Xander handed the last envelope to Giles, who took them in silent understanding.

Giles didn't particularly like the task Xander had just given him but he would fulfill it to the best of his ability.

The others didn't notice the silent exchange in the madhouse that was the LA airport; it was just another hurried event that would be blurred into the almost endless events of the last two days.

As Xander took his seat, he made one last mental review of his items to see if he needed to buy anything in London. Mentally confirming that, yes he had everything he would need and more than a few things he could need, he sat back and attempted to find a way to entertain himself on the first of several long flights.

Halfway across the Atlantic

Xander was beginning to seriously question his decision to go from California to England in one day. Well, technically if you included waiting for connecting flights and flight delays it had already been over twenty four hours already, but that fact only strengthened his argument.

For a moment he even considered waking up the Englishman sitting in front of him, just so he could talk to someone, but quickly dismissed the idea. The man, Robert, deserved his rest. Besides knowing his luck, Rob would turn out to be a demon of some kind.

Now that Xander thought about it some more, the idea that Robert may be some kind of demon wasn't too far fetched. The way he talked to his girlfriend about some of England's history it was almost as if he was there.

Digging into his coat pocket, Xander pulled out a small silver cross while his other griped the handle of a hidden stake. With stake firmly in hand but hidden, Xander began to lower the cross on top of the older mans head.

"What do you think you doing?" asked Robert as he felt the cool mettle of the cross against his forehead.

Xander, deciding that it didn't matter if this guy thought he was nuts or not decided to tell the truth. "Just making sure you aren't a vamp or some other kind of demon."

To Xander's surprise, Robert didn't look surprised at the mention of vampires, he simply said, "What made you think I was a vampire?"

"The way you talked, seemed like you are a lot older than you look."

"I am over five hundred years old, but I'm not a vampire, or demon."

"Then how come you aren't dead?"

Robert shrugged and said, "I just decided a long time ago that I just wouldn't die, and I didn't, simple as that."

Xander gave Robert one of his half grins and said, "I can see Death letting you roam around as a ghost if you didn't want to die because she is nice but I don't see her doing the no aging thing for no reason."

Roberts eyes widened in astonishment, "So you met her as well then? Too bad she already took her brother, you may have liked him."

"As far as I know all of her siblings are still with us, and have been scene around the dawn of time."

"I knew one of them, a dark haired fellow with stars for eyes. Met him once a century to talk about things. Dead now though even if I can't remember how." Robert was beginning to fall back asleep, and making less sense by the moment.

Ah, Dream. Xander was a bit surprised, from what he had read the old Dream he didn't seem the type to make friends. For a moment Xander considered telling Robert what he knew about Dream but decided against it. If Dream wanted to keep in contact with Robert, well Robert would visit Dream's realm in the next century.

"Goodnight Robert," Xander said to the softly snoring man. "Dream of old friends and happy endings, one of us should be able to have them." With those words, Xander let the man sleep, and spent the rest of the flight in silent contemplation.

London

"Xander Harris?"

Xander stiffened when he heard his name called. He didn't know anyone in London and was understandably surprised that someone knew him, and considering what he was doing surprises were of the bad.

"Yeah I'm Xander, what do you want?" asked Xander as he turned towards the voice and got another surprise.

"Names John, this here is Tim. Ripper sent out word that you may want some help." said an older man in a trench coat that looked remarkably like Spike. The other one, Tim, was just a kid about sixteen or seventeen, who looked just like Harry Potter would in real life, minus the scar.

"You expect me to believe that Giles sent Spike jr. and Harry Potter to help me? Sorry if I don't take it at face value." said Xander, his tolerance at an all time low after several long flights and a delay in customs.

At being compared to Harry Potter, Tim looked like he was about to attack Xander, but was stopped by John. "It's alright Tim; he's just acting this way because of the flight. Tell you what, if he is still like this after a good rest you can turn him into a toad, fry his arse with a lightning bolt, or what ever you want." said John.

"As for you," John said when he turned to face Xander. "How about you give ol' Ripper a ring. If we aren't on the up and up, or if you don't want our help, we can part ways with no fuss." So saying John took out two things from his trench coat, a foul smelling cigarette that he promptly lit, and a cell phone that he tossed to Xander.

Dialling Giles' number, Xander was surprised once again when it was picked up on the second ring. "Good evening, Xander. I trust this is about the help I arranged for you?" said Giles.

"You knew I was going to call?"

"I'd be quite disappointed if you didn't. Honestly if you trusted a complete stranger to help you on a matter this important just because they say I sent them, I would say that you had taken one too many bumps to the head on patrol."

"Wait a minute; did you just try to make a joke? Oh god, the end of the world is coming early this year."

"Oh yes very funny. Now if you would be so kind to point the receiver towards the people you called me about?"

Xander shrugged and did what he was told, and wasn't too surprised when both John and Tim began to softly glow. He knew he should be surprised by this but he was surprised out at the moment, so instead he simple put the phone back to his ear and said, "Giles they are glowing, good thing or bad thing?"

"Good thing. Glowing means that the spell worked and that they will help you. It's up to you if you want them to accompany you or not but I would suggest that you take any help you can."

"Okay Giles I'll think about it," Xander said before hanging up. "Before I decide one way or another would you two explain who you are and why you want to come on a potentially deadly mission?"

"Names John Constantine, Ripper helped me out of a tight spot when I was just getting started, helping you will pay off the debt. Tim here is joining because of a school assignment, and before you say anything else, lay off the Harry Potter jokes, Tim here is a bit sore about the whole deal."

"May I ask why?"

"Because the character is based off of me, that's why," said Tim in a very sarcastic tone. "I save her life with a bit of magic and next thing I know she is pumping out books about a boy that looks just like me, getting rich but I don't see one bloody pound."

The kid had a temper that could come in handy in some places. After weighing the pros and cons of bringing them along Xander came to a decision. "You can come if you do what I say. I don't want to be responsible for either of your deaths."

"No problem. So where to first?" asked John.

"First to a good place to sleep, then tomorrow we are going to Fairy."