Quantum Xander II: In Wake of the Curse
folder
BtVS AU/AR › Slash - Male/Male › Spike(William)/Xander
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
65
Views:
20,555
Reviews:
119
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
BtVS AU/AR › Slash - Male/Male › Spike(William)/Xander
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
65
Views:
20,555
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 40~
Part 40
Things were going to hell. There was a new player in town; a preacher, named Caleb. He sent Buffy a calling card in the form of a half-dead potential. She had an interesting scar burned into her neck.
Buffy had been fired from her job as counselor at Sunnydale high - something about being where she was needed the most, and the kids all skipping anyway. Xander was pretty sure it had more to do with Robin using what little control he had over Buffy to prove a point to her. Either way, it didn’t matter; people were starting to pull out of Sunnydale like rats leaving a sinking ship and Buffy was needed at home.
So here they all were, gathered at Buffy’s house and about to go into battle. Caleb said he had something that belonged to Buffy and she was dead set on getting it - whatever it was - back. Which was why Xander was now giving the S.I.T.s a lesson in weaponry and where to hit to cause the most damage.
“Now remember, we’re looking for killing blows only, people. So, chest and throat if it’s a vampire. Stomach, chest and face if it’s a Bringer.”
“What if it’s something else?”
“Could happen. Something otherworldly. And here’s a handy rule: don’t go for the flashy tentacles just because they’re waving ’em about trying to get attention. Go for the center - brains, heart, eyes. Everything’s got eyes.”
Dawn spoke up from the corner of the room.
“Except the Bringers.”
Xander nodded his agreement.
“Except the Bringers.”
“I don’t want there to be tentacles. I’m not good with squishy.”
One of the potentials - Xander couldn’t remember her name.
“I don’t care if it’s Godzilla. I want to get this thing.”
Kennedy. She was all warrior, that one. If anyone was taking this whole calling thing seriously, it was she. She would be a good slayer someday. When she realized it wasn’t about the fight, it was about what she was fighting for.
“Godzilla’s mostly Tokyo-based, so he’s probably a no-show.”
Xander turned to look at Andrew and shook his head sadly. He wondered how much like him he might have turned out if it weren’t for Buffy opening his eyes to the real world around him and giving him a purpose. He couldn’t help but take Andrew’s side after Rona started in on how Matthew Broderick killed Godzilla so he couldn’t be all that tough.
“Matthew Broderick did not kill Godzilla. He killed a big, dumb lizard. That was not the real Godzilla.”
Rona started a whole big conversation on how they were all nuts, that she came here for protection not to go looking for the bad guy in his own lair. Xander reminded her that she signed on to fight - that they all did. Then he started to tell them a little bit about Buffy - about the slayer who had died twice to save the world, and about the girl who held the lives of her friends and family above everyone else’s, including her own.
“I’ve been through more battles with Buffy than you all can ever imagine. She’s stopped everything that’s ever come up against her. She’s laid down her life - literally - to protect the people around her. This girl has died two times, and she’s still standing. You’re scared? That’s smart. You got questions? You should. But you doubt her motives? You think Buffy’s all about the kill? Then you take the little bus to battle. I’ve seen her heart, and this time - not literally. And I’m telling you right now, she cares more about your lives than you will ever know. You gotta trust her. She’s earned it.”
“Damn, B. I never knew you were that cool.”
Everyone turned to see Buffy and Faith standing in the doorway. Xander smiled at the look of honest love and friendship on her face.
“Well, you always were a little slow.”
“I get that now.”
Buffy turned and addressed the room.
“All right, let’s saddle up.”
The walk to the old vineyard was quiet and tense. Buffy and Faith took point, the S.I.T.s in the middle and Xander and Spike brought up the rear. They were all nervous; this was the first time the girls were going into battle and for all his faith in Buffy and her abilities, Xander didn’t like the situation at all. It smelled like a trap.
“Spike, I don’t like this. It’s too easy.”
“Yeah. Seems like it, doesn’t it? You want me to talk to Buffy? See if she’ll pull out?”
“Would it do any good? She’s hell-bent on this, Spike. Whatever it is this guy has, Buffy wants it.”
“All right. We follow the slayer into battle, then. But, Xander? Don’t die on me.”
“Same goes for you. You be careful.”
“I will.”
Spike kissed Xander and headed off to the front of the group with Buffy. Buffy turned and looked over the group.
“Okay. Set up a perimeter. Guard the door. I don’t want anything getting in behind us. My team goes in first; we check the place out. You guys are our safety net. If this place is a trap, we give the signal, you guys come in, guns a-blazing.”
Xander cleared his throat and waved his hand at Buffy to get her attention.
“So, what’s the signal?”
“I’m thinking lots and lots of yelling.”
“Got it.”
Buffy turned and led her team inside. Xander stood outside the door, waiting for the signal - hoping it didn’t come. He felt a charge in the air around him - one he had come to associate with Anya when she ‘popped’ in on him. He turned around to greet her with a smile and it dropped off his face as he saw Halfrek standing there.
“What the hell do you want?”
“Vengeance. What else is there in life?”
“You’ve had yours, now fuck off.”
Xander turned away from Hallie and hoped to God that she would just go away. He didn’t have time for that.
“Is that what you really think? That you suffered enough for what you did to Anyanka?”
“Anya has forgiven me for leaving her at the altar. She’s a happy little vengeance demon again and all is right with her world, so your need to avenge her is misplaced.”
“Is that what you think? You think this was about you not marrying her? Honestly. It was never about that. It was about you ruining her. You made her human, all of you with your little plans and spells and smashing her amulet. You took her away from me, and then you made her want that existence. Teaching her to love and be happy and how to fit into society. You ruined her.”
Xander was honestly confused. He had no idea what Halfrek was talking about.
“Look. I’m extremely busy right now. My friend and my lover are both inside fighting big evil. Can we do this later?”
“No. We can’t. Do you realize it’s been weeks since Anyanka has granted a wish? And the last one she did grant? Hrumph; the woman wished her husband to be turned into a frog. Do you know what Anyanka did? Well, do you? She made him French. From France. Not a single wart or anything. You made her soft. D’Hoffryn is not going to put up with that kind of behavior. He’ll replace her, and you don’t want to know what they do to defunct vengeance demons.”
“So, let me get this straight. You cursed me because I loved Anya, not because I left her?”
Xander crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her.
“Yes. Your love made her want mortality, if you had only acted like a man and used her for your own sexual pleasure and then discarded her, she would have returned to the fold years ago and none of this would have happened.”
“So, what do you want me to do about it?”
“Make a wish. Wish that you had done just that. I’ll even let you remember enough of this timeline to leave Buffy dead and buried so none of this will happen. It’s your decision. Your happiness or the world’s safety.”
Xander looked around him at the frightened girls in his care and then back toward the door where Buffy and Spike and the others had gone. He could spare them all this horrifying ordeal. All it would cost him would be Buffy and his mates. They could lose this battle and the whole world would suffer, or he could agree - make the wish - and get to start over. It was a hell of a decision to have to make. Keep his mates, let Buffy live and possibly set the First Evil loose on the world, or give up Spike - both of them - and leave Buffy to rest in peace, and possibly save the world.
Xander knew what the right thing to do was? Buffy wasn’t supposed to be alive; the world shouldn’t have to suffer because of his and Willow’s mistake. If he did the right thing, he would lose his mates, but his happiness would be a small price to pay for the world’s safety. He took a deep breath, looked Halfrek straight in the eye and spoke.
“I’ve made a decision.”
Things were going to hell. There was a new player in town; a preacher, named Caleb. He sent Buffy a calling card in the form of a half-dead potential. She had an interesting scar burned into her neck.
Buffy had been fired from her job as counselor at Sunnydale high - something about being where she was needed the most, and the kids all skipping anyway. Xander was pretty sure it had more to do with Robin using what little control he had over Buffy to prove a point to her. Either way, it didn’t matter; people were starting to pull out of Sunnydale like rats leaving a sinking ship and Buffy was needed at home.
So here they all were, gathered at Buffy’s house and about to go into battle. Caleb said he had something that belonged to Buffy and she was dead set on getting it - whatever it was - back. Which was why Xander was now giving the S.I.T.s a lesson in weaponry and where to hit to cause the most damage.
“Now remember, we’re looking for killing blows only, people. So, chest and throat if it’s a vampire. Stomach, chest and face if it’s a Bringer.”
“What if it’s something else?”
“Could happen. Something otherworldly. And here’s a handy rule: don’t go for the flashy tentacles just because they’re waving ’em about trying to get attention. Go for the center - brains, heart, eyes. Everything’s got eyes.”
Dawn spoke up from the corner of the room.
“Except the Bringers.”
Xander nodded his agreement.
“Except the Bringers.”
“I don’t want there to be tentacles. I’m not good with squishy.”
One of the potentials - Xander couldn’t remember her name.
“I don’t care if it’s Godzilla. I want to get this thing.”
Kennedy. She was all warrior, that one. If anyone was taking this whole calling thing seriously, it was she. She would be a good slayer someday. When she realized it wasn’t about the fight, it was about what she was fighting for.
“Godzilla’s mostly Tokyo-based, so he’s probably a no-show.”
Xander turned to look at Andrew and shook his head sadly. He wondered how much like him he might have turned out if it weren’t for Buffy opening his eyes to the real world around him and giving him a purpose. He couldn’t help but take Andrew’s side after Rona started in on how Matthew Broderick killed Godzilla so he couldn’t be all that tough.
“Matthew Broderick did not kill Godzilla. He killed a big, dumb lizard. That was not the real Godzilla.”
Rona started a whole big conversation on how they were all nuts, that she came here for protection not to go looking for the bad guy in his own lair. Xander reminded her that she signed on to fight - that they all did. Then he started to tell them a little bit about Buffy - about the slayer who had died twice to save the world, and about the girl who held the lives of her friends and family above everyone else’s, including her own.
“I’ve been through more battles with Buffy than you all can ever imagine. She’s stopped everything that’s ever come up against her. She’s laid down her life - literally - to protect the people around her. This girl has died two times, and she’s still standing. You’re scared? That’s smart. You got questions? You should. But you doubt her motives? You think Buffy’s all about the kill? Then you take the little bus to battle. I’ve seen her heart, and this time - not literally. And I’m telling you right now, she cares more about your lives than you will ever know. You gotta trust her. She’s earned it.”
“Damn, B. I never knew you were that cool.”
Everyone turned to see Buffy and Faith standing in the doorway. Xander smiled at the look of honest love and friendship on her face.
“Well, you always were a little slow.”
“I get that now.”
Buffy turned and addressed the room.
“All right, let’s saddle up.”
The walk to the old vineyard was quiet and tense. Buffy and Faith took point, the S.I.T.s in the middle and Xander and Spike brought up the rear. They were all nervous; this was the first time the girls were going into battle and for all his faith in Buffy and her abilities, Xander didn’t like the situation at all. It smelled like a trap.
“Spike, I don’t like this. It’s too easy.”
“Yeah. Seems like it, doesn’t it? You want me to talk to Buffy? See if she’ll pull out?”
“Would it do any good? She’s hell-bent on this, Spike. Whatever it is this guy has, Buffy wants it.”
“All right. We follow the slayer into battle, then. But, Xander? Don’t die on me.”
“Same goes for you. You be careful.”
“I will.”
Spike kissed Xander and headed off to the front of the group with Buffy. Buffy turned and looked over the group.
“Okay. Set up a perimeter. Guard the door. I don’t want anything getting in behind us. My team goes in first; we check the place out. You guys are our safety net. If this place is a trap, we give the signal, you guys come in, guns a-blazing.”
Xander cleared his throat and waved his hand at Buffy to get her attention.
“So, what’s the signal?”
“I’m thinking lots and lots of yelling.”
“Got it.”
Buffy turned and led her team inside. Xander stood outside the door, waiting for the signal - hoping it didn’t come. He felt a charge in the air around him - one he had come to associate with Anya when she ‘popped’ in on him. He turned around to greet her with a smile and it dropped off his face as he saw Halfrek standing there.
“What the hell do you want?”
“Vengeance. What else is there in life?”
“You’ve had yours, now fuck off.”
Xander turned away from Hallie and hoped to God that she would just go away. He didn’t have time for that.
“Is that what you really think? That you suffered enough for what you did to Anyanka?”
“Anya has forgiven me for leaving her at the altar. She’s a happy little vengeance demon again and all is right with her world, so your need to avenge her is misplaced.”
“Is that what you think? You think this was about you not marrying her? Honestly. It was never about that. It was about you ruining her. You made her human, all of you with your little plans and spells and smashing her amulet. You took her away from me, and then you made her want that existence. Teaching her to love and be happy and how to fit into society. You ruined her.”
Xander was honestly confused. He had no idea what Halfrek was talking about.
“Look. I’m extremely busy right now. My friend and my lover are both inside fighting big evil. Can we do this later?”
“No. We can’t. Do you realize it’s been weeks since Anyanka has granted a wish? And the last one she did grant? Hrumph; the woman wished her husband to be turned into a frog. Do you know what Anyanka did? Well, do you? She made him French. From France. Not a single wart or anything. You made her soft. D’Hoffryn is not going to put up with that kind of behavior. He’ll replace her, and you don’t want to know what they do to defunct vengeance demons.”
“So, let me get this straight. You cursed me because I loved Anya, not because I left her?”
Xander crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her.
“Yes. Your love made her want mortality, if you had only acted like a man and used her for your own sexual pleasure and then discarded her, she would have returned to the fold years ago and none of this would have happened.”
“So, what do you want me to do about it?”
“Make a wish. Wish that you had done just that. I’ll even let you remember enough of this timeline to leave Buffy dead and buried so none of this will happen. It’s your decision. Your happiness or the world’s safety.”
Xander looked around him at the frightened girls in his care and then back toward the door where Buffy and Spike and the others had gone. He could spare them all this horrifying ordeal. All it would cost him would be Buffy and his mates. They could lose this battle and the whole world would suffer, or he could agree - make the wish - and get to start over. It was a hell of a decision to have to make. Keep his mates, let Buffy live and possibly set the First Evil loose on the world, or give up Spike - both of them - and leave Buffy to rest in peace, and possibly save the world.
Xander knew what the right thing to do was? Buffy wasn’t supposed to be alive; the world shouldn’t have to suffer because of his and Willow’s mistake. If he did the right thing, he would lose his mates, but his happiness would be a small price to pay for the world’s safety. He took a deep breath, looked Halfrek straight in the eye and spoke.
“I’ve made a decision.”