Blood Wings, Chapter 10/10
Title: Blood Wings 10/10
Fandom: Buffyverse
Author: frk_werewolf
Pairing: Spander
Rating: R
Summary: AU. When FBI Agent Alexander Harris is put on the case of the latest serial killer, known to the law as Angelus, he finds himself turning to an old enemy for help.
Warnings: GRAPHIC blood and gore. Its rated R for this reason, specifically.
Credit: This story is inspired and very, very loosely based off of the Hannibal Lector stories by Thomas Harris.
Chapter Summary: Agent Harris vs. Angelus, plus a little Spike on the side.
previous chapters
Xander fought to not panic. He had a gun pressed against his skin and a madman holding onto him from behind. He was barely ten feet away from his fellow agents. All he needed was to dislodge Angelus’ hold on him, knock the gun away, and run up those stairs. The task, which seemed so simple, was in reality daunting.
“Release your captive and come out with your hands up.” Giles’ stern voice ordered. “This will be easier on you if you cooperate.”
Xander managed to not snort. Giles was like the father figure he never had, but he understood Angelus’ motives enough to realize that the serial killer would not make things easy on them. Xander took in a deep breath in order to calm himself. He could see half of Faith’s face as she gazed out at them, gun drawn.
Xander made a slight movement with his head, catching Faith’s attention. He met her eyes and tried to relay to her that he sort of had a plan. Sort of being the key words. Faith frowned, brows drawing together, before she nodded her agreement. Xander closed his eyes, trying to calm himself, before lifting his leg and stepping down on Angelus’ foot.
Angelus let out a grunt and, before he could respond, Xander slammed his elbow back into Angelus’ stomach. The killer’s arms loosened, giving Xander the ability to swing away. His arm connected with Angelus’ hand as he dove away from Faith’s shooting range. Suddenly, two blasts echoed through the room. A sharp pain ripped through Xander’s bicep as he tumbled onto the cold cement floor.
Adrenaline shot through Xander’s body as he scrambled back onto his feet. His eyes immediately fell on the gun, laying barely three feet away from him, and Angelus, standing before him. Angelus had one hand pressed against his hip, where blood was causing the black fabric of his shirt and pants to appear darker than night itself. Angelus bared his teeth at Xander, his eyes filled with rage.
Xander dove for the gun, letting out a yelp of pain as Angelus landed on top of him. Both hands wrapped around the heated metal, but before a fight could begin Angelus stiffened above him. Xander turned his head, looking over both Angelus’ and his own shoulder to find Faith standing above them, gun pressed against the back of Angelus’ head with a finger placed calmly on the trigger.
“Xander, are you okay?” Faith asked in a soft, steady voice. “Can you remain in this position long enough for us to cuff this bastard?”
“Yeah.” Xander croaked out. The rush of energy that he had been feeling seemed to drain away from him, leaving his body limp and tired.
“Xander…” Angelus drawled. He didn’t seem to be worried about Faith snapped the metal handcuffs around his wrists. Perhaps to Angelus it was simply another walk in the park. “I’ve heard of you… You’re William the Bloody’s fuck toy!”
“Yeah, sure, that’s me.” Xander muttered. “Whatever.”
Later Xander found himself sitting on the hood of Giles’ car, shirt removed, with an emergency technician hovering over him. The knife wound was already stitched up and now Xander was watching the EMT slide a needle through his skin and seal up the space that the bullet had grazed his bicep. He wanted nothing more than to sleep, but he still had paper work to do and a report to give Giles.
No doubt he would be written up for approaching the house on his own, but he didn’t think it would cause him too much trouble.
“Hey there.” Faith greeted, walking over and jumping up next to him. The black sedan bounced slightly from the impact. “How are you feeling?”
“Sleepy.” Xander admitted. He sent the EMT a smile as the man finished with his wound. There was a moment of silence, before Xander looked over at Faith. “Well, I’m going to miss this. We’ll probably work together someday, though. Unless they transfer you.”
“Xander, what are you talking about?” Faith asked, raising an eyebrow.
“You’re ready.” Xander told her, smiling. “You’re as trained as an agent can be, Faith. You’re going to do great.”
“…Really?” Faith broke into a pleased grin, which made seem younger.
“Yeah, I’m going to tell Giles tomorrow, after the paperwork is finished.” Xander replied. “I’m proud of you and, well, it’s about time you stop having to answer my phone.”
“Thank you, sir.” Faith cleared her throat and looked away to compose herself. “Oh, I came over to tell you that you’re free.”
“Pardon?”
“Giles said you could head home and get some rest.” Faith informed him. “He wants a full report by noon tomorrow, so you might want to come in early.”
His movements were automatic after stepping through the doorway of his apartment. First, he shut the door and locked it. His coat was tossed onto the back of the sofa and his shoes kicked off into the corner. After a jaw-cracking yawn Xander removed the tie that was hanging undone around his neck and stretched.
He made it to the kitchen and plugged the coffee pot back in. Inside the refrigerator he found a package of ham and a slice of cheese. The bread took some hunting, but Xander finally located it in the cabinet above the stove. His stomach growled at he prepared the late afternoon snack. A cup of coffee in one hand and a sandwich in another, Xander walked over to the table and sat down.
Xander was hungrier than he thought he would be and quickly swallowed his meal. His body was starting to ache and he knew that new bruises were forming underneath his clothing. He had been slammed into a brick wall, a cement floor, and stabbed by a madman. Xander felt that for once he was due this moment of laziness.
That being decided, Xander unbuttoned his shirt and stood, slipping it off as he entered his bedroom. Under normal circumstances Xander’s senses always went on high alert upon entering the room. There were too many memories, those including Spike and those not, that affected the way he viewed this most sacred of places. But he was half asleep as he flipped on the ceiling light and moved toward the bed.
“Hello, love.” A soft voice greeted.
The world ended, or so Xander thought as he took in the sight of Spike stretched out on his bed. Gulping, Xander took a step back. Spike broke into a wide grin, pushing himself up and off the bed. The grin faltered as Spike’s eyes skimmed Xander’s bare torso. Bright blue eyes narrowed at the sight of the two bandages and the dark shadow of bruises waiting to develop.
“Who did this to you?” The words were growled. Xander couldn’t figure out how to respond, part of him was terrified beyond belief and the rest of reacting to the erotic sound of Spike being protective. Before Xander could say anything Spike had stepped toward him, slowly backing him against the wall. The heat of the other man’s body was enough to jerk Xander out of his stupor.
“How in the hell did you get in here?” Xander demanded, avoiding Spike’s gaze. His eyes settled on the leather coat strewn across the foot of the bed.
“That’s the question isn’t it?” Spike replied, wiggling his eyebrows. A gentle touch of fingers grazed across Xander’s chest, up the middle and to the side that was wounded. Spike gave the bandage a thoughtful look as he traced it. “Flesh is so tender, isn’t it? Waiting to be broken… Blood to be spilt.”
“Why me?” Xander suddenly asked. Spike blinked. “Why did you come to me? You’re fucking free, as free as you’ll ever be. You could hide yourself in another country, even in America if you tried hard enough. Why are you risking everything just to see me?”
Spike’s lips curved slightly, eyes momentarily gleaming with some fanatical emotion. Then the expression was gone, pushed under that of worry. Xander glared, causing Spike to chuckle. “No one is ever free, whelp.”
“Nice.” Xander rolled his eyes and rested his back against the wall, too tired to standing fully. He got the strong impression that Spike wasn’t going to actually hurt him. Conserving energy until he could catch Spike off guard or call for help was his best option.
“You’re tired.” Spike commented, his voice sounding forcibly detached. Xander eyed Spike curiously, suddenly amazed by the conflicting emotions on Spike’s face. Spike gently look hold of his arm and began tugging him toward the bed. “Can’t let you pass out on me, after all. What kind of fun would that be?”
“Planning on torturing me later?” Xander asked, feeling a strange calm as he lay down.
“Cat and mouse, you mean?” Spike smirked, lying down next to Xander. They formed what appeared to be a lover’s embrace. Xander managed to fight the urge to comment on the irony of the situation. “Cat’s won, pet. Got you right where I want you.”
“I guess that makes me the mouse. Typical.” Xander muttered. He could feel Spike’s hand resting against his hipbone, thumb brushing along his skin. Spike’s chin was pressed against his uninjured shoulder. Xander felt ashamed of himself. This was the man that had become infatuated with him, all the while murdering those with a crazy grin. Yet, as Spike cuddled up against him, Xander could only feel the slow boil of arousal at the base of his spine.
Of course, he was still afraid underneath it all. Xander Harris was not stupid.
“I could love you.” Spike admitted. Xander shivered as Spike’s breath hit just under his ear. “If I wasn’t so insane-because I am crazy, Harris, don’t ever forget that-I would want nothing more than to grow old with you.”
“I find that statement oddly refreshing.” Xander said. Something wet trailed across his earlobe. It was Spike’s tongue. Xander closed his eyes, causing the sensation to come in sharp and strong. “What do you want with me?”
“That’s a long list.” Spike chuckled. Xander could literally feel the vibration of Spike’s chest against his arm. Spike nuzzled Xander’s neck, his tongue darting out against the skin. Xander fought down a moan, cursing his ability to be turned on at the most inopportune times. “Bloody hell, I want to taste you.”
Suddenly Spike rolled on top of him, pressing their groins together. Before Xander could even consider protesting-he was shocked to find that he really didn’t want to complain about the touching-Spike’s lips were pressing against his own. The words echoed in his head: I shouldn’t do this; I can’t be doing this! But he ignored them easily, shocking himself by opening his mouth to Spike’s tongue. Spike growled in response, one hand burying in Xander’s hair.
“I can’t!” Xander pulled back, gasping. Spike narrowed his eyes, jerking his hips forward and causing wonderful friction in the spot Xander needed most. “Spike, please… Don’t do this. I can’t do this. I can’t feel this way about you. I put you in prison, Spike! It’s because of me that you had to break out, that you have the FBI and every cop from here to Oregon keeping an eye out for you.”
“Do you think I don’t know that?” Spike asked, his voice soft and hinting along the lines of murderous. Xander shuddered, though from fear or attraction he couldn’t say. Everything was so muddled and strange, Xander didn’t know whether he even wanted to let Spike go. “You’re the poison running in my veins, Harris. Wanting you is killing me. Pop and squish, you’re the railroad spike penetrating my body.”
“How do you manage to make everything sound sexual?” Xander asked, breathlessly. Spike leered, before leaning down and kissing him once again.
Hands were everywhere. Flesh was slipping across his chest, avoiding his wounds with the utmost care. This was the moment, if Spike needed one, to turn on him. Xander was at his mercy; too busy trying to fight the urge to suck on Spike’s tongue to notice a weapon. Yet, Spike did nothing except push Xander’s legs farther apart.
The high ring of the doorbell made Spike stiffen above him. Baring his teeth, Spike lifted his head up and looked angrily toward the living room. Xander fought to catch his breath. He pushed Spike away, struggling to his feet and making his way toward the bedroom door. Across the living room he could see the doorknob rattle as someone banged against the hollow wood.
“Xander?” A muffled voice called.
“Shit.” Xander muttered, glancing at Spike. Spike was standing next to him, hands clenched in anger.
“Xander! Fuck…” Faith yelled, before a loud bang indicated that she had thrown herself against the door in an attempt to open it. “Please, Xander, open the door! It’s Bradshaw! Xander? He was spotted nearby over an hour ago. We didn’t know! Oh God, Xander! Open up!”
Xander couldn’t move or respond. He had to make his choice. He could easily let Spike sneak out his bedroom window, which led to the fire escape, or he could let Faith inside… Xander turned and looked at Spike. “I have to…”
“Are you going to let the big bitch catch me, then?” Spike hissed, taking a step toward him. Fear began to mix with Xander’s indecision. “You can’t, pet, don’t you get it? I belong with you! Only you.”
“No, Spike, I don’t get it.” Xander admitted. “I’ve never understood why-“
“Never had anyone care enough for me to risk their life to find me.” Spike interrupted, his eyes glazing over slightly. “You and me, whelp. We were built for one another.”
Xander stared at Spike as his mind began to clear. He was afraid of Spike, terrified of what he felt when the man was near and scared of what Spike wanted with him. He never thought that Spike would confess the true nature of his obsession. Spike loved Xander because Xander had spent months of his life focused purely on finding him, a psychotic killer.
“Stay there.” Xander said, his voice deceptively calm. “I’ll tell her I’m okay.”
Xander knew that, under other circumstances, Spike would have been the perfect lover. Now, though, Xander couldn’t ignore the fact that Spike was a wanted criminal and Xander worked for the very government that wanted to lock Spike up for life. Spike probably wouldn’t understand the pain that Xander felt as he opened the door, but Xander would have to bear that burden on his own.
Xander never forgot the look of betrayal that crossed Spike’s face as Faith entered the room.
The End
Fandom: Buffyverse
Author: frk_werewolf
Pairing: Spander
Rating: R
Summary: AU. When FBI Agent Alexander Harris is put on the case of the latest serial killer, known to the law as Angelus, he finds himself turning to an old enemy for help.
Warnings: GRAPHIC blood and gore. Its rated R for this reason, specifically.
Credit: This story is inspired and very, very loosely based off of the Hannibal Lector stories by Thomas Harris.
Chapter Summary: Agent Harris vs. Angelus, plus a little Spike on the side.
previous chapters
Xander fought to not panic. He had a gun pressed against his skin and a madman holding onto him from behind. He was barely ten feet away from his fellow agents. All he needed was to dislodge Angelus’ hold on him, knock the gun away, and run up those stairs. The task, which seemed so simple, was in reality daunting.
“Release your captive and come out with your hands up.” Giles’ stern voice ordered. “This will be easier on you if you cooperate.”
Xander managed to not snort. Giles was like the father figure he never had, but he understood Angelus’ motives enough to realize that the serial killer would not make things easy on them. Xander took in a deep breath in order to calm himself. He could see half of Faith’s face as she gazed out at them, gun drawn.
Xander made a slight movement with his head, catching Faith’s attention. He met her eyes and tried to relay to her that he sort of had a plan. Sort of being the key words. Faith frowned, brows drawing together, before she nodded her agreement. Xander closed his eyes, trying to calm himself, before lifting his leg and stepping down on Angelus’ foot.
Angelus let out a grunt and, before he could respond, Xander slammed his elbow back into Angelus’ stomach. The killer’s arms loosened, giving Xander the ability to swing away. His arm connected with Angelus’ hand as he dove away from Faith’s shooting range. Suddenly, two blasts echoed through the room. A sharp pain ripped through Xander’s bicep as he tumbled onto the cold cement floor.
Adrenaline shot through Xander’s body as he scrambled back onto his feet. His eyes immediately fell on the gun, laying barely three feet away from him, and Angelus, standing before him. Angelus had one hand pressed against his hip, where blood was causing the black fabric of his shirt and pants to appear darker than night itself. Angelus bared his teeth at Xander, his eyes filled with rage.
Xander dove for the gun, letting out a yelp of pain as Angelus landed on top of him. Both hands wrapped around the heated metal, but before a fight could begin Angelus stiffened above him. Xander turned his head, looking over both Angelus’ and his own shoulder to find Faith standing above them, gun pressed against the back of Angelus’ head with a finger placed calmly on the trigger.
“Xander, are you okay?” Faith asked in a soft, steady voice. “Can you remain in this position long enough for us to cuff this bastard?”
“Yeah.” Xander croaked out. The rush of energy that he had been feeling seemed to drain away from him, leaving his body limp and tired.
“Xander…” Angelus drawled. He didn’t seem to be worried about Faith snapped the metal handcuffs around his wrists. Perhaps to Angelus it was simply another walk in the park. “I’ve heard of you… You’re William the Bloody’s fuck toy!”
“Yeah, sure, that’s me.” Xander muttered. “Whatever.”
Later Xander found himself sitting on the hood of Giles’ car, shirt removed, with an emergency technician hovering over him. The knife wound was already stitched up and now Xander was watching the EMT slide a needle through his skin and seal up the space that the bullet had grazed his bicep. He wanted nothing more than to sleep, but he still had paper work to do and a report to give Giles.
No doubt he would be written up for approaching the house on his own, but he didn’t think it would cause him too much trouble.
“Hey there.” Faith greeted, walking over and jumping up next to him. The black sedan bounced slightly from the impact. “How are you feeling?”
“Sleepy.” Xander admitted. He sent the EMT a smile as the man finished with his wound. There was a moment of silence, before Xander looked over at Faith. “Well, I’m going to miss this. We’ll probably work together someday, though. Unless they transfer you.”
“Xander, what are you talking about?” Faith asked, raising an eyebrow.
“You’re ready.” Xander told her, smiling. “You’re as trained as an agent can be, Faith. You’re going to do great.”
“…Really?” Faith broke into a pleased grin, which made seem younger.
“Yeah, I’m going to tell Giles tomorrow, after the paperwork is finished.” Xander replied. “I’m proud of you and, well, it’s about time you stop having to answer my phone.”
“Thank you, sir.” Faith cleared her throat and looked away to compose herself. “Oh, I came over to tell you that you’re free.”
“Pardon?”
“Giles said you could head home and get some rest.” Faith informed him. “He wants a full report by noon tomorrow, so you might want to come in early.”
His movements were automatic after stepping through the doorway of his apartment. First, he shut the door and locked it. His coat was tossed onto the back of the sofa and his shoes kicked off into the corner. After a jaw-cracking yawn Xander removed the tie that was hanging undone around his neck and stretched.
He made it to the kitchen and plugged the coffee pot back in. Inside the refrigerator he found a package of ham and a slice of cheese. The bread took some hunting, but Xander finally located it in the cabinet above the stove. His stomach growled at he prepared the late afternoon snack. A cup of coffee in one hand and a sandwich in another, Xander walked over to the table and sat down.
Xander was hungrier than he thought he would be and quickly swallowed his meal. His body was starting to ache and he knew that new bruises were forming underneath his clothing. He had been slammed into a brick wall, a cement floor, and stabbed by a madman. Xander felt that for once he was due this moment of laziness.
That being decided, Xander unbuttoned his shirt and stood, slipping it off as he entered his bedroom. Under normal circumstances Xander’s senses always went on high alert upon entering the room. There were too many memories, those including Spike and those not, that affected the way he viewed this most sacred of places. But he was half asleep as he flipped on the ceiling light and moved toward the bed.
“Hello, love.” A soft voice greeted.
The world ended, or so Xander thought as he took in the sight of Spike stretched out on his bed. Gulping, Xander took a step back. Spike broke into a wide grin, pushing himself up and off the bed. The grin faltered as Spike’s eyes skimmed Xander’s bare torso. Bright blue eyes narrowed at the sight of the two bandages and the dark shadow of bruises waiting to develop.
“Who did this to you?” The words were growled. Xander couldn’t figure out how to respond, part of him was terrified beyond belief and the rest of reacting to the erotic sound of Spike being protective. Before Xander could say anything Spike had stepped toward him, slowly backing him against the wall. The heat of the other man’s body was enough to jerk Xander out of his stupor.
“How in the hell did you get in here?” Xander demanded, avoiding Spike’s gaze. His eyes settled on the leather coat strewn across the foot of the bed.
“That’s the question isn’t it?” Spike replied, wiggling his eyebrows. A gentle touch of fingers grazed across Xander’s chest, up the middle and to the side that was wounded. Spike gave the bandage a thoughtful look as he traced it. “Flesh is so tender, isn’t it? Waiting to be broken… Blood to be spilt.”
“Why me?” Xander suddenly asked. Spike blinked. “Why did you come to me? You’re fucking free, as free as you’ll ever be. You could hide yourself in another country, even in America if you tried hard enough. Why are you risking everything just to see me?”
Spike’s lips curved slightly, eyes momentarily gleaming with some fanatical emotion. Then the expression was gone, pushed under that of worry. Xander glared, causing Spike to chuckle. “No one is ever free, whelp.”
“Nice.” Xander rolled his eyes and rested his back against the wall, too tired to standing fully. He got the strong impression that Spike wasn’t going to actually hurt him. Conserving energy until he could catch Spike off guard or call for help was his best option.
“You’re tired.” Spike commented, his voice sounding forcibly detached. Xander eyed Spike curiously, suddenly amazed by the conflicting emotions on Spike’s face. Spike gently look hold of his arm and began tugging him toward the bed. “Can’t let you pass out on me, after all. What kind of fun would that be?”
“Planning on torturing me later?” Xander asked, feeling a strange calm as he lay down.
“Cat and mouse, you mean?” Spike smirked, lying down next to Xander. They formed what appeared to be a lover’s embrace. Xander managed to fight the urge to comment on the irony of the situation. “Cat’s won, pet. Got you right where I want you.”
“I guess that makes me the mouse. Typical.” Xander muttered. He could feel Spike’s hand resting against his hipbone, thumb brushing along his skin. Spike’s chin was pressed against his uninjured shoulder. Xander felt ashamed of himself. This was the man that had become infatuated with him, all the while murdering those with a crazy grin. Yet, as Spike cuddled up against him, Xander could only feel the slow boil of arousal at the base of his spine.
Of course, he was still afraid underneath it all. Xander Harris was not stupid.
“I could love you.” Spike admitted. Xander shivered as Spike’s breath hit just under his ear. “If I wasn’t so insane-because I am crazy, Harris, don’t ever forget that-I would want nothing more than to grow old with you.”
“I find that statement oddly refreshing.” Xander said. Something wet trailed across his earlobe. It was Spike’s tongue. Xander closed his eyes, causing the sensation to come in sharp and strong. “What do you want with me?”
“That’s a long list.” Spike chuckled. Xander could literally feel the vibration of Spike’s chest against his arm. Spike nuzzled Xander’s neck, his tongue darting out against the skin. Xander fought down a moan, cursing his ability to be turned on at the most inopportune times. “Bloody hell, I want to taste you.”
Suddenly Spike rolled on top of him, pressing their groins together. Before Xander could even consider protesting-he was shocked to find that he really didn’t want to complain about the touching-Spike’s lips were pressing against his own. The words echoed in his head: I shouldn’t do this; I can’t be doing this! But he ignored them easily, shocking himself by opening his mouth to Spike’s tongue. Spike growled in response, one hand burying in Xander’s hair.
“I can’t!” Xander pulled back, gasping. Spike narrowed his eyes, jerking his hips forward and causing wonderful friction in the spot Xander needed most. “Spike, please… Don’t do this. I can’t do this. I can’t feel this way about you. I put you in prison, Spike! It’s because of me that you had to break out, that you have the FBI and every cop from here to Oregon keeping an eye out for you.”
“Do you think I don’t know that?” Spike asked, his voice soft and hinting along the lines of murderous. Xander shuddered, though from fear or attraction he couldn’t say. Everything was so muddled and strange, Xander didn’t know whether he even wanted to let Spike go. “You’re the poison running in my veins, Harris. Wanting you is killing me. Pop and squish, you’re the railroad spike penetrating my body.”
“How do you manage to make everything sound sexual?” Xander asked, breathlessly. Spike leered, before leaning down and kissing him once again.
Hands were everywhere. Flesh was slipping across his chest, avoiding his wounds with the utmost care. This was the moment, if Spike needed one, to turn on him. Xander was at his mercy; too busy trying to fight the urge to suck on Spike’s tongue to notice a weapon. Yet, Spike did nothing except push Xander’s legs farther apart.
The high ring of the doorbell made Spike stiffen above him. Baring his teeth, Spike lifted his head up and looked angrily toward the living room. Xander fought to catch his breath. He pushed Spike away, struggling to his feet and making his way toward the bedroom door. Across the living room he could see the doorknob rattle as someone banged against the hollow wood.
“Xander?” A muffled voice called.
“Shit.” Xander muttered, glancing at Spike. Spike was standing next to him, hands clenched in anger.
“Xander! Fuck…” Faith yelled, before a loud bang indicated that she had thrown herself against the door in an attempt to open it. “Please, Xander, open the door! It’s Bradshaw! Xander? He was spotted nearby over an hour ago. We didn’t know! Oh God, Xander! Open up!”
Xander couldn’t move or respond. He had to make his choice. He could easily let Spike sneak out his bedroom window, which led to the fire escape, or he could let Faith inside… Xander turned and looked at Spike. “I have to…”
“Are you going to let the big bitch catch me, then?” Spike hissed, taking a step toward him. Fear began to mix with Xander’s indecision. “You can’t, pet, don’t you get it? I belong with you! Only you.”
“No, Spike, I don’t get it.” Xander admitted. “I’ve never understood why-“
“Never had anyone care enough for me to risk their life to find me.” Spike interrupted, his eyes glazing over slightly. “You and me, whelp. We were built for one another.”
Xander stared at Spike as his mind began to clear. He was afraid of Spike, terrified of what he felt when the man was near and scared of what Spike wanted with him. He never thought that Spike would confess the true nature of his obsession. Spike loved Xander because Xander had spent months of his life focused purely on finding him, a psychotic killer.
“Stay there.” Xander said, his voice deceptively calm. “I’ll tell her I’m okay.”
Xander knew that, under other circumstances, Spike would have been the perfect lover. Now, though, Xander couldn’t ignore the fact that Spike was a wanted criminal and Xander worked for the very government that wanted to lock Spike up for life. Spike probably wouldn’t understand the pain that Xander felt as he opened the door, but Xander would have to bear that burden on his own.
Xander never forgot the look of betrayal that crossed Spike’s face as Faith entered the room.
The End