Title: Before the Fall of Rome (8/?)

Author: Brooke

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show.

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure.

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

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Xander skated to a slow stop outside of the apartment complex he was looking for. They were really nice homes- cozy, but sophisticated town houses that were on the outskirts of town. He knew that a lot of the business men loved out here where real estate was cheap and the homes didn't show it.

He pushed open the barred iron gate and stepped onto the cobblestone path that led to the group of homes all the appointed signs said that he could find his target- Mr. Rupert Giles. Xander set a fast pace as he made his way up the walk way, not only because he was in a hurry to sort this whole mess out- the adrenaline of his plan to protect Buffy coursing through him and causing his blood to pound in his ears, but also because it was dusk now, and Xander had no desire to be outside when the sun went down completely.

He hadn't spoken to Buffy all day- and if he said that it didn't surprise him, he'd have been lying. He knew, for some reason, that he probably wouldn't hear from her until Monday…like she had stated vaguely before she jumped off his roof. And he was more pissed off at that then he thought he had the right to be, especially since he knew that it would happen. Xander hated that she had called Willow instead of him…he'd have thought that if she were going to risk eternal groundation, she would have at least risked it with him. She owed him that, at least, after last night. Last night when he had told her that he wanted more- that he wanted everything with her- and she had assured him that she wouldn't give him anything less.

And the sad part was that Xander knew that she wasn't lying. When Buffy had told him that she had meant it whole heartedly, but something had scared the living crap out of her that morning.

No- Xander reminded himself as he spotted the librarian's home- this thing. It was this thing that scared her off that morning. This Slayer deal that she felt she had to protect him from.

With that thought fresh in his mind, and holding every intention of eliminating it from the equation so that he could overcome regular awkwardness and obstacles on forming a deeper relationship with her, Xander raised his fist and pounded on the door loudly. He knew that the man was home because Buffy had told him that she wasn't going Slaying that night, and therefore he had to assume that her Watcher would be in for the evening as well.

Xander kept banging and heard the faint sounds of somebody shuffling within, heading for the door and mumbling curses in a thick British accent. The door flew open in front of his face and suddenly he was looking the high school librarian dead in the eyes. And just as suddenly Xander was reminded that the faculty was, in fact, people outside of the school atmosphere, as the man was dressed in a red plaid robe and brown slippers, obviously fresh from the shower.

Giles looked at the teenaged boy standing on his door step. "Can I help you?" he asked when he offered no explanation for his presence. He thought the youngster looked familiar, probably from the high school, but that didn't explain why he had shown up at his home.

"Uh…" Xander stuttered, "Rupert Giles?"

"Yes," Giles looked at him skeptically. He looked at the boy's nervous demeanor and the swim team jacket he was wearing as he adjusted his swim team duffel bag on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I'm not interested in…whatever it is you're selling." He began to shut the door.

Xander reached out with his right hand to block him, "Wait!"

Giles sighed and opened the door to regard him again.

"I'm…I'm actually here to talk to you." Xander told him, now noticing that it was dark outside. "I'm a friend of Buffy's…"

"Mr. Harris," the name clicked in Giles' mind. This was the boy that served a walking distraction for his charge. He had already doubted the vivacity of Buffy's attention span, but when this boy were in the area, he knew, and had witnessed her have trouble walking and talking in complete sentences.

"Alexander…" Xander told him, shifting from foot to foot.

"But it's Xander to your friends," Giles filled in. and received a slow, skeptical nod in response.

"Yeah." He narrowed his eyes at the Englishman. This Giles seemed nice enough, but that was obviously a ploy. He was responsible for making his Buffy a crazy person, after all. Xander adjusted his duffel bag again and stepped partially into the apartment, despite the lack of invitation he received, forcing Giles to step back.

"Well then Xander," Giles set his jaw at the inconsiderateness of his new house guest, "You, apparently, took great measures to procure my home address, so I'm assuming you do not wish to hear my opinion on Beowulf; so what is it I can help you with?"

"Funny man," Xander bit out in a low voice, his eyes locked with the older mans. "Listen," he started again, "I'm not here for tea and crumpets while we have a jolly pip pip cheerio conversation."

"Good." Giles was now matching his off putting tone. He wondered who this boy thought he was just bursting into a complete stranger's home, let alone a member of his high schools' faculty.

"I'm here about Buffy." Xander spoke again, ignoring him.

Giles' eyes flashed at the name. Oh my God… his mind mumbled as he took in the boy's demeanor. He knew from how he had seen his Slayer and the teenager's interactions with each other that they were close and beyond that Buffy had made it now secret that this Xander was her best friend. Now this agitated confrontation, and the fact that Xander had specifically sought Giles out left the Watcher wondering if Buffy understood the concept of a secret identity.

He cleared his throat and gestured his guest further inside so that he could shut the front door. "Yes," he paused briefly after Xander entered, "What about her?"

"Don't play dumb." Xander fired with his back still to him, but he turned quickly to face him. "I know what you are…I know what you have her doing." Giles seemed at a loss for words so Xander decided to continue. "It's going to stop right now though."

Giles finally huffed out a breath, "She told you this?" he asked as he walked past him, heading towards the kitchen. He had no idea how to process this information; Slayers of the past had been able to comprehend the severity of the situation they were in and the necessity of complete discretion.

"Of course she told me," Xander followed him with his eyes. He was not sure if he was angrier that the man was manipulating his best/girlfriend or the fact that he didn't seem to care. "She told me about the vampire and the demons and all that make believe crap that you're making her believe is actually there…"

"Buffy is a quite capable young woman." Giles turned again to eye the young dark haired man. "I assure you she is not fighting imaginary evils…"

"There are no demons," Xander said steadily. "All there is here is a weird old man who's latched onto a teenaged girl and is making her some sort of pawn in his sick game…"

"That is hardly the case…" Giles' defense prickled up at the seriousness of what Xander was implying.

"That's exactly the case," Xander denied vehemently but steadily. "I don't know what you're doing to her…but she's out all night and she's getting hurt. She's all bruised and she's like that when she's done…doing whatever it is that you have her doing. Or are doing to her." Xander fixed the Englishman with an icy glare. "But it stops now."

Giles processed Xander's tone but didn't respond directly to it. "Buffy was to understand that nobody was to know of her calling…"

"That's not the point," Xander interrupted. "I'm here to tell you to stay away from her. If you don't there's going to be a hell of a lot more people who are let in on your little secret, and I'm thinking of starting with the police, and then her parents, and then the school board."

Giles and Xander fell into an intense stare down, eyes locked and jaws set. Xander didn't think that this man understood just how far he would go to protect Buffy. He didn't think that he understood that he could be at the police station filing a report against him before this man could sing Hale to the Queen. But if he didn't listen to him and back off of Buffy, he would find out in the most spectacular manor.

"This ends right now." Xander added after a minute as he backed towards the door. "If I see you anywhere near her again…if I see one more bruise…if I see her crying and even think that you had anything to do with it I'll report all this crazy mind control vampire/demon slayer bullshit that you're feeding her to anybody who'll listen and we'll see who's headed back to jolly old England."

Xander didn't look back as he turned on his heel and walked briskly to the door. He flung it open hard enough so that it hit the wall behind it and formed a small crack in the drywall where the doorknob landed before he stepped out into the cool night air. Xander smiled to himself as he felt the other man's eyes boring into him from behind I think I made my point.

Giles listened to the loud clack of the wheels of the child, who had just threatened him, skateboard as he headed away from his house. He was fuming. Not only had his Slayer directly disobeyed him, but she had broken a sacred oath. The destiny she had to fulfill did not call for a Slayer and her boyfriend…it was solitary. It was the Slayer and her Watcher. Those were the only two who were expendable. Now, with Xander's knowledge, he would undoubtedly have to work out how to keep him safe as well.

Whether the boy believed in the Slayer and the forces of darkness or not, both were real, and as far as Giles was able to make out Xander would be a permanent fixture in the world of the Slayer now that he knew what she was doing. And if Giles wasn't more careful, he would only be semi-permanent. Buffy would only be semi-permanent if she had to face the distraction of this boy directly. Bloody hell Giles' mind scoffed She can barely concentrate when he's not with her.

Giles knew that in the very near future…possibly later on tonight…he would have to track down his charge and make her understand what her calling entailed. He had tried to be lenient with her, allow her freedoms unlike any previous Slayer had ever been granted: cheerleading, friends, a social life, continued life with her family; but her telling this boy about the Slayer was throwing all of that back in his face. He had to take a new approach and it would start today. He headed back upstairs to get dressed. He would page her and let her know where to meet him since, as she had so rightly pointed out, it probably was not the best idea for him to call her at home. He knew that she had been placed on some sort of restriction by her parents and that he had given her the night off from patrol so she would most likely be at in for the night.

Rupert Giles was not a pushover. He could try to be her mentor…a friend of sorts, but he would not stand for the degradation of his calling as a Watcher or that of the Slayer. In that sense he could step back and be what she would construe as her worst enemy…all about form and manual executions and training and patrol. It was time Buffy Summers learned that. If her own foolishness was going to be the death of her it would happen as a mistake in the field, not because of a weakness of heart.

~*~*~*~

He flew through the air and hit the moist ground with a dull thud. He would have had the wind knocked out of him- if he had had wind in the first place, that is, but as it was he was just slightly startled.

He shut his eyes and shook his head briefly to clear it before rolling onto his feet. There was nobody there.

"WHO ARE YOU?!" he called out as he made an uneasy in place circle, and tried to keep his voice from wavering. He received no answer besides a slight breeze that blew in from his left. It had been a good night initially. Three kills, all young…fresh…innocent. But that was then. It had only taken about fifteen minutes and an, apparently, poorly chosen fourth choice to send his night to Hell. All he knew was that there was a girl, and she was strong.

He felt something moving around him, but could not determine where the threat was exactly. Turning his head again he tried to steel himself for an attack, knowing that whoever this girl was, she was playing with him. "WHY DON'T YOU COME OUT AND TELL ME WHO YOU ARE…THEN I'LL KILL YOU!"

"Not necessary," a baby sweet voice sounded from behind him and before he could react there was a sharp piercing pain in his back. He looked down at the tip of the stake protruding through his chest through his shirt as the voice continued.

"I'm Buffy," she smiled to herself at the demon's complete shock, "The Vampire Slayer. And you're dust."

Buffy watched triumphantly as the vampire exploded before her and the ashes blew away. "Five for five," she cheered to herself as she broke out in a small dance. "I'm so the Slayer! Give me an S! You got your S; you got your S. Gove me an L! You got your L; you got your L…"

"Give me a break." A new voice sounded from behind her and Buffy whirled around quickly, brandishing her stake, to face the decidedly male figure.

"You were doing great until you're song and dance." He smirked at her fear…well, almost fear. He could pick up more curiosity than anything else.

Buffy slit her eyes at the man. He was about six feet tall, dark hair with darker eyes. A lot of gel. Dressed in dark clothes. Okay, she thought after her mental appraisal, Definitely a vampire. "Who are you?" she asked cautiously while keeping her distance. She had hunted her previous kill, but she decided that she would wait for this one to make his move. "Why are you following me?"

"Spry AND inquisitive. They were right about you." The man spoke again, keeping his smirk in place.

Buffy hated him already. Beyond the fact that she was programmed to destroy vampires, which she thought he was, but he was being so damned condescending for a stalker…not to mention the fact that he now knew way too much information about her, and was, therefore, an automatic threat. "You should tell whoever they are to not bring me into anymore of their conversations." She fired at him without backing down.

She was the Slayer; she knew that he knew it. And as the Slayer she would not run away from his kind. Whatever his kind was. Slayers didn't run from vampires and Buffy Summers didn't run from guys. Especially HOT guys. her mind pointed out, and Buffy hoped he didn't catch her mental clench. He's not that hot. she argued to herself as she looked him up and down discreetly; He has a huge forehead.

"Who are you?" she asked again after clearing her throat. He smiled at her again and her eyes fixed on his grin. No fangs she pointed out yet.

"I'm her to help you." He told her simply.

Buffy lowered the arm that she held her stake in, "I don't need any of your help."

"Too bad." He shrugged and began to walk towards her, "You're going to get it."

Buffy watched him on high alert as he approached her and she launched herself into action when she saw him reach into his pocket. She executed a front snap kick to the man's abdomen and when he doubled over, obviously not expecting her attack, she brought an axe kick down on the back of his neck. Buffy raised her stake again as she stood over the man as he lay on his stomach on the ground.

He rolled over onto his back quickly and shook his head. He should have expected her reaction. Slayers are supposed to be able to sense vampires, after all, regardless of souls, this one was no different…in theory that is. He had been watching her all night, ever since she had climbed out of her bedroom window and began to wander aimlessly around the town, and he knew she was good. He knew that she could be better though. This one could be great- and that's what he wanted for her.

There was something about this girl that he wanted to be able to save.

He tried to push himself up, but was halted by a boot pressed to his throat and the obviously strong leg that pushed hum back down harshly. First he had to save himself.

"Let's try this," Buffy started again, the frustration brimming in her tone. "You tell me who you are and I don't kill you dead…er." She pressed her foot down harder and watched the man squirm uncomfortably on in the dirt. She didn't have time for cat and mouse games that she didn't initiate.

Buffy had every intention of staying in tonight, but, as was becoming common place with her daily routine, she got very restless very quickly. It could almost be compared to an itch that she got after sundown… something calling her outside. SO she followed.

She had been out hunting for about two hours, but now was in a hurry to get back before her parents suspected something because unlike the night before, she hadn't said goodnight to them, so she was still open to be checked up on.

The night before.

That was the second reason she was out tonight. Her stomach was still doing giddy flips over all the Xander kissage she had partaken in, and nervous/nauseous ones at the necessity of having to face him again. She had not had any time alone, until she had decided on this impromptu patrol, to just mull things over in her mind. And up until now, she had been in control of the situation…that was until this ass hole decided to hunt the hunter.

"I can explain better if you stop crushing my wind pipe." The man said from below her and Buffy removed her foot.

Definitely and vampire she noted as he stood up effortlessly. "I don't think that you need it all that much." She stated while taking a step away from him and eyeing his now upright form in preparation for another attack.

The man cocked an eyebrow at her and rubbed his hand over the back of his neck with a shrug. When he spoke, he seemed to have ignored her comment, "Like I said I'm here to help you." He reached back into his jacket, this time slowly while keeping his free hand visible to her.

Buffy watched as he removed a long black velvet box and hold it out to her. "What's that?" she questioned not taking the item from him.

"A gift." He stated again thrusting it into her hand and not accepting her refusal.

Buffy was forced to talk the box from him and she opened it cautiously. It contained a thick silver cross on a thin chain; it was a beautiful necklace- if it hadn't come from a strange monster man. "A gift from who?" Buffy refocused her attention on him, but found the space empty. She looked around quickly and saw the dark silhouette of the man walking away from her. "A GIFT FROM WHO?!" she called out after him.

"A friend." He responded back over his shoulder in a calm tone.

"Yeah well," Buffy called back, "What if I don't need anymore friends?!"

"I never said I was yours." He said back, allowing Buffy to hear his grin as he continued his path.

"GOOD!" Buffy yelled back. She hated whoever he was even more for trying to get the last word. Nobody got the last word with her, especially not hunky cryptic mystery men…vampires. Buffy shook her head and pocketed the necklace box. She didn't need to even think about that man in any sense of the word; her life was already complicated enough as it was.

Buffy sighed and turned towards the exit of the cemetery that she was patrolling. She figured that since she had lied to Xander about not patrolling she could make it up to him by surprising him with a visit. Not that she owed him an apology for lying to him, he was still just a friend…but she did still have plenty of extra energy.

She would go over to Giles' and fill him in are her responsibility and initiative in the slaying department, then she would go over to Xander's and make up that morning to him. Buffy smiled to herself, momentarily forgetting that she had to be home, like, yesterday, but was still trying to pencil in some time with her…friend?

She hadn't lied when she said that she would be ready to give him whatever he needed from her to take their relationship to the next level. She would do that. She was ready for that. It was just…it was Xander.

Buffy had, honestly, been completely wigged that she could feel that way about him. The other night the friend aspect with concern to him had been the farthest thing from her mind…almost too far. She had been able to separate the two entirely and just feel, and that morning it had almost happened again. He had been rubbing the back of her neck, and oh God, how she wanted to kiss him again…to have him keep touching her, but then…

Then the whole fantasy erupted around her for reasons that she couldn't comprehend, and she just got so afraid that by wanting him that way that she did and how much she wanted him, that she couldn't possibly have both. He was, literally, everything that she wanted in her life, and she knew that there was some sort of written law that said that one person can't have everything…something about having cake and eating it too. So she left the cake. But halfway through Dawn's soccer game and about forty minutes of reliving his phantom kisses, Buffy realized that she had never wanted cake so bad in her entire life.

Buffy had to take a chance with cake, she settled as she made her way down Main Street and past all of the darkened store fronts as she headed towards her Watcher's house. She would have everything she wanted because that's what she always got, and Xander would have everything that he wanted because that's what he deserved. Buffy wouldn't run this time, she promised herself. She was ready now; despite whatever she had felt that morning after the complete comfort and warmth of waking up with her best friend faded away.

She decided to make her avowal to the strange dark man that she didn't run away from anybody a truth. No more running for Buffy Summers, she settled as she walked up the steps of Giles' townhouse. First slaying business then cake…then more grounded.

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The End Part 8