Part Ten

Two months Later- The Bronze
The two groups had recently become one- The Hunters and the Scoobies spent a good section of their time together, this was a little bit of a problem for the army group because they had to keep their lives separate from their army duties- there was a close call at Halloween but nothing they couldn't handle.

Alex had started to remember a lot more of his life since that night, bits from his childhood up to the summer of 1997- he didn't really remember much else although one thing had happened that had shaken him a little,

Flashback one month

"So what now, film or beer run." Asked John King,

"Beer Run" said Steve backed up by Robbie.

"Yeah but you two drink more than George Best before the cup final."

"Uh John a little too English don't you know" Said Alex with a laugh.

The group kept up with the good-natured ribbing of their English companion, he had met Giles recently and the know it all of their group had met the other. Both of them were well-versed in ancient myths and legends and had both in fact read of each other at separate times.

"Come on it's cute." Said Leelee.

"That's only cos you have a thing for that friend of theirs." The scoobies looked at her with open mouthed expressions, Leelee turned red at this and shut up quickly.

As they walked down the main road Alex broke off to use a phone, he said he would meet them at the dorm. He walked down the road when a closed fist punched him in the face. Her was surprised more than anything and went sprawling.

"Well Well Well the food for nothing's back what's wrong the world too much for you." A drunken slurred voice said.

"What the fuck." Replied Xander "Where the hell do you get off mister."

"Oh Alexander's standing up for himself is he. He knows what he's gonna get."

"Who the hell are you, how do you know my name."

"Don't you recognise me boy. I knew you were stupid but this makes it all the better."
Said the Voice

"Look you piece of shit- get lost or I'll have to do something about you."

"Oh you'd hurt you own father. Oh my whatever will I do."

The man stepped forward and attempted to lay a haymaker on Alex, Alex however had over a year of combat training and other fighting techniques of four years of fighting for his life. He CAUGHT the man's hand in his palm.

"I don't care who you are, you do not hit anyone especially if you have no reason to."

The man pulled his hand away and tried to hit Alex again, this time Alex stepped in and used an open palm thrust to the man's sternum. A slight crack was heard and the man collapsed to the floor gasping. Alex pulled the man up by his hair and looked into the man's eyes, disdain and anger on his face.

"I don't care who you are or what you think you can do to people but I am not your son- you come near me again a cracked sternum will be the least of your worries." He nose wrinkled at the smell of the man, he threw the man down onto his face and the man clutched his chest in pain.
"And clean yourself up you piece of shit and maybe people will see you differently."

Alex turned his back on the man and walked off, the man's anger was plain and he pulled a large knife out of his inside pocket ready to stab Alex in the back. A small hand reached out of the darkness and pulled the man's hand down with such force that he dropped the knife and clutched his damaged hand.

"Leave him alone Mr. Harris, he's no longer the kid you knew. Hurt him and you'll have over a dozen people ready to rip you apart- me included."

"You- you're that blonde bitch that Xander was so fond of."

Buffy looked at him.

"Xander's right clean yourself up or I'll be back to make you." She stalked off into the night- once out of sight she collapsed against the wall- she hadn't seen hide nor hair of Xander in a month she had barely seen anyone else including faith- she realised that again she was alone. She walked off into the darkness unaware that she was being watched by a old foe.

"Soon slayer you will be mine and I'll destroy your boy-toy and then the rest of your little gang." Spike said to himself- "Soon!"


Present Day

"Well that was a..."
"Bust."

"Yeah but the film was alright"

*Slap*

The group were talking about a film they had seen, Jonathan and Alex were talking about the girls in it, Jonathan set up a joke with Alex and closed it just in time for their respective other halves to hear it and get a simultaneous whap on the head for it.

"Hey." Said Jonathan to Faith "Slayer strength remember."

"Yeah but you like my strength for other reasons."

Jonathan went a little red but laughed it off easily, the group walked down the road together only a few were missing amongst them Robbie and Gabrielle. Although they knew what those two were up to it wasn't as much a secret as it was a 'We all know about it so just bloody tell us' as John had put it. The lot of them were giggling and laughing down the road although something felt a little strange to some of them it didn't seem to be too bad.

"Xander I..." Started Cordy

"Hmm"

"Sorry Alex I..."

"Don't be I'm beginning to remember being Xander, I'm gonna go back to it if that's OK with everyone."

"Good to have you back Xander" said Oz

"Good to be back man... AHHH." He clutched his head as a spasm of pain ripped through his head.

"More memories." Whispered Cordelia to him, he nodded.

*Jesse Turning to Dust in front of him.*

*Kendra's dead body on the floor.*

*Jenny's death.*

*Holding Buffy after staking Theresa.*

*Holding down his feelings during Valentines day.*

*Holding her in the hospital.*

*Xander? Welcome back Buff.*
He gasped as it finished and he got his bearings, he had almost everything from the last four years back- bits were gone but some was there including his hatred for Angel and his overwhelming feelings for Buffy.

His hatred for her...

his love...

I love Cordelia...

Buffy...


*Oh Hell*

"I've gotta lay down." He said

"OK guys we'll get him back, Cordelia, Guys you better get home he'll be fine we'll get him to the hospital tomorrow- he'll be fine."

Then Xander's phone went off.

"Xander Harris."

"My Harris, I'm Chief Fire officer Bush." A female voice came over the phone I'm afraid I have some bad news."

Xander listened to the phone his face turned from concentrated to fear to pain to devastation in less than five seconds, he let his hand drop and dropped to the curb. His face in pain

"There's been an accident at the college."



Ten minutes later.

A half dozen men and women rammed through the door of Sunnydale general Hospital. First to the desk was Steven Austin.

"Excuse me ma'am. We're looking for two people that were brought in twenty minutes ago."

"Names."

"Gabrielle Harris and Robert James."

"Ahh yes one moment please."

The nurse went to the phone and called a doctor to the group,
"I'm looking for the Harris party."

"That's us, Doctor I'm Steven Austin. Robbie and Gabrielle's best friend. The rest of the group's with my and Xander."

"Ah Xander Harris. I remember you always coming in here with that Summer's girl."

"Hello Doctor. How are they."

"Would you come with me please all of you." He led the way into the next room.

"Your friends were caught in an accident, a fire broke out in the hotel they were at. I'm afraid to tell you that Robert James died in the fire. The was dead before they got hi out of the building. I'm sorry."

"What.." Xander clears his throat, "What about Gabby."

"She was hurt seriously she won't live through the night. She's awake and coherent but she can't feel anything below her neck. I'm Sorry"

Xander was devastated his friends were gone or were soon. He'd got all his old friends back and now he was going to lose two of his new ones.

"Can we see her."

"Only two of you and only for a few minutes."

Xander and Robbie went through leaving the rest to comfort each other. The two men walked into the room , they saw Gabrielle looking out the window she was watching the stars. She saw their faces in the window and turned her head.

"Hey guys."

"Hey Beautiful." Whispered Xander to her, "What you up to."

"I'm dying Alex... I'm dying and Robbie's already dead."

"Hey it's not your fault."

"I always thought it would be a demon or vamp that got me, except it was by my own stupidity. We had a log fire in the hotel one we,... we were going to use on our honeymoon in a few years. We fell asleep by the time I woke up Robbie was dead. I tried to get him out when something hit me from behind. I woke up with a severed spinal cord and a dead body."

"I'm sorry Gabby, I really am."

She started crying and Xander held her even if she couldn't feel it. Robbie left them for a moment so Xander could help her.

"I always loved you Gabby even after all that happened, I wanted you to be happy with Robbie we knew about the two of you but never let on I wish we had."

"Thank you Xander,I love you too you were my first real love but we made a mistake. I'm tired Xander I want to sleep."

"Then sleep Gabrielle I'll hold you until you go." He meant everything he said.

"Tell everyone that I love them Alex, I'll watch over you all from time to time both of us will. I'm going to sleep now Alex."

Hey eyes drifted closed and he held her, within seconds the monitors all dropped to zero and beeped. He turned them off as the doctors came in. He kissed her on the forehead and Whispered to her.

"Goodbye Gabrielle." He whispered.

He walked out to the room and they all looked at him.

"She's gone...."