Spike couldn't believe what he had done! He'd told a Slayer's whelp -given, his son, but still- one of the best-kept vampire secrets! But he hadn't been able to stop himself. The feeling he'd had when he looked at Xander- he couldn't understand it. It had been an unwelcome intrusion into his killing reverie. It was what had stopped him from putting on his vampire visage and changing his son. And it was what had kept him from telling his Dru, his pet, his everything, anything.

The next day

Sunnydale High

Buffy swept into the library in her usual style, making Giles' head whip up from the book he had it buried in.

"Oh, Buffy. Hello."

She could tell by his reaction that he hadn't seen Xander yet, or Willow. Cordie wouldn't have told Giles anything; neither would Oz. "I guess you haven't heard the top story, so I'll fill you in." She took a deep breath. She hadn't known it was going to be this hard. "You know how Xander is sort of a...........a bastard. Please, Giles, don't tell him I said that. It'll break his heart."

"Of course not. Now, what were you going to say?"

""His father is.....is Spike." She proceeded to spill the whole story.

Giles turned white as a sheet. "Do you know what this means?"

"No."

"Xander may be an unmatured vampire! I've heard cases like this before. One of the victim's parents is a vampire, the other is a mortal. The mixing of fluids results in a strange tissue that produces something of the effect of the siring ritual."

"Whaddaya mean?"

"Suffice it to say that Xander's time as a human is severly limited. Spike was eighteen when he was changed, and Xander is eighteen now- oh my God."

"What?? Giles, you're not making any sense."

"When a vampire and a human come together, the child produced always changes into a vampire. The age at which the vampire got changed is the age at which the child turns. Xander has very little time."

"What'll happen to him?"

"He'll awake one night with a need for blood, and then.........................I'm guessing tonight, Buffy."

"Why?"

"As I said, Spike was eighteen when he changed. Xander is....."

"Seventeen. Going to be eighteen......oh my God, today's his birthday! We all forgot yesterday."

"Worry about Xander's birthday later. Tonite he is going to turn onto a vampire and there is no way to reverse the process!!"

"Remember why Angol killed Miss Calendar? She'd recreated the curse! Now, if I can find the disk, I can curse Xander."

Gioles turned to Buffy. "We have to tell Xander."

Buffy nodded.

--------------------------

"Xand? Come with me." Buffy and Xander walked to the library.

"Buff, what's the big idea?"

Buffy didn't answer, just went with Xander to the library, getting Cordelia and Willow on the way.

When they got there, Gileos said, "Xander, I have some news for you that will upset you, destroy you, and probably break your heart."

Xander sat down heavily and said, "What could destroy me more than what I found out last night?"

Buffy said to Giles, "I'll tell him." She sat down next to Xander. "Xander, you know what you found out last night? Well, Giles told me that what that means is theat.... oh God, this is so hard. That you are a vampire. You're going to turn tonight"

"No," he whispered. "No, it isn't true!"

Buffy sighed. "It is. I'm going to-"

"No, Buffy. I'll do it,"Willow said. "I've seen it. I can do the curse. Tonight, at 10:57, I'll do the curse giving Xander a soul."

Xander took a long look around. "Cordelia....."

"Of course, Xander.o I'd never admit it, but I love you,"she whispered. He embraced her so tightly, Buffy thught he was ging to cut off her air supply.

He then turned toWillow. He needed to say nothing, as the two huggeod.

Then, looking at Giles, he said, "Giles, you are one of the best friends I've ever had."

"Will still have, if the bloody curse works."

Xander walked out. If he had to be a vampire, he'd meet his fate like a man.

The End