The Book of Averted Prophecy: Chapter II

[madimpossibledreamer]

Any resemblance to Dru is purely intentional because it amuses me.  Also, a little bit, to Normal Again.
~Dreamer~

Main Points:
Buffy/Devil May Cry
Chapter Summary: Xander tries to adapt to this strange new world.
Word Count: 985
Rating: Teen
Pairing: Spike/Xander

          A few tests show that his 'memories'—i.e. whatever life this version of him had been living in this world—are kind of missing in action.  He remembers people, and can improvise pretty well.  Something in him insists that this is an alternate dimension, and he's gotten out of the habit of arguing with himself.  Too much.  That's a sign that's of the bad, and he'd really like to avoid that right now.  The verdict comes in—he's interacting with the world again, for more than a day, so he can probably go back out there into the world again.  With Spike as a babysitter, naturally.  They don't put it that way, but it's as good as.
          The doctors congratulate him on his recovery and assure him that his memories certainly have a fair chance of coming back.  If he's jumped into some weird alternate universe, that's not all that likely, but saying that would just get him thrown back into the loony bin, and that's not his intention at all.  So he smiles and thanks them and says all the right things, all while letting part of his mind tune out.  It's boring.  All right, it's a given that he doesn't particularly care for the kind of interesting that includes the First.  Nor does he particularly care for the one where his boyfriend is attempting to kill him.  But after the kind of life he's lived, normalcy is somewhat stifling, alien, and really freaks him out a little.  The only time things ever appeared normal was when they just didn't know enough to know something was going on, and usually that led to close calls with the end of the world.  Not the sort of thing you wanted to figure out after everyone else.
          It helps that Spike is his boyfriend, too.  Given all the things that everyone's saying, he worries for a bit about actually having been crazy before he realizes he still has the enhanced sense of smell.  Between that and the heartbeat, he completely confirms that Spike's alive.  Well, human.  Completely, totally human.  (How this works out when William had lived sometime in the beginning of the nineteenth century, almost two hundred years away from the modern day, is a little unclear, but he doesn't question it.  Too much.  Other than the fact that he's questioning everything.)  He hasn't tried to change yet, or access any of his other powers—mainly because, with some prompting based on what little TV they allow him to watch, he subtly checks to see if magic or demons exist in this world, and just like his version of Sunnydale, most people at the very least do not know or believe in such things.  A sudden humanoid dragon appearing in the middle of a hospital wouldn't go over well.  And, he doesn't want to admit it, but he's scared of the last time he changed, and the fire in his veins, eating through him, not bathing him comfortably in reassuring warmth.
          They place him in a wheelchair, and he argues about that, saying he's perfectly fine.  The next moment he falls over when he tries to stand, so that argument is out of play.  Rather than continuing to insist, he grins sheepishly.  "Sorry, I guess not having used my legs for a while in real life means that my muscles are a little weak, huh?"  Of course, he privately thinks that's more the fault of the poison Spike used on him in the other world, but whatever makes them happy.  And they are happy.  Spike is worrying himself silly, wanting to cater to every single thing and do everything for him before he even thinks to ask—cute, but somewhat annoying when he doesn't want to be treated as if he's completely helpless, he wonders about that too much anyway without help—but at the same time is so happy he usually has tears in his eyes.  About his return, Xander guesses, but he doesn't ask.  The others are happy that he's regained his good nature and willingness to cooperate.
          Spike, once he gets his boyfriend to their shared apartment, is almost pathetically happy to wait on Xander hand and foot.  Xander, meanwhile, appreciates the tour—though slightly less so the glances as Will hopes something in the apartment will actually trigger his memory—and muses that it's slightly unfair that they have a bigger apartment here than the one he'd worked so hard to get Anya.  He wonders a little where she is in this universe, and hopes she's actually happy this turn around.  He won't go looking for her now, but he might eventually.
          Eventually, it gets to be too much, and Xander puts down his foot pretty firmly.  "Will, love, I know you want the old me back, and you really want to know when I remember anything.  But your staring at me won't help things, and it's kind of making me tense.  I promise I'll tell you if I remember anything, okay?"
          He at least had the decency to look guilty.  "Sorry, Xanluv.  I'm just...so 'appy to have you back."
          "I know you are, but we both have to come to terms with the fact that my memories just might not come back.  It's kind of disappointing, I know, but you can fill me in on the important stuff and we can make new memories together."
          Will stared.  "Since when 'ave you been so smart, luv?"
          Xander managed a goofy smile and a shrug.  "Maybe the people in my head actually taught me something.  Not that I plan to go back.  I think I've had enough lessons for a lifetime, and they're useless if I can't actually do anything with them."
          As usual, Spike looked less than happy at the mention of his 'period of insanity', but couldn't help but smile anyway.  "That's true.  And I'll be here for you, Xan.  Always."