Listening and Lies: Chapter Four
by daedreams
Chapter 4

It had been a very disturbing couple of days. Buffy was more wigged out than he had ever seen her. Even more so than when she found out she was destined to die last year. Of course, it was Angel who was doing it. Leaving little hints that he had been in her house. The fucker had even been in Willow's room. Killed her fish. And then tonight he got to Buffy's mom and told her about their fateful little rendezvous. Poor Buffy. At least they were able to do the invitation reversal spell. Certainly hope they'll both think twice about letting a strange, tall, brooding vampire-passing-as-a-man into their homes.

Maybe Xander shouldn't be one to judge, though. He had spent the last four nights in a graveyard having what amounts to a very normal conversation with an odd, small, pining manlike-creature-trying-hard-to-still-be-a-vampire. And maybe it had only been a few days, but he was actually beginning to rely on these little encounters. Spike would let him talk about random things, asking questions every now and then, but mostly just letting him talk. He found out that Cordy wasn't the only thing he had needed to get off of his chest. Spike's talk of family prompted Xander to start reflecting on his own home life, and he was able to regale to the vampire some his own tales of parental woes. The vamp seemed to enjoy hearing about his failures and disappointments. Evil little bastard. It was somehow okay, though. It was the talking that kept him going back. Being able to have someone, even an evil dead someone, let him just talk. It calmed him. No matter what had happened at school that day, or how bad he was teased by the Cordettes, or how self-involved his best friends were (even if they did have the right to be), he was able to just loose himself in that graveyard, talking to Spike. Buffy would never understand.

Plus, Xander was learning some pretty fun and disturbing facts about vampire-life (unlife, that is). Spike told him mostly about the adventures he and that bizarre Drusilla had together. Places they'd been, people they killed, even some unexpected sex stories that he was able to lock away in a file only to be opened when he had met just the right women with a very big open mind (and that would happen any day now, right?).

Tonight as he was walking to Pleasant Fields, he was in good spirits. Patrol with Buffy earlier that night had been quick. She dusted one vamp and only after Xander had jumped on its back and distracted it (WonderBoy moment!). Now, his ladies were safe in their homes with the knowledge that no nasty vamp could come in uninvited. Xander entered the cemetery whistling and swinging his stake in his hand. When he saw Spike, though, he instantly knew something was wrong.

The blonde was still sitting in his chair, hands on the wheels and rocking it back and forth causing two tiny strips of grass to disintegrate leaving only dirt. His head was down and he was softly mumbling and cussing, very much like he had been the first time Xander found him here. He slowly walked up to him and stood much closer than he would have felt comfortable just a few days before.

"Spike?" Xander reached out and put a hand on his shoulder stopping the chair.

The vampire whipped his head up at Xander in full vamp face. He was growling and practically hyperventilating. Xand didn’t think vampires breathed, but sure enough, Spike was taking in and exhaling quick deep breaths like his unlife depended on it. His gold eyes were shimmering brighter than he had ever seen. Xander took a step back quickly with both hands raised defensively in the air.

"What the hell, Spike!" The vampire growled at Xander, causing him to take another step away. He tried to remain calm. "You gonna tell me what's going on, or do I stake you right now and save me and rest of the globe a world of hurt?"

Spike's breathing steadied slightly, but he kept his game face on. "A century. He took a century from me. They forgot. They both completely forgot. And he'll pay. He'll suffer. Then they'll remember. They'll remember who I am. I haven't changed and they'll remember."

Xander took a step closer again, and squatted down next to Spike. He put a hand on one of the wheelchair's arms.

"Okay, I get that something is going on with Angel and Drusilla, but we already knew this. Did something else happen tonight?" Even through the vampire's wrinkled brow and gold eyes, Xander could see all the anger and confusion. He knew that this was ridiculous. He knew that he should back away and let Spike rant about whatever was up with him, but this was what Xander did best. This is what he knew how to do. He helped. Maybe it was all he knew how to do.

Spike started rocking the chair back and forth again, almost running over Xander's toes if he hadn't staggered back about a foot. He stayed squatted, his eyes rooted on Spike, determined to show the vampire that he wasn't going anywhere.

~~~~

"Stupid kid," Spike growled. And through the rage boiling inside of him and the hurt that was taking over no matter how much he tried to turn it into anger, he heard it. The heartbeat. And he wanted it to calm him. He knew he needed it. But he couldn't suppress the hurt. And this other thing that came with the hurt. He could smell the fear coming off his own body and that's why the rage. Through the beautiful heartbeat he couldn't get rid of the hurt and fear and anger and he wanted to get lost and he wanted to fall under the water, but he couldn't. He started to shake from it all and this heartbeat that sat in front of him was looking at him with big brown eyes. He wanted to help. Could he help?

~~~~

Spike had stopped rocking again, but Xander saw that he was visibly shaking now. This bothered him more than he expected it to.

"Tell me."

"They're leaving. Both of them. Together. Didn't even tell me. I overheard it. The plans are made. After Dru had her vision and they found out what the lady was going to do, they disappeared to another room. I was just going to leave again, then I heard them talking instead of shagging and they're leaving. Tomorrow night. With no mention of me. South America or some such place," Spike's demon fell away and he looked at Xander as a man. And all Xand could see in those ocean blue eyes was sadness. "Dru wants to see jungles. She never told me that."

Xander stood up and leaned against the headstone that was normally Spike's seat. He crossed his arms and tried to find a way to make it better. He needed more info.

"What triggered this? You said Drusilla had some sort of a vision? What lady is going to do what?"

Spike's breathing had stopped. He gave Xander a look that he couldn't read. "The teacher chit. The one who teaches computers."

"Miss Calendar? Drusilla had a vision about Miss Calendar? Well, that can't be good. What was the vision?"

"Something about bringing Angel back."

"Angel? You mean…what do mean?

"Restore his soul, you git. Curse him again."

"Wait. Miss Calendar can do that? She said she couldn't. So, that means that Angel would be good again. Well, that's….I don't really know how I feel about that. I enjoy hating him so much."

"Don't fret over it too much, kid. Angelus will kill her before she can complete the spell."

"What?!" Xander stepped over to Spike. He leaned down, gripped the arms of the wheelchair and
put his face in Spike's. "What?! He's gonna kill her? When?"

Spike made no attempt to back away. "Well, tonight, I suppose. Since they're leaving tomorrow. Probably right now."

"Mother Fucker!" Xander pushed back on the chair and sent Spike rolling backwards before he grabbed the wheels to stop himself.

Xander turned and ran.

~~~~

He was out of the cemetery before he realized that he had no idea where he was going. He didn't know Miss Calendar's phone number to warn her and didn't know her address to intervene. But Giles would know. Xander turned north and ran toward the school, only a half mile away.

When he approached the double doors closest to the library, he had to stop and fumble in his pockets for the key. Giles had given all the Scoobies a key to the school for comings and goings involving late night research parties. He finally found the correct one on his key chain (what the hell do I have all these keys for? Only need two), threw open the doors, and ran to the library.

The phone was on the checkout desk. He picked it up and pressed *2, the speed dial for Giles. It rang twice.

"Giles here."

"Giles! Listen - Angel is on his way to kill Miss Calendar. Right now! We need to get Buffy."

"Xander? What? Jenny? He's going to kill Jenny? Are you sure? How do you know?"

"No time to explain. I'm very sure."

"Well, I assume she's at home, and he can't get in unless invited. I'm sure she's safe."

"Giles, he'll find a way. God, just trust me on this! We need to get to her. Where does she live?"

"Oh, yes, of course. Um…1214 Bayberry Court. Flat 5."

"Go there now. Call Buffy - I'll be there as soon as I can!” He slammed the phone down and ran into the library cage. He flung open the doors of the metal weapons cabinet and grabbed a small battle axe and the crossbow and arrows. He took a moment to load one arrow into the crossbow, then ran out of the library.

He was almost to the exit, when a noise near the student lounge stopped him. He looked to his left, up the staircase, and there was Angel, standing on the mezzanine landing of the stairs. He was in vamp face and looking up toward the top of the stairway and suddenly, there was Miss Calendar. She stumbled down the stairs quickly and screamed when she landed in Angel's arms.

"Sorry, Jenny. This is where you get off," Angel put a hand on her chin and one on the back of the teacher's head.

Now, now, now! Xander's brain was screaming at him. With shaking hands, he lifted the crossbow toward the two on the stairs. He aimed, and fired.

It was the luckiest shot he had ever made. Xander barely saw the wooden arrow fly and, instantly, there it was, sticking out of the vampire's chest. Angel turned his head and looked down the stairs. His eyes momentarily got wide, then quickly narrowed.

"You?" was the startled question, then Angel exploded into dust.

There was a load clatter as the arrow fell to the ground. Then a soft moan as Miss Calendar did the same.

~~~~

Part 1 - Epilogue

He pulled up to the apartment building in Miss Calendar's car. She was curled up in the passenger's seat and hadn't said much after she had woken up on the stairs at the school. Xander found a parking space near the front door and helped his teacher out of the car. He kept a hand around her waist as he found the door key on her key chain and let them into the building.

They made their way to her apartment on the second floor, finding the door kicked in. Buffy and Giles were inside looking panic stricken. When Miss Calendar saw Giles, she fell into his arms and began sobbing. The younger two watched as Giles guided the woman into her bedroom and shut the door behind them.

Buffy turned to Xander and laid a hand gently on his arm.

"Angel?" she asked. The look of fear on her face caused a spark of anger to flare through Xander's body. He made a small attempt to suppress it, but couldn't.

"Dust," he told her, then instantly regretted using that word instead of something a little gentler. He was tired of seeing sadness in his friends' eyes. He was supposed to be the one who made everyone smile. Made them laugh. It was his job to protect the people around him. And in order to save Miss Calendar, he had killed his best friend's true love. He had no idea if she would ever forgive him.

To be continued in Part 2...
(which I will post in about 24 hours).


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