Title: Immortal Convergence Author: Kay Email: kaygrr@hotmail.com Feedback: Do you really want to see me beg? My happy dance is way more entertaining. Website: ssfdu.tripod.com/kay/journal.htm (Sandy rocks) Archive: Hey, just ask first Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Pairing: Xander/Wesley, Xander/Wesley/Spike, Duncan/Methos, Giles/Richie...etc. Rating: PG-13 Sequel: None Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the characters of the show don't belong to me in anyway whatsoever. Mutant Enemy, I live in envy of you. The same goes for Highlander and Rysher - they may be your toys, but I'm going to play with them. Niener. This story is written for enjoyment, not for profit. This whore only works for feedback. Litigation would be a waste of time, people. I'm a member of the Starving Student Sect. Summery: A renegade immortal on the Hellmouth puts Sunnydale in danger, and it's up to the Scooby Gang and some visitors from Seacouver to put things right. Warnings: spoilers up to Graduation II...I think. Xander returned from his summer a month ago, but that's about it. No Anya, no Tara ( I *like* Tara). There is Riley, though. As for HL...say it with me people: Richie isn't dead! Let's just pretend that in the next to last season, Ahriman was vanquished without a certain never-to-be-mentioned incident occurring, K? And the final season of HL never happened, either. Hell, if I'm going to be messing about with the characters, why not mess around with time, too? Part Nine/? Wesley spun to the ground, thrown completely off-balance by the force of Spike's shove. He rolled as he hit the ground, carrying himself out of danger before rising smoothly to his feet. He watched, horrified, as the crumbling front wall of the building collapsed, sending bricks hurtling down in a deadly cascade. Right on top of Spike. Wesley shouted his denial and forced himself to his feet, not sure what he could do, but determined to find a way to help. He took two steps forward before the rest of the building began to collapse with a hideous roar. He threw up his arms to shield his head and was forced back by the choking cloud of dust that arose from the wreckage. When he could see again, Wesley searched for Xander, relaxing slightly when he saw his lover standing unharmed a few feet away. He quickly catalogued the others: Buffy was coughing hard as Riley hovered protectively over her. Willow and Oz were checking on Duncan and Adam even as Giles talked intently to Richie. The Immortal they'd been fighting was nowhere to be seen. He must have seized the opportunity presented by the confusion and fled into the night. And Spike... Wesley swore viciously under his breath in the vilest language he knew as he scrambled over the barely-settled rubble to the vampire. Spike's head and right arm were visible; the rest of him was buried beneath the fallen bricks. Blood coursed in sluggish pulses down his face from a gash on his cheek. Wesley crouched on the bricks near him, not quite daring to touch the pale skin. His hands hovering an inch from Spike's face, he called softly, "Spike? Spike, can you hear me?" "Fuck..." Spike's voice was a barely-there whisper. His eyelids drifted open, revealing eyes that were hazy with pain. "Fuck, that hurts." A warm hand on his back startled Wesley, and he turned to find Xander beside him, face set in lines of worry. "How're you doing, Spike?" "Not so good. I just had a building fall on me, you moron." Spike glared at him. "How bad is it?" Wesley asked. "Not so bad. I've got a few minutes left in me, if I'm lucky." His smirk was tired but it was there. Wesley sucked in a deep breath, his mind racing. There had to be a spell, something he could do to save Spike. Spike had been hurt pushing him out of the way, damn it! He wasn't going to let him die. Not like this. Not before... Xander's hand pressed lightly on his back, pulling him out of the swirling morass of his thoughts. "I'll take care of this," the dark-eyed man murmured, gaze fierce. He stood up and climbed off the rubble. "This guy is getting more dangerous the longer he stays in Sunnydale. I don't want him learning anything more that could do more damage. He doesn't have much of a lead on us; you can still catch him." "What about William?" Adam asked. Buffy hefted her stake. "I can put him out of his misery." Xander shook his head. "I'll take care of this," he said firmly. He held up his hand when Adam started to speak. "Look, you just stay close to Buffy and try not to die, all right? I've got this under control." "Fine," Buffy said. "Try to catch up with us later, you two. Let's get going before this guy destroys any more of Sunnydale." She led the rest of the group off down the street, relying on Oz and Riley to help her track the Immortal. Xander returned to Wesley's side and smiled gently down at Spike. "Are you ready?" "Where are you planning on sticking the stake? Or did you decide to try decapitation?" The vampire's mocking grin was ruined as his face twisted in pain. "Don't be stupid," Xander said, rolling up one of his sleeves. "I'm not going to take your head. What fun would that be? I've got plans for your head and the rest of your body that don't involve you turning to dust." His forearm bare, he glanced over at Wesley. "I do hate having to vacuum the bad, don't you?" "What the hell are you going on about?" Spike demanded. "Why don't we talk about this later?" Xander held his wrist in front of Spike's mouth. "Now drink up like a good vampire so there will be a later." Spike stared up at him speechlessly. "Hurry up," Xander urged. "You need this if you're going to survive." "You sure about this, pet?" "What, you want me to slice my wrist myself?" "No," Spike said. Xander pressed his wrist to Spike's lips. When the vampire continued to hesitate, Xander shook his head impatiently. "Spike, just do it! I'm not going to let you die, not after you saved Wes's life!" His smile was strained. "Not before we've had any real fun together." Spike's reply was the shifting of his features as his demonic visage came to the fore. He parted his lips and sank his elongated fangs into the soft skin of Xander's wrist. Xander gasped and arched his back, but he didn't pull away. Wesley slid himself behind his lover, supporting him by wrapping his arms around him. "How is the pain?" He rubbed his cheek against the exposed side of Xander's neck, trying to be as close to him as possible. He didn't like seeing Xander hurt, but this was the only way to save Spike. The vampire was badly injured and Immortal blood could heal him, give him the strength he needed to recover and free himself. "It doesn't hurt, exactly," Xander said, nestling in closer to Wesley. He moaned a little. "It's just so intense..." He gasped and arched again. "Oh, god..." Wesley felt the faint stirrings of jealousy as his lover writhed against him as the result of something *Spike* did to him. He turned his faces and kissed Xander's throat. It was foolish. They'd both admitted their attraction to the vampire, had been dancing around the idea of becoming involved with him. There was no reason to be jealous. He knew Xander loved him, trusted in that knowledge as he trusted in nothing else. Wesley looked back down at Spike's face. The vampire's eyes were closed, his grimace of pain replaced with one of pure pleasure as he drank ravenously. With obvious reluctance, Spike wrenched his mouth away from Xander's wrist. "No more," he said. "Any more will be dangerous." "Sometimes I think the bleach you use must have seeped into your head." Xander turned carefully in Wesley's arms. His face was pale and his eyes a little shocky. "You should start to dig him out. If this works like it should, we can go after Buffy in a little while." "If it works, I'm taking you home," Wesley said firmly. Xander always tried to make light of injuries he received, even if they killed him, just because he recovered so quickly. Wesley knew that the experiences left him a little shaky and exhausted. He wasn't going to let anything else happen to him tonight. Xander stared at him for a moment, then nodded. "Home," he agreed. He pressed his lips to Wesley's, yielding easily to Wesley's slightly desperate demands to deepen the kiss. After a moment, he pulled away and moved to lay behind Spike, clear of the rubble that covered the vampire. He pressed his wrist to Spike's mouth once more. "All of it, bright boy. You need to drink all of it." "I don't want to kill you, pet." Spike's tongue swept across his lips. "You have to. You need more blood to heal completely. And it's easier for Xander to recover from the blood loss if you just kill him." Wesley picked up a brick and tossed it aside. His gaze met Xander's. "I'd rather be holding you." "Hold me when we get home. The faster you dig him free, the faster we get out of here." Xander flicked Spike's ear with his free hand. "Do it all ready. Your skinny ass doesn't need to be on a diet." Spike, already looking stronger, looked from Xander to Wesley and back again, wonder clear in his eyes. He licked Xander's wrist once before once more biting into the still-wounded flesh. Xander shuddered and closed his eyes, laying his head down on the bricks in preparation for death. Wesley forced himself to look away and concentrate on pulling away the bricks that covered Spike. He paused for a moment when he saw Xander go completely limp. A few moments after that, Spike gently pulled Xander's wrist away from his mouth, face returning to its usual human lines. When he freed Spike's other arm, the vampire began to help, shoving bricks away from himself with controlled haste. Finally, Spike was free. He stood up and swayed alarmingly. "Are you all right?" Wesley asked, watching him worriedly. "Give me a minute. I was dying just a moment ago..." his voice trailed away as he turned carefully to stare down at Xander's motionless form. Wesley scooted over to Xander's side. His lover hadn't died often, but Wesley had absolutely hated it every time it happened. He knew Xander was going to revive, but that was hard to hold on to when he was lying so very still. "We need to get him home," he said. "I'm not leaving him out here." He stared up at Spike. "I can't carry you both." "I can walk," Spike said, standing up straighter. He staggered off the pile of bricks. Wesley watched him closely, but it looked like Spike was telling the truth. He was getting steadier by the minute. The gash in his face had already healed. Immortal blood must be powerful indeed. He turned his attention back to Xander. Carefully slipping his arms under his body, Wesley cradled Xander close and rose to his feet. He picked his way down to the street and started walking quickly back toward their apartment. He didn't want to waste anytime. Xander deserved to revive in a safe place. "Let's go," he said. "He's heavier than he looks." Spike at his side, he hurried through the dark streets. ***** Willow shook her head, hand pressed to her mouth in horror. She couldn't move beyond a slow, continual shaking of her head in denial of what she had just seen. Tears filled her eyes as Wesley carried the dead body of her best friend down the street, Spike strolling along companionably at his side. As they turned the corner and moved out of sight, tears spilled down her cheeks. The harsh sob that broke loose inside of her destroyed the paralysis that held her immobile and she turned and ran down the street, forgetting about the dangers of Sunnydale at night. None of that mattered. All that she could think of was getting to Buffy and Giles and finding a way to make the horrible thing she had seen not real anymore. She caught up with the others not far from where she had left them. Oz was already coming toward her, lips parted in alarm as he took in her tears and distress. "Willow, what happened? Why did you sneak off like that? Are you all right?" He caught her in his arms and held her close. "What happened?" Aware of everyone gathering around her in concern, she tried to pull herself together. Clinging tightly to Oz, she looked over his shoulder and sought Giles and Buffy's gazes. "I went back to tell Xander that we'd found out where the guy was holing up. I thought that we could use his help and that Wesley would maybe do that spell again so we could drive him out of the place he's hiding now." "Why didn't you wait for me?" Oz asked. "I can take care of myself," she said quietly. "I just wanted to make sure Xander was all right." The tears came back. "But he's not all right. Buffy..." "What happened to Xander, Willow?" Giles leaned closer to her, voice concerned. "I don't know why Wesley did it. He must have put Xander in a trance or something. I saw Xander lay down by Spike and put his wrist up to Spike's mouth. Spike, he..." She swallowed hard. "He drained Xander!" "And Wesley just let this happen?" Buffy asked. "He was digging Spike out from under the bricks while..." A sob interrupted her words and she burrowed deeper into Oz's embrace. "Then what happened?" Buffy asked. "Wesley picked up Xander's body and walked off with it. Spike was with him." Her eyes widened. "Do you think that Spike is going to turn him?" "He's not going to have a chance," Buffy promised, face set in lines of determination. "Ah, perhaps you're being just a bit hasty," Adam suggested. "There must be some kind of other explanation. Did you see Wesley put Xander in a trance?" "No. But he must have! Why else would Xander let Spike kill him?" Willow couldn't believe the man was trying to rationalize what had happened. Xander was dead! "Hey, Willow knows what she saw. And what kind of explanation could there possibly be?" Buffy glanced back at the Immortal's new hideout. "I'll deal with this guy later. Right now we've got to go find Xander's body. I'm not letting Spike turn him. I'm not going to let him do that to Xander." Willow nodded shakily. "We've got to stop him." "Look, you don't want to go rushing into this," Adam said, hands raised in a soothing gesture. Buffy silenced him with a glare. "You're right. It's a little late to begin rushing, since Xander is already dead." Tears rose up in her eyes and she blinked them away impatiently. "But I'm not going to let Spike give a demon possession of Xander's body. He's my friend and I am not going to let them desecrate him further." She turned around and stalked off the way Willow had come, Giles close behind her. Willow gently pushed Oz away and met his gaze. "We have to go do this. For Xander." He stared at her for a moment and then nodded. "For Xander," he agreed. He grabbed her hand and they hurried after Buffy. She heard the strangers slowly begin to follow, but that didn't really concern her. She'd failed Xander in letting him be killed. She wasn't going to fail him any more and allow him to be turned, too. ***** Wesley shifted Xander's weight again in his arms. Their apartment building was in sight, and it felt as though his lover got heavier with every step he took. The sparring and training had put new muscle on Xander, muscle that Wesley loved to look at but was rapidly beginning to hate to carry. "I can take him for you," Spike offered. Wesley was tempted to refuse, to keep Xander in his arms...but he was getting heavy and someone needed to unlock the door. He looked over at the vampire, examining him critically. He was walking steadily and appeared completely recovered from his burial. "All right," he agreed. Spike took Xander into his arms, holding him tightly against his chest. His hands were strangely gentle and he held Xander as though he was worried he might break. Wesley moved a few steps ahead of Spike so he could open the door quickly. No need to attract any more attention then they already had. He led the vampire up the stairs to the apartment, glancing back every few steps to check on Xander. He didn't know exactly when Xander would revive, but past experience told him there was probably another half hour before his lover would recover. Spike started to take Xander into the bedroom. Wesley reached out and touched his arm. "Not in there. Take him to the bathroom." The blond man cocked an eyebrow at him. "Wouldn't he be more comfortable on the bed?" "He gets a bath, first." He flushed a little under Spike's incredulous stare. "Look, he hates dying. He says it's strange and frightening and disorienting when he revives. It helps if he is some where familiar and if I'm with him. He'll never admit it, but he feels better if he's had a bath. Only, it's not the bath, exactly." "It's the fact that you took the time to do it." Spike walked past Wesley and into the bathroom. Wesley stared after him for a moment. He hadn't expected that level of insight from Spike. He had the feeling that he was going to find out that he'd underestimated Spike in a lot of ways. A small smile on his face, he followed Spike into the bathroom. The vampire had turned on the water. He had Xander propped up on the counter and was pulling his shirt up over his head. Spike dropped the shirt to the floor and helped to keep Xander upright as Wesley knelt to remove his lover's shoes. Together they slid off his pants and underwear and carefully lowered him into the tub. Wesley cupped his hand in the water and ladled it over Xander's head, again and again until his hair was wet. Reaching across the tub, Wesley grabbed Xander's shampoo and lathered his hands with it before working it into the dark strands. As he did, he watched Spike carefully soap Xander's skin, washing away the dust from the building's collapse. Wesley watched Spike's face curiously, wondering what the other man was thinking. His hands wandered in gentle circles over Xander's skin, soft touches for a man who could not feel them. His eyes were wandering up and down the length of Xander's body, tracing over every inch as though trying to commit it to memory. Once he'd finished Xander's upper body, he shifted down to his feet, lifting each leg out of the water and paying attention to every plane and curve. Once he finished with Xander's legs, Spike looked over at Wesley. He grinned. "Looks like only the best bits are left." "They're *all* the best bits," Wesley countered. "But I will take care of these particular bits." Spike bowed his head in acquiesce. He relinquished the soap to Wesley, then slid his hands under Xander and lifted his body from the water so the former Watcher could finish washing his lover. Wesley kept his ministrations fast but thorough. He needed to get Xander dry and into clothing soon. He didn't want him to revive in the bath. With Spike's help he rinsed all traces of soap and shampoo from Xander's body. He let Spike pull Xander completely from the tub and hold him while Wesley toweled him dry. He then led the way into Xander's bedroom. He rooted through Xander's drawers until he found the flannel pants and blue t-shirt that Xander loved to wear. He turned around and froze, captivated by what he saw. Spike was carefully arranging Xander's limbs on the bed, trying to make sure he was lying in a way that would be comfortable. Smiling, Wesley walked over to stand beside him. "Let's get him dressed, first." Spike nodded. Together they pulled the clothing onto Xander's lax form. "Now what?" Spike asked. Wesley looked down at his soaked shirt. "Now I change." He saw that Spike's shirt was the worse for wear from the bath as well. "You should as well." He doubted that Xander's clothes would fit him or Spike: they were both thinner than the dark-eyed man. "Come with me." He led Spike into his bedroom and opened his closet. He pulled out a gray shirt for himself and found a black one for Spike. "It's not as tight you usually wear, but it should serve..." His voice trailed away as he turned and found that Spike had already peeled out of his wet shirt, tossing it into the hamper as he grinned at Wesley. "I'm sure it will work just fine, love." Spike strolled forward, gaze sweeping down Wesley's body and up again. He reached out and pulled the shirt from Wesley's frozen fingers. "Thank you," he murmured, leaning in closer. He stared into Wesley's eyes for a moment, then slowly leaned forward. Wesley let his eyes close as cool lips pressed against his own. He parted his lips easily to the tongue that probed at them. Spike tasted faintly of cigarettes and strongly of whiskey, but underneath it all was Spike, something ancient and dangerous and irresistible. The feeling of strong hands sliding around his waist shocked him back to awareness. He stepped out of Spike's embrace, shaking his head. "We can't do this." Spike's face fell, disappointment and hurt clouding his eyes before he turned away. Wesley reached out and grabbed his shoulder. "Now, Spike. We can't do this now," he qualified. "We have to go back and wait for Xander to revive." He allowed his fingers to play over the hard muscle of the other man's arm. Spike turned around and searched his gaze intently for a moment. He nodded to himself, apparently satisfied with what he found. He pulled on his shirt and headed for the other bedroom. "Come on, love, you don't want him to wake up alone, do you?" Stripping off his damp shirt and pulling on the new, Wesley followed him, helpless to do anything else. Once inside Xander's room, he climbed onto the bed beside Xander, leaning up against the wall as he pulled his lover's body across his lap, cradling him close. He looked up as Spike moved to sit beside him. The vampire didn't say anything; he just shifted so he too was supporting Xander. Side by side, hands stroking over Xander's hair and arms, they waited for him breathe once more. *****