Title : School Daze, (K)night Job
Author : Tenhawk
********WARNING!********
This story is NOT part of the Journeyverse continuum! This is the Sequel to 'Red & Gold'
*********WARNING!********
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners... none of which are me.
Summary: Life on the Hellmouth is never easy, especially when you're hiding a secret from the Slayer.
Warning : Crossovers ahead. (Yes Plural.)
Rating : PG-13 to PG-16; for mild cursing, violence, and demonic horror content... in other words a bit more grown up then the series... but only cause I don't have to suck up to censors.
Check my Yahoo group for the latest parts to this and all other stories by me, including the Journeyverse series.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Journeyverse
*****
"Angel!?"
Xander's heart jumped as he saw Angel stumble, falling to one knee. He reacted instinctively, Lunging forward and catching the vampire. Buffy was at his side instantly and between them they helped the obviously hurt vampire up.
"Christ." Xander said, "What happened, Deadboy?"
Angel glowered at him, but didn't have the energy to keep it up. "I... don't know..."
Buffy glared at Xander, "You said he was dead!"
Xander looked at her helplessly, "I thought he was! He walked into that damned portal... I saw it myself!"
Buffy looked away, then down at Angel. "Come on... we have to get him inside."
"Where? Your place?" Xander asked incredulously, "Jesus... Your mom already thinks he's a stalker... you really think carrying him in there naked as a jaybird is a good idea?" "Well what should we do!?" She growled at him.
Xander grimaced, "Hold him for a second."
Then he let go and stripped off his jacket, wrapping it around Angel. "Jesus I wished this was a little longer..."
Buffy looked at him, a touch of a smile playing at her lips.
"No. I am NOT giving him my pants." Xander said, with almost a laugh. "Come on... let's get him to my apartment."
"Your place!?" Buffy asked incredulously.
"Where else? You want to stash him at the mansion with god knows what has moved in there?"
Buffy nodded and hefted Angel as Xander moved back in on the other side and took up the weakened vampires other side. "Let's go."
"No." Xander said, "I'll take him. You go to a butchers or something and get some blood."
"What? I'm not leaving him. You do that."
Xander shook his head, "My security system is on. You can't get into the apartment without me. I'll get him there safe. I promise you."
Buffy hesitated, but finally gave in. "Ok."
*****
Xander struggled into his elevator, rummaging through his pocket fir the key.
Angel just stared at him from the corner of the elevator. "What's the deal with you and Buffy?"
Xander turned the key and felt the elevator start moving, then he looked at Angel. "Nothing. No deal."
"Didn't look like that."
Xander sighed. "Look Deadboy. I just got back to town myself, ok? I left the same night you did."
Angel blinked. "Why?"
"I had my reasons." Xander said coldly as the elevator doors opened up on his apartment. "Come on." He helped the weakened vampire into his place, leading him straight into the spare bedroom. "Here. The bed should be comfortable..."
Angel collapsed onto the bed, his eyes sweeping over the room tiredly. "Windows..."
Xander glanced up and cursed as he noted the lovely eastern view window. "I'll fix that. Just rest."
Angel nodded and laid back as Xander headed out.
*****
"Computer," Xander said from his room, behind a locked door. "Darken the windows. All of them."
"Why?"
"My new houseguest is a vampire. He and sunlight don't mix well."
The computer was silent for a short period. "Is this wise?"
"Probably not." Xander replied, "But he's one of the good guys. So do it. I want the windows black."
"Confirmed." The computer responded as it began diverting a slight electrical current to all the windows in the apartment, rendering them completely opaque.
"Good... and keep your voice down. Until I figure out what's going on there's no reason to let him know anything more then he has to."
"Confirmed." the computer repeated at a lower volume, then it spoke again. "The young lady named Buffy is in the elevator."
"Let her up."
*****
"Where is he?" Buffy asked, concerned.
"In the spare bedroom." Xander gestured, "Go on in..."
Buffy nodded gratefully and followed his gesture. She went in and quietly closed the door behind her. "Angel?"
His voice was weak when he spoke. "Buffy?"
"It's me." She said softly as she walked over to him. "How are you feeling?"
"Weak..." he said, "But... better."
"I brought you some... well..."
Angel chuckled weakly. "Blood?"
"Yeah..." She said softly. "Xander's idea."
Angel accepted the plastic tub of pigs blood from her and looked at it, but didn't move to drink. "Are you and Xander....?"
"What?"
"You seemed... close when I... found you."
"What?" Her eyes widened, "No... no, I... we... aren't."
Angel nodded, uncertain what to say. He still didn't move to drink the blood.
"You should drink..."
"I don't want you to see me... like that."
Buffy sighed, but nodded. "Alright. I'll be just outside..."
*****
Xander was sitting in front of the tv staring at a blank screen when she came out. "How is he?"
Buffy shrugged, "I don't know."
"Does he know what happened to him?"
"He hasn't said..."
Xander just nodded.
"Xander..." Buffy hesitated, "I want to thank you."
"For what?" he asked, surprised.
"I know that you don't like Angel... and this is your apartment..."
"Deadboy and I may have some problems to work out, but I don't think that leaving him in the middle of the street would be a really great option. He did save the world, Buffy."
Buffy was silent for a while, slowly nodding as she just thought to herself. Xander's changed so much...
She was mulling over what that meant when she heard a noise from the spare room. "I'll be back in a little bit."
Xander nodded and watched her disappear into the room.
*****
"Buffy?"
Angel looked better this time, the pigs blood having done a lot to rejuvenating the vampire's sunken features. "I'm here."
He shivered, as if a chill had passed over him, something Buffy had never seen him do before. "Cold."
Buffy glanced around, "I can turn up the heat."
He shook his head, "Not that kind... Inside... My skin... It's... strange not feeling the fires."
"Fires?" She asked, confused.
"Hellfires." He said as he closed his eyes.
Buffy waited, barely breathing, for him to say something more until she realized that he had fallen asleep. "Oh Angel..." She breathed, "What happened to you?"
*****
When Buffy walked back out into the living room, Xander was talking on the phone.
"No... No, She's fine, Mrs S. Just a little mishap on patrol, nothing big... No, nothing like that. I'll have her home soon. I promise. Yes... It's good to talk to you too... I know, I'm sorry, I should have dropped by... I will. Ok, bye."
Xander hung up and Buffy looked at him with her hands on her hips. He shrugged, "I didn't want your mom to worry... or ground you."
She rolled her eyes but smiled, "Thanks. Did you... uh?"
"Tell her about Angel?"
"Yeah."
"No." Xander shook his head, "That's your place, not mine. But you're going to have to tell the gang soon, or there'll be hell to pay."
Buffy swallowed, then nodded. "Giles is going to freak."
Xander nodded, "Angel did torture him."
"It was Angelus." Buffy said defensively.
"You really think that there is much of a difference from Giles' point of view?"
Buffy looked down. "No."
"I didn't think so." Xander said quietly. "It'll be a lot better in the long run if you tell them... cause if they find out on their own..."
Xander let the comment hang there between them until Buffy nodded.
"Ok. I'll do it." She said, her voice surprisingly firm.
"When?"
She slumped. "Tomorrow?"
He smiled, "Good idea. In the meanwhile, come on... I'll give you a lift home."
Reluctantly Buffy allowed herself to be led from the apartment.
*****
At Buffy's place Xander parked the car and got out, causing Buffy to frown at him as she got out the other side. "You don't have to walk me to the door."
Xander smiled a little sheepishly, "Yeah... I kinda do."
"What?"
At that point the door to the house opened and Joyce stuck her head out. "Is that you Xander?"
"Yeah, it's us..." Xander smiled at Buffy, "Your mom invited me in for a snack when I called her up."
"Oh." Buffy said, suddenly looking embarrassed.
Xander didn't notice, he just started up the walk, then have turned. "You coming?"
Buffy shook her mind clear and followed him up into the house.
*****
A few minutes later found them sitting around the Summer's kitchen table, along with Joyce and Dawn.
"You scared us all very badly, young man." Joyce said sternly as she set a tray of cakes on the table alongside a large pitcher of milk.
"I'm sorry about that, Mrs S..." Xander said sincerely, "I really didn't know you guys thought I was dead though..."
"That's no excuse." She replied as she took her own seat, "You should still have let us know how you were doing... You're like family here, Xander."
"Yeah." Dawn glared at him accusingly.
Xander smiled slightly, "It won't happen again... ok?"
Joyce relaxed and smiled back, "It had better not."
"Yeah." Dawn said smugly, or as smugly as possible for someone who was trying to cram an entire cake into her mouth.
Xander winced, remembering a time when he would have been racing her to see who could cram the most in the fastest. He sighed silently and took a small bite of his own cake.
Joyce, however, noticed. "Xander? Don't you like them?"
He looked surprised, "They're great... why?"
"You're usually... more enthusiastic when you eat." She smiled at him.
He groaned, then mumbled something that she couldn't hear.
"What was that?"
Buffy grinned at him. "You're kidding!?"
He shook his head, staring at the table.
"What?" Joyce asked again.
Buffy grinned wider, "He said that he had to take three weeks of etiquette classes over the summer."
"You're kidding!?" Joyce said, surprised when Xander shook his head. "Well, good for you."
"What's Etiquette?" Dawn asked curiously, the word sounded familiar but she couldn't place it.
Joyce looked at the crumbs on her chin and frowned at her sternly. "Something you sorely need, young lady. Etiquette means good manners."
"Oh." Dawn said, her eyes widening. "Oh... Jeeze Xander, I'm so sorry... That sucks."
Xander chuckled, "It comes with the job, Dawn Patrol."
"Job? You got a job?" Joyce looked at him, "Buffy didn't mention that."
"Forgot." She said, around a bite of her own cake.
Joyce glared at her then turned back to Xander, "I don't suppose you could teach my daughters some of those lessons?"
Xander chuckled, "Try to pound something into a Summers girl? I don't think I've got the skills."
Dawn and Buffy glared at him while Joyce laughed.
"So, tell me about your job..." Joyce said.
Xander shrugged and nodded, "I'm a security consultant for Stark Enterprises."
Her eyes widened, "You know Tony Stark?"
He nodded, "I ran into him just after I left... Nice guy."
"He's one of the country's foremost Art patrons..." Joyce said, "He's put more money into the industry then the government."
Xander nodded, "Sounds like Tony... He's not tight with cash."
"How rich is this guy?" Dawn asked curiously.
Joyce glanced at her, "Tony Stark is personally worth Billions. I have no idea how much the company is worth."
Xander caught himself before answering, instead opting to pour himself some more milk.
"Wow." Buffy said, "I mean... Willow told me he was rich... but... wow."
Xander chuckled, "Tony is what you would call a wow worthy guy. He built the entire company from the ground up, Stark Enterprises Medical Division alone is calculated in the tens of billions."
"How'd you meet this guy?"
Xander shifted uncomfortably. "I was in Vegas, just bumming around when I literally ran into him... knocked him off his feet."
"You knocked Tony Stark off his feet!?" Joyce said, half laughing and half scandalized.
Xander chuckled. "Yeah... got myself roughed up by his security team too. But Tony was a good guy and knew that it was an accident, so he let me go."
"Well... if he let you go, then how come you got a job with him?"
Xander debated internally whether to tell them or not, but finally decided that it wasn't going to hurt. "Well... This isn't to be gossiped about, but as I was walking off some terrorist hit his limo with an anti- tank weapon... If he hadn't had it armored tighter then a battle tank he'd be dead."
"What happened?"
"I went into the limo and pulled him out." Xander said with a 'what do you think happened' sort of tone.
"You what!?" Buffy asked, aghast. "How could you risk your life like that?"
"He was going to die." Xander said sternly. "Anyway... I pulled his security people out too... and he was impressed I guess."
Xander had about decided to leave out the part with the sword when Buffy pierced him with a glare. "How exactly did you wind up in the hospital then?"
He flinched, "The terrorists didn't want to give up... so they came after us. Jim, that's Tony's head security guy, and I held them off but one of them got close enough to take a swipe at Tony..."
"And you got in front of it!?"
Xander nodded.
A shocked silence floated around the table until finally Joyce spoke.
"That was a very brave thing to do, Xander..." "Yeah!" Dawn said, grinning.
Buffy didn't say anything, she just sat with there a churning lump in her stomach.
*****
Xander yawned and stretched as he stepped off the elevator and back into his apartment. He was mildly surprised to see Angel standing in the middle of the living room.
"Hey Deadboy."
He smiled as the vampire winced, then felt slightly guilty at kicking the vamp while he was down.
"Do you have to call me that?"
Xander shrugged, "tell you what, I'll meet you halfway. How's DB suit you?"
Angel grimaced but nodded. "Better."
"DB it is." Xander grinned. "How you feeling?"
"Better." Angel repeated. "Nice pad."
"Pad?" Xander grinned, "You're talking like a seventies disco star."
Angel grimaced again. "Don't joke about that. I had to live through the seventies."
Xander glanced at the toga like sheet the vampire had wrapped around him. "Is that one of the bed sheets from the spare room?"
The vamp looked down, "Sorry... Didn't see anything else."
"Hang on." Xander ducked into his room and grabbed some workout clothes. "Here."
Angel caught the sweat pants and glanced at them, relieved that they weren't a multicolored spectacular. "Thanks."
"No sweat." Xander grinned, "Saves me from scraping my eyeballs out if that sheet slipped."
Angel just grimaced, rolled his eyes, and stepped into the spare room to change. When he was gone Xander whispered quietly. "How long has he been up?"
The computer's voice came back just as quiet, "I'm not certain. He is difficult to track... an hour perhaps."
"He try to get into anything?"
"No. Merely tried to get the elevator to work, but I disabled it."
Xander chuckled soundlessly at the image of Deadboy trying to understand why the elevator wasn't working. "Ok."
"Xander?" Angels voice came as the door opened.
"Yeah?"
"You talking to me?"
Xander cursed mentally, but kept a straight face. "Nope. Just mumbling to myself."
"Ok..." The vampire didn't look convinced.
Xander tossed him a remote, "You wanna watch the tube?"
Angel looked at the imposing size of the huge flatscreen but shook his head. "No. I wanted to talk to Buffy."
"Sorry, DB." Xander said, "Buff is at home now... probably being tucked in by mommy dearest."
"Oh." Angel swallowed and nodded. "I guess I should go then..."
Xander stopped, and turned to look at the vampire. "The room is yours as long as you need it, DB. No strings."
"You mean other then putting up with your personality?" Angel asked with a smile.
Xander grinned, "You stay in Sunnydale and you're gonna have to put up with that."
"Decisions, decisions." Angel said seriously.
"Yeah well, I'm making this one for you... at least until tomorrow." Xander said, "You go nowhere until you talk to Buff again. Besides, you don't want Giles to find you out on the street... believe you me."
Angel winced at the memories. "You may have a point. I guess I've got some bridges in shambles with the whole group..."
Xander shrugged, "You and me are cool. Willow's going to side with Buffy, and Oz will go with Will. That only leaves G-man... But you and I both know that he's not someone to piss off." Angel nodded.
"Still..." Xander conceded, "The Watcher will follow the Slayer's lead... So you're probably coming out of this better then you think."
Angel just nodded again.
Xander yawned again, "Look. I'm going to crash. Watch the tube, grab some sleep, or whatever. I'll see you in the morning."
Angel glanced at the huge windows that were completely blacked out. "Mind if I ask why you have painted windows?"
"They're not painted." Xander said, "I work for the security division of Stark Enterprises... the windows can go opaque in case my boss visits and we have a sniper threat."
"Oh." Angel said quietly as Xander closed the door to his room. Ask a stupid question.
*****
********WARNING!********
This story is NOT part of the Journeyverse continuum! This is the Sequel to 'Red & Gold'
*********WARNING!********
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners... none of which are me.
Summary: Life on the Hellmouth is never easy, especially when you're hiding a secret from the Slayer.
Warning : Crossovers ahead. (Yes Plural.)
Rating : PG-13 to PG-16; for mild cursing, violence, and demonic horror content... in other words a bit more grown up then the series... but only cause I don't have to suck up to censors.
Check my Yahoo group for the latest parts to this and all other stories by me, including the Journeyverse series.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Journeyverse
*****
"Angel!?"
Xander's heart jumped as he saw Angel stumble, falling to one knee. He reacted instinctively, Lunging forward and catching the vampire. Buffy was at his side instantly and between them they helped the obviously hurt vampire up.
"Christ." Xander said, "What happened, Deadboy?"
Angel glowered at him, but didn't have the energy to keep it up. "I... don't know..."
Buffy glared at Xander, "You said he was dead!"
Xander looked at her helplessly, "I thought he was! He walked into that damned portal... I saw it myself!"
Buffy looked away, then down at Angel. "Come on... we have to get him inside."
"Where? Your place?" Xander asked incredulously, "Jesus... Your mom already thinks he's a stalker... you really think carrying him in there naked as a jaybird is a good idea?" "Well what should we do!?" She growled at him.
Xander grimaced, "Hold him for a second."
Then he let go and stripped off his jacket, wrapping it around Angel. "Jesus I wished this was a little longer..."
Buffy looked at him, a touch of a smile playing at her lips.
"No. I am NOT giving him my pants." Xander said, with almost a laugh. "Come on... let's get him to my apartment."
"Your place!?" Buffy asked incredulously.
"Where else? You want to stash him at the mansion with god knows what has moved in there?"
Buffy nodded and hefted Angel as Xander moved back in on the other side and took up the weakened vampires other side. "Let's go."
"No." Xander said, "I'll take him. You go to a butchers or something and get some blood."
"What? I'm not leaving him. You do that."
Xander shook his head, "My security system is on. You can't get into the apartment without me. I'll get him there safe. I promise you."
Buffy hesitated, but finally gave in. "Ok."
*****
Xander struggled into his elevator, rummaging through his pocket fir the key.
Angel just stared at him from the corner of the elevator. "What's the deal with you and Buffy?"
Xander turned the key and felt the elevator start moving, then he looked at Angel. "Nothing. No deal."
"Didn't look like that."
Xander sighed. "Look Deadboy. I just got back to town myself, ok? I left the same night you did."
Angel blinked. "Why?"
"I had my reasons." Xander said coldly as the elevator doors opened up on his apartment. "Come on." He helped the weakened vampire into his place, leading him straight into the spare bedroom. "Here. The bed should be comfortable..."
Angel collapsed onto the bed, his eyes sweeping over the room tiredly. "Windows..."
Xander glanced up and cursed as he noted the lovely eastern view window. "I'll fix that. Just rest."
Angel nodded and laid back as Xander headed out.
*****
"Computer," Xander said from his room, behind a locked door. "Darken the windows. All of them."
"Why?"
"My new houseguest is a vampire. He and sunlight don't mix well."
The computer was silent for a short period. "Is this wise?"
"Probably not." Xander replied, "But he's one of the good guys. So do it. I want the windows black."
"Confirmed." The computer responded as it began diverting a slight electrical current to all the windows in the apartment, rendering them completely opaque.
"Good... and keep your voice down. Until I figure out what's going on there's no reason to let him know anything more then he has to."
"Confirmed." the computer repeated at a lower volume, then it spoke again. "The young lady named Buffy is in the elevator."
"Let her up."
*****
"Where is he?" Buffy asked, concerned.
"In the spare bedroom." Xander gestured, "Go on in..."
Buffy nodded gratefully and followed his gesture. She went in and quietly closed the door behind her. "Angel?"
His voice was weak when he spoke. "Buffy?"
"It's me." She said softly as she walked over to him. "How are you feeling?"
"Weak..." he said, "But... better."
"I brought you some... well..."
Angel chuckled weakly. "Blood?"
"Yeah..." She said softly. "Xander's idea."
Angel accepted the plastic tub of pigs blood from her and looked at it, but didn't move to drink. "Are you and Xander....?"
"What?"
"You seemed... close when I... found you."
"What?" Her eyes widened, "No... no, I... we... aren't."
Angel nodded, uncertain what to say. He still didn't move to drink the blood.
"You should drink..."
"I don't want you to see me... like that."
Buffy sighed, but nodded. "Alright. I'll be just outside..."
*****
Xander was sitting in front of the tv staring at a blank screen when she came out. "How is he?"
Buffy shrugged, "I don't know."
"Does he know what happened to him?"
"He hasn't said..."
Xander just nodded.
"Xander..." Buffy hesitated, "I want to thank you."
"For what?" he asked, surprised.
"I know that you don't like Angel... and this is your apartment..."
"Deadboy and I may have some problems to work out, but I don't think that leaving him in the middle of the street would be a really great option. He did save the world, Buffy."
Buffy was silent for a while, slowly nodding as she just thought to herself. Xander's changed so much...
She was mulling over what that meant when she heard a noise from the spare room. "I'll be back in a little bit."
Xander nodded and watched her disappear into the room.
*****
"Buffy?"
Angel looked better this time, the pigs blood having done a lot to rejuvenating the vampire's sunken features. "I'm here."
He shivered, as if a chill had passed over him, something Buffy had never seen him do before. "Cold."
Buffy glanced around, "I can turn up the heat."
He shook his head, "Not that kind... Inside... My skin... It's... strange not feeling the fires."
"Fires?" She asked, confused.
"Hellfires." He said as he closed his eyes.
Buffy waited, barely breathing, for him to say something more until she realized that he had fallen asleep. "Oh Angel..." She breathed, "What happened to you?"
*****
When Buffy walked back out into the living room, Xander was talking on the phone.
"No... No, She's fine, Mrs S. Just a little mishap on patrol, nothing big... No, nothing like that. I'll have her home soon. I promise. Yes... It's good to talk to you too... I know, I'm sorry, I should have dropped by... I will. Ok, bye."
Xander hung up and Buffy looked at him with her hands on her hips. He shrugged, "I didn't want your mom to worry... or ground you."
She rolled her eyes but smiled, "Thanks. Did you... uh?"
"Tell her about Angel?"
"Yeah."
"No." Xander shook his head, "That's your place, not mine. But you're going to have to tell the gang soon, or there'll be hell to pay."
Buffy swallowed, then nodded. "Giles is going to freak."
Xander nodded, "Angel did torture him."
"It was Angelus." Buffy said defensively.
"You really think that there is much of a difference from Giles' point of view?"
Buffy looked down. "No."
"I didn't think so." Xander said quietly. "It'll be a lot better in the long run if you tell them... cause if they find out on their own..."
Xander let the comment hang there between them until Buffy nodded.
"Ok. I'll do it." She said, her voice surprisingly firm.
"When?"
She slumped. "Tomorrow?"
He smiled, "Good idea. In the meanwhile, come on... I'll give you a lift home."
Reluctantly Buffy allowed herself to be led from the apartment.
*****
At Buffy's place Xander parked the car and got out, causing Buffy to frown at him as she got out the other side. "You don't have to walk me to the door."
Xander smiled a little sheepishly, "Yeah... I kinda do."
"What?"
At that point the door to the house opened and Joyce stuck her head out. "Is that you Xander?"
"Yeah, it's us..." Xander smiled at Buffy, "Your mom invited me in for a snack when I called her up."
"Oh." Buffy said, suddenly looking embarrassed.
Xander didn't notice, he just started up the walk, then have turned. "You coming?"
Buffy shook her mind clear and followed him up into the house.
*****
A few minutes later found them sitting around the Summer's kitchen table, along with Joyce and Dawn.
"You scared us all very badly, young man." Joyce said sternly as she set a tray of cakes on the table alongside a large pitcher of milk.
"I'm sorry about that, Mrs S..." Xander said sincerely, "I really didn't know you guys thought I was dead though..."
"That's no excuse." She replied as she took her own seat, "You should still have let us know how you were doing... You're like family here, Xander."
"Yeah." Dawn glared at him accusingly.
Xander smiled slightly, "It won't happen again... ok?"
Joyce relaxed and smiled back, "It had better not."
"Yeah." Dawn said smugly, or as smugly as possible for someone who was trying to cram an entire cake into her mouth.
Xander winced, remembering a time when he would have been racing her to see who could cram the most in the fastest. He sighed silently and took a small bite of his own cake.
Joyce, however, noticed. "Xander? Don't you like them?"
He looked surprised, "They're great... why?"
"You're usually... more enthusiastic when you eat." She smiled at him.
He groaned, then mumbled something that she couldn't hear.
"What was that?"
Buffy grinned at him. "You're kidding!?"
He shook his head, staring at the table.
"What?" Joyce asked again.
Buffy grinned wider, "He said that he had to take three weeks of etiquette classes over the summer."
"You're kidding!?" Joyce said, surprised when Xander shook his head. "Well, good for you."
"What's Etiquette?" Dawn asked curiously, the word sounded familiar but she couldn't place it.
Joyce looked at the crumbs on her chin and frowned at her sternly. "Something you sorely need, young lady. Etiquette means good manners."
"Oh." Dawn said, her eyes widening. "Oh... Jeeze Xander, I'm so sorry... That sucks."
Xander chuckled, "It comes with the job, Dawn Patrol."
"Job? You got a job?" Joyce looked at him, "Buffy didn't mention that."
"Forgot." She said, around a bite of her own cake.
Joyce glared at her then turned back to Xander, "I don't suppose you could teach my daughters some of those lessons?"
Xander chuckled, "Try to pound something into a Summers girl? I don't think I've got the skills."
Dawn and Buffy glared at him while Joyce laughed.
"So, tell me about your job..." Joyce said.
Xander shrugged and nodded, "I'm a security consultant for Stark Enterprises."
Her eyes widened, "You know Tony Stark?"
He nodded, "I ran into him just after I left... Nice guy."
"He's one of the country's foremost Art patrons..." Joyce said, "He's put more money into the industry then the government."
Xander nodded, "Sounds like Tony... He's not tight with cash."
"How rich is this guy?" Dawn asked curiously.
Joyce glanced at her, "Tony Stark is personally worth Billions. I have no idea how much the company is worth."
Xander caught himself before answering, instead opting to pour himself some more milk.
"Wow." Buffy said, "I mean... Willow told me he was rich... but... wow."
Xander chuckled, "Tony is what you would call a wow worthy guy. He built the entire company from the ground up, Stark Enterprises Medical Division alone is calculated in the tens of billions."
"How'd you meet this guy?"
Xander shifted uncomfortably. "I was in Vegas, just bumming around when I literally ran into him... knocked him off his feet."
"You knocked Tony Stark off his feet!?" Joyce said, half laughing and half scandalized.
Xander chuckled. "Yeah... got myself roughed up by his security team too. But Tony was a good guy and knew that it was an accident, so he let me go."
"Well... if he let you go, then how come you got a job with him?"
Xander debated internally whether to tell them or not, but finally decided that it wasn't going to hurt. "Well... This isn't to be gossiped about, but as I was walking off some terrorist hit his limo with an anti- tank weapon... If he hadn't had it armored tighter then a battle tank he'd be dead."
"What happened?"
"I went into the limo and pulled him out." Xander said with a 'what do you think happened' sort of tone.
"You what!?" Buffy asked, aghast. "How could you risk your life like that?"
"He was going to die." Xander said sternly. "Anyway... I pulled his security people out too... and he was impressed I guess."
Xander had about decided to leave out the part with the sword when Buffy pierced him with a glare. "How exactly did you wind up in the hospital then?"
He flinched, "The terrorists didn't want to give up... so they came after us. Jim, that's Tony's head security guy, and I held them off but one of them got close enough to take a swipe at Tony..."
"And you got in front of it!?"
Xander nodded.
A shocked silence floated around the table until finally Joyce spoke.
"That was a very brave thing to do, Xander..." "Yeah!" Dawn said, grinning.
Buffy didn't say anything, she just sat with there a churning lump in her stomach.
*****
Xander yawned and stretched as he stepped off the elevator and back into his apartment. He was mildly surprised to see Angel standing in the middle of the living room.
"Hey Deadboy."
He smiled as the vampire winced, then felt slightly guilty at kicking the vamp while he was down.
"Do you have to call me that?"
Xander shrugged, "tell you what, I'll meet you halfway. How's DB suit you?"
Angel grimaced but nodded. "Better."
"DB it is." Xander grinned. "How you feeling?"
"Better." Angel repeated. "Nice pad."
"Pad?" Xander grinned, "You're talking like a seventies disco star."
Angel grimaced again. "Don't joke about that. I had to live through the seventies."
Xander glanced at the toga like sheet the vampire had wrapped around him. "Is that one of the bed sheets from the spare room?"
The vamp looked down, "Sorry... Didn't see anything else."
"Hang on." Xander ducked into his room and grabbed some workout clothes. "Here."
Angel caught the sweat pants and glanced at them, relieved that they weren't a multicolored spectacular. "Thanks."
"No sweat." Xander grinned, "Saves me from scraping my eyeballs out if that sheet slipped."
Angel just grimaced, rolled his eyes, and stepped into the spare room to change. When he was gone Xander whispered quietly. "How long has he been up?"
The computer's voice came back just as quiet, "I'm not certain. He is difficult to track... an hour perhaps."
"He try to get into anything?"
"No. Merely tried to get the elevator to work, but I disabled it."
Xander chuckled soundlessly at the image of Deadboy trying to understand why the elevator wasn't working. "Ok."
"Xander?" Angels voice came as the door opened.
"Yeah?"
"You talking to me?"
Xander cursed mentally, but kept a straight face. "Nope. Just mumbling to myself."
"Ok..." The vampire didn't look convinced.
Xander tossed him a remote, "You wanna watch the tube?"
Angel looked at the imposing size of the huge flatscreen but shook his head. "No. I wanted to talk to Buffy."
"Sorry, DB." Xander said, "Buff is at home now... probably being tucked in by mommy dearest."
"Oh." Angel swallowed and nodded. "I guess I should go then..."
Xander stopped, and turned to look at the vampire. "The room is yours as long as you need it, DB. No strings."
"You mean other then putting up with your personality?" Angel asked with a smile.
Xander grinned, "You stay in Sunnydale and you're gonna have to put up with that."
"Decisions, decisions." Angel said seriously.
"Yeah well, I'm making this one for you... at least until tomorrow." Xander said, "You go nowhere until you talk to Buff again. Besides, you don't want Giles to find you out on the street... believe you me."
Angel winced at the memories. "You may have a point. I guess I've got some bridges in shambles with the whole group..."
Xander shrugged, "You and me are cool. Willow's going to side with Buffy, and Oz will go with Will. That only leaves G-man... But you and I both know that he's not someone to piss off." Angel nodded.
"Still..." Xander conceded, "The Watcher will follow the Slayer's lead... So you're probably coming out of this better then you think."
Angel just nodded again.
Xander yawned again, "Look. I'm going to crash. Watch the tube, grab some sleep, or whatever. I'll see you in the morning."
Angel glanced at the huge windows that were completely blacked out. "Mind if I ask why you have painted windows?"
"They're not painted." Xander said, "I work for the security division of Stark Enterprises... the windows can go opaque in case my boss visits and we have a sniper threat."
"Oh." Angel said quietly as Xander closed the door to his room. Ask a stupid question.
*****