Xander pulled into a parking spot in the headquarters parking lot and looked over at the passengers seat. Sam was looking at the building. Sam had just woke up about a half an hour ago and they hadn't really talked much in all the time it had taken to travel from the hunters cabin. They had taken his car, because Sam's car had been stolen and Sam said that their usual car was in storage.
He looked at the building itself. He had been part of the team that had renovated the building to it's present day splendor. He got out of the car and watched Sam do the same. Xander locked it and headed towards the main entrance, subconsciously making sure footsteps were following him. He got to the door, nice mahogany wood, and considered for a second just walking in, but he hadn't lived there in a long time, it would be better to ring the doorbell. He pushed it and waited about 3 seconds before a girl came to the door. She was young, Xander had never saw her before.
"Who are you?"
"Tell Willow that Xander's here."
"Xander? Thee Xander?" she asked surprised.
"Uh sure." he said uncomfortably.
"Sure." she closed the door on Xanders' face, he blinked in surprise. He waited a few more minutes before the door opened again to reveal Willow on the other side and grinning ear to ear. Xander immediately hugged her tightly. Xander remembered Sam then.
"Willow this is Sam; Sam Willow." he said.
"Xander you know what the girls will do when they see you, they'll go crazy. The older girls will protect you but who will protect him?" Willow joked and Xander laughed until he saw Sam's look of concern.
"They're not violent." he clarified "Just over excited when any male walks through the door that doesn't normally live here."
"Especially if they're hot." Willow added.
"Don't worry she's gay."
"Hey!"
"Well you are!"
"Anyways." she opened the door and stepped aside. Xander stepped in first and went to the side, he waited a few moments for Sam to do the same. Willow closed the door behind her and Xander looked over the area. The building used to be a run-down hotel. This had been the lobby area. Now it was full of couches, bean bags and chairs, on the other side there was a large tv. He had lived there for a year and he had helped build it.
What was new were the girls, most of whom he had never seen before. Of course it made sense, most slayers went back home when they were done training. The girls he had trained would all be in their mid-20's about now. It always hit him when he came here that time didn't stop just because he wasn't there. Willow started moving, pulling him out of his thoughts as he made to follow her, and he made sure that Sam was following him. They were going toward the elevator, because unless you you wanted to stay in the lobby or use the stairs it was the only place you could go. Willow hit the up button and after a few moments of waiting the elevator opened and they filed in.
"So where are we going?" Willow asked him. He wanted to sleep, he had done the driving the whole way there, Sam had mostly slept. But he knew that Sam would want to get right down to researching so that's where they were going.
"The library."
"Right to work then?" she smiled and pushed the 2 button. The second floor used to be rooms, but they had gutted it and made it into two rooms. One a normal library and the other a separate library with all the books in there having to do with the supernatural.
Xander looked over at Sam, who looked anxious and was watching the elevator floor number. Xander knew that Sam wasn't sure if he was his brother, and at this moment probably couldn't care less. Xander had resources that could save Sam's brother. But that was okay, he was used to not being anyone's first choice.
It didn't take long before the elevator doors opened and Willow walked out with them. They walked into the library, the first section contained regular non-supernatural related books. It had shelves from floor to ceiling around the entire room, except for the front where the desk stood and a door that led into another room. There were also several freestanding bookcases and nearly every spot was covered in books. These books were mostly for studying for classes or pleasure reading. It was summer so it was not used all that much. Although the last time he had been here, he was interrupted by a boy and a girl making out in the library.
The supernatural books were located in a different section. In fact there was a thick soundproofed wall between the supernatural books and the others, so that if there was an apocalypse, those researching for it wouldn't be disturbed by the school kids. Willow was heading towards the door and he followed her into it. He looked around the room, it took up half the floor. This room, like the other side of the library, had books going all around the walls. There were also several bookcases of books too, and two big tables with several chairs around them.
"Alright so Xander you want your usual room and I can give Sam here his own." she took two keys cards out of her pocket, she gave one to Xander and one to Sam. Sam's key card also had a sticky note with Room #1546 on it. They both put their respective cards in their pockets.
"So you know breakfast is whatever you can find in the kitchen and wrestle away from someone else. Unless you want to go out for breakfast?" she said to Xander, who shrugged. He wasn't sure if Sam would be leaving this room anytime soon ,and he wasn't sure if he should stay with him or not.
"Okay, well let me know." she said then made her way out of the room closing the door behind her. Xander went to the section that had the most information about creatures not on the hellmouth. He brought a stack of them down and put it on one of the tables, he heard a chair being pulled out as he made his way to go grab another stack.
By the time he was done, he saw that Sam was already flipping through the first book. There were about a hundred books stacked on that were just the ones that had seemed the most likely to contain information about purgatory. He sat down and grabbed a book from the stack. He had just planned to set Sam up and then maybe talk to Willow or watch Sam, but he figured he might as well help research too. Although he doubted Sam would just trust him and would probably look through the book again even if he said he had checked it.
They had been checking books for hours, Sam had a few notes from various books and Xander had a few notes of his own, along with book names and page references so that Sam could look them back up easily if he wanted to. Xander needed a break.
"Sam do you want to get something to eat?" Xander knew the answer though, even before he asked it, the last few hours Sam had been researching like a mad man.
"No." Sam said shortly without even looking up from the book.
"Alright I'm going to go out for awhile. Don't try to take any of the books out of this room." Sam didn't say anything, he just flipped the page, so he hoped Sam had heard him. He got up and stretched his legs and arms a bit, then made his way out of the room, through the still very quiet library and to the elevator. He pushed the 18th floor button and waited for the doors to close.
All the permanents lived on the 18th floor, it had been where the suites were located when it was still a hotel. It's also where his room was when he had been planning to be a permanent before he went to Africa, before he had changed his mind. The room was still his, and although someone else had lived in it for a little while, they had moved out and now it was empty. Xander made his way to the room and opened it with his key. It was the closest thing he had to a home outside his 2003 silver Taurus. He had forgotten to grab his duffel bag from the car earlier but he'd get it later, probably with Sam's stuff as well, since he doubted Sam was going to stop until someone made him. If no one else did, he planned to do so himself a little later on.
He looked around the room. It looked exactly the same as it had before, only with a light layer of dust and a few cobwebs. He had made this room by himself ,with his own hands and he really liked the way it looked. There was even a small kitchen with a regular sized fridge in it, although no sounds were coming from it. They probably unplugged it to save on bills or something. In fact, everything in his room was unplugged. Normally everything was plugged in and ready, but he usually gave them a bit more notice than he had this time. He sat down on his bed and laid down staring at the ceiling for a few moments.
Sam was here and although he was completely obsessed with finding Dean, he was here and all he had to do was get Sam to give his DNA and then they would know for sure. They actually had a med lab here, so it would only be hours instead of the days or weeks it would take if they sent the DNA sample somewhere else. Xander got off the bed. Thinking about it was making him jittery. He had to do something else to occupy his mind so he plugged back in all the appliances he would need and looked around the room. He had to get out of there, and what's more he had to know. He made sure he had his card, left his room, went to the elevator and waited impatiently for it to come. The door opened and a smile split his face, inside was Lindsey.
"Uncle Xander!"
"Lindsey." he squatted down and held his arms out as the little 5 year old ran into them.
"You've been gone for forever Uncle Xander."
"Yeah sorry sweetie." she let him go and backed away from him and frowned.
"You got more marks on your face." how did she know? He thought his face looked the same.
"You know you're not suppose to ride the Elevator alone, where's your mom? he asked her. She didn't answer just grabbed his hand and started pulling him.
"Lindsey, maybe you could just tell me where she is?"
"Uh-uh." she said and kept leading him to wherever she was planning to lead him. Which was probably their room since it was only a few doors down from his. She opened the door, the permanent rooms (except for his) had no locks on them anymore and were replaced by normal door handles.
"Mom I found Uncle Xander!" Willow turned around and frowned.
"Lindsey where have you been?"
"Looking for Uncle Xander."
"You know you're not supposed to leave the room without telling me."
"But Mom." Lindsey whined.
"No buts Lindsey." Lindsey turned out her bottom lip in a deep pout.
"You told me Uncle Xander was here, but you wouldn't let me go see him." Lindsey didn't wait for Willow's answer though, she just dragged Xander down the hall to her room.
Lindsey introduced him to all her new toys and talked his ear off about castles, and princesses, and magic and it was nice for awhile to just talk to Lindsey. She had no idea about his mother, or his possible brothers, all she knew is that Willow had visited him a few weeks back. It was somewhat relaxing. Someone knocked on the door and Xander turned his head towards it to see Willow peaking her head in.
"How are you and Lindsey doing?" which was code for do you need to be rescued? Xander sighed, he knew what he needed to do, he had to get the DNA test done as soon as possible, so he would know as soon as possible, so he would stop wondering what if. Xander nodded his head slightly.
"Lindsey the grownups need to talk, why don't you talk to Mommy." Willow's daughter was conceived through magic, she and her life partner, a nice women named Rebecca, had decided they had wanted children and since they both were powerful witches, they were able to create a spell.
"Rebecca's here?" Willow nodded.
"Yeah she's in our room." Willow sat down across from him and looked at him concerned.
"How are you doing?" boy, was that a loaded question. How was he feeling about his mom or how was feeling about his possible brother who was off the deep end?
"Fine." he said unconvincingly and Willow starred at him knowingly.
"I have to know, if he is or if he isn't."
"How about your mom?"
"Honestly I have done my hardest not to think about her in the last few weeks. It's the only good thing about this whole Sam situation."
"Xander you can't just shut the pain out." she said concerned.
"Willow can we not do this right now, can't we just talk about what happens if Sam is my brother?"
"Sure, what happens if Sam is your brother?"
"I have no idea, I know he's obsessed with finding Dean. The books we have here are the only reason he agreed to come in the first place. So even if we are brothers, I don't see Sam being any less obsessed with Dean until he's saved him and probably the angel too, and even then, we're adults not kids." Xander trailed off.
"I have to know...I just have to know one way or the other, I have to."
"Okay then, let's find out."
"You'll...you'll go with me?" Willow smiled.
"Of course I will Xander."
"Thank you." Willow stood up.
"Just let me tell Rebecca where I'm going." Xander stood up too, boy age was starting to make him a little stiffer then it used to. He made his way into the hall where he was met by Willow.
"Ready?" he asked her, even if he wasn't sure he was ready himself. Willow nodded and they headed out of Willow's place and towards the elevator. It hit him then, how weird it must be to live in a place like this. At least it was consistent though, he moved to a new place every few weeks according to the hunts he found. He hit the elevator button and waited anxiously, it must have showed because Willow grabbed his hand. Xander turned to her and smiled at her to show his appreciation. The elevator dinged and the doors opened and Xander and Willow stepped into the elevator.
Xander hit the floor level for the library and watched the floor numbers read out anxiously until the door opened. He looked out over the extensive library and took a step outside the elevator and another towards the second library, when his nerves assaulted him again. What would happen if they were brother's? What would it mean? Would anything change? Would he want anything to change?
"Xander are you okay?" Xander snapped out of his thoughts grateful again that Willow decided to come with him.
"Yeah I'm fine." he said more as an automatic response then a purposeful lie. He may have gripped Willows hand a little bit tighter on the way to the second library but he would never admit it. In what seemed like forever and at the same time no time at all, he was in front of the oak door to the second library. Xander reached for the doorknob then thought better of walking into a room where Sam was without announcing himself first. So instead knocked on the door a few times, then opened the door and walked in. Sam didn't so much as glance up from the book he was reading. Now was the time he drew strength from Willow and managed to speak.
"Sam." Sam still didn't look up, he didn't appear to have even heard him.
"Sam." Xander said a bit louder and got the same results.
"Sam!" Xander shouted. Sam jumped and with one swift movement took his knife out and looked around the room wildly until he finally focused on the two of them. He put away the knife after a long moment.
"Sam will you come with me to the med lab?" Sam blinked a few times then looked down.
"Sam?" Xander asked. "It will only take a few minutes."
"Don't you want to know for sure?" he didn't look sure and looked around the room at the books.
"Even if you're not my brother you can still use the books." Sam looked pensive but before Xander could analyze anything more about Sam, Willow said
"Xander can I talk to you in the other room?"
"Sure." Willow lead him to the other side of the door and asked.
"If he's not your brother, do you still want him around?"
"You haven't seen him. He's a wreck without his brother and even if he isn't my brother he deserves to get his brother back. Not to mention Dean has saved a lot of people over the years and he doesn't deserve to be in purgatory."
"You're right, but if he isn't your brother, we're going to have to watch him closer." Xander nodded and opened the door again. Sam was looking in their direction this time as the door opened. Sam stared at him for several moments then nodded.
"Yeah we should probably find out for sure." he said quietly. Getting Sam to agree to the DNA test had been part of his worries, so having that part successfully completed should make him feel a little better. It didn't. Because now it was certain they were going to find out whether or not they were brothers and soon.