Title: A Moment Of Clarity
Rating: PG -13
Relationships:
Story: Angst\Action Adventure
Feedback: In lieu of a Faithbot yeah.
E-Mail: KeithWrestle@Yahoo.Co.uk
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters just worship at their altar.
It was a nightmare, it had to be, he'd wake up soon. Xander paced around the small room, refusing to look at the tiny body lying comatose in the hospital bed. It had all started with a hysterical call from Wesley informing them that the law firm Wolfram & Hart had managed a spell to transform Angel back into the soulless Angelus. The newly in control demon had slain Gunn and left a battered and raped Cordelia to tell the shaken former Watcher that he was on his way to Sunnydale to 're-unite with his love'.
The young man slumped down in the chair beside the bed as the images of what he'd seen at the Summers home re-played constantly in his head. He'd gotten a hysterical phone call from a crying Dawn in the dead of night telling him Angelus was at the house. Grabbing his axe, he'd rushed down to the house only to find the house wrecked, Buffy missing and Dawn beaten into a coma.
Thankfully the door opened and a head appeared in the open doorway, breaking the spell. "Xander can I speak to you outside for a minute?"
"Sure G-Man," Xander glanced at the sleeping patient. "I'll be back in a minute Dawnie," he promised softly before placing a gentle kiss on the girl's forehead. Rising, he strode out of the room, his shoulders slumped as if carrying a great weight. He nodded wearily at a worried looking Willow stood in the hospital corridor.
"How's Dawnie?" Willow asked anxiously.
Xander smiled sadly at his old friend. "No change."
"Xander, these marks you saw on the walls at Buffy's, did they look like this?" Giles shoved an open book in front of the younger man. The young man nodded wearily. "Dear Lord, it's as I suspected - Angelus intends to summon The First Vampire using the blood of Spike to bring him and Buffy's life essence to bind him to Angelus." The Watcher turned to the red-headed Wicca beside him. " Willow, we must work on a counter-spell immediately."
"A counter-spell? What about Buffy?" demanded Xander.
Weary frustration showed on Giles' haggard face. He'd clearly already had this conversation with Willow. "Xander, our first concern must be the safety of the world -."
"Like hell!" exploded the young man, grabbing his jacket he stormed out of the hospital and into the cold, wet night, ignoring the shocked cries that followed him.
* * *
After unlocking the door of his parents' house he strode in and headed upstairs. "What the hell are you doing here?" demanded his father as he entered his parents' bedroom. "I thought I told you to never to come here again?"
"Not tonight dad?" Xander warned as he made his way over to the walnut brown wardrobe at the foot of the bed. "I'm not in the mood."
"Who do you think you're talking to?" Xander's father grabbed at his son's shoulder.
Years of frustration and anger at the many beatings he'd suffered at his father's hands exploded. Spinning round, Xander caught his dad under the jaw with a thudding uppercut that lifted him off his feet and sent him hurtling to the ground with a mighty crash. Before Harris Snr. had a chance to regain his feet, Xander was on him, the foot he placed on the older man's neck pinning him to the floor. "Listen very carefully," Xander said very slowly, as if talking to a little child. "I'm getting your guns and then I'm leaving. So just lie there and be quiet. Understand?" At his father's frightened nod, Xander smiled. "Imagine that, after all these years we're finally communicating."
* * *
"Father Donnelly, may I have a word?"
The bearded priest glanced up. "A word for the young man who has helped saved my life three times? I think I can manage that." The priest's welcoming smile disappeared as he noticed the grim look on his visitor's face. "Good lord, what's wrong Xander?"
Xander smiled wearily in reply. "Same old, same old Father. It's that living on the Hellmouth experience."
"Ah," understanding dawned in the priest's eyes. "Then you'll be needing some holy water."
To the priest's surprise, the boy shook his head. "Thanks, but no." The young man put four ammo boxes on the table. "I'd appreciate it if you'd bless them."
"Guns, Xander?" The priest raised a bushy eyebrow. "I wasn't aware that Buffy used guns."
"She doesn't," Xander said heavily, silently thanking the powers that be for Ethan Rayne placing the memories and experiences of a Special Forces trooper in his consciousness all those years ago. "She's indisposed. There's just me."
"Ah, in that case," the priest quickly blessed the ammo before passing it back to the young man. "Go with god, my son."
Xander bowed his head respectfully. "Thank you father."
* * *
The heavy shotgun blast brought all conversation in Willy's to a stunned end- except for the pained screeches of the four vampires peppered with shotgun pellets by the pool table. Xander strode down the steps, his cool eyes surveying the dingy bar and its retreating patrons. "In case any one was thinking of charging me don't. For your information the shells in my shotgun and my automatics," Xander pulled open his trench-coat to show the two automatics hanging there, "are blessed by a priest so they'll do as much damage to one of you lot as a mortal."
"You can't get us all!" snarled an eight foot Gelician.
Xander's response was to fire both barrels into the demon's face, blowing its head from its shoulders and showering the bar's customers in a greyish ichor. "No but I sure got you." After exchanging the shotgun for his pistols, he continued towards the bar's counter. "Hiya, Willy."
The bulging eyed bartender gasped out the young man's name. "Xander!"
Xander carefully placed the muzzle of one of his pistols under Willy's chin. "I wonder how much damage a 9 mm slug could do from here," he speculated idly.
"I've never done anything to you kid," Willy protested weakly.
"Really?" All the bantering humour left Xander's voice leaving only coldness. "That's not how I see it. Your big mouth has nearly got me and my friends killed oh twice times this year alone. So spill, where's Angelus' hideout?"
"The Crawford mansion."
His old base. Xander wasn't surprised, Angelus wasn't renowned for his originality just his brutality. "Thanks Willy," he slammed the butt of his gun into the bartender's head, sending him falling to the floor. Xander gazed down dispassionately at the sprawled body. "You've got 24 hours to get out of town. I see you after the deadline, you're dead."
* * *
The vampire standing guard by the mansion doors tensed. There was something - a human approaching. The beast smiled, allowing its fangs to appear. It was far too long since she'd last fed. "Lunch."
"Sorry no." A young man stepped out of the shadows, gun in hand. The pistol spat fire, its expelled bullet hitting the vampire full in the belly.
The she-vamp screamed and fell to the ground unable to believe that a mortal weapon could have caused it such pain. Even as it attempted to rise, Xander put a bullet through its head, ending its desperate struggles. "Should have ordered take-out."
After pushing the door open, Xander moved inside the cavernous building. Total darkness, not his favourite fighting environment. Comforting himself with the thought that at least he knew anything that moved was an enemy, Xander plunged into the shadowy mansion.
* * * Angelus' head shot up in shock as the door to his inner sanctum burst open. Into the torch lit room staggered a man bleeding from half a dozen minor and not so minor wounds. The vampire's cold eyes narrowed in recognition and anticipation. This was just too delicious, he could torture one of the Slayer's oldest friends right in front of her before killing her. "Alexander Harris, it's a pleasure to see you again," her drawled menacingly.
"Yeah, well wish I could say the same. But my ma didn't raise any liars." Xander's voice though hoarse with pain was strong. Angelus chuckled to himself as he saw the boy's eyes harden at his sight of Buffy chained to the wall beside Spike. He'd enjoyed himself torturing the Slayer, listening to her screams of pain and his grand-childe's bellows of fury.
"Xander! Bloody hell mate run! Peaches will have you for dinner."
"No he won't Spike," retorted the young man, his eyes back on the tall vampire. "He'll find I'm a little tougher to chew on than expected."
"Xander!" It seemed his prisoner had come out of her catatonic trance. Her words came between anguished sobs. "Save yourself!"
"He's going nowhere!"
* * *
Even as Angelus launched himself into the air towards Xander, the young man whipped back his trench-coat, raised his shotgun and fired. The vampire roared in agony as the pellets from the sawn-off tore through its belly, sending him flying backwards, crashing into the far wall. Even as the vampire attempted to rise, Xander quickly covered the distance separating them and slammed his shotgun butt into the side of the vamp's head.
"Bloody hell," breathed Spike, a note of admiration in his voice. "The sly bugger got himself some consecrated ammo."
Xander grinned. "That's about the size of it." He fished the keys out of the vampire's and started to stand, only to stop at the Slayer's next words.
"Xander unchain us," Buffy pleaded urgently through swollen lips. "Between the three of us we'll be able to get him back to Giles and work out some way of getting Angel's soul back."
The young man's face hardened, the smile that had been there just seconds ago disappeared. His eyes glittered coldly as he stared at the Slayer. "I don't believe you, you know what this bastard has done to Cordy and Dawn but you still want your cuddles back!"
Suddenly it was clear what he had to do. Xander turned towards the moaning his way back to consciousness vampire. "You don't need to hypnotise her do you," he growled bitterly. "She's already under your spell."
After placing a knee across the beast's throat, Xander pulled out a stake and savagely drove it through Angelus' right bicep. "I've always wanted to do that," he said conversationally his eyes pinned on a crying Buffy. "That one's for killing Ms. Calendar. Remember her Buffy, the woman Giles loved? This one," the next stake went through Angelus' left forearm. "Is for torturing Giles. Remember him, the man who's been more of a father to you than your biological one?" Angelus screamed as the next stake went into his right eye. "That's for raping Cordy. Remember her, my ex and your school friend? And this one's for Dawnie. Surely you haven't forgotten your own sister?" the young man explained as he plunged his final stake through the trapped vampire's heart.
Xander clambered slowly to his feet. After wiping the dust of Angelus from his coat, he glanced around the now deathly silent room. "Keep that selfish bitch away from me," he growled before throwing the manacle keys to Spike's feet and stalking out of the room without a backwards glance.
* * *
"We've got to catch up with him Spike!"
"I don't know pet, didn't seem like he was in a talkative mood." Spike commented as he helped Buffy out of the last of her chains. What he'd just witnessed had shaken the vampire to his very core. He'd never though he'd ever be frightened of a mortal, much less clownish Xander, but the way he'd casually taken apart his legendary grand-sire had been enough to chill his unbeating heart.
Finally the duo broke out of the house and caught up with Xander as he unlocked his pick-up. Buffy grabbed his arm. "Why Xander? Why?"
The eyes that stared back at her were hard and bitter - the eyes of a stranger. "Why?" Xander laughed mockingly. "It's always been Angel hasn't it. Angelus could kill us all, endanger the whole damn world and what would you say?" Xander's voice rose to that of a girl's. "Oh stop it Angel. I know you're in there somewhere. Fight it!" His voice changed back. "You make me sick!"
"Xander!" Buffy tightened her grip on his arm even as new tears fell.
"Let go!" Xander roared. He pushed at the Slayer, sending the shocked girl tumbling to the ground.
"You bastard!" Enraged, Spike leapt forward, his fangs displayed.
Only to stop at the gun muzzle pressing into his stomach. "You've got to ask yourself, do you feel lucky punk? Do you?" Xander drawled, his voice a passable imitation of Eastwood.
Spike looked in Xander's eyes and knew with a sickening certainty that he would shoot him without a second thought. Remembering the damage the bullets had done to his sire, Spike forced himself to relax. Xander nodded. "Good Spikey. I've got a warning for you old bud. I don't give a shit what you do to that stupid bitch," he gestured with his head at the weeping girl before leaning forward until he was nose to nose with the vampire. "It's her business if she wants to screw the undead, she's had enough warnings. But if you harm a single hair of the others, I'll find you wherever you hide and stake you out in the sun. Understand?"
The vampire nodded mutely. For once he couldn't think of a glib reply.
"Good." The young man climbed into his truck.
"Xander! I need you! Where are you going?"
"Yeah, whatever Buffy needs she gets, well not anymore." The young man shook his head bitterly. "I'm done being your personal lap-dog. Me and you are through." He turned his head towards Buffy. The disgust she saw in his eyes hurt her more than anything Angelus had done. "I'm leaving town, going to anywhere there isn't a Slayer," he said before gunning his engine and driving off.
The End
HarrH
It was a nightmare, it had to be, he'd wake up soon. Xander paced around the small room, refusing to look at the tiny body lying comatose in the hospital bed. It had all started with a hysterical call from Wesley informing them that the law firm Wolfram & Hart had managed a spell to transform Angel back into the soulless Angelus. The newly in control demon had slain Gunn and left a battered and raped Cordelia to tell the shaken former Watcher that he was on his way to Sunnydale to 're-unite with his love'.
The young man slumped down in the chair beside the bed as the images of what he'd seen at the Summers home re-played constantly in his head. He'd gotten a hysterical phone call from a crying Dawn in the dead of night telling him Angelus was at the house. Grabbing his axe, he'd rushed down to the house only to find the house wrecked, Buffy missing and Dawn beaten into a coma.
Thankfully the door opened and a head appeared in the open doorway, breaking the spell. "Xander can I speak to you outside for a minute?"
"Sure G-Man," Xander glanced at the sleeping patient. "I'll be back in a minute Dawnie," he promised softly before placing a gentle kiss on the girl's forehead. Rising, he strode out of the room, his shoulders slumped as if carrying a great weight. He nodded wearily at a worried looking Willow stood in the hospital corridor.
"How's Dawnie?" Willow asked anxiously.
Xander smiled sadly at his old friend. "No change."
"Xander, these marks you saw on the walls at Buffy's, did they look like this?" Giles shoved an open book in front of the younger man. The young man nodded wearily. "Dear Lord, it's as I suspected - Angelus intends to summon The First Vampire using the blood of Spike to bring him and Buffy's life essence to bind him to Angelus." The Watcher turned to the red-headed Wicca beside him. " Willow, we must work on a counter-spell immediately."
"A counter-spell? What about Buffy?" demanded Xander.
Weary frustration showed on Giles' haggard face. He'd clearly already had this conversation with Willow. "Xander, our first concern must be the safety of the world -."
"Like hell!" exploded the young man, grabbing his jacket he stormed out of the hospital and into the cold, wet night, ignoring the shocked cries that followed him.
* * *
After unlocking the door of his parents' house he strode in and headed upstairs. "What the hell are you doing here?" demanded his father as he entered his parents' bedroom. "I thought I told you to never to come here again?"
"Not tonight dad?" Xander warned as he made his way over to the walnut brown wardrobe at the foot of the bed. "I'm not in the mood."
"Who do you think you're talking to?" Xander's father grabbed at his son's shoulder.
Years of frustration and anger at the many beatings he'd suffered at his father's hands exploded. Spinning round, Xander caught his dad under the jaw with a thudding uppercut that lifted him off his feet and sent him hurtling to the ground with a mighty crash. Before Harris Snr. had a chance to regain his feet, Xander was on him, the foot he placed on the older man's neck pinning him to the floor. "Listen very carefully," Xander said very slowly, as if talking to a little child. "I'm getting your guns and then I'm leaving. So just lie there and be quiet. Understand?" At his father's frightened nod, Xander smiled. "Imagine that, after all these years we're finally communicating."
* * *
"Father Donnelly, may I have a word?"
The bearded priest glanced up. "A word for the young man who has helped saved my life three times? I think I can manage that." The priest's welcoming smile disappeared as he noticed the grim look on his visitor's face. "Good lord, what's wrong Xander?"
Xander smiled wearily in reply. "Same old, same old Father. It's that living on the Hellmouth experience."
"Ah," understanding dawned in the priest's eyes. "Then you'll be needing some holy water."
To the priest's surprise, the boy shook his head. "Thanks, but no." The young man put four ammo boxes on the table. "I'd appreciate it if you'd bless them."
"Guns, Xander?" The priest raised a bushy eyebrow. "I wasn't aware that Buffy used guns."
"She doesn't," Xander said heavily, silently thanking the powers that be for Ethan Rayne placing the memories and experiences of a Special Forces trooper in his consciousness all those years ago. "She's indisposed. There's just me."
"Ah, in that case," the priest quickly blessed the ammo before passing it back to the young man. "Go with god, my son."
Xander bowed his head respectfully. "Thank you father."
* * *
The heavy shotgun blast brought all conversation in Willy's to a stunned end- except for the pained screeches of the four vampires peppered with shotgun pellets by the pool table. Xander strode down the steps, his cool eyes surveying the dingy bar and its retreating patrons. "In case any one was thinking of charging me don't. For your information the shells in my shotgun and my automatics," Xander pulled open his trench-coat to show the two automatics hanging there, "are blessed by a priest so they'll do as much damage to one of you lot as a mortal."
"You can't get us all!" snarled an eight foot Gelician.
Xander's response was to fire both barrels into the demon's face, blowing its head from its shoulders and showering the bar's customers in a greyish ichor. "No but I sure got you." After exchanging the shotgun for his pistols, he continued towards the bar's counter. "Hiya, Willy."
The bulging eyed bartender gasped out the young man's name. "Xander!"
Xander carefully placed the muzzle of one of his pistols under Willy's chin. "I wonder how much damage a 9 mm slug could do from here," he speculated idly.
"I've never done anything to you kid," Willy protested weakly.
"Really?" All the bantering humour left Xander's voice leaving only coldness. "That's not how I see it. Your big mouth has nearly got me and my friends killed oh twice times this year alone. So spill, where's Angelus' hideout?"
"The Crawford mansion."
His old base. Xander wasn't surprised, Angelus wasn't renowned for his originality just his brutality. "Thanks Willy," he slammed the butt of his gun into the bartender's head, sending him falling to the floor. Xander gazed down dispassionately at the sprawled body. "You've got 24 hours to get out of town. I see you after the deadline, you're dead."
* * *
The vampire standing guard by the mansion doors tensed. There was something - a human approaching. The beast smiled, allowing its fangs to appear. It was far too long since she'd last fed. "Lunch."
"Sorry no." A young man stepped out of the shadows, gun in hand. The pistol spat fire, its expelled bullet hitting the vampire full in the belly.
The she-vamp screamed and fell to the ground unable to believe that a mortal weapon could have caused it such pain. Even as it attempted to rise, Xander put a bullet through its head, ending its desperate struggles. "Should have ordered take-out."
After pushing the door open, Xander moved inside the cavernous building. Total darkness, not his favourite fighting environment. Comforting himself with the thought that at least he knew anything that moved was an enemy, Xander plunged into the shadowy mansion.
* * * Angelus' head shot up in shock as the door to his inner sanctum burst open. Into the torch lit room staggered a man bleeding from half a dozen minor and not so minor wounds. The vampire's cold eyes narrowed in recognition and anticipation. This was just too delicious, he could torture one of the Slayer's oldest friends right in front of her before killing her. "Alexander Harris, it's a pleasure to see you again," her drawled menacingly.
"Yeah, well wish I could say the same. But my ma didn't raise any liars." Xander's voice though hoarse with pain was strong. Angelus chuckled to himself as he saw the boy's eyes harden at his sight of Buffy chained to the wall beside Spike. He'd enjoyed himself torturing the Slayer, listening to her screams of pain and his grand-childe's bellows of fury.
"Xander! Bloody hell mate run! Peaches will have you for dinner."
"No he won't Spike," retorted the young man, his eyes back on the tall vampire. "He'll find I'm a little tougher to chew on than expected."
"Xander!" It seemed his prisoner had come out of her catatonic trance. Her words came between anguished sobs. "Save yourself!"
"He's going nowhere!"
* * *
Even as Angelus launched himself into the air towards Xander, the young man whipped back his trench-coat, raised his shotgun and fired. The vampire roared in agony as the pellets from the sawn-off tore through its belly, sending him flying backwards, crashing into the far wall. Even as the vampire attempted to rise, Xander quickly covered the distance separating them and slammed his shotgun butt into the side of the vamp's head.
"Bloody hell," breathed Spike, a note of admiration in his voice. "The sly bugger got himself some consecrated ammo."
Xander grinned. "That's about the size of it." He fished the keys out of the vampire's and started to stand, only to stop at the Slayer's next words.
"Xander unchain us," Buffy pleaded urgently through swollen lips. "Between the three of us we'll be able to get him back to Giles and work out some way of getting Angel's soul back."
The young man's face hardened, the smile that had been there just seconds ago disappeared. His eyes glittered coldly as he stared at the Slayer. "I don't believe you, you know what this bastard has done to Cordy and Dawn but you still want your cuddles back!"
Suddenly it was clear what he had to do. Xander turned towards the moaning his way back to consciousness vampire. "You don't need to hypnotise her do you," he growled bitterly. "She's already under your spell."
After placing a knee across the beast's throat, Xander pulled out a stake and savagely drove it through Angelus' right bicep. "I've always wanted to do that," he said conversationally his eyes pinned on a crying Buffy. "That one's for killing Ms. Calendar. Remember her Buffy, the woman Giles loved? This one," the next stake went through Angelus' left forearm. "Is for torturing Giles. Remember him, the man who's been more of a father to you than your biological one?" Angelus screamed as the next stake went into his right eye. "That's for raping Cordy. Remember her, my ex and your school friend? And this one's for Dawnie. Surely you haven't forgotten your own sister?" the young man explained as he plunged his final stake through the trapped vampire's heart.
Xander clambered slowly to his feet. After wiping the dust of Angelus from his coat, he glanced around the now deathly silent room. "Keep that selfish bitch away from me," he growled before throwing the manacle keys to Spike's feet and stalking out of the room without a backwards glance.
* * *
"We've got to catch up with him Spike!"
"I don't know pet, didn't seem like he was in a talkative mood." Spike commented as he helped Buffy out of the last of her chains. What he'd just witnessed had shaken the vampire to his very core. He'd never though he'd ever be frightened of a mortal, much less clownish Xander, but the way he'd casually taken apart his legendary grand-sire had been enough to chill his unbeating heart.
Finally the duo broke out of the house and caught up with Xander as he unlocked his pick-up. Buffy grabbed his arm. "Why Xander? Why?"
The eyes that stared back at her were hard and bitter - the eyes of a stranger. "Why?" Xander laughed mockingly. "It's always been Angel hasn't it. Angelus could kill us all, endanger the whole damn world and what would you say?" Xander's voice rose to that of a girl's. "Oh stop it Angel. I know you're in there somewhere. Fight it!" His voice changed back. "You make me sick!"
"Xander!" Buffy tightened her grip on his arm even as new tears fell.
"Let go!" Xander roared. He pushed at the Slayer, sending the shocked girl tumbling to the ground.
"You bastard!" Enraged, Spike leapt forward, his fangs displayed.
Only to stop at the gun muzzle pressing into his stomach. "You've got to ask yourself, do you feel lucky punk? Do you?" Xander drawled, his voice a passable imitation of Eastwood.
Spike looked in Xander's eyes and knew with a sickening certainty that he would shoot him without a second thought. Remembering the damage the bullets had done to his sire, Spike forced himself to relax. Xander nodded. "Good Spikey. I've got a warning for you old bud. I don't give a shit what you do to that stupid bitch," he gestured with his head at the weeping girl before leaning forward until he was nose to nose with the vampire. "It's her business if she wants to screw the undead, she's had enough warnings. But if you harm a single hair of the others, I'll find you wherever you hide and stake you out in the sun. Understand?"
The vampire nodded mutely. For once he couldn't think of a glib reply.
"Good." The young man climbed into his truck.
"Xander! I need you! Where are you going?"
"Yeah, whatever Buffy needs she gets, well not anymore." The young man shook his head bitterly. "I'm done being your personal lap-dog. Me and you are through." He turned his head towards Buffy. The disgust she saw in his eyes hurt her more than anything Angelus had done. "I'm leaving town, going to anywhere there isn't a Slayer," he said before gunning his engine and driving off.
The End
HarrH