The Xander, The Watch and a New Sunnydale 8 (of 10) 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.

The spell went off without a hitch, though the spell casters were exhausted when it was over. Joyce had insisted on being present, and making sure Buffy left without consorting with the weirdo in the coffin. No matter what Buffy said, Joyce didn't care—she'd even called them square when Buffy threw out the whole being committed to an insane asylum thing. Joyce said that the years of lying without proof of vampires, lying about the 'history tutor' and more had balanced that. And no, having seen the demon face…there's nothing romantic about a centuries' old dead man lurking about a young girl.

Buffy left with a lot of 'but moms' as they headed out, and called out that she'd be back the next night to say 'bye' to Angel. Willow looked a little confused, and with a yawn turned to Xander.

"Are you really going to make Angel leave town? Do we even know if he killed anybody went he went 'grrrrrr' and all?"

"Yeah, and he probably did…he IS a vampire."

"But what if he came here first?"

"Oh, just to kill you, Will?"

"Ye—oh. That's not good."

Xander nodded and sighed, and waved everybody, tired as they were, back to their seats. "Guys, I never liked the guy. And now that he's back, I don't know if humiliation is enough. And besides, Buffy should date humans, not corpses."

"That really bothers you more than anything else, doesn't it?" Giles asked. "N-not that I disagree, but why?"

"It's…nasty. It's not sexy. And the demon and vampire are the same thing. When she touches it…she touches a demon. Just because there's a soul in there sometimes, doesn't make it right."

Willow sighed, "But she loves him…"

"She loves the doomed romance, Willow. She's so caught up in the 'I can't have a normal life' thing that she's doing the opposite."

Cordelia frowned slightly in concentration, "When did you become Mr. Psychiatrist?"

"Soldier-Guy memories. He was a dad with three teenaged girls," Xander said as if remembering them himself, "He didn't understand 'em, but he DID eventually survive 'em. And that was back in late seventies I'll have you know."

"You're kidding right? You remember that?"

"When I'm really tired, like now or a week ago? Yeah, they kinda sneak back, Cor. Don't worry, still only me. Though I sometimes sneak in and properly sharpen the knives and swords in the library when Giles and Buffy let it go like they have."

Giles looked embarrassed for a moment, then rallied with a smirk, "With a fairy sword sharpener, lad, why should I bother?"

Xander chuckled at the minor and almost-teenaged slur on his heterosexuality, "Any other questions while my resistance is down?"

Jenny nodded, "Are you going to let Angel out before tomorrow night?"

"I was thinking about kicking him out the door ten minutes before dawn, dressed like he is…but if you have a better idea?"

"Xander! Not nice, see resolve face…no dusting Angel when he isn't 'grrrr.'"

Oz smiled at his almost-girlfriend, as the two adults and Cordelia yawned from fatigue. Xander looked around. No one said anything.

"Hey, I just never liked the vampire."

"Shouldn't we get to put it to a vote? It's not like we elected you group leader, 'cause, you know, that's Giles." The Watcher smiled indulgently at the redhead, and Xander nodded.

"Okay, let me ask this…since we know that Angel-Buffy leads to bad stuff, who thinks we really NEED Angel in Sunnydale?"

Xander looked around, and Willow put her hand up. She looked at Oz, who shrugged.

"Normally I'd give the guy the benefit of the doubt, but I don't know anything."

Willow turned to Xander, "That should count for half…and Buffy counts as one, and Angel counts as one."

"Um, this isn't old-time Chicago, so only the living get votes, and Joyce would vote no without a doubt. I vote no. Cordelia? Jana? Giles?"

Cordelia spoke up, "I'm split between 'no' and don't care."

"That's a tie so far…Jana?"

"Since my duty is transferred to you…I'm torn like Cordelia, but between 'he could be useful if supervised' and 'dust.'"

Giles nodded at his sorta-girlfriend, "I find myself wanting to keep him away from Buffy, but he has been able to get us resources and information before. I'm unsure."

"So…" Xander considered, looking at everyone then finally addressing Giles, "If we can keep Buffy away from him, then for different reasons all of you wouldn't mind having the vamp around. How would we do that?"

Everyone stared back at him.

"I have to decide? What happened to Giles is the boss?"

"Th-that's only for the popular things," the Watcher deadpanned, then allowed a small smile after a moment.

"Ow, now I know this is an apocalypse-aftershock. Even Giles is funnier than me these days." Xander shook his head, "Any suggestions if Dead Boy stays? Can't we just call him on a cell phone and we pick him up in LA for end-of-the-world stuff?"

Jenny smiled at the young man, "If you hadn't packaged up his stuff and transferred title of his car to yourself, you wouldn't have to pick him up."

"You what!" Willow gasped, "You took a guy's car? And his stuff?"

Giles smirked slightly, then in all serious nodded tiredly, "Xander? The only way to keep them apart, or at least chaperoned, is if you intend to provide a place on the grounds in which Angel would reside, then forbid access to it by Buffy. She wouldn't like it, but it would solve most concerns. Then of course, we'd have to arrange patrols in such a way that the two of them do not see each other except in emergencies."

"A lot of work, Giles…" he responded, "And would the rest of you be honest and 'squeal' on her if she broke the rules?"

Oz shrugged slightly and the others except Willow nodded. After a moment, she sighed and nodded also so Giles continued.

"Yes, but you would have an ally in Mrs. Summers, I believe. So if the only constraints are those involving Angel, then perhaps once time has passed, he will leave of his own volition. Or, if he and Buffy truly give up their ill-advised relationship, we might allow him a little freer rein."

"Hmm…Jana, would your family be assigning someone else now that you'll be advising me? If they did, and the person's a guy, but not an a-hole, he could be Angel's Watcher. That way, even though we'd support the two of them, we'd have somebody whose job is to deal with Dead Boy."

Jenny nodded, glancing uncertainly, "I'll check and see, but since I've seen a couple of my cousins around town…it's probably already happened."

"Will you talk to your uncle?"

"Probably, why?"

"Tell him that by helping the soul that let the vamp into world do good deeds, the demon inside will really hate it. Why just punish the soul? Punish the demon with doing the good deeds, only drinking animal blood, wearing happy colors when not patrolling, and stuff like that… the demon will really suffer. And since the soul has to feel the demon inside all time any way, it's paying the price for letting Angelus happen."

Cordelia looked at Jenny, whom Xander kept calling Jana, "So I think I missed or forgot something…Ms. Calendar was Angel's old Watcher, but just kept notes on if he's suffering? That's lame. Xander's right, if the demon's your target, why let it bother one soul when you guys get to watch Angel tick off his demon every time he buys a kid an ice cream cone or me a new handbag or pair of shoes."

Xander smiled at his sorta-girlfriend, "I'm amazed at how you managed to benefit your self in all of that."

"Hey, if they actually write it down, why would I say no?" she beamed back at the approvingly-chiding tone in his voice. Jenny nodded.

"Okay, I get it. Demon bad, make Angel punish it."

The group nodded, and Xander added, "And no Angel-Buffy stuff."

They nodded again, so he continued, "Jana, make the call. I know it's late, but tell them… it's a matter of better vengeance."

"You going to let them use one of the guesthouses?"

"The bigger one has a basement that's been fixed up into another apartment; your cousin or whoever lives up top, and Angel in the bottom. No one pays rent or anything; I'll cover that part of it. If Angel behaves himself for a year, I'll give him his car back."

Everybody nodded, and as Jenny headed to make the call, the gathering broke up for the time being. Though the Polaroid pictures Xander had of Angel in his current plight made him smile; at least he had those.