FAMILY

AUTHOR: Little Mouse (elf_night@hotmail.com)

DISCLAIMER: Once again, Joss', not mine. Still a lucky man.

WARNINGS: For explicit m/m stuff, and violence, and remembered abuse, and language, and lots of other stuff.

ARCHIVE: Please ask first.

SUMMARY: AU! Spike isn't in 'love' with Buffy, but has told Giles' the story of Drusilla turning him. He has the chip, but no soul. Angel's in LA. Anya doesn't exist. I moved forward the 'meltdown' of Spike's chip a bit.

STORY: Spike's little story of his turning isn't the exact truth... Angel loses his soul - or does he? and starts gathering his scattered family. Spike insists that isn't going to include him. He's so very, very wrong...

A/N: This chapter has the first small departure from Spike’s POV.

CHAPTER TEN

“Who are you?” Spike asked, staring blankly at the woman in front of him. 

She was tall, incredibly slender, with shining silver hair that fell past her hips and a diaphanous white gown.  Her face was young but her silvery eyes, while dancing with mischief and delight, were ancient.

“I’m Ariel,” she replied, her eyes flickering over him.

“Shakespeare or Little Mermaid?” Spike snarked, realizing unhappily that he was still stark naked.

“Neither,” she sniffed, “though Shakespeare would be closer.”

“Think it was a feller in Shakespeare,” Spike said, groaning a little as he got to his feet.  He felt like he’d just gone ten rounds with a Morlag demon.

“Picky, picky!” She said, laughing a little as she tossed her head.  “It’s all beside the point.  What took you so long?”

“So long for what?” He asked blankly, shifting a little as her eyes moved over him again, more slowly this time.

“So long to get here, of course!  I thought Angelus would give you that book as soon as he saw you!”

“Well, he didn’t,” Spike grumbled, wishing again that he had clothes on.  He wasn’t the least bit ashamed of his body, but when you were standing next to someone who was fully dressed while you were starkers, it almost always made you feel vulnerable.  “He was too busy stuffin’ blood down me throat and his cock up...”

“Now, now,” she admonished, waggling a finger at him, although her eyes lit up with glee, “mind your language, little boy!”

“Little boy?!” Spike was horrified.

“To me, you’re a little boy, so shut up,” was her calm reply.

“Exactly how old are ya supposed to be?” he asked, genuinely curious.

“Older than the sun, younger than the moon,” she said, and laughed.

“Ya sound like Dru,” he muttered unhappily, and went back to staring around.  “Where the hell am I, anyway?”

“Certainly not in Hell.  I call this the Learning Place, and consider yourself lucky, William dear, for not many vampires ever end up here.  Not many creatures at all, for that matter.”

“My gratitude knows no bounds,” Spike said sarcastically, causing her to laugh again.

“I must say, you’re a lot more fun than the rest of your Family,” she told him, smiling broadly.  “I thought you might be - I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”

“Swell.  Now how do I get outta here?”

“By learning what I have to teach you,” she said serenely, smiling at his distinctly unhappy look.

“That’s the only way out?”

She nodded.

“Bloody magic,” he muttered.  “Fine, then teach me so I can go.”

“It’s not that easy, William,” she said, her face going suddenly solemn.  “You have to learn it and accept it - or at least some of it.  The rest can come to be your truth gradually.”

“And now you’re talkin’ like Tomas,” he said, rolling his eyes.

“Ah, Tomas.  One of my favorite Children, but I do admit that he talks like an old-fashioned reference book.”

“If he hadn’t been Turned, he woulda ended up a Watcher for sure,” Spike said, “and whaddya mean, one of your ‘Children?’”

“I mean that you are all my Children,” Ariel said easily, giving him a distinctly affectionate look.  “I was set the task of watching over you long ago.  You’ve just been - misplaced - that’s all.”

Spike sighed.  “You’re gonna purposefully drive me nutters, aren’t ya?”

“Probably,” she laughed, “but don’t worry.  I’ll make sure you enjoy the trip.”

*

“What on earth is that supposed to mean?  Of course you’re unsouled - you wouldn’t be acting like this if you were not!” Giles was staring at Angelus.

“Acting like what?  Like civilized people, only drinking bagged blood or from our willing pets, or not trying to kill the Slayer and take over the HellMouth?”  Angelus shot back, dropping down to sit between Tomas and Drusilla.

His Daughter immediately curled up and put her head on his shoulder, gazing at him adoringly. 

Tomas shifted until his shoulder was touching his Sire’s, his dark-eyed gaze close to the same adoration.

“Well, you wouldn’t be with them, if you still had your soul!” Buffy said hotly, her own eyes full of jealousy.  “They’re just drinking the bagged blood because you tell them too, because you’re trying to trick us somehow!  Just like you’re pretending to look for Spike!  I know you don’t really care if you find him or not!”

“You think so?” Angelus asked, going back to grinning.

His Childer echoed him, making the humans even more uncomfortable.

“What do you mean?  Do you know where he is?” Giles asked warily.  If Angelus had discovered where Spike was hiding, then any leverage they were getting for their help in the search was now gone.

“I certainly do.  He’s in my suite, watching television,” Angelus’ grin grew wider at their unhappy looks, then he turned to Xander.  “And you, Harris; I owe you a favor.  He was quite pleased with the satellite, the movies, and the lure of that ‘proper football’.”

“Yeah, no problem,” Xander said, wincing slightly as the others glared at him.  He’d tried to keep Angelus’ little questioning sessions to himself - Buffy and the others wouldn’t have understood why he was sharing information about Spike.  Hell, Xander himself wasn’t quite sure why he had done it.

Maybe because they’d spent so much time hanging out that they were almost friends?  And if Spike ended up having to be with his weird family when he obviously didn’t want to - well, he ought to have some of the things he liked to make it a little better.  Xander knew that he would have appreciated having satellite and games and stuff to eat when he was forced to spend time with any of his own lovely relatives.

Giles gave him a look that clearly said ‘we will be discussing this later!’ and turned back to Angelus.  “May we speak to him?”

Angelus lost his grin, his eyes narrowing.  “Why?”

“That’s between us,” Giles said haughtily, not about to admit that he wanted to make sure Spike was really there.

And if he was there, to try and get a little information out of him as to what Angelus was up to!

“I don’t think so,” Angelus growled, all his politeness and good humor fleeing.  He wasn’t about to let this pushy human near his youngest!  William, since he was the youngest, was going to be petted and protected and adored, the way he should have been when he’d been a fledgling.  They had all made their mistakes back then, and it would probably be another century before he forgave them - Angelus wasn’t about to add to it! 

His other Childer felt much the same way, if the growls and golden eyes were anything to judge by.  This human had starved their Little One, forced him to live in a cemetery, used him as an expendable weapon to fight deadly creatures but never bothered to protect him from the humans that he was so vulnerable to.  They wouldn’t willingly let him within sight of William.

Angelus had a strong suspicion that if he gave in to Giles’ demand - not that he had any intention of it - that he would have a revolt on his hands.

“Why not?” The Watcher asked huffily, glaring at him.  “How can we believe that he really is here, if you won’t let us see him?”

“Why should I care if you believe me or not?” Angelus responded, stretching out his long legs and putting an arm around each of the Childer beside him.

Giles frowned, glaring impotently at him.  “Because - because if we don’t know he’s really with you, we’ll keep on looking for him, and it’s a waste of our time.”

“And I should care about that?” Angelus’ amusement was returning.

“And because Dawn’s worried about him,” Xander said suddenly, “and if he finds out Dawn was worried and you guys let her stay that way, he’ll be major pissed off.”

“Now, there’s a reason,” Penn said, looking vastly amused, himself.

Angelus laughed.  “You’re so right.  Very well, I’ll prove it - to Xander.”

“Huh?” the boy looked astonished. 

“I’m not letting a Watcher, a Witch or a Slayer near my youngest Childe,” the vampire growled.  “I don’t care for your proximity to the rest of my Childer, but Penn is well able to take care of you if you try anything.  So, Alexander Harris is the only one coming anywhere close to William.”

“But Angel,” Buffy whined, “why don’t you trust us?”

“The question is,” Angelus said cooly, as he stood and gestured for Xander to follow him, “why should I trust you?”

*

“Hey, Deadboy, your house isn’t nearly as creepy as I expected,” Xander said.  He was highly nervous following the silent vampire - alone! - through the dark-paneled hallway. 

Angelus snorted.  “Does it go against your idea of a vampire’s lair?”

“Well, yeah.  ‘Specially after seeing your old mansion.”

“You try living with three female vampire Masters,” Angelus said, smiling softly as he paused in front of a massive oak door.  “They’ll allow Gothic, but not dank and musty.”  He took a key from his pocket and unlocked the door.

“Why do you have him locked in?” Xander asked as they entered a huge bedroom, wincing slightly as the loud tones of the Sex Pistols blasted his ears.  Spike must have the volume cranked to the max.  His eyes went to the massive four-poster bed, and immediately skittered away.  It was the only bed in the room, and since Spike and Angel were both staying here - oh, he so did not want to think about that!

“You have to ask?  Didn’t your lot have him chained in a tub and tied to chairs when he came to you for help?”

“Yeah, but that was because we didn’t trust him not to be lying to us,” Xander protested.

“Well, I don’t trust him not to make a run for it,” Angelus said.  “He wasn’t pleased when we finally caught up with him.”

“Where was he, anyway?” Xander asked as Angelus strode across the room, going through some open curtains that led into another room.

“LA,” Angelus replied absently, then stopped behind a couch and stared down.

Xander spent a moment just admiring the place - man, Spike was the luckiest guy alive!  Uh, unalive, whatever.  That stereo system cost as much as a new car! 

He finally moved forward to peer over the back of the couch and see what Angelus was staring at.  He wanted to know what had caused the half-astonished, half-thrilled expression on the usually brooding face.

Spike was laying there, no shirt and shoes on - no pants either, Xander guessed, but couldn’t say for sure since he had a plaid throw over his bottom half.  He’d apparently fallen asleep while reading some book - his head was resting on the open pages.  Xander would admit he looked kinda cute, especially with the curls that he was already planning to tease him over, but he didn’t see why it was making Angel look like that.

“What’s with that expression?” he finally asked.

Angelus blinked and stared at him like he’d forgotten he was even in the room.  “What?  Oh, nothing.  Nothing at all.”  He took Xander by the arm and started pulling him toward the door, turning the stereo down low as he passed it.  “So, you’ve seen him.  He’s asleep and I don’t want to wake him up, so we’re leaving.  And then all of you are leaving.”

“What about the demons?” Xander protested as he was yanked out of the suite and down the hall.  “Big bad soul-sucking demons, remember?  Giles came to ask for your help!”

“You shouldn’t believe everything Giles tells you,” Angelus replied, “he’s a Watcher, and they know good and well that you’re safe from Car’tharak demons if you stay at least five feet away, and all you have to do is throw a handful of salt on them.  They melt like giant slugs.”

“Can I just say ‘eww?’” Xander made a face.  “Why did he insist we had to come here, then, if he knows that?”

“Why don’t you ask him?” was Angelus’ rather vague reply.  He pushed Xander into the front room and then turned to his Childer, ignoring the humans.  “Go wait outside my suite for me,” he ordered.

They got up quickly.  Tomas gave him a questioning look, and Angelus replied with a short nod and a grin.

Tomas’ face lit up, and he quickly herded his Brother and Sisters out, leaving Penn to wait by Angelus’ side, as was only proper for a First Childe.

“What’s going on?” Giles demanded, immediately realizing that they were excited about something.

“Nothing that concerns you,” Angelus replied, still rather vague, his eyes wandering to the door his Childer had disappeared through.  “I’ve told Xander how to handle your little demon problem, since you don’t seem to know.  You can leave now.”

Giles turned on the boy.  “Was Spike there?”

Xander nodded, giving him an odd look.

“What did he say?”

“Nothing; he was asleep,” Xander said.

“And you didn’t wake him?” Giles was frowning again.

“Are you nuts?” Xander stared at him.  “Wake him up with Angel acting all uber-protector?!  I like my head on my shoulders, thank you!”

Penn laughed.  “You know,” he remarked, gazing at the boy with sudden interest, “you’re a lot smarter than I thought.”

“Uh, thanks,” Xander said slowly, backing away until he was behind Willow and Buffy.

Penn just laughed again.  “Very smart!” he said, smiling at the boy.  “I can see why William’s so fond of you.”

“Fond of me?” Xander squeaked.

“You’re supposed to be leaving,” Angelus growled out, before Penn could reply.

“Very well,” Giles said huffily, “but we’ll have a lot to discuss at our next meeting.”

“Whatever,” Angelus shrugged, sounding very Californian.  He turned to the minion who had let the humans in and who was now lurking near the doorway.  “Make sure they leave.”

“Yes, Master,” he said softly, nodding.

“Come on, Gabriel,” Angelus took Penn’s arm, more gently than he’d handled Xander, and pulled him from the room.

“I take it he opened the book?” Penn asked as soon as they were out of earshot.

“Yes,” Angelus said happily, “I forgot how curious he was - I should have left him alone with it in the first place.”

Penn smiled.  “With all the trouble he used to get in over that same curiosity, none of us should have forgotten it.”

“True enough,” Angelus said, turning the corner to find the rest of his Childer waiting outside his suite, like he’d ordered.  He immediately opened the door and waved them in.  “He’s in the game room.  There aren’t many seats; Daniel, would you order one of the minions to bring some chairs?  Who knows how long we’ll have to wait.”

“Right,” Tomas agreed, already walking into the next room and kneeling next to his Brother, gently thumbing up one of Spike’s eyelids to check the glazed blue orb underneath it.  “He’s deeply in.”

“Ariel must be fond of him,” Deborah said, settling on the floor by Spike’s feet and adjusting the throw, tucking it completely around his legs and feet.  “I wonder how he’ll be when he wakes up?”

“William never does anything by halves,” Angelus said, sitting down and shifting Spike’s head into his lap, handing the book to Lucinda, who took it reverently.  “He’ll either be very happy - or extremely pissed off.”