Title: Expunged
Author: Forsaken2003
Pairing: S/X
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I own none, all belong to Joss Whedon
Comments: Always welcomed!
Summary: Spike finds out that Xander's not quite the goody goody that he thought he was.
Warnings/Spoilers: Season 4
Beta'd by: Unbeta'd

Prompt #468 from tamingthemuse- Expunge

Note: From now on most of my tamingthemuse stories will be named as the challenge.

For two weeks Spike was stuck living with Xander in the God awful basement. Also known as the basement of doom by Xander. It wasn't Xander that Spike had the biggest problem with but the basement itself. Xander was actually pretty accommodating. It was dark and dank. Spike wasn't a big fan of dark and dank. Which was strange for a vampire he knew but contrary to what people thought Spike loved color. Bright colors.

With a bored sigh Spike wandered around the basement looking at different things. Things that he checked out every day since he'd been dumped on Xander. Finally he decided to look under the pull out couch. Didn't humans hide the juicy stuff under their beds? Maybe Xander had some skin magazines that he could look at. Falling to his knees Spike stuck his hand under the bed. There were a lot of dust bunnies. Xander wasn't much of a cleaner. Just when Spike was about to give up his hand it a book. Score! He dragged it out excited to see what Xander was hiding. When it was out from under the couch Spike's shoulders slumped when he saw that it wasn't a skin magazine. After a minute of pouting he took a look at it and his interest peeked. It was a journal.

Xander Harris kept a journal? That surprised Spike. He didn't seem like the write down your feelings type of guy to Spike. Harris had layers. Being the bad vampire that he was Spike opened it up and began to read. From the year that was dated Xander had to have been 13 or 14 years old. Most of it was boring. Complaining about teachers and his parents. There were several entries about Willow's crush on him and how he didn't know what to do about. He cared too much for her to ruin their friendship.

Their friendship was obviously pretty bloody strong after their little love affair back in high school, Spike thought. He skimmed over the next few entries hoping for something juicy. Seven entries later Spike was not disappointed.

May 28th, 1995

I can't believe I let Jesse talk me into this. Willow was out of town this weekend and Jesse wanted to do something different. 'Guy stuff'. So we snuck out after curfew and met up at the abandoned mansion on Crawford Street. Jesse brought some spray paint from his dad's garage and I stole my dad's last six pack.

We started spray painting the walls. Nothing creative we aren't that artistic. Well I'm not Jesse did some cool stuff. The beer tasted horrible I don't know why dad drinks so much of it. I guess me and Jesse are lightweights because with three each we ended up passing out. It being after two in the morning might have had something to do with it though. The headache was definitely from the beer.

Someone must have seen our flashlights because the next thing I knew we were being handcuffed and being stuffed into the back of a cop car. I don't think the handcuffs were really necessary. I mean we didn't have any weapons!

When our parents came to get us were they mad! Dad was really pissed but that was mainly because of the beer. We were allowed to go home with them but we have to appear in court on Monday.

I'm not going to lie, I'm terrified!

May 30th, 1995

Just great! The judge has ordered me and Jesse to do 100 hours of community service. A hundred hours! And we have to pay for the damages to the crappy mansion! Which means no allowance for two months. If Jesse wasn't my best friend I'd punch him!

The judge said that we looked like good kids and he understand that it was normal for kids to act out but that didn't mean it was all right to break the law. He also said that if we kept our noses clean when we turned eighteen our records would be expunged. I still don't understand the big deal. We didn't hurt anyone. Whatever.

From now on I'm not listening to anymore of Jesse's 'good' ideas. If I do I'll probably end up in jail or something. Even though I don't think I'm to actually do anything with my life I'd like it to be my choice. Maybe I can work at the Double Meat Palace. I hear you get food for free.

"What are you doing with that?" Xander shouted as he ripped his old journal from Spike's hands.

"I was reading it," Spike answered. "And here I thought you were a goody two shoes. I didn't realize you had a wide streak."

Xander rolled his eyes. "You have obviously been out of the evil business too long if you think that was a wild streak." He stuffed the journal back under the couch. "Are you that bored that you looking under the furniture to pass the time?"

"As a matter of fact, yes." Spike said and plopped down on the couch. "Why are you home so early?

"I was… let go," Xander replied as he leaned his head against the back of couch.

Spike snorted. "Does avoiding saying the word fired make you feel better?"

"Actually, yes."

"So no more free food?" Spike asked with a chuckle.

Xander didn't answer he just glared.

"You know you let your thirteen year old self make you feel like you are insignificant. But he was wrong." Spike was looking at Xander. "You've helped save the world more times than I bet you can count and yet you feel like you don't deserve a job that could actually get you out of this dump."

"I'm afraid I'm going to fail. Getting fired from fast food joints are one thing but I don't know if I could handle failure from a job that could get me places," Xander admitted quietly.

Spike was quiet for a minute before speaking. "Wow."

"Wow what?" Xander asked confused.

"I never thought you were that big of wuss!" Spike said with a laugh. "Everyone fails, whelp. It's just the way life goes. If you never try you'll never know how much you can actually succeed."

Xander knew Spike was right which was very weird. "I know you're right but I don't even know what I want to do."

"All you can do is grab the newspaper, look and have some bloody faith in yourself!" Spike grabbed the newspaper and tossed it at Xander.

"Why are you helping me?" Xander asked warily.

"Because I have no way of getting blood right now and I'm depending on you. Also when you move out of here that means I'm going with you," Spike replied.

Xander laughed. "So what you're saying is that I'm stuck with you?"

"Until I get this chip out," Spike confirmed. "Or when I can find a job that doesn't need a social insurance number or photo I.D."

"Well if that's the case you have to help me find a job and when I get a place of my own you have pick up after yourself. One dried crusty blood mug or blood coated weapon in my place you are out."

Just for show Spike grumbled. He was actually neater than Xander. "Fine."

Xander looked at the job adds. "The cinema is looking for employees. I bet I would get to see movies for free!"

"No."

Xander pouted. He kept looking. "There are a few openings for the construction job for the new strip mall that's going to start being built next week. It pays $15.00 an hour. But I have no experience."

"So what? When you go in to apply they'll see a young fit guy. That's what they want." Spike took the newspaper from Xander and read over the ad. "And it doesn't say anything about experience needed."

"You're right," Xander said.

"Course I'm right!" Spike answered. "Now get off your arse and go apply. You wait too long and you'll miss out."

Not thinking Xander leaned over and hugged Spike. "You know for a evil vampire you're kind of a nice guy," Xander said as he let Spike go and stood up.

"Oi! Don't go saying such mean things!" Spike called out as Xander walked up the stairs. He heard Xander laugh.

An hour later Xander came home with a job.

The End