A/N: Well, I'm finally posting some more, sorry it's been so long. It's peak assessment time at school, and I'm swamped in evil science work! Plus, this turned out to be a long chappie. So long, I cut it in two! I'll post the second bit later. In this chappie; some pointless cuteness from my favourite sweethearts, Fred and Wesley! Plus, a token appearance by Gunn, and some fun with Spike! (No nice Angel yet, but soon I promise)
A special thank you to Higgy, who not only reviews each chapter wonderfully, but set the challenge and inspiration for this fic in the first place. Read her now sadly finished fic "Not So Big Bad" Or Mimifoxlove's answer to the challenge "Baby Boy" if you have time...
"Why are you here today" Jerry Springer's voice belted out of the television.
"Well, Jerry." The large blond woman screeched, "I been with mah man for near two years, but I'm here to tell 'im, I been getting' some on the side. With his mother." The crowed booed and hissed.
Watching from the safe distance of the sofa, Fred gasped, "Oh my God! With her boyfriends mother?!?"
"Well, your boyfriend's here too," Jerry said over the audience's outrage, "and he's got a confession of his own. Come on out Dameon."
A thin man, dressed in black leather and with many piercing covering his face walked onto the stage and took a seat near the woman. "Sweet heart," he began, "I've been working at a transvestite bar." The woman gasped, "I work with your best friend Gina. And we're having an affair. Have been for six months."
Fred watched in fascination, "And I thought my life was complicated." She laughed.
The woman jumped to her feet, screaming insults at her boyfriend, who in turn flipped his chair over and started yelling profanities.
"With my mother?! You skank!"
"Transvestite bar?! You? such a F up!"
"-drove me to it. And to your best friend. If you could put out-"
"-least yo mama can satisfy!"
"Jerry, Jerry, Jerry!"
The phone rang. Fred peeled herself away from the unfolding drama, and picked up the receiver. "Hello?" she squeaked.
"Sorry, did I wake you?" Wesley asked from the other end.
"No, no," Fred said, allowing a smile to creep into her voice. "I was watching TV"
"Nothing too strenuous I hope," Wes said, "You should be resting."
"Trust me, this is not a strenuous show." She laughed
"How are you feeling?" He asked.
"Icky." Fred admitted, "I feel like my brain is a big spiney puffer fish, and my skull is made of stale bread. And my spiney puffer fish brain is stabbing into my bready skull and it hurts." She whined. "My nose is all itchy, and even my ears feel full of goop, there's a family of used tissues moving in under the couch and my eyes are so sore I'm seeing red. And not in that nice rose-coloured glasses way."
Wes laughed warmly, "That's all?"
Fred stuck out her bottom lip, "My throat hurts too."
"Want me to come home and kiss it better?" Wes offered.
"Kiss my throat better," Fred smiled, "that's an idea."
"I could kiss your mouth too." He said, his voice low and warm like honey.
"Kiss my mouth? But that doesn't hurt." Fred giggled.
"I could kiss it anyway." He said.
Fred laughed breaking the seductive spell, "No, I'm alright. My mouth and throat will go without kisses. For now."
"Well alright," Wes said, "I've got some stuff to finish here, but then I'll come home. Should I bring anything? Tissues, soup, cough medicine?"
"Honey?" Fred asked.
"Honey, what for?" He asked.
"I... I like to eat it. It's sweet." On the other end Wesley laughed. "What!?" Fred said, "I can eat what I like when I'm sick."
"Alright, I'll bring home some honey." Wes said. "I'll be home as soon as I'm done here."
"What are you doing?" Fred asked.
"I'm going to see Dr Mordred," He said, "Angel's still fretting about turning Spike back. I'm going to get some answers from the good doctor."
"Be nice," Fred said worriedly.
"I'm always nice." Wes said. "I'll see you later. Call if you need anything."
"Uh-huh, love you." Fred said.
"I love you too," Wes said, before disconnecting.
Fred turned her attention back to the brawl on television. "Oh my gawd! Is that the mother?!" She gasped, "She's such a skank! And lookit her hair. I wouldn't sleep with that. Nuh-uh."
"I'm not a man to beat around the bush." Wesley said, taking a seat in Dr Mordred's office, "I've come about Spike, and I'm going to get answers one way or another."
"Your reputation precedes you, however there is no need to threaten me Mr. Wyndham-Pryce. I'll answer your questions." The doctor replied.
Wes leaned back in his chair. "I assume you are a Sora Demon, Doctor Mordred," He said.
"I make no secret of the fact." Dr Mordred said.
"Then I'd be right in assuming you are using your powers to control Spike's age?" Wesley asked.
The Doctor smiled, "Well done, you solved the mystery."
Wesley smiled distastefully, "There's no need to be hostile."
The doctor smiled back, "You started it," He muttered smoothly.
"How do we turn Spike back?" Wes asked, "And no more cryptic answers."
"Spike has issues," Dr Mordred said, "Even before he opened his mouth I could tell. He has immaturity written all over him."
"That much is obvious" Wesley agreed.
"I thought I'd give him a chance to be a real child." The doctor said, allowing himself a sinister smile.
"Though the ethics of such actions are questionable, I'm more concerned with turning him back." Wes reminded the doctor.
"He needs the love of his father." Dr Mordred said.
"I'm sorry," Wes said, "He needs the love of his father?"
The Doctor lent back into his chair, "Spike seemed to have a lot of issues surrounding his father; feelings of betrayal and abandonment. As a child his father left him. He seems to have become overly attached to his mother, and resenting of his father. This has damaged him. Now as a child once more, he will seek out his fathers love. Children need love, they live off it. A child who is not loved will become sick, and perhaps never recover."
Wes stiffened, trying not to show how unsettled he was by the doctor's last words, "Be that as it may..." He muttered. The doctor's eyes flashed, and Wesley was reminded of his previous words "your reputation precedes you." His own father had been less than loving. Perhaps the doctor was right, Wesley could never recover from what his father had done to him. He preferred not think about the matter at all.
"Once Spike has his fathers love, and his father acknowledges it, he will grow up." Said Dr Mordred.
Wes furrowed his brow, "Dr Mordred, Spike's father lived a hundred years ago. He is now certainly dead."
The Doctor shrugged, "Spike has issues with someone. Perhaps not his physical father, but a father figure." The doctor continued to ask Wesley's questions, but his answers become less and less helpful, as the doctor became more guarded. Wesley left tersly with the information he had already gained and a promise to the doctor he would return for more answers later.
Musing in the elevator on his way to his office, Wesley considered the doctors words. "Not his physical father... I wonder if...Angel?"
Gunn sauntered into Angel's office to find the vampire poring over a contract as usual and his small blond charge curled up on the couch. "Spike my man," He said extending a hand, "How you doing brother?" Spike lifted his head from his knees to reveal a red runny nose, bleary red eyes and a morose pouting lip. "Whoa, I'm going with not so good." Gunn said. Spike buried his head back in his knees.
"Gunn, come in," Angel said.
"Already here," Gun replied, "What's up with tyke-Spike? I thought vampires couldn't get sick."
Angel shook his head, "Normally no. But this ones seven years old, was recently a ghost and has a soul. Spike's not normal."
Gunn nodded, "Don't have to tell me twice. Just look at his hair. No one gets that colour without chemicals."
Angel sighed, "I don't know what's wrong with him, he's been like this all morning."
Gunn raised an eyebrow at the little vampire, "Maybe he should see a doctor."
"Because the doctors here have been so helpful before." Angel muttered.
"Well, I dunno if it's the same for miniature vampires, but us humans usually prescribe bed rest and hot drinks to get rid a colds. Why don't you take him home?" Gunn suggested, "Give him an extra blanket and a bowl of warm blood. He'll be better tomorrow."
"I have work to do," Angel growled, "I can't just drop everything because he's sick."
Gunn shrugged, "That's what parents are supposed to do."
Angel froze, "I am not Spike's parent." He said, "I'm looking after him while he's under a spell. That makes me a responsible adult, not a father."
"You get his meals, wash behind his ears, help him tie his shoes and tuck him in at night. Sounds like a father to me." Gunn said.
Spike had been listening to the adults talking. His screwed up his eyes, and shuffled his head further under his arms. He didn't want to hear anymore. Talk about Angel and fathers. He didn't want to listen. It was making his tummy feel bad. His eyes started to sting.
"It's complicated Gunn," Angel said.
"You wanted this." Gunn reminded him. "Any one of us would have looked after him, Fred was itching to, but you said it was your job, you were gonna care for him. What's the deal Angel?"
"I thought for a moment," Angel muttered, turning away from Gunn to stare out the window. "Spike could be my son. But he can't...He's still Spike. I can't… get attached... like that. I might start thinking... of him again...that hurts too much."
Gunn furrowed his brow, "See what you said then was like half a conversation. And as I couldn't hear the other half, that little spiel didn't make a whole lotta sense."
Angel looked away from the window and back at his friend. It would be so easy to tell him. So much easier than this. The burden would be lifted, a little at least. Gunn could know...
"Where's Aun'y Fred? I wanna see her." Spike mumbled.
"She's sick," Angel said, turning back to Spike. "You can't see her today."
"Then I wanna see that girl. The one I met in the white cage." Spike said "The one you took me away from."
"No Spike," Angel said, "I told you before you can't see her."
Spike stuck out his bottom lip, "What can I do?" he asked.
"Sit there and be quiet." Angel replied.
"That's no fun." Spike said.
"C'mon Angel," Gunn said, "I know your childhood was a long time ago, but you can't be so old that "sitting in silence" actually sounds fun."
Angel considered this, "Well, if you want to do something Spike," he said, "You can read a book."
"Can't read." Spike mumbled.
"Well maybe you should learn." Angel retorted.
Gunn laughed, "Woah, who's the child here?"
Spike jumped to his feet, his tiny sneakers pushing down into the leather cushion, "You're no fun!" He yelled.
"I'm an adult," Angel yelled back, "I'm not supposed to be fun!"
"Well I'm a kid!" Spike yelled, "And I wanna see Aun'y Fred and make friends with that girl!"
"I'm the boss!" Angel yelled, "And I say no!"
Spike's eyes filled with tears, "I wanna have fun!" He wailed, tears spilling from his eyes.
"Have fun sitting here!" Angel said, almost pleadingly this time.
Spike sobbed and hiccuped, "I...wanna...have...fun...but...you...never...LET ME!" He screamed.
Gunn looked worried; Angel was distraught, "You've been so good so far Spike. Lets just calm down." He said.
"I...will...not...calm...DOWN!!!" He screamed, tears streaming down his chin onto his Bob-the-Builder shirt.
"What's wrong with him?" Angel asked Gunn, "He was ok a minute ago."
"Vampire mood swings?" Gunn suggested, "Maybe it's that time of the month."
Angel furrowed his brow, "Real helpful."
Spike was bawling at the top of his lungs, "NO, NO, NO!!" he screamed. He threw himself at the floor, diving headfirst into the carpet.
"Spike!" Angle and Gunn cried together, lunging towards the little vampire.
Spike snarled suddenly as he jumped to his feet. Gunn and Angel jumped back in alarm. Spike's forehead was protruding over acid yellow eyes, his teeth- impossibly long- stabbing over his bottom lip. What had moments before been the face of a child, was now the face of a monster "Uh-oh." Gunn muttered.
Spike roared as he lunged towards Angel, "It's not fair!" He yelled, sinking his teeth into Angel's calf.