Double Vision
by  Mihreia

Spike looked back and forth between the new arrival and the still 
half-asleep boy on the bed. Same black hair, same dark eyes, same 
devilish twinkle in their eyes. But there were obvious differences as 
well. The new Xander had a much better fashion sense. Leather jacket, 
leather pants, white shirt, and the neckchain. Combined with a grin 
that was more wicked than humorous, it all screamed 'vampire' to 
Spike. 

{That's not my nummy!}

{No, of course not, you dolt! My nummy is right there, see, on the 
bed, looking all eatable with his hair mushed and that confused look 
on his face.}

Spike almost cringed at his thoughts. He hadn't realised he felt so 
possessive of the whelp. Friendship with the slayer's puppydog was 
one thing. This was in a whole different ballpark, whatever it was. 

{Nope, I'm not thinking this. Xander just makes a great victim.}

That idea focused him back to this potential threat. As the other 
vampire came down the stairs, Spike assessed him. His Xander was warm 
and alive, and a stunning combination of mental strength and 
emotional vulnerability. This vampire version would have all of the 
strength, and probably none of the vulnerabilities. Still, he was a 
great deal younger than Spike, so theoretically he should be able to 
win any fight. Part of it depended on his lineage though.

Spike himself was three generations removed from the Master. Vampire 
blood was thinned each time it was mixed with human blood. That was 
why minions were so much weaker than childer. Minions pretty much 
bred and bred and bred, and kept diluting the line until there was so 
little demonic blood left in their bodies that the current minions 
were hardly a match for a slayer.

This one though was too confident in his own power to be anything but 
a favoured childe. It was no use speculating on sires though. The 
younger vampire was clearly not from this part of the world.

"I'd ask who you are, but that's pretty obvious, innit?"

Only now did his Xander notice his counterpart, as he stepped off the 
last step and into the light. He gaped.

"Spike! That's me!" Then the kid cringed. "Don't tell me. It's 
vampire Xander, right? I hope Anya isn't responsible for his being 
here this time."

Spike shot a quick glance to the boy in the bed, unwilling to take 
his eyes off the other vampire. You never knew if he decided to make 
a meal out of the only mortal in the room, and Spike was bloody well 
not going to stand by and watch that. If anybody killed Xander it 
would be him.

"What's the demon chit got to do with this?"

"Well, when she first became mortal she tried to get demonic again, 
only the spell to get her power centre back went wrong and we got a 
vampire Willow instead. We sent her back to her own world though." 
The mortal explained.

The dark-haired vampire grinned at his counterpart. "Oh, she told me 
about that. Said that this world wasn't any fun." He looked at the 
mortal, from his curious and a bit fearful dark eyes to the place 
where dark boxers were visible. "Can't say I agree with her though." 
He said suggestively. 

Spike growled softly, while his Xander blushed and tried to 
ineffectively sink lower beneath the sheets. The blonde liked the 
other vampire's implication even less than the possible death of the 
whelp. 

Dark, gold-flecked eyes turned in his direction and taunted him. 
Spike glared at the almost familiar features. 

{If he didn't look like Xander he'd be dead already.} 

But he did look like Xander. A deadly, dangerous version of Xander, 
but that only added spice. 

{Cor, this was what Xander would be like if I turned him. Bloody 
magnificent, he is.} 

Spike blinked in sudden clarity, only now fully realising that this 
wasn't a vampire that looked like Xander. This was Xander, as a 
vampire. If he played it right, he could have two snarky Xanders for 
entertainment. 

A human one to poke at the tender spots and see which side would come 
out this time, the cute puppy or the hunter. And a vampire one to 
fight and play nasty with, and see what depravities could be 
cultivated if you poked long enough. So that when he finally got this 
bleedin' chip out and turned his own Xander he knew what he could 
expect.

{Xander in stereo.} 

A slow evil grin spread across his face. 

Two pairs of dark eyes looked at him with clear apprehension, neither 
Xander liking the look on the older vampire's face.

Spike's grin widened.