BtVS: "A Night to Remember" (5/?)
Oct. 15th, 2009 07:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alixtiiTitle: A Night to Remember
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Pairings: Various.
Summary: Madelyn goes to prom--and takes some friends.
First Part
Xander steps out of the limousine, helps Madelyn out, then extends a hand for Persephone.
"No, thank you," the vampire says, then evaporates into mist in that Drac-style way of hers, reconstituting herself in the shadow of one of the academic buildings. "This dress is a little too expensive to catch on fire," she notes.
They walk into the gym, which is full of teenagers in formal gear. There are a few teenagers, too, taking pictures, but not that many--not surprising, considering how far some of the students hail from.
Alan notices them almost immediately, holding a corsage; he's dressed sharply in a smart tux. Persephone accepts the corsage gracefully, then expertly pins a boutonnière on his lapel.
Kennedy comes over next, holding a camera and dressed in an elegant black dress. Xander can see Faith on the other side of the gym, shepherding teenagers while wearing a dress exactly like Kennedy's only white.
"Say cheese," she commands, and the four of them dutifully pose for the camera.
Then she takes one of just Xander and Madelyn, then Madelyn and Persephone without the boys. "The professional's in the lobby," she informs them after she's done taking all the shots she wants. "I'm sure your aunt and uncle will want lots of pictures."
Xander's not so sure; after all, their wedding photos are only a few years old. But they line up anyway and re-enact pretty the same series of poses they did for Kennedy, only now for the professional photographer and against the shiny black-and-white backdrop.
Once they're finally finished being photorgraphed, they make their way back to the gym, where they split up. Alan leads Persephone off to parade her in front of his friends, while Madelyn goes off with a group of girlfriends to get more photographs taken. Xander's about to go find Kennedy or Faith when an even voice says his name behind him. "Mr. Harris, I presume?"
Xaner turns to see an older man, about Giles' age, leaning on a cane. He's wearing a clerical collar, and Xander involuntarily takes a step back. A lifetime later, and Caleb still haunts him.
"You must be Father Marcus," he says.
The priest nods, extending his hand. Despite his age, his grip is firm. "I've heard a lot about you. And not just from your wife."
Xander swallows. Between Dawn, Faith, Kennedy, and Madelyn. he wonders just what the old priest has heard.
The priest smiles, clearly understanding what Xander is thinking and enjoying his discomfort. "You've lived a colorful life, Mr. Harris," he says. "Lives."
Xander does his best to smile back. "Well, you know, it's never boring."
"No," the priest agrees. "When you've seen as much as we've seen, life is never boring, no matter how much we would sometimes wish it to be. Apocalypses, adventures, demon attacks, malfunctioning magic: sometimes it seems like it's all searching me out."
Xander nods. That's certainly a feeling he's well acquainted with.
"And somehow," Father Marcus continues, "life continues to throw us surprises. Your wife, for example. I've taught many students over the years, Slayers and witches and soi-disant 'ordinary' humans, every one of them special in his or her own special way. But I've never had a student like Madelyn, nor will I again."
"She is sort of in her own class," Xander agrees. How would one go about teaching one of the most powerful witches, ever?
"I've tried to be there for her in her years at St. Clare's--as teacher, mentor, spiritual leader. God knows I've fallen short of what she's needed, but--I'll be glad she'll have someone at her side to look after her once she leaves this school."
"I think she'll be looking after me more than vice versa," Xander argues.
Father Marcus doesn't push the point. "Perhaps," he says.
Madelyn and her cohort of girlfriends pick this moment to return to the gym. Father Marcus takes the chance to bow out gracefully, and Xander is left being introduced to a dozen different girls the names of which he will never be able to remember.
". . . and this is my roommate, Jenny," Madelyn finishes.
Jenny is a tall African-American girl in a sleek green dress. She examines Xander for a second, then says, "You look human to me. Maddy has you out to be the second coming of Christ or something."
Xander shakes his head. "No, just the second coming of Xander Harris."
"To think the world didn't get enough of him the first time," Persephone's wry voice cuts in as she and Alan rejoin the group.
Jenny's reaction to Persephone dusts any lesser vampire on the spot; clearly the girl remembers the last time Persephone had been on campus. Persephone, of course, just ignores her, continuing, "I've only known him a month and already I'm sick of him."
Xander shrugs. "In-laws."
All of a sudden, a disruption breaks out in the far side of the gym. "What's going on?" Xander wonders idly.
Xander might not have known Madelyn for very long, but he still knows his wife well enough to know the impish look of faux innocence on her face bodes trouble. "There might be another guy I set up with a date, too."
Xander reviews his mental list of young women Madelyn knows outside of school, and suddenly everything makes sense. "You didn't."
"She did," confirms Persephone with a smirk.
Xander takes a deep breath. "You brought the Princess Royal to the Hellmouth?"
"I didn't bring her," corrects Madelyn. "She brought her own transportation. I just found her a date."
Soon the crowd parts enough that Xander can see a figure emerge from it--and, sure enough, it's a young woman instantly recognizable as HRH Sophia. She's dressed in a long saffron gown and is flanked on each side by a black-suited bodyguard.
Persephone is the first one to greet her--everyone else is too shocked by the princess's sudden appearance to say anything, except for Madelyn who is watching everyone with a pleased look on her face. "Your Royal Highness," Persephone says with just a tinge of irony and a dainty curtsy.
Sophia returns the curtsy. "Dark Highness," she says, then turns to Madelyn and gives her a big hug. Xander gets a hug next, plus a kiss on the cheek, and all the boys in the gym (and some of the girls) are looking at him with unhidden envy.
"So you have a guy for me?" Sophia asks, with a carefully guaged amount of suggestiveness. She's been in the public eye since she was born, and she knows how to work a room.
A very eager-looking young man steps up to Madelyn. "Sophia, this is David Wharton," Maddy introduces them. "Dave, this is Her Royal Highness Princess Sophia Gloriana Elizabeth Alice, The Princess Royal, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the--"
"That's enough," Sophia breaks in. "I do want us to have time to dance tonight, you know." She offers her arm to her date, who seems more than a little overwhelmed by the experience but links her arm with his. "Aren't we supposed to get our pictures taken or something?"
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Pairings: Various.
Summary: Madelyn goes to prom--and takes some friends.
First Part
Xander steps out of the limousine, helps Madelyn out, then extends a hand for Persephone.
"No, thank you," the vampire says, then evaporates into mist in that Drac-style way of hers, reconstituting herself in the shadow of one of the academic buildings. "This dress is a little too expensive to catch on fire," she notes.
They walk into the gym, which is full of teenagers in formal gear. There are a few teenagers, too, taking pictures, but not that many--not surprising, considering how far some of the students hail from.
Alan notices them almost immediately, holding a corsage; he's dressed sharply in a smart tux. Persephone accepts the corsage gracefully, then expertly pins a boutonnière on his lapel.
Kennedy comes over next, holding a camera and dressed in an elegant black dress. Xander can see Faith on the other side of the gym, shepherding teenagers while wearing a dress exactly like Kennedy's only white.
"Say cheese," she commands, and the four of them dutifully pose for the camera.
Then she takes one of just Xander and Madelyn, then Madelyn and Persephone without the boys. "The professional's in the lobby," she informs them after she's done taking all the shots she wants. "I'm sure your aunt and uncle will want lots of pictures."
Xander's not so sure; after all, their wedding photos are only a few years old. But they line up anyway and re-enact pretty the same series of poses they did for Kennedy, only now for the professional photographer and against the shiny black-and-white backdrop.
Once they're finally finished being photorgraphed, they make their way back to the gym, where they split up. Alan leads Persephone off to parade her in front of his friends, while Madelyn goes off with a group of girlfriends to get more photographs taken. Xander's about to go find Kennedy or Faith when an even voice says his name behind him. "Mr. Harris, I presume?"
Xaner turns to see an older man, about Giles' age, leaning on a cane. He's wearing a clerical collar, and Xander involuntarily takes a step back. A lifetime later, and Caleb still haunts him.
"You must be Father Marcus," he says.
The priest nods, extending his hand. Despite his age, his grip is firm. "I've heard a lot about you. And not just from your wife."
Xander swallows. Between Dawn, Faith, Kennedy, and Madelyn. he wonders just what the old priest has heard.
The priest smiles, clearly understanding what Xander is thinking and enjoying his discomfort. "You've lived a colorful life, Mr. Harris," he says. "Lives."
Xander does his best to smile back. "Well, you know, it's never boring."
"No," the priest agrees. "When you've seen as much as we've seen, life is never boring, no matter how much we would sometimes wish it to be. Apocalypses, adventures, demon attacks, malfunctioning magic: sometimes it seems like it's all searching me out."
Xander nods. That's certainly a feeling he's well acquainted with.
"And somehow," Father Marcus continues, "life continues to throw us surprises. Your wife, for example. I've taught many students over the years, Slayers and witches and soi-disant 'ordinary' humans, every one of them special in his or her own special way. But I've never had a student like Madelyn, nor will I again."
"She is sort of in her own class," Xander agrees. How would one go about teaching one of the most powerful witches, ever?
"I've tried to be there for her in her years at St. Clare's--as teacher, mentor, spiritual leader. God knows I've fallen short of what she's needed, but--I'll be glad she'll have someone at her side to look after her once she leaves this school."
"I think she'll be looking after me more than vice versa," Xander argues.
Father Marcus doesn't push the point. "Perhaps," he says.
Madelyn and her cohort of girlfriends pick this moment to return to the gym. Father Marcus takes the chance to bow out gracefully, and Xander is left being introduced to a dozen different girls the names of which he will never be able to remember.
". . . and this is my roommate, Jenny," Madelyn finishes.
Jenny is a tall African-American girl in a sleek green dress. She examines Xander for a second, then says, "You look human to me. Maddy has you out to be the second coming of Christ or something."
Xander shakes his head. "No, just the second coming of Xander Harris."
"To think the world didn't get enough of him the first time," Persephone's wry voice cuts in as she and Alan rejoin the group.
Jenny's reaction to Persephone dusts any lesser vampire on the spot; clearly the girl remembers the last time Persephone had been on campus. Persephone, of course, just ignores her, continuing, "I've only known him a month and already I'm sick of him."
Xander shrugs. "In-laws."
All of a sudden, a disruption breaks out in the far side of the gym. "What's going on?" Xander wonders idly.
Xander might not have known Madelyn for very long, but he still knows his wife well enough to know the impish look of faux innocence on her face bodes trouble. "There might be another guy I set up with a date, too."
Xander reviews his mental list of young women Madelyn knows outside of school, and suddenly everything makes sense. "You didn't."
"She did," confirms Persephone with a smirk.
Xander takes a deep breath. "You brought the Princess Royal to the Hellmouth?"
"I didn't bring her," corrects Madelyn. "She brought her own transportation. I just found her a date."
Soon the crowd parts enough that Xander can see a figure emerge from it--and, sure enough, it's a young woman instantly recognizable as HRH Sophia. She's dressed in a long saffron gown and is flanked on each side by a black-suited bodyguard.
Persephone is the first one to greet her--everyone else is too shocked by the princess's sudden appearance to say anything, except for Madelyn who is watching everyone with a pleased look on her face. "Your Royal Highness," Persephone says with just a tinge of irony and a dainty curtsy.
Sophia returns the curtsy. "Dark Highness," she says, then turns to Madelyn and gives her a big hug. Xander gets a hug next, plus a kiss on the cheek, and all the boys in the gym (and some of the girls) are looking at him with unhidden envy.
"So you have a guy for me?" Sophia asks, with a carefully guaged amount of suggestiveness. She's been in the public eye since she was born, and she knows how to work a room.
A very eager-looking young man steps up to Madelyn. "Sophia, this is David Wharton," Maddy introduces them. "Dave, this is Her Royal Highness Princess Sophia Gloriana Elizabeth Alice, The Princess Royal, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the--"
"That's enough," Sophia breaks in. "I do want us to have time to dance tonight, you know." She offers her arm to her date, who seems more than a little overwhelmed by the experience but links her arm with his. "Aren't we supposed to get our pictures taken or something?"