by melWinter

Chapter 12

Evil was sitting silently on the sofa, absently playing with her fingers. It was late. Close to three in the morning. Vampire twilight to herself and those of her kind. Plus she knew he never slept at night and this was a conversation long overdue, “A bit of warning would’ve been nice.”

Smirking at the disembodied voice, “Ah, but then there wouldn’t be the joy in the surprise if I had.” Snorting, Spike came into view and plunked down next to her, leaning his head back on the sofa. He did that a lot lately, sneaking up on people, always testing to make sure everyone was alert. Ready. It only told her the man needed a vacation. She got a good look at him, seeing the bags under his eyes and the unhealthy turn of his skin from pale to a shadowy gray. Not sleeping and not feeding properly in her opinion. She’d give him one more day before siccing Xander on him who would hen peck him into feeding. Frowning at him, “Don’t you ever sleep?”

Mumbling softly, “Not if I can help it...” She frowned at him again, eyeing him a little more closely and he tilted his head so his cheek was resting against the sofa back, “What am I supposed to do now? Three’s bad enough. Now I’ve got two more and Nibblet.”

“Is that such a problem? Is that even a problem?”

Sighing softly, “Kids and slayers and the pack. You. I’ve got so many things dividing up my attention...am I even being fair about it?”

Smiling slightly to herself, “You’ve got the greatest capacity for it. The only vampire in a millennium with the capacity for love, soul or no soul.”

Shaking his head softly with a mock moan of anguish, “Should’ve learned to keep it in my pants a long time ago.”

Snorting a laugh and ruffling his hair, “Well, yes, I could see where having less children might’ve been prudent but-...”

“You don’t want us?”

Both Evil and Spike whipped around to see big blue eyes staring at them from a shadowy spot of the stairs. Just before he bolted and Spike groaned to himself, “Me and my big mouth.”

Evil grimaced, “Afraid I helped. I was going to say but, you wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Nodding, “And I would have agreed with you.” Spike sighed and picked himself up, following after his newest if oldest son.

***

“You don’t want us...”

Spike found the boy hiding under the tree he and Kat had spent so much time together at. The small body was curled into a half ball, arms wrapped tightly over legs and little face buried in his knees. The statement was wailed at him, full of heartbreak and tears. He was hard pressed to get more than a dozen words out of the boy and he knew if he didn’t patch this over now he’d have an even harder time later on. Pausing before sighing to himself, “Finding out about you and your sister is a surprise, but it’s a happy one.”

Billy turned, big blue eyes only magnified by the tears in his eyes, voice cracking, “That’s not what you said!”

Raising an eyebrow, “Never said one way or the other, now did I?” He didn’t call the small tyke on he’s eaves dropping considering he was just as bad about it, “Was worried I won’t be able to be a good father but I never said I didn’t want any of you.”

Tone little more than a hopeful whisper, “Really?” Billy frowned to himself. He wasn’t used to sharing with anyone but Joyce and even then neither of them liked doing it. It was a contest a lot of times to see who could get the most attention out of mom and a lot of times he won, in his opinion. He didn’t like the idea of losing to a bunch of kids he didn’t even know. Looking down at his shoes, “But there’s so many of us... like you said and...is there room for us?”

Billy found himself picked up and plunked down in his father’s lap but he didn’t struggle, he just turned and curled up tightly against him. Spike studied the moving waters for a bit, long enough to gather his thoughts together, “I’m not a wolf, just a vamp who’s good at fightin’ round ‘ere. Lots o’ wolves, though, and gotta say there’s one thing they all got in common. Family. S’not ‘bout kids and parents and such, it’s diff’rent. It’s like the sky, bitty bad.” Billy looked up silently at the star filled sky, “Sky can go on forever. Go round the world ten times in ten different directions and it’s still forever. Like love to ‘em.” He turned a bit to study his father, “Just cause there’s more people in a family, doesn’t mean there’s less love to give, means there’s more. One thing a wolf wants most is a big family to love.”

Finding a calm voice for the first time, “But you’re not a wolf.”

Smiling a little to himself, “Not a proper one, no, but I love like one. You and your sis are mine. Just like Tyler and Anthony and Gwyn and I love you all just as much. Doesn’t mean it’s not new for you and me, just that it’s different...” Tapping him gently under the chin, “But I’ll never love you less than anyone else in the world.”

His nearly white eyebrows knitted together, “You love me?”

A child he barely knew, but looked so much like him it was amazing. But this boy was his flesh and blood, from now to eternity, and that kind of love was unconditional, “Course I do.” Billy wrapped his father into a tight hug, not even thinking of his strength and Spike grunted softly in surprise. Wasn’t powerful enough to hurt him, but had he been human ribs would have easily snapped, “Got a bit of slayer strength, then?”

Tilting his head up and grinning before shifting into game face, “Sorta.”

Spike just blinked down dumbly for half a second before tracing a subtle ridge along the boy’s forehead with the tip of his finger. Billy’s game face wasn’t a true vampire face. The ridge’s were much more subtle although his eyes were still golden but the fangs were the most obvious difference. Instead of a jagged row of sharp fangs only two sets on each side were extended, “...cor...” The one thing he’d selfishly wanted. Just one child with his vampire traits.

Joyce came running up to them, stopping short to see her brother in game face and slipping her’s on without conscious thought, “What’cha doin’?”

Spike looked left, raising an eyebrow to see Joyce in a similar game face to her brother. He wasn’t even going to ask what she was doing out of bed since all of his brats were just as prone to prowl around at night. One of many reasons why he stayed up late. She yelped as Tyler tackled her with a playful growl, Billy scrambling to his feet with a scowl and racing protectively for her. Spike scooped him up just before he could lay into the younger boy, whispering softly against his ear, “Easy now, bitty bad, he means no harm. Wolves like to play and you’re welcome to it but you draw blood and I will punish ya.”

Billy gave his father a concerned glance even as he was put back on his feet. His mum was a lot of talk but she usually let them get away with just about anything. He’d never really been punished before and he was a little wary of finding out what his da had in mind, “Billy!”

He focused back on Joyce who was laughing while growling at the same time, having worked Tyler into a head lock while the little werewolf continued to assault her with tickles. She looked like she was having fun and it would be nice to actually play with someone who could handle his strength. Little Anthony had run from the house and eagerly joined the brawl, Billy grinning a second later before flinging himself into the fray.

Evil snorted, suddenly next to him but he didn’t even jump in surprise, well used to her ability to come and go as she pleased, “Tell you what. You catch a few hours while I look after the little ones. Since Uncle is entertaining the Slayer you’ve got a young werewolf to deal out the Alpha’s judgement to in the morning.” Spike gave her a look and groaned softly. Oz. He’d like to forget all about the little runt but it was his job even if he’d rather the mongrel just disappear. Giving him a playful shove, “Go.” He gave a soft growl before slowly making his way back to the house.