No Promises

By: Tropicwhale

Disclaimer: Not mine… I wish they were but they aren't. Deal, I do.

Warnings: Nothing as of yet…minus of course Spike and Xander are in a romantic relationship together but that's what the Grimmoire series is…Spander.

Author Notes: Hello again, my faithful Peanuts. How are you? I'm fine…sore throat and stressed from one last examination but you know, almost done. I'm heading to a Christmas party with a bunch of my friends who I haven't seen since I was writing "Sewers". So I'm excited but I digress…here's "No Promises".

Chapter One

It started so innocently…a reunion in the sewers of Paris and everything was so….Paris, you know? Romance and that feeling that you adore this person so much it hurts to be away from them. Then Buffy called and Xander took Spike to Baltimore. Lots of things happened in Baltimore…they found out that their relationship wasn't as perfect as they thought but they decided that they still loved each other and life (and unlife) moved on. Then Angel called and they raced off to L.A to restore the Grimmoire of Morgan Le Fay from the evil vampire, Aneirin. But Aneirin won. She kidnapped Xander and he would have been dead if not from an unlikely rescue. Aneirin still has the book and she wants to take over the world. If Twilight gets the book then he'll use it to destroy Buffy and all things magical forever. But more importantly Xander met his in-laws…most of them, anyway, and was shown the truth about his lover. This was what Spike had come from and Xander, bless his loving heart, didn't understand this until he was threatened with torture and death. He does now and loves Spike more than ever. They came back to Paris and their squad of slayers that have grown quite a lot since the first fanfic. But to our boys the lights of Paris seemed a little dimmer, the romance in the air a little diluted. They agreed to go back to taking things slow but, instead of drawing them closer to each other, they have drifted apart. It's been five months since their adventures in the States and it's now December when the phone rings yet again. BRINNGG. BRNNNGGGG it says insistently. Alex, a small red-head girl that's as bubbly as the day is long, races to the landline.

"Marie LeBeau's townhouse. How may we serve?"

"Hey, this is Willow Rosenburg. Is Xander there?" Alex lights up and grins.

"HEY! Hi! Willow, it's me! Alex! The redhead! Remember?"

"Oh, hey! I didn't recognize your voice. How are you?"

"Fine. I don't think Xander and-is the line secure?"

"Yeah…no way for anyone to listen in."

"Cool. He and Spike are having troubles, Willow." There was a pause after this statement.

"What sort of troubles?" Alex shrugs even though there's no one to see her do it.

"I don't know. They're both really quiet though…like Patricia and Kenya quiet and they stopped making out in front of us, they stopped holding hands and snuggling and Spike's being really, really quiet. It's like he's heartbroken. Xander tries to play it off a little better but if he's not instructing one of us or laughing at something someone says he's quiet. It's creeping me out."

"Oh. Wow. That does sound serious. How long has it been going on?"

"About five months now. Ever since they got back from America and they won't talk about what happened there. What do you need? Because I don't think that they should go on any missions right now...if anything they need a break from the spooky stuff."

"I was actually curious to see if Xander wouldn't mind to come visit me and Kennedy for the holidays."

"That's a great idea! They both could use it…wait, Xander? Not Xander and Spike?"

"Oh! No, I meant both but Kennedy doesn't know about everything and I'd rather Xander tell her in person…you know? I don't want her thinking I'm keeping secrets from her if I say something she isn't suppose to hear."

"Yeah, okay. That makes sense. So they are both invited?"

"Yes, definitely. Can I talk to Xander now?"

"Oh! Oh yes. Sorry! I'm go get him." Alex carefully puts the phone down and races to find her Watcher. "XANDER!!! PHONE!!!" Alex rapped on their bedroom door. Xander opens it almost immediately, his hair sleep tousled and dressed only in a pair of sweatpants. Alex takes a second to admire the older man's body. God, was she ever lucky to have a Senior Watcher who was built and whose lover was just as sexy. She smiles at him and waits for the small smile in return. "Phone." She says.

"Buffy?" He was immediately on gaurd. This is what she was saying to Willow. He and Spike were waaay too much on edge. It was starting to drag even her down.

"Nope!" She says way too cheerily. "Go! Long distance." She gets behind him and pushes him to the living room. Xander gives her a one armed hug on his blind side and picks up the receiver. Alex beats it and into the kitchen to get a snack.

"Hello?" Xander says, stretching.

"Xander?"

"Wills!! Hey, what's up?"

"Oh, nothing. You sound tired."

"I was taking a nap. Mini-slayers wear me out."

"Just mini-slayers? Not Mini-slayers and Spike? Where is Spike anyway? I'd thought he'd be listening in with an inappropriate joke or twenty. You guys are still together, right?"Xander sits on the sofa and closes his eye.

"Yeah, we are. He's probably training with the girls. All he really does these days."

"Oh. Well, Kennedy and I were thinking to invite the pair of you out to Brazil for Christmas/Solstice/Chanukah/New Years. Whadda say?"

"Oh...okay. Sure. Sure, Willow. It'll be like old times with Charlie Brown and Snoopy and-oh, wait, I don't think Spike will wanna come. You know…Christmas and vampires don't really mix and really-"

"Xander, are you trying to not visit me? Because I'm wearing my resolve face and there will be no argument." Xander smiles. That's his Willow.

"Fine. Twisted my arm. We'll come. Promise." He could feel her grin over the line.

"And I have something important to ask you when you get here. So yeah. Call when you're coming, okay?"

"Yeah…okay. Sure."

"Oh, Xan? I gotta go. Kennedy burnt the cookies and I gotta go rescue them."

"How is Kennedy?"

"She's-doing better…then she was-Xander, I really should-"

"Go. Yeah. See ya."

"Bye." They hang up. Xander sighs and stares at the ceiling.

Author After Notes: So it begins. I grin and post....now to study and clean my room.

Tropic