"Anyone home?" Xander Harris asked as he walked into the Angel Investigations office and smiled at the two occupants.
"Great, another loser from Sunnydale." Cordelia said with a frown but there was a hidden love in her voice.
"So Buffys' here then." Xander stated and moved to sit down in an empty chair.
"Well duh."
"Sorry, I wasn't sure. She just took off last night without so much as a goodbye. We got a little worried."
"Still following her around like a little puppy I see." Cordelia said with a deep venom that caused Doyle and Xander to both wince.
"Nah, Giles asked me to come down and give Buff a ride home whenever she's ready."
"Um.. I'm not sure she will be for awhile mate." Doyle said speaking for the first time.
"What's up?" Xander asked in a worried tone as he leaned forward in his chair.
"Well, ya see it's like this..." Doyle started only to be cut off by Cordelia.
"Angel is human and he and Buffy are doing it like bunnies."
"That's about right." Doyle said wincing at Cordy's tact.
"Angel's human? I can kick his ass now. This is great." Xander said with a humorous voice. Then he sobered up quickly.
"Wait a minute. I thought Angel was prophesized through the end of days or whatever."
"He is," Doyle started before looking in thought.," He was, he. Look I don't understand what's goin on exactly. Just that the powers have set him free. He can live his own life and all that."
"This can't be good." Xander said while looking toward the ceiling.
"It just got worse mate." Doyle said before grabbing his head and falling to the ground in pain.
"This is a bad idea Angel." Xander said as both he and the Ex-vampire with a soul began to outfit with weaponry.
"I told you I don't want you to come." Angel said with an authoritive tone that made Xander laugh.
"I didn't listen to you when you were all evil and fangy. Think I'm going to now? Besides, Buffy would kill me if I didn't help you."
"And, she'll kill me if I get you killed." Angel stated back as he, Xander and Doyle walked out of the room and toward the street for Angel's car.
"Damned if ya do, damned if ya don't. Looks like either way we're screwed hey Dea... damnit!!"
"Can't call me that anymore can ya." Angel said with a chuckle finding yet another good consequence of his turning human.
"Shut up." Xander said with an angry voice. He and Angel were on even ground now. In truth Xander was probably a notch or two above the ex-vampire, at least he was used to his human limitations.
"Would tha two of ya grow up please?" Doyle asked as he sat in the passenger seat of the GTX convertible. Xander and Angel both chuckled slightly as Xander jumped in the back seat and Angel sat in the drivers'.
"And away we go." Xander said with a serious voice that through Doyle off for a second. Angel only smiled, for once glad that the young man had his back. When the chips were down you could always count on Xander Harris. That's one thing Angel always respected in the young man.
˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜''
The trio walked through the abandoned salt factory side by side. Xander had a pistol crossbow in his right hand and short sword in his left.
"So this thing gets bigger, stronger and uglier with each regeneration?" Xander asked looking around worriedly.
"Yeah." Doyle said as he kept looking at the book.
"Just tell me how I kill it." Angel said with a sigh as he to surveyed the area.
"Um.. The book is kinda smudged, just says something about a thousand eyes."
"Great, did the demon have a thousand eyes?" Xander asked Angel as he looked toward his ally.
"Not that I saw." The new human said with despair.
"Well..." Xander started but was cut off as he was thrown away from the duo of Doyle and Angel.
"Oh shi.." Doyle started to say before he was backhanded by the large green demon and knocked out cold when he struck a large steel pipe. Angel jumped forward with his large sword outstretched, far slower than he had in the last hundred and fifty years. He was tossed down quickly and easily. He felt the biting pain in his wrist as the large demon stepped on it causing him to lose his sword. Then he felt the pain abruptly lessen as Xander flying tackled the demon causing both flying bodies to fall into a deep salt pit. Two thuds later and Angel was up looking for a ladder to go down and help his Sunnydale ally.
Xander rolled to his feet quickly barely dodging the large foot that would have smashed his head.
"So. How about this weather?" The young man asked with a nervous chuckle and a gasp for breath. The fall had winded the young man more than he wanted to show. He looked to his right to see the short sword that had fallen out of his grasp as he hit the ground. He dove for it, too slow. The large green demon sent out a ferocious kick that caught Xander in the ribs sending him into the far wall of the pit. Xander hit the ground on his stomach but stood as quickly as he could getting a handful of salt in each hand. As the demon made his way toward Xander the young man just stood tall waiting for the moment he knew was coming. Finally it did, the demon swung with a hard right which Xander ducked. The young scooby spun around behind the demon and jumped on it's back pushing both palms full of salt directly into the demons eyes. The demon roared in pain and anger and caught Xander in the chest with a hard elbow that knocked the Zeppo off the beast back and onto his own. Xander rolled once again to his feet only to receive a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down to see the demons short sword sticking out his stomach. He coughed slightly and fell backwards taking the sword with him. It was then that Angel finally made his way to the scene. With a loud yell the hero jumped from mid-way down the ladder sending both feet into the back of the demons' neck knocking them both to the ground. However the move cost Angel his breath. The demon got to it's feet quickly and pressed it's advantage by kicking Angel in the ribs lifting the man off the ground and sending him sailing through the air several feet. Angel started to get up and looked behind the demon just in time to see Xander stab the beast through the back with it's own sword. The green blood flew in all directions but Angel noticed that most of it somehow fell onto the gaping wound in Xander's stomach. The demon simply elbowed Xander in the face knocking the young man to the ground once again. And with deliberation the demon pulled the sword through his chest and held it by the handle at ready, watching as Angel began to stand. Angel looked at the demon then at Xander's body and did the only thing he could do. He began to run, he hit the ladder hard and was climbing before he took a single breath.
Doyle shook his head and groaned slightly as he stood.
"Feel like it's Monday already." He said and shook his head again. Then he saw Angel running from the demon. He also noticed Angel looking back every now and again, he had something planned. With a low curse Doyle changed, his demonic visage coming to the surface. He ran toward the fight.
˜˜˜˜˜˜˜'
"GReeg" Angel gritted out as he fell over a steel pipe and once again felt how human he was. His shin felt like it was on fire. He looked up to see the tall demon standing over his prone form, there was no way out, no escape, this was his end. At least that was how it seemed until a flying green faced Doyle flying tackled the larger demon. Round three had just began.
"HUUUGGHGH." Xander gasped out as his body took in it's first breath in over a minute.
"What the...?" Xander asked still taking deep gasping breaths. He stood shakily at first but soon realized he felt better than ever. He heard the fighting going on above him and he could tell by the screams of both Doyle and Angel that things were NOT going good. He looked to his left to see the short sword he had earlier. Picking it up as he went he ran to the ladder and began to climb as fast as he could.
It took Doyle only a second to realize his feet were no longer touching the ground. It to Angel just about as long to realize what the *thousand eyes* comment meant.
"Destroy the crystal Doyle. On it's head!" Angel shouted to his friend. Doyle only gasped as he felt the life leaving his body, he couldn't think clearly enough to say something smartass, much less lift his arm and break a damn crystal. His mind didn't even register when the blade of a short sword pierced the front of the large demon's skull and shattered the crystal into a million pieces. But he did notice that he could breath again when he fell to the ground.
"Come on." Xander said as he lifted Doyle by his left arm.," Let's get outta here." The three nearly beaten warriors walked away from the demon corpse. Xander supporting Doyle while Angel limped along beside him, casting suspicious and curious glances the young man's way.
"What has been done." The male Oracle stated.
"Cannot be undone." The female finished with a finality.
"I want to be able to help, to protect her when the time comes." Angel said with a desperate voice that longed for the right answer.
"We cannot." The male stated.
"We will not." The female added.
"Help you." Both the higher beings finished at the same time.
"What about Xander?," Angel asked, "What's going on with him? He's stronger and faster than any human can be. And he died."
"You were taken out of our plans."
"We had to find another." The female finished once again for the male.
"Xander?" Angel asked in a slightly shocked voice.
"Yes. He is the one now. He is a champion." The male stated obviously tiring of this talk.
"What about me?" Angel asked somewhat lost.
"You can do whatever pleases you. Your free will has been restored." The female said with almost a smile.
"But, what about Xander's free will? You can't make him a slave, he won't go for it."
"We cannot." The male Oracle said while looking almost nervous.
"Control Alexander Harris. He is off limits." The female added with a hint of embarrassment.
"But..." Angel tried to voice a protest being cut off by the male Oracle.
"Enough! Do not come to us for such selfish needs again. Leave now. Do as you please with your mortal life." Angel was thrown out the door and caught by Doyle for the second time in 24 hours.
"Your not coming with me?" Buffy asked Angel as they stood on the sun covered curb infront of Angel Investigations.
"I can't yet," Angel said with a sad smile.," Xander might be the champion now but I know this territory. He needs my help, and, I need to help him."
"Even after all this we can't be together." Buffy said with tears in her eyes. Angel smiled and kissed her cheek softly.
"Yes, we can. I'll visit. A LOT."
"You better." Buffy said as he leaned into the ex-vampires chest and hugged him.
"Count on it." He said as the cab that would take Buffy to the bus station pulled up to the curb.
"Bye for now Buffy."
"Goodbye Angel."
With a final kiss and a wave Buffy stepped off the curb into the cab. She and Angel shared a long look as the cab started down the pavement.
"You know you can go Angel.," Xander said as he stepped out of the AI building.," Doyle and I can handle it."
"I know,." Angel said before turning and looking at Xander.," But I'm not ready to handle a normal life just yet."
"Good, cause I don't know a damn thing about this hero business."
"Xander," Angel started as the two began to walk back into the building.," You know a lot more than you give yourself credit for." The doors shut behind them and only three words could be heard.
"Xander Investigations."
"NO!!!"