Xander Harris saw the jewelled knife glint in the pale light, as it flashed down and buried itself in his flesh. He heard himself scream in agony, and then an evil laugh. A man's voice said triumphantly, "You fools! The Gateway will open, and nothing can stop the Restoration now!"
Xander woke up with a jerk and thought, < Damn it, not again? This is the third night in a row! I have to talk to someone about these dreams. Probably Giles. I bet he'll come up with some obscure prophecy, Buffy will kick ass, and then it'll be over, I can get some sleep at nights. >
The teenager sighed, thinking about Buffy Summers, the vampire Slayer, and the rest of the 'Scooby' gang. Things just hadn't been the same ever since they had all graduated from high school. Angel, the 'good' vampire and Cordelia Chase, his one-time girlfriend, had left for LA.
Buffy, Willow Rosenberg and her boyfriend Oz were now at UC Sunnydale, attending frat parties, but he was stuck here at home. Rupert Giles was acting as an unofficial Watcher for Buffy again, after his replacement Wesley Wyndham-Price had left for England. Anya, the ex-demoness known as Anyanka, had returned to Sunnydale after the Ascension, and was still looking for a way to get her powers back.
All of a sudden, he began to hear loud voices upstairs screaming at each other. He winced, alone in the digs he had set up in the basement of his parents' house. Ever since his uncles Rigby and Roary had come to stay at the Harris residence, the drunken fights were no longer held just at Christmas, they were a daily occurrence.
< Maybe I should have just let my father sell me to those Armenians when I was a kid, at least I wouldn't have to listen to this... >
The teen just shrugged to himself, got up and blocked the voices out of his head. It was something you learned how to do, when you lived the life of one Alexander Lavelle Harris. But then his father really started to let go, cutting through his defenses.
Xander's worst nightmare (APART from the one about the vampires, demons and ghouls that inhabited Sunnydale's city limits feasting on his dead carcass) was that one day he would become like his father, like the other Harris men.
He thought to himself, < No way. That's not gonna happen to me. Besides, my life isn't that bad...I've got my friends, my health, and Uncle Roary is still letting me use his car... >
The teen then suddenly heard his uncle shout, "And tell that no-good punk kid of yours, I want my car back!!"
< Then again... >
Later that morning, Xander went to visit Giles at his house, to get the Watcher's help about those dreams. Upon knocking at the door and receiving no answer, he tried the knob and to his surprise, it was unlocked. The teen found the Watcher poring over some musty old books, as usual.
"Hey Giles, how's it hanging?"
Giles didn't even look up at him. "Oh, g-good morning, Xander."
Xander moved a little closer. "Listen, we gotta talk. I dunno if this is a prophecy thing or what, but I get the feeling something bad is gonna happen."
Giles murmured vaguely, "What do you mean?"
"I've been having these dreams, like they're nightmares okay? Three nights in a row."
"Um, yes."
Xander started to get mad - it was obvious the Watcher wasn't paying attention to him. "Last night, I was kidnapped by ET and I got taken up to the mother ship, in orbit around the moon."
"I see."
"Yeah, and when they brought me back we landed in Vegas, and I got married to Madonna."
"Interesting..."
All of a sudden, Xander lost his temper. "GILES!!! Are you like listening to me?! I just told you I got married to a rock star, after I was abducted by aliens!"
Startled, the Watcher looked up from his books, and saw the haggard face of the teenager staring at him. "Xander...w-what did you say?"
Xander sighed, and started to leave. "You're busy, we can do this some other time..."
"No, please wait." Xander stopped, but didn't turn around. "Xander, I - I must apologize. It's just that there's been so much to do...b-but I AM listening now. Y-you said something about recurring dreams?"
Xander sighed, and came over again. "It started a few nights ago..."
Giles looked at the boy after he had finished his story. It was obvious he hadn't been sleeping well. "W-why didn't you tell me about this before?" he asked him.
Xander shrugged. "At first I thought it was just a bad dream. The second night I figured, maybe it might be a coincidence. But the third time? That's like wishful thinking, here in Sunnyhell. So, here I am."
Giles took off his glasses, and started to rub his eyes. "I see. There a-are a few texts I can look up this afternoon, when I'm f-finished with this. Will that be all right?"
"Yeah, fine. Hey, you want some breakfast? You still like the jelly doughnuts, right G-man?"
The Watcher grinned with pleasure. "Never let it be said, the way to a Watcher's heart i-is not through his stomach."
"I hear ya. Be back soon."
A bit later at the doughnut shop, Xander had completed his purchase, and was about to leave in his car when he spotted Anya walking along the street. Leaving the doughnuts in the vehicle, he got out and went up to her. "Hey," he said nervously.
Anya barely glanced at him. "Hey," she replied morosely.
"What's up?"
"I spent most of the night in the company of a has-been chaos demon, who said he might be able to help me get my necklace back."
"So what happened?"
"Turns out, he had other things on his so-called mind. He kept on staring at my breasts even longer than you do."
Xander couldn't help grinning. "Well, I've heard it said Sunnydale's demons do have good taste in..."
"You complete that sentence, you'll be singing soprano for a long time, you - Zeppo!"
Xander was stunned. "Where did you -"
Anya rolled her eyes. "Cordelia Chase and I talked awhile ago. She told me all SORTS of interesting things."
Xander felt something inside him shut down, and his expression tightened up. Anya felt it at once, and started to apologize. "I'm sorry, Xander, it's just that I..."
"Had a bad night, I know," he interrupted her. "Look, I gotta go. I'll see you around..." and he started back towards his car.
"Hey, aren't we gonna kiss?" she demanded.
Xander gave her an emotionless peck on the cheek, and then quickly drove off, ignoring the look of chagrin on Anya's face.
After dropping off the food at Giles' place, Xander went home, left the car keys for his uncle on the living room table, and then disappeared without saying a word. The sad part was, none of his relatives even noticed. Xander walked the streets for a while, until he found himself at Willy's Bar. With a sigh, he went in.
The bartender was busy wiping things behind the counter, but stopped and smiled when he saw Xander. "Hiya, kid. Rough day?"
"Don't want to talk about it," Xander grumbled.
"I gotcha. What'll it be? You're over 18 now, right?"
"Yeah. But just gimme a Coke."
Willy nodded knowingly. "I figured you were like the other guys in your family?"
Xander shrugged. "Maybe I'm adopted."
Willy just grinned, and brought Xander his drink, getting on with duties. Soon an old man came in and sat next to Xander at the bar. "Oy Willy!" he shouted.
The bartender/snitch came up to him, frowning. "What do ya want?"
"Is that any way to talk to a customer?"
"When he ain't paid his tab in months, yeah!"
The old man then took money from his pocket. "How much do I owe ya?" he said, flashing the cash in front of the other man's face.
Willy just snatched it out of his hands. "I don't wanna know where ya got it. But if I get any trouble in here, your ass is mine. I know people. And non-people."
The old man just laughed, as Willy went off to get the guy a drink. He turned and stuck out his hand to Xander, who had watched the entire thing. "Name's Paddy," he said good-naturedly.
Xander shook his hand. "Xander Harris. What was all that about?"
Paddy just laughed again. "Willy and I just like to play is all, me boy," his accent a thick Irish brogue. His eyes suddenly widened, as he saw a couple of vampires enter the bar, with their game faces on. "What in the name of the Lord Almighty..."
Xander looked around, spotting the vampires. Unfortunately, that meant he missed seeing Paddy drop something into his drink. Xander said quickly, "Uh, they're - they're members of a local gang. High on PCP, y'know?"
Paddy just shook his head. "What kids don't get up to these days," he mumbled. He paused as Xander took a gulp of his doctored soft drink. "So, can I get you a real drink? I'm feeling in a good mood today, y'see."
"Uh, no thanks." Xander made to leave, but the old man stopped him. "Wait, now. You're not gonna leave an old man alone in here with them, are you?"
Xander cursed silently. No, of course he couldn't leave the guy in here alone with the undead. So he settled in again, taking the occasional drink from his glass. He was starting to feel woozy, and when the old man started talking about the women in his life, he suddenly blurted out, "You wanna talk about women? Lemme tell you my story. First, there was a teacher, she turned out to be a preying mantis. Then, there was this exchange student, who turned out to be an Inca mummy and she wanted to drain the life outta people! Then there was a vampire Slayer - no, make that TWO vampire Slayers - a witch, an ex-demon and this girl I'd hated for years, who ran away to LA to become an actress!"
The old man started laughing drunkenly. "Sonny boy, if that's true, you got me beat hands down! You gotta go on Jerry Springer, ye'll make a fortune!"
Xander didn't answer, he was weaving about uncertainly on his seat. The lack of sleep and the drugged drink took its toll, and he collapsed unconscious onto the bar.
Paddy instantly lost the drunken look, and stared at the unconscious teen with a look of vengeful satisfaction. Grabbing hold of Xander's body, he quickly carried him out of the bar.
Back at Giles' place, the Watcher had finally gotten around to looking into Xander's dreams. He'd found nothing, and was almost about to forget the whole thing when he found something. Starting to pace around the room, he read and re-read the passage he had found in the Codex of Prophecies, his fear growing with every passing moment.
All of a sudden, Buffy, Willow and Oz came into the Watcher's house. "Hey Giles!" said the Slayer.
Giles whipped around, looking startled. "Where's Xander?" he said urgently.
"Hello to you too," said Oz, looking at Giles in curiosity.
"I - I'm sorry," stammered the Watcher, "but w-we have to find Xander. Now. It's m-most urgent."
"Urgent how?" asked Willow.
"Urgent, a-as in possibly the end of the world," Giles said hurriedly.
"Again?" said Buffy flippantly.
"This is no l-laughing matter, Buffy," he said angrily. "We have to find him. NOW!"
"Chill, Giles," she said placatingly. "He's probably with Anya, we'll find him. Now what's the sitch? Is it a Hellmouthy sort of thing?"
"Worse," the Watcher muttered. "Much worse."
Just then Anya came in to the house. "Uh, hi. Have you guys seen Xander? We kinda had a fight this morning, I was wondering..."
"He's not with you?" Giles said in a panic.
Anya looked startled. "What's the problem?"
"S-sit down all of you, and listen," the Watcher said in agitation. When they had done so, he went on, "Xander - came to see me today. He'd been having bad dreams..."
"So?" Anya interrupted.
"I told you, don't interrupt!" Giles shouted, startling the group of teenagers. Calming down, he continued, "I, uh, found something in the Codex that explains them. Perhaps. Listen to this..." and he began to quote:
"...and on the fourth day after the equinox, there would come the Restoration. The blood of a Slayer and the sacrifice of the life of a Slayer's companion will open the Gateway, and entrap the spirit of Uurthu the restless in human form. The Old Ones and all the legions of Hell will once again walk the Earth, unless the Gateway be closed in the space of seven heartbeats and its opener suffer Hell's torment for all eternity..."
There was a stunned silence, and Willow was the first to break it. "Giles - what's a Gateway? And oh...oh...what does all that have to do with Xander?"
"A Gateway is...a - a temporary Hellmouth, I guess i-is the best way to describe it. But - different. This - i-it may be happening tonight. Xander - he dreamed that he was going to die, that the Restoration..."
"NO!!!" shouted Buffy. "I don't buy that! Xander isn't gonna die!"
"Buffy, there m-may be nothing you can do about it - don't you remember..."
"Yeah, sure I do! I died, but Xander saved me. It's time I returned the favor." She turned to face Anya. "Where would he be?"
The ex-demoness shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. Honest!"
Buffy just looked at her, barely disguising her disgust. "I say we lean on Willy the snitch. If anyone's gonna know about this Restoration thing, it's him."
"Good idea," said Oz, in his short, non-committal way.
"Yes, quite," agreed Giles, "L-let's be on our way." And they all hurried out.
Xander woke up to find himself shackled to a wall, and looked up to see the old man Paddy and someone in a black robe and hood over his head talking. "What's going on?" he asked weakly.
The other two merely told him to shut up. The hooded man gave the oldster some money, and said, "Here is the other half of your fee, as agreed."
Paddy merely smiled and said as he pocketed the money, "Y'know, I might have been willing to do this for nothing. But incentive always helps a man."
The hooded guy merely waved a hand impatiently. "Your job is done. Now get going."
As the old man was about to leave, Xander asked desperately, "What's all this about? Paddy?"
Paddy stopped and looked back at him with hate in his eyes. "Me name isn't Paddy, ye thick lout," he said. "I'm John Patrick O'Toole. That name mean anything to ye?"
Xander went pale. "Jack O'Toole..."
The old man nodded. "The gentleman here showed me a vision of what ye did to me grandson and his boys," he spat viciously. "I hope your soul rots in Hell where it belongs!" So saying, he stormed off into the night.
Xander stared at the other man. "Who are you?"
"I am The One," came back the emotionless reply.
"What do you want with me?"
"You're going to help me."
"Help ya do what?"
"Bring about the end of the world as you know it."
"Been there, done that," Xander quipped sarcastically, although he was becoming terrified. "Why me?"
"You fit the criteria. You should be honored."
"Huh?"
"You're a friend of the Slayer. I need the blood of a Slayer, and a human sacrifice. Then nothing will stop me ruling this whole world."
At Willy's Bar, the owner was being thrown up against the wall. "Where's Xander? I'm not gonna ask nicely again, Willy," Buffy threatened, as the rest of the gang looked on.
"I don't know!" Willy yelled. "He was here today, but he left with somebody! That's all I can tell ya!"
"WHO??"
Just then John O'Toole walked into the bar. "HIM!" Willy yelled and pointed.
O'Toole turned around and started to run, but he was no match for the Slayer. She caught up with him, and quickly dragged him back into the bar. "Where's Xander?" she asked politely.
He snarled back at her, "I'll go to Hell before I help ye about that!"
Buffy grabbed one of his fingers and quickly broke it, disregarding his howl of pain and the shocked looks of her companions. "I don't have time for this. If anything happens to my friend, you won't have to wait to end up dead before you're in Hell. I promise you," she said in her most menacing voice.
The old man looked at her, and decided she was crazy enough to do it. Revenge and money only went so far. "He's at the old abandoned mansion at the east end of town, last I saw him," he said in fear.
"Angel's old place?" she said to herself. She then knocked O'Toole out with one punch and started running out the door, her friends anxiously trailing behind her.
Back at the mansion, The One was chanting in a strange language. Xander's arms had been covered with strange ritualistic tattoo patterns, and the teen was strapped spread-eagled onto a make-shift altar.
"What's going on??" yelled Xander.
"Just some...final insurance," The One replied smugly. "Foolish boy-child, you have nothing to complain about. After all, I gave you fair warning, three nights in a row."
"The dreams..." Xander said in horror.
The One then rendered Xander unconscious, with a hard blow to the head.
Suddenly the Slayer and her companions burst into the mansion, and ran straight for them. Unfortunately, they ran straight into an invisible barrier; there was a bright flare of light, that slowly faded away again.
"Well, greetings," said The One in amusement. "I'm SO glad you made it on time. You'll have the honor of watching everything you hold dear be annihilated."
"Can't you be more original?" snapped Anya. "You've gotta be a man."
"And you must be Anyanka," said The One calmly.
"Listen, you asshole!" shouted Buffy. "You release Xander right now, and maybe I'll let you live!"
"And you must be the Slayer," he went on in the same tone. Then he looked at Giles. "You're the Watcher?"
"You w-won't succeed in this - this lunacy!" shouted Giles. "The Restoration also needs the blood of a Slayer, and Buffy's..."
"The blood I have already, you idiot," The One said, gesturing behind them. The gang turned and saw lying on a bed the body of Faith, the rogue Slayer who had turned to evil and been in a coma after being stabbed by Buffy in a terracetop fight.
They turned back to The One, who was laughing. "You didn't hide her very well, did you? I mean, the name Faith Wilkins? You may as well as have put up a neon sign, saying 'COMATOSE SLAYER HERE!'"
"That - w-was unavoidable," Giles said quietly. "The Mayor checked her into the hospital as his daughter, and t-to change the name - the hospital staff would have asked too many..."
"Hey, can we get back on track here?!" shouted Buffy. "Release Xander, NOW!!"
The One simply laughed again. "It's ironic," he said to them in a friendly tone, "your friend Xander Harris saved your lives, and the whole world the last time the Hellmouth opened, and now he's the means of destroying them."
The others just looked at him in confusion. He looked back and said in astonishment, "You never knew?!" Laughing wildly, he then told them what had happened that night. How Xander had prevented a bomb from exploding in the boiler room, while they were busy fighting the Hellmouth demon in the library of Sunnydale High. He ended up, "Why else did you think that idiot O'Toole was so willing to help me? Your friend practically fed his grandson to the werewolf here, after he humiliated him!"
Oz looked slightly sick at all these revelations. Abruptly, The One stopped laughing. "I grow weary of this," he said in a bored voice.
"Wait!" Anya shouted. "What exactly are you planning to do?"
"I thought you knew," The One said in his weariness. "The Gateway will open, and the elder god Uurthu will come. Then I summon the Old Ones and all of the demons of Hell, and their power will become mine! Nothing will be able to stop me after this!"
"You're mad!" Anya shouted. "Your body won't be able to contain their power! You'll explode!"
"Ah, but I've already taken that into account, my would-be demon child. A mortal body would be destroyed by Hell's legions, yes. But I will take Uurthu's power to fortify myself before that happens! I will be a god!"
He turned away, and started chanting in Latin. "In morte et in nante, amplexarantur generationes..." (Translation: In death and in birth, generations embrace...)
Buffy said urgently, "It's starting! We've got to do something!"
Willow said nervously, "Here goes nothing," and started chanting a witch's spell. Suddenly the barrier lit up, and then disappeared. Buffy and the others ran forward, only to encounter another barrier. They yelled in frustration, and The One merely laughed for a moment, and then continued with the ritual.
Xander chose that moment to wake up. "What's going on?" he shouted in confusion.
His friends started yelling to him, "Hold on!" "We're coming!" "Don't worry, we'll have you out of there soon!"
The One ignored them, continuing to chant. He took out a vial which contained a red liquid, which everyone assumed was Faith's blood. He drank it greedily, and then threw the empty container away. He then drew a series of jewelled knives from beneath his robes.
Xander's eyes went wide - he KNEW those knives. He had seen them in his dreams. He lost all semblance of courage and a sizeable chunk of his sanity, and started to yell incoherently.
The One said, "Fiat Homo. Fiat Uurthu. Fiat voluntas tua!" (Translation: Let there be Man. Let there be Uurthu. Let there be a successful journey!)
He then stabbed Xander, first in the right hand, and then in the left. Then, as his friends watched helplessly, he brought the final knife down, straight into Xander's heart. Then just like in the dream, he laughed, ignoring Xander's scream and saying to Xander's friends, "You fools! The Gateway will open, and nothing can stop the Restoration now!"
After The One withdrew the knives, Xander's body crumbled into dust. It was similar to what happened when a vampire was staked, but with none of the explosive power. This was almost...gentle.
Anya started screaming, and didn't stop. The One looked annoyed, and stalked towards her. Then everyone looked on in astonishment as Xander's body - reformed. The One said in anticipation, "Soon...soon!" He started to advance on Xander, knife in hand.
All of a sudden a maelstrom of swirling light appeared. "The Gateway!" Giles shouted, pushing the teenagers back away from it.
Suddenly, Xander broke his bonds and stood up, his eyes glowing and growling like an animal. The One looked panicked for a moment or two, and then starting cursing. "DAMN YOU! A hyena spirit? Of all the..." He settled himself, and spoke again in Latin, "Vexilla regis inferni prodeunt!" (Translation: Forth come the banners of the King of Hell!)
Xander was knocked back by the power of the words, and the light in his eyes disappeared. In a moment of blind desperation, Buffy raised her crossbow and let fly at her enemy, not expecting it to accomplish anything but unable to do nothing. To everyone's astonishment, it hit The One right in the heart, causing him to drop his knife.
"He must have used up all his magic..." Willow said in wonder, referring to the absence of the barrier.
All of a sudden, staggering about, The One started screaming. "NO!! NO!!" Suddenly, his body burst into flames, which were quickly drawn into the ever-widening maw of the Gateway.
[ STAND BACK! ] A voice thundered in everyone's mind. The power of that command was such that they all instantly obeyed.
Suddenly they saw Xander, standing before the Gateway. "No!" "Don't!" his friends yelled out. But he paid no attention, and just extended his forearm. A white electrical bolt blasted out of his hand, straight into the Gateway. The portal exploded, and the others ducked for cover. When it was over, there was no sign of the Gateway. Xander lowered his hand, the plasma that writhed and snaked from it making its way back into it.
The gang slowly got up and looked at the lone figure. "Xander?" said Willow uncertainly.
They heard the voice in their heads again, only it was more gentle this time. [ Not exactly. ]
The being that had the physical form of Alexander Lavelle Harris turned and faced the other occupants of the room. At once, they saw it; the whites of his eyes were GLOWING, and the dark brown pupils were sparkling with an unearthly light. "Who are you?" snapped Buffy immediately.
[ I am... ] the voice hesitated, as if unable to find the words it wanted. They felt a tickle in their brains, as it searched in vain. [ Your language does not contain the appropriate concepts for me to properly explain. However, I believe you refer to me as the spirit of Uurthu the restless, the god of life or death. ]
Anya gasped. "It's not possible! How can one of the pantheon gods be here?"
[ It is difficult to... it was not meant to happen like this, ] the voice reassured them. [ My thrice-damned enemy who calls himself The One, summoned me into this body. His plan was to take my power by killing this host, and enslave me within him forever. But thanks to you, he failed. I am most grateful. ]
"That's all very well," Giles said hurriedly, "B-but what about Xander?"
"Yeah," said Buffy, glaring at Uurthu. "Is, like, Xander still in there or what?"
There was a mental chuckle. [ Of course. The ritual summoned back his soul, as well as the entity which is I. ]
"We wanna talk to him! Now!" shouted Anya.
"Darn tootin'!" agreed Willow.
[ As you wish. ] There was a short pause, then the voice was back. It sounded mildly surprised. [ This is very strange. He cannot speak to you, although I can hear his thoughts. I do not understand why. ]
"If you've hurt that boy, I swear I'll find a way to..." Giles started angrily.
[ I believe there is very little you could do to me, ] Uurthu said calmly. [ But I give you my word, this is not my doing. Xander says to say - I will admit I do not understand the concepts - Don't sweat it, G-man, I betcha the thought of my mouth not working is really giving you a happy? ]
The girls rolled their eyes. Anya said it for all of them, "That's Xander all right. No doubt about it."
Giles blushed, and tried to cover his embarrassment with a short cough. "Yes, well, I - I see. Perhaps, though, we - we should discuss this elsewhere? M-my home would be best..."
All of them except Xander started to move back towards the exit, and collect Faith. Buffy noticed and stopped, as did the others. "Hey, mister elder-god sir, would ya mind getting a move on? We gotta figure out how to get you two separated..."
The voice of Uurthu said, [ There is no need for me to go anywhere. I will not be in this body for very long. ]
"Huh?" said Oz.
"Of course," said Anya in surprise. "What was I thinking? You can't just summon a god into a mortal body, it's like trying to defrost your freezer with a nuclear explo...NO!" she suddenly shouted.
"What's wrong?" Buffy said worriedly.
"He's...he's..."
[ I thought you understood, ] Uurthu said silently. [ Xander and I are blended together now in this body. Neither of us asked for it, but our fate is the same. When this body dies soon, he will join me when I return to existing as a god. ]
The gang was struck dumb at this information. Then they started their denials. "NO!" screamed Buffy.
"I want my Xander back!" shouted Anya.
"Please, no, please..." begged Willow.
Oz stated calmly, "That is not an option."
Giles waited for the teens to calm down, and then asked, "May I enquire, h-how does Xander feel about this?"
[ Of course you may, ] Uurthu said in his calm, god-like voice. [ Xander says - again I fail to understand - it's the biggest rush since the thought of being the meat in a Slayer sandwich? ]
"XANDER!!!" all three girls shouted in anger.
"I w-would strongly suggest you, uh, find a way to make him reconsider," the Watcher said as calmly as possible. "He doesn't know what he's saying..."
[ What would you know about it? ] the voice interrupted him, for the first time sounding somewhat annoyed. [ What better reward could I give him for his suffering, than to make him a god? And I do not mean just the physical torture he went through this day. ]
"Huh?" they all said.
There was a mental equivalent of a sigh. [ You should know that I first become aware of this host when he was involved with others, who invoked my powers to raise the dead. I have said the blending is incomplete, but I can access his emotions, all that makes him human. ]
"I still don't understand," said Giles.
[ Xander does not want me to say this, but his life had few joys. It was pain. Loss. Heartbreak. Other things I have glimpsed, looking into his memories. What I offer is a release from all these things, as well as eternity and the power to do good in your world. ]
Oz stated, "This guy know how to sugar-coat a deal."
The others didn't know what to say. Suddenly, Anya yelled out, "Xander, if you leave me like this and I ever get my powers back..."
"Y-yes, thank you, Anya," the Watcher stammered. "Xander, please, listen to me. I beg of you, n-not to do this. I - it's tempting, yes, but YOU WILL NOT BE WHO YOU WERE. Besides, w-we all need you. To help fight th-the evil here, on the Hellmouth. You, uh, also have a whole lifetime before you - marriage. Children. Don't throw a-all of that away. PLEASE."
There was a silence. Eventually Uurthu said in their minds, [ You are most persuasive, Watcher. Xander has changed his mind, despite the risks. ]
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" shouted Buffy.
[ I would have thought it was obvious. ] said the voice patronizingly. [ I am a god, and I cannot die. As long as Xander remained part of me, neither would he be in any danger. But now, to undo the blending - this is something that has never been done before. When I leave, his mind could be damaged, or his body. Or both. ]
"Or neither?" Willow piped up.
[ Or neither. ] the god agreed. [ I have decided to do this for Xander, but time is short. We have agreed upon another reward. ]
"What?" asked Oz.
[ A second chance. ] Cutting off communications, Uurthu extended his - Xander's - arm, and again lightning shot out. It enveloped the form of Faith, who everyone else had temporarily forgotten; her body jerked and convulsed under the onslaught.
"STOP!" yelled Giles. "W-what are you doing?"
There was no reply. Suddenly it was over, and everyone rushed over to Faith's side. She began to - groan. None of them could believe it; the god had brought the Slayer out of her coma.
[ There is no need to be afraid of her, ] Uurthu said as they began to digest the implications of his actions. [ I promised a second chance for your one-time friend. She remembers nothing now, save how to speak. ]
"W-what have you done?" asked Giles, in trepidation.
[ It was Xander's idea. She has no memory of the person she was, the things she did, and never will unless you tell her. All of her Slayer abilities are still intact though - so train her, Watcher. Xander says to say, I thought we had a connection, so give her a chance, G-man. ]
"Uh, y-yes of course," Giles stammered. The four teenagers just looked at each other, trying to wrap their minds around the concept.
[ It is time. ] Uurthu said no more, but sat down cross-legged on the sacrificial table that The One had placed in the room. He brought his hands together, and was suddenly bathed in an incredibly bright light. A gigantic funnel of twisting glowing shapes and sparkling particles, appeared to come out of Xander's body; they quickly vanished up through the roof of the mansion, out of sight to mortal eyes.
Xander's body collapsed, and all of his friends came to get him. Buffy was carrying a groggy Faith by her shoulder. "What's going on?" Faith muttered to herself. "Where am I?" then she stated in puzzlement, "Who am I?"
The others were too busy examining Xander to answer her. He suddenly bolted upright, and yelled "WHAT??"
Anya tried to calm him down. "It's okay, Xander." Then she paused and asked, "It is you, isn't it Xander?"
The young man looked at her in confusion. "Who's Xander?"
His friends looked at him in consternation, remembering Uurthu's warning. Willow said gently, "You are. Do you remember us? What just happened?"
He looked at her blankly. "No. Who are you? Where am I? Uh, who am I, really?"
Faith looked at him in confusion. "I wish I knew, buddy, but I don't even know who I am!"
Xander looked at her, and then the others. "What's going on?"
Giles tried to comfort them - the two of them. "Don't worry, you're both among friends. Let's get out of here - w-we can talk back at my house, but I, uh, assure you everything will be fine." As Oz helped Xander up, they all started walking towards the door.
Buffy hung back with Giles, determined to talk to him alone. "What happened?" she asked him.
"I wish I knew," said Giles. "H-he must have lost his memory. Like Faith."
"Well, can we snap him out of it?!"
" I r-really don't know. But Uurthu succeeded Buffy, that's the important thing. Xander - h-he came back to us. It - it really was a - a Restoration."
Buffy groaned. "Giles, I'll pretend that that remark was due to combat fatigue, on account of I like you and with everything that's happened tonight..."