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DISCLAIMER: *laughs*
SUMMARY: The Scoobies on the day before graduation.
WORDCOUNT: 691
BELIEF
by Leni
Cans of soda and empty bags were around Buffy's living room, a silent testimony of their
little get-together. It was the last day before Graduation and tradition dictated they
enjoyed it fully. Even when common sense was screaming that they should be examining their
plans - again. But they'd gone over them for days, nothing they did now would change the
circumstances or improve their odds. Simply put, it was time to party, even if they didn't
really feel like celebrating.
First they'd watched movies, but they'd given it up hours ago, when they'd noticed none
was really paying attention to the TV. Now they were trying to distract themselves with
mindless chatter and the lighter memories of the last months. But their worry was still
obvious, thinly veiled under the forceful cheerfulness in their voices. They still tried
to drive it away, even when the thought of the next day's promise loomed above them.
"I'm worried," Buffy admitted softly when there was a break in their chat;
denial could only go so far.
Silence.
Willow cuddled closer to Oz, resting her forehead on his shoulder and smiling briefly when
he leaned to kiss her hair, and tucked her hand in his. Xander sighed loudly, put his bowl
of chips away. His position on the floor, at Willow's feet, changed slightly as he leaned
his head against her knees, his upper body making full contact along her leg. Neither Oz
or Willow tried to stop his actions or said anything at all, they understood the need for
comfort.
For long moments nobody dared to say a word. Graduation Day - Apocalypse included - was
less than twenty-four hours away and it was futile to pretend they weren't worried.
"We'll do fine," Oz was the one to brave an answer into the uncomfortable
silence.
Buffy, who had been lost in her own thoughts, turned sharply to him, a concerned
expression in her face. "How can you be so sure?"
Oz shrugged. "Because that's the way things should go," Willow answered for him,
her voice slightly muffled by Oz's shirt. "How things will go," she
corrected, a little more confidently this time.
"Yeah, what Willow said." Xander reassured, smiling at Buffy and holding a hand
up for his friend while the other patted the space beside him.
Buffy acquiesced, moving from the couch she'd been sitting on to the floor next to the
boy. She couldn't relax into a comfortable posture at first, but then Oz silently touched
her back and nodded in invitation. Buffy accepted it and rested against his legs,
mirroring Xander's position againt Willow's. "I don't know," she murmured,
closing her eyes. They still weren't sure what were the Mayor's exact plans, or if their
little resistance would really play out, or if a couple dozen of barely trained
highschoolers would be enough to stop chaos from becoming a carnage, or if... what if it
wasn't? What if... Oh God. Buffy's eyes immediately flew open, driving away the pictures
her anxious imagination drew. "I don't know," she whispered in a scared
voice
"I do." Xander shrugged easily.
Willow, unaware of Buffy's concerns, smiled amused at the thought of the
four practically cuddled together. After everything they'd gone through, this felt good.
Yes, it felt right. She glanced at Buffy, intending to share her insight, but her
friend was staring into space, obviously plagued by far less nice thoughts. Willow sighed,
passed a gentle hand through Buffy's hair. "You gotta believe in us, Buffy. We are
the good guys," she said softly before returning the hand into Oz's strong hold.
Xander threw a protective arm around Buffy's shoulders, bringing her closer to him. Then
he continued, serious as if he was about to impart an important lesson. "And good
guys always win."
Willow nodded resolutely and even Oz managed a small smile of agreement.
Buffy tried to smile too. "You're right," she said softly, her hand resting on
top of Willow's.
Seconds later Xander's large hand covered the other three. "Look what we did during
school," he quipped, "Graduation will be children's play, you'll see."
The four hands tightened and for a moment Buffy really believed in her friends' words.
The End
15/08/04
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would make me smile.
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