Author's Note: I am a mean bitch, and I'm damn proud of it! I couldn't resist leaving it at a cliff hanger, then not doing anything about it. My deepest apologies. Anyway, this is another one of those pesky random interludes. You really don't need to read it if you don't want to; you'll still be able to follow the main storyline. I just had a request from one of my friends to have an interlude with a young Xander and his crush on Spike. Also, I'm writing a ten-page term paper on the Stonewall Rebellion, so that explains the first half of this. Goddamn schoolwork interfering with my writing.... ::shakes fist::

Interlude: Greenwich Village, NY - 1993

"Dalton! Lemme go, we're gonna be late!"

Dalton refused to move and gave his thirteen-year-old foster son a stern look. "I told you that you could go only when you finished your math problems," he said. "If you hadn't insisted on watching that ridiculous show, you would be done by now!"

Xander gave him a crooked grin. "Admit it, Dalton, you thought The Adventures of Treize the Crossdresser was funny."

"I did not!" Dalton returned frostily. "Honestly, I don't see why there are such pointless programmes on television these days," he grumbled. Picking up a small cup, the scholar poured himself a cup of blood and grabbed a can of root beer for Xander.

"Now, just finish those last few problems and you are free to go. I'll help you through them if you have any-" Dalton stopped abruptly as he returned to the study.

Xander was gone.

Dalton sighed and ran a hand across his balding scalp, sipping his tea absently. "What am I going to do with that boy?" he asked himself as he began to tidy up the study.

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Xander grinned to himself as he quickly sneaked out of the lair. Cooper had promised the young teen that she would take him to see the sights of the historic Greenwich Village, including the Pride block party on Christopher Street and Xan didn't want to keep her waiting.

He turned onto Greenwich Ave. and scanned the minds of those nearby, searching for Cooper's distinctive mental pattern. Easily picking out her thoughts from the humans', Xander tracked her to a small alleyway.

"Cooper?" Xander called, cautiously walking into the alley, his mind continuously scanning his surroundings. "Hey, Coop, it's Xander."

The young vampiress strolled out of the shadows with her usual leonine grace, contently licking blood off her fingers. A small cut ran below her right eye, but it didn't seem to bother her.

"Hey, kiddo," Cooper said, playfully ruffling the boy's dark hair. "Escaped from Dalton, did you?"

Xander grinned, brushing his hair out of his eyes. "Yeah. I snuck out when the old man wasn't looking," he replied. "What happened to your eye? Food fight back?"

Cooper scowled. "Fucker pulled a knife on me," she growled. An evil grin appeared on her soft features. "I made him eat it, though. He didn't struggle so much after that, which was disappointing."

Chuckling, Xander followed the vampiress onto Christopher Street, mentally seizing control of the security guards. The two made their way through the mass of partying Pride-goers and street vendors, heading for a large brick tavern-like restaurant.

"Where are we going?" Xander called after Cooper, trying to keep up with the light-footed vamp.

"To have a little history lesson," Cooper replied, slowing her strides to allow the boy to catch up. "One that any queer worth salt should know." She stopped in front of the restaurant and gestured to it with a grandiose wave.

"This, kiddo, is Stonewall."

Xander tilted his head in confusion, a habit he'd adopted from Master Spike. "Stonewall?" he repeated, still unsure where Cooper was going with this.

The vampiress stared at him incredulously. "You don't know what Stonewall is?" she asked in disbelief. She shook her dark head sadly. "What's ol' Dalton teachin' you?" Xander was about to respond when Cooper cut him off. "Nevermind. I'll teach you what you'll really need to know," she said, throwing an arm around the young telepath's shoulders.

"Stonewall was a gay bar in the sixties that was raided by the police; but, instead of just standin' by and lettin' the cops win, the patrons of the bar fought back. The battle lasted for three days and now it's known as the start of the gay revolution."

"Is that why we go to Pride every year?"

Cooper grinned. "You got it. I was in that fight when I was human, but I was turned on the third night." Her grey eyes darkened. "Cops are fuckin' lucky that the fight ended when it did," she growled softly.

Xander looked at the old restaurant and pictured what it must've looked like in the sixties. Around him, people snapped pictures of the historic building and sat on the sidewalk in front of it. Smiling, he looked back over at Cooper, who seemed lost in her memories.

"C'mon, Coop," he said. "Let's join the party."

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After he and Cooper arrived back at the abandoned building that the Order of Aurelius had taken over, Xander headed straight for Spike's quarters, eager to tell his benefactor what he had missed.

The young teen squeezed past Fox and Aiden and entered the Master's private quarters. "Hey, Spike!" he called, looking around the room for the Englishman. There was no reply.

Frowning, Xander mentally probed the room and picked up Spike's location. Rolling his eyes, the boy walked over to the bathroom and tapped on the door.

"Spike, it's me," Xander said through the door. "You missed a great party! Cooper showed me the Stonewall Inn and told me they story, an' it was way cool!"

The door opened and Xander was hit with a blast of steam. Spike walked out combing his bleached hair back, naked save for a towel wrapped precariously around his slender waist. Xander watched in fascination as tiny beads of water dripped down the older male's chest and disappeared beneath the low-riding towel. Eyes up, X-Man, Xander scolded himself, swallowing heavily.

"It was 'way cool,' was it?" Spike murmured with a hint of amusement colouring his voice, apparently oblivious to Xander's attraction.

"Uh, yeah," Xander replied distractedly. He shook his head to clear it, studiously looking away from Spike as he dressed. "We should crash block parties more often."

Spike chuckled as he pulled a tight, black t-shirt over his head. "We should," he agreed, turning to face the boy. "As long as you finish your schoolwork first," the Brit finished quietly.

Xander blushed and looked at his feet, suddenly finding the suede bindings on his Birkenstocks fascinating. "You heard about that?" he mumbled, embarassed.

"I saw you run out of the study," Spike explained, tilting the child's head up with his fingertips. "You're getting older, cub; you have to start acting more responsibly." He smiled. "Look at you. You're already as tall as I am, Xan. Soon you'll be an adult and my Consort. This Order can't be led by someone who skirts their duties, understand?"

The young telepath nodded. "Sorry, Spike. I'll go back and finish the last of my work," he said reluctantly.

Spike smiled at him and Xander suddenly wished that he were older, so the vampire wouldn't look at him like a child, but instead as a man worthy to be his mate. The Brit reached out and smoothed Xander's long hair back. "That's my boy," he said quietly. "Go on back to Dalton, now."

Xander nodded and returned to his and Dalton's room. With a sigh, the young teen sat down at the table and pulled out his notebook. He made a half-hearted attempt to finish his work, but his mind remained elsewhere.

"One day I'll make you proud, Spike," Xander whispered. "Someday, you'll feel proud to have me as a Consort."

A/N: Oh, for those of you who want more information on Treize the Crossdresser, please read The Rogue Prince's fic, At the Movies. I blame her.