Title: Of Magic and Machinations
Author: Jeffrey Patrick
Type: B/X… at least, it will likely be… sort of.
Description: Xander seemingly returns from the dead to a peaceful married life. Unfortunately, all hell is getting ready to break loose.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but a tube of cheese-flavored toothpaste and some melba toast. Yum! Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy own all things Buffy related. I just write little stories for my friends. Awww!
"Song?" Xander asked.
"Yeah," Buffy said. "You kick off the singing. I wouldn't mind hearing that song you sang to me in L.A. just before we stormed Wolfram and Hart."
"I, uh… I'm not even sure I remember the words to that one. I think I'll pass anyway. My throat's a little sore."
"You're not coming down with something are you?" she asked.
"Maybe. I'm sorry. Why don't you go first?"
"Me? Sing?"
"Yeah."
"I think not. I'd like our guests to REMAIN at the party."
"You kids decide," the Host said. "Let's get this party shaking."
"I'll go," Giles said. "It's been a while since I've had the opportunity to sing before an audience."
"You sing?" Xander asked.
"Yes. You… you've heard me sing, Xander."
"Oh. Well, I guess there are still a few missing memories. Or maybe I was just desperate to forget that particular fact." He gave one of Xander's lopsided grins.
"Very funny," Giles mumbled, shuffling past the Host. Xander couldn't help but notice the Host looking at him strangely.
Look at them. Singing. Laughing. They've forgotten I ever existed. But I'll kill him and they'll know the truth. Buffy belongs with… ugh… Head's pounding. It's been… worse every day. It's this damn body. I don't belong in it. It's not mine. And him… wearing the face… ugh… Harris. Getting hard to think… to remember… anything… but hate. But… but… as long…as… kill… him… happy.
Oz sniffed the air. "Hmm."
"What is it, hon?" Willow asked. "Smelling that food Buffy's got going?"
"No. Something else." He walked over the Buffy and Xander. "Buffy, something's outside. Something… well, gross."
"Where?"
"The wind's coming from the north through that open window, so…"
Before Oz could finish, the Slayer was out the door with her husband close behind. Giles went to the closet for weapons. Anya took a shortcut through the wall, leaving Willow and Oz with the children.
Once outside, Buffy made a beeline for the area just outside the window Oz had mentioned. She felt it. There was something wicked in the air. Something familiar.
"Kill you!" came a voice sounding like a shovel slicing through wet sand. It was huge. It caught Xander first with a blow to the head. If Xander hadn't seen it coming and moved, it would have crushed his skull.
Buffy kicked the thing in the chest just before an arrow launched from Giles' crossbow found its home in the creature's shoulder. Xander rolled out of the way. Anya ducked back inside to get Oz.
"Giles, this thing is like 8-feet tall," Buffy yelled. "Need something a little bigger than a crossbow."
"Here," Oz shouted, letting a sword fly from his hand. Buffy caught it and swung for the creature just barely missing it. Xander got to his feet and took an axe from Oz.
"Kill him," the beast slurred. "The liar. The… ugh… bloody thorn…"
"It's speaking in riddles," Giles said. "But it seems to focus on Xander."
"Not if I can…"
Before Buffy could finish, the beast backhanded her across the yard. "Love…d you… Buf…feeeee," it said. Then before Xander could get out of reach, the creature grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him up to eye level. "Know… you reall…eee are… Not…Xand… er… Xander… isss… dead."
"No," Xander said, seeing something familiar in the creature's eyes.
"Yesss…. You… kill… him… dead… You k-kill… m-meeeee… dead, too. Jussss… like… Dru."
Xander's eyes grew wide as he realized the truth. "Spike?"
The Host had been watching the fight from the window, when he heard the mumbled rant of the creature. His mind flashed him back to the look in Xander's eyes when he had asked him to sing.
"Willow," he said. "Do Buffy and Xander keep home movies? Videos? Anything?"
"What?" Willow was confused. "Why?"
"Because I need to confirm something my gut's been telling me since I got here."
"Shouldn't you be outside with the others? I mean…"
"Honey, it was a yes or no question. Do they or do they not have home movies?"
"S-sure. Behind that little door on the entertainment center."
"Good," he said, making his way toward what he hoped would be proof that he wasn't losing his mind.
"What's this all about?" Willow asked as she pulled Dawn into her lap.
"I'll let you know when I'm sure," the Host said. "But I'm kinda hoping I'm wrong on this one."
"Let him go!" Buffy shouted as she plunged the sword through the creature's abdomen.
The creature roared in pain, but did not release his grip on the Slayer's husband. Xander swung the axe down hard, hitting the creature in the center of the head. Both wounds sealed up instantaneously.
"Giles, what is this thing?" Buffy cried.
"I don't know."
Oz stabbed the creature with the pike he had taken from Buffy's weapons closet, but that wound also healed. "The hack and slash ain't cutting it. No pun intended," the young man said.
The creature lifted Xander over his head and threw him hard, sending him several houses down, where he landed in a bloody tangle. "Never… love… me," the creature said, looking at Buffy.
"Not a problem," she said, misunderstanding his intent. "Giles, in the closet… fireworks."
"On it," the Watcher yelled over his shoulder as he ran toward the house.
"Let me try something," Anya said, coming from nowhere. She phased inside the creature completely. It stopped moving completely. Then it looked down at itself. "Oh my God!" it said very clearly. "I did it. I possessed him."
"A-Anya?" Buffy asked. The creature nodded. "How did you…?"
"Oh, this is weird," Anya said through the creature's strange voice. "He's still here. I can feel him. He's… Oh my God."
"What?"
"He's Spike."
"Huh?"
"I second that," Oz said, daring to take a step closer to the creature. "Spike is dead."
"He was," Anya said. "He's trying to tell me something… about Xander…"
"Incoming!" Giles shouted. Oz saw what he threw even as it hurled through the air. He tackled Buffy, knocking her behind a tree just as the grenade landed at the creature's feet. Willow watched from the doorway, and quickly cast a spell of protection.
The explosion was massive. When the smoke cleared, only Anya's ghostly form could be seen.
The Host continued to fast forward through the stack of video tapes he had found in the entertainment center. Through birthday parties and picnics in the park, he watched the happy family as they seemingly zipped through life. Then something caught his eye, and he hit the play button on the remote control. Xander was rocking Dawn to sleep.
"Come on, Dad," the Host said. "Sing your kid a song."
Xander continued rocking, obviously caught up in the moment. Then quietly, he began to sing.
Hush little baby, don't say a word…
The Host's eyes opened wide.
Daddy's gonna buy you a mockingbird.
"Oh my…"
And if that mockingbird won't sing…
"…heavens."
Daddy's gonna buy you a diamond ring.
"Willow, can you and the Host watch the children?" Giles asked, bursting through the doorway, nearly tipping over Willow's wheelchair.
"S-sure."
"Xander is badly hurt. Oz and Buffy are getting him to the car. Anya will stay with you."
"Is he going to be okay?" the young woman asked.
"He has a head injury which looks nasty and several broken bones. I pray it looks worse than it is."
"He was trying to tell me something," Anya said, phasing through the wall.
"Xander?"
"Spike," Anya said. "He was trying to say something about Xander."
"That was Spike?" Willow asked in disbelief. "How?"
"We have no idea," Giles said, as he tossed the weapons back into the closet and grabbed their jackets. "We'll have to figure it out later."
"Giles, hurry!" Buffy shouted as she ran through the door. "Xander's in a lot of pain."
"No he isn't," the Host said grimly as he stepped into the room. "Xander isn't feeling anything at all right now."
"What?" Buffy asked. "He's bleeding."
"No. He's not."
"If you have something to say, spit it out," Giles said harshly. "Our friend is in danger."
"He may be in danger," the Host said softly, "but he isn't Xander."
Buffy grabbed the Host by the shirt. "I don't have time for your damn riddles."
"He's not Xander. I knew something was wrong when he didn't want to sing. That kid knew that song by heart. He's not the type to forget the words. So I watched your home movies. I found him singing to the baby."
"What are you getting at?" Giles asked, suddenly curious.
"I recognized the soul, but it wasn't Xander's."
"That's not true," Buffy said. "We brought him back. My love was the beacon. He came back for me."
"Yes. He did."
The truth hit Buffy like a ton of bricks. She brought a trembling hand to her mouth as tears filled her eyes. "I… I knew. Some part… of me knew… that he wasn't…"
"I don't understand," Anya said. "If he isn't Xander, who is he?"
"An old friend," the Host said.
Giles' eyes lit up as the knowledge came to him. "Oh my God! It's Angel isn't it?"
"Angelus?" Willow asked, pulling her daughter close to her.
"No," the Host said. "Angel."
Buffy sat down on the couch and put her face in her hands. For the first time in a long time, not one of the Scoobies knew what to say.
Author: Jeffrey Patrick
Type: B/X… at least, it will likely be… sort of.
Description: Xander seemingly returns from the dead to a peaceful married life. Unfortunately, all hell is getting ready to break loose.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but a tube of cheese-flavored toothpaste and some melba toast. Yum! Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy own all things Buffy related. I just write little stories for my friends. Awww!
"Song?" Xander asked.
"Yeah," Buffy said. "You kick off the singing. I wouldn't mind hearing that song you sang to me in L.A. just before we stormed Wolfram and Hart."
"I, uh… I'm not even sure I remember the words to that one. I think I'll pass anyway. My throat's a little sore."
"You're not coming down with something are you?" she asked.
"Maybe. I'm sorry. Why don't you go first?"
"Me? Sing?"
"Yeah."
"I think not. I'd like our guests to REMAIN at the party."
"You kids decide," the Host said. "Let's get this party shaking."
"I'll go," Giles said. "It's been a while since I've had the opportunity to sing before an audience."
"You sing?" Xander asked.
"Yes. You… you've heard me sing, Xander."
"Oh. Well, I guess there are still a few missing memories. Or maybe I was just desperate to forget that particular fact." He gave one of Xander's lopsided grins.
"Very funny," Giles mumbled, shuffling past the Host. Xander couldn't help but notice the Host looking at him strangely.
Look at them. Singing. Laughing. They've forgotten I ever existed. But I'll kill him and they'll know the truth. Buffy belongs with… ugh… Head's pounding. It's been… worse every day. It's this damn body. I don't belong in it. It's not mine. And him… wearing the face… ugh… Harris. Getting hard to think… to remember… anything… but hate. But… but… as long…as… kill… him… happy.
Oz sniffed the air. "Hmm."
"What is it, hon?" Willow asked. "Smelling that food Buffy's got going?"
"No. Something else." He walked over the Buffy and Xander. "Buffy, something's outside. Something… well, gross."
"Where?"
"The wind's coming from the north through that open window, so…"
Before Oz could finish, the Slayer was out the door with her husband close behind. Giles went to the closet for weapons. Anya took a shortcut through the wall, leaving Willow and Oz with the children.
Once outside, Buffy made a beeline for the area just outside the window Oz had mentioned. She felt it. There was something wicked in the air. Something familiar.
"Kill you!" came a voice sounding like a shovel slicing through wet sand. It was huge. It caught Xander first with a blow to the head. If Xander hadn't seen it coming and moved, it would have crushed his skull.
Buffy kicked the thing in the chest just before an arrow launched from Giles' crossbow found its home in the creature's shoulder. Xander rolled out of the way. Anya ducked back inside to get Oz.
"Giles, this thing is like 8-feet tall," Buffy yelled. "Need something a little bigger than a crossbow."
"Here," Oz shouted, letting a sword fly from his hand. Buffy caught it and swung for the creature just barely missing it. Xander got to his feet and took an axe from Oz.
"Kill him," the beast slurred. "The liar. The… ugh… bloody thorn…"
"It's speaking in riddles," Giles said. "But it seems to focus on Xander."
"Not if I can…"
Before Buffy could finish, the beast backhanded her across the yard. "Love…d you… Buf…feeeee," it said. Then before Xander could get out of reach, the creature grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him up to eye level. "Know… you reall…eee are… Not…Xand… er… Xander… isss… dead."
"No," Xander said, seeing something familiar in the creature's eyes.
"Yesss…. You… kill… him… dead… You k-kill… m-meeeee… dead, too. Jussss… like… Dru."
Xander's eyes grew wide as he realized the truth. "Spike?"
The Host had been watching the fight from the window, when he heard the mumbled rant of the creature. His mind flashed him back to the look in Xander's eyes when he had asked him to sing.
"Willow," he said. "Do Buffy and Xander keep home movies? Videos? Anything?"
"What?" Willow was confused. "Why?"
"Because I need to confirm something my gut's been telling me since I got here."
"Shouldn't you be outside with the others? I mean…"
"Honey, it was a yes or no question. Do they or do they not have home movies?"
"S-sure. Behind that little door on the entertainment center."
"Good," he said, making his way toward what he hoped would be proof that he wasn't losing his mind.
"What's this all about?" Willow asked as she pulled Dawn into her lap.
"I'll let you know when I'm sure," the Host said. "But I'm kinda hoping I'm wrong on this one."
"Let him go!" Buffy shouted as she plunged the sword through the creature's abdomen.
The creature roared in pain, but did not release his grip on the Slayer's husband. Xander swung the axe down hard, hitting the creature in the center of the head. Both wounds sealed up instantaneously.
"Giles, what is this thing?" Buffy cried.
"I don't know."
Oz stabbed the creature with the pike he had taken from Buffy's weapons closet, but that wound also healed. "The hack and slash ain't cutting it. No pun intended," the young man said.
The creature lifted Xander over his head and threw him hard, sending him several houses down, where he landed in a bloody tangle. "Never… love… me," the creature said, looking at Buffy.
"Not a problem," she said, misunderstanding his intent. "Giles, in the closet… fireworks."
"On it," the Watcher yelled over his shoulder as he ran toward the house.
"Let me try something," Anya said, coming from nowhere. She phased inside the creature completely. It stopped moving completely. Then it looked down at itself. "Oh my God!" it said very clearly. "I did it. I possessed him."
"A-Anya?" Buffy asked. The creature nodded. "How did you…?"
"Oh, this is weird," Anya said through the creature's strange voice. "He's still here. I can feel him. He's… Oh my God."
"What?"
"He's Spike."
"Huh?"
"I second that," Oz said, daring to take a step closer to the creature. "Spike is dead."
"He was," Anya said. "He's trying to tell me something… about Xander…"
"Incoming!" Giles shouted. Oz saw what he threw even as it hurled through the air. He tackled Buffy, knocking her behind a tree just as the grenade landed at the creature's feet. Willow watched from the doorway, and quickly cast a spell of protection.
The explosion was massive. When the smoke cleared, only Anya's ghostly form could be seen.
The Host continued to fast forward through the stack of video tapes he had found in the entertainment center. Through birthday parties and picnics in the park, he watched the happy family as they seemingly zipped through life. Then something caught his eye, and he hit the play button on the remote control. Xander was rocking Dawn to sleep.
"Come on, Dad," the Host said. "Sing your kid a song."
Xander continued rocking, obviously caught up in the moment. Then quietly, he began to sing.
Hush little baby, don't say a word…
The Host's eyes opened wide.
Daddy's gonna buy you a mockingbird.
"Oh my…"
And if that mockingbird won't sing…
"…heavens."
Daddy's gonna buy you a diamond ring.
"Willow, can you and the Host watch the children?" Giles asked, bursting through the doorway, nearly tipping over Willow's wheelchair.
"S-sure."
"Xander is badly hurt. Oz and Buffy are getting him to the car. Anya will stay with you."
"Is he going to be okay?" the young woman asked.
"He has a head injury which looks nasty and several broken bones. I pray it looks worse than it is."
"He was trying to tell me something," Anya said, phasing through the wall.
"Xander?"
"Spike," Anya said. "He was trying to say something about Xander."
"That was Spike?" Willow asked in disbelief. "How?"
"We have no idea," Giles said, as he tossed the weapons back into the closet and grabbed their jackets. "We'll have to figure it out later."
"Giles, hurry!" Buffy shouted as she ran through the door. "Xander's in a lot of pain."
"No he isn't," the Host said grimly as he stepped into the room. "Xander isn't feeling anything at all right now."
"What?" Buffy asked. "He's bleeding."
"No. He's not."
"If you have something to say, spit it out," Giles said harshly. "Our friend is in danger."
"He may be in danger," the Host said softly, "but he isn't Xander."
Buffy grabbed the Host by the shirt. "I don't have time for your damn riddles."
"He's not Xander. I knew something was wrong when he didn't want to sing. That kid knew that song by heart. He's not the type to forget the words. So I watched your home movies. I found him singing to the baby."
"What are you getting at?" Giles asked, suddenly curious.
"I recognized the soul, but it wasn't Xander's."
"That's not true," Buffy said. "We brought him back. My love was the beacon. He came back for me."
"Yes. He did."
The truth hit Buffy like a ton of bricks. She brought a trembling hand to her mouth as tears filled her eyes. "I… I knew. Some part… of me knew… that he wasn't…"
"I don't understand," Anya said. "If he isn't Xander, who is he?"
"An old friend," the Host said.
Giles' eyes lit up as the knowledge came to him. "Oh my God! It's Angel isn't it?"
"Angelus?" Willow asked, pulling her daughter close to her.
"No," the Host said. "Angel."
Buffy sat down on the couch and put her face in her hands. For the first time in a long time, not one of the Scoobies knew what to say.
