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: 17/18
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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“Oh Xander, I was so scared, I - “ Suddenly her head whipped round and she glared at Spike. “I knew it was a lie, I knew it!!! YOU! It's all your fault – all of this, is all your fault!! Do you think I didn't see you – watching him, pretending to be his friend – when all the time you just wanted to get your nasty hands on him”. She stepped towards Spike, hate sparkling in her eyes. “I figured out how to kill your chip ages ago but there was no way I was going to help an evil soulless monster like you. And I'm not letting you touch my Xander – not ever again. And I don't have to kill you – I can just keep you in pain forever and ever, make it so you can never come near him again!” Fingers splayed, palms upward, head thrown back, Willow began to levitate, a chill wind ripping through the room as she gathered the power towards her.
“Willow – please, Willow – don't do this – please...”
She turned to look at Xander, the sight eerie with her eyes all black. She looked almost mournful. “I have to save you Xander – I have to”.
“Willow stop!”
It felt like everything was going in slow motion but speeded up at the same time. Willow turned back to Spike, an incantation on her lips as she rose higher, the wind whipping her black hair around her, lightning crackling at her fingertips. Spike was frozen in place momentarily, eyes caught by Xander's as he realised there wasn't time for him to escape whatever curse she was getting ready to throw at him. Screaming at Willow to stop, Xander sprinted towards her, determined to stop her doing something she would forever regret if they got her back, aware of Spike moving forward at the same time.
He threw himself at her, smacking into the boundaries of the spell protecting her and falling to the floor in front of Spike. She turned to him, striking out with the lighting and catching him across the head. Shaking it off, he tried once more to get to her. Again, she gestured with her hands, pushing him back as she continued to intone the curse, knocking him into Spike til they both fell to the ground. Refusing to give in, Xander scrabbled to his feet along with Spike, one hand pushing Spike behind him, the other swiping at the blood slowly dripping down his face.
“Willow – I love him. Please, Willow, don't do this”
“You don't know what's best for you. I have to save you – I'm doing this for you Xander”.
“My Willow wouldn't do this, knowing how much it would hurt me. My Willow would know this would mean the end of my world if she took away the man I love. And I love that Willow. I will always love that Willow. I would go to the ends of the earth for that Willow. Because to me she's always going to be the little red-headed girl who broke the yellow crayon, who helped me get through school, who was there for me when I needed to escape my parents. And who couldn't love that Willow?”
“Stop it – I have to - “
“I love you Willow. Please, don't do this. Please”.
The wind stuttered, the lightning at her fingertips skittering haphazardly around before fizzling out.
“Xander, I have to – the voice.....”
“I don't care about a voice, Willow. I care about you. I love YOU. And I will always be here for you, always. Please, Willow, don't take my heart away from me. Please”. Stepping closer, Xander reached out for her.
“But – I don't know how to – how do I stop Xander? I can't get away from the voice, it's always in there - talking at me, telling me to do things – I've done so many things wrong...”
“It's okay, Willow, it's all going to be okay. Please. I love him”. He stood directly in front of her, eyes calm, looking her in the eye. “I will always love you Willow. And I will always love him. Please, don't make me choose. Please”. The wind died completely, Willow's feet coming to the floor and she slumped.
“Oh Goddess, Xander, what have I done?” Horrified, she fell to her knees, crying as the realisation hit her all at once. She had attacked her friends, almost killed Xander, and even knowing that hurting Spike could damage Xander she had almost cursed him for eternity. How could Xander ever forgive her after all of that?
As she crumpled to the ground, Xander was right there with her, taking her in his arms and pulling her close.
“It's going to be okay, Willow, I promise. I love you. We all love you, and we're going to do everything we can to help you. It's okay”. Stroking her hair, he watched as the black slowly faded, her eyes bleeding back to green. Looking over her shoulder, he nodded at Giles and Leslie who were in the doorway, ready to do the spell. “It's okay, we love you just the way you are, Willow, and we are here for you – always”.
As they spoke the incantation, he heaved a sigh of relief, catching a glimpse of Buffy cradling Angel who was just coming to. He turned slightly, still holding her close and looked directly at Spike who was staring at him. Until he thought he was going to lose him to whatever curse Willow had been incanting, he hadn't realised just how much Spike meant to him. To lose Spike would mean the end of his world, and he knew that Spike felt the same way. And now they had Willow back and they could help her, maybe now they could have some peace.
Willow passed out as the binding spell took effect, and he lay her gently on the ground, getting to his feet and walking up to Spike.
“I do you know. I love you so much – you are my heart”. Spike pulled him close, wrapping his arms around him tightly as though reassuring himself that he was there – whole and alive.
“Love you too. And that's the second time you've thrown yourself in front of magic for me. If my heart beat, it would have stopped right then. Love you Xander, don't know what I'd do without you. Probably go bug-shagging crazy. Don't do it again - you hear me luv?”.
"Yeah, I hear you. And I have no current plans to get in front of any mojo ever again!".
Resting his head against Spike's, Xander wallowed in the feeling – they were all safe, Willow was going to be alright, and they had made it through another apocalypse. Sometimes you just had to relish the moment.
Epilogue