Forward :

Due to ff.net's downtime I elected to begin using a yahoogroup to post my stories to. For those of you who wish to catch the latest parts ahead of the ff.net readers by at least 24 hours then I suggest/ask/beg that you join up at :

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Journeyverse/

I tend to try to post 1-2 parts per day on this group...

There also a surprising amount of discussion going on about the verse as well... shrug so if you like that kinda thing then drop by. :)

Now, On to the story

*****

Faith, Tara, Jarod, Miss Parker, and Xander were in the living room, watching weekend movies over the satellite receiver when the door bell rang.

Xander groaned and got up. "Be right back guys..."

Faith grinned, "No worries, lover. We'll save ya some popcorn... and pop, and sweets... and..."

Faith burst into laughter as Xander turned a little green and rushed from the room. "Not funny, Faith."

"I thought it was... how about you guys?"

Miss Parker just grinned nastily, Jarod nodded in amusement, and even Tara smiled slightly.

"So there." Faith said to the empty doorway, "You're outvoted. It was funny."

*****

"Miss Summers?" Xander said in surprise as he opened the door.

"Hello, Xander." Joyce Summers smiled, "Is Buffy here?"

Xander shook his head, "No... why? Is everything..."

Joyce quickly interrupted him, "Everything is fine. She's just not at her dorm..."

"Come on in, I'll give Riley a call and see if he..."

"He hasn't seen her."

"Oh."

Xander stopped and thought about it, "You try Giles?"

Joyce nodded.

Xander looked out at the bright blue sky and thought about it. "She's probably off thinking... Someone just came back into the group... and she and Buffy had some problems before..."

"Oh..." Joyce looked at Xander questioningly.

Xander grimaced, "You remember Buffy ever mentioning a Miss Calender?"

Joyce looked blankly for a moment, "Isn't she...?"

Xander nodded.

Joyce shook her head, "I need a drink."

Xander laughed, "All I can offer you is some milk, but come on in and I'll explain what I can."

*****

Anise looked skeptically as Jacob rifled through the book that was chained in the small booth. "What are you doing?"

"I'm looking to see if Alexander Harris is listed in the phone book."

"I see." She said in a tone that clearly meant she didn't.

"Nothing." Jacob pulled the phone off its cradle and looked around. "Hey buddy! You wouldn't happen to have a quarter would you?"

"Buzz off, freak." The man said as he walked by the two outlandishly dressed people.

Anise didn't react well. Her arm flashed out and grabbed the man by the collar and pulled him close. Her eyes flashed with a white light and her voice resonated, "He asked you for a 'quarter'."

The man gulped. "Sure... sure... here ya go." He fished out his wallet and handed it to her, then broke and ran when she let him go.

Anise handed the wallet to Jacob.

"Don't DO that!" Jacob growled at her.

"What?"

"You just robbed that man."

"I didn't no such thing. He handed this to me."

Jacob growled and shook his head, but fished a quarter out of the wallet anyway. He popped it into the phone and dialed information. "Yes, hello... I'm looking for the number of an Alexander Harris? I see... well, thanks anyway."

"Nothing?" Anise asked.

"Nothing."

"What do we do now?"

Jacob sighed and ripped a page from the book, "We check all the Harris'... maybe one of them knows where to find Alexander."

*****

"So... she's not a vampire?" Joyce shivered at speaking the word out loud.

Xander smiled slightly, "Nope. Opposite end of the spectrum."

Joyce raised her eyebrow questioningly.

"Angel."

"Isn't he a vampire?"

"Not The Angel..." Xander laughed, "an Angel. Whitelighter actually..."

"And that is?"

"Sorry," Xander shook his head, "Its tough sometimes remembering that not everyone is as deep into this stuff as I am. A whitelighter is a guardian Angel assigned by the higher ups to watch over witches... and future whitelighters as I recall."

"A real Angel?" Joyce looked shocked, "With wings and a halo?"

"Not that I've seen..." Xander grinned, "Though that teleporting trick does a nice simulation of the 'heavenly lights' though."

"Teleporting!?"

Xander sighed, but smiled as he did. "I think I'd better start at the beginning... You see last summer I decided that I had to get out of town... so I drove up to San Francisco..."

*****

Anise looked at the house with growing irritation. "How long must we do this?"

"This is the eighth house on the list..." Jacob said, looking at the phone list. "An Anthony Harris lives here. We have another four if this one doesn't pan out."

"Very well... let us get it over with."

The two Tok'ra walked up to the front door and rang the bell.

There was the sound of cursing inside, and they could hear the TV being turned down.

"Football game," Jacob said as they listened to the sound of someone stumble to the door.

The door opened and an unshaved man answered, "Waddya wa..?"

The man stopped in mid sentence and stared at the two To'kra. "Jesus... why does this town bring out the freaks?"

Anise looked at Jacob in exasperation but Jacob just smiled, "Excuse me, but we're looking for an Alexander Harris?"

"Don't live here no more." The man lifted a bear can to his mouth and took a swallow.

"I see," Jacob said slowly, "Would you happen to have his new address?"

"Nope." The man growled, glancing back when he heard the faint cheering of a touchdown. "Lil bastard walked out and never came back a few months ago. Now I'm busy here, so if you're done?"

Jacob nodded, "Thank you very much."

They were walking away when the door opened another crack, "You might check the Rosenberg brat or that Summers ditz... they always know what he's up to."

"Thank you." Jacob said, but the door was already shut.

"Rosenberg or Summers?" Anise asked.

"Last names."

Anise grimaced, "Another phone booth?"

Jacob grinned and nodded.

*****

Joyce stared at Xander in shock, "You went to another planet?"

Xander shrugged, "After I met Buffy I knew that there was more to the world then I thought... but I have to admit that one threw me for a loop too."

She chuckled slightly, "I'll bet. So, this... whitelighter... is here to help Willow?"

"Yep."

"Why does she need help?"

Xander blushed, turning a bright red as he did. "She... uh kinda messed up a spell."

"How?"

Xander looked away, "Don't ask... please?"

Joyce looked at the young man, and frowned at the request. But his voice was so plaintive that she finally sighed and nodded. "Alright... I won't."

Xander let out a breath, "Thanks."

"But you think that Buffy's ok?"

Xander nodded, "Yeah... She's probably just in serious need of some fresh air and time to think."

"Well... that's a relief I guess..." Joyce said finally, "But I think I need a leash on that girl sometimes..."

Xander laughed out loud. "Sorry... Mental image there..."

Joyce looked at him sharply and Xander backpedaled.. "Uh... no! Not that kind of... ummm... I'm just going to shut up now."

"That's probably a good idea," She said, smiling at him sweetly.

Xander swallowed and headed for the fridge. "I think I need some juice."

*****

Anise sighed, "No one here either."

Jacob shrugged, "That's the only Summers in town... I guess we try the Rosenbergs..."

"And how many of those are there?"

Jacob glanced at the page they had ripped from a phone book. "Thirty four."

Anise growled but followed Jacob as he started walking along the road, examining street signs as he went.

*****

Xander led Miss Summers into the living room, "Hey, Jarod... You have one of your cell phones around here?"

"Sure." Jarod said easily, "I always keep a couple in case I need to allow someone to trace me somewhere."

Miss Parker shot him a dirty look.

"Can I have one?"

"Sure... why?"

"I'm going to give it to Buffy... The Slayer should be able to call in backup if she needs it don't you think?"

"Sounds good." Jarod got up, "I'll have it out here in just a second."

Joyce looked at Xander in surprise, "Thank you, Xander. That's very nice of you."

Xander shook his head, "I should have thought of it before now. Stupid actually..."

"Nonsense." Joyce reprimanded him, "It's hardly your job to keep my daughter safe."

Xander didn't answer her, but instead turned away. Yes. It is.

*****

The man looked over the two people at his front door with a little trepidation. "Certainly, I know Alexander... May I ask why you're looking for him?"

"We're interested in speaking with him about an artifact he found..." Anise stated openly.

"While he was on a dig this summer past." Jacob finished smoothly, sharply tapping Anise on the back.

"A dig?" Mr. Rosenberg looked perplexed, "Alexander never struck me as the type who'd be interested in archeology."

"It was a summer job I think... he just got lucky from what I understand... but he was the first on the scene."

Mr. Rosenberg looked at the duo for a long moment. If they are archeologists it might explain their clothes... Those outdoor types have some strange fashions... he mused as he looked at the odd apparel. "I'm not certain where he's staying now, my daughter mentioned that he had moved out of his parents house."

Jacob nodded, hearing the tone of censure when the man said the word 'parents'. "I see..."

"Try at the university, Willow said that he was registered to audit courses this semester." Mr. Rosenberg said at last, "They might have an address I suppose."

"Thank you very much."

"Not a problem."

*****

"You're going to go looking for her?"

Xander nodded, "Yeah. If she's faded on everyone she probably needs to talk as much as to think... and she's had time to do the second part already."

Joyce nodded, "Tell her to call me when you see her."

Xander held up the cell phone, "Will do."

"And Xander?"

Xander glanced back, pausing in his walk to the garage. "Yes?"

"Thank you."

Xander crooked her a grin, "Not a problem, Miss S."

Joyce smiled at him as the door connecting to the garage closed. A moment later she heard the roar of an engine that signaled that Xander had left the building. She smiled softly and shook her head, Buffy is lucky to have good friends like she does.

*****

Xander rode with the top down, slowly cruising a few of the spots that he knew were important to Buffy. It was the last place he expected to find her where he saw the blond Slayer sitting, staring up at an old mansion.

Xander shook his head and parked the car, turning the key to silence the powerful motor. Damn it, Buffy. Why do you do this to yourself?

He got out of the car and walked over to the slumped blond. "Hey."

Her voice was soft. "Hey."

"So how do you want to do this?"

Buffy actually looked up at him, "huh?"

Xander shrugged, "How do you want to do this? Do I get straight to the point, or should we dance around the subject a bit first?"

She looked at him as if he were crazy, "Go away Xander."

He nodded, "Dance it is then. Nice day today don't you think?"

Buffy tried to look angry at him but finally sniggered slightly. "You're insane you know that?"

Xander smiled and sat down next to her, "So people keep telling me. Me, I think the phrase 'takes one to know one' sums up my response fairly well."

"Hey!" Buffy thumped him on the arm.

"Ouch!" Xander grinned, "Slayer strength."

"It's not what it used to be." Buffy said softly.

"What?" he asked, genuinely confused.

"Slayer Strength." Buffy answered, "I used to think that it solved all problems you know?"

Xander didn't answer, he figured she had more to say.

"But then Angel... Angel..."

"Became Angelus."

Buffy nodded, a glisten forming over her eyes. "Yeah. That. And since then nothing is as simple as it used to be. As it should be."

"Miss Calender is fine, Buff."

"No thanks to me." Buffy said angrily, "I let her die... and when she comes back to help us... I attack her myself."

"You screwed up..." Xander hesitated, "I hate to tell ya this, Buff, but it happens. Get over it and keep moving."

"It's not that easy!" She growled.

"Damn it, Buff. You've saved the world. A lot." Xander said, his voice growing as he tried to get through to her, "You've faced down monsters that have frightened man from the dawn of history, and you kicked their asses. Don't tell me that your going to let the fact that something is hard stop you."

Buffy let out a deep breath but didn't respond.

"You know something Buffy?" He asked finally, after the silence had stretched from seconds to minutes. "You know what I think to myself when the going gets rough? When things get really hard?"

Silence. Then finally a soft voice, "What?"

Xander let out a breath, relieved that she was still listening. "I ask myself 'what would Buffy do?'"

The blond looked up at him in surprise.

"I'm serious." Xander affirmed, "When things get hard for me and I don't know what to do, I try to do what I think you would do. You want to know why?"

"Why?" Again the voice was soft, but there was genuine emotion in it now.

"Because, Buff," Xander took a deep breath as he prepared to confess something he had long held to himself. "You're my hero."

A wash of emotions fled across her face, but all she managed to say was. "I... I?"

Xander smiled, but didn't look at her. "You're the one who keeps the monsters from under my bed, the one who makes sure that the closet really is empty... You're light that shows me the way when I'm surrounded by darkness, Buff."

The silence stretched out for a long time, before Buffy finally spoke out.

"Oh, Xander." She leaned in and pulled him into a hug.

Xander wrapped his arms around her gently, holding her tightly for a long time before he finally lifted her to her feet and guided her to his car. "C'mon. Your mom is looking for you."

*****