A/N: I actually started writing S/X years before I ever posted anything, sometime back in either '01 or '02. This comes from around that time.

It's fanon, through and through, I'll admit that right off. The whole premise is founded on it. Xander "claiming" Spike as his "mate," going through a sort of "ritual" without knowing that he's done it, at least not consciously (the hyena came into play at one point in relation to that subconscious knowledge). There's also a lack of research showing here at points, but what stopped me from continuing it overall, is the fact that it's far too fast paced. This should've been played out over many pages instead of being crammed into what amounted to a prologue for the rest of the fic. It doesn't hold up that way, nothing is justified and sometimes just plain doesn't make sense. I was also showing an annoying tendency towards epithet usage at the time.

It's a great idea, I still think that and one of these days I'd like to do something with it, but it won't be anytime soon. For now, this is what I have. Taking place sometime very early in the fifth season, no Glory.

Pairing(s): Spike/Xander

Courting Disaster