Fair warning. Really kinda OOC in some parts here. So please, forgive me. Also, Sunnydale-style insanity and just plain weirdness in this chapter. You've been warned. That aside, enjoy. Oh and Merry Christmas!
The overhead lights in the basement were blinding as Giles' eyes fluttered open. His head throbbed all over, and he knew there had to be a lump somewhere round the back. He blinked a few times, allowing his eyes time to adjust, and slowly realized he was tied to a chair. Thick, tan ropes secured his wrists behind him; his ankles cuffed together with the chains he'd used a few years back to detain Spike in the bathtub. His mind searched, trying to grasp for the wispy bits of conversation he'd heard just as he'd gone unconscious. Willow.. Something about... Let someone die.. My fault.. Buffy? No.. No.. Willow wouldn't ever.. Could she? Maybe she could... Maybe it was.. Lord help me.. A tear threatened to roll down his cheek, just as the basement door swung open at the top of the stairs. There was movement, a thud as the door was slammed shut again, then footsteps thumping down the steps. Xander slowly strode over to Giles, an evil grin taking over what had started as a rather weak and pained expression.
"Well, well... Sleeping beauty's finally up. So glad you could join the party, Ripper.." Xander hissed out the nickname, sneering as he circled the helpless watcher. "No need to speak. I can explain everything. See, we've figured something out here. It was you, Giles. Always you. It was you when she ran away, it was you when she fell for that... Angel... It was you when she died. Don't you get it? You pushed her so hard, and made her feel... Like she had to grow up too soon.. It was all your fault.. And now, well now, buddy you're gonna pay." Xander drew back his fist and brought it down across Giles' right eye, cracking his cheekbone with the force of the blow. Giles sucked in a sudden breath, the pain adding to his already intensifying headache. As he looked back up at Xander, he saw the young man begin pacing the basement, seemingly debating with himself.
"Xander.. I know.. It was.. And.. ah.. I know. Please, something's not right here. You must let me go. Don't you notice it? The fighting, the hostility, the blame. Its... rather unusual."
"No. No, its typical. All of us have been holding back for so long! First Christmas without her... It was bound to happen!" Xander rushed over, and dealt another blow to Giles, this time straight to his ribs. As Giles struggled to regain his breath, he realised that Xander was right about something. They had all been holding back a lot, and it seemed someone had done something to unleash all of it at once. He had to get away, find a way to get out of the basement and figure out what caused this.
"Xander.. Please.." Giles groaned. "Listen to me. It was my fault. I know that. I've blamed myself so much..." He sighed, realizing that it was going to be difficult to get through the anger and hurt that had taken over the poor boy. "You're all like my own children, you know.. Have been for years. But Buffy.. I'd give anything to be the one who jumped from that tower.. Just to let her live.. And you're right.. Being angry with me. But you must remember one thing."
"What? The world needs us? That... that.. we can take over her job and stop the big bads from doing something.. bad?" He exclaimed in frustration. His pacing sped up, and he clenched his fists, ready to beat the older man near to death.
"I love you. All of you. More than this life. And if taking mine is what makes yours easier to bear, then so be it. But always remember that I love you, Xander." Giles watched as Xander stopped suddenly, his back turned to him. There was a long silence, and Giles wondered if he'd come even close to breaking through the spell's hold. Xander's head slowly fell forward, and he collapsed to his knees, shoulders shaking terribly with each sob that escaped his lips. His sobs slowly turned into howls of pain; pain caused by the loss of a loved one, pain caused by spending years hiding your true feelings only to have them shattered by a sudden irreversible death; pain from spending a childhood asking yourself if your parents cared more about you or the booze. As his cries slowed, Xander wiped the tears that streaked his face and stood, turning to face the one person who'd always cared about him, who'd always tried to help him, to save him. To love him like a father loves a child. He rushed to Giles' side, sliding on his knees, hurrying to untie his hands and unchain his feet. As he stood and helped the watcher to his feet, Xander pulled him into a tight, tearful embrace, threatening to break Giles' already cracked ribs.
"Giles.. Oh god.. I'm so sorry. It was just.. and the hate.. and it was like fire.. and.. your eye! Geez, that looks bad. I'm really sorry. I love you too, Giles. We have to figure this out, now. Otherwise, we're gonna be digging a lot of holes tonight." Xander babbled on the whole way up the steps, gently assisting Giles up to the top despite the watcher's protests. Once upstairs, Xander crept ahead, making sure the living room was clear before motioning for Giles to follow. Once seated on the couch, Giles looked around the room then leaned back into the cushions, trying to take some pressure off his aching chest.
"You're so... so.. stubborn! You just can't seem to deal with the fact that you might not be as heterosexual as you think! And THAT is not MY FAULT!" Sherlock roared, shoving John backwards against the TV. "And another thing. Why do you insist on those pathetic jumpers? Really, John. This isn't the fifth grade! Dress.. like.. a.. MAN!" John ducked just as Sherlock swung at him, then used all of his strength to wrap himself around the detective's knees, flinging him backwards onto the bed.
"Well.. You're obnoxious! And not everything is OBVIOUS... You.. freak!" John cried, burying his fist in Sherlock's gut, knocking the wind out of him briefly. As John stood to leave the room, Sherlock grabbed the back of his jumper and pulled him onto the bed, pinning him at the shoulders, his grey eyes studying the doctor's expression. There was a moment of tension between them, then Sherlock leaned down and brushed his lips across John's cheek. He pulled back and forcefully crashed his lips down upon John's, kissing him with a deep, unchained passion that surprised them both. When Sherlock pulled away, John laid there, dumbfounded, then regained his senses and slapped the other man. "How.. dare.. YOU!" John growled low in his chest, and flung himself upwards, throwing Sherlock off him and onto the floor. "You are a freak! A gay freak! What the bloody hell is your problem? Damn you, Sherlock! Go find someone else to harass! What were you thinking?" John stomped over to the window, glaring out at the oak tree.
"Proved that point." Sherlock said triumphantly, then picked himself up from the floor and turned towards John. "You liked it. Don't keep secrets, John. This watcher secret was bad enough of you."
"Get out.. NOW! I can't even look at you! You sick bastard!" John cried, his heart racing faster, his face flushing with pure rage.
"Fine. Fine then. Forget you then." Sherlock stormed out to the hallway, and ducked into the bathroom just as he heard Willow stomping up the stairs after Tara, who was threatening to leave. The detective locked the door behind him, then sat down on the side of the tub, his face resting in his palms. "Bloody hell.. I'm going home."
"Tell me exactly what happened this morning. Everything. Were there any deliveries? Anything new brought into the house? Anyone loitering outside that you've seen?"
"No, nothing.. Umm.. There was breakfast, then John was supposed to help Dawn.."
"Oh! Dawn! Where is she?" Giles stood quickly, then sat back down as the room began to swim around him.
Dawn crept up the stairs, the sword she'd taken from Spike's crypt dragging behind her. She slipped into the hall closet just as Sherlock flung open the bedroom door and marched across to the bathroom. That was close.. She sighed in relief when the bathroom door slammed, followed by the slam of the bedroom door. Dawn leaned back against the shelves, and let the sword slide against the wall till it rested in the corner beside her. Just wait here.. He'll be out after Sherlock soon enough.. His pet.. That asshole.. Call my work rubbish... What a stupid word, anyway.. Why can't they just speak English?
"When I opened the basement, she took off upstairs. I guess she's probably in her room. Why?"
"Her eyes. I saw her eyes. She's being affected too. Damn.. Damn!" Giles stood again, this time maintaining his balance well enough to get upstairs and find Dawn creeping out of the closet and behind John who was arguing with the bathroom door. Giles quickly put his hand over her mouth and wrapped his arm around the girl's waist, hauling her off down the stairs, her feet dragging the floor and arms flailing wildly, one hand still clutching the sword she'd held behind her back. Once back at the couch, Xander sat on Dawn's lap while Giles took the sword and threw it across the room. Satisfied that Xander could use his weight to hold down the struggling teen, Giles searched the house, trying to find what could be the source of such chaos. As he had begun to give up hope, the sun broke through the clouds outside, casting its rays into the living room and over to the mantle where a shining gold object caught Giles' eye. He rushed over and grabbed the golden stone, inspecting it for any marks that could give an answer. The only mark he found was a fingerprint, made of some sort of chocolate cookie goo. "Xander.. Where'd this come from?"
"Never seen it before. Dawn?" Xander took his hand off Dawn's mouth to allow her to answer.
"I'll kill you for this!" She growled, and Xander clasped his hand back in place immediately.
"Nope. I doubt she knows anything..."
"Well.. Right.." Giles set the stone on the coffee table, and removed his glasses to clean them. Just as he brought them up to his handkerchief, he noticed that a small bit of the gold had rubbed off onto his fingers. "Oh... oh! Fool's gold.." He replaced his glasses and rushed over to the bookshelf, yanking down a book about gems and other stones. "Here.. Fool's Gold.. Looks almost identical to real gold and can be found in abundance in small areas, yet has no real monetary worth.."
"Yeah. I took earth science.. What about it?"
"During the gold rush, men would find loads of it, then learn that what they thought was a fortune in gold was merely a ton of pretty rocks. It brought out the worst in them. Men killed over this same kind of rock. If you cast a certain curse on it, it will cause all those who come too near it to go, well, insane, really. Brings out the pure anger and hatred in them if they're even slightly irritated to begin with."
"Great! Now, how do we stop it?"
Spike sat in Dawn's room, staring at the photos of Buffy and Dawn, their mother, Willow, Xander and Giles. As he looked over each of their smiling faces in the frames, a sharp pain struck him, bringing up another wave of anger, followed by a dull ache of sadness. He was no where to be seen, not with Buffy, not with Dawn, not even with Joyce who had always treated him like a man when everyone else saw him as a monster. Just like her Mum.. Good girl, she is.. Loves me anyway.. He thought, then threw the photo of Dawn and Xander at the wall, shattering the glass in the frame into tiny pieces. Spike stood, and stepped over to the CD rack on the desk, looking at the albums. He tossed the Backstreet Boys aside, then N sync, and finally Avril Lavigne before he discovered a disk that nearly melted the hatred that filled him. Never Mind The Bollocks.. Huh.. Guess I've rubbed off on her.. He chuckled to himself, then lowered his brow and stormed off to the bed, flopping down beside the pillows. Just stake myself, I should... Get it done an over with.. She'd never love me. Too old.. Too much like her family.. Family... Buffy... I miss her... an' poor Joyce.. great lady.. Just gonna run out into the sun.. Make it all stop..
"We stop the curse.. well, quite simply really. Smash it." Giles smiled, and tossed the book down onto the table for Xander to verify that he was right about the curse. The page went on forever, then near the bottom, described the curse involved and explained that smashing the fool's gold would end its affects.
"What are you waiting for then? Smash away!"
"Oh.. Right." Giles took the fool's gold out to the kitchen where he set it on the counter and pulled a hammer from the closet. Just as he swung the hammer down, Xander appeared in the doorway, still fighting to hold onto a wildly flailing Dawn. The hammer crashed down onto the rock, and as the tiny shards flew across the counter, a silence came over the house. Xander and Giles stood looking at each other for a long while, before Dawn broke the moment.
"Mrhh... Hrr-mehhh lmmm-mhhh HMM!"
"What?" Xander pulled his hand away from her mouth, leaving just enough space that she could speak, but if need be he could still silence her quickly.
"I said, you can let me go! Its okay.. I'm okay." Dawn wiggled out of his grasp, then sank to the floor, a wave of sadness overtaking her. Her sobs were echoed upstairs, where everyone else suddenly felt overcome by tears, the anger they'd felt dissolving instantly.
"Well. Right then. Tissues?" Giles asked, brushing past Xander to go console the others.
"Hall closet." Xander leaned down and scooped up the crying girl, carrying her like a child into the living room where they sat on the couch, Dawn's body shaking with each heartbroken wail. Xander pulled her close, hushing her softly as he petted her hair in a soothing manner. Spike slowly trudged down the stairs, and into the living room where he sat on the other side of Dawn and looked at Xander.
"Go on, mate. Your girl needs you. I've got the Nibblet." Spike said softly, pulling Dawn over onto his chest, freeing Xander to tend to Anya. As Xander walked over to the doorway, he turned back and looked at Spike for what felt like forever.
"Spike.. You're alright, you know.. Good guy and all. Just thought you should know."
"Right.. You too. Good man. Always thought so... Don't tell anyone though. Gotta keep up appearances, ya know?" Spike forced a half-smile, tears gleaming on his cheeks. Xander nodded in understanding and left the blonde vampire to take care of the girl. "Hey.. Bit.. Shh... It's alright now. I've got ya." Spike pulled her closer, nuzzling against her long brown hair, then planting a kiss on her temple. "I'm here, pet. Shh.." As he felt another wave of misery crashing onto him, Spike felt Dawn move against him.
"Love you, Spike.." Dawn said sleepily, exhausted from the extreme change in emotion she'd felt. As she leaned up to kiss his cheek, Spike leaned down to kiss hers. Their eyes clouded by tears, they both aimed a little off and their lips met, only for a moment. The two jumped back away from each other, startled at the slip-up. It was wrong. Not cool.. Bad. Bad bad.. Very bad.. Dawn panicked in her mind, looking away suddenly as she felt her cheeks warming. Don't blush! Oh.. My... God! What is wrong with me? He's Spike... He's like, like... I really should pay attention in math... 11 times my age! I think... or is it 10? Its Spike! Dawn glanced back over to Spike, then looked away again, crossing her arms over her chest. As she slowly turned her head to try and see Spike's reaction, she felt cold, rough fingertips on her cheek, pulling her face towards Spike, forcing her to look at him. As his blue eyes met hers, Spike hummed a few notes, then in a deep, soft voice sang,
"This is not a love song..." Just as he finished the line, Dawn leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his lips, her hand wrapping around the back of his neck, pulling him closer to her. Spike pulled Dawn tight against him, taking in her scent, her warmth. He pulled away suddenly, and looked into her eyes, taking in just how beautiful she'd become. "We can't... You can't.. I'm..."
"Too old? Spike.. Angel and... B-Buffy.. She was like, sixteen and he was what? Two-hundred and forty-something? Yeah. You're totally not too old." Dawn smiled softly, and kissed his cheek, then rested her head on his shoulder. "But its cool. If its too weird.. I get that. All good here."
"I love you." Spike whispered, his fingers interlocking with hers.
"I thought it wasn't a love song.." Dawn joked, rubbing her thumb over Spike's hand affectionately. "At least everything's back to normal.. Sort of."
"Yeah.. Sorta." Spike echoed, sighing as he fought the need to just fall asleep right there, with the one girl.. young woman.. who could make him feel real again.
"John... Oh, John.. I don't mind the jumpers, and you're not stubborn. Well, not nearly as much as I am.. or Mycroft.. And I know you're not gay.. Or at least.. I know you don't think you're gay.. And I'm not going home without you."
"You really are terrible at apologies." John laughed, wiping his tears on his sleeve. He stood and walked over to the door way where Sherlock stood fighting his own tears. As John wrapped his arms around Sherlock, drawing him into a warm, forgiving embrace, Sherlock lost the will to fight and whimpered softly as a tear ran down his face. "Its nearly Christmas. Let's try and have a nice holiday, right?"
"Right." Sherlock sniffled. "Do I have to get you anything? You know how I feel about holidays. So pointless and over-commercialized."
"One thing, okay? Another one of those kisses. Was kinda nice, really. But, in a friend-kiss way, you know. Still not gay."
"That's what you think." Sherlock mocked, then leaned down and gave his dear friend a quick peck on the lips.
John laughed and smiled up at the detective. "That sucked, Sherlock. Terrible kiss."
There it is. Chapter seven. So, its been a while since I checked Angel and Spike's ages, so please correct me if I was wrong about that. Also, I know some are against pairing Dawn/Spike when Dawn is under 18. But, like Dawn said, Buffy was with Angel, she was 16 and he was like.. an antique. So if you didn't mind that, why would you mind Dawn/Spike? Hmm? O.o Hope you enjoyed this, please R&R! Thanks!