With the exception of getting hurt, the past two weeks may have in fact been the best in Xander's life. However, when you take into account that he had woken up in a hospital, and learned that his parents simply refused to basically admit that he was alive, it was hard to imagine his life getting much worse. True, it would be hard to imagine, but not impossible; lest we tempt fate. As it turns out, these recent events turned out to be a turning point in his life; one that he would whole-heartedly agree was for the better.
At first Xander didn't know what to make of the situation. Apparently, the morning after Xander's parents refused to make an appearance at the hospital, Giles, along with Joyce, paid a visit to casa Del Harris.
While neither adult would state just what had been spoken that morning (though Xander had a fair idea of what was said), it was decided that he would no longer be living in that abusive environment. It was something that both parties agreed on.
Joyce had been quite vocal in her desire to bring them to court, and have their asses hauled off to jail. That statement, from a woman who in one single year managed to be more of a mother to him than his own, actually made him blush. After the blushing had died down, though, the overwhelming feeling of shame began to dominate his emotions.
He felt the shame of this dark secret, his family life, coming out in the open. He had always felt that the relationship he had with his parents, their inability to love him, and his inability to get their love, made him less of a man. Now, to have that in the open, he wanted to crawl within himself. Beyond that, that feeling of shame was only compounded when he realized that he was about to become a burden to someone else. He had tried to tell everyone that everything was all right; all the while he began to withdraw into himself. It was a process that would never have a chance to make itself whole.
While he had been able to hide, quite well, most of his emotions and the troubles he had experienced at home, now that they, Joyce and Giles, were aware of just how deep those problems went; it wasn't quite so easy to fool them.
Both of them were quick to pound into his thick skull how none of this was his fault. Xander wasn't sure just how much he really believed them, but the firmness and genuine care and emotion in their voices helped to sway him. Giles was next to point out how unbelievably opposite he was to those wretched people. And while Joyce wasn't quite sure how to take his next comment, Giles had told him how, in such a short time, he began to think of Xander, and indeed the rest of the group, as his own children. And after a few words of praise from the usually stuffy librarian, Xander was almost in tears himself.
It became too much for him, however, when Mrs. Summers carefully pulled him into a light embrace, mindful of his injury, and told him how he deserved to be loved and how it was an honest to god miracle that he had turned into the sweet and loving young boy that she would love to call 'son.'
Xander's fear of becoming a burden was also squashed when Giles basically demanded that he live in his spare room. It was something that both he and Joyce had discussed, and while she did have an extra room, it was currently occupied with boxes and had no furniture in it. Giles, on the other hand, had a three bedroom apartment. Both the second room and guest room were fully furnished and there was plenty of room for Xander and his belongings. Due to the fact that Xander needed a place to stay immediately, it was decided that the young man would stay with Giles, unless Xander wanted differently.
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So here Xander sat, on his own bed, in his own room, in his and Giles' apartment. It had been almost two weeks now and he still couldn't believe it. The room was starting to feel more like his, though there were quite a few differences.
This room was quite a bit larger than his old room. It was far cleaner, and Xander intended to keep it that way for as long as possible. The fact that he had done so for almost two weeks mystified even him.
The clothes that now adorned his closet and dresser were not the same he had been wearing for god knows how long. Xander had had absolutely no desire to go and fetch anything from that place that housed his biological parents. Willow, under the supervision of Joyce, had gone to the place to collect a few of Xander's personal items; pictures and various items that now decorated his new room. However, Giles had told him that whatever Xander found himself lacking, he would be happy to provide. Once that got out, Buffy had adamantly refused to allow him access to his old clothes, and had all but burned them. He still figured she was the reason that, of all the stuff Willow had brought, his Hawaiian shirts were not among them. Buffy had 'helped' in selecting his new wardrobe, and while not what he was used to, Xander found himself not really minding. Perhaps it was just another aspect of starting anew.
Xander only winced slightly as he stood up from where he was sitting on his bed. Walking over to the desk, placed at the foot of his bed and running perpendicular to his closet, he ran his hand across the red and yellow varsity jacket hung over the desk's chair.
He still couldn't believe that he had survived that night. He knew next to nothing about the guy that had apparently been able to slay the remaining vampires, not to mention that the guy could take a punch, and then was still able to run him across town to the hospital.
Xander hadn't been sure what to tell his friends about that night. They had to wait until it was just the Scoobs; Buffy was still against letting her mother into this world, which had almost made things more difficult when trying to explain why they all had such a close bond with their high school librarian. Buffy had originally been upset that he would rush into a situation like he did. But she knew, as did they all, that Xander would never have been able to just stand by, especially when someone was going to be killed, or worse.
They didn't know quite what to make of the fact that this mystery man had been able to slay the remaining vampires, get Xander to the hospital, but not know what to do before Xander had told him. Also, the fact that the guy could take a punch from a vampire, stagger only a couple of steps, and apparently dust them all, had put them all on edge. No one knew who this 'Kent' was, or how he had sealed those wounds originally. However, the fact that he had, and the fact that he had rushed Xander to the hospital, put quite a few points in the guy's favor. Now, all they had of him was the varsity jacket. The same varsity jacket than had been placed over the chair facing the desk in Xander's room.
Xander looked up and out the window his desk faced and caught site of Joyce's Jeep. She was driving himself, Buffy, and Willow down to the main part of town. They all needed to buy costumes since Principal Snyder had 'volunteered' them to take a bunch of kids trick-or-treating. Xander wasn't sure how much he really minded. He really liked kids, though in small doses, and it would be nice to go out and walk the streets at night. Giles had assured them that Halloween was one night in the year when you could rest assured there would be no demonic activity. He wasn't sure he understood exactly why that was, but what the hell…
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Xander shook his head as they walked out of the newly opened costume shop, Ethan's. It wasn't that he normally disliked shopping for a costume; he was the $2 King, after all, but the fact that both Buffy and Willow had been gushing over that 'Princess Dress' had made him want to vomit. And, if they didn't stop it soon, he may just do that. There was also the fact that he gone to the shop with only five dollars on him. Not wanting to be a bother to either of his friends, since he still felt somewhat the burden seeing as how he was accepting the good fortune that Giles, and Joyce, seemed to be sending his way, he figured that with a toy gun he could use a set of Army fatigues he had set aside almost a month ago.
Luck, it seemed, was not on his side. Either there were a lot of people who had the same idea of purchasing a toy gun, or the selection of guns that went along with a soldier's fatigues was left wanting. In the end, he had to settle for a police revolver with a generic badge. It was just barely in his price range.
As he walked into his shared apartment, he realized what it was that was to add insult to injury:. the fatigues he had set aside were still in his old room. And there was no way in hell he was going over there to get them. As he walked into his room, he eyed the red and yellow jacket that hung proudly over his desk chair.
It looks like it was up to him to improvise once again.
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Xander idly sat at the table in the library. He sighed as he flipped through another page in one of Giles books. Sure, they could be boring at times, but they still had some seriously cool pictures. With Giles busy doing whatever he does while in his office, Xander was getting pretty bored waiting for Buffy and Willow to arrive, preferably without Snyder on their tail.
Xander stopped to appreciate a rather detailed drawing of a cleansing ceremony practiced by an ancient coven of Wiccans. Startled, he slammed the book closed as the doors to the library opened. Glancing towards the front entrance, his face parted into a smile as he slid the book to the center of the table while standing to greet his friends.
"Buffy, you look fantastic in that costume. I may just have to renounce spandex." He tilted his head to the side as he observed her as she curtseyed. With a smirk firmly in place, he continued, "Though, before I do anything drastic, I think I'll just have to see you in spandex." He nodded. "You know, so I can contrast and compare." Receiving only an undignified snort and an eye-roll, he turned his smile over to his oldest bestest bud.
"Hey Wills, that's a nice 'boo' you got there." She tilted her head to the side and his smile widened. "I always do love the classics."
Willow looked down, thankful that the sheet covered her blushing form. She looked back at him, her curious expression covered by the white sheet.
"Thanks Xan, but weren't you going as a soldier? Why did you decide to dress as a jock?"
"The costume shop was out of guns a soldier would use, so I got this instead." Reaching behind and under the jacket, he pulled out a plastic police pistol and an accompanying blank police badge. "I was going to use the gun with the soldier costume, but then I realized that the fatigues I was planning on wearing were still at my parents' home."
Even Buffy nodded in understanding. There was no way he was stepping one foot into that house, or going anywhere near those pitiful excuses for human beings.
Xander just shrugged. "So, I decided to improvise. I grabbed the jacket, gun and badge, and presto; suddenly, I'm an undercover cop posing as a studly high school jock for my cover."
Both girls chuckled slightly before Buffy responded. "So, you're going to be a high school student with a secret identity?"
Xander smirked at her. "Well, you know how much I love to be original."
"So, should we call you Kent Harris tonight?"
Xander looked over to Willow with a small smile as he shook his head. "I thought they used the last name on these jackets." He shook his head. "You see, this is why I'm not a jock."
He glanced between his two best friends with a small smile. "Actually, Willow, I had already thought of that. And, since I am going as a cop, someone who 'protects' and serves, I figured that I'd use my whole first name." He theatrically rolled his eyes. "You know, seeing as how you hammered into my head that my name means 'Protector of Man' when we were younger."
Xander stood a bit straighter, showing more confidence than his normal posture displayed. "Tonight you can call me Detective Alexander Kent." He looked thoughtful for a moment before amending, "Seeing as how I am undercover, it would probably be better to leave the 'detective out of it, though."
Soon, it was time to go and meet their little rug rats. After yelling their goodbyes to Giles, the trio made their way to find Snyder, and receive their allotment of kids. After a few well placed threats and demeaning comments were handed out, Snyder finally complied and gave them their assignments.
Xander walked up to the group of small pint sized people. He had to smile at the complete innocence, eagerness, and anticipation they all showed. He got down onto one knee, wincing slightly as his still sore body protested the action, and looked at the kids at eye-level.
"Ok, kiddies; gather round while I teach you the fine arts of getting more candy."
He had to chuckle as their eyes grew wide with excitement. He looked at them all in turn, memorizing what everyone was dressed up as so he wouldn't lose track of any of them.
"Ok now, remember, tears are key." He glanced at the young boy dressed as Spider-Man. "Now, you can always try the 'you missed me' line, but remember, some of these older people are sharp and they may catch you. So only go there if chocolate is involved. Ok?"
They all nodded sagely at the wise man leading them. To them, at that point, he was the smartest man in the world. With a smile he stood up and let out a breath of air as he waited for the slight sting to subside. "Ok then, let's go and get some candy!"
All of the kids chorused their yells of joy and agreement. Behind him left a group of smiling parents, feeling slightly more relaxed at the prospect of letting their children participate in this program.
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Inside of his costume shop, Ethan sat, Indian style, on the floor. Arranged in front of him were all of the components he would need for the spell he was about to pull off. Under most normal circumstances he would be giddy with joy and excitement, but at the moment, his eyes looked to be miles away.
Ever since that boy had come in with Ripper's Slayer, he hadn't been able to focus properly. He had been excited about the prospect of meeting his ol' mate, Ripper, after so long.
He had done his research. He knew who most of they key players were to watch out for. He knew about Ripper and his young charges; well, he knew about them on paper. But, what hadn't been written down was damn near anything on that boy, Harris.
He hadn't been expecting much from the boy, and it had taken considerable willpower on his part not to gawk at the young man when he first walked in. Not many people would notice it. He knew that Ripper had basically severed all magical ties and connections he had to Chaos and most, if not all, of the dark arts. But still, something should have shone through.
That kid was basically a beacon of chaotic energy. His entire being just pulsed with it. What it meant, he had no idea. However, he was quite certain that whatever he had envisioned this night would bring would be completely altered by the presence of this child.
Ethan was beginning to feel that giddiness of anticipation. He decided to clear any thoughts pertaining to the boy out of his mind. This spell would take all of his concentration. He could always research the child and his ties to Chaos later.
His grin broadened as he began the ancient rites for the spell. He lit the essences and herbs. His chanting began to rise in volume. As his voice reached a crescendo, his ceremonial dagger flashed out in his hand, and bit into the palm of his outstretched hand. The blood trickled onto the bust of Janus before it began to seep into that same bust. As the two faced statue began to glow with an inward light, an enormous pulse of chaotic energy shot forth, and encompassed the town.
With sweat trickling down his forehead and a tired smile gracing his face, Ethan let out a pleased sigh before saying, "Showtime."
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As the wave of chaotic energy raced throughout the town, children and adult alike began turning into the costumes they had purchased at Ethan's in the recent past, pure chaotic terror began to spread town wide.
As that energy made its way and collided with the form of Xander Harris, a tremendous scream rented throughout the night. Any and all forms near him gave him plenty of space.
Writhing on the ground, the pain so extreme that is was unimaginable, Xander began to convulse and throw up, as all he knew, his entire world, became pain.