Chapter One

Getting There

Teleporting was not Xander's favourite way to travel, but it was the fastest and most efficient. And it was with Willow. Not many things he and Willow did together anymore, not many things he could do, especially with a three-month-old son. It was hard enough to deal with preteen slayers and assorted doomsday's, but when he added on the baby, the wheelchair and an extremely apologetic friend who was always feeling bad, it was too much.

Sure, after Sunnydale had been vanquished and a Cleveland Home-Guard had been established, he and Willow and Buffy went to inform the other new slayer about the how's, why's and what's of their new powers.

It had happened in Russia.

They had been in an abandoned building looking for the runaway slayer and the vampires attacked. Willow and Buffy started to fight then, in the process they also destroyed the building. Xander did what he always did: kept watch. He saw the Russian slayer, saw the falling steel beam and shoved her out of the way.

It took Buffy and the slayer to get the beam off of him. And then they called a hospital. No magic healing for Xander-a-la-Willow. Apparently he didn't rate high enough on the important list to keep walking. Inwardly he knew that it was because Willow was still afraid of her power and she didn't want to hurt her best friend even more.

Then about six months after the hospital and physio, a baby got dropped off at the Home-Guard main house's door. The letter was written in Ancient Sumerian. It said that Anya had been pregnant and when she died D'Hoffryn had been able to save the child.

Ryan.

He had had enough. He didn't want any more magic or supernatural. Ryan would not grow up on a Hellmouth. Not like his father had. Ryan would know about everything, he just wouldn't be forced into that world. He would be allowed to choose.

So.

A magically dead place to raise his son. Colorado Springs.

"Xander?"

The firm grip on his hand let go and Willow bent down to look him in the eye. "Yah?" He just wanted out. He loved his friends, but losing his fiancé, and eye, his ability to walk and more, having buried more friends then that still lived... He'd had enough.

"What'cha thinking?"

"Not much. Though, maybe a house would have easier to deal with, and Ryan..."

Willow smiled, "That's a good idea Xander. Should we go to a Retailer?"

"No, I want suburban. I saw a house when I Googled this morning before you came over to get us that I'd like to check out. It's in a nice neighbourhood apparently."

"Should I rent a car?"

Not to be mean, Xander smirked and in a dry voice said, "Sure, I mean, we're in a middle of town and I'm not wheeling Ryan and me to the edge of it."

A blush reddened willow's cheeks at the reminder that she didn't need that he was in the wheelchair because she hadn't even tried to stop the falling beam or tried healing him after. "Sorry Xander..."

"No," he interrupted, feeling like a rat-bastard, "I'm sorry Will, I shouldn't have said that." Silently he begged her not to pull away anymore then she already had.

Relieved, but sill feeling bad Willow leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Xander's neck, making sure not to hurt Ryan in her best friends arms.

"Okay, Will, we need to go and see the house, I'd like to see it sometime today." Willow let go of Xander and took Ryan so that Xander could push himself down the street.

The cat that they rented was a nice little blue thing that fit Xander's folded up wheelchair in the back. The two friends couldn't get over the fact that the lady at the rental had thought them to be newly weds.

It only took ten minutes to find the neighbourhood and then five more to find the exact house.

"Nice place."

Indeed it was; a nice two-floor, white house with a big front and back yard. Willow took Ryan again and Xander transferred himself to his wheelchair. They spent a few minutes looking around before a blue truck pulled up into the next door neighbours driveway. An older man, in about his late forties or early fifties wearing a black leather jacket and blue jeans got out.

"Um, Xander? Do you really want to live next door to a career military man?" Willow only read the surface thoughts of potential threats.

"It doesn't really matter Will, there won't be anything to catch his attention." Xander watched as at the man locked his truck, glanced over to them then looked again, slightly surprised to see them. A smile came over his face and he walked over, "Hi. Are you looking at the house?"

"Well, he is," Will said, pointing at Xander. "I'm Willow Rosenberg and this is Xander Harris. His son, Ryan." Willow pointed to the baby in Xander's arms.

"I see. Well, Joyce gave me a key so I could show some people around..." He trailed off as the two young adults faces blanched. "Is something wrong?"

"No! No, nothing's wrong... It's just that we had an aunt named Joyce... she died about three and a half years ago."

"I'm sorry..."

"No, it's alright. It has been over three years. Anyway, yes, I'd like to see the house. Can I ask you your name?"

The older man bit back a grin and smiled charmingly, "Sure. I'm Jack O'Neill."

"Colonel?" Xander's wild guess hit it right on.

"How did you know?"

"You're too old to be a major and too cocky to be a general. Besides, I like you." O'Neill looked confused for a moment then shrugged and pulled out his key ring.

"Joyce lived here for ten years and raised three kids from the age of ten up. She's already got a new house and has moved out, so, if you see it, it comes with the house at asking price."

The building had a nice kitchen done in sunflowers and different shades of blue; there was a connected living room and formal dinning room. The living room tapered into a spacious hall that had a full bathroom and small bedroom on one side and a master bedroom with attached bathroom at the end. The stairs lead up to three bedrooms and another full bathroom. The loft like bedroom at the east side of the house had a small and private balcony attached to it.

"I like it. Where can I get a hold of Mrs.Williams?" Xander smiled at Willow finished describing the upstairs.

"Here's a card with her contact information, she's usually home after 5:00 local time, so you should call then." The trio left the house and O'Neill locked up.

"Thank you for showing us around Colonel O'Neill, we appreciated it." Xander shook the outstretched hand and Willow wheeled him to the car. She put Ryan into the baby carriage and was about to help Xander get into the car when O'Neill came back over.

"Can I help?" Xander shrugged and O'Neill picked the man up in his arms and transferred him to the passengers seat.

"Thank you."

"Not a problem Miss Rosenberg, Mr Harris. Drive safe." Willow pulled out of the driveway and O'Neill waved them off.

To Be Continued