Willow Rosenberg had the potential to become a powerful witch, a very powerful witch.
She had just begun her magical training and already she had reserves that would make most master practitioners green with envy. If only her first spell was not such a dark a curse.
Magic at the best of times was a temperamental tool and mistress and it was not the best of times. For one Willow's state of mind was not in the most pristine conditions for a number of reasons. One of the top reasons being that she failed. She failed to help her friend but completing what she viewed as spell for good that could have reunited Buffy with her star crossed love. But now the Blonde had to go and kill the thing that was wearing her loves face.
The budding witch could only hope that Xander could make it in time to stop her.
The spell may have knocked her into a coma last time but she knew she could get it right the second time. She knew she could help her friend.
And if she had used a spell that may have been true. But unfortunately she used a curse. The most violent and emotionally powered form of magic one could find and cast. And that wasn't even adding to the fact that she had such piss poor control of her magic she was more dropping a bomb in the general area instead of the usual sniper shots magi prefer to apply.
So not only was she just letting the magic land in the general vicinity of the Angel's mansion she was letting her emotions do the targeting. A curse often chooses the victim by following who the caster was the most agitated at, be it annoyed or hatred it followed that line of dislike straight to the source. Usually that was fine since the one that agitated the caster was often the one they wanted to harm.
Once again the unfortunate occurred. The one she was most agitated with was not Angelus, as surprising as that was, but one Xander Harris. There were a number of reasons for that, the first and foremost was the still receding ache of heart-break and betrayal. Not only wasn't her near lifelong crush not with her but with a hussy that did nothing but make his life miserable. And then there was the fact that he didn't believe she could or even should do the spell, sticking by his belief that Angeleus should be staked not ensouled.
Didn't he see how much the very idea was hurting Buffy? How every time that bastard who wore her loves face killed an innocent or taunted her she broke a little more inside?
Couldn't he see how hard it was for Buffy? Or was it that his jealousy of Angel having the Slayer's love too much for him? And if so he need to grow up.
And so after she let the bombshell of magic land above Angel's Mansion, with a little help from an ancient Gypsy Spirit, the soul torn from its final rest once again was forced to follow the line of aggression into a foreign body.
<hr/>
Xander stumbled forward as he carried Giles to safety. His body suddenly becoming heavier and unknown emotion swirled in his mind. Blind panic and fear spread through him but it felt... off. Like it wasn't his own. But as suddenly as those off putting emotions came that faded away. Buried underneath his own thoughts and emotions.
"Weird" he managed to mumble before realizing Giles was still hurt and started to rush to the hospital.
<hr/>
He felt it. A familiar vertigo.
The feeling of reaching a near absolute content and then falling. Falling only to be stuffed into a crowded jar.
He panicked as his fear seeped in. He remembered the last time he felt that vertigo. Those sick nauseating memories earned with pleasure by a monster who wore his face. The uncontrollable feeling of guilt and loss. He couldn't go through with that again. He couldn't handle that again.
But this time was different. When he entered the earthly vessel he wasn't washed over with bloodlust. He was feeling... worry? It wasn't even worry for himself, but worry for another.
For a split instant he could see something, a glimpse of the street moving below him and a bleeding man in his grip. At first he felt fear, did he get his soul back while Angeleus was feeding? No, that couldn't be it, he felt too weak, too tired and his arm was hurting something fierce.
As soon as the question "What's going on" crossed his mind he found himself being pushed down. The glimpse of sight he gained disappearing as he fell into a dark abyss. Drowning into a sea of words and forgotten emotions, swirling down the proverbial drain. Eventually dropping him into an unfamiliar terrain.
For a split moment he hazarded a chance to look around at his surroundings and found them disturbing enough to yell "Where the hell am I!?"
<hr/>
Xander had stayed at the hospital, not really knowing what else to do. Giles was hurt and he couldn't just leave the man there. The last time they did that to one of their own Buffy ended up killing an invisible demon.
Besides that Willow was there, which, at the moment, was uncomfortable and double edged. Sure he wanted to see her, to make sure she was alright but what if she asked about the spell? He didn't even know if it worked and to be honest he wasn't sure it would have. She was knocked into a coma last time and she jumped right back at the damn thing when she woke up.
Bits of guilt started to rise up from his belly but he instantly squashed any and all feelings of regret. The Soldier Influence, as he liked to call it, made him much firmer in his decisions. Making him realize, or at least think, that it was a tactical necessity. She had let that monster live for long enough, claiming friends and classmates as usual victims just to get a rise out of her. If she really loved Angel than she would have kill that, that, THING that was wearing his face.
To him letting Angeleus run around was an insult to Angel's memory, whether he liked the creeper or not.
Eventually his worry over ran his guilt and he made to stand up, only to have his world spin and force him back into the waiting room chair. "What the?" he asked out loud trying to remember how hard he hit his head at the library. Hard enough to be knocked out for a few hours and a concussion but should it still be messing with his head?
Xander tried to shake himself awake as darkness started to seep in from the corners of his vision. Again he struggled to stand only to fall back into the chair, his breaths uneven from the strain. What was happening to him?
"Sir? Excuse me sir?" someone called out as they made their way over to him. "Are you alright." He tried to respond but words wouldn't form and his blurry vision could barely make out the nurse asking him the question "Sir? Did you hurt your nose?"
Xander managed to shake his head and wonder why she asked such a silly question. He got his answer a moment later when he felt little droplets fall from his chin and strained his pants red.
The nurse called out for somebody after she asked him to stand, his legs barely wobbled. A moment later an orderly came over with a wheel chair and managed to move him over.
Again as his consciousness began to fade Xander had to wonder what was happening to him.
<hr/>
Buffy walked into the hospital knowing of little else where to go. Her mother had kicked her out of her house and all her friends were at the hospital in various stages of injury. And though she knew it was selfish she wanted someone to cry on.
Yes she knew they were all hurting in their own way from Angeleus but... she still loved the man that wore that face. And to see it contort in pain as she pushed the Holy blade through his chest and kick him into hell hurt her more than she ever thought it would. She knew what Angeleus was, a mockery of Angel but she couldn't help it. If Angel had been a human when she fell in love with him than maybe she could have done it sooner but no she fell in love with a vampire. And that translated to her making a number of exceptions and excuses in her mind to be with him.
Which made it all the harder to stake him when she had the chance.
Her only condolence was that she was finally able to do it, ending that monster permanently. If only she didn't wait so long.
Regret and sorrow flooded through her as she walked passed reception and towards Willow's room, totally ignoring the familiar looking patient being pushed passed her.
<hr/>
Angel walked along the grounds with a big question still hanging over his head. Where was he?
Because it sure wasn't Heaven and if it was Hell than the good book painted it wrong. Because he didn't see any hellfire or tortured souls. This place looked more like an old playground that somebody tried renovating into a graveyard, or vice versa. Old rusted slides and jungle gyms stood next to over grown tombstones. In all honesty it creepy enough to make him prefer the fire.
And even the tombstones were odd. Many didn't even have name just things like "The one I couldn't save" or "That poor little girl". There were similar phrasing on most and a few sporadic names every now and then but Angel still had no clue where he was.
He walked along a roughly beaten path and eventually found himself at a memorial of sorts that held three statued tomb stones. Two of which looked very familiar.
Jesse McNally, A Brother that should have been saved.
Jenny Calendar, A friend that shouldn't have been left behind.
Kendra, A girl who needed a friend and we weren't there for her.
Emotions whirled through Angel as the names sunk in. Jenny and Kendra were dead? What happened? What was going on?
An almost forgotten sensation started to pound against his chest. Shocked out of his former stupor he placed a hand over what seemed to be his live beating heart. So shocked by the number of events he barely registered a voice growling out "Angeleus!"
Angel was forced to turn around as a fist slammed into the back of his skull. Years of experience had kept him on his feet but he stumbled more than he liked. Where ever he was he was practically human there and had little of the strength he was used to. Turning his head the former vampire saw a familiar angered face.
"Harris?" No, it looked like him, it looked a lot like him but different. First off his hair wasn't brown, well there was brown but it was peppered like spots on his new unnaturally tan colored hair. And his clothes weren't his usual style. Gone were his brightly colored shirts and beat up jeans, instead he wore what appeared to be a full body camo suit and military boots.
Hell the only thing he could say that belonged to Harris was the face and even that was a mutation of how it usually was. No smile, no fear covered by cocky jokes, just stern feral anger.
"I don't know how you got here but you will regret it" The Harris look alike said, eyes flaring something inhuman as it eased into a militarized combat stance.
The boy didn't say more as he charge setting the ex-vampire off balance. Angel may not have had his super strength any more but he had years of fighting experience before and after he became a vampire. But he was off balance, unused to fighting without his enhanced senses or reflexes. Sure the super strength would be nice but without his superior senses it was like he was fighting deaf with one eye.
His olden styled boxing guard shattered by professional work, breaking the arm in a strange lock and pushing Angel off his balance. Just more proof that whoever he was facing wasn't Xander. this wasn't how the kid fought. Xander was clumsy and spouted corny jokes for a distraction. This guy fought simply, effectively, and brutally. Especially brutally, it was almost savage how he attacked.
"What's wrong Angeleus? Feeling sick?" The Not Harris asked mockingly as he started to circle around "Buffy must've taken more out of you then I thought."
Angel tried not to wince when he moved his arm "I'm not Angeleus." He spat as he tried to turn and face his offender, only to get a knee to the gut.
"Yeah" He snorted "Like I'm going to believe that crock. I knew Buffy should have staked your ass last year when you were still just a pussy."
And that definitely wasn't how Harris spoke. Okay, a little but even he wasn't that crass.
This was more... concentrated. Unfiltered.
It was a sad day when Angel missed any version of Xander Harris.
"If I was Angeleus don't you think I would have killed you by now?" He pointed out "Or that maybe I would have shown my 'game face'"
The Not-Harris paused to think before shrugging "Brat wasn't feeling so well a little while ago so I'm going off on a limb and say we're dead and you're Deadboy's soul" Angel let out a sigh of relief but was quickly sent staggering back by another punch "Which means I'm just beating up a pedophile now."
<hr/>
When Buffy entered the hospital room she expected condolences and worried questions. Hell she even expected congratulations from Xander if he was there. But he wasn't and all she got was an excited Willow asking if it worked.
"Did what work?" The Slayer asked a bit stunned.
"The spell" She exclaimed looking tired and frazzled "Did the spell work?"
Buffy titled her head to the side, acting in a state of calm she wasn't really feeling. "What spell?"
"You know, the soul spell!" She clarified "I think it worked this time... No, I know it worked. I could feel... something flow through me."
"We can vouch for that" Oz said from his corner while Cordelia only managed a, "It was Creepy"
Understanding that her friend tried the spell one more time for her the girl shook her head "No. He was Angeleus till the end."
"B-but" The redhead stuttered "It worked! I felt it!"
Buffy felt a pang of worry for a moment that maybe, just maybe she sent Angel to hell. But then she remembered those hateful golden eyes and fanged lips that cursed her as he fell into hell. "It didn't work Will"
Willow seemed aghast by this "It worked! I know it did!"
"It wasn't him Willow!" Buffy finally snapped, her shoulder's shaking from suppressed emotions. "Angel wouldn't try to kill me. Angel wouldn't hurt me. Angel wouldn't call me those, things" She spat out the last word in pure distaste at Angeleus' vulgar taunts. "You know what his last words were to me? Not "I love you" or "Why?" but "You bitch". So yeah Willow I'm pretty sure it wasn't him!"
Buffy gave a sniffle as she tried to restrain her tears. Maybe coming to the hospital was a bad idea after all.
There were no comforts here, just more heart ache.
She moved to leave but a gentle hand from Oz stopped her. He said something to excuse Willow for her unthoughtful words and asked her to stay. She did, taking a chair a way from a now remorseful red head. She tried to restrain it but eventually her silent sobs come along with salty tears.
<hr/>
Consciousness slid slowly back to Xander. Filling him with an odd anticipation, like going up the hill of a rollercoaster.
And just like a rollercoaster that slow paced instantly disappeared as he seemingly slammed back into his body, back into place. He felt himself... shift where he stood, his feet unconsciously realigning to suit his weight and posture. It took only a moment for him to realize he had awakened standing up.
His eyes didn't even adjust to the light, he just appeared in the strange graveyard like he had been there for a few minutes. "Uh, what just happened?"
His voice rang through the grounds like a giant bell catching the other two occupants attention. One standing, the other bleeding in its grips.
"Tch. You're here? How annoying." The standing figure said as he dropped bloodied figure and started to walk away "Guess we're alive though. That's good." Whoever it was walked weird, like he was unwillingly restraining himself and was just waiting for the word 'GO' to unleash himself.
Though Xander ignored that as he rushed over to the victim. A habit now he guessed. Buffy would take care of the aggressor while he and Willow checked on the would be snack. "Hey, you alright?"
"Xander?"
Ah, fuck "Angeleus!"
The man on the ground groaned out "Not again."
<hr/>
The boy lurched forward suddenly causing one of the nurses to yelp and forcing two of the orderlies to wrestle him back down.
"Geez, kid's stronger than he looks" One grumbled out before taking a whap to the face.
"Someone sedate him already!"
<hr/>
Contrary to popular belief most people in Sunnydale knew the truth of the world on some level. They knew that there was something wrong with their little city after dark, they could feel the hungry eyes on them as they passed the shadows.
Why any of them stayed in Sunnydale none of them really knew. Maybe it was because that terrifying little city was their home? And maybe because they didn't want to be pushed away by something they couldn't explain?
Or maybe, there was something dark about more than one of the 'normal' populace.
Or they could all just be fools. Again nobody really knew.
But one thing was for sure, the medical staff of every hospital, clinic, doctor's office in Sunnydale knew something was up. Either through the odd injuries some of their patients come in with or by the fact that their blood banks are routinely broken into.
And Sunnydale General knew a bit more than any of them. After all they patched up the ones dealing with the 'problems' the most.
And every single member of the staff was proud of it. Sure they were ashamed that a bunch of kids and a librarian were protecting them but they couldn't argue with results
The death toll has nearly halved in the recent year.
So of course when news that at least two of their protectors were hospitalized members of the staff were just lining up to help.
And when a third one fell ill, in their own waiting room no less, the staff started to get worried. Exactly what did they face this time that left them in such a state?
What terrifying thing could they have stopped this time?
Did it really matter? After all they were all still alive and it wasn't their job to worry about it, it was their job to patch them up after.
And keeping them informed was just another part of the job. Or so the nervous nurse told herself as she entered the room to do just that.
"Um, excuse me?" Four heads shot up to look at her, doing nothing for her nerves "You four are acquainted with Alexander Harris correct?"
Anyone who was only giving her half an ear stopped and listened intently and started demanding answers. "Um, uh," She didn't know how to react. The people who fought demons and other such darkness were yelling at her. It was a little scary "He was found in the waiting room with a bleeding nose and losing consciousness. He was rushed to examined by one of the doctors when he started to convulse."
"What's wrong with him?" Willow demanded, straining to get out of the bed.
"Um, we aren't too sure. We want to get MRI or Cat scan to see if it's a concision gone very wrong but he won't stop moving."
"Where is he."
The nurse eyed the blonde girl wearily "We placed him in 205, the room next to Mr. Giles." Her eyes darted to the side "For convince sake."
Cordelia was the first to really move, exiting out the room shortly after Buffy's Slayer speed rush. Willow was only slowed down by the need for Oz's support.
<hr/>
This Xander he was familiar with. Crack a few weak jokes, go in for a haymaker punch, grapple for those moments when he couldn't get a hit in.
Basically the suicidal usual he would use on demons and vampires that worked at best two-thirds of the time. Making him multiple times easier to deal with than the other Xander.
Easier being Angel landed a few hits and get some distance, even if he wasn't injured he could tell he wouldn't win. Xander's defense was always willing to accept more punishment and every hit that he landed was hard enough for a vampire to at least feel.
Knowing this hurt Angel's ego a bit, as he had always viewed himself as Xander's better.
"Xa-" Pow, right to the chest. Why were all his hits aimed there? ... Oh, right, vampires, hearts, "Xander! Wait! I'm not Angeleus!"
"Yeah right."
God, he wished he didn't have to breathe again "If I was Angeleus do you really think you would be winning!?"
Just like with the other Xander that stopped him flat, unlike the other Xander he stopped at one punch after realizing the truth. "Still don't like you."
"Noted." God, he forgot how much it hurt to be human.
"So where are we?"
"Not a clue." Angel said after a pained breath "I just woke up here and started to look around." And got his ass kicked, twice. Though he wasn't going to really count the second one, two fights in a row after all. No one could blame him.
"Well, there is someone else here, so find and ask him?"
Angel hid his flinch well and managed a nod. He didn't like it but it was their only option.
<hr/>
Both orderlies in the room slacked in relief when Xander did the same. His limbs no longer flailing around and slamming into everything.
With a breath and a sore cheek one of the orderlies came up with a plan of action, "Alright. You get the doctor, tell him Harris has calmed down and I'll keep an eye on him... restrain him too" After getting a nod from his colleague the impromptu leader started to pull the overly used Sunnydale restraints out from their place.
As he started to strap the sleeping boy down the door burst open, which was the first hint it wasn't a doctor. The second being the girl who charged in couldn't be more than five foot or older than seventeen.
She took one look at the scene, pinned him with a glare, and was in front of him as soon as he ended a blink. "What are you doing." It was a demand for an answer not a question, accompanied by a little hand nearly crushing his larger one mid task.
"Strapping him down in case of more spasms." He said trying to be professional and keep himself from flinching in pain. But when there was just a smidgen more pressure he quickly added more information "So he doesn't hurt himself."
"Buffy would you just chill and let the guy do his job?" Cordelia said as she barley took the scene, more focused on getting to her sorta boyfriend's side. Giving his hand a firm squeeze as she took a seat near the bed.
Buffy gave him a glare but let go to let him do his job.
Oz and Willow entered the room almost simultaneously as when the orderly finished the last restraint. "What's wrong? Why is Xander being tied up?"
The hospital worker for his own safety quickly repeated what he told the blonde. His hand was still sore.
"Okay, but what's WRONG with him?"
He shrugged "No clue. The doctor should be here soon to find out though." He really wanted out of the room, he hated being on night shift.
He took one last cautious look at the blonde before he left, which got him a brief glare, and made him wish all the more for morning only shifts.
<hr/>
As Angel walked through the twisted playground he started to feel better. Wounds not aching as much, scrapes stopped bleeding, bruises not even getting the chance to turn blue. He was grateful for it but it made him wonder all the more, was he now human or something else?
The two forced upon companions talked to break the seemingly ever-present silence that seemed to blanket the landscape. They talked about a few speculation of where they were and how they got there. Xander spouted at least a dozen different comic book theories and at this point Angel was willing to accept he was in some creepy mirror world.
Eventually the silence was broken by something other than their voices. A click of steel against flint, the sound of embers burning and deep inhale.
The two quickly followed the sound to the source and found their target just as let out a large exhale of smoke. Xander was struck stupid as he stared at a near mirror image of himself sitting on top of a vine covered and rusting jungle gym. He just sitting there as peaceful as you please looking at the perpetual twilight of wherever they were smoking a cigarette.
He barely gave them a glance as they entered his area, he just tsked went back to his sky watching.
The two men shared a rare glance wondering how to approach the situation. Eventually Xander decided to step up and get the man's attention, which Angel was grateful for. The guy did try to beat him to death after all.
"Uh, excuse me? Sir?"
The man's eyes lulled to look at Xander, "What?"
"Uh, we were kind of wondering, hoping, that you could tell us where we are?"
The man snorted, "If you haven't figure that out already you're dumber than I thought."
Xander let out a hearty "Hey!" while Angel wondered if that insult included him.
Taking another puff the Xander clone looked at them like he was debating their worth, "No clue at all? Really? Does a single thought even go through your mind?"
While Angel was glad to see he wasn't the only one who hated this version of Harris he interrupted Xander's next comment, "Look, we just want to know where we are and how we got here, and frankly you're our best bet."
The man was quite for a moment, just enjoying his cigarette as he stared down at them. Frankly it was annoying the hell out of them.
Finally when he did speak he pointed at Angel with the glowing tobacco, "Don't know how YOU got here but the kid could always come here... Technically, I guess he always here but that is some semantic bullshit I don't want to cover."
"Uh... What?"
Sighing the man started to tap his temple repeatedly, drawing out each word like he was talking to a particularly dumb dog, "We're, in, your, head."
Xander stared dumbly at him for a few seconds with Angel right behind him. Eventually the American teen managed another, "What?"
The apparent resident of Xander's mind mumbled, "Dumbass." and flicked the still burning cigarette at the boy and jumped down. While Xander started to rapidly pat himself down as if it had set him on fire the man repeated the statement, "I said we're in your head. How you two got here I don't know but I want the pedophile gone."
Xander winced as even he wouldn't go so far as to say that... to Angel's or Buffy's face. Or even out loud actually. Seemed like too much of a cheap shot.
Angel for his part just wondered why the other Harris kept on calling him that. In his day Buffy should have already been married off, he knew times have changed but not by that much, right?
"I don't even know how we got here much less kick someone out!" Xander yelled in exasperation before narrowing his eyes, "And if we're in my head who are you?"
The man snorted, "Isn't it obvious or are you just too dumb to tell?"
"Again with the put downs, just answer the question already."
The man sighed and mumbled something before he started to tick off a few fingers, "Hint one, I'm wearing some random ass military uniform. Hint two, I have spotted hair and fucking pointed teeth. Hint three, I'm in your head. Who am I?"
"Uh."
"Gah!" The man started to ruffle his hair in exasperation, "God! How can someone as stupid as you be Alpha!?"
"Hey!" Seriously this guy loved to hurt Xander's ego.
The man stood up completely straight and jabbed his finger painfully into Xander's chest, "I am the Influence of what the Hyena and Soldier did to you. I'm what's left of the things that fucked with your head."
At that Xander took a few steps away from the angered man.
He could see the traits of both of them in the man now. Animalistic and focused, a true hunter, a true killer.
And at two points in time stole his freedom from him at the deepest level.
Angel noticed the sudden fear in Harris and quickly decided that it wasn't a good sign.
"Oh, would you two relax. The kid's the Alpha, I have to listen to what he says," The snarl on his face quickly turned into a feral grin, "For now."
"And that does nothing to make me feel better."
The Influence just shrugged, as if, and he probably didn't, care. "Not my problem. My problem is how to get the creeper out of here. I can barely take your company much less his." He said as he nudged his head towards Angel.
Angel scowled at the... he could only guess if man still applied but he scowled at him none the less. The insults were getting old. "And how do we do that?" He asked ignoring the insult for since he wanted to get out of there as much as the Influence seemed to want him gone.
He received another shrug and sneer, "Not sure. Best guess? Wake him up."
"And how do we do that? I don't see a Starbucks around here." Xander managed to quip before receiving a rather hard hit to the back of the head.
As he lost consciousness and started to feel all the lighter as he got closer to the ground he heard a mildly surprised voice say "Huh, that worked?"
<hr/>
The room jerked in surprise as Xander's body rose with a startled yelp. The half asleep group flailing to keep themselves from falling to the ground, or in one case punching what surprised her.
"Xander!" Willow half cheered as she reoriented herself and dove for him.
Xander for his part just blinked and grunted as she slammed him against the bed in a hug. He looked around the room and linked some more as memories and facts returned to him.
Going to the mansion, lying to Buffy about the spell, taking Giles to the hospital, being unable to get up from his chair, finding Angel and the Influence guy in his head.
Dots started to connect in his head as he sorted through the information and he didn't like where it led.
Willow said she was going to try the spell again and he suddenly has Angel in his head.
A guy he hated was in his head because his best friend screwed up, could anyone blame him for being angry?
And normally few probably would but at the moment Xander was having a rather uncommon problem. For you see when a person has a strong enough soul, and very many times this translates to a powerful magi, they can exert their power upon the world.
And while Xander's soul was in the above average range he alone wasn't strong enough to cause such an effect. But if in addition to his own he had an over two century old soul within him that is a completely different story.
The 'weight' of his soul could be felt in the room with his rising anger, momentarily choking the occupants as Xander glared down at his best friend, "Get him out of my head!"
A green aura started to flicker and wisp around him before it all came to screeching halt as Buffy's fist made contact with his forehead.
Xander's groggy eyes held an angered defiance till the last second before he succumbed to the concussed knock out.
As his head fell back into the pillow all of them had a similar thought in mind but only one voiced it.
"What the hell was that?" They were pretty sure it was Cordelia.
AN:
The crossover for this story is Bleach, with Angel acting as Xander's Zanpaktou (A sword empowered by a spirit/soul). The story itself would go over both Xander and Angel's reasons for fighting the supernatural, besides Buffy, hence the title and how to use the strength of souls, as you got a glimpse of, while trying to work together.
The Influence that you saw was my original idea for the sword but I figured it might be more interesting to have him act as the Hollow (instinct that will try to take over).
