Title: Dark Knight, White Knight
Author: Marc D.
Disclaimer: Don't own any of this, so please don't sue me.
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The summer had just begun, and Xander was finding himself praying that it would get better. It hadn't even been a week into the summer break and things were simply horrible. Buffy had fled to parts unknown after sending a souled Angel into the portal created by Acathala.
He had just arrived in time to see the final moments of the duel between the Slayer and Angelus. Even from him distance, he could tell exactly what had happened. There wasn't a part of him that didn't feel responsible for causing so much pain in Buffy's life. Just because of one event, and her life seemed to shatter. It didn't make him feel any better that he knew he had done it for the right reasons. It was the entire population, versus the happiness of the woman of his heart. It saddened him greatly to realize that he would have told her the same lie if he had to do it all over again.
Xander shook himself out of his dark musings as he patrolled by himself. It had started out as a group event. Willow, Oz, even Cordelia would join in on the patrol. He would have liked to have included Giles, but the Watcher was far too busy trying to find his wayward Slayer.
It seemed that most of the group didn't like the idea of risking life and limb when there wasn't a Slayer to back them up. As a group, they had patrolled the cemeteries for two days. On the second day, Cordelia was almost seriously injured when two Vampires attacked their little group.
They had been fortunate that the summer was usually a slow time for the undead to roam at night. On a usual night, the number of vampires they would have run into would have been triple, if not even more, than the few that they had come across. And to make matters even worse, they were lucky to be able to stake even one vampire, as a group, in an entire night.
So, it wasn't that much of a surprise when the group had decided to pull back on their patrolling routine slightly. For two days they did nothing. And when they had decided that there was nothing to be done on the third day, Xander decided that he was going to patrol on his own.
There had been a fire ignited within Xander's very soul from the beginning of his wake up call into this dark and dangerous world. It happened the moment his childhood friend, Jesse, had crumbled to dust, his vampire body rendered to ashes, just a few inches from Xander's face.
That night the tears flowed freely, completely unhindered. His silent agony became that of rage. It was when he had finally uncurled himself from a fetal position that he made a vow to the friend he swore he would never forget. If it was in his power to do so, he would use any means necessary to keep his friends as safe as possible.
As he continued to patrol with his friends, his feeling of protectiveness began to spread to those that would be otherwise faceless. All the innocents in this town of the damned were the ones that he would protect, and for his closest friends, he would do so with his dying breath.
That was why he found himself patrolling by himself. Half of him was hoping to be able to help someone, while his other half was scared beyond what he thought possible of encountering a vampire or demon.
Perhaps it was good fortune that he found himself returning to his home not having come into contact with any of Sunnydale's night life. As he made his way into his house, he sent up another silent prayer that this summer would get better, and soon.
Little was he to know that events had transpired that night, while he had been patrolling, that would permanently alter his life in ways Xander had never expected.
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Earlier That Evening
Jessica Harris looked upon the man that had become the bane to her existence. Her husband was passed out on the couch. His clothes, his very being, stained in alcohol. She raised her hand and gently rubbed it across the bruise forming below her eye socket. She sighed to herself as she realized that on a normal day she would be half gone, into an alcoholic haze, as well.
She made her way up to her bedroom. Passing her son's door, she couldn't help but to feel grateful that Alexander wasn't home right now. She was about to do something hard, and probably wrong, but it was something, that in her mind, had to be done.
She went into her room and picked up the little luggage she had packed. She placed the item onto her bed before making her way to a locked chest in her closet. After opening the chest she retrieved a large envelope that she had spent the past 16 years contemplating over.
She was leaving, and taking what little money she had. She would be far better off without Tony Harris anywhere near her. Her son, Alexander, would be better off as well. Though, she did fear for his safety. Tony could be a right bastard, and physically abusive, on a good day. Heaven help you if it wasn't a good day.
That was why she was going to take action. She only hoped that her son wouldn't hate her more than he probably already should, once everything came into play. She had wanted to send the information in this envelope to a certain someone for a very long time. It was only the shame she felt for keeping her secret, and the fear of what was to come if Tony ever found out, that had kept her from mailing it.
But now, she probably couldn't sink any lower in her son's eyes. And she really couldn't give a crap about what that passed out son of a bitch thought. She steeled her nerves, left the house, and she never looked back.
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Xander arrived at his home to find the place less one passed out occupant. He curiously walked up to his parents' bedroom and knew exactly what had transpired. The room looked as though it had been hit by a hurricane. His mother's clothes were strewn throughout the entire place.
Xander blinked a few times. He glanced back towards the den, where his father was still passed out. He glanced back into the clothes cluttered room. A small, sad smile graced his lips as unexpected tears threatened to spill from his eyes. He felt as though he should be furious at his mother, but couldn't find it within him. No, he wished her well, wherever she was.
Xander sighed to himself as he made his way into his bedroom and locked his door. Tomorrow, there would be hell to pay.
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The morning came, along with angry grunts and shouts from his father. The sounds of things breaking tore him completely from his fit filled slumber. The noise was getting louder, but he decided to ignore it. Rolling back over, he willed himself to fall back to sleep. When the pounding started on his door, and the belligerent yelling started soon after, he gave up on falling back to sleep. He quietly got dressed and slipped out his window. All the while, the banging intensified, as did the threatening nature of the other man.
Xander spent the day wandering the streets of Sunnydale. After hours, and hours of boredom, he finally decided to check and see what the situation was at his household. He was actually relieved to find his father in a drunken stupor. With any luck the man would stay that way for a while. It wasn't like Anthony Harris was one to live in reality. Let the man drink, it would make life more peaceful for everyone involved.
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3 Days Later, Gotham
Alfred opened up the mail at Wayne Manor for Master Bruce. He was sorting out the bills and invitations when he came to a seemingly weathered manila envelope. He was careful to open it, lest it be a bomb or some such item. He pulled out a sheaf of medical papers. As he was reading them, he couldn't help but to show the extreme shock from the information provided. It was fortunate that no one was there to see it. No one would believe it anyways.
With more urgency than he felt in quite a long time, Alfred Pennyworth fled the room and raced towards Master Bruce's specialized computer equipment. He needed to verify the information on this paper before he even thought about showing it to Master Bruce.
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As the Batmobile rolled into the Batcave, Alfred was impatiently waiting for the passenger to exit the vehicle.
Batman exited the vehicle. And, seeing his butler's expression, made his way directly towards the man he thought of as an uncle. Without uttering a word, Alfred handed the papers that he had received earlier.
He glanced down at the paperwork before his eyes shot up. Even behind the cowl, the surprise and utter flow of emotions could be felt in physical waves. Wordlessly, Alfred handed him his own research gathered from the Batcomputer. Batman glanced over the papers a few times before schooling his features.
In a voice that was all business, he asked. "This has been verified."
Alfred nodded. "I personally triple checked the information." A small smile graced Alfred's lips. "The DNA matches, Master Bruce, he is your son."
With that being said, Batman turned 180 degrees and made his way back to the Batmobile. Alfred spoke up again.
"Sir, there is something I think you should know." Batman stopped in his tracks and quickly glanced back at the older man. "I was checking up on the town. Their death rate and the amount of missing persons has a higher rate than Gotham. Which means that there is either a very well hidden form of Organized Crime, or another theory, that the area is overrun with vampires and other dark creatures."
Batman looked at him for a moment before glancing at his specialized armory. He gave a furtive nod before making his way over towards it.
"Sir, are you planning on driving all the way to California?" When he didn't receive an answer, he spoke up again. "Sir, we did just construct the framework onto the aircraft. Why not just latch the car to it?"
Batman looked up at the man for a moment before nodding.
"Very good sir, I took the liberty of accepting the invitation to the Banquet in Los Angeles for you."
He received a sharp look from the man behind the cowl.
"I figured that you may actually want to talk to your son. What better venue to do so?"
The sharp look softened, and a genuine smile appeared; which was something that just did not belong on the face of Batman.
"You thought of everything, didn't you?"
Alfred inclined his head slightly. "Indeed, Master Bruce." He handed him the information for the banquet along with another sheaf of papers. "I've also acquired a warehouse in Sunnydale for you." He paused for a moment. "There were surprisingly a lot of them that are being unused. Yours will be ready by the time you reach California."
Batman's smile became an, all too familiar, smirk. "You did think of everything." He looked down at the new information in his hands before looking back up at his butler. "Just how long have you had this information?"
Alfred just shrugged. "A few hours, Sir."
Batman continued to gear up with his specialized equipment. Once done he headed straight for his automobiles.
"Sir, do have a nice flight. And please keep me updated."
He received no answer, but knew he would be kept in the loop nonetheless.
Alfred smiled to himself. This was turning out to be one of his better days. He cast a glance at the BatComputer. 'I wonder what Master Dick and Master Timothy will say.' He chuckled to himself as he wandered up to the console, a smile adorning his face. He hadn't felt this good in years.