A/N I recently received a private and anonymous message asking me why I write totally unrecognizable characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I say rewatch the show. My characters are recognizable. Willow was a manipulative, controlling brat long before she started using 'helping' as an excuse to mind rape people to 'fix' things that didn't need fixing. Buffy was a hypocritical, bitch with a superiority complex long before that psychology student turned vampire pointed it out. Giles needed a two by four to the head before he could see just how questionable Buffy and Willow's decisions were. Xander and Faith were underutilized and underappreciated characters. And if they were going to downgrade Xander's character anyway, they should've just sent him off to L.A with Cordelia. As a couple, they made sense. Anya, as entertaining as she was, was a total substitute. The similarities in the characters can't be denied. You want to see an unrecognizable from the show character read a Xander and Spike in love story. Some can be very entertaining, but that is not the Xander from the show. Hating demon animated corpses that torture and kill humans, doesn't make him a hypocrite or a bigot. Xander could be very blunt on the show, but he screwed up way less then Buffy or Willow. I don't overpower him, I equalize him. And I have made it clear, the writers ignored the potential of both the military knowledge and the effect of the swim coach's formula on Xander. And the soul curse was a bad piece of storytelling. You are welcome to your opinions. I'm keeping mine and now on with the story.

######

A few days after SG 1 returned to Colorado, Major Paul Davis came to see Xander and Cordelia, bringing paperwork to officially make them civilian contractors with the Air Force. Xander's eyes bugged out of his head when he saw the salary they were each being offered.

"$45,000?! Each?!" He exclaimed.

"That's the starting salary for a full time advisor, which is what we're hiring you as."

"Just to switch that equipment on?!"

"You're helping us understand an advanced technology that may make it possible for us to create unlimited and cheap energy. Energy that can power ships, force fields, transporters. Things that we know are possible, but currently are beyond us. That's worth investing in."

"We can invest it further, Xander. Chase Holdings does investing as well. I'm going to study business, with investing as a secondary. I have to, if I'm going to take over the family business. We won't ever have to worry about money as long as I'm careful with it."

"I trust you. You can handle the investing. This means I'll be able to get my car fixed much sooner. And I can concentrate on college and not have to work at the same time, not to mention, I won't need loans now. This semester is already locked on that, but after that. Have I thanked you for encouraging me to even go to college? No one else did."

"Yes, but remember, gold also shows your appreciation. And it's not like you're an idiot."

"As you wish, my Queen."

"Damn right, as I wish."

Major Davis chuckled. He liked these kids as much as SG 1 did.

"Major Carter says you're considering studying engineering and Colonel O'Neill thinks we should encourage your interest in the military. Which means after you're done with college we may bring you into the Program in a different capacity. Something for you to think about anyway. It'll be a few a years until you finish college."

"I've got to admit, the idea of being apart of your Program really appeals to the sci-fi geek in me."

"Not to mention, I don't want to live in Sunnydale for the rest of my life. Chase Holding's headquarters can be moved somewhere else."

After Major Davis left, Xander met up with Faith and Amy for a patrol. Buffy and Willow were patrolling together on the other side of town.

"I'm hoping to get a chance to try out my camouflaging ability." Xander told the girls.

"That's a wicked cool ability. And hiding in the shadows could make it easier to sneak up on vamps." Faith commented.

"True. And having someone who can heal the rest of us when we get hurt should be a big help too." Amy added.

"Well I like helping, but mostly I hate vampires." Xander said.

"Why? Hate is usually personal." Amy asked.

"Remember Jesse McNally? My best friend and closest thing to a brother I ever had?"

"Yeah, he disappeared around the time Buffy came to town, didn't he? Oh, did a vampire get him?! Is that why you hate them?" Amy asked, sympathetically.

"Partly. They didn't just get him, they made him a vampire. Giles told me to remember, I wasn't seeing my friend, I was seeing what killed my friend. What was left of Jesse McNally became the first vampire to dust on a stake I was holding two days after I learned that vampires existed. I pulled him off of Cordelia when he attacked her."

"Damn, no wonder you hate vamps and then B went and fell in love with one. She just thinks you're jealous of Fang."

"Because I mistook hero worship of vamp killing superheroes as a crush on Buffy. There was never anything about Angel that was worth being jealous of, but Buffy and Willow don't want to believe that. I mean, if you think about, she's not even my type. I dated Ames here, back in the eighth grade for a while. I had a lusty crush on the substitute biology teacher, Ms. French, until she turned out to be a demon that wanted to eat me and not in a fun way. And I've kissed Faith and there's Cordy, the ultimate in perfection. I think it's safe to say, my type is, hot brunette with attitude."

"I think he means that as a compliment." Amy said with a grin.

"I'm taking it as one." Faith answered, as she spotted a vampire and quickly reduced him to dust.