Title: The Magic Number

Author: meagan

Summary: Xander gets some more news. Set about four years after "Jumping to Conclusions."

Disclaimer: Of *course* they belong to someone else. I could never come up with characters like this. Specifically, they belong to Mutant Enemy, Fox, WB (even though they *really* don't deserve these guys after what they did to us in May), and anyone else I forgot. Except I will lay claim to Vinnie, Gillian, Sasha, and Delaney.

Rating: Let's say PG.

Spoilers: For this whole series of stories, everything, including "Graduation Part 2," season 4 rumors, and _Angel_ rumors. For this particular segment, nothing, really.

Distribution: Deadboy and Xander (of course), WWoMB, my site. Otherwise, please ask.

Feedback: Please. Those pesky voices have been bothering me again.

Note: Geez, I'm incredibly mean to Xander, aren't I? Well, he's a strong guy. He can handle this stuff. The title of this piece comes from De La Soul (I think they took it from Schoolhouse Rock). The name "Delaney" is courtesy of Jimmy Buffett (so my inspirations include nine inch nails, Digital Underground, Jimmy Buffett, and De La Soul? Ai yi yi. No wonder so many people tell me that I scare them).

Reversal 19: The Magic Number

by meagan

Vinnie sighed. Xander watched warily. He knew she liked her rum, but never had he seen her tossing back drinks with such grim determination. He counted five glasses on the table at the moment, and he had a feeling the table had been cleared at least once already. Not a good sign.

Finally, she broke the silence.

"I like you, Xander. I really do. You're a good dad and husband. I hate to have to say this, but I wish you weren't such a great person." The server brought over a fresh drink, and Vinnie asked for another before she even touched it. Gods forbid she should have a chance to sober up right now. Damned high tolerance. "If you weren't, I wouldn't have to do this."

Xander sat back, perplexed. It was a bad thing he was a good person. "Would you care to expand on that statement?"

She didn't look at him, just stared at the condensation forming on the outside of her glass. "You know Slayers are usually identified early in life so they can get the proper training, right?" He nodded. That had been the biggest problem the Council had experienced with Buffy. She had lived a normal life until her sophomore year of high school. Then all hell broke loose several times. Almost. She was able to prevent it in each instance. He slowly realized the demon was continuing. "Well, our group -- the one Whistler and I work with -- has decided that the whole Slayerette thing was a good thing."

That statement made him proud. They acknowledged his contribution and considered it a positive thing. So why was Vinnie attempting to make Robert Downey, Jr., look sober by comparison? "So what's your point? That I helped and that you guys recognize that?"

"Not quite." She sighed. "What we -- they -- recognize is that the Watchers' Council isn't quite doing the job it's supposed to. After the problems they had with Buffy during your last couple of years of high school, we decided to take things into our own hands. And now something is happening that you need to know about."

Watchers' Council. Buffy. The demons' group. Things he should know about. A small voice said, "She's coming back?"

The response was a snort. "No, not quite. Buffy isn't involved in this at all. It's about you."

He was thoroughly confused. "Could you just spit it out so I can deal with it and get on with my life? You're being even more cryptic than Angel."

"That's what happens when you've lived with Whistler for as long as I have." She sighed heavily. "I insisted on breaking this news to you myself. I thought it would be easier if you heard it from me, but now I'm realizing that I really have no business telling you this sort of thing." A small smile. "I feel like you're my son. Like I'm responsible for you and need to protect you from the big, bad boogedies out there." She drained yet another drink. "Okay, I'm just going to say this now before I lose my nerve. And before you get mad at him for not saying anything, Angel doesn't know about this. It's been kept in the group, and only a few key people know. Here's the deal: You guys -- you and Willow mainly, although Cordelia as well to some extent -- were crucial to Buffy's survival and will to fight. Never before had there been a Slayer with family and friends to help and support her. Not to mention give her a more tangible reason to fight. You know most Watchers are male, right? And Slayers are female. Well, men and women have different fighting styles -- reasons, really. Men tend to fight over abstract concepts like territory. Women fight to defend tangible things close to their hearts. Friends, family, children. It makes women fiercer fighters when it's time to get down to business. But the Council never took that into consideration. They always separated the Slayers from their friends and family, claiming that such ties were 'distractions' that would cause Slayers' attention to be drawn elsewhere in a battle. Buffy proved them to have their heads in places we had thought anatomically impossible. And she pulled through more world-ending situations than the previous five Slayers put together. It all comes down to you. The support you and Willow gave her in battle -- not to mention the fact that it gave her a *reason* -- forced her to make it," Finally, she met his gaze. "And now we need your help. We need your children to do what you did."

Shocked silence greeted her announcement. Finally, he found his voice. "You expect me to sacrifice them for some grand idea you have about greater good? Forget it." He stood to leave.

"You actually don't have a choice." Her words stopped him cold in his tracks. "You know that little redhead that Gillian brought home yesterday after school?"

"Delaney." She had reminded him of Willow -- red hair, serious face, pure sunshine on the rare occasions she smiled. He had wanted to scoop her up and warn her to not fall in love with her best friend, saving her from heartbreak later on. And to warn her to stay away from Sasha so his son would never have the chance to be the cause of it. He sat back down.

"Yeah. Delaney." Vinnie's voice sounded as sad as he felt. "It looks like she's a future Slayer."

His jaw clenched, his fists tightened. "So you sent her to us? You know how friendly and overhelpful Gillian is. You set us all up."

She flinched. "Do you really think that? Do you honestly believe that I would just send those two off to die? Xander, they're the closest thing to children that I have or ever will have. Some in the group didn't even want to warn you that this was happening. They wanted you to live in ignorance." She picked up his right fist, gently uncurling the fingers. "I wanted to give everyone a chance. You know what it's like to live the life your kids are going to experience. You can make sure they don't get thrown into it blind like you were." When he didn't respond, she continued. "And you can help Delaney's parents. They have no idea what they're in for. You know, *and* you're a parent. You will do anything for those two." She moved her chair next to his, embracing him as if he was a wounded child. "And so would I. Three's the magic number, Xander. Those three will be an undeniable force. You think Buffy was amazing? Just think what can happen with a Slayer who has an actual non-Watcher support network." She forced him to look in her eyes. "And you will be the cornerstone. You'll be knowledge and experience guy. Basically, Giles." She frowned. "Except without Ripper."

Now it was his turn to sigh, pulling away from her arms. "So it comes down to supporting my children in this or letting someone else's little girl get killed."

"Almost. It's really support your kids or let *them* get killed. Delaney can't do it by herself. She needs them, and they need you." More silence from him. "*We* need you. The Watchers don't have anyone with the background you have. And now that I've said that, it sounds incredibly selfish. We want to prove that we're better than them. But the *reason* we're better is because of you. The same reason Buffy was better. But, honestly, the reason *I'm* behind this decision all the way is because I have full confidence in you and your kids. You know how to fight and why. That's the big thing that the Council always ignored -- the why."

He wanted to leave. To bury his head under a pillow and never get out of bed again. To just walk away and take his kids some place the group would never find them. Instead, he looked at their hands still wrapped together. And said softly, "So when do we start?"

~~~ the end ~~~