Series: Families

Webpage http://myiaka.googlepages.com/familes

Disclaimer – I don't own anyone in BtVS, NCIS, CSI:NY. They all belong

to their rightful people and owners. I am just playing with the

characters in order to get this stupid plot bunny out of my head.

AN: I am messing with the Timeline in BtVS badly. I am putting it starting current.

So that the group is in high school in todays atmosphere (cell phones are norm,

etc). Also expect a lot of OOCness. Since I am messing with the Buffy crew as

well as the NCIS and CSI:NY teams, many things won't go as planned. Also

BtVS will be starting at the begining of 2nd season, while I will keep NCIS and

CSI:NY as close to the current seasons as possible.

AN2: This started with two bunnies that are now trying to merge. The

first was what if there was a reason for Xanders parents to drink; the second is

what if when Buffy and the others weren't upset with Angel offering Xander to Spike, he decided to step back emotionally from them.

Thanks To my wonderful beta Takikioni who had to put up with my lack of punctuation and strange phrasing and tried turning it into normal English. Any mistakes are mine.

Looking around you would think you were in any typical suburb in America, lots of cookie cutter homes with basements, that is if you didn't realize how strange it was for houses built in California to have basements. As you look around the block one house stands out, the yard isn't as green and manicured, the bushes bushier than the neighbors, the entire house had the gentle feel of slight neglect.

In the basement of the house a woman was sorting clothes and mumbling, "I don't know how Xander got so hard on clothes... God my grandfather better never hear him being called Xander, he would throw a fit "The name is Alexander, not Alex, not Al. Alexander." I think grandmother even called him that, then again considering why she married him, it's not like he really liked her. What in the blazes is this?" She holds up a small stake she had taken out of a pair of Xanders pants. "Oh Shit. Xander. Oh hell above and below, when and how did you learn. Shit! Jesse, haven't seen Jesse around lately. Shit. Oh Hell... The new girl he talks about Bethy.. Betty.. no something inane and stupid... Buffy. Oh shit. Tony, need to talk to Tony he needs home now. Shit if Xander found out and they find Xander. Shit."

Pulling the cordless phone out of her pocket she pressed the speed dial number for her husband. "Tony, Jess. I think you really need to come home. I think Jesse may have joined that gang thats running around on PCP." The crash of Anthony Harris Assistant Vice President of Finance falling out of his chair and cursing was heard clearly through the phone. "Yeah, and looks like Xander may have taken up whittling. See an interesting looking piece of wood fell out of his pocket, a nice and pointed piece of wood. Yeah 10 minutes is fine – I will stall him if he comes and tries to leave."

After hanging up and putting the phone back in her pocket she looked at the clothes and steeled her nerves. "Oh Hell, I hate the thought, better start taking a closer look at all his clothes. Is that ichor? Oh hell, it is. Well, at least detergent is better now, won't have to soak it for 3 days in lye, vinegar and soap like we use to have to. Lots of dust... lots and lots of dust, Xander, oh Xander."

Above the door opens and you hear footsteps. "Hey Mom, is it ok if Wills eats over?" Jessica Harris looked at the ceiling yelling back up, "Sure Xander, what were you thinking, chinese or pizza?" Mumbling to herself again, "Willow, forgot about her, wonder how she is mixed up in this. Oh hell."

Just then the phone rang. Jess could hear that Xander had picked it up. "Mom, Uncle Rory on the line, he sounds strange." He called down the stairs. "Thanks Xander!" She then hit talk on her phone "Hey Rory." At his reply of "Hey Jess," they both heard the other line click off, "Tony called, hope you don't mind another for dinner tonight Jess?" "No problem Rory, Xander invited his friend Willow over, so the more the merrier."

Even through the phone Rory could hear the strain and shivers going through Jess's body. "Yeah let me clean up and I will be over." Rory said before hanging up. After looking at more clothes and starting the laundry Jess slowly climbed the stairs. As she climbed up the stairs by the kitchen both Xander and Willow look over at her. She could see the frown forming on Xanders face. She smiled at him slightly and looked over at Willow, her smile widening. "So have you two decided what we are having for dinner?" Willow looked at Xander, who was watching his mother.

Just then Tony came through the door and smiled at everyone. After kissing Jess on the cheek he looked at Xander and smiled, "So have you decided what we are having for dinner?" By this time the look on Xander's face was getting very intense and Willow's was showing confusion. Just as Xander was about to open his mouth, the door opened and Rory walked in smiling. Xander looked closely at them. "Ok whats going on? Dad's home about three hours early at least and Rory is over early. Let alone mom looks like she found out someone is dying. Oh My God, someone is dying!!" Rory looked at Xander sharply. "Yes people are dying but none that we care about. Calm down."

This caused both Xander and Willow to look at Rory. Jess looked over at Willow. "Willow, where are your parents?" Willow got a wild look in her eyes and looked at Xander. Xander looked at his mother then nodded at Willow. "They went to a convention in Baltimore then a circuit of guest lectures around the Mid West." Tony and Rory both shook their heads at that.

Jess just looked at Rory. "Order or takeout?" She asked. "Takeout – Xander and I will grab Subway and come back. Willow does Xander know your selections for sandwiches?" At Willows nod Rory grabbed Xander and headed towards his car.

After Rory and Xander left, Tony headed upstairs to change clothes while Jess sat down to talk with Willow. She could see Willow was in a panic. Jess laughed to herself, 'Wonder what all she's worried about, guess I should give her some advise since her parents are gone.' "So Willow, how long will your parents be gone this time?"

"Oh they are due back around the first of the year!" Willow replied.

"Willow, that is over four months away."

"Yeah, they made sure the bills will be paid and they know I don't throw parties or anything like that." Willow blushed red then blurted out, "They know Xander and I wont do anything so you don't have to worry, it's not even like he thinks of me as a girlfriend so we don't really need to have a talk that."

Jess laughed. "Willow, you have been a sister to Xander since you met. In many ways you are closer than a girlfriend will ever be. I'm hoping you will become a sister of his heart. Just like I am to Danny and Antonio." Jess looked over at Willow, something had been bugging Jess about Xanders' reactions to Willow and now seemed like a good time to figure out what was going on. "Willow, what is going on between you and Xander? Last year you were close friends, this year I see distrust in his eyes when he looks at you, sometimes it's like you betrayed his friendship or something."

Willows face went white and she started shaking her head. " No, I would never, he knows I would never, I mean it's for his best interest, and he doesn't understand, but I would never betray him."

Jess gave Willow a pointed look. "Seems you have many times by that ramble. What is more important than an old friend that has been with you since kindergarten? Is he no longer "cool" to be around? Did you start hanging out withHarmony? Or trying to imitate her?"

Willow went red, then white, while Jess was talking. The look in her eyes was the realization slowly forming. Jess decided that while Willow was thinking it would be a good time to find out more, and Willow may have learned the babble from Xander, but she never learned distraction, which Xander excelled at with the babble so she was actually informative. "Tell me about Buffy. Xander was very hyped about her some last year and this year you could almost hear disgust in his voice."

After listening to Willow babble for a few minutes Jess looked at her. "Do you know how many times you just said "Buffy said" or "Buffy did"? Did you even notice that not once while we were talking did

you say how you felt about Buffy but everything was what Buffy thought and wanted. Maybe you did become Harmony."

With that Jess got up leaving Willow thinking in the kitchen, and met Tony in the living room. He just opens his arms and she slides in.

A few minutes later Rory and Xander returned. Everyone headed into the living room to eat, Willow grabbing sodas from the fridge for her and Xander, plus beers for the adults.

As everyone was about to sit down a small fire breaks out on the coffee table. "Shit Rory control yourself." Jess said and waved her hand causing the flames to go out. Rory took a beer and swallowed a big gulp of it. "Sorry, just.... you know?" He said.

Willow was looking on with interest. "Oh! You do blackmagic too. I'm just learning, isn't it fun?" With that everyone looks at her.

Xander says "Why are you learning BLACK magic?"

"Because its easy and fun. It will help a lot." Willow replied with a bounce.

Jess put down her sandwich and beer down at the table, takeing the sandwich out of Willow's hand before hauling her up and Jess sat down, bringing Willow face down over her knees. A smack is heard quickly after and Jess starts muttering again all the while still spanking Willow. "Of all the stupid reasons, it's easy and fun," the idiot says. How stupid is she, bet she either skipped over the warnings or said something inane like 'I'm stronger willed than that so it wont affect me,' oh how stupid. We are on a well of evil and she is pulling evil to her! Responsibility and accountability, obviously two things her parents never taught her! Then again, how any parent could leave their own child alone for months without an adult or even letting any adult know. If CPS was worth anything in this town they would be in jail for abandonment." Jess ranted before she stopped and let Willow stand up.

Willow looked stunned and fearful. Rory snorted. "So did you read the warnings or skip them entirely?" He asked.

"Um, what warnings?" Willow asked timidly.

Jess looked her in the eye "Lets see your books on magic NOW Willow."

"Jess calm down – your starting to show." Rory warned.

"Shit! Ok. Where is a beer? Need to make it so I can't accidentally cast."

"Why the beer Mom? Uncle did the same thing, reached immediately for a beer after starting the fire?"

"Beer dulls your senses, most liquors do. By keeping the senses dulled and mind slightly off focus so we can't accidentally show our powers. The last thing anyone involved in white magic does, is it on a Hellmouth. The corruption to the soul with each bit of magic performed takes along time to clear out and grows so easily." Jessica replied to her son.

"So your saying doing magic here corrupts the user?"

"Xander, think of the evil here as radiation. Every time someone performs a spell here, even a protection spell, they are opening themselves up to the radiation. As they perform more spells it spreads and soon their thinking is changed and their justifying things that they would never had agreed to before."

"But wouldn't the alcohol make it easier for it to get out?"

"If it was in excess yes, however, since all we are doing is a slight numbing and all our protections are linked to things like my necklace.. The items hold the protection spells on them and if we are "buzzed" we can't call anything." Jess explained, answering Xanders questions calmly.

Willow returned with her backpack and started pulling out books. Tony took the top one and opened it. Xander looked at the books. "G-man let you take those? I thought he had them locked up because he didn't want us near them?"

All the adults eyes looked at Willow. Tony started looking through the book and then at Willow. "I really want to know if this G-man knows you have these? Or did you borrow them without telling him?"

There was something in his voice Xander couldn't decipher, but the look on Willows face he knew well "You stole them didn't you. G-man didn't give you permission to take them."

Willow looked at him like he betrayed her. "He would of but he was busy and I didn't want to bother him."

Tony snorted "I seriously hope he never wanted you to read this book. Why did you take this one Willow?"

"It looked like it had some helpful spells in it!"

"Did he offer you beginning books that may not of had as helpful spells in them?"

"Ms. Calender did but they weren't that useful and they spent a lot of time talking about working slow and lots of meditation. I knew I could do things faster than they were talking about because I'm a good student." Willow stopped babbling at the looks in the adults eyes. The disapproval she saw was something she wasn't familiar with. The only time her parents had looked at her like that she had gotten a B in gym and they let her know she failed them. "I'm still a straight A student. My schoolwork is great."

Rory looked at Willow. "What does your schoolwork have to do with you stealing books on subjects you shouldn't be studying?"

"But I always skip ahead if I know stuff. Mom and Dad said it's the only way to really learn when the classes are below your level."

Xander looked at Willow in puzzlement "Why does your parents keep you in a school that they consider below your level? Aren't there schools you could go to that are at your level? Its not like your coming home to your parents every night, most of the year they are gone."

"I would say its the Hellmouths' influence except they seem to be off it most of the year." Tony muttered while flipping through another of the books Willow had. He then straightened and looked sharply at Willow. "Have you tried any spells from this Grimore?"

Willow looked at the book he was holding up and slowly nodded "Yeah, they have a neat spell on protection circles."

Jess and Rory groaned, Xander looked at his dad with a questioning look. Rory answered his look "It is a book on demon worshiping. The protection circles she is talking about are for when you call a demon to work with, it deals with them only."

Willow started shaking her head. "No it says it's for your protection."

The adults laughed at Willow, she was turning red as she realized that they thought she was foolish.

Tony looked at her "This is the spell you tried right?." Willow looked at the book then nodded. Tony smiled at her. "Then would you please read this paragraph here out loud to all of us?"

Willow took the book and looked down to start reading. "The following protection circle is for the benefit of the caster when starting your demon summoning. Remember to always use the circle to contain the demon until the deal is agreed upon by both sides and finalized. While most lower demons will not harm the caster, once the deal is struck it is always recommended to remember to include that in the deal... But it said it was a protection spell! I ..."

"You thought you were so smart and advanced that you didn't need to read the warnings and descriptions?" Rory interupted. "Why hasn't this Ms. Calender or G-Man watched what you are doing and taught you properly?"

"Who is this G-Man?" Tony asked to a startled Willow knowing she would answer. Xander looked at his father. "The librarian Rupert Giles."

"Ah shit, wonder how they got Ripper back into the fold. He was running wild when we left." Rory exclaimed.

"So he must be that Fluffy's watcher." Jessica said with a smirk.

"Buffy" Willow promptly corrected.

"Thanks Harmony." Jess replied, causing Willow to frown and Xander to smirk.

"Hold it! You know Watchers so you know about the Slayer and how special she is right! So you understand why I need to know this magic." Willow exclaimed happily.

The adults all start laughing. Xander looked at his father and Tony looked backand smirked. "One girl in all the world to fight the darkness. WOW! That girl must be busy and always moving otherwise how would she be able to fight the darkness everywhere. I mean how many demons, vampires, and other beasties are there and you expect one girl is keeping the world safe. Considering they have a life expectancy of a Mayfly?"

Xander smirked "Cannon fodder?" All the adults start nodding their head.

Rory then explained "Yep, thats how the Watchers Council likes them. Notice they use girls who, until this century, were considered property in most of the world and easily removed from homes without problems and no one cared if they were killed. If you use boys, well they were expected to fight in an army or hunt for food. Not to mention boys are more rebellious and would start to fight back, especially against father figures. While girls are known to be more 'daddy's little girls' and try to please them. Thats why most of the Watchers are older men. Nice father figures for the girls." Rory replied.

Willow was frowning "But Giles book said..."

Willow stopped as all the adults started laughing. Jess looked at her. "Yes, and Giles book was written by the Watchers to be handed to the Slayer what did you expect it to say? "Gee, your cannon fodder because we want to control you and make sure you die before you realize what we are up to?" Think about the source Willow."

Tony looked at Xander. "Do you still trust Willow with your secrets?"

"No." Xander replied. "She is a friend but not someone I trust with secrets." Seeing Willows startled expression and start of a hurt look he looked at her coldly. "After all would you trust someone who when a supposed ally handed you to the enemy all they say is 'At least your useful,' especially considering that ally you dislike to begin with and the enemy is a vamp?"

"But Angel said it was just a diversion and he didn't mean it?"

"And the fact he took me in there with his arm around my neck, offered to share me with Spike and then ran leaving me there means nothing to you. Because Buffy said it was ok. Well it wasn't. What I have studied of Vamps that was major, especially since Spike called Angel his Sire."

"And this vampire Angel still lives after offering you to William the Bloody?" Rory asked.

"Why yes, you can find him and the slayer somewhere making out." Xander replied.

"Thats not fair Xander. It was just a diversion." Willow claimed hotly.

Rory looked at Willow with disapproval "No it wasn't. Right now Xander is officially a Sires gift from Angelus to his Childe, William the Bloody. To be used however Spike wants, no matter what it is. Gee and you think nothing is wrong with that, and Ripper didn't go off the deep end on this?"

"Not sure G-Man heard that totally." Xander stated while Willow looked stricken.

"Thats not how it is. Angel said it was a diversion and it meant nothing!" She cried. "And you believe this Angel telling you it was a diversion and meant nothing even though he is a vampire?"

"He has a soul now so he's good!" Again everyone laughed.

"Willow your Jewish correct?" Willow looked startled at the change in topic. "Yeah."

"So according to your logic everyone with a soul is good right?"

"Yeah."

"So Hitler and Nazi's are good?" Willow went white then red. Remembering the stories from her grandfather about loosing his entire family in the holocaust and the anger in her parents and grandparents about some people trying to rewrite history to have had it never happen. The adults looked at each other then Jess smiled and looked at Willow. "Willow, why don't you take your sandwich and head home. We have alot to talk about and you have a lot to think about. And I suggest you actually think for yourself for a change. It seems you have been allowing someone else to think for you lately and have decided to imitate Harmony."

Willow grabbed her sandwich and drink and left almost in a daze. Xander looked at the adults. "Hold up Willow let me walk you home. I will be right back." He said before leaving with Willow.

As they approached Willow's house she looked at Xander. "You really don't trust me anymore do you? Have I really become Harmony? You know I really am doing whats best for you. Buffy said it was ok and..."

Xander held up his hand for her to stop. "No, I don't trust you with important things anymore, why would I. You are Harmony to Buffy's Cordelia. What makes you think you know what's best for me.. I know 'Buffy said' but this is the same Buffy that walks into traps because she can't think for herself. The same Buffy I did CPR on to bring back to life because she walked into the trap and DIED. The same Buffy that danced with me like a slut to get back at Angel and left me humiliated on the dance floor. The same Buffy, that without thinking, went into another trap and got you, Ms Calender, and Cordelia captured by minions. Any of this wringing any bells with you or are you so far gone your really are Harmony now?" With that said, Xander walked away leaving a sobbing Willow behind.

Xander began to rant at his family as he walked back into the house."Ok I feel bad, I was harsh with her and she was crying when I left but I am really sick of their attitudes. Its like because I'm normal I'm worthless. It's not like Buffy can think for herself. Talk about a Princess."

Tony looked at Xander. "Be glad the charms we have on you have you contained."

Xander stopped pacing and looked at him. "Huh?"

Rory laughed. "So we can do magick and drink to not show it, we have our protections done into everyday items so they aren't noticed and you never thought about what this meant for you or why we live here on the hellmouth?"

Xander blushed looking sheepish. "With all the stuff with Willow it didn't register. Sorry. So why are we here? If you know what it is and how dangerous it is why here?"

"Because the Hellmouth is the last place the Watchers Council should be. In the last 1000 years they have never sent a slayer to an active Hellmouth." Rory answered.

Xander looked at Rory, then the others. "So your hiding from the Watchers? Why?"

Jess looked at Xander. "No we are hiding YOU from the Watchers. Why don't you sit down and we will explain it all."

Xander sat down, looked at his sandwich and pushed it aside. "I think I want to hear this on an empty stomach. If your hiding me on the Hellmouth to protect me from Watchers I don't think this will be a nice story."

Tony looked over. "No it isn't a nice story. But it is life and very very real."

Jess took a deep breath "My father, grandfather, and great-grandfather are well known in certain circles in New York, and no, those circles are not the fluffy ones or ones that don't cause the police to watch your every move. When I was 17, my younger sister Margareta found herself one day with this strange man watching her. Well, we are our fathers daughters so she took a gun to him to demand who he worked for. It seems he had started having nightmares about monsters a few weeks before and she had broke a few things by accident."

Xander looked at her in awe "Your sister was a slayer?" Jess looked at him and smiled slightly. "Yeah we found out the old guy was Jeremy Pittsworth, a Watcher. She got the spiel and everything, only Mags knew right away that the Watchers weren't Kosher. She was always good at reading people, where as I was always good at reading their intentions and the more I listened the less I liked. The one girl every generation part had both of us laughing."

At Xanders puzzled look Jess explained. "When one slayer dies another is called, yet the handbook says "One girl in a generation," if that was true there would be a huge gap between slayers since a generation is usually considered 20 years not 20 minutes."

Xander laughed at that one. "So you helped your sister slay? Why did G-man not know about it? He said Buffy was the first one that wasn't raised by the Watchers. How did you know Spike was William the Bloody and Angel was Angelus? Even G-Man ended up looking up Spike because he didn't know who he was."

"While in the case of helping Mags slay we can give him the benefit of the doubt and say he never heard, the other is more worrisome. I guess I'll be paying a visit to G-Man while sober.." Rory answered then looked at Jess nodding.

"So Mags and I brought some friends in on the slaying, Jer was furious with it. "It's suppose to be a secret." Antonio looked at him and said, "Is that so you could have more control over the slayer?" Man did Jer turn red. At that point he realized that he didn't know how to deal with us, and considering who our father was, lets just say Jer had a visit from some people that made the Watchers look like choir boys."

Xander laughed then mumbled, "What is it with choir boys, they seem to be irresistible to priests and everyone wants one."

Tony looked at Xander and laughed "Nice distraction. Giving us a laugh as you felt the tension build."

Xander looked startled. Rory looked at Xander "Did you realize you were doing it or is it so ingrained you don't even realize?" Xander looked sheepishly down and Jess lifted his chin. "Another distraction letting us think what we want without you answering. Very nicely done. Dad would love for you to work for him, with that skill they would never know what was going on. Antonio learned from my Uncle and my Uncle Roberto is the reason even when the cops had the evidence on Dad they couldn't get him, Uncs distractions are a mild mind magic that can cause the person to do what Unc is trying to influence them to do. It has caused many cases to be thrown out."

Tony laughed. "Think the NYPD still has your Uncle on the 'Do not allow into the station or be the DA will beat you bloody' status?"

Jess laughed then another deep cleansing breath, looking right at Xander. "Mags and the rest of us were working for just over a year and then a small oops happened. Mags and Antonio had been going together for a while. Antonio's father was kinda legit, still shady but not into the scene like our families. Then again his family was married into old money. His shit-bag of a dad often drank himself stupid."

"Jess, tangent" Rory stated gently. "Yeah right. Anyway, Mags found out she was something a slayer is never suppose to be. Pregnant. Want to talk about all the badies wanting her, and the watchers. Jer didn't realize when another watcher hit town and told the council. Thats how we met Rory. He had been at headquarters and heard the termination order for Jer's slayer."

"The Council was very upset that Margaret was pregnant. A pregnant slayer isn't as focused and as careless as one without ties. Thats part of the reason they are taken from their families, no ties, no reason to live but the hunt. And that Jeremy hadn't already terminated the child. Lets just say that I was sent to find out what my father was thinking in not either terminating the child or them both." As Rory finished he took a deep swallow of his beer than got up to get more.

"So Rory came and told Jer that the Council knew about Mags being knocked up. Antonio and Mags were talking marriage but the Council got ahold of his father and lets just say Antonio ended up at a Military Academy since he was only 16 about to be 17. They talked his father into threatening to disinherit him if he didn't tow the line. They tried it with father. Lets just say that wasn't fun for the Council, and their strike team met with a few of fathers enforcers. Yeah, pieces mailed back to the Council."

Xander was looking at Jess in awe. "Wow, the Council really are control freaks."

Rory came back into the room with more drinks, handing each adult a beer and Xander a soda before sitting down and starting the next segment of the story. "By this time I had met with everyone and knew the problems they were going to have. Antonio had a good distraction gift as well as the mind magic and a big well of untrained talent that would cause a child to be powerful. If you add in the demonic power from the slayer the child would be very powerful."

Xander frowned looking at Rory. "Demonic power? I thought the slayer was from heavenly power or something like that?"

Rory chuckled. "Think about it Xander. Which is easier, good or evil?"

Xander looked at Rory. "Evil is easier because it doesn't take restraint or conscience."

Rory nodded. "So if your going to empower a weapon your just going to throw away would you take the long route or the quick and dirty route?"

"If I want it to be a good weapon the long route.. Though I can see the call for the quick and dirty one."

"Ahh but your still thinking as someone who cares about the weapon. Remember, I said a throw away weapon that you don't care about."

Xander's face takes a hard look. "You mean they went and put a demon essence in the slayer because they were just going to use her as a tool and throw her away? Why a demonic essence though wouldn't some of the light side want to help?"

"The light side would want care taken with the weapon, they would also care about who the weapon hurts. The dark side would just want the hunt, the kill. Demons are a lot like humans. We have tribes that hate each other and so do demons. There are some demons that will kill anything and everything.  And as we said, until recently girls held no real value so the weapon was created to be destroyed and moved to the next viable girl without a care about it."

"But wouldn't the light side want all demons killed anyway? Aren't all demons soulless and evil?"

Rory shook his head. "Demons are mainly residents of different dimensions. They like humans are good and bad. And nothing is soulless, including vampires."

"But Angel was cursed with a soul?... And as we said a soul doesn't automatically make you good and why would a soul make a person feel they had to repent for something that someone else did... Conscience they gave him a conscience not a soul."

Rory nodded. "Yep. The Researchers who talked with the Gypsies that did the curse, while they call it a soul what it really was is a conscience and guilt. Also like all curses there is an out cause."

"Um... what out clause? Because from what I've read I do NOT want to meet Angelus he sounds like a wacko."

"It was phrased as 'a moment of perfect happiness' what they meant was a moment when both the cursed version and the demon version are both happy. I will say that the researchers were worried about what the demon's state of mind will be like trapped like it is." Jess cleared her throat looking at Rory. "Right more on that later, back to the past." Everyone chuckled at the pun.

"So what happened to Aunt Mags and her child. I never heard of them.... um... your hiding ME from the Watchers!" Xander looked at his 'parents' and his 'uncle.' "So I take it I'm the child that the watchers wanted terminated. And your really my Aunt, Uncle and what is Uncle Rory then?"

Jess looked at Xander."Yes and no. While we may be your Aunt and Uncle by blood, in our heart your our son, just as in Rory's heart your his nephew not the child they wanted him to either kill or bring back and raise himself for their use."

Rory looked at Xander. "The fact that the watchers are here is bad. They wanted you badly. Some of the old ones may still if they know your alive and around. The fact that they are here is not good, the fact the slayer is here is a sign they want her dead."

"Been there, done the CPR to bring her back." The three adults turned and looked sharply at Xander.

"What do you mean 'Did the CPR to bring her back'!"

"Um, last May, she went to the Masters cave and drowned or so and I did CPR and brought her back."

"Did she get bitten as well as drown?"

"I think so, yeah her shoulder had blood from her being bitten."

"Shit... ok think back, was she getting colder when you started the CPR."

"Um she was in water so I thought it was that and I must say it's kinda disconcerting realizing your actually listening to my babble. Most people don't."

Jess looked at Xander. "I grew up with Uncle Roberto and Uncle Rudy. Rudy was a lot like you in the babble part. What people didn't realize is that he was excellent at getting and giving information to those that listened. He listened well and read people better. You do have the tendency to usually use the babble as distraction so people don't realize what your really saying. Now back to this CPR you did."

"Yeah I forced Angel to lead me to the Masters cave and found Buffy face down in some water, turned her over, she wasn't breathing and Deadboy said he doesn't breath so he couldn't so I did. She coughed to clear it then was back and kicking ass. We went and took out the guards while she took the Master out."

"What were you thinking while you did the CPR?"

"Um... I think it was something like 'Live damn it Live'?"

Rory looked at Tony. "San Francisco or LA?"

"LA for now. Jess can set it up so we can meet them there. We can leave in the morning and spend the weekend since its Halloween and it's quiet around here."

"Um... No can do. Snyder is having us lead kids around and I have to be here for that. He really doesn't like me."

"We can leave Saturday morning and take Monday off. Jess contact Lisa and tell her we need a full reading on him."

"If you know about the Hellmouth why does everyone come here for Christmas? I mean ... if it was your families the Watchers would of followed them and Uncle Rory is using Harris when it obviously isn't his name and I have never been attacked in the backyard during the night and everyone is drinking... So is it the group from LA coming here for Christmas and just calling themselves Harris family? And where did Lavelle come from?"

The adults all laughed and Tony looks at Jess. "He sounded just like Rudy that time."

Tony looks at Xander. "Yes the Harris family is actually an old coven from LA, the last time we left to meet them in LA the Watchers were there under an hour after we were. So everyone comes here. Most of them bringing protections for the next year. And yes they are all drunk for the same reason we are. The safety area for the house is larger. Also we need want you to sleep outside on Christmas night because we have worked some magic from afar and it will set the protections for the next year. By being outside it hides you better since your synching with the hellmouth."

Rory piped in. "And that is something no one every really wants to think about doing but we have been doing it to keep you safe. It is also why we have so many protection and cleansing charms on you. We don't want the hellmouth to influence you but we have no choice but to do the synch."

Tony noded. "Harris was the name of one of my bodyguards growing up. We took his first name as our last name when we ran. Lavelle is my mothers maiden name. Who you may actually meet depending on what we find out from Rupert."

"So what is all the names? Uncle Rory is obviously a Pittsworth but what about you guys and what is my real name?"

Rory looked at Xander and with a noticeable English accent "Reginald Michael Pittsworth at your service."

Tony smiled. "Anthony Rodrick Sassone."

Jess grinned. "Jessica Geneva Messer Sassone and my sister was Margereta Francis Messer and your father is Antonio Michael DiNozzo."