Film Theory
Every story has a conclusion.
That's what Andrew tells himself as he sits in the back of the bus, fading into the background. Anya came to hers. It wasn't his fault.
He did what he could; he was prepared to die. Really he was. It was just... she was so much stronger and more powerful, even though she was just as scared. She stepped in front of him; he couldn't have stopped her even if he'd wanted to. He will never tell Xander he didn't really want to.
Neither of them had slayer strength -- Buffy shouldn't have left them alone. It was Buffy's fault.
But he can't make himself believe it.
He told Xander, who made some dumb joke to hide the hurt. Andrew he promises himself that he will look after Xander for the rest of their lives. Which, considering they're riding around the country in a school bus full of slayers, probably won't be that long.
It's not like he wants the danger. Now that he's lived through an apocalypse he didn't help bring about, he's really not into the whole raising the powers of darkness thing. He learned his lesson from killing Jonathan.
He's trying to atone; he thinks maybe it's not so much a destination as a journey.
He likes that -- it sounds deep, almost Zen. He imagines Steven Soderbergh might say something like that, or the Wachowski brothers. Yeah, it's got Matrix written all over it.
The bus lurches, throwing him up against Xander, who's huddled in a corner, snoring.
Xander wakes with a yelped, "What--"
"Go back to sleep," Andrew tells him. "Giles is letting Buffy drive."
"Oh, God," Xander says, shuddering. "We're all gonna die."
"But, there's no Big Evil. I'm sure of it. I think they'd have told us if there were."
"No, from Buffy's driving," Xander clarifies.
"Oh." Then, "I'll protect you," he mumbles. He doesn't really know what to say. He's always been the one looking for comfort, for protection from others; he's never been in a position to offer it.
"What?"
"Nothing. Go back to sleep, Xander. It'll be fine. Giles won't let anything happen to us."
Xander stares at him, and Andrew is shaken by the power in that one-eyed glare. No wonder pirates wore eye patches. Much with the intimidation. He wonders how Xander would react to being called Captain Hook.
The bus slows, jerks forward and speeds up again. Kennedy falls off the seat she's sharing with Willow, and mutters curses.
"If she puts us in a ditch--" Xander says.
"I heard that!" Buffy calls out and the bus swerves violently, waking the few girls who haven't already been woken by her erratic driving. Vi bangs her head on the window and Rona moans plaintively.
"I won't let anything happen to you," Andrew says, but now Xander is awake and has gotten the Scooby banter going; he's no longer listening to Andrew.
"I can drive better with one eye," Xander says, pushing past Andrew and lurching to the front of the bus.
"Maybe," Buffy replies, "but I'll kick your ass if you try to take the steering wheel away from me."
Andrew tunes them out, scripts more Tarantino-esque repartee for them.
Every story has a conclusion, but his hasn't reached one yet.