Returning from the hospital at nearly dawn, Spike only wanted a comfortable flat surface for the next millennium or so, "next time there's a chance to save the world, walk away" he said to himself as he mounted the steps. He was surprised to hear Willows voice coming from the lobby as he walked through the front doors.
Without acknowledging any of the people sitting around, Spike strode over to Giles and laid him out with a right hook. "If you know what's good for you mate, you'll be gone when I get up."
Ignoring Willow, Xander, Kendall, Faith and Andrew, he went toward the stairs, Fred's hand grabbing his from where she was hidden in an alcove stopped him. Reading the question in her eyes, Spike wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "Any time Pet, you should know by now you don't even have to ask."
Willows questions stopped as her mouth dropped open in shock at the warmth in Spike's voice, even with Dawn his voice had never been so, so comforting she thought. The Scoobies watched as Spike led the young blue woman up the stairs, at the sound of only one door closing they looked at each other in shock.
"Here, I brought this up for you," Fred held out a mug of blood. With a weary smile, Spike accepted the warm mug and emptied it. Fred grabbed his hand and pulled him to the attached bath, where she had started the shower while he was drinking.
"Get in and wash all the muck off, you'll feel much better" Fred ordered in her no nonsense tone that the fang gang had taken to calling her Mother Fred tone.
Spike wearily undressed, leaving his clothes in a heap on the floor, he stepped into the hot steamy water, letting it wash away the grime and stiffness from his body. Fred opened the bathroom door, her arms loaded with towels that she placed on the basin; she pulled a pair of electric blue boxers from the bottom of the pile and left them beside the towels.
Spike could feel the approaching dawn getting ever closer, he didn't want to fall asleep in the shower, so he got out and dried off. He raised an eyebrow at the boxers, but put them on before leaving the bathroom. Spike crawled into bed beside Fred, understanding her need to not be alone because he felt it too, he wrapped her in his arms and fell asleep to the sound of Fred's snoring.
Spike came partially awake several hours after sunset, rolling over he looked for a clock. "William? Don't leave me." Fred wrapped her arms around his chest and threw her leg over his thighs. "Shh Luv, I'll never leave you, I'm here for you always" Spike soothed her as he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair; they fell back asleep wrapped around each other. Neither noticing the shadow that stood in doorway, the shadow that had just seen what had transpired in the room, the door closed softly without waking the occupants.
