While group Buffy had went
to the left side, Xander and Angel made there way to
the right.

They walked for a moment in silence until Angel
decided to speak. "So why the new groups tonight? I
mean during all our patrols not once have we ever been
in our own group."

Xander stared at Angel for a second, then at the
ground while they continued walking in between
headstones. He sighed," Well I guess Buffy didn't want
Oz and me to be in the same group. Guess she figures
we have a better chance of staking each other than the
vamps."

Angel looked at him and asked, "Why? Did you and Oz
have a falling out?"

Xander took his eyes off the ground and looked at
Angel. "You mean you don't know?" Angel shook his
head. Xander sighed, "Well remember when Willow and I
were captured by Spike a while back?" Nod. "Well, me
and Willow sorta got with the kissage. I thought we
were going to die, so I kind of kissed her. Oz and
Cordy came in at just the right time to catch us
devouring each other. After that Cordy broke up with
me, Oz with Willow."

Angel took a moment to consider this, “If her and Oz
aren’t together, why is he mad at you. Shouldn't he be
upset with Willow too?"

"That's the best part. They're back together, don't
ask me why or how but they are. But I'm happy for her.
Her and me, just not a couple, we work much better as
friends."

Angel now saw another side of Xander he didn't know
existed. "That's very adult of you Xander."

"Yeah, well it's this new thing I decided to try out.
Don't tell anyone though I have a rep to keep.
Promise?"

Angel looked at him and smiled, "Promise."

Xander smiled back at him shyly, face red and Angel
felt a little light headed. He had seen the boy blush
until he was more red than a tomato. But he couldn't
recall Xander smiling, not at him anyway. He could
honestly say he liked the boy's smile. It was dopey
but it held an innocence to it that Angel liked. Being
able to stay as happy as this boy was on a Hellmouth
was not something to take lightly.

Angel figured Xander would have gone completely insane
by now, after all he had to deal with demons without
the aid of any sort of ability. He was best friends
with a witch and the slayer. It was surprising that he
hadn't developed a severe inferiority complex by now.
Yet he still came out on patrol, he still researched
and he still contributed everything he could without
anything to work off of. This gave Angel a certain
admiration for Xander, he was someone special.

"Slow night tonight huh?" Xander said breaking Angel's
concentration.

When Angel turned to look at Xander he noticed
something was a bit off. There were vampires looming
in the shadows behind one of the crypts. From the
looks of it there were only two. Xander was right,
tonight was going to be a slow night.

"Look over there," Angel pointed toward the crypt and
the two obvious figures emerging from it. "You take
the one on the right; I got the one on the left."

Xander nodded. "Sure thing."

Angel looked at him for a second before adding, "Be
careful." That gave Xander a weird clenching feeling
inside. He really wished Angel wouldn't have told him
that. Angel being protective of him made him feel odd.
It gave him a slight shiver and he knew then that
wasn't going to be able to concentrate now. 'Damn it
Angel.'

Before he could finish his thinking the two vampires
launched themselves at them. The first one went toward
Angel swinging his fists in the direction of the dark
vampire’s face. Angel ducked the blows before kicking
the vampire in the stomach, sending him a few feet
back, stunning him for a moment.

The vampire launched at Angel again. He managed to get
in a single punch to the face and a kick to Angel's
ankle before Angel had a chance to pull out his stake.
Angel was on a single knee slightly crouched toward
the ground as the vampire launched himself for another
attack. Then Angel shoved the stake through it's chest
as it exploded into a pile of dust before his eyes.

Xander had not fared so well with his vampire. He was
still into deep thought as it launched itself at him.
The vampire punched Xander on his cheek sending him to
the ground. Xander immediately snapped out of his
thoughts and reached for his stake. The vampire
pounced on him and hit him a few times in the ribs. He
gasped in pain. He wasn't going to get a good angle to
dust the vamp so he pulled out his water gun, filled
with holy water, and squirted it in the vampires face.
The vampire grabbed its face with both hands, wincing
in pain as steam rose from it. Xander figured it was a
better time than any to finish it, so he grabbed his
stake and made his way to the vampire. However when
Xander was about to plunge the stake into it's chest
it reached out and grabbed hold of Xander's sweater,
flinging him head first into the nearest headstone.
Xander blacked out.

When he came to he looked around noticing Angel
standing above him, "Where’s the vampire?" He asked
looking around. He was still in the cemetery, sitting
against the headstone he had blacked on.

"I dusted him don't worry."

Xander looked up at Angel, "Thank you." It felt good
knowing Angel had saved him.

"Does this hurt?" Angel said as he pressed his hand
into Xander's ribs.

"Ow, yeah it does hurt a bit." He was looking into
Angel's eyes not knowing really what he was seeing.
Angel was now trying to take care of his wounds. His
heart felt heavy as he realized this.

Then Angel put his hand in Xander's hair and massaged
his head with the hand that wasn't currently on his
ribs. "You’re bleeding." Then Xander noticed a trickle
of blood slide down his scalp unto his forehead. Angel
wiped the blood off his forehead with his hand moving
it down as he cupped Xander's cheek.

Xander went completely on autopilot as he leaned into
Angel's hand. Angel just stood there watching Xander
who was focused on him. "I have supplies at home let’s
go get you bandaged up." Then he removed his hands and
helped Xander up. He hoisted Xander's hand over his
shoulder. "Lean on me."

Xander was so glad Angel was going to help him walk;
he was too dizzy from standing and in too much pain to
have actually made it to Angel's place.

Angel didn't know what was really coming over him. He
liked Xander, he really did. But what was going on?
What was this? He didn't have the answers. But he
brooded on it while they made there way out of the
cemetery.

Xander leaned into Angel a little more than he should
have, enjoying the feel. He didn't read into it, he
promised himself not to. But for some odd reason he
felt incredibly safe with Angel. He felt selfish but
he refused to deny himself this feeling, this safety.

They walked out and neither said a single word to one
another all the way to Angel's mansion.