"I Am My Sister's Keeper"

Xander watched as Alex walked into the house. She didn’t look like herself. What is going on with her? He thought. Alex looked at Xander and then gave him a sly wink and a smile and headed upstairs. This wasn’t good and he knew it. They haven’t talked about Damian at all. “I wonder if she even cares anymore.” He said to himself. Maybe she’s just freaked out and trying to avoid the situation. He thought. Either way he was worried about her. He then thought about the phone call he’d gotten from John about how he noticed there was something wrong with Alex as well. Xander was surprised that he’d actually call him. Alex told him that she gave John his number in case of emergencies, but he never thought he’d actually use it. As he remembered the conversation he felt the need to talk to Alex about whatever is happening with her. Before he knew it he felt himself making his way towards Alex’s room. When Xander reached the door he knocked softly.

“Just a second.” Alex yelled on the other side. Xander heard a rustling and something he couldn’t make out. “Come in.”

“Lex we need to talk.” Xander said as he entered her room. Her room still looked the same. Alex was on her bed painting her nails a blood red color. He took a deep breath and began.

“Lex, I’ve noticed that you haven’t quite been yourself these past few weeks.” He started. Alex didn’t bother looking up at him.

“What do you mean?” she asked looking down while painting her toenails.

“I mean you’ve just been different. You’ve been dressing different, and even talking different.”

“So, what, I decided to change my style up a little bit. Big whoop, alert the media!” Alex said as she leaned over to continue painting her toes.

“It’s not just that. I heard what happened at school with John today.” Xander said in his big brother voice with his arm crossed.

“Hmm if he called you then I must not have done it right. So what I made out with my boyfriend. I’ve been around a while Xander and I think that’s what a girl is supposed to do.”

“That’s not why he called me Lex and you know it. He’s worried about you just like I am. Lately you’ve been moody and acting like a vampire suffering from PMS, but I know it’s more than that.” Xander told her with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m no different than I used to be. So what I’m not scared to be me anymore. Is that wrong?” she asked with an attitude.

“There’s nothing wrong with it Lex, but you’ve crossed a line, and by my count more than just one!” his voice got louder. He was angry and hurt all at once. His sister was out of control and it killed him inside.

“What are you talking about?” Alex scoffed.

“What am I talking about? What am I talking about?” he asked angrily. Xander walked over to Alex’s closet and opened the door. The weakened body of the lab tech at the blood bank fell out.

“Oops. Now where did that come from?” she asked with a smile and faux innocence. Alex then laughed.

“Lex! This isn’t funny! What the hell is wrong with you? You never feed on people! This is not like you at all.” Xander’s eyes started to water as Alex laughed. His sister was turning back into the monster she was way back when. He wouldn’t let that happen to her again. He promised her and himself. Alex looked at the lab tech standing at the foot of her bed. She crawled over to him and sat on her knees and looked deeply into his eyes.

“Todd, you were never here. You don’t know how you got here and you will leave and forget everything from the past two days. If anyone asks where you were, you were visiting a friend from high school and decided to stay at his place. Now get out of here.” She waved him out and heard the front door close and a car start. Xander looked at his sister. What was happening to her? This wasn’t Alex. Xander then had a thought and decided to test his new found theory.

“Alexandria!” he called to Alex.

“Yes?” she responded with a smile as she flipped her hair when she turned her head and looked at him. Xander step back and faltered a bit. Alexandria smiled.

“What’s wrong Xander? Didn’t you miss me? I mean I am your sister.” She smiled an evil smile. Xander’s insides went cold at the sight of it.

“What are you doing here?” he asked strongly. He needed answers. She laughed again this was entertaining for her.

“Simple, ‘Alex’ wasn’t strong enough to hold me back. Trying to be the vampire with a heart, a cute attempt but it wasn’t quite enough.” She told Xander. Alexandria’s English accent threw Xander off. It was like looking into the past. They both had lost their accents over time, but it was if Alex never changed.

“What happened?” he asked concerned. “I want my sister back!” he yelled.

“Aww Xander I’m hurt. I am your sister, more than that weakling Alex ever was. Plus she couldn’t deal with the stress of all the secrets and when Damian showed up two weeks ago she really lost it. No control no wall. No wall, I’m free to enjoy all the things that I’ve been deprived of. I think I’m gonna stay a while. This is going to be fun.” She smiled evilly and licked her fangs. Xander couldn’t take it anymore. He couldn’t watch her come back and destroy the person that Alex tried so hard to be. He wouldn’t let her turn into who she used to be. He felt that he failed her because he let it get this far and did nothing. Xander’s body began to shake with anger and rage. He didn’t want to know this person. He wanted his sweet and non human feeding sister. He wanted Alex.

“Alexandria I want my sister back!” he growled through clenched teeth. His eyes turned crimson.

“Too bad you can’t have her back. And like I said, I am your sister, or have you forgotten?” she said smugly. Her words hit Xander like daggers, every word slicing into him.

“I wasn’t asking nicely.” He growled again. Alexandria looked at him and smiled a devilish smile.

“Now there’s my brother! There’s my partner in crime!” she yelled excitedly. Xander couldn’t take looking at her anymore. She looked like Alex but he knew that it wasn’t her.

“Hmm this John guy is pretty cute. And he smells delicious! I might just call him up so we can have dinner. Well at least me.” Alexandria laughed an evil laugh. It made Xander shiver inside. It was a noticeable contrast next to the red hot rage that was burning within him ready to explode. Alexandria picked up the phone and started to look for John’s number. Xander had to think fast. As his mind was racing he remembered something Alex told him a few days ago. He made his way towards the dresser. He frantically opened the third drawer on the left. As he searched through t-shirts he felt something cold. It was cold and metallic. His hand felt around the object. It was smooth and had a smooth handle. He felt around some more and felt it, the trigger. It was the gun that Alex told him about. She came up with a mixture of silver nitrate and a tranquilizer strong enough to take out a fully grown lion, and put it into a bullet. On impact the bullet shatters and the concoction is released into the body. The silver nitrate immobilizes the vampire and the tranquilizer knocked them out for about six to eight hours. Alex told him about this in case something like this happened. She knew what was going on with her. She must have to come up with something like this. He thought. He grabbed the gun. His heart jumped at what he had to do. He didn’t want to shoot his sister. He looked over at Alexandria, who was on the bed smiling evilly and was tapping through Alex’s phone searching for John’s number. Then she laughed an evil laugh.

“Found it.” She sang. Xander knew what had to be done he couldn’t wait any longer. He watched as Alexandria held up the phone to dial the number.

“Alexandria!” he yelled. He looked at her with pure hatred and pain in his crimson eyes. She looked at him and looked at the gun and started to laugh hysterically.

“And what are you going to do with that? Shoot me? Ha!”she laughed mockingly.

“Actually I am.” Xander said coolly. He cocked the gun. BAM! The gun fired and the bullet raced from the gun as if it hinted the urgency of the situation and made its new home right in Alexandria’s chest. She slumped over like a lifeless rag doll. Xander rushed over to her and saw that the tranquilizer was already taking effect. He looked into her eyes and he saw her. Alex. She smiled a slight smile at him and mouthed the words “Thank you” and then her eyes closed. Xander picked up his sister’s lifeless like body and laid it on the bed so that she was lying flat. He then sat beside her and watched her. For now one problem was out the way. He’d deal with everything else once she woke up. Hopefully she’d be herself again. He bent over and whispered into her ear.

“Alex, please come back to me. Please come back.” He sat back up and saw Alaska entered the room. He let out a whimper and jumped on the bed and rested his head on Alex’s stomach. Alaska looked at Xander with a look of concern. “I did what I had to do boy.” He told Alaska. He petted him on the head. “And now we wait.” He leaned back on the headboard and looked at Alex. Alaska rested his body and together they both waited, anxious to see what happens next.