Title: Awaken the Inu
Author: DhampyrX2
Genre: Crossover
Rating: PG-13
Timeframe: prologues are btw seasons 3 and 4. The rest starts season seven.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Poverty is my constant friend. Please don't sue. I make no money from this.
Note: Evil plot bunnies have invaded my brain again, and the demons of writer's block are spreading. Instead of Starting with a Buffy or Star Wars sequel, or adding to 'The One Who Sees", I feel compelled to work on this. Sorry. Blame the bunnies. Anya's right, they're EVIL. I also changed this from a season five idea, to a season seven idea. Just because I hate Caleb, and want Xander to have a bigger role in the proceedings.
Summary: Xander's father is not who he thought. His real father has decided to inform him of his heritage, leaving Xander with some tough choices.
OOC: This chapter contains no Xander for the folks at the XZ, but it does move the story along. And once again, Buffy proves she has a /working/ brain, for a change. All hail the return of Buffy's common sense.
*****
Buffy felt some trepidation as she made her way toward Spike's basement room after she had said her good-byes to Willow for the evening. She still hadn't told him what was going on, and she should have, in her opinion. After all, Angel's arrival and return to the fight on the Hellmouth, however temporary it was, and Xander's transformation were major issues. Spike was a major player in the group now, (again in her opinion) and he should be briefed. She didn't want the bleached vampire to think she was trying to replace him.
As she made her way down, she found Spike sitting on his bed, shirtless, smoking a cigarette, and placing a bandage on a small wound on his neck. As she got closer, her enhanced slayer hearing couldn't help but pick up his words as he complained. "Damned Droopy and his damned sword. Tell /me/ to but out of a conversation. Like that stupid bricklayer is worth enough of a damn to even /talk/ to me. The second I get that promised power up and that stupid mutt and his bitch turn their backs, I'll gut them right pretty. I'll show those wankers why I'm called Spike."
Buffy gasped at Spike's words, shocked to hear them. It sounded like the old, soulless version of the vampire talking. Still she had to hear both sides of this before she judged. Spike /did/ like to talk big, and he was...important to her now. She thought.
With that idea in mind, she walked the rest of the way down the stairs, to where Spike had turned to look at her wide eyed, his expression showing the fear of being caught at something as he had heard her gasp. That expression filed into the back of Buffy's sub-conscious as she crossed her arms and looked the vampire over. "Care to clarify that Spike?" she asked, her tone neutral.
The vampire took a moment to reign in his shock before he answered. He took a deep drag of his cigarette before he replied, "Hey, there, Buffy. What bring you to my parts? Tired of kissin' Angel? Or are you here to keep me distracted before new and improved Droopy attacks me again?"
"Xander attacked you?" Buffy asked incredulously as she looked over the extremely minor wound he had bandaged with a huge piece of gauze.
"I didn't get this little trinket shaving, ducks. I was just comin' home, nice as could be, when I hear the bricklayer, Angelus, and some hyped up demon bint talkin'. The demon was talking trash about you, and I figured, what the 'ell, you weren't kissing my grandsire /right then/, so I'd at least be a decent bloke and stick up for you. Next thing I know, all three of 'em are threatening me, and Xander, who looks like a freaking dog demon now, has a huge ass sword to my throat growling at me." Spike said, making sure to put just enough hurt in his tone to make him seem like the wronged party. He chuckled ruefully as he added, "Funny, I always though of Droops as a loyal guy. Never expected him to side with some bitch I ain't never seen before that was insulting /you/. I guess you can't trust nobody these days."
Buffy narrowed her eyes as he said that. She thought over how cold Kagura seemed toward her, how much Xander had changed, and catalogued that with what she had seen so far tonight. Two major facts Spike was ignoring stood out, though. The first was that Angel, who she /knew/ was on her side, as surely as she was certain Xander would never betray her, was there, and sided with Xander and Kagura. The other was something Spike had said in his rantings...'The second I get that promised power up'. She was missing something here, and she had a sneaking suspicion she wouldn't like it. The best option for now was to keep the vampire talking and see what he showed.
"I can't believe that Xander would do something like that. I mean I knew Kagura was cold, and didn't seem to care if I lived or died, but I never thought he'd let her talk bad about me. What all did she say?" Buffy asked, feigning outrage.
Spike smirked to himself as he replied, "She was talkin about how you were manipulative, and treated Droops lie dirt, at first. Then she started on how she didn't like humans in general and you were the worst of 'em, and how she hated the Bit too. Truth be told, I think she might be plannin' on hurting Dawn. You should get the bitch out of here while it's safe."
Buffy knew he was full of it then. Everyone in the house could tell Kagura adored Dawnie. Hell, Xander wouldn't have let the demoness near Dawn if he didn't trust her implicitly. The first part, admittedly, sounded like something she could picture the demoness thinking from the way she acted, but the second? Why would she hate humans if she worked for Xander's dad and helped them often? There were only a couple of things left to ask before she called Spike on his lies.
"God, Spike. I just...I never imagined. She must be manipulating Xander. I'll have to take care of it. Thank you so much for telling me.", she said, as she took another step closer to him. As Spike took the opportunity to wrap her in a 'reassuring' hug she asked, "Spike?"
"Yeah pet?" the bleached vampire responded.
"What did you mean when you said 'since I wasn't kissing Angel at the time?", she asked innocently.
Spike did not have to feign his hurt and anger as he let her go and replied, "Oh, I almost forgot about that in all this business. I saw you two playin' tonsil hockey while I was out for my little stroll tonight. You two were real cozy, you were."
"Spike that was nothing. I...It was just a thank you." she replied defensively.
"Oh yeah, because you thank everybody like that. I know /I/ do" he answered sarcastically. "So what were you thankin' the poof for?"
"For helping me to realize a few things." she replied as she slapped the vampire, her voice the determined tone it was in high school for the first time in a very long time. "Like how I shouldn't turn my back on my friends. Or maybe how I should listen to what's going on around me."
"Buffy what?" Spike asked, stunned.
"Or maybe how _you_ can't be trusted. So Spikey, where are you getting a big power up from so you can show Xander and his friend how you got your name? I especially like how you were talking about waiting until their backs were turned. God...how stupid do you think I am. Xander and Angel, /together/, siding with someone who hates Dawn and is openly insulting me? If Xander has any problem with me, he's never been afraid to air it out himself, and he'd conquer Hell itself to protect Dawnie if he had to! I'm not sure if I should be insulted at how dumb you think I am, or grateful that you couldn't keep your mouth shut!" she said, her voice growing into an angry shout toward the end.
"Now, ducks." Spike said nervously, unsure just where everything had gone to seed on him, but still realizing it had.
"Get out." Buffy said, her voice dead.
"What? Buffy, listen, you're blowin' stuff out of..." he tried to reason.
"I said leave, traitor. Now. Before I change my mind and let Wood and the others finish you off. Tell the First I'm tired of being played, and that we're going to beat It." she interrupted firmly.
Spike knew the jig was up then. He let his full anger come to the surface as he sneered, "This isn't over by a long shot, Slayer. You be sure and tell Droopy, and the Poof, and all your little friends that they've got a real fight comin'. You'd need an army of Slayers to beat somethin' like the First. Hell, you'd need to activate every bloody potential on earth to have a chance. I'm just smart enough to side with a winner. And when this is over, you'll see that, and come /crawling/ back to me on hands and knees. 'Cause I'll be all you have left."
Buffy scowled at the vampire as she said, "I can't believe I ever let you touch me. You're still the same bastard that tried to kill me all those years. I just refused to see it."
"You loved every second of it, Buffy. See you soon, love." Spike replied evilly, before turning and running out of the basement and off into the night. Since it was nearly four a.m., he had to find shelter relatively soon.
Buffy fell to her knees, held herself tightly, and cried once the vampire was gone. She couldn't understand what she had ever seen in the monster, now. Still she wept over what a fool she had been, and at what kind of dangers she had brought trusting him. "Why can't I ever find a good person and keep him?" she whispered miserably.
"Because you're an evil, selfish whore, and God hates people like that." the First replied wearing Caleb's form.
Buffy stood angrily and rounded to face him as she sneered, "I've sent you're little spy packing. Now get out of my house before I do the same to you."
FECaleb sighed as he replied, "I know. I should have known better than to trust Spike to be subtle. He might be a good manipulator, but he's too impatient sometimes. I'll have to work on that with him. Still having someone that knows you all intimately and how you all think is all I really need."
"I thought I asked you to leave." Buffy said flatly.
"I suppose you did. But, you can't get rid of me, Buffy. I'm always here, and I always will be. Spike was right, I will win, and you will come crawling to him. Or you'll die. Either works out for me." FECaleb gloated.
It was then that Buffy came to a realization. "You're scared of us."
"Oh please. Grasping at false hope now?" the First replied sarcastically. "I was expecting more from you in the face of your ultimate destruction."
"It's not false. I know we're going to win. You're terrified of what we can do together. That's why you had Spike trying to break us up. It's just like ADAM all over again. It'll be the same result, too." Buffy replied with a smile of realization. "We're going to kick your incorporeal ass."
"Keep dreaming schoolgirl." the FE responded as it shifted into Angelus' form. "You don't have what it takes to defeat me."
"Wanna bet?" Buffy replied with a content sense of purpose.
The First just sneered at her, before disappearing, certain that the sees of its plan had been properly planted, even if Spike had been discovered too soon.
*****
END CHAPTER 15
Author: DhampyrX2
Genre: Crossover
Rating: PG-13
Timeframe: prologues are btw seasons 3 and 4. The rest starts season seven.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Poverty is my constant friend. Please don't sue. I make no money from this.
Note: Evil plot bunnies have invaded my brain again, and the demons of writer's block are spreading. Instead of Starting with a Buffy or Star Wars sequel, or adding to 'The One Who Sees", I feel compelled to work on this. Sorry. Blame the bunnies. Anya's right, they're EVIL. I also changed this from a season five idea, to a season seven idea. Just because I hate Caleb, and want Xander to have a bigger role in the proceedings.
Summary: Xander's father is not who he thought. His real father has decided to inform him of his heritage, leaving Xander with some tough choices.
OOC: This chapter contains no Xander for the folks at the XZ, but it does move the story along. And once again, Buffy proves she has a /working/ brain, for a change. All hail the return of Buffy's common sense.
*****
Buffy felt some trepidation as she made her way toward Spike's basement room after she had said her good-byes to Willow for the evening. She still hadn't told him what was going on, and she should have, in her opinion. After all, Angel's arrival and return to the fight on the Hellmouth, however temporary it was, and Xander's transformation were major issues. Spike was a major player in the group now, (again in her opinion) and he should be briefed. She didn't want the bleached vampire to think she was trying to replace him.
As she made her way down, she found Spike sitting on his bed, shirtless, smoking a cigarette, and placing a bandage on a small wound on his neck. As she got closer, her enhanced slayer hearing couldn't help but pick up his words as he complained. "Damned Droopy and his damned sword. Tell /me/ to but out of a conversation. Like that stupid bricklayer is worth enough of a damn to even /talk/ to me. The second I get that promised power up and that stupid mutt and his bitch turn their backs, I'll gut them right pretty. I'll show those wankers why I'm called Spike."
Buffy gasped at Spike's words, shocked to hear them. It sounded like the old, soulless version of the vampire talking. Still she had to hear both sides of this before she judged. Spike /did/ like to talk big, and he was...important to her now. She thought.
With that idea in mind, she walked the rest of the way down the stairs, to where Spike had turned to look at her wide eyed, his expression showing the fear of being caught at something as he had heard her gasp. That expression filed into the back of Buffy's sub-conscious as she crossed her arms and looked the vampire over. "Care to clarify that Spike?" she asked, her tone neutral.
The vampire took a moment to reign in his shock before he answered. He took a deep drag of his cigarette before he replied, "Hey, there, Buffy. What bring you to my parts? Tired of kissin' Angel? Or are you here to keep me distracted before new and improved Droopy attacks me again?"
"Xander attacked you?" Buffy asked incredulously as she looked over the extremely minor wound he had bandaged with a huge piece of gauze.
"I didn't get this little trinket shaving, ducks. I was just comin' home, nice as could be, when I hear the bricklayer, Angelus, and some hyped up demon bint talkin'. The demon was talking trash about you, and I figured, what the 'ell, you weren't kissing my grandsire /right then/, so I'd at least be a decent bloke and stick up for you. Next thing I know, all three of 'em are threatening me, and Xander, who looks like a freaking dog demon now, has a huge ass sword to my throat growling at me." Spike said, making sure to put just enough hurt in his tone to make him seem like the wronged party. He chuckled ruefully as he added, "Funny, I always though of Droops as a loyal guy. Never expected him to side with some bitch I ain't never seen before that was insulting /you/. I guess you can't trust nobody these days."
Buffy narrowed her eyes as he said that. She thought over how cold Kagura seemed toward her, how much Xander had changed, and catalogued that with what she had seen so far tonight. Two major facts Spike was ignoring stood out, though. The first was that Angel, who she /knew/ was on her side, as surely as she was certain Xander would never betray her, was there, and sided with Xander and Kagura. The other was something Spike had said in his rantings...'The second I get that promised power up'. She was missing something here, and she had a sneaking suspicion she wouldn't like it. The best option for now was to keep the vampire talking and see what he showed.
"I can't believe that Xander would do something like that. I mean I knew Kagura was cold, and didn't seem to care if I lived or died, but I never thought he'd let her talk bad about me. What all did she say?" Buffy asked, feigning outrage.
Spike smirked to himself as he replied, "She was talkin about how you were manipulative, and treated Droops lie dirt, at first. Then she started on how she didn't like humans in general and you were the worst of 'em, and how she hated the Bit too. Truth be told, I think she might be plannin' on hurting Dawn. You should get the bitch out of here while it's safe."
Buffy knew he was full of it then. Everyone in the house could tell Kagura adored Dawnie. Hell, Xander wouldn't have let the demoness near Dawn if he didn't trust her implicitly. The first part, admittedly, sounded like something she could picture the demoness thinking from the way she acted, but the second? Why would she hate humans if she worked for Xander's dad and helped them often? There were only a couple of things left to ask before she called Spike on his lies.
"God, Spike. I just...I never imagined. She must be manipulating Xander. I'll have to take care of it. Thank you so much for telling me.", she said, as she took another step closer to him. As Spike took the opportunity to wrap her in a 'reassuring' hug she asked, "Spike?"
"Yeah pet?" the bleached vampire responded.
"What did you mean when you said 'since I wasn't kissing Angel at the time?", she asked innocently.
Spike did not have to feign his hurt and anger as he let her go and replied, "Oh, I almost forgot about that in all this business. I saw you two playin' tonsil hockey while I was out for my little stroll tonight. You two were real cozy, you were."
"Spike that was nothing. I...It was just a thank you." she replied defensively.
"Oh yeah, because you thank everybody like that. I know /I/ do" he answered sarcastically. "So what were you thankin' the poof for?"
"For helping me to realize a few things." she replied as she slapped the vampire, her voice the determined tone it was in high school for the first time in a very long time. "Like how I shouldn't turn my back on my friends. Or maybe how I should listen to what's going on around me."
"Buffy what?" Spike asked, stunned.
"Or maybe how _you_ can't be trusted. So Spikey, where are you getting a big power up from so you can show Xander and his friend how you got your name? I especially like how you were talking about waiting until their backs were turned. God...how stupid do you think I am. Xander and Angel, /together/, siding with someone who hates Dawn and is openly insulting me? If Xander has any problem with me, he's never been afraid to air it out himself, and he'd conquer Hell itself to protect Dawnie if he had to! I'm not sure if I should be insulted at how dumb you think I am, or grateful that you couldn't keep your mouth shut!" she said, her voice growing into an angry shout toward the end.
"Now, ducks." Spike said nervously, unsure just where everything had gone to seed on him, but still realizing it had.
"Get out." Buffy said, her voice dead.
"What? Buffy, listen, you're blowin' stuff out of..." he tried to reason.
"I said leave, traitor. Now. Before I change my mind and let Wood and the others finish you off. Tell the First I'm tired of being played, and that we're going to beat It." she interrupted firmly.
Spike knew the jig was up then. He let his full anger come to the surface as he sneered, "This isn't over by a long shot, Slayer. You be sure and tell Droopy, and the Poof, and all your little friends that they've got a real fight comin'. You'd need an army of Slayers to beat somethin' like the First. Hell, you'd need to activate every bloody potential on earth to have a chance. I'm just smart enough to side with a winner. And when this is over, you'll see that, and come /crawling/ back to me on hands and knees. 'Cause I'll be all you have left."
Buffy scowled at the vampire as she said, "I can't believe I ever let you touch me. You're still the same bastard that tried to kill me all those years. I just refused to see it."
"You loved every second of it, Buffy. See you soon, love." Spike replied evilly, before turning and running out of the basement and off into the night. Since it was nearly four a.m., he had to find shelter relatively soon.
Buffy fell to her knees, held herself tightly, and cried once the vampire was gone. She couldn't understand what she had ever seen in the monster, now. Still she wept over what a fool she had been, and at what kind of dangers she had brought trusting him. "Why can't I ever find a good person and keep him?" she whispered miserably.
"Because you're an evil, selfish whore, and God hates people like that." the First replied wearing Caleb's form.
Buffy stood angrily and rounded to face him as she sneered, "I've sent you're little spy packing. Now get out of my house before I do the same to you."
FECaleb sighed as he replied, "I know. I should have known better than to trust Spike to be subtle. He might be a good manipulator, but he's too impatient sometimes. I'll have to work on that with him. Still having someone that knows you all intimately and how you all think is all I really need."
"I thought I asked you to leave." Buffy said flatly.
"I suppose you did. But, you can't get rid of me, Buffy. I'm always here, and I always will be. Spike was right, I will win, and you will come crawling to him. Or you'll die. Either works out for me." FECaleb gloated.
It was then that Buffy came to a realization. "You're scared of us."
"Oh please. Grasping at false hope now?" the First replied sarcastically. "I was expecting more from you in the face of your ultimate destruction."
"It's not false. I know we're going to win. You're terrified of what we can do together. That's why you had Spike trying to break us up. It's just like ADAM all over again. It'll be the same result, too." Buffy replied with a smile of realization. "We're going to kick your incorporeal ass."
"Keep dreaming schoolgirl." the FE responded as it shifted into Angelus' form. "You don't have what it takes to defeat me."
"Wanna bet?" Buffy replied with a content sense of purpose.
The First just sneered at her, before disappearing, certain that the sees of its plan had been properly planted, even if Spike had been discovered too soon.
*****
END CHAPTER 15