Title: United, Bound, Pack [Buffy The Vampire Slayer]
Previous Part
***Beta***
Just his luck. The one day he needed Giles to be around the school on a weekend and he wasn’t there. Didn’t he live in the library or something? He was always there. And why he’d lock the doors. Xander may have wanted some answers but he wasn’t going to break into school to do research; he had some self worth left.
It would just have to wait until Monday then, he’d just have to get to school early. School early, just what was his life coming too-what’s that he thought as he felt like someone was trying to get his attraction.
Xander stopped mid stride as he looked around the street but he couldn’t see anyone or anything around that accounted for the feeling, then he saw two girls come around the corner at the far end of the block, Rhonda and Heidi, Xander didn’t know why he knew it was them he just did, he didn’t even worry around it this time, he’d deal with it Monday.
“And what are two such lovely ladies doing up this early on a weekend morning?” Xander called out to them as he jogged closer to the pair, smiling at the contentment he felt as he headed their way, a feeling that doubled as he saw them smile back.
“It’s almost nine, that’s not early, that’s mid morning.”
The patronizing tone didn’t bother Xander in the least after having Jesse and Buffy for friends and the smile on Rhonda’s face undercut any real effect so he just grinned at her, “Really is that what they call it? I thought it was time to sleep in math class. Always works for me.”
“And Carter lets you? Man she’s eased up since last year.”
“Well Heidi, Ms. Carter and I have something of an understanding,” He started as he turned to the blond as he grinned, “As long as I keep my book open and paper out so I look like I’m working, I can sleep,” he finished enjoying the smile on both the girl’s faces.
“That’s a good understanding to have but does she know about this understanding?”
Xander just grinned at Rhonda’s question as he placed himself in between the girls and dropped his arm over their shoulders, “Why would she?” he answered before he returned to his first question. “So where are we going?”
“We’re meeting Kyle and Tor at the park to hang out; it’s how we spend most of our weekends.”
“Good to know,” and it was, he really needed to find out what they did with there time since he was going to be spending more time with them now and really he couldn’t imagine not spending time with them, and if he was lucky it’d stop being weird as well as right at some point, “So which park are we heading too?”
“Triangle.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” he said as he just kept walking along with them as he listened to them talk, adding a few jokes or comments himself when he felt the need, as they made their way to the park.
They had just reached the park and Xander was about to ask where they normally met when he felt Rhonda break into a faster walk toward a small out cropping of tree with the outline of two guys under it.
Heidi kept the same pace so he decided to as well as he watched as one of the two stepped out from under the tree and once into the sun it was clear it was Kyle, who was now kissing Rhonda.
And Xander wasn’t sure what to make of that. He hadn’t known Kyle and Rhonda were together, they were always together at school but well the gang was almost always together but it was still a surprised and he didn’t like that feeling when it came to them. But the weirdest part was still feeling pleased about it. He hadn’t known before but now that he did, he liked it. They were a good match, but he was still annoyed he hadn’t known.
He just shoved the feeling aside as he and Heidi drew closer to the trees and could see little more than shadowy shapes under them. Kyle and Rhonda had retreated back under the shade and where sharing one of the larger branch, that really looked more like a trunk that had grown partially sideways, where Rhonda was tracing the bruise, it was already turning a deep purple around the edges Xander noted once he was also under the tree’s shade, with a scowl on her face.
Tor was sitting by the base of the tree leaning against a fair sized rock as he watched them. And smoked a cigar. “You smoke cigars?!” he asked in surprise. He knew they all smoked cigarettes on occasion, he’d seen it at school, but never cigars.
“He does the rest of us can’t stand the taste. They’re worse than cigarettes.”
Xander watched Kyle make a yuck face to go alone with his answer and caught Heidi smiling out of the corner of his eye as she looked at Tor so Xander followed her gaze in time to see Tor exhale a large cloud smoke in the couple’s direction, but didn’t make it anywhere near them Xander saw, before sending his reply.
“What have I told you about comparing my cigars to those things, huh? This is a fine Cusano not some swept off the floor mass produced half paper crap.”
He watched as they traded taunts back and forth while Rhonda rolled her eyes and Heidi just smiled as she settled next to the trunk of the tree. Xander just listened to what he guessed was a long standing argument/joke between them as he picked his own spot under the tree, enjoying the sun filtering through the leaves. He was so lost in the moment he’d almost missed that Tor had turned toward him and asked him something, he did miss what was said, “What?”
“Want one?”
He’d asked if he wanted a cigar, Xander realized as Tor held up a cigar as he looked at him questioningly. He’d never had one before, never smoked anything before, he’d never really wanted to before, but Tor looked kind of hopeful, and what was with Tor. There was still something there he to pin down. Maybe…
“You know, I wouldn’t mind giving it a try but not right now, we’ll have to do that later.”
Xander watched Tor as close as he could without being obvious when he answered. Tor grinned at the first part, then lost it when he’s said not now but a smile had replaced it with the last part…yeah there was something about Tor he needed to know and that would give them the reason to talk.
“Cool, let me know when, you know if you want.”
“I will, but you guys don’t smoke cigarettes? Because I could have sworn I’ve seen you with them at school,” Xander told Tor, noting the forced ‘it’s cool whatever’ front Tor was putting up, and given the look Tor was getting from Rhonda he wasn’t the only one to see it. Yeah Tor was joining Giles on the need to talk to list.
“All part of the bad girl act. And it use to drive Flutie nuts….”
He felt his own chest tighten as the air itself become tense the moment Rhonda spoke the Principal’s name and Xander had to force himself to breath as he squish down the joke about asking if Flutie tasted nutty, it was to soon but he needed to do something, something to distract them get them focused on something else, Kyle’s eye would work. “So how are the bruises doing Kyle?”
The teen watched Heidi and Rhonda just looked over to him but it was Rhonda that spoke, no surprise there. “Bruises, as in more then one? And how did they happen?” as he saw Rhonda turn toward Kyle the other dark haired guy’s face changed from annoyed to a smirk.
“Basketball foul, they happen, and I’ll show you the others later,” he was sure Xander, and the others, caught the offer as Kyle took Rhonda’s hand and started sliding it down his chest, right for the groin.
“Nice try lover boy, but you didn’t get them playing ball this morning, did he Tor? Because then Xander wouldn’t know about them.”
Rhonda was smart and quick on the uptake, definitely a good match for Kyle. But not so much for Tor, Xander thought as he looked over at Tor who was looking between where Rhonda and Kyle were sitting and at him, guess Kyle told him the real reason for the bruises already, looking conflicted. So Xander just answered for him “No, he didn’t, and as for why I know about them. I gave them to him,” he said fighting to keep his voice level and confident, he took Kyle last night but no way could he take all four of them at once. Rhonda alone, probably.
“What?”
The growl in Rhonda’s voice wasn’t unexpected; her not jumping at him to try and do something was unexpected, at least until he saw that Kyle’s hand around Rhonda’s midsection was the only reason she hadn’t.
“I attacked him Rhonda and I’d really rather you didn’t get matching bruises.” Kyle said softly.
Xander watched as Kyle held Rhonda back until his statement sunk in enough to calm her down but he still wasn’t letting her go, likely a good idea since she still looked pissed.
“You sure it was a fight? Because it looks sort of one sided from here.”
The venom in her voice scared Xander a little, any fight with her was going to be a very different fight than his fight with Kyle but he hoped he could pull the plug on some of her anger right now. “I wouldn’t say it was all one sided,” the look of satisfaction on Rhonda’s face when he pulled up his shirt and exposed his own bruises irritated him even if he had know it was going to happen. But it was balanced by the look of guilt on Kyle’s face and mild concern on Heidi. He hadn’t even tried to figure out what Tor’s reaction would be, but something more than mild concern and the anger he saw wouldn’t have been among his top guesses.
“Why…why were you two fighting?”
Xander saw he wasn’t the only one to turn to Heidi when she spoke, and he was a little surprised she asked the question since she was rather quite most of the time. Or maybe it was her way of dealing with everything.
“Well, I thought we should head down Pine street but he thought we should take Washington,” He answered Heidi with as straight a face as he could until the confused looks just become to much and he let out a laugh.
“Your attempt at humor is going to take some getting use to, and it was between us and we’re cool so don’t worry about it.”
Are we? He still wasn’t completely sure what set Kyle off the night before but if Kyle was over it…”So what do you guys go on a Saturday morning other than sleep in?”
“We play basketball; hang at the mall, you know, the usual.”
Maybe they weren’t all that different after all. “So that is a basketball behind you Tor. Get it out here and let’s find out if you guys are any good.” Xander grinned as he stood while the others threw out their own taunts back at him. Tor stubbed out his cigar before grabbing the ball from behind him and threw it at him, rather hard and with a challenge, just like…just like Jesse use to really.
“We got game Xan, the question is can you keep up?”
Xander just grinned back at Tor’s use of a nickname as the group made their way over to one of the courts and Xander didn’t even say anything as they not so subtlety cleared it of the other teens that had been playing.
The rest of the morning passed rather quickly, a couple of hours playing ball shifted into hanging out at the mall for lunch before Kyle and Rhonda had to split to head to work, Xander’s respect for Kyle went up when he learned that Kyle had been working at one of the town’s office buildings as a weekend janitor for three years, Rhonda had been working at one of the stores in the mall for about six months.
Really the more Xander learned about them the more he realized them just labeling them the mean kids as was wrong as anyone at school calling Buffy a freak and Willow a geek. It was just what they looked liked at a glance and not who they really were at all.
Shortly after they left Heidi declared that she needed to get home for some family stuff and that she’d seem them later. That was how Xander found himself alone with Tor in one of Sunnydale’s many graveyards learning how to smoke a cigar and finally a chance to get some of his questions answered. If he didn’t choke to death first.
“So has Rhonda always foul that much or was I just lucky today?” He asked Tor just as he felt like his lung wanted to cough its way up this throat.
“Slow down there, don’t smoke it so fast and no, she can be rough but not that bad. She was still pissed over Kyle…what time did it happen last night? Was it about twenty minutes after you left my place?”
Xander listened as Tor’s voice grew unsure and hesitant. It wasn’t the fight itself, Tor seemed the less bugged by it then the others, or maybe it was just that he found out before the others and Xander wasn’t around for that part, so he wasn’t sure what it was about, and why ask when? And why did it look so easy when he smoked his own cigar he didn’t like look his lungs wanted out of his chest. “Yeah about that I guess,” he’d barely been able to even say that much Xander thought as he had to clear his throat and take a few breaths without coughing before he felt good enough to go on, “we had just reached Sheridan Park so yes about twenty minutes more or less. That’s an odd question to ask.”
“I felt it, when it happened.”
Tor looked so confident as he let out a ring of smoke from his mouth before looking back at Xander, like the time had been all he needed to confirm whatever he was talking about. And Xander only wished he looked that confident half the time, but how could Tor have… “You what? Want to try that one again?”
“I felt the fight, about twenty minutes after you two left I felt this…danger, no that’s not right, violence is the best I’ve got, I felt like something was happening and I had to do something, I even went outside and to the gate before the feeling was gone. And I remembered what you said about being outside so I went back in, speaking of that should we be in a graveyard?”
Xander just listened to Tor as he look another puff of the cigar, it’s taste was nice, strong, but nice, he could see why Tor liked them; but he couldn’t thing of why Tor would have been able to feel the fight. But it hadn’t been the only time something like that happened, the sunset… “During the day graveyards are fine, mostly. Was it like yesterday, when you ended up meet up with us in the woods?” Did they have a link? Was this part of the possession? Why hadn’t Giles’ been at the library?
“The need to go was the same but not the rest; I didn’t feel like anyone was in danger the first time, just that I was wanted.”
He really needed to try and find Giles soon. “The others all felt like they wanted to be there on the ridge, maybe we’re drawn to each other. We have a superpower, the amazing psychic link.” He finished with a grin as he took another puff from the cigar, and didn’t even cough, well only a little.
“You would be into comic books wouldn’t you? But you think that’s all it is?”
“All it is; now I know you don’t read comics. Having a mental link is never as simple as it sounds. I mean you lying back relaxing alone in your room with a magazine you barrowed from you dad, the last thing you want is four other people knowing what you’re doing. And did I just say that?” crap I’ve been able to keep my motor mouth under check all day why now. “But you get what I mean right?” don’t realize I was talking about jerking off come on
“What if you wanted…is that why we want to spend time together? Last week we wouldn’t have given you the time of day and now…”
Wanted what? Man, he thinks I have all the answers just like Kyle, G-man’s job sucks, “I don’t know. Maybe? I’m not sure but I will find out, for all of us.” Xander answered before he let himself become quiet as he just watched Tor, the older teen was clearly thinking about something but Xander was also fairly sure he wasn’t going to be the one Tor shared with and that….Xander didn’t like being so sure of that at all.
Maybe he should show Tor where he can get some of the answers so he doesn’t have to ask.
***Interlude: Sorororis***
“Good evening Ms Kelley. The others are in the study.”
Rhonda just smiled at Ms Cutter before she made her way through the Hauer Mansion toward the study. Really it was Tor’s personal parlor filled with video games and a big screen TV. It also had a table and enough space for all four of them to divide up and do their homework without parents or siblings getting in the way.
“I hope you guys didn’t start without me.” She said as she entered the room, dropping her bag on the table before sitting next to Kyle and pulling him into a kiss not even listening to the replies from the others. For some reason the last couple days she’d just wanted to touch him and kiss him more then normal, she’d gone all day at school without doing anything before but now she just couldn’t seen to keep her hands off him. And if his hand on her back was any indication he felt the same way.
“Tor has a guest room if you need it.”
She felt Kyle leaning back and away and she had to fight the desire to lean forward to keep the kiss going but she knew she shouldn’t no matter how much she wanted to “What?” Heidi was just watching her. Heidi always did a lot of watching.
“You and Kyle, unless you like giving a show.”
If she hadn’t been smiling Rhonda would have done more the flick one of Kyle’s pencils at her. Rhonda just smiled back as she climbed off of Kyle’s lap, and when had she climbed on? She then slid into her own chair while Heidi batted the pencil away almost hitting Tor who had been avoiding the byplay so far.
In fact he was still ignoring it even when the pencil bounced off his shoulder, and yeah it didn’t have much force behind it but he could have looked up from the book, and that didn’t look like one of their textbooks, “Good book Tor?”
“Huh, what? Did someone ask something?”
Must be a good book, Tor’s not that big on reading she thought as Kyle answered Tor’s question.
“She asked if that was a good book and what is it? It’s not for school is it.”
Tor didn’t even complain when Kyle just took the book and flipped it around facing him so Rhonda leaned in closer to him so she could se it too and...was it hand written? And what were those pictures?
She looked from the book to Tor, he had his “yeah whatever” look he used when he didn’t want to answer the questions he knew were coming but he didn’t want to look like he didn’t want to answer them, it had served him well dealing with his fellow jocks and their need to know every detail of each other’s made up sex lives but it wouldn’t help him here. “Did I miss something on our reading list?”
“What’s it about?”
“Where did you find a book about vampires?”
“What?” Vampires, that’s not what she expected the answer to Heidi’s question to be and yeah Kyle had a good question too but she had an even better one, why did he…wait vampires, Xander had told them vampires were real, hadn’t he.
“This afternoon Xander showed me this occult store, he said they were the real deal if you knew how to ask. So I asked, the guy said it was your basic primer on dealing with vampires.”
“How weird is it living in a world where vampires are real?”
Kyle had a point it was weird but after what happened. Well Xander didn’t sound crazy, just bossy and a bit of a dick for hurting Kyle. She still couldn’t believe that Kyle lost to him, he didn’t look that tough.
“Does it say how to kill them?”
The anger and hatred in Heidi’s voice just seemed wrong and sent a chill down her spine. She hasn’t said anything about what they’d found out about her brother yet but clearly she’d been thinking about it.
“Yes it has a whole chapter about it, here.”
Rhonda watched as Tor flipped the pages around until he reached the pages he was looking for. He leaned back and watched as Kyle read. And reading it over Kyle’s shoulder wasn’t working the script was just too difficult to read, no wonder Tor had been so focused on it.
“Okay so it looks like the movies got some stuff right, they’re listing wood through the heart, fire, sun, holy water, and beheading.”
That does sounds like something right out of the movies, “why does anyone need this book then?” just rent a vampire movie really.
“Because those don’t tell you that fire isn’t any more effective then it is on a human and not all holy water is equal. That and they talk about Master vampires somewhere being more resistant to them but I’m not sure what makes a master vampire. I haven’t gotten to that part.”
Okay so not all of them work all the time, that is good to know. But god she hopes she never sees one.
“Let’s kill some.”
She did not like the look in Heidi’s eyes at all, no not one bit.
“Xander said he and his friends patrol and hunt them. If they can do it so can we.”
“Heidi, we can’t just-” This did not feel like a good idea.
“They killed my brother and I want some payback. For Mitch, and who knows how many others. I say we get some payback.”
“Look, I’m not saying we should do something but let’s think this though.”
Good Kyle make her think, this is so not a good idea. Rhonda thought as she moved close to Heidi to offer some support as Kyle talked to her.
“Yeah if we do this we should talk to Xander, he’s the one that’s done this. We shouldn’t just go off on our own.”
She knew it was the wrong thing to say the moment Tor started talking, He may have warmed up to Xander but Kyle hadn’t. Kyle was suddenly stiff and ridge, Kyle still haven’t told her the whole story behind his fight with Xander and despite whatever Kyle said, this thing with the younger guy wasn’t over.
“Heidi’s right, we can do it and we don’t need Xander. To do this we just need to get some stakes right?”
“I’m not sure about this either,” This was just nuts. She wasn’t ready to see a real vampire, knowing was enough thank you.
“Guys! This is our town, so let’s just show those things who is boss.”
Rhonda just looked at the others after Kyle’s statement, but none of the others said anything and she couldn’t either. She didn’t like this but Kyle and Heidi wanted it.
“Tor the fire wood out back, we can use some of it to make stakes right?”
***(Omega)***
“Xander is something wrong?”
Xander looked over at Willow before throwing on a grin he really didn’t feel. “Everything’s fine, I’m good, better then good. I’m with my best bud why wouldn’t it be good and great even?” Xander babbled as he looked back at the window, he felt like he should go, like he had somewhere he didn’t to be but he didn’t have any other plans…did he?
“You’ve been distracted for the last ten minutes so out with it mister.”
And he had to smile at that, “I’m good Wils but I forgot my mother was cooking meat loft tonight and she thinks that’s my favorite…” I’m so sorry for lying Willow I just need to go. Don’t give me the sad Willow eyes
“I guess you should get going then. Want to come over tomorrow?”
“You bet your socks I do. Bight and early only not early and I won’t be too bright,” and there’s my smile, still got it. “Later.”
Now to find out what the heck is going on, Xander thought as he started walking faster and faster until he was all but running following the feeling in his gut that was starting to change from just a need to go somewhere to one of fear, something was wrong.
He’d just hit the edge of one of the cemeteries when he saw them. Kyle, Rhonda, Tor and Heidi fighting with two vampires and it looked like they were losing. Rhonda was on the ground and there was blood on her and both Kyle and Heidi and only Heidi and Tor seemed to be holding anything that even looked like stakes.
Xander didn’t even thing about it he just ran straight for them feeling the wooden cross and stake in his pockets as he threw himself at one of the vampires. He felt the hard cold body under him and heard the hiss of pain and he knew that spike of pain in his arm was going to be a problem later but none of it mattered then he felt himself drop down a few inches as the body turned to dust, and never do that again he thought as he started coughing up all the dust he’d swallowed.
He heard his name behind him he forced himself to ignore them as he pushed himself up as fast as he could, faster than he thought he could, and held out the cross toward the other vampire as he focused on talking through the coughing, “get behind me.”
“We are Xander.”
He almost jumped out of his skin at the sound of Tor’s voice all but in his ear. That’s when he realized Tor was right behind him, even had a hand on his shoulder, that must have been how he got up so fast, he had help. A quick glace told him Heidi was right behind him next to Tor and Kyle was kneeling next to Rhonda
“Don’t even think of moving unless you want to become part of the graveyard like your friend that I’m coughing up,” Xander ordered while holding the cross a little straighter when he saw the vampire start to move. Xander took a step to the side to put himself more directly between the vampire and Rhonda. This was bad, he got lucky with the last one but he didn’t know if he could do it again. Where was Buffy when you need her?
“I’m going to rip out your heart human.”
Crap, don’t charge me don’t charge me don’t charge me “You sure about that? You think you can take me and my friends without getting dusted? Really because I may not be great at math but…can you add.” Just leave; just go just go just go.
“This isn’t over blood bag.”
Xander waited until he couldn’t see the vampire through the trees any more before he let out the breath he’d been holding and he was almost okay for a second, then Heidi tried to say something.
“Why’d you let him-“
And then he was just pissed “Shut up, all of you just the hell shut up unless I ask you something.” They’d done this on purpose. They’d gone out hunting and now Rhonda, and now Rhonda… Xander knelt down next to Kyle and looked over Rhonda. She had blood coming from her head but Kyle has his jacket pressed into it, other wise it just looked like bumps, she should be okay but there was a lot of blood coming out of that cut, and she wasn’t conscious. “Anyone else bleeding or anything broken?” Xander glanced over them all, seeing them all shake their heads, good. “Tor help Kyle carry her Heidi keep your eyes on the treeline anything moves point it out to me. Let’s get Rhonda to the ER.”
The walk to Sunnydale hospital was quick and quiet, Kyle too focused on Rhonda, Tor just casting guilty looks between Rhonda and Xander, and Heidi looked upset, but she didn’t speak so Xander knew it could wait, getting Rhonda help came first.
“What happened?”
“She was attacked we didn’t see who,” Xander quickly answered the doctor that met them in the middle of the ER with a gurney, glared at Kyle when he opened his mouth at the lie. Moments later the doctor and Rhonda were gone, beyond the red line and out of reach for now at least.
“Is she going to be alright?”
Xander just blinked as he turned to look at Heidi, “I don’t know,” he said before taking a deep breath, trying to keep everything in check but, the shocked looks on Heidi’s and Tor’s faces, like they didn’t understand how it happened. How lost Kyle looked at he just started at the double doors leading deeper into the ER. “What were you all thinking?”
“Vampires deserve to be killed, every last one.”
Heidi, her brother! He should have realized she was too quiet about that. “You think I don’t know that? But what you did was stupid even by my standards and those, pretty low. Do you want to join your brother?” He asked as he just walked right up to her and kept walking matching her step for step until she hit the far walk of the waiting room. It weird being in someone else’s personal space and not feeling weird about being in their space. “Or worse?”
“We had stakes-“
“No you had wood that doesn’t even dream of being a stake,” Xander just shot back talking over Heidi, he had to get through to her. “Humans and demons with human bodies have these things called ribs and some pretty strong muscles so unless you’re hiding super strength you need a good point on your stake to even hope to get their heart. Did yours?”
“The book-“
“Probably thinks its readers wouldn’t go off have cocked. Did you even look to find out wherethe heart is? Or did you think the vampire would just let you poke around for it?” please tell me they weren’t that bad, god they were. That was the first thing Willow and I looked up…okay Willow looked it up but I watched.
“You said worse? What’s worse than being dead?”
He turned to face Kyle before glancing at Tor and Heidi, they didn’t get it, and they really didn’t. “Death is easy; it’s over its quick. Worst is having to watch a thing that use to be your friend tell you everything he’s going to do to you and your friend, friends that used to be his too. And then having to watch his face dissolve into dust and know you did it. The last bit of your friend gone because of you. So death, not the worst that can happen.” Don’t think about Jesse, don’t think about it, just not now.
“Rhonda? Will she…”
The anger left as fast at it had come at Kyle’s tone, fully of worry and fear. It wasn’t like he was perfect, Buffy had to save him from his own mistakes more than once. But man it was weird being on the other side of that. “No, it takes more then bleeding around vampires to become one. She’ll be alright, I may not have known her long but I do know she’s tough.”
And then he surprised himself by just stepping forward and pulled Kyle into a hug, but he remembered how he felt after Je-the Harvest. Only he didn’t have anyone to turn to because he couldn’t turn to Willow, not after what he’s done.
After a moment he felt Kyle just relax a little, his body still felt far too tense but that wouldn’t change until they could see Rhonda again. Then he felt another hand his shoulder and saw Heidi snuggle herself into Kyle’s side resting her head on her friend’s shoulder with a look full of guilt. Then he felt Tor standing next to them.
“We’re here for you, and soon so will Rhonda, right guys,” Xander just focusing on Kyle. Helping Kyle he could do, he couldn’t help Rhonda right now, but he could be there for Kyle.
He knew they had to look weird when the Doctor came by later to tell them Rhonda was okay but it didn’t matter, it was what Kyle needed, what he needed, he couldn’t lose someone else not so soon after…not so soon and even if he hadn’t know Rhonda long, he didn’t want to lose her. So he was glad when the doctor said she was fine and could leave, it was just a very bad cut and a bump on the head.
“We thought we could do it, it seemed so simple.”
Xander just observed Heidi for a moment as the group walked to Tor’s place trying to think of how to respond to her. She was a lot like him, and she was going to go after them just like him, least he could do was make it safer. “It is simple on paper. Wood into heart, but you know what’s also simple on paper, space travel. Ship on rocket, rocket into space, ship to new planet. Simple.” He just said with a grin.
“It’s not that simple.”
His humor was going to drive Kyle’s nuts, “Your right it’s not.” Nothing is ever as easy as it sounds like it should be.
“So what did we miss?”
“Right to the point Heidi. Well first you need to have stakes, real stakes, then none of you had crosses, or holy water. And that’s just to start.” Xander told them as he looked over the group. All of them even Rhonda was listening. “Look if you guys are going to hunt them we have a lot to go over before the next hunt, which will be no earlier then next weekend.”
“Good, that will give Rhonda time to stop being a cripple.”
“I’ll show you a cripple.”
Xander just smirked as he watched Kyle dodge around the group keeping just out of reach of Rhonda, a smile on his face for the first time since Xander had found them that night.
***Epilog***
Why couldn’t these damn American students learn to return their bloody books it was going to take him all day to fill out these forms for the office. And that’s only if nothing happens, which wasn’t something he could count on in this damned school.
And here comes Xander to warn me of some calamitous problem I’m sure, “You’re here rather early this morning, anything wrong?”
“Wrong why would anything be wrong, just a couple of questions. Nothing major or anything.”
Oh dear lord the world is ending isn’t it, “Xander just come out with it already, what has happened.” Yes tell me so I can try and prepare Buffy for it.
“Okay then, well G-man about the whole hyena possession thing…you said that memory loss wasn’t one of the side effects so what were the side effects?”
He’s just still worried about that, much better for the world at least, “Well Xander there is a great deal of possible effects but most require either more time under the influence of the spirit or some ritual. For you the most likely one would be a small change in diet and some left over longings for a group dynamic like that of the Pack-“ Giles stopped himself when he saw that Xander’s eyes were glazing over, damn teenagers, “Getting redder meat and wanting to be in a group rather then alone.”
“Why didn’t you say so the first time?”
I did, “Any other questions before we all put this behind us?” Please say yes, I have far too much work before Buffy’s training…and my back is still hurting from Friday.
“Yes just one and it’s a bit odd but could, well is it, that is could-“
“Xander,” Out with it already.
“I can feel them.”
What? He can…that’s rather odd, Giles thought as he looked over Xander again before taking off his glasses and cleaning them before answering, “You can feel them, as in where they are? The “they” are the others that were possessed, correct?”
“Yeah it’s them and yes where they are kind of but mostly…I knew when they were in trouble. I knew where to find them, is something happening to me, us.”
He’s rather worried; maybe he’s not as dumb as he acts after all. Good now lets hope I can say the same about Buffy before the year is out, “Having an empathy link, being able to feel them, is one of the side effects I read about but it’s very rare. But it like all the effects will wear off if not maintained by a fresh possession. All the effects should fade by the end of the week. You’re not changing into anything.” But smart lad to be worried about it, all the same. Now to just get him willing to read the books when we’re researching and not just look at the pictures.
“Okay cool good to know, not that I was worried or anything, so thanks and later G-man.”
“Stop calling me that, no never mind,” Giles called after Xander as the teen all but ran out of the library. I really must do something about that horrible name. But that will have to be later now where was I? Ah yes, Jonathan Levinson you still have one of my books.
The end
***Beta***
Just his luck. The one day he needed Giles to be around the school on a weekend and he wasn’t there. Didn’t he live in the library or something? He was always there. And why he’d lock the doors. Xander may have wanted some answers but he wasn’t going to break into school to do research; he had some self worth left.
It would just have to wait until Monday then, he’d just have to get to school early. School early, just what was his life coming too-what’s that he thought as he felt like someone was trying to get his attraction.
Xander stopped mid stride as he looked around the street but he couldn’t see anyone or anything around that accounted for the feeling, then he saw two girls come around the corner at the far end of the block, Rhonda and Heidi, Xander didn’t know why he knew it was them he just did, he didn’t even worry around it this time, he’d deal with it Monday.
“And what are two such lovely ladies doing up this early on a weekend morning?” Xander called out to them as he jogged closer to the pair, smiling at the contentment he felt as he headed their way, a feeling that doubled as he saw them smile back.
“It’s almost nine, that’s not early, that’s mid morning.”
The patronizing tone didn’t bother Xander in the least after having Jesse and Buffy for friends and the smile on Rhonda’s face undercut any real effect so he just grinned at her, “Really is that what they call it? I thought it was time to sleep in math class. Always works for me.”
“And Carter lets you? Man she’s eased up since last year.”
“Well Heidi, Ms. Carter and I have something of an understanding,” He started as he turned to the blond as he grinned, “As long as I keep my book open and paper out so I look like I’m working, I can sleep,” he finished enjoying the smile on both the girl’s faces.
“That’s a good understanding to have but does she know about this understanding?”
Xander just grinned at Rhonda’s question as he placed himself in between the girls and dropped his arm over their shoulders, “Why would she?” he answered before he returned to his first question. “So where are we going?”
“We’re meeting Kyle and Tor at the park to hang out; it’s how we spend most of our weekends.”
“Good to know,” and it was, he really needed to find out what they did with there time since he was going to be spending more time with them now and really he couldn’t imagine not spending time with them, and if he was lucky it’d stop being weird as well as right at some point, “So which park are we heading too?”
“Triangle.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” he said as he just kept walking along with them as he listened to them talk, adding a few jokes or comments himself when he felt the need, as they made their way to the park.
They had just reached the park and Xander was about to ask where they normally met when he felt Rhonda break into a faster walk toward a small out cropping of tree with the outline of two guys under it.
Heidi kept the same pace so he decided to as well as he watched as one of the two stepped out from under the tree and once into the sun it was clear it was Kyle, who was now kissing Rhonda.
And Xander wasn’t sure what to make of that. He hadn’t known Kyle and Rhonda were together, they were always together at school but well the gang was almost always together but it was still a surprised and he didn’t like that feeling when it came to them. But the weirdest part was still feeling pleased about it. He hadn’t known before but now that he did, he liked it. They were a good match, but he was still annoyed he hadn’t known.
He just shoved the feeling aside as he and Heidi drew closer to the trees and could see little more than shadowy shapes under them. Kyle and Rhonda had retreated back under the shade and where sharing one of the larger branch, that really looked more like a trunk that had grown partially sideways, where Rhonda was tracing the bruise, it was already turning a deep purple around the edges Xander noted once he was also under the tree’s shade, with a scowl on her face.
Tor was sitting by the base of the tree leaning against a fair sized rock as he watched them. And smoked a cigar. “You smoke cigars?!” he asked in surprise. He knew they all smoked cigarettes on occasion, he’d seen it at school, but never cigars.
“He does the rest of us can’t stand the taste. They’re worse than cigarettes.”
Xander watched Kyle make a yuck face to go alone with his answer and caught Heidi smiling out of the corner of his eye as she looked at Tor so Xander followed her gaze in time to see Tor exhale a large cloud smoke in the couple’s direction, but didn’t make it anywhere near them Xander saw, before sending his reply.
“What have I told you about comparing my cigars to those things, huh? This is a fine Cusano not some swept off the floor mass produced half paper crap.”
He watched as they traded taunts back and forth while Rhonda rolled her eyes and Heidi just smiled as she settled next to the trunk of the tree. Xander just listened to what he guessed was a long standing argument/joke between them as he picked his own spot under the tree, enjoying the sun filtering through the leaves. He was so lost in the moment he’d almost missed that Tor had turned toward him and asked him something, he did miss what was said, “What?”
“Want one?”
He’d asked if he wanted a cigar, Xander realized as Tor held up a cigar as he looked at him questioningly. He’d never had one before, never smoked anything before, he’d never really wanted to before, but Tor looked kind of hopeful, and what was with Tor. There was still something there he to pin down. Maybe…
“You know, I wouldn’t mind giving it a try but not right now, we’ll have to do that later.”
Xander watched Tor as close as he could without being obvious when he answered. Tor grinned at the first part, then lost it when he’s said not now but a smile had replaced it with the last part…yeah there was something about Tor he needed to know and that would give them the reason to talk.
“Cool, let me know when, you know if you want.”
“I will, but you guys don’t smoke cigarettes? Because I could have sworn I’ve seen you with them at school,” Xander told Tor, noting the forced ‘it’s cool whatever’ front Tor was putting up, and given the look Tor was getting from Rhonda he wasn’t the only one to see it. Yeah Tor was joining Giles on the need to talk to list.
“All part of the bad girl act. And it use to drive Flutie nuts….”
He felt his own chest tighten as the air itself become tense the moment Rhonda spoke the Principal’s name and Xander had to force himself to breath as he squish down the joke about asking if Flutie tasted nutty, it was to soon but he needed to do something, something to distract them get them focused on something else, Kyle’s eye would work. “So how are the bruises doing Kyle?”
The teen watched Heidi and Rhonda just looked over to him but it was Rhonda that spoke, no surprise there. “Bruises, as in more then one? And how did they happen?” as he saw Rhonda turn toward Kyle the other dark haired guy’s face changed from annoyed to a smirk.
“Basketball foul, they happen, and I’ll show you the others later,” he was sure Xander, and the others, caught the offer as Kyle took Rhonda’s hand and started sliding it down his chest, right for the groin.
“Nice try lover boy, but you didn’t get them playing ball this morning, did he Tor? Because then Xander wouldn’t know about them.”
Rhonda was smart and quick on the uptake, definitely a good match for Kyle. But not so much for Tor, Xander thought as he looked over at Tor who was looking between where Rhonda and Kyle were sitting and at him, guess Kyle told him the real reason for the bruises already, looking conflicted. So Xander just answered for him “No, he didn’t, and as for why I know about them. I gave them to him,” he said fighting to keep his voice level and confident, he took Kyle last night but no way could he take all four of them at once. Rhonda alone, probably.
“What?”
The growl in Rhonda’s voice wasn’t unexpected; her not jumping at him to try and do something was unexpected, at least until he saw that Kyle’s hand around Rhonda’s midsection was the only reason she hadn’t.
“I attacked him Rhonda and I’d really rather you didn’t get matching bruises.” Kyle said softly.
Xander watched as Kyle held Rhonda back until his statement sunk in enough to calm her down but he still wasn’t letting her go, likely a good idea since she still looked pissed.
“You sure it was a fight? Because it looks sort of one sided from here.”
The venom in her voice scared Xander a little, any fight with her was going to be a very different fight than his fight with Kyle but he hoped he could pull the plug on some of her anger right now. “I wouldn’t say it was all one sided,” the look of satisfaction on Rhonda’s face when he pulled up his shirt and exposed his own bruises irritated him even if he had know it was going to happen. But it was balanced by the look of guilt on Kyle’s face and mild concern on Heidi. He hadn’t even tried to figure out what Tor’s reaction would be, but something more than mild concern and the anger he saw wouldn’t have been among his top guesses.
“Why…why were you two fighting?”
Xander saw he wasn’t the only one to turn to Heidi when she spoke, and he was a little surprised she asked the question since she was rather quite most of the time. Or maybe it was her way of dealing with everything.
“Well, I thought we should head down Pine street but he thought we should take Washington,” He answered Heidi with as straight a face as he could until the confused looks just become to much and he let out a laugh.
“Your attempt at humor is going to take some getting use to, and it was between us and we’re cool so don’t worry about it.”
Are we? He still wasn’t completely sure what set Kyle off the night before but if Kyle was over it…”So what do you guys go on a Saturday morning other than sleep in?”
“We play basketball; hang at the mall, you know, the usual.”
Maybe they weren’t all that different after all. “So that is a basketball behind you Tor. Get it out here and let’s find out if you guys are any good.” Xander grinned as he stood while the others threw out their own taunts back at him. Tor stubbed out his cigar before grabbing the ball from behind him and threw it at him, rather hard and with a challenge, just like…just like Jesse use to really.
“We got game Xan, the question is can you keep up?”
Xander just grinned back at Tor’s use of a nickname as the group made their way over to one of the courts and Xander didn’t even say anything as they not so subtlety cleared it of the other teens that had been playing.
The rest of the morning passed rather quickly, a couple of hours playing ball shifted into hanging out at the mall for lunch before Kyle and Rhonda had to split to head to work, Xander’s respect for Kyle went up when he learned that Kyle had been working at one of the town’s office buildings as a weekend janitor for three years, Rhonda had been working at one of the stores in the mall for about six months.
Really the more Xander learned about them the more he realized them just labeling them the mean kids as was wrong as anyone at school calling Buffy a freak and Willow a geek. It was just what they looked liked at a glance and not who they really were at all.
Shortly after they left Heidi declared that she needed to get home for some family stuff and that she’d seem them later. That was how Xander found himself alone with Tor in one of Sunnydale’s many graveyards learning how to smoke a cigar and finally a chance to get some of his questions answered. If he didn’t choke to death first.
“So has Rhonda always foul that much or was I just lucky today?” He asked Tor just as he felt like his lung wanted to cough its way up this throat.
“Slow down there, don’t smoke it so fast and no, she can be rough but not that bad. She was still pissed over Kyle…what time did it happen last night? Was it about twenty minutes after you left my place?”
Xander listened as Tor’s voice grew unsure and hesitant. It wasn’t the fight itself, Tor seemed the less bugged by it then the others, or maybe it was just that he found out before the others and Xander wasn’t around for that part, so he wasn’t sure what it was about, and why ask when? And why did it look so easy when he smoked his own cigar he didn’t like look his lungs wanted out of his chest. “Yeah about that I guess,” he’d barely been able to even say that much Xander thought as he had to clear his throat and take a few breaths without coughing before he felt good enough to go on, “we had just reached Sheridan Park so yes about twenty minutes more or less. That’s an odd question to ask.”
“I felt it, when it happened.”
Tor looked so confident as he let out a ring of smoke from his mouth before looking back at Xander, like the time had been all he needed to confirm whatever he was talking about. And Xander only wished he looked that confident half the time, but how could Tor have… “You what? Want to try that one again?”
“I felt the fight, about twenty minutes after you two left I felt this…danger, no that’s not right, violence is the best I’ve got, I felt like something was happening and I had to do something, I even went outside and to the gate before the feeling was gone. And I remembered what you said about being outside so I went back in, speaking of that should we be in a graveyard?”
Xander just listened to Tor as he look another puff of the cigar, it’s taste was nice, strong, but nice, he could see why Tor liked them; but he couldn’t thing of why Tor would have been able to feel the fight. But it hadn’t been the only time something like that happened, the sunset… “During the day graveyards are fine, mostly. Was it like yesterday, when you ended up meet up with us in the woods?” Did they have a link? Was this part of the possession? Why hadn’t Giles’ been at the library?
“The need to go was the same but not the rest; I didn’t feel like anyone was in danger the first time, just that I was wanted.”
He really needed to try and find Giles soon. “The others all felt like they wanted to be there on the ridge, maybe we’re drawn to each other. We have a superpower, the amazing psychic link.” He finished with a grin as he took another puff from the cigar, and didn’t even cough, well only a little.
“You would be into comic books wouldn’t you? But you think that’s all it is?”
“All it is; now I know you don’t read comics. Having a mental link is never as simple as it sounds. I mean you lying back relaxing alone in your room with a magazine you barrowed from you dad, the last thing you want is four other people knowing what you’re doing. And did I just say that?” crap I’ve been able to keep my motor mouth under check all day why now. “But you get what I mean right?” don’t realize I was talking about jerking off come on
“What if you wanted…is that why we want to spend time together? Last week we wouldn’t have given you the time of day and now…”
Wanted what? Man, he thinks I have all the answers just like Kyle, G-man’s job sucks, “I don’t know. Maybe? I’m not sure but I will find out, for all of us.” Xander answered before he let himself become quiet as he just watched Tor, the older teen was clearly thinking about something but Xander was also fairly sure he wasn’t going to be the one Tor shared with and that….Xander didn’t like being so sure of that at all.
Maybe he should show Tor where he can get some of the answers so he doesn’t have to ask.
***Interlude: Sorororis***
“Good evening Ms Kelley. The others are in the study.”
Rhonda just smiled at Ms Cutter before she made her way through the Hauer Mansion toward the study. Really it was Tor’s personal parlor filled with video games and a big screen TV. It also had a table and enough space for all four of them to divide up and do their homework without parents or siblings getting in the way.
“I hope you guys didn’t start without me.” She said as she entered the room, dropping her bag on the table before sitting next to Kyle and pulling him into a kiss not even listening to the replies from the others. For some reason the last couple days she’d just wanted to touch him and kiss him more then normal, she’d gone all day at school without doing anything before but now she just couldn’t seen to keep her hands off him. And if his hand on her back was any indication he felt the same way.
“Tor has a guest room if you need it.”
She felt Kyle leaning back and away and she had to fight the desire to lean forward to keep the kiss going but she knew she shouldn’t no matter how much she wanted to “What?” Heidi was just watching her. Heidi always did a lot of watching.
“You and Kyle, unless you like giving a show.”
If she hadn’t been smiling Rhonda would have done more the flick one of Kyle’s pencils at her. Rhonda just smiled back as she climbed off of Kyle’s lap, and when had she climbed on? She then slid into her own chair while Heidi batted the pencil away almost hitting Tor who had been avoiding the byplay so far.
In fact he was still ignoring it even when the pencil bounced off his shoulder, and yeah it didn’t have much force behind it but he could have looked up from the book, and that didn’t look like one of their textbooks, “Good book Tor?”
“Huh, what? Did someone ask something?”
Must be a good book, Tor’s not that big on reading she thought as Kyle answered Tor’s question.
“She asked if that was a good book and what is it? It’s not for school is it.”
Tor didn’t even complain when Kyle just took the book and flipped it around facing him so Rhonda leaned in closer to him so she could se it too and...was it hand written? And what were those pictures?
She looked from the book to Tor, he had his “yeah whatever” look he used when he didn’t want to answer the questions he knew were coming but he didn’t want to look like he didn’t want to answer them, it had served him well dealing with his fellow jocks and their need to know every detail of each other’s made up sex lives but it wouldn’t help him here. “Did I miss something on our reading list?”
“What’s it about?”
“Where did you find a book about vampires?”
“What?” Vampires, that’s not what she expected the answer to Heidi’s question to be and yeah Kyle had a good question too but she had an even better one, why did he…wait vampires, Xander had told them vampires were real, hadn’t he.
“This afternoon Xander showed me this occult store, he said they were the real deal if you knew how to ask. So I asked, the guy said it was your basic primer on dealing with vampires.”
“How weird is it living in a world where vampires are real?”
Kyle had a point it was weird but after what happened. Well Xander didn’t sound crazy, just bossy and a bit of a dick for hurting Kyle. She still couldn’t believe that Kyle lost to him, he didn’t look that tough.
“Does it say how to kill them?”
The anger and hatred in Heidi’s voice just seemed wrong and sent a chill down her spine. She hasn’t said anything about what they’d found out about her brother yet but clearly she’d been thinking about it.
“Yes it has a whole chapter about it, here.”
Rhonda watched as Tor flipped the pages around until he reached the pages he was looking for. He leaned back and watched as Kyle read. And reading it over Kyle’s shoulder wasn’t working the script was just too difficult to read, no wonder Tor had been so focused on it.
“Okay so it looks like the movies got some stuff right, they’re listing wood through the heart, fire, sun, holy water, and beheading.”
That does sounds like something right out of the movies, “why does anyone need this book then?” just rent a vampire movie really.
“Because those don’t tell you that fire isn’t any more effective then it is on a human and not all holy water is equal. That and they talk about Master vampires somewhere being more resistant to them but I’m not sure what makes a master vampire. I haven’t gotten to that part.”
Okay so not all of them work all the time, that is good to know. But god she hopes she never sees one.
“Let’s kill some.”
She did not like the look in Heidi’s eyes at all, no not one bit.
“Xander said he and his friends patrol and hunt them. If they can do it so can we.”
“Heidi, we can’t just-” This did not feel like a good idea.
“They killed my brother and I want some payback. For Mitch, and who knows how many others. I say we get some payback.”
“Look, I’m not saying we should do something but let’s think this though.”
Good Kyle make her think, this is so not a good idea. Rhonda thought as she moved close to Heidi to offer some support as Kyle talked to her.
“Yeah if we do this we should talk to Xander, he’s the one that’s done this. We shouldn’t just go off on our own.”
She knew it was the wrong thing to say the moment Tor started talking, He may have warmed up to Xander but Kyle hadn’t. Kyle was suddenly stiff and ridge, Kyle still haven’t told her the whole story behind his fight with Xander and despite whatever Kyle said, this thing with the younger guy wasn’t over.
“Heidi’s right, we can do it and we don’t need Xander. To do this we just need to get some stakes right?”
“I’m not sure about this either,” This was just nuts. She wasn’t ready to see a real vampire, knowing was enough thank you.
“Guys! This is our town, so let’s just show those things who is boss.”
Rhonda just looked at the others after Kyle’s statement, but none of the others said anything and she couldn’t either. She didn’t like this but Kyle and Heidi wanted it.
“Tor the fire wood out back, we can use some of it to make stakes right?”
***(Omega)***
“Xander is something wrong?”
Xander looked over at Willow before throwing on a grin he really didn’t feel. “Everything’s fine, I’m good, better then good. I’m with my best bud why wouldn’t it be good and great even?” Xander babbled as he looked back at the window, he felt like he should go, like he had somewhere he didn’t to be but he didn’t have any other plans…did he?
“You’ve been distracted for the last ten minutes so out with it mister.”
And he had to smile at that, “I’m good Wils but I forgot my mother was cooking meat loft tonight and she thinks that’s my favorite…” I’m so sorry for lying Willow I just need to go. Don’t give me the sad Willow eyes
“I guess you should get going then. Want to come over tomorrow?”
“You bet your socks I do. Bight and early only not early and I won’t be too bright,” and there’s my smile, still got it. “Later.”
Now to find out what the heck is going on, Xander thought as he started walking faster and faster until he was all but running following the feeling in his gut that was starting to change from just a need to go somewhere to one of fear, something was wrong.
He’d just hit the edge of one of the cemeteries when he saw them. Kyle, Rhonda, Tor and Heidi fighting with two vampires and it looked like they were losing. Rhonda was on the ground and there was blood on her and both Kyle and Heidi and only Heidi and Tor seemed to be holding anything that even looked like stakes.
Xander didn’t even thing about it he just ran straight for them feeling the wooden cross and stake in his pockets as he threw himself at one of the vampires. He felt the hard cold body under him and heard the hiss of pain and he knew that spike of pain in his arm was going to be a problem later but none of it mattered then he felt himself drop down a few inches as the body turned to dust, and never do that again he thought as he started coughing up all the dust he’d swallowed.
He heard his name behind him he forced himself to ignore them as he pushed himself up as fast as he could, faster than he thought he could, and held out the cross toward the other vampire as he focused on talking through the coughing, “get behind me.”
“We are Xander.”
He almost jumped out of his skin at the sound of Tor’s voice all but in his ear. That’s when he realized Tor was right behind him, even had a hand on his shoulder, that must have been how he got up so fast, he had help. A quick glace told him Heidi was right behind him next to Tor and Kyle was kneeling next to Rhonda
“Don’t even think of moving unless you want to become part of the graveyard like your friend that I’m coughing up,” Xander ordered while holding the cross a little straighter when he saw the vampire start to move. Xander took a step to the side to put himself more directly between the vampire and Rhonda. This was bad, he got lucky with the last one but he didn’t know if he could do it again. Where was Buffy when you need her?
“I’m going to rip out your heart human.”
Crap, don’t charge me don’t charge me don’t charge me “You sure about that? You think you can take me and my friends without getting dusted? Really because I may not be great at math but…can you add.” Just leave; just go just go just go.
“This isn’t over blood bag.”
Xander waited until he couldn’t see the vampire through the trees any more before he let out the breath he’d been holding and he was almost okay for a second, then Heidi tried to say something.
“Why’d you let him-“
And then he was just pissed “Shut up, all of you just the hell shut up unless I ask you something.” They’d done this on purpose. They’d gone out hunting and now Rhonda, and now Rhonda… Xander knelt down next to Kyle and looked over Rhonda. She had blood coming from her head but Kyle has his jacket pressed into it, other wise it just looked like bumps, she should be okay but there was a lot of blood coming out of that cut, and she wasn’t conscious. “Anyone else bleeding or anything broken?” Xander glanced over them all, seeing them all shake their heads, good. “Tor help Kyle carry her Heidi keep your eyes on the treeline anything moves point it out to me. Let’s get Rhonda to the ER.”
The walk to Sunnydale hospital was quick and quiet, Kyle too focused on Rhonda, Tor just casting guilty looks between Rhonda and Xander, and Heidi looked upset, but she didn’t speak so Xander knew it could wait, getting Rhonda help came first.
“What happened?”
“She was attacked we didn’t see who,” Xander quickly answered the doctor that met them in the middle of the ER with a gurney, glared at Kyle when he opened his mouth at the lie. Moments later the doctor and Rhonda were gone, beyond the red line and out of reach for now at least.
“Is she going to be alright?”
Xander just blinked as he turned to look at Heidi, “I don’t know,” he said before taking a deep breath, trying to keep everything in check but, the shocked looks on Heidi’s and Tor’s faces, like they didn’t understand how it happened. How lost Kyle looked at he just started at the double doors leading deeper into the ER. “What were you all thinking?”
“Vampires deserve to be killed, every last one.”
Heidi, her brother! He should have realized she was too quiet about that. “You think I don’t know that? But what you did was stupid even by my standards and those, pretty low. Do you want to join your brother?” He asked as he just walked right up to her and kept walking matching her step for step until she hit the far walk of the waiting room. It weird being in someone else’s personal space and not feeling weird about being in their space. “Or worse?”
“We had stakes-“
“No you had wood that doesn’t even dream of being a stake,” Xander just shot back talking over Heidi, he had to get through to her. “Humans and demons with human bodies have these things called ribs and some pretty strong muscles so unless you’re hiding super strength you need a good point on your stake to even hope to get their heart. Did yours?”
“The book-“
“Probably thinks its readers wouldn’t go off have cocked. Did you even look to find out wherethe heart is? Or did you think the vampire would just let you poke around for it?” please tell me they weren’t that bad, god they were. That was the first thing Willow and I looked up…okay Willow looked it up but I watched.
“You said worse? What’s worse than being dead?”
He turned to face Kyle before glancing at Tor and Heidi, they didn’t get it, and they really didn’t. “Death is easy; it’s over its quick. Worst is having to watch a thing that use to be your friend tell you everything he’s going to do to you and your friend, friends that used to be his too. And then having to watch his face dissolve into dust and know you did it. The last bit of your friend gone because of you. So death, not the worst that can happen.” Don’t think about Jesse, don’t think about it, just not now.
“Rhonda? Will she…”
The anger left as fast at it had come at Kyle’s tone, fully of worry and fear. It wasn’t like he was perfect, Buffy had to save him from his own mistakes more than once. But man it was weird being on the other side of that. “No, it takes more then bleeding around vampires to become one. She’ll be alright, I may not have known her long but I do know she’s tough.”
And then he surprised himself by just stepping forward and pulled Kyle into a hug, but he remembered how he felt after Je-the Harvest. Only he didn’t have anyone to turn to because he couldn’t turn to Willow, not after what he’s done.
After a moment he felt Kyle just relax a little, his body still felt far too tense but that wouldn’t change until they could see Rhonda again. Then he felt another hand his shoulder and saw Heidi snuggle herself into Kyle’s side resting her head on her friend’s shoulder with a look full of guilt. Then he felt Tor standing next to them.
“We’re here for you, and soon so will Rhonda, right guys,” Xander just focusing on Kyle. Helping Kyle he could do, he couldn’t help Rhonda right now, but he could be there for Kyle.
He knew they had to look weird when the Doctor came by later to tell them Rhonda was okay but it didn’t matter, it was what Kyle needed, what he needed, he couldn’t lose someone else not so soon after…not so soon and even if he hadn’t know Rhonda long, he didn’t want to lose her. So he was glad when the doctor said she was fine and could leave, it was just a very bad cut and a bump on the head.
“We thought we could do it, it seemed so simple.”
Xander just observed Heidi for a moment as the group walked to Tor’s place trying to think of how to respond to her. She was a lot like him, and she was going to go after them just like him, least he could do was make it safer. “It is simple on paper. Wood into heart, but you know what’s also simple on paper, space travel. Ship on rocket, rocket into space, ship to new planet. Simple.” He just said with a grin.
“It’s not that simple.”
His humor was going to drive Kyle’s nuts, “Your right it’s not.” Nothing is ever as easy as it sounds like it should be.
“So what did we miss?”
“Right to the point Heidi. Well first you need to have stakes, real stakes, then none of you had crosses, or holy water. And that’s just to start.” Xander told them as he looked over the group. All of them even Rhonda was listening. “Look if you guys are going to hunt them we have a lot to go over before the next hunt, which will be no earlier then next weekend.”
“Good, that will give Rhonda time to stop being a cripple.”
“I’ll show you a cripple.”
Xander just smirked as he watched Kyle dodge around the group keeping just out of reach of Rhonda, a smile on his face for the first time since Xander had found them that night.
***Epilog***
Why couldn’t these damn American students learn to return their bloody books it was going to take him all day to fill out these forms for the office. And that’s only if nothing happens, which wasn’t something he could count on in this damned school.
And here comes Xander to warn me of some calamitous problem I’m sure, “You’re here rather early this morning, anything wrong?”
“Wrong why would anything be wrong, just a couple of questions. Nothing major or anything.”
Oh dear lord the world is ending isn’t it, “Xander just come out with it already, what has happened.” Yes tell me so I can try and prepare Buffy for it.
“Okay then, well G-man about the whole hyena possession thing…you said that memory loss wasn’t one of the side effects so what were the side effects?”
He’s just still worried about that, much better for the world at least, “Well Xander there is a great deal of possible effects but most require either more time under the influence of the spirit or some ritual. For you the most likely one would be a small change in diet and some left over longings for a group dynamic like that of the Pack-“ Giles stopped himself when he saw that Xander’s eyes were glazing over, damn teenagers, “Getting redder meat and wanting to be in a group rather then alone.”
“Why didn’t you say so the first time?”
I did, “Any other questions before we all put this behind us?” Please say yes, I have far too much work before Buffy’s training…and my back is still hurting from Friday.
“Yes just one and it’s a bit odd but could, well is it, that is could-“
“Xander,” Out with it already.
“I can feel them.”
What? He can…that’s rather odd, Giles thought as he looked over Xander again before taking off his glasses and cleaning them before answering, “You can feel them, as in where they are? The “they” are the others that were possessed, correct?”
“Yeah it’s them and yes where they are kind of but mostly…I knew when they were in trouble. I knew where to find them, is something happening to me, us.”
He’s rather worried; maybe he’s not as dumb as he acts after all. Good now lets hope I can say the same about Buffy before the year is out, “Having an empathy link, being able to feel them, is one of the side effects I read about but it’s very rare. But it like all the effects will wear off if not maintained by a fresh possession. All the effects should fade by the end of the week. You’re not changing into anything.” But smart lad to be worried about it, all the same. Now to just get him willing to read the books when we’re researching and not just look at the pictures.
“Okay cool good to know, not that I was worried or anything, so thanks and later G-man.”
“Stop calling me that, no never mind,” Giles called after Xander as the teen all but ran out of the library. I really must do something about that horrible name. But that will have to be later now where was I? Ah yes, Jonathan Levinson you still have one of my books.
The end