Well, I won't give away the ending, but I will say that very few things are ever written in stone. As Donne so eloquently said, "No man is an island..." We make our choices, but we don't make them in a vacuum. Xander's experiences have shown him how one little thing can tip the balance. But, no more or I might as well just write the ending here in the comment box! Thank you for your incredibly thoughtful feedback. Your comments have really helped move this story along and I appreciate it more than I can say.