"Thanks," Xander said, catching the projectile and placing it gently on his jaw.
"I take it things didn't go too well?"
Xander shook his head. "I'm going to be bruised."
"You deserve it," Angel said. "For letting her hit you."
"Now what makes you think I…"
Angel and Gunn looked at him pointedly. His eyes quickly found the ground.
"Right," Gunn said. "Cuz you don't blame yourself for everything. Man, breakin' up with a girl doesn't make you a bad guy."
"I just felt bad, you know? Like I was leading her on. Because I was just doing it for myself," he said.
"Were you aware of what you were doing?" Angel asked. "I mean, did you go into the thing saying 'Gee, I'll go have sex with some girl because I'm feeling down about me?'"
"No," Xander said. "But that doesn't change –"
"Doesn't change that you did the right thing once you knew what was going on," said Gunn. "Man, most guys wouldn't have given it a second thought, just kept right on doin' it, you know? But you're a stand-up guy, and she may be mad at you, but that don't make you wrong."
"Yeah," Angel said. "You really don't have anything to feel guilty for."
"Who doesn't?" Oz asked as he came down the stairs carrying a guitar case.
Xander raised his non-ice holding hand.
"Oh. Why the ice?"
"I got hit," Xander said.
Oz raised an eyebrow. "By who?"
"Lara," Gunn said. "Punched 'im right in the jaw."
Oz looked confused. "Aren't you dating her?"
"Not anymore," Xander said. "That's why she hit me."
"Don't get hit often, then?" Oz asked.
"No, I get hit all the time, just usually not by a girl inside a restaurant."
"Yeah," Gunn said. "They usually wait till outside the restaurant to hit him."
"Oh, shut up," Xander said. He turned to the werewolf. "What are you up to?"
"Filling in a bass line for Devon," Oz said. "His guy's got a bug, or something."
"Rehearsal?" Xander asked.
Oz shook his head. "Club."
"Really?" Angel asked.
Oz nodded. "Yeah. You guys wanna come?"
All three of them nodded.
"We should see if everyone else wants to go, too," Xander said.
"Wes and Fred went out, actually," Angel said. "Something about a scroll or… a physics lecture, I don't really know. It was a smart people thing."
"I'll go ask Dawn and Faith," Xander said.
"Maybe it was a physics scroll," said Angel. "Or a lecture on scrolls?"
"We get the idea," said Gunn.
"I'll give you guys the address," Oz said, walking over to the desk and grabbing a pen and paper. "I've got to go help set up."
"Okay," Angel said. "We'll see you there."
Xander stood slowly, easing the ice from his jaw. A horn honked in front of the hotel, and Oz strode off. Xander climbed the stairs and found Dawn in her room, reading, door open.
"Hey there, read-o girl," he said.
"Hey, Xander," Dawn said, without looking up.
"You interested in a little club thing tonight?" Xander asked.
"Club?" she asked, looking up from her book. "What happened to your face?"
"Ah. Lara didn't take too well to my breaking up with her," he said.
Dawn hopped off her bed and walked over to him. She gently lifted the ice pack away from his face, and drew in a sharp breath. "That's gonna bruise," she said.
"I know," Xander said. "Anyway, you up for the club? Oz is playing."
"Sure," Dawn said. "I just need to find something slutty to wear."
"No," Xander said.
"Oh, not Buffy-slutty, just a little slutty. You know, to show off my goodies just enough."
Xander closed his eyes and groaned. "Can you say… I don't know… something other than slutty?"
"Like… seductive?"
"No."
"Sexy."
"No."
"Sultry?"
"No."
"Arousing?"
"God, no. Did you memorize a thesaurus? How about uh… concealing."
"Not a chance."
"Can I get sophisticated?"
"Closer, but no. How about flirtatious?"
Xander sighed. "I guess I can live with that," he said.
"Good," Dawn said, nodding. "I'll be down in a few."
"Oh, Dawnie, one more thing," Xander said.
"Yeah?"
"Uh, earlier, when I was, you know, singing. Lorne saw some stuff… I'm not really sure what. Anyway, long and short of it is, I'm moving in here for a while, because apparently me and Faith have to stick together."
"You're moving in?" Dawn asked.
At Xander's nod, she launched herself at him and hugged him around the neck.
"Ah! Face, face, face!"
"Oh! Sorry," Dawn said, wincing and backing away from the man.
"That's okay," he said. "I'm gonna go see if Faith wants to go."
"Okay," Dawn said. "I'll see you downstairs then."
Xander left the girl's room, hiked up another flight of stairs and knocked on Faith's door.
"Go 'way," came the muffled response.
"Faith?" Xander asked, leaning his hear to the door. He heard a quick sniffle, followed by what sounded like a head hitting a pillow. "Faith, are you okay?"
"I said go away," was the more emphatic reply.
"Okay," Xander said. "Well, we're the group of us going out to see Oz play at a club…"
"Not interested."
"Okay," Xander said, worry creasing his features. "Well, I'll leave the address in case you change your mind."
Silence reigned from the other side of the door.
Xander shook his head and went back to the lobby.
"Hey," he said, "is Faith usually, you know… moody, when she's around the hotel?"
"What do you mean?" Angel asked.
"She sounded… it couldn't have been, but it sounded like she was crying. Or had been. Something."
"Cryin'?" Gunn asked. "I didn't know she even had tear ducts."
"Of course she has tear ducts," Angel said, "it's not like she's a… you were being metaphorical."
"Uh huh," Gunn said.
"Two hundred and fifty years, you still can't get human speech?" Xander asked.
Angel sighed. "I spend too much time with Wesley."
"Yeah, it shows," Xander said. "Next thing you know you'll be wearing tweed."
Angel glared at him.
"Anyway, Faith? Moody? Crying? Anybody got ideas?" Xander asked.
"Sorry man," Gunn said. "She's not really the sharing type, know what I mean?"
"Angel?"
"Hasn't said anything to me, either," he said.
"Yeah, all right," said Xander.
"You gonna talk to her?" Gunn asked.
Xander shrugged. "I'll wait until we get back."
"No, you won't," Lorne said walking down the stairs.
"Uh. I won't?"
"Babyface, what did I tell you earlier? You gotta get close. This here? Perfect opportunity. I suggest you take it."
Everybody was looking at Xander. "So," he said. "Like, now?"
"Yeah, like now, chief," Lorne said.
"Okay," Xander said. "Didn't know this would mess up my social life."
"What social life?" Gunn asked. "Didn't your last girlfriend just slug you?"
Xander glared at him.
"I'm just sayin'…"
Xander started back up the stairs just as Dawn was coming down.
"Where are you going?" Dawn asked. She was wearing a knee-length skirt and a form-fitting top.
"Apparently… nowhere," Xander said, a little glumly as he passed her on the stairs. "I'll see you later, Dawn."
Dawn frowned, but continued down to the lobby.
"Oh, and Dawn?" Xander called from the balcony. The young woman turned around to see Xander smiling down at her. "You look beautiful."
Dawn blushed, and cast her eyes at the ground, embarrassed.
"Ms. Summers," Gunn said, sidling up to the girl. "It would be my pleasure to escort you tonight."
Dawn smiled up at the young man, then turned back to Xander and smiled, before the pair headed out of the hotel. Xander cast a glance at Angel, as if to say 'take care of her.' Angel nodded once and followed the others outside.
"Lorne," Xander said from the balcony.
"Yes?" asked the demon who was currently mixing himself a drink.
"What am I supposed to do?"
"Can't tell you, bucko," said the anagogic demon. "And no, I don't know what's coming. And no, I don't know why you and her. I just know that it is you and her. Sooner the better. All I can really say is… I guess, it's a destiny thing."
"Actually, I meant that Faith told me to go away, so I was asking how to broach the subject of what's wrong."
"Oh, that," Lorne said. "Just use that old Harris charm. I'm sure you'll think of something."
"You're useless, Lorne," Xander chided with a smile.
"Hey, I'm not the one who got suspended," retorted the demon.
Xander opened his mouth to respond, but could come up with nothing.
"One of these days, Adama," Xander said. "I'm gonna win one of these little verbal sparring matches."
"You know, with the amount of practice you had with Cordelia, I'm surprised you don't win them all. Guess it just says something about natural talent."
Xander rolled his eyes and headed for the next flight of stairs to find Faith's room.
Xander knocked on the door tentatively.
"I said go 'way," responded Faith.
"I know," Xander said. "But when was the last time you knew me to leave a friend in need?"
Reflecting upon his words, Xander was disappointed that he hadn't done this originally, that he himself hadn't thought to stay behind and talk to Faith.
"I'm not in need," she said.
"Did you know cops are trained to detect lies by vocal patterns?" Silence emanated from the other side of the door. "Do you have any idea how stubborn I am? And how obnoxious I can be? I know all the words to Henry the VIII."
Xander heard a soft chuckle from the other side and knew that he had won. A moment later there was a click as the door was unlocked, but not opened. It was as much of an invitation as he was going to get.
Xander opened the door and stepped inside. The room was dark, and Faith was sitting up in her bed.
"You gonna fix me now?" Faith asked.
"No," Xander said. "Though I will say, I'm pretty sure that whatever it is, it's not gonna be you that needs fixing."
Faith scoffed at that.
"So really, though," Xander said. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Faith said.
"Liar," Xander judged.
"Screw you."
"Did that once," Xander muttered.
"What was that?"
"Listen, Faith, I don't want to pry," Xander said.
"So leave."
"No. I said I don't want to pry. I will, though."
"I don't see how it's any of your business," Faith said.
"So you admit there is something."
Faith rolled her eyes and flipped him the bird.
"Did I mention my stubbornness?" Xander asked, sitting uninvited at the foot of her bed. "Listen, I know you're a private person, you don't like sharing all of your… stuff, you know? I get it. But Lorne said –"
"Man, fuck that," Faith said. "Screw all the destiny crap, I just wanna live, you know?"
"Yeah," Xander said. "I do know. But sometimes, we don't get to do that."
Faith looked at him head cocked to one side. "Tell ya what," she said. "You got three guesses as to why I feel bad, then you leave if you're wrong."
"And if I'm right?"
"I guess we do that whole talking thing," Faith said eyes looking anywhere but Xander.
Xander nodded. "You broke up with Robin."
Faith's eyes tracked back to him quickly. "How did you –"
"Despite what my high school transcript may say, I'm not stupid. I remember what you said when Angel was freaking out over Buffy having a boyfriend," Xander said.
"What, that you were doing the same thing?" Faith asked.
"No," Xander said. "That you had to make a phone call. I don't know this Robin guy from Charles Manson, but my guess is he didn't take kindly to what you had to say."
"That's putting it mildly," Faith said. "More like he exploded and called me –" she cut off.
Xander looked at her pointedly. "Called you what?"
Faith told him. Xander's eyes narrowed.
Xander arrived at the Hyperion the next day just after noon with a small suitcase in tow. With no more than a wave to anybody else, Xander strode into Angel's office and shut the door. An hour later, a courier arrived from Wolfram and Hart. Angel signed for the document and called Wesley into his office.
"Everything seems to be in order," Wesley said after he finished looking over the document. "In truth, it doesn't surprise me that there are no suspect passages in this. Wolfram and Hart, while an evil law firm, did on occasion deal with normal facets of the law. This is one of them."
"You're certain?" Xander asked. "I don't want anything going wrong with this."
"I understand this is of the utmost importance," Wesley said. "But I assure you, I can find nothing wrong with it. Still, I would have Rupert look over it, maybe even an independent lawyer. It should be all right, though."
"Okay," Xander said.
Angel hung up his phone. "You're set, but you need to hurry a little. I'm having a car pick you up."
"Great, thanks," Xander said. "I guess I should go tell her, huh?"
"Probably a good idea," Angel said.
"You'll keep working with the guys while I'm gone?" he asked.
"Yeah, Hondo gave me his number. I'm sure we can set something up," Angel said.
Xander nodded and stood. He thanked both Angel and Wesley again and then headed upstairs. He knocked on Dawn's door. There was no answer. He knocked again, louder.
"G' 'way," was the response. "'m sleepig."
"Dawnie, it's me," he said. "Can I come in?"
There was a pause, followed by a grunt.
"Was that a yes?" Xander asked.
"Yes, that was a yes," Dawn said through the door.
Xander smiled, opened the door, and saw Dawn sitting up in bed, yawning.
"How was the club?" Xander asked.
"It was cool," she said. "Except Angel wouldn't let any guys get close enough to me to dance, but Gunn took pity and we danced some. He's got some good moves."
Xander nodded solemnly while smiling inwardly.
"So, you need to get dressed," Xander said. "And pack a bag."
Dawn rubbed some of the sleep from her eyes. "Huh?"
"Well… we're going to Cleveland for a few days," he said.
Dawn perked up. "What for?"
"You remember that thing we talked about? About making me your co-guardian, along with Buffy?"
"Yeah," Dawn said.
"Well, we're gonna get that taken care of. Need Buffy's signature. And I figure… I didn't get much of a chance to really spend time with everybody while they were here. I'm on suspension, so I might as well take a few days. Go see everyone."
Dawn grinned.
"But you need to hurry up and pack, because our flight's in not long. Okay?"
"Sure," Dawn said, rolling out of bed. Her nightshirt rolled up as she did so and revealed her bare bottom to a startled Xander. He stared, shocked, for a second, before regaining his wits and turning hurriedly around.
"I'll just wait downstairs," Xander said, his back to her. Xander quickly slipped out of the young woman's room. He rubbed his eyes and shook his head, then walked back down to the lobby, muttering about not thinking bad thoughts.
In her room, Dawn smiled. "Yup," she said to the mirror. "I still got it."
End Chapter 21