Willow and Lucas looked at Xander in astonishment. "What do you mean? You can't stay here. You need to come back with me." Willow sputtered.

"Why?" Xander retorted, standing angrily. "Tell me please, what the hell do I have to go back for? A school that I'll barely graduate from? A hellmouth that wants to suck in me in every other week? A drunk ass father who can't stand the sight of me? Or you guys, who think I'm a joke?" Xander was breathing heavily and had an expression of pure rage etched on his face.

Willow's face was pale with shock and when she started to redden with her own fury, it was that much more noticeable. "We don't think you're a joke. You see yourself that way. And you don't do much to change it." She snarled. After a moments, the fiery red head took a breath to calm herself. "I… I don't know if I can help the other stuff, and I know it what it does to you … but… but" She shook her head at loss for what to say. "We can try, we can do… Something for you to make it better. Maybe I can find spell or something…"

Xander was already shaking his head, "magic doesn't solve everything Will. You can't just say a few words and make things like this go away."

She looked away guiltily. "What would you even do here? You don't belong here, you belong with us."

"I'll talk to the Captain and he may let me join the crew, if I have to scrub Darwin's tank every day to stay here, I'll do it." He declared evenly, trying not to crack under her pressure. "Katie even said I was great with the Stinger, maybe I'll learn to be an engineer or mechanic."

Lucas watched the two of them fight without saying anything. The thought that Xander may stay in his time thrilled him, but he knew it probably wasn't the best thing. If he stayed, they could be changing too much of the past. He didn't know what to say without making either teen angrier.

There were tears falling down Willow's face, she tried to put her hand on Xander's arm but he shook her off. "Please, you can't leave us. What about Buffy? What will she do without you? You keep everyone sane, we need you." Her next statement was almost lost in her choking sobs. "Wh… what about me? I thought you loved me."

Xander struggled to keep his resolve. "I do Will, but this may be the best thing for me." He finally went to her and took her in his arms. "The thing none of you ever realized is that I have a life outside of you, not much of one, but it's there. There are things I want to do with that life and I think I might be able to here."

"I'm not like you, I'm not like Buffy, or even Oz, I can't keep fighting things that are so much stronger than me. It'll kill me one day. Ask anyone, I'm a few head blows away from staring at the ceiling in a hospital bed for the rest of my life." Xander hoped a joke, even a morbid one, would help his cause. He heard a muffled chuckle and it seemed he was right.

Willow finally pulled away from him. She stopped crying and attempted a smile. "Ok, if you think you need to do this. But there is no turning back. I won't know if you decide it's a bad idea. Once I go through the portal, you'll be stuck here."

"I've made up my mind, I did awhile ago. But if you can, wait a few days. I want to see if Captain Bridger will even let this happen. He may refuse."

"Ok, and it'll give me more time with you. Um… maybe you should write a note or something to everyone to explain why you're doing this." She said thoughtfully.

"Really Will? I'm making a huge life changing choice that may damage the time space continuum and you give me homework? You are such a nerd!" They dissolved into laughter together but didn't notice Lucas wasn't joining in. He was watching them with a distressed expression, trying to decide how speak up.

The three teens waited nervously outside of Captain Bridger's cabin after knocking on the door. He opened it and looked at their anxious faces with surprise. "We uh… need to talk to you. I want to ask a big favor… um, sir" Xander said hesitantly, his future was riding on the Captain's go ahead.

"Of course Xander. Come inside everyone." Nathan stepped back and the teens filed in, they sat awkwardly around the room and the Captain waited for someone to start speaking.

"Well, ah, you see…um" Xander's words stumbled out and he took a deep breath to try again. "I want to stay on the SeaQuest. I think I could help here and I believe it's a better place for me than my own time. I'll… I'll do whatever job you want. I just really don't want to leave."

"And you're ok with this?" Nathan asked Willow.

She shook her head, "not really, but it isn't about me. If this is what makes him happy…" She swallowed against the lump in her throat. "Then, I'll have to be ok with it."

Nathan nodded slowly, "Give me some time to talk it over with the senor crew. And we'll have to do something about your age. I know on paper you are in your thirties." He looked to Lucas for the first time. "Do you think you could… do something about that? He just needs to be old enough too allowed on the ship… without special circumstances."

"Yeah, shouldn't be a problem." Lucas said quietly.

"What do you think about this, Kiddo?" Nathan asked, noticing the teen should be happier about the situation. He was showing none of his normal exuberance.

Lucas didn't speak for several moments as he fidgeted with his air cast, when he looked up his face was twisted with inner agony. "I don't think he should stay…"

The room went silent at his admission. Xander's face crumpled as he stared at who he thought was his new best friend. "Why not? Why don't you want me here? Do you think I'll do something stupid and sink the boat?"

"It's not what Harvey Dent would do…" Lucas tried to explain before being cut off.

"I don't care, this isn't a comic book. This is real life." Xander snapped.

"I… I know but… but it isn't right. You always try to do the right thing. If you stay it could mess up everything." Lucas paused and gathered his thoughts. "Hell, with what you guys deal with, maybe it's your fate to stop an apocalypse in your future. Some crazy powerful person or creature that only you can stop."

"Oh, am I going to compete with a god using my snark?" Xander spat back. "Maybe I'm sick of being fate's butt monkey. I thought it was time to choose my own way, but if your brilliant mind disagrees, who am I to argue?" Lucas flinched at the anger but didn't respond. Xander turned to Willow, "you better get your stuff ready, I guess I'm leaving. No sense in staying around here any longer." He wrenched the door open and stormed out.

Lucas fought the tears that tried to spill out of his eyes, he looked at the Captain and Willow in misery. "Am I doing the right thing?" They didn't know the correct answer and only regarded him sadly.