Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or The Walking Dead. They belong to all of their various people and companies. No profit will be made, no infringement intended.

A/N: Not really happy with the ending explanation…but I can see Xander floundering and using this. It's kind of an "uh huh" explanation, but I think for the circumstances it works. No one really wants "truth" anymore.

Chapter Seven

Rick had invited Vi and Xander to join the others in target practice; much to the protests of Shane. Daryl had sat back, smirking knowingly at his sister and her friend. Nearly everyone had left the farm for the practice. Shane and Rick set up targets with the two of them and T-Dog standing back to assist with the others.

Xander and Vi stood back letting the others take their turns. They shared a horrified look. Daryl wasn't exaggerating when he said these people needed all of the help they could get. In that moment, they decided they would be staying with the group for as long as possible. Vi's stance changed, becoming more authoritative as she accepted her new tribe. Xander looked over his pack, his remaining eye going unnoticed as it flashed an eerie green.

Shane made his way over to the two with a cocky swagger and mean smirk on his face.

"Rooster and Eula, gonna show us what ya can do?" he mocked.

"Shane!" Rick yelled, getting between them. "If you're gonna stay, we need to know what ya can do." Rick pulled the two away from the group. "Daryl says you two have skills. We need the help protecting the others. I need to know what ya can do. I need ta know if ya're gonna be a help."

"We'll help all we can," Vi nodded. "You don't need to worry about us."

"Set up some targets for us," Xander agreed. "Varying distances…something moving. We'll show you what we can do with a gun."

Rick nodded his understanding and moved to set up the targets. There were several cans and various other targets set up as well as a swinging log marked with a target area. Vi was the first to take her shots, then Xander. Shane stood back, smirking meanly when only one set of shots could be seen on most of the targets.

"Look again, Crazy Bull," Vi scoffed. "Xan taught me…I know exactly where every one of his shots are."

"No fuckin' way," Shane snarled as he pulled stacked bullets from the swinging target. "This is movie shit, this don't happen in real life!"

"It's like rope, ya never know when it's going to come in handy…sometimes things need more than one bullet," Xander grinned evilly.

The two found themselves surrounded by the others receiving congratulations and requests for pointers. Rick was grinning from ear to ear. Daryl was right, they would be a benefit to the group. He gave each one a friendly slap on the back and nod officially welcoming them to the group. Finally, everyone broke away to go back to practice…this time with Vi and Xander assisting the others where they could as well.

Andrea was showing a real knack for shooting. Shane swaggered over to her, while Xander was correcting her stance, "Yer pretty good. Think yer ready for the advanced lessons. Stay after everyone else leaves, and I'll show ya what to do."

Andrea glanced nervously at the muscled man huffing over her. She had not forgotten what Xander had said about her mistake because she was trying to impress someone. She had nearly killed Daryl because of that mistake. She did not want to be that woman…the one that thought she had to hide behind the strongest man and use her body to get there. She was strong in her own right, dammit! Shane had been antagonizing Xander and Vi since their arrival for no reason. They had been nothing but helpful and friendly since they arrived. Vi was Daryl's sister, and she and Xander had proven they could handle themselves. Andrea decided it was time to be the strong woman she knew she was. She glanced at Xander on the other side of her. He was not happy with Shane's approach.

"Thanks, Shane," Shane smiled cockily, throwing a mean snarl at Xander. "But, I've been working with Xander for about an hour now. I don't think I want to change trainers…different styles and all of that. Xander and I are working really well together, and I think he and Vi have shown they can teach us anything you or Rick can." She flashed a saccharine smile.

Shane growled and stomped away. "Oh, you shouldn't have done that," Xander whispered.

"I'm not afraid of him," Andrea declared, even as she fidgeted watching the large man walk away.

"Uh huh," Xander nodded. "Nothing wrong with being afraid…sometimes it's smart to be afraid. He tries anything, you run to Daryl, Vi, or me…we'll protect you."

"Why?" Andrea asked unsurely. "We're…I'm nobody to you. And Daryl has shown he doesn't care about any of us."

"Daryl asked us to stay for all of you," Xander stated. "Don't think just because he keeps to himself he doesn't care. Men like Daryl…they need people, even if they won't admit it to themselves. You are all HIS. And that means something to someone like him. Don't think he wouldn't go to hell and back for each and every one of you."

"And you…and Vi?"

"I've been protecting people since I was fifteen…don't see that changing anytime. And Vi…well, she was born to protect people. It's in her DNA. Between the three of us, anything that wants to get to any of you will have to go through hell."

Andrea looked into Xander's eye and shivered. She had no doubt in that moment that every word he spoke was truth. She nodded her acceptance and turned back to her target.

Xander followed Herschel across the field. When the older man paused at a section of downed fence Xander moved up beside him.

"Need some help? I'm pretty handy with a hammer," Xander offered.

Herschel eyed the one-eyed man suspiciously. He was not happy with all of these people showing up and making themselves at home on his farm. This man…Xander and the girl he came with had been the center of several confrontations since their arrival. However, they had found the missing girl, and treated a wounded man…their confrontations had been brought on by someone else, not something the two had initiated. He was not happy with their presence, but they had been nothing but polite and helpful to everyone who treated them the same. He did reluctantly admit, to himself, that the repair of the fence would be much easier with two people than one.

"Are you sure using a hammer won't be an issue?" he asked, gesturing to Xander's missing eye.

Xander smiled brightly, expecting that question. "I was a construction foreman before I lost the eye. After…things were pretty chaotic, and it was pretty much do or die learning to compensate. I haven't so much as run into a door in four years." Herschel nodded his acceptance and the two began the repair work on the fence.

"I heard you and your friend were rather impressive at practice this morning. Beth and Patricia couldn't quit gushing about Vi at lunch."

"Yeah, Vi is a natural at weapons. She can pick up anything and be an expert in no time. I've just had lots of practice. Shooting was a form of rehab for me when I lost the eye. I had been pretty good before, and I was determined to stay that way. As I learned compensation, I got better…I'm better now than before I lost it. I think we surprised some…impressed a few others. Totally pis…ticked off one," Xander grinned.

"Hmm. Is that wise?"

"Probably not," Xander shrugged. "The guy has some serious issues. He's…he's like the spoiled child that had their favorite toy taken away and now is throwing the ugliest temper tantrum possible. It's just instead of crying and stomping his feet…he's yelling and throwing punches."

"But you are going to continue to taunt him," Herschel stated. "Like questioning his…," he gestured to his crotch.

"When I was in school, I had guys like him after me all the time. I learned to fight back with words. Old habits."

"And how did that work out?" Herschel glanced at the young man, moving toward the next post.

"Oh, I got the snot beat out of me," Xander smirked. "But, I never backed down. I protected others from them, even if it meant I would be bloody or broken. And in the end, I'm still standing. I'm still protecting as many people as I can. Isn't that all we can do now? Protect each other. It's not just the dead walking around that can hurt someone."

Herschel looked at the young man thoughtfully. He held his head high, his expression open and honest. Xander was a good man. Herschel still didn't want these people on his farm, but he could respect the man beside him. They worked in a comfortable silence for many minutes.

"It was rather fortunate, your…friend…finding her brother like that," Herschel said leadingly. "A miracle some might say."

More like the Powers playing bend-over-and-grab-your-ankles. "I don't know about a miracle, but definitely lucky. We were in Cleveland with some friends when all of this started. We worked with our friends to get a safe area set up. Once that was done, we decided we should go out and try to help others. Vi and I headed south. We were on the road for two weeks before I even knew she had a brother. At least, I finally understood why she wanted to get to Georgia so badly."

"You didn't know she had a brother?" Herschel asked. "You seem very close. Having a brother seems to be something you would know about someone you are that close to."

"Yeah, Vi's one of my girls," Xander smiled. "I'd do anything for any of my girls. They're all like annoying little sisters…that can totally kick my as….ah, butt. We're a family. Vi didn't grow up with Daryl…some stuff happened and Vi went somewhere else when she was five. She grew up very isolated and alone. She didn't have anyone to tell her secrets. Old habits, ya know?"

"It sounds like she had a very sad childhood."

"It could have been worse," Xander shrugged. "Yeah, she was isolated…but she was taken care of for the most part, fed, given medical attention if she was injured. She changed a lot from the little sister Daryl had raised, so she was afraid to look for him when she got older. She finally got the courage and she reconnected with Daryl a few months ago. She was planning to introduce all of us, but then this happened. In the chaos that is an apocalypse she fell back on old habits and kept the details of her brother to herself. No big deal, I'm just glad she finally told me so I could help her…then Sophia literally fell in our laps, and well…here we are."

"And you don't see that as a miracle? Finding the lost girl that was traveling with your friend's lost brother?"

"I'd rather be aware of the reality of a situation than put stock in some higher Power intervening with miracles," Xander whispered. "When I was a kid, I had this best friend. We had been together forever, we even shared a crib. For as long as I could remember, Jesse had been there. Then later, our other friend Willow joined us, and the three of us were inseparable…but me and Jesse, we were always there for each other. When we were fifteen he got…our town had these gangs…they were bad, kidnapped people, and either you joined them or they tortured and killed you."

"My god," Herschel gasped.

"Yeah. But, once they made you one of them…you weren't you again. There was no way to get someone back. They took over your mind, got you…addicted to blood and death. They turned you into something else. Something evil and twisted that looked like you…but it was only a mask to hide the evil. Everything that made my friend, my friend was gone…there was only a shell walking around with his face. No matter how much I prayed, wished…waited for a miracle…my friend was never coming back," Xander's breath hitched. It still hurt to think of Jesse.

"Like I said, these gangs liked to kill people. They came up with a plan to lock a bunch of kids in the local teen hangout and kill everyone. Another friend and I heard about it, and went to save everyone."

"What about the police?" Herschel asked, shocked the man was talking about fighting gangs when he was just a teenager.

"They were a joke," Xander snorted in derision. "They were in league with the gangs…the whole town government was in on it, all the way up to the mayor. But, they came up with this plan…called it The Harvest. There had to be a couple hundred kids at the club that night…and they were going to kill them all." Herschel looked uncomprehendingly at Xander. He was not able to conceive anyone, no matter how corrupt, allowing the murder of so many children. Xander nodded sadly.

"There was a reason we called the town SunnyHell. So, this new girl had moved into town, and she found out what was happening…and she was going to stop it. She was like…this super fighter…like a black belt in every martial art you can name, and could use any melee weapon like you would not believe. I couldn't let her do it alone. They had taken my friend Willow too, and I was going to help get her back."

"So, we snuck in. There were a couple of other people helping us. I went over to help this girl…most popular girl in our school, had made my life hell, and the girl Jesse was "in love with". Jesse appeared, decided he was going to take her, and show her what she had been missing. I couldn't let him do it. No matter how nasty she may have been, I could not let her become one of them," Xander's breath hitched again.

"So, I got between them. Jesse tried to talk me into joining them…to get me to let him have her…but there was no way I could do that. I wasn't talking to my friend any more…it was something evil, dead standing in front of me. I held a…a…a knife I had brought with me up between us. I was bluffing, trying to get him to go away…but he was shoved from behind. "He…he was shoved right onto the knife. I killed my best friend."

"Oh, son…"

"It nearly killed me. I hated myself for a long time after that. Kept thinking…what if I could have gotten through to him…what if I had stayed away and just given him time, maybe he would have come back from that place. But, I finally realized something. Those people…those things…had infected my friend. My friend was gone forever, and just this thing that was rotten on the inside remained. He never would have wanted that. The real Jesse would have been horrified to know what his body was doing. I granted him a release from the horror that he couldn't give himself, because he was gone and never coming back."

Herschel shifted uncomfortably next to the young man. He didn't know what to say to what the man was telling him…but he had a feeling he knew why he was being told. They worked for a while longer in silence; Xander getting his emotions back under control, and Herschel dreading the conversation he just knew was coming.

"Your farm is really amazing. All of these open fields. I noticed yesterday when Vi and I ran out to Daryl…the wind carries the scents of everything over the field. There must be a large honeysuckle patch nearby," Xander began.

"There is, just inside the tree line, not far from where Daryl came out yesterday."

"I thought so. Honeysuckle has a very distinctive scent," Xander nodded. "I noticed another rather distinctive scent too. Coming from your barn."

"That is rather unfortunate. I would appreciate it if you would not say anything about that," Herschel said defensively.

"I think there is enough tension among the group, without me pointing out something that any one of them should have noticed by now. Although, I think Glenn may know…I noticed him staring at the barn a lot this morning, and looking incredibly nervous. I can't promise anything there, but Vi and I won't say anything…for now. It becomes a real danger to the others, and I don't promise anything. I protect others, no matter what." Herschel nodded his understanding. "Who are they? You wouldn't have them there if they weren't important to you."

"My wife…my son…friends, neighbors. They are just sick. I believe there is a cure out there. They are not in their right mind."

"Hmm, Okay. That's your right to believe," Xander accepted Herschel's statement. "But think of this. IF there was a cure…if you could get the part of them that is gone back...how would they react? Would they be able to live with the actions their bodies were carrying out when they had no control? Could they accept that they had hurt others? And what about their bodies? Is this cure going to fix the rot and decay? What kind of brain would be left for a mind to be restored? Or would they just be returning to a body, only to die painfully from the rot and decay invading them? There may be some kind of vaccine for those of use still living…but that's all. And think of this, these…bodies… only eat, never seen one trying to drink water. You've got a medical background, what happens to a body when it doesn't have water? How long can a human live without water?" Xander nodded at Herschel and left him with his thoughts. Before getting out of earshot, Xander turned back with a final comment, "We've all lost people to this disease, or whatever it is. Vi and I lost more than most before this even started. There have been entire families lost to this…be thankful you still have part of yours left. But, don't think you're the only ones who've lost someone. Everyone here would understand how you're feeling right now."