Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy or anything involved around the Vampire Slayer show. I'm so sorry that it took me so long to update but I'm truly grateful for all those who continue to read. This chapters for all of you!!! Thanks again and keep reading!!!

Chapter 4

"Well it all started a almost three years ago."

Flash Back

"Dad I didn't do anything!" Xander cryed as his father continued to beat him.

"Don't lie to me boy! I saw you making out with boy! No son of mine is going to be a funkin' faggot!"

"But dad I'm not!" Tony Harris picked up the bruised and bloody mess that was Xander and threw him out the front door. "Don't you dare come back unless you're ready to act like a man!" and with that he slammed the door.

Xander shivered as he lay on the front lawn of his house. He knew that he had to get out of there before day break because having the neighbors talk would only make his father anger worse. He was able to drag himself to the street before he collapsed from the blood lose and the pain. When he woke up, apparently several hours later, he found himself in a warm bed and his wounds tended. "Where am I?" Xander asked himself. Just then the door, to what Xander guessed was a bedroom, and in walked the hottest guy he had ever seen.

Over 6 feet of solid muscle with dark brown to black hair he couldn't tell, and the guy had the deepest brown eyes that Xander had ever seen. The man stood there in black sweats and towel drying his hair. "Oh good you're awake. How are you feeling?" the man asked as he walked towards the bed.

"Uh…better thank you." "Good I'm glad when I found you I thought that you might be lost to this world."

Xander blushed as this guy started checking his bandages. "Um, this might sound like an odd question, but who are you?" The man flushed him a smile that made his breath catch in his throat.

"Forgive my poor manners Alexander, I am Angel. I came upon you last night on my way home. I would have taken you home but your school ID did not give your address." Angel explained as he finished dressing Xander's wounds.

"That wouldn't have been a good idea anyway." Xander mumbled under his breath.

"So Alexander how did you come across such injuries?"

"Got beat."

"By who?" Xander stayed quite hoping that he would just let it go.

Angel sighed, "All right, but you shouldn't move for a few days. Now should I call your parents or should I stop by your house later?"

Panic entered Xander's heart, "NO!!!"

Angel just nodded his understanding. "Is there someone else you can contact about this?" Xander nodded and Angel handed him a cell phone.

"Hey Willow, yea I know I missed school today. No nothing serious. Yea I've got a place to stay for a few days. Thanks Wills you're the best. Bye."

Angel smiled at Xander as he handed him back his phone, "Now what would you like to eat?"

End Flash Back

"Hello Sire, it is good to see you again."

"Childe" Angel whispered. Faster then a blink of an eye Angel was across the room and pulled the new comer into a fierce hug. "I'd always hoped, but I couldn't bring myself to believe." Angel whispered, "Esmerelda, my childe."

As the hug dragged on Buffy became more and more agitated. Who was this girl and if she thought that she could come in here and take her Angel she had another thing coming. "Just who is this tramp?" Buffy asked Willow in not quite a whisper.

The growl coming from the door way cut off any response that Willow might have made.

"Young Slayer, I would not insult my sister again." The gypsy girl said.

"And just what do you think you can do about it?" Buffy asked with a sneer.

"It's not her that you need to fear Buffy." Angel said as in game face he strode over to stand in front of her. "I don't care who you are, I will not stand for people insulting my family!" he snarled.

Buffy was shocked, this wasn't her please pity me Angel, she just stood there with her mouth agape.

"Angel please control yourself this isn't going to help us rescue Xander." Giles said calmly even as he clutched his cross that was in his coat pocket tighter.

Angel growled once more before moving to stand between he childe and her sister. It was only after he slid an arm around the waist of each girl that his game face disappeared.

"Now you mentioned some sort of plan?" Giles asked while keeping an eye on his slayer who was getting angrier with every passing moment.

"Yes, and I wish I could take the credit but it was my sister Megara who realized what was happening to William. We have spent the last century trying to find a way to counter he spell."

"Why didn't you come to me? I would have helped you." Angel said in a sad voice.

Which caused Esmerelda to give her sire a hug, "I would have, Sire, if I could have. But my clan thought me dead and they watched you so closely I knew I wouldn't be able to fool and fight them again. So I focused on William I figured together we would stand a chance."

"Aye, Zelda you thought right." Angel said affectionately as he kissed her forehead.

"Can we please get back to the job at hand?" Buffy sneered at them. After this she was going to send this little slut packing.

"The plan is simple, first we discover where William is hiding."

"Oh I can help with that," Willow perked up realizing that she could help her oldest friend, " the simple locater spell that I found last week should do the trick. But I'll need to run to the Magic Box cause I don't have all the ingredients."

"I'll go with you," Meg said, "I'm very skilled at locater spells perhaps together it will work faster." Willow smiled and nodded, leading the way out of the library.

"So tell me, what's life like as a gypsy?" Willow asked as they walked out.

Zelda laughed as the two left, "I am glad that Meg has found a friend and the little red head reminds me of her."

Angel nodded, "Willow will be good for her."

Flash Back

"Move in with me Xander." Angel said. It had been almost three months since Angel had first pulled off the street.

"I don't know Angel," Xander said, "if my father was to find out in anyway…" he tailed off as Angel pulled him into a tight hug.

"I won't let anyone hurt you, I promise!" Xander smiled against Angel's chest.

"Forever?" Xander asked shyly.

"For eternity." Angel said as he leaned down and gave Xander a gentle kiss.

End Flash Back

"Oh we got him!" Meg and Willow yelled at the same time causing them to giggle and Angel and Zeldie to smile at them.

"He is in an abandoned house on the outskirts of town." Willow said.

Angel nodded "That sounds like William, practical not flashy."

Buffy sighed "So what's step 2 to this almighty plan?"

Zelda looked at her with cold eyes, "Now my Sire, my sister, myself, and possibly young Willow go to get William and young Xander. You and the watcher stay here."

Buffy was shaking her head, "No way, I'm going to go stake me some vamps!"

"And what about Xander, Buffy?" Angel asked. "Not once in this whole time have you mentioned saving Xander."

Buffy's mouth was hanging open, never has Angel ever questioned her motives, "Of course I want to rescue Xander but I can't do that if we just let the ones who took him go free."

Angel shook his head, "Sorry Buffy but you're not coming."

Giles grabbed her arm before she could start and argument, "We'll wait for you phone call that Xander is safe." With that Angel, Zelda, Meg, and Willow left.

Flash Back

Xander sat alone in the now empty bedroom of what was once his and Angel's apartment. Holding the picture and shirt that that he had found. "What did I do wrong Angel?" Xander asked the empty room, "I thought that you loved me." Xander felt the tears start to fall again and tried to shake them away. As he turned to leave he thought that he felt someone watching him, he took one more look around the apartment trying to find who was there, but saw no one. "I should have known that this was all a dream and dreams don't last, not for me." Xander walked out of the apartment closing the door on the dream he had lived for the past nine months without another backwards glance.

End Flash Back

Spike put out his fag in the table, "Bugger mate, that just…"

"Sucks?" Xander cut him off, "Yeah I know."

"And then to have him come back datin' one of yer mates? Now that's hell." Spike said sadly. Xander just nodded his head. "You have just as much reason to hate him as I do."

This got a curious look from Xander, "Why do you hate Angel so much?"

"It's a long story…"

"Actually it's longer then you think, Vampire." A new voice said from the stairs.