Quantum Xander II: In Wake of the Curse
folder
BtVS AU/AR › Slash - Male/Male › Spike(William)/Xander
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
65
Views:
20,549
Reviews:
119
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
BtVS AU/AR › Slash - Male/Male › Spike(William)/Xander
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
65
Views:
20,549
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 34~
Part 34
Xander didn’t end up driving over the sign; he didn’t end up driving at all. Willow drove them all to Buffy’s place where they sat inside the car for the better part of twenty minutes trying to work up the nerve to go inside.
Willow was still in shock after hearing everything that Xander had been through, not to mention seeing exactly how powerful he was now. What he did to Cordelia - even though she had helped - was beyond anything she had ever seen.
Faith was scared. She wasn’t too stubborn to admit that anymore. She wasn’t afraid of dying; it was what slayers did. She was afraid of how she would be accepted. Or not. She had done some horrible things to these people, facing them wasn’t going to be pleasant.
Xander was afraid to see Spike. They had agreed to take things slow, but what happened before he had left was not taking things slow. It was fast, very fast. They went from comfort to naked in under sixty seconds. He was afraid that he would jump the blond as soon as he saw him. For all his protestations, he wanted him. It didn’t help that he was still aroused from what Angel had done to him back in L.A. - not to mention his promise of what they would do once Spike had claimed him properly.
Finally, Faith broke the silence as she muttered ‘fuck it’ and opened her door. Xander gave Willow a small smile and followed suit. The three of them mounted the steps together and then stood outside the front door. No one wanted to be the first inside.
“Hey, Faith? Look. For whatever it’s worth, I forgive you. No hard feelings.”
“Thanks, Xan. It’s worth something, believe me.”
“I do. You ready?”
“No. But I’ll deal.”
“Come on then. Let’s get this over with.”
Xander opened the door and stepped inside. It was not a happy scene. The potentials were all glowery and depressed and there was a strange kid standing in the corner wearing oven mitts. Xander looked around for Buffy but didn’t see her.
“Hey, where’s Buffy?”
Everyone turned to look at Xander, but it was the new kid that answered.
“She went out. Well, after yelling at everyone and pissing Spike off.”
“Thanks. And you would be?”
The guy looked at Xander strangely.
“I’m Andrew. Remember?”
“Um, yeah. You look familiar.”
Xander and Andrew continued to give each other strange looks. Willow put her hand on Xander’s shoulder and frowned at him.
“Xander? Are you okay?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Well, you don’t seem to remember Andrew. He’s been here since just after Spike came back. He’s been helping, trying to make amends for the whole stalking Buffy thing he got dragged into by Warren. You don’t remember any of this?”
“No. I remember Warren killed his girlfriend and tried to pin it on Buffy. I remember he got arrested and Andrew and Jonathan got arrested as well, for helping him.”
As Xander looked around the room, he noticed that everyone was looking at him like he was crazy. There was something definitely off about this whole thing.
“I… I’m gonna go. Home. I have things… Sleep. I must be overtired. Yeah that’s it. I just need a good night’s sleep.”
Xander shook his head and left the house. He got into his car and drove towards his apartment. He didn’t know what the hell was going on but it felt familiar. Like he was in a different reality again - albeit one very close to his own.
After parking and taking the elevator up to his floor. Xander stood outside his apartment door afraid to go in. He was terrified that he would already be in there. That he had somehow ended up back on his nightmare trip through dimensions. Knowing that he wouldn’t get any answers standing outside in the hallway, he unlocked the door and stepped inside.
It looked like home. It smelled like home. It was quiet and dark; there were no obvious signs of anyone else being there. Xander turned on the hall light and went towards his bedroom. He looked in his closet and let out a breath of relief. Spike’s duster and Docs were there. He opened the bedside table and saw his mate’s journal - along with the flogger, the cuffs, and the other trinkets he had picked up in that one reality.
“Thank fucking God.”
“Why?”
“Aaack!”
Xander turned around to find Anya smiling at him.
“Damn it An, are you trying to scare me to death?”
“No. I came to answer your questions. Scaring you is just an added bonus.”
“Questions?”
“Yeah, you know, why is Andrew at Buffy’s house? Why does everyone seem to think he belongs there? Why don’t I remember any of this?”
“Oh. Those questions.”
“Yeah. So where should I start?”
Xander sat on the bed and Anya sat down next to him. She put an arm around his shoulders and squeezed.
“You’re not in a different reality, Xander. This one has just been… altered.”
“By who? Why? How?”
“Hallie. It was a wish. Andrew.”
Xander was furious. He went away for a day and everything changed. He hated that damn Halfrek; she had put him through hell. Now this?
“What did Andrew wish for?”
“He wished for a different life. One where he was included, where he made a difference. He wanted to help Buffy.”
“So now he’s there? What the hell does he do in a house full of girls?”
“Cook, mostly.”
“And this is what he wanted?”
“Yeah, he’s rather simple that way.”
“Okay. What the hell all have I missed since I went to L.A.?”
“A lot. Come on, you can buy me dinner and I’ll tell you what’s happened.”
Xander shook his head fondly at his ex-fiancée and followed her back out to his car. They got inside and he drove toward the Chinese food restaurant she liked. Once they were inside and had ordered, he gave her a pointed look and she sighed.
“Fine. You missed quite a bit. Turns out that Wood guy is the child of a slayer. He had some stuff of his mother’s that he gave to Buffy. Included in that stuff was a shadow caster. Before you ask, it’s a magical storyteller. This one tells the story of how the first slayer was created. Buffy went into the past to talk to these shadow men and see if they had anything to help with the First.”
Anya took a sip of her drink and then shook her head.
“Like a bunch of men would be of any use. They weren’t. Buffy disappeared and in her place we got a big ole stinkin’ demon - Spike had to track it down and kill it. The only way to get Buffy back was to send the demon back through the portal. Of course this was after Buffy told Spike how useless he was now. After she lectured everyone on how they weren’t pulling their own weight. She even accused me of not doing anything to help! I mean, hello? I am a demon.”
Xander smiled at Anya.
“Yes, you are. And not that I’m not grateful, but why are you helping?”
“Because it’s the right thing to do. You were my first friend, Xander. My first lover, my first boyfriend, my first everything. You taught me what it is to be human, and even though I’m not human anymore, I don’t want to see you hurt. Any of you.”
“Good enough for me. Thanks, An.”
They shared a smile and then Xander frowned.
“Buffy told Spike he was useless?”
“It was awful. She told him she wanted the old Spike back. The one who had tried to kill her when he first saw her. He was devastated, Xander. You would have been proud of him, though. He didn’t show it. He reminded Buffy that he did all of this, the soul and whatnot, for her and she just told him she didn’t want the soul, she wanted the demon.”
“Oh God. Poor Spike; where is he?”
“Where do you think, Xander? He’s out being the “Big Bad“, trying to prove that he’s demon enough for her. It won’t work. Buffy doesn’t know what she wants, and she’s making everyone else crazy because of it.”
Their dinners arrived and they ate silently for a few minutes.
“An? Did Buffy tells the others about me?”
“No. Not in so many words, but she was pissed about keeping your secret. She thinks you should be doing more on the magic front instead of hiding behind Tara and letting her do all the work. I’m sorry, but I have to agree with her on that point. Tara doesn’t have your power. You would be a better choice. It almost killed her and Giles when they had to open the portal to bring Buffy back. You would have been able to do it easily.”
“Point. Well, I’m done hiding, anyway. I talked to Willow; we’re all good now. I fixed Deadboy’s curse and I brought Faith back with us. I think we stand a chance against this thing now.”
“Faith? Isn’t she the crazy slayer that tried to kill you for foreplay?”
“Yep. One and the same. She’s changed though. She’s on our side now.”
“If you say so.”
They didn’t talk much after that. Xander was worried about Spike, and it was obvious. Anya finally told him to just go find him and take him home. Xander thanked her, paid the bill and left.
Xander didn’t end up driving over the sign; he didn’t end up driving at all. Willow drove them all to Buffy’s place where they sat inside the car for the better part of twenty minutes trying to work up the nerve to go inside.
Willow was still in shock after hearing everything that Xander had been through, not to mention seeing exactly how powerful he was now. What he did to Cordelia - even though she had helped - was beyond anything she had ever seen.
Faith was scared. She wasn’t too stubborn to admit that anymore. She wasn’t afraid of dying; it was what slayers did. She was afraid of how she would be accepted. Or not. She had done some horrible things to these people, facing them wasn’t going to be pleasant.
Xander was afraid to see Spike. They had agreed to take things slow, but what happened before he had left was not taking things slow. It was fast, very fast. They went from comfort to naked in under sixty seconds. He was afraid that he would jump the blond as soon as he saw him. For all his protestations, he wanted him. It didn’t help that he was still aroused from what Angel had done to him back in L.A. - not to mention his promise of what they would do once Spike had claimed him properly.
Finally, Faith broke the silence as she muttered ‘fuck it’ and opened her door. Xander gave Willow a small smile and followed suit. The three of them mounted the steps together and then stood outside the front door. No one wanted to be the first inside.
“Hey, Faith? Look. For whatever it’s worth, I forgive you. No hard feelings.”
“Thanks, Xan. It’s worth something, believe me.”
“I do. You ready?”
“No. But I’ll deal.”
“Come on then. Let’s get this over with.”
Xander opened the door and stepped inside. It was not a happy scene. The potentials were all glowery and depressed and there was a strange kid standing in the corner wearing oven mitts. Xander looked around for Buffy but didn’t see her.
“Hey, where’s Buffy?”
Everyone turned to look at Xander, but it was the new kid that answered.
“She went out. Well, after yelling at everyone and pissing Spike off.”
“Thanks. And you would be?”
The guy looked at Xander strangely.
“I’m Andrew. Remember?”
“Um, yeah. You look familiar.”
Xander and Andrew continued to give each other strange looks. Willow put her hand on Xander’s shoulder and frowned at him.
“Xander? Are you okay?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Well, you don’t seem to remember Andrew. He’s been here since just after Spike came back. He’s been helping, trying to make amends for the whole stalking Buffy thing he got dragged into by Warren. You don’t remember any of this?”
“No. I remember Warren killed his girlfriend and tried to pin it on Buffy. I remember he got arrested and Andrew and Jonathan got arrested as well, for helping him.”
As Xander looked around the room, he noticed that everyone was looking at him like he was crazy. There was something definitely off about this whole thing.
“I… I’m gonna go. Home. I have things… Sleep. I must be overtired. Yeah that’s it. I just need a good night’s sleep.”
Xander shook his head and left the house. He got into his car and drove towards his apartment. He didn’t know what the hell was going on but it felt familiar. Like he was in a different reality again - albeit one very close to his own.
After parking and taking the elevator up to his floor. Xander stood outside his apartment door afraid to go in. He was terrified that he would already be in there. That he had somehow ended up back on his nightmare trip through dimensions. Knowing that he wouldn’t get any answers standing outside in the hallway, he unlocked the door and stepped inside.
It looked like home. It smelled like home. It was quiet and dark; there were no obvious signs of anyone else being there. Xander turned on the hall light and went towards his bedroom. He looked in his closet and let out a breath of relief. Spike’s duster and Docs were there. He opened the bedside table and saw his mate’s journal - along with the flogger, the cuffs, and the other trinkets he had picked up in that one reality.
“Thank fucking God.”
“Why?”
“Aaack!”
Xander turned around to find Anya smiling at him.
“Damn it An, are you trying to scare me to death?”
“No. I came to answer your questions. Scaring you is just an added bonus.”
“Questions?”
“Yeah, you know, why is Andrew at Buffy’s house? Why does everyone seem to think he belongs there? Why don’t I remember any of this?”
“Oh. Those questions.”
“Yeah. So where should I start?”
Xander sat on the bed and Anya sat down next to him. She put an arm around his shoulders and squeezed.
“You’re not in a different reality, Xander. This one has just been… altered.”
“By who? Why? How?”
“Hallie. It was a wish. Andrew.”
Xander was furious. He went away for a day and everything changed. He hated that damn Halfrek; she had put him through hell. Now this?
“What did Andrew wish for?”
“He wished for a different life. One where he was included, where he made a difference. He wanted to help Buffy.”
“So now he’s there? What the hell does he do in a house full of girls?”
“Cook, mostly.”
“And this is what he wanted?”
“Yeah, he’s rather simple that way.”
“Okay. What the hell all have I missed since I went to L.A.?”
“A lot. Come on, you can buy me dinner and I’ll tell you what’s happened.”
Xander shook his head fondly at his ex-fiancée and followed her back out to his car. They got inside and he drove toward the Chinese food restaurant she liked. Once they were inside and had ordered, he gave her a pointed look and she sighed.
“Fine. You missed quite a bit. Turns out that Wood guy is the child of a slayer. He had some stuff of his mother’s that he gave to Buffy. Included in that stuff was a shadow caster. Before you ask, it’s a magical storyteller. This one tells the story of how the first slayer was created. Buffy went into the past to talk to these shadow men and see if they had anything to help with the First.”
Anya took a sip of her drink and then shook her head.
“Like a bunch of men would be of any use. They weren’t. Buffy disappeared and in her place we got a big ole stinkin’ demon - Spike had to track it down and kill it. The only way to get Buffy back was to send the demon back through the portal. Of course this was after Buffy told Spike how useless he was now. After she lectured everyone on how they weren’t pulling their own weight. She even accused me of not doing anything to help! I mean, hello? I am a demon.”
Xander smiled at Anya.
“Yes, you are. And not that I’m not grateful, but why are you helping?”
“Because it’s the right thing to do. You were my first friend, Xander. My first lover, my first boyfriend, my first everything. You taught me what it is to be human, and even though I’m not human anymore, I don’t want to see you hurt. Any of you.”
“Good enough for me. Thanks, An.”
They shared a smile and then Xander frowned.
“Buffy told Spike he was useless?”
“It was awful. She told him she wanted the old Spike back. The one who had tried to kill her when he first saw her. He was devastated, Xander. You would have been proud of him, though. He didn’t show it. He reminded Buffy that he did all of this, the soul and whatnot, for her and she just told him she didn’t want the soul, she wanted the demon.”
“Oh God. Poor Spike; where is he?”
“Where do you think, Xander? He’s out being the “Big Bad“, trying to prove that he’s demon enough for her. It won’t work. Buffy doesn’t know what she wants, and she’s making everyone else crazy because of it.”
Their dinners arrived and they ate silently for a few minutes.
“An? Did Buffy tells the others about me?”
“No. Not in so many words, but she was pissed about keeping your secret. She thinks you should be doing more on the magic front instead of hiding behind Tara and letting her do all the work. I’m sorry, but I have to agree with her on that point. Tara doesn’t have your power. You would be a better choice. It almost killed her and Giles when they had to open the portal to bring Buffy back. You would have been able to do it easily.”
“Point. Well, I’m done hiding, anyway. I talked to Willow; we’re all good now. I fixed Deadboy’s curse and I brought Faith back with us. I think we stand a chance against this thing now.”
“Faith? Isn’t she the crazy slayer that tried to kill you for foreplay?”
“Yep. One and the same. She’s changed though. She’s on our side now.”
“If you say so.”
They didn’t talk much after that. Xander was worried about Spike, and it was obvious. Anya finally told him to just go find him and take him home. Xander thanked her, paid the bill and left.