Ordinary Men
By: BoxerMan
I dedicate this story to my fiancée who puts up with all of the crap I put her through.
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.
A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I just got back from New York. So this chapter will be a little longer. Ok, to respond to some feedback. I am very happy that someone finally gave some constructive criticism. Being praised and loved just doesn't do it for me. I am a glutton for punishment. I was worried about keeping the present tense (used in dialog only) and past tense (when referring to actions and events not in dialog) separate. When I wrote the first chapter, I mainly used Xander's perspective so that I could keep Bruce's identity secret (sorry, bad joke) until the end, but I never used first person in the formal sense. In the latter chapters I kept on switching views because I was trying to capture both of their views on the conversations. I knew that it might get confusing to some people. But I felt that it was the way to go. As for their conversations, I don't know. Whenever I write something, if I look at it a couple of days later, I hate it and think it sucks. In the comics and somewhat in the ::shudder:: movies, Batman has a sharp sense of wit and has a mildly sarcastic sense of humor. In 'Buffy,' Xander is incredibly sarcastic and pretty intelligent (well I think so), but doesn't really get a chance to show it. I tried to balance each other out but I might have missed the marks in some sections. I will go back and try to make it clearer in case other people feel the same. And to everyone else who simply told me how great I am, well keep on doing it.
A/N2: Also, who said that Bruce doesn't know about vampires? He could just be surprised that they were in Sunnydale.
A/N3: I heard some of what happened, on the past couple of episodes, so consider this part an AU after "Dirty Girls." Xander didn't come home in "Empty Places," but only after the bomb had went off in the Summer's house.
/////////////////////// 1630 Revello Drive,
Many things that lived in Sunnydale came out at night. Some came out to feed, some came to plot and kill, some came out to defend the night, and some came simply to enjoy the dark night sky. None of them were near 1630 Revello Drive, except for one lone figure. A house that withstood evil mask possessions, resurrections, full frontal attacks, demons, vampires, twenty teenage girls, and everything else that had been thrown at it was reduced to ashes. Xander sat on the lawn in front of the remains. He was too late. He knew that the First wasn't playing by the rules, that it would sooner or later use technology; guns, bombs, nerve gas, with the new big bad everything was fair game. He had only hoped that everyone got out alive. "Quit kidding yourself," he said aloud. It was a Tuesday; nothing for the last seven years had EVER gone right on a Tuesday.
He stood up and started to walk back to the car. He had to get his emotions in line. Maybe if he lived, he'd mourn, but for now, he had to make sure that the First would pay. He knew that it was suicide, but hell, out with the old and in with the new. The battle was an ongoing one, players on both sides were continuously getting mowed down and replaced. A new slayer would be called, maybe even two. He wasn't anyone special. Even with two eyes he had barely made a difference. If he went down, someone would step up. He knew that all over the world, hundreds and thousands of different groups, human and demon were trying to take over or kill the world, but it hadn't ended yet. If one side gained the upper hand, the other side raises the bar. He stopped and looked back at the house. 'No' he thought. He was going to be damned if the First gained one more inch. He had lived far too long, survived far too much, and lost far too many to go down like that. He was the last Scooby left. And he was going to make sure that those assholes knew it. Xander stared at the quiet hole that had been the Summers' residence. It was more of a home than his house had even been.
------------------------- (Flashback)
The first slayer looked at Xander. "You will be the last of your line."
-----------------------(End Flashback)
'So be it.'
He walked up to his car and started to get his keys out of his pocket.
A figure walked out of the darkness. It was a man in a gray and black costume with a black cape. On his chest was a circle with pointed ears and what looked like a wing. "I finally figured out exactly what was going on in this 'nice' little town."
Xander stared in disbelief, and then laughed. "You have GOT to be kidding me."
The figure was not amused. Before Xander could react, he ran up to him, grabbed his left arm by the elbow and wrist and effortlessly flipped him over his back onto the grass.
Xander wasn't happy. If he had been able to see the man before he came up on his left side, he would have been able to counter. And he could have sworn that he saw that move before. "That wasn't fair, I couldn't see you."
"You think that vampire or demons care that you lost an eye? You think that they'll only come from your right side? They don't care; they'll exploit every advantage they can get. And you know it. So quit acting like you don't know what is going on."
"Just let me up, will ya?"
The man let go of Xander and watched as he stood up. "Come now Xander, how can you expect to make a difference if you don't believe in yourself?"
Xander lost it and shouted, "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? Everyone that I have ever cared about is probably either in the coroner's office or buried under THAT. I'm going to get those bastards and make them pay. I don't care what you have to say, but you can go fuck yourself for all I care."
The man stood still and looked at him. He knew that the drugs and painkillers that Xander was on should have kept him disoriented and weak. In the very least he shouldn't have been able to make the journey from the hospital to the house without falling asleep. It should have been nearly impossible for him to be able to try to fight off anyone as he had earlier. He could tell that although his body was still adjusting to loosing an eye, he was still coordinated and strong. He spoke. "You haven't been taking your medication have you?"
Xander was so surprised by the question that he answered in true Xander form. "Does Advil® count?"
"No."
"Then no." Xander didn't like taking the meds. The First didn't pull any punches. He needed the pain and the fear to keep alive. He could beat the First, he just knew he could, and after everything that had happened, he had to.
The man walked towards the ruins of the house, but didn't look at him. "Believe it or not, but I've fought some demons in my time. I actually knew a slayer or two. I have been in this game for a long time Xander, and I know how hard it is to fight the darkness. Sometimes there is so much evil out there that you don't think about the others. It has been a couple of years since I have gone against the demon variety; usually I stick to the human kind."
The stranger came up to Xander's face and he could see that behind the mask there was a pair of human eyes, full of both pain and strength.
"I've been looking at you for some time, Xander; first with a slight curiosity, then with some respect. And you are right. It IS hard to take yourself seriously when you deal with 'imaginary things.' It is even harder to keep a line between the monsters you fight and the monster that you can become. And it is unbearable when you lose people to the darkness. But would you walk away?"
Xander thought for a second. If it were last year or even early last week, he would never have hesitated. Losing his eye was traumatic; losing the Scoobies destroyed what little faith he had in 'justice'. He had adjusted a lot physically, but mentally he didn't know what type of state he was in. Was he staying because it was the right thing to do or because it was the only thing he knew? Either way, the answer was the same. "No."
The man looked at him with a stoically. "If you didn't hesitate, I would think you were crazy."
Xander smiled for the first time since the attack. "I fight demons and vampires while building the high school that sits over the Hellmouth in suburban California. I just lost probably everyone I ever knew and cared about in that crater. I want to take on the First Evil and a guy dressed like a priest that jabbed out my eye. I AM nuts."
The man smiled at him, then looked towards the street and held out his right arm.
**BEEP BEEP**
Xander heard a set of tires squealing. He whipped around to see a long, sleek, black car pull up to the curb a couple feet away. The front half of the roof slid forward with a whoosh. The man gestured to the car and said, "Get in."
Xander stood with his mouth open. That car was the coolest thing he had ever seen. And Xander had once seen Faith naked.
The man got impatient. "Get in the damn car Xander."
""Wait a minute now, I am NOT getting in a car with a guy who looks like__" Xander held up his hands and took a step back remembering the last time he had insulted the stranger. "__he is very intelligent and strong."
"I promise I wont bite."
"For some reason that isn't helping me."
The man, once again, was not amused. But before he could say anything he saw figures surrounding them. "Vampires."
Xander saw the advancing group and saw the vampires weren't alone. He quickly got out two of his stakes that he always kept on him and threw one to the stranger. The man caught the stake with one hand and looked at it with a smile. "No thanks, I came prepared." The man lowered his other hand, took three tiny metallic shaped balls from his belt and threw them towards the attackers.
The three spheres bounced on the ground and rolled towards the vampires. Just as the group reached them, they released a cloud of greenish white gas. The vampires screamed as their skin came in contact with the gas and started to bubble and melt before they erupted into flames.
The man then turned towards Xander and explained "Holy water/garlic cocktail with a little 'kick' to help jumpstart the fire."
Even before he became a soldier for a night, Xander had wondered how effective a weapon like that would work on vampires. "Isn't that expensive?"
The man smiled. "Yes it is."
Although the gas was extremely effective against the vampires, the five bringers were unfazed. Xander looked at the stranger as the both took a fighting stance. It seemed so familiar. He turned to face his attackers. As the bringers came closer into view, he whispered to himself, "Didn't these guys have guns?"
'Click' 'Click' 'Click' 'Click' 'Click'
"Damn."
I dedicate this story to my fiancée who puts up with all of the crap I put her through.
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.
A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I just got back from New York. So this chapter will be a little longer. Ok, to respond to some feedback. I am very happy that someone finally gave some constructive criticism. Being praised and loved just doesn't do it for me. I am a glutton for punishment. I was worried about keeping the present tense (used in dialog only) and past tense (when referring to actions and events not in dialog) separate. When I wrote the first chapter, I mainly used Xander's perspective so that I could keep Bruce's identity secret (sorry, bad joke) until the end, but I never used first person in the formal sense. In the latter chapters I kept on switching views because I was trying to capture both of their views on the conversations. I knew that it might get confusing to some people. But I felt that it was the way to go. As for their conversations, I don't know. Whenever I write something, if I look at it a couple of days later, I hate it and think it sucks. In the comics and somewhat in the ::shudder:: movies, Batman has a sharp sense of wit and has a mildly sarcastic sense of humor. In 'Buffy,' Xander is incredibly sarcastic and pretty intelligent (well I think so), but doesn't really get a chance to show it. I tried to balance each other out but I might have missed the marks in some sections. I will go back and try to make it clearer in case other people feel the same. And to everyone else who simply told me how great I am, well keep on doing it.
A/N2: Also, who said that Bruce doesn't know about vampires? He could just be surprised that they were in Sunnydale.
A/N3: I heard some of what happened, on the past couple of episodes, so consider this part an AU after "Dirty Girls." Xander didn't come home in "Empty Places," but only after the bomb had went off in the Summer's house.
/////////////////////// 1630 Revello Drive,
Many things that lived in Sunnydale came out at night. Some came out to feed, some came to plot and kill, some came out to defend the night, and some came simply to enjoy the dark night sky. None of them were near 1630 Revello Drive, except for one lone figure. A house that withstood evil mask possessions, resurrections, full frontal attacks, demons, vampires, twenty teenage girls, and everything else that had been thrown at it was reduced to ashes. Xander sat on the lawn in front of the remains. He was too late. He knew that the First wasn't playing by the rules, that it would sooner or later use technology; guns, bombs, nerve gas, with the new big bad everything was fair game. He had only hoped that everyone got out alive. "Quit kidding yourself," he said aloud. It was a Tuesday; nothing for the last seven years had EVER gone right on a Tuesday.
He stood up and started to walk back to the car. He had to get his emotions in line. Maybe if he lived, he'd mourn, but for now, he had to make sure that the First would pay. He knew that it was suicide, but hell, out with the old and in with the new. The battle was an ongoing one, players on both sides were continuously getting mowed down and replaced. A new slayer would be called, maybe even two. He wasn't anyone special. Even with two eyes he had barely made a difference. If he went down, someone would step up. He knew that all over the world, hundreds and thousands of different groups, human and demon were trying to take over or kill the world, but it hadn't ended yet. If one side gained the upper hand, the other side raises the bar. He stopped and looked back at the house. 'No' he thought. He was going to be damned if the First gained one more inch. He had lived far too long, survived far too much, and lost far too many to go down like that. He was the last Scooby left. And he was going to make sure that those assholes knew it. Xander stared at the quiet hole that had been the Summers' residence. It was more of a home than his house had even been.
------------------------- (Flashback)
The first slayer looked at Xander. "You will be the last of your line."
-----------------------(End Flashback)
'So be it.'
He walked up to his car and started to get his keys out of his pocket.
A figure walked out of the darkness. It was a man in a gray and black costume with a black cape. On his chest was a circle with pointed ears and what looked like a wing. "I finally figured out exactly what was going on in this 'nice' little town."
Xander stared in disbelief, and then laughed. "You have GOT to be kidding me."
The figure was not amused. Before Xander could react, he ran up to him, grabbed his left arm by the elbow and wrist and effortlessly flipped him over his back onto the grass.
Xander wasn't happy. If he had been able to see the man before he came up on his left side, he would have been able to counter. And he could have sworn that he saw that move before. "That wasn't fair, I couldn't see you."
"You think that vampire or demons care that you lost an eye? You think that they'll only come from your right side? They don't care; they'll exploit every advantage they can get. And you know it. So quit acting like you don't know what is going on."
"Just let me up, will ya?"
The man let go of Xander and watched as he stood up. "Come now Xander, how can you expect to make a difference if you don't believe in yourself?"
Xander lost it and shouted, "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? Everyone that I have ever cared about is probably either in the coroner's office or buried under THAT. I'm going to get those bastards and make them pay. I don't care what you have to say, but you can go fuck yourself for all I care."
The man stood still and looked at him. He knew that the drugs and painkillers that Xander was on should have kept him disoriented and weak. In the very least he shouldn't have been able to make the journey from the hospital to the house without falling asleep. It should have been nearly impossible for him to be able to try to fight off anyone as he had earlier. He could tell that although his body was still adjusting to loosing an eye, he was still coordinated and strong. He spoke. "You haven't been taking your medication have you?"
Xander was so surprised by the question that he answered in true Xander form. "Does Advil® count?"
"No."
"Then no." Xander didn't like taking the meds. The First didn't pull any punches. He needed the pain and the fear to keep alive. He could beat the First, he just knew he could, and after everything that had happened, he had to.
The man walked towards the ruins of the house, but didn't look at him. "Believe it or not, but I've fought some demons in my time. I actually knew a slayer or two. I have been in this game for a long time Xander, and I know how hard it is to fight the darkness. Sometimes there is so much evil out there that you don't think about the others. It has been a couple of years since I have gone against the demon variety; usually I stick to the human kind."
The stranger came up to Xander's face and he could see that behind the mask there was a pair of human eyes, full of both pain and strength.
"I've been looking at you for some time, Xander; first with a slight curiosity, then with some respect. And you are right. It IS hard to take yourself seriously when you deal with 'imaginary things.' It is even harder to keep a line between the monsters you fight and the monster that you can become. And it is unbearable when you lose people to the darkness. But would you walk away?"
Xander thought for a second. If it were last year or even early last week, he would never have hesitated. Losing his eye was traumatic; losing the Scoobies destroyed what little faith he had in 'justice'. He had adjusted a lot physically, but mentally he didn't know what type of state he was in. Was he staying because it was the right thing to do or because it was the only thing he knew? Either way, the answer was the same. "No."
The man looked at him with a stoically. "If you didn't hesitate, I would think you were crazy."
Xander smiled for the first time since the attack. "I fight demons and vampires while building the high school that sits over the Hellmouth in suburban California. I just lost probably everyone I ever knew and cared about in that crater. I want to take on the First Evil and a guy dressed like a priest that jabbed out my eye. I AM nuts."
The man smiled at him, then looked towards the street and held out his right arm.
**BEEP BEEP**
Xander heard a set of tires squealing. He whipped around to see a long, sleek, black car pull up to the curb a couple feet away. The front half of the roof slid forward with a whoosh. The man gestured to the car and said, "Get in."
Xander stood with his mouth open. That car was the coolest thing he had ever seen. And Xander had once seen Faith naked.
The man got impatient. "Get in the damn car Xander."
""Wait a minute now, I am NOT getting in a car with a guy who looks like__" Xander held up his hands and took a step back remembering the last time he had insulted the stranger. "__he is very intelligent and strong."
"I promise I wont bite."
"For some reason that isn't helping me."
The man, once again, was not amused. But before he could say anything he saw figures surrounding them. "Vampires."
Xander saw the advancing group and saw the vampires weren't alone. He quickly got out two of his stakes that he always kept on him and threw one to the stranger. The man caught the stake with one hand and looked at it with a smile. "No thanks, I came prepared." The man lowered his other hand, took three tiny metallic shaped balls from his belt and threw them towards the attackers.
The three spheres bounced on the ground and rolled towards the vampires. Just as the group reached them, they released a cloud of greenish white gas. The vampires screamed as their skin came in contact with the gas and started to bubble and melt before they erupted into flames.
The man then turned towards Xander and explained "Holy water/garlic cocktail with a little 'kick' to help jumpstart the fire."
Even before he became a soldier for a night, Xander had wondered how effective a weapon like that would work on vampires. "Isn't that expensive?"
The man smiled. "Yes it is."
Although the gas was extremely effective against the vampires, the five bringers were unfazed. Xander looked at the stranger as the both took a fighting stance. It seemed so familiar. He turned to face his attackers. As the bringers came closer into view, he whispered to himself, "Didn't these guys have guns?"
'Click' 'Click' 'Click' 'Click' 'Click'
"Damn."