Title: One Thing in Common
Authors: lusciousxander & lusciousspike
Pairing: X/A, S
Rating: PG for now
Spoilers: BtVS S7, AtS S3
Summery: Before the battle with The First something happens that causes Xander to head out to L.A. to give Angel something for safe keeping, but one thing leads to another and… well, you’ve gotta read to know the rest *G*

Disclaimer: they belong to Joss though we borrowed Spike, Xander and Angel and dammit we’ll take our time!!

Author (lusciousspike) Note: 1/ well, well, well look at us defying all our beliefs and not only write two WIP but now start a third one as well! Will it ever stop! ::cries:: hopefully the remaining bunnies that we have will stay in their cage until at least one of these gets finished!

2/**Important** the last episode of BtVS S7 and S3 of AtS had turned out differently in this story. Connor never got to throw Angel in the ocean because Cordelia never got ascended and stopped him therefore all S4 will never happen… Um Angel and
Wesley made up and Lilah never died (*pout* …yeah well she aint coming back though *G*) … Angel never became CEO of W&H instead he closed the place down (how? WillI donno he just did! *g*)…

3/ Oodles of thanks to strickens_girl for being our treasured beta, love you! God knows this won’t be out if it weren’t for you!

Author (lusciousxander) Note: I dedicate this fic to Hanan and to all of you who want more Xangel stories. Hope you guys enjoy!

To read the first four chapters go here





Chapter 5:




"Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday, dear William,
Happy birthday to you!"

"Blow at the candle, kiddo," Xander said, holding William up to the birthday cake.
Little William puffed up his lips into a pout then blew raspberries at the candle. The flame of the number three candle merely danced. After two elaborate huffs, the room fell into darkness.

Claps that were clearly held in anticipation filled the space.

“Happy birthday!”

The cheer rang in the refurbished ballroom of the Hyperion. Angel turned on the lights and held up the ever present camcorder. A bunch of flashes went on from different directions, making the three-year-old child giggle happily at the attention.

Everyone was wearing colorful party hats, even Wesley and Giles who were overpowered by the strong maternal women in the room. Angel, on the other hand, was quick to put on his purple balloon paper hat for he insisted that William pointed at it and since it was the child’s birthday, he had to indulge him

Xander was also quick to take a picture of Angel trying to keep the hat from falling off his quote “too big head”. It was Angel’s fault for buying extra film for the party to completely immortalize his baby’s first birthday party.

"Enough, people! Hurry up and fill up on Angel’s cheap pocket cake so William can open his presents," Xander ordered already handing out plates with a piece of chocolate cake, ignoring those who looked pointedly at their small piece.

Angel watched as Xander urged everyone to eat quickly. He barely held back a groan of annoyance. He, like everybody here, knew that no one anticipated ‘present time’ like Xander. Not even the attention loving William.

“C’mon, people, time to spread the joy!” Xander clapped his hands, drawing attention from William who was about to jam his hands into the chocolate frosted cake. Lorne scooped him up in nick of time. “And by spreading the joy, I’m taking about presents.”

Once everybody ‘finished’ eating, barely tasting Angel’s money worth specially made birthday cake, Xander and William rushed as one towards the presents. That made eighteen-year-old Dawn shake her head, mumbling, "And to think Xander is six years older than me."

Buffy gave her a look. "You know- if you want to…" She pointed towards the presents.

The young Summers blinked at her in questioning innocent eyes. "Oh, screw it!" Dawn exclaimed after a second and then ran after Xander and William. The rest of the ‘adult’ group soon followed.

Angel shook his head with fondness as Xander headed towards the largest present. It had been two years since Xander had come through the Hyperion doors with a newly transformed one-year-old Spike in his arms. So much had happened. They had to work hard to make up for the bad things that happened. To build up and start again. To continue from where they stopped. They were too busy for any sort of celebration, so this day was not merely a celebration for the three year old William – but for them all. For their long journey.

Xander had decided to become part of his team to be near William, and it seemed as if slowly but eventually a new found trust had developed between him and the souled vampire. Not to mention the relationship with the other members of the group - especially with Gunn. Through the years it was noticeable how the quickly established friendship of Xander and Gunn had grown from the first day they had met. Both young men had understood each other very well in so many ways. The friendship was good for both of them.

Besides the usual near death events and evil doers that especially targeted them, the typical ambiguities of Visions and Prophecies, it seemed that the most significant event during those two years was Wesley’s tear jerking proposal subsequent to rescuing Fred from being married off to a demon overlord and their wedding soon after. Angel, Xander and Gunn continued to venomously deny any watery eyes.

Angel shifted his gaze towards Fred's soon-to-be-round stomach, sensing the new life inside her. He wondered when she would inform Wesley.

And he couldn’t forget Cordelia, mostly because she never let them forget. Cordelia had started making her way through Hollywood, rising as a performer thanks to picking up ‘method acting’, paralleling life and art, as well as recently dating an up-and-coming leading man. He was happy for his friend finally reaching her dreams after going through so many disappointments when she had first started out in L.A. Although, he was not quite found of Bert Landers, something the men in the hotel all agreed on. Cordelia waved that off as jealous overprotective macho crap.

“Okay, everybody spread out… give us some room here.” Angel snapped out of his mental recap with Xander waving his hands causing everyone to roll their eyes, before their faces melted into ‘awww’s. William was mimicking Xander’s movement complete with voicing the commands himself.

“Thbred… give room!”

“It’s spread, William, and space instead of room,” Wesley corrected causing everyone to groan. He looked indignant at their reactions. “It is my responsibility to teach the boy proper English. He’s old enough to know.” Giles nodded in agreement.

Fred patted his back. “We know, honey.”

Xander snapped his fingers. “Really, people, focus, present time… I think I’ll start with this.” He eyed the large wrapped gift. But before he could reach it, he felt a tug at his pants. He looked down. William’s blue eyes gazed up at him, his little finger pointed away from the present Xander chose and at another.

“No. Dat one!”

Xander patted his curly head. “Okay, later, after…”

“NO!” William crossed his arms and puffed his cheeks annoyed. “My peasant… now!”

“It’s actually…” Wesley started but was struck into silence, literarily. A wet cake smacked into his mouth. “I get the message. Thank you,” he addressed the innocent looking room while a frantic Fred –who was trying hard not to laugh- was wiping his face with a wetnap – something that was more than at hand after William’s addition the household.

“Xander, it is William’s birthday party. I think the whole point is for him to open his own presents.” Angel looked pointedly at Xander.

Xander sighed and flopped down next to the gift William chose. “I really don’t know why you keep repeating that, Angel.” He pulled it closer and picked up the attached card. “For William, happy birthday, Auntie Fred.” Xander laughed. “Good thing your ‘Auntie Fred’ is a girl or we would have a lot of explaining to give you by now. Ow!” He rubbed at his head.

Angel stood over him. “Open the presents that you made everyone choke down their expensive cake because you were apparently afraid they’d run away.”

Xander pouted. “Well, they might.” Then he gestured for William come closer.

William grinned widely and sat down next to Xander tearing off the purple bow while Xander tore at the beige wrapping paper.

“It’s a… it’s a… what is it?” Xander frowned at the contents, turning it up for Angel to see. William, on the other hand, seemed excited no matter what it was.

“It’s a chemistry set,” Fred said enthusiastically. Wesley’s eyes urged them to play along.

Xander grinned. “A chemistry set. It’s a chemistry set. Angel look it’s a chemistry set! With lots of…” He squinted his eyes and read, “Flammable and highly toxic liquids. Wow. Uh, say thank you to Fred.” He urged William.

While William was busy thanking his Aunt Fred, Xander and Angel shared a look that translated into “hide it”, not knowing that some years later, the birthday boy would find it.

“More!” William tried to pull two presents closer to Xander.

“Okay, Will. This one’s from your aunt Willow.” He tilted his head. “Who P.S.ed you that she is ‘not a tree’.” He nodded at a grinning Willow. “Noted. But we are gonna explain someday why she could be your uncle, too.”

A piece of cake barely missed Xander’s head. Wesley glared at a shame-faced Willow. It seemed he caught his cake assaulter.

“Okay, mini-me, it looks like Willow gave you plants.” Xander looked at Willow. “Thanks aunt/uncle Willow.”

Buffy stage-whispered, “Black veins.”

Xander grinned sheepishly at Willow who was now glaring. He ducked his head and looked apologetic with widened, sorrow-filled eyes to boot.

Willow groaned. “That’s cheating. And there’re not plants. They’re protective herbs… nothing magical you can screw up.” She ignored Xander’s gasp of outrage and a well placed hand to the chest. “And a few blessed healing ointments and rubs.”

“Thanks, unca Wills!” William ran to hug Willow who hugged him back teary-eyed.

“I’m unca Wills!” she said choked up through a wide smile.

Xander crossed his arms indignant. “When I say it I get bombarded with stale two-day-old cake.” He ducked a piece of cake only to be smacked by another in the chest. Angel merely looked triumphant.

William ran back and flopped next to Xander. “Dat one!”

Xander picked up two similarly sized book-shaped presents and handed one to William.

“That one is from Wes and this one is from Giles. Race!”

William understood completely as he tore at the paper wanting to beat Xander at opening the present.

During the game of opening presents, Dawn spoke up wondering, “Should we be worried that Xander is acting like Will?”

Cordelia snorted. “Dawnie, really, this as a blessing. Think about the alternative.”

Everyone nodded in concurrence.

“Done!” “Done!”

Silence reigned when the two books were uncovered.

They were the same.

Hardcover and all.

“Through the Looking Glass,” Angel read glancing at the two flustered watchers. “It’s a good book. And with William, it’s really good having a spare. Thanks.” Despite Angel’s kind words, he was sure to tape their reaction in close-up on his ever-present camcorder.

“No time for awkwardness…” Xander said, eyes zooming towards the first present he picked out before. However, his gaze was interrupted by William pushing a flat present into his face before dropping a heaver box on his lap. The wrapping paper for both was gold.

“I don’t think we need to read the card for this one.” He opened the neatly done paper of the first, and read. “The Wonder of Color and Why Green is the Color of Life. A book and coloring set. And…” He opened the other. “Oh. The Best of Sinatra. Tape and CDs. Gee, thanks, uncle Lorne.”

Xander tried to hide the album behind his back, but William held on to it. “Bed time,” he said forcibly. Xander and Angel shared a pinched look, while Lorne puffed up, grinning.

“I’m getting a Nanny Cam for the times Lorne baby-sits,” Xander murmured.

“Buffy!” William gripped at a present.

“Did I mention how William only knows how to read MY name,” Buffy said. “And ‘A’ comes before ‘B’, eh, Alexander and Angel?” She smirked at Xander and Angel, bending down to kiss the top of the sandy head. “Good boy.”

Xander tugged a giggling William away from Buffy. “I go by Xander.” He stuck out his tongue at Buffy. William poked at it causing him to sputter and the three-year old to giggle.

“Buffy pezzie.” William pulled away from Xander and opened the present himself. Several gasps sounded in the room when he finally won the battle over the amber paper wrap.

Xander picked up the pig from William who moved closer to grip at its foot. “You got him Mr. Gordo?” he asked his friend wonderingly.

“It’s a toy like Mr. Gordo,” Buffy corrected.

Willow bent to get a better look at it. “It’s the same pig, Buffy.”

“Yeah, Buff…” Dawn started but Buffy interrupted, “Oooh, fancy-shmancy wrapping, let me guess who this is from.” She tapped her finger on her bottom lip. “I dunno. Let’s see who --- oh! Shocker. It’s from Cordelia!”

Cordelia rolled her eyes and handed the present to William who was looking at Buffy in confusion nearly matching the people around him. But it quickly dissipated at the prospect of tearing up the package in front of him.

“Awwwww…” resonated from the women in the room.

Gunn bent down to look at a baffled looking William, holding up a tuxedo up-side-down by his side. “Sharp tux, Cordy.”

“What dis?” William asked.

Cordelia responded. “This, sweetie, makes you the only well-dressed male living in this hotel.”

“Hey!” several put out denials flew at Cordelia. She shrugged. “It’s Armani. Not ripped tee-shirts and jeans, flashy polyester suits, tweed, leather or stale suits from the seventies.”

“I resent that.” Lorne huffed. “Several of my flashy suits are silk.”

Cordelia rolled her eyes.

“T-shirts don’t choke you when possessed,” Gunn mumbled. And handed William his present, ignoring Xander’s keening at wanting to open the big present. “Here you go, champ.”

William could barely carry the present, it was that long - and with a slowness that only a child could master and still look cute, he placed it down on the floor. He tore at the paper and revealed the box.

“Wee-wee truck!” he said, excited. “Wee-wee truck!!”

Xander chuckled and explained to the Sunnydale gang. “He calls the fire trucks wee-wee because the sound and --- never mind.”

“William, go for that one.” Angel behind the camera pointed the child towards a certain plain covered package.

Bending down, William easily picked it up and unwrapped it in small tears. His small mouth opened in an ‘O’ shape and directed the present cover towards Angel and subsequently the camera. “Dis me?”

Angel nodded with a beam.

“Angel-cakes, is that a sketch of our b-day boy?” Lorne grinned while the ladies cooed at the cute drawing. “The kid does look scrumchious napping, hair all extra curled up after a shower.”

Angel handed Lorne the camera, bent next to William and opened the book. “It’s a sketchbook. You can do the same inside.” He quickly rushed back to take over the camera.

William picked up the stuffed pig from the ground and clutched at Angel’s present in the other. He then looked at Xander with big eyes and Xander waved him off tiredly. “Go ahead. Pick the one that isn’t mine.”

William wobbled, still holding Mr. Gordo and the sketchbook, towards a present. “Open,” he ordered Xander. With a sigh, Xander did as asked. It was a gift from Dawn; rock CDs, one of was of Billy Idol in an addition to a baby bomber jacket. Xander shot her a sharp look and Dawn pointed at her dark apparel and hair style. “Are you just catching on that I like rock? You don’t need to get all Dr. Phil on me.”

Finally, it was the big package’s turn. Xander’s present was revealed by his own hands. It was the newest X-box, complete with a dozen game cases.

William rushed towards it, needing several wobbly steps to walk around the large box at a whole; eyes were wide, taking in the huge box.

Angel crossed his arms. “I thought the presents were for William. Not for you.” His peripheral vision caught the near drooling expression on one of the partiers. “Or for Gunn,” he said pointedly.

“He’ll grow into it,” Xander said defensively.

“It’s a computer game, not clothes,” Angel retorted.

Twin gasps from Gunn and Xander. “Don’t call it a computer game, man. You’ll upset it!”

Cordelia groaned. “I won’t ever stop hating Xander for breaking Gunn’s geek from the closet.”

“Isn’t the correct expression a nerd?” Wesley asked.

“No, that’s you,” Cordelia threw back with a yawn.

William mimicked Cordelia’s open mouthed expression minus the courteous hand-cover and blinked shiny eyes.

“Ahhh, they say read the signs and I think Mr. Birthday Boy has been wiped.” Xander stood up after watchfully putting away the X-box.

Angel, taking one last picture of William, scooped the child up into his arms in a flying motion causing a laugh to break from the sleepy boy. “Got to brush your tiny teeth before bed.”

William snuggled into Angel’s shoulder as they walked towards the stairs. “Yes, Pa.”

“Goodnight, everyone, thanks for the presents,” was Angel’s departing words before he disappeared out of the room.

Buffy sighed and wrapped her arms around her waist. “He looks happy.”

“Which one?” Xander came up next to her.

She looked up at him with sad but content eyes. “Both of them.”


~*~*~*~



Xander felt a tug on his pants and looked down. William was standing there, looking up at him. "I drawed this picture for you, daddy," he said, showing him the sketchbook he had gotten from Angel. The drawing was a bunch of circles and two lines in the middle; one line was long and the other was very short. And while Xander wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, he figured the two lines were him and Will.

"That's very good!" Xander exclaimed in baby voice, leaning down to look at the drawing better. He ruffled William's hair in appreciation, taking the drawing, and straightening up. Staring at it with a big grin, he pulled a passing Wesley by his collar and pressed the sketchbook at his face. "Look!"

Wesley blinked, jerking himself from Xander's grip and holding the sketchbook away from his face. He stared at it bewildered, before he felt a tug at his trousers. Looking down, William was grinning up at him.

"I drawed this picture for daddy."

"Drew," Wesley corrected.

"Yes, he did!" Xander exclaimed, excited, snatching the drawing from Wesley.

Wesley sighed, shaking his head.

"I go get other one toy, Daddy?" William asked, grinning.

"Sure!" Xander answered, appearing more eager than Will.

William ran towards the pack of toys, not minding Wesley who called behind him, "It's ‘May I get the other toy?’, William!"

"Wes, chill!"

"He must learn how to speak properly, Xander."

"He's just three."

"Which means it’s the perfect time to ingrain it into him," Wesley stressed in annoyance. Of all the Fang Gang, Wesley was the one who paid the most attention to William's pronunciation and word choice. It mattered to Wesley that William must learn how to speak proper English. The language of the Romantics, the one William the Bloody spoke, before he had gotten caught up with that horrid accent. Unfortunately, no one appeared to care. Xander and Angel were enjoying William's slips and wanted him to speak that way for it was adorable. Wesley was not having that. He was not raised that way. He was going to teach the child how to speak whatever it took.


~*~*~*~*~


Smiling at William who squealed at Dawn as she made a show with dolls - action figures, Xander yelled in her head.

Xander turned to Willow who just finished with her drink. He noticed the usual Willow rarely seen mischievous face, knowing that whatever brought out that look was probably something fun. He raised an eyebrow waiting to see the crime. Willow brought out of one Cordelia's chocolate cookies from her pocket where she had hid it. He smirked, stuffing his hand in his pocket and bringing out his own cookie. Both of them started laughing, and then quickly hid the cookies in their pockets as Cordelia passed by. Xander saw his ex-girlfriend smiling satisfied at the empty plate of her homemade chocolate cookies. That made him feel slightly sorry for her, since all the pieces were probably flushed in the toilet or in Xander and Willow's pockets. As Cordelia walked away again, Xander and Willow continued snickering.

"God, I missed you, Will," Xander exclaimed. He just realized it had been awhile since he had seen or heard of her. And he was used to Willow at least phoning him once a week.

"Sorry, I haven't been in touch lately. I should have realized that a week in Floma dimension equals three months in our reality," Willow said sheepishly.

"No stress. If someone's to blame it should be me. I should have called or something, I mean I hadn't realized it has been three months since I heard from you." He frowned trying to grasp that fact.

"Oh, right," Willow just realized that too. She slapped Xander's arm angrily. "You didn't miss me?" she asked in accusation.

"Ouch." Xander rubbed his arm. "I'm sorry. I guess I was busy."

Willow's frown softened and a grin took its place. "So anything new going on with you? Other than Will's birthday party yesterday that is."

"Well, I decided to sign up for night school." He shrugged. “I have been planning on it for a while but never got around to it.”

"Xander, that's great!" she exclaimed and hugged him.

"Yeah, it was Angel's idea. That guy is turning out good these days. Wesley was also very excited about it – I think he wouldn’t be if he knew it had nothing to do with Grammar. Gunn thought it was pointless but then again he hadn't finished high school."

Willow grinned. "I bet it's cool to be around a bunch of guys for a change, huh?"

Xander smiled. "You can say that. Not like spending time with pretty girls talking about girly things wasn't fun, but a guy needs the muscles once in awhile."

"So, how's it been so far? You and the guys going out for drinks, watching sports and doing that guy thing with the hand under the pants?"

"Uh… that's kinda disturbing coming from your mouth."

"No really, I bet it was fun kicking some ugly demon ass with the guys, huh?" Willow puffed her chest and swung her fist playfully at Xander's chest.

"Ouch again, and no bad mouthing demons here. Lorne is sensitive."

"So how many times have you gone out with Angel and the others and fought evil, mescaline and all?" she asked Xander, smiling.

He looked down at her, blinking. "Um… uh…"

Willow frowned. "You haven't gone evil hunty with Angel? Ever?"

"Uh…"

"XANDER!" The vamp in question yelled with horror. Xander quickly looked at a scared Angel who was waving at him frankly.

"Come quick, William stuck leftover cake frosting down Buffy's bra."

Xander mumbled, “Show’s her she’s not his favorite.” Then he stared at Angel in annoyance. "Why don't you handle it this time?"

"Well, you're the expert," Angel explained, reminding him of the Cordelia incident. He looked back at William, still covering Buffy with frosting. No one was able to stop him.

Xander sighed and headed towards the child and Buffy. Why did he think Angel's comment felt like an affront?


~*~*~*~*~


"Why can't I come?" Xander demanded, following Angel who headed towards the swords. Cordelia had just had another of her usual 'a bunch of demons/drunk teenagers' vision that needed some ‘masculinity’ to handle it. Ever since his talk with Willow two days ago, Xander couldn't get his well-known feeling of being the most useless member of the group out of his mind. And right now all he wanted was to feel needed, needed as a man.

"Because I said so," Angel answered as he picked a large sword.

"You're not the boss of me. I can go if I want. I'm an adult, dammit!"

"What about William?" Angel turned around, looking at him seriously.

What the hell? Xander scrunched his face in anger. Who was he? Big Mamma Xander?

"Cordelia and Fred can take care of him." He raised an eyebrow as he answered. Things had changed right now. Xander had accepted his role of staying at the hotel and take care of William when the child was very young and wouldn't stop crying unless Xander was around. Now William was old enough to stay with other people. So, there would be no harm if Xander left for few minutes to smash in a slimy head and then return home with all his macho glory intact.

"No. You're staying."

Xander stood there, fuming with frustration and watched Gunn and Wesley heading outside with their weapons in hand. "I don't care. I'm coming," he huffed and hurried to pick up his own sward but he was pulled short when a large hand grabbed his arm, turning him around to face a pair of angry eyes.

"I said, no. Is there something you didn’t get?" Angel dangerously growled.

Xander didn't appear scared at all – especially not from ‘Angel on a mission’. "No, I…"

"'ts moving, Aunty Fwed!" William's excited voice startled them both. Angel let go of Xander's arm quickly, so no one would see the harsh grip. Both of them looked at the young boy running after the huge fire truck dubbed ‘Wee-wee’. Behind him walked Fred, who was holding the remote control and using it to direct the toy, next to her walked a smiling Cordelia.

Xander grinned watching William's eyes wide with excitement, running after the truck barely holding himself up.

"Daddy, look! Wee-wee move alone," William exclaimed when he noticed Xander in the lobby. He aimed his small finger towards ‘Wee-wee’ for Xander to see.

Xander nodded, smiling. "I see that. It's great, isn't it?"

William giggled with joy and started running after the truck once more.

Xander watched him sprint with a warm smile.

"So, the others are out for the rescue mission?" Cordelia asked, startling Xander who was distracted by William's joyful play.

With a frown, he looked to his right and Angel was nowhere to be seen. That sneaky bastard must have took advantage of Xander's distracted state and made a run for it. Xander dropped his head and sighed. "Yeah."

"What's up? You look tense."

He looked at her. From the look she gave him, he knew she understood what was wrong. She probably wanted him to tell her himself. It felt humiliating. He hated being treated like someone weak and incapable. It used to eat him up from the inside when he was in Sunnydale, watching his friends take the lead and sacrifice their lives for the world while he was to be sent away with Dawn for their own good. If they hadn’t found an infant Spike, Buffy would have found another way to send him away…

… which she eventually did.

But, yeah, he knew all that speech Buffy had said about him being her strength was nothing but all talk. Xander was hurt and useless. He wouldn't have been able to do much in the ultimate fight, so it was better to send him away with Dawn for his own safety. And wasn't it sweet how he was sent away with William to Angel instead? Poor Xander, so broken, he needed to be saved again and again.

"Nah. It's nothing." He walked towards the couch, hearing Cordelia sigh. What did she think? That he would pour his heart out to her? She should have known him better. He was treated like a housewife, so the least he could do was to keep some dignity by sticking to the most important male code. Never talk about your feelings.


~*~*~*~*~


"Why won't you let Xander come with us, man?" Gunn asked Angel with no hint of curiosity, which indicated that he knew the answer.

"Because he will get hurt," Angel answered simply. His full attention was on the dark alley, searching for the demons Cordelia had described.

"Uh, right. Nothing better for a dude's self-esteem than another dude pointing out that he's lacking in a fight," Gunn responded sarcastically.

Annoyed, Angel turned to face Gunn. "What do you want me to do? You know it's the truth."

"How about giving him something to work with?" Gunn challenged. “Train him like you did Cordy.”

Angel shook his head, turning away. "I'm not sure."

"Why not?" Gunn poked Wesley with his elbow to enlist his help.

Wesley, who was busy watching out for the demons, jumped at Gunn's poke. "Uh," he stuttered looking at the livid men. He was glad he had paid attention to the conversation. "You have to admit, Angel, it is quite reasonable. We need all the help we can get,” Wesley said.

Angel stopped, exhaled and turned around. "Okay. How about we kill the demons instead?"

"What demons?" Gunn snapped back at Angel's change of subject.

Angel didn't reply. He only grabbed at Gunn and practically threw him away as a demon jumped from behind his position.


~*~*~*~


"Da?"

Xander looked up from one of Cordelia's magazines, for some reason she had insisted he must read. The women in there would make him feel better, was what she had said. However, even these hot, dressed in torn up fabric women hadn't made Xander feel any manlier. All he could think of was “That bag clashed with the red shoes”. Not helpful at all.

He looked at the confused William, who was working on building blocks. "What's up?" he asked.

"You man, right?"

"Uh huh?" Xander frowned, having the perfect idea about where the kid was going with this.

"Why you sits here and Papa and unca Gunn and unca Wess gets to fight bad monsters?"

Xander's answer was silence as he regarded the child with blank eyes.



~*~*~*~



“Doir, Burberry and Gucci are all about these ‘new’ scents. The old collections were better and didn’t smell so fabricated and pretentious,” Cordelia expressed her bitterness as she chatted professionally with Fred. She noted her friend's boredom but being Cordelia, she didn't care even when she should be more considering now since Fred was pregnant. And Cordelia knew very well how much a pregnant woman needed more attention and care.

She stopped in her tracks when she noticed William alone in the lobby playing with his toys. There was no sign of Xander though. "Where's Xander?" she demanded angrily. "And how could he leave William here alone!"

William looked up at her. "Daddy goed to fight monsters. Da bad ones not like unca Lorne. He tolded me I don't go outside, I tolded him okay."

"Oh my God," Cordelia heard Fred whisper next to her, but her whisper was lost in the loud sound of Cordelia's heartbeats. Her eyes caught the weapon place, and noted four of the swords they kept for big hunts were missing.

Hearing the Hyperion doors open, she whirled around and was about to yell Xander's name, but stopped motionless when Angel, Wesley and Gunn made their way inside.

"I can't believe one of them got away," Gunn groaned in anger.

"I'm gonna go search for it right now." Angel quickly headed towards the door once more.

"Angel," Cordelia called him.

He turned around, confused. "What?"

"It's Xander."



~*~*~*~



"That wouldn't have happened if you let Xander tag along in the first place," Angel heard Gunn complain as he followed him along with Wesley.

"How would I have known he'd react that way?" Angel defended himself even though he clearly knew that Xander would only react that way. Xander had lived two years with Angel now, and he should have known him better.

"Man, don't tell me that hasn’t crossed your mind. Xander is a man, we don't take no for an answer." Gunn had caught up with him, matching hid pace. "What would’ve ya lost if you let him come with us?"

Angel stopped and turned his angry eyes at his friend. "What about William?"

"What about William?" Gunn asked, confused.

"How can I explain it to him if we lost Xander in a fight? I can't let that …"

"Oh Lord," Wesley interrupted in a shocked whisper.

"What?" Angel asked, disorientated.

"Xander," Wesley answered, rushing without further explanation. Angel turned his gaze and what met his eyes wasn't a pleasant sight. Xander was lying on his back. Blood was socking his shirt, seeping from a large wound in his chest.

Angel rushed towards Xander. Wesley was already at his side, attempting to check his pulse. "He's still alive," Angel said softly, hearing the faint heartbeats. "For now."

"Shit," Gunn cursed next to him.

"Get him back to the Hyperion," Angel ordered firmly.

Wesley looked up at him. "What about…?" he stopped, seeing the look in Angel's face. Looking into flashing gold eyes, he knew why right away. It was for William. In case…

"Gunn, take Xander to the Hyperion, and do it carefully. Wes, you call 911 and give them the hotel's address. After that, call Lorne and have him keep William upstairs before you step a foot inside the hotel."

"What about you?" Gunn asked, lifting Xander up gently.

Angel turned his back at them, walking away. "I'm gonna track down the demon and rip him to pieces."


~*~*~*~


No one knew guilt like Angel. Remorse and regret, people could relate to it in countless ways. But Angel was the one who knew it best for as he stood –hands still bloody from his recent kill- staring at Xander who lay motionless on the sofa, he experienced one of those guilt moments. Xander wouldn't have had that much blood loss from the wound in his chest had Angel allowed him to come along.

"You sure you called? Said it was an emergency?" he asked Wesley for the third time, wondering if he should have taken Xander to the hospital on foot, but knowing right away that if he had done that there was no way he would survive.

"It's the damn traffic jam, the pile up on the main road," Wesley spoke softly. "Are you sure you're fine?" Wesley referred to Angel's bleeding hands.

"Just call them again," he hissed, eyes not leaving Xander's bloody chest.

Wesley grabbed his cell phone and walked out of the room, dialing the phone.

Angel's eyes didn't leave Xander's unconscious form. He could sense the movements of those around him without looking. Cordelia, who was sitting by Xander's side, was not letting go of Xander's hand. Gunn was circling the room and cursing in anger. Fred was quietly crying in a corner.

Trying to focus all his energy on Xander didn't, however, block his sense of hearing. He heard the tiny feet make their way towards Xander, and his attention was instantly directed elsewhere.

"William, come here," Angel called the boy, trying to interrupt his movement toward Xander's still form.

"Angel," he heard Lorne say. "Let him."

Angel glared at Lorne who was making his way down the stairs. "You were supposed to keep him in his room," Angel growled.

Lorne didn't seem phased by Angel's hard look. He moved to stand next to him, his eyes on William. "Just look."

Angel turned around. He saw William sitting awkwardly on top of Xander's chest, his hands suspended over Xander's wound.

"What the…" Gunn's spoke up in unison with Fred's loud gasp.

Cordelia seemed shocked as if she just noticed the boy jostling her hold on Xander's hand. Suddenly, before Angel had a chance to call out his name, a light appeared from William's small fingers and in fog like form hung in the air then slowly seeped into the rough red soaked bandages. Cordelia didn't hold back a scream when the limb in her hand tightened and Xander's eye popped open.

Wesley rushed into the room. "What happened?" he asked loudly, looking from one shocked face to the other. His face finally settled into its own shocked expression.

"Xander." No one knew who said the name first.

Xander blinked, rubbing his head. "I did a Buffy, didn't I?"

Angel snapped his head towards Lorne. "What just happened?"



To Be Continued.