TITLE: With great power comes great responsibility (prologue/?)

AUTHOR: Michael Dunbar

RATING: R maybe..

DISTRIBUTION: If you want it just send us an email and its all yours.

DISCLAIMER: I own completely nothing, well except my kickass beast of a computer. woohoooooooo!!!! Oh umm. Joss and UPN own Buffy and Spiderman is owned by Marvel and I own my computer..

FEEDBACK: Please, I like to hear what people think.

SUMMARY: The title pretty much gives the main story arc away, Xander becomes the web slinger of Sunnydale.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

** indicate Thoughts

-------

* Xander's Bedroom * * 5th March 1999 *

The world is a very strange place when you look at it; all the comings and goings of the world tell you that there is more than meets the eye to every single thing that goes on. That meeting one single person can change your entire life in the blink of an eye.

It's a stupid idea but an idea that Xander couldn't help but agree with.

2 year's he had known Buffy now and since that fateful day his life had changed in so many different ways. She is a slayer, one girl in all the world destined to fight the vampires.

Xander been Xander he wouldn't exactly stand by and watch as she was wailed on in a fight. In fact the scars on his body show the opposite, that he was stupid enough to jump into a fight with creatures that are four times as strong as him.

He had never been accused of been smart and to be honest he doubted he ever would. Xander knows he has a protective streak a mile wide and that he wouldn't run from one single fight if his friends were in danger.

That had never changed.

When Xander was in junior high he remembered getting pounded on by 3 bullies because he jumped in to save Jesse. Jesse hadn't gotten hit once because Xander took the brunt of the punishment and he'd do it again for any of his friends any day of the week.

Even thinking the name of his long lost friend upset Xander. He still had pictures of them more innocent times when it was just him, Willow and Jesse but them pictures are kept at the bottom of his wardrobe.

Only at really depressing times does he take them out.

The pictures remind him why he does what he does, why he stands in the dark besides Buffy willingly facing whatever comes. Even a guy with a protective streak occasionally needs reminding.

The picture on his wall of Buffy and Willow rattled slightly against the wall as the door was slammed down stairs signaling that Xander's father was home.

His alarm clock beeped on the bedside table signaling it was 11:30.

Home earlier than usual

Xander was proud of his dad for what position he had acquired; he was only 38 and had managed to snap up the job of editor at the Sunnydale Times.

Xander was proud undoubtedly but he also missed the nights with just him and his dad when they would watch a football game with a few cans.

Coke for him of course

The nights were now far and few between, he was a busy man.

The life of Xander Harris had gained in complexity in the last few years he couldn't deny that. Without the slayer, or slayers since Buffy's rebirth, his only thoughts would have been on finding somebody to go to the prom with.

But now his thoughts are more centered on stuff like "I'll have to whittle a few stakes before I go out patrolling for the undead tonight" Xander's life was undoubtedly very strange.

He still had the normal stuff to deal with as well.

Enter the fluke.

You see even Xander helps to stress up his own life its not just the demons that manage it. He's quite skilled at doing it himself.

Before the fluke it was simple.

He was seeing Cordelia, she wasn't the nicest person but she did have a good side to her and everything was right with the world.

So why did Willow have to turn into a woman before him?

Why did they get changed in the same place for the prom?

Why did they kiss?

From then on his life was even worse than usual.

Getting kidnapped by Spike and been saved by there other respective halves while in mid kiss didn't exactly help neither.

Willow managed to get Oz back, but I guess love is love.

Where as Xander and Cordelia were anything but that, he liked her and he liked her lips but he knew she would never be the one for him.

Cordelia knew too somewhere deep down.

That's why Xander was currently home on a Monday night with nothing to do but watch the ceiling in deep thought.

3 hours he'd been doing it.

A knock at the door interrupted Xander's ceiling watching.

"Hello."

Alex Harris poked his head through the door and smiled at his son "Hey son. Can I come in?"

"Me casa es su casa"

Alex Harris always held himself with a certain dignity around everybody but his son. Ever since Marge had died in child birth it had just been him and the kid and he had tried to be the best father he could. Lately he knew he had been losing that connection with his son that he once held closely to his heart, that they were growing distant from one another.

Thus the plan to enter Xander into his world came into his mind a few days ago.

He didn't look his 38 years, he had graying hair but it seemed like he had always had it. Without it he wouldn't be Alex Harris, it was a part of who he was.

The grey editor they called him, a dig at his hair and his morals. In the newspaper business you had to be tough on everyone including yourself.

"I was wondering.. "

Xander knew his father wanted something, he could always tell.

So could Alex when his son wanted something.

It was a two way system.

Xander decided to get to the point straight away, beating around the bush wasn't Xander's style in any type of conversation "What do you want dad?"

He put a little humor into his voice so his dad knew he wasn't been harsh with him.

"Well since you took that photography class last summer I was wondering if you'd like to take some photographs for the paper. Of course you'll be on the payroll I'm no slouch with the wages"

"Sure.."

Alex wasn't expecting such a quick decision but he dumbly nodded then turned to leave before turning back as he reached the door "Its.. Tomorrow. 7pm at the old College's lecture theatre. Some science thing that would interest a few nerds. Willow would like it."

Xander had to smile at that, she probably would.

"Wear the tux I bought you last year when we went to William Fisk's dinner party, it's a proper do. You'll have to pick the camera up from the paper before you. I'll be in the foyer waiting. don't be late"

Alex closed the door with a smile on his face. He could spend some time with his son and do some work even if it was at a nerds convention outing.

He hadn't taken photos in a while but he was sure he remembered how. It was the first thing that ever came real easy to Xander. He was told by his tutor Mr. Jones that he had a knack for spotting a good opportunity.

That's all Xander had done last summer, just take photographs.

The act of finding beauty in nature and photographing it for the world and history to see somehow managed to keep Xander grounded. That was the summer Buffy had ran off without a moments pause, he was worried for her the entire summer as was everybody.

Photography helped a lot

He could take a few photographs; it would be less hassle than finding something to do. Willow and Oz would be busy, the watchers would be doing watchery things and the slayers would most likely probably be slaying or at least training.

There was the idea of watching the two train but he was sure they would object to it.

*Maybe I could hang out with Angel*

Xander fell off the bed in laughter

-------- * 6th March 1999" * 8:00 AM *

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

The alarm shrilled at Xander's bedside like some high pitched banshee and Xander silenced it with a well placed hand.

Xander got into his usual routine.

Shower

Dress

Pick up school bag

Grab a twinkie from the fridge on the way out of the front door.

Head to Willow's house

Up the road, across the street and through an alley further and he arrived at the green front door of the Rosenberg's. Gently rapping on the door a noise could be heard on the other side as its pulled open to show Mrs Rosenberg's smiling but confused looking face.

"Hi Xander, How are you?"

"I'm fine Mrs R.. Is Willow there?"

"Well she left a few minutes ago." Mrs Rosenberg looked puzzled and adds "I thought it was with you as usual"

"Must have been Oz" Xander said and managed to look Mrs Rosenberg in the eyes "It's okay, she probably told me at one point."

Mrs Rosenberg closed the door leaving Xander stunned on the door step.

*She walked to school without me*

Ever since they were 11 they had walked to school together, it was a daily ritual. He would eat a twinkie and insult her and she would smile and take it.

It always happened, that had never changed.

Somewhere, sometime in the last year it had changed and the world just hadn't told Xander. If there was one thing he wanted to take back in the whole world it was the illicit smoochies that he had with his best friend just so his life could go back to whatever passed for normal in a Scooby's life.

Willow and Xander not walking to school together was in crazy land territory.

Time passed as Xander contemplated a world where Willow and Xander weren't the kind of friends that he thought they were.

It was a world he never wanted to know.

He walked slowly, not really caring about whether he would make it to school on time or not.

Xander was more in shock than anything else; his whole world had turned upside down in less than a few weeks.

He hated Sunnydale.

School loomed before him and he walked slowly up the stairs and into the ugly building that took up most of his time each day.

"Mr HARRIS"

Xander looked up from the floor for one of the first times since he'd left Willow's house and he gulped.

Principal Snyder was stood in front of him.

*The little Nazi*