I read this story called "Two Reagans" on TTH, and I was so sad that there is NOT anymore Blue Blood stories. The writer was discouraged by the haters on TTH that she quit posting it. As I am familiar with that experience on TTH, I am writing this as one completed story. (I am assuming the writer was a woman, but it could've been a male). Maybe, my tale will inspire others to write more Reagan centered stories. Don't be surprise if I write another some day as I really love the Reagan family and can see all kinds of BTVS family connections to the family.
This is set at the end of Season 3 of BTVS. Obviously, I am not going by the BTVS actual years as Blue Bloods didn't premiere until fall of 2010. This story takes place a year after Joe Reagan was killed in the line of duty, so that makes finale of season 3 of BTVS taking place in May 2010, while Joe was killed on May 15, 2009. So that makes it pre-season 1 of Blue Bloods. Due to the shooting at Columbine High, the actual graduation episode of Buffy was NOT aired the 3rd week in May but in July. However, for the purposes of this story, graduation is happening in May. I am assuming that Jamie is about 25 when he starts season 1 as he had been to law school, which takes 2 years.
The view I write of the afterlife is not a reflection or meant to accurately reflect the beliefs of the Catholic church or Christianity.
Disclaimer: I don't own Blue Bloods or any of their characters, nor do I own BTVS.
Chapter One
*****New York*****
Frank was nearly drunk as he looked at the photo album. The family had met to honor his son, Joe, as it was the anniversary of his death in the line of duty. Guilt still plagued Frank as he thought of his son dying while following in his footsteps. His only consolation was that his wife, Mary, had died before losing Joe. It was hard enough when they had lost their youngest Alex. Alex had been five, about to start kindergarten, when he'd been taken. His loss had nearly destroyed him and Mary both—the family was a long time recovering. Jamie was seven when his baby brother had been kidnapped right in front of him. A man Frank had put a way named Jon Dean had died in prison, so his older brother Kyle had wanted to hurt Frank. Although they had finally caught up with Kyle, he jumped to his death from a high rise when Frank had chased him. Before he jumped, though, he bragged that he had sold Alex. Frank would never find him again. They never did, and the loss had never stopped haunting the entire family.
"I'm sorry, Mary, that I failed you," he said to her photo. "I let Joe die, and now Jamie turned away from the career you so wanted for him. He's a cop, too. Little Alex is still lost, and I just pray to God that he is safe. I wish I could find him for you."
He fell asleep holding the picture of Mary and Alex on his last birthday at home.
*****Sunnydale*****
At the same time, Xander was at his house trying to explain to his parents why they couldn't come to his graduation next week.
"It's the only thing you've accomplished in your entire lousy life," Tony Harris said. "Of course, we're going to be at your graduation."
"Dad, it's not a good idea. It's not going to be safe," Xander said. "Giles, the librarian, overheard some gang members talking about an attack at the ceremony."
"Well, then if it's not safe, you shouldn't go," Jessica said, frowning in concern.
"I'll be fine, Mom. Buffy and I have come up with a plan to protect everyone in case there's an attack," Xander said.
Tony scoffed. "You came up with a plan? Because you know so much about battles and gangs," he said sarcastically.
Xander lost his patience and stood up to his dad, looking him in the eye. "Don't pretend you are not aware of how insane this town is. Every day I come home alive is proof of my ability to handle a battle. My best friend, Buffy, spends every night saving people from the monsters that live in this town. What do you think happened to Jessie? He sure as hell didn't run away from home, Dad. He's dead. All the missing kids are dead. If you don't want to be dead, you won't bring Mom to my graduation. If I don't make it home alive, know that I love you both. Go visit your sister, Mom. She'll be glad to see you," Xander finished. Then he went back to his room, wiped.
His parents weren't perfect, and his dad was a real asshole sometimes. However, he knew they loved him, and he didn't want to hurt them. "I just wish I had a parent that understood sacrifice and war," he muttered. Then he put his hand over his mouth, fearful of using the word WISH.
Little did he know that powers beyond vengeance demons were working on his behalf.
*****New York*****
Mary Reagan had lived a life of Christian charity and compassion, always giving of herself to others. So when she was taken from this world, she was granted the ability many saints are given. She was allowed to watch over her family. It didn't mean that she could interfere directly as she wasn't a guardian angel, but she could send them peace and love at moments of despair. Watching Joe lose his life would've hurt more if he didn't join her in the afterlife. Now she had someone else to help her watch over her growing brood.
"Mom, one of the angels told me that the reason we can't see Alex isn't because he's dead. If he was dead, he'd be here with us," Joe told her. "He died an innocent. He isn't dead."
"Really?" Mary asked. "Where is he? Is he okay?"
"The anniversary of my death day is tonight, so I've been granted a boon from Saint Peter," Joe said. "He said it is time to return Alex to his family."
Mary reached out for his hand. "Frank will have him back? How?" she asked.
"He is on the hellmouth in Sunnydale, California," Joe said. "That's why we can't see him. Saint Peter explained that Frank was meant to find him, but he was hijacked by another power. Because the Christian faith grows so weak on Earth, there are other warriors of light—Champions that fight the forces of evil. One such as this was sent to the hellmouth to keep the hordes of demons from being loosened on Earth."
"You're joking," Mary said in disbelief.
"I wish I was," Joe said, looking grim. "Michael was there, and you know he doesn't have a sense of humor. He allowed me to see the monsters on the hellmouth. Alex was destined to save the life of their champions. He has done so on more than one occasion—he even defied a prophecy to do so. Now others grow weary of his interference, and they want him gone. If we do not get him away from the hellmouth, his life will be one of constant suffering and very little joy."
"How do we save him?" Mary asked. They had no direct power to interfere in impactful ways.
"We are going to be allowed to go to Dad in a dream, and we can speak to him," Joe said with a grin. "Did you not do so once before?"
Mary smiled, nodding. "Yes, it was a year after my death, and I went to Frank in a dream. He had much peace afterward," she shared.
Joe took her hand again. "Then let us go now to him," he said. They moved toward the gateway that allowed them to move between realms.
Soon, they both were inside Frank's dream. He was dreaming of their last vacation as a family before she became too sick to travel. They'd went to the Hamptons. Mary watched her kids playing in sand and water while Joe watched his teenage self try to surf with a snickering Danny calling out insults from the sand.
"I miss Danny the most, I think," Joe said to Mary.
"He misses you," she said. She walked over to Frank, who was reading a book.
"Frank, look at us," she said softly.
Frank looked up. "Mary? What's going on?" he asked. Then he saw his wife making sandcastles with Eryn on the beach. Frowning in confusion, he looked up at her and Joe. "What is this?"
"Joe and I were given permission from Saint Peter to come see you, Frank," Mary said. "We have a message about Alex. He's alive."
Frank looked at Joe and then at his teenage version and back again. On some level, he knew that this was a dream and both his wife and son Joe were deceased. Now, though, they looked very real.
Mary waved her hand and all the images of his memory faded. "There. Now you won't be distracted, Frank. We don't have much time," she said.
Frank stood up. "You are together in heaven?" Frank said, his emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He'd been a man of faith his entire life, but this was unbelievable. They were so clearly there in front of him. His wife looked a bit younger than he recalled, but Joe was exactly the way he looked when he died.
"We are, Dad," Joe said, smiling. "I'm okay. I just miss all of you guys. Tell Danny and Jamie that I'm okay. Eryn and Nikki get prettier every day."
"Alex is alive, Frank. He is in Sunnydale, California," Mary said.
"He was adopted by a couple that did not know he was stolen," Joe explained. "Anthony and Jessica Harris. They kept his name Alexander. Go bring him home, Dad."
"Be careful," Mary said. "The town he lives in is dangerous, and his life is in danger if he stays there."
"This is real? I'm not imagining this?" he asked.
"No, Dad," Joe said. "Because it's my Death Day anniversary, I'm allowed a boon. This is mine. Alex was not meant to stay gone so long, but he was needed to save the life of a champion for the light, Dad. He's someone you will be very proud of. His life on the hellmouth is dangerous, so be careful when you go to him."
"Does he remember us?" Frank asked.
Joe shook his head. "Only in his dreams," he said. Joe could feel them began to be pulled away.
"It's time to go," Mary said. She threw her arms around Frank, hugging him tightly. "You make me proud every day, Frank. I love you, and I will be here waiting for you when it's your time."
Frank gave her a searching look, and then he felt Joe reach for him. His arm reached around them both for one moment, and then they were gone.
Frank woke with tears streaming down his cheek.
Alex was alive!
Chapter Two
******The Next Day******
Frank took a shower and skipped out on breakfast, his stomach in knots.
"Francis, you need to eat," his father Henry said.
"I will after my meeting with the archdiocese," Frank shared.
"Ah," Henry said, nodding. "Did he request a meeting?"
"No, I just called him. I'd really appreciate it if you would come with me, Dad. I have something incredible to share, but I want to tell it once before I act," Frank said.
As his son rarely asked him for anything, Henry nodded. "Of course, Francis," he said. He finished drinking his orange juice. "I'm ready."
Soon, the two of them were ushered into the office of Monsignor Walter Donahue.
"Please, Henry, Francis, have a seat," Monsignor Walter said, gesturing to the two chairs across from his desk.
"Thank you for taking the time," Frank said.
"You seemed upset on the phone," Walter said.
"I had a vision last night, and I know that Alex is alive. More importantly, I know where exactly he is," Frank shared.
"What?" Henry exclaimed, clutching his chest. His youngest grandson had been such a pistol with the sunny disposition of Joe and Jamie but having the deviousness of Danny. His laughter rang through every corridor of their house as did his siblings chasing after him. He was a live wire from the moment he started to crawl.
"Joe and Mary came to me in a vision," Frank said. Then he shared his dream with the two of them.
"That's crazy, Francis!" Henry said.
"Crazy that the Lord would give me a vision? Where is your faith, Dad?" Frank demanded.
Henry gave Walter a helpless look, and Walter held up his hand. "Frank, don't be disrespectful to your father," he said. "Have you looked into this yet?"
"I have Abigail looking in on it right now," Frank said. "I should know something soon."
"Is this possible?" Henry asked him.
"I know that there are many stories of men and women in the Bible receiving visions from the Lord. There are also many clergymen after all the Apostles were martyred who have made similar claims," Walter said. "The official stance of the Church is that all holy men and women devoted to God could receive a vision from heaven. Members of the church like Frank rarely make such claims, but it has been known to happen. The Bible says to test the spirits. If the vision is contradictive to the Word of God, urging the person to sin or turn away from the righteous path, then is obviously not from God. If this vision leads Frank to despair or causes him to turn from his faith, it was not from God."
"So if it pans out, then it came from God? Mary and Joe really did come to see me?" Frank asked, his eyes alight with energy and hope.
Walter nodded. "That is what I believe," he said.
Henry sent a prayer to God that his beloved son would not be disappointed.
After they left the Monsignor, Henry insisted on accompanying Frank to his office, waiting for word from Abigail.
She greeted them at the office door as per usual. "Good morning, Commissioner," she said to Frank. Then repeated the greeting to Henry. Henry was too distracted to brush off her greeting.
"Did you find out anything?" Frank asked her.
She nodded. "Yes," she said. "An Anthony and Jessica Harris do live in Sunnydale, California and have a seventeen-year-old son."
Frank closed his eyes in relief as his father clutched his arm. "Do you have a photo?" he asked.
"I found a lot of things, sir," she said, looking grim. "But here is his driver's license photo."
Frank and Henry looked at the image. "That's him. That's my son," Frank said, recognizing that smile.
"I don't know," Henry said. "It could be."
"Outside of a DNA test, the only other way we can know is if we have his blood type," Frank said.
"That's not definitive," Henry argued.
"Yes, Pops, I know. But it would tell us if he was not our Alex," Frank said.
"How did you know this, sir? Did you get an anonymous tip?" Abigail asked.
"Something like that," Frank said. "Do you have any hospital records?"
She nodded. "In the past three years, he's been in the hospital a few times. He's gotten attacked more than once as the town seems to have a gang problem," she said. "I found several articles that mention him and his friends being on scene at more than one murder."
"What?" Henry asked, upset.
"Suspect?" Frank asked.
She shook her head. "No, it seems his close friend, a Buffy Summers, is often the one accused and later exonerated," she said. "The cops in that town seem pretty inept."
"Bring me everything," he said, opening his office door.
"And a Danish and two coffees," Henry added. "Francis hasn't had breakfast."
Frank rolled his eyes as he went into his office, his father trailing him.
A short time later, Abigail had put everything on the tablet, so Henry stood over his shoulder as they looked through the images.
"Oh, he was on the swim team," Henry said with a grin. "Joe was on the swim team."
The reports of violence in Sunnydale, though, disturbed both of them. "It's just like I was told. The place he's in is dangerous," Frank said. "I bet the friend of his who was named in so many of these reports is that Champion for the Light."
"Doubtful. She's smaller than Nikki," Henry said, looking at a photo from the school newspaper.
"This is last week's online edition," Frank said. "It has a list of the winners. Buffy Summers won the award of Class Protector. What the hell, Dad? They gave this girl an award, bragging that the survival rate of their graduating class was the lowest in decades!"
Henry suddenly felt sick and moved to sit down. "Oh, dear," he muttered. "I don't know whether to hope that's our boy or be glad he didn't live in that town."
Frank saw the blood type on the hospital report and had no doubt. "It's Alex. AB negative just like me, you, and Danny," he shared.
Henry was silent as he thought of the ramifications. The blood type was rare, and the pictures looked a lot like Alex looked, but it was so long ago since they'd seen him. He had just been five when he was kidnapped.
"How are you going to tell everyone?" Henry asked.
Frank was grim as he considered the question. "I can't sit on this, Pops," he said. "Alex is graduating on Friday from high school. We've missed so much. We can't miss that."
"Do you want me to call them?" Henry asked.
"We need to tell Eryn, Jamie, and Danny first," Frank decided.
"I'll call Eryn and tell her to get Jamie to come her for lunch," Henry said.
Frank nodded and picked up his office phone while Henry stepped away, pulling out his own.
"Hey, Pops, what's up?" Danny asked.
"Danny, I found him. I found Alex," he shared.
Chapter Three
******Sunnydale******
Xander gave Larry some last-minute instructions, and then went back to the library. Giles was loading up the last of his books into boxes.
"Okay, Giles, I think we're ready," Xander said. "Where's Willow?"
"She is with Oz somewhere," Buffy said. "Cordelia just finished passing out all the stakes, so everyone has at least one as a backup."
"I can't believe this is it," Xander said, looking around the library. "Our last time to be in this library."
"Well, we set the dynamite just like you said," Buffy said. "The place is ready to go kaplooey."
"Xander, I received another call from a man named Frank Reagan. I really think you need to call him back," Giles said. "He said it was very urgent that he speak to you about a personal matter."
"Oooh, maybe you've inherited some money or something," Buffy said with a grin.
Xander scoffed. "Like anything like that would ever happen to me," he said. He walked over to Giles' counter. "What's the number?" he asked.
Giles handed him the number. "He is in New York," he said. "That number is his cell, and the other is his house number."
Xander pulled out his cell phone—thank you Uncle Rory—and began dialing the first number. It went straight to voicemail. "So this is Xander. You keep calling me. This is my cell. Call me again, I guess." Then he dialed the house number, and a man answered. "Frank?" he asked.
"No, Francis isn't home right now. May I take a message?" the man asked.
Xander grinned, assuming that Frank must live with his father or vice versa. Only a father would call a man Francis, so the guy on the phone must be way older. "This is Xander Harris. He keeps calling me, but his cell phone went to voicemail. Do you know why I keep getting his calls?"
"Because he is your family—one we've recently discovered. As I am his father, that means I am your family too," the man replied. "My name is Henry Reagan."
"Okay," Xander said, surprised. "I don't have much family besides my parents except for my Uncle Rory and my mom's sister, so more family is cool, especially if they're not lame like some of my cousins. Did you do one of those ancestry DNA tests?"
"Something like that," Henry said. He would leave it to Francis to explain. "Francis and his three children flew out to California to meet you. They're going to be there for your graduation today. We're hoping you might consider spending the summer in New York City with us."
Xander's mind raced. New family. A trip to New York. Wait. "They're coming here? Today? That's really of the bad!" he said. "I convinced my own parents not to come because it's not safe. Some gang war is going on in our town, and there's rumors that there might be an incident at the graduation."
"Ah," Henry said, unconcerned. "Well, it's a good thing they're coming. Danny is a war veteran, and a detective with the NYPD. Jamie is a beat cop, and Frank is the police commissioner. Even Eryn, my oldest granddaughter knows how to defend herself—she's an assistant D.A."
"So they're good in a fight?" Xander asked weakly. Well, that was better than nothing. Still, one more thing for him to worry about.
"Of course," Henry said. "They'll keep you completely safe."
"That's great," Xander said. "How will I recognize them?"
"Well, my son Francis is easy to spot as he is a very dignified man in his late sixties with dark hair and a mustache. He tends to stand out as he is six foot and four inches tall," Henry said.
"Good to know," Xander said. Great. The man will be a target for sure.
"I look forward to meeting you in person," Henry said.
"Cool. Well, I gotta go. Nice talking to you, Henry," Xander said.
"Goodbye, Alex—I mean, Xander," Henry said. When he put down his phone, he wept.
"Alex? That was weird," Xander muttered.
"So what's the dealio?" Buffy asked.
"I've got some new relatives crawling out of the woodworks. Four of them from New York, and they are coming to graduation," he shared.
"Oh dear," Giles said, taking off his glasses to clean them.
"What relatives? Did you tell them not to come?" Buffy asked.
"Tell who not to come?" Cordelia said as she came into the library.
"Xander has some family flying in for graduation," Buffy shared.
"Doofus, you were supposed to tell your family not to come!" Cordelia said.
"I did. These are relatives I didn't know I had!" Xander said, defensively.
"Who are they exactly?" Buffy asked.
"The Reagan family," Xander said. "A family of cops—the NYPD."
"Seriously? You have relatives that work for the NYPD?" Buffy asked in surprise.
"Since when?" Cordelia asked.
"Just now. I don't know!" Xander asked, feeling frustrated. He gave Giles a beseeching look.
"The man, Frank Reagan, has been trying to get a hold of Xander all week," Giles said. "Xander just now had time to return his call."
"I got his voicemail, so I called the house line he left and spoke to his dad Henry. Henry said that Frank—whose name is Francis—was already on his way to witness my graduation."
"Good one, lame brain," Cordelia said. "The poor guy could get slaughtered."
"Not just him, but his detective son and cop son and assistant distract attorney daughter!" Xander said, a note of hysteria in his voice.
"It's going to be okay, Xander," Buffy said, trying to sooth. "If they're already on there way, it's too late to stop them. We'll just have to watch out for them and convince them to leave once they get here."
"You think you're going to convince cops from New York City to run at the mere threat of gang violence?" Cordelia asked incredulously.
Buffy looked to Giles for help. "Giles?"
"Yes, well, that is not likely," Giles acknowledged. "Most likely, they'll be better prepared than the other family members."
"That's good," Buffy said.
"Frank is the NYPD police commissioner," Xander added as he sat down at the table and put his hand down on it, groaning.
"God, Xander," Buffy muttered.
"You just don't do things in half measure, do you?" Giles said in wonder.
Xander started banging his head against the table.
Chapter Four
******Graduation******
Danny was driving the rental car toward Sunnydale with his dad up front next to him. Jamie and Eryn were in the backseat, and tension was high. There dad's revelation had struck them all hard. Danny was openly skeptical, but Jamie was hopeful. Eryn didn't know what to think, but a lead was a lead. She just prayed this one panned out.
"Okay," Frank was saying to his father. "I will call you right after."
"What did he say?" Danny asked impatiently.
"Alex called him, finally returning my phone call," Frank said.
"Really? What did he say?" Eryn asked.
"Does he know we're coming?" Danny asked.
"He does," Frank said. "He left me that message first and then called Pops."
"What did Grandpa say?" Jamie asked.
"He told him we'd discovered that we were related and wanted to meet him," Frank said. "Although he seemed happy at the prospect of new relatives, he was upset that we were coming to graduation."
"Why?" Danny asked.
"He said it wasn't safe," Frank shared.
"What?" Danny said. Ever since his dad told him that he'd found Alex because his mom and dead brother came to him in a dream, he wasn't sure what to think. However, they'd been without hope for so long that he knew that he had to check and see for himself. His siblings all felt the exact same way. It might be his father's fanciful imagination, but he knew his dad wouldn't rest until he knew for sure. None of them would.
"There's a gang war going on and rumors of an attack at the graduation. His parents aren't coming even," Frank said.
"You think that crazy stuff about the town being on a hellmouth is true?" Jamie asked.
"That's crazy, Jamie," Eryn said.
The sign Welcome to Sunnydale was seen. "Looks like we're about to find out," Danny said as they entered the city limits.
"So what's the plan?" Jamie asked.
"We'll sit with the families there to watch the ceremony. Afterward, we'll go introduce ourselves to Alex and ask to take him to dinner," Frank said. "Then we'll tell him what we suspect and make plans to get a DNA test done right away. Abigail has already texted me the location of two places that do it. One is in the hospital and the other a small clinic."
"Sounds good," Eryn said.
They drove in silence a few minutes until Jamie spoke. "I don't know if it's all the talk about hellmouths or danger or whatever, but I'm feeling sick," he said.
All of them could feel to various degrees the weight of the hellmouth. No one spoke until they pulled up to the school.
"It looks like we made it," Danny said, looking at his watch. "We have ten minutes before it's supposed to start. We should try and find Alex."
"I think he goes by Xander," Frank said.
"I like Xander," Jamie said.
"Alex is better," Danny said.
They got out of the car and began walking toward the building
"Let's look at the photos one more time, so we can spot him," Eryn suggested, pulling out the tablet.
They all stopped and were looking at the tablet images when a voice came up behind them.
"Whatcha looking at?"
Danny glanced at the teenager and did a double take. It was Alex. "Alex!" he exclaimed.
The boy grimaced. "No one calls me that," he said. "Xander. You must be the Reagans. I've been watching for you the past hour. Henry described Frank to a T."
The Reagans were all looking at Xander in various degrees of fascination—the piercing gazes were a bit disconcerting. "Let's not all stare at the Xan-man all at once," he suggested with a grin.
"Forgive us," Frank said, holding out his hand. "I'm Frank Reagan. This is my oldest son, Danny. That's Eryn and Jamie."
"Nice to meet you guys, but I really wish you hadn't come," Xander said, his anxiety finally showing.
"It's going to be okay, Xander," Frank said. "We are more than capable of protecting you and your classmates. We came prepared." He moved his jacket to show his gun.
Xander snickered. "Unfortunately, guns don't do anything against vampires and a giant snake," he said.
"I received a vision and was told this is a hellmouth and that demons are real," Frank said.
"Really? So you know? And you came anyway?" Xander said in surprise. "You must be either really brave or really stupid."
"Neither. We're just committed," Frank said. "Family means everything to us, and you are our family."
"Well, I can't say that's not nice to hear 'cause it is, but we've got this well in hand. You want to help, you should get all the civilians out of the way when the fighting starts," Xander said. He couldn't believe how tall the man was. Yep, the vamps would definitely see him as a challenge.
"Civilians? You're a civilian," Danny said.
Xander smiled a smile that didn't reach his eyes and broke Frank's heart. "Sure, I am," he said. "Remember what I said. Get the other parents out of the line of fire. We couldn't get all the family members to stay away. Case in point."
"We can handle ourselves just fine," Danny said, not sure how to take this man. It was Alex. There was no mistaken that face.
Eryn wiped her eyes as her emotions overwhelmed her, and Jamie reached for her hand. Neither could speak as they gazed at Xander in disbelief. It was really him—their baby brother was right in front of them.
"Come on. I'll take you to where the parents are," Xander said.
He led them to the seating and a short blonde approached him. "Xander, you need to get your graduation gown on," Buffy said. She glanced at the Reagans and saw in an instant that they were not the idiot cops that Sunnydale had.
Danny felt chills run down his back as the girl looked at him. He recognized the eyes of a predator, and she was sizing them up.
Frank smiled at the young woman This must be the girl. "I was told Xander was brought to this town to save the life of a Champion of Light. I take it that you are that champion," he said, holding out his hand to her. "Frank Reagan."
"He gets visions," Xander explained.
"Cool," Buffy said, shaking his hand. No one had ever taken her at face value so soon. Not an ounce of skepticism in this man. That was a nice change of pace. "I'm Buffy. And yes, Xander has saved my life a time or two. Yes, I am the slayer, and if you stay for graduation, you'll have nightmares for the rest of your life."
"Who says we don't already?" Danny said.
Buffy grinned, liking the gruff man instantly. He was the opposite of the towering gentleman. "Let me guess. You're the detective?"
"Buffy, we don't have time to chit chat," Cordelia said, coming up to the group. "Everyone is getting anxious. Time to take our seats."
"Cordy, get the Reagans some stakes as they are insisting on staying," Buffy said.
"Okay," she said, looking the group over. "But it's your funeral."
"Nice girl," Danny said.
"My ex," Xander said with a grin. "Go sit over there." He pointed.
"We'll see you after," Reagan said. "I'd like to take you to dinner."
Xander laughed. "I like a good optimist," he said. "If we survive, sure."
He left them to be seated, joining the students sitting in front of the stage.
"That was really strange, Dad," Eryn said. "He acts like a war is about to start."
"Be on guard," Frank said. "I don't like the feel of this."
"These kids are way too tense," Danny said, looking at them as they walked to their seat.
"The parents are not," Jamie observed as he sat down and looked around.
The young woman, who Xander said was his ex, came over to them with a small bag. "Here you go. Take one. It might save your life. Aim for the heart," she said.
"Is she serious?" Eryn asked as the girl walked away and Frank looked at the bag. He handed them a whittled stick.
"I feel like we've entered the Twilight Zone," Jamie remarked.
The principal got up to introduce the guest speaker.
"What an ass," Danny murmured as the principal yelled at a student from the pulpit.
"Hush," Frank admonished.
Things got weird when the town's mayor got up to speak. It was like the students braced themselves.
"This is eerie as shit," Danny whispered to Eryn.
Of course, that was an understatement as an actual eclipse darkened the sky above them and the mayor clutched his stomach like he was incredible pain.
"It has begun," he said.
Danny looked at his father. "The mayor is the one they are preparing to fight," he remarked.
None of them, though, were prepared for what happened next.
He turned into a giant snake.
"What the hell?" Danny yelled, jumping up. The parents around them got up, screaming. However, the students—not a one—moved.
"They aren't surprised," Frank said, forcing himself to stay in position. As one, the students all stood and faced the giant snake.
Chapter Five
"Oh my God!" Eryn cried. She looked at the fleeing parents and saw a group of people coming toward them. "The parents are being flanked, Dad."
"Stop!" Frank called out. "Don't run."
The parents, though, couldn't overcome their terror.
"Now!" a girl called out. They watched the students throw off their graduation gowns—all of them were armed.
"They all know," Frank said, deeply disturbed by the image.
"They're prepared to fight," Danny said, impressed.
"They're going to die," Jamie said, feeling terror he'd never felt before as the giant snake loomed over the students.
"Flame throwers!" Buffy called out.
"Flame throwers?" Eryn remarked. "They knew the mayor was going to turn into that?"
All of her family had their weapons out, a gun in one hand and stake in another.
"If the flamethrowers aren't hurting the giant snake, I don't think our guns will," Eryn said even as she held her own.
"Second wave," a male voice called out.
"That's Xander," Danny said, seeing him standing off to the side. "He is giving them orders."
"He wasn't lying," Jamie remarked.
The parents behind them screamed as the vampires began picking them off.
"We have to help them," Danny said. He shot his gun at the man attacking a woman. It did cause him to let the woman go, but the man didn't die. Instead, he walked toward them.
"I guess, we're in it now," Frank said. He started shooting the people with deformed faces, recognizing their inhumanness.
Another group came up behind them, though, and they watched the deformed humans turn to dust.
"Vampires are real," Eryn remarked. One jumped to grab her, and she raised her gun, preparing to fire.
"Guns won't work on them," a teenager called out. "Use your stake."
Eryn stabbed the man in the neck with it, screaming all the while as blood squirted all over her.
"You gotta hit the heart!" someone called.
Eryn pulled out her stake as Danny pulled her back and stabbed the man directly into the heart. Then he yanked the stake out as the man turned to dust.
"Damn! They really are vampires!" he exclaimed. Fear for his family warred with the real panic that threatened to overwhelm him for just a moment. Then he glanced and saw Xander's ex-girlfriend stake a vampire. To hell with this. He wasn't going to let these kids die, and he jumped on a vampire that was about to bite a tall jock looking teen. The guy turned around and stabbed the vampire with his stake.
"Thanks, man," the teenager said. "I thought I was a goner."
"Not a problem," Danny said.
"Larry, are you okay?" Xander asked.
"Thanks to this man," Larry said.
"Let's start pushing them back," Xander said. "Start backing away from the school. Buffy's going to get the mayor to chase her into the school, and we need to be a safe distance." He glanced at the Reagans and grinned. "Glad you guys are still alive."
Jamie stabbed another vampire. "This is oddly liberating," he remarked.
The students began fleeing the school, and the Reagans followed, staying alert. They helped students who were getting attacked whenever they could.
"Look, it's going into the school," Danny said, nudging Jamie.
"Why do you think she wants it to chase her?" Eryn asked.
"If I had to guess, she's luring it into a trap of some kind," Frank said.
"Probably planted some explosives," Danny said.
Eryn looked shocked. "How could these kids get their hands on explosives?" she asked.
"Now, do you really want to know the answer to that?" Xander asked, walking over to them.
"It was you, wasn't it?" Danny asked with a knowing smirk.
"There was this Halloween when we all got turned into our costumes, and I was dressed as a soldier," he said.
Frank had a feeling there would many such stories like that.
Eryn looked faint, and Xander frowned. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine," she said weakly, glancing at the kids who were all breathing heavy all around. Her baby brother knew how to make a bomb. Sure, she was fine.
"There's Buffy!" someone yelled.
They watched as Buffy rolled to the ground and jumped back onto her feet, diving toward an older man wearing glasses.
"They rigged the school," Danny said as he watched the man push the plunger.
Then the school blew up.
Chapter Six
After things calmed down and the fire department arrived, Xander went over to Buffy, who was looking very forlorn.
"You okay?" he asked.
"Angel's gone," she said.
"Gone? He got staked?" he asked in surprise.
"No, you goof," she said. "He left town."
Xander put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "I'm sorry. He's an idiot," he said.
"He couldn't see us having a future," Buffy shared. "How could he not know that I probably don't have any future? This is my third year as a slayer, and I've already died once. Eventually, my luck will run out. Why can't I live my life with the man I love? Doesn't he love me enough?"
Xander wanted to shoot Angel with a water gun filled with holy water. Buffy didn't deserve to be in pain, not ever.
She pulled away, her allotted time for leaning on another person over, and asked, "How did the Reagans handle things? They all okay?"
"Yes, they are fine," Xander said. "They were impressive. Hardly even blinked—even the daughter, Eryn."
"That's great," she said, watching the family a bit away from them. Frank broke off, though, and was walking purposely toward the fire truck. "You better go head off Frank before he tells the fire chief what really happened. He strikes me as a straight shooter. They won't be able to ignore the police commissioner of the NYPD."
Xander looked alarmed as he went to intercept. "Hey, Frank!" he called out.
Frank stopped and turned. When he saw it was his lost son, he grinned. It was hard to believe that his baby boy was right in front of him. What a brave and selfless young man, he had grown up to be. Mary would be so proud.
"Everything okay?" Frank asked.
"I don't know. You tell me," Xander said. "You looked like you were about to go talk to someone in charge of clean up."
"Well, yes. As the highest-ranking civilian on the premises, it's my job to give the report," Frank said.
"And I appreciate that you think that," Xander said with grin. "But I promise you not only will it not matter, there's no point. The mayor was some type of warlock. He's put the whammy on this town—he was the mayor for over a century. When the people in this town see things happening, the next day, they'll rationalize it away. We've seen it happen too many times."
"The man turned into a giant snake," Frank said. "How do you explain that?"
"It was a gas leak," Xander said. "Because that's what they're gonna say."
"A gas leak? Seriously? The thing ate your principal!" Frank said.
Xander grinned. "So the mayor wasn't totally evil after all!" he quipped.
"Xander," Frank said in a disapproving tone.
"Come on," Xander said. "I'll introduce you to Giles."
"Who's that?" he asked.
"Well, he's the librarian and Buffy's watcher. He trains her and does the book thinking. Tells us when a big bad is coming. Looks up how to kill things," Xander said.
"Sounds like an interesting man," Frank said. How could a responsible adult allow these kids to be in such danger all the time?
Xander, though, knew his thoughts. "Don't go blaming Giles. He can't stop what Buffy is. The slayer thing just happened. She was a normal girl, and then suddenly she wasn't. Some cosmic lottery chose her to be their chosen one," he said. "Giles is the only adult we can really trust. Well, Buffy's mom is doing better now that she knows. At first, she threw Buffy out of the house. Now, she's dealing. Oh, there's Willow."
Frank watched him wave at a redhead. He knew this girl as she was in the reports Abigail gathered, so he had gotten as much information as he could on everyone in Xander's life. Willow was his oldest and closet friend—a certified genius.
"Willow, are you okay?" he asked, hugging her and glancing at Oz, who nodded.
"I'm good," she said. "We did it, Xander. We beat the mayor!"
"I know," Xander grinned. "Hey, Will, this is Frank Reagan. The guy I was telling you about."
"Nice to meet you," Frank said, holding out his hand.
"That's Oz, her boyfriend," Xander said. "Willow's the reason I go by Xander. We met in kindergarten, and she couldn't pronounce Alexander."
"I broke the yellow crayon, and he gave me his," Willow said, smiling up at Xander.
"Ah," Frank said, enjoying learning about his son. They would learn to like Xander.
"Where's Giles?" Xander asked.
"He went with Wesley to the hospital," Willow shared.
"Oh," Xander said. "I guess you can meet him later."
"So how are you related to Xander? He never said," Willow inquired.
"No, he hasn't," Xander said, looking up at him.
"Well, I'm not sure this is the right time, but I'm your father," Frank said.
Xander blinked. "Huh?"
******An Hour Later******
Frank and his three kids were at a Dennys, sitting in their largest booth with Xander in a chair outside. Buffy, Willow, Oz, and Cordelia were all there, too. No matter how much the Reagans tried to pry him away to talk to him, Xander wasn't having it. Whatever he had to say to him, he could and would share with his friends. As Frank respected loyalty, he didn't protest much.
Frank had just finished telling Xander everything, and his friends were stunned speechless. Everyone was waiting for Xander to respond.
"I am not a Harris? But I come from a long line of perfectly respectful, decent Irish Catholic folks, who usually go in law enforcement of some kind?" Xander asked, grinning. "I have three brothers and a sister? I'm an uncle! How cool is that?"
Collectively, the Reagans felt their tensions ease. They couldn't believe how well he was taking the news, but they were relieved.
"We think it's pretty cool, too," Frank said with a warm smile. He reached over and put his hand on Xander's shoulder. "I'm really glad to have found you, and I think the DNA test will prove what we all feel. You're Alexander Henry Reagan."
"Henry? Not Lavelle?" Xander said. "That's better."
"Only slightly," Cordelia said with a snort.
"After your grandfathers," Frank said.
"Really?" Xander said, oddly touched to know that. He was almost afraid to hope that this was true, and they were his family. They seemed so wonderful—he wasn't used to wonderful things happening to him.
"Are Xander's parents going to be in trouble?" Cordelia wondered.
"Well, they will have to surrender all the documentation they have concerning the adoption," Frank said.
"I can't believe they didn't tell me I was adopted," Xander said.
"What if they knew Xander was stolen?" Willow asked.
"My mom would never have known such a thing," Xander said. "But with my dad? Who knows?"
"If there is proof that they knowingly kept a stolen baby, they will be punished to the fullest extent of the law," Frank said grimly.
Xander wrestled with how that announcement made him feel. On one hand, if he was adopted, his parents had kept that from him. That pissed him off. On the other hand, they loved him and took pretty good care of him his whole life. Did he want to see them in jail? He looked at the Reagans and knew how amazing they were already. Eryn would've been the perfect sister, always taking his side. When their mother died, she would've stepped in. Somehow, he just knew that. He looked at Danny—he would've beat up anyone that ever tried to hurt him. Jamie looked like a combination of Buffy and Willow—strong and compassionate.
"I really don't think they were involved," he said. "But if they played a part in taking me from all of you—no matter how minor—then do what you feel is right. I won't protest."
Willow looked sad, and Buffy surprised. However, they didn't say anything.
"Well, we're going to go," Buffy said, getting up. "It's getting late."
"Xander, why don't you let the Reagans take you home?" Willow suggested. "Give you time to talk."
Finally, the Reagans got to finally spend time with the part of them that had been missing for thirteen years. They enjoyed his company for another hour before taking him home, promising to pick him up for breakfast in the morning at nine.
After they got a room at a bed and breakfast—not a hotel where vampires were free to come a go—they were too keyed up to sleep. Jamie and Eryn were in a connecting room with Danny and their dad. As the youngest, he always got stuck on a couch or pull-out. They gathered in Frank's room, sharing a drink.
"I'm still in shock," Eryn said. "I know without a doubt that he is our brother, but to know all these things. How will we ever function in the real world again?"
"It's just incredible," Jamie said.
"How will I tell this to Linda?" Danny asked. No one bothered telling him not to because he and Linda had been together since they were teenagers. He was incapable of keeping anything from Linda.
"We will function in the world like we always do," Frank said. "Together and doing the best that we can. These kids have done incredible things without any support. What kind of people would be if we couldn't face our world that doesn't have these kinds of monster? We had a taste of what they've put up with for years. A fate that Buffy can't escape until she's dead."
"It just breaks my heart," Eryn said, her voice cracking. "She's not much older than Nikki, Dad. What if that was Nikki's life?"
"I know how you feel," Frank said. "No one said it would be easy, but we came here for Alexander. We can't save all of them, but we can save him."
"How long will the DNA test take?" Jamie asked.
"They can take weeks," Frank said. "But I was told that if I offer a financial incentive, combined with a threat of my office, I can get the hospital to get it done in a few days—a week tops."
"Tomorrow's Saturday," Eryn said. "Will they even do it on a weekend?"
"If we go between the hours of nine and twelve, they will do it," Frank said.
After several more minutes of discussing the events of the night, they went to bed.
Chapter Seven
******A Week Later******
Frank and Henry were on a plane flying back to California. They had flown home last Sunday after doing the DNA test that Saturday. They spent time with Xander, learning about him and sharing with him. Xander insisted that he wanted to talk to his parents alone first, so he wouldn't allow them to broach the subject. Now, though, the DNA test results were back. Henry insisted on going with Frank to tell Xander the result in person and convince him to return with them.
"I still don't like that Xander wouldn't call us back for most of the week," Frank said. "Things ended on a great note, but he shut us out."
"Well, you spoke to him on Wednesday," Henry reminded him. "He said he would explain in a few days. When we see him, we'll make him explain."
Frank couldn't help but feel anxious. He just wanted his boy home with him. New York City was a lot safer than Sunnydale.
*****Sunnydale******
Xander was very surprised to find Frank Reagan on his doorstep. It was three o'clock in the afternoon. "Frank? Did I know you were coming?" he asked. He glanced at the older man. "You must be Henry."
He stepped back to let them cross the threshold. "I am," Henry said, holding out his hand. "I insisted on coming this time."
"A brave man," Xander said, grinning and shaking his hand.
"We are here because the DNA test came in, and we wanted to tell you in person," Frank said.
"Glad you came as I have a lot to tell you myself," Xander said. "Come on and have a seat. My parents aren't back from work yet."
Frank glanced around at the modest home, curious about where his son grew up. It looked like a typical home, nothing too alarming or upsetting. The couch was worn, but there were pictures of Xander scattered about. He walked around to look at them.
"Don't worry," Xander said. "Willow is already making copies of all the photos for you."
"So you know?" Frank said.
"That I'm your son? Yes," Xander said with a grin.
"How?" Frank asked.
"Sit down and I'll explain," he said, gesturing to the couch. He sat on the chair next to it.
"We got worried when you didn't call us back until Wednesday," Frank said.
"I'm sorry about that," Xander said. "I was upset and confused. I confronted my parents after you left, and they were absolutely insistent in their conviction that I was not adopted. My mother cried and gave me a play by play memory of my birth even. It was more than a little confusing. I didn't know what to think."
"Well, we have the DNA test to prove who you are," Frank said.
"That's good, but I'm not sure I want to show it to them," Xander said. "It seems that they did have a son. He was a year younger than me, but he died. Some powerful magics were used to place me into his spot."
"Magic?" Henry asked, frowning.
"Dad, I told you this place was not normal," Frank said.
"Sorry, Grandpa, but nothing in Sunnydale is normal. Magic is real, so are monsters. Someone wanted me here, and they used my parents' vulnerability against them," Xander said, pissed. "I suspect it was the mayor as he knew that if the Master rose and opened the hellmouth, he couldn't fulfill his nifty ascension."
"How do you know this?" Frank asked.
"Well, I told my girls about what my parents were saying. They reminded me of how things like this were possible in Sunnydale," Xander shared. "Willow and Giles found a spell to reveal that they'd been given the magical whammy. It didn't answer everything, but we pieced it together. You had your vision that told you a higher power wanted me here to help Buffy. The Harris' son was born with a heart defect. It was perfect. He must've wiped my memory of you because I had Willow do a cleansing spell, and now I can remember you guys."
"You can remember us?" Frank asked in surprise.
Xander nodded. "I do. She did it last night," he said. "I remember Joe always giving my piggyback rides, and Mom's peach pie—I loved it with ice cream. I remember my beautiful older sister, spoiling me rotten. I remember putting a snake in Danny's bed and giggling with Jamie when he screamed like a girl. I remember crawling into bed with you and Mom after my brothers let me watch a scary movie Mom wouldn't have approved of."
Frank's eyes filled with tears, and he stood up, pulling Xander into his arms.
Xander finally allowed himself to cry. He cried for the family he lost, the years that couldn't be gotten back. He cried for the mother he would never see alive again, nor the brother taken too soon. He cried for the Harris's, who he could never tell the truth to. He cried for his girls because he knew he was going to be leaving them much sooner than anyone realized.
Henry looked up and murmured, "Thank you, Lord, for returning our boy."
An hour later, he left them at the bed and breakfast and went to find Willow and Buffy. Luckily, they were both together at Willow's. He told them about the Reagans being in town.
"So what happens now?" Buffy asked.
"Now, I'm going to go back with them to New York for the summer," Xander said. "I'll be back in late August probably."
"You're going to come back?" Buffy asked, surprised.
"Of course, he is! This is his home!" Willow said, upset at the thought of being away from him.
"No, it's not," Xander said. "You are my home, Will—you always have been. But I have a really big family that has never given up on seeing me returned to them. Now that I remember them, I can't pretend it's otherwise. And they're so wonderful, Will. I didn't know families like them were real. They do Sunday dinners. All the grown children and the grandchildren always go to my Dad's for dinner every Sunday. Family means everything to the Reagans. It never did to the Harris's."
"That's great, Xander," Buffy said. She loved Xander and would miss him dearly, but she didn't want him dying on the hellmouth next to her. If she stayed, she knew that he would do anything to protect her even though it was her job. He wasn't one to ever quit—now she knew where he got it from.
"You know I got into Columbia," Willow said. "Maybe I'll go there for graduate school."
"Now wouldn't that be great?" Xander said with a grin. "You guys will come to New York and visit, right?"
"Every chance we get," Buffy promised.
"What are you going to tell your parents?" Willow asked.
"Well, I had already told them about my planned road trip with my car Uncle Rory sold me. Dad said that Grandpa will fly black alone, and he and I will take my car across country," Xander said with an excited grin. "If it breaks down, he said, we'd put it in a shop and see the local sights."
"Can the police commissioner afford to take some much time off?" Buffy wondered.
"He said that he hasn't taken a vacation in years, so it's fine," Xander said. "I guess they'll be some publicity when I return as he's kind of important in New York City."
"You aren't worried that your family here will find out?" Willow asked. "You asked them if you were adopted and told them about the DNA test already." He had done that before he suspected magical mischief.
He shook his head. "You know this town doesn't get much outside news or pay attention to it," he said. "No one in my family is spending time online surfing for news. If a cousin finds out, I'll tell them not to mention it to my parents. No need in breaking their hearts. I already told them that the DNA test proved the Reagan's were mistaken. I probably should've told them the truth, but it be killing their other son and me both at the same time. I just couldn't do it."
"I don't think I could either," Willow said. Xander adored his mom even if his dad could be a big jerk sometimes, and it wasn't Xander's nature to hurt a woman if he could avoid it.
"Well, what about this—if you don't want to come back at the end of the summer, Will and I will come visit you there," Buffy said. "Dad's going to spring for my back to school clothes, and who says I can't go shopping for them in New York City?"
Xander laughed and hugged them both, grateful that no matter what, he wouldn't lose his two best girls.
******Two Weeks Later******
Frank and Xander made it to New York the day before. Xander's car was basically a hunk of junk, but the two of them had a blast, dragging the road trip out twelve days. After being stranded in Nevada when the car broke down, Frank left the car and instructions for an overhaul with the mechanic. Then he drove Xander to Las Vegas in a car rental. Although many places were banned due to Xander not being twenty-one, they still had a good time. An even bigger surprise was when his siblings and sister-in-law flew into Vegas the next day to paint the town with them. It was the most fun Xander had ever had in his life. They saw shows and concerts, and they ate at a new place every meal.
Linda was as sweet as Danny was gruff, and Xander had a great time teasing his big brother about the fact.
His siblings stayed two nights before flying back home. Everyone felt very happy with the time spent as it was now clear that their family was whole again. The guilt and pain the older siblings each felt for having lost Alex was gone. What happened was a tragedy, but he was okay. More importantly, they knew he had saved Buffy's life, and she, in turn, had saved the world. As they were a family raised to understand sacrifice, they were okay with it.
Xander was a Reagan, so he was, too.
Now, it was time for his first family dinner, and Henry had taken him shopping for a suit that morning after church. Being a devoted Catholic was going to take some getting used to, but Xander decided he liked the tradition of it all. He did appreciate the irony of being more dressed up for dinner at home with the family than the church service, but he didn't argue.
He had a family that wanted to spoil him, and he was going to let them.
******The End******
I was going to do an epilogue, but I decided to stop. This is the end of the tale. I don't have plans to continue, but I would love to see others right their own BTVS/Blue Bloods story! I've done nothing but write this story the past three days, so now I will focus on my others. Please review and share your thoughts! This is the first time I've ever written a completed story in one posting.