Part Ten: Be a Nice Puppy
Xander hurries to Buffy's house. The slayer is in her room, lying on her bed. She feels overwhelmed. Xander Lavelle Harris is a total package, a complete load. He is in demand.
When the hell did Xander get to be the most popular boy on the planet?
Buffy has to laugh to herself. She answers her own question.
When he became what he is.
Hell, she loves him. How could she have ever loved anyone else? He is everything good that she can think about. But, she knows she can't leave him alone until he learns all the little things. She better teach him, fast, before she has to kill anybody!
Buffy hears someone pinging stones at her window. She looks out. It is Xander.
"Xander, what do you want?"
"I'm afraid to go home. I have to come up there."
"My mother is here, Xander!"
"You told me I have to come to you for everything. I'm coming up."
He climbs to her room, looking in from the shrub. Buffy blocks his way. "Xander, you're nuts. You can't come in here. My mother is here."
"You let me in there! You let Angel in there."
The slayer reluctantly lets him in. "You're nuts. My mother probably heard you."
"You can't say all those things to me and expect me to go home."
"Xander, what am I going to do with you?"
"You're going to hide me."
"What?"
"You're the slayer, protect me."
Buffy is wide-eyed. "You can't sleep with me, Xander. Not with my mother here."
"I'll sleep at the bottom of the bed."
Buffy, realizing that her honey is probably not going to leave. "You'll have to sleep beside the bed so my mother won't see you if she comes in but, you're nuts, Xander!"
"You're the one who drove me nuts! You win. I give up!"
"That's good, Xander, but you can't live in my room with me."
"I'm your boyfriend, deal with me!"
"You're my nuts boyfriend. I can't believe you're in my room…and won't go home! If my mother catches you I'm not going to say you're my boyfriend."
"Xander, did I tell you you're nuts!"
Buffy can't believe it. He's crazy. He gets it wrong all the time.
He thinks I want him to live in my room with me.
She decides to try to get him out one more time. She looks down at him. He speaks first.
"I know what you're going to say, slayer princess, but forget it. I'm staying!"
"I'm going to have you committed, tomorrow. You have to go home tomorrow, you know!"
"Be quiet, I'm trying to sleep."
Buffy prays her mother doesn't come in. She finally falls asleep.
When she wakes in the morning she stretches as usual but then she remembers who is in her room.
"Oh my God, Xander!"
She looks down but he is not there. The door to her room opens. It is Xander.
"Xander, where the hell did you go?"
"I had to use the bathroom."
"You are completely nuts…if my mother…Xander, you have to go home?"
She hands him his shoes. "Are we going to walk to school together?"
"Go home, Xander."
"Why can't we walk to school together?"
Buffy is getting frantic now. "Okay, meet me over Willow's house in forty-five minutes. Now, go home!"
Xander leaves. Buffy gets dressed in a hurry. She goes to Willow's house.
"You're early, Buffy."
"You'll never guess what happened last night."
"More Xander?"
"He came to my house last night, up to my room."
Willow raises her eyebrows. "Your mother."
"He climbed up from the outside. He wouldn't leave."
"Xander slept in your room?"
"He said he was my boyfriend and I had to deal with him."
"Buffy, do you think we drove him crazy? Is he going to be like your… dog now?"
"I don't know. He's crazy in everything."
A knock comes to the door. It's Xander. The girls look at each other.
"Good morning friend and, very good girlfriend person."
They walk to school in silence until Willow can hold it in no longer.
"Xander, you haven't turned into a puppy, have you?"
He looks at Buffy. "You told her, didn't you?"
"I didn't know it was suppose to be a secret."
"I came to you in my hour of need."
"You came to me in your hour of craziness."
After walking a few minutes, "Xander, you can't live in my room with me."
Xander is perturbed. "I get it. This stuff you're talking about only works when you want it to work. I can't have any friends but I can't stay in your room with you when I'm lonely…and, I can't even read your diary."
"I already cut out the parts with you in it."
"Then it better be an empty book. This thing goes both ways, you know!"
He storms off.
Buffy turns to Willow. "Do you see what I have to put up with? Either he is friends with the whole world of females or…"
Willow finishes the thought for her. "Or, he's your crazy puppy dog…I wonder if he bites?"
"Willow."
They both share a good laugh.
When Xander gets to school both Oz and Wilson are waiting for him outside. They jump him. Buffy and willow see it. They rush over.
"Oz, you get off Xander right now!
"Willow, you don't understand. He's the enemy."
Buffy grabs Oz but not before he kicks Xander. Wilson jumps on him again. Xander has to do something. He blocks his punch then knocks the football player down.
Oz breaks away from Buffy. He attacks Xander again. The boy wonder is forced to defend himself. Buffy talks to Willow. "Willow, you get Oz away. I'll get Xander out of here."
The slayer pulls Xander into the school. Willow calms Oz and Wilson.
"What the hell are you doing?"
Wilson answers. "He's trying to kill us. We'll get him."
"Right after school meet me in Giles's office, Oz. You've gone crazy!"
Xander is bleeding. Buffy takes him to the library. She patches.
"What the hell is going on, Buffy?"
"I don't know, sweetie. I'm sorry." Giles comes into the library. Buffy addresses him.
"Trouble, Giles."
"This was suppose to be a quiet time."
"Oz and some football player keep attacking Xander."
"Is the football player a werewolf, as well?"
"We didn't even think about that, Giles. Do you think it's a wolfy thing?"
Xander tells the watcher of the scene with Monica and Cindy.
"That's strange. They don't usually travel in packs. They are usually solo. Unless…"
"Unless, what, Giles?"
"Unless they see a common danger in Xander. I…I think you need to talk to Rebecca."
Xander looks at Buffy. "We'll go over and see her after school."
"Yea, Giles, we'll stop by to see her. I think Willow will be in with Oz if he can calm him down enough."
Xander and Buffy leave. Xander is still very upset. They decide to leave school for the time being.
"I'm really worried, Buffy."
"I know, Xander."
"You do?"
"Of course I do."
"Even without me telling you what I'm worried about?"
"I know what you're worried about."
Xander looks at his girlfriend with disbelieving eyes. She stops.
"You're upset because you don't know if you can deal with Oz without hurting him. And, if you hurt him you would never forgive yourself. Not to mention the fact that your former best friend would never talk to you again."
Xander stares at the slayer. Buffy finds it very amusing. She puts her arm in his.
"You're actually shocked, aren't you?"
Xander doesn't answer. Buffy continues.
"Why would it shock you that I know all about you?"
"I don't know."
"You know all about me, don't you?"
"Yea, but that's different."
Buffy stops, again. "Xander, one thing comes through to me as we get time to experience each other. You have no idea how much I love you."
"I thought I did."
Buffy buries him in a very passionate kiss. When they break.
"My fault honey. I'll have to spent more time telling you and showing you."
"Well, when you were doing that thing you were doing a minute ago…"
That's all he had to say. They embrace in as passionate a kiss as is allowable on a public street.
"Wow, what was it I was worried about?"
Despite making Xander feel better, the slayer is worried as much as Xander. She tangled with Oz when he was werewolfy. She could barely handle him. Xander has a limit to his tolerance. This could be disastrous if they can't get to the bottom of it. She has to see Willow.
"Xander, honey, I have to do something. You go over to see Rebecca. I'll see you later."
Still remembering the previous night's discussion on relationship etiquette. "You mean I should go over to see Rebecca by myself?"
"You know the way, don't you, honey?"
"Not very well but, I'll find it."
Buffy is amused that she has Xander so nervous and tentative about this. She pats him playfully on the head. "Nice doggy, hee, hee, hee"
Willow gets Oz to come to see Giles. Buffy is there.
"Oz, why are you and Wilson attacking Xander?"
"He's dangerous, Giles, he's trying to kill us all."
"Who is he trying to kill, Oz?"
"Werewolves."
"You've known Xander for years. Why would he suddenly be trying to kill you?"
"Wilson will tell you."
"Is Wilson a werewolf?"
"Yes, he's the leader."
Giles is very worried, now. "Oz, I already talked to Wilson. He said to wait for him in the cage. You know, the one you sleep in three nights a month."
Buffy, Giles and Willow try to contain him but he breaks through. He runs out the door.
The librarian sighs. "I was afraid of that."
Buffy questions him. "What are we dealing with, here, G-man?"
Giles, annoyed at what the slayer called him, "Buffy, are you taking a page from your boyfriend's book?"
"Sorry, Giles, he rubs off on you."
"I hope not too much."
"Be careful oh watcher person. That's my honey of which you speak."
"Yes, well, it would appear Wilson has some kind of leader of the pack mentality on Oz. Secondly, there must be something they sense in Xander. Something in the past between werewolves and…and…"
Giles decides not to finish since the research that has been done on Xander's identity is not exactly public knowledge. This, of course, upsets Buffy. She leers at her watcher.
"Are you going to finish, Giles?"
"No, Buffy, that is another matter. However, when I do have something to say concerning Xander's identity you will be the first one I will tell."
This pleases Buffy very much. "Well, thank you, Giles. Finally, one of you guy types get it. Listen, Giles, we have an immediate problem. Oz and Wilson keep, attacking Xander."
Buffy goes over to Willow. Cordelia comes in.
Willow voices her main concern. "If Oz gets Xander too mad he's going to hurt him."
Cordelia reminds everyone of an equally important problem. "Willow, we can't let Xander get hurt, either."
The brunet looks to Buffy. "I thought the slayer would bring that up."
The slayer responds sarcastically "Thank you, Cordelia." She then looks at Willow.
"Will, Oz and Wilson busted him up pretty bad. He's not in the best of moods."
"I'll talk to him." She looks at Buffy. "Is it okay to talk to him, Buffy?"
Buffy is embarrassed that her jealousy is so apparent. "Sure."
Cordelia practically stares a hole in the slayer. "We have to ask your permission to talk to Xander, now?"
"It's a long story, Cordelia."
"I'm impressed, Buffy."
Willow adds. "It all happened after that girl, Cindy, came to the Bronze to bed Xander."
"She came to get Xander? Is she crazy? No offense, Buffy, but doesn't she know what a crazed slayer is capable of doing? " Cordelia looks at Buffy. "So, that's the long of the story?"
Willow goes on. "He saved her life. She just wanted to thank him." "Oh. My God, Buffy, I get the picture. I promise I will go through you first."
"Thank you, Cordelia."
The brunet continues. "He's a total package."
Willow adds. "He's always saving somebody now."
Buffy expresses more of her frustration. "Always female, and, of course, they have to thank him."
"Hugs and kisses and cooing?"
"To the max!"
"You need a leash."
Buffy and Willow laugh. "That's a different story."
Giles has been listening to this exchange. He feels he has to comment. "I hate to interrupt this dissection of Xander but, do you girls always talk with such…such…"
Buffy doesn't let him finish. "Are you actually sticking up for Xander, Giles?"
"I feel, perhaps, someone should."
"You're my watcher, Giles. You take care of me; I'll take care of Xander."
"Well, yes, let's get back to the matter at hand. We may have to find and sedate our two resident werewolves to prevent a tragedy."
"Time to get out the old dart gun."
Willow finds Xander. They have a conversation.
"You're not going to hurt Oz, are you, Xander?"
"Come on, Will, do you see my lip? You want to see my leg?"
Willow starts to cry. Xander hugs her. "Do Buffy and Giles have a plan?"
"They're going to use the dart gun but, we have to find him first."
"Willow, I can hold Oz off if he's Oz but, if he changes…"
Willow gets a very hard look on her face, one that Xander has rarely seen. "If you do anything to harm Oz, Xander, I will never forgive you."
"Oh, that's great, Willow, thank you!"
"This is the new hard Willow talking to you."
As she is walking away Xander calls to her. "The new unreasonable Willow!"
Part Eleven: She's Your Best Friend, Xander
Now, Xander is very pissed off. More shit. This time for Willow. He and Oz are friends, they have a bond but, what the hell is he supposed to do?
He has to hide from him. He decides to join Buffy on patrol. As he approaches, Buffy can sense his mood. She braces herself.
"Hello, sweetie."
"I thought we agreed you would not patrol alone."
"Yes, Xander, we did but so much is going on I didn't want to bother you."
"Well, that's sure a stupid reason." Buffy walks to him. She puts her hands lovingly on his shoulders. "Honey, it's okay."
"No it's not okay! It feels like old times."
Buffy, not sure exactly what that means. "What are we talking about, me doing patrol alone or, you…"
He doesn't let her finish. "You know damn well what we're talking about."
Buffy has had enough. "Xander, if you want to talk, we'll talk. But, if you're just going to attack me…"
"Yea, blow me off slayer. That stuff about me coming to you is just bullshit, isn't it?"
He storms off. Buffy tries to call to him. "Xander, will you come back here."
He doesn't. Buffy sighs, shaking her head.
That boy is going to drive me crazy!
Buffy sees a group of creatures coming her way. They appear to be werewolves. They approach her cautiously. She jumps to a defensive position.
"Shit, I know one of you is Oz. Please, Oz, don't get into anything with me."
They sniff all around her until one of them picks up a scent from the air. They all leave in the direction Xander just took.
Oh, God, they're after Xander.
Just as she is ready to follow them she is attacked by a vampire. A second comes on the heals of that one. "The slayer screams into the night. "Be alright, Xander, please."
Xander hears a rustling behind him. The pack of wolves is on him in short order. He gets nailed in the leg with a claw. He burst through them as they try to surround him. He gets a wicked whack to the head for his troubles. He begins to run at top speed but they are gaining on him. He notices he is close to Monica's house. He frantically beats on her door.
When Monica sees Xander's dilemma she lets him in.
Once he catches his breath he explains the situation to her.
"Xander, I've been looking this up on the Internet."
Monica stops because she notices Xander is bleeding from two places. She runs to get some first aide medicines.
She very lovingly cleans his wounds. She tells him of her research. "They are travelling in a pack because they all perceive a common danger. It sounds like you are the danger, Xander."
"Great! Is there any way to stop them without…without killing them?"
"You have to kill at least one of them, the spiritual leader."
"Are the spiritual leader and the regular leader the same?"
"Only sometimes."
"Is there any way to tell which one is the spiritual leader?"
"I could probably tell, if I could get close enough."
"Monica, ah…are you…like…normal?"
"I don't know what I am but, I guess you would say I'm definitely not normal."
"There's a lot of that going on."
"I hate to bring this up to you, Xander, but…you don't appear to be normal, either"
Xander doesn't answer but for the first time notices how unbelievably beautiful Monica is. He shakes that thought from his head, replacing it with one of Buffy. She is going to kill him for being here but he had no choice.
"Monica, I told you Sunnydale isn't your average place. I don't even really know what I am. The little I do know is scary enough."
"It's definitely something special, Xander."
"Besides the actual problem of having a pack of werewolves chasing me, one of them happens to be my best friend,Willow's, main squeeze."
"Which means you can't hurt him?"
"Right."
"But, Xander, how are you suppose…"
"That's what is driving me crazy at the moment. Look, Monica, do you see yourself helping us?"
"Helping us?"
"I work with a group of people. We sort of battle all the evil this damn place produces. There is a girl. She is a vampire slayer. She is the main player. We help her mostly."
Monica starts to well up. Xander tries to comfort her but is really weak from his battle with the werewolves. He falls back down in his chair.
"I'm sorry, Monica, I didn't mean to upset you. Maybe I should go."
Monica recovers. "Xander, you don't have to go. I will gladly help you if I can. It's just…I have never met anyone who needed my help before. I found myself with some very interesting powers at a very young age. But, they caused me nothing but problems."
"Monica, maybe you haven't come to the wrong place, after all. I'll introduce you to people who will show you how to use your power for good. We could really use your help."
Monica can't help it. She has always been an outcast because of these strange things going on within her. All of a sudden she meets someone who seems to know what to do with her. Every one else she ever met rejected her as soon as she revealed any part of her true self. The person in front of her is not only accepting her but actually needs her help.
At this moment Monica realizes that her destiny has something to do with Xander. She was supposed to meet him. For one of the few times in her life Monica feels she is doing what she is supposed to be doing. It is a very special moment for her.
She begins to cry, again. Xander reaches to her. "I'm sorry, Xander. I can't believe I met you."
" I am really glad I met you too, but …Monica…I…I'm in love with the slayer I told you about. We…"
Monica is very embarrassed. "Xander, I'm sorry. I…I didn't…mean…"
Xander feels somewhat relieved that Monica didn't mean that the way it sounded. He softens up.
"Honey, I know how you feel. Without getting too weird about it, we are definitely kindred spirits. I think you'll find others, too, if you hang around with us. The only problem…and, it's a big one…it is very dangerous. I mean like life threatening."
Monica sits down. "Xander, I'm very confused right now but I certainly will help you with the werewolf thing."
"Thank you. Monica, I have to tell you up front. My girl friend, the slayer, she…well she…"
Monica gets it. "She's jealous, Xander?"
"Yes…Cindy, is she…different, too?"
"No, she's normal but quite persistent when it comes to someone she finds attractive. Obviously, you can tell she is very attracted to you. I will tell her to cool it, especially around your slayer."
"Thank you, Monica. I am just learning the rules of being in a heavy relationship. I love Buffy with everything inside me. It took us a long, long time to get together. I can't lose her."
"Xander, I know how the romance thing works. I'll tell you, it's very hard not to like you but I certainly will respect your relationship with Buffy. Just from talking to you I get the idea that it is something very special. "
"She is special, Monica. She is amazing. We love each other very much but our lives are so hard that we hurt each other a lot of times without knowing it."
"Monica, I have to go get Buffy and…"
He can't finish. He has to sit back down He is still weak and dizzy from his wounds.
"Xander, how about if I find them. I'll bring them back here then we can formulate a plan."
"Yea, I just need some rest and, maybe a little juice."
Monica gets Xander some juice. He tells her to go to the library to talk to Giles. Cindy comes in before she leaves. She did not run into the werewolves. For the moment they are elsewhere. Monica tells her sister to cool her jets in regard to Xander.
Buffy is frantically looking for Xander. When she doesn't find him anywhere she heads to the library. The regular gang is there as well as the two new recruits, Amy and Devon.
Monica makes her way there, also. She walks in on the gang. Giles speaks to her first.
"May I help you?"
"Are you by any chance, Rupert Giles?"
"I am, yes."
"Xander told me to find you."
Buffy immediately jumps to her. Is he okay? Where is he?"
Although very intimidated by the slayer Monica manages to stay calm.
"A whole pack of werewolves attacked him. He made it to my house."
Willow and Cordelia look at each other. Buffy addresses Monica with barely contained anger.
"And, just who the hell are you?"
"I'm Monica."
"Oh, you're the one he saved from the werewolves."
"And, you must be Buffy."
"Yes, Xander's girlfriend and soul mate."
"Yes, Buffy, that's the first thing he told me. He had to run to my house. There was a whole pack of them. He didn't…"
"I get the picture. Now, why are you here?"
"Why am I getting hostile vibes from you Buffy? I'm here to offer some information about the problem. I'm not out to steal your man."
Giles responds. "I'm sorry, Monica. We seem to always have our little soap operas running."
Monica gets right to it. "One of the werewolves is the spiritual leader. He, not the leader of the pack, has to be killed. Sometimes they are the same but not very often. The spiritual leader will not turn back to human form. If he is not killed none of them will return. They perceive a danger in Xander. If we don't get the spiritual leader before the full moon is over they'll just keep coming after him."
"Monica, how can we tell the spiritual leader?"
"I…I can tell if I can get close enough."
The slayer speaks. "Willow, do you have any way of identifying Oz when he's a werewolf?"
"Yes, we've developed a system for me to know."
Buffy turns to Giles. "Giles, how many stun darts do we have?"
"Unfortunately not very many. Our only advantage is we know where the subjects will congregate."
Buffy sighs. "Where ever Xander happens to be."
Yes, they may be resting elsewhere at the moment but they will eventually find their way back to him."
Everyone is nervous for the obvious reason. Is Oz the spiritual leader?
Giles addresses Monica. "Monica, I sense you are…shall we say…in possession of some other talents we may be able to use in the future."
Buffy can't help herself. She turns to Cordelia. "Great, one of Xander's groupies joins the team!"
Monica decides to stand up to the slayer. "You know what I think?"
"I don't care."
"Why don't you grow up! Xander…"
Buffy cuts her off. "Thanks for your help, Monica, but you don't tell me anything about Xander. I tell you. You understand?"
"Buffy, I didn't do anything."
"Good, now let's go to Xander."
Giles intervenes. "Let's get back to the Hellmouth business. Willow, I have one red paint bomb for you. As soon as you identify Oz hit him with it."
He goes to Monica. "Monica, would you feel confident enough to mark the spiritual leader with this paint bomb?"
"I…I…yes, I'll try it."
Buffy looks at Monica. She sees how nervous the newcomer is. The slayer goes to her.
"Monica, Xander and I are having a few issues together. I'm a little sensitive right now…I'm sorry for attacking you."
"Buffy, the first thing Xander did when he came into my house is tell me how much he loves you. I told my sister, Cindy, to cool it."
"Thank you, Monica. Listen; don't be too worried out there. We have your back."
The two girls hug.
When they get to Monica's house Xander and Cindy are in the living room. When Xander sees Willow he hugs her tightly. "It will be okay, honey."
Xander then goes to Buffy. "Can we go someplace private for a few minutes, please?"
"Sure, babe." The slayer looks at Monica. "Monica, is there someplace private Xander and I could go for a few minutes?"
Monica responds very warmly. "Sure, Buffy."
She directs them to a separate room. "It's even sound proof."
"Thank you."
Buffy starts to give Xander a passionate kiss but the boy stops her. "What's the matter, honey?"
"Buffy, I'm really scared."
She holds him. "Xander, you're trembling."
"I have this really bad feeling about this, Buffy."
"Willow is going to mark him with paint."
Xander walks away from the slayer "They're strong, Buffy. I'm not going to be able to control myself. Even the both of us. Willow…she's…you know, she's one of us. We can't let her down."
For the first time Buffy realizes just how important Xander's friends are to him. He doesn't want to have romance with Willow but he's still concerned about her to the point that this is tearing him up.
"Xander, come here." He comes to her. She sits him down, kneeling in front of him. She takes the hair from his eyes. "Listen, sweetie, we will do everything we can to make this come out good. Try to get yourself together. We need all the energy we can muster."
She hugs him very tightly. Xander can feel her strength.
"It's really great to have such a strong honey."
They exchange a very passionate kiss. They both stagger out of it. Buffy has to say something.
"When this is all over you are going to explain what the hell you are doing in the same house with Cindy?"
"I'd rather face the werewolves."
As they are going back to the living room Buffy has a very warm feeling inside despite the seriousness of the situation with Oz. Xander does need her and he certainly loves her. She should never doubt that. If only they could have a normal relationship. She still can't believe the intensity of her feeling for this Harris guy.
When our two heroes come out Giles is, of course, perturbed that they had to take a "lovers" break at such a crucial time."
"Are you two sufficiently lubricated so we can continue."
Buffy is embarrassed. "It wasn't that kind of break, Giles."
"I see. Well, whatever. Buffy, you and Xander will accompany Willow and Monica. The four of you will approach the pack first. Willow will mark Oz with the red paint. When she does that Cordelia, Amy, Devon, Cindy and myself will try to dart him and tie him to one of the trees."
The watcher continues. "Hopefully, Monica will be able to identify the spiritual leader shortly after. Willow has the crossbow. She will be responsible for shooting it. We are counting on the rest of them scattering after that. We have some extra stun darts just in case we need them. However, we don't have a sufficient number to dart more than three or four of them. We have no idea how many darts it will take to sedate them in their present agitated state. If we can rescue Oz and take care of the spiritual leader, the rest is secondary. Everybody be careful and cover one another's back."
The group walks into the woods. They come upon a clearing. Xander walks out front. After a few minutes they hear the wolves coming. With the moon providing a brilliant night light the pack maneuvers into a semi-circle around our friends. They have increased their numbers. There are now seven. They growl and grunt poising for attack
Buffy looks to Willow. "Can you see Oz, Will?"
"He should have a gold cross around his neck."
Monica sees it. "He's right in the middle, Willow."
Xander looks at the redhead. "Let's do it Will, on three…one…two…three!"
She shoots him in the chest. The commotion scatters them for the moment but they quickly regroup.
Buffy and Xander flank Monica. Willow readies the crossbow
"Here they come again." Buffy looks to Monica. "We'll try to get real close, Monica"
Willow gets worried. "I don't see Oz." Xander comments. "Shit, what the hell happened to Oz?"
The six rush our foursome. Xander gets a feeling in his gut that he is going to have to fight Oz.
The wolves have a plan. They fight to separate Xander from the rest of the group. Monica and Willow are struggling with two of them while Buffy tries to hold off two others. Giles and the rest of the group are trying to wait until Monica can identify the spiritual leader before they start firing.
Monica calls to Willow. "Willow, it's not Oz. It's the one on Buffy right now." The slayer hears. She calls to Giles. "We got him, Giles, start with the stun darts."
Willow loads the crossbow.
In the mean time Xander has been maneuvered close to a hill. He slams one of the werewolves into a tree. A follow up punch and kick knocks the thing out. His partner rams into Xander, pushing him down a hill. When Xander rolls to the bottom Oz is waiting for him. The boy wonder is able to hit the other wolf with a rock to the face. It recovers to claw him to the chest. Oz gets in on the fight. He punches Xander in the head.
Willow hits the spiritual leader straight to the heart with the arrow. The rest of the gang tries to deal with the remaining wolves. Buffy hasn't seen Xander for almost fifteen minutes and she is getting frantic. "Giles, where is Xander?"
"They were able to isolate him. You clean up here I'll look for him."
Xander has managed to reduce the fight to a one on one with Oz. He is very weak from loss of blood. This is Xander's worst nightmare.
Oz smashes him but Xander blocks the follow-up. The wolf then springs toward the boy with all his might. Xander is now precariously close to a very jagged cliff.
The boy wonder reaches to his pocket. He has a one-shot pistol crossbow Rebecca had given him some time ago. He feels himself losing control. Oz is furiously trying to throw him off the cliff. Xander's only chance to escape is to shoot Oz with the arrow that would probably kill him. He thinks of Willow…He can't fire it. He makes a decision not to kill the wolf, even to save himself.
Xander feels himself start to slide down the twenty-foot drop of the cliff. He hits the ground with a thud.
Giles comes upon Oz just as he is finished pushing Xander off. The watcher stuns him with a dart then pulls him from the edge. Once on safe footing he shoots a second one into the wolf. Oz is unconscious. Giles peers over the cliff for any sign of Xander. He can see very little.
As the rest of the gang joins the watcher the sun is beginning to rise in the sky. Buffy is the first there.
"Where's Xander?"
Giles points to the cliff. Buffy rushes to the edge. Giles grabs her before she falls.
Willow runs up. Buffy stares at her. She can't help it. She screams at the red head.
"Are you satisfied now, Willow? He didn't kill Oz!"
Willow breaks out crying. "I'm so sorry, Buffy."
Cordelia runs up. She sees Oz alive. She joins Buffy and Willow.
"Is Xander dead?"
The brunet vents her frustration "He better not be, that's all I can say!"
The dark shadows begin to give way to the rays of the sun. Monica sees him on the ground.
"I see him, he's just to the right of that tree!"
With the sun beginning to rise they are able to see a way to reach him. They all rush to his side. The first thing they see is the unfired pistol crossbow in Xander's hand. It is evident that Xander choose not to fire it. Buffy is furious.
"I hope your satisfied, Willow!"
Giles examines the boy. "He's still breathing, Buffy, he's still breathing! Somebody bring the car down."
Xander is brought into the emergency room of the hospital. He is still unconscious. The gang waits in the lounge.
Buffy is getting to know the place. How many times has she been here wondering, praying that Xander recover from his wounds?
Hell, I'm the slayer. I'm the one who's suppose to be in constant danger. But, no chance that'll happen! Not when your soul mate is Xander Lavelle Harris! He'll jump off a cliff to save me or any of his friends.
The slayer looks at Willow. She really yelled at her. She feels bad. It's not Willow's fault she loves Oz. Buffy doesn't exactly act rationally when it comes to her lover. She gets up and walks over to her best friend. The witch looks up at Buffy with tears in her eyes.
"Buffy, I wanted Oz to live but I didn't want Xander to die! I love him, too."
"I know you do, Will, I'm sorry for blowing up at you."
They share a very tearful hug. Buffy continues her apology.
"Willow, I love him so much. I can't stand to see him get hurt all the time."
"I know, Buffy, I know. He could have saved himself. He didn't because of me."
"You're probably right, Will, you mean that much to him."
"I'm sorry I was hard Willow. Will you tell him that, Buffy."
The slayer nods. The doctor interrupts the conversation.
"He's going to live. He's suffered multiple injuries including a concussion and, a broken wrist. He lost quite a bit of blood from two puncture wounds on his chest and back. We stitched them. He has minor cuts, bruises and welts over more than fifty percent of his body."
"Is there a Buffy here?"
"Yes, that's me."
"He keeps asking for you. You can go in to see him if you wish."
Buffy goes into his room. He is awake but staring into space. The slayer can see he is very disgusted and sullen. She reaches to him.
"Hello, sweetie."
The boy looks but doesn't reply.
"Xander, they are going to release you soon. Everyone will be…"
He interrupts her. "I don't want to see anyone."
"Honey, they're your friends."
"Oh, all of a sudden I'm allowed to have friends?"
Buffy starts to caress his face.
"Xander, I know it was awful. I know it was unfair. It was bad enough they were attacking you but you couldn't even defend yourself right because it was Oz."
"Buffy, I didn't know what to do. The only way I could save myself was to kill him"
"I know, sweetie. As upset as I was at Willow and the whole world, I know you made the right decision. We live for others, Xander. That is who we are and what we do. As heartbroken as I was that you might have died for Willow and Oz I know you did the right thing,"
Xander is really listening to his honey. She continues. "I fell in love with you. Every day you do things to deepen my love even more. You have a right to be upset but you survived. And you made a certain red-headed witch the happiest girl in the world."
Xander stares at Buffy in love and wonder.
"Why are you looking at me like that."
"I can't believe it."
"Believe what?"
"Just a few minutes ago I was so upset I didn't think I could face anybody. But, then you came to me. Now I feel…almost good. I feel like a big weight was lifted from me. You did it. I don't have to spend hours at my thinking place to get over it."
"You cured me again you luscious hunk of slayer love you!"
Buffy is blushing. It really turns her on when Xander needs her. She is always afraid he doesn't. But, she clearly lifted the weight of this whole thing for him. It's getting to be a habit. One she would gladly dispense whenever needed. This is one of those magical moments when love deepens and both of them are aware of it.
They embrace for a long time. When they break Xander is ready to face the others with a happy heart.
When the gang sees that Xander has a smile on his face the whole mood changes. The first person he seeks out is Willow. They embrace in a teary hug.
"Did I do you proud, girl?"
"Xander, thank you so much. In all the time that I've known you I have never been more proud of you than I am now. I'm sorry I was so whiny."
"It all turned out okay, Will."
Cordelia is next. She grabs her heart. "Xander, how many times are you going to almost die?"
"I hope this is the last time for a little while, anyway."
Monica comes to Xander. "Monica, thanks for your help. I'm so glad I met you."
"You're quite a person, Xander. I wished I had met you a long time ago." They hug very warmly.
Buffy can't help it. She is jealous. If Xander were ever to wake up and see all the wonderful people he attracts."
Any one of them could give him more than I do.
Giles greets Xander. "Good show, Xander."
"Thank you, Giles."
The watcher is worried. He knows Xander can ill afford to relax. In addition to liking the boy himself Giles is aware of how much his slayer needs and loves him.
"Xander, Rebecca will be back tomorrow. Training will resume in the evening."
"Yes, watcher person, I'll be there."
Buffy hears this interaction. She has something to say.
"Tomorrow night is off, Giles. He has a prior commitment."
"I do?"
"You stay out of this."
"He has a very important meeting tomorrow."
"Buffy, I must object."
"And we will certainly make note of your objection."
Both Xander and Giles stare at the slayer.
"Neither one of you have anything to say about it. The slayer has spoken!"
Cindy comes to Xander. "Is this what your whole life is like, Xander?"
"Yea, isn't it fun?"
Cindy's face drops. Xander hugs her. "I'm only kidding, Cindy. Thanks for helping."
"My sister is always into something. It's interesting. You meet lots of neat people.
Cindy makes eyes at Xander when she says that last part. Xander puts his arm around her. He points to Buffy.
"You see that nasty looking little person over there. She has a spell on me so I love her. She killed the last three girls who made eyes at me. She is actually very scary. Sometimes she beats me up for even talking to other females."
Everyone is hearing Xander's conversation with Cindy, now. Xander continues.
"That's true. I can't even look at another female…even dogs…fish. She's got a real problem."
Everyone is laughing. Buffy grabs Xander, as they are ready to leave.
"Wait until I get you alone, Lavelle."
"You see, Cindy. I told you. She just threatened me."
The gang leaves in good spirits, having closed the book on another Hellmouth adventure.
For now everyone is still alive and well. Who knows about tomorrow?
Go on to Part Twelve
Send Feedback
Go Back to the Fanfic Main Page
Buffy and the Slayerettes are Property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and the WB. No Copyright Infringement is Intended.