Disclaimer: All the characters except for the various vampires with bit parts belong to Joss

Whedon, Mutant Enemy, etc. I own the plot, the crystals, and nothing else. Don’t sue me.

Author’s Nootes: This started out as a Spike fic, but over the course of several months, evolved

into a regular fic. Thee second fic will focus more on Spike. But until then, enjoy!

When The World Turns Around

By Sapphire T

Would it ever be the same? Eating freely, being myself? Spike shook his head. Angelus was

right! Spike knew. He just wouldn’t admit it.

He shook his head, leaving those unwelcome thoughts behind. Dru would help- she always did.

He wheeled over to where she was. “Everything all right, baby?”

An evil smile spread across Dru’s face. “Angel is here, Spike. It makes me so happy!” Rolling

over, she got off the bed and began dancing about the room. How he wished he could join her! But he

couldn’t- he’d never be able to again.

“He frees us up, pet. Him being with that bloody slayer- that always blocked us from doing what

we wanted. Now she suffers - she misses him.” Spike smiled. “We can bring her down. All of us.”

Laughing, Drusilla walked over to Spike. In his bleak life, she was the only thing that made

sense. She smiled. “Spike- where is Angel?”

“I don’t know, Dru! I don’t worry about him, like a bloody pet dog!”

Backing away, Dru got an upset look on her face.

“I’m sorry, pet,” he said, going over to her.” I didn’t mean anything. Here, how about I go and

find him for you?”

Dru smiled. “If you can, then everything will be wonderful. Find him, Spike. Find him for

Princess.”

------------------

“Where is he?” Was he gone?

Spike went over to another one, Thomas. He knew everyone- if anyone knew where Angel was,

Thomas would.

“Thomas. Where. Is. Angel?” Each word was its own sentence.

Stammering, Thomas said, “He took off about an hour ago. I don’t think you could catch him

though, Spike. You being how you are and all, well-”

Thomas didn’t get to finish. He grabbed his shirt collar and said, “If you ever say anything like

that again, I swear, I’ll kill you myself!” Spike let him go and said “Now, Thomas- which way did he go?”

“I don’t know.”

“Maybe I should repeat myself. Which way did he go, Thomas?”

“Right.”

Spike went after him, following the scent of blood. It felt so good! He hadn’t been outside in a

long time.

After a long while, he got to a cross street. he was about to go across over the curb when he heard

a somewhat familiar voice.

“Excuse me, can I help you?”

Spike turned around. “Well well well. Where might you be heading, slayer?”

“Spike?” There was a note of disbelief in her voice. he knew why. He had always been strong, a

fighter to the end, when she beat him- every time, come to this slayer.

”Spike? Is that really you? You look....awful!”

“Why don’t you stake me right now and get it over with? If you’re going to, that is. Or do you not

believe in a fight with unfair advantages?” He somehow knew that was true as well as he knew my own

name. Without waiting for an answer, he continued, “You don’t, do you? That’s why you won’t stake me

now.”

That was when she shocked him. “Spike,” she said, “I hate you. I think you’re the scum of the

earth. But I respect you, and I have the decency to call you your name- should I say William?”

Spike’s hands tightened around the wheels of my chair- he didn’t even see her. All he saw was

red. “All right- Buffy.” His voice was even; controlled. “Don’t call me William.”

Smiling slightly, she seemed to quote from a book- “William the Bloody. Earned his nickname-

that’d be Spike, wouldn’t it- by torturing his victims with railroad spikes.”

He looked at her, and said, “You’re asking for it, slayer-girl.”

“Asking for what? You to walk again? You to kill me?” Her voice suddenly grew quiet. “Well,

maybe I am asking for that first part.” Pausing, she said, “Even when I thought you were dead, I hoped

you were alive. I love to fight you, Spike. You’re the best! The best,” she repeated.

“Remember? We were both fighting other people, then we ended up fighting each other. Both of

us said we’d rather be fighting the other! I don’t know about you, but I meant it.” Taking a breath, she

said, “You were great. Graceful - smooth - clean - clear. Now?” With a sigh, she said, “You’re paralyzed,

Spike. You know it and I know it. I’ll miss you. I want you dead, Spike, but not after one last fight. If you

go out, I want it to be with a bang.”

She let that sink in, then continued. “Dru-she’s the strong one now. Angel- he’s strong, Spike.

When he was good- even then- he was strong.” Sighing, she said, “These are probably the first words I’ve

had with you that don’t involve one or both of us getting kicked in the gut. I want to keep it that way.”

She walked away.

Part 2

Spike entered a warehouse, and called, “Angelus.”

“What do you want?”

“Why have you been away? Dru wants you home. I suggest you getting there.”

“I had to think. And I made up some damn good slurs for you while thinking..”

I looked him in the eye. “Be careful with the jokes. I still control the Judai Crystal. I still control

the Taker. I still control the Soul-Seeker.”

“Shouldn’t Drusilla?”

“I love the girl, Angel, but I’m not blind. She’s bloody mad! Out of her gourd. She’s less crazy

than when she was sick, but crazy is crazy! If she had the Judai Crystal at her command, I don’t even

want to know what she could do with it.”

Angelus gave a slight grin. “The Judai Crystal?”

“A new relic- we got it before me. Years ago, when that mystical Dracula guy was around, he

crafted crystals of the finest Austrian blue crystal for his women- his wife, his mistress, and his maid, and

he enchanted them. He told them to wear the crystals forever. Rumor had it that crystals had killed the last

slayer.

“Well, this slayer, an Angelina girl, slayed Dracula and his women. The first crystal, worn by the

wife, dissolved into dust in her palm. The second, worn by the mistress, melted away her hand and

replaced it. The third crystal, though, worn by the maid, was not enchanted the same way as the other two.

It was special- Dracula loved the maid better than his wife or his mistress. He enchanted it with a special

magic that let the maid see other people and places, and summon any immortals she wished, like the

Tiraken bounty hunters.

“Angelina threw the crystal into the sea- she knew the enchantment was bad, at least as far as she

considered.. Two years ago, the Master heard about the Judai and wanted it. Seven men went to

Transylvania and got Judai. The Mater used it, but not often. When I came, the Judai’s magic was all but

gone!”

Angel stood back. “What about Angelina?”

“She died in a fight with the Master of her time. Why?”

“Because rumors, when I was first changed, told of a female vampire named Angelina who was a

very temperamental girl. It said she killed anyone who got in her way, and she wore a blue crystal around

her neck. When she wanted to kill you, if she didn’t eat you, she’d press the crystal on your chest. You’d

melt and turn into blue crystal. Like her hand.”

Part 3

“Angel’s fine, Dru. I have to go to the Judai crystal now, but I’ll be right back.” Spike went back

to the chamber where he kept Judai. Leaning over it, he muttered, “Let this work.” Lifting Judai, he called

for Shanna. When she came to him, Spike pressed the crystal to her chest, concentrating on its killing

power. She screamed, then melted and turned to blue crystal. He called to a girl who knew jewelry. “Have

this made into a necklace, bracelet, and earrings for Dru. I want them soon.”

-----------------

The next night, he awoke, and got out of bed. When he ended up on the floor, he remembered his

problem and crawled over to my wheelchair.

Spike went into the room with Judai, the Soul-Seeker, and the taker. How little he had told

Angelus! Didn’t he know that the Soul-Seeker and the taker were the other two crystals? The Soul-Seeker

had been made to dissolve when needed, but also to seek out vulnerable and anguished souls. The taker

was a brutal killer.

Lifting the Soul-Seeker, Spike said, “Oh Soul-Seeker, seek a soul that will be helped by me.” On

the top of the Soul-Seeker, a wavy picture appeared. It was of a medium-tall, thin redhead. Not very

pretty- looked like Agatha, an old flame, before he fell in love with Drusilla. I sighed. She seemed sad- no,

melancholy. She was laughing and joking with a tall blonde girl that looked like the slayer, a tall brown-

haired guy, and a tall, beautiful brunette. There! She was the source of carrot-top’s anguish.

Angel walked in. “What’re you doing?”

“Seeking a victim.”

“Which one?”

“Carrot-top.”

“Wait a minute- that looks like Willow Rosenburg! She has a boyfriend, Oz Jackson, but she still

loves Xander, the guy. The blonde- that’s Buffy. And you see that tall, beautiful brunette talking with

them? That’s Cordelia Chase.”

“Who are they?”

“Xander and Willow are Buffy’s best friends. Cordelia is Xander’s girlfriend.”

Spike shook my head. “Well, Willow is my next target. How about you, Angel? How’d you like to

start that torture?”

Angel licked his teeth. “I can already taste it.”

-----------------

The next night, Angel went out to deal with Willow. Spike and Dru had set up a diversion, just

enough vampires to get everyone at the school worrying and reading up.

Nervous, Spike wheeled over to the Judai Crystal- the vision crystal. This is what he saw:

Angel snuck into the hall. “Giles?” Willow said nervously. “I heard something like somebody moving

through.”

“Yes,” Xander said, “And I saw some little pigs flying. You’re just nervous, Wil.”

“Probably just the janitor,” Giles said. “But in any case, why not investigate, Willow?”

“Yeah, OK,” Willow said. She walked into the hall. Angel stood behind a pillar, then leapt out.

“Willow. Hello.” Next thing, carrot-top had her head yanked to one side, her hair out of the way.

“I’m very hungry.” Leaning over........

“WILLOW! NO!” Buffy ran for her, and knocked Angel away. “Don’t even think about it, baby.”

She rushed Willow into the library.

“Damn!” Spike threw the crystal aside and wheeled away.

He was there to greet Angel on his return. “How could you let that puny female get the best of

you?” he cried. “You had Willow! Had her. And you let Buffy flick you away like a fly! You useless

excuse for a vampire! I’ll give you one more chance. One. At Willow. But you louse this up- don’t even

THINK about another chance.”

“Spike, you don’t tell me what to do- I tell you.”

“Angelus, maybe you’re forgetting something. I. Am. In. Charge! Which is more than you are!

So, in conclusion get the hell outta here!”

Angel turned away, and was gone. Suddenly angrier than he’d ever been, Spike gripped the Soul-

Seeker and said the chant. Another girl- why always girls?

This one was a tall blonde that looked like the slayer. No, wait a minute- he wouldn’t kill this

one. She’d make a wonderful vampiress.

Turning to the Sunnydale High yearbook Angel had obtained for him, Spike turned to the junior

section and flipped through the pages. There! Amy Demarcas. According to Judai, he could really use this

one.

“Dru! C’mere.”

Walking over, she said, “Yes, Spike?”

“Dru, I need you to see this girl- this one here.” he showed her, on the Judai. “I can use her and if

I can’t, you can have an all-you-can-eat on her pretty little neck.”

Looking at her, Drusilla began to shake, and collapsed. “Spike, she’s powerful. She’s too strong-

she scares me.”

Spike wheeled over to her and asked, “What is she, Dru? A Tambien Worrin? A werewolf? A

zombie?”

“A witch, Spike. A witch! She knows Diana and Hecate. She can help us.”

He smiled. “Theresa! Tyris! Josh!” Three vampires came to him. Spike gestured to Amy

Demarcas on Judai. “Bring her to me. Oh, and Tyris? Don’t eat her.”

Part 4

In about twenty minutes, an angry spitting girl was dragged in by Theresa, Tyris and Josh. “What

the hell is going on here?” she sputtered. “Where am I? And dammit, who the hell are you?”

Spike smiled. “Hello, Amy.”

“Are you a-a-a vampire?”

“Come to think of it, yeah. And how about you?”

“Please, please, please, please don’t eat me! I’ll do anything, just don’t eat me!”

“Hmm, yes, mm-hmm. I think a little witchcraft is in order. A little revenge, perhaps? But first, a

test. Elinore!” A tall female ran up. “Turn her to a-” He stopped. “Dru, would you like a pet rat?”

“Oh, yes, company for Miss Edith.”

“Amy. Make Elinore a large rat. A nice meal for Dru, say?”

Amy looked shaken as she nodded. Then, her eyes reddened, and her hands shaped a ball of light

before as she said, in a deep, angry voice, “Goddess Hecate, to you I pray. Make this demonic one rise to

glory forever!” Then she threw the ball at Elinore, who screamed, and shrunk.

When the change was complete, Dru ran over and said, “Relax, Elinore. This won’t hurt a bit.”

As she sank her fangs into Elinore’s neck, she smiled.

“Good, good- can you do, say a mind-take over?”

Amy grimaced. “Yes.”

“Allie!” Turning to Amy, I said, “Amy, use her.”

Amy grimaced. “Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, I beg you, give your spirit of knowledge to me!” A

grayish light gleamed, for an instant, on her face, and then was gone.

Turning to Allie, she began to chant in another language. “Ama habaya, cogruu atinova! Matua

obliterius, mackateru! Esberu loclin serrova, madina antred!” As she said the last word, she threw up her

hands. Suddenly, she began to claw at her head until blood poured from it. As the liquid dropped to the

floor, several vampires bent to drink. Amy didn’t even see, just screamed and ripped at her head with her

long nails. She finally collapsed, sobbing.

She rose, and, tears pouring from her eyes, and blood likewise from her head, said in a dignified

voice, “Let me go. I see that I am no use to you. Please.” Her voice took on an underlying pleading tone.

“Please.”

Spike looked at her, and said, “Send her out. She is of no use to me.”

Amy ran out. Likewise, he wheeled to Judai. Watching, it played like a movie.

Amy ran to the school, where Buffy and her friends would be. Throwing open the door, she ran

inside, to the library. “Help me. Please, help me.”

Buffy and Willow ran to her, and Xander, Cordelia and Giles each went to get bandages and

towels.

“Amy, what happened?” Willow said. “How did you know we were here?”

Amy sobbed, “Buff, I know. I know you’re the slayer, I know the history of the vampires, I know

everything!” Gasping, she said, “Spike had me brought to his place. He wanted to change me, but first I

performed some small-time magic- I turned this vampire, Elinore, into an rat. Then he told me to do a

mind-takeover. I got the magic, and went into this other vampire, Allie’s, mind. I was ripping at my head-

the pain was unbearable until I broke the tie. I knew so much so fast! Buffy, I can tell you anything about

vampires. Anything!”

Smiling, she said, “I guess when the demonize, they get all the vampire information

downloaded?”

“Yes. What do you want to know?”

Buffy sighed. “Tell me about Spike.”

Amy took a breath, and began to tell my life. “Spike was a guy named William Harris. He was a

British baron. He, well- he was not exactly Mr. Nice Guy. He was actually a murderer. He earned his

nickname by torturing his victims with railroad spikes.

“When he was about 23, he became sick. He knew he was going to die, so he went to vampires

and told them to change him. He said he would be able to get them anything- he knew all the ins and outs

of all the palaces. They changed him- well, Angel did. He was Angel’s’ charge then. Angel taught him

everything he knows.

“When Angel changed Spike, he found a girlfriend, a lover and, to some degree, a sister in

Drusilla. They were like a family. Then, an old gypsy curse gave Angel a soul.

“See, Drusilla was a gypsy. A civilized one, but no less a gypsy of the Calderash people. Gypsies

take their curses very seriously. It took five years to make the one giving Angel a soul! He was a very

brutal vampire- very. The people had to make the curse perfect.

“Anyway, when Angel became good, Spike and Drusilla moved around the world- Berlin, Bern,

London, you name it. Spike killed a whole lot of slayers.

“Spike and Dru came to America about a year ago, to live on the Hellmouth and overthrow the

Master. You did that, so they set their sights on killing the Anointed One, which they did pronto, and

killing you. Buffy, they want you dead.” Pausing, she said, “Do you hate anybody? Or, have you ever truly

hated someone?”

Buffy thought. “The Master.”

“You wanted him dead in a can’t-eat-can’t-sleep way, right? That’s how Spike is about you.

Angel wants you insane. He drove Drusilla insane- I expect he told you?”

Spike know it would be boring from them on, just facts. He broke his hold on Judai and turned

away.

Back at the library

Buffy tended Amy’s cuts, and said, “Amy, I need you to think. Try to remember- who does Spike

hate?

Without hesitating, Amy said, “Angel. Angel took Spike’s girl, Drusilla. Now Spike hates

Angel.”

Buffy went white as a sheet. “Are you saying the only way to make Spike happy is to kill Angel,

or at least make him fall out of love with Drusilla?”

Amy nodded. “Yeah. But Buffy, fill me in- why do we want to make Spike happy?”

Buffy shook her head. “Being a slayer, you get some special abilities- one of them is a mild

psychic and telekinetic ability. I accidentally found out that Spike will kill us if we don’t do something

when I accidentally read your mind.”

Amy gasped. “You - you -,” she sputtered.

Buffy shook her head. She gently used one of her few abilities to put a mental weight on Amy’s

mind, and relax her.

After a few moment’s Amy was calm, and began to speak. “OK. I’ll tell you what you want to

know. Yes, Spike will kill us. He hates you so much, Buffy. He hates Angel. His plans are, unless you do

something to appease him, to kill you. You need to kill Angel. You need to put aside your love and

remember- Angel is a demon now. It is because of him that you, me, Willow, Xander, Oz, Cordelia, and

Giles- it is because of him that we will all die! You need to kill Angel.”

Buffy nodded. She’d known she’d have to kill Angel- she’d just hoped it wouldn’t have to

happen so fast.

Part 5

The next night

Buffy’s house

It’s all lies. My life is all lies! Buffy thought as she climbed out her window. I just hope that

Willow and Xander are there waiting so I don’t have to have another lie to my credit.

Shaking her head, Buffy dismissed that train of thought. She’d cross that bridge when she came

to it. Still trying to rid herself of all these tiresome thoughts, Buffy went to Sunnydale High. Luckily, her

two best friends were waiting for her, along with Giles, Cordelia and Oz.

“Please, Buffy, be careful,” he said. “Angel is a very powerful, very vicious, very brutal vampire.

Also, the fact that you loved him-”

“Relax, Giles, everything is under control,” Buffy said. “Xander, Willow, Cordie and Oz. I want

you all to stay here.”

Oz shook his head. “No. I don’t even know you that well, and even I know that having you dead

would be a very serious blow to the planet. Now, does that tell you something?”

Xander held Cordelia close. “Buffy, I’m coming. So’s Cordelia.’

Cordelia gave him a horrified look, then said, “Oh, I guess he’s right, Buffy. I mean, if you die,

then so does Neiman Marcus, and without that, well.......let’s just say I’m coming.”

Buffy knew Cordelia was covering up her true feelings, but she didn’t care. That only left

Willow. “Will?”

“Hey, if Cordelia is in, I think I can manage to make an appearance.”

Buffy just smiled.

-------------------

Twenty minutes later, Buffy was in front of the abandoned factory where Spike, Drusilla, Angel

and their minions lived. Turning to her friends, Buffy said, “Listen, I want you only for backup. If I yell

any one of your names, come in with crosses, holy water, garlic, the works. And bring a few stakes.”

She then turned and entered the factory. Deciding that her friends should be there for whatever

was going to happen, she hustled them in and positioned them in various concealed places around the

room. She then moved forward.

“Hello? Angel?”

Suddenly, a creaking of wheels made her do an about-face. “Not quite, slayer, but this is what

you’re going to get.”

“Where’s Angel?”

“Oh, far from here Far.”

Buffy sighed. This was going to be more trouble than it was worth!

“Spike, what do you want? Besides Angel eliminated, that is.”

“You gone, with him.”

Spike couldn’t believe he was saying those words!

“Yeah, that’s it.”

Buffy shook hr head. “Well, more like you dead, Spike, my friend.” She lunged in for the

dusting, but stopped at the sound of Spike’s voice saying, “Wait. You wouldn’t kill the daddy of your best

friend, would you?”

Part 6

Buffy was halted mid-stance, her hand posed in mid-air. Her stake clattered to the floor. “What

the hell do you mean?”

“A certain one-night stand with a certain Mariah Javetson.”

Buffy moved in closer to Spike, her stake having been retrieved. “Spike, explain. Now.”

Spike took a deep breath and made himself comfortable. “Approximately 18 years ago, I met a

beautiful young woman at a New York City nightclub. She took me to her house, and gave me one of the

best nights of my life. I was so taken with her that I decided not to kill her- just yet. But when we finished,

she told me that she thought I should go. Well, I’m no fool.

“Coulda fooled me,” Oz muttered.

Spike gave Oz a look, and continued. “I left! I didn’t want to arouse suspicion. But even after I

left, I couldn’t forget her. I had a friend watch her. I found out she was pregnant, and nine months later,

she had a baby boy. She took my name, Harris, so it wouldn’t seem that she’d had a baby out of wedlock.

That was when I lost track of her.

“When I came to Sunnydale, I immediately realized that my son was here. I never got a chance to

confront him, however.”

Xander had been standing stock-still during all this, his face unreadable. Now it was quite

obvious that he was angry- very angry. Lunging forward, he snatched the stake out of Buffy’s hand and

was only stopped from killing Spike by Cordelia reaching forward and pulling him back. “Xander!” she

yelled. “Calm the hell down!”

“No, Cordie,” Xander said. Turning, to Spike, he said, “Do you mean to tell me I was born out

of-of-of wedlock?” He couldn’t barely say the word!

Spike smiled evilly. “Yes, Xan, I do believe that’s what I’m saying.”

Xander sat down on a crate, a stricken expression on his face. “My mom- she always told me my

dad died before I was born. Now I see she’s right. He died long before I was born.”

Cordelia embraced him. “Xan, it’s OK. He’s just doing this to hurt you!”

Xander looked up. “No, Cordie, he’s not. I can tell.”

Willow ran over and hugged him tightly. “Xander, please.”

Buffy, meanwhile, was moving in for the kill. “Spike, if you have the indecency to do this, then I

see no reason to keep you alive.”

“Yes you do, Slayer,” Spike said. “You do.”

“Oh? And what is that?”

“I’m not quite sure,” Spike said, laughing. “But you’re not going to kill me.”

Buffy sighed. He was right! “Spike, just tell me where Angel is.”

“Why? You can’t kill him.”

“I don’t love what he is, Spike. I love what he used to be. I know there’s no way to redo the curse,

so it’s better for him to die now.”

Spike nodded abruptly. “He’s not in Sunndydale. I can’t tell you where he is, but when he comes,

you’ll know.” And with that, he was gone.

Part 7

Xander stormed into his home. “Mom? Get in here.”

His mother walked in, cleaning her glasses on her shirt. “What?”

“Mom, you have a secret. I was born out of wedlock.”

All the color drained from Mariah Harris’s face. She sat heavily on the couch. “I swear, Xander,

I was going to tell you.”

“When? On your deathbed?”

Mariah shook her head, and began to tell Xander the same story he’d heard from Spike.

“.........and I was estranged from my family, so of course there was no one to tell you the truth.”

Xander’s eyes met his mother’s. “Mom, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I knew you wouldn’t be able to handle it, Xander. I love you,. If William was around, no doubt

he’d love you too! Please. You have no idea how hard that was for me.”

“I have some idea. Please, mom! This is......I can’t.......this is torture! I thought I’d had a chance

at a father who would love me, take care of me, but no, all I have is a man who you met one night at a

bar!!”

Mariah buried her face in her hands. Her son’s words were like whips. Each made her hurt more.

She began to sob. “Xander, please! I can’t believe you would be so cruel.”

“ME?!?” Xander couldn’t believe what Mariah was saying. “Me, being cruel?!? You’re the one

who’s lied to me for 18 years! You’re the one who told me my father had died in a plane crash! You’re the

one who never told me I was a product of a one-night stand with a man you barely knew!”

Mariah looked up, her face tear-streaked. “I lied to protect you, Xander. I lied to protect the only

person who matters to me......I lied for love.”

“Yeah?” Xander asked. “Well, the truth is a hell of a lot more loving.” With that, he got up and

stormed out of the house.

-----------------------

He walked to the factory. It was like trying to move lead- each step was harder than the one

before. He was determined, though, to confront his ‘father’.

Entering the factory, he found Spike sitting in the middle of the room. “Well, Xander. I knew

you’d come back. What have you got to say to dear old dad?”

“Go to hell.”

“With pleasure, my dear boy, with pleasure!” a laughing Spike exclaimed.

Xander swore. “Then go to heaven.”

Spike feigned utter astonishment. “Xander, you break my bloody heart! Go to heaven? How could

you?”

Xander muttered, “Great. I not only have a vampire father, but a witty vampire father!” To Spike,

he said, “Why the hell did you have to enter my life? Did you hunt all over the Earth, looking for your

son, just so you could torture him?? Just so you could ruin his damn life?!?!?!?!” Xander was yelling by

then, and didn’t care who heard him. “That’s what you’re doing, Spike. Ruining my life.” He laughed

bitterly. “You know? I still remember when I found out Buffy was the Slayer. I said, ‘Yesterday it was ‘Oh

no, pop quiz’! Today it’s ‘rain of toad’?’ I really thought that was awful. Now it’s ‘Yesterday it was ‘Oh

no, rain of toad’! Today it’s ‘My dad’s a vampire’?’” He looked away. It was too hard to look Spike in the

eyes. He thought, whenever he saw those icy blue eyes, that bleached blonde hair, That’s where I got my

sense of humor. That’s where I got my brown hair. That’s where I got my.....It didn’t end there, though.

Everything in him, he thought, a bit shakily, he could connect to Spike.

The same was happening to Spike. He’d thought that seeing his son, and vamping him, would be

fun, but he was swept with a flood of emotions, and not the type he wanted, either. Looking at Xander,

he’d think, That’s what I made....that’s what I made?!?!? That girl-crazy Slayer’s whelp who hates the

very core of my being, the very essence of myself......that’s my son?!? I’ve waited eighteen years to see

this boy! A day hadn’t passed in Spike’s life when he hadn’t wondered about his son. A day hadn’t passed

when he hadn’t worried if the boy was still alive. He’d planned to turn him into a vampire, but wasn’t a

fool. Anyone who knew the Slayer’s secret could not, under any circumstances, be vamped. It was a very

odd happening, but one Watcher of many years ago had been proficient in the Black Arts and gypsy

magic. He’d been able to create a curse that was the bane of vampires. Of course, the smart ones, like

Angel and Spike, and the healthy ones, like Angel, always found ways to get around the rule. But Spike

couldn’t- not today.

“So tell me, Spike,” Xander said. “I know you want to vamp me, but I know the curse. How do

you plan to get around it?”

Spike was impressed. Maybe this boy wasn’t as much of a fool as he seemed! “There’s ways

around the curse.”

“What?”

Spike considered, then came to the conclusion that what he was about to do was foolish, but

somehow necessary. “The curse is that anyone who knows the Slayer’s secret cannot be changed. But the

Slayer’s secret doesn’t have to be the obvious one. It’s really quite east to figure out. Now, if you’ll excuse

me....” and he was gone.

----------------------

Spike couldn’t believe what he had done! He’d told a Slayer’s whelp -given, his son, but still-

one of the best-kept vampire secrets! But he hadn’t been able to stop himself. The feeling he’d had when

he looked at Xander- he couldn’t understand it. It had been an unwelcome intrusion into his killing

reverie. It was what had stopped him from putting on his vampire visage and changing his son. And it

was what had kept him from telling his Dru, his pet, his everything, anything.

The next day

Sunnydale High

Buffy swept into the library in her usual style, making Giles’ head whip up from the book he had

it buried in.

“Oh, Buffy. Hello.”

She could tell by his reaction that he hadn’t seen Xander yet, or Willow. Cordie wouldn’t have

told Giles anything; neither would Oz. “I guess you haven’t heard the top story, so I’ll fill you in.” She

took a deep breath. She hadn’t known it was going to be this hard. “You know how Xander is sort of

a...........a bastard. Please, Giles, don’t tell him I said that. It’ll break his heart.”

“Of course not. Now, what were you going to say?”

“”His father is.....is Spike.” She proceeded to spill the whole story.

Giles turned white as a sheet. “Do you know what this means?”

“No.”

“Xander may be an unmatured vampire! I’ve heard cases like this before. One of the victim’s

parents is a vampire, the other is a mortal. The mixing of fluids results in a strange tissue that produces

something of the effect of the siring ritual.”

“Whaddaya mean?”

“Suffice it to say that Xander’s time as a human is severly limited. Spike was eighteen when he

was changed, and Xander is eighteen now- oh my God.”

“What?? Giles, you’re not making any sense.”

“When a vampire and a human come together, the child produced always changes into a

vampire. The age at which the vampire got changed is the age at which the child turns. Xander has very

little time.”

“What’ll happen to him?”

“He’ll awake one night with a need for blood, and then.........................I’m guessing tonight,

Buffy.”

“Why?”

“As I said, Spike was eighteen when he changed. Xander is.....”

“Seventeen. Going to be eighteen......oh my God, today’s his birthday! We all forgot yesterday.”

“Worry about Xander’s birthday later. Tonite he is going to turn onto a vampire and there is no

way to reverse the process!!”

“Remember why Angol killed Miss Calendar? She’d recreated the curse! Now, if I can find the

disk, I can curse Xander.”

Gioles turned to Buffy. “We have to tell Xander.”

Buffy nodded.

--------------------------

“Xand? Come with me.” Buffy and Xander walked to the library.

“Buff, what’s the big idea?”

Buffy didn’t answer, just went with Xander to the library, getting Cordelia and Willow on the

way.

When they got there, Gileos said, “Xander, I have some news for you that will upset you, destroy

you, and probably break your heart.”

Xander sat down heavily and said, “What could destroy me more than what I found out last

night?”

Buffy said to Giles, “I’ll tell him.” She sat down next to Xander. “Xander, you know what you

found out last night? Well, Giles told me that what that means is theat.... oh God, this is so hard. That you

are a vampire. You’re going to turn tonight”

“No,” he whispered. “No, it isn’t true!”

Buffy sighed. “It is. I’m going to-”

“No, Buffy. I’ll do it,”Willow said. “I’ve seen it. I can do the curse. Tonight, at 10:57, I’ll do the

curse giving Xander a soul.”

Xander took a long look around. “Cordelia.....”

“Of course, Xander.o I’d never admit it, but I love you,”she whispered. He embraced her so

tightly, Buffy thught he was ging to cut off her air supply.

He then turned toWillow. He needed to say nothing, as the two huggeod.

Then, looking at Giles, he said, “Giles, you are one of the best friends I’ve ever had.”

“Will still have, if the bloody curse works.”

Xander walked out. If he had to be a vampire, he’d meet his fate like a man.

The End

Comments? Send to Sapphire

Get me back to Angel of the Night!

Get me back to Spike's Corner!

Get me outta here period!