Title: The Love of the Bullied 23/25 + Epilogue
Author: Forsaken2003
Pairing: S/X
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I own none, all belong to Joss Whedon
Comments: Always welcomed!
Summary: Life sucks for Xander but when Spike moves to Sunnydale will things get better or worse?
Warnings/Spoilers: None
Beta'd by: Unbeta'd
Note: I feel like this story is possibly over dramatic. Not what I really write but it just kind of went that direction.
Part Twenty-Three
It was the beginning of April and people were still talking about how Xander destroyed Larry. Someone in home economics even recorded most of the altercation. Xander had absolutely humiliated Larry. Larry was no longer the most popular kid because of it. Though he really hadn't been since the start of the school year. Spike had technically taken up that mantle no matter how much Larry was in denial. The incident in the end helped Xander. Anytime someone noticed Larry even looking his way the whispering would start up. All of Larry's confidence towards Xander seemed to have disappeared. Life was great.
Xander threw his swim trunks into his gym bag. Mr. Baylor told them the next two weeks would be swimming. When that was announced Xander couldn't hold back from looking at Spike. If Spike has been concerned he didn't show it. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to tell him I can't swim. He can either flunk me or have me do something else. There is nothing that will get me into the pool. Not even your sexy bare chest." Spike's eyes roamed over Xander's clothes clad body.
"You are just hoping he lets you sit by the pool and watch us half naked people get all wet," Xander teased.
Spike grabbed the strap of Xander's bag and pulled causing Xander to stumble into him. "Oh, I want to see you more than only half naked, Xan," Spike purred.
Spike didn't purr often but when he did it caused Xander to shiver with excitement. Spike peppered kisses on Xander's cheek down to his neck. Xander scrambled away. "Oh no, you don't! If I'm late for school Snyder is going to send me to detention for a week."
With a pout Spike handed Xander back his bag.
"I love you, baby," Xander said knowing that would more or less make up for ruining Spike's plan. He'd also probably make it up to him tonight.
Everyone came out of the locker rooms in their bathing suits. Everyone but Spike who was still wearing his standard black jeans and blue button down shirt over a black t-shirt. Mr. Baylor was on the phone talking to who knows who so the class got into the pool and starting either swimming or tossing a ball around. Honestly it didn't matter what they did as long as they were in the water. Out of the corner of his eye Xander saw Spike lean against the nearby wall.
Mr. Baylor got off the phone and saw that not only was Spike not in his swim trunks but not in the pool. "Pratt, what the hell are you doing?" He stormed over to Spike.
"I can't swim," Spike said. There was no shame in his voice.
"I don't care. Stay in the shallow end, grab a life jacket do whatever you need to but you're getting your ass in that pool."
Everyone heard the conversation going on between Mr. Baylor and Spike but went on with their own stuff because they knew what was going to happen. Spike was going to get his way. Everyone but Xander thought this. He really hoped Mr. Baylor would be considerate to Spike's fear unfortunately from the sounds of it that wasn't the case.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Baylor but I'm not," Spike was trying to be as respectful as possible. "I can change into my gym clothes and run laps, or stay here and work on my homework," he offered as a compromise.
"Did I give you another option?" Mr. Baylor asked, his voice rising. He was sick of these kids thinking they could walk all over him like he was some sort of pushover. His anger getting the best of him Mr. Baylor grabbed Spike by the arm and dragged him to the edge of the pool.
Spike had no time to react and the next thing he knew he was submerged in water. He frantically kicked his legs and waved his arms hoping that he would surface but he was too scared it was making it worse. He never thought Mr. Baylor would do this to him. It was like he was five years old all over again. It felt like eternity head was out of the water. He was gasping and coughing. He did it. He was able to swim all by himself. Somehow he even made it to the edge of the pool.
"It's okay, I've got you," Xander said. His one arm wrapped around Spike's waist and the other holding on to the side of the pool while he made sure to keep kicking his legs. "Can you pull yourself out of the pool?"
The fog lifted and Spike realized that it was Xander who saved him not himself. "Y-yeah, just don't let go, okay?" His voice shook.
"I'm not going to let go until you're out," Xander promised. He didn't care if people saw that he had his arm wrapped around Spike, he wasn't going to let go until Spike was safe. He watched as Spike managed to pull himself out of the pool with shaky hands.
When Spike was out of the pool he stumbled his way towards the change room. He was pulling off his soaked through clothes off his shaking frame before the door even finished closing. Suddenly his stomach churned and he rushed to a sink losing his lunch. Spike sunk to his knees trying to remember how to breathe. He hadn't felt like this since he was a kid. Why did people keep doing this to him? Spike was so focused on trying to calm down he barely heard the shouting coming from the other side of the door.
As soon as Spike was in the change room Xander pulled himself out of the water with such grace a jaguar would have been jealous. "Are you fucking crazy?" Xander stormed over to Mr. Baylor getting in his face. "You could have killed him!"
"What are you talking about? His survival instincts would have kicked in. He'd be thanking me," Mr. Baylor argued defending himself.
"His head never came out of the water and you just stood there doing nothing! None of you did anything! You would have let him drown instead of admitting you were wrong to throw in him in when he told you he couldn't swim. If I wouldn't have saved him and he drowned you'd be arrested for manslaughter. You are lucky no one had their phones because I can promise you this would have gone viral. What's to stop any of us from going to the school board about it? I don't think anyone would be on your side."
Mr. Baylor's jaw clenched because he knew Xander was right. One kid going to the school board he wasn't worried about but fifteen of them? How would he defend himself against that? "What do you want me to do?"
Xander turned to everyone in the pool who was watching the interaction. He ignored the look on Larry's face. "What do you guys think? Should Mr. Baylor just pass Spike for this portion of the class?" He knew everyone loved Spike, even if he didn't talk to all of them. Even if they didn't like Spike no one liked Mr. Baylor. Every single person minus Larry started whooping and hollering. Xander turned back to Mr. Baylor. "Looks like the majority has spoke. He passes swimming and he'll be back in for basketball."
As much as he wanted to push Xander into the pool Mr. Baylor knew that he had to keep his anger in check. "Fine. Now get back into the pool before I give you detention."
Xander jumped back into the pool and heard the other students whispering about once again.
"I can't believe Xander just threatened Mr. Baylor like that!"
"That was pretty cool. It looked like Mr. Baylor wanted to kill him."
"Why didn't Larry help Spike? Aren't they friends?"
"Maybe Larry is jealous of Spike?"
Xander ignored it, he didn't care what any of them had to say about him.
By the time class was done Spike was in his gym clothes and composed as if the events didn't affect him.
"Pratt," Mr. Baylor called Spike over. When Spike came over looking wary of what was going to happen Mr. Baylor continued, "I wanted to apologize. I should have been more understanding of your situation. I am excusing you from the rest of swimming. You can sit in here and work on your homework and then join us when we start basketball in a couple weeks."
Spike had no idea what changed Mr. Baylor's attitude but he wasn't going to make this easy on him. "I guess you're afraid I'll have my parents sue you and the school? The money I'd win would probably pay for my tuition and my rent for the next three years."
All the colour drained from Mr. Baylor's face. He was so worried about losing his job he never thought that he might be sued. Even if he did win the other teachers would never look at him the same way and it could make him lose his job anyway. "I hope that my apology and my solution on the problem will be good enough for you."
His solution? That had been Spike's solution from the start! If Mr. Baylor would have just listened to him none of this would have happened.
Larry came over. "Mr. Baylor maybe you should stop talking before he does decide to sue you." He had heard the comments being made about him. Why should he have helped Spike? Spike should be able to deal with his own problems. Nobody was helping him with his Xander problem.
It would be too much work to sue this ass hole and Spike didn't want his parents to what happened. His father would probably threaten to fly to Sunnydale to punch Mr. Baylor. His father was far from a violent man but to know someone put him into a dangerous situation again would not end well.
Spike didn't say anything and made his way over to Xander who looked like he was about to be sick. How Xander had been able to keep his composure he'd never know. "Xan...der, thank you for saving me. If it wasn't for you I probably would be dead. No one else stepped up like that."
"You're welcome," Xander said, sweat dripped off his face. Not only because of what happened to Spike but because everyone was watching them. They hadn't spoken at school since the first day. "That never should have happened."
One of the girls from yearbook came over. "You should have seen Xander lay into Mr Baylor! He threatened to go to the school board about him and said that if you had died Mr. Baylor would be charged with manslaughter! He even has us vote that you get a pass on this part of the class and that you'll come back for basketball. It was so cool."
Spike shot Xander a surprised look noticing that he looked embarrassed everyone looking at him. Apparently he hadn't kept his composure after all.
Note: So... I forgot gym class isn't all year round or maybe it is in the States?