The following Monday morning Buffy entered the library to an unusual sight. A small black cat was bouncing around the library like it had overdosed on catnip. It was jumping from the table to the bookcases, to another bookcase… eventually landing on the counter.
It saw Buffy and tilted its head and gave a curious little squeak.
Buffy couldn't resist the cute little face.
She picked up the cat holding it tightly.
The cat purred contentedly, rubbing its head against her chest.
"Aren't you the cutest little kitty!" She exclaimed in the common baby-voice that most humans employ when dealing with living things they consider cute.
This declaration brought Giles out of his office.
"Giles, when did you get a cat?" She asked still hugging and stroking the purring little motorboat.
Giles just looked at the cat and gave a somewhat exasperated sigh. He looked at Buffy pointedly.
"I didn't."
"Then whose cat is…" And there it was. "XANDER!" She squealed dropping the cat as she realised she was hugging her best male friend against her breasts… and he was definitely making the most of it.
Xander suddenly changed to his natural form and grinned sheepishly.
"Sorry Buff, couldn't resist. You were too easy to fool." He confessed.
"Xander asked if he could practice his form changes in here. I am curious as to why you chose a cat?" Giles asked the still sheepish teenager.
"I wanted to see what my agility was like, you know jumping around. Tonight I might try the same thing as a larger cat. Also flying, like an owl, that way I can help Buffy from the air." Xander explained.
"A good idea, but how will you communicate?" Giles asked.
Xander opened his mouth to answer, then realised that he didn't have an answer.
"I'll put Delta and the guys on it." He said.
Delta and the guys couldn't devise a way for them to properly communicate, but they did manage to develop a tracking system were Xander could hover over a target area and Buffy could track him.
It worked pretty well, a simple pressure system allowed Xander to alert Buffy if he spotted a target or if she was being stalked just by how hard he squeezed it with his talons, it in turn had a light that flashed a different colour allowing him to determine if he was squeezing it properly.
He also finished his coffin-gun. Most of the night was spent with Buffy shooting corpses through the ground whilst Xander kept an eye out.
He tended to beat a hasty retreat whenever Angel turned up. It seemed that Gaia's advice and revelations about Angel had been totally forgotten by Buffy. She was just as smitten. Xander decided to just leave them to it.
It was a week or so later that Buffy and Angel discovered the Order of Taraka was targeting Buffy.
The reactions of Giles and Angel both caused her to freak somewhat.
"Ok, so now you and Angel have both told me to run and hide. What's the big deal?" She asked confused. It wasn't like the other stuff she encountered was trying to buy her flowers and chocolates. Everything tried to kill her.
"Buff, can you stop a gun?" Xander asked interrupting Giles.
Buffy just looked at him in bewilderment.
"Assassins only care about the kill, they don't care how they get the kill. They could shoot you in the back, poison your lunch or blow up a building. They don't know the meaning of overkill." Xander explained.
"That is true, Xander. But how do you know this?" Giles asked somewhat worried.
"Wash was a Freelancer, a specially trained soldier. Assassinations were part of that training. Sometimes the only way to save others and stop a tyrant, is to kill them." Xander explained as he remembered some of Wash's missions, not all of them had been particulary savoury in hindsight.
"So what should we do?" Willow asked.
"Your mums out of town right?" Xander asked the Slayer.
Buffy nodded. "For the next few days."
"Ok, I recommend all of us, Giles included relocate to Buffy's house. The AI's can keep surveillance, Church and I can check the rest of the houses and that way, if they approach the house you have plenty of backup, and Giles and Willow can let us know if it's a tricky kill."
"That does seem like a smart idea, but why not stay at my place instead of risking Buffy's house?" Giles asked.
"We need to end this, and that means confronting the assassins, not hiding from them." Xander explained.
"Xander, can I assume you are capable of dealing with any human assassins?" Giles asked.
Xander nodded seriously.
"Why can't I deal with human assassins and what human would work with demons anyway?" Buffy asked indignantly.
"Catherine Madison, Chris and Eric." Xander offered.
"Fritz and Dave. Ethan Rayne." Willow added.
"Billy Fordham and Rupert Giles."
These last two were a shock to Buffy and Willow, especially as Giles was the speaker.
"Humans are capable of both incredible amounts of evil, and equal amounts of stupidity." Giles explained. "Some of us learn the error of our ways like Chris, Dave and myself." Others know the pain and damage they will cause, and like vampires, they revel in it.
"You are a Slayer, you are forbidden to kill humans. Watchers and retrieval teams like the gentlemen from last week handle human threats. Xander is a soldier, something I have come to accept understand from discussions with Church and Delta.
"Delta has been keeping an eye on Xander's psychological state, as per his standard protocols. Although he is still Xander, much of his previous ways of thinking have been reinforced.
"You might remember that Xander was all for beheading Catherine Madison, now he could do it himself and still sleep at night as he would know for a fact that he did the right thing and felt justified.
"It will still pain him to take a life, but an enemy combatant would eventually become another statistic that occurred to save others and complete the mission." Giles explained as Xander sat quietly staring at the table.
He could tell Giles had much respect for him, despite his sometimes childish ways. He knew Giles wouldn't hate him or dislike him.
But he couldn't bring himself to look at Buffy and Willow's faces in case he saw that they couldn't accept it.
Suddenly he felt a pair of soft arms wrap around him, he looked over to see Gaia seated to his left. She kissed his cheek and gave him a sad smile.
"It's also a reason I accepted him as a my Champion. There will come a time when I need him to handle a purely mundane human incident that has nothing to do with the supernatural. Xander will do it, with a heavy heart, but he will do it. And I will be waiting for him to comfort him." Gaia said softly.
"Now enough of this, the three of you go and prepare to stay at Buffy's house, I'm taking Xander away for a talk." She declared.
And promptly vanished with Xander.
Giles smiled softly, glad that someone was looking out for the young champion. It also made him sad that the Powers That Be never showed that kind of care for their champions.
Xander found himself lying by a stream on a grass verge on the edge of a woods. Gaia lying next to him. Both staring up at the over hanging branches.
"I take it your not handling the fact that you have memories of someone who killed as well as Giles thinks?" She asked softy as she rolled on her side to face Xander.
"More like I'm not handling the fact that I emam/em handling the fact that I have those memories." Xander said.
"You're worried it's changed you from who you were?" She asked.
Xander nodded.
Gaia propped herself up on her arm to look down at Xander.
"Xander, every experience we have changes us, its how we grow as people. Even I, in all the millions of years I have existed, have learnt much, I have made mistakes, had great successes and have changed as a result."
"You made mistakes?" Xander asked in confusion.
"I'm not infallible, not like The Creator. I was very naive at the beginning, at the time of the heavenly rebellion I became very sullen. The dinosaurs were my mistake, and I had to destroy them as a result.
"That was the punishment I was set by God; to clean up my own mistake. But I also succeeded in driving out the demons.
"You are my reward."
Xander looked confused.
"God's reward to me was to point you out as my ideal Champion. So I wouldn't have to sit back and watch my domain be torn apart from inside… or out. You are my Hand in dealing with the world, affecting where I can't. I will still be able to help you specifically though."
"Are you seriously saying that after saving the world from demons and making it a safer place for humans… all you got was me?" Xander asked in disbelief.
"You have to realise that since the demons were driven out I have had to watch my domain and subjects suffer. Imagine if you were made to watch as your girls were tortured. You were helpless to save them. How would that make you feel?" She asked sadly.
It was here that Xander realised that Gaia had been in a lot of pain. The pain of having experienced all this and being helpless to prevent it.
He understood perfectly that he was essentially a tool. But considering what he was to be used for he could live with it happily.
Xander pulled the sad goddess into a hug and pulled her down next to him. Sometimes it was so easy to forget that she was a god. She spoke with un-flowery words, sometimes she used their own slang. But he realised that she wouldn't be much of a god if she didn't know how to relate to her people.
She also dressed in modern clothes, long skirts or knee high dresses and simple blouses. Very 'earthy'.
Sometimes she seemed like just another one of his girls.
And he took care of his girls.
They lay there for a while, just enjoying each other's company and the sound of the stream rolling by.
"This is nice." Gaia said eventually.
"Yeah, it's nice to just lay back and relax with friends sometimes." Xander agreed. "Why don't you come and spend more time with us? You might not be able to help us directly, but something tells me your knowledge, experience and wisdom are free to give."
"You mean it might make me feel better if I was able to take control of the situation even if it was just through you?" She asked with a small smile as she rolled to face him.
"Technically I'm a soldier. I know how to take orders." Xander grinned. "Besides, it would take some of the pressure off me if I knew what I could and could not do at the time. I worry about when the next issue crops up… will I handle it the correct way."
"Xander that is why I picked you, because I trust your judgement. Do what you think you should because that is your job as my Champion. But, I will take you up on your offer. You and your friends are fun to be around." She conceded snuggling into Xander's side.
Xander found himself somewhat amused and confused. A real goddess, who was incredibly hot, was lying next to him alone in fairly romantic environment. Xander wondered what he had done to deserve this fantasy.
He was also hoping he wouldn't wake up anytime soon.
Deciding not to question a goddess he simply pulled her more firmly into his side. This caused Gaia to emit a contented sigh.
Buffy was not coping.
Willow was walking her to her locker so they could leave immediately and setup camp back at Buffy's house. Willow could see that the Slayer was getting very paranoid – and rightfully so.
Unfortunately Buffy suddenly snapped and rounded on a male student barely taller than her and slammed him against the lockers.
Willow was able to calm the agitated Slayer down and the young man watched them wander off down the hall.
They eventually met up with Giles, Gaia and Xander back at Buffy's house a few hours later.
"Did you encounter any problems?" Giles asked Buffy as they settled in the lounge.
Buffy looked a little embarrassed.
"Buffy got a little jumpy, accidentally jumped a guy, slammed him against the lockers." Willow said with a wince that was matched by everyone else. "He seemed ok with it though." She tried to reassure them.
This statement caused them to all look at her weirdly.
"By which I mean he didn't hold a grudge, not that he seemed to enjoy it and was looking for a repeat with handcuffs, whips and I'm gonna shut up now!" She babbled.
"Who knew! Willow knows about the kinky stuff." Xander smirked. "I may have to ask you for tips at some point."
Willow just turned red.
Giles decided to save her from passing out.
"Well, at least you made it home safely and without incident. Delta has informed me that one of the assassins is in the house across the street." Giles said with out preamble.
"WHAT!" Buffy exclaimed. "Shouldn't we be doing something? Like running and hiding?" She cried.
"Hmm, I'm thinking Buffy and I need to go pay this assassin a visit." Xander said looking at the panicking slayer.
"ARE YOU NUTS!" Buffy screamed.
"Buffy, you need to face this fear and see that, as dangerous as they can be, they can be killed and dealt with just like everything else." Giles said, having the same worries.
"Look, I'll go sneak in and get in place, then you knock down the door and take him out." Xander said.
"Sneak in?" Buffy asked. "Oh right." She realised he could crawl under the door as an ant. "Won't the owner of the house be upset about her door?"
"Unfortunately she's dead, that is how the AI's knew the assassin was there." Giles said.
"Fine, get going Xander, I'll be there in five." Buffy grouched as she went to retrieve her weapons.
Five minutes later and the sound of a door being kicked in across the street was heard.
"I don't suppose you know what type of demon they are facing?" Giles asked Gaia.
"Not a very powerful one. Buffy probably won't do much more than get a swing in. This one will be Xander's show." Gaia said somewhat cryptically. "This is going to be more of a test for Xander and a lesson for Buffy."
Giles and Willow looked at with a lot of curiosity and a little worry.
"Don't worry, they really aren't in any danger. They will be-" Gaia paused and tilted her head as if listening. "Damn, I have to go. I'll be back as soon as I can. Tell Xander for me?"
Willow nodded as Gaia vanished.
"That was…"
"Weird?" Willow offered.
"Indeed."
"I'm just saying we could have killed a few of them!" Buffy complained as the duo returned to the house.
"They didn't know any better. Now they do and they won't harm anyone." Xander argued.
"Everything go ok?" Willow asked.
"Yeah, creepy stalker assassin was watching the house. Turned into a bunch of bugs when I attacked." Buffy groused.
"Really, incredible. How did you defeat it?" Giles asked with burning curiosity.
"Xander?" Buffy said holding her hand out for him to explain.
"They were real bugs, not demonic. I had a little talk with them. They themselves aren't a demon. A demon spirit simply controls them. I told them they were doing wrong and said they should separate and travel as far away from each other as possible."
"Seeing a bunch of bugs running at you… very, very creepy!" Buffy shuddered.
"Where's Gaia?" Xander asked.
"Little goddesses room?" Buffy quipped.
"Something came up, she said she'd be back as soon as possible." Giles said.
"Ok, cool." Xander shrugged.
Gaia returned later in the evening complaining about big headed, egotistical morons.
She wouldn't go into further details but apparently there were some morons who were treating others like they were children. Gaia had to give them a talking to about equality and such.
She wasn't sure they paid too much attention.
"They argued with a goddess?" Buffy asked in disbelief.
"Well, they don't actually know I'm a goddess. Not many people do, its easier to just let them think I'm a higher being of some sort." She explained.
"Is this something I'll need to deal with?" Xander asked.
"Not yet, eventually you'll get involved. First you need to get a better grip on your current powers, nice job with the bug guy by the way. I think for now I'll just tell the morons who I really am and who they are pissing off!" She said determinedly.
"And if that doesn't work?" Willow asked warily.
"I'll just have to introduce them to Xander." She said with a small smile.
"I have no idea if I've just been insulted." Xander said in bewilderment.
Gaia leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Then my work is done." She said cheekily.
Xander decided that someone should probably patrol that night, so he left Buffy in the comforting hands of Giles and Willow. Gaia agreed to stay put too so she could get Xander in an emergency.
"You are aware we are being followed?" Delta asked as they made their way through a graveyard, his glowing green image lighting the area.
"Yeah, they're pretty good too. I wouldn't know they were there if it wasn't for Wash's instincts." Xander admitted.
"And the motion tracker we built into your watch?" Delta asked.
"Ok, that too." Xander grinned sheepishly.
"What do you intend to-"
"Hey, you gonna come out or you just gonna stalk me all night?" Xander called out.
"-do". Delta finished weakly. "That was because I mentioned the motion tracker, wasn't it." Delta asked a little peeved.
Xander just smiled innocently.
There was some movement from the headstones and a young black girl about his age emerged in a very defensive manner, definitely a fighter.
"Hi, I'm Xander, this is Delta. I'm really hoping you aren't a vampire." Xander said cheerfully.
"I am no vampire!" She spat, her accent thick and definitely not local. "I am de Vampire Slayer."
"Huh, it's about time you got here." Xander said. "Anyway you can prove it… any chance you have an actual name?"
"I am Kendra, and I will prove myself when I kill you!" She declared.
"Why would you want to kill me? I'm just a guy!" He asked bewildered.
"I saw you consorting with vampires and even now you control ghosts." She said pointing at Delta's ethereal form.
"Ok, first of all, I don't consort with vampires. I kill them. Second, he's not a ghost. Delta here is an AI." Xander said a little heatedly. "He's technology, a computer." He said off her confused look.
"Actually I am far more-"
"Can it, Delta. So not the time." Xander muttered.
Kendra seemed to accept the explanation of Delta.
"That does not explain you with de vampires." But not so much on the rest.
"Yeah? When did you see me with a vampire and not kill it?" He sighed.
"Earlier dis evening I saw you and a blond vampire enter a house and I found de victim inside."
"Ok, the victim was killed by a Tarakan Assassin who me and the blond dealt with in the house. The blond is not a vampire. Why would you think that?"
"I saw her consorting and kissing another vampire." She said firmly.
"Right, of course you did." Xander said exasperatedly, clearly Buffy and Angel were still going strong.
"Look lets go see my friends and sort this out. You can meet Giles." Xander suggested.
"Rupert Giles de Watcher?" She asked in awe.
"Yep, really great guy. Little stuffy, but still a good man." Xander said fondly.
"I still cannot trust you, you could be a vampire." She said.
"You should be able to tell I'm not a vampire, the same way I can tell you're not a vampire." Xander said.
Kendra looked at him in confusion.
Xander just tapped the crucifix on his neck.
Kendra just blushed and looked sheepish.
The introductions back at Buffy's were met with a muddle of emotions.
Giles was astounded.
Willow was in pure investigator mode.
Buffy… Buffy was putting up a belligerent front, but it was clear that this was freaking her out.
Kendra eventually let slip that she might have done something to Angel.
"Where is HE!" Buffy demanded.
"I cannot tell you." Kendra said. "You are clearly under his thrall!"
"No, he has a soul now." Giles said somewhat lamely.
"I am sorry sir but until I get orders from my Watcher I must assume he has you all under his spell." She said apologetically.
"WHY YOU-" Buffy screamed pouncing at Kendra, only to find herself being held back by Xander.
"Let me at her Xander, I'll beat it out of her." Buffy demanded.
"Stand down Buff. She's right, she is uninformed and should wait till she has her orders from a trusted source." Xander said.
"But what about Angel?" She cried pitifully.
Xander just rolled his eyes. "I'll go get him and take him to the library."
"You know where he is?" Willow asked.
"I have him being tracked, the guys can tell me." Xander explained. "I'll be back after I drop him off at the library."
"Bring him back here." Buffy said.
"What! No!" Xander exclaimed as if it was the worst idea ever. "For starters your mother lives here and I don't want him anywhere near her, not to mention if she finds out about him she'll likely have an aneurysm!" Xander argued.
Buffy was about to argue back but Xander just went on.
"Secondly, do you really want him around someone that will try and kill him on sight just on principle?" He asked smugly pointing at Kendra.
Buffy visibly deflated. "Well tell me where he is and I'll get him."
"No, you stay here and make sure Kendra doesn't try and come after me or hurt Willow or Giles. Or Gaia." He added as an after thought, not like Kendra could hurt the goddess, but she didn't know what Gaia was and that was the way he wanted it.
Xander quickly left before Buffy could rally another attack.
Finding Angel was relatively easy.
Xander had him bugged. He had been tempted to use real bugs, but figured it would be easier to create an implant that he had shot into Angel's ear.
Once again Xander praised mans greatest invention.
Television.
Futurama had given him the idea. He had created a small ship, being Xander he had modelled it on the Planet Express Ship. The ship was actually controlled by O'Mally who was supposed to be documenting the workings of a vampire's body.
Xander frequently found the maniacal AI flying the small craft into Angel's brain.
O'Mally had destroyed 3 before Xander managed to make something a little more sturdy.
It never occurred to him to simply tell the AI not to do it.
Xander found the ensouled vampire at Willy's, locked in a cage out back. He hadn't even bothered to talk to the weasily proprietor; he simply shoved him out the way and ordered Angel to follow him.
"Why aren't we going to Buffy's house?" Angel asked as they walked towards the school.
"Because Joyce wouldn't approve. As long as you actually watch your back this time, you should be safe at the library." Xander said calmly.
"And who's going to protect Buffy if the Assassins come?" He asked. "You?" Angel scoffed not having much faith in Xander despite his Spartan armour and not having been told about his new Champion status or Gaia. Fortunately Buffy had respected his wishes in this respect.
Xander smirked slightly. "Two slayers and a former warlock. I think we'll manage." Xander replied snidely.
Xander returned to find out that Kendra had contacted her Watcher and confirmed that Mr Giles was on the level and should be considered in charge whilst she stayed in Sunnydale.
Having appeased Buffy with the knowledge that Angel had been freed from captivity, they all turned in for the night with the girls in Buffy's room, the guys in the living room and Church and the available AI's standing watch.
The night passed peacefully and in the morning Gaia headed off for parts unknown and the rest headed for school.
Angel left a note to say he had headed home as the sun was rising.
Xander assured Buffy that as far as he knew the tanless wonder was safe at home.
Buffy was a little surprised when she and Willow were approached by the guy she accosted yesterday in the hallway.
"Hey Willow."
"Hi Oz, oh, you remember Buffy." She chirped happily.
"Kinda difficult to forget." Oz said with a small smile at Buffy.
Buffy just blushed and stared at her feet.
"If its any consolation, you had me pinned pretty good." Oz joked trying to lighten the mood.
"Sorry about that." Buffy said uncomfortably. "I have to go, polyester and handguns await." Buffy bemoaned as she waved goodbye.
As she moved off she heard Oz ask Willow something about computers, Buffy quickly tuned out. Buffy suddenly realised she had as much love for computers as Giles did.
Now that creeped her out.
Buffy stood in line as the officer gave instructions and raised her hand as she heard her name called.
She saw the gun being drawn and reacted instantly. The gun went off firing a shot skyward. Buffy struggled with the officer, but she seemed evenly matched. Buffy needed to back off and regroup. With a knee to the gut Buffy downed the officer and ran off to cover.
The officer pulled a backup gun and drew down on the fleeing girl, she was suddenly blindsided from behind, the gun flying away.
Willow peeked from cover in time to see Xander barrel into the officer and leap through a window.
And vanish.
"Is it me or did that guy just disappear into thin air with a police officer?" Oz asked calmly.