Ordinary Men
By: BoxerMan
A/N: I haven't really been able to keep up with Buffy lately, I know the jist of what has been happening and I agree that the show has been going downhill since it went to UPN. So if I miss anything sorry, I didn't mean too. It was just a thought I had. I'm planning on this only being a one shot story, no muss no fuss. Also this is mostly going to me a dialog only piece, so I'm sorry if some people get lost in the conversation. I know how I want this story to work, but its not going to be very long. Please let me know what you think.
I dedicate this story to my fiancée who puts up with all of the crap I put her through.
Also: It might take me a while to post the next chapter, college sucks, forget what you heard. Too much damn work.
Buffy/Batman Crossover
Disclaimers: I can carry everything that I own, and I don't see how I can carry a TV show, maybe a TV, although I could carry a comic book, but I still don't own anything really.
///////////////////////
"Wait, Mr. Wayne,"
"Bruce."
"I'm sorry, Bruce, this is getting a little confusing, just what is going on here?"
Bruce smiled at Xander. He liked this kid, he was still young, but he had potential, no subtlety, but potential. "Xander, whenever I buy a new company, I like to go through the personnel records to see if there is any untapped potential. When I came across your file I was thoroughly impressed with your devotion to detail and hard work."
Xander had a huge lopsided grin. He was not one to accept compliments. True, he had been working hard and people had noticed, but someone to actually tell him was something new. "Thank you very much Mr. Wayne."
"Bruce"
"Bruce, I didn't think that anyone outside the previous architect and foreman noticed."
Bruce had read Xander's files several times noticing several discrepancies. He liked to be fully informed and prepared before heading into any conflict. And despite what anyone says, conversations are easily conflicts. He knew about Xander's schoolwork, from what little there was left of his permanent record. He tried to find out about him more, but the school district had said that they were blown up at the graduation ceremony several years ago. That talk would be left until a later time. His home- life was another story; among the police files were well over thirty domestic disturbances. He had tried to find out more about the domestic case among with the other numerous things in his police file, but the SDPD was not known for its willingness to hand over too much information. He had the Sunnydale Construction company employee profile memorized.
"Well, they noted in their reports how impressed they were with your work and how you never miss a day of work."
Xander was surprised. "I thought I had missed a couple days of work."
"No, you only take off sick days, you never take a day off of work because you use up all of your sick days as soon as you get them. But I can understand that with all of your hospital visits. Although I was confused how you came down with such a virulent strain of syphilis on the job a couple of years ago. And I was almost positive that smallpox had been eradicated."
"Eh, it was just some sort of flu, but the symptoms were just a little jumbled, I thought the records said that."
"They do, I went through all of your records. They make for an interesting read Xander, especially your police file."
Xander's face dropped. 'Oh hell.' "Listen, Mr. Wayne,"
"Bruce."
"Yes, Bruce, my criminal record might be the best or most outstanding."
"I would say it IS very outstanding."
"You see in Sunnydale, there was a __ PCP gang that threatened the entire town, I had to defend myself and my friends a couple of times."
"A couple of times?"
"Several times, and if that would threaten any job, I'm sorry, I'd make the same decision again."
"Xander, I'm not accusing you of anything, and I am certainly not threatening your job. I just happened to enjoy reading your file and thinking that I would like to meet this man."
"You like meeting people considered vigilantes."
Although his face would never show it, Bruce Wayne had to stifle a laugh. "Yes I do. In fact some of my best friends could be considered vigilantes."
Xander didn't like where this was going. He had heard about Wolfram and Hart. There were apparently many rich people that had sold their souls. The First might be calling in a few favors. "I would say that you might need new friends."
Subtlety was key in the business world, but Xander was generally more of a direct person. Once Bruce brought up his friends, Xander would become more cautious. It was a necessary move; Bruce had to gauge him accurately. "I could say the same to you."
Xander really didn't like where this was going, he felt threatened, but somehow comfortable. In his time spent on the Hellmouth, he had learned to identify people in two categories: 'threat to the Scoobies' and 'not a threat to the Scoobies.' For some reason, although he didn't like the topic of conversation, Bruce didn't seem like a threat. "My friends are my life, I'd do ANYTHING for them."
The emphasis was not lost on Bruce. This was going as expected. Xander knew when to play checkers and when to play chess. Before, Xander had been more open and ready to talk, still taking notice of the conversation, but letting Bruce direct it. Once he talked about his friends, Xander had become focused and talked carefully, not ready to tell Bruce too much. Just that he was willing to protect his friends, no matter the cost.
"Don't worry Xander. I am just here to talk. You piqued my interest with your __ 'diverse' company file. I am an old man, not a lot interests or surprises me anymore. I just thought that I'd like to meet a young man that can hold a very demanding job and has a sense of civic justice."
Xander smiled, he had never thought of it as 'civic justice.' "If you are so interested in 'civic justice' you should watch Cops, they hit the 100th show a while ago."
"Why aren't you a cop?"
"Huh?"
"Well Xander, you seem in shape, I can tell by the way that you walk and carry yourself, that you could hold yourself in a fight. And you said that you want to help defend people so why didn't you go into law enforcement?"
"That's a complicated answer."
"More complicated than having smallpox, syphilis, and the flu all at the same time?"
"Hey, it was just the flu. My immune system is just a little slow."
This was interesting. When Bruce asked him about his friends, he would put up a wall and become very precise with what he said. Given the opportunity, he changes directions in the conversation and tries to use humor and put himself down to play off the fact that he is paying very close attention to what he is saying. Even when he switches topics quickly Xander knows exactly what he is saying.
"Yes I have noticed that."
"I'm sorry if that is a problem."
"No problem, just don't want you getting me sick."
"I have a tendency to make people sick."
"Self-deprecation is used by those who are stronger than they think."
"Platitudes are used by people with nothing to say."
Bruce was really starting to like this kid. He could tell that all the innuendos and generalizations were annoying Xander. He also was quick witted when someone tried to argue with him. 'I guess there was more missing in those school records than I thought.' He decided to change directions again.
"So Xander, do you usually play verbal judo with everyone that takes you out to dinner?"
"Well this is the first time I had a sugar daddy invite me to dinner, so I'm not sure how to act. Usually I try to take a nice beautiful woman to dinner, but it's been a while so beggars can't be choosers. Why are you making with the small talk?"
There was silence for a while both men trying to size each other up. Xander could dance around the subject all night because there was no way that he would endanger anyone by telling a stranger anything. But he still needed to find out what this man knew. He could tell that Wayne wasn't a fool. Even though it didn't feel like a threat, he had the look of a predator. All of his years on the Hellmouth gave Xander a sense of whether or not people were going after him and his friends, with the possible exception for when they were attractive females that only wanted to kill him. Bruce certainly didn't fit those criteria.
Bruce looked knowingly at Xander. "Xander, most of my life has been spent either in two fashions: either building up my business or trying to help people. I have known people beside me who helped, normal people like you and I. Some were able to fight day to day and not loose themselves, some," Bruce sighed, "were not. The important thing is that they all tried and realized what life was truly about. Xander, when I read your file I saw things that I knew intimately. I lived them. I know all of the signs, the hospital visits, the 'sick days,' the missing people, the broken arms, the scars, the pain, the DEATH. Have you killed anyone yet? It gets to you. Being a vigilante does some good, you save people, but I began to believe that I WAS justice, I believed that that I was above the law. It took me more than half of my life to figure out that while I should do all that I can to save everyone, I am only human."
"Mr. Wayne, with all due respect you don't know the half of what my friends and I do. We fight not because of the people that die or get hurt, but because of the people that live. I have saved and been saved countless times. If you discovered a world underneath your own full of greed and power and evil trying to destroy everything, could you or anyone of YOUR friends turn away? As for killing, I have never, EVER killed another human being." Xander wasn't lying in the seven years he had fought beside the slayer he had never taken a human life. "I CHOSE to lead this life, I WANT to help people. I don't go out looking for fights or anything because I think I am God. I AM only human and that is what gives me the right to help people in any way that I can." For the first time in his life, Xander actually said aloud his reason for fighting. All the pain, and all the death were going to exist regardless of what he did, but he could choose to ignore it or to confront it. It was not his duty, or his privilege to fight against the darkness, but it was his right as a human being.
"Good, I am glad that you are so adamant about it. But things can and will get bloody. If the whole world came down upon making one choice, to either kill an innocent or to let many others die, would you do it? Could you damn an innocent soul to save others?"
Xander almost laughed. He sat up in his seat, looked Bruce Wayne in the eye and for the first time in years the dark knight felt a chill go down his spine. "Like I said, I would do ANYTHING for my friends."
Bruce smiled at Xander. "Then you are exactly who I have been looking for."
Silence
Xander decided to move back into his seat. "I didn't really mean that whole sugar daddy thing. From what I heard a friend of mine, Spike, might be up for something."
A/N: I haven't really been able to keep up with Buffy lately, I know the jist of what has been happening and I agree that the show has been going downhill since it went to UPN. So if I miss anything sorry, I didn't mean too. It was just a thought I had. I'm planning on this only being a one shot story, no muss no fuss. Also this is mostly going to me a dialog only piece, so I'm sorry if some people get lost in the conversation. I know how I want this story to work, but its not going to be very long. Please let me know what you think.
I dedicate this story to my fiancée who puts up with all of the crap I put her through.
Also: It might take me a while to post the next chapter, college sucks, forget what you heard. Too much damn work.
Buffy/Batman Crossover
Disclaimers: I can carry everything that I own, and I don't see how I can carry a TV show, maybe a TV, although I could carry a comic book, but I still don't own anything really.
///////////////////////
"Wait, Mr. Wayne,"
"Bruce."
"I'm sorry, Bruce, this is getting a little confusing, just what is going on here?"
Bruce smiled at Xander. He liked this kid, he was still young, but he had potential, no subtlety, but potential. "Xander, whenever I buy a new company, I like to go through the personnel records to see if there is any untapped potential. When I came across your file I was thoroughly impressed with your devotion to detail and hard work."
Xander had a huge lopsided grin. He was not one to accept compliments. True, he had been working hard and people had noticed, but someone to actually tell him was something new. "Thank you very much Mr. Wayne."
"Bruce"
"Bruce, I didn't think that anyone outside the previous architect and foreman noticed."
Bruce had read Xander's files several times noticing several discrepancies. He liked to be fully informed and prepared before heading into any conflict. And despite what anyone says, conversations are easily conflicts. He knew about Xander's schoolwork, from what little there was left of his permanent record. He tried to find out about him more, but the school district had said that they were blown up at the graduation ceremony several years ago. That talk would be left until a later time. His home- life was another story; among the police files were well over thirty domestic disturbances. He had tried to find out more about the domestic case among with the other numerous things in his police file, but the SDPD was not known for its willingness to hand over too much information. He had the Sunnydale Construction company employee profile memorized.
"Well, they noted in their reports how impressed they were with your work and how you never miss a day of work."
Xander was surprised. "I thought I had missed a couple days of work."
"No, you only take off sick days, you never take a day off of work because you use up all of your sick days as soon as you get them. But I can understand that with all of your hospital visits. Although I was confused how you came down with such a virulent strain of syphilis on the job a couple of years ago. And I was almost positive that smallpox had been eradicated."
"Eh, it was just some sort of flu, but the symptoms were just a little jumbled, I thought the records said that."
"They do, I went through all of your records. They make for an interesting read Xander, especially your police file."
Xander's face dropped. 'Oh hell.' "Listen, Mr. Wayne,"
"Bruce."
"Yes, Bruce, my criminal record might be the best or most outstanding."
"I would say it IS very outstanding."
"You see in Sunnydale, there was a __ PCP gang that threatened the entire town, I had to defend myself and my friends a couple of times."
"A couple of times?"
"Several times, and if that would threaten any job, I'm sorry, I'd make the same decision again."
"Xander, I'm not accusing you of anything, and I am certainly not threatening your job. I just happened to enjoy reading your file and thinking that I would like to meet this man."
"You like meeting people considered vigilantes."
Although his face would never show it, Bruce Wayne had to stifle a laugh. "Yes I do. In fact some of my best friends could be considered vigilantes."
Xander didn't like where this was going. He had heard about Wolfram and Hart. There were apparently many rich people that had sold their souls. The First might be calling in a few favors. "I would say that you might need new friends."
Subtlety was key in the business world, but Xander was generally more of a direct person. Once Bruce brought up his friends, Xander would become more cautious. It was a necessary move; Bruce had to gauge him accurately. "I could say the same to you."
Xander really didn't like where this was going, he felt threatened, but somehow comfortable. In his time spent on the Hellmouth, he had learned to identify people in two categories: 'threat to the Scoobies' and 'not a threat to the Scoobies.' For some reason, although he didn't like the topic of conversation, Bruce didn't seem like a threat. "My friends are my life, I'd do ANYTHING for them."
The emphasis was not lost on Bruce. This was going as expected. Xander knew when to play checkers and when to play chess. Before, Xander had been more open and ready to talk, still taking notice of the conversation, but letting Bruce direct it. Once he talked about his friends, Xander had become focused and talked carefully, not ready to tell Bruce too much. Just that he was willing to protect his friends, no matter the cost.
"Don't worry Xander. I am just here to talk. You piqued my interest with your __ 'diverse' company file. I am an old man, not a lot interests or surprises me anymore. I just thought that I'd like to meet a young man that can hold a very demanding job and has a sense of civic justice."
Xander smiled, he had never thought of it as 'civic justice.' "If you are so interested in 'civic justice' you should watch Cops, they hit the 100th show a while ago."
"Why aren't you a cop?"
"Huh?"
"Well Xander, you seem in shape, I can tell by the way that you walk and carry yourself, that you could hold yourself in a fight. And you said that you want to help defend people so why didn't you go into law enforcement?"
"That's a complicated answer."
"More complicated than having smallpox, syphilis, and the flu all at the same time?"
"Hey, it was just the flu. My immune system is just a little slow."
This was interesting. When Bruce asked him about his friends, he would put up a wall and become very precise with what he said. Given the opportunity, he changes directions in the conversation and tries to use humor and put himself down to play off the fact that he is paying very close attention to what he is saying. Even when he switches topics quickly Xander knows exactly what he is saying.
"Yes I have noticed that."
"I'm sorry if that is a problem."
"No problem, just don't want you getting me sick."
"I have a tendency to make people sick."
"Self-deprecation is used by those who are stronger than they think."
"Platitudes are used by people with nothing to say."
Bruce was really starting to like this kid. He could tell that all the innuendos and generalizations were annoying Xander. He also was quick witted when someone tried to argue with him. 'I guess there was more missing in those school records than I thought.' He decided to change directions again.
"So Xander, do you usually play verbal judo with everyone that takes you out to dinner?"
"Well this is the first time I had a sugar daddy invite me to dinner, so I'm not sure how to act. Usually I try to take a nice beautiful woman to dinner, but it's been a while so beggars can't be choosers. Why are you making with the small talk?"
There was silence for a while both men trying to size each other up. Xander could dance around the subject all night because there was no way that he would endanger anyone by telling a stranger anything. But he still needed to find out what this man knew. He could tell that Wayne wasn't a fool. Even though it didn't feel like a threat, he had the look of a predator. All of his years on the Hellmouth gave Xander a sense of whether or not people were going after him and his friends, with the possible exception for when they were attractive females that only wanted to kill him. Bruce certainly didn't fit those criteria.
Bruce looked knowingly at Xander. "Xander, most of my life has been spent either in two fashions: either building up my business or trying to help people. I have known people beside me who helped, normal people like you and I. Some were able to fight day to day and not loose themselves, some," Bruce sighed, "were not. The important thing is that they all tried and realized what life was truly about. Xander, when I read your file I saw things that I knew intimately. I lived them. I know all of the signs, the hospital visits, the 'sick days,' the missing people, the broken arms, the scars, the pain, the DEATH. Have you killed anyone yet? It gets to you. Being a vigilante does some good, you save people, but I began to believe that I WAS justice, I believed that that I was above the law. It took me more than half of my life to figure out that while I should do all that I can to save everyone, I am only human."
"Mr. Wayne, with all due respect you don't know the half of what my friends and I do. We fight not because of the people that die or get hurt, but because of the people that live. I have saved and been saved countless times. If you discovered a world underneath your own full of greed and power and evil trying to destroy everything, could you or anyone of YOUR friends turn away? As for killing, I have never, EVER killed another human being." Xander wasn't lying in the seven years he had fought beside the slayer he had never taken a human life. "I CHOSE to lead this life, I WANT to help people. I don't go out looking for fights or anything because I think I am God. I AM only human and that is what gives me the right to help people in any way that I can." For the first time in his life, Xander actually said aloud his reason for fighting. All the pain, and all the death were going to exist regardless of what he did, but he could choose to ignore it or to confront it. It was not his duty, or his privilege to fight against the darkness, but it was his right as a human being.
"Good, I am glad that you are so adamant about it. But things can and will get bloody. If the whole world came down upon making one choice, to either kill an innocent or to let many others die, would you do it? Could you damn an innocent soul to save others?"
Xander almost laughed. He sat up in his seat, looked Bruce Wayne in the eye and for the first time in years the dark knight felt a chill go down his spine. "Like I said, I would do ANYTHING for my friends."
Bruce smiled at Xander. "Then you are exactly who I have been looking for."
Silence
Xander decided to move back into his seat. "I didn't really mean that whole sugar daddy thing. From what I heard a friend of mine, Spike, might be up for something."