Title: Iron Will
Author: Merlin the Enchanter
E-mail: merlin.enchanter@jverizon.net
Rating: PG, - for Now
A Notes: This occurs sometime after The Zeppo, and Xander helped Faith rather than sleep with her, she has sought out help from Joyce and did not start to turn bad. The whole timeline is different after Amends, everything occurring in a different order.
Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me, they belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and Co. And Marvel Comics owns Ironman and the other Marvel characters. Only the story is mine.
Special Thanks: To My Betas, Greywizard, jayesh, and Brer Abbott, Thanks guys your support has meant a lot!
Category: F/X, B/X, AU, X-Over W/O Angst.
Summary: Xander saves Buffy and Faith, but suffers a serious crippling injury. When things look the bleakest for him a new friend steps in and helps him deal with the problem and a new hero arises.
Iron Will
Prologue:
It only took a second for the tide of the battle to turn. Buffy, Faith, Xander,
Willow, Tara and Giles were literally hammering the group of vampires to dust.
Then out of nowhere, a Relâmpago demon appeared and sending a magical blast with
its staff scattered the group.
The six started to struggle to their feet when the demon pointed his staff at Buffy and Faith who were helping each other up.
"Goodbye, Slayers." The demon growled.
The flash of magical lightning left the staff and flew toward the two young women, only to impact on the chest of Xander, who had leapt in front of the slayers, blocking the lightning.
He flew back almost to them and bounced twice. Then he curled up in a fetal position and wrapped his arms around his chest, gasping for breath.
The slayers split up, watching the demon carefully and started to advance on him. He tried to aim the staff at them but they were moving too fast. The demon started to utter the beginnings of a transportation spell when a foot of steel sword erupted from his chest and he died rather quietly, his body dissolving into goo.
"That'll be all for you, wanker," said the cockney voice of the Ripper.
Faith and Buffy ran to Xander as soon as they were sure that the demon was done for. Willow had been the first to reach him and was holding him as he gasped, tears rolling down his face. He seemed unable to catch his breath and was clutching at his chest as if he was having a heart attack.
"Oh god, it hurts!" Xander groaned, his jaw clenched.
Without even thinking, Faith grabbed him up and headed for the cemetery parking lot.
"We've got to get him to a hospital, guys. Come on!" Faith yelled.
The gang rushed to the parking lot and drove to the hospital in two cars. Faith carried Xander in and was then sent to the waiting room with the rest.
* * * * * * * *
Chapter-1
The gang had been waiting now for about an hour, Joyce having joined them after
getting Buffy's call. Giles had just returned from trying to call Xander's
parents and sat down angrily, cursing under his breath.
"I cannot believe them, their son could die, and they said they might stop by in the morning," Giles said, anger clear in his voice.
"Calm down, Rupert, not everyone cares about their children as we do," Joyce said kindly.
* * * * * * * *
Another hour had passed before the doctor finally came out to talk to them.
"Are you the ones waiting on news of Alexander Harris?" he asked.
When they nodded, he started to speak.
"Alexander has suffered some sort of severe damage to his heart; it has swollen up almost double normal size. We have him somewhat stabilized for now, and we have ordered a life flight helicopter to take him to UCLA Medical Center. We just don't have the means to care for him here," the doctor explained sadly.
"Will he be okay?" asked Willow, looking like she was going to fall apart any minute.
The doctor paused thinking, then turned to the assembled group.
"To be honest, he should already be dead. There is significant damage to his heart, but if he does survive this, he will be severely limited in what he will be able to do. I just really can't be sure, we don't have enough equipment here to be able to run all the tests required," he told them fatigue and weariness filling his voice. This was the part of the job he hated the most.
"Can we see him?" Buffy asked.
"Only for a few minutes, we are readying him for the flight now. Follow me, and I'll take you to his room," replied the doctor.
Buffy, Willow and Giles headed back with the doctor and Joyce stayed back, noticing the look on Faith's face. She seemed ready to fall apart.
"Faith? What is it honey?" Joyce asked.
There was no reply, so Joyce steered her to a couch and sat her down, sitting next to her.
"Come on, Faith, talk to me," Joyce urged the unnaturally quiet Slayer.
Faith turned her head toward the woman she almost considered a mother and tried to speak, but all that happened was her lower lip quivered and tears ran down her cheeks.
Joyce turned to the young woman she had taken in and hugged her to herself. Faith had arrived in Sunnydale with both attitude and issues. There had been a time when Faith been walking the line between good and evil, and had dragged Xander home with her one night to 'Work off some adrenaline" after slaying.
Xander had refused and had spent the night with her, holding her while she cried and slept. The next day he had brought her to Joyce, and together they had started working out her problems. Faith had gradually fallen in love with him after that, but had shared that fact with Joyce alone. Xander had become her hero as well, the first man who had ever cared about her as a person, and not just considered her a piece of ass.
"I can't lose him Joyce," Faith said softly. "Even if I can't have him."
"What do you mean, honey, even if you can't have him?" Joyce asked confused.
"Xander prefers blondes," Faith whispered.
"Ohh," was all Joyce could say, and she hugged the young woman to her tightly as she patted her back reassuringly.
* * * * * * * *
A Week Later
Dr. Carl Stevens was pondering the condition of a patient when he suddenly jumped up and rushed down the hall, having seen someone familiar exit the elevator. It was Doctor Su Yin, a well know neurologist who was currently doing research here at the medical center.
"Doctor," he called.
Doctor Su Yin turned and looked at him.
"Yes?" she replied coolly.
"I was wondering if you could look over a case for me?" he asked holding up a file.
Doctor Su Yin had eventually grown used to requests like this, and she tried to help whenever possible. She took the folder out of his hand and looked at it as she walked. Stopping suddenly, she began to flip through the file even faster.
"What happened to this boy?" she asked.
"No one knows, and he won't say. The cops think it was a prank gone wrong," replied Dr. Stevens.
"It would take much more than a prank to cause this kind of damage. May I see him?" Dr. Su Yin asked.
"Most certainly. He's right down this way," Dr. Stevens directed her.
* * * * * * * *
Dr. Su Yin studied the latest test results with a frown. Medically speaking, there was nothing that could have totally destroyed the nerves controlling the heart beat of the young man under evaluation without doing other permanent damage to the surrounding tissue. Yes, his heart had been swollen to twice normal size when he was brought in, but that quickly returned to normal.
It was almost as if the nerves just vanished, and never existed. They could implant a pacemaker, but that would never give the boy a normal life; he would end up a bedridden recluse if that happened.
She could only think of one thing that might help, but first she needed to speak with him. Su Yin checked her watch and then sighed; it would have to wait till later, she was due in surgery right now.
Later, after she had completed the surgery, she checked her messages and grabbed a cup of coffee before going to visit the young man.
She entered the room to find him talking to a young pretty brunette. When the door opened, they both turned to look at her.
"Hello, Xander," she greeted him. "I would like to talk to you, if I may?" she said.
"Sure, doc. By the way, this is Faith, a very good friend from Sunnydale," Xander introduced the two women.
"I believe that I need to speak to you alone, Xander. This could be very important," Dr. Su Yin told him.
"Faith can hear whatever it is, I'd tell her anyway," Xander answered.
"Okay, then, it's your decision. Xander, I have been studying all the tests that we've done and have determined that about seventy five percent of the nerves controlling your heart muscles have been destroyed." She saw the stunned look on both of their faces. "Other than a pacemaker and a portable defibrillator, which will leave you pretty much bed ridden, there is only one other possibility That has any chance of letting you resume anything approaching a normal life," she started to explain.
"And what is that?" Faith asked.
"There is a kind of advanced pacemaker that would suit your condition, but it is very costly," the doctor explained. "But before we could even consider looking into that, you will have to clear up a few things for us."
"Like what?" Xander asked the doctor.
"Like telling us exactly what you were doing when your injury occurred," the doctor said.
"I was patrolling with two Slayers and the rest of our group when a Relâmpago demon, which is basically an assassin for hire, tried to ambush us. He tried to use a magical staff to kill both Slayers and I got in its way," Xander said with a straight face.
"I was told that you would provide a ridiculous answer," the doctor sighed. "Well, if you change your mind, we still have some time before we need to operate. Just be prepared to tell me the truth the next time," the doctor told him.
"Doctor, I just told you the truth, you just choose not to believe it. Are you going home right now?" Xander asked.
"Yes, I've been here long enough today," she answered.
"Faith, walk out with her will you? It's after dark," said Xander.
"Sure, Xan, I got her covered," Faith reassured him.
"That will not be necessary, the security here is excellent," Dr. Su Yin protested.
"It'll make me feel better doctor. Please?" Xander begged.
"Very well. Come on, Faith," Dr. Su Yin said as she left the room.
Faith followed the doctor as she went to the desk to sign out and waited as the doctor got her things from the locker room. Next, they went to the security desk where a guard joined them, escorting them to the parking lot.
Dr. Su Yin was unlocking her BMW when something grabbed the security guard and tossed him over her car. She quickly turned to see a large man reaching for her, and screamed in terror when his face suddenly morphed into a demonic visage. Just as it seemed the monster was about to grab her, a boot flashed into her range of vision and connected with the demonic face, sending it flying backwards.
"Owww, another pretty snack. Must be my lucky night," the vampire grinned, as he got back to his feet.
Dr. Su Yin was stunned, observing the creature as it stalked Faith. Sharp pointed teeth, that would appear to be typical vampire fangs, and a rough ridged forehead. It rushed again at Faith and was once more driven back by her incessant kicks and punches, before it finally got in a lucky punch and slammed Faith back against the car.
Shaking her head, she stood back up and snarled at the monster.
"You think you guys would learn not to piss off a Slayer!" she growled.
"Slayer?" said the vampire, fear suddenly showing in its eyes.
Faith did two back spinning kicks that connected solidly, driving the vampire back.
"Yea, slayer," she said as she hammered in a snap kick to the groin, doubling her foe over. While he was occupied clutching at himself, Faith drove the sharpened stake through his back.
Dr. Su Yin watched in disbelief as Faith drove the 'thing' back, then planted a solid kick in his family jewels. When Faith suddenly produced a stake, she started to yell, then stopped as the stake was rammed home, and the whatever–it-was turned to dust with a soft poof.
Faith stood and brushed the dust off of her clothes and walked back to the doctor.
"You okay?" Faith asked.
"Yes, I, I think so," stuttered the doctor. Hearing a groan, she rushed over to the security guard.
The doctor helped the guard up, then started to help him back into the hospital.
"I have question," said Dr. Su Yin, as they helped the guard.
"I thought you would," replied Faith with a smirk.
After delivering the injured security guard to the emergency room and giving a report to hospital security about a 'mugging attack,' the two women returned to Xander's room.
"What happened, Faith?" Xander asked when he saw both women returning.
"Got jumped by a vamp in the parking lot, security guard got a little busted up, but he'll be okay," Faith casually reported. .
"And the Vamp?" he asked.
"Dusted," tossed out Faith with a grin.
"What the hell are you two talking about?" asked Dr. Yin, confused and a little angry.
Xander launched into his version of Giles' 'The World is older than you know…' speech and the doctor almost couldn't believe her ears. However, she did have a highly analytical mind, and had actually seen the evidence of the vampire turning to dust. The doctor also got to see Faith bend part of Xander's bed to demonstrate her strength.
When he was finally done telling his tale, the doctor had many more questions, and got the full story of Xander's injury from a teary eyed Slayer, who tried not to let Xander see her tears while she told the story.
Listening to the story told by the two teenagers, the doctor had to wonder why they did it, why they placed themselves in danger to fight these demons and other monsters. She must have spoken the last sentence out loud without realizing it.
"If we don't, who will?" Xander asked. "I have lost too many friends and acquaintances to the vampires and demons in Sunnydale. The police continue to somehow think that it's a result of gang members on PCP. Most other people try to pretend that the dark things don't really exist. Do you have any idea of what the panic would be if the public found out about it?"
"Mass chaos…" whispered Dr. Su Yin as she thought about it.
Looking at the young man carefully, Dr. Yin could see that he was getting both tired and excited, and she decided to leave.
"Well, Xander, I will be back to learn more tomorrow. You are tired, and in your condition right now, you can't afford that."
She could see the sorrow those words caused on both teens.
"Faith, can I give you a lift somewhere?" she asked the Slayer.
"Naw, I'm 5 by 5, just going to crash with some friends," Faith answered.
Dr. Su Yin looked at the girl, sensing that she was lying, but said nothing in front of Xander.
Both said goodbye, and Faith picked up her backpack and followed the doctor out, promising her safe delivery to her car. Once in the parking lot, the doctor turned to the young woman.
"Faith, I think you are lying about having a place to stay," she said. You saved me tonight, and I am offering you a room at my apartment. You can get a shower and rest up, then return to see Xander with me, tomorrow," she offered.
"Naw, that's…" started Faith.
"Faith, I insist. You need to get some decent rest if you are going to be strong for him. He is going through something that he should never have to deal with at his age, and he may never recover. And I can tell you want to be there for him," the doctor told her with a warm smile.
Faith looked at the lady doctor that she just met and felt the sincerity of what she said.
"Okay doc, if you insist," she agreed, after a moment's consideration.
They got into her BMW and headed to the doctor's apartment.
The doctor pulled out her cell phone and asked Faith, "Chinese okay?"
Faith raised her eyebrow but replied yes.
* * * * * * * *
The two women ate dinner while Faith told Su Yin about some of the adventures they had had since she had joined the group. When they were done, Faith helped clean up and went to take a shower before turning in.
When Su Yin heard the water start running, she sat in a comfortable chair and dialed a number from memory.
\\ This better be important Su, do you know what time it is here? //
"Don't worry, Tony, I know, and this is important,." she agreed.
Speaking quickly but quietly, she related the story of Xander's injuries to her former love along with the story of the Slayers, as well. Tony listened quietly then asked a question.
\\ He did this to save the two Slayers, right? //
"Yes, Tony, that is what they told me," she confirmed softly.
\\ And you think a chestplate like mine would help him? //
"Yes, the damage is very similar to what the shrapnel did to you. The chest plate would provide the same functions for him," she answered.
\\ Okay, I'll leave in the morning with one of my new replacements. //
"Thanks, Tony. I knew you would help once you found out how it happened to him," Su replied. "See you tomorrow."
"Who was that?" asked Faith as she re-entered the room, hair wet and right out of the shower.
"A former patient, and a good friend. Tony Stark has a similar condition, and has a method for controlling it," answered the doc.
"Tony Stark? The billionaire Tony Stark?" Faith asked, a shocked
expression on her face.
"Yes, the very same," agreed Dr. Yin. "Time for me to turn in as well, Faith.
Turn the light out when you head to bed, please."
Faith watched the doctor walk to her room, and shook her head in wonder.
"What the hell's going on here, Xan-man?" she muttered to herself. "What's going
on?"
TBC