Seeing with a Father's Love
by Teri
Chapter 3: I AM Hank Summers
"Xander?"
"No-o-o," he drawled, "Hank - Remember there Giles - Hank Summers, punching bag extreme?"
Giles closed his eyes as the man spoke. It was Xander's voice, somehow it was. Somehow IT WAS.
"How?" His voice was strained and barely audible.
"Easy you rolled up your fist and struck - that is how punching bags work."
"You are Xander." He emphasized each word. "How? Why? When? Xander, why do you look like Buffy's father?"
"I am Buffy's father," Hank concluded softly. After a moment he added, "but I am not Xander."
"You aren't?"
"No, I aren't." He mimicked Giles.
Giles stood there staring at a man he had known he wanted to hate for as long as he had known of his existence, yet somehow that same man was also the boy he thought of as a son. He knew it, as he knew the sun would rise and set or that the only certainty in life was taxes. He knew it, although how he knew was another issue entirely.
"Xander. How? Why?"
"You're wrong and I have a window that needs fixing and I need to get some ice for my face. You remember, my face? The face you punched because you knew -note the word KNEW - I was Buffy's father. So unless there is something else, I will be going." Hank stood and started to leave the room.
"You can't."
"Can't I?" He threw over his shoulder as he continued to walk away.
Luckily Giles always had a quick mind. "Then you wouldn't mind if I started casting a spell that could reawake aspects of animal possession in people formerly possessed?"
Hank stopped and turned to look at Giles. "Why would I?" He tried to remain calm. Giles had to be bluffing.
Of course Giles knew he wouldn't have stopped to answer him unless he was worried about his statement. "Oh, well then 'Vici, Vini . . ."
"Ah, Giles? 'I came, I saw'? What happened to 'I conquered?'" Hank looked at him oddly. "Auditioning for the role of Julius Caesar, are we?"
Giles was embarrassed. It was the first thing that came to mind. He never should have been watching biography of Caesar last night on the History Channel. "It just happens to also be the start of the necessary incantation. I came I saw the former objection of possession should be . . . "
"Stop," he put his hands up in mock surrender, "you made your point." Not quiet sure why he said that. The incantation sounded about as authentic as Spike's hair color.
Giles could hardly believe it. He drew his breath in a sharp intake. He knew it, but still having it confirmed was something different. He took a moment to gather himself as Mr. Summers . . . no Xander returned to his chair at the table.
"So, I will ask again. Why did you disappear and why are pretending to be Hank Summers?"
"G-man, it won't help." He sighed as he put his face into his hands and leaned forward on the table. "Just help them move on to forget about me,-- er him."
"Maybe it won't help, but I would like to know anyway." 'That's the understatement of the century,' he heard Buffy's voice say in his mind.
Xander/Hank sat looking at Giles. It seemed he was trying to decide something. They sat that way for what seemed like hours.
"IF I tell you we have to get a few things straight first."
Giles nodded.
"First, what I say stays between us." He held up a hand as Giles started to object. "Now I realize that you won't want to agree to that, but I think once you hear the full story you will change your mind. Second, you will not coerce me into seeing the girls. I, Hank, have hurt them too much and I don't think seeing me would be good for them at all. They have a fa. . . ," he paused as if it was hard to say, "father - you. They don't need me - not anymore. Third, I need you to promise that you won't stop Sylvia from giving me a good recommendation when I go job hunting."
"Job hunting?" He latched on to the least important point.
"Of course, I can't stay here now. I knew I was taking a chance by working here, but I honestly didn't think anyone would come down here. Besides, I didn't think anyone but Buffy and Dawn would know what I looked like."
"Xander you keep saying 'I' when you refer to Hank. Why is that?" Giles looked at him oddly. "I know that you aren't actually Hank, I mean you couldn't be. Could you?"
For a moment Xander was actually enjoying watching Giles flounder - it was like old times. However, the moment quickly passed as he quickly reminded himself who he was now and what they were talking about.
"See Giles, that is the problem. I AM Hank Summers."
No one has thrown things at me. I suppose that means you all are enjoying this so far. I'm glad! Teri
