CLASH OF THE TITANS 4
Author: Dampyria
Fandom: M7 / BtVS crossover
Summary: Buck gets hurt trying to help someone from the Watchers. (part 4)
Rating: PG13
Paring: JD/Xander (slash)
Spoilers: BtVS (Post season 7 – Pre Comics season 8), M7 (ATF universe)
Disclaimer: I do not own Magnificent Seven or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Xander's mind was racing. He got all the necessary information about the demon and he had a hunch about its location. All he needed now was a weapon that would take care of said demon. And he knew just the place where to get one.
Finding a taxi in front of the hospital wasn't that difficult, finding one that would take him to Purgatorio was another matter all together. Finally he reached a compromise with one of the cabbies for a ride to the outskirts of town in exchange for a double fee.
He really didn't understand what the big deal was. It wasn't the best part of the town and it had a larger than normal population of the demon variety but most of them were pacifist. They just wanted to be left alone.
Maybe people just sensed that there was something different about the place. Anyway it wasn't any of his busyness and he really didn't have the time to entertain himself with these kinds of philosophical questions. When all this mess was over, he could always pitch the problem to Willow.
Hurrying down the street he disappeared in one of the nondescript buildings. Behind the counter he spotted his old friend Morg that upon seeing Xander paled considerably.
"No!" he said even before Xander had the chance of opening his mouth.
"But…" he tried again, but was shot down with the same force, "No way in hell!"
"Morg…"
"Last time I went out with you I ended up throwing up on my darling new shoes, the time before I spilled my guts on her couch – and I am talking actual guts here, not the figurate kind."
"Look…"
"The wife said that if she catches a whim of you around here she would hack you to pieces and slowly eat you."
"She eating humans again?" asked Xander with a dangerous gleam in his eyes.
"What? No!! She was just saying that she would be willing to forgo centuries of abstinence if she catches you near me. She was really sweet, all jealous and worked up. Man best sex we had in decades. What am I saying? Last time we went all out, if I remember correctly, was in 1894 when…"
"Whoa, whoa, TMI! I really don't want to know all the details. And jealous? No, forget it I even asked. I am not here for this. I need weapons."
"Why didn't you say something sooner? Gun, knife, sword or blunt object?"
Xander glared at him for a moment but than decided to let it go, "Gun with silver bullets and a sword."
"You are not going after werewolves are you, because that wouldn't be cool man. I have a cousin that is a werewolf."
"Don't worry your cousin is safe. Say have you heard something about a Watcher being killed?" inquired Xander.
"Oh you mean that incident in the alley? Yeah it's the talk of the week, everybody has something to say about it."
"And what are they saying?"
"It wasn't a local that did your friend in. They say that it came from west and that it has been keeping to himself. Real scary dude, I never met him mind you, but the ones that have said that it's better to keep our distance from him."
"A very good suggestion. Do you have any idea where he hides out?"
"Nobody knows for sure, but he has been seen around the place where your friend was killed, so he shouldn't be staying far from there," said Morg leading Xander in the back room where his stash of weapons was hidden.
Pressing a button on the wall and typing a code in the panel the entire section of the wall slid to the side to reveal every weapons lover wet dream. "So what's your poison?"
"What about this one?" asked Xander picking up a revolver and weighting it in his hand.
"Nice choice. It's light, well balanced, precise and powerful. What's more the ammunition comes in different flavours, including silver."
"Then I will take it, together with this sword," decided Xander pulling a beautiful antique samurai sword from the hinges.
"You have a very good eye for weapons. That is an original 9 century sword that belonged to a very famous demon hunter that doubled over as an omnyouji. A very powerful but just man."
"In this case I hope to meet its standards. How much for the lot? Oh and I will need to borrow a car as well."
"For you my friend a special price – only 15.500 USD. And I will throw the car rental in for free. What do you say?"
In his youth Xander would have never imagined spending such a large amount of money, hell he never even imagined having this kind of money. As it was he didn't even blink at the price because he knew that a good weapon could mean the difference between life and death in a battle. Besides, it wasn't like the Council was hurting for money. "Wrap it up and send the invoice to NWC."
"Aye, aye captain."
Xander stopped the car in front of the old, decaying building that was once a prosperous industry. The place was a maze and for the first time since he decided to check this place out by himself, Xander felt uncertain.
He didn't have a map of the place nor he knew how extensive the ruins were. Nervously he taped his fingers against the steering wheel, while trying to decide on the plan of action.
The decision was taken out of his hands when by the corners of his eye he saw something move in one of the windows. Throwing the planning to the winds, he jumped out of the car, grabbed the weapons and run in the direction of the movement.
Once inside he decided that maybe that wasn't such a great idea. He tried to maintain the general direction of where he saw the creature but quickly found himself lost. A small part of his brain begged him to stop this madness and turn around, but he silenced it with the single thought of the dead body of Robin Wood and of JDs dying friend.
Xander readied the gun and looked around for any sign of disturbance around him, something that would tell him that recently someone or something had moved past that point.
So intent was he on his observations that he failed to hear the sound of someone approaching him from behind. The first indication he got that something wasn't quite right was the warm breath on his neck. The next thing he knew he was flying through the air and then snugly hitting the wall on the opposite end of the room, loosing the gun in the process.
Ignoring the bells that were going off in his head he got up and seeing that the gun was too far for him to reach he drew out the sword and got into a defensive position.
The demon observing him burst out laughing, "Do you really think that you can take me with that puny little weapon of yours, mortal? I am a God, I am immortal."
Xander waited for a bit then blinked, "What? Don't you have an evil laugh to go at the end of that little speech of yours? I must say that I'm disappointed."
"How dare you!" hissed the creature.
"Me? How dare you coming here with your theatrical entrance and then you didn't even have the evil laugh, not even a chuckle."
"You are entertaining for a human. It will be a delight watching you die as you succumb to the poison that I already injected into your system. Slowly, so we will have time to talk some more before your demise."
"Yeah well, sorry to rain on your parade, but by the time your venom takes effect you will already be a head shorter," stated Xander taking his first steps toward the demon.
The Sagosting roared in delight and charged the human that dared to defy him. The battle was furious and bloody, mostly for Xander. He put everything that he had in the fight and only managed to keep the monster at bay.
But as the fight progressed Xander found himself more and more tired as the poison progressed in his system and rendered his limbs heavy and his reflexes slow. In minutes he was backed against a corner with no way out.
His only possibility of salvation was a direct attack, for which he was entirely too weak.
"Seems that we reached the end," smirked the demon. Xander just shot him a murderous look and then in a desperate attempt to collect his thoughts and gather enough strength to launch a final attack the Watcher closed his eye and tried to center himself.
Regulating his breathing, he slowly directed the last remains of his energy to his arms and legs while in his mind he visualized the last attack of this battle. He wasn't kidding himself, he knew damn well that that was going to be his last chance of getting out of there alive.
With the entire attack mapped in his arms and legs, he opened his eye and calmly watched the Sagosting make his move. As he expected, since his opponent was already half dead, the demon opted for a direct attack.
Xander waited until the demon was halfway through the room to make his move. He took a couple of steps forward and then raised his sword to block claws that were descending toward his head.
The demon, certain that the human was distracted by his first attack used the other arm to swing a punch to Xanders belly, which the Watcher sidestepped and with a spin that would make the Highlander proud, cut the monsters head off.
He calmly watched as the head detached itself from the body, hit the ground and slowly rolled on the dirty floor followed shortly by the thud of the body.
Raising the sword, he solemnly proclaimed: "There can be only one," before joining the headless corpse on the floor. Seconds before his consciousness left him he could swear that he felt the sword vibrating with mirth. He was quick to dismiss the sensation as a figment of his imagination, coupled with the effects of the poison.
For a couple of minutes the entire complex was surrounded by an eerie silence, broken only by the muffled sound of the outside world, until it was broken by a laud popping sound and a swirling green light.
At first it was scarcely noticeable then the cloud grew in intensity and size, quickly reaching human size and spitting out two figures before disappearing into thin air.
"Owww," let out a cry of pain one of the figures.
"Honey, you will have to train some more on that landing spell," complained the other.
"Yeah, yeah it's not like you are the one that always ends up with your face in the ground and your ass up in the air!" pouted Willow.
"But I love that position of yours," whispered Kennedy. "It gives me certain ideas…"
"Xander!" shouted Willow and run to the immobile form of his friend, checking for pulse and at the same time taking the inventory of his injuries.
"Not one of the ideas that is normally associated with Willow and sex," murmured Kennedy, approaching the two figures on the floor.
"Not the time and place to get jealous, Kennedy. He needs to get to a hospital. Pronto!"
"He doesn't seem bad. The wounds are not too serious," protested the other.
"Maybe not the wounds, but he has been infected with the same poison than is killing the ATF agent. Luckily he was able to procure the antidote before he passed out," commented Willow proudly. "All we have to do now is cook up a little skin with the right herbs and voila! The cure is here!"
Rummaging through Xanders pants Willow drew out the car keys and threw them to Kennedy. "Here, take this and drive him to the hospital. In the mean time I will transport myself to the lab and synthesize the antidote. It shouldn't take more then an hour."
"Why can't you transport him there and then we can leave for the lab?" whined Kennedy.
"We will be wasting time. I have to start on this as soon as possible and beside, transportation takes a lot out of me," Willow whispered while she seductively walked up to the Slayer, planting a hungry kiss on her lips. "and I want to be in my best form when I meet you latter in the hospitals broom closet, to give my good girl the reward that she deserves," she whispered in her ear, before biting it savagely and licking her neck from the ear to shoulder.
Willow looked at her lover and happy to see that her message has been received she sauntered toward the corpse of the demon and went to work, cutting of a generous amount of skin before disappearing into thin air.
Kennedy still a little shaken by the promise of a sexual encounter stood there with a dopey expression on her face, before a laud noise from the outside broke into her fantasy world and force her to concentrate on the task at hand.
After retreating the gun and the sword from the ground she took Xander into her arms and started walking toward the exit all the while murmuring to herself about the things that she did for love.
At the hospital the entire team seven was gathered once again in Bucks room to get the updates on the case and to check up on their friend. His health was failing at an exponential rate and the doctors had even suggested to call a priest.
"Damn it all to hell!" cursed Chris when he couldn't take the silence anymore. "How is it possible that we are unable to find any clues whatsoever about this case?"
"I wouldn't say that there are no clues Mr. Larabee, it is just that the clues are rendered inaccessible to us, either by the military or by the NWC," Ezra ventured to say.
"Yes and speaking of NWC, where the hell is your friend now, JD? If he is here to help us with the case where did he disappear to?"
"He left after receiving a phone call," said JD quietly, earning himself one of the famous Larabee glares.
"What he left without a reason and he didn't even tell you where he was going? Big help with the case he is! He just obstructed our investigation and his promises to help? All bullshit! If Buck dies because you didn't put your every effort in this investigation because of your friendship I will…"
"Chris!" yelled Joshua.
In the process of his tirade JD hugged himself closer and tried to disappear in his chair, while fresh tears threatened to spill from his eyes. He was a picture of misery.
When Chris' rant was stopped by Josiah warning yell, he really looked at JD for the first time since he entered the room.
Upon the younger agent dejected stance he paused and run a hand through his hair. "Shit, I need a coffee." And with that he bolted out of the room.
Josiah was about to follow him out of the room, when Ezra stepped in his path and shook his head, nodding toward JD. Josiah contemplated the undercover agent for a while than nodded and returned to his seat next to JD while Ezra followed their intrepid leader out of the door.
The corridor outside was empty but Ezra didn't panic, he knew exactly where Mr. Larabee has gone. He wasn't an excellent poker player for nothing, he knew people and more importantly he knew his team.
Taking the elevator he descended to the lobby of the hospital and turned toward the nearest coffee machine. Inserting some coins in the automated machine he opted for a warm tea instead of the usual coffee and then sat on the bench where Chris was already sipping from a cup.
"I lost my temper in there. I shouldn't have taken my frustrations out of JD. If Josiah hadn't stopped me…."
"You would have dealt young Mr. Dunne a hard blow from which he would need a long time to recover," Ezra finished his sentence.
"It's just that from the beginning of this investigation he hasn't put all that he has in this. Just because his friend…"
"Let me tell you a story, Mr. Larabee."
"I really don't think that this is the time to tell stories."
"On the contrary, this is the perfect time. You see a long time ago there was this young undercover agent that worked a big case involving prostitution, drugs and weapons. As you would say, the whole enchilada."
Chris stared at his colleague. It wasn't like Ezra to share his personal or professional life easily, so when the secretive agent spoke he knew that the message was gonna be important.
"The investigation was proceeding in the most satisfying manner. I was collecting evidence and information's that would result in a lot of unsavory people spending the best part of their lives behind the bars.
That is until I met Jasmine. She was the most beautiful, intelligent and delicious person to be around. Unfortunately she was also the daughter of one of the man I was investigating.
The reason was telling me that nothing good could possibly come out of our eventual relationship but the heart was not listening and as in case of young people the heart won over reason.
The two of us started seeing each other rather seriously and I unintentionally let the investigation slip, putting the relationship first. I was well aware that the moment I unveiled the fact that I am an agent of the law our love would be doomed.
One day my superiors deemed that the evidence collected was enough for an arrest and wanted to pull me out. The notice hit me like lightening from a clear sky. They wanted me out that same day, but I didn't want to leave Jasmine without saying good bye. So I invented a phantom drug operation that should take place in a couple of days. At the end of things, what are a couple of days more?
As it turned out it could mean the difference between life and death. In the time that I spent with my beautiful Jasmine a rival band assaulted Jasmines house and killed everyone in it, including her father. It was a hostile take over that wouldn't happen if I closed the undercover job when it was suggested. A mistake which I dearly regret to this day."
"Ezra I won't say that you made the right choice. But it was a rookie mistake, everyone makes them in the beginning of their carriers. It's because of that, that I don't want JD to have to regret his actions in the future."
"Mr. Larabee I didn't tell you this story to serve as an excuse for JD. I told you this story so that you would understand that I know what that young man is going through and more importantly that I know Mr. Dunne.
I spent a lot of time with him this day and I can say with certainty that he did everything in his power to find a clue on what is going on.
He didn't let the friendship between him and Mr. Harris get into his way, on the contrary, because of it he was even more determinate to find out the truth.
Effort that was tearing him apart, but he persisted in his search. I must say that he surprised me, Mr. Dunne is far more mature and dedicated to his work that I was at his age."
The two man remained sitting on the bench, sipping their drink in silence for the next tem minutes until Chris crashed his cup and threw it into a near trash can.
"It seems that I have some apologies to deliver." he stated and started to walk away, only to stop a couple a paces later. "If you don't mind me asking, how did your story end with Jasmine?"
Ezra smiled sadly. "As you can imagine it didn't end well, my friend. After learning of her fathers death she turned to me for support, but I wasn't there anymore. I stood with the enemies.
She couldn't bear the burden of not only loosing her father but of my betrayal as well. Shortly after the fact she fell into depression and tried to kill herself. The doctor that had her in his care decided to commit her to a psychiatric clinic. She is still there."
"I am sorry Ezra," whispered Chris patting the other man on the back.
Ezra curtly nodded. "It was a long time ago, Mr. Larabee."
Chris was about to say something else, when the entrance door opened with a bang admitting a short and fragile looking girl carrying an unconscious man in her arms.
The two man just stood there for a while stunned by the fact that such petite girl could carry a grown man, than they recognized the man and begun moving toward the strange pair.
"What the hell happened?" barked Chris, just as the nurses took over the unmoving body.
"Who the hell are you?" asked the annoyed girl.
"I am Chris Larabee, the leader of ATF team seven," he said drawing the ID from his pocket. "And I want to know who are you and what the hell happened to that man!"
The girl regarded him coldly then deciding that the fastest way to get rid of him was to tell him something she said. "My name is Kennedy and I work with Xander. As to what happened our Xander decided to play hero and went after the perp alone. He found him in an abandoned factory and took him on."
"Then what happened?"
"Isn't it obvious? They fought and even if Xander won in the end he sustained severe injuries and was poisoned by the same stuff that killed Robin and put your agent in a coma. Luckily for him we found him in time. While I drove him to the hospital, Willow is working with the antidote. She should be here in an hour, in time to save them both."
It was like an enormous weight lifted the men shoulders. They stood taller and the veil of despair that clung to their faces lifted like magic.
"Are you sure? You found the cure?"
"Xander found it but yeah we have the antidote," sighed Kennedy.
"I'm sorry, but you don't seem very pleased with him. Can I inquire why is that?"
"Would you be if one of your colleagues disregarded his safety and the success of the mission to play the lone wolf and go in alone, without back-up? If we didn't get there in time all the hard work would have been in vein. Oh, he got the killer, but the killer got him back. When we found him he was passed out cold with the antidote right beside him."
"I see. I must say we have been extremely lucky that you found him so quickly," commented Ezra.
"That's not the point. It doesn't matter anyway. Can you make sure that they put him in the same room as your friend after they patch him up? It will be simpler to administer the cure this way."
"Of course," agreed Chris.
"Good. Cause I have to find a private broom closet before Wills gets here," and after saying that she disappeared toward one of the stairway exits.
Ezra looked at Chris, uncertain. "Did she just say what I think she said?" he inquired wide eyed.
"I believe she did," said Chris still a little shocked by the turn of events. "Ezra, why don't you go and give the others the good news? In the mean time I will arrange for the young Xander to be brought to the right room?"
"With pleasure."
"Oh, one more thing. Don't tell JD about Xanders condition just yet."
"If you are sure."
Chris nodded and then left in the direction in which they transported Xander. When he walked into the examination room he wasn't surprised to find the doctor ordering a full battery of tests.
"That won't be necessary," he said to the doctor.
"So you know what happened to this young man?" asked the doctor.
"He was poisoned by the same substance that put the ATF agent Buck Wilmington into a coma. You can't do anything for him at the moment, just clean up his wounds and then transfer him in the same room as Buck Wilmington."
"And just who the hell do you think you are to give orders around here?"
A nurse near by put a calming hand on the doctors arm and smiled at him. "We will do as you say. As soon as his wounds are tended to I will make sure that he ends up in the right room, Mr. Larabee."
"Good. I will wait there."
As soon as he left the room all hell broke loose but he didn't care. He had to rejoin his friend and wait for the miracle cure.
The hospital room was positively buzzing with excitement as Chris entered.
"Chris is it true?" wanted to know JD. "Is it true that they found the cure? That Buck will get better?"
"Yes they said that they found the cure in the possession of the attacker. It should be here shortly."
"Have they said what are the basis for this antidote? How it works on the poison?" was curious Nathan.
"Did they mention why the perpetrator did it?" came from Josiah.
"Guy let Chris breath. I am sure that we will get all the answers in due time," Vin tried to calm them down.
"For now this is all I know and I suspect that this is all we will find out before they classify this case as top secret."
"You are awfully agreeable about this Chris," commented Nathan. "Normally, by now, you would be on the phone, demanding answers."
"I was in the army. I know what means need to know basis and as long as Buck gets back on his feet I won't ask questions."
"That's very unlike you… Oh my God! Xander!" cried out JD as he saw a nurse push a bed into the room, with an unmoving Watcher in it. "What happened to him?"
"He was poisoned by the same substance that put Buck in the coma."
"But how? When? Where?" wanted to know the once again frantic JD.
"I am afraid that this is classified," said a new feminine voice.
As one the men in the room turned around to stare at her than their gaze fall down to the little metallic box that she was holding in her hand.
"Is that…?"
"… the cure? Yes. We just finished preparing the mixture." She said then walked to the bed where Buck was lying and carefully rolled up his sleeve before opening the box. Disinfecting the arm she lifted one of the syringes lying there and gently pushed the needle into the pale skin.
Standing up she moved to the other bed and repeated the same action with Xander.
"Now all we can do is wait," she sighed and lovingly combed Xanders hair with her hand. "It should be a couple of hours before they wake up."
Leaning forward she planted a gentle kiss on his Xander shaped friends forehead and then stood up. "Now if you will excuse me I have a promise to keep."
And just like that she left the room leaving behind four very confused men and other two with slightly colored cheeks.
TBC … In the last part of the story - The epilogue. Where the Scooby gang visits their recovering friend and Xander gets yelled at. Faith finds out the truth and Riley Finn makes a cameo appearance.
Stay tuned!