Earlier, Summers' house...

Spike stared up at Mike in exhausted confusion. He couldn't force the pieces into any sort of sense. How? What connection was this human to him? The silent words falling from that mouth had been clear. 'Uncle Will'. Hope flared in his still heart. Had she survived? Had Angelus missed that branch of his family? After Drusilla had told the elder vampire of the debacle that had been William's attempt to turn his mother, Angelus had gone on a mission to eradicate the entire Adler family. At the time, there had only been William and his mother living at home so the vampire's wrath had been taken out on the remaining servants. After several days away, Angelus had returned to the lair full of satisfaction that there was no one left to remember William. No one left to mourn the shy, bookish poet. William had done his mourning secretly, holding his grief and hatred in his heart for decades. Now it seemed that somehow Angelus had failed in his mission. There were so many questions he needed answers to.

A hand on his elbow drew the blond vampire away from his distressing thoughts. He allowed Mike to pull him upright and lead him to the bathroom off the upstairs hallway. Spike shook himself out of his stupor as he realized the tiny room he'd been led into had .... White .... Tiled ... Walls. He promptly panicked, wheeling backwards into Mike in an attempt to escape the torture chamber. Memories of a room just like this one filled his mind. A tank, water - so cold particles of ice floated in it - slowly creeping up his bound body, unable to move as the cold invaded every molecule of his being, irrational fear caused by his helplessness. Why him? What had he done to these people? Have to get out. Get outGetoutgetoutgetout

Michael swore viciously as the compliant vampire next to him exploded into wild, terrified struggles. He took a swift look around the bathroom and understood the reason for the terror. The tiny room had white tile on the walls and the shower itself had sliding glass doors. It looked entirely too much like one of those rooms. Thanking everything he held holy that everyone else had remained downstairs, Mike used every bit of his training to keep his grip on his uncle. It took several precious minutes before the former soldier could force Spike still. Grasping the too thin face firmly but carefully in his hands, Mike held him there, staring into gold-tinged eyes until he could see the blue return and the vampire calm slightly. Transferring his hold to bony shoulders, Mike gently pushed Spike down until he was sitting on the closed toilet. He crouched in front of the frightened vampire, holding his gaze steadily. He waited for a few more minutes to see if the noise created by their tussle had attracted the attention of the people waiting downstairs. No footsteps heralded the arrival of anyone else so Mike released his hold on one shoulder and cautiously reached into the enclosed bathtub to turn on the water. The sound caused a shudder to wrack the skittish vampire but otherwise he kept still, trusting the human against all his instincts.

Expecting resistance and surprised when he received none, Mike took a hold of Spike's hand and pushed it firmly under the warming water. His heart broke at the expression of awe on the blond's face. He pulled up the lever for the shower and began stripping the now cooperative demon.

Downstairs....

Joyce wearily rested her head against the wall as she listened to the struggle upstairs. She didn't know what had caused Will to freak out yet again and was positive she didn't want to know. She pushed herself upright and descended the few steps to the landing. Xander gazed down at her somberly as she drew up next to him. With a flick of his head, he silently asked if he should go up and help Mike. Her ash blonde hair swayed gently as she shook her head no. She nodded toward where Dawn was sitting on the sofa staring wide-eyed at the television, not seeming to see what she was watching.

Together they moved over and sat next to the girl. Joyce pulled her youngest daughter into a hug. With an uncomfortable shrug, Xander stood again and wandered over to the rack containing the family's assortment of video tapes. He picked through the selection looking for something to cheer up the distressed teenager. An old favorite caught his eye and he held it up to Dawn for approval. A shaky smile rewarded his efforts. Soon, the young girl was lost in the artificial insanity and somewhat successfully ignoring the real madness that was seeping into her life.

With a tilt of her head, Joyce indicated that Xander follow her to the basement. They studiously ignored the chains lying empty on the cot and began searching through the boxes stacked in the corner for some clothing for Spike.

It took longer than she'd hoped but they eventually unearthed some black sweatpants and an old dark blue t-shirt that belonged to a nephew who'd visited a few years back. The clothing had been thrown into the family wash and forgotten when the young man had gone home.

Back upstairs, Joyce stopped Xander when he made a move to take the clothes up to Mike. Remembering the fear Spike had exhibited towards the carpenter, she felt it would be better if she went up instead.

Mike looked up from his spot on the floor outside the open bathroom door. He was sitting against the wall with his legs pulled up and his arms wrapped around them. Joyce was struck by the similarity to Spike in his posture. The sound of water running in the shower could be clearly heard. Joyce couldn't help herself and peeked into the bathroom. A light blush suffused her pretty face as she spied Will's faint silhouette against the doubled frosted glass of the shower doors. The doors had been centered so they were open on each side to keep the vampire from feeling trapped in the small enclosure. In her brief look, she could see that he was resting his head on crossed arms and leaning against the tile under the shower head. The hot water poured over him, flattening his two-toned curls. His eyes were closed, dark lashes fanned across pale cheeks. The defeat and exhaustion in his stance shot a pang through her tender heart. Blinking away the tears that had risen at the sight, she handed the bundle of clothes to Mike. She then moved to the linen closet at the end of the hall and withdrew a large bath towel to hand to the young man. He nodded as he accepted the warm terrycloth and placed it on the floor with the clothes to wait until the vampire was ready to get out of his shower. Somehow Mike had the feeling that moment would be about two seconds after the water turned cold. With one last fleeting glimpse at her vampire, Joyce fled back downstairs to find something to make for dinner.

Spike stood motionless under the liquid heat of the shower. Months of blood, sweat and dirt dissolved from his body and raced toward the drain. After several minutes of absorbing the warmth, he reached for the washcloth hanging on the bar and the soap in the tray next to it. He washed slowly, relishing the feeling of getting clean at last. A bottle of shampoo sat on the edge of the tub and he used it lavishly, scrubbing his scalp almost violently as he inhaled the scent that he associated with Joyce. Finally free of the stench from that place and surrounded by the smell of home, he braced himself against the tiled wall under the shower head and let the hot water flow over his fatigued body. Laying his forehead on his crossed arms, he stilled again, his eyes closed; thanking all the gods he no longer believed in that the cascading water hid the slow tears leaking out from under his dark lashes. He remained so for a long time ignoring his human guardian outside the open door and unaware of the lovely woman whose eyes had misted at the sight of his misery.

True to Mike's prediction, Spike leapt out of the tub the instant the hot water ran out. With a slight smirk, the human handed over the oversized towel. As the vampire turned his back to dry off, Mike dropped the clothing onto the closed commode and went back into the hallway, leaving his ancestor to dress himself.

The rest of the time spent at the Summers' house was almost anti-climactic. Spike was literally drooping with exhaustion by the time he'd dragged on his borrowed clothes. He leaned heavily on Mike as they made their way slowly downstairs. Joyce had heated several bags of blood for the blond and followed the men down to the basement with the tray. With a grimace of apology, Mike re-chained the vampire. A silent snarl and flash of fangs greeted the reluctant move. In short order Spike drained every bag of blood, not bothering with the cup in his hunger. His golden eyes were nearly closed by the time he finished his meal. It took very little effort on Mike's part to tip the vampire over onto his pillow before covering him up with his blanket. The demonic features faded as the vampire slid deeper into sleep.

Joyce lingered at Spike's bedside for a few minutes after the former soldier went back upstairs. Her slender fingers combed through the silky two-toned curls several times before she gave in to temptation and pressed a soft kiss onto his smooth forehead. He sighed silently in his sleep and his lips curved up in a tiny smile.

Upstairs again, Mike entered the living room to find Xander and Dawn playing the theme song to Caddyshack into the telephone. They allowed the first two lines to play before they rewound the video and started it over. Between each play, one of them would lift the receiver from the top of the television and listen for a second. Finally, Xander nodded in satisfaction and hung up with a huge grin. Mike shook his head ruefully as they high-five'd each other.

Dinner was simple, spaghetti and garlic bread. They lingered over it, none of them wishing to do anything more but the time came that the men felt they had to return to the Watcher's house and inform him of the events of the day. Joyce packaged up the leftover food and sent it with them for Giles and Anya.

Xander's car....

Michael let his head fall backwards onto the headrest with a deep sigh of exhaustion, his eyes drifted shut almost against his will. He'd gotten very little sleep the past two days. Had it only been a couple of days? It didn't seem possible. In his pocket was the folded up piece of paper with his written exchange with Spike. He'd found the notepad on the stairs where it had fallen, forgotten, face down on the carpet. He wasn't quite ready to answer the questions that would surely follow should any of the others see it. He couldn't believe how trying the afternoon had been. 'Please, God, let this silence end soon.' The plea ran through his mind incessantly.

He dozed until he felt Xander brake suddenly. Looking out of his window, his tinted eyes widened with horror. Minions, bent over and wearing untied straight jackets loped crookedly several feet in front of two tall, black suited demons. Their heads were bald, their faces skeletal with dark sunken eyes. They floated several inches over the ground, their mouths stretched into hideously toothy grins. In the distance, they could see more minions leading another set of two demons in the opposite direction... away from Giles' apartment complex. Mike reached over and grabbed Xander's shoulder pointing at the distant demons as two of the minions shambled towards the car. Fortunately words weren't necessary as the carpenter slammed his foot down on the accelerator. The car shot forward, mowing down at least one of the nightmarish creatures. They sped down the street toward Giles' apartment, skidding to a stop in the lot. The men dived out of both sides of the car, slammed the doors shut and raced for front door.

Rupert and Anya looked up from where they were seated on the sofa as the door flew open. Xander and Mike tumbled through it, turning hurriedly to close it behind them. A plastic bag hung from Mike's arm and he set it carefully on the floor as Xander rushed to the sofa to pull Anya into a worried hug. Giles rose and moved over to press a hand to Mike's shoulder as the younger man leaned over, his hands resting on his knees, his head hanging low.

Ignoring the couple who were busy checking each other for injury – by way of their tonsils, Rupert waited patiently until Mike had finished gulping in air. A light footstep on the stairs brought Mike's head up. He smiled slightly when he spied Drusilla gliding down towards him. The former soldier straightened and held his hand out for her to take. He tightened his fingers around her slender cool ones, unaccountably happy to see her.

The Watcher and Anya were thrilled that Joyce had thought to send them food. Giles had not been prepared to host several people for more than a few hours. The reheated spaghetti had disappeared quickly and Joyce's dishes washed and repacked in the shopping bag before the group settled at the dining table to search for the demons they'd seen. Anya, having seen one up close through the window, took the book that Dru had selected and given to Giles. Therefore, the ex-demon was the one who found the sketch and description of the Gentlemen. It didn't take long for Giles to prepare a briefing for the Slayer. That done, he had Mike and Xander relate everything that had happened while they'd been gone. Afterwards, he began sleeping assignments. Dru and Michael would remain in the guest bedroom. The Watcher didn't feel comfortable sending Anya and Xander back to his place so they were given the master bedroom. Giles was left with the sofa.

The next day passed peacefully with all of them sleeping late. Just before sunset, Buffy and Willow made their way to the Watcher's apartment. Using an oversized sketch pad Giles explained to the girls what the threat was and how to defeat it. Buffy departed for patrol determined to put an end to the problem.

At the Summers' house, Spike, Joyce and Dawn spent a quiet day watching television. Joyce made Buffy move Spike up the living room. The Slayer had not been happy but could not provide any valid argument against the evidence of the chip and the vampire's obvious exhaustion from the previous day's stress. Buffy needn't have worried. Although she didn't leave until late in the afternoon, the traumatized demon ignored her and simply stayed on the sofa drifting in and out of sleep. With a pillow under his head and a blanket covering his slender form, Spike curled into the corner cushions and dozed under the watchful eyes of the Slayer and her family.

That night, Buffy and Riley Finn fought and defeated the Gentlemen, restoring the voices to the unsuspecting Sunnydale residents. That night, Riley discovered that the fabled Slayer existed and she was the girl he was interested in. That night, Buffy found out that Michael had not been lying about Riley's true occupation. That night, Drusilla resumed her hunting of the soldiers who had damaged her Childe. And that night, Joyce first learned their voices were back when she was jolted from her restless sleep by the sounds of Will's nightmares.