Title: Rites of Passage -
Chapter 1/9
Author : Taltos
([email protected])
Paring: S/X, A/Wes, S/A
implied
Summary: AU - Several years
in the future. Spike and Xander have
been lovers for some time until Spike fears that he can no longer control his need
to properly claim him and feels he must leave to protect Xander.
Rating: NC-17 for language and graphic m/m sex
Disclaimers: Not mine. All hail Joss Whedon and company. I gain no monetary benefit.
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I watch him as he wanders aimlessly around the hotel. I had forgotten over the years how much
humanity Will had retained when I turned him.
It took decades under my iron hand to turn him into the cold-blooded
killer he became. But that's not his
true nature and had I ever doubted it, all I would have ever needed to see is
the state he's in now. Tortured and in
pain to be separated from his mate.
I asked and demanded and ranted and raved to know why he
left. If he loves him that much, why
go. But I already know. William wanted to claim his mate, but
couldn't. Not because of the
implant. The implant is based upon
intent, but because of the boy's friends.
Although they had been tolerant of Will and Xander's relationship, they
would have never allowed the claiming to take place, regardless of Xander's
wishes. Xander would have lost the only
family he'd ever had and Will refused to be a part of the heartache that
separation would cause his lover.
Believe it or not William does understand family. If he didn't he wouldn't be here now, in
front of me, with tortured eyes and a wounded heart.
So he did the only thing he could.
Called in the favors dealt from the backroom, tossed around some money
and let the lies fly. William the Bloody
had been dusted. Only Buffy knew the
truth. She doesn't know the truth of why
he left, but she knows he's here, with me.
That she only protested half heartedly, indicating Xander would be hurt,
doesn't escape my mind. My heart, my
soul and my demon ache for him. He's
restless and twitchy and every demon he helps me kill is dead long before
William stops the beating.
I've tried to convince him that if he and Xander stood as a united
front and included the others in the process they'd be more apt to accept the
claiming. I've tried to explain to him
that letting Giles in on the benefits of such an act would sway his
opinion. He won't have any of it. His argument is fierce. If he claims Xander it doesn't make him safe,
it puts him in more danger. Xander would
then be a permanent fixture on every demon's hit list. He would be the human mate of a turncoat
vampire.
I sigh heavily because a part of me knows he's absolutely
correct. However, William forgets that
he's a master vampire in his own right and for many demons that's enough to
turn them off the scent of Xander.
Spike's reputation isn't fiction.
He's a brutal killing machine on his good days, tamper with those he
loves and there isn't a corner in this world that will be far enough away to
hide from him. That reputation alone
would protect Xander.
I've finally decided to contact Giles. He's the voice of reason in Sunnydale and
although he and Will have had their differences; he was the first to accept
Will at his word that no harm would come to Xander from their relationship. I know that I shouldn't interfere but this is
my boy. His happiness is my only
concern. I know that Giles will listen
and then he'll research and then he'll accept.
Giles will help the others accept.
I glance toward Will. He's still
pacing, waiting for Gunn to return with the information we need.
I stand up and head for my suite to make the phone call
"Where are you going?"
I start just the smallest bit, but I manage to look him in the eye
as I lie to him.
"Left a book upstairs."
I turn away before he can see the deception in my eyes. Once upstairs I close the door and wait,
listening to see if he followed me. When
I know for sure he's not coming I pick up the cordless phone I keep next my
bed. I pray that Giles is home. I don't know if could hazard this a second
time.
"Hello."
Breathing a sigh of relief I smile.
"Giles. It's..."
"Angel. Is everything
alright?"
"Everything is fine, but I...Giles are you alone?"
I could kick myself for how completely asinine that sounds. Are you alone?
Suddenly I'm reminded of phone sex operators.
"Yes. You're sure everything is fine there."
"Spike isn't dead."
The silence on the other end is deafening. I hadn't intended to just blurt it out, but
polite conversation has never been my strong suit. His continued silence doesn't help.
"Giles, are you still there?"
"Yes, yes, I'm here.
I'm afraid I'm confused. We have
several reports from reliable sources accounting what happened here that
evening."
"He's here. He's been here
with me since that night."
"Angel, I don't understand.
Why is he there and why did he leave.
Surely he knew what this would do to Xander."
The shock in his voice is giving way to anger. Anger at my child for causing undue hurt to
people whom Giles considers family.
"If you're ready to listen I'll tell you. If you're only going to cast judgments, this
conversation is over."
I hear him pouring a drink.
He takes a long sip and an even longer breath before he speaks.
"I'm listening."
"You all know that Xander and Spike were lovers. Spike wanted to take Xander as his mate,
wanted to claim him, but he knew the three of you would never allow it to
happen. It was getting harder and harder
for Spike to fight the pull of the demon to perform the ritual. He was afraid there would come a point when
he wouldn't be able to stop, when he wouldn't be able to force the demon
back. You know as well as I do that the
ritual wouldn't harm Xander in any way.
In fact you also know it would have made him stronger, safer. But Spike wouldn't pit Xander's love of the
only family he's ever really had against his love for Spike himself. He was afraid he'd lose. So he called in some favors and the rumor
that he had been killed circulated and he left.
I want you to let him do the ritual."
I can hear him rummaging around through the trunk he keeps at the
end of his bed. I know what he's looking
for, the ritual book. It will give him
the full story, all the pros, all the cons, of which there are few.
"I'm going to have to think on this Angel. If...if I agree, I'll have to convince Buffy
and
"Yes, we'd all have to be there. Giles, I haven't discussed this with
Spike. His only concern is Xander's
happiness. I don't think he realizes
just how much Xander cares for him. I
think he believes that he was a distraction for Xander. A way for him to explore a side of himself
that was foreign. But I know that Spike
is slowly dying from this separation and my concern is Spike. I can't watch him suffer like this any longer. When you've finished your research and made a
decision please call Cordelia. If you
call here Spike will be suspicious."
I know I've said too much.
I've probably just said more to him in the last twenty minutes than in
the ten years I've known him.
"Yes, very well then, I'll call when I've had a chance to
look everything over. Oh, and Angel,
Spike wasn't just a-a stop over for Xander.
He's...he's, well he's still mourning quite severely. And as Spike is your only concern, Xander is
mine. I want what's best for him and if
that means...then I'll do whatever I can.
Have a good evening."
"Good Bye Giles."
I feel slightly better knowing that Giles received the idea with
an open mind. What I don't know is how
to present the idea to Will once Giles calls back and the plans have made.
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