Title: The Beginning
Author: Michael Wilson
Email: wyrdradio@yahoo.com
Rating: PG-13 to R
Disclaimer:
Joss, Mutant Enemy, and a lot of other people own Buffy and the characters in this story.
George Lucas owns everything in Star Wars.
Highlander is owned by Rysher.
Star Trek: The Next Generation is owned by Paramount and Gene Roddenberry.
Dune is owned by Frank Herbert and his family.
X-Men is owned by Marvel Comics.
Dragonball Z is owned by Funimation/Toryami.
Charmed is owned by Spelling Production/Viacom.
The song "6 Underground" is owned, I'm guessing, by the Sneaker Pimps... and doesn't belong to me, I'm just using it cause I like it. I get nothing by writing this except maybe some kind words of encouragement and a few cheers... at least I hope.
Author’s Notes: If you know the song, you will realize how it fits into the beginning of this story...and I'll use others as they fit. " " as always means talking while * * means thoughts. / / means another entity is talking to Xander. # # means telepathy.
"... we don't want you getting hurt..."
"... you can't fight worth shit..."
"... its for your own good..."
The words echoed in his mind as he walked off toward the cliffs on the edge of town. He could smell the salt from the ocean as he drew nearer. He knew that it was time... that they wouldn't miss him anyway, not after what they said at the end...
"... we'd be better off if you never were even here..."
Xander wiped the tears from his eyes as he stepped slowly toward the edge of the cliff...
/// Take me down 6 underground the ground beneath your feet
Laid out low nothing to go nowhere a way to meet.
I've got a head full of drought down here
So far off losing out round here
Overground watch this space
I'm open to falling from grace///
Xander moved to the edge and looked down, swallowing his heart as it jumped into his throat. *It's a long way down... but what's the use anyway...*
He looked back over his shoulder at the town and a single tear rolled down his cheek. "Bye... everybody." He then turned and stepped off into the open air, falling gracefully...
///Calm me down bring it round too way high off your street
I can see like nothing else
in me you're better than I wannabe.
Don't think 'cos I understand I care
Don't think 'cos I'm talking we're friends
Overground watch this space
I'm open to falling from grace.///
The wind whipped past his ears as the churning water slapped against the sharp jagged rocks below. They were a terrifying sight and suddenly the idea of killing himself seemed very stupid to his addled mind.
*Oh shit... I'm gonna die... but I don't what to die... I haven't seen Buffy naked yet!!* As the water zoomed toward him, Xander called out with everything he had for help... hoping someone was listening...
///Talk me down safe and sound too strung up to sleep
Wear me out scream and shout swear my time's never cheap.
I fake my life like I've lived too much
I take whatever you're given
not enough
Overground watch this space
I'm open to falling from grace.///
Just a mere 20 feet from the crashing waves, something astounding happened. Xander's body began to flicker, partially disappearing then reappearing... until he faded away with a flash of light... leaving behind a sparkly outline of where Xander used to be...
Then... all was quiet... no sound except for the sound of the waves and what sounded like someone... laughing... in the distance, as Xander was taken... but to where...
*****
Far away in a darkened mist-filled room, a shimmer of light appeared about 6 feet above the floor in the center of the room. Sparkling lights of every color danced about inside the light as a human figure began to form. Slowly, bit by bit, Xander began to appear... hovering above the floor. As the lights stopped, Xander dropped quickly, face first, onto the floor. "Fuck! That hurt!"
Xander crawled up onto his hands and knees, bringing a free hand up to rub his bashed nose. He looked around, his eyes trying to see through the darkness, and sat back onto his feet. *Where the hell am I?*
"Hello... anyone here!"
Nothing... no response whatsoever... and as he sat there, Xander noticed there was no sound to be heard either. *Oh shit... I’m dead. I’m dead and I never got a chance to see Buffy naked. God how I wished I had let her open that raincoat...*
Xander down at himself and then started pinching places... his arms, his sides, his face... he then remembered his nose and began to wonder if he really was dead. *I feel pain... my nose fucking hurts... so I can’t be dead... and if I’m not, then where the fuck am I?*
Xander climbed to his feet and stretched, feeling his back pop. "Damn... my back only does that when I fall asleep on Buff’s couch..." He looked at himself and then runs his hands over his face, franticly. "What the.. I have a beard started... but I shaved like what... 4 hours ago... and this feels like a few days worth of hair. Something is wrong here..."
Xander started walking, not knowing where he was but he was determined to find out. He walked for what felt like an hour before he stopped and rested. He sat down and felt his hand brush against something on the ground. Peering closer, he gasped at what he saw... a small red button, a button that matched the ones on his shirt. Xander looked down at his shirt and saw one button missing. It was at that moment that realization hit him... he had been walking nowhere.
"SHIT!!!!"
Xander lay back onto the ground and closed his eyes. *Oh god.. where am I and why am I here. What did I do to deserve this..*
As he lay there, Xander moaned, "Oh man... I just want to get out of here."
"Why didn’t you say so earlier?"
Xander jumped to his feet and looked around, panic in his eyes. The voice had come from all around him. It sounded male, kinda, and it was very loud. "Hello... where are you?"
Off to his right, a small dot of white light appeared and then grew slowly until a large oval almost 6 feet tall appeared. "If you want to leave... enter the light."
Xander looked at the light and felt a deep sense of fear wash through him. *Do I really want to do this...* He looked around himself and sighed. *Fuck this.. I’m going in.*
He moved toward the light, slowly at first then with more speed, until he was almost touching it. He reached out and felt a slight resistance, like touching the surface of water. Xander pulled his hands away and took a deep breath... then stepped through.
*****
Xander emerged into a white room filled with light. His eyes, adjusted to the darkness, were blinded momentarily as he blinked a few times. As his vision began to clear, he could see that he was in a room that looked a lot like his doctor's office. There didn't seem to be anyone else in the room, but Xander was sure he had heard someone tell him to come in here.
"Hello?"
Xander walked around, looking at the painting on the walls. He was about to reach out and touch one when the voice returned.
"Please take a seat, someone will be with you shortly... once we have finished choosing someone with whom you can communicate."
Xander thought about this. Why would they need to do that? "Why... what's wrong with you... do you like, look funny or something. You're not demons... are you?"
There was a small chuckle and then the voice was back. "No.. we are not... demons. Our form is not something you would appreciate.. so we are scanning your mind for a comforting image. Please hold and think about said image."
Xander sat down and thought about it. *Comforting image... hmm.* He thought about a few people he knew and thought what it would be like to be talking to them... then suddenly it came to him. He smiled and began concentrating.
"Good... the image you are sending is quite strong. We will be with you shortly."
Xander smirked and rubbed his hands together. A few minutes later, a door appeared in the west wall and in walked... the centerfold for May 1987, completely nude.
"This image is comforting for you?"
Xander, his eyes wide, nodded. "Yeah.. very."
Ms. May nodded and sat down, her breasts bouncing as she sat. "Well... to begin with we are not from your world. We are from a galactic federation that spans over 1500 planets. We...."
The woman continued to talk, but all Xander could think about was the way the air made her body react... and the effect it was having on his. Drool was slowly trickling down his chin and his eyes were locked on her body, alternating between her breasts and... other
places that Xander had only dreamed of.
"... and so when we heard your plea, we felt it was necessary to do something about it, so we transported you a waiting room where we examined your body and made sure you were not in possession of anything that might harm us... such as weapons or diseases. Once we were sure you were clear, we placed you in the mist room and waited for you to summon us, which you did. Now we are ready.."
The woman looked at Xander's eyes and then followed their line of sight to the two lumps of flesh hanging slightly from the chest wall of the image the young man's mind had conjured up.
"Are you listening to me?"
Xander jolted in his seat and blinked, his eyes watering. "What...listening.. yes. You're not from Earth but from another planet or something and you heard me and decided to help?"
"Something like that." The woman sighed and shifted in her seat, causing another reaction from Xander. She knew then that the form chosen would not work. "Excuse me... this is obviously wrong. I will return shortly." She stood and then exited the room, a soft whine coming from Xander as she left.
*Man... I can't believe they actually did that. Shit! She looked ever hotter in person.*
A few moments later, the door opened again and in walked a man in his 40's dressed in a three-piece suit. He walked over and sat down. "Now.. to continue..."
Xander was in shock. He wanted the woman back. "Hey.. wait a minute, where did she go?"
The man looked at Xander and frowned. "I am she... it was obvious that the form chosen was not one which would allow you to listen to what we were telling you, so I changed forms."
Xander blinked in shock. *He's her!!! Oh shit!*
The man waited a moment and then began again. "Now... as I was saying... we opened the gateway for you and brought you in here where we are not open to offering to return you to your world... once we have wiped your memory of what took place here... or we can equip you with a means of traveling to another world."
*Another world... that would be cool... and I wouldn't have to go back to people that don't even want me around anymore...*
"What kind of world?"
The man pulled a small bracer out of his pocket and held it out for Xander to see. "This device will take you to any world in the known federation... and possibly even to those we have not yet visited. As long as the location is clear enough in your mind, and if the planet actually exists, the device will find the planet and open a doorway to it."
Xander was in shock. He was going to be able to go anywhere... but he didn't know where to go. "I don't know of any other planet except Earth. Do you have a directory or something... like an idiot's guide to the universe? Something that will tell me about every planet, cause the only planets I know of are from sci-fi movies."
The man smiled. "We have been watching your planet for many years and were amazed to discover something. Many of the planets in your movies are actual planets. It appears that the people that have been writing those movies have actually stumbled upon real planets with real people. Perhaps there is some form of psychic phenomenon taking place... all we know is that the planets and people in many movies are real."
"*Wow...*" Xander smiled and began daydreaming about all the places he wanted to go. "I'll take it."
"Excellent." The man smiled and reached out for Xander's arm, placing the bracer on his left wrist.
"How does it work?"
The man stood and motioned for Xander to stand. Once Xander was on his feet, the man touched a button inlayed onto the bracer. "Speak your name and a few sentences. The bracer will bond itself with you and then all you have to do is picture where you wish to go and then if such a planet exists... it will find it and notify you on the clear crystal panel above the button I pressed. Then you can either open the doorway or save the location for later use and choose another... or you can save and open a gateway. It might be a good
idea to save this location first, in case you have an emergency or a problem with the device... but first, your name and a few sentences."
Xander nodded and looked down at the bracer. "My name is Alexander Lavelle Harris... but all my friends call me Xander. I am from Sunnydale, California... in the United States of America... on the continent of North America... on the planet Earth." He looked at the
man and raised his eyebrows. "Is that enough?"
The man nodded and smiled. "You may now go wherever you wish, and when you choose to return... picture this room. We are called the Eion... in case you need to use our name to help you."
Xander nodded. He was about to go when it dawned on him he was forgetting something. "What about money... for food and shelter and stuff. How will I find any?"
The man closed his eyes and began humming. A soft hum came from the walls and then the man opened his eyes again. "We have decided to grant upon you the ability to Keen. Keening is a form of technology so advance that the early peoples of your planet called it magic. It is examining an object and then replicating it exactly. This was, all you must do is find something, keen it, and then you will be able to make as many copies as you need. If you will close your eyes, I will place the ability into your mind."
Xander nodded and closed his eyes. A few moments later, a red glow filled his mind and he suddenly knew things he didn't know before.
"You may open your eyes now."
Xander opened his eyes and looked around. He felt different... slightly... and then looked at his hands. He still held the button he picked up before. He examined it carefully and then touched the place in his mind that had to do with keening. As he watched, a shimmer
washed over the button and then a second button materialized in his other hand... giving him a second button that was identical.
"Wow... thanks. This will help a lot." Xander looked at the man and smiled. "I am really thankful you found me. Thank you."
The man nodded and stepped back. "You are welcome. Safe journeys." He then turned and exited the room.
Xander watched him leave and then looked down a the bracer. A grin crossed his face and he closed his eyes, picturing a place he had wanted to see for years.
Once he was sure he had the image correct, Xander opened his eyes and looked at the tiny screen. It was displaying the names of hundreds of planets, the names running across the screen so fast they appeared as a blur... until it suddenly stopped and showed one name.
"It's real!" Xander's eyes were wide in wonder. He was going to go to a place he had only dreamed of. He concentrated on the bracer and commanded it to open the doorway. A beam of light came out of it and formed into a glowing oval similar to the one he had seen earlier... but instead of white light, this time he saw sand and small adobe buildings.
Xander walked over to it and watched for a minute, wondering if it was real. *Time's a wastin... lets get movin.* He smiled and then stepped through, the doorway closing itself after he was past, leaving behind a empty silent waiting room... and a small red button that lay all alone on the floor... the only trace that anyone had been in there.
*****
Hot dry wind blew into his face as Xander slowly emerged from the narrow alleyway into the bright light of twin suns. Shielding his eyes from the intense light, Xander looked around in awe, a child-like smile on his face.
*Damn... never thought I would ever see this place.*
Xander walked slowly out onto the street, dodging a rather large creature that almost ran him over. The... man... riding it hissed and yelled something at Xander in a language that sounded like a cat growling... but Xander got the impression he meant something along the lines of "Move your ass out of the way you fucking moron!" Xander nodded and backed away, watching as the rider and his creature moved on.
*Need to be more careful... and damn, I just almost got run over by a Bantha... this rocks!*
Xander looked up the street, looking first left than right and tried to figure out just where exactly the hell he was here.
*Hmm.. that looks right... and if I’m right then about 5 houses to the right should be a large pole and the road should fork off in two directions...*
Xander moved to his right, dodging droids and a couple of nosy Jawas, and smiled widely as he saw that his guess was right.
*Hot Damn! I’m in Mos Eisley.*
Xander moved over to the side of the street and tried to remember the exact location of the tavern... but his memory was a little rusty. He knew it was down one of these roads and then around a corner... but he wasn’t sure which one. Sighing, Xander moved back onto the street and headed off down a random street.
*****
It was about an hour later that Xander finally saw something he recognized. He grinned at the large steps leading down and ran over to them, hearing music as he reached the doorway. He stepped inside and blinked as his eyes adjusted to the dim light inside, smiling at how much cooler it was in the tavern than it had been outside.
*Wow... its just like the movie...*
Xander walked over to the bar and slid onto an empty seat. Looking as the creatures around him, he remembered to look for the nasty man and his friend... so as to not make them mad. He was in luck, they were at the other end of the bar.
Xander let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding and looked at his reflection in the mirror behind the bar. His hair was covered in a thin layer of dust and it was dripping with sweat.
*Shit.. I look terrible.*
The bartender caught Xander’s eye and began working his way toward him... but was distracted by what looked like a Rodian. Xander gulped, realizing he still had no money yet and if he didn’t buy something, he would probably be kicked out... or worse, killed.
He turned to the hooded creature sitting next to him and cleared his throat. It turned and looked at Xander from behind smoky goggles.
"Excuse me... do you speak..." Xander was about to say English when he remembered where he was. "... Basic?"
The creature nodded. "Yes... somewhat."
Xander grinned. "Great. I’m new here... from off planet.. and I was wondering what kind of money is used here."
The creature made a sound that sounded like laughing and then nodded. It pulled out a small golden coin, a large green coin, and a flat card with writing on it.
"Eagles... Grekanas... and Galactic Creds. Any of these will work."
Xander stared at the money and nodded.
"May I see the cred... for just a moment. I swear I will give it right back to you... and you can watch me the whole time."
The creature nodded and dropped the cred out into Xander’s open hand. Xander nodded his thanks and then, as the creature watched, concentrated on the cred. A shimmer of rainbow colored light washed over the cred and then vanished... with an identical cred appearing in Xander’s other hand, which just so happened to be in his pocket.
Xander handed the cred back to the creature and smiled.
"Thank you... I think I have a few of those."
The creature looked at Xander and nodded, its body having grown more and more tense. As it stood and began to move away, Xander could have sworn he heard it say... "Stinking Jedi... better notify the guard."... but the sound seemed to come from somewhere deep inside his own head.
*Jedi... it thinks I’m a Jedi... and what about the guard... of shit, stormtroopers... that’s what it meant. Oh shit, I’m screwed.*
Xander looked around, trying to see if anyone was coming for him... but saw nothing. It was then that the bartender reached him and asked what he wanted. Still wanting to hang around a bit, Xander looked to his right and saw something that looked harmless. He pointed to it and asked for one of those. The bartender nodded and handed him a tall glass filled with a blue milky drink.
"Thank you."
Xander handed him a cred, having been bust copying them inside his pocket, and from the look in the bartender’s eyes, it wasn’t enough. He pulled out another... and then a third, before the bartender nodded and walked away.
Xander spun around on his seat and sipped his drink. It tasted like chocolate milk, with just a hint of blueberry or blackberry... overall, not too bad. He took a longer drink and saw something he wasn’t expecting to see. Across the room, in one of the booths, sat a man Xander was very familar with. The man was famous across the known galaxy for being wild and crazy and the best pilot alive. Xander smiled and just stared at his idol... the great Han Solo himself.
*Oh wow... he’s here... then that means I might be at the start of Star Wars... I wonder.*
Xander finished the rest of his drink and hopped off the stool. He started to walk toward Han’s booth when someone bumped into him. Without thinking, he did something very stupid.
"Hey... watch where you’re going."
The moment the words came out of his mouth, he knew he was in trouble. The man turned toward Xander and growled.
"Do you know who I am, little man. I have the death sentence on 15 planets."
Xander paled and began to back away.
"I’m sorry... it was my fault..."
The man leaned in and raised a blaster, pointing it toward Xander.
"Too bad... you pissed me off... now you die."
With fear screaming in his mind, Xander tried to back away as fast as he could.. bringing his hands up to protect himself. All he could think of was trying to get away, hoping with all his might that the guy would either drop the blaster or a miracle would happen and the blaster would be knocked out of his hands.
The man took aim and was about to pull the trigger when the blaster began to shake. He looked at it and then looked at the boy before him... and the glazed look in his eyes. He was about to say something when the blaster was suddenly ripped out of his hands and thrown across the room.
*Holy Shit!*
Xander looked in shock at the blaster as it flew across the room... to exactly where he wanted it to go.
*Did I do that???*
He saw the man’s eyes narrow and then a low growl began rumbling in his chest.
"Jedi... I should have known. You and your stinking kind should have died years ago."
Xander shook his head, trying to deny it, but knew the guy wasn’t going to listen. He just continued to back away as fast as he could, hoping he would make it to the doorway before the guy caught him.
*Oh shit... oh shit... ohshitohshitohshitohshit*
As Xander neared the doorway, he heard someone behind him. He looked over his shoulder and dove to the right just moments before he almost bumped into Obi wan Kenobi himself. Their eyes locked for a second and Xander heard something strange...
*The boy is filled with fear... and something else that I can’t quite... what.. what is this... he is hearing me...*
The voice stopped and Obi Wan’s eyes narrowed as he looked from Xander to the man, who had followed Xander up the steps.
"You do not want this boy..."
The man shook his head and mumbled to himself.
"I do not want this boy..."
Obi Wan nodded and continued.
"You will go back to your drink now..."
"I will go back to my drink now..."
He then turned, his eyes glassy, and walked back to the bar.
Obi Wan watched him go and then turned to look at the boy... but he was gone. He turned to Luke and pulled him aside, lowering his voice.
"Where is the boy?"
Luke shrugged and pointed out onto the street. Obi Wan sighed and shook his head... muttering to himself.
"Maybe I can find him later..."
*****
Meanwhile, Xander was running away like his ass was on fire. He knew he had to get away and it might be a good idea to just jump off the planet and go somewhere else... but there was still so much he wanted to see.
*Damn... I meet Obi Wan and Luke and don’t even get to say a single word to them... and Han Solo too... shit, this sucks!*
He saw a flash of metal to the right and moved in that direction. He soon arrived at a series of numbered doors.
*The docking bays... now if only I could remember which one his ship was in...*
Xander smiled and then ran down the street, stopping a few minutes later outside the right one... which, thankfully, was situated in a shadow-filled corner of the street. Xander leaned against the wall and slowly slid to the ground, waiting for the people he knew would be coming soon...
*****
"I can’t believe we only for 10000 for it. We could have gotten more."
Obi Wan nodded to his young apprentice and rushed down the street.
"It will be enough.. now come on, we must hurry."
He lead Luke to the door he was told to go to and was startled to see the boy from before, asleep next to the door.
*Destiny apparently wants me to care for this boy... well then, who am I to go against their judgment.*
He walked over and shook Xander’s shoulder softly.
"Wake up, my boy, this isn’t a safe place to sleep."
Xander shook slightly and opened his eyes, backing away in a moment of terror... before he calmed himself to notice who it was.
"Easy boy... its okay... I’m not going to hurt you... but tell me, why are you here?"
Xander climbed to his feet, slowly, and rubbed the sand out of his eyes carefully.
"I was hiding... from the man in the tavern. He.. he called me a Jedi and another said something about calling the guards. I guess I’m scared. I just wanted to be somewhere else and then I..."
Obi wan nodded.
"Go on.."
Xander swallowed.
"I heard you talk inside my head. I thought that maybe you might be able to ... help me... or something."
Obi Wan nodded, a smile crossing his weathered face.
"Yes, my boy, I believe I can. Come.. you will come with me and young Luke here. we are leaving Tatooine in just a few minutes. You will come with us."
Xander smiled. He knew this was going against what happened in the movie, but it was an opportunity he couldn’t miss.
"Thank you."
Obi Wan nodded and opened the door. He then stepped inside and motioned for Luke and Xander to enter the ship. He then walked over to a surprised, and angry looking, Han Solo.
"Who is the kid. I agreed to you and the blond... not you, the blond and some kid."
Obi Wan sighed and pulled out a handful of cred chips.
"This will pay for the boy. He is coming with us... no questions asked."
Han looked at the creds and nodded.
"Fine.. just keep them out of my way."
He then went back to preparing for takeoff when suddenly the doors opened and in came a squad of stormtroopers.
"Chewie! Get her up now!"
The ship began to rise and its belly laser cannons activated and began firing at the stormtroopers as Han ran back to the ship. Once inside, he ran past the group and into the cockpit, jumping into the pilot’s seat.
"Get us out of here.. now!"
Chewie bellowed and flipped a few switches. With moments they were in the air and headed out into space.
"Set course for Alderan."
Chewie nodded and flipped a few more switches. As he did that, Han got up and moved to the back. He was startled to see the old man trying to teach the blond and the new kid how to use what looked like an old lightsaber.
Luke was using the lightsaber to block the blasts from the remote... and failing... while Xander just stared in awe... not knowing if he truly believe what he was seeing.
*Amazing... I’m actually seeing them.... this is so cool.*
He watched Luke as he blocked a few shots, only to be hit moments later in the ass. He stifled a grin and tried to not notice the angry glare he received from him.
*Better watch it... he might decide to go all dark side on me and I don’t want that.*
Xander smiled at Luke and just sat back... knowing this would be a fun trip...
*****
Back in Sunnydale...
Buffy entered the library and sat down next to a very worried Willow.
"What’s up? Something bad I can kill?"
Willow shook her head and shuffled her feet nervously.
Buffy frowned and leaned forward.
"What is it... tell me."
Willow nodded and took a deep breath.
"Xander is missing. He never returned home a few days ago... and his parents haven’t seen him. They filed a missing person’s report last night and then called me."
Buffy’s eyes widened. *Xander... missing... oh god, I hope he’s not dead.*
Giles entered then and moved into his office. Buffy stood and followed.
"Giles.. we have a problem. Xander is missing."
Giles looked up and a worried expression crossed his face.
"Missing... are you sure?"
Buffy nodded.
"His parents filed a missing person’s report and then called Willow last night. What are we going to do?"
Giles sat down at his desk.
"We could try a locator spell... that would give us Xander’s location, no matter where he is on the planet."
Buffy nodded and smiled.
"Let’s do it. What do we need?"
Giles picked up a book and leafed through it. He then wrote out a list and handed it to Buffy.
"Take Willow and get everything on the list. She will know where to go."
Buffy nodded, grabbed the list, and then ran out... dragging Willow after her.
*****
4 Hours later, they were all standing in the chemistry classroom... watching Giles as he completed the spell.
"... let his location be revealed."
There was a flash of light and then... nothing.
"Hmm..."
Buffy stared at Giles and frowned.
"Hmm.. what does hmm mean? Where is he?"
Giles turned to Buffy, Willow and the others and took off his glasses.
"I don’t know... it appears Xander is not on Earth.... either that or..."
"... or he is dead." Willow finished Giles sentence just before she broke down crying, falling to the floor. Buffy knelt down next to her and pulled her into her arms.
"Don’t worry, Wills... we’ll find him... he’s out there, somewhere... and we will find him..."
*****
The ship came out of hyperdrive with a jolt and Xander was thrown to the floor. An explosion rocked the ship as something slammed against the side of the ship. He looked up in shock at Obi Wan and raised an eyebrow.
"What’s going on?"
Obi Wan shook his head and moved forward to the cockpit leaving a stunned Xander and Luke behind. Xander watched him leave and then climbed to his feet. He walked over to Luke and tapped his shoulder to get his attention.
"Did he seem... worried to you?"
Luke nodded. "Yes... very. I wonder if this has anything to do with what he felt earlier; the millions of voices crying out in fear only to be silences moments later."
Xander swallowed. He had gotten to into being here he had forgotten the plot of the movie. "You don’t think something happened... out there... to Alderan?"
Luke’s eyes widened and then they both ran to join their Master in the cockpit. As they arrived, they saw what looked like a large asteroid field... but no planet.
"There are not any asteroids in this sector..."
Chewie growled and pointed outside.
Han nodded and shook his head. "I know.. but they’re not supposed to be there... and where the hell is the planet."
Xander looked at the debris and decided to jump the gun a bit.
"It’s gone..."
All eyes turned to look at him and Xander paled. Obi Wan moved closer and frowned. "I know.. I sense it too."
Luke moved closer to the front and whispered to himself. "I’ve got a bad feeling about this..."
Suddenly a TIE fighter flew over their heads, barely missing them.
"Shield up!"
Han flipped switches as he looked franticly for the carrier... but didn’t see anything.
Obi wan leaned forward and frowned. "That fighter is too small to be out here alone."
Xander looked around... trying to see if he could spot it... and then...
"There... what is that?"
He pointed to the far right and hoped the others would look as well.
Han squinted and shrugged. "Looks like a small moon."
"That is no moon... its a space station." Obi Wan leaned back, a look of burgeoning fear crossing his face.
Han frowned. "It’s too big to be a... space... station." He stopped talking as they drew closer... and it began to indeed look like a space station. "Chewie.. back us away."
Chewie flipped a switch and the ship shook. He growled and began flipping every switch he had near him.
Luke grabbed onto the back of Chewie’s seat and looked at the sight before him. "What’s going on?"
"We’re caught in a tractor beam. Chewie.. cut power before we melt the engines." Han cut the power on his side and began reading weapons when he was stopped by a hand on the shoulder.
"There is no need to fight... there is another way..." Obi wan explained his idea and then they all moved into the middle of the ship, hiding inside the flooring...
*****
It was sometime later that they finally heard the guards leave. They had all sat as quietly as possible as the ship was brought into the station and then immediately searched.
Once the footsteps faded away, Han popped open the catches and they emerged from the flooring. "Never knew my smuggling days would ever help me this much."
Xander smirked and then moved to look down the open gangway. He could see two stormtroopers standing watch at the bottom. Xander grinned and moved back to join the others.
"Two stormtroopers on guard down below."
Han nodded and moved to look for himself. He then grinned evilly and kicked the side of the decking... hearing the guards walk in his direction moments later. He crouched down and once they were in view, opened fire upon them with his blaster, hitting both of them dead center.
"Hey blondie.. get over here and help me with this."
Luke frowned but moved over to help. He helped Han remove the stormtroopers uniforms and then slid the men into the smuggling compartment. As he closed the latch, he was shocked to see Han sliding into the armor.
"What are you doing?"
Han looked up and smiled. "Perfect cover... we’re going in there to turn off the tractor beam... and I’m no the only one wearing one of these..." He threw the other uniform at Luke and grinned. "Get dressed."
"Why me... why not Xander?"
Xander raised his hands and was about to speak when Obi Wan did himself. "Xander is coming with me."
*Hey.. this isn’t part of the movie*
Xander swallowed and smiled. "I am?"
Obi wan nodded and moved to the gangway. "We will figure out where to go and then Xander will go with me. While we are gone, you two will wait for us."
By then Han and Luke were dressed... so they headed down the gangway and made their way toward one of the main computer cores. Once inside, R2-D2 searched out the power coupling and showed its location of the map.
"Come, Xander.. we must hurry."
Xander nodded and then followed Obi Wan out of the room and down the hall... following him as he mad his way, carefully, deeper and deeper into the heart of the station.
As they moved from deck to deck, Xander began to wonder why he was brought along. "Ben?"
Obi wan stopped and turned to look at Xander. "Yes?"
"Why did you choose me over Luke?"
Obi Wan smiled. "While Luke has more potential power in the Force than yourself, you have had more experience with it. If worse came to worse, I believe you would be able to take care of yourself better than he."
Xander blinked in shock. He had no idea. He had been "no powers boy" for so long, it was shard to even imagine that he might be good at something.
"Thanks.. I’ll do my best to not fail you."
Obi Wan smiled. "You won’t fail me, Xander. Trust me on this... now, we must hurry... and we must be silent from here on."
Xander nodded and then followed Obi Wan into the nearby elevator shaft... following him down into the darkness below.
*****
Xander looked down and closed his eyes in fear. They were standing on a shelf... a thin shelf... high over what looked like a bottomless cavern.
*I am not liking this... oh god.. I wish he would hurry.*
He opened his eyes a crack and saw Obi Wan pulling down a large lever. As he watched, he could see the power levels for the first bank of the tractor beam array go dead. Obi Wan then moved around to the other lever but stopped as two stormtroopers entered. They both stood as still as they could until the stormtroopers left, then Obi wan pulled down the other lever... cutting all power to the tractor beam.
"We can go back now..." Obi Wan moved away then stopped, pausing as he felt something he hadn’t felt in years.
He turned to Xander and the look on his face was startling. "We must hurry, Xander, and we must make our thoughts as silent as we can. Do you understand?"
Xander nodded. He figured that he meant to not think too loudly, or not at all if possible.
Obi wan nodded once and then lead them back up, going a different route this time...
*****
They turned down the hallway only to stop suddenly for there in the middle of the hallway stood... Darth Vader.
*Vader... oh shit!!!*
Xander’s eyes went wide with fear and he began looking for a way out.
"Obi Wan... so... we meet again."
Darth Vader moved closer, his demonic breathing echoing in the tight hallway.
"... and who is this, your apprentice? Perhaps the Emperor will want to examine him once I am through with you."
*Examine me.... more like kill me with Force Lightning.*
Obi wan shook his head. "The boy is of no concern to you, Darth. You and your Emperor will not have him."
"We shall see, old man, we shall see."
Xander backed against the wall as Darth Vader activated his lightsaber and launched into the attack; Obi wan blocking his movements with ease. They moved together in what looked, to Xander, almost like a dance.
They danced around each other with Obi Wan moving them closer and closer to the doors leading to the hanger bay. As they neared them, Xander could see Luke, Han, and the droids moving toward the ship... and there was a girl with them.
*Leia... they found her... then that means..*
Xander looked at Obi Wan and Vader fighting. He knew that any moment Obi Wan would die.
It was at that moment that Obi Wan saw Luke staring at him from across the hanger bay. "You cannot defeat me. Even if you strike me down, you will only make me more powerful."
Darth Vader growled and pulled back for his final attack. He swung in his lightsaber, aiming for a spot that would cleave Obi Wan in two... but as his blade neared him, Obi Wan deactivated his lightsaber and closed his eyes... then disappeared as Vader’s blade swept through the space where his body was only moments before.
"What?!"
Seeing his chance, Xander ran toward the doors, diving toward Obi Wan’s cloak and lightsaber, grabbing them as he slid past Darth Vader... sliding out through the now closing blast doors... hearing Luke screaming in pain.
*Run.. don’t think.. just run.*
Xander crawled to his feet and ran toward Luke and Han, feeling covering fire sweep past him on both sides. He ran as fast as he could, knowing this was his only chance to survive.
The ship came close...and closer.. until he was running up the gangway followed closely by the others... and ran directly into a startled Princess Leia.
Out of breath and his side hurting, Xander dropped into a seat... only to have Han run past yelling at him. "No time to rest now, kid... we have company. Take one of the quad guns."
Xander nodded and ran toward the upper gun, seeing Luke disappearing down into the lower gun. He climbed up the ladder and strapped himself in.
*Just like the video game... I rocked at that.*
Xander grinned and opened fire as the ship launched itself out of the hanger bay. He fired at the TIE fighters that were coming near him, hitting two.. but it wasn't as easy as he remembered.
Once they had made the jump to hyperspace, he climbed back down and found Luke fingering Obi Wan’s robe.
"I’m sorry, Luke."
Luke looked up and nodded. "There was nothing we could do. I was too far away. and if you had tried to fight Vader, he would have killed you too. At least you saved these." He pointed at the robe and the lightsaber.
Xander nodded and sat down. "I wish I had done something instead of just standing there."
Han entered the room then and shook his head. "Blondie’s right.. if you had done something, Vader would have ripped you apart..."
"... or worse."
Xander looked up at Leia and remembered that she had been tortured by Vader. He nodded and reached out his hand to her. "I’m Xander Harris... Obi Wan was teaching both Luke and myself."
"Princess Leia Organa. Pleased to meet you." She smiled at Xander and he saw both of the men frown at him.
*Oh boy.. they think I’m trying to take her... better nip this in the bud fast.*
"Nice to meet you too." He looked at her, his expressionless face saying more than any word could. Leia paled and then backed away.
Luke pulled out Obi Wan’s lightsaber and compared it to the one his father had left him. He then looked at the now sullen Xander and placed Obi Wan’s lightsaber in his lap.
"What..."
Luke shook his head. "I’m sure he would want you to have it... as do I."
Xander was touched. He didn’t know what to say. "Thank you... this... this means a lot to me."
Luke smiled and nodded. "Good... if we are going to be working together, can’t have you defenseless in the night fight... besides, you did better against the drone than I. I might learn something by training with you."
Xander grinned and ran his fingers over the smooth steel of the lightsaber. As his fingers caressed it, he could almost hear Obi Wan’s voice whispering in the back of his mind...
*****
They stepped out into the main room and Xander was amazed at the creatures and people around him. He had decided to stay with Luke and Leia instead of moving on to his next world and had been drafted into the fight. He was now standing next to Luke as they walked up to their seats... joining Leia who was already there.
"Nice.. you took look almost like twins now." Leia smiled and then laughed softly.
Xander looked at Luke and then down at himself. They were both in outfits that matched what Obi Wan wore with matching lightsabers hanging from their belts. The two remaining... known... Jedi in all the universe... and it was quite a reputation to live up to.
People smiled at Xander as they walked past, some ever nodding in greeting. Xander smiled and nodded back, not feeling that comfortable being something of legend. Luke, however, seemed completely unfazed by it all. He had this quiet calmness around him that made Xander feel at peace.
*I wonder when I’ll learn that...*
Luke turned his head to Xander and smiled... acting as if he had heard him. Xander grinned and then turned toward the center of the room as Mon Mothma entered.
Xander watched in wonder as the plans for the Death Star were displayed and then talked about. One by one, orders were given out. He frowned when he realized he didn’t know how to fly... and Luke did. That meant they would be on different teams...
*****
The next couple of days went by fast. Luke spent most of his time with the pilots while Xander was constantly confronted by either Threepio or Leia... both of whom made him very nervous.
It was almost time for the pilots to leave. Xander had gone to wish Luke luck when he saw him arguing with Han. He could hear them talking about Han not going with them... and Xander nodded to himself, for he wouldn’t be going either.
He walked over to them as Han left. Luke looked depressed, so Xander decided to become class clown again and cheer him up.
"Hey buddy... you going to kick some evil ass for me?"
Luke grinned and nodded. "Yeah.. enough for both of us."
Xander smiled. "Good luck, Luke. May the Force be with you."
Luke looked touched and he nodded, then climbed up into his X-Wing. Once inside, he waved goodbye to Xander and then launched. Xander watched him fly off and then headed back up to the main control room to watch with the others.
As he was walking back, he spotted Han watching the others leaving... and he didn’t look like he was in a hurry. Xander paused there and then decided to watch Han instead.
He leaned against a nearby wall and just stared... wondering how long it would take him before he relented...
*****
A few hours later, Han stormed up to Xander and grabbed his arm. "Come on kid, we have to go rescue Luke’s ass or else the princess would never forgive me for not going with them.
Xander blinked as he followed.
"Me... you want me with you?"
Han nodded. "You’re good with the quad gun... and I want you up there the whole time... no move it... we’re running out of time. I’ve just got this bad feeling..."
*****
They moved high above the station and turned to approach. Over the radio they heard Luke’s voice.
"Red 5, I’m going in."
Han looked back at Xander. "Get ready, kid. We’re going in after him!"
Xander nodded and climbed back up the gun ladder. He strapped himself in and moved the targeting array to follow Luke’s run. He knew what was coming and was looking franticly for Vader’s ship.
"I’ve lost R2!"
Xander turned to the radio and knew it was close. It would be happening soon.
*Focus.. Xander... you can do it... reach out.. trust your feelings.*
Xander blinked and whispered to himself. "Ben...?"
Just then he spotted Vader... and could almost hear his commands to the other 2 ships.
"... the force is strong in this one..."
Xander targeted the rear engines of Vader’s ship and locked on. Just then he heard Han scream out a battle cry and took that as his cue to open fire. The blast exploded out and flung Vader’s ship off and out into space.
He then heard Han open a channel. "You’re all clear kid now lets blow this thing and get out of here!"
Xander watched as Luke moved closer and closer and then fired, pulling away as the blast went deep inside the Death Star. Xander moved back down to join Han just as the Death star exploded and heard Han cheering.
Xander joined him and stared out at the explosion. "Wow.. pretty."
Han looked up at Xander and slapped him on the shoulder. "Nice shot on the lead ship, kid. I’ll make a good gunner out of you yet." He smiled and then headed back to the main fleet... leaving a stunned and smiling Xander to just stare down at him in awe.
*****
It was a few days later that they held the ceremony. Xander stood next to Chewie and watched as Luke and Han walked past, dressed in full military dress gear. He smiled at him and laughed as Han winked at him as they walked past.
He had been invited to receive a medal with them, but had declined. He hadn’t done much... and he felt he didn’t deserve it. He was content to just watch the ceremony next to the wookie he now called his friend. He tapped Chewie on the side and grinned... only to receive a soft bellow and a friendly cuff on the shoulder.
They turned to watch as Leia placed medals around Luke and Han’s necks then grinned as they turned to be presented to the people watching. As the crowd cheered, Xander cheered with them... knowing that he wouldn’t be with them for much longer.
He moved toward them as the crowd began to clear and once there, he pulled Luke aside.
"I have to be going now..."
Luke’s eyes went wide and he blinked in surprise. "What.. how come?"
Xander looked down and shuffled his feet. "This isn’t my place. I need to be moving on, continue my journey... so I can maybe return home someday.
Luke frowned, but felt the emotion behind the words. He knew it would be hard to watch his friend... no, his brother.. leave, but he somehow knew it was the right thing.
"I’ll miss you, we all will. Will you return someday.. to complete your training?"
Xander nodded. "I will if I can." He smiled, tears in his eyes, and hugged Luke. "I’ll miss you too... and take good care of everyone..."
He turned to walk away but stopped and turned back around. "... Especially your sister."
He nodded in Leia’s direction and then opened a doorway back to Earth, this time going to someone he knew would be able to train him to be a fighter...
As he stepped through the doorway, he looked back at a stunned Luke and then laughed. He turned back around and stepped completely through the doorway... and emerged next to a large river. He looked around at his surroundings and grinned.
"Time to learn swordplay..."
He then turned and began walking down the path, headed for the large barge about three blocks away.....
*****
As Xander emerged from the doorway, he felt a blast of cold wind hit him and he shivered and pulled his robe closer to his body.
*Damn... got used to those climate controlled spaceships.*
He walked over to the river and looked down into the water. The reflection looking back at him startled him. He looked completely different... older.. harder.
*Shit... I look almost cold... no wonder I got so many weird looks back on the star cruiser.*
Xander looked up and then followed the line of boats with his eyes until he saw Duncan’s. He brought his hands up to his face and blew on them, rubbing them together before he started walking.
*I hope he’s home... cause otherwise I’ll probably freeze my ass off out here... and its such a nice one, or so I’ve been told.*
He walked past barge after barge until he was standing next to the one he had seen on tv so many times. Smiling, Xander walked up to it and then carefully climbed up on deck. The ground under him swayed for a moment and Xander felt sick... but that feeling soon passed as he got used to it.
He walked over to the door and knocked. As he waited, he heard a sleepy grunt from the other side and then the sound of footsteps echoed... getting louder as they neared the door, which slowly opened to reveal a half-naked Duncan... who stared out with half-closed eyes.
"Yes.. what do you want?"
Xander smiled.
"Are you Duncan McLeod of the Clan McLeod?"
Xander saw Duncan’s eyes flash open and he smirked. Before Duncan could say anything, Xander raised his empty hands and grinned.
"Don’t worry... I’m unarmed. I heard about you... from a friend. I am interested in hiring you to teach me how to fight, especially how to use a sword."
He placed a tone of importance on the word "sword" and raised an eyebrow. Duncan leaned away and then motioned Xander inside.
"What do you know?"
Xander contemplated this. He had seen every episode of the tv series and had read a few odd entries in the Watcher’s Diaries about Immortals, so he knew enough to bluff.
"I know what you are and who you are. I lived next to a member of the Watchers... he told me all about you. You can trust me."
Duncan frowned. He grabbed his cell phone and dialed a number. As it was ringing, he stared angrily at Xander and motioned for him to talk.
"Name... yours and the Watcher."
Xander frowned. He hadn’t been expecting that.
"I’m Xander Harris... and the Watcher is..."
He paused. He didn’t want to give away Giles... then it hit him.
"... Quentin Travers."
Duncan nodded and then spoke into the phone in a quiet tone. As he spoke, Xander smiled inside. He knew that must be either Joe or Adam that Duncan was speaking to.
"Uh huh... so he’s real... right... and what about the other name... nothing... okay, thanks."
Duncan closed his cell phone and stared at Xander.
"Half of your story checks out. There is a Quentin Travers in the Watcher’s... but there is nothing on a Xander Harris. My friend seems to think you might be worth keeping an eye on. Now.. explain."
Xander nodded.
"Like I said, my name is Xander Harris. I know about you from what I have read in the Watcher’s Diaries. I came upon yours by accident and was amazed at some of the stuff you have done. Recently, however, I went on a little... adventure. I came upon the realization that I needed to know how to fight and I also decided I needed to know how to fight with a sword... so I came to you."
As Xander was speaking, he knew that none of this was going to make any sense or even sound believable, so he was attempting the Jedi Mind Trick... hope he understood it enough to actually use it.
Duncan listened to Xander’s explanation and nodded. He felt... strange... inside. At first, he was angry at the boy and all he wanted to do was just kick his ass out... but the more he listened to him, the more he began to believe him.
"How did you know I was here?"
Xander decided it was time to openly lie.
"I checked your dojo and they told me you were gone. I then did a little research... you got to love computers... and tracked you here. I was hoping that I could maybe convince you to help me."
Duncan nodded as he considered... but there was something about the boy that was bothering him. He had felt this tickle inside his mind ever since he opened the door. He stepped closer to Xander and as soon as he was within a foot of him it hit him. A soft wash of buzz passed through him... and it suddenly dawned on him, the boy was a Pre... just like Richie had been. He knew now that he had to keep an eye on the kid or else someone else out there might decide he was fresh meat.
Duncan sighed and nodded to himself.
"Alright... I believe you. You can stay and I’ll teach you everything I think you need to know, but this won’t be a free ride. You will pay me or if you can’t pay me you will work your ass off for me."
Xander nodded. He had been expecting that. He knew he had some money left over from when he was back home and figured he could keen enough of it to pay Duncan.
"Do you want me to pay you now... or later?"
Duncan spun around, not really expecting to be actually paid.
"Later..."
It was then he noticed the kid’s clothing. It was a cross between the robes of a monk and an outfit you would see at a sci-fi convention.
*What’s with the kid’s clothes?*
Xander noticed Duncan staring and looked down at himself. He groaned inwardly and realized he had forgotten to change out of his Jedi outfit.
"I came here from a Sci-Fi convention over in Cannes."
Duncan nodded and let it pass. He knew, somehow, that the kid wasn’t telling the truth... but he knew that what the kid was hiding wasn’t a bad thing. How he knew... he wasn’t sure of.. but he just knew.
"You have any other clothes or do you prefer to just wear that?"
Xander looked at himself and considered it. He didn’t want the outfit shredded, and he had left his clothing back on the command ship... in his quarters.
"I.. uh..."
Duncan sighed and nodded.
"You can borrow Richie’s clothes. He’s away for a few months and won’t miss them. They’re in the room at the end of the hall. go get changed and we will begin."
Xander nodded and mumbled his thanks as he went to go get changed.
*****
Xander ducked the punch that Duncan threw only to be caught in the stomach by the kick he had failed to see. The impact knocked him to the ground, taking his breath away in the process.
"You’re not watching your right side."
Xander nodded as he gasped for breath and took the offered hand that suddenly had materialized in front of him. Duncan pulled him to his feet and then dropped back into fighting stance. Xander soon followed.
They went back to sparing, as they had been for the past 2 weeks now. Xander was amazed at how hard it was to perform the moves Duncan was teaching him correctly. He was always getting something wrong.
He walked around Duncan slowly, watching his movements... waiting for Duncan’s first move. As he walked, Xander could feel his body falling into the positioning he knew was right. He could actually feel it this time and knew he was possibly finally getting it.
Duncan came at him with a flurry of punches and kicks, most of which Xander amazingly blocked... except for a right cross that caught him at the jaw and made his ears ring. It was at that moment that Xander let himself go and became one with the Force.
At that moment... everything seemed to slow. He could see the moves Duncan was making and could see how to counter them. He ducked to the right and missed a punch... then twisted out of the way of a kick... and then arched his back away to miss a second punch. Everything seemed to be falling into place... and he was starting to understand what Obi Wan had been trying to explain to him. He could see how to use the Force to help himself... and stay alive in a fight.
*Damn... I understand now... this is cool... I’m like one of the X-Men now*
Xander ducked another punch and suddenly saw his opening. He twisted to the left and sent a punch to just under Duncan’s right armpit... and connected. Duncan went arching back and Xander was able to send a kick to Duncan’s solar plexus... knocking him to the ground. As he fell, everything snapped back to normal and time sped up.
"Whoa... that was weird."
Duncan, on the floor, looked up at Xander and blinked.
"You can say that again."
Xander smirked evilly.
"Whoa.. that was weird."
He then giggled at the expression that crossed Duncan’s face.
"I know.. I know.. I asked for it."
Duncan growled and climbed to his feet.
"You’re getting better. It looked like you were finally getting a feel for it. You were in the zone there. Did you feel it too?"
Xander nodded.
"I could almost see things slow down. I didn’t pay attention to anything except your next move. Is that the mental state you were trying to explain to me?"
Duncan smiled and nodded.
"Yes... and you are learning fast. It took me almost a year to do what you have done in only a few weeks. You’re a prodigy kid."
Xander smiled and blushed.
"Ah.. now don’t get a big head on me, Xander. We don’t want a repeat of the last time you got embarrassed."
Xander blushed even more. He knew what Duncan was talking about. He was talking about his first time meeting Amanda... as she was coming out of Duncan’s bathroom... naked.
Xander had walked into the barge without checking to see if anyone was home and had surprised Amanda. She had just emerged from the bathroom and was wearing only a towel. When she had seen Xander, she had thought he was a burglar and had attacked... forgetting about the towel. Within seconds, Xander was a witness to full frontal Amanda... and was too shocked to do anything as she came at him and kicked him in the groin.
It was only when she noticed the towel was gone that she backed away... and Xander thanked that towel every day for falling... for many reasons.
Xander smiled, remembering, and tried to stop blushing.
"You’re a lucky guy... she’s very beautiful."
Duncan laughed and nodded.
*She liked you too... but I’ll never tell you that, my boy, for you might try to take her from me someday, and I would hate to have to take your head over it.*
Duncan walked over to his fridge and grabbed a couple bottles of water. tossing one to Xander, he sat down and rested for a bit. Xander caught the water and looked at Duncan.
"How long until I’m in good enough physical shape to start sword training?"
Duncan looked up and down Xander and thought about it. He had been skeptical at first but once he had started working with him, he had seen the muscles that lie under the skin... and knew that all Xander needed was someone to show him the ropes.
"Not long.. another week or two and you will be ready. You’re in pretty good shape. All you needed was a bunch of good workouts. By the way, what did you do before for exercise?"
Xander laughed and smiled.
"Killed vampires."
Duncan raised and eyebrow and stared at Xander.
"He he.. just kidding. I swim and I tried out for track back in 6th grade. I didn’t make the team but I kept running."
Duncan nodded. It made sense, considering the muscle formation he had. He looked like he did a lot of running.
"So.. you ready to have your ass handed to you... again."
Duncan laughed and put down his water. He stood and bowed to Xander.
"Bring it on."
*****
The sword slammed against the wall as Xander ducked his head and gaped at Duncan as a few cut hairs drifted down to land on his nose.
"A bit close... don’t you think?"
Duncan grinned and laughed.
"Hey.. you said to not hold back... and losing a little hair isn’t as bad as what you did to my shirt."
Xander winced at the reminder. A week ago he had slipped and sliced off a five inch strip of Duncan’s shirt... barely slicing him as well.
"Yeah.. well... I happen to like my hair, thank you very much, and I don’t want any of it being cut off before its time."
His comment sent Duncan laughing even harder. Xander smirked and used the opportunity to swing his sword around and then pull it up at Duncan’s. Duncan, seeing the movement, yanked his sword free and parried Xander’s swipe.
"Oh ho.. playing rough now are we... well, prepare to lose more hair!"
Duncan balanced himself on one foot and spun around, his sword slicing at an angle... and aimed for the bottom of Xander’s long hair. Xander yelped and dove forward just as the blade slid an inch above the surface of his back... but once again it caught hair.
"Damn it! This means war!"
Xander leapt to his feet and went on the attack. He was a blur of man and metal as he sent thrust after thrust against Duncan... who blocked each attack perfectly.
This went on for another 10 minutes before Duncan caught Xander’s sword with his own and flung it across the room.
"Enough.. that was much better. I like it when you quit trying to have fun and actually fight me. Do that in a fight and you will most assuredly survive."
Xander panted, trying to get back his breath, and smiled.
"So fight like its life or death?"
Duncan nodded.
"Exactly. If you fight like that then there is no way you can lose. Your willingness to die in the fight gives you power, strength, and speed. If you show no fear and are sure that you will win, then your enemy will have to be many times more powerful than yourself for you to be beaten. All you have to do is remember that every time you fight someone."
Xander nodded slowly, filing the information away in the part of his brain that held his most vital things... including the secret for eating a twinkie perfectly.
"I’ll be sure to remember that."
Xander walked over to pick up his sword and noticed Duncan stiffen out of the corner of his eye. Turning around, he saw a strange look of Duncan’s face.
"Hey.. everything ok?"
Duncan shook his head.
"Xander... remember what I taught you about battle stance?"
Xander nodded.
Duncan moved over to the door.
"Good... enter it now and attack only if I am killed."
Xander’s face paled as he realized that another Immortal must be outside.
*Oh shit.... oh shit... what do I do now*
Xander moved to the window and saw a man approaching. As the man stepped into the light, Xander saw something that made him want to scream.
*A clown!!!! A fucking clown!!!! Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh SHIT!!!!*
Xander backed away from the window, sweat dripping down his face as his fear began to fill his mind.
*Xander....*
Xander’s head jerked up and he looked around franticly. He could have sworn he heard someone call his name... but Duncan looked like he was concentrating on the door.
*Xander... do not give in to fear... for it leads to the dark side...*
The voice was louder this time... and Xander recognized it.
*Ben???*
Xander felt a small wash of calm pass over him and he could almost swear he could see a faint outline of blue off in the corner of the room... an outline that looked like Ben.
*Ben... is that you?*
Obi Wan Kenobi nodded and looked toward the door.
*You must prepare yourself, young Xander, for if you do not succeed what you are about to do... you will die.*
Xander blinked in shock.
*Die? Why? What’s going to happen?*
Ben moved closer.
*I have glimpsed the future. If you go outside and aid your friend there runs the risk that you will be killed. There is also the chance that if you stay in here that you and your friend will both die. The future is not constant... but there are certain eddies to it that one can follow. This is all I could do... warn you only... the rest you must decide for yourself. Be careful, Xander. May the Force be with you... Always.*
With that said, Ben faded away just as Duncan kicked open the door, slamming it into the person who was outside. He then ran out on deck and attacked.
*What do I do...*
Xander looked at where Ben had been standing and then looked out at Duncan... and knew what he had to do. He readied his sword and ran out after Duncan.
On deck he could see Duncan fighting a black man in clown makeup. They were exchanging blows and it appeared to be evenly matched. Xander stood and watched, knowing that it was a part of the rules, but when he saw the glint of metal in the clown’s free hand... he knew the man was going to cheat.
"No!"
Xander screamed and launched himself at the man just as he pulled his gun and fired. The gun was an AK-47 and the spray of bullets exploded into Xander, ripping him open from chest to waist.
As he fell, trying to hold himself together, he saw the confused look on the clown’s face just moments before his head was taken from his shoulders.
*I’m going to die... I’m going to die... I DON’T WANT TO DIE!!!!*
Xander’s mind screamed for help and an image of his home flashed across his mind. The bracer, pointed at the deck, activated on its own and a doorway opened underneath him. As he fell through it, he caught a glimpse of a frightened Duncan staring down at him just before the Quickening hit him and the door closed...
*****
Xander’s room was unchanged... almost like a shrine... with all in the places it was when Xander left. Nothing was out of place... until the doorway opened and a blood-covered Xander fell onto his bed, blood splattering on the floor and walls.
*Oh god... I need help.....*
He tried to lift his arm but the blood was gushing out of his body so fast he could barely think at all. He opened his tired eyes and tried to focus on the Eion... hoping he would make it there before it was too late.
He opened a doorway and crawled off the bed, a trail of blood following him, and into the doorway... disappearing from his room, just seconds before the door opened and a terrified Buffy and Willow entered, gasping in horror at the sight before them...
*****
Buffy looked down at Willow as she surfed yet another missing person’s site. It had been so long since Xander had disappeared. She was beginning to think he might be dead.
"Anything new?"
Willow shook her head.
"Nothing... oh god, Buffy... what if he really is dead?"
Buffy wiped her eyes.
"He’s out there... somewhere... Willow. We will find him. All we have to do is be patient..."
Just then, an alarm sounded in Willow’s bedroom. Willow jumped up and ran to the door.
"It’s the alarm in his bedroom... I placed it there a couple of weeks back... he’s home!!"
She ran outside, running to Xander’s, and was grabbed from behind by Buffy and carried faster than she could ever run. Within seconds they were at Xander’s house and running to his bedroom.
Buffy kicked open the door and then screeched to a halt at the sight before her. Willow, a few seconds behind, stumbled into the room and immediately vomited.
"B..Buffy... what?"
Buffy looked around the room in horror. There was blood everywhere... too much blood.
*Oh god... oh god... too much blood... there is just too much blood in here. No one could lose this much... and live.*
"Oh god no..."
Buffy fell to her knees, blood splashing on her as she fell, and just began to cry... knowing finally that Xander was truly dead, for he couldn’t survive after loosing so much blood.
"What do we do now, Buffy?"
Remembering Willow was there, Buffy climbed to her feet, placing her hands against the floor to bracer herself, and then looked at Willow. She then looked down at herself and it hit her. She was covered in blood... Xander’s blood. It was suddenly all to much and she hunched over and lost her lunch.
She felt Willow pull back her hair and then rub her back as wave after wave of nausea hit her.
"Shh.. calm down... relax Buffy and it will stop."
Finally, after a few minutes, Buffy stood back up, her face deathly pale.
"We’re going to go see Giles... to tell him.. to tell him... I... I don’t know..."
Willow nodded and slid her arm around Buffy’s waist, helping her outside... ignoring the blood that was covering her lower body.
"It’s going to be okay, Buffy... its going to be ok."
Buffy turned to Willow. She felt broken inside. She had lost another one.. another friend was dead and gone... and she would never see her Xander-shaped friend ever again.
"It will never be okay, Willow... never."
She then turned away and walked mutely the rest of the way to the library...
*****
The room was empty... still... when the doorway opened and blood gushed through, followed immediately by a bloody Xander. He crawled toward the center of the room, somehow managing to hold on even though he had lost so much blood, and cried out.
"Help!"
The door he had seen before opened and a shimmering tower of light floated into the room, flying over to him. It was beautiful and terrifying all at the same time. Xander reached out toward it and then fell away into the blackness as his body gave out.
Once he was unconscious, the form made the sound of a flute and Xander disappeared...
*****
Xander floated in darkness...
He felt nothing...
He saw nothing...
All was silent and dark...
*****
A light invaded the darkness and Xander shied away from it. The light hurt and all he wanted to do was make it go away.
"Xander... Xander, can you hear me?"
Xander pulled into himself, trying to make the light go away. He wanted to go back into the darkness, back where it was safe and quiet... back to where there was no pain.
"Xander... if you can hear me, answer me."
Xander scrunched his eyes closed and moaned.
"Go away..."
He felt a hand on his shoulder and then something began to lightly shake him.
"Wake up, Xander... wake up now!"
There was an edge to the voice, a sense of force that made Xander crack open one eye to see who it was. What he saw made him gasp in shock.
"Huh...?"
Standing over him was the old man... a look of concern on his face. Something in the way he was looking at him made Xander feel he needed to wake up all the way.
"What’s going on?"
The man sighed and helped Xander sit up.
"You tell me. You arrived here 36 hours ago in a pool of blood... your own blood. We almost didn’t save you. We thought you were dead when we found you."
Xander looked down at himself and blinked in shock. He was naked from the waist up and his chest and stomach was a myriad of scars... cut shaped scars and bullet holes. He looked up at the man, a look of "what" in his eyes.
"Something in your body chemistry wouldn’t allow us to heal you completely. Your body had been healed... but scar tissue formed almost immediately. As it is, we counted your scars and discovered that you now have... two gash-like scars across your stomach and chest... and 47 bullet hole scars scattered across your lower chest and stomach."
Xander closed his eyes and swallowed the bile that had been surging up his throat.
*Oh god...*
The man continued...
"We had to replace your upper and lower intestines, your liver, your pancreas, your spleen, your stomach, one of your kidneys, and half of your right lung. It was a mess in there."
Hearing the words forced away what little self-control Xander had and he lost everything, vomiting all over himself and the floor. The man jumped back, and when Xander was finished, helped him get cleaned up.
"Am I going to be ok?"
The man shrugged.
"We are not sure. Your body has been showing unusual readings. We have been unable to explain them. Perhaps our technology, advanced as it is, isn’t advanced enough. We just don’t know..."
Xander looked up at him and frowned.
"There’s something you’re not telling me... I know it. What is it?"
The man looked at his feet and sighed.
"We had to replace the replacement organs twice already. Your body keeps... rejecting them. We don’t know why."
Xander sighed, a sense of resignation on his face. He had been through so much; a little internal disaster wouldn’t be much more to deal with.
"How much time do I have before everything fails?"
The man pulled out a watch and looked at it.
"By our figures... and the times before... you have close to 3 hours before your internal organs begin to break down again."
Xander lowered his head to his chest and sighed, teardrops beginning to fall down onto his skin.
*What am I going to do...*
He just sat there... trying to think of what to do. He knew that there had to be someone... somewhere... that knew what to do. He tried to remember every book he had ever read, every tv show... and it was then it hit him.
"Star Trek... the later series.. they had good medical technology."
Xander looked up at the man and raised an eyebrow.
"Do you know if its possible... if they are real too?"
The man frowned as he thought about it.
"There is only one way to know. Focus on where you wish and if it is real, if there is some way of getting you there... then it will happen."
Xander nodded and focused. He focused on Beverly Crusher... on her face.. her blue uniform... her office at Starfleet Medical. He concentrated as hard as he could... then looked down at the bracer.
The screen was moving slowly, cycling through name after name... until it slowed... and then stopped.
"There’s no listing... yet it stopped on something."
The man walked over and looked.
"That is one of the unknown settings. There are many of them. We have never understood why they are there. We call them... Wild Card settings. You take your life in your own hands going there."
Xander nodded and got to his feet.
"I understand."
He grabbed his shirt and checked to make sure that Obi Wan’s lightsaber was still where he had left it... attached to a holster on his belt.
Assured of that, he turned to leave when the man stopped him.
"You came with this as well."
Xander turned around to see him holding the Scottish sword Duncan had let Xander use.
"I had forgotten about that. I... I thought I dropped it."
He walked over and took it from the man, examining it carefully. all of the blood... his blood.. had been cleaned off.
"I cleaned it. I thought you might not want the blade damaged."
Xander smiled and nodded.
"Thank you."
He closed his eyes and thought about the stylized scabbard the sword had been in originally and brought the image into being... feeling it materialize a he keened it... its weight heavy in his hands.
"You’re getting good at that."
Xander opened his eyes and looked at the scabbard. It matched exactly. He slid the sword into it and strapped in around his waist.
"I’ve had practice."
Xander pointed the bracer at the nearest wall an then turned to look at the man.
"Thanks for all your help. I’m sorry about bleeding all over your floor."
The man smiled and nodded.
"Remember.. we are always here... if you need us."
Xander nodded and activated the bracer. An image formed of a spotless red office. Xander took a deep breath and stepped through...
*****
The room was filled with a sense of cleanliness, so much that it made Xander feel awkward about even being in it. He looked down at himself and winced. He was still half-naked and the pants he had been wearing while working out before were covered with dried blood.
"Gee.. can we say not a good first impression. I’m going to give anyone I see major wiggins."
Knowing there was really nothing he could do, Xander decided to look around. The room itself was empty except for a medium sized desk that had a few pictures on it and a few piles of... PADD’s. Xander smiled and picked one up. He had always wondered how those things worked.
*Wow... like a mini-computer.*
He was looking through one of them when the doors opened and a red haired woman entered, speaking to someone over her shoulder.
"... and get me all the information of Ensign Trakov as soon as possible."
Xander dropped the PADD and turned to look at the woman who entered. It was then she looked into her office and saw Xander.
"Excuse me... why are you in my office?"
Xander smiled at her and mentally formed his answer. He knew the technology here was advanced enough that he could, for once, be completely truthful...
"This is where my portal took me. I’m sorry if it is inappropriate."
Beverly paused, taken aback by the young man’s answer. She had heard of a few races that used portal technology but had never met any of them.
"No.. that’s fine... it’s just that next time you might want to try aiming for the outer office."
Xander nodded and smiled. It was then that Beverly noticed the blood-stained pants and the tapestry of scars on Xander’s torso.
*Dear lord.. what happened to him?*
"Are you ok?"
The concern in her voice startled Xander. He shrugged and ran his hands along his stomach.
"That’s a tough question. Technically.. yes and no. I’m ok for right now, but in... about 2 hours... half of my body is going to completely shut down. That’s why I’m here. I need your help."
Beverly’s eyes widened in fear.
*Half his body!! What on earth??!!*
Beverly rushed over to Xander and pulled out a Tricorder and began scanning him.
"Oh my god! Your body is giving off very strange readings. There are localized quadrants of quantum flux... there are spatial abnormalities that I have never seen before... your bloodstream has microorganism I cannot identify... and many of your internal organs are dissolving as I speak."
She looked up into Xander’s eyes and gasped.
"What happened to you?"
Xander stared at her, unable to speak. The Eion hadn’t mentioned any of the other things she had just said.
*They either didn’t want to tell me... or they had no idea.*
He heard her last question and swallowed.
"I was shot, point blank range, by an AK-47. The attacking party was about two feet away from me at the time. I was healed... by some friends... but they were unable to heal me completely."
Xander blinked a few times as his eyes focused on the woman before him.
"Can you fix me?"
Beverly walked over to her desk and sat down. Her fingers played with her hair as she contemplated the work before her.
*Can I help him... I don’t know... but I have to try.*
She looked up and nodded.
"Come with me... I’ll get a team on this and we will see what we can do."
Xander nodded and then grabbed his stomach as a wave of pain exploded inside him.
"I... think... its... starting!"
As Xander fell to his knees, Beverly jumped to her feet and tapped her communicator.
"Medical Emergency... two to beam directly to Med Lab 4. All available doctors there immediately!"
She ran over to Xander and placed her hands on his shoulders... just as they both dissolved away in a sparkle of lights...
*****
Eight hours had passed and Beverly was still working over the young man’s body. She and the four doctors around her were in shocked confusion by what was before them. Every time they had repaired or replaced and organ, the next one on line would fail. It was a grueling process that was scaring her immensely.
"I don’t understand it. His body is rejecting everything!"
Beverly looked at Dr. Orlen across from her and nodded sadly.
"I know... there is something in his chemistry that is blocking us... and we are running out of options."
She looked down at Xander and sighed. She then looked at the bracer and frowned.
"Then there is that. We tried to remove it but to no avail."
She remembered the attempt to remove it... and the security officer that had been thrown across the room by the electrical discharge that had emerged from it during the attempt.
"It might be the cause of the problems."
The doctors nodded. They had been discussing the matter for a few hours and were all very concerned.
Beverly looked over at the monitor displaying Xander’s bio-readings and frowned. Another organ had just failed... and if he hadn’t been in a state of suspended animation, he would be dead by now.
"I just don’t know what to do..."
She looked down at Xander’s pale face and reached over to brush the hair out of his eyes.
*I’m sorry... I’m so sorry...*
He was so young... so young... and he reminded her of her son... her son. Beverly’s eyes widened and she ran over to the nearest computer panel. The doctors followed her with their eyes, wondering what she was doing.
"They have to be here somewhere.. I know he wouldn’t just throw them away..."
Dr. Orlen looked over at her and frowned.
"Throw what away?"
Beverly smiled as she found the file. She spun around, a wide grin on her face, and pointed at the screen.
"That... nanites."
A wave of shock mixed with unrest traveled through the doctors at what she said.
"You can’t be serious... that hasn’t been tested yet."
Beverly frowned and glared at them.
"It’s his only hope... we’re doing it."
The look on her face told them all that there would be no arguing with her... so with a sigh of resignation, they got to work...
*****
Almost a full day later, Beverly looked down at the young man on the bed. She ran a tricorder over his still body and smiled.
*It’s working... all of his organs are complete and the nanites have formed colonies around each organ as a defensive system.*
A frown crossed her face then.
*He should be fine now... by why hasn’t we awakened yet.*
She pulled a chair over next to his bed and sat down, consigned to wait him out... no matter how long.
*****
Far away in another realm, Xander floated in a mist-filled room. Above him... mist for miles. Below him... more mist for miles. To either side... yet more mist. *This place is freaking me out...*
He moved his arms from side to side, seeing the mist swirl around him. He wasn’t sure how long he had been there, but he knew it must have been a long time... for he had seen things that he couldn’t explain.
At first, he had been alone... but then, from out of nowhere, a swarm of what looked like bees had appeared and set up a hive off in the distance. He was scared of them, at first, but lately he was not so scared and was in fact curious about them.
Every now and then, a few of the bees would break off and come over. They wouldn’t attack, instead... they would fly up and down his body, as if examining him... only to fly back to the nest moments later. The whole thing was driving him nuts. *I really wish I knew what was going on.*
As soon as the though ran through his mind, the humming from the bees stopped and the hive, as a group, moved over to engulf Xander. *Oh shit!!*
Xander clenched his eyes closed, awaiting the attack... that never came. Wondering what was going on, he cracked open one eye and was amazed at what he saw. *Oh my god...*
The bees had all landed on his skin and were just sitting there. They weren’t moving. They weren’t stinging. They were just... there.
Xander began to calm down, some, until they spoke. "Greetings"
Xander yelped and jumped in surprise.
"Do not be afraid. We will not harm"
Xander trembled, sweat dripping down his sides. He took a slow breath and swallowed. "Who.. who are you?"
The bees buzzed in harmony and the voice returned. "We are the colony. We were chosen to heal you. We are a part of you now. You are a part of the hive... and the hive is you."
Xander’s eyes flashed open and he looked down at the bees covering his chest. "You’re not like the Borg... are you?"
A buzz that sounded almost like laughter was heard. "No... we are machines... we are inside you... keeping you whole."
Xander sighed in relief and thought about what they were saying. *Machines... keeping me whole... hmmm... they must be those little robots Wesley made... what were they called again... Nanites... right... ok.. so they are keeping my innards together and keeping me from kicking the bucket.. so to speak... well, I can deal with that.*
"Um... thanks?"
The bees, sensing all was calm, moved off of Xander’s skin and formed a cloud before him. "You are welcome. If you need us... we will be in your mind... just think of the Hive and we will respond if we can."
Xander nodded. "I’ll keep that in mind."
The hive bounced in the air and moved away. "You need to awaken now..."
*****
Xander opened his eyes and blinked at the glare from the lights. He was blinded for a few seconds before the form of a very lovely woman with red hair leaned over him. "Willow?"
Beverly smiled and shook her head. "Sorry... you have me confused with another. My name is Dr. Beverly Crusher... and you are?"
Xander blinked a few times and his vision cleared. He could see her clearly now and he knew it all hadn’t been a weird dream. "Alexander Lavelle Harris... but everyone calls me Xander."
Beverly nodded and smiled. She entered the name into the PADD in her hand... below Xander’s line of sight. "Pleased to meet you. Well... you gave me quite a scare, young man. You weren’t completely honest, now were you."
She walked around his bed, taking the time to look at the results of the search and gasped in shock at what she found. The PADD stated that Alexander Lavelle Harris had died hundreds of years earlier... under unusual circumstances. There was also a link connected to his name... a next of kin link. She opened the link and was confused at what she discovered. *Angel... what an unusual name.... and there is no date of birth for him either. I had better notify him of Xander’s whereabouts.*
She looked at Xander and smiled. "You relax and rest. I’ll be back in a few minutes with something for you to at. Then, if you are doing better.. you can get up and move around in a few days."
Xander nodded and closed his eyes.... not noticing the PADD in her hand... not knowing that something was going on.
*****
Beverly stepped outside and walked back to her office. Once there, she opened a channel to the address on the PADD and waited as the other party answered. She was soon greeted by the face of a very handsome man. "Angel Investigations... we help the helpless."
Beverly was startled for a moment before she responded. "May I speak with Angel please."
The man nodded and the screen went black for a moment before an equally attractive man appeared. "This is Angel.. how can I help you?"
Beverly smiled and cleared her throat. "My name is Dr. Beverly Crusher, with Starfleet Medical. A young man arrived here a few days ago and only just recently awakened and gave us his name. You were listed as his next of kin."
Angel paled and a look of fear crossed his eyes. "What is his name?"
Beverly tilted her head. "Xander Harris."
Angel’s eyes widened and then rolled back in his head as he fainted... a loud thump following. Beverly watched in awe as a small group of people rushed into the room... only to be startled when a young woman appeared at the screen and glared angrily at her. "What did you do to him!"
Beverly was shocked by the anger in the young woman’s voice. "I told him his next of kin was here... that a Xander Harris was at our facility."
The young woman blinked a few times in shock and then turned to the others... who had heard it too. "You think she’s lying?"
The young woman shrugged and turned back to the screen. "You got any proof?"
Beverly nodded and sent a photo across the lines to their screen... showing Xander in his bed, asleep. It was at that moment that Angel awoke and stared at the screen. "It’s Xander... but how."
Beverly cleared her throat and watched as everyone turned to look at her. "If you wish to see him, he is in room 3478 at Starfleet Medical. Do you know where that is?"
Angel nodded and climbed to his feet. "I’m on my way. Thank you."
Beverly nodded as the screen went black.
*Strange family Xander has... very strange.*
Beverly stood and stretched. She decided she needed to take a walk. After all of that she was very glad and thankful that her family wasn’t nearly half as weird...
*****
As soon as Beverly had left, Xander climbed out of bed and looked around the room for this things... but couldn’t find them. *My stuff... where is it?*
He was startled when he got an answer...
/The closet next to the door... the officers placed your belongings inside... we overheard them.../
Xander jumped and spun around in shock. "Who.. who said that?"
/We did... the hive... remember?/
Xander calmed down and nodded. "Sorry.. I forgot."
/You need not speak... we can hear your thoughts./
Xander walked over to the closet and pulled out his lightsaber and sword. *What do I do about clothing... its not here.*
/Take us over to the unit on the wall. We will handle the rest./
Xander nodded and walked over to the black shelf in the far wall. Once there, he stared at in in confusion.
/Place your hand against it../
Xander did as he was told and within seconds... a light appeared and then faded, revealing his Jedi uniform. *How?*
/We based this choice on your recent memories. We felt it would best suit your current needs./
Xander smiled as he got dressed. He was starting to like those guys. *Thanks... hive.*
/You are welcome... Xander./
*****
Once dressed, Xander moved to the door and it opened on its own. He peeked out into the hallway and saw no one near. Feeling secure in that, he moved out into the hallway and then made his way outside... following prompts from the hive. He had no idea that as he was leaving... someone he never expected to ever see there was just arriving...
*****
"What’s the big deal? I’ve never even heard of the guy."
Angel turned to Gregory and frowned.
"Xander is... different. You don’t know what happened. I have to see him for myself."
He then entered the main building and headed for Xander’s room. As he walked, the young woman from before touched Angel’s arm and caught his attention.
"Is he really mom’s friend?"
Angel turned to look at Rachel and shrugged. His daughter looked so much like her mother that it still startled him. He had been shocked and amazed when the PTB had told him that she was Immortal.
"He might be... that is what we are here to see, hon."
They turned the corner and headed for the turbolift. As they entered, Angel frowned... something felt off.
Once the lift stopped, Angel bolted for Xander’s room... only to find it empty.
*He’s not here... but yet...*
Angel sniffed the air... and could smell Xander. He had been there only moments before. He spun around and jumped into the hallway... and almost ran into his group.
"What’s going on?"
Angel looked at them and frowned.
"He’s running..."
Angel then sniffed the air again and took off down the hallway... following Xander’s trail.
*****
Xander stepped outside into the moonlight and smiled. He could see so many ships flying in the sky... and was what looked like a large colony on the moon.
*It’s beautiful...*
He walked down the path and just stared up at the sky... not noticing the people around him.
*I wonder if I can get a lift up there before I leave...*
He was lost in his thoughts until the hive spoke.
/Warning... there is someone running toward your location. The person in question has just exited the building./
Xander spun around and gaped in shock at who he saw.
"Angel..."
The look on Angel’s face was enough to tell Xander to run. He took off down the path, readying his next destination on the bracer. He was trying to think of where to go when he felt Angel almost behind him.
Not having time to think, Xander chose a setting at random and opened the door. As he jumped into it, he looked over his shoulder to see the amazed face of Angel as he stumbled to the ground in shock.
"Better luck next time... Deadboy!"
Xander laughed as the doorway opened... and threw him into the next world... at the feet of a group of naked women. Xander smiled. He was thanking every god he knew of... until their faces changed.
*Oh shit!! A world of Vampires!!*
Xander backed away and opened the door randomly again... hoping that his luck would save him.
As he entered the doorway, he felt hot wind wash over him and was shocked when he fell into a large sand dune. He climbed to his feet and looked around... seeing nothing but sand for miles and miles.
"Great... now where am I?"
He climbed up the dune and was shocked to see a lone figure running across the sand.... being followed by the largest monster Xander had ever seen. He watched in horror as the figure was eaten alive by the monster... moments before it dove into the sand and disappeared.
"Oh my god... where the hell am I?"
*****
Angel bolted awake and yelled in shock. He looked around, franticly, trying to remember where he was. For a few moments, the room was different... but then he blinked a few times and he was back in his apartment.
*Ok... now that was very weird.*
Angel got out of bed and walked over to the bathroom to splash cold water on his face.
*Get a hold of yourself... there is no way any of that could have been real.*
He grabbed a towel and wiped his face dry. As he closed his eyes, the dream flashed across his mind...
He saw himself running through a futuristic hospital...
He saw a young woman who he called his daughter, but he didn’t remember siring anyone with hair that red...
He saw himself running outside into the night...
Then he saw something that disturbed him, Xander... alive... wearing something from a sci-fi movie...
He could have chalked it all up to guilt about Xander leaving... that is until he saw him enter a dimensional gate. Then... he knew it was real, for he had seen one before... many years before in Hungary... and the person who had gone through, now that he thought about it... reminded him a little of Xander as well.
Angel opened his eyes.
"Get a grip... none of this is possible. Xander is dead. Buffy and Willow found his room covered in blood. He is dead and the funeral is in a few days. Just get over it... it was a dream."
Angel turned and walked back to bed... but he couldn’t shake off that nagging doubt...
*But what if it was real.....*
*****
The sun was just setting as the priest finished. "... and so we lay to rest the body of Alexander Lavelle Harris. Ashes to ashes... dust to dust. May his spirit find peace."
The priest closed his bible and nodded to the crowd. Xander’s parents stepped forward and placed a rose on his empty coffin...
Next came Angel, who surprised everyone there. He whispered something in Gaelic and then placed his rose...
Cordelia stepped forward, tears in her eyes, and placed a rose and a package of Twinkies... then ran away crying...
Willow... supported by a amazingly sad looking Oz.. stepped to the coffin and Oz placed Willow’s rose for her, whispering to her softly, before leading her away.
Soon it was just Giles and Buffy at Xander’s grave. Giles removed his glasses and rubbed them, trying to clean off the tears that had covered them. He stepped toward the coffin and placed a rose and a rosary... then prayed in Latin, before he stepped back. He turned to Buffy who looked frozen in place.
"Buffy... do you wish to do this alone?" Buffy nodded, unable to speak. Giles nodded to himself and walked away. Once she was sure he was out of hearing range, Buffy walked over to the coffin and stared at it.
"I know you’re not in there... and you not in there makes me feel like you’re not really dead... but I know you are. There was so much blood... oh god, Xander, there was so much blood."
Buffy wiped her eyes on her hanky and swallowed back a choking sob that was forming. "It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t told you all those things. If I hadn’t made you leave us... leave me... then you would still be alive. We didn’t even know you were gone. We cared that little about you. If your parents hadn’t called us a week.. a full week after you had left, we would have never even thought about it. God.. that makes us... makes me sound like some like of monster... but I deserve it."
She was crying openly now, not hiding it anymore. "Xander... you have been there for me so many times. You weren’t afraid to do anything... just as long as I asked you... and even when I didn’t ask you, you still came anyway. You were braver than any of us... and we were stupid enough to think you were a pathetic weakling who would get himself killed. We were the stupid ones."
Buffy reached out and ran her fingers along the top of the coffin, wishing that none of this was happening. "Now you’re gone... and the world won’t ever be the same. A light has been turned off... and the world is much darker because of it. I miss you, Xander. I miss you so much. You’re my Xander-shaped friend... and now there is a Xander-shaped hole in me... and I can’t live like that. It hurts..."
Buffy wiped her eyes again and turned away from the coffin. "I’m sorry Xander... I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you. I’m sorry you were driven away. I’m so so sorry you’re gone. I’m sorry it took your death for me to realize just how much you mean to me... to all of us. I... I can’t..."
Buffy started bawling and ran away into the growing darkness. Once she was gone, the gravediggers walked over from their truck and lowered the coffin into the ground. "Nice turnout for the kid.. wasn’t it."
One of the men nodded. "Yup.. seemed like he had a lot of friends... seems strange to be burying an empty coffin though."
The first man looked up and frowned. "You didn’t hear?"
The man shook his head. "No... what?"
The first man sighed and looked at the coffin as it lowered into the ground. "I read it in the police files... I work there part time... and anyway, they said the kid had been missing for a long while, then they found his room covered in blood... and I mean covered... tons of it. The medical report said there was almost enough to fill about 75 percent of a person’s body.. so the kid was like.. juiced or something, it was that bad."
The man paled and winced. "Damn... what a way to go. Poor kid... hope you’re in a better place now."
The men then worked on in silence... filling his grave, shovelfull by shovelfull... until the grave was complete. "Alexander Harris... sorry to see you go, kid... but I hope you’re happy... wherever you are."
The men turned, then, and walked back to their truck...
*****
Xander stared down the dune at the sand below and watched it slowly settle as the creature moved away.
*This is just too crazy. I have to get out of here.*
He looked at the bracer and reached out to check. Lightning exploded from it, shocking him. He screamed out in pain and almost fell down, bending at the waist until the pain faded away. He brought his hand up to his face and as he stared at it, he could see tiny electrical charges cascading across it.
"What the..."
Xander concentrated on opening the doorway and was rewarded with an electric shock that felt like it was frying him from the inside out.
"SHIT!!!"
The force of the discharge was strong enough to throw Xander to the ground, writhing in agonizing pain.
*Oh god.. help!!!*
/We are working... please hold on... we will stop it as quickly as we can./
Xander writhed on the ground as the discharge radiated throughout his body... slowly fading away until it was gone.
*Oh...*
Xander rolled onto his stomach and heaved all that was still in his stomach... until he was retching nothing but bile.
/Hold on.. we are calming your stomach./
The retching stopped and Xander collapsed into the sand, moaning in pain.
*What happened?*
/It appears that the atmosphere of this planet is highly ionized and that the device is sensitive to it. The act of simply being here has turned it against you. If you try to use it in this atmosphere, it will most assuredly do to you what it just did./
Xander pushed himself onto his hands and knees and then up into a sitting position.
*Any way around it? I don’t want to be here for the rest of my life.*
/Moisture... it might create enough interference for you to open the door and then leave... but you would need a very wet environment./
Xander nodded. He climbed to his feet and looked around. All the sand... for miles and miles... it all seemed familiar to him.
*Were you able to detect where we are before everything went nuts?*
/Uncertain... the date the bracer displayed before it stopped working was confusing. It gave two names for this planet and the date given was impossible./
Xander looked up into the sky and frowned.
*What date?*
/10110/
Xander’s eyes widened in shock and he gasped in hot dry air.
*What were the names?*
/Arrakis and Dune/
A manic grin crossed Xander’s face as he began to laugh.
*This... this is perfect. We’re not dead after all.*
/Excuse us please... we do not understand./
Xander stopped laughing and grabbed his sides.
*I know of this planet. I think I can get us somewhere safe... if we are lucky. There are a few problems, however.*
/Such as?/
*Well.. the creature earlier was a sand worm... and we don’t want to mess with one of them. Vibration attracts them and we are just one big blue plate special out here. We need to find an outcropping of rock... but I can’t see anything but sand.*
The hive was quiet for a few moments before they spoke again.
/We can help you there. We have been examining your internal structure. We have detected errors in your genetics that we have been... correcting./
Shocked by what he heard, Xander spoke aloud.
"Correcting... correcting what?"
/We have improved your immune system to the point that any inbound organism would find it almost impossible to infect you. We have taken your fat stores and have begun transferring them into muscle. You will notice the effects in a few days to a week. We have also enhanced your senses somewhat... your hearing is more acute, your sense of smell is stronger as is your sense of touch, your taste buds are now able to distinguish food from anything non-food... such as poison, and your vision has been enhanced. If you squint, it will magnify your vision./
Xander was awestruck by what he had just heard.
*But you’ve only been inside me for a few hours! How!*
/There are billions of us and more are being created every second. As we grow, our speed in processing and accomplishing tasks increases. It is a simple matter./
Xander shook his head and shuddered. It would be hard getting used to this.
*Did you do anything else?*
/There is one thing we detected... but thought it prudent to ask you first./
*What?*
/We have discovered that your intelligence should be greater than it is. We know how to stimulate your mind in such a way as to increase your intelligence greatly. Do you wish us to do this?/
Xander thought about it. To be smart... Willow smart.. or even Uber-Willow smart... it was something he had dreamed about a few times.
*Will it hurt?*
/No.. you will feel nothing. You will just become smarter more and more as time progresses. We will notify you when you have reached your limit and then give you a mental comparison to this moment. Do you wish to proceed?/
Xander said nothing... thought nothing for a few minutes... then answered.
*Yes... do it.*
Xander stood still, waiting to see if he would feel anything... but the hive was right, he felt nothing.
*Are you doing it?*
/Yes.. it is commencing. Your intelligence has already increased 1.478 percent and within an hour it shall have increased another 5.89 percent./
Xander nodded to himself and just shrugged. He just wasn't smart enough yet to fully understand... but he would be.
*Better look for some rock...*
He squinted and gasped when everything became clearer and jumped toward him. He could see now a small rock formation a few miles to the northeast... and it looked like that is where the person earlier might have originated.
Xander looked down at the sand and felt it shift under his feet. He knew he would have to alternate his footing in order to not attract the worm. Stepping carefully, Xander jumped down the dune and then began hoping, skipping, and dragging a foot... creating a unique gait to his steps, and was soon halfway across the sand to the next dune.
*****
A few hours had passed and Xander wasn’t any closer to the rock outcropping he had seen that he was before.
*Maybe its further away than I thought.*
/The distance from our starting point was 16.89234 miles./
*Why didn’t you tell me! I thought it was only 2 or 3 miles!*
/You didn’t ask. We assumed you knew./
*Well.. from now on.. assume I DON’T know... ok.*
/Affirmative/
Xander shook his head and continued onward, his feet dragging now from the heat, sun and the weight of the sand.
*****
The rock was finally in sight. Xander smiled, exhausted now, and licked his drying lips.
*Almost there... not much longer now.*
*****
Ravk looked down the hallway and sighed. He had been on guard duty for most of the day and was bored. The only excitement was the sandworm earlier. He grinned remembering the Harkonnen dying in the belly of the worm.
He looked back out at the open desert and saw a flash of silver. Blinking in alarm, Ravk called out down the halls that a stranger was approaching. Within minutes, three squads of men had arrived and were preparing... for anything.
*****
Night was falling as Xander reached the base of the rock. He wasn’t that good at rock climbing and was dreading the sight before him.
*This is going to be tough.*
He took a deep breath and started looking for handholds, working his way slowly up the rock... his destination, a large shelf he had seen from below.
As he worked his way up, Xander noticed that it wasn’t as difficult as he had thought.
*Did you guys help me with this?*
/Yes.. your touch is sensitive enough to feel which handholds are safe and which are not. Also, we might mention, we detect an easier path 5 feet to your left./
Xander slid over 5 feet and gasped in shock. He saw what looked like man-made steps carved into the rock... completely almost invisible to the naked eye.
*I’m not alone...*
/We know... be careful./
Xander nodded and started up the steps. As he reached the top, he found a large crevice that lead inward toward a cave. He walked slowly into the cave and could smell something strange.
/There is moisture here... minute, but detectable./
*Good.. can you lead me to it?*
/Yes.. straight ahead and to the right./
Xander looked to the right and moved in that direction. After moving 10 feet, he came face to face with a dust-covered, angry-looking man dressed in black.
"Ahh!!"
Xander jumped back and felt someone grab him. Reacting out of instinct, Xander leaned forward and elbowed the person behind him in the gut, then threw him over his shoulder. Once the attacker let go, Xander made a dash forward, looking for a way out. He ran past countless people who tried to grasp him, punching or kicking them as he passed... until he reached another series of steps.
*Help me out of here...*
/The steps.. hurry./
Xander ran up the steps, side-stepping a figure than jumped in front of him, and came face to face with a pale white blade.
"Chaok"
Xander came to a stop and leaned away from the blade.
*What the hell was that?*
/Hold on.. I’m trying to translate. We are capable of translating other languages into your own... yes... the being said... Stop./
Xander nodded and held his hands up in the universal gesture of... ok, I’m unarmed.
The figure stepped forward and it was a dirty young man. He was growling at Xander and he looked like he wanted to stab Xander... or worse. It was then that there was a yell from below.
"Hold.. do not move, any of you."
Xander trembled... but stayed in one place. He could hear a massive amount of people below him but he couldn't tell how many.
/Use your vision... concentrate on increasing the amount of ambient light in the room./
Xander closed his eyes, doing as he was told, and when he opened them... everything was much brighter. He could see better now... which wasn’t a good thing. He was surrounded by close to 40 men and women... all of them armed and angry.
"Boy... come down now... let Ravk lead you down."
Xander looked at the boy and nodded. The boy, Ravk, motioned to a path behind him and then motioned for Xander to take it. Xander nodded and moved down the path.
"Kill the stranger, Stilgar!"
"Yes.. kill him. He might be Harkonnen!"
As Xander reached the bottom, he blinked as Stilgar stepped forward.
*He looks just like he did in the movie... almost.*
Stilgar shook his head.
"The boy has speed.... and strength. He was able to throw Garen and block Tavmir, Emil, Yavm, and Wesik. He could be valuable. I claim him as..."
The one called Garen stepped forward and sneered.
"I claim my right! I challenge him!"
Stilgar sighed and nodded.
"It is his right. Do you accept, boy?"
Xander looked at the guy and then thought about it.
*Can I take him yet?*
/Yes... barely./
Xander turned to Stilgar and nodded.
"Sure... I’ll fight him."
But everyone in the room heard something entirely different.
"Kecho... belan irlata megos."
A gasp when through the group at hearing Xander speak.
"The old tongue... he speaks the old tongue..."
Stilgar stepped toward Xander and glared at him... half in anger, half in shock. "Who are you, boy?"
Xander blinked. *Old tongue... what’s going on?*
/It appears they cannot understand you./
Xander sighed and nodded."My name is Xander."
Everyone heard... "Rqel tszo op Xander."
Stilgar squinted and looked confused. "Xander... it that your name?"
Xander nodded, glad they were able to at least understand that much. Stilgar nodded, smiling slightly, and turned back to Garen.
"You will not fight him. One who speaks the old tongue is valuable. Your right is denied."
Garen, in awe by what he heard, resigned himself and nodded.
Stilgar then reached out and took Xander’s arm.
"Come.. we must take you to the Reverend Mother. She will be able to understand you... then you will have some explaining to do..."
Stilgar then turned and lead Xander deep inside the caves... to where, Xander didn’t know...
*****
Xander followed Stilgar deep inside the cavern, passing by many people on their way. There appeared to be small openings in the rock wall that looked like doorways to homes or something, for Xander could see people peeking out at him as he walked past them.
*Reverend Mother... would that be the old woman or has Jessica and Paul arrived yet...*
/Who are these people?/
*It’s hard to explain... can you go through my memories?*
/Yes./
*Then do so.. and you will understand.*
The hive was quiet for a few minutes and then was back.
/Your memories are astounding. You have an obsession with Twinkies that is astounding./
*Hey.. they’re the perfect food.*
/Chemically they are not... but we understand your reasoning./
Xander smirked to himself, feeling he had won. It was then that they stepped into a large cavernous room. In the center of the room, lying on a couch-like chair, was a woman dressed in a long black dress.
*Whoa.. it’s time.*
Xander watched as Stilgar walked over to the woman and spoke to her. She turned her head and Xander could finally see her face.
*It is Jessica... good, I can work this.*
/Be careful./
Xander nodded to himself and looked Jessica in the eyes, keeping his face expressionless. He could see them talking, but couldn’t make out exactly what they were saying.
*Damn.. I can’t hear them.*
/Focus and you can./
Xander furrowed his eyebrows and focused and slowly he could hear them...
"... and he was able to defend himself against 5 of my men..."
"I don’t see why you felt it necessary to bring him to me."
"He... he spoke the Old Tongue when we questioned him."
Jessica’s eyes flashed and she turned to lock her eyes on Xander. He could feel the tension in the room double with that action and swallowed nervously.
"Bring him to me, Stilgar."
Stilgar nodded and moved to the side.
"Xander... come here."
Xander nodded and stepped forward. As he neared them, he felt his body stiffen.
/Warning... we are detecting something strange about the female. Be on guard./
Xander blinked slowly and concentrated as hard as he could to stop himself from shaking. Jessica looked him up and down and then spoke softly.
"Xander... is it?"
Xander nodded... but didn’t speak.
Jessica grinned and blinked seductively.
"Does something hold your tongue?" She grinned evilly and then did something Xander wasn’t prepared for... she used the Voice.
"ANSWER ME BOY... answer me boy.... answer me boy..."
Xander’s eyes widened and he cringed. His body, on instinct, became as rigid as stone and he looked down at the ground. This act made Jessica blink in surprise.
*He is withstanding the Voice... this is unheard of.*
"COME TO ME BOY... come to me... come to me..."
Xander clinched his jaw tight and growled.
"No... not until you stop that!"
The group heard...
Gyo... gyon tvew grp xcos rpha!"
But Jessica heard as it was meant... and was amazed by the level of restraint the boy possessed.
"Fine.. come here... please."
The group gasped in shock and glared at Xander. Xander looked down at his feet and walked a few feet toward her. She nodded and pointed to the steps below her.
"Sit... please."
Xander sat down and stared at his hands. It didn’t dawn on him that she could understand him until he was already sitting next to her. The realization made his head jerk up and his eyes go as wide as plates.
"You can understand me.. how?"
Jessica smiled.
*The boy is so naive for someone with that much resistance.*
"I am the Reverend Mother... it is my job to know these things."
*And that is all you’re going to learn, boy.*
Xander stared at her and felt he could trust her... and something inside him told him that she wasn’t lying.
"I see the truth in it."
The group gasped and Jessica pulled back her head, slightly, in shock.
*This is unexpected... very unexpected.*
Jessica turned to Stilgar and motioned for him to clear the room. Stilgar nodded and within minutes... the room was clear of everyone except Xander, Stilgar, and Jessica herself.
"You may wait outside, Stilgar. I must speak with him alone."
Stilgar looked nervous about this meeting... but nodded and stepped outside. Once the room was empty, Jessica turned to Xander and nodded.
"You are free to speak openly now. Please explain yourself."
Xander looked up at her and shrugged.
"What do you want to know?"
Jessica smiled.
"Everything."
*****
"... and then I followed him in here and he took me to you."
Jessica stared in awe at Xander, who had just spent the last hour telling her everything that had happened to him.
*Astounding... simply astounding. The sisterhood will want him... if we can get him under control.*
"You are trapped on this planet, correct?"
Xander was about to tell her about the whole water theory when something stopped him.
"Yes.. I’m stuck here."
He looked at his feet.
*Why did I lie to her? What did I feel to make me think to do that?*
/You perceived danger in the last few moments. She is hiding something./
Xander nodded, agreeing, and Jessica noticed this.
*He is nodding again... and he seems to have drifted off. It is as if he is speaking to an inner voice, as we of the sisterhood do. This is most unusual... do I dare to wonder what exposure to the spice would do to him...*
Xander looked up into Jessica’s eyes and smiled.... and the smile unnerved her even more...
*****
Xander was given a room later that day in the same general location as the Reverend Mother herself. The reasoning given was that he was placed under the watch of the Reverend Mother and would be kept near her.... but no one was told that this was done so that she could experiment on him...
*****
Xander stared at his food and then began eating. He couldn’t understand how these people could stand eating cinnamon on all their food. They used so much of it, you could smell it in the air all the time.
*I’m never going to be able to eat another cinnamon roll ever again when I get home...*
He played with his food and then sighed and dug in... knowing the Reverend Mother... or Jessica as she preferred... would be angry if he didn’t eat it. He remembered back to a little over a week before and replayed the scene in his mind...
*****
"It tastes strange. They use cinnamon on everything and I don’t like the way it tastes."
Jessica glared at Xander and frowned.
"You must eat or else you will grow as thin as bone and you will die. Do you want to die?"
Xander frowned and shook his head.
"No.. but can’t they stop using the cinnamon?"
Jessica sighed.
"No.. it isn’t cinnamon.. it is a natural mineral in the soil here. It makes all the food taste... different. You will just have to adjust..."
*If you can...*
Xander nodded and pouted.
"Ok.. but I don’t like it."
*****
Xander blinked.. remembering... and finished eating his food. He moved to grab his drink, but accidentally knocked it to the ground. Not wanting to spill it, considering another talking to he had been given on that subject, Xander reached out... faster than he was expecting... and caught it.
*What the...*
/What the.../
Little did Xander know that someone else saw the act... and ran back to her mother to report.
*****
Alia ran into the room and up to her mother. "He is changing.. the spice is changing him."
Jessica turned to her daughter and nodded. "How... explain."
Alia climbed into her mother’s lap and told her everything. "... and then he knocked his cup off the table... and caught it a second later. His hand moved almost as fast as Paul’s."
Jessica nodded to herself. "I thought that something like this might happen. I could feel something... different... in young Xander. I knew that the risk was worth it. Tell the cooks to double to current level of Melange in his food."
Alia’s eyes widened for a second... before she understood what her mother had planned. *Another Paul... oh wondrous this will be.*
She giggled and then ran off to complete her task.
*****
Xander stared at his reflection in the smooth rock wall. His facial hair had grown considerably in the time he had been gone. *I look strange with a beard...*
As he stared at his reflection... something happened. A vivid flash filled him mind...
He saw a giant snake-like thing towering over a group of students... Sunnydale students. In front of them stood Buffy... and she was yelling at it as the students fired arrows and flame at it. The snake thing growled and then dove at Buffy. Buffy dived to the side and the snake thing turned and followed her as she ran inside the building... Moments later, Xander could see Buffy run out of the building moments before it exploded... and as soon as that... the vision ended and Xander was back staring at his reflection.
*WHOA!! What the hell was that!*
/Hold please.. we are examining this.../
Xander walked over to his bed and sat down. He was trembling in a mix of shock and fear.
/We have discovered the cause of the vision. The natural element you detected 46 days ago has had an unusual effect on your mind. Properties that we were unable to effect... it has awakened and enhanced greatly./
*What?!*
Xander tried to clear his mind. He had seen the movie enough times to know what was going on... but in the wildness of just being here, he had ignored everything he knew.
*Oh god...*
It hit him... he knew what had happened. *Jessica gave me melange...*
Xander stared at his hands and trembled. *How much..*
/A large quantity is in your bloodstream.../
Xander nodded... and began to get angry. *Ok.. item by item... what did the bitch do to me.*
/One... your nervous system has been quickened. This has caused your reflexes to be enhanced greatly. Two... the aforementioned sections of your brain have been awakened and advanced. This means that a recessive part of your primitive mind has been brought back to life and has given you more use of your mind. The effects of this are as of yet... unknown.../
Xander trembled more... but now in anger. *Go on..*
/Three... you are now capable of glimpsing the future or glimpsing something that has already happened far away. Finally... there is the chance that you may have become addicted to the substance./
Xander closed his eyes and moaned. *Oh god.. this isn’t happening.... we have to get out of here... before she decides to kill us.*
Xander opened his eyes and walked to the door. He could hear people talking in excited tones. Xander opened the door and stepped into the hall... and came face to face with Paul.
Paul paused and stared at Xander... smiling. *I can smell a vast amount of melange in him... unusual indeed... and there is something else...*
"Greetings... I am Paul. Are you Xander?"
Xander nodded. "Yes.. I am Xander."
Paul could hear anger in Xander’s tone... and something he could recognize, hatred of someone who had done something to him. Paul knew he needed to get Xander alone to speak about it. "Come with me... quickly."
Paul lead Xander away and up to the surface... out onto a rock ledge. "Why did you bring me here?"
Paul turned to Xander and smiled. "Mother... changed you... didn’t she?"
Xander nodded. "How did you know?"
Paul smiled. "I could feel it... and something else... something unknown to us. If only I could see clearer.. but lately, everything has become black."
Xander knew instantly where this was going as Paul continued. "I know what I must do... and I would like you to come with me, Chani and my guards... when I take the Water of Life."
Xander nodded. "When?"
Paul looked at Xander in his strange clothing and smiled. "We will go... once we get you in a stilsuit. The clothing you are wearing is ridiculous for the open desert."
*****
Xander stepped out onto the sand and stood next to Paul. He looked down at his stilsuit... his stilsuit... and smiled. It was as snug as a second skin but yet felt very comfortable. Xander also noticed that his body was very muscular now... much more than he ever expected.
Paul turned to him and explained.
"When the worm slows... you run to the ropes and climb. I will be waiting for you on top and will help you up."
Xander nodded as Paul turned and called the worm. As it rose and then cleared the surface, Paul planted the hook in its hide and was soon pulled up on top of the worm. Ropes were thrown down and Xander ran over and grabbed one, pulling himself up to join the others on top.
Once there, Paul pulled him close and grinned. They were on their way...
*****
"I will look like I am dead.. but I will not be. Just stay... and wait for me."
The guards nodded and stepped back. Xander looked down at Paul and sat down on the ground next to him.
Paul turned to Xander and smiled. "When I return... I will tell you what we both wish to know. We will discover what mother did to you."
Paul then lowered his head onto the sand and opened his mouth. Chani poured the Water of Life into his mouth and then sat back... and they all waited... and watched as Paul changed...
*****
Paul screamed and opened his eyes. In that moment, Xander felt something pass through him and his nose began to bleed. He reached up and touched the blood.. then looked over at Chani who was bleeding as well... and staring at Xander in fright. "You’re bleeding.. but you can’t.. you’re not like us!"
Xander looked at the blood and swallowed hard. "We don’t know WHAT I am."
"Ah... but I think I do..."
Xander looked down at Paul and blinked. "And what would that be?"
Paul sat up and smiled at Xander. "You are the Lost Warrior... the chosen one lost in the mists... he who is one and many... he who can see the light, and the dark... he who will change the face of the game.... he who will wield forces to shield himself from sight... you are wondrous indeed.. Xander."
Xander leaned back in shock and blinked... not believing anything he heard.....
*****
Giles looked at the ruins that was the library, his library. *Gone... it’s all gone.*
He stepped over a fallen piece of wall and picked up yet another book only to find it ruined as well. *So much waste... it’s terrible.*
He continued stepping carefully, examining each book he found, until he reached where his office used to be. There, he found a book still intact... but it was one he didn’t recognize. Giles opened the book and read through a few pages. *I don’t recognize any of these prophesies... this is remarkable.*
He closed the book and headed back to his home, eager to discover more.
*****
"And in the days when the great evil rises...
Aid will come from beyond this world...
The Lost Warrior will appear...
He is the chosen one lost in the mists...
He who is one and many...
He who can see the light, and the dark...
He who will change the face of the game...
He who will wield forces to shield himself from sight...
Savior of the child..."
Giles looked up from the book and blinked in wonder. *This sounds like they are describing a Slayer... almost.. yet it is male. He will come with the great evil arises... but what is this great evil...*
Giles closed the book and removed his glasses. Rubbing his eyes, he sighed and set the book on his desk. *This may take some time to figure out... and until I do, I don’t think Buffy needs to know...*
Giles placed his glasses back on his face and then stood. He picked up the book and walked over to his safe, placing it inside. He then closed the door and locked it. *It will be safe... in here... for now.*
"Giles... you home?" He heard Buffy in the next room and shook his head.
*She must never know....*
*****
The ride back on the sandworm was uneventful. Xander stood next to Paul, his mind racing... contemplating what he had been told. The words echoed in his mind over and over...
"You are the Lost Warrior... the chosen one lost in the mists... he who is one and many... he who can see the light, and the dark... he who will change the face of the game.... he who will wield forces to shield himself from sight... you are wondrous indeed.. Xander."
Xander understood parts of what Paul said... but some of it made no sense whatsoever. It was all very confusing.
"Something troubling you, Xander?"
Xander looked up at Chani and shook his head. "I’m just thinking."
Chani tilted her head and smiled. "About what Paul said to you?"
Xander nodded and looked down at his feet. "I understand a little of it... but the rest makes no sense."
Chani grinned and moved closer, so as to talk easier. "Such is the way of things. In time, the words will become clear. Until then, you just must wait them out and pray that Shai Hulud will grant you the wisdom to comprehend the meaning behind the words."
Xander frowned. "Shai Hulud... what is that?"
Chani laughed. "You’re riding him."
Xander blinked and looked down at the great worm beneath his feet. He was in awe at the very idea of it. "I had no idea..."
He looked back up at Chani and smiled. "I.."
He was stopped mid-breath then by the worm stopping. They were back at they siech. Paul’s guards lowered the ropes and then climbed down. Xander soon followed.
Once on the ground, Xander followed Paul and Chani back inside. They were met by Jessica, who appeared both angry and relieved.
"You survived..."
Paul nodded and stepped past her, disappearing into the darkness. Xander watched him leave and then turned back to look at Jessica. He could see dried blood around her chin. He looked into her eyes as she noticed the matching blood on his own face and smiled inwardly when her eyes widened in shock.
*Yes... Jessica... you should be surprised. You have no idea what I am...*
Xander grinned evilly and walked past her... following Paul.
*****
Xander found Paul in the training room. Xander had visited it, from time to time, but had not explored it fully. When he entered, Paul was working with a practice dummy, attacking it with a speed Xander could hardly believe.
"Excuse me... Paul... may I join you?"
Paul nodded, but didn’t stop. Xander moved over to a practice dummy and pulled out... his sword. He paused then... for he still had trouble accepting it as his own. It belonged to a friend that may or may not even still be alive now.
Xander brought the sword to his forehead and began the exercise Duncan had taught him. He moved from side to side, attacking every defensive position he could find. As he practiced, he entered oneness with the Force and his movements began to grow more fluid, more graceful... and were much faster.
The sound of the blade drew Paul’s attention and he paused, looking over at Xander. What he saw made his jaw drop... and it was what he felt that shocked him.
*He is drawing Power... but how?*
Paul stepped back to watch Xander, noticing sword movements that Gurney had never taught him... and felt himself growing envious.
*Who taught him how to fight? His form is crude, but amazing.*
Soon, Xander had shredded the dummy and it was only when he no longer felt any resistance that he stopped. His mind slowed and he saw what he had done.
"Oh god.. I’m sorry. I.. I didn’t realize."
Paul smiled and walked over to Xander.
"It’s ok.. I have plenty more."
He laughed and smiled even wider.
"I would love to see you go up against a training droid... if you’re up to it."
Xander nodded, still feeling like he needed to train more.
"Sure.. let’s do it."
*****
Xander ducked the arrow that came soaring at his face and spun under the scythe blade that followed. He brought his sword up and blocked aside the nest three attacks and then, with a flick of his wrist, severed one of the robotic arms.
*Faster... must move faster...*
Xander calmed himself as the droid spun around to attack again. Xander felt himself begin to draw upon the force and once again entered a state of complete oneness... feeling himself speed up while the rest of the world slowed.
He jumped and spun in place, ducking and dodging attacks in a fluid, graceful manner. One by one, the robotic arms where either shattered or completely severed from the droid’s body.
As Paul watched, he observed everything with the mind of a Mentat.
*Fluid movement... crisp placement of the sword... calm exterior... and the sense of Power... Xander is gifted.... trained by a Bene Gesserit perhaps... or the child of one... or something else entirely...*
*****
Xander came down from above and sliced the droid in half; rolling away from it as it exploded. Breathing hard, he climbed to his feet and turned back toward the destroyed and smoldering droid.
"Ah man.. I’m sorry. I.. I don’t know what happened. I.. I guess I got carried away."
Paul nodded slowly.
"It’s perfectly alright... yes, quite."
Xander smirked.
"Giles would like you..."
Paul’s eyebrows raised at the slip.
"Giles? Who is Giles? You have never mentioned anyone the entire time you have been here."
Xander looked sheepish and shrugged.
"He’s a man I know... a friend, or at least he used to be. I haven’t been home in... about a year"
Paul nodded, knowing that was all he would expect from him. He smiled and laughed.
"You surprise me, Xander. Every time I look, you’re doing something to surprise me."
Xander frowned.
"Is that a good thing... or a bad thing?"
Paul laughed harder.
"A good thing... most definitely a good thing. Now, come.. let us join my family. I am sure that dinner is ready and they will want to hear of your triumph over the evil training droid."
He smirked and lead Xander to the dining hall, both of them laughing the whole way.
*****
Another week passed... and in that time Paul and Xander met every day to spar with each other. People dropped in to watch them and over time, there were so many watching that it had become almost like a new sport.
Everyone wanted to know more about the stranger... and why he, a nobody, was at a skill level almost that of the great Muadib himself...
*****
"I don’t like it. He’s dangerous. Have you seen him fight a droid? He obliterated one just 2 days ago.. in under 5 minutes!"
Jessica turned to Gurney, who they had found only days earlier, and sighed.
"He is Paul’s friend, his brother almost. Paul trusts him and while I personally do not share his opinion... I do respect the power young Xander has. I do not want to threaten what relations we have with him."
Gurney growled under his breath and stormed out of the room.
*****
BACK IN L.A.
Angel walked up the stairs from the sewers and entered the elevator. As it rose slowly to the main floor of his office building, he could sense something in the air. The elevator stopped and he walked into his office, seeing Cordelia and Doyle talking.
"You have to understand, Princess, that when dealing with a man like me.. you have to learn to overlook things..."
Cordelia smirked and snorted softly.
"What.. like your lack of taste and the way you smell?"
Angel smiled at them. He wasn’t sure they would be able to work together, but they had started to become a family. He was walking over to them when Doyle suddenly fell to the ground in pain.
Angel ran over to him as Cordelia dropped down next to him.
"Arggh.. this doesn’t make any sense... strange guy with blue eyes.. only the whites of his eyes are blue... he’s got a long dagger... white with a curved blade... he’s sneaking up on a guy in bed... long brown hair.. beginnings of a goatee... oh god... he just stabbed him to death."
Doyle opened his eyes and lurched away from them as he vomited his breakfast all over the floor.
"Eww.. gross."
Angel frowned at Cordelia and helped Doyle up.
"Where is he?"
Doyle shook his head.
"I don’t know... underground from the looks of it, but nothing I recognize."
He took a breath and winced.
"Anyone have a breath mint?"
Cordelia nodded and grabbed her purse. She pulled out her wallet as she was looking and it fell open to reveal a picture of Xander.
"That’s the guy... only with longer hair!"
Cordelia and Angel both looked at the picture and Cordelia started to cry. Angel turned even more pale and closed his eyes.
"That’s impossible... that’s Xander. He’s been dead almost a year."
Doyle frowned and grabbed the picture.
"This is the guy.. I bet all my money on it. Give him more hair and age him a bit and that's him. I swear!"
Angel opened his eyes and saw the belief on Doyle’s face. He turned to Cordelia.
"Call Giles.. tell him... tell him I need to talk to him."
Cordelia nodded and started dialing. While she was doing that, Angel turned away and took a deep breath.
*My dream... maybe this is connected... maybe Xander isn’t really dead...*
"Giles.. this is Cordelia... I’m ok... Angel needs to talk to you... ok, hold on."
She handed the phone to Angel and he sat down.
"Giles... no, everything is fine... Doyle had a vision... yes... about Xander... I know... yes, I know... I know... no, he’s saying he’s alive right now and is going to be killed soon... the Powers That Be wouldn’t give Doyle the vision if it wasn’t true... we don’t know, somewhere underground... I understand... see you soon."
Angel hung up the phone and sighed.
"The gang is coming... they want to try a locator spell here, away from the hellmouth. They think it might be blocking some of their magic."
Cordelia and Doyle nodded and then began to clean things up. As they did, Angel got up and stepped outside... not sure if he should mention the dream yet...
*****
Angel looked down at the van as it drove up. He watched as Buffy, Willow, Oz, and then Giles emerged and walked up the steps. Within minutes, they were at his door. His eyes locked on Buffy’s and he smiled. "Hi."
Buffy nodded and moved into his arms to hug him. "Hi."
Angel stepped back a bit to let the others inside and then slowly pulled himself out of Buffy’s arms. He watched as they all, one by one, sat down. He knew it was time to tell them everything...
*****
"So then when I awoke, I realized that something strange was going on. I wrote down everything, waiting until I understood it better to say anything to any of you."
The group stared in awe at Angel. His explanation of his dream had all shocked them to the core.
"How far into the future was this?"
Angel turned to Giles and shrugged.
"I’m guessing a couple hundred years. The technology was incredible... and Xander was wearing very unusual clothing."
Buffy stared at Angel, but her mind was elsewhere.
*Xander... in the future... and alive... but how?*
It was Willow who brought everyone back to attention.
"We should try the locator spell again."
Giles nodded and grabbed his bag. He then began setting everything up for the spell. Within minutes, everything was ready and the spell was activated. A sphere of searching expanded from their location and traveled outward... past L.A... past California... past the United States... and nothing.
"Nothing..."
Buffy frowned.
"Take it further."
Giles nodded and frowned in concentration. He extended the sphere out further... past Europe... past Asia... out even further until it encompassed the entire planet.
"Still nothing.."
Buffy pouted a little and frowned even more.
"Further..."
Giles sighed and nodded. He extended the sphere further, sweat beginning to pop up on his forehead... expanding out past the moon... past Mars... further and further... past the edge of the solar system. It was then that the sphere took a life of its own. It jumped out further... sailing past galaxy after galaxy; the energy that was being used was so great that it made Giles pass out... but yet the spell went on.
Finally... it stopped.
Giles gasped and came awake.
"I... I found him."
Everyone jumped to their feet and rushed over to Giles. Buffy grasped his hand and stared into his eyes, a look of concern on her face.
"Where?"
Giles blinked in shock and swallowed.
"Someone give me a pen and paper."
Cordelia passed over a pad and they all watched as Giles drew a circle with a dot in the center... then drew a line out away from the circle... off the end of the page and onto the beginning of another... then another.. and another... finally stopping halfway across the page. There he drew another circle and put a dot in the center.
"He is there..."
With that said, Giles’s eyes rolled back in his head and he passed out. The group looked at the drawing and then each other. It was Oz, who was the first to speak.
"Whoa... that’s far man."
Cordelia smirked.
"Maybe the aliens finally came back for him and took him home."
This statement caused a double blast of dirty looks from both Buffy and Willow. Cordelia winced and mumbled an apology. She then moved away and sat down on the couch. The others sighed and moved to sit down... knowing they had a long wait on their hands, waiting for Giles to wake up.
*****
BACK ON DUNE
Xander rolled over in his sleep and moaned. He had been sleeping badly ever since returning. Something just didn’t feel right.
As he slept, a shadowy figure entered the room and stalked slowly toward Xander. As he reached his bed, out came a crysknife... and the figure raised it over Xander’s body.
"Now.. you die, stranger!"
The figure raised the crysknife up and stabbed down into Xander’s chest, striking the heart. Xander’s eyes flashed open and he screamed in agony... but the attacker wasn’t through. Strike after strike were pounded into Xander’s chest... 32 stabs in all... the attacker not even noticing that Xander had been dead for the last 15.
When the job was finished, Xander was a bloody mess. The shadowy figure put away the crysknife and then walked out of the room, spitting a curse at Xander’s dead body as he left.
It wasn’t until about 2 hours later that his body was found... by a serving woman who had become fond of Xander. She had entered his room to check on him and had begun screaming in terror after finding his body. Within moments, Paul was there... and what he did next surprised them all. He cried.
Those watching stared on in awe.
"He gives water to the dead..."
Paul’s act of crying had shocked and amazed them all... for it was the greatest gift one of the Fremen could ever give.
Once Paul stopped crying, the water-carriers entered to take Xander’s body.
"No.. he is not one of us. I will deal with his remains in my own fashion."
The men nodded and left. Paul turned to the others and shook his head.
"Carry his body to the ledge on the upper east wall... then leave me alone with him."
His guards nodded and did as ordered. They gently picked up Xander’s body and followed Paul to the upper east ledge. There, they placed Xander on the ground and then left... leaving Paul alone with the body.
"Xander... my friend. You have shown me much of what it means to be alive. Though you were clouded in darkness, your pain visible on your face, you took the time to become friends with me... and I am thankful for that friendship."
Paul began to cry again and turned away. He didn’t see Xander’s body twitch... but he felt something. Turning back to the body, Paul stared in shock as Xander began to come back to life.
"Shai Hulud... what is happening?"
Xander began to writhe and shake... his body flexing as his first awakening began. Seconds later, his eyes flashed open and he took in a large gasp of air... and screamed.
Awareness of being alive hit him like a sledgehammer and Xander’s eyes darted back and forth in fright. They soon locked on Paul and he began to calm.
"I... died?"
Paul nodded, his face ashen and scared.
Xander looked down at his chest and saw blood covering his shirt.
"Help me with it..."
Paul nodded and pulled Xander into a sitting position. He then helped him peel off his blood-soaked shirt and then gasped in shock at Xander’s chest.
"There is no mark on you."
Xander frowned and looked at his chest. The scars from before were gone... all of them. His chest and stomach was smooth once more.
*This is impossible... I can’t... I’m not...*
Then it hit him... he knew what he was.. and he screamed out in anguish... then lapsed into tears. Paul, worried for his friend, pulled Xander into an embrace and held him as he cried... gently rocking him... knowing his friend had been through something impossible, and it made him wonder if he still had his sanity...
*****
Xander, topless now, followed Paul down into the lower depths of the siech. Paul was leading him to the large cache of water they had been collecting.
"It isn’t much further now."
Xander nodded. He had explained everything to Paul, as soon as he had stopped crying. He told him about his travels and how he needed water to leave. Paul had then told him of the underground lake... and agreed to take him there. They had moved, silently, back to Xander’s room to get his belongings.. then had hurried to the lake... knowing that they didn’t have much time for Xander to escape.
They turned the corner and Xander gasped in awe at the lake that stretched out before him.
*Enough water now?*
/Yes.. immerse yourself into it and then open the door./
Xander turned to Paul and held out his hand.
"I want to thank you... for everything."
Paul nodded and took Xander’s hand, placing a crysknife into it.
"To remember me by... and to remember here... and to keep you safe. Be well, my brother."
Xander smiled and then walked into the water. As the water went over his head, he accessed the doorway, choosing his next world carefully... then opened it and stepped through.
*****
BACK IN L.A.
Giles’s eyes flashed open and he looked around the room. He could see the others talking quietly. He groaned slightly and they all turned to look at him.
"Are you ok?"
Giles nodded.
"I’m fine. What happened?"
Buffy picked up the pad and handed it to him. Giles looked at it and sighed.
"I thought it was a dream... but it actually happened... but this is wrong now, Xander has moved off that location."
There was a collective "WHAT" from the group and Giles tried to explain.
"While still in the spell, I was able to find Xander... then when I passed out, I didn’t completely release the spell. It held on enough to keep track of Xander for a little while longer... but then he disappeared, again. He is no longer there."
Willow smiled and moved closer.
"We can just do it again.. find him again."
Giles shook his head.
"No.. we can’t... it is too dangerous. It uses too much power. I feel almost dead as we speak. We cannot attempt to locate Xander again. I’m afraid he is on his own."
The group looked at each other and frowned. They had found Xander... alive... but were unable to do anything to help him... and the powerless feeling was too much to take as one by one, the girls walked away.. crying.
*****
The pool was cool and inviting on such a hot day. The students were all enjoying it, playing a game of water tag. Jean and Rogue, however, were avoiding the water... choosing instead to talk on the edge of the pool.
"You miss him... don’t you."
Rogue looked up at Jean and nodded. Jean sighed and looked over at Scott.
"I miss him too."
Rogue was about to respond when she felt something strange. She could feel an electrical sensation filling the air. She glanced over at Jean and notice she felt it too.
"What’s going..."
Just then there was a flash of light at the bottom of the pool and seconds later there was a young man lying on the bottom of the pool... unconscious, and not floating to the surface. Jean’s eyes opened in fright and she yelled.
"Scott... get him out of there!"
Scott drove under the water, kicking his way down to the bottom of the 15 foot pool. He grabbed onto the young man’s arms and dragged him slowly to the surface. As their heads broke the surface of the water, there were hands to take the young man out of his hands.
"He’s... not... breathing..."
Scott gasped for air as he pulled himself out of the water. He looked over at Jean who had begun mouth to mouth. She breathed in and out of him for what seemed like forever... then stopped, tears in her eyes.
"He’s gone..."
She fell back onto her heels and stared in horror at the body before her. Scott moved over and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him to comfort her as she cried. What happened next was something they had never expected.
The body began to jerk and vibrate... then suddenly the eyes opened and the young man took a large gasp of air and sat up, coughing out water.
"God.. I really hate water..."
Xander pushed his, now long, wet hair out of his eyes and looked around him. He saw the faces of almost a dozen terrified people.
*Oh boy... I have some explaining to do.*
Just then, a man in a wheelchair entered and floated over to Xander. He frowned and stared into Xander’s eyes.
"Are you alright?"
Xander didn’t answer, he was still trying to adjust his mind to being alive... again. What happened next was startling to Xander... as the man spoke to him in his head.
#Who are you... young man?#
Xander jerked back in shock.. and noticed that the red haired woman did as well.
"Xander... I’m Xander... and don’t do that again or you’ll be sorry."
The man nodded.
"I apologize. I thought you might be injured or unable to hear. I did not mean to intrude."
Xander shrugged and nodded.
"It’s ok... just warn me before you try that again."
He looked down at himself and smiled. His belongings were still in place. He climbed to his feet and then shook himself, spraying water on everyone present.
After hearing yells at his actions, Xander grinned and looked down at his feet.
"Sorry... I don’t like water."
Xander then focused on his body as the man spoke... concentrating on pushing the water off of him using the force.... and did so as the man spoke.
"We can get you a... towel..."
The man and everyone present watched in awe as the water covering Xander lifted off and was thrown back into the pool. A gasp of shock traveled through the group and then all turned to gape at him.
"What did I do now? Whatever it is.. I didn’t do it."
The man smiled and laughed.
"I fail to believe that, Xander. Tell me, why did you come here and how did you arrive... at the bottom of the pool?"
Xander grinned.
"I can travel between worlds... and I left the last one underwater."
The room was silent as they stared in disbelief.. then the room exploded with sound as questions were fired at him...
"How can you do..."
"You were underwater..."
"Travel between worlds is a technological impossibility..."
Xander laughed at the questions and smiled.
"I’m special... that is why I can travel. I was underwater because I needed to be.. and travel is not technologically impossible.. for my friends."
Xander grinned, smugly, and then frowned. The room looked wrong and there were people present he didn’t recognize.
"Where am I and who are you people?"
The man nodded to himself and came closer to Xander.
"I am Professor Charles Xavier. You are in my school for the gifted. These people are my students."
Xander frowned.
"I know all that.. sorry.. I meant what room is this? I don’t recognize it."
The group stared at Xander in shock... which soon turned to distrust as what he said sank in. Scott frowned at Xander and his visor began to glow.
"Don’t move!"
Xander, getting very worried at this point, reached out with his mind and did the first thing that came to mind. He turned to Scott and looked him in the visor.
"You do not want to attack me..."
Scott stopped frowning and his body appeared to go slack.
"I do not want to attack you..."
Xander, fully in the force now, continued.
"You want to leave me alone..."
Scott’s jaw dropped a little and he wobbled on his feet.
"I want to leave you alone..."
Xander smiled and finished.
"You want to go sit down and read a book, forgetting you were ever mad at me..."
Scott turned and walked over to one of the chairs.
"I want to sit down and read a book.... and forget I was mad at you...."
He sat down and picked up and book and began reading. Xander grinned and then turned to the group and came face to face with the furious redhead.
"What did you do to him!"
Xander leaned back and readied a force wall... then wondered how he knew how to do that. He looked into the woman’s eyes.
"I did what I must... or otherwise visor boy would have blasted me into next year. I happen to like my body. All the women I know happen to like my body. It’s nicely Xander-shaped... and it will stay that way."
The woman blinked in shock and then just shook her head and turned to the professor.
"He’s insane..."
Xander pouted as the woman walked away.
"I’m not insane... I just give off insane vibes. You would too if you’d lived through some of the crap I’ve lived through."
He sat down on the edge of the pool and sighed.
"It’s not easy to be me... I’m the Zeppo... or at least I used to be. Don’t think I qualify anymore, what with being the Lost Warrior and all."
His last words shocked Professor Xavier to the core.
*Lost Warrior... dear lord, could he be the one?*
"Where did you hear that phrase, Xander?"
Xander looked up at the professor. He looked different than he had pictured.
"A friend of mine told me. He can see the future and he told me I’m the Lost Warrior. He seemed as nervous... as you.. are now. What.. you’ve heard of me?"
Professor Xavier nodded and pulled up next to Xander.
"I know who you are... many of the people I converse with on esoteric matter have heard of you. You are the one who will rid the world of it’s greatest evil... at some future date."
Xander laughed.
"I don’t see how. I can’t control half of the stuff I do..."
Professor Xavier reached down and turned Xander’s face to he was looking at him.
"If you will stay... I will teach you."
Xander looked into the man’s eyes and smiled. Something told him that the man probably could.
"Sure... don’t have anything better to do."
*****
Xander jumped away from the flying log and hit the floor.
"Hey.. watch it with that thing."
The red haired woman, or Jean as he was later told was her name, smiled and shook her head.
"Block it with your mind... don’t just dive away from it, Xander."
Xander got to his feet and glared at her.
"Hey.. you’ve had years to learn this. I’ve had all of this thrown on me in the last.. year or so... so don’t lecture me on using my mind."
Xander, mad now, felt himself fall into the force. He looked at Jean and growled.
"Start the test again."
Jean nodded and waved to Scott in the control room of the Danger Room. The room shifted and the test resumed.
Xander moved forward, jumping from platform to platform, avoiding the flying logs and then the other traps. His speed increased and increased until he was a blur moving across the room.
*Oh my god.. how does he do that?*
The floor under Xander suddenly disappeared and in that second, Xander jumped straight up... over 50 feet... to land on the upper-most platform. Once there, he lost his balance and fell backward... and fell toward the ground fast, only to be caught by Scott... who had appeared out of nowhere.
Xander stared at Scott and grinned. "My hero."
Scott groaned and dropped Xander. "Ouch! Hey, Visor Boy... watch it man."
Scott shook his head and walked away. "Should have let him fall... would have been fun seeing him splat..."
Xander pouted and turned to Jean. "Your boyfriend doesn’t like me."
Jean raised and eyebrow. "Why should he.. you used that mind trick of yours on him a week ago. He still hates you for it."
Xander frowned. "Then why did he catch me?"
Jean grinned. "Because I asked him to... that’s why."
Xander looked at his hands. "Oh... thanks."
He looked up at her and smiled. "Did I do good?"
As he climbed to his feet, Jean laughed and nodded. "Yes.. you did... better. What was that last thing you did? That jumping thing?"
Xander replayed what happened in his mind. "I don’t know... I just, jumped. Surprised me too when I found myself almost touching the ceiling."
Jean nodded. "A new skill. The professor will be able to tell you more. When are you expected?"
Xander looked at the clock mounted in the wall and frowned. "Ten minutes ago."
Jean sighed and smiled. "Well.. then run."
Xander grinned and kissed her on the cheek... then ran out of the room, leaving a stunned Jean behind... her hand on her cheek.
*****
Xander sat in the leather chair and listened as the professor explained everything again.
"Your skills seem to be Telepathy and Telekinesis... but you are erratic. One moment, you have much more power than anyone I have ever met... then the next, you are much weaker. Can you tell me what is happening?"
Xander nodded.
"One moment I am completely in the Force.. the other, I am not."
Professor Xavier thought on this and then frowned. "Please explain."
Xander smiled and began.
‘This is how it was explained to me. The Force is everywhere and in everything... and in the spaces between things. Everything that exists in made up of the Force and exists in it. When I do something, I am using the Force. When I am doing great things... I guess I am further in the Force. There have been times I have done things and then told later that I did something amazing. At those times, I think I might be so fully into the Force that I lose my sense of self.. and become one with the Force."
The professor listened and nodded.
"Your power increases with your level of concentration. Hmm.. may I enter your mind and observe as you focus on the Force?"
Xander shrugged.
"Sure.. I guess. What do I do?"
The professor moved over to Xander.
"Just relax.. you will hear me when I have made contact and I will tell you when to begin."
Xander nodded and let his mind relax. Within moments he felt something touching his mind... then he heard the professor’s voice.
#I am inside now, Xander. Please begin.#
Xander nodded and reached out to the Force. He let it fill him completely and was soon at one with the force.
#Fascinating.. you are drawing on a power source never witnessed before. I can see the part of your mind that does this and what happens when you are... at one with the force.#
Xander smiled.
"What happens?"
#There is a part of your mind... filled with power. It’s startling..."
The professor stared in awe at the mental landscape before him. It had the appearance of a long hallway filled with rooms with glass doors. He walked down the hall and looked in each room.
In one, he saw a copy of Xander... only with a feral look in his eyes.
"Let me out! Let me out!"
The being screamed and launched itself over and over against the door, snarling at the Professor. Charles shook his head and moved on to the next room. There he saw a swarm of bees that were crawling around a hive shaped like Xander himself. There was no door on this room and there were many vent shafts leading away from the room itself.
/Greetings... we are the Hive. We are pleased you are aiding us./
Professor Xavier stared in wonder and nodded.
"I am pleased to be helping him. Tell me, what is your relationship with Xander?"
/He is our host... and we have made him what he is. He needs us as we need him./
Charles nodded and moved on. In the next room he found a glowing ball of energy. It was small and didn’t glow very brightly, but it had an aura to it that made him think it belonged there.
"What are you?"
*I am the essence of all that is Xander. I am his Quickening. He has not met me yet, though he has died twice. He will not meet me until he joins the game.*
The professor frowned.
"Game.. what game? What do you mean he has died twice?"
*Xander is an Immortal, one of many who live to fight and take the heads of their opponent. He will then receive the other Immortal’s Quickening and I will grow... but he hasn’t met any others yet since dying.*
Charles, confused by all this and short on time... moved on. In the last room that was open, he found something awe inspiring. The room was filled with stars. It was as if looking out into the universe itself.
"What is this?"
A voice, soft and comforting, came from all around him.
"This, my child, is the representation young Xander has made of the Force... but it is more."
An old man that glowed blue materalized and walked over to the professor.
"Xander was unable to finish his training and so therefore is raw and uncontrolled. He doesn’t understand his skills and only taps them when in anger... and that way is the path of darkness. I wish I had had more time... but alas, I did not. I am asking you to take up my task. I sense the goodness within you. Please teach him how to control without anger... before it is too late."
With that said, the glowing man faded away. The professor stared in shock and then removed himself for Xander’s mind.
"I understand now... and we have much to do, Xander... much to do indeed."
*****
Xander entered the dining hall and sat down at a table alone... like he had every day since he had arrived... close to 2 months ago. He ate alone, every day, and was very lonely. It wasn’t that he hadn’t tried to make friends, because he had tried almost every day the first 2 weeks. The reason he was alone was a simple one... the other students were afraid of him.
He had seen the fear in their eyes on many occasions. The few who had seen him come back from the dead had told the rest. Soon it had spread throughout the school, and the students... as a group.. had decided to avoid him.
Xander looked around the room, seeing heads turn away. He sighed and looked down at his tray.
"What do we have today... brown goo with yellow glop and a side order of green mush. God.. I miss my stash of Twinkies."
Xander rolled his eyes and pushed the tray away.
"Good choice... the food here will kill you."
Xander looked up at the owner of the voice and was startled by the most shockingly blue eyes he had ever seen. He stared in awe at the young woman before him. She was beautiful, about 5’5", slim figure, brown hair pulled up into a ponytail, and the eyes... the eyes that took his breath away.
"Hello.. you in there, or has your brain disconnected?"
Xander nodded and then shook his head.
"God you’re beautiful."
The young woman giggled and blushed.
"Nice opening line.. girls love that. So.. can I sit down or do you want to drool some more?"
Xander wiped his mouth and motioned for her to sit down. The young woman smiled and sat across the table from him.
"My name is Kitty... Kitty Pryde. You’re new here, aren’t you?"
Xander nodded.
"I’m Xander.. Xander Harris."
Xander caught himself staring at her and turned away, blushing.
*Good God man.. you’re staring at her harder than you ever stared at Buffy! Calm down!*
"Why are you sitting alone, Xander?"
Xander looked up into her eyes and frowned.
"The others... they’re... they’re afraid of me."
Kitty frowned and looked over her shoulder at the others. They were motioning franticly for her to get away. She turned back to Xander and shook her head.
"Hold on a sec.. I want to find out why they are doing this."
She started to stand, but Xander reached out and took her hand. When they touched, an electrical shook went through them both. Kitty pulled her hand away and stared at Xander in shock. Xander swallowed and looked down at his plate.
"They don’t like me because of how I got here and what happened. You go ahead and talk to them. If you still want to sit with me after you hear everything... then you can come back."
He then picked up his fork and began eating. Kitty stared at the top of his head and then walked over to her friends. Xander looked up as she walked away and sighed.
*So close... almost made a friend here...*
/Do not worry, Xander... we detected that she was attracted to you. There is a chance that she will choose to return./
Xander smiled slightly.
*Thanks guys.. but I don’t know...*
He looked over at the group and saw her expressions run from happy to shock to fear. He then saw Kitty turn to look back at Xander, the expression on her face unreadable. She turned back to her friends and what he saw next made Xander confused. Kitty looked mad... hell, she looked pissed.
Kitty spun on her heels and walked back to Xander, sitting down before him.
"Tell me what happened. I want to hear your side of it."
Xander nodded.
"I am Immortal. If I’m killed, I will come back... unless someone cuts off my head. I was dead when I arrived here through a spatial/dimensional gate. Many of the people over their saw me dead.. then alive a few minutes later. They didn’t like it."
Kitty sighed and rolled her eyes.
"They told me you were some freak. That you are a zombie and that I needed to get away from you before you killed me and turned me into a zombie too. God.. they are so stupid!"
Xander looked at her in shock.
"You’re not afraid of me?"
Kitty saw the look of hope in his eyes and her heart melted.
"Xander.. of course not. I can tell you are a good person... not the person they are describing."
She looked at him quizzically for a second and then smirked.
"Is it true?"
Xander looked confused.
"Is what true?"
Kitty grinned.
"Is it true that you played with Scott’s mind, made him sit down and read a book."
Xander grimaced.
"Yeah.. and I wish now I had just let Visor Boy blast me... then maybe the others wouldn’t be as scared of me as they are."
Xander looked up at the clock and groaned.
"Damn it.. I’m late again. I’m still not used to be on a schedule again."
He looked at Kitty and smiled.
"Can we.. um.. talk or something later? I was supposed to see the Professor about 10 minutes ago... so I have to run."
Kitty nodded, smiling.
"I’ll track you down later. You’re in the west or east wing?"
Xander stood.
"East.. third floor."
Kitty nodded.
"Ok.. then I’ll find you... now run."
Xander nodded and smiled at her... then ran out the room. As he exited the room, he could have sworn he heard Kitty’s thoughts...
*Damn.. he has a great ass.*
*****
Xander entered the Professor’s office 15 minutes late. As he entered, the Professor smiled and motioned for Xander to sit.
"Ah.. Xander.. right on time."
Xander, confused by this, was only able to grunt.
"Huh?"
The Professor laughed and shook his head.
"You are always late... so I told you to get here at 12:45 so that you would be here on time for your 1:00 class. You are right on time."
Xander smirked and nodded, understanding. The Professor smiled.
"What was it this time?"
Xander blushed.
"I met a girl..."
The Professor grinned and nodded.
"Who.. the only person you haven’t met yet is Wolverine and... ah yes, Kitty. Well, she is a lovely girl."
Xander blushed more and nodded.
"I like her... she’s the only person, besides you, Jean, and Mr. McCoy, who isn’t afraid of me."
The Professor nodded.
"The others will learn to get beyond their fears in time. Trust me on this, Xander."
Xander nodded and the Professor smiled.
"Now.. to begin where we left off yesterday. Have you been practicing holding your centeredness in the force?"
Xander nodded. The Professor moved from behind his desk and over to Xander.
"How long can you stay focused... with and without distractions?"
Xander smirked.
"Without... about 5 hours, I get a little tired after that. With... not very long.. about 15 minutes or so."
The Professor frowned.
"Then I see what we need to work on then..."
*****
Xander balanced himself on the thin strand of wire as the wind blasted him from the left. His body wobbled from side to side as he lost concentration.
"You must regain your concentration, Xander. Now focus!"
Xander took a calming breath and centered himself again, reaching out to touch the force, calmly this time... and felt it flow into him. His body became rigid and he no longer felt the wind.
"Good.. very good.. now walk to the other side."
Xander nodded and slowly walked across the wire. He was no longer aware of the wind blasting against him. He was no longer aware that he was over 30 feet above the ground. All he thought about was the wire and the platform that was rapidly approaching.
As his feet touched the platform, Xander turned to the Professor and then blinked in shock. He wasn’t alone... Kitty was standing next to him. She smiled and waved.
*How long has she been here...*
Xander smiled back and waved.
"Hi Kitty."
Kitty leaned forward to the microphone.
"You did great, Xander... but I don’t want to be you for what he has planned next."
Xander looked at them, confused, then looked around startled as the room changed. He was now in the middle of a volcanic wasteland. Fire surrounded him on all sides and the only other pieces of land were platforms that were floating at different heights around him. In the last week since the new program started, he had never seen anything this intense.
"I want you to show me your... what did you call it, Xander?"
Xander turned his head to look up at them.
"Force Jumping."
The Professor nodded.
"Move from your location to a marker beacon that is in the distance to your right. I will be lengthening the distances between the platforms as I witness and test this ability."
Xander nodded and went to center himself.. but was shocked to see he was still centered. He was one with the force... and hadn’t lost his link. He blinked in shock and then smiled.
*This should be fun.*
Xander looked over and up at the first platform. It was about 15 feet up and about 20 feet away. Xander concentrated and angled his body toward the platform. He then took a few steps and jumped, rocketing over the lava to land almost perfectly in the middle of the platform.
He could hear Kitty cheering from the Danger Room observation room and he smiled. He then jumped from platform to platform, trying to land perfectly... to show off for Kitty. As he reached the second to last platform, the platform moved away from him... going further and further.
Xander looked up at the Professor and then back at the platform. He shook his head and went for it... and jumped... and found himself overjumping the platform. He soared toward the ceiling and couldn’t slow himself down. As his body impacted against the ceiling, everything went black.
*****
Xander opened his eyes and saw darkness.
"Oh god.. I’m blind..."
Just then, the room was filled with a soft light and someone moved over into his line of sight. It was Kitty... and she looked worried.
"Thank god you’re finally awake; you scared me... you.. you idiot."
Xander winced and closed his eyes.
"I’m sorry..."
Kitty sighed.
"Don’t be sorry... just be careful... ok."
Xander nodded and felt Kitty slid in bed next to him. She laid her head on his chest and began to run her fingers along his side.
"I know you can’t die.. but it scared me just the same. I mean.. how can we go out on our first date if you’re dead?"
Xander opened his eyes and looked down into her smirking face.
"You’re lying next to me on purpose. You’re doing this to tease me... aren’t you."
Kitty nodded and laughed. Xander growled and placed his hands on her back.
"For that you must suffer the death of 1000 laughs... administered by Xander, God of Tickles!"
Xander then rolled her over onto her back and sat on top of her and began tickling her sides.
"Ack... stop... no, not tickling..."
Kitty was laughing so hard she was crying. It was what she did next that surprised Xander... for as his hands moved up to just under her arms, she went translucent and fell through the bed.
"Ah!!"
Xander jumped off the bed and backed away as Kitty sat up.. her body half in and half out of the middle of the bed.
"It’s ok.. I’m not hurt.. this is my talent. I can pass through things."
Xander nodded and moved back to the bed.
"You.. you just startled me... I’m ok now.. I’m manly man.. nothing scares me... except clowns."
Kitty laughed.
"Ok.. manly man... no clowns then."
Xander nodded.
"Good... cause otherwise... I would have to show them they second most scariest thing in the world."
Kitty raised an eyebrow.
"And what is that?"
Xander grinned evilly.
"Scott naked... never want to see that again."
Kitty burst out laughing and fell off the bed.
"When did you see that?"
Xander smirked.
"Caught him by accident. Jean asked me to go get him for her and he had left the door open. I called out into his room but didn’t get an answer. I walked into the room just as he walked out of the shower... naked... and then I screamed and ran back here. Took me over 3 hours to get that image out of my head. It was so bad, it gave me nightmares for a week."
Kitty grinned and laughed.
"Aww.. you poor baby."
Xander nodded and smiled.
"Yeah... can I have a hug to make me feel better?"
Xander gave her puppy dog eyes and pouted. Kitty laughed even harder and shook her head.
"I’ll hug you... and maybe more... "
She then ran to the door.
"... if you can catch me."
She passed through the door and laughter was heard echoing down the hall. Xander bolted out of his room and chased after her.
Kitty lead him all over the mansion, their chase lasting an hour, before Xander cornered her in the lower levels.
"Come out, miss Kitty... Xander wants to play."
He heard giggling to his left and dove down the hallway, just missing her as she ran through the doors at the end of the hall.
Xander opened the door and ran in after her. The room was dark and he knew he had the advantage this time. He focused his eyes and brought up the ambient light. Within seconds, he could see Kitty hiding in the corner behind a chair.
Xander walked over to her, quietly, and watched as she looked around the dark room... unable to see anything. He reached her side and, instead of grabbing her... he leaned in close and kissed the side of her neck, watching as a shiver ran down her spine. "Got ya."
Kitty smiled and turned toward the sound of the voice. She found Xander’s face in the dark and leaned in to kiss his lips, holding the kiss for what felt like forever before they both had to break to breathe. "You got me... so, what are you going to do to me?"
Xander giggles evilly and tackled her to the ground. Within moments, Kitty was laughing again and her laughter echoed down the halls.
*****
Five months had passes since he had arrived and Xander stared in the mirror at himself, his hair down to past his shoulders and his face covered by a full beard.
"Shave it all off."
Xander shook his head.
"Can’t I keep part of it? I like it."
Kitty stomped her foot and then sighed.
"Fine.. you can keep the mustache and goatee... that’s all."
Xander grinned and kissed her.
"Well, thank you... you’re a nice girlfriend."
The moment he said it he knew he had just crossed a line. He saw the look of shock on Kitty’s face and realized that maybe she didn’t feel the same.
"I’m.. I’m sorry.. I.. I shouldn’t have.. you’re.. you’re not ready. I understand."
Kitty spun Xander around and grabbed his face.
"I’m ready.. Xander. It’s ok. I want to be your girlfriend."
She leaned in and kissed him. Xander closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her.
*I love you...*
He smiled to himself... hoping he would be able to say the words soon... but didn’t know that she had heard him, and couldn’t see the grin that crossed Kitty’s face as they broke the kiss.
She turned her head and, from behind mental shields...
*I love you too, Xander.*
*****
It had been almost a year since he had arrived and Xander felt like he was home. He had a sense of prestige among the older students. He had a few of the younger students looking at him as if he were a god. He also had Kitty... and that made him the luckiest guy in the world... until the day it all fell apart...
*****
Xander ran across the pavement, jumping over the cracks that appeared. He had to get across... he had to save her.
Magneto had attacked and in the battle, Kitty had been captured and drugged... only with a few others students. They had been taken to a warehouse on the pier and demands had been placed. The Professor had gathered his X-men and had denied Xander from coming... but that didn’t stop him. He had stolen one of the jets and had gone after them, arriving just in time to see the jet crash after being blasted by Magneto.
Xander aimed the jet into a dive and then ejected. He wasn’t wearing a parachute, for he didn’t need one. He focused his mind within the force and turned himself into a missile, aimed at the old man himself.
*Your ass is mine, old man!*
Magneto turned to Xander, as if hearing him, and raised his hands. Blasts of magnetic energy hit Xander but he shot through them. He was only meters away from pounding into the man when everything changed. Magneto motioned to his right and Sabertooth appeared with Kitty in his hands. she was still unconscious and her neck was between Sabertooth’s claws.
*God.. no!*
Magneto nodded and Sabertooth snapped his claws together, breaking Kitty’s neck. In that moment, something inside Xander snapped and power like he had never felt before surged through him.
"NO!!!!"
Xander exploded into Magneto, knocking him into the ground. He pulled out his lightsaber and then dove at Sabertooth. The beast dropped Kitty’s lifeless body and charged. Xander, fully blind with rage, slashed into Sabertooth with an insane fury that made everyone fighting stop to stare in shock.
Xander slashed and slashed, his attacks sending the blade of the lightsaber cascading across and through Sabertooth’s skin... severing first his right hand... then his left arm at the elbow... then his right leg at the knee, followed closely by his left... until all that was left were cauterized stumps.
Sabertooth lay on the ground, already unconscious from the pain. Xander was about to do the killing strike when he heard someone screaming.
"Xander!! No!!"
He brought the lightsaber down and slammed it through Sabertooth’s shoulder... missing the heart by a few inches, for someone had pushed it aside. He turned toward the group, his eyes fully insane, and growled.
"WHO!"
He waited for an answer he knew probably wouldn’t come. He knew none of them had the power to do that except for one or two people. As he waited, he felt Magneto behind him. Without looking, he flung out with the Force and picked Magneto off the ground.
As he floated into the air, his armor began to compact in on itself. Magneto gasped for air and tried to reverse the process... only managing to slow it to a crawl.
Xander scanned the crowd, looking for the one who did it and spotted a terrified look on Jean‘s face. He reached out and grasped her neck with the Force, making a claw-like shape with his hand.
"You stopped me... that was stupid. He killed Kitty... now he has to die!"
Jean gasped and clawed at her throat, trying to remove fingers that weren’t there. She was beginning to turn blue and was about to pass out when everything suddenly stopped as a glowing figure appeared.
"Good... good boy... I can feel for anger, your hate... you are so close to becoming what you were meant to be... my apprentice."
Xander turned toward the sound and looked into the face of... The Emperor. He was walking toward the group, his body encased in a red aura.
"Your hate is something inspiring... so much power within you... so much like my Vader... but more so."
Xander shook his head. He didn’t want to listen. He knew he wasn’t evil... but he wanted to kill everything. His light... his love was gone... and everything else didn’t matter.
"Kill the woman... finish what you started... and join me!"
Xander shut his eyes and shook his head.
"Shut up!"
He threw his hand to the side and Jean went flying, landing 20 feet away... gasping for air. Xander turned to The Emperor and glared at him.
"You’re not real... you’re dead."
The Emperor laughed evilly and moved closer.
"Do you really think, boy, that anyone could kill me?"
Xander shook his head and screamed.
"Leave me alone!"
He pulled up his lightsaber and dove at the ghost before him... only to be blasted by Force Lightning.
"You choose to not serve me... then child, you die."
Xander writhed on the ground as the lightning crawled over his body. The pain was excruciating but somehow he managed to keep hold of consciousness. He reached out with the Force and grabbed onto the mass that was all that was left of Sabertooth... and threw it at The Emperor. The two bodies met and the explosion of light knocked Xander unconscious...
*****
Xander awoke hours later and found himself inside a small 6 by 6 room. There was no visible door and the walls were padded. He stared at the room and shook his head. He then looked down at himself and discovered that everything he was wearing had been taken for him.
"Let me out!"
Nothing... there was silence. Xander paced across the short room and back... over and over... until a small panel appeared in the west wall. The face of The Professor appeared behind a pane of what looked like bulletproof glass.
"Have you calmed yourself, Xander?"
Xander glared at the man and frowned.
"Let me out! Now!"
The Professor shook his head.
"You are falling to the darkness, Xander. I made a promise to someone that I wouldn’t let that happen. You are therefore going to stay in there until you calm down. Food will be brought to you... if it comes to that."
The panel closed and Xander screamed and began ripping at the walls with his hands and the Force, shredding the padding...
*****
Three days had passed and Xander was still enraged. The sounds of his screams echoed down the halls of the lower sub-levels. It wasn’t until the screams had stopped that they became worried.
Jean and Scott had come when the guards had called and now stared at the door. Jean rubbed her neck and winced, remembering.
"He’s broken, Scott, I felt it when he had me. His mind has shattered... he loved her that much."
Scott growled.
"He’s an animal! He tried to kill you!"
Jean looked into his eyes and sighed.
"Tell me you wouldn’t feel the same if it had been me."
Scott dropped his head at that and nodded.
"I would have killed... to return the pain they had caused."
Jean nodded.
"So you can understand then how he must feel... to loose the one person you loved. He is shattered inside, Scott... and no one can get close enough to him to repair the damage.
Scott stared at her and swallowed.
"If you could... could you?"
Jean gasped. She wasn’t expecting that response.
"Maybe... I don’t know. How... what did you have in mind?"
Scott took a breath and explained...
*****
Xander stalked the room, glaring at the shredded walls. He had clawed down to the metal underneath a good 12 inches of padding and had managed to dent the metal inward another 3 inches before his fingers began leaving bloody streaks on the metal. He had stopped, giving his body a chance to heal, when the mist came... and with it, darkness.
*****
As Xander slept, the door opened and in walked Scott and Jean.
"Do whatever you need. If he starts to wake up, I’ll inject the sedative into him."
Jean nodded and began her meditation. Within minutes, she was inside Xander’s mind...
*****
The scene before her was a shattered wasteland. A large house stood in the center, its second floor having collapsed inward on itself. Jean walked over to it and gasped at what she saw.
In the center of the ruined house stood a statue... of Kitty. She looked like a Goddess... only the statue was broken, its head spun around 180 degrees... and at its base sat Xander. He was huddled in on himself and was rocking back and forth.
"Xander?"
Xander cringed at the sound of the voice and began whispering.
"She’s gone... all gone... all gone... all gone... all gone..."
Jean frowned and walked over to him.
"I’m sorry... I’m so sorry, Xander."
She pulled him into her arms and he began to cry.
"Let it out, sweetie... let it all out."
Jean held him as he cried... hoping that this was helping.
*****
After what felt like hours, Jean lowered a sleeping Xander to the ground... then stood and began exploring. She discovered the remains of a few cells and saw that they were almost empty.
One held a hive of bees... but the hive appeared shattered, for the room was a pile of rubble and the bees appeared stunned.
/Help... him.... all... broken./
Jean gasped and backed away.
*Dear lord... this is his mind... no wonder he is insane.*
She moved on and discovered an old man sitting next to what looked like Eternity itself. As she neared the man, he turned and spoke.
"Xander is in pain... and he is blocking me. I cannot reach him. You must do so... before it is too late."
With that said, the man faded away. Jean gaped in shock and turned to move on when she heard growling behind her. She spun around and came face to face with a feral Xander who looked her up and down and then began laughing like a hyena.
"Fresh meat... another to kill..."
Hyena Xander growled and launched himself at Jean. Jean screamed and threw up her hands, forming a cage around him.
"No!... Must kill!... Mate dead!!"
Hyena Xander screamed and began attacking the cage... bending the bars until they snapped. Jean stared on in horror, knowing she only had moments left.
"Xander... listen to me... you must stop..."
Hyena Xander glared at her and growled. Jean shook her head and tried again.
"Stop now! Do you really think Kitty would want you to be like this? Do you think she could love you like this!"
This made Hyena Xander pause. His mind, lost inside the rage, was suddenly confused.
"MATE DEAD!"
Jean nodded.
"I know, sweetie, I know... but killing everyone won’t bring her back. It will only make her hate you."
Tears began to form in Hyena Xander’s eyes as he slowly slumped to the ground.
"...mate dead."
The cage rippled away and Jean walked over to hug the feral Xander.
"I know... I know... but everything will be ok. You’ll see her again someday..."
It was then that someone new spoke.
"No... we won’t, not for a very long time."
Jean and Hyena Xander looked up and say a new Xander, dressed in shimmering armor. Jean gaped at him and blinked in shock. Hyena Xander cringed and pushed himself against Jean’s chest.
"Glowing man... power... much power."
Jean looked down at the Xander in her arms and then up at the Xander who was drawing nearer.
"Who are you?"
The new Xander smiled.
"I am the Xander who is to come. I am the Xander who knows he will live for many many years... decades... centuries... millennia even."
He stopped next to them and crouched down.
"I am the essence that is Xander, freed now by what has happened. I am Xander’s Quickening... and I am what he will one day become."
He looked at Hyena Xander and sighed.
"Leave this to me... the time has come for this one to come home."
Hyena Xander turned in shock and stared at him.
"You want mergence?"
Immortal Xander nodded and opened his arms.
Hyena Xander turned back to Jean and kissed her cheek.
"Thank you."
He then climbed to his feet and ran toward and into the other Xander... the two of them merging into one being.
"He’ll be ok now. We still feel the pain... but that will pass in time, something we have in abundance."
He turned to look at the Xander by the statue and frowned.
"One left to deal with."
He turned to Jean and helped her to her feet.
"You can go now... or stay and observe... if you need to."
Jean stared in shock and nodded.
"I’ll observe..."
Xander nodded and walked to the statue. Once there, he crouched down and placed his arms around the rocking Xander. Slowly... they became a tower of white light which faded slowly to reveal only one Xander.
Jean stared, confused, and frowned.
"You didn’t speak to him... why?"
Xander turned to her and shook his head.
"That part of us is unable to deal. It will be years before he is ready... so until then, we will let him mourn in peace. The rest of us will handle everything until then."
He stood and stretched. The landscape around them was changing, repairing itself. The process was slow... but you could see a definite change. Jean watched in wonder, knowing that she was seeing Xander’s mind fixing itself. Suddenly, the sound of a million bees was heard and the swarm she had seen early arrived.
/Repairs have begun... we wish report./
Xander nodded and opened his arms to the bees. They flew into him, one by one, disappearing inside him. As the entire hive entered him, Xander looked more and more stable. His expression hardened and he began to give off and aura of centeredness unlike anything Jean had ever seen.
"All is complete... for now."
Xander turned to Jean.
"You need to go now."
Jean nodded and faded away, leaving behind a completely new Xander.
*****
Xander opened his eyes and looked up into the faces of Scott, Jean, and The Professor. He stared at them as his mind adjusted to everything.
"She’s dead."
The Professor nodded.
"Sabertooth?"
The Professor frowned.
"Dead as well."
Xander winced. He had taken a life.
"Magneto?"
Scott leaned forward a little.
"In a coma... in the infirmary."
Xander sighed. At least it hadn’t been two lives.
"I have to go now."
He sat up and climbed to his feet.
"I have no right being here... not anymore. It’s time I move on."
The Professor nodded, knowing that he was probably right.
"You have a home here... if you need it."
Xander turned to the old man and shook his head.
"You know that is not true. They feared me before... now they will fear me and hate me. I have to leave."
He stared them in the eyes and frowned.
"I would like the sword, knife, lightsaber, and the clothing I was wearing when I arrived please."
He looked at his empty wrist and shook his head.
"I also want my bracer. I don’t know how you got it off... but I want it back now."
Scott nodded and went to get Xander’s things... returning a few minutes later with everything. Xander placed the bracer back on his wrist and then tightened it using the force so that it would never be able to be taken off ever again. He then motioned for them to leave as he got changed.
Once dressed, Xander stepped out into the hallway and adjusted his stilsuit. He looked at the others and sighed.
"I need to go one place before I leave."
They nodded and followed him as he made his way upstairs to Kitty’s room. Inside, he gathered a few pieces of her clothing and some of her perfume. He then took a picture of the two of them together from off her nightstand and placed everything into a backpack from her closet.
"You can send the rest to her family. I... I want these to remember her."
The Professor nodded.
"We’re sorry for your loss, Xander. You loved her a great deal and I know she loved you the same."
Xander nodded and turned around.
"I’m leaving now. I hope you will not tell anyone of how I leave, I know that someone might try to follow me someday."
They nodded and watched as Xander concentrated and made a glowing doorway appear. The other side was a swirling mass of dark mist that slowly formed into...
Xander nodded goodbye at them and stepped into the doorway, not looking at the setting... not noticing the man who was waiting for him on the other side...
*****
Xander stepped through the doorway and into the waiting hands of a man in his forties. Xander jerked back in shock and began fighting back, punching and kicking for all his worth.
"Calm down.. calm down.. you’re not being attacked!"
Xander backed away into a wall and realized the man wasn’t touching him. He looked around in shock and didn’t know where he was. The room he was in was all white with a couch in the center. He could see the remains of a few drinks on tables surrounding the couch and what looked like a cigarette butt.
"Where am I?"
The man smiled and motioned for Xander to sit.
"Nowhere... cause technically this place doesn't exist. I found it a long time ago and decided to keep it... in case I ever needed to use it. It’s a safe place. No one can find us here or even detect us magically."
Xander walked over to the couch and joined the man on it.
"Why did you bring me here?"
The man grinned.
"Because.. after 50 years, I finally found someone else who could travel... and I wanted to meet you. The name is Harry Livingston, Captain in her majesties Royal Air Corps."
Xander stared in shock and blinked.
"Xander Harris... from Sunnydale, California."
Harry grinned.
"An American... smashing. Never met one of you before."
He held out his hand and Xander shook it, noticing a similar bracer on the man’s wrist. Harry saw Xander staring at the bracer and smiled.
"Aye.. I met those alien beasties as well. They found me when my plane exploded back in the war. Would have been as crispy as a crisp if they hadn’t grabbed me with their twinkly lights."
Xander gaped in shock and swallowed.
"What year was it when you left?"
Harry grinned. "1942."
Xander blinked. "How older were you?"
Harry frowned a little, not understanding where this was going. "I was 28... and before you ask... I’m..." He paused. He should be almost 80 years old now but he felt and looked barely 40. "Oh bugger..."
Xander nodded.
"I think something is happening to us. I’ve been traveling for only a year, year and a half now.. maybe longer... but I don’t look like I have aged any. You said you had been doing this for 50 years and you look... 40 or so. I think these things won’t let us age."
He didn’t want to tell Harry that his own excuse for not aging was because he was Immortal. He knew Harry wasn’t.. so it had to be the bracers.
"Oh bugger it all. I thought I would one day just get old and die.. but this bleedin thing won’t let me, will it?"
Xander shook his head.
"Don’t think so. You might just want to find someplace nice and stay there awhile... if you’re tired of traveling. What kind of places do you like?"
Harry smiled.
"I can do you one better. Why don’t we exchange information. I hear them tell me once that if we put our bangles together they can trade planet locations... you get mine and I get yours. That way.. I see where you’ve been and you see where I’ve been. Then we both might get some new planets to visit. You up for it?"
Xander nodded and held out his arm. Harry touched his bracer to Xander’s and they both watched as the information was exchanged. When it was finished, they both compared notes.
"Wow.. you haven’t been to many planets, have you? Hmm.. never been to this one... Tatooine. What is it like?"
Xander smiled. "It’s a desert planet... two suns. The gate opens in a town called Mos Eisley. There are adobe houses and lots of nice and interesting places to visit. If you go to the right and then left after a ways you will find a nice bar. Lots of strange creatures inside.. but the drinks are good and the atmosphere is fun. Don’t get anyone mad at you though."
Harry nodded and smiled.
"Sound like my kind of place. I might check it out."
Xander smiled and checked out his new planets. He recognized many of them as places he wanted to visit.. then saw one he didn’t recognize.
"What is this one? DBZ... I don’t understand. What does it mean?"
Harry laughed.
"That’s my own little code for it. Strange place.. people with powers and they fly around and shoot lights out of their hands.. and this green guy in a turban.. it was all pretty weird, but they were nice."
Xander nodded. It sounded like something he had seen on tv once.
*DBZ... that sounds so familiar.*
"Did anyone ever show you or mention shiny gold balls with stars on them?"
Harry nodded. "Aye.. that they did. Called them Dragonballs."
Xander smiled. "I know the place now. Thanks.. I think I will go there sometime."
Harry grinned and slapped Xander on the arm. "Well.. maybe we’ll run into each other again. Have fun boy."
With that said, he opened his doorway and disappeared. Xander watched him leave then opened his own and stepped through... and found himself on the edge of a platform staring down at the earth far below him.
*Wow.. this place really IS high up.*
He turned around and smiled at the short fat green man who was approaching.
"Welcome to Kame’s... how can I help you, stranger?"
Xander grinned and bowed.
"Greetings, I would like to use your Hyperbolic Time Chamber... please."
The green man blinked in shock and began to twitch.
"It isn’t something to play with, you will be all alone in there and time runs differently. One day here is many years there. Are you sure you wish to do this?"
Xander nodded.
"I need to practice and I don’t have time to spend years out here doing it. I hope you don’t mind me using it for a day."
The man frowned then shook his head.
"That’s fine. It’s not needed for another few days still. Follow me please."
The green man turned and led Xander inside and up to a large set of tower doors.
"Inside you will find food and drink and a place to sleep. You may leave whenever you wish, just speak out to me and I will open the door... or else the door will stay closed for one full day here, then I will open it and you must then leave. Do you understand?"
Xander nodded.
The green man sighed and opened the doors. "Then enter."
Xander smiled and walked inside, the doors closing behind him. "This should be fun..."
*****
Xander rotated in mid-jump, his body flexing as he fought imaginary enemies, and landed on a platform over 100 feet from where he started. He grinned and paused to catch his breath.
"Never... jumped... that... far... before..."
He had been inside the chamber for almost two years now and his skills had advanced exponentially. His strength was three times what it was when he entered and his speed and agility were both doubled.
Xander jumped down and floated to the ground as gentle as a leaf. It was another skill he had discovered while training. He could control the speed at which he fell.
*No more falling on my ass...*
Xander laughed as his feet touched the ground. He walked over to the large couch that had mysteriously appeared one day and sat down.
"Ok.. checklist time..."
It was a ritual he did every month or so.
"Speed... a hell of a lot faster. Haven’t seen any improvements in it for close to three months so I guess its as fast as I’ll get. Guess I’m done with that."
Xander made an imaginary check mark and then giggled.
"Ok... agility. Well.. I can bounce around so fast I doubt anything could touch me now.. so I guess that’s done too."
Xander smiled as he checked off another skill.
"Hmm... strength... well, I’m very strong. I probably couldn’t beat Buffy..."
Buffy... it was still painful, even after almost 4 years, to even think about her.
*I wonder how she and Willow are... I wonder if they are even still alive.*
Xander shook his head and continued.
"Ok.. got speed, agility, and strength. Now for my Force training. I got the jumping thing down.. and the floating thing. I can lift pretty much anything I want... but there’s no one here to do the mind trick on... but I think I already had that down pretty good before I got in here."
Xander stood and popped his neck.
"Now... still can’t do Force Lightning... but I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to do that.. so skip that for now. Looks like I probably have everything done."
Xander walked over to a large mirror and looked at himself. His body had gone through a miraculous change. Gone was the weak looking puny boy. In its place was a buff powerful man. Xander admired his muscled body and smiled.
"I look like one of those bodybuilders that hung out at the gym."
He looked at his hair.. long now, it hung a quarter of the way down his back. He had left it alone.. not sure how to cut it without making it look like crap... but he had been keeping his facial hair trimmed.
*Kitty liked it short... Kitty...*
A tear dropped from his eye as he remembered.
"Ok.. you promised yourself no more crying.. so cheer up."
Xander examined his face in the mirror. He was sporting a nice goatee and mustache, the combo making him look dark and mysterious.
"Call me cryptic guy number 2."
He laughed... comparing himself to Angel.
*Oh god.. I’m getting too weird even for me. I had better leave soon.*
He looked down at himself and grinned.
"I guess I’m done. Time to go home, maybe... but maybe one more stop first..."
Xander turned and walked back to the doors.
"Hey.. you out there! I’m ready to leave now!"
The doors opened and the green man appeared.
"Are you still sane?"
Xander grinned and laughed.
"Yeah.. I’m fine."
As he walked past the green man, he heard him gasp.
"My word.. you have bulked up amazingly. You must have been training very hard."
Xander stepped outside and nodded.
"Yeah.. it was great. What do I owe you?"
The green man smiled and shook his head.
"No charge... just all a part of my duty."
Xander smiled warmly and bowed.
"Then I thank you.. and I am pleased to let you know that you have aided the Lost Warrior and you will be remembered most fondly..."
The green man blinked in shock.
*He’s the Lost Warrior?!*
"Oh my.. I’m Mr. Po Po... and its an honor."
Xander nodded and grinned.
"Well.. need to be going now, Mr. Po Po. Thank you again for the use of your chamber."
Xander turned and opened the doorway, heading for his last stop before going home. The doorway formed and he stepped through...
*****
Xander walked down the road and looked all around in wonder. It was everything he had imagined. There were people of every shape and size milling about and every now and then he could see flashes of light as a mage used magic on or for someone.
Xander stopped a man near him and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Excuse me... where can I find the University of Magic?"
The man looked Xander over and shivered.
*Too powerful... don’t even think it Edmund.*
"Take the road to the crossroads. Take the right road and follow it to a T.. then go left... and then walk about 4 blocks. You’ll see a white castle. That is the University."
Xander nodded and pulled a silver coin out of his pocket. He flipped it to the man as he walked away.
"Thank you."
As Xander walked away, Edmund smiled and bit the coin... seeing it was real silver.
*Must have been a Lord. I did good by not attacking him... and maybe I can get more if I follow him.*
He grabbed his things and moved to follow.
*****
Xander approached the castle and walked through the gates. Inside, he was stopped by a severe looking woman.
"State your business."
Xander smiled.
"I need a mage... preferably an Enchanter... to make some special armor for me."
The woman looked at Xander and nodded.
"Third floor... take the stairs at the end of the hall and then go to the waiting room. Someone will help you there."
Xander nodded and followed her directions. Within a few minutes, he was in the waiting room and was shocked to see the same woman waiting for him.
"State your business."
Xander blinked.
"Didn’t I just tell you?"
The woman sighed and frowned.
"My sister.... now, what do you want?"
Xander smiled. "I need an Enchanter to make some armor for me."
The woman nodded. "Wait here..."
She opened a drawer and pulled out a scroll. She then recited it and it disappeared. A few minutes later, a young man arrived.
"You need an Enchanter?"
Xander nodded.
"Can you make what I am wearing into armor... then add some mithril to it?"
The young man looked at Xander then walked over. He felt the stilsuit and smiled.
"This has much power already in it. It will make very powerful armor indeed."
He smiled.
"500 gold...and I will make you armor like no one has ever seen. I’ll even attach the mithril in such a way so that it can never be removed."
Xander smiled. He had been keening gold the entire time since arriving.
"Deal. Half now.. the other half when you finish."
The young man grinned widely. *I would have done it for 300.*
"Wonderful... follow me please." He turned and lead Xander to another room. Xander handed over half the amount and then stripped off the stilsuit. As he watched, the young mage began his work.
*****
An hour later, Xander was back in his stilsuit. It was beautiful. The black of the stilsuit was now a glimmering black so dark it seemed to suck in light... and overlaid on it was a purplish-silver mithril.
"It’s beautiful... thank you."
The young mage looked up from counting his gold and smiled. "You’re welcome. I was surprised by how well it took the spell. You now have armor that is probably strong enough to protect you from everything up to the blast of a Dragon. My best work yet..."
Xander grinned. "I hope I never have to face one... but it is good to know."
He turned to leave and then stopped. He pulled out another 200 gold coins and handed them to the man. "I wasn’t here... understand."
The young mage stared at the gold in shock and nodded. "No one has been here all day."
Xander nodded and then left the room. Once in the hallway, he felt someone behind him. Reacting on instinct, Xander lifted the person and slammed them into the wall. Turning around, he was shocked to see the man from earlier... and he was holding Xander’s lightsaber.
"That doesn’t belong to you."
Xander pulled it from the man’s hands and placed it back on his belt.
"You should run... and stop stealing... or else I might do something to make you cry in your sleep for the rest of your life."
Xander dropped the man and he ran away in terror, a yellow trail following him. Xander shook his head and sighed.
"Time to go home."
He focused on home and opened the doorway. He was aiming for just outside the Bronze and was pleased to see that he had good aim. He took one last look around and stepped through...
*****
Dawn stared at her sister as she danced with Riley.
*There she goes again... trying to get into his pants while still on the dance floor. God, Buffy can be such a slut at times.*
Dawn took a sip of her soda and looked over at Willow and Tara. They were snuggled up close together and had pretty much forgotten she was even there.
*This is boring. I’m going home.*
Dawn stood and walked outside. She checked her purse to make sure she had a cross and a stake and then began walking toward home. She made it about 15 feet, when three of Glory’s minions jumped out of the shadows and grabbed her.
"Her gloriousness wishes to speak to you. You will come with me."
Dawn pulled against their grasp but couldn’t get away. She was in the process of screaming for help when something appeared behind the third minion. It looked like a glowing portal of white light and there was something... or someone inside it, moving her way...
*****
Xander stepped through the doorway and as he was about to emerge out the other side, he head someone scream for help. The doorway had opened right behind a young girl being attacked by three demons. Xander jumped through and landed a jump kick against the closest demon, knocking it to the ground. He then launched himself into the attack...
*****
Dawn watched in awe as a man emerged from the portal and jump kicked the demon in front of her unconscious; knocking her to the ground as well. As she watched, he pulled out a strange looking dagger and stabbed it into the stomach of the demon on left. She cringed as its guts were cut open only moments before the man sliced its throat, pushing it to the ground.
*Oh my god!!*
She watched as he flipped the dagger into the air and in one fluid motion, pulled out a long sword. He then sliced the final demon in half, then turned and caught the dagger as it fell back down into his hands.
All of which happened in under a minute...
*****
Xander cleaned his crysknife and then slid it back into its pouch. He then cleaned his sword and returned it to his sheath. He looked down at the girl and extended his hand to her. "Are you ok?"
*****
Dawn looked up at him and gasped in shock. He was gorgeous! His long black hair and his deep chocolate eyes. The dark mysterious look his goatee and mustache gave him. His body.. oh God his body! *Oh god...*
She looked at the hand extended toward her and was about to take it when the man was suddenly gone...
*****
Inside the Bronze, Buffy heard a scream and ran outside. She saw Dawn sitting on the ground and there was some man standing over her, his hand reaching toward her. With a growl, she launched herself at him and jumped on his back; pounding her fists into his head over and over... the two of them falling to the ground with her sitting on his back...
*****
Dawn stared in horror as her sister began punching the guy in the head. She was about to yell at her to stop when something amazing happened...
*****
Xander felt the blows and tried to throw the thing on his back off... but for some reason he couldn’t. He dove into the Force and summoned every ounce of strength he could muster. With a yell, he focused his strength and the Force and blasted the thing off... throwing it across the alley.
He stood and spun around, blinded by the blood pouring into his eyes from a gash on his forehead, and reached out with the Force to pin the thing to the wall. Xander then turned in the direction the thought the girl was.
"It’s not safe here... run, I’ll hold that thing long enough for you to get away..."
*****
Dawn stared at the guy in shock. He was bleeding and was alive after being attacked by the Slayer... and he was still worried about her.
*That is so sweet.*
She heard him tell her to run and she knew she had better humor him... cause it was obvious that he didn’t know who she was or who Buffy was. Dawn got to her feet and ran inside the Bronze.
*****
Xander heard footsteps running away and he moved in the direction he knew to be the way back to the main roads. He held the thing in place until he was far enough away, then ran away... disappearing into the shadows...
*****
Buffy, having been blasted across the alley, watched the man run away and then felt whatever had been holding her suddenly vanish. She started to go after him when she saw Dawn emerge from the Bronze.
"Buffy... stop!"
Buffy turned to Dawn and glared at her. Dawn shook her head and moved closer.
"He wasn’t attacking me! He saved me, you idiot!"
Buffy looked at the ground around her and saw the dead bodies of two of Glory’s minions. Dawn, who had moved closer, continued.
"He killed them for me! He wasn’t going to hurt me! YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!!"
She then turned and stormed off back into the Bronze, leaving a confused Buffy behind. She turned to go back in the Bronze and came face to face with a scared Willow.
"What is it?"
Willow swallowed and looked in the direction the man had disappeared.
"He looked like Xander..."
Buffy gasped in shock and then replayed the fight in her mind. The man’s hair was longer and his body was... well, amazing... but when she thought about it... he did look a little like Xander.
"Oh god.. we had better go get Giles."
*****
Giles moved another book into the bookcase and sighed. He had liked the bookcase he had had before... but it was now splinters in the corner of the room.
*Bloody Gavmon Demons...*
As he picked up the next book, a piece of paper fell out and onto the floor. He bent over to pick it up and blinked in shock as he read it.
"The Lost Warrior... I had forgotten all about that. I thought I had lost this... I wonder..."
Just then... Buffy, Riley, Willow, Dawn and Tara stormed into the room. Buffy ran over to Giles and grabbed his arms, turning him around.
"We think we saw Xander... tonight... outside the Bronze."
Dawn moved closer to Giles and glared at Buffy.
"He saved me from three of Glory’s guys and was trying to help me up when Slayer girl over there jumped on his back and tried to crack open his head to get to the chewy center."
Buffy stared at Dawn and was going to respond but decided against it when she saw the look on her face. Giles sat down and removed his glasses. As he did so, the paper fell out of his hands. Buffy noticed it and picked it up.
"What’s this?"
She read the paper, her eyes widening in shock, and then began to frown.
"Who is this guy? How come you never mentioned him before?"
The others moved closer to read the note and then all looked at Giles.
"It wasn’t important. We didn’t have any major evil here when I discovered it and then I lost it soon after that."
Giles stood and placed his glassed back on his face.
"You said you think it is Xander. How do you know?"
Willow frowned. "I would recognize him, no matter how much he has changed. I’ve known him all my life."
Giles nodded. "Well... it’s late and Dawn has school in the morning. You all go home and we can meet to talk about this tomorrow. I will research on locating Xander, if it was Xander, and if it wasn’t... I will look for anyone matching the description you gave of this man."
Buffy nodded and turned to Dawn.
"I need to talk to the others privately for a minute. Can you wait just outside for a little bit?"
Dawn frowned.
"I’m not a baby, Buffy."
She then turned and stormed to the door, opened it, and stepped outside...
*****
Xander slowed his walking and rubbed his head.
*Man... that thing hits hard. Hey guys! Anything broken in there?*
/No... no damage was taken. What you are experiencing is the sensation that comes after multiple blows to the head. Your brain was... jiggled... a little bit. You will be fine in a few minutes./
Xander smiled.
*Thanks guys.*
He turned the corner and paused to look at his reflection in the window of a store next to him. He could see a smear of blood on his head... but no gash.
*Did you guys do that?*
/No... your own healing abilities did that. It closed itself before we were able to even begin./
Xander nodded.
*I’m like Duncan... I really hope he’s still alive. I hope my taking those bullets for him gave him time to get the other guy’s head. Maybe I can go look for him someday.*
Xander shook his head and continued on, turning the corner onto the street that he lived... and found his house was empty. He walked up and inside and found nothing. The place was completely deserted.
*Shit... everything is gone. I sure hope all my good stuff is still in the basement.*
Xander ran downstairs and threw open the basement door. Inside he found the room empty. With a howl of rage, Xander ran to the wall nearest the spare bathroom and ripped off a section of paneling... revealing a secret stash.
"Thank god."
Xander reached into the secret nook and pulled out his things... a box of first edition comic books, a video tape stole from his dad’s secret library, a stack of his favorite magazines, and a box of Twinkies.
"Oh god I hope these are still good."
Xander dropped everything on the floor and ripped open the Twinkies. He shoved one into his mouth and felt his eyes roll back in his head.
"Mmmmmmmmmm... oh god, you have got to love the magic of preservatives."
Xander sat there and proceeded to eat every one of the Twinkies before he stood and surveyed his stuff.
"I don’t really need any of this... not anymore. It’s just not important."
He picked everything up and placed it all back where he found it, then turned and walked back upstairs.
*I need to talk to someone... maybe Giles.*
He walked outside and headed toward Giles’s place...
*****
Within minutes, Xander had arrived at Giles’s. He walked into the courtyard and was surprised to see the same girl from before waiting outside Giles’s door. He walked closer and cleared his throat. The girl turned around and gasped in shock...
*****
Dawn stared in the window at the others and frowned.
*They never let me know anything.*
Just then, she heard someone clear their throat and she turned to see... him. Dawn gasped in shock and felt her jaw drop.
"It’s you! Are you ok?"
Xander nodded and moved a little closer.
"I’m fine... I heal fast."
He looked around and then looked a little confused.
"Not to be rude and all but why are you here?"
Dawn smiled. "I’m here because they told me to wait outside."
Xander frowned. "They told you... oh, I guess they’re more on the ball than they used to be. Kidnapping innocent people now to question them... shit."
Xander saw the girl blink and he winced. "Sorry... you’re too young. Umm, forget I said that. You heard... sheesh... yeah, that’s right... you didn’t hear me say shit. Oh shit, I said it again! Oh..."
Xander slammed his hand over his mouth and looked on as the girl fell into a fit of giggles. From behind his hand, Xander continued talking. (muffled) "You know what I mean."
Dawn nodded, smiling. "Yes... I know. My name’s Dawn. I really wanted to thank you for saving me earlier... and what was that thing you jumped out of?"
Xander flinched. "The thing... do they know about it yet?"
Dawn shook her head. "No... they didn’t ask me... so I didn’t tell them."
Xander sighed in relief. "Thank god. Don’t want them knowing about it... yet."
He looked at Dawn and saw her looking at him as if waiting for something. He smiled and remembered. "Oh... sorry... forgot."
He paused and then smiled warmly at her. As he started speaking, he didn’t notice the door begin to open. "Nice to meet you, Dawn. My name is Xander."
*****
Buffy grabbed Riley’s hand and said goodnight to Giles. She then opened the door to leave and heard something she never expected to ever hear again.
"Nice to meet you, Dawn. My name is Xander."
Buffy threw open the door and came face to face with a startled Xander. "Xander?"
Xander, shocked to see her again, backed away and then ran off down the path, disappearing into the night... ignoring the voice that yelled after him...
*****
Buffy saw the look of terror in Xander’s eyes and then, as he ran away, called out after him.
"No! Xander stop... wait! Don’t go!!"
She started to go after him but felt someone holding her back. She looked down at her arm and saw Riley trying to hold her in place.
"Let me go... I have to stop him!"
Buffy yanked her arm free and turned to Willow... who looked like she was about to cry.
"Take Dawn home... I’ll call you if... when I find him."
Willow nodded and Buffy raced off after Xander...
*****
As Xander ran down the road, he mentally berated himself.
*God... even after all this time I still can’t face her. I’m such a loser.*
He ran down the road, using a touch of the Force to speed himself up... knowing Buffy would probably chase after him. He reached the playground just as he heard steps coming up behind him.
*Shit... need high ground!*
Xander saw what looked like a new jungle gym and channeled the Force. With a leap, he jumped on toward it... landing on top of it, making a 30-foot jump across and an 8-foot jump up. He then spun around to face Buffy...
*****
Buffy ran as fast as she could and soon caught up with Xander.
*My god... he’s running fast... how?*
They were approaching the playground and she saw Xander do something he had never done before... it looked like he flew... a good 30 feet... to land on top of the jungle gym. He then spun around and stared at her.
"Stop right there... Buffy."
Buffy stopped... her feet suddenly heavy.
*What the hell?*
She looked up at Xander and frowned, confused.
"Xander... is that you?"
Xander nodded.
"Yes, Buffy, its me."
Tears began to form in her eyes as she looked at him.
"We thought... for so long we thought you were dead."
Xander smirked at that.
"Been there... done that... forgot to buy the t-shirt."
He saw the look forming on Buffy’s face and quickly added something.
"Don’t worry, Buff... I’m not a vamp."
He could see her visibly relax and decided to up things a little.
"You promise not to kill me if I let you come closer?"
Buffy nodded. Xander nodded slowly and motioned her forward... then jumped down, performing a backflip in mid air... to land right in front of her.
Buffy gaped at Xander.
*What happened to him and where did he learn to do that?*
She looked him up and down and felt something inside her twist a little. Images of what his new body must look... naked... suddenly passed through her mind and she shivered.
*Down girl... you have a boyfriend... remember?*
Buffy swallowed and looked Xander in the eye.
*God... he looks older than me... much older now. What the hell happened?*
"Where were you?"
Xander looked at Buffy and nodded. He had decided to spill... pretty much everything.
*I had better or she might decide that I have gone all evil and then feel the need to stake me.*
"I’ve been... to a lot of places. It’s kinda a long story, Buff... do you want to talk here or someplace less vamp-friendly?"
Buffy smiled and nodded.
"I’m taking you home, young man, and no buts from you about it."
Xander smirked and nodded.
"Yes ma’am."
Buffy giggled and then took Xander’s hand. A little jolt of electricity passed through her and she shivered again. Shaking it off, she looked at Xander and then lead him back to her house...
*****
As they walked up her steps, the doors opened to reveal Mrs. Summers. She had a look of worry of her face and she was almost crying when she saw her daughter bringing someone home she never thought she would see again.
"Xander..."
She moved forward and wrapped Xander in a hug. Xander smiled and hugged her back.
"Hi Mrs. Summers... I missed you too."
Joyce pulled back and ruffled Xander’s... long hair... and then took his other hand.
"Come inside... you look too thin... I’m going to fix you something to eat..."
She continued to babble on as she pulled Xander into the house. Xander turned to Buffy and smiled.
"She’s babbling."
Buffy smirked.
"She has every right. You were like a son to her and she was really sad when... well, when we thought you had died."
They walked into the living room and Xander was bombarded by a blur of red hair that suddenly attached herself to his chest.
"OhgodXanderIwassoworriedthatyouwouldnevercomebacktome..."
Xander blinked in shock and shook his head.
"Whoa... Willow... back it up and slow down. It’s been too long and I can’t understand you anymore."
Willow blushed and nodded.
"Oh god, Xander, I was so worried that you would never ever come back to me and that you would be gone forever and I’m so sorry that we treated you the way we did and told you that you weren’t important and that you didn’t deserve to be there cause you would just get yourself hurt or killed and I’m sorry you left and then died but I’m glad you really didn’t die and I’m babbling again aren’t I?"
Xander smirked and nodded.
"That’s my Willow."
He pulled her into a hug and smiled at the warm feeling that spread through him. He then noticed a blond staring at him with an unusual look in her eyes... a look of jealousy.
"Willow... I think your..."
He paused. He could see and feel the bond between the two of them now.
"... your girlfriend might be getting a little jealous of your hugging me so strongly... and I would like to meet her."
Willow looked up into his eyes in shock and gasped.
"How... how did you know?"
Xander smiled as he looked at the shocked faces in the room.
"New skill I picked up in my travels..."
He got all calm looking and, in his best Obi Wan Kenobi voice continued.
"All things are noticeable to those who dwell within the Force..."
Buffy stared on, confused, but Willow just smiled.
"You got your wish!"
Buffy frowned.
"What wish?"
Willow laughed.
"When Xander and I saw Star Wars... he wished to be a Jedi someday."
Xander nodded.
"Yup... and let me tell you, the old man looks a little different in person."
He felt 12 eyes on him then and heard a mutual...
"WHAT?!"
Xander laughed and sat down.
"It’s all real... every bit of it... and I’ve been there."
He then proceeded to tell them of how he made his way to Tatooine after meeting some aliens and how he got in a fight in the cantina and then meeting the whole group.. and then the rest...
"... and this is his lightsaber."
Riley laughed.
"Nice story... you really can tell a good one, but its all just that, a story. None of it is real."
Xander smirked and stood. He pulled out the lightsaber and ignited it... then watched as they all stared in wonder.
"Wow..."
Xander turned to Dawn and smirked.
"You know... I don’t remember you, kiddo. Want to clue me in on why you’re here?"
He saw a look pass through the group and he frowned.
"What... did I say something wrong?"
*****
"What... did I say something wrong?"
Buffy looked between Xander and Dawn and frowned.
"Xander, she’s Dawn... my little sister."
Xander looked confused.
"You never had a little sister, Buffy. I should know, I spent a lot of time here when you first moved in. You me and Willow had a few sleep-overs and there was never any mention of a little sister. Wait.."
He removed his backpack and dug through it, looking for his wallet.
"Ah.. here we go. See here, in the picture its just the three of us..."
He showed them the photo.
"... but in the one on the table over there, which looks like the same picture, there is the kiddo. Same picture.. but you’re has been changed."
Buffy grabbed the photo and then compared it to the one she had. They didn’t match... completely.
*What’s going on? Why doesn‘t Xander know about her?*
She turned back to look at Dawn and shook her head.
*Can’t go there... can’t... it’ll scare her too much... got to come up with something.*
She sent Xander a look that said "play along" and moved over to Dawn.
"That’s right.. you forgot, Xander, your photo was taken while Dawn was inside getting a soda. She saw us together and wanted a photo too so we held in place."
Seeing the look she sent him, Xander nodded. He was confused but decided to go with it.
"Right... sorry, its been a long time since I was here. Things are a little fuzzy up there sometimes..."
Xander moved to sit down... in thin air... and Willow called out to him in warning, when the strangest thing happened... the chair across the room suddenly slid across the floor and under Xander.
"Oh man.. I’m tired... it’s been a long day."
Xander rubbed his eyes and then looked up at the group. They were staring at him in shock.
"God.. what did I do now?"
Willow, trembling, pointed at the chair.
"How did it move..."
Xander frowned and looked confused... then looked at where he was sitting.
"Oh.. sorry.. I was tired. I needed to sit down. I guess there was no chair here.. correct... well, one moved over here for me. That tends to happen a lot now."
Riley, who had been watching all of this, was growing more and more sure of something.
*He’s an HST.. I just know it... and they are too blind to see it.*
It wasn’t until the chair moved that he knew it.
"You’re the freak that attacked Buffy!"
With a growl, he launched himself at Xander... who was on his feet in an instant... and in a battle stance none of them had ever seen...
*****
The fight took only a matter of seconds. Riley came in with a punch... which Xander blocked and then countered with one of his own... which sent Riley flying across the room. Riley climbed to his feet and threw himself on Xander, grabbing him in a bearhug to try to squeeze him unconsious. Xander grinned and slammed his hands together on either side of Riley’s head, sending him to the ground.
The fight lasted a few seconds before Buffy screamed.
"Enough! Riley.. stop it!"
Riley stared up at her in shock, the ringing in his ears making it hard to hear her.. but he heard her tone and knew that she had taken the new guy’s side.
"What?! You’re taking his side! He’s a freak! He’s the guy who attacked you earlier!"
Buffy shook her head.
"He didn’t attack me... it was defending himself. If anyone attacked anyone it was you. What got into you?"
Riley glared at her and climbed to his feet and before anyone could do anything... clipped Xander in the mouth... cutting his lip open. Within seconds.. tiny bolts of lightning crawled across his lip... healing it completely.
With a grin, Riley smirked.
"I told you he was a freak."
The others backed away in shock, staring at Xander in a way he knew was coming. He nodded and moved to the door. As he stood at the door, he paused.
"Yes.. I’m not normal... but I’m not a freak. I knew this was a bad idea... just a bad idea."
He opened the door and walked outside... into the darkness.
*****
Inside they all watched Xander leave and just stared in shock. Dawn glared at them and moved toward the door.. making to follow, but was stopped by Buffy. She turned to look her sister in the eyes and frowned.
"You’re letting him go... why.. cause he’s not normal... hello.. those two are witches. They’re not normal and yet you let them stay. What’s the big deal about him.. is it because your neanderthal boyfriend says so."
Dawn shook herself loose and moved to the door.
"He’s our friend... and I don’t care if he were covered in blue fur.. he’s still Xander."
She ran out onto the porch... but Xander was gone.
*****
Xander walked down the road, not really knowing where he was going... and somehow ended up at Giles’s place.
*Better get this done before they show up looking for me.*
He walked up to the door and knocked on it. Within minutes the door opened to reveal Giles, looking very tired.
"Yes.. can I help you?"
Xander smiled. "Hey G-Man... did you miss me?"
Giles’s eyes widened in shock and he backed up. "Good lord... Xander?"
Xander nodded. "In the flesh."
He stepped across the threshold and touched a cross sitting on a nearby table. "Just wanted to ease your mind some... I’m not a vampire."
Giles nodded. "Thank you. Um.. you’re back then, I take it."
Xander nodded. "For now... not sure if I’m staying though. Didn’t get the warm welcome you see in movies."
Xander shook his head. "Well.. don’t have much time. I came to you because I have a question for you."
Giles nodded. "I’ll try to help you if I can."
Xander smiled. "Good. What can you tell me about the Lost Warrior?"
Giles paled and sat down. "How do you know that name?"
Xander smirked. "A friend of mine told me that... he’s me."
Giles’s eyes widened in shock and then he passed out. Xander stared at Giles and smirked. "Might as well raid the fridge..."
He walked over into the kitchen and as he was digging through Giles’s food, he heard him wake up. "I’m in the kitchen... stealing your food."
Giles climbed to his feet and moved to the bar. "Can you repeat what you said before?"
Xander nodded. "I’m the Lost Warrior. Can you tell me about... myself?"
Giles nodded, paler than he was before. "You’re rumored to be the last weapon of good against evil. You are only supposed to arrive when the world is on the brink of destruction... and here you are.. so the world must be going to Hell."
Xander frowned. "God.. maybe I should never have come home then."
Giles shook his head. "No.. no, its a good thing. If you’re here.. then that means Buffy can’t defeat Glory alone."
Xander frowned deeper. "Who is this Glory person?"
Giles sighed and explained... and as Xander listened, he grew angry...
*****
"... and so she wants the Key so she can open a portal home."
Giles nodded.
"That is correct."
Xander nodded slowly.
"So where is the Key? I’ll take it someplace she will never find it."
Giles looked down and shook his head. "The Key is Dawn...."
Xander looked at him in shock. "The kid! The one they all called Buffy’s sister... no way."
Giles blinked. "You’ve spoken with them?"
Xander nodded. "Yeah.. caught up with them and talked some.. they got upset when I got in a fight with her boyfriend and a little quirk of mine got exposed."
Giles frowned. "Quirk?"
Xander nodded and took a fork off of the counter. He then stabbed it into his hand, drawing a deep gash... then pulled out the fork and let Giles watch as the lightning healed him.
Giles gasped and stared in wonder... before he looked up into Xander’s eyes.
"You’re an Immortal?" Xander smirked.
"How did you know?" Giles smiled.
"The Watcher’s Council has a sister organization... that watches Immortals." Xander laughed.
"Well.. I’m glad you handled it better than the others did. they got freaked out by it all and I think Buffy’s going to be hunting me now..."
Giles shook his head. "I’ll explain everything to her when she arrives..."
They heard the door open and turned to see Buffy. "Why don’t you explain it to me now..."
*****
Xander stared at the group as they sat across from him. He had moved to the far corner of the room... near the window.. just in case he had to make an escape... and considering the looks he was getting from Riley, it was probably a good decision.
"... and so they all fight each other and hunt each other down until there is only one left... then he or she wins what they have termed... The Prize... and its all done. No one knows what the prize is.. they all just know they want it. Correct, Xander?"
Xander nodded to Giles.
"From what I was told.. that’s right... but I’ve only been in the game for about a year or so now."
Willow looked at Xander.. then at Giles.
"So he’s not a demon?"
Giles frowned.
"Of course not! Xander is as human as the rest of you."
A sense of ease seemed to pass through all of them... except Riley, who was still angry. Xander looked at Giles and then looked at the clock.
"It’s late, Giles. Do you know where I can find a good place to stay. I’ve been gone to long... I don’t remember where the motels are anymore..."
Dawn looked over at Buffy and gave her a look. Buffy nodded.
"You’re staying with us."
Riley and Xander both turned to look at her in shock. Riley frowned and glared at Xander.
"He’s not staying with you!"
Buffy stood and grabbed Riley by the arm then dragged him into the other room.
"He is coming home with me and you can calm your ass down now or leave!"
Riley glared at her and then stormed out of the room. Buffy watched him go and sighed.
*He’ll calm down... I hope.*
She turned and rejoined the others.
"Xander can stay in the guest room."
She smirked.
"In fact.. lets make it a sleep-over... everyone’s invited.. even you Giles."
Giles smirked and shook his head.
"No thank you."
Buffy laughed and nodded. She turned to Xander.
"So.. you ok with that?"
Xander smirked.
"Gee.. I don’t know.. being in a house... overnight.. with 5 beautiful women... I’m thinking this might turn into a bad thing."
The looks he got then were priceless. He tried to hold a straight face but couldn’t.
"Yeah.. its cool with me."
He grabbed his backpack and slung it on his shoulder. As he did, the cloak he was wearing was removed.. revealing his stilsuit.
"What is that, Xander?"
Xander looked down and smiled.
"Well.. the black outfit is an armor enchanted stilsuit... and the silvery-purple stuff is mithril armor."
The look of shock on their faces was amazing. Giles stood and walked over. He ran his fingers over Xander’s chest, feeling the mithril and just stared in awe. "Where did you find Mithril?"
Xander smirked. "It’s late, Giles. I’ll tell you tomorrow."
He then moved over to the girls and motioned for them to leave... knowing the wait would kill Giles. As they got outside, Buffy smiled and whispered to him.
"You’re evil, Xander... you know that will keep him up all night."
Xander smiled and nodded.
"I know... but I just had to do it."
They laughed and headed to the Summers home.
*****
Xander could hear laughter downstairs. The girls had decided to watch movies and Xander had agreed. He had a few years worth of movies to catch up on and was looking forward to seeing them once he got changed.
Buffy had pulled a box out of her closet when they had arrived and had shocked Xander with what was inside it.
"We each took a box of your things... to remember you."
Xander smiled at her and Willow and nodded. He then had started to get changed... but got lost in his thoughts. He removed his cloak and then the mithril.. and laid them both on the guest bed. It was when he had the stilsuit stripped halfway down his body that the door opened.
He heard a gasp and turned toward the door to see a shocked Buffy.
"You ok, Buff?"
She nodded.
*My god... what happened to him.. he’s huge!*
Xander followed her eyes and smiled.
"I worked out... a lot... and now I’m in pretty good shape."
Buffy nodded.
"You’re hot..."
She then slapped her hand across her mouth, blushed beet red, and ran downstairs. Xander watched her leave and smirked.
*So.. the Buffster finally noticed me...*
He looked at the photo of his Kitty and frowned.
"I miss you..."
*****
The girls were arguing over the movie when Buffy came running down the stairs, her face bright red. Willow saw this and smirked.
"What’s wrong, Buffy, did you see Xander naked?"
Buffy jerked her head toward Willow and blinked. Willow’s eyes widened and she smiled.
"You did! Oh my god! What’s he look like now?"
Tara elbowed her and Willow smiled.
"Hey.. still gay here.. but he’s my friend.. and anyway, I’ve already seen him naked so its ok."
Buffy sat down as Willow talked and shook her head.
"Not naked.. but close.. and god, he’s huge..."
All three girls stared at her and she went even redder.
"Not like that..."
Buffy sighed and shook her head again.
"He’s so muscular... every inch of his chest and back looked rock hard."
She stared off into the space for a moment, remembering, and then shook herself out of it when she heard the gasp from the girls. She turned to look in the direction they were looking and saw him...
Xander had walked down the stairs wearing an old pair of his gym shorts and a tank top... and the combined had a very impressive effect on the female population in the house... as he judged by the looks he was getting...
Tars stared in shock...
*Wow... he’s... no.. no.. I’m gay.. this isn’t happening.. Demi Moore naked... Julia Roberts naked... Catherine Zeta Jones naked... oh.. ok.. better now.*
Willow watched Xander walk down the stairs...
*He’s so hot now...and whoa.. hey.. I’m gay here... no thinking about him like that...*
Buffy stared at the girls and knew what they were thinking.. then turned to Dawn and growled.
"Stop thinking of him like that, Dawn.. you’re too young."
Dawn blushed and looked at her feet. Xander joined them all then and sat down... and noticed none of them would meet his eyes.
"What’s wrong, girls.. too hot for ya?"
The joke was enough to break them out of their haze. They turned to Xander and pummeled him with pillows until he was laughing hard enough to cough.
"No more.. no more.. I abase myself before the tribe and ask its women to forgive their humble servant."
The girls stopped and smiled. They then put in the first movie and sat back to watch.
"Who is that blond guy and why do I have this sudden urge to run..."
Dawn smirked.
"Quiet.. you’ll like Titanic."
*****
The next morning, Xander awoke early and stared around the room in shock.
*Where am I?*
He sat up and saw his armor and weapons lying in a chair next to the bed. It took him a few moments to remember where he was. Xander climbed out of bed and pulled the box that Buffy had given him closer and began looking through it.
*None of this will fit me now... I had better make some changes.*
He then proceeded to pick up items of clothing and then keen them one by one. Then, altering their measurements in his mind... Xander made new clothing appear on the bed next to him.
*Black T-shirt... Black jeans... black boots... black boxers... seeing a trend here. I must have forgotten to pick a color.*
He grabbed his clothes and headed for the bathroom to get a shower... accidentally leaving the bathroom door open...
*****
Buffy woke up smiling. She had been having a very nice dream... about... hmm, that was funny, she couldn’t remember who she was dreaming about. Still smiling, she climbed out of bed and headed for her morning shower. As she entered the hallway, she saw the door ajar and walked right in... her mind not noticing the sound of water running... and came face to face with a very naked Xander.
*Oh my god!!*
Xander had his eyes closed and was washing his long hair, the water cascading over his toned and muscular body. Buffy stared in shock and just stood there... unable to move. It was only when she saw Xander about to open his eyes that she backed away and closed the door.
As she tried to catch her breath outside the door, Willow walked up and smiled at her.
"Morning Buffy... its a great day isn’t it."
Buffy looked Willow in the eyes and then looked back at the closed bathroom door. Willow saw the look and frowned.
"What is it?"
Buffy swallowed and blushed.
"Xander... naked... again..."
*Oh bad mental image.. can’t go there... no way... *
Willow’s eyes widened and she smirked. "Buffy.. if you wanted to see him naked so bad, why didn’t you just ask."
Buffy blushed red and glared at her. "It was an accident, he left the door open..."
Willow snorted. "You didn’t hear the water running... right.."
Buffy paused. Had she hear the water and chose to ignore it? She didn’t know. It was then they heard the water stop and a few minutes later the door opened to reveal Xander... a new buff Xander.
Buffy and Willow both felt their jaws drop as they stared at him. He was a black-clothed god. His t-shirt clung to him in just the right places and his jeans were so tight they looked painted on. As he walked toward them, his muscles rippled enticingly.
"Morning ladies... how are my two favorite women in all the world... after Mrs. Summers of course.. doing this fine morning?"
Buffy stared and swallowed the drool that was forming.
*Oh god... he looks so good...*
Willow blinked a few times and smiled.
*Now I remember why I was in love with him...*
Xander smirked.
*They’ve gone non-verbal.. can I get a woo hoo!*
/Woo Hoo???/
Xander smiled and stifled a laugh. That was the first time the Hive had made a joke. *I’m rubbing off on them...*
"Hello.. earth to the two hot and sexy women before me... come in babes... before I have to do something that would be considered NC-17 to you to snap you out of it..."
Both girls hear his remark and for a moment contemplate the idea... then realization hits and they snap out of it.. and in unison. "XANDER!!"
Xander winced and laughed. "I knew that would wake you up."
Buffy shook her heard and stared at his clothing. "Where did those come from? They weren’t in your box."
Xander smirked. *Time to impress...*
"I made them."
Willow smiled. "How?"
Xander let his eyes go wide and in a low voice he whispered. "It’s magic."
The girls stare at him and then questions come firing at him. "When did you learn magic?"
"What kind of magic do you use?"
"How come you can do magic when you couldn’t before?"
Xander held his hands up and smiled. He thought back to a desert rose he had seen at the siech and though that it would be a good example. "Behold.. my power..."
Xander pictured the rose in his mind... a dusty pale red color with a tinge of peach swirling through the center. He formed the image in his mind and opened his hands. As the girls watched, a shimmer passed across his hands and two roses materialized before them.
"A gift... for my girls."
He handed their roses to them and watched as they examined them.
"Smell them.. they have a unique scent."
The girls looked at each other and sniffed... then smiled.
"God, Xander.. this is amazing. It smells like a mixture of roses and cinnamon."
Xander smirked.
"Melange."
Buffy looked at Xander and frowned.
"What?"
Xander smiled.
"It’s called Melange.. not cinnamon."
As he was talking, Willow stared at the flower in shock and then looked into Xander’s eyes. "You were there?!"
Xander nodded. Willow paled and swallowed. "You didn’t eat any.. did you?"
Xander winced and nodded. "The food was flooded with it... and the sisterhood decided to see if I was a kwizats... which I’m not... but I’m close."
Buffy looked between her friends and pouted. "Hello.. explain please.. this time in English."
Willow turned to Buffy and nodded. "Xander was on Dune."
Buffy smiled. "Like the movie that Xander made me watch back when I first moved here."
Xander nodded.
"One and the same. You remember the mind-altering spice?"
Buffy nodded.
"Well, Buffy.. they overdosed me on it. I’m... different... mentally now."
As Buffy began to ask what the differences were.. something happened that had never happened before... he had a vision of the future...
Xander saw a blond woman standing next to a tower. He saw dozens of people working on it and a platform being built at the top....
As Xander had his vision, Buffy and Willow shook him.. trying to snap him out of it. It was then they noticed his eyes... blue within blue.
Willow gasped and shook her head.
"He’s a Fremen now... but how can he be here and not be in spice addiction."
Buffy, overwhelmed by everything, shook her head and sighed.
"Enough.. lets get Xander back here and then figure out the whys later... ok."
Willow nodded and helped Buffy move Xander into her bedroom... falling onto the bed with him.. with Buffy trapped under him.
*God.. his body feels... oh god.. don't go there...*
As the vision ended, Xander blinked and rolled over... and onto Buffy, his body molding itself against hers perfectly... his face inches from hers.
"Buff... why are you under me... and why is my... oh god."
He looked down at his waist and blushed... then jumped off of her, turning his back on her... trying as hard as he could... to calm down.
*Oh god... she was... and I was.. and she had to have... oh god...*
Buffy stared at Xander and smiled. She looked at Willow and then motioned with her eyes her amazement at Xander’s body. Willow smirked and then nodded.
*God.. wish it had been me...*
Willow blushed then and sat down on the bed next to Buffy and whispered.
"What was it like?"
Buffy smiled and blushed, her blush saying everything. Willow smirked and grinned. Buffy nodded and smiled wider.
"Gee Xander... didn’t know you cared."
They watched as Xander blushed red and stood.
"Not sure what you mean... but anyway.. saw something... big blonde woman.. kinda evil looking but in a good way... standing next to a tower with a platform at the top."
Buffy and Willow looked at each other and nodded. "Glory."
Xander frowned. "Who’s Glory?"
*****
Moments after Xander had his vision, Buffy called Giles and had him come over. They were all in the living room now and listened as Xander retold the vision he had.
"... and there were a couple of those strange little demons I killed when I first got here there running around."
Giles nodded.
"Glory is planning something then. What triggered the vision?"
Xander looked over at the girls and the roses they were still holding and nodded.
"It was probably the Melange that did it."
The word set off an alarm in Giles’s mind and it took him a few seconds before he erupted.
"WHAT!"
Xander winced and turned to Willow.
"Can you let Giles sniff your rose?"
Willow nodded and handed over her rose to Giles. Seeing the roses, Dawn pouted.
"Why do they have roses and we don’t?"
Xander smiled at Dawn.. then Tara and Mrs. Summers.
"Sorry.. I’ll fix things immediately."
As Giles examined the rose, Xander focused his mind and created a rose in pale pink, a rose in a dusky peach, and a pure white with red streaks one... and handed them to each of the remaining women... who stared at him in shock.
Xander stood and gave the pink rose to Mrs. Summers.
"For you... the only woman in my life who I could even consider a mother to me."
As he moved on to Dawn, he could see tears beginning to form in Mrs. Summers’s eyes. He paused in front of a smiling Dawn and handed her the white and red rose.
"For you... kiddo.. the cutest woman in my life."
This remark got him a smile from Dawn and a few dirty looks from Buffy and Willow. Xander smirked and moved on to Tara.
"This one is for you... the newest woman in my life."
He smiled as Tara took the rose and then leaned in a whispered in her ear.
"Don’t know if you know this or not but Willow has a ticklish spot on the back of her neck just a few inches down from her ear... and there is one under her right arm.. and a third behind her left knee. I made a note of it in order to pass the info on to the guy or girl she ended up with. Just thought you might like to know."
He then leaned back and placed a kiss on her cheek. Tara smiled and blushed.
"Thank you.. that will be helpful."
Xander smiled as Willow frowned and growled at him.
"What did you tell her? I know you told her something."
Xander just smirked and then lost his smirk as he came face to face with an angry Giles.
"You have no idea what you have done."
Xander looked Giles in the eyes and let his own eyes grow emotionless... fading back to the moment when he killed Sabertooth. In that instant, Giles paled and backed away.
"I know what I did, Giles... everything I did... and in this instance, the drug was placed in my food. I was on Dune for close to 3 months. In that time, they gave me enough spice to kill me..."
The girls gasped in shock as Xander continued.
"... but for some reason it didn’t... it only changed me. I’m as close to be like Paul as you can get."
He leaned in close to Giles and whispered.
"I got the nosebleed that the sisterhood gets when Paul drinks the water of life."
Giles goes white and falls into his chair.
"Dear lord... that’s impossible."
The imports of what Xander said pass through his mind.
*He really is the Lost Warrior... my god and he was here the whole time...*
Xander looked down at Giles and sighed.
"Are we ok?"
Giles nodded.
"We need to prepare. Do you know when the vision will occur?"
Xander closed his eyes and pondered it.
"Two weeks max... closer to 10 days maybe... but only one way to be sure."
Xander summoned a piece of spice candy in his closed hand and then opened his eyes. He pulled his hand up to his mouth and placed the candy on his tongue. As he swallowed it, he heard Willow scream.
"No!"
Xander chewed the spice and swallowed and then gasped as it took effect.
/You do know what you are doing?/
*Yes.. I need to know.*
/We will protect you./
Xander closed his eyes and then opened them, their color completely blue... and saw...
As the vision hit him... he spoke it aloud...
"We’re at the tower..."
The group stared at him in shock but listened.
"... I can’t see Giles.... no... wait... there you are... Buffy is fighting the blond.... Dawn is missing... I’m looking... I’m looking... oh god no..."
Xander’s vision ended and he fell back onto the floor... unconscious.
"Xander!"
Buffy jumped off the couch and caught Xander moments before he hit the floor. She turned to Willow and Giles and frowned.
"What do we do? What does it all mean?"
Giles took off his glasses and rubbed them.
"I don’t know... we will need to wait till he awakens."
Buffy looked back down at Xander’s still form and a single teardrop fell onto his face... unnoticed by anyone else in the room...
*****
It had been more than a week since Xander had had his vision and he had made himself Dawn’s protector. He watched her day and night and was never from her side for more than a few minutes. In short, he was her shadow... and it was driving her nuts.
"I want to be alone, Xander."
Xander shook his head and leaned over her. They were walking back from the Magic Box and Dawn was glaring at him.
"No can do, Dawnie... you and I both know that we can’t let her have you."
Dawn pouted as they turned the corner and...
"Why... she doesn’t even know I’m the Key..."
... walked into Ben... who jumped back and whispered.
"You’re the Key... oh god no..."
He began to tremble and moan. Xander pushed Dawn behind him and dropped into a fighting stance. As they watched, Ben transformed into Glory before their eyes.
"You have my Key... give it to me!"
Xander growled.
"Not on your life, Bitch!"
Glory screamed and attacked, raining blows upon Xander who tried his hardest to defend himself... blocking most of the blows... but he was failing.
"Run! Get Buffy!"
Dawn turned to run and was knocked out by one of Glory’s minions who had snuck up behind them. He then dragged Dawn away as Glory grinned at Xander.
"You fight almost as good as the Slayer. Who are you?"
Xander blocked a kick and landed one of his own.
"I’m the wrath of God, you hellbitch!"
He focused his mind and blasted Glory across the face with a wash of Force, staggering her back a few feet. Glory’s eyes widened and she growled.
"A Jedi... impossible!"
Xander grinned and nodded.
"And I’m going to kick your ass!"
He yelled a warcry and launched himself at her, his hands... whirling death. Xander managed to land a glancing blow across Glory’s eyebrow, scratching it. She shrieked and backhanded Xander into a brick wall.
"You’re going to pay for that, flesh bag!"
She moved toward his unconscious form, ready to drain him, when something came at her from the darkness. She felt herself being pushed down the alley and turned to see Willow and Tara, their hands joined, casting a spell on her.
"Nevermind, mortals... I have what I wanted, the boy doesn’t matter."
She turned and walked away into the shadows. As soon as she was gone, they ran over to Xander and checked him out.
"His head is bleeding... its.."
As they watched, lightning crawled across the open gash, sealing it. Within moments Xander moaned and opened his eyes.
"Where’s Dawn... did you see her?"
Willow’s eyes widened.
"Dawn! Where is she?!"
Xander sat up and rubbed the back of his head.
"I told her to run. I assumed she got away... but you didn’t see her... oh god, that bitch took her. We have to find her..."
They helped Xander to his feet and then ran off in search of Buffy...
*****
They had searched for hours but had found no sigh of Dawn anywhere. Xander stood off to the side, unable to look any of them in the eyes.
*It’s all my fault... now there is nothing I can do...*
Xander stared into the darkness and felt sorry for himself.
/There is one way.../
Xander jerked and looked to make sure the others didn’t see it.
*What way? How?*
/The feral one... the Hyena... he can track the girl to where she is located./
Xander paled.
*How do I control him?*
/We will help you. We will surround the feral one and bind a part of his power. His senses and tracking skills are all we will allow through. You should be secure./
Xander nodded.
"Sounds like a good idea."
Giles stepped closer to Xander and frowned.
"What is a good idea, Xander? Who are you talking to?"
Xander jumped and spun around. Everyone was looking at him now.
"Huh.. oh.. um.. nothing.. um, Giles.. can I talk to you for a second... alone?"
Giles nodded and walked a few paces away with Xander. Xander looked back to make sure the others hadn’t followed and began.
"Do you remember when I was possessed by the Hyena Spirit?"
Giles nodded.
"Yes.. why do you ask?"
Xander looked back at the others and sighed.
"I still have a part of it inside me."
Giles grew pale but didn’t speak. Xander continued.
"I am going to tap into it and see if I can track Dawn to wherever she is. I wanted to tell someone in case something goes wrong. I want you to have Buffy knock me unconscious if I lose control. Can you do that?"
Giles nodded.
"I will do as you ask. Be careful."
Xander nodded. He closed his eyes and focused his mind on the place where he kept the Hyena. In his mind he saw it.. was gone.
*Where is it?*
Xander looked around and saw someone standing off to the side.
*Who are you?*
The being smiled.
*I am what once was a multitude of people. The hyena is a part of me... as is your Quickening.. and something else. We know what you want to do and we will aid you.*
He stepped forward and reached out his hand.
*Merge with us and become complete...*
Xander blinked in shock and was afraid... but he knew he needed to do this in order to save Dawn. He nodded and stepped forward, his arms open... welcoming.
The two men walked toward each other and into each other... merging into one being.
*I feel... different now.*
He could feel the part of him that was the Hyena... it was in his mind, but it was leashed. There was a part of him that loved Kitty with all his heart... but he was emotionally fragile and was curled up into a tiny ball... and then there was a third part of himself that was where his knowledge of Immortality and his swordfighting skills lived... his quickening. He knew he could tap into any of them now... and he knew what he had to do.
Xander opened his eyes and began sniffing the air. He could smell many people... but none of them was Dawn.
"She’s not here... going back.. follow me..."
Xander turned and ran off into the darkness... headed for the place where they were attacked. As he neared it, he could hear Buffy and the others yelling after him... but he ignored it. He was beginning to smell Dawn now... and that was all he cared about.
He reached the spot and dropped to the ground, hunched over... sniffing the air.
*Trail is cold... but I can still smell her... that way.*
He launched himself down the alley and ran down it... following the trail he clearly saw in his mind...
*****
Buffy watched as Xander ran off into the darkness... and he seemed different.
*Why does this feel familiar?*
As they moved to follow Xander, she turned to Riley, who had just arrived, and smiled.
"Any word?"
Riley shook his head.
"I asked Graham and he is searching. He will notify me if they find her."
Buffy nodded and then ran with the others after Xander. Riley frowned and moved up next to Buffy.
"What’s going on?"
Buffy shrugged.
"I don’t know.. Xander went all weird and ran off saying something about Dawn not being here.. then he said to follow him... so we are."
Riley frowned further.
*The freak knows something...*
"I need to check in. I’ll catch up with you."
Buffy nodded and then ran off with the others. Riley watched her go and then pulled out his cell phone. He hit speed dial and waited.
"Finn here... track Xander Harris, last seen headed toward Pine and Third. I believe he might be an HST, Graham."
Riley turned off the cell phone and grinned... then ran off into the darkness.
*****
Buffy caught up with the others just as they arrived at the scene where it all happened. She looked around and couldn’t see Xander anywhere.
"Now where did he go?"
They all looked around and a few minutes passed before Giles noticed a scuffmark leading off down the alley. It looked like some kind of wild animal track.. the kind made when they jump after a prey.
*Must be Xander... he must have her scent.*
"That way."
He pointed down the alley and started off in that direction... the others following him.
*****
Xander ran into the clearing and paused to sniff the air.
*Someone is here... hiding.*
He looked around and growled. Three commandos emerged from the shadows, their blasters up and ready.
"Freeze!"
Xander growled and moved away. They fired their blasters and Xander moved to defend himself. As he moved, time seemed to slow. He watched the energy as it flew toward him and he reacted out of instinct. He reached out and grabbed the energy and pooled it into a ball between his hands. He then twirled his hands and fired it back at the commandos... blasting them with their own weapons.
Time returned to normal and Xander saw all three of them being blasted to the ground. A smile crossed his face and he ran off into the trees... headed toward a tall house on the cliff.
*****
Giles followed the trail Xander left and slowed as he reached a clearing outside town... and he gasped in shock at what he found. "What is it Giles?"
They came to a halt behind him and stared at the scene before them. They commandos were on the ground, unconscious, and smoke was wafting up from their bodies. "What happened?"
Giles examined the ground and sighed. "I believe they tried to attack Xander."
Willow blinked in shock. "Xander did this... how?"
Giles shrugged. "I don’t know... but he did it and then ran off to the north."
They took one last look at the commandos then moved after Xander into the woods...
*****
Xander jumped up the cliff and gaped at what he found. In the courtyard of the manor was the tower... and at the base he could see Glory and Dawn... and Dawn was being taken to the top of the tower. Xander growled and ran toward them.
*****
"Take her up there and secure her... the priest will begin the ceremony in a few moments."
The minion nodded and did as Glory commanded. He pushed Dawn up the stairs. Glory watched them leave and then felt something coming toward her. She turned and was blindsided by a blur of dark black.
*****
Xander propelled himself at Glory.
*Only one chance to so this... got to make it count.*
He pulled out his crysknife and tucked it in close to his body, the point sticking out. As he raced toward her, he focused himself within the Force and was soon traveling faster than he ever could before.
He flew into Glory and as she turned to look at him, He shoved the crysknife into her chest... and then let go, letting his momentum carry him beyond her before he slowed himself and came to a halt.
*****
Glory felt the blur hit her and then felt a stab of pain in her chest. She looked down and saw a strange dagger sticking out of her chest.
*What the...*
She ripped it out and turned toward Xander... who was grinning at her.
"Let’s dance, bitch!"
*****
As they neared the manor, Buffy heard the sounds of fighting and ran ahead. She saw a large tower and two people fighting at the bottom... and one of them was Xander, the other was... Glory.
*Shit! He’s trying to fight her one on one!*
She ran toward them... hoping it wasn’t too late...
*****
Xander pulled out his sword and began. He was a fury of blows that did little to harm her.. but shredded her clothing and scratched her in many places.
*Got to stop her... got to hold her until Buffy comes...*
He tried attack after attack... but Glory blocked them all... and in the process, she had landed many punches and kicks... and soon Xander was feeling like he wouldn’t last much longer... that is until Buffy arrived.
She appeared like a blond angel out of the darkness.
"Hold on Xander!"
Glory turned her head and gave Xander the opening he needed. He dove forward and sliced down at her shoulder... somehow managing to cut into the skin... cutting deep enough to make Glory’s left arm go numb.
"Take her, Buffy.. she cant use her left arm."
He threw Buffy his sword and then turned to the tower. He could see Dawn at the top and there was a man standing in front of her.
*Hold on... I’m coming...*
Xander dove into the Force and force jumped up the tower in three jumps, landing behind the man... who had begun slicing into Dawn’s stomach.
"Let her go now!"
The man turned and grinned.
"Why should I? You can’t kill me."
Xander grinned and pulled out his lightsaber and ignited it.
"Oh yes I can."
He ran forward and sliced the man in half... half falling off the tower to the left, the rest falling to the right.
Xander turned off the lightsaber and ran to Dawn. He could see the blood and watched as the portal was opening around them.
*Oh god... no time.*
He untied Dawn and ripped his shirt.. forming bandages. He pressed them against her stomach and watched in horror as they quickly became soaked in blood. He then felt Dawn trying to move toward the edge of the tower.
*What is she... oh god no..*
"No.. no Dawn."
Dawn turned, tears in her eyes, and tried to pull away.
"I have to go.. only my blood will close it."
Xander looked at her... then looked at the bracer on his wrist.
*Will it work?*
/You need her blood inside you... a complete infusion./
Xander turned Dawn and looked into her eyes.
"Dawn.. sweetie.. no. There’s another way."
He saw a jagged piece of metal standing up near them and reaching over to it, he sliced his hand wide open on it. As he did, he heard Dawn scream in horror.
"Dawnie.. help me.. "
He was trying to hold the wound open.
"Sweetie.. take the bandage, quickly, and pour your blood into the gash... hurry!"
Dawn grabbed the blood-soaked cloth and squeezed it over Xander’s hand and watched as it vanished into the gash. Xander let go of the gash and watched as it closed.
"Now run.. please... and know that hopefully everything will be ok."
Xander leaned in and kissed Dawn on the cheek... then pushed her in the direction of the stairs. As he watched her run away, he turned and walked to the end of the platform. As he walked, he focused on what he had to do.
*Where is it.. what percentage?*
/10 percent... 15 percent.... 25... 40... stable at 60 percent./
*Is that enough?*
/Yes./
Xander nodded... he knew what he had to do...
*****
Down below, Buffy was holding her own against Glory when suddenly Glory flinched and stumbled. Buffy looked around and saw Willow and Tara had joined her and were chanting something. Buffy saw this as her opurtunity and stabbed Xander’s sword through Glory’s chest... then watched as she reverted back to Ben... who then fell to the ground.
It was then that she heard the scream and looked up. She could see someone running down the stairs and another person walking toward the edge of the tower. She also saw the portal was wide open and things were coming out of it.
*God no!*
She moved to run up the stairs when there was a scream from above...
*****
Xander stepped to the edge of the platform and looked at his bracer.
*Can’t close it... but maybe I can do something else...*
He raised it high and focused on using its energy to bring the portal together... focus its energy back in on itself.. and maybe if not close it... then make it harmless.
He let out a scream as a beam of light shot out of the bracer and into the portal. Moments later, lightning bolts exploded out of the portal and into Xander... one, two, three, five... over and over until there were so many it was impossible to count. Pain radiated through Xander’s body but he didn’t quit.. he just screamed in agony as he worked on stopping the portal... and he felt something, shift.
****
Giles looked up at Xander, the lightning hitting him over and over and over.
*Dear God.. no... please God no.. the boy can’t take it...*
****
Seattle - Duncan McLeod's dojo
Lightning crashed outside and shook the whole building. Duncan moved to the window and heard a voice behind him.
"What is it? Something is going on... I can feel it."
Duncan turned to Amanda and nodded.
"I feel it too... but I don’t know what."
Suddenly, the window shattered and they heard a scream... a scream on someone in terrible agony.
"God.. that sound... where is it coming from?"
Duncan shook his head and winced.
"I think it’s Xander... and something is killing him..."
*****
Outside the Xavier Institute
Scott hopped out of the car and noticed the strange purple-green cloud in the sky. Lightning crashed and she rushed to open Jean’s door before the rain started. When he reached her door and opened it, he gasped in horror as Jean tumbled out of the car. She was crying and holding her head.
"Jean! What’s wrong?"
Jean moaned and screamed.
"Oh god... it's Xander! He’s in pain... oh god the pain!! Make it stop.. oh god.. somebody make it stop!!"
Scott stared in shock and then screamed for help.. running toward the front doors...
*****
San Francisco - Halliwell Manor
Leo stepped down the from the stepladder and smiled.
"That should do it.. all it was was a loose wire..."
He stopped speaking suddenly as he turned and fell to the floor, his body curling into a ball as he writhed in pain. Piper screamed for the others before moved to her husband’s side.
"Leo!"
The others ran into the room and say Leo writhing on the ground. As he lay there, he screamed in agony.
"Oh god... help him... oh god... somebody please help him... oh god the pain... he’s in so much pain!!!!!"
Leo then opened his eyes.. but all he could see was the young man being struck by bolt after bolt of lightning...
*****
Xander writhed and jerked like a kernel of popcorn as the lightning fried his body. He knew it was almost finished and that the portal was almost ready...
*One.... second... more...*
He felt it happen. The dimensions merged and the force of the mergence threw hi off the tower. As he fell, the lightning continued to cascade over his body.. but by that time... he was already dead.
His body fell from the sky and landed in a broken heap on the ground... landing on a pile of broken steel beams.
Buffy screamed and ran toward Xander and found him impaled on three spikes. She carefully pulled him off the spikes and placed him on the ground. As tears fell from her eyes, she pulled him to her chest and shook.
"Wake up Xander... please wake up... please..."
*****
It had been a while since earlier that night and Xander’s body refused to move. Buffy stared down at him on the couch, too tired to cry anymore, and just waited. She knew if she waited long enough that Xander would wake up.
They had gathered around him after he fell from the tower. They knew he was dead but with him being an Immortal... they knew he would wake up in a little while... but when he didn’t come back to life, they began to worry.
"Why isn’t he waking up?"
They had moved Xander’s body to Giles’s house and were all standing around waiting. Giles ran his fingers over Xander’s skin and shrugged.
"His body appears to be repaired... but who can say what his mind is like. He was in enough pain to... well, I’m surprised he didn’t vaporize completely. You have to understand that the energy in lightning is 1.21 Gigawatts. Xander was struck by so many that I lost count. We have no idea what kind of damage it did to him. We will just have to wait... and hope."
*****
Duncan listened to the ringing on the phone and waited for someone to answer.
"Joe Dawson... it’s your dime."
Duncan looked out the window and swallowed.
"Joe.. its Mac. Something has happened recently. Do you know what I am talking about?"
Duncan heard a click and knew that Joe had made the line secure.
"Yes.. strange clouds in the sky... lightning with no rain... and a scream."
Duncan paled.
"It was Xander... the pre I told you about a year or so ago.. the young man who saved my life. Can you tell me where it happened?"
He heard Joe breathing and waited.
"Sunnydale, California. Mac... be careful. A lot of weird shit has gone down recently. In the last 4 hours we have had reports come in about Immortals we never ever heard of. Whatever happened there... just be careful, and if the kid is alive... then take good care of him before someone decides they want his head."
Duncan nodded.
"I’m on my way."
He hung up the phone and turned around. Amanda was staring at him.
"Feel up to visiting Xander?"
Amanda smiled and nodded.
"I’ll get dressed... and you can pack for us."
Duncan laughed and nodded then began packing.
*I hope you’re in one piece, Xander... cause I know you couldn’t have survived those bullet wounds from last time... so you must be one of us now... and whatever you did... you had better be there when I arrive...*
*****
Leo opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. His vision was fuzzy and as it cleared he saw his wife looking down at him, tears streaming down her face.
"Hey... it’s over now."
Piper wiped her eyes and smiled.
"What happened?"
Leo sat up and shook his head.
"A young man.. about 18 or so... being struck by bolt after bolt of lightning... yet he didn’t die. His pain... oh god his pain... it was beyond anything I’ve ever felt. I need to know more."
He turned to Piper and smiled.
"I’ll be back soon."
He then orbed out, disappearing in a swirl of white light.
*****
They had exploded out of the building, moving in what looked like slow motion to Scott as they came to his scream and were now all gathered around Jean... who was unconscious and had been for quite some time..
"Professor... Jean said it was Xander... and he was being killed and in a lot of pain. That was hours ago... why won‘t she wake up?"
The Professor glided next to Jean and sighed.
"I know, I was linked with Cerebro when it happened. I felt everything, but luckily I was shielded... Jean was not. I believe she will awaken soon. As for Xander, something strange has happened. Xander told us that he is not from this dimension... and yet we felt him... which means only one thing... something, or someone, has merged his dimension with our own... and I believe it might have been Xander himself... and in the process, I think it might have killed him... possibly beyond his own means to return."
Wolverine growled.
"That the guy who killed Sabertooth and almost got Magneto? The guy who was in love with Kitty?"
Scott nodded.
"It broke him when she was killed... and I wonder if he is with her now."
Wolverine shook his head.
"I smelled his room when I got back. The kid’s got power... nothing will hold him down for long."
He turned to the Professor.
"Do you know if he’s alive yet?"
The Professor closed his eyes and searched... finding nothing... until there was a flash and he gasped.
"He’s alive. I must speak with him. Logan, prepare a jet for me and join me please. We are going to Sunnydale, California."
Wolverine nodded and ran off to prepare the jet...
*****
Dawn looked down at Xander’s body and frowned.
*You saved me... but why won’t you wake up?*
She bent down and kissed him... a quick peck... and then ran away to cry... never noticing the small glint of light that sparkled on his lips before it disappeared.
The others had turned away, assured that something had gone wrong and that Xander wasn’t coming back. They didn’t see the kiss... or the light... or the fact that Xander’s fingers were twitching.
Xander gasped for air and screamed. The group spun around, shock and joy on their faces, and ran to him... only to see him roll off the couch and curl into a tight ball.
"Xander... Xander... are you ok?"
Buffy reached out to touch Xander’s shoulder and he began to whimper and shake.
"Xander??"
Giles stepped forward and restrained Buffy.
"His mind might be confused. Give him a few minutes..."
*****
It was all too loud... and his mind remembered the pain... oh god the pain.... and it was too much to handle. Xander had retreated inside himself and had closed off everything, trying to block away the pain.
*Make it stop... please make it stop...*
As he rocked in a tiny ball he felt someone behind him. A soft hand touched his shoulder and he cringed.
"Shhh.... it’s ok, baby, it‘s ok... it’s going to be ok..."
Xander opened his eyes and turned his head toward the voice and gasped in shock.
"Kitty?"
His beloved Kitty was standing before him, perfect, as beautiful as she had been the last time he had seen her.
"But you’re dead..."
Kitty frowned.
"I know, sweetheart, I know... but a part of me lives in you.. and I will always be with you. You will understand this, someday, and you will love again. For now.. I want you to focus your mind on getting better. Help is coming. We will be together again someday but until then... I will be waiting..."
With that said, she faded away.
"No... no Kitty... don’t.. leave..."
Xander began to cry and went back to rocking... trying to block out everything... doing anything to stop the pain...
*****
The jet landed in a large clearing and disappeared from sight. A gangway was lowered and out came Wolverine and The Professor. They had come alone... knowing the others might be too much for the people of Sunnydale to handle.
"Can you track him, Logan?"
Wolverine sniffed the air and shook his head.
"Need to wait until I get in town."
The Professor nodded and they headed out. It only took them a few minutes to reach buildings and within seconds, Wolverine had a trace.
"He was here... earlier... about 6 hours ago... the trail is a little faint... but I think I can track him."
The Professor nodded and motioned for Wolverine to take the lead. Wolverine sniffed the air and took off down the street. He was following Xander’s trail when it suddenly changed. The trail went off into the woods and yet at the same time.. there was a smaller trail going into a nearby building.
"The trail splits... one goes off into the woods... the other goes in that house."
The Professor nodded and looked at the house.
"We will try there first."
They moved toward the door and knocked... waiting and hoping Xander was inside.
*****
Giles stared down at Xander’s huddled form and shook his head.
*The poor boy may be insane... but we won’t know until he snaps out of it.*
Just then there was a knock on the door.
*Who the devil would be here at this time of night... in this town?*
He walked over to the door and opened it. Standing in his courtyard was a muscular, hairy man and a bald man in a... floating wheelchair?
"Can I help you?"
The bald man nodded.
"Is there an Xander Harris here?"
A gasp came from the room as everyone ran to the door. Buffy, her eyes red, stared at them and frowned.
"How do you know Xander?"
Wolverine glared at the girl and frowned. Something had been bothering him ever since they arrived and he smelled something... and whatever it was, it was getting closer.
"Professor... something is coming... I can smell it."
Buffy’s eyes widened as a couple of vampires suddenly attacked the strangers. She jumped to help when suddenly metal claws exploded out of the hairy man’s hands. He was growling and protecting the man in the wheelchair.
"Take off their heads... its one of the ways to kill them."
Wolverine looked at the girl and nodded. He dove at the first vampire and slashed at it with his claws... decapitating it in seconds... then watched as it turned to dust.
*What the...*
He then watched as the little blond took out the other two very quickly with a wooden stake.
"What were those things?"
Buffy turned to the man and was about to answer when the bald man beat her to it.
"I believe they were vampires... from what Xander told me they are quite nasty."
Giles moved outside and held out a cross.
"If you would, please, touch the cross for me."
The Professor and Wolverine looked at each other and then reached out to touch the cross... neither of them afraid or burnt by it. Giles nodded and motioned for them to walk into his home.
Inside, the others watched at the two strangers entered... the hairy one scanning the room like he was expecting an attack.
"Thank you. I am Professor Charles Xavier... and this is Wolverine. We are here to find Xander Harris. Is he here?"
Wolverine sniffed the air and then walked around... and finally found a young man curled up in a ball on the floor.
"Prof.. he’s over here."
The Professor floated over to Wolverine and frowned.
"What happened to him?"
Giles walked over and explained everything. The Professor listened and nodded.
"I see. I believe I can help. Wolverine.. please place Xander back on the couch."
Wolverine nodded and picked Xander up. Everyone watching gasped when they noticed that Xander’s didn’t flinch from Wolverine’s touch. He then placed Xander on the couch and crouched down next to him.
The Professor moved closer and closed his eyes. He then reached out and touched Xander’s mind...
*****
Charles stepped into Xander’s mind and looked around. There were walls everywhere for as far as he could see. Xander had been very busy...
"Xander... can you hear me?"
A faint whimper came from the distance and Charles smiled. He concentrated and teleported himself there. When he arrived, he saw Xander curled up on the ground, pain radiating off him.
"Xander... if you can hear me, let me know."
Xander listed his head and moaned. His eyes focused on the person next to him and he reached out a hand.
"Professor...."
Charles took Xander’s hand and was bombarded by pain such as he had never felt before.
*Dear lord... what happened to you boy...*
He immediately went to work drawing out Xander’s pain... removing it and forcing it away. With the pain gone, he watched as Xander’s healing ability went to work repairing Xander’s mind. Slowly, the walls began to fade away and with them... Xander began to uncurl some.
"Good... send the pain away, Xander. Focus on me... you can do it... be strong for me..."
As he watched, the landscape of Xander’s mind returned to that of what it was the last time he was here. As everything settled, Xander looked into the Professor’s eyes and lunged for him, wrapping him in a hug.
"It hurt so much... oh god... it hurt."
Charles comforted the boy who was so like a son to him and nodded.
"I know... but its all gone now... you’re ok."
Xander leaned back and nodded then stepped away.
"Thank you...."
With that said, everything began to waver as Xander awakened...
*****
Xander opened his eyes and blinked. He was lying on Giles’s couch and there were a lot of people staring down at him. He tried to sit up and as he brushed his arm against the couch, he winced.
"Ow!"
He looked down at his left wrist and gasped in shock. The bracer was completely destroyed and its cracked remains were fused into his arm... the surrounding skin a mass of scar tissue.
*Man... guess I’m stuck here.*
He looked at the people watching him and smiled.
"So.. did I save the world?"
The room exploded in laughter as people moved in to hug him. Giles removed his glasses and smiled.
"Yes, Xander, you saved the world."
Just then, Dawn entered from the other room and when she saw Xander... she ran and leapt onto him, clamping him in a hug so tight it almost bruised his ribs.
"You’re ok... you’re ok... you’re ok..."
Xander smoothed her hair and nodded.
"Yeah... I’m fine... a little crispy here and there, and my clothes are fried... but otherwise I’m ok... thanks to you."
Dawn moved back and blinked in shock.
"Me... why?"
Xander smiled.
"I needed your blood to get rid of the portal."
Everyone stared at him... wanting an explanation.
"Dawn’s blood opened the portal... so it was her blood that would close it... but she would die doing it... so I took her blood, with some help from Dawn... and used my bracer to overload the portal instead. The bracer has a link to dimensional travel built into it so I worked through that and through a little quantum mechanics I was able to take each dimension and alter their vibrational rate enough to merge them all into our dimension."
Willow stared at Xander in shock.
*When did he get so smart?*
"Xander... how do you know these thing?"
Xander smiled.
"All a part of my travels... I’m a hell of a lot smarter now."
He turned to the Professor and smiled.
"Thanks for getting me out of there."
He then noticed the hairy man and smiled. There was something about him that felt almost like family.
"Hi.. I’m Xander."
Wolverine nodded.
"Wolverine."
Wolverine sniffed at Xander a few times and then leaned closer to him and whispered.
"They know you got Hyena in you, kid?"
Xander just smiled.
"I have good friends."
Wolverine nodded and grinned.
"Me too..."
He then stepped back and nodded to the Professor.
"The kid’s fine, Prof... we should head back home now and make sure everything is ok. No telling what or who we will have waiting for us."
The Professor nodded.
"Yes... you’re right."
He turned to Xander and smiled.
"You know what we talked about before... the offer is still open."
Xander nodded.
"I know... and I might take you up on it... later... and thanks again."
The Professor nodded and moved to the door.
"Goodnight..."
They watched the two men leave and then turned to Xander.
"Hey.. I have weird friends... you should know that by now."
He then smiled and yawned.
"I’m tired... saving the world takes a lot of out of a man."
He smirked at the ladies present and grinned evilly... then laughed at their groan.
*****
The next morning, Xander stepped outside and sat on the Summers’ front porch as he sipped a cup of coffee. They had all come back here after his friends had left and Xander was glad to get some sleep... not to mention the breakfast he knew Mrs. Summers would be making in an hour.
*Well... Glory is dead... Dawn is safe... the universe is seriously confused right now... and all is right with the world. What do I do now? My bracer is destroyed so I’m stuck here. I can’t go anywhere... but maybe...*
He heard the door open behind him and turned to see who it was. He smiled at Buffy and then blinked at what she was wearing. She was dressed in a long t-shirt that looked like one of his.
"Hey... Buff... you trying to get arrested for indecent exposure... or are you just trying to give me a heart attack?"
Buffy blushed and smiled.
"Mom said to tell you breakfast is ready."
She then smiled and rushed back inside. Xander watched her go and grinned.
*Buffy was flirting with me... wow... never saw that coming.*
He stood and walked back inside... wondering what this day would bring...
*****
Duncan woke earlier than usual to the sound of Amanda singing in the shower. He smiled and moved over to the phone. He dialed the number Joe had given him and hoped they had found Xander.
"Hello?"
Duncan took a breath and nodded to himself.
"Hello... may I speak to..."
He looked at the name and nodded.
"... a Mr. Andrew Walsh?"
The man on the other end was silent for a moment before he answered.
"Speaking... and who am I speaking to?"
Duncan smiled.
"Duncan McLeod. Joe Dawson told me you could help me track down a friend of mine here in Sunnydale."
There was a pause and then the man replied.
"What’s his name?"
Duncan stiffened and frowned.
"Xander Harris. He would be have involved with something big and unusual recently."
Duncan heard keys typed into a keyboard and then the voice was back.
"He is currently at the home of a Joyce Summers. We didn’t know he was an Immortal until last night... hell, we had no idea what even went on last night until reports came in of new Immortals. We managed to get someone on him about 5 hours ago."
Duncan released the breath he didn’t even know he was holding and smiled.
"Thank you. I will be taking him as my student, if he agrees. I figure this will help you with your files. Consider it a thanks for the information."
Andrew laughed.
"Thanks.. I’m entering it in right now. Felicia, that’s Xander’s Watcher’s name, will be notified shortly... as will your Watcher. Here is the address for Xander‘s location."
Duncan laughed and wrote down the address.
"Good to know... and thank you."
He hung up the phone and turned around to see a smirking Amanda staring at him... naked and stunning.
"So.. you planning on getting me breakfast or do you want to track down laughing boy first?"
Duncan grinned.
"I had something else in mind..."
With a laugh, he pulled her into bed and breakfast was soon forgotten.
*****
Leo walked up the stairs into the audience chamber and stepped before the elders.
"What’s going on? Who is the young man I saw and what happened last night?"
Elder Evans stepped forward.
"The young man is named Alexander Lavelle Harris. He is a pawn of prophecy and last night he sealed a multi-dimensional breach."
Leo’s eyes opened in shock.
"How?!"
The Elders smiled.
"He believed he was using alien technology. We let him believe that... for his mind is not ready, yet, to know the truth."
Leo frowned.
"Which is?"
Elder Covington stepped forward.
"Xander.. as he likes to be called... possesses a gift for magic. He had no knowledge of this gift for it has been shielded from his mind. We want to you go to him and invite him to visit your witches. Convince him anyway you can to do so... and then convince them to teach him everything they know. We want him to be able to cast every spell in the Book of Shadows."
Leo gaped in shock.
"But that’s impossible. There are spells that only the Charmed Ones can cast. How do you expect him to learn them all?"
The Elders turned to each other and then nodded.
"Those spells he can skip over... but in exchange, I want you to teach him how to be a whitelighter."
Leo swallowed and nodded. He knew when to agree.
"Fine... I agree. I will go to Xander and tell him everything. When he agrees... then I will tell the girls."
The Elders nodded and then vanished. Leo watched and shivered.
*The girls are going to kill me for this... but we have no choice.*
Leo thought about what they said.
*He’s in the prophecies... which one?*
He orbed to the Grand Library and checked the prophecies and blinked in surprise as what he read.
"The Lost Warrior... a young man named Alexander Harris. He will befriend the Slayer, then be betrayed by her. He will surrender his life and be changed for it. He will risk his life to save another and live only to be struck down by the shadows later. He will arise from death and be Immortal. The rest of his life he will turn the tide of the war between Good and Evil and with his final death... he will become..."
Leo jerked back in shock from the book and shook.
"No way... that’s impossible... that can’t be true."
He turned then and orbed away... too shock to remain.
*****
Xander stared at the women around him and let his mind drift.
*Why did I leave in the first place. This is so much like home for me that I...*
He then remembers what had happened before he left and it all comes flashing back. The angry words... the look of pity in their eyes... and then Buffy telling him that she didn’t want him there anymore.
A frown formed on his face as he remembered and everything that had happened in the last week or so came suddenly flooding back.
*They feel no remorse at all. They didn’t even care.... well, except for Willow... she apologized, but Buffy... she didn’t even act like anything was wrong at all.*
He stared down at his plate and his frown deepened. Willow looked over at Xander and saw him frowning.
"Xander... is something wrong?"
Xander looked up and shook his head.
"No.. nothing is wrong... I just need to do something. Excuse me."
He stood and walked upstairs to the guest room, closing and locking the door once inside.
"She’s not even sorry... she didn’t even notice that it was her who told me to leave in the first place. I’m going to have to talk to her about this..."
As Xander paced, he felt someone watching him. He looked all around the room and then stopped and stared at a sparkle of lights in the corner of the room.
"Whatever you are... I can see you and I want you to show yourself before I kill you."
Leo gasped and dropped the invisibility shield he had been holding.
*Good lord.. he could see me?*
Xander looked at the man who had appeared and growled.
"Who are you and how did you get in here and what do you want?"
Leo swallowed and backed away a few steps.
"My name is Leo and I was sent to talk to you. The people I work for want me to convince you to come stay with me, my wife, and her sisters for a while... and while you are there... you’re supposed to learn magic."
Xander listened to the man and nodded.
"Sorry to disappoint you.. but I can’t do magic. All I can do is a trick some aliens taught me. You have the wrong guy."
Leo shook his head.
"Last night... what you did... they said it wasn’t the alien technology you think you used... it was you, using magic. The technology gave your mind a template upon which to work your magic... but it alone didn’t seal the portal."
Xander blinked and leaned away. He looked down at the fused bracer and shook his head.
*Impossible... I don’t have magic... I can’t...*
/The prophecy that Paul spoke of... it mentioned magic... so this man may be correct. A test perhaps to see?/
*I don’t know anything... what do I do?*
/Ask Willow... she can confirm anything you wish to know from what we have witnessed./
Xander nodded.
"I don’t completely believe you... but I am not dismissing it. Give me your address and if I agree... I will at least some visit you."
Leo nodded and smiled. He wrote down the address of the manor and handed it over to Xander.
"We’ll be waiting.."
He then disappeared in a sparkle of lights. Xander watched and just shook his head.
"Wow... got to learn how to do that."
He then turned and got dressed... wearing a mix of clothing and armor... then headed downstairs to check in with Willow. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, a sharp pain exploded through his head... causing him to cry out in pain. Within seconds, he heard Willow, Buffy, Dawn, Tara and Joyce come running
*****
Duncan turned down the street and pulled into the driveway of the house that matched the address for where Xander was. He and Amanda got out of the car and walked to the door. As they neared it.. they felt the buzz of another Immortal... only there was an intensity to it that startled them.
"Whoever that is... there is something weird about him."
Duncan nodded, agreeing with Amanda, and then readied his sword. He walked up to the door and knocked on it.
*****
There was a knock on the door and Joyce moved over to answer it. She opened the door and saw a man and a woman waiting outside.
"This isn’t a good time, can you come back later?"
The man looked past Joyce at Xander and shook his head.
"I’m needed here."
He stepped past Joyce and moved over to Xander. As he drew closer, Buffy jumped up and stood between them.
"Whoever you are, you had better get your sorry ass out of here before I kick it into next week."
Duncan smiled at her and walked over to Xander.
"Xander... look at me... look at me and the pain will stop."
Xander looked up and felt the pain go away. His vision cleared and he gasped at what he saw.
"Duncan?"
Duncan nodded and extended his hand to Xander to help him to his feet.
"Welcome to the family... my friend... and thank you for last time. You gave me time to stop him."
Xander grinned and nodded.
"You’re welcome... and remind me never to jump in front of an AK-47 ever again... they really hurt."
Amanda, who was still standing in the doorway, laughed at that and walked forward.
"I could have told you that."
Xander blinked at her and then grinned... before sweeping her up in a hug.
"Amanda... you look great! I missed you!"
Amanda laughed as Xander hugged her and then shook her head at the look of jealousy forming on Duncan’s face.
"I missed you too, laughing boy, and you still owe me what we talked about."
Xander let her go and blushed bright red.
"It was an accident. I didn’t know you were in there... let alone naked at the time."
Amanda laughed.
"True.. but that didn’t excuse you staring at me and drooling the way you did.. and I still think that with all being fair.. I should get to see you as well."
Xander blushed even more and looked at his feet. He would have died of embarrassment if Buffy hadn’t grabbed him and spun him around... an act that severely pissed him off.
"Who are these people and what the hell are they talking about Xander!"
Xander growled at Buffy and shook himself loose.
"They are my friends, Buffy. They care about me and thought the best of me. They let me help them fight. They saw the good in me. They took the time to show me my mistakes and train me to never make them again... unlike someone I know."
The look in his eyes was something Buffy had never seen before. His expression was dark, cold, and angry. It scared her.
"I.. what are you saying..."
Xander smirked.
"What... you don’t remember... well let me refresh your memory. You told me I wasn’t strong enough to help you. You told me I wasn’t good enough to help you. You said I would only get hurt or killed. Then you told me you didn’t want me there anymore. How the hell do you think that made me feel! I tried to kill myself over that! I bet you didn’t know... did you... DID YOU!!"
Buffy cringed momentarily from Xander as he screamed at her.
*No... I didn’t... I couldn’t have... oh god...*
"I’m... I’m sorry... I.. I didn’t know..."
Xander got in her face and growled at her.
"Sorry isn’t good enough, Buffy. It killed me that night! But because if you... I was able to change myself... and I don’t have to stay here any longer. I’m better than your lap dog, Buffy. I am a hero in my own right. I’m in the books of prophecy... and I know of at least one person who wants me. I’m leaving, Buffy... and you can’t stop me."
Xander turned to Duncan and say the look of concern on his face.
"Are you two at the motel just outside town?"
Duncan nodded. Xander pulled out a couple of twenties and placed them in Duncan’s hand.
"Get me a room. I’m going to stay there tonight then I leave in the morning."
Duncan nodded and sighed... then turned and left with Amanda. As they left, Xander turned to Willow and took her hand.
"Come with me, please... you too, Tara."
He then walked upstairs to the guest room and locked the door behind them... leaving a shocked Buffy at the base of the stairs. She watched them go and just stared, tears in her eyes.
*He hates me...*
*****
Inside the room, Xander turns to Willow and Tara and before either of them can speak, he pushed them down onto the bed.
"You’re both witches. You understand magic. Well someone told me what I did last night was magic and I want to know if he was lying. Can you like read me or something?"
Willow looked at Tara and nodded.
"Tara can... she is gifted in that."
Tara nodded and looked at Xander.
"Give me your hands and close your eyes."
Xander walked over and placed his hands in hers. He closed his eyes and felt something go through him then heard Tara gasp. When she let go, he opened his eyes and saw her staring at him. "What?"
Tara shook her head and swallowed. "You have a vast quantity of raw magic inside you. With training, you could be a very powerful witch... more powerful than Willow and myself combined."
Willow gasped and stared at Xander, fear entering her eyes.
Xander nodded and sighed. "Then he was telling the truth."
He looked at the address and then looked at the girls. "Do either of you know anyone by the name of Halliwell?"
Willow and Tara gasped and nodded. "Every witch knows of them. The Charmed Ones. The three most powerful witches of all time. Why do you want to know about them?"
Xander smiled. "The husband of one of them invited me to go live with them and learn magic."
Tara smiled. "You should do it. It’s a once in a lifetime offer."
Willow nodded, agreeing. "Yes.. its a good thing Xander, you can trust them."
Xander nodded and moved over to gather his things and place them in his backpack. "I’ll think about it."
As he packed, he apologized to the girls, explaining his reasoning. "You apologized, Willow... Buffy never did. She acted like nothing was wrong... like I was just away on vacation or something."
Willow shook her head. "She was sorry, Xander. She cried over your grave and visited it over and over, every day for months. It ripped her apart inside."
Xander punched the wall and growled. "If so.. then why did she act like nothing was wrong. She should have at least said she was sorry... but no, she’s too good to do that... what with her big boyfriend and her going to college and acting all high and mighty."
Willow tried to correct him, but Xander wouldn’t listen. His backpack was packed, his weapons were in place, and he was ready to go. "Goodbye Willow..."
He saw a cellphone sticking out of her purse and he reached in to grab it. He keened it and then made himself a copy... but with a different number.
"555-4301... if you need me, either of you... call me."
They nodded as he shoved the phone in his backpack. Xander then moved toward them and kissed them both on the cheek... before the turned and walked downstairs... and out the door.... leaving a stunned Buffy behind him.
*****
Xander walked down the street, forgetting he didn’t have a car or anything.. but was too mad to care. As he walked, he noticed a guy who looked like a biker stopped at the corner. Xander ran over to him and smiled.
"Nice bike. Can I look at it for a second?"
The biker nodded and stepped off. Xander admired it from all angles and then ran his hand along its side... keening it.
"It’s beautiful... thank you."
The biker nodded, smiling, and got back on. The light changed and he rode away. Xander smirked and walked over into the bushed. Once hidden from view, he created a copy of the bike and hopped on.
*Please let this thing work...*
He jumped on the starter and cheer when he heard it start. He revved the engine and headed off down the street toward the motel to meet up with Duncan and Amanda.
*****
Xander pulled into the parking lot and hopped off the bike. As he arrived, he felt the buzz again and within moments, one of the doors opened and he saw Duncan waving him inside.
Inside, Xander sat down at stared at a confused Duncan and Amanda.
"What happened back there, Xander?"
Xander shrugged.
"Something that needed to happen for a very long time. It’s over now and I don’t really want to talk about it."
They nodded and smiled.
"So.. you’re ready to begin training? I have a dojo set up in Seattle. Richie is there, you never had a chance to meet him.. as well as a few other Immortals."
Xander nodded.
"Yeah... but I made an arrangement with someone in San Francisco... and I’ll have to stay there for a while first. I’m not sure how long though."
Duncan nodded.
"That’s fine... you have all the time in the world, you know."
They laughed and Amanda tossed Xander his keys.
"You in the joining room... but this time knock before you open the door... or I might decide to use you as a pincushion this time."
Xander blushed and nodded... then headed for his room.
*****
A few hours passed and Xander heard a knock on his door. He pulled out his sword and moved to the door. Opening it a little, he relaxed when he saw it was only Giles. Xander opened the door the rest of the way and motion for him to enter.
"Giles... what are you doing here?"
Giles sat down and sighed.
"You dropped a load on Buffy. She is very upset and I want you to.."
Xander frowned.
"Upset! Upset! Why should I care if she is upset?! She told me to leave.. that I wasn’t wanted anymore... you should know, Giles... you were there!"
Giles nodded.
"I know, Xander, but things changed. You were gone for a very long time. She grieved over you and made her apologizes to your grave..."
Xander shook his head.
"I wasn’t in it. If she felt so bad.. then why didn’t she apologies to me when I got back? Huh... can you answer that one... hmm?"
Giles shook his head. Xander had a point. He had apologized himself and he knew Willow had as well... but Buffy acted like nothing had happened.
"I don’t know, Xander... I just don’t know."
It was then they heard a voice from outside.
"... why don’t you ask her yourself."
They turned to the sound of the voice and saw Buffy standing in the doorway. Her eyes were red and puffy and she looked like she had been crying for hours.
"I’m sorry, Xander. I forgot that I had said those things to you... but at the time it felt like the right thing to do."
Xander glared at her.
"The right thing to do... The Right Thing to Do! You didn’t give a shit about the right thing. You just didn’t want me there. Admit it.. ADMIT IT!"
Buffy shook her head.
"No.. I didn’t want you hurt... I couldn’t handle that... we could handle loosing you... I couldn’t handle loosing you."
Xander stared in shock at her words.
"Too little... too late, Buffy. I’m leaving here for good."
Buffy stared in shock at Xander and shook her head wildly.
"No.. you can’t go... you can’t leave us... you can’t leave me..."
She got all quiet and whispered. "I love you..."
Xander frowned at her and shook his head. "I used to love you, Buffy, but I’ve moved on. I can’t give you what you want. I can’t be anything more than just a friend... if ever that much. I will always be here... if the Scooby gang needs me... if you need me... but only as a friend."
With that said, he grabbed his backpack and walked out of the room. He hopped on his motorcycle and revved the engine. He then took one last look at Buffy and Giles and shook his head... before he rode off down the road, disappearing into the night.
Giles watched Xander leave and nodded. *Be careful... my boy... and may the Gods bring you home someday...*
The End
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