What appeared to be two teenagers were standing on a cliff above Sunnydale, peering down at it with eyes that betrayed their true age. If someone would look at how they stood together they would notice the two holding each other in the comfortable embrace of a long-time lover. The male, his hair a dark brown and his eyes a chocolate brown, looked down at his companion, a red-haired blue-eyed girl who radiated beauty and power, with love and kissed her softly before speaking.
"When will the spell complete, cutie?" the male asked.
"Soon enough, and once it is complete I'll give us the necessary knowledge to assume the identity's we created," the redhead replied.
"Who will we be this time?"
"I'm using our original names this time," she said.
"Should be interesting to hear it again," the man said. Just as he was about to continue his companion stiffened.
"Spell is done!" she said. She gazed into his eyes and put a hand to his cheek. "Ready?" she asked softly.
"Yes, love, I am," he said. Her hand and eyes glowed for a split second and his eyes glazed. After a few second he came back to reality, he now knew what he needed to live in this town under his new identity.
"Interesting history I have," he said. "You've made me the class clown here. You know I'll have to get revenge on you for that?"
"Oh yeah," she responded.
"Yup," he said. "Tickle Attack!" he yelled, before launching himself at her with his arms outstretched.
"NO!" she screamed as he came towards her. "Don't you dare!"
He chuckled and grabbed her, mercilessly tickling the redhead until she collapsed laughing. "Oh, I dare a lot of things! You should know that," he said, the tone of his voice changing. Twenty minutes later a scream and moan of pleasure erupted from the cliff, startling a passerby who, realizing what it was, shook his head and moved on with a rueful smile on his face.
He was zigging and zagging through the crowd on his skateboard when he saw her. It wasn't her beauty that caught his attention however, it was the aura the girl had. Her aura gave the impression of power, primitive and strong. He wasn't watching where he was going and, if not for his reflexes, he would have crashed into a railing. He looked around for his companion, finding her approaching the school with her power and beauty disguised. Her hair, once shoulder length, reached to the middle of her back and she wore a baggy, striped shirt and baggy jeans. She scooted up to him, noticing his thoughtful look.
"Hey! Whatcha thinkin bout?" the petite redhead asked.
"Saw something weird. I saw a girl whose aura was weird."
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Well, it gave me a feeling of something old, primitive and incredibly strong. What made it all the more weird was that it was combined with another aura of youth and innocence. Like I said… weird!" he explained, confused by what he saw.
"Relax, Xander. I'll check her out with a couple spells and see what happens, and you follow her and meet her, see if you can find out anything that way. Where did you put your sword, Xand?" she said. She had looked for signs of it while they were walking and couldn't see it.
"Willow, reach you hand up to about an inch below my neck, on my back," Xander told her.
Willow reached up and touched the back of his shirt and felt the lump that was the hilt of his sword, she traced it down diagonally across his back. "Nice."
"Yours are in your jeans, aren't they?" Xander asked.
"Yes." Willow replied. She felt the twin swords hugging her hips as she walked. The two had learned long ago how to disguise their swords, and were never without them. Even at a beach their swords were always within arm's reach. The two lovers split up Xander going after the girl whose aura was weird, while Willow went in search of a private place to cast the spells.
Walking through the halls Xander noticed she was new to the school so he 'accidentally' bumped into her. "Oh, sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going. Here, let me get that for you Miss... "
"Buffy, Buffy Summers. Thanks you for helping me..." Buffy trailed off not knowing the identity of the person in front of her.
"Xander, Xander Harris. Here you go." Xander said, depositing what she had dropped back into her arms. He watched her walk away towards the library and noticed something on the ground. "Wait! You forgot your... Stake?" he trailed off confused. He decided to race ahead and watch her while she was in the library. Xander went through the library doors, noticing the librarian wasn't in sight, and hid in the stacks. What he heard a few minutes later shocked him. If what he was hearing was true than she was a Vampire Slayer. Xander already knew of the existence of vampires, as he and Willow hunted them nightly. But in all the time he had been alive he had never heard of a Slayer. He listened as she stormed out of the library and, once the librarian had gone, followed her out. He found Willow in an empty classroom waiting for him.
"She's a Slayer." They both said at the same time. After explaining how they knew to each other, Xander by following and Willow by a knowledge spell. They discussed on how to approach this.
"So what do we do now?" Willow asked.
"How about we play the 'dumb teens' angle so that one of us gets caught by a vamp and she rescues us?" Xander said.
"Which one of us going to be the bait...? Xander, No!" she said upon catching the gleam in his eye. "Why me?"
"You look much tastier and weaker to vamps, Willow," Xander told her. It was true, every time they went hunting the vamps, they would try and draw Willow away from Xander thinking that she would be easy prey. They quickly found the error of their ways with a fireball from Willow.
"I hate it when you're right. You know that?" Willow said, grumpily.
"Yup!" Xander said. The two kissed goodbye before leaving to go to their classes.
"So, who are you really?" Xander asked, pretending to help Willow away from the mausoleum.
A sigh. "I'm the Vampire Slayer. One girl in all the world given the power to fight vampires and demons," Buffy said, the resentment of being the Slayer was evident in her voice.
Both Xander and Willow grunted when they felt a 'Buzz' nearby. They had long ago learned to hide their own 'Buzz' so they wouldn't be detected. "Buffy, get out of here! No matter what do not come back here! Got it?" Xander said, straitening up.
"Why?" Buffy asked, clearly confused at the warning.
"Damnit Buffy! Just do it!" Willow said, as she stopped acting hurt.
Buffy ran off till she was out of their sight then slipped back closer and climbed a tree. She watched as a passerby's head turned suddenly, not knowing that Xander and Willow had dropped their shrouds that hid their quickening. She watched as the man approached the Xander and Willow and stopped 10 feet away.
"I am Mathew Farnel. I hereby challenge you," the stranger said.
"Which one of us?" Xander asked, clearly wanting this over with.
"The woman," Farnel said.
"I am Willow Rosenburg. I accept your challenge," Willow said, drawing her twin short swords from her jeans.
Farnel launched himself at Willow, swinging his sword at her neck. Willow snapped her fingers and a shield formed around her, causing Farnel's sword to bounce off.
"Shit! A sorceress!" Farnel said, obviously wishing he hadn't challenged her.
Xander watched as Farnel repeatedly swung at the shield trying to break it. Finally, when Willow grew tired of his antics, Willow dropped the shield. She blocked his blade and waved her hand at him, using magic to catapult Farnel back. She approached, blocking every swing of his sword and growled, "I'm five times as old as you. It was incredibly stupid of you to attack me."
"Not really," Farnel said as he drew a gun from his coat and shot Willow in the chest. Willow crumbled to the ground, causing Xander to take a few steps forward even though he couldn't interfere. "There can be only one!" Farnel said, raising his sword to cut Willow's head off.
"Yeah, and it isn't going to be you!" Willow said as she raised her sword, blocking Farnel. She used her magic to float off the ground with her sword in hand. The wound healed up as Willow flew at Farnel. "There can be only one!" Willow yelled as she swung her sword. Willow's sword cut through Farnel's and then through his neck, barely slowing down.
Buffy watched in horror as Farnel's body started glowing as Willow grabbed Farnel's sword. Willow came walking back toward Xander and grabbed his head, crushing her lips against his. The quickening struck Willow, forcing Xander away as it entered her. Once the quickening stopped Xander scooped Willow up into his arms and carried Willow to a small convertible, pacing her on the passenger's seat. He then went back and collected Willow's and Farnel's swords and placed them in the trunk. He looked around at the damage the quickening had done and sighed. The grass was scorched in places, one tree was split in half and the streetlights were blown. Buffy launched herself upon Xander, wrapping one arm around his neck and forcing him to the ground.
"What are you?" Buffy demanded, holding a stake to Xander's chest. Before Buffy knew what happened she found herself lying on the ground with a standing Xander holding a long katana at her throat.
"You'll find out tomorrow, Buffy. Of course, only if you don't attack me again," Xander said as he sheathed the sword. He turned and walked to his car, securing Willow in the passenger's seat then leapt into the driver seat. Leaving a cloud of smoke behind him, he tore off into the night, leaving a bewildered Buffy lying on the ground.
Xander took Willow back to their home during their stay in Sunnydale. They each had another home to keep people thinking they weren't living together that were run by spells Willow had cast. The spells would simulate parents for the two while they were 'legally' minors. They would stay in their home as long as no-one was going to come around. After carrying the sleeping redhead into the bedroom, he put her in the bed, and went out to the living room. He sat down at the computer there and contacted Methos online.
(logged in: watcherDeath; LoverofRed)
#Hey Alex#
^Hey Oldman^
#What's going on there?#
^Had a fight today. You can cross Mathew Farnel off the list of alive Immortals.^
#You take him?#
^Nope, Will did.^
Xander described the fight in detail to Methos so that Methos could enter it all into the Society of Watchers archive.
#Where's she now?#
^In bed. I'd have joined her, but I wanted to get this stuff out of my head before I forgot any of it.^
#What are you going to do about the mortal?#
^We're going to have to tell her about what we are. Besides, she can't tell anyone about us without risking that we'll expose her for what she is.^
#What is she?#
^She's whats called The Vampire Slayer^
#You met one of those?#
^Yea, how do you know of them?^
#One of them tried to remove my head back in my horsemen days. #
^Must have been interesting having a mortal trying to take your head?^
#Oh, yeah. Go to bed, Alex.#
^HEY! I'm 1,329 years old! I would think I could go to bed when I want to!^
#Yea, I'm 5,000. As your elder I tell you to go to bed.#
^Fine. Goodnight, Oldman^
#Goodnight, Alex#
(Logoff: WatcherDeath; LoverofRed)
Xander rose from his seat and dragged himself into the bedroom. He undressed and crawled in the bed with Willow. "Goodnight, Honey" Xander whispered as he fell asleep, holding Willow against him as he fell asleep.
Xander woke up the next morning enjoying how Willow feels in his arms. He raises his head a small bit and sees she is awake. "Hey you," Xander said quietly.
"Hey."
"You feeling alright?" Xander asked, concerned the quickening might have affected her.
"Yea, it's just the memories of that guy and those he killed. He made a habit of killing newbies." Willow shuddered as she said this. To them it was the worst crime to commit, killing children.
Xander's eyes turned black as he tapped into his ability to read and manipulate chi. "Hold on a sec, Willow," Xander said focusing on a stream of life energy out of place. He pinched it with his fingers and moved it back to its rightful spot before letting go of the ability.
Willow gasped as a bit of relief and pleasure flooded her body when the chi reconnected. "It must have been shifted by the quickening."
"Probably. Buffy saw what happened." Xander told her.
Willow twisted around to face him. "You're kidding right?"
"Nope. Attacked me, held stake to my chest, got flipped, and had my sword at her neck. I told her we would explain today, after we had gone to school."
"OK. What time is it?" Willow asked, sighing at the fact that their identity's were out in the open less than a week after the had entered Sunnydale.
"7:30. We have to go to school," Xander groaned, before kissing her on the forehead and claiming the shower.
One minute later a startled yell, a "WILLOW!", and alot of Willow's giggling echoed through the home.
Xander and Willow were sitting at one end of the table, with Buffy and Giles at the other end.
"Ok, what are you?" Giles asked, cleaning his glasses.
"We are Immortals. We will live until our head is removed from our bodies. We haven't and will never age. We heal ultra-fast, and are forced to fight in what's called 'The Game'. Which is we cannot fight on holy ground, must accept challenges, and our fights must not be interfered with. There is a prophecy of 'The Gathering' in which all Immortals will be compelled to fight each other until only one remains, hence the phrase 'There can be only one.'" Xander said, unconsciously repeating what Methos had told the two before he taught them.
"How old are you?" Buffy asked.
"We're 1329 years old." Willow said.
"If you must fight each other, then why are you two just sitting there?" Giles asked.
"We won't fight each other. We've been married for...1319 years, and every 10 years we renew our vows." Xander said, holding Willow close.
"How do you become Immortals?" Giles asked.
"We're made that way. Immortals are foundlings. We live mortal lives until we are killed and, unless it was of old age, our Immortality the awakens," Willow said.
"What was your first death?" Buffy asked.
"A Barbarian army was invading our town. I grabbed a weapon and ran out to defend it, only to find Willow being attacked. I ran out as the barbarian made a killing thrust and threw myself in front of her, hoping I could save her life. The sword however impaled us both, and we died simultaneously. When we revived we found that our homes had been destroyed, as well as every person in our village. We were both 17 at that time and were deeply in love with each other, although unmarried. We traveled for 4 years until we ran across Methos, our teacher, who taught us everything we needed to know to survive. After 200 years, 10 heads for Willow and 17 for myself, we ran into an air-water sorcerer who taught Willow magic. He put a few enchantments on my sword, one that kept it sharp and unbreakable, one that nullified all magic used on me as long as I was holding the hilt of the sword and one that bonded me to the sword. Willow is a Earth-Fire sorceress, and I have mastered every form of martial arts and a couple different forms of street fighting as well as the ability to manipulate the flow of Chi." Xander explained. He carefully left out that he had one further enchantment on the sword. Should he be permanently killed his quickening, as well as his soul, would enter the sword and transport to Willow for her to use.
"Wow! You two are OLD!" Buffy said, teasingly. "So, basically, you're just like everyone else. No demony parts? Good guys?"
"First, HEY!!!! Second, no demon. Third, yup!" Willow said.
"Who is Methos?" Giles asked, hesitantly.
"Death of the four horsemen," Xander said.
The room echoed with a thump as Giles' body hit the floor. "Mr. Giles?" Willow said. She turned to Xander, and said at the same time as Buffy. "Congratulations, Xander. You've killed Giles."
Xander looked at the fainted Watcher on the floor. "Poor guy."
Buffy walked down an alley towards the Bronze when she felt the cramps. "Come out, come out, wherever you are?" she called out.
"I'm right here," the vampire said, directly behind her.
In less then a second she had knocked the vampire down held a stake to its heart. "Give me a good reason not to kill you."
"I have a soul?" the vampire said.
"Didn't stop Hitler. So, wrong answer."
"My name's Angel(us). I work for the Powers That Be," Angel said.
"OH," Buffy said, not really caring but figuring it would be bad to kill a good guy.. er... vampire.
"I'm here to warn you. Have your Watcher look up The Master," Angel said, then started to make himself disappear.
Buffy punched him. "Don't ever pull that shit near me!" Buffy said, referring to his appearing and disappearing trick.
"Right."
Xander and Willow watched as a ticked off Slayer came through the doors of the Bronze. "Wonder what hit her?" Willow said.
Buffy sat down next to them. "What is it with vampires that they try and fade away rather than just walking?" Buffy asked. At the confused looks from her friends she explained. Buffy told them of what happened with Angel.
"Research tomorrow?" Willow asked.
"Unfortunately," Buffy replied.
Xander and Willow agreed before walking out onto the dance floor. Buffy watched the two Immortals slow dance and sighed. "I need a boyfriend!"
The couple were in their own little world as the music played.
/I don't want to miss a thing
I could stay awake just to hear you breathing,
Watch you smile while you are sleeping,
While you are far away and dreaming,
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender,
I could stay lost in this moment forever,
Where a moment spent with you is a moment I treasure,
I don't want to close my eyes, I don't want to fall asleep,
Cause I miss you baby, And I don't want to miss a thing,
Cause even when I dream of you, the sweetest dream will never do,
I still miss you baby and I don't want to miss a thing
Lying close to you feeling your heart beating,
And I wondering what you are dreaming,
Wondering if it's me you are seeing,
Then I kiss your eyes and thank god we're together,
I just want to stay with you in this moment forever and forever forever
And I don't want to miss one smile,
I don't want to miss one kiss,
I just want to be with you right here with you,
Just like this, I just want to hold you close,
I feel your heart so close to mine
And just stay here in this moment,
For all of the rest of time/
As the song ended the pulled away from each other and leaned their heads forward, catching the others soul searing kiss. They met up with Buffy before heading out to hunt. After slaying only two vampires, all that they could find, the trio split up. Buffy to home and sleep; Xander and Willow off to do what couples do.
Buffy arrived at the Bronze to see Xander and Willow dusting vampires left and right. However there were too many for the two to handle alone. Willow was paler than usual, from exhaustion, her magic reserves were empty, and her arms were getting tired. Xander had, at first, sliced through the horde like a saw through paper, however he was running out of energy with the vampires getting closer. Buffy threw a stake that impaled the Vessel, dusting him, and started attacking the vampires around her friends. Xander was fighting over Willow's dead form, the result of a vampire getting through her defenses and snapping her neck. Xander had entered a berserker rage, giving him the energy he desperately needed to survive. Xander brought his sword through the last vampire's neck, and started collapsing. "Buff.... get.... us.. to.... the .... library." Xander breathed, before dying from extreme physical exhaustion.
Buffy tossed their bodies over her shoulders and took off at a run out of the Bronze. She ran the whole way to the library, where she dropped their dead bodies on the table. "GILES!" Buffy yelled, calling the librarian from the stacks. The librarian saw the bodies of the two and paled.
"What happened?"
"I got there and they were already dusting vampires; however, as I began fighting, a vampire snapped Willow's neck. This sent Xander into a rage which allowed him to defend her body, but once finished he told me to bring him here and fell down dead." Buffy explained what happened. Suddenly both bodies arched and gasps were heard.
"OWWW," Willow groaned. "I hate broken necks!" Willow mumbled, rubbing thepoint where her neck had been snapped. "Xander," Willow said, nudging his body.
"Sleep! Now!" Xander mumbled, refusing to awaken.
"XANDER!" Willow screamed in his ear. Xander leapt of the table and 4 feet into the air. Landing, unceremoniously, on his butt. The two assured Buffy and Giles that they were alright and went home to sleep.
Xander, Willow and Buffy were walking past the closed Hyena exhibit when they heard Kyle and his pals picking on someone. Kyle's gang dragged the person into the cave, intent on something mean. Xander saw Buffy start to move forward to stop them when he stopped her.
"No, Buff. This isn't a job for the Slayer." Xander told her, before noticing Willow heading inside. "Right, never mind. Follow me," Xander ordered.
Buffy followed Xander into the Hyena house only to have a teen go running away from them. They raced inside to see Willow and Kyle's gang turning around. Xander's eyes immediately went black as he took in the sight before him. Traces of Chi were rising off the floor and the 5 teens had a sickly yellow in their auras. "Stay back, Buffy. They're possessed," Xander said. The two had gone through something similar a couple of centuries ago, so Xander knew what it looked like. "Wills?" Xander asked, trying to determine if any of Willow had control.
Willow looked at him and her eyes flashed yellow. "Willow doesn't live here anymore!" Willow cackled.
Xander felt something attack his mind and body. "Buffy, get out of her now! ARRRG!" Xander screamed out, the hyena spirit trying to take over his Chi trained mind. As Buffy ran she heard behind her a scream of "No!!!!!" that sent shivers up and down her spine.