Disclaimer: Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither 'Buffy: The Vampire Slayer', 'Angel', or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's 'Mr Spike Challenge' (details below). The kids at the day care centre belong to me.

~*The Mr. Spike Challenge*~
Set in Angel season five. When the head of the Wolfram and Hart daycare service for employee children (both human and non-human) dies, Angel decides to kill two birds with one stone by putting Spike in charge of the daycare.

Requirements:
One of the kids must be a slayer. One of the kids must do magic At least two kids must be entirely mortal. One child should remind Spike of someone he saw a hundred years ago.

Author's Note: I'd like to thank everyone who's been reviewing this story. This is my first story to get to one hundred reviews so I'm really happy about that milestone. Thanks everyone!

Chapter 8.

"C'mon, sweetheart, sing for Uncle Lorne. Just a few bars? How about one little verse of 'Twinkle Twinkle'?"

Delia shook her head firmly, not moved in the least by the Pylean's pleading. "Don't wanna!"

"Listen, pet," Spike crouched down next to the little Seer. "It's really important that you sing a little song for Lorne so we know why you drew that picture."

"No!"

"Just one little song?" Lorne coaxed, assuming a pathetic facial expression. "For me?"

"No!"

Lorne threw the other adults a rueful look. "Tough crowd."

"I'll give you a lollipop." Spike offered, wishing with all his heart that it was Livia he was dealing with. That child would have sold her soul for candy.

"I don't want a lollipop." Delia folded her arms across her chest, shooting the adults a glare that let them know that she was not to be trifled with.

"Well then, what do you want?" Angel asked, feeling utterly humiliated at being reduced to bartering with a three year old child. "Toys? We can get you toys. Or . . ." he looked up at Lorne. "Do we still have that camel Harmony ordered?"

"I don't want a camel." Delia announced in a dignified tone. "And my mommy will buy me toys if I want them.

"Speaking of Mommy," Gunn interceded, speaking for the first time. "Should we really be questioning Delia without her parents' permission? We could end up dealing with the mother of all lawsuits if we're not careful." Angel wordlessly handed him the picture the little Seer had presented Spike with. A look of pure horror entered Gunn's eyes. "I take it a lawsuit's the least of our worries." He quipped half-heartedly. He turned the page over in his hands, revealing a second picture, of a dark haired woman in a long dress. "Pretty." He remarked. "Who is it?"

Angel and Spike exchanged an uncomfortable look.

Delia smiled up at Gunn. "That's me." She announced. "That's me when I was big before I was little and came here."

"We'll figure that out later." Angel interrupted. "Right now, we need Delia to sing so we can figure out how to stop . . ." He waved a hand towards the first picture Delia had made, making full use of the red crayon. " . . .That."

"I'll talk to the firm's Seers and the Psychic Department." The previously silent Wesley volunteered. "See if any of them picked up anything." He frowned at the non-compliant child. "At least they'll be willing to tell us if they know anything."

"They won't." Delia informed him sweetly. "Only I know."

"Uh, am I the only one who notices anything off about that drawing?" Spike demanded sarcastically.

"Besides the demon, the blood and the corpses?" Angel snorted in derision.

"I mean that this is not the work of your average three year old."

Three and a half!" Delia corrected indignantly.

"Look, I mightn't be the world's greatest expert on preschool art," Spike continued, ignoring her protest. "But I can't draw that well!"

"All the more reason for us to hear the little lady sing." Lorne said, turning to Delia with a smile. "What'll it take, princess? If Mr Spike sings, will you?"

"Bollocks to that!" Spike was appalled by the suggestion.

Delia looked interested. "Will Mr Angel sing too? And Mr Wesley?" She bargained.

"Anything you want." Lorne declared, ignoring the horrified expressions on his colleagues' faces. "If you want me to get the Three Tenors and the cast of Les Mis in here to sing for you, I will."

"You don't have to do that." Delia told him solemnly. "Mr Spike, Mr Angel and Mr Wesley will be fine. If they sing, I will."

Lorne looked up at the three unhappy men. "Oh they'll sing." He assured her. He gave the three unhappy men a stern look. "Won't you?"

"Do we get a say in this?" Spike demanded, not looking forward singing for an audience, no matter how small.

"No." Lorne said simply. "So, sweetie," he smiled down at Delia. "Any requests?"

Delia thought for a moment before whispering something in Lorne's ear.

A smile spread across the demon's green face.

Angel, Wesley and Spike knew that they were doomed.

* * *

Three minutes later.

"For every bear that ever there was will gather there for certain because/ Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic."

By the time they had finished the song, Wesley's face was a bright shade of red and the two vampires sported identical expressions of mortification.

Wesley said a silent prayer of thanksgiving, relieved that Fred had elected to help Harmony with the children and had missed his less than stellar performance. She was the last person he would have wanted to see him like that.

"You know," Gunn found their performance highly entertaining. "I find it really disturbing that the three of you knew the lyrics to 'Teddy Bears' Picnic'. Is there something you'd like to tell us?"

Delia patted Spike's arm comfortingly. "I thought you were good."

"Thanks, luv." Spike's response was gruff. "Your turn." /After what I just went through, you bloody well better sing! /

As soon as Delia launched into a rousing rendition of 'How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?', Lorne's face took on an expression of pure horror.

Catching sight of the expression on his face, the little Seer trailed off, shocking everyone by bursting into tears.

Spike scooped her up in his arms, trying to soothe her.

"It's alright, pet," He pulled a face, hoping to make her laugh. "Your singing was better than ours." He joked.

The three year old clung to him, crying quietly. "Bad things are going to happen, Mr Spike!" She wailed. "Make it stop!"

"Poor kid." Lorne gave her a sympathetic look. "It's not the nicest image to have rattling around in your head, is it?"

"What image?" The lack of information was freaking Angel out.

Lorne's expression darkened. "Trouble. And lots of it."

"Make it go away!" Delia's words were muffled by Spike's shirt.

"We will." Angel tried to sound reassuring. He patted her shoulder awkwardly. "You were a big help."

"I'm taking her back downstairs." Spike's tone brooked no argument. He did not even wait for one of the others to respond before turning on his heel and marching out of the room with the little girl in his arms.

"I'm going to consult my books." Wesley announced, picking up Delia's discarded drawing and looking down at the demon portrayed there. "See if I can find a reference to . . . whatever this is."

"I'll see if the big cat knows anything." Gunn volunteered, following Wesley out of the room.

Angel waited until the two men had left before turning his attention to Lorne.

"How bad is it?"

"Bad." Lorne confirmed. "I don't know if we'll be able to handle it on our own." He regarded the dark haired vampire for a moment before speaking again. "Who's Connor?"

TBC.