Breaking Free (35/many?)
Feb. 1st, 2007 08:06 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Title: Breaking Free (35/many?)
Fandom: BTVS; Spike/Xander
Warnings: Slash, AU, Sci-fi, kink
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Lt. “Xander” Harris and Captain William the Bloody have both suffered and lost in the on going war between the Biogens and Council. Now, Xander finds himself a prisoner of Captain William the Bloody (aka Spike). What will be Xander’s fate?
Previous parts here.
As always: Feedback make my heart go pitter-patter.
Ok...much thanks to
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Thaks for all the well wishes as well. I am feeling much better. I am conflicted though. Bears or Colts? Grew up two hours outside Chicago and so as a kid it was always "Da Bears". But...I'm a born and bred hoosier and live less then two hours away from Indy. *sigh* Oh well..guess who ever wins on Sunday I should be happy.
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Stay warm folks!
Riley arched an eyebrow.
Remember your promise, Xander silently begged Spike without looking at him.
“That,” Xander said as he pointed without looking at Spike, “is beneath me!”
Then before Xander could see the look on Spike’s face he delivered his own kick to it. The force of Xander’s kick sent Spike reeling and falling backwards to the ground unconscious.
Faith wasn’t sure how they cleared the
Too soon and too late it seemed Fred ran into the bay, stumbling when The DeSoto was rocked by Council fire. Faith remembered Fred shoving her away from Wesley and screaming at Faith to go help Gunn. Faith hadn’t wanted to leave Wesley. A hard slap had sent Faith reeling and brought her focus to Fred.
“GO HELP GUNN!” Fred had screamed and then turned to begin to work on the too pale Wesley.
Faith didn’t remember getting to the bridge. She didn’t remember taking over piloting the DeSoto while Gunn worked on returning fire. Faith just remembered thinking, Wesley’s eyes are blue, not his lips. Lips aren’t blue.
Faith didn’t know whether it had been days or rotations since their hasty retreat. What she did know was that she was tired. She sat in the galley staring at her bloodstained hands while Gunn poured her a proto-fizz.
“Drink it,” Gunn ordered. “Even Regents can go into shock.”
Faith nodded and took a sip. The bubbles irritated her sore throat. Had she screamed that much or did tears do that to you?
“Fred said she’d be here in a few to give us an update,” Gunn said.
Was that good news or bad news? Faith wondered. Isn’t SOP for bad news to be delivered in person?
“Faith,” Gunn tried again to bring the Regent back to the present, “Wes is strong.”
“There was so much blood,” Faith whispered.
“We can’t lose it now, girl,” Gunn tried again. “Spike…”
“Spike’s gone!” Faith cried finally meeting Gunn’s gaze.
“And Xander’s gonna bring him back!”
“And you believe that?” Faith laughed bitterly.
“Yes,” Gunn said simply, “and so do you.”
There was a faint knock on the galley archway. Gunn and Faith swiveled their attention to Fred who was entering the galley.
“I could use one of those, Charles,” Fred said as she nodded her chin in the direction of Faith’s proto-fizz.
Gunn got up and poured Fred a glass of the fizzy liquid. Fred sat down next to Faith. Gunn sat back down on the other side of the table opposite “his” girls. Gunn slid the asked for drink over to Fred.
“Thank you,” Fred said before she took a drink. She could feel the tension radiating off of Faith. Fred wasn’t trying to be cruel in not immediately updating Faith and Charles on Wesley’s status, but she’d just had her hands inside a man she knew loved her and she needed a moment to compose herself.
A moment, that ain’t too much to ask for, Fred thought, is it?
“Fred?” Faith quietly urged.
Fred sighed. “I have him stabilized…for now.”
Faith and Gunn released a sigh of their own.
“I won’t lie to you,” Fred continued. “It’s not good.”
“How bad?” Gunn asked.
“He was hit from front to back on the left side. I think his left kidney is gone and so is the spleen. Bone fragments from the shattered eleventh rib appear to have lodged themselves in the thoracic and lumbar regions of the spine…”
Faith choked back a cry.
“The abdominal aorta was hit. I’ve managed to seal it and the other bleeders. I’ve cleaned out the abdominal cavity as much as I dare….”
“Is he gonna make it?” Gunn asked.
“Not if we wait until we reach Hyperion to get him proper medical care,” Fred said.
“You have him stabilized?” Faith asked.
Fred nodded, “It’s taken almost our entire blood and plasma standby, but yeah I think I do. I also have him sedated, but he needs professional care now.”
“What’s the closest friendly colony with that kind of juice?” Gunn asked.
“Inara,” Faith replied.
Fred nodded. “They should have the facilities to treat him there. They might even be able to treat the spine. The sooner they can get the fragments out and start the SC therapy, the sooner he has a chance of being able to walk again.”
“There’s a chance of that?” Gunn asked.
Fred smiled grimly, “Well it’s not Biogen science, but stem cell therapy has been around for some time. If we can get a graft started on his spine soon his chances are good.”
None of the remaining DeSoto crew articulated what they were thinking. On Hyperion they had the ability to ensure Wesley’s full recovery, but if they waited to get him there he might not make it at all.
“We’re going to Inara,” Faith said as she stood up to head for the bridge. “Fred, stay with Wes. Let me know if anything changes. Gunn, find out who we can trust on the colony. I don’t think we can risk sending a message to Angel right now, but we’ll want to get word to him as soon as we can.”
Fred and Gunn nodded. Faith tried to smile and then left for the bridge. She still hadn’t thought to wash the blood from her hands.
***
“My poor, Spike,” the soft voice drifted into Spike’s consciousness. Spike blinked into the pressing and surrounding darkness.
“Bugger off,” Spike spat as he struggled against the wrist restraints that held him to a hard and cold metal wall.
“They’ve put my Spike in the corner and taken his toys away,” the voice spoke again.
Spike furrowed his brow; the voice was feminine and familiar.
“Some vid tricks will get you Jack and shite,“ Spike snarled while slipping into game face. “And Jack just took a big crapper before heading out the airlock.”
The voice giggled and a light began to slowly filter in front of Spike slowly revealing the tall and willowy form of a thin pale young woman with dark eyes and darker hair. She reached out a hand to gently trace the hard edge of Spike’s cheek.
“Dru,” Spike whispered in a broken sigh momentarily forgetting his circumstances.
The woman smiled and leaned down close to Spike so her lips hovered above his.
“My poor William, Dru softly breathed across Spike’s lips.
“Yer not real,” Spike said in another broken whisper and let his face resume it's natural form.
“Was I ever?” Dru asked.
“Go away, luv,” Spike said as he turned his face away from his haunted apparition.
“Not before you remember your promise,” Dru said.
“Promise?” Spike looked back at Dru.
“Ms. Edith said you can’t come to tea,” Dru started to say in a sing song voice as she almost seemed to float away from Spike. “We have no biscuits.”
Spike dropped his head forward. They got the nutters part right, he thought.
“I’m not serving the bad boys either," Dru pouted. “I’ll not dance or pour for them when they hurt my Spike so.”
Spike looked up at Dru. How did she…?
Dru smiled, “You never hid your thoughts from me, not even when they were naughty, naughty thoughts.”
“Dru?” Spike asked again dreading and yet hoping for her answer.
The woman smiled again and then began to twirl around. The light followed and seemed to only illuminate her.
“My poor Spike all alone in the dark without his toys or his kitten for comfort.”
“Kitten?”
Dru stopped twirling around and then returned to hover over Spike.
“Remember your promise, Spike.”
Dru once again ran her hand gently over Spike’s face. “Remember your promise. Remember your kitten?”
Wot the bloody hell is she talking about? Spike wondered.
“Dru, luv, if there was something I’ve forgotten,” Spike said, “Some memory I forgot to honor or promise made….”
“Spike,” Dru interrupted in the voice she used to use to correct a naughty child, “I’m your Dark Princess and you have never disappointed me.”
“I don’t understand, luv,” Spike said.
Dru once again backed away and began to twirl in the darkness.
“He’s dark eyed and light hearted,” Dru began to sing song, “He rolls over and purrs sweetly but his claws are sharp!”
Dru curled her fingers and pantomimed clawing at the darkness.
‘Dark eyed’ and his claws are sharp? Spike thought and then he jerked hard against his restraints and focused his gaze on Dru.
“Xander?”
“Oh he’s a sweet kitten!” Dru said as she laughed, twirled and clapped her hands. “He keeps my Spike warm and in smiles.”
“What about Xander?” Spike asked desperately.
Dru stopped spinning and drifted back to Spike. “Remember your promise,” she said.
My bloody promise? Spike thought. What is she talking about?
Then once again Spike jerked against his restraints as realization surged through him almost painfully.
“I love him, Dru,” Spike said in a stronger voice then he’d yet used. “That hasn’t changed.”
Dru smiled then and pressed a soft kiss to Spike’s lips. The kiss was sweet and swift. It left something in Spike a little more broken and yet a little more restored.
“Then make sure you keep your promise,” Dru smiled. “Make sure….”
“My promise?” Spike started to interrupt only to have Dru lay a long silencing finger over his lips.
“Blue for your eyes,” Dru continued, “and kitten brown for him. Silver for shining in the dark and for showing him how precious he is.”
“Dru?”
“Remember, my Spike,” Dru said softly. “Good kittens need collars to remind them that no matter where they stray or how lost they get, they have a home.”
Spike stilled for a moment marveling in Dru’s touch and what she was telling him. For a moment Spike was lost in the letting go and the hanging on; then he smiled.
“I suspect he does,” Spike said.
Dru smiled in return before once again spinning away and clapping her hands.
“He’ll take good care of you, Spike,” Dru said as she danced in circles, “He’ll be sweet, soft and warm. He’ll be yours but like all good kittens he’ll also be his.”
“Wouldn’t want it any other way,” Spike smiled again.
“Make him purr, Spike,” Dru said as she continued to twirl. Then the light which had been illuminating Dru began to flicker and fade.
“Make him purr and he’ll make you smile,” Dru’s fading voice continued to sing song until the light and her form were completely gone.
“I will,” Spike promised.
Pain suddenly flared through Spike’s being and he felt his whole body arch in response.
“Will what, Seventeen?” A harsh voice demanded as another bout of pain raced from Spike’s skull and down his spine. “Be a good Biogen?”
When the next surge of pain coursed through Spike his stomach revolted in protest. Bile erupted from Spike’s mouth and spilled down his chest.
“I guess you forgot how much pain the chip can produce, eh?” the voice asked as hard knuckles rasped against something metallic lodged in a tender and raw spot on the side of Spike’s head.
Spike felt his wrists released and he fell forward face first onto the floor.
“We will just have to remind you, Seventeen,” the voice spat as a swift kick was delivered into Spike’s side.
“Lesson one; we can hurt you all we want,” the voice said as two more swift kicks were pounded into Spike’s lower back.
“But you?” the voice said, “Well that’s lesson number two. You. Can’t. HURT. US!”
This time the succession of kicks punctuating the voice’s last four words were aimed at Spike’s face.
Why’s it always in the bloody face? Spike briefly wondered before he once again surrendered into unconsciousness.
TBC in prt 36
no subject
Date: 2007-02-01 01:36 pm (UTC)poor guy. Great chapter. B.
I know...I know...
Date: 2007-02-01 09:35 pm (UTC)Already started work on chap 36.
sr
no subject
Date: 2007-02-01 01:48 pm (UTC)I know...
Date: 2007-02-01 09:39 pm (UTC)However don't worry...Xander is the white knight and a loyal lover...he'll do something.
Already started work on chap 36. It's supposed to be REALLY cold this weekend...(single digits with wind chill below freezing). I think it's perfect weather for my sweetie to make his amazing chili and homemade cornbread while I bundle up in my fuzzy blue thing and write with cats in tow around the 'puter.
:)
sr
Breaking Free Ch 35
Date: 2007-02-01 03:43 pm (UTC)And all I could think of when reading it was:
'Make Wesley a Biogen too' *jumps up and down in wishful glee*
and
Please could *somebody* kick seven kinds of crap out of the guys hurting Spike. Please? *pets Spike*
and
Where the heck is Xander? Here kitty kitty ... I *so* love the idea of Dru referring to him as Spike's kitty. I can *see* that visual!! Ummmmm ... Ooops I may have been affected by lit_gal's Toys 8 1/2 story ... tailverse! :-)
Re: Breaking Free Ch 35
Date: 2007-02-01 09:42 pm (UTC)Glad you liked the chappie and thanks for the wonderful and quick job on the beta. I've already got part of 36 down on paper (yeah..I carry a notebook and when I don't have access to the 'puter I do writing my by hand...most of 35 was written while my charcter was out of action during my Tuesday night RL RPG.)
The other part of 36 has been rolling around in my head so I hope to have another chapter too you soon.
Glad you liked the Dru parts...and her referring to him as Spike's kitten. :)
sr
no subject
Date: 2007-02-01 04:20 pm (UTC)Poor Spike, poor little Spike. *tries to comfort Spike* Make it better. Please. You wrote an excellent half insane Dru and delusional Spike, very good, and you didn't kill Wesley *Cheers* But. You. Chipped. Spike! And Xander's no where to be seen. Make it better and soon please. *whimpers* I'm waiting for the next chapter at the edge of my sanity.
thank you
Date: 2007-02-01 09:46 pm (UTC)Yeah..Spike has it rough right now...but I promise..Xander will show up soon and do what he can.
I'm really glad you liked the Dru sequence. I was really afraid to write that..even though my muse insisted. I think meaningful crazy is hard to do...and Dru's "voice" is probably even more difficult then Fred's (for me). Fred's getting easier cuz I'm starting to figure out some really good resources for the "tech" and "sciencey" stuff.
I promise a pinch of comfort in the next chap. :)
sr
no subject
Date: 2007-02-01 05:45 pm (UTC)Yes if Wesley is made a Biogen then there'll be 2 "repaired-human" Biogens out there and the fat will really be in the fire once the news gets out.
That darn cliff *grumbles* More asap.
Shakatany
I'm so glad you did read!
Date: 2007-02-01 09:48 pm (UTC)As to the Wesley Biogen issue...well I think a few characters are going to have some very strong (and not necessarily the same) opinion about that...stay tuned.
I promise...I won't keep you waiting long. I already started on chap 36. "Xander" and "Spike" are pushing at me. :)
sr
no subject
Date: 2007-02-01 06:21 pm (UTC)And yea, I hear ya on the Bears vs. Colts.... I live in a Chicago burb, but grew up in Indy. Heh. But I can't admit that to my students, or I'd get tomato'd outta the building!
*smile*
Date: 2007-02-01 09:59 pm (UTC)As to the super bowl...LOL! Yeah...at least where I'm at in IN it's not too terrible to be seen in Bears colors...(I'm in Rex Grossman's home town!).
While predominantly everyone here is a Colts fan (cept for the outta state students) most are forgiving for the Bears colors.
sr
no subject
Date: 2007-02-01 07:14 pm (UTC)*sniffle*
Of course Wes will be fine. Of course!
*sniffle*
*sniff*
Date: 2007-02-01 10:01 pm (UTC)Almost didn't write the Dru scene.
Love the icon btw. Works for the discussion onthis chapter really well.
sr
no subject
Date: 2007-02-01 07:15 pm (UTC)*worries about Wes*
thank you!
Date: 2007-02-01 10:03 pm (UTC)I'm already working on chap 36. I promise I won't make y'all wait too long.
sr
no subject
Date: 2007-02-01 08:52 pm (UTC)Not a chip! God I hate thse fucking Council arseholes!
Can't somebody put a chip in their heads. let them know what it feels like to have your face kicked, but not be able to fight back.
The Dru part was absolutely lovely! I love the way she calls Xander kitten. I think it really suits him.
It was interesting to read from somebody else's point of view. I feel so sorry for Faith.
Only have to ask one thing. Wes an fred are together, right? I don't think I got that wrong... It was just that this sentence confused me
because she mentions how she knows Wes loves her, but nothing about how the man she loves might die. I just found the phrasing strange, did you have a special purpose for it?
You're doing a wonderful job as usual.
I am a complete confrontation addict, and proud of it! So I can't wait for hell to break loose (which I hope it does) when Xander meets his "old" family. Just make sure Xander and Spike are happy and together in the end :)
Curious about your Giles. He has to be a bit different, I'm thinking, since he ought to have been aware of the whole Biogen history. Although, come to think of it, in BtVS he never really explained how the whole "demon = bad" concept is a bit more tricky than that.
I want a big scene where Xander tells everyone he's a happy Biogen (almost) and in love with William the Bloody!
One correction:
The second "Fred" should be "Faith", since fred comes in to tell them how Wesley is doing.
I want more! It's getting so exciting!
Hugs!
thank you!
Date: 2007-02-01 10:25 pm (UTC)Ok...as to Fred and Wes....I've been sticking with "cannon" mostly where Wesley has unrequited love for Fred. It's not a secret...even from her..even though everyone thinks it is..a secret from her..that is. :)
Giles...well there will be a confrontation between Xander and Giles about what the G-man knows. How could there not? Xander...has questions....I'll let the story say whether or not Giles has answers?
Yep..the council pri..er..soldiers are being...well...Council soldiers. Don't worry...next chap Xander will do what he can. :)
Glad you liked the Dru sequence. Was really worried about that one.
Don't worry..next chap will be out very soon. I've already started to work on it.
sr
no subject
Date: 2007-02-01 09:27 pm (UTC)I'm going to have to wait for 3-4 chapters so there's some chance they boys will be back together.
Oh, my poor nerves!
Keep up the good work!!! Thanks for a riveting chapter!
eeek! i'm losing you?
Date: 2007-02-01 10:32 pm (UTC)Drink some chamomile tea (little honey in it if your throat is scratchy)...and relax...I promise chap 36 will be out soon.
:) Though..I understand the concept of waiting until chaps build up. I'm being absolutely tortured waiting for wtf_is_shame's next chapter and there's this mcshep..WIP which is constantly causing me to check Wraithbait for an update!
So...I can't fault you! :)
Glad you still love the story..and it's keeping you interested!
sr
Re: eeek! i'm losing you?
Date: 2007-02-01 11:56 pm (UTC)It could be the stress of the programming I'm doing, too. I need some good boy loving ;-). I really love your Spike and Xander. Maybe I'll just re-read this story. Go back to the "early days".
Don't rush anything. I love good stories and I'm willing to wait. I'm just impatient right now. That's my problem, not yours.
As I've said before, I will be nominating you for best AU somewhere, sometime. I'm not an AU fan, but this story is excellent.
Re: eeek! i'm losing you?
Date: 2007-02-02 06:51 pm (UTC)As to rereading the story...I'm looking forward to that when I finish this. I want to read what I wrote from beginning to end. Have thought I might tweak a few things based on subsequent research I've done (that's actually surprised me..how much research I have done as I'm writing this story..not on just the show..but British slang...and some other things).
Thank you for the nomination support. *blush* That means a lot. Did more work on chap 36 last night. This is going to be a long chapter. :)
sr
no subject
Date: 2007-02-02 12:59 am (UTC)thank you
Date: 2007-02-02 06:53 pm (UTC)Well...maybe Caleb and the evil council folks will be in the same karmic waiting room as they wait to get back on the wheel of fate... :)
Been working on chap 36. With any luck I'll get it out sometime this weekend. :)
sr
no subject
Date: 2007-02-02 01:51 am (UTC)you're welcome
Date: 2007-02-02 07:01 pm (UTC)sr
no subject
Date: 2007-02-02 02:28 am (UTC)Love this line: He rolls over and purrs sweetly but his claws are sharp! I have such a kink for Xander being a sub but not being a sub.
Loving it!
*smile*
Date: 2007-02-02 07:02 pm (UTC)Don't worry..Xander hasn't forgotten Spike. Already working on chap 36.
And...yeah....I share your kink... sub-but-not-sub Xander. :)
sr
no subject
Date: 2007-02-02 03:41 am (UTC)meep! make it better? soon?
Poor Spike AND Xander. *sniff*
ok...
Date: 2007-02-02 07:03 pm (UTC)Hang in there.
btw -love the icon. :)
sr
no subject
Date: 2007-02-02 06:17 pm (UTC)Name your price and I'll pay it - just make it better.
Seriously, that was just great angst love. The stuff with Dru was especially good.
And I love that Spike is still worrying about his looks in the middle of getting a serious kicking.
Can't wait to see what happens next!
chocolate chip cookie dough
Date: 2007-02-02 07:07 pm (UTC)But don't worry...I have some in the fridge and I've already started chap 36. Don't worry...Xander hasn't forgotten his Spike.
I'm glad you liked the Dru stuff. Was really nervous about that sequence.
I love that final line too. Felt the scene needed a little levity..and it is SOOOOO Spike.
Chap 36 coming soon...promise...
sr
no subject
Date: 2007-02-02 09:30 pm (UTC)Concerning what the council boys are doing to Spike, the wrongness of it makes me flinch, but I can also understand why they're acting like that.
#1 They've been brought up to believe that their hatred and anger is justified. For some of them it might acutally be more than that. Just like Xander one or two of them are bound to have lost loved ones, family and friends to biogen attacks. It's hard to stick to something approximating the Geneva Conventions when every fibre in your body is screaming at you that you're dealing with something that's a threat to your "tribe".
#2 Despite Spike being chipped again, they're probably still scared shitless of him. Fear is an irrational, mindless thing, William the Bloody did a lot in the past to deserve that name and a chip seems like such a flimsy defense when you think about it. So if you're afraid of someone, you beat them up if you can, just to proove to yourself (and to your peers) that no, you're not scared _at all_...
*growls* Mind you, not forgiving them despite the fact that I understand.
As for the Crew of the DeSoto, my heart bleeds for them and I admire the courage and strenght that got them out of this fix, despite their hearts getting torn in the process.
Spike and Xander....they're in for a rough ride. They'll hurt and bleed and not only where it shows. Still my trust into the two of them is great....they're strong. They'll make it.
Thank you once more for giving us this wonderful story ^_^
and...thank you...
Date: 2007-02-04 05:01 am (UTC)And yes....there are people that would lash out for the reasons you outlined...and then there are people who'll do that just because they are sadists.
The crew of the DeSoto have been through a lot..but they are a strong bunch.
Spike and Xander..that's going to be tough...but I am a Spander gal. :)
I'm about half way through chap 36! I'm going to work on it some more tomorrow before the Superbowl. ;)
sr
no subject
Date: 2007-02-04 07:54 am (UTC)And poor Spike! Great Spike/Dru bit; love the forshadowing here. You can just tell that Xan's gonna be a bastard and Spike's gonna get hurt and those poor boys won't know who loves who anymore. Wah!
Seriously good stuff.
Thank you!
Date: 2007-02-05 02:46 am (UTC)Anyway..just posted chap 36! :)
sr
no subject
Date: 2007-02-04 04:06 pm (UTC)Loved Dru, like all your characters, so true to cannon, in such different circumstances.
I am worried about how Xander will cope, hiding his new nature and worrying about Spike.
But I'm looking forward to seeing Buffy and Willow in this universe.
Wonderful, as always.
Thank you!
Date: 2007-02-05 02:47 am (UTC)Just posted chap 36.
sr
no subject
Date: 2007-02-05 01:21 am (UTC)My favorite story!!! (^_^)
*blush* Thank you
Date: 2007-02-05 02:48 am (UTC)Just posted chap 36.
sr
no subject
Date: 2007-02-05 08:59 pm (UTC)One of the things I really Love about this fic
Date: 2008-01-09 05:49 am (UTC)very well constructed
Zaz
Re: One of the things I really Love about this fic
Date: 2008-01-09 05:05 pm (UTC)I wanted the reader to decide for themselves. :)
sr