Fiction by Lorraine
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Spike/Xander
Disclaimers: The Buffyverse and all its characters belong to Joss Whedon & co. The story is mine.
Summary: Set immediately after the Ats ep "Damage." Xander finds out Spike is alive and comes to L. A. to see for himself.
Beta: kitty_poker1 Thanks so much!!!!!
Xander opened a bleary eye and poked his head out of the covers. His cell phone had been ringing for the past two minutes straight, little metallic chirps that hurt his head. Somewhere around two in the morning, he had decided that anything Spike had left behind was fair game, including that second bottle of Glenlivet. Ignoring the pounding behind his temples, Xander turned over and grabbed the phone off the nightstand.
1:30 in the afternoon. I’ve gotta start sleeping normal hours again soon. I feel like utter shit. Oh, wait. Maybe that’s the Iron Chef drinking game you played last night to drown your sorrows, Xander. You really should not have made a “Drink every time the bimbo actress giggles and compares the food to a lotus flower” rule.
Xander checked the caller ID and answered with a weary, “Hello, Andrew.”
“Xander, where have you been? I’ve been trying to get you all morning. You kinda ran off in a hurry last time we talked, and I was starting to get worried about you.”
Xander poured himself a lukewarm glass of water from the pitcher of melted ice on the dresser and drank it down in big gulps. “Yeah, well, it’s been a rough couple of days. A slug demon gave me near-fatal nightmares of evil!pervy Buffy, Cordy died for real, and I kissed Spike. Twice. Which was great, except for the way he found Anya’s letter and accused me of just using him to get my rocks off.”
“You didn’t tell Spike about Anya’s letter?” Andrew sounded shocked.
“No, I didn’t tell him! What was I supposed to say? ‘My dead ex-fiancée, who slept with you after I dumped her at the altar, has decided you and I should make beautiful love for all eternity?’ I was going to tell him; I just needed some time to think of something a little better than that to say.”
Andrew sighed. “Did you try to explain?”
“Of course I did. I think he eventually believed me that I wasn’t just—his words—taking him for a ‘test drive.’ But by the time Angel called him away on slayage duty, he’d already moved on to the ‘I don’t want to ruin our friendship’ portion of the gentle letdown.”
“Ouch.”
Xander rubbed the back of his neck; he’d slept funny, and the muscles there were tense and achy. “I don’t even know why I’m so worked up over this. It’s not like I ever thought about Spike in that way, ever, until a few days ago. And once he got past the slightly terrifying rage, all Spike’s points made sense. Him vampire, me Scooby.”
And not Buffy.
“But . . . you are worked up about it. Don’t you think that means something, Xander?”
“Yeah. I think it means I’m insane.” Xander tried to laugh, but it sounded forced and insincere.
“Be serious.” Xander could almost see Andrew putting his hands on his hips and pointing a finger at him.
“Okay. I surrender. No need for the Watcher voice. I think it means . . . Let me put it this way. Anya and Cordy are watching out for me now, and I trust them. I don’t think they’d lie to me. Knowing that made me much more willing to give this me-Spike thing a chance. And when we kissed, Andrew, it was . . . well, it was good. Very good. Fireworks kinda good.”
“Then, what are you gonna do?”
“Honestly, I have no idea. If the Xander Harris track record is any indication, probably screw things up even worse than they already are. But enough about my drama. How are things across the pond?”
“Fine. I told everybody about Cordy. Willow wanted to call you, but I told her you couldn’t be reached by phone. I don’t think she bought it, but she didn’t call me on it.”
“Thanks, man. I really don’t think my non-relationship with Spike is the conversation to rekindle our friendship with.” Xander refilled his glass of water and took a tiny sip. “What else is going on?”
“There’s been a change of scenery for me. I’m in Italy for the next little while until Buffy wipes out this Klexnor demon clan. So, I’m staying with her. Dawn’s driving Buffy batshit with this guy she’s dating, Paolo. He’s all handsy, and I think Buffy’s ready to break them.”
Xander laughed. “And how’s the Buffster doing? Is she still seeing that Immortal dude?”
“Yeah. The Immortal, or Tal as we in the know call him, is seriously gorgeous, Xander. Hair like Jude Law, the eyes of Johnny Depp, the glorious biceps of Josh Holloway. Excuse me while I hyperventilate.”
“Oh, god, I must be gay, ‘cause I feel a little short of breath myself.” They both giggled. “What makes him Immortal, anyway? Is he a vampire?”
“No. I’ve seen him in the daylight, so it’s not that. I don’t know what he is. He’s super old though. He knows Spike and Angel. Well, Angelus, really. I think there’s some bad blood between them.”
“Ha. How surprising. Angelus pissed somebody off. You know, Andrew, you’re a Watcher now. Unlimited magical resources at your fingertips. Find a way to get rid of that damn happiness clause. I’ll die a happy man if I never see Angelus again.”
“Duly noted. Speaking of misappropriation of funds, I’m seriously considering commissioning the Council jet so I can see the premier of
Episode 3 in New York.”
Xander snorted. “You know it’s all shiny, empty promises don’t you, Andrew? It’s gonna suck just as hard as the last two. Between ‘Little Orphan Anie’ and ‘Anakin’s Creek,’ I was ready to murder Lucas. And this will be just as craptastic.” Xander gripped the phone more tightly in sudden horror. “Oh, god. Do you think Lucas will make Natalie Portman run again? ‘Cause I don’t think my stomach can handle it. She looks like a deranged chicken. Seriously. Worst runner ever.”
“Don’t even get me started on the many, many, many reasons why you are completely wrong,
mi amigo. Let me just say—Obi Wan/Anakin light saber duel—and leave it at that.”
“Whatever, Andrew.”
The hotel phone began to ring, and Xander answered it. “Can you hold for a minute?”
He switched to his cell phone with his free hand. “Andrew, let me call you back later. Somebody’s on the hotel phone.”
Andrew said goodbye, and Xander returned to the ivory receiver of the hotel phone. “Sorry about that. Can I help you?”
“Xander? This is Fred, Angel’s friend. He asked me to call you. We’ve got kind of a situation here, and Angel’s cancelling the meeting at Caritas tonight. We’ll call you once this is under control.”
“Is Sp . . . Is everything okay? Do you guys need help?”
“No. I think we’re handling it alright. Thanks, though.”
“Okay. I guess I’ll see you guys later, then.”
Xander hung up the phone. I wonder what’s going on. I really wish Spike had been the one to call.
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