Title: Promises Can Last Forever
Author: AllytheVamp
Email: Marie_214@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: Joss owns Buffy and all the characters. The episode GRADUATION PART TWO wasn't written by me and I don't own it.
Spoilers: Grad. Part 2
Authors Notes: This is dedicated to my friend Allie who wanted a very romantic Cordy and Xander story. I hope I don't disappoint you. The song 'I Want You Back' is Ensync's [I have no clue how to spell the name, sorry!] and it applied to this story perfectly I think. Who else thinks that the writers were crazy for making the relationship end? I mean what was that?

Part Three


Baby I remember
The way you used to look at me and say
Promises never last forever
I told you not to worry
I said that everything would be alright
I didn't know then that you were right...


Buffy rolled her eyes as yet another groan reached her ears. It was mostly Willow doing the groaning surprisingly. Cordy had been strangley quiet these past few hours as they researched insessently for the acention. Willow was a bit ancy cause she though that the Internet might be a better way to find it, plus she had been trying to get away all night. She was really nervous and wanted to help, but was sick of the library.

"Sorry Buffy," she said seeing her face. "I just...I'm going to miss this place and all, but I've been here for hours and I can't surf the net here cause the computers already packed up. I mean I think you guys might find something but I just want to-"

"Why don't you go home then Willow?" Cordelia looked up from the dusty old book she had been idly flipping through and smiled tiredly. "I don't think you're helping anyone with your constant griping. In, fact if you stay here one more second I may be forced to take this useless book and knock you out!"

Willow smiled warily and then cast an unsure glance at Buffy. She nodded her approval.

"Go home Will. Do the computer thing."

Willow made an excited sound in her throat, muttered apologies and booted it out of the stuffy library. Cordy sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. "Peace."

Buffy laughed. "We shoulda done that a while ago. She looked about to burst."

Cordy smiled thinly and went back to her book. Buffy eyed her curiously and began reading again. Cordy had been like this all night. One second she'd be nice and the next she'd be quiet girl. Quiet-ness was not something Cordy was normally good at.

She knew then.

Xander had been acting pretty psyco that morning and she had asked him what was wrong. He had blurted out that Cordy had talked to-well more like yelled at-him about their relationship the other night. When he talked of the [ahem] "chat" he had actually started to shake. He had admitted after some careful prodding that he was scared. Scared of how much he loved Cordy, but also how much he loved Willow. And there was the ever growing threat of Anya. Xander was a wreck and he had pleaded with her sheepishly to help him out of this. She had shaken her head.

"Xander you really suck at relationships." was all she had thought of to say.

Xander had given her an incredulous look. "Gee aren't you the mistress of comfort!" She had smiled and taken his arm. "Xand, the way I see it, the only way to learn is for you to make mistakes. You have made alot already, and believe when I emphasize ALOT, but I think we both know what you want. At least *I* know what you need or who you need. You just need to make up your mind and find out for yourself." Xander had been silent and thoughtful a moment then he had broke into a grim smile. "I know what I need, but I sure as hell don't know what I want!" Buffy smiled at the memory. He was almost hopeless! Almost...

"Cor," she began hesitantly. "Hmm?" she looked up inquisitively. There was no way around it now.

Cordy luckly wasn't watching her. She went over to put the book back on the shelf. Buffy took a deep breath. "Are you in love with Xander?"

Cordelia dropped the book she was carrying. It landed on her toe and she let out a squeal of pain. She slunk back to her chair and cooly picked up another book. "Can I leave soon? This library is a death zone."

"Cor..." Buffy said sternly. "You didn't answer me..."

Cordy ignored her flipping blindly through the book. Buffy sighed. It was no use. Still, she had to know one thing...

"Cordy," she began.

"STOP IT!" Cordy snapped loudly. "Stop saying my name like that! I don't care if you save my life a billion times, you have no idea who I am!"

Buffy stared at her, taken aback. "What are you talking about?"

"Look we are NOT friends ok? I don't *like* you guys! I hate you all! You wrecked my life! I could have been oblivious but nooo you had to drag me into it with you!! So just stop saying my name like we've been friends for fifty years!!" Her eyes held a look of pure fear and anger. "Leave me alone." she hissed.

Buffy chose to remain calm. "I know what you're doing and you aren't going to pull this crap in my library! Just because I ask you something that you don't want to answer it doesn't give you and ounce of the right to go off like that. Now you have two choices, you can either stay here and answer the question with at least something or you can get the hell out of here and take a pill!"

Cordelia seemed to consider this. Her eyes became filled with grief suddenly. She unexpectedly felt tears rushing into her eyes. But she stood her ground fighting her conscious.

"Cordelia I want to help if you'll let me." Buffy came over and set a hand on her shoulder.

Cordy stopped and tensed up a moment. Then she shrugged her off. "Forget it!" she muttered.

"Fine," Buffy replied evenly. "But if you want to ever talk about anything then you know my number. Or maybe you can talk to Xander."

Cordy rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I don't *need* you or your lame scooby-gang. I can hold my own."

Buffy looked her straight in the eyes. "You sure about that?"

Cordy stared back at her, her eyes slits. Then she replied icily. "Leave me alone." With that she walked out of the library just as Xander came in. Xander looked at her as she walked by. She ignored him. Xander shot a questioning glance at Buffy.

"What was that all about?"

Buffy smiled sadly. "Can you talk to her? I'm bushed." She walked passed a bewildered Xander.

Xander stood in the empty library and looked around. "Well, aren't I the popular one." he muttered. He walked out into the hall. "Cordy?"

Cordelia was at the end. She whirled around and stopped impatiently. "Look if Buffy sent you to beg for my help you can-" She stopped when she saw his face. Xander looked at her curiously. There was a look in his eyes she'd never seen before. Or wasn't used to seeing.

"Cordy why are you acting like this? I understand that I make you so crazy you want to kill me, but don't take it out on Buffy. The love of her life has left her, her partner deserted and tried to murder her, she could die in two days time and the only sanctuary she has is us." he told her firmly keeping his hand on her arm. Cordelia recoiled instantly.

"Oh I'm sorry Xander. I'm sorry that I hurt your precious Buffy! I guess I forgot that the world revolves around her! I forgot that I'm not supposed to feel anything!" she spat. She couldn't even *believe* he was doing this!

"I didn't say that." Xander regarded her with a strange calmness she'd never seen before. "I know you're feeling stuff. So am I. I want to help you deal but I can't cause you won't let me. I'm sorry I hurt you, and I'm sorry that all I used to think about was her, but I'm passed that now. I just thought you should know...I'm here for you." He smiled thinly and walked passed her to go back to the library.

Cordy stared at his back incredulously. "I...I..."

Xander turned around and stared at her, willing her to say something. She put her hands to her face. "I can't do this anymore! I..."

"What's going on?"

Xander and Cordy whirled around. Oz stood in the hall looking at them curiously. "Something happen?"

"No nothing." Cordy said cheerfully. She ignored Xander's eyes on her. Oz stared at her too.

"Well?" she exclaimed loudly. "Did I grow a tail or something?! Let's go!" She reached out and dragged a bewildered Oz back to the library. "Buffy needs her merry little band to help get her out of this ascention thing tomorrow and you are part of that merry little band so get in there and start making with the research!" She turned to Xander who looked at her curiously. "You too supremacy boy!" She pushed him into the room and mouthed *We'll talk later*. With that she walked into the library and sat down across from Oz. Buffy was there and stared curiously at them. Oz shrugged at her. Xander passed Cordy a book and looked at her conspiratorially. She opened it briskly and a note fell out onto her lap. She shot Xander an odd look and opened it up.

It said:

Promises can last forever

Cordy closed her eyes. They couldn't.




Next Chapter