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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: [e-mail] (Charity C. T.)
Subject: BUFFYFIC: Unforgettable (1a/1)

TITLE:  Unforgettable (1a/1)
AUTHOR: Taygeta
E-MAIL: [e-mail]
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.  Exceptànowadays, 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

    Loveàthe 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 itàloveàand 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 likeàwellà 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 representingàthe
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 nightàthe 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 fineàdandyàtotally 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.

    "Okayà" she said slowly, "but that doesn't explain what you're
doing hereàin 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 feetàI
met bush - that green thing, right thereànot the big cheese that held
office."  Xander saw Buffy smile lightly, but she didn't speak and so he
continued, "Thoughts on the promàmajor questionàya going?"

    She sat down on a cement bench that stood next to a grand and
graying mausoleum and shrugged, "I don't knowàI'm not too sure if I want
to go.  I know what I'm going to be doingàjust 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 awayà" 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, Buffàa lot,
definitely, but a little?  Nah," he said, "but let's not forget what we
were talking about earlieràyou 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, andàAngel?  They may be the first things
that come to your mind, but you'll also remember the promàthe 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?  Maybeàbut
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 sorryàdid I wake you?"  Joyce Summers asked stopping
what she had been doing, "I know you had a pretty late nightàdid 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.
Soàdo 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 intuitionàI 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 wellàI 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 bestà"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

    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.

    "Xanderàdid 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, "Umàlet's just say my mom had to go to the
neighbors to use the phone, but enough about meàwhat about you? The
question still stands, Buff, are you going?"

    She sighed and replied, "Yes, I am, but not because of what you
told meàsomething 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
sayàwhat to do, and then Xander quickly rushed, "I gotta get my tuxàso
Cordy, Will, Oz, and will be around your house at 5:00, okay?"

    "Yeahàisn'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 tuxà"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_____________________________________________________________________
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: [e-mail] (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 oodlesàthe 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?"

    "NahàI 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 wrongàexcept 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 meàat least if you did, it's
not in the way I want you toà  The one you want, the one you loveàyou
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 thatàand it'll never be like that."

    "SoàI 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
********************

    "YeahàI doànow," 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 Xanderàher buddyàpalàthe
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 heràthe way Oz and Willow look at each otheràthe way I
wanted you to look at me.  Talk to heràyou 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,
laughingàevery 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 <Queen CordeliaàI like that.  >

********************
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: [e-mail] (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 queenàumàJug 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 knowàumàCordy 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 nowàwhy hereà"

    "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
whatàwe'll still be friends and for thatàI'm glad."

    "Once a slayeretteàalways a slayerette," she said with a laugh,
"I understandàit's a lot like Angel and me."

    "What about you two?" he asked warily.

    "Angel and Iàwe cared about each otheràlearned 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
becauseàit just wasn't meant to be, I guess." she shrugged and took a
deep breath.  "I meanàI still love him, it's justà"

    "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 wonàbut 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 danceàmilady?"

    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 nearàand 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
endàthat 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
thereàfor being my friendàfor watching out for me."

    "I thought that you're the slayeràthat 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 youàfor what?  For laughsàfor friendshipà" she said, and
continuing on her train of thought, "For loàfor 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: [e-mail] (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 beàthey'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 pennyàthat 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.

    "Wowàhottie alert," she said with raised eyebrows, "butàumàwhat
are you guys doing here so earlyàwithout 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 styleàwell 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 tooàwellày'know," she said with a voice of
concern over how not of her usual she looked, "'CauseàwellàCordelia
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, "Noànot at
all, Will, you look niceàbesides 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, "UmàBuffyàyou're
dress looks greatàwhere did you get it?"

    "Mom bought itàI wasn't even gonna go, y'know, but umàyou 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
dressàI 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,
"WellàI don't know about thatàhers is just as niceàmaybe even more."

     "WellàI'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, "MaybeàI wouldn't rule it outà she's been like
this since morning, but I don't mind.  I haven't seen her this happy
sinceàwellàfor 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-lookàumàlook decidedlyànot 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 manneràof 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 ideaà" 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.

    "Willowàwow," 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 cheekàclickàand 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 boutonniΦre in his lapel.

    He grinned, "Let's just say the costume store doesn't charge
quite as muchàreally though, I thought I'd go and be an individual, as
opposed to aàsheep?"

     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 shiningàa soft smile reserved for that one special
someoneàsomeone that just happened not her.

    "WowàBuff, 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
handsomeàin 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," àclick

    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, sweetheartàand remember you have a curfew."

    "Mom!" she protested, "it's the prom!  You give me until sunup
for patrol nights!"

    "Prom and patrolsàparent controlled fun as opposed to duty
enforced by a rather absurd Watcher.  One thirty, latestàgot 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 wristàclick.

    He looked up at her with a grin, "A gift from Oz and me to
youàcome 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 twoàone 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 otheràclick, "Now was that so hard?"

    He said uncomfortably, "Umàwe 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.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

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