Summary: Post somewhere after Graduation and in Angel S1. What if Xander came to LA and found Cordelia trying to do her commercial, at the same time that Angel's watching? What if Anya never came back right after Graduation, unable to stop herself from thinking about Xander?
Disclaimer: I own nothing of Buffy and Angel. They all belong to the creators of these awesome shows.
A/N: Because I have no clue how to speak Giles' analogue or totally act his part out, he's not in here. Forgive me for killing him off, but you know all writers, even fanfic writers, need to sacrifice at least one character in their stories.
Buffy watched as Angel stood between two vehicles and looked at her that night, before turning around and walking away to leave her and Sunnydale behind forever. It was time for him to start a new life and he knew exactly where to go. Los Angeles, California. The City of Angeles. He could be seen as an angel by most. He thought LA would suited him well. He would always love Buffy, but she deserved more. Someone human. She deserved as much of a normal life as she could get. He was a vampire with a soul. Not a human.
With a heavy heart Buffy, Xander, Joyce, Dawn, and Willow attended Giles' funeral a few days later at noon. If he rose as a vampire, Buffy would have to stake him; kill her previous Watcher and father figure. Before he had died during the battle of the class of '99 graduation, he had had a love of a father for her. More so than the others.
One Year Later; September 15, 2000
It was a beautiful day, as Buffy and Riley walked side by side in front of the college. Riley Finn and Buffy Anne Summers were together. Buffy was the Vampire Slayer and Riley was a soldier-like guy. He worked for Dr. Walsh' team that captured vampires, demons, and etc. And he was good at it. They had been dating for a few months now and knew what each other did. Riley even joined in with the patrolling on the nights he wasn't working.
Willow, Oz, and Xander caught up with them, Willow and Oz hand in hand. Willow and Oz went to college with Buffy but not Xander. He didn't have anything worth going to college for. But he did visit the college sometimes. They just didn't always see each other like they used to. The only time they actually got in a group was if something was going on. In fact, they hardly ever patrolled together anymore. It was mostly Buffy and Riley who patrolled. Willow and Oz usually had a lot of homework. And then there was Oz having to be locked up in a cage on every full moon night. After all, Oz was a werewolf every full moon. A Child of the Moon.
Her friends walked beside them, Willow and Oz on her left, Xander on her right where Riley was.
"Hey, Buff," Oz greeted.
"Hey, guys," she greeted back.
"We're free tonight if you wouldn't mind us joining you," Willow announced.
"Sure," Buffy replied.
They looked at their friend.
"Xander?" Willow said.
"I'd love to," he said.
"But?" Buffy said.
"Come on," Riley urged him.
"I can't. I'm going to LA. See how things are over there. I've been thinking and I really want to go visit some places in LA," he announced.
"Yeah. You go ahead. We'll try not to have too much fun without you," Willow announced, knowing he was going to go see his ex.
"Have fun," Buffy implied.
"Tell us how it went," Oz implied.
"Thanks, guys. You're the best," he said.
It was a dark night, as Xander Lavelle Harris walked the streets of LA on his way towards where Angel Investigations was located. He didn't want the others except Willow to know what exactly he was doing. Just because he just said he was going to visit, didn't mean he had lied. He was here to visit Cor. He wanted to know how she was doing and if she would take him back. Maybe even leave LA and go back to their hometown. He had to go see Angel Investigations in order to find her, though.
Once he found the place, he climbed the stairs and opened the door, shutting it behind himself. As expected, it was like an office place. There was even a set of stairs inside leading up to somewhere.
"Hello?" he called to announce his presence.
A guy he had never seen before came from one of the offices.
He wore clothes kinda like his own, but with a brown jacket. He had black hair and blue eyes.
"May I help you?" the guy asked.
Irish. Maybe Scottish. Wonderful.
"This is Angel Investigations. Right?" he asked.
"It is."
"Good. Where's Cordy?" Xander questioned.
"Acting. Who are you? Do you need help?"
"Thanks. No. I don't need any help. I'm Xander. Xander Harris. She knows me. We connect. We're old friends. We've known each other since we were kids."
"I'm Doyle. Nice to finally meet an old friend of hers. If you don't count Angel."
"Where's Cordy exactly?"
"The studio."
"Thanks, Doyle."
"You're welcome, Xander."
So with that, Xander Lavelle Harris closed the door behind himself and left the building.
While Cordelia Chase was shooting, Angel stood in a corner and watched them making the commercial. Well, trying. The commercial wasn't working very well. The director was trying his best to tell her what to do, but it was difficult. He kept telling her to either bend down farther, straighten up, or get out of that actor's way. That she was in his light. He really wanted to give that director a piece of his mind, but he couldn't disobey Cordelia. In this business, she was her own boss. If she thought he was a pain in the ass, she could handle him.
As Angel left the studio, he caught sight of the boy. Xander.
What was he doing here? Was he here to act? No. He had never been an actor. Was he here to win her back? Maybe kick his butt for breaking Buffy's heart? No. He didn't' sense any anger when he saw him. That meant he was going to win her back. Well, at least try. It wasn't surprising. The boy had always been determined when it came to Cordy. Well, good luck for the boy.
Xander walked silently past Angel and into the brighten lit studio to see her working on a possible commercial. Since he still had respect for her and didn't want to embarrass either one of them, he stood back a distance and watched. She was only doing this for money. That's what he realized the moment he took a good look at her. Her smile she wore was fake and she was very mad at someone. He saw it in the way she was acting. She was only putting up with it until after she could go rant and rave the anger out alone.
A few minutes later, Cordelia Chase finally had enough of her director. Her boss. She stood up, walked off stage, put her white robe back on, and looked at the director.
"Cut!" he told the camera man and went to stand in front of her.
"What are you doing? Get back on set," he ordered her.
"No. I'm sick of it. I quite!" she replied back and stormed off.
After she came out dressed in her normal everyday clothes, she saw him. Her ex. Okay, now she felt butterflies. He must've seen the argument and what she had been wearing. Swallowing her pride, she gave him a look and walked past him out the door. He followed and they walked side by side.
"Did Angel send you to check on me? Because I told him I don't need-."
"Deadboy didn't send me. I went to your work and asked where you were at. Doyle said you were at the studio. Don't worry. He thinks we're old friends. He doesn't know anything except for my name."
"If you're thinking he has a thing for me, you're right. But I haven't even thought about dating or falling in love with someone else. So why are you here?"
"I wanted to find you. See how you are doing. I heard you were in LA and worked for Deadboy. So here I am. You want to go out for coffee or something?"
"Xander, what are you really doing here? I know you too well."
"You got me. I'm here to see if you're ready to take me back. I'm really sorry. You have to forgive me. I didn't mean to do it. I've missed you ever since you left. In fact, I wanted you back ever since you broke up with me."
"Oh, what the hell. You're too cute to be mad at forever. I forgive you. Come on. Let's go to my apartment."
"So we're back together?"
"Yes."
"You want to move in with me? Get out of LA? You don't have to help even. You can stay home or something when we go patrolling. We hardly ever hang out anymore anyway. Too much of busy of lives."
"Sure thing. I actually kind of miss the Hellmouth. I'll call work and tell them tonight. Then we can pack my stuff tonight and leave."
So that's exactly what they did.
That afternoon, Xan and Cor walked into the Magik Shoppe where Riley, Willow, Buffy, Dawn, and Oz were. Xan and Cor were hand in hand as they did so.
"Look who's back," he announced, smiling.
"Don't worry. I've changed," she said, knowing the history between her and the Scoobies.
The two walked up and sat down at the table where the Scoobies sat.
"I guess you have changed," Buff announced.
"Yeah. I have. And I'm sorry for the way I was in high school. I was a total bitch and I know it."
"It's okay," Wills implied.
"This is Riley by the way," Buff announced.
"Nice to meet you, Riley. I'm Cordelia Chase."
"Nice to meet you, too," Riley replied.
"Wow, Buff. You really know how to pick your guys. First Angel. Then Parker. Then Angel again. Now Riley. No offense."
"It's okay."
"Speaking of guys, where's Giles?"
Everyone looked away except for Xan. He looked at his girlfriend with hurt written all over his face.
"Cor...he died...during the battle."
She looked at everybody.
"I'm so sorry. I was hoping to see him again."
That night, she went to pay her respects to his grave. She even apologized for being so cruel to him in words. She layed a bouquet of flowers on his grave.