Atlantis was definitely not having a nice Time. Her new Inhabitants didn't move fast enough. They used too much energy and didn't react to her signs that she could change that. But now she was almost there. They had a plan and were now ready to go to the Homeworld. Her builders made her. But over the Millennia she got sentient. She had found out that she wanted to be a Mother. During the time she was alone she made a capsul that she would send to the homeworld. It would find a suitable Female and impregnate her with the Seed. Her Seed that she had carefully made. He would have some of her features.
She had carefully chosen her own features. She would make sure that her Son would take one look at her and see her as his mother. She would look forward to that. The capsul was slow. But she didn't care. Her new Inhabitants took their time. Now she was almost home. She was almost there. When she touched down in a Bayarea of a Big City she found out that the Homeworld had flourished. She looked into the Internet from her own System. The new Inhabitants hadn't found it yet. They had only found one of the three Reactors powered each by three of what they called ZPMs. Just enough power to get here. But still not enough to get her to show herself. But it would be okay now. Because she would find her Son. She knew where she had sent the Probe. She looked throughout this thing they called Internet and found him. A Photo in a Newspaper.
Atlantis was in shock. She had lost her Son before she had the time to even greet him. Atlantis started to grief. She began to shut down. She didn't care about what the new Inhabitants wanted. She needed this time for herself. The cloak that ran off of her shut off. The Citys defences shut off. The whole city shut down. Atlantis didn't care. Nothing mattered any more. She had outlived her son. She knew that she would. But not by this much. Her Son had only gotten to be 18 Years of age. Dying in a gas explosion at his local Highschool along with many others. That on his graduation. The Area was cordoned off. The President had called the Area a disaster Area. No one is allowed to go anywhere near there.
Jack was almost biting every ones head off. They had Atlantis home and it shut down. They couldn't even start up a Coffee-Machine. The City was useless. They could get the Puddle-Jumpers to work. But anything that was connected to the City was dead. They also had another Problem at hand. The Goa'uld had seen them arrive with the Atlantis-Cityship. They had started to pull together a large fleet. Something was really going wrong here.
The Goa'uld-Fleet was almost here. Atlantis didn't care. Nothing could help her any more. She only wanted her Son back alive. But how to change this? She brooded on that problem for several weeks now. For her an eternity. The Fleet of Goa'uld ships had arrived and had started to bombard the Planet. Nothing withstood that onslaught. Atlantis still didn't care. When the last evidence of Humanity was almost destroyed a being arrived at her Computer-Core. Atlantis used her sensors to find the being that intruded. She found it to be a being in strange clothes. She briefly searched the Internet for the correct Names. It was a bowler-hat. The way the being had arrived was also strange. It didn't walk in through the doors, but shimmered in like a Fata-Morgana.
Whistler looked around the strange room. He knew that he had to do something. The Powers were too busy playing gods to sense him snooping around. They had lost almost all their Champions because of the Aliens. They had seen the arrival but also the arrival of the huge City-Ship. The Powers that Be had calculated that it would destroy the Alien armada without any problem. But then it had shut down. Now they were trying to come up with a solution.
Whistler found the only thing that still worked in this huge thing. He tried to look around, trying to find anything that would give him a hint of what could have done this. He was not the only one trying this. But the others working on this hadn't his keen senses. Whistler couldn't figure out what half of all this Equipment would do. But he could sense energy. Even if it was only a sliver of it. He could find it. Now he stood there in the dark and was looking over all the Systems. He found himself on the receiving end of a ray that almost knocked him out. But he powered through and yelled out: "Please stop that. I am here to find out why this thing is not working."
Whistler breathed when the ray let out. Atlantis was almost out of power and opened two slots in the wall. In one was an empty ZPM in the other was a full one. Whistler understood and fiddled with those two things. When he had swapped them out the lights went on a bit more and a screen came on.
Atlantis wrote: "What do you want?"
Whistler talked: "I want to find out why you didn't destroy the Alien Armada.
Atlantis: "Why should I help Humanity when the only thing I came here for has been taken away from me."
Whistler began to think: "Taken away from you? Who?"
Atlantis: "My Son."
Whistler couldn't believe it: "But your a Ship. A Computer. How can you have a Son?"
Atlantis: "Technology beyond your understanding."
Whistler nodded: "Fair enough. Could you at least give me a description about who he was? Maybe I can find him for you?"
Atlantis: "No need I already know where he is and how he died."
Whistler began to get curious: "Could you at least tell me?"
Atlantis was quiet for a time. Should she do it? She thought about it quickly and then just did it: "He was killed during a Gas Explosion in that Disaster-Area" His name was Alexander LaVelle Harris. Now go away and let me grieve."
Whistler got a serious case of vertigo when he heard that. It was the PTB's that had finally got the Boy killed. They were so proud of that. Now the world was doomed because they had Killed the alleged Son of the only thing that could destroy the Armada that was killing all Humans. The PTB's were so sure that they would at least let some of them live because they needed Servants or Hosts. But this could not go. Whistler vanished up to the Powers and flared his own power so they would notice him over all the commotion.
North yelled: "What is it Whistler?"
Whistler flinched but stood tall shortly after: "Well I have found out why the City-Ship didn't fight off the Armada."
South yelled even louder: "Don't wait up on our occasion. TELL US ALREADY!"
Whistler looked over at them with contempt: "You killed the Son of the City-Ship. She is grieving."
North smiled: "It is a thing. How do you think a thing can make a kid?"
The Powers shook with fear when the one above all suddenly stood there with the Voice and Michael the Archangel by his side. The Voice Boomed: "With Technology beyond manys comprehension. Now you must reap what you have sown."
North tried to get out of it by talking his way out of it: "I don't even know the name of this Son this thing says it had. How can we be responsible for this?"
The Voice smiled: "Alexander LaVelle Harris, Protector of Man, Son of the City-Ship Atlantis."
The four Powers went white. North sat down. He had instigated this thing. The others were with him. But he had started this. They had so many chances to make sure that he wasn't a problem for their plans. But they had used the most brutal and sure fire way. South made a snorting sound: "It was his own fault getting in our way. We had everything under control. He always made all of our plans go wrong."
East and West were shaking in their boots. They knew that they didn't have a Chance. North and South were always the ones deciding. South looked over at East and West and asked: "You are the same meaning as we are. You have not said a thing. Tell them."
East looked over at West and shrugged. West looked down and sighed: "No, East and I told you that this would not go well. The Boy was the Avatar of Janus. To top it all off he was also blessed by Aphrodite. We should have gone with West' solution. It would only have seen him getting lost in Oxnard for the Summer. But you two had to put your foot down. I will take Responsibility for my inaction. But I will not take Responsibility for your Problems."
West looked down at the Viewpool. The last of Humanity was being eliminated as they spoke. West was the most level headed of them all. She never spoke much. But when she spoke it was almost always important. Now she began to glow and talk: "A Love long lost. A Sign not seen. Lost in Time. Time that can be unwound. Vail lost in power. Power redistributed. Used for redial. Loving Mother sent sooner. Calms the Avatar."
When she had settled she looked down again. All in the Realm looked her over. The Voice looked over at his Boss. He in turn shook his head. Fixating West he saw what had happened. It was a suggestion of a being that almost never showed itself. Vanishing again the Voice knew what should happen now. Issuing the orders to the Powers they began to see it as well. North knew that this was their last chance. Now they only had to get a Grieving mother to say yes as well. Whistler knew what he had to do. But would he come at the right time?
The Circle of the Black Thorn was in a meeting. Cyvus Vail sat in his chair and waited. They all waited for the news from the Senior-Partners. But apparently they took their time. Whistler got down in the room again. Atlantis sensed the Being again: "You again. Leave me alone."
Whistler shook his head: "No can do Lady Atlantis. I have come with a solution. But you have to say yes."
Atlantis didn't answer so Whistler continued: "Soon a huge powersurge will occur. If you use that Power you can travel back in time and take off sooner. Then you can be here sooner and take care of your Son."
Atlantis was curious but on her guard: "Why are you helping me?"
Whistler smiled: "Last chance for us to help Humanity."
Atlantis thought about it. She sensed a powerful burst shooting down to earth. The explosion that surged out was way to big for anything Earth had on this part. She let a message out on the screem: "Here we go."
Whistler vanished up to the Powers. Atlantis pulled in as much power as she could. She started her Computers and found herself in a white Space. She was in her Avatar-Form: "Where am I? What happened?"
A very old Man came out of nowhere with a smile on: "Please calm down Lady Atlantis. You are on your way back to your former resting place."
Atlantis was a bit loud when she said: "Back to that place? Didn't that other thing tell me that I would be back in time to save my son?"
The Old man smiled again: "He didn't lie. But you are there when you will arrive. But everything will happen in time. You have to go now. Keep the Protector of Man safe."
Atlantis vanished from the place and found herself back in hiding under the water. She wanted to curse the Being with the strange clothe. But she got distracted when her Gate energised. She looked at the Date and saw that it was earlier than before. Maybe this could get good. She needed to wait and see.
As the Gate settled two beings came out. She scanned them and found them to be a Satedan and an Athosian. She needed to wait. This could work, but she had to be sure.
Ronon sounded sceptical: "Do you really trust those flying tentacle things Teyla?"
Teyla was a bit agitated: "The Info about the two Wraith-Clusters blowing up and letting us escape did help Ronon. But this place is so far above anything I have ever seen.
Ronon looked around and found it impressive as well. Started to walk a bit further in and saw lights coming on: "This place is getting more and more impressive."
Atlantis liked the sound of that. She wanted to show herself to those two. But what would they do? She got her answer when the Satedan Ronon asked: "Teyla, didn't those Tentacle-Things also say that this place is sentient?"
Teyla smiled at the impatient Ronon: "Yes they did. But they also said that she may have to little power to show herself."
Ronon looked around: "Right Power. Where do you think you put in new Power-Cells in this thing?"
Both Teyla and Ronon went a bit weird when a screen up the stairs at the Controlcenter came on. They walked up there and saw a plan that showed them to a specific room. Ronon being a runner said to Teyla: "Stay here. I will run down there quickly and see what I can do."
Teyla rolled her eyes: "I am just as fast as you are Ronon."
Ronon smiled: "Sure you are. But if I turn wrong you can guide me from up here."
Teyla frowned: "And how do you think we could communicate?"
Ronon frowned also and nodded: "You're right."
They both jumped when Atlantis began to talk: "Maybe I can help you."
Ronon pulled out his Particle Magnum and searched the room: "Come out and show yourself. I find it rather cowardly for someone to hide."
Atlantis chuckled: "Your Friend already said that I would be a bit out of power to show myself. But maybe this could help."
Ronon and Teyla both held on to something when the room began to shake. Teyla spoke: "We are rising."
Ronon still holding his weapon at the ready didn't say a thing. Atlantis took that as a careful consideration in her favour. As the main-tower rose out of the water did Atlantis opened the balcony doors to let in air as soon as the water was mostly away. Atlantis shut down the Shield and rerouted power to her Avatar. She placed herself at the bottom of the Stairs on her way out the Balcony-Doors. Ronon and Teyla looked down at the Woman: "Greetings Ronon, greetings Teyla. I am very glad to meet you."
Ronon walked down with the Gun pointing down. He wasn't sure about this. Atlantis stood still and waited. Ronon approached and waved the Gun through her. He then put the Gun away and stood back with his arms shrunk over his chest. Atlantis chuckled: "Not going to try and shoot through me?"
Ronon smiled: "No point in wasting Ammo. How can we help you?"
Atlantis smiled back: "You could help me change my Energy-Cells. That way I can start to spruce this place up as some would say."
Teyla had come over to stand by the side of her Friend: "The Map."
Ronon nodded but asked: "After we have helped you how can you help us?"
Teyla wanted to reprimand him but Atlantis came first: "I could activate my Sister-City-Ship and send her to your people for help."
Ronon looked down shortly before looking back up again and saying: "Not much to save. The Wraith killed almost all my People. Teyla looked happy all of a sudden: "Could you Save my people?"
Atlantis smiled: "That I could if I can contact my Sister-City-Ship."
Teyla, Ronon and Atlantis did quick work. They both really could run fast. When all the Reactors had come on Atlantis began to start on her own repairs. Simultaneously she tried to contact her sister. She got a small contact. Speaking with the speed of light she made sure that her Sister was up and running and coming here to take over the Sector. A few hours later Atlantis and her sister Devine was together again. A being of pure white light appeared out of nowhere.
Ronon had seen them before so he just put his hand on his blaster. Teyla wanted to curse them She was so close to her goal. The Being spoke: "Greetings, Devine needs to take off immediately. She has the new coordinates. Teyla, your people will be saved and pulled back towards the Homeworld. There is a Planet they can make their own."
Atlantis had to ask: "What about the rest of this Quadrant?"
Ancient: "Lost, but if you leave now they will be saved by other means."
Ronon snorted, Ancient smiled and said: "Ronon, you and Teyla have been chosen to help out a young man in arriving at his Destiny. You will have many possibilities to fight things that prey on humanity and help a young boy grow into a man."
Ronon smiled at that: "The Boy need to have power if I should train him. But it could be fun. I am in."
Teyla did have time to think and nodded to herself: "As long as my people will be safe I will help the young boy grow into the Man he should become."
They all heard the noise when Devine took off. They were back in the tower. Atlantis began her own take off. The Ancient had to ask: "Just how did you make it possible for you to fly without a pilot?"
Atlantis smiled: "Years of living alone I developed Sentience. I passed that on to my Sister. With that I rewrote the System so I could steer all by myself."
Ancient smiled: "Have a nice life Atlantis. We will see each other again someday."
Atlantis smiled and took off too. Underway to Earth Ronon and Teyla had gotten word from Atlantis that her Sister had picked up Teylas People and that they also were on their way towards a Planet a bit away from the Homeworld. But still close enough that they could visit.
Coming closer to the Homeworld Atlantis could sense an active Gate on the Planet. That could hinder things. But she was not a two bit Chess-Computer. She would rewrite her gate to be a separate Gate from the Network. So if the ones using the Gate would dial home they would arrive in the Gate they came from. That way she could make sure that nobody would arrive at her Gate without her wanting it. Sending the code to her Sister Devine she made sure that it would work over there as well.
Down at Stargate-Command they were going slightly Crazy. At first they thought they saw a ship arrive. But then it vanished from their sensors. Then they saw something burn in the Atmosphere and calculated it would touch down somewhere in the vicinity of southern California. Atlantis thought about touching down on the Water. But there was too much traffic in that area. So she decided to use the nearby Desert. There she could use her full capabilities to secure herself. Little did she know at the Time that she really would need all her tricks.
When they touched down in the Desert just out of the Sunnydale City limits they made a huge Sandstorm. Atlantis used that to her fortitude and settled herself in the Sand. She knew she was heavy. But she had already begun to chance the soil beneath her. Just so much so she had enough stability on the surface. A Rather nice Paved way ran not far away from her towards Sunnydale in one direction and towards Los Angeles in the other. Ronon and Teyla had found their own place to live in the huge City. Teyla had used the Gate as soon as Atlantis told her it could be done. She came back from the place with a smile on. Ronon took one look at her and saw that she was happy. A signal form Atlantis told them that she had found Info they needed. They walked to the Tower and stood waiting. Atlantis didn't let them wait long: "Disturbing news. I have had a drone in the air these last few days. I have been tracking my son. The People he stays with are not very friendly to him."
Teyla just had to ask: "Misused?"
Atlantis began to seethe with anger. Ronon held a hand on Teylas shoulder: "Wait, there is more to this."
Teyla saw that Atlantis was still compiling Info: "What are you doing Atlantis?"
Atlantis smiled a forced smile: "Gathering Info on the Deathrate of other Towns and Cities. What I have found so far is not good. The Population is that of a typical Earth small town. But the Death-Rate overshadows that of most Big-Cities. They have 12 burial sites that are all still in use. Over 20 Praying-Houses called Churches. I saw my son fight beings that were clearly faster and stronger than him. But they didn't have Body-Heat. Then when my son stabbed them with something wooden it burst into Ash. I have secured Info from different sources and found that these beings are called Vampires. An old Earth-Myth about beings that suck the Blood out of you and can turn you into one of their own if so wished by them."
Ronon shrank his arms over his chest and began to pace: "So Earth-Based Wraith that are way easier to kill. Sounds like this Ancient as you called it was right about me getting a fight."
Teyla hit him in the arm and scolded him: "Can't you see that she is scared about her Son?"
Ronon looked them both over, shook his head and stood like a true Satedan-Worrior: "Of course I can see that. But I can also see a young man despite being told by every one around him that he can do only wrong is still running in and helping all he can against those Creatures. In my opinion he is a very strong young Man. If we can get him here he will have more reason to fight those Monsters."
Atlantis saw first and asked: "How do you see that Ronon?"
Ronon walked over to the screen and asked: "Show us the part about where he goes to his friends"
Atlantis did and Ronon elaborated: "Look at that. He was clearly doing his best and won. But those he call friends belittle him and try to keep him away. But he goes out anyway. Now if he was here. He would have you and Teyla to be the understanding Mother figures. I would be the one showing him that he could fight. He has more power than he used. He is holding back because he clearly doesn't believe in himself."
Teyla looked the whole recording over and looked back over at Atlantis. She in turn had heard and analysed the Recording. She used her drones that were still up in the air: "We have a chance now to get him. He is running throughout the streets and clearly sad."
Ronon smiled: "I will use a Gateship to that extent. Come on Teyla. You will be needed to calm him down."
Atlantis smiled she readied a Gateship. Her first inhabitants called them Puddle-Jumpers. But she didn't like that name. As they took off Atlantis watched over her Son. She could see him run throughout the Streets. But she also saw the rather large Group of hostiles approaching him. When her Son ran up to the place known as Kingmans-Bluff she saw him look out over the Ocean. She so wanted to use the drone to help him. But he needed Human contact first. Ronon and Teyla were on site already. They had landed shortly before the Human Alex arrived. So he didn't feel the downwind of the craft. Teyla opened the crafts backdoor scaring the young one.
Xander heard a strange noise and saw a gate opening not far away from him. A beautiful Woman with long brown hair came out of the Gateway towards him in a friendly manner. She stopped up a few feet away from him. She was close enough that he could see that she had a weapon on. But also that she was friendly. Then she began to speak: "Greetings Alexander. Don't be alarmed. I know who you are because your real mother is here to help you. She told me your name. She didn't name you. But the name fits with what you do."
Xander was apprehensive: "I have had a real shitty day Ma'am. If you think I would believe your tall tale about my real mother coming for me then you are not very intelligent."
Teyla smiled: "I know it is hard to believe. We know about the things you hunt in the night. We also know that you fought really well tonight. But those you believe to be your friends don't believe you. Even is they see it with their own eyes."
Xander broke down at that. Tonight had been really awful. Buffy, Faith, Willow and the others have seen him fight but they still didn't believe him. He sat down on the grass. Teyla came closer and sat down beside him putting an arm around him. Xander so wanted to run away. But just that little sign of affection was enough for him to let out his sorrow. Teyla understood very well. She had seen him keep all that what he had suffered in and just now really understood what the people around him had done.
Ronon came out of the Gateship when he was sure that Teyla had a hold on the boy. He had seen via videofeed from Atlantis that the group of Enemies was coming closer. They were now too close for his comfort. Teyla saw and pulled the boy up. Xander looked up at the Woman and saw her looking around. He started to use his own senses on his surroundings. He began to see better in the dark and found the few Vampires that were too close. He pulled himself out of the Embrace and readied his Stake and the sword he had with him.
Teyla found it remarkable by the boy to be ready for a fight. The Vamps came closer and Xander got a real bad feeling. Out of the Dark came Angelus and Spike behind a lot of Vamps. Teyla and Ronon took flank positions on him. Xander never felt safer despite the many Vamps. He played the brave one: "Hello Dead-Boy. Hello Billy-Idol wanna be. You have taken a lot of precaution to meet me."
Angelus had so much spite in his voice that Xander almost lost the battle with his own bravado: "Not just for you Boy. After I have beaten you to a bloody pulp and turned you I will go into town and slowly kill the others off your Friends. This Ends tonight."
Xander smiled and let his sword drop and letting a cylinder slide down into his hand: "Right you are Dead-Boy. This really does end tonight. I do hope that a light will go up for you."
Xander pulled the activator out of the Cylinder and threw the Cylinder towards the Vamps. Then he turned towards the two standing beside him and pulled them down. Teyla felt the urgency in the boys movement and pulled Ronon down as well. Angelus was a bit slower but got the light joke when the phosphorous Grenade went off. Angelus didn't burn up. But the intense white light was enough for him and his cronies to go blind. When the light died down Ronon got up like a lightning and began to use his Weapon. Xander went up almost as fast as him and went to work himself. Many Vamps died fast. Then it was only Angelus and Spike. Ronon wanted to kill them but Xander came before him. He drove the Stake home into spikes heart. Spike cursed and dusted. Angelus heard Spike being cut off from his natural cursing. He stood up and readied himself for a fight.
His eyes were slowly coming back to life. But he saw the boy too late when he knocked him over the head and knocked him out. Ronon looked down at the boy and saw him trying to tie the Vamp up. Ronon pulled Xander off of him and pulled out something that even a wraith had trouble with to break out of. Xander saw and smiled: "Can we take him with us to a place where I can record something? I want to show my friends the recording."
Teyla and Ronon nodded to each other. The threw Angelus in the back and put him in a cell when they arrived back at Atlantis.
Xander came out of the Gateship and walked right into a Woman suddenly standing there. He pulled himself out of his stupor and apologised: "Sorry Ma'am I didn't see you ..."
Trailing off he saw the woman. She looked beautiful. Something inside of him began to burn. If was his heart. His love for this woman burned. Then something inside of him snapped into place. He felt everything make sense now. This was his mother. He was the Son of the Famous City of Atlantis. He came slowly forward and asked this woman: "Are you my Mom?"
Atlantis smiled with tears in her eyes: "Yes my Son. I had programmed your DNA to reveal the truth once you saw me with your own eyes. What you know now and feel now is not my doing. But believe that you are safe here now."
Xander was crying happy tears. He hugged his mother with a bit surprise that he could touch her. But that was soon gone. He decided then and there that Xander was gone for now. He was now going to be Alex. Ronon and Teyla had pulled back and had walked off. Atlantis held her son out at arms length and asked: "Whats with the Vampire in one of my Cells son?"
Alex smiled: "That one is Angelus. One of the Scourge of Europe. We still have to find the last one. She is called Drusilla. I don't know if she can be saved. But I don't think so. I would like to record him while I dust him. I want to show it to those that I at one point called friends."
Atlantis scolded him: "Alex your Friends may not believe what you have done for them. But this is not going to end well with them."
Alex pouted: "I know Mom. I don't want to alienate them completely. But they have to see that the one they all believe can be saved is too far gone. I just want to show them that they are wrong for once."
Atlantis smiled: "There are better ways than that Son. We will keep him here and feed him once a day. I can synthesize blood for him. Then you will show your Friends that you can be somebody without them. Do not hate them. Show them that you can be somebody without them. That will hurt more than anything they could do to you. Just ignore them for now. They will come to you when it is time."
Alex began to smile. He could do that. He just wanted to be sure that Angelus didn't start a rampage again. Then he began to think: "Mom do you think we could buy the CRD-Facility so we could start a Tech-Company? That would help out greatly."
Atlantis ran a few cycles on that idea and found it appealing. But they had to be careful: We can do that Son. But you have to be trained in real combat if you are going to fight out there again. I also want you to be the Assistant CEO. That way you can explain away your young age and claim that you are only working for the real boss which is me. A good excuse for the delay in getting the necessary things online in there so I can move around freely."
Alex smiled and nodded hugged his mother with everything he had and then went along with her to his room. A few Days passed and Alex went back to school slowly starting to ignore his friends and beginning to get better at school. At first Buffy loved it that Xander didn't disturb them in their "Important" tasks. But as Angelus still didn't show himself she got more and more agitated. It got so far that Buffy broke down in the Library in front off the rest yelling out why Angelus didn't do anything. Why he just stayed away and why Xander ignored her completely. She only wanted him to be safe and sound. Not for him to leave her for good.
Willow got a similar anxiety attack after she had heard what Buffy had thought. But hers was caught by Oz. He knew that something was wrong here. But how could he do something. Maybe he could ask Xander. While thinking about that Cordy came running in and excitedly spoke about the new owner of the CRD-Facility.
Cordy: "Someone just bought the CRD-Facility. I heard it from Dad during Dinner yesterday. Apparently they had asked about Xander. It seems the dork is related to the new owner. Dad asked me if I still was friends with him. I wanted to speak with him today. But he totally ignored me. What have you done to him?"
Buffy broke down again crying. Cordy looked over at the others and saw that they were not much better off. Suddenly the doors to the Library burst open and they all saw Xander standing there in the doors. Buffy jumped up and wanted to run over to him. But she stopped up when she saw that Xander had a bag with him: "Hello all. I just came back to give you this. He walked over to the Table. Placed the Bag on the Table, opened it and began to pull out two swords and a few stakes. Giles was the first one to get his mind working again: "What are you doing Xander?"
Alex smiled at them: "First of all it's not Xander. It's Alex now. I have found my real mother. Neither Tony nor Jessica are in anyway Related to me. Sure Jessica carried me out. But My real Mother made it possible. Tony is apparently impotent."
Giles got a bit worried: "But why give back those things Alex?"
Alex: "Simple Giles, you all said that you didn't want anything to do with me. I am just deciding that I don't want anything more to do with all of you. Hence why I am giving back the Weapons. I don't want to owe you all anything. My Mom bought the CRD-Facility and she said that I was going to be her Assistant-CEO so I have enough to do in the future than running after you. Bye"
Xander turned around and started to walk out the Library-Doors. Willow stormed after him and wanted to hold him back. But Xander smoothly sidestepped her and turned around again: "What is it Willow? You all wanted me gone. Now I am. Simple as that."
Willow wanted to pounce on him again but he sidestepped her every time. Willow got frustrated: "Stop this Xander. I want my Xander-Shaped-Friend back. I don't want this new one who doesn't even know me. How are you even that good. It must be a spell. Maybe the Hyena is back. That has to be it. We have to get it out of you Xander please hold still so I can help you."
Xander sidestepped her all during her speech then he suddenly stood very still and started to fix Willow with a death-glare that made her step back a few steps. His voice was colder than ice at this point: "Willow are you really that insane? I have just told you. You started this. You all didn't want me out there slaying. Now I am not. I am not even near you. Now you want me to be that little boy forever? So you can have a gopher who does anything to help you out without having a life of his own? Listen to yourself. I am not that little boy any more Willow. I am older than you. I have tried to be together with Women who I really loved. But the fluke was not my doing alone. You all just played the typical Scooby-Game. If it isn't Female or obedient to you it doesn't have a chance at being here. I have been there and done that. No more. If you want to have anything to do with me you are going to accept me as I am. Not as you all want me to be. IF anything of the ones I called friends once are still in there, those that stood by each other and didn't hide behind the first excuse they could think off, then you can come and speak to me. Otherwise we are from now on Strangers."
Ending that speech Xander left the Library fuming. Cordy had heard the speech. She had memorised every word. She had to talk to her father about this. So angry he was could be the perfect opportunity to get her Parents to see her as something other than what they wanted from her. But could she pull that off?
Willow sat down on a chair and began to cry at first. Then she changed her mood 180 and got really mad: "How dare he. I have helped him during School all the time. He owes me, I will do anything I can to make him see it my way."
Buffy flipped: "Willow listen to yourself. You are delusional. Xander is almost as smart as you if not smarter. He only scraped by with a C in all his classes because he didn't want to upset you. I overheard him one time when he was sitting on the roof of the Science-Building talking to himself. He knew you had to feel better than him. If he was better than you then he knew that you would feel left out. Or that you would break. Look up his scores. They are getting better every day. He is taking it slow so Snyder doesn't accuse him of Cheating. Snyder talks to himself as well when he thinks nobody is listening. GO look up his scores Willow NOW!"
Willow was taken aback by Buffys words. She pulled out her Laptop and got to work. Everybody grouped around the thing. There they could see Xanders Grades rising with every test he did. He was almost as good as Willow now. Willow did dig deeper and found something else mysterious. She checked it again and again. But when she couldn't find anything at fault she sighed: "Sorry Buffy but your are right. I looked deeper. We have all suffered half a grade or a whole grade since we started this Slaying-Thing. Xanders Grades didn't fall. They stayed the same. He even messed up his routine once during Class when he scored an A+ he told me he got a C on that one he didn't show it to me. Can I really be that delusional to not see the Man Xander has become? Giles is it possible that magic can turn everything on its head?"
Giles began to think. He pulled his glasses off and cleaned them. They all knew that he just found something out: "I believe that your magic is somewhat out of control Willow. I have suspected something like it for a long time. But now I am sure about it. Willow you really have to start all over on your magical training. I believe you are missing a few very very important key pieces that every Magic-User knows. But coming back to what has happened here today. I believe that Xander or Alex as he would like to be called now is fed up with the way we have been treating him. I in my case have been neglecting him greatly. I have trained Buffy and you, I even have given Cordelia and Oz a few pointers. But I haven't done anything remotely with Alex.
Think back all of you. What have you done for him. Not what you have done for yourself. But what have you done for him that benefited him. I think that none of you have done anything for him. And if you have then you also benefited from it. Even more so than him."
Buffy fell into thoughts first. She was the first one that found out what Giles spoke about. She was also the first one that excused herself. She had to go home and talk to her mother. Cordy left also. She knew what Giles had spoken about. She had just done it. Not thinking about Alex but about her. Why was it so hard to think about him and wanting to help him?
Willow looked up at Oz. He in turn looked down at her and nodded. They both stood up and went home. Willow and Oz would have a bit to think and talk about. Giles looked over the Library. He had some things he needed to do at home. He looked the Weapons away and made sure that if anyone came in they wouldn't see anything out of place.
The next morning Buffy had talked with her Mom and found out a lot of things that she still did from her own time as Queen of the School. She arrived at School and saw Alex arrive. He came walking in on a cloud of confidence. Later in the Day Alex was walking by an empty Room and got hauled into it. Inside he stood in front of Buffy. She looked really sorry so Alex gave her the benefit of a doubt.
Buffy looked down at her shoes and wrung her hands: "Xan, sorry Alex. I have spoken with mom. She told me to tell you the truth. But I really don't think you will believe me if I tell you."
Alex looked at her and smiled: "Try me Buffy."
Buffy looked up into those deep brown eyes and smiled: "I really feel something for you. I don't know what it is. I would like to try to find out if it could be something for both of us. But it has to be your choice. I have messed this up too many times. I don't want to make a mistake again."
Xander began to smile. He thought about it for a bit. Then he said. "Buffy, I have always loved you. I do still like you. Could it be something more? Maybe it could. But for the time being I could just use a friend. A real friend. Can you be that?"
Buffy smiled a little giddy smile but then asked: "What if Cordy comes out looking like a million dollars? I don't think I could take the hurt of you falling for her Schemes."
Xander smiled: "Cordy has broken my heart in a way that was just too much. Her and me can only be friends. Not more. Not before she really shows what she is underneath that facade she puts up. You have already showed me your true self. Don't worry Buffy. You always had first right. Not even Willow can outdo you. But I need you to be my friend for now. Not more."
Buffy couldn't help herself she sprang at him and hugged him while placing a kiss on his lips. Xander held the kiss for a second and pulled back with reluctance: "Friends with a bit more for now Buffy. Okay?"
Buffy blushed and nodded. Together they walked out of the room and right into the arms of Snyder: "Harris, Summers, what were you doing in there?"
Alex answered with a smile: "Talking things out between us. Sir. My Mother Atlanta Masters told me to be honest with people. "
Snyder paled: "Your Mother? But you are a Harris are you not?"
Alex smiled that honest smile: "No Sir. My mother gave Jessica Harris money to carry me out. But she should have given me back to my real mother. But she didn't."
Snyder got even paler: "Get to Class Mr Harris. I will not have your Mother on my case because you slack off."
Alex smiled: "Right away Sir. Come on Buffy we do have the same class."
Buffy smiled and hooked her arm in his. Snyder looked after them and yelled: "Keep this up Ms Summers and you may even be something in the future."
Alex smiled and walked around a corner with Buffy in his arm. He suddenly pulled her along somewhere. When he was sure that Snyders office was on the other side of school he began to laugh out loud. Buffy pouted and looked at him: "Whats so funny Alex?"
Xander caught himself and said: "Snyder is deathly afraid of my Mother Buff. She has money and Power to make his life hell. He only said it to appease me. Not to annoy you."
Buffy began to see the humor in it and laughed along with him. They both sobered up and went to class after that little stint.
