Heartbeat
Friday, September 1, 2000
There was a loud pounding in his ears, and Spike could barely hear Xander
beneath the sound. He clung like a limpet to the brunette, his face buried
against Xander's neck, sobbing like a little boy. He knew he should stop crying
before his reputation was a total wash, but he just couldn't seem to do it. He
guessed he had reason to cry, one of his few fears had been actualized, but
somehow Xander had saved him from becoming a permanent addition to Davy Jones'
locker.
Eventually -- most likely, hours later -- Spike calmed down. The pounding,
however, was still loud in his ears and it felt like his heart was going to
explode from his chest, which made no sense since his heart didn't beat.
Or did it?
Spike pulled away from Xander only far enough to press his hand over his
chest. Tear-swollen eyes grew huge, and he scrabbled for Xander's hand to press
against his chest, too. "Do you feel that?" Spike asked.
"Wow. Yeah." Xander grinned sheepishly. "Oops."
"Oops? What, oops?" Spike said quickly.
"I may have, kind of, jump-started your heart while doing CPR," Xander said.
"So: oops."
Spike blinked owlishly. "Does this mean I'm human again?"
"No," Xander replied with a shake of his head. "It means you're a vampire who
now happens to have a heartbeat. In my various studies," he slid into a fake
German professor voice, "I haf conclooded that ze human body -- vich you possess
-- has organs vich verk independently from each uzzer, although conjuctively."
Spike was confused. "What?"
"Your heart can beat on its own without the other organs in your body
functioning," Xander explained. "A vampire's bloodstream is controlled by the
demon inhabiting your brain. Now, it'll also flow because of your beating heart,
though oxygenation of the blood cells will not take place."
"Um, right. Okay." Spike was more befuddled than ever. He wrapped his arms
around Xander's waist, tucked his face Xander's neck again, and closed his eyes,
all of which were done without thought.
Xander's arms came around Spike, one hand resting on his lower back, the
other brushing over his wet hair. "You're safe now, Spike," the brunette said.
"No worries."
"Thanks," Spike murmured, nuzzling closer. "Just give me a minute, eh?"
"Take all the time you need," Xander replied softly. "I won't let go."
End
