Title: Silverback Pride
Rating: T (Although it could get Dark)
Chapter: 9
Author: Jonathan
Category: Xander/Buffy Eventually
Spoilers: Season 1 AU. Stats from "The Pack"
Summery: Answer to a FanFic Challenge. Xander Harris took a different animal spirit that day.
Disclaimer: Buffy: the Vampire Slayer is owned by Fox, UPN, Whedon, and ME. Tarzan is owned by Edgar Rice Burroughs' family.
Special Thanks: William Gilmor, Cyclone, Nu_klear, Wayne


"What was the alternative?" Buffy demanded. He turned to her. "You said turning in Xander was a better answer. What was your alternative?"

"This will be good." Darla grinned.

Angel approached her. Xander took it upon himself to edge closer to Buffy. An instinct he developed since the beginning. Protect his girls…any of his girls.

"You." He said simply. "Either I turn Xander to the Master or I have to drink you."

Xander grunted, "It's nice to know that when the chips are down, you'll do anything to save your ass."

"I did it because I had to choose." Angel defended himself. "I thought about this. It's not like I jumped to it, kid."

"Didn't seem like you had to put much thought into it either." Xander growled.

Angel rolled his eye. "Think what you like, it's not as though either options would have made either of you two trust me any less."

"What I want to know is, Angel, just what made you come to the decision to turn over Xander?" Buffy looked at the male vampire in an effort to try and gauge the sincerity of what he was saying; the difficulty was that the Vampire's expression rarely changed, he wore an almost consistent 'Poker Face'. "And I mean, why DID you do it? AND how is drinking my blood the alternative?"

Angel then told both her and Xander the situation the Master and Darla put him in.

"Next time some older than dirt vamp offers you some bagged blood, when you know she likes the fresh kind, don't take it." Xander snarled at him.

"Bagged blood?" Buffy showed a confused look, "What are you talking about?"

"You never told her did you, Angel?" Darla smirked at her former lover.

"Told me what?" Buffy demanded, her posture becoming rigid one poised for action and battle.

"A long time ago I fed on a girl about your age… beautiful… not too bright, naive and innocent …but a favorite among her clan." Angel answered somberly, avoiding eye-contact with the Slayer, instead he focused his glare upon his Sire.

"Her clan?"

"Romany. Gypsies. I seduced her with some poetry and enticed her to take a moonlight stroll. They found her the next day a hundred yards from their campsite, drained of blood and ... violated. The elders conjured the perfect punishment for me. They restored my soul."

"What? They couldn't just hogtie you and beat you like a piñata?" Xander asked.

"I wish." Angel shook his head in the negative. "What they did was a thousand times worst. When you become a vampire the demon takes your body, but doesn't take your soul. That's gone! It goes with your last gasp of breath and the last beat of your heart. What is left is just a body; a body whose movements are govern by the demon that now infects it. What is left is a being with no conscience or remorse… It's an easy way to live, one without regrets or sympathy. You have no idea what it's like to have done the things I've done… and then suddenly to care. When I was human, I was hardly an upstanding member of society. I gambled away the night, knowing full well that my losses would be honored by my father the next day. I bedded women, regardless of their station or whether they were in fact married to another. I drank ...a lot. There was not a single Commandment that I did not break, except for the killing part. But on the day I was turned I more then did my piece to make up for that discrepancy."

"I was given a choice and I chose with what little humanity I possess not to give into the temptation of feeding on a human again."

"No…you're choosing to have me become the Master's chew toy instead." Xander reminded them."You must have been a real prize when you were walking around with a heartbeat."

"Look, I don't like it. I don't like any of this. But I have to choose. Between the two of you, I'm sorry to say I choose her. And I thought you of all people would be on-board with my decision. A Dead-Slayer, or a Dead-Harris, who do you thinks life is more important, huh kid?"

"But you could've done it differently, Angel. You could've come to us. You could've …and I would've listened." She glanced at him and then back at Xander. A breath escaped her lips. "But you didn't…and I can't live with your choice if it means the sacrifice of my best friend."

"Buffy…I…" He started to speak.

"Can we just stake them already?" Xander asked.

"Easy there." Darla told him. "You may have been able to survive the Three, but you're way out of your element, Freak."

"I can deal just fine." He said as he choked up the spear. "I know you're the one who killed Jesse."

"Jealous?" She approached him. "I can pull a few strings…get you on the inside."

"He's not interested." Buffy said to her as she stepped in between them.

"Yeah, like my hero, Groucho Marx's, once said: 'I don't want to belong to any club that would accept people like me as a member.'"

The Slayer smiled a small and warm smile, shaking her head in private amusement; Xander had obviously forgotten that he was a founding member of their very own 'Club'. "Y'know, I don't know what to think here. But I do know that Xander was right when he said 'We should just stake you'. I have a gut-feeling it will save us a lot of grief later on."

Darla look at Angel and then back at Buffy. "Do you know what the saddest thing is the world is?"

"Bad hair on top of that outfit?" Buffy quipped.

"To love someone who used to love you."

She glanced at Angel, "You guys were involved?"

"For several generations." Darla told her, her eyes not blinking, carrying in them a coldness to the confession.

"Well, you been around since Columbus, you are bound to pile up a few ex's. You're older than him, right? Just between us girls. You are looking a little worn around the eyes."

"I made him." She grinned, "There was a time when we shared everything, wasn't there Angelus? You had a chance to come home, to rule with me in the Master's court for a thousand years, but you threw that way because of her. You love someone who hates us. I used to think that it was pathetic. But after chatting with her, I am left feeling unimpressed. If she was as beautiful as me, I could understand. If she possessed charm or a little class, possibly. But she is a child. Immature. beneath you and I in breeding and worldliness. I mean, truly? What is her appeal? The only explanation would be you've become sick. That soul of yours has corrupted your reason. And I fear you'll always be sick. And you'll always remember what it was like to watch her die." Darla glanced at him, "If it makes things easier, I'll kill her and then you can drink. Sure, it's cheating, but it's a start."

She produced two pistols.

"And you want to know something else." She looked at Angel and grinned, "You're blood never was tainted. I just wanted to see if there was any hope for you." She shot a round of bullets. Both Buffy and Xander watched as Angel stumbled back to a pole.

"Oh, don't worry. Bullets can't kill vampires. Can hurt them like hell but…"

She then shot a few more rounds. The pool table took a few hits. Buffy took the crossbow and then shot at Darla. She doubled over and it hit her chest. She watched as she straightened back up.

"Close. But no heart."

She grabbed the bolt and yanked it out. Then she tossed it aside. Darla then turned toward the voice and let loose a hail of bullets as Buffy hugged the floor for cover. She looked to her side where she thought Xander was but was surprised to see him not there.

"Xander." She whispered. She looked around the room but couldn't find him. Darla turned her attention back to Buffy and hopped onto the pool table.

Buffy jumped up, grabbed the edge of table and pulled, knocking her on her back. The Slayer punched the table away and ran for cover as bullets sailed in her direction, splintering and shattering everything that they came in contact with. But she stopped when she heard something land on the pool table.

Buffy watched when saw Xander standing behind Darla. Her eyes widened. She wanted to scream his name but didn't want to stop what was about to happen. And in all honesty she doubted he would have even if she did.

"This is for Jesse." Xander grunted. He took his spear and was about to jam it into her heart. Darla turned around and growled. She went for the spear but Xander pulled it faster. She followed with a right cross but he ducked. He took the spear and jammed it in her shoulder. Taking a step back, Xander used the spear and flung Darla to a beam. He watched as she started to get back to her feet.

Xander jumped off the table. He landed by Darla's feet. Xander grabbed his spear and yanked it out of her chest. The vampire managed to get to stand up too. The two started to trade blows. With each contact punch and kick the two moved in closer to the other. Suddenly there was the sound of a dull crack, Buffy could see that Xander had successfully broken the female vampire's left arm. It dangled lifelessly to her side as Darla ignored the pain and fought on with her right. A second later the sound was repeated with her right. The Vampire that had contributed to the fearsome myth of the group known as the 'Scourge of Europe' took two steps back.

Her arms hung limply moving and swaying with each movement. But there was no defeat in the femme fatale's eyes, she may have been beaten and her death was certainly coming, but she would not go calmly into that eternal night. She barked out an insane laugh and charged the small distance that separated the two combatants. Xander was caught unprepared for the suicide tactic; he was left even less prepared as the fangs of the female vampire pierced his neck, latching on to his flesh as she proceeded to drink. With his immense strength Xander tried to push this leech from him, but these motions only emphasized the pain he experienced as the teeth drug deeper and deeper into his neck, trying to gain a foothold.

Xander quickly realized that if he continued like this he would inadvertently tear out his own jugular. And she was too close for him to navigate the spear into her chest. So with his free hand he took and insane gamble and pulled Darla as close to his body as he could, and then with the spear clenched tightly in the other he drew his arm out. The objective to penetrate the Vamp's dark heart via her back instead of her front. Operating blind and by estimation, Xander jabbed the spear towards where he suspected the Vampires heart would be.

His guess proved to bear fruit, but at a cost.

As Darla reverted to ash around the protrusion, Buffy, saw something that turned her blood to ice. Xander's thrust was so powerful that the spear not only penetrated the Vampire's body, but its tip had also entered his as well.

"Xander…"

He turned around to see Buffy approaching him as he slowly crumpled to the floor. Her eyes wider then saucers as her approach quickened until she was kneeling at his side. Instinctively Buffy turned her head to call out for help, which was when she saw Angel disappear into the shadows.

She pulled the spear out, relieved that it had not penetrated as deeply as she feared, maybe all of an inch. The muscle Xander had gained over the previous months, were probably what saved his own life by denying the Spear the chance to penetrate deeper. Though she knew Xander would survive, she now knew the extents of how far he would go to kill a Vampire, even at the cost of his own life. And that terrified her more than the tiny flow of blood exiting his now exposed chest.


"Ah, the post-fumigation party."

Buffy looked at her friend as her, Xander, and Willow headed for a table at the Bronze. "Okay, so what's the difference between this and the pre-fumigation party?"

Xander smirked when he heard one being squished, "Much hardier cockroaches."

Willow looked at them, "So, no word from Angel?"

"Nope." Xander replied. "Just left."

"Are you alright?" Willow asked as they sat down.

"We'll survive." Buffy told her.

"Hey, we'll deal." Xander said to her. He shrugged, "It's what we do."

"You did stake Darla." Buffy nodded, smiled slightly. She took a second… "Well, speared her…"

"You speared Darla?" Willow asked.

"She killed Jesse. " He shrugged. "I just returned the favor."

"But with a spear?" The redhead asked.

"Told you, Wills. I picked it up from a dream. When Deadboy knocked me out. Only this time, I think baby John was a jungle man."

"Looks like the time at the museum is coming to be something we really need to do then." Buffy told him.

"And I'm so looking forward to that." Xander said with a tired grin.

"Hey, it could be fun." Willow pointed out.

"Willow, anything you can learn from is fun for you." Xander said with a grin.

"Darn tootin." Willow said with a smile. "But you should go, Xander."

"I know…and I think tomorrow, we'll try to set something up with Giles." He scratched the back of his neck. "But right now…I just want to veg."

"I'm all for vegging." Buffy said to her friend. She then looked at him. "But where did you get that spear?"

"Giles."


"Congratulations, Ms. Calendar. Welcome to Sunnydale High School."

Jenny Calendar grinned and took the outstretched hand from Principal Robert Flutie. "Thank you, Principal Flutie."

"You're welcome, Ms. Calendar." He replied. "I hope you find your time at Sunnydale to be a truly welcomed experience." The principal walked out from his desk and joined the new teacher shortly. "I believe your time as the computer science teacher to be rewarding." He placed his hand on the door knob and opened it. "I run a tight shift here at Sunnydale but I believe that if we work together, we can help form successful lives for our students."

"I like that philosophy."

He grinned, "I'm glad you do." Flutie looked at his watch and told her, "I actually cleared sometime this afternoon so I can show you around."

She agreed and the two set off on the tour of Sunnydale High School.

"We're actually between classes at the moment. That's why it's rather quiet right now. But that's to be expected. Every student and I come to an understanding. If you want a stress free year, then be under your best behavior. You do that, and you'll have a memorable experience."

The two of them walked down the north corridor of the school. "Down here you'll find the math class rooms." He gestured to one of the doors.

They looked into the window. "This is Mr. Daniels' Geometry class. I hope you notice the computers. Each room has Window's 95. We try to maintain top technology for our students."

He left the class. Ms. Calendar followed shortly in tow. "You're classroom isn't that far away."

They continued to walk. "The Cafeteria isn't that far either. Turn the corner, and the entrance is just by the doors there." They continued and he addressed the center of the school. "We have a quad where the students like to have lunch or spend their free periods."

When he looked at the quad, he looked out into the sky. "Why don't we cross the quad and continue our tour?"

"It actually looks quite bueatiful."

"Thank you." He said with a grin. "It all goes back to the tight ship I like to run." He then noticed a couple students. "Excuse me, Ms. Calendar."

"Is everything alright?"

"Oh, I'm sure. I just need to take care of something."

He grinned and then left.

Jenny Calendar watched as he left in pursuit of what looked like a couple students by the far side of the quad. She smirked at the image of him walking at a quickened pace.

She let out a small breath. Truth be told, Jenny Calendar was in fact, Janna of the Kalderash Clan. She was sent here for one reason. To keep an eye on Angelus. It was actually her clan the one that coursed Angelus with his soul. She was sent here by her uncle to keep an eye out. To keep him in check and make sure he remains cursed.

But in order to get here, she had to rely on her education background. Finding a job as a teacher in a high school was hard enough, but to find a high school where the vampire with a soul was near impossible.

Her clan was able to track him down through the last century. He evaded them at times, but between finding Darla and a high school with a high death rate made the search easier.

"I'm sorry about that Ms. Calendar."

His words cut her musings short. She turned around, "That's alright. Is everything ok?"

"Like any school, we have the few trouble makers. I just had to hand out a few detention slips. Nothing threatening." He then gestured with his hand. "I actually have to go feed the mascot. I'm sure he'll like you."

"Oh?"

"We just got the pig two weeks ago. Don't tell anyone, but he's our fierce Razorback."

She grinned. "I'm sure he's quite fierce."

"He should be." Flutie agreed "His food cost quite a bit."

"I'm sure she eats like a pig."

He grinned, "He most certainly does. This way."

That said, the two went off to feed the pig.


A week transpired since Ms. Calendar got her job at the school. She was now in the library helping the librarian set up a few new computers and to bring new technology into the library.

She was going through some of the new software when she heard the Liberian make a mispronounced statement.

"Scan it, Rupert. That's scan it." She smiled at the slight mishap.

He gave her a sarcastic look, "Of course."

She smirked, "Oh, I know, our ways are strange to you, but soon you will join the 20th century. With three years to spare!"

He said smugly, "Ms. Calendar, I'm sure your computer science class is fascinating, but I happen to believe that one can survive in modern society without being a slave to, the, um, idiot box."

"That's TV. The idiot box is a TV. This…" She gestured to the computer. "This is the good box!"

He sighed, "I still prefer a good book."

A student said from a behind a computer. "The printed page is obsolete." He stood up. "Information isn't bound up anymore. It's an entity. The only reality is virtual. If you're not jacked in, you're not alive." He went for a book and left.

"Thank you, Fritz, for making us all sound crazy people." She looked at Giles, "Fritz, Fritz comes on a little strong, but he does have a point. You know, for the last two years more e-mail was sent than regular mail."

"Oh…"

"More digitized information went across phone lines than conversation."

"That is a fact that I regard with genuine horror."

"I bet it is." She looked at the students, "Alright, guys, let's wrap it up for today."

Willow looked up at her, "I've got a few more. I'll hang for it a bit."

She grinned, "Cool! Thanks."

The redhead looked at Xander, "Xander, you wanna stay with me?"


TBC