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After Xander had told his story, the others just looked at him in silence. “I’m supposed to be dead?” Ms. Calendar asked in wonder.
“Me too?” stated Jesse.
“I know it sounds crazy,” Xander said tiredly, “but it really did happen that way, once upon a time. When Angel lost his soul...”
“But I never did!” claimed the vampire. “I remembered your warning. Buffy and I never...” he suddenly broke off.
Buffy looked at him in sudden comprehension. “So THAT’s why you wouldn’t...” and she suddenly stopped too, embarrassed.
“What?” Oz asked in confusion, but neither of them replied.
Xander tried to change the subject. “So, Oz, are you still a werewolf?”
Oz looked startled. “Yeah! How did you...wait, never mind.” He started to shake his head. “I don’t think I wanna know.”
Xander looked around. “So what else is different here?”
“Pardon?” asked Giles in confusion.
“Well, y’know, how about the Master’s death. What happened this time around?”
Angel said, “It all happened just like you said. When we learned what was in the Codex of Prophecies, I remembered and I brought Jesse along to give her CPR when she drowned.”
Xander grinned. “Way to go, buddy! I don’t suppose you became a soldier at Halloween one time, just like I did?”
“Yes! I...” Jesse stopped. “This is major weird. Uh...”
“What?”
“Did you know Cordelia and me would end up together too?”
Xander’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head. “WHAT?”
“I’m guessing that’s a no...”
Xander stared at Cordelia, who so far hadn’t said anything. “Hey, Cordy. I, uh, guess congratulations are in order.”
“Yeah, thanks,” she said vaguely. It was obvious she didn’t feel comfortable in his presence, and he searched for something else to say. “Hey! What happened to the other Slayers? Kendra and...” he paused, “Faith.”
“Uh, th-they’re both dead,” Giles stammered in his usual way. “We’ve been looking for the new Slayer for a while now...”
“Faith never got out of the coma, then?”
“What coma?”
“She...” Xander stopped. “I’m guessing, she never ended up in a coma here?”
“No,” Buffy said. “Some demon bitch killed her, not long after my 18th birthday.”
“Your...” Xander said to himself. “Oh, right. I remember now. Yeah, she would have been, wouldn’t she? If I hadn’t been there with my car...”
Buffy looked furious. “You mean you KNEW? Why didn’t you warn us back then? For that matter, why didn’t you warn us about what would happen to Kendra?”
“Whoa, Buff, gimme a break, I kinda had my hands full back then, remember? You guys didn’t believe half of what I told you, anyway. So, what DID happen to Kendra?”
This time Angel spoke. “Drusilla killed her. Her vampires kidnapped Giles, and tortured him to reveal how to activate Acathla. Fortunately, we were able to stop her and the others before the world was sucked into Hell.”
Xander looked at him. “And that’s ALL that happened?”
“Yeah! Now what about Faith?” Buffy said angrily.
“Buffy...” he said slowly. “Before I answer that, I gotta ask, what about the mayor? That thing with the ascension?”
“That vampire, Mr. Trick, he spilled his guts to us about that,” Willow said. “We were able to prevent...”
“Okay,” Xander interrupted her. His mind was racing furiously, on what to tell them. “Buffy, about Faith...I mean, something happened. It was...bad. There’s no point going into the details now, it doesn’t really matter, does it? Let’s just say she ended up in a coma after being stabbed, and she was probably gonna die anyway, so it’s kinda better if we don’t say any more about it, okay?”
Buffy still looked like she had a lot of questions, but a voice suddenly said, “You’re sugar-coating it a lot, kid, but what the hell, you’re basically right.”
Everyone looked up to see a badly dressed man lounging against the kitchen door, wearing a strange hat. Angel immediately recognized him. “Whistler! What are you doing here?”
Xander looked at the vampire. “HE’S Whistler? The demon?”
“Yes...Buffy, calm down!” he tried to restrain the Slayer as she brought up a stake, focussing on the new arrival. “He’s one of the good guys.”
Xander looked confused, and asked the demon, “I thought she knew you?”
“Not this time around, kid,” Whistler said. “I just dropped by to say congrats and all that, and have a nice life.”
Everyone started asking questions, and Giles again had to yell for quiet. “Who are you?” he asked. “What do you want here?”
“Again with the explanations,” the demon grumbled. “I really hate this part. Okay, listen up, 'cause I’m not gonna say this twice...” and he told them about the First Evil, and D’Hoffryn, and the meeting with Anyanka. “And I’m guessing our little buddy here has told you the rest of it?”
There was a silence, which Xander was the first to break. “Dead Boy lost his soul AGAIN? So that’s why you gave Anya her powers back, and tricked her into sending me back in time. But how did you know I would wish for...oh right, you’d have known about my parents. But what about...”
“Hey, kid, I didn’t come here to play twenty questions!” Whistler exclaimed. “Let’s just say Angelus would have seriously screwed things up big-time, so I hadda do what I hadda do. You did all right, too – fixed up what once went wrong, and we’re talking a new and improved Hellmouth here. Sorry I had to leave ya in limbo for a few years after that bullet, but it’s not like I had anywhere to PUT your dead tokus. So, all’s well that ends well, that’s what I say.”
“I guess it’s not that important, y’know, but I AM curious – does anyone else remember the original history?”
“Well, apart from you and me and that Anyanka broad – no. As a matter of fact, I’m gonna have to avoid that toots like the plague for the next few centuries...”
“But Xander came back from the dead?!” Willow shouted. “You still haven’t explained that part of it.”
“Uh...” Xander stammered, “Will, that’s a long story...”
“And that’s my cue to bug outta here,” Whistler said as he stepped into the kitchen.
“Wait!” Giles shouted. Jenny Calendar raced over and looked in the other room. She turned back and faced the others. “He’s gone!”
Angel gave a wry grimace. “He does that sort of thing a lot...”
All of a sudden, Xander began to experience a buzzing in his head. “Oh, no...”
“What is it?” asked Willow.
There was a knock at the door, and Giles answered it. “Hello?”
Parisien came striding into the house, as if he owned it. “Harris,” he said, locking eyes with the young Immortal.
“Parisien,” Xander replied in the same tone.
“Excuse me, but what are you doing in my home?” Giles exploded.
Neither Xander nor Parisien paid any attention to him. “Is this about what I think it is?” said Xander.
“I’m glad to see you’ve got some brains,” sneered the older Immortal. “You’ll need them. I’m sure MacLeod has explained the Rules to you. When and where do you want to do it?”
“This does NOT sound healthy,” Jesse said to no one in particular.
He was ignored, just like Giles had been. “There’s an abandoned factory at the north end of town, just off the main road,” Xander said. “Will that do?”
“Sounds like it,” Parisien agreed. “Meet me there in less than an hour. Or else I’ll come find you. Anybody I kill on the way, it’ll be on your conscience.” With that, he abruptly left.
“What the hell is going on?” shouted Buffy. “Who was that guy?”
“He’s like Xander,” Angel said slowly. “He felt...different, but the same.”
“You got that right too,” Xander also said slowly. He took out the Manchu broadsword from his trenchcoat that Duncan MacLeod had loaned to him, until he could afford his own weapon. He examined the blade, making sure there were no imperfections and disregarding the looks of amazement from his companions. “I’ve gotta get going...”
“No!” cried Willow. “Xander – what was all that about? We could call the police if he’s not a vampire or a demon...”
“NO!” shouted Xander, before calming down. “Look, this doesn’t have anything to do with you guys. Just – stay out of it. I’ll be back...”
“Will you?” asked Cordelia cynically.
Xander looked at her, and she couldn’t hold his gaze. “Maybe not,” Xander said, being honest. “But if I don’t go, bad things are gonna happen. You can trust me on that. Uh, if I don’t come back, and a man named Duncan MacLeod ever comes around asking about me – well, just tell my teacher I said thanks for everything.”
“Xander, wait!” But it was too late. Xander had sheathed his weapon and was already headed out the door.
Some time later, Joe Dawson and Duncan MacLeod rolled up at Giles’ house. They knocked at the door, went inside, and were told what had happened. Duncan started cursing again. “The young idiot is gonna get himself killed!”
Jesse asked tentatively, “Uh, is that gonna matter? I mean, he’s been dead before...”
“Yes, it does matter,” Joe replied. “There’s a way that Xander can end up dead ... permanently dead.”
“We’ve gotta go after him!” said Willow firmly.
“No, we will, you won’t,” said Duncan even more firmly. “You have no idea what you’re dealing with.”
“You – you’re like Xander, aren’t you?” asked Giles. “You’re a...what did he call it...Immortal?”
“Yes,” said Angel, as all heads turned to look at him. “I can feel it.”
Duncan turned to look at him. He suddenly had a flash of insight and said, “You’re the vampire?”
Angel put on his game face for a moment, to demonstrate. Duncan shook his head and said, “Well, that answers that.”
Joe said in concern, “Duncan, we really should get going. Now.”
“You’re right,” and they quickly headed for the door.
Jesse jumped up and yelled, “We’re coming too!”
Duncan turned around. “I told you...”
“No, I’m telling YOU!” Jesse yelled. “I just found out today that originally I became a vampire and I’ve been dead for ages! Then my buddy saved me. Now that he’s in trouble and he might die, AGAIN, you expect me to just sit around here?! You’re nuts!”
Duncan could not help grinning; he understood now why the two teens had been such inseparable friends. “What the hell...we’ve got to hurry.”
At the factory, Xander walked up to the main entrance and went inside. He had many bad memories of this place, but he thrust them aside. He felt the pain in his head, and knew that Parisien was nearby.
He walked to the factory floor, where he found Parisien waiting for him, with his sword withdrawn. Xander stared at it – it resembled a cross between an oversized kukri used by the Gurkhas of India, and a Roman gladius. “Nice sword,” Xander said as he withdrew his weapon, “but I think mine is bigger than yours.”
Parisien gave him a rare genuine smile. “Very amusing. It’s not like I haven’t heard that one before, in the past 210 years.” Then without any further chat, the fight was on.
Less than a minute after it began, Xander’s friends came barreling through the door.
“We’re too late!” exclaimed Joe.
“DAMN IT!” swore Duncan.
“What can we do?” asked Willow worriedly.
“Nothing,” said Duncan, steeling himself for the worst.
The fight continued, but it was pretty evident that Parisien was going to win. He was obviously stronger and more experienced than his counterpart. He taunted Xander as they fought, “You know, you don’t exactly strike me as one of MacLeod’s students. They’re usually better than this! You sure you been practicing?” Xander snarled and attempted to slash at his midsection, but Parisien easily blocked it. “I suppose so. Well, enough with the fun and games,” and he ran Xander through with his sword, who then collapsed to his knees but somehow managed to hold onto his sword.
“We have to do something!” said Buffy.
“You can’t interfere!” said Duncan sternly.
“Maybe not,” Angel said, “but I owe him. We all do. And somehow, I don’t think your rules apply to my kind.” So saying, he took a running start and did a huge back-flip, landing right behind Xander, in front of Parisien.
Xander had just staggered to his feet and the older Immortal had begun his final swing to take his opponent’s head, when Parisien suddenly saw the demonic visage of the vampire appear right in front of him. Needless to say, he was surprised; he stopped and stepped back for a moment, trying to deal with the new situation.
That moment of distraction was all that Xander needed. Taking a wild swing with all of his strength, he decapitated Parisien, whose head flew off and landed on the floor a short distance away. The young Immortal yelled viciously, “THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!!” as the head clattered to a stop.
The Highlander began to motion everyone to leave. “Everybody out! Right now!”
“Why?” asked Giles, ever curious.
“No time! Just go!”
Unfortunately, no one was listening to him apart from Joe. They were too busy looking at Xander and the headless corpse, wondering how they were going to explain this one to the authorities. All of a sudden, the dead body began to float and glow.
“Too late!” shouted Dawson. “Everybody, take cover!”
As everyone scrambled to obey, Xander dropped his sword and stretched his arms out wide. Suddenly, electrical bolts began to criss-cross the factory floor. The Quickening started to focus itself on Xander, who then started to float in midair.
The crates started flying and the glass in the windows exploded outwards in a million pieces; Xander started screaming, as the lightning entered his body. He was encompassed by over 200 years of Parisien’s life, taking all of his opponent’s knowledge and power. The agonies of life and death played all over his features.
Suddenly it was over, and Xander fell to the ground. Panting heavily, he began to drag himself up and recover his sword, as the others slowly came out of their hiding places.
“What was that?” Cordelia asked in a small, terrified voice.
In a low voice, so low she wasn’t sure if she heard him correctly, Joe Dawson muttered, “The Quickening.”
A short time later, almost everyone was gathered back at Giles’ place. Xander and the others were waiting for Joe and Duncan, who were taking care of some other business. Everyone apart from Xander was still pretty freaked out over what had happened, and also somewhat annoyed that Xander wouldn’t explain any details. But MacLeod had warned him, “The less the mortal world knows about us, the better.”
“But what about Joe?”
“He’s different. The Watchers take a non-interference oath with regard to our lives. Do you think the rest of the world would do the same if we ever revealed our existence? I saw the witch-hunts. Today’s government laboratories would be worse. Trust me on this.”
Xander was pulled back to reality, when he heard his name mentioned. “I’m sorry?”
“Xander, you really haven’t changed much at all! You still never pay any attention to me!” Willow exclaimed.
“Yeah, you’re right,” Xander said with a smile. “What was your question again?”
“I said, how long are you gonna be gone before you come home again?”
Xander blinked, and said slowly, “I don’t know.”
“What does that mean?”
Xander got up and faced everyone. He looked at them all – Giles, Jenny, Buffy, Angel, Willow, Oz, Cordelia and Jesse. His friends. For the first time in his life though, he felt out of place here. This wasn’t his Sunnydale anymore. “I mean, I don’t know. It’s not like this is exactly my home, y’know? Not now.”
“But Xander...” began Jesse.
“No, I mean think about it,” Xander interrupted. “My parents aren’t around any longer. The rest of the world thinks I’ve been dead for years. I don’t really belong here anymore.”
“But we’re your friends!” said Willow.
Xander gave a small grin. “Yeah, I know. I didn’t say I wouldn’t come back to visit or anything, I’m just saying I’m an Immortal now. Things are way different. Besides, you guys have gotten along just fine without me all this time. Why should things change now?”
“WE DID NOT GET ON JUST FINE!” shouted Willow. “Do you have any idea how many times I cried myself to sleep after you died? Do you have any idea of the guilt Jesse felt when he was unable to save you?”
“Yeah,” replied Xander, calmly. “I went through what Jesse did too, remember?” He went over and hugged her. “Look Will, I’m just saying I have no idea what the future holds. But I’ve got a whole lotta stuff to learn, that Duncan’s got to teach me. And besides, I don’t exactly feel comfortable with the thought that you guys will be in the line of fire, if some sadist with a sword comes to take a whack at me again.”
He heard the car outside, and gathered his things. He briefly gave Jesse, Buffy, Willow, Ms. Calendar and Cordelia a hug, and a handshake to Oz and Giles as he began to say goodbye. He left Angel for last, and spent a little extra time with him. “Thanks again for saving my life, Angel.”
The vampire looked embarrassed. “You’re not calling me Dead Boy anymore?”
“Nah. It’s getting pretty old, don’t ya think?”
“You know what? Let’s meet at least once every fifty years. I’ve kinda gotten used to hearing you call me that.”
Xander grinned again – this brand of humor, he would definitely miss. “You got a deal.” He left without looking back, and met Duncan by the car, with Joe at the wheel. “Are you sure about this?” the Highlander asked him.
Xander turned around, and sure enough, everyone was gathered at the door. He waved briefly, and they all waved back. He shoved his things inside and told MacLeod, “I’m sure.” They climbed into the car and drove off, into a bright new future.
***** Hope you liked it! All writers love feedback, please e-mail me at:
theop@kew.hotkey.net.au