None could ever doubt that Alexander Lavelle Harris was a Hero worthy of the name Hero and though none liked to dwell on it, all knew that he would die the death of a true hero. None wanted that death to come any sooner then was necessary but all knew it would one day happen, probably sooner then later thanks to the fact that Xander always threw himself into danger of the ones he loved. No matter how powerful or capable of protecting themselves they are. Xander simply was a true hero and ail knew it. So when the Scoobies were once again facing an evil bent on destroying the world so that he could rise up from its ashes as a God, none were surprised as Xander proved how much of a strategist he truly was.
Xander was the one that began to organize the battle against Voldemort while Giles dealt with the incompetent Wizarding Ministry. Xander was the one that began to prepare a plan to stop him while Buffy began to slaughter all demons who would not. It was Xander that sent Slayers where they were best needed and in the least danger while Willow began to weave spells around all of them so that nothing Voldemort or his little Death Eaters did could touch any of them. It was Xander who was the first to face off against Voldemort himself even as Dumbledore tried to get Harry Potter to do it. Xander would not stand by and allow a fifteen year old boy to be pushed to face off against an evil. Ignoring how Xander had done the same at that age.
For Xander had willing faced the evil of the world instead of burying his head in the sand like so many others did. While Harry was being forced to face evil by a cowardly and disgusting Wizard World. Something that Xander would never allow even before he would get to know Harry. Xander faced Voldemort and came away relatively unscratched thanks to being immune to most magics thanks to Willow while Voldemort was force to flee when faced with someone unaffected by his magic and using physical attacks against the Magical World simply did not do.
To say Buffy was pleased upon learning of the confrontation would be the greatest and most monumental lie ever told in all of time.
"When i get a hold of that snakey bastard, I will rip him to pieces...No, I'll blow him up like I did to the Mayor.. No, I'll do to him what i did to Glory's snake.. No, Ill." And so it went on for almost an hour as Buffy gave vivid details of what she would do to the wizard that had tried to kill her...Xander. What they were to each other was no longer an easy definition or in any sort of category as they adjusted to the changing times but thing would also be assured, Buffy would never allow Xander to be harmed by anyone.
In the end though Buffy would not have any choose in the matter, for once again fate and destiny took all form her. As they learned during yet another inefficient meeting with Dumbledore and his little followers. A woman named Trenwauly spoke a prophecy that would change everything.
+As the Third month dies so to must a Chosen One or all shall be Lost,
AT the dawn of the third day before th end,a Chosen must die to save all,
Or All shall perish,
Only the White Knight may prevent what is to come,
By sacrificing all that he is, could be or ever would be,
Shall the Chosen be spared and All Saved.+
Xander did truly hate prophecies and as he looked ta Buffy and Harry, he knew why. For he could tell that once again Buffy was gearing up to sacrifice her life once again and while Xander knew she did it both to save the world and to save Harry, he could not allow it. For while the others were talking about who the Knight could be, he knew who it was. He remembered a hospital corridor so long ago and a promise that never got fulfilled thanks to the Wolf,Ram and remembered facing one of the worst monsters in history and doing so with only guts and courage. Which was a meeting none save Cordelia had ever been told about and she had never told anyone. Xander knew that he could save them both.
Xander also knew that it would mean his death and Buffy would sooner lock him up and go to her own death then allow it. AS would the others no matter his say in the matter. Which aggravated him but he also understood it as he would do the same for them. He was doing the same for them now by not telling them the truth. He was protecting them by not telling them and as they were his family, Xander did it without regret.
As the weeks that followed the prophecy, Xander grew closer to Harry and began to think of him as family as well and he knew that now he would die for Harry for more than just saving someone. Harry had quickly grown into the first male he had since Jesse died. Angel, Riley,Oz and Spike not truly counting after all. And Giles was more father like then friends. Harry on the other was more friend-brother-slash something other like. Xander was truly enjoying being with him, enjoying spending time with him. Especially as Xander knew they had little time to be together.
How little time it would be would surprise even Xander and devastate Harry and all that knew Xander.
The day that would be the last day of the world if all went wrong, Xander spent fighting his way throw wizards and witches as the Scoobies, Slayers and semi-good magic folks tried desperate to get to Voldemort before he could finish the ritual. A ritual that Giles and managed to discover would open up all dimensions of the universe and would give the one opening it ultimate power but would destroy everything everywhere. No reality, universe or even dimension would exist anymore. It would be the end of not just them but of All everywhere. The battle was intense and Xander was reminded of an entry in the oh so demented Twilight books he had been forced to read. The first chapter of the series where Bella had not minded dying for someone she loved.
Xander, the Scoobies and Harry were the ones that managed to break through the ranks of Death Eaters in th e end to find Voldemort. The Slayers were keeping all of the others at bay while they moved to confront him. Only as they tried to move into the room, a barrier came up and prevented them. or rather, prevented all but Xander from entering. Xander turned around and saw that they were trapped just as he felt some deep magic being activated. Xander looked at them briefly then went toward Voldemort. Ignoring his family's frantic gesturing at him. thankfully he could not hear as he imagined what they were saying to him.
Voldemort turned and Xander tried very hard not to decipher the look on his snake like face. Since the beginning Xander had been...given odd feelings when it came to the wizard before him.
"Well, if it isn't Alexander. The muggle inumne to my power." The slithering voice caused shivers down Xander's spine and he tried to reassure himself it was only in disgust.
"I'm here to stop you. This is madness and you know not what this ritual will do."
"Oh, i do. It will turn me into a God."
"And what it will do to everyone else doesn't matter to you?"
"No. None are worthy of my attention...None save you."
"Is that suppose to mean something to me?"
"Given a more better timing meeting, I would have made you my Consort."Xander demon magnet strikes again, this time with a more human evil as opposed to demonic.
"What?" Xander really wanted him to say something other then what his words implied.
"You...You are th most unique muggle that I have ever come across. i should hate you but don't...I want to know every bit of you and if I had the time I would. i would keep you at my side for all of time. But...this is necessary and so I say goodbye." Voldemort dropped the stone into the cauldron, thus finishing the ritual. Instantly the room lite up in an amazing blue color as a glorious but horrible portal began to form and Voldemort let out an almost hysterical laughter."And so the muggles will die.'
"So to will the wizards...You will destroy your own kind, Voldemort."
"My kind...They are not my kind..All they are is pathetic and weak..Allowing themselves to be dictated to by muggles, by fleas and ants that could not hold a candle to them if they were allowed their potential to...They are not my equals...I believe given time you could have been my equal..My infuriating muggle equal..So very intriguing...In my youth I loved mysteries and you are th emost mysterious thing I have ever encountered...immune to my magi...My will...you would have been mine...You would have been mine."Looking deeply into Xander's eyes,Voldemort turned the wand onto himself and performed some sort of spell that caused him to scream out and then to tried not to feel anything as he knew somehow that Voldemort had just killed himself. Xander reminded himself that Voldemort was the bad guy, no matter his past or his issues. It was a good thing he was dead. No matter the fact that s small part of Xander felt like he had just lost something important.
And Expect for the fact that the ritual had worked and the portal that would soon consume the world was growing. And Willow was trapped behind a shield that was holding against her combine mag and the Slayer strength. Along with Harry's magic. Xander knew that this was the moment, this was when Buffy,Harry or he must die and that in truth there truly wasn't an alternate. So Xander briefly turned his back on the portal and talked to his family, knowing somehow that they could hear him even if he could not hear them.
"In a hospital I once faced down Angelus, prevent him from getting at a sick Buffy...H e called me Buffy's White knight. "Xander watched the shock appear on all of his family's faces followed quickly by realization then anger then grief then rage as Buffy and Faith threw themselves at the shield while Willow, Giles, Harry and Dawn began to throw more and more magic at it. All desperate to bring it down as all realized what it meant and what Xander was about to. Xander gave them a small smile as he knew they would fail. Even if they got it down, they would never be able to get it down and be fast enough to prevent him from ending this. " I love you guys so much.. Know that I do this willing to protect all of you and to protect the are my life and I will not lose anyone else...I'm sorry for being selfish in that as I know I'm
forcing you to deal with losing me. I am sorry for that but I cannot live with the alternate."
Xander could see all of them desperately shouting but he could not hear any of it and for that he was grateful as he could only imagine what they were saying and none of it would change any of it
So with one last look at the trapped family Xander had chosen, he turned toward where th eportal was growing and walked into it. Efficiently destroying the ritual and saving both the world and his loved ones in the process. Leaving his loved ones screaming out and crying in pure agonizing grief.
To say that Xander was surprised that the first thing he saw after his 'death' was Cordelia would be a rather large understatement. She was dead after all and had been for years and he would not have thought she would be the first person he would see on the other side. her waiting for him was extremely not happening save...It was.
"Cordelia...Whats going on? Is this the after life?"
"No matter what, Xander, I have Always and will always love you, You are my first love, my first everything and nothing will ever change that. Which is why I will not let you die."
"I have to die,Cor. This prophecy I could not truly break. It was me or it was Harry or Buffy...I could not let a boy die ad I could never let Buffy die...Not again."
"I know. I would never take that from you or take their lives after your sacrifice..The prophecy has been fulfilled already, dead...I'm just by bringing you back..Sorta." Xander looked at Cordelia in confusion. So she explained."Things are coming,Xand that will be unlike anything you have ever before faced...You will need something more to survive this and to save all that you love...And the world..So i do this for you...Please remember that...And forgive me one day."
With that Xander Ascend to the next plane as Cordelia hide her actions from the other Powers that Be even as she pushed more and more of her power and the power of the very cosmos into Xander. Saving him from his fate and the world from its destiny. Many would not like what she had just done but in no reality would she allow Xander to die and this was the best way to save all. Xander would be unlike the Powers and unlike the Ascended for he would be a mixture of both and thus not beholden to either side. No one could tell him what to do save for the restrictions of the Higher did not stop even as she grew weaker and weaker until finally she knew that she was about to draw her last non=-existent breath.
"Good Luck, Xan...I love you."