-'Pirates of the Hellmouth.'-
A response to the 'Xander didn't dress up like a soldier for Halloween' challenge.
Updated:: Pairings/Crossovers: A little W/X for the people, the title kinda makes the crossover obvious
Updated:: A/N: Something a little lighter for Pete M. And thanks to Buffyworld.com for Halloween episode transcript.
A/N2: And very special thank you's to all my reviewers, thanks for the compliments. I will say more in the author notes to be posted after the end.
Disclaimers: I don't own anything relating to Buffy, Angel, or Pirates of the Caribbean.
Dedicated to Eddie.
/////////////////////////////////////
Xander watched as Buffy started to corral the children walking around. Some were a little bruised and complaining, but none were dead or seriously injured. It seemed that whatever happened to them also protected them from being hurt. The zombie pirates were unable to be killed and most of the demons were immune to guns and most of the weapons present in the battle. He watched as a ragged Jonathon in a torn and ragged Godzilla costume hobbled down the street to his house. He saw everyone was there except for Willow. He looked around for the redhead and saw her leaning against a tree, crying her eyes out. He started walking towards her. "Willow, are you okay?"
The redhead turned to see him running towards her and ran off behind the houses.
He jumped into a full sprint and chased after her. "WILLOW!"
/////////////////////////////////////
Willow sat in her room. She knew everyone was going to be okay, but she just had to get out of there. It just felt so real. One second she was standing infront of him, babbling, the next they were pirates fighting off the demons. As weird as it sounds, she felt at home. The feelings that the woman had mirrored exactly hoe she felt for Xander. They grew up as best friends; always afraid to change for fear that it would ruin their friendship.
She stood up and walked over to her mirror and took out the medallion from underneath her costume. She looked at it and then at her own reflection and absentmindedly started to rub the necklace. She knew of William's fear of rejection. Of constantly feeling like he wasn't good enough. She knew that Xander was the same way. The spell gave her hope. Both of them loved each other but feared the other didn't. She felt that maybe, just maybe Xander could feel for her like that. But then the spell ended, and she saw him looking at Buffy. Buffy had come to save the day...again. She had the gun lined up to save him from Spike. Granted, it turned out to be a cork-gun, but still.
She sighed and started to take off the costume.
//////////////////////////////////////////
Xander sat alone in the library. Everyone had gone home for the night. He would've gone home himself, but he wasn't in the mood for the fighting. At the beginning of the night, he planned to meet up with Buffy and Willow at Buffy's place, but he saw Buffy walking away with Angel. And Willow ran away from him. He knew she probably went home. He tried her on the phone for about an hour and a half. He went there in person but no one answered the door. But the light was on in her room. He knew she was all right. He didn't know how he knew, but he did. He sighed and let his head slump onto the table.
Giles groaned as he walked into the library with a large stack of books. 'Bloody teenagers.' "Please Xander, if you insist on staying here, could you at least help with some research?"
Xander moaned and looked up at the British librarian before taking a book from top of the stack. "So, what am I looking for?"
Giles sat down at the table opposite of him and opened another book from the stack. "The spell Ethan used had some rather unusual side effects. You and Willow..."
Xander perked up and nearly shouted. "You spoke with Willow."
Giles gave him a peculiar look. "Yes, I just spoke to her on the phone. She got home..."
Xander didn't wait for him to finish. "What did she say?"
Giles held up a hand. "Slow down Xander, she said that she was fine, but experiencing, I guess memories from her costume. I don't quite get it myself really. The spell should not have any ill effects."
"Is she okay?"
Giles nodded and turned a page. "I assure you that the spell, while annoying, will not have any long lasting harmful effects. We were all supposed to die _during_ the spell, thank you Ethan."
Xander nodded and decided to start reading. "So what did she say?"
Giles sighed. "Actually I wanted to know if you are remembering anything from your Halloween experience."
Xander sighed. "Well there's only two or three things that are permanently etched into my head right now."
Giles waited for a second then sighed. "Such as..."
Xander smiled briefly. "Yeah sorry. Well on a high note, I'm pretty sure I'm a badass when it comes to swordplay. And I think I can make some swords and other weapons, if given the equipment."
Giles nodded and got up to look for a book on metallurgy to test Xander's newly acquired knowledge. "Well Xander, while I don't necessarily approve of your fighting and patrolling, I think that it would be an asset. What else?"
Giles found the book he was looking for and walked back to the table to see Xander fidgeting in his seat. He put the book on the top of the stack and sat down opposite of him. "Are you okay Xander?"
Xander looked up at him. "Yeah, its just the last thing is a bit of a doozy."
Giles opened several more of his books, preparing to look up whatever supernatural event it might be. "Its okay Xander, you can tell me, we'll get to the bottom of it."
Xander sighed. "I think that I like Willow."
Silence permeated the room for several seconds.
Xander looked around nervously. "What?"
Giles sighed and started to clean his glasses. "Is that it?"
Xander felt a little silly. "Well...yeah?"
Giles finish cleaning his glasses and put them back on before addressing him. "Xander, my initial research indicates that people with personal items with their costumes, that is your sword and Willow's medallion, might summon the spirits of those people to occupy them for the night."
Xander gave him a confused look. "Okay, I'm following, but I don't see where this is going."
Giles sighed again. "It still should not leave any excess or residual energy or memories after the possession."
Xander's eyes widened. "So what are you saying?"
Giles turned around one of the books facing him to show Xander. "I believe that while you may gain some memories because of the personal nature of the items used for the spell. What you are feeling for Willow might simply be real."
Giles watched as Xander jumped up and ran out of the library.
He sat there for several seconds before leaning over and putting Xander book back on the top of the stack. "Yes, well. My books and I are certainly in for an interesting night together."
//////////////////////////////////////////
Xander stood outside the door, trying to gather up courage. He looked down at himself. The day before changed his wardrobe a little. Instead of bright Hawaiian shirts and jeans, he found himself wearing light buttoned shirts and earth tones. He smiled to himself. All the complaining about his sense of clothing and all it took was a chaos spell and being possessed on Halloween. He turned back to the door and rested his finger above the doorbell. It just sat there hovering for a second. What was he going to say? 'Hi Wills, I'm sorry for being such an idiot. Please forgive me. Oh by the way, I'm thinking about you in not-so-friendly ways, hope you don't mind.' He sighed to himself and turned to walk away.
"Wait!"
He turned around to see Willow holding the door open. Her hair was down by her shoulders with a pleading look on her face. "I'm sorry...I was just...at the door you know, waiting for you to ring."
Xander chuckled nervously. "Yeah, I think that it might be broken."
Willow smiled a little and silence reigned for a few seconds before Xander spoke up. "Um, can we go somewhere private?"
Willow looked nervous, but swallowed her fear and stepped back to let him into the house. "Sure, um, we can to up to my room."
////////////////////
Willow walked into her room and gestured at the discarded costume lying on the floor. "Tada. Just little old 20th-century me."
Xander took a step forward and put his hands on her shoulders. "Is there anything wrong with that?"
Willow walked out of his arms and sat down on the bed. "Yeah, sure, I mean..." she looked at her hands and sighed before looking back at his face, her eyes brimming with tears. "You're not disappointed?"
Xander tried to get her to look him in the face. "Why would I be? I'm nothing without my Wills."
Willow stared off into space. "When I was, whoever I was, I could kick butt and handle the demons and everything with ease. It felt like although I wasn't completely in control of my body, I could still hear and feel everything."
Xander sat down next to her on the bed. "So could I."
Willow shook her head and looked up at him. "That wasn't just it...I could feel her love. She loved you, I mean him." She growled and fisted her hands. "God, its so confusing."
Xander started to gently rub her back. "I don't now about that. While I have got the handy ability to make horseshoes forever etched into my memory. It made me realize some things."
Willow looked in his face. "Like what?"
Xander took a deep breath. "Things about you...and me...us...kinda."
Willow looked back down at her feet. "Oh."
He held out a hand and forced her gaze back upon him. "No it's not like that. Wills, I just honestly don't know what to say. I mean, what is it, ten years of friendship, and now I want something...more."
Willow's face had dropped to sheer white, and began sobbing. Xander was afraid that she might simply be horrified of the thought of being with him. "I'm sorry, Wills, Its okay."
Willow shook her head. "No God Xander, do you know how long I've been waiting for this?"
Xander shook his head, not quite understanding. "For what?"
Willow continued to cry, only with a large smile. "God, Xander, I've loved you since we were ten, now tell me what you were going to say."
Xander had a small playful smile as he held her face and wiped away some of her tears. "Willow, with everything else that's been going on, It made me realize something about you. I need you Willow. God, I don't even know how to begin to tell you how much you mean to me."
Willow had a smirk through her tears. "Well, I had a really hard day, with all...all the fighting and the zombies and, and everything else. You should probably tell me."
Xander smiled and inched nearer to her on the bed. "You're right. I probably should, but you know me. I'm not so good with the explaining."
Willow's tears lessened as he turned her head to face his. Xander smiled and continued speaking softly to her. "I never was good at that, you know? I might get the idea or might somehow understand something, but I needed someone to help me, to help me interpret or understand something. I need you on such a basic level Wills. I just never really realized it till now. I love you."
Willow sniffled as she continued crying. Xander caressed her check with his left hand. "You okay Wills?"
Willow smiled as she wiped away some of her tears. "Definitely."
Xander took his right hand and caressed her other check. "Willow, I'm going to do something that I've only done once or twice before, either when we were five, or on the height of an ice-cream induced madness. This is going to be me, _just_ me, kissing you."
Xander bent his head down and felt his lips softly graze hers. Willow arched her head up and could feel the warmth radiating off of his lips. It was a chaste kiss. There was no lust behind it, only innocent love. Xander could feel the tears of joy rolling down the red-head's checks into his face as he lowered his head from her and looked back at her. Xander smiled at her. "You know, this kinda reminds me of those Disney movies, where they save that one kiss for the-OOMPH."
Xander was attacked by a passionate sixteen year old redhead with eleven years of unrequited love.
////////////////////////////////
Down the street, Andrew Wells sat in his room looking at various scifi magazines when he heard alight tapping noise at his window. He opened his window to see a small monkey sitting on the ledge. Andrew knelt down to look at him. "Hello there, who are you?"
The monkey screeched and Andrew noticed a collar on his neck. "Hmm, Jack is it?"
///////////////////////////
Willow and Xander sat on the bed for hours, talking, laughing, and reaffirming their friendship and possibly something more.
The End.
A response to the 'Xander didn't dress up like a soldier for Halloween' challenge.
Updated:: Pairings/Crossovers: A little W/X for the people, the title kinda makes the crossover obvious
Updated:: A/N: Something a little lighter for Pete M. And thanks to Buffyworld.com for Halloween episode transcript.
A/N2: And very special thank you's to all my reviewers, thanks for the compliments. I will say more in the author notes to be posted after the end.
Disclaimers: I don't own anything relating to Buffy, Angel, or Pirates of the Caribbean.
Dedicated to Eddie.
/////////////////////////////////////
Xander watched as Buffy started to corral the children walking around. Some were a little bruised and complaining, but none were dead or seriously injured. It seemed that whatever happened to them also protected them from being hurt. The zombie pirates were unable to be killed and most of the demons were immune to guns and most of the weapons present in the battle. He watched as a ragged Jonathon in a torn and ragged Godzilla costume hobbled down the street to his house. He saw everyone was there except for Willow. He looked around for the redhead and saw her leaning against a tree, crying her eyes out. He started walking towards her. "Willow, are you okay?"
The redhead turned to see him running towards her and ran off behind the houses.
He jumped into a full sprint and chased after her. "WILLOW!"
/////////////////////////////////////
Willow sat in her room. She knew everyone was going to be okay, but she just had to get out of there. It just felt so real. One second she was standing infront of him, babbling, the next they were pirates fighting off the demons. As weird as it sounds, she felt at home. The feelings that the woman had mirrored exactly hoe she felt for Xander. They grew up as best friends; always afraid to change for fear that it would ruin their friendship.
She stood up and walked over to her mirror and took out the medallion from underneath her costume. She looked at it and then at her own reflection and absentmindedly started to rub the necklace. She knew of William's fear of rejection. Of constantly feeling like he wasn't good enough. She knew that Xander was the same way. The spell gave her hope. Both of them loved each other but feared the other didn't. She felt that maybe, just maybe Xander could feel for her like that. But then the spell ended, and she saw him looking at Buffy. Buffy had come to save the day...again. She had the gun lined up to save him from Spike. Granted, it turned out to be a cork-gun, but still.
She sighed and started to take off the costume.
//////////////////////////////////////////
Xander sat alone in the library. Everyone had gone home for the night. He would've gone home himself, but he wasn't in the mood for the fighting. At the beginning of the night, he planned to meet up with Buffy and Willow at Buffy's place, but he saw Buffy walking away with Angel. And Willow ran away from him. He knew she probably went home. He tried her on the phone for about an hour and a half. He went there in person but no one answered the door. But the light was on in her room. He knew she was all right. He didn't know how he knew, but he did. He sighed and let his head slump onto the table.
Giles groaned as he walked into the library with a large stack of books. 'Bloody teenagers.' "Please Xander, if you insist on staying here, could you at least help with some research?"
Xander moaned and looked up at the British librarian before taking a book from top of the stack. "So, what am I looking for?"
Giles sat down at the table opposite of him and opened another book from the stack. "The spell Ethan used had some rather unusual side effects. You and Willow..."
Xander perked up and nearly shouted. "You spoke with Willow."
Giles gave him a peculiar look. "Yes, I just spoke to her on the phone. She got home..."
Xander didn't wait for him to finish. "What did she say?"
Giles held up a hand. "Slow down Xander, she said that she was fine, but experiencing, I guess memories from her costume. I don't quite get it myself really. The spell should not have any ill effects."
"Is she okay?"
Giles nodded and turned a page. "I assure you that the spell, while annoying, will not have any long lasting harmful effects. We were all supposed to die _during_ the spell, thank you Ethan."
Xander nodded and decided to start reading. "So what did she say?"
Giles sighed. "Actually I wanted to know if you are remembering anything from your Halloween experience."
Xander sighed. "Well there's only two or three things that are permanently etched into my head right now."
Giles waited for a second then sighed. "Such as..."
Xander smiled briefly. "Yeah sorry. Well on a high note, I'm pretty sure I'm a badass when it comes to swordplay. And I think I can make some swords and other weapons, if given the equipment."
Giles nodded and got up to look for a book on metallurgy to test Xander's newly acquired knowledge. "Well Xander, while I don't necessarily approve of your fighting and patrolling, I think that it would be an asset. What else?"
Giles found the book he was looking for and walked back to the table to see Xander fidgeting in his seat. He put the book on the top of the stack and sat down opposite of him. "Are you okay Xander?"
Xander looked up at him. "Yeah, its just the last thing is a bit of a doozy."
Giles opened several more of his books, preparing to look up whatever supernatural event it might be. "Its okay Xander, you can tell me, we'll get to the bottom of it."
Xander sighed. "I think that I like Willow."
Silence permeated the room for several seconds.
Xander looked around nervously. "What?"
Giles sighed and started to clean his glasses. "Is that it?"
Xander felt a little silly. "Well...yeah?"
Giles finish cleaning his glasses and put them back on before addressing him. "Xander, my initial research indicates that people with personal items with their costumes, that is your sword and Willow's medallion, might summon the spirits of those people to occupy them for the night."
Xander gave him a confused look. "Okay, I'm following, but I don't see where this is going."
Giles sighed again. "It still should not leave any excess or residual energy or memories after the possession."
Xander's eyes widened. "So what are you saying?"
Giles turned around one of the books facing him to show Xander. "I believe that while you may gain some memories because of the personal nature of the items used for the spell. What you are feeling for Willow might simply be real."
Giles watched as Xander jumped up and ran out of the library.
He sat there for several seconds before leaning over and putting Xander book back on the top of the stack. "Yes, well. My books and I are certainly in for an interesting night together."
//////////////////////////////////////////
Xander stood outside the door, trying to gather up courage. He looked down at himself. The day before changed his wardrobe a little. Instead of bright Hawaiian shirts and jeans, he found himself wearing light buttoned shirts and earth tones. He smiled to himself. All the complaining about his sense of clothing and all it took was a chaos spell and being possessed on Halloween. He turned back to the door and rested his finger above the doorbell. It just sat there hovering for a second. What was he going to say? 'Hi Wills, I'm sorry for being such an idiot. Please forgive me. Oh by the way, I'm thinking about you in not-so-friendly ways, hope you don't mind.' He sighed to himself and turned to walk away.
"Wait!"
He turned around to see Willow holding the door open. Her hair was down by her shoulders with a pleading look on her face. "I'm sorry...I was just...at the door you know, waiting for you to ring."
Xander chuckled nervously. "Yeah, I think that it might be broken."
Willow smiled a little and silence reigned for a few seconds before Xander spoke up. "Um, can we go somewhere private?"
Willow looked nervous, but swallowed her fear and stepped back to let him into the house. "Sure, um, we can to up to my room."
////////////////////
Willow walked into her room and gestured at the discarded costume lying on the floor. "Tada. Just little old 20th-century me."
Xander took a step forward and put his hands on her shoulders. "Is there anything wrong with that?"
Willow walked out of his arms and sat down on the bed. "Yeah, sure, I mean..." she looked at her hands and sighed before looking back at his face, her eyes brimming with tears. "You're not disappointed?"
Xander tried to get her to look him in the face. "Why would I be? I'm nothing without my Wills."
Willow stared off into space. "When I was, whoever I was, I could kick butt and handle the demons and everything with ease. It felt like although I wasn't completely in control of my body, I could still hear and feel everything."
Xander sat down next to her on the bed. "So could I."
Willow shook her head and looked up at him. "That wasn't just it...I could feel her love. She loved you, I mean him." She growled and fisted her hands. "God, its so confusing."
Xander started to gently rub her back. "I don't now about that. While I have got the handy ability to make horseshoes forever etched into my memory. It made me realize some things."
Willow looked in his face. "Like what?"
Xander took a deep breath. "Things about you...and me...us...kinda."
Willow looked back down at her feet. "Oh."
He held out a hand and forced her gaze back upon him. "No it's not like that. Wills, I just honestly don't know what to say. I mean, what is it, ten years of friendship, and now I want something...more."
Willow's face had dropped to sheer white, and began sobbing. Xander was afraid that she might simply be horrified of the thought of being with him. "I'm sorry, Wills, Its okay."
Willow shook her head. "No God Xander, do you know how long I've been waiting for this?"
Xander shook his head, not quite understanding. "For what?"
Willow continued to cry, only with a large smile. "God, Xander, I've loved you since we were ten, now tell me what you were going to say."
Xander had a small playful smile as he held her face and wiped away some of her tears. "Willow, with everything else that's been going on, It made me realize something about you. I need you Willow. God, I don't even know how to begin to tell you how much you mean to me."
Willow had a smirk through her tears. "Well, I had a really hard day, with all...all the fighting and the zombies and, and everything else. You should probably tell me."
Xander smiled and inched nearer to her on the bed. "You're right. I probably should, but you know me. I'm not so good with the explaining."
Willow's tears lessened as he turned her head to face his. Xander smiled and continued speaking softly to her. "I never was good at that, you know? I might get the idea or might somehow understand something, but I needed someone to help me, to help me interpret or understand something. I need you on such a basic level Wills. I just never really realized it till now. I love you."
Willow sniffled as she continued crying. Xander caressed her check with his left hand. "You okay Wills?"
Willow smiled as she wiped away some of her tears. "Definitely."
Xander took his right hand and caressed her other check. "Willow, I'm going to do something that I've only done once or twice before, either when we were five, or on the height of an ice-cream induced madness. This is going to be me, _just_ me, kissing you."
Xander bent his head down and felt his lips softly graze hers. Willow arched her head up and could feel the warmth radiating off of his lips. It was a chaste kiss. There was no lust behind it, only innocent love. Xander could feel the tears of joy rolling down the red-head's checks into his face as he lowered his head from her and looked back at her. Xander smiled at her. "You know, this kinda reminds me of those Disney movies, where they save that one kiss for the-OOMPH."
Xander was attacked by a passionate sixteen year old redhead with eleven years of unrequited love.
////////////////////////////////
Down the street, Andrew Wells sat in his room looking at various scifi magazines when he heard alight tapping noise at his window. He opened his window to see a small monkey sitting on the ledge. Andrew knelt down to look at him. "Hello there, who are you?"
The monkey screeched and Andrew noticed a collar on his neck. "Hmm, Jack is it?"
///////////////////////////
Willow and Xander sat on the bed for hours, talking, laughing, and reaffirming their friendship and possibly something more.
The End.