Batman (Not DC!)

"And the moment is done," Oz said.

"And I am out," Xander agreed.

"Have fun on your trip," Buffy said, waving a bit of smoke from the burning rubble out of her face.

"Send postcards!" Willow ordered.

"I will," Xander promised, speaking up to be heard over a departing ambulance.

Cordelia tilted her head to the side and really looked at him. "You're not coming back, are you?"

"What?!" Buffy and Willow chorused.

"What makes you say that?" Xander asked, not answering the question.

"I've known you for how long?" Cordelia replied.

"Sniping isn't exactly knowing someone like a friend."

"It's social interaction," Cordelia disagreed. "Now spill."

"OK, fine," Xander said with a sigh. "I didn't want a big scene, but there isn't anything here for me anymore."

"Life is safer elsewhere," Buffy encouraged him, thinking this would get at least one of them out of the fight alive.

"Your friends?" Cordelia questioned, both of them ignoring Buffy.

"I don't know if it's the Hellmouth or just the people involved, but when the difference between the monsters and the people you surround yourself with slowly fade away… it's time to move on, find new heroes, new battles."

"I'm not a monster!" Buffy exclaimed, apparently having worried about that herself.

"You attempted to murder a girl to save someone who was already dead because you have feelings for him," Xander explained calmly having thought about it too much in his opinion.

"Faith was evil!" Willow quickly jumped in to defend Buffy.

"We all played a part in what sent her to join the Mayor," Xander shook his head. "None of us have clean hands. Regardless Buffy was going to use her as a human sacrifice to save Angel, Angel who died before America was founded and he's been walking the earth for twenty times as long as Faith had lived."

"Am I a monster?" Oz asked quietly.

"Not quite," Xander said shaking his head. "But I don't count you as a man either."

"How so," Giles asked, breaking in before Willow could start yelling.

"Unless someone was a close friend or there was something in it for him, he never involved himself."

"He saved me!" Willow quickly interjected.

"He wanted to fuck you," Cordelia said bluntly.

"I wanted a lot more than just to have sex with you," Oz assured Willow.

"My point still stands," Xander shrugged. "Jordy biting you was just a formality; you were always more wolf than man."

Oz nodded thoughtfully.

"And how am I a monster?" Willow demanded.

"Please," Cordelia snorted. "You're Harmony, if Harmony would have settled for being #2 in the social hierarchy, you agree with anything Buffy wants even if its evil."

"Casting necromantic curses that rip souls out of their just rewards probably counts against you too," Xander pointed out.

"And yourself?" Giles asked not wanting to hear about his own failings.

"I just lead a dozen, but probably three times that many, people to their death-" Xander began.

"And how many would have survived without your help?" Cordelia interrupted.

"All of them, none of them," Xander shrugged. "Without training they may all have fled before the assembly or the Mayor could have had a backup plan to prevent that too. It's not about what could have happened, it's about what did happen. I knew what positions would take the most casualties and I had to decide who was most expendable or competent to fill those spots and who would step in when they fell."

"That makes you a leader not a monster," Giles said.

Xander nodded. "And the fact that I won't shed a tear?" he asked. "I consider the lives well spent. With the forces we were facing I was prepared for much higher losses. I feel honored to have known them and I'm proud of the way they died, but I feel no regret."

No one had a response for him.

"I feel not even a hint of sadness," Xander said. "And that is why I know it's time to move on."

"You know your own mind best," Giles told him.

"So what are your plans?" Cordelia asked.

"I'll have some words with my army," Xander waved his hands toward the group of students that were gathered in the parking lot and occasionally glancing their way. "Then I will visit the injured in the hospital and get a final tally of how many lives my actions have cost, and finally, I will leave Sunnydale."

"It's not your fault!" Buffy blurted out.

"No," Xander agreed, "It's my responsibility."

"At least this is the last time you'll have to fight," Willow encouraged him.

Xander tilted his head to the side as he looked at her; confused. "What are you talking about?"

"No more Hellmouth, no more fighting," Willow replied.

"I'm hooking up with some independents in Chicago," he explained. "I'm through with the Hellmouth, not the fight."

The girls were speechless, never having considered the option.

"I wish you well," Giles said. "And do try and stay in contact."

"Are you going to welcome three AM calls to play identify the demon?" Xander asked.

"Only in an emergency," Giles said. "Early evening is a good time to call and exchange information otherwise."

"Thanks," Xander said. Turning to the others he simply said, "bye," and left.

"Are we…" Willow trailed off.

"Easily," Cordelia assured her. "He didn't mention the number of people that died because of Buffy fucking and then refusing to kill the monster she'd released with approval from everyone who thought dating a vampire was acceptable behavior. Then again maybe Xander was right and the Hellmouth had something to do with it, but that doesn't exactly absolve everyone of blame."

"I believe I promised you all that no one would get hurt and we'd all get through this," came Xander's voice, amplified through a bullhorn someone had handed him.

There were scattered laughs and a few catcalls from the gathered students.

"Anyone think I lied?" he asked, continuing a heartbeat later before anyone could respond. "Because I for one am feeling no pain."

Despite his battered appearance and the visible wounds he and the crowd shared, an approving cheer rang out.

He waited for it to die down. "Those that have fallen in battle are also feeling no pain," he assured them. "In a way I envy them."

The crowd listened intently and Cordelia rubbed her arms. "This is unreal," she whispered, even though they were far enough away that the students couldn't have heard them.

"I… didn't realize he was so well spoken," Giles said.

"He's not," Willow assured them.

"Those that fell will live on forever in our hearts and minds as well as setting an example that is damn hard to live up to. Regardless of what they've done with their lives up to now, they chose to fight and die so that others may live. Let us have a moment of silence for them, the Sunnydale Immortals." Xander held a fist over his heart and bowed his head as did the entire audience.

"Are you saying that's not Xander?" Giles whispered to Willow.

"It's like he's been possessed," Willow replied.

"By Patton?" Cordelia asked.

"Sunnydale Warriors, ten hut!"

The audience snapped to attention, right hand in a fist held over their heart.

"Warriors," Xander returned the salute and held it for a five count. "Dismissed!"

The Scoobs watched as Xander slumped against a car tiredly like the slacker they knew while the crowd dispersed.

Typing by: Bankrupt samurai!

AN: Bit of a downer, but really the gang slid deeper and deeper into the grey areas as the show continued.