30/41
Author: BmblBee
Paring: S/X
Rating: NC17
Disclaimer: The Bee owns none of the characters or products named and
makes no money off anything. Sad state of affairs.
Warnings: Bad language, strong sexual content between M/M.
Second warning: Although I did do a lot of research, this story is not intended to
be an exact historical account so please don't scream and pounce on a detail or
two that may not be entirely accurate.
Credit: The snippets at the tops of the pages are from a web site entitled "Titanic,
A Time Line of Events". Earl Chapman on the Titanic Discussion List originally
published this chronology of events. Chapman modified it slightly in 1997. The
1997 version formed the basis of this timeline.
Summary: AU. It is the spring of 1912 and Xander Harris, who has been living
with relatives in Ireland, is heading home. As a gift of love, he was booked
passage on the maiden voyage of the Titanic with the promise that it will be the
adventure of a lifetime.
Author's note: This story is NOT a retelling of any of the Titanic movies.
It is the tale of one man and one vampire forgotten by history and the destiny they
both find on this doomed crossing.
Spelling checked by the gracious Silk_Labyrinth
As always, thanks to Petxnd for the wonderful banners and the valued friendship.
Sunday night. April 14th 9:30 PM
Officer Lighttoller instructs Sixth Officer Moody to telephone the crow's nest and
ask the men to keep a sharp lookout for ice and to pass the word to subsequent
watches. Shortly after, another ice warning from the Mesaba is received; it reads:
"Ice report. In latitude 42N to 41.25N, longitude 40W to 50.3W. Saw much
heavy pack ice and a great number of large icebergs. Also field ice. Weather
good. Clear."
The message which identifies a large ice field, and icebergs directly in Titanic's path
is never delivered to the bridge. Philips, who believes that the ship already is
aware of the other warnings, simply transmits:
"Received. Thanks."
Bride and Philips overlook the message due to their preoccupation with
passenger traffic. Altogether, the many ice warnings received this day warn of a
huge ice field 78 miles long and directly ahead of the Titanic.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Xander hastily excused himself and hurried from the dining hall. He tried to
look unconcerned as he rushed out onto the deck and into the frigid night air.
Unlike previous evenings, tonight the outer decks were alive with laughing,
chatting passengers.
The freezing temperatures combined with the heavy fog that was beginning to
settle in had caused a layer of ice to form over the wooden decking; and large
numbers of couples and young, rambunctious children, up long past their
bedtimes, were running and sliding, squealing and laughing as though skating
on an ice pond.
Xander ducked and dodged his way around them trying to move as quickly as
possible while maintaining a steady footing. When he reached the interior
door, he jerked it open and hurried on.
He tried to appear calm and nonchalant as he darted down the corridor towards
his cabin. His brain was spinning with dire thoughts of what might have happened.
He seriously doubted that they had Spike in custody or they wouldn't be risking
a passenger panic by asking after him.
Xander's brain cursed the ignorant ship's staff who failed to understand that this
was a sick man and, instead, no doubt labeled his affliction with words like 'evil'
'murderer' and 'monster' as they sought to punish him rather than show sympathy
and compassion. Would he be treated in such a manner if it were polio or the
plague? Xander thought not.
The only thing that brought him a small shred of consolation was the fact that if
they were hunting for Spike, then he was still safe and if Xander had any say in the
matter, he would remain so till the ship's docking in less than a week.
When he arrived at his cabin, Xander fumbled with the lock and the second the
key turned, he felt a hand in the center of his back shove him through the open door,
clamp around his mouth and he heard the door slam behind them.
Xander's scream for help was muffled as he squirmed to free himself.
"Shh. Xander. Stop it. It's me."
Immediately Xander stilled and Spike removed his grip on the boy. As soon as he
did, Xander spun around in the strong arms and he pulled Spike into a tight, frantic
embrace.
"Oh, God, I was so worried. They are looking everywhere for you. They came
to the dining hall and questioned all the passengers. Some, at my table, remembered
you but for my sake, remained mum. Still, I fear that one of them will talk. What
shall we do? What happened?"
Spike let the boy ramble as all his fears tumbled from his mouth. Surprisingly, his mood
did not match his boy's as he calmly rolled and lit a cigarette. When he took the first
puff and Xander seemed to have run out of words, Spike leaned against the porthole wall.
"Not to worry, Love. I ran into a bit of a problem during my cleanup and one
of the silly ship boys saw me."
Immediately Xander began wringing his hands. Discovery. It was his worst fear
come true.
"Fuck! Did you have to......? Is he.....? What will we do now?"
Spike opened the small round window and tossed out the red, glowing butt. He
then scooped his love up in his arms, kissed his neck and rubbed circles on the
boy's back soothingly as he whispered in his ear.
"He is alive but listen to me Xander. I have not survived for more than 50 years by
being weak and careless. I am in no real danger but I am trapped on this ship for
at least another week until we dock in New York so we need to make some
adjustments. Now, you said yourself that some of the dinner mates have seen us
together so it is only a matter of time till the ship's officers come to question you.
When they do, you will tell them that we met and spoke briefly and you haven't seen
me since. Do you understand?"
Spike felt Xander's head slightly move up and down against the side of his face
so he continued with what he knew would bring the greatest objections.
"Good, now there is one other thing. From now on, until we arrive at port, we can't
see each other."
As he expected, Spike felt Xander's body stiffen in his hold and the boy's shoulders
slightly tremble as he cried. Xander knew it was the only way, for both of them, but
it didn't mean he had to like it.
"I'll never see you again, will I?"
Spike pushed Xander back and forced him to look him in the eye.
"Don't you even think that! We are together, Xander. This is just a hiccup in our
time together and there is nothing they can do to stop us. It is only for a few days.
You will go about your daily routine so that the ship's officers that will be watching
you will see nothing. I will stay out of sight. The Titanic is huge. There are a thousand
places a vampire can conceal himself and never be found. After we dock, you will
collect your belongings and leave the ship. Take a room in a lodging house near the
docks and when the sun drops on the first night, I will come to you. I promise,
Xander, I will come to you. If you change your mind and don't want me, forego
the room and I will not bother you further."
Xander clutched tightly to the smaller man trying to force both his love and body heat
into the seemingly fragile body. He knew everything Spike had said was true. It
was only for a short, but necessary, time and it simply would have been too dangerous
for both of them to be seen together now. Still, the thought of the eternity of the
next five days without Spike made Xander physically sick. He had his concerns whether
he could survive and not shrivel and die if Spike weren't in his arms and in his bed.
But he was no longer a child. Xander was a young man now. He had physically
made adult decisions and engaged in a man's sexual exploration. He would
stand on two feet and stop whimpering like an infant at its mother's skirt hem.
He would do what had to be done.
"You're right, Spike, about everything. You need to go and keep yourself safe.
There is nothing they can pin on me or accuse me of. I will mark the days and
count the minutes till this long journey is over and we are secure on dry land.
I promise you, Spike, I will find a room and I will wait for you. If you don't come
the first night, I will wait the second. If you don't come the first year, I will
wait forever. So, you see, you must keep yourself unharmed and come for me
or carry the burden of my wretched life on your conscience as the years pass on."
Spike smiled sadly and wondered how, if his heart were truly dead and cold, could
it ache so as it seemed to break and shatter under the gaze of these deep brown eyes.
"This is not the end for us Xander. It is only the beginning and as time goes on,
we will look back fondly on our memorial days aboard the Titanic. Maybe on our
50th year on earth together, we will come back and sail her again."
He then gently placed his hands on the human's warm cheeks and pulled his face
down where their lips met one more time in a soft, loving kiss that would carry them
through the lonely hardship of the next few days. When the kiss broke, Spike said
nothing more. He turned and quickly walked out the door. The second it closed,
Xander rushed over. He had forgotten to say I love you. He had wanted just one
more goodby.
When he jerked the door open and stuck his head into the hallway, he was saddened
to see it empty. His vampire was already gone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10:00 PM
At the end of his shift, Lighttoller turns his watch over to First Officer Murdoch.
Elsewhere, Frederick Fleet and Reginald Lee replace George Symons and Archie
Jewell in the crow's nest.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~