White Knight's War

The White Knight’s War

Author :~ pixel
Rated: R mostly, but maybe some NC-17 later ~ depends how it goes
Ship: xander/graham/omc
Disclaimer: I own nothing, claim nothing, they all still belong to Joss et al and I’m just borrowing for a while.
Authors Notes 1: Ok this is probably going to have slash, bad language, character death and buffy bashing ~ so if you don’t like ~ don’t read. I don’t have a beta so all mistakes are mine ~ if you point them out I’ll try to fix them. There’s an explanation etc in prologue.
Authors Notes 2: Concrit and reviews always welcomed and appreciated, helps me know i'm not talking to myself here.

Not much plot this time, just getting the singing out of the way. Song lyrics are in italics and credits at the end of the chapter


Rhapsodies And Revelations


Lorne enveloped Xander in a warm hug, letting one hand trail up to the eye patch that was so shocking to see on his young friend. “Alex?”


“Long story Lorne. It was right before good old Sunnyhell went the way of the dinosaurs. Big bad, who thought I saw too much. Ancient history now.”


“Shouldn’t have happened like that. Was supposed to protect you all.”


“Not your fault Spike, hell you got to me before Caleb finished the job. If you hadn’t I’d be blind.”


“Bleach is right, you shouldn’t have been the one to get hurt like that. It wasn’t your job.”


“Faith, as I remember it, Caleb tossed you, Buffy and Spike around like toys. None of us could’ve figured he’d be that strong. I chose to be there, it’s always been my decision to fight. I didn’t have to chuck myself in Caleb’s path the way I did. This was never anyone’s fault but his.”


Kennedy moved back to Xander’s side and spoke softly, “You saved me, got hurt saving me. I’d be dead if you hadn’t.”


“And that’s why I don’t regret a thing. Wouldn’t change it even if I could.”


“That’s my Alex, always the hero. Hope this psycho isn’t still walking around.”


“No chance. Buffy made with the slice and dice, and voila; no more evil preacher.”


“Preacher? I saw him. When I came to bring Buffy the amulet, she was fighting him. Wouldn’t let me help her at all. She said it was personal. That she had to do it.”


“B didn’t exactly take it well, seeing X hurt; and Caleb killed some of the potentials, no way she’d have let anyone else take him out. So X, tell me how do you and the big green here know each other anyways?”


“I was working at a club here in LA, the summer after graduation. Lorne used to come in sometimes and I spent a few nights at Caritas.”


“Alex was always quite the draw, I used to almost take double at the bar when he performed.”


“Never knew you could sing X.”


“He’s got a pretty good voice, though that wasn’t his main appeal.”


“Nice to see you can still blush that bad X. What exactly were you doing back then?”


“He was one of Dorien’s star turns. Had himself quite the fan club.”


“Madam Dorien?” Wesley practically shrieked, “You worked for her? How in the world did you come to that? Surely you could have found something safer”


“If you were in trouble Xander, you could have come to us, I know you saw Cordelia whilst you were in LA. We could have helped you.”


“Deadboy what the hell are you talking about?”


“You, working in the world’s most notorious demon brothel.”


“Nice to know you still think the worst of everyone. I wasn’t selling my body Angel, at least not that way. Dorien owns a couple of the best clubs in town. I was a stripper, strictly no touching.”


“Wait a sec X. You stripped? On a stage where everyone could see you? Care to share this talent of yours?”


“I was younger and prettier then Faith, but if that’s just a request to see me naked?”


“Graham’d kill us both.”


“I don’t care, I want to see.”


“Dawn” Spike, Xander, Faith, Kennedy and Angel all yelled simultaneously.


“What, I can’t be the only one thinking it. He was my first crush and I want to see the naked, dancing Xander. Was he hot.”


“He sizzled pumpkin, pure natural sexiness. When he took off back home, he left broken hearts all over town.”


“Right, as much as I’m enjoying you all taking this little visit to my past, maybe we should let Lorne read us first. Then those that want to can call it a night, whilst we play old home week.”


“Good for me, so who’s going to entertain us first? Do you want me to tell everyone everything I see?”


“Why don’t you keep the personal stuff for later and talk to people individually, if you need to tell them anything. Angel and his people just want to know whether or not the stories we told them are true; and if they should help us or not.”


“Fine, but I’m not dropping this Xander, I don’t know how you kept this a secret but I’m getting details out of you later. I’ll sing first ‘cos I know nobody else wants to. Dawn snuggled a little closer to Spike before letting her clear, sweet voice drift across the room; causing everyone to stop what they were doing and listen.


“How can I think I’m standing strong?
Yet feel the air beneath my feet.
How can happiness feel so wrong?
How can misery feel so sweet?
How can you let me watch you sleep?
Then break my dreams the way you do.
How can I have got in so deep?
Why did I fall in love with you?

This is the closest thing to crazy I have ever been.
Feeling twenty two, acting seventeen.
This is the nearest thing to crazy I have ever known.
I was never crazy on my own.

And now I know
That there’s a link between the two
Being close to craziness
And being close to you.”


“Is that enough for you to work with?”


“Oh yes sweetie, that was beautiful, and more than enough. Everything she told you was true Angel. You should know she’s more important than any of you realise. Nothing must be allowed to happen to her.”


“Trust me Lorne, Dawnie is our number one priority, nothing’s going to get past us and hurt her. I guess I’ll go next.” Graham’s eyes were less tormented since his talk with Xander, but when he began to sing, Lorne could see the pain and fear hadn’t completely gone.


“If you want a lover, I’ll do anything you ask me to.
And if you want another kind of love, I’ll wear a mask for you.
If you want a partner, take my hand
Or if you want to strike me down in anger, here I stand.
I’m your man.

If you want a boxer, I will step into the ring for you,
And if you want a doctor, I’ll examine every inch of you.
If you want a drive, climb inside.
Or if you want to take me for a ride, you know you can.
I’m your man.”


It was almost painful for everyone watching the former soldier, he was laying his heart bare for them and no one knew what to say. Lorne simply nodded to Angel, confirming that whatever Graham had told them was the truth.


Before she could talk herself out of it, Sam stepped forward. Her voice so soft, most of them could barely hear the words she sang.


“How long does a tear take to dry?
When a woman has no breeze.
How long does a tear take to dry?
When a woman, when a woman’s on her knees.

Look I’m so sorry, my hearts broken.
I still love you.
You’re so sweet.
The flowers smell sweeter, the closer you are to the grave
The flowers smell sweeter, the closer you are to the grave.”


Barely giving Lorne time to tell everyone that Sam’s story had also been true; Kennedy started to sing, her voice straining as she struggled to hold back tears.


“I was her, she was me.
We were one, we were free.
And if there’s somebody calling me on.
She’s the one.

We were young, we were wrong.
We were fine all along.
If there’s somebody calling me on.
She’s the one.

When you get to where you wanna to go,
And you know the things you wanna know.
You’re smiling.
When you said what you wanna say,
And you know the way you wanna play.
Yeah.
You’ll be so high, you’ll be flying.
She’s the one.”


“Oh honey, I’m so sorry for your loss, I know you don’t think so now; but things are going to get better. And yes Angel, everything she told you was true. So who’s up next”


“I guess that’s me.” Amy really wasn’t sure she wanted yet another person inside her head, but knew how important it was to make Angel and Wesley believe in them. Hoping that Lorne wouldn’t see too much, the young Wicca took a deep and began to sing.


“I’m taking my ride with destiny
Willing to play my part.
Living with painful memories
Loving with all my heart.

Made in Heaven, made in Heaven.
It was all meant to be, yeah.
Made in Heaven, made in Heaven.
That’s what they say,
Can’t you see?
That’s what everybody says to me.
Can’t you see?
Oh I know, I know, I know that it’s true.
Yes it’s really meant to be.
Deep in my heart
I’m having to learn to pay the price.
They’re turning me upside down,
Waiting for possibilities.
Don’t see too many around.
Made in Heaven, made in Heaven.”


Amy looked Lorne right in the eyes and tried desperately to will him not to say anything about what he might have seen. It’d been bad enough to see Kennedy scurrying out of the room shortly after she began singing, she really didn’t need everyone else knowing how screwed up she still was. Lorne narrowed his eyes at her wordless pleas, but spoke only briefly, once again confirming the truth of her words. Amy could tell, by the assessing look he gave her, that he would almost certainly want to talk to her privately about what he’d seen.


When Faith stepped up for her turn, everyone in the room was surprised by what they heard. They might have imagined a loud and angry song from the dark Slayer, but what they got was a few gentle verses, sung in a voice that sounded far younger and more innocent then any of them expected.


“If a love as strong as ours
Couldn’t make it all the way,
Can anything make sense at all?
If a love so deep and true
Couldn’t stand the test of time?
Then Mount Everest should slide and Jerusalem should fall.

Is nothing sacred any more?
Is forever just another word?
Is a promise something people used to keep,
When love was worth fighting for?

Is nothing sacred any more?
There’s no justice in a dream.
Never thought a heart could break,
Without making any sound.
Is nothing sacred any more?”


Knowing how hard that had been for Faith and how much she hated it if people saw how vulnerable she could be; Xander just let Lorne acknowledge that Faith’s story had been as honest as everyone else’s, before launching into his own song.


“Summer time has come and passed,
The innocent can never last.
Wake me up when September ends.
Like my father’s come to pass,
Seven years has gone so fast.
Wake me up when September ends.

Here comes the rain again,
Falling from the sky.
Drenched in my pain again,
Becoming who we are.
As my memory rests,
But never forgets what I lost.
Wake me up when September ends.

Summertime has come and passed,
The innocent can never last.
Wake me up when September ends.
Ring out those bells again,
Like we did when Spring began.
Wake me up when September ends.

Here comes the rain again,
Falling from the sky.
Drenched in my pain again,
Becoming who we are.
As my memory rests,
But never forgets what I lost.
Wake me up when September ends.”


Xander sang for longer than everyone else, and whilst they were all surprised by the natural ability his voice showed, what really affected them all was the pain, which was apparent in every word he sang. Nobody in the room needed Lorne’s gift to understand how badly Xander had been hurt by everything that’d happened in the last few months.


Lorne took a deep breath and squashed down the worry and fear he had for his old friend. He’d have a long talk with Xander later, but right now he had a job to do. “Well kiddies, I never thought I’d say this; but I’m seriously thinking about finding a portal back to Pylea. Yes the storm that’s coming is that bad, if anything Xander and his friends have been sugar-coating stuff; so as not to scare you off. There are no choices here people; we help them, period. Whatever they want, whatever they need, or we can kiss the world good-bye. There’s a hell of a lot of work to do, so maybe we should get started. I think maybe I have an idea of where you can start looking for that missing research you need.”


Lorne knew it wasn’t going to be that simple, he’d seen so much pain and loss in the young people he’d read. He knew they’d all need a lot of help if they were going to get through the next few months, especially the young Wicca. Having another’s memories thrust into her mind had almost driven her crazy. She’d hidden her suffering well; not wanting to bother Willow’s friends, but if she didn’t start to deal with it soon, they could lose her. She’d have to wait a bit though, as soon as he told Wesley where to start looking, Lorne had to grab hold of a certain bleached blond vampire and have a chat with him about mysterious seers.

tbc…….

Songs used are :-

Dawn – Katie Melua, “The Closest Thing To Crazy.”
Graham - Leonard Cohen “I’m Your Man.”
Sam - The Beautiful South “How Long’s A Tear Take To Dry?”
Kennedy - Robbie Williams “She’s The One.”
Amy - Freddie Mercury “Made In Heaven.”
Faith - Meatloaf “Is Nothing Sacred?”
Xander - Green Day “When September Ends.”