sevendeadlyfun | A Road Covered With Blood

Pairing: Xander/Spike

Rating: NC-17 overall

A/N: Whew! I made it! This has been a long strange trip and in the best of ways. Before anyone yells at me, I realize this epilogue doesn't fully wrap up the 'verse. What can I say? I'm pulling a Joss here. I may or may not revisit this series at some point, but I have a few other WiPs to work on now...so I'm calling this done. For now...

All Parts In My Memories

Xander strode behind Buffy, Spike, and Angel, still grumbling. This was stupidest plan he’d ever heard. That fact that it might actually work was mostly irrelevant. It was still stupid.

“This is the dumbest plan I’ve ever heard,” Xander groused under his breath.

“It was your idea,” Willow reminded him gently.

“Yeah and since when did you all start listening to me,” Xander complained. “I’m all unheard guy until we need a stupid plan. Then the ears perk up!”

Tara giggled softly somewhere behind him, and Xander stopped bitching long enough to let the sound wash over him. He’d missed hearing her laugh. Hell, he’d missed this. The whole gang together, going to fight evil. Of course, this hadn’t ever actually happened before. But, he’d still missed it.

He stumbled at that thought, stopping in his tracks. This was it. This was what he was supposed to do. Well, maybe.

But, it felt right. Everyone standing together, no idiotic rivalries or misunderstandings keeping them apart. This was what had been missing before, this unity and sense of purpose.

“’Bout time you figured it out. I was gettin’ worried.” The low voice, unfamiliar and strangely accented, drew his attention.

“I-I figured it out,” Xander repeated. “Really? You know, you could have just told me ahead of time, saved me the rough thinking bits.”

“Nah,” the squat man shook his head. “This needed to happen. You’re the heart, remember? You started go astray, the rest of’em had nothing to guide them. Had to be you, see? You had to learn this yourself, so they could follow.”

“Uh-huh,” Xander said quietly. “Not that I’m doubting you or anything, but who the fuck are you?”

“Whistler,” the other man said genially. “And I’m kinda your ride home.”

“Whistler,” Xander said quietly, mulling that over. “Oh yeah, I remember now. Buffy told us, said you showed up right before her big showdown with Angelus.”

“Yeah,” Whistler agreed. “Glad you fixed that up. It wasn’t supposed to go down like that. Nasty business, Acathla.”

“I remember,” Xander replied distractedly. “Well, thanks for offering me a ride, but I’m busy right now. I gotta catch up. Big battle to fight and all that.
“You already caught up,” Whistler pointed out. “See, you’re right there.”

Xander followed the line of Whistler’s finger. Sure enough, he was still in line behind Buffy, Spike and Angel. His brow furrowed slightly as he watched himself walking away.

“How…”

“Long complicated explanation involving quantum mechanics and the space-time continuum,” Whistler replied quietly. “The simple version is that I pulled you out of this reality. Just slightly. You don’t belong here.”

“I don’t belong here,” Xander said angrily. “Well than where the hell do I belong? I thought this was my place, right? I’m the heart, leading the way, fixing reality and all that cotton candy bullshit.”

“You are and you did,” Whistler told him. “This whole trip was about you making things better and they’re better. Now, it’s time for you to get moving. Got a whole future waiting for you.”

Xander slouched, shoving his hands into his pockets. He had a whole future waiting for him that revolved around a past he’d never remember. How could he live the rest of his life not knowing where he’d been and what he’d done?

“So it’s all fixed up,” he said. “What’s that mean? How can you know that?”

“I don’t know that,” Whistler answered. “The Powers sent me, said to give you an attaboy and deposit you where you belong. So that’s what I’m doin’ ”.

Xander sighed. This was an unwinnable argument. He had the sneaking suspicion that Whistler was only being courteous and indulging the crazy human. If this guy really could send him winging his way home, he probably didn’t need Xander’s permission to do it.

“Just…I need to know,” Xander pleaded. “Do Spike and Angel ever win? Do they get to go to heaven?”

“Yeah,” Whistler told him happily. “The Powers ain’t exactly doing cartwheels, but those guys balance the scale and balance always has a say.”

Xander rocked back on his heels, lightheaded with relief. Spike wasn’t going to spend eternity enduring torture. He’d made a difference.

“All right,” Xander conceded. “I’m ready to go. Any chance I could get some substitute memories? I’m gonna look awfully stupid during those ‘Remember When’ games otherwise.”
“You want to forget?” Whistler sounded puzzled. “Thought memories made the man?”

“They do,” Xander agreed. “But, I’m not the same I was, you know? He…I think he’s dead. I’m some new guy and I think I need those new memories.”

Whistler nodded. He beckoned Xander forward, a tiny smile crossing his features. Xander wasn’t sure that was a good smile, but he stepped up anyways. He could hear the sounds of battle ringing faintly in the background, the clash of metal on bone, the ringing of bullets and steel.

“Enjoy your new life,” Whistler grinned, giving him a hearty shove.

Xander spun around, dizziness swamping him. The ringing of steel on steel echoed in his ears, drowning out the rush and roar of air. He surrendered to the tug and pull, allowing it to carry him along. The ringing never stopped…

He batted a hand out, trying to stop the offending noise. His hand hit something solid, and he jerked upright. Bed, he was in bed and that was the phone…

He reached out, flailing desperately for the receiver. He managed to clasp it in shaky hands and brought it up to his ear.

“Huh,” he croaked, throat gone dry.

“Xander,” Cordy replied. “Get up now. Connor’s been kidnapped.”

Xander shook off sleep, rolling slightly to nudge Spike. Spike growled, burrowing under the blankets. Xander nudged again, this nudge hard enough to qualify as punch.

“Okay,” Xander told her calmly, standing up and reaching for his clothes. “Who’s got him, how long has he been gone, and are Wes and Fred okay?”

“Shurog demons, about 20 minutes, and only if your definition of okay includes complete hysterics,” Cordy summarized. “We think they’re headed your way. I saw them holding him over a seal, looked like the school basement. We’re right behind them, coming up on Sunnydale in ten.”

“Gotcha,” he mumbled, “SPIKE! Get your ass up now! Connor’s in trouble…”

Xander hung up the phone, promising Cordy they’d meet her and the L.A. gang at the high school. Spike had jumped out of bed on hearing the little boy’s name and was already dressed.

“Ready,” Spike told him unnecessarily.

“Gotta call Wills and Tara,” Xander grunted, reaching for his axe. “Might need our witchy duo on this one. Plus, they can get Dawnie working on the research.”

Spike nodded, and tossed Xander the cell phone. Xander was dialing as they hit the door, cursing under his breath. Those Shurogs were in for a huge hurt. Connor was Angel’s godchild and the Powers help anyone who even made that little boy cry.

“Wills,” he said as soon as the phone stopped ringing. “Cordy called, Connor’s been kidnapped. No. Yes. High School. Shurog demons. Can you call Tara and Anya? Oh and wake up Dawnie. I think we might need a bit more info on these bastards. Thanks. Yeah. Meet you there.”

It was times like these he wished Buffy were still alive. Sure, three witches and a vampire kept the Hellmouth reasonably free of ugly, but it wasn’t the same as having a Slayer. Still, he knew that Buffy was watching over them.

“You okay,’ Spike asked him as they broke into a fast jog.

“Fine,” Xander puffed. “Well, not fine. I’m thinking that Wes and Fred have to be out of their minds right now. Their son got stolen by demons and I’m betting they aren’t taking him out to the fair.”

Spike nodded, and Xander concentrated on keeping pace. He didn’t want to hold Spike back and risk Connor’s life. He might be in good shape, but he wasn’t exactly up to vampire speeds.

“Go,” he called to Spike. “I’ll catch up!”

Spike nodded again and took off. Xander kept running, watching his lover go. He had no doubt that Spike would get there in plenty of time to smash the demons to tiny bits. He wished again for Buffy.

“Xander,” a voice screamed and he slowed down to look around.

Cordy was leaning out of a car window and waving her arms frantically. He ran over and hopped in the back seat, being careful not to let his weapon swing around. He didn’t want decapitate anyone, after all.

“Thanks,” he huffed. “Let’s go.”

He sat back, catching his breath, when he felt something brush his arm. He jerked slightly, recoiling from the whatever it was. He looked over and saw…

“Faith?”

“Nice to see you, too,” the brunette Slayer grinned. “Angel figured this place had been Slayer-free long enough. I caught a ride, thinking you might want some extra muscle to help with the big rescue.”

Xander sighed. She wasn’t Buffy, not by a long shot. But he knew she’d been working with Angel for a few years and the word was she pulled for the good guys now. Angel had often worried about her, calling Spike to discuss redemption and souls and other stuff that mostly Xander didn’t pay attention to. But, still, she was the Slayer now and they really could use one.

“Welcome home,” he told her and meant it.

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Posted by

lilithbint.livejournal.com

lovely ending honey.
I like the fact it wasn't the future he had worked to fix but it was a good future anyway.
*hugs*

Posted by

Seven's Bedtime Stories

A Road Covered With Blood

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