bohofemm and kitty_alexSeries Title: Expectant Hell
Chapter Title: Eight Weeks
Pairing: Spike/Xander
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Disclaimer: I own nothing. I bend to Joss Whedon's will and try my best not to murder his characters.
Summary: A demon casts a spell on Xander. Willow reverses the spell, but weeks later, they find it has one huge side effect.
Warnings: Male Pregnancy
Notes: Thanks to
kimalis for betaing!Previous Chapters: You can find previous chapters here.
"Do you get the feeling Xander's hiding something?" Willow asked. "He's acting weird."
"But he's pregnant. Pregnant people are allowed to act weird." Buffy pointed out, sipping a bottle of water.
Buffy had been training in the backroom of the Magic Box while waiting for sun down. Buffy felt a bit sorry for Spike, which was a surprise which both disgusted and shocked her. Xander had been clinging to Spike since the doctor's appointment. She figured whatever his problem was had to do with that. She might be blonde, but she wasn't completely stupid.
"Has he told anyone how the appointment went?" Giles asked, glancing up from the book. Willow glanced to Buffy.
"No, just that Xander and the baby were healthy," Willow said. "Spike's been quiet about it too."
"Weird." Buffy shook her head. "Are they coming tonight?"
Willow nodded, "Yeah, as soon as the sun goes down. Which gives me a major case of the wiggins. How's the research going, Giles?"
"Nothing new, I'm afraid. It's the oddest situation."
"Oddest situation? You mean like mojoing them together or something like that? Because I find that the oddest thing," Buffy said.
"The Jenlanar document everything. I cannot believe I am unable to find more."
"You can't find anything out about Xander's condition?" Willow asked. "Because hanging out with Spike despite him being Daddy is weird."
"Well. There's something on a page I'm missing."
"I could do a spell to try and retrieve it. I'm getting better at my magic."
"No, that’s okay. It's probably something we don't need to worry about."
"Well, what's it talking about before it cuts off? Is it about the mating ritual? What happens during it? Why was he all slut Xander and then fine Xander after we found him? There's just a lot we don't know. It's alarming."
"All it says is ‘If the demon dies before mating can complete-’"
Willow frowned, "And there's nothing new about the ritual other than the dead sperm thing?"
"No." Giles said. "We can assume the fetus is healthy and hopefully human, despite being half vampire." He glanced up. "Speak of the devil. Hello, Xander."
Xander walked in, Spike trailing behind him. They were in a heated argument.
"I don't care if it was your great uncle or your third cousin twice removed, I'm not naming our kid 'Merton'."
"Bruce and Clark are not much better. I still think William Alexander Junior is brilliant."
"It's stuffy and too upper crusty for me!"
"What about Merwyn?"
"Are you on something? Did you drink hippie blood again?"
Giles cleared his throat, "Excuse me. Are you forgetting something?"
"If you think we're naming it Rupert, you can forget it," Spike said.
Xander elbowed Spike in the ribs. Then, leaning in, he whispered. "It's time. Tell them."
"What happened to family secret you hormonal-"
Spike was cut off by Buffy, "Tell us what?"
"I feel like making it known." Xander said. "Plus, you know, it's not every day you find out that they have beating hearts."
Willow looked at Xander with wide-eyes, "They? As in there's more than one?"
"He ain't having a litter, Red. Put your eyes back where they belong. Whelp is only having two."
"Twins?" Willow squealed. "Like two babies born at the same time?" She hugged Xander tightly. Spike moved forward slowly, as he heard Xander growl softly under his breath,
"Um. Willow. You may want to back up." he warned.
Willow looked over Xander, "What's wrong? Can't I hug you?"
"He's just on this whole 'You do not touch my babies' kick. Should have seen what he almost did to this one demon at the doctor’s office who thought it would be fun to mess with Xan. Did they say they could reattach the finger properly or not?"
"They couldn't." Xander muttered under his breath. "Get off me. Please. It's not you. I don't want to be touched." He glanced around. "No offense."
"The only one he lets touch him is me." Spike added.
Buffy glared at him, "You seem smug about that."
"It's not being smug." Xander hissed. "It's the truth. He's the only one who won't treat me like a freak." He glanced around again.
"No one is treating you like a freak, Xander," Willow said her eyes full of tears.
"Calm down, Red. It's the bits. They'll trust their Aunt Red eventually. They're new. Only trust their Mummy and Daddy right now."
"Do you really think they can sense what's going on right now?" Buffy asked her eyes wide. "Like hear what's going on?"
Spike nodded, "Well, one at least is. Guess I can feel it. Been around Dru so long. I don't know if it has something to do with the spell or my bloodline, maybe both. I've never been as much into the mystical rubbish as the other vamps."
"Plus, they do have ears. They hear what's going on. And they know what my heartbeat sounds like." Xander said, grinning. "Spike bought me What to Expect When You're Expecting."
"Yeah, but you just got to hang around them long enough. Just got to know you're there to help. He's fine with the doctor. So, I think they can tell. Just don't crowd."
"Okay." Willow said. "I won't crowd." She sighed. "Does it feel weird?"
"A bit. I feel fatter even though Spike lies to me and tells me I'm not showing that much," Xander said with a pout.
"You're not showing, Pet." Spike muttered reaching a hand over to stroke Xander’s stomach. "The doctor told you that. You won't show til your second trimester!"
Xander extended his pout further, "I still feel really fat. I've been eating enough to at least be twice my size."
"It's all healthy food though. Doc gave me a list."
"Stupid doctor. I should be allowed more than one Twinkie a day."
"Now, Pet, we discussed this. You don't need that stuff. And you're allowed the ice cream. Plus Twinkies agitate the bits, and then I'm hunting around for chicken broth." Spike soothed him. "It'll get better once the morning sickness ends."Xander sniffled.
"Promise?" he asked.
"I promise."
Xander smiled, "If you say so."
Giles coughed loudly, "Is there any other reason for your visit?"
"Just wanted to spread the news of the twins." Xander chirped. "Are you happy for me?"
Giles took off his glasses and polished them, "I dare say this is all quite concerning."
"Why?" Xander asked, his voice showing a hint of panic. "Spike. What's wrong?"
Spike glared, "Watcher doesn't like that I'm the father."
"Or how Xander is reacting and don't you find your bond, or how you are acting around each other concerning?"
Spike looked over Xander, "No. Unresolved sexual tension solved." Spike crossed his arms and gave a head nod.
"It's called hormones." Xander grumbled. "I am not meant to be pregnant. Sorry If I'm not handling this the way I should. You expect me to be angry, but I have no way of getting them out until they are to term. So, might as well accept and love them.”
Giles put his glasses back on, "You could at least consider adoption."
"What did you say?" Spike growled.
Buffy stepped in front of Giles, "He said you should put them up for adoption. Give them a good demon home."
"Why would I want to?" Xander asked. "Honestly?"
"They're demons, Xander." Buffy said. "Can't you see what they're doing to you? You nearly attacked Willow for touching you. Don't you find that odd?"
Spike stepped in front of Xander. "The doctor warned us this would happen. It's normal. They're mood swings. Nothing more than mood swings, and a possibly psychic fetus. As soon as he's further along, it will settle down. I promise."
"And we're supposed to trust you? You've tried to kill us how many times? You've lied to us more times than I can count. So now I'm supposed to trust you after you kept this from us for an entire week? No way, vampboy. Not happening."
"Xander wanted to. He didn't want you to fuss. And it's not like we hid anything big."
"Nothing big? There are two possible demons-"
"They're human!" Xander whimpered, on the verge of tears. "Stop thinking like that!"
"How can you be so sure they're human?" Giles asked. "Really. We don't know what we're dealing with."
"Even if they ain't human," Spike said."Don't mean they'll start off evil. Nature over Nurture has not been proven."
"You've been reading the baby book too," Xander said, his mood picking up.
"Course I did, Pet. Had to do something while you were whining about being fat," Spike said with a smirk.
"I want to go, Spike. Can my feet swell this early on? Because my feet are hurting me. Can we pick up something really greasy on the way home? I miss grease."
"Of course," He gently eased his arm around Xander's waist. "Goodbye."
Xander gave a small wave, "Bye. You can come see us anytime and if you need anything call."
Willow smiled, "We will."
They left and Buffy looked at Giles.
"There's something weird about him." Buffy murmured. "Like, um, I don't know."
Giles glanced up from his book, "We won't know anything until I can find out what's on the missing page."
Willow frowned, "They seem happy and for the most part don't feel all spelly. I could get Tara to try and look at them, but Xander snapped at me. I hate to think what he'd say to Tara."
"I can't believe the way he reacted to the idea of adoption." Buffy said. "If I had demon seed in me, well, I'd do what I can to make go poof."
"You wouldn't be able to make it go 'poof'," Willow reminded her.
"Oh right!" She exclaimed. "Well. There has to be demon families out there.”
"I don't know Buffy. It's not like we ever went door to door asking families if they ever abandoned their demon babies and where was the best place to leave them. This is all kind of new."
Giles snapped his book shut, "I wonder if the Council would have a copy of this book."
"Do you think we can trust them?" Willow asked. "Because honestly. That's not my Xander."
"The Council or Spike and Xander?" Giles asked her.
"Both." She said. "There's something weird about Xan."
"I would have to agree with you. And what Spike said about the one child being psychic. It could be mentally controlling both of them. I heard reports from Wesley about what happened to Cordelia a few months ago."
"Oh! Xander was craving blood! Do you think it's the same thing? Do I get to dust Spike?" Buffy asked excitedly
"We do not know what kind of affect that would have on Xander."
"Yeah." Willow sighed. "We don't want to hurt him." She glanced around. "What if they are perfectly normal babies? I don't want to be responsible for anything happening to normal babies."
"They aren't normal babies," Buffy assured her. "They are mind controlling Xander. I'm the slayer, I slay. Give me something to slay and make it better."
“We don't know that. As far as we know, this is normal pregnancy."
"Alright," Buffy said crossing her arms. "But if he keeps acting weird after the mood swings are supposed to be over, I'm getting with the slaying."
"Well, Giles keep searching for the book." Willow said. "I'm going to visit Xander. See if I can get whatever's inside him used to me."
"Good idea," Giles said. "It might be helpful if you two looked up all you could on pregnancies."
"I didn't pay attention in Health class and you expect me to pay attention now?" Buffy whined. "So unfair."
"Yes. You have to pay attention."
He watched Willow disappear out the door. Willow sighed as she walked down the street towards Xander's. She didn't know what to make of the situation. The part of her that still pictured Xander as the sweet little boy who used to come over everyday after school was telling her this wasn't Xander, while the other part of her saw that Xander was growing up and was making his own decisions for once. She knew that dealing with the unknowns of the demon world could be very dangerous. Yet, she hated thinking that her best friend was carrying the end of the world inside him.
She arrived at his apartment door a little too soon for her liking. She tried to clear her thoughts just in case the child lurking inside Xander was a demon and knocked. The door swung open and she was met with the image of a topless Spike.
"It's just Red," Spike called over his shoulder.
"Hi. Can I come in?" She asked, smiling. Spike nodded. "How's he feeling now?"
"Better. He's laying down in the bedroom. He has his ice cream and array of disgusting foods. So, he's happy."
"Is that healthy?" Willow asked. Spike glared at her.
"Ever try to take food from a pregnant person? He may be only 2 months along, but food is his friend. Unless it's Spinach and hamburger. Makes him sick."
"So, you really care about him?"
Spike scratched his head, "I don't know. I care about the bits though. Dunno. Imagine being told your sterile, then find out one day you ain't got just one but two on the way. Thought my life was over after the chip, Red. This. This is a good start."
"I never pegged you as the fatherly type." She said softly. "You've always seemed like the killer type."
"Yeah, blame Dru. Had to take care of her for over a hundred years, some of it was bound to sink in."
"Good point." Willow smiled. "So, everything's normal inside there? No extra legs? Teeth already?"
Spike looked sheepish, "Got the ultrasound hanging on the fridge. I'm looking for a frame. Don't tell though. I'll tell Xan you had the last of his ice cream and he'll go hormonal on you, if you do."
"Anything but that," she said. "Almost being attacked once was more than enough."
"It's all normal pregnancy stuff. He's threatened to stake me once when I picked up the wrong brand of ice cream. Just how it is. Come on. See the bits on the fridge."
She moved towards the refrigerator, wondering what she'd see. Spike followed her and pulled a piece of paper off the fridge, holding it in his hand, he showed it to her.
"You can see them outlined," he said lightly tracing them out. "And that dark shapes in the middle are their hearts."
Willow smiled, "Those are their hearts? Do they beat? Have you heard them? Oh, look at them in there. They're so cute."
Spike looked at her. She must have been insane. Seeing them was precious, but he'd hardly consider them cute.
"Yeah. They beat. Saw it last week."
"Really? I can't believe that's actually a picture of Xan and those are his babies in there."
"Our babies," Spike corrected her; he realized what he said and drew her attention back to the picture. "I think they look like lizards myself. Of course, the other day Xander did tell me about when he was on the swim team, so I might not be far off."
“Can I see him now?"
"'Course you can. He'll be glad you came."
"Anything special to remember?" she asked, walking towards the bedroom.
"If he has food in his hands, don't try to take it. You might think it's funny at first, but he bites hard."
"Ouch." Willow muttered. "Anything else?"
"Don't get too close to him. If he wants you close, he'll tell you."
Willow nodded and knocked on the bedroom door, "It's me, Willow. Can I come in? I'd really like to see you. I'm sorry about what happened and I just want to spend some time with you."
Xander glanced up from his bowl of ice cream. "Sure." He gazed around. "Donut?"
"You should be honored he's sharing," Spike whispered in her ear.
She chuckled and shook her head, "No thank you, Xander. Can I sit on the bed?"
"Sure. Just no touching. Please." he said. "Suddenly, this is also looks disgusting. Spike, can you please clean this up?”
"Slave labour this is," Spike said picking up the empty bowls and plates.
Willow sat on the foot of the bed and looked over Xander, "Feeling any better?"
"Queasy right now. Don't think the babies like peach ice cream," he replied. "And extremely tired."
"Told ya they wouldn't like it," Spike said picking up the last plate. "Don't listen to me though. Just the father of the little blighters."
"Bleachie, a little more cleaning, a little less whining."
"You're lucky you have my little bits in there or I wouldn't be this accommodating."
He left the room to clean the plates.
"You have him trained well," Willow said with a smile.
"It's weird." Xander leaned up, his hand protectively embracing his stomach. "I never thought Spike would be this attentive to me. But I kind of like having him around."
"Well, I guess he did sire them in a way. You know the Sire-Childer bond thingie. Could be in affect. But, as long as you're happy. They looked normal in the ultrasound that Spike showed me. So, I'm here for you."
Spike came back in and noticed the half-asleep Xander.
"Lovely visit, but Mummy needs his sleep now."
"Okay." Willow stood up. "Sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite."
Xander chuckled and pulled the covers tighter around himself, "If they do, Spike will bite them back. Thanks for coming and what you said. It means a lot to me."
Willow turned around to say something, but he was already sound asleep. She moved toward Spike.
"It's not you. He falls asleep in the middle of talking to me."
Willow nodded and found Spike leading her out the door.
"Will you keep me updated on what the doctor says?"
"Anything abnormal comes up, you'll be the first I'll tell."
"Thanks." She went to leave then stopped herself. "Don't hurt him. I'd give you a talk about me beating you to death with a shovel, but I doubt that would do much good since you're a vamp."
"I won't hurt him. Don't need to give me any talk. See you later, Red. Drop by soon."