Title: Transplant Tragedies 4/5
Author: Forsaken2003
Pairing: Spike/Xander
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I own none; all belong to Joss Whedon
Comments: Always welcomed!
Summary: There is a demon stealing organs from people who have had transplants.
Warnings/Spoilers: Post NFA
Beta'd by: Whichclothes
A big thanks to naughty_fae for the amazing banner

Part Four

Note: I did research for this chapter and I hope that I understood it correctly. Apologies if I misinterpreted.

"What's with the flirting all of a sudden?" Xander asked as they made it back to headquarters.

"What do you mean all of a sudden?" Spike asked. "Been flirting with you for months, you've just been too daft to notice."

Xander's mouth fell open. "You have not!"

"Yes, he has," Buffy joined the conversation.

"But he always insults me!" Xander insisted.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "And then he compliments you or does some British innuendo." Xander looked at her, confused. "You know when he calls you a moron and then says it's a good thing you're pretty."

How had Xander never noticed that? That was easy enough to answer, the insults always stuck out more than the compliments. "There was no compliment when I bothered you before your shower!" HA! Chalk one up for the Xan-man.

Spike rolled his eyes. "Smelt you coming my way, didn't I? I wasn't actually going for a shower when you knocked on my door."

"SPIKE!" Buffy scolded with a laugh.

Xander opened his mouth to say… something but thankfully Willow cut him off from most likely sounding like an idiot.

"There's been another death, guys!" Willow announced.

"When?" Buffy asked, all joking forgotten. She followed Willow into the research room.

Willow opened up a page on her laptop and a death report popped up. "Ken Jones; his kidney was taken."

"Isn't that a little fast for an autopsy to be done?" Xander asked.

"The police are starting to figure out there is a pattern apparently," Giles answered.

Spike grunted. "Bloody morons. Good way to get their intestines ripped out."

"That's only if they've had a transplant," Willow reminded him.

Buffy turned to Giles. "We need to find out what this damn thing is, Giles! It's already hurt four people. How many more people is it going to hurt?"

Giles pulled out a map. "We've been able to pin-point the area it's staying in." There were four red dots on the map. "Josh was attacked near the University of London and Ken was attacked outside of the Lamb and Flag pub. Julie was at the Odeon Cineplex and Joanna was at Karine Jackson Hair & Beauty." He pointed to each dot.

"Great, we have a hunting ground," Buffy said. She looked at her watch. It was later than she thought. "Look, we all need to get some sleep then tomorrow we go hunting."

Everyone started to walk away. "Wouldn't it be better if we had someone to draw him out?" Xander asked.

"Xander, no!" Willow cried.

"It's kind of hard to use someone for bait when we don't know anyone who has had a transplant," Buffy said.

Willow grabbed Xander's arm. "Don't even think about it!"

"What's going on?" Giles asked.

"The demon will come for me," Xander said.

Spike's eyes narrowed. He didn't like where this conversation was going. "What the bloody hell are you talking about, pet?"

Xander looked around to all of his friends. Willow had been the only one to know; he could never hide anything from her. "Before you guys came to Sunnydale, before we knew about demons, I had a heart condition called cardiomyopathy."

"What's that?" Buffy asked.

"If I'm not mistaken cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that involves either weakening or stiffening of the muscle," Giles said, looking to Xander for confirmation.

Xander nodded. "Two years before we found out Sunnydale was a feeding ground for hell I had a heart transplant."

Buffy collapsed into a vacant chair. "But you don't have any scars. The swim team…"

"The wonders of micro laser skin treatment," Xander replied.

"The question I have to ask is why did you never inform us of your… condition?" Giles asked.

Xander looked at Giles as if he should know the answer. "You were against me and Willow helping at the very beginning. I know that if you knew I wouldn't be here."

"He's right, Giles," Buffy said. "But it hurts that you felt like you couldn't tell me."

"Because you would have done the same thing, Buff. You'd have made me stay on the sidelines and let's face it, that's not my style."

Buffy wanted to deny it but knew she'd only be lying to herself. "You're right. I'm sorry, Xan."

"It's in your nature to protect people. It's your job. I'm not going to fault you for it." Xander smiled. "Now tomorrow I think…"

"No!" Spike snarled.

Xander sighed. He was hoping since Spike was keeping his mouth shut that meant he wouldn't be against this plan.

Spike grabbed Xander and pulled him away from the others as if he were afraid they would agree to this ridiculous plan. "I'll be damned again if I'm gonna let you go out and get yourself bloody killed!"

"Spike, you were the one who just told me I'm not weak," Xander said. He leaned in. "Don't make me the weak one. Don't ask me hide."

"You're a pain in my sodding arse, Harris," Spike whispered. "And if you didn't have such a lovely arse yourself I'd be kicking it."

"Aww!" Buffy and Willow said together.

Giles rolled his eyes. "Xander, are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes," Xander said with a bob of his head.

"And I'm your back up," Spike said. He gave everyone a look that said they better not argue. Soul or no soul he'd do everything in his power to keep Xander safe, by any means.