By David MycockWalking the Path 19/
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the vampire slayer or any other of the characters in this story they belong to Joss Whedon and whoever else created the characters used in this story. Any characters I created I own.
Pairing: Janna Kalderdash/Xander Harris
Summary: Set after the love spell episode. Xander begins to walk his own path after leaning of his true origins. This also has a twist from the love spell episode with Xander actually sleeping with Jenny during the spell and the reactions from the rest of the group.
Xander winced as Lilith finally finished patching up the wound in his side as Janna looked on, the other injured including Kendra were spread across the large living room of the manor the two nosferatu were using, Buffy was still crying her eyes out in the corner surrounded by Giles and the others.
He knew the night was not over by a long shot but all he wanted to do was to crawl into bed along side Janna and sleep, he was more tired than he had ever been before and he could see from most of the others they were feeling the same.
Finally Lilith stepped away as she finished bandaging his side, he gave her a grateful nod of thanks as he eased himself into a sitting position so they could start the conversation on what had happened
"You okay Alex? Amy asked as she walked over to him and handed him a cup of tea
"I will be thanks to Lilith's medical skills" Xander replied with a smile to ensure his friend knew he was series
"You will find that after living so long there is little you do not learn at least a little about" Lilith told them with a grin as she sat back joined a second later by Adrian who had helped Mr Zabuto set Kendra's broken arm
"So what's first to sort out?" Janna asked as she sat next to Xander and leaned into him
"Miss Summers and her groups refusal to stay out of our way as we attempted to kill Angelus I think should be first as it will most likely take a while" Mr Zabuto answered looking tired
"Agreed but hopefully this won't take as long as you think" Jack said with a snarl as he looked at the pathetic site of the blond slayer crying over a vampire as evil as Angelus had been
"I will summon them" Adrian said as he stood and made his way over to Buffy's group
The others watched as Giles and the others looked at the nosferatu with dislike and anger before following in his wake back to the couches and armchairs spread around the room's middle, Buffy was been guided by Willow who was glaring at Xander and Janna
"Why did you bring us here?" Giles began trying to sound confident
"You disobeyed my order to stay out of our way as we hunted Angelus" Mr Zabuto replied "You were not out tonight Patrolling looking for Angelus or any other vampire" he continued "You were out to try and stop us succeeding in our goal" he finished
Silence met his statements as everyone knew including Buffy and her group that what he had said was true, Buffy looked around trying to stem her tears so she could reply but found she didn't know what to say in the aftermath of her boyfriend's fate
"You silence condemns you and your group" Jack finally spat "How can you call yourself a slayer when you shack up with a vampire the likes of Angelus?" he asked in disgust "Do you have any idea the number of dead he has left behind him?" he added a second later
"Angel was innocent of those crimes" Buffy finally managed to speak
"And he failed to contain his evil" Janna countered "He was supposed to make Angelus suffer for his crimes and instead he forgot about them by allowing himself to fall in love with you a girl two century's younger and the person he is supposed to be training" she added with fire "He believed himself free of those crimes when the truth is that as long as he lived he should have been trying to pay for those crimes" she finished with a glare at the sobbing girl
"That is enough" Giles shouted moving forward
"Wrong Giles" Xander told the watcher as he stood ignoring the pain from his side "Tell me do you remember what Angel did during the harvest the night me and Willow found out about you and Buffy?" he asked
"He gave us help" Buffy spat before Giles could answer
"Wrong Buffy he refused to help us, he took no part in the fight against the master's forces, he didn't even come with me and you to try and rescue Jessie" Xander shot back in a heated tone "I put Jessie's fate on his head because maybe just maybe if he had been more active in his help instead of trying to capture your attention we may have been able to save Jessie instead of me having to stake him to save Cordelia's life" he added
Buffy refused to comment and just buried her head on Willow's shoulder and continued to cry whilst the others looked on in various degrees of anger or disgust including Kendra who's view of her sister slayer had been forever changed whilst Giles and the rest of Buffy's group glared at Xander
"I am afraid a full accounting of events in Sunnydale will be sent to the council, I gave you a chance to salvage something from this disaster but your continued failures have force me to carry out my threat" Mr Zabuto said with a shake of his head
"You can't do that, the council may try and retire Buffy" Giles spluttered in horror
"Oh no they won't" Xander said with a dark smile "She aint getting of the hook that easy Giles, she has to make up for the mess she has helped create" he continued
"Agreed, with the backing of the majority of the council Travers will have no choice but to leave Miss Summers where she is to continue her calling" Mr Zabuto picked up from where Xander had finished
"You can't be sure of that though" Giles tried to argue
"Actually I can especially with some backing from Mr Crow and the Vatican and the Hellsing organisation as well" Mr Zabuto replied with a smile
"You will have all the help you need Mr Zabuto" Lilith told him "I am sure I speak for the entire Hellsing organisation that so far we are appalled by Miss Summers actions and that she needs to make up for the mistakes she has made" she added
"Same goes me and the Vatican" Jack agreed with a nod of his head
Giles seemed to finally focus on something other than his slayer's fate when he realised who the other people in the room represented
"How did you get here the Vatican doesn't know where the Hell mouth is located?" Giles asked in disbelief
"I sent for them at Xander's request" Mr Zabuto responded "It is time things changed in how we handle affairs with the other organisations and this seemed a good way to start" he added
"And our business here is none of your concern" Lilith replied to Giles's question with a glare
"I think we've said enough to get though to them for now and it is getting late" Jack with an evil smile
Giles looked around the room not seeing one friendly face; he shook his head knowing he had a lot of thinking to do if he was to come up with a way out of this situation for his group. He turned and led Buffy and the others out of the mansion and back towards the library
"Do you think he will try and stop what you're about to do?" Adrian asked
"Most likely but I will be putting in the call to Mr Travers straight after we finish our business for tonight so he will have an up hill struggle if he does" Mr Zabuto answered leaning back into his chair
"So do we have anymore business for tonight because I don't know about you but I can barely stay on my feet?" Jack asked
"Whatever else we have to do can wait until the morning" Xander replied "I think we are all too tired too talk so with Lilith's permission I think it's time to retire to bed?" he said
"The guest rooms are yours if you need them" Lilith said with a smile as the group began to break up and head for the guest rooms bar Jack and his team who headed for the hotel they were staying at
Adrian watched the dispersal with a calculating manor around him, he did not share Mr Zabuto's faith in his efforts to deal with Buffy Summers and her group, he looked to his sister and noticed she too was somewhat sceptical of the success of the watcher in his dealings with the Sunnydale group
"We should make a report to father" Adrian finally spoke
"There is no need Adrian father was watching the battle from Alexander's mind" Lilith replied "He has somehow forged a permanent link to Alexander through the runes of the sword" she continued "I believe he intends to keep in close contact with him for a long while" she added before walking away to her room
Adrian did not question his sister's knowledge of what their father was doing, as she had pointed out before she was stronger when it came to the ancient magic of their people than he was
'I wonder what father has planned for the boy' he thought before walking towards his own room
Cassandra slipped easyly into Alexander's mind as he slept, she found herself in what looked like a park and to the left she saw Alexander sitting cross legged facing his former friends Buffy and Willow. She noted both figments were fading away as if they represented Alexander's actual ties to his former friends, she moved towards him slowly not wanting to startle him as that would wake him up in the real world
"Hello Alexander" she said as came to a halt
He looked up at her with a frown as if not understanding how she came to be in his dream
"I know your voice" he replied after a few seconds "I've heard it before" he added
She smiled pleased he had remembered the first contact she had made with him just before Lilith and Adrian had arrived
"Indeed Alexander" she said as she sat in front of him dispersing the fading images of Buffy and Willow
"You're real?" he inquired looking slightly tense
"I am Alexander" she answered "My name is Cassandra" she told him
"Who are you though, why have you been talking to me?" he asked in rapid succession "What interest am I to you?" he asked a second later
"I am afraid Alexander I can tell you little at this time to answer your questions" she answered sadly wishing that was not the way things were at this moment "That is how it must be for now" she told him
"And you expect me to trust you with an answer like that?" he asked with as small smile
"I believe you will trust me Alexander" She replied with a wider smile knowing Alexander had a great capacity to trust people even if he wasn't sure of them completely
"So what is it you want from me?" Xander asked after a few seconds
"To listen to me when I come to you Alexander and as you travel your path you will find I will visit as often as I am allowed" she answered him
"Okay" he said with a nod even though he wore a confused expression on his face "I guess I can do that as there is something about you I trust, I don't know what but it's there" he added
"I will visit again soon Alexander for now it is time for you to sleep" she told him with a fond smile before she stood and walked away vanishing from Xander's dream leaving him to sleep peacefully