Xander thought about Buffy, and thought how she hadn't changed. She was still the
outspoken, wonderful, and beautiful person that he had first set his eyes upon that one
day during sophomore year. She had been released from her duties as a slayer about
two years after they had closed the Hellmouth, and he remembered the smile on her
face and the relief she had expressed from her triumph and most all her freedom.
The last twenty-odd years had been so peaceful and had flown by so quickly that it
amazed Xander. He had watched Moira grow from a tiny babe in his arms to a strong
and capable young woman. Every time he looked into her eyes, he saw so much of
Buffy and so much of himself, that it made him proud to call her is own.
Xander turned around when he heard the door open, and Buffy walked in, dressed in a pair of jeans and a tee shirt. She eyed him with a smile and Xander reluctantly climbed out of bed. He walked by her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"It was time you got up, sleepyhead," said Buffy with a sigh, "Willow, Oz, and Giles are going to be here, any second."
"Oh, is Aunt Willow going to bring her new baby with her?" asked Moira hopefully, "He's such a cutie!"
"Yes, she is, but you, young lady have to be in school in about twenty minutes," said Buffy glancing at the diamond and gold watch that Xander had gotten for her for their fifteenth anniversary. "So, you better get a move on."
"Yes, Mom," said Moira with a sigh before she gave her mother a kiss and then her father before she headed downstairs, "Bye, Dad."
"I'm still not use to you telling our daughter not to be late for school," said Xander as he heard the front door shut. "I mean, this is coming from Buffy, Sunnydale's least present student."
"That was then, and this is now," said Buffy with a sigh, "Twenty-years can change a person a lot."
"Not you, Buffy, you haven't changed one...little...bit," said Xander giving her a kiss on the tip of her nose.
She looked at him and said, "Is that so, Alexander Harris? So, you're telling me that I still act the same and *look* the same as I did when I was seventeen?"
Xander paused and knew that he had just fallen into one of those answer traps, and he had learned over the years exactly what to say, "You still act the same, yes, but..."
"Xander..." Buffy said cautiously.
He whispered softly in her ear, "Buffy, you're more beautiful to me every day, inside and out."
Buffy and Xander looked into each other's eyes for a second, not speaking, yet still speaking at the same time. Their silent words were cut short, when they heard the screaming of Willow's precious little boy.
Buffy slid out of Xander's grasp and said, as she eyed her husband, who was still in his boxers, "Duty calls, so get dressed."
Xander reluctantly walked back to their room, but he caught her last sentence, "Not that I mind if you didn't get dressed..."
"Where's the little terror?" Buffy asked as she walked down the steps to greet Willow and Oz. When she took a hold of the baby, it began to coo as she said softly, "Oh, little Giles Xander Rosenberg-Osgoode, you're such a cute-pie, even if your parents didn't know what the heck they were doing when they named you."
"Thank you, Buffy," said Willow sarcastically with a smile.
"Willow, Hon, the next time you decide to name your next child, just give her or him a simple name, not Giles Xander Rosenberg-Osgoode!" said Buffy turning to look at Willow and then she returned to the baby. "I'm just going to call you little Oz. Big Oz, what are the chances that little Oz is going to be werewolfy?"
"Not too much, but there is a chance," said Oz with a nod, who had grown out of his "cool" hair.
"Hey, everyone!" Xander said walking down the stairs dressed in a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt.
"Xander, come meet Giles Xander Rosenberg-Osgoode," said Buffy with a smile.
"No more funnies about my little baby's name," Willow said, although she knew her son had a long name.
"Y'know, Will," said Xander giving her a friendly kiss on the cheek as a greeting, "You should have gone with Xander Osgoode, nice and simple."
"I think not, Xander," said Giles opening the screen door and walking in.
"G-man!" said Xander with a chuckle, "only kidding."
"As always, Xander, as always," said Giles with a sigh and a smile, and he turned to Buffy. "Should of thought twice about marrying this fellow, Buffy. I would think that a slayer would have such sense."
"I thought about it, but I figured he was better than nothing," said Buffy glancing at Xander's face.
"I think that might be the other way around, Buffy," said Xander indignantly, but when all of their eyes gave him a Look his smile turned sheepish, "Or not."
"Too bad Cordelia couldn't make it," said Buffy handing the baby over to Willow, again, "It would have made for the perfect reunion."
"Y'know, I still haven't gotten use to the idea that Cordy's a Watcher, have you, Giles?" asked Xander as he sat down on their black leather couch set.
"You'd be surprised, Xander, how much Cordelia's matured over the years. She's a rather fine Watcher and one of the best these days," said Giles, who made it a point not to say bad things of fellow Watchers, although he was a former.
"I'm surprised we need Watchers at all, I mean, the Hellmouth's closed and vampires are nonexistent," said Buffy thoughtfully.
The screen door creaked loudly as it opened, causing all eyes to turn to see who had entered. Cordelia walked towards them in her known manner, but they sensed pride and respect in her stride. She had entered and completed their circle of friends, but the first words that befell her lips, caused the circle to stumble and long-forgotten fears caused their hearts to tremble. Her words and her voice echoed in their minds as she spoke, "It's not closed anymore..."