Beta'd by epd4 and Behind Blue Eyes. Thanks to both of them for all their help.
Bruises
Chapter 7 – Chinese
Spike looked nervously at the house then nodded slightly. "Ready as I'll ever be, I suppose. You're sure they're all right with me stayin' here? I don't want to be a burden or cause any trouble. I could just go home. My Da's not there, right? He's been taken?"
Gunn shook his head. "Sorry, Spike, no can do. You're still a minor, so we can't allow you to be on your own. It's either here or a juvenile facility until Social Services can place you with a regular foster family, and as slow as the system works, you'd be eighteen before that happened. And yes, your father was arrested when he showed up at the hospital. They have him in custody… and if LeHane has anything to say about it… he's going to stay that way for a very long time."
Spike's eyes went wide with fright. "At hospital? What 'bout Mum? Is she all right? Did he get to her?"
Gunn laid his hand on Spike's arm. "She's fine. They took him before he even set foot in the building. He showed up at 6:30 on the dot, just like you said he would." Gunn grinned widely, "Oh… thought you might like to know… he resisted… and Faith tazed him." Gunn opened his door and got out, straightening his suit jacket as he stepped to the front of the car.
Spike smiled just a little as he thought about what Gunn just told him, then grabbed the bag from the pharmacy off his lap and climbed slowly out of the car, weariness evident in every line of his body as he straightened up and squared his shoulders. He walked to the front of the car and stopped next to Gunn, holding his hand out. "Thank you for everything, sir."
Gunn sent Buffy a look, nodding his head slightly, and she moved unobtrusively toward her car, leaving them alone for a minute. Gunn grasped Spike's hand and shook it firmly as he smiled warmly. "No problem, Spike, and I've gotta tell you, I'm surprised that you're handling everything so well. Usually kids that have gone through what you have would be sedated in a mental ward somewhere or in jail themselves for doing something stupid… you're one hell of a stubborn cuss, that's for sure." Gunn let go of Spike's hand then gently wrapped his arm around his shoulders. "One more thing. Your fucking waste of skin father is lucky that I wasn't there during the arrest or he would've ended up in a body bag." Gunn grinned widely, "Probably better this way, though. He'll get a taste of his own medicine in prison. Cons don't look too kindly on child abusers. My own father found that out the hard way."
Spike looked at Gunn with wide eyes. "Your father abused you?"
Gunn nodded solemnly, "Yeah… for years… my mom and my sister, too. I didn't have it near as bad as you… he'd only beat on us when he was drunk... which wasn't every day… but I know some of what you're going through, and you're handling it a helluva lot better than I did." He winked at Spike. "I turned into a badass street hood for a few years… almost ended up in the same prison as my Dad." He slipped his hand inside his jacket then pulled out a business card and handed it to Spike. "If you ever need to talk to somebody that's been there, here's my private cell number. Call me anytime." He squeezed Spike's shoulder and looked at him intently. "Anytime, Spike. I mean that."
Spike nodded, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes, and stuffed the card deep into his pocket. "Thanks, Mr. Gunn. I appreciate it."
Gunn dropped his arm and smiled as he nodded toward the house. "Let's get you inside; I've got a pile of reports screaming my name back at the office. And call me Charlie."
Buffy had retrieved Spike's knapsack from her car and was waiting by the front door when Spike and Gunn walked up the steps. Gunn nodded to her as he stepped inside the house, reaching into his jacket again and pulling out a folded sheaf of paper. "Mr. and Mrs. Giles, I'm here to deliver into your custody one William James Pratt, seventeen years of age. Do you agree to take custody of this minor child?" Rupert and Joyce both nod and Gunn smirks. "You both need to say out loud that you do. I know, I know… but procedure is procedure and I'll get strung up by my toenails if I don't follow it." He winked. "You both know how much of a stickler my boss is."
Joyce laughed, "Yes, we know how he is. All right, Charles, yes, I agree to take custody of William Pratt. He's more than welcome to stay here as long as he wants to."
Gunn nodded and looked at Giles. "Mr. Giles?"
Giles nodded from behind Joyce, "Of course I agree. He is welcome in this house."
Gunn grinned, "Good! We'll just get him in here and I can get out of your hair." He turned around and smiled at Spike, who was still standing on the front porch, his hands jammed deep into his pockets as he shuffled nervously from foot to foot.
Buffy stepped inside, set the pharmacy bag on the table by the door and dropped Spike's knapsack on the floor underneath it, then snagged Rupert's arm, leaning up to whisper in his ear as she dragged him to the door. "He won't come in until you invite him in. Said it's not proper." She smiled at Spike as they stepped out onto the porch. "British people are so amazingly weird."
Everyone chuckled at Spike's "Oi!" and Rupert's "I say!"
Rupert stepped up in front of Spike wearing a welcoming smile and held out his hand. "Good to see you again, Mr. Pratt. Won't you please come in?"
Spike tentatively took his hand and nodded shyly, "Thank you, Mr. Giles. I appreciate you allowing me to stay in your home. I'll try not to be too much trouble."
Giles stepped up next to Spike and wrapped his arm around his shoulders. "Nonsense, dear boy, you won't be any trouble at all. We're happy to have you."
They stepped into the house and Gunn smiled, "All right, here's your stack of dead trees. Man, social work sure uses a lot of paper." He handed the sheaf of paper to Rupert. "That's the emergency order for foster placement and a copy of the letter transferring custody from Spike's mother. Spike's assigned social worker will meet you at the courthouse tomorrow at three to get the judge to sign off on the guardianship paperwork. She'll also have a bunch of other information for you about applying for expense reimbursement from the state and she'll give you his medical insurance card and things like that… which you already know, so I'm not sure why I'm telling you… but… there you go."
Spike looked up from his position just inside the front door. "Guardianship? Social worker? Isn't my Mum my guardian?"
Gunn laid his hand on Spike's shoulder. "Your father's been arrested and your mother isn't able to care for you so Rupert and Joyce are your guardians. One of the documents in that stack transferred custody from your mother to them. She signed it earlier at the hospital."
Spike's face was stricken and he looked ready to bolt. "But she's my Mum! You can't just take her away from me! You can't! I knew this would happen! I should've kept my soddin' mouth shut! Now my Da's in jail and my Mum'll die alone!" His hand curled into a fist that he plowed into the doorjamb on his way out of the house.
Gunn darted after him and caught his arm, spinning him around just as Joyce rushed forward. She wrapped Spike in a fierce hug as angry tears poured from his eyes, then held him tight as he struggled against her. She said his name over and over until he stopped moving, then her hand settled on the back of his head, pushing lightly until it was resting on her shoulder. His arms came up to wrap around her, clinging tightly as she carded her fingers gently through his hair and said quietly, "Nobody is taking Anne away from you, sweetheart. She's still your mother and she always will be. The custody swap is just so you can stay here with us instead of being shipped off to some state run juvenile facility. That's all. You can see her whenever you want, I promise." She pulled back and cupped Spike's tear-stained face in her hands. "I'll take you to see her first thing tomorrow, all right? I'd really like to meet the woman that raised such a fine young man."
Spike closed his eyes and let Joyce pull him back into her arms. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Giles. I didn't mean to act like a child and I'll find a way to pay for any damage I've caused."
She murmured, "Don't worry about it, Spike; I'm sure the door jamb is fine. I'm more worried about your hand."
He lifted the hand he punched the door with and flexed his fingers a few times then let it drop back to his side. "It's fine." He pulled in a shuddering breath and said, "I'm really sorry."
Joyce hugged him tighter, still speaking quietly, "You've had a rough time and you have every right to be upset. Now, let's get you back into the house, all right?"
Spike nodded against her shoulder, "Thank you, ma'am."
Joyce chuckled as she pulled back. "Please don't call me ma'am, Spike. I'm not quite that old. Just call me Joyce."
Gunn laid his hand lightly on Joyce's back. "Looks like you've got things under control, I'm gonna jet." He smiled at Spike as he stepped toward the front yard. "I'll catch you later, Spike. Remember… anytime."
"I'll remember. Thanks, Charlie." Spike followed Joyce into the house, quickly inspecting the door jamb for damage as he closed the door.
When he turned around, Joyce smiled and nodded toward the stairs. "I'll let Buffy show you to your room. Do you want something to eat?"
Spike swiped the sleeve of his sweater over his face as he shook his head. "No, that's all right. It's late and I don't want to be any trouble… well… any more trouble than I have been already. I'll be fine until tomorrow."
Joyce stepped forward and took Spike's hands in hers. "You haven't been any trouble, Spike, and you're part of this family now. So, as part of this family, you have to follow our rules. One of those rules is: when we're hungry, we eat. Now, are you hungry?"
Spike nodded, "Yes, ma… Joyce."
Joyce smiled, "All right. We've got soup or I could build you a sandwich… or Rupert and I could run and pick something up."
Spike glanced at Buffy, clearly asking for help, and she stepped up next to Joyce. "I could go for some Chinese, Mom. I'm starving. All the cops had was a box of stale donuts and crappy coffee, so I haven't had anything to eat since lunch."
Joyce stepped over and lifted her purse and keys off the hooks by the door. "We'll be back in about thirty minutes. Buffy, please help Spike get settled and show him where everything is."
"Sure, Mom. See you guys in a little while. Don't forget my sesame chicken." She turned to Spike as Joyce pulled open the front door. "Spike? Is there anything special you want? What's your favorite?"
Rupert and Joyce stopped, waiting for Spike's answer. He blushed and looked down at the floor. "Um… anything will be fine."
Buffy reached for his hand and waited until he looked up at her. "It's ok, Spike. You can pick whatever you want. Do you like beef or chicken? Do you want egg rolls or soup? Do you like rice?"
Spike glanced at Joyce and Rupert then focused on Buffy as he stammered, "Um… I like beef with broccoli and chicken fried rice and um… pork egg rolls, but if that's too much, any one of those will be fine."
Rupert took Joyce's arm and started guiding her through the door. "We'll get all three. You're a growing boy, Spike, and you need to eat. We'll be back shortly."
