Faith Lehane stepped out in pretty much the clothes she was wearing when she turned herself in. At least that's what she thinks they are. She wasn't exactly focused on her clothes when she made her confession. She's not going to question why they let her change from her usual prison garb but she'll take the upgrade. She looked as the other door to the visitor's center opened as Xander walked in. Faith's eyes rose up at this very interesting scene as she took the seat next to him. "X, what are you doing here?"

Xander chuckled wordlessly he planned this out in his head so much better but now that he's in the moment he's brain frozen. "Well, I'm here to get you out of here."

"Well Xan, that's very nice of you, but why don't you come back in about 20-25 years when my parole hearing comes up." Faith countered.

Xander looked at her. "Faith, your charges were dropped, or pardoned, I don't know the exact words regardless you're free to go."

Faith looked at him. "How, you..."

"Have knowledge of a secret government experiment they don't want to get out to the public. Signed an NDA I was never going to D about anyway when I got here." Xander finished.

Faith nodded. "Buffy's old squeeze."

Xander shook his head. "And one of my greatest regrets."

Faith looked at him confused. "Figured you'd be squealing in happiness that B found a beau with a pulse."

"I was." Xander conceded. "But after Joyce died, I looked back and brothel suckjobs and him complaining that he wasn't the center of Buffy's universe with her dying mother the man was a Teutonic douche. Should have continued the pattern of telling Buffy to kick her boyfriend's ass."

Faith frowned. "Yeah, Angel told me about Joyce on his way to the funeral. I wanted to get flowers or something but given my last encounter was when I kidnapped her and Dawnie I didn't know what to do. Angel said he'd take care of it. I think he left cardless flowers at the grave the night before the funeral for me and him."

Xander smiled well that's one mystery solved. "It meant a lot that you thought about her Faith. And given what happened with Spike's flowers we definitely would have thought ulterior motives. So, are you ready to go?"

Faith looked at him. "Joyce is gone, B is likely a mess, do you really think now is a good time for me to be let free?"

Xander looked around the room for a moment like he was collecting his thoughts. "7"

Faith looked at him confused. "7?"

Xander nodded. "Using the very little I have left of soldier guy I got seven ways of escape from this place. Add in all a slayer can do and you're probably at..."

"182" Faith replied for him.

Xander leaned back. "Faith, I know you genuinely want to do good because you're still in this place by no one's power but your own. Last year I would not have done this."

Faith looked at him. "So, how big of an A word are we dealing with."

Xander looked at her. "Pretty big one but I'm hoping I can handle it so you and Buffy don't have to."

Faith looked at him and smiled. "What the hell, now it's like a car wreck I'm too curious to look away from anyway."

Xander and Faith walked to the car as Xander got in the driver's seat taking a breath ready for fireworks and Faith sat down next to Johnathan who wisely sat between her and Dawn.

Faith looked over to Dawn. "Check it out whelp is getting all woman sized."

Dawn shook her head. "Isn't there another place for the tried to kill your sister types."

Faith looked at her door as she opened it as Anya and Xander followed suit to her confusion.

Dawn looked at Xander. "You never tried to kill Buffy willingly."

"Only because Willow survived." Xander countered.

Anya can't believe Xander knows Dawn this well. "Also, I killed her alternate, technically the master did but I remade reality that allowed it to happen."

Faith looked at him confused as to why she is just hearing about this now. She turned to Xander. "You really tried to kill Buffy of your own free will?"

Xander shrugged innocently. "She wasn't acting like herself and in 24 hours she used me as a stripper pole to get a rise out of Angel, hurt Willow, and then put Willow in mortal danger. To say I was pissed would be an understatement."

Xander turned to Dawn. "Your protection in Sunnydale is a vampire and a slayer. I won't accept less in LA."

Dawn nodded in understanding last thing Buffy needs right now is for something to happen to her.

Faith looked at the girl next to her. "I'm sorry fuzzy memories at best, who are you again? All I remember last year is you have sex with X?"

Anya smiled. "Oh, I'm Anya, Xander's very human girlfriend."

Faith turned to the tiny little man. "Hey I know you. You're Johnathan. For a week I was scared you were going to come after me and then it just faded what was that about?"

Johnathan shrunk further into the car seat. "I was very irresponsible with magic sorry about that."

Faith nodded. She's starting to think that just makes him one of them now. "So Xander, how many people have you actually killed?"

"2" Xander replied. "I threw a zookeeper into the Hyena cage who never came back up and I was in a group decision that left Buffy's friend with 12 angry vampires."

Faith gasped for breath. "Why am I just now hearing about this?"

"I stupidly opened with defending you to the cops and you went choky." Xander replied with no malice in his voice just failures on both ends.

Faith nodded in understanding. "And after that I kept you guys at arm's length so no one would know I was working for the mayor." She let out a sigh at the equal failures of communication. "So how many people has B killled?"

Xander thought it over. "2 or 3 depending on whether the first assassin was a human or not. Even without him she still played a hand with her friend at the club and your foe watcher."

Faith looked at him. "I thought she burned to ash from the glove."

Xander shrugged. "Buffy severed a major limb. No pre drugs, no post drugs, no tubing or belts nearby to slow the blood loss or prevent going into shock, add in Sunnydale city employee's usual response time honestly going up like a roman candle might have been a mercy. Now let's get off this morbid subject and drive Johnathan to the comic convention."

Dawn's eyes rose up. "Wait, you were serious about that?"

Xander nodded. "Oh yeah, big part of the plan."

Faith looked at him concerned. This could be the weirdest preparation for an apocalypse she has ever seen. And last time she was in an apocalypse she collected the ritual materials for the big bad last time.

Cordelia looked around the office of Angel Investigations. It still doesn't feel like home anymore. Maybe it will just take some time to adapting to Wes sitting in the big chair. She takes a sigh of relief hearing the front door open. "Welcome to Angel Investigations we help the... Xander!"

Gunn ran out axe ready with Wes hearing Cordy scream. Wes rose an eyebrow at the curious sight before him. He knows Buffy's mom died but he never thought Xander would outsource to Angel.

"Good, because the Xander needs help in a big way." Xander replied as Anya came in right behind him. Cordelia happily hugged her old friend and Dawn behind her as Cordy and Wes' eyes raise up seeing who is behind her.

"Faith!" Cordelia exclaimed. "What the hell is she doing here? Isn't she supposed to be in jail for like a gagillion years."

Faith pointed a finger at Cordelia. "12-25 depending on good behavior, until Xander got me out anyway."

Gunn looked at Wes and Cordy confused. "What's so scary about leather Barbie?"

Wes took a breath. "Her name is Faith she is a vampire slayer that sort of fell off the wagon."

Faith put her hands up. "Back on the wagon, seeing a therapist to stay on the wagon. Still seeing one now that I'm loose." Faith turned to Xander. "Speaking of you should probably get one too."

Xander opened his mouth to counter but honestly, he's got nothing. No one's ever brought it up and it can't be a good thing that he sees flashes of Jessie in every vampire he kills. "Uh... Uh... Alright but we'll save this for after the world doesn't end."

Anya took a breath of relief. "Finally!"

Xander looked at her in confusion. "Wait, you're seeing one too?"

Anya nodded. "Yeah, the Magic Box has crazy insurance premiums and requirements that Giles has to pay anyway. Why do you think he never looked for employess besides me even with watcher pay? Helped me deal with ageing again and I don't have to pay him a dime. He stopped seeing me when I talked about demons though"

Faith shook her head. "So you do only date demons."

Xander turned to Wes. "Save me from this and take me to Angel."

Xander stood there a moment confused. When he said take him to Angel he thought he was asking to take him to his boss. He had no idea Wes himself was the boss.

Xander pointed to Wes. "So, you're in charge."

Wes smiled seeing Xander stumped.

Xander pointed to Wes. "So, you're Dave Thomas." He turned to Angel in a smile. "So, I guess that makes you the red headed girl on the billboards huh."

The vampire with a soul glared at him. Sadly, Wendy might be a step up from Deadboy. "Find a better example."

"Sorry" Xander apologized and pointed to Wes. "You remember what he was like in Sunnydale this is a lot to take in."

Wes turned to the Sunnydale native he'd be upset if he didn't agree with him. "It's called growing given your shirts I recommend trying it."

Xander nodded. "That's fair and also why I'm here. Has Buffy told you about Glory at all?"

Angel nodded. "Blond woman, acts like Cordelia, and has handed Buffy her ass every time they fought." Wes looked at him in confusion. "We talked at Joyce's funeral."

"Thanks for Faith's flowers, and yours if you left any." Xander added.

Angel nodded. "It was the least I could do after everything." Honestly the conversation at the graveyard and leaving might have been his and Buffy's most mature moment. Most of the time they turn into lovesick idiots around each other. "So why are you here?"

Xander nodded and looked at Angel. "Me and Anya are trying to gather power to defeat Glory in a very unconventional way. I was hoping you could make sure no one smashes our way home and you and Faith can look out for Dawn in case Glory shows up. Slayer and a vampire just like back home."

Angel looked at him confused. "What vampire is watching Dawn in Sunnydale?"

Xander shook his head. "Spike."

"Willy is who Buffy is counting on in Sunnydale, maybe I shouldn't have left." Angel snarked off in disbelief.

Xander shook his head. "You' re telling me never thought I'd miss you in Sunnydale but at least we knew you had a soul and what could cause you to lose it. Spike just has a chip in his head that goes bad dog whenever he tries to hurt someone. Poor Spike, so helpless, I just hope we're around when the battery wears out and Dawn isn't alone with him."

Angel shook his head. "Wait till he starts trying to convince you Billy Idol stole his look."

Xander groaned under breath and took out an envelope he handed to Wes. "Let's just get started so I can get rid of him when the time comes."

Wes opened the envelope and saw a healthy portion of money. "Keep it, consider repayment for failures in Sunnydale on my and Angel's behalf."

Xander raised an eyebrow. "Wow, you are really a brave one now Wes. Do you have any idea what Cordy will do to you if she finds out you're working pro bono for the guy that cheated on her."

Wes looked at him for a moment before opening the envelope and taking half the money and giving it to Xander. "Friendly discount."

Xander smiled. "Thanks"

Xander Angel and Wes walked down just in time to see Johnathan walk down with a fresh tape in hand.

Xander looked at the Sunnydale native. "Did you get the one you were looking for?"

Johnathan held it up. You can always find them at a comic convention. "Easily."

Anya nodded. "Good put it on the bottom since that's the last one."

Gunn looked at the pile of tapes. This would be an interesting all day movie marathon. "So are you hiring for a sleepover or something?"

Xander shook his head as he joined the group. "No, I'm hiring you to watch Dawn and protect us just in case someone like Glory shows up. You'll understand soon enough."

Cordy finished hooking up magic VCR next to their one for investigations. "OK still don't understand what you're doing?"

Anya smiled opening the first tape offhandedly. "You'll understand in just a moment." She looked down at the label and saw red for a moment. "Hey!"

Xander turned to her. "What?"

Anya held up the first tape revealing Spider-Man: Partners in Danger. "You told me no spider powers so what is this about?" All she heard was they were going to get starting powers from a cartoon.

Xander took the tape and put it in the VCR and pulled out a tattoo gun. He still can't believe they couldn't figure out a better alternative. "This is for the Super Soldier Serum 2.0. I go in at the end of the episode have a talk with the Cat and hopefully get what we need by him writing it on my back."

Anya nodded in understanding and started nudging everyone back away from the tv.

Xander held the remote calmly. "Here goes nothing." He hit play and vanished from sight.

Dawn and most of Angel Investigations stood there slack jawed at what had just transpired.

Faith looked confused. "Did the TV just eat X?"

Anya shook her head. "No."

Cordy turned to Xander's current squeeze. "Then where the heck is the doofus."

Anya pointed to the TV. "In there."

Angel turned to Anya. "What... what vengeance demon did you find to pull this one off?"

Anya smiled. "Halfrek is an old friend of mine. So, how do you know about the spell?"

Angel shook his head. "A guy wished to be in the movie when I saw King Kong in the 30's. The demon granted the wish, teleported away, and he never came out."

Anya nodded. "Kong probably ate him."

Dawn's eyes widened. "Can that happen to Xander?"

Anya shook her head. "No, we ran through everything with a fine-tooth comb. He should be OK." Anya turned back to the VCR as the credits started as the VCR deposited Xander back into the real world covered in web from ankle to neck.

Xander tried to movie his arm to wave as if there was nothing to ask about this situation, but his arm wasn't budging. "Hey guys"

Faith doubled over looking at him. "What the heck happened to you X?"

"Ah Spider-Man saw someone appear out of thin air, thought I worked with Mysterio and told the Cat to not tell me anything. And then the Cat tried to get me taken in by SHIELD, but the episode ended. I forgot to take into consideration how paranoid Spidey would be because of fishbowl head."

Johnathan looked at him. "So, is this one a bust?"

"No, I'll just go into the episode earlier. We'll lose the camouflage, but we'll still get the base Super Soldier Serum." Xander countered.

Angel walked up to him. "Well in that case."

Xander tried to back up, but his legs weren't working with webs. "No, Angel wai..."

Angel put his hands on the web to pull them apart but quickly found himself stuck in the web.

Xander glared at the vampire but calmed down. "Good job, now we're stuck like this for an hour until the web dissolves."

Angel just stared at Xander. This is going to be a long hour. The two stayed there as the room flashed white for a brief moment.

"So, who wants a picture of Angel and Xander staring lovingly into each other's eyes!"

Zeppo and Vampire's eyes alike rise screaming bloody murder before both shouted simultaneously.

"CORDY!"

Author notes

Thanks to everyone who followed, reviewed and favorited this story.

Starting next chapter you'll see what they are doing in the VCR I'm just not sure what to count this as a crossover with