"A dream is an answer to a question we haven't learnt how to ask." Agent Scully. "Paper Hearts" - The X Files
Xander flew across the campus and crashed against the wall as the demon that threw him charged toward Willow who dodged out of his way before being pummelled.
"You humans are next on my list." The demon told the two teenagers before he ran towards Buffy with his horns shining from the campus lights overhead. Buffy jumped up and kicked him hard in the head, causing him to fall back to the ground in a heap. The demon stood back up and snarled at her, saliva dripping from its razor sharp teeth.
"Buffy, catch!" Willow called out before throwing an axe towards the slayer.
Buffy caught the axe and swung at the demon's neck, severing the head from it's body with one blow. The head rolled down the path and landed near Xander's unconscious body.
"Don't these things melt?" Willow asked Buffy as they looked down at the creature's body. As soon as she asked her blonde friend that question, the demon's body melted into a puddle of green liquid before sinking into the concrete.
Willow sighed in relief. "Who'd figure that Lopar would escape from the Initiative?"
Buffy walked over to Xander and gently shook him. "Xander? Wake up."
Xander finally came to and opened his eyes. "What happened? Did we kill it?"
"We did." Buffy told him with a worried look in her eyes.
"If it's dead, then why do you have a concerned look on your face?" Xander asked as he slowly stood up, supporting himself on Buffy.
"Maybe you shouldn't jump in on these things, Xander." Willow told him.
Xander sighed deeply and scratched his head. "Not this again. I thought we settled this last year. You people need me as much as I need you."
"If you keep getting involved in situations like this, you'll wind up dead." Buffy told him.
Xander shook his head and looked at her. "I have to don't I? I'm not quite special am I? I don't have witchy powers like Willow, I'm not a werewolf like Oz, I'm not a Slayer like you, and I'm not a vampire with a soul or a Watcher. I'm the useless moron with no power or skill. But I have to do this, or else I'll just be standing around and watching the latest demon or vampire rip you people to bits."
Buffy and Willow looked on with pity as Xander walked away from them on his way home.
"I didn't think that he'd be so upset." Willow said as she watched him leave.
"Neither did I. I can't deal with him right now anyway. I have to go see Riley and tell him to call off the search for Lopar." Buffy said as she turned to leave.
"Wait up, I'll go with you." Willow called out as she ran off to join her best friend.
"What do you think he'll say?" Willow asked her as they saw Riley coming toward them. He was dressed up in his full army gear, along with a bunch of other soldiers.
"We had reports that Lopar was in the area." Riley told Buffy.
Buffy nodded. "I know. We just killed him."
Forrest shook his head incredulously. Once again he was beaten to the draw by a girl. It was starting to annoy him.
"Are you sure it's dead?" Riley asked.
"It melted into a puddle and evaporated." Willow spoke up.
Riley nodded and then left with the other soldiers. Buffy watched him leave with a star struck look in her eyes.
"Isn't he fantastic?" Buffy said dreamily.
"Tara's better." Willow said as she turned towards the direction of their dorm room.
A young blonde woman ran through a poorly-lit street in Europe, constantly looking behind her to see if the vampire was following her. She believed that he was just an ordinary man, she knew everything about him, all the employees did. But what no one knew was that he was a vampire. She had seen him feed off of a chambermaid and ran off before he could get to her. But now he was chasing after her.
"Help! Help me!" She screamed loudly, hoping that someone would come to her rescue. No one did.
She spotted an open barn up ahead and ran towards it. The scared woman entered it, closing the door shut behind her. The young woman pushed a full wheelbarrow against the barn door to stop the creature from entering.
"Please, God. Save me from this evil." She prayed to any god that would be listening at this time. The scared girl heard some scratching noises coming from outside the barn door. She looked around her wide eyed for a weapon to protect herself with. She found a pitchfork in a pile of hay and pulled it out as the door to the barn ripped off it's hinges. The girl ran off to hide behind a barrel of hay.
The frightened woman watched in fear as Joseph Heinrich Nest walked into the quiet barn, looking for his victim.
He knew his victim was somewhere in the barn, so he decided to draw her out. "You poor human. Lost in the world. I am the only being on this decadent planet that truly loves you." Joseph spoke to her.
"You can't run from me forever. I know that you have the potential for greatness." He told the quiet barn once more.
The woman came up from behind him and jammed the pitch fork into his back. Joseph roared out loud in pain and turned around to face her, his vampiric face drawn out in the most evil expression the young woman had ever seen.
He grabbed her and pulled her towards him. "I should just kill you for that. Leave your body for the rats. But I am going to give you what I rarely give others. A choice of eternal life. I will show you the world. Things that you have never seen or even heard of before. In return, you will rule beside me."
"Let me go." She whimpered.
"I intend to." Joseph told her before he bit into her neck and began to drain her. The girl felt weak and closed her eyes, feeling weak and lightheaded. Joseph dropped her almost dead body to the hay covered floor of the barn and bit into his wrist. He covered her open mouth with his bloodied wrist, allowing his blood to pour into her mouth where she could only swallow it to keep from drowning. She felt herself get tired and closed her eyes in her weakened state.
"Rest. And when you wake, your name will be Darla. And you may call me 'Master'." Joseph Nest told her as the girl's human self died.
Xander woke up with a start. That was the weirdest dream he had yet. He had been dreaming about Darla for the past week and it was starting to get to him. The fact that he dreamed of Darla and The Master could only mean something real bad. But vampires couldn't come back from the dead. Can they?
"Alexander?!?" His father yelled down to him from upstairs.
"What?!?" Xander yelled from his bedroom in the basement.
"You better not have a goddamn girl down there. I can't afford a paternity suit!!" Anthony Harris yelled out.
"There's no girl down here!!" Xander yelled back.
"Good!!"
Xander fell back onto his bed and sighed. His father had once caught him in bed with Anya, and he's been paranoid over things like that ever since. Every day it was the same thing with his family. Arguments, arguments, arguments. He didn't want to stay in the basement forever. Somehow he had to get out of the house and live on his own.
'But with what?' He thought to himself. 'I'm not exactly raking it in with the ice cream truck.'
Xander decided it was a waste of time trying to get back to sleep. And if his last dream was about Darla and the Master, who knows who he'd dream about next.
The young man got out of bed and yawned. He decided to wait for daybreak to see Giles. He had to tell someone about the dream, and he doubted that Buffy and Willow would want to know about it.
Xander saw his shirt lying across the floor and wanted to wear it. Without thinking he reached out with his hand and yawned. Xander was shocked when the shirt slid across the room and flew right into his outstretched hand.
"I've got a power now? Cool!!" Xander yelled for joy as he put on his shirt and thanked the heavens.
"What the hell are you doing now?!?" Anthony Harris yelled down to his son again.
"Nothing!!" Xander yelled back. He had to see Giles, but he decided to drop by during the day.
The sun had risen quicker than expected. When Rupert Giles opened the front door to his apartment, he saw Xander standing there with an excited look on his face.
"I don't want to buy anymore power bars from you Xander." Giles told him.
"It's nothing like that. It's something else. Something I need your help with." Xander said to the ex-Watcher.
Giles got angry. "Oh for god's sake what have you done now?"
"Why do you always assume that I've done something wrong? I made one small mistake with a spell and have never done anything like it again. Yet when Willow or Buffy makes the same constant mistakes, you let them go without a sermon. Why is that?" Xander challenged the former librarian.
"I don't... I don't know. I'm sorry. Come in then." Giles invited the teenager in. Xander walked into the living room and stood next to the tv.
Giles closed the door and faced him. "Okay, what's wrong?"
Xander ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "First of all, you can't tell anyone. It's something we don't need to bother them with, okay?"
"Alright. Now what is it?" Giles asked him again.
Xander decided to show him instead of telling him. He held up a hand in order to psychically lift Giles' couch. It worked. The couch levitated much to Giles' shock and Xander's enthusiasm. Xander lowered his hand slowly, causing the couch to land softly without any damage.
"H-h-how in God's name did you do that?" Giles asked the boy.
Xander shook his head. "I have no idea. I just woke up this morning and did it accidentally. I DID get knocked unconscious by that demon, Lopar, but it didn't feel any different from the other times I got knocked out. And I also had a dream before I found out I have a power."
"What was the dream about?" Giles asked with intrigue.
Xander sat down on the couch. "It was from the old days. Real old, because they wore those old dresses and wigs and everything. I saw a blonde woman get killed by someone that called himself 'Master'. It might be the same Master that Buffy destroyed, but it's not like I could compare the two. I never saw him in real life. The thing is, the girl was Darla. I know this because I saw her the night we lost Jesse."
Giles had a scared look on his face. "You had a dream about Darla getting turned by the Master, and then found out you have mystical powers? This doesn't sound good at all. I'm going to have to look this up in the books."
Xander nodded as Giles went to have a look in his book collection. He came back a couple of minutes later with his Watcher diary. Giles opened up the book to the section on the Master and showed it to Xander.
"Did he look like this?" Giles asked him.
"Yeah. That's him alright. His name was Joseph Nest?" Xander asked as he read the captioned text underneath the picture.
Giles nodded. "Joseph Heinrich Nest was an explorer when he got turned. There have been many theories about the Master's origins, but this seems to be the most conclusive there is. Rumor has it that he was six hundred years old and that he sometimes doubled as a priest."
Giles turned the page over and showed Xander the picture of Darla. Xander nodded in recognition as he stared at the woman that has haunted his dreams for the past week.
"This is the vampire that turned Angel." Giles said as Xander looked away from the book and the small portrait of Darla.
"So what does it mean? That the Master and Darla are coming back?" Xander asked the older man.
"I've never heard of a revivification spell that actually worked. Vampires are usually selfish creatures. Most of them don't even like turning people into vampires. They just want to feed and destroy. I can't see what kind of vampire would want to waste their time with this. Assuming it is vampire-caused," Giles thought aloud.
Xander got worried. "What if it's me? What if it's my powers that bring them back?"
Giles looked at him. "That's a possibility. I'll have to look for more information on your powers. Why can't we tell anyone else about this?"
"Because, Buffy is dating Riley. And Riley works for the Initiative. The same Initiative that tracks down anything supernatural and either destroys it or uses experiments on it. I don't intend to end up as a lab rat with a chip in his head." Xander said bitterly.
"I didn't think about the Initiative. You'd better keep quiet on the telekinesis too. Who knows what you're really capable of." Giles advised him.
Willow opened Giles' front door and stepped inside. "Hey. Xander what are you doing here?"
"Willow, haven't you heard of knocking?" Giles asked her.
Willow shrugged as she blushed in embarrassment. Xander looked at her and shook his head. "Nothing. I was just leaving."
Willow and Giles watched as Xander got up and walked to the front door.
"Don't forget what I said." Giles told him before Xander nodded and left the apartment.
Willow was confused. "What? What's going on? Is he thinking of doing another spell? Because he shouldn't. I'm the one that knows how to do spells around here."
"Willow, not everything in this world is about you." Giles said with a sigh.
Xander walked all the way to Anya's house which was located near the ruins of Sunnydale Highschool, which was now basically a hole in the ground.
He walked up the pathway and stepped up to the front door. Xander bent down and pulled out the key from under the mat. He opened the door, in order to surprise his girlfriend who would still be asleep.
Xander snuck up the stairs and into Anya's bedroom where he found her asleep, naked in her bed... with Spike. Xander dropped the spare key in shock at seeing his girlfriend in bed with another guy.
Anya heard the sound of the keys falling to the carpet, but was still a bit drowsy. "Spike, not right now. Later, okay?"
"It's not Spike." Xander answered.
Anya opened her eyes fully, after hearing her boyfriend's voice. She immediately felt guilty for what she did.
"Xander. Oh hell. What are you doing here?" Anya asked in a panic.
Xander shrugged lamely. "I wanted to surprise you. But I guess I was the one that got surprised, huh?"
Spike woke up to the sounds of Anya and Xander talking and instantly sighed. "Do you two mind talking somewhere else? I'm trying to get some fricking sleep here."
"Would you mind shutting the hell up?" Xander told the vampire, angrily. Spike merely chuckled and lit up a cigarette with the lighter he took off of the nightstand. "Hey, it's not my fault you can't please your woman."
Xander walked out of the bedroom, unable to look at Anya any longer. The last thing he wanted right now was one of Spike's personal attacks. Anya came rushing down the stairs, naked, to where Xander was standing in the living room.
"Xander please. Let me explain." Anya started but Xander cut her off.
"There's nothing to explain. You've been killing and maiming men who cheat for a thousand years, and you've decided to see what it's like. Well? How does it feel?" Xander asked her angrily.
Anya sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I said I was sorry. What more do you want from me? It's not like you love me anyway, I don't see what you're all so upset about."
"What?" Xander asked her. If the situation was different, the sight of a naked Anya in front of him would have had him wanting to jump her bones. But now he just wanted to leave and forget she ever existed.
"C'mon who are we trying to kid? We've got nothing in common, except the sex thing. Spike and I have a lot more. We're both former demons."
"He is STILL a demon. Demons can't love." Xander said with frustration.
Anya shook her head. "Who said anything about love?"
Xander shrugged and walked to the door. Anya went with him.
"Look, it's not like you were devoted to me. I used to lie next to you at night, hearing you talk in your sleep about some other woman." Anya told him.
Xander looked back at her when she vaguely mentioned Darla. "What the hell could you possibly see in a vampire?"
"What, you've never had sex with one?" Anya asked him.
"Angel never offered." Xander replied sarcastically. He realized that Anya was right. The only thing they actually had was the sex, but he had wished it was something more. But it wasn't and it never would be anything more. Xander nodded and left before he walked out of Anya's house and headed towards the street. Spike came down the stairs with nothing on.
"An, you coming back in for round seven?" Spike invited her. Anya smiled and shut the front door with a giggle.
Xander walked aimlessly through Sunnydale. He thought of visiting Buffy and Willow, but decided against it. The last thing he wanted to do was to look like some desperate 'townie' who had no life. So Xander decided to sit on a park bench alone and think back to the woman of his dreams.
The blonde woman that had been plaguing his dreams for quite some time now.
Darla.
Everywhere I go I see your face
Every sound I hear is the sound of your voice
Why are you haunting me
Why are you haunting me
Why can't I let you go
Why are you haunting me?
Why are you haunting me?
Why are you haunting me?
Why are you haunting me?
Everything about me is a lie
At least it seems that way when I look in your eyes
The truth scares the shit out of me
Whoever said love is real and love is blood
has never felt the way that I do
What does it matter?
What's done is done and I should get on with my life
Why are you haunting me?
Why are you haunting me?
Why are you haunting me?
Why are you haunting me?
Well, I don't know what it means
But I can't seem to make myself forget
Was it something that you said
Was it all the guilt inside my head
Why are you haunting me?
Why are you haunting me?
Why are you haunting me?
Why are you haunting me?
Why are you haunting me?
Why are you haunting me?
"So how many are going to the party again?" Willow asked Buffy as they came out of class. They successfully avoided all the other college students as they made their way to some spare seats near a window.
"There's going to be a lot of people there. It's one of those big bash things that they always throw around this time of year. Only bad thing is I think Parker's going to it." Buffy said with disgust.
Willow grimaced. "Yuck. I still get a happy everytime I remember you clubbing him over the head when you were a cave-girl though."
Buffy laughed softly at the memory. "At least I'm over that moron now. And I hear Riley decked him good too. At least that's what Graham tells me."
"Well, good. It shows that he cares about you." Willow told her.
"Who? Graham?"
"No, Riley." Willow explained.
Buffy nodded and looked around the campus. Students were wandering around the area like lost sheep, talking to people and doing other things. She saw Tara Maclay and lightly hit Willow in the arm.
"Hey, there's Tara." Buffy said to her friend. Willow looked up and saw her girlfriend approach.
Tara sat down next to Willow and the three of them started talking about the normal everyday stuff, until the crowd had thinned out, giving them a chance to talk about what happened yesterday.
"I didn't get the chance to ask. Is Lopar...?" Tara asked Willow who nodded with a smile.
"Yep. He's dead. Xander almost died too with the way he jumped in." Willow said with a shake of her head.
"What happened?" Tara questioned her girlfriend. She knew the dark haired teenager was one of Willow's best friends and she was worried that something bad had happened to him.
Buffy decided to answer for Willow. "Nothing happened really. Xander just jumped in like he always does and he got knocked unconscious for it, like he always does. He's completely useless sometimes."
"He can't be that bad." Tara tried to reason with her.
"No, it's true. One of these days he's going to get himself killed at this rate. He has no power and skill and he knows it. He should stay back and let the powerful ones take control of the situation." Willow said loudly.
Tara was surprised at the lack of loyalty for Xander. "I thought he was your best friend?"
"He is. Which is why I don't like him doing the things that he does." Willow answered.
Tara nodded and couldn't help but think there was something more in it that Willow was not telling her. And Tara was not the only one thinking the same thing. Xander who was near the trio, heard everything Willow and Buffy said and sighed deeply.
"So much for my friends." Xander muttered to himself. He was going to show them his new power, but now decided not to. He wanted to wait. Xander stood up and left, his friends never knowing he was ever there to begin with.
Xander walked aimlessly around the Bronze and found a vacant seat where he sat down. He saw a vampire picking on a young girl at the bar and frowned. Xander had no idea how he realized that that guy was a vampire, but he used his new powers none the less.
Xander flicked his fingers in the vampire's direction, causing the demon to fall backward a few feet, crashing into a crowd of people. The confused creature picked himself up off the floor and brushed himself off. The people he fell on gave him a dirty look as they got up and walked away from him. The demonic bloodsucker grabbed the girl he was chatting to and they left the nightclub. Xander sighed and got up to follow them.
"Max, let go. I told you I don't want to talk to you anymore." the girl said to the vampire.
"I don't care Patsy. I really don't." Max said as his face morphed into a demonic vampire, causing Patsy to recoil in terror. Max grabbed her arm with his hand so that she couldn't run off.
"I'm hungry, Patsy. And guess what?" Max asked her.
"You're dinner?" Xander finished the one liner as he stood in the doorway of the Bronze's exit.
"Who the hell are you?" Max snarled as he stared at the one that ruined his one liner.
Xander smiled and simply stood his ground. Patsy stared back and forth from the guy she left with to this dark haired mysterious man who had just saved her from a certain death.
"My name is not important." Xander said as he flicked his hand toward Max, causing the vampire to lose his grip on Patsy as he felt intense pain in his right arm. Patsy ran to the wall in between Xander and Max, terrified of what would happen. Max growled as drool fell from his lips. Xander felt a sense of calm flow through him as Max started to walk towards him quickly.
Xander felt the psychokinetic power surge through as he threw the invisible energy at the vampire and Max grabbed his head in pain. The vampire roared in agony as he felt his head being crushed. As Xander closed his outstretched hand quickly, Max's head exploded, popping off his neck and into the air like a rocket, before it disintegrated in midair. His headless body turned to dust soon after it in a matter of seconds.
Patsy ran up to Xander to thank him. "Thank you." She told him as Xander looked at her. Patsy felt weak due to the power that came from Xander's stare, and she felt a tremendous headache come along. She clutched her head in pain and Xander realized what was happening and looked away quickly. Patsy felt the pain disappear and looked at Xander who had calmed himself down. Now, whenever he looked at her she felt nothing but gratitude.
She kissed him out of thanks and ran back into the Bronze. Xander stared at the spot where he blew off the vampire's head with his mind in shock.
'I had better be careful with this.' Xander thought to himself as he walked off into the night.
Riley Finn was patrolling with Graham, searching for hostiles, but coming up with nothing in the Shady Hill Cemetery.
"Hang on. I think I've got something." Graham said as they heard footsteps of something approach the two soldiers. They had their stun guns at the ready, waiting for whatever was coming to show itself.
The footsteps turned out to be Xander, who was walking through the cemetery. Riley almost shot him, thinking Xander was a demon or a vampire.
"What the hell are you doing out here at this time of night?" Riley asked his girlfriend's friend. Xander shrugged his answer and began to walk by them.
Riley got in his way. "Oh no you don't. Not till you tell me what you're doing out here. I almost shot your goddamn head off."
"With a stun gun? I didn't think such a thing was possible." Xander said with sarcasm.
"Oh, what are you now? A tough guy? The only reason Buffy and I let you hang around us, is because she's humouring you. Having you around makes the rest of us look good." Riley teased him with a smirk. Xander stood there and took the insults with grace.
Graham stepped in between the two young men. "Uh, Agent Finn? Maybe we should be looking for hostiles. Not picking fights with civilians."
Riley nodded and stepped away from Xander, shaking his head in amazement. "I can't believe you've survived as long as you have. Buffy must be REAL good at saving your ass. Don't even think of coming to the party at Stevenson Hall tonight. The last thing Buffy wants is for you to sleaze your pathetic ass all over her college friends."
Xander flicked his finger slightly as he walked away from the Initiative soldiers, making Riley trip over his own feet in a clumsy way. The Iowan fell to the floor in a heap as Graham stifled a laugh that threatened to escape.
"Not one word." Riley warned his fellow soldier as he looked back at Xander who had walked out of shot from them.
"Loser." Riley muttered as he stood up and picked up his stun gun.
"That son of a bitch. Who the hell does he think he is? He shows up in our group a couple of months ago and he's now running the place? I would have loved to rip his damn head off." Xander raged as he walked around Giles' apartment in anger.
Giles nodded. "I can understand why you're angry. Professor Walsh made me feel like that at one time. But with your powers I suggest that you try not to get so worked up."
Xander looked at him and smiled. "You know I killed a vampire tonight by myself? I followed it outside when he took this girl with him and I killed him in the alley."
"How? I didn't think that you carried stakes." Giles asked with curiosity.
"I blew his head off with my mind. Kind of like that movie 'Scanners'." Xander confessed to a shocked Giles.
The Watcher stared at the young teenager in a mixture of fear and curiosity. "What were you thinking at that time to cause something like that?"
"I was mad. And I wanted him to suffer." Xander merely said as Giles' face turned pale.
"What's wrong?" Xander asked him.
"Don't you see how dangerous this gift is? What if it was a human being that made you feel like that? What if it was Riley or Buffy?" Giles asked.
"I don't really think I could get mad at Buffy." Xander said, thinking it over.
Giles's eyebrows shot up. "Oh really? Need I remind you of that little intervention in the library with Buffy after you told us that Angel was back from hell?"
Xander sighed inward as he thought of Angel. The windows in Giles's house started to rattle and magazines on the coffee table started to flutter open as a small gust of wind swept through the room. Xander realized what he was doing and stopped himself by not thinking about Angel and instead, concentrated on relaxing. The wind died down and the windows stopped rattling. Giles felt a twinge of fear as he witnessed Xander's new power.
"I don't know how you got this power but we have to stop it. You can't live like this. Has anything else happened to you? Other than the vampire and the Riley altercation in the cemetery tonight?" Giles asked him.
Xander shrugged. "Well, I found Anya in bed with Spike."
Giles spat out his tea when he heard that revelation and it made a grin surface on Xander's features.
"Don't worry, I'm okay with it. I wasn't at first, but I realized that I was never really in love with her. Besides, I think my interest lies elsewhere." Xander revealed.
Giles sighed. "Willow once told me of your attraction to Buffy."
"What, the Buffy thing? God, that ended when Buffy used me in that dance to make Angel jealous." Xander told the Watcher. Giles was confused.
"Well, do I know this young lady?"
"Well you might. But you'll probably think I'm sick." Xander told him.
"Who is it?" Giles urged. Ever since Xander had come to him about his new power, Giles had felt a connection with the boy he had considered his son. Buffy and Willow had their own lives in college now, and he realized that he and Xander had a lot in common.
"Darla," Xander answered.
Giles narrowed his eyes at the boy and gave him a questioning look.
"I know, I know. It's impossible. Very, very impossible. But a guy can dream, and God knows I've been dreaming about her for a while now." Xander explained with a deep sigh.
Giles shook his head sadly. "Xander, I can't begin to tell you how impossible that is. For one, she's an evil vampire. And another is the fact that she's dead. Angel staked her in the Bronze remember?"
"I remember. But why am I dreaming about her all of a sudden? And yes, I realize that even if she was here, she'd only want to rip my throat out." Xander said in agreement.
Giles nodded. "She WAS the Master's favourite for four hundred years and I truly doubt it was because of her house cleaning skills."
"I know. But lately she's all I think about. Did you find anything about my powers yet?" Xander asked the Watcher, changing the subject a little.
Giles shook his head. "The only thing I found that came close to what you have was a power that a man had in 1974. It was a different kind of power, not like yours. He couldn't handle it, so he took off his own head with a guillotine."
"That's comforting, Giles. Really." Xander said with sarcasm clearly evident in his voice.
"I never said it would be easy. Maybe I should contact Angel about this. If anyone knows more about Darla, it's him." Giles offered.
"No! I don't want his help. I don't need his help. I'd rather do this on my own." Xander voiced with determination.
"Okay, okay. Did you have another dream about Darla or the Master?" Giles asked the boy.
Xander shook his head. "I didn't dream anything last night. I was up all night practising on levitating my remote control."
"Remember what I said. Don't use your powers too much. God knows who you could hurt with it." Giles cautioned as Xander stood up to leave.
"Well, I'm off." Xander announced as he walked towards the front door.
"Where are you going?"
"The party at Buffy's dorm. Riley doesn't want me there, so I'm going." Xander said with a half smile.
"I thought you weren't invited." Giles asked.
"I'm not. Bye." Xander said as he left Giles and his house, as he headed towards Buffy and Willow's dorm.
Like anyone would be I am flattered by your fascination with me
Like any hot blooded woman I have simply wanted an object to crave
But you you're not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight
Must be strangely exciting
To watch the stoic squirm
Must be somewhat heartening
To watch shepard meet shepherd
But you you're not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight
Like an uncharted territory
I must seem greatly intriguing
You speak of my love like
You have experienced one like mine before
But this is not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight
I dont think you unworthy
I need a moment to deliberate
"And that's how I saved everyone from the fire in the Grotto." Parker Abrams told the three teenaged girls as they sat in awe of his story.
Buffy and Willow overheard Parker tell the girls about how he rescued them from the fire before they walked into their dorm room. "That damn bastard. Taking the credit for what you did." Willow whispered to Buffy.
The Slayer shrugged. "Anyone that knows him would know that he's a piece of scum who shouldn't be taken seriously."
"Well, maybe I can put a spell on him or something. Maybe make him permanently impotent or something. Protect the world from future offspring." Willow offered as Buffy laughed.
"I'll get back to you on that one." Buffy said as they watched the other party guests mingle. She saw Xander enter the dorm room and she winced.
Buffy walked over to him, leaving Willow to talk to Tara.
"Xander. What are you doing here?" Buffy asked him. Xander forced a smile and shrugged.
"Well, since my 'best friends' forgot to send me an invitation to a party they were going to, I decided to crash it." Xander explained.
Buffy smiled sadly at him. "This party is just for college students. There's no townies allowed."
"Is that all I am to you now? A 'townie'?" Xander quizzed her.
Buffy squirmed under Xander's scrutinising gaze. She had to give him an answer.
"No of course not. It's just that..."
"Just what?" Xander pressed for an answer.
Buffy looked away. "It's just that you don't belong here."
Xander gave her a surprised and hurt look, but was distracted when Riley and his friends entered the dorm room.
"Buffy, the party's getting real cool out there. You wanna come?" Riley asked her but stopped when he saw her with Xander.
"Yeah, I'm coming. You might as well go home, Xander." Buffy told him softly before walking out of her room with Willow and Tara, leaving Riley glaring at Xander who stood there with his arms crossed.
Riley walked over to Xander and pushed him hard, causing Xander to fall backwards a couple of paces. Xander resisted the urge to use his powers on Buffy's boyfriend, for fear of killing him or fear of being exposed to The Initative.
"You have a lot of nerve coming here. Didn't I tell you to stay away? Nobody wants you here. Nobody." Riley told him angrily as he left Xander alone in Buffy and Willow's room.
Xander stood there alone in the room and looked on Buffy and Willow's dresser drawers. There were pictures of Giles, Oz and Riley, but none of him. Xander blinked back tears and sighed.
'They're not worthy of me crying over them.' Xander angrily thought to himself as he charged out of the dorm room and headed straight for a smiling Riley Finn who was talking to Forrest.
"What the hell do you want now, Harris?" Riley asked the psychokinetic teen, just before Xander hit him square in the face.
Riley clutched his face in pain as Xander pounded into him with his fists. Party guests watched and cheered on over the music as Riley hit Xander back twice in the face and once in the stomach. Xander was about to retaliate when Buffy grabbed his fist and twirled him around to face her.
"What the hell are you doing?!?!?" Buffy screamed at him as she let him go and rushed to Riley's side. Forrest merely shook his head in disgust as he watched Xander wipe away the blood from his lip.
"He pushed me too far." Xander claimed.
"He didn't do anything, you idiot. You just came charging in and started beating him up. Now get the hell out of here before campus security comes!" Buffy yelled at him.
Xander walked over to her but stopped when Buffy gave him a threatening glare.
"Buffy, I..." Xander started, but was cut off by Willow who had an equally disgusted look on her face.
"I think you better leave before she beats you up herself." Willow warned him.
Xander backed away from Buffy, Willow, Tara and Riley and walked out of the dorm as the party goers watched him leave.
"Men. They're all the same." Willow said to Tara, who just nodded silently and stared at the doorway that Xander had just passed through. Tara knew what Buffy and Willow never would. She knew that there was more than meets the eye with Xander Harris.
Darla sighed happily as she rode her lover in the darkness. Her hands caressed his naked chest as a small smile formed on her face. The man she was with couldn't be seen in the darkness of the bedroom as they groaned in ecstacy.
Light from the full moon shone through the bedroom window as the couple made love, exploring each other's bodies.
The moonlight that poured in from the window, shone on the man's face for no apparent reason, revealing it to be Xander.
Xander had his hands on her hips, holding her to him as she straddled him. He groaned underneath her from the pleasure and bucked upwards, causing her to moan louder as she thrust down on him in return.
Darla's face had a look of pure pleasure as her eyes opened and focused on Xander who smiled back up at her with love. She leaned towards him and kissed him hard and passionately, clutching his face in her hands as she slid her tongue into his mouth in a desperate need to taste him. Xander began to gently caress her soft breasts with his hands, his thumbs occasionally massaging her hardened nipples.
Darla stopped her kissing assault on Xander and leant back as she began to ride him quicker than before. Darla felt herself reach a climax as bounced lightly on her lover.
"Darling boy. So young. Still so very young." Darla cooed mysteriously with her face hidden in the darkness of the night as they reached their climax together, as the cool breeze drifted in through the open window which lightly shifted the curtains.
Xander woke up in his own bed from his dream and sighed in exasperation. That last dream felt so real, it was if it was actually happening. Was it because he was using his power more? Xander turned over to look at his alarm clock and groaned. It read 5:24 AM.
'Great. Now how the hell am I going to get to sleep after that?' Xander thought to himself. But in five minutes he was asleep again, dreaming of memories that weren't his.
Robert: We check out the area and wait for a time when it's clear.
Adam: What about the blood?
Robert: Someone goes to Walmart, gets some buckets, brushes, mops, Spic and Span, the works.
Adam: Have you ever done this before?
Robert: The reality is, you take away the horror of this situation, take away the tragedy of the death, take away the moral and ethical implications of all the crap you have had conditioned, beaten, into your head since grade one. What are we left with? What? A 115 lb. problem. 115 lbs. that must be moved from point A to point B. Now, a straight line in the shortest distance but we are denied the luxury of a visible straight line. But that line exists and I see it. I see that line. Trust me. Adam. Trust me... I can take care of this.
Security Guard: Hello? Hotel security
Robert: Hi, how are you?
Security Guard: You all didn't hear me knocking?
Robert: Yeah, we heard ya.
Security Guard: Yeah, you guys are making a lot of noise tonight. What is it? A toga party?
Robert: It's a bachelor party
Security Guard: Well, you're all gonna have to keep it down
Robert: Well, we will, we will. We absolutely will. Listen we're very very sorry, we apologise, we've been partying a little hard, but ah, we're all getting ready to go to sleep.
Guard sees the broken table in the living room.
Security Guard: hmmm, well this is going to be a problem. Someone's going to have to pay.
Robert: Here, let me take care of that first thing.
Security Guard: Yeah you will. What the hell gets into you people?
Robert: Drugs and alcohol (hands money to the Security Guard)
Security Guard: Well, I got no problem with that. (laughs)
Adam: How about a beer huh?
Security Guard: Nah, maybe some other time.
Robert: Well, we're very very sorry, we don't mean any disrespect to the hotel. We're very sorry.
Security Guard: Hey, don't worry about it. Don't worry about it at all.
Guard sees dead prostitute in the mirror
Security Guard: What the fuck is that?
The guys panic as the security guard makes his way to the open bathroom.
Charles: Sir, sir, before you go in there, let me explain. Can I just talk to you for one second, please?
Security Guard walks into the room and checks the dead prostitute
Charles: We were calling 911 right before you came, we swear.
An argument starts and Robert stabs the Security Guard in the chest with a corkscrew. Screaming, they push the Security Guard in the bathroom and lock the door behind him as he rushes to escape.
Robert: He'll bleed out, he'll bleed out.
The guard tries to push the door open but can't because of the men on the other side.
Robert: Die you sonofabitch!!
Security Guard: I'm bleeding!, I'm bleeding!
Spike cackled maliciously as he watched the movie on Giles' television. Giles walked into his living room and sighed as he realized that Spike was watching 'Very Bad Things' again.
"Don't you ever get tired of watching that drivel?" Giles asked him.
"Drivel? This ain't drivel. This is quality stuff. They don't make movies like this any more." Spike defended.
Giles laughed. "That's good."
"Prick." Spike muttered under his breath before laughing out loud as he turned back to the movie.
Buffy and Willow walked into the kitchen after Giles had let them in his house. Both were still pretty pissed off about what Xander did at the party. And they didn't waste time telling Giles about it either.
A knock on the front door was a relief to Giles as he walked away from the two gossiping girls and headed to the front door.
"Gee Spike, don't get up." Giles said sarcastically as the blonde vampire gave him the finger. The former Watcher opened the door and sighed inwardly when he saw that it was Xander.
Xander walked into Giles' apartment and waited for Giles to close the door.
"Guess what? Last night I had another one of those dreams. And let me tell you, this one was wild, wild stuff."
Xander told Giles but stopped from saying more when he saw Spike, Buffy and Willow watching the two men.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Buffy asked out of anger.
Xander rolled his eyes. "I came to see Giles. What are you doing here?"
"That's none of your concern." Buffy said nastily as she and Willow turned away from him and headed back into the kitchen.
Spike saw the interaction and grinned. "Well, well, well. How did you piss off those two? I heard that you got into a rumble with that Initiative dweeb. That couldn't be. You don't have the balls for that, which is why Anya comes to me to get shagged instead of you."
Xander chuckled at the vampire and Giles secretly hoped that Xander didn't unleash his power in his house again.
"Speaking of ex's, did I ever tell you of the time Drusilla tried to hit on me?" Xander asked Spike, who instantly looked at him with curiosity.
"What the hell are you talking about? You're not Dru's type." Spike smirked at him, thinking that the boy was bluffing.
Xander grinned back. "It was Valentine's Day and Drusilla kissed me. She saved me from Angelus. I don't know about you, but it REALLY turned me on when she twirled her tongue around in my mouth. You know the way she does it? It was incredible."
Spike was enraged at Xander. "You scum-sucking bastard!!!"
Spike jumped the couch and landed on Xander. He was about to pummel him with his fists, when he felt the familiar large burst of pain sear through his head like an icepick. Spike got off Xander and walked away to the kitchen, clutching his head in pain.
"Bloody bastard. Bloody goddamn bastard." Spike whined before he bumped into Willow.
Giles shook his head as he watched Xander laugh over Spike's pain. "Did you have fun?"
"Boy, did I ever. Spike had it coming anyway. Smug sonofabitch." Xander said as he sat down on the couch and turned off the movie that Spike was watching. Giles sat down next to him and waited for Xander to continue.
"You had another dream? What happened?" Giles asked as he remembered why Xander was there.
Xander blushed. "I don't know how much I want to tell you. It was me and Darla. And it was very hot."
"So it was probably just a normal, hormone induced dream. It probably meant nothing." Giles said in embarrasment.
"I doubt it. It felt like I was there. I could feel the breeze through the open window. I could feel Darla on me." Xander explained.
Giles shook his head in disbelief. "I don't know what to make of your power. These dreams aren't stopping. I referenced Lopar and I've come to the conclusion that he wasn't responsible for the power that you have."
Giles was about to say more, but stopped when he saw Buffy walk into the living room and approach Xander.
"Why the hell did you attack Riley last night? What did he ever do to you? Besides be my boyfriend." Buffy asked him heatedly.
Giles stood up. "Buffy, I don't think this is the right time."
"Wrong Giles. This is the perfect time." Buffy told him as Giles shook his head once more and left Buffy and Xander to talk it out in the lounge room.
Xander stood up from the couch and faced the girl he once had feelings for. "Riley got on my nerves. I don't like the moron, okay?"
"You don't like Riley? There's a shocker. First Angel and Riley. You seem to hate every guy I date." Buffy told him as she believed she knew why Xander was acting like that.
"I didn't have a problem with Scott Hope or Parker."
"I was with Scott for like a couple of weeks before he ended it. And I don't have to tell you what's wrong with Parker." Buffy threw back.
"So what?" Xander asked her.
Buffy nodded. "I knew it. You're jealous. I knew you had feelings for me, but I assumed it was just some stupid crush."
Willow heard the argument and walked into the living room where Spike simply stood in the doorway and watched with a smirk on his face.
"What's going on here?" Willow asked the pair.
"Xander is once more the jealous fool." Buffy insulted him.
Xander couldn't believe this. Buffy was being a total bitch for reasons he couldn't imagine.
"Do you still love Buffy or what?" Willow asked him. Even though she had Tara, she still got jealous whenever Xander was interested in someone other than her.
"I don't see how it's any of your business if I was. Which I'm not. It couldn't be further from the truth." Xander shot back at Willow.
Willow threw him a disbelieving stare. "It isn't because we want you out of the group for awhile is it? Because it's for your own good."
"For my own good? Where the hell do you come off by saying that? If it weren't for me, you would all be dead by now." Xander argued with her.
"Don't attack Willow. It's not her fault that you're an incompetent idiot." As soon as Buffy let those words out of her mouth, she regretted it. Xander's look of surprised hurt, made both Willow and Buffy feel guilty. He didn't say anything back at them, he just thought of shutting them up until the television exploded. Xander walked out of Giles' apartment and to his car, ignoring Giles' requests to come back inside.
"Well, I hope that you're happy." Giles said to them enraged.
"I certainly am." Spike said with a wide grin.
"Out!!!" Giles yelled out at Spike. The vampire gave him a look of surprise.
"It's daylight out there." Spike said to the former Watcher.
"Take a coat." Giles threw back as Spike grumbled and took the nearest long coat and wrapped it around himself before he ran out of the apartment, shielding himself from the sun's rays.
Giles closed his front door and turned to Buffy and Willow. Their guilty expressions were not going to stop Giles from telling them exactly what he thought of them and their mistreatment of their 'best friend'.
"How did your TV explode?" Buffy asked Giles.
Giles ignored her question. "I cannot believe that you two can treat Xander like he was something you stepped in. Willow. You and Xander have been friends since childhood, and you've basically dumped him in favor of your college life. Did it ever occur to you two that Xander has been feeling left out? Did it ever occur to you that excluding Xander may be telling him that he's not needed? Not wanted?"
"Giles..." Buffy started but Giles cut her off.
"Don't you dare interrupt me on this one. I have sat there and I have listened to you two badmouth that young man for everything. From Angel to Riley. To a lot of other things. You don't realize what a powerful ally you have in Xander. And it's just sad and disgusting to see that you two have snobbed him out of your lives." Giles finished.
"Powerful ally?" Willow asked softly. She still felt the tidal wave of guilt and shame flow through her as she realized the damage she caused to to her relationship with Xander.
"I shouldn't have said anything." Giles answered.
"But you did. So, spill. What's going on? Is Xander in danger?" Buffy asked. She too felt the guilt and it bothered her immensely that she treated someone she loved like that. But she loved him like a friend. Right?
"Xander made the television explode didn't he?" Willow asked Giles. When the two girls saw Giles' expression, their fear escalated.
"I can't believe this. Xander has powers? Why didn't he tell us? We could have used his powers in the slaying." Buffy said angrily. Giles shook his head. "It's not my place to say. You're going to have to ask Xander. Personally, I don't blame him for keeping it secret. And one more thing. Do not tell Riley about this. After the altercation Xander had with Riley, this could be just the excuse Riley would need to get him experimented on."
"Riley wouldn't do that." Buffy said in defence.
"Yeah, well in any case you shouldn't be treating someone who's supposed to be your best friend like this. It's bad enough that Anya left him for Spike, you two rejecting him is the last thing he needed." Giles told them.
"Anya dumped him for Spike? Where was I?" Willow asked herself out loud.
"There's a lot going on with Xander lately that you two have no idea of." Giles said mysteriously as Buffy and Willow left Giles' house in search of Xander.
Buffy looked at Willow. "Where would he be? Does he still live at home? I can't remember."
"I think he still does. Oh boy. It's Riley." Willow pointed to Riley's direction as they saw him walk up to them with a smile on his face, despite the black eye.
"What's happening?" Riley asked them as he kissed Buffy.
"Giles just gave us a serve about Xander." Buffy told him.
"Xander? Why would your Watcher waste his time on a loser like that?" Riley asked them.
Buffy and Willow looked at him and suddenly realized that maybe Xander wasn't so wrong about Riley after all.
"He's not a loser. He's got more going on than any of us." Buffy told her boyfriend as the three walked off to Riley's jeep.
"What about Xander?" Buffy asked Willow.
"We can see him later, I guess. He's not going anywhere." Willow told her friend.
Riley chuckled. "That's for sure." Riley started before starting up the jeep and the three took off back to the college dorms.
Giles watched them leave from his window. He shook his head sadly as he saw them leave.
"Xander needs better friends than the ones he has now." Giles told himself.
Angelus walked into a small house blindfolded just before Darla followed him in. She shut the door and grinned at him.
"Can I take off this blindfold yet?" Angelus asked his Sire.
Darla looked at him and teasingly replied, "No."
Angelus thought of something else and grabbed Darla around the waist. "Can I take off something else?"
"After I give you your present." Darla told him and then they kissed. "You can never have enough of those. Come on." She told him before she led him into another room, and then took his blindfold off. A fire burned in the fireplace and they looked down to the floor and Angelus's eyes lit up as he saw a girl who was lying bound and gagged in front of the fire.
"Happy birthday, Angelus." Darla told him happily.
Angelus looked at the bound girl. "She is a gypsy."
Darla nodded. "I looked everywhere."
"What would I do without you?" Angelus asked her with an evil smile.
Darla looked at him and smiled back. "Wither and die," she told him before they kissed again. Darla stepped away from Angelus and watched the girl on the floor.
"She is not just for you - I get to watch." Angelus leant down over the girl and grinned at her shivering form. He pushed her skirt up while she squirmed, then he vamped out and bit her thigh while Darla watched.
The girl screamed out in pain through her gag and Darla cackled in glee. Angelus bit in harder but stopped when he heard Darla gasp. He looked up at his Sire and noticed that her attention was directed to the doorway. Angelus peered over as well, to see what had distracted Darla and saw Xander Harris standing at the entrance.
"Kill him." Angelus told his Sire. Darla didn't move. She just stared at Xander with a calm expression in her eyes.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause this. I didn't mean to. I was forced to be this way." Darla told Xander with sorrow so clear in her voice. Angelus watched the events take place and shrugged as he faced his present once more and bit into her throat.
"Go now! Before Liam comes for you! Hurry!" Darla screamed at Xander as Angelus jumped up off the floor and started to make his way towards Xander, blood dripping off his demonic face.
Xander closed his eyes quickly and willed himself to wake up.
Xander woke up with a start. He sighed as he threw the blankets off his sweaty body. He shivered as he thought about that dream. Or was it a nightmare? Was this real? Was this a part of 'wonderful, fantastic Angel'? Liam? Was that his real name? Xander's mind was filled with information. Whether it was the truth or just his dream he didn't know.
The only way he would know for sure would be to ask Angel himself and it was something that he had no plan to do.
1753
Darla walked up to Angelus's fresh grave late at night. A hand suddenly broke through the earth as he slowly clawed his way out. Darla waited and watched with a smile.
She helped the young vampire to his feet. "Welcome to my world. It hurts, I know, but not for long. Birth is always painful." Darla told him.
Angelus stood still and Darla noted that he was breathing hard. "I could feel them...above me...as I slept in the earth. Their heartbeats...their blood...coursing...through their veins."
Darla smiled evilly. "Yes."
Angelus looked at her. "Was it a dream?"
"A dream for you. Soon...their nightmare." Darla said with a grin.
Suddenly, they were interrupted by a grounds keeper who came up to the two of them with a lit lantern in his hand.
"You there!" The grounds keeper called out to the pair and then stopped as he saw the disturbed grave. "What have you done?...Grave robbers!"
Angelus slowly walked towards him, and then turned around and looked back at Darla who nodded at him.
"You know what to do." Darla told him.
Angelus turned back to the grounds keeper and morphed into his new vamp face.
The man was afraid when he saw the demon approach him. "Our Father, who art in heaven hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, give us this day our daily..." He screamed as Angelus bit him.
After a moment Angelus broke off to look at Darla again, then finished draining his first victim and dropped him. He took a couple of deep breaths and then turned back to Darla in human face.
Darla looked at him with a smile. "It all makes sense now, doesn't it?"
Angelus nodded. "Perfect sense."
"You can do anything, have anyone in the village. Who will it be?" Darla said with eagerness. Angelus looked at her.
"Any one?"
Darla nodded with excitement.
"I thought I'd take the village."
"Where's the moronic patrol?" Xander asked Giles. He was referring to Buffy and the others. Of course Giles knew what Xander meant. Buffy and Willow had been acting extremely poorly lately.
"I believe they went to a party on campus." Giles said to him.
"Again? Didn't they just have a party?" Xander asked in surprise.
"Well, I guess they're having another one." Giles said tiredly.
Xander sighed in frustration. "Does Buffy even patrol anymore or what?"
Giles looked at him and shrugged. "I don't know. She probably does. She's just caught up in a lot of things right now."
"And they're more important than saving people's lives?" Xander asked in surprise.
Giles shook his head. "Of course not. The Initiative are doing most of the patrols anyway."
"I wish you'd stop making excuses for her. For Willow too. They're just as bad as each other." Xander said angrily.
Giles nodded and turned back to his books. After Xander had come to his home once again and told him of the two new dreams he had last night, the older man was busy trying to figure out what the latest dream meant.
"I think that what you dreamed last night was another vision or portent of the past. The fact that you first dreamt of the Master and now Angel..."
"I didn't plan on dreaming that. Do you think I want to dream about that bastard?" Xander demanded angrily.
Giles nodded in agreement. "I know you wouldn't. Believe me, he's the last person I want to see too."
Xander knew what the former Watcher was talking about. Because of the long winded Buffy and Angel romance, Giles lost Jenny and was subsequently tortured.
"Was there anything else in the dreams that you haven't told me?" Giles asked him. Xander thought about it long and hard. "Well, I saw Angel rise out of the grave. I saw him kill his first victim. Um, I saw...I can't remember parts of it. But I DO remember something. Darla called him 'Liam' when Angel was coming to kill me after he killed the gypsy woman."
"'Liam'?" Giles asked in surprise.
"Yeah. It wouldn't surprise me if that was his real name."
"Why wouldn't it surprise you?" Giles asked again.
Xander shrugged. "Well, he never told us much of anything did he? He was always cryptic. He and Buffy were together for over two years. Does she even know his last name? Anything about his family life?"
"I presume that it would be a bit painful to talk about his family, considering he killed them." Giles said fairly.
"Yeah but still. He could have said SOMETHING about them. It isn't hard." Xander threw back.
"Did you tell Cordelia about your parents?" Giles asked him.
"Yeah. What do you think she told everyone in school after she dumped me?" Xander said in annoyance.
Giles nodded. "Sorry, I forgot."
Xander shrugged. "It doesn't matter anymore. I'm planning on moving out today anyway."
"What??" Giles asked in shock.
"There's nothing keeping me here. My parents treat me like I don't exist, my so-called friends treat me like some loser. There was a long time where they made me feel like I was a loser. That I couldn't accomplish anything. But I know now that they're wrong. I am more powerful than any of them combined. They need ME more than I need them." Xander said with confidence.
Giles shook his head. "You can't leave. We don't know what your dreams and powers mean yet."
"I don't care. I can't stay in this town anymore. It's killing me. I have to get away. Away from Buffy, away from Willow, from my parents." Xander said in exasperation.
Giles nodded in understanding. "Will you let me know where you are when you get there?"
"Yeah. Just don't tell the others. I want to be alone." Xander said as he walked out of Giles' house and towards his car. He walked past Willow and Buffy and ignored their calls out to him as he got in his car and drove away.
Buffy and Willow felt guilty for the way they treated him and wanted to make amends for it. But so far, they had no such luck. The afternoon party at their dorm room didn't help matters either.
"I'll go in and see Giles. Why don't you go see Xander?" Buffy suggested. Willow nodded and headed for Xander's house. Buffy walked up to Giles' house and knocked on the door.
"Xander?" Giles asked as he opened the door. His face fell in disappointment when he saw that it was just Buffy.
"Don't be so disappointed." Buffy said as Giles let her inside. She stopped inside the main hallway and just stared at her Watcher and waited for him to turn around and face her. When he did, she asked the two questions that had been recently bugging her.
"What's wrong with Xander? And what kind of powers does he have?"
Willow made it to Xander's house and knocked on the front door. She, sighing as she realized that Xander probably wouldn't want to see her, after the way she had been treating him lately. But she saw his car in the driveway, so she knew he was home.
Willow knocked once more and waited for a couple more minutes, before walking around to the basement, remembering that there used to be a spare key under the mat. Willow paused when she got to the basement windows. She peered in and saw something seriously disturbing. Xander was moving things around in his room with his powers, and the scene made her jaw drop in shock.
"Not even Amy had this much power." She whispered to herself as she walked to the basement door and knocked loudly.
Xander opened the door and looked at her innocently. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to apologise. Do you live in here?" Willow asked him in surprise.
"Yeah. My parents charge me rent and demand that I pay for any food that I take. Anything else you want to know?" Xander snapped.
Willow walked inside the basement and took a look around. "I saw you moving things around telepathically. Giles said you had a power but said that we had to ask you first. Why didn't you tell me about this?"
"Why? So I could become a part of the team again? That you'd start hanging around me more? I used to be blind to you and Buffy, but not anymore. I know when I'm being used, and you people make me sick!" Xander raged at her, making her jump.
Willow's guilt was eating her up alive. She didn't know how much it had effected him until just now. She could only wish that she could go back in time and reverse this from happening. "You don't have much stuff down here. Is it all in your old room?"
"No. It's mostly in my car. I'm leaving town and I won't be back."
Buffy sat down in shock. "I can't believe this."
"Believe it. I'm pretty sure he has enough power to split this town in two." Buffy looked down at the carpet. "Is there anything we can do?"
"No, I don't think so. It's as permanent as your slaying powers and Willow's powers. So, I guess you'll just have to accept the fact that he is just as good as you." Giles snipped.
Buffy was confused. "Don't be so harsh. I didn't mean to act like that."
"Well, it doesn't matter whether you meant to act like that or not. The fact is, you did. And because of that, Xander's leaving town for good." Giles said with a sigh.
"What?!? He can't leave!" Buffy said loudly.
"Why can't he? What's keeping him here?" Giles asked her as he basically repeated the question that Xander himself asked him not too long ago.
"Because...because I need him." Buffy admitted.
Giles nodded. "Is that all?"
"Uh, well...I think I'm in love with him. Scratch that. I AM in love with him. That's why I didn't want him to get hurt. And that's probably why Riley is so harsh with Xander. I'm pretty sure he suspects." Buffy replied with a defeated sigh.
Giles shook his head. "You're in love with Xander? You show it so well." He chuckled sarcastically.
"He was with Anya. I still can't believe she left him for Spike."
"He tends to lose girls to vampires a lot doesn't he? Anyway, Xander told me it wasn't working anyway. He's been having dreams of..." Giles stopped himself as he realized what he was going to say next. He could see that it was too late to conceal it, because Buffy had that look on her face that told him that he had to tell her or else.
"Xander's been dreaming of prophecies. Not really prophecies mind you. More like things that have happened in the past." Giles corrected himself.
"Oh my God. This has to be connected with his powers." Buffy exclaimed as she realized what Giles was saying.
Giles nodded. "I believe that too. Remember those dreams you were having about Angel last Christmas? Where you went into his past and saw his memories in his dreams?"
Buffy nodded in fear. This couldn't be good news.
"Well, Xander's been dreaming of Angel's Sire. Darla. He dreamt of her as a human when she got turned by the Master. He saw Angelus rise from his grave and take his first victim and he saw him kill the Gypsy girl. Xander said that Darla called Angel, 'Liam'. Do you know anything about this?" Giles asked her.
The Slayer was in shock. She couldn't process all this information at once. It was too much. Buffy couldn't believe that Xander saw all this in his dreams. He was supposed to be the normal one. The one that stayed behind the sidelines and fetched them the doughnuts, while the others battled. Buffy knew that that was now in the past.
"I've always assumed that Angel was his real name."
"What about his last name?" Giles fired another question toward her.
Buffy shook her head. "I don't think I even know his last name." Giles grinned inwardly. Once again, Xander was right. After two years of being together with Angel, Buffy knew next to nothing about him.
It made him curious as he wondered what their relationship was actually based on.
"Why is Xander dreaming of Darla?" Buffy asked in a slight case of jealousy.
Giles shook his head in defeat. "I haven't figured that one out yet. He's leaving today though."
"What?!? I have to try and stop him." Buffy said as she rushed out of Giles' house and running towards Xander's house.
Willow paced back and forth. "And THAT is why you're leaving? I'm sorry but that's not good enough."
Xander looked at her in a mixture of surprise and anger. "Who the hell are you to tell me what I should do with my life? You stopped having an influence with my life when you left me behind to get your relationship back on track with Oz."
"I didn't want him to leave me. What we did was a mistake." Willow said to him.
Xander laughed. "No kidding it was a mistake. I lost Cordelia because of that goddamn error. Were you or Buffy ever there for me when Cordelia and the others were putting me through hell?!? Huh?!?"
"Don't yell at me." Willow said softly.
"Oh poor you. Oz dumped you for a week and a half, without teasing you and making your life a complete misery. At least you two got back together. At least you had Buffy in your corner. Who did I have in my corner?? NO ONE!!! That's who!" Xander yelled furiously.
Willow didn't say anything as a reply. She just let Xander get it off his chest.
"Do you know how many nights I fantasised of slitting my wrists because of what I was going through? And during that darkest time of my life, you and the rest of my so-called friends suddenly decided that I was of no use to the group. The only frigging thing I was good for was shopping for doughnuts!" Xander kept yelling as the windows started to rattle and the doors shook due from his suppressed rage.
Willow realized what Xander was subconsciously doing and knew she had to calm him down. "I didn't know you were feeling like that. No one did. I'm not a mind reader, Xander. Why didn't you say something?"
"All my stupid comments, my jokes. I would have figured that would be obvious. DID I HAVE TO SPELL IT OUT FOR YOU?!?" Xander screamed aloud as the windows suddenly burst inward, showering the two teens in small shards of glass. Neither of them were hurt as they brushed the glass off their clothes.
Willow sat down on the bed in guilt. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"And while we're reliving the past here, what about Christmas? You know damn well what my parents do on Christmas Eve. Did you invite me to stay over at your place? Did Buffy? No. I spent all night in the backyard in my sleeping bag, hoping that some vampire would find me. Instead, I get snowed on." Xander said less angrily. He didn't want the house to collapse on him.
"Was there anything else?" Willow asked in tears.
"Actually yeah, there is. What the hell was your problem with the Chumash Indians? I was dying slowly and horribly from every disease known to man. And YOUR main concern was the preservation of some ancient ghost that has already lived his life. WHAT ABOUT YOUR OLDEST FRIEND, HUH?!? WHERE WAS YOUR GODDAMN HUMANITY?!?" Xander raged at her, as he felt the anger rise within him once more.
He cooled himself down as he realized his remaining boxes that weren't in his car, were rocking back and forth, the contents falling out of them and onto the floor. "And when Oz left and you decided to drink your problems away? I tried to help you and you ended up insulting me. On both counts. Your pain was greater than mine?!? Give me a frigging break here. You've had it easy. So your parents hardly notice you at times. Big deal. My parents abuse me and treat me like shit. Look where I've been living for god's sake." Xander said calmly.
Willow was sitting on the bed, shaking from her tears. She suddenly knew what Xander was going through. The way they were treating him.
"This is where I leave you. Forever." Xander told her.
Xander left her to her crying as he picked up the two remaining boxes after putting the fallen contents back into them. He carried them out of the basement and walked to his car, where he put them in the trunk, before noticing Buffy come running up to him.
"Xander! Wait!" Buffy yelled out as she caught up to him. Xander slammed the car trunk shut with his mind, causing Buffy to stop in shock. This was the first time that she saw the result of his new power. And it scared her immensely.
"Wow. That's like Carrie isn't it?" Buffy joked, trying to lighten the mood.
Xander wasn't interested in kidding around. "What do you want Buffy?"
"I came to apologise. And to stop you from making the biggest mistake of your life. You can't leave. Giles is researching your power. He can't help you if you're not here." Buffy told him.
"Giles told you did he?" Xander asked her.
"I dragged it out of him."
Xander shook his head. "I'm surprised you want to start talking to me now. Usually when there's someone better than you around, you treat them like garbage. Kendra, Faith. What's the next step Buffy? Telling Riley about me? Give the Initiative a new guinea pig to cut up and see what makes me tick?"
"They won't do anything with me here. Riley wouldn't dare. Professor Walsh wouldn't dare." Buffy said, trying to convince him.
Xander laughed. "I truly doubt it. Riley would just love the excuse to cut me down."
"I won't let it happen. I can't lose you." Buffy told him honestly.
Xander shook his head. "You can't lose me? What the hell does that mean? I'm the incompetent idiot, remember? I am this close to becoming invisible because of my so-called friends ignoring me, pretending I don't exist."
"You're not an idiot. I was wrong. I'm in love with you." Buffy said. Xander stared at her, and Buffy thought that he would cave in. She knew he had feelings for her, and she could only hope that those feelings were still there.
"You are one sad person." Xander said softly as he started to walk away from her.
"What? I thought you loved me."
"There was once a time when I did. Before you rejected me in favor of a vampire. A vampire that would give you more angst and pain than anything else. I could have made you happy. Instead, you chose the rebel. The dark, handsome stranger. Girls always do that. They always fall for the guys that treat them like garbage. Who sleep with them once and then dump them. While the good guys like me have to wait in the sidelines, hoping to catch a girl's eye, has to wait endlessly and watch as they crash and burn. I stood around and watched as you fell for every other guy EXCEPT me." Xander said with bitterness.
"I couldn't help who I was in love with at the time." Buffy told him.
Xander nodded. "That's why I didn't hold it against you. But it doesn't explain why you used me in that dance at the Bronze. That would be like me, using Willow at the dance to make someone else jealous. It was cruel and it was evil, and you have never apologised for it. NEVER!!"
Buffy winced as she felt his anger coming off him in droves. His telekinetic power shook the next door neighbour's car, sending the car alarm off.
"Sending me out on doughnut missions. Making me feel useless. You, Willow and the others made me feel like scum. Not even scum gets treated as bad as the way you've treated me. When I was sick with all those diseases, you were more worried with Thanksgiving dinner than to save my life. Do you know who the only people who were concerned for me apart from me were? Anya and Giles. And now Anya has left me for Spike." Xander explained bitterly.
Buffy looked at him. "I should have treated you better. We've been best friends for almost three years now."
"We were never friends, Buffy. You're Willow's friend. I just came with the package."
The Slayer shook her head. "That's not true. And anyway, the reason I didn't want you involved much was because I didn't want you to get hurt. I care for you too much to see you die."
"It's too little, too late. I'm leaving now and there's nothing that will change my mind." Xander said as he got into his car.
"I love you!" Buffy cried out desperately.
"It's too late." Xander responded as he started his car and drove away from his home for the last time in his life. Xander left Willow and Buffy behind as he drove past the Sunnydale sign. He didn't know why, but for some reason, he had to go away. To leave Sunnydale for somewhere else.
And for some reason, he chose Los Angeles.
Buffy, Willow and Tara walked to Giles' house as they talked about what happened with Xander. Buffy and Willow had waited around Xander's house for his parents to arrive. It didn't take the two girls too long to realize that Xander's home life wasn't the best. In fact the lack of concern on his parent's faces when Buffy told them what happened with Xander had made her realize some of the frustration and angst that Xander had had to live with for nineteen years.
"I can't believe his parents would be like that." Tara said in surprise.
Willow nodded. "I know. I always knew his parents weren't the nicest of people, but I didn't think they were like that."
"I was sorely tempted to beat his father up. It might have eased off some of my guilt." Buffy admitted. She felt horrible for the neglectful way she and the others had treated him. The fact that they did that to him for so long made her sick to her stomach.
"His power is immense. I thought for sure the house would be ripped off of the foundations when he got angry." Willow said thoughtfully as she remembered.
Buffy nodded. "He set off some car alarms when I was talking to him outside."
Tara didn't look surprised at that revelation which made Buffy and Willow curious.
"What?" She asked the two of them.
"Did you know about this?" Willow asked her.
Tara shrugged. "I picked up on a vibe one time. He has a lot of power. I think it might have been with him since birth, I'm not sure."
Willow was stunned. "He never did anything supernatural when we were kids. I would have remembered something like that."
"Maybe it started to happen after he got knocked unconscious by Lopar. But Giles doesn't seem to think so. Whatever it is, it can't be good. He also said that ever since Xander has gotten his power, he's also been having dreams of Darla." Buffy told the two witches.
"Darla?" Willow asked in confusion.
"Angel's sire. Remember? She tried to shoot me with those two guns in the Bronze? She bit my mother?" Buffy asked, trying to jog her friend's memory.
"Oh yeah, Darla. She's the one that fed off Jesse. Why would Xander be dreaming of her all of a sudden?" Willow asked suspiciously.
Buffy shrugged. "I don't know. But it can't be good. Giles told me some things that Xander told him about the dreams. Things about the Master's past, things about Angel's past. Things that he would NEVER have known otherwise. It can't be good."
The trio made it to Giles' house and Willow knocked on the door. It took a couple of minutes, but Giles opened the door and saw the three girls standing there in the darkness of the night. Giles invited them in and they walked into the living room where they found Anya and Spike sitting on the couch watching the news and laughing at the latest plane crash victims.
"I hate to break up your sick idea of fun, but this is more important." Buffy said as she turned off the television with the remote control. Spike and Anya groaned in disappointment as the newscaster was about to tell the viewers the body count. Giles came back into the living room after locking the front door and saw everyone crowded around.
"Xander's gone isn't he?" Giles asked sadly.
Buffy nodded. "No thanks to any of us."
"Me? I was the only one giving him some respect around here." Giles exclaimed in defence. Willow and Buffy looked towards the ground while Anya was confused and Spike grinned as he watched the scene unfold. Tara merely stood by and watched it all happen.
"So, he left you huh? I was wondering when he'd get sick and tired of being dicked around by you people." Spike said as he chuckled. Anya hit him in the arm and he laughed harder.
"Spike this isn't the time." Giles cautioned the chipped vampire.
Spike chuckled some more. "Well at least he's stopped hanging around you people like a fly. It was bloody pathetic watching you morons throw occasional scraps his way like a mangy dog. And his parents...man were they tough. Let's just say that they're the only humans I could actually get along with. Apart from Anya over here."
Anya grinned and bit his neck playfully. Buffy and the others turned away from the couple and thought about what they had done.
"What do we do?" Anya asked after she stepped away from her horny boyfriend.
"There's nothing we CAN do. Xander's gone. And unless he told you two where he was going...?" Giles asked Buffy and Willow who shook their heads sadly.
"It looks like we may have lost him for good then. Well, Xander did say that he'll call me when he gets settled in somewhere," Giles said with remorse as he sat down with a sigh.
Willow turned to Buffy. "I can't believe the way I treated him. He was SO angry with me in his house this afternoon. The way that I treated him. We were supposed to be best friends and I didn't even know he was living in the basement."
Buffy nodded. "I know. I didn't know either. I feel horrible."
"Serves you losers right." Spike said with a laugh.
"Hey Spike. Do you know if 'Angel' is Angel's real name or what?" Buffy asked the vampire.
Spike stared at her. "What the hell do I care what the fag's name is. I hate his guts."
"Tell us now." Buffy ordered.
Spike stared at her with an evil smirk. "Or what? Huh? What are you gonna do if I don't?"
"If you don't help us, you'll wake up the next morning with a soul." Buffy threatened him.
Spike was scared by the prospect of becoming like Angel and it was enough for him to help them. "Alright fine! I'll help. Frigging bastards. I only know him as 'Angel' or 'Angelus' okay?"
"What do we do?" Giles asked Buffy.
Buffy shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe hire a private investigator?"
"Where would we start looking?" Tara asked everyone.
"Everywhere." Willow told her girlfriend.
It's just heartbreaking
I should have known that it would let me down
It's just a mind aching
I used to dream about this town
Xander came out on stage in the crowded strip club, wearing a business suit that instantly got the women's attention.
It was a sight to see
The place to be,
Where the living is easy
And the kicks can always be found
The women screamed in excitement as Xander took off his suit and flung it into the crowd. He continued to dance on stage with the music pumping as he ripped off his shirt and also threw that into the crowd.
It's such a shame about it
I used to think that it would feel so good
But who's to blame about it
So many creeps in Hollywood
I'm in this dumb motel
Nea the 'Taco Bell'
Without a hope in hell
I can't believe that I'm still around
Ain't nothin new in my life today
Ain't nothing true it's all gone away
Emily and Sarina came into the strip club as they waited for their friend to park their car.
"What's taking her so long? She's missing out on all the goodies," Sarina said to her friend who couldn't move her eyes away from a shirtless Xander on stage.
"He's new." Emily said aloud.
"Definately a hottie." Sarina said in agreement.
I've had too much cryin', seen too much grief
I'm sick of tryin' it's beyond belief
I'm tired of talking on the telephone
They're trying to tell me that they're not at home
Ain't nothing new in my life today
I'm tired of walking from place to place
I've yet to come across a friendly face
And now the words sound familiar, as them slam the door
You're not what we're looking for.
Xander tried to look out into the crowd of screaming women, to see if he could see anyone familiar. He then decided it would be stupid that he would find someone he knew in a women's strip club.
Ain't nothing new in my life today
Ain't nothing true it's all gone away
If we only had time, only had time for you
If we only had time, only had time for you
If we only had time, only had time for you
Cordelia Chase walked into the strip club and quickly found her friends who were standing at the back and cheering on the male stripper.
"Oh, there you are. What took you so long?" Emily asked her.
Cordelia shrugged her shoulders as she brushed some hair out of her face. "It's hard to find a parking spot in this place."
"Check out the new guy on stage." Sarina prodded her friend as Cordelia looked out onto the stage and what she saw made her jaw drop open in surprise.
"Oh my god."
It was a heartbreaking
Now I ride in the big fine car
It was mind aching
I'm the talk of the boulevard
So keep your chin up boy
Forget the pain
I know you'll make it
If you try again
Xander ripped off the last of his clothing and it only caused the crazed women scream louder as they cheered and clapped and threw money onto the stage. Cordelia put her hand in front of her eyes so that she couldn't see his nakedness, but curiosity got the better of her and she peeked through her fingers.
She was amazed.
There's no use in quitting When the world is waiting for you
Xander took a bow and left the stage as the women cheered him on. The music stopped and waited for the next dancer.
"That guy was blessed." Sarina said in awe.
Cordelia nodded. "I know him."
"What?" Emily asked him.
"I know him. That's my ex. Xander Harris. Remember I told you about him?" Cordelia refreshed her friend's memories.
Sarina nodded in confirmation. "Yeah that's right. You didn't tell us that he was hung."
Cordelia flushed in embarrasment. "Well, we never actually got that far. He cheated on me by kissing his best friend and I dumped him after that."
"I bet you're regretting that now." Emily said with a grin.
Cordelia shrugged. "Kind of." She said with a laugh, then turned serious. "I have to see him."
"I bet." Sarina murmured as they watched Cordelia head outside when she saw Xander go through the exit after being paid, dressed better than she had ever seen before. She tried to call out to him but he was already in his car and didn't hear her as he drove away to his apartment.
Cordelia stood in the one spot as she watched him disappear amidst the traffic.
"Great, Cordelia. Just great." She said to herself before walking back into the strip club to join her friends. She bumped into the manager of the club and decided to ask him some questions.
"That guy that was just dancing here. Is he new?" Cordelia asked him.
The manager chuckled. "A fan, huh? Yeah we got a lot of replies for Alexander."
"Alexander? Oh right. Xander." Cordelia said to herself.
"Yeah he's new. Just started today. Why?" the Manager asked suspiciously.
Cordelia shrugged. "You wouldn't happen to have his address on hand would you?"
The manager laughed. "Sorry babe, but we don't work that way. You come for the show and that's it. Anything else is on their terms. He'll be here tomorrow as well."
"Fine. I'll be back." Cordelia told him before she walked back to her friends who were watching her with curiosity.
Xander walked into his dingy Los Angeles apartment as he shut the front door and sighed as he sat down in a second hand couch. He stared at the cheque he got from his stripping gig. The amount was quite large and would help pay the bills for several months.
'Good thing I took up stripping or else I'd be in the streets,' Xander thought to himself.
He thought back to the promise he made to Giles and decided it was the best time to call him now and tell him he was alright. But he debated whether or not to tell him where he lived.
Xander stuck his hand out, and the phone that was sitting on the other side of the room flew into his hand like a bird coming home to roost. Xander smiled to himself as he picked up the receiver and dialled Giles' phone number and waited for the older man to pick up.
"Hello?" Giles answered.
"Giles? It's Xander." Xander said simply into the phone.
He heard Giles breathe a sigh of relief over the phone line. He waited for the former Watcher to continue.
"Uh...how are things? Where are you? Are you alright?" Giles asked him in a friendly voice.
Xander looked around his small apartment. "I'm alright. Got a low rent apartment and...a job. I guess it can be classified as a job. And I'm not sure whether I should tell you where I am."
"Why not?" Giles asked him in disappointment. Although he was glad that Xander had a roof over his head and had a job that would pay the bills, he was still concerned about the boy whom he deemed a son.
"I just don't want to see Buffy or Willow. Not yet. I want to make it on my own. And I'm sure that if they knew where I was, they would come after me." Xander explained.
"Okay, that's understandable. Have you had any more dreams?" Giles asked him.
Xander relaxed. "No, not yet. I'm about to go to sleep soon anyway, so I'll let you know tomorrow?"
"They're happening every night now?" Giles asked in surprise.
"Yeah." Xander answered.
"Oh dear. Well, call me tomorrow as soon as you can." Giles told him as they said their goodbyes and hung up the phone. Xander stood up and walked over to the stand and put the phone back in it's place. He made sure the front door was locked and secure before walking into his bedroom to get some sleep. Tomorrow was another day and he wanted to be refreshed. But it also didn't hurt that he'd be seeing Darla again.
Cordelia walked into the Angel Investigations office and found the ensouled vampire in his small office reading an old looking book.
"This you're not going to believe." Cordelia said as she interrupted him.
Angel looked up from his book. "Cordelia, nice to see you too."
She ignored him as she sat down in the chair. "Guess what?"
"I'm too old for guessing games. Just tell me." Angel said impatiently. He wanted to get through this book before sunrise reared it's ugly head.
"Xander's here in town." Cordelia said bluntly as Angel stared at her.
"Xander's here? How do you know?" He asked her.
Cordelia thought for awhile before answering. "Well, Sarina, Emily and I went to a stri...book reading session. And at that book reading session we found Xander on the stage flashing what God gave him."
"He was flashing himself in a book reading session?" Angel asked as he smirked, wanting to play along with Cordelia's 'deception'.
She sighed. "They took me to a strip club alright? I didn't really want to go but they made me. Anyway, I found out from the manager that Xander works there as a male stripper."
"I wonder if Buffy knows of his little career." Angel said lightly.
Cordelia shrugged. "Who knows? Who cares. I tried to talk to Xander but he didn't hear me. He was already in his car and had driven off before I could stop him."
"Well maybe if you go to the strip club again, you'll have better luck. Now if you'll excuse me I have some reading to do." Angel said as he turned back to his book.
Cordelia got up out of the seat and walked towards the door before she turned back and faced the vampire. "Aren't you supposed to be protecting the streets?"
Angel looked at her and seriously considered throwing the book at her.
Darla watched many people walk by in the dark streets. She turned to Xander and smiled.
"I knew you would find me."
Xander shook his head. "Where are you?"
"Closer than you think. I can feel you breathe. I know your fantasies. And I know that you love me." Darla told him with a grin.
"How do you know?" Xander asked her. Darla stood back from him and morphed into her demonic guise. She approached him and licked his cheek before kissing him hungrily.
"Because you're not afraid."
"Should I be afraid?" Xander asked with a smile.
Darla shook her head. "It's not me you should be afraid of."
Marching footsteps could be heard as Xander heard them approach where he and Darla were standing. He couldn't see who they were but he knew that he and Darla were in trouble. Xander turned back to face Darla but couldn't find her. The marching footsteps slowed down and disappeared entirely.
"Darla? Where are you?" Xander whispered into the darkness.
Her voice came from nowhere and everywhere at once, whispering to him.
"Physically, I'm inside you. Mentally, even nearer."
Angelus walked out of the waiting room after coming out of the elevator. He carried with him some white flowers and whistled a few bars of 'Ode to Joy' from Beethoven's 9th symphony.
Xander heard the whistling and looked to see who was heading towards him.
When he saw Angelus, Xander quickly got up and faced him down in the hall.
"Visiting hours are over," Xander said through clenched teeth.
Angelus looked at him and shrugged. "Well, I'm pretty much family."
Xander looked at him and tried to keep his cool. "Yeah. Why don't you come back during the day? Oh, gee, no, I guess you can't."
"If I decide to walk into Buffy's room, do you think for one microsecond that you could stop me?" Angelus asked in a threatening manner.
Xander looked at him and grinned. "Maybe not. Maybe that security guard couldn't either. Or those cops... or the orderlies... But I'm kinda curious to find out. You game?"
Angelus paused and stared at him. "Buffy's White Knight. You still love her." He leaned in closer to the teenage boy. "It must just eat you up that I got there first."
Xander stared at him as he fought off the last of his nervousness. "You're gonna die. And I'm gonna be there."
Angelus slapped the flowers against Xander's chest.
"Tell her I stopped by." Angelus told him as he started to leave. A hand suddenly gripped his shoulder and flung him backwards into the hospital wall.
Angelus looked up in shock and surprise as he saw two Xanders. One was the human Xander he was taunting seconds earlier, while the new one was clearly the vampire version and more evil.
"This isn't the way it happened." Angelus muttered aloud.
VampXander chuckled. "You know, I tell myself the same thing every goddamn night."
Angelus winced as VampXander kicked him in the chest several times with his boot. The older vampire coughed up blood as Vamp Xander picked Angelus up by the hair and smiled the most vicious smile he had ever seen on another face.
"Darla's mine now. Stay the fuck away from her." VampXander threatened him with his demonic voice. Angelus looked past him at the human Xander who was standing still in the same position. In fact, everyone else in the hospital was in the same frozen position. Everything was standing still except for Angelus and VampXander.
"Darla's dead. I killed her when I wasn't thinking clearly, you damn fool." Angelus laughed as he stood up.
VampXander simply stared at him with his darkened eyes as he morphed back into his human face.
"She was dead. But soon she will be made flesh once more. And the people that stand in our way will be damned. You can have Buffy." VampXander told him as he let him go with a laugh before whistling the tune that Angelus had as he walked through the waiting room towards the elevator.
Angelus fell to the floor again in shock. He was suddenly wracked with images of the people he's killed since his existence, feeling their pain forced onto him for the first time in his life. He had felt guilt for what he did, but he never felt their physical pain until now.
Angel woke up with a start and realized he was still in his office. He also realized that Doyle was watching him with an amused expression on his face.
"That must have been some dream. You were doin' the twitching and everything." Doyle told him as he stared at the ensouled vampire.
Angel looked at him. "It wasn't a normal dream. I felt like I had no control. Usually my dreams are flashbacks to the past that I have no control over. To what I did when I was evil. That's what the dream I just had was about. Until it changed."
"Changed how?" Doyle asked him.
"It doesn't matter." Angel said dismissively as Doyle nodded.
"Okay, whatever. Cordelia's not in yet, so do you think you could finally put a good word in for me? I mean let's try to give your only friend here a break, huh?" Doyle begged.
"Why don't you just ask her out yourself Doyle? Aren't Brachen demons supposed to be charming?" Angel asked him.
"That's another stereotype that should be shot to hell." Doyle muttered as he shrugged and left the office, leaving Angel alone to wonder about his dream and what it could mean.
Doyle walked into the main office and stared out the window as he watched the people drive by the building. Angel appeared in the main room, but stayed in the shadows to protect himself from the sun.
"Had any visions lately?" He asked Doyle.
Doyle turned around and covered up the window, making more shade in the large office. "No, not really. Where are you going?"
"I'm going to go see Natasha again. I'm curious to see if her ex-fiancee' is harrassing her again." Angel said as he walked off toward the elevator, got in it and pressed the down button. Doyle watched as Angel disappeared downstairs to where his car was waiting.
"Maybe I'll ask her myself." Doyle muttered before sitting down in Cordelia's seat at her desk and aimlessly looked through the different case files they've solved in the past. The office was deathly quiet until Cordelia stormed in unexpectedly.
"It's the end of the world!" Cordelia yelled, making Doyle jump in surprise. He looked up to face her upset expression.
"What?!?" Doyle demanded in fear.
"I broke a nail." Cordelia replied as she showed him her finger with the chipped nail.
Doyle breathed a sigh of relief. "Jesus, don't do that! You scared the hell out of me."
Cordelia grinned at him but her smile soon faded. "Well it is the end of the world. How the hell am I going to hide this? It's not like I can paint over it or something. What am I supposed to do?"
"I don't know. Maybe you can date someone less superficial." Doyle hinted at her.
Cordelia was confused. "Like who?"
"Well... maybe someone that you've known for quite a while now. Someone that knows you pretty well and can see past the physical. Someone that sees more in you than physical outer beauty." Doyle suggested with a half grin as he stood up.
Cordelia shrugged disbelievingly. "Where am I going to find someone like that in L.A.? Not to mention the world."
Doyle stood up and started to walk toward her as she walked over to the water cooler and filled an empty cup with water.
"Maybe you're not looking in the right places. Maybe you and I could..."
"Xander?" Cordelia interrupted Doyle in mid-sentence as she stared at her ex-boyfriend standing in the doorway in Angel Investigations.
Doyle didn't see Xander in the doorway as his back was toward him because he was facing Cordelia, who couldn't take her eyes off of a smiling Xander.
"Xander? I don't know what a Xander means, but maybe we could do that. You'll have to teach me though." Doyle suggested to her.
Cordelia turned back to Doyle. "No, Xander is here."
Doyle spun around and saw Xander Harris standing there in the one spot. Xander waved at him in greeting. Cordelia walked over to him and hit him in the arm lightly.
"Where have you been?" Cordelia demanded.
Xander shrugged at her. "Why does it matter?"
"Well maybe because I wanted to see you sooner. I saw you working at the club and I called out to you, but you didn't hear me." Cordelia threw back at him.
Doyle watched the two fight and decided to stay out of it for awhile.
Xander shook his head and decided to answer. "I heard you, I just didn't care. The last time I saw you in Sunnydale, you were throwing insults at me left and right. Telling everyone who had the ability to hear about my family's darkest secrets. You didn't seriously expected me to come say hello after all that, did you?"
Cordelia winced as she remembered what she did to him in high school, all those months ago.
"Well if you don't want to see me, then why are you here?" Cordelia asked him.
Xander grimaced. "Well believe it or not, I'm here to see your boss."
"Angel? What do you want to see Angel for?" Doyle asked as he cut in.
"It's for personal reasons. Who are you?" Xander asked the dark haired Irish man.
"Xander, this is Doyle. Doyle, this is Xander. My ex." Cordelia said as she introduced them. Doyle waved hello at him and Xander replied in the same way.
Xander looked around the large office and chuckled. "Who'd figure Angel would play the part of the private dick. I would have thought a public dick would be more to his liking."
"Hey! That's my friend you're talking about." Doyle exclaimed angrily.
Xander held up his hands in surrender. "Well, excuse me! Apparently you're not aware of the hell he put us all through."
"And you're here to kill him right? Well, you're not going to get past me." Doyle threatened him.
Xander laughed. "If I was going to kill Angel, I would have done it by now. No, I'm here so he can answer a couple of questions I have."
"And what are they?" Doyle pressed.
"It's personal." Xander repeated calmly.
Cordelia sighed. "Doyle. Why don't you take Xander down to the pub? You guys can talk and arm wrestle or whatever until Angel comes back. How about that?"
Doyle grinned and Xander shrugged as they looked each other over and then faced Cordelia again.
"Okay Princess. We'll go." Doyle said as he and Xander walked out of the office and left Cordelia on her own with a self-satisfied smile on her face.
Xander and Doyle walked into the local pub and sat down at an empty booth.
"What'll you have?" Doyle asked him.
Xander shrugged. "I don't know. A beer? I can't afford to get drunk."
"Why not? I do it all the time." Doyle said with a grin as he asked the bartender for two beers.
Xander shrugged. "I have something inside me that would be considered extremely dangerous, if I got under the influence. It would be best that I stayed sober."
"You have a power don't you? It must be something that the PTB gave you." Doyle realized.
"PTB?"
"Powers That Be. Most people call them God. They would be the ones that gave you this power." Doyle replied as he knocked back a drink.
Xander was stunned. "Giles and I were trying to figure out where these powers of mine were coming from for awhile now. What makes you so sure they're capable of it?"
"Because I get mind cracking visions from them. Because they're the reason Angel got released from hell. We're fighting a war Xander. And we need every soldier we can get."
"Agent Finn. Give me your report on the patrol last night." Professor Maggie Walsh ordered.
Riley stood at attention and replied instantly. "We have reason to believe that Hostile 17 has left town."
Professor Walsh believed his lie as she assumed that Riley wouldn't lie about something like that.
"Well, that is most unfortunate for our assignments. I can only hope that it doesn't come back with an army to infiltrate us." Professor Walsh admitted.
Riley nodded as he played along. "There is something else that I feel you should know. Those energy bursts that the computers have been detecting awhile ago are somehow connected to Xander Harris."
"Who is Xander Harris?" She asked him.
"Xander is a friend of Buffy's. WAS actually. He left town last week and no one has heard from him since." Riley said as he filled Walsh in on what happened.
Maggie was confused. "How come I don't remember him from class?"
"He's a 'townie'. Never went to college. He's of no real importance to us." Riley said dismissively.
"I have to disagree with you on that one. Those energy bursts were extremely strong. And the incidents stopped around the same time Mr. Harris left town. I don't like coincidences Agent Finn." Professor Walsh told him sternly.
Riley nodded. "I'll go to his house and ask his parents where he's gone."
"No. Send Forrest or Graham. Stay away from the parents." Professor Walsh told him.
"Why?" Riley asked in disapointment.
"Because," Maggie started. "If you go to his parents, you would risk exposure from Buffy Summers and her friends. And our project is far too important to be ruined over some teenage girl."
"She's more than a teenage girl. She's the Slayer." Riley reminded her.
Professor Walsh nodded. "I'm aware she's the Slayer. But I'm more interested in young Harris. A Slayer we can handle. But someone like Xander Harris, we have to be careful with. His power is exactly what we need and we'll be the ones that get it out of his body. Dead or alive. Go to her Watcher's house and bug his phone. Just in case he contacts him."
Riley nodded and left with Forrest and Graham.
Professor Walsh watched the three young soldiers leave the inner compound and smiled.
"Yes. Just the type of power we've been looking for." She murmured cryptically.
Xander watched as Doyle drank the last bottle of beer, making it a total of four.
"So, you used to date Cordelia, huh?" Doyle asked as he struck up another conversation.
Xander nodded. "Yeah. It was great while it lasted. Until I stuffed it up."
"What do you mean? What'd you do?" Doyle asked.
"I kind of had an affair. I was caught kissing my best friend who is now my ex-best friend. Cordy caught me and she almost died when she fell down some faulty steps." Xander told him.
"You were kissing your best friend? I didn't know you were gay. Congratulations." Doyle said with a grin as he raised his empty beer bottle.
Xander shook his head. "I'm not gay. Willow's a girl."
"What happened exactly?"
"Well, the affair started accidentally during the night of the Homecoming. Occasionally Willow and I snuck in some kisses and stuff afterwards, while we hid it from Cordelia and Oz. We realized it was wrong and Willow decided to use a de-lusting spell on us to stop it. That was when a drunk Spike came in knocked me unconscious and kidnapped me and Willow so that she could cast a love spell on Drusilla. Anyway, Spike left the warehouse, leaving us alone and we thought we were going to die of starvation. So we started to kiss. Unfortunately that's the exact moment that Oz and Cordelia came in and found us on an old mattress." Xander said as he filled Doyle in on what happened.
"That's pretty scummy, man. How could you do that to her?" Doyle said angrily.
Xander shook his head. "I didn't know what I was thinking. Anyway, after Cordelia caught me and Willow, she ran up some rickety stairs and they gave way and she fell. She got impaled on this rebar that was sticking out of the ground. She almost died because of me and ever since then, she's made my life a living hell. Of course Oz took Willow back shortly afterwards. Until he cheated on her by sleeping with another werewolf."
Doyle was shocked. "Man, Sunnydale seems to get all the action."
"Yeah, I guess. My last girlfriend dumped me for Spike." Xander told him.
"Spike? The same Spike that kidnapped you? The same Spike that came here and tortured Angel looking for the Gem of Amara?" Doyle asked him.
Xander nodded. "The one and only. Thing is, when he came back to Sunnydale after Los Angeles, he got implanted with a chip that prevents him from hurting living people. Of course, demons and other vampires are fair game."
"Why are you telling me all this?" Doyle asked in confusion.
"Why not? I'm gonna go home now." Xander said as he got up out of the booth.
Doyle stood up out of the booth also. "Wait, wait. What about Angel? Aren't you going to see him? He should be back by now."
"It's late. I'm going to get some sleep. I'll see him tomorrow." Xander said as he waved goodbye and left the pub.
Xander walked along the sandy beach during a hot day. There was no one on the beach except for him and a beautiful blonde woman walking along the beach in his direction.
He knew it was Darla when he heard her voice in his head. 'Xander.'
"Darla?" Xander called out. She was standing next to him in a matter of seconds. Darla devoured him with her eyes right before she kissed him hungrily, her tongue slipping into his mouth.
They pulled apart to get their breaths after a few minutes had passed. Xander looked at her and smiled.
"You ARE aware that the sun is over our heads." Xander told her.
Darla shook her head. "There's no sun. You're dreaming. I'm in a dark place right now."
"What do you mean? What's wrong?" Xander asked in a worried voice.
Darla shook her head sadly. "You'll find out soon enough. They already know about you. They know your power. Your full potential. And now they're gathering arms."
Now, Xander was confused. "I don't understand."
"You will. I love you Xander Harris. Be careful," whispered Darla as she kissed him one last time before disappearing slowly.
Xander woke up in his bed and sighed. He sat up and looked out of his Los Angeles building and watched the traffic. He picked up his alarm clock and realized it was 1:10 in the morning. He sighed as he got back into bed and drifted back off into sleep.
Forrest and Riley patrolled through Miller's Woods, looking for a demon that had been on the loose since last night.
"So, what did Harris's parents have to say about their wayward son?" Riley asked him with a sneer.
Forrest shrugged. "About as much as two drunks could say. Maybe Xander's out on a bender or something."
"That'd be right. He didn't seem like a great achiever to me." Riley said snidely.
Forrest looked at him. "What do you have against him anyway? He's just a kid."
"I've noticed the looks that Buffy gave him when he was around. Now that he's gone, he's all she talks about. If I see him, I'll cut him up myself." Riley told his friend before they saw the demon they were hunting in the woods.
The demon saw the two soldiers with their weapons and quickly took off, leaving Riley and Forrest to pursue it on foot.
A knock on the door caught Lindsey MacDonald's attention. "Come in!," he called out to the person that stood on the other side. The door opened and Holland walked in with a big grin on his face.
"Lindsey, how's things? The McConnell deal gone well?" Holland asked him with a smile.
Lindsey stared at him. He was never sure how his superior would react. Holland was always very unpredictable. At least he didn't have his security guard friends with him.
"It went well. Swimmingly well in fact. Up until the part where Angel took off his head with a two by four." Lindsey said bitterly.
Holland's smile didn't fade. "I know that Lindsey. Do you want to know why I'm still smiling? Why your bad news didn't erase the smile from my face? Would you like to know?"
Lindsey held his breath. "Uh, okay."
"Good boy. Well, I got news from the senior partners that the last piece of the puzzle has finally come into place." Holland said with a grin.
"Do you mean..."
"Yes. Apparently a young man by the name of Alexander Harris has come to this bright city of ours. He holds the key that we have been looking for for so many years. Our final hour is at hand. You and me Lindsey. We are going to be transferred to the next level of life. Along with everyone else the senior partners deem acceptable." Holland said as his grin widened.
"That is good news." The young lawyer said to him.
"Only problem is, he's about to meet Angel again. I'm leaving you in charge of tracking him down before young Mr. Harris meets our common enemy." Holland said as he started to walk out of Lindsey's office.
Holland walked toward the door but stopped and turned around. "Oh and Lindsey, don't fail us. They only accept mistakes a certain number of times before they fire you. And you don't want that to happen."
Lindsey watched as Holland left his office, closing the double doors behind him. Lindsey breathed out a sigh as he got up out of his seat and looked out the window with his hands in his pants pockets.
Somewhere out there, Xander was out there. And Lindsey was going to find him.
"Agent Finn. Progress report?" Professor Walsh asked him. Riley stood at attention along with Forrest and Graham and relayed what happened with Xander's parents, as other soldiers and a couple of scientists walked by in their huge complex.
"Well that is pretty unfortunate. I almost feel bad for him." Walsh admitted.
Forrest spoke up. "With all due respect Professor, we don't get assigned to feel."
"Very good Agent Gates. Riley, what about the other part of the assignment I gave you?"
Riley nodded. "I installed a bug on Mr. Giles' phone. It's secure, so no one will find it. Nobody knows about it except us."
"That's the type of news I like to hear. So I assume it's only a matter of time until he slips up and we'll know his whereabouts. Because everybody slips up sooner or later," Professor Walsh said with confidence.
Riley spoke up. "We DID manage to capture three vampires last night though."
"We don't call them vampires down here, Agent Finn. They're Hostile Sub Terrestrials." Walsh reminded him.
Riley nodded. "I'm sorry."
"That's understandable, Agent. Perhaps you've been spending too much time with the Slayer. Which reminds me, does Buffy know anything about our young Mr. Harris?" Maggie Walsh asked.
Riley shook his head. "Negative. Buffy has no idea where Xander is. No one in their group does. They do know that he has powers, but I don't think they're aware of how serious it is."
"Well, let's try and beef up the search. I want team Epsilon to patrol on the outskirts of town."
Riley and the others were surprised at that order. "But Professor, that could expose us."
Professor Walsh gave him a look that stopped him from speaking. "Our mission here is simple. To create a powerful weapon that would ensure that the United States of America would be on top, should any possible war break out. Now Xander Harris has the most powerful weapon we have ever seen, inside him. He is the reason why we're here, Agent Finn. And if we are to risk exposure in order to get our hands on his gift, then so be it."
Riley, Forrest and Graham nodded in unison. Walsh put her clipboard back down on the counter where she looked into the monitor. "We have had a small incident occur in Sunnydale recently. A Sub-T: 67401. Demon class: Howler species. It has been spotted escaping a nearby sewer system. We want it captured alive. Be careful, this species are very good at fighting and have high pitched screams. Hence the name."
"We'll get right on it." Riley informed as he and his friends took off in search of the Howler demon.
Xander walked up to the Angel Investigations door and opened it. He stepped inside and found Cordelia sitting at her desk, looking something up on the computer while Doyle was filing through a cabinet.
"Well, speak of the devil." Cordelia said as she spotted her ex.
"And the devil appears." Doyle concluded as he turned around and spotted Cordelia's former boyfriend.
Xander looked around the office. "Is Angel here?"
"He's downstairs because of the sun thing. I'll go get him." Doyle replied as he walked towards the elevator.
Cordelia and Xander didn't say anything, so instead they looked around the room in a bored tone. Finally she gave up the act.
"You wouldn't believe who showed up here wanting to kill Angel three months ago." Cordelia said suddenly to him.
"Who?" Xander asked curiously.
"Faith. She woke up out of her coma and Angel was the first person she decided to 'visit'."
Xander whistled aloud. "Wow, Faith. Buffy would spit chips if she ever found out that Faith was awake. Wait a minute. Why doesn't Buffy know?"
"It was Angel's decision. He didn't want Faith any more agitated than she was. She's better now, can you believe it? She gave herself up to the Los Angeles police and began a three and a half month sentence. She'll be out soon." Cordelia replied.
Xander let the knowledge seep in and the two of them became quiet again, until Cordelia decided to start up the conversation again. "I'm sorry for the way I treated you in high school Xander. Especially after we broke up." She said suddenly.
Xander stared at her in surprise. "What brought this on?"
"Well, I've been thinking and growing a lot here in Los Angeles. I like to think I'm a little more mature now than I was when I was in Sunnydale."
The psychokinetic teen nodded. "I'm sorry too. That whole thing with Willow was a huge mistake. And not because you and Oz caught us out. I realized that I ruined something good that we had. But you know something? Not once when we were seeing each other, did you tell me you loved me."
Cordelia shook her head. "I was afraid. You never said those things to me either. I always thought that it would be Buffy that would end up breaking us up. I had no idea that that nerdy little witch would be the one. I mean, go figure."
Xander chuckled lightly. "Well, neither of them are in my good books right now. Especially with Buffy's new boyfriend in the picture."
"What new boyfriend?" Angel asked suspiciously. Xander turned around and saw Doyle and Angel standing in the doorway.
"I need to talk to you." Xander told Angel.
Angel ignored him. "What new boyfriend?" he repeated.
Xander sighed. "Riley Finn. He's a soldier in a secret project called the Initiative. They hunt down and capture vampires and demons. They do God knows what to them. Riley hates my guts, but that's okay because the feeling's mutual."
"What are you doing here? These two say that you want to ask me some questions." Angel said as he pointed towards Doyle and Cordelia. "And since when did you need my help in anything. I thought there was a mutual hatred between us."
"Oh there is. I just have no other choice in the matter. I need to know everything I can about Darla." Xander explained.
Angel looked at him in shock. He thought back to his dream the night before and realized that Xander was here and wanting to know about Darla could only mean something bad.
"You shouldn't have come here." Angel told him quietly, then charged at Xander in full attack mode. Doyle and Cordelia watched in shock as Angel attacked Xander. Xander made no move in defence, except to raise his hand. Neither of the onlookers could figure out why he was doing that until the power rushing out knocked Angel to the other end of the room and into a water cooler. The water splashed all over the floor as Angel looked up at Xander in surprise.
"What the hell was that?!?" Doyle asked, completely freaked.
Cordelia was stunned and could only stare at Xander as he lowered his arm.
"I guess I have a power now. A very strong power, so don't mess with me." Xander said pointedly as he glanced at the ensouled vampire.
Angel picked himself up off the floor and avoided the large lake of water the spilled water cooler had caused. "You're a vampire." He said back.
Xander laughed. "A vampire? I'm not a vampire."
"You have to be. You were a vampire in my dream." Angel said in confusion.
Xander stared at him and shook his head. "So you had a dream of me as a vampire and you automatically assume that? How stupid is that?"
"I assumed it because in the dream you mentioned Darla." Angel replied, the comment surprising the three mortals.
Xander nodded finally after letting that information sink in. "I've been having dreams too. And it's the reason why I'm here."
Lindsey was talking into his cellphone when Lilah Morgan opened the door to his office and stepped inside, closing the door behind her. Lindsey looked up at her, but quickly went back to his conversation on the phone.
Lilah moved over to a spare chair and sat down, waiting patiently for him to finish the call. After a couple of minutes, Lindsey hung up the phone and shook his head.
"What's wrong?" Lilah asked him.
"I've just been informed from our insider that Alexander Harris has made contact with Angel. Now the stakes of the game have been upgraded." Lindsey said wearily.
Lilah nodded. "That's not good news."
"No, it isn't. Now I'm going to have to go to Holland and confirm one of his fears." Lindsey said as he got up out of his seat and headed over to his door.
Lilah grabbed his arm, stopping him from leaving. "Why would you do a suicidal thing like that when there is something else we could do?"
"Like?"
Lilah grinned. "Why don't we just make Mr. Harris one of our usual offers? I doubt that Angel would have told him about us. He'd be much more interested in the fact that Alexander has been dreaming of his Sire."
Lindsey nodded with a smile. "That's right. Well, so far anyway we haven't had much luck in tracking him down. He appears to be a bit of a night owl. Rumour has it that he's been working as a stripper in one of those cheap joints."
"So he's a stripper? I'd like to meet him even more now." Lilah smirked.
Lindsey sighed and looked out the window. "Right now, Angel and Alexander are having quite the conversation. No doubt it's about Darla."
Cordelia, Doyle and Angel were amazed when Xander told them about his dreams. He had told them every dream he had of Darla except for the erotic one.
"I'm pretty sure one of my dreams was a flashback. I saw you." Xander told the vampire.
Angel looked up, apprehensive that some of his past had been exposed. "What did you see?"
"I saw Darla giving you the Gypsy girl as a birthday present. And that your real name is Liam. I'm betting that all that is true." Xander said with a sly grin.
Angel nodded in shame and it confused Cordelia.
"'Liam'? Your name is actually Liam? No wonder you changed it to Angel." Cordelia said with a laugh.
Angel glanced at her. "I changed my name at the time because I was evil. My little sister saw me return from the dead. She thought I was an angel. That's why I chose that name."
Xander stared at the ensouled vampire. "Are you always this open now? Why didn't you tell Buffy or anyone else in Sunnydale what your real name is?"
"Because I wanted to leave all that in the past. I try to leave all the horrible things I've done in the past where they belong."
Xander nodded. "I guess you're not going to tell us what your last name is?"
Angel shook his head reluctantly. Doyle decided to intrude on the conversation. "As much as I like finding out more of brooding guy's history, I'm much more curious about those dreams of yours."
Xander turned to face the three of them. "I've been having dreams of Darla. And each time they're getting more vivid. And ever since I came here, the dreams have become more stronger. It's as if I'm actually there."
"Darla's not your type." Angel cut in.
Xander stared at him. "How would you know? You only knew her when she was evil."
"And you're saying that when you dream of Darla, she's human?" Cordelia asked him.
Xander nodded yes to her question. The look on Angel's face could only be described as pure jealousy.
"So what do you want from me?" Angel asked him, tiredly.
"I want to know everything I can about Darla. I know 'Darla' isn't her real name. The Master gave it to her when he turned her in a barn. So, what do you know?" Xander asked him.
Angel shrugged as he thought about it. "She told me that when she was human, she was a chambermaid for one of those rich slave owners in Europe. That was a LONG time ago though. And as I said before, not your type."
"And as I said before, you only knew her when she was evil." Xander reminded him.
Angel got up from his seat, shaking his head in disbelief. "I don't believe you. Why don't you latch onto someone alive and human?"
Doyle looked down to the ground while Xander chuckled. "I can't believe that you are jealous. These dreams are coming to me for a reason. I have a feeling that Darla is coming back. At first I thought the Master was coming back also, but now I'm positive it's just Darla. A human Darla. And no one will stand in our way."
Angel suddenly remembered a part of his dream. "She WAS dead. But soon she will be made flesh once more. And the people that stand in our way will be damned."
"I don't like this. Everytime I've had portents, it's turned out bad. If Darla is coming back, we had better pray that she's human. After my dream, I'm sure that whatever's going on with Darla involves me too." Angel said as he pulled out a card from a drawer in his desk.
"The number to this office is 555-0162. In case you forget it, it's on the card."
The ensouled vampire placed an Angel Investigations card on the desk and watched Xander pick up the card and take a look at the symbol on the card.
"What's this supposed to be?" Xander asked as he stared at the symbol. After a minute, he realized what it was. "Oh I get it. It's an angel. How cute."
"See? He gets it." Cordelia said to Doyle and Angel.
"What's the matter? Did Batman need his spotlight back?" Xander joked.
Angel put on a stoic face and moved toward the door. "If you have another dream, be sure to let me know. Otherwise..."
Xander nodded and left without saying goodbye to Angel. He quickly left and as soon as he did, Doyle turned to Angel and gave him a look.
"What?" Angel asked him.
"Have you two always been at each other's throats." Doyle asked in curiosity.
Cordelia cut in with a nod. "Ever since they both met Buffy Summers. But it looks to me like Xander's found a new honey."
"Yeah." Angel said bitterly.
Xander waited in the Visitor section of Los Angeles City Jail, waiting for her to arrive. It didn't seem long until she arrived on the other side of the screen. They both sat down, and picked up the communicating phones.
"Hey, Faith." Xander greeted her with a solemn expression.
Faith was suspicious. "How do you know I'm in here? Who else knows? Does Buffy..."
Xander shook his head in assurance. "Buffy and the others don't know a thing. Cordelia let it slip to me."
Faith nodded warily. "Why are you here? Come to rub it in?"
"No. I came to see how you were doing. Cordelia told me that you turned yourself in." Xander told the Slayer.
"Pretty stupid huh?" Faith asked with a small smile.
Xander shook his head to her question. "No. No, it isn't. I think it's real good that you did it. I'm glad that you're getting help. It's great news."
Faith grinned a shy grin. "You're going to make me blush. And that's a pretty hard thing to do."
Xander laughed. "I mean it. Although don't get me wrong, but I'm a bit surprised that you only got three and a half months. Not that I wanted you in here forever."
"Well, I'm only in here for the assault charges I got. I knocked this girl out in Sunnydale Hospital to steal her clothes. And I beat up a few people here in Los Angeles. No matter how many times I told the Detectives that I killed some people, they didn't believe me. I guess the Mayor got rid of the evidence to those. It was probably to protect me when I woke up." Faith suggested.
"That's good news I guess." Xander said as he thought about it.
Faith nodded. "It is good news. I'm no good as a Slayer if I'm behind bars for twenty years or so. I'll have better luck trying to make amends in the real world."
"So where will you go when you get out?" Xander asked her.
"Angel's offered me a place to stay. I'll be working for them when I get out."
Xander grinned. "Sounds like he's got quite a team on his hands."
"You're not wrong. Actress, Brachen demon and now Slayer."
"Brachen demon?" Xander asked out of curiosity. "Doyle?"
Faith felt like she let the proverbial cat out of the bag now. She hadn't realized that Xander didn't know about Doyle's heritage.
"I thought you knew. Doyle's a Brachen demon. Don't worry though, he's all right. Brachen demons aren't evil. He's also half human." Faith explained to him.
"There are demons that aren't evil? It kind of defeats the purpose of being called a 'demon' doesn't it?"
Faith laughed aloud. "Xander, you're alright."
The guard moved over to Faith and indicated that their time was up. Faith looked disappointed but she gave Xander another smile. "I get out soon. Don't be a stranger."
"I won't. I'll be here in town for awhile yet." Xander told her as they waved goodbye and hung up their phones. He watched as the brunette Slayer walked away with the guard right behind her.
Xander sighed and headed towards the exit.
The sun had sunk and night had now filled the City of Angels. Xander was walking back to his apartment after visiting Faith and felt he was being followed. He turned around and found two burly looking guys walking in his direction.
Xander quickly crossed the road to get away from them, but the two guys simply switched sides to continue stalking him. He had enough and turned to face them.
"Okay this has been fun, but play time is over." Xander told them as the two men caught up to him.
"Give us your money." The taller man ordered.
Xander shook his head. "You're not getting anywhere near my money, pal. So take your boyfriend and leave."
The taller man pulled out a large knife and held it against Xander in a threatening way. "One more crack out of you and the cops will be picking you up in pieces, do you hear me? Now give us your goddamn money!"
Xander had had enough of this and threw the large knife out of the mugger's hand with his power. The knife flew backwards with so much strength that it embedded itself in the brick wall handle first.
The muggers were surprised and more than a little wary now, but decided to press their luck anyway. They began to hit Xander harder. He managed to get some good punches in on his own, but eventually his power came into play once more.
Xander raised his hands upwards, the power shooting through and hitting both the muggers square in the chest, throwing one onto the road where he got hit by a bus, the other one fell backwards against the brick wall, his head impaling itself on the jutting blade of the knife that got stuck in the wall, his legs and arms twitching lifelessly.
The telekinetic teen stood in the one spot in absolute horror. He didn't want them to die, he just wanted them gone. He felt sick to his stomach and resisted the pressing urge to vomit. People started to gather around the mugger that got hit by a bus and they started to point in Xander's direction. The dark haired teen took off down an alley toward his apartment.
He never noticed Lindsey watching him run off as he stood with the crowd of onlookers who were busy checking out the dead muggers.
"Ring, ring. Ring, ring."
Angel answered his phone hoping that it wasn't a new client and cursing the fact that both Cordelia and Doyle had left for the day.
"Hello? Angel Investigations."
"Angel, it's Xander."
"What's wrong?"
"I killed two people."
"Say that again."
"I killed two people."
"How did it happen?"
"Earlier tonight these two guys tried to mug me and I used my powers. I just wanted to throw them off me. I didn't think for one minute that I would kill them."
"Okay look. I want you to calm down. Those muggers were going to kill you. Tomorrow morning I want you over here right away so we can figure this out. In the meantime, get some sleep. I know it's hard considering what has just happened, but things will be clearer in the morning."
"I already tried sleeping. I just woke up after having another dream about Darla. But I don't want to discuss it."
"Well, watch some tv. But don't drink. That's the last thing you need. Do you want me to come over? I don't have your address..."
"It's 432 Felder Avenue, Apartment 4b. And no, I'm all right."
"I'll see you tomorrow morning, okay? Don't do anything stupid."
"I won't. Bye."
"Night Xander."
Angel hung up the phone and sat there in his seat with a worried look on his face. The last thing he wanted anyone to go through was the act of taking somebody's life. After what happened with Faith, he didn't want a repeat performance. And with Xander's power, he had a feeling he couldn't take him.
The ensouled vampire thought long and hard before calling Giles on the phone. The dial tone rang for a while until the phone was picked up on the other end.
"Whoever this is, it better be important."
"Giles, it's Angel."
"Angel? What's happened?"
"Well, this is hard to say."
"What? Is there a prophecy about Buffy?"
"No. It's about Xander."
"Xander? Xander's there in L.A. with you?!?"
"Yeah in a way. He's in some trouble."
"What kind of trouble?"
"Two muggers jumped him tonight and his powers got out of hand. Both muggers were killed."
"Oh my god."
"The police don't know anything yet, by the sounds of it. I just thought that you should know what's going on."
"Where does he live?"
"432 Felder Avenue. In Apartment 4b. Doyle, Cordelia and I will look out for him."
"That's good to know. I'll arrive there tomorrow."
"Okay. See you then."
"Bye."
"Bye."
Dr. Peters had been monitoring Giles' phone calls on his watch and had just told Professor Walsh the good news.
"That's fantastic. I guess we can call off the search party." Walsh said with a grin.
Dr. Peters nodded. "I can't believe that they just gave out that type of information over the phone."
"You've been in the military far too long, Doctor. Civilians aren't as closed off and secretive as we are." Maggie Walsh said as she turned to the monitors and spied on a sleeping Riley who occupied his bed with Buffy.
Dr. Peters saw her reaction at seeing the two young lovers on the monitor. "Aren't you going to alert the troops?"
"It's too late at night for that type of manoeuvre. Harris isn't going anywhere. And from the sounds of it, he's dodging an all point bulletin with the LAPD. No, no. This can wait till morning. Then we'll assign the troops."
Dr. Peters nodded and left Professor Walsh on her own. He went back to listen to Giles' phone, as Walsh scanned the monitors in front of her.
"My soldiers need their sleep. It's going to be a big day tomorrow." She said to herself.
Xander walked through the busy hall of Sunnydale High School. Students bustled past but Xander managed to find his two best friends, Jesse and Oz.
"Hey Harris. Guess what?" Jesse asked him as Xander walked up to them.
"What?" Xander asked in a daze. "What's happening?"
Oz shrugged. "New girl. Just transferred from down south."
"I hear she's a hottie. A major hottie." Jesse said with a grin.
Xander smiled. "I thought you wanted Cordelia."
Jesse shrugged as the trio walked through the bustling crowd of teenagers and teachers. They made it to their lockers and Xander realized something wasn't right.
"What's the matter?" Jesse asked him.
Xander shrugged. "I don't know. This just doesn't feel right. Didn't you die?"
Jesse and Oz stared back at each other in confusion. "You didn't sneak into the medicine cabinet again did ya?" Oz asked him with a chuckle.
Xander ignored his two friends. He was distracted by the sight of a beautiful blonde girl walking through the school hallway with Cordelia and her friends. He noticed that the blonde girl wore something that looked like a catholic girls school uniform and thought that it was a little weird.
"Who is that? He looks yummy." Darla asked Cordelia as she saw Jesse.
"Oh, he's nobody. It's best to stay away from people like that."
Darla's attention fell on Xander who was staring back at her, as if he knew her from another place. She smiled at him and continued walking with her new clique.
Jesse noticed Xander staring at the new girl and shook his head with a grin. "Forget it man. She's way out of your league." They watched her leave with Cordelia and the others.
Xander shrugged. "We'll be together. I just know it."
"Well, let's get out of here. It's lunchtime on a hot summer Friday. Let's go outside." Oz suggested as they moved past Principal Flutie and Principal Snyder arguing with a student.
Xander, Jesse and Oz walked outside the school and Xander realized that he was standing in his apartment in Los Angeles.
"How did we get here?" Xander asked as he turned around to face his friends. He was surprised when he found he was alone. He walked into his bedroom and saw himself asleep on his bed, the two dead muggers lying side by side next to him.
Xander woke up with a shudder. He quickly looked next to him and thanked the heavens that that there was no dead bodies next to him. He sat up and took in his surroundings. He could hear cars driving by in the busy streets as he realized that it was 7:30 in the morning.
"Weirdest one yet." Xander muttered to himself as he remembered his dream.
A knock on his apartment door got him out of bed. He yelled out to the person on the other side to wait, while he got dressed. Xander scrambled in to some casual clothes and opened the door to reveal Lindsey.
"Good morning Mr. Harris. My name is Lindsey MacDonald. I work for Wolfram and Hart. It's a lawfirm." Lindsey announced to Xander.
"That's nice, but what are you doing here?" Xander asked.
"Can I come in?" Lindsey asked. Xander looked to his windows and realized the apartment was well lit with the sunlight. Knowing that if Lindsey was a vampire he'd die from the sunlight, Xander invited him in.
Lindsey stepped inside Xander's apartment and looked around. "Nice place. Reminds me of a place I lived in as a kid."
"How did you know where I live?" Xander asked him.
Lindsey shrugged. "I'm going to be perfectly honest with you on this. I followed you."
"You followed me?" Xander repeated, a little warily. He didn't like the sound of that.
Lindsey nodded. "Mr. Pete Sawyer and Mr. Lucas Thornton were most unfortunate."
"Who?"
"They were the two muggers you murdered last night." Lindsey explained.
"I didn't murder anyone!" Xander snapped.
"Self defence. Yes, I know. We know that you aren't responsible for your actions. Which is why Wolfram and Hart are most interested in your case. As a lawfirm we would most like it if you decide to join us. You will be paid a lot more than what you're getting for stripping. And we can provide you with an airtight alibi for your whereabouts last night, should the police get in contact with you." Lindsey said as he tried to convince Xander.
Xander smiled. "Well, you people really do your homework don't you? I'm just not sure. I have no training to be a lawyer."
"We're the best in town. I'd advise you that it would be in your best interest to join us. I'm pretty sure those dreams you're having will end." Lindsey said to him.
Xander dropped his smile and stared at the young lawyer in front of him. "How the hell do you know about my dreams?"
"We know everything, Alexander. We know about the dreams and your supernatural gift. Which is why you're needed with us." Lindsey pressed.
Xander shook his head. "I'm going to have to say no to that offer. And the name is Xander. Not 'Alexander'."
Lindsey sighed slightly with disappointment. "Very well then. The senior partners will be very disappointed with this outcome."
"That's too bad." Xander said tersely.
Lindsey pulled out a card and handed it to Xander. He looked it over and found the laywer's office phone number.
"Should you change your mind, just give me a call. Day or night. Think it over." Lindsey said as he reluctantly walked to the open door with Xander close behind.
"I'll think about it. But I doubt I'll take you up." Xander told him as Lindsey nodded and walked off without saying another word.
Xander walked into his apartment and grabbed a few things before he left his apartment on his way to Angel's office. He walked outside and didn't see Lindsey get into a limousine down the street.
"I'm guessing it didn't go well?" Lilah asked him.
Lindsey shook his head. "I pressed him too hard. He suspects we know more than we should."
"That's unfortunate. Most likely he'll confide in Angel." Lee Mercer said from the other side of the limo.
Lindsey stared at him. "I'm aware of that scenario, Lee. There's nothing we can do about that now. We'll have to resort to Plan B."
The limousine started up and drove away back to their office building.
"What happened to those muggers was not your fault. It was self defence." Angel told Xander who nodded in return.
"I know. Sorry about the call last night. I was just a little freaked. I thought the cops were following me, but they didn't. Just this one guy that was a bit weird."
Cordelia glanced up from the case files she was reading. "What weird guy?" She asked.
"Some lawyer. I forget his name. Hang on, I got his card here somewhere." Xander said as he looked through his wallet for the card. Angel and Cordelia exchanged a knowing look as they realized who the 'weird guy' was.
"Here it is. Lindsey MacDonald. He's in some law firm here." Xander said with a shrug.
Angel frowned. "Wolfram and Hart. What did they say?"
"What does it matter?"
"It matters!" Angel yelled loudly, making the others flinch. Xander just looked confused.
"Don't tell me they're demons. Because demons as lawyers are totally cliche'd and obvious." He joked.
Cordelia shook her head. "This isn't a joke. These people are very dangerous."
"Wolfram and Hart are an evil law firm who are into all sorts of black magic and evil deeds." Angel explained through clenched teeth.
Xander whistled. "Then it's a good thing I didn't take him up on the offer."
"What offer?" Cordelia asked him.
"They said they wanted me to work for them. Apparently they need my expertise. I guess they just wanted my powers, huh?"
"You turned them down? Good. Keep doing that. Don't take them up on their offer or I'll have no choice but to take you down." Angel promised, grinning slightly at the thought.
Xander grinned back. "And wouldn't you love doing that."
The ensouled vampire shook his head. "I don't want anything bad happening to you. Which reminds me. I called Giles last night."
"Why would you do something like that?" Xander demanded.
"I thought that he should know what happened last night. I gave him your address. 432 Felder Avenue, Apartment 4b."
Cordelia stared at her ex in shock and amazement. "That's my old apartment!!"
"What?" Xander asked her.
"That's my old apartment. Before I moved into the better one. I can't believe that you chose the same place I did. Isn't that weird?" Cordelia asked the two of them.
Xander shrugged. "It's the only place I could afford right now."
"I hear ya. So I guess that the cockroach problem is cleared up then?" Cordelia replied.
Xander shook his head. "No, not really. It doesn't matter though. I have a pet that loves eating those things. Oh, that reminds me. I left Gachnar behind at Giles'."
"Gachnar? You named your pet after a fear demon?" Angel asked in confusion.
"Correction. The fear demon Gachnar is the pet. You should see him run around in that big empty fish tank. He can be pretty cute at times." Xander said with a grin.
Cordelia was surprised. "You have a fear demon, a demon, as a pet? And why didn't you bring him with you if you left Sunnydale?"
"He's only half a foot tall, Cor. I found out he eats bugs. And he loves cockroaches. Although sometimes he says some horrible stuff to make you insecure, but you get used to it. I gave him one of those little mouse wheels two months ago, and he's been exercising on it ever since. And I wanted to get settled in before I took him with me." Xander added thoughtfully.
"And he's not dangerous?" Angel asked.
"No. Just tacky. Those were Giles' words." Xander informed them.
Cordelia shook her head in amazement. "I can't believe that you would have a demon as a pet."
"Well, you haven't heard it all yet. I had to share my room with Spike for four weeks." Xander said, letting the cat out of the bag.
"Spike?!? Vampire Spike? The deadly vampire?" Cordelia asked in shock.
"Yeah. The bastard wouldn't let me get to sleep. Always talking and talking. He wouldn't shut up. So, I told him that he's either going to stay in my house and be quiet, or talk and go back to sleeping in Giles' bathtub." Xander explained with a laugh as he remembered the look on Spike's face.
Angel and Cordelia were very, very confused.
Soldiers kicked in Xander's front door as a team from The Initiative stormed in. The leader of the team, Kevin Taggart, scanned the area for any sign of their hostile.
"Nothing. Check the other rooms!" He ordered the troops as they ran to the next rooms, guns at the ready. They searched the apartment top to bottom, but could find no sign of Xander.
"Base One, this is Lilac Three. Come in." Kevin said as he spoke into his handheld radio.
After a couple of seconds there was a response from the base. "Base One here. What's the status, Lilac Three."
"Mission is unsuccessful. Our target is nowhere in sight. Repeat. Target is nowhere in sight." Kevin announced while the troops stood ready for their next order.
"Keep searching for the hostile. It is imperative that we find him." Professor Walsh said as she grabbed the radio from the base technician in Sunnydale.
Kevin spoke to the Professor. "With all due respect Ma'am, we are way out of our jurisdiction here. We're in Los Angeles now, not Sunnydale."
"I'm aware of your location, Agent Taggart. Just don't forget who you're talking to." Professor Walsh cautioned him.
Kevin took a couple of breaths to calm down before he spoke again. "The main hostile is not here. And the neighbours are starting to get suspicious."
"Tell your troops to fall back and wait for the subject to arrive. He'll be back." Walsh told them before switching off the radio on her end. Kevin sighed and turned to face his men.
"Let's go. Find a more secure place to stay until our hostile returns."
The soldiers ran out of Xander's apartment in a formation. Kevin was the last to leave. He debated on whether or not to close the front door, but decided not to, considering the damage he and his troops did inside.
Giles sat on his couch facing Buffy while she told him about the Howler demon that got loose in the college dorm. They were talking about what The Initiative did to it when the phone rang. Giles answered it and he realized who it was with shock as he remembered.
"Xander. Damn, I can't believe I forgot." Giles said aloud.
Buffy looked up when she found out that he was talking to Xander. She came over to him and motioned to give him the phone. Giles shook his head and held his hand up to quieten her.
"Forgot what?" Xander asked over the phone.
"Angel called me last night and told me what happened. Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine now. It was self defence, Giles."
"I know you wouldn't do anything like that on purpose. Is everything else okay? Any more dreams? What about your gift?"
"I'm still having the dreams. And my powers are what killed those two muggers. I wanted them gone. I guess you were right. This time it wasn't a vampire I killed with it."
"I'm coming over there."
"No, it's okay. But there IS something you could do for me."
"What's that?"
"Tell me how Gachnar is doing? You're still watching him for me right?"
"Yes, yes. Fed him a while ago. Little bugger tried to bite my finger. Why you insist on keeping that demon around never fails to amaze me."
Buffy stared at the empty fishtank near the kitchen. She saw Gachnar running around inside.
"You'll never find him, you know," it told her. Buffy ignored the little demon and turned back to Giles.
Giles sighed into the phone. "So, have you found out anything from the dreams?"
"Yeah, I did. Most of what I saw was true. Angel's name really is Liam. The way the Gypsy girl died was the same as how I saw it. I just found that out before I called you. Angel said that he had a weird dream too. About me as a vampire. Apparently I mentioned Darla."
"This isn't good. I don't like it. Why couldn't you be normal?"
Xander shrugged but Giles couldn't see it. "I wanted to be more than a zeppo, so I guess I got my wish."
"When are you coming back home? You belong here Xander."
"I don't know if I WILL be back. I don't belong there anymore."
"Buffy's here. I think she wants to talk to you."
"I don't want to talk to her, Giles. I'll call you back later. Bye." Xander said as he hung up pretty quickly. He sighed aloud before leaving the small office and joining Angel, Cordelia and Doyle in the main room.
"Xander? Xander??" Buffy said into the phone as she took it out of Giles' hands. She realized he had hung up before she could say anything and she replaced the phone into it's cradle sadly.
"I'm sorry Buffy. I guess he just doesn't want to talk to you."
Buffy nodded and walked back to the couch. "If only I could get a chance to talk to him. I have to explain why I did those things."
"Didn't you already do that?" Giles asked her. For awhile he had been angry at Buffy and Willow for their treatment of Xander, but he knew his rage couldn't last. Now he just felt sorry for the two girls.
Buffy shrugged. "It wouldn't hurt to tell him again. Where does he live?"
Giles shook his head. "I don't think that would be such a good idea. If you just show up there, he could run. And who knows where he'll end up."
"Okay, I won't go. I just need to know where he is. It'll put my mind at ease. Please?" Buffy pleaded.
Giles gave in with a sigh. "Okay. He lives at 432 Felder Avenue, Apartment 4b. Which is in Los Angeles."
"I gathered it was Los Angeles since you were talking to Angel." Buffy said as she sat back down on the couch. They both thought about what Xander was up to in Los Angeles. Meanwhile the latest call to Giles' house was recorded by The Initiative.
"So Giles then told me where he lives, but he also said I can't go." Buffy said to Willow and Tara in Giles' apartment. The Watcher was out at the store getting some more occult books, while the girls stayed behind. Gachnar was playing idly with a cockroach in the empty fishtank that he called 'home'.
"Why not? We have to go. I have to try and make it up to him for the way I treated him." Willow murmured guiltily.
Buffy nodded. "So do I. But Giles said that if I show up at his place, there's a very good chance that he'll just take off again. And that's the last thing we want."
"Is he still getting those dreams?" Tara asked her.
"Giles said he was. He also told me that Angel had an odd dream too. About Darla and Xander being involved. Why is every male I know dreaming about that flake?" Buffy asked with a frown.
Tara shrugged. "She might be nice now."
Buffy shook her head quickly. "Darla was a vampire for four hundred years. She sired Angel into one and she attacked my mother in our home. Darla also tried to shoot my knees out, but Angel staked her from behind. She's been in hell ever since. Or wherever vamps go when they're staked."
Tara nodded apologetically. "Well maybe she's going to get a soul or something?"
"That wouldn't work then. I doubt Xander could stand a relationship without sex." Riley cut in as he appeared in Giles' doorway.
Buffy looked up at him with a weird expression. "Why would you say something like that?"
"Because I'm sick of hearing about that little twerp. Every single day you know what I hear? Xander and his God-like powers." Riley said with a cruel sneer.
Willow and the other girls were confused. "How did you know about Xander's powers? None of us ever said anything about it." She asked.
Buffy turned from Willow to Riley. Suddenly things were becoming a little clearer. Riley glanced back at them nervously. He realized his cover may have been blown because of his little blunder.
"I read about it in the papers. How he's a suspect for a double homicide in Los Angeles but is on the run. I knew that loser would end up like that." Riley said with a shake of his head.
Buffy stared at him in shock and then anger. "None of this is even mentioned in the papers. We checked the papers for any sign on Xander, when we were looking for him but we found nothing. We also check the news, so spin us another tale."
Riley was starting to get nervous. He knew what Buffy was capable of and he had no weapon to defend himself with.
But Buffy wouldn't let him go so easily. "How did you know that he's in Los Angeles? And about the two muggers? The only people here in Sunnydale that know that are me, Giles, Willow and Tara. And I just told these two a minute ago."
"Um... I..." Riley stuttered.
Buffy stared at him. "Did you... has The Initiative... you didn't bug Giles' phone did you?"
"No, of course not." Riley lied desperately.
Buffy walked over to the phone and turned it upside down, looking for a small flashing device but found nothing. Riley entered the apartment and walked straight over to her.
"Buffy, please. I didn't bug the phone. C'mon, what do you take me for?" Riley asked her. He didn't expect Buffy to rip off the bottom of the phone, causing a small wire-like device to fall out onto the carpet. Willow, Tara and Buffy stared at the object and they then stared at Riley in shock.
"You did bug the phone! How much does the Initiative know?" Buffy asked him in shock.
Riley shrugged in defeat. "Everything. They know where he lives, who he talks to in L.A., everything. It won't be long until we catch him."
Buffy dropped the phone to the floor and decked Riley so hard that he flew a few feet into the air and crashlanded near the open front door. He tried to get up, but he passed out from the pain to his head.
Willow and Tara got up off the floor and watched Buffy pick up the transmitter bug. The Slayer dropped it to the floor and smashed it with her boot, shattering the device with an audible crash.
"What do we do now? The Initiative knows everything. What if they captured him already and are doing experiments on him?" Willow said with fear.
Buffy shook her head. "I'll call Angel and find out." Buffy reached for the phone but stopped when she remembered she broke it.
"Damn." Buffy muttered. "We'll have to call from my house. I'll leave a note for Giles and we'll leave right away."
The two witches nodded as Buffy ran to the kitchen to get the notepad off the counter. They hid the note where only Giles would look, to stop Riley from finding and getting rid of it when he woke up. The girls stepped over his unconcious body and left for Buffy's house.
Angel had made it clear to Xander that he was going to spend the night at 'Angel Investigations'. He didn't want Xander to go back to a place Wolfram and Hart knew about. It took a while, but Xander finally caved in with Cordelia and Doyle's coersion.
Xander was trying to get some sleep in the other room, while Doyle, Angel and Cordelia talked in the main office.
"Tell us again what Xander told you about Spike?" Cordelia asked Doyle.
The Brachen demon sighed. "He said that he got implanted with this microchip that prevents him from hurting a living person. Of course other vampires and demons are still fair game."
"Well if Spike comes here looking to torture Angel again, I could beat him up myself." Cordelia said bravely.
"Yes, I'm sure you could, Cordelia." Angel said slowly.
Doyle shook his head. "I'd get a drink of water, but we still haven't got the new water cooler."
"It's coming this afternoon. I thought all you drink was booze?" Cordelia asked him with a grin.
Doyle gave her a sarcastic look. "I don't just drink alcohol. I drink coffee too. It keeps the hangovers from hurting more than usual."
"Well maybe you'd stop getting the hangovers if you stopped drinking? It's just a little theory of mine." Cordelia suggested.
"Do you two need a counsellor?" Angel asked the pair. They both gave him a look.
Xander appeared from the small office. The trio turned to face him. "What are you doing up? I thought you were going to relax?" Doyle asked the teenaged boy.
Xander shrugged. "I tried but I couldn't sleep. I'm hungry anyway so I'm going to get something from across the road. You guys want anything?"
The trio shook their heads and Xander nodded an okay before leaving the office for lunch. Cordelia went to water the plant and Doyle watched Angel stare at the spot where Xander left.
"You actually think that Wolfram and Hart are seriously after him?" Doyle asked the vampire.
Angel nodded. "I know it. He has an extraordinary power with immense potential. I imagine that Wolfram and Hart would just love to get it under their control."
Doyle nodded in agreement. He then clutched his head in pain as he fell to the ground. Angel and Cordelia rushed to his side as Doyle recieved a painful vision. Doyle saw Xander bumping into the lawyers from Wolfram and Hart and getting shocked and dragged into a limousine. The vision ended and Doyle slowly withdrew his hands from his head.
"What? What is it?" Cordelia and Angel asked in unison.
"It's Xander. He's in danger." Doyle said as they looked at him with worry.
Angel got up and went for the front door but stopped. "Damnit. I can't go because of the sun. You'll have to go."
"Go where?" Cordelia asked in confusion.
"Go stop Xander. Bring him back here where it's safe." Angel told them.
Doyle nodded. "I'll go." They watched him leave the office and run down the stairs towards the street.
The limousine pulled to a stop in front of Xander. He shook his head in amazement. He saw the car door open and watched Lindsey get out and smile at him.
"You people just don't give up, do you?" Xander asked the young lawyer.
"Nope. Not when the senior partners want you." Lindsey told him. Xander was going to use his powers on him when he felt two people come up behind him. He was about to turn around and use his powers on them, when he felt two sharp bursts of electricity shoot through him.
Xander fell into Lindsey's arms in an unconscious slump as the two men behind the young teenager hid their tasers. Lindsey pulled Xander into the limousine and Lilah grinned when she saw him. She placed a metallic collar around his neck and it buzzed slightly when she connected it. Lindsey reached over and shut the limo door as the two men with the tasers ran off down the street.
"He's a cutie." Lilah said as she stroked Xander's hair.
"Keep it in your panties, Lilah. We have a prophecy to fulfil." Lee smirked.
Lilah threw him a sneer as the limousine started on its way to the lawyer's home building. They didn't see Doyle run out into the street just as the limo took off. He was looking for Xander but couldn't find him.
"Xander? Xander? Wake up." Darla urged him to open his eyes. Xander opened his eyes slowly. He could feel pain all over his body but felt comfortable when he realized his head was being cradled by Darla.
"Am I dead?" Xander asked her.
Darla laughed softly. "God no. You're unconscious. It's the only way we can see each other right now. Don't you remember what happened?"
Xander thought about it and a part of the wall next to Darla disappeared, replaced with the inside of a moving limousine. The image slowly disappeared, leaving the wall a solid shape once more.
"I vaguely remember being shocked. What happened?" Xander asked her. He knew that this was a dream but everytime he saw her, Xander had a greater urge not to wake up.
Darla stroked his dark hair. "It was Wolfram and Hart. They took you by force. When you refused to submit, they took you against your will."
"How do you know?" Xander asked her in wonder.
The blonde woman laughed. "Because I know you, silly. Now go to sleep. Everything will be clearer when you wake up."
"Is my life in danger?"
Darla shrugged. "All our lives are in danger now. No one is safe."
"You lost him!?!" Angel said in shock. "How could you lose him!?!"
Doyle shifted from his left foot to his right. "I ran outside to catch him but he wasn't there. Then I went into Wang's Takeaway Shop and he wasn't there either. No one saw anyone with that description enter their store. He must have been grabbed as soon as he left our building."
Angel clenched his fists in unrestrained anger. But he wasn't angry at Doyle. He was angry at himself.
"See, this is why you shouldn't have been so quick to destroy the gem of Amara. For situations exactly like this." Doyle lectured the ensouled vampire.
Angel gave him a look and then headed toward the elevator. Doyle ran up to him. "Where are you going?"
"I'm getting in my car and I'm going to start looking for him myself." Angel told him.
"But... but the sun's up." Doyle said with concern.
"My car's windows are tinted remember?" Angel reminded him. He saw Doyle nod as the elevator went onto the ground floor. The vampire pulled open the gate and ran over to his car. He opened the garage door and drove out into the street. The sun hit the car, but Angel was protected from inside the confines of his car.
He drove through the city streets looking for any sign of Xander but so far he couldn't find him. It wasn't long before he saw two army jeeps turn the corner and start to chase him. Angel drove off and tried to lose the jeeps but they continued to chase him through the city streets.
"We've spotted a hostile. He's driving a 1970 Ford Fairlane Torino and is approaching the main roads. What are our orders?" Agent Taggart spoke into his handheld radio as he chased Angel alongside the second jeep.
Professor Walsh's voice filtered through the radio. "Corner the hostile. Box him in. He'll lead us to Alexander."
"Affirmative." Kevin spoke into the handheld device as he sped up the jeep, almost smashing into Angel's rear bumper. Angel swerved his car out of the way again, but he was tired of dodging the army soldiers that suddenly came out of nowhere. He had no idea what they wanted but it couldn't be good.
The Initiative drove up to Angel and almost hit his car once more. The vampire got fed up and hit the brakes, causing the two jeeps behind him to swerve out of the way in a mad panic. The first soldier-filled jeep hit the gutter and jumped the curb, hitting the side of a building as it came to a violent stop. The second jeep hit a truck head on as it too came to a sudden stop.
Angel stopped the car and looked out through his tinted windows. He shook his head at the pathetic way the soldiers tried to subdue him, started up his car again and continued on his way again. To the Los Angeles Police Department. To Kate Lockley.
"Agent Taggart. Progress report. Agent Taggart!" Professor Walsh's voice came through the handheld radio once more. But what she didn't realize was that her team was dead.
Detective Kate Lockley filed some reports and put them in her file cabinet when Angel appeared in the corner of the room, staying away from the sunlight that filtered through the room.
She turned around and spotted him. She jumped slightly. "Do you always do that?"
"Do what?"
"Appear out of nowhere. It's not a nice thing to do to someone with a gun." Kate said as she sat back down at her desk.
"Kate. I need your help." Angel said quickly.
Kate stared at him. "I've had enough dealings with demons already. I just want to forget about that, okay? And the last time we crossed paths you were helping a fugitive girl."
"Faith wasn't just a fugitive from justice. She's a Slayer. Destined to destroy vampires. I'm sure you'd like her. But you can't forget about the real world when it's all around you." He told her sternly.
"Shutup! You don't know what this has been like for me alright?!? I'm the running joke around here. I make Mulder look normal." Kate snapped angrily.
"Who?"
"Mulder? From 'The X Files'? It's a television show that humans watch. You would know that if you were ever human." She told him snidely.
Angel nodded. "I'm aware of the television. This might shock you but all vampires were once human you know."
"I didn't know that..." Kate said quietly, now a little calmer.
Angel nodded impatiently. "Are you going to help me or not?"
"With what?" Kate asked him.
"I have a friend that was recently abducted. At least I think he was kidnapped."
The blonde detective stared at him. "What is he? Vampire... demon... what?"
"He's human. I have reason to suspect that Wolfram and Hart are behind this." Angel told her.
Kate chuckled. "Wolfram and Hart? The lawfirm? Why would they want to kidnap a human being?"
"Maybe because Xander has the power to rip the world in half if he wanted to. I'm sure that that got those lawyer's attention." Angel grumbled bitterly.
Kate stared at him. "Xander? Is that his name?"
"Alexander Harris. He calls himself Xander. Don't ask me why, we're not that close."
"He's human but he has supernatural powers? God, how many freaks are out there in the world?" Kate asked herself aloud.
Angel shook his head. "Are you going to help me or should I just walk?"
"If it means wiping out more of those scum, then yes. I'll help." Kate told him.
"This isn't good. Cordelia said on the phone that Xander may have been kidnapped by some law firm." Buffy told Willow and Tara.
"What? Why would a lawfirm be into kidnapping?" Willow asked in confusion.
Buffy gave her a look. "Because this Wolfram and Hart law firm are evil and into getting supernatural powers apparently. They probably represented the Mayor when he was still alive."
Tara nodded. "It makes sense. I mean, evil lawyers isn't really that much of a stretch."
Buffy thought about the situation for awhile. "I'm going over there."
"What? You don't know what's happening over there. It might be a misunderstanding. You know Cordelia. She's always exaggerating." Willow said as she tried to keep Buffy in town, and more importantly, away from Angel.
The Slayer shook her head. "My instincts are telling me to go. And after what I did to Riley, it's most likely the Initiative are over there too. And if they bump into Angel and Doyle? No guesses as to what they'll do. Go back to Giles' and wait for him. Tell him what's happening. And tell him I'm sorry about the phone."
Willow and Tara nodded reluctantly and left Buffy's house. The Slayer left a note for her mother and then left for the bus station.
Willow and Tara went back to Tara's dorm room after telling Giles what had happened. The former Watcher was worried about what happened and had to be heavily convinced by the two witches that he couldn't really do anything in L.A. anyway. It had seemed like he had given in and decided to wait for word from Buffy, like they had.
"I hate this. I hate waiting around. We should be over there with Buffy and the others like Giles said." Willow told her girlfriend.
Tara shook her head. "If we go, who's going to take care of the town?"
"Well the Initiative seem to be in control of that." Willow said after thinking about it.
The blonde witch raised an eyebrow. "After what happened today, I'm not so sure that's a good thing."
Willow nodded slowly. "I don't know what we can do. I feel useless. Xander's my friend too and I HAVE to make it up to him for the way I treated him."
Tara thought it over. "We could always do a joining spell? It makes us see what Xander is doing at that moment. Where he is and everything. But the thing is if we do this, we're going to need something of Xander's."
Willow pulled out a gold locket. "Amy gave me this once. It's a locket that Xander gave Cordelia before she dumped him on Valentine's Day. This worked in a spell once before."
"If Xander meant for Cordelia to have it, it wouldn't work out. Do you have anything else?"
Willow thought about it. "I'm pretty sure Anya might have something of his left. We'll have to go over to her house though."
"Let's go then." Tara said as they left her dorm room and headed to Anya's house.
Xander slowly drifted in and out of consciousness as the sedatives they had given him after the taser shock in the street slowly started to wear off. He opened his eyes slowly and took a look around at his surroundings. It took a couple of minutes for him to realize that he was sitting in a chair in an office room. He saw a middle aged man sitting at a desk in front of him with a smile on his face.
"Welcome back. You've been gone for awhile." Holland told the teenage boy.
Xander tried to get up, but two security guards grabbed him from behind and slammed him back down into his chair. He winced at their roughness and tried to use his powers on them but to his shock, nothing happened.
"Amazing isn't it? How quick you got your God-like power and how quick it dissipated. Actually it's not gone. More like, locked away in a barrier." Holland said with a grin.
Xander felt the metal collar around his neck and sighed in disappointment. "Who the hell are you?"
Holland's smile disappeared. "Oh, I'm sorry. Sometimes I forget my manners. My name is Holland Manners. But you can call me H.M. I know the way you kids think these days."
Xander chuckled. "I knew someone like you once."
Holland raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Were you two friends?"
"Actually, we blew him up on Graduation Day." Xander said as he started to laugh.
"Okay, Alexander. Let's get all this small talk bullshit out of the way, shall we?" Holland asked him.
"Please." Xander agreed.
"We both know why you're here. You have a power that we so desperately need. We want it. And you're going to give it to us." Holland said tersely.
Xander stared at him. "Even if I did want to give it to you, which I have no idea how, why would I give it over to an evil person like you for?"
Holland laughed. "Evil? I'm not evil. I'm eccentric. An eccentric man with a plan. And you are the first step in that plan."
"When I get this collar off, you're going to be very, very sorry that you ever messed with me, pal." Xander threatened the middle aged lawyer.
Holland turned to Phil, the security guard and motioned for him to open the office room door. Phil opened the door and waited for further instructions.
"We're going to use your powers, whether you're dead or alive. Preferably alive. From our research, you're the only one of your kind, do you realize that? I mean, the only person more dangerous than you is Kanen. He's this urban legend warrior that kills demons, vampires and other evil doers. There's no actual proof that he exists, but there are some creatures that have claimed to have seen him. They're dead scared of him."
Xander grinned. "I like him already."
"Do you have any idea how much trouble you've been for Lindsey? He almost had to take a pay cut. And I don't mean a reduction in money." Holland said as he motioned for Phil to pick Xander up.
Phil and the other security guard dragged Xander out of the office and they walked past Lindsey, Lilah and Lee who looked on with interest. Holland stood in the doorway and watched Xander and the guards leave for the dungeons, below the basement.
"Where is he going?" Lindsey asked his superior.
Holland turned to him. "Alexander will be held in the last cell on the right in the dungeon."
Lilah was surprised at that decision. "Are you sure, Sir?"
"I'm sure." Holland said with a grin as he disappeared back into his office and closed the door.
Lee was confused. "Why would the boss want to throw that Harris kid into the dungeon? He can't do any damage now with that collar on."
"Because, Lee, Alexander might want to escape?" Lilah suggested to him as the three lawyers walked away to meet their other clients.
Phil pulled Xander towards the cell door on the right and everytime Xander struggled or tried to escape, either Phil or his partner beat him with their fists or nightsticks.
Phil hit Xander in the back again, causing him to fall to the floor in pain. The man guarding the cells opened a door and the two guards who had been beating him up threw him inside the darkened cell, before closing the door behind him and walking away.
"Great." Xander breathed. "Just great. Now how the hell am I going to get out of this one?"
He tried to look around the cell but couldn't see anything but darkness. Xander tried to rip the cell door off it's hinges with his powers, but when he raised his hand and pointed it towards the door, nothing happened.
"Damn." Xander muttered as he gave up. The metal collar around his neck had so far prevented him from using his powers. And it had been awhile since Xander had felt so powerless.
He heard a noise of someone moving inside the cell with him and he began to get frightened. "Who's there?"
"I told you once before that it's not me you should be afraid of." A feminine voice spoke to him from inside the cell.
Xander looked up in the direction the voice came from. He squinted his eyes and thought he could make out a figure, but he wasn't sure. The fact that he heard her voice was a sure sign that he was asleep.
"Darla?" Xander called out to her.
"Yes." She answered him as she got up off the floor and walked over towards him. "It's me. I told you I was in a dark place, didn't I?"
Xander could make out her pleasant expression and smiling face and visibly relaxed. The thought that she could still be a vampire, flew out the window. He smiled back at her and they hugged, seeking the closeness that each one provided.
"So, where did you get to? We were starting to think that maybe you were kidnapped too." Cordelia exclaimed as Angel came back to the office. Doyle got up and gave him the once over. "No luck in finding him?"
Angel shook his head. "No luck. I searched every street corner, every seedy place I could think of, nothing. I suspect that Wolfram and Hart have him somewhere in their building. But I did run into a handful of soldiers today."
"Soldiers? What?" Doyle asked, confused.
The vampire shrugged. "I have no idea why, but they were chasing me down streets in their jeeps. Lucky for me, I escaped with my life. Unlucky for them that their erratic driving skills got them killed."
"Why would soldiers want to start a car chase in Los Angeles streets? Do you think that they were working for Wolfram and Hart?" Cordelia asked them.
Angel shook his head after thinking about the possibility. "I doubt it. They didn't seem connected. My instincts are telling me that they were up to something else. Maybe they wanted my car. Maybe they were drunk. Who knows?"
Cordelia nodded. "By the way, don't get too upset but Buffy called here while you were gone. She wanted to tell you that we should keep our eyes open. Apparently there's this military operation in Sunnydale that wants to get their hands on Xander and they may be coming here."
Doyle and Angel stared at Cordelia with incredulous expressions. The cheerleader didn't know why they reacted that way and shook her head.
"What? Do I have something on my face?"
Angel shook his head and Doyle grinned at her. "Cor, did it ever cross your mind that the military operation in Sunnydale that want Xander, are the same people that was chasing Angel today?"
Cordelia nodded in agreement after thinking about it. "That makes sense. Anyway Buffy said that the Initiative, that's the military operation, want his power. The guy that Buffy was seeing had bugged Giles' phone and they know everything. Where he lives, who you are, everything."
"Well, the Initiative are going to have a hard time finding Xander, if Wolfram and Hart already have him. We have to get him out of that building." Angel told the pair.
Buffy appeared in the doorway. "You're not wrong."
The trio turned around and stared at the blonde Slayer in surprise.
The elevator door opened and Riley walked out, heading towards Professor Walsh.
"Don't tell me, I already know." Professor Walsh told her favourite soldier.
Riley gave her a look. "Permission to speak freely, Ma'am?"
"Permission granted." Professor Walsh said to him as she walked into the conference room, Riley walking in behind her as he closed the door.
"Buffy found out about the tracer we put on Giles' phone. She knocked me out and when I came to, there was nobody there. My cover's been blown and I truly believe that she's gone to Los Angeles to warn her best friend." Riley finished with dripping sarcasm.
Maggie Walsh nodded. "That's what I assumed. Now we've got Buffy and her friends on to us."
"Forrest told me something about the Epsilon team in L.A." Riley informed her.
"They were killed in the line of duty, Riley. They were in the middle of chasing a suspect down the streets of L.A. when they collided head on with civilian vehicles. They were killed instantly."
Riley shook his head. "They were good soldiers. Great soldiers that died because of one ungrateful imbecile."
"Alexander wasn't driving the car, Riley. They were chasing someone in a 1970 Ford Fairlane Torino. Fortunately before he died, Agent Taggart managed to give us the licence plate details. The car is registered to a Liam O'Malley. Do you know of anyone with that name?" Walsh asked him.
Riley thought it over. "I've never heard that name before. Not even from Buffy."
Professor Walsh nodded. "Well I have. From one of the recorded transcripts off of Mr. Giles' phoneline. Angel's first name is Liam. I can only assume that O'Malley is his last name. Angel is the..."
"Vampire with a soul. I know. Willow told me once."
Maggie Walsh grinned. "A vampire with a soul. Who would have thought such a creature was possible?"
"It's something to do with Gypsies and some curse. It's a freak thing." Riley sneered.
"Like the Slayer." Walsh added as she watched Riley look toward the ground. She grinned and walked over to him. "I'm sorry Riley. I know how close you two were. Believe me, I know. Forrest and Graham have always believed that Buffy was nothing but trouble."
"No. I knew Forrest thought something along those lines, but not Graham. And Buffy is not the problem here. It's Xander." Riley muttered angrily.
Professor Walsh moved away from Riley and sat back down. She stared at him for awhile before asking him a question. "What do you suggest we do? We have an extremely important power source somewhere in Los Angeles and an extremely pissed off Slayer about to help him. Not to mention the fact that there's a vampire on their side as well."
"You send me over there. I know the enemy. I know how he thinks. I know where he goes everyday. I know the type of person he is." Riley suggested.
Walsh grinned. "I'm sure you do. But I want Harris alive, Riley. Not one hair on his head is to be harmed, do you hear me?"
Riley nodded slowly. "Yeah, I heard you. But it doesn't mean I have to like it."
Maggie raised an eyebrow. "Well in any case, you're not the only one going over there. Due to the incident team Epsilon had with Angel, I've decided to increase the number of troops over there. I will send four more teams over there. Your team will be one of the four. And I will be spearheading this one personally. We can't afford any more mess ups. Even I have people to answer for too."
"When do we head out?"
"As soon as possible. We've lost contact with Alexander and I am very curious to find out where he is hiding. There will be only three teams here to protect our town, so this better be short and sweet. Harris is the sole reason the Initiative was created in the first place." Professor Walsh said as she glanced at a dossier of Xander Harris.
"What are you two doing here?" Anya asked the two Wiccan's as she invited them in. Spike stood in the shadowy part of Anya's apartment and sneered as he watched them.
Tara didn't say anything, so it was left to Willow. "We need your help."
"Why do you need Anya's help? You want something videotaped?" Spike asked the two girls with a laugh as he noticed them holding hands.
Anya stifled a giggle and smiled inwardly. "Why do you need me for? I don't have a video camera. And if I did, I probably would have run out of tapes by now."
Willow sighed in exasperation. "This has nothing to do with a video camera okay? Nothing at all! We're not recording anything at all! We need your help in looking for something of Xander's."
"I don't have anything like that. What you saw at his house is what he has." Anya told them.
"Didn't he give you anything when you were dating him?" Tara cut in.
Anya shook her head. "Nope, nothing. It was just sex, sex, sex. Unless you count the rash. He gave me this rash once, if that's what you mean."
"No." Willow answered slowly as she stared disbelievingly at Xander's ex. Spike grinned and watched the conversation play out. Tara was uncomfortable with where the conversation was going.
"Well, if I find anything of his I'll let you know. Why do you want this for anyway?" Anya asked them.
"Xander's been abducted by some people in Los Angeles. We're going to cast a spell to see what he's up to and how he's doing." Willow answered.
Spike chuckled again, causing the three girls to turn towards him. He looked at them and then smirked. "What if you cast the spell to spy on him when he's... let's say... 'relieving some tension'? Are you going to blush like a giddy virgin? Or are you going to go 'hmm' like a curious scientist?"
Tara and Willow blushed while Anya thought of the possibilities. She gave the two witches a shrug.
"Well, if that's all you came here to say, then goodbye. Anya has nothing and I have nothing of that black haired little twerp. Come back when you have something a little more interesting...like a sliced open vein." Spike said angrily as Willow and Tara walked towards the door and stepped outside.
"What's with him?" Willow asked the former vengeance demon.
Anya shrugged. "I wouldn't give him any. Occasionally I like to tease."
Willow and Tara left Anya and Spike to their own business with that single thought in their heads.
"Lindsey. Is there something you need?" Holland asked the young lawyer as he stood in the doorway of Holland's office.
"Are you sure we're safe, sir? From Alexander's powers that is." Lindsey asked him as he walked into the office and sat down at an empty seat. Holland stared at the desk and then looked up and gave him a grin.
"Lindsey, Lindsey, Lindsey. That ancient looking collar that Alexander has around his neck is not only preventing him from using his powers, but it's also helping us merge with the old world. There is nothing to fear but fear itself." Holland reassured him.
Lindsey nodded and stared out the window. "We may have a couple more problems. The alternate plan that you spearheaded several months ago? Well, they're getting very restless again. We had to sedate them pretty heavily. They almost broke their way out of the cell door the other night. And Faith's release is coming up soon. There's no doubt in my mind that she'll side with Angel and fight against us. Especially after our decision to kill her."
"Your decision Lindsey. That was your decision. Don't forget that." Holland cautioned him.
"I'm just saying that those two things may cause problems. Especially those things we have in cell B. If they get out..."
"They won't get out. I'm thinking of whether or not I should have them killed. We have Alexander now in our grasp along with Darla. There's really no need to keep those things around. On the other hand, they might come in handy some day." Holland said as he thought it over.
Lindsey nodded. "So which is it going to be? Do we kill those things or not?"
"Not. They could still come in handy. Just increase the sedative dosages. Has Alexander been a problem?" Holland asked.
The young lawyer shook his head. "No. He's been pretty quiet actually, so I've been told. No doubt he and Darla are catching up on a lot of things."
"I bet. Well, who can blame him. She is quite the looker. And the fact that they've been dreaming about each other, would only help." Holland revealed.
"Why did they dream about each other?"
Holland shrugged. "Perhaps it was a side effect of Mr. Harris' power. Perhaps they're soulmates. Who knows? And more importantly, who cares?"
Lindsey nodded and stood up from his seat. "Well I have things to do. Clients to see."
"You'd better leave then." Holland told him.
Lindsey walked towards the door and quickly left, leaving Holland to his thoughts.
"Buffy? What are you doing here?" Angel asked her tensely.
The Slayer gave him an uncomfortable look and shrugged. "I came because of Xander. Why else would I be here?"
Doyle picked up on the tension and tried to relieve as much of it as possible. "So we know about Wolfram and Hart. What's the deal with this Initiative thing? Cordy only gave us a snippet of information on them."
"They're a military operation that established itself in Sunnydale. They specialise in abducting vampires and other demons and experimenting on them. Spike was one of their many subjects. He can't hurt any living person now."
Angel nodded. "Yeah, we know that. But how big a threat is this Initiative?"
"They're mostly morons with guns. But they've got state-of-the-art weapons and know how to use them. They've captured a lot of demons already. If they find out about you two when they're here looking for Xander..."
"We'll be chipped too?" Doyle cut in.
Buffy nodded reluctantly. "What about these people that have Xander? How dangerous are they?"
"They're lawyers. The ones we've seen are human. But they represent all sorts of evil creatures and people. They want his power, just like the Initiative do. It won't be a problem getting to the lawyers outside, but it's getting into the building that's going to be difficult. I tried to sneak in a couple of months ago, but there's some sort of mystical barrier that gets set off everytime a vampire is within range." Angel told her.
The blonde Slayer thought the situation over. "Well, Willow's girlfriend Tara is a powerful witch. Maybe she can get the barrier removed. Or I could go in on my own."
Cordelia stared at Xander's former friend. "Willow's gay now? How long have I been gone from Sunnydale? What happened to Oz?"
"Oz had a fling with another werewolf, he and Willow had this big break up thing and then he left for parts unknown." Buffy explained.
The former Cheerleader whistled. "Wow. So much for Oz being the 'loyal type'. What did Anya do to him? Doyle told me that she and Xander were seeing each other. And since she's into the vengeance kick, one can only imagine what she would have done."
Buffy shrugged. "Suprisingly, she didn't do anything. I don't think she likes Willow."
"Hard to imagine." Cordelia said with sarcasm.
Buffy gave another shrug to the small group. "In any case, Tara is pretty good with the spells. I'd ask Willow, but her spells have a tendency to backfire. Severely." She added, flashing back to her 'engagement' to Spike, Giles' blindness and Xander's sudden demon 'magnetism'.
"How soon can you get her here? Because the sooner, the better." Angel told her.
"I'll call her now. She should be in her dorm room." Buffy said as she walked over to the phone.
The Slayer prayed that Tara was home and that she could help. The thought of Xander being held in a hellish place like Wolfram and Hart, made her skin crawl. And she didn't want him to suffer anymore in life than he had.
"I can't believe that you people actually got me to go along to Los Angeles. I just know that Angel's gonna love knowing that I'm..." Spike started but stopped.
"Impotent?" Tara asked him as he drove the both of them out of Sunnydale and into the streets of L.A.
Spike threw her a look that made the blonde witch shrug. "That's how Willow describes it."
The blonde vampire drove the car and smirked. "I wonder that if I crash this car, would I be able to kill you?"
Tara glanced nervously at Spike and he laughed. "Oh don't panic. I wouldn't dream of wrecking my car over a mangy human. Why the hell does Buffy need me for? I hate that Harris kid."
"Because I have to get rid of this mystical barrier thing. And I can't drive. Neither can Willow or Anya. But you can." Tara told him as she tried to look out through the tinted windows.
Spike rolled his eyes. "If Angel starts anything, I'm going to kick his poofy little ass all over his little detective agency."
The young witch sighed as they drove into the inner sanctum of Los Angeles, not realizing that they passed several army colored jeeps on the way, one of them which began to follow them discreetly as the sun began to set.
"Tara's on her way." Buffy announced as Cordelia and Doyle walked out of the office and left for the car. "Where are they going?"
Angel shrugged. "I don't know. Probably doing their usual flirting stuff. It gets a bit nauseating at times."
Buffy nodded and stepped away from her ex. The vampire noticed this and shook his head.
"What? What did I do wrong?" He asked.
The Slayer shook her head. "It's not just you. It's me. It's this whole situation."
Angel suddenly remembered something that he had overheard Xander talking about and asked, "Who's Riley?"
Buffy looked up at him and tried to not look too shocked at hearing the name mentioned. "Did Xander say something about Riley?"
"He may have. Who is he? Because from what I hear, he's not a very nice guy. Xander hates him..."
"Xander hated you too remember." Buffy interrupted.
Angel nodded slowly. "Riley is your boyfriend and he works for The Initiative. I thought you wanted a normal relationship. It's why I left in the first place."
"You left because you couldn't stand the heat." Buffy snapped bitterly.
The vampire shook his head. "Could we not get back to this?"
"You're the one that brought this up. And Riley's not my boyfriend anymore. I found out he bugged Giles' phone and that his loyalties are to those butchers so I dumped him." Buffy admitted.
Angel was worried. "How long has the Initiative bugged Giles' phone?"
"I don't know. It was probably a while. They know where he lives now though. I thought Cordelia would have told you. I asked her to tell you all about that," Buffy said.
The vampire nodded. "That's right. Sorry, I've got a lot on my mind right now. I had a run in with some of those soldiers earlier today. They were killed in a speeding accident."
The slayer raised an eyebrow. "That explains why they're here in full force then. Willow told me on the phone that most of the Initiative soldiers are gone from Sunnydale. Most likely they're here in L.A."
"Xander's going to get captured by them if we don't do something about it."
Buffy shrugged. "If those lawyers have him in captivity, then it doesn't really matter does it?"
"If Xander escapes before we get a chance to warn him, he could wind up in those soldier's clutches. Kind of 'out of the frying pan and into the fire'." Angel replied as he thought about what could happen.
Buffy thought about Xander. "I can't begin to imagine the tortures that he's going through right now. It must be complete hell."
Xander and Darla were kissing passionately in their cell as they gave in to their overdue feelings. After several minutes of non-stop kissing, they broke away from each other, gasping for breath.
"I can't believe you're really here. I mean this is so unbelievable. I must be dreaming," Xander said as they embraced each other once more.
Darla grinned. "You're not dreaming. I knew we'd find each other someday."
Xander stared at her. "Those dreams I had of you, were they real? Were you speaking to me?"
The blonde woman nodded. "Most of them were real. Even that little sex dream we had," she told him as she stroked his cheek. "But the one where the wolves killed me and the one where we were back in your high school wasn't real."
"But how?" Xander asked her in confusion.
Darla shrugged. "I don't know how we shared those dreams. Maybe it means we were meant to be. Or maybe it was a lure for you to get caught by these lawyers."
The psychokinetic teen nodded as he remembered the nightmare he had of Darla before he called Angel about the two muggers he killed. But he smiled when he thought of the dream he had of Darla in a catholic girl school uniform.
"What are you smiling about?" Darla asked with a grin.
Xander shook his head. "I had this dream about you where you were wearing this catholic girl school uniform. It was kinda sexy on you."
Darla laughed. "Well, I'll keep that in mind. I get the feeling that I used to wear one of those a long time ago."
"It was when you were evil," Xander told her sadly. "But you're obviously not evil anymore. You're not even a vampire anymore are you?"
Darla grabbed one of Xander's hands and put it on her heart so that he could feel it beating. "I'm human now."
"But how?"
The former vampire shrugged. "The people that are in this building wanted me as a vampire, so that I could seduce Angelus and turn him evil. They know that Angelus has the ability to open Acathla. I guess they didn't plan on their restoration spell making me human."
"Well, I'm glad you're human. And when we get out of here and away from these people, we can do what healthy human couples do," Xander said suggestively.
Darla grinned and raised an eyebrow. "That sounds like a great idea, but we have to get out of here alive first."
Xander nodded and had a look around the cell. He then tried to look out of the little window in the cell door, but could only see a security guard standing outside.
"It's going to be a bit of a problem. My power doesn't work now because of this damn collar," Xander told her as he pointed to the metallic collar around his neck.
Darla nodded sadly. "There has to be another way out."
The cell door opened and three guards rushed in at once. One held Darla back while the other two dragged a reluctant Xander out of the cell.
"Xander!!" Darla screamed out as the guard that held her, let her go and ran out the door, slamming it behind him. She sat down on the floor in the dark room alone once more.
Buffy and Angel were in the main room of the detective agency when Tara opened the front door and walked in. They noticed she left the door open and realized that she wasn't alone.
"C'mon. The sooner we get this done, the faster you can get back to Anya." Tara said to someone in the hall.
Buffy groaned and shook her head. "Oh shit."
Angel was confused but quickly understood Buffy's outburst when he saw Spike enter the office with a smirk on his face.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Angel asked him angrily.
Spike grinned nastily. "I'm here because I choose to be here."
The ensouled vampire stepped toward the chipped vampire and morphed into his vampiric face. Tara moved away from the two vampires and walked over to Buffy as they watched the events unfold.
"You think I forgot what you did to me in that warehouse, Spike?" Angel asked him angrily.
Spike morphed into his vampire face and snarled. "I know I didn't. It sure was fun."
Angel hit Spike in the face, sending him to the floor. As he fell, Spike swung his leg out, knocking Angel off his feet and to the floor as the two vampires wrestled.
"I'm going to rip your head off!" Spike yelled at him.
Angel chuckled, trying to get Spike even more angry. "Why Spike, I thought they neutered you."
The british vampire's smile faltered slightly and he kicked Angel hard in the chest, throwing him off and sending him sprawling at Buffy's feet.
Spike leapt to his feet and was ready to charge at Angel when Buffy stepped between the two feuding vampires.
"Enough!! There's more important things at stake here than you two and your bickering!" She yelled.
Angel picked himself up off the floor and gave Spike a withering look, which only made Spike madder. Tara stared at the two vampires and then back at Buffy.
"Is that Angel?" Tara asked her.
Buffy nodded. "Yeah. Did you have any problems getting here? No run-ins with the Initiative?"
Tara shook her head. "No, none."
Buffy sighed with relief and visibly relaxed...until the power cut out on the building. Lights and other electric equipment shut down immediately. Spike, Angel, Buffy and Tara started to worry and they all raced over to a window to see if they could find any sign of an intruder.
"Looks like you were followed after all." Buffy said to the blonde witch as they watched five Initiative soldiers run up to the building.
Doyle parked the car outside the Los Angeles prison as he and Cordelia waited for Faith to be released from prison. Doyle watched Cordelia from the corner of his eye, so as not to raise suspicion. She got impatient and hit the dashboard, causing Doyle to jump slightly.
"How long is she going to be?" Cordelia asked in annoyance.
The Brachen demon shrugged. "It's not like she can just walk out. There's all these procedures that you have to go through first."
"How would you know?"
Doyle shrugged for the second time. "I was arrested once for posession of marijuana. It wasn't mine though. I was holding it for somebody when the cops busted me."
"Sure, sure." Cordelia said with a grin.
They got out of the car and waited for Faith. Doyle noticed that Cordelia was shivering slightly because of the cold and he took off his jacket and wrapped it around her.
"You don't have to do that." Cordelia told him with a grin.
Doyle nodded. "I know. But I want to."
Doyle leaned in closer to Cordelia and was about to kiss her when he hesitated. He was about to back off completely when Cordelia grabbed him and kissed him first. Doyle's insecurities melted away as they had their long awaited kiss. Cordelia wrapped her arms around his neck as they deepened their kissing.
Faith walked up the road after exiting the large prison with her small possessions and saw the two of them kissing passionately. Her eyes widened and she shook her head smiling at the two of them.
"Hey, you two. Am I interrupting anything?" Faith asked them slyly.
Cordelia and Doyle broke away reluctantly and turned to face the brunette Slayer.
"How long have you been standing there?" Cordelia asked her.
Faith shrugged. "I just got here. Where's Angel? Or Xander?"
Doyle and Cordelia gave each other a look that worried Faith. "What? What's going on?"
The Brachen demon sighed. "Faith, Xander's been kidnapped by Wolfram and Hart. Angel's back at the office preparing to go in there and get him."
"We have to hurry then." Faith said as she headed toward the car.
Cordelia stopped her from getting in. "There's another thing that you should know. Buffy's here in town. At the office. And she still doesn't know that you're here. Let alone, awake from your coma. And we got military types parading around looking for Xander."
"Is there anything else?" Faith asked incredulously.
Doyle nodded. "Xander has a lot of powers now. More than I've ever seen before."
Faith's eyes widened in shock. "What?!?"
Forrest Gates stood next to Riley as one of the teams waited for word from the team that were about to infiltrate Angel's office. Forrest shook his head as he thought about Riley's actions because of Buffy and decided to call him on it.
"All this for one girl." Forrest muttered.
Riley turned to face him. "What did you say?"
Forrest looked at him. "Why do you have such a hardon for finding this Xander guy?"
"Because Professor Walsh wants him. Because he's the reason why we're in this entire operation to begin with. Why? Do you have some other reason for me to be doing this?" Riley demanded.
Forrest nodded. "How about the fact that you're after him because you downright hate him? Maybe because it has something to do with the fact that he's all Buffy talks about? Remember what you once told me?"
Riley nodded angrily. "Xander thinks he's such hot shit. That little maggot is going to be rat bait when I'm through with him. And it's not just Buffy anymore. He's all Professor Walsh talks about now also."
"You think the Professor has a thing for Harris?" Forrest asked with a chuckle.
Riley shook his head. "No. But I know that she thinks of him as someone better. Someone better than me. There used to be a time when Walsh thought about all of us in that way. Now she can't get passed that little goddamn freak."
Forrest shrugged. "You need to express your anger a bit less. You're coming off like a big loser."
"Excuse me?"
"You never acted like this before you hooked up with that Summers chick. She's got you all riled up and now look at you. You want to obliterate someone merely because he's the object of someone's affections." Forrest said with a shake of his head.
Graham decided to step in. "Guys, maybe we should talk about this later."
"No, Graham. He needs to hear this now. I'm sick of listening to his tirades. Aren't you?" Forrest asked his other friend.
Graham shrugged but didn't offer a verbal comment. That only made Riley more angry.
"Don't either of you talk to me about Buffy. What goes on between me and her is none of your business." Riley told the two of them as the other soldiers in the group looked on in interest.
"C'mon man. It seems to me that Buffy is always attracted to freaks. You being the exception of course. Didn't you tell me that she screwed a vampire? And now she's attracted to someone else with supernatural powers. That girl only goes for the dangerous types. She's not worth the trouble. Not to mention the fact that she found out that you deceived her and she decked you." Forrest said as he tried to drill sense into Riley's brain.
Riley picked up a taser rifle and pointed it at Forrest's chest. Graham and the others were shocked that it had gone that far, but Forrest merely stood there with no expression in his eyes.
"You got anything more to say about Buffy?" Riley asked him angrily as his finger tightened around the trigger.
Forrest shook his head slowly. "No."
"Good. It's good to know." Riley told him as he lowered his taser rifle. A soldier in another team, ran up to Riley and stopped, breathing heavily.
"What is it, A.J.?" Riley asked him.
"Team Blue is at the site. We're getting ready to go in. We're ready for your commands." A.J. told him.
Riley nodded. "Good. Let's do it. Capture them all. No killing unless you absolutely have to."
"Wrong." Professor Walsh said as she walked up to the team of soldiers.
"Professor?" Riley asked in surprise.
Professor Walsh stared at him. "We're not going there. Alexander isn't there. Reports are coming in that say that he's been abducted. The LAPD have put out a missing persons report on him. So I'm assuming that he isn't with the others at the detective agency."
"Where do we go?" Riley asked agitated.
Professor Walsh stared at him. "We go to the LAPD of course."
Angel, Spike, Tara and Buffy stared out the window as they watched the Initiative soldiers retreat away from the building. A couple of minutes later, the power came back on. They stepped back from the window and breathed a sigh of relief.
"That was weird." Spike said aloud.
Angel nodded. "They must have found out that Xander isn't here. At any rate, they know where we are. I think it's about time that we started preparing for that spell."
Buffy looked back at Tara who nodded in agreement. "We're going to need a lot of stuff for this."
"Whatever it takes." Angel told the blonde witch as Spike lit up a cigarette.
Darla waited impatiently for her soulmate to return. They had taken Xander hours ago, and she could only guess what they wanted with him wasn't pleasant.
Her thoughts were interrupted when the cell door opened suddenly and two guards threw a bruised and battered Xander into the cell. They quickly closed the door behind them as Darla ran over to Xander's slumped, unconscious form.
"Xander!" Darla exclaimed in panic as she slapped his face gently, trying to wake him up.
After a couple of slaps, Xander began to stir. Darla stopped and waited anxiously for him to open his eyes. Within seconds his eyes opened and he stared up at her worried face.
"Did you get the number of that bus?" Xander asked before he passed out again.
Darla couldn't help but smile at his comment and held him in her arms as she waited for him to regain consciousness once more. But this time she knew that he'd be okay.
Tara was preparing the ingredients of the spell with Buffy when the sounds of footsteps were heard walking up to the main office door. Buffy looked up and saw Cordelia and Doyle, followed by someone she had never expected to see again... Faith.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Buffy demanded of the brunette Slayer.
Faith faltered for a second but stood her ground. She was relieved somewhat when she realized that Cordelia and Doyle hadn't left her standing on her own.
"Well? When did you get out of your coma?!?" Buffy challenged angrily.
"I came out of the coma a while ago." Faith told her.
Buffy got up off the ground and stared at her, while Tara watched the two girls with curiosity.
"I can only guess what you're up to now. What, are you going to try and kill everyone here? Get me back for what I did to you, is that it?" Buffy challenged furiously.
Faith shook her head. "I'm over that dark patch. I served my time."
"Served your time? What the hell are you talking about?" Buffy asked in confusion.
"It means that she's been in prison." Angel cut in, standing in the doorway with Spike who was watching with morbid fascination.
Buffy turned to her ex and saw the lack of surprise on his face. She saw the same reactions on Doyle and Cordelia's faces and she was stunned. "You knew? You knew she was awake and you didn't tell me?"
"Buffy, I..." Angel tried to explain but he was cut off by Buffy who simply walked out of the office, bumping past Faith wrathfully.
Tara was surprised at the scene that unfolded. "What was that?"
"That," Spike told her "was a bloody good show."
Angel was about to chase after her but Faith stopped him. "I'll go."
"Are you sure? Buffy would probably try to lash out at you. Can you handle that?" Angel asked her.
Faith nodded. "I'm aware of the whole Karma situation. It's a feeling that I'm going to have to get used to."
The former convict walked out of the office and headed towards Buffy who was standing on the steps outside.
"We shouldn't be fighting at a moment like this. We should be spending this time, trying to save Xander." Faith told her.
Buffy laughed sarcastically. "Like you care about him. I seem to recall you tried to strangle him for wanting to help you once."
Faith looked towards the ground in guilt. She remembered what she did to Xander and couldn't believe that she hadn't apologised to him about that and she hoped that she would get the chance.
"I'll apologise to him when we get him out of those lawyer's clutches. Where's Red?" Faith asked her.
Buffy turned to her. "Willow? She's in Sunnydale. And I doubt she'll like it when she finds out that you're awake."
The brunette Slayer shrugged. "Well as I said, this situation isn't about me, or you. And we've got to put our differences aside if we're to help Xander."
Buffy reluctantly gave in and sighed. "I have to go and help with the spell."
"Weird how Xander has suddenly become our main priority. The kidnapping plot not included." Faith said.
Buffy nodded awkwardly. "I've always had to save Xander. But now with his power..."
Faith noticed that Buffy stopped her sentence and was curious. "What? What is it?"
"Xander has powers now. Strong enough to smash windows and set off car alarms. Why hasn't he used them against those lawyers?" Buffy asked her.
Faith shook her head. "He can't be dead."
"How do you know? Xander knows how to use his powers, at least I think he knows. We haven't got word back from him or his kidnappers." Buffy told her.
Faith shrugged. "I know Wolfram and Hart. They're not likely to leave a ransom demand. Which is why we have to hurry with that spell."
Buffy watched Faith head back into the building and waited awhile before doing the same. She looked up at the sky and sighed worriedly.
"Xander, wherever you are, I hope you're safe."
Xander slowly stirred awake again as his eyes grew accustomed to the darkness in the cell he shared with Darla.
"How long have I been out?" He asked his soulmate, his head in her lap.
Darla shook her head. "I don't know. But it felt like eternity. And believe me, I know eternity."
Xander looked up at her and touched her hair in an affectionate way. "Do you remember much about being a vampire?"
"No. Most of it's a blur. I do remember some things with Angel, but that's about it." Darla told him honestly as she tried to sort out her memory's blind spots. "Have you worked out what they want from you?"
Xander nodded and smiled despite his minor injuries. "They wanted to get more power from me. They're trying to open some sort of a portal. This collar on my neck is somehow making it happen."
Darla stared at the collar and tried to take it off but it didn't budge. Xander tried to pull it off as well, but none of their attempts worked. They gave up with frustration, Xander sitting up and moving next to her.
"We can get this off later. Our main priority is getting out of this prison. I saw this hallway when the guards took me out that time. There's a lot of rooms to hide in. When we get out, we'll have somewhere to hide." Xander told her.
Darla shook her head. "We'll need a miracle to get out of here."
Buffy and Faith walked back into Angel's office and the blonde Slayer moved over to Tara while Faith stayed with Cordelia and Doyle. Angel watched over the mortals and Spike who was sitting in front of the window staring out at the darkness.
"I've got it!!" Tara yelled out, making the others in the room jump. "All we need to do now is to recite the passage. It'll protect Xander from all the harm around him, but it would only last a few hours."
Angel nodded. "It'll do. Let's get it done."
"Yeah, let's get it done." Spike repeated with biting sarcasm. Cordelia swatted him in the head with a magazine.
Tara grinned and set to work on the spell with Buffy helping her.
Kate Lockley was in her office finishing up on a report when Detective Kendrick burst in.
"This had better be good, Kendrick." Kate told him as she looked up at him from her desk.
Kendrick nodded. "It is. There's some government agents here to see you. Apparently it's got something to do with some guy named Harris."
"Harris? I don't know a Harris." Kate said as she got up from her desk and looked out the office window. She saw Riley, Forrest and some other agents standing around with boxes.
The blonde detective waved them other reluctantly and they walked over. Riley waved a badge and a search warrant in front of her and she grabbed the warrant out of his hands.
"What the hell is going on here?!?" Kate asked in anger.
Riley smiled smugly. "We hear that you have some information on a Xander Harris. We're here to take everything you've got. Every file you've worked on in the past and the ones you're doing now. Everything. You are to give us your entire cooperation."
"You'd better do as he says, Lockley," her Lieutenant advised her.
Kate stepped aside and watched with resentment as the Initiative soldiers ransacked her office, taking the files from the file cabinet and the ones off her desk.
"You're wasting your time. I don't know a Xander Harris. I would have remembered him." Kate told them.
Riley turned around and faced her. "Oh? I'm pretty sure that a certain person named Angel told you about him."
Kate thought back to the recent conversation and remembered that she filed out a missing report on an Alexander Harris for him. But she kept it to herself in order to give her some time to get back to Angel.
The soldiers filled the boxes with every single file of Kate's and walked out with them. Kate watched them leave and noticed that Riley stayed behind.
"It won't do him any good, you know. Protecting Harris will be the biggest mistake in your worthless career." Riley told her nastily before he left with Forrest who waited outside.
Kate seethed, wanting to vent her anger on the smarmy government agent, before she realized it wouldn't be worth it. She waited for a few moments just in case she was followed, then left the police station and headed towards Angel's office.
Professor Walsh looked up at Riley as he walked into the temporary base that they had set up in Los Angeles. Three soldiers walked in and dropped the boxes of files on the large desk and walked back out.
"You said you wanted everything. I got you everything." Riley told her as she saw her eyes widen at all the files.
Walsh nodded. "Very good Riley. Does she know anything?"
"No. She didn't let anything slip at least. But she's got to be curious now." Riley informed her.
The Professor looked at him. "Well, it looks like we're one step closer to finding Alexander."
Riley spoke up. "Some of the soldiers have been infiltrating demon hangouts. Apparently there's a rumor going around that Harris was actually abducted by lawyers."
"You don't actually believe that crap do you?" Professor Walsh asked him with a grin.
Riley smirked. "Of course not. But that's just a rumour we've been hearing. And from the report you told us earlier, it sounds logical."
"Any more trouble with Forrest and Graham?" Maggie asked him.
Riley shook his head. "Nope. They've been quiet since that blow-up."
Professor Walsh nodded. "One thing about being a leader, Riley. You have got to tow the line. Keep the others under your command. Never let them get the best of you. Now, what did I say?"
"Never let them get the best of me." Riley repeated, making Professor Walsh smile.
"Good boy. Now, you'd might as well have your lunch. Doctor Angleman has made the chemicals fit in more with the food." The Professor told him.
Riley nodded and left the room, leaving Professor Walsh with the boxes of police files.
"One thing I can't figure out. Why would these bunch of idiots want to bring you back as a human?" Xander asked her as he again tried to bash the door down. After a few tries, he gave up and sat back down on the dirty ground.
Darla shrugged. "They told me I was an accident. I was supposed to come back as a vampire to make Angel evil again. But apparently their life spell was a bit too literal and here I am. In one of their dungeons waiting to be used. Like you. But I'm a little worried."
"About what? Besides the obvious." Xander asked her as he waved a hand around the cell.
Darla looked at him. "I think they're intending on getting Angel to make me evil again."
Xander stared at her worriedly.
Hold on
Hold on to yourself
for this is gonna hurt like hell
Hold on
Hold on to yourself
you know that only time will tell
What is it in me that refuses to believe
this isn't easier than the real thing
My love
you know that you're my best friend
you know I'd do anything for you
my love
let nothing come between us
my love for you is strong and true
Am I in heaven here or am I...
at the crossroads I am standing
So now you're sleeping peaceful
I lie awake and pray
that you'll be strong tomorrow and we'll
see another day and we will praise it
and love the light that brings a smile
across your face
Oh god if you're out there won't you hear me
I know that we've never talked before
oh god the man I love is leaving
won't you take him when he comes to your door
Am I in heaven here or am I in hell
at the crossroads I am standing
So now you're sleeping peaceful
I lie awake and pray
that you'll be strong tomorrow and we'll
see another day and we will praise it
and love the light that brings a smile
across your face...
Tara and Buffy had set up the ingredients for the spell and it was now up to Tara to recite the spell. Cordelia, Doyle, Faith, Buffy and Spike stood by and watched Tara. Angel was waiting at the entrance of the Wolfram and Hart building, ready to go in and rescue Xander.
"Protect the being named Xander Harris. Protect him from the harm that surrounds him. Give him the strength needed. Now! Now! Now!" Tara called out into the dark mist that had formed from the circle they had drawn on the office floor.
As soon as the incantation was over, the dark mist disappeared back into the circle. "That's it?" Spike scoffed aloud.
The others in the room stared at him, except for Tara who was looking into the drawn circle. The blonde witch nodded. "We'll know for sure soon."
Xander and Darla were banging against the cell door once more, trying to break it off it's hinges. After a few minutes they gave up and sank to the floor.
"This isn't going to work." Xander told her.
Darla shook her head. "It has to. We'll try again in a few minutes."
Xander nodded as they got their breath back. All of a sudden, a white burst of light appeared in the room and swarmed all over Xander, who struggled to escape it in a panic.
"Xander!" Darla yelled out in fear. All she could do was watch as the bright light enveloped him and was absorbed into his skin. The metal collar around his neck glowed as well, before fading back to normal.
When the bright light disappeared into him, Darla ran towards him and checked him for injuries. "What the hell are those bastards up to now?"
Xander shook his head as he held Darla in his arms. "I don't think it was Wolfram and Hart. The energy didn't hurt me."
"That metal collar glowed." Darla said, pointing to his collar.
The dark haired teen felt his collar and looked at Darla in shock. She gave him a look of confusion. "What? What is it?"
Xander didn't say anything, as he grabbed the metal collar with one hand and broke it. They watched as the collar crumbled to nothing as it fell to the floor. Xander looked up from the floor and grinned at her.
"Looks like we're getting out of here sooner than we thought." Xander told her. Darla smiled back at him.
Xander faced the cell door and Darla stood away so that she didn't get hit by flying debris. He raised his hand in front of the door and it exploded outward, some parts of the door embedded in the opposite wall.
A siren went off in the cell block and Xander and Darla quickly escaped their prison. They saw three security guards run down the stairs with their stakes at the ready.
"Oh, shit! Sound the main alarm!" Phil yelled at the other guards when he realized it was Xander that had escaped with his powers. Xander saw the security guards and smiled. The psychokinetic teen threw Phil back against the wall in rage with his powers. The body fell to the floor as the other two guards took off.
Darla stood behind Xander and watched their backs in case someone tried to sneak up on them. The two of them made their way to the end of the cell block and got in the elevator. Xander pressed the button that closed the elevator doors and then had a look at the panel of buttons.
"Are you sure you know where we're going?" Darla asked him with worry.
Xander shrugged. "I'm going by instinct."
"Instinct? Are you sure that's wise? It's not everyday we're gonna get a chance like this if we get re-captured." Darla told him.
The teenage male turned to her and grinned as he pressed a button. "I always trust my instincts. They led me to you didn't they?"
Darla grinned just before the elevator door opened, revealing another horde of security guards with their guns drawn and ready to fire. Xander quickly threw the guards back before they had a chance to fire, with extreme force as Darla rushed forward and jabbed the button that closed the door.
The couple breathed a sigh of relief. "That was a close one. I meant to press this one."
Darla watched as Xander pressed the button below the one he previously pressed. This button was marked 'Car Park'. The elevator door opened and Xander made sure Darla was standing behind him in case of any overzealous security guard wanting to shoot at them.
To their relief there was no one in sight as the two carefully got out of the elevator, the door closing behind them. Xander took a long look around the large carpark before spotting his car parked next to a parking spot that read 'H. Manners'.
"C'mon. We're getting out of here." Xander said as he ran towards his car with Darla close behind him.
Darla stared at the vehicle. "What is this thing?"
Xander gave her an odd look and then the realization hit him. "You don't remember cars do you?"
The blonde woman shook her head again. "There's a lot of things that I don't know of." Darla said as she looked at Xander's car. "This looks like a deathtrap."
"Only if we drive like idiots." Xander told her as he tested to see if the doors of his car were opened. To his surprise, the driver's side was unlocked.
"This is incredible. It's our lucky day." Xander said with a grin as he quickly got in to his car and unlocked the other side.
Darla ran to the other side of the car and cautiously copied Xander's previous movements by opening the car door. She got in and closed the door behind her. Xander put his seat belt on and turned on the car.
"You have to put your seatbelt on, first." Xander told her, pointing it out to her. She locked in the seatbelt and her soulmate grinned as he put the car into reverse and drove out of the parking lot.
"We've got to get out of here!" Darla urged him when she spotted some security guards running out of the elevator in hot pursuit.
Xander found his way out and drove forward toward the ticket booth. Instead of stopping he drove faster, driving right through the small gate and into the street. The guards ran outside and began to shoot at the escaping car as Xander and Darla made their way back to civilization.
Angel decided enough was enough and got into the Wolfram and Hart building through his usual way. He straightened his suit and tie and kept his briefcase close to him as he mixed in with the other lawyers.
"What's the latest around here, guys." Angel asked a lawyer that was a bit on the chubby side.
"Who are you?" The chubby lawyer asked him.
Angel went with the name he'd thought up earlier. "Brian Jensen. From accounting."
The lawyer nodded. "Jason Scott."
Angel nodded back. "What's with all the security guards all of a sudden?"
Jason shook his head. "I don't know. All of a sudden there were these guards come running into the elevators. Something big went down, I can tell."
Another lawyer, Timothy Paulsen, walked up to the two of them. "It gets better. I just heard that they've detected a vampire in the building."
Angel stiffened as he knew the guards were now on the lookout for him, and looked around carefully for any security guards.
Timothy grinned. "Whoever it was, escaped. I'm guessing they had a large weapon, because they killed a guard and wounded others."
The vampire thought it over and realized that Xander had escaped the building. He decided to backtrack and make his way back to the office to see if Xander had gone back there.
"Well, duty calls." Angel told them as he walked away, almost bumping into Lindsey MacDonald as he walked by. Neither recognized the other during the melee.
Xander drove down the busy street, Darla in the passenger seat. Unused to the sensation of moving without any physical movement and the bright lights of L.A, she stared out the window in amazement.
Xander looked in his rear view mirror and was shocked to find an Initiative jeep driving right behind him. He saw a soldier lean out the window with a taser gun at the ready.
"Get down, quick!" Xander yelled out. Darla spun in her seat and saw the soldiers in the jeep behind them. She ducked again as the Initiative started firing electricity blasts at them.
Xander shook his head as he drove around the corner with the jeep right behind him. "What is this, a tag team?"
The soldiers continued firing at the young couple as the chase made its way into a populated street. Xander swerved around cars as the Initiative did the same, misfired electricity blasts hitting neighbouring cars and other drivers.
The psychokinetic teen got tired of the chase and kept one hand on the wheel as he quickly looked behind him and through the back window. He smashed the glass with his powers, making it spray out. Darla snuck a look at what was happening as she saw Xander divert his attention from the road and back to the Initiative jeep behind them.
The dark haired teen turned back to the road and narrowly missed a curb and a pedestrian as he sped along down the road. As soon as it was safe, Xander turned back and faced the jeep behind them. He squinted his eyes and it threw the jeep backwards with a severe lurch, throwing the vehicle and passengers back several feet.
Xander slowed down a bit, but continued his way out of the area as he and Darla heard the police sirens. The smashed up jeep's gas line ignited and the vehicle exploded in a fireball of glass and metal. A tyre rolled down the street as the flames covered the jeep and its dead soldiers.
Holland stormed into Lindsey's office with an upset look on his face. The young lawyer looked at him from his desk and knew what was about to happen.
"I suppose you heard about our guests' little escape today?" Holland asked him.
Lindsey nodded as he stood up and moved away from his desk. "How many casualties?"
Holland shrugged. "Quite a few security guards have serious injuries. Phil's dead though."
"I guess it doesn't pay to beat up someone with that sort of power. You never know when your luck is about to change." Lindsey grinned.
The older lawyer sat down on the desk and looked at him. "It doesn't change anything though. We have taken enough of his power to open the gate. It'll just be longer to complete than what we first had envisioned."
"So, why are you upset about Alexander and Darla's escape?" Lindsey asked him with a confused look on his face.
Holland glanced back at Lindsey. "No one makes a fool of me and lives to joke about it."
Riley and Professor Walsh watched as the military police removed their dead soldiers from the destroyed vehicle and loaded them up in the van.
"Witnesses say that they saw the jeep somehow pitch backwards for some reason. One guess as to how that happened." Riley said, his voice rich with hatred.
Walsh nodded. "If Alexander was abducted, he managed to escape. And now he knows about us. Which makes things more dangerous."
"More dangerous?" Riley repeated.
"We have the LAPD under our thumb and Buffy and the others wouldn't have the artillery to come up against us. However, Harris..." Walsh finished with a half-sentence.
Riley nodded as he turned to his men and gave the order for them to patrol the streets, looking for Xander. Some got into jeeps and drove to the next streets, while others marched down the street on foot.
"Nothing's changed." Professor Walsh told herself before turning back to the burned out jeep.
Kate Lockley stormed her way into Angel's office and threw the Missing Poster of Xander at him.
"Who the hell is he?!?" Kate yelled at him in anger as the others looked on in surprise.
Buffy moved towards the blonde policewoman but Angel shook his head. "I want to see Kate alone, okay?"
Buffy and the others nodded and left with Spike trailing them out after them with a shake of his head. Kate closed the door and then turned on him again.
"What is going on here?" Kate asked him.
Angel looked at the poster and then back at Kate. "What happened?"
"I just had a run-in with the army. They want this Harris guy real bad. I just got off the phone with my boss. He says that due to what happened, I've been suspended without pay as there's an investigation. All my files have been transferred over to that platoon of idiots. Now, who is he?" Kate demanded.
The vampire shook his head. "He's what I told you before. A normal human that happens to have a pretty dangerous supernatural power. I don't know why he has it, but it's why the Initiative is after him."
"The Initiative?" Kate asked him.
"The Initiative are those army people that you bumped into. They specialize in hunting down and experimenting on demons and vampires for their own gain. They want his power. Whether he's dead or alive when they get it out of him isn't a big concern to them." Angel explained.
Kate shook her head. "The government can't allow something like this to happen."
Angel nodded. "I'm almost certain these people are on a secret mission that no one in the White House is aware of. I do have some good news though. Xander's escaped from Wolfram and Hart."
"How'd he do that?" Kate asked him.
"We had a spell made that would protect him. Apparently it also gave him luck. He caused quite a disturbance there at the lawfirm. I was expecting him to get back here, but so far nothing."
Kate nodded. "Do the others know?"
Angel looked out at the next room and saw the small group sitting down with Spike sitting away from them. "Yeah, they know. And I think I may know where he's going to go."
Lee opened the door to Lindsey's office and found him talking to Holland who both looked up at the lawyer as he walked in and closed the door.
"We had reports that there was a vampire on the premises." Lee told them.
Holland nodded. "That would have to have been Angel."
Lindsey shook his head. "The guards said they saw Alexander escape with Darla. No sign of Angel."
"Then he was probably going to try and break him out, when Mr. Harris decided to escape on his own. Well, with some outside help of course." Holland told them.
Lee frowned. "How do you know?"
Holland looked at him. "Those collars were hand crafted by ancient tribesmen. They have the lasting ability of over three hundred years and do not crumble into debris for no reason. No, no, no. He had help from the outside. Most likely a spell from a shaman or a witch."
"Well that's great. Narrows it down a whole lot." Lee muttered.
Holland shrugged. "As I was telling Lindsey, we don't need Alexander or Darla anymore. The gateway has already been opened and now we can just sit back and wait. But I do want them brought back here for punishment."
Lee shrugged as he came up with something. "We could always hire a group of lowlifes to bring them back."
"That plan of yours may have worked with Mr. Harris before, but I don't trust them to handle the couple gently. I don't want them back dead. I'll come up with an idea." Holland told him as he walked out of Lindsey's office.
Lindsey stood up and walked over to Lee and hit him in the shoulder. Lee winced in pain and rubbed his sore shoulder.
"What the hell was that for?" Lee asked as he rubbed his shoulder.
Lindsey shook his head. "The last thing you want is to get tied up in Holland's plans. Don't do it, Lee. Trust me. You'll wind up in over your head. Take it from someone that's there right now."
Lee watched thoughtfully as he watched Lindsey walk out of his office, leaving his colleague standing there alone.
Darla and Xander stepped into his apartment and the young man winced as he saw that his place had been ripped to shreds. He realized it was done by the Initiative and his anger began to boil, making the windows rattle dangerously close to shattering.
Darla saw this and calmed him down by nibbling his earlobe. The shaking of the windows, slowed quickly and dulled completely as Xander forgot about the Initiative and focused his attention on Darla. They fell onto the couch, kissing with a passion that had been held on check for too long.
They were both so involved in the moment that they failed to realize that Xander's bruises had all but disappeared.
Darla and Xander heard someone walking towards the front door and hid, worried that armed Initiative soldiers were getting ready to burst in through the door.
They heard the doorknob turn and waited. Xander prepared to use his powers. To their relief it wasn't the Initiative or anyone from Wolfram and Hart. Instead it was Angel. The tension dissipated almost immediately.
Xander stood up while Darla stayed where she was. The vampire saw him and Xander looked back in confusion. "How the hell did you get in?"
Angel pointed to the welcome mat at the foot of the door. The teenager sighed, not believing his stupidity and walked over and removed the open invitation in case any unwelcome vampires appeared.
"How did you know I was here?" Xander asked him.
The vampire took a look around the apartment and couldn't shake off the feeling that they weren't alone. He ignored those feelings and turned to Xander.
"Tara cast a protection spell for you. I was waiting to pick you up." Angel told him.
Xander nodded in realization. "So that's how we got out so easily. With the wrecked collar, the easy getaway and the perfect place they put my car. It was so simple that I thought it was a trap."
"What do you mean 'we'?" Angel asked suspiciously.
Darla got up out of her hiding spot behind the couch and Angel froze in shock as he set his eyes on his sire.
"It's not what you're thinking. Darla's human now." Xander told him quickly.
Angel shook his head in confusion. "This isn't possible. I killed you."
The blonde woman shook her head. "I'm not who I once was."
Angel watched as Darla moved over to the curtain and parted it, the direct sunlight hitting her for the first time in a long while. The vampire watched with shock and then jealousy as he saw the love in Darla's eyes that were directed at Xander.
"Can I talk to you alone for a minute?" Angel asked Darla as Xander grew concerned.
Xander shook his head. "I don't think that would be a good idea."
"It's okay." Darla said reassuringly. "I guess we need to sort a few things out."
The teenager nodded slowly. "I'll be in the hallway."
Angel waited until Xander had left his apartment and closed the door, before shaking his head in bewilderment.
"I can't believe you're back. Those dreams I've been having. That Xander's been having. They were real." Angel said with amazement.
Darla shook her head. "Xander's was real, for the most of them. But I don't know about yours though."
"Oh." Angel commented sadly.
Darla looked away, feeling a little guilty. "I'm sorry."
Angel looked at her. "For what? For that comment or for turning me?"
"For both." Darla told him quickly. "I don't remember what I did as a vampire, but I do remember that you were a big part of that life that I had."
Angel nodded. "For a hundred and fifty years."
"I don't remember much about it." She repeated.
"Count your blessings," Angel told her with a haunted voice.
Darla looked away from him and stared at the floor. "This is pretty awkward."
Angel moved towards her and lightly caressed her face. "Tell me about it. I missed you."
The vampire leaned forward to kiss her, but Darla moved away just in time. "I can't do this."
"Right." Angel said with light sarcasm. "Because you're with Xander now."
She noticed the jealousy in his voice and gave him a concerned look. "Angel, I may not remember what I did as a vampire, but I can pretty much guess that what we shared wasn't love. How could two soulless demons love something other than themselves?"
Angel grinned wryly and shook his head. "How do you know he's supposed to be with you?"
Darla shrugged. "I used to have dreams when I was human four hundred years ago. Of a dark-haired man that saved me from death. I thought that was you. That night I found you in the bar. The images in my dreams were never real clear. But now I know for sure."
"But a hundred and fifty years..."
"A hundred and fifty years of lust and violence. There was never any love. There couldn't have been, we were both different creatures back then." Darla told him.
Angel shook his head. "I'm still that same creature."
Darla stared at him. "I don't think so. It looks to me like you've got a second chance. Just like I have. Don't waste it dwelling on the past."
The vampire shook his head once more. "The Darla I knew would never have said the things that you just said."
"See?" Darla asked with a grin. "I'm a different person now."
Angel sighed and nodded. He knew that the woman he had once known was simply the demon version. Xander was right, but he just didn't want to believe it.
The former vampire tried to think of what happened when she was a vampire, but all she could remember was that she turned him outside a bar a long time ago and that they shared a long history. A history that she couldn't remember.
"I'm sorry for what happened to you all those years ago. If it's worth anything." Darla said with shame evidenced in her voice.
Angel nodded with a small smile. "It's worth a lot. But as you said, it wasn't you. Xander's a lucky guy."
Xander walked back into his apartment and Darla and Angel turned toward him.
"Mrs. Pinkwater kept staring at me." Xander grumbled.
Angel nodded and pulled out a piece of paper from his coat pocket. He handed it to Xander as Darla walked over to him.
"555-0189 is Doyle's phone number. I really don't think it's best that you two stay here. The Initiative and Wolfram and Hart both know where you live Xander, and I don't think it's a good idea." Angel told them with concern.
Xander shrugged. "They know better than to mess with me now that my powers are back."
"You may have powers, but Darla doesn't." Angel told him as Xander realized what he was talking about.
"I'll be alright." Darla told them.
Xander shook his head. "I know, but I don't really want to risk losing you. These people are pretty relentless when they want something."
"Xander's right. Here's an apartment that I found. It's in Los Angeles and no one knows about it but me and Doyle." Angel said as he pointed to the address written on the piece of paper in Xander's hands.
Xander looked at it and nodded. "We'll move in as soon as possible."
Angel was relieved and walked towards the front door. Xander followed him out while Darla occupied herself with looking outside the window at things that she had never seen before.
The vampire waited until Xander closed the front door. "After seeing her again for what seemed like eternity, I realize that she's nothing like she was when I knew her."
Xander nodded. "You can't win 'em all."
Angel caught the Buffy reference and grinned. "What I'm saying is, that I give you my blessing."
"Really?"
"Yeah." Angel said with a resigned shrug. "Take care of her, Xander. She's one in a million."
Xander nodded as he watched the vampire leave the hallway for the stairs before opening the door to his apartment and closing it behind him.
Close your eyes
Give me your hand, darlin'
Do you feel my heart beating?
Do you understand?
Do you feel the same?
Am I only dreaming?
Is this burning an eternal flame?
The young man walked towards Darla and wrapped his arms around her from behind as they stared out at the sunset from the window.
I believe
It's meant to be, darlin'
I watch you when you are sleeping
You belong with me
Do you feel the same?
Am I only dreaming?
Or is this burning (burning) an eternal flame?
Xander released his grasp on her and Darla turned around and faced him with a grin.
Say my name
Sun shines through the rain
A whole life so lonely
And then you come and ease the pain
I don't want to lose this feeling, oh.
"I love you." She told him as she ran a hand through his hair. Xander grinned. "I love you too."
Say my name
Sun shines through the rain
A whole life so lonely
And then you come and ease the pain
I don't want to lose this feeling, oh.
Darla moved her hand away from his head and kissed him on the lips. She smiled inwardly when she felt Xander kiss her back, as their lips moved together in a slow, passionate kiss.
Close your eyes
Give me your hand
Do you feel my heart beating?
Do you understand?
Do you feel the same?
Am I only dreaming?
Or is this burning an eternal flame?
They moved apart to get their breath back, and they knew it was time. "I think it's time that we lived out one of your dreams."
Xander grinned as he knew what Darla was hinting at. "I was thinking the same thing. Don't worry, I have protection."
"Protection?" Darla asked as they headed towards Xander's bedroom.
Her soulmate chuckled. "Don't worry, I'll show you what I mean."
Close your eyes
Give me your hand, darlin'
Do you feel my heart beating?
Do you understand?
Do you feel the same?
Am I only dreaming?
Is this burning an eternal flame?
The two young lovers caressed each other's bodies as the sun had set. Wind began to slightly blow in through the window and the full moon shone through the window as they made love in Xander's bed.
Close your eyes
Give me your hand, darlin'
Do you feel my heart beating?
Do you understand?
Do you feel the same?
Am I only dreaming?
Aaaaahh, an eternal flame.
Xander had his hands on her hips, holding her to him as she straddled him. He groaned underneath her from the pleasure and bucked upwards, causing her to moan louder as she thrust down on him in return.
Darla's face had a look of pure pleasure as her eyes opened and focused on Xander who smiled back up at her with love. She leaned towards him and kissed him hard and passionately, clutching his face in her hands as she slid her tongue into his mouth in a desperate need to taste him. Xander began to gently caress her soft breasts with his hands, his thumbs occasionally massaging her hardened nipples.
Darla stopped her kissing assault on Xander and leant back as she began to ride him quicker than before. Darla felt herself reach a climax as she bounced lightly on her lover.
Close your eyes
Give me your hand, darlin'
Do you feel my heart beating?
Do you understand?
Do you feel the same?
Am I only dreaming?
Is this burning an eternal flame?
They both reached the end together, their hands entwined together as they felt the rush of their orgasms hit them both at the same time. Neon lights outside his apartment flickered wildly and anything not bolted down in the apartment startled to rattle out of control as Xander went through his orgasm. Darla fell weakly toward Xander.
Darla and Xander kissed once again as they basked in the afterglow of their passion.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
Cordelia and Doyle looked up at the elevator as Angel walked into the office. Faith, Tara and Buffy watched with interest.
"Well?" Cordelia asked him. "Was he there?"
Angel nodded. "He's there. Where's Kate?"
Doyle shrugged. "She said that she was going home. I don't think she appreciates getting fired."
"I gathered that. Not that I can blame her." Angel told him as he sat down in his chair.
Buffy walked over to him. "Why didn't you bring Xander back here where it's safe?"
"Xander assured me that he's safe where he is now. Besides, the Initiative might be watching this place very carefully. I don't think it's a good idea, especially with his powers. We wouldn't want to get him mad." Angel told the group.
Spike grinned. "That's a shame."
Angel ignored him and continued. "At any rate, I don't think he would have wanted to come here right now anyway."
"What does that mean?" Faith asked him.
"Darla was with him." Angel told her.
The group were shocked to find out that she had returned from death. Even Spike was stunned at the revelation. He never really liked her, but he knew that she was a force to be reckoned with.
"Darla's with him and you left him alone with her? What if she tries to kill him? You ever think of that?" Buffy asked him wildly.
Angel picked up on her jealousy and decided to think about that later. "It's okay. She's human now. She escaped from Wolfram and Hart with Xander. Apparently they caused quite a scene there. I don't know how or why she's back, but at least she's human."
"I still don't like it." Buffy said with a shake of her head.
Cordelia smirked. "You wouldn't."
"Excuse me?" Buffy asked as she turned and faced the brunette.
Faith intervened between the two young women, much to Buffy's irritation. Despite the fact that Faith has been trying to make up for what she did in the past, Buffy still couldn't bring herself to forgive her. Even though the others in the room, except for Spike, had already done so.
Doyle successfully managed to move Cordelia out of the room, letting Faith able to back off from Buffy. The brunette Slayer turned to Angel and sighed. "I'm leaving."
"What?!?" Angel asked in shock.
"It's not permanent. It's just that I think it's best that a Slayer should stay in Sunnydale, while Buffy's here. We can't leave Giles and Willow on their own. I'll be back when all this is over." Faith told them.
Buffy shook her head. "Willow's not going to like that."
"Willow's not going to have a choice in the matter, is she?" Faith threw back as Angel nodded in agreement.
"I think it's a good idea. Most of the Initiative are here. If the vampire community finds out that Sunnydale is minus the Slayer, a lot of people could die. Xander's safe now anyway." Angel told them.
Faith nodded. "I'll leave for Sunnydale now. If there's any problems..."
"Call you. I know." Angel finished for her.
The brunette Slayer nodded and walked out of the office and said goodbye to Doyle and Cordelia before leaving through the front door.
Buffy waited awhile before answering. "She's changed hasn't she?"
"Getting your soul back does that to a person." Angel commented.
Buffy watched through the window at the darkened streets as she saw Faith hail a Taxi and got inside it on her way to Sunnydale.
"Wolfram and Hart must be pretty pissed by now." Buffy remarked.
Angel shook his head. "You don't know them like I do. They're probably cooking something different up right as we speak."
Lee Mercer stood with Holland in the hallway of the basement as loud screams of hunger and rage filtered out of cell room marked 'B'. Lee looked at the neighboring cell that had contained Xander and Darla and shook his head with amazement.
"How the hell did they escape with magic again?" Lee demanded.
Holland shrugged and didn't answer that question. "That's not what I'm concerned about."
"Plan B?" Lee asked him.
Holland nodded. "'Plan B' has been pretty restless lately. We have to feed them."
The elevator door opened and several security guards stepped out, accompanied by 'Little' Tony Papazian and several other prisoners including, Tom Warner, Tackle and the rest of the former college students/Machida worshippers and Patrice, the human Terakan Assassin.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't my back stabbing former lawyer." 'Little' Tony remarked as he saw Lee standing next to Holland. The thundering noise in the locked cell room distracted the former mobster as the criminals stared at the banging door.
Lee shook his head. "I'm sorry Mr. Papazian. I was wrong. It has come to our attention that we do need you again. All of you will be needed once more."
'Little' Tony grinned with superiority. "I thought so. I knew it would only be a matter of time until you people came crawling for my forgiveness."
Holland turned to him and grinned. "I believe that you're mistaken here, Mr. Papazian. We won't be representing you anymore. You're just lunch. It's hard to get people off the street. They always have relatives that start to ask questions."
"Hey!" Tom Warner yelled out as the guards grabbed him and the other convicts. "What the hell is going on?!?"
Lee moved to the cell door that held their Plan B and opened it, giving the security guards the opportunity to throw Tony, Patrice, Tom and his friends inside the darkened room, occupied with horrors that only Wolfram and Hart knew of.
The guards quickly slammed the door shut and listened as they heard Tony Papazian and the other convicts bang against the door on the other side in fear, as they heard inhuman growling from behind them.
Screams of fear and pain filtered out of the cell room as Holland wore a satisfied look on his face. "That oughta keep 'em under control for awhile."
Lee nodded and walked away with Holland and the other security guards as the screams from inside 'Plan B' started to die down, while the unknown horrors inside fed on their remains.
Lilah Morgan looked up from her desk and found a strange looking man with a cowboy hat, standing in the doorway.
"Can I help you?" Lilah asked him confused.
The stranger stepped further into the office, taking his hat off as he did so. "Lilah Morgan? Charley Mortimer, Private Investigator. We talked on the phone."
The brunette lawyer nodded with recognition as she stood up and walked over to him. "Right, Mr Mortimer. I'm sorry but it's been real hectic here lately."
Charley nodded. "I can imagine. So, why didn't you hire the resident private investigator?"
"Let's just say that the one around here has certain beliefs that we don't agree with." Lilah told him as she thought about Angel.
"Fair enough." Charley told her as he sat down in an empty chair and dropped his hat on the to the next spare seat.
Lilah walked over to her desk and pulled open a drawer of her desk. After rummaging through several 'Special Projects Division' case folders, she found one marked 'Alexander Harris' and another one for Darla. Lilah pulled out a photograph of Xander and Darla and handed them over to Charley.
"Are these the ones you want me to 'urgently' find?" Charley asked her as he looked the photos over.
Lilah nodded. "They would be the ones."
"The woman here's quite a looker. No offence to you personally." Charley said with a grin as he stared back and forth between Lilah and the photo of Darla.
The Wolfram and Hart lawyer smirked sarcastically. "No offence taken. Just find them and report back to me."
Charley shook his head. "Wouldn't it be best if I just find them and bring them back by myself? Besides, I sure would like to get something happening with this blonde chick."
Lilah laughed. "You wouldn't get past the first rope knot. Trust me on this one. And by the way, I would advise you not to try anything like that with Darla. I doubt Alexander would appreciate that."
"Who cares? Looks like a pushover to me." Charley said as he glanced at the photo of Xander.
"Looks can be very deceiving. As I said before, if and when you find them, report back directly to me and only to me. No one else is to know about this." Lilah told him sternly.
Charley looked up at her with uncertainty. "Why all the secrecy?"
"To get in good with the boss, you have to come up with the most effective ideas. This is a cut-throat business."
The private investigator shrugged as he put the photos in his shirt pocket and got up off the couch, putting his hat on at the same time.
"I guess I better get to it, then." Charley told her as he left the office.
Lilah called out to him. "Just let me know! Nothing else!"
Charley gave a wave of acknowledgement as he slipped past the onslaught of other lawyers. Lilah shook her head and closed the door to her office.
'I hope I did the smart thing.' She thought to herself as she went back to her desk.
"I hope you did the smart thing." Forrest told Riley after he had sent a troop of soldiers to a possible Xander sighting. The demon named Merl gave them a detailed account that Xander had taken up residence in an apartment where they have early morning chanting in their complex.
Riley turned and faced him. He saw Professor Walsh in the background reading a recent report a soldier gave to her. "What do you mean by that?"
"What I mean is, sending a troop of soldiers on foot to confront someone that could swiss-cheese a building with his thoughts, is not a very bright idea." Forrest told him with a shake of his head.
Riley nodded with a smile as he patted him on the shoulder. "Let me tell you something. When I'm a higher rank than you, you follow my orders. If someday, hell freezes over and every vampire decides to become a vegetarian and you become boss... we'll do things your way. How about that?"
Forrest angrily removed Riley's hand from his shoulder and stalked off, leaving a smirking Riley in his wake. Professor Walsh saw the last of the interaction and walked over to her favorite soldier.
"Is there something I should know?" Walsh asked.
Riley shook his head. "Just keeping them in line. Occasionally, the soldiers here need to be reminded who tows the line."
Maggie nodded and left him to it as Riley talked to the soldiers he sent out, on his walkie-talkie.
I knew when I first saw you on the showroom floor
You were made for me
I took you home and dressed you up in polyester
Princess of my dreams
Emotionless and cold as ice
All of the things I like
The way you look
The way you move
The sound you're makin'
In ultra-chrome, latex and steel
Xander watched with amusement as he took in Darla's wide-eyed fascination with modern technology. Her years as a vampire was a complete blank for her, apart from some things about Angel, so all the technology she was seeing was all new to her.
I plug you in
Dim the lights
Electric Barbarella
Your perfect skin
Plastic kiss
Electric Barbarella
Try to resist
Then we touch
Hallucinate and tranquilize
Darla walked into an entertainment store and quickly moved over to the television section.
"I still can't believe how someone could come up with this idea." Darla said with stunned surprise.
Xander grinned and shook his head. "I don't know, but it definately made a lot of people in the world happy to have three in their houses."
"Three?!?" Darla exclaimed in surprise and blushed when the other customers stared in their direction. The clerk was giving them dirty looks and Xander chuckled.
(she's so fine)
(she's all mine)
They had left the store and began to walk down the busy Los Angeles street. Darla and Xander saw an old woman sitting on a bench with a Cocker Spaniel puppy and Xander watched as the love of his life moved over to pat it.
"I can't believe there's so much in this world that I haven't seen." Darla told him as stared at the billboards on buildings, cars and buses driving by on the roads as people walked by Xander and Darla with shopping bags.
Our private life is subject to investigation
No time to waste
People say they heard about our deviation
But you never looked so good
Wear the fake fur and fake pearls for me
And put on your mystery
The way I feel you know
I'll never keep you waiting
In ultra-chrome, latex and steel
They walked into a clothes store and Darla began to try on several different clothes at Xander's request. She seemed curious about the bikini, but realized it must have something to do with the beach.
"That's for the beach isn't it?" Darla asked him, just to make sure.
Xander shrugged. "Either that, or I just love seeing you wear that."
"And I thought you said I'm real sexy with nothing on at all." Darla teased him with a grin as she tried on another hat from the rack.
The dark-haired teen grinned and nodded. "You look great in anything you decide to put on. And yeah, there's always the totally naked factor."
I plug you in
Dim the lights
Electric Barbarella
Your perfect skin
Plastic kiss
Electric Barbarella
Try to resist
Then we touch
Hallucinate and tranquilize
Darla and Xander walked out of the clothing store and put the bags in the trunk of their car. They weren't aware they were being watched by Charley Mortimer who was taking photos of both of them entering and leaving stores.
"Hey, you want to go to the beach now?" Xander asked her.
Darla smiled. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. Lets put our swim-wear clothes to good use." Xander told her with a sly grin as they headed toward Xander's car doors after they had shut and locked the trunk.
Princess of my dreams
Princess of my dreams
Major domo plasticomo Barbarella
(She's so fine)
Pro-genetic you Electric Barbarella
(She's all mine)
My pretty pretty pretty pretty Barbarella
I hear the clock, it's 6am
I feel so far away from where I've been
Got my eggs, and my pancakes too
Got my maple syrup, everything but you
I break the yolks and make a smiley face
I kinda like it in my brand new place
I wipe the spots off of the mirror
Don't leave the keys in the door
Never put wet towels on the floor anymore 'cause
Darla and Xander ran onto the beach wearing the sunglasses they had bought at one of the many stores that they shopped in.
Dreams last so long
Even after you're gone
I know, that you love me
And soon you will see
You were meant for me
And I was meant for you
"You're looking pretty hot in that bikini, hon." Xander told her with a sly grin as she elbowed him gently.
"You're one to talk. Those speedos don't leave much to the imagination." Darla shot back as she eyed him over.
Called my momma, she was out for a walk
Consoled a cup of coffee but it didn't wanna talk
Picked up a paper, it was more bad news
More hearts being broken or people being used
Put on my coat in the pouring rain
Saw a movie it just wasn't the same
'Cause it was happy and I was sad
It made me miss you oh so bad
Charley Mortimer parked his car in the parking lot above the beach. With his binoculars he stared out at Darla and Xander and then had a look at the photographs Lilah gave him.
He debated getting out of his car and catching them himself, but he thought against it and decided to watch them.
Dreams last so long
Even after you're gone
I know, that you love me
And soon you will see
You were meant for me
And I was meant for you
Darla felt the sun's rays on her pale body and grinned when Xander sat down on the sand and layed out the blanket. She saw him pull out the suntan lotion and beckoned her to join him on the blanket.
Go about my business, I'm doing fine
Besides, what would I say if I had you on the line
Same old story, not much to say
Hearts are broken every day
"It's beautiful isn't it?" Darla asked him as she snuck a glance at the sun above the ocean. Waves from the sea crashed against the shore as Xander applied suntan lotion on her back.
"You're beautiful." Xander told her simply as he massaged the lotion into her skin.
Brush my teeth and put the cap back on
I know you hate it when I leave the light on
I pick up a book, Turn the sheets down
Take a deep breath and a good look around
Put on my pj's and hop into bed
I'm half alive but I feel mostly dead
I try and tell myself it'll be all right
I just shouldn't think anymore tonight
Charley watched from the parking lot, tempted to call Lilah on his cellphone, but decided not to. He wanted to bring them in himself and collect a bigger reward.
'Besides,' the Private Investigator thought to himself. 'I want to get that Darla woman on her own.'
Dreams last so long
Even after you're gone
I know, that you love me
And soon you will see
You were meant for me
And I was meant for you
Lindsey headed towards the elevator after he got a phonecall from Holland at his office. Apparently, there was something Holland wanted to tell him in the basement sector of the lawfirm and Lindsey knew that it had to have something to do with Plan B.
Lilah saw him get into the elevator and she stopped the door from closing. "Where are you off to?"
"Holland wants me down in the basement for something. Probably about 'Plan B'." Lindsey told her wearily.
Lilah nodded warily and let go of the elevator door and thought about what their superior was up to.
She wondered about how the Private Investigator she hired was doing on tracking down Xander and Darla as she headed back to her office.
Holland and five security guards stood outside the cell door of Plan B and his face lit up when he saw Lindsey walk down the dimly lit corridor towards them.
"So what's going on? You can't be feeding those things again." Lindsey told him as he stared at the door with the dulled growling from inside the darkened room.
Holland grinned as he clapped Lindsey on the shoulder. "I'm not going to be feeding them again. They're going to feed by themselves. I've decided to release Plan B."
"You're going to release Plan B into the population? Are you sure that's wise?" Lindsey asked with slight fear in his voice.
The elder lawyer nodded. "I'm sure. This should keep Angel and Alexander busy while we wait for the end of this world."
Lindsey looked back to the cell door and internally winced as the security guards took out their taser guns and tranquilizer guns as they opened the cell door and stepped in with their nightvision goggles.
The young lawyer could hear evil growls and grunts of demonic pain as the security guards immobilized the creatures inside the cell room.
"When the guards are done, have those things released into the street." Holland ordered Lindsey as he walked away with an evil grin.
Lindsey turned away from Holland and stared at the open cell door and the darkness within the cell. He could barely make out the mangled bodies of the criminals that were thrown in for the creatures to feed on and the smell of the dead bodies made him sick.
The phone rang in the Angel Investigation's office and Cordelia picked it up.
"Okay, I'll get her." She said into the phone before turning to Buffy. "It's for you. It's Willow."
Buffy walked over to the brunette and took the phone from her gently. "Thanks."
Cordelia nodded and walked away to give her some space to talk. Buffy watched her close the door and then spoke into the phone.
"Willow?"
"Hey, Buffy. How's it going?"
"Okay, I guess. Angel says that Xander has escaped the lawfirm."
"The spell worked? That's great! Isn't it?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Buff, it doesn't sound like you're relieved."
"I am. I am relieved. It's just that he hasn't come back here yet."
"Oh. Well maybe he's hiding out. Xander probably thinks that the Initiative are waiting near where you are, waiting for him."
"That's possible."
"There's something else isn't there?"
"I think I love him."
"You love Xander? Love, love?"
"Yeah. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. If I couldn't have him, you might as well get him."
"Gee thanks. But there's a problem."
"He hates us? You especially?"
"Not just that. It's Darla."
"Buffy, I know that Xander's been dreaming about her, but they're just dreams."
"Not anymore. Angel came back from seeing him and said he found Xander with Darla. She's human now."
"Oh man. I'm sorry."
"I'm not quite ready to give up yet."
Buffy heard a faint conversation in the background on the other end of the phone. It sounded like Giles was talking to someone in the same room.
"What's going on Willow?"
"Giles is talking to Faith."
"How's Faith working out?"
"Okay I guess. Thanks again for warning me about her by the way. I just love being surprised by people I don't like."
"Sorry about that. But Angel and the others say that she's changed and well, I don't think Angel would have read her wrong."
"I just don't like her."
"I know why you don't like her."
"Yeah, well damn straight. I still can't believe that Xander slept with her. It should have been with me."
"You don't mean that. What about Oz?"
Buffy had a feeling that Willow would change the subject, so she wasn't surprised when she did.
"How's Tara and Spike?"
"Tara's doing alright. Why do you care about Spike?"
"Anya's driving us nuts over here. She and Faith are getting on well though. Should I be worried?"
"I don't think so." Buffy said with a laugh.
"I don't know. I just get the feeling they joke about me behind my back."
"Tara's just outside. You want to talk to her?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Okay, I'll get her. Bye."
"Bye."
Buffy put the phone on the table and opened the office door. She found Tara sitting on a chair and motioned her towards her.
"Willow's on the phone." Buffy told her.
Tara nodded. "Thanks."
Buffy closed the door, giving Tara her privacy on the phone.
Eve: Oh, you just get out!
Ivy: Oh, what about T.C.? Well, we all know how he feels about Julian. How do you think he's going to react when he finds out that his perfect wife was the girlfriend of his mortal enemy?
Eve: I said get out!
Ivy: We're more alike than you realized, Eve. You know, we're so together on the outside, and inside we're flawed. We're just damaged because we gave in to our desires when we were young. But I -- I at least loved Sam.
Eve: I loved Julian, too.
Ivy: You can't be serious. Oh, my God, you are serious. What did you ever find to love in that man?
Eve: He's changed.
Ivy: No one can change that much, Eve. Trust me, Julian has always been a loser in an expensive suit. It would serve him right to lose a son with me, his wife, only to gain a son with you, his forbidden ex-mistress. How ironic.
T.C.: I have no idea who Chad's mother is if Julian is the father. Obviously it's a woman of color, but that doesn't narrow it down to much.
Sam: And who's to say where the affair took place? I mean, if it happened here in Harmony, they would have kept it quiet. And you know how the people in this town would have talked.
Darla watched the television show 'Passions' while Xander had his shower. She still could not believe how far technology had come since she was last human.
She heard the shower stop and a few minutes later, Xander emerged from the bathroom with a towel around his waist.
"What are you watching?" Xander asked her as he walked into the living room.
"Something called 'Passions'." Darla told him as she turned away from the screen and saw Xander and grinned when she saw what he was wearing.
Xander shook his head as he stared at the screen. "You too? What is it with this show? Spike watches this too."
"Spike?" Darla asked in confusion. "That name sounds familiar."
Xander stopped himself when he realized that Darla must have known Spike from when she was a vampire. He didn't want to bring up any bad memories, so he decided to change the subject.
"I think we're running out of food," Xander said as he had a quick look in the direction of the kitchen. "And I need some more clothes."
"I like it better when you have nothing on." Darla grinned wickedly at him as she took off his towel with one pull.
Xander stood in front of her with nothing on as Darla looked him over. "You're especially naughty tonight. What's the occasion?"
The blonde woman shrugged. "No occasion. Just come here."
Xander sat down on the couch next to her and she kissed him hard, turning the television off with the remote control and throwing it to the floor.
"Let's talk about this more in the bedroom." Darla told him as they both got up off the couch. Xander watched her walk towards the bedroom, taking off parts of her clothing as she did so.
He grinned and ran in after her, closing the door behind them.
After half an hour had passed since he and Darla had made love, Xander decided to get dressed and go get some more food and clothes.
"Aren't the clothing stores closed at this time of night?" Darla asked him as she sat up in bed.
Xander shook his head. "Not the one downtown. They close at eleven thirty for some reason. I have to go there first if I'm going to get some more clothes."
"Don't you have enough?" Darla asked with a smile.
Xander grinned. "I just don't think it would be a good idea to be spotted in a crowd by the Initiative. Or by some demented lawyers we both know."
"That's true. Well, I might as well take a shower again." Darla said as she got out of bed and headed towards the bathroom.
Xander watched her for a minute and then walked over and kissed her. "I'll be right back."
"I know. Be careful." Darla told him as he waved good bye and left the bedroom.
The telekinetic teen picked up the keys to his car from off the coffee table and headed out of the apartment, closing the door behind him, making sure it was locked before he walked down the hallway toward the elevator.
The Private Investigator, Charley Mortimer, watched with bated breath as he saw Xander exit the apartment building and head towards his hidden car in the garage.
He decided to wait awhile until he knew Xander had left, before going after Darla.
Xander had already bought more clothes from the store that he went to downtown and had driven towards a small supermarket nearby, passing the lit up stores in his car. The bright lights in the city of Los Angeles made the night seem alive.
Xander parked his car in the parking lot and headed inside towards the main supermarket.
He moved past a small crowd of shoppers with success, but bumped into a brunette woman instead. "Whoops. Sorry about that."
The woman turned around and he recognized her in shock. "Cordelia?"
"Xander?" Cordelia said in stunned surprise. "God, are you okay?"
Xander nodded. "I'm fine. It was pretty close though. Angel said that you guys cast some sort of a protection spell for us?"
"Yeah. Tara and Buffy did most of it. I helped with the ingredients." She told him and then stopped when she thought of something. "Angel told us that you were with Darla. That isn't true is it?"
Xander nodded with a grin. "Yeah it's true. She was in the same cell I was in at Wolfram and Hart. If it wasn't for that spell, we'd still be stuck in there and we probably would have died."
Cordelia nodded sadly. "It must have been hell. Why couldn't you escape before?"
"They put this thing around my neck that stopped me from using my powers. The spell crumbled it to dust." Xander told her as they finished their shopping and waited in line at the aisle.
The former Cheerleader grinned. "There's a coffee shop next door. Do you have to head back anytime soon?"
Xander shook his head. "Not really. Darla's fine where she is now."
"Are you wearing new clothes?" Cordelia asked him as they were next to be served.
Charley Mortimer got sick of waiting and decided that Xander had gone as he got out of his car and put his cowboy hat on.
He took one more look at the photo of Darla and grinned as he looked back up at the apartment building.
"Honey, here I come." Charley said to himself as he waited for traffic to pass before crossing the road to the building.
The Private Investigator opened the door to the run-down apartment complex and stepped inside. The room number the landlord had given him, was the number 4b.
Charley walked over to the elevator and pressed the button, waiting for the door to open.
Darla had finished her shower and was wearing some clothes that she had bought earlier that day before they went to the beach.
After getting something to drink from the fridge, she walked back to the living room and turned the television back on, interested to see what was on at that time.
She checked the time on the clock and it read eleven fifty five. Sighing, she turned the channel with the remote and found the movie 'From Dusk Till Dawn' playing.
Scenes of vampires killing people in a bar in Mexico filled the screen. Darla watched with interest until she heard someone outside their front door. She turned off the television and moved over to the front door.
Darla peered through the peephole and saw no one outside. She knew well enough to not open the door and instead put the latch on the door for precaution.
She moved away from the door just in time before Charley kicked it in. Darla moved backwards in shock as Charley walked in through the busted door.
When he saw her, Charley tipped his cowboy hat. "Hiya, Doll."
Darla looked around for a weapon to defend herself from something she knew wasn't a vampire.
"Who the hell are you?" Darla asked him warily.
"Charley Mortimer, Private Investigator. I've been hired to find you." He told her as he pointed at her.
Darla nodded with realization. "Wolfram and Hart."
Charley grinned and Darla made a run for it, trying to escape through the front door. But before she could escape, Charley grabbed her by the arm and dragged her back in to the apartment.
"Not yet. There's something we need to discuss first." Charley told her leeringly.
"Oh? And what's that?" Darla asked him sarcastically.
Charley grinned at her and Darla then kicked him in the groin. As he groaned in pain, she seized her chance to run out of the apartment and into the hallway. She pressed the button for the elevator impatiently, worried that the Private Investigator would catch her.
The door to the elevator opened and Xander stepped out of it to Darla's relief.
"Xander! Thank god!" Darla exclaimed with relief.
Xander looked her over with a calm expression. "What's wrong? What happened?"
"It's... this guy... he tried to take me back. To Wolfram and Hart." She told him as they watched Charley emerge from the apartment.
The dark-clothed teenager stared at the cowboy heading down the hall towards them. Darla got ready to hit him again if he tried anything, but she had a feeling he wouldn't now.
"Sorry kid. But I gotta take the both of you back." Charley told them as he addressed Xander.
Darla shook her head. "He was going to rape me."
Xander took in that comment with shock and stared at Charley seethingly. The Private Investigator shook his head.
"Did you try something funny with her?" Xander asked him calmly, his rage hidden beneath the surface.
Charley shook his head again. "No, no. I was just..."
"Taking us back to Wolfram and Hart. I heard." Xander finished for the cowboy. He turned to Darla and grinned as he caressed her face. "Darla, why don't you wait for me inside our apartment."
Darla shook her head. "But what about..."
"Don't worry about this guy. Just wait for me, okay?" Xander asked her with a smile.
The blonde woman nodded with uncertainty. She wasn't sure what Xander had planned, but she trusted him.
Xander waited until Darla disappeared in their apartment before he turned towards Charley. He pinned the Private Investigator against the wall and the cowboy was surprised at the strength it took.
"Who sent you?" Xander asked him with a grin.
Charley was confused. "Wolfram and Hart. You know that."
Xander shook his head slowly. "No, no. Who from Wolfram and Hart sent you?"
Charley winced as Xander put his hand around his throat. "L.L..Lilah Morgan."
The teenager let go of his grip and Charley fell back against the wall, getting his breath back. Xander looked him over and sighed. "Lilah Morgan. I'm going to have to thank her for this."
The Private Investigator stood up slowly. Xander looked him over and shook his head.
"You're not going to tell them where we are. You got that?" Xander told him sternly.
Charley shook his head with a grin. "Sorry, kid. But I got orders."
"Your orders have changed. Darla and I are not going back there. Not now and not ever." Xander told him as he grabbed Charley viciously by the head. The Private Investigator watched in shock as Xander's human features transformed into a vampire's.
Xander lunged for Charley's neck and savagely bit into his throat, draining him viciously. As soon as he fed, he dropped Charley's body fell to the floor lifelessly. The vampire stared down at the corpse and licked his lips. Xander then turned his attention to the apartment where Darla walked into and grinned as he headed towards his destination.
He licked his sharp vampire teeth and thought of ways on how to get into the apartment.
Xander tapped at the mystical barrier surrounding the apartment and looked towards the floor for the Welcome mat that had been there before. He sighed inwardly when he didn't see it, and knew he had to think of something else.
"Darla! No one is allowed in our apartment but you and me, okay?" Xander called out to her from outside.
Darla yelled back in agreement and Xander grinned as he stepped through the threshold. He walked around the apartment and found Darla in the bedroom, looking out the window.
"Good." Xander said suddenly, startling Darla from her thoughts as she turned around quick and faced him standing in the doorway of their bedroom.
Buffy paced around the office, her antics starting to irk Doyle and Spike, while Tara went across the road for a drink. Cordelia had gone to the shopping centre to get some food supplies.
"Would you mind sitting down for awhile? Some of the shine on the floor is beginning to wear off." Spike told her as he lit another cigarette.
The Slayer turned around and faced the evil vampire. "If you're not careful, you're going to wind up with a stake rammed down your throat."
"Better than your petty little sex-lives rammed down my throat." Spike said to her with a grin.
Buffy smirked. "Oh? And I suppose that you and Anya are all together with the knowledge, huh?"
Spike shrugged with a teasing grin. "We're both older than you, kid."
"Shut up." Buffy warned him.
The British vampire continued to press while Doyle watched. "You think I don't know what's going on here? It's Xander. You're in love with him."
Buffy gave him a look of incredulity, but it was plainly clear to Doyle and Spike that the vampire was right. Even worse, Angel could tell too as he stood in the doorway of his main office, listening to the conversation.
"That's enough, Spike." Angel told him from his spot in the doorway. Buffy turned and faced him quick, feeling guilty of what she might have said in her presence.
Spike shrugged with disinterest. He wasn't in the mood to play mind games with any of them as he felt the need for blood arise in him again. "I'm hungry."
"Well, go to the blood bank. You're not getting any of my supplies." Angel told him in a big brother type way.
The blonde vampire scoffed and walked out of the apartment. He got into his car and drove towards the local hospital.
"How much of that did you hear?" Buffy asked Angel, after Spike had left.
Angel shrugged. "I didn't really hear it."
Buffy and Doyle watched as Angel walked back into his office and quietly closed the door.
The new vampire looked around in his apartment as he watched Darla come out of the bathroom.
"I'm thirsty, do you want something to drink?" Darla asked him as she walked to the kitchen.
Xander shook his head as he watched her go. "Nah, I had something to drink a couple of minutes ago. I'm good for awhile."
He followed her to the kitchen and stood behind Darla, so when she turned around, she was face to face with him. She jumped slightly.
"You startled me." Darla told him with a grin.
Xander nodded slightly as he looked her over. "That's not all I'm going to do to you tonight."
Darla grinned suggestively as she walked past him into the living room. "Ooh, aren't you wicked. Haven't you had enough?"
"Not by a long shot, babe." Xander told her as he watched her with cold eyes.
The vampire followed her into the living room. He jumped onto the couch and quickly sat down next to the former vampire.
One of Xander's hands trailed up Darla's thigh and his touch emitted a small moan from the blonde woman.
Xander grinned at her as he continued his ministrations. "I'm gonna eat you tonight."
Tara walked back into the Angel Investigations office and saw Buffy and Doyle sitting forlornly in chairs. Angel was still in his office, going over past files.
"I saw Spike leave in a hurry. What did he say now?" Tara asked Buffy and Doyle.
Doyle shook his head. "Just Spike sounding off like the bugger usually does. Did you see Cordelia out there?"
"No. She's still shopping?" Tara asked the two of them.
Buffy chortled. "Knowing Cordelia, she's probably having the time of her life."
The blonde witch sat down in a spare seat and waited awhile before asking Buffy another question. "I guess we'll be heading back to Sunnydale now. I mean, since Xander's away from Wolfram and Hart..."
"The Initiative is still here after him. And I don't think that those lawyers would just give up on him. And I have to speak to him." Buffy told her.
Tara stared at her. "Do you think it's wise to talk to him? The last time you two shared the same space, he was pretty angry at you. And at Willow."
Buffy nodded. "I know. But I'm hoping that he's over it by now."
"Over it? You don't get over something like that for a long time. You made him feel useless, Buffy." Tara told her.
The Slayer faced her. "Don't you think I know that now? I'm going through enough guilt as it is now. I can't handle anymore."
Angel opened the door to his office and walked into the main room. "You'll get over this. You wouldn't be you, otherwise."
Buffy thought about what she should do and she thought of something. "I have to see Xander. Now."
"Your hands are freezing." Darla noted as she touched him.
The evil vampire shrugged. "Who cares?"
"I do." Darla said with surprise at his question.
Xander laughed. "Then it must be pretty lonely. All alone in the 'We love Xander' camp."
"What brought all this on?" Darla asked, not letting go of his hands.
The twisted vampire pulled away from her touch and stood up off the couch. He conveniently hid out of the way of the mirrors, so that Darla wouldn't catch on.
"Those dreams I had of you when you were evil. They were pretty hot." Xander told her with a grin.
Darla stared at him in shock. "You must be joking. They would be anything but hot."
"Oh, that's right. You wouldn't remember would you? Human minds can only think back so far. The one thing I can never figure out is why the hell did you stay with that Angelus prick for so long?" Xander asked her as he stared back at her with no emotion on his face.
The former vampire got off the couch and moved away from Xander. "I don't know what brought this on, but it's a mood that I'm not liking."
"You don't like my mood? What don't you like about it? That I'm asking a reasonable question?" Xander asked her with sarcasm.
Darla turned around and faced him. "What the hell do you want to know about it? I can't remember much of it at all."
"That's too bad isn't it? Maybe, I can track down Angel and ask him how many times you gave him the good ol' high hard one." Xander said nastily.
Darla hit Xander hard in the face and it sent the vampire reeling backward a few steps. He rubbed the sore spot in his face and cackled with glee. "Looks like you've still got some hot stuff after all."
"I need his address." Buffy told Angel as she stood in the doorway.
Angel stared at her. "Finding Xander is not a good idea. The Initiative could just use you to find where Xander is. It isn't safe. For him or Darla."
Buffy shook her head. "I'll be very discreet, I promise."
The souled vampire sighed and wrote out the address for Xander's apartment. He handed it to her and gave her a worried look. "Be careful out there."
"I always am." Buffy said as she smiled slightly and walked out of Angel's office into the main room.
Doyle and Tara watched as Buffy walked over to them. "I'm going to see him."
"Do you want me to come with you? Just in case it gets nasty." Tara offered as she thought of the situation turning ugly.
Buffy shook her head. "No, no. It won't be like that. I just have to see him."
Tara nodded with sympathy. "What are you going to tell him when you see him?"
"I don't know." Buffy said with worry. "I honestly don't know."
Xander moved over to Darla and grabbed her hard. He dragged her over to the couch and threw her on it harshly.
"Something you have to know about Harris men, sweety. We tend to get a little rough after a few drinks." Xander warned her as he sat next to her.
Darla looked away from him fearfully. She had no idea Xander could be that mean and violent to someone he supposedly loved.
"Why are you doing this?" Darla asked him on the verge of tears.
The vampire looked her over and liked what he saw. "You don't know?"
"No! So why don't you frigging tell me?!?" Darla screamed at him.
Xander stared at her with unrestrained hatred and simply answered her. "Because I can. Because I believe that being a vampire made you less boring. Unlike now that is."
Darla stood up off the couch again and walked over to the front door to leave Xander. He watched her go and slowly started to follow her. Xander grinned as he watched her recoil in horror as she saw the mutilated body of Charley Mortimer, drained down the hallway.
She turned around and saw Xander vamped out, his yellow eyes gazing at her and his sharp teeth glistening in the dark. "I told you... I already had something to drink."
Xander grabbed her and pulled her inside the apartment, relishing the screams of fear that Darla gave out as the almost wrecked door slammed shut behind them.
Buffy got out of the taxi and paid the driver before stepping out. She looked around her to see if she was being followed as the taxi drove away. Seeing no one from the Initiative following her, she crossed the road, headed in the direction of Xander's apartment building.
Xander dragged Darla kicking and screaming into the bedroom. She hit the vampire hard and fast, trying to escape his clawed clutches.
The vampire threw her onto the bed and he sneered down at her. "I believe that this would be our first time. I'll cherish it always."
"First time?" Darla questioned aloud. She didn't get an answer as Xander jumped on top of her, his fangs almost touching her neck.
Darla kicked him hard in the groin and it made the vampire release his grip on her. She pushed him off of her and jumped off the bed. Darla ran into the living room and almost made it to the front door when Xander caught up with her.
Xander slammed her back against the door and grinned evilly. "I don't know how you became human, but that's all gonna change tonight."
Darla looked on in fear as she realised that there was no one that knew she was here, except for Angel. And she believed that he was probably trying to put some distance between the two of them.
Xander looked her over once more. "My family tradition is to 'correct' our women. But never in the face. See, if people see the bruises, it won't work. But here would be appropriate."
Darla grunted in pain as Xander hit her in the stomach hard. She slumped forward, trying to get her breath back as Xander grinned and threw her over the couch where she fell to the floor.
Buffy got out of the elevator and her eyes immediately fell on the drained body of Charley, the private investigator. She checked for a pulse and sighed inwardly when she didn't find any signs of life.
She heard a woman's scream for help coming down the corridor and Buffy took off in the direction of the scream. Buffy realized that the scream came from Xander's apartment. She kicked in the wrecked door and saw several items in Xander's apartment on the floor. She could tell that the vampire and it's victim were on the other side of the couch and she pulled out a stake.
"Okay, Vampire. Your ass is grass." Buffy threatened to the hidden vampire.
Xander jumped up from behind the couch and roared at Buffy with a ferocity that was previously unheard of, his yellow eyes glaring at her with rage.
The Slayer jumped back a few feet as she couldn't believe that Xander was a vampire. "Oh shit!"
She saw Darla crawl away from behind the couch and clutched her torn shirt to her chest with one hand and her other hand was feeling her neck and checking for blood.
Buffy looked Darla over and realized that she was human and not a threat. She concentrated on Xander who stood there and watched the two blondes.
"Buffy Summers. Didn't you get enough abuse from me in Sunnydale?" Xander spat with distaste as he kicked the couch out of the way with his vampiric strength as it moved across the apartment.
"Who did this to you?" Buffy asked him in sadness.
The vampire chuckled and moved closer to the two of them, clenching and unclenching his fists. "For years, I've been copping your abuse. Willow's abuse, Giles' abuse, my parents' abuse. Not to mention Harmony and the rest of the mindless twats in Sunnydale. And you want to know something? It's people like you that almost drove me to suicide, had it worked."
Buffy held her stake tightly in her hand. Xander saw this and was still unafraid as he licked his lips.
"Why are you here? You came to see little ol' me?" Xander asked her sarcastically.
The Slayer nodded slowly. "I wanted to try to save you. Obviously I was too late."
Xander giggled dementedly. "I don't need saving. You came here for a reason. Surely you're still not going on about how much you love me. Because that would be pretty pathetic."
Buffy was about to say something back to him, but Xander jumped her without warning. He and Buffy fell to the floor and wrestled for the stake. Darla limped over to the kitchen and grabbed a frying pan. She came back to the living room and smashed Xander hard in the back of the head with it.
He released his grip on the stake and fell off of Buffy. He grabbed the frying pan out of Darla's hands and hit her in the face with it. Xander watched Darla fall to the floor and he stood up with the pan in his hands.
"You frigging bitches are all the same. I give, give, give and you all just throw it back in my fucking face." Xander told them angrily in his demonic voice.
Buffy stood up and pulled Darla up with her. "Are you okay?"
Darla nodded a yes to the strange woman that saved her life. They both stared at the vamped out Xander.
"She's fine. And she belongs to me. Who the fuck do you think you are?!?" Xander screamed at her with hatred.
"It's over, Xander." Buffy said sadly as she prepared herself to stake him.
Xander grinned back at the two women. "Wrong, Slayer. It's only just begun."
Buffy and Darla watched in shock as Xander turned around and ran, smashing through the living room window, falling several feet and landing into the dark city streets. Passersby watched with shock as Xander ran out into the street, knocking innocent people to the ground as he took off for parts unknown.
The Slayer moved away from the broken window and faced Darla properly for the first time. Darla fell to the floor in shock and tears started to form in her eyes as she realized that her soulmate was now dead.
"We have to go and tell Angel and the others what happened, so they know what to do if they see him." Buffy told Darla who picked herself up off of the floor.
Darla nodded and brushed her hair from her eyes. She looked down at her shirt and winced. "I have to put something on."
Buffy nodded with understanding as Darla quickly hurried into the bedroom. As Darla took off her tattered shirt and replaced it with a new one, she noticed that the bedroom window was wide open, the breeze flapping the curtains.
She looked out into the darkness and tried to think of where Angel lived and wondered if Xander knew also.
"I can't believe you. As soon as you leave Sunnydale, you end up getting fashion sense as well. Or is that some kind of benefit of your powers?" Cordelia asked Xander as they sat in the coffee shop.
Xander shook his head and grinned. "I don't know. Maybe I want to make a good impression with Darla."
"You know we've been talking non-stop for a couple of hours now and you still haven't asked me about Doyle yet." Cordelia noticed as Xander grinned.
The teen male shrugged. "He appears to be a bit older than us."
"He's not Wesley." Cordelia told him.
Xander grinned. "I'll take it as a good thing."
Cordelia nodded. "You should. Even though he's part demon, he's not evil. He used to be a school teacher, did you know that?"
"Of course I didn't know that. He doesn't look like the school teacher type." Xander told her.
The former cheerleader nodded. "That was before the visions and finding out he was a demon."
"I know what that's like. I mean, sort of. I was a bit scared when I first started dreaming of Darla and The Master and getting my powers. If it weren't for Giles, I don't know what I would have done." Xander told her honestly.
Cordelia nodded. "It must have been rough."
"Not really. In fact, I liked it when I found out I had a power. Now that I'm not a 'zeppo' anymore." Xander told her.
Cordelia looked down. "I'm sorry about that."
"Yeah well, I guess I had that coming." Xander told her with a shrug.
The former cheerleader shook her head. "That's no excuse. I put you through hell, when it really wasn't necessary. I'm sorry."
Xander nodded. "Thank you."
Angel sat on his living room couch, lost in thought. A lot of things seemed to have happened all at once. Xander with his powers, Spike with his chip, Darla with her humanity, Willow with her lesbianism. Things have changed a lot for a lot of people, and he couldn't help but think when was it going to be his turn.
Darla walked up to his living room and stood in the doorway. "So, this is where you live now."
Angel turned around in shock and stared at the blonde woman. "Yeah," the vampire said slowly. "Where's Buffy?"
Darla shrugged. "She's obviously not here."
The ensouled vampire stared at her in sadness. "I'm sorry."
"For what?" Darla asked him.
"For this," Angel told her as he picked up a cross from his living room table and winced in pain from the burning. He threw it in Darla's direction and she caught it in her hands on reflex. Morphing out into her vamp face with a scream of pain, she dropped the crucifix to the floor and held her burnt hand.
The blonde vampire grinned as she held her hand. "I could never fool you, Angelus."
"When? When did this happen?" Angel asked her.
Darla shrugged as she walked over to him. She rubbed his chest slowly. "Oh, I've been this cold for a long time now."
Angel pulled away from her and gave her a look. "What did you do with Buffy?"
"Buffy, Buffy, Buffy. When the hell are you going to get over that little bitch?" Darla asked him angrily.
The ensouled vampire stared at her. "What does it matter? You're with Xander now."
Darla grinned. "C'mon. Xander's just a child. He has no idea of what we're really capable of. What Xander and I had was nothing compared to what we shared. And we shared a lot."
Angel stood silent and watched his Sire. He knew he was in no emotional state to attack his Sire, and he knew that she could easily beat him. After all, he was trained by her.
"What are you thinking about Angelus?" Darla asked him.
The dark haired vampire shook his head. "I keep thinking back to the Boxer Rebellion. You wanted me dead then. What's changed?"
Darla stepped towards him and threw him to the floor. She jumped on top of him and smiled. "Because you're my darling boy. And children often make mistakes. It doesn't mean that I don't love you any less."
Angel laid back and was lost in the paralysing kiss that Darla proceeded to give him. He thought back to his past, and all the things that he and Darla did. The clarity back then was so peaceful, he felt like he could rule worlds.
Angel's Sire stroked his face as she pulled away from their kissing. "All that and more. I can heal you, Angel. I can take away this pain that you have suffered from for over eighty years. Just like I did before. Would you like that?"
The vampire with a soul grinned slightly. But he remembered the cost of such a luxury and quickly shook his head. "I'm sorry for what happened to you Darla, but I have no intention of being that way again."
Darla stared at him in anger. "Then I'll just have to kill you."
"You can kill me. If you can." Angel dared her.
The blonde vampire pulled out a stake that she had kept hidden and was about to swing it down into Angel's chest, when a cross was shoved in Darla's face. She jumped off him quickly and fell over the couch. She stood up in anger, completely morphed out, and saw Angel pick himself up off the ground and stand next to Kate Lockley.
"And who is this?" Darla asked Angel in an upset voice. "A replacement for the other replacement?"
Kate held the crucifix out in front of her as Angel picked up the fallen stake off of the floor.
Darla stared at the both of them and angrily left his basement living room. Kate hid the cross from Angel and stared at him. "Who the hell was that?"
Angel stared at the space that Darla was standing in with sorrow. "That was someone I knew. A long time ago. I have to find Buffy and see if she's alright. And Xander..."
"What about Xander?" Kate asked him.
The ensouled vampire looked to the ground and then back to the suspended detective. "I have to tell him that his girlfriend is now a vampire."
Hey pig yeah you
Hey pig piggy pig pig pig
All of my fears came true
Black and blue and broken bones you left me here
I'm all alone my little piggy needed something new
Nothing can stop me now i don't care anymore
Nothing can stop me now i just don't care
Hey pig nothing's turning out the way i planned
Hey pig there's a lot of things i hoped you could help me understand
What am i supposed to do i lost my shit because of you
Nothing can stop me now
I don't care anymore
Nothing can stop me now
I just don't care
The soldiers trained in their new temporary warehouse as Riley walked past the scientists and soldiers setting up several tables and equipment. They had decided that while they were looking for Xander, they had to set up place somewhere in Los Angeles.
"I couldn't have picked a better place, Agent Finn." Professor Walsh told him as she looked out one of the factory's windows. They watched cars drive by and Riley stared at the Angel Investigations building, several buildings down the road.
Riley nodded. "Shouldn't we be underground for the things that we do?"
Professor Walsh looked at him. "Right now we can't afford that luxury. Our priority is to get that power out of that boy. And we will."
Riley nodded once more and then watched her leave to talk to a few scientists. He sighed deeply and turned back to the window.
"Harris. Soon as she gets what she wants from you, I'm gonna get what I want from you. You're a dead man." Riley whispered to himself as he angrily stared out the window.
He turned away from the sight of passersby walking on the street at night and looked at the Professor.
"We have gotten reports that Xander was seen to have jumped out of an apartment window and hit the pavement. They say that it was a pretty big fall." Riley told her.
Professor Walsh gave him a shocked look. "Is he dead?"
"No." Riley said as he shook his head. "Witnesses reported they saw him run off as soon as he hit the ground."
Walsh thought it over and shook her head. "That type of fall would have killed an ordinary human. It must be a result of his power that protected him from the fall. Completely remarkable."
"Yes, isn't it?" Riley said with sarcasm.
Professor Walsh gave him a stern look. "I want that apartment building staked out."
"Yes, Professor." Riley told her as he moved to give orders to a couple of soldiers.
My lover's gone
his boots no longer by my door
Darla walked out of the bedroom wearing a new shirt and carrying a picture of Xander, where she met Buffy standing in the living room patiently, looking out of the broken window for any sign of Xander.
he left at dawn
and as I slept I felt him go
"Okay, I'm ready to go now." Darla told her as Buffy turned around with a slight jump.
Returns no more
I will not watch the ocean
Buffy stared at the former vampire and couldn't believe how weird life had gotten.
My lover's gone
no earthly ships will ever bring him home again
"You were gone for awhile." Buffy told her.
Darla nodded. "There was a picture of Xander that I had trouble looking for. I found it though."
bring him home again
My lover's gone
"Okay, let's go. Angel's going to want to hear about this." Buffy told her as they headed towards the front door.
I know that kiss will be my last
no more his song
Buffy and Darla walked down the hallway and Darla refused to look down at the drained body of the Private Investigator.
the tune upon his lips has passed
I sing alone
Buffy and Darla got into a cab that had stopped nearby and Buffy gave the cab driver directions to Angel Investigations. Buffy watched Darla from the corner of her eye and realised that she wasn't anything like she was when she was a vampire.
while I watch the ocean
My lover's gone
As the Taxi drove away from Xander's apartment and toward Angel's office, Darla stared at the picture of her and Xander that they had taken on the Los Angeles beach.
no earthly ships will ever bring him home again
bring him home again
Angel, Doyle, Kate and Tara sat in the office and waited for Buffy to return with news on how her latest meeting with Xander went.
"Here she comes." Tara told them as Buffy opened the door and walked in with a sad look on her face.
Angel walked up to her with worry. "Buffy, are you alright? Did something happen?"
Buffy nodded and waited for Darla to appear. "Xander's a vampire."
The four of them took in the shock that Xander is a vampire with incredulity. Tara stared down at the floor in sadness, while Doyle and Angel were worried.
"Xander's a vampire? Are you sure?" Angel asked her.
Buffy gave him a look. "He attacked me in vamp mode. I'm pretty sure."
Doyle got up off the couch and walked over to the two of them while Kate sat and thought the possibilities over. "Xander's a vampire now. Great. So now he can use his immense powers to destroy us and the rest of the world."
The blonde Slayer stared at the Brachen demon as the thought occurred to her. "See, that's just the thing. While we were fighting in his apartment, he didn't use his powers at all. Not even once."
"So, what are you thinking? That because he's undead now, his powers are gone?" Kate asked them.
Angel shrugged. "It's possible. It happens to slayers when they're turned."
Everyone looked at Angel who shook his head with a sigh. "Maybe I shouldn't have revealed that bit."
"Isn't there something else you should be revealing?" Tara asked him, thinking about what happened with Darla.
The ensouled vampire remembered about Darla and was about to warn Buffy, when Darla walked into the main office and stood side by side with Buffy.
Angel's eyes widened in shock at Darla's gutsiness and Kate pulled out her sidearm as they tried to jump Darla. Buffy blocked their path with a surprised look on her face.
"What the hell are you doing?" Buffy asked them.
Doyle pointed to the blonde woman standing behind Buffy. "She's a vampire now too. Just like Xander."
"No she isn't." Buffy said with annoyance. "She's still human."
Kate shook her head and kept her gun trained on Darla. "She attacked Angel and if it weren't for me scaring her off with a cross, these guys would be vacuuming their boss out of the carpet."
Buffy looked to Angel for confirmation and he nodded. She sighed and then looked at them. Darla continued to stand behind Buffy for protection with the photo in her hand. She had no idea what was going on.
"When did this happen?" Buffy asked them.
Angel shrugged. "Ten minutes ago. Maybe."
Buffy sighed again. "Darla was with me the entire time. I was saving her from Xander."
Darla moved from behind Buffy and walked over to the cross on the office desk. She picked it up and revealed to the others in the room that the crucifix wasn't burning her. Angel moved closer to her and didn't pick up the sensation that she wasn't human.
"Something weird is going on. Ten minutes ago, you were a vampire. Unless..." Angel stopped halfway through his sentence.
"Unless there's an evil vampire double of her walking around." Buffy finished for him.
Doyle blinked several times, trying to process the recent turn of events along with Kate.
"That isn't possible. How could there be two of them?" Kate asked the Slayer.
Buffy shrugged. "It's not the first time this is happened. Last year we had an evil VampWillow running around Sunnydale."
"That's true." Angel said. "But that was because of a spell that Anya did, that backfired."
The slayer shook her head. "Anya wouldn't do this. Now."
Angel nodded. "There's only one group of people that are capable of this and they're the type of people that would get a big kick out of it too."
"Wolfram and Hart." Doyle said aloud.
Lilah Morgan opened the door to her apartment and stepped inside, closing the door behind her.
She walked over to her answering machine and checked for any messages. There were a messages from some of her clients, but nothing that warranted much interest.
The brunette lawyer sat down and turned on the television. After coming back from Wolfram and Hart, she needed the rest. Dodging accusations of the missing Xander, and trying to find the private investigator she hired were beginning to annoy her.
Lilah heard a knocking at the front door and she got up off the couch. When she got to the door, she looked through the peephole and saw Xander Harris standing on the other side.
She opened the door quickly and grinned when she saw him. Xander smiled back at her politely.
"Well, well. What do we have here? You might as well come in." Lilah said as she invited him into her apartment.
Xander stepped through the doorway and watched as Lilah moved into her living room to get to her phone.
Lilah shook her head when she had her back to him. "I can't believe that you'd be this stupid."
"I can say the same about you." Xander grinned as his face morphed into his vampiric guise when he shut the door behind him.
Spike drank from his bottle of whiskey as he walked down a Los Angeles street. He looked through shop windows as he passed along and recognised Xander and Cordelia in a coffee shop.
The platinum blonde vampire walked into the store and tapped Xander on the shoulder. "Everyone's been looking for you."
Cordelia jumped out of her seat and backed away quick with a frightened look on her face. "Xander, it's Spike!"
Spike grinned as he took in Cordelia's fear of him. "No one's had that reaction to me in awhile now. Thanks for that, you've made my night."
Xander looked up at the chipped vampire and gave him a quizzical look. "What are you doing in L.A?"
"Tara brought me here so that she could help Buffy." Spike answered as he sat down in Cordelia's empty seat.
Cordelia watched them start to have a conversation and was weirded out by the scene in front of her. "Uh, Xander. You do know that Spike's an evil vampire, don't you?"
Xander nodded. "Yeah, but he's been chipped. He can't hurt a living person."
Spike gave him an evil look. "Why don't you just put it out on the internet?"
Xander gave him an evil look of his own and then looked up at Cordelia. "This is the guy that Anya cheated on me with, can you believe it?"
The evil vampire chuckled. "Well, what can I say? Anya said I have a bigger package."
Xander lost his temper and when he stared at Spike, his powers threw Spike backwards and smashed him through the coffee shop window, where he hit the brick wall hard and then fell to the ground.
The customers and workers looked around in shock at the sudden force that kicked out a potential customer. Xander stood up and left the coffee shop with a shocked Cordelia.
They walked past Spike who cradled his sore head in his hands. "Serves me right that I forgot about his frigging powers."
"Xander!" Cordelia yelled out to him as he walked away from the scene quickly.
Xander turned around and found an alley where he could talk to Cordelia. "I shouldn't have used my powers."
"Why not?" Cordelia asked him.
Xander looked at her. "The Initiative are here in town. They chased me and Darla down as soon as we escaped from Wolfram and Hart. They're probably looking for any clue of my whereabouts and that sudden burst of energy I sent out, probably didn't do matters any good."
Cordelia sighed and nodded. "What do we do now?"
"Fortunately you put all your stuff in your car. Because there's no way we can go back to that coffee shop so soon. I'll take you to meet Darla if you want?" Xander asked her.
The former cheerleader nodded. "Yeah, sure. But we'll have to make it quick. I'm sure Doyle and the others are probably wondering where I am."
"Well, lets hurry then." Xander said as they headed towards to their cars.
Xander looked at Lilah with a bemused expression on his face. "I don't get you people. Why are you involved with that lawfirm?"
Lilah stared at him and decided to answer him. "To get a seat during the upcoming apocalypse."
The evil vampire watched as Lilah made a phone call to Lindsey and after the conversation had ended, she put the phone back in it's cradle.
"What makes you think you'll get to see it?" Xander asked her as he walked up to her.
Lilah held up a hand to him. "Xander, I know what you're thinking."
Xander stared her up and down with a smile. "Oh, I doubt that very much."
Lilah gasped in shock as Xander turned her around harshly and held on to her from behind. Xander kissed her neck and groped her slowly as he watched her scared reaction.
"Do you know what I'm thinking now?" The vampire asked her as he made sure she felt his arousal.
The female lawyer shivered in fear and tried to get out of Xander's grasp. He laughed as he felt her try to move away from him.
"Look in that mirror." Xander told her as Lilah stopped squirming and looked at the mirror in front of them. Her eyes widened in shock as she realised that it was only her reflection in the mirror.
"Oh my god." Lilah breathed in panic.
Xander chuckled as he nibbled on her neck. His hands felt her breasts through the material of her clothes and he grinned.
"Hmm, Darla's got bigger tits than you, did you know that?" Xander said cruelly as he watched her reaction.
Lilah was scared for her life now and didn't know what to do. "What do you want?"
The demented vampire ripped her shirt to pieces and fondled her breasts after tearing off her bra. "Ever fucked a vampire before?"
"No." Lilah said as she thought of ways to escape.
"Oh, sure you have. As a matter of fact, you tried to fuck me and Darla earlier tonight." Xander told her.
Lilah was confused. "What?"
Xander stared at her as his mood darkened even more. "Sending a private eye after me and my woman? Not very nice. Before he died, the private dick told me about you. Wanting us back in Wolfram and Hart. I'm not going back to that dark cell."
Lilah pulled out of his grasp and turned around quickly, facing the vamped out Xander who slashed her throat with his razor sharp claws.
The brunette lawyer clutched her neck, futiley trying to stop the flow of blood. Lilah felt herself get weak and collapsed ontop of her glass coffee table, smashing the glass as she fell into the coffee table, dead.
Xander stared down at Lilah's corpse and shook his head at his mistake of killing her too soon without finding any information.
Suddenly the sounds of a key in the door, woke Xander up out of his daydream. He turned off the lights and hid in the darkness of the apartment as Lindsey walked into the apartment.
"Lilah? Where are you?" Lindsey called out as he looked around the dark apartment.
The male lawyer turned on the living room lights and was shocked as he saw Lilah's dead body in the smashed coffee table and then realised he was in serious trouble when he saw a pissed off looking vampire Xander standing next to her body.
"Hello Lindsey." The demonic vampire breathed.
Lindsey stared at the evil vampire and tried to run out the door. Xander used his vampiric speed to pull Lindsey back into the apartment and slammed the door shut behind him.
Xander threw Lindsey into the middle of the room and he snuck a glance at Lilah's corpse and then at Xander.
"I forgot to ask Lilah some questions. That's why I need you." Xander said as he slowly edged his way towards him.
The male lawyer nodded slowly and kept his cool. "What do you want to know?"
Xander walked over to the unlit fireplace and picked up the poker as he began to sift through the day-old ashes. "I went back to the apartment I have here in town, and I find that my Darla is human. Now, what the hell is going on?"
"Well, see it's like this..."
Xander cut him off. "Because a lot of things are pretty weird. Darla was a vampire the last time I saw her. Then the next time, she's human. Now, granted I was surprised, but I didn't let anyone catch on to my... momentary weakness."
Lindsey watched the evil vampire carefully and passed a quick look at the shut front door.
"Come to think of it, I don't remember being turned. Last thing I remember is being electrocuted by you morons and then waking up in a dark cell where I had to share my cheerleader meal. And my powers are entirely gone too. I want you to fill in the gaps." Xander told him threateningly.
Lindsey nodded as he walked away from Xander slowly. "You were part of something called 'Plan B'. We kept you in a cell and kept you fed, just in case our 'Plan A' failed."
"What is 'Plan A'?" Xander asked him curiously.
"'Plan A' is using the human Xander to merge the two worlds." Lindsey told him calmly.
VampXander gave him a surprised look. "You mean to tell me there's another me running around out there?"
"The human you. The real you." Lindsey told him honestly.
VampXander ran a hand through his hair. "Why don't I have my powers?"
"That's something we didn't anticipate. The whole purpose of your creation was to duplicate your powers. Apparently it didn't work." Lindsey answered.
"And Darla? What part does she play?" VampXander asked him.
Lindsey shook his head. "It was written that she and the human Xander would fall in love. We knew that the real Xander would be getting the dreams of her and would arrive in Los Angeles like a moth to a flame. When we brought Darla back from the netherworld, she was human. So, we made a procedure that we did last year and it split her in two."
"Split her in two?" VampXander asked curiously.
The lawyer stared at the demonic vampire. "Darla's evil side was made physical. Evil that we're all capable of. All humans have a vampire inside us. The evil that men do. We made Darla's evil side physical without harming the human side."
VampXander thought it over. "So, if I turned the human Darla..."
"It wouldn't work. She'd just die. Her evil side has been extinguished." Lindsey told him.
The evil vampire laughed. "That applies to my human side as well, I suppose."
"Yeah." Lindsey nodded as he looked back to the door and slowly began to edge towards it.
"Well, I can't win them all." VampXander said to himself. "Why did you throw us out into the alley?"
Lindsey looked at him. "I was told to. My boss ordered me to. He wants you to enjoy yourself."
VampXander nodded. "I didn't appreciate being a prisoner, Lindsey. I don't bow down to some goddamn human."
"Hey, I'm sorry. But orders are orders." Lindsey told him bravely.
VampXander grinned. "Look at you. Brave and strong. I noticed the slight looks you gave Darla when we were in the cell. Do you like her, Lindsey?"
Lindsey ran for the door but Xander met up with him there and threw him backwards over the couch and onto the floor.
"What's the matter, college boy? Am I too evil for you? Are you used to the moronic vamps that simply bite people on the neck? Man, I fucking love my condition. I'm a God." VampXander told him as he walked over to the fallen lawyer.
Lindsey kicked the vampire in the groin and VampXander stood in the one spot and revelled in the sudden burst of pain as he cackled with laughs.
The lawyer got off the floor and shoved a cross into VampXander's face. The demon backed away a small step and then shocked Lindsey by placing his hand on the crucifix. The smell of burning flesh filled the room as it made Lindsey sick to his stomach.
He dropped the cross to the floor and moved backwards. VampXander looked at the wound on his hand and licked the burn marks.
"I am no one's bitch. I'll destroy every little goddamn thing in my way. How would you like to make it out of here without your frigging legs?" VampXander asked him as he ran to the kitchen and picked up a kitchen knife.
Lindsey ran to the door and made it outside, but not without the evil vampire cutting his hand open with the kitchen blade. The lawyer groaned in pain, but continued to run down the hall with VampXander close behind him.
The lawyer ran down the stairs into the main lobby and realised that VampXander didn't follow him but stood in the darkness. Lindsey looked around him and found the morning sun beginning to poke it's head out on Los Angeles.
"You got off lucky McDonald. But when the sun goes down again, you're mine." VampXander snarled at him as he slinked back into the darkness of the hotel.
Lindsey breathed a sigh of relief and held his bleeding hand. He walked out of the apartment complex and was immediately slammed against the stone wall by several Initiative soldiers.
"Where's Harris?" Riley asked him as he stepped forward.
Lindsey groaned against the pain. "Trust me, you don't want to know."
An Initiative soldier looked at him and hit the lawyer in the back with his fist. Lindsey screamed out in pain and Riley looked at him while he gave his orders to his fellow soldiers.
"We tracked him here. He was following a woman. Arrest him! Aiding and abetting a known fugitive. Maybe the boys in Nevada will know what to do with him." The soldier told him as they handcuffed the lawyer and dragged him away to their military van.
"Right, right. Thank you." Lee said into his phone before he hung up. He walked out of his office and met up with Holland in the elevator.
Lee gave him a look before he told him what happened. "I just got some unsettling news."
"What is it now Lee?" Holland asked him as they listened to the elevator music.
"Well sir, it's..."
Holland shook his head. "Do you know what my idea of hell is? Being stuck in this elevator for eternity listening to this inane elevator music. Now that's torture."
Lee nodded with empathy. "Sir, it's about Lindsey and Lilah."
"What about them?" Holland asked him.
"Lilah's dead and Lindsey's been arrested by the military." Lee told him straight forward.
Holland reached for the emergency stop button and hit it hard. Soft ringing sounded from the elevator as Holland turned to face Lee. "What did you say?"
Lee gulped. "Uh, Lilah's dead and Lindsey's been arrested."
"Did he kill her?" Holland asked.
Lee shook his head. "It doesn't look like it. Our sources from the LAPD say that Lilah had her throat cut from what looks like a fingernail. I'm guessing it was a demon. It couldn't have been a vampire though."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because whatever killed her, also ate a part of her right arm. And bit off three of her fingers." Lee said with a slight grimace.
Holland nodded with surprise. "Doesn't sound like a demon that I know of. Not many would have the nerve to attack one of us."
"Sir, could it have anything to do with the things from 'Plan B' that you had Lindsey release into the street?" Lee asked him.
Holland gave him a curious look. Lee noticed and nodded. "Lindsey told me before."
"And what happened with Lindsey?" Holland asked.
"Some invisible demons that were in the street at the time, say that they saw Lindsey get captured by some US military group outside of Lilah's apartment complex. They took him to a base in Nevada." Lee said with honesty.
Holland shook his head and pressed the elevator button, signalling the elevator to continue on it's downward trip.
"I want to find out everything I can about this military operation. I get the impression this won't be the last time we'll hear of them anytime soon." Holland told him as the elevator door opened and he stepped out onto his floor.
Lee nodded as the elevator door closed.
Cordelia parked her car in the parking lot across the street and waited for Xander to emerge from his car. They crossed the road and headed towards the front door of Cordelia's former apartment complex.
"I still can't believe that you live in my old apartment." Cordelia said with amazement.
Xander shrugged as she opened the front door and stepped inside the lobby. "It's the cheapest one in Los Angeles that still has a roof. Weird but it happens."
The desk clerk appeared from inside his small office and greeted the young pair.
"Who are you?" Xander asked him curiously.
The desk clerk nodded briefly. "Darren Wylie. I'm filling in for your normal desk clerk, Mr. Peterson. He's sick with the flu."
"Okay. Have you seen anyone hanging around the building? Acting real suspicious?" Xander asked him, looking for any sign of the Initiative or the lawyers that kidnapped him.
Darren shook his head. "No, no one. Why? Are you on the run?"
Xander grinned and shook his head, seeing the humor on the desk clerk's face. "No, no. But you can never be too sure in L.A."
Darren nodded and watched Cordelia and Xander head towards the elevator. The desk clerk pulled out his gun and picked up the radio receiver he hid under the counter.
"Agent Wylie to Home Base. The eagle has landed." Darren said as he spoke into the device.
Xander and Cordelia froze as they heard what he just said and Xander sighed with the realisation that he was duped. They turned around slowly and came face to face with Darren who pointed a gun at them.
"Where's Mr. Peterson?" Xander asked him sternly.
Darren shrugged. "Old man Peterson isn't part of the big picture. But you are."
Xander looked at him in anger and Cordelia wondered what they were going to do now that they were caught. When Darren gestured for them to raise their hands, she and Xander did it.
"Aren't you afraid of what I can do to you?" Xander prodded him.
The undercover Initiative soldier scoffed. "I've got a gun on you, Harris. One silly stunt and you'll be picking a bullet out of your little girlfriend here."
"Girlfriend?" Cordelia asked with surprise.
Darren shrugged. "Then you can explain the deaths of two people in this building."
"Two?" Xander asked him. He suddenly remembered Darla and it got his fear rising. "What have you done to her?"
"Who?" Darren asked.
Xander looked at him with an evil glare. "If you've hurt her, I swear to God that I will kill you where you stand."
Darren looked at him with a grin. "Who has the gun here pal?"
Xander made a slight gesture with one of his raised hands and the loaded weapon shot out of Darren's hand and into Xander's.
The undercover soldier stared in shock as Xander and Cordelia lowered their arms, while Xander kept the gun trained on Darren. The telekinetic teen made his way over to him and gave him a cold look.
"Is Darla still up there?!? What did you do to her?!? How many of you are waiting for us up there?!?" Xander yelled in Darren's face.
Darren shook his head with worry. "I don't know what you're talking about. Who's Darla?"
Xander got bored with this as he was more worried about his soulmate's safety. He hit Darren in the side of the head with the butt of the soldier's gun and the undercover soldier slumped to the tile floor in an unconscious heap.
"Darla." Xander said softly before he rushed to the elevator with Cordelia behind him. He hit the button on the elevator several times with impatience.
After several seconds, the elevator door opened and they rushed into the small cubicle. The door closed and Xander pressed the floor number of his apartment and the elevator ascended to it's destination.
When the elevator door opened, Xander and Cordelia found Charley Mortimer's dead body lying in the hallway. Seeing that it was a vampire bite wound on his neck, Xander got scared for Darla's safety and ran for his apartment down the hall.
"Xander!! Wait!" Cordelia yelled out in panic as she thought it could be a trap.
Xander ran up to the busted open door and stepped inside with worry. The living room couch was thrown across the room and many things were broken and smashed. He looked at the living room window and saw it was shattered, as if someone was thrown threw it.
"Oh God, no." Xander breathed as he ran to the smashed window and looked out of it. To some small relief, he didn't see any dead people at the bottom of the building. Moving away from the window, he ran to the bedroom and had a look around. After searching the closet, he found most of Darla's clothes missing.
Xander stepped back into the living room and found Cordelia staring at the smashed up room. "She's not here. Her clothes are gone. What the hell happened here?"
Cordelia stared at him with concern. "We have to get Angel. He can help us look for her."
"If those bastards have hurt Darla, I'll destroy them. I just got her, I can't lose her now." Xander said with sadness.
Cordelia shook her head. "That won't happen. We have to go get his help now."
Xander nodded and they left the apartment quickly, on their way to Angel Investigations. Worried that Darren's back up were already forming at the front of the building, Xander and Cordelia exited the building from the back, heading towards their cars.
"Come in!" Holland called out as Lee entered his office.
The young lawyer walked over to Holland and dropped a case file on his superior's desk.
"That's everything we could get on the military group." Lee told him as Holland sorted through the files.
Holland sighed as he looked through it. "An undercover military operation, using the codename 'The Initiative'. Main purpose is the testing and eradication of supernatural entities. According to this, they've been very good at what they do. I wonder what they want with Alexander."
Lee spoke up. "Sir, perhaps they want him for a similar reason that we do. His powers for a military weapon or something? Military personnel aren't as original as they like us to think."
The elder lawyer nodded. "Yes, you have a point. In any case, I don't want them interrupting our plans. Have 'Plan B' sort them out as soon as possible, would you? That ought to keep them busy."
The dark-haired lawyer smiled and left, leaving Holland looking over the Initiative case file.
"The Initiative is not prepared for the surprise we're about to give them." Holland said to himself with a sneer.
Cordelia barged through the door to Angel Investigations and found Angel and Doyle with Tara and Buffy.
"Hey guys, we need your help. Xander's apartment is trashed, the Initiative are there, there's a dead guy and Darla's missing..." Cordelia sputtered breathlessly as she tried to get her breath back.
Doyle nodded with understanding. "It's okay princess. Buffy stopped over there earlier and brought Darla back here."
Cordelia noticed with relief and an unusual feeling at seeing Darla again. The last time she saw Darla was when she was about to feed her to Luke in the Bronze.
"You're alive?" Cordelia asked her as Darla nodded sadly.
The former cheerleader noticed the sad looks in the group and felt left out. "What's wrong?"
Angel looked at her. "Cordy, there's something you need to know. It's about Xander."
"What about me?" Xander asked as he walked through the main door.
A mixture of emotions surged through the small office. Shock, fear, panic and grief all came to the surface. Buffy settled for anger and charged towards Xander and hit him hard in the face, sending him reeling backwards.
Xander held his burning cheek as he looked at the defensive slayer. He shook his head with bitterness.
"What the hell are you doing here?!?" Xander yelled at her in rage.
Buffy shook her head as she pulled out a stake. "I'm protecting these people from the likes of you."
Xander groaned in pain as he moved away from the door and into the sunlight. "You should have stayed in Sunnydale where people still think you're a decent person."
The former Zeppo raised a hand and the force shoved Buffy backwards, colliding with Doyle who crashed to the floor behind a desk.
Tara, Angel, Doyle, Buffy and Darla stared at Xander with surprise. But it was Xander's soulmate that stepped forward carefully.
Buffy got up off the floor and held Darla back protectingly. "Xander? Is that you?"
He stared seethingly at the blonde slayer before rolling his eyes. "Who the hell else do you think it is?!?"
Xander quickly walked out of the office and headed down the stairs, but was stopped when Darla grabbed him. He turned around quickly, expecting to see Buffy, but found Darla instead.
"I thought I lost you." Darla told him honestly.
Xander was confused. "Lost me? I thought YOU were in danger."
Darla nodded and took his hand in hers. "There's a lot that's happened. And you should know it all."
Darla and Xander sat on a bench outside of a tattoo parlour in Los Angeles, while she told him everything that happened, including the vampire versions of themselves running around L.A. because of Wolfram and Hart.
"That's why Buffy hit you. We all thought that you were the vampire you." Darla told him.
Xander shook his head. "I'm sure that's not the reason. Buffy and Willow are the main reason why I left Sunnydale. If I didn't get the dreams of you and the feelings of coming here, I would have gone someplace else. Not that I regret finding you."
Darla smiled and rubbed his arm. "I'm sure they're sorry for treating you like that."
The dark-haired teen laughed. "Yeah. Once they realised that I have a power now, they've changed their minds. I'm sorry, but they're nothing but users. And I'm sick of feeling like a loser everytime I'm around them."
The blonde woman nodded sympathetically. "I have an idea."
"What?" Xander asked her curiously.
Darla pointed behind him and Xander turned around. He spotted the tattoo parlour and grinned.
I went down last night with a tattoo madam
To a nude dagger fantasy domain
Wrapped in hell, I lost my breath
Chest to stimulating chinese breast
"And just how are we going to be paying for this?" Xander asked her curiously as Darla pulled out some money.
The blonde woman shrugged. "Angel gave me some money after we thought you were gone."
Grisly smiles, that don't flake off
Corny-colored demons leering
Vampire photos, sucking the skin
Two heavily-tattooed workers applied a tattoo on Xander and Darla's arm, they had chosen a heart with their names imposed on the inside. Wincing through the slight pain of the needles, they each watched the other getting the tattoo.
Grisly smiles, that don't flake off
Corny-colored demons leering
Vampire photos, sucking the skin
Night fell quickly for VampXander and VampDarla's pleasure as they paraded down an aisle in a department store, arm in arm.
"I thought I lost you for awhile there." VampXander told her as he pulled her in to bite her on the neck playfully.
VampDarla smiled slyly and swatted him in the face. "That would mean that you have had to have had me in the first place, don't you think?"
The dark-haired teen stared at her angrily. "I've got you right where I want you."
"Prove it." VampDarla ordered him impatiently.
The male vampire surprised her by slapping his hands around her neck and beginning to strangle her, lifting her off of the ground. "Yeah, I've got you where I want you."
He let go of her and she dropped to the floor. "That's good. You do know what I like don't you?"
VampXander stepped towards her in a menacing tone. "Show me what I like."
VampDarla slowly pulled a knife out from her black leather pants and slammed the knife into VampXander's stomach. The evil vampire doubled over pleasure and laughed at the feelings running through his veins.
"Hey, that hurt!" VampXander told her with a chuckle. VampDarla gave him a look as she licked his blood off of the knife.
"I know, got me hot too!" VampDarla exclaimed wickedly.
"Oh, baby. I'm going to nail you to the wall tonight." VampXander told her as he leaned in close to her and breathed in her scent.
The blonde vampiress moaned with anticipation, and sighed when she heard pleading come from the floor. "I think they're awake."
VampXander turned around and saw two of the store owners on the floor, their heads bleeding. The injured humans peered up at the two vicious vampires with uncertainty.
The sound of a phone ringing caught VampDarla's attention, as she walked over to the counter and picked it up.
"Hello?" VampDarla called into the phone.
"Darla, it's Holland from Wolfram and Hart. How are you this evening?"
"I'm fine. What do you want, Holland?"
VampXander turned around and faced his demonic counterpart as he heard the lawyer's name mentioned.
"I was hoping that I could acquire your services. You and Alexander, that is."
"In doing what?" VampDarla asked as she grinned at her lover's impatience.
"There's a certain military group in L.A. They call themselves the Initiative."
"I've heard of them. What do you want us to do about it?"
"We want you to kill them. We'll pay you for that service."
VampDarla laughed. "I've never been paid to kill a human before. But I'm sure Xander's going to jump at the chance."
"Stop by the office first. We'll arrange payments."
"This had better not be a trick, Holland."
"It isn't. After this you are on your own."
"Good." VampDarla told him before she hung up the phone.
VampXander headed over to her quickly and grabbed her wrist hard. "I believe a bit of Angel is rubbing off on you. You're starting to pick up on some of his stupidities."
"Wolfram and Hart offered to pay us money to destroy those Initiative idiots that made your life hell as a mortal. I figure that when we do in those GI Joe's, we start on burning that lawfirm down to the ground and kill any survivors. Sound good baby?" VampDarla said with an evil grin.
The dark-haired vampire nodded ruthlessly at her. "Just when I think I know you, you do something unpredictable like this."
"What do we do about these?" VampDarla asked as she pointed towards the cowering humans on the floor.
VampXander shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not in the mood. You kill them. I just want to watch."
"You always like to watch." VampDarla told him before she jumped the two humans and ripped into their throats with ease.
The evil male vampire watched his lover destroy the two humans. "I just love how your ass looks in leather."
VampDarla stood up off of the floor, her victim's blood over her face. She licked her lips and VampXander licked off some of the blood also. "Mmmm. Now I'm in the mood."
"Too bad. They're all gone." VampDarla told him as she rubbed her stomach teasingly.
VampXander laughed maliciously as he pulled her to him, and together they strolled out of the department store and into the night-covered street.
Darla and Xander sat at an empty bus stop in Los Angeles after getting their tattoos. They sat there on the bench, eating ice cream they had gotten from the store across the road.
"When I saw our apartment and saw that dead guy, the Initiative soldier and you missing, I froze. I couldn't move, emotionally that is. Thank God, Cordelia was there and told me to go to Angel's." Xander told her as he gently rubbed her hand.
Darla nodded. "When I thought you were a vampire, I was so scared."
"Sorry that that other me was so dark." Xander told her softly.
The blonde woman shook her head. "I'm not going to lie, that vampire version of you was pretty psychotic, but no, it's not just that. I thought I lost you forever. I felt that what we had died, the minute you were turned. It's hard to describe."
Xander nodded with empathy. "I'd feel the same way if I found that vampire version of you."
"Where do you think they are right now? Those vampire versions that is." Darla asked him as she bit into her ice cream.
The dark-haired teen shrugged with a grin. "As long as they're far away from us, that's all that matters. But the minute they show their heads to me, I'll blow them off."
Darla looked at him as she thought back to what the vampire Xander told her in their apartment. "I didn't know that you tried suicide once."
Xander stared at her in stunned surprise. "What? How did you find out? Who told you?"
His soulmate looked down and then glanced back at him. "The vampire you told me. Before he jumped out of the window and escaped."
The telekinetic teen stared at the ground and then shrugged. "January 5, 1995. It was when I was fourteen. There was this girl that I really liked back then, and when I finally got the courage to ask her out, she laughed in my face. I don't even think Willow knows how bad I took that."
"What happened then?" Darla asked him gently.
Xander shrugged once more. "I skipped school for the rest of the day and went home. My parents were doing the usual screaming and yelling that they always do. Anyway, I snuck some pills from my parent's dresser and tried to go out that way. No note, just me and the pills. I don't know how it happened, but I woke up in the hospital the next day. I was told that someone called 911, but my parents say they didn't make the call. They found out what I did when the paramedics busted the door down."
Darla took the information in. "Sounds like you were saved by a guardian angel."
"Yeah, I guess. Anyway, word around school was that I had my appendix out. Which was why I was at the hospital." Xander told her.
Darla nodded. "What about those issues you have with Buffy and her friend?"
"Willow? There was a time when Willow used to be my friend, instead of Buffy's. When Buffy arrived in Sunnydale, she and Willow began to hang out a lot more. I began to realise that the only reason Willow was friends with me, was because she was hoping on more than a friendship. She was so shy at school, that I was the only guy she talked to. Of course she'd start to get feelings for me." Xander told her.
"What about Buffy? Aren't you two friends?" Darla asked him.
Xander shook his head. "Buffy and I were never really friends. She's friends with Willow. I just came with the package."
"That vampire version of you mentioned that Buffy is in love with you." Darla said with a little hint of insecurity.
Xander grinned at the tone of her voice and held her hand. "I used to have this big crush on Buffy when she first arrived. But after the whole her and Angel fiasco, it dawned on me that she's not the type of person I want to be with. There's just too much drama and angst with all that. Besides, I don't see her like that anymore. I can't imagine not being without you."
Darla moved in to kiss him and Xander felt that he couldn't be in a better situation than he was in right now.
Professor Walsh met Riley and the others in Xander's apartment as they carried out the dead body of the private investigator and searched the entire building for clues, including kicking out the other residents of the run-down complex.
"Have you found anything of any importance, yet?" Maggie asked Riley as he, Forrest and Graham rummaged through the bedroom.
Riley shook his head. "Not really. Judging by the contents here, I'd say it's safe to assume that Xander wasn't here alone. A blonde woman in her twenties was also with him."
Forrest picked up a photograph of Xander and Darla and handed it to the Professor. She looked at it and studied the photograph.
"Any idea on who she is?" Professor Walsh asked Riley.
Riley shrugged. "I have some people working on it right now. Most likely she knows about his power. After he came to, Agent Wylie told us that a brunette girl was with Xander. She doesn't fit the description of the one in the photo."
"Could she be a friend of Buffy's?" Maggie asked him as she handed the photograph back to him.
The young soldier looked at her. "If she is a friend of hers, then it's someone that I don't know."
Professor Walsh motioned for Riley to follow her outside the bedroom, while Forrest and Graham continued going through Darla and Xander's left over belongings.
"The lawyer you apprehended earlier said some pretty interesting things. Apparently, there's a demon-loving lawfirm that he was involved with here in Los Angeles. They want Alexander for their own purposes." Professor Walsh told him.
Riley shook his head. "Can this get any more disgusting?"
"Riley, I want you to take stock of what you've got." Professor Walsh advised him.
The young soldier gave her a confused look. "I don't understand."
Maggie smirked. "I want you to find Buffy at that vampire's hangout. Try to reason with her. Maybe she will inadvertantly lead Alexander to us."
Riley grinned as he thought it over.
Buffy sat in a chair with her head in her hands, while the others watched her with pity. The sounds of the door opening, caused Buffy to look up eagerly, but was disappointed to find Spike with an empty bag of blood.
"Where the hell have you been?" Buffy asked the chipped vampire.
Spike gave her a look. "I got something to drink after I picked glass out of my head."
The slayer stared at him in confusion. "What?"
Cordelia interrupted. "Uh, Xander threw Spike out of a cafe window with his powers."
Angel sighed with bewilderment. "What did you do now?"
Spike gave his sire the finger and sat down on a seat next to Tara. "I made a harmless comment about Anya, and he flies off the handle."
"Harmless?" Cordelia asked with a laugh.
Doyle was confused. "Who's Anya?"
"Anya was a wish-granting demon that became human awhile back. She and Xander were seeing each other until Xander caught her with Spike. At least that's what she told us." Tara told him.
Spike scoffed. "Sure, now you have a lot to say."
Tara blushed and stared at the floor while Buffy got up out of her seat. "I can't just sit here, I have to find Xander and apologise."
Doyle shook his head. "I just hope you remember what you're apologising for. It seems to be a lot right now."
Buffy gave him a look and Angel interrupted. "Why don't you call Giles first. See if everything is okay in Sunnydale?"
The blonde Slayer moved to the phone in Angel's office and was surprised when the phone rang before she picked it up.
Buffy picked up the phone and spoke into it. "Hello?"
"Buffy? It's Faith." Faith told her on the other end of the line.
"Faith. I was just about to call. What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Willow's spell is still going strong. A couple of demons tried to start something, but there was nothing to worry about. Anya and I are getting along alright."
"Yeah, I know. Willow told me."
"Willow still doesn't like me."
"She just doesn't trust you yet. Give her time."
Faith's reply was interrupted by Giles and Anya bickering over the line.
"Anya, that is a priceless artifact. You can't hold it like that. Give it to me." Giles told her sternly.
Anya was heard over the phone as annoyed. "I'm not an idiot, okay? I know what I'm..."
A smashing sound was heard from the other end, followed by Giles swearing in frustration. Buffy heard Faith chuckle over the scene.
"What's going on over there?" Buffy asked her over the phone.
"Anya has a case of the butter fingers." Faith told her.
"Well, I got to go track down Xander and apologise. I'll call again in awhile, okay?"
"Yeah. I'll tell the others."
"Bye."
"Bye."
Buffy hung up the phone and left the small office. When she walked into the main office, she found Angel and Spike missing and Darla sitting next to Tara and Cordelia on the large seat.
"What's going on?" Buffy asked everyone, noting that Darla had a bandage on her arm.
Darla faced the Slayer. "Angel and Xander are tracking down Holland to find out about those vampire doubles."
Buffy was confused. "When did this happen?"
"Xander and I talked about it before we came here. They're going to be okay." Darla assured her.
The young Slayer shook her head. "I'm not sure they can handle this on their own."
Doyle gave her a look. "They left shortly after you went to call the others in Sunnydale."
"It doesn't matter. I'll find them." Buffy told them as she walked out of the main office and headed toward the Wolfram and Hart building, after getting the address off of Angel's desk previously.
Xander and Angel stood at the basement entrance to the Wolfram and Hart building.
"We find Holland or Lindsey and make them talk." Angel told him.
Xander nodded. "Then we kill those doubles of me and Darla."
The ensouled vampire nodded. "Right. C'mon, let's go."
The telepathic teen followed the vampire into the large lawfirm and they hid behind the wall, waiting for the security guard to pass by the elevator. Once the guard passed down the hall, Xander used his powers to press the button, making the elevator doors open.
"Those vampire sensors don't seem to be working today, those guards of theirs would be coming out of the woodwork by now." Angel mentioned as they had a look around.
Xander shrugged. "Maybe they're having the day off. Or... or maybe the vamp doubles of me and Darla are here and they don't want to keep setting off the sensors."
"Let's go." Angel told him.
Xander shook his head. "You go to Holland's office. I'm going to the dungeon to find Lindsey. He used to hang out a lot down there when I was here."
Angel looked at him with uncertainty, but ran into the elevator anyway. The doors closed on the elevator and ascended upwards, the vampire waiting for the chance to mess with Holland again.
The ensouled vampire sleekly headed toward Holland's office, dodging the night janitor and several other lawyers in the area. Angel stood outside Holland's office door and used his vampire senses to detect Holland's presence inside. He opened the door and stepped inside quickly, closing the door behind him.
"Didn't think you'd see me again, now did you?" Angel told him with a smirk as Holland gave him a surprised look.
Holland shook his head slowly. "I didn't think you'd have the guts to stroll into a dangerous environment, no. Apparently you've become more suicidal."
The dark-haired vampire walked toward Holland who sat in his chair behind his desk, watching the soul-filled vampire with trepidation.
"What do you want? Alexander isn't here anymore." Holland told him with honesty.
Angel shook his head with a grin. "How stupid do you think I am?"
"Is this a trick question?" Holland asked as his left hand suddenly joined his right hand on his desk.
Angel gave him a dark look. "I want to know what it is you're up to. How many other doppelgangers are there?"
Holland shook his head quickly. "I'm not up to much. It's just Alexander and Darla..."
The sound of Holland's door slamming, interrupted the elder lawyer's answer and caused Angel to turn around quickly to the sound of the noise. His jaw dropped with shock as he laid eyes on Angelus, standing in front of the closed door with an evil smile on his face.
"... and you." Holland finished with a grin as he stood up from his desk.
Buffy headed towards Wolfram and Hart down a lit street, but was hit in the back of the head by someone strong. She fell to the ground and looked up at her attacker. Buffy watched in panic as she realised it was VampDarla and VampXander, who stared down at her with interest.
"Well, it's not the Initiative. But it will do." VampXander told his blonde companion as he quickly grabbed Buffy by the hair and threw her into a parked car in the street.
VampDarla grinned and moved in towards Buffy. "Remember me, you little bitch? Shame I don't have those guns with me right now. I would love to kneecap you."
The vampire version of Xander grinned. "You don't need a gun, babe. You can borrow my knife."
Buffy kicked VampXander in the groin, and the demonic creature howled with delight as he took in the sudden burst of pain. VampDarla giggled as her hand cradled his groin.
"Why is everybody kicking me in the balls?" VampXander asked with irritation.
"Did that hurt, baby?" VampDarla teased as they watched Buffy escape the two sadistic vampires.
VampXander grinned and purposely rubbed VampDarla's hand on his crotch. "You can kiss it better for me later."
The dark-haired vampire held the knife in his right hand, and threw it at Buffy's direction. The two vampires watched with anticipation as the knife headed toward her back, when it got shot out of the air by Riley Finn.
"Who the hell is that?" VampDarla asked with annoyance.
VampXander shook his head as he recognised the guy with the gun. "That's Riley Finn. Part of those Initiative jerkoffs."
VampDarla snarled as she headed towards Buffy and Riley. "I'm going to scratch his eyes out."
Her demonic lover grabbed her roughly and pulled her to him, making sure that he got Riley and Buffy's attention also. "Not yet we can't. Trust me, there'll be a better opportunity."
"When?"
"Soon. Trust me." VampXander told her as he walked into the dark side of the street, with VampDarla close behind him. She gave Buffy a look of disgust, before she disappeared into the dark as well.
Riley watched the two of them leave, before turning to a surprised Buffy. "Are you okay?"
Buffy nodded angrily. "I'm fine."
The young soldier shook his head. "What the hell is going on?"
"You son of a bitch." Angel muttered to Holland as he took in the sight of Angelus standing next to the closed door.
The older lawyer moved away from his desk and stood in between Angel and Angelus. "Now, now. Is this any way to bring your baby brother into the world?"
Angel shook his head. "He's not my brother. You're playing with God here. And that can only end badly for you."
Angelus laughed heartily. "Listen to the preacher. Jesus Christ, was I always this whiny?"
Holland shook his head. "Things will end badly, Angel. For everyone that is, except us."
The ensouled vampire stared at his evil side and shook his head. "I get how you had the opportunity to clone Darla and Xander, because they were here when you did it. But how did you manage to get me?"
Angelus gave his good side a tired look. "Don't tell me you don't remember."
Angel thought back to his past dealings with Wolfram and Hart, and only one incident keeps springing to mind.
Darin pulls a gun and shoots Jack three times. One of the bullets hits Angel in the right shoulder and he let's go of Jack.
Darin: "Now he's my dead brother."
The two guards run up to Angel and stick him with the cattle prods until he is once again knocked out.
Angel slowly woke up in a leather chair in a nice office with the dark-haired lady from the bar watching him.
Lady: "How do you feel?"
Angel: "Like I was hit by lightning after the truck ran me over. - I remember you."
Lady brings him a glass of champagne: "We didn't get a chance to meet. I'm Lilah Morgan."
Angel: "You're a fight fan." He asked as he saw the books. "And a lawyer. Let me guess – Wolfram and Hart."
"While we were knocked out by those cattle prods, those doctors of theirs performed a procedure that separated me from you. They divided the good and evil in us. Around the time they summoned Darla from the Great Beyond actually." Angelus said with a sneer as he walked closer to his better half.
Holland nodded with a grin. "That's right. I think I'll leave you two boys to discuss things on your own. Have fun."
The two vampires watched as Holland left his office, closing the door behind him.
Angelus shook his head as he looked Angel up and down. "I seem to remember having bigger balls. I guess Drusilla was right. I am a drag when I was good."
"Where's Lindsey and Lilah." Angel asked his evil half.
The evil vampire shrugged as he walked around Angel slowly, like a tiger getting ready to pounce on its prey. "Lindsey has been arrested by some moronic soldiers, and Lilah was eaten by Xander."
Angel smirked. "Shame. I wanted to beat the hell out of Lindsey some more."
Angelus chuckled. "You can't do that anymore, Sport. Once they separated me from you, that side of you that is completely evil became yours truly."
"I can't go evil anymore?" Angel asked in surprise.
The evil vampire shook his head. "That's right. Which means that you can screw Buffy all you want. Hey, do you think she'll do us both at the same time? Or do you have to live with the sloppy seconds?"
Angel hit Angelus in the head as hard as he could, sending the evil vampire into the furniture and falling to the ground. The evil double stood up off of the ground and grinned, despite a split lip.
"You know as well as I do, that there was a little part of Buffy that got off on the fact that we made her life a living hell two years ago." Angelus spat at him.
Angel scoffed aloud. "Get real, creep. She didn't like it. And there's no 'we'. You're the one that stalked her. Not me."
Angelus shook his head with a grin. "We should have killed Xander right then and there, outside Buffy's house that Valentine's Day. The world would be a very different place right now."
"Are you going to bore me to death, or are we going to fight?" Angel asked his evil double.
The demented vampire looked at him. "You let Xander get Darla? How could you let that happen?"
"I didn't let anything happen. They're in love." Angel told him.
"In love?!? She made us what we are. Forget Buffy. Darla was the real thing. For a hundred and fifty years, that's all we've ever known! You can't just pass her off onto some fucking kid!" Angelus raged.
Angel grinned. "For a soulless creature, you're certainly getting all bent up out of shape about it."
"Do you think you're getting out of here safely?" Angelus taunted the ensouled vampire.
"So what's the big plan? Another end of the world deal?" Angel taunted back.
Angelus shook his head. "No, not really. I'll just kill you and then take your place. Then I'll kill Xander and Doyle. And maybe arrange to have a Darla, Buffy, Cordelia triple sandwich."
"You're disgusting." Angel said with anger as he morphed into his vampire face.
Angelus grinned as he hit Angel hard in the face once more. "Don't make that face at me."
The ensouled vampire stood his ground and picked up his evil half, slamming him into Holland's desk, smashing it in half. Angel reached down to pick up a piece of sharp, broken wood, and Angelus kicked him in the chest, sending him sprawling backwards into the bookcase.
Angelus morphed into his game face and stared at the vamped out Angel. "You may still be able to vamp out, but don't even think you've got the rage anymore. Didn't you notice that you felt a little different after that whole fighting tournament incident?"
Angel jumped his evil half and drove a knee into Angelus's stomach, winding the vampire for a couple of minutes. Angel grabbed him by the head and threw him against a potted plant, sending dirt everwhere.
The ensouled vampire stalked towards Angelus and kicked him hard in the stomach, sending the evil creature flying up into the air and hitting the ceiling, causing some of the plaster to fall to the carpet.
"Very good. You know it's pointless, us fighting each other. We know each other's moves." Angelus told him as he spat some of his own blood onto the floor.
Angel nodded. "Yeah. But while I'm here."
Angelus saw Angel come toward him, and guessed his move first, grabbing his leg and throwing him backwards into the bookcase, that toppled over and fell to the floor.
"Let me go." Buffy warned Riley as he held onto her arm. Luckily for Xander, Riley didn't recognize the male vampire as Xander, so Buffy breathed a sigh of relief before he grabbed her arm.
Riley released his grip and Buffy backed away from him. "You have no business being here."
"Neither do you." Buffy threw back as she looked around for more soldiers.
Riley saw her looking around and sighed. "I'm alone right now."
Buffy glanced at him angrily. "Leave Xander alone. He did nothing to you."
"It's nothing personal. This is official military business." Riley lied to her.
The blonde Slayer shook her head. "Of course it's personal. You hate him, and you'll do anything you can to hurt him. I trusted you and you let me down. You let my friends down."
Riley sighed. "I'm sorry, Buffy. Okay? I'm sorry."
"Then leave Xander alone." Buffy told him.
The young soldier shook his head. "I can't do that. He's too important to our cause. But I want you to stay away from him and Los Angeles. Xander's far too dangerous. This whole situation is far too dangerous."
Buffy stared at him. "No. No way. I'm not leaving."
Riley grinned and shook his head again. "I know why you're like this. Don't think I don't. You're in love with Harris."
"You know, I'm really not regretting that I knocked you out." Buffy told him seriously.
The young soldier chuckled knowingly. "Do you think I'm stupid or something? I know you're in love with Xander. Why else am I here heading this operation? But there's something you need to be aware of."
"Oh?" Buffy asked him sarcastically. "And what's that?"
Riley pulled out the photograph of Darla and Xander and held it to his ex-girlfriend. "Now the geek has a woman."
"Darla." Buffy breathed as she took the photo that Riley held out to her.
The solder smirked at her. "Is that her name, is it?"
Buffy quickly shut up and hid the photo away from Riley. "You're not getting anywhere near them."
Riley chuckled once more. "No, not alone I'm not."
The blonde Slayer watched with surprise at the scene of ten to twenty of Initiative soldiers come out of hiding and quickly surround her and Riley.
"You son of a bitch." Buffy said in anger to her ex-boyfriend.
Xander headed towards Holland's office and tried to listen to see if he heard anything unusual. He heard the sound of something large and wooden being shoved across the room, so Xander opened the door quickly.
"Angel, we have to go now before..." Xander trailed off as he laid eyes on the two Angels standing in the office, seemingly identical.
Angelus hid his dark intentions immediately and pointed to his good side. "It's him. He's the double."
The ensouled vampire turned to his evil half and shook his head in shock. "Xander, it's him. He's the double."
"Xander," Angelus told him as he stepped forward. "He was cloned the same way that you and Darla were cloned. Trust me for once."
Angel shook his head with worry as he stepped forward. "Don't trust him, Xander. He's the one."
The telekinetic teen took a deep breath and flicked his hand in Angelus' direction, sending the evil vampire flying backwards, smashing through the large office window with incredible force. Angelus roared with rage as the evil vampire plummeted the long descent to the concrete pavement.
Angel looked at Xander in surprise. "How did you know?"
Xander shrugged with a smug expression as he pointed to Angel's hand. "He didn't have that ring that Buffy's always going on about."
"Oh." Angel said aloud.
The teenager nodded and shrugged once more. "That and the fact that he was wearing leather pants. Only evil vampires wear leather pants."
Angel gave him a weird expression as they headed out of Holland's destroyed office and towards a spare elevator. An elevator down the hall beeped as the door opened.
Xander and Angel looked on in shock as VampXander and VampDarla walked out of the elevator and spotted them. Xander stared at his evil side with a mixture of awe and fear, as the two vampires made their way towards him and Angel.
The elevator door opened and Angel and Xander ran inside and pressed the button for the parking level, the sounds of VampDarla and VampXander's footsteps running towards the open elevator coming closer and closer.
"Come on, come on." Xander said impatiently as the door started to close. As soon as the door was almost shut, VampXander's hand came through the open gap and grabbed Angel by the throat.
The ensouled vampire struggled with VampXander's grip, as Xander got between the two of them and used his powers to throw VampXander backwards against the wall, making him fall to VampDarla's feet.
"Asshole." VampXander snarled as the elevator door closed.
Angel and Xander relaxed somewhat, now that the elevator was heading towards the parking level. The elevator beeped and the door opened. They stepped out of the small cubicle and headed towards their way out, when they found a large group of armed security guards and a pissed off Angelus standing with them.
"You're both going to wish you never fucked with me." Angelus snarled at Xander and Angel.
The security guards started firing at the two of them and Angel quickly grabbed Xander and with his vampire speed, they made it through the man-made exit and into the parking lot.
"Spike!!!" Angel yelled out in frustration. He and Xander then heard the screeching of car tyres as Angel's car braked to a halt in front of them, with Spike's head sticking out of the driver's seat window.
"What were you two ladies doing?" Spike asked them as they ran to the car and jumped in.
Angel hit Spike lightly. "Let's go. Now!"
"Bloody good idea." Spike said with surprise as he saw Angelus and the guards appear out of the exit and start shooting at the trio. The bleached-blonde vampire revved the engine and they drove into the street, away from the guards and Angelus in speed.
Darla moved away from the window and faced Cordelia, Doyle and Tara. "I think that we should go after Buffy. With that vampire Xander out there, it could be dangerous. He was pretty bad."
Cordelia gave her a look. "Yeah, but there's also a vampire version of you too. What if Buffy stakes the wrong one?"
The Brachen demon stood up. "It's unlikely that she'll do that. Especially with us around, I think she'll figure out that this one's human."
The blonde woman moved toward the front door to the office and faced Tara and the others. "I'm going after her, hopefully before she gets to those lawyers."
Doyle, Cordelia and Tara followed her out the front door as they tried to catch up to Buffy before she reached Wolfram and Hart.
Spike drove through the street as they sped away from Angelus and the security guards. "What the hell was that?! It looked just like you!"
Angel gave his childe a look. "It WAS me. They made my evil side physical."
"Weird," Spike commented. "Bloody weird."
Xander decided to speak up. "Spike, let me out."
"No way, we're going back to where it's safe." Angel told him as Spike continued to drive.
The dark-haired teen gave the ensouled vampire a look. "There's not going to be a safe place with our evil doubles on the loose. It's time I finished it."
Spike hit the brakes on Angel's car and it came to a screeching halt. Xander got out, followed by Angel.
"What are you doing?" Xander asked him.
Angel shrugged. "I can't let you go fight them on your own. Darla and Buffy would kill me."
Xander sighed and closed the car door. "Okay let's go."
"You two can go, but I'm getting out of here." Spike told them both as he stuck his head out of the driver's side window.
The older vampire shook his head. "Spike, you're such a coward."
"Perhaps, but I'm smart enough to know to not go after those freaks. You're on your own." Spike told them with a chuckle as he revved the engine and sped off down the street.
The telekinetic teen watched the car disappear down the road, before he and Angel walked down the other way.
"I hope he's taking my car back to the office." Angel muttered as they walked down the street.
Xander and Angel ran down the main street and stopped suddenly when they saw Buffy arguing with Riley in the middle of a large group of Iniative soldiers.
"Oh crap." Xander muttered as Buffy and the Initiative caught sight of the two of them.
Darla, Doyle, Cordelia and Tara walked down the street in the direction of Wolfram and Hart, hoping that they'd catch Buffy before she could cause any trouble for Xander and Angel.
"Are they who I think they are?" Cordelia asked as she pointed to the large group of soldiers, whose backs were turned to them.
The soldiers turned around and instantly recognised Darla from the photograph in Xander's apartment.
"Well, well, lookie what we have here." A soldier commented as he armed his taser gun at the quartet.
The Initiative swarmed in and despite the punches and the fight, the four put up, they still managed to get captured by the soldiers.
Darla and the other three were dragged up to Professor Walsh, Riley and a captured Buffy.
"What are you four doing here?" Buffy asked them as they were herded next to her.
Doyle gave her a look as he shrugged off the soldier's hands on his arms. "We wanted to stop you from doing something stupid."
"Nice going." Buffy retorted.
The Brachen demon snorted. "Yeah, same to you."
Darla spotted Xander and Angel standing in front of the Initiative and looking for ways to escape with Buffy, when Xander found Darla and the others next to Buffy.
"Darla." Xander breathed as he saw her worried expression.
Angel elbowed Xander in the arm, distracting the telekinetic teen from the Initiative.
"What?" Xander asked him.
The ensouled vampire pointed to the street on Xander's right, causing the teenager to look. His eyes widened with worry as he found VampXander, VampDarla and Angelus slowly head towards them, their yellow eyes glowing in the dark street.
"Shit, shit." Xander swore as his attention was also turned to behind him and Angel, as they found the security guards from Wolfram And Hart also move slowly toward them, their weapons at the ready.
Angelus, VampXander and VampDarla became visible under the street lights as their vamped out faces focused on Xander and Angel. VampDarla found the Initiative armed and ready to attack Xander and Angel and smiled.
"It's going to be a very messy night." Angelus said with enthusiasm as the three evil vampires walked out into the street, getting the attention of The Initiative and Darla and the others.
Cordelia's breath hitched as she took in the situation. "Oh my god."
The security guards got their stakes and guns ready as they neared Angel and Xander.
Xander flung his hand in the direction of Angelus, VampDarla and VampXander, sending the evil vampires flying backwards back down the street they came from.
The telekinetic teen then used his powers on The Initiative, throwing the soldiers backwards as they hurtled to the ground. Xander and Angel ran towards Buffy, Darla, Doyle, Tara and Cordelia as they escaped the regrouping soldiers who started to shoot with their taser guns.
VampXander and Angelus roared as they ran into the street and instead of finding Angel and Xander, they found the armed soldiers instead. Riley looked back and forth at the doppelgangers and the real versions with confusion.
"What the hell is going on?" Riley asked with confusion.
VampXander snarled as he moved towards the Initiative as VampDarla joined the vampiric pair.
"I'm going to kill these idiots. You going to join, or do you lack the balls?" VampXander taunted Angelus who snarled in his direction.
The security guards from Wolfram And Hart started shooting at the soldiers, killing two and wounded several others. The soldiers took cover and fired back, killing one guard.
Angelus jumped on top of a nearby car and jumped on two of the soldiers, breaking the neck of one soldier and draining the other. VampXander and VampDarla swarmed in for the kill as they attacked the Initiative.
Darla, Xander and the others looked at the large fighting between the three groups of bad guys and shook their heads at the situation.
"How the hell did I end up getting so many enemies?" Xander asked himself as they watched the fighting.
Doyle watched the fighting as they heard screams and gunfire from the main street as the vampires and security guards attacked the Initiative.
"Maybe we should head back to the office. Let 'em kill each other off." Doyle suggested as he turned towards the alley leading to the next street.
Angel shook his head. "We can't just leave it like this."
"Going in there now would be suicide." Buffy told him as they heard the fighting and shooting.
Angelus watched with amusement as he witnessed VampDarla and VampXander swarm in on three soldiers and tore them to pieces, despite the fact that the two vampires were being tasered.
VampXander stood up from his kill and grabbed VampDarla, making sure Angelus was watching before giving her a lust-filled kiss. His vampire hearing detected Professor Walsh's voice in the background and pulled away from his nocturnal lover.
"Excuse me." VampXander told her with an evil smile as he headed towards Professor Walsh.
VampDarla turned around and almost got hit in the head with the butt of a shotgun.
Professor Walsh yelled out at Riley and the others to continue firing at the security guards, while sneaking looks at the progress the other soldiers were doing with the three vampire replicas.
She saw VampXander move toward her stealthily, as he snapped the neck of a soldier and jumped her. The evil vampire pulled her to him and bit into her neck roughly, draining her of her blood within seconds. Professor Walsh's body became limp in his arms and VampXander simply dropped her corpse to the ground.
VampXander licked his lips clean of blood when he saw Angel, Buffy and the large group move into the crowd. The evil vampire watched as his human counterpart used his powers to throw the security guards and the Initiative backwards.
Angel found the closest evil vampire near to him, and charged at VampXander. The younger vampire grabbed him by the throat, and threw him into a parked car, smashing the windshield with the blow.
"Stupid move, Gel for brains." VampXander remarked as he moved away from the fallen vampire.
Buffy fought against an Initiative soldier and quickly dodged a taser blast as it electrocuted the soldier she was fighting. Screaming, he fell to the ground in an unconscious slumber. The blonde Slayer turned around and was relieved to see Angel holding the taser gun, which he then tossed away.
"It's pretty brutal around here." Buffy commented to him as the fighting raged through the street.
Angel nodded as he moved towards Buffy. "I know. What do we do?"
"Well, first off we got to..." Buffy was cut off when Angel slammed a hand around her neck, cutting her off from talking.
The slayer sputtered and realised with horror that it wasn't Angel she was talking to, but it was Angelus who had saved her from the soldier.
Angelus snarled with glee as he threw her against a store's brick wall. "I never got the chance to say thanks for sending me to hell."
Buffy was about to say a witty remark, when Angelus hit her hard in the face and then in the stomach.
"Thanks." Angelus said with a smirk.
Darla hit a soldier on the back of the head with a metal pipe, knocking the Initiative member out cold.
VampXander appeared behind her and smiled. "Nice shot."
The blonde woman turned around and surprisingly hit him in the face with the pipe, sending the human-faced vampire reeling backwards.
"You can't fool me for a second time." Darla told him as she held onto the pipe.
VampXander wiped the blood from his nose and flung it to the concrete pavement. "How very smart of you."
Darla moved away from the demented vampire as VampXander headed towards her, throwing Angelus and Buffy aside as he didn't lose eyesight with his prey.
Doyle jumped in between Darla and VampXander and morphed into his spikey demonic face as VampXander punched him in the face.
VampXander chuckled as he felt pain shoot through his hand as his fist was impaled on Doyle's facial spikes. The vampire removed his hand and kicked the Brachen demon in the stomach, winding him severely.
The evil vampire simply pushed Doyle to the ground and stalked towards Darla, who swung the pipe in VampXander's direction several times, barely hitting the demented vampire.
The dark-haired vampire grabbed the pipe on the next swing and threw it into the street, in the middle of another fight. He grabbed Darla by her hair and moved her towards a car with its windows smashed in.
"You smell good tonight." VampXander said with a cruel smile as he breathed in her scent from her neck.
Darla struggled to escape from VampXander's clutches and tried to keep him away from her neck, knowing what would happen.
VampXander moved in for the kill, but suddenly stopped and roared in pain with his body arched. Darla looked behind VampXander and found Xander who pushed the stake into his back further, piercing the heart as the stake came through the other side.
VampXander roared in pain as he struggled out of Xander's grasp, letting go of Darla. Xander watched as his evil vampire double began to crumble to dust as VampXander disintegrated to the ground.
Darla moved away from the car and hugged a slightly traumatized Xander, who had just basically killed himself.
"Are you okay?" Xander asked her as he pulled away from the hug.
Darla nodded. "Are you?"
"Yeah." Xander said with a smile.
Angelus watched VampXander get staked and smirked as his vampiric rival burst into dust. The male vampire watched VampDarla's angry reaction as she witnessed it also, while she was killing another soldier. He turned his attention back to Buffy who hit him hard in the face and pulled out a stake.
The evil vampire stared her down as he grabbed her hand, smashing the stake with the other.
"You can't do it can you?" Angelus said with a laugh. "You still can't kill me."
Buffy jumped up and kicked him in the head, sending Angelus reeling backwards into a couple of Wolfram and Hart security guards that were battling the Initiative soldiers.
VampDarla grabbed Forrest by the throat and lifted him up off of the ground, as he struggled to breathe.
Angel snuck up behind his Sire and hit her hard in the back, causing VampDarla to release Riley's friend.
Forrest hit the ground and ran off as the two vampires turned against each other.
"You disgust me, do you know that? If only you could see yourself in a mirror. The Master spun in his grave when he found out about what happened to you." VampDarla told him angrily as she kicked him in the leg, and swiftly punched him in the head.
Tara and Cordelia managed to grab a taser gun each and started firing at the Wolfram and Hart lawyers and at the Initiative, knocking out soldiers and guards with the short electricity blast.
Doyle ran to pick up a fallen taser gun from a drained soldier and started firing also, knocking a few soldiers unconscious with the blasts.
He ran towards the two girls as they fired wildly into the crowd, dodging bullets and taser blasts also.
"This a bit much." Doyle yelled out over the shootings, as police sirens were heard in the distance.
Buffy tried to kick Angelus in the groin, but this time his clawed hand grabbed her foot and flung her backwards. Buffy did a somersault and kicked Angelus in the face as a result.
Angelus charged towards a reluctant Buffy as he threw her against the wall of a vacant store.
Riley started firing at Xander and Darla as they both hid behind the car, as the bullets ripped into the parked vehicle.
Graham ran to him and grabbed the gun from Riley's hands. "What the hell are you doing?"
Riley pushed Graham out of the way and snarled at him. "I'm doing what we're trained to do."
"We're not trained to kill innocent human beings!" Graham yelled at him as Riley stormed off to attack several guards who were firing at the Initiative.
The young soldier pulled out another gun and started shooting at the security guards, killing a guard with a shot between the eyes.
Angel hit VampDarla in the face and slammed her into a lightpole. She shrugged it off and laughed.
"What's so funny?" A vamped out Angel asked her.
VampDarla pointed behind him and Angel turned around, spotting Angelus beating up Buffy who wasn't trying to kill him.
The ensouled vampire turned around to face VampDarla, but found her missing. He then quickly ran towards Buffy and Angelus and kicked his evil double in the back. Angel grabbed Buffy and pulled her away from Angelus.
The evil vampire stood away from Angel and Buffy and stared at the two of them. "Wow. That brings back some bad memories. Ugh."
Buffy and Angel watched as Angelus used his vampiric speed to run up to VampDarla.
VampDarla snarled as she spotted the dust on the ground that was once VampXander. Angelus laughed and pulled her away.
"Too bad babe. Looks like you're stuck with me." Angelus told her with a chuckle as the two evil vampires escaped, disappearing down a dark alley.
Xander and Darla made it over towards Buffy and Angel, and the foursome ran towards Cordelia, Doyle and Tara. They watched as Cordelia, Doyle and Tara shot more Initiative soldiers and Wolfram and Hart guards unconscious with the taser guns.
When the weapons they had had run out of electricity blasts, the trio dropped the guns in defeat.
"I'll deal with this. Get ready to run." Xander said as he stood up and used his powers on the charging guards and soldiers, sending them flying back with brute force.
Cordelia, Doyle, Tara, Buffy, Angel and Darla ran down the alley facing them when Xander used his powers, with Xander following them a minute later.
Riley and the other soldiers continued firing at the retreating security guards, as they too disappeared down an alley, running back to Wolfram and Hart.
The young soldier stood up and held his gun in his hands as he surveyed the area. He saw many dead Initiative soldiers and dead security guards, but no sign of Xander or Darla. Even Buffy had taken off.
"Where's the Professor?" Riley asked Graham for confirmation.
Graham shook his head and they both caught sight of Forrest with a grim expression on his face.
"What? What is it?" Riley asked him with concern.
Forrest shook his head and pointed to his right. Riley followed his direction and found a small herd of soldiers standing around someone.
Riley ran up to the small crowd, accompanied by Forrest and Graham. To Riley's horror, he found Professor Walsh's body lying dead on the ground.
"What happened? What the fuck happened?!?" Riley yelled at the soldiers around him.
Forrest leant down next to her head and moved it slightly, letting Riley see the vampire bite wounds on her neck.
"It's a trick. He did this." Riley said as he shook his head.
Graham looked at him as Forrest stood up. "What do you mean it's a trick? She's dead. Mission's over, we go back to base for reassignments."
"Xander did this, I'm sure of it." Riley said with determination.
Forrest shrugged. "It's hard to tell what happened. It was hell down here, we were fighting the enemy from all directions. I thought I saw double at one point."
"What are you talking about?" Graham asked him as Riley stared at Professor Walsh's corpse.
Forrest gave him an odd look. "I mean, I thought I saw two Harris' and two of that blonde girl. Not to mention two of that supposed 'vampire with a soul'. You know, the one that took most of us out?"
Riley checked to see how many bullets he had left in his gun. "You're not the only one. I saw them too. I'm going after Xander."
"And then what? How are you going to catch him, knowing what kind of power he has." Forrest asked him.
The soldier in charge stared at his two friends. "I'm not going to capture him. I'm going to kill him."
Forrest and Graham exchanged looks as the three moved away from the Professor's body and away from their fellow soldiers.
"Are you out of your goddamn mind? We don't kill innocent humans. We were sent here to capture him alive. Those were our orders." Forrest said, as he tried to make Riley see sense.
Riley shook his head. "Those orders died with Maggie, remember? Now I'm in charge. Are you going to help me? Or are you going to let more of our friends die for some frigging geek? I want justice."
Forrest stepped toward him. "I'm not going to let you do this."
Riley nodded and then punched Forrest in the face, sending him to the floor. Forrest wiped the blood from his lip and tackled Riley to the ground, punching him in the face and stomach, before being pulled away by Graham and others as the police arrived with their guns armed and loaded.
Buffy and Darla walked ahead of Xander, Cordelia, Doyle, Tara and Angel who were lagging behind.
"Buffy, what was Xander like in high school?" Darla asked her when they all knew they were far away from danger.
The slayer shrugged. "Exactly like he is now."
Darla gave her a look. "Really?"
Buffy looked back and saw Xander chatting with Doyle, before she turned back to Darla.
"Well, he was geekier in high school. He used to date Cordelia, and they kept sneaking off into closets for kissing sessions." Buffy told her as they continued walking.
"In a closet? Why?"
The slayer shrugged again. "Because, Cordelia didn't want to ruin her popular image by being with someone who wasn't popular. High school was always like that."
"Good thing I never went, I guess." Darla commented as they walked.
Xander spoke up from behind them. "What are you two talking about?"
"Nothing." Darla told him with a grin as they went back into their conversation.
Xander shook his head. "I don't think I like the idea of Buffy talking to her. Why is she here anyway?"
"I think it's obvious, don't you?" Doyle told him.
Xander gave him a look. "I'm not ready to forgive. One of the main reasons I left Sunnydale was to get away from them. I didn't intend for her to come here. Willow's not here too is she?"
Tara shook her head. "No, she's in Sunnydale with Giles and Faith."
"Good."
Buffy and Darla continued talking. "He was seeing a mummy one time."
"A mummy?" Darla asked with confusion.
The slayer shook her head. "It's a long story, I'm sure Xander will tell you it sometime."
"It doesn't matter to me if he wasn't popular in high school, or if he never tried out for the football team. I love him and that's not going to change." Darla told her with sincerity.
Buffy nodded with a smile. "Good. Just checking."
Xander and the others decided to catch up with Darla and Buffy as they continued to walk towards the Angel Investigations office. Buffy noticed from the corner of her eye, that Xander and Darla were now holding hands and she decided to look straight ahead.
Angel was trying not to look at Buffy as he remembered the fight she had with his evil side in the street, and noticed how she was still unable to kill him.
They all froze on the spot as they stared at the front of the office. They saw Spike standing next to Angel's car with an impatient look on his face.
"So, where the hell have you guys been?" Spike asked them with irritation.
Xander, Darla, Angel, Cordelia, Doyle, Buffy and Tara ran into the Angel Investigations office and quickly packed up everything of importance.
Spike charged on in and stared at the large group. "What the hell is going on? Are those vamp doubles coming here?"
"Not just them," Tara told him as she quickly emptied a file cabinet. "But the Initiative as well. We've severely pissed them off, and they'll be on their way here."
The chipped vampire became worried and ran to look out the window for any soldiers as the others piled important documents and belongings into boxes.
Xander noticed that Buffy kept giving him looks, but ignored them as he helped the others pack up the case files and other belongings.
The sounds of the main office door opening made everyone jump and Xander almost used his powers on the person, but froze when he failed to recognize the woman at the door.
"Kate." Angel said as he spotted her at the door.
Kate gave him a look. "I saw you guys headed in. Can I talk to you for a minute?"
Angel nodded as they walked into his office, leaving the others to pack the important files of Angel Investigations.
Angel closed the office door and faced the suspended detective. "What's wrong?"
"I just came to apologise." Kate told him as she walked around the office.
"Apologise? For what?" Angel asked her as he quickly looked out the window at the large group packing up their possessions and carrying the boxes out the door.
Kate stared at him. "For the whole way I've been lately. I don't know what's going to happen with my job, not to mention the whole Initiative and vampire double problem you have right now. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for the way I've acted."
"There's no need to apologise. Finding out about what the world is really like is never easy. Most people are thrown into it unexpectedly." Angel told her as he cast another look out the window.
The blonde woman looked out the window and found Darla and Xander kissing. "Is that Xander?"
Angel nodded as he looked away from the happy couple. "Yeah, that's him."
"I take it that isn't the vampire double. What are you doing about that?" Kate asked him.
The ensouled vampire shook his head. "Xander's double is dead. It's just Darla's double and mine."
"Your double? When did this happen?" Kate asked with worry.
Angel looked down. "It was a surprise for me too. Wolfram and Hart was behind the cloning or whatever it was. That's why I'm glad you're here."
"Because of your double?" Kate asked him.
Angel nodded. "The evil inside me was brought out into that double. It was done after I met you, so Angelus knows all about you. Where you live, how to get in uninvited. And trust me when I tell you, he'll do it."
"So, where am I supposed to go?" Kate asked him in a panic.
Angel shook his head. "You could come with us. We've got trouble coming down on us right now, so maybe that's not such a good idea. You should stay somewhere where I don't know of. And don't make a move until I call you."
Kate nodded as the door opened and Spike came charging in with an empty box. The platinum-haired vampire threw the box at Angel and pointed to his books and files.
"You save your own frigging files. I'm not your maid." Spike told him as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it.
Kate looked at him as he started to smoke. "Do you mind?"
"Yeah," Spike said as he vamped out. "I do mind."
Kate stared at Spike's vamped out face and then back at Angel who shook his head.
"He can't hurt anyone anymore, it's okay." Angel assured her.
Spike stared at the suspended detective and smiled at her predatorially. "Name's Spike. Two guesses as to why I'm called that."
The blonde woman pulled out a gun and trained it at him. "One more step and I'll shoot."
Spike laughed. "Guns don't kill me, luv."
"I'm not intending to kill you. Just give you a lot of pain." Kate said as she aimed the gun at Spike's groin.
The British vampire realized where the gun was aimed and sighed as he walked out of the office.
"Lesbian." Spike scoffed at her before leaving the doorway.
Xander saw Spike walk out of Angel's office quickly as he muttered to himself, leaving the office for some solitude.
He turned back to Darla and saw that she was worried. "We'll be out of here before those idiots show up. Don't worry."
"It's not that. Seeing our vampire doubles out there is kind of frightening. I mean, I knew what they would be capable of, but it's different when you see them in person." Darla told him as she rubbed her hands.
Xander nodded. "I know. I got chills when I staked myself. That didn't sound right did it?"
Darla smiled. "I don't think there's an easy way for that to sound."
The telekinetic teen shrugged. "When I staked that double of mine, it... it..."
"Reminded you of that suicide attempt you had when you were younger?" Darla asked him as she realized he was struggling to finish the sentence.
Xander nodded again. "Yeah. Not exactly an alley I wanted to go down again."
Darla shook her head. "We didn't know what would happen if one of us staked our doppelganger. What if we died along with them?"
The dark-haired teen shook his head as he knelt and grabbed her hand. "I didn't care. As long as I got that thing away from you, I didn't care."
Darla looked at him. "During the fighting in the street, I saw my double."
"I'm sorry." Xander told her.
The blonde woman nodded. "Was I like that?"
"No." Xander told her. "The demon you was always like that. You aren't capable of the things that vampire is capable of."
Darla nodded with reassurance as Xander hugged her, trying to further assure her.
"That wasn't me? I can't remember what I was like when I was a vampire." Darla told him honestly.
Xander held her tight as he whispered to her ear. "That wasn't you. That thing out there may look and sound like you, but it's not the one I fell in love with."
Darla hugged him back as she focused on her lover and not the past she couldn't remember.
'Yeah,' Xander thought to himself as he just thought about Angel. 'That wasn't you.'
Xander waited until Kate left the small office, before walking inside to see the vampire detective.
Angel saw the dark-haired teenager as he tried to think of what he was going to say.
"This is real hard for me especially to say. But I apologise for associating you with that demon you had inside." Xander said as he fumbled with his hands.
The vampire looked at him with shock. "What? Where did this come from? Is the apocalypse here?"
"No," Xander said as he shook his head. "No apocalypse. It's just dawned on me that's all."
"Since when?"
Xander shrugged his shoulders. "Well obviously it was with that vamp double business downtown. I just had to convince Darla that that vampire version of her was just the demon and that she wasn't responsible for what she's done. I couldn't tell it to her if I couldn't tell you the same thing."
Angel nodded with understanding. "That must have been hard to do. To say those things to me."
"You have no idea. This is pretty freaky for me." Xander told him with an awkward smile.
The ensouled vampire nodded again. "Yeah, me too."
"I better go check on Darla." Xander told him as he headed out of Angel's office.
Angel stared at the younger man. "Thanks for that though. It means a lot."
"No problem." Xander said with a smile as he walked out of the small office to meet Darla outside.
The vampire grinned at what had transpired and for once didn't worry about having a moment of happiness and losing his soul.
Holland waited until Lee got off the phone in his office. "Yes, thank you very much for that."
The older lawyer watched as Lee hung up his phone. "What's the latest Lee?"
"Well," Lee started. "Our vampire Alexander is dead. The human Alexander killed him, if you can believe that. Our two other doubles, Angelus and the vampire Darla are missing. Apparently they took off somewhere and now they can't be found."
"I wonder if they'll come back here." Holland wondered as he thought of the two evil vampires.
Lee gave him a look. "At any rate, there was a huge casualty rate. On both sides. There were quite a few Initiative soldiers killed in the attack and there were a few of our guards killed as well. Not to mention our vampire Alexander of course."
Holland shook his head. "We can always hire more security guards, Lee. I want to know how many of them did we get. The exact number."
"We don't have exact numbers yet. But there are still a lot of soldiers left." Lee told him.
The grey-haired lawyer looked at him. "What about Angel and the human Alexander? Did they make it out alive?"
"Yes sir. And they seem to have joined up with a Slayer." Lee said with a grim expression.
Holland nodded. "Yes, I know. Faith."
"No, the other one. A Buffy Summers from Sunnydale." Lee told him.
Holland's eyes widened. "What?!? Are you telling me that not only do they have a powerful telekinetic by the name of Alexander, and a vampire with a soul, they also have the aid of two Slayers?"
"Not to mention a witch, a half-demon and another vampire by the name of Spike. But I'm sure the 'Spike' name is just a joke." Lee said with a shake of his head.
Holland shook his head. "I don't like this. They're two powerful. I want you to send a group of demons after the Initiative. Keep them busy while we concentrate on the main problem."
"Sir, does that seem necessary? I mean, we have all the power we need. It's not important to kill them, we've won." Lee told him with a grin.
The older lawyer gave Lee an evil look. "I don't like loose ends and you know that. Send the demons."
Lee nods and looks out into the nightsky. He watched as a large gash teared its way in the sky.
"It's started hasn't it?" Lee said with a smile.
Holland nodded as they looked out the window at the tear in the sky. "Alexander's power, as limited as it was to us, was just enough to start the change. Send the demons, Lee."
Angel walked out of his office and found Buffy sitting next to a window, staring out into space. Wanting to know what she was thinking about, the vampire walked towards her.
"Buffy? What's wrong?" Angel asked her as he distracted her thoughts.
"Nothing," Buffy said with a shrug. "Just thinking about the huge fight we had in the street."
Angel nodded. "Is this about what happened with Angelus?"
Buffy turned to face him. "You saw me wimp out?"
"You didn't wimp out." Angel told her honestly.
The Slayer shook her head. "I did. I wimped out. Just like I did two years ago in Sunnydale. Miss Calendar would still be alive if I had have stuck to my guns. God, he killed so many people."
"I know." Angel told her. "He used my hands, remember?"
"Sorry." Buffy said with regret. "I just thought that situation was put behind me. When you lost your soul two years ago, I was trying to find a way to get you back without killing you. Meantime all those people were killed because of me."
"No." Angel said angrily. "It wasn't because of you."
Buffy shook her head. "If I had have listened to Xander back then, maybe quite a few people's lives would be better for it."
The ensouled vampire sighed. "You couldn't kill Angelus because he was me. The evil souless version, but it was still me. Maybe the reason why you couldn't kill him tonight was because you still love me."
The blonde-haired girl stared at the floor and then faced him. "You left Sunnydale to get away from me."
"In part. But the reason why I left, was because of the demon inside me. But apparently now, that doesn't seem to be a problem anymore now that I don't have the evil inside me." Angel said with a shrug.
Buffy nodded. "You still vamp out though."
Angel shrugged once more. "I've been a vampire for so long, maybe the vamp face thing got stuck in with my genes. Who knows? At any rate, this time you won't have to go up against Angelus alone. I'm here with you this time. And we can kill him for good."
"Boy," Buffy said with a grin. "If we had a love theme, I'm sure it'd be playing right about now."
Angel laughed at the joke as Buffy smiled and moved away from the window as they went to join their friends in the street.
Faith opened the door to the Magic Shop in Sunnydale and found Willow sitting at the desk, as Giles and Anya were at the counter helping a customer.
The brunette Slayer walked towards the red-head and sighed as she saw Willow try to move.
"Wait, we need to talk." Faith told her.
Willow shook her head. "No we certainly don't."
"I've been trying to figure out why you hate me so much. The only thing I did to you was hold you hostage, and most vampires and evil things do that anyway. So what else is it?" Faith asked her as she sat down at the desk.
The redhead rolled her eyes and moved away from the desk. "It's nothing."
Faith thought it over and she groaned. "Is it because of Xander? That his first time was with me and not you?"
"What?" Anya turned around and faced the two of them with shock. "When was all this going on?"
Willow stared at Xander's ex-girlfriend. "It was long before you came into the picture. And what do you care anyway? You're the one that started living it up with Spike of all people."
"Spike?" Faith asked with surprise.
Anya shrugged and went back to help a bewildered Giles.
"That's it though isn't it? This is all because Xander's first time was with me, instead of you. Despite the fact that you were seeing Oz during all this." Faith said pointedly at her.
The Wiccan turned towards the former convict and gave her a look. "I'm with Tara now, so it's not like I'm interested. But the fact that his first time was in some seedy motel with a girl that uses men like a kleenex, instead of being with me like I had planned for years, makes me sick."
"Do you hear yourself? Xander's virginity wasn't anyone's business but his. I didn't put a gun to his head and force him, and he can tell you that. What you need to do is get over it. At least Buffy has a legitimate reason to be pissed at me, but you don't. So get over it." Faith told her honestly as she watched Willow's expression.
Willow stood there and didn't say a word as she took in what Faith said.
Giles decided to speak up, breaking the stony silence. "I wonder how Angel's coping with Darla's return?"
Angelus fell to the ground with a loud groan as VampDarla stood over him. He looked up at his Sire and chuckled.
"Jeez, Darla. Was he that good in bed?" Angelus sneered at her.
VampDarla kicked him in the groin, making her Childe keel over in a fetal position. "Let's just say he was a demon in the sack."
"Thanks again for doing that in front of me in that dungeon by the way." Angelus said as he slowly got up off of the ground.
The blonde vampire stared at him with an unreadable expression. "I'm going to kill Xander for this. Taking my version away from me."
Angelus stood apart from VampDarla and gave her a look. "You think you got problems? I've got to contend with my soulful side smooching it up with that Slayer bitch."
VampDarla laughed as she found a place to sit. "Yeah, that was pretty funny."
"Why don't we just get together, Darla. Just like the old days, huh? Before you got that Harris kid under your skin?" Angelus asked her as he slowly moved towards her, morphing back into his human guise.
Angelus's Sire stared at him. "That huge fight did make me a little restless."
The dark-haired vampire grinned as he pulled her towards him. "Well, why don't we raise a little hell, then?"
VampDarla grinned as she threw him to the floor and pounced ontop of him.
"I'll give you something to scream about." VampDarla told him with lust in her voice.
Xander watched Darla interact with Cordelia and Doyle, before he walked over to Angel.
"I know you're evil side. Angelus will come after us." Xander told him.
Angel nodded. "He'll either hit hard and fast, or do it slow."
Xander threw his hands up in the air and was careful to not use his powers as they stood in the old Hyperion Hotel. "Well, what are we going to do?"
"I found this hotel before he got pulled out of me by Wolfram and Hart, so we should be safe here for now. But he and the vampire Darla will be coming up with a plan. And we don't want them coming up with a plan." Angel told him as he thought back on his history.
The dark-haired teen nodded. "I'll take your word for it. Where would he be? Where would he go?"
"I don't know. A tunnel, maybe a sewer somewhere?" Angel said as he tried to think.
Xander shook his head. "We've got to find him before he finds us. I killed my evil double, it's time you killed yours."
Angel stared at him and nodded as they walked back to tell the others of what they've planned on doing.
The dark-haired teenager found Darla looking out one of the hotel's windows, staring into the dark, quiet street. Xander watched her lovingly before moving toward her.
"Hey," He greeted her softly as he wrapped his arms around her from behind.
Darla leant into his embrace and smiled. "Hey."
Xander smiled back, but his grin froze. "I have to go with Angel to find the other two doubles."
"I had a feeling you were going to do that." Darla told him with a knowing look as she turned around to face him.
The telekinetic teen stroked her cheek. "They won't be able to find you here. Apparently Angelus and the evil you never came here before."
Darla nodded. "And if worse comes to worse, we'll kick the ass of anything that tries anything."
Xander grinned and kissed her. "You know I love you, right?"
"How could I not know." Darla told him with a grin. "We were destined to be together, Xander. I feel it and I know you do too. I love you too."
Xander smiled once more and kissed her a final time before walking over to Angel, who had just given Buffy the same discussion.
"Ready?" Angel asked him.
The mortal teenager nodded. "I made Angelus a promise a few years back. It's time to make good on that promise."
Angelus dropped the body of the Wolfram and Hart lawyer he grabbed from the lawfirm, and licked his lips. "Good, evil, what's the difference."
"The leather pants." Angel said aloud as Angelus turned around and saw his good side with Xander.
The evil vampire rolled his eyes. "You still got a hardon for me, boy?"
"I'm not a boy, I'm as old as you are." Angel told him sternly.
Angelus smirked. "I wasn't talking to you, dumbass."
Xander stepped forward and waved his hand in Angelus' direction, sending the dangerous vampire flying into the nearest brick wall.
The teenager moved towards Angelus, but Angel stopped him. "What are you doing?"
"I want to get some kicks in." Angel told him as he moved towards his evil alter-ego.
Angelus looked up at his good version and grinned. "Lets see if you grew a pair since we parted ways."
Angel grabbed his evil half by the legs and angrily swung him into another brick wall, watching as the vampire fell to the ground with a groan.
"That's great." Angelus said with a chuckle as he spat out blood. "247 years and this is all you've got to say to me?"
The ensouled vampire punched Angelus several times hard in the face and got hit by several blows by his former inner demon.
Xander watched the two vampires fight it out in the dark alleyway, checking for VampDarla, but couldn't find her anywhere. Angelus got Angel into a headlock and snapped off a piece of wood.
"You know what your problem is?" Angelus taunted his souled self. "Your soul keeps you grounded. Otherwise you would have kicked my ass."
Xander waved his hand at the two vampires and it sent both of them flying backwards. Angel got out of the way quickly, as Xander used his power one more time, sending Angelus flying backwards through the air and through the wooden door that led to an abandoned factory.
Angel and Xander decided enough was enough and ran after Angelus as he disappeared into the dark factory.
The dark-haired vampire stopped Xander from moving through the smashed door first.
"Trust me Xander. Let me go first." Angel advised him.
Xander thought about it and nodded as Angel walked through the broken wooden door and into the dark factory. The teenager watched with surprise as Angelus tried to jump Angel as he hid near the broken door.
Angel grabbed Angelus by the neck and held him up in the air as Xander quickly moved into the factory and grabbed a piece of wood that used to be part of the door.
"I've got a stake." Xander told him as Angel threw Angelus onto the ground and pinned the evil vampire to the floor with his knees.
The telekinetic teen walked over to Angelus and couldn't help but smile as the demonic vampire roared with frustration.
Xander held a stake above Angelus's chest as he stared at the evil vampire. "I could have used my powers to rip you apart, but I figure this would be much better."
"Still hung up on Buffy are you?" Angelus spat at him. "Or is it Darla now? All that time it was me giving it to her instead of you? You should be pissed off, pal. Darla doesn't need a boy in her bed, she needs a man. I think you should face that. Do us all a favor and kill yourself already."
Angel stared at Xander with dread, hoping that what Angelus just said wouldn't deter him. Fortunately, the insults the evil vampire gave Xander were shrugged off by the mortal teenager.
Xander poised the makeshift stake above Angelus's undead heart. "Remember what I told you in the hospital two years ago?"
"Fuck you." Angelus snarled with a chuckle.
The dark-haired teen ignored the evil vampire as Angel held a good grip on his evil half's legs and arms.
"I believe I told you that you were gonna die. And I was going to be there when it happens." Xander told him with anger as he slammed the wooden stake into Angelus's chest.
Angel watched as Angelus roared with pain and defeat as his body began to evaporate into ash. Angel's knees connected with the wooden floor as Angelus combusted into ash before their very eyes.
Xander and Angel stared at the pile of ash that had once meant something to the both of them, before they got up and slowly walked out of the dark factory.
Xander tried to read Angel's expression, but realized it was pointless as they headed back towards the Hyperion Hotel to join the others.
Darla paced around the large hotel as the others sat around impatiently. Spike had left earlier to get some time to himself, getting the warnings from Cordelia and Buffy to not tell anyone where they are or else he would get staked.
The blonde woman thought about what Xander was possibly facing. She couldn't remember much about her past, but she knew that Angelus was not a force to be reckoned with.
"He's going to be okay, you know." Tara told her as Darla swung around to face her in shock.
Darla gave a nod. "I know. I just can't help but worry."
Tara smiled as she sat down next to the worried woman. "I'm real happy for you two."
"Thanks." Darla told her with a grin. "I just wish a certain other someone felt the same way too."
"Buffy?" Tara asked her. "She's just a bit confused right now."
"Confused over who she loves?" Darla asked her.
The blonde Wiccan nodded. "Yeah. That falling out she had with Xander before he left Sunnydale was pretty harsh. She and Willow were pretty hurt by it all. That's not to say that Xander was in the wrong."
"I know." Darla said with a nod. "When I was trapped in the lawyer dungeon, I saw his dreams when I was asleep."
"How?" Tara asked with wonder.
Darla shook her head. "I don't know. I don't want to know. I just want to believe it as a 'soulmate' type of thing and leave it at that."
"There's nothing wrong with that." Tara said with a grin.
Xander's soulmate nodded to herself. "Xander's going to be alright."
"Xander's just fine." Xander told her as he stood behind her with a smile on his face.
Darla turned around with a large grin and hugged him hard with relief. Tara smiled at their happiness and decided to leave them alone as she headed down the stairs to join Angel and the others.
"You know, there's a lot of rooms in this hotel. Some still have beds." Darla hinted at him as she pulled him close.
Xander grinned knowingly. "What are we waiting for?"
Darla giggled and ran up a few more stairs with Xander following her close behind.
Spike walked aimlessly through the dark streets of Los Angeles, as he watched all the humans walking past him, never knowing that he could have killed them without that chip in his head.
The platinum-haired vampire shook his head tiredly and shoved past a passerby. Spike grabbed his head in pain as his chip sent out radiating waves of pain through his head.
The British vampire fell to his knees on the ground in pain as he tried to block it all out. He stared at the concrete pathway as he got his bearings back, and noticed a pair of feminine legs standing in front of him.
"Look lady, piss off. I'm not doing this for money." Spike said with anger as he spat on the ground.
"What other reason could it be that has you on your knees, Spike?" A familiar voice asked him with amusement.
Spike recognized the woman's voice and lifted his head up to see VampDarla grinning down at him with an evil smirk. He slowly stood up, cradling his head as he stared at her and ignored the human passersby.
"Now why couldn't there be two Drusilla's? At least then I'd be able to live out a fantasy." Spike told her with a smirk.
VampDarla sighed and rolled her eyes. "We never really got along did we?"
"No," Spike answered. "I guess not. What with your fascination for that dark-haired poof."
The blonde vampire stared at him and shrugged. "Yeah well, everyone has their faults. Angelus can be a bit of an idiot at times."
Spike moved closer to her and chuckled. "What makes you think I was talking about Angel?"
VampDarla gave him a cold look before dragging a laughing Spike along with her to an empty factory.
Kate walked back into the LAPD to get more of her belongings when someone grabbed her arm and pulled her into a darkened room.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Kate asked with anger as the stranger turned on the light.
She stared at her friend in shock. "Jack, what's going on?"
Detective Jack Carlson made sure nobody spotted her, before turning towards his startled friend.
"You're in trouble Kate." Jack told her honestly.
"Why?" Kate asked. "What's happened now?"
Jack ran a hand through his hair before answering. "There was some kind of ambush in the streets earlier tonight. Several government agents were killed, the same government agents that have been putting the heat out on you for this Harris business."
Kate sighed with frustration. "Great."
"It gets worse." Jack told her. "An agent in their unit, Riley Finn, claims that you were involved in that ambush."
The blonde detective stared at him with incredulity. "That's complete bullshit. Why the hell did he say that?"
"I know it's bullshit. But many people in this building did hear you go on about them after they left that time." Jack told her with a shrug.
Kate shook her head. "I was letting off steam, that's all."
Jack Carlson nodded. "I know. But as your friend, I'm advising you to hide. We've been ordered to bring you in for questioning about those murders. There's some pretty damning evidence, the Initiative has provided against you."
"I don't believe this." Kate said tiredly.
Her friend nodded once more. "You'd better get out of here before you get caught."
Kate stared at him for awhile before she quickly left the small room and got out of the LAPD building without being spotted.
Xander woke up in the middle of the night with the urge of needing to go to the bathroom. He smiled when he saw Darla sleeping with her nude back to him.
The young man gently slid out of the big bed and put on some pants before walking down a dark hallway on his way to the bathroom.
An odd whirring sound caught his ears, and Xander turned around to find the source of the sound. Shrugging his shoulders, he made it to the bathroom and turned on the light.
Xander walked towards the urinals and unzipped his pants. As he began to urinate, he heard sounds of faint shuffling sound from behind him.
The dark-haired teen grew worried and turned his head. He stared in shock and surprise when he saw Tara and Willow, completely vamped out. They each grabbed him by an arm and dragged him away from the urinals.
Xander tried to scream as they lunged for his neck, biting down hard as they drained his blood.
Xander sat bolt up-right as he woke out of his nightmare. He noticed Darla staring at him with concern as he shook the tiredness out of his eyes.
"It's okay, it was just a nightmare." Darla told him gently as Xander felt his neck for any bitewounds.
Xander shook his head. "It was so real."
Darla stared at him rubbing his neck and got self-conscious. "It wasn't about me was it?"
"No," Xander said with a small grin. "Tara and Willow were vampires and they attacked me."
"Attacked you?" Darla asked him with concern.
Xander nodded. "Yeah, in the bathroom. You don't think that it means anything do you?"
Darla shook his head with a grin. "No, I don't. I'm sure you're still getting the occasional normal nightmares, mixed in with the prophecy type things."
"I kinda like the ones about you and me better." Xander told her as he laid back down in bed.
He stared at the time on his watch and sighed. "It's three in the morning. What if the others are worried..."
"I'm sure they got the message that we settled in for the night. What with Tara telling them and the noise we got up to last night." Darla mentioned with a naughty smile.
Xander's mouth opened in surprise. "Oh my god, we didn't make that much noise did we?"
"With your powers? I'm surprised we didn't tear the roof off this hotel." Darla told him with a chuckle.
Xander laughed with a shake of his head. "Now I'm embarrassed."
"Don't be." Darla told him as she lazily ran a finger up and down his chest. "We're just two lovers expressing our feelings. But can I ask you something?"
"Sure." Xander told her as he kissed her on the lips.
Darla's brow crinkled. "Can we use handcuffs next time?"
Xander laughed once again as he tickled her, making her laugh. "You little minx. Where did that fantasy come from?"
The blonde woman shrugged and then kissed him. "I'd like to have you tied up. So I can have my way with you as slow as possible. Wouldn't that be torture?"
"Yeah," Xander said with a smile as he kissed her neck, the recent nightmare slipping from his memory. "Hundred percent torture."
Holland waited patiently as he dreaded seeing the Senior Partners. He never knew what his bosses had planned, and it always kept him second guessing. Not that he'd let anyone else know that.
Two dark-clothed beings with hoods and glowing purple eyes appeared in the centre of the large red room, making Holland smile nervously.
"Mr. Manners," The first being hissed aloud. "You have disappointed us."
The elder lawyer shook his head. "Mr. Wolfram, Alexander Harris' going back to Angel was to be expected. But we have sucessfully used his power in starting the change."
The second dark-clothed being raised a withered clawed hand. "Silence, lower being. We have suffered losses as a result of you and your followers."
Holland nodded with empathy. "True, Lilah was killed by one of our vampire doubles. And yes, Lindsey was captured by that military unit on the streets. But they're expendable."
"You're expendable as well." Mr. Hart hissed at him with an unseen grin.
Mr. Wolfram shook it's head. "We have existed through countless eons and throughout many dimensions and universes. Up until now, we've never had a challenge."
Holland looked around him with amazement as the room changed colors from red to black. It changed from black to green and then to blood-red again.
"That's quite impressive." Holland noted to them.
Mr. Wolfram cocked it's head. "So is your durability. The vampire with a soul. We are amazed that he hasn't killed you already."
"Angel has morality issues. Good for me." Holland answered with a shrug.
Mr. Hart grew in size before shrinking back down to it's original six-foot height. "Angel will never kill you."
"Good." Holland answered with a smile.
"No," Mr. Wolfram said with another snake-like hiss. "Not if you've forseen what we have."
Holland stared at the two bosses with curiosity. "What did you see?"
Mr. Hart turned it's back on him as Mr. Wolfram disappeared into thin air. "That is none of your concern. Just keep the portal opening and doing the job we assigned you to."
The elder lawyer nodded nervously as Mr. Hart disappeared along with his partner. Holland sighed with irritation and quickly left the large red room to catch up with Lee.
As soon as the sun rose over Los Angeles, Buffy managed to sneak out of the Hyperion to get some fresh air. Making sure she wasn't followed, the blonde slayer snuck away from the hotel and into the early morning crowd.
When Buffy found her destination, an open coffee shop, she froze. She sighed with frustration when she found Graham and Forrest standing in front of her, looking cautious.
"Great. This is going to make my day." Buffy told the duo.
Graham shook his head. "We're not here to fight."
"Oh really?" Buffy asked as she slowly edged towards them. "Because I must have had an anyeurism or something. I could have sworn that you and the other soldiers wanted Xander for their collection."
Forrest nodded. "That's true. But Riley's focus has changed."
"From kidnapping and inevitable torture?" Buffy asked with mock surprise. "What does he want now?"
"Xander's blood. All of it." Graham told her honestly as he and Forrest walked into an alleyway away from the passersby and possible Initiative soldiers driving by.
Buffy followed them carefully. "You guys are actually on your own here, aren't you? Riley doesn't know about the two of you here?"
"No." Forrest told her with a shake of his head. "Riley's lost it in a major way because of all this."
"How? What caused all this?" Buffy asked him.
Graham bowed his head. "Professor Walsh was killed in the large ambush. You were there."
"There was a lot going on. Between your people shooting at us, the security guards shooting at us and the vampire doubles attacking us, I really didn't pay attention to all the little details." Buffy shot back.
Forrest scratched his head. "He's gone mad, Buffy. Riley's capable of just about anything right now. And right now, he's in charge of our unit."
Buffy stared at them. "So why are you here?"
"Because you may be the only one that can get through to him. He's doing all this for you you know." Graham told her with a stern look.
"No." Buffy said as she shook her head. "Riley's doing this for himself. As some macho 'beat the geek and win the girl' way, and I'm sick of his shit. I'm just amazed he managed to fool me for as long as he did. It took Xander's leaving for me to get the message."
Forrest shook his head. "So, you're not going to help us?"
"No, I'm not." Buffy told them honestly. "I think it's time the two of you start thinking and acting for yourselves."
Graham and Forrest watched as Buffy turned away from them and walked away into the crowd, making sure she wasn't spotted as she carefully made her way back to the Hyperion Hotel with the others.
"A chip?" VampDarla asked with amusement as she watched Spike pace around.
The male vampire threw his hands up in the air. "Yeah, can you believe that?"
VampDarla shook her head. "That's what happens when you stick around a hellmouth for too long. Weird things start to happen. Angelus falls for the slayer, I get staked by that imbecile and you get a chip in your head."
"Well," Spike declared. "Drusilla's at full strength. But she left me for a Chaos demon, the bitch."
The blonde vampire sighed as she stared at Spike. "It's a shame she isn't here. Between you, me and Drusilla, we could paint the town red."
Spike gave her a look. "Aren't you forgetting a couple of things? I can't hurt a living thing because of this frigging microchip in my head. And Angelus is still around."
VampDarla shrugged her shoulders. "Between you and me, Angelus is about to get a big surprise. Nobody stakes me and gets away with it."
"And about the chip?" Spike asked with a grin.
The elder vampire leant back against the wall and smiled. "I have a few ideas about that. I know of a few people that might be able to help. No promises though."
"What the hell am I supposed to do if you can't get the chip out?" Spike asked with impatience.
VampDarla gave him an evil look. "Then you can suck the left over blood in the bodies I leave behind."
Spike shook his head in anger and sat down on a dusty chair as VampDarla heard the sounds of people walking by outside.
"What kind of problem are we dealing with?" VampDarla asked the younger vampire before she quickly reached outside and grabbed a young girl in her twenties.
The British vampire watched with envy as VampDarla yanked the girl's head back and bit into her neck, draining the young woman's body of her blood.
VampDarla licked her lips as she pulled away and threw the girl's body over to Spike. He stared at the bite wound on the victim's neck and bit into the dead girl's neck, without the chip sending out waves of pain.
"I've been dead for too long. I come back from the netherworld and I find that the Master was killed, you got chipped, Dru's gone off with a slime demon and now I have a human version of me running around having sex with an utter idiot." VampDarla said with disgust.
Spike stopped feeding and dropped the girl's body to the floor as he wiped the blood from his mouth. "Yeah, it's a crime what happened to us."
"Are you going to tell me what kind of problems we're dealing with or what?" VampDarla asked again with impatience.
"Well, there's a lot." Spike told her. "There's that big military group called The Initiative that you ran into. They're the ones that chipped me. I would have got the jump on them if they hadn't shot me in the back. They're pretty simple to dodge, but they travel in packs those soldiers. Then there's Angel. He's brimming with confidence with the whole vampire detective gig he's got going on."
VampDarla nodded. "Yeah, I noticed."
"Then there's the other two that he's got working with him. The girl, Cordelia, she doesn't do much. But from what I hear she's good with axes and weapons." Spike said with a shrug.
VampDarla sighed with incredulity. "What about this other one?"
Spike chuckled. "Doyle? Doyle's a half-demon. One of those spiky, Brachen demons. Stings like a bitch if you hit him when they're in their game face. And he's stronger in his demon form. Oh, and he also gets visions from the Powers That Be. Angel uses it to save people with his Batman routine."
"Is Buffy still as annoying? From that fight earlier it seems that she's slightly improved." VampDarla noted with bitterness.
The male vampire nodded. "Yeah, I'll say. She beat Angelus up quite a bit a couple of years ago, but failed to kill him. Obviously. But from what I hear, she stopped an ascension on her graduation day, so I think she's improved. That red-head friend of hers is now a lesbian witch."
"Quite a change from that little frump that hit me with holy water during the Harvest." VampDarla said with hate.
"Anyways," Spike said as he walked over towards her. "She's got a girlfriend, a blonde named Tara. She's this powerful witch also and they're twice as tough when they're together. It's best to surprise them and get the jump on them."
VampDarla grinned. "That won't be so hard."
Spike nodded with agreement. "Buffy still has her Watcher, Giles. Even though the Watcher Council fired him last year, he's still training her. He's still the same as last time you saw him, but he's got a bit of a dark edge now. Especially when Angelus killed his lady love two years ago and left her in his bed as a gift."
The blonde woman laughed. "Really? Shame I missed it."
"Well, it wasn't that smart. We lost our hideout because of that idiot vamp. We had to move into a mansion." Spike said as he remembered what happened.
VampDarla raised her eyebrows. "How horrible that must have been for you."
Spike ignored her with a wave of his hand. "Then there's this whole business with the second slayer."
"Second what?" VampDarla asked with a mixture of surprise and shock.
The younger vampire nodded. "Believe me it was a shock for me too. Especially when Buffy and that Kendra one kicked my ass in the church this one time. It happened because the Master drowned her for a minute or so, but she was brought back to life. It was just enough for the PTB's to trigger another slayer. So now there are two."
"And where's Kendra now?" VampDarla asked him.
Spike shook his head. "She's dead. Drusilla killed her a couple of years ago, and now the new slayer is Faith. Faith apparently went bad last year and made life hell for Buffy and her friends."
"That's surprising. An evil vampire slayer. Can we use her?" The blonde vampiress asked him eagerly.
Spike sighed once more. "No, no. She had an epiphany earlier this year and from what I hear, she's out of prison and back in Sunnydale helping the good guys."
"Damn this is frustrating." VampDarla said as she paced the room. "Anyone else? What about that blonde woman that stuck a cross in my face in Angel's basement?"
Spike gave her a look. "That's Kate Lockley, at least that's what I overheard the others calling her. An LAPD detective who is now aware of vampires and demons in general. No powers, unless you're willing to add 'extreme bitch' to the power list."
"I guess the biggest change out of all of them would have to be Xander. He was a nobody last year, and then one night it all changed." Spike told her as he thought about it.
VampDarla nodded. "Yeah, I know. That's why Wolfram and Hart brought me back. To tempt him and to take his powers. I don't think they planned on having my human self brought back also."
Spike chuckled. "Xander's powers are immense. He can probably blow things up just by looking at them. It's not something I want to jump in head-first with."
"I know all about his powers. From what the human lawyer Lindsey told me, what Xander has is incredible. Obviously something a mere mortal shouldn't have." VampDarla told him.
"And last but not least, there's Anya. She used to be a Vengeance Demon until she lost her powers somehow and became human. She's harmless and my responsibility." Spike warned her.
VampDarla chuckled. "Spike fell for a human? That's too disgusting for words."
"Who says I fell for her? The sex is incredible. Once you've hard a warm body, you don't go back." Spike told her as he leaned in close.
The female vampire grabbed Spike by the arm and dragged him with her, outside the factory.
"Where are we going?" Spike asked her with curiosity.
VampDarla grinned as she dragged him along. "To change your life."
Xander and Darla sat on the large couch next to Cordelia, Doyle and Tara as Buffy and Angel stood in front of them in the large foyer.
"Xander and I never told all of you last night because of the lateness, but we tracked down the evil me, Angelus." Angel told them as they wanted to hear the latest.
"Well?" Cordelia asked him with interest. "What happened?"
Angel grinned. "He's dead."
"Dead?" Buffy asked with wonder. She knew it couldn't have been easy for him to virtually stake himself as she remembered Willow and her evil double.
Xander spoke up. "Angelus was staked to dust. He's history."
"What about my vampire clone?" Darla asked her soulmate as Xander rubbed her leg.
The dark-haired teen shook his head gently. "No, sorry. Angelus was by himself."
"Darla wasn't there." Angel told her but quickly corrected himself. "The vampire Darla."
Doyle sighed with frustration. "By herself, how bad is she?"
Cordelia hit him in the arm and the half-demon realized that he was being a bit insensitive with Darla being in the same room. Darla shrugged it off and Xander held her to him in comfort.
"Darla, the one I know is pretty bad. She was trained by the Master. She, Spike and Drusilla went through many ordeals after I got my soul back. I caught up with them in China in 1900 and I found out that she killed all the Kalderash clan that had stayed in Romania after I was cursed." Angel revealed to them.
Buffy shrugged her shoulders. "So she's goal-minded. It's not like we didn't kill that vampire before. It shouldn't be too hard to do it again."
"I don't know much about my evil years as a vampire, but I kind of like to think that I wasn't that stupid to fall for the same trick twice. Whatever the trick was." Darla said as she interrupted the Slayer.
Angel nodded with agreement. "You're right. It won't be easy. Especially now that she's mixed up with Wolfram and Hart. Not to mention now with the Initiative roaming the streets looking for all of us."
"Speaking of the Initiative," Buffy remarked as the group focused on her. "I got an update on them."
"From who?" Xander asked her, realizing it was the first time since Sunnydale he was talking to her.
Buffy turned to him, relieved he was talking to her. "Forrest and Graham tracked me down."
Cordelia stood up with surprise. "How could they track you down? That means they know where we are."
"No, no." Buffy said as she shook her head, seeing their worry. "They don't know where we are. They found me in a busy street."
Angel gave her a look. "What did they have to say?"
The blonde slayer sighed. "They told me that Professor Walsh is dead. Apparently she was killed during that big battle in the streets. To cut a long story short, Riley has lost it big time. And he blames Xander for it all."
"What else is new?" Xander asked aloud with sarcasm.
Buffy stared at him. "He wants you dead and his friends and fellow soldiers are scared of him."
"That's new," Xander said honestly, as Darla rubbed his leg in comfort.
Doyle nodded as he stood up. "Well, at least we're all here and safe."
"Well, we're not all here." Tara told them matter of factly. "Spike's missing."
Angel sighed with frustration. "Where did he go?"
"I don't know. He left awhile back to have some time to himself, but he hasn't come back." Cordelia said aloud with Buffy nodding.
Tara nodded. "I'm sure it's all innocent. What much can he get up to?"
Angel shook his head. "With VampDarla out on the streets and the Initiative running around? Who knows. I just wish we didn't get a new surprise all the time."
Suddenly, as if to mock Angel, the large front doors of the Hyperion Hotel opened abruptly, startling Xander and the others.
They watched with surprise as Faith, Anya and Willow walked into the hotel. Giles walked in after them, holding a large cage with Gachnar in it with one hand and closing the large doors with the other.
"Hey guys." Faith said with a grin. "Did you miss us?"
The small group stared at the visitors with surprised looks on their faces.
"It happened right here." The impish demon explained to VampDarla as he pointed to the dust-covered spot in the abandoned factory.
VampDarla stared at the dust that was once Angelus and closed her eyes. "Are you sure it was Angelus. There were two of them, you know."
The green demon stared her. "I'm sure. He was feeding off of a lawyer before he was killed."
VampDarla nodded with acceptance. "That's Angelus alright. The other one wouldn't indulge in such pleasures."
Kerflack stared at her with trepidation. "I know how much he meant to you. I can see it in my visions."
The blonde vampire turned to him and squinted at him. "What else can you see in that brain of yours?"
The small green demon moved away from her quickly. "Why would you want to kill me? I helped you. Where's your friend?"
"Spike?" VampDarla asked him. "He's been detained right now. I'm afraid it's just me."
Kerflack turned and made a run for it, but found VampDarla standing in front of him. She grabbed the small demon by the neck and slammed him into the wall.
"It's amazing." VampDarla told the squirming demon. "You can see the future, and yet you still thought you could escape your fate."
The demon snarled back at her as he got his breath back. "You can't escape your fate either."
VampDarla shrugged. "I know. But I can make sure that this time, I'll take out as many of them with me."
Kerflack didn't even manage to scream as VampDarla quickly broke the demon's neck, letting the small demon fall to the ground with a slump.
The blonde vampire ran a hand through her hair. "Damn that Angel. I'll kill him slow."
VampDarla snarled as she morphed into her vampiric face and quickly left the abandoned factory, stepping on Angelus' dust as she did so.
"This is too weird for words," Willow stated as she looked over to where Darla sat with Xander.
Xander gave his life-long a warning glance, telling her not to bother Darla about her past. Giles was processing the recent state of events in his mind, as Anya and Faith joined the others.
"This is getting complicated." Giles mentioned aloud to Buffy as the two of them were in a corner of the large hotel, hidden by the Initiative.
Buffy nodded. "Tell me about it. Between those evil lawyers, the Initiative running rampant, and the evil vampire doubles, it's pretty stressful."
"And you're sure Angelus and the vampire Xander are dead?" Giles asked her with worry.
The Slayer nodded once more. "Yeah. Evil Xander was killed in that large fight in the streets, and Angelus was killed earlier. It's just Evil Darla that's on the loose now."
"Darla was never a vampire to be taken for granted. I don't have to remind you that she almost killed you three years ago." Giles warned her as Buffy took it in.
Buffy shrugged. "I've faced tougher things than her since that night. And with Xander here with his powers, not to mention the large group here, we should be able to take her out pretty easily."
"Yeah, I don't doubt that." Giles mentioned. "So Angel can't lose his soul anymore?"
"No," Buffy told him. "And Xander can't be turned into a vampire either. Apparently those lawyers 'took' the evil out of the three of them and made it physical."
Giles shook his head in astonishment. "I've never heard of such a thing. We should have come here sooner."
Buffy gave him an odd look. "How did you find us? We've been hiding out from the Initiative and the vampires."
The former Watcher shrugged his shoulders. "Willow cast a tracking spell, and we followed the directions."
Buffy nodded as she watched Willow talk with an upset Tara. "How was Faith?"
"Faith?" Giles asked her. "It's surprising to see the change in her. It wasn't that long ago that she was a dangerous killer."
"Yeah," Buffy said with agreement. "People change all the time."
Giles stared at her with concern. "Have you talked with Xander yet?"
Buffy shook her head. "No, no I haven't. There's been so much happening, I haven't had the time to apologise. It's like one of those bad soap operas."
"Looks like you'll be getting your chance." Giles told her as he watched Xander and Darla walk towards them.
Xander walked towards Giles, nodding a brief hello to Buffy who nodded back and quickly left the trio as she joined with the others. Giles watched her go with sympathy, hoping she'd have the nerve to stay and talk to Xander.
"Giles," Xander started as he smiled. "I want to introduce you to someone. This is Darla. Darla, this is Rupert Giles."
The former Watcher grinned. "So this is the one that Xander has been dreaming about?"
The young man cringed with embarrasment as Darla chuckled. "It's not like I didn't mind having Xander in my dreams."
"You dreamed of him too?" Giles asked in astonishment.
Darla nodded. "Yeah, the dreams stopped when we found each other in Wolfram and Hart."
"If there's ever an example of a soulmate, we're it." Xander said with a happy grin.
Giles chuckled. "I'm glad, Xander. But it doesn't quite explain the dreams. Are your powers connected?"
"I don't think so." Xander told him as he thought about it. "Right now, we're just trying to survive each day without having to worry about the Big Bads breathing down our neck all the time."
The former Watcher nodded with agreement. "That's why we're here. We figure that more people on your side here the better. I didn't realize that the Initiative would pose this much of a threat."
"Neither did I." Xander told him. "And now Riley is really pissed off at me, apparently."
Darla held her lover's hand in hers as Xander was reminded of what they were going to do.
"Darla and I will be out for a couple of hours. If there's any trouble, signal my beeper?" Xander asked him as they edged closer to the door.
Giles walked towards them with concern. "Surely, you can't be thinking of walking around outside with everyone on the loose looking for you."
Xander shook his head. "I'm sick of being cooped up. We both are. And besides, anyone that comes between me and Darla will have to answer to my powers."
"Just be careful, okay?" Giles asked him with worry.
Darla watched Xander nod an okay as she turned to speak to Giles. "We'll be back in no time."
Giles and the others watched as Darla and Xander left the Hyperion hotel and snuck off into the darkened street, mixing in with the crowd of people.
Xander and Darla stood outside a large movie theatre as they walked up to the ticket counter.
"Two tickets for 'American Pie' please?" Xander asked the girl behind the counter as she typed up the tickets.
Darla looked at all the movie posters on the theatre walls and was amazed by the newness of it all to her. She stared at her surroundings and saw groups of people walk into different cinema rooms, and saw signs above each door.
She saw a theatre room with the sign of 'American Pie' above the door and showed Xander where it was when he joined her after getting popcorn and coke for the both of them.
Xander gave her one of the tickets as they walked towards the room. "I hear this movie's pretty funny, so we should have a couple of laughs with it."
"A movie? What's the difference between watching a movie here and watching it on your tv?" Darla asked him with curiosity.
The dark-haired teen smiled. "Here, it's a huge screen, with digital sound. Trust me, you'll like this."
Darla gave her ticket to the ticket person as he tore off the ticket and gave her back the stub. She walked inside the theatre followed by Xander.
"There sure are a lot of seats here." Darla commented as they walked towards the back row, past the large crowd of people already waiting for the movie to begin.
Xander nodded. "The worse part about going to the movies is when people talk through the movie or when someone's mobile phone goes off. But otherwise it's a good way to spend a couple of hours."
"And I take it we're at the back to see all the big screen?" Darla asked him.
Her boyfriend nodded. "Yeah. If you sit in one of those lower seats, you'd get a stiff neck. It's better up here."
Darla took some popcorn to eat and liked what she was eating. "This is nice too."
Xander smiled and gave her a large coke. "This is good too, hon."
As Darla sipped some coke, the curtains parted on the large screen and the lights slowly faded into nothing. As they watched the various trailers for movies coming soon, the 'American Pie' movie was about to screen.
The large group sat around in the abandoned Hyperion Hotel, coming up with ideas on how to beat the Initiative and ideas on how to find VampDarla.
Anya separated herself from the large group and looked around with confusion.
"Where's Spike?" Anya asked aloud, the first thing she said since coming to Los Angeles, causing everyone to turn around and look at her.
The former vengeance demon gave all of them a concerned look, which surprised Angel.
Darla and Xander laughed along with the crowd at something on the screen.
Finch ran towards the bathroom. Stifler is down the hall, holding open the bathroom door like a pleasant doorman.
STIFLER: This way, sit.
Finch darts into the bathroom. Stifler LAUGHS hysterically.
INT. EAST GREAT FALLS HIGH - BATHROOM - DAY
Finch leaps into a stall and slams the door behind him.
INT. EAST GREAT FALLS HIGH - BATHROOM STALL - DAY
Finch has stopped. He's staring down at the toilet. It looks entirely uninviting. But he's straining, struggling, starting to dance around, moaning as he cramps up. He grabs a length of toilet paper and lines the seat with it. Then another, and another. Sweat drips off his forehead.
FINCH: Come on come on come on...
He's got the seat lined with at least three layers of toilet paper. Notices a spot where there's still bare toilet seat. He tears off one square of toilet paper, placing it on the spot. He steps back and looks it over, still wriggling to contain his bowels.
FINCH: Okay. You can do this.
He unbuckles his pants. Sits down -- just as we hear someone enter the bathroom. Finch, still restraining, listens for a moment...only to hear the CLICK-CLICK-CLICK of heels.
INT. EAST GREAT FALLS HIGH - MAIN HALL - DAY
The bathroom door swings closed to reveal the universal symbol for "Women." Stifler is there, LAUGHING even harder.
INT. EAST GREAT FALLS HIGH - BATHROOM STALL - DAY
Finch is terrified. Through the crack between the stall door and the frame, Finch catches glimpses of bright colored skirts and dresses. He grits his teeth, straining. And a GURGLE comes from Finch's stomach. His eyes bulge.
INT. EAST GREAT FALLS HIGH - BATHROOM - DAY
A GROUP OF GIRLS is at the mirror, including the Girl Holding Out for Finch, fixing their hair.
GIRL HOLDING OUT FOR FINCH: You know it's just gonna be some crappy band and stupid decorations.
GIRL #2: You're just saying that cause prom's a week away and you don't have a date.
GIRL HOLDING OUT FOR FINCH: No, I don't want a date... (increasingly dreamy) Finch is going stag...and so am I...the guy is like so...debonair.
INT. EAST GREAT FALLS HIGH - BATHROOM STALL - DAY
Finch is in hell. Desperately trying not to shit. Holding it in for all he's worth.
INT. BATHROOM - DAY
GIRL #2: Do you think that "older woman" thing is true?
GIRL #3: Of course, it was Stifler's mom.
INT. EAST GREAT FALLS HIGH - BATHROOM STALL - DAY
Pure agony. Finch is sweating badly. Every muscle in his body is tensed. Tears stream from his fiercely shut eyes. A gastric RUMBLING. Finch's eyes flash open in terror.
INT. EAST GREAT FALLS HIGH - BATHROOM - DAY
We hear another, deeper RUMBLING. Girl #2 turns to her friend in surprise.
GIRL #2: Joanie, was that you?
INT. EAST GREAT FALLS HIGH - BATHROOM STALL - DAY
Finch is struggling. Rocking back and forth. But it's no use. He's at his limit.
FINCH: Aaaaaaarrrgghhhh!
INT. EAST GREAT FALLS HIGH - BATHROOM - DAY
The girls at the mirror freeze -- and we hear what can only be the SOUND OF DIARRHEA exploding into a toilet bowl. The girls run out SCREAMING and LAUGHING.
INT. EAST GREAT FALLS HIGH - BATHROOM - DAY - MOMENTS LATER
Finch exits the stall with trepidation, pulling up his pants. Slowly, slinking, he approaches the door. Grabs the handle. Composes himself. And like nothing ever happened, he opens it.
INT. EAST GREAT FALLS HIGH - MAIN HALL - DAY
Finch comes out of the bathroom. Stops. His eyes register complete disbelief. A SEMI-CIRCLE OF GIRLS, including the ones we have seen gossiping about him, has crowded around the door. All staring at him with complete repugnance, open-mouthed.
Everyone in the audience, including Darla and Xander were laughing as the scene played out on screen. Darla drank some more coke as Xander shook his head with surprise at what he saw onscreen.
"Oh my god." Xander said with a chuckle.
"Is there something wrong?" Willow asked Tara as she managed to catch her alone.
Tara shook her head. "Why would there be anything wrong?"
"I don't know." Willow said as she shrugged. "It's just that you seem so distant lately."
The blonde wiccan sighed. "I don't like how you treated Xander."
"What? How I treated him?" Willow asked her with confusion.
Tara nodded. "He's supposed to be your best friend, but you and Buffy basically ran him out of town. You don't treat someone you care about like that."
Willow shook her head. "I just didn't want him to get hurt. He's always jumping into risky situations."
"But I guess now that he has this power, everything's okay now?" Tara asked with sarcasm.
The red-haired girl thought about it. "It's not my fault that he kept acting like an idiot."
"But it will be my fault if I kept seeing someone that treats their best friend like yesterday's garbage." Tara told her honestly.
Willow stared at her in surprise. "What are you saying? You're leaving me?"
Tara looked away as she started to walk back to the group. "I just can't be with someone that's capable of being that unpleasant. I'm sorry, but it's something that I've been thinking about since I came here."
Willow watched her girlfriend walk away with a devastated expression.
Buffy found Willow sitting by herself in the garden who looked up when she heard Buffy toward her.
"Are you okay?" Buffy asked her as she sat down next to her.
Willow shook her head. "Tara dumped me. Other than that, I'm peachy."
"I'm sorry." Buffy told her sympathetically.
The red-haired Wiccan sighed. "I don't understand why she would do this. Because of Xander? We did all that to keep him out of harm."
Buffy shook her head. "No, I don't think so. We did that to keep him away from us. I think that's what Tara means and it's what I'm realizing now."
"What are you talking about?" Willow asked her in surprise.
The slayer shrugged. "I don't know how it got this bad, but if we hadn't have neglected Xander, he wouldn't have left us and Sunnydale. He wouldn't be here."
"And he wouldn't be with Darla?" Willow asked her.
"Maybe." Buffy said softly.
Willow shook her head. "From what Giles told us, Xander was having some type of psychic dreams involving Darla and her past. Maybe him leaving Sunnydale was meant to happen. Maybe he was meant to come here and find her."
"It doesn't make what we did right, Will." Buffy reminded her.
Willow nodded with realization. "So when do you think Tara will forgive me?"
"I don't know. But it wouldn't hurt to apologize to Xander." Buffy told her.
Willow scoffed. "Yeah right. Because you've had so much luck in talking to him since you came here."
Buffy nodded. "It's like a bad soap opera. Just when I'm about to talk to him, something happens."
"That's why I wanted to come here. To see him again. Same with Giles. Apparently those two bonded while we were ignoring them." Willow said with pity.
Buffy gave her a look. "Just how did you guys manage to come here and leave Sunnydale to fend for itself?"
"Oh," Willow started. "All we did was cast a very large protection spell over Sunnydale. Nothing bad will happen until we go home."
Tara heard the main doors open and turned to see Darla and Xander walk inside the large hotel. She walked over to the happy couple and gave Xander a look.
"Can I talk to you for a second?" Tara asked him.
Darla gave him a nod. "I have to go the bathroom anyway."
Xander nodded and watched her leave before turning back to face Tara. "That movie was pretty funny. You should see it sometime. There's this one scene where this..."
"I was wondering if you were planning on talking to Buffy or Willow?" Tara asked him quickly, causing Xander to stall in his comments.
Xander swallowed before shrugging. "I don't know. Why should I talk to them? They blew their chance at being my friends."
"C'mon Xander, they made a mistake. A big mistake but it can't stop you from talking to him." Tara pleaded with him.
The telekinetic teen sighed. "After how those two treated me, I'm supposed to accept them back into my life? I'm happily involved with Darla now, someone I thought was only going to be in my dreams, and we've been thinking about settling in here when this whole Initiative and lawyer business dies down."
"Here in the hotel?" Tara asked him with surprise.
Xander shook his head. "No, I'm talking about an apartment or a house in Los Angeles. Sunnydale's too violent and monstrous to be raising children in."
"Children? You're already talking children?" Tara asked him with surprise.
"No, but it's bound to happen. When we're together, it feels complete. Like my yang and her ying are meant to be together. We've shared some of the same dreams together, what does that tell you? So yeah, eventually we will be having kids. And I don't want them to be killed in some alley near the Bronze when they're sixteen years old like every other teenager." Xander told her with complete honesty.
Tara nodded. "So there's no way you could forgive them?"
"I don't think so." Xander answered simply as he saw Darla walk back down the stairs into the foyer.
Xander found Giles in the empty Manager's office and knocked on the door. The older man looked up and waved Xander in.
The dark-haired teen walked in and cast a look around the empty office. "So what do you think?"
Giles dropped a few cockroaches into Gachnar's cage and the little demon ran towards them.
"I think there's a lot of things that are unexplained here." Giles told him.
Xander sat down on an empty chair and nodded. "It's a miracle I found Darla at all. If I hadn't have been captured by those lawyers, I wouldn't have found her. They might have killed her if I hadn't have been caught or found."
Giles nodded in agreement. "From what I hear, Wolfram and Hart are a force to be reckoned with."
"Well, they didn't 'reckon' on me." Xander told him, implying the use of his powers.
The former Watcher looked around. "Where is Darla?"
"She's upstairs with Faith and Anya. Darla's the best thing that ever happened to me. And I'm including the powers in that comment." Xander said with a smile.
Giles chuckled. "I never dreamed that she'd be brought back to life. And as a human, no less."
Xander nodded. "Yeah I know. She's everything to me now. And what I'm afraid of is the enemies that I've got right now, will get her to get to me."
"We won't let that happen." Giles assured him sternly.
Cordelia and Doyle sat on the empty couch in the Hyperion's lobby as they talked about recent events. They heard a noise from behind them and were surprised to find Darla walking up to them.
"Darla, what's wrong?" Cordelia asked her as she and Doyle exchanged looks.
The blonde woman shook her head. "There's nothing wrong. Xander's upstairs and there's something I need to see Angel about."
"Oh, okay. Angel's in the office with Giles." Cordelia told her as Darla nodded.
Doyle jabbed Cordelia in the arm with his elbow and it made her wince. "What'd you do that for?"
"Look." Doyle told her as he pointed to the balcony.
Cordelia's eyes widened as she spotted Darla with Xander. She slowly backed away from the Darla that was standing next to her and they both moved away from the blonde woman.
"Angel!!" Cordelia called out in a panic. "Get out here right now!!"
Darla and Xander heard Cordelia's panicked yells and looked out into the foyer from the balcony.
Angel and Giles rushed out of the office and froze when they realized there were two Darla's in the hotel, knowing that one of them was the evil vampire version.
The ensouled vampire looked up at the Darla that was standing with Xander and felt her fear, instantly knowing that the Darla standing near Cordelia was the vampire.
"Cordy? Move away from her now." Angel cautioned her carefully as the brunette woman edged away from the evil vampire.
VampDarla chuckled and vamped out, her yellow eyes glaring at her Childe. "Angel, you were never good at hiding."
The blonde vampire rushed toward Cordelia and grabbed her by the neck, hitting Doyle and easily knocking him across the room.
"Let her go!" Angel yelled at her in anger as Xander rushed down the stairs and made it into the lobby.
VampDarla shook her head. "One little misstep and I'll break her neck like kindling."
Darla watched from the balcony in shock as she stared at her evil demon self. VampDarla moved away from Xander, with her grip still around Cordelia's throat.
"Xander," VampDarla breathed as she spotted him. "What's the matter lover? Isn't this the same face you wake up to in the mornings?"
The telekinetic teen used his powers to levitate a crucifix off of the couch behind VampDarla without her knowing about it.
"Did you think I wouldn't find out about what you did to Angelus?" VampDarla asked Angel angrily.
Angel stared at her. "I knew you'd find out. I just didn't care."
"Angel," Doyle warned him. "I don't think you should be pissing her off."
Cordelia tried to escape from VampDarla's clutches, but the vampire was strong and held her still.
Xander used his powers and slammed the crucifix into the side of VampDarla's face, instantly burning her skin and causing smoke to appear from the wound.
Screaming in pain, she dropped Cordelia and clutched her burning face. The evil vampire took off out of the hotel and Angel watched Doyle rush over to Cordelia to check on her.
Xander looked up at the balcony and saw the expression on Darla's face and realized he couldn't leave her alone at this time. The young man turned to Angel and nodded.
"Find her and end this." Xander told him as Angel nodded back.
The large group watched as Angel took off after VampDarla as Buffy and the others missing from the incident came to the balcony.
"What just happened here?" Anya asked the people in the foyer.
Angel ran out into the dark alley after he spotted his Sire run down the narrow exit.
Sensing evil, he carefully walked down the pathway, looking out for any sign of VampDarla.
"I taught you so many stalking techniques," VampDarla said from behind him, causing Angel to spin around.
The dark-haired vampire got hit in the face with the shovel that VampDarla held in her hands. "Too bad you couldn't use any of them to trap me."
Angel jumped out of the way from VampDarla's deadly swing with the shovel, the sharp edge making a large gash in his chest instead of his neck.
"I made you in an alley," VampDarla commented as she hit him in the face with the shovel a few more times. "I can sure as hell kill you in one."
Angel kicked VampDarla in the stomach, sending her reeling backwards with surprise. "Things have changed, Darla."
"How have things changed? You're still as sick as I remember you." VampDarla snarled at him as she broke the shovel in two and held onto the sharp, broken wooden handle.
He got up onto his feet and shrugged his shoulders. "Thanks to Wolfram and Hart, I can separate the good from the bad now. I realize that the real Darla, the one I never knew, is back at the Hyperion. And you, you're just another demon."
VampDarla sneered at him and watched his every move, while she picked up a rebar off of the ground. "Over a hundred years and this is what you say to me? This is the respect I get after giving you this gift called eternal life? You're an ungrateful son of a bitch."
Angel rushed toward her as VampDarla swung the rebar at his head, hitting him across the face with brute force. The male vampire reeled back from the blow, but held onto her throat as he slammed her into the nearest wooden fence.
VampDarla grunted in pain and they both looked down at the large piece of wood sticking out of her chest.
"Go to hell, Angelus." VampDarla muttered as she slowly turned to ash, falling into a pile on the ground.
Angel stared at VampDarla's ashes before commenting. "You first."
The dark haired vampire walked back towards the Hyperion with a sense of closure in his stride, realizing that his evil side and Darla's was finally put to rest.
Anya carefully looked out the windows of the Hyperion, hoping to spot Spike, but she couldn't see him in the darkened streets.
The former demon turned away from the windows and walked back towards the large group.
"This is one hell of a time for Spike to just go walking off. Where the hell did he go?" Anya asked Buffy.
Buffy sighed as she listened to Anya's repeated questions. "For the last time Anya, we don't know where Spike's gone. He probably got himself caught by the Initiative and is being tortured as we speak."
"You're loving this aren't you?" Anya asked her with a look.
Angel walked into the hotel, interrupting Buffy's next comment as he made his way back to the group.
Darla stood up and held Xander's hand as she looked at Angel. "Is my evil half..."
"Dead?" Angel asked her. "Yeah, she's gone."
Darla nodded and sat back down with relief as Xander rubbed her hand with a smile.
Cordelia made a relieved sound and sat down on an empty chair.
Xander whispered in Darla's ear and she nodded as they stood up and walked towards the other side of the hotel.
"Where are you two going?" Anya asked them curiously.
Darla shrugged as Xander opened the doors to the garden. "Just some alone time."
The group in the hotel seemed to understand and went back to discussing what they were going to do next.
Doyle sat down next to Cordelia after watching Xander close the doors behind him. He smiled at her, but the smile was cut off when suddenly a vision tore its way through his senses.
The Brachen demon collapsed to the ground in pain as he recieved his latest vision. Angel and Cordelia rushed to his side as Doyle began to get images sent by the Powers That Be.
Doyle saw images of him and the large group walking down a street together. The images quickly turned to Darla getting fatally shot and dying with Xander grieving by her side, the gunshot wound in her chest.
As quickly as they came, the vision stopped. Clutching his sore head, Doyle stood up off the ground with the assistance of Angel and Cordelia, and sat back down on the chair.
"What was it? What did you see?" Angel asked him with panic.
The Irish half-demon could only relay the images in his head, shaking his head in shock over what soon might happen.
The large gash in the nightsky started to grow as it continued to tear it's way above Los Angeles.
What looked like electricity began to crackle around the torn edges of the rip, as the hole slowly began to get bigger and bigger than when it first appeared.
"It's pretty hard to get you all to myself these days," Xander told her as wrapped his arms around Darla's waist.
Darla nodded. "I know. And just when I get some more naughty thoughts in my head."
"Oh really?" Xander asked with a grin.
"Yeah. Too bad we've got some life or death issues to deal with. Because when it's over..." Darla hinted at him with a smile.
Xander nodded knowingly. "You think you're the only one with naughty thoughts?"
Darla yelped with surprise when Xander gave her buttocks a gentle squeeze. "You bad boy."
Xander chuckled as he kissed her. "I'm not bad."
"I know. You're my hero." Darla admitted as she kissed him back.
The dark-haired teen raised an eyebrow at her confession. "Really? Wow."
"It's true." Darla told him honestly as she squeezed his buttocks in the act of getting even.
Xander grinned at her. "I'm your hero. You're my 'Lois Lane', baby."
Darla nodded. "Is that a good thing?"
"Yeah, it's a good thing." Xander told her with a grin as they hugged.
The blonde woman was confused. "Who is 'Lois Lane'? Someone I should know about?"
Xander laughed. "No, no. It's a character from the Superman movies. I'll have to show you sometime."
"Is it like that 'American Pie' movie?" Darla asked him with wonder.
The teenager shook his head. "No, it's not a comedy. Superman is this guy from another world that helps the helpless. He saves innocent people from bad guys by using his powers."
"Like you." Darla told him as she figured it out.
Xander shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, I guess. Anyway Superman and a reporter called Lois Lane start doing that inevitable romance thing."
Darla looked at him. "Are we like that?"
"No," Xander told her. "I'd like to think we're more stable. Sure my powers might get in the way sometimes. Like when we have some real good sex, and I accidentally use my powers to tear the roof off our house..."
Darla nodded. "That could be a problem."
"A problem I will learn to keep in check." Xander assured her as he looked up at the nightsky.
Darla grinned. "Of course. I didn't fall in love with you because of your powers."
When she didn't get a reply from her soulmate, Darla looked up at Xander and noticed he was staring at something in the sky.
"What is it?" Darla asked him curiously.
Xander shook his head. "That's what I'd like to know."
Darla looked at the same area that Xander was staring at, and found the large gash in the sky.
"Oh my god." Darla breathed with worry.
"Can we talk?" Doyle asked Angel as he walked towards an empty room.
The vampire nodded with concern and followed him into the large, empty room. He shut the door and turned to the half-demon.
"What exactly did you see in the vision? Was it that bad?" Angel asked him with worry.
Doyle nodded with concern. "I saw Darla getting killed."
Angel gave him an odd look. "I already killed her. In the alley, remember?"
The Brachen demon shook his head. "No, not the vampire Darla. The human Darla. The good one."
"Tell me what you saw." Angel said with a serious tone.
Doyle sighed. "We were walking down the street as a group for some reason. The next thing I know, Darla gets shot dead."
The ensouled vampire became worried. "Did you see who did it?"
"No," Doyle told him. "I didn't see anything. What do we tell them?"
Angel thought about it for a couple of minutes. "Nothing. We tell them nothing."
"What?" Doyle asked with shock. "We can't keep this secret. Her life is in danger."
The dark-haired vampire shook his head. "There's no point in making Xander and Darla more afraid than they are now. Everybody's tension levels are higher than normal already, thanks to those soldiers in my city. The last thing they need is more problems."
"So, what do we do?" Doyle asked him.
Angel sighed. "We keep both eyes open. Anything from the vision starts to come true, we'll be there to prevent it from happening."
Doyle nodded slowly, not sure if he agreed with that reasoning.
Angel and Doyle came out of the empty office just in time to find a worried Darla and Xander as they made their way back to the group.
"What? What is it?" Giles asked the pair as Xander scratched his head.
Darla shook her head. "You're not going to believe this, but there's something wrong with the sky."
Tara stared at them in confusion. "Something wrong? How?"
"There's some type of large tear in the sky. Definately supernatural." Xander told them as the large group rushed towards the garden doors and ran outside.
Anya looked up at the sky and nodded. "Yep. It's supernatural alright."
"Who could have done something like that?" Willow asked aloud.
Darla, Xander and Angel muttered at the same time. "Wolfram and Hart."
Riley Finn angrily tore through groups of onlookers as they stared up at the sky, watching the larger gash in the sky.
"Have you figured out what that tear is yet?" Riley asked one of the Initiative scientists.
Dr. Williams shook his head as he moved away from the monitor. Riley looked around the large makeshift tent the soldiers had setup while they searched for Xander.
"By all indications, what caused the large tear in the sky was something of extreme power. Something we've never come across before." Dr. Williams told him.
Riley shook his head. "I'm not so sure. What about Harris' powers? Could they have done this?"
"I suppose it is possible." Dr. Williams answered. "But why would he want to destroy the world?"
The young soldier leaned in close to the scientist and sneered. "Because Xander Harris is a dangerous sonofabitch, and should be put down like the mangy dog that he is."
Dr. Williams watched Riley leave the large tent with fear, listening to people on the streets scream and panic in fear of the impending doom.
Forrest and Graham watched as Riley pushed past L.A. residents, who were looking up at the sky in fear.
"Ten to one says that Riley is blaming Harris for this." Graham said as he pointed up to the dark sky.
Forrest nodded in agreement. "He's lost the mission. And the plot."
"What do we do about it?" Graham asked his friend as they watched Riley move towards some spare troops.
Forrest shook his head. "I don't think there's much we can do. Riley's in charge."
"Yeah," Graham answered. "But you're second-in-command. Professor Walsh is dead, and Riley's basically lost his mind. I think you should stand up and take over the operation."
Forrest watched the troops disperse and nodded. "Yeah. It's time we fixed this."
Xander and Angel walked out of the sewers and into the Wolfram and Hart building. To their surprise, they found no security guards near the elevator.
"Where's the guards?" Angel asked as they looked around.
Xander pointed to the monitor in the open Security Room. They found a large amount of security guards, locking and guarding the main doors to the lawfirm from the Initiative soldiers.
"I guess the Initiative traced where the guards came from." Angel guessed as they made their way to the elevator.
Once the elevator doors opened, they walked inside and pressed a button that would take them to the secret vaults.
The elevator doors closed and Xander sighed. "At least now I know why Wolfram and Hart wanted my powers. If they had have taken anymore of my powers, the world could quite possibly be in the shitter right about now."
"It's not your fault. Trust me. These lawyers have been doing things like this for years. Abusing powers for their own selfish gains. Ruining innocent lives to make theirs more prosperous. Hopefully now, we can stop them from doing it again." Angel told him as the elevator stopped and the door opened.
Xander and Angel walked out of the elevator and came face to face with a snarling demon that stood outside the locked vault's door.
The telekinetic teen sent a strong wave of energy through him, sending the large demon hurtling backwards into the vault door.
Angel rushed towards the demon with his axe and chopped off its head, before it could wake up.
"We should have brought some explosives or something." Angel said as he looked at the newly reinforced door to the vault.
Xander shook his head. "No time. I'll use my powers on it."
"That would get everyone onto us." Angel warned him.
Xander raised his hand and pointed it at the door. "No lawyer or demon in their right mind would want to mess with me right now."
Angel stood back as Xander concentrated on the heavy, steel door. His hand started to shake uncontrollably as Xander felt the powerful energy flow through him.
The dark-haired teenager flicked his hand toward the large door and it caused the vault door to buckle under the pressure, before being blown inwards by the force.
Xander and Angel watched as the steel door broke into two large pieces, smashing several tables and large glass containers in the secret vaults in the process.
The sounds of the alarm filled the room, as Xander and Angel quickly walked into the secret vaults and looked around.
"See if you can find anything resembling 'tears in the sky'." Angel told him as they searched through the protected possessions.
They could hear the alarm continue alerting security guards and hired demons to their presence, but their interest lay in finding any useful material.
Xander found a book called 'The Tiberius Manifesto' and realized it was a book detailing almost everything about vampire slayers. He picked it up and held onto it as he continued looking, wanting to give that book to Giles.
"I haven't found anything about it." Xander said as he quickly looked through everything he could find.
The sound of a gunshot filled the air as Angel pitched forward from the blast. Xander watched him fall to the ground in surprise and turned around to find two security guards and Lee Mercer standing in the door opening.
"Not the vampire, you idiots." Lee cursed them. "The boy. Shoot the boy."
Xander used his powers on Lee and the two guards, sending the guards' guns flying into the room. The next telekinetic blast sent the guards and Lee flying backwards, connecting with the wall behind them.
The brown-haired lawyer sat up and cradled his head as he watched Angel stand up and stare at him with restrained hate.
Lee got up off the ground and ran away, leaving the two unconscious guards in his escape.
"Let's get out of here before they start getting smart and shoot you instead." Angel warned him again as Xander nodded.
Xander held onto 'The Tiberius Manifesto' as they ran out of the secret vault and towards the elevator, the alarm still ringing out loud and clear.
I don't care for all the wealth
In the whole wide world
Or be a king with a kingdom
Crowned with gold and jewels
No I don't want fame or fortune
People trembling at my name
To command the oceans and the moon
The thunder and the rain
l'll tell you what it is I need
To turn this spark into a fire
Come close and hold me tight
It's still that you're my one desire
I don't need a magic power
To live forever through all time
Or be a genius more creative
Than all of history's greatest minds
I don't dream of all the pleasures
Heaven holds for me
With a halo up above my head
As out of fire and soft white gleam
l'll tell you what it is I need
To turn this spark into a fire
Come close and hold me tight
It's you my one desire
Darla paced back and forth in the Hyperion hotel, hoping that Xander got out of the Wolfram and Hart building safe and sound.
"I shouldn't have let him go. It's too dangerous." Darla told Buffy and the others.
Tara nodded. "I know, but Xander knows what he's doing."
"And Angel's with him too." Faith commented.
Darla nodded with agreement, but was still afraid. "But he's walking back into the lion's den. You don't know what it was like being stuck in that building. Being trapped in that dungeon."
Buffy chose this time to approach the worried woman and gave her a sympathetic look for the first time. "Xander is a strong person. He knows what he's doing."
Willow stared at her friend as she heard Buffy's revelation. She knew Xander could protect himself too, with or without powers.
"It's true." Willow spoke up. "He can protect himself. Before his powers he managed to survive through the hard times with us. This should be a cakewalk for him now."
Before Darla could answer back, the doors to the Hyperion opened and the large group stood armed and ready for anything bad. They let down their guard when they saw it was Xander and Angel.
Xander ran to Darla's side and she quickly checked him for any visible injuries. Relieved when she couldn't find any, she relaxed a little as Xander kissed her.
"Did you find anything?" Giles asked the two men.
Angel shook his head. "Nothing about what's happening with the sky."
Lee knocked on Holland's door and waited for a response. When he didn't hear a reply, the young lawyer opened the door and walked inside.
"Sir, we've just had another break-in by Alexander Harris and Angel." Lee told him as Holland stared up at the sky from his office window.
Holland nodded slowly as he continued to watch the large tear in the sky, as he could hear thunder up in the skies.
"That's good, Lee." Holland answered simply.
Lee stared at him with confusion as he walked towards the office window and stared up at the gaping hole in the sky. "Sir, they broke into the secret vault and stole an item of ours."
"They can steal all they want, Lee." Holland told him with a contented smile. "It's all over. We've won."
The young lawyer nodded carefully as he watched Holland, the older lawyer's eyes were transfixed to the large tear in the sky as it slowly started to crackle again with electricity.
"We've won." Holland repeated with a grin as Lee quickly left the older man in his office.
"Xander, can I please talk to you for a minute?" A familiar voice asked as he heard the girl's voice behind him.
Xander turned around in the hotel foyer and saw Buffy standing there, with a guilty look on her face. He turned to Darla for her support, and as she nodded, Xander pointed to the empty office and walked towards it.
Buffy followed him inside and closed the door. "Wow. Things are so hectic and life or death, and for once, it's not about me."
The telekinetic teen nodded. "What did you want to say?"
"I wanted to apologize. Hell, I wanted to apologize for awhile now, but we keep getting interrupted." Buffy told him as she swung her hands up in the air.
Xander shrugged. "Okay, say what you came here to say."
"What I said back in Sunnydale was wrong. I didn't mean to say it like that. I was in a bad mood and I thought... I don't know what I thought." Buffy told him.
Xander shook his head. "You thought I was disliking Riley out of jealousy. Same way I disliked Angel. But you're wrong. On both counts."
"But I got the impression you were jealous of Angel." Buffy stated.
The young man nodded. "I was a little. But when I realized how flimsy that soul was, how easy it was to get rid of, I knew it was a mistake that you were with him. All it took was one moment of happiness and that's it. Angelus would come out and you wouldn't have it in you to kill him."
"So your feelings have changed now?" Buffy asked him.
Xander nodded. "For Angel? Yeah. There's no way that Angelus will ever resurface again. Wolfram and Hart brought it out of him and we destroyed it. But I still haven't changed my feelings about Riley."
"Riley wants you dead, Xan." Buffy told him carefully.
Xander shrugged. "For his own twisted reasons, I'm sure. But I have Darla to worry about now. She hardly knows anything about this world. All her memories are locked away somewhere in her mind, and I hope it stays that way."
"You don't want her to remember what she did as a vampire." Buffy observed.
"Yeah. Darla won't recover from it." Xander told her.
Buffy nodded. "If I could go back in time and take back what I said to you in Sunnydale, I would."
"Don't." Xander told her. "Because I believe it was all meant to happen this way. Everything happens for a reason."
"What I told you in Sunnydale, about me being in love with you. It's not a complete lie." Buffy told him.
Xander gave her a look. "I thought it was a complete lie, actually."
"No," Buffy said as she shook her head. "I love you as a best friend, but I said those other things to keep you from leaving, I guess. I'm sorry."
Xander sighed. "When Angel was evil, and Willow was put into a coma, I told her I loved her so that she would wake up. It worked. So, I guess I can understand why you said it."
Buffy nodded. "So, when your problems here are done, are you and Darla coming back to Sunnydale?"
The dark-haired teen shook his head. "I don't think so. Darla and I have decided to stay here in Los Angeles. There was never anything keeping me in Sunnydale anyway. There's just too many memories of me being a loser in that town. I'd hate for Darla to start seeing me like that."
"I don't think that's possible. You two are made for each other. Anyone with eyes can see that." Buffy told him with a smile.
Xander shrugged. "I know. But going back to Sunnydale is not in the cards. We're going to make a go of it here in L.A."
Tara stood on the balcony as she looked out over the lobby of the Hyperion, unaware of Willow walking towards her.
"Hey Tara, what are you doing up here?" Willow asked her as she stood next to the blonde witch.
The taller girl shook her head. "Just panicking to myself over our situation."
Willow nodded. "I know. I'm worried about where we're headed, too."
"Actually," Tara explained. "I was talking about the Initiative."
"Oh," Willow said quietly.
Tara turned to look at her and sighed. "Whatever's going on between us is too complicated right now to sift through. Can't we just be friends right now?"
Willow shook her head. "I don't know if I can. I want to be more than friends with you."
The blonde wiccan turned back to look out over the lobby. "Right now all I want is to be friends."
"Okay," Willow said reluctantly. "I'll take you any way that I can get you."
Tara nodded solemnly as Willow walked down the stairs to join the others in the abandoned hotel.
Xander put in a CD in the abandoned CD Player he and Darla had found in their hotel room closet.
"Usually women have to pay to see me dance like this," Xander told her as the music started playing.
Darla checked to make sure the door was locked, before jumping onto their big bed and watching her lover.
Xander swayed to the rock music that played softly from the player, slowly removing his shirt and throwing it towards Darla.
The blonde woman caught it and chuckled as she threw it to the floor and cheered him on.
The telekinetic teen grinned and kicked off his shoes and socks. He listened to Darla encouraging him as the young man continued his strip tease.
"That's it baby, keep going." Darla said with a laugh as Xander teasingly removed his pants and kicked them across the room, hitting a lit lamp.
Xander laughed and jumped up on the large bed and gently kissed Darla, as she removed his last piece of clothing.
Giles couldn't put down the Tiberius Manifesto book that Xander had given to him.
"The council once believed this book was lost. Along with the Codex." Giles explained to Buffy and the others.
Angel nodded. "I remember you spoke of it once."
"You had the Codex, but this one was believed lost forever." Giles said as he skimmed through the book.
Faith decided to speak up. "So is this about the slayers."
"Slayers from the past and the present." Giles told her with giddiness.
Buffy raised an eyebrow. "It wouldn't have prophecies about the future slayers does it? Giving us an idea on how long we have left to live?"
"Jesus, B," Faith exclaimed. "That's really morbid."
Giles shook his head with worry as he read the last couple of pages. "It speaks of the two slayers coming together to fight the Final Battles. It doesn't have any details on the next slayers."
"Maybe there aren't any because we survive the Final Battles?" Buffy asked aloud.
Faith sighed, knowing that prophecies are never pleasant as Giles looked up to the two girls.
"Or maybe their called the 'Final Battles' for a reason. Maybe it destroys everything we hold dear." Giles said grimly as the large group thought it over.
Xander flushed the toilet and left the bathroom. He was on his way back to Darla in their bedroom, when Willow called out to him.
The young man stopped and reluctantly faced the redhead. "What is it?"
Willow wanted to back out of the uncomfortable situation, but decided to go through with it.
"I wanted to apologize. For the way I treated you since Oz." Willow told him.
Xander sighed as he stared at his closed bedroom door. He turned back to face Willow and shook his head. "You don't have to apologize anymore."
"I do. I do need to say sorry. It was wrong. I can't imagine what it must have been like to feel like nobody was there for you." Willow told him gently.
The dark-haired teenager nodded. "It wasn't the best time of my life."
Willow nodded with understanding. "Well, you won't have to go through that again. You've got Darla now, and our whole group with you."
"This isn't because of my powers, is it?" Xander asked her carefully.
The young woman shook her head. "No, no. It's just this is a long time coming."
Xander smiled at her. "Thanks anyway."
"Are we going to be friends again, anytime soon?" Willow asked hopefully.
Xander shrugged his shoulders. "With the world we live in? Anything's possible."
Darla watched their bedroom door open and Xander walk inside. He closed and locked the door and climbed into bed with her.
"That was a long pee." Darla joked with him.
Xander chuckled and shook his head. "I ran into Willow in the hallway afterwards."
"Oh, I'm sorry." Darla said sadly.
Her soulmate sighed. "It's still very uncomfortable talking to her and Buffy. It's not easy to forget what happened back in Sunnydale."
Darla nodded as her hand slipped under the sheets. "I know of a way to make you forget for a for half an hour."
"Ooh," Xander said with excitement. "You're going to be the death of me."
"Yeah," Darla said with a sly grin. "But what a way to go."
You sit in silence in the shadows
You don't complain or citicise
And while the world may see me as a fool
They're not looking through your eyes
No questions asked
You're there
When I need you
With a love that inspires
Me to be
Everything you deserve
Cause you're my
Unsung hero
And I know it's not easy
To walk in your shoes
Day after day
You continue to amaze me
Now I sing this song of love
For you
While other long to steal the spotlight
You work your magic quietly
Cause you're not in it for the glory
The love you give comes naturally
I may not have much
What I have
I give it to you
This song that I sing
Is my gift
And I swear that I mean every word
Cause you're my
Unsung hero
And I know it's not easy
To walk in your shoes
Day after day
You continue to amaze me
Now I sing this song of love
For you
My unsung hero
And I know it's not easy
To walk in your shoes
Day after day
You continue to amaze me
Now I sing this song of love
For you
Now I sing this song of love
For you
Sing this song of love
Sing this song of love
I'll sing it for you baby
Sing it for you
You are my hero
The Initiative soldiers stood at attention as Riley gave them orders.
"The time has come for us to make our stand. To accomplish our mission. And what is our mission? To find the enemy, contain the enemy and eradicate the enemy." Riley reminded the large amount of troops as he paced back and forth.
Forrest and Graham could only watch as Riley continued. "We have already achieved the first two. We found where they are hiding, and we have discovered that they have been hiding in an abandoned hotel in the area. Now it is time to strike."
Graham decided to speak up. "Agent Finn? Don't you think it's unethical to go after Harris when he's surrounded by civilians?"
"Civilians?" Riley asked his friend, with a touch of insanity.
"They are civilians, Riley." Forrest said, trying to convince his former friend.
Riley shook his head. "Let me remind all of you who these 'civilians' are. Xander Harris, our main target, is a very dangerous telekinetic who needs to be put down permanently. There is also Willow Rosenberg and Tara Maclay, who happen to be two equally powerful witches."
The soldiers stared at the man in charge, taking in the information as Riley continued.
"We are also dealing with two vampire slayers. One, Faith, recently got paroled after spending time in prison for assault and battery on humans, not to mention several murders which are still unexplained. The other slayer? Betrayed us and all that we stand for by siding with Harris and the other abominations in society. Buffy's life is forfeit along with Faith's." Riley told the soldiers.
Forrest shook his head with incredulity.
"Also among their group is a half-demon aberration which named itself, Doyle. He's dating a former student of Sunnydale, Cordelia Chase. Ms. Chase may be supernatural also, we don't know for sure. Our intel says that Doyle gets visions from God. If anyone in that group is going to tip us off to the rest of them, it's definately that freak." Riley informed the large group.
The slightly deranged soldier walked toward the soldiers. "They also have two vampires with them. One owns a detective agency here in L.A. and has been responsible for several of our fallen soldiers. His name is Angel and it is over two hundred and forty seven years old. The other vampire goes by the name of Spike. Although most of you here will recognize him as escaped sub-terrestrial 'Hostile 17'."
"Hostile 17 is with them?" One of the soldiers asked with surprise.
Riley nodded. "That is correct. I hope now you understand what type of people we're dealing with. They also have with them a former vengeance demon that goes by the name of Anya. The only collateral damage in this situation would be Rupert Giles, who is the shopkeeper of The Magic Box back in Sunnydale. But it is one loss for a hell of a lot of gains."
Forrest decided to speak up. "Agent Finn. What about the blonde woman that has been seen with Harris? Surely she's not a threat."
"Our analysis on Darla tells us that she used to be a vampire. A very dangerous vampire who was responsible for murders all across Europe. She is not an innocent." Riley told him with focus.
Dr. Williams walked towards Riley and handed him a slip of paper. Riley smiled as the doctor walked back towards the tent.
"Gentlemen. This is it. We have one chance to accomplish our mission. I am ordering every soldier here to go on full attack. I don't want anyone in that group able to strike back at us. I have just gotten a message that the group has left the hotel. This is our chance to strike." Riley said with hatred.
Xander and Darla walked ahead of the others as they were heading back to the hotel. Their search for Spike was unsuccessful as the large group walked through the dark streets.
Willow and Tara looked up at the sky and grimly stared at the large tear. Buffy and Angel walked with Cordelia and Doyle as Anya, Faith and Giles moved behind them.
"Where the hell has Spike gotten to?" Anya asked with impatience.
Angel shook his head. "I have no idea. Maybe he ran into my evil half? Or Xander's."
"Or he could have ran into Darla's double." Anya theoried out loud. "Were they close back in the day?"
"No," Angel told her. "Darla thought Spike was a troublesome oath who brought more trouble than we needed. They weren't close."
Anya nodded as the large group made their way back to the Hyperion hotel, unaware that the large Initiative army were waiting for them.
Xander and Darla held hands as they walked ahead of the others. The telekinetic teen looked up at the sky and grinned.
"Apart from that gap in the sky, the view is pretty good tonight." Xander told her.
Darla nodded as she saw the bright lights of the streets, the lights coming off of televisions in closed stores. She watched a couple of cars drive by with fascination.
"I can't believe how far technology has come from when I remember." Darla commented.
Xander gave her a look. "I thought you couldn't remember your past."
Darla nodded. "I can only remember small pieces, I told you that before. But enough to know we didn't have electricity back in my time. Especially cars."
Xander grinned as he kissed her ear. "Well, in time I'll get you up to speed on all that stuff."
Darla smiled and continued to hold his hand as they walked down the street.
The telekinetic teen looked away from his soulmate and spotted the Initiative's large army, with Riley standing in front of the mass of soldiers.
"Oh hell," Xander breathed just before a loud gunshot filled the air.
Buffy, Angel and the others ducked instantly at the sound of the gunshot and looked ahead to Xander and Darla.
Xander grew concerned when Darla turned to him slowly. He saw blood forming through her shirt and panicked as she fell to the ground.
"Somebody! Help me!" Xander screamed aloud, causing his friends to run up to him, despite the threat of more bullets.
Darla felt Xander kneeling over her as her vision blurred. She felt her eyes begin to tire and the pain in her chest fade away slowly.
"Don't leave me," Xander begged as he held Darla to him.
"I love y..." Darla tried to say as her eyes closed for the last time, dying in his arms.
Xander held her lifeless body in his arms as he became overwhelmed with grief. Tara comforted an upset Willow as all they could do was watch the scene unfold.
Giles and Cordelia stared at Darla's body in shock as Doyle moved over to Angel and Buffy.
Doyle shook his head. "The vision still happened. I thought we could stop it."
"It's not your fault," Angel told him with sadness as Buffy ran towards Xander. "I should have been a lot more careful. We shouldn't have left the hotel."
Forrest and Graham stood in shock and remorse as they watched Riley lower his smoking firearm.
"I can't believe this. You shot an innocent woman!" Forrest yelled at Riley in anger.
Riley moved toward Forrest and Graham in an angry face off. "What did I tell you about these people? They're all our enemies. We're going to kill them all. Starting with that blonde bitch."
Graham shook his head with pity. "I can't believe you've done this."
"Are you going to help us destroy them or what?" Riley threatened them with clenched teeth.
Forrest shook his head as he and Graham started to leave the large army. "We're not going to be involved in mass murder."
"Then piss off!" Riley yelled as he watched his two former friends run away from the Initiative towards a jeep.
Graham and Forrest jumped into the jeep and started the engine, speeding away from the scene as quickly as possible.
"Xander?" Buffy called out to him gently as Xander continued to hold Darla's body in his arms.
Xander's body shook with grief as he couldn't come to grips with what had just happened. He ran his hand through Darla's blonde hair and wished her to wake up.
"Xander, we have to go. Before your powers hit the roof." Buffy told him urgently as the Initiative started to move towards them.
The telekinetic teen looked away from Darla and spotted the advancing army. Buffy and the others heard loud rumbling surround them and looked around worriedly.
"What is that? A couple of tanks?" Cordelia asked with worry.
Doyle shook his head as he stared at Xander. "No. It's him."
Buffy grabbed Xander's shoulder and squeezed hard. "We have to go. Now!!"
Xander shook off her grip on him and it caused the street lights to explode, one at a time. Everyone watched the lights shatter one after the other, sending the large street into darkness.
Angel ran towards Buffy and pulled her away from Xander, who continued to kneel next to Darla's corpse.
"Let me go! I have to stop him from doing something stupid." Buffy said angrily to her ex.
The vampire shook his head. "It's nothing that they don't deserve, and you know it."
Giles and Faith ushered Cordelia, Doyle, Anya, Tara and Willow into an adjacent alleyway to get away from the noise and impending doom.
Cordelia and Doyle watched with the others as the glass windows of the stores, exploded outwards, showering the street with shards of broken glass.
Anya and Willow covered their ears from the noise of the smashing glass, mixed with the louder than ever rumbling. Angel dragged Buffy forcibly to join the others hiding in a small alley, as they felt the ground shake.
Xander kissed the top of Darla's head and laid her body on the ground. He stood up and faced the approaching Initiative, his face red with rage and hatred.
The teenager's body began to shake with anger and grief as he faced down the soldiers.
"Open fire!!" Riley ordered the soldiers with venom in his voice.
The soldiers began firing at Xander with deadly intent. Xander stood his ground, using his powers to deflect every single bullet fired from their assault weapons.
Riley noticed the bullets bounce off of Xander as he watched the teenager use his powers as some sort of defense shield.
"Keep on firing!!" Riley yelled out to his men as they continued shooting at him with everything they had.
Xander started to walk towards them slowly, the bullets ricocheting off of him and hitting parked cars nearby. Several bullets smashed the car windows, and as Xander walked past them, the cars flew up into the air.
The soldiers ran out of the way of the falling cars, as the vehicles hit the road and exploded with the impact. Fire raged out of control as Xander's powers caused the cars to twist into grotesque shapes, before exploding with metallic shrapnel.
Several Initiative soldiers got hit by the twisted metal which exploded outward toward them. They fell to the ground dead as other soldiers continued firing at him to no effect.
Xander bowed his head and used his rage to send two Initiative soldiers flying backwards with incredible speed, smashing them into one of their vans which blew up from the force.
The army van flipped in the air and flew towards other soldiers, coming down in another fiery inferno, killing other Initiative soldiers as it hit the ground.
Xander walked past a fire hydrant and he flicked his hand, causing the hydrant to crack and fall apart. The water gushed out of the ruined hydrant, and Xander used his powers to change the molecules of the water into ice.
The grieving teen watched as the water turned to ice, which seconds later exploded, firing icicles at the soldiers still alive. They screamed in pain as the icicles pierced their flesh, killing them as Xander flung other soldiers into the air and crushing others with his unstoppable powers.
Large fireballs were formed from the burning vehicles and rolled down the street, hitting the soldiers closest to them and burning them alive.
Xander stood his ground as he roared in anger at the street, causing the road to crack and split. Some of the soldiers fell to their deaths in the deep fissure, as Riley jumped out of the way and hid behind another car.
The windows of a hardware store blew outward with shattered glass, killing another soldier. Long strands of rope shot out of the hardware store and wrapped themselves around the necks of Initiative soldiers, who fired wildly at the ropes in a vain attempt to free themselves.
Xander flung his head upwards and the ropes shot up into the air, taking the tied up soldiers with them, killing them instantly as they hung from mid-air.
The dark-haired teenager shoved his hands in front of him, and the power that shot out of him caused row upon row of parked cars to explode in a fiery inferno. The explosions killed other soldiers, some caught on fire and ran wildly into the street.
Riley swore loudly and ran to get the rocket launcher that he had placed in the jeep, carefully hiding from Xander's sight as the telekinetic teen walked past him.
The soldiers continued firing at Xander from separate areas in the battle zone that used to be a normal street. The light poles began to bend out of shape and swung down on some of the soldiers, crushing them with a single blow.
Xander saw the surviving Initiative soldiers run behind a large wall of fire and blindly continued shooting at him, the bullets still bouncing off of him as if they were nothing.
The pissed off teenager walked toward the wall of flame without stopping, his powers separating the wall of fire so that he could walk through it without getting injured.
"Retreat! Retreat!" The soldiers yelled as they watched Xander walk through the fire without fear.
Riley appeared from the jeep with the loaded rocket launcher and pointed it at Xander.
"Dodge this, you freak!" Riley yelled at him as he fired the rocket launcher.
Xander stared at his most hated enemy. "Riley."
The rocket was fired directly at Xander and he used his powers to deflect the missile, sending it hurtling directly towards the fleeing soldiers.
Riley stared as the rocket hit the last of his men, killing them instantly in a mess of gore and flame. The sound of the explosion was deafening and rattled what was left of the windows in the next two blocks.
Xander looked up at the small group of dead hanging soldiers, the ropes suspended in mid-air. He flicked his hand and the dead soldiers fell to the ground with sickening thuds.
"You'll pay for what you've done!" Xander screamed at Riley with complete hatred.
"What I've done? What I've done?" Riley asked him angrily.
Xander flung his hand at Riley, throwing the remaining soldier onto the hood of his jeep.
"You killed her! You murdered her!" Xander yelled at him, his rage and hatred at its peak.
Riley looked around at the buildings around him, as he watched the foundations shake with an unimaginable power.
"You took Darla away from me, you fucking sonofabitch!!" Xander roared at him through clenched teeth.
Buffy's ex-boyfriend tried to hit Xander, but his arm was pulled back at the last minute by the teenager's power.
Riley screamed in pain as Xander's powers caused his arm to break. He felt himself being lifted up into the air as his legs bent in a painful angle.
"Go to hell!" Riley yelled at him in anger as Xander used his powers to break both of the soldier's legs.
The young soldier gritted his teeth and grunted in pain as he felt the pain surge through his body.
"You go to hell for me," Xander said with hate as he used his powers to break Riley's neck with a painful-sounding snap.
Xander walked away from Riley's suspended body, who fell to the ground as the telekinetic young man moved away from the street and disappeared to an unknown destination.
Buffy, Giles and Faith cautiously stepped out of the alley and had a look around them.
"What has he done?" Buffy asked in shock as they witnessed the death and destruction.
Angel, Cordelia and Doyle followed them and took in the chaos in what used to be a peaceful street.
Willow, Tara and Anya shook their heads as they spotted the dead burning soldiers, and cars which were still enveloped in flickering flames.
"It looks like World War III," Anya commented as they found the light poles unnaturally twisted out of shape, and every window blown out. They walked around the large gash in the road as Buffy and Giles looked around for Xander.
Angel found Riley's tortured corpse and sighed with relief, knowing that the Initiative were no more. He walked back towards the large group and shook his head.
"Riley's dead. It looks like the Initiative has been completely destroyed. But Xander isn't here." Angel told them.
Doyle walked over to Darla's body, surprised that it wasn't damaged from the large battles that had just taken place.
"Where do you think he's gone?" Doyle asked the others with wonder.
Lee opened the door to Holland's office and walked in hurriedly. "Sir?"
The older lawyer gave him a look. "Did you find the source of those explosions?"
The dark-haired young man gave him a grim look. "Apparently all hell broke loose on Fourth and Spring. Alexander Harris had a run in with the Initiative soldiers."
"How many casualties?" Holland asked him with a sly grin.
Lee shook his head. "Mr. Harris obliterated them completely."
"What?" Holland turned to him with a surprised glance.
The younger lawyer swallowed. "It looks very likely that he's snapped. Fourth and Spring Street is a mess. Gas pipes have been uprooted, windows blown out, body parts everywhere. The cars and street lights have been twisted out of shape."
Holland scratched his head with an amused smile. "Well, that's interesting. Where is he now?"
The office began to shake uncontrollably as the windows rattled. Parts of the ceiling caved in as Holland and Lee clutched the walls, waiting for it to be over.
Lee ran over to the window and looked out towards the street. Holland noticed the worried look on the young lawyer's face.
"Oh, he's here." Lee said with resignation. "And he doesn't look happy."
Xander was on his knees with his arms outstretched, his open palms pointed directly towards the Wolfram and Hart building.
His face was a mask of rage as his power grew to even more intense levels, making the large building shake and rattle as if it were going through an earthquake.
The large Wolfram and Hart building began to slowly lift off the ground as Xander's powers controlled the building full of evil lawyers.
Lawyers and their demon clients ran about in the large building in panic, as Holland and Lee continued to stare at Xander.
"It looks like this is it," Holland told Lee calmly as the building lurched upwards into the sky.
Lee held onto the table as the walls in Holland's office cracked and crumbled under the force of Xander's powers.
"The Senior Partners aren't going to like this!" Lee yelled out to him over the screams of the other lawyers.
Holland stared out his office window as he realized what Xander was up to. "I don't know. I guess we'll find out sooner than we think."
Xander stared up at the night-sky, his eyes focused on the flying Wolfram and Hart building as it headed towards the large tear in the sky.
His hands began to shake uncontrollably as his powers managed to shove the large lawfirm through the supernatural tear.
The telekinetic teen watched with anger as the Wolfram and Hart building disappeared through the torn hole in the sky, instantly sealing up the gap and restoring the sky to normal.
Xander collapsed to the ground tiredly, his hands hitting the concrete. He looked up and saw water gushing from pipes where the Wolfram and Hart building used to be.
You spend all your time waiting
for that second chance
for a break that will make it okay
The tired teenager picked himself up from the ground and sighed, feeling weak. He began to walk away from the now empty space which once occupied the law firm.
There's always some reason
to feel not good enough
and it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction
oh, beautiful release
memory seeps from my veins
Thoughts of Darla filled his head as Xander continued to walk, hearing the sirens of the fire brigade and the police in the far distance.
let me be empty
well, weightlessness and maybe
i'll find some peace tonight
He remembered his dreams of Darla, how he finally became reunited with her in one of Wolfram and Hart's dungeons, their first kiss, the first time they made love.
In the arms of the angel
far away from here
from this dark, cold hotel room
and the endlessness that you fear
you are pulled from the wreckage
of your silent reverie
in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort here
Xander remembered the way she always had one eyebrow raised higher than the other before she smiled. He thought back to how she smelled after her showers.
so tired of the straight line
and everwhere you turn
are vultures and thieves at your back
and the storm keeps on twisting
He thought back to all the times that he and Darla were either chased by the Initiative, the Wolfram and Hart lawyers and their security guards, or their vampire doppelgangers.
'They ruined our chance together,' Xander thought as he walked towards Darla's body and the scene of the Initiative massacre.
you keep on building the lies
that you make up for all that you lack
it don't make no difference
escape one last time
Xander kept trying to picture a living Darla in his head, but all he saw was the love of his life being shot and dying in his arms.
He remembered her last words as he found himself back in the destroyed street, finding Darla's body lying where he left her.
'I love y...' Xander heard her say in his mind over and over again.
it's easier to believe
in this sweet madness
Tears pricked his eyes as he finally let go of his anger and let the grief consume him. He fell to his knees and held Darla in his arms one more time, ignoring the sounds of the oncoming sirens and his friends who spotted him.
all this glorious sadness
it brings me
to my knees
"I'm sorry," Xander said as he held her and wept. "I'm so sorry."
Giles walked towards Xander and laid a comforting hand on the young man's shoulder.
"We can't stay here, Xander." Giles told him gently as he felt sympathy for the boy he thinks of as his son.
in the arms of the angel
fly away from here
from this dark, cold hotel room
and the endlessness that you fear
Somehow, Xander found the strength inside him to stand up and wipe away his streaming tears.
Giles stared down at Darla's lifeless body and then turned to Xander. "We can take her back to the Hyperion. Until you're ready."
you are pulled from the wreckage
of your silent reverie
in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort here
Xander noticed that Angel had gotten his car and had it ready down the street, as Faith, Doyle and Anya got into the car. Willow and Buffy stared at him in sympathy as they got into Angel's car also.
"I'll drive us to the hotel with your car," Giles told him as Tara and Cordelia headed towards the two men.
The telekinetic teen nodded and knelt down. He picked Darla up off the ground and held her in his arms as they walked towards Xander's car parked next to Angel's.
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort here.
Xander moved some hair away from Darla's face and kissed her cold forehead.
"I love you too," He whispered to her. "I always will."
Xander sat in a chair and stared at Darla's body after he laid her down on their bed in the Hyperion.
He heard his friends talking in the main foyer of the hotel as Xander stared at the closed bedroom door.
The young man sniffed back tears as he stood up out of his chair and quietly walked away from Darla's body, opening their bedroom door.
Xander heard the arguments from downstairs as he left the room and walked into the hallway.
"What's going on?" Xander asked the large group as they quietened and turned to look up at him.
Giles shook his head. "We're just wondering on what to do next."
"What to do?" Xander asked him with no emotion in his voice. "The Initiative's destroyed, Wolfram and Hart are gone, the tear in the sky is cleared up, Darla's dead. What more is there to do?"
Willow walked up the stairs to get closer to him. "Xander, we're all worried about you. We think it's time to call an ambulance for Darla."
Xander ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I'm not going to apologize for what I did to those bastards. They all deserved it. After what they did to Darla and everyone like her."
Angel nodded as he walked towards Willow, while looking at Xander. "You don't have to apologize. They were bad people and got what they had coming. But who we're concerned about is you."
"Xander, Darla is dead." Faith reminded him gently. "It wasn't your fault, it wasn't something you could prevent. Trust me when I tell you that."
Cordelia walked over to the beginning of the stairs and nodded with sympathy. "No matter how much power you're capable of, you're still human. You're not God."
Xander gave her an interested look. "What did you say?"
"Uh," Cordelia thought back. "You're still human?"
"No," Xander said with a shake of his head. "I'm not God."
Cordelia nodded as Xander stared at her. "Well, it's true."
"I know it is. But I also know someone that can contact God," Xander told her as he turned towards Doyle.
Doyle and Angel exchanged a look before the Brachen demon turned to the grieving young man. "You want me to talk to the Powers That Be?"
"No. I want to talk to the Powers That Be," Xander told him calmly. "But I need you to take me there."
"I still don't think this is a good idea, man." Doyle told Xander as they stood underneath the post office in some underground chamber.
Xander nodded as he spotted the foreign inscription above the white stone arc. "'The Gateway For Lost Souls' is under the post office?"
Doyle shook his head with a chuckle. "You and Angel are a lot alike."
"You don't have to stay here. I'm going to be awhile." Xander said as he was handed a large mirror by Doyle.
The Brachen demon nodded. "Are you sure? Because I can wait."
"No, it's okay." Xander replied. "With all the FBI and others running around because of the Initiative mess, it's best that you stay hidden with the others."
Doyle nodded as he headed towards the exit. "Don't break that mirror."
"Why do I need this?" Xander asked him curiously.
The half-human shrugged his shoulders. "You won't be able to talk to the Powers That Be. Nobody can actually talk to them. You will however get to talk to the Oracles that protect the gateway. And they always like a gift."
"Oracles?" Xander clarified.
Doyle nodded. "Yeah. These guys are pretty unpredictable, so keep things straight. Don't mess around with these people."
Xander watched as Doyle dropped some herbs into the urn in the middle of the chamber.
"'We beseech access to the knowing ones,'" Doyle called out as he put a lighter into the urn.
The teenager watched as the urn filled with high flames. He got distracted by a bright light and he turned around.
Xander noticed that the white arc was filled with bright light. "This is it?"
"That's it," Doyle answered as he put his lighter back into his jacket. "I'll meet you back at the hotel, okay?"
The young man nodded as he held onto the large mirror. He watched Doyle leave the underground chamber before turning back to the glowing arc.
Closing his eyes, he stepped forward towards the arc and was instantly enveloped in bright light.
Xander opened his eyes and found himself in a white marble chamber. He looked around the large room and found two glittery figures standing next to a brightly lit entrance.
"Come before us, Alexander." The male Oracle called out to him.
The telekinetic teen gave the pair an odd look as he walked towards them. "I was told you people call everyone a 'lower being'."
The female Oracle smiled at him. "You are far from a lower being, Alexander."
"What have you brought us?" The male Oracle asked him.
Xander showed them the large mirror. The male Oracle held out his hand and the mirror flew out of the teenager's hand and into his own.
"I see you guys have the same power I have." Xander commented with no surprise in his voice as he stared at the two figures.
The female Oracle nodded with a smile. "Yes, imagine that."
The male Oracle stared at himself in the mirror with an amused expression on his face as he tapped the mirror. "Mortal inventions always fascinate me."
Xander looked back and forth between the two supernatural figures and became irritated. "Alright, what the hell is going on here? One minute I'm a normal teenager. And then one morning I wake up with this power. The same type of power that you two seem to have."
The male Oracle stared at him. "You were chosen to bear this gift. The gift of God."
"What?" Xander asked with a shake of his head.
The female Oracle nodded at the mortal. "You are not the only one on your planet with this gift."
"From the beginning of time, when your planet was first created, there was always a plan to annoint a select group of human mortals. This group would protect the world during the Final Battles and help stave off the final armageddon." The male Oracle informed him.
Xander felt a chill run up his spine. "I heard about that. It was a prophecy for Buffy."
"No," The female Oracle said with a shake of her head. "It is a prophecy for humanity. The Slayers play a small part in the Final Battles as does Angel, the vampire with a soul. But it is up to you and the others to avert the apocalypse."
Xander swallowed nervously. "What am I?"
"There is no official word for what you are. But others on your planet have called themselves 'Channelers'. That makes you a Channeler also." The male Oracle told him.
The female Oracle walked towards Xander, moving away from the brightly lit corridor. "You have the ability to move objects with your mind. The ability to shapeshift and the ability to heal others with the touch of your palm. Including yourself."
Xander shook his head angrily. "Heal others? That's not possible. I can't heal others. Darla's dead and I couldn't stop her from dying. She died in my arms."
"You heal others by laying your open palm upon their wound," The male Oracle replied as he walked down to join his partner.
Xander hung his head with sadness. "I didn't do that. So, it's true. I am responsible for her death. It was my fault."
The male and female Oracle exchanged looks and the woman nodded. The glittery male figure laid a hand on Xander's shoulder as the female Oracle began to walk back towards the gateway.
"There is one more ability that exists with your gift," The male Oracle told him. "The gift of resurrection."
Xander stared at him with renewed hope. "She won't be some type of zombie?"
"What was once living, will live once more." The female Oracle answered from her position.
The telekinetic smiled excitedly. "How? How do I bring Darla back?"
"Lay the back of her head against your chest with one of your hands." The male Oracle told him as he walked back up to join his female partner.
Xander looked at them oddly. "That's it? Nothing else?"
"That is it," The male Oracle told him. "Good luck on your ventures, Alexander. When the time comes, you'll know it. Until then, good luck."
The female Oracle held up her hand and the force sent Xander flying backwards through the portal. He landed on his feet in the underground chamber and gripped the urn for balance.
Xander turned towards the white stone arc and saw that it was normal once more. He looked down at his hands and thought of his soulmate.
"Darla," Xander breathed as he ran out of the underground chamber.
Morning smiles
like the face of a newborn child
innocent unknowing
Winter's end
promises of a long lost friend
speaks to me of comfort
Xander ran out onto the street like a madman, dodging cars as drivers blew their horns at him in anger.
But Xander didn't care. All that ran through his mind was the thought of Darla coming back to him, more time spent with the woman he loved.
but I fear
I have nothing to give
I have so much to lose
here in this lonely place
tangled up in our embrace
there's nothing I'd like
better than to fall
but I fear I have nothing to give
Xander ran down street after street on his way towards the Hyperion hotel without stopping for a breath. He wanted to get there as soon as he possibly could.
Wind in time
rapes the flower trembling on the vine
nothing yields to shelter it
from above
they say temptation will destroy our love
the never ending hunger
The front doors to the Hyperion hotel burst open as Xander's friends turned around quickly to the noise.
They found a breathless Xander who didn't say a word to them. Instead, he simply bounded up the stairs towards Darla's body.
but I fear
I have nothing to give
I have so much to lose
here in this lonely place
tangled up in our embrace
there's nothing I'd like
better than to fall
Xander closed the bedroom door behind him as he walked in his hotel room. He sat on the edge of the bed and faced Darla's body. Xander remembered what the Oracles told him and lifted her up into his arms.
but I fear
I have nothing to give
I have so much to lose
I have nothing to give
We have so much to lose...
"Please God, let this work," Xander prayed as he held Darla's lifeless body to his living one.
Xander pinned the back of her head against his chest with the use of his palm and waited. All of a sudden white light glowed from his body and painlessly shot into hers.
The telekinetic teen stared into the bedroom mirror at their reflection as he watched Darla open her eyes, as if she were in a deep sleep.
Tears of relief flowed down his cheeks as Darla realized where she was. She saw his tears in the reflection and turned around to face him.
"What happened?" Darla asked him with concern. "The last thing I remember was that I got shot."
Xander nodded as he pulled her to him and hugged her for dear life. "It's okay now. Everything's okay."
Darla felt Xander burst into tears of joy as she held him. "I love you."
"I love you too," Xander told her as he felt her heartbeat.
They pulled away and faced each other, just when the bedroom door opened and Willow and the others watched with shock.
"Oh my god," Buffy breathed as she and the others witnessed the miracle.
Angel realized that the two lovers needed their privacy as he nodded to Xander and closed the bedroom door. The young man could hear muffled talk of excitement as their friends exited their hotel room.
Darla turned Xander to face her as she kissed him on the lips passionately. "I can't begin to imagine how hard that must have been for you."
Xander nodded. "I went through hell when I thought I lost you. I don't think I could make it through this world alone."
"How did you bring me back?" Darla asked him as she wiped away his tears.
The teenager shook his head. "It's a long story. But first, there's something I want to ask you."
"What is it?" Darla asked him.
Xander smiled at her. "Will you marry me?"
"What?" Darla asked with surprise.
The dark-haired young man stroked her cheek. "If this has taught me anything, it's that life is too short. That we should make the most of what we've got. I love you more than I've ever loved anybody else. Will you marry me?"
"Yes," Darla answered happily. "I'll marry you."
Xander chuckled happily and then he realized something. "I don't have an engagement ring on me right now. But I'll get it."
"It doesn't matter," Darla told him. "In fact, why don't we get married now?"
The young Channeler laughed and nodded. "I like the way you think. You're right. Why wait? Let's go tell the others."
Darla and Xander moved in for one more kiss before leaving their bedroom.
Xander stood at the front of the altar with Giles as his best man. The young man checked his tuxedo for the last time as Giles shook his head.
"You look fine, Xander. Quit stressing," Giles advised the teenager.
The dark-haired man nodded. "Thanks for being best man."
Giles smiled. "Well, I admit it's not something I expected to happen. Especially after everything that's happened last week."
Xander nodded with awareness. "I know Buffy and Willow think we're rushing things, but after the hell Darla and I have been through, why not? I know she's the one I want to spend the rest of my life with."
The former Watcher chuckled. "That's good. I'm glad things have worked out for you. You've come a long way, Xander. It wasn't that long ago you were rushing over to my house with dreams about her."
Xander thought it over. "Do you know who's giving Darla away?"
Giles nodded. "I have a fair idea."
She comes up and over time
She'll see what I could be
A cold routine or something
It just won't stop touching me
And I wait here another time
Like a thousand times before
I'm dropping out and faded
But I keep on wanting more
The wedding march music began to play and Xander turned around to find Darla walking down the aisle in a beautiful white, flowing wedding dress.
She comes up another time
And she really really doesn't care
That I can't keep time or the rhythm straight
'Cause it's one thing she don't dare
And it's alright I drop the line
Now it's one thing to be free
Well I never really had a thing for that
But it's everything I need
Xander saw Angel walking down the aisle with Darla, their arms entwined, and he realized he should have known it was Angel that would end up giving her away.
And you don't ever understand
It's right here in our hands
The outline of our lives
It's over now
Father Thompson stood in front of the loving couple as they read their vows to each other and their friends in the small church.
And she wakes up from a deeper sleep
A nightmare through and through
She won't stop trippin' on the daytime vibe
But that's one thing I won't do
Then it's over and back again
And she's still on the attack
But I'm convinced I've found a reason
To keep her coming back
"Do you, Alexander Lavelle Harris, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, til death do you part?" Father Thompson asked Xander as their friends watched.
Xander nodded with a smile. "I do."
Darla smiled at him as Father Thompson turned to her. "Do you, Darla, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, til death do you part?"
"I do," Darla replied without hesitation.
Angel and Buffy exchanged smiles and Willow wiped away tears of happiness.
"May I have the rings, please?" Father Thompson asked Giles, who stepped forward.
And you don't ever understand
It's right here in our hands
The outline of our lives
It's over now
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride," Father Thompson told the newly married couple.
Xander faced his equally happy bride and gently pulled back the wedding veil. His eyes widened as Darla pulled him in for a kiss instead as their friends laughed and cheered.
Hours had passed and the sun had set, as the wedding party drew to a close. Darla and Xander headed towards his car, parked outside the church.
"Xander!" Giles called out to him, causing the newly married couple to stop.
The young man turned around to watch Giles run up to them holding a large cage.
"You forgot Gachnar," Giles reminded his former student as Xander laughed.
Darla looked into the cage and was surprised to see a tiny fear demon munching on a dead cockroach.
"You're keeping a tiny demon as a pet?" Darla asked him with surprise.
Xander shrugged. "I asked Buffy not to kill him when he caused some trouble in Sunnydale. I then started to keep him as a pet ever since."
Darla grinned and shook her head. "Okay, but you're feeding him."
The telekinetic teen laughed as Darla held onto the wedding bouquet. She turned her back on the small crowd of their friends and tossed the bouquet up into the air.
Xander and Darla watched as Cordelia caught the wedding bouquet with an excited shriek.
"Oh boy," Doyle said with a worried groan, making Xander and Angel laugh.
The newly married couple got in their car and waved goodbye to their friends as they started the car and drove away towards their honeymoon destination.
Angel, Buffy, Willow and Giles watched the honeymooners drive away for their long-deserved vacation.
Cordelia showed Doyle the bouquet as he nodded with a smile. Tara and Faith watched as they saw a figure walk up the street and cross the road towards them.
Anya knew who it was. "Spike? Where the frigging hell have you been?"
The platinum-blonde vampire shrugged his shoulders. "I was visiting some old friends. Then I went to a brothel and you can guess what I got up to next."
Buffy shook her head as she stared at the British vampire. "You're an idiot, Spike. We turned this city upside down looking for you."
Spike raised an eyebrow at the angry group. "Gee, I didn't know you cared."
"I assume you're coming back to Sunnydale with us?" Giles asked the chipped vampire.
Spike nodded and waited until he saw Angel, Faith, Doyle and Cordelia talk amongst themselves after saying goodbye to their friends. He watched as Buffy, Giles, Willow, Tara and Anya walked back to the two cars, before slinking into the darkness of a nearby alley.
The British vampire put a hand in his coat pocket and pulled out a small microchip. He ran his other hand delicately over the surgical wound that the surgeons from Wolfram and Hart had made and grinned. Spike knew he had to wait awhile before his vampiric body healed the wound, so he could remove the bandage without the Scooby Gang catching on.
Spike dropped the now mute chip implant to the concrete and smashed it to bits with his boot, silently thanking VampDarla for helping him out.
"Spike?! Are you coming or what?!?" Giles yelled out to the de-chipped vampire.
"I'm coming!" Spike yelled back to the Sunnydale group, and then continued softly. "I'm coming alright."
The evil vampire moved towards the Scooby Gang, the group unaware of the new danger they were in as Spike got into the driver's seat of his car.
Tara climbed into the passenger seat as the others got into Giles' car. The blonde Wiccan turned to Spike and gave him a look of concern. "Are you sure you're okay?"
Spike nodded with a mysterious grin. "I've never been better."
Angel, Cordelia, Doyle and Faith watched as their friends from Sunnydale drove back to their hometown.
They walked back towards Angel Investigations, knowing that the Initiative threat was no longer a problem.
When the L.A. gang walked into the office that they had cleaned out in a panic a while ago, Faith found an abandoned television set and turned it on.
The television turned on to reveal a report from CNN, concerning the destruction Xander had caused with his powers.
'Scientists have described the so-called tear in the sky that had so many people in L.A. worried, as a sign of a meteor which barely passed by our planet. Scientists are urging people to stay calm and that the illusion seems to have passed. In other news, the U.S. government are scratching their heads concerning the disappearance of a well-known lawfirm building, Wolfram and Hart. The Wolfram and Hart lawfirm have hit many headlines in the past, due to their controversial clientiele and reports of in-house fighting. Witness claims of the Wolfram and Hart building actually flying through the air have naturally been disregarded by the White House.' The reporter said as the L.A. gang watched the screen.
Angel scoffed at the screen with disbelief. "Typical."
Faith nodded. "People do have a tendency to disbelieve the fantastic. I think it might also explain that mystical thing in Sunnydale that keeps their townspeople in the dark to the real world."
'Meanwhile, the Pentagon are distancing themselves from an army of apparent mercenaries found dead in the streets of Los Angeles. Most of the bodies were charred beyond recognition, due to the exploded gasline beneath the street. Police are baffled to explain the amount of damage caused to 4th and Spring as cars and nearby buildings are damaged beyond repair. Power has recently been restored to the area as the cleanup crew begins to slowly repair the damage, which financial experts say, will cost millions of dollars to fix.'
Doyle and Cordelia moved away from the television as Angel walked with them towards the door.
'And in other news, an elderly married couple in Kansas won the large lottery jackpot last night, defying the odds and stunning their neighbors with their good luck.' The newsreader announced with a smile.
Faith turned off the television and joined the others, as they headed towards the Hyperion to get the files they had moved there earlier.
You won't ever be happier
Until you find that special place where you belong
And you won't ever be happier
Until you find that only way
Until you find the only way back home
Xander pulled the car over to a stop as he leaned over and lovingly kissed Darla. She playfully hit him in the shoulder as her husband laughed and started their car once more, driving back onto the road and towards their honeymoon destination.
It's over now
It's over now
Xander Harris
Willow Rosenberg
Lopar
Buffy Summers
Riley Finn
Forrest Gates
Darla
Joseph Heinrich Nest / The Master
Anthony Harris
Rupert Giles
Anya
Spike
Tara Maclay
Max
Patsy
Graham Miller
Parker Abrams
Angelus
Gypsy Girl
Groundskeeper
Emily
Sarina
Cordelia Chase
Barry Walker
Angel / Liam O'Malley
VampXander
Allen Francis Doyle
Professor Maggie Walsh
Lindsey MacDonald
Holland Manners
Lilah Morgan
Faith
Pete Sawyer
Lucas Thornton
Dr. Peters
Jesse
Oz / Daniel Osborne
Principal Flutie
Principal Snyder
Lee Mercer
Gachnar
Kate Lockley
Phil
A.J.
Detective Kendrick
Jason Scott
Timothy Paulsen
'Little' Tony Papazian
Tom Warner
Tackle
Patrice
Charley Mortimer
VampDarla
Darren Wylie
Heavily Tattooed Tattooist #1
Heavily Tattooed Tattooist #2
Store Owner #1
Store Owner #2
Darin McNamara - Flashback Only
Jack McNamara - Flashback Only
Detective Jack Carlson
Mr. Wolfram
Mr. Hart
Kerflack
Dr. Williams
Snarling Demon
Security Guard #1
Security Guard #2
Male Oracle
Female Oracle
Father Thompson
Newsreader
Drusilla
Scott Hope
Jenny Calendar
Amy Madison
Kendra
Natasha
Veruca
Mayor Richard Wilkens
Kanen
Mrs Pinkwater
Merl
Harmony Kendall
Wesley Wyndam Pryce
Mr. Peterson
Luke
The X Files distributed by Fox (1993-2002)
BTVS episode "Welcome To The Hellmouth" (Season 1, episode 1)
BTVS episode "The Zeppo" (Season 3, episode 13)
BTVS episode "The I In Team" (Season 4, episode 13)
BTVS episode "Bewitched, Bothered, Bewildered" (Season 2, episode 16)
BTVS episode "Prophecy Girl" (Season 1, episode 12)
BTVS episode "The Initiative" (Season 4, episode 7)
"Haunting Me" performed by Stabbing Westward (1998)
BTVS episode "Beer Bad" (Season 4, episode 5)
BTVS episode "A New Man" (Season 4, episode 12)
Scanners distributed by MGM (1981)
BTVS episode "Revelations" (Season 3, episode 7)
BTVS episode "When She Was Bad" (Season 2, episode 1)
BTVS episode "Angel" (Season 1, episode 7)
"Uninvited" performed by Alanis Morrisette (1998)
Very Bad Things distributed by Columbia Tri Star Pictures (1998)
BTVS episode "Homecoming" (Season 3, episode 5)
Angel episode "Five By Five" (Season 1, episode 18)
Angel episode "The Prodigal" (Season 1, episode 15)
BTVS episode "Passion" (Season 2, episode 17)
BTVS episode "Becoming Part 2" (Season 2, episode 22)
BTVS episode "Lover's Walk" (Season 3, episode 8)
BTVS episode "Amends" (Season 3, episode 10)
BTVS episode "Pangs" (Season 4, episode 8)
BTVS episode "Wild At Heart" (Season 4, episode 6)
BTVS episode "Something Blue" (Season 4, episode 9)
Carrie distributed by Warner Bros (1976)
"Gone Hollywood" performed by Supertramp (1979)
"Ode To Joy" performed by Beethoven's 9th Symphony (1824-1826)
BTVS episode "Killed By Death" (Season 2, episode 18)
BTVS episode "Faith, Hope And Trick" (Season 3, episode 3)
Angel episode "In The Dark" (Season 1, episode 3)
Angel episode "Sanctuary" (Season 1, episode 19)
BTVS episode "This Year's Girl" (Season 4, episode 15)
BTVS episode "Surprise" (Season 2, episode 13)
BTVS episode "Graduation Day Part 1" (Season 3, episode 21)
"Hold On" performed by Sarah McLachlan (1993)
"Eternal Flame" performed by The Bangles (1988)
Angel episode "Sense And Sensitivity" (Season 1, episode 6)
Angel episode "Room With A View" (Season 1, episode 5)
BTVS episode "Reptile Boy" (Season 2, episode 5)
BTVS episode "What's My Line Part 2" (Season 2, episode 10)
"Electric Barbarella" performed by Duran Duran (1997)
"You Were Meant For Me" performed by Jewel (1995)
Passions distributed by NBC (1999)
Angel episode "Bachelor Party" (Season 1, episode 7)
From Dusk Till Dawn distributed by Dimension Films (1996)
"Nothing Can Stop Me Now" performed by Nine Inch Nails (1996)
"My Lover's Gone" performed by Dido (1998)
BTVS episode "Doppelgangland" (Season 3, episode 16)
BTVS episode "The Harvest" (Season 1, episode 2)
"Tattoo Vampire" performed by Blue Oyster Cult (1976)
Angel episode "The Ring" (Season 1, episode 16)
BTVS episode "Inca Mummy Girl" (Season 2, episode 4)
BTVS episode "Graduation Day, Part Two" (Season 3, episode 22)
Batman created by DC Comics (1939)
BTVS episode "Helpless" (Season 3, episode 12)
BTVS episode "Becoming, Part 1" (Season 2, episode 21)
BTVS episode "The Wish" (Season 3, episode 9)
Angel episode "Darla" (Season 2, episode 7)
American Pie distributed by Paramount Pictures (1998)
Superman distributed by DC Comics (1939)
"My One Desire (Vampyr's Lullaby)" performed by Willy DeVille (1995)
"Unsung Hero" performed by Tina Arena (1997)
"Angel" performed by Sarah McLachlan (1997)
"Fear" performed by Sarah McLachlan (1997)
"It's Over Now" performed by Neve (1998)
CNN (Cable News Network)