Pain and Consequences
Author: Silent Bob Foley
E-mail: BobRgnt@netscape.com
Rating: Don't know the American rating so equivalent of a 15 certificate in England
Summary: After the body swapping episode What would have happened if Xander had gone after Faith in LA Instead of Buffy, well now we will see. B/X angst F/X friendship. Anya/X Relationship
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the BTVS Characters, Joss Whedon does
Distribution: BBTZ, Slayerette and anyone else who wants it
Feedback: Hell Yeah
Spoilers: Body Swap episode.
British Words and Spelling
Dedicated: To Joanne and Mike and the rest of the British Bxers.
Authors Note: The idea of the curse as explained by Giles is not my idea, the idea came from a fic I read about three to four years ago. If that person wishes to be acknowledged then please contact me.
Giles Residence
Same Time
Buffy slammed the door to Giles house as she walked in, looking up she could see most of the scooby gang had already assembled in the house. Willow and Riley were in discussion while Spike and Anya were both up to their own devices, lastly Giles stood in his kitchen making a cup of tea. All of them looked up as she flopped into a seat, Giles stepped out of the kitchen into the main room Buffy walked into the center and flopped onto the sofa. Riley sat next to her while Willow sat on the arm on the other side.
"What happened? Asked Riley.
"That little slut." Exclaimed Buffy, "She, she, ohhhh."
"Well she's not happy." Said Spike
"What gave it away." Said Riley rhetorically
The rest knew they weren't going to get much out of her until she had calmed down, Giles handed her a cup of tea and she drank it slowly. It was enough to steady her nerves and calm her down. Once finished so put the mug on the table and smiled a thank you to Giles whom smiled and nodded his affirmation of his charge's thanks.
Buffy tilted her head down and took a few deep breaths, she couldn't believe that two of the people she thought she could most count on would turn on her and for Faith of all people. She had tried to kill them both at different times, and that remark about Angel and letting him live was one that was below the belt. She had every right to hate Faith and she would get that revenge if it took her a lifetime, she would have this out with Xander too- she would get him away from them all and out of their lives for good.
"So what happened." Asked Willow.
"Faith is what happened. I finally tracked her to Angel's offices in LA, when I finally got there I was going to sort her out once and for all."
"But?"
"Somehow she's got Angel and the others helping her, even... even Xander was they're protecting her. He got there sometime before I did and got in my face when I tried to get at her."
"What?" Shrieked Anya, "My Xander, what the hell is he doing there."
"Protecting Faith by all accounts." Murmured Giles to nobody in particular, he stepped back into the kitchen area far enough away to hear the conversation but far enough away as not to get too involved. He already knew about some of this and did not wish to get involved until Xander returned.
"Yeah. Angel and Xander both warned me off of her, after all she did and they expect me to let it all wash away. Well the next time I see Xander I'm gonna do things that I never thought I would do."
"Well get in line." Growled Anya.
Riley stood up and moved over to Buffy, grasping her hand he tried to help her feel better. She leaned her head into his shoulder while his arm went across her shoulders, her Buffy the closeness she had with Xander had been replaced recently by Riley. Now she felt more than ever that she needed someone to help her and with the possible loss of her friend and sometime shoulder to cry on- Riley would be that person.
"Buffy you yourself said that you believed that he was becoming a liability, and had been for over a year. That he was always likely to do something that would be dangerous. Now he has. Maybe it's just as well that he did this. It gets him out of the way and we don't have to look after him so much."
Anya bristled at this casual dismissal of her boyfriend, her mood changing from anger and betrayal to annoyance and the wish to talk them down and rant at them for what they were saying. She looked to Willow to see her response and was horrified to see that she was agreeing with everything that Riley was saying. Looking into the kitchen she was relieved to see that Giles also seemed perturbed at the current topic of conversation, sensing her stare he looked back and with a look told her to stay behind and they would talk. Spike as usual was doing nothing except make faces and smart ass comments.
"Why would he take her side so quickly, and with Angel too." Willow was a tad upset, "He should hate them both more than anyone, and now he's friends with both. Maybe he's got a reason though, that or they are under a spell of some kind."
"The only reason he's got is to get another roll in the hey with Faith." Buffy snarled, "Well they are all welcome to each other, all of them, Anegl, Xander, Cordelia, Wesley and Faith all of them are traitors in kind. If I never see them again I'll be a happy person."
"Well maybe then if so many wish to help her then maybe they could be right." Said Willow
"Seems like the bloke has finally dumped you all and about time too he was wasting his time here. Even if he is a useless little git."
"No I do not believe that, she is evil and I want her out of everyone's life. She murdered people and tried to kill so many people, she hunted us, she almost killed all of them and even tortured Wesley, and well they can stay there for all I care. They come back here and I'll make them leave."
"I don't know Buffy, Xander doesn't always make great decisions but he must have done this for a reason. Maybe we should..."
"NO, he will not be welcome here until, he gets rid of her even then I don't want him working with us again. He's wrong about this and he should be kept out whether he likes it or not." The betrayal in her voice was more than evident.
Willow finally bowed to the pressure and now believed that Buffy was right about it, Riley looked smug and Spike was just a pain in the arse, Buffy still looked mad as hell and Anya was getting very riled at this dismissal of Xander. She was about ready to explode when she felt a strong hand on her shoulder. Looking up her simmering anger dissipated when she saw Giles there. Taking a very deep breath she let the anger slowly slide out and away and smiled up at Giles.
Like many of the others that had come and gone within the Scooby Gang over the years, Anya Emerson had not had much of a family life or parents or much of anything. However in the eighteen months since she had become human again after over a thousand years as a demon she had two people that she could count on and those two had very much changed her life over that time. Her boyfriend Xander Harris had been one but Rupert Giles had very much been to other.
When she had been lost about what to do and where to turn when she had come back after she had run away on Graduation Day, she had told Xander her feelings about her loss and she needed help. Help he could not give her, so in that case he had told her to talk to the only person he would trust enough.- Rupert Giles.
He had looked after her whenever Xander hadn't been around or she needed advice about being human again. She had confided much with him, he had also been one of the few people not to sneer at her fear of rabbits (and in fact had admitted that he had an overwhelming fear of both Ducks and Squirrels.
She had also realised especially recently that Xander and Giles were much alike and both thought highly of each other. They had a father and son style relationship that neither would give up if they had the choice. Rupert had been a friend and family member to all of them at different times, now she knew that the two of them may be all that stood between the friendship they all have and it's loss because of one person. She had to believe that Xander had a reason and that he would never do anything to hurt them if he could help it, He must have a reason but she knows it may not be so easy to get over.
She trusted Xander with her life.
She trusted Angel to do what's right.
But she did not trust Faith one inch.
"I think you need to get some rest Buffy, I think you should all return to your places of residence, try to sleep and try to calm down, To morrow you can inform us all of what transpired at Angel's offices." Giles said
Buffy's brain was not fully in gear and she had only caught some of what had been said by Giles and most of what she heard she couldn't translate, so looked to Willow and replied the only way she could.
"Huh?"
Willow giggled and supplied the translation. "Go home, sleep and come in tomorrow to tell us what happened."
"Oh"
With that they all left, spike being thrown out bodily when he refused to leave until he's finished his blood and Weetabix. Once the gang had finally been dispersed Giles and Anya sat down on the couch both with cups of tea, Anya took a sip and then looked at Giles.
"You really didn't agree with them did you Giles."
"No I didn't Anya. Over the last year they had slowly been pushing him away from the fight as if he was unnecessary. With the burgeoning abilities of Willow in the arts of magic, your own abilities and knowledge of your long stint as a vengeance demon and my own skills have more or less pushed Xander out of the picture."
"By your tone of voice this isn't the first time is it."
" No, The same thing happened shortly after we met the Sisterhood of Jhe."
"The Apocalypse demons?"
"Yes. I guess you would know of them. The entire group, myself included I'm afraid to say tried to keep him out of it. We told him not to come in and help us against the opening of the hellmouth that night, I should have known that no power on earth would stop him from helping us in any way possible. "
"I'm not surprised at that Giles, I know that out of the people that have worked helping everyone over the last few years that he was the only normal human amongst us. That should be something to be encouraged not abandoned because he could get hurt."
"You have no idea how right you are Anya, now what I am about to tell you must not be repeated to anyone outside you, Xander and myself."
Anya felt a little chilled at his words and in a completely serious tone of voice said three words. "What happened Giles?"
"Two nights later Jack O'Toole a student, bully and gang leader at Sunnydale High School forced Xander into helping him, he was found to be an animated corpse resurrected after being shot by his uncle who had used black magic. He was in effect what contemporary fiction has termed a 'Zombie', Xander had recently acquired a car from his Uncle Rory this took place two days after we had asked Xander to not get involved in fights anymore." Giles paused took of his glasses and set them down. "Xander unfortunately got steamrolled into helping Jack with some kind of ritual wherein members of his 'Street Gang' were resurrected by black magic. It seems that soon afterwards Xander was involved in the breaking and entering of a small hardware shop in town, at this point he made his escape from Jack and his Zombie friends and goes to many of our members to get help stopping the gang. Unfortunately we were unable or in some cases unwilling to listen or help."
Picking up his glasses and wiping them with a rag he put them back on. "That night was the opening of the hellmouth, we had no time and no patience to listen to him. I do not like to think of the way I treated him that day, the way we all did, as a friend he deserved more from us."
"Go on Giles." She grasped his hand and helped him focus. "What happened that night."
"Well at some point Xander found out that the Zombie Gang were attempting to build a bomb and put it under the school. 'Baking a cake' is the term Xander used, they were to put it directly in the centre of the foundations of the school. In the basement directly underneath where we were fighting to stop the hellmouth opening. Xander single-handedly removed the entire gang from existence." Giles' paternal pride was affable and Anya found her pride in her boyfriend higher than at any other time. However she also realised that Giles had not quite finished and was trying to figure out just how to say it.
"Xander came into the school at the exact time of the opening, he made his way to the basement over coming the remaining gang members and finally came face to face with Mr O'Toole. The bomb was already ticking away at this point, now by all rights and purposes at this point Xander could have got away and left the bomb to go off, he could have saved himself. However it seems our young Mr Harris has an inherent bravery unsurpassed in this current generation. He stood over the bomb of a while and forced Mr O'Toole to disable the bomb with scant seconds to spare."
"Oh my god." Whispered Anya
"Xander saved the lives of his friends and the entire world that night. He could have been killed by the blast and so would we all, but he decided to stay and face down the Zombie. I remember that next day very well there was no note of smugness in his voice, no actual information that said what he had done."
"No-one knew and he refused to tell anyone about it at all. I believe that Xander has a few secrets much like that one tucked away, he is as brave and dedicated as anyone I have ever met and his is without doubt one of the finest men I have ever witnessed grow into an adult."
Anya just sat there and tried to absorb all that she had been told about Xander. She had thought that she had begun to get to really know him. But this? This had changed her entire outlook on him, she had known the wisecracking, funny caring young man she had got to know since the prom but she also knew that deep below the surface something was hidden, one did not go over a thousand years and not learn how to recognise the true depths of someone.
She had known that the stuff that lurked in the depths of Xander's soul would either be part of the dark side of humanity. A side that would eventually consume and destroy him and many of those around him, or it would be something that existed many thousands of years ago- the ability to be a true hero and that side would keep him and those around him intact and alive. However she now realised that this part of his heart and soul was capable of doing both- he would go one way or another, she just hoped that when it was all over he would be able to forgive himself anything that he may do.
The two of them sat in silence for a good long while, once Anya looked up to see silent tears in Giles' eyes. He took his glasses off and they dropped to the floor falling from nerveless fingers, Anya reached over and hugged her new mentor. She now know why Giles held such regard for Xander and that he hated how much he had hurt Xander that day.
"How did you find out about that night."
"Xander came around one say a few months ago, he asked a few question about demonology and also about that night. I asked a few other the young people here and they gave me some more information, in the end though it was an old friend of mine from the Watchers Council whom contacted me about a flare In the currents of fate centred around that night. Putting the whole thing together I confronted him a few weeks ago. Finally after much haranguing he explained the whole thing to me, the whole night beginning to end. Strangely there was no hurt or bitterness in his voice..
"That explains a few things, but why not tell anyone Giles. If the others knew they may think differently about him."
"I don't think so Anya, it is more likely that they would have wheeled him out and verbally destroyed what little confidence and self worth he has. The rest of the 'Scoobies' as he calls them would have had him removed from the fight for good, he was not willing to risk that- and they have never known. I just believe now that Xander is more to us here than the comic relief and errand boy, his friendship and other skills have kept us alive and sane and he will be needed more so now to help Faith with her rehabilitation."
"Giles, why is he helping Faith, and what did Buffy mean 'another roll in the hay'"
"It seems the night of the opening Xander and Faith partook in uhhh, Relations of the personal kind."
Blunt as always "He slept with her."
"Yes, however I do not believe that is the reason he is helping her out at this time. Xander may be bringing her back to Sunnydale with him, and although some of Xander's decisions have been mistakes of a very serious kind I believe this one may be beneficial to both Faith and himself. Something I have learnt more than anything about Mr Harris is that if his friends need him he is there for them, usually not letting whatever hurt they may have dealt before get in the way."
"He does a lot for us all."
"More than that Anya, it seems that the truly horrifying life he has had over the years, including his family life has softened him to others problems. I believe that Faith is to Xander himself in a form he can help it is my reckoning that the two of them may be able to save each other's souls. For I fear without it both could lose what little they have left."
"It seems that for all his joking and comedic relief he is much more than we give him credit for. He is growing up faster than he should have and now he has as much weight on his shoulders as any slayer ever has. Maybe someday Buffy will see that." Anya Replied.
"Lets hope that is soon I fear that the loss of Xander could irreparably harm the group dynamic, maybe to the extent that Buffy could be killed. I hope that Xander knows what he is doing or heaven help us all."
Giles Residence
Late that night
Giles had been thinking much about his conversation with Anya that evening, he trusted Xander as much as any man he had ever known. The young man may have seemed to have been not much more than an occasional help and more often a hindrance, however with what little he really knew about Xander- he knew that he could trust the young man to do what is right by his friends. He is willing and able to fight for what he believes in even against the strength of the Slayer.
He meant what he had said about hating that he had been one of those that kept Xander out of the fight all that time ago. At the time he had not been the only people that was normal to help them. Cordelia had been human and Oz couldn't use his abilities to help them at all, Xander may have been human but they owed him much, too much to casually dismiss him such as they seemed to be doing.
However it seems that the rest of the group had not noticed the way he had given up much to stay with them over the years. Now he had given up more than he should ever have been asked to, and he had done so quite willingly when forced to choose between someone in need and those whom would seek to harm those under his care.
No matter who they are.
He picked up the notebook and pen next to his bed, then turning to a page he had been writing earlier that day- he started again. He still wrote his diaries in the hope that they would help later generations of slayers and their watchers,
Diary of Rupert H Giles
Former Field Watcher of Slayer Buffy Anne Summers
Xander's personality does not mix well with many others as his life has shown, however something about him inspires courage and sometimes respect and loyalty. Each emotion he has in almost infinite amounts when it comes to his friends however it seems that those same friends may start to question that loyalty, Faith is a wild card her term as a vassal of evil seems to have come to an end since her body transfer with Buffy. Xander's calm and caring nature has come to the fore at this point in time, he is compassionate to Faith because I believe he senses a kinship to her. Both have been closer to the darkness than many I have met before, Alexander Harris has shown himself to be a valuable asset to any team that is created by himself and his friends.
Recent changes in the lives of all of the young people in their self proclaimed 'Scooby Gang' named after a popular children's cartoon of the name Scooby Doo, in fact having been forced to watch the program I have noticed many similarities with the young people under my watch. Even as Xander once put 'our own Scooby' in the form of Daniel Osbourne- a werewolf and close ally and former member of the 'gang'.
Getting back to topic, the forces that we have arrayed against the forces of darkness have begun to fragment over the last few weeks. The inclusion of Riley Finn and his influence over Buffy Summers and indeed Willow Rosenburg may be detrimental in holding together those few people we have left. Mr Finn an agent for The Initiative a United States Military forces research and development facility has been making serious inroads in the demon activity and it's implications may be that the young people here may get in over their heads. So that is one of the primary reaons why I have agreed for Alexander Harris to bring Slayer Faith Williams to Sunnydale where she can be watched and cared for by those willing to give her the chance.
This may however be a problem for Buffy, she has a severe dislike for Faith and the reaction of Riley and herself may fragment the already broken sphere that the 'Scooby Gang' has become, I am hoping however that as Faith gradually takes hold of what little faculties she has left that she and Buffy will be able to work things out.
Concurrent with the attempt to bring Faith back to the fold, I will talk to Mr Harris, I believe much like I myself before him he has the potential to help others and to be an asset to others. It is my intention to train Mr Alexander Harris as a field watcher assigned to Ms Williams, he has the willpower and the strength of mind to take the training. If he is willing I will train him, with luck and the will of the Gods of light I hope he will be. For Faith and Buffy's sake I think that this would be best.
This may be quite difficult however with no access to any of the teaching materials or equipment of the Watcher Academy. However I also do not believe that that will be detrimental to his training as his own knowledge and dealings with the occult far outweigh anything the basic training of a watcher could accomplish. I however believe that the two curses that plague a watcher will not in fact effect Mr Harris as he will not be a watcher in the full sense.
A voice behind him spoke up at this point, "What curses." Giles jumped and was relieved to see that it was only Anya who had fallen asleep on the sofa earlier that evening. She looked a little worn still but her happy demeanour was back and she looked better than she had after the rest of the gang had left.
"Oh Anya, Well it seems about One thousand years ago a spell was put on the Watchers Council, for their advanced knowledge and powers they would be cursed. The first was to limit their senses to the extent that their eyesight would be dimmed. This is why many if not all Watchers require spectacles or other aids to see, the other was that if a family line of watchers was started then that line would forever be involved with the forces of the occult."
"I see, That is why you have followed the tradition. You had no choice."
"Yes however now that I have been removed from any position with circles of the Watchers no offspring of mine will have to be a Watcher."
"But?"
"But I still believe that Buffy and Faith need guidance from Watchers even if they do not believe they do. Now that Wesley will unlikely get involved with Faith again I will try to train Xander as a Field Watcher. His status will not be that of an active watcher and he will not go through many of the rituals and castings that anoint a watcher. Hence he will not be effected by the curses of the Council of Watchers."
Anya shifted and stretched out a little to get the kinks out of her body, sighing she ended up yawning again. She apologised to Giles who waved off an apology. It was late and she had had a trying day.
"Any idea when he'll be back?"
"From the information he telephoned through to me this afternoon before he met with Angel and Faith sometime within the next week. He wishes to try and get Faith to completely trust him first and as we now know he seems to have done just that."
"I hope he's okay, there a lot of things he's hiding from us all I just hope that they don't boil over and harm him. I don't think I could live with myself if I lost him, he means too much to me."
"I believe he will, if there is one thing Xander is, is that he is a survivor and good friend of the highest calibre to each person in his life. It may be very difficult as this goes on but I believe that he will make things work for himself and for Faith but for now we just have to wait and see."
The two of them sat in silence for a good long time that night, contemplating the history of the scooby gang, what may happen in the future to them all, the consequences of those actions and how many of them would be left standing at the end of it all.
Author: Silent Bob Foley
E-mail: BobRgnt@netscape.com
Rating: Don't know the American rating so equivalent of a 15 certificate in England
Summary: After the body swapping episode What would have happened if Xander had gone after Faith in LA Instead of Buffy, well now we will see. B/X angst F/X friendship. Anya/X Relationship
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the BTVS Characters, Joss Whedon does
Distribution: BBTZ, Slayerette and anyone else who wants it
Feedback: Hell Yeah
Spoilers: Body Swap episode.
British Words and Spelling
Dedicated: To Joanne and Mike and the rest of the British Bxers.
Authors Note: The idea of the curse as explained by Giles is not my idea, the idea came from a fic I read about three to four years ago. If that person wishes to be acknowledged then please contact me.
Giles Residence
Same Time
Buffy slammed the door to Giles house as she walked in, looking up she could see most of the scooby gang had already assembled in the house. Willow and Riley were in discussion while Spike and Anya were both up to their own devices, lastly Giles stood in his kitchen making a cup of tea. All of them looked up as she flopped into a seat, Giles stepped out of the kitchen into the main room Buffy walked into the center and flopped onto the sofa. Riley sat next to her while Willow sat on the arm on the other side.
"What happened? Asked Riley.
"That little slut." Exclaimed Buffy, "She, she, ohhhh."
"Well she's not happy." Said Spike
"What gave it away." Said Riley rhetorically
The rest knew they weren't going to get much out of her until she had calmed down, Giles handed her a cup of tea and she drank it slowly. It was enough to steady her nerves and calm her down. Once finished so put the mug on the table and smiled a thank you to Giles whom smiled and nodded his affirmation of his charge's thanks.
Buffy tilted her head down and took a few deep breaths, she couldn't believe that two of the people she thought she could most count on would turn on her and for Faith of all people. She had tried to kill them both at different times, and that remark about Angel and letting him live was one that was below the belt. She had every right to hate Faith and she would get that revenge if it took her a lifetime, she would have this out with Xander too- she would get him away from them all and out of their lives for good.
"So what happened." Asked Willow.
"Faith is what happened. I finally tracked her to Angel's offices in LA, when I finally got there I was going to sort her out once and for all."
"But?"
"Somehow she's got Angel and the others helping her, even... even Xander was they're protecting her. He got there sometime before I did and got in my face when I tried to get at her."
"What?" Shrieked Anya, "My Xander, what the hell is he doing there."
"Protecting Faith by all accounts." Murmured Giles to nobody in particular, he stepped back into the kitchen area far enough away to hear the conversation but far enough away as not to get too involved. He already knew about some of this and did not wish to get involved until Xander returned.
"Yeah. Angel and Xander both warned me off of her, after all she did and they expect me to let it all wash away. Well the next time I see Xander I'm gonna do things that I never thought I would do."
"Well get in line." Growled Anya.
Riley stood up and moved over to Buffy, grasping her hand he tried to help her feel better. She leaned her head into his shoulder while his arm went across her shoulders, her Buffy the closeness she had with Xander had been replaced recently by Riley. Now she felt more than ever that she needed someone to help her and with the possible loss of her friend and sometime shoulder to cry on- Riley would be that person.
"Buffy you yourself said that you believed that he was becoming a liability, and had been for over a year. That he was always likely to do something that would be dangerous. Now he has. Maybe it's just as well that he did this. It gets him out of the way and we don't have to look after him so much."
Anya bristled at this casual dismissal of her boyfriend, her mood changing from anger and betrayal to annoyance and the wish to talk them down and rant at them for what they were saying. She looked to Willow to see her response and was horrified to see that she was agreeing with everything that Riley was saying. Looking into the kitchen she was relieved to see that Giles also seemed perturbed at the current topic of conversation, sensing her stare he looked back and with a look told her to stay behind and they would talk. Spike as usual was doing nothing except make faces and smart ass comments.
"Why would he take her side so quickly, and with Angel too." Willow was a tad upset, "He should hate them both more than anyone, and now he's friends with both. Maybe he's got a reason though, that or they are under a spell of some kind."
"The only reason he's got is to get another roll in the hey with Faith." Buffy snarled, "Well they are all welcome to each other, all of them, Anegl, Xander, Cordelia, Wesley and Faith all of them are traitors in kind. If I never see them again I'll be a happy person."
"Well maybe then if so many wish to help her then maybe they could be right." Said Willow
"Seems like the bloke has finally dumped you all and about time too he was wasting his time here. Even if he is a useless little git."
"No I do not believe that, she is evil and I want her out of everyone's life. She murdered people and tried to kill so many people, she hunted us, she almost killed all of them and even tortured Wesley, and well they can stay there for all I care. They come back here and I'll make them leave."
"I don't know Buffy, Xander doesn't always make great decisions but he must have done this for a reason. Maybe we should..."
"NO, he will not be welcome here until, he gets rid of her even then I don't want him working with us again. He's wrong about this and he should be kept out whether he likes it or not." The betrayal in her voice was more than evident.
Willow finally bowed to the pressure and now believed that Buffy was right about it, Riley looked smug and Spike was just a pain in the arse, Buffy still looked mad as hell and Anya was getting very riled at this dismissal of Xander. She was about ready to explode when she felt a strong hand on her shoulder. Looking up her simmering anger dissipated when she saw Giles there. Taking a very deep breath she let the anger slowly slide out and away and smiled up at Giles.
Like many of the others that had come and gone within the Scooby Gang over the years, Anya Emerson had not had much of a family life or parents or much of anything. However in the eighteen months since she had become human again after over a thousand years as a demon she had two people that she could count on and those two had very much changed her life over that time. Her boyfriend Xander Harris had been one but Rupert Giles had very much been to other.
When she had been lost about what to do and where to turn when she had come back after she had run away on Graduation Day, she had told Xander her feelings about her loss and she needed help. Help he could not give her, so in that case he had told her to talk to the only person he would trust enough.- Rupert Giles.
He had looked after her whenever Xander hadn't been around or she needed advice about being human again. She had confided much with him, he had also been one of the few people not to sneer at her fear of rabbits (and in fact had admitted that he had an overwhelming fear of both Ducks and Squirrels.
She had also realised especially recently that Xander and Giles were much alike and both thought highly of each other. They had a father and son style relationship that neither would give up if they had the choice. Rupert had been a friend and family member to all of them at different times, now she knew that the two of them may be all that stood between the friendship they all have and it's loss because of one person. She had to believe that Xander had a reason and that he would never do anything to hurt them if he could help it, He must have a reason but she knows it may not be so easy to get over.
She trusted Xander with her life.
She trusted Angel to do what's right.
But she did not trust Faith one inch.
"I think you need to get some rest Buffy, I think you should all return to your places of residence, try to sleep and try to calm down, To morrow you can inform us all of what transpired at Angel's offices." Giles said
Buffy's brain was not fully in gear and she had only caught some of what had been said by Giles and most of what she heard she couldn't translate, so looked to Willow and replied the only way she could.
"Huh?"
Willow giggled and supplied the translation. "Go home, sleep and come in tomorrow to tell us what happened."
"Oh"
With that they all left, spike being thrown out bodily when he refused to leave until he's finished his blood and Weetabix. Once the gang had finally been dispersed Giles and Anya sat down on the couch both with cups of tea, Anya took a sip and then looked at Giles.
"You really didn't agree with them did you Giles."
"No I didn't Anya. Over the last year they had slowly been pushing him away from the fight as if he was unnecessary. With the burgeoning abilities of Willow in the arts of magic, your own abilities and knowledge of your long stint as a vengeance demon and my own skills have more or less pushed Xander out of the picture."
"By your tone of voice this isn't the first time is it."
" No, The same thing happened shortly after we met the Sisterhood of Jhe."
"The Apocalypse demons?"
"Yes. I guess you would know of them. The entire group, myself included I'm afraid to say tried to keep him out of it. We told him not to come in and help us against the opening of the hellmouth that night, I should have known that no power on earth would stop him from helping us in any way possible. "
"I'm not surprised at that Giles, I know that out of the people that have worked helping everyone over the last few years that he was the only normal human amongst us. That should be something to be encouraged not abandoned because he could get hurt."
"You have no idea how right you are Anya, now what I am about to tell you must not be repeated to anyone outside you, Xander and myself."
Anya felt a little chilled at his words and in a completely serious tone of voice said three words. "What happened Giles?"
"Two nights later Jack O'Toole a student, bully and gang leader at Sunnydale High School forced Xander into helping him, he was found to be an animated corpse resurrected after being shot by his uncle who had used black magic. He was in effect what contemporary fiction has termed a 'Zombie', Xander had recently acquired a car from his Uncle Rory this took place two days after we had asked Xander to not get involved in fights anymore." Giles paused took of his glasses and set them down. "Xander unfortunately got steamrolled into helping Jack with some kind of ritual wherein members of his 'Street Gang' were resurrected by black magic. It seems that soon afterwards Xander was involved in the breaking and entering of a small hardware shop in town, at this point he made his escape from Jack and his Zombie friends and goes to many of our members to get help stopping the gang. Unfortunately we were unable or in some cases unwilling to listen or help."
Picking up his glasses and wiping them with a rag he put them back on. "That night was the opening of the hellmouth, we had no time and no patience to listen to him. I do not like to think of the way I treated him that day, the way we all did, as a friend he deserved more from us."
"Go on Giles." She grasped his hand and helped him focus. "What happened that night."
"Well at some point Xander found out that the Zombie Gang were attempting to build a bomb and put it under the school. 'Baking a cake' is the term Xander used, they were to put it directly in the centre of the foundations of the school. In the basement directly underneath where we were fighting to stop the hellmouth opening. Xander single-handedly removed the entire gang from existence." Giles' paternal pride was affable and Anya found her pride in her boyfriend higher than at any other time. However she also realised that Giles had not quite finished and was trying to figure out just how to say it.
"Xander came into the school at the exact time of the opening, he made his way to the basement over coming the remaining gang members and finally came face to face with Mr O'Toole. The bomb was already ticking away at this point, now by all rights and purposes at this point Xander could have got away and left the bomb to go off, he could have saved himself. However it seems our young Mr Harris has an inherent bravery unsurpassed in this current generation. He stood over the bomb of a while and forced Mr O'Toole to disable the bomb with scant seconds to spare."
"Oh my god." Whispered Anya
"Xander saved the lives of his friends and the entire world that night. He could have been killed by the blast and so would we all, but he decided to stay and face down the Zombie. I remember that next day very well there was no note of smugness in his voice, no actual information that said what he had done."
"No-one knew and he refused to tell anyone about it at all. I believe that Xander has a few secrets much like that one tucked away, he is as brave and dedicated as anyone I have ever met and his is without doubt one of the finest men I have ever witnessed grow into an adult."
Anya just sat there and tried to absorb all that she had been told about Xander. She had thought that she had begun to get to really know him. But this? This had changed her entire outlook on him, she had known the wisecracking, funny caring young man she had got to know since the prom but she also knew that deep below the surface something was hidden, one did not go over a thousand years and not learn how to recognise the true depths of someone.
She had known that the stuff that lurked in the depths of Xander's soul would either be part of the dark side of humanity. A side that would eventually consume and destroy him and many of those around him, or it would be something that existed many thousands of years ago- the ability to be a true hero and that side would keep him and those around him intact and alive. However she now realised that this part of his heart and soul was capable of doing both- he would go one way or another, she just hoped that when it was all over he would be able to forgive himself anything that he may do.
The two of them sat in silence for a good long while, once Anya looked up to see silent tears in Giles' eyes. He took his glasses off and they dropped to the floor falling from nerveless fingers, Anya reached over and hugged her new mentor. She now know why Giles held such regard for Xander and that he hated how much he had hurt Xander that day.
"How did you find out about that night."
"Xander came around one say a few months ago, he asked a few question about demonology and also about that night. I asked a few other the young people here and they gave me some more information, in the end though it was an old friend of mine from the Watchers Council whom contacted me about a flare In the currents of fate centred around that night. Putting the whole thing together I confronted him a few weeks ago. Finally after much haranguing he explained the whole thing to me, the whole night beginning to end. Strangely there was no hurt or bitterness in his voice..
"That explains a few things, but why not tell anyone Giles. If the others knew they may think differently about him."
"I don't think so Anya, it is more likely that they would have wheeled him out and verbally destroyed what little confidence and self worth he has. The rest of the 'Scoobies' as he calls them would have had him removed from the fight for good, he was not willing to risk that- and they have never known. I just believe now that Xander is more to us here than the comic relief and errand boy, his friendship and other skills have kept us alive and sane and he will be needed more so now to help Faith with her rehabilitation."
"Giles, why is he helping Faith, and what did Buffy mean 'another roll in the hay'"
"It seems the night of the opening Xander and Faith partook in uhhh, Relations of the personal kind."
Blunt as always "He slept with her."
"Yes, however I do not believe that is the reason he is helping her out at this time. Xander may be bringing her back to Sunnydale with him, and although some of Xander's decisions have been mistakes of a very serious kind I believe this one may be beneficial to both Faith and himself. Something I have learnt more than anything about Mr Harris is that if his friends need him he is there for them, usually not letting whatever hurt they may have dealt before get in the way."
"He does a lot for us all."
"More than that Anya, it seems that the truly horrifying life he has had over the years, including his family life has softened him to others problems. I believe that Faith is to Xander himself in a form he can help it is my reckoning that the two of them may be able to save each other's souls. For I fear without it both could lose what little they have left."
"It seems that for all his joking and comedic relief he is much more than we give him credit for. He is growing up faster than he should have and now he has as much weight on his shoulders as any slayer ever has. Maybe someday Buffy will see that." Anya Replied.
"Lets hope that is soon I fear that the loss of Xander could irreparably harm the group dynamic, maybe to the extent that Buffy could be killed. I hope that Xander knows what he is doing or heaven help us all."
Giles Residence
Late that night
Giles had been thinking much about his conversation with Anya that evening, he trusted Xander as much as any man he had ever known. The young man may have seemed to have been not much more than an occasional help and more often a hindrance, however with what little he really knew about Xander- he knew that he could trust the young man to do what is right by his friends. He is willing and able to fight for what he believes in even against the strength of the Slayer.
He meant what he had said about hating that he had been one of those that kept Xander out of the fight all that time ago. At the time he had not been the only people that was normal to help them. Cordelia had been human and Oz couldn't use his abilities to help them at all, Xander may have been human but they owed him much, too much to casually dismiss him such as they seemed to be doing.
However it seems that the rest of the group had not noticed the way he had given up much to stay with them over the years. Now he had given up more than he should ever have been asked to, and he had done so quite willingly when forced to choose between someone in need and those whom would seek to harm those under his care.
No matter who they are.
He picked up the notebook and pen next to his bed, then turning to a page he had been writing earlier that day- he started again. He still wrote his diaries in the hope that they would help later generations of slayers and their watchers,
Diary of Rupert H Giles
Former Field Watcher of Slayer Buffy Anne Summers
Xander's personality does not mix well with many others as his life has shown, however something about him inspires courage and sometimes respect and loyalty. Each emotion he has in almost infinite amounts when it comes to his friends however it seems that those same friends may start to question that loyalty, Faith is a wild card her term as a vassal of evil seems to have come to an end since her body transfer with Buffy. Xander's calm and caring nature has come to the fore at this point in time, he is compassionate to Faith because I believe he senses a kinship to her. Both have been closer to the darkness than many I have met before, Alexander Harris has shown himself to be a valuable asset to any team that is created by himself and his friends.
Recent changes in the lives of all of the young people in their self proclaimed 'Scooby Gang' named after a popular children's cartoon of the name Scooby Doo, in fact having been forced to watch the program I have noticed many similarities with the young people under my watch. Even as Xander once put 'our own Scooby' in the form of Daniel Osbourne- a werewolf and close ally and former member of the 'gang'.
Getting back to topic, the forces that we have arrayed against the forces of darkness have begun to fragment over the last few weeks. The inclusion of Riley Finn and his influence over Buffy Summers and indeed Willow Rosenburg may be detrimental in holding together those few people we have left. Mr Finn an agent for The Initiative a United States Military forces research and development facility has been making serious inroads in the demon activity and it's implications may be that the young people here may get in over their heads. So that is one of the primary reaons why I have agreed for Alexander Harris to bring Slayer Faith Williams to Sunnydale where she can be watched and cared for by those willing to give her the chance.
This may however be a problem for Buffy, she has a severe dislike for Faith and the reaction of Riley and herself may fragment the already broken sphere that the 'Scooby Gang' has become, I am hoping however that as Faith gradually takes hold of what little faculties she has left that she and Buffy will be able to work things out.
Concurrent with the attempt to bring Faith back to the fold, I will talk to Mr Harris, I believe much like I myself before him he has the potential to help others and to be an asset to others. It is my intention to train Mr Alexander Harris as a field watcher assigned to Ms Williams, he has the willpower and the strength of mind to take the training. If he is willing I will train him, with luck and the will of the Gods of light I hope he will be. For Faith and Buffy's sake I think that this would be best.
This may be quite difficult however with no access to any of the teaching materials or equipment of the Watcher Academy. However I also do not believe that that will be detrimental to his training as his own knowledge and dealings with the occult far outweigh anything the basic training of a watcher could accomplish. I however believe that the two curses that plague a watcher will not in fact effect Mr Harris as he will not be a watcher in the full sense.
A voice behind him spoke up at this point, "What curses." Giles jumped and was relieved to see that it was only Anya who had fallen asleep on the sofa earlier that evening. She looked a little worn still but her happy demeanour was back and she looked better than she had after the rest of the gang had left.
"Oh Anya, Well it seems about One thousand years ago a spell was put on the Watchers Council, for their advanced knowledge and powers they would be cursed. The first was to limit their senses to the extent that their eyesight would be dimmed. This is why many if not all Watchers require spectacles or other aids to see, the other was that if a family line of watchers was started then that line would forever be involved with the forces of the occult."
"I see, That is why you have followed the tradition. You had no choice."
"Yes however now that I have been removed from any position with circles of the Watchers no offspring of mine will have to be a Watcher."
"But?"
"But I still believe that Buffy and Faith need guidance from Watchers even if they do not believe they do. Now that Wesley will unlikely get involved with Faith again I will try to train Xander as a Field Watcher. His status will not be that of an active watcher and he will not go through many of the rituals and castings that anoint a watcher. Hence he will not be effected by the curses of the Council of Watchers."
Anya shifted and stretched out a little to get the kinks out of her body, sighing she ended up yawning again. She apologised to Giles who waved off an apology. It was late and she had had a trying day.
"Any idea when he'll be back?"
"From the information he telephoned through to me this afternoon before he met with Angel and Faith sometime within the next week. He wishes to try and get Faith to completely trust him first and as we now know he seems to have done just that."
"I hope he's okay, there a lot of things he's hiding from us all I just hope that they don't boil over and harm him. I don't think I could live with myself if I lost him, he means too much to me."
"I believe he will, if there is one thing Xander is, is that he is a survivor and good friend of the highest calibre to each person in his life. It may be very difficult as this goes on but I believe that he will make things work for himself and for Faith but for now we just have to wait and see."
The two of them sat in silence for a good long time that night, contemplating the history of the scooby gang, what may happen in the future to them all, the consequences of those actions and how many of them would be left standing at the end of it all.
