"Missing"

Xander looked at his sister lying there in her bed. How long had it been? Why wasn’t she awake yet? Did she miscalculate the dosage? His mind was swimming with questions. He looked over at the clock. Alex had only been out for five hours. She had another one to three hours left before she awakened. He was anxious. He thought back on the conversation they had about this day. He was just as unsure about the accuracy of this concoction then as he was now, but Alex was sure about so he had to be too. He slowly glanced over Alex’s still body. His eyes traveled to the bullet hole that was in his sister’s chest. He looked at it and shivered at what happened that brought that hole there. As if he could feel his gaze traveling, Alaska looked at the wound too. He let out a whimper and then looked at Xander.

“I guess I should get something to bandage that up, huh boy?” Xander looked at Alaska and nodded. “Watch her for me. I’ll be back in a second.” He told the dog as he got up from the bed and headed to Alex’s bathroom. He opened the cabinet door and took out the gauze, some tape, some antiseptic spray, and some clean towels and made his way back to Alex. He sat on the right side of the bed so he’d be closer to the bullet wound. He pulled Alex’s shirt back and winced. “I have to do this for Lex or this could get ugly.” He coached himself. He cleaned it out as best as he could and covered it with the gauze and the tape. “Now it looks like she got a tattoo instead of getting shot by her own brother to keep her from turning into a complete monster and wreaking havoc on all of Manhattan with her depraved vampire ex boyfriend.” Xander said to himself in one breath.

Xander sighed and looked at the clock. Only thirty minutes had passed since the last time he looked at it. This was getting ridiculous. He looked at Alex one more time and something around her neck caught his attention. “What’s this?” he asked as he touched the necklace around Alex’s neck. This is the necklace Damian gave her. Why does she have it on? He thought. Thinking it would help he reached around and took the necklace off. “I’m going to get rid of this once and for all.” With all his strength he tried to crush the necklace until it turned into what looked like silver dust. He got back up from the bed and flushed it down the toilet. He looked at Alex.” Sorry Lex, you’re gonna thank me later.” He whispered to himself. Xander walked back to the bed and went in Alex’s drawer in her bedside table and took out her Nintendo DSi. Video games always make time seem to pass faster.

Xander played Mario Brothers for what seemed like forever. He was really into. Just as he was about to face Baby Bowser he heard a groan. He looked over at Alex and she was still. He stared at her for a second. Alex groaned again, opened her eyes and grimaced. “Lex you’re awake!” he said excitedly. Alex turned her head to look at her brother then tried to sit up. “Here, let me help you.” Xander helped Alex sit up. Alex grabbed her shirt and looked at the bullet hole that was in it.

“Aww bloody hell!” she said in a raspy whisper with a slight English accent. “This was my favorite shirt!” Xander pulled the gun from off of the table and pointed it at Alex.

“Dude chill out it’s me.” She told him. This time her voice almost sounded as it was hers.

“If it’s really you, then what was the name of my imaginary friend when we were kids?” he asked hastily. Alex looked at him and then down at the bandage. She took it off and her face screwed up in pain.

“Bo Bo McMonkey. Now put that gun away because the last thing we both need is for you to accidently shoot me...again.” She said through clenched teeth. Xander lowered the gun and gave his sister a big hug.

“Welcome back!” Alex shook. She was in pain and Xander wanted to throw all his weight on her. “Oops, sorry Lex.” He smiled sheepishly.

“I take it by the bullet hole in my favorite shirt the fact that I don’t recall anything from the past and the gaping bullet wound in my chest, I was right?”Alex asked as she pointed to the bullet wound. Xander nodded.

“Yep and she almost tried to call up John and eat him.” He said absently.

“What?! Did she call him? Is he ok?” she asked frantically.

“No, that’s when I shot her. Umm I mean you. Ugh you know what I mean.” He said frustrated.

“Yeah, sadly I do.” Alex laughed. Xander was comforted to have his sister back.

“Lex, I have something serious to ask you. How long have you been blacking out like this?” he asked seriously. Alex looked down at the bullet wound. She noticed the bullet didn’t fully disintegrate. It did its job now she was left with the hassle of getting the rest out.

“I don’t know. Oww. Two weeks I –Oww guess.” She said as she dug in her chest to retrieve the bullet. Once she freed it from her skin she threw it on the floor and lay down. She did too much and exhausted herself again.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Xander said heading to the microwave to retrieve the blood he’d put in there while she was digging out the bullet. He sat own ext to her and handed he a pouch of blood.

“Why so you could feel bad because you couldn’t help me? No thanks.” She said as she took a sip. Xander shook his head. He obviously disapproved of her thinking, but she was here now, but for how long? He didn’t want to think about Alexandria ever returning. He shrugged it off and looked at Alex. She was sleeping soundly. This time she was asleep by choice, being knocked out and going to sleep are two different things. Xander put the blanket back over her and walked out the room to let her sleep. He grabbed his phone out of his pocket and texted John.

It took about a week for Alex to recover from her brush with her other side. Xander wouldn’t let her leave the house until he was sure that she was ok and not going to turn into Alexandria again. He never left her side. Other people would have found that annoying, but it was her brother so she just dealt with it. She looked around the living room and then at Xander. She was going to go crazy if she was in the house one more minute.

“I don’t care what you say, I’m not letting you out.” He told her. Alex smiled.

“I’m not saying much of anything. Come on! I’m going crazy in here all day. I feel like an animal. No wait I take that back. At least Alaska gets to go outside.” She joked. Xander laughed. “See I’m better. I’m fine. Plus, who stays in on a Friday night anyway, especially when they have tickets to go see Trey Songz with her boyfriend?” she asked grouchily. Xander laughed.

“You like him?” he asked.

“Uh yeah! He’s a great singer and plus he’s drop dead gorgeous. Plus if I’m not there he’s gonna call me and ask me where I am.” She said with a slick smile.

“Whatever. Well call him and let him know you won’t be able to make it.” Xander joked. He didn’t know Alex was serious until he saw her grab her cell phone. She dialed a number and put her phone on speaker.

“Hello?”A man answered.

“Hey Trey, it’s Alex. I just wanted you to know that I can’t make your show tonight because my brother is holding me hostage because I was sick and he doesn’t believe I’m ok now.” She explained.

“Aww well that’s too bad baby girl. You ok?” Trey asked concerned.

“Yeah I’m fine. I just didn’t want you to think I ditched you and forgot.”

“Aww no problem baby. I hope you feel better though. I got go right now, but I’ll text you later and send you a video of your favorite song.”

“Ok by Trey.” She hung up and looked at Xander, who’s mouth was wide open in shock.

“Two years ago he saw me in a club and we hung out for a bit and talked. He liked me enough to give me his number and we’ve been friends ever since.” She laughed. Her and Xander laughed about old” Trey and Alex” stories for two whole hours then her phone rang.

“I swear that’s how it happened. Hey baby!” she laughed.

“Wow now that’s the type of greeting I like.” A voice said. It wasn’t John. Alex’s face turned pale and he body froze.

“Damian. Where’s John?” Alex asked slightly frightened.

“Oh, John’s fine…for now.” Damian told her coldly.

“I want to speak to him.” She demanded.

“Well someone’s getting a little demanding. I would let you talk to him, but he’s a little tied up right now. I’m going to let him live…for now. SO don’t worry your pretty little head love, but if you want to save your little boyfriend you’ll have to do exactly what I tell you.” He demanded devilishly. She hated being at Damian’s mercy, but she had to save John. That was her main priority.

“Fine. What do you need me to do?” she asked angrily through clenched teeth.

“That is simple my dear. I’m going to call you soon with instructions on how to find your little boy toy then you can have him.”

“That sounds way too simple even for you Damian.” She smiled smugly.

“Oh, but that’s not all my sweet. There’s more once you get here.” He teased. Alex hated when he played games with her. “I’ll call you in a few, darling.” Then he hung up.

“That was Damian?” Xander asked shocked.

“Yeah, and he has John.” Alex said staring at her cell phone. She was scared to even think about what Damian had planned for her, but more scared of what he was going to do to John.

“He said John is fine I just have to follow his instructions and he lives.”

“Well what does he want?”

“I don’t know yet. He told me to wait. Damian’s too smart for us to pull off anything, and he knows that. So we’re going to do the only thing we can do…wait.” Alex looked up at Xander and they both stared at each other. They were completely at Damian’s will if they wanted John to be safe. So they both sat there quietly, waiting, waiting for the phone to ring again with their instructions.