Moving and Finding something new
Xander's Pov
It's been two years since I lied to Buffy, making her send Angel to hell, something that devastated me to do, but then Angel came back and thanked me quietly, for lying to Buffy. We had come to an arrangement to try and get along, and we got along very well and became close friends, even though I wished it could be something more. He told me he was planning on leaving after graduation, I was the only one who knew and it made me sad to know that my friend and secret crush was leaving Sunnydale.
But I understood why he was leaving he didn't want to be around his past love that sent him to hell with his soul intact. He told me some of what he remembered of what happened, I would want to forget if that happened to me.
Once graduation was over and the mayor defeated, everyone was celebrating, the downfall and surviving high school, and when the party was over we all mourned the losses we suffered.
I had been planning on going on a road trip around the country, getting out of Sunnydale for the summer, I had told Angel and he helped me fix up my Uncle Rory's car so it wouldn't break on me not even half way through my trip. So a few days after the last funeral I was packing getting ready to leave on my trip, I had just moved my bags to the front door, when a knock came on the said door, I frowned and opened the door and there was immediately pain spreading through my face, radiating from my nose.
Holding my nose, I glanced up and saw Buffy was stood there looking furious with an equally angry Willow stood just behind her.
"What the heck was that for Buffy?"
"For lying to me! You made me send Angel to hell because you told me Willow said kick his butt! Not that she was trying the ensoulment spell! You lying bastard! You think we wouldn't find out?! Think we wouldn't talk about it!" everything she said came punctuated with a punch and a kick both of which sent me collapsing to the floor like a sack of potatoes
"What do you think you are doing?! Get out of my house!" I heard my mum screech at the top of her voice, running out of the living room towards us as her feet stopped next to my prone form
"Get out of Sunnydale Harris, before sundown, and don't come back, because if you do you'll end up like everything else that I slay." Buffy ordered before turning and leaving
"Willow- "I coughed blood splattering onto my hand
"Leave Xander and don't come back, I never want to see your lying face again." She glared before storming off after Buffy.
"Xander? Are you hurt?" My mum asked, kneeling down next to me, I groaned and sat up
"I'm fine, I need to leave." I slowly got up, slowly making my way upstairs to pack the rest of my stuff, most of it was packed anyway because I was moving down to the basement. I managed to get everything into my car, and I was getting into my car when my mum came running out holding a large bulking brown envelope
"Here, you can stay here, he's my brother Jethro, he was the first one to hold you after you were born, he's been wanting to meet you for a while now, but your father wouldn't allow it, please go stay with him, he'll look after you, he'll take care of you." I took the envelope and got into my car, quickly starting it and driving off.
Driving out of Sunnydale wasn't the hardest thing to do, but I do regret not say goodbye to Giles, Oz or Cordelia, and I was also confused about why mum decided to help me finding somewhere to stay, or why she never told me I had another Uncle, or that he was the first one to hold me after I was born.
After driving for several hours I decided to pulling into a motel, it was getting late and I needed to sleep before driving again, because I don't need to fall asleep behind the wheel. I checked into the room for the night and took out the envelope mum had given me.
It was filled with letters and pictures, each of the letters were dated, some dated right back to when I was five. The most recent one was yesterday, I frowned because I had picked up the post and there weren't any for me, how had mum hidden it? Anyway I decided to open that one.
Dear Alexander,
You'll have just turned seventeen now, so I don't know what you like to go by name wise, your mother never told me, to be honest we haven't had contact for years. So I decided to play it safe and stick with Alexander, like I did in all the other letters I haven't had a response saying anything different yet.
To be honest I don't even know if you're getting these letters, it wouldn't surprise me if your mother hid them, after the big fall out we had, she didn't want me to have any contact with you. Anyway if you did get my other letters I want you to know that my offer if still open.
I do really want the chance to see you again Alexander, and I also want you to meet my new partner Timothy McGee, he prefers Tim though, and our dog Jett.
I know what you're going to say, yes he's a member of my team and that's against my own rules, but I couldn't help myself anymore, I've loved him for years.
Anyway I still live in Washington D.C, and I still work at NCIS. Either of those places you'll be able to find me at, that's if you get these letters and actually want to meet me. (My address is on the back of the envelope)
Also you know your grandfather? Jackson? Well, Tim managed to convince the both of us to get together for Christmas this year, well Tim convinced me to extend an invitation to Jackson, personally I don't think he'll come.
Anyway, you know where to find me if you ever want to visit, and my phone number below you'll be able to contact me it, if you ever want to call.
Love Uncle Jethro Gibbs
"Now, I'm even more confused, maybe I should read more of these letters." The rest of the night was spent as a mixture between reading the letters and sleeping. I learnt a lot about my Uncle, his family that he had lost and his team. All this made me want to meet him even more.
After a fulfilling sleep, I checked out of the motel and was on the road again, heading towards Washington D.C.
Several hours later and several stops for gas, I found myself in Washington D.C, I pulled over and decided to call Uncle Gibbs.
I found out the phone number and my phone and dialled. It rang twice before it was picked up
Gibbs
"Hello?"
Who is this?
"It's Alexander Harris, Xander, your nephew."
Xander, I'm glad you finally called. But I'm kind of in the middle of something at the moment, did you need something?
"I-I was just wondering if I could stay with you, I-I can't go back home and I need somewhere new to live, if you don't want me I can find somewhere else to live, I just- "
Xander! Calm down, of course you can stay with me, I'm at work at the moment so why don't you meet me here? Okay? Just calm down
"Okay, I'm calm, I'll be there soon, I just got into D.C."
Okay good, I'll see you soon.
"Okay Bye." Then he hung up, I smiled slightly before putting my phone away and set off driving again, it took several stop to ask for directions, but I finally made it to the N.C.I.S Building. I parked my car and entered the building only to me immediately stopped by a Guard at the front desk
"Can I help you young man?" the guard asked
"I'm here to see Special Agent Gibbs, he knows I'm coming." He nodded slightly
"Name?"
"Xander Harris."
"Reason for being here?"
"Agent Gibbs is my Uncle." He nodded again
"Let me just make a call to double check alright?" I nodded and he picked up a phone "Hello? Special Agent Gibbs… it's Henry down in security…. I have a young Xander Harris here to see you, he claims he's your nephew…. Yes, sir… right away sir." Then he hung up the phone by putting it back in the set. I was soon equipped with a visitor's badge and send on my way to the elevator with a floor number.
The journey in the elevator was short and quiet as I was the only one in the elevator. When I arrived at the floor I stepped out and immediately saw the man who was my Uncle stood in the middle of a bullpen while the rest of his team were talking, briefing him on some information. I slowly moved to the entrance and waiting to be noticed or waited until they had finished talking so I could talk. But the man who was currently speaking stopped and turned to address me
"Can we help you?" he asked making everyone turn to look at me, my Uncle looking angry but his face softened upon seeing me
"Xander?" he asked me and I nodded. He smiled slightly stepping forward pulling me into a tight hug, I stiffened slightly before relaxing into his hold and hugging him back gripping onto the back of his shirt. "I'm so glad you're here Kiddo." I smiled into his shoulder
"Me too, Uncle Jethro." He chuckled and pulled out of the hug looking at my face, I saw his eyes suddenly narrow
"What happened?" he asked cupping my face in his hands, turning to each side to get a good look at the bruises developing on my face.
"It's nothing." I said trying to pull my face away from his hands, he moved his hands down to my shoulders
"Xander this is not nothing, it looking like someone has attacked you." I shifted slightly and he growled quietly and turned to the two members of his team
"DiNozzo, McGee find me anything you can on our Jane Doe, if you need me I'll be down with Ducky." They nodded and got to work, but I spotted the picture they had of the Jane Doe on the screen. My eyes widened it was Cordelia, what had she been doing in D.C "Xander? You okay Kiddo?"
"Boss he's looking at pictures of the crime scene; he looks like he's about to hurl." One of the men said
"Tony!" The other one hissed, as my Uncle's hands were trying to get me to turn away from the pictures, but I shook out of his hold
"Xander."
"I know who she is." The two men stood up and moved over to me and Uncle Jethro
"You do?" 'Tony' asked
"What can you tell us about her?" the other man, I recognised as Tim from the pictures, asked
"How do you know her?" Uncle Jethro asked
"She's a classmate and an Ex-Girlfriend."
"What? How old is she?" Tony asked
"17 years old, we've just graduated high school."
"So I'm going to guess she's not a navy officer or a marine then?" Tim asked, I shook my head
"No, why?"
"When we found her, she was dressed in a naval uniform."
"What do you mean found?"
"Xander." Uncle Jethro said grabbing my shoulders, pulling me around to face him "She's dead Kiddo, I'm so sorry, she was murdered last night." Uncle Jethro explained
"Last night?" he nodded "How?"
"What?"
"How was she murdered?"
"Why do you want to know?" I shifted uncomfortably "Xander, tell me." I glanced around the floor and saw other groups of people were looking at us
"Can we go somewhere more private?" he glanced at the floor and then looked back to me and nodded
"Conference room, DiNozzo, McGee." Uncle Jethro stated, they both nodded and quickly moved up the stairs, Uncle Jethro wrapped an arm around my shoulders and led me the same way
"Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs." a woman in her mid-twenties or early thirties with long black hair and green eyes. She was wearing Gothic clothing and also has her hair tied up in pigtails
"Not now Abs." Uncle Jethro replied as we kept walking
"But Gibbs, I have important information, our Jane Doe isn't a navy officer." 'Abs' responded
"We already know Abs."
"But I have more- "
"I said not now Abs." she shrank back slightly as if she'd never been snapped at, but then suddenly glared at me and stormed off. I frowned slightly but carried on walking up the steps and into the conference room.
He led me into the room with a long table with chairs all around it, uncle Jethro led me over to the table and pushed me to sit in a chair at the head on the table, the two agents sat on my left and uncle Jethro sat to my right.
"You might want to start explaining now, starting with why your face is covered in bruises." Uncle Jethro demanded, I gave him a sheepish look
"I don't suppose 'I was mugged' will work will it?" Uncle Jethro narrowed his eyes
"No, the truth, the whole truth." I sighed and was about to tell the edited version when my phone buzzed, I gave them an apologetic look and pulled it out
Tell them the whole truth- Angel
I smiled slightly, and realized 'who do I have to protect now? They aren't my friends anymore' I put my phone away
"My ex-best friends did this to me, because I told a lie two years ago and they have now just found out."
"Two years? So they did that to you?" Agent DiNozzo asked, I nodded
"Yeah, she wasn't at all pleased."
"She? It was a girl that did this to you?" Agent McGee asked and I nodded again and then told them about the past three years of my life and what had happened. When I had finished two out of the three were giving me disbelieving looks, one of which included Uncle Jethro, the only one who looked like they believed me was Agent McGee
"That is absolutely ridiculous, there is no such thing." Agent DiNozzo yelled standing to his feet
"Tony! After everything we've seen are you really gonna call him a liar?" Agent Mcgee responded
"It doesn't matter what we've seen Mcgee, we've got a case to solve, and sitting here listening to this nonsense, get back to work, both of you." Uncle Jethro order standing and heading for the door without even a glance at me
"No." Agent Mcgee said, standing and tugging on my arm
"What do you mean no?"
"Everything your nephew said to us is true and I won't tell you how I know cause it's not something for the work place, I'm taking Xander home, to my Apartment, I'll be back in tomorrow morning, and if you know what's good for you you'll stay away from my apartment, come on Xander." Agent Mcgee then pulled me out of the room, I could hear footsteps behind us, but daren't look back. He pulled me into the elevator and hit the door close, but Uncle Jethro managed to slip in before the doors shut, and hit the emergency switch, shutting the elevator down
"Tim, what are you doing?" Uncle Jethro asked, blatantly ignoring me
"I told you I'm taking your nephew back to my apartment."
"He needs help, if he thinks that vampires and Demons actually exist then he needs locking up, not coddling." I sighed sadly, and looked to the floor
"Jethro, that is not something you say to your family, especially when they are telling the truth, and if you want to see for yourself you'll go down to autopsy and tell our jane doe that Xander was here, and you called him a liar after he told you the truth about everything."
"Tim, what are you talking about?"
"In fact why don't we all go down now, I'm sure she'll be waking up."
"What?" Agent Mcgee looked at me as I looked up shocked "She-?"
"Yeah, I'm sorry kid, it was no Barbeque fork." I huffed and looked back at the floor, tears gathering in my eyes "Start the elevator Jethro." I heard a quiet huff before the elevator kick started again, I fell against the wall, gripping onto the handle when the doors opened again, I heard yelling and snarling, without thinking I ran, pulling out the cross from under my shirt and holy water from my back pocket, I ran into the room and saw a very naked back of Cordelia snarling at two men, who look like they had just been thrown across the room
"Hey! Cordelia! Why don't you come snack on something more willing!" the snarling stopped and she turned to face me, a vampire face covered her beautiful one
"Xander?" she asked and I nodded, looking straight at her face
"You wanna cover yourself?" she looked down and shrieked before grabbing the sheet and covering herself.
"I've been turned haven't I?" she asked
"Yeah, but I bet your still as beautiful as ever." Her face changed back "Yep, I was right."
"Oh Xander, always the sweet one, come get it over with I'd rather it be done quick before I feast on anyone."
"I wish I didn't have to do this."
"I know, but at least I got a last dance with you." I chuckled
"That was months ago Cordy."
"Oh Right, well at least I know it isn't the slayer killing me off then, you know what she would do."
"I do now, alright then." I knelt down and put the cross on the floor, pulled up my trouser leg and pulled out a stake and stood back up. I walked over to her and hugged her one last time "Goodbye Cordy, Love you always."
"Me too Xander, Look out for Angel for me will ya?"
"Yeah, I'll look out for Dead boy." She giggled and I staked her through the back and pierced her heart, she pecked me on the cheek before she turned to duck in my arms. I sighed and turned back to get my cross to see Uncle Jethro had already picked it up and was holding it out to me, I looked at his face and saw him wearing a sad apologetic look
"I'm sorry kiddo, sorry that I didn't believe you, and I'm sorry about you losing your friend as well." Uncle Jethro said pulling me in for a hug, I gripped the back of his shirt and buried my face in his chest as tears came full force rolling down my cheeks.
"Can I just get out of here please?" I heard him sigh
"Sure Kiddo, Mcgee would you take him home please? To my home?"
"Yeah, want me to come back in?"
"Even though you said you weren't?"
"Gibbs, we can do this later, but right now I think Xander needs some time to grieve." Agent Mcgee stated
"Fine, but no, stay with him, I'll speak to the Director see if we can switch cases with Balboa."
"Alright, I'll take him home." I let go of the back of Uncle Jethro's shirt and he unwrapped his arms from around me "Come on Kid, let's get you out of here." I nodded and Agent Mcgee wrapped an arm around my shoulders and led me back to the elevator.
After a ride in an elevator and in a car, Agent Mcgee pulled into a drive and shut the car off.
"Come on Kid, let's get you inside and get you settled." I gave him a nod and we climbed out of the car "Do you want a tour?" I shook my head "Alright, let's get you settled." He guided me upstairs and led to into a room that looked currently to be a guest room "This will be your room; we can get it sorted out later on to suit your needs."
"Thanks Agent Mcgee." He smiled at me
"Not a problem and call me Tim, Agent Mcgee is too formal" I gave him a grin and he smiled back at me "Want me to stay in here with you?" I shook my head
"No thanks Tim, I'd like to be alone for a while." He nods
"Alright I'll be down in the kitchen if you need me." I nod and he leaves the room, I lay on the bed and stare up at the ceiling, debating on how I should contact Angel to tell him what had happened to Cordelia.
Suddenly there was a knock on the bedroom door, I sat up looking at it confused
"Come in." When the door opened and I saw that it was Uncle Jethro, I immediately lowered my head, looking at my lap
"Hey Kiddo, Tim said you'd been up here since he showed you the room." I gave him a single nod and I heard him sigh "Kiddo, please look at me." I saw his feet move closer to me, as the door behind him closed, before he knelt, I slowly raised my head, till I was looking at him.
"Do you want me to leave?" he looked shocked
"No! Of course, not I was just shocked by what happened and what you told me, I've never dealt with the supernatural before, I'm surprised that she didn't throw me across the room." I let out a short chuckle, which made him smile a bit "If you want to leave Xander, I won't stop you, just know you'll always have a home here."
"You want me to stay?"
"Of course, I do kiddo, only if you want to though." I shrugged
"I've got nowhere else to go." He chuckled lightly
"Then welcome home, but we will be having a serious talk about your little adventures."
"So, you're not going to arrest me for breaking into an army base, impersonating a military officer and stealing a rocket launcher?" he barked out a laugh
"As long as you don't do it again."
"Nope, never gonna happen again." He smiled and stood up, patting my shoulder
"Good, now come on, let's go introduce you to Jett properly." I frowned and nodded, standing up from the bed
"Whose Jett?" he grinned as we both left the room and made our way downstairs.
"He and Tim come as a package, and I wouldn't have it any other way." I nodded, still frowning slightly, not remembering reading about a 'Jett' in any of the letters. Uncle Jethro guided me into the kitchen, where I saw Tim looking out the window with a mug in his hand and an open laptop to his right. "You can't stop working, can you?" uncle Jethro asked Tim, making him turn around and smirk
"This coming from you, how are you doing Xander?" Tim asked and I nodded with a smile
"I'm doing okay." He nodded
"Ready to meet Jett? You didn't meet him before." Tim asked and I nod with an apprehensive look on my face, making the other two in the room chuckle, before Tim let out a shrill whistle, seconds later a large German Sheppard came bounding in and sat at Tim's feet.
"Xander, this is Jett, he's an ex-sniffer dog." Uncle Jethro explained, and I nod
"Jett, this is Xander he's Jethro's nephew, he'll be living with us from down on, you'll need to protect him too." Tim said to the dog, Jett then stood on all fours and crept over to me, I knelt and held out my hand for him to sniff, which he did, and he obviously deemed me safe because he was then pouncing on me and licking my face, making me laugh
"Jett!" uncle Jethro shouted, and Jett stopped, whined and got off me, sitting at uncle Jethro's feet, ears flat against his head
"Are you alright Xander? Jett's never don't that before." Tim asked moving forward, and I laughed, sitting up
"I'm fine, it was fun, I've always wanted a dog." I reached out to Jett and he moved forward slowly, butting his head against my hand, I smiled and started fussing him
"As long as you're alright Xander." Uncle Jethro said kneeling down and fussing Jett as well
"I'm fine, but can you call me Alex instead?"
"Why's that?" Tim asked keeling down, patting Jett
"Xander just reminds me of the past is all, Willow called me that when we were in Kindergarten, I don't really want to remember that part of me anymore."
"Understandable, new name, new life, draw a line and start anew." Uncle Jethro said, and I nodded as Jett nuzzled under my chin.
"We'll call you Alex from now on then." Tim said and I nodded
"What do you say to take out tonight?" Uncle Jethro asked as we all got back to our feet, Jett sat at my feet
"Sounds good." Tim responded and I nodded
"Sounds great." Uncle Jethro nods and moves over to the side to pull out some take out menus, before handing them to me "You guy's eat out often?" they chuckled
"We work late and sometimes can't be bothered to cook." Tim responded with a shrug
"You pick Alex, we don't mind what we have." Uncle Jethro said wrapping an arm around Tim's shoulders, I smiled
"Why don't we all choose?"
We all decided on pizza for tonight, and Tim went to get it
"Want to see something cool?" uncle Jethro asked, and I gave him a searching look
"Something cool?" he nods and leads me to the basement "Your something cool is in your basement?" he grins and pushes the door open, Jett ran in and down the stairs, curling up on a large cushion that was next to a large wooden frame "You're building a boat in your basement?" I made my way down the stairs and over to the frame
"What do you think?" I grinned at him, running my hand over the smooth wood
"It's so awesome, but how do you get it out?" he grinned
"Now that's a secret, want to help do some sanding?" I nod and he walks over and picks up two pieces of sanding paper, he gave me a quick lesson and we were soon sanding together in comfortable silence.
We must have been sanding a while, because Tim appeared at the top of the stairs
"Wash up you two, dinner is ready."
"We'll be up in a moment Tim." Uncle Jethro responded as we stopped sanding, I saw Tim nod before disappearing back into the house, I handed the paper to uncle Jethro who took it and told me to go wash. I nod and dashed up the stairs Jett hot on my heals, as I headed for the closest bathroom to clean up, I passed a chuckling uncle as I headed back to the kitchen
"All sorted?" Tim asked as I sat at the table, I nodded "Jethro still in the bathroom?"
"Right here Tim." Uncle Jethro said as he walked in the kitchen and sat down opposite me.
"Great." Tim said before sitting down next to uncle Jethro as we dug in to eat.
That night once we had all finished eating, we went to bed, I went into my room and got changed, I was about to get into bed, when there was a knock on the door, I frowned and turned to open the door to find Tim stood there with Jett wagging his tail
"Sorry Alex, Jett seems to not like letting you out of his sight for long, he refused to come into our room and sat firmly outside your door, would you mind if he slept in with you tonight?" Tim asked, and I shook my head grinning
"Not at all, come on Jett." Jett immediately bounded into the room and jumped up onto the bed, before sitting and looked like he was waiting for me
"Thanks Alex, I'll see you in the morning yeah?" I nod and he smiles heading down the hall, I was about to close the door again when I saw uncle Jethro come up the stairs and towards my room
"Night uncle Jethro." He smiled and kissed my forehead
"Night kiddo, Jett you keep an eye on him yeah?" Uncle said to Jett behind me who barked in agreement "Good, see you in the morning kiddo."
"See you." He smiled and headed down the hall, I closed the door and climbed into bed, Jett darted under the covers as well, and waited until I had gotten comfy before laying down, curling up next to me, with his head on my chest, as if to say 'I'll look after you, I'll protect you.' And for the first time in years, I fell asleep peacefully.
A/N: Thanks to everyone who read this chapter, I hope you enjoyed, please let me know what you think, there will be more chapters to come I promise xx Dark xx