Xander woke late on the next day wrapped around his lovely Master… and for the first time in a long time, something felt right in the world. He stared at the ornate ceiling… and contemplated their life now… so far from what it was three months ago… let alone a year or two or ten… And god he was starting to feel old! But the the person next to him spoke and his world shifted again, “Penny… ffffyyyr… thoughts… luv”
The phrase was so much that of his lover of old that Xander could do little more than reply,“Oh god Spike…!!!!” then peppered his lover with kisses.
When “Ohhh Pet…” emerged in reply, he all but crushed the vampire in a tight hug! The act was accompanied by such adoration and joy that Spike was hit by a wave of love and hope through the link, and his demon was the one utterly overwhelmed. In full game face, he shed crimson tears of thanks and joy as his consort’s neck was willingly offered, drank deeply then lay back as his lover pleasured him again with his warm mouth.
By the fifth day after ‘the spa’, Xander felt more like first time lover, than a thirty something recovering crash victim with ‘business responsibilities’. The waves of love consistently flowed through the link were so strong as to be quite overwhelming at times… It seemed that a floodgate had been opened for the vampire. Xander had never heard of a being ‘F#@$ed to health” before but it seemed that the act of lovemaking in any guise (or, Xander would admit later, blushing profusely, position!) opened the link so wide that his own strength and life-force was able to flow freely to his partner. Feeding during [blush] or after was all an added bonus.
Spike’s words were returning at pace, and though the speech was still slow, simple and rather toneless for now, his thoughts were finally being given voice. And the daily improvement easily noted.
The pattern was the same now. If Spike had no words Xander waited. If he tried for a time and failed, Xander kissed him and then waited a little more. Finally if the head shake meant Spike could not express his thoughts… Xander would simply kiss him and say “Tell me tomorrow sweetheart, I’ll be here.” At which point Spike would relax a little, and more often than not bury himself into his partner’s side and enjoy the warmth and reassurance for a moment, then return to whatever it was they were doing.
Stephano sent his best physical trainer and martial arts coach to assist Spike’s physical recovery and Xander happily joined in, noting the near perfect state of Spike’s physique and the renewed confidence in his carriage as the days progressed. Xander initially kept up (though his sparring technique left ‘something to be desired’ according to the personal trainer) and was pleased to find his own physical condition returning.
In between sparring, Spike worked out in the gym, strengthening the back that had been so badly damaged and the legs that had to find muscle again post accident lack of use. Xander had new business interests, so was occasionally pulled away (Jim was flying over at the end of May to interview for staff and meet with Alex *and* Anton. And there was talk of Andy for a holiday mid August…).
As Spike’s faculties returned, so did his speed and accuracy. Muscle memory was one thing but ‘fight smarts and strategizing on the fly’ were things that the old Spike excelled in. Xander rejoiced as he observed his partner become stronger and faster until one spectacular day, as he wandered down to the training room, he was privy to two full strength vampires sparring. Master trainer and Master of Europe now sparred so fast that the human struggled to even see the action. The game faces were to the fore and combinations from any, all or none, of the known martial arts. The only limit seemed to be that there were no wooden objects in sight.
The fight finished as swiftly as it started. Spike flipping gracefully over his combatant and taking him from behind and baring his opponent’s neck and lightly touching his fangs down without breaking the skin.
The fangs retracted swiftly and the two broke apart. Spike bowing deeply to his trainer. “Thank you, Sensei Richard.” The trainer acknowledged the ‘student’ then quickly fell to the role of humble subject of the now near recovered High Master, bowing deeply.
“Master William, if I may be so bold… I am happy to offer my humble services as occasional sparring partner now that you are well. Master Anton has me visit twice a week when he is here in the house.”
Spike’s answer, like most to date, was succinct and considered, “I would be pleased. Dates will be set. I am sure my Sire would be most pleased to know of your kind offer.”
Xander collected his tired friend and retreated upstairs to shower and sleep.
In the weeks leading up to the momentous spa incident Spike had been returning cognitively, and now that verbal words and physical abilities were returning, one major hurdle remained.
Spike had privately tried to read and write in the weeks after he was finally lucid. It was something he had done so easily for close on one and a half centuries (give or take a year or two with chalk and crayons!) that its loss was as acute as the loss of a limb. The rhythm and pentameter of his own poetry may have been off, and the rhyming average… but he had been a scholar and writer for the whole of his life (and unlife truth be known). To suddenly be made illiterate was sheer torture.
The frustrating part was that, even in the early days of speech, he could still write letters beautifully. Some odd muscle memory apparently allowing his hand to produce the hard won ‘copy book’ perfection of his school days…. But now… *now* the meaning of the letters were missing, he didn’t seem to know how to start to pen his own name, let alone describe anything, and when presented with a body of text, it all seemed as indecipherable as the ‘Rose Stone’.
He kept it to himself until he had command of his voice again… the pain of the secret inability as crippling as the lack of speech itself. But two weeks after the spa, Xander felt it. He was showing Spike some of the plans he had for the new arm of Jim’s construction company and threw down a contract, speaking enthusiastically and pointing to various features. Xander saw the look of dismay… then the link was filled with unmistakable anguish and shame. Comprehending the source of the hurt, Xander was shocked that he had not realized.
“Oh god… I never realized…. Reading and… Oh Spike, honey…!”
That day he sat with Spike they wrote his name together, Xander’s had gently over Spike’s as they traced over large letters then small ones. They finger painted his name, then they typed it, and made it in obnoxious cookie dough and baked it together. SPIKE AKA WILLIAM…. and WILL LUVS ALEX… and SPIKE LUVS XAN until it really didn’t matter… But when Spike managed to spell ‘spike slow spike sad’ of his own volition in shaky letters on a chalk board three days later, it was the Consort who cried a little.
Eventually however the damaged vampire’s comprehension did improve. If Xander was not available due to business, it was recorded readings that took his place. ‘Talking books’ beginning with simple children’s novels (readings complete with ‘Tinkerbell’ to indicate a page change) became celebrity read ‘novels of note’. In the end, it was Spike who slowly read aloud to his partner as they ‘tucked up’ for the night. Over the weeks Xander noted the improvement and the pleasure Spike felt performing that simple act became a part of their cherished nightly ritual for all time.
After he started reading aloud, Spike began writing again, handwritten words at first, then handwritten and typed sentences. And finally, on one glorious day, close to four months after the accident, he pulled Xander proudly into the study to show his patient partner the note to the list he had written (along with an email to Anton with business instructions and the first two paragraphs of a new story).
“From Non Person to the List.
Apologies to my loyal readers. It has been some time since an update on any of my stories.
I was injured in a car accident, badly, and writing proved impossible for a time.
With the help of the medical team, family and wonderful partner I am now on the mend so I will attempt to update stories again soon. Thank you for your patience.
NP”
………
As comprehension and reading returned, Spike also took back his business interests.
Anton had been careful to stay informed in his ‘absence’. There had been little need to shift money around, but the immortal kept up with the US market for his own purposes, and checked in with William’s ‘team’ regularly. They knew through Anton that William had been injured and was currently in Switzerland with the enigmatic uncle, and William’s partner, recovering. Therefore they were unsurprised when, just on four months after the accident, the young Mr Aurelius checked in with a video conference.
One of the directors Spike regularly dealt with, could not disguise his shock at seeing the young man. William had always been slim, but with the short fuzz that was his hair now, and sporting an oversized hand knitted cream sweater, he looked like extremely young and vulnerable, truly a convalescent. None of those in the meeting missed the quiet presence of Xander to his right, nor missed the healing scar above one ear when he turned to pick up a missing document. William Aurelius spoke a little slower than usual, but he was always careful in his dealings and listened more than spoke at most meetings, so the behavior was not deemed unusual.
The end of the financial year was at hand and there were matters to attend to by April 30, so the meeting was very timely. Spike announced his new ‘familial interests’ in Europe and intention to invest more heavily in that market. It was met with some concern, but ultimately the wisdom of the move was acknowledged and the meeting concluded with the Boston group again wondering at a man so young having such a shrewd global view of business – and wonderful historical knowledge of world market trends.
Having his human contacts see him a little weaker was of little consequence, but Spike knew the clans would not stand for it, and they all knew, he had to call the court together soon.
……………………
Xander always wondered if Anton felt the improvement and the joy of the same through the Sire link. Regardless, when absent from Switzerland, he called on a Wednesday and Sunday evening without fail. In the beginning hearing his Sire’s voice and only having a word or two in reply was a source of frustration and sadness for Spike. Slowly however, Master William improved and the phonecalls clearly brought only joy and pride as Anton rejoiced in his Childe’s improvement.
Anton returned on the first of May. They were reconvening the court the following day and this meeting would not be easy. Buffy would arrive some ten days later.
The Watchers’ Council had called for a response to a proposal that could determine the relationship between clans and slayers for the significant future.
It had largely come about as various watchers learned of the Steppes funding, and observed a slow but sure shift in vampire numbers (direct result of the ‘Benedict Ruling’ redefining clan territories). This had drawn concern, but that was not what worried the High Master, his Sire and Consort, now the Council was demand that ‘Spike’ force his clans to opt for non human sources of blood, or “swift and deadly retribution would come into play across all the territories.”
Anton, Spike and Xander all knew that cessation of human blood consumption was impossible, though if the clans found some sort of small concession confrontation might be avoided. The debate within the walls of the court was going to be fierce, but they had agree then establish a united front before going before the new hardline members of the Watchers Council with their proposal. The feeding grounds and futures of a number of the clans were under enough pressure without having the equivalent of a Slayer rampage on their hands.
It was just after midnight on the third of May. The round table was again in place and with clan representatives arriving for the evening ‘drinks’ before the meeting Xander could not help but ponder a little at how much had changed since the previous December.
The previous clan meeting had been a necessarily subdued affair with the agenda being more of the announcement of the new territory strategy and training session for the software provided, than an open meeting. With the Master absent, only the necessary representatives had attended. This time however, it seemed that every delegation had brought their full contingent, as much to satisfy their own clans that the Master was indeed recovered, as to address the momentous issue at hand.
As the clan representatives arrived for the pre meeting social gathering, Anton felt confident to stand back. The response to the Master and Consort was so different to the first gathering as to be laughable. Without fail, the Master’s Aurelian ring was kissed before a deep bow was bestowed the Consort, though some clans chose kneel and kiss both Master and Consort’s feet before deigning to stand. This act, when performed by the Steppes vampire leader, greatly moved Spike.
The ‘High Master’ William bent down and lifted the chin of the handsomely rugged vampire who had willingly prostrated at the Master’s feet, “Please, Master Illi, I deeply appreciate your tribute, but my Consort and I [no one in the room missed the reference to the Master’s acknowledgement of his Consort as his virtual.. equal] are impressed by what you have achieved for your clan, and the human and demon communities in your care, in the last four months. Winter is such a trying time. I trust the planting for the new season is going well?”
The vampire knelt up warily, was seen to take an unneeded breath to compose himself, then answered, “Indeed Master. We have put in place a strategy for replanting and funded the purchase of healthy breeding stock from a reputable breeder in Rumania and another in Uzbekistan. Master with your help, we have also been able to establish regular lines of supply for our humans where other basic food needs are concerned. Your most generous sponsorship is appreciated by us all,” the vampire again bent to kiss his master and the consort’s feet then added quietly, “It saved us…. thank you.”
Spike spoke slowly and carefully, concerned that his occasional slur of words might belie his still recovering status. “You have done well, and it would be my wish…. that you stand proud amongst your fellow clan leaders. We all face challenges and we respect your efforts.”
Illi offered his neck and surrounding crowd looked on as the High Master dipped, punctured it slightly to the side of Illi’s original mark, then without drawing more than a few drops of the precious fluid, stated quietly, “This is mine to take, but I would that you keep it for your clan. We need you strong.”
The rest of the room gasped. Not only was their High Master powerful and benevolent… but by implication was calling them all to be strong. Illi was visibly fighting back tears as he stood, nodded then returned to others in their group.
Xander leaned forward and whispered, “That was impressive.”
Spike replied in equally low tones, “Oh pet… Lad’s been starving for years… could taste it… poor bugger.”
“It’s a good thing you’ve done…”
“You heard the lad… one of our Aces in the hole with the Council don’t you reckon?”
They could only hope.
…………
The outraged response of the European clans to the Watchers’ ultimatum was to be expected, but all in the room knew the reality of multiple slayers, and too many had been lost to zealous young ‘chosen sisters’ of late. The arguments finally subsided and the Master of Aurelius chose his words carefully as the din abated.
“I understand your anger. And acknowledge the anger of all our demon brothers and sisters who are equally affected by this current threatened slaughter. But I propose that we meet these misguided few with a rational and irrefutable argument regards our rights as vampires – the document is before you… page three behind the agenda – and I propose that we have my Consort perform the first round of negotiations with the new council.”
Xander managed to suppress his look of surprise which was as much to do with the *lack* of protest than the proposal itself.
“We will of course have the Council leader, and his party, meet us here or at worst on neutral ground.”
The clans all agreed.
The next morning the Consort, Alexander, was to call Giles.