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Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's a shorter, but very important chapter.

Thanks for all the lovely reviews for the last chapter. I really appreciate them!
It was noon on New Year’s Day and Buffy, Xander and their father sat at a small, circular table in one of Sunnydale’s most upscale restaurants, having a quiet lunch. Buffy had been roused from sleep at ten o’clock, much earlier than she would have liked considering her night. Her head was still pounding, but she tried to put on a happy face for her father, who always expected everyone to be as overly cheerful as he was.

Hank Summers had moved to L.A. after his divorce from Joyce. He ran his own financial planning firm, which he had moved out there with him. He came to Sunnydale about once a month during the school year and Buffy and Xander usually spent a month out of the summer with him in L.A.

He was the exact opposite of Joyce, being very conservative, though Joyce swore he hadn’t always been. Hank was not overly tall, but had the bulky build of a former athlete. He had probably once been very muscular but now most of it had turned to flab.

“So, Buffy, how’s school been?” Hank asked the obligatory question.

“Good, I guess,” she answered. “The same.” Hank accepted Buffy’s answer as he always did. Buffy’s report cards were usually good, so he never pressed her about school very often. Xander, however, was a different story.

Xander cared far too much about what their father thought of him. Every time Hank came into town and told him to work harder in school or that he should try a sport, he would oblige, at least for a week or so before going back to his usual lazy routine. Xander would even feign interest in football and hockey games, which Buffy knew he actually hated.

For some reason, Hank seemed to hold Xander to a higher standard then Buffy. She figured it was because Xander was his only son and there was that whole macho masculinity thing he had going on. Buffy thought that if Hank really wanted Xander to be like him, he should probably be around more.

‘Here we go,’ Buffy thought as Hank turned the conversation toward Xander.

“So, Xander, you’re mother sent me your last report card,” he said disappointedly.

“And you’re shocked at how great it was,” Xander joked with a nervous smile.

“This isn’t a joking matter, Xander. What about college?”

“I don’t know,” he answered, looking down.

“You don’t know? Well, maybe you should start to think about that a little bit more. I’m sure there’s at least one school that would accept you with those grades.” He shook his head. “You know, you’re mother doesn’t push you enough. You should have been looking months ago.”

“What if I don’t want to go to college?” Xander asked, a little more bravely.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Hank said, ending the discussion. “Let’s talk about something more pleasant,” he decided with a smile. “Any girlfriends?” he asked Xander.

‘Just perfect,’ Buffy thought, rolling her eyes.

“Uh, no,” Xander said. “No girlfriend.”

“Ya know, it’s cause you spend too much time with that Will character,” Hank said. “People are gonna start to think you’re a couple,” he said with a big laugh.

Buffy and Xander’s eyes both widened at this. They both forced themselves to start laughing with their father, albeit nervously. Xander didn’t dare a glance at Buffy, though she eyed him the whole time to gauge his reaction.

“Dad, don’t be ridiculous,” Xander said.

“I know, I know! I was just kiddin’ with ya!” Hank said, giving Xander playful punch on the arm.

“Buffy has a boyfriend,” Xander blurted out, desperate to get the attention off himself.

“Oh, really?” Hank asked, looking at Buffy with his eyebrows raised.

“Uh, yeah,” Buffy answered, shooting Xander a dirty look. He gave her a smug grin in return.

“And is this boy good enough for my little girl?” he asked.

“Of course, Dad,” she answered, trying to sound chipper. “You’d really like him. He’s on the football team.” Buffy wasn’t even sure where she and Riley currently stood, but she wasn’t about to bring up the previous night in front of her father or Xander.

“Well, sweetie, I’ll have to meet him sometime,” he said with a smile. “Is he a good guy, Xander?”

“Yeah, he’s great,” Xander said with sarcasm that Hank missed.

Buffy couldn’t wait for this to end.

***

After Hank dropped them off at home that evening, Buffy breathed a sigh of relief. He had taken them on one of his ‘let me try and buy your affection’ shopping sprees at the mall after lunch. Buffy wasn’t thrilled with this, but who was she to say no to free clothes?

She thought back to lunch and what her father had said to Xander. ‘Way to put the pressure on, Dad’ she thought as she put away her new things. ‘This is bound to make everything worse.’

She went to go downstairs, but saw that Xander’s door was open. She decided to take the opportunity to talk to him for once. She walked in to see him sitting on his bed with a textbook out in front of him.

“You’re voluntarily doing homework?” she asked. “Without Will?”

He looked up at her. “Dad said a few things that made sense,” he explained, ignoring the mention of Will.

“About getting into college?”

“Among other things.”

“I don’t understand why you follow his every whim whenever he decides to grace us with his presence,” she said.

“He’s just always so disappointed with me,” he said, looking down.

“That doesn’t mean you owe him anything,” she argued.

“You wouldn’t understand,” he replied.

“Stop saying that! I’m sick of not understanding! Make me understand!” Buffy was starting to get mad now. It was endlessly frustrating being told this.

“Buffy-“ he started to argue.

“It’s about the Will thing, isn’t it?” she asked.

“Would you stop bringing that up?” he yelled.

“I’ve barely said anything to you about it. Especially since every time I’ve tried you brush it off.”

“Well, maybe you should take a hint,” he said angrily.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked with narrowed eyes.

“It means that it’s none of your business.”

Buffy was about to lose it.

“I can’t believe you! I have been trying so hard to be here for you. I even tried to take your side in this stupid fight you’re having with Will, and I don’t even understand what it’s about! And you keep pushing me away!”

He just stared at her, not speaking.

“Will has explained more to me than you ever have!” she yelled, knowing this comment would irritate him.

“Yeah? What did he explain to you?”

“It’s none of your business,” she said, mocking his earlier words.

“You’re so immature.”

“I am? You’re the one who’s been acting like a baby. You’re so scared of…of god knows what…that you’re pushing away all the people that love you. And you know what?”

“What?”

“It’s working!” she said, walking out the door and slamming it behind her.


Chapter End Notes:
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