Title: Sympathy For The Devil

Authoress: Sakuri

Rating: M

Summary: Spander slash. Slight AU. In a Sunnydale without Buffy, Spike is being held captive by the Initiative. When a newly de-souled Angelus arrives in town, he may be the only one with knowledge enough to help stop him. Enter Xander, new Initiative recruit, and the only person able to hold the vampire's interest for more than five minutes.

Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one

Chapter Thirty Six: Truths

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Sakuri: And finally, the beginning of the last plot-arc in this story. I estimate about 42 chapters, in all, including an epilogue.

xxx

They'd made up a vaguely credible story to tell the Initiative about what had happened to him during his four days of absence. Stuck to the truth, mostly, except for the vampire who'd snatched him being demoted to the average fledge (a blow to his ego, definitely, but less troublesome than involving Angelus in the tale) and his daring escape being achieved alone when he'd gotten his hands on a split plank of wood and managed to stake his captor. There were holes a mile wide in the story, if you looked for them, but Xander was using the blanket excuse that shock and exhaustion had blurred his memory, so he wasn't too clear on all the details.

They'd insisted on assigning him to a government shrink, this time, trying to determine whether or not he was suffering PTSD. Xander was pretty sure he wasn't, and really the sessions were only proving to be yet another source of stress as he was forced to navigate prying questions and constantly recall every detail of the false testimony he'd given, so it was with a feeling of intense relief that he left the last session and headed across the base to find Giles.

The Englishman ushered him into the office with a concerned expression. "Xander, I heard what happened. Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine, don't worry about it."

"Are you back on duty already?"

He shook his head. "Not yet, but I just finished my psych-exam, so hopefully I will be soon."

The older man made a noncommittal noise. "Is there something you needed?"

"No, no," Xander started to say, then hesitated. "Well kinda, yeah."

"Oh?"

"You ever heard of a Slayer?"

Giles, in the midst of rearranging the objects on his desk, froze. He looked up over the rim of his glasses in astonishment, before quickly trying to conceal the reaction. "Is there... Is there any particular reason you're asking?"

Xander raised an eyebrow. Does he think he's being subtle? "Uh, yeah actually..."

Haltingly, he began to tell the story of what had really happened. He described waking up with Angelus standing over him, the threat he'd made to turn him, the days spent in isolation, wondering what was going to happen. He told how Spike had at last enlisted the help of witches and the Slayer, how they'd gotten him out and taken him home to recover, how they'd even been patrolling together since.

Finished, he fell silent and glanced up at the other man hesitantly, unsure what to expect.

Giles sat down heavily behind his desk, his expression stunned. "A Slayer..."

"Uhm, yeah?"

"Well..." the older man murmured faintly. "I-I-I must say you're keeping better company these days..."

"I know, right?" He threw himself down into his usual chair. "So come on, G-Man, why's everyone so up in arms about her being here? Spike's explanation was a little biased."

"Yes, I can imagine..." Giles visibly cast about for where to start, before predictably choosing a history lesson. He began to talk about the First Slayer and how she'd been created, the line of 'descendants' who'd followed her.

Okay, this isn't exactly what I had in mind...

He sat forward, waving his hands to call for a halt. Giles blinked at him but fell silent. "Alright, stop. You know I'm not exactly student material. Look, my point is this: I... haven't told the Initiative about her, either, and I need to know if that's the right choice."

The ex-librarian nodded without preamble. "Oh yes. I can't imagine any Slayer seeing eye-to-eye with Director Walsh."

"That's what I thought. And I wasn't sure if they'd think she was... yanno... too not-human or something."

"Hm. Yes, well..." Visibly distracted, the Englishman toyed absently with the 'Kiss the Librarian' mug on his desk. "I don't think the Watchers' Council would want her affiliated with another organisation, either. No, I think you're quite right, Xander, to keep it quiet for the moment."

The younger man grinned slightly. "Well look at you, Giles, getting in on the rebellion."

Giles looked unimpressed. "I've been in on your 'rebellion' ever since I found out about Spike."

Xander blinked, like this was the first time he'd fully realised the fact. "Uhm, sorry?"

Rolling his eyes with exasperation, Giles waved him off and returned to the problem at hand. "I'm more concerned with what she's actually doing here. The current Slayer, as far as I'm aware, is assigned to Los Angeles..."

He continued to mutter beneath his breath, but Xander didn't hear it. He'd suddenly sat bolt upright in his chair, and was staring at Giles through narrowed eyes, the back of his neck prickling.

After a while, Giles seemed to notice the scrutiny. He looked back at Xander with mild surprise, asked, "What?"

"...How did you know she was supposed to be in LA?"

The ex-librarian opened his mouth, froze, and proceeded to flounder.

Incredulous, Xander stood up sharply. "Oh my god, I don't believe this! It's you, too, isn't it?"

"S-sorry?"

He flailed vaguely. "You're hiding things too! Oh my god!" This is ridiculous! This can't be happening again! "And who are you going to turn out to be?" There was a small possibility he was getting unflatteringly high pitched.

Giles held out a calming hand, rising slowly to meet him. "Xander, listen to me –"

"I should have known something was up. You were pretending to be a librarian, for god's sake, and then you just happen to be here...! I should have known it meant... That it... Okay, I don't know what that means. What the hell does that mean?"

The Englishman rubbed his forehead. "Xander, do shut up. If you would just calm down, I'd gladly explain –"

"How do you know so much about Buffy?"

Giles sighed irritably and snapped out, "Because I'm a Watcher!"

Xander frowned, trying to remember where he'd heard that word before. "Wait, isn't that like a Slayer's boss or something?"

"Well, I wouldn't phrase it quite like that. Perhaps 'advisor' is more –"

"But she has one already. Some guy called Wesley. Why does there need to be another Watcher?"

For the first time, a haughty sort of look passed over Giles's face and he drew himself up proudly. "There is a whole Council of Watchers, as it happens, and seeing as there is only ever one Slayer at a time, it would make sense that some of us have duties not directly relating to her, wouldn't it?" He sniffed, looking a little offended.

Xander narrowed his eyes. "Oh yeah? So what's your duty?"

Once again, Giles looked shifty. Finally, with a glance at the door as if to make sure it was still shut, he said, "I was sent to... investigate the Initiative."

"What?"

"Shh! You have to understand, the Council has existed and been aware of demons for far longer than any US organisation..."

It clicked, and Xander gaped at him. "Oh my god, you're checking up on us!"

"I –"

"You so are! You're looking over our shoulder to make sure we're doing it right!"

"Well..."

"But you can't be a... a secret agent for some Council!" Xander finally shouted, disbelieving and a little cheated. "I'm a secret agent!"

That seemed to stump the other man and they both spent a few moments staring at each other somewhat helplessly. At last Xander slumped, dropped back into the chair, and asked defeatedly, "So what do you make of us, then?"

Giles looked uncomfortable. "I'm not sure I should say."

"Oh come on! I think we've already established that I'm not exactly employee of the month. Who am I gonna tell?"

"Yes, very well. The biggest problem the Council has with the Initiative is the experimentation being conducted down in The Basement."

Well there's a shock...

"For one," Giles went on, "many of the demons being confined down there are actually quite harmless."

Xander winced. He'd been hoping Spike had been mistaken about that.

"Secondly, many of the so called experiments seem to be entirely without merit, as far as I can determine. Of course, with that hack Angleman in charge..." He trailed off in disgust, shaking his head.

Xander shrugged. "Okay. Unnecessary cruelty and waste of resources. Any other complaints?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact. We don't trust Director Walsh."

"The Director? Why not?"

Giles hesitated, then sighed. "I believe she's hiding something, Xander. The small amount of credible research being done is secreted away, the results concealed. Funds disappear into some project there are no records of..." He waved a hand, then added, "Besides which, you said it yourself: the Director displays a marked intolerance for anyone who doesn't fit the human norm."

"And the Council doesn't like that...?"

"The Council understands that a being can be supernatural without being malevolent."

"Right..." Xander sat back, thoughtful and wary and tired. "Okay. That makes sense. I get that. But... yanno, what exactly are you saying, here?"

Giles blinked. "I... Nothing. I was simply answering your questions."

"Oh." He fidgeted a little. "So... Any thoughts on the whole Buffy thing?"

"Yes, actually," Giles admitted, before adding primly, "Keep the Slayer, lose the vampire."

Xander rolled his eyes.

xxx

"Director, are you seeing this? I told you, I told you...!"

She clenched her jaw and resisted the urge to tell Angleman to shut up. Now certainly wasn't the time for the words 'I told you so'.

The picture onscreen mocked her, infuriated her.

"How could this have happened...?" she muttered, shocked to feel a stirring of betrayal.

"It happened because Harris is a simple-minded little screw up! What did you expect?"

"Not this!" she shot back, gesturing furiously to the screen. "This... This is..."

"Unsurprising," the scientist insisted snottily. "He has the magnetism. Demons have got to be attracted to him for a reason. It's because he's like them, clearly."

She shook her head – not in disagreement but in disgust. "Yes, but this...!"

They gazed with shared incredulity at the surveillance photos displayed on the computer monitor. She hadn't believed it at first when one of her agents had reported his findings, but there it was, right in front of her, indisputable.

There was one photograph taken in one of the many Sunnydale cemeteries: Agent Harris, an unidentified blond girl, and Hostile 17. Then the next one: the same three taking down a demon together. Another one: Harris willingly entering a black vehicle with the Hostile. And finally: the pair pulling up outside Harris's home address, actually... actually...

"He's kissing it!" Angleman shrieked for possibly the fifth time. "He's actually kissing it!"

"I can see that!" she snapped back, feeling her stomach turn a little and her nerves fray.

"All this time we've been trying to get Hostile 17 back, and instead he's out –"

She held up a hand swiftly, not wanting a mental image she wouldn't be able to rid herself of. "It's... We just have to find a way to deal with this development."

"Deal with it? I'd like to think you arrest him as soon as he walks through the door!" Angleman flapped his hands wildly. "Wait, is he in the building? Quickly, put the word out before he leaves –"

But her mind was working along different lines. She was staring intently at the last photograph, Agent Harris leaning across the car towards the vampire, Hostile 17's fingers locked in the human's hair. It was both repulsive and fascinating to look at. Demon Magnet indeed...

Interrupting Angleman's rant, she asked softly, "And why were we looking for Hostile 17?"

He stalled, obviously not following her train of thought. "Because you wanted its blood. Although what good it'll do you when you insist it has to be willing I don't kno– oh." He blinked. "Oh. That's quite good..."

She smiled grimly, not looking away from the incriminating surveillance photos. Agent Harris would have one final role in the completion of Project 314, and then he could be dealt with.