Fic: Depths of Dedication Chapter Two
Title: Depths of Dedication
Author: xocoatldreams
Fandom: M7/BtVS
Characters/Pairings: Buck/JD, Ezra/Vin, Xander/?, Chris, Nathan, Josiah
Rating: R for violent imagery.
Prompt/Challenge: 17 and 31 from my 6x6 Challenge Card and Etic
Warnings: Slash, violence, swearing
Disclaimer: I don't own the M7 boys or any of the Buffy characters. And the modern, ATF M7 was created by the brilliant Mog.
A/N: I wasn't going to start writing and posting this yet, but the prompt sparked my muses and they demanded it.
Chapter One
It all started because I accidently bumped into someone coming out of the coffee shop. I can remember apologizing and the man just smiling and shaking his head as he walked away. Then a few hours later, the strange feelings started. At first I brushed it off as exhaustion; we had been working beyond overtime on a case. But then a few days later, after everything was wrapped up, the feelings kept coming, growing larger. Even the feel of Buck's hands on me couldn't push the strangeness aside. Soon the feelings replaced everything else and after that I found myself to be a passenger in my own body.
I had no clue who, or what, it was. All I knew was I didn't like it. For the first little while it was as if I had some control, though I knew I did, it was all an illusion. Then, once the creature got used to my life, I was pushed farther away. Oh, I didn't go easily. I made sure I let little things I would do slip. The creature didn't seem to be aware that I was lying, setting it up for a fall. I knew my lover, and some of my brothers, would recognize something was wrong. And they did, I just wished they had a lot earlier.
Then there was a strange man grabbing me, it, and dragging us away all the while making threats. I never knew that a Rubber Duck was that evil, but it obviously was to whatever had taken hold of my body. Soon there was only pain as I fought to free myself from the inside while the strange who said he knew Ezra tried from the outside.
~*~
Ezra weathered the questions during the wait until Alex got to his house. He watched as his friends worried, each in their own way. Buck paced around the townhouse, muttering under his breath and shooting glares Ezra's way. Chris sat, stony face, in a corner chair, keeping his eyes on his men. Nathan had made himself comfortable beside Josiah and was absently running a hand over one knee while staring blankly at the wall across from him. And Josiah, the big man was slouched on the couch, a knowing expression on his face. Once again, Ezra found himself wondering just what the gentle giant knew. Vin was sitting cross legged on the floor, eyes closed, just waiting.
"Ain't it time yet?" Buck growled, finally coming to a stop in the middle of the room, every muscle quivering. "Why ain't they here?"
"It hasn't been two hours yet," Chris said softly. "Sit down and wait."
"I-," Buck started, once again in motion. Ezra understood his tall friend's problem. When there is pain, there are no words, nothing that can be said to express the agony.
Ezra was saved from saying anything by a noise at his back door. All heads came up, hands drifting to gun butts. Rising fluidly from his seat, Ezra went to open the door, already well aware of who was on the other side. Opening the door, he gave Alex a quick glance before his gaze settled on the dishevelled form of their youngest.
"Don't touch," Alex said quietly, letting the smaller form lean against him. "Keep everyone back."
Nodding, Ezra stepped out of the way, gesturing to the others. Reluctantly they all parted, letting Alex manoeuvre the limp form through the kitchen and into the living room. He laid JD down on the couch and turned to look at the group of men. Ezra could read the exhaustion in his cousin's eye. Briefly, he wondered what the others thought of the eye patch and if any of them were going to say anything about it.
"JD?" Buck's voice was raw with anguish as he took a step towards his lover. Ezra saw the anger transform the normally smiling face as Alex stepped in his way.
"It's better if you all stay on that side of the room for now," Alex said quietly, keeping his body between them and JD.
"Why?" Buck's anguish made them all wince. "Why can't I touch him?"
"Because I don't want to have to go through this again," Alex said bluntly. "You touch him and there's a good chance that it'll transfer to you considering I've just about go it gone. Then I'll have to start at the beginning with you."
"Rather it was me," Buck muttered, eyes still on the figure on the couch.
"Yeah, well, life doesn't work that way," Alex shrugged. He stared at Buck for a moment. "I take it you're the lover?"
"Yes," Buck said defensively.
"Good, I'm going to need your help."
"You're not doing anything until you explain what the hell is going on," Chris snapped, taking a step towards Alex.
Ezra winced. He could almost hear the explosion as his cousin turned to look at the blond man. Alex's face had gone blank, much like his own did, and he held his arms loosely at his side, prepared. The undercover agent was well aware of just what his cousin was capable of doing. Normally friendly, Alex could be downright deadly under the right circumstances.
"I don't have to explain myself to you," Alex began softly. "I'm here as a favour to Ezra and I can walk out and leave you to deal with this on your own." It was only the knowledge that Alex wouldn't actually do that that kept Ezra from saying anything when the others yelled. "Do you like the idea of your friend slowly disappearing, becoming something beyond evil? Something that will have to be killed in a few months before it corrupts more people?"
"No," Chris ground out.
"Then let me do what I came here for," Alex said, relaxing his stance a bit. "Everything can be explained after." He looked at Buck. "Come here."
"Why? And how did you know?"
"As his lover you have a closer connection to him," Alex explained. "I know because Ezra told me. I could have used what he knows about the two of you, but he's outside your relationship, it wouldn't work as well. I need someone inside. And since JD can't do it, it falls to you. Now come here."
Buck walked over, standing anxiously by Alex's side. Ezra watched as his cousin whispered something in a guttural sounding language and JD sat up with a scream. The scream wasn't human, wasn't even animalistic. There was nothing but rage and power in the sound.
"Stop," Alex's voice was harsh as he glared down at the young man. "This will end."
"Never," the being JD's body hissed, eyes glowing slightly red. "He's mine."
"No he's not," Alex retorted, pressing something against JD's forehead. "He belongs here, with these men, not as a toy for your use."
"He's mine," the being yelled, coming up off the couch.
"No," Buck yelled back. "He's mine!"
The creature stumbled back as if Buck had hit him. "Who?"
"JD is mine," Buck continued, taking a step forward. "Give him back!"
"How about a trade?" the creature asked, a sly look on its borrowed face.
"Trade?"
"No," Alex interrupted, pushing Buck back. "You can't have any of the others."
"You want the boy back, I need a new body, Knight," the being snarled, the look of hate so out of place on JD's face. "Offering yours?"
"And if I am?" Alex asked.
"Too many protections, I wouldn't be able to get in," the creature replied.
"The protections come off." Ezra stared at his cousin in horror, hoping he wasn't planning on doing what it seemed like he was planning on doing. "But you leave here after. No playing with these humans."
The creature tilted its head, looking for signs of deception. "Deal. Take the protections off."
Alex pulled Buck away, pushing him over to the others once they were close enough. Trying to not say something, Ezra watched as Alex removed the two necklaces he wore, handing both them over. He then handed Ezra a packet of something, leaning forward.
"When it changes over to me, get JD away from it," Alex commanded. "Once he's free, throw this on me. It'll neutralize the touch problem and render the demon senseless long enough for you to get those back on me." He gestured to the necklaces. "Don't hesitate."
Ezra nodded, holding the packet tightly, dropping his hands to hide them from view. Alex walked back over to JD, kneeling beside the young man.
"Time," he told the creature.
JD's hand came up, resting on Alex's head. There was a brief spark of light, almost non-existent, then JD slumped away from Alex who looked dazed. Gesturing to Buck, Ezra waited until his two friends were out of the way. Once they were clear, he ripped open the packet and moved forward, and then he tossed the powder over Alex. There was a short scream and Alex froze. Moving as quickly as he could, Ezra slipped the two protection necklaces on and stepped back.
"Now what?" Chris asked, moving to standing next to the undercover agent.
"Now we wait."
tbc...
Author: xocoatldreams
Fandom: M7/BtVS
Characters/Pairings: Buck/JD, Ezra/Vin, Xander/?, Chris, Nathan, Josiah
Rating: R for violent imagery.
Prompt/Challenge: 17 and 31 from my 6x6 Challenge Card and Etic
Warnings: Slash, violence, swearing
Disclaimer: I don't own the M7 boys or any of the Buffy characters. And the modern, ATF M7 was created by the brilliant Mog.
A/N: I wasn't going to start writing and posting this yet, but the prompt sparked my muses and they demanded it.
Chapter One
It all started because I accidently bumped into someone coming out of the coffee shop. I can remember apologizing and the man just smiling and shaking his head as he walked away. Then a few hours later, the strange feelings started. At first I brushed it off as exhaustion; we had been working beyond overtime on a case. But then a few days later, after everything was wrapped up, the feelings kept coming, growing larger. Even the feel of Buck's hands on me couldn't push the strangeness aside. Soon the feelings replaced everything else and after that I found myself to be a passenger in my own body.
I had no clue who, or what, it was. All I knew was I didn't like it. For the first little while it was as if I had some control, though I knew I did, it was all an illusion. Then, once the creature got used to my life, I was pushed farther away. Oh, I didn't go easily. I made sure I let little things I would do slip. The creature didn't seem to be aware that I was lying, setting it up for a fall. I knew my lover, and some of my brothers, would recognize something was wrong. And they did, I just wished they had a lot earlier.
Then there was a strange man grabbing me, it, and dragging us away all the while making threats. I never knew that a Rubber Duck was that evil, but it obviously was to whatever had taken hold of my body. Soon there was only pain as I fought to free myself from the inside while the strange who said he knew Ezra tried from the outside.
~*~
Ezra weathered the questions during the wait until Alex got to his house. He watched as his friends worried, each in their own way. Buck paced around the townhouse, muttering under his breath and shooting glares Ezra's way. Chris sat, stony face, in a corner chair, keeping his eyes on his men. Nathan had made himself comfortable beside Josiah and was absently running a hand over one knee while staring blankly at the wall across from him. And Josiah, the big man was slouched on the couch, a knowing expression on his face. Once again, Ezra found himself wondering just what the gentle giant knew. Vin was sitting cross legged on the floor, eyes closed, just waiting.
"Ain't it time yet?" Buck growled, finally coming to a stop in the middle of the room, every muscle quivering. "Why ain't they here?"
"It hasn't been two hours yet," Chris said softly. "Sit down and wait."
"I-," Buck started, once again in motion. Ezra understood his tall friend's problem. When there is pain, there are no words, nothing that can be said to express the agony.
Ezra was saved from saying anything by a noise at his back door. All heads came up, hands drifting to gun butts. Rising fluidly from his seat, Ezra went to open the door, already well aware of who was on the other side. Opening the door, he gave Alex a quick glance before his gaze settled on the dishevelled form of their youngest.
"Don't touch," Alex said quietly, letting the smaller form lean against him. "Keep everyone back."
Nodding, Ezra stepped out of the way, gesturing to the others. Reluctantly they all parted, letting Alex manoeuvre the limp form through the kitchen and into the living room. He laid JD down on the couch and turned to look at the group of men. Ezra could read the exhaustion in his cousin's eye. Briefly, he wondered what the others thought of the eye patch and if any of them were going to say anything about it.
"JD?" Buck's voice was raw with anguish as he took a step towards his lover. Ezra saw the anger transform the normally smiling face as Alex stepped in his way.
"It's better if you all stay on that side of the room for now," Alex said quietly, keeping his body between them and JD.
"Why?" Buck's anguish made them all wince. "Why can't I touch him?"
"Because I don't want to have to go through this again," Alex said bluntly. "You touch him and there's a good chance that it'll transfer to you considering I've just about go it gone. Then I'll have to start at the beginning with you."
"Rather it was me," Buck muttered, eyes still on the figure on the couch.
"Yeah, well, life doesn't work that way," Alex shrugged. He stared at Buck for a moment. "I take it you're the lover?"
"Yes," Buck said defensively.
"Good, I'm going to need your help."
"You're not doing anything until you explain what the hell is going on," Chris snapped, taking a step towards Alex.
Ezra winced. He could almost hear the explosion as his cousin turned to look at the blond man. Alex's face had gone blank, much like his own did, and he held his arms loosely at his side, prepared. The undercover agent was well aware of just what his cousin was capable of doing. Normally friendly, Alex could be downright deadly under the right circumstances.
"I don't have to explain myself to you," Alex began softly. "I'm here as a favour to Ezra and I can walk out and leave you to deal with this on your own." It was only the knowledge that Alex wouldn't actually do that that kept Ezra from saying anything when the others yelled. "Do you like the idea of your friend slowly disappearing, becoming something beyond evil? Something that will have to be killed in a few months before it corrupts more people?"
"No," Chris ground out.
"Then let me do what I came here for," Alex said, relaxing his stance a bit. "Everything can be explained after." He looked at Buck. "Come here."
"Why? And how did you know?"
"As his lover you have a closer connection to him," Alex explained. "I know because Ezra told me. I could have used what he knows about the two of you, but he's outside your relationship, it wouldn't work as well. I need someone inside. And since JD can't do it, it falls to you. Now come here."
Buck walked over, standing anxiously by Alex's side. Ezra watched as his cousin whispered something in a guttural sounding language and JD sat up with a scream. The scream wasn't human, wasn't even animalistic. There was nothing but rage and power in the sound.
"Stop," Alex's voice was harsh as he glared down at the young man. "This will end."
"Never," the being JD's body hissed, eyes glowing slightly red. "He's mine."
"No he's not," Alex retorted, pressing something against JD's forehead. "He belongs here, with these men, not as a toy for your use."
"He's mine," the being yelled, coming up off the couch.
"No," Buck yelled back. "He's mine!"
The creature stumbled back as if Buck had hit him. "Who?"
"JD is mine," Buck continued, taking a step forward. "Give him back!"
"How about a trade?" the creature asked, a sly look on its borrowed face.
"Trade?"
"No," Alex interrupted, pushing Buck back. "You can't have any of the others."
"You want the boy back, I need a new body, Knight," the being snarled, the look of hate so out of place on JD's face. "Offering yours?"
"And if I am?" Alex asked.
"Too many protections, I wouldn't be able to get in," the creature replied.
"The protections come off." Ezra stared at his cousin in horror, hoping he wasn't planning on doing what it seemed like he was planning on doing. "But you leave here after. No playing with these humans."
The creature tilted its head, looking for signs of deception. "Deal. Take the protections off."
Alex pulled Buck away, pushing him over to the others once they were close enough. Trying to not say something, Ezra watched as Alex removed the two necklaces he wore, handing both them over. He then handed Ezra a packet of something, leaning forward.
"When it changes over to me, get JD away from it," Alex commanded. "Once he's free, throw this on me. It'll neutralize the touch problem and render the demon senseless long enough for you to get those back on me." He gestured to the necklaces. "Don't hesitate."
Ezra nodded, holding the packet tightly, dropping his hands to hide them from view. Alex walked back over to JD, kneeling beside the young man.
"Time," he told the creature.
JD's hand came up, resting on Alex's head. There was a brief spark of light, almost non-existent, then JD slumped away from Alex who looked dazed. Gesturing to Buck, Ezra waited until his two friends were out of the way. Once they were clear, he ripped open the packet and moved forward, and then he tossed the powder over Alex. There was a short scream and Alex froze. Moving as quickly as he could, Ezra slipped the two protection necklaces on and stepped back.
"Now what?" Chris asked, moving to standing next to the undercover agent.
"Now we wait."
tbc...