~Alex’s' dream~

Alex stands between the familiar sight of his beloved Wil and the Spike he remembers from his past. They each have a hold of one of his hands and are pulling him toward them. Alex can feel his shoulders straining from the force and tries to get them to let go, to come toward him and each other rather than pulling him apart. It isn't working.

"Xander, you belong to me."

"Alex, you belong with me."

Alex tries again to pull away but they only hold on to him tighter.

"Spike, Wil. You're hurting me. Let go, please."

Alex pulls again and still they don't let go.

"Alex, I love you."

"Xander, I have always loved you."

"Alex, please. Choose me, I won't let you go."

"Xander, you have always been mine. There is no choice. I won't let go."

Alex felt them pulling harder and harder. He screamed as he began to split in half. He looked up and saw Wil, then he looked over at Spike and saw that he was still holding on to him, half of him any way. He looked down at himself and realized that he was only half a man. He screamed again.

~ ~

Alex sat up abruptly in the bed, he was sweating and shaking. He quickly looked himself over to make sure he was in one piece. Hell, he grew up in Sunnydale, he wasn't taking any chances. Wil blinked and looked up at Alex. He noticed that his lover was distraught and reached for his hand. Alex yelped and leapt out of bed. He fell, naked, on his ass. As Wil peered over the edge of the bed, Alex began back peddling away from him before standing and fleeing the room.

"What the hell?"

Wil slipped on a pair of pants and followed his lover out of the room. He found him in the living room by the door that led down to the shop. Alex was still naked, and Wil figured it was the only reason he hadn't fled the building entirely.

"Alex? Are you alright?"

"No, not alright. Very not alright. As in needing to go home now. Pants. I need pants. Can't run around the hellmouth naked, might end up in some wacky demon ritual. Or get arrested, that would be bad too. Naked men shouldn't go to jail. Bad things happen there. I need pants. Can I have pants? Wil? Spike? Some one? Can I have my pants?"

Wil gaped at his lover. He'd never seen the man so flustered. He was ... babbling!

*He does that. Shock, ya know?*

*What do I do?*

*Sit him down, give him tea, get his pants.*

*I don't know how to do this Spike, I've never dealt with a babbling immortal before.*

*Then let me. I lived with Dru for a century, I can handle Xander.*

*It's Alex.*

*Not right now it isn't, that is Xander.*

*Bloody hell.*

*Yeah. You can say that again.*

Spike slowly approached the naked trembling human. He kept his eyes downcast, his hands held out in front of him and tried to appear non threatening.

"Xander? Look, luv I'm going to help you okay. I'll get yer pants for ya in a minute alright? Just come an' sit down a mo'. You can't leave looking like that and I don't want to be worried about you taking off while I get yer jeans."

Slowly Spike reached out a hand toward Alex. Alex flinched away from the hand but he did begin to calm a bit.

"S-Spike?"

"'M here pet. You okay now? What set you off luv? Have a bad dream?"

Alex nodded and allowed Spike to steer him towards the sofa. Once he was seated Spike went to the kitchen and put the kettle on for tea before gathering Alex’s' clothes from the bedroom.

Alex dressed quietly while Spike fixed him some tea. Once they were both sitting, tea in hand, Spike gently placed his hand on Alex’s' knee.

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

"Was it about us?"

"Sorta."

"Okay, you know that I won't hurt you don't you?"

"Yes. No. I'm confused, Spike."

"Okay. Tell you what, you tell me what has yer knickers in knots and I'll try to help figure this out for you."

Alex sipped at his tea and decided that maybe he should tell the vampire what was bothering him. At the very least, it might make him feel better to have it out in the open.

"Okay, but it's stupid really."

"It's not stupid if it scared you that much."

Alex took a deep breath and then began reciting the dream to Spike. When he was finished he took a good look at the vampire. He expected Spike to laugh at him, or smirk and tell him he was being soppy. Instead, Spike just pulled him into an embrace and kissed him on the top of his head.

"I'm sorry luv. I didn't mean to make you feel that way, but I do love you."

"I know, Spike. I think I love you too."