Imagine: The List
Fic posted by members of Vo's Imaginings YahooGroup


Chapter 15



Friday afternoon came around without any real notice for most of Sunnydale. Buffy had barely hit anyone’s radar being how short of time she was there, those that knew were not surprised that she lasted so short of time. Xander had not gone into the library all week to save the confrontation with Giles until that night.



Cheryl walked up to Xander in the hall just after school let out and looked at him pointedly. Xander looked at her questioningly. “I heard why you are trying to break Willows' habit of having to be the go to girl and since your talk in the hall Monday it has been interesting.”



Cheryl paused looking around then back at Xander. “So far she has taken herself out of the program as the main tutor and set up leads from others in the program. We have different people now leading each study group. We also talked with each other then Tutor and have setup for more realmers to come in and teach us their culture starting when we get here.”



Xander smiled and nodded. “I am glad.”



Cheryl nodded. “You knew that we were getting frustrated with her didn't you? We all love Willow don't get me wrong, but her believing she was the only one to know anything was getting very frustrating. We all want the chance to prove ourselves.”



Xander smiled. “So do you think you could play den mother to younger children as well? And then maybe add some realmer children in with the others?”



Cheryl arched her head back like bird and looked at Xander. He smiled “While a lot of the realmers will not admit it, there are clans that toss their children away as easily as humans. Also, the rescue teams have mainly worked on teenagers, feeling younger children have more of a chance. We both know that is both true and false and a lot of the decisions that has been made have to do with the way the clans protect their young. It would be good for Leslie to actually get a good grip with reality in a large city. She still doesn't see everything because of the biases she doesn't know she has. Maybe the children of Haven should talk with the rescue team leaders and explain reality.”



Cheryl snorted. “Many won’t want to come to Sunnydale or be able to... You’re thinking of setting up houses in other cities aren't you?”



Xander just looked at Cheryl. “What do you plan on doing? It is not my decision or thoughts that matter but what others want to do.”



Cheryl looked down while talking to herself. “Some want to go back outside Sunnydale for college. It would give a chance to set things up other cities. We could go where a Daler couldn't. They wouldn't understand the mindset or atmosphere. Mylax was talking about not being able to leave Sunnydale because he doesn't feel safe outside the city with hiding himself like he would have to and that after Sunnydale he is used to the easy interaction between realmers and humans. However, a safe place for humans and realmers. Taking in strays from both sets... It would be an interesting challenge and Crystal would love it. She wants to go to Columbia, has since she was a child and it is a dream of hers.”



Cheryl looked up at Xander sharply. “You bastard. You know we are going to go nuts trying to figure it out.”



Xander smiled at her. “I hope you do. Remember BBQ at my place tonight at 7. I'm sure some of the senior Haven crew will want to come for the discussions and food.” Closing his locker he turned and walked away.



Cheryl watched him. “Bastard...” A couple other Cityers came over looking at her. “I will explain tonight at Haven. Let’s just say Xander is a bastard. I love him to pieces and if I thought I could keep up with him I would try for him but he is a bastard. That bastard is setting Haven up to be its own entity.”



The Harris' backyard may not be as large as some but it seemed to easily hold the thirty odd people there that night for the BBQ and QA. While many of the people were familiar some of the faces were new. Joyce was talking with Giles and another gentleman that was new in town. When Xander saw him he smirked before heading over to them. Looking at Ethan through his eyes instead of Guardian's he saw the spells and that a lot had already been removed but some were still in effect. Reaching them he looked at Joyce. “How are you doing Mrs. Summers?”



Joyce sighed “Chatt and everyone has been very helpful. I still feel I should of stopped her someway. Though I did hear there may have been more behind her action than you first said.”



Xander looked at her “Remember her from before. What happened after she was called... Like the spells on Giles, some of the controlling spells transfer when she is called.”



Giles looked at him “And the realization that killing the family of Marlax realmers for the artifact the Watchers wanted had a lot to do with her breaking.”



Xander looked at Giles quickly, Giles looked back at him “I got her chronicles when I informed the council that she was here. They arrived after her death and as I read them I realized that you were hiding it from Joyce. I felt it was better for Joyce to know part of the reason she committed suicide. And we all know she did.”



Xander looked at Joyce “I was hoping to spare you some of the nightmare she was living with.”



Ethan looked at Xander “Noble, but not always prudent. Though I guess I should be asking you if I will have issues staying here.”



Xander looked at Ethan “Once all the controlling spells are removed you shouldn't have an issue.”



Giles and Ethan started, looked over at Paul, “Interesting, we thought they had been removed. Do you see a lot still in effect?”



Xander looked around “Jesse, Wills”



Jesse and Willow came over, Paul and a few others as well. Xander nodded at them “Do you see the spells still on him?” pointing at Ethan.



Jesse and Willow looked at each other “We went through and cleaned him. Give us a minute to check again.”



While they were scanning Ethan a couple of the healer and warders were as well shaking their heads. Xander looked at them when Shallark replied “We see nothing else on him.”



Jesse and Willow nodded “Are you sure Xander?”



Xander looked at them “Yes, I see a bunch of them still on him. Though a few look like their tiered with his shield and two of them are going to be interesting to get rid of because they seem to have triggers with other ones that will recast.”



Jesse looked at Xander than grabbed his arm, Willow immediately did the same with the other arm “Shoot, didn't see them. Shallark, can you help with this.” Jesse reached back toward Shallark and as Shallark touched him he saw what Xander saw. Shock showing on his face, using his other arms he touched those around him.



Joyce had moved over and was talking with Jess after a few minutes of watching the others work on removing the spells. Joyce looked at Jess “Your children seem to be quite the handfuls.” Jess laughed “At times they are too normal then they do something that not only has you but everyone around you looking in shock. Speaking of that.” She looked around finding Paul and moved towards him with Joyce following. After coming over to Paul and Lesley Jess asked “What shocked Shallark and the others so much?”



Paul looked at Jess “Shallark has some of the highest mage-sight known. And the idea that Xander, not Guardian, but Xander, saw spells he didn't was one part of it. The other part is that Jesse and Willow grabbed him and he allowed them to see thru his eyes and then allowed that to transfer to all touching them.”



Lesley picked up “I don't think it can be explained how rare and valuable that is.”



Jess looked at Lindsey “So more lessons or...”



Lesley laughed “Didn't you see how Xander understood what he was looking at immediately and was able to tell the others then pull them in? There is nothing they could really teach him because a lot of Mage-sight is individualized. Take a controlling spell. I would see it one-way and you another, though we are both looking at the same spell. It’s how we individually process the information.”



Joyce looked confused “But he pulled the others in and they saw the spells? So weren't they using his sight so see it like he does?”



Lesley was shaking her head even before Joyce finished “That is part that makes it so amazing. It isn't like he showed them a picture of what he saw. He allowed them to use his ability then their sight through it. It’s like you were looking at what you thought was outside, but then he opened a door showing you that you were looking at a wall.”



After thirty minutes and multiple people working on both Ethan and Rupert before Xander said they looked clear. Seems a lot of spells went into effect if they were near each other and the Watchers had really layered several so that if others were removed they would come back.



Everyone was sitting at the tables again when Jesse looked at Giles “When did the Watchers take over the Slayers.”



Giles looked at Jesse and the others questioningly “The Watchers have always looked over the Slayers. Since before written word.”



A few of the realmers looked confused “But the Slayer is only 600 years.”



Giles looked sharply at that, then thoughtful “That is entirely possible. I admit much of my knowledge is what the Watchers teach.”



Ethan looked curiously “The cursed village of Eearra?”



Several of the realmers nodded their heads.



Ethan looked at Giles and then the others “I am not sure I know the full story but there was a village in Africa that the men were not liked and had to steal wives – even then the women would run away as much as possible and do everything they could to abort any child. No girls were born in the village and the men had taken to trying to raid nearby towns and raping their women, then leaving the women there. However, the women would abort the child as soon as they knew they were pregnant. The comments were “it feels like evil slime growing” were often stated. The village disappeared around 3-400 years ago.”



Willow piped up “When they started shipping the African slaves to different countries?”



Jesse looked at them “So some British guys find the village about 400 years ago and find out about the curse. The slavery trade is starting to boom and we know the British Empire was really strong then. They took the villagers and started breeding them. After a few generations and a bunch of spells they were able to have the kids not feel “evil and slimy” so they shipped them all over the world as slaves.”



Giles nodded “Considering how Slayers are treated and even the consequences of the potentials that are not called.” Joyce looked sharply at Giles. “It was one of the many reasons I disliked and rebelled against my father so much. My father trained five potentials, of them two became slayers. Of the other three I have fifteen siblings that are considered bastards and my father will not claim. Of the girls when it became that they could no longer have children they were killed.” Giles took a drink “The split between my father and myself started when I was young and one of the girls he had I really liked as a friend. After she turned 16 and wasn't called she got pregnant. My father acted like she was a slut but she told me only one person ever touched her and it was my father, I thought she was lying and didn't know why she wouldn't tell me the truth. When I saw the child after it was born I realized she was telling the truth and the child was my brother. She had two more and then couldn't have anymore. The day after the Doctor told father that she couldn't have any more children she didn't wake up.”



Jess looked over at Giles “So the Watchers created the new slayer line through slave trading to get the gene out in the open, now it uses the girls as they please as either cannon fodder or sex slaves. And they think of themselves as good guys. No wonder Xander hates them so much.”



Xander laughed “No I hate them for other reasons, never knew this side of it. Guardian may know it, his hatred is more general than mine. Mine is more for specific actions.”



Willow frowned “General?”



Xander nodded “We hate terrorist, don't know any personally and while they haven't attacked me personally I hate them and their ways. It’s a more general hatred.”



Willow nodded “Where your hatred against the Watcher is more because of things they have specifically done.”



Xander nodded “Some of the lower guys are ok once they are removed from the direct influence of the Watchers... shit Wesley... ok going to have to figure out how to save him... maybe....”



Giles looked at him “Wyndam-Price?” Xander nodded. Giles shuddered. “Haven't met him though his father is a friend of my father's so it’s very likely he was spelled as badly as I was.”



Jesse and Willow laughed “So some of the lower guys you feel are ok but some of the others.”



Xander snorted “Last time Travers had three contracts out on me. One inside the watchers where they were to make sure I was hampered every way possible and if any chance of getting me killed they were to take it. He sent three strike teams to take you and me out... you never realized and I think Giles only had a inkling of a clue. He tried to get one through The Order of Takara but they wouldn't take it because he is head of the Watchers.”



Giles looked at Xander. “Some of the spells on me, I can see me being a self absorbed git that didn't do much of anything outside the path they set. How bad was I?”



Xander looked at Ethan then Giles “Giles, I remember bits and pieces. It has been over 10 years since I woke in the new reality. You were our father, Joyce was our mother. Other than that – it doesn't matter, this time has already changed so much and frankly while I wish we could of saved Buffy, the fact that my parents are here and whole, the fact that Jesse is still alive and Willow is not needing to prove herself so much that she will do anything for power. I am sorry but in my mind that outweighs everything else. And while I am sorry for Joyce, in some ways Guardian is right in that it is better for Buffy that she is dead. Looking at her through his eyes, I cannot find the words to even start to explain to you what was happening to her.”



Ethan put his hand on Rupert's arm then looked at Xander “You said that you had a possible idea?”



Xander smiled at Ethan nodding thanks for shifting the conversation “I know Kendra was called after Buffy. May already be too late to change much there and I know Faith was called after Kendra then until the mass activation no others were called.”



Giles looked shocked at hearing about the mass activation but kept quiet and nodding “I talked with Sam. At this point Kendra has not activated and he is sending her here. However, I think I should warn you that Sam is very old school in his thinking.”



Xander snorted “Yeah, figured that out when we found out Kendra had one outfit total, never went to school, and wasn't allowed to talk to boys.”



Joyce looked at Jess startled “One outfit total? Never went to school? Want me to take her since you already have those three?”



Jess smiled “Yes please, my three keep me on my toes as it is. Adding another into the mix....”



Xander fake laughed “Ha Ha mom. Though I am kinda worried about Faith. She didn't have the best home-life though I think Linda was ok with her.”



Rupert looked at Xander “Linda and Faith are on their way here. I know Linda and surprised she is a Watcher, yes I expect a lot of spells on her as well. I remember you talking about Faith and figured it would be good to get her here as well.”



Xander looked at Rupert “How did you get them to come here and Sam to send Kendra.”



Rupert smirked and Ethan laughed “I lied my head off. Well more so with Sam than Linda. I made it sound like we could use the help and possibly throw some potentials at a mess. The current slayer is in Europe right now however, since we are not sure if she was in the original timeline since Buffy's death is months early according to your memory. However, the current girl is... I should say she is a niece of mine though we haven't met.”



Tony nodded at Rupert “Messy.”



Rupert looked out at the gathered group “Very.”



Jesse looked at Xander “What about the Watchers. If something changes with the Slayers they will still be there and now there will be girls all over the globe that may lose the only home they have ever had?”



Rupert smirked and Ethan snorted at that, then Ethan shifted “I have been working on something for that.” Seeing everyone looking at him Ethan smirked “There are a lot of people that are no longer part of the watchers due to the differences in thought regarding the slayers and their treatments. After talking with some of them they are getting ready and if we are able to break the cycle they will go in to help the girls. There are also parts of the Government that would love to get the watchers and actually if we can stop the slayer cycle they will grab as many as possible for terrorist activities, kidnapping, child abuse, and the list will grow as they can find more stuff. The Watchers started out helping people but over the last few decades have become a problem. They feel they don't need to answer to the Crown. And we all know how the Crown will feel about that.”



Xander looked at Ethan “Why wont the Crown step in before that?”



Ethan frowned “They are worried about the girls. The watchers have an army at their disposal that no soldier wants to fight. Can you imagine sending soldiers out to stop 10-15 year old girls. They would not use force and the council proved in the past they have no problem making the girls into killing machines. A few mind spells and the girls see everyone as demons and go on killing sprees. They can take out units thinking they are taking out an invading army. This happened over thirty years ago when one of the PM's tried to get the Watchers under control. They spelled the slayer into thinking something had taken over an area that was actually a MI:6 training area. She slaughtered everyone in there.”



The look of horror on everyone there's face were matched with grief and disbelief in Joyce's “our daughters, they turn them into monsters without blinking. They make them into monsters worse than what they are suppose to fight. My Buffy.. god, what all would they have done to Buffy?”



Jess reached over and held Joyce. The horror shaking her to the core of what had been happening and could of happened to her daughter. Xander looked at Rupert and the others. “So we need to break the cycle. See what spells are on the potentials and if more are on Kendra because she has been in the system most of her life versus Faith that has only been recognized recently.”



The discussion went on for a few more hours with ideas thrown out but nothing decided because they needed to see the girls and what happened to them.



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