Title: Best Laid Plans 10/16
Author: Forsaken2003
Pairing: Spike/Xander
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I own none; all belong to Joss Whedon
Comments: Always welcomed!
Summary: Xander decides he wants to help Spike and Buffy get together. What better way than to pretend they are dating?
Warnings/Spoilers: Season 5
Beta'd by: Whichclothes

Part Ten

"Me and Spike?" Buffy asked, her eyes wide. "Xander, there is no me and Spike of any kind!"

"Buffy, you are one of my closest friends. I see the way you look at him and the way he looks at you," Xander replied.

Buffy shook her head. "Spike is involved with you. The only person he is looking at is you." Buffy wondered who she was trying to convince, herself or Xander.

"But not the way he looks at you. I tried ignoring it but I can't anymore. It's not fair to any of us." Xander's throat closed up.

"Xander, did you and Spike have a fight? Are you guys just not ready to live together yet? It's only been a week. Maybe it was too fast?" Buffy hugged Xander. She hated seeing him so upset and it was all because of her and Spike. "I promise you nothing will ever happen between me and Spike."

Xander pulled away and shook his head. "No. This isn't just about me. I want you both to be happy and I think maybe the two of you would be happy together."

"But…"

Spike crawled up from the sewers. He had been worried when Xander had gotten dressed and just left without so much as a "see you later." Figuring the only place Xander would go, Spike made his way to the Magic Box. He was surprised to find Xander and Buffy sitting so close together, both obviously upset.

"What's this now?" Spike asked, looking from Xander to Buffy then back.

"I told Buffy everything, Spike." Xander wiped his face, finding tears he didn't realize were there. He saw Spike open his mouth. "I told her how I know that you have something going on between the two of you even though neither of you want to admit it."

Spike was speechless. He had no idea what Xander was doing. This hadn't been the plan. Why would Xander change it without telling him? "Xander…" What had changed? The morning had been nice except for Xander's panic attack, which Spike was still confused about.

"It's okay, Spike. I know you never meant to hurt me and that you really tried with me. But it's Buffy you want. I-I'm not…not what you want and I know I'll never compare to Buffy." Xander stood. "Look, I need to get out of here. I need some air. You guys should really talk."

"Xander," Spike said and went to grab Xander's arm but stopped when Xander flinched. They needed to talk. Something wasn't right. Xander was acting like he was actually heartbroken.

"We'll talk later, I promise. But not right now," Xander said as he backed out of the room.

Buffy and Spike were left in an uncomfortable silence.

Xander hammered on Willow and Tara's dorm room door. Willow would be in class and hopefully Tara would here instead of the library.

Tara pulled the door open, her eyes wide when she saw a disheveled Xander. His eyes were red and puffy. "Xander! What's wrong?" She ushered him in to the room.

"You were right. I'm so stupid!" Xander flopped down on the bed, his face buried in his hands.

"I never called you stupid," Tara said and sat beside Xander. "What happened?"

"This morning was going great until of course I screwed it up. He made me breakfast! Who knew Spike could cook? And it was so good. It almost felt like we were a real couple, you know?" Xander babbled. "And then I opened my big mouth asking why Buffy. I will never be the one he wants."

Tara hugged Xander. "It's okay, Xander."

"No, it's not. I feel like my heart is breaking. It was all a scam, I know, but it felt real," Xander explained. "I decided to end it. I went to Buffy told her I know she and Spike have feelings for each other and that if I don't step back we'll all end up hurt in the end."

"What did Spike think of the change of plans?" Tara asked.

"I didn't tell him," Xander confessed. "He was as surprised as Buffy when he came in."

Willow just walked in. "Tara, I aced my exam! I mean I knew I was going to. Not that I'm bragging or anything but I studied really hard and I aced it!" She stopped her babble when she saw Xander looking upset and her girlfriend trying to comfort him. "What's wrong?"

"Me and Spike are over. He has feelings for Buffy and she has feelings for Spike. It wasn't fair to any of us so I ended it," Xander told her miserably.

"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry!" Willow dropped down on her knees in front of him. "Are you sure? I mean you and Spike seemed so happy. Especially last night with the…dancing."

It took all of Xander's energy not to laugh hysterically. They really had been able to fool everyone. "I'm sure."

"Even if it's true, Buffy would never go out with Spike. Not when she knows how upset it will make you," Willow reasoned. She bit her lip. "You basically gave her permission, didn't you?"

"I couldn't be the reason they couldn't give it a shot," Xander said. And it was true. Even with his feelings for Spike he couldn't live with himself if they could have been happy. "We weren't together that long. It's not like I fell in love with him or anything."

Willow looked confused. Xander wasn't in love with Spike yet they moved in together? Something wasn't right. "Why don't you stay here tonight? Clear your head?"

Xander wanted to say no. He needed to talk to Spike. But not right now. Their talk could hold off for a day. It's not like Spike would care, not when he probably had Buffy in his arms right now. He ignored the tear that slid down his cheek.

"Do you want to explain to me what the hell just happened?" Spike demanded. He was upset; he had no idea what happened and why Xander looked like his puppy had just been ran over by a car. Twice.

"I have no idea," Buffy said, her gaze still on where Xander had left. "He has to be under a lot of pressure or something at work. I mean why else would he think the two of us have feelings for each other?"

Spike was sick of the games. Xander gave them an opening and he'd be damned again if he let it pass. He grabbed Buffy by the arms and shook her. "How about it's because there is something there? We've been trying to ignore it but we can't anymore. Xander put himself through all this pain to confront you about this. Don't make it sound like he is insane. He deserves more than that!"

Buffy pushed herself away and paced. She couldn't get involved with Spike. Not after the pain she saw that it caused Xander. But Spike was right. Xander did this because he knew Spike and him could never work. "I don't know."

"I'm not asking you to bloody marry me. I'm asking for a chance for us to try. Is that so bad?" Spike asked. He watched her pace and saw the wheels spinning in her head.

After several minutes Buffy finally nodded. She was going to hell for this.