Title: First Time for Everything

Author: Lisa O.

Fandom: BtVS

Pairing:Xander/Spike

Rating: PG still. hmm

Warnings: about season 4 somewhere, right after, "The I in Team"

Dedicated to: Sara of course *G

Declaimer: BtVS is owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, WB and Fox. No infringement of any rights is intended.

Summary: Spike stole a kiss and this is what happened next.

Note: Xander still lives in basement. Takes place in season 4.

First Time for Everything
By Lisa O.

"First time for everything," Spike muttered with lips that pouted and a body that swayed. He grinned, canines glinting in the dim light of the room before the vampire sauntered over to the young man who didn't even know that he was there.

Xander LaVelle Harris, Scooby member and one day to be saver of the world with the power of love. Also, the eater of much chips and the potential maker of cabinets extraordinaire. Xander.

Here, in bed and sleeping.

Perfect.

"Hmm?" And he also happened to be dreaming something as the movement of his body easily proclaimed. Eyes moved under closed lids, along with other indications that the vampire could see. Yep, must be something lovely.

Spike slid closer, sitting and then perching on the edge of the bed as he contemplated the heated form benieth the blankets. The room was too warm, making the covers stick around Xander's sweaty hot body, casting arms and legs in solid releaf under the damp cotton material..

"First time," Spike muttered again, settling close to Xander on the bed with some bravery he hadn't realized that he had, or was that word *gumption?*

"Anya?" Xander seemed to be asking if she was there and for a second Spike thought that he'd be caught. He wasn't supposed to be here. Supposed to have been tossed out and without the sodding lamp to top things off, but he was here and so that could be bad. Spike stayed still and Xander fell quiet.

And why would Anya be here anyway? Hadn't she just left? Oh right. Xander didn't know that just yet, did he? But the boy would find out soon enough, and why had Anya left again? She'd told Spike in passing
when he'd come back, pretending that he'd left some blood in the basement when he'd happened to see her in the door way outside. What? Going to become a demon again? No. She had enough of that it seemed
even if that did seem the most sensible option as far as Spike could possibly tell. So, what then?

"Well, you see, Spike. It's like this," Anya had said very matter of factly. "It's not that I don't love him anymore, but I feel that I've grown...past him as a person. I think it's time to move on before we both see the glaring differences in our relationship and then someone gets hurt. So, I'm moving in with Mr. Bushnot. He's rich and he also loves giving me orgasms whenever I want them."

"I see," Spike had answered back, not having meant to be caught at all and pretty much off his guard. "So, I should tell him... what?"

"Oh, I don't know. Just tell him that I went and joined the circus. He'd probably believe you and in a couple of weeks he'll be back to his usual chasing anything that moves kind of a guy that he is. Really, I don't even think he'll miss me at all."

That had been about 20 minutes early and Spike was still slightly reeling but only on the inside. On the outside, he was gleefully watching Xander roll over on his back again, eyes closed in serene sleep. Xander's hand had moved down to rest over his blanket covered crotch and Spike found himself watching the spot without conscious thought.

And what had Spike been thinking? He'd been thinking that he'd like to put his hand over Xander's lovely digits because just as he'd come in before, the boy's fingers had been resting in the very same spot only then he'd been making strange sounds of wanting? yeah, that was it. And that had prompted the thought that had slipped from Spike's mouth even as he'd crossed over to the dingy bed couch that really needed better bedding and really needed a whole new room to go around it but who sodding cared because, God, Spike was so bloody horny and what was he doing again?

Oh yeah. Xander. Sleeping. Rubbing himself. First time for everything. The only problem though was, would Xander see it his way? Even with Anya off with some rich bloke and him stuck high and dry and lonely? would Xander understand and not stake him on the spot?

Only one way to find out. Grinning again, Spike reached out, feeling his head for the chip and ready in case it should go off when Xander woke up and thought that he was attacking. Though, come to think of
it, would his chip actually go off from Xander just making a little noise? Probably not, but most likely afterwards. Like when Xander punched Spike and the vampire decided to fight back and then that way was only badness.

So, back to what he was doing. Slow, careful and ready. Spike's hand hovered over Xander's and didn't move an inch. Xander moaned, his own fingers kneading himself and Spike suddenly realized that the
boy was naked under the too thin covering. And he smelled Xander; hot salty liquid that must be making the spot under the youths touching hand damp...and why was he still only watching? Should be doing, right?

Right. Spike's hand went down, pushing Xander's and grinding in a move that surprised even Spike because he must be crazy and he knew that Xander was going to kill him and....

Xander moaned, hips pushing upward as his other hand came over to firmly clasp down on Spike's.

"Bloody.." Spike made a sound of disbelief, as he felt the body thrusting under both their touches.

"Hmm. Like that," Xander was muttering and Spike had found that he might actually recover. "Hard....er..."

"Likes to play," Spike said softly though he knew that the boy didn't have a clue to what was going on, and he really didn't even bloody care, did he? Spike's grin widened and he almost laughed when Xander thrust up sharply again and with a very demanding feel to that shove. "Likes to play a lot.."

"Spike. Want you. Hmm. Good."

"Bloody hell," Spike gasped as he heard the words and then immediately decided that he must be wrong. Must have been a game or a dream or, no. Xander did not say his name. He did not say Spike and
if he did, he must have meant something else.

Maybe, he really needed to be going now, right? Very 5 minutes ago. So what if he was hard now as well and the utterance of his name had caused it to become a raging obscenity in his pants that was painfully tight and, oh God he wanted to come.

Gently. Spike pulled at his hand and was rewarded as Xander pushed hardened and held on tighter, moaning out the sound again. "Spiiike."

"Gotta go," Spike muttered, but he didn't want to. He glanced toward the door and then sighed in frustration. Sod it, he decided and then leaned over Xander Harris, touching cool lips to hot ones, kissing gently. He let his tongue flicker out and could feel the hand tighten as hips thrust once more. Oh, God, this was not happening at all. Couldn't be happening. First time for everything? yeah, forgot that, but dear God, this was just not happening at all.

"Spike?"

Uh oh. Time for the pain, Spike just knew it. Xander's eyes were fluttering open and he was actually starting to look around. "Um..that is..Bloody hell."

Spike gave his hand a tug and he actually got the thing away as Xander took in a deep breath and sat up.

"Anya," he said startled before his focus clicked into place and he was staring at the startled vampire in confusion and alarm. "Where's Anya?"

"Um..Don't know," Spike lied, hand going to clutch the other one in his lap and still feeling the strange heat that radiated from the warm and lusty human. "I think she went to get some...milk or something."

"What are you doing here?" The question came out angry and accusing and Spike wasn't sure how he should feel. He realized that he still had that hard on, hidden under his hands though it was actually
starting to fade to some extent. "You didn't come to steal something again, did you?" Xander had pushed himself to sitting and he was glaring now. His knees had been brought up to his chest with his hands crossed over the top in an almost defensive posture. "I swear Spike. If you think you can just waltz in my room and take whatever you want...well, forget it!"

First time for everything. Spike growled and that stopped Xander for a second and while the boy was momentarily stunned and couldn't actually do a thing to stop him, Spike did something else completely.
He kissed Xander. Not gently this time but a full blown, I want you now and God you are sexy, and your girlfriend is gone so why not be mine kind of a way.

Xander didn't kiss back. He didn't pull away. He didn't do a thing. He just sat there, and Spike finished the act with the supreme expression of, *I did something naughty* before the vampire abruptly pulled back and smirked.

"You...you..."

"Hmm?" Spike was up, a smooth movement that was taking it's time despite the fact that he knew that Xander was going to be truly pissed any moment now and that perhaps there might even be some pain. "What? Can't talk. Cat got your tongue? what?"

"You kissed me. Spike! You..Kissed....Me!" Xander was turning a bright, bright red and his delicious brown eyes had gone swimingly wide. "Oh my God. I can't believe you! You fucking kissed me!"

"Got that the first time, did you?" Spike chuckled and he decided that now really was the time to be going. Stepping away, he scooted almost backward toward the door and then stopped because Xander
actually had the look as though he wanted to ask something or maybe just throw up a bit.

"Why did you do that? I'm not gay you know! Jesus, Spike." Xander had leaned forward, hugging his legs tight and he might have been shaking, but that didn't matter now.

The only thing that the vampire cared about was the fact of what he could smell. The arousal that had originally brought him over to the sleeping youth in the first place, had jumped a thousand folds,
filling the room and making Spike's head swim with need. He stuck his hands deep into his dusters pocket, pulling the coat closed and thus covering the hardness that Xander was producing in him just by
leaking out his desire.

"Why? Hmm..you know. I'm a vampire." Spike moved a little more and he was actually managing to get close enough to the door so that one hand could slip out and he could grasp the handle and still not let Xander see what he was hiding. Good thing even though if Xander had seen, what would he say? "Oh, *and, I'm evil"

Xander touched his mouth, eyes still round like plates and he seemed to be drooling. Was he drooling?

"What?" But not so bright, was he? "Because you're a vampire? What?"

"Yeah." Spike giggled and then pushed open the door before he added,

"And you know, there's a first time for everything." And then he was out into the night, leaving Xander in confusion as the door was shut behind him.

Part 2

He kissed me," Xander repeated dumbfoundedly, finding that repeating the words, didn't actually do anything to get them to make sense."Spike kissed me on the mouth," Xander licked his lips, breathing slowly to stave off the panic he was steadily starting to feel. "Why the hell did he kiss me?"

"Xander?"

The young man tensed and then relaxed as he recognized this was his mom calling him, although the fact did little in the way of making him feel better.

"Uh..in here, Mom," Xander answered before he quickly ran through the usual check list that he kept in his brain for such rare run ins with his parents. First, how did she sound? From that one word, the image that came to mind was slightly inebriated but not mind blowing drunk. She sounded friendly, sober enough to actually know what she was saying and for that he was feeling grateful. "I'll just be a second; I'm brushing my teeth."

"Xander?" his mother appeared in the door, her hair unkempt and her eyes strangely puffy. In fact, she looked like she might have been crying except for the fact that of her voice.

Xander turned, not sure what was going on, but feeling something had shifted in the force. "Mom. Are you okay?" His mother had that strange feel about her as though she were trying to bolster her spirits up and not let her son know that anything could possibly be wrong. Not a good sign. "Um..I'll just be going. Sorry, I was out of toothpaste," he lied, moving to go around her and hopefully get away as soon as possible. She had that look like she wanted to talk about something and Xander wasn't sure that he could deal.

"Xander, don't go, sweetie." Sweetie? okay, this wasn't sounding good.

Xander's Mom moved to the sink, turning on cold water before taking some into shaking cupped hands to splash her face and drink some as well. "It's going to be okay," she said, straightening as she turned to face her son. "You see, there was an accident. A..." She paused, looking for the words that someone else must have told her, needing them to explain this thing she couldn't understand.. "A neck trauma, I think. Yes, they said something about a neck trauma."

"Excuse me?" Xander's mouth fell open as Spike's words came back to him, a rocket ramming itself straight into his gut.

~First time for everything. ~

"I'll kill him." Xander said under his breath and then blinked at his own startled reaction. This was his dad they were talking about, so why should Xander care? But the emotion remained and Xander didn't try to figure out exactly why he was having them; he only knew that he was.

"Xander, sweetie. It's okay." Xander's Mom was staring at him in confusion, her mouth opened slightly as she watched him struggle with too many emotions at once. "He's going to be okay, but the doctors said he's be away for a while. They need to do some tests and, but he's going to be okay."

Xander snapped back to reality with the last of his mothers words, disappointment flaring up as he realized that his dad hadn't been drained and would actually be coming back home. "Oh," followed by, "I have to go; I have to work tonight," he said, pushing past his Mom despite her need to say more. "Talk to you later."

Xander stomping down the stairs, heading into the basement, not surprised when a familiar blond was there. Spike started to grin but stopped as Xander stormed across the room toward him, a look of "deer caught in the headlights" flickering onto the vampire's face.

"Spike! What are you doing here?" Xander was over to Spike, his hand out and ready to start shoving before he'd even thought about the intention to do so. "Get out! You don't live here! Get out!"

"Whoa!" Spike backed up hastily, his hands going up in the *I surrender* gesture, as he went on to say, "none of that; I just came back to apologize."

"Apologize? For what? Because you bit my dad? Or because you didn't bite him hard enough?" Xander glared at Spike, thinking that punching might be in order when something very annoying and shocking happened into his brain..

~Spike didn't do it. Spike had a chip in his head; Spike couldn't hurt anyone~

Xander, frozen in place as the thoughts slammed into him one after another, leaving him stunned and bewildered. "You didn't do anything," he managed. "You couldn't do anything at all."

"Hey!" Spike's answered with some indignation. "I can too. I'm bad, you know," but there was also a small note of concern buried in there as well. "I just can't bite people, but...wait a minute. What were you babbling on about?"

"Nothing" Xander replied, not wanting to go into the whole thing or think any more tonight if he could help it. "Why are you here again?"

Spike titled his head, having heard the strange accusations, but deciding not to comment on them just yet.. "Oh, yeah," he repeated slowly. "You know, the apology...for the other night?" Spike's brows went down in concentration before he looked at his hands as if studying them. "I don't usually go about doing that kind of a thing with people who hate me and all, so...I'm sorry."

Xander didn't know what to say; First time was for sure, but right now, he had to call Buffy and tell her what he had found out. "Umm," he said awkwardly, feeling like a grade A heel despite the fact that he was the one who had been wronged. "I um...I need to make a call, and then I need to go to work."

Blue eyes met brown and Spike let out a soft growl. "Right" Just for a split second was a look of hurt on the vampire's face, but a moment later, the usual smugness easily returned in its place. "Guess I'll just be going then."

"Huh?" Xander noticed the momentary expression on Spike's face, unsure if he believed what he'd seen. "Wait," he said, relieved when Spike stopped and turned to give his full attention.

"I just need to call Buffy real quick and...you don't have to go yet," Xander said, and had he just said what he though that he said? Oh, God, this was just going to keep on getting weirder, wasn't it? "I have to go to work pretty soon anyway, so...um, you can leave when I do."

A pause followed, but there was no customary jabs at how Xander would do such a stellar job at feeding the Hellmouthian paying customers so that they could be eaten by Spike's best friends. In fact, there was only a nod from the blond, which Xander accepted gratefully before he dashed over to pick up the phone.

"Hey, Buffy, this is me, Xander." Xander glanced over to Spike, making sure the blond was still there. His mind went to the kiss and he licked his lips at the memory of the night before. Spike kissed him and now, the vampire was here saying he was sorry. Why did his life have to be so very strange? "I have a problem. I think that my dad was bitten by a vampire but I don't know if he's dead or alive. I'll be there after work, or tomorrow. See if Giles can find something out if you get the chance and talk to you later." Xander hung up the phone and sighed. "Not home, but I guess you figured that out."

"Yeah," Spike agreed, watching Xander as he went about and got his things for work into a pile on the coffee table. "So...your dad was bitten, huh?" Spike was watching Xander intently as though he was more than just a little interested in the reply. "Sad thing, that. Wonder when it happened."

Xander shrugged, not knowing. "She didn't say," he said, putting his work shirt over his under garment. "Mom told me about it upstairs with the usual..neck trauma deal."

Spike snorted and then looked away as Xander threw him a glare. "So..what now? I assume he's not dead, at least by what you said before. After all, you mum would have told you if something as...bad as that...well you'd know is all I'm saying, you know?"

Xander thought that over and then he nodded, "Sadly, probably true." Xander then pulled on his pants over his boxers, followed by socks shoes and his bow tie. Last of all, he grabbed up his apron and looped it over his head but didn't tie it behind him. "I should get going he said. Ready?"

Spike looked toward the stairs, frowning before he picked up a discarded shirt on the table, commenting, "You know, Harris, you really should get another place to live in as soon as you possibly can." Spike noted not moving at all. "Just a shame you having to be in this pig sty of a place when you could have something nicer."

Okay, strange change of conversation, but Xander could deal. "Well, as soon as you find me a posh luxury hotel suit that's free, or a mansion and a yacht that I can call my very own, I'll be sure to move in right away. I'll even let you have your own room." And again, where had this conversation come from? Oh yeah, almost forgot, this was Spike they were talking about. He was probably feeling bad for being so nice and thus, the usual insults would now begin to fly. Xander so did not have time for that right now. "Maybe," Xander added, "If you stay out of my way."

"Is that right?" Spike asked, sounding amused at the idea. "I'll keep that in mind, and I think that I can do that."

"Fine," Xander cut in and added, "so...let's get going already. I'm going to be late."

Spike glanced toward the stairs and then to Xander again, looking slightly nervous.

Xander noticed this and he almost yelled. "Spike!" he said with as much control as he could muster. "Today! Do you want me to get fired or are you trying to as annoying as you possibly can? And why do you keep looking at the stupid steps? Come on!"

Spike licked his lips, giving the glance again before he started off slowly, "About your dad," Spike's voice came out neutral and controlled, but there seemed to be a slight strain, "Umm.."

Xander had stopped, the feeling of dread he'd had before when he thought Spike really could bite, coming back in force, "What?" he asked, tense and unhappy. "You didn't do anything to him...did you?" The look on Xander's face said that this had better not be the case or someone was going to pay and that person was more than likely going to be Spike.

"Ah.." Spike glanced toward the stairs again, a decision being made, "I don't think he'll be coming back any time soon."

"Excuse me." Xander took a step toward Spike and the vampire took a step back. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean," Spike said softly, "is that I kind of know where he is and it's not in the ruddy hospital." There, he'd said it; hopefully Xander wouldn't just kill him now, and judging from the boys stunned expression, Spike had a feeling that he might actually be ok. Maybe.

"Huh?"

"Your dad," Spike repeated. "I saw him outside a bar," which one it was, really didn't matter. "I saw him getting bitten just the other night. I was going to do something, but just as I started to try and save him or some nonsense, those soldier types jumped out and kind of carted him away." Spike put his hands up, going with his next words, "Don't ask me why they'd want him; I haven't a bloody clue."

More stunned silence followed from Xander who was doing his best to comprehend what was being said. "You...you...saw this? Why didn't you say something? "

"Hey!" Spike grouched, "I was going to, didn't I just say that? And what did you want me to do? Get all, here comes the Calvary, not thanks and what for? So they could tazer me like they did that vampire that bit him or like they did to me before? No thanks," Spike said with a snort. "Had enough of the poke and prod, thank you very much.. Anyway, you know now so, it's not that bad, is it? Buffy's bleeding dating one of those guys, so just ask her what to do. Probably have your bloody father back by sunrise. "

"She'll talk to Riley and get my dad out," Xander repeated, breath coming just a little too fast as he said, "Or..." Xander let out a frustrated breath, trying to figure out the implications. "My dad's been bitten and then taken by these guys." Why, why and more why's. Xander shook his head and then he leveled his gaze onto Spike again. "I really hate you, you know that, don't you?"

Spike stood his ground, mouth twisting into a scowl, "You're not my favorite person either, pizza boy," he growled, realizing that this wasn't the reaction he'd hoped for, just as he knew what Xander had said was also a given. "Hey, least I tol' you. I could have just not told you at all.."

"Yeah, you're a font of helpful nothing," Xander replied with the same tone as the vampire "Look, I still have to work. I'll call Buffy later tonight."

Spike raised a brow, but he didn't ask the question of why not now "Yeah, you do that."

"....You have to get out too" Xander finished with as if he'd not heard. " and I mean now!" Xander glared a moment more, saying, "So, let's go"

Spike glared, angry that he'd bothered to care, " Yeah, I need to go get some smokes anyway. Only have a few left," he muttered, wishing that he'd not told his secret in the first place. It wasn't like Xander wouldn't find out later, was it? No, course not. And what was with The Slayer and that Riley guy? God, he hated soldier boy and he hated this whole bloody situation. "Just trying to do what was best..." Sod it all, that wasn't what he had wanted to say. Spike muttered something out, too soft to be heard, but enough for Xander to get curious.

"Excuse me?" They'd headed toward the door, Spike trailing behind. Xander stopped and Spike managed to slip ahead of him, standing in the way so that neither of them could go out.

"I said," Spike began with a tone that sounded offended. "You know that you like it."

Liked what? What was Spike talking about now? "Will you stop changing the subject? Liked what?" and could he say this enough time today? "Work, Spike. Now tell me what you want or just the hell out of my way!"

"The kissing," Spike clarified, arms folding over his chest as he said so, "You like it, didn't you?" and why that was so important right now, he wasn't really sure, but Spike wasn't going to move until he'd heard the bloody truth.

"Spike," Xander started, in warning, moving as though to go around and startled when Spike mirrored the action and then slipped a little bit closer at the same time.

"Should have told you," he admitted, looking apologetic which in itself was just plain weird. "Just didn't want to make things worse, which I guess I have."

Xander didn't comment but he didn't move away. He didn't know what to say. About his dad or the kissing; both confused the heck out of him and not in a way that was good.

"To tell you the truth," Xander finally decided on, finding it easier to stick to the topic at hand, "it was kind of too fast for me to tell." Okay, that hadn't been what he meant to say at all. "I mean, I'd have to do it again to see..." Not getting any better, was it?

"Again?"

Xander's mouth was very dry as his mind tried to think of some way to turn this train around. ~No, that's not what I meant. I don't even like kissing vampires~ flittered through, but again, that's not what he managed to say. "I really have to go to work, Spike. See? All dressed up and one place to go."

Spike only grinned, leaning in closer, made bold by Xander's unexpected slips. "Just one, love," he murmured, "and I promise to leave you alone for a week. I'll even help out in finding out about your dad."

"Oh, like I believe you," Xander came back with, but he found that he still hadn't moved away. Just one? Xander licked his lips again, thinking about his dad and thinking about what it would mean if Tony really did bite the big one, so to speak...and then he thought about kissing and things became somehow strangely easier. Just one kiss and then Spike would leave. Xander would obsess over that particular problem and the rest could fall to the way side. "Just one," he said, regretting it as soon as the words were said, but knowing it was too late to take them back.

Spike was kissing him again and Xander was kissing back.

"Hmm." Was that him? Xander was making that sound and he could hear it even as for a second, the kiss become deeper witj just a touch of wanton lust. "Oh, God," he moaned, pulling away with a shocked exhalation of breath. "I...Oh, God." He'd just kissed Spike, and not some soft sweet chaste thing either. Xander had kissed Spike with gusting, lustiness and more.

"Didn't like it?"

"You..." Xander said, eyes blinked and he was starting to panic. "I, I......" He liked it. Oh God, he enjoyed kissing Spike and this was so very of the bad. Xander liked it and he didn't know what to say. And he was going to do it again.

"What? You're suffering from a stuttering disease and you want me to sound it out?" Spike smirked, knowing arousal when he smelt it any night of the week. "Well, Spit it out, Harris. What did you think?"

Xander blushed a deep crimson as he grabbed Spike by his shirt and pulled him close for another unexpected kiss. He wasn't doing this, he was so not doing this right now. Not to a vampire, not to Spike and not to a very sexy male in front of him. "Just Shut up, Spike" Xander ground out, and Spike complied when the kiss deepened and then abruptly came to an end. "not a single word."

Xander stood there panting, heart beating fast. He liked kissing Spike.

"I have to go to work," Xander muttered and then the young pushed past Spike in his efforts to get away. Just as he slipped by, Xander admitted quite weakly and to his eternal shame, "Oh, God..I liked it. I liked kissing Spike," and then he was walking away as fast as he could go, hoping that the blond didn't notice that he really wanted to be running.

"Good," Spike said, "that's just what I wanted to hear."

Part 3

The week went by quickly, busy and chaotic as Xander found out that they needed him at the pizza parlor on such a regular basis that he sure he was going to go crazy. Coupons were in and the place was a madhouse as Xander did his best to both work there and research with the gang whenever he had a day off. Aside from the pizza gig, there was the problem of 314 still being on the loose and so far no one knew a thing. Also, there had been no word on his dad or from Riley for all that matter either. The soldier had been off on some mission since just a few days before and so this left the Scoobs with only the old tried tactics. Sadly however, even beating up the local demon folk had lead to, at best, hints that something bad was brewing, which of cours they had already knew. No help from the demons, not help for the government, and pretty much, no help all the way around. To put it bluntly, no body really had a clue.

"Man, I'm tired."

"Don't worry, the nights almost over," Came the chuckling reply. "Before you know it, you'll be headed on home."

Xander nodded, sliding his hand into his apron pocket, as he felt the now familiar comfort of dollars folded haphazardly from his tables which he'd stuck in as the hours rolled by. The time was getting late and he only had about an hour before he could go. Finally, the place had slowed down, the Friday crowd having thinned somewhere around midnight, for which the young man was grateful to see. Now, pretty much, all he needed to do was to go around, bus up any remaining tables and set out some place mats for whoever was coming into work next. Easy to do and then, Xander was going home to sleep in for as long as he possibly could. Happy happy beddy bye.

"You have a table down," Greg mentioned, catching Xander attention. The red headed owner and boss of 27, gave Xander a grin before he took out some rolled up silverware and handed it over to his employee. "Here you go, Xander. All ready to take the order."

Xander nodded, his mind somewhere else at the moment but willing and ready to get back to work...until he turned around, spotted who had just arrived and softly let out a groan.

"Spike." What was Spike doing here? Xander thought about the last time he'd seen the other man, and he flushed before saying, "Greg, I don't suppose you'd like to take him?"

"Can't do, Xan," Greg replied, already heading over to one of the registers. "I have to count down some drawers. What the matter? He doesn't look too scary." Greg grinned, thinking himself funny before he headed away, leaving Xander to do his job. God, Xander mentally groused. Why the Hell did Greg have to make the pizza parlor a 24 hour kind of a deal? Why, why, why? Sure, they always had more than enough business to keep them going all the way around, but this was just too much. Well, he could get lucky. Maybe Spike was here on business for Buffy? Yeah, that was it, and nothing to do with the kissing thing at all, or the fact that tormenting Xander at work would probably be the easiest thing to do in the world when his target had to pretend to be nice.

"Great," Xander muttered and then resolutely he picked up a tray and pulled out his pen, heading over to the blond who was watching him with a strange expression on his face. "You can seat yourself," Xander informed, feeling hot in the face as he kept thinking about what they had done before. "Here. Just sit here."

Spike's brow raised in questioning but he went and sat down in the booth which Xander indicated with a pointing demand. "Menu?"

"On the table," Xander ground out before adding. "What the Hell are you doing here, Spike? Did Buffy send you hear? Did she say something about my dad? What?"

"No, and no," Spike answered before he said. "Just got hungry. What? A bloke can't grab a bite to eat before bedtime...or not bedtime," he amended. "I just saw the lights on and thought I'd come by and see how things were."

"We don't serve any blood here," Xander grouched, "fine..." A frustrated sigh was let out as he asked, "What do you want?"

"Kind of grumbly for someone working in such a lovely place of employment? I thought this was a friendly kind of restaurant here."

"Spike. What. Do. You. Want?"

Spike opened the menu and he made a great show of looking each page over. Xander glared, waiting for the vampire to finish up so he could leave, get Spike's order together and then go home as soon as he possible could. "Well, What?"

"I'm looking," Spike said, tapping the page. "I'm having a problem finding exactly what I want though. I think it's around here, but I can't seem to pin point..."

"What??" Xander knew that he'd asked too loud as soon as the word left his mouth and several of the last customers looked his way with expressions of curiosity and annoyance. "What," he repeated, ducking his head when Greg glanced his way and Xander tried to keep his calm.

"That's easy, pet," Spike replied, closing the menu and putting it aside. He turned his eyes upward and there was a grin there. "I want you, Xander. You on the menu tonight? Cause that's what I want just right now."

"Gah," Xander exclaimed, somehow managing to keep his voice down this time around. "You can't have me," he said, angry that he'd follow for something so obvious as part of him wanted that all the same. Sick sick, he must be sick. It was bad enough that Xander had been having certain fantasies of late, but to see the center of that lusty visions, here and annoying him again, was just too much for him to bear. "And if you don't give me an order in the next 30 seconds, I am going to scream, leave your table and refuse to be your waiter any more."

"Is that right?" Spike asked, almost purring as he tilted his head to side and grinned.

"Yes," Xander hissed, "that is right. No me on the menu and no me if you do not tell me what the hell it is that you want?"

"Fine," Spike answered, his nostrils flaring before he smirked at the slightly sweating human. "You look kind of busy anyway, so I won't keep you any longer after all."

Xander glared, not liking the sarcasm since they were obviously not too busy any more. The young man then flushed as he noticed Spike's attention had slipped downward, the place the look was headed toward pretty damned clear to anybody with seeing eyes. "I'll just meet you later then, pet. Think everything will more fun that way, but then you'll have to see to find out."

Xander had a feeling that his face was about to burst into flames if this kept going on, but he was sparred further embarrassment when Spike stood smoothly, gave a last grin and then calmly sauntered out the doors. What the heck did that mean? More fun that way? What way? And why would Xander even consider seeing Spike again tonight if he could possibly avoid meeting him at all?

"Fuck," he muttered under his breath, and Xander realized that he was shaking, feeling more than little bit ill as Greg came up behind him and asked, "Didn't want anything or did you scare him away?"

"Neither. He's someone I know and he's also happens to be extremely annoying vamp....guy"

"Oh, yeah?" Greg asked, grinning at the strange almost slip. "A vamp guy you say. Interesting. Well, it looks like tonight he was leaving a donation." Greg nudged Xander in the side, pointing to something noticed on the table. "He left you a tip, whatever you might think of him."

"Scuse me?" Xander turned and frowned, seeing green on the smooth surface in the form of two fives and a ten. "Oh....kay," Xander said in confusion. "But he didn't order anything to eat."

"Hey, I guess he must like you then," Greg said, giving Xander a pat on the back before he headed off to do whatever he needed to do.

Xander rolled his eyes, looking at the money before he glanced toward the door one more time. For a minute or two, Xander didn't move, only standing there, thinking about what he wanted to do. The thought that he needed to sleep and then call Buffy tomorrow came to his tired brain, but only flittered through enough for him to doubt that anything new could have been discovered.

"I really hate that guy," Xander muttered next as his hand went out of it's own accord and settled onto the money. "He probably killed some puppies or something for this," or not...and before Xander knew it, he was picking up the tip and turning it over in his hands as though to look for any signs that what he held might be of the bad. No blood. Good. Another flip over and Xander frowned. Something was written on the back in letters that were too flowing and scripted to possibly belong to Spike vampiric hands. "What..." Writing which spelled out a message and an address right across the face of Lincoln's pale face.

"Got a surprise for you, Xander," it said. "Come ASAP."

Xander stared at the name and numbers of the address hard as he tried to remember where the location happened to be. Loftan Street. Hmm..oh yeah, that was in the *almost* better part of town. What was Spike wanting him to go there for? And what exactly was there? A house? How did Spike have a house now? Had he killed someone? What?

Xander moved, still holding the money as he moved from table to tale and checked to see how everyone was doing. No one needed coffee and only one person wanted a refill of their drink. Finally, Xander ended up at the waitress station, leaning against one wall as his mind raced in a flurry. Spike wanted him to go to this place, that was clear from the start. The question was, of course, what would he find? What was going on and was this the reason that they'd not seen the blond for almost all of the week?

Xander brought the money from his pocket, where he'd stuffed it when he'd gone to check on the floor. The writing was still there which was both a curse and a relief. "I must be out of my mind, " the young man whispered, thinking about the strangeness of it all. "I just have to be going insane."

"Xander?"

Xander turned, noting that Greg was looking in his direction with what might actually be considered some kind of concern. "You looked kind of dazed, buddy. You ok?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Xander decided. "Just..strange." and mysterious and annoying but all the same....kind of exciting even if this had to be, oh so blatantly wrong.

"Hmm," Greg said back before he added, "Hey, I can finish up the dining room on my own. Jill and Kara just called and said they're on the way so...if you want to head on out, you're more than welcome to go."

"Hmmm, ok," Xander agreed, the dollar and address once again the center of his attention. "Thanks."

Ten minutes later, Xander had clocked out and he was outside in the night time air. A nice breeze blew by, ruffling his hair as he looked up at the almost full moon. "Out of my mind," he muttered to himself again. "He's probably going to kill me." Well, probably not considering the chip, but really, there were worse things than dying. With that in mind, Xander stuffed the money into his pocket once more before he turned in the direction away from home and headed off to find this address and also exactly what the hell was going on.

Part 4

Xander ducked around another tree, leaning against the rough bark as he panted in short ragged breaths. "I'm going to kill you, Spike," he said although the other wasn't there or anywhere in sight to be complained to. "...Painfully."

Xander edged sideways, trying to see if he could find out if that demon was still on his trail. As he moved, Xander winced, realizing that he must have twisted his ankle when he tripped over that stupid tree root along the way. Or maybe that had been a head stone or something similar. Hard to tell when one is running for one's life in the middle of a grave yard with a two headed slime beast way too close behind...and...great, why was he in a cemetery to begin with again? Oh yeah, because, that's where Spike's address told him to meet. Funny thing was...no Spike anywhere at all. And this was surprising because? Okay, okay. Take things one step at a time.

"Just need to look things over." Xander panted, resting against the tree in an attempt to catch his breath. The young man made a face as he shifted his weight off of his hurt ankle, wishing like crazy that Buffy was there to save him now. Heck, at this point, Spike showing up would even be something on the helpful side, unless of course the vampire only made it worse, which he was also prone to do.

Xander moaned and then his hand dove down into his apron pocket, pulling out a crumpled five dollar bill. Unfolding it, he made out the numbers and address again before shoving the greenery back into its place. 1223, that was right. Those were the numbers that had been tastefully put up on the church's mail box a million miles away, and which Xander had spotted before the running had begun. Great. "Where the hell are you, Spike? Damn it! You said you wanted to meet me here!"

The sound of growling came much too close and before Xander had stopped to think about what he was doing, he was frantically stumbling away. He yelped, his ankle being brutalized just a little more as he got far enough not to be mangled along with the tree that he'd just left behind. "SPIKE!"

Xander faltered, pretty sure that the end was near. In that second, he swore that he was going to haunt Spike with a vengeance and drive him absolutely insane. Okay, not such a useful thought to have at this very moment of time, but in a pinch, he'd take what comfort that he could. Xander lurched onward, the creature gaining much too quickly and there was nothing that he could do.

"Help," Xander screamed out in a last hopeless ditch before there was swiping, mixed with pain and then the unwelcome sensation of biting. "Gaaaah," Xander howled, trying to twist away. He managed to do just that but only succeeded in falling to his side a dizzyingly moment later. "Fuck," Xander hissed, pain spreading from the bite as well as an unhealthy amount of blood which seeped into the damp ground below his left wounded shoulder.

Xander squinted, realizing vaguely that the bite must somehow be poisoned, as he also noted that the attacking had come to a strange and very abrupt halt. Good, he could just bleed to death, instead of being eaten by something that looked like Gumby's older, hairier and much scarier brother in law.

Hmm, Funny, the world was getting all fuzzy and sparkly at the same time. Well, at least if he was going to die, Xander wouldn't have to actually see the ending in coming. "Stupid...demons," he muttered and then he was being pulled up, hoisted under his arms and pulled numbly along as someone hissed into his ear.

"Sorry, pet. Ran a bit late with some unplanned delays."

"Spike," Xander said stupidly, a grin coming to his face as darkness worked itself to closing in. "You're late! I'm very..mad at you." Xander blinked, wondering why they both weren't mauled or dead. He then giggled remembering that he was in fact, slightly mauled and that Spike was also, kind of dead. "We should run away."

"Doing that," Spike ground out, ducking down to avoid a blow from the creature who now seemed to have a shovel sticking out of its side, barely slowing it down as they ran. "You're not exactly helping you know. Bloody Hell, you must weigh a ton."

"'S not my fault," Xander pouted, somehow not able to really get all that scared. Oooh, big slime thing, coming to eat them aaaaaalll up. "Wrong address," he slurred, his good foot managing to stay beneath him as he kind of hobbled along with Spike very much needed help. "Where we going anyway? Are we almost there? Spike....why did you give me the wrong address?"

"Bloody..." Spike dropped Xander to the side, growling as he dodged another swiping paw and ran in to retrieve his shovel.

Xander landed with an oomph, moaning as he seriously thought about passing out.

"Yeah, that's right," Spike hollered, getting his weapon back as he put all his efforts into killing the demon quickly and hopefully saving Xander's life. If Xander died while out with Spike, Buffy would be one brassed off slayer and more than likely, he'd be dust by morning. "Not going to happen."

The demon, which Spike realized was of the Granglie clan, made a swipe and the vampire felt air blow in across his middle. His favorite bloody shirt and now there were bleeding claw marks through the material, not to mention what it was doing for his own pale flesh beneath. Good thing Granglie demons couldn't poison a vampire.


"That's it," Spike growled. "You're a dead slimy bugger." Spike dodged, wishing that he had a sword or something more affective than this...and that was when he spotted the axe. Not stopping to ask why luck had been sent his way, or how the groundskeeper had managed to leave the bleeding thing out at just the perfect time and place, Spike discarded his shovel and grabbed up his salvation in a heart beat.

"Now," he yelled out in pure vampire glee . "we'll just see who does the biting, won't we?!"


*************

Xander moaned, trying to wake up but finding that he could barely seem to move. His eyes felt like they had ten pound weights on each lid, and his mouth felt like it was glued shut with fast drying cement. He tried to make a sound and that was all that emerged. A gurgling gaspy pathetic sound, which got someone's attention but also did him little good, emerged from Xander's dried and slightly parted lips. Voices where heard, neither of them directed at him, but adding to the fact that for now, Xander was pretty much not joining into the conversation.

"He was very close to dying, you do know that."

Xander stopped trying to move, opting to paying attention instead and trying to figure out exactly what was going on above him. Spike was there...and someone else to his right. Someone who was touching him here and there with wandering hands that felt warm and tingly and even kind of nice wherever they happened to roam.

"Hey, it's not my fault that he's not good at dodging." Spike's voice, sharp and nervous and maybe a little afraid, came from Xander left as the vampire vented his frustration. "He should have just stayed where I told him to, or gone inside the bloody church. Not like I couldn't have gone in or something." The blurry image of blond, black, and just a touch of red, moved in close and then away again as the vampire paced around the room. "He's really not much of a fighter, really...."

Xander wanted to snort at that and he wanted to insult or ask what Spike thought that he was so very good at if anything at all. Must be a lover, he decided, wishing that he could talk or at least turned himself away. What the heck was going on anyway? More voices floated down and Xander listened up again.

"The poison is rather potent but I've stopped it's progress from causing anything permanent to your pet."

Pet? Xander felt a shiver go through him as he also felt someone running a hand down his chest. Who was a pet? Spike's pet? Huh? What?

"Thanks, doc," Spike replied, shrugging before Xander heard him say. "Actually, he's more like a friend than...a pet."

"Don't tell me you actually call him a friend," The voice sounded slightly disgusted and Xander realized that he was finally beginning to recover enough to open his eyes and maybe even attempt to speak.

"Yeah, tell me about it," Spike came back with, shaking his head in wonder. "So, I'll take care of him then and you can be...."

"Ah, ah," Came the reply, honeyed with just of touch of knowing amusement. "Payment, dear boy. Don't want to forget that part of the deal, now do we?"

A pause followed and Xander was finally able to focus onto Spike and the shorter creature beside him. "Spike? What's..."

Xander groaned, pain surging and then fading away as he lost track of the conversation along with the rest of what was going on. Darkness closed in and when he came around again, Spike was alone and hovering worriedly above him. "Spike," Xander muttered, feeling like he wasn't going to die but hardly much better than anything good. "Where are we? What happened?" He tried to sit up but dizziness rushed in and made him forget what he wanted to say. Harsh breathing followed before Xander finally managed to ask, "Who was that guy?"

"No one," Spike answered, helping Xander move and find a comfortable position, lying on a mound of pillows behind his head and under his back now. "Just take it easy, pet," Spike said gently, glancing over his shoulder and then turning back to Xander once more. "You got bitten by a Granglie demon. His bite almost killed you so...I went and got some help. Doc fixed you right up but it's going to take a bit to recover. Nothing to worry about though; You're safe with me."

Xander laughed at that, and then again just because he found that he could. "Yeah, right," he scoffed tiredly. "Like I believe that one." Xander took several deep breaths, panting with exhaustion as he whispered. "Don't feel so good, Spike. Think I should..." Darkness came in again, and Xander fought to hold on to what little consciousness he still managed to have. "Where?" he asked again, needing to know because he just really needed to know.

"Somewhere safe," Spike answered, pulling something soft over Xander's body, and smoothing a hand over the human in a general kind of way before as he went on with a smile. "That's all you need to know for now, pet. Somewhere safe where no one can do you any harm. Just...try to get some rest and when you come to...things will be clearer; I promise."

"Hmm kay," Xander agreed, much too tired to think, let alone try and argue a point. "Just need to sleep a minute or two." Xander's eyes slid closed a moment later, feeling like they'd needed to do that for the last hour and forever. "Night," he whispered, smiling when a kiss was placed on his temple and he felt Spike's coolness snuggle up behind him. Really should discourage that kind of behavior fron happening in the future, but then that would require some kind of work and then, that was just much too hard to do. "Just...need to..." Sleep.

"Night, love," Spike murmured back, arm around the humans waist as he wiggled himself even closer to the other. The doc had said he'd have to take care of the boy and keep him nice and cool in helping with the fever. He could do that easy as pie. Of course, Xander might hate him in the morning but then what else was new? "You just get your sleep, pet. I'll be here when you wake up." Then, Spike fell silent, watching Xander breath as he waited for his human to recover.

Part 5

"Well, What do you think? Like the place?"

Xander opened one eye and then the other, wondering what was going on. "Spike?" He blinked sleepily, barely able to get himself to look around. "Wha...?" Place? Xander glanced toward Spike and then around again, seeing that he was on a bed and that they were also in a room. A bed room, and a nice one at that. "Where are we?"

Spike chuckled, and then he stood up to give a rolling graceful stretch which he also seemed totally unaware that he was doing. "Too soon," he decided. "Just woke up and you probably need to catch your breath."

No shit, Xander thought. What the hell was going on? "Ummm, yeah," he decided, shifting to find a better position, wincing as he realized that his ankle still hurt even though not as much as before. "What happened?"

"Don't you remember?" Spike was pulling the chair closer toward the bed, which he'd been sitting in a moment before. "Here, I got you something to eat." The vampire sat down again and Xander then noticed that Spike was holding something in his hands. A bowl maybe? Seemed so and because Xander's attention seemed to be a little on the wandering side, Spike asked him one more time, "Think you could use a little something to eat then?"

"I...is that soup?" Xander's nostrils flared, taking a deep breath almost on their own. He could smell meaty brothiness coming from the bowls direction and his stomach gave a hearty growl thinking that eating was more than a wonderful idea. Soup, yeah. Sounded good to him. Did Spike make it?

"Yeah," Spike answered easily "Thought you could use something...after the rough night you had." The vampire glanced up, his expression neutral as he asked. "Do you want some or not?"

Xander didn't reply right away, instead looking at Spike for the first time as he realized that something wasn't quite right. Something was missing from the over all cocky look and attitude that Spike always wore like...his duster? Xander frowned and then he slowly shook his head. "I remember," he said. "Running and a demon." Had they killed the demon? Or just gotten away. Xander tried to remember but things were kind of fuzzy at best. "I think I might have fallen"

"So far, so good, pet." Spike lifted the spoon up, soup dribbling off as he turned it slowly and then gave a little smile. "You got poisoned," he stated. "But you're okay now. Had someone come in and fix you up. He bandaged up your ankle, did a little spell. Connections you know. Not such a bloody bad thing to have around in this sodding place." The spoon went back into the soup and the action was repeated before Spike looked up to meet trouble chocolate eyes. "Brought you down here then and so...here we are."

And again, where was that? Xander closed his eyes, finding everything just too much to comprehend. The soup caught his attention again as he deliberated the wisdom of eating anything that Spike could make or even heat up with his own little vampire hands. "Can I have some soup?" Seems his stomach didn't care and that growling sound also went right past his brain to dislodge any last remaining logical protests that Xander cared to debate. "I think I...soup would be good."

"Okay," Spike said, scooting in yet a little more and Xander realized that Spike had the strange intention of feeding him.

"I can do that myself," Xander said, not moving to take the bowl or spoon. He suddenly felt very tired and in that moment Xander wanted nothing more than to just go to sleep and not bother getting up for a week or maybe more. "Just...a second."

Spike chuckled, bringing up a full spoon before he moved it over to Xander's mouth. "Just eat the bleeding soup, pet. Don't cause a scene."

Xander opened his mouth to make some vague protest but instead he found heated goodness in his mouth, making him moan. Xander's mouth closed over the spoon and he didn't want to let it go. Silly since the soup wasn't part of the spoon, but Xander couldn't seem to think past the delicious taste pooling over and around his tongue. "Hmmm."

"Got to let go, pet," Spike said with a grin, managing to slip the spoon away so that he could go for the refill and continue. "There, not so bad then, is it?"

Xander didn't comment, taking in several more offered bites as he muddled things over in his mind. Everything was just confusing, and then, there was Spike...feeding him and looking strange without the coat he never left home without.

Xander swallowed, holding up a hand to give himself a break. He took in slow even breaths, recovering, as his eyes roamed over the vampire's slender form, taking stock of what remained. The black T-shirt was there but for some reason the over shirt of red had also been put aside, leaving Spike to looking sexier/leaner than he had before. The usual black jeans painted on, also remained,making Xander's eyes stray there just a little too long before looking up with uncertain eyes. Spike's feet were too close to the bed for Xander to see, so he ignored that part completly.

Xander blinked sleepily, feeling woozy as he realized that Spike must have asked him a question. He swayed where he sat, finding his mind wandering to something that wasn't there. "Sorry, did you say something?"

Spike put the spoon down, frowning at the dazed expression on Xander's face. "Must be side affects of the healing spell," he muttered. "Got that poison out of you, but it takes a bit of time to get over the side effects as well. Anyway, it's nothing to worry about. Just give youself some rest and you should be better soon."

Xander mulled this over, before motioning that he'd like some more of the soup again. Vaguely, he realized that he was no longer wearing his apron and thus he also wondered if Spike might have stolen any of his tips. Okay, not such an important thing to worry about right now, but the idea was in his brain all the same. Xander's hand went to his neck, and the tie was missing as well. "Yeah..." he said. "Um, Spike...where the hell is..."

"You're stuff's over there," Spike said, motioning with a subtle tilt of his head. "Thought you'd be more comfy without the work following you around. Just folded them up. Took off your pants too." Spike grinned, a sparkling in his mischievous blue eyes. "Shoes too of course. Easier to sleep that way, you know."

"My...pants?" Xander blushed a deep red before he got himself back on track, and did he say...folded? "Your coat, Spike. I was going to ask what happened to your coat?"

"Oh." Spike bit his lips, looking self conscious before he shrugged. "Probably left it in the other room or something." The blond glanced up from the soup which he was stirring too slowly with the spoon. "What?"

Xander didn't say anything, only looking at Spike with curiousity as he wondered if this was the truth. Left in the other room? That seemed possible, seeing as the red shirt was gone as well. "oh," he said, giving in and then frowning as a thought hit him with a strange clarity even if he didn't know why he was remembering it now. "Payment?"

Spike frowned, muttering as he shrugged,"Thought you didn't hear that. Yeah, just had to pay for your fixing up. Nothing to worry about, just something I had....around, you know." The blond held up the spoon in an effort to get Xander's attention on to something else. "Here, it will get cold," he said, but Xander wasn't interested at all.

"What payment, Spike?" and then, "You gave up your coat, didn't you?" Xander didn't understand how he knew but he was sure this was the case. "Didn't you?"

Spike stood up, pacing as he put the soup aside on a small table beside the bed. He was agitated, moving a short distance one way before coming back and giving Xander a pained expression before the action was repeated. "Look, I gave the doc my coat to pay for your getting better. He took out the poison and he needed to be paid, so I paid him. That's all there is to it, so can we just bloody well move on?"

Xander fidgeted, thinking hard, not willing yet to move this conversation on. Strangely, his mind decided to do that for him, as images came from the fact that he was in this bed, and the other fact that Spike had gotten him mostly undressed while he'd been unconscious and unable to do a thing.. The young man found himself blushing then, as he imanged what the vampire must have done.

Spike sleeping with him, snuggling close, touching and undressing, kissing him and...who knew what else had come to the vampire's demented mind. Xander glanced up, meeting worried blue eyes, and a vampire who was waiting. "You didn't use my money?" Xander had taken in a pretty good take , if he remembered correctly, and also this got him mind back to the actual subject at hand.. "I had money."

Spike shook his head disdainfully, muttering, "Didn't want your money anyway. Wanted something else."

And Spike had just given that something up, just like that? Had there been a fight? Had Spike known ahead of time, before this doc person had come to heal him up? And now,what did Spike expect in return? Was it something that Xander minded giving? And interestingly, if the reward was what Xander thought it to be, he actually didn't mind.

"Spike," Xander sighed out the name, coming to a desision. Spike saved his life, pure and simple, no matter what had come before.. "Come here." "I won't bite," Xander added with some humor in his voice once he saw that Spike wasn't going to move.

The command was answered with Spike frowning and then reluctantly giving in a moment later by sitting on the bed.

"Okay. I'm here. what?"

"You kissed me."

"Think we went over this before, pet," Spike mentioned, wondering if he should move away. "Remember, you liked it?"

"Yeah," Xander admitted, his face flushing softly but he kept his gaze steady. "And you just gave up your coat for me. I have to admit that I'm more than slightly dumbfounded by the concept of both situations. In fact, I was pretty sure that you kind of hated me all the way around."

"I do," Spike said, mouth dry as he made himself stock still, face again blank as any slate could possibly be. "Hate you with a passion, pet," he added. "Can't you tell?" No emotion in that question, making Spike hard to read. "Told you not to make a fuss, Harris. It's just a bleeding coat."

"Yeah and I just only kind of liked what you did before." Xander smiled and then snorted at his semi admittance to the blond. "You know what, Spike? You talk too...bloody much."

Spike smirked and then he looked away and back again. "So, what do you want to do about it then?"

Xander's smile remained, knowing what he wanted even though the act was strange and new.

"Kiss me, Spike," Xander murmured, pushing every recent problem he'd had away. No Buffy in his head, no dad being taken by soldiers and no 314. Those things, Xander could not fix by himself anyway and this thing with Spike, he actually could. "I want to make sure that I liked the kiss before" Xander added. "okay?"

"You said you did," Spike offered, looking amused and a little excited. "Sure you want to do that again? Might stunt your growth or something bad."

"Spike," Xander repeated as he shifted a little closer to the other. "Just kiss me already. It's not hard to do."

"Fine," Spike muttered, doing as requested. The touching of lips were uncertain but quickly changed to something deeper. Both pushed into the kiss, giving into the moment with abandon until Xander pulled away with a panting gasp.

"Well, What did you think?"

Xander licked his lips, replying horsely as he glanced around the room. "Yeah," he said, "I like the place." He grinned at Spike's puzzled expression, enjoying the confusion before he added, "You asked me if I liked the room, remember?"

Understanding lit in Spike's eyes as he caught onto the meaning. He allowed a smile to appear which was mirrored by Xander's in return. "You liked it." and then. "So, what exactly does this mean?"

"Well," Xander admitted, shifting against the pillows "I'm not really sure. I guess it means that...this is a start? Besides that..." Xander glanced around with a frown as other obligtations came crashing down and this time he wasn't able to ignore them as he'd liked to do before.

"I need to call Buffy. Tell her where I am, see what's going on."

"There's a phone down here," Spike replied to the change of subject, without batting an eye. "Just got the thing to start working the other night and that's hard to do when you're under the bloody ground, I can tell you."

Xander made a face, asking, "Under the ground,Spike? No..." he held up a hand, shaking his head in denial. "Don't want to know. You can tell me later. You just bring me the phone, okay?

"Guess I can do that," Spike allowed for, asking next. "You going to leave then?"

"I'm not really sure that I can leave," Xander had to say. "My ankles hurts, though maybe I could hobble my way out. Either way I'll have to call my boss so he doesn't fire me for that whole, no call, no work kind of a deal."

"So, you'll stay?"

Xander didn't roll his eyes upward, but he wanted to, wondering when Spike had become so needy. "Yes"

"How long?"

"Long enough to let my ankle get all better. You said there was a spell, didn't you? Did magic guy use his spell on the other body part that needed fixing up?" Xander's brow was raised questioning before his expression changed to something embarrased looking as he took in Spike's reaction to his questioning.

"my ankle, you pervert.*That* body part, I meant."

Spike was still smirking but he nodded. "Yeah. He touched that a bit too. There was some shiny kind of a light and then he said your ankle wasn't broken. Said the spell might leave you groggy for a bit, come and go maybe but all in all you'd be okay after maybe half a week. and who are you calling a pervert ? I didn't say a bloody thing."

"Yes, you did," Xander stated, "we're both guys, Spike. You don't need to open your mouth to go into sex sign language," and did he just say that? No, he probably dreamed what he just said. "Okay, so I'll need a few days to recover. We'll talk, yada, yada, yada. All good and done. Okay?"

"Okay," Spike answered again before he ducked in and stole a quick and kind of goofy faced kiss. "Like that," he murmured, pulling back even though Xander hadn't stopped him and had even returned the softly delivered favor. Spike beamed, realizing that something was different, wondering if that was a good thing or bad. Good, he decided. Had to be something good. "Now?"

"Now, you go and get me more of that soup and then, I make some calls."

Part 6

"I want to go out, Spike. In fact, I *am* going out whether you want me to or not."

Spike scowled at the exclamation, having expected as such, actually surprised this hadn't come a little sooner. Once he'd shown Xander around the place that was also his new home of the moment, the boy had quickly become tense and then bored. "Don't think that's such a good idea," he stated, even though he knew that Xander's ankle was finally healed over the last few days. "In case you didn't notice it, being underground and all as we are...it's the middle of the bloody night."

"And your point is?" Xander had that impatient expression on his face that was quickly becoming all to familiar to the blond. "See, it's like this, Spike. Youre underground house thing, which I still don't quite understand how it could possibly be here in the first place, is getting on my nerves. We're under the cemetary, Spike and I cannot begin to tell you how much that creeps me out. And to top it all off..there's no light down here except for the lamps all over the freaking place .I need my sun, ..and how the hell did you get the lights to come on down here anyways? How do you pay for the electriciy? How *did* you pay for the phones? How did you get the water to be turned on? " Xander threw up his hands, warmed up in his ranting but suddenly changing track, "No, I still don't want to know. Just tell me why you don't want me to go outside because then I'm going out all the same."

Spike frowned, sure that they'd gone over all this before, but then Xander hadn't really been quite in his right mind when he'd given up all the details, had he?. The spell had made Xander slightly inebriated before, a thankfully less reacuring side affect being caused by the healing spell now that a few days had gone by.. In any case, that wasn't really the problem;. this going out thing, was.

Unsure what to say to Xander's question, Spike mulled everything over.. Why shouldn't Xander go out and get some air? Not like he'd never come back or they wouldn't see each other again, was it? Course not, but still Spike was feeling edgy and he didn't want Xander to go. "Just think waiting would be better."Spike muttered, directing his gaze upward as though he could see through the ceiling and up into the cemetery above them. "You know...til the sun comes up? Sides, I already went out tonight and I don't fancy chancing another run in with the helmet brigade, if you know what I mean."

Xander's eyes narrowed, looking more annoyed than ever as he said, "You went out before and you didn't say a thing. And you didn't think to take me? Why am I not surprised?" The soldiers. Right, but not exactly what he wanted to worry about just right now. "You could have asked me to go with you," Xander reiterated. "What, did you think I'd say no?"

"You don't have to be so bloody dramatic," Spike answered, " I just got some things you might need, pet; It's not like I spent all bloody night out having a party or something even all that fun." Spike crossed his arms over his chest, studying Xander thoughtfully. The boy was going to get out of there one way or another, he could feel it. Ever since Xander had made all the calls to his friends, he'd been edgy and easily annoyed about one thing or another. Spike had asked him about what had been said a couple of times, but somehow, the conversation had always managed to be changed before anything useful could be said. Two days had gone by, which wasn't long, but a life time to a cooped up human who obviously had too much thoughts brewing in his mind. "Hey...how about this," Spike asked, deciding to try one more time as he gave the young man a smirk, "You tell me what you and Buffy talked about, and I'll go out with you tonight."

"Who says I need you to go out?" Xander asked automatically, standing up quickly and then blinking hard as a wave of the dizzy's hit him for his too quick move to disagree.

"What's wrong?" Spike's tone showed that he was concerned as he moved to Xander's side to look the boy over. "See, you do need me," he said a split second later, relieved that he had an actual reason to keep the boy there. A tenuous reason, but a reason all the same.

"Just got dizzy for a second," Xander said. "I don't think it's anything to worry about; It's probably not even that healing spell anymore. I think I just stood up too fast." Xander took a few breaths, gathering his bearings before he noted the unconvinced look on the vampire's face; In fact, Spike looked kind of worried. "I didn't just talk to Buffy, you know," Xander said, going back to the previous subject just to get away from the fact that he might need the vampire's help in some way, or anyone else for that matter right now.

"Yeah?" Spike nodded, moving in just a little closer because now that they were both standing, kissing was suddenly in order. Spike grinned, wondering when his lips and Xander touching, had become something that they could bother easily do. Actually, that one was easy, despite Xander's plea to go. Hmmm, God, Spike did miss his leather coat, but the benefits or giving up the goods...not so bad. "Who'd you call this time then?"

Xander licked his lips, feeling desire rush into his body at the close proximity of the sexy blond. "No one important," he murmured, stepping closer to Spike and slipping his arm around the other man in what could have almost been a hug. "Same people as before really. Work, Willow...Mom." Mouths came together, hesitant at first but easily deepening into something more. "Hmm," Xander moaned, panting as the kiss ended with a smile on both of the two men's faces. "Greg wants to know when I'll be back again. I told him before that it would be a few days, but he was being a typical boss kind of a guy. They tend to like to know when they're going to need to schedule. Not sure why I called him in the first place, really but there you go." Xander paused, grimacing before he sad, "Mom too, but she's just mad because I didn't call her before. I meant to a couple of days ago but...didn't get around to it. Guess she was slightly angry."

"Can't say I blame her," Spike agreed, savoring the kiss but not going in for another until he'd found out what he needed to know. "Willow?"

"Willow..." Xander paused, thinking things through before he went on, "She says that she thinks...that I should go home." Xander's brows went down, his mouth going into a shape that showed that there was more but he wasn't sure that he wanted repeat what his best friend had said.

"Well, Spit it out. Not like whatever you're holding backs, going to kill me."

True. Xander nodded slowly before he stated, "She doesn't trust you, Spike. None of them do and they...don't think it's such a good idea for me to be down here with you. Buffy thinks that your...up to something."

Spike snorted, asking. "And you? What do you think about what they've got to say?"

"I think that...something is...kind of...." Xander carefully disengaged, taking a step back as he went on. "I just know that some of the points that they brought up might just be kind of on the valid side." Xander glanced toward the door, again feeling that he needed to go because he had a feeling that if he didn't move soon, he'd just as soon stay here another day.

"And those points would be?" The question held a hint of growling, sending a shiver through Xander as Spike asked as well. "What? They think I'm going to bite you or something? Not bloody likely with this chip in my head, now is it? Bloody Hell, they think they know everything. Just always getting into everybody's business." Spike turned away, exasperated and frustrated enough that he almost told Xander that maybe he ought to go in case he did something horrible like...make faces, or maybe kiss too hard. "What?"

"Hey," Xander soothed, going after Spike to calm. "I know you can't bite me, but I get the feeling that something is going on."

Spike didn't answer but he allowed Xander to pull him close once more, giving in grudgingly to the almost embrace.

"What's going on? Spike? Talk to me." Xander caught Spike's eye, refusing to let the contact go. "As you said, it's not going to kill me...or you, is it?"

Spike considered the question, looking slightly torn. "No," he admitted, "Just going to make me feel like a ruddy poofta,"

"Oh, and me hugging you like we're old time snuggle buddies..not doing that just the same?"

Spike smiled at the statement, knowing that Xander was right even it this knowledge did nothing to make what he had to say easier to admit to. "It's like this," he said carefully, "you go up there and things aren't going to be the same." There. Out and done with, the utterance feeling like a confirmation had been said. Spike blinked with sudden worried emotions before he went on to say, "You won't come back here, pet. You'll go home, go back to doing that Scooby business and our stuff will be done"

"Oh." Xander didn't know where this had come from exactly but he knew that he needed to head things off before he never got to leave. "No," he said. "That's not going to happen, Spike. You remember our conversation, don't you? The thing I said before I made all those calls?" Only two days ago, so Xander didn't see how Spike could have forgotten. "Hey, Spike," he said, kissing said mentioned vampire on the nose. "I know that I've been mean to you before and even kind of hated you, but, in case you hadn't noticed, we aren't doing that anymore. Sure, I might still have some questions to ask you about later, but that doesn't mean I'm just going to pretend like everything we've done has gone away. I promised, okay?"

"Yeah, okay." Spike wondered idly how he had become the one to be comforted and Xander had become the one to offer the same, but for now, all he could really do was except.

"Good, so...we can go out?" And was this the longest way to go about getting what he wanted or what? Xander kissed Spike again, hoping that everything would be okay now, despite the misgiving not yet voiced.

"What did Willow say?"

Or not. "She said you're a very bad man," Xander said in exasperation. "Now, can we go?"

"Not that. What I mean is, what questions? Since I'm right here, don't you think that asking them now would be the easiest thing to do?"

Xander put on a smile, gritted his teeth and mentally counted to ten. "Do we have to do that just right now, Spike? I mean, come on. All I want to do is go out for a short while and then we can come back. I'll answer all of your questions when we get back, okay?" Xander was looking around for his shoes which was the only thing that he hadn't put back on and he suspected that he should have gotten on before as they'd had this monster conversation. "As you said, you can't bite me, so...what's the big deal? Have you seen my shoes?" Xander spotted them and headed over grab his sneakers, thus missing Spike's expression of not so subtle disgust.

"Yeah, right..Thanks for reminding me," he grouched. "Again. You know, just because I can't hurt you, doesn't mean you have to rub it in every few moments or so. Bloody insensitive, is what it is."

"Hmm?" Xander sat down, looking over to Spike as though he's not really heard what Spike had to say. "Oh," he sad in realization. "Hey, don't take it so hard. I mean, yeah, you were the big bad before, but to tell the truth, I don't think that you were ever really all that bad. Well, not Angelus bad anyway. Not in the, send us all to hell and dance on our graves and...um...lauggh like Dr. Evil way..." The words finished slipping out just as Xander knew that he might have made a mistake. He quickly stuttered out a counter reply, flushing as he said. "That's not what I meant..um...no, not at all. You're bad, for real. You put the Grrrrr in...aggggrrrrovate?" Hmmm.

"Save it," Spike growled, not wanting to hear more. "I know how it is," he stated. "Just, don't say another word. No, strike that, do. I want to know what these questions are, or I'm not letting you leave and that's final. Last thing I need is you getting all curious later on, just when I have other things to do. So, you ask, and I tell and that's final."

Spike crossed over to the exit and he stood there as though his just saying so would keep Xander from leaving if he wanted to go. "You give me the reasons why everyone's so keen on thinking that they know best and I'll forget that you just insulted me without even caring how I happened to feel."

Xander had gotten his shoes on and he was so ready to go past Spike...who looked more than a little off put by the whole conversation as a whole. "Okay, okay," Xander finally gave in. "But just one question and then we're both going up and heading over to the Bronze to do something manly, like play pool and drink beer. Why? Because as fun as this whole, share and care thing is, Spike, I think I'm actually starting to grow some breasts and turn into a girl."

Spike nodded, feeling satisfaction in the fact that he'd won, smirking as he said, "Well, then, "Go ahead. What is it you want to know?"

Part 7

"Well, this is nice," Xander mentioned without much enthusiasm. He lifted his beer which Spike had bought him, sipping the cool foamy liquid before he looked around morosely. The club was slow tonight, practically empty as some unknown band played depressing music and Xander hoped against everything that none of his friends showed up and saw him hanging out with Spike. Not far off, said vampire was playing pool, having sauntered over there to give Xander a moment or two to ponder the state of their being. "Not nice," Xander amended, watching Spike move around the table and eye up a shot which made the young man give into a momentary smile. The duster was gone, but the red shirt was on again, and that somehow made things half way familiar.Better?

"You look happy."

Xander frowned as someone stepped into his line of sight and he noticed that she was a girl. "Oh..um..yeah, Happy, happy in the land of...happy." Xander paused, not willing to descend into full babble mode just yet, "Sorry, do I know you?" Xander sat up, glancing around toward Spike who was still busy with his game. "I don't know you, do I?"

"I went to school with you," the other said with a shrug, looking over to Spike too when she saw where Xander's gaze was intent on going. "Umm, but you look busy. I could..."

"Oh, it's ok," Xander said, feeling embarrassed suddenly, forcing himself to focus on the girl and to stop ogling the blond playing pool. "I was just doing some not so useful moping into my beer." Xander admitted, holding up his glass and then patting the space beside himself on the couch, inviting the other to sit down. "Here. Have a seat."

"Ok," the girl said, doing just that. "My name's Shelly, by the way." The girl angled her body so she could see Xander better before she noted. "You hung out with that Buffy girl, didn't you? Xander...Harris, right??"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah that's me" Xander was watching Spike again, just barely hearing what Shelly had asked him, but he turned back to her with a "Oh..um, Buffy. Yeah. She's fun. I mean, we hang out still."

Shelly grinned, and then she said. "She got that award, I remember..and can you believe about what happened with the Mayor? A giant snake, now that was crazy!"

Xander smiled, looking over Spike's form and imagining something naughty despite his resolve not to do that again tonight. "Yeah, crazy," he answered. "Will you excuse me?" Xander got up then, distracted by Spike's whole thing of just being, as he made his way away from the slightly annoyed Shelly. He stopped not far away from the other, grinning.

"Yeah? What? You done pouting now?" Spike asked as he looked over the remaining balls and decided on a shot. "Thought you wanted to come and play some pool with me, not sulk in the corner and talk to some unknown bird from your old school or something who probably didn't even like you *if* she did remember your name."

Xander snorted, downing half his drink before he put it on a table and said. "She's not unknown; she was in my class and she *did* remember my name...*and* I wasn't pouting."

"Whatever," Spike snorted, moving around and looking grouchy. "You playing or not?" Spike came back again, handing over the cue stick, having knocked 6 of the balls into their holes already. "So, what did you decide?"

"Decide?"

"Yeah," Spike said "About before. You know, about what you asked me before we left." And then, "You're solids."

"Huh?"

"Solids." Spike motioned to the balls, brow raised pointedly. "The balls?"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry." Xander rolled the cue between two flattened hands, his attention not really on anything as he mused about the conversation they'd had before leaving their underground lair. What had he decided and did he really want to talk about the questiosn just right now? And how had that one question become more than a few?

Xander shrugged, finding focus on the colored balls before them, counting to see what was left just to keep his mind from going to some place darker. He had a feeling he'd soon be in a bad mood if he let himself, and he didn't feel like being unhappy any more tonight if he could help it at all. "I haven't really thought about it," he lied a moment later, looking this time to see if he had any shots he could make now that they were going to be playing together. "You left me with nothing, Spike, " Xander said a second later. "I want to be stripes."

"Fine," Spike made a growling sound as he moved away. "Be difficult that way then. See if I care." Spike folded his arms over his chest, glowering.

"It's just a game," Xander said, knowing that this wasn't about pool at all. It was about him asking Spike a question to which the vampire had provided the answer, and then more questions as well. And this was also about if Xander was ready to believe exactly what had been said. "You can be stripes but the games almost over, Spike."

"Is not," Spike muttered, looking at the various balls as he said. "Same number of both so anyone could win. Doesn't matter how many, Harris, just depends on where you go from here."

"Yeah," Xander admitted reluctantly before he bent over and positioned the cue across the table, aiming for the white, not yet having chosen which ones he wanted to go for. Xander concentrated, thinking hard. "I guess it's just hard to decide," he finally admitted. "I mean, I don't know what to believe, you know?" The cue snapped forward and the white ball was smacked into the purple solid number 4, not putting either of them in but setting Spike up perfectly for another shot afterwards. "Fuck," Xander hissed, backing away as he glared at the vampire who only put up his hands in surrender while grinning at the same time.

"What's to decide?" Spike came around, taking the cue back before he polished the end with the blue chalk square and then moved to find the easy shot. "I told you the truth. What was the point of even asking me if you're weren't going to believe what I had to say?" Spike made his shot and the ball went in smooth as silk, echoed by his husky chuckle. "You know I'm right."

Xander seethed, noting that Shelly was nearby watching and listening in, but he ignored her for the time being. "You're not right," he said, moving past Spike as he went to grab his beer, knowing that he'd have to get the blond to buy him more if he was going to get another glass. He was surprised the bartender hadn't come over and taken this one away or kicked him out, but the man behind the drinks, seemed to be off doing his own thing and so Xander was safe to booze it up for now. "Which ball did you just hit in?"

"Yellow," Spike stated, already moving onto the next one, but pausing as he looked up over his shot, making a face. "Pay attention," he said, also not worrying about the watching girl as he talked to Xander with a slightly annoyed expression on his face. "Told you I don't want to keep having to repeat this all of the bloody time, didn't I?" Spike looked to the green striped ball he wanted next, waiting to see if Xander was going to give in and say whatever was on his mind.

"You want me." There it was. "You want me because of something that happened five months ago in Oxnard, and...you've wanted me ever since." Xander's voice rose toward the end and he blushed, glancing nervously toward Shelly who strangely wasn't looking at them at all right now. Xander frowned, his attention drifting to his drink again. The questions, the answers and the story they had become. The past. Xander's car acting up and him going to a gas station, finding himself buying cigarettes that Spike smoked and not seeing the vampire standing behind him at all because demons didn't reflect no matter what shiny surface was in front of them, even if the objects of their desires did.

"You asked me when I started wanting you," Spike answered coolly, standing up straight, the pool game forgotten for a moment as he looked over Xander and then turned and sauntered on over. "Well, just after you asked me the whole encompassing question of, 'What the Hell is going on, Spike' but that one was kind of vague, wasn't it, pet? Guess you finally starting wondering about that first kissing thing, didn't you, Xander? Yeah, thought you might some time soon, and right on cue, that's what you did."

Spike took Xander's almost empty glass away and drained the last of it, smiling. "I told you what happened and you don't believe me." Spike's voice was husky, filled with humor as he moved into what could be a kissing stance. "Don't know why you asked me that anyway; would have thought Willow would have filled your head with something more probish and useful like and less physical...unless she knows something you're not telling me. Does Willow know, Xander? Did you tell her about us, Xander? I know she doesn't like you being with me; none of them do, do they?"

"No," Xander said dryly, wanting a lot more beer now. He felt a stirring in his pants at the sultry questions, though more the tone than the words themselves and he had to swallow again. "She doesn't know. I couldn't..." Xander took in a breath and he could smell Spike's scent for want of a better term. The leather coat wasn't there but he imagined that the smell of it was still there, warn and smoke infested, along with the smell of whatever soaps Spike used when he cleaned up, all mixed together to make up the lusty smell of the vampire before him. "That's not what she wanted to know.. She didn't want to know anything about us being together."

"No?"

Xander shivered, eyes falling closed for a second but he managed to say again, "Not like we are. She wanted me to ask something else. She said I needed to come home but if I wasn't going to leave just yet then I should find out if...the chips still working...and..." Xander licked his lips, wondering if Spike was going to kiss him right here with the possibility of other people looking on. "She pointed out that you're not someone to trust and...and..." There had been other things, Xander was sure and they were all good questions really but now those things were simply gone. Spike was close, eyes dancing with shiny delight and Xander was finding it hard to breath past the hardness in his throat and in his pants as well.

"Chip's working fine, pet and you know it," Spike murmured, his body touching Xander's now, light and as close to full contact as it could come without actually being just that. "Working bloody well as it always has."

"Spike," Xander replied back, suppressing a groan as he fought not to put a hand around the vampire and just blindly thrust himself against the tightly cool and very sexy other. "Shelly's..watching. Shouldn't....We need..."

"Beer," Spike finished for Xander, lips brushing maddeningly over the human's before he turned away and sauntered hauntingly away to get a refill. "You need more beer, pet."

Xander deflated, finding the cue in his hands as he looked around to see who must have been watching the show. "Oh, God," he muttered, clenching the slender stick before he took a deep breath to regain his composure. His mind swirled around in confusion and he remembered the gas station from the past, even if he still couln't place Spike as having been there. Cigarettes. Xander had bought them and he had them still, though not on him all the time. No, that would be too dangerous, but he had them at home, in a box that he'd found someplace not remembered and he had stuck under his Hans Solo figurine and beside his DVD of the first Star Wars movie...fourth? "I so need to go home."

Xander put the cue stick against a wall, deciding that if he was going to get away, now was the time to do so and before Spike came back to stop him. If Spike did come back, Xander was pretty sure that the close almost kissing thing would not be where this whole mess would end; more likely they'd be in the corner, groping openly and why did that make Xander's cock twitch in wonderful anticipation?

"Down boy," Xander growled under his breath before he took another one to give himself some calm. With a quick look around, he noted no one was watching as he decided to make his get away. Surprisingly, he made his way to the door without Spike getting back to him and Xander realized once he'd reached the exit, exactly why. Looking back, Xander spotted Spike being distracted by, of all people, Giles and Buffy, who he'd not even seen coming in at all. Oh, that was just great. They'd probably seen the two of them almost kissing and Xander decided that leaving now, was very much of the great plans that he now was going to follow through. How was he going to explain Spike lips on his own and him probably looking like he kind of liked it? A spell? Hey, Buffy almost married Spike, didn't she? Xander put the idea aside for an emergency question/answer session he'd most likely have later on before he turned away from the three and slipped out into the night.

Spike would be ok with Buffy and Giles he was sure, though what he thought the vampire was going to say, made Xander turn a deeper shade of red than seemingly possible. Later. Now, Xander needed to go home. He'd think of excuses when the time came...or he would try. Walking down the alley way, the young man brooded in a way that would have made Angel proud, and he did his best not to run.

"Where you going, Xander?"

Shelly, he realized. Xander stopped, noting he hadn't seen her leave either and he felt a flash of fear because she must have seen what the two of them had been doing in the Bronze. No, he was not going to even start on that conversation. If he just pretended it didn't happen, they could just go their own ways after some little chit chat thing and that would be that. "Umm, Shelly again. Hi, um..I'm sorry. I'm a little tired so, I'm just going to go home," he said. "So, bye."

"What's the hurry, handsome? We can hang out a little more."

"I don't think so," Xander muttered, moving to leave Shelly behind, but she was in front of him in a moment, faster than he had expected her to go. Xander gave a startled nervous laugh, eyes coming up to meet her and this time he found that he was seeing things he'd not noted before. Like, he was really a stupid person because Shelly wasn't a person at all. "Hey," he said, trying to keep things light. "What do you know. I remember you." What was he babbling? "School. Well, it's been nice so, see ya around." Xander made a move to side step her again, but Shelly was once more in the way.

"Don't go," Shelly hissed. "I want to talk."

"Talk," Xander said flatly, getting an even worse feeling at the nape of his neck. Neck. Why did his neck have to enter into this at all? "Ok. What do you want to say?"

"Oh, you know, just talk about that school thing," She said. "You know, there were vampires there." She was grinning and Xander's feeling got worse because he pretty much knew where this was going..

"Vampires? Really? Um..oh, look at the time." Xander backed up, thinking that leaving Spike and his lust provoking body of protection hadn't been such a great idea after all. "I don't really believe in vampire's so, it's been nice but how about we just meet some other day, as in...the day time. Or maybe not at all?" Shelly growled, finally tired of playing and she moved around to block Xander's next attempted moved once more, this time finally showing her demon face. "Buffy," she said. "She got an award for killing my kind and I don't like that, so I'm going to send her a message."

"Couldn't you just use the post office?" Xander asked weakly. "Rain, umm...wind or shine you know." Xander made a yelping sound, wondering why he had such horrible luck. "I hear their very...Umm...good."

"Enough talk," Shelly growled, lunging and then dissolving into dust as something hit her from behind. "Wha..."

Xander wanted to know the same. "Spike?" he asked, looking around in the dark hopefully. Please let this be Spike. Xander felt someone move past him and he realized that there was another vampire close by. "Stop playing, Spike. I'm sorry I snuck out ok? Here, You can even have my tips, ok? You can have back your money." Xander reached a hand toward his pocket where he'd put his tips before going out though he'd left his apron behind at Spike's place. "I have it all right here, just..stop playing games. I'm nervous enough as it is," and he wanted to see what Buffy had said, or maybe he didn't. Talk about conflicting emotions, and where the heck were Buffy and Giles anyway?

"Spike? Who's that?"

Xander's blood ran cold as someone stepped from the shadows and his mental queries came to an abrupt end. This wasn't Spike but, another game face belonging to someone he did not want to see ever again. "Oh, God," he managed with a whimper. "No one," he stuttered. "No one. Spike's no one."

"No one," the vampire said with a disdainful growl, seeming amazingly fit for someone who used to be a drunken useless waste or a man. "I don't believe you," he stated, looking sober and also pissed off. A weapon was in the creatures hands, looking something between a mallet and a stake with it's very pointed handle end. "And I don't like when my boy lies to me," he said. "Xander, my *loving* child."

"Dad, you don't..." Xander shivered, wondering if yelling would work now and why Spike hadn't noticed he was gone, or maybe he had and just didn't care. "I'm not lying, but..." This was just wrong on so many levels of bad. Xander backed up again but this time Dad didn't follow. Instead he was smiling. Xander found out a second later when he heard someone behind him, a voice that sent terror all the way through even though he had no idea who it was.

"Interesting. And this is the one who you want to work with. The Slayer will be upset to find her friend has gone but I did promise you that you could pick."

Tony grinned, saying. "I stick to my bargain and you stick to yours and yes, he's the one I want as my payment."

Xander blinked hard, wondering when what this was all about as he told himself that he really did not want to know. Payment? This didn't sound like just a coat kind of a deal either. Xander startled when a huge paw of a hand grasped his shoulder and he struggled to get away. "Help," but a hand went over his mouth as the voice went on.

"Very well." A needle was suddenly jabbed into Xander's neck and the young man knew that he was in trouble. In blind panic, he shoved his hand into his pocket with the money and pulled something out, letting it flutter to the ground and as he hoped the thing was unseen. After that, the point of the injection took all of his thoughts away as a cold wave spread outward, followed one of heat which spread through him at an alarming rate. Vaguely, he heard the thing behind him still talking And Xander did his best to focus in, "We will go now, Tony. I am interested to see just how this will go. Very exciting things we will find out together as I am sure you must agree."

Xander felt the hand shift away from his mouth to someplace else but he was feeling less than able to talk right now and he also couldn't stand. The young man started to fall, and blackness swirled right in. The last thing he saw was Tony's close up face, licking his lips before he turned away and headed off into the dark.

*****

"He was right over there," Spike was walking around the club, not seeing Xander at all, still trying to figure where the other had gone. Buffy was trailing after along with a disbelieving Giles.

"Maybe he left," Buffy offered, "you know, to get away from you?"

Spike looked up, not even having thought of such a thing occurring at all. "That's it," he said, grasping. "He must have gone home. He said he wanted to get changed and take a shower and stuff, so he must have gone outside."

Buffy rolled her eyes but they headed toward the door and out into the alley. "No one's here," She said in annoyance. "Spike, if you don't tell us where he is right now, I'm going to have to..."

Spike didn't listen. He was looking around angrily, worried about the boy even though he didn't want the others to know how he felt. He stalked over down the alley way and then stopped as something on the ground caught his eye and Spike was crouching down to retrieve the piece of green. "Money," Spike said with a frown. "My money. Xander's...Oh bloody hell."

"What is it, Spike?" Giles came up behind Spike as the vampire stood once more, looking at the five dollar bill in his hand and noting the writing. "What does that say?"

"It's an address," Spike answered, looking off into the night and scenting the air. He couldn't smell anything but the wind was blowing out of the ally and not in. "Xander's in trouble," he stated. "Oh...bloody Hell." Xander was in trouble because he'd gone out and Spike had let himself get distracted by Giles and his bint of a Slayer. If that whelp went and got himself killed, Spike would never hear the end of it all and..Fuck it all, that wasn't the only reason he didn't want Xander Harris possibly wounded or worse. "We have to find him."

"What do you mean, he's in trouble?" Buffy looked at the money Spike had as well but she didn't see anything that would explain what conclusion the vampire had come to. "How do you know?" she asked. "Where'd you get that money? Spike, did you steal that?"

"I have to go," Spike said, not bothering to answer the inane question. "Just...I have to go." Then Spike took off, leaving the two people behind to puzzle over his sudden departure.

"Xander's in trouble?" Buffy echoed, mostly a question as she wondered if they should call Xander's Mom to see if he didn't just go home. And what was with Spike? If she didn't know better, she'd have said that Spike actually cared, but that didn't make any sense at all, did it? "I think we should um...go talk to Willow," Buffy decided because they also needed to see if she'd found out anything more about 314 or, now that Xander was on their mind, something about his dad as well. "I'm sure Xander's ok. He probably just got tired of Spike asking him for money. I bet he stole that money he had in his hand."

"Right," Giles said, frowning as he took off his glasses and started cleaning them as he looked off where Spike had disappeared to. "He does that sometimes," and then, "Willow's then. I do wish Xander hadn't run off like that though. We really could have used his help in researching." And getting free pizza he had hoped, but didn't say so out loud. Giles put his glasses back on after looking through them to make sure he'd not missed a spot and then he started to go. "Do you think the donut shop is open still?"

*********

Xander moaned, blinking as he looked around. Where was he? He sat up, finding himself in a dark place and feeling slightly cold. "Spike?" Nothing and he wasn't surprised. Xander glanced around again, gasping as lights were turned on blindingly bright. "Ow," he said, closing his eyes, blinking to get them adjusted to the new sensation. "This isn't good," he decided. A moment later, Xander looked up, noting somewhat where he was. "Uh oh, this is very bad." A cell. Xander was in a white room all the way around, with a clear glass doorway through which he could see a larger room on the other side. "What happened to me?" Xander yelped as two faces appeared at the clear partition between his cell and the room, one of them smirking in from the other side.

"Do you think that this is going to work?"

"I believe so," Adam said to the vampire beside him. "From what you have said, he has already gone through a certain amount of training at your own hands."

"Yes, he has," Tony growled back. "So, when can we begin?"

"As soon as I have the other two men down here." Adam replied, "They will know what I require of this young man, and you of course will help in his instruction. Be patient. The plan is far from completion with the soldiers in their half of this secret facility. Also, this kind of mental preparation cannot be rushed into lightly."

Xander shivered, realizing that he had no clothes on and he was scared out of his mind. Where was he? This place looked like...Soldiers? Did the crazy half guy just say soldiers? Was this the initiative? Was this the thing that got away? Xander latched onto numbers, shaking his head as they stayed there stark and glowing in his mind. 314. This was 314 he knew without a doubt, and even worse, there was also his dad..and they were together "Other two men? " and, mental preparation? What did that mean?

"I know," Tony answered. "But I just want what's mine," he added. "My boy owes me respect."

"Oh, do not worry about that," Adam said with humor, "you will get respect from the boy, and I in return, will get so much more. We will all get so much more." Adam grinned to the vampire, putting his hand on the vampire's shoulder as he said conversationally, "Now, how long do you think it take before a person starts to hallucinate from sleep depravation? More then one week? I imagine that will be just one of the test they will want to perform as will I. Yes, this is going to be quite exciting all the way around..." The two moved away down the hall, still talking as they left Xander to himself and to wonder.

"Spike," Xander whispered, pushing himself into a corner as he hugged his legs to his chest in fear. "If I get out of here, I am so going to make you dead," he muttered through chattering teeth. "Oh, God, Spike," Xander whispered a second later..."please get me out of here now. someone?" But of course no one answered and a second later, the lights went out again.

Part 8

"Well?"

"Well, *what*, Spike?" Giles looked up in exasperation as the blond stormed in without bothering to knock or ask if he could enter in the first place. "What do you want now? I don't recall saying you were welcome in my home, do you?"

Spike snorted, waving his hand in dismissal. "Vampire, Rupert" he said, "I'm Evil, remember?...and it's not my fault you don't lock the door or even bother to uninvited me again, now it is?"

"I knew there was something that I forgot to do," came the sarcastically muttered reply, "so, now that you *are* in my home, what can I do to get you to leave again? Please, do tell." This was delivered with a light tone, despite the pained expression on Gile's face. "Well, What do you want?"

"Xander," Spike answered with annoyance. "That's what. I want to know where he is."

Giles startled, not having expected to hear anything close to what was said. "Well, yes...Xander," he murmured, taken aback. "We know he's not at home and he's not been to work, but...no, I don't know where he is, Spike. I'm sorry but I haven't a clue." Giles closed the book he'd been reading, putting it under his arm as he started to fiddle with his glasses, cleaning them in agitation. "Buffy's been out looking tonight and the last, but so far she's not been able to find much at all. She did say she may have a lead downtown, but I don't think it's going to pan out. She said she'd call if something came up."

"If something came up? What do you mean, if something came up?" Spike's wide eyed expression showed that he didn't believe what he was hearing. "How can you be so casual about one of your bloody Scoobies gone missing? You need to get on the ball, Giles. Gather the troops and get out a full fledged search party!" Spike was pacing in front of Giles now, and he stopped to glare. "He could be hurt, you know."

Giles blinked tiredly, having stayed up too late these nights to be able to work up to anything like a suitable outburst in retaliation. "I know," he answered. "and we are doing all that we can but our resources are limited and as much as we all want to know where Xander has disappeared to, there are still other dangers to be solved."

Giles frowned, putting his glasses back on as he focused on Spike once more. "Spike, why are you *really* here? You don't even like Xander, though if I didn't know better I'd start to say you did...so surely you can't care if we find him safe and sound or not, now can you? In fact, I thought you rather hated his guts."

Spike didn't answer right away, having expected this though he'd thought they'd have asked him before....and now that Giles did want to know, he found he didn't know what to say. "Don't know what you mean, Rupert" Spiked replied huffily, hands moving as though to dive into his pockets and ending up sliding down his sides because there was no place for them to go into. He should have gotten another jacket but somehow he'd not gotten the time. "Don't hate his guts," he added. "Just the other parts of him."

Spike did the coat action again and then crossed his arms over his chest instead, scowling. "And what does it matter what I think? I just....he owes me money!" Yeah, that was it! "I gave him some money to ...buy something last week and I want him to pay me back."

Giles stared in shock and then he snorted. "I said I didn't have a clue, not that I'm a complete moron. If you'd leant Xander money...if he'd even asked for any...I'll eat my hat. I'll eat a *whole* hat store, even."

"Well, it's true," Spike started to say, feeling hurt that Giles didn't believe him but not surprised. He was saved the trouble however, and the vampire was grateful for the next distraction.

"Giles," Buffy opened the door, storming in, not hearing Giles as he muttered about how no one ever knocked anymore. "We have a problem."

"Oh, that's something new," Spike mentioned casually. "A problem. That *never* happens 'round here."

"Shut up, Spike," Giles said automatically. "What is it, Buffy? Did you find Xander? Are you hurt? What's wrong?"

Buffy had moved to the middle of the room, breathing a little hard from having run back to report her discovery, but recovering quickly as she said, "No, no word on Xander but I think this might be a clue to our other problems." The slayer then remembered that Spike was there and she turned around to face him. "You! What are you doing here?" Her eyes narrowed as she glanced over his form and noted that the coat seemed to be gone. So not the thing to be worrying about just right now, but the question was there all the same. "Getting into a new fashion, Spike? What happened to big bad leather boy look?"

"I believe you're thinking of Angel," Spike retorted, not ready to go into any coat details right now or ever. "And you said you had a clue?"

"Angel is not into..." Buffy started. "He's just...dramatic, that's all."

"yeah, right," Spike snapped. "Like a bloody freight train. Man can't even use a comb right if you ask me. It's probably too difficult for his hammy big hands. Ooh, look at me. I use nancy boy hair.."

"Look who's talking," Buffy interrupted. "What, did you glue your hair down or do you just like looking like a big..."

"Buffy!" Giles cut in with some exasperation, "please, will you please just tell us what you were going to say?"

Buffy shook herself, coming back to the present but glaring toward Spike as she said, "Yeah, something I found while beating up the local stoolies." and why the heck did they call them stoolies.? Did they sit on stools or something? Or was that the other kind of stool, and if so..that was just gross. "I was in Willies old place and I had just finished beating up some blue demon guy, when I ran into *him*."

"Xander?" Spike piped in, listening expectantly and a tad too hopeful.

"No, not Xander. If I found Xander, I'd have said I found Xander. Are you even listening to me?"

"Yeah, well..." Spike looked embarrassed, grateful when Giles asked Buffy to go on.

"Him," Buffy repeated and then she said, "remember Xander said his dad had been kidnapped by the initiative? He said Spike told him and everything."

"Standing right here," Spike muttered, but didn't say it loud enough to stop the flow of the conversation.

"Yes, I do recall something along those lines," Giles admitted, resisting the urge to clean his glasses for the hundredth time that night. "Please do *not* tell me what I think you are going to tell me."

"He's a vampire."

Giles looked upward, saying, "Good heavens, I told you not to tell me." The ex Watcher took a deep breath, realising that he really did need some sleep and that while this information was useful on some level, he didn't know what to do with it just right now. "And this is helpful with our other problems in what way? I fail to see any sort of connection." Except that Xander could actually be in more danger than they'd suspected in the first place.

"Well, "Buffy started. "I'm not really sure," she admitted, but he did kind of talk to me before I told him that I knew what he was."

"Yes?" There was *some* hope it seemed. "What did he say?"

Spike shook his head, wondering yet again how these two had managed to foil all of his plans no matter how wonderful they'd seemed at the time. "Yeah," he echoed, "just what did old Harris have to tell you?" The vampire was back to acting nonchalant, but this was something he very much wanted to hear. "Probably not even useful."

Buffy frowned and then she slowly said, "He said that he didn't know where Xander was and if I saw him to have him call in. He was acting kind of strange and he looked a lot better than I remember him being. Not that I've seen him a lot of course but he seemed to want to know and..." Buffy's eyes went wide and she made a startled sound as she put the facts together and what they could mean. "Oh..this isn't good is it?"

"Well, you staked him, didn't you?" Spike asked, hoping this wasn't so or things would be a lot harder for them as a whole. "If you did that, you'll never find Xander at all. "Just saying is all; can't be a good idea if you offed the old man, you know."

"I didn't stake him," Buffy interrupted with. "I didn't get a chance. He was talking about Xander and stuff and I kind of just...well, I was surprised to see him in the first place. I asked him how he'd gotten away from the initiative and all and he said he didn't know what I meant. Then, we happened to walk in front of a store that was...." the rest was muttered so quietly that even Spike had no idea what was said but Buffy didn't seem to want to repeat, only looking embarrassed as she went very quiet.

"'Scuse me, but I didn't catch that, love."

"Nor did I," Giles stated. "What was that, Buffy? Store that was what?"

"Selling mirrors?" Buffy turned away abruptly, pacing. "Ok, so I need work on my vampire detection system, so sue me. I am getting better, and I did mention that I was startled, didn't I?" Buffy kicked at something on the floor, embarrased because they'd half way suspected this before but she also hoped that it wasn't true. "That's not really the point anyway, is it? The point is, he kind of noticed the mirrors at the same time that I did and then...wham!"

"I'm sorry?" Giles didn't know exactly what the sound effect meant but he had an idea. "*Wham?* What happened?"

"What didn't? I was attacked by multiple vamps and daddy dearest got away."

"I knew it!" Spike suddenly yelled and then added hastily as both Giles and Buffy looked his way. "Um...just..well, you two should have been looking harder that's all and now Xander's been caught by his own father and now what are you going to do about it? Stand around, I bloody well bet and do nothing even remotely helpful. You're both useless."

Spike finished, scowling but inside he was a little more than scared. And annoyed because despite the whole kissing thing as of late and the whole underground house and all that, he hadn't meant to start caring for Xander and somehow he was and that was just plain wrong. Lusting was fine, kissing was good, especially when followed by copious groping, but caring, that was supposed to be right out, no matter what he'd alluded to before. Had he alluded to that before? Hmmm. "That's it," Spike stated. "I'm going to find Xander's dad and then you," Spike pointed to Buffy and glared. "You're going to make him tell us what we want to know."

"Why me?" Buffy asked though she was more than glad to comply if Tony could actually be found....and the faster the better because she was now thinking that Xander was more than just in trouble. He might actually be a vampire too. Duh, much? Yeah but it didn't matter. Buffy shuddered at the thought of loosing her friend and this was just getting to be very much too much. "Why can't you get him to talk? He's a demon after all. You can pummel him as much as you want to and not even get a mild headache."

Spike snorted, having the chance now to prove once and for all about just how little he cared for Xander LaVelle Harris because he was starting to have his doubts. "Because, duck," he said, going over to the door and pulling it open with a grin. "Because I'm evil, remember? And that's your job, not mine."

"Then why are you going out to look for Xander's dad at all?" Buffy retorted, moving just as quickly, hoping that her question would keep him from going just yet, though she didn't know why she cared."You hate him so much, so why are you trying to help?"

Bloody Hell, why did they have to ask all the hard questions just when Spike was having the chance to be smut and haughty? For a second, Spike stood there looking for a quick answer so that he could go and start the searching.

Finally, he shrugged and said to himself, *what the hell* because they would never believe him anyway and now that slight fear he'd felt before was turning into something burning. "Because," he said as they waited to hear what he had to say. "Because he's a bloody great kisser, and because he actually listens when I have something to say. ... and that's all *I'm* going to say!"

Spike felt his cheeks go red, not having quite meant to go that far, but again he was hoping they just wouldn't believe him anyway. "So, no more questions; I have work to do." Spike shot out through the door, pulling the knob hard enough to make the frame shake as he wondered if he hadn't just lost his bleeding mind.

"Yeah," he said to himself, "and he's cute when he's sleeping." Well, at least he hadn't said everything. With that last unhelpful comforting thought, Spike once again headed off to see what he could find. God he hoped that this time would yield more than his last frantic look around, after the alley incident when Xander originally disappeared. No, he knew this time he *would* find something because this time he actually had more than money Xander left behind. This time he had information and someone he could find. Tony. If he could find the dad, Spike was sure, he could find the son. He only hoped that this time, he just wasn't too late.

******

Inside of Giles front room, Buffy still stood frowning toward the door. "I didn't just hear what I thought I heard, did I?"

Giles shook his head, uncertain as well. "I believe we should call Willow," he finally decided on. "She's been working on several spells as of late and she might be able to help us track Xander down."

"And you decided to think of this now?" Buffy scowled, still looking at the door. Xander was a great kisser? Of course Anya had alluded to that when she was around but... Spike?

"Yes, well, "Giles started to say. "She's still learning so I don't know that she can help us or not but at this point, I believe she may be our only hope, unless Spike actually does come through and does what he's said he'd do."

Giles took off his glasses, giving in and cleaning them. "I really don't know why he would have said those things he did however." Walking to the phone, Giles picked up the receiver, tired beyond reason but wanting to do this at the very least before they went to bed. It must have been three in the morning or so, or it felt that way at least. Pushing in the numbers to Willows dorm room, Giles listened to the phone ring as he muttered under his breath, "I'm sure we must have miss heard him; Xander never listens to anyone."

Part 9

"Listen up, boy; Pay attention."

"Hmm?"

Xander blinked, wanting to curl up and sleep but knowing he'd be unable to for some strange reason. The room spun as he looked around, and for a moment he thought about being sick. Maybe if he had some food inside of him, Xander could do that, but then again, if they'd given him some food, maybe he wouldn't feel so horrible in the first place. Good logic. Xander nodded to himself, glad he'd figured that out. "Right."

A growl sounded nearby as a harsh slap penetrated his awareness, sending him to the floor in a daze of sudden pain and nausea. "Not right," the voice hissed. "Not right at all."

Xander laid on his back, looking up at his dad. Tony, not his dad. Dad was dead, wasn't he? So this had to be something else. "Sorry," he muttered, sure he couldn't get up again. Better to stay here then keep falling down. "Listening now, really."

Tony nodded sternly, walking around Xander, prodding him with the toe of boot as he moved along. "Rules," he stated. "You have to learn the rules and there's going to be more than a few."

"Rules," Xander echoed as he wondered why he felt like he was naked. Oh yeah, he *was* naked. The young man giggled, and then grimaced when the boot tip poked him hard in the side, not quite a kick. "Sorry. Rules," he said again, not laughing now because the fear he'd felt before was back in force. How long had he been here? Seemed like forever but that couldn't be right. Days, Xander was sure. More than a few days? He didn't know and there was no way to tell. The lights were always on now and when he tried to sleep, someone gave him a shot and then he was awake even though he was also tired beyond belief. "What are the rules?"

"Call me sir, for one," Came the casual reply as Tony crouched down and placed a cool hand on his son's chest, holding him there. "I like when you give me respect, Xander...*Alexander*. Why you took that stupid shorter form, I'll never know. It's annoying and just won't do." Tony cocked his head, nodding. "Or we can think of something else later on. Something like, 'boy' or 'slave?' but really those things are so boring."

Xander shivered under the hand that was now tracing idly around one exposed nipple, unsure of what to say. His father had never acted this way, though being overpowered was nothing of the strange. Being hit wasn't completely unknown even if he'd usually just tried his best to stay hidden down in his room. Tony wasn't as likely to lash out if he was happy sober or drunk enough to sleep, or even better, if Xander wasn't around to annoy him. It was just the times in between which Xander had come to dread.The times when Xander had been caught upstairs, getting something he needed when Tony had come in, hammered enough to be angry for something for which Xander hadn't a clue. Those times he knew of, but this was something new. Very new.

"Can I have a drink of water?"

The question came out without warning and Xander realised that he'd made a mistake as soon as he was halfway finished. Before he knew it however, Tony had stood, pulling him along with one hand now tangled in Xander's hair. Xander let out a yelp, gasping out, "Sir. Sir!" frantically but his words did nothing, and he was slammed against a nearby wall and held there roughly with a hand now on his neck and shoulders.

"You get a drink when I say so, Alex," Tony ground out, his foot pushing sideways one way and then another, to shove Xander's leg's apart as he growled low in his throat in warning. "Pet," he added, "Slave.." Tony pushed Xander harder, a hand sliding over his son's back, almost massaging as it went along. "First," he said. "I want to talk. Ask questions that you can answer. If you say the right things," Tony murmured as his mouth moved closer to Xander's ear. "I'll let you ask as well. I'll give you a reward if you're good as you should be. Hmm."

Xander shivered, not liking that coolness trailing down over his naked flesh. Dad really had never done this before and if Tony *did* do what the action seemed to imply, Xander didn't know if he could get away with his mind completly intact. No, Xander told himself. The hand moving down toward his bottom, wasn't going that far, Just seemed that way. Just seemed to stop right at the beginnin of his ass, petting there in suggestive circles that made Xander want to become ill all over again. "Yes, sir," Xander managed, his voice thick and ragged with terror. "Anything. Please, anything!"

The hand lingered and then Xander was stumbling as Tony let him go and turned away. "Good...*Xander* he praised. Tony snorted and shrugged, going on "If you're good, I'll use that name, maybe. I still haven't decided really." Tony walked over and he pulled a chair from a table that Xander didn't recall seeing before. "Come over here, you look tired."

"Yes, sir,' Xander said again, working to maintain his balance and swaying before he did as he was told. He stood there in front of Tony, unsure of what to do but wishing again that he could lay down and just sleep. Sleep. Xander sighed, thinking about the last time he'd be comfortable in bed. That had been with....

Spike. A million miles away. Was the blond looking for him? Were any of his friends looking for him at all? They had been trying to figure out 314, which Xander seen before in the alley, but did that mean they were looking for him? Maybe. They were his friends after all and that was what friends usually tried to do. Didn't they? And why did the idea of snuggle up with Spike sound nice and comfy right now? Spike was cool and slender, and not really a fluffy kind of a guy. And at this point, seeing Spike would even have been a good thing. Better than this in any case.

"Move your hands," Tony said cooly, startling Xander as he pointed between his legs, which the young man had covered up without thinking. "Your hands should be behind your back at all times," he decided. "I like them there better and I want to see you in this way from now on."

Xander swallowed heavily, his hands hesitating to go anywhere but when Tony started to get up, he took a step back and did what he was told. "Yes, sir. Yes."

"Good. Now, we'll begin. You get down on the floor, kneeling. Hands behind your back and we'll do just as I said."

"Yes...sir," Xander shook his head, blinking hard. He didn't think he could do this much longer but something about it seemed so...familiar? Couldn't be, he was sure of it. Nothing like this had ever happened before. Ever. No, he must just be imagining things and having been up and awake for what could be forever, this was an easy thing to do. "Sorry," he muttered next, stifling a yawn.

"Down, pet." Tony growled, becomming impatient. He frowned, not seeming happy with that particular title either but willing to keep going until he had something he liked best. "Now."

Xander swayed a second as though he'd forgotten how to get down and then he semi toppled, and half slid to his knees with a grunt of pain. "Yes, sir," he whispered, his throat hurting as a new urge reappeared. Xander trembled, hands behind his back, kneeling before his dad as he took in one breath after the other and felt the room start to spin around him in a dizzyingly colourful pace. "Rules," he gasped, thinking he really should have followed through on that plan to drink more liquids while at work, and to keep himself in better shape all the way around. "Down. Sir. Rules"

A hand lashed out and fingers tangled in Xander's hair to hold him up as Tony hissed. "No sleeping! If you fall to sleep, you will be in serious trouble, boy!"

Xander giggled, unable to help himself. "Yes, sir," he mentioned, feeling wetness on his cheeks. "No sleeping. Rule number two. No sleeping." The shot must be wearing out or something but then maybe dear daddy had another or maybe Adam would come back in and say something strangely stilted and yet interesting at the sametime. "No.."

Tony cursed as Xander's eyes rolled up into his head and just like that he passed out despite the threat. Getting up, the vampire growled in anger, kicking Xander in the side but his son was out for the count. He looked around for his needle, finding the syringe on the table. Before he could administer the dose,however, a calm voice filled the brightly lit room.

"I believe you may wish to do that after a short time has passed," Adam mentioned, stepping through the glass door which had opened and closed behind him. "The boy has not eaten for a week and been kept awake for almost as long. Our goal is to break this child born of your line, not to kill him before our testing is completed. Do you not agree?"

"I told him not to go to sleep," Tony pointed out with some annoyance. "And you said if I did what you wanted, that I would get some respect from my son."

"Yes, that is true," Adam noted. "You *did* do as I asked and passed on doubt to the slayer and her friends. By giving her an idea of where her friend is, she will try harder to find our location. Of course she will not locate us until I am ready but at least this will make for a very good start. Still, there are other things which I will need for you to do."

"What?"

"I will need you to contact one other. He is a vampire who has been with this one recently even though I do not believe many know of them being together. He will provide contact with the Slayer and her friends that I do not think you are quite capable of right now."

"Excuse me? Who the Hell are you talking about? I don't remember anyone being with my son but his freaky friends. And I'm sure I can contact them just fine!"

Adam shook his head, going toward the door and through as it opened. "No," he stated. "I will say who will contact who. He is a most peculiar creature and I believe he could be an important pawn in the games I will play. His name is Spike."

"Spike," Tony repeated with a scowl. "None of his friends had normal names, do they?"

Adam did not comment, only looking to something Tony could not see. "The hour is growing late," he said instead, "I must go out but you will stay here. I will send food for you or you can drink from your *slave* if you wish. I would imagine that the serum in his blood is quite fowl tasting however and I would not advise it.."

"Just send me a victim," Tony suggested. "If Alex sees me eating someone else..." the vampire grinned, prodding at his boy. "Well, I think he'll see how I hate to be disobeyed."

"Punishment. Yes, that is very good," Adam decided. "Hurting others will work on him in a way that is better then a simple beating."

"That's the idea," Tony noted, sitting back in his chair. "That's exactly the idea."

END PART 9