Title: Who wants to live forever?
Author: Adalisa
Email: [email protected]

Feedback: I love it. It's inspiring... and let's face it, it's the only real reason to keep writing.
Distribution: My site, XanderSlash' archive. Anyone else, just ask.
Web site: http://members.tripod.com/luxshine/

Summary: Xander has an unfortunate accident during his summer trip.
Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Xander and all the Btvs characters belong to Joss Wheldon, Fox network, and WB. Corey Raines belongs to whoever owns Highlander, I don't know who they are. Still, I'm not doing this for profit, so please, don't sue.

Content: X/Other.

Warning: This has m/m. You should know that already, since you found this.
Spoilers: Choices.
Notes: I've only seen three episodes of Highlander. Yeah, I know. I'm missing a great series. But for some reason, I never get on time to see it. Anyway, one of those episodes I was so lucky to get was Corey Raines' introduction. I fell in love with him. I mean, besides the fact that he is _Nicholas Lea_ and I'm a big fan of him, Corey's personality stuck me as great. Then I saw Choices, with Xander's decision to travel around the States to find himself. I couldn't resist. The plot bunny bite and bite hard. I really hope you like this and forgive any mistake I did regarding Highlander' canon.

It all began with a casual look at the guy behind the counter. A look so casual, that nothing could have told Corey Raines that there would be troubles.

Of course, all of his troubles started in a similar way, but he was not going to debate the issue.

He had known from the moment he entered the dinner that the guy was a premmie. It was not usual that he could feel premmies, but there was no mistake. The young teenager, barely pass 18 if his guess was right, would become an immortal if he died in any violent kind of way.

Unlike most immortals, Corey had always prized himself on not caring. As long as his head remain over his shoulders, there could be a thousand immortals for all he was concerned. And for the same reason, he never paid any attention to the young immortals he had met. At least, not since Amanda.

But there was something on the brown-eyed boy that kept drawing his attention. It was the kind of kid that you never noticed on the street or at schools. He looked common. But there was something behind his eyes that made him different. The kid had a look that said that he had seen many things that most mortals couldn't imagine.

And then, there was the fact of a little conversation Corey had caught between the kid and the waitress the second day he had been there. Some of the customers were harassing the waitress the day, and the kid stood between them, defending her even when the other men looked stronger than him. Although Corey had not seen the confrontation, it was very obvious he had been sorely beaten for his noble intent. It was amazing he had been able to stand.

"You have a death wish, Xan." The waitress had said, while tending the kid's injuries. "If this keeps up, you will die very young."

"Oh, you know me, Sarah. Besides, who wants to live forever?"

After that, Corey grew more and more interested in the kid. He learned that the kid's name was Alexander Harris, but preferred to be called Xander, or Xan... never Alex; he was 18 years old and he lived in a little town called Sunnydale and that had the foolhardy decision to travel across the country during his summer vacation, just to see the world and live a little adventure.

Perhaps that had been what called Corey. Sure, it was a foolish thing to do, but Corey had had those ideas in his time too... Like when he crossed China without a cent to his name and ended in a harem with a very pissed Duncan... It was that sense of adventure what could draw the immortal thief to the kid's charm.

Carefully, he planned the way to introduce himself to Xander; it wouldn't do to inform him now that he was an immortal because when one knew he was not going to die, ever... one tended to be careless. So his plan was to follow the kid around, make sure he didn't get killed... and later inform Duncan or Adam... they would know what to do better than himself.

However, Xander managed to destroy said plans without knowing. Instead of waiting for his car to be repaired, he took off by bus, and Corey missed his departure. Only by bribing the waitress he managed to find out which was the boy's next destination.

The weather that day didn't help either. What started as a light morning rain, became a full-fledged storm in matter of minutes. Visibility was minimal at best and Corey had to drive very slowly in order to keep the car on the road.

The bus driver was not that lucky.

Corey almost passed the accident without taking notice, but something made him stop at the steep curve, and he could see the scorched remains of the bus. A quick survey revealed that every one had died at the impact, so he knew he didn't had much time to waste. Even if the accident hadn't been obvious, the police would appear sooner or later.

With extreme care, he removed Xander's body from the debris, thankful that the boy's neck was intact. He carried the body to his car, and then returned to find Xander's backpack, and erase all evidence that he had been on the bus.

He knew that waking from your first death was always a shocking experience... And waking up at any time in a morgue always lead to trouble.

With those reasons in mind, he drove back to town, keeping an eye on the road to see if the police arrived on time, wondering what he would say to Xander when he woke up. How could he explain to the boy that everything in his life would change drastically, that he had to leave everything behind?

Lost in his thoughts, he looked back at the dead body at his side. Apart from the blood covering his forehead and chest, where a rather large piece of metal had pierced his lungs, Xander seemed almost peaceful. Now Corey could see why he had been attracted to the boy in the first place... Xander was not at all a common face, not when one looked at him closely. His brown hair, rumpled over his pale skin, his thick eyebrows, the thin line that was his mouth...

And the deep brown eyes that opened in shock to meet Corey's.

It was time to start explaining.

"So... you're an immortal, around 100 years old... And now I'm immortal too? I won't grow old, I won't stay dead for long, unless someone cuts my head off..." Much to Corey's surprise, Xander was taking the news with a strange calm. The boy's voice was filled with something between sarcasm and cynicism, almost as if the news of his true nature were as common as asking a Big Mac with Fries. "And other immortals actually will try to cut my head if our paths cross for no other reason than the fact that I'm immortal. Did I miss something?"

In some corner of his mind, Corey wondered if Xander would use the same tone to announce the end of the world, and chuckled. "I know it might sound ridiculous, but..."

"Oh, no. Not at all." Xander smiled. "Considering where I grow up... It almost sounds like a good thing..."

That made Corey blink, surprised. Of all the possible reactions he had expected, this one wasn't even on the list.

When Xander had opened his eyes, the teen had been terrified and the first thing he had done had been check his neck, looking for a pulse. Then he had touched his face, almost as if he expected to find horns on it... All of the process had struck Corey as odd, but not as much as when the kid had asked for a cross.

By the time they reached the hotel, Xander had calmed down enough for Corey to begin his explanation about the Immortals and the game, only to be interrupted by the kid's laughter when he had mentioned the Watchers.

"A good thing?" He repeated, wondering if he had heard wrong.

"Sure. I could be a vampire..."

"Vampires don't exist." Corey tried to smile, but Xander laughed, shaking his head.

"I bet they say the same thing about immortal humans..." The boy suddenly became serious, and looked at the older man. Corey sighed inwardly, wondering if he had ever seen such expressive eyes before. "What am I supposed to do now? Go back home and be careful of no one finding out I can't die?"

"You can't go back home, Xander. Once you 'die' you have to be ready to start a new life..." The thief sighed, knowing fully well how bad Xander would feel now. "Besides, I have to teach you how to use a sword."

"Why? I am not going to go around cutting other people's heads! And... well... no one knows I died! You said you took me away from the accident before the police arrived. Without a body..."

"Xander!" Corey rose his hand, to stop the teenager from babbling. "It's not that easy. Look, do you hear a soft humming on the back of your head?" He waited until Xander nodded, puzzled.

"I thought it was just an after-effect of... well... dying..."

"You can say that." Smiling, Corey continued. Just because he had never taught a new immortal, it didn't mean that he couldn't do it. He just had to remember how frightened he had felt the first time he had died... or his first duel. "That's me. I mean... you're sensing me near. And you will feel the same every time an immortal approaches you. You see, it's good you and me, and some others aren't that interested in the game... but there are others who only live for the duels. They hunt us, and challenge us to gain our power and experience. If you don't learn how to defend yourself, you'll find your final death very soon." Before continuing, the thief walked to his trunk, and pulled out his sword, letting Xander admire it. "This is the only weapon you can use to defend yourself... And the only place where you will be safe is on sacred ground, and even that is no garrentee of safety for long. That's why you have to learn how to fight."

Xander held the sword, silently, and Corey knew that the teenager was processing all what had happened in the last day. He knew it wasn't easy, even when his own awakening had been a lot ruder... Even when he had really no family to abandon when it had happened. "I can stay with you for two months. But then I have to go back to my hometown."

"What?! Xander...!!"

"No, listen..." Xander breathed deeply, and Corey couldn't help himself. He shut up and waited to whatever the boy had to say. "No one knows I died, and no one has to know. My friends need me, and I won't let them down. So I stay with you , and I promise I'll do whatever you ask me to do. But after two months, I'm going back to Sunnydale."

Finally, Corey agreed. Two months weren't nearly enough to teach Xander all what he needed, but he was going to try and use the time to convince his new pupil to stay. And fleetingly, he wondered what kind of good friends the new immortal had to be able to inspire such loyalty.

Three weeks later, Corey was really impressed. Although Xander had swore to him that he had never grabbed a sword in his life, the kid was doing an impressive progress. Apparently, two months were going to be enough, even when Corey really didn't want to part with his young charge so soon.

At some point, Xander had mentioned something about military training, and that, at least, was obvious for Corey. The young immortal had a great sense of strategy, planning and discipline when training, especially under stress. It didn't add up to what Xander had revealed about his life in the quiet little town of Sunnydale, but it was there.

And that was the thing that really got to Corey's nerves. Xander didn't talk much about Sunnydale, not really. He did mentioned his friends, so much that the thief was sure that he could recognize all of them without any trouble, but every time he would launch in a story, the kid would stop himself. Babbling, maybe even stuttering, Xander would avoid at all costs explain why he had become friends with Buffy Summers, why he wanted to go back to Sunnydale. The military training remark had been an accident, and no matter how much Corey had pried later, he hadn't been able to get more information.

Xander had gotten very good with the sword, especially since Corey got him a sword of his own, explaining how he had to be very careful concealing it. Xander had laughed a little, asking him if the trench coats were the regular uniform for immortal creatures, while testing the weight of the new weapon, just as Corey had taught him to do. Then Corey had discovered that he really, really liked Xander's laugh.

And he was starting to miss the times when he really didn't care for new immortals.

"Xander... aim higher!" They were fighting together, as part of Xander's training, and Corey had quickly found the main problem with his charge' technique. Unlike most, Xander did fight to kill. Even if he hadn't faced any other immortal, the young man understood that the duels were to death, and trained accordingly. However, instead of going for the neck, Xander always attacked to the heart. "If you don't cut the head..."

"My enemies won't really die." Xander finished. But even as his voice made the words sound like a resigned acceptance of defeat, he flickered his wrist to and managed to disarm Corey, kicking the older man's legs just as the thief had taught him, then proceeding to sit over Corey's chest, pointing the sword to the chest. "But it will give me enough time to cut their heads. Especially if I'm fighting against more than one."

Corey blinked. It did made sense, and it was a plan that as far as he knew no other immortal had ever tried. But that was not what made him pause. It was the feeling of Xander's warm body over his chest. It had been a long while since he had had a partner, and Xander was a very welcome company. A company he did not want to loose. "The duels are always between two combatants, Xander... It's unlikely that you will have to face more than one enemy."

Xander shrugged, and got to his feet, holding up his hand to his master. "Maybe... but it's better to be ready."

Corey couldn't help but laugh. It was strange, and fun, and somewhat silly, the way in which Xander passed from serious to joking, from open to secluded.

He really was going to miss his company.

The two months passed, almost unnoticed. But of course, the time came for Xander to go, even when Corey tried to convince him to stay. Not really because of the training, because Xander had been really disciplined, and he had learned all he could before actually fighting a duel. But simply because of the company.

Despite himself, Corey had come to care a lot for the young boy.

"Say... you can visit, right?" Xander asked, as he finally placed his last bag on the back seat of his uncle car. "I mean... there's no rule against us seeing again, right?"

"No. Of course not." The thief smiled at that, holding his hand to shake Xander's. But as always, the younger man surprised him, by hugging him tightly.

"Thanks, Corey..." Xander whispered, as tears threatened to leave his eyes. "Thank you for not making me feel useless... thanks for... everything..."

Now, Corey was a man of impulses. During all his life, both before he realized it was going to be eternal, and when he thought that every day was going to be the last. And thus, no one could blame him when he leaned in Xander's embrace, or when he lifted the face of the young man, tilting it to a side and brushed his lips to the younger man.

Why he had done it? Maybe it was the way Xander's eyes shone when he spoke, maybe the sadness tinting his voice when he said his good-bye. Whatever it was that lead to that brief tender touch, it was not important. What was important was that for a short moment, Xander leaned in to the kiss, before pulling way, startled.

"I..I... Corey... did you just... kissed me?"

"I'm sorry, Xander. I was stupid. I should never have done that..." Corey immediately berated himself. In all the time they had been together, he hadn't seen a single sign that Xander would be interested in men. And just because sooner or later all immortals decided to experiment a little, that gave him no right to impose that to Xander. "I understand if you just don't want to see me again... or if you want to cut my head...but I rather have you not doing that last one"

"No." Xander shook his head, blinking twice, before smiling. " I mean... I don't want to cut your head... It's... It's right were it should be... On your neck... I mean..." The young man breathed deeply, looking right into the other immortal's eyes. "I... I think I liked it but... I need time. I have to go back to my friends and... And I really have to think about... everything. Still, Id' like to see you again."

"Two months?" Corey asked the question with a smile, and brushed the hair off Xander's face with his hand, softly.

"Two months." A smile in return was his answer. And Corey knew everything was going to be all right.

As long as both kept their heads on their shoulders.

Xander arrived home very early in the morning, to find his mother packing, while his father talked hurriedly on the phone.

"Mom? Dad? What's going on?" He quickly dropped his bags on the hall, running to help his mother. Even when sometimes his family life left much to be desired, and his mother tended to forget his name, Xander loved them dearly. The first reason why he had not accepted to disappear in the night at Corey's side had been his family. He did not wanted to cause them any pain.

"Your Aunt Melissa called... she's... her husband had an accident. She needs us there, Xander." His mother told him, as she handed him a couple of suitcases, to put at the door. "I'm so glad that you came back now, I was getting worried..."

"I'm sorry for that, Mom..." Xander hugged her, and waved to his dad. "Can I do something to help?"

"Get a job and take care of the house!" Xander's father hung up the phone, and turned to see his son. "Can you do that? We don't know how much time Melissa will need us. She had her babies when you were away."

"Babies? They were twins?" Xander asked, just as he followed his mother upstairs, where she surely had another two suitcases that needed to be brought to the first floor. "I think I can take care of things here..."

"Well, you have stayed alive during high school, dear, I'm sure you can manage..." His mother gave him another suitcase, then followed him downstairs again. It was the usual routine for the numerous Harris' family. It was also one of the reasons why Xander avoided the Christmas' drunken fights. It was hard to keep count of which side of the family had needed more help during the year, and Xander disliked how people who usually were helpful turned into bickering beasts.

"Triplets. She'll need all the help she can get." His father had already carried the first two suitcases to the car, and was coming back for the third and fourth. "We left you some money and a note explaining everything, in the usual place... And if things get serious, I will get a transfer from the company so we can stay with her longer. But get a good job, son. I don't want you starting a miserable life."

"Don't worry about it, Dad. Say hi to Aunt Melissa for me."

When they were gone, Xander sighed. It was not the first time he was left alone at home, but it was the first time his father had been so insistent on the fact that he was going to be responsible for it. Usually one of his older brothers or another aunt volunteered to take charge of things.

Now, that too had changed.

Closing the door behind him, Xander sighed. He had decided to go and see the world, mainly because he wanted to prove that he could do it. And somehow, all his life had changed in that trip. He had many things to think about, not only getting a job, that would give him something to eat and keep the house, just as his parents had told him to do, but also to be free when Buffy needed him. He needed a place to keep his sword and a good excuse to practice just as he had promised Corey he would.

He had to think about the kiss that Corey had given him.

But first, he wanted to call Buffy, Willow and everyone, finding out how they were doing now.

There was time for everything else later.

In fact, he thought smiling,' I have all the time in the world. '

The end.