Happy New Years to everyone! I hope everything is going well for you guys! Mine isn't too bad, although, sadly, I go back to work on Monday. *sighs* Ah well, three weeks off was enough for me.
As for the reviews, a lot of you said you had problems reviewing for chapter 12, that it kept telling you that you had already reviewed. I don't know what's up with that, but I noticed on the main page that they said they corrected the problem. So hopefully, you guys won't have a problem this time.
Plato, RookRaven, miz, Thought, Harm Marie, Silver Warrior, CinnamonGrrl, charmedfanatic3000, thank you guys so much for your reviews!
Catlimere, I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. I had to let her clear the air with Angel, at least somewhat. He was the first love of her life and I think you always leave a special place in your heart for them no matter what. Not to say you don't move on, but it's there none the less. As much as I love Fred and Wesley, they won't be permanent parts of the story, but they'll be around for at least a few more chapters. You'll see why in this chapter.
Lisette, I agree with the whole Arwen thing. I'm also not a big fan of Liv Tyler so it made things even worse. When I saw the movie there were a lot of people in the theatre and I had to keep telling myself to not ruin the movie for everyone else by yelling at the screen. I missed both the twins and the Dunedain, not to mention the House of Healing, but then there are things to be cut because of time constraints, so I sort of understood. Doesn't necessarily mean I was happy about it, but I understood. And I just love scruffy men, (hence my attraction to both Aragorn and Wolverine), not that I don't see where Legolas is good looking, he's just lacking in something. And I totally agree about Wesley over Angel. I'm currently having trouble liking Angel this season. Although, that could be the fact that Spike just distracts me, oh those cheekbones....
manticore-gurl071134, the dates for Logan's children's births were just coincidentally near Buffy's. I was going on the timeline that it had been fifteen years since he had started searching (according to Xavier in the first movie) and I wanted the kids young when they died. I wanted him to volunteer because he had nothing else to live for.
A/N: Please remember that X2 never happened and will never happen in this story. I just used Stryker's name because it was easier than thinking one up (I'm horrible at making up names). So yes, I know the timeline is different than the one in X2.
A/N2: This chapter is a little talky, so I apologize in advance. But I have to set some things up. But as a bonus, there's a little action at the end.
Chapter Thirteen
The x-men were gathered in the conference room in one of the lower levels of the mansion the morning after Angel had left. Buffy, Fred, and Wesley were with them.
"I've called you here to begin teaching you on how to deal with the new dangers in your town," Wesley began. "Buffy can handle things, but there may be times when she may not be with you or is dealing with another problem."
"Usually the safest thing to do is to get away as fast as possible. But, of course, you guys have an advantage over normal humans so you're not exactly in the same amount of danger as the rest of us. Not that I can't always hold my own, it's just that..."
"Fred, dear, you're babbling again," Wesley said with a soft smile.
"Oh, sorry," she said.
"You've all seen what a vampire looks like while the demon face is present. What is harder is deciphering whether or not it is a vampire while it is wearing its human mask."
"Some of the easier ways are the way they dress," Buffy said. "Most vampires have a hard time following fashion."
"That is caused by having a harder time shopping and their inability to use a mirror," Fred explained.
"Angel blends in well, and Spike did too. But Druscilla, Angel's childe and Spike's sire, always had a Victorian flair. I've never seen her in pants and she wears lacy dresses and laced up boots."
"Childe? Sire?" Jean asked.
"Vampires have families. When a vampire creates another, for example when Angel created Druscilla, he became the sire and she the childe," Wesley explained.
"A couple of general rules to follow is not to invite anyone in after dark. This isn't to say not to have people over after dark, just don't verbally invite them in. Make sure the students are home before dark. Or if they are out at night that they travel in groups," Fred told them.
"And don't assume that just because it is light outside that the vampires and demons are trapped wherever they are. They can travel by sewers and even short distances in the open. Spike frequently carried a blanket to cover himself with for exactly that reason," Buffy said. "Not to mention they can black out the windows of cars to drive during the day."
"I've noticed that most of this is concentrated on vampires rather than demons. Why is that?" Xavier asked.
"For several reasons," Wesley said. "The first being that vampires are more common and need blood to survive. The second being that demons rarely concern themselves with human affairs since it is harder for them to blend in."
"Do they ever team up?" Scott asked.
"Only on rare occasions. Vampires and demons on a whole usually stay away from each other."
"Didn't you say vampires were demons?" Logan asked.
"Vampires are demons that animate a dead human body. But the more traditional demons look upon them as a lower life-form," Wesley explained.
"Really?" Buffy asked.
"Yes, it's all there in the slayer handbook."
"Oh, that would explain it. I never got the handbook."
"Surely, you're jesting?"
"Nope. I know that it talks about my secret identity and no family or friends. The only reason why I know that is because of Kendra."
"I find it hard to believe that Giles never gave you a copy."
Buffy shrugged. "He said I was a special case. I probably would have thrown it away anyways. You know how much I just love to follow rules."
"Yes, well...back to demons. You have met both Lorne and Clem so you know that not all demons are evil. Some demons are on our side, others just live peaceful lives, some are here to keep the balance, and then there are those out to wreak havoc and destruction. They frequently fight amongst themselves."
"How do we tell the difference?" Ororo asked in her softly accented voice.
"You don't," Buffy said. "Don't fight them unless they attack you, and even then I would prefer that you just run."
"You're takin' the fun out of it, darlin'," Logan said.
"That's me, the fun-sucker," she said darkly.
*********
Buffy went looking for Rogue after lunch. She found the girl in her room quietly reading.
"What 'cha doin'?" Buffy asked.
"Nothin'."
"You wouldn't happen to know how to drive would you?"
"Yes, I have my license. Why?"
"Want to go shopping?" Buffy asked.
"I don't have any money."
"I'll take care of it. Want to come?"
Rogue seemed to think it over, and then smiled and said, "Sure."
The two girls quickly made their way to the mall. Rogue noticed that the slayer seemed more relaxed and smiled easier as they walked to the different stores.
"Ya really like shopping, huh?" Rogue asked.
"Love it. It's been a while since I've been able to do any. Not big on exposed skin are you?"
"No one explained mah mutation ta ya, did they?"
"No."
"Whenever mah skin touches someone else's, I absorb their life force. I can't control it."
"But you're dating Bobby right?"
"Yeah."
"Then how do you guys smooch and stuff?"
"We don't," Rogue said quietly.
Buffy just nodded in understanding.
"Sometimes I think it's not fair ta him. That I should let him go so he can be with someone who he can touch. What do ya think?"
The slayer looked around and pulled the girl into a quiet part of the store. "Rogue, I'm really not a good person to go to for relationship advice. All of mine ended in the guys dying or leaving me."
"I'm sorry."
"But I can tell you this. Let him decide what is fair. If he loves you, loves you enough, touching you won't matter. If he wants to be with you, then let him."
Rogue stared at her with wide eyes. "Why did Angel leave ya?"
"What? How did you know?"
"Ya mentioned it when ya sparred with him."
Buffy closed her eyes and sighed. When she reopened them they were full of an old pain that seemed to no longer haunt her. "I'm only going to explain this once and only because you'll understand."
"Okay."
"Angel was my first love. We made love on my seventeenth birthday and it released his cursed soul. He became Angelus and terrorized the town. He killed one of my teachers and tortured my watcher before I was able to kill him."
Rogue made a move to question her but Buffy held up her hand to stop her. "Don't interrupt. He came back with his soul several months later. We dated again, but he left me because of the restrictions on his soul. Said it wasn't fair to me that we couldn't have a physical relationship.
"But what he didn't understand was the sex wasn't what mattered, that I just wanted to be with him. I've resented him for the decision ever since."
"I understand," Rogue said softly. "The first boy I ever kissed ended up in a coma for three weeks.
Buffy smiled grimly. "I guess so." Then she forced a smile on her face. "Now let's do some serious shopping."
"But the money..."
"Relax, I have plenty. I'm in the mood for something pretty. How about you?"
"Pretty is good."
They spent a couple of hours of shopping. By the time they were finished, their hands were full of bags.
"Hungry?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah. I'm in the mood for something greasy."
After filling their trays with fries and hamburgers they found a table to set their bags down and rest.
"How long have you known Logan?" Buffy asked.
"Just a coupla' months."
"Really?" Buffy asked in surprise. "You guys are awfully close."
"I had run away from home cause of mah mutation," Rogue said. "I was in Canada and saw him in a bar fightin'."
"Big surprise there."
Rogue chuckled. "Yeah, well, I stowed away in his trailer, but he found me. Then for some reason he let me stay. We were attacked shortly after that and he was badly injured. Mr. Summers and Miss Munroe saved us. One of the first things he asked about when he woke up was about me."
"Huh, kind of odd isn't it? I mean, he doesn't seem to like most people, especially Scott and Angel."
"I think he respects Scott, he just likes ta give him a hard time 'cause he's so reserved and he's dating Miss Grey."
"What does Jean have to do with it?"
"Cause Logan liked her," Rogue said simply.
Buffy felt a weight plummet to the bottom of her stomach and had to force herself to swallow her food. "Logan likes Jean?" She asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Used to," Rogue corrected and Buffy could feel the tightness in her chest release. "I noticed he's hardly paid her any attention since he got back."
"Oh."
**********
Wesley was alone in the room that he shared with Fred doing some research that night. His girlfriend was off with Jean talking about genetics or something, he wasn't quite sure. The depths and quickness of her mind never ceased to amaze him. She could take a complex theory that no one should be able to understand and easily explain it to anyone in just a few words.
He shook himself out of his wondering thoughts and back to the papers in front of him. Only he was interrupted by a knock at his door.
"Come in," he called, not looking up.
"We're not botherin' ya, are we Mr. Pryce?" Rogue asked as she poked her head in.
"Not at all, Rogue. Come in, and please, call me Wesley."
She opened the door further and she and Bobby walked in. They closed the door behind them and stood nervously in the middle of the room.
"Please, have seat." The two young mutants sat on the edge of the bed. "What can I do for you?"
"Mr. Pryce..." Rogue began.
"Wesley, please."
"Wesley, I don't want ya ta think that we eavesdropped on purpose yesterday, it was all by accident."
"What are you talking about?"
"Yesterday, when you were talking to Buffy," Bobby said.
"We were just wondering what you meant by her having a team," Rogue said.
"One of the most important things about being a slayer is their anonymity. The slayers worked alone with their watchers for thousands of years. But Buffy was different. She had two classmates who discovered her secret and decided to help. They both helped with any research and Willow became a very powerful witch. Over the years the number of people who helped grew."
"Why are they no longer helping?" Rogue asked.
Wesley sighed. "A little over a year ago they died in a battle with something called the First."
"The first what?"
"The First Evil. And ancient, unstoppable power."
"You mentioned watchers. Who are they?" Bobby asked.
"The watchers were an organization who trained the slayers. I was Buffy's watcher for a short period of time before I was fired."
"Why doesn't Buffy have one now?"
"For several reasons," Wesley said. "The council headquarters was destroyed by the First. Most of those who lived no longer wanted to live that life. Then, of course, there is very little left to teach her."
The two students were silent for a few minutes and then shared a look before turning back to Wesley. "We want ta help her," Rogue stated.
"What?"
"We want ta help her research and learn magic so she's not alone."
"She won't allow it."
"So?" Rogue said with a shrug. "We'll help her whether she wants us to or not. But we don't know where ta start."
"What does Professor Xavier think of this?" Wesley asked hoping to deter them.
"It's not really his decision to make, it's ours. Wesley, we're going to help no matter what. It'll just be easier if we had help in learning," Bobby said firmly.
"Very well."
************
The next two weeks passed quickly. Wesley arranged for all of Giles old books to be shipped to the mansion along with anything else he could get his hands on. The Professor had set aside a room to become the demon library. Rogue and Bobby began learning about the rigors of research and Wesley found a witch named Renee to teach them about magic. So far, Buffy had no clue.
Buffy and Logan easily fell back into their friendship. They devised a course outline for their class and tested all the students so they could divide them into groups of the same experience levels. They were slightly surprised when Bobby and Rogue asked for extra sessions but agreed to do them.
They had just finished one such session and the two students left the danger room. Buffy looked appreciatively at Logan. The thin cotton of his t-shirt left very little to the imagination. She could easily see the outline of his taut muscles.
Forcing her mind from dirty thoughts she said, "Want to spar? All the vampires this week were pathetic, I need a challenge."
Logan grinned. "Sure. I could do with a good workout." He caught a whiff of her scent changing and that was all the warning he received before she attacked.
Knowing that the other could handle whatever they dished out, they held nothing back. They took turns trying to pound each other into the ground. It didn't take long for huge smiles to break out on their faces.
He couldn't help but notice that her ribs no longer protruded from underneath her skin. All she was wearing was a sports bra and sweat pants that hung low on her hips. Logan was pleased to see that she was finally getting some meat back on her bones. Not enough to satisfy him, but at least it was a start.
Buffy took advantage of his momentary distraction and knocked him flat on his back. She quickly straddled his hips and pinned him down. "I win," she said with a grin.
"You think, huh?"
"No, I know." Then she did something that took him totally by surprise. She tickled him.
Logan was ashamed to admit it, but he was extremely ticklish and somehow she had found out. His laughter echoed through the danger room as she mercilessly attacked his sides.
He grabbed her hands and rolled them over so that their positions were switched. He held her there as their laughter died down.
When they had finally calmed, Logan realized his face was only inches from hers. She was flushed and strands of her blond hair clung to her forehead. Her breathing was still slightly heavy and he could feel her barely touch him with each inhale.
Logan breathed deeply and smelled her femininity and her power. Before he knew what he was doing, he closed the distance and kissed her passionately.
She responded immediately by kissing him back just as fiercely. Her hands somehow found their way underneath his shirt and she lightly scratched her nails down his back, causing him to shiver with pleasure.
A loud knock at the door interrupted them and he pulled back to look at her. Guilt, lust, and confusion swam through her eyes until fear overrode them. She suddenly shoved him off of her and ran out the door.