Tides of Change

Kylia

Email: Kylia
Disclaimer: Nobody belongs to me, unfortunately. Joss owns all.
Rating: R
Spoilers: General Season 3 BtVS
Category: Angel/Xander
Distribution: Fire & Ice Fic, anyone, who already has my insanity, List archives, anyone else, ask and it's yours.
Author's Notes: This is early season three, except that Buffy never returned to Sunnydale.
Author's Notes 2: Angel's not in this part, but I SWEAR he'll be in the next *g*
Dedication: To Angela :)

Xander Harris woke up with a start. His body was drenched in sweat. It took several long minutes before his breathing had ceased to be more than strangled gasps. Looking around, he sighed in relief when he realized where he was. Home, in his own bed.

He heard a loud banging from downstairs and the crash of glass breaking. Yep, he was still home all right. Straining to see the numbers on the clock from where it had fallen off of his nightstand, Xander sighed. It was early still, barely seven am.

Groaning as he climbed out of bed, Xander stretched his muscles. He really was tired, and would like nothing better than to return to his bed, and hide away, however, sleep was not to be his friend, on this morning or any other.

At least not recently. Between his parents constant fighting, helping the new Slayer with patrols, and these dreams he'd been having on and off for the past few weeks, he was lucky if he slept for more than ninety minutes in one sitting.

Xander made his way into the bathroom for a shower. Cordelia was supposed to pick him up, and he didn't relish listening to her complain if he was late. She was hard enough to deal with when he was rested, and on time.

After a steaming hot shower, Xander got dressed. He heard the front door slam and knew one of his parents had left already, but it was hard to tell which one. He listened carefully, hoping to avoid them if at all possible. Just as he was about to chance a trip down the stairs, he heard the whiny voice of his mother calling him. She didn't sound like she was in a good mood.

Xander shook his head wearily and looked around the room quickly. Grabbing his jacket, he made his way over to the window and opened it silently. The screen had fallen out months ago and he had never bothered to fix it. He climbed out the window, and maneuvered himself to the side of the house where he jumped down to a lower ledge. He scaled the roof further until he reached a large tree that grew behind the house. Jumping unto one of the thick branches, Xander slid down the trunk until his feet hit the ground.

By the time he had walked around to the front of the house, Cordelia was waiting somewhat impatiently, her car parked in front of the neighbor's house. He could almost see her foot tapping in irritation.

"Hey, sorry." Xander smiled that 'doofus' grin he had perfected for moments like these.

Cordelia rolled her eyes at him, but she wasn't fooled. "Get in. We're late."

Xander climbed in and was glad that there was something to talk about aside from why he was late, or why he came from the side of the house instead of the front door, like a normal, well-adjusted person would.

"So, What's the G-man got planned for this glorious morning?"

Cordelia turned to glare at him when she stopped at a light. "Research. What else? Will's called this morning. She took Oz to the airport last night after patrol."

Xander nodded. "I know. She called me when she got back. She seemed." He trailed off, not sure what he was trying to say.

"Relieved?" Cordelia asked, knowing exactly what it was Xander was referring to.

In the months since Acathla had been destroyed and Buffy ran away, things had changed a lot of the small group. Cordelia, Willow, Oz and Xander had been forced to take up the slack with patrols. It was up to them to keep the vampires at bay until Buffy returned, if she returned.

It had made for a changing of things between them. Willow and Cordelia had seemed to work out their differences, and although Cordelia and Xander were no longer seeing each other, they were still very close. They seemed to make better friends than lovers.

Oz had decided that repeating a grade wasn't such a hot idea after all and made up his missing classes so he could graduate. He had been accepted at a collage on the other side of the country and was now probably enjoying the climate change. His departure hadn't seemed to bother Willow as much as they had thought it would. The redhead seemed to recognize that they weren't meant to be.

The most startling change came with the arrival of Kendra's replacement, Faith. She was nothing like her predecessor, or even Buffy. It had taken the group some time to get used to the differences and realize that it wasn't very likely that Buffy would be returning. Even Giles had stopped looking. Things were good.

But like all things on the Hellmouth, nothing lasts forever.

Next Part