36/41
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.
1:30 a.m.
Signs of panic begin to appear as port No. 14 is lowered with 60 people, including 5th
Officer Lowe. Lowe is forced to fire three warning shots along the ship's side to keep
a group of unruly passengers from jumping into the already full boat.
1:40 a.m.
Most of the forward boats have left and passengers begin to move to the stern area.
Collapsable C is soon filled with women and children and as it is being lowered,
two gentlemen step onboard. One is William Carter, the other Bruce Ismay.
With the Titanic close to sinking, Ismay decides to save himself in shame.
The forward deck is now awash.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What are you bloody talking about?"
Xander still couldn't look the man in the eye. He knew it was ludicrous that in the
face of all this tragedy and suffering he should cling to one stupid fear above all, but
it was what it was.
"Swimming. I can't swim. I've tried to learn but I can't. My arms and legs just won't
coordinate like that. I end up flapping and flopping like....."
"Bloody hell, mate. This has nothing to do with swimming. Where the hell are you
going to swim to? This is all about just staying afloat till help comes. This is about
praying that we are plucked from the great cold drink before the sun comes up and
I am fried like an ash pan."
A small whimper slipped from Xander's lips as that reality hit home. It was one more
danger that he hadn't even considered. The fear of dying was ever present. The fear
of drowning came next but the terror of surviving this ordeal and losing the man he
loved was more than his heart could stand.
"No! No, we can't let that happen. Please Spike, you promised we would make it
through this together. No matter what happens you said we would be together."
Spike suddenly turned his head to the side. His ears had shifted and prioritized the
chaotic sounds around them and filtered past the alarm bells, the shouts and the
storm of humanity that was exploding like a volcano. His hearing, instead, picked
up the other.
The water. The sound of the water rushing faster now as it filled all of the lower
compartments and washed over the deck behind them. He knew they no longer had
hours and were down to a few precious minutes.
Other passengers knew it too. Even without enhanced vampire hearing, their human
instincts for survival were driving them like lemurs to leap the railings into the frigid
waters below and a whole new level of horror rose up around them.
Breaking the spell, Xander grabbed Spike by the chin and forced his face back around.
Now, however, he wasn't looking into the terrified face of a young boy about to die.
Now he was gazing into the determined brown eyes of a strong young man.
"Spike! Look at me! I know what I want. If I am going to die anyway, I want it to be
with you. You said you were alive, like me once until your Drusilla infected you with
the vampireitis. Now you can't die. Do it. Do it to me and give us a chance. It's the only
way, Spike. It's a long shot, I know, but if all goes right we may have a chance at a
future together. If it doesn't, it won't matter. Let's be honest, I'm going to die tonight
either way. I would rather it be for you. I want to die for you, Spike."
Spike wanted to argue the point. They had discussed it briefly and the fact was, Spike
had every intention of turning his boy eventually. After years together. After giving
his Xander years to enjoy his life and the experiences that could only be relished in the
sunshine.
But Xander was right. There was no way, thanks to the arrogance and incompetence
of the human race that Xander would live through this hell on earth. Still, even if they
did this, the odds were that they would greet the burning sun together in the water.
Together. Together. It was the one word that was the deciding factor.
With his cold hands on Xander's frozen, numb cheeks, Spike kissed him fast and
hard. It was the answer that Xander had hoped for. Immediately, Spike grabbed
his boy's icy hand and he looked around for a corner, a cubby hole out of the way
to do what he needed to do. It wasn't the privacy or protection of intimacy that
concerned him, only that someone would bump or interrupt them.
When Xander realized what Spike was doing, he gripped the vampire's arm.
"No, not out here. I thought we could do this alone. It's special, like getting married.
Can't we do this in our cabin? In our own bed?"
"Xander, Love. No. Our cabin is already a wash and even if it weren't, this tin can is
about to drop to the bottom of the ocean and I don't fancy the notion of being trapped
in a small box for eternity eatin' fish blood as they happen to swim by. Besides, time's
up, Love. It has to be now or never. Here and now. Are you with me?"
There was no pause or hesitation. No fear or wavering in his voice as Xander grabbed
Spike's arm and pulled him toward a raised area underneath an outer stairway. The water
was washing across the deck now sloshing on their feet, and the tilt of the bow made
balance difficult but Xander was steady.
"Here, this step up will give us another minute or two. Do it now, Spike."
Conditions were not ideal. Generally, a vampire likes to toy with his victim. A bit of
sexual cat and mouse that would give both the life giver and the life taker a moment of
ecstasy before the big bang. At least that was what he had heard. He had never actually
turned anyone before but he wouldn't admit that now. Why add the fear of performance
inadequacies to the long list of uncertainties?
Leaning back against the cold steel wall, Xander balled up his fists and squeezed his
eyes tightly shut as he waited for the shroud of death to descend over him. Spike had
already shifted his face and allowed the demon to take over. His fangs elongated and
his brow distorted.
He panted like a panther who had stalked and cornered a frightened gazelle and, in fact,
that was what stopped him. He knew this was the only way and he had no doubt that
Xander wanted it but this was wrong. Spike could feel the fear that rolled off his lover
and it made him sick. So he stopped.
When Xander opened his eyes and saw that he was nose to nose with the bloodthirsty
monster he had seen murder the girl in the cargo hold, all apprehension left him. This
was still Spike.
He immediately threw his arms around the strange creature and he pulled him close.
He tipped his head to the side and he blew puffs of slightly warm air against the side
of the vampire's cheek.
"You are so beautiful. Make me like that. Hurry Spike. I love you. No matter what,
I will always love you."
Before Spike could answer, the ship took a violent jolt, knocking them off their feet
as the bow tipped up. Water washed over their prone bodies and tried to tear them
apart with its force.
Spike threw his head back and howled up into the night, cursing the Gods who took
such pleasure in watching the suffering of mankind. He then jerked Xander up against
him and grabbed a fistful of icy, wet hair. He pulled the head to the side and as Xander
clung to the lapels of Spike's soaked overcoat, the vampire bit.
His skin was so numb from the long exposure to the cold night air, that Xander barely
felt the piercing of the fangs as they split through his throat. When the first mouthful of
blood was drawn from his veins, his base instinct for survival awoke and despite
attempts to stay rational, his legs jerked and kicked out wildly, splashing them both
with the salt water that now covered the entire deck.
The terror was fast and just as quickly as it began, like the tides, it ebbed. As the life
blood left his body, Xander relaxed. The sounds of the horror filled night faded away
along with the ever present cold. His body felt warm. He was at peace and his limbs
stilled as he seemed to float up like a cloud in the dark night sky, far above the surreal
scene that was playing out below him.
A few seconds more and Xander's body went limp. The last breath sighed from his
lungs and his eyes fluttered shut.
Spike's lips remained on the spot long after the last drop had been extracted. His boy
was gone. The human's warmth and life now flowed through him filling him with strength
and the sure knowledge that Xander had given his life in the hope of the resurrection.
Whatever happened beyond this, Xander, as he knew him, would exist no more.
Suddenly, he realized that his melancholy contemplation could cost them everything and
he snapped out of it. He quickly sliced a fang over his wrist, drawing the very blood
he had just received. Grabbing onto the base of the steps to prevent the water from
flushing them from their hiding place, he pried the boy's dead lips open and he watched
the blood fill the unresponsive mouth.
"Swallow!"
Nothing.
A small trickle of blood ran from Xander's mouth and Spike felt his panic begin to rise.
"SWALLOW! Damn you Xander. Swallow!!"
And he did.