The Xander The Watch and a New Sunnydale 6 Author: Tohonomike Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners...it will start off with the Joss/ME characters but any other characters aren't mine either and any real-life folks are clearly not mine. NO money is involved. None are mine. Inspired by The Girl, The Gold Watch and Everything. A 1980 flick starring Robert Hays.

In a real sense, a clock was winding down for Angelus. It was Saturday afternoon, and Xander had finally gotten through most of the basic books on what he'd be having to decide as a property owner, as well as the basic info sheets on the properties he legally owned. As Jenny had concentrated on trying to find a way of restoring Angel, Xander had decided to wait for backup before jumping into the loot. What they'd seen while time stopped, meant that he was going to try being as cautious as possible. Those lawyers in Los Angeles and their demon clients would have given him bad dreams if not for the soldier nightmares that'd been revived since playing 'time commando.'

The hardest part of his new life was getting used to the fact that he now had a car, drivers' license, and different house. Twice he'd found himself starting to walk to his old house before turning around and doing it the new way. Cordelia said she found it endearing, so he wasn't too embarrassed.

It was three in the afternoon, and Giles had said he'd be dropping by to discuss some things with him; probably the way he'd avoided the girls for the last week. Jenny's research in hopes of bringing Angel back had won her forgiveness that she didn't need but felt guilty over nonetheless.

Sure enough, the bell rang a moment later, Giles being shown in to the map room. Looking around at the notes, books and highlight markers scattered across the real estate map, the man smiled at Xander's effort.

"You seem to be working rather hard, Xander…"

"Yeah, I figure I only get one chance like this, and since I had nothing going for me before, I better not blow it."

"I see your point, and I understand you've been putting in a stronger effort in your classes. Are you sure you're well?" the man joked mildly, then looked from Xander's work area to the young man himself, "The girls miss you. Oz sends his greetings."

"They send you?"

"No, though you know what Buffy is hoping for…"

"Yeah, I do Giles. If Jana manages it, and it is starting to look possible, then Deadboy will be back. But I meant it when I said he's not staying in Sunnydale."

"I agree, and I believe Buffy is also ready to agree if you were to extend the time should it be likely to happen soon." The Watcher held up his hand, "Before you dig in your heels, Xander, we all pretty much agree with you; it's just that if the spell were discovered at a minute before midnight and would take ten minutes to cast, would you really dust Angel over the difference?"

"No," Xander sighed, "But between us for now, I think Jenny'll have a translation soon."

"Really? Then why avoid the girls?"

"I don't know Giles…I'm just trying hard not to screw all of this up," the now young-seeming boy said as he gestured at the house around them, "And I'm trying to make myself presentable to Cordy's folks. I know if Buffy and I hang out now, she's going to bring up the Forbidden Subject and try to get me to give in. And she'll use that dumb-ass 'I'm the Slayer' line she tried at the beginning of the school year. With all this, I don't have the patience not to tell her to 'go someplace' or 'do something to herself.' Things are weird…"

"Yes they are, especially a mature Xander Harris, um, Winter. A sure sign that the Judge wasn't the real apocalypse," the older man joked as they sat down in a couple of chairs overlooking the map. "I'm going to say a few things, Xander, and please don't interrupt before I'm done, and try to listen to what I'm saying,

"Firstly, I agree with you in this Angelus matter, though I think you should be prepared to let up on your rather arbitrary time limit.

"Secondly, there are two halves of my duty as a Watcher to a Slayer: the primary one is to train and prepare her to fight the Darkness, the Vampyres. The equally important half of my duty, is to keep her balanced emotionally and mentally not just physically so that she survives and continues. Now, this means traditionally keeping her separate, but Buffy needs her friends and family. You proved that when you forced Angel to lead you to the Master's lair, where YOU brought Buffy back to life. I was on my way to help or die, but my Slayer rendered me unconscious. Her 'support network' is why she's alive.

"Now thirdly, since you were able to capture him so soon, it seems that Angelus killed a single person. Don't interrupt, please," he told the young man who'd been about to argue, "Dusting Angelus will eliminate the demon, rendering it dust. But if we send Angel away, then the soul by being present will continue to torment the demon within. From your point of you, would you wish to be listening to Angel's thoughts for almost a century? It would be a bloody hell, I'd think.

"Those are my thoughts I'm going to share with you, and ask you to consider. For many reasons, as well as the fact that I myself would miss you though not that poor excuse you call humor."

"Mrs. Summers needs to be told…this evening. Darla nearly killed her last year because she was invited into the house. If Joyce is told, I won't enforce a deadline, though I'm only going to keep the vamp around another week or so. You have to buy the vamp-food."

"You have me over a barrel you think…" the Watcher smiled, "But it would make things easier, I suppose. I don't agree with telling in general, but I've been trying to avoid it as long as possible."

"Afraid you'd have to relocate if she bolts with her daughter?"

"Quite, though whatever … happened a week ago makes things a little easier right now, as Sunnydale actually seems to be quiet whereas the other large cities' populations are engaged in something of a power struggle. Have you kept abreast of the news?"

"You mean those aren't really riots in LA?"

"They are, but the demons are both causing some of them while they burn out their rivals for taking over from the fallen leaders."

"Oh boy…I was hoping it was coincidence…"

"I'm afraid not, though so far it seems the demons are too busy concentrating on each to actually prey on the rioters as of yet."

"So why is Sunnydale quiet?"

"Apparently 'somebody' managed to neutralize all of the potential rivals, and no demons from LA have realized it yet."

"So by telling Buffy's mom now, you might be able to keep them in Sunnydale?"

"Yes, and according to my research, most of Buffy's mother's family are in the Chicago area, and you've seen how ugly things are getting there. Admittedly it is all dying down…"

"So you'll do it? Tell Mrs. Summers, and I'll let up a bit on ripping Angel back from the afterlife?"

"Indeed."

"And does Buffy know?"

"I'm not quite as easily manipulated as you children believe; I told her that would probably be your blackmail price, and that I was going to do it."

"What did she say?"

"Something about how it might be better for Angel to stay here and deal with her mother why Buffy skipped town. Safer for her I believe."

The two males smiled, and Xander nodded.

"We'll show her Angelus as the 'show and tell' vampire. Between the humiliation to Angelus when they see how he's dressed, and his age before turning, Buffy will be dating human boys soon enough."

"No longer interested in her yourself?"

"Buffy's mom? Not really…" the boy smirked as the Watcher rolled his eyes, "But no, don't get me wrong, the Buffster's way hot, but I'm really trying to make things work with Cordelia now that she's admitted to being seen with me. Though I think her and Jana broke into my old house; there aren't any of my old clothes there anymore."

"Well, then some good has come from it all," the man smiled back, "And I'm glad you have the maturity to know when you have a good thing. I, I actually talked to Cordelia when no one else was around earlier today; she's very sharp when she wants to be. It's a shame she doesn't seem to directly apply herself. I think she could make something of herself."

Xander considered that for a moment, "You know, Giles, none of us really talk to you do we? Do me a favor…and talk to me for real every week or so. I'm sure not used to this, but between dealing with your girlfriend on all this business stuff, reading these books and stuff…I like it. I haven't really had anyone to talk to since Jesse died, and we hardly ever talked about serious stuff when Willow was around; she'd either analyze us, or try to correct us. But she was our Willow. Our little sis."

"That's how you see her?"

"Yeah, 'cause that's the relationship I've had forever, Giles; no way to risk that by trying anything different. I know she had the crush thing, but hopefully now that she has a boyfriend in a band, she'll come out of her shell a little more and start thinking of me as a brother."

"You really should tell her."

"I know…but I probably won't…"

"Hmm, well then. That's enough of the personal stuff for now; I'm not entirely comfortable with it. Not adverse to it, you understand, just not comfortable."

"That's cool, Giles. So when's Buffy and her mom coming over?"

"Around six o'clock, I checked with Jenny and had her 'pencil us in' for the rest of the evening. Also, the others will be there as well. I want her mother to see the support Buffy has here, and not just the danger."

"Wow, okay…should I have the guys here put out a table of fruit, bread, cheese and Twinkies? Food might make everybody a little more comfortable."

"That would be splendid, and perhaps teas and coffee?"

"Gotcha. Let's go upstairs and I'll get things started. You need me to help set up anything like a slide projector or a whiteboard and markers?"

"If you have them, wonderful. Otherwise I'll just bring a few books a-and the like from the car?"

"Okay, I'll walk with you. I really haven't gotten too much done today, anyway. After we bring your stuff in, we'll check and see how the spell research is coming along."