By Dave.Mycock Fire of the Spirit
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy or any of the other characters in the show. They belong to Joss Whedon. I am not gaining any profit from this story.
Subject: Xander/Tara
Summary: Set during forth season of the show. After a fierce battle with Ethan Raines Xander is struck by a stray blast cast by Willow, it breaks down the barriers inside his mind unleashing the two spirits that have been joined with his during his time with the slayer. One of them gains full control of him and decides to take out the slayer, however along the way it takes an interest in the new friend of Willow.
I'd like to thank my beta Grossclout for all his help with this story. ****
Xander opened his eyes to find Willow looking down at him, for an instant he felt the urge to jump her but he quickly forced it down. Fearful of where that urge had come from he quickly sat up ignoring the slight pain he still felt from the night before, he noticed Willow looked somewhat guilty most likely for the spell backfiring and hitting him.
"You ok?" she asked quietly.
"Better than last night," he replied ignoring the whispering he continued to hear as he finally stood. "That was quite a spell you and Tara came up with; knocked me cold. Should thank you had a great night's sleep," he tried to joke.
"Xander, it isn't funny; the spell could of done real damage to you," Willow argued, her face completely serious.
"I know, sorry," he apologised.
"I'm sorry; we should have been more watchful of what was happening, Willow told him.
"My fault for just standing there, but Buffy had pissed me off for telling me to butt out," he told her.
Willow didn't respond to his statement, her loyalties had always been divided since Buffy had come into their lives. She always tried to remain neutral, but sometimes she had to take sides. This time, she decided to just stay out of it.
"Giles has made some breakfast. Get cleaned up and join us," she told him before turning and leaving the room.
Xander walked toward the bathroom when he suddenly became dizzy. He grabbed the wall for support as the whispering grew too loud. Wild laughter soon filled his head. He felt an icy chill as he recognised the laugh, and the memories of his time possessed by the hyena came back in force. Trying to call out for help, he found he couldn't move his mouth. Growing more fearful of what was happening to him; he tried to move toward the stairs, only to fall back onto the bed as a swell of pain engulfed him.
The laughing became more intense as he started to feel a presence at the back of his mind, one he believed to be long gone. He felt himself begin to lose control of his body and as he let loose a last feeble cry for help, he saw the presence's plans for his friends, especially Buffy. It wanted revenge for been defeated the first time. It wanted her blood.
****
Tara suddenly felt a wave of wrongness run through the home of the watcher. Her special senses went wild as she heard Xander come down the stairs. As soon as she looked at him, she knew something wasn't right. There was something different about him, especially his eyes. They seemed darker, scarier than they normally were. She stayed quiet as he sat at the table and began to eat. She could sense him watching her during the whole breakfast, making her uncomfortable.
When Faith had returned to Sunnydale and switched bodies with Buffy, she had known, thanks to her heightened senses. It had taken a bit of time to get the others to agree with her, but, in the end, she had been right. She wondered what would happen if she voiced her fears about Xander after he left. She shivered as she felt Xander's gaze bore into her. She didn't dare meet his eyes for fear of what she would see there. He was acting normally, talking to Willow and Giles, and yet something about the undertone of his voice again alerted her to something being off.
"Anyway I going to go, get some clean clothes and a wash. I'll check in with you later," Xander suddenly spoke up startling Tara who had been too busy with her thoughts.
"Are you sure you're feeling well enough?" Giles asked. "No more side affects from being hit by that spell?" he added.
"No, I'm fine." Xander smiled and to Tara, even his smile was darker. She even noticed a frown on Willow's face as he left.
****
As soon as he closed the door, Xander's smile became even darker as he planned how to get his revenge on the slayer. Although he wasn't as strong as the first time he had taken over this host, he still had his power and strength both boosted by the spell that had unlocked the barriers that had kept him locked inside the host's mind. The second spirit was fighting his control of the host body, but, for now, it wasn't strong enough to displace him; and the host was no match at all, although he could still hear the human's voice cursing him.
A feral laugh escaped him as he listened to the human's voice make threats. The first time, he had been completely overwhelmed by his spirit, but this time, the host had managed not to be completely subdued. If the host and the second spirit both joined their energies, then that would be a problem; but, for now, he was in complete control. As he searched the host's memories, the blond witch who was new to the group really interested him. He could smell the power emanating from her and that was what he wanted in his new pack, and especially his mate. The slayer was no longer viable. He wondered if he could get the blond witch to be his mate. The smile that graced his face would have been recognisable by any of his friends who had been around when he processed his host the first time.
*****
Riley walked toward Buffy's house to find Xander walking toward him. As he came within hearing range, he could have sworn he heard a wicked laugh escape his girlfriend's friend. Frowning as he passed, he turned to see Xander staring at him with cold eyes. Forcing down a shiver he continued onto Buffy's wondering what was up with him. He guessed he was still upset about been dismissed by Buffy during the fight last night. He didn't know why Buffy was even friends with the guy; all he ever did was make jokes and get in the way.
*****
Xander frowned as he passed the slayer's mate, he could sense that the man disliked his host. He searched his host's memories and noticed that his host didn't like him either. Smiling, he began to plan his revenge, starting with the slayer's boyfriend. He would have some fun and maybe, just maybe, make his host get the respect he had been denied by the slayer and her boyfriend.
*****
Tara walked toward her dorm still trying to decide what to do about Xander. Should she tell her fears to Willow and the others, or go and see Xander herself. Something inside her felt both fearful and excited about such a meeting. Shaking her head she decided that making sure her fears were correct was the better course of action. She decided to see Xander after her courses were finished.
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy or any of the other characters in the show. They belong to Joss Whedon. I am not gaining any profit from this story.
Subject: Xander/Tara
Summary: Set during forth season of the show. After a fierce battle with Ethan Raines Xander is struck by a stray blast cast by Willow, it breaks down the barriers inside his mind unleashing the two spirits that have been joined with his during his time with the slayer. One of them gains full control of him and decides to take out the slayer, however along the way it takes an interest in the new friend of Willow.
I'd like to thank my beta Grossclout for all his help with this story. ****
Xander opened his eyes to find Willow looking down at him, for an instant he felt the urge to jump her but he quickly forced it down. Fearful of where that urge had come from he quickly sat up ignoring the slight pain he still felt from the night before, he noticed Willow looked somewhat guilty most likely for the spell backfiring and hitting him.
"You ok?" she asked quietly.
"Better than last night," he replied ignoring the whispering he continued to hear as he finally stood. "That was quite a spell you and Tara came up with; knocked me cold. Should thank you had a great night's sleep," he tried to joke.
"Xander, it isn't funny; the spell could of done real damage to you," Willow argued, her face completely serious.
"I know, sorry," he apologised.
"I'm sorry; we should have been more watchful of what was happening, Willow told him.
"My fault for just standing there, but Buffy had pissed me off for telling me to butt out," he told her.
Willow didn't respond to his statement, her loyalties had always been divided since Buffy had come into their lives. She always tried to remain neutral, but sometimes she had to take sides. This time, she decided to just stay out of it.
"Giles has made some breakfast. Get cleaned up and join us," she told him before turning and leaving the room.
Xander walked toward the bathroom when he suddenly became dizzy. He grabbed the wall for support as the whispering grew too loud. Wild laughter soon filled his head. He felt an icy chill as he recognised the laugh, and the memories of his time possessed by the hyena came back in force. Trying to call out for help, he found he couldn't move his mouth. Growing more fearful of what was happening to him; he tried to move toward the stairs, only to fall back onto the bed as a swell of pain engulfed him.
The laughing became more intense as he started to feel a presence at the back of his mind, one he believed to be long gone. He felt himself begin to lose control of his body and as he let loose a last feeble cry for help, he saw the presence's plans for his friends, especially Buffy. It wanted revenge for been defeated the first time. It wanted her blood.
****
Tara suddenly felt a wave of wrongness run through the home of the watcher. Her special senses went wild as she heard Xander come down the stairs. As soon as she looked at him, she knew something wasn't right. There was something different about him, especially his eyes. They seemed darker, scarier than they normally were. She stayed quiet as he sat at the table and began to eat. She could sense him watching her during the whole breakfast, making her uncomfortable.
When Faith had returned to Sunnydale and switched bodies with Buffy, she had known, thanks to her heightened senses. It had taken a bit of time to get the others to agree with her, but, in the end, she had been right. She wondered what would happen if she voiced her fears about Xander after he left. She shivered as she felt Xander's gaze bore into her. She didn't dare meet his eyes for fear of what she would see there. He was acting normally, talking to Willow and Giles, and yet something about the undertone of his voice again alerted her to something being off.
"Anyway I going to go, get some clean clothes and a wash. I'll check in with you later," Xander suddenly spoke up startling Tara who had been too busy with her thoughts.
"Are you sure you're feeling well enough?" Giles asked. "No more side affects from being hit by that spell?" he added.
"No, I'm fine." Xander smiled and to Tara, even his smile was darker. She even noticed a frown on Willow's face as he left.
****
As soon as he closed the door, Xander's smile became even darker as he planned how to get his revenge on the slayer. Although he wasn't as strong as the first time he had taken over this host, he still had his power and strength both boosted by the spell that had unlocked the barriers that had kept him locked inside the host's mind. The second spirit was fighting his control of the host body, but, for now, it wasn't strong enough to displace him; and the host was no match at all, although he could still hear the human's voice cursing him.
A feral laugh escaped him as he listened to the human's voice make threats. The first time, he had been completely overwhelmed by his spirit, but this time, the host had managed not to be completely subdued. If the host and the second spirit both joined their energies, then that would be a problem; but, for now, he was in complete control. As he searched the host's memories, the blond witch who was new to the group really interested him. He could smell the power emanating from her and that was what he wanted in his new pack, and especially his mate. The slayer was no longer viable. He wondered if he could get the blond witch to be his mate. The smile that graced his face would have been recognisable by any of his friends who had been around when he processed his host the first time.
*****
Riley walked toward Buffy's house to find Xander walking toward him. As he came within hearing range, he could have sworn he heard a wicked laugh escape his girlfriend's friend. Frowning as he passed, he turned to see Xander staring at him with cold eyes. Forcing down a shiver he continued onto Buffy's wondering what was up with him. He guessed he was still upset about been dismissed by Buffy during the fight last night. He didn't know why Buffy was even friends with the guy; all he ever did was make jokes and get in the way.
*****
Xander frowned as he passed the slayer's mate, he could sense that the man disliked his host. He searched his host's memories and noticed that his host didn't like him either. Smiling, he began to plan his revenge, starting with the slayer's boyfriend. He would have some fun and maybe, just maybe, make his host get the respect he had been denied by the slayer and her boyfriend.
*****
Tara walked toward her dorm still trying to decide what to do about Xander. Should she tell her fears to Willow and the others, or go and see Xander herself. Something inside her felt both fearful and excited about such a meeting. Shaking her head she decided that making sure her fears were correct was the better course of action. She decided to see Xander after her courses were finished.