Pairing : Spike/Xander
Rating : NC17
Summary: The words of a prophecy force Spike and Xander closer than they ever thought they would ever become but will it be close enough?
Part: 13/18
A/N : Inspired by plot bunny/challenge posted here: http://spanderfiles.com/grp/challenges.html
Lady Q: Write a story based on the meaning of Xander's name. Alexander means: Defender of Men and Warrior. So I would like to see a story based on the meaning of his name and Xander coming to understand it
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Previously:
“I'm not quite sure what's going on with Willow. I can't help but think there's something underlying her recent behaviour - “
CRASH!!!!!
“What the -” Xander's jaw practically dropped in shock as he watched his childhood friend coming towards him, levitating several inches off the ground, arms spread wide, lightning crackling from her fingertips. Willow's eyes were onyx, no whites showing at all – jet black streaks appearing in her hair as he watched; veins making dark striations across her face which came and went in rhythm with the lightning.
“Willow?!”
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“WHERE IS HE?”
Buffy had automatically moved into a fighting stance, shock holding her in position. Giles had lurched to his feet but remained by the table. Xander stood facing his best friend in the whole world, unable to believe what he was seeing.
“Willow - “
“WHERE IS HE?”
“Where's who? Willow, what's going on – what have you done?”
“Xander, I think you need to step back. It appears that Willow has been taken over....” Willow laughed, a hollow sound so completely unlike her normal girly giggle that Xander flinched.
“Taken over? Is that what you think? No, Giles, I haven't been taken over. I've simply decided not to allow you to control me anymore. You wanted to keep this power away from me, keep me weak because you are jealous. But it's mine now. And I'm going to do whatever it takes to protect my friend. Now enough of this idle chitchat – where is that vampire?”
“SPIKE? You want Spike? Willow, are you out of your mind!?”
“Oh Xander, it's not me who's not thinking clearly. But don't worry. I'm going to make this all better and we can get back to how we were, how things should be. I'll keep you safe from him, please don't be afraid anymore!” While she'd been talking, Giles had been sidling forward and Willow turned and made a gesture with her hand, lightning shooting from her fingertips. The first bolt hit Giles squarely in the chest, knocking him backwards into the shelves where he smacked his head, several large books falling onto him. Before Buffy could even react, a second bolt raced towards her sending her crashing backwards. Horrified, Xander could do nothing as both Buffy and Giles lay motionless on the floor. He was even more dismayed when the back door opened, and Spike came striding through.
“What the fuckin' hell - “ Willow's eyes widened then narrowed menacingly, and raising both hands she gestured towards Spike, obviously intent on killing him. Without thinking, Xander threw himself towards the vampire, a cry escaping him as both lightning bolts burned their way into his back.
“Oh Goddess!” Completely horrified by what she had done to Xander, Willow shrank in on herself, sinking down so her feet were once more on the floor. Her fingers stopped crackling, and for a moment her eyes went back to their normal green. “Xander!”
“What the fuck have you done?!” Spike screamed at her, going to the floor with Xander in his arms, tapping his face gently to try to wake him up. "Luv - pet, wake up now!"
“I – I – it wasn't supposed to be him!! It was never supposed to be him!” She screamed, then gestured with her hand in a swirling movement before disappearing, leaving Spike sat on the floor with Xander in his arms, Buffy and Giles unconscious on either side of him, completely bewildered by what had happened.
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It took some to bring Giles round, Buffy hauling him into a chair and resorting to dashing a glass of water into his face. He spluttered, then groaned, reaching to the back of his head.
“Giles. GILES!! We need you to wake up!! Willow has gone all – I dunno, all dark – and Xander's been hurt. Come on Giles, WAKE UP!” She shook him as gently as she could, but her agitation meant that she jarred his head, and he groaned once more before pushing her arms away.
“All right, Buffy, I'm awake. What on earth - “
“It was that fucking red witch is what it was!!! And Xander's hurt and I can't get him to respond to me. She hit him with some lightning bolts or something – fuckin' mojo – and now he won't wake up!” Game-faced, Spike was pacing up and down, almost climbing the walls with the need to do something. He had lain Xander in the recovery position, his leather duster covering the prone man.
“Spike, you need to calm down!” Buffy yelled at him, just as agitated, just as in need of some sort of action. Giles sat up but rested his head on his hands as he leaned his elbows on the table.
“Calm down? That fuckin' bitch attacked him – attacked you! - and you want me to calm down?! What planet are you on?? I've a good mind to find where the fuck she's gone and yank her tongue out of her fuckin' mouth!”
“That would make it hard for her to explain what's going on!” The quiet voice spoke from the floor, and Spike was instantly at Xander's side.
“Oh, Pet, you had me so fuckin' worried!! Just stay still, yeah? You took a major hit – a hit that was meant for me, and we're so gonna talk about that!!” Xander gave a weak chuckle, and Spike couldn't help but notice that the laugh rose eerily at the end and sounded very much like a hyena. Obviously the Primal had taken over for the time being – maybe that explained why Xander had been able to take a hit like that and not drop dead or at least very badly injured?
“Help me up please Spike”. Xander reached up and Spike grabbed his arms, pulling him gently to his feet. He tugged Xander in close, pulling his head down and kissing him gently. He had never been so afraid in his unlife as when Xander fell into his arms, pain and shock in his eyes as he was hit in the back by the lightning bolts. And his heart – oh God, his heart had swelled when he realised that Xander had stepped in the way to save him. He and his Boy hadn't had a chance to talk really, and although the sex had been pretty amazing, they hadn't discussed emotions (and what a complete poofter he sounded!). But surely Xander had to care for him if he was prepared to jump In front of the metaphorical bullet for him?
They stared into each other's eyes, momentarily lost in each other. Spike could see the different sides of Xander as he gazed into those hazel eyes – the cunning of the hyena, the calculated gaze of the soldier, the warm loving look of the Scooby – it was all there, if only someone cared enough to look. And whether he realised it or not, Spike revealed much of himself to Xander in that gaze. Xander could see how scared Spike had been – the screaming and shouting had been a bit of a clue, but the threats of violence confirmed it. The demon was howling for vengeance against the insult, the poet wanted to wrap him in cotton wool and keep him safe. And the Big Bad? The Big Bad wanted to mark his territory, let everyone know who Xander belonged to.
The kiss morphed into something more, long, slow, drugging kisses replacing the gentle touching of lips. Until Xander was wrapped securely in Spike's arms, his hands tugging at the shaggy dark strands as he pulled his Boy as close as was possible. They were glued together from chest to groin, completely lost in each other.
“Err – guys? I hate to interrupt you cos like, one that is so hot, and two, it IS your honeymoon, but we need to deal with the Willow situation?” Buffy's voice slowly penetrated the haze, and they separated reluctantly, standing side by side, arms still around each other. Xander blushed deeply but didn't avoid Buffy's gaze – he wasn't ashamed of how he felt about Spike, and he certainly wasn't going to hide the effect his Master Vamp had on him. Not that he could hide the effect – his jeans weren't that baggy! As for Spike, he was smirking for all he was worth, hips thrust forward cockily as he wrapped his arm around Xander's waist and stuck his thumb through a belt loop in the boy's jeans.
“Yeah – we need to deal with Willow all right. I don't know what the hell that was....”
“She's got into dark magic, that's what that was!! Although how the fuck you lot didn't see this before is beyond me!! I can't believe you lot of amateurs foiled so many of my plans – it's fuckin' humiliating is what it is!”
“Thank you Spike, but perhaps we could have a conversation with slightly less profanity?” Giles had stirred enough to take notice, and instantly the other three were paying attention. “I think, yet again, Wesley and I have been guilty of not seeing something because we made it too complicated. Buffy, can you pass me my notepad – the one with the prophecy details on it”.
Buffy rummaged through the pile of papers by the till, triumphantly holding up the notepad and bring it back to Giles.
Flicking through the pages, Giles turned it so they could all see his transcription of the prophecy:
“He who is named Warrior, Defender of Mankind
And the Determined Protector
Conjoined they must become
Empowered to work with the Chosen One
To prevent the rise of the evil that lies beneath
Or all will fail and only evil shall come to pass.”
“I don't get it Giles” Buffy said, frowning as she read and re-read the lines of writing.
“Oh my God!” Xander looked up, meeting Giles' look with shock. “The evil that lies beneath – we assumed it meant the Hellmouth or something like that....”
“Yes. When actually, I think it refers to Willow. Or whatever has been working on Willow, on what she has been feeling beneath the surface, twisting it and her to what we saw today”. He pulled his glasses off, cleaning them on his handkerchief so that he wouldn't have to see the revelation on Buffy's face.
“No!! You must be wrong. Are you trying to tell me that Willow is the evil we're meant to fight?!”
Chapter 14 is here