A/N: I know this is a little trivial but I would like to recieve more feedback, my muse is still in gear and writing but I'm losing intrest in this story. You're reviews would help me continue. Only a few more stories left till I'm out of ideas. Keep reviewing, I'll keep writing.
Title: Welcome
Home.
Author: Cobra
Rating: M
Summary: It's back to
Sunnydale High for Xander and the underage
members of the
Outsiders. AKA, the scooby gang.
Disclaimer: I own
nothing.
Chapter One.
Xander groaned as he walked
toward the Principals office. His left
arm still in a sling as he
knocked on the door with his right hand.
"Come in."
An obnoxous voice answered. Xander rolled his eyes and
opened the
door walking into the domain of the troll, AKA
Principal
Snyder.
"Snyder." Xander said with a nod of his head as he sat down.
"Principal Snyder to you delenquit."
"Right. Sorry.", Xander said in a
quick and unmeaning tone. Snyder
growled softly as he leaned
forward on his desk.
"You listen to me Harris. I don't
know how you got these scores, or
recomendations. But I'm watching
you, and the first time you screw
up."
"Listen,
watch as close as you want. I don't need to be here, face it
Snyder,
you need me more than I need you, cause as long as I'm here
you'll
get that nice little bonus I promised you. You got that?"
"Right, supposing you even have the money."
"I own the
biggest chain of theme restaraunts and nightclubs in the
world. I
think I can afford to pay you off."
"Don't push me Harris. Now get your slacker attitude to class."
"Sure.
Bye now." Xander said with a smirk as he stood and walked
from
the office. Sure that wasn't the best way to handle Snyder.
But it
did make Xander mad that he had to bribe the man to let him
back into
school. And he might as well get something out of
it.
"Hey Xand." Buffy said as she walked up beside
the young man and put
an arm around his waist.
"If I
remember right, rumors will be spread by dusk that we are
together."
Xander said as he smiled and wiggled his eyebrows. Buffy
slapped
his right arm playfully.
"Ow..."
"I know
you're tougher than that oh Fearless Leader." Buffy smirked
as
she rolled her eyes. Xander stopped pouting and nodded.
"Yeah, just trying to fall into old routine. Don't know why."
"Guess you kinda missed it." Buffy answered with a shrug.
"Maybe.
Anyway I don't have to act like that anymore. I can be
myself."
"You
never where the Xander I first met were you?" Buffy asked as
she
stopped and looked at his eyes.
"Sure I was, but
you changed me Buff. Made me want to be something
better,
something more. So really, me being who I am, everything I've
done,
it's because of you Buffy."
"..." Buffy looked at Xander speechless.
"Of course that means that
everything I do from this point will be
your fault. So if my kid
turn out like Giles. I'm so blaming that on
you."
"Way
to ruin a moment Xander." Buffy said with a smile as
they
started walking again.
"It's what I do."
Risk sat in the monitor room of Outsiders HQ with a frown on his face.
"I can't believe
it, one of the best heroes in the world and he's in
highschool."
"He has the skill."
"That's not what I meant." Risk
told Hal Jordan with a smirk., "I
mean we should be out
busting heads, savin the world. But no, he's
got a chemistry
test."
"He's thinking ahead, can't be young and a hero forever."
"Xands got more money than he knows
what do with. I just don't
understand why he went back."
"More
than anything I think it's about control." Hal Jordan said
with
a shrug.
"Huh?"
"Control, most
heroes, really all of them to a degree, have a better
than though
attitude, Xander is doing everything he can to stay
grounded."
"I'm following you." Risk said motioning Jordan to go on.
"He
thinks following rules, having Superiors, will keep him
grounded.
Plus, have you ever wondered why he brought his friends
into this?"
"There damn good at what they do. These
kids... well, teamates, know
there shit." Risk said in a
defending tone.
"I'm not saying they don't. But still,
they are just kids, some, like
Willow, show no Superpowers. Xander
brought them in because he knew,
without a shadow of a doubt he
would choose them over the power.
There not only your teamates,
there his safty net."
"Yeah, I don't need no damn safety net, why should Xander."
"Because Risk.
Xander cares about more than just himself." Hal Jordan
said
in a voice of understanding.
"I care about people Hal. At least I don't go around killing them."
"Yeah, that's
true, but think about this, that's what happened to me,
when my
safety net was destroyed." Jordan said in a sad but
also
aggrivated tone as he turned.
"Do you all really think that?"
"What?"
"That I don't care." Risk said with a low voice.
"Most of us do,
but some of us, like Xander. He looks below the
surface. He's the
one who see's. And obviously, he thought there was
something in
you worth saving."
"Guess that means he thinks the
same about you." Risk said with a
slight smile.
"Maybe,"
Hal said with a smile of his own., "Or maybe, he just want's
to
keep an eye on me."
"He wouldn't have given you a ring if he didn't trust you."
"Yeah, he would have."
Hal said as he smiled again., "Because, in
that situation, it
was the only option he had left."
"He would have
taken it away though." Risk said with a serious tone.
Hal
Jordan looked in thought.
"You think he could." It was a statement, not a question.
"If he thought his
friends were in trouble. You're damn right. And he
wouldn't be
alone."
"You'll make a teamate yet kid." Hal
Jordan answered his smile
growing as he turned and walked from the
room. Risk leaned back in
his chair before turning and typing on
the computer. A picture of his
mother soon came up.
"If
you're fighting, it helps to remember what you're fighting for."
He
told himself as he swallowed a large lump in his
throat.
Richard Dragon stood in a loose stance as he surveyed his opponent.
"You won't just let
me walk away. For old times." Shiva said with a
slight smile
on her beautiful face.
"Can't do that this time. I made a promise to a friend."
"I'm a friend as well."
"Yeah, but this friend, he's actually trying
to help me. Not use me."
Dragon answered as Shiva attacked.
The male martial artist stepped
quickly to the left dodging both
the front snap kick and the spinning
heel kick that was thrown his
way. He quickly stepped up hammering a
blow to the woman's rib
cage. Shiva gasped in pain and fell to the
ground as Dragon
quickly kicked her in the throat lightly. Hitting
the pressure
point below her chin and effectively knocking the female
assassin
unconcieuse. Dragon stood silently as she was handcuffed and
placed
in police custody. It was a large victory for the martial
artist,
in ethics, as much as in pride. He had overcome a dark place
in
his life, and in doing so had started to seek redemption. He
was
beginning to understand what it was to be a hero. And he loved
it.
"HQ.", He said as he pushed in the button on
his
communicator., "Mission complete."
Linda
Danvers flew quickly over her city. The small community was
no
buzzing Metropolis but she felt at home in the sometimes quiet
little
town. But her thoughts had drifted elsewhere.
"Should
I join the JLA?" She asked herself for the thousandth time.
A
pressure weighing on her shoulders, on one hand she believed
that an
S shield should be present in the team. And on the other,
she loved
where she currently was, and believe it or not she had
learned alot.
When she had first signed on to the team she
couldn't believe the
speech Xander had given them all. But she had
learned quickly the kid
wasn't kidding around. He knew what he was
doing and for some reason
unknown to her, he knew how to do it.
She wanted to learn, to get
better, to be the best. And she knew
that staying with the Outsiders
was her way to do that. Or at
least get closer to her goal.
"The JLA can get along
without me." She finally said to herself with
a
smile.
Superboy flew to the ground as the
fire raged in the apartment
building behind him. The little girl
in his arms quietly sobbing in
fear.
"It's alright.",
Supeboy said as he landed., "You're safe now." The
child
looked up carefully, noticing the smoke was gone and the heat
was
no longer around her.
"Alexia!" A woman shouted as
she ran over and grabbed the girl from
Superboy's arms. The young
hero stood back and smiled at the reunion
of mother and daughter.
His heart growing lighter and a little weight
lifting off his
shoulders as the two cried in happiness. He turned to
fly away as
the woman spoke.
"Superboy.", She said stopping the
young hero and making him turn
around slowly., "Thank
you."
"It's what I do ma'm." Superboy answered with a sincere smile.
"I don't care what anyone says
about you. You're still my hero." The
woman said as she
hugged the young teen of steel as hard as she
could. Superboy
tried to think of something to say, and it took him a
few minutes
to hide the tears of relief that threatened to spill.
"Thank
you. You can't know how much that means to me." He said in
a
sincere voice as he pulled back., "Be careful." And
with a parting
wave he flew into the sky. A large smile on his
face.
Superboy and Warrior sat across from
the figure in blue, a smile
present on all there faces.
"So, what brings you guys to New York?" CM3 asked in a friendly voice.
"Ya know, babes, mayhem, babes. The usual."
Superboy said with a
smirk as he slapped his friends hand. .,
"Look no hard feelings about
before right? I just... man, I
lost it."
"It's alright man, I've had the same
problem before. I know you SB,
and I still consider you my
friend."CM3 smiled then looked at Xander
for the true answer
of there visit.
"I own Warriors, we stopped in to check
up on the staff, and the
finances. Then we heard this was your new
area of opperations.
Thought we'd stop by and say hi."
"Ah, here to tell me this was once your turf."
"Just
because I was trained by the Bat, doesn't mean I'm like the
Bat."
Warrior answered with a smile as he looked up toward the sky
from
the top of the statue of liberty., "So, you looking to
stay
solo, or you think you might have a little time on your
hands?"
"Everything has been pretty quiet lately. I
think I could spare a
little of my oh so precious time."
Junior said with a growing
smile., "Is this an invite?"
"We
heard you turned down the JLA, we almost thought of not
asking
you."
"Cap agreed to be there, and he and
I just aren't seeing eye to eye
right now." Junior said with
a shrug. Knowing he didn't have to
explain himself. But he was
among friends.
"I can understand that." Superboy
said thinking of his past problems
with Superman.
"We
all can. If you want a spot with the Outsiders, it's yours."
Xander
said with a smile.
"I'll take it. So, what's up first?"
"Training." Xander said with a smirk
that slightly shook the young
champion of the Wizard
Shazzam.
"Um, I'm not going to like this am I?" The
young teen asked with a
careful tone. The smile on both Warriors
and Superboys face said it
all., "Nope, not going to like
this at all."
Superboy and Warrior sat
in the monitor room long after there
training session with CM3.
The silence was deafening, but also
comfortable. Until...
"It was big of you." Xander said as he took a drink of his Soder.
"What?" Superboy asked in a confused tone as
he propped his feet up
on the conference table.
"To apologize. That took maturity."
"Nah, he deserved
it. Can't say I'm happy about there relationship.
But, she's
happy. He's happy. And he is one of my friends."
"All the same. I don't think I could apologize to Deadboy."
"Ah,
but he tried to kill you all. And besides, your not dating
Buffy.
You just helped dust him."
"Potato, Patato."
"True." Superboy conceded, what to neither hero had much of an idea.
"How's Rob like leading
the Teen Titans?" Xander asked changing the
subject.
"He's
all big headed and leaderlike. Kinda like you. Just not
as
jerky."
"You cut me deep dork of steel."
"Up yours you green ring wearing transvestite."
"Stuff
it ex-lax. Before I pass on the word that you've got
X-ray
vision."
"You win."
"Don't
I always?" Xander asked with a smile as he leaned back in
his
chair. This was shaping up to be a great day.
"Xand?",
Buffy asked as she came into the room., "Willow says we have
a
problem. Of the demon variety."
"Good ole'
Sunnydale. Just when you think you've survived a day, it
decides
to kick you in the balls." Xander said to no one inparticular
as
he stood to leave the room.
"A day in the life Xand."
Buffy said with a turn., "Oh yeah. Welcome
home."
END CHAPTER ONE.
Title: Welcome Home
Author: Cobra
Rating:
M
Summary: Xander has real trouble on the horizon, school, and
well
just the welcoming home.
Dislcaimer: I own
nothing.
Distribution: Just throw me the credit.
Chapter Two.
Xander Harris, aka Warrior, and Conner Kent, aka Superboy
watched
the fight from above the treetops, a shocked look on both
there
faces.
"You seeing what I'm seeing War?"
Superboy asked as he finally took
his eyes from the fight to judge
his friends reaction.
"Do you see a female brunette teenager kicking demon ass?"
"Um, yeah."
"Then
yes, I'm seeing what you're seeing." Warrior answered with
a
serious look on his face., "Willow?" He asked into his
comlink in a
hard tone.
-Yeah Xand?-, Willow asked through the link with a worried tone.
"I need you to hack into
the councils records, and have Giles call
his contacts."
-um, why?-
"Just check on Kendra."
-Okay, I'm on
it.- Willow answered quickly, the keys on her keyboard
tapping
furiously.
"Warrior out." Xander said as he cut the link.
"What do you want to do War?"
"You can head back to base, this demon is already takin care of?"
"What are you going to do?" Superboy asked with a knowing smile.
"Introduce myself. Xander style."
"Cool, just don't get killed."
"Me?" Xander asked in
an innocent tone as he floated to the ground
and powered down his
ring. Superboy shook his head and smiled as he
turned and flew
back toward Outsiders HQ. Xander smiled to himself
before he set
his face into a serious expression and ran full speed
toward the
fight in the cemetery.
Faith Parker,
Vampire Slayer. She smiled at the thought as she
completed a
stunning spin heel kick that slammed into the big demons
jaw and
sent it tumbling. She turned quickly as she heard the loud
grunt
of something just to her right.
"You need to watch your
right side when you kick." Xander said with
a smile as he
watched the vampire he had kicked away begin to stand.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Xander Harris." Xander
stated with a smile as he turned and blocked
a right cross from
the vampire before slamming a stake into his
heart. As the vampire
turned to dust the large demon that Faith had
just kicked down
began to stand., "Big boy wants a rematch." Xander
said
as he pointed. A smile fell back on Faiths face as she charged
the
large demon launching a right that missed and a stake in her
left
hand that didn't. As the large demon dissolved in front of her
eyes
she turned quickly again. Her hard eyes staring into Xander.
"What are you doing here?"
"I just like to stroll through
the Sunnydale grave yards and help
women in distress. That sounded
so creepy."
"Yeah." Faith said a small chuckle
escaping her lips. She quickly
steeled herself.
"So
you're the newest Slayer? What happened to Kendra?" Xander
asked
his voice growing more somber with every word.
"How...
Now I remember your name. You're a friend of Buffys'."
Faith
said her stance lightening somewhat.
"Yeah. That's me, donut boy."
"Didn't look that way a
minute ago." Faith said with a sexy leer as
she winked at
Xander.
"Um, yeah. So, where's you're watcher?"
Xander asked quickly trying
to change the subject.
"Nice
deflect there stud. She's on some kinda retreat. Be gone for a
few
weeks. That's why I'm in this shit town, supposed to meet up
with
B and her Watcher guy."
"I'll get a meeting set up tomorrow. You got a place to stay?"
"Why? You offering?"
"If you need me to." Xander said in an honest and caring tone.
"Nah, I'm covered. Staying in
the Pine motel a few blocks down."
Faith said with a smile
and a shrug.
"You're staying in that dump?" Xander asked before thinking.
"Hey, it's all a girl can afford."
Faith said with a slightly angry
tone.
"Damn I hate
the watchers council." Xander said in a low tone that
Faith
barely heard.," Look I've got some money. Why don't you get
a
nice motel and tomorrow we'll get you some better
arrangements."
"I'm no charity case." Faith
said standing her ground like a proud
young woman.
"Never
said you were, beautiful. But you're a slayer, you deserve
the
best. And since I can't give you that, you deserve at least as
much
as I can give." Xander answered as he pulled his wallet from
his
pocket., "Tomorrow Giles, Buffy, and I will meet with you
and
figure something better out."
"I don't know." Faith said with a shaker of her head.
"What if I said please?"
"Listen you dumb little!" Faith
started her temper beginning to
flare. Xander quickly cut her
off.
"If I wanted to be yelled at I'd go home."
Xander answered with an
even tone., "Look accept the help or
don't. I'd say I don't care but
I'd be lying."
"You just want something from me." Faith said voiceing her concern.
"I want nothing from you. I promise. If you want
I won't even be at
the meeting tomorrow. Besides, I planned on
having the council
reimburse me anyway." Xander lied with a
shrug.
"Really?"
"Duh. You think I'm
made of money?" Xander asked while praying she
hadn't read
the paper a few months back. Faith chuckled slightly and
shook her
head.
"If I say okay?"
"I'll quit
bugging you. About this anyway." Xander said with a smile
on
his face.
"Fine."
"Cool, so wanna patrol
buddy?" Xander asked as he began to walk and
Faith fell into
step beside him.
"Sure, but keep you're eyes in front of you."
"Only if you walking there."
"She's dead."
Willow said in a sad voice as Buffy looked toward the
floor.
Xander sighed and closed his eyes.
"I know. There's a new
slayer. She's in Sunnydale." Xander said as
he sat across the
table from Buffy and Willow in the monitor room.
Giles sat at the
head of the table a sad look on his face.
"What do you
propose we do?" Giles said as he leaned forward
cleaning his
glasses.
"First, we need to get her a place to live."
"The council will not..."
"I
wasn't going to ask the council G-Man. I'll pay for it."
Xander
said with a soft smile., "She deserves better than the
Pine motel."
"I would have to agree." Giles
said with a smile and a nod of his
head.
"Her name is
Faith Parker. Her watcher, Linda Price, was killed by a
master
vampire named Kakistos last week." Willow said as she looked
up
from her laptop.
"OKay. So, she lied to me. Not a big suprise there."
"Are you going to let her in?"
"In the Outsiders?" Xander asked and waited for Buffy's nod.
"What do you think I should do?"
"I don't know. We should really trust her."
"No one has before." Xander answered with a frown.
"That's why we should."
Willow said with a nod of her head. Xander
smiled genuinly as he
leaned back.
"I couldn't agree more. But, we need to be
careful about this. I'll
tell her my identity, but my friends,
they have to tell her
themselves. There not my secrets to
give."
"If you trust her, so do we." Superboy
said as he stepped into the
room the Outsiders behind
him.
"You're late." Xander said with a smile.
"Nah,
we heard everything." Risk said with a smile as he and the
other
members of the team took there seats.
"So, let's put this to a vote shall we?"
"Not yet." Supergirl said
with a slightly shaky voice., "We don't
know anything about
this girl."
"Fair enough.", Xander said before
leaning up in his seat., "Her
name is Faith, she's a fifteen
or sixteen year old girl that was
given the destiny of a champion,
without her consent. You see, she
can't just walk away, cause
everything that scares normal people at
night will find her. She's
scared, has been her entire life, and
she's alone. She has no
friends, no family worth a damn."
"How do you know?" Star-Spangled Kid asked with a curious tone.
"I've talked to her." Xander said with a shrug.
"You know to much
from just a conversation." Risk said with a
slightly caring
tone.
"Don't worry about it. Anyway, she's broke, and
almost broken, it's
either she's with us, or she's with them
eventually. She needs a
friend guys, she needs a team."
"This
time I'll ask.", Huntress said from her seat., "How do
you
know?"
"Cause that's what saved me."
Xander answered truthfully. The team
sat in thought.
"This
is no different that when you came to me." Risk said with
a
frown., "And I know you don't believe it, but I have
changed alot.
And I owe everything to you guys. She has my vote."
The team quickly
nodded there heads in agreement and Xander smiled
as he voiced his
opinion to.
"Tomorrow, Giles, Buffy,
and I will give Faith a visit. Then, well,
we'll see how it goes.
Sound good?" As the team agreed Xander stood
and began to
walk toward the exit., "Get some rest. We got a long
day
tomorrow."
Xander Harris leaned against
the wall with his arms crossed as Giles
sputtered at the words of
Faith. Buffy smiled and did the same a
laugh escaping her
lips.
"What he means Faith," Xander started with a
smile., "Is he wants
you to join our little group. The Scooby
Gang."
"The Scooby Gang. Who are you supposed to be?"
"I'm Shaggy, G-Man there if Fred, Buffy is Daphne."
"So what I'd be Velma?"
"Nah,
we have a Velma. You could be Scooby." Xander said with
a
laugh.
"You calling me a dog!" Faith said with a shocked laugh.
"Nah, just like seeing you laugh. We
don't really mean anything by
the names, it just, lightens the
concept of what we do."
"But, the Scoobies?"
"Well,
it's better than the Outsiders." Xander said with a smile
that
made Giles snort and Buffy laugh. Faith shook her head.
"If
the heroes could hear you talking they'd kick your ass stud."
Faith
said with a large smile.
"I'm sure they'd all try."
Xander answered with a smirk on his face.
Buffy growled mockingly
and slittered her eyes toward him while
Giles desperatly cleaned
his glasses.
"Big ego huh boy toy?" Faith asked with a sexy smirk on her lips.
"You don't know that half of
it." Buffy cut in before Xander could
continue the flirting.,
"The first thing he ever asked me was 'Can I
have you?'"
Faith laughed loudly as Xander rolled his eyes and tried
to look
elsewhere.
"Oh, you know you thought about it."
Xander shot back with a
slightly red face. Buffy just tilted her
head and smirked. Xander
quickly lost his smile.
"Damn you."
"Did I miss something?" Giles asked with
a curious expression as
Xander glared at Buffy.
"She
knows that by not answering I'm going to wonder, and by
wondering
I'm going to go crazy."
"Guilty." Buffy answered with a smile and a shrug.
"Women are so evil."
Xander said with a sigh as he leaned his head
back and looked
toward the heaven.
"Xander my boy, you certainly do have
a lot to learn." Giles said
with a smile as he watched Xander
stew in the misery, normally
reserved for
himself.
"So what do you think of the
new place Faith?" Xander asked as he
and the dark haired
slayer walked down the street.
"It's wicked."
"Good. So? Why ask me out to lunch?"
"Well, one I want to
thank you for last night. And two, you're
payin." Faith
answered with a careless shrug.
"Gee, thanks."
Xander said with a sarcastic tone. He was about to
speak again
when a loud BOOM echoed over the street., "Shit."
"What
the hell is that?" Faith asked as she stared at the
twirling
tube. And the large hulking figure that walked from
it.
"Get out of here Faith, go find Giles."
"Screw
that Boytoy, I'm a Slayer." Faith answered as she fell into
a
fighting stance. Xander gritted his teeth as he noticed all
the
people watching out the windows off main street.
"Hello
Boy." Kalibak the Cruel said with a sinister smile.
Xander
stepped forward confidently, not noticing the look of shock
on
Faith's face.
"Kalibak right?"
"It is I, the son of Darkseid."
"Yeah, I got that."
Xander answered with a serious tone. Faith
quickly stepped up
beside him.
"If you follow me I won't destroy this pitiful town."
"Doesn't look like I have a choice."
Xander said waving the large
alien ahead of him. Kalibak smiled
and quickly did the same to
Xander.
"Find Giles."
Xander said with a calm tone as he stepped forward and
walked into
the boom tube, Kalibak smiled and walked behind him.
END CHAPTER TWO
Title:
Welcome Home.
Author: Cobra
Rating: M.
Summary: World of
Apocalypse, watch out.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter Three.
Xander Harris held his head high as he walked from the
boom tube
with Kalibak behind him. He turned quickly, about to
ignite his ring
as Kalibak flew off his feet and flew through the
air.
"Come on Boy Toy, we gotta jet!" Faith said
with a quick and almost
panicked voice as she grabbed Xander's
hand and almost pulled his
arm out of socket as they ran from the
scene.
"I told you to find Giles." Xander whispered
as they turned and hid
behind a delapitated building.
"I
wasn't going to let you get killed Stud." Faith whispered
back
with a serious frown. Xander sighed and covered his
face.
"Fine, I would have done the same thing. But now,
we only have two
options, hope that Giles and the others put two
and two together and
figure out where we are. Or, we find our own
way."
"Where are we anyway?" Faith asked as she
looked at the
surroundings., "It looks like hell."
"Close
as you can get in this dimension. We're on the
planet
Apocalypse."
"You've gotta be shitting
me?" Faith asked louder than she had meant
to. She quickly
lowered her voice and asked again.
"Nope, fraid not."
"What the hell are you into Stud? That guy was after you."
"I've got a few secrets." Xander
answered with a shrug., "But so do
you." Xander quickly
added causing Faith to close her mouth. She
nodded.
"Fine, but you better get us out of here."
"I will Faith. I promise." Xander said with a sad voice.
"Okay,
we know that they where taken in a boom tube." Superboy said
as
he paced in front of the Outsiders., "So he must be
on
Apocalypse."
"I say we all go get them."
Risk said with a cocky, and slightly
angry tone.
"No,
we can't leave the Hellmouth unprotected.", Superboy
answered
quickly., "And with the shit that goes on in this
town we can't
afford to fly off to the rescue."
"What's your plan?" Giles asked quickly, a worried tone in his voice.
"I'm going to teleport to Aurora, see if she'll
give me a lift with
her motherbox. I'll scout it out, then call in
the cavalry if I need
to." Superboy watched as everyone
nodded then moved down to hit the
handstamp, only to hit skin.,
"Damn."
"What's wrong?" Buffy asked in an
aggrivated and angry, but also
filled with worry, tone.
"I
don't know. The only way it wouldn't work, is if Aurora's mother
box
is... dead." Superboy answered with a shocked and
slightly
frightened tone.
"We need to find another
mother box." Giles said as he cleaned his
glasses.
"Mister
Miracle." Hal Jordan said from his position, leaning on
the
wall. Superboy quickly nodded his head.
"Okay, Hal
and I will go find Mister Miracle. Giles, you're in
charge while
I'm gone." Superboy and Hal quickly walked toward the
exit.
Superboy stopped and turned around., "We'll get him back,
just
be careful while we're gone. Call in CM3, we don't want to
take any
chances."
"Just bring him home." Buffy said in a slightly stuttering voice.
"Safe."
Willow added almost in tears. Superboy nodded seriously as
he
turned and continued to the exit.
"So
what do we do now?" Faith asked in an excited tone. The fear
had
left her just moments ago and wonderment had taken it's
place.
"I'm thinking, that means we're waiting."
Xander said with a slight
smile on his face. It had been a long
time since he had seen such,
innocence excitement.
"Sure sure, so, wanna share those secrets?"
"Wanna share your's?" Xander asked with a smile.
"Well, since this could be our last day alive..."
"No it won't
be Faith. I promise." Xander answered with a serious
tone.,
"I am made of money."
"Huh?" Faith asked thrown off for a second.
"Ever heard of Warriors?"
"Yeah, it's that Nightclub chain, it was
owned by Guy Gardner."
Faith said with a smile., "I've
never been in one but I hear it's
wicked cool."
"They
are I suppose. Maybe we can have your next birthday at the
Vegas
club."
"Huh?"
"I own them. And, the
Watchers Council isn't reimbursing me. As a
matter of fact they
don't even know you're in SunnyHell."
"Okay, still
with the huh." Faith said causing Xander to smile a
humorfull
smile.
"Just telling you the truth. I never liked someone
pulling one over
on me. Plus, I didn't want you to find out and
think that I was
doing it to get something from you. I'm really
not like that Faith."
"I know." Faith said in a low voice.
"I just want to be your friend." Xander
said with a slight
smile., "We all need friends Faith.
Someone to keep us grounded, on
the straight and narrow. Someone
to hold onto."
"I haven't had friends in a long time
Xan." Faith admitted with her
head down.
"Well,
you do now. You risked you're life for me Faith. And that's
what
friends do. When we get back, I'll introduce you to a group
that
will give up there life, for there friends."
"I don't think I deserve that."
"Sure you do. And what
you think doesn't matter, I'm always right."
Xander said with
a smile and a shrug.
"There's that ego again."
"Ah, ya love it."
Superboy and Green Lantern
Hal Jordan flew over Metropolis with
frowns on there faces. They
quickly landed on the balcony of the
apartment of Clark Kent and
Lois Lane.
"What are we doing here?"
"We've
talked to everyone else. They have no idea how to find a
mother
box. Even Batman was no help." Superboy answered to
Hals
question.
"So, how do you think Superman can help?"
"He's gotten motherboxs' from Mister Miracle before."
"Okay. Let's ask him then." Hal said
with a sigh. He didn't want
this confrontation anymore than he had
wanted Batmans.
"You wait here."
"Okay."
Hal said a little to cheerfully. Superboy sighed and shook
his
head before opening the door and walking inside. "Clark?"
"Conner?
What are you doing here?" Clark asked as he walked into his
and
Lois' bedroom from the living room that adjoined it.
"Xander's
been taken. I need to find Mister Miracle and get a Mother
Box."
Superboy said with a serious, and worried tone.
"That's
not possible. Mister Miracle is on New Genesis. Has been for
the
last few months."
"Son of a." Conner caught
himself before letting the curse loose and
looked at Clark with a
guilty smile., "Sorry. Just wound a little
tight."
"I don't know of anyother people that can get you a Mother Box."
"I
might know one. If I can find him." Xander said with a
sigh.,
"And that's a big if since Cadmus has been shut
down."
"Who?"
"Gadget Guru. But I
haven't really seen much of him since I lost my
powers a year
ago."
"I'll help." Superman said as he stood in
front of Conner, his blue
and red uniform shining brightly.
"I knew I could count on you Clark."
"Always Conner."
"Great, Xander and
Superboy haven't been gone a day and we get in
deep." Buffy
said with a snort as she read the report on the monitor
of the
computer room.
"No kidding." Risk said with a smile on his face.
"This is not a joke, The Judge can wipe away
humanity with a wave of
his hand. At full power he could very well
destroy the world." Giles
said as he pinched the bride of his
nose., "That means that we
cannot touch him. And since no
weapon forged by man can destroy him,
I think it would be most
prudent to find Spike before he can
assemble it."
"We
understand Giles." CM3 said with a serious tone., "What do
you
want us to do?"
"You and S-Girl take to the
skies, scout around, and report in
anything you find, we can't
take this thing alone." Buffy said with
a commanding tone.
Supergirl and CM3 both nodded there heads before
turning and
walking away., "Huntress and I will go to Willy's find
out
what the local demonic bartender knows. Everyone else, grab an
old
dusty book."
"This sucks." Risk said as he
reached over the table and picked up a
ten pound ancient
volume.
"You get used to it." Oz said with a neutral
tone and a shrug.
Courtney Whitmore, aka Star-Spangled Kid, looked
between the two and
with a shake of her head grabbed her own
book.
"Hey, I can't read this!"
"What
are we doing?" Faith asked in a hushed tone as she
kneeled
beside Xander her eyes roaming over the large room ahead
of them.
"We're in the throne room. I need to find out
why we're here. It
can't just be for revenge." Xander
answered with a serious tone.
"Where's that ego now?" Faith teased with a smile.
"Gone for a few minutes while
common sense takes over." Xander
answered quickly then
motioned the young woman to be quiet. Kalibak
quickly walked into
the room, his head down.
"You disobeyed me."
Darkseids voice spoke in an angry tone as the
self proclaimed new
god sat at his throne.
"Father, I thought it would make
you proud, let you get your
revenge." Kalibak answered with a
slightly shaken voice.
"Revenge is the last thing on my
mind now Kalibak. What we have
planned is far to important."
"I understand father."
"I did not permit you to travel
to Earth, to make your own decsions.
You follow my orders, nothing
more."
"I completed the mission Father. I have
brought you Mister Miracle,
and the young herion Aurura. I did not
fail you."
"Yes, Kalibak, you have failed. Now
begone. Find the Warrior. We
cannot have him meddling in our
plans." As the words died down and
Kalibak walked from the
throne room Xander motioned Faith back and
the two heroes left the
thrown room.
"Warrior? Why do I think he wasn't talking
about me." Faith said in
an accusing tone. Xander sighed and
nodded his head waving Faith to
follow.
"Yes okay, I'm
Warrior." Xander said in an almost normal voice as
they moved
farther from the palace.
"You? You're the leader of the
Outsiders?" Faith said with a
sarcastic voice., "Then
why don't you just fly us out of here?"
"Because I
can't. Apocalypse, it's like a pocket dimension, and yeah
my ring
might be able to get us out but I don't know how okay?"
"Whatever
boy toy. Then just beat the crap outta everyone and let's
take
over the planet."
"Are you kidding? One on one
Darkseid would kick the crap outta me,
much less taking on an
army. Besides, I think they can home in on
the energy signal of
the ring. I don't wanna get caught just yet."
Xander answered
with his own sarcastic wit.
"Fine greenie, what do we do
then?" Faith asked with a slightly
angry tone. Xander quickly
shot her a glare before speaking.
"Finding and freeing
Mister Miracle and Aurura is our first
priority. Then, we need to
figure out what the hell Darkseid is up
to and put a stop to
it."
"You going to break his jaw again?"
"Does everyone know about that?"
Sunnydale.
"Slayer.
How are you?" Willy the Snitch asked in a very scared voice
as
he stopped packing his bags.
"Going somewhere Willy?"
Buffy asked with a smile as she and a
civilian clothed Helena
walked into the back of the bar, Willy's
apartment.
"Yeah,
thought Antartica would be nice this time of year." Willy
slowly
stuttered out.
"What do you know about the Judge?"
Buffy asked skipping the
pleasantries.
"Nothin."
Willy answered with a sweating face. Buffy quickly
leaned
in.
"Listen to me you little weasel, tell me what you know."
Willy quickly prepared a lie but before
it could be uttered a foot
slammed into the side of his face,
followed by several punches that
broke his nose.
"Hey,
I wanted to do that!" Buffy yelled at Helena a slight smile
on
her face.
"Sorry, got an itch."
"All
I know is that Spike is pissed about Drusilla being dusted,
he's
vowed revenge. He thinks that putting the Judge back together
will
make the dead vampiress happy." Willy answerd as tears
rolled
down his cheeks.
"Where is he?"
"I
don't know okay. But it doesn't matter anyway. You're to late
Slayer,
The Judge is already back, and he's not happy."
"This
is an oh shit moment right?" Helena asked as her mouth
hung
open.
"Yeah, definatly."
END THREE
Title: Welcome Home
Author: Cobra
Rating:
M
Summary: Xander has real trouble on the horizon, school, and
well
just the welcoming home.
Dislcaimer: I own
nothing.
Distribution: Just throw me the credit
Chapter Four.
"A mother box.", Gadget Guru said with a
smile., "Wish I had one of
those groovy gizmos."
"Can
you make one?" Superboy asked quickly, his last hope seeming
to
fall away.
"No can do Superboy. Wish I could, cause
then I would. But see those
awesomely awesome machines are powered
by souls. No can do
buckaroo."
"Shit, how the
hell are we getting to Apocalypse?" Superboy asked no
one in
particular, as the solemn faces of Superman and Hal Jordan
told
him all the answers he needed to.
"Well on that I might
just be able to help.", The great master of
gadgets said with
a beaming smile., "With a little time Tekka and I
can whip up
something lickity split."
"You can?" Superboy
asked with a hopeful expression., "How much
time?"
"Not to long at all, a few hours a most that'll be all."
"Do
it, as fast as you can. We'll wait." Superman said with
an
almost smile.
"Sure as I can, sure as I will."
Gadget Guru replied in his usual
tone, turning and immediatly
going to work.
Xander hit the ground hard as
one of the many soldiers in the army
of Apocalypse slammed a right
into his face. He rolled with the blow
and came to his feet in an
instant snapping out with a hard left
legged cresent then pulling
out all the stops and slamming a hard
overhand right into the
soldiers unprotected throat, ending the
fight.
"Is he dead?" Faith asked as she carefully kicked the body.
"Do
you honestly care?" Xander asked his anger beginning to get
to
him.
"Take it easy War Toy, I'm in this shit to."
Faith said in a loud
voice, Xander smiled despite himself.
"We
can't afford to take it easy now Faith, this is a life and
death
situation, and these," Xander said motioning toward the
downed
solder., "are demons in all but the mystical sense.
He's not dead.
But it wouldn't be a big deal if he was would
it?"
"That depends." Faith answered with a hard tone.
"On what Faith?" Xander asked as he turned and
grabbed the keys from
the downed guard.
"On what he's done to your friends."
"Damn right." Xander
muttered as he stood and moved toward the
command console of the
dungeon.
"There's Mister Miracle." Faith said as she
pointed at one of the
many screens in the room.
"Yeah,
now where's Aurura." Xander muttered as his eyes quickly
scanned
the screens., "Shit."
"What is it Xan?"
"That's Jade and Green Lantern." Xander
said as he looked at one of
the cells to see Jade cradling Kyle's
head.
"This is bigger than we thought boy toy."
"Yeah,
alot bigger. Look around for an override switch. I need you
to go
down to the cells and get everyone out. Any hero you or
Jade
recognise."
"No sweat, what are you going to do?"
"Keep Darkseid and his minions busy."
Xander muttered as he began to
glow green and in just an instant
Xander Harris was forgotten.
"Careful War." Faith
said as she hit a red button and the laser
cells powered
down.
"Not this time Faith."
"What's
that supposed to mean?" Faith asked more than a
little
worried.
"The time to be careful is over. This
is War Faith. No one hurts my
friends. You can trust anyone of
them, they'll get you home. Keep
them here till it's over."
"How will I know it's over."
"The explosions will stop."
Xander stated with a sneer as he flew
through the roof of the
building. His anger burning inside him as he
pictured the tears
falling down Jade's face. " You better pray
they're okay
Darkseid. You better pray."
"Good
catch about the no weapon forged by man." Buffy said as
she
pulled pieces of the Judge from her hair. Huntress shrugged
quickly
and did the same.
"Gotta love the new age."
"All of the civilians got clear." CM3
said as he landed beside the
two young women covered in demon
parts., "And you two really need a
shower."
"Shut
up." Buffy said as she turned around, Huntress of course threw
a
much more rude comment the young superheroes way.
"What'd I say?"
Apocalypse.
Fire rained
down around the emerald warrior, a look of rage, anger,
hatred,
and other emotions gracing his face. He stalked through the
slew
of fallen soldiers making his way slowly and steadily toward
the
throne room. He smirked to himself as Darkseid and his son
Kalibak
walked from the entrance of the palace. Shoving his fear,
and
anger down he thought of how to proceed, but it all came down to
one
thing. Saving his friends, that meant taking the two
superpowerful
beings on.
"You have guts." Darkseid said as he
stepped down from the Palace
stairs to face Warrior. Xander
shrugs.
"We'll find out if you do."
"You
dare threaten me?" Darkseid yelled as if he had been shot.
The
new gods anger flaring at the inncolence of the young hero
across
from him.
"Not a threat. You're going to die."
"I cannot be killed young one." Darkseid
said as he widened his
stance. Preparing to attack, Kalibak
quickly did the same.
"We're going to find out. Especially if any of my friends are hurt."
"I enjoyed there screams."
"And I'll enjoy your's you
miserable bastard." Xander grates out.
Darkseid turns his
head slightly and Xander quickly looks behind
him., "I told
you to keep them inside."
"No way in hell War. I jus
met a few friends who'd give there life
for you." Faith said
as Kyle's ring flared and fresh tears streamed
down his face. He
looked toward Aurura who was encased in metal
armor, her entire
being shouting death. Mister Miracle stood toward
the side, but
his own body language more than telling everyone that
he was
prepared.
"Kyle. Is she?" Xander asked with a careful tone.
"I think she lost the baby Xan, there's so
much... so much blood."
Kyle said through gritted teeth.
Xander's face returned to stone as
he turned to face
Darkseid.
"What now young one?" Darkseid asked in a
delighted tone. The only
answer came to him in the form of the
green figure of Xander Harris,
the war had been started, in a shot
heard round the universe. As
Darkseid fell back Kalibak quickly
slammed into Warriors side
lifting the young man above his head
and throwing him from the fight
in a roar. Darkseid quickly stood
his ground.
"Time to kill all you hold dear." He
uttered with an evil smile, his
eyes glowed red, and soon his
Omega beams flew through the air
toward the brunette slayer.
Faith's eyes widened as her mind told
her to run, to get away, but
her body wouldn't listen. As the beams
came ever closer the young
woman could only close her eyes. She knew
she would die young.
Live fast, die young, leave a good lookin
corpse. One of her many
mottos. She waited for the pain. But it
would never come, not
today. Warrior flew fast as he grabbed Faith,
the omega beams
turning and following his path like a locked on
missile. He weaved
around the broken and damaged buildings, under
beams, around
columns.
"Can you put me down?" Faith asked in a nervous voice.
"Not unless you want that cute ass to
smell like bacon." Xander
answered back not bothering to take
his eyes off the scenery in
front of him. Faith smiled quickly
then remembered the situation.,"
Don't worry. I have a plan.
Sort Of."
"That makes me feel so much better."
Faith said looking forward to
see them heading toward a four armed
alien. Kalibak., "Oh shit."
"Yeah." Xander
muttered in answer as his aura touched the large
figure. Warrior
quickly turned upward and watched with almost
satisfaction as
Kalibak screamed in pain. The omega beams ripping
into him with
sheer force., "Now I can let you down. Help, Aurura,
and
Mister Miracle with the soldiers. Kyle and I will take care
of
Darkseid."
"I've done it. This
little gizmo will take you where you need to go,
get you back in
time for a snack."
"Thanks Guru." Superboy said
with a smile as he took the
device., "You guys
ready?"
"Let's go." Superman said with a nod.
Superboy smiled and pushed the
red button on the device. In
moments they were standing on a battle
field.
"Holy
shit." Superboy muttered as he saw the ragged bloody figure
of
Warrior standing fifty feet from Darkseid, there eyes locked.
The
young clone quickly surveyed the scene, noticing only two
people
left standing., "Aurora! Faith! What the hell
happened?"
"Later." Superman said as he flew
toward Darkseid., "Nows the time
to act." Before the
battle could be joined a large figure appeared
between Darkseid
and Warrior.
"The kid is off limits Darkseid." The
Spectre said in his omnipont
voice.
"You cannot interfere."
"I can when it's decrede. Warrior is not to be harmed."
"Get the hell out of the way."
Xander growled out as he walked up to
the Spirit of Vengence.
"No
kid." Guy Gardner said letting his face show through the
guise
of the Spectre. Xander is takin back for a moment.
"Let's
go home Xan." Superboy said as he laid a friendly hand
on
Warriors shoulders.
"Get everyone."
"Where's
Kyle?" Jade weezed out as Xander picked the young woman up
in
a cradle. Xander's face turns somber as he doesn't answer and
walks
to Superboy and the others. Jade silently cries into his chest
as
they vanish from the world of Apocalypse.
"Why is the
young boy so important to you?" Darkseid questioned to
the
Spectre. Hatred in his voice.
"None of your business.
Let's just say you want to keep him alive as
well."
"I have no use for the brat."
"You do if you want to
continue living." The Spectre's voice echoed
as he to
vanished from the world.
"Interesting." Darkseid
said to himself as he turned and walked back
into his
palace.
Three Days Later.
Outsiders
HQ.
Xander stood in front of the assembled team. A look of
determination
and sadness on his face.
"Jade lost her
baby." He said in a low voice. The entire team looked
down in
sorrow. Thinking of there friends loss., "Kyle, he was hit
with
Darkseids Omega Beams. We can't find him, and since, since I...
God
Damnit!" The entire group jumped as Xander slammed his fist
on
the solid metal table, a fist sized dent appearing below it.,
"I'm
not allowed near Darkseid, why I don't know. But I trust
Guy and I
know it has to be for a good reason. But I'm no ones
puppet. I don't
dance to anyones tune."
"Xan,
calm down." Buffy said in a soothing and slightly
frightened
voice. Xander breathed deeply and nodded before talking
again.
"I called you all here to tell you, I quit."
"What?" The entire team echoed in shock.
Xander sighed and turned to
walk out.
"Jade needs me.
She's my priority right now. If you need me I'm only
a phone call
away." Xander said as he turned back and smiled sadly
to his
friends., "You've all come a long way. Help eachother go
even
further. You're all my friends." Xander turned with the
last word
and walked from the headquarters, not looking back
again.
END CHAPTER FOUR...
Title: Welcome Home
5?
Author: Cobra.
Rating: M.
Summary: Home is where the
friend in need is.
Disclaimer: Own nothin.
Chapter Five.
Jade Scott stood on the balcony of her apartment. The
cold New York
wind biting into her beautiful green skin. But she
liked the cold,
she seemed to be filled with it now. She new that
the figure of
Xander Harris was ever present, watching her,
helping her, and she
hated him for it.
"Why won't he
just leave me alone?" She asked herself as she wiped
the
tears that still feel from time to time. It had been three
weeks,
three weeks of mourning, of cursing every diety and god she
had
ever had the displeasure of hearing about. Yet, even as she
curse
him, yelled and screamed and put the blame where it didn't
belong.
He stayed.
"Jade? Come on, dinner's ready." Xander
said with a caring tone as
he stepped out on the balcony with a
blanket in his hands. He
wrapped it over her shoulders
carefully.
"What do you want Xan?"
"Just
to be your friend." Xander answered as he gently guided her
into
the apartment away from the cold winter weather., "Alan
is
coming by for dinner. Is that okay?"
"Yeah."
Jade whispered as Xander led her to the couch and had her
set
down. "Why?"
"We've been through this Jade. I don't know."
"I don't mean that. I know lifes not
fair. I just don't understand
why we can't go after Darkseid. Why
are you stopping me?" Jade said
her voice growing stronger,
more angry. Xander sighed and looked
down.
"We can't
beat him Jade. No matter how much I'd love to help you
tear out
his black heart. We can't." Xander said keeping the real
reason
to himself.
"You've never been afraid before." Jade
shot back with venom. Xander
hung his head and looked at the
floor.
"I guess there's a first time for everything. I
just want to keep
you safe." Xander answered as he turned and
walked out of the living
room. As he stepped into the kitchen he
felt the hand of Alan Scott
rest on his shoulder.
"You don't have to take the blame Xander."
"If I don't
she will. That's not going to happen." Xander said with
a low
sigh as he pulled the warmed up take out from the oven. Alan
nodded
to himself.
"The Outsiders fought Sabbac yesterday."
"I know.", Xander answered with a nod of his head.
"I just found out about it." Alan said with a shrug.
"Just
because I'm not there doesn't mean I've abandoned them."
Xander
answered without turning around.
"I know kid. They
handled themselve well. You really made a hell of
a team
kid."
"Wasn't me Alan. The credit goes to all of them."
"You're good at that."
"What?"
Xander asked as he turned around with a curious look on
his
face.
"Shifting the credit, taking the blame."
"Go talk to your daughter Alan. She needs
you more than I do."
Xander shot back, a little more forceful
than he meant to.
"I know that. But I have no idea what
to say. There's nothing I can
do to make this better."
"Sucks huh."
"To be powerless you mean? Yeah, it does."
Sentinel said with a sigh
as he turned and looked into the living
room, his sad eyes resting
on the form of his daughter., "I
can't wait to get my hands on him."
"Me either.
Believe me." Xander said as he quickly made three plates
of
food.
"I do. I know you kid. If you're not trying to kill
him, there's a
good reason for it."
"How do you
know I'm not just scared?" Xander asked remembering what
he
told Jade just minutes earlier.
"You're to much of a hero
for that to stop you." Alan Scott said as
he turned and
walked into the living room. Xander quickly lifted the
plates with
his power ring and followed him out. Eating yet again
in
silence.
The pain, the blood. Jade
gasped out as she shot awake, the memories
of that horrible time
in the front of her mind as she screamed.
Xander Harris was there,
in just seconds he was there. His arms
around her, holding her as
she cried, cursed, and screamed. The
tears rolling down his own
eyes soaking into her hair.
"I'm so sorry." Xander
grated out as he ran his fingers through her
hair, trying to
comfort the woman that had helped him so much in the
beginning. He
swallowed roughly, trying to stay in check as he felt
her break
down again in sobs. He closed his eyes, praying to anyone
that
would listen that she would get better. And the prayers had
been
working. Slowly, but surely she hasn't been crying as much.
She
hasn't been as distant. Months seemed to pass in blurs, but
she was
getting better everyday.
"It's not you're
fault." Jade finally grated out in a slightly
strained voice.
Xander turned his head quickly. Not willing to look
in the young
woman's eyes.
"It's not your fault Xander. I'm sorry."
"You never have to say that Jade. Never."
Xander said with a sad
smile on his face.
Warrior
landed quickly, glaring at the person that had dared to
contact
him.
"What do you want Weller?"
"Just
checking up on some of the reclusive heroes of the next
generation."
Amanda Weller said with a shrug. Xander growled
slightly.
"Bull. What do you want?"
"To make you an offer."
"You
can shove that offer up your ass." Warrior answered preparing
to
take off.
"The world comes first Warrior. And it's getting dangerous."
"No Amanda. That's something you
keep overlooking. The people in it
come first, the world, it'll
keep spinning." Warrior uttered in a
hard tone as he took to
the skies.
"He said no didn't he?" Deathstroke asked
as he moved from the
shadows.
"Of course he did. But,
he'll change his mind. The Suicide Squad
will have it's
leader."
"You underestimate him." Deathstroke
said as he turned and walked
away. A very sanctimonious Amanda
Weller in his wake.
Jade and Xander sat on the
couch as Xander quickly changed the
channel on the TV.
"Are you ever going to watch something?"
"Didn't plan on
it. I like annoying you to much." Xander answered
with a
smile.
"You're impossible."
"That's what
you love about me." Xander said with a smile as he hit
the
mute button on the TV. "You have your drivers licence
right?"
"Um, yeah. Why?" Jade asked with a careful tone.
"I was thinking. How would you like to get
outta here, out of New
York?"
"I... I don't k.."
"Not forever Jade. Just for a few days, or
weeks. A road trip. I
need to visit some of my clubs, keep up
appereances and all that.
I'd like you to come with me."
Xander said with a smile on his face.
And a slight laugh in his
voice.
"Well, I could use a change of scenerie."
"Great.
The whole trips on me." Xander answered with a smile.
Thanking
whoever was above them that she had agreed.
"Duh, you
think I'm gonna drive and pay." Jade shot back with a
laugh
in her voice. Xander smiled fondly as he listened.
"We
can leave tomorrow. Stop and see some friends on the way.",
Xander
said with a smile., "Now, do you have a dress or should we
go
buy you a new one?"
"Um, do I wanna ask why?"
"Being friends with a billionare has it's
perks, I have two tickets
to the Gotham Anniversary ball tomorrow
night."
"I'll need a new one." Jade said with a
smile as she stood from the
couch.
"I thought so."
Gotham...
Xander Harris
and Jennie Lynn Haden seemed to float into the large
ballroom
holding the honoring cermony. Both young people all smiles
as many
shook Xander's hand and asked for Jade's autograph.
"Xander!
How are you?" Bruce Wayne asked with a large smile on his
lips,
Xander the only person present who could tell it was
mostly
false.
"Bruce. Good to see you again old man.
I've been good, how is
everyone?"
"Well, Dick and
Tim are both having there adventures. Alfred is
nagging me as
usual."
"Glad to hear it. Have you met my friend Jennie?"
"Met, can't say that I have. But I have
seen a few adds. You're even
more beautiful in person Miss
Hayden." Bruce said with a sexy smirk
as he kissed the green
skinned womans hand. Xander rolled his eyes
slightly eliciting a
laugh from many onlookers.
"HANDS UP!" A voice
screamed out as men with guns flooded the room.
Both Xander and
Bruce rolled there eyes.
"I knew it. Come to Gotham
Xander, it'll be nice to see you again.
This shit just follows you
around." Xander said with a sigh as the
three heroes lifted
there arms., "Think you can take them Jade?"
"Not all of them. Not without risk." The emerald vixen replied.
"Ok, Bruce and I can take care of whoever you miss."
"Now
hold on, let's just let them take the money and go, chances are
no
one will get hurt." Bruce said in a commanding tone, only to
have
a hidious laugh echo through the building., "Then
again."
"When are you just going to listen to me?"
Xander asked with a sigh
as he threw up his hands. The goons
around looking at him
curiously., "I mean. I hate Gotham, why
even talk me into coming
here."
"Shut up." A large figure snapped as he moved closer to Xander.
"I'm
talkin here you circus reject." Xander snapped back as he
turned
on Bruce.
"Now hold on, this is not my fault." Bruce
said playing the part
with a gleam of danger in his eyes., "I
had no idea that some clown
wannabes would break up the
party."
"Of course not, the Billionare playboy never
thinks these things.
Jeez, you're as ditzy as that idiot in
purple." Xander said holding
back a smile. The crowd looked
at them in confusion and fear, fear
that they would be killed if
they didn't shut up.
"Hey!" The Joker's shrill voice rang out from the entrance hall.
"Stuff it Barnum and Bailey." Xander's voice yelled back.
"I told you
to..." The large goon beside him started only to be
knocked
unconcieuse by a quick right.
"Jade take care of the
Joker." Xander said in a comanding voice as
he jumped into
action followed quickly by Bruce.
Xander sat across from Bruce sipping his drink lightly.
"I'm
suprised you followed my lead today. I would have thought you'd
get
shot before doing anything in the Bruce Wayne persona."
"I've,"
Bruce started before shaking his head with a slight
smile., "I've
changed a few things about my life since the incident.
With Dick
and Tim patrolling Gotham, and Cassandra taking care of
things in
Bludhaven. Well, It's almost nice to have a vacation."
"You're lying Bruce."
"I know." Bruce said with a smile
on his face as he sat back in his
deep chair.
"You just missed the action.", Xander said with a smile.
"You
telling me you didn't. I haven't seen anything on the news
about
Warrior for a while. And Dick told me about you leaving
the
Outsiders."
"I just, I don't know if it's
worth it anymore Bruce. I feel like
I'm being led by the nose,
toward something I don't belong in.
Having the Spectre flat out
tell me not to go near Darkseid. I like
to think I control my
destiny, but something tells me that I got
this ring for a reason,
and that in another life I'm just a
construction worker with a
fiance and a semi normal life."
"You don't feel like
yourself anymore." Bruce said with a knowing
smile. Xander
nodded his head before looking toward the door as Jade
entered.,
"Xander, you've made everyone proud, and you'll continue
to
do so. I'm not going to tell you what to do, or how to do it.
I'm
just going to be here to back you up."
"Thanks
Bruce. We need to be going now, Metropolis is the next stop.
I
promised Perry I'd stop by."
"Don't be such a stranger."
"I won't. Be careful Bruce. And remember,
just because you're
afraid, that doesn't mean you can't over come
it."
"Who says I'm afraid?"
"No
one. Just trying to get you back on the ole' horse."
Xander
answered with a smile as Bruce showed them out.
"In
due time." Bruce said as he shut the door behind him.
Xander
smiled slightly as he and Jade walked toward there car just
down the
steps.
"What was all that about?" Jade asked as Xander opened her door.
"Just trying to help the
side of right." Xander answered with an
enigmatic shrug. Jade
rolled her eyes knowing she wouldn't get a
better answer, she
settled for starting the car and moving toward
there next
destination.
"HEY!" Xander yelled with a laugh as he
watched the tail lights
fade. He shook his head before taking
flight.
Warrior Los Angeles
Xander and Jade walked into the Nightclub with easy gates.
"Xan,
good to see ya buddy." A slightly drunk man said as he
clapped
Xander on the shoulder.
"Hey Buck, everything going okay?"
"As good as can be, your mails in the
office." Buck said as he
turned and took a drink from his
mug.
"Mail?"
"Yeah, bags and bags of it.
Looks like you need to start a Warriors
fan club or
somethin'."
"Alright." Xander said in a
confused voice., "I'll be in back
checking it out. Tell the
team I said hi."
"No prob kid." Buck said with
a shrug. Xander and Jade quickly
walked into the back office,
Xander gasped as he saw the ten full
bags of mail sitting around
his desk.
"Guess I better get started huh." Xander
stated as he moved toward
the closest bag.
"I hope
these are just fangirl letters." Jade muttered as she to
moved
forward to read.
The Outsider stood around the monitor of Xander's smiling face.
"What's up Xan?"
Superboy asked his best friend with a smile on his
face.
"I
was wondering if the Outsiders would like to help with a good
will
mission." Xander said with his own smile.
"What kind?" Buffy asked as she stepped forward beside Superboy.
"I'm
at Warriors L.A. and I have about ten bags of mail here. Some
of
the letters are for stupid crap like gold and money. But there
are
more than a few that are actually something we can help with."
"This mean you're coming back?" Risk asked with a smirk.
"I
never left Risk. I've been watching, I knew you all had
everything
under control. I trained you well."
"Don't get to
big a head now." Supergirl said with a bright smile.
Xander
shrugged in answer.
"So, you guys in?"
"Listen to this." Buffy
said in a sad voice as she turned toward the
group around her.,
"Dear Warrior, Thank you. Thank you for saving
the lives of
my family and friends during the fight with Doomsday
and Darkseid.
You might not remember but we were in the penthouse of
Lex Towers
second building. And you took the time from stopping the
monsters
to carry our family to safety. I do hope this letter gets
to you.
And though you have helped me more than I can ever repay I
have
one favor to ask of you. My son Donald ran away two weeks after
the
event. Why I do not know, and I know it is so selfish of me to
ask
this of you, please help us find my son. Sincerly
Margaret
Elder."
"I've got this one." CM3
said with a sad face as he grabbed the
letter and exited the room.
Xander quickly stood up and moved to
leave the room.
"Where
are you going?" Buffy asked as she pulled another letter
from
the bag closest to her.
"I have to get ready for
a date." Xander answered with a small
smile. Buffy looked
confused as she moved toward the desk and read
the letter that
Xander had left on the desk. A small smile graced
her face as the
words came through.
"What is it?" Jade asked as she
to moved forward, interested in why
Xander was going out.
"Just Xander being Xander." Buffy said with a small enigmatic smile.
"Mrs. Claren?" Xander asked carefully into the phone.
"Yes." The woman answered in a pleasant tone.
"This is Xander Harris. I own Warriors Night Clubs."
"You got my letter." The woman said excitement entering her voice.
"Yes, and I was
wondering if Jessica had a date yet. Warrior told me
he would love
to take you're daughter to the prom."
"That, that
would be, I'm so sorry to have bothered both you and
Warrior with
something so... selfish. But..."
"Mrs. Claren, don't
worry. I and Warrior completely understand. The
date on the letter
said that the prom is tomorrow night?"
"Yes."
"Warrior will be there in the morning."
"The morning?"
"You're daughter has had a tough life
m'am. No fault of your own of
course, but Warrior and I both
agreed that one date isn't enough.
We'd also like to help you with
her treatments, and Warrior thought
she might like to meet some of
the other heroes."
"I can never thank you enough."
Mrs. Claren said as tears entered
her sweet voice.
"That's the great part. You don't have to."
END CHAPTER FIVE.
Title: Welcome Home 6?
Author: Cobra.
Rating:
M.
Summary: Home is where the friend in need is.
Disclaimer:
Own nothin.
Chapter Six
Warrior danced with Jessica,
his green and black tux almost glowing
in the darkness of the
school gym.
"Thank you." She said for what had to be
the millionth time that
day. Xander chuckled as he kissed her
forehead.
"I told you, no more of that. Besides you're my
friend now, there's
nothing I won't do for my friends."
Xander said with a smile. He
turned as he felt a tap on his
shoulder.
"Can I cut in?" A young man asked
nervously. Xander looked at him
for a moment, taking in the young
man's apperral and the look in his
eyes.
"Okay with you Jess?"
"Sure, don't go to far."
"Wouldn't
dream of it." Warrior said with a smile as he moved and
walked
toward the punch table. He leaned against the wall of the gym
and
watched as Jess and the young man danced.
"You look ready
to pounce." A female voice said from his right.
Warrior
looked at her for a moment and smiled.
"Maybe I am."
"I'm Rachel Adams."
"Ah, the
guidance counselor. Nice to meet you." Warrior said with
an
outstretched hand.
"It was nice of you to bring
Jess. Believe it or not she had more
than a few offers. But, she's
scared."
"Everyone's scared Rachel. Besides, I
wouldn't say she was as much
scared as she was
worried."
"Worried?"
"About being
hurt. She's had enough pain in her life, she's not
afraid of it,
because she expects more, but why get hurt more than
you have
to."
"How old are you?"
"That's my secret." Warrior said with a smile.
"If I had to guess, I'd say this is you're first prom."
"You'd guess right."
"I know there are young Superheroes
out there. It's just mind
boggling."
"Then I
think the point has gotten across." Warrior said with a
smile
as he looked from the dancing couple.
"What do you mean?"
"Well miss beautiful. Kids are learning
things younger and younger
everyday, and it's time that adults see
that kids today deal with
just as many, if not more, problems than
adults do."
"You speak well beyond your years."
"Maybe, but look out at the dance floor.
Look at Jessica, she's one
of the most mature people I have the
pleasure of knowing. Is she
beyond her years?"
"I..."
"She's
not, she's giddy with happiness, that's what everyone see's.
They
don't see the times that Kids act like adults. They want to
see
innocence in a childs eyes. But some people, grow up quicker
than
others." Warrior stopped talking as the song ended, he
watched as
Jessica and the young man stayed together for the next
song.
"He won't hurt her."
"He better
not." Warrior answered back with a shrug. Rachel smiled
and
laughed as she to watched the young couple dance. The night had
grown
long, and as much as Xander hated to admit it. He realized
that he
was still needed, if only to show people, that hope
stayed
alive.
The planet Oa, the center
of the universe, and home of the
Guardians. Xander landed on the
surface of the planet easily, Jade
at his side.
"Thanks
for coming with me Jade." Xander said with a small smile
as
Ganthlet walked out of the citadel to greet them.
"Don't mention it."
"Young warrior and miss Jade, it is
good to see you." Ganthlet said
with a smile on his blue
face., "I have been expecting you Warrior.
I have something
to show you."
"Yeah, what's that."
"A book."
"Yea me." Xander said in a dry voice as
he followed the snickering
Guardian into the Citadel Jade falling
into step beside him. As they
entered both were quickly assaulted
by the young guardians.
"Auntie Jade!"
"Hey
guys, and girls." Jade answered with a genuine smile on
his
lips.
"I'm going to follow the Ganthlet. I'll be
back." Xander said a
smile touching his lips as well as he
ruffled one of the childrens
hair.
"Ok."
Deep
in the bowels of the planet Ganthlet lead Xander through
many
tunnels, past the graves of every lantern to die in
battle.
"Before Oa was destroyed by Parallax and Kyle
Rayner, we had a book.
The book of many names, or the book of Oa,
as many Green Lanterns
called it."
"I'm following you."
"When Kyle became Ion, then gave up that power
to recreate the
guardians, for some reason, the book also
returned."
"So, what's in this book?" Xander
asked as he saw the book on a
pedestal not far infront of
him.
"The names, of every green lantern that has been,
that ever will be,
and some of there journeys."
"That's
cool. Hey I can use this to see where Kyle is." Xander said
a
smile coming to his face.
"I have already done so. And I
must tell you, that he is safe, and
he will return, in
time."
"You promise?" Xander asked, letting a
little of his age shine
through his normally solid front.
"Yes
child. Now, look at the book. It will show you what you wish
to
know."
"Okay." Xander said with a nod as
he took a deep breath and stepped
forward. He looked at the page
that was showing. And half smiled at
the glowing black, red and
green figure., "It's sad, but this is
stroking my ego."
Xander said causing the immortal guardian behind
him to snort in
laughter.
"Read the Page Xander."
"Fine,
Want me to read it aloud to?" Xander said in a
sarcastic
voice.
"Please do."
"What?"
"The
souls of all green lanterns are in this planet Xander. They
do
appreciate a good talk now and again."
"I'm
sorry I asked." Xander said in a low voice as he turned.
"The
Warrior. Alexander Lavelle Harris, friend of the slayer,
fighter for
the light. Trusted with the ring of Hal Jordan young
Alexander will
face many foes. Legends shall be told, and others
shall look to him
for guidance, he will be a very well known, and
well respected
Veteran Green Lantern, more is not known at this
time." Xander
looked confused for a moment, he turned slowly
and looked at
Ganthlet. "More is not known at this
time?"
"That shocked me as well." Ganthlet
stepped forward with a
smile., "You were not even in the book
till last night. That's why I
thought it prudent to show this to
you."
"This is a book of prophecy right?"
"Yes, as far as I know."
"And it just wrote me in? Like it finally deemed me worthy?"
"No, you have been worthy
for a long time Xander. Since you began
fighting beside Miss
Summers. Long before you were given the ring."
"Then why did you take it from me?"
"It was deemed so by those higher than me."
"I bet you can't tell me who can you?"
"You know them, in you're heart. That is
all I can say. But I will
tell you, it was for your own safety,
would you have been as good as
you are without your time under
Batman? Would you have searched for
Richard Dragon had you always
had the ring?"
"No, I wouldn't have." Xander
said with a sigh., " It's strange you
know, all my life I
never believed in Destiny, in prophecy, hell
I've defied both. But
I feel like lately, I've been being led on.
Toward a destination
someone else wants."
"That's the thing about destiny
Xander, there is always a choice.
The main question you have to
ask yourself, is if not following the
path will make you
happy."
"My happiness doesn't matter Ganthlet. If
following this path helps
people, it's what I need to do."
"Very
well spoken young man, but, what you have is not a destiny,
it's
not a prophecy, if anything it is a privilage."
"Excuse me?"
"For reasons still unknown to me, you have been
chosen. To be
honored by the higher beings. You are not told what
to do, and you
always do the things you do, through free will. You
do not have a
destiny Xander, unless you decide you want
one."
"Thank you Ganthlet, you've helped more than I
can say." Xander said
with a smile as he turned from the
guardian and walked toward the
stairs leading to the exit of the
catacombs.
"What will you do know Green Lantern?"
"What
I do best." Xander said without slowing and turning around.
As
Xander left Ganthlet smiled to himself. Just as Kyle Rayner
had,
this young man had gotten under his skin.
"Go
then young Alexander, protect, serve, love, and care. For
those,
those are what set you apart. Those are what you do
best."
END CHAPTER SIX.
Title:
Welcome Home 7/7
Author: Cobra
Rating: M
Summary: Welcome
Home, that says it all
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter Seven.
Jade and Xander landed easily on the ground outside the
hidden
entrance of Outsiders HQ.
"So, what now?" Jade asked with a slight smile on her face.
"Time to apologize."
"For?"
"Abandoning them."
"They know you didn't."
"Yeah,
I've got another reason for coming." Xander said with a nod
as
both he and Jade went through the security system.
"Hey
War!" Risk said as he came up and slapped the young man's
arm.,
"You back?"
"If you guys want me to be."
War said with a smile as the three
heroes walked toward the
monitor room.
"Duh, all the times we've called didn't clue you in. Some detective."
"Stuff it. You're still annoying. That's good."
"And you still have
hotties around you. That's very good." Risk said
smiling at
Jade.
"What can I say, they love to follow me."
Xander said recieving a
swift kick in the ass for the comment.
Both Risk and Jade laughed as
Xander carefully rubbed his now sore
spot., "Ha ha, so funny. Can
you have everyone meet me in the
monitor room?"
"Sure boss." Risk said with a
smile as Xander and Jade followed him
into the monitor room. He
hit the signal telling everyone to report
to the room then the
three quickly took seats., "Are you okay Jade?"
Risk
asked with a sad look in his eyes.
"I'm getting there.
Thanks." Jade answered actually suprised at the
question.
Risk only nodded and watched as the reunion took
place.
Xander stood quickly as Hal Jordan
walked into the room. The look on
the young Warriors face causing
all the celebrating friends to quiet
immediatly.
"Time for that talk huh?" Jordan asked with a slight smile.
"Yeah.
I've been keeping an eye on you Hal, and I've got a couple
options
for you."
"Okay."
"Do you want to
keep that ring?" Xander asked with a tight lipped
expression.
Hal looked at his hand before he nodded.
"You know I do."
"I'm the Green Lantern for sector 2814, you can
either accept that,
or try and take it from me. If you do that,
I'm taking the ring."
"Okay, so, were do I get sent."
"I want you, and a few other people I choose,
to restart the Green
Lantern corps."
"You sure you want to trust me with that?"
"You took the order
well enough. I think you deserve it. So, what do
you say?"
Xander asked with a slight smile on his face. Hal smiled
as well
and walked over to Xander holding out his hand.
"You've
got a deal." The older Green Lantern said as Xander shook
his
hand in return., "You won't regret this."
Giles stepped into the monitor room with a careful deliberation.
"Xander.
You wanted to see me?" The older man asked with a
confused
smile. Xander smiled at him and motioned him to
sit.
"Yeah, I was wondering how you were adjusting to
life as an
Outsider."
"I like it here Xander.
Wish I could be more involved most, well,
all the time. But, I am
glad to be apart of this."
"You are a big part of
this Giles. Don't let anyone tell you
different, if it wasn't for
you, none of this would exist. As for
being more involved, I think
I can help you with that, if you'd
like."
"What are you talking about Xander?"
"You took three
Highschool kids and turned them into a world saving
group, you
helped me gain self confidence, and morals. You are a
hell of a
mentor Giles, not perfect, no one is, that's what makes
you such a
good rolemodel. You teach people to learn from there
mistakes."
"Um, I Uh, thank you Xander."
"I need someone I trust,
someone good with teaching. I might as well
come out and ask.
Rupert Giles, would you like to become a member of
the Green
Lantern Corps?"
"I, I don't know what to say. Of
course, I would be honored." Giles
said with a flustered
smile. Xander chuckled lightly as he formed a
ring on the table.
His smile grew as it flew from the table and onto
Giles' hand of
it's accord.
"Welcome to the corps G-Man." Xander
said as he hugged his friend
tightly., "Welcome Home."
END JOH: WELCOME HOME.
NEXT: The Search for Kyle Rayner. The Spectre bends a few rules, finding a way for Xander to enter Hypertime, and find the lost green Lantern Kyle Rayner.
