Neither man seemed to move. Neither man seemed to breathe. Finally it was Adam that made the first move. Turning around he began to make his way into the room; pausing mid-stride he turned to the side. Briefly meeting Xander's eyes he said, "Take all the time you need." With that, he turned and resumed his walk back into room.

Xander stood there, still not moving. He wanted answers, but at the moment…his mind was on overload. Trying to calm himself, he slowly began taking deep breaths. Once sufficiently calm, and thinking somewhat clearly, he made his way towards the opened door.

Upon entering the room he saw Adam placing a bucket filled with ice and holding a few bottles of beer on the center of a round table surrounded by chairs and couches. After taking his seat, Adam motioned for Xander to sit across from him. After taking the proffered seat, Xander reached for a beer and placed it upon the table in front of him. One he was settled comfortably he nodded for Adam to begin.

Adam took a deep breath in an effort to order his thoughts. 'This isn't going to plan,' he thought morosely; chastising himself for this predicament. Chasing away the unproductive, and useless thought, he decided to open with, "I suppose we should start with what happened in there," pointing toward the other room. He continued, "That feeling, the tingling sensation that spread from your mind throughout your body building in intensity is how you know that someone like you is about."

Looking at Adam intently, Xander asked, "Like me?"

Nodding his head Adam calmly said the one word that would get this started. "Immortal."

Xander's eyes went wide with that small, yet extraordinary, statement. He, of course, knew that immortality was possible. He had witnessed it himself. And with the exception of Oz, the only way he knew of to gain immortality was through darkness. And he in no way wanted to become part of the darkness. With a burning passion he knew that he would prefer to be dead than become part of which he had spent so long fighting.

"How did I become Immortal?"

"Actually….you were born that way." Seeing the confusion in the child's eyes, he elaborated. "Ever since you were born, there had been an energy, an extraordinary life force within you. An energy that is known as 'The Quickening.'" Looking directly at Xander's chest he continued, "You died today." Xander's hand went up to his chest, where there had been fatal bullet wounds only hours earlier.

There was confusion in Xander's voice as he spoke. "It was always in me? But I've been hurt many of times…and I've never been a fast healer. Well…nothing like this."

Nodding his head, "As I was saying…You died today…but before that…this power, your Quickening, was in a recessive state. It is unlikely that anyone would have noticed it. It was completely dormant. However, when you died today, it became active." Looking deeply into Xander's eyes. "Today Alexander…you awakened your Quickening, and became an Active Immortal."

Many thoughts were going through Xander's head at this moment. Most of them were revolving around what he would have to sacrifice, or who he would have to sacrifice, in order to remain Immortal. And he knew that there was no way anyone was to die, so that he could selfishly remain Immortal. Thinking of how vampires needed blood to remain immortal, he was betting that he would have to steal other people's energy to remain alive. There was one question that was burning on his mind right now…one that he needed answered. But how to ask it without sounding insane if he was wrong?

"What do I need to sustain myself? What do I need to survive?"

Those questions threw Adam off guard to a degree. "Well…those aren't quite the same question." Furrowing his brow in concentration, he continued. "To 'sustain' yourself, you only need what you've always needed. Food and beverage." Saying this he held up his beer and took a long pull. "You may find yourself eating more at meals, but that's all right. You'll find that you have a better metabolism to compensate for the excess energy your body is producing." Seeing the relief Xander's eyes, he proceeded to the next part of his question. "In order to survive…." Adam's eyes became darker, reflecting on times of the past, and then as soon as it had happened, they reacquired their softer tone. "…I think that we'll get to that in just a moment." Realizing that this was as far as he was going to get with this topic, he nodded his consent, making a mental note to come back to it later if need be.

"Alexander, there is much for you to know about being Immortal. What it means of your past…what it means of your future…and how it will affect your present."

Adam then spent the next few hours going into great detail about Immortality in general. Xander was pleased to know that since his 'first death' was relatively private he wouldn't have to move and assume a new identity. Adam was pleased to learn that there wasn't anyone waiting for Xander at the moment…causing them to make up a reason for Xander not showing up to wherever he may have been going. Xander was somewhat surprised to learn that he was more than likely adopted. That all immortals seemed to be without biological parents. How this was possible, Adam did not know. He was deeply saddened to learn that having children was not in his, now ever so long, future. While he had never really talked about it, except the few times with Anya, he had always assumed he would have children one day. Besides, he had seen children in the vision of his future the demon had shown him on his almost-wedding day, even if that was a false vision. He knew that in time he would learn to cope, and to live with this. What came as the real shocker was when Adam got to the part about playing 'The Game'. Though thinking back, his life as a mortal was never easy. So why would his life as an Immortal be any easier? Decapitation as the only way to end his life as an Immortal…He really should have seen this coming.

"Why? Why would anyone want to play this 'Game'?" There was a great deal of anger in his voice.

"It's 'The Game'…and the reason why people want to end your immortal existence…is to gain the very thing that makes you Immortal." Looking straight into Xander's eyes….trying to make him understand how important this was… "Your Quickening. Other Immortals covet it. If they take your head, they will also gain all the power from your Quickening, adding it to their own. There are many out there who only want to become more powerful. They do that by searching for Immortals…and taking their heads." Never breaking eye-contact he continued, "They are known as 'Head-hunters.'"

Taking a deep breath, that did nothing to calm his nerves, Xander asked, "What am I to do?"

"Learn to defend yourself."

"I don't want to kill."

"Alexander, earlier today I saw you give your life to save a total stranger. If you don't learn to defend yourself, and they take your head…who will be there to stop them when they come upon their next hapless victim. I may not know you very well…at the moment…but I firmly believe that you would never let them happen." Putting his head in his hands, Xander nodded his consent.

"And if I offered them a chance of surrender?" Xander asked with a little hope in his voice.

Knowing he had to crush this now, before it began to fester, he replied. "Then they will continue to come after you. And they won't stop with you. To get your undivided attention, and to get even, they will go after your loved ones. They will go after friends and family alike. They will rape and murder those you hold dear until you do something that costs you your life." Xander's eyes began to burn with the intensity of two small novas. Allowing his friends and family to be harmed was something that Xander would never allow to transpire as long as he was still breathing. Seeing that look in Xander's eyes Adam decided to press forward. "You have to realize Alexander, the men and women who you will be facing have been fighting for many centuries, if not longer. They grew up with swords in their hands before they could take their first step. They have fought in Wars that were decided by the blade of a sword. And they have been playing in 'The Game' against other master swordsmen for centuries as well. They have every advantage over you." The fire was still burning brightly in Xander's eyes.

"What do I do?"

With a small smile, Adam responded. "Become my student. I will teach you how to survive." Leaning in closer to Xander he continued, "I am fairly good with a sword and have much to teach you. You can stay with me for as long as you wish and we will continually train." Leaning back in his chair, "You know the rules of 'The Game', and I think we can both agree that the life of a monk is not the life for you." Both men were smirking at this. "What you should also know is that if you are challenged before you are ready…it is my right to accept the challenge on your behalf, until such time as I think you are ready."

Looking down at the two empty bottles on the table next to him, he picked up the half consumed one. "I don't want you to accept a challenge offered to me if it may lead to you losing your head." With that said, he drained the rest of his bottle.

Waiting for him to finish drinking, Adam replied, "Why don't we jump off that bridge when we come to it." A sudden smile came across Adam's face. "Besides…there is someone I want you to meet. As good as I am with the sword, he is still much better. I think there is a lot he can teach you too. Like you, he is Immortal, but you need not worry about him challenging you. He tries as hard as he can to stay out of the game…doesn't really work to well for him…but he tries. And like you, he's a damn boy scout!" There was a deep smirk on his face.

Xander looked outraged for a brief moment before it faded into one of slight confusion. "If you want to be my teacher…then why pawn me off to someone else?" There was the tiniest hint of hurt in his voice.

"Because Alexander, when the chance to learn under a master, such as Duncan, comes around…do not waste it. Especially when it can vastly improve your chances of surviving. He is considered one of the best…if not the best himself. He is considered one of the most likely candidates to win 'The Prize" as well." Adam distinctly heard Xander mumble something about 'Stupid fcking prophecies' and something about 'constantly fcking up his life'. But wisely chose to ignore it, for now.

Xander was looking down at the table muttering about the injustices of life, and how all prophecies should go to hell, when he stopped. With a small smile on his face he looked up to Adam. Giving Adam a quick nod he replied, "Ok Adam…I guess you got yourself a student…for a while at least."

With a smile of his own, Adam reached out his hand, to which Xander quickly reciprocated. Soon they were shaking hands and cementing another friendship that would put another nail into the coffin that was the darkness.

Looking at Adam with a strange expression, Xander finally asked a question that had been bugging him. "What the hell is up with this house?"