Xander's a Hero??!!

Disclaimer- In no way do I own the following characters; I just steal them away in the night and make them dance for my amusement.

Note- Again with the completely different direction to what I thought when I started. What can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic.

Big thanks to my reviewers:

Koos

RobClark

WBH21C

Buffy fan

Layce 74

Jane McCartney

Rain Dancer2

Minkis- hehe, Xander Mojo, good term, I like it.

Terri- glad you like my Giles, he's one of my favourite characters.

Feltons-babe90099- Well it looks like you got more Xander/Cordy, hope you like it.

KColl2003- The fight scene was my favourite part.

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Chapter 2

Xander did his usual shuffle through the halls of Sunnydale High, his shoulders slumped and hands thrust in his pockets. A sea of students parted before him, whispers all combining to create a low buzzing sound. It kind of reminded him of that time he had Amy do that love spell for him, except this time he knew they were all gossiping about the fight he had with Jack yesterday. No one could really believe it, Jack O'Toole was the biggest bully Sunnydale High had ever seen and then suddenly Alexander Harris, who had been bullied, teased and had his lunch money stolen since he started school, came out of nowhere with some kick-ass moves and had beaten him.

Most of the school had sneered at Cordelia when she had first started publicly dating him. They had looked him up and down; taking in his unfashionable clothes, the dopey grin that seemed to permanently reside on his face, his weird friends and the excessive amount of time they would spend in the library with that creepy librarian. They just couldn't see why Cordelia Chase, undisputed queen of Sunnydale High, head cheerleader and most popular student, would even allow him to breath in the same room let alone date him.

They had laughed when their break up became public, whispering to each to other that that was what Cordelia got for daring to date below her station. She had broken the unspoken high school code and because of that she had deserved everything that had happened to her.

Now, however, they were starting to re-evaluate him. Okay, so Xander Harris was no longer the pathetic wannabe that was good for a quick put down or taunt any more. He was no longer an easy target when Buffy Summers wasn't around. He had defeated O'Toole without raising a sweat, and he was damn scary looking while he did it.

The bell rang, causing a riot within the students as they pushed their way to their classrooms and tried to avoid Xander. Within minutes the hall in which Xander was walking had completely cleared. A sardonic smiled graced his features, after years of contempt and indifference they were now scared of him. It was something new, something that he didn't like.

A pair high heels clacked against the tiles behind him. His shoulders and back tensed; he had expected to be called into the Principal's office about yesterday's events. He stopped as a familiar voice called out to him. He spun; shocked to see Cordelia standing in the middle of the hall.

"Cordy, what are you doing here?"

Cordelia shrugged. "I go to school here."

He frowned at her. "What are doing following me?"

She glared at him. "It's a free country I can go any where I like."

Xander held his hands up in front of him defensively. "Right, sorry 'o' mistress."

Xander continued his way down the hall, Cordelia falling in step with him. She looked around the empty building. "So, you going to class?"

Xander shook his head. "Nah, thought I'd go see how the incident with Jack went yesterday. No big evil?"

Cordelia studied him for a second before casually shaking her head. "No, I don't think he actually had anything planned. Even if he did, Buffy killed him dead, so no big alarm."

"Why are you doing this, Cordy?"

Cordelia faltered. "I don't know." She answered honestly. "Maybe it's because I saw a different side to you yesterday."

Xander snorted. "Yeah, everyone did. I think I scared them." He admitted, his voice small.

"Oh, Xander, you didn't, you couldn't." Her tender tone softened the harsh words.

He ran a hand through his hair. "Then why is everyone running over each other to get away from me?"

Cordelia placed a hand on his arm, bringing him to a halt. "They finally saw you, Xander. They saw you the way I do… did. I think they realized what an amazingly strong person you are." She poked a hard muscle. "Physically and mentally. And when you faced Jack like that, they probably realized that they shouldn't act they normally would around you. Everyone has a breaking point, Xander, and after all these years of being bullied you reached yours."

"But-," Xander protested.

"No," Cordelia interrupted him. "You're not like him, you are not turning into your father. The very fact that you hate the thought of people being scared of you tells me that."

Xander peered down at her. "Why are you being so nice to me? You usually can't wait to injure me with your words."

Cordelia looked down at her feet, her lip caught between her teeth as she mentally debated her choice of words. "You hurt me, Xander. A lot. You were my first real relationship, I mean one where you actually care for each other and tell each other stuff you never tell anyone else and hurt if they hurt. I would have given up everything for you; all you would have had to do was ask. When I saw you with Willow," Cordelia swallowed back tears. "I wanted to die, it felt like my heart was being ripped inch by inch from chest."

Xander exhaled heavily. "God, you will never know how sorry I am about that. I… We never meant for that to happen. I don't even know why we did it, it was like one minute she was Willow my best buddy and then suddenly she was Willow and she was a girl."

Cordelia nodded. "And she was taken, she and Oz were getting pretty serious. You were jealous."

"No I wasn't," Xander denied. He shrugged sheepishly at her glare. "Okay, so maybe I was a little. But we were getting serious too, I even thought about marrying you, Cordy."

"What?" She was still with shock.

"I did, but every time I saw our life together it turned into a snapshot of my parents marriage. You bitter and angry about being held back by me and me drunk and sick of being yelled at."

Cordy smiled sadly up at him. "Silly man. I never would let you drink, the fumes would stain the house."

Xander grinned. "Of course, how foolish of me to think such things." He sobered and looked down at her uncertainly. He opened his arms, sighing gratefully as she stepped into them and leant her head against his chest. He held her tightly to him, burying his face in her hair, a lone tear trailing down his cheek and into her hair. "I'm so sorry I hurt you."

She turned her face up. "I know." She whispered.

"I was so stupid."

"No argument here."

"Gee, thanks, Cordy. Feeling the love here."

"Jack told us, you know." Cordelia abruptly changed the subject.

Xander tensed. "I thought he might, how bad was it?"

Cordelia shrugged as best she could around his embrace. "Giles took it well, Willow blamed herself, Oz said nothing and Buffy was just happy she got to kill something."

"Giles was all yoda-ish?"

Cordelia giggled. "Yeah, he kept going on about how we underestimated you."

"Really?"

Cordelia nodded. "Yeah, it was kind of funny. They were all like, whoa Xander's a hero. Idiots, I could have told them that."

Xander stared down at her in shock. "You think I'm a hero?"

She snuggled into his chest to avoid looking at him. "You're my hero, you saved me, Xander."

"I did?"

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Yes, okay?"

Xander nodded dumbly. He stroked her hair and leant his cheek against the top of her head. "I still love you, Cordy."

Her frightened voice was slightly muffled. "Are you sure?"

"Of course, I don't think I'll ever stop. The real question is can you ever forgive me?"

She rubbed her cheek against his shirt. "I think I might be able to, in time, after lots of gifts and attention."

"I can do that." Xander whispered hopefully.

"And I could let you do that. After all if Oz can forgive Willow then I can be mature too and make you jump through hoops to get my forgiveness." Her eyes scanned the hall, brightening as they fell a very familiar door. She pulled back, a cautious smile on her face. "I think we should celebrate."

Xander followed her gaze, a large happy grin on his face. "I think you may be right."

Cordelia shrugged out of his arms, grabbing a hold of his hand. She pulled him into the Janitors closet, the door closing with a bang on their merry laughter.

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Xander peered out of the slightly ajar door, his hair sticking up all over his head. He scanned the empty halls, motioning to Cordelia as soon as he was sure the coast was clear. She stepped out, frantically trying to smooth her hair. Xander grinned down at her and grabbed her hand, swinging it between them.

"Don't think I'm going to be nice to you all the time now." Cordelia warned.

"Wouldn't think of it."

"Just because we're together again doesn't give you immunity."

"I know."

"Just because I love you doesn't mean I don't still hate you."

Xander beamed. "I love you too, Cordy."

"And if you ever cheat on me again, I'll disembowel you with my nail file."