FIC: Trinity's Child 14/?

[CDRERamius@xxxxxxx]

TITLE: Trinity's Child 14/?
AUTHOR: Tony McD
DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Joss Whendon, Mutant Enemy, WB and 
others. This is for fun, not profit.
SUMMARY: Sequel to Terra Australis Incognito. 17 years on Buffy, Xander, 
Willow, and their child must face very different evils to save the world 
(again).
SPOILERS: None really. AU.
RATING: MA 15+ (Australian system)

Trinity's Child 14/?

Xander sat in the hospital waiting room, head in his hands. He was 
tired, emotionally and physically worn out. He knew he should get some sleep 
but he couldn't. The sound of foot steps on the cold tile made Xander look 
up. It was Billy.
Xander stood and the two friends embraced each other in a brotherly 
hug.
"Hey, Billy." Xander said, his voice sounding like he was a million 
years old. "What you doing here?"
"Got told to come up here for a briefing in half an hour. You would 
probably be better off if you came too." Billy told his friend as the two of 
them sat down together. Xander just nodded. There was a few moments of 
awkward silence.
"How's Giles?" Billy asked. Xander sighed.
"He came out of surgery about two hours ago. Multiple fractures, 
internal bleeding, head injuries. He's in a coma. If and when he comes out of 
it, he'll never walk again." Xander told his friend. Billy closed his eyes 
and wished that this was all just a bad dream. Things like this shouldn't 
happen to anyone, let alone to truly good people like his friend and his 
family. Billy opened his eyes again.
"Where's Buffy and Willow?"
"Buffy just didn't handle it. Not that I blame her. They gave her a 
sedative and a bed in Giles' room. Willow and I are taking turns sitting with 
them. I'm supposed to be sleeping. But I can't. I've got to make arrangements 
and stuff."
"No you don't. That's what your mates are for. Tell me what needs 
doing and I'll make sure it's done. You've got a lot of friends. Let us help 
you." Billy told him.
"Thanks." Xander said gratefully.
"How's Jenny taking it?" Billy asked.
"I've left messages at the hotel she's staying at for her to call me. 
Her and Paul are off scuba diving or something. I'm not looking forward to 
telling her." Xander said sadly. There was another few moments of silence as 
the two friends sat, lost in their thoughts.
"It's tough being a man, isn't it?" Billy asked his friend. Xander 
looked at him with confusion.
"When your whole world goes to shit, and you want nothing more than to 
run away, you can't. Your family is lost in grief and it's like the world has 
ended. But the world hasn't ended. Things still need to be done, arrangements 
organised, calls to be made. You feel the pain and grief just as much anyone. 
But you have to lock it away, be strong for the ones you love. Their world is 
being blown away in a whirlwind of emotions and they look to you for 
something to cling to. So you lock your grief away and become the tower of 
strength, the rock that they can cling to. But you're not a rock. You're a 
human being, a man, a person with real feelings who can't express them. You 
help others heal at the expense of your own healing. It's a terrible price to 
pay. But one we never hesitate to pay."
Xander nodded, thinking of his friends words. It was a horrible burden 
to bear, but one he would not try to avoid. In locking away his own feelings, 
he was able to help the others cope. It was unhealthy and bad for him, but he 
had to do it for them. Like in the way Xander had always put himself between 
others and danger, it was the male protective instinct to risk injury or 
death for the ones you loved. Xander stood up.
"Come on. We'll see Willow, then we'll go to this briefing." Xander 
told his friend.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you'll bear with me, I'll run through the 
situation briefly and then we'll take questions." Mark Kline told the 
gathered audience. Xander quickly looked around. There were three people from 
the Slayer's Council and a few from the military. Billy was seated next to 
him and next to Billy was Tony. Tony looked like how Xander felt.
"As you all know, two men launched a rocket attack on Trinity House, 
killing Joyce Summers and the other Slayer, Tina. The head of the Slayers 
Council, Rupert Giles, was critically injured.
"The two men then escaped the area in a high speed boat. The alarm was 
raised and the warship SYDNEY sent to intercept and capture them. However, 
the pair were killed after they destroyed the boarding boat, killing all nine 
on board.
"The exact nature of the attack was unclear until a few hours later. 
We received reports of the murders of a large number of Slayers Council 
members, including their trainee potential Slayers. Three quarters of the 
Council was killed before we could get them to safety. Those that are left 
are in ultra secure locations.
"The Watchers Council was number one on our list of suspects but it 
was only two hours ago that we received confirmation. An electronic intercept 
by the NSA recorded a mobile phone conversation between two people. The first 
was Trent Taylor, the head of the Watchers Council black ops section, and the 
Chief Watcher of the Watchers Council. The call originated from Jervis Bay, 
and in it the Chief Watcher is recorded as giving the order for the attack on 
Trinity House and the Slayers Council.
"Trent Taylor was confirmed as being killed by the crew of the SYDNEY. 
The Chief Watcher is believed to be in the Watchers Council headquarters. We 
immediately began arresting Watchers Council members and placed surveillance 
on the Watchers Council headquarters. Anyone exiting the headquarters was 
taken. From our questioning it seems that the decision to attack the Slayer 
and the Slayers Council was made by the High Council without the knowledge of 
the General Council.
"Twelve Anti Vampire teams have been assembled. Four British, four 
American, two French and the two deployed Australian teams. They are 
assaulting the Watchers Council headquarters as we speak." Mark looked around.
"Questions?" Marked asked the gathering.
"Why the hell did it take so long to confirm that it was the Watchers 
Council?" somebody asked. Mark looked a little uncomfortable at the question.
"The NSA record every electronic emission, every phone call, every 
email on earth. You can imagine that this means that they have unimaginable 
numbers of intercepts to look at, even with the most powerful computers it 
still takes time to sort out what you are looking at." Mark told them. There 
was a few minutes of discussion before Mark received a phone call.
"Five minutes ago, the teams assaulted the Watchers Council 
headquarters. The High Council wasn't there. It is my sad duty to inform you 
that the building was booby trapped. All twelve teams were killed." Mark told 
a stunned audience. He went on.
"President Cosgrove has called a meeting on the way ahead in Canberra 
on Monday. I recommend we adjourn until then." he said. The meeting broke up.
Xander sat, the enormity of the losses compounding his guilt. It was 
his fault, he believed. If he hadn't interfered with Tina's Cruciamentum, 
then Joyce would still be alive. All of them would still be alive. Billy 
approached him, a worried look on his face.
"Xander. I, um, don't know how to say this, but" Billy took a deep 
breath "it's about Jenny." Instantly Xander looked up, fear blazing from his 
eyes. Hurriedly Billy calmed his friend down.
"She's OK. She fine. But I'm worried about her safety. The Watchers 
Council is out after Buffy and the Slayers Council. They probably know that 
Buffy isn't dead. What I'm trying to say is that they might try to get to 
Buffy through Jenny." Xander looked at Billy in horror.
"Oh my God! We got to get her home!" Xander exclaimed, panicking.
"Xander! Listen to me! You can't bring her home. It's too dangerous. 
With a little precaution, she's safer where she is. The Watchers Council is 
especially weak in Asia. I'll arrange for some people to look after her. 
Jenny keeps a low profile and returns when we've dealt with those bastards." 
Xander's thoughts raced at a million miles an hour. Jenny could be in danger 
because of him.
"I've got to find Spike." Xander said.

"So that's the situation." Xander said, finishing explaining it to 
Spike.
"Spike, I don't like you. Never have, never will." Xander said angrily 
at the blonde vamp. Xander's expression softened a little.
"But for some reason Jenny does. I don't want Jenny hurt, and I 
suspect neither do you. So I'm asking for your help."
"What can I do? If the Watchers are after her I can't hurt them. I do 
have this bloody chip, remember?" Spike said, tapping his head.
"Spike, the others we're sending can take care of any Watchers. But if 
they send some big bad after Jenny, I want someone who can handle it. I need 
you to do this. Jenny needs you. Will you do it?" Xander asked Spike. Spike 
looked Xander in the eye.
"When do I leave?" Spike said quietly.