I Have Loved You for a Thousand Years (2/?)
Title: I Have Loved You for a Thousand Years
Author: Annjej76
Rating: M
Pairing: Xander/Spike
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Joss Whedon has that honor. I’m just taking the characters out for a joyride.
Synopsis: Xander gets turned into a vampire hybrid and gets shoved into another dimension. When he comes out he’s not the same. Will Spike be able to reach him or has he gone round the bend permanently?
******
“His vitals have finally stabilized” Dr. Simmons said staring at Xander’s chart, “I believe it’s now safe to wake him up.”
******
It took a few weeks for Xander to get accustomed to modern technology again. He didn’t seem to understand electricity and how it worked and had tried sticking a fork into more than one electrical outlet. Xander also tried to start a small bonfire in his bedroom to keep warm a few times until he was explained in great detail about central heating. For the most part Xander sat in his room curled up, head resting on his knees against the far corner staring at the door to make sure no monsters came to get him. Anyone who came to visit he’d just stare at and not respond.
Each morning when the Doctors went in to check on Xander they found him curled up on the floor against the same far corner in the fetal position facing the door with his yellow eye open. The first time they had gone in Xander had almost attacked them snarling and in full game face. Once they explained who they were he’d calmed down enough to be cooperative with their requests.
Giles had tried to slowly reintroduce the girls to Xander but he didn’t seem to remember them at all. To not scare them about his new eye they were able to convince him to wear his eye patch again. The only one of the girls he’d seem to recognize briefly was Willow. When Giles asked him who she was, he’d gone over to the table where his occupational therapist had left some crayons and brought over the yellow one and held it out to her. Willow dissolved into tears and turning buried her head against Giles’ chest, muffling her sobs.
Xander looked at the crayon and at the girl crying confused.
Willow turned and gave a watery smile and taking the crayon from Xander she slipped it into her pocket and gave a small wave as Giles led her out.
Xander stood staring at the door as it closed. “Why can’t I remember any of them? William help me!” he cried mentally and walking over took his place in the corner to keep watch.
******
Spike and Angel sauntered in to the mandatory meeting Giles had set up to discuss the “Xander Issue” and taking a seat they waited while Giles got off the phone.
“Yes, thank you Dr. Simmons for the update. I’ll see what we can do to help him acclimate. Talk to you later. Good night.” Hanging up he slipped his cell phone in his shirt pocket. Spike and Angel could tell whatever the good Doctor had said had rattled the poor Watcher to his core.
“What’s the prognosis on the whelp?” Spike asked cutting the tension that was building to a feverous pitch.
“Not good at all Spike. That’s why I asked both you and Angel to attend” Giles said taking off his glasses and polishing them.
“Is Xander okay?” Dawn asked casting worried glances between the three men.
Replacing his glasses, Giles took a breath to calm himself before responding “Xander is in perfect health physically. Unfortunately mentally he’s…” Giles started, before Spike interrupted with “barmy as Dru?”
“SPIKE!” Buffy and Willow cried.
“No…no…no, it’s alright. Spike is quite right, unfortunately apparently today during his therapy session he was asked what day it was. Xander replied with ‘May 4th, 1879.’ For whatever reason Xander believes he’s in the 1800’s.”
“How do we help him?” Buffy asked.
“We don’t” Giles began.
“WHAT?!?!” Buffy cried, “Buffy, please do calm down. What I meant is those of us who were born in the 1900’s cannot help Xander right now” Giles said turning to Buffy.
“Oh, why didn’t you say so?” Buffy replied.
“I was about to before I was interrupted. That’s why I asked Angel and Spike to be here” Giles explained, “Angel and Spike are the only two who were alive…er…undead during that timeframe. They can get a good sense of what Xander is experiencing and report back if it is real or delusions and visual hallucinations.”
“So we’re on whelp babysitting duty then?” Spike replied kicking his feet up on the table.
“In a manner of speaking yes, but also I need you to help him understand modern technology, oh and Spike?”
“Yea?”
“Please do get your feet off the table” Giles said sternly.
Spike smirked but did what Giles asked. Dawn tried to hide her giggles in a coughing fit.
“Spike and I will discuss how to go about helping Xander and we’ll let you know what we decide” Angel said as he stood up. Spike looked between the two and shrugging got up and followed Angel without so much as a “Whatever you say Peaches” his duster flapping behind him.
******
Angel and Spike sat in the back booth of a dive demon bar both swirling scotch around in their tumblers.
“So how do we even begin to handle this?” Angel asked leaning back.
“Hell if I know Peaches. Neither of us are on the whelp’s ‘Most Loved Vampire’ list” Spike responded staring down at his glass.
“There is that, Buffy mentioned that he didn’t respond to any of them except Willow and only then to hand her a yellow crayon. Wonder what kind of reception we’ll get.”
“Don’t know mate, but as long as it’s not the pointy end of a stick I’ll think we’ll survive.”
“You want to go first Spike? You and Xander seemed to get along a bit better after I left than I did” Angel said raising the glass to his lips and taking a sip.
"Sure, what the hell. I dealt with Dru’s ramblings for over a century I doubt anything Xander throws at me will be worse.”
“I hope you’re right Spike” Angel said with a sigh.
“You and me both.”
TBC