"it's your turn, Xander." Cassandra said, after she finished preparing for another diagnostic spell.

"Go ahead." He said. "I'm ready."

Cassandra cast her spell and something unexpected appeared.

"Well, that's really unexpected." Cassandra said blankly, starring at Xander's gold aura. "I've done diagnostics on other immortals so I know none of them are related to gods, but apparently you are. And the gold wristbands with Janus' symbol on them confirm he has chosen you as his Champion."

"I'm related to a god?" Xander asked, just as blankly. "Ok. I can buy Cordy being related to a god, but me?! Is this like some kind of joke? Hah hah, funny?"

"It's not a joke, you really are connected to a god, one from the upper realms." Cassandra assured him.

"Please don't let it be the same one. I really want to keep Cordy as my girlfriend, the gods may have no problems with family members getting frisky, but I do!"

"It's not the same god. Your linkage goes up, like Cordelia's does, but not in the same direction as hers. So your blood relationship is with a different god."

"Oh, good." Xander was definitely feeling overwhelmed. All he wanted to do was help. All this extra, the immortality, the were hyena, being a Champion, a link to a god, none of that was anything he'd ever asked for. And then there was the prophecy.

"Wait, the prophecy. It has specific requirements. What if Cordy and I were arranged to meet some of those requirements? The prophecy said the one made, what if that is really literal. We were created and then put into situations or circumstances that could creat the people specifically needed to fulfil the prophecy?"

"Free will." Giles said. "You'd have a choice of turning away each time a situation or circumstances was created. The zookeeper could have been only interested in learning about Primal Mages, but someone suggests he become one. He had the choice of not becoming one. You had the choice of not doing anything about the bullies you stopped from hurting that boy. They were already bullies but someone nudges them toward bullying someone that day, which leads to your choice. It's possible. The specifics are very specific."

"Willow getting involved with Magic might have been nudged as well, because they knew how she'd use it." Xander suggested. "Which would lead to me and Cordelia being separated."

"Cassandra said someone else was manipulating me as well." Cordelia said. "Someone more powerful then her and that someone put me in contact with Angel. Someone taking advantage or the same someone arranging things?"

"All good questions to ask when we finally have a chance to talk to the gods." Xander said grimly. "I don't like the idea of being manipulated. The only part of this I like, is the prophecy saying Cordy and I are soulmates."

"I agree, I don't like being manipulated either. The soulmate thing I'm cool with, though." Cordelia grinned at him.

"Until we know the location of the Prize and Cordelia is able to lay claim to it and I just realized, Xander also had the blood of a god, he could lay claim to the Prize." Duncan said. "Until we know where it is and one or both of you can speak to the gods, we won't know anything for sure."

"I just realized something else." Xander said. "If I'm not a normal immortal, am I sterile, like the rest of the immortals are?"

That was a stunning question indeed.

"It's a good thing I have an implant." Cordelia muttered. "I'm not ready to be a mother."

"I've never developed a diagnostic spell that could detect viability in an immortal. No immortal has ever fathered or given birth to a child, trust me, we would have heard about it if someone had. And Duncan and I both know several immortal doctors and some of them have confirmed the sterility question. Female immortals have no eggs and no cycle, either as preimmortals or as immortals, males have no sperm. We can ask Grace to do a normal human test on you. She and I will be checking on Faith again tomorrow. You can come with and we can discuss it with Grace."

"I'd like to know for sure." Xander said. "So I'll come with you."

"I'm coming too. You're not leaving me out of this, Doofus. It concerns me too."

"It sure does." Xander agreed.

"Beyond that, I think we should consult the Oracles." Giles said. "They are the messengers of the gods, after all. And they've already confirmed that there is more to Xander, then Xander knew and that he has a destiny. They may know more."

"Good idea." Cassandra agreed. "Why don't you and Duncan do that tomorrow, while we're at the hospital?"

"I'll willing." Duncan agreed. "I've never consulted the Oracles before. At the very least, it should interesting."

"I've consulted the Spirit Guides before." Giles said. "But not the Oracles. I agree, this should be interesting."

"Well then, let's call it a night." Duncan suggested. "A lot has happened and I think we need time to think about it."

With various murmurings of agreement, the meeting broke up. Giles took Duncan up on the offer of his spare room and Cassandra headed back to her motel, while Xander and Cordelia headed to their apartment. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day too.