Quantum Xander II: In Wake of the Curse
folder
BtVS AU/AR › Slash - Male/Male › Spike(William)/Xander
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
65
Views:
20,516
Reviews:
119
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
BtVS AU/AR › Slash - Male/Male › Spike(William)/Xander
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
65
Views:
20,516
Reviews:
119
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BtVS), nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
~PART 1~
Part 1
It had been two weeks since Xander had been back home. He had convinced his boss not to fire him by explaining that he had left his bride at the altar and felt it was safer to hide out for awhile. His boss laughed and told him he was insane for leaving a hot dish like Anya, then he asked for her phone number.
The evening had been spent tracking down a giant worm demon; Anya’s work, obviously, and being surprised by the appearance of Spike. He just showed up out of the blue offering help and prattling on about something big coming from below. They dealt with the problem and now Xander was lying awake in his bed staring at the ceiling. Sleep would not come to him.
Spike was back. He was back in Sunnydale and living in the basement of the new Sunnydale High. That was the thought that kept Xander awake, he had only just found out. Buffy, it seemed, had known for a whole week and didn’t see fit to share this information. That wasn’t the only thing though. Spike was acting crazy, like he wasn’t in his right mind. Like he was…
“Oh, God!”
Xander quickly pulled on his jeans and t-shirt. He stuffed his wallet and keys in his pocket, stepped into his sneakers and left his apartment. He ran down the stairs and out to his car. As he drove toward the high school, he had only one thought on his mind - Spike had a soul. He was in pain and he was all alone living directly over the mouth of hell.
“Hang on Spike, I’m coming.”
Xander parked the car and used his passkey to enter the building. Being foreman had its perks after all. He remembered that Buffy said Spike was living in a room in the basement. He made his way downstairs carefully. He was on alert for anything oogy that might be down there as well.
“Spike? Hey buddy, you down here?”
Xander flicked his flashlight around the walls and then stopped as he saw something move in the far corner of the room. He watched the spot but there was no further movement.
“Spike?”
“M’not here. Go ’way.”
Xander chuckled at the vampire’s reasoning. Only a crazy person would tell you they weren’t there and expect you to believe it.
“Spike. I know you’re here. I can hear you.”
Xander walked closer to where the blond had screwed himself into a corner, trying as hard as he could to be small and invisible.
“I can see you, too. Come on, Spike. This place is making you nuts; let me get you out of here.”
“Can’t leave. I don’t have a pass.”
“Then I’ll give you one.”
Startled blue eyes looked up with wonder. Spike studied the intent look on Xander’s face and then smiled shyly.
“You’d do that? For me?”
“I would. I will. Come on, time to go.”
“They won’t like it. Change the walls they will, make it impossible to leave. Can’t leave when the doors disappear.”
“Hey, I have a map. Blueprints actually, don’t worry. We’ll be fine.”
Xander smiled as Spike took the hand he held out, and he helped him to his feet. He steered the vampire out of the room and back toward the stairs to the main floor of the school. At the door to the stairwell, Spike turned back and stared in horror at something Xander couldn’t see.
“Not skipping. I have a pass! He said so, said I could leave now. Please.”
Spike began to tremble and Xander just caught him before he dropped to the ground. He scooped the shaking vampire into his arms and headed up the stairs. He didn’t let go of him until they were back at his car, and then only to open the door and strap him into the passenger seat. Xander got in behind the wheel and started back toward his apartment.
“It’ll be okay, Spike. I’ll help you get through this.”
“Why? I hurt the girl. Shouldn’t help me, I’m a bad man. William’s a bad, bad man.”
“No, William is a good man. You stopped, Spike; you stopped yourself before you went too far. You got your soul back just to punish yourself. You’re not a bad man. Give yourself time to adjust. You’ll be okay, and I’ll help if I can.”
“Who are you?”
Xander looked over at the vampire and blinked rapidly; he was scared for a minute that Spike had completely forgotten him.
“I’m Xander, Spike. You know me; we used to live together in the basement of doom.”
“No. Not Xander. Xander hates me; you’re one of them, here to trick me, hurt me.”
Spike began to pull on his lap belt, Xander was afraid he’d jump out of the car while it was still moving. He locked all the doors and put on the child safety lock so there was no way Spike could get out of the car.
“I am Xander. I’m just different than before, changed.”
“You got your soul back, too?”
Xander laughed softly.
“In a manner of speaking, yeah. I grew up, Spike, learned some valuable life lessons. Let’s just say things aren’t so black and white for me anymore. I know who you are, who you really are and I like that person. I won’t hurt you. I promise.”
Spike nodded and then turned his head to stare out the window. The rest of the drive back to the apartment was made in silence. Xander parked the car in his spot and then unlocked the doors. Spike didn’t make any move to get out of the car, so Xander walked around to his door and opened it.
Spike had fallen asleep in the car. It was kinda cute actually. Xander realized that this was probably the only sleep the vampire had gotten since returning to Sunnydale and taking up residence in the high school. He reached out and gently shook the vampire awake.
“Spike, we’re home. You wanna wake up and walk, or am I gonna have to carry you?”
Spike merely blinked in confusion and closed his eyes again. Xander smiled again and gently lifted the vampire out of the car.
“Carried it is, then.”
He took the stairs up to his apartment, and then set Spike on his feet while he unlocked the door and pushed it open.
“Come inside, Spike. You are welcome in my home.”
Xander nudged the vampire inside and then closed and locked the door. He looked around and realized that he had nowhere to put Spike now that he was here. He hadn’t thought that far ahead.
“Why don’t you take a shower and I’ll fix up the bed for you.”
Spike gave Xander another one of those confused looks but headed towards the bathroom to shower as Xander had suggested. Once the door closed and Xander could hear the water running, he stripped and remade the bed with fresh sheets. Then he raided the linen closet for extra blankets and a pillow to make up the couch.
Spike peeked his head around the bathroom door and called out for Xander. Xander left the blankets on the couch and made his way back to the hallway. He looked at the tousled blond head peeking out of the bathroom and bit his lip to keep from grinning.
“Yeah, Spike?”
“Um, do you have anything I can put on? My clothes… well they kinda smell.”
“Oh, sure. I put some sweatpants and a shirt on the bed for you. They might be kinda big but they’re clean and warm. I’ll pick up some stuff for you tomorrow. Okay?”
Spike blinked, nodded and then closed the bathroom door in Xander’s face. Xander shook his head and walked away. Insane Spike with a soul was going to take some getting used to. He wondered if Buffy knew that Spike had a soul? No sooner had he thought it then he realized she must know. He wondered how she could leave him there, knowing what he was going through. He heard the bathroom door open and then quick footsteps across the hall before the bedroom door closed with a bang.
Xander put the kettle on and got two mugs down from the cupboard. He didn’t have any blood in the house - something he would fix first thing in the morning - but he did have hot chocolate mix and mini marshmallows.
“Hey, Spike! When you finish dressing, come on out to the living room; I’m making hot chocolate.”
By the time the kettle boiled and Xander made the drinks - adding extra marshmallows to Spike’s - the vampire came out of the bedroom dressed in a pair of Xander’s soft grey sweat pants and a long-sleeved navy blue t-shirt that was at least two sizes too big. He smiled shyly at Xander and then sat on the couch.
Xander handed him a mug and sat down next to him. They sipped at their beverages in silence for a while - Spike occasionally hooking a melted marshmallow on his pinkie finger and slurping it into his mouth. Finally, Xander had to ask.
“Why did you get your soul back, Spike?”
Spike looked up at him in alarm and then slumped in defeat.
“Told you, did she?”
“No. I can see it. So, why? Were you cursed?”
“Asked for it. Wanted to give Buffy what she deserves. Be the man I was.”
“I see.”
They finished the hot chocolate and Xander stood and stretched. He looked down at the miserable vampire on the sofa and his heart went out to him.
“She’ll come around, Spike. Give her time.”
When Spike didn’t answer, Xander pulled him to his feet and walked him to the bedroom. He gave him a gentle shove toward the bed and told him to get some sleep. Then Xander went back out to the living room and flopped down on the sofa. He’d need to see about getting Spike a bed of his own tomorrow.
It had been two weeks since Xander had been back home. He had convinced his boss not to fire him by explaining that he had left his bride at the altar and felt it was safer to hide out for awhile. His boss laughed and told him he was insane for leaving a hot dish like Anya, then he asked for her phone number.
The evening had been spent tracking down a giant worm demon; Anya’s work, obviously, and being surprised by the appearance of Spike. He just showed up out of the blue offering help and prattling on about something big coming from below. They dealt with the problem and now Xander was lying awake in his bed staring at the ceiling. Sleep would not come to him.
Spike was back. He was back in Sunnydale and living in the basement of the new Sunnydale High. That was the thought that kept Xander awake, he had only just found out. Buffy, it seemed, had known for a whole week and didn’t see fit to share this information. That wasn’t the only thing though. Spike was acting crazy, like he wasn’t in his right mind. Like he was…
“Oh, God!”
Xander quickly pulled on his jeans and t-shirt. He stuffed his wallet and keys in his pocket, stepped into his sneakers and left his apartment. He ran down the stairs and out to his car. As he drove toward the high school, he had only one thought on his mind - Spike had a soul. He was in pain and he was all alone living directly over the mouth of hell.
“Hang on Spike, I’m coming.”
Xander parked the car and used his passkey to enter the building. Being foreman had its perks after all. He remembered that Buffy said Spike was living in a room in the basement. He made his way downstairs carefully. He was on alert for anything oogy that might be down there as well.
“Spike? Hey buddy, you down here?”
Xander flicked his flashlight around the walls and then stopped as he saw something move in the far corner of the room. He watched the spot but there was no further movement.
“Spike?”
“M’not here. Go ’way.”
Xander chuckled at the vampire’s reasoning. Only a crazy person would tell you they weren’t there and expect you to believe it.
“Spike. I know you’re here. I can hear you.”
Xander walked closer to where the blond had screwed himself into a corner, trying as hard as he could to be small and invisible.
“I can see you, too. Come on, Spike. This place is making you nuts; let me get you out of here.”
“Can’t leave. I don’t have a pass.”
“Then I’ll give you one.”
Startled blue eyes looked up with wonder. Spike studied the intent look on Xander’s face and then smiled shyly.
“You’d do that? For me?”
“I would. I will. Come on, time to go.”
“They won’t like it. Change the walls they will, make it impossible to leave. Can’t leave when the doors disappear.”
“Hey, I have a map. Blueprints actually, don’t worry. We’ll be fine.”
Xander smiled as Spike took the hand he held out, and he helped him to his feet. He steered the vampire out of the room and back toward the stairs to the main floor of the school. At the door to the stairwell, Spike turned back and stared in horror at something Xander couldn’t see.
“Not skipping. I have a pass! He said so, said I could leave now. Please.”
Spike began to tremble and Xander just caught him before he dropped to the ground. He scooped the shaking vampire into his arms and headed up the stairs. He didn’t let go of him until they were back at his car, and then only to open the door and strap him into the passenger seat. Xander got in behind the wheel and started back toward his apartment.
“It’ll be okay, Spike. I’ll help you get through this.”
“Why? I hurt the girl. Shouldn’t help me, I’m a bad man. William’s a bad, bad man.”
“No, William is a good man. You stopped, Spike; you stopped yourself before you went too far. You got your soul back just to punish yourself. You’re not a bad man. Give yourself time to adjust. You’ll be okay, and I’ll help if I can.”
“Who are you?”
Xander looked over at the vampire and blinked rapidly; he was scared for a minute that Spike had completely forgotten him.
“I’m Xander, Spike. You know me; we used to live together in the basement of doom.”
“No. Not Xander. Xander hates me; you’re one of them, here to trick me, hurt me.”
Spike began to pull on his lap belt, Xander was afraid he’d jump out of the car while it was still moving. He locked all the doors and put on the child safety lock so there was no way Spike could get out of the car.
“I am Xander. I’m just different than before, changed.”
“You got your soul back, too?”
Xander laughed softly.
“In a manner of speaking, yeah. I grew up, Spike, learned some valuable life lessons. Let’s just say things aren’t so black and white for me anymore. I know who you are, who you really are and I like that person. I won’t hurt you. I promise.”
Spike nodded and then turned his head to stare out the window. The rest of the drive back to the apartment was made in silence. Xander parked the car in his spot and then unlocked the doors. Spike didn’t make any move to get out of the car, so Xander walked around to his door and opened it.
Spike had fallen asleep in the car. It was kinda cute actually. Xander realized that this was probably the only sleep the vampire had gotten since returning to Sunnydale and taking up residence in the high school. He reached out and gently shook the vampire awake.
“Spike, we’re home. You wanna wake up and walk, or am I gonna have to carry you?”
Spike merely blinked in confusion and closed his eyes again. Xander smiled again and gently lifted the vampire out of the car.
“Carried it is, then.”
He took the stairs up to his apartment, and then set Spike on his feet while he unlocked the door and pushed it open.
“Come inside, Spike. You are welcome in my home.”
Xander nudged the vampire inside and then closed and locked the door. He looked around and realized that he had nowhere to put Spike now that he was here. He hadn’t thought that far ahead.
“Why don’t you take a shower and I’ll fix up the bed for you.”
Spike gave Xander another one of those confused looks but headed towards the bathroom to shower as Xander had suggested. Once the door closed and Xander could hear the water running, he stripped and remade the bed with fresh sheets. Then he raided the linen closet for extra blankets and a pillow to make up the couch.
Spike peeked his head around the bathroom door and called out for Xander. Xander left the blankets on the couch and made his way back to the hallway. He looked at the tousled blond head peeking out of the bathroom and bit his lip to keep from grinning.
“Yeah, Spike?”
“Um, do you have anything I can put on? My clothes… well they kinda smell.”
“Oh, sure. I put some sweatpants and a shirt on the bed for you. They might be kinda big but they’re clean and warm. I’ll pick up some stuff for you tomorrow. Okay?”
Spike blinked, nodded and then closed the bathroom door in Xander’s face. Xander shook his head and walked away. Insane Spike with a soul was going to take some getting used to. He wondered if Buffy knew that Spike had a soul? No sooner had he thought it then he realized she must know. He wondered how she could leave him there, knowing what he was going through. He heard the bathroom door open and then quick footsteps across the hall before the bedroom door closed with a bang.
Xander put the kettle on and got two mugs down from the cupboard. He didn’t have any blood in the house - something he would fix first thing in the morning - but he did have hot chocolate mix and mini marshmallows.
“Hey, Spike! When you finish dressing, come on out to the living room; I’m making hot chocolate.”
By the time the kettle boiled and Xander made the drinks - adding extra marshmallows to Spike’s - the vampire came out of the bedroom dressed in a pair of Xander’s soft grey sweat pants and a long-sleeved navy blue t-shirt that was at least two sizes too big. He smiled shyly at Xander and then sat on the couch.
Xander handed him a mug and sat down next to him. They sipped at their beverages in silence for a while - Spike occasionally hooking a melted marshmallow on his pinkie finger and slurping it into his mouth. Finally, Xander had to ask.
“Why did you get your soul back, Spike?”
Spike looked up at him in alarm and then slumped in defeat.
“Told you, did she?”
“No. I can see it. So, why? Were you cursed?”
“Asked for it. Wanted to give Buffy what she deserves. Be the man I was.”
“I see.”
They finished the hot chocolate and Xander stood and stretched. He looked down at the miserable vampire on the sofa and his heart went out to him.
“She’ll come around, Spike. Give her time.”
When Spike didn’t answer, Xander pulled him to his feet and walked him to the bedroom. He gave him a gentle shove toward the bed and told him to get some sleep. Then Xander went back out to the living room and flopped down on the sofa. He’d need to see about getting Spike a bed of his own tomorrow.