Connections

Chapter 11






Later that night, after everyone had settled in, Xander found himself
sitting in the infirmary beside Willow's bed. Ethan had already been
moved to his and Giles' rooms. Madam Pomfrey had told them that
Willow and Ethan woult wat wake until later the next day, but Xander
had been unswayed. As much fun as it had been to tour the castle,
Xander had soon lost interest in anything that would keep him from
Willow. The mediwitch had been exasperated, but had had no choice but
to le t him stay.


Xander knew that he had a lot to think about. In a matter of hours
his life had been turned upside down and he had been given a true
chance at hnessness. If only he and the others didn't end up killing
each other first, or as Harry said, they didn't end up killing the
two old gits. That had made both Buffy and Xander laugh.


Xander wished that Willow were awake. She should be with him, casting
aspersions and making jokes about his unending parade of strange
lovers. The fact that one of them had ended up being Spike was only
one more oddity in the love life of Xander Harris. He knew that
Willow was a strong witch, and even the Headmaster had told him that
Willow was one of the most powerful witches he had ever met. With the
spell on her removed she would be able to perform magic again, but
would not become lost in the darker aspects of it. Xander had been
thrilled to hear this, but all in all, he just wanted his Willow
back.


The more he thought about what he had learned from Wes, about what
had been done to both Willow and Giles, the more he began to see
patterns to the Scoobies' involvement with the Watcher's Council. It
was disheartening to see all that they had done to destroy the life
of his friends and loved ones. Xander wondered if they had done
something to Faith to drive her into madness and blood lust. Had they
known that her second Watcher was evil? Xander had often wondered if
they hadn't set out to destroy the dark Slayer. Until the Council
refused to help heal Angel, Buffy had followed their rules and had
done most of what they told her. However, Faith had always been a
lone wolf.


It enraged Xander that there was no one left alive him him to punish
for the crimes committed against those he loved. If he ever found out
that any of them were alive, he would do everything in his power to
punish and destroy them. Xander wasn't quite the White Knight
everyone assumed him to be. He ha d lied to Buffy and sent Angel to
hell without a qualm, and while he had felt justified in doing it at
the time, he had always regretted punishing Angel for Angelus'
crimes.


This sense of guilt only got worse after Spike had come to live with
him in the basement. They had gotten into a discussion about Angelus,
and Spike had been livid about Xander's remarks about his Sire. It
was then that he learned that the vampire that they all knew as
Angelus was not the vampire that Spike had been raised by until the
death of the gypsy girl. Angelus had still been evil when Spike was
first turned, but hello, demon. He had treated his Childer as though
they were his precious gift. Angelus had been the one to send Dru
after William. He had known that Darla would not allow him to turn
the beautifulng mng male and so Dru had brought him into the night.


That had led to the final truce between himself and Angel. Xander had
asked the older vampire to meet him in a quiet, neutral place and
proceeded to tell him everything. He had also apologized. They had
begun to make their peace, and that had led them to where they were
today. Not quite friends, but no longer enemies.


Xander was drawn out of his musings by a shimmering light making its
way over to the bed. Xander was stunned to see Tara's spirit standing
at the end of Willow's bed.

tbc.....