A/N A few thoughts before continuing. Most of what I am listing as 'Soldier Knowledge' is common sense. For the sake of drama a lot of practical things get overlooked. The Initiative may have been staffed by idiots, but at least they used armor. The Watchers are not trained in therapy. All of them were screaming for help and not getting it. Someone outside the group is needed to give a different perspective and in Sunnydale a priest is the most likely to have an idea of what goes on after dark. Priests do have training to council people. I grew up a Catholic. I remember a priest, who was also a teacher at the school I attended once say, "priests are in the business of souls, but a soul can't rest easy if the mind and heart can't." Wise man.

There are two days until the next episode, so Xander's physical tests are going to be done next. Not everyone is going agree with the results, but I still maintain that after being possessed and experimented on, Xander was not normal. They just thought he was because Buffy and Willow's abilities were so flashy. He just never got hurt the way a normal guy should. He may have had denser bones and musculature, resistance to injury, better senses, not to mention, the only two injuries we see prior to the eye gouge, were two broken bones that healed far faster then is normal.

The strength limits used in this fic are taken from strengthlevels .com. They are listed by age, weight and sex. For Xander's stats, I am putting him at age 18, weighing 180lbs. I am putting his starting weight lifting strengths at between intermediate and expert level. His starting levels. With training, that means he will ultimately max out at above Olympic level. No where near Slayer levels, but still above human max.

Sunday had everyone meeting back at the shop for Xander's physical tests. Xander himself was feeling a bit nervous as he had no idea if he'd even be able to lift any of the weights. Only the jocks at school used them anyway so he just had no idea what he could do.

Willow was sitting at her computer. "I've created a chart I'll use to record what you can lift with each set of weights, Xander. I've got a comparison chart for normal humans to compare you against. It includes what a 18 year old boy, weighing 180lbs should able to do at beginner level, novice level, intermediate level, advanced level and elite or Olympic level can do."

"Let's start with the bench press test. A beginner should be able to lift 100lb. We will just keep adding weight until you can't lift anymore, ok? Don't try to push yourself, we just need an idea of what you can do."

Xander laid down on the bench and found he could easily lift the 100lb, which was a little surprising. Buffy and Faith each added weights, one on either side and Xander kept lifting them, one after another until he found he couldn't lift anymore. After inputting the information into her chart Willow exclaimed, " Xander your lifting 320lbs. That's between advanced and elite levels! It's only about 50lbs less than what an Olympic level weight lifter could do." To say everyone was shocked would be an understatement. Xander wasn't a muscle bound jock, how was he doing it?

Further tests showed the same things. Barbells were at 175lbs. Dumbbell curl at a 100lbs. Shoulder press at 220lbs, etc.

The numbers were shocking, to say the least. Finally Giles called a halt and they all moved to the conference table in the front room to discuss the results.

"It's clear from these numbers, that either the Hyena spirit made lasting permanent changes to your body or the swim team experiment did. Or some combination of both. Sherry and Amanda both feel you're in excellent health, so I don't believe we need a doctor to examine you. Besides, they would just want to test and experiment on you themselves. Perhaps in the hopes of duplicating it in others, same as they would if they examined a Slayer."

"You may have denser than normal bones or wider muscle fibers. Your own testing in determining how long you could hold your breathe underwater, shows an increased lung capacity, which could also mean greater delivery of oxygen to your muscles. The full extent may never be known and the mechanism no more understood then with Slayers. But while these changes may have been initiated by a mystical means, they are not maintained by a mystical means, as the Slayers are. Which means they are physical changes to your body and likely permanent. We will have to monitor them carefully and see what your maximum level will ultimately be. You do have one given the limits of the human body."

Everyone had alot to think about.