Forward Rewind Chapter 3: Muddy Hell, an angel fanfic

Throwback with Cordy and Doyle, challenge from Gidgetgirl, yadda yadda :)

::::: Forward Rewind ::::: Chapter Three ::::: Muddy Hell :::::

"Do you like toast?" Mini-Cordy asked, sitting cross legged on the floor below Spike.

"Can't say I've tried it, bitelet."

This had been going on for 20 minutes or so, leaving the bleached blonde babysitting wishing that the pint size brunette hadn't found her voice. While Cordelia was entertaining Spike with her off the wall questions, Doyle had wandered off.

Since they were in Angel's personal apartment, Spike assumed that the little Irishmen was working on hauling things off of the walls. Which was fine with him.

"How 'bout Whiskey?" Cordelia asked, smiling sweetly, and speaking of the drink as a person."Because Allen does, and he's gone to play hide n' go seek with Whiskey."

"Who the bloody hell is Allen?" Spike asked sitting up. Cordy rolled her eyes at the vamp.

"About yey high," she said, standing up on her tip-toes, "brown hair, funny accent?" As she stood there with her arms crossed, it clicked in Spike's head. Angel had explained before leaving that if, infact Doyle and Cordy were themselves at age four, the boy would most likely answer only to Allen, since his full name was Allen Francis Doyle.

"Doyle?" He asked, sitting forward and eyeing the tiny girl.

"Who the muddy hell is Doyle?" She asked seriously.

"It's bloody hell, teensy." Spike thought about it, and whether he wanted to or not, he found himself scolding Cordelia for cursing. "And don't say hell. It's a bad bad thing to say."

No sooner had it gotten out of his mouth, it looked like the scolding was going to reduce the child to tears. But, the emotion storm proved to be a fluke, as Mini-Cordy simply stuck her tounge out and plopped back down on the floor. While Spike debated scolding her for that, he remembered the subject of the conversation, and dashed of in search of the missing little boy.

After rounding the aparment once, and beginning to go around a second time, Spike heard the tinkering of glass from inside of Angel's closet. Tip-toeing toward the closet, he pushed the sliding panel aside, revealing a four year old with the entire neck of a whiskey bottle in his mouth, trying to drink the vile liquid without removing the cap. Spike sat there for a minute before Allen Doyle realized he was being watched. Looking up at Spike, he smiled innocently, mouth still full of bottleneck.

"Drop the liquor, you curly haired leprichaun." Spike said in a low, oddly calm voice. Instantly, the boy opened his mouth into a wide 'O' shape,letting the thick glass bottle fall to the ground and roll across the floor, stopping at Spike's scuffed Doc Martin's. Bending down to his eye level, Spike looked at the child formerly known as Doyle, and lowered his tone even more. "Whiskey . Is. Not . For . Children . Do you understand me, Allen Doyle?" Little Allen nodded, tears filling his eyes.

"Oh, no. Don't cry now, half bite." Spike's voice changed, lightened. But it was too late for the tearful toddler to turn back now. With another look up at Spike, Allen let out the most ungodly wail Spike had ever heard. And he'd heard a 600 pound chirako demon karaoke.

Before he knew what was going on, he felt teeth pierce his calf through heavy black jeans. "Son of a!" he yelp, looking down to see Cordelia latched onto him."Cord, small pint, what are you doing?"

"No no no!" She yelled, after she spit out a mouthful of pants. "You don't touch Allen. No! Leave him alone Jaquard!" Cordelia cried, pummeling him with her fists. Tears were streaming down her puffed out red cheeks., and even Allen, stunned by the show, had stopped crying. In a single motion, Spike pulled the girl off of his leg and into his arms. Fists bunched up in his t-shirt, the little girl sniffled.

"Who the bloody hell is Jaquard?"

A/N.... Good question ;)