These characters do not belong to me, and I make no profit from this.
Burning
Buffy saw the flames when she was patrolling near where Xander used to live. She broke into a run. A fire engine sped past her, siren on, as she turned into the street. "Oh, God," she muttered, seeing that the fire was at Xander's parents' house.
Then she saw Xander's car in the street outside the house. A chill shot down her spine.
Heartsick, she raced up the road.
But she was too late. The house was a ruin, though the firefighters had the blaze under control. She looked around desperately, and caught sight of a figure sitting on the hood of another car.
Xander. Staring into the flames. He was dressed in grey and black, incongruous amongst the bright colours of the other people and the fire.
She sprinted to his side. "Xander!"
He flinched, then turned to her, eyes haunted. "Buffy."
"What happened? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks." He looked back at the fire.
She pushed, scared by his silence. "Xander?"
He shifted uneasily. "I was coming over to pick up my mail. I usually get here late, so Mom and Dad are uncon- asleep. I saw the fire. I called nine-one-one." He shook his head unbelievingly. "It all happened so fast, Buff."
Buffy sighed. "Whoa. That must've been horrible. Your parents? Are they. . .?"
"Over there." He inclined his head back towards the house. The last forlorn flames licked at the framework of the house. Sombre paramedics were carrying two still forms on stretchers to the ambulance. Both stretchers were covered in sheets.
Buffy clapped her hand over her mouth. "Oh, no. Oh, Xander, I'm so sorry."
"I couldn't save 'em, Buff."
She took him by the shoulders. She looked into his eyes intently, knowing something had to be said, but knowing words were inadequate. "Xander, it's not your fault. You're not superhuman. You can't blame yourself."
Xander was silent, then he shrugged uncomfortably, freeing himself from her grip. "Yes, I can. When I got here, I ran to the front door. The flames weren't that bad, then. I could've gone inside."
Buffy stilled, fearing what was coming next.
His face was haggard. "I hesitated, Buffy. I hesitated." She tried to embrace him. He was stiff, unyielding.
He whispered, "I couldn't save them."
