*****

"Buffy?"

Buffy was still red, her mind revolving around the events of the last night without pause. She didn't turn to look at Riley. "What?"

"I'm sorry..."

A strangled laugh escaped her throat. "For what?" She asked bitterly. "It wasn't your fault."

Riley sort of shrugged in a miserable motion, "It feels like it..."

She finally turned to look at him, "Oh Riley... I... I'm sorry too."

He smiled at her, "Like you said, not your fault."

"But it feels like it." She moved closer to him and hugged him close.

Riley let the moment stretch for as long as he dared. "Are we going to be ok?"

"I don't know I'm going to be ok... or if you're going to be ok... but I think that we will be ok... eventually."

Riley nodded, slowly patting the back of her head as she buried her face in his shoulder. He didn't say anything, just tried *feel* comforting. "I'm glad. I don't want to lose you, Buffy."

She nodded into his shoulder and mumbled, "I don't want to lose you either."

*****

Next Day

X&J's Residence

Sunnydale, California

"Los Angeles?" Jarod asked.

"Yeah," Xander nodded, "I'll hit the address Terry sent me...see if we can get a new ally to help out with the armory."

Jarod nodded, organizing an idea like this took a lot of work. And while he was capable of doing any of the jobs himself, he wasn't able to do them *all*. "Good. Do you want me to come along?"

Xander shook his head, "Naw. Terry vouched for the guy. I'll be alright... it's not like I'm going unarmed."

Jarod just shook his head at the toothy smile Xander flashed him. "Alright. take the Mustang."

"I planned on it."

Jarod rolled his eyes as Xander grabbed the keys off the wall and headed out of the building, grinning as he did.

*****

Willow was miserable, still laying on her bed when she heard the nervous tapping on the door. She smiled for the first time since the previous morning and called out, "Come in Tara!"

The young blond timidly came in, smiling wanly at Willow as she closed the door. "How did you know it was me?"

"Everyone else is too mad at me right now to be visiting." Willow said, her voice a little bitter.

"M... mad at you?" tara asked, confused. "Why?"

Willow's face twisted, "A spell I cast went a little haywire."

"O... oh..." Tara didn't look any more enlightened.

"A little haywire?" A new voice called from thin air, "God Child, you do have a talent for understatement."

The two witches spun around, looking for the source of the voice. Willow paled when she saw the form materialize from a shower of light.

"M... Miss Calender?"

*****

Xander was whistling along with the radio when a shower of light in the passenger seat startled him badly, causing him to swerve the sports car across the road as he twisted in his seat in shock.

"Leo!?"

The Whitelighter stared at the road, "Watch where your going!"

Xander looked back and twisted the wheel again, narrowly avoiding the rear bumper of a Semi in front of him. After he got control of the car again he turned back to Leo, glaring. "Don't DO that!"

Leo shrugged, "Sorry. Habit."

"It's a BAD habit, man."

"Sorry." leo grinned, "I managed to get someone to look after Willow... And let me tell you, it wasn't easy... I couldn't find a whitelighter who would take the job."

"Why?"

Leo shrugged, "A Practitioner who's already blurring the lines? No one wanted the responsibility... Powerful Practitioners almost always flip out sooner or later and go insane. They don't have the tolerance to magic that a Natural Born has."

"Ok..." Xander nodded, accepting the explanation. "So how did you find someone?"

"I was going to take the job myself, I mean... it would be rough, but I could probably manage..." leo said, trailing off, "Luckily we got a Volunteer from the guardian Corps though..."

"Huh?"

Leo grinned, "Call it a lateral transfer if you like. A Guardian Angel was moved into the Whitelighter Corps in exchange for taking the assignment. She knew you guys and wanted to help."

"Who?"

Leo looked thoughtful for a moment, "Janna Calendish."

"Miss Calender!?"

"Ah, you know her?"

Xander stared right ahead, "You could say that... damn. Damn. Damn. This is going to be complicated."

"Huh? Why?"

"She and Giles were involved... sort of... and Buffy has issues with her too..."

"Oh... Sorry..."

"You couldn't have known... besides, I think she's probably one of the few who can get through to Willow... she was one of her first teachers in Magic... but she died before she could really finish the job I guess."

Leo nodded, "Well... I hope it works out. You have no idea how hard it was to find someone for this job... Only had one other volunteer... But he didn't have any real experience with Magic."

"Who?" Xander asked curiously.

Leo grinned, "Sorry... can't tell you that. Rules." he said and jerked his eyes skyward.

Xander shook his head, "Whatever. Look, thanks for the help... I really appreciate it."

Leo shrugged, "It wasn't a big deal... just some more footwork is all. It'll have been worth it if you can rein in the redhead."

Xander laughed, "A few years ago I would have laughed at the mere idea of Willow having to be 'reined in'."

"Power changes people."

Xander nodded, "Maybe... but sometimes I get the sneaking suspicion that the Willow I knew in highschool was never the real Willow..."

Leo didn't respond. It wasn't something he could comment on. As the car passed a sign that said 'LA, Next Exit' the Whitelighter made his excuses and orbed out of the moving vehicle.

Xander gripped the steering wheel a little tighter and took a deep breath. Damn. Jenny Calender is back in Sunnydale. Things go from weird to wacked in thirty seconds in my life nowadays."

*****

"Miss Calender?" Willow stammered, backing away as she paled. "But... but you're... you're dead!"

"Rub it on why don't you?" Jenny twisted her mouth ironically as she smiled at the young blond, "Hello... I don't believe that we've been introduced?"

"I... I'm Tara..."

"Ah. Tara... that's right. My second charge. Good. I'm glad to see you two together."

"C...charge?"

Jenny looked confused, "Didn't Xander tell you?"

"X... Xander?" Tara stammered as she shook her head.

"Figures." Jenny rolled her eyes, "Even leaving the solar system for a few months doesn't change Xander. I'm you're Whitelighter."

Tara paled to match Willow. "N... no... that can't be. I'm not a pure witch..."

"Special case. Willow," Jenny turned on the redhead, a little annoyed, "Close your mouth. It's very unattractive... and annoying. I don't need to see your tonsils to do my job."

*****

LA

Xander stepped cautiously down the steps to the small hole in the wall shop that terry's directions had sent him to.

"Hello?"

There was no answer so he moved in a little deeper, his eyes taking in the old tools and equipment that lined the walls of the dingy place. Maybe I got the wrong place?

He was turning around to go back outside and check the street number then an omnious clack from behind him caused him to freeze his place.

"Turn around slowly unless you want a king sized hole in your chest, boy."

Xander turned, slowly, his hands well clear of his sides. As he did the man behind him came into view. He was a powerfully built figure, his biceps bulging with the muscles of someone who takes their exercise very seriously. In his hands he held an Atchissonshotgun, one that Xander could easily tell had been heavily and expertly modified.

Right place then.

Xander looked down, his eys widening as he saw that the man was sitting in a wheel chair, both his legs were missing from above the kneecaps. Xander winced involuntarily at the sight, and had to refocus his attention on the big barrel of the weapon to keep his mind off the grisly images of war time injuries that could have caused the man's current state.

"Who are you, boy?" the man asked irritably, not interested in the expression of pain and pity he had seen on the young man's face. "You'd better not be a gangbanger. I told you bastards the last time, I don't work for criminals."

"Terrance sent me." Xander said slowly, "And I'm not a criminal..."

Then Xander considered, "Well.. I don't see myself that way at least. Some police agencies and military groups might disagree with that at this point... I'm not really sure."

"Terrance? Terry sent you?" The man looked a little perplexed, "To me? He never sends anyone here. Bad for business, he always jokes."

Xander grinned, "I told him I needed a specialist from around my base of operations. He gave me your address."

"How is Terry?"

Xander shrugged, "He and his daughter are getting along fine the last time I talked to him."

"How did you meet him, boy?"

"Helped his daughter out of a bad situation she'd fallen into this summer past."

"You're Harris."

Xander grinned, "He's been telling stories."

The man finally laid down his shotgun, and grinned up at Xander, holding out his hand. "The name's Andrzej, but you can call me Andy."

*****

Sol System Heliopause

The Tok'ra spacecraft slowed as it passed the invisible boundary between interstellar space and the Sol Solar system.

"I don't like this, Anise."

"That hardly matters, Selmac." Anise responded curtly, "I am in command of this mission."

"My name is Jacob Carter." the older man snapped, "Selmac is, in fact, in agreement with you. My concern is that you're cutting the SGC out of this. They have as much right to this information as you do."

"This has nothing to do with your government, Jacob Carter." Anise' eyes glowed with her irritation. "This is something that has everything to do with the young man we are going to see."

"I still don't see how one boy from California warrants an interstellar trip. I don't care what kind of weapon he has."

"Then you have not been paying attention to the stories Selmac has shared with you."

"Legends. Myths. Bedtime stories that no child would believe in. I've heard fairy tales with more truth to them."

Anise shook her head, "Simply because something is unbelievable does not mean that it is impossible Jacob Carter."

The older man growled and stalked off, leaving Anise to watch the controls as she guided the small freighter into the Sol system.

*****

"So what do you need, kid?" The man pushed his wheel chair to the back of the room and tripped a hidden switch. Xander whistled appreciatively as the walls slid apart, caching the old junk into hidden compartments and revealing an impressive armory and workspace.

"Nice." He said, looking around.

Andrzej smiled slightly, he enjoyed showing off his stock. Didn't get to do that a lot though. "Thanks, but terry wouldn't have sent ya here unless you needed something special."

"I'm not looking for a weapon right now... Andy." Xander said slowly, "I'm looking to hire an armorer."

The man scowled, "I'm not for sale, kid. I've got a decent life here... some government contracts, hell even some LAPD SWAT groups buy from me... unofficially of course."

"Of course." Xander smiled, "And I wouldn't expect you to stop that... but we have a... mission... that needs the best people we can find. And you come highly recommended."

"Terry?"

Xander shrugged, "We also checked out your CIA file. I don't think I've ever seen a government file so... concise."

The man looked at him with a quizzical look, "Really?"

"Two words?" Xander laughed, "That's pretty tight... well... three words if you include the word 'Deceased'."

Andrzej shrugged, "So I don't tell them everything. How did you get that file?"

"Friend of mine has access to stuff you wouldn't dream of. Plus, if I had to, I have a few favors owed to me by some higher ups."

"Such as?"

Xander grinned, "Couple generals, Spooks, and the CIC."

"The Commander In Chief owes you a favor?" Andrzej looked the kid over again, revising his opinion.

"I helped him out of a... jam. You'll hear all about it if you sign up."

"Sign up? I've done my time in the Marines, boy. I'm not interested in military service."

"We're not military... I guess you could call us... concerned citizens." Xander grinned even wider.

Andrzej shook his head, "Not interested."

Xander nodded, "fair enough. But... How about a... tour... of our operation though? Just to see what your missing?" If this guy is anything like Terry described he won't be able to turn his back either.

Andy growled. The kid had him. He couldn't turn down a chance to see what kind of place trusted a kid like this with recruitment. "Alright. Let me get my legs and I'll take you up on that."

Xander raised his eyebrows in surprise as he watched the man strap a pair of prosthesis onto the stumps of his legs and slowly get out of the chair. He grabbed a cane and hobbled forward, plucking up the Atchisson again, letting the big gun slip on its strap until it came to rest behind his back. A long coat followed it and then he looked at Xander, "Ready when you are kid."

*****

Willow's Dorm

"You cast a spell for last night!?"

Willow winced under the glare she received from Tara, "I... I... I was confused..."

Jenny glared at her, "Confusion is hardly an excuse for irresponsible use of Magic, Willow."

Willow curled up miserably in her chair, bringing her knees tight under her chin. "I... didn't mean any harm..."

Jenny's voice turned softer, "We know that, Willow. And your friends know that too... But you caused a lot of havoc simply because you were confused."

"I know."

Tara couldn't stand the image of misery her lover presented and relented, her glare dying in her eyes as she hesitantly stepped over to Willow. "Willow... I... I'm not angry... well... not much."

Willow looked up at her as Tara laid her hand on her shoulder, "Y... you should be..."

Tara shook her head, "No... I.. I forgive you, Willow. Just promise me that you'll be more careful?"

Jenny watched as the red wiccan nodded slowly, her eyes coated with a silvery sheen as she fought back tears. The new Whitelighter fought back her own emotions and prayed that she was watching the beginning of a new time for Willow.

*****

Giles Apartment

Sunnydale, California

Giles physically threw a book across the room, muttering in frustration as he did. "Bloody hell!"

"Hey!" The, unwelcome, guest yelled from where the book had nearly taken his head off. "Watch it ya ponce!"

"Shut up, Spike."

"What the hell are you looking for anyway?"

Giles took his glasses off and growled low in his throat, "Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"Like where?" Spike asked, "It's daylight out... I go anywhere and it's deep fried Spike."

"Oh and that would be such a pity." Giles muttered under his breath as he picked up another book.

"Like I said, what are you looking for?"

"Something to do with Xander."

Spike raised an eyebrow, "What? The dolt? What's he got that has your tweed in a ruffle?"

"Shut up, Spike." Giles turned back to his books.

Spike flopped down into a chair, pointedly ignoring the librarian. "Bloody useless old man."

*****

"You run a Spec Ops group out of *Sunnydale*?" Andrzej asked as the Mustang cruised through the small town.

"In a way." Xander answered off handedly, "But you could say that we just go where the work is."

Andy snorted, "What kind of work could you possible find here?"

"You'd be surprised."

"I'd better be."

"Tonight." Xander promised with a smile, "Tonight, you'll see."

*****

Anise slipped the cloaked craft into orbit over the south western part of the continent Selmac had identified as 'North America'. "Where is this... Sunnydale?"

Jacob shrugged, "How should I know? I never worked for Rand McNally."

Anise ignored the odd comment, something she had been learning to do over the course of the voyage, and sighed. "Very well. Perhaps we can tap into one of those communications sattelites to aid us."

"Try for one of the GPS network. You might be able to tap their information services and get an accurate map. That or one of the backbone satellites is your best bet."

"Back... bone?" Anise asked, her face confused.

"Information superhighway. Most of the information that passes through the internet and global telecommunication networks are routed through one of those satellites." Jacob explained.

"I see." The blond Tok'ra smiled, "That will do perfectly."

Jacob shook his head as Anise ignored him and turned her full attention to the computer console.

*****