Summary: After Angel leaves Xander depressed and miserable, a stranger swoops in with a history of his own that deals with Angelus and sparks soon ignite an inferno between Xander and this mysterious stranger. But will this inferno survive a tempest or is it doomed to burn out consuming everything in its path?

Authors Note: This is something a little different for me…it is a Spander fic so if you don't like…don't read…I've already got most of the chapters made out (pun intended hehe) so I'll be updating a couple chapters at a time…this fic is an alternate season 3 and 4…imagine Xander in place of Buffy in all of the previous seasons (well at least in the romantic aspects with Angel) and you've got this fic. HOWEVER Angel was never turned into Angelus because he was never truly happy (also he was always a jerk so the soul didn't do much…oh yeah to all you Angel fans out there you're outta luck this fic is very Angel bashy!!!!) All other plot twists will be explained just know Buffy will be part of a pair…just not your typical one *cough* Fuffy *cough* …Hope you enjoy!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything…if I did it would have ended just a little differently!!!

Warning: SPANDER…don't like…don't read!!!

As Long As You're Mine

Smashed

Xander wouldn't leave his room. To say that would even be an overstatement. Xander wouldn't leave his bed. He was wearing Angel's clothes, a white tank top and his leather coat. He wouldn't eat, no matter who brought it to him. His parents weren't exactly supportive of his method of mourning. Of course his parents were abusive drunkards who didn't care about Xander at all, so what they thought didn't really matter but, if possible, they were yelling at him more than usual. Not that Xander noticed. But Willow did. She hadn't left him alone for more than an hour while she got clothes or a shower at her house. And even then she would only leave him with Buffy or Oz. Her boyfriend had been super supportive during all of this. Xander was his friend, and although he obviously had questionable taste in lovers, the fact that he was gay didn't bother Oz. The fact that he was in an obviously abusive relationship with a vampire that had just up and left him, however, bothered Oz almost as much as it bothered Willow and Buffy. He was pretty sure all three of them were in agreement that Angel would have to be found and tortured in some interesting way, but as he kept watch over a practically comatose Xander he could feel his wolf starting to churn inside of him. He'd never been so angry before, it was actually quite a scary thing. He knew it was because he thought of Xander as a kind of brother figure and he had always been protective of the people he cared about. He might try to hide it, but Oz had a soft spot for his friends, and seeing how broken Xander was, well let's just say, the wolf inside of Oz had a few choice words to say to Angel.

Willow walked back down the stairs to the basement. "And you tell that good for nothin fag that he better get his-" Willow shut the door before she could hear the rest of Mr. Harris' rant. She sighed and continued down the stairs. She looked at Oz who was glaring absently above Xander's head. She could only imagine what he was thinking. Probably the same thing she was, the same thing Buffy was. Angel had better watch his back. She remembered back to the first time Xander had brought Angel to be introduced as his boyfriend. She almost smiled as she remembered how proud Xander had looked. How happy, and loved. She could remember every threat she and Buffy had come up with. Her favorite being that if he hurt Xander, then he would wake up on fire. She could remember just how threatening Buffy had looked saying that to Angel. Even Giles had glowered properly, and added in some random British threat that was probably said with a touch of Ripper showing through. She sighed again and came to stand beside Oz. She ran her hand over the back of his head and he arched his head further into her touch, like a puppy enjoying being petted. She did smile at that one, but her smile soon faded as she looked at Xander.

Suddenly the basement door banged open. Buffy came clomping down the stairs, whatever shoe of the week on her feet. Willow and Oz both looked up startled by all the noise. Buffy nodded at them gruffly in acknowledgement or greeting. She walked right up to Xander and slapped him across the face. Willow's eyes widened. "Buffy! You can't do that, what if you screw something up in his brain! He needs all the brain cells he has!" Buffy looked at Willow. "Will, he's used to the violence. Speaking of violent people who abuse Xander, you might want to go untie his parents once we move Xander. They're in the closet." She moved until Xander's blank eyes were boring into her own lively hazel ones. "Xander? Can you hear me? You have to get out of his rat hole. You're coming to my house. Then tonight we're going out. We're going to the Bronze. We're going to dance and drink illegally. Perhaps even get quite drunk and prank call Giles or Cordelia. We're gonna have fun. Do you remember fun?" She sighed as he continued to stare lifelessly at the same spot.

Willow looked at her, concern etched clearly in every inch of her face. "Buffy are you sure about that? I mean he just lost his lover. It's good for him to grieve. I mean-" Buffy cut her off with a hand. She pointed at Xander. "That's not good or healthy Will. That's a coma. I think Faith is lookin more alive at this point." She flinched slightly at her own unintentional mention of Faith's name. She was so not ready to go there yet. "Willow, he hates it here. Maybe if we get him somewhere that he was comfortable. Somewhere that holds good memories for him, then maybe," she turned to Xander and caressed his hair, "maybe we'll get him back. Or at least a piece of him. Because this isn't him; this is just a hollow shell." Willow blinked back tears. She looked at Xander and stood up decidedly. She walked to his closet and pulled out a duffel bag. She looked up to see both Buffy and Oz looking at her. She blinked back, surprised. "What? He needs clothes." She sighed for what seemed like the thousandth time and glanced back at Xander. "Buffy's right. We have to do whatever it takes to get Xander back. So if it means taking him to Buffy's or my house then I'll do it. I'm willing to drag him to the Bronze if that's what it means. I think we all would." She looked at Buffy and Oz who nodded in agreement. Then she walked back to his closet and pulled out clothes, stuffing them in the bag as she went.

"I hate that shirt." The voice was hoarse, and strained but there. Willow whizzed around to face Buffy and Oz, who all shared a look before they quickly looked over at Xander. He was watching Willow with the same hollow look he'd had earlier. But he had moved. And now he was blinking, and licking his lips slightly. Willow glanced at Buffy who nodded slightly. "Yeah I do too Will. What were you thinking? You know yellow is so not Xander's color." She forced a chuckle and Willow followed suit. Xander, however, didn't even bother. "You're right! What was I thinking? Why would I ever pick up yellow of all things?" She laughed her voice shrill and becoming slightly hysterical. Oz stood up and took the bag from Willow. "Let me." Willow smiled weakly and let the bag be taken from her shaking hands. Buffy looked at Xander. "Is there anything else you need?" Xander turned his head until his eyes were again looking at Buffy. At his look she quickly rephrased her sentence. "Anything else you want to bring to my house? Pillow or toothbrush would be good." Xander nodded slowly, like a child learning to control their own movements. "Toothpaste too. You know I need to be minty fresh." He tried to sound normal but the joke fell short of any semblance of normal even though everyone present forced a bright chuckle. As the silence between them became too long, too awkward, everyone moved around and gathered Xander's things, each wondering the same thing. What happens next?

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Spike made his way up the hill to the mansion where Angelus' scent was strongest. If there was a chance of him being anywhere, it was this place. It was beautiful. The garden held jasmine, Angelus' favorite, night blooming. Spike remembered a time when he had compared Angelus to the flower he loved so much. Only showing its true beauty in the darkest night. Spike growled at the thought of how soft he truly was inside. He stormed through the garden making sure to rip handfuls of jasmine off the vine on the way in. He broke down the door. "Angelus! I know you're here! Come out; come out where ever you are!" He paused listening for any sound at all. Of course there wasn't one. Even if Angelus was there, he would make no sound if he didn't want to be found. That's what made their kind so hard and annoying to track. He looked around the mansion and could tell something was wrong. The scent was different now. Mingled in with something, or someone else. Spike stopped at the thought. He glanced around and found what he was looking for. The bedroom. Angelus' bedroom. He walked in and promptly stopped. There were pillows. Not just your average white plain pillow either. Big fluffy colored things with patterns that matched the bedspread. Matched the room color. Color?! Spike caught the smell again and could tell it was a person this time. Angelus had another lover. Or he had at one point. Judging from how faint Angelus' scent was now he'd been gone for a couple of days or a week even. It looked like he had left everything of the lover's still in the mansion as it was. But he'd taken his own stuff. Spike could tell he'd taken his books. Random trinkets that he'd collected over the years were missing as well, things that Spike knew he would never leave without. He was gone. Spike crumpled to the ground. He was gone. Spike was too late again. He cursed grinding his teeth preventing the tears from pouring out. He was too late. Angelus was gone. Had this lover driven him off? Or did Angelus leave the lover alone and heartbroken without a logical reason like he had with Spike? It didn't matter. Spike glared at the bed, fluffy pillows and patterned sheets. No one touched Angelus but him. No one! He would find the lover and make him pay. Or...Spike's trademark smirk came over his face as he formed a plan so ingenious, so evil, that it was pretty much your typical bad guy/ex-girlfriend plot from a soap opera. Only one thing left to do before he could start this plan. Spike got up rubbing his eyes viciously and walked over to the bed. He picked up the smallest pillow and held it to his face, inhaling. He could smell everything. Angelus, the mystery lover, and-. He broke off. It didn't matter. He could track the boy now. That was all he needed. He laughed hysterically as he ripped the pillow in half, feathers flying everywhere. "Gotcha now boy." He lit up another cig and turned round. He strode majestically out of the room, tossing the burning cigarette onto the fluffy mess, instantly lighting the whole bed up. 'Phase one complete.'