One Police Plaza was still a hive of activity despite the closeness of the celebration of the 2007th anniversary of the birth of Christ. Two beings, apparently invisible to the mere mortals that buzz around them are walking through the building in search of their target, they pause at a door marked homicide and phase through the secure door before continuing their search. The older being smiles as he sees the young man in question and motions to the other." Come sir we appear to be just in time to see the beginning of his trial."
Xander replaced the phone as he turned to watch the ten year old boy flick boredly through the files on the computer." Still nothing?"
The boy shook his head and the mother told him." All this time we have tried to help you and all we have gained is us missing our train!"
Xander smiled." Philly appreciates your help in this matter Mrs. Lapp but the small inconvenience to yourselves may help us catch the murderer of a police officer."
She glares at him." Your laws do not concern us Officer Harris."
He grins." You know you'd be surprised at how many people seem to agree with you Mrs. Lapp." He sat back and grinned at his partner." Why only the other day we had the same conversation with a gentleman who thought the fact he had just killed his neighbor had nothing to do with us, he was just 'letting off some steam'."
He edged closer to the mother and lost the smile." The fact is Mrs. Lapp your son is our only witness to the brutal murder of an undercover narcotics officer. We kind of get miffed when one of our own is killed in the line of duty. This brings us back to the fact that Samuel is a material witness in a capitol crime, and that means it is within my power to keep you in protective custody until we see fit to release you both."
The afro-American nods." Add to that the fact the news channels have been running with the story ever since it happened and how there was a witness to the murder." He shook his head." You and your son won't be safe until this dude is behind bars."
Rachel sighs." We are both very tired and maybe my son would have better luck in the morning after a good nights rest?"
Xander nods." I know just where you two can stay." He picks up the phone and dials a number." An old ...friend of mine has a spare room I'll just..."He holds up a finger as Cordelia answers." Hey Cor..."He holds the phone away from his ear as they can hear a woman shouting." Yeah well I'm sorry about that but I thought the guy was attacking you." He grins." Look I need a favor..."
Cordelia opens the door to reveal a woman dressed in black with a small boy dressed likewise she then sees Xander." Well at least they dress in solids. "She tells him as he ushers them in. Xander opens his jacket to reveal his shirt." Hey! I'll have you know this is a classic."
Cordelia nods as she shuts the door." Yeah ugly just never goes out of fashion for you huh?"
He moved his two subjects into Cordy's small lounge and shut the door while he talked with his ex." Thanks for the help Cor." He looked at her and shook his head." Man you never seem to get any older!" He kissed her cheek." Thanks for helping me out." He jerked a thumb at his 'guests'. " They were getting antsy about helping out."
Cordelia nodded and patted his chest then scowled." I thought it was a city ordinance that you were to wear the new jacket!"
Xander shrugged." It made me look fat! And besides Homicide arrives after the shootings over remember."
Cordy shook her head muttering." Freaking idiot!" Then asked." So are you still going to see the others for Christmas?"
Xander shrugged." If I can but this case just threw my schedule for a loop, I don't know…"
Cordy hit his shoulder." Listen here Dirty Harry! I didn't waste all my time and effort trying to get the three of you to finally spend quality time together just for you to blow it away like this." She made sure he was listening and continued." You're not the only officer in homicide you know! You haven't taken a day off since you joined the force so I damn well think they won't begrudge you a week so's you can at least act like your human and not robo-cop!"
Xander blushed; she could always make him feel like he was wrong no matter what the situation." Okay, look I'll try, it's the best I can do. I'll ring them and tell them I may be late but I will be there."
She looked him in the eye." Promise?"
He crossed his heart." If I'm not there then it'll be because I'm de..." She pressed a finger to his lips." Idiot! Don't even joke about that."
Xander smiled." See now that worries me, when an ex-seerex-demonex-coma girl is worried about a stupid saying then you just know I'm going to be there."
Cordy shook her head." Trying to forget the whole Lala land experience here Xand!" She motions to her lounge." So how long is Mary Jane and Cletus staying?"
"Till tomorrow, Friday at the latest, I figure something has to give. No body offs a cop without somebody knowing something about it." He looked at her and he had the sudden urge to pick her up and kiss her." You ever think about us..."He blushed." Never mind, forget I asked, just thanks again for putting them up."
She watched him walk to her door then waived as she shut it. She lent against it and sighed." Too much water under the bridge Harris." She grinned." Besides which there's someone that would skin me alive if she thought I would even try." She looked at her watch and worked out the time difference then walked towards her guests. "I had better let her know she had better put her plans on ice for just a few more days."
Xander picked up the young mother and her son from Cordelia's house and drove them to One Police Plaza, as they drove Samuel kept staring at the patch over Xander's left eye. His mother caught him gawking and she berated him." Samuel! It is rude to notice another's affliction!" Samuel jerked as her words bit deep.
Xander merely grinned and looked into the mirror." He's just a kid, and kids will be kids."
Samuel whispered in his mother's ear and she tried to hide a smile and was embarrassed when Xander noticed." He wants to know if you were a pirate before you were a policeman."
"Well that one's new, most of my guests in the rear wonder if a previous occupant caused it." He pulled the car up at a set of red lights and turned to them." It was my own fault actually..."He seemed to think back." I guess I just saw too much and someone decided to fix that."
Samuel looked confused and she reminded him." Remember what papa said' the world of the English concerns us not!"
Xander pulled into the underground car park and flashed his badge to the security officer." Well it does today Mrs. Lapp. Murder concerns us all whether we like it or not."
Samuel followed him to his desk." Not more of the computer!"
Xander smiled and dropped three heavy books onto the desk." Oh no, now we do things the old fashioned way."
Three hours and one very bored child later Xander was no closer to finding out who the killer was when the phone rang." Homicide, Lt. Harris's desk."
Dawn used her sexiest voice." I want to report a murder Lt. Harris..."
Samuel saw his mother glancing through the books and decided to explore this bold new world of the 'English' at work. A police woman smiled and offered him a cookie while she continued to fill in a murder report .Samuel took it and continued to walk through the room. He took in the holo-fit room where, unknown to him, computer artists generated three dimensional pictures of criminals so close to the real thing they were hard to tell the difference. He walked by the drink fountain and took a sip as he passed. His attention was drawn to the trophy cabinet that housed records of the precincts shining moments. He saw a photo of Xander and read how he had captured the Philly Slasher. He saw trophies for marksmanship and citations for bravery and then his eyes went wide.
Xander knew it was Dawn and he asked her." Can you describe the victim Mam?"
"Why yes he's 27 about six foot two, very muscular and if Anya was anything to go by he was a real Viking in bed."
"Sounds like a very interesting man. How did he die?"
"Well it seems he broke three girls' hearts when he failed to honor his promise and these girls are the kind you don't want to cross. Two wanted to pair him up with Andrew."
"And the third?" He looked at where Samuel was and jerked around when he saw he was gone. His eye scanned the room and he relaxed when he saw him over by the trophy cupboard."
"Well she swore to never let him see her in that dress he liked so much."
Xander was distracted as he saw the look on Samuel's face." Hmm...Cross dresser was he?"
Dawn giggled." Okay Xander now I know your not listening, Cordy rang and said you weren't coming here for Christmas?"
"Dawn, I'm in the middle of a murder investigation I can't just drop it..."He heard her anger through the static of the line." I think we may have a breakthrough though and I'll more than likely be there. Look I have to go." He smiled." And I am looking forward to seeing you in that dress."
He hung up and walked over to join Samuel and his mother, Samuel looked at him as he pointed to a news clipping." Is this the man?"
Samuel nods and Xander points to it." You're sure now, this is the man?"
He nods as Rachel tells him." My son never lies Mr. Harris if he says this man did it then he did it."
Xander stood up and looked around, running a hand through his hair." Shit!"
The mother stood up and gripped her son's hand." Profanity will not ease your way into heaven Mr. Harris."
He looked at her." Lady if this is the man then we both might need to do a lot of praying."
Xander sat in the drawing room as Harrigan entered." This had better be good Harris!"
"We caught a break in the Johansson case."
For some reason the chief looked surprised." Yeah? How the hell did we manage that little miracle?"
"Uhh we had a witness…" Xander held up a hand to still the chief's anger." We didn't know it would pan out but it did." He flipped open a file." Lt. Charles Benson of the vice squad."
"Heard of him, citation for bravery, good cop."
Xander shook his head." On the surface yeah, but I've never trusted first appearances, call it a miss spent youth but when the kid I.D. him I did a lot of digging. It appears there was a major drug bust that he was involved in only the crooks said there was way more than hit the evidence lockup…$250 million dollars worth!"
The chief closed the file and began pacing." Did you tell anyone else about this, your partner, friend, wife, or lover?"
Xander shook his head." Hell no! I don't know who to trust, I figure we call in the feds and let them clean this up." Harrigan nods." I'll see to that...Where's the kid?"
"Close, but not too close."
"Okay." He patted his back." Go home, get drunk, get laid just remember to get into the office early tomorrow." He smiled." We got some bad cops to catch."
Xander left the house with a tingling at the back of his neck a sure sign that things were not right." I'd give my other eye for Giles or Buffy to be here about now."
Xander tugged at his shirt as it rode up over the vest he wore. He looked into the mirror." Man this makes me look like Kakistos!"
He picked up the files he had swiped from the records department on the off chance his hunch was right and was walking towards the elevator when the hairs on the back of his neck rose .His hand slipped down to his hip holster and unclipped the .40 caliber Glock.
He heard a car door open and he turned to see Benson and another man standing there. Xander glanced left and right then dropped the files, his right hand flashing down to his gun just as Benson opened up with a mini-gun. The first rounds pushed him back against the elevator door, the rest thumped harmlessly against a car. Xander looked under the car and saw a pair of feet heading towards him. He fired hitting the right foot causing the man to drop, his next round caught the man square in the forehead.
Benson glanced down at his dead partner and backed away as he reloaded the gun. Xander stood and fired at Benson causing him to scamper back to the car and make a hasty retreat. Xander shouted and pointed the empty gun at the departing car." I know who you are Benson...I KNOW WHO YOU ARE!"
The massive amount of adrenaline pumping around in his system began to fade as his mind got around the fact he was still alive. He bent down to retrieve the files and saw blood pulse out onto them then the pain hit him like a freight train from hell." Crap!"
Rachel was woken by Cordelia's incecent knocking on the bedroom door.She got up and slipped into her robe before opening the door to reveal a very distressed Cordelia. "Get your things together; Xander says you have to leave now!" She nods and rushes to dress both herself and Samuel.
Cordy then tries to open the locked bathroom door then simply speaks through the closed door." Okay they're getting their shit together, now do you mind telling me what's going on?"
She hears the door unlock and glances around the bathroom until Xander tells her." I need to borrow your car. "He winces as he hands her his keys." Put mine in the garage and get yours ready for a long trip."
"Where are you going? What the hell happened?" She asks his back as he heads for the Lapps room." You don't want to know either answer Cor, just get on a plane and go to your friends, you'll be safer."
She backed her pride and joy out of the garage and remembered that her dad had told her to always have her car filled with gas and oil. She had thought he meant it as a tender father/daughter moment but it was only after he was arrested for tax evasion that she knew he actually had good reason to have a fully gassed car at his disposal.
She got out just as Xander ushered the Lapps and their baggage into it. He pecked her on the lips and told her. "Remember get your pretty ass back to L.A. pronto!"
He drove the 2001 beetle off at way past the recommended speed limit and Cordy shouted after it." Your welcome!" She used his key to get in his car and turned the ignition." Asshole!" She turned to check for traffic when her eye caught sight of the vest tucked under a travel rug. She put the car in neutral and reached over to move the rug revealing a bullet scared vest along with blood soaked bandages." Jesus Christ Xander!"
She did as he asked and parked his car in the garage then went inside and dialed a number from a well worn business card." Yes could I speak to Angel please, tell him it's Cordy and we have an emergency in the city of brotherly love!"
It took Harrigan and Benson most of the day to track down Xander's last movements and that led them finally to Cordelia's front door, or to be more precise her garage door. Harrigan forced the lock and they opened the door." Bingo!" Benson cried out as they saw Xander's police issue Chrysler. Benson jimmied the front door while Harrigan popped the trunk, Benson grinned as he flashed the damaged vest and blood stained pad through the rear window as Harrigan closed the trunk." Told you I nailed that sombitch!"
Suddenly a voice spoke to them from the shadows of the garage." I'm afraid that unless you 'gentlemen' have a warrant anything you find will be fruit of the poisoned tree."
Benson reached for his gun as Wesley stepped into the light." You go right ahead and pull your piece officer, I'm sure your quiet used to it by now. "He turned to Harrigan." Unless you want the UCLA and a hundred other such organizations after your hide I suggest you tell your man to leave his gun holstered."
Harrigan motioned for Benson to relax then smiled at Wesley." We don't want any trouble here, we're just trying to find out what happened to Lt. Harris. It seems to some that he turned out to be a bad apple in the department going rouge and killing a fellow officer, we just want to talk."
Wesley shrugged." If that's all then you can wait till he makes his case in Washington."
Benson began to panic but Harrigan just smiled." He's not in Washington." He motioned to the bloodstained pressure pads." In fact I'd be surprised if he's even alive."
Wesley smiled. "If you know Xander half as much as we do then you'd know he's both a very resilient and resourceful man ,I wouldn't bet against him."
Harrington's smile froze then vanished." The hell of it is I already have." He moved away from the car and motioned for Benson to get in theirs." The fact is I have a pretty good idea where he's going, my advice is he hands himself over and we'll try to cut a deal."
Wesley shook his head." If you had any idea where he was going you wouldn't be here chasseing your tail." Wesley took a card from his pocket and expertly flicked it over to him." If you want to talk to him call our offices here in Philly, I'm sure he has more questions for you than you have for him."
Just then a GMC Denali pulled up and unloaded three very worried woman followed by an intense looking Englishman." Everything okay here Wesley?" Giles asked.
"Nothing to concern yourself with Mr. Giles." He looked back at Harrington." The chief and his man were just leaving."
Willow ran into the house while Buffy and Dawn watched the two men leave, she turned to Wesley." Do you think they had anything to do with Xander?"
Wesley nods." Oh I think they had everything to do with Mr. Harris's current predicament."
Harrington flipped open his phone as Benson drove them away." Janice be a dear and ask the Homicide 'pit' where Lt. Harris's witness came from." He turned to Benson." We know, thanks to your ineptitude he knows I am involved in your petty little scheme so he'll be wary of trusting any of his brother officers." He grinned." I think he'll take Mrs. Lapp and her son where they'll be safe...He's taking them home!"
Meanwhile Willow had entered Cordelia's home and placed the small wooden trunk on the coffee table. She blushed as Cordy and Angel walked into the room, the memories of their last meeting all to clear in her mind as the reformed Wicca took out several items from the case." I'll need something he wore, some think recent."
"I know Angel said you would."
She handed her his bloodstained shirt and Willow balked at touching it." So much blood!" She froze at the thought of her childhood friend in pain.
"Willow! We need to hurry!" Cordy reminded her.
Willow jerked into action and began a screeing spell to find Xander. Cordy tells her." I know he's taking his charges to a place where they'll feel safe, my guess is he's taking them to where they live but there's thousands of Amish people in the Counties and hundreds of Lapps."
Willow poured the mixture on the shirt and she felt an electric shock pass through her." Lancaster County...Big house, crops of wheat, big pond…no a small lake!" She could see him driving, could even feel his thoughts." He's going to drop them off then drive as far away from..."Her eyes went wide." No! He's going to come back here, come back and try to put Harrigan and some other guy away for what they did."
Cordy turned to Angel." He can't be serious!"
Angel nods and then Dawn tells them." He's got a stubborn streak a mile wide where bad guys are concerned. He'll do...he'll do it or..."Willow saw a tear cascade from Dawn's eye." We have to get him help! We can't… can't lose him not like this!" So three forces were closing in on the hamlet of Lancaster County, two of good and one of the oldest evil known to man and all the while two beings watched the proceedings and waited for their turn.
Xander pulled the bug up outside of the Lapp family farm and rested his sweat stained head against the wheel while his two charges got out. Rachel turned to him." When will we be needed at the trail?"
Xander coughed and gripped his side." There's not going to be any trial." He put the car into gear and told her." If anybody asks you were never in Philadelphia, never been away from here."
She realized what he meant and then she feared for him." What will you do?"
Xander looked into her eyes and she flinched, never had she seen such anger in a man before.
"What needs to be done!"
He nodded to the boy and drove off as her father came running out to see her." Daughter! I thought thee would be in Baltimore by now?" But Rachel just watched the small red car veer from one side of the road to the other till it crashed into the old bird house and stopped." Oompa!" The boy cried out and the three ran towards the stricken car.
She eased Xander back away from the wheel and winced when she saw all the blood." We need a doctor!"
His hand gripped hers as his vision swam back into clarity once more." No doctor! They have to report gunshot wounds and then they'll find you, I'll...I'll be fine in a ..."
He collapsed again only this time he didn't move. The father ran back and drove the flat bed buggy back and the two carried Xander to it, the need for urgency outweighing the need to be gentle. He drove like a madman back to the farm and after they put him in the downstairs bed he then raced off to get the closest person they had for a doctor.
The community vet wiped his blood stained hands in a towel as the others came back into the room." This man needs to be in a hospital! I have done what I can but he needs more."
Rachel asks." What will we need to see to him here?"
The vet shook his head." If he dies then the 'English' will demand retribution for what we have done!" He saw the look in her eyes then turned as Xander's weak voice broke through the argument." The boy witnessed a cop kill another cop; I don't know who to trust in the department..."He grimaced." Hell even the damned chief is in on it!"
He raised himself up despite the pain." If you take me to hospital then they'll have to report it, these evil men will assume I told you what I know and then all of you will either have 'accidents' or be the victims of some gang hit." He collapsed back onto the bed.
The vet turned to the elders." If what he says is right then you have brought a great danger back from the city Rachel Lapp! We can not take him to the 'English' hospital and if he dies then we will be held responsible if they find the body."
"If I die put my body in the car and bury it, forget everything about me and what happened..."Xander drifted into a drug induced sleep.
Old man Lapp shook his head." We cannot do such a thing! It would go against our very beliefs!"
"Then it would be best for all if he lived then." Rachel told him." So what do we need to do?"
The vet began writing a list of ingredients." The bullet passed through here." He touched to the right of his bellybutton." With luck it may have missed the vital organs but he has lost a lot of blood." He handed her the list." This is for a poultice our forefathers used to use when they first came to this land, it served them well and I pray it serves just as well for him."
Rachel nods as he continues." You have to watch for a fever, it will come, if he lives past tonight then I think he will survive."
Xander's eyes flickered open and he saw them all leave his room, all but two men that were dressed differently to the others. The doors closed and he heard the sounds of arguing from the other room but the two men just watched him." You guys don't have platters of sliced cheese behind your backs do you?" His mind became hazy as his thoughts wandered." Cuz if you do could we jump to the ice-cream truck and this time could I actually catch up to Tara and Willow this time?"
The eldest man stepped forward and told him." You are to be judged Alexander La..."
Xander waived a finger at him." No way Casper! No one calls me that..." He stopped as he finally noticed something." Hey, how come I don't feel any pain, and just how the heck do you know my name?"
The man smiled." I told you, you're being judged as to your worth...Xander."
Xander nods." Oh I get it, you and Tinkerbelle over there are like some kind of cosmic credit check, see if old Xander Harris is worthy of entry into Club Heaven."
The younger man smiled." Something like that only we're here to check out whether you come up to our standards." "See son we're looking for a few good men..."
Xander's smile left him." Then search somewhere else." He turned on his side." I don't believe in you or your boss!" The elder man bristled at his remark." Why you little..."
The younger man held him back." Please tell us why Mr. Harris?"
Xander turned and glared at them." For seven years I helped the Slayer keep this world from being sucked into hell and you guys did jack squat!"
"So you believe in hell then and yet not heaven?"
Xander glared at the younger spirit. "I saw, I saw demons and devils and yet not once did I see any of your team down there!" "We did what we could when we could, your 'slayer' did an admirable job, she still does in fact, and we gave you the resources you needed when you needed them. We could not interfere; it was one of the rules." The elder tells him. Xander smirks." And yet here you are."
The younger shakes his head." We are here for you Xander, to see if you are worthy of a great honor."
"Right." He looks around the room then at the two." I think I'll pass if you don't mind. I don't think I could handle watching innocents die just because of a stupid rule."
"Neither could I." Said the younger one." In fact it got me into a lot of trouble with the original elders." He walked over by the bed and tells Xander." He saw the evil taking a more hands on approach when the First began it's attack, since then he too has been making himself know, readying his forces for the day that is soon to come."
The older man nods." Which is why we are here to see if you are of the same metal as those in our group."
"You made some hard decisions in your life, decisions that saved lives even some lives that were meant to die."
The elder stepped closer and reached out his hand." And now we mean to learn whether it was just luck or instinct." He touched Xander's head and everything glowed with a divine white light.
Rachel entered his room and placed the basin with the change of poultice. She placed her hand on the old poultice to remove it and he began to mutter strange words." Basically I think you're just a vampire but she's got this big old yen for you and we're going down there to save her, so prove to me you love her, take me to the master's lair!"
His sweat stained hair almost glued to the pillow as he turned his head from side to side" Visiting hours are over, why don't you come back during the day?" He licked his lips as if trying to build up courage."Yeah well maybe so but then again there's always the security guards and then the cops and then the porters ,hell maybe you could take us all on, truth is I'd like to see you try."
He spoke the words quietly and yet so full of promised violence she could hardly miss their intent .He suddenly leaned in." You're going to die...And I'm going to be there!"
He writhed on the bed then exclaimed." Willow says...Kick his ass!"
His eye flickered open and he looked like he was staring through her." Being blown up dead is different, no beers with your homes after this...No this is little pieces of you being swept up and put in a dumpster dead..."He looked like he was listening to someone again. Then he all but whispered." I like the quiet."
The older man nods as the younger moves Xander on in time." Each decision is made without regard for himself, sometimes even without regard for his friends feelings, but always for best possible outcome for the side of light."
The old man placed a hand on Xander's head." I deem him both worthy and righteous, a fit candidate for our cause."
The young man nods." He's a bit rough around the edges but I think I know the right people to place him with till he comes into his powers."
During all this time Rachel had changed the poultice but noticed Xander's skin had become clammy and very cold. She took the used poultice and left the room in search of her father.
Xander's eye snapped open and scanned the room until he saw the two weird men once more." Hey ...Uhh glow guys...SO why the interrogation?" He sniggered." This had better not be another freaking letter from Ed McMahon!
The younger man paused from his talk with the elder." No Alexander, you have been chosen to become more, to help protect the innocent..."
Xander began slurring his words." Serve an protect...Says so on my badge." He looked at the older man." Is this some sort of test to see whether I get into heaven? If so is…is Anya there after all?"
The elder looked into the book then shook his head." Anyanka had gone someway to redeeming her soul but alas not enough."
Xander nodded a little disheartened but not surprised." Yeah heard you guys had a bug up your ass over that. What about Buffy, Willow and Giles?
Again the man shook his head." The closest they will get is limbo, I'm afraid they were not the most blessed of souls."
Xander lay back down." Then stick it!" Xander could feel all strength leave him as his body began shutting down all but the most nessacary organs."I'll keep their seats warm in limbo for them till they join me."
The young man took the book from the elder and moved to sit by Xander's side." We offer you the chance to do more good than ever could before,every soul you save could in fact help towards their earning a place in heaven."
Xander opened his eye and he could feel the blood begin to slow in his viens."No shit?"
"Lighter's honor!"The young man held up his right hand.
Xander's eye all but burnt into the strange man's being."If you're lying then you're dying!"
Xander held out his hand and shook the man's hand.
Just then Rachel and her father entered the room in time to see it slump against the bedside table,his uncovered eye remained open as the last breath rattled from his lungs.
"PAPPA!" Rachel cried out as she ran to Xander's side but the old man shook his head and wondered where they would hide the 'English' and his car.
The GMC Denali skidded to a halt outside of the Lapp farmhouse and discharged its occupants. Buffy followed Willow as she held the small wooden swatch of cloth in front of her." He's been in there!"
Dawn searched the area for any sign of Xander having been there when she sees a young boy looking at her from the corner of the porch. She walks up to him smiling as she does." Hey there, you must be Samuel. Cordy said you were a handsome young man and she was right." She sat on the chair beside him and began to talk to the boy.
Buffy held Willow back as she burst into the kitchen to confront an elderly man." What is the meaning of this?" He demanded. "Where's Xander?" Willow answered back.
Buffy could hear the man's heart beat speed up as he fought to control his fear. She held out her hand." You have nothing to fear from us, from anyone anymore." She thought back to phone message she had received from Angel telling her how the 'Fang Gang' had set up the chief and Benson ,played one off against the other until the chief had cracked and turned states evidence against his co-conspirators.
"Safe?"
Buffy turned to face Rachel." Yes the men that Xander was protecting you from are behind bars."
Rachel turned pale and sank into her father's arms." Dear God what have we done?"
Dawn's eyes were filling with tears as the small boy led her to the lake. He pointed into it and said." Oompa says God is in these waters, he gives life and from here all life springs."
Giles used the winch on the front of the Denali to pull the 2001 Beetle from its watery hiding place. He had the girls wait inside the farmhouse whilst the old man and he took care of finding Xander. The old man stated." I do not apologies for what we did; my family must come before all others."
Giles curbed his anger and nodded." Then you can appreciate the fact they will not be happy with what you have done!" The beetle emerged from the lake in tact and full of water... but nothing else!
Dawn was sitting, hugging Willow as she stared blankly at a wall." He can't be gone...I...I would have felt something." She grinned when she saw a ghostly figure approach them." See."
Dawn was about to try and comfort her when she sensed something else in the room, she sniffed and could swear she could smell that cheap aftershave she had bought him for his birthday earlier this year. She turned and felt a pleasant pressure against her lips then blushed at her reaction.
"Xander?"
Buffy held her head in her hands as she rocked backward and forward." Not like this ,not for something as pointless as this! Dying when the danger had already passed!" She felt her hair brushed to one side and at first she thought it was one of the others but a voice, a voice she knew too well whispered." You're still my hero."
Piper had just gotten her child to sleep for the third time that night." Something freaky is going on around here." She told Phoebe." And when that happens..."
Both women jumped when they heard a thumping noise from Piper's room. They looked at each other."LEO?" They both gasped at the same time and raced up the stairs. Piper pushed her door open to find Paige tucking someone into the bed, a very male somebody. She held a finger to her lips and tip toed them out of the room before they could make any demands.
She turned to Piper and told her." Leo has sent us someone he believes we can help and who in turn will help us."
Phoebe sighed." A demon?"
Paige grinned." A…I believe he was once a carpenter."
Phoebe caught her sister's infectious smile." Lord help us another Lighter!"
Xander felt like he was floating in heaven still, he hadn't felt this comfortable...well truth be known he had never felt this comfortable. He could hear someone enter the room and he opened his eyes to reveal the face, and the body, of an angel. That was until she spoke.
Her hands on her hips she all but burnt holes in him. "I don't know why Leo sent you here but we don't need your help! Xander thought something was strange at first but it wasn't until he realized he could see to the left of him that he realized." I…my eye!" He placed a hand to his right eye and grinned like a child when he could still see."
"Yeah yeah, big surprise! Why are you here?"
Xander stopped smiling and told her." To protect and serve." He shrugged." Well to protect and serve...and learn."