Change in Regimen 7/?


Author: Tohonomike tohonomikea...
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners.. Joss/ME
characters Spelling and others. I do not and cannot make money off of this, but for feedback I try to churn out a quality product.

Thanks for reading

In this universe, the Charmed Ones are younger by three years, even Paige if this story eventually includes her, though likely they'll do the Destiny Thing on schedule; it fits my story better and from what little I've garnered from web sites, the three years of age won't make too much difference to anyone.

For the time being if you don't catch the minor crossovers/cameos, I won't mention them...but I disclaim them as well. There's also one that refers very slightly to the work of a fanfic writer...and if he catches the reference, he needs to prove it's his by writing more... 

December 15, 1995

"Winter Break, here we come," Faith greeted freedom from school for a few weeks as her and Lex met up with Pike in the parking lot, "Gotta love it."

"Come on, Faith, we know you really love school," Pike chided her, "Just remember that doesn't make you any less hot."

"Thanks Pike," she replied, blushing, "I'm just glad I made it through semester finals, unlike the Letterman here."

"Hey, can I help it if I'm good," Lex replied, pretending to dust the varsity letter on his jacket, "And besides, the way you're going, you'll make the squad or one of the girls' teams next year, maybe the martial arts team."

"Ya think?" Faith asked, "That'd be cool I guess."

"I've seen ya work out, Faith," Pike said as he drove them in one of his fix up cars, "You'll do quite well, and with your grades staying up, it might get you into college on scholarship."

"What if I don't want college? You're not."

"Hey, I'm a hands on guy with the cars, I'm not interested in designing them, so why go to college when I can buckle down and get my certs in a few years," the handsome grease-monkey rebutted, "But your grades are good enough that you should push high and hard until you narrow down a specialty."

"Is that what the Buffy Princess thinks?" she teased, causing the mechanic to blush, "And by the way, any word yet on the whole burning the gym thing?"

"Not yet, but I think even with her parent's money, Buffy'll be kicked out by the end of the semester."

"Yeah...and the way her friends blamed her for the whole mess, and the cowards who voted to sacrifice her to the vampires just want to forget it, it sure made the papers do the bad on her."

"Yeah," Lex agreed, "It made her look like she'd hung out with gangs or at least had pissed them off enough to make the school a target; if she gets kicked out she probably won't be accepted in any of the LA schools."

"Then what?" Pike asked.

"Home schooling, GED, boarding school out of state..." Faith listed, "Probably the last unless her parents get a clue."

"Well, her Mom has all of a sudden started to stay home a little more," Pike revealed, "And her Dad'd not been very supportive, won't budge on his career needs or the parties he goes to in order to advance himself to take the time to fight the school board. It was all he could do to quash charges being filed." Lex headed into the Uber Burger to pick up their usual order, after listening to a whiny New Yorker in the back of a car complaining how the always you at the drive through.

"That sucks, feel sorry for her, my parents were all career but I knew I was important."

"Yeah, Zeph and my Uncle Rory are the only two that come close to family since..."

"Benny?"

"Yeah, the, uh, gang members initiated him and he's gone now," Pike said.

"Uhm, you saying about an Uncle?"

"Yeah, Rory, he was born in England but came over when he was little, he works for a computer company up near Ventura, he has a lot of weird hobbies, like taxidermy, taking odd second jobs as janitors or street cleaners, drinks a lot but never fights when he's drunk."

"Yeah, it's kinda different, ever since his older brother died back in the eighties he just hasn't really hung around here or Sunnydale too much, usually does security work for some big three-letter corporation."

"Three-letter corporation?"

"Yeah, I know the name is three letters not IBM, but..."

"Gotcha, so how are things with you and Buffy?"

"Holdin' pattern, her Mom might be makin' some time for her but that doesn't mean goin' out with the grease monkey, so we're just pals I guess."

"Don't wanna fight the Mom?"

"Family's important, I know from what I don't have, though I'm cool. Buffy needs the chance to actually see her folks for a change, and the, uh, gang activity has dropped to nothing in the last couple of weeks."

"Gotcha."

"Thanks, man," Pike replied as Lex handed him a drink, "That does the job."

December 16th, Early Morning

The pair of demon hunters carefully surveyed the situation, a few decrepit buildings in a neighborhood not on the upside of improvement, a vacant lot, and several vampires heading into it. The two hunters had been quietly eliminating the small independent nests, using radio tags to follow the vampires around to determine their 'family' or network, for close to three months. A hundred and twelve vampires, four fyarl demons and a polgara were their known toll, and they'd managed to directly use or cash out nearly four hundred thousand dollars from the undead and demonic, arranging half of it to pay off the last outside creditors of the business including the property improvements. Faith didn't know yet, but they'd quietly set her up a college fund, and had furnished all three homes (San Francisco, Sunnydale and the LA upstairs) as a result, not having to dig into the business revenues. They'd also 'repossessed' and cleared title on matching vehicles and such for each location. And with a bit of research and long discussions, Liam was now packing firearms, for which he had the paperwork, and they would test out different ammunition to see how it might soften up a nest of vampires when the younger partner's martial skills and test range practice indicted they could step up in the size of opposition. The gunfire on 'Slayer Night' had shown itself useful, but unless they could disable every one, they needed to really know what they were doing.

They watched as their targets stepped into the lot, Liam took out his 45 and fired a shot at each of the vampires, grounding two of them but winging the third which seemed to disappear into thin air.

"Careful, Sassenach," the balaclaved individual told his equally disguised partner, "He might be wearing some type of cloaking amulet."

The younger man carefully examined their surroundings, moving forward slowly as Liam knocked the two vampires unconscious and removed valuables.

"He's not here," Lex replied, looking and then pointing at the space in front of him, "Walk there, I'll follow."

The two stepped in, finding a doorway down some steps as a green demon talked to 'Raoul' to have somebody clean up the vampire dust.

"...some rude hunter or bookie thinks they can just dust a customer, can't they wait 'til he's on the way out of the club. Oh, hello," the green demon grimaced as he saw the two hunters, "I'll have you know there's a no violence spell on the club, so don't try anything you'll only rebound it on your selves." The demon looked at the two of them, then back to see that no one inside had noticed them yet, "If you want to remain anonymous in the club, you'll want to lose the masks, or you'll be followed out. It's neutral ground here."

They watched as the green guy turned and walked back, the guy cleaning up the dust of presumably the vampire Liam shot, finishing and also heading back in.

"I say we come back another time, maybe in different clothes," Lex told his partner, who nodded as they headed for home, "We have to take the girls malling tomorrow evening, and I still have to finish working on the Buick with Pike."

December 18th, 1995

"Hey Lex," Diane greeted as she opened the shop, "Anything on the agenda today?"

"Nothing special, have the shopping done, but I finally got word back from Uncle Ethan, he's in London again for some reason, but sent back all of the paperwork signed in advance for the next year or so, so that's handy.

"Cool, always like to know the paycheck is there," she teased, having no fear on that point.

"That's for sure, Jenny back from the Bay and Sunnydale yet?"

"No, she's auditing early, so she'll be back this evening, anything I can help with?"

"No, just curious, and to see if you two are sure you're not heading to the Bay with us for Christmas with the Halliwells?"

"No, we have family coming into town, and they can be trying enough, but thanks."

"Sure, it'll be strange enough with just Faith along, Liam's going to be having some happy quiet time after giving up bachelorhood for these last few months."

December 21st, 1995

"There they are!" Piper called as the two teens got off the plane, "Let's get their luggage and head back." She looked around to see that her sisters had instead run forward to hug the two arrivals.

"Hey, all! It's great to see you," Lex responded, returning the hugs enthusiastically, Faith warmly but with less enthusiasm.

"Now Xander," Phoebe said as she walked arm-in-arm with the male teen, "Piper was reminding me of a certain trick you pulled on us at Thanksgiving."

"You mean saying that you told me about Piper's crush?" he smiled as both Phoebe and Piper nodded. "Well that was just to cover for the feelings we've shared for so long, Pheebs," he replied, kissing her on the cheek and placing his ear to the top of her head as he side-hugged her, deadpanning, "Are you wanting to tell everybody about us already, Darling?"

"Wha—who? You?!" the girl gasped as she blushed deeply in being out-maneuvered by a professional, only to have everybody break out in laughs at her meeting her verbal Waterloo, "Xaaaaaander!"

December 21st, 1995

The London weather was as cold as expected, and Ethan had just drawn out more money his son Alexander had transferred for him.

'Son, there's that thought again,' the Chaos mage pondered for a moment, "Who'd've considered me as a father type, though he calls me Uncle Ethan because I told him to.'

The man sighed as he walked down the street, remembering when with Rupert he'd get into trouble to royally piss off their Watcher relatives and anyone else who managed to get in their way. The man continued thinking about the life he'd carved out with Alexander these last twelve years, and decided it was nearing time to bite the proverbial bullet and perhaps talk to Father and the Family again, let them know he was almost respectable now except for the need to lead stray vampire mercenaries and the occasional bored human bounty hunter away from his charge.

'And it all started with Jessica, and my grandiose plans to become a Watcher in fact even without their blessing, to show them up with street smarts instead of book smarts, though Lord knows Ripper and I had both. I wonder where he is...maybe at the Museum?'

December 23rd, 1995

"So, you ever tell 'em, Gramms?" Lex asked as he shared a cup of tea while the girls watched a girlie movie in the other room, then fended off a look from her, "I'm asking so I know id I still need to be careful talking about things around here?"

"Do your friends know about your magical talent?"

"I don't think so, but I've come close to using it why out hunting vampires with Liam, but I've been able to maintain my shields," he replied seriously, "And again, I'm just checking, I'm not getting back into that conversation with you."

"Good, Alexander, but if your friends know about vampires..."

"Only Liam and Faith, Gramms, the others just think he and I are male bonding or girl watching or something, but nobody's really asked."

Dana watched the movie with the 'Three Ps' as she called them, remembering doing this with her Mom before the secret agent stuff came up with Dad, 'That was fun, I sure miss 'em, but I wouldn't have met Lex...' She chided herself, she knew there was a slight crush, but the last few months had been an adventure almost as intense as some of the stories her folks or Uncle Gib told her.

It was tough, but she was happy with her life, and wondered for only the dozenth time today how she could act a little freer than before, as if Xander giving her the name change had allowed her to decide who she was going to be; luckily Liam and the others were there to help provide her with the options she would have had at home, as well as whichever ones she could make without worrying about what others would think if the world came crashing down. It already had, so that worry wasn't the terror it could have been.

She looked up briefly toward the way to the kitchen, catching Lex give her an understanding nod and a smile before he disappeared to talk with Gramms.

December 23rd, 1995

The knock on Rupert's door came as a surprise to him; his father being off in Asia somewhere on Council business, he couldn't think of any cousins who might be aware enough of his whereabouts to make the effort. He was certainly not expecting the face looking back at him.

"Ethan?!" he declared in shock, "What the Devil are you doing here?"

"I find myself in a moral quandary, Ri—Rupert, and in all honesty you are the closest thing I have had as a friend in nearly fifteen years," the reticent and arrogant at the same time man responded, "I've been hovering on your bloody stoop for nearly an hour deciding on knocking on the stupid door."

Rupert Giles stepped back and with a sigh allowed his old friend and nemesis into the small but cozy flat.

"Tea?" he gestured to Ethan as the latter placed his hat, coat and scarf on hooks, "So to what do I owe the pleasure of your sudden visitation?"

"First, I'm not asking for money, or anything illegal, Rupert," the man sighed but kept his usual look of indifference on his face, Rupert however noting the eyes showed worry., "I'd like you to help me reestablish ties with my family the right way."

"After all these years?"

"I know, but you see, quite a ways back I set up a magic supply business in America, and took on the guardianship of a young boy, just barely getting beyond nappies," Ethan grimaced with some humor, "And everything was going along fine, my boy and I were opening our third shop, when we took a trip to New York." He paused, sipped tea while cogitating on his next selection of words.

"Anyway, I manage to get the boy to safety, but I've been eluding trouble I'd thought buried back in eighty-three for the last six or seven months, Rupert..."

"And the boy?"

"He's prospering, can you believe it?" the mage enthused somewhat proudly, eyes blazing even if the rest of him remained indifferent, "The bugger's taken our mostly mail order business, and has kept it growing, he sends me money, Ripper. A lad not yet seeing sixteen summers is supporting his old man by running a business..."

"And you haven't the foggiest notion how to feel..."

"Exactly, old boy."

"So what precisely do you want from me?"

"Make a few inquiries, let them know what I've just told you," the man quietly emphasized, "I want to establish ties for Alexander in the event something happens to me. I want him to be a Watcher some day." Giles nearly spewed tea hearing this.

"You what?!" Rupert gasped, shaking his head in disbelief, "You want a son of yours to be a Watcher."

"I know," Ethan sighed, "But I've taught him almost everything I know, languages, referencing, all the stuff you and I were able to do before...you know, and I've had others instruct him in the good stuff, even if they didn't realize I knew, natural-borns and practioners of the white magics."

"And the Chaos?"

"He's aware of it, and the mechanics, and to never use it without permission or a back-up."

"An American teenager?"

"With British discipline, and a real grasp of the basics, he already knows about vampires, and such, and his marks in school have been excellent."

"You really do have a son don't you?"

"Isn't it the most amazing mind-& ever?" Ethan laughed, "He may not be of my blood, but..."

"Alright."

"Hmm."

"I'll make a few contacts, but no promises, Ethan..."

"Thank you, Rupert, here's a card with my e-mail account on it."

"Your what?"

"It's a computer thing, and the only safe way to contact me, for either of us."

"I'll have to get someone to help me with one of those infernal machines..."

"Just don't tell them who I am, alright?"

"Everything alright in there?" Gramms asked and received a warm nod, "So tell me again about a normal day in your life, we didn't get as much time alone to talk as I'd hoped over Thanksgiving, though it was interesting to here Prue go on about how well you were doing running the business and all, I think she's hoping to do something similar career-wise."

"I'm not going to bring up the magic, Gramms, but she'd have been ideal to become General Manager after she graduates, I'd really like to opne stores in Boston, New York and Chicago, maybe New Orleans and Miami, but I'm only one guy and I don't really want to leave school yet."

"I know, but back to you..."

"Okay, from about seven to seven I'm either being super student and athlete, or handling the General Manager duties, and still not burning out; I guess the still being in a store on a daily basis means keeping my hands busy and my mind aware of the details. I learn a few new moves now and again, then with Liam train the others so they'll be safer when they go out. I spend Saturdays practicing my magics so I keep at the top of my ability but don't rely on them, and integrate them with my other skills to be the best I can. I help out at the dojo next door four evenings a week as a hobby, trading whatever needs doing for more advanced lessons. Three nights a week, Faith's convinced me to take up the electrical guitar, so I've made her go in for lessons with me. On Sundays, the group except Liam, whoever's around, heads out for a day trip, beach, hiking, whatever, and I show Faith the acoustic classical guitar you've had me play since I was little."

"Do you play the piano any more?"

"Sometimes on Sundays, there's a shelter down the way that does the mission thing, and sometimes I'll fill in when their regular person isn't there, but other than that, not really? And four or five nights a week Liam and I sneak off and dust prune the surrounding neighborhoods to keep them safer. I guess that's it, busy, but I lucked out and my hobbies and studies seemed to overlap."

"I'm very happy for you, though I still worry..."

"I know, Gramms, Liam's a you-know-what, and Uncle Ethan's not around, but I'm doing fine. I'm half-way afraid of next summer; I'm not in denial but without school my situation might start to hit home, but we'll see."

"Alexander, remember you're only..." she started, then realized something that had been niggling at the back of her mind, "my god you're not even sixteen yet are you?"

"And I'm doing more than most men who are ten years older, Gramms? Remember, I have been responsible and in charge of eleven employees and three retail stores, raising Faith as well as myself, making my part of LA safe as half of the 'Neighborhood Watch,' rehumanizing a trapped soul, making sure Faith and I not only have good grades, but are already financially able to go to college even if everything else collapses, and have built a family structure that includes three adults, all of whom work for and with me, and one of whom's mine and Faith's computer programming teacher. Trust me, Gramms, I've even been in e-mail contact with Uncle Ethan for paperwork I can't get others to front. Hey, if I need help, I have you to call, right? I see you guys about every month for a day or so..."

"But you should have fun, enjoy your youth..."

"I am, actually, and most things I might be interested in aren't legal until I'm over eighteen or I've gone to college, Gramms, like learning to fly a plane, or hiking the divide from New Mexico to Alaska, or start a construction company to fix up neighborhoods like the ones near my current ones."

"It doesn't feel right now that I remember just how young you are."

"Gramms, let's change topics before we have our first real fight, I mean you still have three daughters to take care of, one just gradating college, one just out of high school and one still in her senior year. To take me on as well you'd have to take on the business and let them know about the real world."

"Alright, Alexander, we'll let it go, but since you're Mister Business Man I want you to put in one of those video phone links and you or Faith call me every day, you here?"

"Alright," Xander sighed, "That seems fair, I guess."