The Gift

AUTHOR: Little Mouse (elf_night@hotmail.com)

DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Joss'. Lucky man.

WARNINGS: Language (duh, it's a Spike fic!) Violence (see former 'duh') explicit M/M slashy stuff! Whee!

ARCHIVE: Please ask first.

PAIRING(S): Angel/Spike; with mentions of Angel/Buffy, Spike/Drusilla, Angelus/Drusilla

SUMMARY: Drusilla gives her Daddy a present.

CHAPTER SEVEN

"Do you really think that Spike won't cause you major problems?"

Wesley sighed - a very deep, heartfelt sigh.

That was the tenth time in the last hour that Giles had asked him that.

"Angel has handled every problem so far - and none of them have actually been Spike's fault."

"But when we mentioned it only the other night, you agreed that we should have some sort of contingency plan."

"Yes, I know I did, but that was before I saw how well Angel was handling all of this."

Giles stared at him. "Handling this well?! You're calling that little episode last night handling this well?!"

"What little episode?" Cordelia grumbled as she strolled past, giving Giles a 'how stupid are you?' look. "You mean when Buffy went all bitch-ex on his new Childe and nearly gave Angel a vampire heart attack? I say he handled it pretty well, since he didn't rip her lips off."

"Cordelia," Giles said reprovingly, "Buffy was acting like she should, as the Slayer, not like an ex-girlfriend. She has a hard time dealing with Spike and Angel sometimes. It causes her Slayer-senses to go on overload. I'm quite certain that how Spike 'feels' to her has changed, along with his own status. She must be rather overwhelmed."

"Then why're you letting her come around them, if they screw her brains up so bad?" Cordelia demanded, not about to back down. "Tell her to stay away if she's got such a problem."

"She can't just stay away from such a volatile situation - she has to know what's going on in case trouble starts."

"Oh, that sacred duty crap again?" Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Honestly, the way you spout that, it's no wonder she thinks she's Queen of the world."

Giles began to sputter indignantly, especially when Wesley - and Gunn and Fred, who had just wandered in - started laughing.

"That isn't funny!" he objected. "She does have a duty, she's the Slayer, and..."

"Hello, all," Xander barged in, Willow, Tara and Dawn right behind him. "What's going on? Anything important? 'Cause we got something kinda important - at least, I think it's important..."

"...to tell you guys," Willow picked up as he trailed off. "It could be important. It may not be but you never know so we thought we'd tell Giles and you, too, Wesley, and you can decide. Is Angel awake? Is Spike awake? I don't know if they should hear this or not."

"Just tell us what it is," Giles said, well accustomed to Xander-and-Willow babble.

"Well, Riley's back," Willow said.

"He's early - but what does it matter?" Giles looked mildly puzzled.

"Well... Buffy told him what was going on and he's really interested and he wants to come and see Spike for himself and..."

"Hi!" Buffy interrupted this time, breezing into the kitchen with Riley Finn hard on her heels. "Where's Angel and Spike?"

"Upstairs," Wesley said, rather cooly.

Both of the newest arrivals headed for the kitchen door, and presumably for the stairs.

"Where are you two going?" Gunn asked, moving his not inconsiderable self to block them.

"To talk to Angel," Buffy gave him a sweet look.

"He's upstairs. In his bedroom. You just planning on barging in?" the man demanded. "Not very polite."

"Oh, Angel won't mind if it's me!" she laughed, trying to duck around him.

Gunn didn't budge. "Yeah? What about him? Angel not gonna mind him, either?" Gunn gave Riley a sarcastic look, and the soldier blushed slightly.

"Well, he'll be with me," Buffy continued in the same bright tone.

"You really are clueless," Gunn said, shaking his head. "You don't go upstairs. Angel'll be down when he comes down." He turned, stalking into the living room and sprawling out on the foot of the stairs, calmly blocking the way of anyone wanting to go up.

"But I need to see Angel," Buffy protested, following him and glaring as he cut her off.

"He'll be down soon enough," Wesley said from behind her. "He'll need more to eat, since he's feeding Spike."

"Feeding Spike?!" Buffy was right back to shrieking. "Why is he feeding Spike? He's all healed up by now, isn't he?"

"It's a Sire-Childe thing," Wesley said, cutting off Giles when the man removed his glasses in obvious preparation for a lecture of all the information Angel had given him earlier.

"And it's no business of yours," an ice-cold voice added.

Angel was strolling down the stairs, stepping easily around Gunn and smiling at the man. Gunn returned the grin, giving him a mock-salute.

"Why wouldn't it be my business?" Buffy asked hotly. "I need to know what's going on!"

"Why?"

"Huh?"

"Why does it matter if you know that I'm feeding my Childe?" Angel's voice was still cold as he walked past her and settled in his usual seat on the couch. His dark gaze settled on Riley, and he frowned. He didn't like the man - something about him just made the little hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

Buffy's mouth opened and closed soundlessly as her brain scrambled for an answer. She wasn't used to anyone demanding reasons for her questions - they usually just told her what she wanted to know. Why was Angel being so difficult? Before she thought, she asked him that.

"Why wouldn't I be difficult? For all I know, you're trying to get information so you can hurt Spike again."

"I wasn't trying to hurt him last time!" Buffy looked vastly offended. "It was an accident!"

"An easily avoidable accident." Angel wasn't about to let this go. It was either yell at her or punch her. He really just wanted to throw her out of the house, but until Spike was less vulnerable, he didn't need the Slayer for an enemy. His Childe came before his personal feelings. "If you had only listened to me..."

There was a sudden, soft thump - followed by an assortment of yelps and shrieks from the humans - as Spike dropped down out of nowhere and landed on the far end of the couch.

*

Spike tilted his curly blond head and gazed at his Sire, who had barely flinched and was now scowling at him. He knew the difference between an angry scowl and a playful one, though, after years of playing games with Drusilla and Angelus.

This one wasn't angry.

That meant he could have some fun.

Completely ignoring the humans surrounding them, he launched himself at Angel, hands outstretched to grab his Sire.

Angel moved swiftly, ducking to one side and plucking the smaller vampire out of midair. He twisted them around and slammed Spike's back down on the couch, pinning him easily. "Gotcha."

"No fair!" Spike pouted.

"Angel?!" Buffy shrieked the word, making the vampires wince. "What is he doing?! Is he trying to hurt you?!"

"Oh, for sweet pity's sake..." Angel moaned. "We're playing, Buffy. It's late. Why don't you and your friends go home?" He turned his attention back to his wriggling Childe. "As for you - you know better. I'm going to have to punish you."

"No," Spike said rebelliously, shaking his head and twisting to get his hands loose.

"Yes," Angel replied, switching both of Spike's hands into one of his. "Yes, I'm afraid I shall. You've been bad, sneaking up on your Sire like that." He lifted his free hand, hearing Dawn gasp. He grinned, then brought his hand down so fast they could only see a blur -

- straight to Spike's ribs, and started tickling him.

Spike screeched like a banshee, then began doing his best to escape. "Sire - Angel - stop!" he screamed the words between bouts of laughter.

"Are you sorry you were bad?" Angel asked, laughing back at him.

"No! But stop, anyway!" Spike demanded.

"And now you're trying to tell me what to do?" Angel growled, running the tips of his fingers lightly up and down Spike's sides.

"Yes," Spike gave him an utterly innocent smile, still squirming. "Is it working?"

Angel frowned, though it was hard to hang on to the expression. "No - and now I have to punish you even more." His eyes flicked over the staring, open-mouthed humans, settling on one in particular. "With my secret weapon." His hand shot out again, this time grabbing an arm and pulling someone over.

Spike's face took on a remarkable look of true fear - if it wasn't for the way his eyes were shining. "Oh, no! Not Poker Girl!" He gave a quick twist that freed him from his Sire and carried him off the couch, then he was running down the hall, shouting, "no, no, no, no, no!"

"Well?" Angel grinned at Dawn, who looked completely astonished. "Aren't you going to chase him down?"

She blinked at him, then a slow grin started spreading across her face. She took off in the direction Spike had vanished. "I'll get you, Bleach Boy!" she shouted, "You can't escape the wrath of Poker Girl!" She disappeared around the corner, laughing maniacally.

The room behind her was silent.

Angel settled back into a casual position, picking up the large volume he'd been reading the other night and opening it to his place.

"Um..." Xander started, but trailed off.

Angel bit back a snicker.

"Well," Giles said suddenly, jerking off his glasses and polishing them fiercely. He'd apparently decided to trade surprise for anger. "Do you really think it's wise, Angel, letting a child chase an unsouled vampire through the empty parts of your house? What if he injuries her?"

"Yeah!" Buffy was quick to jump into the fray, pulling Mister Pointy from her purse. "He better not even touch my sister, or he's dust!"

"Spike won't hurt her," Angel said calmly, turning a page, "he likes her."

"He likes her?" Giles repeated, his voice mocking. "That doesn't relieve my mind, Angel. History tells us that vampires usually turn the humans they 'like'."

"Spike has his chip," Angel reminded him, his voice going back to frosty, "but if you still need to have your mind 'relieved', I'll tell him not to hurt her. Spike!" He raised his voice on the last word, looking up as footsteps pounded overhead.

"Yes, Sire?" his Childe's voice echoed faintly back.

"Don't hurt her."

"Wouldn't, Sire!" the reply was indignant.

"Ha!" Dawn's voice sounded next. "Better tell me not to hurt him! Caught ya, Blondie!"

"Not half, pet!" The footsteps raced away toward the other end of the house.

"Hey! No fair! Get back here, victim! Fear the mighty power of Poker Girl!"

"Dawn needs to work on her evil-villain patter," Xander remarked, apparently having decided there was nothing to worry about. "Hey, Dawn, wanna borrow some of my comics? Work on your dialogue?" He started up the stairs.

"So, what - you just say 'don't hurt her', and Spike's a good little boy?" Buffy snorted. "I hope you don't expect me to believe that."

"I don't care what you believe," Angel replied, closing his book and setting it aside. "Wesley, how much blood do we have left?"

"Enough for a good meal for you, if you're still feeding Spike, or an adequate meal for the two of you, if you want him to start eating on his own," the ex-Watcher replied. "Why, are you hungry?"

"No. I'm deciding if we'll leave tonight or tomorrow tonight," Angel replied, glancing up and grinning as the footsteps thundered by again. "Spike seems recovered enough to manage the trip."

"Oh, you're taking him?" Giles wasn't happy about that. He'd been looking forward to a new, more docile, easily controlled Spike. Life would be so much easier. He could send him on patrol whenever he wanted, ask him all the questions he needed - and his subconscious was still playing with pretty images of that smile.

"Of course I am. He's mine."

Before Giles could reply, Spike leapt over the banister again, landing on a chair this time. He launched himself off, sending the chair crashing to the floor, and leapt to the couch no one was on. He ran along the back before jumping up to crouch on top of a china cabinet, then grinned broadly at the two protesting teenagers who were barreling down the stairs.

"Spike, that's not fair! How're we supposed to catch you if you're up there?" Dawn pouted.

"Yeah, not all of us have super-vamp powers, you know!" Xander was already panting slightly from joining in the chase.

"Two against one," Spike huffed, pointing out their advantage.

"Since when are two humans a match for one vampire?" Dawn wheedled, "c'mon, play fair!"

"Vampires don't play fair!" Spike looked disgusted.

Angel laughed. "Come down from there, Childe. The game is over for now. We have some things to discuss."

Spike immediately zoomed off the high piece of furniture and was curled against his Sire's side almost before Angel finished speaking.

Giles was scowling. "You see, Angel? 'Vampires don't play fair.' He's still evil; he's still performing on vampire instinct. He can't be trusted, and he'll cause you nothing but trouble..."

"You don't study your Watcher Journals very well - either that, or they have no real facts about Sires with fledgling Childer," Angel shot back. "Spike will do as I say."

"Once again, how can we believe that? You're right, it's not in any of the Journals - how can we be sure? I, for one, can't rest easy on just your word. I'm sorry if that offends you," he didn't sound particularly sorry, "but that's just the way it is. I need proof."

"Proof?" Angel's voice was so cold it practically dripped icicles. His arms closed protectively around the slight body next to his. "What do you want me to do? Tell Spike to do something that will hurt him? Embarrass him? How do you expect to get this precious proof?"

"Tell him to slap me," Xander said suddenly.

Everyone stared at him.

He blushed. "Well - it's a good idea. I mean, it'll barely hurt, just enough to make the chip fire a teeny-tiny bit. But Spike wouldn't do it on purpose, you guys know that. And if Angel feeds him, I bet he wouldn't even have a headache after a minute."

"I don't want him to have a headache at all," Angel grumbled, "I don't think..."

"I doubt if there's an easier way to do it," Wesley interrupted him, looking apologetic. "It shouldn't do much more than give him a little shock, and then it's over."

Angel turned his head and frowned down at Spike, who was gazing at him with an adoring expression in his blue eyes. He didn't think his Childe had been paying a bit of attention to what was going on.

"Spike," he said reluctantly, "if you slap Xander, will your chip fire?"

"Yes, Sire."

"Badly?"

"Head'll hurt, then ache," Spike said, looking puzzled as he dredged the information up out of his shattered memory.

Angel scowled over at Giles, then Buffy, then looked back down at his Childe.

*

Xander moved closer, sensing that Angel was going to do it, just to keep his newborn from being staked by an overprotective Slayer - or her anal Watcher. He loved Giles and Buffy - really, he did - but they weren't being fair this time. Angel shouldn't have to make Spike do something that was going to hurt him, and Spike shouldn't be hurt while he still seemed so innocent and confused.

But he couldn't think of anything else that would settle everyone's fears.

"Spike..." Angel said reluctantly, "slap Xander."

Spike didn't even hesitate. He shot around and smacked Xander's wrist, hard enough to make him yelp.

Spike yelped, too, grabbing his head.

Angel grabbed Spike, scooping him up and vanishing up the stairs again. Xander was starting to get flashbacks to 'Gone With the Wind.'

Wesley turned on Giles, spitting out the word, "Satisfied?"

Gunn was glaring at the man, too, looking disgusted.

Dawn looked like she was going to cry.

Willow, Tara, Cordelia and Fred were all united, for now, in glaring at Buffy.

It took Xander a moment to realize that someone was missing.

*

"May I speak to Dr. Walsh, please? Clearance Code 357791."

"One moment, please."

A bit of boring canned music sounded in Riley's ear, then a phone picked up.

"Walsh."

"Doctor - this is Finn. I have some very interesting information for you. I think I have the answer to our little obedience problem with our new experiments - and I have just the subjects for us to test."