Title: Same Ole New

Rating: NC17

Spoilers: none

Summary: Xander leaves Sunnydale for New Orleans for a new job and a new life.

Notes: Anya is dead, Buffy never died the second time Tara and Willow and just friends now. Giles has a new post with the Watchers and Spikes chip no longer works. Please let me know what you think.

Same Ole New
By J.J.Murphy

Over the last year, the Scooby Gang had left him out more and more "for his own protection," Buffy had said.

"Because" Willow had said" he didn't have any special powers." Only to turn around and use him as bait for some demon they wanted to kill or lure out for a talk about a hellmouthy matter. However, because he was loyal guy he let them.

Xander sighed as he walked home form the Magic shop. Willow had called earlier and told him that he needed to come to the shop right then for a very important a matter of life and death. When he had gotten to the Magic Shop- not even 10 minutes after Willow had called-they were all gone. There was just a note for him taped to the door. Taking it down and read it "Xander, Don't need you. Go home. Will call you sometime tomorrow."

"What am I a dog called to and sent a way at their leisure?"

Xander said as he walked past the Martin Family Crypt at the Woodlawn Cemetery.

Two vamps stepped out from behind the crypt and fell into step a few feet behind Xander as he ranted. Xander for his part felt the vamps behind him and was waiting for the right time to turn and stake them.

Without warning, he turned and looked the vamps up and down saying, "Don't you people ever learn? I mean: I know you are all brain-dead but one would think that by now you would have learned who not to follow around in hopes of a meal. I know what you are, and how to kill you. So unless you want to become dust piles: leave," he said in a cold voice that seamed to do the trick.

The vamps turned and ran. Xander looked behind him, but saw nothing, so he continued home.

Two days later Xander was sitting at the Magic shop with Buffy and the gang. They were complaining about classes, and which professors were trolls or gnomes. For the most part, the consensus was that all the professors were demons. Xander headed to the back of the shop where the training room was located. Spike was in there watching TV. "Hey Fangless" Xander said, "What's up?"

"Not much" Spike said "just watching telly Pet, Passions is about to come on." Spike nodded toward the TV. "Pull up a seat" Spike took a drag off the ever present cigarette "What's that lot
out their yapping on about" Spike said looking out toward the front of the shop

"Oh not much" Xander said" just which of the professors at the U are demons or other supernaturals. Personally, I think they are all normal and that Buffy and Willow just cannot see that nondemons have the potential to do bad things as well.

Xander and Spike sat there for over three hours first watching Passions then Days then local news. After the last credit rolled Xander stood stretched and headed to the front of the shop the lights were out and the closed sign was up Buffy and Willow had left with out saying a word "Great, nice of them to tell us they were leaving." Said Xander "would that have been so hard, I meanthey knew we were back there."

Spike just shook his head "Out the other way then, I'll teach you all the vamp routes yet Pet."

"Thanks Spike just what I always wanted to know more sewerlines." Xander smiled

"So you up for a spot of violence "Spike asked

"No thanks Spike, I have to be on the site early tomorrow, see you in the morning on my way out." Xander said

"Sure Pet, see you at sun rise," Spike said as he turned and headed for Willies Bar.

Xander walked home "Maybe I'll take Jake up on the New Orleans job," he thought as he arrived home letting himself in he went straight to bed, "he would make up his mind in the morning.

The next morning after leaving a bleary-eyed Spike watching morning cartoons Xander arrived a little earlier than his normal 6 am at the mobile Offices Blodgette Construction he had made up his mind

"Hey Jake you here?" Xan called loudly stepping into the big mobile office.

"Back here" Jake answered from off to Xander's right "What can I do for you this morning?" Jake asked indicating that Xander should sit down "You ready to take me up on that New
Orleans job?" Jake asked he had approached Xander over a month ago about the job.

"Yeah" Xander said "I am when do I need to be there"

Jake sat down "Five weeks from Monday" He said "you'll have plenty of time to take care of things here before you leave, we already have a place for you to stay and the company will pay for you to move there. Plus" Jake said smiling "you get a pay raise and an expense account so you can live it up a little while you are there. You know the job will take at least two years if not more."

"Yes I know" Xander said "I am ready for a change and you did say that I was good enough to do the job."

"That I did," said Jake "Look take the rest of the week off to square things away here." He said

Xander left the job site an three hours later with the address of the Hotel Orleans and a check for his travel expenses. After a quick stop at the grocer and a few other places Xander was ready to go home and figure out how to tell the girls that, he was moving to New Orleans for the next five years.

END PART 1