A/N:
Cause you all asked so nicely, and I'm still stuck on Setting Things
Straight and I've got itchy fingers!!! Thank you to Belle for giving me
the idea for this fic. Thank you to Mera Heaven for all her advice and
badgering without which this fic would still be sitting in my head.
WARNING: Unbeataed ao all
mistakes are mine sorry :o)
Part 11
Xander woke, 'mouth fuzzy, head pounding, snuggled up to a comfy Anya.. Okay hard chest not soft boobs.'
Xander opened an eye and looked. 'That's a nipple' he thought 'But that's defiantly not a boob...what the hell, and there are one...two... three hands on me?'
Xander tried to get up but the hand held him tight.
"Go back to sleep."
'Eeep that's Spike, I'm in bed with a naked Spike.'
Pulling himself together Xander demanded "Let me go."
"No."
"What..." Xander spluttered as he began to struggle "Let me go blood breath."
Spike gave a put upon sigh "Look you have three choices, 1, go back to sleep, 2, we talk about whatever the hell gave you them bruises or 3, you try and make it to the door and find a scary Angel bearing down on you." He said and nudged Angel in the ribs "Sire?"
"Scary Angel wants sleep." Angel muttered as he moved closer to Spike.
Xander looked down as far as his head could move while trapped against Spike's chest, which though unnervingly weird was kind comfy all the same, and saw his naked bruise covered chest and knew he wasn't going to get away without some explanation, his brain kicked into gear trying to find a convincing story. Only to have his thoughts cut off.
"Stop trying to make something up I can hear your brain turning from here. I know what happened."
"No you don't." Xander spat feeling the desperation rise as he tried harder to get away.
"Stop wriggling." Spike hissed as an elbow jabbed his stomach. "Talk to me Xan."
Xander fell still at Spike's soft voice and the use of his name rather than Whelp or Zeppo or any of the number of Spike nicknames that he used, and felt tears begin to gather behind his eyes.
"Let me go." Xander pleaded not wanting to cry in the vampires' presence, they may have gotten drunk and had a laugh last night but they both knew they weren't friends, weren't enemies either, just tolerant of one another.
"Talk to me, what happened?" Spike softly asked.
Xander shock his head as the tears began to trickle down his face.
Spike held him tight "How about I talk and you nod."
Xander nodded.
"Someone beat you up." Spike stated, Xander nodded "and I think we can both guess who, your father?" Small nod and more tears.
"What I can't work out is why." Spike said thoughtfully. Xander shrugged
"Why you went anywhere near him." Xander shrugged again and just laid there crying quietly unable and unwilling to form words.
Spike sighed "Something to do with Anya?" nod. "Cause she left you?" Xander shrugged, Spike nodded and fell silent musing over what he knew and trying to work out how to bring up the next bit.
Finding no easy way to say it Spike braced himself and ploughed in "He touch you somewhere he shouldn't?" Xander went stiff in Spike's arms and tried pulling away "He raped you." He stated quietly.
Xander gasped, sobbed and nodded Spike held him as close as was humanly possible while Angel's hand moved in soft comforting circles on the boy's back. "First time?" nod "I'm guessing wasn't a good time?" Xander just clung to Spike harder he couldn't cope with this, it was all just too much, years of beating, mental abuse came to the forefront leaving Xander feeling dead and lost in a torrent of uncontrollable emotions.
"Why'd he do it Xan?" Spike asked quietly as the tears, and sobbing gasps began to subside.
Xander took a deep calming breath, "Lost my job, lost my apartment, lost Anya."
Spike nodded "When did you lose your apartment?"
"A month ago." Xander sniffed. "Anya couldn't cope with being back in the basement," Xander snorted "Can't blame her, I can't cope being back in the basement, she practically begged D'Hofran to take her back."
Angel whispered something too low for human ears to hear and Spike nodded. "Right up you get." He told Xander, neither of them moved.
"You're disgusted with me." Xander whimpered, not meaning to voice his thoughts, but unable to stop. "I'm dirty, need to get clean."
Xander squeaked as he found himself flat on his back with a very angry Spike glaring down at him.
"You don't ever talk about yourself like that." Spike hissed, "It's not you, it's him, he's the sick bastard who did this and it is not your fault. You are not disgusting, or dirty, and you did not deserve what happened. Understand?" Xander nodded as tears began to gather in his eyes again. "Now let's get up and go get your stuff."
"Wa...Huh?...Why?..." Xander stuttered.
Spike beamed "You're movin' in mate."
"What...? No!,.. I can't." Xander protested.
"You mate ain't got a choice, the pouf has decided and I agree, you're moving in."
Xander looked over at Angel who was lying on his side watching them.
"Why? You both hate me. Especially Dead Boy."
Angel smiled "I don't hate you."
To which Xander's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"Besides," Spike shrugged "I've hated the almighty sire for nearly a hundred years, don't mean I wouldn't help him if he was in trouble." Spike climbed off the boy and looked around for a semi clean t- shirt. "Besides you're family." He added quietly.
Xander sat up instantly "Huh?"
"Said, you're family." Spike shrugged.
"I say again. Huh?" A confounded Xander asked.
Spike shrugged "You all are, you, Dawn, Willow, Tara, Joyce, even the slayer...well on one of her good days..." Angel growled a warning not to go there, Spike glared at him "Look mate you ain't the one she's always holding a wooden stake to. PMS has a whole new meaning when it comes to her."
Angel let it slide as he stood, "I'll go see what state Dru's room is in. Do you have a bed?" he asked Xander.
"Ummm no, sold it to make the rent."
Angel nodded as he walked out grabbing his clothes as he went.
"Come on get movin'." Spike said as he pulled on his Doc's
Xander sat there stunned "You're serious?"
Spike frowned "Yeah." He said softly.
Xander felt the tears begin again and dropped his head in shame. Spike lent over and lifted the boy's chin "Get dressed," Xander nodded "Besides it's moving day!" Spike cheerfully announced "And just think of all the fun we can have driving the old man batty!!"
Xander smiled at Spike's retreating back feeling as if a load had been lifted from his shoulders. He was moving out of the basement... and in with Spike and Angel...Could life on the Hellmouth get any weirder?
Spike sauntered into Dru's bedroom to find a half dressed bemused Angel surveying the damage.
"What the hell happened in here?"
Spike looked around and shrugged "Told you she had a hissie fit."
"Why?"
Spike shrugged "I dunno, she went bonkers as usual, wouldn't let me calm her down so I tied her to the bed, which looking back wasn't a good idea."
Angel nodded in agreement as he walked to stand in front of Spike deliberately making eye contact. "You alright with Xander moving in?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" Spike countered.
"Will, we both know you're not..." Angel paused looking for the right words "Not, quite right?" he tried looking apologetic at the term. "The big bad act might work on the others when you see them, but he's going to be living here, seeing things I know you would rather the boy and the others not know."
Spike looked at his feet sighing deeply "I know," Looking at Angel he spat "He ain't staying in that ruddy basement, so he'll just have to abide by the family rules."
Angel nodded, placed his arm on Spike's shoulder and guided him out the room "Come on this room's gutted, I'll make some calls while you make breakfast."
Spike pouted as he was guided downstairs.
***
Xander walked into the kitchen, Angel was talking quietly on the phone sipping from a mug of blood, Spike was leaning against the counter looking thoughtful.
Angel put the phone down with a weary smile. "How much stuff have you got?" He asked Xander.
Xander shrugged "Not much, Anya took most of it and all the good stuff was sold."
"Think we can fit it into the car in one trip or do we need a van?" Spike asked.
Xander looked thoughtful as he catalogued all his stuff "Two trips in the car should do it."
Spike looked at Angel "Get the De Soto? One trip?"
Angel nodded in agreement.
"We also need to go food shopping." Spike informed Angel who looked rather daunted by that little fact, Spike snickered at the picture of Angel being trolley rammed by some old biddy in the frozen food isle.
Angel gave himself a shake and looked at a quiet subdued Xander standing in the doorway "We need to talk about a few things first."
Xander nodded brows creased in thought.
"There are some rules you must abide by while living here and they are not rules to be broken, understand." Xander nodded solemnly "Even Spike doesn't break these rules."
"What are they?" Xander asked before agreeing to anything.
"The most important one is whatever happens, whatever you see in this house stays in this house between us, no running to Giles every five minutes." Xander nodded in understanding "Rule two is simply if something happens, you do as I tell you no questions asked."
"Unless he goes all Angelusie again, then you run like hell and tell The Watcher everything." Spike snickered.
Xander's head shot up "And that's likely to happen?"
"No." Angel said forcefully.
"Arrha, and you know this because?" Spike asked
"Because my soul was made permanent almost a year ago."
"Is that right." Spike mused. Angel nodded.
"So no more Angelus?" Xander asked needing reassurance.
"No more Angelus unless I let him to the front."
"Which he sometimes does to scare people." Spike smiled
"Okay any other rules?" Xander agreed in principle.
"None that I can think of." Angel said.
"Yeah, rule three no staking the vampire."
Xander smiled "Okay, then I agree."
"I mean it Xander." Angel said seriously "What happens between these four walls stays within these four walls."
Xander looked serious "As long as no one is killing humans, then I get it and will keep what I see and hear to myself."
"Right let's get you moved in." Angel stood.
"What do we tell the others?" Xander asked quietly "It's just they don't know I've moved back to the basement."
"Easy, we tell them you're movin' in cause you don't want to live on your own and the rent's cheep."
Xander looked sheepish "About rent, I...kind of..."
"Don't worry about rent, I don't pay any, Grandpa pays." Spike said cheerfully.
Xander's eyes went wide as a fuzzy memory of last night filtered through "Ohhh god I called you..."
Spike smirked "Yep you called him Grandpa last night."
Angel stood "He called you Daddy," he smiled at Spike as he walked passed.
Xander paled "Oops."
Angel ruffles the boy's hair "Come on let's get you moved in. Where's the De Soto?"
"Round the corner from Buffy's house." Spike told him as he slung his duster on.
***
Spike parked up behind Angel outside the Harris residence and climbed out.
"Don't look like anyone's in." Spike indicated to the dark windows.
"Good." Xander walked to the basement door fishing in his pocket for the keys as he went.
"Want to hear something funny?" Spike asked trying to break the silence that had descended. "Peaches was going to kick the door to your old place down last night."
"Why?" Xander asked distractedly.
"Cause we took you to what we thought was your home, the last night."
"Huh." Xander looked around the basement, most of his stuff still in boxes stacked hazardously around the place.
"Right so where do you want to start?" Spike asked giving up trying to break Xander out of his quiet mood.
"Anything in a box goes; I'll start boxing up my clothes...again."
Angel grabbed the closest box and walked out. Spike looked around and saw Xander staring at the unmade bed. Walking over to the boy he placed his hand on his shoulder "Clothes Xan, sooner they are packed the sooner we get you out of here."
Xander shivered, nodded and strode away grabbing an empty box left from when he moved back in. Sighing Spike grabbed a couple of boxes and carried them towards the door, meeting Angel as he strolled back on.
"You smell it?" Spike asked making sure to keep his voice low enough that human ears wouldn't hear.
Angel nodded "Keep an eye on him."
Spike scowled "I hate this ruddy basement. I'll stack the boxes by the door?"
Angel smiled "And I'll carry them to the car."
Spike nodded and handed over the two boxes he was carrying "This is going to be a bundle of laughs." He muttered.
Half an hour later and most of Xander's stuff was in the car, or waiting by the door for Angel. Xander was standing looking around to make sure he had everything when they heard the front door open. Xander stiffened, Spike cursed under his breath and quickly walked to stand next to a shivering Xander.
"Two choices here Whelp, one Angel beats the crap out of him and I piss Angel off enough that he kills him, or two you play along."
Xander looked at Spike "Don't kill them." He muttered.
Spike nodded "Just play along."
Xander gave a distracted nodded and Spike saw him slowly retreat inside himself. The basement door flung open.
"You here?" Shouted a gruff voice.
Xander sighed "Yes dad."
Spike pulled himself to his full height and slid a smirk onto his face as the footsteps descended into the basement.
"Who's this?" Xander's father asked.
"Dad, this is..."
"Spike." The vampire quickly interrupted as he walked forwards and held out his hand "And I would like to thank you." Spike smirked as he shook Xander's father's hand in a firm hand shake before swirling round (making sure his duster swirled theatrically) and strode back to an astonished Xander.
"Thank me for what?" Xander's father asked cautiously.
Spike gave Xander a small smile before slinging his arm over the boy's shoulder and turning to face the man on the stairs. "Why for showing my boy here the light." Spike beamed as he lent in and gave Xander a deep, gentle, kiss. Just as Angel walked in to stand possessively behind them.
"Xander, what the hell is going on? And who the hell are you?" Xander's father yelled looking pointedly at Angel.
Spike smirked "That's my sugar Daddy." He proudly announced. Angel rolled his eyes and Xander couldn't help but keep the smile from his face as his brain finally caught up with what Spike was doing.
"Our sugar Daddy," Xander corrected as he gripped Spike, desperately trying to keep the shaking from his voice and limbs.
Spike grinned "True luv, now we ready to go?"
"Definately. The sooner I leave this shit hole the better." Xander said with more confidence than he felt.
"You are not going anywhere." Xander's father proclaimed as he stepped forwards threateningly. Angel made to move forwards but stopped as Xander placed his hand on his arm.
"Yes Dad, I'm leaving, the beatings I could cope with but..." Xander's eyes swung to the bed.
Spike looked pointedly at his sire. Angel nodded and carefully guided Xander from the basement. Leaving Spike and Xander's fuming father alone.
"Look I don't know what that lying shit has told you but none of it's true."
Spike snorted "So you haven't been beating him on a regular basis and you didn't rape him the other night?"
Xander father went white, knuckles clenched in anger "No." he spat
Spike put his hands in his pockets and looked at the floor "See it's funny cause I believe him and not you. Wonder why that is...oh wait, I remember now, I bloody well lived here," Spike walked forwards and looked at the man standing before him, his face full of contempt and disgust. "I know where you like to play," Spike's voice was low and husky "I've been there, the pain, the domination, the power, quite an aphrodisiac ain't it? The difference is, that boy out there doesn't deserve what he's been given by the only two people on this planet who are meant to love him unconditionally, no questions asked. He's meant to be safe with you." Spike spun and walked away from the stunned man, grabbing a half full bottle of gin and slowly walked to the bed, pouring the contents all over it.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Xander's father flew across the room and came face to face with yellow eyes staring gleefully at him.
"Please give me a reason to cut your heart out and eat it." Spike hissed menacingly as he took out a box of matches. "Stay away from the boy and you may just live to see old age." Spike lit the match and throw it at the bed, watching as the flames licked out searching for the alcohol and took hold, before striding out, grabbing the last two boxes as he went.
Xander and Angel were standing near the car, Spike throw the last two boxes into the back seat of Angel's car "We're leaving." He announced as he got into the De Soto slammed the door closed and drove away.
Xander turned to Angel "What did he do?"
Angel sniffed "Come on let's go."
"No," Xander started running towards the house, Angel swore under his breath, calling his errant childe every name under the sun as he raced after the boy, skidding to a halt as he entered the basement and almost crashing into Xander.
"Well don't just stand there like a gormless idiot we both know you are, give me a hand to put this out." Xander's father yelled while bashing the flaming bed with an old blanket. "When I get my hands on that little punk's scrawny neck I will beat some discipline in him like his father should have..." he never got to finish what he was saying, as he found Xander's fist in his face just before he hit the floor with a thud.
Xander leaned over the sprawled man "You stay away from him." Xander turned, his father's voice and cruel words flowing over him as he walked away.
Angel smiled, quietly happy as he walked to the car. "You alright?"
"Need to see mum." Xander said thoughtfully. "Need to warn her to say away from him."
Angel nodded and got in the car Xander following suit. "Where is she?"
"Work." Came the quiet reply.
Angel gave the boy's knee a quick squeeze before starting the car "Where does she work?"
Xander gave himself a shake "There's a diner in town -- Old Favorites?"
Angel nodded and started driving, cursing quietly when his cell phone rang, quickly looking at the number he threw the phone on Xander's lap "Spike." Was all he said in explanation.
"You set my bed on fire." Xander yelled down the phone.
"Hello to you too, where the bloody hell are you?"
"You set my bed on fire."
"We already did that one luv, where are you? and why the hell are you on the poof's phone? Put him on."
"He's driving."
"So, he's a bloody vampire he can do two things at once you know."
"Spike, why did you set my bed on fire?"
"I give the boy the best snog he's ever had and all he's worried about is his soddin' bed." Spike muttered.
"Which brings me to my second eek of the night. You kissed me!"
"And?"
"What do you mean and?"
"What? You didn't enjoy it?"
"Not the point Spike you kissed me then you set my bed on fire?"
"Are we still in the denial phase that you have to say the same thing over and over before it sinks in, or are we at the I'm pissed and going to stake Spike phase yet?"
"Denial, definately denial, you kissed me..."
"Yes luv we already did that now where the hell are you? And when will you get here cause I ain't lugging all these boxes into the house by me self." Spike interrupted.
"Tell him I'll be there in twenty minutes." Angel said
"Angel says he..."
"I heard, where are you going?"
"To see Mum."
"Oh...right...I'll see you later then."
"Bye." Xander disconnected and stared out of the window "Is it me or is Spike acting weirder than normal?" He asked Angel.
"He's..." Angel searched for the right word "Adjusting."
"Adjusting," Xander mused "He set my bed on fire and you say he's adjusting, adjusting from what?"
"Being dust." Angel said flatly.
Xander squirmed in his seat "Sorry I keep forgetting he's only just got back."
Angel pulled the car over outside the dinner. "Don't give Spike a hard time about tonight; I know you're pissed at him but..." Angel was lost for words to explain why his childe had done what he had done.
Xander started into space "How good is your sense of smell?" He asked suddenly. "I mean I know it's better than a humans but is it as good as a dog's?"
"Better than a dog's but different, we can smell emotions." Angel confirmed
"Emotions smell?" Xander asked voice full of wonder.
"Not exactly, it's kind of hard to explain, but you know how the air sometimes smells damp before it starts to rain."
"Kind of."
"Well it's like that, when people are happy they smell happy," Angel snorted "Not very helpful but..."
"Kinda hard to explain, but I get it and I get why Spike flambéed the bed. He smelt it didn't he?"
Angel nodded "We both did."
Xander felt his eyes mist over "Right, time to talk to Mum."
"Want me to wait?"
"No this could take a while; she will need to call round, find somewhere to stay, hopefully on a permanent basis."
Angel reached into his back pocket and pulled his wallet out.
"Oh no..." Xander began to protest.
Angel shoved three hundred dollars into the boy's hand and held it there looking him straight in the eye "Take it, give it to her and get her away from him. Besides I'm your sugar Daddy and if I want to give you money you have to take it." Angel smiled smugly.
Xander laughed "I'll pay you back, promise."
Angel waved his promise off "I'll let you into a secret, you living with Spike and I is payment enough."
"Huh?" Xander face was a picture of confusion.
"It's simple; with you living with us, both Spike and I can sleep at night. I mean really sleep."
"I say again, huh?"
Angel smiled "You're human, no vampire can enter where you live without an invite, which means Spike and I can sleep without having to worry about the next new master coming in and trying to stake us in our sleep."
Xander smiled "That's kinda cool in a weird way."
"Quite common actually, among vampires," Angel explained "they keep a human alive and usually that human is willing to live with them."
Xander looked surprised "Are they mad?"
Angel chuckled "No, they are usually sane and willing, well...usually."
"Why?"
Angel sank back into his seat "Some do it in the hope that their master will turn them one day, others for love, though those usually become consorts rather than Naji's."
"And a Naji is what you lot call a human that lives with a vampire?"
Angel nodded "It's an Arabic name, means safe."
"Cool so I'm a Naji?"
Angel smiled and nodded "Almost."
Xander pouted "Why only almost?"
"To be a full Naji you have to be bitten and marked as belonging to the master of the clan and take some of his blood."
Xander made an eew face "Why?"
"It's a mark of belonging, a true Naji is very rare, it also offers some protection from other vamps, they would smell the master's blood in you, on you and know that if you were damaged or killed then retribution would follow."
"Retribution as in dusting?" Xander smiled.
"Not quite as simple as that."
"Is anything to do with vampires ever simple?"
Angel smiled "Rarely."
"So what would happen if say I was a Naji and some vamp hurt me?"
"I would be obligated to torture and dust his whole clan, save one survivor who would be left to tell the tale of what a mistake it is to touch what is mine." Angel said smugly
"Have you ever had a Naji before?"
"Once long ago." Angel's voice was quiet, distant.
"What happened to him?"
"His name was William."
"What? as in now known as Spike?" Xander gasped.
Angel nodded "You remember that promise, what stays within the family?" Xander nodded "This is one of those times... Spike was my Naji."
"Why? I mean huh?"
Angel smiled "William was a Watcher..."
"A Watcher!" Xander squeaked "As in Giles? The council kind of Watcher?"
Angel nodded.
"If he was a Watcher why did he want to be a Naji, and why is he now a vampire, shouldn't he have staked you and...Wow a Watcher?" Xander babbled.
"It's a long story."
"Well I'm not going anywhere and I am sooo intrigued it's unreal, a Watcher?"
"Yes, William The Bloody, now known as Spike was once a Watcher."
"So how did he become a Naji, your Naji?"
"He knocked on my door and asked." Angel stated with a gleam in his eye.
"I say again, huh?"
Angel chuckled "I think that was my reaction as well when it happened, but he made some good points, you see William was a curious young lad, fresh out of the academy and wanting to make a name for himself. He found an old reference in a book explaining about what the Watchers thought a Naji was." Angel stared out of the window lost in thought "It was 1870, a lot was happening then, The Master wanted to secure London for his own so Darla and I were sent ahead to clean it out for him, but Dru had a fit, a bad one making it impossible for us to do anything, Penn was being obnoxious and uncontrollable so Darla took them both back to The Master to be... shall we say, dealt with, much to my annoyance, but we didn't have the time to deal with it and to be honest I was tired of them.
"Then one night there was a knock at the door and I answered to a young man. My first thought was dinner is served, which was a relief as at that time I was dead on my feet, literally. I had no one to help guard my back, my minions were being dusted by the other clans and masters left right and centre and I couldn't sleep, not the sleep I needed, always having to be half awake, just in case. Then William was at my door.
"I still haven't decided if he was just foolish or extremely brave, but he intrigued me. You see what I didn't know was that the council was bringing in the slayer to deal with the local vamps, William explained this and we made a deal, he would live with me, keep the other vampires from my door, so to speak and in return I would set up meets between the slayer and the other masters. William would document everything; I would have the final say as to what the council would be allowed to know. The only condition he ever made was that he was never to be turned. It was a sweet deal."
"What happened? Cause I'm thinking something did otherwise there would be no Spike, and what about Darla? I thought those two hated each other?"
"They do, did, but not then, William was not Spike, he was quiet, kept to the shadows, to the point that you didn't even know he was there half the time, except for his heartbeat. The complete opposite to the Spike we know. It worked well for years, I gave him tidbits of information, he in return kept my family safe from both the slayer and other masters."
"What happened? Why did you turn him?"
"I fell in love," Angel snorted "Hard to believe as it may seem Angelus fell in love with the human William. We were happy, for ten peaceful years we were together and we were happy. Then William became ill, consumption. I paid for the best doctors from around the world, I even contacted the Watcher's council but there was nothing anyone could do, and believe me I tried everything. I couldn't lose him, so I broke my promise and I turned him." Xander could see the tears in Angel's eyes. "I don't think he ever forgave me for that."
Xander placed a reassuring hand on Angel's arm, not really knowing what to do or say.
A sharp thrill ring broke the silence, Angel snapped up the phone and seemed to shake off his maudlin feeling "On my way." He said sharply.
"About bloody time, what the hell are you doing?"
"Talking."
"About what?"
Angel smiled "You." He said softly.
"And talking about me takes you a whole bloody hour? I don't think so..."
Xander made a waving motion.
"Phone me and I'll come pick you up."
"What's your number?"
Angel shrugged "Spike what's my phone number?"
"Huh?"
"What's the number you are calling me on?"
"Got a pen?"
Angel searched the glove compartment and grabbed a pen and paper "Ready."
"07211322566. Got it?"
"Yeah." Angel said as he handed the piece of paper over to Xander.
"I'll probably be a couple of hours." Xander said as he exited the car.
"Take as long as you need."
"Oi where's the whelp going? He's meant to be helping get his shit moved in."
Angel sighed "Xander has gone to talk to his Mum do you listen to anything you are told?"
Xander smiled and waved bye as he slammed the car door closed and walked into the diner.
Angel started the car still listening to his childe rant on.
"What you mean he ain't talked to her yet? What the hell have you two been doing, no on second thoughts I don't want to know...?"
"Spike shut up. I'm on my way home now." Angel disconnected and throw the phone on the passenger seat.
***
"Well you took your sweet time." Spike yelled as Angel exited the car. "Come on get in." indicating to the De Soto.
Angel laughed "Did you miss me?"
"Yes I bloody well did, do you know how many boxes I had to carry in? Ten of the bloody things and I had the ones with the books and comics, as in bloody heavy. What've you been doing anyway?"
"I already told you -- talking to Xander."
"What about?"
"Stuff."
"What stuff?"
"Just stuff." Angel said evasively.
"Well if it was just stuff, you can tell me then can't you."
Angel sighed "We were talking about Naji's." he said wondering if he had a death wish or something.
Spikes eyes bugged "What? Tell me you didn't--"
Angel shuffled from foot to foot.
"You bloody bastard you told him about me didn't you?" Spike roared
Angel just looked at the floor.
"What the hell possessed you to do that?"
Angel shrugged.
"Well that's just fan-bloody-tastic, you know what, you can be such a wanker at times."
Angel walked up to his childe "It wasn't like that."
"Like what Angel, cause I'm having a hard time taking in the fact that you broke another promise you made." Spike screamed hands on hips, glaring at his sire. "You promised me you wouldn't tell anyone who wasn't family."
Angel just stood there watching the emotions flutter over his childe's face -- hurt, anger, loss. "It wasn't like that; I needed to talk about it."
"You needed to talk about it to Xander bloody Harris?" Spike yelled as the tears began to form in his eyes.
"Not to Xander no, just someone." Angel whispered quietly.
"Then you should have talked to me about it, not the Whelp."
Angel looked at Spike "You won't talk about it, ever."
It was Spike's turn to look at the floor "Did you tell him everything?"
"Most of it." Angel nodded.
Spike nodded "Right, get in the car."
"What?"
"I said get in the car." Spike said as he strolled to the De Soto and got in.
Angel shrugged and followed Spike to the car. "Where we going?" he asked as he climbed in.
"K-Mart." Spike announced, smirking as the car sped away from the curb.
Angel groaned "Is this my punishment, because I told Xander, because if it is I think I would rather have pokers stuck in me again."
Spike ignored his sire and turned the radio on full blast letting the heavy beat soothe his rattled nerves.
Angel decided now was not the time to debate his childe's taste in music and sat back, closed his eyes and tryed to block the noise from his ears.
"Oi wake up, we're here" Spike nudged Angel in the rib.
"I wasn't asleep." Angel muttered
"Yeah and I'm the Queen mum." Spike sniped as he climbed out of the car.
"Are you still pissed at me?"
"I would say pissed is an understatement, try bloody furious and you're getting warmer." Spike yelled over his shoulder as he stomped away.
"Will wait up, we need to talk." Angel yelled as he ran after him.
Spike swung round "Angel right now talk is the last thing I want to be doing, so unless you want your head kicked in I suggest we get the shopping done so I can go home and kick the shit out of some big nasty."
"I'm sorry, I didn't think it would be such a big deal, he's going to be family you and I both know it."
"That's not the point it was my story to tell not yours and I ain't ready for him to know yet."
"You're not ready for much." Angel muttered sullenly.
"What?" Spike scowled
"Nothing, let's get the shopping done."
"No, I want to know what you meant by that."
"Doesn't matter."
"Yes it bloody well does." Spike yelled.
Angel sighed "I just meant that you're a bit..." Angel searched for the right words and came up blank. "I don't know, non touchy."
Spike stood hands on hips staring at the night sky "Non touchy, you mean I ain't letting you fuck me."
"No..."
"Yes"
"I wouldn't put it like that,"
"Then how would you put it?" Spike asked anger seething.
"Make love to you," Angel ventured.
Spike stomped up to Angel making sure he was in his sire's personal space "I'm not ready yet." He spat.
"Why not?" Angel asked quietly.
All the anger seamed to drain out of Spikes body at the quiet words "Honestly? I don't know, I'm just not...I feel wrong...something's not right..."
Angel put his hand on his boy's shoulder "What's not right?"
Spike laughed callously "That's the whole point. I don't know what's not right."
"The chip maybe?"
Spike shrugged "Don't think so. Think it may be...you know..."
Angel's eyes went wide "What -- her?"
Spike nodded "Keep hearing things again."
Angel pulled Spike to him, holding his boy close, Spike buried his head in hi's sires chest, "Don't let her back sire, promise me."
"I promise little one." Angel stroked the back of Spike's head, purring quietly as his demon tried to comfort his childe.
"If she comes back you'll stake me? Promise me you will." Spike looked at Angel, eyes wide full of hope.
"She won't get control, not this time." Angel assured his childe unable to even contemplate the thought of losing his boy again.
Spike accepted what Angel said as he was pulled tight against his sire, clinging to the closeness.
"Come on you old poof let's get the shopping over with and you can buy me a huge flat screen TV as a sorry for telling the Whelp everything."
Angel regretfully relinquished his hold on his boy "I am not buying you a TV."
Pout.
"Don't pout...won't work..."
Whine.
"Still won't work..."
Puppy dog eyes.
"Now that's just not fair."
"But you know you love me." Spike beamed knowing they would walk out of K Mart with a TV of some description.
***
"Alleluia, what took you so long?" Angel practically yelled down the phone.
"Sorry Grandpa," Xander snickered "Mum and I had a long chat, you know... where are you?" Xander asked hearing the background noise and unable to place it.
"I'm in hell and don't call me that." Angel sighed.
"Huh?"
Spike snatched the phone off Angel "He's shopping at K Mart with me." He beamed.
"Ouch, I take it you're having fun."
"Right laugh, poof here has had his ankles bashed more times than I can count." Spike snickered.
Xander smiled "So how long before you can pick me up? Or should I walk?"
"No walking, we're at the checkout now so I'd say give us ten minutes."
"K, see you in a bit, bye."
Spike snapped the phone closed, passed it back to Angel and began loading the trolley with bags.
"I'm going outside." Angel announced.
"No you're bloody well not, I ain't paying for all this."
"Will, please." Angel whined in desperation knowing if he didn't get out of there soon he would kill someone.
"Fine, give us your wallet and don't you dare whine when it comes back empty." Spike snipped as he held his hand out and Angel gratefully handed his wallet over and strolled to the exit. As soon as Angel was out of sight, Spike gave the cashier a gleaming smirk as he counted the contest of Angel's wallet and with a beaming smile asked "That wide screen TV over there, how much is it?"
The cashier laughed.
***
"What the hell is that?" Angel yelled as he saw Spike pushing an over loaded trolley towards the car.
"Told you, I wanted a TV." Spike smugly announced as Angel popped the trunk with a scowl.
"Do I have any money left?"
"Fifty dollars."
"What?" Angel squeaked.
"Things ain't as cheep as they used to be, I keep telling you that." Spike opened the back seat door before heaving the TV and trying to get it onto the backseat. "Give us a hand." He puffed.
"No, you bought it you get it home." Angel announced as he filled the trunk with the rest of the shopping sighing as he watched his childe try and squeeze the TV into the backseat. "And how is Xander meant to fit in the back?" Angel scrutinized once Spike finally had the TV sitting comfortably on the backseat with its seat belt on.
Spike shrugged as he slammed the door closed "Trust me he'll find a way, as soon as he sees what it is."
***
Xander opened the back door and looked "Okay, and where am I meant to sit? And what is that?"
"TV." Spike answered.
"Cool." Xander announced as he somehow managed to squeeze in beside the huge box.
Spike smirked at his sire "Told you he would find a way to fit."
"That may be true but someone is going to have to close the door for me." Xander announced as he clung to the box trying to squash himself in.
Spike quickly got out and slammed the car door closed. Xander squeaked, "Warn a guy next time and ouch I have a door handle up my arse."
Spike smirked as he climbed back in "Hold on kids, Daddy's putting the hammer down."
"Angel please make him drive carefullllyyyyy." Xander yelled as they sped round a corner leaving Xander squished flat against the door with the TV squishing him even more. "I'm going to die, or be squished to death." He muttered.
"Spike slow down." Angel tried.
"Why? We're nearly there now." Spike smiled, "Besides you can't die if we crash."
"No but I can." Xander shouted as he was thrown against the TV as they rounded another corner "And would your chip go off if I died because of your driving?"
Spike laughed full of humor "Dunno mate shall we see?"
"No!" Xander squeaked "I like being alive and in one piece thanks."
"Spoilsport you're no fun." The De Soto jolted to a halt outside the mansion. "Home sweet home." Spike smiled as he climbed out of the car and opened Xander's door to find the boy half sprawled on the road with his legs still in the car.
"Ouch and thanks." Xander sniped "So kind."
"What -- I bought a TV."
"Wrong I bought the TV, you just used my money." Angel corrected as he popped the trunk and grabbed a couple of bags.
"Give us a hand up." Xander held his hand up waiting expectantly for Spike.
Sighing Spike leant down "You are such an old woman." He muttered as he helped the boy disentangle himself from the car.
"I am not an old woman, I just gained a gazillion more bruises thanks to your driving." Xander stretched working out the kinks in his body, turned and looked at the TV sitting in the car "How the hell did you get that in there anyway."
"Brute strength." Spike informed him as he eyed the TV cryptically.
"And we get it out how?"
Spike shrugged "Brute strength?"
Xander chuckled "You take this end and pull; I'll grab the other end?"
Spike nodded "Sounds like a plan" he said as he climbed into the back seat and started the task of getting the TV out of the car.
"Is anyone going to help get the bags in?" Angel asked as he watched in amusement while his childe tried to slide the TV across the backseat. "You know it would have been a lot easier if you had waited like I planned and we used my car."
Spike stilled and glared at his sire "Since when were you ever planning on buying a TV?"
Angel grabbed the rest of the bags "It was going to be a surprise, but you are as impatient as always." Angel smiled as he walked off.
"Wanker." Spike yelled heaving the box again so it slid a few inches.
"Why's he in a good mood?" Xander asked.
"Probably cause he got things off his chest." Spike muttered as he stared at the box, not realizing Xander was in earshot.
"Hey you used to be a Watcher." Xander yelled accusingly.
"Bollocks, can we just forget that."
Xander smiled "What and give up hours of good snipes, name calling and jokes at your expense, I don't think so. Why didn't you tell us?"
"Tell you what?"
"Duh, that you used to be a Watcher."
Spike shrugged "Wouldn't have made any difference?"
Xander's face went serious "That means you know...like lots of stuff," The penny dropped "All those times we were researching...you...you knew the answers didn't you?" Xander's mind suddenly clicking lots of different pieces together, Spike throwing him or Dawn a particular book which just so happened to hold the answers. Cryptic words that seemed to jog Giles's memories. His uncanny ability to know how to kill most demons. "You knew!" Xander yelled.
Spike shrugged giving up trying to move the TV and perched on the backseat lighting a cigarette. "So?"
"What...you could have said something, helped."
Spike snorted "Like anyone listens to me or even trusts me."
"We do trust you." Xander's brain finally caught up with his mouth "Okay we didn't trust you, but if we had known you were a Watcher, we would have...maybe. Besides we trust you now."
Spike looked at the boy "You don't trust me and if you do more fool you."
"Why shouldn't we trust you?"
Spike throw the cigarette on the floor and stamped it out "I ain't trustworthy, just you remember that."
Xander looked Spike in the eye and said seriously "I trust you."
Spike hung his head, "Don't trust me. Trust Buffy, trust Angel, hell even trust Dru before you trust me."
"Why?"
Spike looked at Xander eyes cold "Because I don't trust myself." He stated quietly sending a shiver down the boy's spine.
Xander nodded "Is this like the Naji secret?"
Spike smiled "Yeah something like that."
Xander took what Spike was saying on board but decided now was as good a time as any and asked "So about you being Angel's Naji, why'd you do it?"
Spike smiled "Always was stupid."
"Come on truth why?"
Spike shrugged "Seamed like a good idea at the time and it worked for a while." Spike's brow crinkled in thought.
"Have you forgiven Angel...you know for turning you?"
Spike's brow creased in confusion "Yeah, why do you ask?"
"I think you may need to tell him that."
"What'd he say?"
Xander shrugged "It's not what he said it's more what he didn't..." Xander trailed off. "He did say that he didn't think you ever forgave him for turning you." Xander smirked.
"Silly sod." Spike said as he stood, looking skeptically at the TV "Thought he knew." Sighing "Let's get this bloody thing in the house."
"Shall we get it out of the car first?" Xander chuckled.
"Very droll mate." Spike said as he gave the TV one last final heave and it quickly slid out of the car, leaving Spike off balance and struggling not to drop it "What the hell?"
Xander laughed "I think it was bored sitting in the car" as he grabbed the other end.
"How come I'm the one walking backwards?" Spike asked as he negotiated the front door.
"Because you're the vampire and you're the one less likely to fall over. Where we putting it anyway?"
"Dunno."
Angel came out of the kitchen "Put it over here for now." He directed "I just got off the phone to Willie your bed should be arriving sometime tomorrow."
"Well what the hell is he supposed to sleep on till then?" Spike yelled as they put the TV down.
"He can have your bed." Angel announced.
"And where the hell am I meant to sleep?" Spike asked.
"It's alright I'll kip on the couch." Xander said as he sat on said couch.
Both Spike and Angel ignored him "In with me." Angel said hopefully.
Spike shock his head "Wrong mate, told you that."
"Well you're not sleeping with him." Angel said pointing at Xander.
"And I ain't sleeping with you." Spike pointed out.
"Hello I am in the room, and like I said I can sleep on the couch." Xander muttered knowing that neither vampire was listening to him.
"So unless you want to sleep with Xander..." A chorus of "No's" Followed Spike's declaration "Then I suggest we all sleep in together again."
Angel sighed "Fine." Knowing that it was the only way he was going to get close to his boy.
"Don't I get a say in this?" Xander asked.
"Sorry mate." Spike smiled. "So you going to help me set this thing up?" Spike asked indicating to the TV.
"Not so fast, you have shopping to put away, a car full of boxes and a room to empty, before you get to play with the new toy." Angel pointed out.
Spike pouted, "What have you been doing all this time? Would have thought the least you could have done was put the food away."
"I was on the phone sorting out furniture."
"I'll put the shopping away and you two bring the boxes in from the car." Xander ordered as he walked purposefully towards the kitchen.
"Did he give us an order?" Spike asked his voice full of amazement, Angel shrugged and started walking to the car, Spike following "Cause that just ain't right."
"Are you going to go tell him that?" Angel asked his voice full of humor.
"Would it do any good?" Spike asked as he waited for Angel to find his keys and pop the trunk.
"Doubt it." Angel mused.
TBC