Xander looked at Gormagon's disciples as they dropped to a knee ready to worship him. Tiberius from one knee bowed his head. "We only live to serve you."

Xander furrowed his brow. "Okay first off stop with the bowing. I am not really a bowing type of guy."

Tiberius shouted. "Back to your feet." In one swoop they jumped on there feet almost like an army following a cadence.

Xander stepped back. "And I thought you said you were loyal to Gormagon. Isn't serving the guy who killed him a giant middle finger to him. "

Tiberius shook his head. "While serving Gormagon our loyalty never faltered. Our loyalty does not follow any individual. It follows the power and the one who wields that power."

Xander laughed and shook his head "So if I was just normal you'd have no interest in me."

Tiberius looked at Xander "Our entire purpose for being here is to serve you. We live to only serve you."

Xander shook his head. "Yeah about that. I am not really the kind of guy who needs disciples. So thank you but no thank you."

Tiberius walked along side Xander. "Your greatness you will find that as your powers increase those who you trusted may change. They will turn there back on you and they will."

Xander whipped around stepping in Tiberius face. "You don't' know my friends and if I were you I wouldn't start making guesses about who they are."

"But we served Gormagon for countless."

"I'm NOT GORMAGON. Hell I fought against you guys at the battle. You were my enemy as you and your goons tried to protect Gormagon. Goons that I killed. You served the darkness. Well I am one of the good guys."

Tiberius shook his head. "We serve the power. Gormagon was about darkness so that is where we fought. But now we could learn to fight for the light."

Xander looked on at the monsters that had killed countless innocents for generations. "Sorry but I don't trust you enough. Any of you."

Tiberius sighed "But if you give us a chance." He could see this approach wasn't working. So a wicked grin spread on his face. "I can offer you what it is you want most."

Xander laughed and started walking away. "Like you know what it is I want most."

"I can give you the blonde girl."

He stopped in his tracks refusing to turn around "Blonde girl?"

"The slayer. I can give her to you."

Xander spun around. "Let me tell you something. If you so much as look at Buffy I will destroy you where you stand."

Tiberius backed away and put his hands up. "This is our purpose for existence. This is what we do."

Xander shook his head "I have to go but the next time I see you. Any of you I will consider you my enemy and I will destroy you." With that Xander took off running wanting to put as much distance between himself and the disciples.

As he blurred out of sight a vampire came to Tiberius. "If he doesn't want our services, what do we do? We have only lived to serve."

Tiberius shook his head. "We just need to wait for the right moment. We will watch and bide our time. Then when he is at his lowest we will be there to support him and show him we are a resource he can't do with out. We just need to show him our usefulness."

"But he serves the light. We have always been warriors for the dark and now?"

Tiberius shook his head. "I only told him that to ease his mind. For now he may serve the light but as the power grows he will find that light slipping away."

Xander came back to school just before 2 pm. He still had pent up energy so he went to the lounge they were trying to build. With the framing all up and in place they moved on wiring the outlets and lights. Xander was sitting on the floor securing the 14-2 wire along the studs and feeding them in to the electrical boxes. Buffy stood in the door way watching for a minute.

Xander didn't say anything at first then when he could take no more. "I can hear you breathing from up there."

Buffy stepped in to the room. "Really? Wow so your hearing is getting better now too."

He nodded but kept working. "I can hear your heartbeat too."

"So word going around the school is you and Hope are."

"Splitsville."

"I'm sorry Xander."

"It's okay. She was right about a lot of things. She deserves better then what I was giving."

"What's that mean?"

He stopped what he was doing and crossed to her. "She was hurt that I didn't tell her about Gormagon from the start." He laughed "Funny thing is she knew about the power before I did."

"I'm going to talk to her Xander. This isn't fair. It's not your fault. I was the one who said you couldn't tell anyone. I made you swear your silence to me and"

"Buffy stop."

"I'm not going to let your relationship implode because of my bad judgment."

"Buffy it wasn't just the Gormagon thing. She said I don't make her a priority and she isn't entirely wrong."

She looked at her best friend and sighed. "I'm sorry. I know it isn't my place to get involved. I just hate seeing you hurting."

"Well you know what I can use."

"No idea."

"A good distraction. I am thinking I want to come out with the squad for patrol tonight."

Buffy smiled a little "Watcherman Harris back in the field."

"Hey I am not a watcher."

"Of course not."

"I just feel pent up and could use an outlet."

"Sounds good."

"There is something else. I am going to tell Giles here shortly but Ill give you a heads up first. Gormagon's former disciples pulled me to the Hellmouth."

"Oh my God Xander. Did they attack you?"

"Just the opposite. They want me to lead them and offer the same services they did to Gormagon."

"What did you say?"

"Really? You actually have to ask me what I said?"

"Well I mean I know you wouldn't want help from them."

"I told them that I am not looking for anyone to follow or worship me. I also told them the next time I see any of them I would look upon them with the eyes of an enemy."

"You think they will leave you alone."

"Buffy they told me they were willing to die for me. They said the only purpose they have is to serve me. So no I don't think they are going away."

"Well don't tell Angel. He is pissed enough as it is. He's going to fly off the handle if he thinks you have people worshiping you like some cult leader"

"I don't think they worship me I think it's more about wanting to be near me and serve." He stopped and shook his head "doesn't really matter anyways. I have enough on my plate to worry about."

"Well if anything good came out of this at least you don't have to wear that silly eye patch anymore."

"And I can stop dressing in all that hot baggy crap."

She looked him up and down and smiled "Well it is an improved look all around."

"Stop checking me out."

"Please Harris you wish."

"I'm all sexy now."

"Seriously it's going to take some getting used to but it's nice to see Xander Harris minus the eye patch."

Xander picked up staples and secured the wire. Buffy grabbed the hammer off the worktable. Xander just shook his head. "Don't need it." He used his thumb just pushing the staples in to the wood securing the wire tightly in place.

"Wow so your like the ultimate handy man now."

Xander rolled his eyes. "Right now Andrew is working on a super hero costume and name for me."

Buffy laughed and shook her head "You aren't going to wear it are you."

"Hell no but it keeps him busy and out of my way. Seriously the dude was watching me in the locker room. It had a real uber creepy vibe."

Buffy laughed even harder now. "Oh my Gawd this is what happens with Andrew. He sees someone with power and he gloms on to them. You are like his new hero. Oh Spike is going to be so jealous."

"Or relieved. "Xander turned around when he finished hanging the last wire. "So I think I'm done here. I'm going to go get changed and ready for tonight."

That evening in battle Beck was giving orders in the communications van to the A squad with all of the usual teams with one exception. Xander and Buffy walked through the graveyard hoping for any sign of any activity.

The night was mostly quiet. Xander pushed the button talking to Beck. "Come on it is so boring out here you have to have something for us."

Beck just shook his head. "Xander I'm sorry but"

Buffy stopped him. "Excuse me Beck but you are on the comm and we use code names for safety reasons."

Beck sighed "Oh come on don't' make me say it."

Xander smiled. "It's the rules."

Beck sighed. "Sorry Team Mega Awesome but I have nothing to report for activity."

Buffy smiled at Xander. "Just so we are clear I am the awesome part of the team."

Xander laughed "Just keep telling your self that Summers." Just then Penelope came across the headset.

"This Is team sweetness. I think I might have just found a vampire nest."

Xander smiled happy to see some action. "What is your location?"

Beck looked at the beacon giving the exact location. "She is about 50 yards to the west of the old groundskeeper shed."

Xander smiled "On my way." He bent at his knees ready to jump across the graveyard. Buffy grabbed his arm stopping him.

"Excuse me. We are a team"

He stopped and looked at her right. He quickly turned around "Hop on my back. You know piggy back style."

Buffy laughed. "Just when I thought life couldn't get any more strange." She grabbed on wrapping her arms around him tight. As she was secure Xander bent at the knees and made the jump from the north side of the graveyard to south side in one simple jump. As they climbed higher in to the air Buffy suddenly tensed up afraid she might fall off she grabbed Xander tighter . They landed on top of the grounds keepers shed. Buffy jumped off and shook her head. "That was different."

They both hopped off the shed and on to the ground as the other came looking for the nest. Penelope opened the shed coming out with Jasmine. She approached Xander and Buffy. "You were the first here."

Xander looked at the shed. "This thing looks kind of small for a nest."

Jasmine pointed at the tiny chapel in the graveyard. It was used for small funerals. "We saw a vamp go in. We came in to go after him but before we went in we heard more voices."

Buffy focused on the church. "Any idea how many we are talking about?"

The two just shook their head. Penelope spoke up. "We figured it safer to wait for reinforcements."

Xander smiled happy. "Someone trained you girls right."

Buffy rolled her eyes as the rest of the squad came in ready to join the attack on the nest. "Yeah yeah Harris quit stroking your ego."

Xander looked at the girls as they came in. "Okay so Buffy and I will come in through the front. I want 4 girls coming in from behind. 4 left outside for any that might try to escape wants it starts and the rest of you take command on head set where needed from Beck."

The girls all agreed and nodded. Jasmine looked at Xander. "So you are going in to battle in a nest?" She shook her head, "Not used to you being more then the voice in the van and the guy who gives us the dance steps."

Xander smiled "Well set your memory to record cause this is something you are going to want to see." The girls all took position and Buffy stood at the front of the entrance of the church. Xander whispered. "Maybe you should let me take lead this one time."

Buffy rolled her eyes whispering. "Come on Xander lets do this." She ignored his command and kicked the door open and came running in. Xander shook his head slightly annoyed.

The vamps were spread through out the church. Some of them were lying in the pews while a few of them were playing poker on the church alter. As Buffy came running in they all sprang to attention. From the looks of it there was between 15 to 20 vampires ready to go.

Xander pulled out his steak. "Really subtle Summers."

Buffy shrugged "Let's do this." As the first vampire charged Buffy roundhouse kicked it sending it to the ground. Xander quickly grabbed a vampire throwing him across the church and out the front door. The four girls waiting outside watched the vampire fly through the air 200 feet till finally an oak tree stopped him.

David a spikey hair blonde vampire looked at Xander in shock. "What the hell are you?"

A wicked grin spread on Xander's face. "I'm The Incredible Xander and right now I say." He grabbed David tossing him to the ground with paralyzing force. He started punching the vampire so hard his head and body was caving in. "XANDER SMASH." He growled doing his best impersonation of the Incredible Hulk.

Buffy used the distraction to stake the vampire she was holding The other girls came running in ready to find there own dance partner in battle.

Once David was gone Buffy looked at Xander "Really? Xander smash?"

"I can do better. Uhm" He jumped across the room in the middle of 5 vampires. "IT'S CLOBBERING TIME." With blind raw wild power Xander started beating on the vampires. He grabbed one using his body like a baseball bat. A couple of the slayer were fighting one on one vampire and doing okay.

Finally one of the vampires fighting Xander realized they needed to focus on Xander. From the ground he yelled. "EVERYONE all of you focus on the guy. We need to take him down first."

And like that the vampires swarmed Xander. Xander dropped the vampire he was hitting the others with. He brought his foot down on the vampire's head with such force that his head rolled from his neck and he turned dust instantly.

Buffy ran to get to the crowd attacking her friend. Xander brought his hands up like a boxer. As the vampires charged one by one he punched there head with such force it made a hole clear in center turning them to dust instantly. Even if it had been 100 vampires attacking he would have been okay.

Following Buffy's lead the girls charged hoping to help Xander. But stopped as they watched Buffy standing in a distance. They just watched as Xander destroyed vampire after vampire till there was only one left. The last one was exhausted. Xander was covered in vampire dust. Too sore and tired to move the vampire laid on his back as Xander placed the heal of his boot on his throat.

Xander glared at the last vampire. "All the whores and politicians will look up and shout Save us. And I'll whisper NO."

The vampire looked confused. "What?"

Xander rolled his eyes. "It's from Watchman." With that he pushed the heel down killing the vampire.

Buffy cleared her throat making Xander turn around and look at her. "You okay Xander."

He nodded and looked at her. "Never better." He looked at the other slayers who looked at him differently now. Some had the look of awe while others had the look of fear.

Jasmine stepped a little closer wanting to look at him. "So you really are like strong now."

Xander shook his head not liking the looks of awe or fear. "Guys it's still me. I'm the same guy you knew 2 weeks ago."

Buffy stood next to him. "He's right and I think we have had enough for the night. So I say we head back."

Slowly the girls walked out of the church and back to the van. Xander walked behind wanting to put a little distance. Buffy waited walking with him. She could see the look on Xander's face. "Something is bothering you."

"Question or statement?"

"I've known you long enough Xander to know when you are bothered."

He followed her next to her side. "Is this where it starts Buffy? You saw the way they looked at me. It's like I'm an alien."

"Xander it was something new they weren't used to. They were just taken back. Think about he way you reacted when you saw your first vampire."

"What about you?"

"What do you mean?"

"When you saw me fighting that hurricane of vampires what did you think?"

"I thought wow today is not a good day to be a vampire."

"I'm being serious Buffy." He stepped in front of her stopping her from walking. "What do you see?"

She sighed and took his hand. "I see my best friend. I see someone I trust with my life. I see Xander Harris and powers or strength or what ever isn't going to change that."

He could see the sincerity in her eyes and he couldn't help but smile. "Thanks." He let go of her hand and turned around and kept walking towards the vans. "I need to talk to the girls tell them they should keep quite about tonight."

Buffy just followed from behind. "You don't want Spike and Angel finding out?"

"Actually it's Andrew."

Buffy couldn't help but laugh. "You are afraid of Andrew?"

"He wants to make me a costume Buffy."

"You mean like spandex and a cape."

"He scares me Buffy."