FIC: MC Dec ’99 Old Friends, Good Times (1/6)

The Source ran a critical eye over the approaching figure. The interloper into his domain was a plain-featured man of medium height and slightly chubby build. Indeed the only unusual thing about the man was his apparent lack of nerves. Most unique considering his guest’s presence in the hell dimension in which he ruled supreme. Finally he spoke to his guest. "Thank you for coming."

His guest inclined his head. "The honour is all mine my lord."

He nodded in approval at the man’s deference. Not scared but not stupid. It gave him hope for the future of their business dealings. "I assume the terms of our agreement met with your organisation’s approval?"

The intruder nodded again. "Yes sir."

"Good," he beamed. "In that case the first consignment of spell ingredients will be transported to the Order headquarters by the end of the week. The second half will be transported to headquarters once the contract is fulfilled." He stared intently at his guest. "And when will that be?" he demanded, eager to be rid of the troublesome trio that had blighted his life.

His guest smiled, revealing a set of immaculately filed teeth. "Soon sir, soon."

* * *

"Hey Faith, how ya doing?"

"Five by five," came the muttered, listless reply.

Xander stared at the Slayer slouched against the hotel outside wall. He leaned against the wall beside his girl-friend. "And yet," he ran his fingers through the brunette’s silky hair. "I’m not convinced. So what’s the sitch?"

A slight smile tugged at the Bostonian’s rosebud lips and a throaty chuckle escaped her mouth. "You do a lousy Faith," she accused.

"I’m hurt," Xander raised an eyebrow. "Not what you said last night." Faith giggled, her smile widening a little. "Now spill," he winked at his love. "Otherwise your diet of Xander-lovin’ will be severely rationed."

"Oh yeah?" Faith snorted. "Like you could ever resist." Faith began to grind herself against him, her hands rubbing at his chest even as she kissed his neck.

Xander coughed in embarrassment. Pulling away, he shook his head. "Don’t change the subject," he took his girl-friend’s smaller hands in his and stared into her liquid eyes. "What’s wrong?"

Faith’s gaze dropped to her feet. "The only real Christmas I ever had was with Ally two years ago," the Bostonian’s voice began to tremble. "God X, I miss her so much."

"Hey." For want of anything to say, he took his girl into his arms and held her as she cried.

After a few minutes Faith pulled away, a look of embarrassment on her face. He pretended not to notice when the Bostonian quickly wiped at her tear-stained face. "But I got you and Tar now right?"

"Right," he ruffled his girl-friend’s hair, his heart catching at how young and vulnerable she looked. "And you’ve got your presents," he teased as he led his girl-friend back inside the hotel.

"Oh yeah?" Faith’s eyes gleamed with a combination of curiosity and avarice. "What ya got me?"

"Tut, tut," he shook his head in mock-reproval. "I can’t tell you that, Santa hasn’t delivered them yet." Xander sighed. "I’ll tell you one thing though."

"Oh yeah, what’s that?" Faith stopped by their hotel room entrance, the door half-open.

"I’m really relieved we’re going to the Halliwells for Christmas," he shuddered theatrically. "I mean your cooking." He chuckled inwardly at Faith’s narrowing eyes. "And they all promised to wear Mrs. Christmas-."

"Hey!" Suddenly a laughing Faith was on his back, her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his chest. "I see ya drooling at another babe and it’s the bolt cutters for ya got it?"

"Got it." Xander winced at the visceral image even as he carried the giggling brunette across their room before dumping her on the bed. He knelt down beside the supine Slayer and smiled at her.

The Bostonian winked at him before kneeling up and pressing her lips to his, her moist tongue eagerly thrusting into his mouth. Then teasingly darting out before plunging back in and wrestling with his own tongue while her gentle hands caressed his shoulders and he tousled her soft hair. Finally the Bostonian pulled away with a chuckle. "Well that didn’t suck." Faith’s expressive eyes grew serious. "You get that I love you right?" she whispered, her tone nervous as if expecting a mocking rejection.

Instead he smiled and affectionally pinched her nose. "Right back at you."

"Wicked!" Faith beamed, her face relaxing, the last vestiges of tension leaving it. The supernatural warrior looked down at the bed beneath them and then at him. "You, me, and a bed? What we gonna do about that?"

"Um," he smiled. "The possibilities."

"Yeah well," he gasped in surprise when the Slayer pushed him down. "How about," in an instant, the east coast native was straddling his chest, looking down at him with loving eyes, "we make some of those possibilities realities?"

"Works for me," he replied.

"Good answer."

* * *

"Hey Tara."

Tara looked up at Xander’s voice outside her hotel door. After a quick wipe at her eyes, she shoved the book she’d been leafing through under her bed sheets. "Come in."

"Thanks," her friend walked in. After a second his smile slipped and his eyes narrowed in concern. "Tara what’s wrong?"

"N..nothing."

"Nothing uh? My experience is uber-hot Wiccas don’t get puffy eyes for nothing. So spill." She winced as Xander dropped down onto the bed, right where she’d hidden the book. Xander looked down. "What’s this?" She watched helplessly as her puzzled-looking friend reached under the sheets and pulled out the hidden book. "What’s this?" her friend enquired.

"My family album," Tara closed her eyes and waited for Xander’s inevitable condemnation of her treachery.

There was a long pause. "Oh." Another lengthy silence. "Did I ever tell you about my parents?"

"No," Tara shrugged. She’d guessed that Xander had lousy parents like her and Faith, but he never spoken about them and it wasn’t in her nature to pry.

"My dad, Tony Harris, is an abusive drunk whose only power in life came from beating either me or my mom. My mom, Jessica Harris, is a drunken slut who’s cheated on my dad at least four times that I know of." Xander lapsed into a gloomy silence. "It got so bad Christmas, what with the drinking and the fighting, that even knowing about vampires, I spent the last three Christmases sleeping out in my backyard." Tara blinked, Xander’s home life must have been really bad for him to make that decision. Xander chuckled, the sudden sound making her start slightly. "You know what’s funny though? I hate them for what they put me through, but I still love them." Xander smiled at her. "Blood ties I guess. Don’t feel guilty about loving your family. Just know Faith and I will always be there for you. Now," Xander looked down at the book still in his hands. "Shall we?"

Tara smiled. "Yes."

After grinning at her Xander opened the book and whistled. "Man, who’s the honey?"

"Honey?" Tara looked up to see Faith leaning against the open doorway, a mocking glint in her eyes and an amused look on her face. "whose eyes I gotta scratch out X?"

Tara giggled at Faith’s question. Her amusement turned to embarrassment as both of her friends turned their questioning faces towards her. "I..it’s my mom."

"Really?" In a second Faith was knelt behind them, peering over their shoulders at the photo album. "Damn X!" her best friend exclaimed. "You were right, she is a hottie." The Bostonian nudged her in the ribs with her elbow and winked, "Straight too. If she was here I’d be worried."

Tara laughed at Faith’s comment. Xander and Faith weren’t her natural family. They were something far better.

FIC: MC 13 Dec ’99 Old Friends, Good Times (2/6)

"Hurry up!" Phoebe ordered. "They’ll be here soon!"

"Calm down Pheebs," Prue instructed with a smile. "We’ve got plenty of time before they get here."

Phoebe glared at her before nodding and forcing a smile. "I know, but all three of them have hard lives. We’ve got to make this special for them."

Prue’s smile widened. Sometimes she forgot that her sister’s irresponsible and sometimes wild ways concealed a heart of gold. "It’ll be fine. Piper’s cooking and the tree," she pointed to the six foot high pine tree, "is decorated."

Her youngest sister smiled at her. "Yes that’s true." Her fellow Charmed One’s eyes widened in alarm. "Decorated! We forgot about the front of the house!" Prue squealed in surprise when her fellow Wicca grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the front door. This was all too much hard work. Wasn’t Christmas supposed to be fun?

* * *

"Wow!"

Xander smiled at Faith’s awed whisper as he parked the car outside the Halliwell residence. The front of the mansion was bedecked in rows of flashing fairy lights entwined with holly, and snow-spray decorating the windows. He took a few seconds to savour the look of child-like excitement on his girl-friend’s face before speaking. "Looks nice doesn’t it?"

Faith turned to him and grinned. "It’s beautiful. Shall we go in Tar-," the Bostonian’s voice trailed off as their travelling companion jumped out of the car and hurried into the house. Faith chuckled. "Someone seems eager to spend some time with her fellow Glindas."

"Someone does," Xander agreed. "Let’s go."

"Cool," Faith beamed at him before jumping out of the car. After a half-shrug of what he guessed was embarrassment, the Slayer took his hand and led him up the drive. The Bostonian stopped at the front door, looked up, and grinned. "Oh no. Better not buck tradition."

"What?" Confused, he glanced from his girl-friend to the door. His puzzlement dissipated when he noticed the sprig of mistletoe secured at the top of the doorway. "Oh no," he agreed with a smile as he turned back to his girlfriend. "I’ve always been one for tradition."

"And god knows," Faith winked as she stepped towards him, her hands reaching up to rub his shoulders, her head tilting to one side. "I’m a traditional sort of girl."

"Yeah," Xander laughed even as he placed his hands on the Bostonian’s tiny waist. "That’s just what me and Tara were saying the other day."

"X."

"Yeah?"

"Shut up." Suddenly Faith was pressing her lips to his, her hands all over his body, gently rubbing him, as her tongue expertly massaged the inside of his mouth.

After what seemed a glorious eternity he heard the distant sound of the front door opening and the familiar chimes of ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’. And then Piper’s delighted squeal. "You’re here! And together!" Suddenly he was kissing mid-air as his partner was grabbed by the middle Haliwell and dragged inside. "You’ve got to tell us all about it."

He glanced around stupidly for a second before sighing. "Damn," he muttered. "I was enjoying that."

"Your ears must be burning right about now."

"Gah!" he jumped at the unexpected voice behind him. He spun around to glare at the grinning angel. "I thought Deadboy was bad," he fumed, "but you! You really need fitting with a bell."

The unrepentant celestial being continued to smile. "Poor Faith. When the three of them get going." Leo shook his head. "It really makes me glad I didn’t tell them about you two when I found out."

"Yeah…" Xander squinted at the angel. "You knew? How?"

"Oh, I like to use my powers to keep my eyes on my friends." Xander bristled and scowled, Leo raised a placating hand. "Not then! Just to make sure you’re safe and happy."

"Oh, right." Xander was momentarily befuddled at the thought of an angel considering him his friend and being worried about him. "I suppose we best go inside," he grinned wickedly, "Clarence."

Leo stared at him, the angel’s face confused. "Clarence?"

"You see last night Tara decided it was Christmas movie night," Xander explained with relish. He was enjoying this. "We got ‘A Christmas Carol’, ‘Miracle On 34^th Street’, and ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’." His grin widened at Leo’s groan. "Hence Clarence."

"I hate Jimmy Stewart," Leo muttered.

"Now, now," Xander’s shook his head as he patted the angel on his shoulder. "Hate’s not very festive is it?" He chuckled. "And I have it on good authority Jimmy’s in big with your boss. You won’t get your wings that way!"

Leo groaned. "Did I ever tell you how much I was looking to you leaving?"

"Yeah," Xander nodded sadly. "I get that a lot."

* * *

Faith stopped dead as Piper dragged her into the lounge, a lump forming in her throat at the sight that greeted her. Brightly coloured paper streamers crisscrossed the ceiling. A six foot tall Christmas tree decorated in red and gold tinsel, glittering baubles, and with a gleaming star on top stood to the right of the front window. On the lounge table there stood a porcelain Christmas village internally lit by candles. On the right hand corner of the wooden mantelpiece there stood a stuffed snowman, in the centre, a reindeer, and to the left a Father Christmas, while above the mantelpiece there hung a ‘Merry Christmas’ banner.

Faith’s mind flashed back to her Christmas childhoods spent loitering out in the cold, peering into rich folks’ houses, wishing that they were her family. "Just like I dreamed," she muttered.

"Are you okay Faith?"

Mentally shaking herself, she turned to Piper. "I’m cool," she grinned at the worried-looking witch. "Just admiring the room. It looks wicked," she praised.

"Enough about the room!" Phoebe interrupted from her position on the couch, an excited look on her face. "Come tell us about you and Xander!"

"You’re going to regret this," Tara muttered with a grin. "Once she starts, she never stops."

Faith laughed before flipping her best friend the bird. "Bite me big sis!"

* * *

Xander watched from the doorway, the five women chattering excitedly, a sad smile on his face and a bitter-sweet feeling in the pit of his stomach. It should always be like this for his girls.

He turned at Leo’s hand on his shoulder. The angel smiled sadly. "I know how you feel," the celestial being sighed. "You want to get a beer?"

Xander hesitated. Thanks to his parents he had a fear of drinking that ensured he drank rarely and never to excess. But on days like this. Finally he nodded. "I’d like that."

FIC: MC 13 Dec ’99 Old Friends, Good Times (3/6)

"I want presents! I want presents!"

Xander reluctantly forced an eye open. What he saw amazed him. His panty-clad girl-friend was knelt on the bed beside him, excitedly bouncing up and down. Which was doing interesting things to her upper body.

Not to mention his libido.

However that failed to lessen his irritation at being awoken at, his eyes widened as they looked towards the digital clock on the bedside cabinet beside him, its luminous display treacherously revealing the time, 2:30 Am. "Faith!" he cried in exasperation. "It’s the middle of the night!"

"It’s Christmas Day!" Faith’s eyes sparkled with excitement. "I want my presents!"

Xander stared up dazedly at the Slayer. Something had turned his street-smart, wise-cracking girlfriend into an over-excitable ten year old. If not for the fact they were in the house of the Charmed Ones he’d suspect a spell or possession. Instead he was forced to conclude that the Bostonian had gone completely nuts. "You’re not going to give me any peace until you get them are you?"

Faith smirked and shook her head, her hair falling across her face. "Nope."

"In that case," Xander sat up in bed. "Come here." In an instant, the raven-haired warrior was snuggled up in his arms, the excitement in her eyes making him smile. When she looked at him like that he couldn’t help but agree with anything she wanted just to keep that look in her eyes. "You ready?"

* * *

Faith grinned at her guy. "Ready." God, there was just something about being alone with Xan that made her giddy, girlish even. Throw in the way he’d been teasing her about her damn presents for over a week and she was practically bouncing off the walls. Served him right for teasing her.

"In that case," she growled impatiently as Xander reached into The Always Pocket. If it wasn’t for that damn thing, she’d have found out what her presents were already. "Why don’t you open this?" For a few seconds she stared at the bulky present gift-wrapped in sleigh-covered paper, her hands squeezing at the soft package, trying to work out what it was. "You going to open that?"

Faith grinned at her boyfriend. "Just building the anticipation." Finally she ripped the wrapping paper off only to gape at the contents. After a few seconds she slowly turned to her lover. "You bought me a frickin’ teddy bear?"

Xander shrugged, as if embarrassed. "Well you told me you never had one as a kid. I didn’t think that was right."

Faith grinned unwillingly. "When you put it like that…" She looked down at the two foot tall, beige-coloured cuddly toy with a red silk bow around his neck. "I love it," she smirked at her boyfriend, he was such a sap. "But you tell anyone."

"I’m dead, I know." Xander passed her another parcel, this time wrapped in Father Christmas decorated paper.

After planting a quick kiss on X’s cheek, she tore the parcel open to find a leather jacket. "Cool!" she immediately tried it on. "X," she glanced at her boyfriend and then down at the jacket that drowned her. "It’s kinda big for me." And, she sniffed at the slightly sweaty smell permeating from it, definitely second-hand.

"Well Elvis was a lot bigger than you," Xander replied, a sly look in his eyes.

Faith’s mouth dropped open as she stared first at her smirking boyfriend and then the leather jacket she was wearing. Finally she managed to speak. "No way."

"Way." Xander grinned at her. "Wore it during his Comeback Special." Xander passed her another long parcel, this one wrapped in snowman covered paper.

Her eyes widened when she tore the package open to reveal a short sword. "Man," she breathed, her eyes fixed on the gleaming blade. "It’s beautiful."

"Isn’t it?" her boyfriend agreed. "It’s the exact replica of a 4^th Century Roman legionnaire’s gladius." Faith looked up at the rustle of paper. "Here’s your next present."

"M…more?" Faith grinned at her boyfriend even as her eyes watered. She wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. God, he was so great. After a second she opened the parcel to find a notebook filled with writing. Confused, she looked at her boyfriend.

X winked at her, clearly enjoying her puzzlement. After a few seconds he spoke. "It was a notebook of Bruce Lee’s." Faith felt her jaw clunk to the ground. "He wrote his training and diet philosophies when working out his fighting style in there."

"Wicked cool." Faith looked at the small thin box had just dropped on the bed between them. "What’s this?" Xander shrugged and smiled nervously. Wondering at her boytoy’s edginess, she opened the box.

Her heart caught at the silver identity bracelet. "X," she muttered. "It’s gorgeous." Hand shaking slightly she took it out of its box for closer inspection. She squinted as she read and failed to translate the inscription engraved on its plate. "Agonotheta? What does that mean?"

For some reason Xander reddened. "I know sometimes you doubt yourself. But you shouldn’t, the inscription is to remind you of that, it’s Latin for champion."

"Thanks X." It was an effort but she managed to stop the tears from flowing. After a few seconds collecting herself she spoke, her voice a little huskier than normal. "Now for your presents hon." Faith reached into her rucksack and passed her lover a four of picture frames. "Issues 1 of Superman, Batman, the Flash, and Wonder Woman." It seemed pretty minor after Xan’s presents.

She was relieved that judging from the awestruck look on her boyfriend’s face he didn’t agree. "F..Faith this is awesome!"

"Really?" he wasn’t just humouring her.

"Really," Xander hugged her. "You know what a comic book geek I am."

"Yeah I know," Faith smirked, her customary confidence returning in spades. "I got ya something else too." She passed Xander a weapon.

"Ah," Xander glanced from the weapon to her. "You know it’s not a real weapon right?"

"You remember you’re dating a Slayer right?" Faith raised an eyebrow before continuing. "It’s called a movie prop. Chewbacca," Xander’s eyes became saucer-sized, "used it in Star Wars."

"Faith, wow," Xander grinned dazedly. "This is the best present ever."

"Oh no," she shook her head before pushing her boyfriend down on to the bed. "The second best." She shrugged her leather jacket off while straddling her boyfriend and waggling a reproving finger.

Xander grinned up at her. "I stand corrected."

"And never forget it!"

* * *

"Lunch is ready!"

"Great!" Faith exulted at Piper’s shout, the combination of her growling stomach and the delicious smells wafting through from the kitchen making her mouth water in anticipation. Leaping off the sofa, she hurried through, Tara and Xan with her.

"Man," she whistled and stopped at the kitchen entrance, awestruck by the sumptuous spread. The centre of the table was dominated by a trio of roasts – turkey, ham, and pork. Around the succulent-looking meats there was an assortment of plates containing carrots, roast and mashed potatoes, yams, broccoli, sweet corn, and peas, as well as glass saucers containing stuffing and cranberry sauces. On the side behind the table there was an array of Christmas desserts – mince pies, a Yule log, a Christmas pudding, and a Christmas cake. Beside each plate there was, Faith beamed, a freakin’ Christmas cracker. Man, this was so cool.

Faith’s smile widened as she glanced at Xander. "Hey Xan," she nudged her friend in the ribs. "You don’t normally drool like that ‘cept for me."

After a second Xander turned and winked at her. "No there’s one other thing that gets me drooling this – naked Tara."

"Uh, uh," Faith nodded thoughtfully before glancing around Xander to Tara stood at the other side. Tara nodded back at her. They simultaneously slapped their male friend on the back of the head.

"OW! That hurt!"

"Come on you three!" Piper called, an amused look on her face. "We’re waiting."

* * *

"Man, that was a wicked fe-," Xan groaned when she burped. "What?" she glared balefully at her boyfriend. "What? Just showing my appreciation," she defended.

"Never mind." Xander grinned at her before turning his attention towards Piper. "That was amazing, thanks for-," Xander glanced behind them. "What the heck?"

FIC: MC 13 Dec ’99 Old Friends, Good Times (4/6)

Prue’s eyes widened when a trio of Nunchaku-wielding ninjas appeared in the lounge. She instantly used her telekinetic power at the intruders only to gape when the threesome didn’t shift an inch. "They’re immune to our powers!" she exclaimed.

"Lucky we’re here then!" Faith retorted. The sultry teen yanked the carving knife out of the turkey, twisted in her seat, and flung the makeshift weapon at the ninja to the left. "Shit!" the Slayer exclaimed when the ninja knocked the weapon out of the air with the flat of his hand. "They’re good!"

"We going to do this Faith?" Xander asked.

"Yeah. Tar, Wiccas, let the pro ass-kickers do their job."

"Prof-," her protest trailed off as the Bostonian and the Sunnydaler bounded into the lounge.

* * *

Faith was well and truly pissed as she moved into battle. She’d been having a wicked time – X had given her some amazing stuff, both her baby and Tar had loved their presents off her, and the meal had been wicked. But no, they couldn’t have a day off. Well, someone was gonna pay. And, her eyes focussed on an advancing ninja, he was the favourite.

The ninja swung a Nunchaku at her head. She moved smoothly under the flailing weapon, grabbed her assailant’s wrist, holding it steady as she threw a palm strike at the Oriental warrior’s chest. Her rival swayed away from her attack, grabbed her hand, and twisted at the waist.

"Son of a bitch!" Knocked off balance, she flew through the air. Her journey was interrupted by her crashing through the window, and ended by her hitting the front lawn. Faith groaned as she struggled to her feet. "That sucked!"

Looking up, she saw her adversary leaping through the window. Cursing, she leaned backwards at the waist from the drop-kicking ninja. Her rival’s feet narrowly by-passed her, but his Nunchakus slammed into her head, sending blood fountaining from her head.

Dazed, she fell onto her back. Looking up, she saw the ninja land in a crouch and draw a pair of sai blades. "Just great," she growled. The one day she didn’t bother to carry weapons, what happened? Seeing the ninja advancing on her, she rolled backwards to a standing position.

Feeling her back against the SUV, she muttered an apology to Xan before twisting and snapping the ariel off. She thrust her makeshift weapon at the ninja’s face. The moment her rival’s weapons moved up to deflect her attack, she abandoned her assault to launch herself into a forward roll that took her to her adversary’s feet. She slammed an uppercut into her rival’s groin. The ninja whimpered and stumbled backwards.

Pressing her advantage, she grabbed hold of the Oriental’s ankles and pulled. Her opponent cried out in surprise before crashing down onto his back. Before the ninja had chance to react she was straddling his chest. Snatching up one of her rival’s sai blades and quelling her own queasiness, she plunged the weapon into her adversary’s throat, pinning him to the lawn.

"Thank god," she muttered as her rival dissolved into goo. She was prepared to kill her fellow humans in self-defence but didn’t relish it so was relieved when her opponent proved to be a demon.

"Faith! Some help there!"

Her head snapped towards the shattered window at Xander’s yell. "Coming dear," she muttered. Jeez, you start to date a guy and he gets all commanding. Grabbing the sai blades, she charged towards the house and leapt through the window.

* * *

Deciding that he both didn’t want to destroy the Halliwell residence and more importantly raise their neighbours’ suspicions he eschewed his shotgun, instead he drew his sword out of the Always Pocket and brought his sword up to block the nearest flailing Nunchaku, the blade slicing through its chain. His triumph was short-lived when the Nunchaku from the other ninja crashed into his head, knocking him to one knee. Blood dripping down his head, he looked up to see the two ninjas flanking him. Out of the corner of his eye he also saw Faith being flung out of the window.

Heart sinking, he forced himself to his feet and feinted with a thrust at the ninja to his right. The moment his adversary started to move, he changed his attack to a downward slash at the left warrior.

His adversary responded with a leaping crescent kick to his chest that propelled him into the fireplace, knocking ornaments off the mantelpiece. Hitting the ground on his side, he rolled to his feet. Seeing Phoebe starting out of the kitchen he bellowed. "Stay!" Even as he parried a Nunchaku with his blade. The jarring collision tore the weapon from the ninja’s grip but also caused him to drop his word.

"Hell!" Out of the corner of his eye he saw a shuriken hurtling towards his head. He swayed away from the weapon, allowing it to pass him by, embedding itself in the wall. "Screw this." He pulled his Desert Eagle out of the Always Pocket and shot the nearest ninja in the head, sending blood exploding out of his head, coating the wall with viscera.

He stared to turn towards the other assassin only to get his gun kicked out his hand. A half-second later, the Ninja grabbed his wrist, and flung him through the lounge table, shattering the table and the Christmas village under him. "Faith! Some help here!"

He kicked the advancing assassin in the knee, knocking it back a step, giving him the second he needed to draw his shotgun. And then the monster exploded as a sai blade ripped through its throat. "Ya called master?" Faith purred, a smirk on her face as she offered him a hand to get up.

"Master?" he snorted as his girl-friend pulled him to his feet. "That’d be the day." He winced as he looked around the wrecked lounge and then at the sisters. "Um, sorry about the room."

* * *

"Apparently they’re an Oriental demon. Once one of them mated with a human, resulting in the origination of ninjas." Piper looked up from the Book Of Shadows. "They’re magically immune. If not for you they’d have killed us, thanks."

"You cooked dinner, all we did was deal with the gate-crashers," Xander reddened as he joked, embarrassed by the praise.

"Do you have to go?" Phoebe whined. "You could stay for the New Year?"

"Why?" Faith raised an eyebrow. "What ya got planned for the Millennium, an army of Samurais? Can’t wait for that."

Xander elbowed Faith in the ribs. "I’m sorry, we promised friends," he apologised.

* * *

"They failed?"

His underling nodded. "Yes sir. It appears Mithras’ avatar and the Slayer were there."

"That’s the second time they’ve interfered with our missions correct?" his minion nodded. He scowled. "Cancel the contract against the Charmed Ones, return all funds to the Scource. And have an eye kept on the Reborn one. Should his little group interfere with us again steps will have to be taken."

FIC: MC 13 Dec ’99 Good Times, Old Friends ((5/6)

"Whoa!" Faith whistled through her teeth as she glanced at Gunn’s LA. Base. It was a real plush place surrounded by an twelve foot high brick wall topped by barbed wire. She reckoned the four-storey mansion had to have thirty rooms at least. "Real nice uh X?" she nudged her boyfriend in the ribs. "Your money at work."

"Yeah," her boyfriend had his goofy smile, the one she loved, firmly in place. She guessed it must be a helluva buzz to see how you’d helped people like this, make ya feel real good inside.

Xander drove up to the mansion, stopping at the iron railing gates. The SUV’s lights reflected off the gates, and the CCTV cameras peered down at them, recording their arrival. Faith watched impatiently as a goggle-wearing guard approached their vehicle. "They better not be x-ray glasses," she growled.

"Infra-red goggles." She looked over her shoulder to Tara. "Remember Xander had them supplied to teams so they can check for a body-heat signature."

"Oh yeah," Faith nodded. "Remember now."

She watched as the guard rapped on the window. Her boyfriend lowered the window. "You’re him aren’t you?" the guard asked.

Xand looked bemused. "Him."

"Mr. Harris?" Faith snorted at Xan’s uncomfortable expression. The look deepened when the tiny Latino shuffled from foot to foot. "I’m a big fan sir, you’re like my hero." Xander started to redden. "It’s a great honour to meet you sir."

Xander stared at the Latino kid, clearly uncertain what to say. Kid? Faith grinned as she realised that the kid was probably two - three years their senior. Finally X spoke. "Well thanks; you’re doing a great job." Xander looked towards the double-gates. "Could you open them please?"

"Yes sir," the guard ran into the sentry post and turned the remote control on. After a second the gates began to slide open. "Bye sir."

"Bye!" Faith opened her mouth to comment only for Xander to glare at her. "Not. A. Word."

There was silence as the car crept up the gravel pathway. "Yes Faith, don’t make fun of Xander," Tara commented from the back seat. "You’ve no idea how lucky we are to be travelling with such a mighty warrior."

That was enough to send her into gales of laughter. Soon fat tears were rolling down her face, her entire body shaking. Her condition was only exacerbated by Xander’s downcast expression.

* * *

Xander suffered in silence as he pulled the car to a halt. Faith was definitely rubbing off on Tara rather too much. He decided not to respond to their jibes, guessing that to do so would only set them off again. They were like sharks in a feeding frenzy.

Leaping out of the car he started towards the huge mansion. He was almost at the looming double-doors when they were flung open and a beaming Gunn stepped out followed by a grinning Alana. "Hiya boss!"

Hearing Faith’s chuckle, he glanced over his shoulder and shot his travelling companions warning glares. "Gunn," he sighed long-sufferingly as he turned back to the head of the LA. Brotherhood. "Just call me Xan-," his voice trailed off as a nasty suspicion struck him. He looked over his shoulder at Faith. "You planned all this, the guard, him," he scowled at Gunn. "Didn’t you?"

"Guilty," his girl-friend smirked at him. "Gunn was only too happy to help. Love to watch ya squirm."

Xander shook his head. "Betrayed," he sighed.

* * *

Xander hid a smirk as he glanced around the eating area that Gunn and his sister had led him and his companions into. The spotless and tastefully decorated canteen was a world away from the makeshift eating area he’d last eaten in with the Gunns. He turned his attention back to the Brotherhood’s joint LA heads. "I’ve read the reports you sent me," well skimmed them, "but how are things going."

"We picked this place up from the estate sale of Russell Winters a vampire businessman who got dusted by someone." Gunn smiled. "The first few weeks were spent getting the other groups amalgamating into ours. Now we have," the shaven-headed African-American glanced at his sister.

"Twenty-two fighters, five EMTs, three occultists, and two mages," Alana supplied.

Xander nodded. "Not bad at all, not bad at all." He looked around. "This is a real nice place," well that was an understatement, "but it’s a little out of town."

Again it was Alana who replied. "This is just our main base. We have a staging post in the city, half our group’s there, and half is here. Half the city team is patrolling, and the other half chasing up any suspicious cases our sources give us. If you get into trouble, the other teams are close by and we can be there as soon as."

"Who leads the group inside LA?" this question was from Faith.

"We have a rota, ourselves and the four gang leaders who joined us take turns running the inner city group," Gunn replied, "three days on, six off."

Xander took a sip of his coffee, using the opportunity to take a second to collect his thoughts. The way Gunn was running things sounded pretty good. "And arms? Is my supplier working out okay?"

"Great," Gunn nodded and smiled. "Everything arrives the next day and works well. Armour, arms, ammo, everything."

"The same with our electronics stuff," Alana added.

"That’s what I wanted to hear." Now about what he didn’t want to hear. "What about casualties?"

The Gunns exchanged glances. "Two dead." Xander looked down to the ground. Gunn continued. "Before you came here we couldn’t even afford the money to bury them. Now we’ve got medical insurance, our own medics, a chance." Xander nodded, little comforted by his fellow demon-hunter’s words.

"Hey!" it was Faith. "How about the grand tour?" His girl-friend grabbed his elbow, dragging him to his feet. "Come on X!"

* * *

"Sure," Gunn leapt to his feet. He admitted to himself he was more than a little nervous. Xander was his friend, but also his boss, and if Xander thought he was using his new position to get some for himself or was incompetent, then he’d be replaced, his new life gone. "What do you want to see first?"

His boss looked thoughtful before replying. "What’s your security system?"

"Okay," Gunn nodded. "The outer doors are all steel reinforced. All the windows are bullet-proof and one way so you can see out, but nobody can see in. The ultra-violet security lights blanket the entire grounds, and there’s holy water sprinklers through-out the lawns. There’s CCTV cameras all over the outer wall and on the outside of the house."

"And inside?"

Gunn glanced at Tara before replying. "Everybody carries one of those sprays and the brass knuckles you got us. There’s," he looked and pointed up at the ceiling, "holy water sprinklers in every room. And each room has a secret weapons chest containing a shotgun, a couple of automatics, and half a dozen stakes. Each floor’s outer door is key-pad locked. We also have a general alarm and internal intercom system."

"Sounds good." Gunn was relieved by how impressed Xander sounded. His sister squeezed his hand, lending him her strength. "Now what’s on this floor?"

"This is the cafeteria -."

"No shit sherlock."

Gunn ignored Faith’s comment, telling himself annoying a super-powered woman was not a good idea. Especially as she appeared to be dating the boss. "Through there is the kitchen." He led his companions into the hallway. "Through here’s the lounge," he pointed to the door to his left, "and that’s," he pointed to his right, "the games room."

"Cool! Say X-."

"Later Faith."

"Spoilsport."

It was an effort, but Gunn managed to prevent from grinning at Xander and Faith’s exchange. "And through here," he walked through the right of the two doors in the wall opposite, "is the library."

* * *

Xander whistled as he entered the well-stocked library, its shelves heaving with hefty tomes. Just the smell and look of the place made him nostalgic for Giles’ lecturing tones and the days when the pressure of saving the world rested on other shoulders. Anxious to take his mind off the past, he spoke. "Get everything you need?"

Gunn nodded as he walked to the far wall, removed a painting, and began tapping a code into a keypad in the wall. "Yeah, and the computer references you sent us were a great help."

Xander blinked as the far bookcase slid away, revealing a thick wooden door. Gunn grinned at his astonishment. "I’ve got enough arms to break every AFT regulation in the book. I figured it was best to hide them. Shall we?" The veteran demon hunter led them down a winding stairwell. Gunn fumbled around in the dark for a few seconds before pulling on a string, turning an overhead light on, illuminating a narrow, featureless corridor. Their guide walked half-way down the corridor before turning to his right and opening a door. "Here’s the gym."

Xander nodded in approval as he stepped into the gym. The fitness centre was the equal of any commercial outlet. Rows of gleaming weight machines were supplemented by a number of step-machines, stationery cycles, treadmills, and rowing machines. "Nice, but where’ the sparring equipment?"

"The dojo." Gunn turned, walked out of the room, and opened the door opposite, "is through here." The African-American glanced towards the far wall. "The practice range and heavy armoury is behind there."

Xander nodded as he followed Gunn into the dojo. Its floor was covered with practice mats, four dummies were dotted throughout the room, and a number of heavy and speed bags hung down the ceiling. "We have five black belts between us, they take classes twice a day," Gunn said.

"Looks pretty sweet," Faith approved. His girl-friend elbowed him in the ribs. "Wanna give it a try?"

Xander looked at his girl-friend, his face expressionless. She just couldn’t resist the opportunity to show off. "Sure. Why not?"

FIC: MC Dec ’99 Good Times, Old Friends (6\6)

By the time they’d warmed up and stretched word had spread and a small crowd of maybe a dozen spectators had congregated to watch the show. Faith smirked to herself. She didn’t mind taking orders from Xan, she respected her guy way too much for that. But sometimes, she gritted her teeth, sometimes his over-protective crap really pissed her off. It was good to occasionally remind Xan just what she exactly was.

Turning her attention back to her sparring partner, she grinned flirtatiously. "Don’t worry hon, I promise not to hurt you too much."

"I don’t."

Faith’s eyes hardened. Mithras had changed Xan, made him more serious, darker somehow. It didn’t come out much ‘cept in battle, but she supposed it was inevitable, having a kick-ass god sat inside her boytoy’s head was bound to change him. The question was how much?

Shoving her worries aside, it was her strict philosophy to live in the now, she threw a roundhouse kick to her opponent’s head. Xander’s arm shot up, blocking her attack, even as he threw a right hook at her head.

Faith dropped into a deep crouch. The blow whistled harmlessly overhead. Before Xander had chance to withdraw his hand, she reached up to snatch up his hand and jerked him towards her.

She was surprised when Xander used her momentum against her, leaving his feet to jump knees first into her chest. "Shit!" The impact knocked her onto the ground. She allowed the momentum of the attack to carry her on into a backwards roll and back to her feet.

Even as she sprang upright she had to sway away from an overhand right to the jaw. Before she had time to launch a counter-attack, X’s punch changed to an elbow to the side of her head.

"Ah hell." Ignoring the pain shooting through her head, she shot out a leg and swept Xander’s legs from behind. Her boyfriend hit the ground on his side but before she could attack, he’d rolled away from her and to his feet. "Having fun yet X?" Faith asked as her and Xander circled one another.

Her narrow-eyed partner didn’t answer, choosing instead to throw a right at her face. She slid away from the attack, using the opportunity to step inside. Xander collided with her, his almost double hers bodyweight slamming into her as he grabbed her in a crushing front facelock.

Faith reacted by instantly grabbing her boyfriend around the waist. She went for a front suplex only to curse when she realised he’d wrapped his leg around hers, robbing her of the leverage needed. Thinking quickly, she released her grip around her boytoy’s waist and slammed a short right into his ribs.

"Oh!" Xander grunted before releasing his grip and retreating. She mercilessly advanced, shooting out a side thrust kick at her man’s chest. She yelped in surprise when Xman grabbed her out-stretched leg at the ankle and knee, and twisted. She flew into the air but adjusted in mid-air, turning her fall into a flawless tucked-in back-flip.

Faith landed in a crouch, smirking slightly at the onlookers’ awed gasps. God, she loved showing off her powers. "Oww!" she winced when Xander caught her with a foot to the left hip. Ignoring the pain shooting through her leg, she countered with a knee to X’s groin.

And was more than a little relieved when her Xan blocked the blow on his thigh. What was she thinking, almost damaging his equipment like that? This was only a sparring match, not life and death, for gods’ sake!

Deciding the sparring had gone on for too long, she pursued her retreating rival. Ignoring the right fist that slammed into her head, she grabbed hold of her boyfriend’s wrist and powered him face-down onto the mat, forcing his arm straight and placing her knee in the shoulder-joint. "Wanna quit X?"

After a few seconds struggling Xander nodded. "I quit."

Grinning slightly, Faith released her grip and straightened, basking in the onlookers’ enthusiastic applause. "Thank you, thank you," she bowed at the waist. "I’ll be performing here all we-, ahh!"

"You happy now?"

She grinned up at her boyfriend after he’d scooped up in his arms, lifting her up. "Oh yeah," she winked. "And you know horny I get after a fight?" She laughed at Xan’s blush, oh yeah that cinched it - he was still her baby.

"Okay, everyone out!" Gunn ordered. In just a few seconds the dojo was empty of everyone except herself, Xander, Tara, the Gunns, and a mystery blonde with an athletic build and glacial blue eyes, Faith’s skin prickled uneasily, her ‘cop-dar’ was buzzing. She watched as Gunn put an arm around the mystery woman’s waist. "Guys," the LA team leader said, "this is my girl-friend Detective Kate Lockley of the LAPD."

The cop-dar never failed. "Oh yeah?" Faith glanced at her boy-friend, noting his wary expression. "And how did you meet?"

The cop spoke before Gunn had a chance. "Three months ago I ran into an alley to stop what I thought was a mugging." The blonde smiled wryly. "Turned out I’d stumbled into a vampire attack. Gunn," the detective glanced fondly at the shaven-headed African-American. "And his gang turned up and rescued me. Since then I’ve been working with his group, feeding them leads on possible occult-related deaths."

"Okay," Xander glanced at Tara. Her guy relaxed slightly at the Wicca’s nod but she continued to stare suspiciously at the cop, years on the street leaving her with a healthy distrust of the police. Throw in she was a blonde….. "I’ve got some important news. I got word that vampire by the name of Angel-."

"Oh yeah," Alana interrupted, her eyes eager. "You know where we can find this vamp so we can stake his ass?"

"No," Xander shook his head. "Angel’s an exception. Sort of." Faith glanced towards her boyfriend, watching the conflict of emotions on her guy’s face. On the one hand, Xand really hated the guy, on the other, Xan recognised Fang’s occasional usefulness to their cause. "For one hundred and fifty years, Angelus was just about the baddest vampire there was. Then, one hundred years ago, gypsies cursed Angel with a soul, giving him a conscience. He’s now a champion apparently." Xander’s grimace told Faith all she needed to know about his thoughts on that matter. "Angel could be an useful ally, but you work with him, not for him. And as far as he’s concerned, you got your money from a billionaire whose kid you rescued from a vamp. He’s got friends who I really wouldn’t want knowing about your link to me."

After a second Gunn nodded. "Understood."

"Great," her boytoy’s face relaxed and he smiled. "Now how are the New Year Eve’s party preparations going?"

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