FIC: A Murder Of Crows (3/?)

"Xander!" Cordy slapped him on the arm. "You were day-dreaming again. Who were you thinking about?"

Xander shook his head to clear it before staring at his girl-friend sat on the science lab seat beside him. "Uh, nobody, just Slaying," he lied.

"More likely a Slayer," Cordelia glared at him. "I've seen the way you look at Faith."

"What?" Xander felt his cheeks redden at the accusation. It wasn't like that, well okay no denying it, Faith was a major-league hottie, but then so was Cordy and he'd never cheat on her. It was just that Faith was a part of the gang now, and that meant she was one of his girls, his responsibility. And sometimes she looked so lost, so alone. He glanced at his girl-friend's set face. Realising that saying that would probably end up with him being dissected, he shrugged. "Do you think I'm a player?"

Cordelia's hysterical laughter was less comforting than he'd expected. "You, a player?" his girl-friend laughed. "Oh that's a good one." Cordy's eyes suddenly narrowed. "Why, who called you a player?"

Xander thought quickly. He desperately constructed a lie, he didn't want Cordelia to suffer death by Slayer. "Uh, nobody. I just offered this girl carry some books for her, she was running an errand for a teacher. She accused me of trying to pick her up," he was careful to put an injured note into his voice.

Obviously too injured. "How dare she!" Cordelia's scream sent every eye in the lab to her. The cheerleader continued, her tone lower but no less than angry. "I'll go and show this harlot what happens to a girl who dares to think my man would make a move on her! Who is she?"

"Uh," Xander was careful not to groan. Obviously his lies were just too convincing. "I honestly don't know her. I think she was a sophomore."

"A sophomore?" Cordy's eyes widened in outrage. "A sophomore thinks she can get away with thinking she can accuse my man of wanting her! You see her in the corridor tell me!"

"I will," he weakly promised. God he was such an idiot. Although, he did have an idea for an in with Faith, get her to maybe talk to him.

"So that's why the answer to question 23 is 17." Jonathan paused as he realised his companion was staring intently at him. Colouring slightly, he turned to face her. "What's up? I got a booger or something?"

"Not hardly," Faith purred. She moved closer. "You're looking pretty good JL." His eyes widened in half-alarm, half-pleasure, when Faith cupped his flaming face in her so soft palms. The sultry Bostonian chuckled. "Wicked cute when you blush too." She pressed her lips to his-.

"Jonathan! Dinner!"

His eyes snapped open with a groan. The dream, again. "What's that," he muttered, "the sixth time in two days?" Jumping up from the bed he shook his head. "Yeah, like a hot girl like Faith would ever be interested in a loser like me." He snorted bitterly. "That's a joke."

"So what's it like having your dad around?" Buffy asked. Faith grunted. Buffy tried again. "How are you liking school?" This time her companion shrugged. Buffy wasn't one to give up. "Are you interested in Jonathan?"

This time she got a reaction. Her fellow Slayer stopped and spun around to face her. "You're on something Summers!" the Bostonian's eyes flared. "Jonathan's just a geek!" The east coast teen shook her head. "He's an okay guy, but he's just a tutor."

"Do you normally beat bullies up for your tutors?" Buffy teased. "Three in two days."

Now Faith's eyes grew hunted. "Don't like bullies," she muttered. Suddenly the girl turned away from her as if hiding something. "Anyhow, we've done our sweep-through, see ya later."

"Faith!" Buffy yelled after the other Slayer as she hurried away. Buffy shrugged. "Touchy much?"

Shaking her head, she started on the way back home. Trying to connect with her fellow supernatural warrior was difficult, even harder than connecting with Kendra. On the outside she was really extroverted, brash even, but if you tried to get close….

She stopped at the sound of growling just off the path. After drawing her stake, she stepped into the undergrowth. Her eyes widened and time seemed to stop, her breath coming in gasps. "A…Angel?"

Crow looked up at the knock on their hastily arranged apartment's door. He picked up his .38 and shoved it in the back of his pants before sauntering over and opening it. On the other side of the door stood a nervous-looking kid maybe his daughter's age. "Yeah?" he growled, careful not to invite the boy in.

"Uh, hi," the youth stuttered. "My name's Xander Harris, I'm a friend of your daug-, Faith."

"Oh yeah?" Crow's tone was non-committal but his internal alarms were sounding loud and clear. Only person his daughter had mentioned aside from Summers and Giles was some kid who was tutoring her to catch up on the stuff she'd missed in the three years since she last attended school. And this wasn't him. "What ya want kid?"

The youth stepped into his room, Crow relaxed, but only slightly. There were plenty of humans who worked for vampires. "Uh, sir. I know about Faith's Calling, I help Buffy Slay for these past two years."

Crow raised an eyebrow. If this was true it was impressive. If it was true. "You kid?" he was careful to put a ton of scorn in his voice, just to test the boy's reaction. "And what can you do?"

The boy's eyes flickered with anger. "I'm the reason Faith's a Slayer!"

"And I thought the powers chose them?"

"Well I'm the reason there's two Slayers," the youth's shoulders slumped and his eyes lost their heat. "I gave Buffy CPR after the Master drowned her, split the Slayer line."

That was impressive. Boy had nerve. "Uh, uh." He glanced down at the floor for a second until his face was under control. "Well she's out on patrol, don't know when she'll be back. Want to leave a message?"

"Uh no sir, I know. I waited until she left before coming to the door. I wanted to see you alone."

"Right." Suddenly it was a whole lot clearer. Boy was a fag, not exactly surprising if he spent all that time hanging with an upper-class Limey. Everyone knew what they got up to at Oxford. Suddenly he realised the kid had continued to talk. "What kid?"

"Uh, Giles says you're a bad ass demon hunter with nearly three decades of Slaying, fighting vampires without any powers. I was wondering," Xander shrugged before shaking his head and turning away from him. "It doesn't matter. It was a dumb idea."

"Wait!" Jack blocked the kid's route. "What were you wondering?"

The youth looked everywhere but at him. "That maybe you could train me. You've been fighting vamps way stronger than you for three decades, you could really help me."

Crow opened his mouth to laugh. Instead he found himself nodding. "Sit down ki-, Xander. Tell me all the stuff you've done Slaying, what you've learnt. Ya wanna juice or some milk?" Fuck he was becoming domesticated. Telling himself he was doing it so that his girl would see he was making an effort, he turned to the fridge. "Well?"

"Uh, I haven't done much."

"Kid," he felt his temper flicker. "If that's the truth, then you're just a passenger and you're wasting my time. If not, talk."

"Uh, okay sir." Crow's eyes widened as the youth began to talk. If half of what the kid said was true, the boy had serious potential.

Faith shook her head as she sauntered towards the apartment her -, Crow had hired for them. It wasn't anywhere classy, just a normal four-room basement level apartment, but it was better than anywhere she'd lived apart from with Ally back in Boston. She was just waiting for pa to demand his rent. Fuck, if it wasn't for the Council she'd have skipped out already.

She had to admit school was actually pretty cool. JL was kinda fun to hang with, her own personal fan club, and she'd found to her surprise she was pretty good at the learning thing. She especially liked English, back in Boston she'd used to hang in the school library until it closed, anything to avoid going home, and history, it was wicked learning about old shit. The asshole guys sucked, but she could handle them and the cheerleaders were bitches, but fuck 'em.

Unlocking the front door, she strode into the hallway. Hearing the sound of voice coming from the kitchendining room, she popped her head around the door. Her eyes widened as she recognised the youth sat with Crow. "What the fuck are you doing here?" she growled.

The teen jumped. "Uh, uh." Xander turned to face her, his face pale. "I was just visiting your dad, asking him if he'd train me." Faith snorted, what bullshit, guy had got serious wood for her.

"Faith," her dad rose in that loose-limbed, ripcord way of his. "You wanna drink? Maybe sit with Xan for a while, shoot the breeze?"

"Fuck no," she snorted. "I'm going to bed."

Crow's face hardened. "No you're not. You're walking Xander home. It's not safe."

"Uh, no," Xander's eyes darted from her father to her. "I can go on my own."

"He walked here solo," Faith agreed.

Crow's eyes narrowed. "Just do what you're told for once, okay?"

Faith glanced at Xander. Harris was a fucking pain, but she didn't want his death on her conscience. She'd already failed to save her first Watcher. "Fine," she nodded. "Come on."

"Okay," Xander glanced at her dad. "I'll see you soon sir."

"Call me Jack kid." Crow nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow." Faith groaned. Her pa turned to her. "Got something to say kid."

"Oh no nothing dad I'm wicked cool," she drawled sarcastically before turning to X. "Let's move."

Faith managed to keep grumpily quiet for two-thirds of the journey to Xander's place but finally snapped after what seemed his hundredth inane quip. Grabbing the surprised kid by the lapels of his shirt, she slammed him into the wall of the shadowy alley they were walking through. "What the fuck is your angle Harris?" she growled. "You trying for the post of my own personal stalker?"

"N..no," Xander stuttered, his eyes widening with shock.

"Oh yeah, why's that?" she sneered.

"I want to be your friend sure. But I need to train, I'm sick of being a passenger."

Confused, Faith released her grip and stepped back. "What do you mean?"

"G-man's knowledge guy, you and Buff are the Slayers, and Will's got her mojo thing. Me, I've got nothing. And I," Xander dropped her gaze, "I get so scared sometimes."

Faith snorted. Wuss. "You get scared, why do you do it?"

"'Cause it's the right thing to do," Xander reddened. "My girls and G-Man, if I help them, I've done something worthwhile." He kicked a can across the alley it clattered against the opposite wall. "And it's the only thing that makes me special. Maybe by training I can help them better. They're," Xander looked at her, "you're the important ones."

Faith stared at Xander, rocked by the raw emotion in his voice. Finally she gave herself a mental shake. "Let's get ya home." Maybe he was different.

"There you go," Buffy muttered as she fastened the chains around her snarling, wild ex, securing him in the lounge of his mansion. How he'd got here she had no idea. And there was no-one she could ask, she'd have to keep this secret.

If Crow found out, he'd dust him without a second thought.