Author's Note: A big scene in this chapter was inspired by a scene in lwbush's fic 'Tabula Rasa.' If you want to read that, it's linked in my 'favorite stories' section.

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"So, Faith, this will be your room for as long as you wish it," said Giles.

"You mean I'm not under lock and key?"

"You're not a prisoner, Faith. I am merely providing the use of my spare room because we realized you were likely unable to pay for lodging of your own, and we didn't want you to feel as if you had to make it on your own from the start."

"Thanks, Jeeves. That's real decent of you."

"Yes, well. While it is your room as long as you want, I do imagine you will eventually seek your own apartment. I would believe that living with an old, stuffy, British former librarian is, in fact, not the housing choice most independent young women would make."

"That mean you won't be insulted when I move out?"

"Precisely."

"Got it."

"Now, as to your, um, apparel. . ."

"Please tell me there ain't a dress code."

"No, no, not as such. I was merely inquiring as to the state, or rather the extent, of your wardrobe."

Faith shot him a questioning look.

Giles cleaned his glasses. "Are you in need of any more clothing?"

"Oh. Yeah, I could use some new duds, but it ain't urgent."

"Ah. Well, Xander has laid aside a portion of his recent earnings for your use, and I suggest that might be a responsible use for some of it."

"Right, money for clothes. Got it."

"Excellent. Well. . . it is rather late. If you need anything, I'll be upstairs. Feel free to take from the kitchen as you will."

"Sure thing."

"Well. . . good night."

Faith nodded and Giles walked out of the room.

"Hey, Giles!" she called after a moment, jogging out of the room.

"Yes, Faith?"

"Um. . . look, you didn't have to take me in or nothin'. . . so. . . I kinda. . . well. . ."

Giles smiled at her and nodded. "Of course. You are quite welcome."

"Great. Hey, why was X livin' here anyway? Don't he got a place of his own?"

"That is. . . not my story to tell."

"Right. Okay. Well. . . so long."

"Goodnight," said Giles.

* * * * *

11:45 the next morning.

"Harris!"

"Yeah, Steve?"

"Brunette here to see you. Sexy broad. Don't worry, I won't tell your girlfriend."

Xander rolled his eyes. "Nothing to tell."

Xander put down his saw and walked to the front of the site.

"Faith. Hi. How'd you sleep?"

"Pretty good. That's a comfy bed Jeeves has."

"Yeah, I know. What's up?"

"I'm heading out to go shopping, Giles wanted me to ask if you'd stop by after work. Something about training, I wasn't really paying attention."

Xander laughed. "Yeah. I'll be sure to do that. How are you feeling?"

"A little sore, still. I guess three months of bed rest will do that. I'll be okay."

"Good. You know, Faith, if you want to talk about what happened. . ."

"Yeah. Got it. Hey, when do I get to patrol?"

"Soon. Tomorrow at the latest, probably. I'm warning you though, there's been a serious lack of vamp activity recently."

"Right. Okay, well, I'm out. Thanks for the cash, by the way."

"Just don't blow it. There isn't any more where that came from."

"Right. Catch ya later, Boytoy," Faith said, as she walked away, putting a definite sway in her hips for the men on the site. Numerous whistles and catcalls made their way down from the heights of the building that was being put up.

"Damn, Harris," said Steve as Xander walked back to his work. "You do know how to pick 'em."

Xander shook his head. "Picking has nothing to do with it."

Steve raised an eyebrow at the comment, but said nothing and walked off.

* * * * *

Thirty minutes later

"Harris! Your blonde is here!"

Xander cringed. "Steve, do me a favor. Don't call her my blonde."

"Right. Taking lunch, I assume?"

"Probably."

"Gotcha. One hour."

"Right."

Xander walked to the front of the site, dropping his hardhat off on the way and grabbing a shirt to cover his tank top.

"Heya, Buff."

She looked at him with an expression halfway between amusement and annoyance.

"Your blonde?" she asked.

"Heard that, huh? Yeah. I asked him not to call you that. Don't know if it'll work or not."

"I see."

Xander grinned. "Want to get lunch?"

"Yup," she said, smiling at him and grabbing his hand. "Come on, there's a cute little Italian place that just opened up not far from here."

Xander rested his arm across her shoulders. "Where you lead, I shall follow."

Buffy leaned up and kissed him. "Damn right you will."

* * * * *

Two and a half hours later

"Harris. Man. Another brunette for you."

Xander nodded. "The ex," he said.

Steve glared at him. "She is your ex?" he asked incredulously.

Xander nodded.

"And the blonde is your current?"

Xander nodded.

"So what's the other brunette? Another ex?"

"No," Xander sighed. "She was my. . . first."

"Oh. Damn, man."

Xander shrugged and walked up to the front of the site again.

"Hi, Cordy," he said. Noticing the zebra-striped van behind her, he waved at Oz in the driver's seat. "What's up?"

"Oz has a gig in LA tonight, so he's giving me a ride home. I came around to say bye."

She leaned in for a hug, which he returned.

"It was good seeing you again, Cor," Xander said.

"You too, Xander. You keep in touch. And treat Buffy right, or else you'll have to deal with me."

Xander smiled. "Have a safe trip. Oz is driving, right?"

Cordelia smacked his arm. "Jerk!"

"All right, all right. Bye, Cordy."

"Bye."

Xander watched Cordelia get in the van, and waved as she and Oz drove off.

Xander shook his head and went back to work.

* * * * *

Fifteen minutes later

"What now, Steve?"

"Another blonde. For you. I swear man, how do you do it? Did you not have a redhead, so you made up for it with two of each other color?"

Xander looked at Steve. "I'm real lucky the Boss isn't here today."

"Say that again. This one's older than the rest, but still good lookin'."

Xander's eyes lit up in recognition. "My girlfriend's mother, Steve."

"Your girlfriend comes from good stock, Harris."

Xander shook his head. "Don't I know it."

He walked up to the front of the site, dropping off his hardhat and picking up his shirt again, which he donned before he met Joyce.

"Hey, Mrs. S. How's it going?"

"Hi Xander. I just wanted to drop by to tell you that I've just gotten a phone call at the gallery, and I have to go out of town for a few days to solidify a deal for a new exhibit I hope to be showing soon."

Xander nodded. "Okay. Well, I've still got the key Buffy gave me last year."

"Great," Joyce said. "There's some pasta in the fridge, and we're fully stocked up on sodas."

Xander grinned. "You're the best, Mrs. S."

Joyce smiled at him. "Thank you, Xander."

"Have a safe trip, Mrs. S."

"Of course. I'll see you in a few days."

"Bye."

Xander shook his head again and walked back to his work.

* * * * *

One hour later

"CHRIST!"

Men around the worksite looked towards the sound, then at Xander, who started banging his head on an I-beam.

"Harris."

"Yeah, Steve?"

"Your redhead is here."

"Thanks."

"Harris?"

"She's my best friend, Steve."

"So you've never. . ."

"No. Well, not much. But continue that line of thinking and I will get very unhappy."

Xander walked up to see Willow, and heard from behind him, "What the hell did he mean 'not much'?"

"Hey, Wills. What's up?"

"Xander, why did that man yell when I asked for you?"

"You're not the only person to come see me today, Will."

"Oh. You mean Buffy for lunch and Cordy to say bye?"

"Them. Also Faith to tell me Giles wants to see me after work, and Mrs. Summers to tell me she's leaving town for a few days. The guys got a little jealous."

"Why?"

"What guy wouldn't be? I'm hanging around with five beautiful women. And they're construction workers. Women hanging around the site for one guy. . ."

"Okay. Well, anyway, I'm picking up dinner from Gino's Pizza later for all of us, to bring to Giles's. So give me money."

"Wills, you didn't even ask what I want."

She rolled her eyes. "Xander, you've ordered the same thing every time we go there for the last eight years. A 12" meatball sub, waffle fries, mozzarella sticks and a large Coke, which I won't be getting this time because Giles has drinks."

Xander grinned and pulled a twenty dollar bill from his pocket. "Here you go. That's for Buffy, too."

Willow smiled at him. "Good. I'm keeping the change, for delivery costs and ice cream."

Xander nodded. "See you later, Will."

She waved. "Bye, Xan."

Xander walked back to the where he was working and saw a group of six men standing by, waiting for him.

"Uh. . . hi, guys."

"Harris," Steve said.

"What's up?"

"We've taken a vote."

"Oh. About?"

"You."

"Ah. And?"

"We've decided that we're going to lobby the Boss to make you employee of the week. Not everyday we get women like that visiting."

Xander grinned. "It won't happen often, you know."

"Not often is better than never."

Xander laughed and picked up his nailgun. "I guess so."

"Also, you're taking the rest of the day off. We can't take any more distractions, we're getting behind. So leave. Come back tomorrow, and tell your women to stay away."

"They're not the type to take orders."

Steve grinned. "That's what we're hoping."

Xander smiled, put the nailgun down and ran for the exit. "Later guys!"

* * * * *

"Giles? You here?" Xander yelled as he entered the older man's apartment.

"Just a moment!" Giles yelled back from upstairs.

Xander went into the kitchen and grabbed a Coke from the fridge then sat down at the table.

Giles came down the stairs a minute later muttering about a prophecy and carrying a few books.

"Hey, Giles." Xander said. "Faith said something about training?"

"Xander. Hello." Giles took a deep breath. "I have something I need to tell you."

"Okay."

"The training was just something to tell Faith. What we must discuss is much more important that."

"Okay. Hit me with it."

Giles sighed. "There is no easy way to tell you this, so I'll just come out and say it. Buffy. . . may not be your soul mate."

"WHAT!?" Xander yelled, shooting up from his chair.

"Xander, please, calm down."

"No, I will not calm down! What the hell do you mean she may not be my soul mate? Me White Knight, she Chosen One. It's pretty simple!"

"It is not that simple, Xander. If you would stop and think a moment, you will realize that Buffy is not the only Chosen One."

"I. . ." Xander stopped and frowned. Then he sat down roughly. "What have you read?" he asked softly.

"Nothing certain. It's just, a friend in the Council has sent me a few texts dealing with White Knight lore, and you, it appears, are a special case among the many White Knights. There are quite a few references to the White Knight who deals with two Slayers. Obviously, that is you. Now, it says nothing specifically identifying which Slayer is your soul mate, but there is a passage that references how the truth will come out."

Xander shook his head in disbelief. "Giles, shouldn't the fact that we're in love be enough? I'd die for Buffy."

Giles looked at him. "And would you do less for Faith? Or perhaps Willow? Cordelia? Xander, you care for them all, and by your very nature, you would give yourself to protect them all."

"Shouldn't love be enough?"

"It is my most desperate hope that it is, Xander, I tell you this truthfully. Buffy. . . is like a daughter to me, and you have made her happier than Angel ever did. You have taken away her pain. I hope that it does turn out you are her soul mate. But with the possibility that you are not, I thought it best to tell you about it. To make you aware."

Xander sighed and nodded. "Okay. What does the passage say?"

Giles opened the book he was holding and read.

"'Valued of the Order of White shall be a Companion to the Chosen Two. His title bestowed by the Wayward Soul, it shall be One who grants him his Mantle. Seekers of Redemption aide the White Knight, as he shall be Witness and Mentor to one like himself but lacking. In his Witnessing and Companionship shall his Chosen Two meet their happiness. Only when his Mantle is bestowed, shall he know who is but Companion and who is Completion, for his Other-Half is powerless to name.'"

Xander was quiet for a moment, then spoke. "So, one of them will. . . what, give me a new name, and whoever does. . . isn't my soul mate?"

"It appears that is correct, yes. Have either of them called you something similar to a White Knight?"

Xander shook his head. "No. Buffy pretty much calls me Xan, or Xander, or sweetie, or baby. . ." he trailed off and smiled softly. Then he shook his head. "Yeah. Anyway, Faith calls me either X or Boytoy."

Giles raised his eyebrow at that.

"Pretty much to piss off Buffy, I think."

"Ah. Well. . . I thought you should be aware of the situation. I. . . deemed it best not to tell either of the girls. For Faith, it might get her hopes up. She doesn't even know that all Slayers have a soul mate. For Buffy. . . well, she's so happy right now. I haven't the heart."

Xander nodded. "Okay. I agree, I guess. Thank you, Giles."

"I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about. Not yet, anyway. The way I figure, we let things play out pretty much as they are. And if the time comes that. . . things have to change, well, we'll just deal with it. For now, I'm going to continue assuming that Buffy is the one, because I'm so in love with her it's not even funny."

Giles nodded his assent. "I truly do hope you are right, Xander."

"Me too, Giles." Xander sighed. "Okay. I'm going to go back to the house, take a shower, change, and then I'll meet you guys back here for dinner."

"Right. See you in a little while then."

Xander waved at Giles as he walked out of the apartment and into the street.

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End Chapter 17