The signs were all there. Xander couldn't believe that he didn't notice it
earlier, especially after his encounter with the necromancer and his
zombies in Alberta. His skin was pale and if you paid a little bit more
attention you could also see that some parts of his flesh were already
rotten.
All these thoughts were running through his mind while he observed O'Toole during lunch. Xander was leaning comfortably against a tree in the quad and was eating the sandwich the Mayor gave him this morning.
The bell rang and Xander turned around, only to run directly into someone. His surprise only increased when realised that it was Buffy he nearly knocked down.
"Geez Xander, be a little more careful the next time," Buffy exclaimed shocked.
"Sorry Buff. But I didn't really expect one of you to be standing behind me." Xander paused and continued "So, what's up? Another one of your "What's right, what's wrong" sessions?"
"Xander, please be serious just for once, ok. I'm not here because of that. I know we have our differences, but..."
"Differences ? That asshole Travers wanted to come back for Faith and the only way to stop him was killing him." Xander was nearly shouting now, attracting the attention of the students around him. "I'm sorry my plan wasn't approved by the slayer-sign of quality."
" You didn't have to kill him Xander. There is always another way."
"Yeah, but like you said that isn't the reason you're here. So tell me, what's up?" he asked.
"There is some dangerous stuff going on tonight and I just wanted to make sure you stay home," Buffy explained to him.
"Thanks for the concern Buff. But I can take care of myself." Xander said and walked past the blonde slayer.
Buffy grabbed his arm and turned him around.
"Xander, please promise me you won't go out tonight." Buffy was now almost pleading.
"Like you care slayer."
"I care for you Xander. I just don't want to see you get hurt."
"Too late Buffy. What do you think you all have been doing for the last few months. You all treat me like I am a criminal. I was only protecting one of us." He paused trying to compose himself "You all barely speak to me. I not only had to kill a person I also lost all the people I love and care for. If it wasn't for Giles and your mom I would have no one I could talk to. At least you should know what it is like to kill a human."
Buffy looked at him questioningly.
" Oh, don't tell me you've already forgotten. You remember the time you thought you killed Ted?" Buffy nodded " All the feelings, the self loathing the guilt. I know what you went through. I'm experiencing it myself. The only difference was that you killed him by accident and I did it on purpose."
"But Ted was a robot," Buffy interrupted him.
"Yes, but you didn't know it at the time, did you. You thought you killed a human being. And what did we do? We tried to help. We told you that it was an accident and that you didn't want to kill him. Where is this support now Buffy? No one even tries to understand my point of view or accepts that I only did what had to be done to protect you and Faith."
He took a step back before he continued.
"You know what Buffy, I can only promise you one thing: If I go out tonight the only ones that will get hurt are the ones standing in my way."
With these words Xander turned around and left Buffy standing under the tree.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
Xander parked his SUV in the Summer's driveway. He closed the big car's door and walked up to the porch. He opened the door with the key Joyce has given to him the day he moved in. It seemed a lifetime ago.
He entered the house and was immediately greeted by eldest of the Summers women.
"Hi Xander. How was school ?" she asked him.
"School was okay, Joyce," he answered.
"Are you going out tonight?"
"Yeah. I have some business to do. Why?" Xander questioned her.
"Buffy phoned me and told me that I should not leave the house tonight. She said that something "major hellmouthy" is going to happen. She also wanted me to convince you to stay in," Joyce explained to the young man.
Xander had to smile at that.
"Stubborn as hell, I have to give her that."
"Don't you think it would be smart to follow her advice? It sounds serious," Joyce asked worried.
"Sorry Joyce, can't do that. But I promise you that nothing will happen to me."
"I hope so. You want something to eat before you leave?" she asked him.
Xander looked a his watch.
"Sorry, I'm already late for my appointment. I just stopped by to get some stuff"
Xander walked up the stairs and looked back.
"But thanks for the offer."
"No Problem Xander. Hurry up if you don't want to be late."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
Xander entered the guestroom, in which he lived for the last few months. It wasn't exactly big, but it was home.
He reached under his bed and got the duffel bag in which he kept the weapons he used regularly. He opened it, to check the guns.
The first was a H&K Mp5k with a scope, a laser sight and an attached silencer. Xander checked the gun and was satisfied with its condition. The second one was also a H&K, but this time a SOCOM. It also had a silencer and a laser sight attached to it.
Xander normally used guns with silencers. Cops reacted allergic if someone is shooting around in a graveyard. Sunnydale PD was no exception. These policemen were the most incompetent ones in the whole country, but even they had to react if some frightened neighbour is reporting a gun shooting.
Satisfied with the status of his weapons Xander grabbed a shoulder holster and put the SOCOM in it. All this might be a little bit much for one zombie, but Xander didn't want to risk getting caught unprepared
He opened his cabinet and took one of his rucksacks. He put the Mp5 in it and proceeded with his preparations.
He learnt his lesson with Trick and his vamps and made sure that he got enough magazines, for both the pistol and the submachine gun. He took three for the Mp5 and five for the SOCOM, all filled with hollow points. He put two of the pistol magazines in the pockets of the holster. The other clips went into the rucksack. He also took his trusted K-Bar Kombat knife to complete his selection.
Time for the clothes.
He quickly changed into what he called his "slaying gear": a pair of black combat boots with back jeans completed with a white t-shirt. Xander finally took the holster and fastened it around his shoulder and used his black leather jacket to cover the deadly weapon.
Hunting a Zombie.
If he didn't know better he could have sworn that he stumbled into one of the Resident Evil games.
Grabbing the rucksack he opened the door and left his room.
All these thoughts were running through his mind while he observed O'Toole during lunch. Xander was leaning comfortably against a tree in the quad and was eating the sandwich the Mayor gave him this morning.
The bell rang and Xander turned around, only to run directly into someone. His surprise only increased when realised that it was Buffy he nearly knocked down.
"Geez Xander, be a little more careful the next time," Buffy exclaimed shocked.
"Sorry Buff. But I didn't really expect one of you to be standing behind me." Xander paused and continued "So, what's up? Another one of your "What's right, what's wrong" sessions?"
"Xander, please be serious just for once, ok. I'm not here because of that. I know we have our differences, but..."
"Differences ? That asshole Travers wanted to come back for Faith and the only way to stop him was killing him." Xander was nearly shouting now, attracting the attention of the students around him. "I'm sorry my plan wasn't approved by the slayer-sign of quality."
" You didn't have to kill him Xander. There is always another way."
"Yeah, but like you said that isn't the reason you're here. So tell me, what's up?" he asked.
"There is some dangerous stuff going on tonight and I just wanted to make sure you stay home," Buffy explained to him.
"Thanks for the concern Buff. But I can take care of myself." Xander said and walked past the blonde slayer.
Buffy grabbed his arm and turned him around.
"Xander, please promise me you won't go out tonight." Buffy was now almost pleading.
"Like you care slayer."
"I care for you Xander. I just don't want to see you get hurt."
"Too late Buffy. What do you think you all have been doing for the last few months. You all treat me like I am a criminal. I was only protecting one of us." He paused trying to compose himself "You all barely speak to me. I not only had to kill a person I also lost all the people I love and care for. If it wasn't for Giles and your mom I would have no one I could talk to. At least you should know what it is like to kill a human."
Buffy looked at him questioningly.
" Oh, don't tell me you've already forgotten. You remember the time you thought you killed Ted?" Buffy nodded " All the feelings, the self loathing the guilt. I know what you went through. I'm experiencing it myself. The only difference was that you killed him by accident and I did it on purpose."
"But Ted was a robot," Buffy interrupted him.
"Yes, but you didn't know it at the time, did you. You thought you killed a human being. And what did we do? We tried to help. We told you that it was an accident and that you didn't want to kill him. Where is this support now Buffy? No one even tries to understand my point of view or accepts that I only did what had to be done to protect you and Faith."
He took a step back before he continued.
"You know what Buffy, I can only promise you one thing: If I go out tonight the only ones that will get hurt are the ones standing in my way."
With these words Xander turned around and left Buffy standing under the tree.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
Xander parked his SUV in the Summer's driveway. He closed the big car's door and walked up to the porch. He opened the door with the key Joyce has given to him the day he moved in. It seemed a lifetime ago.
He entered the house and was immediately greeted by eldest of the Summers women.
"Hi Xander. How was school ?" she asked him.
"School was okay, Joyce," he answered.
"Are you going out tonight?"
"Yeah. I have some business to do. Why?" Xander questioned her.
"Buffy phoned me and told me that I should not leave the house tonight. She said that something "major hellmouthy" is going to happen. She also wanted me to convince you to stay in," Joyce explained to the young man.
Xander had to smile at that.
"Stubborn as hell, I have to give her that."
"Don't you think it would be smart to follow her advice? It sounds serious," Joyce asked worried.
"Sorry Joyce, can't do that. But I promise you that nothing will happen to me."
"I hope so. You want something to eat before you leave?" she asked him.
Xander looked a his watch.
"Sorry, I'm already late for my appointment. I just stopped by to get some stuff"
Xander walked up the stairs and looked back.
"But thanks for the offer."
"No Problem Xander. Hurry up if you don't want to be late."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
Xander entered the guestroom, in which he lived for the last few months. It wasn't exactly big, but it was home.
He reached under his bed and got the duffel bag in which he kept the weapons he used regularly. He opened it, to check the guns.
The first was a H&K Mp5k with a scope, a laser sight and an attached silencer. Xander checked the gun and was satisfied with its condition. The second one was also a H&K, but this time a SOCOM. It also had a silencer and a laser sight attached to it.
Xander normally used guns with silencers. Cops reacted allergic if someone is shooting around in a graveyard. Sunnydale PD was no exception. These policemen were the most incompetent ones in the whole country, but even they had to react if some frightened neighbour is reporting a gun shooting.
Satisfied with the status of his weapons Xander grabbed a shoulder holster and put the SOCOM in it. All this might be a little bit much for one zombie, but Xander didn't want to risk getting caught unprepared
He opened his cabinet and took one of his rucksacks. He put the Mp5 in it and proceeded with his preparations.
He learnt his lesson with Trick and his vamps and made sure that he got enough magazines, for both the pistol and the submachine gun. He took three for the Mp5 and five for the SOCOM, all filled with hollow points. He put two of the pistol magazines in the pockets of the holster. The other clips went into the rucksack. He also took his trusted K-Bar Kombat knife to complete his selection.
Time for the clothes.
He quickly changed into what he called his "slaying gear": a pair of black combat boots with back jeans completed with a white t-shirt. Xander finally took the holster and fastened it around his shoulder and used his black leather jacket to cover the deadly weapon.
Hunting a Zombie.
If he didn't know better he could have sworn that he stumbled into one of the Resident Evil games.
Grabbing the rucksack he opened the door and left his room.