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The More Things Change	By : slashtheboyz Category: AtS/BtVS Crossovers > Slash - Male/Male > Spike(William)/Xander > Spike(William)/Xander Views: 12377 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own BtVS or AtS. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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“Stop letting the Council control your mind, think for yourself Wesley,” Xander said in exasperation.

Wesley sputtered searching his mind for a rebuttal. But he couldn’t deny Xander’s allegations. At least not with anything that didn’t prove the points Xander made about species prejudice and his human attitude of entitlement and superiority. Every argument he could muster came back to a human’s right to live, and do as they wish, because they were better than other species of any kind, by virtue of being born human and having souls. Angel listened to the exchange silently, his eyes hooded in thought.

Spike chuckled darkly at Wesley’s dilemma and turned toward the entrance to the alley. “We need ta be gettin’ on then. That Escalade’s not gonna come to us.”

Xander and Spike looked up and down the street again. It was still deserted. “Alright we’re gonna move out fast watcher. Keep up.”

Spike and Xander burst out of the alley at a run. They led Angel, bringer bouncing on his shoulder, and Wesley on a zig zag course through murky alleys, behind deserted buildings, and in several neighborhoods they slipped between houses with darkened windows, scenting the air for anyone that might see them as they ran. They finally came to the edge of town where the first straggling trees indicated the beginning of the forest proper and slowed to a jog.

Wesley was sweating heavily now, big droplets were running in rivulets from his hairline down his face, and the three demons could hear his labored breathing. “Got ta work on that stamina watcher,” Spike commented after assessing him with gold eyes. Xander snickered and Spike laughed, when Wesley, unable to gather enough breath to reply, wiped his face tiredly slicking away the film of perspiration, and wordlessly raised two fingers in a rude reply.

They slowed to a walk when they entered the forest where the trees grew thicker and closer together. Spike, Xander and Angel walked lightly; their footsteps barely stirred the layer of dead leaves and twigs on the forest floor. Wesley was trying his best to be as quiet as they, but he wasn’t a hunter; he was tired from the long run, and he didn’t see in the darkness as well as they could. He had a hold on Angel’s elbow, for support, and so Angel could guide him around trees in the darkness. But he continually stepped on twigs snapping them with cracks that were loud even amongst the noises made by the activity of the night creatures stirring in the forest. “It’s a bloody good thing we’re not tryin’ ta sneak, watcher,” Spike growled.

Spike and Xander led them deeper into the gloom under the trees following the same general path they had taken out of the woods when they’d abandoned the Escalade less than a week ago. Thirty minutes or so of steady walking brought them to the general vicinity where they’d stashed the SUV. Xander and Spike sniffed, following the scent of gas and engine oil as it grew stronger until they spotted the thick layer of undergrowth and branches they’d piled on and about the vehicle to conceal it from any casual observers.

Angel happily divested himself of his disgusting burden, dumping it off on the ground like a sack of potatoes in the concealing shadow of several trees growing close together. Wesley collapsed to the ground near Angel with a groan of relief; fishing a handkerchief from a pocket, he tiredly wiped his face and tried to catch his breath.

Spike and Xander busied themselves pulling the uprooted shrubs and tree branches from the roof and sides of the Escalade, scattering the loose leaves and pine needles they’d used to fill in the gaps of their hastily improvised camouflage. They quickly cleared just enough of the shrubbery to open the doors, and then returned to where they’d left Angel standing guard over the bringer and Wesley.

Xander stopped at the dark lump on the ground, and crouched down beside it. “We don’t need this thing, it’s not serving any purpose to carry it around with us, and we can’t leave it to tell tales,” Xander commented. Before anyone had a chance to reply, he pulled his long knife out of its’ sheath in his duster pocket and grabbed a handful of hood. Jerking the bringer’s head back, he slashed the knife across its exposed throat quickly, the blade cut deeply without catching on gristle or bone. Xander watched with a great deal of pleasure as blood sprayed out in a long pulsing arc from the severed arteries and veins then slowed gradually to drizzle down the front of the robe as the bringer’s heart slowed and stuttered. The heart gave one last stuttering heave and stopped. Xander’s mouth watered at the scent of all that fresh hot blood, but he wouldn’t touch this nasty creature’s blood unless he was starving to dust.

Xander efficiently cleaned the knife on the rough material of the bringer’s robe, and examined the blade to make sure he hadn’t missed any spots. He sheathed the knife, returned it to his pocket, and stood. “The animals will take care of the carcass,” he said matter of factly as he joined Spike and they walked away from the corpse he’d left laying on the ground. He stopped at the side of Escalade, and Spike went around to the driver’s door.

Angel still stood, and Wesley sat, where he left them, looking at the dead bringer. “Are you two going to hang around here all night?” Xander called. “Let’s go.”

Spike stretched over, pulled the door latch, pushed the door open for Xander, and he slid onto the wide luxurious leather seat, shut the door with a jerk, and laid his head back on the seat. “Think you shocked the watcher and the great poof outta their knickers there luv.” Xander could feel Spike’s smug pride and approval thrumming strongly in the link.

Wesley shuddered, looking dazedly from the dead Bringer to Xander and back again, then he shook himself. Angel gave him a hand and pulled him to his feet. They headed to the Escalade with Angel lagging behind, head bowed deep in thought.

Xander turned his head to look out the window at Angel and Wesley. “It was a chore that had to be done, and I enjoyed it. Do you really think Angel or Wesley had the stomach for it?” He rolled his head back and looked over at Spike.

Spike thought on it a second then answered. “Killin’ someone during a fight is one thing while the action is hot n’ you’re doing yer best to kill ‘em before they off ya; but outright stone cold killin’? Nah, they can’t do it, even if the stench of evil is right up their noses. They all talk a good talk about fightin’ evil,” he snorted sardonically, “but sometimes you have ta fit actions to words, it ain’t always pretty or easy, n’ somebody’s got ta do it. Ya remember the situation with Ben?” He shrugged. “Angel might be able ta do it cold, when he finally gets his shite together, n’ stops lettin’ the watcher n’ his human pets tell him what’s what. But you’re a childe after m’ unbeatin’ heart, yer a predator through and through n’ a joy ta watch. You see what needs ta be done n’ ya do it, even with a soul, without poncin’ around wringin’ yer hands and bein’ a bleedin’ heart about it. There’s nothin’ evil about bein’ what ya are. Any good craftsman ought ta enjoy his work n’ our work right now is killin’ evil.”

Xander nodded in agreement and changed the subject before their companions could interrupt their moment of privacy. “The show must go on. I have a sneaky thinky thought, Sire of mine. Do you know where the Army Base is?”

Spike glanced over at him in surprise. “Never been there luv, only contact I ever had with military types, was the Initiative blokes, n’ those soddin’ Nazis in WWII, same ideas n’ methods, different bunch o’ wankers. They never seem ta learn no matter who’s in charge.”

Wesley slid into the back seat behind Xander with a sigh of weary relief, and budged over so Angel could climb in. Spike turned the key and the engine started smoothly. He backed the SUV carefully making a three-point turn, to turn them about, facing the way they had come. He drove forward, slowly navigating between the trees in the dark. He’d left the headlights off to avoid stirring the curiosity of anyone who might see a stray gleam of light and investigate. “I think I can remember how we got this big wanker in here,” he commented. Everyone was silent as Spike concentrated on finding the way out of the woods.

Twenty minutes later, they cleared the last straggling trees; Xander pulled out the map as Spike came to a stop, and concentrated on the nearest road. The lines blurred and shifted. He told Spike. “You need to go that way, “and he pointed. “That’s the quickest way to a paved road. It should take us about five or ten minutes to reach it.”

Spike turned the wheel smoothly and drove off in the new direction bumping gently over the slight unevenness of the grass-covered ground.

Angel had been silent for quite a while now and Xander decided it was time to beard the broodmeister before he had another attack of assholiness. He turned sideways to look over the seat at Angel and Wesley. “Alright Fan… uhh Angel, before we get busy with other things. This is as good a time as any to give you the low down on the Fang Gang in my latest vision attack.”

Wesley dragged his eyes away from the passing scenery. Angel’s head snapped up and they both focused on him intently. Wesley cleared his throat. “Yes, we have been curious as to whether you had seen anything concerning our situation. Cordy hasn’t had any visions since the, errr Beast incident.” Wesley glanced quickly at Angel. Angel’s face settled into a blank mask, only his eyes showed any emotion at all, and that was a fierce determination.

Xander nodded with understanding. He would be curious himself if he was in their shoes. “This is the way the cookie crumbles. If you go back to LA and take the job that Wolfram & Hart will offer you, all of you will die,” he said flatly. Then he continued. “Most of the pictures don’t change much from that point. Only the times, places, and ways vary a little. The results are the same. All of you die one way or another.”

Wesley’s face lost all its color and Angel looked like someone had gutted him. “It’s like with that decision you squeeze out your ability to change anything with any decisions you make afterwards. You convince yourself that it’s a good idea at the time. That you can change the evil from the inside out, but that’s an illusion. They’re laughing at you and gloating behind closed doors.” Both Angel's and Wesley's faces turned grim. “But with that decision to sell out,” Angel winced and Wesley flushed hotly. “You spring their trap for them and put yourself directly in their hands, and it’s only a short time until you’re all dead.”

Spike looked at Xander in shock, and Xander felt it running through the link like ice water.

Angel made a low keening sound and covered his face with trembling hands. Xander continued with no mercy and raised a mocking eyebrow at Wesley.

“Sometimes the day, or the way all of you die changes, but all the pictures end up the same. Everyone dies, except Connor and the green guy. But Wolfram & Hart are left to do business as usual, and you give away the redemption you claim matters so much to you. You get everyone killed, and don’t make the slightest difference. You even quit helping people because you get so tied up with,” Xander made bunny ears in the air with crooked fingers, “important CEO stuff.”

Xander didn’t think it would really turn out that way now, with the hash Ma’at was making of Wolfram & Hart’s finances, but he told them what he saw in the vision at the time. He wanted Angel to know, that he knew Angel would be the cause of all the people close to him dying.

“See Angel, it’s this way. Your curse wasn’t meant to make you a good person. The intent wasn’t to make you some dark knight fighting for the good side. The curse was designed to affect everything and everyone around you to keep you continually suffering. ‘The Powers That Fuck Us’ are just using you for their own ends.

Angel’s keening grew louder.

With that said Xander fell silent, watching. He felt a niggling of guilt at upsetting Angel so much. But he squashed it ruthlessly. The asshole had it coming. He had treated Spike like he was less than nothing, because he didn’t have a soul. Prancing about self-righteously, throwing his fucking soul in Spike’s face and neglecting him. His soul was the result of a fucking curse, and he acted like it made him better than any other demon. It turned him into a self-righteous asshole. Funny thing about it; he didn’t let the soul keep him from screwing a young girl when he was hundreds of years older. And his soul wouldn’t have prevented him from killing everyone around him with his screwy decisions, if he went to work for Wolfram & Hart. The thought of Fred’s soul being slowly destroyed because of Angel just pissed Xander off royally.

Angel was so upset his control was gone. His was in true face and pink tinged tears trickled down his face. He hid his forehead on Wesley’s shoulder and keened; his shoulders trembled and shook. Wesley turned and took him in his arms and rubbed his back trying to comfort him. “Everything will work out Angel, we know what is coming so those events will not occur, I can promise you. These visions are just possibilities. They have not occurred yet. If, as Xander has said, the decision to work for Wolfram & Hart is the one decision that precipitates the unfortunate cascade of events and prevents us from altering the rest of the events to follow, then we just have to refuse the offer. I can’t fathom why we would even consider employment with Wolfram & Hart to begin with,” he concluded with a confused expression.

Angel lifted his tormented face and looked at Wesley. “But the thought…” he began. Wesley cut him off firmly. “Bollocks and nonsense! Thoughts have never harmed anyone. If that were the case, I would have fewer relatives to count.”

“But I could get you all killed, Wesley.”

Xander rolled his eyes and glanced at Spike as he turned forward again tuning out the soap opera in the back seat in favor of the view in the front seat and through the windshield. He caught Spike rolling his eyes too, and smothered his desire to laugh. Spike felt it in the link and flicked a wicked blue glance at him, pursing his lips. Xander could feel him suppressing a snark attack. He put a hand on a denim-covered knee and ran it up the inside of Spike’s thigh to cop a feel. Heat replaced irritation in the link so fast it made Xander blink, then grin.

“Brat,” Spike muttered under his breath, just as a narrow one lane paved road came into view. “Alright ya poofters, we’ve found the road, stop yer solipsistic maundering back there and pay attention.”

Xander raised an eyebrow at Spike.

Spike glanced at him quickly. “Wot, I can’t use a big words?”

Xander laughed quietly, Spike slipped and accidentally let his education show occasionally. Most people didn’t notice it or blew it off as an anomaly. They closed their ears to the evidence, and judged by appearance alone. That was a huge mistake to make with Spike as more than one enemy had found to their detriment. Xander leaned over and licked his Mate from chin to forehead, tongue gliding over sensitive bumps and ridges, then he dipped to nip an earlobe sharply, and finished with a wet smack on the side of Spike’s smiling mouth. “You can use all the big words you want, it’s sexy.”

“Yeah?”

“Oh yeah!”

Spike settled further into the seat and his chin went up a notch. He looked both ways as they reached the road. It was more of a paved path really. He looked at Xander for the direction and Xander pulled out the map again and pointed left. Spike turned left onto the road and picked up speed on the smoother surface.

They made much better time on the back road and after five minutes or so they came to an intersection. Xander thought about the Army Base as he looked at the map and the lines rearranged themselves. He pointed to the right and Spike looked both ways before he pulled onto the main highway and then floored the gas pedal. They began passing green signs on the side of the road with various destinations and the distance. Shortly they passed the fourth sign with the Army Base symbol and a twenty.
Spike pulled the Escalade close to a dark building that met the chain link fence surrounding the whole area. He turned off the engine and they got out looking around, their eyes glowed gold in the darkness. The lights visible were the red lights that marked the outline of the building for airplane and helicopter pilots. “It doesn’t look any different than it did when I was here to steal stuff before,” Xander commented quietly. “I heard after the Initiative went defunct they downsized the number of soldiers on this base. Dunno if it’s true or not but it sure would help if there aren’t a lot of em hanging around. We’re gonna need the carry alls I think.”

Spike went around to the back of the Escalade, opened up the back, and reached in to grab the carry alls that were still were they had left them. He unzipped them, dumped the contents out into a jumbled pile, and put them under his arm, pulling the gate closed without letting it catch.

Xander moved closer to Angel and Wesley speaking quietly. “We’ll go in and open that window,” he said pointing up at the window, “and we’ll toss the stuff down, except for the explosive stuff,” he quirked a lopsided grin at them, “we’ll carry that out.” Angel quirked back and Wesley nodded soberly.
They moved closer to the intersection of fence and building, slipping behind stacks of unrecognizable boxes and supplies, and looked around the corner. They didn’t see, smell, or hear anything. They jumped easily over the fence, dusters flaring wide as the landed lightly on the other side and ducked quickly behind stacked crates and containers of various sizes, sliding from stack to pile until they came to a door marked ‘secured area’. “Same shitty security,” Xander’s murmur traveled no farther than Spike’s ears. “Try it on, luv.” Spike replied just as quietly.

Xander looked around surreptitiously one more time and pulled on the door. It wasn’t locked, the same as both times he’d been here before. “And these people are in charge of defending the country,” Xander muttered with disgust. Spike laughed gleefully at the soldier’s lax vigilance and they slipped inside quickly, quietly shutting the door behind them. They started down the aisle between the shelves of unidentifiable items. Xander was looking for specific things. They heard a sudden noise, and a grinning disheveled soldier came out of the darkness in the back, towing a giggling equally disheveled girl behind him. Xander quickly stepped back into the shadows between the shelves and froze. Spike dove behind a stack of metal cases.

The soldier stopped and right in front of where Xander was standing in the shadows, pulled the girl into his embrace, and kissed her. It quickly turned onto a hot wet face-sucking kiss and the soldier pulled the neckline of her dress down baring a breast. He took a nipple in his mouth and suckled it enthusiastically causing the girl to moan and throw her head back. They broke apart, panting, and rushed to the exit, the girl pulling her clothes into place as they went out the door, obviously in a hurry to get somewhere else to finish what they had started. Then they heard the lock click as a key turned locking them inside.

Spike cautiously raised his head and peeped over the crates he was hiding behind, looking for Xander. Xander stepped out of the shadows and looked back at Spike. They stared at each other for a few seconds in total disbelief and then cracked up. Xander buried his head in the crook of his elbow and laughed so hard he had to hold onto the shelf to stay upright. Spike just leaned against the crates he’d been hiding behind and roared. After a couple of minutes, their laughter wound down and they looked at each other again, breaking into fresh peals of laughter.

Xander straightened as his laughter wound down to chuckles and rubbed his hands together looking around the room with his gold green eyes and the greedy expression of a kid set free in a toy store with no spending limit. “Let’s get busy.”

Moving quickly down the center aisle, he scanned the shelves on each side until he located what he was looking for. He grabbed two long boxes and pulled them off the shelf. Spike finally made it to his feet and came to help him.

They hauled the boxes over to the window and opened it. “Pssst,” Spike stuck his head out of the window and hissed down at Angel and Wesley. Angel looked around. Then he looked up at the window, moved to stand directly under it, and gazed up at Spike. Spike picked up one of the long boxes, fitted the end through the window, and shoved. Then put his head out the window to see Angel catch it deftly with a grunt and set it aside. Xander stepped up to the window with his box and pushed it through. Angel caught that one as well and set it down beside the first.

Xander went back to the shelves and Spike followed. Quickly Xander located other boxes he wanted. “Open up the carry alls Spike.” Spike reached under his duster and brought out one of the carry alls. He spread it open by the handles and smirked at Xander, like a kid trick or treating. Xander flashed a grin at him and used his claws to pry open one of the boxes. He quickly started filling the bag with grenades. When he emptied both boxes into the carry all, he edged past Spike and left the aisle going to another. Scanning the shelves, he located the ammo for the RPG launcher, fitting as many of the long-finned rockets into the carry all as it would hold.

Then he went to yet another shelf, hauled another long box off, and dragged it to the window. Looking out to make sure Angel would catch it; he lifted the end of it and pushed it out. He skipped back to the shelf, link humming with satisfaction, and opened two more boxes. “Need that other carry all Spike.” Spike set the full one on the floor and pulled out the empty one. His boy was having fun. Xander pulled the ammo out of the box. Great long strips of brass colored cartridges. He emptied both of the boxes into the carry all, took one last look around, and dusted his hands together and said brightly. “I think that’s it.”

“You, sure luv, we could clear half this place out if ya like?” Spike smirked. He was certain there for a bit that Xander wasn’t going to stop until they had the entire armory in the Escalade. Looking around covetously at what they were leaving behind, Xander laughed. “I wish,” he sighed dramatically, and taking his sack of goodies, he jogged over to the window. Lifting the carry all he pulled the handles over his head, and arranged it comfortably across his back, he threw one leg over the windowsill and then the other. Jumping out to land beside Angel, he looked up at the window and watched Spike climb out with a carry all slung across his chest. Spike eased himself to arms length hanging from the windowsill by his hands and then dropped straight down. He landed slightly off balance, the weight of the carry all pulling him forward a bit.

Working silently, they loaded the boxes and carryalls into the back of the Escalade, climbed in, and were on their way back to Sunnydale.
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The More Things Change