Still alive...

[calic0cat]

...just really swamped by RL stuff. Again. Or should that be still? Whatever.

Anyway, I have been getting some writing done, but most of what I'm working on isn't ready for posting. I'd hoped to have the next "Mission: Nerima" chapter ready, but didn't quite make it. I'm also holding on to "Kindergarten Heero" since I want to finish the story before posting the next chapter (only one chapter and an epilogue left, I think). Ditto for the GW Regency Xmas fic and "Life with Heero" - I have more done, but I want another part ready before I post what's completed, just in case I need to do a little bit of "tweaking".

I've also got a good start on one of the other S/X BtVS fics, but I figured I'd better not start posting another S/X WIP before even adding another part to the previously-untitled one that I've already started posting (which is now titled "Artifact"). It's a little short, but it was a logical spot to end the part, so here it is:


Title: Artifact
Part: 2/?
Author: Calic0cat
Fandom: BtVS
Pairing: S/X (eventually)
Rating: FRT (for now)
Warnings: profanity
Notes: Post-season 7 BtVS AU.

***

Xander Harris would not have been his first choice of visitors but, at this point, Spike was more than happy to take whoever he got. 'Sides, it wasn't like he and the whelp hadn't made peace there before the end. And Harris *liked* to talk. More than he liked research. Should be easy enough to keep him around for a while.

And Spike really, really needed to keep him around for a while. The longer, the better. He'd had just about enough solitude to drive him batty.

Hells, he'd even help with the research if he had to. The boy'd just have to turn the pages for him, that's all.

Not that he was much of a 'boy' anymore. Spike eyed him appreciatively. The whelp had finished growing up since he'd last seen him. Thinned down, tanned up, filled out... Oh yes, Xander Harris had shaped up *very* nicely indeed. A real nummy treat.

Even if he did look a right git, standing there with his gob hangin' open.

"Oi, mate, best shut yer gob 'fore y'drool on somethin' important."

Xander's mouth closed with a snap. He shook his head and laughed. "Oh yeah, it's definitely Bleachie the snarky wonder-vamp, in the unliving flesh." Striding forward, he said, "Damn, Spike, how the hell..."

By the time that Spike realized that the Scooby Gang's White Knight intended to *hug* him - *him*, for hell's sake! - it was too late for a warning. Arms outstretched, Harris leaned forward and fell right through him.

Spike cursed his insubstantial state for the millionth time. That hug would have felt bloody good. Hells, even the *intention* was enough to warm the cockles of his unbeating heart.

Not that he'd ever admit it.

***

Okay, even bigger wiggins time. And he wasn't talking about the weird comradely impulse that had led him to try to hug the miraculously-undead vampire, though that was wiggins-y enough all on its own.

Nope, the biggest wiggins was due to the fact that he'd apparently just fallen right *through* Spike. Xander staggered but managed - just - not to land flat on his face. Turning around, he came face-to-face with Spike.

"Sorry, mate," the vampire said a bit sheepishly. "Not quite in the flesh, unliving or otherwise, I'm afraid, 'less you count that bloody trinket." Xander's gaze followed the direction of his gesture to a small glass display case containing a pendant. He looked back at Spike as the vampire continued morosely, "Watcher's s'posed to be workin' on it, but..." The resigned shrug spoke volumes.

Xander knew that he wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but Giles hadn't exactly been subtle. Giles obviously wasn't expecting him to hang out in the archives being research-man indefinitely, since he *did* have a Slayer to find ASAP. And Giles *had* told him to take whatever he needed from the archives...

"Hey, Spike? How familiar are you with the Balkans? And have you ever heard of the Torque of Vashkepli?"