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Author's Chapter Notes:
Your reviews are so very appreciated!! Thank you!!!
Thank you to Spikeskat for betaing this chap once again!
Chapter 20
The skillful competence that had seemed to take hold of Xander during their rescue mission fled in light of this terrifying revelation, and he could help but watch - with morbid curiosity - as the vampire who had previously almost made him crap himself in terror, did his best to offer moral support to Buffy while she suffered at the cruel hands of mother nature. The vampire's murmured words and the soft strokes of his hands upon her hair were gentle and soothing in nature, and at such odds from the demented cruelty Xander had witnessed before.

Xander could appreciate now that Buffy had become the bloodsucker's entire focus; the aftermath of their harrowed escape not fazing him in the least as he concentrated solely on the slayer’s well-being. Oh, he had been all about the issues and the disbelieving when Angel had told him that Buffy was with Spike WILLINGLY - figuring that Spike couldn't possibly care about Buffy. That the vampire was only in it for his own sick purposes.

But all that denial went flying out the window as Xander watched the way Buffy reacted to Spike's touch while crying pitifully against his chest.

Because Buffy accepting comfort from someone she wasn't with completely?

Not much in the realm of possibility, no matter what had happened to her. She couldn't have changed that much.

It wasn't like he and Giles weren't sitting right there, either, because the supportive best friend thing was all always of the good, no matter how long Buffy had been gone. Xander had the feeling that even if her mom or Willow were sitting here, Buffy would still be in Spike's lap.

 Judging by the tears that were now staining the vampire's ashen cheeks, this was heavy. Really heavy. Like 'buh-bye Angel, hello Spike' heavy.

And after what they had already gone through today, Xander thought he just might be ok with that.

The interior of the truck was suddenly filled with a plethora of unspoken emotion, nobody knowing quite what to say as the adrenaline rush gave way, leaving behind tired, shell-shocked people. Silence seemed the best option, each of them battle weary and on the last of their reserves. The truck continued to speed away from the military compound at a rapid clip; the longer they went without being set upon by the military, the better their odds at escaping unscathed.

After a brief glance around the truck, Xander couldn't help but resume his study of Buffy, taking note as the inescapable pain of labor left her pale features contorted in a twisted mask of agony. There was no denying the worry that Spike felt for the girl in his arms as he continually smoothed the hair from her face, his gaze remaining locked with hers – like he could will away her pain with a look alone.

   A small twitch of movement from the unconscious soldier alerted Xander that she was waking, and he tore his gaze away from the unlikely couple sitting on the floor and watched the slight spasms that affected the stranger's limbs as the tazer gun’s affects wore off.

"She's coming around," Xander announced unnecessarily, more to break the unnerving silence than anything. "Uh...should we be thinking of tying her up?"

"Whatever for?" Giles snapped, finding this sudden irritation with the boy familiar - and oddly comforting.

"She's not a hostage?" Xander asked, confused as to the girl's role in this situation.

"I should say not!" Giles denied heatedly.

Xander held up his hands in mock surrender. "Sorry, G-man, was just trying to help."

"And you did help - quite well, actually." This praise came in the surprising form of Quentin Travers.

Xander felt his chest swell with pride at the comment. He really had helped. He wasn't just Xander Harris, the Boy Wonder, donut-fetcher any longer. He had worth. A purpose. And damned if he didn't feel a few tears of his own pricking at the corner of his eyes.

"Is everyone ok back there?" Angel called back to the sedate group. The truck had just exited the gate that they had crashed through what seemed like a lifetime ago - the bodies of the soldiers still undiscovered and lying beside the guard house.

Silence greeted the vampire's inquiry, nobody quite knowing the appropriate response.

No, some of them really weren't ok.

The armored truck dipped suddenly and when Spike felt Buffy stiffen with pain against him, he yelled angrily over his shoulder. "Bloody hell! Mind your driving, Peaches."

At Spike's scathing tone, Angel immediately bristled. "Sorry, Spike, I'm only trying to drive us to safety here." Even with the tempered windshield and sunglasses, the sun's rays were harsh against his sensitive eyes, and Angel had to wonder why it had been agreed that he would be in the driver's seat.

A low moan filled the interior before Spike could shoot back an appropriate come-back.

And this time, the one voicing it wasn't Buffy.

"Ow... gawd dammit..." Christine rolled over on her side and tried to ignore the outcry of seemingly every muscle in her body.

Spike nodded knowingly as he looked down at soldier girl lying next to him. "Yeah, hurts like a sonofabitch, don't it? Especially those first few minutes."

At the sound of a voice, Christine's eyes shot open and flicked around in confusion before finally settling on the only familiar thing she’d encountered. "S-Spike?"

"Yeah."

Carefully pushing herself up on spasming muscles, Christine tried to remember what had happened - but came up blank. "Uh... Where am I?"

"Back of a truck. It's somethin' called the soddin' cavalry. Used to make me heave, but now, can't say I quite mind the way they always seem to ride to the rescue and save the bloody day," Spike informed her, his own glance encompassing the others with a brief look of gratitude.

Christine stared at Spike for a moment, hoping for more clarification than he had just offered, but realized that was all she was going to get. Her confused eyes found Buffy's and she smiled, finding herself glad to see her new friend here. Wherever 'here' was.

"Are you ok?" Christine couldn't help but ask, noting the wan appearance of the girl in front of her.

Buffy gave a derisive snort. "Oh yeah, thanks. This laboring thing in the back of a moving truck? So not much with the fun."

"But it's got to be better than where we found you, right?" It suddenly dawned on Christine that they were no longer in the base, and were in fact speeding away from the military compound. She looked from Buffy, out the back window - where she saw the glaring desert speeding by, before fixing a shocked stare upon Spike. "Wait... you got me out of there?"

Spike looked uncomfortable. "Wasn't me. Had an armful of pregnant slayer, ya know? Watcher did."

Christine smiled her gratitude to the watcher in question. "Thank you."

Giles took his glasses off to polish. "Yes, well, Spike was rather insistent."

"Ok, obviously I'm missing something here... and since you're not a hostage, I'm going more with the help-age scenario," Xander announced, wishing someone would explain things to him. Obviously both Spike and Buffy knew this soldier, and Xander had already noticed the bite marks on the girl's neck - and didn't even want to acknowledge where his mind was racing.

But before Christine could reply, an anguished scream from Buffy had wrenched its way past her throat.
 
"God, this hurts!" she squeezed out between gritted teeth.

"Is Buffy ok?" Angel tossed back from the front, torn between the desire to keep putting as many miles as possible between themselves and the wreckage they had left behind, and pulling over to make sure Buffy was all right. This feeling of uncertainty was not welcome at all.

Spike rolled his eyes, even though he knew his grandsire couldn't see him. "No, she's not bloody all right. She's in labor, you nit!"

Spike heard the heavy, put upon sigh that floated back to him. "Well, that's just great," Angel muttered, the urge to pull over growing stronger.

"Hey! It's not my fault!" Buffy shot back at Angel. "Because believe me when I tell you, that as far as labor experiences go? This has pretty much just sucked all the way around."

Before Angel could respond to Buffy's rant, he heard the voice of the previously unconscious soldier.

"How far apart are the contractions?" she asked, concern evident even through Angel couldn't see her face.

"Not far enough apart, let me tell ya," Buffy replied in a bitchy tone. When she noticed everyone looking at her, their expressions ranging from shock to outright terror, she couldn't help but sigh with irritation. "God, what am I? Buffy, the walking, talking, pregnant, freak show?"

At those sarcastically spoken words, Xander's face broke out into a wide smile.

"What?" Buffy demanded crossly, giving Xander a dark look. He was, after all, male. He couldn't possibly understand her pain.

Which just totally sucked, as far as she was concerned.

"Nothing. I'm just... all with the happy at seeing you again," Xander replied, still grinning like an idiot. "Because... it's like really you."

"Yes, well, usually I do not find myself in agreement with Xander, but I, too, share his sentiment," Giles announced. "You were missed."

Buffy's eyes filled with tears once more, her surliness fleeing in light of the heartfelt emotions of her friends. "I missed you guys, too."

"I'd suggest the group hug thing, but something tells me I wouldn't live through it," Xander commented.

"Got that bloody right," Spike mumbled heatedly. "But uh... just wanna say... 'ppreciate the help back there." He ducked his head self-consciously, obviously uncomfortable with expressing sentiments of gratitude.

But Spike knew they would not have made it out of there if it hadn't been for the unexpected rescue. And for that, his grandsire and this boy had his thanks.

A/N-oh she's close... so very close.. Was the Xander pov ok? For some reason, he wouldn't shut up. Let me know how this is going, if the 'good guy Travers' thing works, etc. Thanks!





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