Title: The Sanctuary

Author: Kate R.

abelard950@aol.com

Disclaimer: They are all Joss'

Rating: PG-13 to R...maybe?

Pairings: Giles/Ethan, others to be announced when I get there.

Summary: There is a place called the Sanctuary for those who need help.

Note: This is a complete and total AU. It is also a crossover


The Sanctuary
by Kate R.

Prologue: It Begins

He was looking for his place in this world. Rupert had found his but Ethan was still searching. He didn't know why he was here and why he'd survived everything life had thrown at him but he felt there had to be a reason. Some reason he was as he was.

He turned down an alley and heard voices yelling. Some adult, some teenaged. Ethan looked and saw three children trapped between cops and preachers and a gang. He could hear the choices and he sighed knowing this was wrong. Yelling at a child to choose your way, their way, or the streets alone led to the streets more often than not. There were five alleys, three were full, one was open and one led to hell. Ethan slowly walked to the fourth one.

"Maybe we'd be better on the streets!" One of the kids yelled.

Ethan saw one of them was barely 7 years old. "But I wont take Sammy and Joey back to that place where daddy can rape them!"

"And do you think that wont happen on the streets?" Ethan found himself asking and wondering when he'd come this close. Everyone turned to look at him and he kept his eyes focused solely on the three in front of him.

"You think the streets, or gangs will offer you better?"

"Better than a Jesus Freak or a kindness, go home to your parents hell, social worker!" The oldest girl screamed. The littlest one was a little boy and the middle one was a girl who looked somewhat slow.

"Really?" Ethan asked. "I do beg to differ. You see, I lived on the streets from the time I was the little one's age until the time I was 24. I have the scars of that life. I have the scars of gang life and the scars of being 'Saved' by the church. I have the scars of the system as well. Would you like to see them?"

"Then where can we go?" the girl asked. "There is no place for us."

"Yes, there is," Ethan, said softly thinking of the house he'd bought and was in the process of building on to. "I have a place. It isn't much but it's warm and safe and there is food and I ask nothing of you but that you stay there at night. All the doors can be locked from the inside. No one will be able to touch you there."

"You can't!" The man in the collar said.

"I can," Ethan, returned looking at the cops who were nodding at him, as the girl seemed to be listening. Ethan saw the gang slinking off and he walked forward slowly.

"Your way would force these children to run. I only offer safety and a place to think. No one will hurt you on my land. No one will be allowed to. Come with me. I wont let you fall."

"I can't...please..." the girls said in tears. "Please don't let me fall."

She began to cry then and Ethan moved forward and wrapped her in shi arms. He was strong and powerful but he was also allowing his aura to bleed the gentleness he normally hid from the world.

"I know," he soothed. 'You just want to keep them safe. I'll help you do that but you have to come with me."

The girl nodded and Ethan gently lifted the little boy into his arms and reached his hand down for the middle girl. The older girl smiled waterly. There was nothing sexual in his touches, nothing that would demand a price later. There was just a man offering shelter to three children in need of
it. Ethan stopped by the cops and gave them his address. He knew they would want to know and so he gave it. He gave his address and his name. His phone number and his face. The children would be safe with him if he gave all that. The children would be safer with him than on the streets at any rate. He seemed to be a good man. A bit tired but a good man.

*

Two moths later and those three were still there. As well as others the police brought him. The children helped him build on to the house, making it a compound almost. A campus, a safe place. The police often came with a something called Habitat for Humanity to build more into the house. To make it bigger, to make it safer, to make it more livable. Ethan was rich so they never wanted for food. His children, and those who came and stayed became his children, had this place where they could learn. They could go to school and learn trades or go to college and get jobs. he would allow it provided it was something they wanted to do. His place offered things to teach the children to care. There were animals and plants and games to be played and there was education if they were too afraid to leave the place. For he offered that as well. He would keep them safe until they could make it on their own. He taught them to be strong and healed them. He kept them safe and gave them hope. That was what he was spoon known for. He was known as Rain man. His rain washed the dirt off the pain filled lives of these children and gave them a clean start. He was Ethan to them. He was Dad.

His house, named the Alpha/omega was a place of beginnings and a place of endings. The ending of bad lives and the beginning of new, better ones. Ethan was change. Ethan was provider and teacher and helper and strength. Ethan was all that was needed and more. Ethan simply was.
And that was how it remained as thoughts of his own past life faded except to reach the children and provide a connection. Until one day a boy
came who would bring his old life slamming back into him at full speed.

"Ethan," Officer Davis said as he led a 15-year-old boy up to the house. "This is Alexander. His father has been beating him for years. I was hoping you could find room for him here?"

"You know I always have room," Ethan said. He still spoke with a British accent but that was he.

He was English. The officer left and Ethan looked at the boy. "Well, Alexander," he said. "Please, come in."

"Xander," the boy said. "My name is Xander."


END PROLOGUE