Title: She's Not The Only One Author: Meredian Disclaimer: They belong to Joss. I mean no harm. Summary: Angsty. SPOILERS: Helpless.. DO NOT READ if you haven't seen! Rating: PG or so Distribution: UCSL and my site. Anyone else, ask. :) Notes: For 'Nat, 'cuz, well, it's her cup o' tea. I might continue this, if I have the means. :) *s indicate thought. *****He sat, wiping the blood slowly from her forehead. The look of love and respect in his eyes gleamed unmistakably, like a bright ray of sunshine filtering through the air. As she lifted her tearstained face to his, the bond between Slayer and Watcher, no matter what the higher powers said, was unmissable.
And the look of pain, the harsh drop to reality in Xander’s eyes through the glass panes on the door was even more obvious.
So he ran.
*Fired.*
He had been heading to the library, all ready to do some research on the problem of the night. All ready to steal a random glance at Giles when no one was looking. But instead he overheard the quarrel. It had been loud enough to filter in the silent night tinged halls.
So he did what he felt was right. And eavesdropped like his gossipy mother.
*I can’t believe he’s fired.*
Only this and nothing more. The words of the head honcho rung through his mind, Xander’s heart dropping at the sorrow on the faces of his friends. He had grown to love Buffy, not in a hormonal way that was his once true calling, but instead in a friend way.
If not tinged by a bit of jealousy.
*Her face… His face.*
Never again? The boy couldn’t fathom Giles being sent away from Sunnydale. Over the summer they had formed a bond, a final bridge to the gap that had always been ever present. They had become friends. In the absence of his friend albeit love crush, Xander had been lost, vulnerable. In the absence of his Slayer, Giles needed someone close.
Perhaps that is why he strayed to Willow.
In knowing Giles, the depth of his mind, the humor lurking beneath all that tweed, Xander had realized what beauty could be in a person. And Willow was close to that.
Close, but no cigar.
*Oh no!*
As the Watcher head left the room, Xander had ducked into hiding. While he waited for safe passage, his mind dwelled on what had changed. When he had known.
It was as if he had been hit by lightning.
Giles was more *there* then everyone else. When he walked into a room, his easy coming wisecracks would hesitate and burble. Sweaty palms.
*But then… oh …*
The look in their eyes. The love.
He couldn’t deal.
It wasn’t fair. She had Angel. Not like he cared about Angel. *Now Angelus, however…* Why did she and Giles… what was it they saw in each other that he didn’t have.
So he ran.
Through the halls, over shiny linoleum. Into the dark of the night. The soothing dark.
*…*
He had never felt so helpless.