Buffy was out of her mind with worry. Sure she was Angry with Xander because of the Love-Spell. But thinking back a few weeks back was enough to see how badly she had pulled this. She knew that he was in a bad way with them all. But she had thought that he would show up and try to make friends with them again. But no one had seen or heard from him since the day after the Love-Spell where she threw him out. Now she was clearly crazy with grief about her own actions. So much even that she was going everyone else on their nerves with her worry. Giles had requested that she get some resemblance of a break. But the Hellmouth didn't play along. Everything seemed to go pear shaped for them.

About two months after the disappearance of one Alexander LaVelle Harris she was finally ready to believe that he was gone for good. It had not been easy for any of them Cordelia had broken up with her Sheep and told them off to ever speak with her again. Because of their pushing and her own belief on money makes right she had lost the one thing in her life had made sense. She was actively hunting with the others.

Four months had gone by. No one had ever forgotten Xander. Cordy was a permanent fixture in the group. Giles suddenly came rushing out of his Office and yanked Cordy away from the place she was training on. Buffy was on edge and dove away as the Hellmouth opened. The Hellmouth-Monster was not there. But a hook on a rope came out of the Hellmouth and hooked itself on a heavy Bookcase. No one could move because of some spell that was attached to the Hook. So they could only wait for the disaster to happen.

A Figure clothed in rags that looked like it was made out of Blood, Gore and dressed in something that looked like it belonged to a very big monster at one point. The Figure went over to the Bookcase and released the hook from it's lodging and threw it down into the hole after pouring something over the hook that made them release out of the holding spell. After that was done the Figure quickly stood in a careful stance that showed him to be ready for anything, should any of them try anything.

Giles who was the most levelheaded of them approached the being with careful movements and with raised hands. Buffy wanted to run and clobber the being over the head but got stopped by Giles who held a hand out in front of her to indicate that she should leave the being alone for now. Giles now stood in front of the Being who didn't indicate to move at all. The Stance was still the same. Deadly if provoked, but still being able to be held for a very long time.

Giles started with careful words: "Greetings Traveller. What are you and how did you overwrite any spell done on this plane of existence?"

The Being spoke with a dark voice that made Buffys mind backtrack to certain someone: "It's easy to know how to break or hold of any spell or power if you know what to look after. Now if you would excuse me I should go and find a place to stay for the night. Not that anything here could give me any trouble. Not even if the Slayer would try her luck at attacking me."

Buffy suddenly blurted out: "Xander? Is that you?"

Everybody stopped up like rooted to the spot. The Being stopped up and without turning said: "A Name I haven't heard in a very long time and don't really respond to any more. The one you lost with most likely not come back any more to you."

Buffy didn't dare to stop him but asked any how: "Please tell me why that is?"

The Being still not turning around replied: "Surviving Hell for over 3000 Years makes you forget some things and learn new ones. The Name Xander still lingers from time to time. But nothing is connected with it any more. Goodbye Slayer."

Buffy wanted to shout stop or do something. But the Being who never showed his face just turned on the spot and vanished into thin air. Buffy sat down on the nearest Chair and covered her face in her hands. She began to sob. Giles who had taken a good measure about the power radiating off the for now unknown man had a problem. Willow was too much out of it herself to do anything. Giles stood up and got the First-Aid-Kit. The others followed him. Buffy was seeing her watcher being very careful not to disturb some places in the Library. She found out what he was doing. He got out a pair of tweezers and a bowl. She began to systematically search the place for anything that maybe was dropped by him.

After e meticulous search they found a few hairs that everyone drops who moves around. How Giles could see the difference was beyond her. But he seemed to be sure. Willow was reading over the spell Giles had placed in front of her. She saw what he was up to. A simple locator spell. Willow knew that she already had done that many times but never got an answer. But the one she read now was completely different. She reread it several times. Giles was finally ready with the ingredients. Willow did the spell and they saw the being move about in Sunnydale-Sewers and find a nice almost clean place he could lie down. But not before using somethings in his possession to pull up a barrier that by chance held out everything that had any malicious thought against him. When he was sure that whatever he had done was ready he pulled of his cloak. Willow, Cordy and Buffy gasped.

They saw Xander or a very old and very scarred Xander lay down and go to sleep almost on the spot. Buffy had enough and called Whistler: "Whistler? I need info."

Not a second after Whistler showed himself on the other side of the table: "Hello Slayer. The one lost has returned by his own means. But he is not the one who left. Nothing I nor my bosses can do about that. Not without the explicit say so from all the way up top. What ever happens form here on out with him is not something we can interfere with."

Buffy pleaded with him: "Please Whistler. Isn't there anything you or your Bosses can do for him? He needs people around him who love him. I don't mean me. He would not like me around anyhow. I just somehow know it."

Whistler came over and patted Buffy on the Back: "I'm sorry Slayer. But you have to understand. What has happened to him should not have happened. We still do not know who did this. We have tried to get info about it. But something of someone very very powerful is blocking us. We would love to help him in anyway. But nothing has worked. But he just came back. Maybe it a few days we will be able to tell you more. But for now you just have to trust your own heart to do the right thing."

Buffy sat down on the chair again and nodded. Whistler nodded to the rest and vanished. Up with the Powers he looked over the sullen faces: "Now what?"

North glanced over and said: "The White-Knight has returned but does not have any inclination to return to the Slayers side any time in the near or far future. Everything seems to be set in stone."

Whistler nodded and left. They all turned back to the View. South asked: "You know Father is angry with you for lying about this?"

North nodded with a smile: "I know. But this one has to be from their own power. We will only help along in sudden ways this time around. The Souled one is in LA and has already started to work on his Redemption. The Slayer has completely forgotten about him. Aphrodite is still angry with us for working in her purview. She has something lined up. I just don't know what. I have promised her not to look."

South looked over the rest and saw the same smile. North vanished from the plane and went somewhere. The others looked over the View-Pool and found Aphrodite standing by them. South asked: "Are we barred from doing anything?"

Aphrodite smiled: "Yes. You can look. But don't do anything. I have to work this in a very special way. Nothing can go to chance. North is allowed to look as well. But please do not interfere with the love aspect."

White-Skinned-Monster as he had been called for the last many centuries laid in his new lair and thought about all that had happened to him during the many years. He had heard the Name the Blonde Girl had called. He understood what she said. But he only had memories about the others calling him White-Skinned-Monster. But feeling the power and the sorrow radiating from everyone in the Room he didn't want to make them to sad by saying that he actually didn't know anything about any one in the room. His first Memory was from the old Lady who had taken him in.

Flashback …

He woke up laying on something that looked like a bed. It wasn't uncomfortable per se. But he didn't know anything else. He laid still not really breathing much and just calmed down as much as he could. In listening to his surroundings he found out that he couldn't remember anything beyond waking up. He slowly opened his eyes and began to look around. A Female old voice from his side said: "Well you finally decided to open your eyes. What do you remember from before you woke up?"

He had turned his head and looked at her. Turning his head back and looking up at the ceiling he began to think. After a few minutes he shrugged and looked back at the old Woman: "Nothing. I don't even know my name. I know I should be angry, scared or something. But don't feel anything."

The old Woman smiled a friendly but very sad smile: "I thought as much. I saw you falling down through the portals that open up once in a while. When I arrived at your crash site I found you laying in the crater on top of many Monsters. Seemingly you were thrown into our world by a force so massive that your speed was so great that all the first responders to newcomers got flattened. You only got a few cuts and bruises though."

Interrupting the old Lady he continued: "Okay, then what ever powers and abilities those first responders have were now passed on to me. How far of am I?"

The Lady smiled: "Very close. Lucky guess?"

He smiled and nodded. Flipping the covers back I saw that I he didn't have anything on. Seemingly not bothered with his undress he just sat up in the bed with himself in his birthday-suit. The old Lady smiled and came closer: "You should at least cover up or some one will want to take advantage of you."

He just smiled back and laid back down holding the covers open for her: "Well I have to thank my saviour in one way or the other. If your up for it."

The old Lady let her robe drop and showed him that he didn't have anything to fear from her. She had a few scars here and there. But her Body was still firm and good looking. At least he didn't mind. After a few hours of working on his stamina in bed and a little sleep they disengaged and quickly dressed after cleaning themselves with a dirt bath.

He learned form the Lady that a dirt bath was the best thing in the world down here. Your own stench got covered up and the other inhabitants of the world didn't smell them. At least it was somewhat a good protection against those that wanted to only kill.

In the first 50 years he learned a lot from his new Wife. He looked around his new home and found a World where he needed to fight if he wanted to have food on the Table or Clothes to wear. How to make Weapons or how to use his Powers and Abilities was daily on the plan. He learned that he could use his little knowledge he had gathered to set up a little barrier around the entrance on their Cave so no one could enter without getting into trouble.

Along the Way he had begun to work on the Cave and make their little place better. It was really beginning to look good. But as with everything it had to end. He was on his way back from a hunt and found the place trashed and his Wife torn to pieces. She had fought bravely and worked her way towards their more powerful weapons. Her head was still adorning the wall of spikes that he had installed as a last measure. Should anything happen they only had to activate the spikes and they would be instantly in a safe place. But somehow it had worked backwards. He saw the flaw in the Contraption. It wasn't his doing. But one of the Monsters had found the hinge and broken it. At least he saw that it still hung on the hook. It had broken and dislodged from the ceiling to spin in midair and impale her. A Trail of blood flowed out of the Cave and right into a trench. He went over to his more powerful weapons and found the best of them.

After following the trail he saw where the trail was pointing. He saw the monsters sleeping grounds. He had watched them from afar and made a plan over the place. Now he found his knowledge being very useful. He looked over the beings in the Place and found the one responsible for killing his Wife. He could see the glee in the eyes of the Being as it orchestrated and told the others how he broke into the Cave and killed at least one of those that they didn't find otherwise.

With a calmness he didn't know he had he pointed his weapons into the fray and began to kill everything he could get his hands on. There were many monsters and other things there. But not much survived the carnage that started in that valley. Only a few of the smaller things left after the first few explosions rocked the valley. That was the first time he got the name White-Skinned-Monster.

Nothing came out that was too big. If it could hide it got away. But everything else didn't The main Being there who surprisingly was spared in the first slaughter thought that he was going to just walk over and kill this little human that was just in the way of him fighting his way up towards bigger things and better enemies. But he was swatted away like an annoying fly. Only when nothing else was standing of the White-Skinned-Monster couldn't find anything else to wail on did he set his sights on the Leader. Many small monsters looked from afar and found the carnage and the screams of pain to be very disturbing.

The White-Skinned-Monster only stopped to let the former leader heal himself again. After that he started to torture it again. After unknown times of doing that the White-Skinned-Monster finally let the now dead thing stay dead and walked off with a few new bumps and bruises and more powers form other Monsters.

White as he called himself for short sat down in the Cave after cleaning it out and burying the remains of his Wife at a particular nice place. He had found it during his last hunt and wanted to show his wife. But when he came back he found the carnage and snapped. Now he was sitting there and thinking back to everything he had found, learned and seen here. He had to smile. They had gotten hurt a few times and even gotten torn apart. But they had always found all parts and could put themselves back together. But with so much missing, White didn't know if it would be able to come back. He had kept the rest of his Wife for a few weeks until it had begun to wither away. The Rest along with the his Wife's favourite Weapons were buried at the place he had found.

Now he was sitting in the Cave and thinking about her. A few Monsters came slowly into the Cave and soon found them on the receiving end of a very angry being. After a few weeks White found the power to walk out of the Cave and leave the area. Nothing seemed to work for a few years. White was walking through the landscape of burned out wrecks and otherwise destroyed things. He didn't feel his followers at first. But at one point where he rested a bit he found a place he could stay he found the Followers to be other Monsters. They stayed away and seemed to only want to watch.

That went on for about a century. He walked the plane and found nothing really of interest. Monsters of many variety challenged him to fights. But he didn't let them walk away from the fights. The Bigger Monsters that you could find flying around in the permanent cloud-cover never came down. He didn't know why but he really didn't care. At one point he had found his old Cave again and walked in. He found a few People living there. They had made it bigger and changed a few things. His reputation had come before him. They were all waiting in the main section with weapons at the ready.

White stepped in and stopped in his tracks. The eldest stepped forward and began to speak: "Honourable White-Skinned-Monster. Please don't take our Home away from us."

White looked around and found his Wife's Weapons: "He began to growl and pointed at the Weapons hanging on the wall: "Where did you find these?"

The Elder swallowed: "We found them buried on the hill a little ways away from here. We have used them to craft our own Weapons. They are not being used but worshipped."

White went over to the Weapons and pulled them down. He walked over to a Table and put them down and began to clean and sharpen them. After about an hour where the people around him went about their dutys he was finished.

White went back over to the Wall where they had hung them up. He hung them back on the wall stroked them with a small smile and turned around: "Thank you for keeping my Wife in Good Memory and reminding me of some good times."

White stood up and smiled for the first time in many years. He felt the weight and a little of the sorrow leave him. But it got changed into the hatred of everything that tried to take nice things away from him. Everyone could see how the being in front of them began to radiate power throughout his Body and out in the Room. Without a word he walked out of the Cave and began to patrol the area with a vengeance. Guards took turns in watching over him. The eldest was the first one to watch him decimate a rather large group of very powerful demons.

They had been careful in not giving them anything to find them. But this powerful being walked out of their home and began to take groups of Powerful Demons apart at the seams. This went long into the night. They were used to take turns watching over everything. But this was too much. When he vacated an area they came out to gather some things and a few weapons that were usable to them.

The second Day came slowly to and end. The sounds of Battle had stopped a few minutes ago. They had stayed in the Cave and left guards out. They heard a sound of someone clearing his voice. The Guards took a stance and got ready. White came walking out of the Dark covered in layer of Dirt. He walked past the entrance and pulled on a bush besides the entrance. A few strands with leaves came off and he began to brush himself off. A female came out and helped him with the parts of the Body he couldn't reach. After that was done he walked into the main Part and said: "I will stay in the Vicinity. Take very good care of each other."

With that he walked out of the Cave and vanished into the dark. The Elder came out of the back and told them all: "We will remember the day when the White-Skinned-Monster came to our Home and helped us. Go in Peace White-Skinned-Monster. You have friends here."

White didn't know any of that. He just stayed in the vicinity for a time and helped them as good as he could. Life still wasn't easy for any of them. Fights were always breaking out. New ones came to the Cave and stayed there to fight and survive. White never showed himself much to any one. But the Area was surely protected by the White-Skinned-Monster. The True hard thing was the loneliness that was his constant companion. No one could break him out of it. Partly because he never let anyone too close to him any more, partly because this was his torture.

After many Centuries, he had finally had enough of being here. He found many places to go. But always being here where anything reminded him of her was not something he could live with for much longer. So he began to plan. He had heard and learned about the upper world from others that had arrived here. One being that was sent down here knew a lot. White had found him laying in a crater and carried him into his new home. He had left the others alone because the new arrivals were angry and tried to hurt anything they came across. Now he was sitting in his new Cave and watched the new arrival not moving.

White spoke: "How long are you going to lay there pretending to sleep?"

Angel opened his eyes and sat up slowly: "How long have you been down here?"

White began to think: "Not sure, I don't know anything about my life before I came here. Nothing have come back of my former life. I don't even know my own Name. Every one just calls me White-Skinned-Monster. I only use White for short. Tell you what, you tell me all you know about the world you came from and I let you stay here with me."

Angel began to think out loud: "I can work with that. How do you keep clean? I can still smell many monster on you?"

White smiled: "Dirt-Bath, doesn't take away the stench completely. But it does mask it enough for the lowlife that tries to make me into a decent lunch."

Angel smiled and found it remarkable that the Boy could survive down here. As time rolled by many tried to battle the duo that lived in the valley. But they were too much for many. Angel told White about the life he had above. White still couldn't find anything that he could use for his own. But he enjoyed the time he spent with Angel the Vampire. Angel still couldn't believe that the Boy was almost grown up. They had talked about everything and nothing. Angel didn't really need to sleep. So he stood guard when White slept. He never tried to fight against him.

They were out hunting together and had a nice chat about monsters they had engaged. Suddenly Angel was pulled upwards and away from him. White smiled, Angel yelled: "Don't give up, come back to the upper world! Visit me!"

White waved at him and nodded. Then he was alone again. Angel just hoped that he wouldn't give up. Little did he know that Angel had given him everything he needed to take him up to the upper world.

Back in the Sewers …

White woke up and looked around. He saw several Vamps and other Monsters that had tried to get through his Barrier. They were all laying on the ground twitching. He didn't know how long he was out of it. But he had started to feel infinite better as soon as he stepped out into the night after he had left the Library. He walked around the Cavern and took all the things he could use from the Monsters and Vampires. Killing them went as easy as breathing. He looked up at the world through the Sewer access and stepped out into the night.

In the Library about the same time White woke up. Buffy stood in the Library training. She at least tried to. But seeing Xander come back from Hell was too much for her. She hadn't seen hair nor hide from him. It had been two days since he had come back. No one had seen him anywhere. Suddenly she felt the urge to go out to hunt. She needed to hurt something. Giles saw the anger working in the eyes of his Slayer. He wanted to calm her down but refrained.

Buffy went out and went to work on something she could hurt. She hadn't seen Angel since he came back from Hell. Things had gone really wrong when she had broken the Spell on his soul. Giles was still angry at her. Jenny had been hurt. Willow was almost killed. Buffy really only now began to realize how far she had gone for the love she had felt for him. But when he came back something had shifted inside of her. He was there and had said to her that he needed to go away. She was now running through one of the Many Cemeterys and had found a gaggle of Vamps who had trouble with a big burly Guy. Buffy found the thorn in her side. She found someone that tore the Vamps apart that she should. But before she could do anything she was in the middle of the fight herself.

Several other Vamps had shown up again and tried to overpower her and the Guy. She then recognized the Man from the other day in the Library. Suddenly the fight was going like clockwork. The Guy and Buffy fought together like a dream. When the Vamps and other monsters were killed the Guy turned around and Buffy saw for the first time the face of an old Alexander Harris.

White turned around and looked at the Girl. The Vamp had called her Buffy. At least he believed it to be that. He nodded friendly at asked: "You would be Buffy right?"

Buffy smiled: "Yes, that's me. How do you know?"

White smiled: "Maybe we should talk at a more secure location."

Buffy smiled: "We could go to my house. Mom is not home."

White nodded and left the Cemetery with the Girl. Buffy was slowly starting to be a little more happier. She almost skipped the whole way home. Arriving at the house she saw that her mother was just arriving home. Buffy slowly lost her happiness and walked slower. White saw and found it surprisingly funny. Buffy walked over to her mother and asked: "Hi Mom. Didn't you want to stay a few days?"

Joyce had seen her Daughter arrive: "Yes Buffy, I am only here to get a few things and then drive off. But who is that man behind you?"

White stepped up held out his hand for Joyce to shake: "Miss, my Name is White. I have no last name. Your Daughter and I met during a little walk and she invited me home to talk about different things."

Joyce smiled and shook the offered hand: "Joyce Summers Mr White. You look familiar."

She turned to Buffy and asked: "Do you trust him Buffy?"

Buffy smiled and nodded enthusiastically: "I do Mom."

Joyce loved her Daughter. She knew that she would loose sight around good looking men and this hunk of a man really looked dreamy. She quickly got her mood back and readied for her drive. She had worked until late to sell a few things and get the shop ready for the weekend. Now she was ready and said goodbye to her Daughter and her new friend. After Joyce was gone Buffy showed White to the Livingroom and sat him down. She sat down on the couch while he sat on a chair. White squirmed in the seat and stepped out of the Seat and sat down on the floor surprising Buffy: "I can't sit in these chairs. Too comfortable."

Buffy smiled and sat down on the floor as well leaning against the Couch. White began: "Well I met someone that told me a lot about this world. He called himself Angel. He was the one that told me a Name I seemed to be known as here. I don't really recall any feelings or memories connected to this name. So I really don't know what to do. The Vampire told me to try and come here to find my life again. Just before he vanished again he told me not to give up."

Buffy smiled: "Angel was there."

White asked: "You know him?"

Buffy nodded and said: "Yes, we had a little problem with his soul."

White nodded: "He told me. Listen Buffy. I am not the one I was. I may never be him again. I can't remember anything from my former life. I only ever knew the life I have lived when I woke up down there."

Buffy nodded sadly: "I know White. I just hope that you one day can remember what you once were to us. What you could be to me."

White smiled and stood up. Walking over to her he laid a hand on her shoulder and smiled down at her: "Don't fret Buffy. I will maybe one day remember maybe not. I don't know. I will go and find a place where I can sleep. I really don't like it here much. It is a nice House."

Buffy interrupted him: "You have been used to a rougher lifestyle I get it. You can find a Cave a bit up north in the Woods."

White smiled and nodded. Buffy didn't leave the house but walked up to her own room and watched as he walked up towards the Cave. Next morning Buffy called Willow and told her to meet up at her house. She needed to be