Familial stress

Author: Joy

Email: Juliannan@ziplip.com

The next thing Will knew Spike was shaking him pulling him to a sitting position. "Get off me ya Wanker," he yelled. "I was kissing my girl," the teen said unconsciously flopping back against the bed.

Spike looked at Gabriella for guidance. She just shrugged her shoulders. They heard Will whisper, "See ya tonight," and he was asleep again.

Buffy came to the door, "Is Will okay?"

"I think he just didn't get enough sleep last night," Spike said absently. "He woke up for a minute."

"Good. I'll go call Giles," the slayer commented.

"Giles?" Spike questioned.

"What's going on?" Gabriella asked.

"Wake Will up and he can explain it better than I can… Wake him up anyway cause I want Dawn on the phone," Buffy stated.

Will groaned a bit, "Dawn."

            Buffy gestured, "See."

            "Huh?" the bleached wonder questioned.

Wesley came in the room, "Buffy, Giles is on the phone. They got Dawn up. She's groggy but she can talk to you."

            "Good…that's good…I don't even want to think about… God, why couldn't she just have a normal life?" the slayer muttered leaving the room.

            Wesley went to follow but Spike grabbed his arm. "Oyi… What is happening?"

            The watcher shrugged, "Apparently the younger Summers and your son have a bond. I guess they were exercising it."

            "What does that mean?" Ella asked.

            "I really don't know." When Spike didn't let go of his arm Wesley sighed, "Buffy got a call from Giles. Buffy passed the phone to Will who talked to Dawn. Then both teens got off the phone and headed to a bedroom near by. Giles went to check on Dawn and thought she was sleeping and let her be for a while…but when he couldn't rouse her he got scared. He called Buffy who then went straight for Will. That is truly all I know."

            Gabriella sat down next to her son, "Honey… Wake up…"

            "Mum…I'm tired," Will complained.

            "Why are you tired?" she prodded.

            "Spent too much time with Dawn last night… Got to figure out a better way…" he mumbled into nothing. "You'll like her mum," he gave a sleepy smile without opening his eyes. "She told me all about Spike… Helped me understand… She likes me…even though I'm what I am," he slurred.

            "Did you just see her?" Gabriella asked. Spike just watched intently glaring.

            He nodded slightly, "She likes the way I kiss." He smiled.

            That was all Spike could handle. He reached for his son's t-shirt to drag him up. Gabriella swatted his hands and pulled Spike to the corner. "What is your problem?"

            "He's talking about kissing my Nibblet!" he fussed.

            "So…it could just be a dream."

            "That is unlikely."

            Ella glared at him, "I have raised a very respectable boy. Your 'Nibblet' is perfectly safe. I promise her virtue is still intact."

            "I know he's your son so you don't want to hear this but… all teenage boys think about is sex," Spike snapped.

            "I can see in my son's head dear… I know what's there. And he is your son too so get it together," she fumed.

            Will sat up on the bed and yawned stretching in all directions. He blinked a few times, "Oh hey. What are you guys doing here?"

            "What is going on?" Spike growled stalking up to the boy.

            "What?"

            "Spike…back off," Gabriella commanded stepping between father and son. She stuck her index finger in the center of Spike's chest and said, "Dawn is a sweet girl that I know you love like your own child but this is your child so you better the hell act like it and trust him… Now I am going to go check with Buffy on Dawn. Don't do anything stupid…either of you." She walked away slowly.

            "Wow…what's going on?" Will asked confusedly.

            Spike tilted his head predatorily at his son; "While you were waking up you said that you spent too much time with Dawn last night… You also mentioned her saying she liked the way you kissed." His words were too cold and polished. Will noticed the golden flash in Spike's eyes.

            "What are you worried about, DAD? Oh wait… maybe you're jealous she won't be having erotic dreams about you anymore," Will bit back.

            Spike's eyes flashed with rage glowing yellow. "Why you little punk!" he spat.

            Will stared his father down unwilling to back down especially when he didn't do anything wrong. "Well at least now you know it was real and she trusts me a hell of a lot!"

            The older vampire breathed deeply a few times shutting his eyes. Spike got himself together. "This is very confusing."

            "How's that?" the teen snickered. "If you had to choose you would choose Dawn over me…that is obvious."

            Spike's eyes popped open, "No… That… Dawn and boys has been the main thing I have been protecting her from in the last year. I'm used to automatically wanting to kill whatever boy comes close…" His son wasn't getting it.  "The first boy she ever kissed was last year and he was a vampire. She had to stake him Will, cause he was going to turn her…Turn her. He picked her as his mate. She was still fifteen…Do you understand now? It has nothing to do with you or what type of man you are. It has everything to do with her being my Nibblet."

            Will sat motionless on the bed staring at his father. "You don't know me. You don't know what's important to me. You don't know how I feel about girls or sex or anything. Unlike you I am not ruled by the snake between my legs!" Will snarled.

            Spike clenched his jaw and nodded silently. Of all his mistakes, Spike would never be able to live down his sexual transgressions of the last couple years with his son. "I deserved that… You're right. I'm sorry… But you have to admit this is a weird situation. My son is dating the girl I consider my daughter."

            The teen sat quietly working his jaw. "I won't hurt her…nothing happened."

            The older vampire sighed, "I know…I'm sorry."

There was a long period of silence. "So…she thinks you're a good kisser, huh?" Spike said.

"Dad," Will whined. "That was lame."

Spike was so consumed by being called dad, not sarcastically he left the statement where it was. "Well fine… Cool that you can see her even when you aren't together."

"Yeah… It would be nice to just stay in one place for a while… It would be nice to stay near Dawn," he muttered.

Spike gazed at his son, "I thought you hated Sunnydale."

"I am sure there are some places in the town you haven't tainted… I would have to get over the Bronze issues but…small price to pay," Will commented.

"You like her a lot," the older vampire said considering his son as the boy examined his hands.

The teen looked up at his father with an open face, "I like her a lot."

Gabriella had been listening from the door for a little while. She walked in confidently, "Well Dawn is fine. Buffy is about to have a heart attack but Dawn is fine."

"Mom mode?" Spike questioned as he stood and went to her. He ran his fingers over her arms lightly.

"Angelus flashbacks," Ella commented standing far too close, in Will's opinion, to the older vampire.

"Ah…"

Will watched his parents talk back and forth causally touching. His mother turned her head and he saw the bite marks.

Spike didn't really know how he ended up on the other side of the room but the irate teenager picking him up by the throat probably had something to do with it.

"William!" Gabriella shouted. "Put your father down this instant."

Will had Spike pinned against the wall with one had. Spike didn't try to fight back. "He bit you," the teen snarled.

"Check under your thumb Will. I bit him too," she said from behind him.

Will slid Spike down the wall and saw the matching bite mark on his father's throat. "You did the ritual?" he said dejectedly.

"Yes," Ella said simply.

"Why?" the teen asked.

"Will," she whispered.

"No! I don't want to hear it. We're your family. We have been around and you don't even bother to say, 'hey…getting married tonight.' My god, mum. You couldn't wait twenty-four frigin' hours? Was this just so you were owned in the vampire community so Angelus couldn't lay claim? Did we need a father that badly?" Will fumed.

"That is enough," Ella said with an edge to her voice. "I do not have to justify my actions to you… Your father and I have been apart a long time. Why should we have to wait any longer to be together?" The teen still glared at his mother. "And Will you knew… When we talked last night all you said was we had to block your connection to Spike. We did that on the spot. There is no reason for you to think we wouldn't do it last night." Will hugged himself. "Go call Dawn. It will make you feel better."

"Fine…Leave," he snapped.

"I meant on the telephone."

"Well ya know what? I would like to see her in person. Get over it."

Gabriella shook her head, "Come talk to me when you feel better."

Spike stared at the two quietly. He didn't know if he should yell at Will for talking to Gabriella in such a manner, or if he should let it lie. Gabriella tugged at his arm. She had been there; he hadn't. Before they left he turned to his son, "I'm sorry you feel betrayed. I didn't mean to cause a problem between you and your mum… Tell Dawn I love her, I'm happy for her to have finally found a good guy and to call me latter." Will just glared at his father but then nodded.

Gabriella and Spike left William alone. He turned to the closest wall and punched a whole through it. Drawing his hand out of the plaster and wood he saw his knuckles bloodied. Closing his eyes Will flopped back on the bed. "Dawn… Dawn… Please… I need to talk to you."

He heard her voice. "Give me a minute…I'm still dealing with over zealous parental figures."

After a minute or two Dawn walked up to the sofa Will was leaning on. His hand was bleeding. "Get into a fist fight?"

"Yeah…with a Wanker of a wall," he replied not opening his eyes. It was supposed to be funny but it came out depressed.

She sat down beside him. "What's wrong Will?"

He opened his eyes and stared at her for a minute with those soulful blue eyes. Without a word he just laid his head in Dawn's lap. He just needed to be close to her. She slowly ran her fingers through his hair for a while. Will began to purr in her lap. "Ya want me to scratch your tummy?" Dawn quipped.

"What?"

She smiled happily at him, "You were purring."

He looked embarrassed, "Oh… Sorry." Will went to lean up but she pushed him back.

"I like it… My very own kitty," she whispered continuing to pet him. "You ready to talk about it or do you need to be cuddled more."

"More cuddles," he grumbled. "Come here." Will tugged her so they were lying side by side with his head on her shoulders while he wrapped his arms around her middle.

"This constitutes snuggles not cuddles," Dawn informed him.

"Is that right?" he questioned.

"That's right."

Will smirked, "And what are you gonna do about it?"

Dawn chuckled, "Was that a challenge?"

He shrugged, "Maybe."

"Well…you could come up here and kiss me and we could change the status again… What does Spike call it? Snogging?"

Will started to laugh, "Snogging is a little more than kissing…and I'm not going there yet."

Dawn rolled her eyes, "I'll have to have Spike teach me what all his Englishisms actually mean."

Will swallowed and sighed, "Spike wanted me to tell you he loves you, he's happy you found a good guy, and to call him later."
            "Really?" she questioned him hopefully.

"Believe me…of all the things that were said since our last visit that is the simplest," he stated with a groan.

"So stuff didn't go well when you got back?" Dawn asked as she stroked his back.

Will hugged her a bit tighter. "Spike played your father… Apparently when I was waking up I told him that you said I was a good kisser… Things kind of went down hill from there."

She tilted her head, "But he told you to tell me he was happy I found a good guy. That sounds like some resolution was made."

"He got it together and told me about your first boyfriend being a vampire…and that you had to stake him," Will did not want to be uttering the words coming out of his mouth. First of all thinking about another boyfriend was weird but thinking that she had a vampire boyfriend…that wanted to turn her. It was really the first time he realized he didn't know everything important that had happened to Dawn in Spike's presence. "We both calmed down… I kind of got in his face a bit… It's not like he's gonna stop me from seeing you."

Dawn could tell he was still tense, "There is something else. You would have let that go."

Will was frustrated at her and glared, "You've known me for less than a day. How can you possibly know how I'm going to react!"
            She removed her hand from his hair to stare just as intensely back. "Well that was a lovely display of you channeling Spike. How bout Elvis? Can you do Elvis?" she commented bemused.

Will was completely shocked for a moment just gaping then he cracked up. When he stopped shaking he nuzzled Dawn's neck. He could feel her heartbeat against his forehead. "Sorry," he whispered.

"It's okay. That whole vampire thing means you come with a temper. Do you have any idea how often I've had to ignore threats like 'I'm going to rip your bloody throat out!'? I mean he was afraid I was hurt so he threatens to kill me…makes a whole lot of sense… And by the way, don't get too comfy. I am not a combination girlfriend and snack bar," she stated clearly.

He popped his head up with a hurt look, "That was not cool."

"Just being sure we have that boundary line drawn, okay… The whole first boyfriend thing left its own impression on me too."

Will nodded solemnly and snuggled back into her arms.

"So are you going to tell me the real reason you're so upset or are you going to continue to hide? I really don't care which you do. I just need to know what tact to take in either case. You are more the welcome to stay silent…I like the whole cuddling my blue haired blue eyed boy," Dawn said sweetly.

Will had to smile. He sighed deeply, "They did the ritual last night… I saw the bite mark on mum and went ballistic. Mum pointed out the fact that Spike had a bite mark too… I don't know. I guess I just thought I would have more time to adjust to having him around… Charlie was like that too. I liked him a lot and he could protect us so she married him right away. Suddenly he was just there…all the time."

"You didn't have any control over the situation," she said soothingly rubbing his back.

"Yeah… It had always been her and me… always. I was always part of making the decisions…" Will said sitting up. He started to pace.

"And that one you weren't…" Dawn completed.

He stopped briefly, "Exactly…I mean I didn't want a dad…I had a dad… He just wasn't with us. And then Charlie became my dad and now he's gone and…"

"And you have the dad you always thought you wanted and now you don't have a clue how to handle it," she said sympathetically.

"It was getting to be like it was before where we traveled all over and mum and I made decisions together. Not that I didn't have input when she was married to Charlie but…" Will sighed sitting back down.

"Will," Dawn said laying her hand on his. "You have been the most important man in your mother's life… you're afraid you're going to have to give that up."

He swallowed slowly, "She just loves him so much. She loved Charlie…but not the way she loves Spike. I'm not used to taking second place. Even with Charlie I knew I was still…"

"It's okay," Dawn hushed him drawing him into a hug. "Ya just need a little reassurance from your mom. Tell her what you just told me. She'll understand… Spike will get it too… if you want to tell him."

"You're good at this," Will said with a smile.

"Natural talent," she joked. "And of course I have spent hours and hours with the most insightful person I know…your father."

"He and I were talking… about us… He was like 'you have to admit this is weird…my son dating the girl I consider my daughter.' It was really funny," he joked. "Man Spike's not gonna know if he's coming or going. He'll want to protect your virtue and encourage me as a guy in whatever way macho dad's encourage their sons with girls."

"Will," Dawn called. He looked at her briefly. "You're thinking too much." She pulled him to her for a kiss. Will came willingly enjoying her initiative.

"Mmmm," he moaned. "I need to…" Dawn kissed him again this time slipping her tongue along his lips. "Ahhh…." Will leaned them both back down on the sofa deepening the kiss.

When they pulled away for air Dawn licked her lips and said, "Was that snogging?"

Will laughed. His body was pressed on top of Dawn's in delicious ways. "It was getting close if not there," he panted. "Now I am a gentleman so I'm going to sit us both up, give you a quick kiss, and say goodbye until tonight where there will be no snogging or getting close to it…"

Dawn groaned, "Ahhh…what's the fun in that?"

Will sighed, as they righted themselves, "Please don't do that. This is one arena I am not willing to bend on. I was raised to be a gentleman and I'm going to bloody well act like it." He looked at his hands, "I can't be like Spike…I just can't. It would kill me."

"Shhh… Hey… Teasing… Really…its not a problem," she whispered leaning into his shoulder.

Will watched Dawn for a second to make sure everything was fine between them. He kissed her forehead then gave her a quick hug and kiss on the lips. "I'll see ya later, pet."

"Can't wait."

TBC…