Title: Outside Humanity
Author: Drake Roberts (aka: Shelley)
Rating: R. It is one of the most common letters of the alphabet, after all.
A/N: Once again, thanks to all of you wonderful people who found it in your hearts to review this story that has grown into a true monstrosity in my notebook. I would have updated sooner, but I've been in the land of no Internet, or even computers (My parents' house) for the last few days. The scenic countryside provided time for reflection and inspiration. I've got some wacky ideas for this story later on, so I warn you beforehand. Hold on, if this goes the way I see it in my head, it's gonna be a WILD ride.
Okay, now that I'm done with the posturing and melodrama, on with the story!
Be warned: Not beta'd. But, neither were the other parts if that's any consolation.
* * * * *
Tara winced when Spike scowled viciously at her proclamation. She knew there was no love lost between the vampire and the Watcher. Sworn mortal enemies had a way of not getting along.
"Great," Dawn grumbled. "Just when I was starting to get used to Buffy being gone, she's coming back. Such is my life."
"We don't need the bloody Watcher," Spike argued. "You're a right smart gal and Nibblet's certainly proven her worth tonight. We can handle this on our own."
Dawn smiled so wide at the vampire's unexpected praise, it was a miracle her face didn't crack. Tara however frowned in apprehension. She mentally prepared herself for the argument ahead.
"We have to find out what kind of demon did this, and for that we need Giles," she told him. "Giles has resources we don't and texts that I could never get my hands on in a million years. And he is ours and Xander's friend."
"He's not my friend," Spike countered sharply, expecting her to back down.
A second later, he found himself pinned with a sharp glare from the normally timid witch. Both Spike and Dawn, who sat watching from nearby, were floored by her confident manner. Neither would equate the strong presence before them with the shy, stuttering girl that they were used to seeing.
"Whatever has happened to Xander, we don't know if this is the end of it. Will it get worse? Is it something from the demons that is affecting him, or do we have to worry about some new prophecy? We don't even know if it's a spell at all. We have a lot of questions and no idea where to start looking for the answers."
Throughout her speech, Tara spoke calmly and evenly, but the emotion could be heard beneath the surface. This wasn't the Tara that Spike saw constantly trying to hide herself behind her girlfriend or escape notice completely. This woman was full of surprises tonight.
"Like it, or not," she continued. "Giles has the knowledge of the Watcher's Council behind him."
"No one's breathing a word of this to the Watcher's Council!" Spike exclaimed. Xander flinched at the shout, and Spike's attention immediately switched to calming the boy clinging to him.
Tara and Dawn watched in silence as Spike hugged Xander closer to him, whispering soft assurances even as he clearly fought to control his temper. Tara knew her statement had for some reason angered the vampire, but none of that anger was apparent in the gentle way he handled the boy, his back turning slightly away from the two. Neither of them had ever seen him act this way before with anyone. What was going on? Two pairs of eyes widened as they simultaneously came to the same realization, but surprisingly, it was Dawn who spoke first.
"Spike?" she began. "Giles won't hurt Xander. He's like family to the old guy. You know that, right?"
Spike's shoulder tensed at the young girl query, but didn't make any response.
With a shudder, Dawn continued a little more nervously. "Tara didn't mean that Giles would blab to the Council. He doesn't like them any more than you do. Well, okay, you probably hate them more, but she just meant that he used to be a Watcher and has all that stuffy British librarian knowledge, right Tara?"
Dawn looked at Tara beseechingly, a plea for help clear in her eyes. Spike finally turned back to them and Tara nodded. "We won't let anything happen to Xander, we promise," she told him solemnly. "Don't you trust us?"
Tara and Dawn waited with bated breath for Spike to respond both afraid he would bolt and take Xander with him. If he decided to do so, they knew neither one of them could stop him. Spike, for his part, stared at the young wiccan and her temporary charge respectively. Did he trust them? Normally, he made it a rule to never trust anyone, but when he needed help, he automatically thought of Red's lover. It kind of disconcerted him that he'd so easily turned to her. And the Nibblet, well, before tonight, he'd never really even spoken to her, but there was something about her that made him like her instantly. Maybe it was just because she'd patched him up, but he doubted it. So, did he trust them?
Both girls sighed in relief when he nodded jerkily. "I trust you two. Must be out of my bleedin' mind, but I do."
Argument finished, Spike saw Tara immediately slip back into her shell. Shame, really, he thought. He liked it when the witch showed some backbone. When she spoke again, she was much more like the shy girl that he was used to.
"O-okay. I'll j-just go call him now." She started to leave, but paused. Spike saw her gaze go to the boy he still held. She blinked heavily a few times, then frowned.
"What is it, ducks?" Spike asked in concern, also looking down at the boy in his arms. The boy's earlier improvement was quickly fading. He'd gotten paler, if that was possible, and while he hadn't made a sound, Spike could see pain creeping back into his eyes.
Tara swallowed nervously. She'd been afraid of this. "I didn't get all the toxin out," she whispered.
"What?" Dawn asked, looking at Tara in dread.
"I know some healing spells, but they can only do so much. I helped as much as I could, but . . .." She trailed off at the look of terror spreading across both Spike and Dawn's faces.
"There has to be something we can do," Spike argued. Tara bit her lower lip anxiously. "Tara, what is it?" he asked, for once forgoing any nickname.
"I . . . I have this friend. I think she can help Xander, but s-she might not be able to."
Spike frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked cautiously.
"She's a h-healer," Tara replied. "A Born one, not just f-from spells."
Spike's eyes widened. "A Born Healer? Do you know how rare those are?"
"Yeah, I do. I kind of ran into her a few weeks ago." she explained hastily, not really wanting to get into the details of that experience. "I don't know how strong she is, but I think she can help with the toxin, e-even if we don't know what it is." She turned to Spike. "Do . . . do you want me to call her? See if she can help?"
"She'd do that?" Spike asked. "As I've heard it, their kind aren't usually so kind toward witches and demons."
Tara smiled slightly. "She's a little different than most Healers, at least from what I've heard. She's the only one I've ever met. She'll help if she's able."
"Why didn't you say anything before, Tara?" Dawn asked, curious.
"Healing someone like that is no small matter, Nibblet," Spike answered. "That kind of intervention, you don't use it for every little thing, or it upsets the natural order. It's an abuse of power."
"He's right," Tara continued, with a look at the bleach blonde vampire. It shocked her that a vampire could understand the need to maintain balance. "I had to try everything else possible before even entertaining the idea."
Dawn frowned as a thought came to her. "There's a chance that this Healer lady might not be able to help Xander, isn't there? What's the catch?"
"You're right," Tara answered, surprised at the girl's insight. "Intent has to be pure. I don't think that will be a problem. I'm just afraid she's healed recently and won't have the strength to help Xander. I didn't want to bring it up unless I didn't think we had another choice." She met Spike's eyes seriously. He got the message loud and clear. At this point, she thought the help was necessary.
Spike looked at the witch searchingly for a moment. "All right, you call your friend. I trust you."
Tara smiled shyly, unable to meet the vampire's eyes after the compliment. She focused on the hem of her shirt instead, twisting it through her fingers nervously. "I'll go call now." She practically fled the room.
An uncomfortable silence fell between Spike and Dawn. Not surprisingly, it was Dawn who broke it. "So what do you think did it?" she asked hesitantly. "Some kind of spell or curse?" A thought struck her. "Hey, maybe getting attacked by those demons did it!"
Spike thought it over. "Maybe, but he was like this when I found him." He sighed. "I don't have a bloody clue what could have done it. I've never even heard of such a thing."
Conversation halted once more as both of them contemplated that statement. Neither of them brought the topic back up, each lost in thought. After Tara finished her phone calls, she herded everyone into the living room and settled them onto the couch. Dawn was watching Spike and Xander worriedly, while Spike himself seemed to go into a daze. The only indication of his awareness of the world around him was the hand that stroked a gentle pattern up and down the back of Xander's neck while he cradled the boy in his other arm.
Spike roused himself when he felt an afghan being draped over his shoulders. Confused, he looked up to see Tara gazing down at him with concern clearly etched on her face.
"You were shivering," she offered in explanation. She managed to stop herself before she felt his forehead. He was a vampire; he couldn't get a fever, even if that appeared to be the case at the moment. "Is it the toxin?"
"No," he answered. "It's the blood loss. I'll be fine."
He didn't look fine, Tara observed. If he were human, she'd be rushing him to the hospital, or at the very least making him lie down. Could a vampire go into shock? She watched the vampire worriedly as he wrapped the afghan around himself and Xander before giving her a nod in thanks. The energy that constantly coursed through him, the spark that she associated with the vampire had dwindled to nearly nothing. This being before her looked so . . . fragile, a trait she'd never expected to enter her mind in context with such a dangerous creature. She found herself hoping Giles brought some blood with him when he came. With an almost inaudible sigh, she sat on the opposite side of the couch. A minute later, Dawn settled on the floor beside her resting her head on Tara's knee.
It was this sight that greeted Rupert Giles when he used his copy of the house key to open the Summers' front door. To say that he was shocked to see Tara and Dawn worriedly gazing at a noticeably shivering Spike would be an understatement. But seeing Spike with a small child threatened Giles' entire worldview.
"Dear Heavens!" he exclaimed. "Is that Xander?"
The aforementioned boy startled at the sound of the new voice and burrowed further into Spike's embrace with a tiny whimper. Spike shot a glare at Giles that made him question whether or not a tiny piece of silicon and wires could really stop a master vampire bent on violence.
"Yeah, it is," Tara answered quietly. "We were hoping you might have an idea of what could do this to him."
Spike continued to glare in the Watcher's general direction. Giles watched Tara notice this and put a hand on the vampire's shoulder.
"Trust me?" she asked, looking the master vampire straight in the eye. Giles thought she was too shy to look anyone directly in the eye.
Spike met her stare with one of his own before he finally nodded. Tara patted his knee before leaving the couch and walking over to Giles. The Watcher looked on in bewilderment at the action, then in downright shock when Spike offered no comment on the obviously comforting gesture that she'd just committed. Goodbye, worldview.
Tara grabbed a couple of books off the top of the pile Giles had brought with him and started for the kitchen. Giles took one last look at the strange scene and followed.
"S-sorry about that," Tara apologized as she set his books down on the kitchen counter. "Spike's acting a little overprotective. He's in pain and he doesn't want Xander to get hurt."
Giles blinked owlishly as his brain tried to process this startling news. "Oh," he replied, his supposedly vast intellect refusing to come up with anything more eloquent.
Tara smiled at him sympathetically. "It's a lot to deal with, believe me, I know."
Giles pulled off his glasses and started cleaning them with his handkerchief. "Yes, quite. The image of Spike . . . cuddling a small child will be with me for years, especially since I know said boy to be Xander."
Tara grew more serious at the Watcher's flippant statement. "You didn't see him bring Xander here. Whatever attacked them nearly tore Spike in half. He looked like he was seconds away from falling over when he got here, but he wasn't worried about himself." Tara paused and Giles found himself on the receiving end of a stare not unlike the one Spike had gotten a few minutes before. The steel in the young woman's eyes surprised him almost as much as the quiet authority in her voice. "The only thing he was worried about was Xander, and Spike's the only one of us that Xander really trusts right now. So, until all of this is over, Spike stays. You two are going to have to work together."
Giles nodded, stunned. It took him a moment to find his voice. "If it means Xander's recovery, I am willing to call a truce." He didn't mention his thoughts on Buffy's reaction to all of this, had she been there. He was sure Tara already knew. He just hoped everything was resolved before the Slayer's return. Buffy was many things, but she had blindspots when it came to Spike and her friends in peril. Upon seeing Xander, she might stake first and ask questions later. Normally Giles didn't mind this approach, but for once Spike was innocent of any wrongdoing, or even ill will if what his eyes had told him was true.
He sighed. This was going to be a long night, might as well just jump right in. He picked up a spiral notebook and pen. "Tara, start at the beginning if you please."
* * * * *
In the living room, Dawn watched Xander hid his face in Spike's chest. "That's just Giles," she explained softly. "He won't hurt you."
For once the little boy didn't flinch, but instead turned to look at her directly from where he sat, his head still resting on Spike's chest. "Really," he asked her quietly. Dawn's heart nearly broke at the uncertainty in his voice and the look of pain and fear in his eyes. It was hard for her to think of the frightened child as the same brave and boisterous older brother she knew.
"Yeah, really," she answered immediately. "None of us are going to hurt you."
Xander seemed to relax at the statement. Dawn took that as a good sign and moved onto the couch. Spike watched her do this but remained silent, a fact she decided was permission to speak to the boy further.
"I'm Dawn," she continued in the same soft voice.
"I'm Xander," the boy answered just as quietly, but with a small smile.
Encouraged further, Dawn smiled back. "Nice to meet you, Xander. How old are you?"
"Six," he answered. He paused and looked Dawn over. She had the strange feeling she was being assessed, but brushed the thought aside. The kid was only six, for goodness sake! "How old are you?" he finally asked.
Dawn smirked and a hint of pride entered her voice. "Thirteen and a half." Spike smirked at her superior tone and Xander looked suitably impressed.
Silence fell between the two once again as Xander looked at her curiously. To tell the truth, Dawn was kind of unnerved by the intensity of young Xander's gaze. For a second, she was convinced it wasn't a child who was staring at her.
"What? Do I have something in my teeth?" she joked nervously.
"You're pretty," Xander remarked. He grinned. "A shiny, pretty girl."
Spike tensed and the two of them shared a look over Xander's head. Dawn scooted closer, but the boy didn't back away like the vampire expected. Xander wasn't afraid of Dawn at all; in fact he seemed entranced by her.
"Geez," Dawn gasped softly as she felt Xander's forehead and cheek. "You're still burning up, and now you're hallucinating. That can't be good."
She looked up at Spike and saw the growing concern on his face. He gazed down at the boy in his lap. Xander continued to watch Dawn, but seemed only half-aware of his surroundings. His eyes reminded him of Drusilla's during some of her most insane ramblings.
A bolt of terror ran through Spike's mind at that thought. Even as he rubbed the young mortal's back soothingly he wondered where what brought these feelings on. Something about Xander in this condition brought on a rush of protective instincts the likes of which he hadn't felt in . . . well, a very long time. It wasn't that he had a soft spot for children. He had never went out of his way to kill the little buggers during the good old days, but a meal was a meal and even the young brought out the thrill of the hunt. He'd never killed children for sport, but he'd never been overly fond of them either, at least not since he was mortal, he thought with a shudder.
But that wasn't the problem. True, that bit of himself that remained from his days as a softhearted Victorian gentleman wanted nothing more than to care for and nurture the poor, defenseless little rugrat. Normally his demon would have squashed those traitorous thoughts in a second. However, this time his demon had different ideas. No, his bloodthirsty, murderous nature didn't rage with bloodlust or the need for violence against the innocent. No, his demon did something much more frightening. It cried family. "Mine," it raged. Deep inside, he felt kinship with the boy, and that scared Spike on levels he didn't even know existed.
Spike's internal panic attack was stopped by a knock at the door. Hopefully this healer the witch knew could help them out. Tara exited the kitchen where she was still speaking with Giles and answered the door.
TBC . . . .Sorry about the abrupt ending to this chapter, but this scene is incredibly long and I wanted to post the first half for you guys. I'll get the rest of this scene up as soon as I can.