The Seer

TITLE: The Seer
AUTHOR: Willie J
EMAIL: wmj166@msn.com
WEB SITE: N/A
PAIRINGS: A/X
RATING: NC-17
DISCLAIMER: I don't own any part of Buffy et all, not Angel the Series.
FEEDBACK: Oh please send me feedback, privately or through the list
DISTRIBUTION: List Archives
SPOILERS: BtVs S7, Ats S4 HUGE spoilers as a matter of fact
A/N: The scene in Buffy's kitchen never took place between Buffy and Xander, Xander never tried to take Dawn to safety.
BETA'D BY: Kris & James…without them this story wouldn’t make a bit of sense
SUMMARY:

Chapter 2

Slowly Xander crawled from unconsciousness feeling strong arms wrapped around him tightly and a huge smile crept across his face. Man, the way he felt right now, he could probably beat the First and all his minions single-handedly, he smirked, wiggling against the hard cool body at his back, gasping at the slight ache in his ass.

Twisting in Angel's embrace, he watched the beautiful pale face with a wistful eye, tracing a finger over the full lips and that tiny hollow just under those beautiful hungry lips, that were wrapped around his finger...his eye darted up to Angel's amused golden eyes.

"You're awake," he said stupidly, dropping his head down on Angel's chest with a groan of dismay.

With a last caressing lick of his tongue, Angel release the digit from his mouth.

"Was I supposed to sleep all day," Angel said quietly, raising Xander's head gently and gazing into the worried brown eye, "Cause I have much better plans for the rest of the day," he whispered rolling them over and settling between the boy's legs, rocking against the rising hardening flesh.

"This wasn't a one time thing," he questioned softly, tilting his neck into Angel's cool caressing mouth, sighing with pleasure the vampire’s touch evoked.

Angel drew back, "Do you want this to be," he asked quietly gazing down into the boy's beautiful face.

Xander smiled as he slowly shook his head, "Uh uh, I'm kinda liking this," he whispered shyly, a blush rising to his cheeks. Though how in the world he could be so friggin' shy now after last night was beyond him.

"Me, too," Angel whispered before lowering his head and kissing the luscious lips with a deep possessive hunger, swallowing the moan the boy made as he rocked against the eagerly stirring cock.

"Wait," Xander gasped out, "Wait!" He pushed at Angel's shoulder feeling a much different urge surging through his body.

"What?" Angel drew back in alarm at the urgent way the boy was acting, falling over as Xander hurriedly scrambled out of the bed.

"Bathroom," he heard the boy yell as the golden ass disappeared out the doorway.

Angel snickered, it had been a long time since he had felt that kinda urge. Smiling, he swirled his fingers in the Vaseline as he got out of the bed and padded naked out into the living room headed for the bathroom.

Xander sighed in relief at the lessening pressure on his bladder. Flushing the toilet and washing his hands, he opened the door....his mouth going dry at the sight of a very naked, very aroused Angel cg tog towards him a hungry look in his eyes.

And half hypnotized by the lusty gleam of desire in Angel's eyes, he walked forward, shivering at the cool caress when they met in the between the two rooms.

With ravenous desire, he was pressed against the wall and kissed with hungry passion, greedy lips swallowing his every moan and gasp as he felt a cool hand close around his thigh, lifting it around Angel's waist.

"Angel," he mewled softly at the gentle probing between his ass cheeks, flinching slightly in discomfort, moaning softly as the finger slid in. His hips rocked back on the cool invader that was soon joined by a fellow companion, his discomfort forgotten as the conquering digits brushed against his prostate.

Whimpering in greedy abandon, he attacked Angel's mouth. He felt a third finger pressed into his hungry, clenching muscle thrusting his aching, drooling cock against Angel's hard shaft, his belly becoming moist from Angel's leaking cock.

"Angel, please," he begged, rocking back against the invading fingers, his one leg giving him leverage. Groaning as Angel attacked his neck with barely leashed control. If he wanted to kill him, just let him come first, Xander thought wildly.

He felt his leg lowered from around Angel's waist, the long fingers still moving in him, as Angel shifted them, guiding him as he struggled not to lose those hard fingers plowing in and out of his ass as Angel bent him over the arm of the couch.

Toeing the legs wide, Angel gazed down at his fingers sliding into the hot tight ass, working lustily on his fingers burrowing between the flexing cheeks. He smiled darkly at the whimper from the boy as he pulled his fingers out, then the long sigh of pleasure as he slowly parted the cheeks and reintroduced his thick cock into the sweetest ass he had ever been in.

Xander gasped softly as Angel's cock split his ass, feeling the incredible pressure fill him to overflowing at the long inexorable glide of Angel's thick cock into his ass. He braced himself as well as he could against the couch as Angel pounded into him, biting his lips against the screams of passion, of wonder. He rocked helplessly under the hard driving lunges as he sobbed out his pleasure, feeling Angel's cock twitching deep inside him.

"Harder...oh God Angel, harder!" he screamed, immediately feeling the cock jamming into him, almost lifting him off his feet. He felt Angel throbbing in him, pulses of cold fire building, surging through his ass straight for his aching drooling cock.

"Like that," Angel grunted, ramming his cock harder into the clenching ass. His hands still holding the hot, sweaty cheeks apart as he watched his dick disappearing and reappearing in the crinkled flesh. "That's it, baby. Tighten that pretty ass around me," he said hoarsely.

The sight of that brown rosebud clasped around his cock only spurred him on as he circled his hips and slammed deeper...harder into that sweet little muscle clutching desperately around his cock as if reluctant to let go. He gritted his teeth, jamming his cock furiously into the narrow tight channel, listening to Xander gasp and moan in pleasure, pleading with him to go deeper, to fuck him harder.

Smiling, he willingly complied with the demanding boy and began pumping his cock deeper into hot silky sheath, feeling it ripple around his plunging cock.

Harder...deeper he burrowed into the hungry grasping hole, as Xander's cries began to change, becoming staccato under his demanding thrusts.

He released his grip on the flexing cheeks and gripping the writhing hips, he plowed deeper with hard strokes, hearing the boy's cries changing, becoming higher. He bent over the rippling back, his hips pistoning rapidly.

He hissed slightly, knowing they were both close, so fuckin' close. He pulled Xander up, hearing the boy scream as this position pushed him deeper into the golden shimmying ass, brushing the hidden nub with every plunge.

His face wild and his eye dilated in pleasure, Xander linked his arms back and around Angel's neck, as he twisted his head hungrily for Angel’s lips. Moaning his intense feelings in Angel's mouth as his balls tightened, he only need one more thing to make him.....

He wrenched his mouth from Angel's at the touch of a cool hand on his burning cock, screaming as he came, shooting his cum over the couch. He heard Angel grunt behind him and then cool fluid fill his flexing ass to overflowing. With Angel's shout of release as he bent over the couch in exhaustion, then sweet pain exploded in his neck. He groaned softly as he felt Angel feeding and still thrusting lazily in his twitching ass. Hearing Angel's sigh of completion and soft lap at his neck as well as a gentle kiss on his shoulder.

He moaned softly as Angel slowly pulled out and swung him nto nto his arms, carrying him back to bed. Exhaustion pulling at him, he waited until Angel climbed back in before rolling over and curling up at the other's side. The question of why Angel bit him on his mind as he fell deeply asleep.

Angel watched broodingly as the boy fell asleep in his arms. What possessed him to Mark and Claim Xander? It wasn't like Spike would dare to touch him, especially not with his scent all over Xander. Was it because he didn't lose his soul when they...'made love', he turned the phrase over in his mind. Was that what he was feeling for the him? Did Xander feel anything for him? Sure, he knew he made Xander feel good when he was deep inside him, and he couldn't help the smug grin that he could feel spreading on his face, but could Xander actually love him? A vampire? A bloodsucking fiend, he smiled wryly remembering what the boy used to call him.

He sighed, watching the beautiful face relax in sleep. Well, at least he got rid of the lines of emotional pain from the boy's face, he thought and gently glided a fingertip around Xander's mouth, feeling the lips curve up in a smile as the boy continued to sleep.

"Sleep well, Xander Harris," he whispered, pressing a brief kiss on the soft lips before joining the boy in sleep.


Waking slowly, feeling the warm weight still in his arms, Angel stroked his hand gently down Xander's back, smiling softly as the boy wiggled closer to him. Twisting his head, he glanced at the clock shocked to see that it was almost five o'clock in the afternoon. Regretfully he began to shake the boy awake, tickled that Xander felt safe enough to sleep in his arms again without nightmares.

Stretching and yawning, Xander came awake. Blinking his eye slowly at the patient look on Angel's face.

Lifting himself slightly, he glanced at the clock, "Evening," he said in a sleep husky voice, smiling as Angel's eyes began to darken in desire and feeling a stirring against his thigh as his cock began to thicken in arousal.

"Where do we go from here," he asked uncertainly as he rested on Angel's broad chest, propping himself up on his forearms.

"Any where we want to go," Angel said quietly, his eyes watchful on Xander's worried face.

Xander dropped his gaze from the probing look, "What about Buffy," he asked softly, "I kinda always thought she was your soulmate, you know the love of your unlife."

"Xander, we've been apart for almost four years," Angel said quietly, "I think it would a little obsessive for me to be still in love with Buffy, don't you think?"

"Well, she's still in love with you," Xander said, a stubborn look on his face.

"She's not my problem anymore, she's Spike," Angel face was set.

Xander looked up hastily, "Is that what this is, some sort of payback for her sleeping with Spike," he started to pull back, his eye narrowing angrily.

"No!" Angel looked at him in shock, "I admidon\don't quite know what this is between us but," he hesitated, "I'm willing to find out more, are you?"

"Yes," Xander whispered, his eye widening at the look of relief that crossed Angel's face.

"Would you like to come back to L.A. with me," he asked, his eyes slightly fearful of Xander's rejection of his offer.

Xander hesitated thinking over Angel's offer, before shaking his head firmly, "If I'm alive after this, then I'll join you," he made a question of his answer, relieved at the look in Angel's eyes, "I've come too far with Buffy to abandon her now, " he said quietly before he was pulled into a long deep kiss.

"You do realize," he whispered between long kisses, "That I haven't brushed my teeth yet."

"Mmmm, I haven't notice," Angel murmured against the soft lips that parted helplessly under his, rolling them over in the bed.

"Well, if you don't care, who am I to quibble," Xander said airily, arching under Angel's stroking hand, his hand also between their bodies as they jerked each other off tmutumutual climax.


Standing under the shower, he shivered in greedy delight as Angel washed him with excruciating care. Angel explained, between carefully measured thrusts, that it was very important that Xander get cleaned, inside and out as he thrust lazily into Xander's ass.

Xander braced his hands against the wall and rocked into Angel's lunges. What a wonderful idea, he thought in a dazed wonder, good thing I have Angel to help me stay clean, shuddering under the cool caressing hands gripping his cock.


With a quick telephone call to Willow, after finally listening to his messages, they left his apartment Thank God she didn't come over like she threatened, Xander thought with a shudder as he drove Angel to his car. He wasn't quite sure how he would have handled Willow seeing him screaming and moaning under Angel.

He pulled to a stop and slowly they exited his car.

Angel looked at the downcast face, before grabbing Xander and pushed him against his car. He kissed Xander hungrily, sighing into the warm interior that parted for him eagerly before he drew back with sound of regret.

"No, I haven't changed my mind, Xander," he whispered, smiling slightly as the dark eye widened and relief filled the dark gaze.

"Oh," was Xander helpless response as he played with Angel's shirt, arching his neck under Angel's cool lips with a sigh of satisfaction, his arms wrapping slowly around the broad shoulders.

"Don't get yourself killed," Angel pleaded softly as he climbed into his car.

"I'll try not to," Xander promised seriously, ducking his head into the car for a brief kiss and stepping back.


He watched as Angel's car faded into the distance before getting back into his and heading for Buffy's house.

Blinking at the low cut shirt and barely there skirt she was wearing as he stepped through the door, and the sullen look on Spike's face.

Buffy ignored Xander, looking eagerly behind him for Angel. Frowning in confusion at the lack of an Angel behind Xander.

"Where is he," she demanded whirling on him.

"Where's who," Xander looked around in confusion, blushing slightly at the look of amazement dawning in Spike's eyes.

"Angel," Faith said tersely, "The girl's been on a non-stop hype about my boy." She shook her head in disgust, "Girl's been acting so horny for a minute I was getting worried when I saw her with a popsicle," she smirked at the red-faced Slayer.

"Shut up!" Buffy shouted angrily, "I was not all hypish or horny."

Willow raised a brow, "So, you normally wear a skimpy skirt and an itty-bitty shirt to go slaying," she gestured to Buffy's outfit.

"I simply wanted to look nice," Buffy said haughtily, before turning back to Xander.

"You didn't answer my question, where is he? I know he wouldn't have left without saying goodbye to m...to us," she said coldly, stalking towards him.

"Well, I just dropped him off at his car," Xander said helplessly backing away from her.

"You killed him didn't you," Buffy gasped in horrified realization.

"NO!" Xander shouted, straightening up and standing firmly. His eye glittered in anger back at her.

Willow caught her breath, YES! She exalted in her mind. She didn't know or care about why Xander looked so much better, only that the lost and wounded look was gone from his eye. She said a silent prayer, thanking who ever was listening.

"You did, you little...," Buffy grounded out, her hands clenching in angry fists.

They glared at each other in angry silence before Xander's cellphone rang, shockingly loud in the tense atmosphere.

Pulling it out, he snapped, "Yes!" into the phone. Turning his back and stalking over to the window, looking out. He spoke before turning and thrusting the phone out to Buffy.

"Here, it's Angel," he said rudely and the phone was snatched from his grasp.

Spike meandered over to him, looking around the room, "You know she's gonna go spare when she finds out, doncha?"

“Huh,” Xander turned to him puzzled.

“Go nuts, pissed off, raging mad,” Spike rolled his eyes.

“Oh, well why didn’t you say so,” Xander said with quiet indignation.

He blinked and swallowed hard, “Uhm, what the hell are you talking about anyway," he hissed quietly, his ear cocked as he heard Buffy getting upset..

"I can smell 'em on you," Spike said simply, "And he's Marked and Claimed you already," he brushed gently at Xander's high collar, a quick smile flitted across his face at the way the whelp clutched at his collar.

Xander flushed, "You gonna tell her," he watched Spike steadily.

"I should, just to see the look on her face," Spike responded absently, watching Buffy. "She don't love me, ya know," he turned an icy blue gaze on Xander.

But Xander could see the pain buried beneath the snarky exterior, realizing with shock that Spike was in love with Buffy. Really, really in love and his gaze softened slightly.

"Is that why you're staying, hoping and praying that she'll return your love," he asked quietly.

Spike hesitated slightly, "Is that why you stayed all these years," he responded his eyes equally intent.

Willow blinked at the intense atmosphere coming off of Spike and Xander wondering what they were talking about.

Xander looked away then back, "At first yeah, but then I got caught up in this fight, the struggle. Whether she loved me back became sorta moot," he shrugged, "The fight was the only thing that mattered. If she fell for me, well it was just frosting on the side. That's why I stay and have stayed for all these years. Not for her, but for Willow and all the rest of Sunnydale."

Spike regarded him quietly, "Then you know why I'm staying. It ain't about her anymore. I stay because of Lil' Bit," he gestured to Dawn, her face intent as she took notes from a huge book. She looked up and flashed a big smile at them and they could feel both their faces curve into smiles under that warming look. "Besides, being a White Hat can get addicting."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Xander said quietly, jumping as Buffy thrust his phone angrily at him.

"Here! I don't know what you said to him to make him go away without saying goodbye, but I'll find out," Buffy growled before whirling and stomping away.

The Hellmouth

Two days later, they assembled in the abandoned school ready and waiting. Pretending as he stood with Buffy, Willow and Giles that he was the same old Xander from last year, before the stuff with the First began, that everything was okay between them. Joking and jesting, relaxing his nerves before this final battle. Keeping the mood light and positive was his trademark way of coping as he took his post in the atrium with Dawn.

And then the Turok-han came and he had no time to think, and all the time in the world to think, to watch, to attack....to kill without mercy as he protected Dawn, protected himself. One grim thought in his mind: they must not get through.


Endless possibilities raced through his mind and he discarded the unacceptable ones with dazzling rapidity, as he and Dawn fought hard, defending their post. Feeling for the first time in his life that this was what his whole entire existence was aimed at, this moment, this time as he and Dawnd thd the line.

Held it against almost overwhelming odds.

Whirling with cold, savage grace, he charged forward as three Turok-han attacked. Swinging his sword , he drove the vampires into the center of the room, somehow knowing that Dawn was in place and pulling on the dangling rope and blessed sunlight filled the room as the tarp came off the glass ceiling of the atrium.

Smiling coldly as the deadly golden rays of the sun pinned the vampires in place and all three disintegrated in a ball of fire.

"And we call that the greenhouse effect. Very dangerous, ya know," he smirked and sensing another Turok-han attacking on his blind side, he twisted and met the attack head, on tackling the demon to the floor. Then both he and Dawn raise their swords and put it out of its misery.


Wearily he stood gazing out at the destruction of Sunnydale, tears stinging in his eye, struggling with the need not to cry. Despite everything they had put each other through, somehow he expected to see Anya somewhere around, blindly oblivious to unfamiliar words such as tact and diplomacy as she struggled with her humanity. He had loved her, in spite of everything and he knew that she in turn cared for him, they just weren't good for each other was the problem.

He swallowed hard wondering if now would be a good time to join Angel and he turned away from the scene of devastation, sighing as he looked at the chaotic group of girls that Buffy was trying to lead, her voice becoming shriller and shriller trying to get them organized to no avail. Maybe in a couple more days, he thought sadly.

"Allright, if you ain't on the bus within the next 60 seconds, your asses are gonna get left behind," he shouted over Buffy. He held his hard commanding glare as the girls turned surprised faces to him as they moved hesitantly to the bus, before they broke and ran at the door each one fighting to get in.XandXander sighed, "Four of you step back and pull hard at them," he watched critically as they obeyed and the stuck girls plopping out of the door, before sheepishly they rearranged themselves and got on the bus.

Buffy glared at him, her hands on her hips, "I was handling it," she growled.

"You were taking too long," he replied calmly as he strode past her to the bus, "And Buffy, I was also including you. You have fifteen seconds or you\be lbe left behind."

He wearily sank in his seat, "Faith, if Buffy's not on the bus in 15 seconds, leave her." He closed his tired eye, feeling his eye socket itching like crazy. Well, the doctors said that this would happen, he thought with a sigh. Too bad it didn't happen when he had some Cortisone handy.

With five seconds to spare, he felt the sha shake and opened his eye seeing Buffy's red furious face appear.

"Go," he said softly to Faith, exchanging a brief smile with Giles.

"You know, with all the new Slayers awakening, they will need Watchers to guide them," Giles said quietly with a weary smile at the young man. He watched with a look of grim pleasure at the way the young man handled the situation, he had grown so much in the past seven years. He could practically feel his chest swell with pride every time he glanced at the young man.

"Nah, G-man I got me someplace else to be once I get everyone settled," Xander said hoarsely, holding on to the memory of Angel's words.

Giles blinked and smiled, patting his shoulder he said, "Well, should you ever decide to change your mind, I shall be more than happy to sponsor you."

Xander blinked, "Thanks G-man...I think." looklooked thoughtful, "But you guys wear too much tweed for me and I don't know how to speak with an English accent. Spike used to laugh at me when I did," he said with a slow regretful shake of his head. Despite their grudging biting comments, he knew he had won Spike's respect and had extended his respect in turn.

"You know, Xander, I'm starting to like being called G-man," Giles smiled at the look of dismay that crossed Xander's face.

"Awww, now I'm gonna hafta think of something else to call you," Xander complained, smiling at Giles bark of laughter.

\re tre to," Faith yelled over her shoulder as she drove down the highway.

Xander looked at Giles for an answer.

"Well, Cleveland does have a Hellmouth," Giles lips quirked up at the chorus of groans that filled the bus.

It took some doing but they were finally and firmly holed up in a hotel in Cleveland, relaxing in the aftermath of the hellish battle. Xander briefly smiled at the way Andrew began to follow him around. Despite being almost the same age, Andrew always seemed so much younger than the rest of them with his air of gentle innocence despite his desperate attempts to act evil.

And after witnessing a couple of the new Slayers verbally attacking the boy, he made damn sure to keep Andrew near him at all times. Regretfully, he knew there was no way that he would be able to leave Andrew with Buffy and he pd thd that Angel wouldn't mind him bringing Andrew along.

A few days later, he stared out at the night sky in his room and his mouth tightened. Five fuckin' days! He raged silently at his reflection. It only took Buffy five friggin' days to go back to being Ms. Queen Bee. He sneered, bet she's just kicking herself now for making all the Potentials equal to her. His hand tightened angrily against his side, wanting desperately to punch Buffy in her big, fat smug face. Who the hell did she think she was, moving his stuff out of HIS room? Who the hell was paying for this room anyhow, was she? Was her name on his credit card? Hell no!

Yeah, he had the bigger room, and he was paying for the use of a bigger room. Just because she didn't want to share with Faith was no excuse to try to bump him out of his own damn room! If she wanted a bigger room, then she could pay for one herself, his lips twisted nastily, oh yeah, that's right, Buffy doesn't ha job job. Well ain't that too fuckin' bad!

He turned around smoothly as he heard the door click open.

"Oh," Buffy looked at him a little startled, "What are you doing in my room?"

"Your room?! You know, Buffy for some reason I thought that I registered this room in MY name, using MY credit card," he said coldly, "Maybe we should call the front desk and find out who this room is registered to, ya think?"

Buffy flushed, "Look Xander, I just thought that it would be for the best and it also would provide company for you if you bunked with Andrew and Giles," she tried to explaiossiossing her purse onto the couch, "Tell you what, why don't we look for another room for you tomorrow, you can sleep on the couch tonight," she said magnanimously.

"Could I? Could I really sleep on the couch," Xander said coolly ironic.

Buffy frowned, "I don't see what your problem is, I'm being reasonable and trying to think of your needs, aren't I," she said defensively.

"Oh, Buffy, Buffy, Buffy," Xander shook his head, t'st's try this again in simpler terms that maybe you can understand. This is my room," he gestured at the room at large, "Anything that you brought in here has since been replaced back in the room you are sharing with Faith. I paid for this room, I am keeping it."

"How dare you move my stuff," Buffy stomped over to him.

"And how dare you move MY stuff, telling everyone that I will be bunking with Giles and Andrew. You should have spoken to me before doing something so stupid," he said calmly, crossing his arms.

"I'm not leaving this room," Buffy crossed her arms defiantly, her gaze hard.

"You will if I have to call the police on you," was the quiet reply.

For the first time she looked hesitant and unsure. This was not going according to plan. What happened to the old Xander that she used to be able to wind around her finger, she frowned. She didn't think she liked this new Xander.

Xander sighed, "Go away Buffy, you'll be able to have this room in a couple of days since Giles will have finished making arrangements with the leftover Watchers and I'll be gone."

Buffy uncrossed her arms in shock, "Gone?! Where are you going, you can't leave me," she stuttered in panic.

"I can and I will," Xander looked at her then away. "Buffy, for almost the past year, you managed to ignore me, push me aside, practically degrade me in front of the girls. And I can't take it any longer, I can't take you any longer," he said softly. "Despite what you may think, neither Andrew or I are your personal punching bags. And contrary to popular belief, men do cry...a lot," he said dryly.

Buffy raised her head, smiling confidently, "You won't leave me," and she strutted out of the door, smirking at Xander’s call of 'Buffy'. With a grin on her face, she turned and barely managed to bring her hands up to catch what he tossed at her.

"You forgot your purse," she heard Xander say and she stumbled from the room in shock.


A few days later, Xander regarded the laughing crowd of giggling girls seeing Giles and Andrew watching them with slight smiles on their faces.

Giles looked up seeing Xander, "Xander, I thought you were feeling sick," he exclaimed, "Buffy, said that you were too sick to come downstairs to our party," he gestured at the laughing crowd of people, his eyes narrowing at the bland look on Buffy's face.

"She lied didn't she," he said through clenched teeth, staring at her until she looked away in discomfort.

"Big time," Xander said, a look of quiet regret in his eye.

Waking late this afternoon, he had stumbled into the bathroom and took a shower. Coming out feeling refreshed but with a weird sensation that there was something wrong with him. It wasn't something bad wrong, just weird.

Shaking off the feeling he brushed his teeth, peering into the mirror trying to see what was wrong with him. And it wasn't until he began shaving that he finally saw what was different. It startled him so badly that he almost saved a mass murderer the trouble of killing him by almost cutting his own throat.

He blinked....both eyes. Incredulously both eyelids moved in the mirror, he glanced left, he glanced right and nearly started dancing as he glimpsed in the mirror eyes moving as well.

He watched in the mirror as a trembling hand moved and touched what used to be an empty eye socket.

"Ow!" he yelled as he hit himself in the eye. Look at you, got your eye back only one day and already you're trying to poke it out, he could practically hear his mother say.

He hastily finished shaving and ran into the bedroom, running back to the bathroom mirror to make sure his eye was still there. Yup, still there!

He slid his legs into his pants and jumped up, sitting back down again, he pulled his leg out of the one pants leg they were both in and carefully put his leg in the other pants leg. Stumbling to his feet, he grabbed his shirt and put it on hastily before sitting down again and wiggling out of his pants, this time putting them on with the zipper in front.

Slowing down, he patted his pockets, checking to make sure he had everything before dashing out of the room then running back in to grab his shoes.

Running to Willow's room he knocked on the door a couple of times, jiggling impatiently for her to open the door. He chortled with glee just imagining the look on her face when she saw him.

He frowned, huh...no answer. Well, I'll go to Giles room and tell him the good news, he'll be happy. He was puzzled when there was no answer to his knocking, he tried the other doors, growing increasingly concerned over the lack of reply.

He went back to his room in a mild state of panic, Okay this was just a little too freaky, he thought sitting on his bed. Blinking at the red light flashing on his phone.

Wonder who could be calling me, he thought picking up the phone and accessing the voice mail option. Listening with a frozen face at Willow's cheerful voice, telling him that she was sorry that he was too sick to come to the party downstairs. She would save him some of the goodies and peek in on him before she went to bed if it was alright with him. She was sorry to disturb him, that's why she left a voice mail message instead of calling him, no matter what Buffy said.


Xander’s mouth twisted sourly, it all comes back to her, he looked around the room and quietly started packing his meager possessions. Calling room service, making arrangements for a car, he glanced around the room seeing if he had missed anything. His eyes fell on the black eye patch, slowly he reached out and deliberately put it on.

Eyeing the laughing girls, he leaned over and spoke quietly to Andrew, seeing him nod sadly before getting up and disappearing from the bar.

Xander made his way quietly to Willow and drew her aside, he could see the suspicious look Buffy was giving them but he ignored it as he explained to Willow that he was leaving tonight.

After sputtering protests, she hugged him tightly, "When ever you get to where you're going call me and I'll join you okay," she said with tears in her eyes.

"Friends forever," Xander whispered, hugging her just as tightly, he drew back, "I got a surprise for you before I go."

Despite her tears, she had a wide smile on her face, "What is it, tell me, tell me?!"

"Hold your horses," he teased, turning away watching with a puzzled look as Rona got up on the stage.

"What the hell is she doing," he asked Willow startled.

"Oh it's karaoke night," Willow bounced happily, faltering slightly at the dark look on his face.

"Hmmmm," was all he said before stepping away. She lost sight of him in the crowd, then he reappeared a look of satisfaction on his face.

He waited until Rona stepped down before stepping up on the stage.

"Excme,\me," he said tentatively into the microphone, "Er, uhm...I just want to take this time to thank all my friends that have supported me through the years, that gave me strength and confidence whenever I felt weak and afraid."

Buffy muttered sotto voice, "Which was all the time," flushing under the sharp look Willow gave her and the look of cool reproof on Giles face.

"I..uhm...made a hard decision tonight to leave," Xander continued, ignoring the look of disinterest on the other's in the bar speaking only to the Sunnydale group.

He looked helplessly at Dawn who looked as if she was about to cry, he was proud of her as she looked at him with tear bright eyes and smiled.

"But before I go, this is my song and it goes out to a very special person," he nodded to the DJ and the music began.

Involuntarily his hips started moving to the steady beat and his eye closed to half-mast.

Quite a few people blinked and came closer, the shs ofs of the room playing interesting tricks on the slowly, moving body.

//Uh oh, yea yea, yea yea
You know ya hurtin' me, baby,
Ya hurtin' me, baby,
This pain that I feel for you inside,
It hurts me so bad that I wanna cry
Thought you would be right by my side
And ain't nobody gonna treat you baby, like I do, no//

At the table, Buffy’s eyes widened at the husky quality in Xander's voice and she sat forward, ignoring the furious looks from Dawn.

//You don't miss a good thang 'til it's gone, 'til it's gone
In time you gonna see you were wrong, ya were wrong
Dead wrong,
You don't miss a good thang 'til it's gone, 'til it's gone
In time you gonna see you were wrong, ya were wrong,
Dead wrong,//

His eye closed in helpless pain as he sang, all the years he tried to measure up, to be strong and yet he was never good enough in her eyes.

//And girl, I tried, tried so damn hard to make things right,
But you cannot say, how much family, baby means to me//

He opened his eye and looked at the tears sparkling in Dawn's eyes, his heart hurting at the thought of leaving her.

//You trying to get at me, and times my friend ask me,
"Little Dawnie you know I love you but I gotta leave your
Sister, ohhhh she's driving me crazy//

//You don't miss a good thang 'til it's gone, 'til it's gone
'Til it's gone away//

Faith leaned against Robin as Xander sang. Watching his hips move with a slow rocking motion, she licked her lips and swallowed hard, her breath coming a little too fast. Too bad Robin was hurt, her hand clenched into a fist as desire slammed into her.

//I'm getting sick and tired of all this
he said, she said shit baby
Straighten up and fly right
Or get your ass out my life//

And as he sang that phrase he looked directly into Buffy's angry eyes. It was over, he was finished with her and if he ever saw her again it would be too fuckin' soon.

Taking a deep breath at the sight of a worried Andrew standing at the back of the bar, he reach up and removed his eye patch.

Silence spread among the Sunnydalers as they tried take in the sight of his eyes, his two healthy brown eyes. And it started with Willow who shrieked and jumped him, hugging him, babbling with happiness. Tears running helplessly down her face. He was surrounded by excited girlsmpinmping up and down, touching him with tears also in their eyes.

"How....when," Willow rasped out, her eyes dazed and uncomprehending, touching his face with hesitant fingers.

"Don't know Wills," Xander held her fingers, "I just know that I have two working eyes," he smiled. "When it happen? I guess sometime today," he shrugged helplessly. Tears also in his eyes as he looked down at her.

"Call me when you get there," Willow said huskily her eyes knowing, drawing back to let Dawn hug and kiss him, as he gazed at her, blushing at the knowledge in her eyes.

"Take care of yourself," Giles said quietly, his eyes searching. "Call me if you ever need anything." His eyes were misty, he felt like he was losing a son.

"Don't worry G-man," Xander said hoarsely, hugging the older man, "You're the one that's gonna be left with a bunch of girls." He let out a watery laugh at the look of feigned horror on Giles face.

"Faith, Robin, you two take care of each other," Xander said with a smile to the couple.

Robin exchanged a quiet look with Faith, "Don't you worry, I plan on taking real good care of her." Robin said with a tiny smile, extending his hand.

Now the only one left he hadn't said goodbye to was Buffy. He regarded her thoughtfully for a few seconds before he turned away and left her regarding his back coldly.

"Ready to go," he asked Andrew as they stepped to the front desk and he was given keys to his rental car.

"Yep," Andrew nodded, "You think your friend will like me," he asked in a small voice, looking up at Xander with unsure eyes.

"Are you kidding me?! He's gonna bust a gut when he sees you," Xander exclaimed as they drove down the highway.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Cause I really wouldn't want to be responsible for someone getting hurt, with the blood and everything falling out. I don't have a lot of medical training you know," Andrew's babble came to a stop and he flushed in embarrassment before looking down.

"He'll be happy to see you," Xander said quietly, praying that he was right.