Buffy wandered through the newly opened store and took in the costumes that filled the store to near bursting point as she sought out 'the dress' that would make Angel's long stilled pulse race. She saw Willow glancing at a wild looking outfit that left very little to one's imagination and she snuck up behind her. "That'll make him take notice."
Willow blushed and waived her free hand at the small top and almost invisible skirt whilst clutching her usual ghost costume in the other. "Bbut he'll see my..." She glances down at her chest.
Buffy grinned. "But that's the whole point of Halloween Will's, it's a 'come as you're not' type event."
Willow blushed a second time then touched the cloth. "Do you think he'll notice me in this?"
Buffy laid a hand on her shoulder. "If he doesn't it'll be because he's gay... or blind...or a gay blind..."
Willow grins and takes the costume from her. "I'll take it, cuz with him not being blind and definitely not being of the gay persuasion and all." Willow waits till Buffy has gone off in search of her costume and she grabs the cheap ghost costume as well. "Just in case." She whispers.
Willow watched Buffy as she neared the period costumes and the red-haired girl tells her. "How are we going to get Giles's old dairy back?" Buffy shrugs. "I mean because I think he checks each one every night before he goes to bed or something."
Buffy just nods as she browses through the old costumes until Xander bumps into them. Willow smiles. "Hey Xander!"She notices the small brown bag. "What'ya get?"
He pulls a cheap toy rifle out. Buffy grins, hoping to make up with him after the mornings faux pas "That's not a costume."
"I got a set of old fatigues at home, with this it should make a cool costume. "He flashes a grin at Willow. "Just call me the two dollar costume king baby!"
Buffy nods and starts to say. "Look I'm sorry about not letting you get pummeled this morning..."Xander cuts her off. "I'm trying to repress here Buff!" She pouts at him and looks up through semi-closed eyes. "But enough of that I figure it's the least..."
Buffy's eyes light up when she sees the perfect dress. "Oh my!" She walks away leaving Xander shaking his head. "What is with her?"
Willow sighs. "Love." She opens her bag and shows Xander the picture from one of the old watcher books. "She wants to make Angel feel at home so she thought she'd wear a dress from his period."
Xander sighs and looks at his plastic gun before shoving it back in the bag. He sees some old guy talking to Buffy before he lifts the dress off of the manikin. "Yeah right...Angel." He watches Willow as she leafs through the old book until she stops at another drawing. This one is of a man dressed in the same period, wearing a leather trench coat with large pockets and buckles down the front.
Xander snatches the book from her. "I've seen this getup!"
"Hey!" Willow snatches it back and stuffs it back into her bag with a warning. "Don't go trying to ruin it for them just because you're jealous."
"Of Angel?" He snorts. "Please! What's dead boy got that I haven't."
"You mean besides elegance, bearing and culture?"
"You don't think a two hundred year old guy that looks like he's thirty hitting on a teenage girl is cool?" He sniggers. "Maybe for Ma and Pa Kettle that's cool but for me that's just creepy!"
Willow doesn't hear him as Buffy takes the costume from the owner and heads outside. Willow waves at him as she goes to join her. He watches the pair as they giggle and all but skip off down the road. "Son of a bit..."
"She did look nice in it though."
Xander jumps and quickly turns around, his heart racing. "Mister you wanna be careful about creeping up on people, especially in this town!"
Ethan grins. "If it would be of any help I could let you have an equally elegant costume, one that would even make her eyes follow you instead of this...Angel."
Ethan can see the boy's resolve weaken; he can also see something else, something hidden beneath the boy's ever changing aura. "And I think I know the very thing for you... Abraham is it?"
Xander shook his head. "Close, it's Xander actually." Xander walked away thinking over Ethan's offer.
Ethan grins then whispers. "In this life maybe my boy but the truth will always find a way and his blood runs thick in your veins." He glances at the rear of the shop and remembers the coat he had 'borrowed' from the council along with the other things he needed this night.
Xander was just about to call it quits when Ethan tapped him on the shoulder and presented him with the very costume Xander had been searching for. "Perhaps this would suffice?"
Xander shrugged and let Ethan help him on with the coat. Xander pulled it tight around him then opened it up, poking into all the pockets inside. "What's the deal with all the pockets?"
Ethan blinked and then grinned. "Who knows? In the old days they had many reasons to have 'hideouts' in their garments." Ethan tugged the coat so it fitted Xander perfectly. "There, a perfect solution for your dilemma young man."
Xander nods. "Yeah this would pop her cork all right." He sighed then slipped it off. "But this is WAY out of my price range."
Ethan could see his plan begin to crumble before the night's festivities had even begun. "I'll make you the same deal I made the young lady. Wear it with pride and just let everyone know where you obtained it from and we'll call it even?"
Xander glanced sideways at him. "Is this a joke?"
Ethan shook his head. "Wear it in good faith, just promise me not to complain when she throws herself at you hmm?"
Xander quickly left the store before Ethan could change his mind but the Chaos worshipper just smiled. "On this night we will need some balance lest everyone die before Janus has had his fun!"
Xander raced home and placed the heavy leather top coat on his bed and tried to remember what else the man in Giles's book had been wearing. "One of those puffy pirate shirts, a waistcoat…" He snapped his fingers. "Giles! Giles would have junk like that."
Buffy was admiring herself in her mom's full length mirror, watching the dress as it 'swished' with her every movement. She heard Willow moving about in the other room and said. "Come on out of the closet Will, show me how it looks."
Willow walked hesitantly out of the change room and tried to cover her bare midriff. "I feel naked!" She lifted up the ghost costume to try and hide herself but Buffy snatched it from her and moved her to the mirror. "You're going to knock his socks off!"
Willow grinned. "Ya think?"
Buffy went to answer the door; she opened it to an elegantly dressed Xander. "Wow! "They both said at the same time. "Buffy, My Lady Buff, Duchess of Buffonia, I hereby swear off of latex!"
She curtsied. "Why thank you kind sir, and may I say you look yummy yourself." She frowned. "What kind of soldier are you again?"
Xander struck a gallant pose. "Why Mam I am a gentleman thief." He takes her hand kisses it. "Of hearts that is." Something hit against Buffy's arm and Xander stuffed the toy gun back into one of the many inside pockets. "I wish I knew how they stopped that!"
"I thought you were the two dollar costume king?"
The two looked up the stairs to see Willow in her usual ghost costume, Buffy shook her head and Xander placed his thumbs inside the lapels of his coat. "I branched out, nice boo costume Casper."
Later that night Buffy watched her troop as they marched down past the last house before they headed home. She could see Xander and his group as they carried their fully laden goody bags on the opposite side of the street. "I don't know how he does it? If there's candy to be had he's the man that'd get it."
Meanwhile Ethan begins his spell. "Janus, evoco vester animum. Exaudi meam causam.Carpe noctem pro consilium vestrem.Vene, appare, ET nobis monstra quod est infinita potestas."
Willow leads her group to the house of a kindly old spinster and she watches as the old lady fills her charges bags with sweets.
Ethan finishes his chant. "Persona intra corpem ET sanguem commutandum est." The sweat from the energy it takes to perform the spell runs down his face as he presses his bloody palms together. "Vestra sancta praesentia concrescit visceram!"He holds his hands up beseeching his god." Janus! Sume noctem!
A strong wind blows through Sunnydale and Buffy's spider senses go into over drive. "Oh-oh!"
The old woman comes to a child dressed like a gremlin. "Oh dear am I all out?"
Ethan grins. "Showtime!"
THE FUN BEGINS!
Willow begins to gasp for breath as her two former charges begin fighting over the old woman. "Gasp...Stop it! Right now...Gasp!" She drops to the floor. "Can't breathe!"
Xander sees the mayhem begin to start around him and he scans the area for Buffy but then he feels a surge of energy flow through him, calming him down and then...
Willow gasps and separates from her body. "Oh my god!" She cries out as she sees her body lying lifeless on the porch. "I'm a ghost?"
She hears a demon's cry and then multiple screams before she cries out. "Xander?"
She races down the road to see a Vampire disappear in a cloud of dust. The man spoke in an educated English accent. "Strange … a class four vampire, I had thought they were all but extinct."
Willow slowed as she saw Xander, but this Xander had long dark hair and was more confident than she had ever seen him before. "Xander?"
Xander quickly turned and dropped to one knee, lifting the crossbow up to meet the next threat. "Who are you?" He demanded.
Willow jerked back in fear. "It's me, Willow, what's wrong with you Xander?"
Xander looked her up and down. "I know of no one called Willow, and who pray tell is this Xander fellow?"
Xander scans the area as strange noises break the still of the night. "Look..."He glances at the skimpy costume. "I think that this night is not safe, even for a lady of the night like yourself." He begins to walk away from her. "Best you find shelter amongst your own..." Willow blocks his way but Xander just passes through her.
"Whoa!" Willow exclaims then grins. "Neat."
Xander turns and holds a cross at arms length towards her. "What deviltry is this?"
Willow begins to panic. "Uhh I was dressed as a ghost and now..."She gulps. "I guess I am one...But I mean you no harm."
Xander shakes his head. "Ghosts cannot do physical harm, but they can cause mental afflictions." He replaces the cross inside his jacket. "I have known many spirits that were trapped on this realm." He takes out a small leather bound book. "Do you wish assistance in crossing over my dear?"
Her eyes go wide. "No! No, I mean I'm not really a ghost, just like you're not really..."She looks puzzled. "What are you anyway?"
Xander replaced the book just as a girl's scream broke through the night. Willow grimaced. "BUFFY!"
Xander merely looks puzzled. "Buffy? Prey tell what is a 'Buffy'?"
She tries to pull Xander along with her. "Buffy is a friend, she dressed as a Lady, I think she may be one!"
Willow runs over to a visibly shaken Buffy, the dark wig had now become her real hair and any sign of the real Buffy was gone. "Buffy!"
Buffy turns and looks at them. "Who are you?" She asks in a scared voice, and then glances around them. "How did I come to be here in this strange place?"
Willow begins to panic. "I don't think she's Buffy!" She turns to Xander. "What'll we do without a Slayer?"
Xander looks at her. "A Slayer!" He looks around at the mayhem. "For the love of God go get her!"
Buffy then points behind them. "Demons!"
Xander and Willow turn to see the two demons just as Buffy faints. Xander reaches into his coat for the crossbow but Willow steps in the way. "NO! They're just children!"
Xander grins and takes out a small leather pouch; he takes a pinch of powder from its contents and chants. "Illuminati est. nostrum!"
The two demons scream and run away from the painfully bright light. Xander grins. "I know they are my dear."
Willow notices Buffy lay out on the ground and she motions to her form. "That is...was our Slayer!"
Xander rubs his ear. "Good Lord!" As Willow rushes to her side. "Buffy are you all right?"
Buffy begins to come round. "Wha?" She holds a hand to her head then asks. "Buffy?"
Willow grimaces. "Oh great! She's not Buffy."
Xander asks. "Again I ask who or what is Buffy?"
Willow sighs. "Oh this is fun."
Buffy stands, a look of confusion on her face. Willow asks. "What year is this?"
Buffy glances at the way Willow is dressed. "1775. I believe." She looks into Willows face. "Should you not be wearing clothes over your under garments?"
Willow groans. "Oh god it's worse than I thought." She looks at Xander. "She actually believes it's 1775."
Xander nods in sympathy for the child. "Poor child, your almost a hundred years out of date."
Willow nods. "Yeah...HUH?" She watches as Xander helps Buffy to her feet. Buffy smiles coyly at him. "Why thank you sir, I don't believe I caught your name?" She offered her hand to him and he grasped it, placing a gentle kiss on the back.
He stood up and bowed to her. "Van Helsing, Dr Abraham Van Helsing. And the year my dear I fear is not 1775..." His eyes go wide when he sees a car careening out of control before it hits a tree. "Nor I fear is it 1874."
Willow's eyes went wide. "Oh boy!" She scanned the area and advised. "I think it best if we go someplace less...open?" She gets her bearings and points to a house further down the block. "Buff.. A friends place is close by,we should go there and try to contact Giles."
Xander smiles. "William Giles? Do you know of him?"
Willow glances at him out of the corner of her eye. "Uhh yeah, sort of."
He glances around once more as they make their way to Buffy's home. "Children becoming Demons, adults vanishing, law and order breaking down. This night seems like the work of a Chaos Mage, prey tell what night is this? Does it have any spiritual significance?"
Willow stutters. "It's Halloween, Halloween night."
Xander contemplates this information then looks quizzically at her. "Halloween? Perhaps you mean All Hallows Eve?"He scans the area then nods. "Yes it all begins to make sense now."
Buffy screams. "Demon! Another Demon!" She stands behind Xander, wrapping her arms around him and points to a car as it slowly drives past them.
Willow tries to calm her. "It's just a car..raige a horseless carriage."
Xander watches it drive by. "Yes I once saw a design Herr Benz had for one of those." He frowns. "Never thought it would take off so soon and be so...fast!"
Willow points to Buffy's house. "We're here come on."
Xander opens the door holding the cross in one hand and the crossbow in the other. "It appears to be safe." He ushers the others in. Willow calls out for Buffy's mom then sighs. "Good she must have taken Dawn to LA with her."
She goes over to the phone and tries to pick it up but her hand passes through it. "This sucks!"
Buffy wanders through the home. "Who's place is this?"
"Yours." Willow absently tells her as Buffy picks up an old photo of her in a cheerleaders uniform. "This strange painting might be me." She places it back. "But I would never wear clothing so...so low born!"
More screaming can be heard from outside and Xander rushes to the front door. "NO!" Willow warns him. "There could be mini-monsters!"
He nods and turns to go but a demons arm smashes through the small glass inset in the door and reaches for him. He whips out a large knife and places the blade against the skin and Willow is puzzled as the skin sizzles causing the creature to both scream and remove its arm. Xander replaces the knife and shrugs. "Blessed silver."
This time a girl's scream echoes through the night and Xander exclaims. "Damnit!" Before he rushes outside.
Buffy runs up to Willow in a panic. "Surely he will not desert us?"
Willow just shrugs. "Whatever."
Cordelia is running down the street, a large wooly behemoth trudging after her. "Somebody help me!" She cries out as she seeks a place of refuge.
She turns back to see where the monster is and runs into... "Xander!"
He grabs her. "Come with me."
He ushers her into the house and Cordelia sees Willow. "Willow!"
Willow glances at Cordy's cat costume and tells her. "Okay, your name is Cordelia and you're NOT a cat and we're all your friends…sort of."
Cordelia raises an eyebrow, and tells her. "That's nice Willow. And you went mental when?"
Willow is happy. "You know us?"
Cordelia grimaces. "Yeah lucky me!" She can see Buffy cowering in the corner. "What's with the name game?"
"A lot of strange things have been going on..."
"Duh! No kidding, I was just attacked by Jo-Jo the dog-faced boy." She shows Willow a tear in the arm. "Look at my costume! Do you think Party town'll give me my deposit back? Not on the likely!"
All through the exchange Xander had been watching Cordelia's every move, he snatched up a coat hanging on a chair and draped it over her shoulders. "Here… Anne."
Cordelia notices, truly notices Xander as if for the first time. "Thanks...nice do. Who are you supposed to be, Little Lord Fauntleroy?"
Xander turns away and looks out the window as Willow tells them. "Okay everybody stay here, I'll go for help."
Buffy comes closer. "No! Surely some men will come to help us?"
Cordy is set back. "What the hell is that riff?"
Willow throws up her arms. "It's like amnesia, OKAY?" She starts to walk away. "They don't know who they are okay, just sit tight a. and I'll be back." Several sirens and M16's can be heard in the background as she just walks through the front wall of the house.
"Who died and made her the boss?" Cordelia asks as she watches Buffy move away from her. She turns to see Xander gazing at her. "And have you gone 'Stalker-Boy on me now?" She pulls the coat tighter around her trying to hide her body from him. "17 years of tormenting me and NOW you suddenly realize I'm a beauty queen!"
Xander turns away and she can see an almost heartbroken look in his eyes. "No it's just you...you look like some one I once lov...knew."
"What is with that stupid accent? Have you been secretly watching PBS again?" Cordelia demands.
Buffy moves between them and Cordelia can almost swear she was staking a claim to the dark haired youth. "His name is not Lord Fauntleroy." She glowers at her. "It's DOCTOR Abraham Van Helsing and he has been a great comfort in my time of need."
Cordelia laughs. "Oh great! It takes this kind of trauma to get her to love you!" She stares Buffy down. "I hope you two find all the joy you can in this hell hole." Deep inside her Cordelia suddenly begins to feel the first pangs of jealousy. She looks confused and then shakes her head. "No way!" She whispers and then turns to Xander. "So you really think you're this Van Johnson guy huh?"
Xander smiles shyly at her. "For most of my 35 years now."
Cordelia nods. "Yeah, it figures Willow would skip leaving me with the two head cases!" She turns to Buffy. "So Miss Teen 1823,anything stronger than tea in this dump? Cuz I really could use a drink about now."
Buffy violently shakes her head. "My parents would never allow the demon drink in our home!"
Xander sits by the window, as he does he takes out a small leather bound tintype of his Anne. He lovingly runs a fingertip along the frame and sighs. "Would that I had been there for you my love, I would surely prefer dying at your side rather than be amongst the living."
He can hear Buffy and Cordelia begin to argue again so he returns the engraving to its special place over his heart and points to Cordelia. "You go upstairs and make sure everything is secure." He grabs a chair and jams it against the front door as Buffy asks. "What are we to do?"
Xander walks towards the backdoor and tells her. "Mam the lady said to wait here so we wait."
Buffy looks incredulously at him. "You would take orders from a woman? Are you feeble in some way?"
He moves her out of his way. "No Mam I've just learned that to survive you should pay attention to the local inhabitants." He stops as he sees a reflection of himself in a mirror. "Good Lord!" He touches his cheek. "I'm...young again!"
Buffy shrugs and Xander motions to his features. "You don't understand, I'm exactly like I was before all the madness started, before I discovered my true nature. "He sees Cordelia standing at the top of the stairs. "When I first met her, my one true love."
Angel runs into the house from outside and makes his way towards them. "Good you're all right I thought..."
A growl is ripped from Xander's throat and suddenly Angel is hurled across the room by Xander. Angel struggles to his feet. "What is your..."He sees Xander for the first time? "You!" He glances from side to side seeking a way out. "I don't how you've come to this time but I'm not the same creature I once was."
Xander's muscles seem to expand beyond his mortal frame as he strides towards Angel. "God has seen fit to grant me a boon!" He takes out the blessed silver knife and takes a fighters stance. "For each soul you have taken I shall cut a pound of flesh from your demonic hide before sending you into the flaming abyss!"
A demon chases a young girl down the remains of a once quiet street and Spike steps out of a house grinning like a fool. "This is just...Neat!"
Giles's fingers swept deftly over the small information cards as he searched for any seemingly out of place." Damned American's seem to think the Dewey Decimal system was named after one of Donald Duck's nephews!"
He turned to one side and as he returned to cataloguing the cards Willow was standing there. "Gah!" His hand full of cards scattered as he backed up." How in God's name did you…" He looked behind him to the locked doors and then back at Willow as the only way she could have gained entry was through a very solid wall.
Willow shook her head." No time to talk, Sunnydale's way more screwed up than it usually is." Another siren echoes through the night and she jerks a thumb at the noise." Did you not hear all the sirens and gunfire?"
Giles pushed his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose." I merely assumed it was the norm for a Friday night in America." He waived his hands as he remembered her entrance." Hold it! Just how did you manage to get in here?"
Willow sighed." That's what I'm trying to tell you Giles! Something screwy is going on, I dressed as a ghost." She sees Giles looking her up and down, her hands tried to stretch the material to cover her exposed places." Mostly...And now I am one!"
Giles was taken back." Good Lord!"
Willow began to ramble." And Buffy, well she went as a Lady from 1775 and now she is from 1775! Cordelia...well she's still herself just bitchier than usual." Her eyes rolled." And my kids well! They became whatever it was they were wearing, demons, jackals, aliens it's a whole new world of pain out there!"
Giles rubs his chin." And yet Miss Chase is unaffected you say..."He sat on a chair and contemplated the news." Did she perchance rent her costume from another source?"
Willow nods." Yeah she was moaning about losing her deposit from Party Town."
Giles nods as he stands and begins to search through his books." And the three of you, where did you rent yours from?"
"A new place that just opened..." She bit her nail in frustration." Damn! What was it called?" She began to pace." Xander would know, he told us about it but he can't because he thinks he's some 18th century Doctor!" She stopped." I mean he could have dressed up as a soldier like he said; at least we could have used the back up but no he had to dress up as..."She puts on a fake accent and bows to Giles." Van Helsing, Dr Abraham Van Helsing at your..."
She jumps as Giles drops the book he was reading, he takes his glasses off and looks pale." He thinks he's Helsing!" He rubs his chin deep in thought." My God the information we could glean from him if he is!" He searches for one the old dairies and then stands." I don't understand, I had here just the other day?"
Willow looks guiltily at him." What?"
"One of the only known reports of an encounter with Van Helsing, shortly before he drove the Scourge of Europe from Europe." He looked at her." Through his actions alone he should have been revered by all yet his very birth made sure only those that felt his wrath knew his name...And feared it!"
Willow shrugs." You sure know about him."
Giles smiles." He was the basis of my thesis, it was said he was born of a union between Lycanthrope and Vampire." He saw a shocked look on her face and waived away her doubts." Not the breed we see around here, these were the last of the great ones, the last of the pure bloods!" Giles touched his lips with the end of his glasses and tells her." It was surmised that his mother was turned by Vlad Tepes himself just seconds before she gave birth to Abraham. Her husband died attacking Dracula's brides in a vain attempt to save her and the child she bore."
Willow was suddenly interested." So how did this guy survive?"
Giles shrugged." Some believe he may have been endowed with some mild form of Lycanthropy passed down by his fathers DNA, we do know though through his actions and deeds later on in life he had some of Vlad's powers." He looked at Willow." Imagine a melding of the two if you will the power of both yet with almost none of the short comings."
"You mean he didn't go all 'grr' at the sight of blood or a full moon?" She raises an eyebrow when Giles nods." Color me impressed, but this helps us how?"
Giles stands and tells her." The one that vanquished Baron Von Frankenstein's monster, the man that rid Great Britain of the curse of the Werewolves, the man that was Dracula's constant nemesis was also the most accomplished scientist and Mage of his day!"
Willow glances at the clock." So then he's like the Swiss Army knife of demon vanquishing then?" She grinned." ETHAN'S! I remember now the shop was called Ethan's!"
Giles was taken aback." Good grief, now there's a name I thought never to have heard again!" His eyes narrowed." Yes it would be just like him to commit this crime and just sit back and gloat."
"All good and well Giles but there's people dying out there, we need to stop this right now."
Giles nods." Yes you're right of course; I'll se to my old friend whilst you go back and make sure Buffy's all right..."He shrugs into his coat." If you can." She paused as she began to walk through the wall." Find out what you can from Van Helsing before it's too late and we lose him. I believe he was working on a curse for Vampires before his untimely demise."
Spike is watching the mayhem as it unfolds through the centre of Sunnydale and he grins." My Dru was right; this is our time once again." He grabs a Feral Demon as it chases a teen and tells it." Here mate, go tell your young friends that there's better sport to be had this night." The demon howls and Spike nods." Yeah, we're going to hunt us a Slayer!"
He laughs as the creature spreads the word to its fellow changelings." Oh Yeah! Tonight even my idiot sire can't help her or her little friends!" He saunters off down the ruined street." Tonight I make it three for three!"
Buffy watches as Cordelia places herself between Angel and Xander." Abraham! Unless you put away that cutlery I will leave here right now and I promise never to see you again!"
Xander glanced from Angel to Cordelia and back until Cordelia placed a gentle hand on his." Please, you have my word that he will do no harm and we'll need him tonight." Xander looked deeply into her eyes and he could tell she was telling the truth.
Xander nods and then walks away from them sheathing the knife back in its hiding place." Be warned demon! I see you even glancing at any of our necks and nothing Anna…Miss Cordelia says will be able to save your worthless hide!"
THe three watched him stride up the stairs and into one of the rooms. Cordelia turned to face Angel." Okay, what the hell did you do this time?"
Angel slumped onto a chair." Nothing much, killed someone he loved to get him pissed off..."
"Well it worked!" Cordelia exclaims.
Buffy shakes her head." I do not understand.."
Cordy mocks her." Oh wow color me surprised about that."
Buffy paid her no mind." Why would you commit murder most foul?"
Angel sighed." You could say it was a specialty of mine back then." He looked at Cordelia and smiled." You know when you're not in Queen Bitch mode you really do look like her."
Cordy glanced up the stairs and tells him." Bite me!" Then she proceeds to walk upstairs to seek out Xander.
She finds him sitting alone in Buffy's room holding the tintype in his hands. Cordelia sits by his side then gasps as she sees the picture." Oh my god, that's so me it's frightening!"
Xander looks at her and tells her." She's alive in every move you make and every word you speak."
Cordelia finds herself being drawn ever closer to the young man that had for years been part of a trio that had made her life hell." So what happened?"
Xander lay back on the bed and he retold his past to the girl from the future." My mother worked for an Old Dutch couple that had immigrated to England in the hopes of making a new start. They were from an old and well established diamond merchant line of traders. My mother, so I was told, became friends with the elder Van Helsing and she treated her like the child they never had." He paused and glanced at Cordy." My mother ...died in child birth and my father soon after, a hunting accident I was told."
Cordy placed her hand on his back and slowly moved closer." When I turned 17 I found a gentleman that told me the truth of my parent's demise and my true birthright."
"Yeah 17 sucked for me too."
Xander is all but lost in memories." I first saw Anna, Anna Valerious as she was called then, when the Watchers Council told me where to find the King of all Monsters and assisted me in my quest. She was the sister of Velkan the leader of the werewolves." He sighed." She killed him with my gun in order to save my life. We were lovers for all too short a time, we were to be married, that was until I found my reputation had forced the evil ones to try and strike at me first."
"My Anna gave birth to a baby boy whom she named Alexander after her father. The fact young Alexander was born outside of wedlock was not lost on London's high society and she, along with my son, was packed off to some distant Italian relatives until such a time that the disgrace would have died down."
Cordelia shook her head." Bastards! And she went along with it?"
Xander shrugged." What choice did she have? Leave her parents and the society she had grown up in? We had managed to send brief communiqués to one another but as my reputation as a monster hunter grew so did our fear for our progeny." Xander sat up." We met and spent time together but we both knew our days of bliss were doomed."
She watched his brow furrow." August 10 1869."He turned to her." Had I the power to change history I would willingly have been by her side when that..."He all but growled out the name." Angelus and his so called 'Master' decided to rid themselves of a troublesome thorn." She could hear his knuckles crack as he made fists of his hands." Angelus thought to so debase me that I would cease to be a problem for them."
Xander had not the strength to tell her the entire story but she could guess what happened. Xander sat up infused with a new strength." Instead of stopping me their bastardry fueled my thirst for revenge!" His eyes turned black and Cordelia could feel an overpowering darkness fill the room." I hunted their kind till the very ground could no longer hide them. I killed them in packs, I killed where they hid, I butchered them without regret whilst they slept, Vampires, Lycanthropes, and Demons of every order were like gristle for my vengeance mill! I would have revenge for my wife and our child."
Cordy pulled him into a gentle hug." But you stopped them, you turned the tide and saved far more lives than any of those stuffed shirts ever could."
Xander sighed." You don't get it do you, I liked it! The blood, the carnage it fed a side of me I never knew I had. I did all this in the name of my Mother, my Father but most of all for you Anna and our child…" He began to stroke Cordelia's back." When all I ever wanted was you Anna."
She moved slightly apart from him and stared into his eyes before giving into an overpowering desire and kissed him with a desire even she never knew she had. She broke the kiss only when the desire for air over came her other desire." Kiss me again Xander."
Xander placed gentle kisses on her lips, between one he told her." It's Abraham."
She placed her hands either side of his head and spoke in a lust filled voice. "Whatever." Before kissing him once more.
Willow walked into the lounge causing Angel to jump." W..Willow?" He looked at the way she was dressed and asked." You went as a hooker?"
She clenched her fists." Desire! I went as the Goddess Desire!" His hand passed through hers and Angel stepped back." And kinda as a ghost." She saw Buffy sitting in the corner." Buffy came as a Lady from you're time and Xander came as..."
Angel shivered." I know! He came as Van Helsing... I thought he was going to be a soldier this year?" He glared angrily at her." Of all the people he could have come as he had to pick HIM!"
"I'm sensing a history between you two and not a nice one either."
"Nice? If you call my killing his one true love and cutting her up into small pieces to frighten him off nice then yeah, we're real pals!"
Willow takes a step back." Giles wants me to find out everything I can from him before he makes Ethan break this spell."
"Makes sense, if you want to know every possible way there is to kill demons then he'd be your man." He chuckles." Well half man if our legends are right." He saw the confused look on her face." Why do you think we, and beings like myself, fled the old world for this one? His very name strikes fear in the hearts of the dark demons. His name is the one true name we all live in fear of hearing."
Angel smiled for the first time in a long while." So once Giles breaks the spell Xander will return to normal.. God I hope he's right!"
Willow glances around." So where is he, and where is Cordelia?"
Buffy pointed upstairs." Doctor Van Helsing went upstairs and the vixen went after him." She looked shocked." They are up there un-chaperoned!"
Willow shook her head." Can I at least get five minutes rest?" She walked towards the stairs and chastised Angel." Damnit Angel! The mood Cordy's in she'll rip strips off of him!"
Willow walks through each door until she can see the pair, her face pales and she shudders." This is breaking every law known to man and god!" She watched as Xander began kissing his way down, from her lips to the rise of her breast and beyond."
Willow begins waiving her hands." HEY! Stop this now before you cause an apocalypse!"
Cordy glares at her as Xander pulls away." Why don't you go haunt the others for a while." Cordy pulls Xander close." Make it a long freaking while!"
Meanwhile just outside Spike and his new band of brothers stop at the front of Buffy's home." Here we are lads Slayer Central all you can eat Buffet! Tuck in..."As they race past him he reminds them." Don't forget to pace yourselves and eat lots of greens."
He holds Dru close to him as she begins to quiver." Never mind ducks, we'll soon have some nummy Slayer blood warming the cockles of your heart."
Dru shakes her head." NO! 'es 'ere! The bad man 'as come back!" She grips Spike by his collar." We need to go no love, before it's too late."
Spike watches as the first of his demon horde hits the front door turning it to kindling." You said the Slayer was weakened right?" He stroked her hair as he walked her closer to the house, and then smiled as the sound of a girls scream reached them." See me love, you're not always right you know."
Angel turned as the door gave way to the first wave of demons and pointed to the back door." GO, run to Giles!"
He morphed to his true form as he faced the first of the demons. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Buffy just stand there, he turned and saw a look of fear in her face as she saw his true self. "GO!"
Buffy screamed and ran through the kitchen and out the back door.
Willow turned at the sound of the front door giving way and she realized they were no longer safe here, when she turned to warn the others she saw Xander had stood and was pushing Cordelia towards Willow." Take her to safety." He pulled out a strange looking revolver from his coat with his right hand and a multi-barreled gun with his left." It is no longer safe to just frighten the corrupted ones but this attack reeks to much of a coordinated attack, if I can confuse the puppet master you might all yet survive this night."
Before either girl could argue Xander jumped through the closed windows of Buffy's room and out into the night. Xander scanned the night and saw two vampires standing out front of the house. He smiled as he recognized the pair. "Hello William!"
Spike felt a cold frost snake up his spine." No! It's not possible!" He then yelped as a wooden bolt narrowly missed his heart and hit his shoulder instead." Damn YOU to hell!" He cried out in pain as he pulled the bolt out in one fluid movement.
Xander jumped to the ground as if stepping off the curb, he calmly walked towards the pair." Were I you, and I thank the Lord I'm not, I would call all the help you had before I nail your hides to a tree and roast chestnuts as you burn in the morning suns heavenly light!"
He raised the multi-barreled crossbow and Spike pleaded." Dru!"
Drusilla's eyes went wide and her long graceful fingers weaved their hypnotic magic." You don't mean us no 'arm." Spike began to relax as he saw the man lower the guns and concentrated on Dru's face." That's right lovey, drop those nasty things and let mommy comfort you."
"Y,,,E,,,SSsss" Xander whispered.
Spike began to grin." That's my Dru, do your thing me love."
Dru stalked her victim, her body moving like the seductress she was." We should have had this dance a long time ago."
Xander lowered his head and dropped the multi-barreled crossbow, the two vampires were confident in their victory as they morphed to their true form.
Xander raised his head and Spike's smile froze as he saw the grin on the man's face." I couldn't agree more 'old friend'." Xander told them. His eyes were as black as the vampire master's heart and he gripped Dru's hands in an unbreakable grip." Better than you have tried that trick, and if Vlad's brides couldn't make it work a scrawny class 4 vamp like you has no freaking chance!"
He spun her into his arms and Spike could see the man now had his beloved in his own thrall. Dru groaned erotically at Xander's touch as she writhed against him" Tell your playmate's fun time's over and it's time to go home or..."He twisted Dru's neck to one side and pressed the barrel of the revolver to her throat.
*SNICK*
A long silver blade shot out and Spike could see tiny droplets of blood drip from the small cut in Dru's throat." You can watch me eviscerate the bitch before I come for you!"
Spike placed two fingers in his mouth and whistled then shouted." Okay lads tea break's over, time to go."
The demons came out and began to grumble as the filed out like the children the really were. Spike motioned down the street." We'll hit Willy's and get some fun." He turned to Xander." Okay mate the bint's safe for now, let her go or I promise ..."
Xander sniggered." Your threats are as lame as ever William the Bloody...awful poet."
Spike growled." How the hell do you know this shit? You're just one of the Slayer's playmates, the dopey one at that!"
Xander pushed Dru towards Spike and picked up the strange crossbow." Your kind never changes and that's why you'll never amount to more than a Class 4 with a chip on its shoulder." He cocked the lever on the bow and told him." Now go back to whatever rock you crawled out of and we'll finish this another time."
Spike began backing up but Dru kept tugging on his arm." You know him, Daddy told us about him and how he made us run from our old home."
Spike stopped and shook his head." That's not possible..."He clicked his fingers and Dru nodded." Yes Spiky the nice man brought him back to play."
Spike laughed as they walked away, he turned around and pointed to Xander." I know who you are boy! Come sunset tomorrow you're soul will be mine!"
Xander pulled back the cocking handle of the gun and fired all six barrels of the crossbow at Spike as he told him." What makes you think you'll be this side of hell tomorrow?"
He heard Spike yelp and Xander tutted and tapped the front sights."Damn thing must have taken a knock."
Ethan checked the store for the last time and patted his pocket for his keys. "Well then time to go I think."
An anger filled voice made him smile." Think again!"
With out turning Ethan smiled and said." Ah Ripper! I've been expecting a visit from you." He then turned and clicked his tongue in disapproval." My, my ,and you always said you'd rather be dead than seen in tweed."
Giles paid his taunts no heed." What did you do Ethan?"
Ethan's smile deepened as he heard a terrible scream." Impressive is it not?" He walked towards a window and looked out." Couldn't help but know who it was I gave the dress to." He looked at his old friend." They certainly don't make them as bright as they used to do they Ripper?"
Giles made a step towards him." Undo it, break the spell now!"
Ethan shrugged."It's a chaos spell my dear boy,though even that needs a balance to keep it from ending too soon. I mean if I made them all evil where would the fun be in that?" He lent towards him." I did bring back an old friend of the Council's though, that should earn me a few bonus points." He stared into Giles's eyes." And if you let the spell run to its end I could arrange the visit to be of a permanent nature."
Giles hesitated as he weighed the knowledge gained against the fact that such knowledge would come with a decidedly large disadvantage for Xander." The boy has a soul, and as such deserves to live out his life in HIS body."
"PAH!" Ethan dropped the case." And would the boy still be alive today if it weren't for your Slayer?" He walked towards him and dropped the bombshell he had learned after using his old contacts." Nice strong name Alexander, he was named for his grandfather you know."
Giles gritted his teeth." No I never knew that, not that it means I will assist you in any way."
"And his grandfather was named after his father Alexander...Van...Helsing!" He watched as the news exploded in Giles's mind." Ah the proverbial penny has dropped, yes Ripper the boy has his DNA coursing through his veins and living so close to a source of magical energy like the Hellmouth one day, very soon I believe, that blood will finally activate the recessive gene that is the curse of the Van Helsing line."
Giles shuddered." My God if the boy was turned..."
Ethan nods." It would be like hell on earth for those still left alive."
Giles walked away from Ethan as if distancing himself from the man's evil would make the decision any easier. Ethan brought him back to earth." Either leave the spirit of Helsing in his body or kill him now to save further suffering."
Giles saw the wind rustle the curtains and he caught a glimpse of the bust." It's still his decision, and I'm afraid I cannot condemn his soul to heaven just because the spirit possessing him would make our tasks easier."
Ethan tried his last gambit." Just a few changes in the dissipation spell and he would never know, no one would ever know."
Giles glanced at Ethan and Ethan saw a glimmer of the old Ripper behind the spectacles." I would know!"
Ethan grinned and laid out his last trump card." They know." He picked at a speck of dust on his jacket." I felt they should, seeing as how I had stolen their precious jacket and all."
Ethan checked his watch." I believe you should be getting a visit from the Watchers Council of Great Britain in the next few hours Giles…" Ethan grins as he begins to walk out." I believe it's check and mate old chum, your employers want Helsing's return far more than they care about some idiotic young American's soul."
Giles fixed Ethan's eyes with a glare then stalked towards him, moments later Ethan's scream of pain joined the others that echoed in the night.
Angel scanned the area for any signs of Buffy as Willow and Cordelia joined him." Any signs?"
Willow shook her head and Cordelia told them." Man for such a small girl she sure can run fast in that getup!"
Angel looks worried." I just hope its fast enough to out run Spike!"
Meanwhile Spike is bent over a table in his lair as Dru gentle tugs at another bolt." ARGHHHH! God Damnit!"
Dru drops the wooden shaft to the floor." Just one more lover."
Spike grimaces and grips the table with all his might." When tomorrow comes I am going to turn that prat and spend the next hundred years torturing the little bAAAAAGHHHH!" Dru pulls the last bolt out and giggles." You'll have to do it standing up though...OH!" She looked at the walls." Miss Edith says the moment's passing, so sad too bad all the little meals will soon be back home to their mommies."
Spike smiles." Mommies...every boy loves their mommy!" He grins evilly as a plan forms in his evil heart." Come pet, let's pay our respects to the soon to be grieving parents."
Meanwhile Xander tugged the coat about him and dogged down the buckles against the cold wind that was blowing through Sunnydale. His head turning from side to side as he searched for his new found compatriots." Sod's Law says they're probably back at this 'Buffy's' house wondering were I am."
He stopped and watched a pirate corner a young teen by a parked Ice cream van and moved quickly towards them.
Larry grabbed at the girls top and his hand came away clutching a large part of it." Come on girl Ya know's Ya wants it!"
Amy pulled the remnants of her top together and cried out." Larry! What's gotten into you?" As she backed away from him.
Larry leered at her ample breasts." It's not what's gotten into me you should fear girl, but what I intend to get into…" Larry saw a shadow fall to his side and he turned around." I don't know who you are mate but best you wait yer turn!"
Xander touched the brim of his hat with his left hand." Best you run along home now miss; a young lady like yourself shouldn't be out so late." He looked into Larry's eyes." You never know what scum you're likely to run into."
Larry gnashed his teeth as he went for his sword." Scum is it? I'll skin yer hide ya toffee nosed git!"
Xander went in under Larry's swing and delivered a sharp uppercut to the pirates jaw and watched Larry sink to the ground. He frowned." For some reason that felt remarkably good." He saw Amy still standing there." Go, run along home child before something worse than this buffoon catches you."
Amy nods then tells him." I'll never forget this Xander, never." Before she runs off into the night.
Xander steps over the unconscious form of Larry the pirate and continues on with his search. He spots a flash of a silk dress as it slips inside a building." The games afoot !" He crosses the school grounds and enters the same door then catches another glimpse as Buffy runs down the corridor.
Buffy is out of breath as she enters the school library and glances around." I know not why I've come to such a strange place but something tells me this is a haven of some sort."
"Miss Summers?"
Buffy jumps at the mans voice and spins around to see and elegantly dressed man who holds out his hands." I didn't mean to startle you Miss Summers but I was looking for an associate of mine." He stumbles against the desk and offers his hand to her." My name is Wesley Windham -Price and I represent the Council of...Oh my good lord its true!"
Buffy turns to look at who the stranger had seen and smiles." Dr Van Helsing!"
Wesley strides towards the confused young man." It's such an honor to meet a legend in the flesh so to speak, your name still strikes dread into the hearts of demon kind."
Xander nods to him." You were saying you represent the council of watchers? Pray sir tell me you know of how to end this damned spell!"
Wesley took a small glass vile from his pocket and smiled." Yes sir I do, the council was informed by an...acquaintance that there was trouble at the hell mouth and we had our best mages work on this potion." He uncorked it and held it out to Xander.
Giles lifted the bust up past his head and as he smashed it to the ground he never regretted his choice to give Xander back his life rather than have the great Abraham Van Helsing walk amongst mankind once more.
He kicked the broken pieces from his sight and then walked outside glancing down at the prostrate Ethan." I'm going to check on my charges, if I so much as hear about you being in town after sunrise I will personally feed you to the Hellmouth myself!"
Giles clambered into his wreck of a car and drove off towards Buffy's home as fast as he could. He slammed on his breaks as he saw Willow, Angel and Cordelia wandering down the main street. Giles opened the passenger door causing it to hit Willow.
"Jeez Giles give someone some warning before you do that!" She rubbed her thigh as she got in and Giles glanced in the mirror to check the others were inside." I take it that you're all back to normal." He saw Cordelia push at something then complain as she pulled her tail from under Angel.
"Do you mind? Jeez I'm going to have to go full on to get my deposit back as it is without your dead ass ruining the costume even more!" She smoothed out the ruffled tail as Giles shook his head and drove off.
Willow tells him." We've looked just about everywhere for her, our next stop was going to be the library."
Cordelia snorts." Yeah like we should worry about some bottle blonde wannabe that could kick Hulks ass!" She hit the driver's seat." Screw looking for her we need to find Xander!"
Willow turns to her." Why so you can see just how far you can get your tongue down his throat this time? I swear you break his heart when he snaps out of this spell and I will make you sorry you were ever born!"
Cordelia slumped back. Jeez as if I could fall for a doofus like that without some spell being involved!" She blushed when Angel looked knowingly at her, she glowered at him." What's your problem oh breathless one? Worried Lady Mc Buffy might be doing the horizontal mambo with my...I mean with that King of the Cretins!"
Angel looked away." Buffy doesn't feel that way for Xander."
"You mean because he's not all power full and handsome like say...you or Van Helsing maybe?"She mocked a looked surprised look." But wait Xander is Van Helsing."
Angel heard Giles's whispered tone." In more ways than just tonight's spell."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Cordelia demanded.
Giles thought about bending the truth but decided to tell them all." It would appear that Van Helsing's son lived past Anna's murder."
Cordelia glared at Angel." What else did you do?"
Angel shrugged. Me? Nothing, but Dru said we should take the child and hide him till we could use him against Helsing in case the warning wasn't enough. We left him at an orphanage we had used once or twice." He felt the guilt wash over him as he remembered using the poor unfortunates on more than one occasion for 'Mid-day' snacks." When our plan backfired we tried to go back and use the child but by then he was gone."
Giles nods." Yes and I believe I know where." He turned down the street leading to the school as he told them." Ethan was kind enough to give me the information he had found about Van Helsing's child Alexander. He was brought to America, California to be precise, where his great great grandson still lives. It would seem it has become a tradition now that the first born male child be named Alexander."
Willow paled." Xander is..."
Cordelia smiled." Neat."
Angel placed his head in his hands." No wonder it was hate at first sight, and there was me thinking it was just teenage hormones."
Giles pulled up and they all made their way to the library where they found Buffy standing over two bodies. She looked up as they entered and shouted to Giles while she pointed at Wesley." This creep gave Xander something just before the stupid spell broke!"
Cordelia and Willow ran to Xander's side while Giles went over to the other man." Wyndham-Price...I was told to expect a visit from the council." He turned to Buffy." What happened?"
She held out the now empty vile and told him." Tweed-boy junior told Xander he had a cure for the spell and Abraham...err Xander asked him if it would harm his host and Windbag assured him it wouldn't." She looked over at the two girls as they made Xander more comfortable." Liar as well as a snake oil salesman!"
Giles went over to check on Xander and Angel went to Buffy." Are you okay?"
She smiled at him." I am now."
Angel took the vile from her and sniffed it." It's a dark magic, we need to get this checked out, find out what it was meant to do."
Giles checked Xander's pulse and when he was satisfied the boy was safe for now he turned to look at Wesley." Oh I have no doubt about what it was meant to do!"
Buffy looked from Wesley's still form to Giles's angry one." Meaning?"
Angel realized what Giles had meant." Damn!" He looked sadly at Xander." The council would think it a small price to have him back amongst the living."
Cordelia looked up." What would be a small price?"
"Xander's soul." Giles tells them." And I would have to agree with Angel, it would be something they would see as a duty and a necessity."
Willow stands and walks over to Wesley, who was now groaning into wakefulness. "Then we make him undo it! "
Cordelia zones out of what the others were doing as she places Xander's head in her lap and begins to run her fingers gently through his long hair." I never knew I could feel like this about anyone let alone a looser like you Harris!" She lent down and brushed his lips with hers then whispered into his mouth." Come back to us and I'll try my hardest not to make your life hell anymore." She kissed him and then said." In fact it could be heaven."
Wesley sat up and felt his jaw then glared at Buffy." You hit me! You work for us and you damned well struck me!"
Buffy placed her hands on her hips." And if you don't undo what you did it'll be the least of your worries."
Willow nods." What she said!"
Wesley looked to Giles for support but Giles shook his head." You were wrong, the council was wrong, what you did crossed the line between the monsters we fight and what we were supposed to be." Giles clenched his fists in anger then pointed to Xander." We're supposed to defend them not curse them!"
Wesley puffed out his chest and straightened his glasses." What better way to defend the week than have the greatest demon hunter the world has ever known walk amongst us once more? Would you rather fight at Helsing's side or that fools?" He motioned to Xander.
Buffy lent over him." I don't know this Helsing guy but I know Xander and I would rather fight by him than any ten of your kind any day!"
"GILES!"
Cordelia's shout brought them back to earth. She looked up at them." He's waking up."
The three friends went over to him and watched as he opened his eyes." Man what a freaking light show!" He moved his head and made himself comfortable; he moved to his side and draped his arm around the warm body that was comforting him. "Nice."
Cordelia felt her whole body begin to feel a fire that she hadn't felt before this night and she sighed." If only you weren't the poster boy for Loser's- R-Us!"
Xander looked up at the smiling face of Cordelia and jerked back in surprise.
"GAH!"
Willow smiled and stood on tip toes." He's back!"
Wesley frowned." That's not possible."
Angel patted his shoulder." Just be thank full it didn't work, I've seen what these two can do when he gets hurt and believe me even I wouldn't last long!"
Buffy helped Xander up and Willow gripped him as he swayed on a pair of unsteady feet." Ya know if I didn't know for a fact alcohol made me do a Linda Blair impression I could swear I've been on one of my dad's week long benders."
Giles checked his eyes and asked." You're not feeling any stranger than normal?" Xander shook his head then noticed the time." Jeez Snyder's going to skin my ass if I don't get the kids..."He looked around the library then at Giles." Uhh this might seem dumb but how the heck did I end up here?"
Cordelia watched the trio as they formed an even stronger bond than before this hell night. She looked at her cat suit and shook her head." Man I have so lost my deposit!" She looks at the trio and shakes her head then stops as she sees Xander smile at her and her heart began to flutter.
Buffy explained everything to Joyce when she had calmed her mother down enough for her to listen to the general excuse the Sunnydale PD was giving out.
Dawn was sat watching Xander's every move as Joyce tried to understand what had happened." So gangs of Hell Night cultists ran through Sunnydale causing all this damage? I heard that much on the news; why else do you think I drove like a madwoman all the way back from LA?"
Willow nodded so fast Joyce thought the teen was possessed." She's right cuz I was there with her and Xander."
Joyce nods." And you want Xander to stay the rest of the night because?"
Buffy rolled her eyes." Because he got hurt keeping us safe." Buffy was surprised at how true the last part actually was. She glanced at him and began to think of all the danger he had thrown himself into since knowing her." It's the least we could do in appreciation."
Xander yawned and stretched his long brown locks falling on his shoulders and Dawn eyed him wearily." So how about telling me what really happened tonight?"
Xander jerked a thumb at Buffy." What she said." Not daring to say to much lest his mouth run off faster than his mind watch it.
Dawn nodded knowingly." Riiight..."She lifted the long hair and let it drop. "So your hair just grew seven inches spontaneously did it?"
He looked at her and all the falseness fell away from him." My father always used to say blood will out; I thought it was his drunken way of telling me mom could get my blood off of my clothes." He looked at her and shook his head." Long story ,don't ask...I guess he meant blood will always find a way of coming through no matter how hard you try to hide it."
She grinned." I knew it! You were adopted right! Probably stolen at birth by those animals that call themselves your parents!" She saw the look he was giving her and she continued." Unlike some I could mention I'm not blind you know, I see the bruises and cuts on you when you come over, ran into a door my ass!"
Xander smiles." Smart girl, now could you please go get me a pillow." He yawned again." I could sleep for a week."
Joyce came in and hugged him for helping keep her daughter safe then told him he could sleep over anytime. Buffy and Willow went up to her room, promising him they would come running down if he wanted anything.
Xander lay there mulling over everything that had happened, both that night and in Van Helsing's life. He was very good at keeping secrets almost as good as feigning sleep. The vile liquid had worked after a fashion he guessed as he still retained every memory the feared Demon hunter had. Especially those of his beloved Anna, he closed his eyes and he could see the resemblance Cordy had for Helsing's lover but he doubted she had the same love for him Anna had for Helsing.
He glanced up at where his two friends slept and made his mind up, whatever it took to make Cordelia his he would do and having won her over he would make damned sure nothing happened to her like it had Anna. He closed his eyes and dreamed of his future life with Cordelia, which somehow made a part of him very happy in deed.
Buffy had woken first and gone down to find Xander had left sometime in the night. She walked into the kitchen to find Dawn sitting there sipping on an OJ, Dawn swallowed the drink and told her." He left at first light, said there was something he needed to do." She placed her glass on the table and berated Buffy." I think you blew it sis."
Buffy was not a morning person, to her morning began sometime around noon." Blew what? And what was so important he couldn't have waited till we were up?"
"Your chance at Xander, I think he's finally got over the crush he had on you and moved on to some one else."
Buffy smiled." Willow!"
Dawn shook her head." You really are blonde aren't you; didn't you notice anything last night?" Buffy shrugged." His shoulder length hair? The sudden air of confidence he had, the rippling six pack..."
"HEY! You are way too young to be ..."Buffy's mind suddenly put it all together." Oh shit!"
Dawn clucked." I bet Mom doesn't know what such a potty mouth her first born has."
Buffy and Willow searched every place that Xander usually hung out, they doubted he had gone home and they very much doubted he would have gone to school, it being Saturday and all. Little did they know that at that precise moment that was exactly where he was?
Cordelia and he sheep were practicing their cheerleading routines just as the swim team came out of the locker room. Harmony nudged Cordelia." Wow look at the meat parade!"
Cordelia glanced over as the team walked the short distance to the pool and one boy in particular caught every girl's eye." Is that...No way!" Harmony told Cordelia." Man if I knew his lunch was that well packed I would have dressed like Rosenberg too!"
Cordelia watched as Xander grabbed a floatation device to hide himself as he passed by. "Girls." His eyes locked on Cordy's." Cordelia." He nodded and continued on to the pool. She shook her head and grabbed the coach as he passed." Since when do you allow geeks in the pool?"
Coach took the cigar from his mouth." Since they started breaking school records." He smiled." Hell I think we may even have a shot at the nationals this year!" He stopped as a thought entered his mind." Don't screw this up for us just because you got this mean streak a mile wide where Harris is concerned Chase! Be nice to him, encourage him to stay, don't ruin my chance here!"
Cordelia narrowed her eyes and whispered." What the hell is he doing?" She turned to ask Harmony something but like the other girls she had followed the team into the pool room. She raised her hands." What? Suddenly he's Mister Cool?"
She gave in and followed the rest of the team into the pool's seating area and watched as Xander blitzed the field. Harmony giggled." It must act like a winged keel or something."
Her eyes followed him as he left the pool and walked towards them." Hello again ladies." He looked at Cordy and she suddenly found it hard to breathe as he smiled at her." Cordelia, as always you outshine every other woman. "He took her hand and kissed it before returning to the practice session.
Harmony folded her arms and pouted." Well it's plain to see what he wants!"
Cordy looked at the hand he had kissed and rubbed it gently, she smiled and then searched the pool for him and saw he was leaving." Yeah, whatever you say Harm." She handed her the pom poms and stood up." Catch you tomorrow."
Kurt slapped Xander's back as they left the changing rooms." Man that was some try out! Where the hell have you been?"
Xander shrugged." Commix Central mostly." He spotted Cordelia as she tried to look like she wasn't waiting for him. "Hey Cordelia." He said as he passed her and kept walking. Cordelia glared at him then looked around before she ran after him.
"Hey!" She gripped his arm and spun him around to face her." What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Xander looked puzzled." Swimming?"
Cordelia began tapping her foot." I'm not supposed to be the one doing all the chasing here! I wait; you hover around me like a moth to a flame get it?" She raised her arms." You just don't get it do..."
He had dropped the bag and moved in under her arms, he wrapped his around her and placed his mouth over hers for the most sensual kiss Cordy had ever had. Her arms draped around him loosely then tightened her body against his.
The coach smiled as he past the pair." That's the way Chase, keep up the old school spirit." He stopped and checked his watch." But not too late Harris, State trials tomorrow." He rubbed his hands and then held them apart." I can feel that damned cup all ready!"
Cordelia broke the kiss and gasped for air." Wow!" Then she moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue, savoring the very taste of him." Where the heck did you learn that?"
Xander shrugged." You like?"
Cordy pushed him against the wall." Like? If I could bottle it I'd be...well richer than I am now."
She moved to kiss him and he stopped her."I happen to know you're not that shallow…Anna."
Cordy stopped." You lied! You said Helsing was gone."
Xander shook his head." I never said anything of the sort Miss Chase. You all believed what you wished were true and in a way it is true." He stood away from her, his arms apart." I am Alexander Harris, I have his soul his memories, I am him." He dropped his arms." However..."
"Here it comes." Cordelia mumbles.
"However, I also, thanks in no small part to the magic's provided by the council, have fifty five years of memories of my great." He ticked them off on his fingers." Great great grandfathers memories. "He grinned as he moved closer to her." And my blood is a damn sight stronger than most baby."
She wrapped her right leg around his left as she kissed him with everything she had and as she did a damn burst in her mind swamping her with a flood of memories. Xander broke the kiss this time and he smiled at her as the sun shone down on them.
Xander stroked her hair and told her." This time I mean to be by your side for ever!"
Cordy shook her head." But your friends need you."
Xander shook his head." I did that the last time and all it got me was years of grief and revenge. No my love this time I'm making damned sure to stay as far away from that life as possible. This time ,as in the last, you are my life."
As the two walked off arm in arm a very pale red-haired girl stepped from behind a tree, her eyes wide with fear and a tear glistened as it slid down her cheek. She then gripped her hands tight until the whites of her knuckles could be seen." No way! We're getting you back Alexander Harris if it's the last thing I do!"
Willow strode towards the couple an air of anger cast about her like a cloak of courage as she caught up with them. As she did a Sunnydale PD cruiser pulled up at the curb and two officers stepped out. Excuse me, are you Alexander Harris?"
Xander disentangled his arm from Cordelia's and nodded." What seems to be the problem officer?"
The older of the two glanced at his partner before asking." We'd like you to come with us son, there's a few questions we need to ask you."
Cordelia refused to leave his side." What's this about? I'll have you know my father Randolph Chase is a good friend of Police Chief Harridans!"
"No trouble Miss Chase we just need Xander to come with us to…Uhh clear up a few things." The expression on his face showed he hated what he was doing but it was necessary.
Xander kisses her cheek and tells her." I'll be over as soon as I can." He whispers." Go tell Giles though, just in case."
Half an hour after they took him away Giles, Mr. Chase and one of the Chase company lawyers walked into the main foyer of One Police Plaza. The lawyer walked up to the desk Sergeant and handed him his card." I'm here as legal representation for one Alexander LaVelle Harris."
The sergeant checked his books then blanched." Umm Mr. Harris is not here being charged with anything councilor. You see a patrol car was dispatched to the Harris family home this morning..."
Before he could finish Giles saw Xander being led from the main office, his face pale and his hands shaking. Giles watched the boy walk unsteadily towards them and he had a gaunt look to him." Xander, what's..."
He looked at Giles." A gang on PCP." He sighed." Ya know how many freaking times these buffoons have used that sorry excuse?" He straightened as Giles looked to the other men for support. Xander snorted." But then again in my time they used 'gangs on opium' or gangs 'chasseing the dragon's tail!" He threw the manila envelope across the room as Giles suddenly knew what had happened.
Xander looked at Giles as the Englishman asked." Were they...are they..."
Xander shrugged." Lots of blood but no bodies." He wiped a tear from his eye and looked at it." I never thought I'd cry if anything happened to him Ya know...But it hurts!"
Buffy looked up from reading one of Giles's heavy books and she saw Willow glance up from her computer." So what's the skinny?"
Giles took his glasses off and they knew they were either in for a massive research session or.
"The police were called to Xander's home early this morning; needless to say they didn't turn up until after the sun had risen." He sighed." The police believe person or persons unknown entered the house, butchered his parents then took the bodies with them."
Buffy gripped the table hard enough that they heard the wood splinter." Who and, or what?"
"There was a message for Xander."
Cordelia sat on the spare bed that was for now Xander's and she gripped his knee as she stared into his eyes. Xander whispered." Now the blood of Van Helsing fights for us."
Cordelia shakes her head." I've spoken to father, he's arranged for us to go to the house in the Hamptons for as long as we need." She smiled sadly at Xander." He trusts you."
"You mean I'm not the usual idiot you normally bring home." He looked outside as night closed in on the town that rested upon the Hellmouth." I want... I want to go with you more than life itself but..."He looked up at her and sighed." But I can feel the evil he has created." Xander looked at his hands." It seems there is a curse after all." He sat up, his eyes turning dark as he gripped the bed sheet." And blood will always out......"
Xander was woken by the feeling of absolute contentment, his mind registered the fact there was someone lying spooned up against him, their arm wrapped around his body and the hand grasping his. Xander whispered." God if you're listening please don't let it be Larry!"
He looked at the well manicured hand with its silky smooth skin and he remembered the night before and turned to see Cordelia lying there. Her dark hair fanned out against the pillow stirred feelings inside him he shouldn't really have had for someone that had until two days ago been the Bain of his life. He felt her hand release his hand slide down to rest on his ass, he smiled and saw lashes flutter." You do know if your father walks in now he'll never believe we just shared the bed.
Cordy's eyes opened and she shrugged." Mom already thinks I've done half of Sunnydale, let them think what they like." She kissed him the told him as she blushed like the schoolgirl she was." If they have to ask then they don't deserve to know." She wriggled tighter against him." No one has even came as close as you Xander, Momma always told me if it's something a man wants then I had to keep what god gave me until someone came up with the right price."
Xander chuckled." Yeah that sounds like the Sunnydale business woman of the year all right." His smile vanished as he remembered his loss." The only thing my mom ever told me was to get the House brand cuz it's cheaper."
Cordelia nods and holds him close, her breath blowing against his chest as she said." We'll get whoever did that to your parents Xand and I'm sure that Daddy will be more than happy for you to stay here." She began placing butterfly kisses across his chest." I know I will!"
He lifted her chin and kissed her full lips till they parted and then he let his tongue caress every curve of her mouth until he felt her hands pulling at his over taxed boxers. He placed a hand over hers and watched her pout." Your father trusts us, and I'm not about to break that trust."
Cordelia nods and they settle down to finish off the heavy petting session they had started the night before. Cordelia's mind was still confused as to how she knew almost all there was to know about Anna Valerious, the noble woman Abraham Van Helsing had loved with all his soul. She guessed that maybe being in close contact with the Chaos-induced Helsing had transferred that knowledge to her.
But there was one thing she knew beyond any doubt, she loved Alexander Harris. Whether he was the school's hope for the state finals or the class clown she didn't care anymore.
If he wanted to dress like an escapee from a Salvation Army thrift shop then more power to him. She broke the kiss as the thought entered her mind." Where do you shop anyway?"
Xander shrugged, his hand moved under her pajama top and closer to the lace covered breast." Mom's catalogue mostly." He stopped and moved away from her." Someone's coming!"
Cordy hopped out of the bed and across the room while Xander patted down the rumpled covers just as there was a knock at the door." Uhh come in?"
Mrs. Chase opened the door and placed a pair of jeans and a t-shirt on the dresser." I thought you might like a change of clothes so I had Charles go fetch some from Beckman's." She turned and then paused at the door. "Breakfast will be served in the nook." She smiled." Be a good girl and show him where it is Cordelia."
As soon as the door closed Cordelia opened the dressing room door." I wish I knew how the heck she does that?"
Xander watched her walk across the room, the silk nightclothes rustled against her body. She sat on his bed and asked." So what's the plan? Do we find out where Spike's new hideout is and torch the place..."She saw Xander blanche and shake his head." What?"
He closed his eyes then opened them again." This is how it started for him, revenge and it never stopped even when it cost him the very thing he wanted the most."
Cordelia shook her head." Believe me Xand if Anna didn't want Abraham to fight the darkness she could have stopped him, instead she supported the man she loved." A tear slid down her cheek." And I think the only regrets she had were that her death would only spur Abraham on till it caused his death and the fact she would never see her son grow to be a man."
Xander ran a hand through his long hair and told her." No...We're going to move as far away from here as we can. To hell with things that go bump in the night that's Buffy's job, it's what she was created for!"
Cordelia placed a finger to his lips." You're angry now and that's the wrong time to make decisions like this." She smiled." Besides the fact that no matter how good our life would be it would eat you up inside knowing you could have done something but chose to run because of what happened before."
He kissed her finger then replied. "What happened before was I lost you, and I'm not going to risk losing you again"
"No matter how many people your parents killed? Or how much hell Spike and Co bring into this world?"
He looked angrily at her." And when they find out and come after me...But more importantly those I love?" Cordy grinned." We make it so they don't know and if they do find out..."She gripped his hand." Then we'll face them together."
Monday morning rolled around and found Buffy waiting with Willow in their usual spot for Xander but they were shocked when they saw him pull up in Cordelia's car." Xander!" Buffy called out to him.
"Hey Buff, Wills." He continued to walk past them, his arm locked in Cordy's, he stopped and kissed Cordelia on the cheek." I'll catch up."
Cordelia looked at Buffy." Don't be too long hun." And she walked off.
Willow waited till Cordelia was out of earshot." I know she's put a hex on you and we..."
Xander chuckled." No hex Wills, I just had my eyes opened. Maybe if I wasn't involved in this fun little group then my parents would still be this side of hell instead of out there doing god only knows what."
Buffy nods." You don't need to help, just hang with us during the day like old times."
"I'd rather forget the life I once had, too many bad memories."
Willow shakes her head." So your plan is to make new bad memories with' her'?"
He tilts his head to one side." I love her and I just hope she loves me too."
Willow's bottom lip starts to quiver." Where are you going to live now?"
He shrugs." Mr. Chase said I can stay there till his lawyers sort everything out." He runs a hand through his long dark locks." Hell even the Mayor's Office has some sort of special Victims of Crime payment that the lawyers say will be a big help."
Buffy tries to make a joke." A politician on the Hellmouth probably sold his soul to the devil to get where he is." She hugs him the lets him go." Just don't ignore us, and don't forget we're here for you swim star."
Xander nods then goes to hug Willow but she hesitates." You...You could stay with us, my folks wouldn't mind, they're hardly home anyway."
Kurt calls out." Hey Alex!" He runs over." Coach wanted to know if you're still in the team." He looks at Buffy." Hello there." He all but purrs then looks back at Xander." Snyder said you'd probably pull out and to put Grady in your spot."
Xander nods." Yeah I'm not up to it right now, besides I might be moving soon."
Both Buffy and Willow jerked at the news but then Buffy nods." It'd probably be for the best, where were you thinking of moving to?"
Xander shrugged." I've got an Uncle that lives in Vegas, I figure the 'nightlife' would be quieter there , it being a desert and all."
Kurt snorts." Vegas quieter, yeah right!"
The young mother cursed her luck as she drew her child closer to her." Go away!" She cried out to the four creatures that circled her, taunting her every action, her every cry for help.
The leader stopped in front of her and stared into her eyes." Okay you can go."
Casey sighed in relief as he moved to one side to let her go. She lifted her child into her arms and began to move past him when she felt an iron hand grip hers." Oh no love the snack stays."
Arnold could literally feel the fear and anguish flow from the foolish mortal female." NO!"
Arnold drew in a deep breath as if he could smell the fear." Good, be afraid...Be very afraid!" "I couldn't have said that better." Arnold turned and saw a man standing on the rise above him, the moon shining behind him hid his features all they could see was a man in a long leather duster." Angel!" Arnold growled.
The white of the man's eyes shone in the moonlight." BZZZZ! Wrong answer, do you want to try for double jeopardy were you can double your points?"
"What?" Arnold asked then shook his head." Never mind." He turned to his lackeys." Kill him and bring me his tongue!"
There was a 'whooshing' sound and the first two vamps turned to dust." You know in the three hundred odd years you class fours have been around I would have thought one of you morons would have discovered the concept of body armor."
The man held the multi-barreled gun up and pointed it at Arnold." Miss I think you should leave about now."
Casey made to move and the other remaining vamp went to stop her but another bolt flew from the strange gun and sealed his fate, Casey ran as fast as her legs could carry her vowing to leave this crazy town as soon as the sun rose.
Arnold clenched his fist in anger." Who the hell are you?"
"Me?" He shrugged." I'm your worst nightmare given form." The man walked towards him firing the gun hitting the demon in the knee." The thing that hunts you in the night..."He shoots the wooden bolt into its other knee forcing the vamp to the ground." I need to send a message." He stands over him and Arnold can see the hate in the man's eyes but the face is hidden by a thick muffler." Your bad luck is that you get to be my Fed-Ex man."
Giles is reading through the letter of resignation he plans to send to the watchers council as Buffy leans over him." Is spineless gits really two words?"
Giles moves the paper away from her." Yes, don't you take English as a second language now?" He folds it in half and asks." How did your patrol go?"
She shrugged." Something weird's going on."
"On the Hellmouth, color me surprised."
Buffy smiles." My Giles I do believe the colonials are rubbing off on you." She dropped a wooden bolt that was wider at the base than at the point with spirals running its length." I found more of these tonight."
Giles nods as he looks it over." Strange, they don't look like they come from a normal crossbow." He lays it on the table." Anything else?"
She nods." I called by Willy's on the way here he says something's scaring his customers away, rumor has it this 'thing' is way worse than me." She sits in front of him." Uhh Xander hasn't been going 'Dark Knight' on us has he?"
Giles shook his head." He's had no contact with me since the night they found his parents...gone."
Willow walks in and slumps on a chair." Yeah he's become one of the 'IN' people and I doubt Cordy will let him off his leash long enough to do anything let alone that." She looks at Giles." It's a spell, she's put the whammy on Xander and now he's become what he's always hated! Hell he even calls himself 'Alex'!"
"I doubt it's a spell." Giles tells her.
Buffy picks the bolt up and taps it against her chin." You don't think he remembers do you?"
Giles shakes his head." Do you remember being a lady?" Buffy shook her head." I don't believe he could remember, even the council tested him before Wyndam-Price left and they're sure he's forgotten everything."
Willow yawns and Giles tells them." Best you two get off home, it's a school day tomorrow."
He bids them farewell and watches Buffy walk Willow home." You can come out now, they're gone."
The man in the leather coat and muffler walks towards Giles and Giles flips the bolt to him, the man catches it and places it inside his coat." It's a dangerous game you're playing."
Xander takes the muffler away from his face and tells him." I don't play games anymore Rupert, Ethan and Spike saw to that."
Giles nods and asks him a question that has haunted him since the boy/man came to him three days ago." Why do you trust me? I could be telling the council everything about you."
Xander shrugs." I don't blame the council; they were just trying to use every weapon in their arsenal to defeat evil. Hell if I were in their position I don't know if I'd have the strength to do what they do." He sits and looks at Giles." As to why I trust you, you have proved on more than one occasion that you place life before all and that's more than I can say for some. Plus the fact in the two years I have known you you're more my father than my real one."
At the mention of father Giles looks at him." Any sign of..."
Xander nods." I've found traces of his presence at several lairs." He turns to Giles." Above everything else he must never know what I do, as long as they think I don't have my forefather's memories then we are all safer.
Xander slips a copy of his weapon on the table." I made another, make sure Buffy uses it." He grins." Keep the bastards guessing as to who the Special guest star is in their little play."
Giles picks it up and nods." Willow believes Miss Chase has cast a spell on you."
Xander nods." She's right...In a way Cordy has, but it's a magic far older than any every practiced believe it was first used in Eden by Eve."
Giles smiles." You do know that when they find out the girls will be..."Giles searched for the right word."
"I believe 'pissed' is the colloquial term you're looking for."
Giles nods." I will do my utmost to secure the safety of Cordelia."
Xander stands up." I think Cordy can handle herself against the demons."
"I was thinking more in the way of Buffy and Willow."
Xander smiles." So was I."