A/N: I've played around with S2 canon here guys.

Two Slayers 4B

Faith watched as her Watcher stepped forward, the kinky bastard had nerve she had to give him that. "We're not your enemies," he said. "My companions and I represent the Watchers' Council -."

A quarrel thudded into the ground between the feet of her Watcher, silencing him. A tall, brown-haired kid maybe a couple of years her senior with a decent build and hard but good-looking features, began climbing down the ramp-way above them. "We're aware of who you are," the boy stated. "Question is where the hell you've been for the past eighteen months?"

"Mr. Trick, you had some experience of the Slayer Faith back in Boston I believe?"

Trick swallowed nervously as he glanced around the hall. In theory, he was second only in power to the vampire by his side, he was one hundred and sixty years old to Angelus' 240, no other vamp here was more than a century old. In theory.

But no vampire he'd ever met could match the combination of Giles' magical skills, fighting ability, demonology knowledge, and organisational flair. And no vampire could match the turned Slayer for ferocity in battle – not even his now deceased 1,000 year old sire. Finally he nodded. "I do sir."

"Excellent," Trick wasn't fooled for one second by Giles' genial-seeming smile. "Then why don't you tell me about her?"

"Yeah, sure." Trick paused for a second to get his thoughts together. "Me and Big K had held down Boston before since the Second World War, sweet as anything. Then in May '98, she was called. K had taken down five Slayers before her and I'd seen him kill two, but she was different, wilder-."

"But not as good as my Buffy," Giles commented, his hand sliding up the mini-skirted blonde's leg.

"No, of-course not." Trick swallowed. Damn these guys were crazier than a bagful of monkeys. What had he got himself into? "The big guy lost a ton of vampires fighting her, she was real tough, but eventually we caught her and her Watcher. By this time, the boss was real pissed, so he took his time torturing the girl's Watcher. Knives, hammers, acid, cattle-prods, blow-torches, whips, boiling water, ice, - she took days to die and the girl was made to watch it all. When the Watcher died, K decided to tell the girl what he'd got planned for her, but the girl snapped, went loco, broke her chains, killed about ten vamps and the boss. She's one scary bitch."

"But you escaped," Giles commented. Trick nodded. "And when you fled, you came here?" he nodded again. "And you began working for the Mayor. But when we took over and dealt with dear Dickie Wilkins, you came over to our side, correct?" he nodded for a third time. The English vampire shook his head. "Two bosses deserted in their hour of need, how dreadfully remiss of you." Suddenly the former Watcher's eyes gleamed golden. "Don't go for a third. Otherwise," Giles glanced at the blonde stood beside him, "Buffy will have a new toy to play with. And she's so eager to see how much it takes to break a vampire. Understand?" Too frightened to speak, he nodded. "Good, now get out of my sight."

As he left, his elbow was grabbed by Angelus. "Come with me," the older vampire ordered in a tone that brooked no argument.

Zabuto stepped forward, his heart racing. He realised that these youths must be the resistance, and the youth before him, the now near-legendary Alexander Harris. "Mr. Harris-."

"Call me Alex," the teen growled.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Nobody calls me Mr. Harris, Mr. Harris is my father and the town drunk. My friends call me Xander, but they're mostly dead, thanks to the fucking Council. You can call me Alex," his blood chilled as the boy raised his pistol crossbow and pointed at his chest. "Now talk. And fast."

Zabuto swallowed, from the youth's tone and expression he was on the edge, months of leading a losing battle against the creatures of the night forcing him to the edge. "Alex, why don't you tell me what's been going on here?"

The youth raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think you're in any position to ask any questions."

Sensing Kendra tense beside him, he placed a calming hand on her shoulder. He was surprised to see the Bostonian Slayer stay calm – although perhaps her reputed days on the street had taught her the value of picking your fights. "Alex, as our host surely you'd do us the courtesy of filling us in on what's been going on. After all, as guests we can hardly be expected to know which places to avoid?"

The boy smiled unwillingly. "You've got balls, I'll give you that. Okay, this is how it all started-."

"Damn those blithering idiots!"

Xander watched in concern when his surrogate father flung his phone off the desk and into the wall. After a second he'd gathered enough courage to speak. "What's up G-M, Giles?"

Giles looked up from his glowering at the desk, suddenly aware of his presence. "Oh Xander, I'm sorry you saw," the Englishman's glance dropped to the smashed phone, "that. Most unseemly."

"Not a problem," he'd seen, experienced, far worse at his own home. "What the problem Giles?"

"I rang the Council, requesting the assistance of Kendra."

Xander half-smiled, he remembered the dark-skinned beauty's first visit, he wouldn't mind seeing her again. "When she's coming?"

"She isn't."

"What?" Xander couldn't believe it. "But didn't you explain about Buffy not being able to kill Ang-," his voice trailed off at Giles' guilty look. "You didn't! Why not?"

"Because if I told them, we'd more than likely get a visit from the Council Wet-works team."

"Good, it's not been raining much this-," Xander shut up as soldier boy's memories kicked in. "They wouldn't!"

"They would," Giles retorted. "The question is-."

The Watcher was interrupted from a shout from the outer library. "Giles! Giles!"

"Oh bloody hell," Giles muttered, "you'd think it was a pigging rock concert and not a library. Shall we?"

Zabuto exchanged a troubled look with Kendra. "We never told of your request, Alex." If he remembered correctly it had been about the time his Slayer had been captured by a group of zombies and they'd magically killed her in preparation for a ritual that would have resulted in a Slayer- Zombie. He'd magically disrupted the ceremony, resulting in Kendra being called back to life but that had been enough to call forth Faith.

The youth looked nonplussed. "Oh." After a second he continued. "Anyway- ."

He followed the Watcher out into the library to see Willow and Buffy stood in the centre of the library floor, their faces excited as they poured over the sheets of paper before them. Xander shook his head in puzzlement. He'd never seen Buffy that animated over schoolwork before.

At their entrance, Buffy looked up, her cheeks glowing. "Willow's found it! The spell to give Angel his soul back!"

Xander looked at Giles' paling face. Realising the Watcher was too stunned to react, he let out a shout. "Oh no way!" he half-snarled. "There is no fucking way that bastard is getting his soul back! After all he did to us! To Giles!"

"Xander," Giles' voice was strained but with that note of steel Xander knew the Englishman only used when he was determined to get his way. "In the inner office now."

Sighing slightly, he allowed the Watcher to herd him into the small room. "G-Man, you can't agree with this!"

"Xander," the Englishman sighed wearily before slumping onto the edge of his desk, looking much older than his early-forties. "Of course not-."

"Well then, tell her!" Xander interrupted.

"Xander," the librarian's voice firmed some more. "We have to, and I hate to use a yank term, 'play the percentages'." The Englishman sighed at his puzzled expression. "Xander, we both accepted that Buffy isn't up to dealing with Angelus." He nodded unwillingly. "This acts as our safety net, if she can't handle Angelus we can ensoul him. Problem solved."

"But Miss Cale-."

"Was trying to ensoul Angelus when she was killed," Giles interrupted. "Please, for me."

"And if they succeed?" Xander asked. "What about Angel?"

Giles' face tightened. "We deal with him when that comes. Regardless of what Buffy thinks it will be made clear that he is most unwelcome in Sunnydale."

"But we don't say anything until afterwards?" Giles nodded. Xander nodded, it wasn't what he wanted completely but it would do. "That's the sort of plan I can get behind." At least he'd never have to see that cold-hearted bastard again.

"Oh look at the Slayer's loyal little sheep."

Xander's blood chilled at Dru's all-too familiar tone. Exchanging a shocked look with Giles, he leapt to his feet and drew his stake. "Hi Dru, long time no see," he tried but failed to put a jaunty note into his voice. "Come to take me up and that offer of a coffee date?" he added without much hope.

Dru's giggle reminded him just how looney tunes she was. "Oh sweet little kitten with his love spells, made me feel oh soppy he did." His heart sank when the insane vampire vamped out. "Made Daddy so angry with me." Dru turned to the half a dozen vampires behind her. "Don't kill them, Daddy wants to play."

Xander looked at Giles and then Oz, both men nodded. Giles glanced over his shoulder at Cordy and Willow. "Run!" the Englishman bellowed. "We'll hold them off!"

"Get them!"

The vampires charged forward at Drusilla's screech. Xander leapt forward to meet the first, feinting with his left before slamming the stake into his opponent's chest. Even as the vampire exploded in dust, Xander's world exploded in pain as something impossibly powerful crashed into his forehead. The last thing he heard as his knees buckled and he crashed onto the ground was Drusilla's mocking laughter.

"Oh shit," Xander groaned as he forced his eyes to open as far they could. His heart sank at the figure stood over him. "Oh shit," he repeated his earlier curse.

"Hello Xander," Angelus beamed down at him. "It's always an ordeal to hear from you. I hope you've enjoyed the past day's activities."

Xander winced as he remembered the periodic beatings. "The dancing girls weren't the best and the refreshments -."

He was interrupted by Angelus' rich laughter. "Always the comedian Xander, I like that about you I really do. If you weren't so irritating I'd keep you around, sort of as a court jester. But," the Irish vampire sighed. "The one thing both Angel and I agree on. The only actually, is you have to go. You see I never intended for Acathla to rise, it was all a trap you fell so neatly into. Giles I turned for his brains and Buffy for her fighting skills. When I get my hands on Cordy," Angel beamed. "Well I'm afraid Buffy's going to have to learn how to share. Willow, as long as she passes a test, will be very handy, what with her magical ability. Girl has serious potential. But you," Angelus shook his head. "I'm afraid you're a liability."

"But," the vampire stepped back, "Liam was always a sporting man, one for a wager. And I suppose in that respect I've never changed. My boys and I are going to leave once my new childe," Xander followed Angelus' gaze to a small body in the corner, "rises. If you can kill my new fledging, no vampire will be able to touch you until tomorrow night. A whole day's head start."

Xander hid a smile, he'd killed more than a few fledgings in the past two years, he could handle this. He watched as the Master vampire moved to the room's doorway. "Do I get a stake?"

Angelus casually tossed him one before smiling. "You sure do Xan," the vampire mocked. "Oh and good luck with," the demon turned towards the now wakening vampire, "Willow."

Xander's heart froze as he looked over to see his best friend's undead body rising. Scrambling to his feet, he raised his stake in a trembling hand. "Will," he croaked.

He wasn't dumb, he knew that this wasn't his friend, this was a demon, but to see the vampire advancing on him , wearing the face of his buddy since kindergarten.

Just like Jesse.

That thought hit him like a sledge-hammer, shocking him to a stillness that wasn't ended until the red-headed vampire crashed a fist into his jaw, flinging him backwards into the wall. Dazed, he could only watch as the vampire shot out an arm, grabbed him by the neck and flung him to the other side of the small room. "Blood."

Xander realised with a jolt that the demon was so insane with blood-lust, she didn't even recognise him. His senses slowly returning, he looked around for his stake. His heart sunk as he caught sight of it at the other side of the room.

Suddenly Willow began to turn towards the doorway behind her, her mouth opening in shock and then she exploded into dust. "Let's get out of her Dweeb Boy!"

His mouth dropped open at the sight of Cordelia stood in the doorway. "How?"

His friend's eyes shadowed. "Two vampires at the back of the library. I staked mine, Willow didn't. By the time I realised she'd been grabbed it was too late, I came back. Saw them bring you here, waited until they left."

"And since May '97, sixteen damn months ago!" Xander's tone was low and the glint in his eyes, dangerous. "I've been running what resistance I could, trying to keep things under control. And finally the Council deign to join us. We're so honoured."

Zabuto chose to ignore the boy's sarcastic tone, judging his anger as warranted. "How do you manage to keep this organisation going?"

"Dumb luck," the youth growled, his eyes bitter. "You heard of Ethan Rayne?" Zabuto nodded, Rayne and Giles had been 1st years together at the Watcher's Academy, both had gone off the rails, Rayne had never returned to their side. "Guy did a spell Halloween '97, turned me into some sort of special forces soldier for a while. After the possession wore off I lost the skills but I've still got the memories and experience of tactics and strategy."

Zabuto blinked, what the boy said was impressive. There were few men twice his age who could have achieved what the young man had done. "You have done well," he praised.

The young man shrugged. "We've had a few lucky breaks, their attention hasn't been wholly on us. Before she was turned Buffy killed Dru and Spike, thinning Angelus' family of master vampires for us, Dracula came and tried to over-run them, he failed," Zabuto nodded, he heard of the war, Dracula proclaiming his right as oldest living vampire and being killed by Buffy. "Then there was the Mayor who turned out to be some sort of demon- worshipper. They crucified him on the face of the town clock. And then there was Giles' coup-."

"Yes how did that come about?" Zabuto glanced at the Englishman by his side. There was something about the younger Watcher that made his skin crawl. There were rumours about his father, Roger Whnydham-Pryce, and having met the son he believed every one of them. He suspected, he glanced at the east coast Slayer and shook his head, none of his business.

"We think," a short youth replied, "that Giles did a black arts ritual that reversed the Sire-Childe link, making him in charge of the most powerful vampire, Buffy, and supplanting Angelus as leader."

Zabuto smiled unwillingly. One had to admire Giles' genius. Suddenly another girl, a striking brunette with a Hollywood starlet's looks and poise, let out a shout. "That's not true at all, you see it was different where I came from. Buffy was in LA with Willow, Angel had his soul back, Kendra and Faith were sisters living with Giles." Zabuto's brow furrowed, what was the girl blathering on about? "Then I made a wish to this new girl in my class, Anya and everything changed."

Anya, Zabuto's heart dropped, she couldn't be. Suddenly, the windows exploded and the time for thinking was over.