A/N This is a fusion of Highlander and Buffy. Immortals know that Magic and Demons exist in this world. The Council of Watchers is a branch of the Watchers Council. Cassandra isn't just The Witch of Dunham Woods, she's an actual witch and a seer. Buffy and Willow will have an actual reason for their treatment of Xander. The Game exists and is a necessary part of this story.

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Going on his road trip was no longer an option. The money he'd spent years saving up by working part time and odd jobs would now have to be used to find a place to live and food until he could get a job. His best bet for both was Los Angeles. So once he'd finished packing what he could fit into his car, Xander headed there. He wondered if there was any chance he could run into Cordy. He still missed her and still didn't understand why he'd behaved the way he had during that 'Fluke.' He'd had no interest in Willow either before or after that series of kisses. By the time graduation had come around, he and Cordy had been on friendlier terms. But L.A. was a big place and the odds were definitely stacked against it.

The first thing he did when he hit town was to find a newspaper. He'd need a roof over his head before he could do anything else. He found an ad for a cheap rent by the week place and after stopping for gas and picking up a map, drove though the L.A. traffic to get there. It was a small, dark studio with a 3/4 bathroom and a fridge that fit under a cabinet. But it was clean and came with a bed, so he wasn't going to complain. He bought some food and settled down to study the classifieds, looking for a job. He circled several prospects and the next day set out to find one. A couple of jobs as a stock boy were familiar and easy to get. They would tide him over until something better came along. It also left him with little sleep, but he needed two jobs just to survive in this town.

Everything went well for about a month, then things went sideways again. He couldn't sleep, so he went for a walk. That's when he heard the sound of metal hitting metal. Curious, he followed the sound. And he saw two people fighting with swords! Then things got even weirder when they stopped and looked right at him.

"Fights in the Game are one on one, you should know that! No interference!" One of them called out.

"I'm not interfering, I was just curious and what game? Are you practicing for a renaissance fair or something?"

"You don't know about the Game? A newby, stay where you are kid, you're next."

"Leave him alone, I hereby claim him as my student. He's now my responsibility."

"Have it your way, McCleod." And the two resumed fighting. A confused Xander watched them, wondering what they'd been talking about.

"There can be only one, McCleod! And that one will be me!"

"You talk too much." And kicked him in the gut, then succeeded in knocking his sword from his hand. Xander thought it was over and they'd just walk away from each other. What happened next, shocked and scared the Hell out of him. The one called McCleod raised his sword and brought it down hard on the other guys neck, severing his head from his body. Lightning began to violently fly around the room. Most of it engulfed McCleod. Some of it hit Xander, images and memories not his own flashed behind his eyes. And then it was over. He dropped to the ground. "What the Hell was that!" He yelled.

"A quickening." McCleod said. "You must be new, don't even know that you've activated, do you? I am Duncan McCleod of the Clan McCleod and we are alike, you and I."

"How the Hell do you figure that! What are you? What is he? Or was he? Some kind of demons?"

"We're not demons, we're human. We're immortal, mostly. I'll explain, but not here. The quickening storm may have attracted attention, we need to get out of here."

"You really think I'm just going to go off with some guy I just saw kill someone? You're nuts!"

"I can help you understand what you are and the danger you're in. Ignorance is not bliss. Evanson would have killed you and not cared that you couldn't fight back, an easy victory, as far as he would have been concerned."

"Is that, that guys name, Evanson?"

"Yes and what's yours?"

"Alexander Harris, people call me Xander."

"Eventually you'll have to change it. I'll teach you how, I'll teach you everything you need to know to survive."

"Survive what? What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking the Game, the belief that in the end, there can be only One."

"One what?"

"One immortal."