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White Lightnin'
by
BmblBee
Part Thirty-One
Decision made, Spike wasted no more time. He collected the money owed him and walked off the job. It didn't really matter. It wasn't the type of career that required a skill beyond a strong back and the need for a regular paycheck.
For every man working, there were a hundred more waiting on a chance to step in. Returning to his room, Spike packed his few belongings back into the same case he had arrived with.
He headed straight for the bus depot and bought a ticket. A one way ticket. He was prepared to offer any apologies, begging included, that it took for Xander to accept him back. Pride was a much overrated virtue.
He had lost too much time already. He wouldn't lose any more.
Xander hated to give up. He had come so far, driven for two days and had such high hopes. He couldn't quit. Not yet.
Not without trying again.
Driving to the nearest gas station, he used the men's room, washed up, changed his clothes and brushed his teeth.
All things that made him feel one hundred percent better. It bolstered his confidence and gave him the encouragement to
try once more.
The diner opened early for breakfast so the dock workers would have a place to congregate before the sun came up.
Bullshit, complain, and talk of current events.
Dropping back into the same booth, Xander waved at the dark haired girl that had waited on him yesterday. "Hi sugar. Y'all find your friend? Or ya just come back to see me? Names Fred, by the way"
Xander blinked. Fred? Oh well, the flirty waitress was so low on his list of priorities, she wasn't even a blip on his radar.
"Nope, still looking, but after a big breakfast I'm headed out again." Xander smiled and tucked the napkin in under his chin. He placed his order and drank his coffee.
The diner filled with an eclectic mix of business men, dock worker, vagrants, and working girls. Xander scanned each man that entered carefully. Watching closely as each turned to face him or removed his hat.
None was the one he wanted. None could have come close. He ate quickly and before leaving thanked Fred and left
her two bits as a tip. She waved, wished him luck, then returned to her conversation with a dark skinned man at the counter.
"Who was that?" He pushed his cup forward.
Fred poured him more coffee. "Another snoop sent by O'Connor's goons. Still looking for Spike. Don't worry, I didn't tell him anything. So, you want the pancakes?"
Xander returned to the shipping docks. His luck seemed to have improved some. At least today people were more willing to talk to him. One of the bosses even offered him a job. Seemed a worker had just up and quit in the middle of the day.
Huh, city folk.
There were also several false leads. Men who met the description, but upon hunting them down didn't even appear close to resembling Spike.
By evening the workers here tired, hungry, and heading for home. Xander decided it was time for him to do the same.
Returning to his car, he slid in and rested his head on the steering wheel. He was torn. He knew he couldn't stay here and just wander the docks every day, Hell, Spike might not even be here.
That fuckin' O'Connor could have lied to him. Maybe Spike was never here. On the other hand, going home alone was depressing as hell.
He had let himself get too hopeful. Let his heart make plans reality couldn't see through. Xander sighed. It was late and he was tired.
He thought about eating, but just couldn't make himself move. Curling up on the seat, he wiped the tears from his eyes and made the decision to leave first thing in the morning.
~*~*~*~*~
The bus driver took his ticket and threw his bag into the cubby hole in the bottom of the bus. "Just made it, son. We're pulling out in ten minutes. Grab a seat and settle in."
Spike had picked up a card with the travel schedules on. According to this they made only a few regular stops for
bathroom, food, and to switch drivers.
He should be on the mountain in less than thirty hours. With his head down studying the timetable, and his heart high, Spike felt the bus pull out and start down the highway. He knew he was too charged to sleep. He checked his watch, twenty-nine hours, fifty minutes.
The warmth of the springtime sun disappeared at dusk and the car turned cold. Xander shivered and pulled his jacket tighter around his body.
He refused to spend the exorbitant fee of $2.00 just to rent a room at a motel. How did decent people have the nerve to charge so much just for a place to sleep. It wasn't like he wanted to buy the damn thing.
Trying his best to get comfortable, Xander looked up at the rumble of a huge engine and watched a giant Greyhound bus chug past. It was the last thing he saw before dozing off to sleep.
Part Thirty-Two
The bus was nearly full, but Spike had been able to find a seat towards the back. He would have preferred the privacy of a seat by the window where he could rest his head and sleep but if push came to shove, he was just glad to be aboard and headed in the right direction, for once in his life.
The sun was starting to just set and the interior of the bus was dim. Looking around him he could see the other passengers settling in for their own journeys. Trying to find a position of comfort for the night.
They were an odd mix of humanity. All with their own destinations and reasons for getting there. Beside him, staring out the window was an older man. Dressed in a suit that had definitely seen better days, it was, however, clean and carefully mended by someone who must have worried how he looked.
Glancing discreetly over his shoulder, Spike watched the young couple behind him. They could hardly keep their hands off each other. They must have been late teens or early twenties, and wore obviously new, matching, cheap wedding rings.
He had his arm around her shoulder and would 'accidentally' let his fingers wander and brush over her breasts. This would cause her to giggle, as though it was always an unexpected surprise. Glancing down, Spike noticed her hand slip over and settle in his lap.
The young man moaned quietly and Spike turned his head. Directly across the aisle was a young mother. She had a baby in her arms and two more toddlers wedged into the one seat next to her.
Rocking the baby, she spoke softly to the other two and did her best to make them comfortable enough to be able to sleep.
The fat middle aged man sitting in front of her was loudly making note of the fact that he was not happy to be sitting near children. Every little movement caused him to turn and glare. Each glare elicited an apology from the beleaguered mother.
Spike watched it all silently. He had his own thoughts and personal struggles. What would he do if Xander wouldn't accept him back? He had saved some money and even after buying his ticket, paying his bills, and setting aside a little for food on the trip, he still had a $20.00 bill.
It was hidden in his shoe and if worse came to worse, it would buy him a return ticket. He could always go back to the docks.
It was a thought more depressing than any he had ever faced. Still, the one thing he was most proud of was the fact that as bad as things got, he knew he would not return to the drink.
He had not touched liquor since that terrible day. His last day with the man he loved. No, no matter how this all turned out he would not find the solutions in a bottle.
Checking the schedule once more in the last bit of light, Spike knew they would be stopping for a quick bathroom
stop in a gas station in two hours. He could easily sleep through that one.
A food stop was three hours later. Most of the passengers must have been in bladder agreement as they were already
twisting, turning and positioning in their cramped seats hoping for a few hours sleep.
Though Spike wished for the time passing mercy of nocturnal repose, he knew he was way too nervous. He also knew from the rustling and whispering sounds behind him, he wasn't the only one who would not sleep tonight.
Silently Spike watched the lives around him.
The hours and stops rolled by.
The young couple behind rarely got off the bus.
The were possibly getting off on the bus. Spike smiled.
The old man beside him was a minimal.
A quick piss.
A sandwich and a cup of coffee.
No conversation.
That suited Spike who really didn't want to know. One thing did become glaringly clear. The young mother across the aisle was traveling on less than a shoestring.
Often he would hear one of the children fuss that they were hungry. Only when they became insistent did she reach into a
small brown bag under her seat and bring out an apple or half a sandwich for them to share.
What made Spike speak to her, he couldn't say. "Looks like you have your hands full, yeah?" The mother smiled, creating tired little wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.
"Yes. They have never traveled before and I'm afraid they are a bit restless."
"Nonsense" Spike spoke quietly "They are very well behaved. Are you taking them on holiday?" The smile faded and she kissed the baby's head.
"No. My husband was drafted and we couldn't afford to live on our own. My parents have agreed to take us in. We are going there."
Spike could tell this was not an arrangement that had been agreed to willingly. Probably on either side. The upcoming war would change a lot of their lives.
He knew that due to his citizenship and the resulting damage left to his heart by a case of childhood rheumatic fever, he could not be drafted, but he didn't know about Xander. What if he just got him back only to lose him again?
The bus pulled in to a diner. It was 4 a.m. and this would be the only stop of the morning.
Gas, bathroom, food. They had thirty minutes. The driver left no room for misunderstanding. As Spike rose to go he noticed the mother sharing some crackers and fruit with her children.
Twenty-five minutes and all were back in their seats and ready to go. As they started out, Spike handed a brown sack to the mother and nodded.
Looking inside, her eyes welled with tears as she saw the sandwiches, milk, and cookies. Clutching it close, she dropped her head. "I couldn't possibly accept so much from a stranger."
Spike grinned. "Names William. Pleased to meet you." Returning the smile warmly she quickly divided the food
among the eager children. "Thank you William. My name is Hope."
Spike chuckled. "Hope" That was what Xander would have called a sign.
The day was bright and sunny. With the children's tummies full they were cheerful and content. Even the grouch in front of them seemed able to ignore them in favor of the book he had brought to read.
Before dozing for a midmorning nap, Spike noticed the old man beside him bring a picture out of his vest pocket
and run his thumb over it slowly. It was a lovely lady. Though the picture was old an worn, he could see the sparkle in her eyes.
"That the missus?"
The old man jumped at Spike's words, almost as though he had not noticed him sitting there. Taking one last look, he tucked it back quickly. "Yes, she died last week of the cancer. Been together forty-two years." The old man turned his face back to the window.
Conversation over.
There was nothing to discuss.
Part Thirty-Three
The trip was long.
It's impossible to comprehend how long thirty hours can be till you are trapped in a cramped little space, breathing
stale smoky air and other people's body odor. It's even worse when you realize part of what you are smelling is yourself.
It didn't matter.
With each mile Spike's stomach got more jumpy. He considered getting off at the next stop, wherever that happened to be.
He considered going back.
He considered throwing himself in front of the bus and letting it roll over him.
Like a nickle matinee, his brain played several versions of the reunion. He would be welcomed with open arms. He would be rejected, the door slammed in his face. Xander simply wouldn't remember who he was. The last one scared him the most.
The one he liked the best was the one where Xander drags him through the door and kisses him passionately. He would be wearing the silly bib overalls he always had on. He would let them drop to the floor and insist Spike undress as quickly as possible.
Xander would already be hard. His perfect cock standing hard, flushed red and leaking at the mere thought of fucking Spike.
Xander would scoop Spike up in his arms and pull his body flush against him.
Cock against cock.
Smearing juices between them.
Wetting each other's bellies and cocks with the wet leaking need
They would kiss.
Spike reveled in the memories of Xander's kisses. They were deep, searching, all encompassing. Sometimes Spike would jack off just to the thought of Xander's kisses. Spike squirmed in his seat as the visions became clearer.
Xander would stand straight with his hands on Spike's head.
He would steer his mouth down to suck and lick on Xander's nipples.
First one then the other till they were both hard as pebbles.
Slowly he would run his tongue down Xander's chest swirling around and tugging the trail of hair that led to the
grand prize.
Dropping to his knees he would come face to face with the only cock he had ever known as intimately as his own.
He would want to suck it, but not yet. First he wanted to rub his nose in the hair, the crease, under the sac.
Reacquaint himself with the musky individualism of his man.
"Please, Spike. I've waited for you too long."
Xander's voice would be husky and breathless.
After tasting and licking the sweet bitter bubbles from the slit, Spike would finally please them both and swallow it down till it hit the back of his throat.
Spike could clearly remember the little grunting sounds Xander made when his cock was receiving a good sucking.
Spike would wrap his palm around his own desperate erection and fist himself in time with his tongue's massage of Xander's thick, throbbing flesh.
Unable to hold back after their long time without each other, Xander would hold Spike's head in a viselike grip and unmercifully fuck his face till he doubled over and shot hot globs of cum down Spike's throat.
It would be pure romance.
Sighing, Spike opened his eyes and noticed Hope snickering. Mortified, Spike snatched his fedora off the floor between
his feet and dropped it onto his lap.
Blushing, he couldn't meet her gaze. "Sorry" His voice was quiet, but the smile on his lips showed no
regret.
"Seems you're missing someone special too." It was the only acknowledgement of the tent his hat barely covered
before she returned to tending her children.
~*~*~*~*~
Xander had driven through the night. He would have made better time if he had not stopped three times after just leaving the city.
Each time he would pull off the road and consider going back to the docks.
Try again.
Question more people.
Go back to O'Connor and ask him for help.
Each mile he travelled was further from Spike, and it felt like failure. Like defeat.
All the things he had thought about saying to him, all the things he had thought Spike would answer, he had never allowed himself to think about the possibility that he would be unable to find him at all.
The only consolation was the thought that maybe he could try again.
Save some money and maybe move to the city.
Get a job and stay for however long it took to find him.
Yeah, that's it.
That is exactly what he would do.
Feeling somewhat better, Xander went through the motions of driving, eating, and stopping for gas and a pee. He even pulled over for a nap. Just a few hours to rest his eyes and get him back on the road for home.
Home.
It was a thought that comforted him.
He wanted to sit in his chair by the hearth and rock.
He just wished Spike were by his side when he did it.
Part Thirty-Four
Thirty promised hours had stretched into thirty-two due to a detour and being stuck behind a tractor on a long
stretch of highway.
Spike wanted to scream. A night, a day and the moon was again full. Almost there. He twitched and squirmed.
"Won't be much longer."
Spike looked over at Hope's words, and saw her smile sweetly. "You got someone special waiting for you?"
"I hope so." Spike kept his voice low. Most of the bus was again sleeping. "We didn't part on very good terms. I don't know if I will be welcome or not."
Lifting his head, Spike looked her in the eye. "I know I love him."
Hope's smile never faltered. "Then it will be all right. Just make sure he understands he is a lucky man to have you."
Spike laughed "I'll tell him that."
Hope looked out the window "Seems like you will be telling him soon. Isn't this your stop?"
Spike's heart jumped to his throat. He was here. He still had a long walk ahead of him, but he was finally here. Suddenly his nerves threatened to fail him. He couldn't do it. He couldn't move. Looking over he saw Hope glance down at his hat and wink. Quietly they shared a laugh.
Standing, he gathered his courage and his things together, he popped his backbone into alignment and prepared to disembark.
Before leaving, he turned and reaching into his shoe pulled out the $20 he had hidden there. He wouldn't need it.
Whatever it took, he would do.
He was staying.
He was home.
Kneeling down he slipped the money in Hope's hand and ran his palm over the sleeping baby's head. "Make sure you and the children eat well before arriving at your parents."
Hope's eyes got big, but before she could protest or refuse, Spike was gone.
He stood on the platform outside the bus station. God it felt good to be off that damn bus, to stretch his back and legs.
Almost made the walk a welcome change from the long ride.
He knew the road he had taken the first time he had been in this town, and he knew where he had wrecked the car.
From there he was sure he would be able to locate the path up the hill. He thought momentarily about waiting till daylight, but the light of the full moon was bright and he had already waited too long.
Switching his suitcase to his other hand, Spike flexed his shoulders and started off.
Xander had hoped to drive straight through, but he was just too tired. Maybe a short nap. Just to rest his eyes. Besides he had nothing to rush home to. The cabin would be cold and empty, as always.
But at least now he had a plan.
He was not giving up.
He would never give up, it was just going to take a little longer than he had originally thought.
Laying down in his car, he looked up at the moon and wondered where Spike was right now. He wondered if Spike was alone and if he ever thought about him. He wondered if Spike was looking up at the moon tonight. He wondered if Spike was sharing the moonlight with someone else. He fell asleep wondering.
It hadn't rained much this week and the road was dry. Spike was grateful for that much. The mud would have made walking dangerous and slippery in the dark. Each mile led him further into the darkened woods.
Figuring about twenty minutes a mile, Spike estimated it would take about two hours to get there. He tried to stay focused. The noises that surrounded him were like nothing he had ever heard and it scared him shitless.
Howling, barking, and what the hell kind of animal made that screeching sound? Spike kept going trying not to let his imagination get the best of him.
Xander was startled awake by someone tapping on the car window. Trying to see, he was blinded by the flashlight in his
eyes. Quickly he rolled down the window. "What? What is it?" He struggled to clear his brain.
The light snapped off. "Just checking to see if you were o.k. Saw the car pulled over and thought you might need help."
The uniformed officer peered into the car, looking to see if Xander was alone.
Xander rubbed his hands over his face. "Yeah, just got tired is all. Needed a quick nap, but I'm all right now. I'll be pulling out in a couple minutes. Thanks."
"No problem son. You go on home now. I'm sure someone is waiting on you." Xander watched as the cop returned to his patrol car and drove away.
"Yeah, if only that were true." He stepped out, stretched, pissed and got back in. Three more hours drive and he would be home.
Suddenly he felt an urgency to get back. A strong need to return to the cabin on the mountain. A confusing but desperate feeling. He fired up the Lincoln and burned rubber.
'It's got to be round here. It can't be much further.' Spike was sure he was getting close. The twists and turns of
the road felt familiar and he knew the tree he had run into must be coming up soon. But the trees blotted out most of the moonlight, and Spike was, after all a city boy. It was confusing. It was frightening.
Slightly misjudging the distance, Spike went another half mile before he finally saw it. Shining like a skeleton in the moonlight, there was very little left of the car that he had smashed into the tree over six months ago. Still, it was the sign post he had been seeking. It sat like an arrow pointing in the right direction.
He laughed and ran up for a better look. There it sat, just where he had left it. But certainly not in the same condition. The tires and rims had all been taken as was the back seat and most of the dashboard.
The interior was stripped and even the bumpers were gone. Checking quickly he found the paperwork from the glove box and the books were also missing.
He hoped whoever had stolen the parts had put them to good use. It couldn't have mattered less to him. It wasn't why he was here.
Taking a few minutes to get his bearings, Spike faced north and located the trail up the hill. With no more hesitation he
dove deeper into the woods.
The closer he got the more Xander felt the pull. It was a gravitational thing and he was circling the home
planet. Drawing closer and closer. He desperately needed the comfort of home.
Nothing in the world mattered now but the cabin in the woods.
Two more hours.
Part Thirty-Five
His legs ached and his body shook from the damp cold. Why in God's name did he think it would be a good idea
to climb a mountain in the middle of the night?
His pants were torn on thorns that had scratched his legs, and at one point he could have sworn a bat was nesting
in his hair. Maybe he took a wrong turn. Maybe he missed the path. Maybe....
Spike stopped dead in his tracks squinting his eyes to assure himself that it was not a mirage. There it was up ahead.
Just as he remembered it. Tightening his grip on his bag he ran.
The cabin was dark and looked deserted, but it didn't matter. He was here. He was really, finally here.
Rushing on, Spike jumped the three steps to the porch and grabbed for the door. He would wake Xander. He would talk to him and convince him to give them a chance.
Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and hurried in. It took only seconds to realize the cabin was empty. It looked like no one had been here for some time.
Knowing how careful Xander was about the fire, Spike was dismayed to find it cold. If he was just out on a delivery run he would have warm coals.
These had been out for days.
Checking around, he was somewhat reassured to find all of Xander's belongings still here. Wherever he had gone, he would be coming back. Spike would wait.
Spike took off his hat and jacket. He set aside his suitcase and rolled up his shirt sleeves. Xander would want a fire started so the house would be warm when he came home.
Spike set to task. He lit the oil lamp and turned the wick low. He was pleased to find the kindling ready and logs piled
up. He started the fire and banked it for the night.
Checking the shelves, Spike found a jar of soup beans and poured them in a kettle which he set to the side of
the hearth to warm slowly.
With everything done, an exhausted Spike sat in Xander's chair and rocked himself to sleep. He had never felt such peace.
~*~*~*~*~
He was amazed he had not been stopped for excessive speed. Xander chuckled and patted the Lincoln as they turned
onto the path to home. "We are still the best aren't we old girl?"
Though still down in the dumps at the failure of his trip, Xander decided he was just too tired to think about it tonight.
A good nights sleep and everything will look better in the morning. He wasn't sure he believed that, but admitting defeat
meant admitting he may never see Spike again.
Turning the car onto the path he felt it immediately. Something wasn't right. He slowed his advance to a crawl and eased it into the barn, engine rumbling low like the warning growl of a threatening guard dog.
Quickly going through the motions of a habit, he parked the car and locked the barn. When he approached the cabin, he could see the dim glow of the oil lamp through the windows.
Sneaking up to the porch he gingerly cracked open the door. What he saw inside caused his heart to try to burst from
his chest.
The cabin was warm and welcoming with the smell of food bubbling in the kettle. The golden glow from both the lamp and fire bathed the room in a soft loving light.
But all of that was peripheral.
The only thing Xander could see was the man sleeping in the chair by the hearth. 'Please God don't let this be a dream' Just in case, Xander eased forward for fear of waking them both.
~*~*~*~*~
The weight in his lap slowly brought Spike to wakefulness. Looking down he saw Xander sitting on the floor between
his legs. He had his head resting in Spike's lap and his arms around Spike's waist. Reaching down he ran his hands through the silky softness of the rich brown hair.
"Xander?"
Lifting his face, Spike could see the tears on Xander's cheeks.
"Are you really here?" he whispered.
"I'm here" Spike continued to comb his fingers through Xander's hair. "Is that all right?"
Xander sighed and laid his head back down. "I think I'll die if I wake up and it isn't true. I've hunted for you for days. I'm so tired I'm afraid I'm asleep and you're just another version of the same dream that comes to me every night." Xander tightened his grip around Spike's waist.
Sliding off the chair, Spike went slowly to his knees on the floor facing Xander. He wiped the tear streaked face and kissed his lips lightly. "I've come a long way to be here Xander. Am I home?"
Finally convinced Spike was real, Xander held the other man's face in his hands.
"You are home, Spike" Xander leaned in and captured Spike's mouth in a kiss that was filled with all the pent up passion that they had both lived with since the day they parted.
With each break for air one would confess his heart.
"I promise no more drinking."
"I don't make or sell it anymore."
"I'm sorry about your car."
"I don't care about the car."
"I missed you."
"I love you."
That was the one Spike had been waiting on. He sat back with a smile on his kiss swollen lips. "I love you more."
Slowly Xander unbuttoned Spike's shirt and ran his hands over the slim body. He was shocked by the change the work on the docks had caused. Spike's body was now hard and his chest and stomach chiseled.
Xander burrowed his nose in the side of Spike's neck and breathed in the smell of the man. It matched his memory exactly. This was pure Spike. This was his Spike.
Spike rolled his head to the side. "Take me to bed, Xander."
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