Xander Harris, 16, resident of Sunnydale, California sat in his darkened room and thought about recent events. Just a few days ago he'd met a cute girl, just transferring in to Sunnydale High School. Then he found out vampires were real and she was a Vampire Slayer. Someone Chosen by a Higher Power to actually fight vampires. Like Jesse.
Gods, it hurt to think about Jesse. His best friend, one of two, since he was two years old. Blood brothers, they'd actually sworn an oath to it when they were ten. Cut their hands and everything. A vampire named Darla had taken Jesse and made him a vampire. A monster. Then vampires had attacked the Bronze in an attempt to free the head vampire who was in some kind of mystical prison and Jesse had been with them. He'd attacked Cordelia, a girl Jesse'd had a crush on for years. Not that Xander blamed him for that. Cordelia was the hottest girl in school after all and had been for years. Xander had pulled Jesse off of Cordelia and tried to see if that librarian guy, Giles, was right and it wasn't Jesse anymore. That cold, empty look in Jesse's eyes had said, Giles was right.
And then someone ran into Jesse and he dusted on a stake Xander had been holding. All that was left of Jesse was a pile of ashes. God it hurt.
The next day after classes he, along with Willow Rosenberg, his other best friend, met in the library with Buffy and Giles to discuss recent events.
"You're not a mutant right? I just want to be clear on that." He said. "I don't have any problems with them personally, but you've got to admit, what you can do fits what they can do."
"While it is true that a Slayer and mutants do have similar abilities." Giles said. "The Watchers Council has investigated the possibility since mutants began to become known to the world. Slayers don't have an x-gene, mutants do. And mutants are unrelated to demons or Magic, that too has been thoroughly investigated, both with conventional and magical techniques. They are homo superior, a new stage in human development."
"Magic is real too?" Willow asked.
"Yes, but not as shows or charlatans would portray it. It's an energy field that can be tapped into and utilized in a variety of ways. Practitioners have been developing means of using it for thousands of years."
"And science doesn't know about it?" Willow asked. "Like they do about mutants?"
"No, practitioners keep their practices secret. Human as a whole tend to fear things like that. You've seen the way mutants, for example have been treated since they became known. While that has improved considerably the more comfortable people become with their existence, things could easily flare again. The few times the supernatural has become known people tend to react the same way. So we who are aware of Magic and vampires work to keep it secret. Buffy could be in as much danger from frightened humans as she is from vampires, after all."
"You don't need to worry, Buffy." Xander said. "We'll keep your secret."
"And we can help you." Willow said enthusiastically. "I'm real good at research and computers. You don't have to do it alone."
"Thanks guys, I appreciate that." Buffy said. "I just don't want you guys getting hurt, though."
"Apparently we live over a gateway to Hell, Buffy." Xander said. "Just living in Sunnydale could be enough to kill us. We may actually be safer hanging out with you. And I'm all for dusting vampires, they really didn't make a good impression on me." He joked, not letting them see his true feelings. He never let anyone see his true feelings. Which is why no one knew how bad Tony Harris could be. If they did they'd take him away from Jesse and Willow. Well now, it was just Willow. He pushed it all down where no one could see it and smiled at the girls.
"So, anything new we need to deal with, Mr. Watcher?"
"Not at present, but I guess if I can't discourage you from being involved, I will inform you as soon as a new crisis presents itself."
"You do that." Xander said. "So, I heard the Bronze has already been cleaned up and will be opened for business tonight. Anyone feel like Bronzing it?"
"Not tonight." Willow said. "I have some homework to do and you probably do to, young man." She said sternly, she'd never understood why Xander avoided doing his homework, didn't he want to graduate and get a good job? Despite how well Willow thought she knew Xander, she didn't. Xander didn't avoid doing his homework, he avoided the house he lived in. After all he managed to take and pass many of the same classes as Willow, a certified genius, did. Not that Xander was a genius, himself. But he was intelligent and managed to get his work done at school so he could avoid having to do it at home and consequently avoid being there as much as possible.
"Well then, everyone have a good night and I will see you tomorrow." Giles said and watched the three teenagers leave the library. Having others involved with the Slayer's Calling was going to be difficult to manage, but he'd figure it out.