After the bomb was completed, Xander walked towards Angel. The souled
vampire saw Xander coming towards him and then he saw the boy stopping, and
staring at him. To his surprise Angel saw Xander taking off his cross,
pulling out a bottle of blessed water and two stakes. Angel saw him tossing
it away, breaking the bottle of water. Xander continued his track towards
Angel and stopped in front of him. He grabbed something out of his pocked:
it was the gun. Angel blinked when he first aimed it, but then gave it him
. . .
"This gun is for real. Faith knows it, so you could say it was an accident." Angel didn't react as Xander continued, explaining. "I know that I have pissed you off, a lot! You know that I don't trust you, not with Buffy and not with Faith. You're a vamp, that's why. However, I know you have tried to save Faith and helped us out at times. You even saved mine life and with that Faith's. I know you're going to LA, trying to do the good thing on your own." He sighed. "It's not something I do easily . . . but, well, it's time to get over our differences and therefor I'm gonna give you my trust . . . for whatever it's worth to you."
The old vampire stared in his eyes, his face and eyes straight as usual, not showing how stunned he was. He shook his head slightly. "I don't know Xander. I know that you had ordered Faith to shoot a poisoned arrow at me," he calmly said to the youth.
Xander eyes widened, not knowing that Angel knew that, and fear began to take control over his body, but he managed to look straight at Angel. "Yes, that is true," he calmly returned.
Angel stared at him for a while and when he noticed that Xander didn't even flinch, he calmly continued. "And that you had lied to Buffy so that she was able to send me to hell . . . with my soul."
Xander gulped as this added to his fears and even more when Angel pressed the trigger slowly. But Xander knew had done the right thing, no matter what others would believe. He had accepted that this would come out anytime and he promised himself that he would face the consequences as a man. "Yes, I did," he replied calmly.
To an astonishing surprise Angel didn't react the way he thought he would do as he spoke respectfully. "Thanks, Xander."
"For what??"
"For what you have done for Buffy . . ."
Xander's eyes widened more.
". . . and for Faith."
Xander's eyes stood wide open as he mentioned Faith. Angel took something out of the pocket of his jacket. Xander looked at it, stunned as he recognized it . . .
. . . The Dagger.
"She told me everything, earlier and the whole story just now, here outside."
Xander looked up from the dagger to Angel and then to the dagger again, completely stunned.
Angel laid a hand on his shoulder. "I am glad she told me. *Now* I can leave to LA, without having to worry too much about Buffy and Faith."
Xander looked up at him again. "Why?" he asked.
"I haven't forgotten what you have done to protect them, the Scoobies, from Angelus and I owe you big for that."
Angel continued, as Xander looked amazed, "You know I love Buffy. She is the only girl I have really loved in my 250 years. I also consider Cordy and Willow as friends. They are the only friends I ever had. I'm not in love with Faith, but she has become a good friend to me too . . . Now don't look so surprised . . . I trust that you'll do everything to protect them." He picked something else out of his pocket and gave it to Xander.
Angel picked out something else out of his pocket and gave it to Xander.
"This is the first copy of my business card," he said as he handed Xander the card.
He looked at it. 'Angel Investigations,' it said. "Call me whenever you need me," Angel told him and then he held the dagger up to him.
"She gave me this to show you that you can trust me," he said while he gave the dagger to him. " Faith has had a lot of shit going on in the last few years. She was never lucky and the Slayer business made it worse. She is scared as hell that she is gonna die horribly. As a Slayer she is supposed to fight a hard and lonely battle all the time without any friendship. She wants to change this. She wants to beloved, to have friends that can support her, that she can trust."
Angel sighed, while Xander let all those words ponder him. Angel continued. "But this is not all, Xander . She has had nightmares of her past she wants to end . . . And most important: she has had nightmares of killing you."
Xander blinked. "Me?"
Angel nodded. "Always with the Dagger. Stabbing you in your guts."
Xander's eyes where wide now. "I . . . I . . . I didn't know . . ." he stuttered.
"That's only one part of it. She really wants to be good and betraying the Mayor is very hard. He has still a very strong influence on her. She is terrified of it. She also knows that you have had nightmares about not surviving the Ascension. "
Xander frowned for a moment. "But . . . but they were about the Snake and me. Faith didn't appear in them."
"That doesn't say a thing, Xander. Dreams are prophetic, and the Mayor isn't defeated yet. He *knows* how to pull the strings. He has a century of experience as an politician. When he wants something he gets it . . . *always*."
Xander thought for while and nodded slowly, very worried.
Angel continued, holding up the Dagger again. "This dagger symbolizes her greatest fears . . . she knows she is still on the narrow path between light and dark and there are times she doesn't give a damn about being good. But your friendship with her gave her the reason to fight it. Therefor friendship is very important for Faith. She needs friends she wants to fight for, will she be able to come through this. "
Xander turned the dagger and looked at it, thinking. He then looked back the vampire and nodded.
"We are friends of the Slayers, they need us both," Angel commented.
He chuckled a bit at Xander's expression and slapped him on his back. "Don't worry. I will always hate working for you, whenever needed."
*****
Faith entered the restaurant. Two big vamp guards were letting her in, showing her deep respect. "Miss Wilkins, welcome back. Please, let me take your coat."
Their respect for her didn't lost their effect on her. It gave her an unwanted feeling of being welcome and proud. A feeling she had never felt before. "Thank you, John, Dan," she returned kindly.
She walked back to the table in the restaurant again.
"Dear Faith, you took your time in the ladies room," the Mayor observed when she returned after a long absense.
"Uh, yeah, uh, I had something to take care of," she tried to excuse herself.
"Oh, Faith, I know you. You just had to try out your new motorcycle. Youth and their new toys, they just can't wait these days and *have* to try out."
Faith looked at him, a bit scared.
The Mayor smiled gently. "It's allright, Faith. I understand. You have a lot to think about. Tomorrow is a tough day, a special day, for both of us. Don't worry, you will handle it."
Faith stared in his kind eyes and sighed as she looked into his gentle eyes as his supportive words reached her heart . . .
*****
Wesley stood in front of the Harris residence and heard some noise coming from the upper floor. Then there's a bang of a door slamming and a shiver runs up Wesley's spine. He still pressed the button and after some loud yelling the door opened.
"Yes?"
"Uh, is Xander at home?" Wesley asked gently, but uncertain.
More yelling from upstairs and Wesley looked very uncomfortable. "That fucking shit of a loser isn't here," he said with loud and drunken tone and continued, "he's probably at the Rosenbergs', with that redheaded girl."
Wesley thanked him with his eyes widened in surprise. Especially when the man added a couple of more words. "I still don't understand how she could befriend a guy who is good for nothing . . ."
Wesley walked away towards Willow's house, his thoughts running back to his own past . . .
*****
At the same time close to the Harris house
Xander ducked under the large arms of a very big vamp with his stake ready.
The vamp grinned at him. "Hey, you gonna taste real good. I love it when the blood is mixed with a huge dose of adrenaline. Gives me a kick, you know. Ooh, I can taste it already," he said while sniffing the air.
"You talk too much," Xander commented as he shot out his stake in the direction of the unprotected upper body. It didn't work as planned as the vamp was way too fast for it and dodge the attack while hitting the stake out of his hand. Xander stood against a wall pinned by the vamp, unarmed. At least to the knowledge of the vamp as Xander's hand reached behind to pull out a second one.
The vamp laughed. "Oh, too bad, boy. I think my dinner is served now. You and that little girl will be on the menu."
The vamp hit Xander hard in the face and vamped out for the bite. Xander rushed out, but the vamp seemed prepared as he barely escaped the stake. "How many stakes do you have with you, boy? This is your fifth already."
Xander looked at the ground and realized it was the last. The two bottles of blessed water laid in pieces on the ground as did his big cross. Time seemed to slow down as raw fear made master of him and he looked back at the grinning face of the vamp. #Oh, shit,# he thought as the vamp pressed him with his hand on his throat against the wall. He saw the sharp teeth of the vamp when he opened his mouth as it came closer, painfully slow. He his mind seemed stuck and couldn't come up with anything when staring in the yellow eyes. He bent through his knees while those eyes came closer, closer and closer. Xander right hand moved over the ground, searching, but couldn't find the stake which he saw earlier. Time was running out as death came closer . . .
Not far away Wesley saw Xander struggling with the deathtrap the vamp had placed him in. It took his attention and he rushed forward, grabbing a stake and a huge cross from the moment he realized the Xander was in big trouble. *And* that he was too late as he never could be in time . . .
"This gun is for real. Faith knows it, so you could say it was an accident." Angel didn't react as Xander continued, explaining. "I know that I have pissed you off, a lot! You know that I don't trust you, not with Buffy and not with Faith. You're a vamp, that's why. However, I know you have tried to save Faith and helped us out at times. You even saved mine life and with that Faith's. I know you're going to LA, trying to do the good thing on your own." He sighed. "It's not something I do easily . . . but, well, it's time to get over our differences and therefor I'm gonna give you my trust . . . for whatever it's worth to you."
The old vampire stared in his eyes, his face and eyes straight as usual, not showing how stunned he was. He shook his head slightly. "I don't know Xander. I know that you had ordered Faith to shoot a poisoned arrow at me," he calmly said to the youth.
Xander eyes widened, not knowing that Angel knew that, and fear began to take control over his body, but he managed to look straight at Angel. "Yes, that is true," he calmly returned.
Angel stared at him for a while and when he noticed that Xander didn't even flinch, he calmly continued. "And that you had lied to Buffy so that she was able to send me to hell . . . with my soul."
Xander gulped as this added to his fears and even more when Angel pressed the trigger slowly. But Xander knew had done the right thing, no matter what others would believe. He had accepted that this would come out anytime and he promised himself that he would face the consequences as a man. "Yes, I did," he replied calmly.
To an astonishing surprise Angel didn't react the way he thought he would do as he spoke respectfully. "Thanks, Xander."
"For what??"
"For what you have done for Buffy . . ."
Xander's eyes widened more.
". . . and for Faith."
Xander's eyes stood wide open as he mentioned Faith. Angel took something out of the pocket of his jacket. Xander looked at it, stunned as he recognized it . . .
. . . The Dagger.
"She told me everything, earlier and the whole story just now, here outside."
Xander looked up from the dagger to Angel and then to the dagger again, completely stunned.
Angel laid a hand on his shoulder. "I am glad she told me. *Now* I can leave to LA, without having to worry too much about Buffy and Faith."
Xander looked up at him again. "Why?" he asked.
"I haven't forgotten what you have done to protect them, the Scoobies, from Angelus and I owe you big for that."
Angel continued, as Xander looked amazed, "You know I love Buffy. She is the only girl I have really loved in my 250 years. I also consider Cordy and Willow as friends. They are the only friends I ever had. I'm not in love with Faith, but she has become a good friend to me too . . . Now don't look so surprised . . . I trust that you'll do everything to protect them." He picked something else out of his pocket and gave it to Xander.
Angel picked out something else out of his pocket and gave it to Xander.
"This is the first copy of my business card," he said as he handed Xander the card.
He looked at it. 'Angel Investigations,' it said. "Call me whenever you need me," Angel told him and then he held the dagger up to him.
"She gave me this to show you that you can trust me," he said while he gave the dagger to him. " Faith has had a lot of shit going on in the last few years. She was never lucky and the Slayer business made it worse. She is scared as hell that she is gonna die horribly. As a Slayer she is supposed to fight a hard and lonely battle all the time without any friendship. She wants to change this. She wants to beloved, to have friends that can support her, that she can trust."
Angel sighed, while Xander let all those words ponder him. Angel continued. "But this is not all, Xander . She has had nightmares of her past she wants to end . . . And most important: she has had nightmares of killing you."
Xander blinked. "Me?"
Angel nodded. "Always with the Dagger. Stabbing you in your guts."
Xander's eyes where wide now. "I . . . I . . . I didn't know . . ." he stuttered.
"That's only one part of it. She really wants to be good and betraying the Mayor is very hard. He has still a very strong influence on her. She is terrified of it. She also knows that you have had nightmares about not surviving the Ascension. "
Xander frowned for a moment. "But . . . but they were about the Snake and me. Faith didn't appear in them."
"That doesn't say a thing, Xander. Dreams are prophetic, and the Mayor isn't defeated yet. He *knows* how to pull the strings. He has a century of experience as an politician. When he wants something he gets it . . . *always*."
Xander thought for while and nodded slowly, very worried.
Angel continued, holding up the Dagger again. "This dagger symbolizes her greatest fears . . . she knows she is still on the narrow path between light and dark and there are times she doesn't give a damn about being good. But your friendship with her gave her the reason to fight it. Therefor friendship is very important for Faith. She needs friends she wants to fight for, will she be able to come through this. "
Xander turned the dagger and looked at it, thinking. He then looked back the vampire and nodded.
"We are friends of the Slayers, they need us both," Angel commented.
He chuckled a bit at Xander's expression and slapped him on his back. "Don't worry. I will always hate working for you, whenever needed."
*****
Faith entered the restaurant. Two big vamp guards were letting her in, showing her deep respect. "Miss Wilkins, welcome back. Please, let me take your coat."
Their respect for her didn't lost their effect on her. It gave her an unwanted feeling of being welcome and proud. A feeling she had never felt before. "Thank you, John, Dan," she returned kindly.
She walked back to the table in the restaurant again.
"Dear Faith, you took your time in the ladies room," the Mayor observed when she returned after a long absense.
"Uh, yeah, uh, I had something to take care of," she tried to excuse herself.
"Oh, Faith, I know you. You just had to try out your new motorcycle. Youth and their new toys, they just can't wait these days and *have* to try out."
Faith looked at him, a bit scared.
The Mayor smiled gently. "It's allright, Faith. I understand. You have a lot to think about. Tomorrow is a tough day, a special day, for both of us. Don't worry, you will handle it."
Faith stared in his kind eyes and sighed as she looked into his gentle eyes as his supportive words reached her heart . . .
*****
Wesley stood in front of the Harris residence and heard some noise coming from the upper floor. Then there's a bang of a door slamming and a shiver runs up Wesley's spine. He still pressed the button and after some loud yelling the door opened.
"Yes?"
"Uh, is Xander at home?" Wesley asked gently, but uncertain.
More yelling from upstairs and Wesley looked very uncomfortable. "That fucking shit of a loser isn't here," he said with loud and drunken tone and continued, "he's probably at the Rosenbergs', with that redheaded girl."
Wesley thanked him with his eyes widened in surprise. Especially when the man added a couple of more words. "I still don't understand how she could befriend a guy who is good for nothing . . ."
Wesley walked away towards Willow's house, his thoughts running back to his own past . . .
*****
At the same time close to the Harris house
Xander ducked under the large arms of a very big vamp with his stake ready.
The vamp grinned at him. "Hey, you gonna taste real good. I love it when the blood is mixed with a huge dose of adrenaline. Gives me a kick, you know. Ooh, I can taste it already," he said while sniffing the air.
"You talk too much," Xander commented as he shot out his stake in the direction of the unprotected upper body. It didn't work as planned as the vamp was way too fast for it and dodge the attack while hitting the stake out of his hand. Xander stood against a wall pinned by the vamp, unarmed. At least to the knowledge of the vamp as Xander's hand reached behind to pull out a second one.
The vamp laughed. "Oh, too bad, boy. I think my dinner is served now. You and that little girl will be on the menu."
The vamp hit Xander hard in the face and vamped out for the bite. Xander rushed out, but the vamp seemed prepared as he barely escaped the stake. "How many stakes do you have with you, boy? This is your fifth already."
Xander looked at the ground and realized it was the last. The two bottles of blessed water laid in pieces on the ground as did his big cross. Time seemed to slow down as raw fear made master of him and he looked back at the grinning face of the vamp. #Oh, shit,# he thought as the vamp pressed him with his hand on his throat against the wall. He saw the sharp teeth of the vamp when he opened his mouth as it came closer, painfully slow. He his mind seemed stuck and couldn't come up with anything when staring in the yellow eyes. He bent through his knees while those eyes came closer, closer and closer. Xander right hand moved over the ground, searching, but couldn't find the stake which he saw earlier. Time was running out as death came closer . . .
Not far away Wesley saw Xander struggling with the deathtrap the vamp had placed him in. It took his attention and he rushed forward, grabbing a stake and a huge cross from the moment he realized the Xander was in big trouble. *And* that he was too late as he never could be in time . . .