An Accident

by Saber ShadowKitten
And Now For Something Completely Different 43

Saturday, September 2, 2000

Xander sat with Willow in the grass under the shade of an old tree. The campus quad teemed with people, studying, making out, playing sports, or simply enjoying the day. Spike had dropped Xander off earlier, Xander letting Spike have the Hawk with the caveat of being there shortly if Xander called.

Wearing clothes similar to those the first time he'd visited the campus, Xander's lips were curved in a permanent smile as he listened to Willow as she rambled on about life in Sunnydale since he'd left. Buffy was absent, having had to do thing with her mom, to which Xander hadn't minded one bit. Willow was the one who mattered most to Xander and having her all to himself for the afternoon was great. Especially since he planned to reveal his secret.

"...And that's pretty much everything I can think of for now. I'm sure I'm missing a whole bunch of things, but at least you know the highlight reel," Willow wound down. She wore a flowy skirt and blouse, with sneakers on her feet because one never knew when the Scoobies would be called into action. When Xander had finally called her to get together, she'd been ecstatic. Buff had warned her to be careful, that something wasn't right with Xander, but Willow hadn't seen any evidence of baddage. Xander was sitting with her, in broad sunlight, looking and sounding like Xander always had.

Okay, not so much with the looking like. Xander had definitely gotten more muscular, was deeply tanned, and just sitting there he radiated confidence that she hadn't remembered him having even when the doody hit the fan. He was definitely Hubba Hubba. If they were still back in high school, and she hadn't figured out that she liked girls, Willow would be a drooling mess.

But she had Tara now, and Xander had... Actually, Willow didn't know what Xander had. He hadn't told her anything, yet, other than the bit about being a stripper and seeing Angel before returning to Sunnydale.

"So, now that I've talked your ears off, your turn," Willow said, poking him lightly on the arm. "You already told me you were in Oxnard doing naughty naked things on a stage." The thought of it made her blush. "Where else have you been? I tried finding you last year with a locator spell, but it didn't work. I accidentally mixed my "light" up with "lightning" and kind of blew up the power in the dorm."

Behind his mirrored sunglasses, Xander stared at Willow in shock. "Wait, what? You did a lightning spell to try and find me?"

Willow nodded sheepishly. "I was having Oz problems and I really missed you and wanted to talk to you, so I tried the spell. But like I said, it didn't work. Lightning hit the building twice, but that's it."

But that wasn't it. Xander had been hit by lightning out of the blue last year. "It was an accident," he said slowly, not believing his ears.

"Yeah, it was." Willow's face creased with concern. "Xander, are you okay? You're looking kinda wigged."

"Kinda wigged?" Xander said. He started to laugh. "Kinda wigged?" He laughed harder. All this time spent wondering why he'd gotten these powers, and it turned out to be an accident.

His laughter turned into large, gulping guffaws that he couldn't control. He clutched his stomach. An accident! Spike was going to love this.

Digging his cell out of his pocket, he dialed Spike with a few presses of buttons. "It was an accident!" Xander exclaimed through his laughter when Spike picked up. Willow's concern-face was focused on Xander and it just made him laugh even more.

"I'll be right there," Spike said over the line and disconnected.

Either Spike was nearby or he'd driven the speed of light, because Xander could already hear the Hawk. Xander flopped onto his back in the grass, still laughing, tears stinging the corners of his eyes. Willow put her hand on his arm.

"Xander, what's so funny? You're starting to freak me out," she said.

"You... me... accident," Xander got out. It was hysterical.

"I don't--" Willow began, but stopped abruptly as a motorcycle drove right over the grass in their direction. Campus security was going to have a fit. Especially if they got ran over. "Hey! We're sitting here!" she yelled at the driver. She pulled on Xander's arm, in case they had to move.

The motorcycle stopped before it reached them, though, and the engine cut. A man with white-blond hair, wearing a t-shirt, jeans, and sunglasses, climbed off the bike and rushed towards them. A tickle of unease settled in Willow as the man dropped to his knees beside Xander. That unease became a gulp of fear when she heard his voice.

"Oi, Xander. Where's the accident?" Spike searched the area, briefly scanning over Willow, before focusing on Xander. Xander appeared to be in the throws of a fit.

"Spike!" Willow drew her hands up, a spell forming in her mind.

"Red," Spike acknowledged, and then slapped Xander across the cheek. Xander stopped laughing with the blow and sucked in a harsh breath. Spike removed his sunglasses and bent over Xander. "The accident, mate?"

"No. Not like that," Xander said, having a hard time breathing after his laughing attack.

Spike grabbed Willow's wrist, interrupting her spell-casing. She squeaked, but all he did was look at her watch while he checked Xander's pulse with his other hand. The sun glinted off the cover of her Mickey Mouse watch and reflected against Spike's cheek. Willow's eyes widened impossibly large as what she saw hit her. "You're in the sun!"

"Well spotted, ducks," Spike commented, and dropped her wrist. He helped Xander to sit up and addressed him. "You're heart rate's elevated and you're looking a bit peaked. We should get you out of the heat."

Xander nodded, and Spike gave him a hand up to his feet. Willow was still sitting on the grass, mouth gaping, staring at them both. "Sorry, Wills. I'll call you later."

Willow watched, dumbfounded and afraid, as Spike led Xander to the motorcycle. Spike, in full sunlight, started the engine as Xander climbed onto the seat behind him. Xander - her Xander - wrapped his arms with familiarity around Spike - Spike! - and they drove away.

She stared after them until they were out of sight. Then she jumped to her feet and ran as fast as she could back to the dorm.

End

ANFSCD 44