*****

Xander smiled at Spike softly as the white light glowed behind him. "Spike, I have to go. I can't spend forever here. It's too hard."

A transpartent Buffy and Willow grabbed on Xander's hand and pulled him towards the light. Xander seemed to become lighter, and more transpartent the closer to it he got.

Spike watched in half horror, half fasination. Xander, in a last motion, kissed his finger tips. And reached out to Spike. Spike reached back. But Xander passed into the void, and it shut leaving Spike reaching towards nothing.

Xander walked with Buffy and Willow. "So this is heaven?"

"Yep, it's great." Buffy ran off to do something.

But Willow stayed, never letting go of Xander's hand. "You can't go back." Her voice held the sadness that mirrored in Xander's eyes.

They passed a meadow, and Xander heard a familiar voice. He turned to see a long haired Spike. Spike was talking about poetry to a group of children.

Xander smiled, and ran over to Spike. Unknowingly dragging Willow along for the ride. "Spike!" Xander hugged onto the glass clad figure.

"Excuse me sir, you must have me mistaken for someone else." Spike looked at Xander with a expression of surprise. "My name is William."

Xander blinked, and fell to his knees. As Willow finally got back the use of her hand she held him, as he cried.

"What's wrong with him?" William looked confused.

"The demon who has your body was his lover. Xander has just died. And misses him terribly." Willow explained.

"Huh?" William looked even more confused.

"You remember how you died, right?" Willow prompted him.

"Yes, there was the most beautiful woman, and she talked to me. Then the bloody woman bite me." William sounded offended.

"She made you a vampire and the demon that took over your body came to be known as Spike." Willow went on. William's eyes seemed to light up.

"You mean that the demon that had taken over my body, made a shell of it of some kind. And this boy and that shell became lovers?" William looked pleased with himself.

"Yes..." Xander's voice was raw, and scratched from the crying.

"So you thought I was him when you made it here."

"Yes..." The misery was taniable in Xander's voice.

"For the emotion you are showing, I wish I could have been him for your sake." William took pity on the newly dead boy.

"I told him I'd see him again...I was unknowingly lying to him, wasn't I?" Xander looked over at Willow.

"No, you just wouldn't be you. And you wouldn't know him. You'd have to find him, and fall back in love with him." Willow sounded asperated. "Just be happy here with Buffy and me."

"Willow, you have Tara by your side for eternity. How would you feel if the soul that looked, sounded, and acted like Tara, wasn't Tara? And you'd never see her again?" Xander's voice sounded tired.

Understanding dawned on Willow as she nodded. "I'll help any way I can."

William looked at Xander, and realized that somewhere in his heart, he felt something for the man-child. "I'll help you too."

Xander shook his head. "No thank you, William. It would hurt too much to have you around. It would remind me too much of him."

Buffy walked over, and looked at William. She started to laugh, but quickly shut up, when she noticed Xander's grief strickened face. "Why didn't you stay with him if you hate it up here so much?"

"He should go on. He didn't need a dead lover hanging over him. He's got undead ones to that for him." Xander's voice gave a hint of his real love for Spike. For Spike's happiness, he was willing to indure Heaven. Even at his own pain.

"Want do you want me to do?" Buffy hugged one of her two best friends.

*****
Part 2:

Buffy bounced over. "Ok, I pulled some strings. Luckily my 'Slayer' rank gives me some leverage here and I was able to get a body for Xander. There is a little problem though."

Willow shook her head. "It doesn't matter. At this point, Xander will take any body." She pointed to William holding a huddled form. The form was Xander crying in William's arms.

"God isn't happy that one of his favorites isn't happy up here." Buffy sadly shook her head. "That's one big reason why he's granting this wish."

"I think you should tell him the good news. He'd like to hear it from the woman who made it possible."

"Just because I didn't like them together when we were alive, doesn't mean I don't want him happy." Buffy looked over almost longingly at the huddle form.

"Regrets?" Willow rubbed Buffy's back.

"Just missed opportunities." Buffy smiled at Willow.

"What's up?" came a voice from the past. As the girls turned, Oz stood before them.

"Xander's going back." Willow sighed.

"Misses him that much? I understand." Oz nodded.

"How?" Buffy looked at Oz like he was nuts.

"Had to wait for Lindsey." Oz smiled over his shoulder to a blond man. "Except, unlike Spike, he showed up."

"Spike can't show up in Heaven. He's a demon." Buffy pointed out.

"So Xander is doing the whole reincarnation thing?" Oz looked over at Buffy.

"Actually...no." Buffy looked around sheepishly.

"So how is he going down?" Willow looked curious.

"In a teenage body." Buffy said confidently.

"Buffy, go tell him now then. The sooner you tell him, the sooner he stops crying. And the sooner he can go into his new body." Willow pushed Buffy to Xander.

Xander looked up at Buffy with a watery glaze. "Buffy?"

"Xander good news, they found a body for you." Buffy smiled down at him.

William looked up at Buffy. His gaze was a mixture of happiness, sadness, and love for the boy in his arms.

Xander's on the other hand, was of pure happiness, and love. "Thank you, Buffy. Once again, you saved me." Then stood up, and pulled her into a hug. Which she gladly returned.

"So when can I go down?" Xander looked hopefully down at Buffy.

"As soon as you want."

"Then I want to say goodbye first, then I can get sent down." Xander hugged Buffy tighter.

"Take your time." Buffy wiped the tears in her eyes. It had felt like forever since she had seen his smile.

Xander slowly pulled away, and walked over to Willow, and Oz. "Willow, I have to say goodbye for now. But just like before, I'll be back." Then pulled her into a hug. Then shook Oz's hand. "Oz, man, good to see you again. I have to go. But I'll be back."

"Understand, man." Oz smiled at him.

Then Xander walked over to William and pulled him into a hug. "Thank you, for everything. You were the one who kept me sane here."

The dark eyed boy had dumbfounded William. "Thank you for letting me know that my other self has such good taste in men."

With that Xander smiled, and kissed William softly on the lips. It was in all forms of the word, a chaste kiss, but it still shook William to the core. As Xander once again pulled from his grasp, and walked to Buffy.

"Let's go." Xander smiled at the small blond.

"Ready to go already?" Buffy looked surprised at him. "Buffy, there isn't many people I had to say goodbye to." And with that, Buffy and Xander disappeared.

*****
Part 3:

Xander awoke to someone calling his name. He felt woozy, and nauseated.

"John, I think Alexandria is waking up." A voice sounded so familiar, but so foreign at the same time. It was distinctly female, and soothed Xander's frayed nerves.

"Alex, sweetie, are you awake?" A new voice entered the meld of voices. This was distinctly male, and gave Xander a warm feeling in his chest.

"John, she hates being called Alex." The female was stroking his hair now. Xander relaxed, till he realized what she had said...'Alexandria' and 'she'.

"Where am I?" Xander mumbled, his mouth feeling like it was filled with cotton.

"Alex, you're in the hospital. You had an accident. But it's ok." Xander gave a tiny nod to the man. He guessed from the gray in the hair, and the love in the man's eyes, that this was 'Alexandria's father. And the woman, then, had to be his mother.

"Something's wrong...not supposed to be here..." Xander tried to make them understand.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine. We'll get a tutor for you for the school you miss." John seemed calm about it all.

"Should we call Conner? And let him know what's going on?" The mother without a name seemed almost scared of this Conner person.

"Conner is the one who brought her here. If he wants to find out how his precious Slayer is doing, he can bloody well come here, Olivia." Xander's eyes widened. Not only did Buffy send him into a female's body, but he was now in the current Slayer's body.

"Can I go home now?" Xander said in his most pathetic voice known to man. And it worked, now that he had a helpless female voice to go with it.

"Yeah, Alex, I'll start on the paperwork...if you are sure that you are ready." Dad, as Xander figured that he should start calling him, had fallen for the voice in a heartbeat. 'Ok, so there were some aspects of being a girl that helped,' Xander mentally mused.

"Yeah, I'm ready. I figure that the fact that I can see one of you now instead of two, is a plus." Xander once again tried to joke his way out of the awkward situation.

"It's worse then we thought..." Olivia, or otherwise known now as Mom, seemed to be frightened. Which confused the hell out of Xander. Joyce never seemed this easily frightened and she dealt with a lot more then he bet his 'mother' had. That included sleeping with Giles... 'ok, so they really didn't sleep.' Xander thought with a wince.

"Olivia, breathe, she is just kidding. Remember what that is?" Dad was smiling at him. Xander felt happy that his dad understood that and was just happy that he had a father who loved him. 'Even if my mother is a bit of a pill,' Xander mentaly rolled his eyes at her.

"Alexandria wouldn't joke like that. Would you, precious?" Olivia blinked hopefully at him.

"Actually Mom, I was." Xander prayed she wouldn't be mad at him.

"Ok, I understand." Mom looked almost relieved.

"Huh?" He sat up, and blinked at her. Then looked down, and blinked at himself. Then quickly pulled the sheet back up. "Umm...is there also some way I could get some clothes too?"

"Sure sweetie, I'll bring some from home. Since they had to cut off the ones you had on two nights ago." His mother quickly kissed his head, and rushed out.

"Two nights ago? I was out that long?" Xander tried to sound normal. "So that would make this?"

"That would make today a Wednesday. April 17th to be exact, Alex." His father sat down on the edge of the bed, and smoothed out Xander's hair. "Now lets get you home."

*****
Part 4:

Xander looked down at his body, and sighed. 'Remind me why I'm doing this? Oh, yeah, Spike...I have to keep remembering Spike.' Xander looked down at his clothes again. "Spike better appreciate this..." Xander muttered under his breath.

The pink baby t-shirt, with the words Princess, that showed off his flat tan stomach. As baggy stone washed jeans were barely on his hips, which Xander held up with one hand. "Mom, where's my belt?"

"Alexandria, stop kidding, I know you don't wear a belt with those jeans." Olivia walked over with a brush, and started to brush Alexandria's waist length hair.

"Mom, I know I didn't used to wear a belt with these jeans, but I'd feel better, after the accident if I did have a belt, now." Xander enjoyed the feeling of the brush's soft bristles on his scalp.

"Ok, I'll have William pick you up one on his way here." Olivia pulled out a cell phone, and started to call someone.

After she was done, Xander had a totally blank look on his face. "Who's William?"

"Don't you remember William Wright, our limo driver?" Olivia looked worriedly at Xander.

"Mom, I think I have a bit of memory loss. I remember I'm the Slayer and I remember Dad and you, but other then that, it's kind of blank..." Xander hoped this would help explain why he had no clue about things that Alexandria would automatically know and also explain why he liked to dress differently.

"Oh, my poor baby. Well, like I said William is our driver. Luke is our butler. Conner is your Watcher. He's a frightening man. And we sometimes live with him at L.A., but normally we live in Beverly Hills. Which is where we are going home to today. No L.A., or Sunnydale for you... Oh, I forgot, since you are the Slayer. You also have to make trips to Sunnydale and you are home schooled." Olivia nodded as if she had told Alexandria everything she needed to know.

Xander stood there blinking for a few minutes trying to take it all in at once. He was rich. And he was the Slayer. And his mom was truly a nut case. "So, we are going home to the Beverly Hills home, right?"

"Yes. I thought it best that you recover in a place you feel safest, and most comfortable." Olivia smiled sweetly.

A few minutes later, a man in his twenties walked in. His blond hair was slicked back. And he was the sexy man Xander had ever seen. Of course, Spike always was.

"William, Alexandria needs her belt. She has lost some of her memory and will need some help getting around." Olivia took the belt from Spike, and handed it to Xander.

Xander quickly pulled on the belt one handed. Then let go of the pants he was still holding up. "Thanks William." Xander felt funny calling Spike William, mostly because he had met the real William.

"Let's get you home then, ducks." William's upper class accent showed through. Which startled Xander into almost stumbling.

"Alexandria, are you all right? Maybe we shouldn't let you go home yet." Olivia hovered.

"Mom, the sooner I get home, the sooner I can heal. And I need to patrol." Xander rolled his eyes at his mother.

"Then off we go..." Olivia looked like she wanted to argue, but grew tired of it.

As they walked out, Xander breathed in the slightly smoggy air of the night. "It's good to be alive." He murmured, which got him a strange look from Spike.

"Whatever you say, ducks." Spike shrugged as he opened the limo door.

"Thanks Spike." Xander said, after his mother had got into the car. Spike's eyes widened, then narrowed. "How do you know that name?"

"Let's just say, I'm not the woman I use to be." Xander smiled, and slipped into the limo after his mother.

*****
Part 5:

Xander stood in front of his house. His mouth was open in awe. It was a mansion, a big mansion.

Olivia smiled at Alexandria and pulled her into the house. She was so happy to have her little girl back, even if Alexandria was acting a little weird.

"Where does William live?" Xander looked around the front hall.

"In the pool house. He's a vampire, in case you didn't know. He's only our night driver. During the day, he helps Luke around the house. Don't worry you don't have to stake him. He has a chip in his head that prevents him from biting any human." Olivia motioned for Xander to walk more fully into the house.

Spike walked in with the overnight bag from the hospital. "She's forgotten everything?"

"Everything with the exception of John, myself and the fact that she is the Slayer. But I think she only knows that from the hospital. I wanted to call Conner." Olivia wrung her hands. "Do you think I should? John said not to."

"I want to meet this Conner person. He's my Watcher, right?" Xander asked, his head turned to the ceiling, as he spun around. "This place is amazing."

"Then I'll call him. But remember, when your father has a fit about it, it was you idea.' Olivia left to get one of the many phones in the house.

As she left, Spike whirled to face Alexandria. "Who are you? And don't give me this 'I'm Alexandria Winner' bullshit. She never knew me as Spike."

"Lets just say, you knew me back when Buffy was known as 'The Slayer'. And I was a guy back then." Xander smiled at Spike.

"Wesley, is that you?" Spike tilted his head a little, as if he could see better like that.

"Actually Spike, wrong group." Xander smiled.

"Rupert?" Spike looked almost scared that the answer was yes.

"Spike, would I talk like this if I was Giles?" Xander rolled his eyes.

"Well, you can't be Xander." Spike thought back as if to count the rest of the guys in the Slayerette group. "Are you that latonic guy that Willow use to date?"

"Closer in age then Giles, but still no cigar Spike." Xander looked almost disappointed.

"Then who the hell are you?" Spike growled.

"If you can't remember me, maybe I wasn't as big of a part of your life, as you were in mine." Xander's shoulders slumped.

"You are telling me, that you are Xander?" Spike looked at him disbelievingly.

"No, I'm telling you that the soul in the body of Alexandria Winner, is Alexander Harris." Xander reached up to touch Spike's face, but dropped it.

"Why are you here, if you are Xander?" Spike's face was in a stony fa�ade.

"I came back for you. I promised you that I would find a way to come back for you. I know it took me a while, but I'm back." Xander's eyes filled with tears. "Heaven has no beauty without you near me."

"See that's proof that you aren't Xander. He was never a poet." Spike looked almost as if he didn't want it to be true. "Blame it on William. He rubbed off on me in Heaven." Xander smiled at Spike.

"William who?" Spike's eyes had gold specks. Showing his jealousy, which also meant he believed Xander.

"He was known as William the Bloody back when he was alive, for his bloody bad poetry. Which, actually I don't think it's that bad. But what do I know?"

Xander smiled at Spike. "You know I'm Xander. That's why you are getting possessive."

"What do you mean, pet?" Spike blinked. Then realized what he had said. "Damn you."

"Can't, I've already been to Heaven." Xander smiled, as he jumped into Spike's arms. "I've missed you so much. You will never know how much it hurt to see William, and knowing it wasn't you."

*****
Part 6:

Xander stared up at the ceiling in the pool house. "That was amazing. It was strange, but amazing."

Spike stroked Xander's flat tan tummy with soft small strokes. "Never thought I'd bed another Slayer." Spike laughed, as Xander hit him.

"Remember, we don't talk about your time with Buffy, if I don't talk about my time with Anya?" Xander slapped Spike's hand away. "That tickles."

"Do you think Conner will know that you aren't Alexandria?" Spike leaned over the naked Slayer.

"Did you?" Xander leaned up and grabbed a kiss from the blond vampire.

"That's beside the point, I'm not Peaches' blood born. I'm just a childe." Spike pointed out as he poked at Xander.

"Conner is Angel's kid? You mean that kid that made him more of a woman magnet then before? Please tell me I make his life hell." Xander got on his knees, which knocked Spike off him.

"First, while you're down there." Which got Spike hit again. "Yeah, I got forced by Conner and Peaches into this job, mostly because you make Conner's life hell. Remind to thank the Pouf and his brat."

"Speaking of Angel, what's he up to now? And how long have I been dead? Can't be too long if Conner is still around." Xander plopped to his butt, much to the enjoyment of Spike.

Spike's face got stony. "In three days it will be twelve years." Spike's eyes had a faraway look. It was almost like Willow got when talking about Tara after Tara had died. She died protecting Willow from a Warenfarl demon. It was the look of someone who had lost someone they had loved.

"Twelve years?" Xander's eyes were as a deer in the headlights. "Alexandria was the slayer for about that long?"

"No, there have been eight slayers before her. The first lasted about six months. The second lasted about a year, so and so on. None lasted more then 3 years. When Alexandria was called six months ago, I was forced into the role as the driver to protect her. Angel was getting tired of Slayers being like popcorn chicken. That was Hope's term, Cordelia's oldest." Spike smiled at the thought of the girl.

"Spike, I remember Hope. I remember all six of Cordy's kids. How many did she and Groo end up having total?" Xander smiled at the memory of Cordelia Chase, the first time mother.

"They ended up with a brood of eight. Don't understand why they never thought of birth control. I mean, if I was Cordelia, I wouldn't want Groo's stupid genes passed down to too many children."

"Groo was a good guy. Just be glad he made it. The last battle with Pepito killed off too many of us. I was almost thankful that he had killed Buffy a month before the battle. Willow, I think embraced her death. She was never the same without Tara. And I know Lindsey did too. I didn't see Gunn or Wes up in heaven." Xander looked worried.

"Maybe you just didn't look hard enough. I mean, did you see Giles either? We both know he died three years before you did." Spike almost looked upset by the whole incident.

"I think I should sneak out soon. Don't want mom freaking cause I'm sleeping with the hired help, let alone a vampire limo driver." Xander laughed, as he got his clothes on, and kissed Spike goodbye. Then slipped out into the early day, into the mansion.

*****
Part 7:

As Xander walked into the house, he bumped into a giant. He looked up and up. 'God, this guy reminds me of Angel.' Xander realized that this had to be Conner.

"Alexandria, what were you doing sneaking back in for?" Conner even sounds like Angel, Xander realized. Conner was Angel with sandy blond hair and better fashion sense. 'That must be Cordy's fault.'

"Umm.I got lost?" Xander tried to make it sound believable. Which it came out more a 'please god believe me' tone.

"And why do you smell of sex?" Conner twitched his nose.

"No fair! How did you get Deadboy's sense of smell?" Xander got angry and pointed at Conner accusingly.

Conner raised an eyebrow at the mention of the name 'Deadboy'. "And who would be Deadboy?"

Xander hung his head. "I suck at this incognito crap." As he glanced up, Conner looked confused. "Deadboy is the name Xander Harris called Angel."

"I know that. But why would you call my dad that, since you have a huge crush on him?" Conner sounded amused, as Xander started to make retching noises.

"I have a crush on Angel?" Xander tried to repress a shudder, but failed.

"Who are you? You most definitely aren't Alexandria." Conner's eyes went stone cold. And he took almost a fighting stance.

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me." Xander rolled his eyes. 'Yep, this is definitely an Angel clone with blond hair.' Xander looked at Conner as he realized he muttered the last part out loud.

"Well, we can figure that you don't like my dad. And from the tone, never did." Conner looked deep into Alexandria's chocolate eyes. His fighting stance barely wavered.

Xander laughed. "Yeah, that's an understatement. It was enough to steal the body of a vibrant.how old is Alexandria?" Xander looked up expectantly.

"You took a body of someone you don't know any idea about? What kind of demon are you?" Conner looked dumbfounded.

"You look like Angel when Willow first told him she was gay." Xander laughed so hard he held his sides. "He didn't know what to do then too."

"Since you know Aunt Willow, then you can't be a demon." Conner's fighting stance relaxed, as the tone of his voice got lighter.

"Hey, Anya was a demon once, and she knew Willow!" Xander pointed out.

"But you also called Aunt Anya Anya, and not Anyanka." Conner pointed out. Xander pouted, and scrunched his nose up.

"It didn't work when Alexandria did it, what makes you think it would work for you?" Conner rolled his eyes with a sigh.

"Hey, I'm just getting used to this girl gig! Give me a break, I was a guy for the longest time!" Xander growled at Conner, which really didn't work and ended up sounding more like a bad purr.

"So who were you? Really, who were you?" Conner's voice got serious again. 'Back to the Brood boy technique.' Xander mentally rolled his eyes at Conner.

"You mean, who am I?" Xander corrected.

"Just answer the question, please?" Conner sounded almost tired.

"I was Alexander LaVelle Harris. But everyone knew me as Xander." Xander said proudly. Conner almost fell on the ground laughing. Which made Xander pout again.

"Sorry, but you're my uncle Xander?" Conner looked deeper into Xander's eyes and stopped laughing. "You.are."

"I told you. I'm the only one in the world who can get away with calling Angel Deadboy to his face." Xander looked even prouder, if that was possible.

"Why did you come back? Is Mom back?" Conner looked hopeful. "Is anyone else back?"

Xander felt horrible to shake his head. "Your mom wanted me happy. So she sent me back. Buffy was one hell of a friend."

Conner's face fell, but he steeled himself not to cry. "Why you?"

"Spike's here, and there is no way he can get to Heaven. At least your dad and you have a chance. I mean, Angel should be at least allowed to see his soul mate up in Heaven. Before you ask, I have no clue why I'm in Alexandria's body." Xander looked serious. It was the same expression Conner remembered being on Xander's face after Buffy died.

Conner opened his mouth to ask another question, as his cell phone went off. He answered it, and his face was one of horror.

*****
Part 8:

Xander grabbed the cell phone as Conner dropped it. Hello?" He ventured to try to figure what had made Conner go so white.

"Alexandria? Where is Conner? Why do you have his phone?" An angry woman yelled at Xander. Xander pulled away the phone from his ear. And figured that this had to be one of Cordelia's kids.

"Conner went white. He dropped the phone, so I was trying save his phone. I also wanted to find out what is going on." Xander was confused. 'Does everyone hate Alexandria?'

"We have a bit of a situation down here in LA. Conner has to come home now." The woman sounded upset and mad.

"Conner and I will be down as soon as he stops looking like he is going to throw up." Xander started to rub Conner on the back, as if to get him to breath.

"This is a family thing. You aren't needed." The woman's voice now was filled with venom and disgust.

Conner grabbed the phone from Xander as if he could hear the voice. Or maybe it was the reflection of hurt in Xander's expressional eyes that prompted him. "We'll be coming home soon. And I'll bring Spike with me. Yeah, she knows about Spike. I'll explain later." Conner quickly hung up, and looked up at Xander with terror and despair in his eyes. "We need to go, like now."

*****
Part 9:

Xander was thankful as he got out of the car in LA. It had taken three hours of fighting with his mom and Conner over going. Conner, of course, was on his side, but did side with his mother on some points. It had also taken that long to get his mother to give Spike a leave of absence, without pay of course. For Xander, though, the worst part was driving up. Actually Conner did the driving, with help from the backseat driver, Spike, who bitched the entire time. Though the driving wasn't what made the trip hell, it was the fighting over music. Which was finally settled when Xander threaten to put on Brittany Spears. So for the last twenty minutes of the trip, the car was filled with Journey's Greatest Hits.

Spike stepped out next to Xander. "So, pet, like how Peaches cleaned up the place?" Spike pointed to the Hypersion. It was stunning. It looked as if was just built but still had that classic look to it. The hotel, for once, looked inviting.

"Dad made sure that anyone who was in need of help could find solace here. He wanted it to look open and comforting." Conner sounded also wistful.

"You guys hit the lottery, didn't you." Xander smiled up at Conner, and laughed.

"No, but Aunt Cordy's actual acting jobs helped.and the money from the Watchers helped too." Conner almost sounded sad when he mentioned the Watchers.

"You miss them?" Xander was totally confused. He only knew that the Watchers were a group of ignorant people.

"No, you misunderstand me. I was upset that the Watcher left us money for when Buffy died. It was to pay for the funeral, but with all the paperwork and probate it took those extra months after your death to get the money. So we used some to bury Willow, Lindsay and you and the rest on rebuilding the Hypersion."

"What about Wesley and Gunn?" Xander seemed even more confused, if that was possible.

"That's part of what is going on here, but we can't speak outside. The street has ears. After we get inside I will explain everything." Conner lead Spike and Xander inside.

A woman who looked like Cordelia came out from behind the desk. "Conner, why did you bring *her* here? I thought I told you it was a family issue!" The same voice from over the phone was attached to her. Which could only mean one thing, she was one of Cordelia's children.

"Hope, I told you I have to explain, but it will be easier if everyone is here. So I'll go and get my dad. You can get the rest of your family." Conner rolled his eyes at the woman, and then raced upstairs.

"MOM, DAD, EVERYONE GET YOUR BUTTS OUT HERE!" Hope yelled. Which proved, at least to Xander, that she was definitely her mother's daughter. She even had Cordy's amazing pipes, which seemed only good for yelling, or fighting.

Cordelia walked out with Groo. Both had aged amazingly, and didn't look a day over thirty. "Hope, what's going on?" Cordelia glared at her daughter.

"Conner says he needs everyone down here so he can explain why he brought *her* here." Hope's voice was filled with disdain for Alexandria, as she pointed to Xander.

Then triplets, who looked about twelve walked in, along with a boy about nine. The triplets were a perfect combination of Cordelia and Groo. While the boy looked mostly like Groo.

"Derek, where is the rest of them?" Hope looked at the nine-year-old.

He shrugged, then looked down at the triplets. "Willow, Buffy, Xander, do any of you know where your other two sisters and brother are?"

The biggest of the triplets and the only boy, shook his head.

The older of the two girls shrugged. "I don't know. Willow saw Daniel playing upstairs in one of the closed rooms."

The littlest of the three looked up; her face was a mask of fear. "I'm sorry. I should have told you, but Daniel told me that he'd be out really quick."

"How about Alyson or Sarah?" Cordelia asked firmly as she picked up the scared Willow.

Willow shook her head no, and seemed to calm down at her mother's embrace.

Just as the other three were shaking their heads, Conner and Angel came downstairs. Angel carried a girl under each arm and Conner had a young man draped over his shoulder.

"I think you were looking for these." Angel placed the two girls on their feet. Conner, on the other hand, let the young man drop to the floor.

"Nice to see Deadboy hasn't lost his touch with the ladies." Xander snickered. Which got him a surprised look from Cordelia, Angel and Hope.

Conner rolled his eyes at Xander. "Do you mind? You'll give away the surprise before I even get to tell them!" Conner hissed at Xander.

"What are you talking about Conner?" Cordelia looked mildly confused.

"This isn't Alexandria Winner." Conner pointed to Xander.

"Umm.Conner, yeah it is." Hope looked at him like he had lost his mind.

"No, the body is Alexandria Winner, but the soul that this body contains isn't. The soul is one of a Mr. Alexander LaVelle Harris." Conner pointed out, as Xander bowed.

"Conner, dear, are you off your rocker?" Cordelia demanded.

"Actually, no. Look at her, Auntie Cordy. Besides, as she put it to me, do you know anyone else who calls my dad, Deadboy?" Conner pointed out.

"So, Deadboy, like the renovations you did to the place. Personally though, I would have gotten all the windows tinted with an UV protection. They are cheaper then the heavy drapes you used to have, mostly because they conserve electricity." Xander realized what he said and groaned. "The carpenter in me strikes again."

Spike hugged Xander with one arm. "That's my Xanpet."

Angel blinked, almost dumbfounded. Then grabbed Xander out of Spike's hug, and hugged Xander to him.

Cordelia had tears in her eyes as Spike growled at Angel's 'way too close for comfort' hold on his mate. Conner grinned happily. A look of uncertainty flickered over Hope's face.

"Umm.Angel, as much as I'm happy that you're happy, could you let me down?" Xander groaned, as the air rushed back into his lungs, with the help of Angel letting go.

"I just never thought that I'd see any of you again. Is anyone else back?" Angel's eyes shined with unshed tears.

"No, just me. Though, Angel, if you end up crying on me, I'm going to have to hide behind everyone. That would just freak me out as much as Conner telling me that Alexandria wanted you," shudders in disgust.

Conner rubbed the bridge of his nose, which reminded Xander too much of Giles. "God, if you didn't look almost exactly like your father, I'd swear you're Giles' kid." Xander cracked up.

"Can we get down to business?" Conner sounded exasperated.

"Sure, what's up?" Xander looks up at Conner. Which was really annoying Xander.

"Pepito is back." Hope sounded dismayed.

"Not a chance in hell! We sent his little deviled ass back to Hell!" Xander looked around at all the faces he helped to save the first time. "You mean all our friends' deaths were for nothing?!" There was an underlying stress on his death.

"Not for nothing, it has kept him at bay. He's also considerable weaker now." Conner's face was as tight as his father's was.

"So what's that have to do with Wesley and Gunn's death?" Xander's voice got a lot colder.

"It's complicated." Angel muttered out though clenched teeth.

"Make it uncomplicated, Deadboy. I know now why I was thrown into this body, and not just any John Smith. I'm in this body to help. For me to help, I have to know what the hell is going on, now. This is not a time for 'this is a LA group thing and that the Sunnydale people have no need to get involved'. We played that too much, and it hurt both sides." Xander's chocolate eyes got steel hard, and almost pitch black. Just like when Xander got mad in his original body.

Angel nodded, understanding that this was something that affected everyone. Then motioned for Xander to follow him. Everyone started to walk, but Angel turned and motioned for Cordelia to take the kids out. Groo nodded and helped his wife gather their children until only Angel, Conner, Spike, Xander, and Hope, who refused to move, were left.

"I want you all to know, this is a secret you take to your grave. For some of us, that means for the second time." Looking at Xander mostly.

"And when the hell was I not known for keeping secrets. I still have secrets that Willow has never told anyone else. Not even Buffy." Xander's eyes were still cold.

Spike glared at Angel for insinuating that his mate wasn't trustworthy as Hope and Conner tried to mask the shiver from seeing their Uncle Xander's laughing eyes so cold.

Angel took the group to the elevator. As he pressed the highest number, Hope's eyes widened. "No one is allowed up there, Uncle Angel. You said it was too dangerous, that the floor might collapse."

"Do you think I wouldn't say that just to keep everyone from going there?" Angel seemed more stoic then usual.

"Wesley and Gunn didn't die, did they?" Xander started to piece together everything.

"Wesley until two weeks ago was in suspended animation. Gunn wouldn't leave his lover." Angel's voice was filled with sorrow.

"They are dead now, aren't they?" Xander figured from Angel's voice.

"Wesley is. Gunn, sadly, survived the attack." Angel dropped his head to his chest in defeat.

"What do you mean sadly?" Hope sounded more like Cordelia the more she talked.

"He's in a coma. Chances aren't good that he'll come out of it."

"I'm sorry, Angel. As much as I knew Gunn, which wasn't long, I know he was a good man." Xander placed a comforting hand on Angel's shoulder.

Spike just seemed deep in thought the whole elevator ride, as if trying to comprehend all that was happening.

As the elevator hit the top floor, the doors opened to a plain hall. The group filed into the hall and Angel unlocked the keypad lock on the hall door.

*****
Part 10:

Angel opened the door to a nice plain living room. The walls were beige, and looked lived in. The only sign that it had not been used much was a thin layer of dust on the television.

"Deadboy, I didn't think you believed in television." Xander tried to break the tension that filled the room. He knew that everyone's thoughts were on that thin layer of dust, and knowing that neither Gunn nor Wesley would wipe that layer away.

"Gunn made it quite clear that if Wes and he had to live here, there was going to be a TV." Angel smiled slightly in remembrance then motioned to one of the bedrooms.

As they walked in, the smell of death permeated the room and on the queen-size bed, was a sleeping Gunn. Monitors filled the areas around the bed. Gunn could have been asleep, if not for the proof of billions of wires connected to him, and an oxygen tube in his nose. It wasn't easy for anyone who knew him to see.

Hope ran out of the room, tears running down her face. Conner looked at everyone, and walked out after her. Xander patted Spike's hand on his shoulder then walked close to the bed and whispered into the unhearing Gunn.

"I'll get this bastard for you, I promise. This time, he's not coming back." Xander whispered to Gunn and patted him on the shoulder.

As Xander got up, Spike wrapped his arms around him. Xander leaned his head against Spike's chest, thankful for the support. Gunn was one of Xander's brothers in arms when the battle against Pepito started.

"So, luv, what now?" Spike whispered into Xander's ear.

"I have no clue. All I know is that Pepito is going back to hell, and this time not coming back." Xander whispered back. He looked over at Angel, who was looking almost lost. "So, Angel, can we get some food."

Angel nodded, and led out to the elevator in silence.

As the door shut on the hall of sorrows, as Xander had named it in his head, Xander turned to Angel. "What's the plan?"

"We really don't have a plan. We really aren't sure what to do." Angel looked at Xander with a forlorn look.

"Great! We are shooting from the hip again." Xander threw up his hands up into the air. He was disgusted with the lack of attention. 'Do these people forget the trouble we had getting Pepito back to hell?' Xander thought with a flinch.

Spike noticed the flinch and held onto the man who he had lost only twelve years ago. He thanked the God, who had forsaken him when he became the creature of the night, for the gift of Xander back. Even if Xander was in a different body, the man he had learned to love was still there.

"So what do we do now, Xan?" Spike looked down at Xander.

"Well, first off, we all need sleep. That was just a draining experience in itself. With the newest bad guy happening, we also need to stock up on the sleep we'll miss when we stay up all day and night." As Xander said that, Angel chose a level on the hotel, one that was oh so familiar to Xander. It was the level that his room was on, back when they had moved the fight from Sunnydale to LA.

The elevator ride after that was in silence.

As the door opened on the level for Spike and Xander's old room, Xander looked over at Angel. Angel nodded in a way that admitted that the room was left exactly the same. Xander sighed in relief. At least something wouldn't be foreign to him. Of course none of his old clothes would fit, but at this point he didn't care.

Xander and Spike walked hand in hand to the door. Dust cover the door, but Xander knew the number by heart, 401. For the last two years of his life, he called this small apartment like room, home.

Spike opened the door and took Xander's hand. Xander was lead into the room, and into the past. The wall still contained the hole from Spike's hand, when Xander told him of the plan to put Pepito back into Hell. Mostly the spell casters would do their gig, as Xander made himself bait. The bed was still unmade from where they had made love for the last time.

Spike looked at it with an almost wistfulness. "So, Xan, now what?"

Xander laid on the bed. "I need you to hold me, just hold me."

"That, pet, I can do." Spike laid down next to his lover.

Xander cuddled up, as Spike held him. If felt different being shorter, but just like when Xander was Xander shaped, it felt right.

Xander promptly fell asleep to the lack of heartbeat. Xander found himself in a large pure white room. It had what looked like no ceiling, but it just kept going up. He looked down and found that he was back to his old self. Except instead of being the forty-year-old he had died as, Xander was once again seventeen. He spun around in a circle, praying to see something else but the white.

"Xander, I'm over here," came a voice from the past. It was a voice he knew he could never forget, and it was very British. Giles looked like he had the first time Xander met him.

"Giles! It's great to see you? Where are we?" Xander looked happy to see his mentor.

"Xander, once again, you ask the wrong questions." Giles looked bemused at his young charge.

"Ok G-man, what is the correct question." Xander's look of happiness shift to a combination of amusement and annoyance.

"Xander, I'll let you get away with it this time, since I don't have much time left. You are in the Slayer's prophetic dreams. I need you to go to my study in the hotel. I need you to find a book. It will explain everything. It is in the desk. Remember, it is in the desk." Giles' eyes were focused into Xander's.

"Ok, got that, now for the real question, why weren't? you in Heaven when I got there?" Xander looked back with sadness.

"A Watcher's job is never done. Even when I died." Giles smiled in an almost comforting way.

"That sucks!" Xander looked horrified.

"Actually I enjoy it. It's very fulfilling." Giles looked more amused at Xander's reaction.

"Only you, Giles, would find joy in working." Xander shook his head, as the room slowly started to fill with white fog.

"Remember, look for the book, in the desk. It's in the desk." Giles yelled out through the dense fog.

"What's happening?" Xander yelled back.

"You're waking up!" Giles yelled back.

Xander sat up ramrod straight, as if shot out of the cannon. He slowly relaxed as he realized were he was. Then got out of bed. 'Thankfully Spike didn't wake up.' Xander thought as he grabbed his shoes. He quickly got out of the room, and walked to Giles' old room.

*****
Part 11:

Xander slowly opened the door to Gile's old room. Cobwebs covered the room like a giant white blanket. Other then the cobwebs, the room was impeccable. The bed was made perfectly. The books were all put away, even the ones on the desk.

Xander slowly made his way though the cobwebs to the desk. It was a difficult job, since the webs seemed to want to stick to his face. He blew on the desk, which didn't do anything to the dust on it. Xander grimaced as he wiped part of the desk off with his hand, then opened the first compartment.

It was empty, except for a small spider. Xander shut the door as quickly as he opened it, then opened the next. It too was bare, but luckily this time, no spider. Xander went through all the compartments, and drawers. Some had books, some had paper, others had nothing at all.

Xander then thought of who Giles was. He was a bit paranoid when it came to important things such as prophecies and such. Xander smiled as he started to look for hidden doors. Alas, none were found. Xander was about to give up, when he decided that no one used the desk anymore, and Giles did say 'in' the desk. He tipped the desk on its side. With a crash it hit the floor, and broke a floorboard.

Xander sighed in defeat, as Spike raced into the room. "What in bleeding hell is going on?" Spike looked at the up turned desk. "If you hated that desk so much, you could have told one of us."

Xander looked for a second like he wanted to tell Spike something. Then shrugged. "It was just a moment of rage, Spike. Remember, Buffy had those moments."

"Yeah, but the bleeding Slayer didn't start breaking her friend's stuff." Spike pointed out.

"Spike, Giles is dead. He's not coming back, and neither are any of the others. I was a fluke. They should have sent Buffy. The Powers That Be had screwed up and sent me instead." Xander fumed.

"Xan, you know that's not true." Spike tried to reach his lover, but Xander turned away from him. Xander, no matter what situation, never turned from him. Spike was at a loss.

"Spike, I need a moment to be alone. " Spike could see tears in Xander's eyes.

Spike nodded. "Yeah, I can do that. If ya need me, I'll be downstairs bugging the ponce." Spike turned towards the door, but was suddenly stopped by the sound of Xander's voice.

"I'm sorry Spike. It's just�I died fighting this, and now it seems all for nothing." Xander bowed his head.

Spike nodded, and walked out.

Xander listened for the elevator. As it started to make the trip down, Xander started to rip into the desk. 'Thank God for Slayer strength.' Xander prayed to himself, as he found deep in the desk a small cubbyhole. In the cubbyhole was a small, leather-bound book. It looked almost like a diary.

Xander sat down on the bed, and opened it. He's eyes widened as he read.

It took him two hours to finish the book. As he put the book down, he realized that it shouldn't fall into the wrong hands. With a metal wastebasket in hand, he found the matches Giles hidden when Giles needed a cigarette. He set the book inside, and prayed he was doing the right thing. Thankfully, inside he knew it was the right thing to do, and lit the match. He threw it in the basket, and watched the flames take the webs and old paper inside the basket.

Xander breathed a sigh of relieve as the book turned to ash. Then Xander took some of the ash, and placed it in the middle of Giles bed. Then walked to Willow's, Buffy's, Anya's, and Dawn's rooms, and placed ash on each of their beds.

He sat in his bed, and murmured some words in Latin and the ash in front of him and on all the beds turned into a blue flame. Yet the flame didn't touch the bed. When the ash was no longer there, Xander opened his eyes. "What the hell did I do?!" Xander yelped. Then blinked at the lack of burning of the covers of the bed.

He quickly raced to the other rooms. He noticed that none of the beds had burn markings nor was the ash there.

Xander hung his head, praying that he wasn't possessed again. Then he realized it was part of being the Slayer. He knew what he had to do. It wasn't being possessed it was genetic. It was apart of Alexandria, and now apart of him.

He walked to the elevator and punched the down button. As the elevator came up, he pondered if what was written in the book why he was sent. 'Maybe, just maybe, they need a Zeppo, not just a Slayer.' Xander smiled as the doors opened.

As the elevator hit the main hall, Xander could actually hear Spike and Angel fighting. Yet what surprised was that he didn't hear it earlier.

"Wanker! He died protecting this place, and you want him to go out and fight it again. Well give me a moment while I say fuck you. He was the one person I loved. Hell, what I had with Dru wasn't was good or as complicated as what I had with Xan." Spike growled in rage.

"He is in the body of the new Slayer. News flash Spike, Pepito is the 'Slayer's problem'." Angel yelled back. Which caught Xander by surprise, he didn't know the broody Angel knew how to yell.

"You just are pissed because you have Xander, the man who is willing to fight with you on everything. Instead of Alexandria, who is usually following you around like a bitch in heat." Spike yelled back.

Xander sat back and watched the two fight it out. "Can I join, or is this a private battle?" Xander pointed out to the two master vampires.

Both vampires turned and glared at him. "Ok, I'll take it as a private battle. Well, I'm taking your car to kick some Pepito ass, Angel." Xander turned.

As Xander started to walk away, Spike caught his arm. "You are doing no such thing, pet."

"Spike, you aren't the boss of me. If Deadboy thinks I need to go, then I'll go. Not like I haven't died before." Xander cruelly pointed out.

"Pet, please, give us a chance to come up with a plan." Spike was desperate. He looked over at his Sire for help.

Angel nodded. "Xander, best not rush into these things." He tried not to look either of them in the face. Spike was dead set on letting Xander live till old age in Alexandria's body. Xander knew that he was sent for a reason. Angel, sadly, knew that too. It was the first time, since Xander breathed a last 'I will always love you' to Spike, that Spike let himself feel anything.

"Deadboy, you're contradicting yourself. First you say it's my problem. Now I shouldn't go and fight him. What is it Angel?" Xander waited for Angel's answer.

"I don't mean, when I say it's your problem, that you should fix it right now. I think we should plan out an attack strategy. Spike just doesn't want you to fight at all." Angel looked over, pleading with Xander.

"I'll wait, but not for long. The long we take the strong he becomes. I refuse to that happen." Xander looked at both vampires.

*****
Part 12:

It took a week to work up a plan. Xander looked over at Conner. 'He's more help then he looks.' Xander smiled. Which caused Spike to growl at Conner.

Conner on the other hand looked totally clueless. "You look like your dad when you do that." Xander laughed.

"Do what?" Conner asked, still confused.

"Your 'what the hell is going on' look is definitely a direct trait from Deadboy," Xander laughed. "Other then the hair, don't see any Darla traits."

Conner looked insulted. "I just pretend I got the hair color from Buffy. She was more a mom, then Darla."

Spike rolled his eyes. "You bunch of wankers can fight over who Conner's real mum is. I'll figure out how to defeat Pepito."

"Spike, don't get snippy. I was just commenting on the stupid look on Conner's face. You have to admit it's one of the few facial expressions that Deadboy is really known for." Xander laughed.

"So bloody what? We are trying to defeat the son of Satan." Spike rolled his eyes.

"Umm.Spike, I know. I was there when he first showed up and I'll be here when he is finally defeated." Xander looked at Spike like he was an idiot.

Angel walked into the room, a mug of blood in his hand. "You have been at it all night and most of the day. Some of us sleep during the day. Spike, it's time for all good vampires to be in bed."

"Not till we figure out the plan exactly." Spike growled at Angel, as he quickly took the cup from him. He downed it in a quick gulp, and handed back to Angel.

"Spike, I think we've gotten it as well as we can on the sleep we've all had." Xander placed an arm around Spike's stomach. "Lets get some sleep." With that Xander started to drag Spike towards the elevators.

"Let me go! I said, you bloody wanker, to let me go!" Spike protested, which got him thrown over Xander's shoulder.

Conner and Angel could only wave bye to Spike. Which got them the British's version of the finger.

As the day turned into night, Xander wander downstairs. He waved Conner into an office, then locked it. Conner placed a sound proofing spell on the room.

"So what's going on, Xander?" Conner looked at him, with a serious look.

"I know a way to take out Pepito permanently. But I need your help. I need to be one on one with him." Xander looked Conner straight in the eye. There was coldness in Xander's glaze that Conner couldn't put his finger on, but he knew he didn't like it.

"I can get you there, but I want Spike and Dad there as backup." Conner jingled Angel's car keys.

"Won't need backup." Xander definitely didn't want Spike there. That was apparent enough to Conner.

"How would you know? How did you figure on defeating him, attaching bombs to your chest and blowing him up?" Conner was getting tired of everyone's cloak and dagger attitude.

"You know that Slayers have prophetic dreams. Well, Giles came to me in one, he told me of a book. It contained some ideas on how to defeat Pepito." Xander waved a vague answer at Conner.

"Why didn't he give them to Mom?" Conner looked worried.

"Buffy wasn't really good at magic. She could never seem to find the calmness to perform any spells." Xander seemed to be concentrating on something.

"You were always a loop hole in the magic gig." Conner snapped his fingers in front of Xander's face. He looked almost like he was totally at peace.

"Conner, I might have trouble with magic, but it always works. Besides, love spells aren't meant for revenge. The Toth thing wasn't my fault, and that spell worked properly. So did Willow's 'let it be done' spell." Xander pointed out.

"So you think that you'll be able to do it?" Conner looked concerned. "What happened to the book?"

"That's how I know it will work. There was a self-destruction spell in it. I knew that the book couldn't fall into the wrong hands, or all would be lost. So I used the spell. Of course being me, I didn't realize till the book went up in blue flames what had happened." Xander explained it as if it was a strategy.

"Where was the blue flame? I don't remember seeing it." Conner once again had the stupid look of confusion.

"I burnt the book in a waste basket in Giles' room. Then I took the dust and placed it on the beds of Giles, Willow, Anya, Buffy, and Dawn. Then placed some on my bed. The spell was in a way encoded into my genetic structure of a Slayer. I knew what to do. So I did the spell. All the ash of the book was burnt and sent back to whence it came. Then I almost freaked thinking I was possessed again." Xander laughed a little.

*****