The Promise: 8 Years Later

By Melissa Flores
(melissaf@scf.usc.edu)
Buffy disappeared, their leader died, and the remnants of the Scooby Gang formed a pact that meant forever. Now, eight years later, they are reminded of their promise as they come back together to find an old friend, a new enemy and realize that no matter what happens, true friends are always there.
Chapter Seven: Breaking the Rules
   "First things first, "  Willow announced as she looked back at the weary group that followed her into the library the next morning.  "We have to find out where- what?"  She suddenly asked when the trio froze.  She turned to see what they were staring at, and gasped. The library was trashed. Books were overturned,  her computer was sitting on the other side
of the room, desks were flipped over.

"Dammit."  Cordelia hissed.  "They were here last night."

   "I think the word we're all looking for is "duh", Cordy."  Xander said, his eyes roving over the mess.

 "Well,  I guess we better find whatever they were looking for, no?"  Oz said briskly, stepping over the piles of books in the floor.  Willow nodded.

 "Yeah.  Cordelia, Xander, you two are clean up committee."

 "Clean up committee?"  Cordelia scoffed.  "Will, I don't know where any of these books go!"

 "Ask Xander, he used to be Research Boy, remember?"  Willow answered flippantly, motioning for Oz to follow her.  "I need to check my computer, see if they stole any files." Cordelia and Xander watched them cross the room, and then looked at each other.

  "You heard her, Queenie." Xander said stiffly, bending down and picking up a book.

 Cordelia gave him a disgusted look.  "Yeah, like the cretin here is going to be any help." Xander glared back at her.

   "Whattsa matter, Cordy?" he sneered. "All those lights finally sear your brain cells?"

 "So."  Oz paused for a second to look back at Cordelia and Xander, who had taken the opportunity to being bickering again. "Did you get my postcards?"

  Willow froze, and then looked up from her computer, smiling softly after a minute.

"Yeah.  Thank you.  I..."  she paused for a moment.  "I kept them all.  I wanted to answer them but-"

 "Well, I was traveling around a lot, I wouldn't have been able to get the replies, anyhow."  Oz said quickly.  Willow looked slightly hurt at being cut off, but just nodded.

 "Well, thank you Oz.  They meant a lot to me."

 Oz gave her a  long look.  "You still have the most beautiful smile I've ever seen." He whispered, and then, suddenly realizing he had said those words out loud, he colored and got up.  "Better stop the dueling duo before they kill each other."  He stammered.

 Willow stared after him, stunned. And suddenly, her heart lightened, and she smiled.
 

 "So, really Cordy, how many producers did you sleep with to get your job?"  Cordelia's eyes widened, and Xander winced.  That was over the top, even he knew that.

 "Hey!"  Oz apparently had heard the comment because he strode to Xander furiously. "What did you say, Xander?"  Even though he was shorter, he looked positively menacing as he fought to control his anger towards the taller man.

 "Oz."  Cordelia sounded resigned, and rested a warm hand on Oz's shoulder.  "Calm that inner wolf down. I can take care of myself." Oz looked at her for a brief second, then finally nodded, casting a glare to Xander, and walked back to Willow.

 Xander was quiet when Cordelia looked at him, her eyes unreadable. "You broke the rules, Xander."  She informed him, after a moment.

 He nodded. "Yeah, I did.  I'm sorry.  I know that was cruel."  He looked at her sadly, and briefly remembered the look of pain  and horror that had been on Cordelia's face the day she found him with Willow.   That had hurt him more than anything.

 Cordelia saw the look of guilt pass through his face and sighed.  "I'm over you, Xander."  She said almost fiercely.  "Okay?  So you don't have to walk around with this guilty puppy dog expression for hurting me. I'm over it, okay?"  She felt her voice go unsteady, but she was still remarkably surprised at her acting job. She really made it sound as if she didn't care anymore.  Damn.  If she had done that in It happened on Saturday, she might have been nominated for an Oscar, instead of just the Best Smoochie on the MTV movie awards.  Xander was stunned, and his eyes were lit up with surprise.

 "Okay."  He said almost inaudibly, this time having no biting remark for Cordelia.

 "But... you don't have to insult me every half minute either, okay?  You know the rules, stick to them." And with that she looked, at him, and sighed, turning away before he could see the glistening in her eyes of unformed tears.

  Xander felt his heart leaden.  Yeah, he knew the rules alright.  Don't get too personal, always come up the better insult, and don't care.  He was way past that.  He cared way too much.

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