Title: So Two-Thousand And Late

Author: Drake

Summary: Caridad recounts the last time she saw Xander. "Mystery" crossover also.

Rating: G

Spoilers: Post-S7 not S8 compliant.

Disclaimer: I own none of this which is probably just as well.

A/N: Random thing that came about. Calling it a one shot and hoping it stays so.

Giles looked from the upset faces of Buffy, Dawn and Willow over to the bound and gagged form of Andrew before finally settling his gaze on Caridad. With a nod to the young slayer, Giles spoke to her "Could you," Giles slightly emphasized 'you' and glanced toward Andrew disapprovingly, "tell us what happened when Xander disappeared?"

"Our team had set up a tent over the excavation the seers had pointed us toward saying it was some amazingly powerful artifact that had to be kept out of the sunlight. Xander had codenamed the whole thing..."

"Operation Gremlin seems to be going well, they almost have Gizmo fully excavated and so far nothing's gone -" Xander was silenced as Caridad's hand slapped over his mouth with enough force to knock him off balance. Xander looked at her, convinced if there'd been any plants near this area they'd have withered under her glare. "I was taunting Murphy, wasn't I?"

"You were and you better hope he was busy and not paying attention." The duo walked to the edge of the excavated hole around the artifact. "Gizmo?"

"Thar's what I'm calling the obelisk." At Caridad's raised eyebrow he added, "I've also decided to call it an obelisk. Granted obelisks are usually pointed but I, uh, can't remember what something like that is supposed to be called."

Caridad gave a shrug, "Gizmo though?"

"Like the movie. Don't get it wet, keep out of the sunlight and don't sacrifice virgins to it after midnight..."

Further discussion was cut off as they heard gunfire in the distance. Xander grabbed his radio to find out what was happening when Andrew came rushing into the tent and collided with Xander, sending the larger man into the excavated area where he landed against the obelisk and disappeared.

"We were under attack by human thugs working for a local demon warlord. I saw Xander disappear and... I didn't know what I could do for him. I left Andrew in the tent with the obelisk and went to fight the attackers so we'd be able to figure out how to get Xander back later, safe from attack."

"During the fight I heard Xander over the radio and thought he'd returned, I thought it was going to be okay. I finished the battle with the local bad guys and went to the tent chew Xander out for worrying me and Andrew out for causing it. When I got back in the tent..." Caridad trailed off for a moment.

"When I went back in the tent the artifact was gone and there was no sign of Xander. Where the obelisk had been was an empty space and a ray of sunlight spilling through a hole in the tent. It appears an errant shot hit the tent and let the sunlight in. An improbable shot... I think Murphy was paying attention earlier. Andrew told me the thing just disappeared when the light hit it."

"You said you'd heard Xander over the radio after he disappeared but before the artifact also disappeared. Do you recall what he said?"

"The last thing I heard him say... the last any of us ever heard from him was: 'It's full of stars.'"

*~end~*

BtVS/2001: A Space Odyssey