The First: Version Slash 7/?
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Xander was having a difficult time staying focused. He wasn't used to his research being quite so personal. It was strange to think of the implications of the dream, or whatever it had been. The rituals were real, so he hadn't just been making things up based on what Spike had told him. Buffy had dreams about the future, or she used to anyway, but nothing like that ever happened to him. It wasn't supposed to happen to him. He was the normal one, the regular guy.
Then there was the whole idea itself. He wished now that he had asked more questions about this stuff when he had Spike talking. He still wasn't quite sure what it all meant. Was he going to have Spike's strength or something? Marie had said she shared her husband's powers now that they were bondmates. Would this be the same kind of thing? It was too weird to think about being tied to Spike. Particularly if he started thinking about the strange vampires he had encountered here in New York. They all had bondmates, and that seemed to mean something. Alexei and that woman were obviously a couple. Marie was married to her mate. Then there was Nicholas. He wasn't sure what to make of Nicholas and the man, Timothy. They weren't a couple, didn't seem to be friends even, but there was something about them, like they were 2 parts of the same whole. Was that what it would be like? It was just all too much to think about. Didn't help any that the others kept asking if he was okay, like he was sick or something. If Willow offered to bring him one more thing he might just have to scream. Then there was of course the matter of the note. On the one hand, Marie seemed to like him and she might have something useful to tell him. On the other, she was Alexei's. He didn't trust the vampire, and so, logic dictated that he not trust Marie as well. Still, what could it hurt?
Xander was pulled from his thoughts by the arrival of Spike and Angel. The sun had set just a short time before. Angel was frowning even more than usual, and Spike was so full of nervous energy he looked like he could burst at any moment. Xander wasn't really surprised when Angel crossed the room and laid his hands on Cordelia's shoulders. He was shocked, however; when her reaction was to burst into tears. Angel wrapped his arms gently around her, turning her to face him. "It's okay Cordelia. You make the decisions here. We defy prophecies every day, and you know as well as I do that visions are just possibilities of the future, not absolutes." Angel soothed her.
"Cordelia, you've been working quite hard. Perhaps you should take a break." Cordelia nodded. "Go with her, Angel. I don't like any of us being alone here." Angel took Cordelia's hand and walked out of the room with her, stil whispering soothing words. "Spike, how are you dealing with your part of the news in this?"
Spike shrugged, "Adjusting, I guess. I'm not opposed to the idea, but I still don't quite believe it's possible. How are you holding up, Xan?"
"I don't know. I guess, I just don't understand it all. It seems...unreal I guess." Xander answered, voice heavy with uncertainty and a touch of fear. He attempted his trademark smile, but had a feeling he was falling short.
In an instant Spike was at his side, not touching, but close enough to be. "This doesn't have to happen. Angel's right, prophecies and visions, they aren't absolute. They aren't set in stone, and you lot just love to bust them up." The voice was soft, reassuring. It was an unusual tone from Spike. It lacked all of the harshness of his usual words. Even before when he had spoken to Alexei and the accent shifted there was still nothing soft about his tone.
"I know. Look can we go and talk somewhere?" Xander answered equally soft.
"You to go on. We'll find you if we come across anything of use." Giles waved them away.
Xander turned and started for the room that Marie had specified in her note. He thought better of it a moment later and led Spike out into the hallway instead. "You heard that Marie helped us with this, didn't you?" At Spike's nod, Xander continued, "Well, she slipped me a note as she was leaving. She wants to talk to us. I guess. Well, I thought I should see what you thought."
"You didn't tell Giles or the others?" Spike asked.
Xander shook his head, "She obviously didn't want them to know, and I thought we'd just decide on our own. If it's anything important we can tell them, right?"
Spike nodded. "Marie never much cared for me, but she seems rather taken with the rest of you. She wouldn't try to harm you anyway. Let's see what she wants."
Xander returned to the room where he was to meet Marie. It was dark inside, so he flipped on the lights revealing a small sitting room. "We wait?"
"Yeah, I think we do. Listen, Xander. Oh, bloody hell, how do I do this?" Spike was more frustrated than Xander could remember seeing him, that nervous tension back in his body. "I told you that it wasn't a matter of whether I wanted this or not. That's still true. You and Willow, before the chip I would have turned you in an instant. You would both have made magnificent vampires. After, things changed. Can't say I wouldn't still like to see what the two of you could do, but I wouldn't turn you."
Xander watched him, a little puzzled by this whole diatribe. "I know that. I said as much to Buffy once, not that she listened."
"It's not just because I wouldn't hurt you or Willow. I wouldn't, but that's beside the point. Your humanity makes you special, both of you. Turning you would destroy you, make you into something else. When I realized that, I thought about this kind of ritual. I thought about it, because it would make me a part of things in a way that I haven't been. It's not possible with Willow. The rituals bind the very essence of two people together. Willow has bound herself to Tara, she could never be bound to me. And you. The bond isn't an easy thing Xander. It requires trust. Neither of us are particularly known for our ability to trust. It also requires a certain intimacy. And it requires the bite, which I knew wasn't possible. So now, now that I'm wrong and that impediment is gone. I guess what I want to say is that I want this. I've wanted it for a long while now, but only if you are willing. It's your choice. Even willing, I'm not sure we can pull it off, but I just thought you should know." Spike was getting dangerously close to babbling so he just stopped talking altogether.
Xander was a little shaken by Spike's words. He didn't answer them, just sat still and silent. They stayed that way for a moment or two and then shifted slightly as the door opened and Marie and her husband Karl joined them in the room.
"You decided to come. I wasn't sure you would." Marie greeted Xander.
"Neither was I, but here I am." Xander answered.
"I assume you wanted something with us. Let's get on with it." Spike spoke, just a touch to sharply.
Marie smiled indulgently, "Patience, William. But then, patience never has been your strong suit. I wanted to speak with you, that's all. Bondings are fairly obscure even with my kind, with yours they are almost unheard of. How much do you know about the rituals involved?" Marie asked Spike.
"Not much. Enough to get myself into trouble without some help, I suppose." Spike replied.
"There are literally hundreds of different bonding rituals. They form groups, families of ritual. Alexei and I used a particular ritual to bind Karl and Katharine to us. It is a fairly common thing, allowing us an imperfect sharing of power and tying our lives and hearts together. This was not the kind or ritual that I saw in Xander's dream. This was a very different ritual in the same family as the ritual that bound Timothy to Nicholas. I can't tell you the reasons for that binding, but I can tell you some of the effects of it. It is a much closer binding than ours. Timothy may not seem to be any different from your average human, but he is quite special. He can use his link with Nicholas. It makes him virtually impervious to harm, with healing abilities far beyond the normal human scope. He is faster and stronger. And he can tap into a vast amount of power through Nicholas, though neither of them seems aware of that. Your gifts are different, so it would not be the same for you, but it would be more intense than you are perhaps expecting. Their bond also allows them to communicate without speech. They both inform me that it is nothing like telepathy, but it works."
"Why tell us? Why like this?" Xander couldn't understand why they wouldn't just give this information to Giles and the others.
It was Karl who answered the question. "You deserved to know first. Things can be changed, shifted if either of you wishes to complete the bond but not as the dream has laid it out. The others, Cordelia and Angel, they are in love. They may not recognize it yet, but it's true. They will accept the bond as is."
"So basically you're giving us a chance to back out?"
"Yes. I believe that's exactly it." Marie answered calmly.
"I'm not backing out, Marie. I may choose to not do this at all, and it may turn out that vision or no vision, it's not even possible for Spike and I, but I'm not going to do this halfway because it's easier. That's not who I am." Xander spoke with conviction for the first time since waking this morning.
Marie's face was transformed. Even the generally displeased expression that Karl wore faded away. They were both beaming after listening to Xander's speech. "You are a remarkable young man, Xander Harris. We have something for you." Marie held out her hand and Karl placed a thin book in it. The book was obviosly old, it's worn leather cover no longer any discernible color. "You may show this to your friends, but I would like it if you read it first."
Xander took the book. "What is it?"
"A legend, at least that's what most would say. It is a story about a young man and one of the Outcast. Read it. It's a story I hold dear. I believe it will be most important to you in the days to come.
He still wasn't certain of what had just happened, but Xander understood that this was something special being freely given. He stood and reached for Marie's hand. "Thank you. You have been more fair with us than I had any right to expect."
Marie simply dipped her head in acknowledgement before turning to Karl. "Come, Karl. We have things to do, and our new friends have much to think about." Karl followed her out the door, closing it gently behind him.
"I suppose you should read the book then." Spike said after a short moment of silence.
Xander laughed, a small sound, but one that brought a smile to Spike's lips as well. "Maybe I'll have some clue what she's talking about after I do. I think we can play hooky long enough for me to read this, then we can turn it over to Giles."
"You stay. I need to move. Don't do well with this sitting around part." Spike started for the door.
"Spike." Xander's voice froze Spike in his place. "About, what you said earlier. I...I do want to talk about it. Tonight maybe?"
Spike smiled again, still not facing Xander. "Alright then. When we go back to the hotel. Over pool, like last night." He didn't wait for a response, just left.
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Xander was having a difficult time staying focused. He wasn't used to his research being quite so personal. It was strange to think of the implications of the dream, or whatever it had been. The rituals were real, so he hadn't just been making things up based on what Spike had told him. Buffy had dreams about the future, or she used to anyway, but nothing like that ever happened to him. It wasn't supposed to happen to him. He was the normal one, the regular guy.
Then there was the whole idea itself. He wished now that he had asked more questions about this stuff when he had Spike talking. He still wasn't quite sure what it all meant. Was he going to have Spike's strength or something? Marie had said she shared her husband's powers now that they were bondmates. Would this be the same kind of thing? It was too weird to think about being tied to Spike. Particularly if he started thinking about the strange vampires he had encountered here in New York. They all had bondmates, and that seemed to mean something. Alexei and that woman were obviously a couple. Marie was married to her mate. Then there was Nicholas. He wasn't sure what to make of Nicholas and the man, Timothy. They weren't a couple, didn't seem to be friends even, but there was something about them, like they were 2 parts of the same whole. Was that what it would be like? It was just all too much to think about. Didn't help any that the others kept asking if he was okay, like he was sick or something. If Willow offered to bring him one more thing he might just have to scream. Then there was of course the matter of the note. On the one hand, Marie seemed to like him and she might have something useful to tell him. On the other, she was Alexei's. He didn't trust the vampire, and so, logic dictated that he not trust Marie as well. Still, what could it hurt?
Xander was pulled from his thoughts by the arrival of Spike and Angel. The sun had set just a short time before. Angel was frowning even more than usual, and Spike was so full of nervous energy he looked like he could burst at any moment. Xander wasn't really surprised when Angel crossed the room and laid his hands on Cordelia's shoulders. He was shocked, however; when her reaction was to burst into tears. Angel wrapped his arms gently around her, turning her to face him. "It's okay Cordelia. You make the decisions here. We defy prophecies every day, and you know as well as I do that visions are just possibilities of the future, not absolutes." Angel soothed her.
"Cordelia, you've been working quite hard. Perhaps you should take a break." Cordelia nodded. "Go with her, Angel. I don't like any of us being alone here." Angel took Cordelia's hand and walked out of the room with her, stil whispering soothing words. "Spike, how are you dealing with your part of the news in this?"
Spike shrugged, "Adjusting, I guess. I'm not opposed to the idea, but I still don't quite believe it's possible. How are you holding up, Xan?"
"I don't know. I guess, I just don't understand it all. It seems...unreal I guess." Xander answered, voice heavy with uncertainty and a touch of fear. He attempted his trademark smile, but had a feeling he was falling short.
In an instant Spike was at his side, not touching, but close enough to be. "This doesn't have to happen. Angel's right, prophecies and visions, they aren't absolute. They aren't set in stone, and you lot just love to bust them up." The voice was soft, reassuring. It was an unusual tone from Spike. It lacked all of the harshness of his usual words. Even before when he had spoken to Alexei and the accent shifted there was still nothing soft about his tone.
"I know. Look can we go and talk somewhere?" Xander answered equally soft.
"You to go on. We'll find you if we come across anything of use." Giles waved them away.
Xander turned and started for the room that Marie had specified in her note. He thought better of it a moment later and led Spike out into the hallway instead. "You heard that Marie helped us with this, didn't you?" At Spike's nod, Xander continued, "Well, she slipped me a note as she was leaving. She wants to talk to us. I guess. Well, I thought I should see what you thought."
"You didn't tell Giles or the others?" Spike asked.
Xander shook his head, "She obviously didn't want them to know, and I thought we'd just decide on our own. If it's anything important we can tell them, right?"
Spike nodded. "Marie never much cared for me, but she seems rather taken with the rest of you. She wouldn't try to harm you anyway. Let's see what she wants."
Xander returned to the room where he was to meet Marie. It was dark inside, so he flipped on the lights revealing a small sitting room. "We wait?"
"Yeah, I think we do. Listen, Xander. Oh, bloody hell, how do I do this?" Spike was more frustrated than Xander could remember seeing him, that nervous tension back in his body. "I told you that it wasn't a matter of whether I wanted this or not. That's still true. You and Willow, before the chip I would have turned you in an instant. You would both have made magnificent vampires. After, things changed. Can't say I wouldn't still like to see what the two of you could do, but I wouldn't turn you."
Xander watched him, a little puzzled by this whole diatribe. "I know that. I said as much to Buffy once, not that she listened."
"It's not just because I wouldn't hurt you or Willow. I wouldn't, but that's beside the point. Your humanity makes you special, both of you. Turning you would destroy you, make you into something else. When I realized that, I thought about this kind of ritual. I thought about it, because it would make me a part of things in a way that I haven't been. It's not possible with Willow. The rituals bind the very essence of two people together. Willow has bound herself to Tara, she could never be bound to me. And you. The bond isn't an easy thing Xander. It requires trust. Neither of us are particularly known for our ability to trust. It also requires a certain intimacy. And it requires the bite, which I knew wasn't possible. So now, now that I'm wrong and that impediment is gone. I guess what I want to say is that I want this. I've wanted it for a long while now, but only if you are willing. It's your choice. Even willing, I'm not sure we can pull it off, but I just thought you should know." Spike was getting dangerously close to babbling so he just stopped talking altogether.
Xander was a little shaken by Spike's words. He didn't answer them, just sat still and silent. They stayed that way for a moment or two and then shifted slightly as the door opened and Marie and her husband Karl joined them in the room.
"You decided to come. I wasn't sure you would." Marie greeted Xander.
"Neither was I, but here I am." Xander answered.
"I assume you wanted something with us. Let's get on with it." Spike spoke, just a touch to sharply.
Marie smiled indulgently, "Patience, William. But then, patience never has been your strong suit. I wanted to speak with you, that's all. Bondings are fairly obscure even with my kind, with yours they are almost unheard of. How much do you know about the rituals involved?" Marie asked Spike.
"Not much. Enough to get myself into trouble without some help, I suppose." Spike replied.
"There are literally hundreds of different bonding rituals. They form groups, families of ritual. Alexei and I used a particular ritual to bind Karl and Katharine to us. It is a fairly common thing, allowing us an imperfect sharing of power and tying our lives and hearts together. This was not the kind or ritual that I saw in Xander's dream. This was a very different ritual in the same family as the ritual that bound Timothy to Nicholas. I can't tell you the reasons for that binding, but I can tell you some of the effects of it. It is a much closer binding than ours. Timothy may not seem to be any different from your average human, but he is quite special. He can use his link with Nicholas. It makes him virtually impervious to harm, with healing abilities far beyond the normal human scope. He is faster and stronger. And he can tap into a vast amount of power through Nicholas, though neither of them seems aware of that. Your gifts are different, so it would not be the same for you, but it would be more intense than you are perhaps expecting. Their bond also allows them to communicate without speech. They both inform me that it is nothing like telepathy, but it works."
"Why tell us? Why like this?" Xander couldn't understand why they wouldn't just give this information to Giles and the others.
It was Karl who answered the question. "You deserved to know first. Things can be changed, shifted if either of you wishes to complete the bond but not as the dream has laid it out. The others, Cordelia and Angel, they are in love. They may not recognize it yet, but it's true. They will accept the bond as is."
"So basically you're giving us a chance to back out?"
"Yes. I believe that's exactly it." Marie answered calmly.
"I'm not backing out, Marie. I may choose to not do this at all, and it may turn out that vision or no vision, it's not even possible for Spike and I, but I'm not going to do this halfway because it's easier. That's not who I am." Xander spoke with conviction for the first time since waking this morning.
Marie's face was transformed. Even the generally displeased expression that Karl wore faded away. They were both beaming after listening to Xander's speech. "You are a remarkable young man, Xander Harris. We have something for you." Marie held out her hand and Karl placed a thin book in it. The book was obviosly old, it's worn leather cover no longer any discernible color. "You may show this to your friends, but I would like it if you read it first."
Xander took the book. "What is it?"
"A legend, at least that's what most would say. It is a story about a young man and one of the Outcast. Read it. It's a story I hold dear. I believe it will be most important to you in the days to come.
He still wasn't certain of what had just happened, but Xander understood that this was something special being freely given. He stood and reached for Marie's hand. "Thank you. You have been more fair with us than I had any right to expect."
Marie simply dipped her head in acknowledgement before turning to Karl. "Come, Karl. We have things to do, and our new friends have much to think about." Karl followed her out the door, closing it gently behind him.
"I suppose you should read the book then." Spike said after a short moment of silence.
Xander laughed, a small sound, but one that brought a smile to Spike's lips as well. "Maybe I'll have some clue what she's talking about after I do. I think we can play hooky long enough for me to read this, then we can turn it over to Giles."
"You stay. I need to move. Don't do well with this sitting around part." Spike started for the door.
"Spike." Xander's voice froze Spike in his place. "About, what you said earlier. I...I do want to talk about it. Tonight maybe?"
Spike smiled again, still not facing Xander. "Alright then. When we go back to the hotel. Over pool, like last night." He didn't wait for a response, just left.