Chapter Twelve: Putting Out Fires
Dying. The words ripped into him. How could she be dying? Xander cleared his throat. "Are you... When did... Are you serious?"
Faith pushed him away. "No, you dumbass. I'm pregnant."
"Oh," Xander said, relieved. "That's not so bad. Congratulations."
Faith growled. "Yes it is! I'm not supposed to be pregnant. I'm a slayer! I can't be a mother!" She said sliding to the floor and breaking down again.
"Hey, now," Xander sat with her and put his arm around her shoulders. "It could be worse."
"No, it can't," she cried all muffled.
"Yes, it could. It could be mine," He joked. And she started laughing. "See? I made you laugh." She looked up at him all weepy-eyed. He wasn't used to seeing her like this. All vulnerable and stuff. "Is it Robin's?" He asked.
Faith shrugged. "I dunno. Probably. I just... I don't know what to do, you know? I was the Dark Slayer, I should be dead or locked up."
"Yeah, you probably should," Xander said, dodging a death glare. "But that's life. C'est la vie, as they French say. It'll be okay. Talk to Robin, maybe to Buffy and we'll see how things go. Okay?"
"Okay," Faith said reluctantly. She leaned her head against Xander and they sat on the floor together.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dawn leaned against the smooth wall. She was trying to soak in what had just happened. What she had just seen. Spike, he was back. Her sister, the melodramatic that she was, had fainted. Just slid right on the floor, like lime-green Jello. To be honest, she wasn't all that surprised to see Spike. Something, something inside her told her he was alive. She wasn't sure what it was, but she knew he wasn't gone. He had promised her he wouldn't leave her. Late that night he had returned from where ever Giles had sent him and Andrew, he knocked at her door. She was surprised to see him there, he wasn't the knocking type.
"What's up, Spike?" She had asked.
"Not much, li'l bit," he said using his pet name for her. "Can we have a chat?"
"Sure," she sat down on her bed and motioned for him to sit but he didn't. "What'd you wanna talk about?"
He pursed his lips the way he did when he wasn't sure of what to say. "I heard what happened with your sister."
"You want to yell at me then," Dawn said guiltily looking down at her feet.
He shook his head. "Naw, I wouldn't do that. You had your reasons." He looked around her room, and snorted at the poster of some boy band on the wall. "Listen, bit," he kneeled in front of her. He took her hand in his. "We're to peas in a pod, is what we are. We've always been." He smiled at her.
"Spike, you're weirding me out here," she knew he was trying to be all big brotherly.
He blew out, exasperated. "I know. I just wanted to tell you that I'll always protect you, no matter what. And it's not because I promised your sister, but because I promised you. I'd never let anything happen to you, Dawn."
She blinked away her tears and smiled wide. "I know."
"Good," he nodded and sighed, relieved. "And whatever happens, I'm always goin' be with you. If anything happens, if I..."
"Spike," she interrupted. "I get it. Thank you."
"Oh, right then. Get to bed with you," he closed the door and turned off her light as she snuggled underneath her covers. He stood at the door, watching her drift to sleep.
"I love you too, Spike," she whispered and she heard him leave.
That's why she wasn't that upset. She was still upset, but knew he was there, he'd come back. Now, only if her sister'd get over the shock.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Angel!" Fred ran up to him. "You look pissed. What happened?"
"Spike, woke up. Did you analyze that blood Wes gave you?" He asked.
She nodded. "Yeah, Angel, I think... it's bad."
Angel pursed his lips. He looked over Fred and saw Wesley walking up to them. "You analyzed the sample, Fred?" he asked.
"I did. It was weird. The blood is normal. It's human. But there was rapid cell decay, and... I think Spike's going to die, soon." She finished her sentence hesitantly. She looked back between Angel and Wesley. They all knew what they had to do.
"Thank you, Fred," Wesley said. "Angel, if there's any other way..."
"There isn't," he said cutting of Wes. "I'll tell Buffy."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Xander walked back to where the gang was. He was tired. Two giant bombs had been dropped on him today. First, Spike then Faith, he just wanted a nice, tall, alcoholic beverage. Ugh, he sneered at himself. He didn't want to drown in alcohol like his parents did. The last thing he wanted to do was end up like his dad. He saw Dawn and went over to her. "Hey Dawn, what's up?"
"The sky," she replied.
"Good thing, don't want to go all Chicken Little today. Enough has happened," he said. She smiled at his joke, but refrained from laughing. "You okay?" he asked.
"Better than her," she said looking over at Buffy, who was sitting on a chair, staring at the floor. Xander patted Dawn on the arm and went over to Buffy.
"Hey there, funny girl," He said. "You look like someone you thought was dead came back to life."
"Jokes aren't going to work this time," she said empty-voiced.
"Who said I was joking?" He settled next to her. "Tell the teddy bear why you're sad. C'mon," he nudged her. "I've been putting out fires all day."
She looked at him. "I'm sorry about Anya.'
He was taken aback by her sympathetic apology. "Thanks. Why?" He asked.
"I never got to tell you that I was sorry. I haven't really talked to anybody about what happened. And you had the worst lost. You lost Anya, and I'm sorry," she said.
Xander leaned forward in his chair. "It's okay. I'm okay. I miss her so much it hurts, but I'll be okay. No one really liked her, she was rude, and tactless, great in bed though."
"And kind of money-hungry," Buffy added.
"Yeah, but I loved her, and she loved me," he said wistfully.
"We liked her Xander, after a while," she said.
He shrugged. "And I'm sorry about Spike."
"You don't have to say that," she told him.
"No, I do. I mean it. I knew he meant a lot to you, I didn't realize how much," he said.
"I love him, Xander. I told him that in the cave, but he didn't believe me." She said eyes welling with tears. "He didn't believe me."
"Shh," Xander wrapped his arms around his best friend. He squeezed him back, and they held each other thinking about their lost lovers. Buffy didn't say anything when she felt two wet spots on the back of her shirt. She just squeezed Xander tighter.
"Uh, guys?" Willow's voice made them look up to see the other musketeer standing there. Xander pulled her into their embrace and the three of them hugged.
^What are we hugging about?^ Willow asked.
^Everything and nothing,^ Buffy replied.
^Why am I always in a threesome with you two and it's not the good kind?^ Xander asked.
^Shut up, Xander,^ the girls said. They all just sat there, hugging and crying. Buffy knew from then on, things would be different.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Spike walked into the doorway. Light surrounded him and he felt the most amazing peace. "Hello?" He called out, his voice echoing back to him.
"William..." a honey voice whispered.
"Yeah, where am I?" He asked.
The voice laughed a tinkling little laugh. "Oh, William. Still suspicious, as always."
He rolled his eyes. "Whatever, you gonna answer my question?"
"Of course."
"Well then, where bloody hell am I?"
"You're home, William."
