From: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com (buffyfic-digest) To: buffyfic-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: buffyfic-digest V2 #277 Reply-To: $SENDER Sender: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-buffyfic@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk buffyfic-digest Tuesday, July 28 1998 Volume 02 : Number 277 In this issue: BUFFYFIC: Unforgettable (1a/1) BUFFYFIC: Unforgettable (1c/1) BUFFYFIC: Unforgettable (1d/1) BUFFYFIC: Unforgettable (1b/1) See the end of the digest for information on (un)subscribing to the buffyfic or buffyfic-digest mailing lists and on how to retrieve back issues. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1998 13:01:22 -0700 From: taygeta@juno.com (Charity C. T.) Subject: BUFFYFIC: Unforgettable (1a/1) TITLE: Unforgettable (1a/1) AUTHOR: Taygeta E-MAIL: taygeta@juno.com FEEDBACK: Pretty please with a cherry on top! DISTRIBUTION: Sure, just tell me first. RATING: PG SPOILERS: To be safe up until Becoming AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm thinking ahead to what season 3 would be like and this is near the end somewhere. It's admittably a Buffy/Xander fic, but it's BXNOsafe. DISCLAIMER: The only thing in this story that is mine is the story, itself. The characters any such reference to Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series belong to their creator, Joss Whedon, and their owners, Mutant Enemy productions, Kuzui Productions, Sandollar Productions, and 20th Century Fox. In other words, they do not belong to me. Copyright infringement not intended. The song, "I Will Remember You," is written by Sarah Mclachlan, Seamus Egan, and Dave Merenda and is owned by Arista Records. The song, "Unforgettable," written by Nat King Cole. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Unforgettable By: Taygeta A state of tranquility had set upon Sunnydale in recent weeks, ever since old enemies and new alike had cease their attendance of the said Hellmouth. Still, Buffy went on her patrols as she had always done in the times of Druscilla, Spike, and Angelus. Except…nowadays, there was very little to contend with, and so her vigilance over the grave markers for that of the undead had altered somewhat and was steadily becoming a time of thought as opposed to a time of battle. Today was no exception to what was becoming the rule. As she trudged over stone slabs where ancient rites once occurred, her thoughts drifted to Angel, who by now was somewhere in the hold of the so adequately named City of Angels. The bloom of their relationship faded not long after they were able to release him from the bindings of hell. Perhaps that was why it was so easy for him to leave and for her to let go. He had left sometime ago, and although there were promises to return, she knew it wouldn't be soon, and when he did come, it would be in times of danger and fear, and not the times of love it had been in the past Love…the word had not approached Buffy in awhile, but perhaps a more accurate statement would be that *she* hadn't attempted to approach it. After the unpleasant results of her relationship with Angel, despite unusual circumstances, she had been wary about anything that had to do with it. She missed it…love…and this caused trips to the Bronze with her friends to be rather depressing, because during those times, Oz and Willow acted like their lovey-dovey cute selves and Cordelia and Xander acted like…well… like Cordelia and Xander acted. She supposed that that was why she opted to go patrolling all of the time, maybe not to get away from them, but to get away from what they all ended up representing…the one thing she had yet to truly acquire and hold on to. As she thought about her friends as couples, her mind drifted and recalled that tomorrow night was the big night…the prom. She was seriously debating on whether or not to go because she had the feeling she wasn't going to be much fun there and the fun there wasn't going to feel fun to her. She would be a third wheel, as always, in the relationship of Oz and Willow, not to mention that of Xander and Cordelia. A strange loud noise occurred suddenly and Buffy fell out of her inner thoughts and into full slayer mode as she looked around the graveyard. She carefully walked towards the trees where the noise had sounded and clenched the stake in her right hand so tightly that her knuckles turned bone-white. "Xander?" she said as she saw her goofy friend sitting in a bush near the tree, and as she helped him up she continued, "What on earth are you doing here?" "I'm fine…dandy…totally peachy-keen, thanks for asking," he said as he winced when he stood up, "Seriously though, I was trying to find you all afternoon to see if you wanted to go Bronzing with me and Cordy, but I couldn't find you. So when I dropped her home after, I figured I'd find you here, considering that nowadays you're *always* here. "Okay…" she said slowly, "but that doesn't explain what you're doing here…in a bush." He smiled at her sheepishly before saying, "I thought I saw a snake, and when snake turned garden hose, and when garden hose met feet…I met bush - that green thing, right there…not the big cheese that held office." Xander saw Buffy smile lightly, but she didn't speak and so he continued, "Thoughts on the prom…major question…ya going?" She sat down on a cement bench that stood next to a grand and graying mausoleum and shrugged, "I don't know…I'm not too sure if I want to go. I know what I'm going to be doing…just sitting there, and stuffing my face like some porker." He walked over to where she sat and grabbed her hand suddenly, pulling her up, and spun her around the bench a few times, and then in his cheesy French accent he said, "Sit down? I zink not, for you and I will donce ze night away…" and then Buffy, who had begun to laugh, got another dose of surprise when he dipped her. He grinned as his eyes met hers and as their laughing began to die, they found themselves just looking at each other. An awkward silence began to form between them, causing him to quickly bring her back up. " 'Donce ze night away,' huh?" she asked imitating his accent, while trying to hold her composure. "I think Cordy's gonna have a little something to say about that." "Cordy's not going to have a little something to say, Buff…a lot, definitely, but a little? Nah," he said, "but let's not forget what we were talking about earlier…you have got to go to the prom." She glanced at him in disbelief, "Xander, you're acting as if the prom is a life or death matter on my part." "Not everything in life is important because it's a life or death matter," he said, "All I'm trying to tell you is that one day, Buffy, you're going to look back on your senior year. So what if there were vampires, demonic creatures, and…Angel? They may be the first things that come to your mind, but you'll also remember the prom…the one you never went to." "It's just an overrated dance," she argued with a tired sigh, feeling the effects of weeks of very little sleep. He glanced at her and said thoughtfully, "Overrated? Maybe…but if you miss it, how will you ever know?" *~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Buffy climbed out of bed tiredly and found that her mother was fiddling with something on her closet door, "Mom?" "Honey, I'm sorry…did I wake you?" Joyce Summers asked stopping what she had been doing, "I know you had a pretty late night…did anything happen?" "All's well in Sunnydale, Mom," her daughter replied with a sigh as she stood up slowly, "W-what are you doing?" Mrs. Summers stepped aside with a smile, "Well, I had this idea for you to wake up and see this here, but I guess my timing was wrong. So…do you think it'll be perfect for tonight?" Her eyes fell to a beautiful pale blue dress that hung on her closet door, looking misplaced in the presence of her other clothing. She stood up slowly and walked towards the gown for a closer look. The dress was made of off-white chiffon with a gauzy layer of lightly shimmering azure lace. It was a simple design that met with a cascading willowy, floor-length skirt of the same material. The silvery white trim edged the top of the dress and was used as simple spaghetti straps. The beautiful silver silk wrap and white gloves her mother held in her hands were perfect with the gorgeous dress. "Oh, Mom, it's beautiful," she said in a hush voice as her eyes continued to peer at the dress, inspecting and approving, "but how did you - I didn't even - " "Mother's intuition…I guess," she replied, "I knew how busy you were with everything that happened over this past year, and I realized that the prom must have been the last thinking on your mind, and well…I just couldn't let you miss it. I saw this dress while driving home from that art show a few days ago, and it looked so perfect, that I knew I had to buy it." Buffy contemplated for a moment as she looked at her mother's happy expression, and she knew that despite any of her reasons before, she had to go to this prom. As of late, their relationship had begun to grow stronger, but it was a slow and tedious process, and to not go might make everything that they had worked so hard to crumble to pieces. "Thanks, Mom," she said walking towards Mrs. Summers and giving her a warm hug, "You're the best…" *~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Buffy glanced at the blue dress carefully as she dialed a well-memorized phone number, and she was about to rummage her closet for matching shoes, but to her surprise, the phone was picked up on the first ring. "Buffy?" A hopeful voice said on the other line. "Xander…did you by any chance wait beside the phone for me to call?" she asked as she pulled a few shoe boxes out of a row of shelves and began to open them to see if any of her shoes went well with her dress. He chuckled lightly, "Um…let's just say my mom had to go to the neighbors to use the phone, but enough about me…what about you? The question still stands, Buff, are you going?" She sighed and replied, "Yes, I am, but not because of what you told me…something else." "Whatever that something else is, I'm glad it made you want to go," he said and a pause set in between them. Both did not know what to say…what to do, and then Xander quickly rushed, "I gotta get my tux…so Cordy, Will, Oz, and will be around your house at 5:00, okay?" "Yeah…isn't it kind of late to get a tux? I mean, the day of the prom?" she had to ask before he hung up. She could almost picture him smiling as he said, "Let's just say, it's not your ordinary tux…" *~*~*~*~*~*~*~ _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1998 13:01:35 -0700 From: taygeta@juno.com (Charity C. T.) Subject: BUFFYFIC: Unforgettable (1c/1) DISCLAIMER AND INFO in 1a/1 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Unforgettable 1c/1 By: Taygeta Buffy sat at their table watching her friends dance as she drank cups of cheap refreshment punch, the only remnants of their dinner buffet an hour earlier. She had been sitting in her seat ever since the prom had started and with the exception of taking pictures in the beginning that equaled to a very tiring three hours. "Having fun much?" Xander asked as he and Cordelia walked towards her. She smiled and said sardonically, "Oodles and oodles…the punch, by the way, rocks." "Oh, yeah, nothing like a few sips of pure sugar to get you going," he said and the band that played switched to a slow song, "So is the slayer gonna slay the dance floor anytime soon?" "Nah…I don't think dancing is my inevitable, although you guys should definitely dance, you've been mingling with the chitchat for the last half-hour," she replied. "Cordy?" he said glancing at her. "Sure," the dark-haired girl said with a smile as she stood up. ******************* I will remember you Will you remember me? Don't let your life pass you by Weep not for the memories ******************** Xander and Cordelia began to dance and she sighed and swallowed before pulling away from him, "Xander, we have to talk." ******************** Remember the good times that we had? I let them slip away from us when things got bad How clearly I first saw you smilin' in the sun Wanna feel your warmth upon me, I wanna be the one I will remember you Will you remember me? Don't let your life pass you by Weep not for the memories ******************** They walked out onto the deck of the ship where a few couples walked under the moonlight and the stars for a romantic stroll, however this was not the purpose of their outing. ******************** I'm so tired but I can't sleep Standin' on the edge of something much too deep It's funny how we feel so much but we cannot say a word We are screaming inside, but we can't be heard But I will remember you Will you remember me? Don't let your life pass you by Weep not for the memories ******************** "What's wrong?" he asked as he stood beside her. "Nothing's wrong, Xander," she said softly as she looked away from him, "Nothing's wrong…except us." "What do you mean, Cordelia?" he asked as he tentatively touched her shoulder. She turned around, "You know exactly what I mean. I love you, Xander, you know I do, but you don't love me…at least if you did, it's not in the way I want you to… The one you want, the one you love…you think you can't have her, but you can." "Cordelia, I care about you, a lot more than I ever thought I'd admit, but I guess I've been fooling myself this past year and a half, and in doing that, I've hurt you," he said as he closed his eyes and sighed. "God, I never wanted to hurt you." "It's okay Xander, I've been quite a dip, too, and don't you dare make a comment. I knew you loved her, but I didn't want to walk away. I kinda hope that you'd eventually look at me the way you look at her, but it's never gotten to be like that…and it'll never be like that." "So…I guess this is the end," he said and to her surprise he took her into his arms, "I love you, Cordelia, I hope you know that." ******************** I'm so afraid to love you, but more afraid to loose Clinging to a past that doesn't let me choose Once there was a darkness, deep and endless night You gave me everything you had, oh you gave me light And I will remember you Will you remember me? Don't let your life pass you by Weep not for the memories And I will remember you Will you remember me? Don't let your life pass you by ******************** "Yeah…I do…now," she said as she closed her eyes and felt the tears fall down her face, in which she quickly wiped away when she pulled away from him, "So, what are you going to do about, Buffy?" "What exactly can I do?" he replied with a shrug walking in a circular pacing pattern, "She thinks of me as Xander…her buddy…pal…the guy that's just one of the girls." "You're more than that to her," she insisted and she couldn't believe how ironic it was for her to be talking him into talking to Buffy after she had just been his girlfriend five seconds earlier. "How am I more than that to her?" he asked reluctant to accept false hope for an ideal he had always wanted to have, but had always failed to achieve, "How do you know - how can you tell?" "Because Xander," she said approaching him, "She looks at you the way you look at her…the way Oz and Willow look at each other…the way I wanted you to look at me. Talk to her…you have to." He began to walk back into the ballroom, but he turned around to look at her, "Thank you, Cordelia." She smiled encouragingly before she turned away from him and all of the tears she wanted to shed since she saw his expression earlier fell from her eyes. She never thought it would end like this, especially not on the day of the prom. All of her dreams and thoughts of what her prom would be like seemed kind of shallow in the wake of things. Was this what a year and a half of dating, kissing, talking, hugging, laughing…every memory they made amounted to? This sudden end and inability to go anywhere, but forward? She thought about it for awhile and wiped her tears away, very thankful of the inventor of the waterproof mascara. There was one part of her prom dream that could still happen. She grinned as she walked towards the loud music and the talking classmates, thinking ******************** Weep not for the memories Weep not for the memories ******************** *~*~*~*~*~*~*~ _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1998 13:01:40 -0700 From: taygeta@juno.com (Charity C. T.) Subject: BUFFYFIC: Unforgettable (1d/1) DISCLAIMER AND INFO in 1a/1 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Unforgettable 1d/1 By: Taygeta Xander after much exhausted searching found Buffy sitting on a bench on the other side of the deck, where the couples hadn't needed that far enough to roam. He could hear the crowd cheering for the new prom queen and he silently cheered for her, too, but what was really on his mind was a beautiful young woman sitting just a few yards away from him. She turned to see what the yelling was about and her eyes fell upon a handsome formally dressed youth that reminded her a little of the Xander she had known for the past three years. "Hey, what are you doing out here - what's going on in there, anyway?" "Cordy got prom queen…um…Jug Roots got king," he quickly summarized as he approached her and sat down beside her. "Shouldn't you be in there cheering for your girlfriend?" Buffy asked as she glanced at him, "Instead of sitting here with me, Miss The Life of the Party, herself." "I guess you should be the first one to know…um…Cordy and I broke up tonight," he said looking at her face for a reaction. She frowned in thought, "What? Tonight? I don't understand, though, why now…why here…" "It just seemed right, I guess," Xander replied with a shrug, "We really weren't right for each other anyway, but I know that no matter what…we'll still be friends and for that…I'm glad." "Once a slayerette…always a slayerette," she said with a laugh, "I understand…it's a lot like Angel and me." "What about you two?" he asked warily. "Angel and I…we cared about each other…learned to love each other, but in the end it just wasn't right for us to be together. It wasn't about him being older or a vampire or other reasons, it was because…it just wasn't meant to be, I guess." she shrugged and took a deep breath. "I mean…I still love him, it's just…" "Not the way you thought you did?" Xander finished and she nodded with a light smile. In the distance, on the stage, Cordelia saw them sitting outside and smiled. Harmony was practically screaming in her ear to request the song they had discussed earlier if either of them had won…but as she looked at them she forgot the title entirely. Before she realized it, she was requesting not a song for herself, but a song that was made entirely for them. The soft music drifted loudly to the outside and Xander was taken back at the song that was playing. He knew what Cordelia had been planning to request as the prom number, but this was definitely not that song. Glancing at her form lightly masked in the dimness of the distant room; he smiled and silently knew that his initial thanks didn't mean enough. As the music played along the night air, he placed his hand over hers and stood up as he said, "Care to dance…milady?" She looked from her hand to his eyes in surprise, but a smile followed the expression and she warmly replied, "I'd love to." She stood up from her seat and eased into his arms, surprised at how comfortable it was with him so close to her. They had danced many times before, but never had they danced this near…and so isolated from everyone else. But such thoughts of this unfamiliar feeling, was quickly brushed aside as both found themselves wishing the song would never end…that they could truly dance the night away. ******************** Unforgettable, that's what you are Unforgettable though near or far Like a song of love that clings to me How the thought of you does things to me Never before has someone been more Unforgettable in every way And forever more, that's how you'll stay That's why, darling, it's incredible That someone so unforgettable Thinks that I am unforgettable too ******************** "Xander?" she whispered quietly as the instrumental began, not lifting her head from his shoulder. "Hmm?" he asked looking down at her slightly with his eyes. She sighed and wondered why her heart was beating so rapidly before answering, "Thank you." Buffy noted the confusion in his voice as he replied, "For what?" She moved reluctantly away from him to meet his eyes, "For being there…for being my friend…for watching out for me." "I thought that you're the slayer…that you don't need to be looked after," he said with a grin. Buffy laughed and she paused before continuing, "I don't, but I appreciate the effort." "Will you ever admit that you need me, Buffy?" he asked with a smile. "Need you…for what? For laughs…for friendship…" she said, and continuing on her train of thought, "For lo…for what?" He was taken back at her blunder, but his grin broadened as he said, "For all the things I need you for." "And what's that?" she asked. He glanced up at the stars in the sky and as the universe seemed to stand before him, his eyes met hers and answered, "For everything." ******************** Unforgettable in every way And forever more, that's how you'll stay That's why, darling, it's incredible That someone so unforgettable ******************** She smiled softly and looked at him thoughtfully. Buffy said not a word as she rested her head on his shoulder and his arms wrapped around her again. And as they continued to danced, for once, all seemed right in the world as a shooting star grazed against the backdrop of the less than perfect night, but a night truly unlike the rest. ******************** Thinks that I am unforgettable too ******************** _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1998 13:01:30 -0700 From: taygeta@juno.com (Charity C. T.) Subject: BUFFYFIC: Unforgettable (1b/1) DISCLAIMER AND INFO IN 1a/1 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Unforgettable (1b/1) By: Taygeta Buffy gazed at her reflection critically, and looked at the shoes on her feet, wondering if they were the best for the dress, and after much indecision, she nodded in satisfaction. They were silver with a cross band design, and stood on 2 inch chunky heels, it had taken her two hours to find them in all the shoes she bought in LA last summer. Her eyes glanced at her hair, which had been pulled into a high ponytail in which strands of her hair and a few loose tendrils were curled. Mrs. Summers walked into the room with a smile, holding a few of her rhinestone ended bobby pin clips in her hand to put the finishing touches on Buffy's hair. She remembered she use to do her daughter's hair into plait braids, but that was a long time ago, and as she saw looked at her daughter's form and beauty and the stature she held as a young woman, she couldn't help but feel so proud of her. "Buffy, stand still and let me put these bobby pins in," she said as she walked behind her, and as she intertwined them with her hair, the door bell rang, "That isn't them, is it?" "It shouldn't be…they'd be an hour early," she responded as she glanced at the clock, which read that it was a little after 4:30. Mrs. Summers walked downstairs, and Buffy heard footsteps walk back up a few minutes later, and she turned around, expecting her mother, but getting an eyeful of something totally different. Cordelia and Willow were decked out in their most formal best. Cordelia wore a sleeveless, tight fitting dress of red satin that fell to her ankles, and had calve-length slits on both sides of her gown. Her long white gloves and her white silk wrap worked well with the deep crimson. Despite the simplicity of the dress, Buffy was sure it cost a lot more than a pretty penny…that and the ruby and diamonds set of necklace, earrings, and bracelet that she wore. The red velvet shoes on her feet made her already tall form look even taller. Her dark brown hair was pulled up high on the back of her head in an intricate twist, much more complicated than her own do, and a thin band of hair was left to round the right side of her face. Despite the fact that she looked more perfect than usual, it was Willow's appearance that made Buffy stupefied. Her shy, best friend was decked out in perhaps the most non-Willow dress she had ever seen her wear before. It was a dark chocolate brown number of silk with a singular right shoulder strap and a long skirt that extended all the way to her ankles. A slit that ran just a few inches above the knee on her left side made the skirt's length only add to the style, and add nothing to the side of convention. The dress was tight at the waist and top, but it was loose in a clingy sort of way below the waist. Buffy also noticed an intricate Chinese print gold and brown and brown wrap. Her shoes were dark brown velvet with a sling-back strap and a chunky heel with a rhinestone decoration. Willow's, now, shortly cropped hair was pulled away from her face by rhinestone barrettes, and a few tendrils of hair fell across her forehead and down towards the side of her face. "Wow…hottie alert," she said with raised eyebrows, "but…um…what are you guys doing here so early…without dates?" "We told them to meet us here, it was Willow's idea," Cordelia said with a shrug, "She wanted the guys to all see us in style…well you guys in style and me in more style." "That's an interesting dress, Will, a new look for you," Buffy couldn't help but comment as she ignored Cordy's last comment. "You don't think it's too…well…y'know," she said with a voice of concern over how not of her usual she looked, "'Cause…well…Cordelia picked it out for me." The blonde slayer had to smile, as she thought that only Cordy would think of giving this type of dress to give to Willow, "No…not at all, Will, you look nice…besides I don't think Oz will have much to complain about." Her redheaded friend flushed, smiled nervously at her words, and automatically changed the subject to the obvious slayer, "Um…Buffy…you're dress looks great…where did you get it?" "Mom bought it…I wasn't even gonna go, y'know, but um…you know," she said lowering her voice as her mom walked into the room. Cordelia stepped right into action, "So, Mrs. Summers, you bought Buffy that dress?" "Yes, that's right, although it's not half as nice as your dress…I suppose," she replied as she eyed what looked to her like the Calvin Klein dress from Vogue magazine. Cordy eyed her dress and realized that it must have cost a few *times* more than Buffy's dress and with a weak smile she responded, "Well…I don't know about that…hers is just as nice…maybe even more." "Well…I'll leave you girls alone, and prep the camera for all those pictures I know I'm going to be taking," Mrs. Summers said with a happy grin as she left her daughter's room, closing the door behind her. "Buffy, did your Mom happen to have just a little too much sugar with her coffee this morning?" the tall brunette asked as she turned back to them. The slayer smiled, "Maybe…I wouldn't rule it out… she's been like this since morning, but I don't mind. I haven't seen her this happy since…well…for a long time." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "An interesting suit, Xander," Oz commented when he sat down in the limousine that they had rented for the night to take them to and from the Queen Mary where the prom was to be held. "Kinda makes the penguin-look…um…look decidedly…not penguin like." "Ya think?" he said with raised eyebrows as he eyed his own clothes. Although Oz was wearing a normal, formal black tux, Xander on the other hand was sporting a tux of a whole other manner…of the classic manner. He was decked out in a black suit with long tails, complete with white bow tie, dress shirt, and cummerbund. In his white-gloved hands held a black walking stick and a top hat, and as Oz talked to him, he couldn't help but feel as if he were out of place in this modern society. "Hey, Oz, I've got an idea…" Xander said with a smile as he glanced at the two corsages that sat on one of the seats and took the limousine phone in his hand. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Click! Click! Click! The flashbulb of Mrs. Summer's camera shone repeatedly as she took picture after picture of everyone - except Buffy. "Willow…wow," Oz said as he saw his girlfriend and it was followed by a wolf whistle from Xander who couldn't believe that this was his best friend. "You look great, Cordelia," he said turning to her as he kissed on the cheek…click…and placed the corsage on her wrist. "So do you. How on earth did you come up with this getup?" She couldn't resist asking as she placed a boutonnière in his lapel. He grinned, "Let's just say the costume store doesn't charge quite as much…really though, I thought I'd go and be an individual, as opposed to a…sheep?" Cordelia began to laugh, but her laughter faded before it had yet to begin as she saw that Xander's mind had wandered - or rather his eyes - to some place - some plane - that had nothing to do with her. A lumped formed in her throat and a heavy feeling in her heart, as she saw his expression - eyes shining…a soft smile reserved for that one special someone…someone that just happened not her. "Wow…Buff, you look wonderful," he said as she descended the stairs and Cordy couldn't help but wonder how much more did he mean by saying 'you look wonderful,' as opposed to her, 'you look great.' Yet, she didn't have to wonder, at the sound of his voice, she knew that what was said for Buffy was said in awe, and hers in polite complimentary. Sighing, she just wished she didn't know. "Thanks," the slayer replied with a smile, "You look very handsome…in a classic Xander-like way." He laughed and took her response in good-stride and bowed waving his top hat with a funny flourish air, "Thank you, milady," …click Willow turned to her best friend and said, "I don't think they said 'milady' in the early 1900s." "That's one of the many thing I've always been able to count on about you Will," Xander said as they were exiting the house, "You'll always stand by me and give me historical facts that make everything I say become absolute mush." Cordelia got out of her state in time to say, "Wait a minute, everything you say is already mush!" As everyone laughed, Mrs. Summers stood on the front steps with Buffy and said, "Have fun, sweetheart…and remember you have a curfew." "Mom!" she protested, "it's the prom! You give me until sunup for patrol nights!" "Prom and patrols…parent controlled fun as opposed to duty enforced by a rather absurd Watcher. One thirty, latest…got that?" she said with her eyebrows raised and she waited until her daughter nodded in reluctant agreement. "Hey, almost forgot," Xander said as he ran up the steps to where they stood holding a corsage of a white carnation and silver and blue ribbons in his hand, "Camera up, Mrs. Summers, picture op." "What's this?" Buffy asked as Xander took hold of her left arm and placed the beautiful flower on her wrist…click. He looked up at her with a grin, "A gift from Oz and me to you…come on, we're going to be late." "Thanks," she said giving him a soft smile and squeezed his hand lightly, so as not to crush any weak normal mortal fingers. "No problem," he said and noticing that he was just staring into her eyes he coughed and finished, "Well, 'cause, Oz took the tab." Before they could get to the limo, Mrs. Summers stopped them, "Hold on you two…one more picture!" "With the two of us?" he squeaked with widened eyes. "Do you see any other two here?" she asked and she motioned at them to stand by each other…click, "Now was that so hard?" He said uncomfortably, "Um…we better get going, Mrs. Summers, we'll get Buffy home by two." Before she could protest, they dashed into the car and as they drove away, the window rolled down and a loud, "Bye, Mrs. Summers," could be heard from the black vehicle. Joyce stood with a smile and waved good-bye, all the while thinking that her daughter better get home by one-thirty or there would be one more things to worry about than the Hellmouth beneath them. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~ _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ------------------------------ End of buffyfic-digest V2 #277 ****************************** To subscribe to buffyfic or buffyfic-digest, send the command subscribe buffyfic-digest or subscribe buffy to majordomo@xmission.com. You will need to go through a confirmation process, and the listowners have to manually approve your subscription request, so it may take some time. To unsubscribe, send email to majordomo@xmission.com with unsubscribe buffyfic-digest or unsubscribe buffyfic in the body. Back issues of this digest can be found at: ftp://ftp.xmission.com/pub/lists/buffyfic/archive/ Dalton Spence has also provided an index of the buffyfic archive at: http://www.hwcn.org/~ag775/BUFFYFIC.HTM For help, contact Jill Kirby (jtkirby@mcs.com) or sah (romana@mindspring.com)