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Willow: (grumbles) Owww! My shoulders hurt! I hate this island. I look like a lobster!
Buffy: I'm so gonna peel. I just know it!
Cordelia: How come you're so fair-skinned, Buffy? It's not like you're a natural blonde.
Buffy: Yes, I am!
Cordelia: Uh-huh. Right.
[Xander and Shelley run back to the group, both carrying buckets full of sand.]
Xander: Wanna come play with us?
Buffy: A world of no.
Shelley: But we're making sand castles!
Xander: Shelley's gonna let me bury her later.
Giles: Could you authors have at least supplied us with some sunscreen for crying out loud?
Shelley: What? Me and Xander aren't sunburned.
Willow: Why not? You've been out in the sun since we got here!
[Xander and Shelley look at each other.]
Xander: (shrugs) We tan easily.
Shelley: I'll ask Kelley about it. She's the one that handles these things.
Cordelia: Wait. Where is that other weirdo friend of yours?
[Kelley comes running from the cave, wearing Spike's duster]
Shelley: Good god, Kelley! It's like 90 degrees outside! Why are you wearing that?
Kelley: (grins) It billows! Look! (spins around) Plus, I burn like nobody's business! I really shoulda brought some sunscreen.
[Giles smacks his forehead]
Kelley: Anyway, I gotta hurry up. Spike's waiting. He wants his duster back. Joss owns them all. Ok, bye. (runs off)
[Everyone stares in silence for a moment]
Xander: So, sand castles?
Shelley: Yeah! To the beach! (they both run off singing the batman theme)
Buffy: (scowls) What are they doing in that cave?
A/N: Here's the next chapter. Sorry it's not too long. We'll do better next time.
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Spike finally made it to the hospital. He was running a little late, and had to pick up Xander. The whelp was finally getting out of the hospital today. Good thing too. He was getting tired of making the trips there to visit his new friend. He still couldn't believe that he and Xander were friends since they used to hate each other. Oh well. One less person to try and kill him…he hoped.
He went and sat in one of the chairs in the waiting area, waiting for Xander to get dressed and out of his hospital room. He began to pain his nails, black of course. Might as well do something productive to pass the time. Just as he was finishing his last nail, Xander limped out of the room.
Xander smirked, pointing to Spike's nails. "Old habits die hard, eh, Fangless?"
"Sod off, whelp, or I'll make you walk home," Spike retorted.
"No sympathy for the injured? Figured as much."
"Not when the injured are antagonizing the Nanny."
"You're hardly my Nanny, Spike," Xander replied indignantly.
"Just sign your bloody release papers and let's get out of here. The blood packets I knicked earlier are getting warm."
"Spike, you sly dog! Guess you won't be needing these," Xander nagged, pulling two blook packets out of his coat pocket.
Spike snatched them out of Xander's hand. "Consider it gas money, mate."
Xander snorted. "Riding in your DeSoto is torture enough, believe me."
"Hey! That's my Buffy you're talking about!"
"Car trouble I take it?" Xander asked, grinning at the nickname Spike used for his car when it was being a "bitch."
"Took me over ten bleedin' minutes to get the thing started this morning!"
Xander laughed and shook his head. He signed his release papers and reluctlantly sat in the wheel chair that was waiting for him.
Spike wheeled Xander out after convincing the nurse he wouldn't kill him. The nurse tried to holler at the duo, but then gave up and rolled her eyes as she helplessly watched Spike push Xander down the corridor at top speed. Xander freaked out at first, but then started laughing and screaming as Spike tilted the chair back and narrowly missed visitors who were waiting to see loved ones. Most of the visitors just shook their heads, a few commenting on the immaturity of kids today.
They finally reached the DeSoto, and Xander struggled inside. Spike climbed in the other side and started his car. Spike took off abruptly and Xander suddenly remembered what kind of driver Spike was…the bad kind. While Spike continued to drive like a bat out of Hades, Xander grabbed the nearest handle he was sure wouldn't break off the car while he held on for his dear life. He had just been released from the hospital and did not feel any desire to go back yet.
A short time later, mostly thanks to Spike's speeding along, they got to Xander's apartment.
Xander sat forward and groaned and Spike almost felt bad for making Xander carsick. Almost.
Xander stumbled out of the car and Spike impatiently rushed ahead of the injured Scooby, but decided to slow down since Xander was on crutches.
"Hurry up, whelp! Roswell is coming on soon! I want to see what happens to Max and Liz!"
Xander grumbled, flipping Spike off and almost falling over in the process.
"At the rate we're going, we won't even get up there in time to see Star Trek!"
"Spike, do I need to remind you that I'm on crutches? They are made of wood, by the way. And wood isn't vampire friendly last time I checked."
Spike shrugged. "Breaking your crutches will keep you from getting up the stairs."
"I'll manage."
A few snide comments later, they reached Xander's front door.
Spike opened the door and ran to the microwave to heat up his blood. He began to whistle, not noticing the fact that Xander had not moved since they walked in.
Spike took a sip of blood. "What?"
"Anya's stuff is gone," he replied with a blank look on his face.
Spike took another sip of blood, not knowing what to say to Xander to make him feel better. He was a vampire, after all. Compassion was not his strong suit. He decided to remain silent, letting Xander get used to the fact that Anya was gone.