Title: The Love of the Bullied 25/25 + 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-Five
When Xander got to the school he looked for Spike but he was nowhere to be seen. He saw Larry, Cordelia and Harmony but Spike wasn't with them. Maybe he was running late? Xander would see him in home room.
Xander was in home room before everyone else pretending to read one of his comic books. When the bell rang Ms. Fletcher took attendance making note that Spike was absent. Was Spike skipping school to avoid him? Trying to stop his eyes from watering decided that he would go to the apartment after school to apologize.
It was going to be a long day.
***
Spike laid on the couch and had ignored all his alarms. Xander normally woke him up. But he wasn't there, was he? Spike waited up all night hoping Xander would come back. He grabbed his phone and saw that school had started. He had a free period after home room so he could dawdle.
He took a hot shower yearning to loosen up his muscles from the argument and laying on the couch all night. Spike wondered how Xander was. Did his parents let him in the house? Was he greeted with a black eye or another broken arm? Did he end up sleeping on a park bench?
Life had been going so well and he opened his big mouth and fucked it all up. Xander had been apprehension when Spike wanted to hide their friendship. Spike could see that Xander had guarded himself from Spike at first. He shouldn't have just assumed that Xander would be okay with the dynamic changing. For so long Xander was use to being alone and by having an open relationship that would open him up to other people. People who never gave him the time of day.
"You are such a prat," Spike said to himself as he turned the water off. After school he would text Xander as ask him to come back to the apartment. He would apologize and grovel if need be. He'd do whatever he needed to do not to lose Xander.
After getting dressed Spike grabbed an apple before heading to school. Was Xander worried that he wasn't at school?
Xander sat in his classes all morning not really paying attention. He hated that the only class he had with Spike was gym. There was no way he was going to know if Spike came to school or not until lunch. He looked at the clock for the millionth time that day. Ten more minutes. His stomach grumbled which irritated Xander. Who cared about food right now? Xander poked his stomach under his desk ordering it to shut up.
The bell rang and Xander was the first out the door. He wanted to get to the cafeteria first so he could spot Spike. It wasn't like he blended in with everyone else. Just as he made it to the cafeteria Xander was yanked back by his backpack. He turned around to see Larry staring him down.
"I've been waiting for your apology," Larry said. He had waited patiently giving Xander the benefit of the doubt. No one has humiliated him like Xander had.
"Keep waiting," Xander said shaking Larry off of him. "Now fuck off." He made it to his table and absentmindedly pulled his lunch out of his bag as he kept an eye on the entrance. Deciding to skip on the sandwich Xander pulled out the fresh baked cookies. Not paying attention to the smell of them Xander took a bite out of the first cookie. He chewed and thought it was one of the best cookies his mother had ever made in his eighteen years of his life.
Just as Xander swallowed he tasted it. Peanut butter. His mom put peanut butter in the chocolate chip cookies. He started to cough, already feeling his throat closing on him. As he tried to keep breathing Xander started going through his bag looking for his epi-pen. He'd be fine. WHERE WAS IT? He then remembered the night before he dumped out his bag. The pen must have rolled under the bed or something.
Wheezing Xander stood up and stumbled as he walked. He needed to get someone's attention. Breathing was becoming a serious issue. He tripped and fell against Larry before crashing onto the floor.
Larry turned around ready to rip a new ass hole into whoever the hell pushed him. He saw Xander collapse. "Harris? Harris, what's wrong?"
That got the attention of everyone in the cafeteria and everyone crowded around all asking if he was alright when clearly he wasn't.
Spike walked into the cafeteria and noticed the crowd. What the hell was going on? He pushed himself through everyone and dropped to his knees when he saw Xander desperately trying to breathe. "Someone call 9-1-1!" he screamed. He reached into his bag and unzipped a small pocket pulling out the epi-pen. He jammed it intp Xander's jean clad thigh and injected the medicine. "You're going to be okay, luv." When Xander began gasping. Spike ran his hand tenderly over Xander's hair.
"An ambulance is on it's way," Cordelia said as she shoved people back. "Give them some room!"
"Luv?" Larry asked. "Why did you just call him 'luv'?"
Spike didn't look away from Xander. "Now isn't the time Larry."
"Why did you call him luv?" Larry yelled scaring some of the onlookers away. He went to reach for Spike but was stopped by Cordelia.
Cordelia put her hands on Larry and pushed him backwards. "God, you are so into yourself that you can't even see what's in front of you. It's been obvious for months that something has been going on between them. Everyone is just to obsessed with themselves.
"You knew Spike was dating Xander and didn't tell me?" Harmony and Larry said at the same time.
"Get over yourselves." Cordelia stood blocking Xander and Spike from Larry and Harmony her arms crossed over her chest. "Larry, you have been tormenting Xander since grade school. On what planet did you think you ever had a chance with him? And the fact that you never stopped even after you realized you like him is worse. If you were outside these school walls you'd have a restraining order against you for harassment and stalking."
Cordelia turned her angry eyes on Harmony. "And you, everyone knows you only want Spike to be your sugar daddy. You have focused your entire life on your looks expecting them to get you whatever you want that you aren't prepared for the real world. You are basically flunking every class and might not even graduate with the rest of us. You don't have a plan after school except to marry rich."
"You don't have plans either!" Harmony defended herself. "You haven't even applied for college. You just plan on living off your daddy's money."
"I do plan on living off daddy's money... for the next seven years. I have been accepted to Duke where I will be getting a degree in law. He's agreed to help me while I focus on my dream of becoming a lawyer. My parents agree with how much I like to argue I'd be a great lawyer."
Before Larry or Harmony could say anything paramedics pushed their way through. "Sir, please back up," one of the EMT's said to Spike.
Spike squeezed Xander's hands before scrambling out of the way.
"What's his name? Did he lose consciousness at all?" the second EMT asked.
"Xander and no," Spike answered. "I injected him with his epi-pen about eight minutes ago. He improved almost instantly. He was still a little wheezy though."
The first EMT placed an oxygen mask on Xander. "Xander? I don't want you to talk so just nod or shake your head, okay?" Xander nodded his head. "Do you have any chest pains?" Xander shook his head. The EMT checked his pulse. It was strong. "Are you lightheaded or dizzy?"
Xander shook his head again. "Tired," he said through the mask.
"That's normal, your body had a big shock to it. Now we don't want you to move we'll do that for you, okay? You just focus on your breathing." The EMT's counted and lifted Xander off the floor and onto the stretcher. "We'll call your parents when we get to the hospital. They'll want to observe you just to make sure you're okay."
Spike followed them out of the school and climbed into the ambulance after Xander was secured. "Don't waste your time calling them. They won't care. He's been living with me."
"The hospital will need his parents health insurance information," the second EMT stated.
"I'll pay the bill." Spike saw the skeptical look that passed both men. "My parents will pay the bill," he clarified.
That they believed. "You saved his life, you know. A few more minutes and he might not be here."
Xander latched onto Spike's hand and gave it a squeeze.
"I love him," was all Spike said.
Xander stayed in the ER for six hours so the doctor could keep an eye on him and make sure the symptoms were under control. Spike never left his side. They talked but not about the day before.
When Xander was discharged Spike wrote down his address and phone number including his parents phone number. He wasn't exactly sure how his parents would pay Xander's medical bill but Spike was sure that he's parents would be able to figure it out. He had Xander sit on a bench while he called them a cab.
Fifteen minutes later they were back at the apartment. Spike made up the couch for Xander. "You need to rest." Spike started towards the kitchen but was stopped by a quiet, 'I'm sorry'. He turned around confused. "For what?"
"I lied about why I didn't want everyone to know about us," Xander pulled the pillow Spike gave him against his chest.
"You weren't afraid my parents wouldn't like you if I was getting into trouble at school?" Spike asked.
"I was... at first but then I was afraid if we came out that maybe you'd suddenly realize you could do better."
Spike sighed and went back over to Xander and sat on the coffee table. "You daft git. There is no one better than you. Have I ever made you feel differently?" He asked concerned.
"No. The voices in my head," Xander said pointing to his head.
Spike raised his eyebrow wondering if he should be calling a doctor. "The voices in your head?"
"You never have this fear in your head like someone is telling you something when you know it's not true but it doesn't stop the doubt from seeping in," Xander explained.
"Voices, huh? I never really thought of it as a voice," Spike said thinking about it. He guessed he could kind of see it. "How about from now on if the voices in your head are giving you any doubt of anything specifically about me you talk to me instead of just bottling it up?" Spike held out his hand waiting for Xander to take it.
Why hadn't Xander just done that in the first place? It would have saved them so much aggravation. Xander took Spike's hand in his with a smile. "Deal."