Author's Note: Due to several death threats and bribes to clean out my car, I have finished the next chapter! Here is the much-begged-for meeting between Spike and Angel, and please excuse any OOC on Angel's part: I'm not used to writing him all that much, so he might not sound right. Any suggestions for improvement will be greatly appreciated.

Side note to Bree: I'm holding you to that bribe to clean out my car, you know. The next chapter does not go up until my car is cleaned out. ::grin::

Chapter Six

"Find anything yet?"

Dalton sighed and took off his glasses, glaring impatiently at the pacing Brit. "Not yet, Master," he said slowly, as if speaking to a child. "But it's only been two minutes since you last asked, so that's to be expected."

Growling, Spike sat down at the table and reached for Dalton's notebook. "What's this?" he asked gruffly.

"General information about the Blood Rite, rules and such. I've gone over them for loopholes that we could possibly take advantage of, but I can't seem to find any. Right now I'm looking through recorded accounts of Challenges past, but the Blood Rite is so rarely called that the accounts are hard to come by."

Spike apparently hadn't heard him. "Bloody hell! They aren't allowed to use weapons?! How's he supposed to kill Damien w'his bare hands?"

"Tear off his head, I suppose," Dalton mused. "Though Damien does have a distinct advantage in being a vampire."

Spike miserably buried his face in his arms. "Why couldn't it just be a Challenge to first blood?" he said mournfully.

"Because then Alexander would have a chance of winning," Ella said from the doorway. "Damien's a coward; he wouldn't have Challenged Master Alexander if he didn't think that it would be a sure victory." She smiled, sharing a look with her lover. "We did, however, find a flaw in his plan."

Spike looked up anxiously, a glimmer of hope in his blue eyes. "Tell me," he ordered. "Xan can't fight that Challenge!"

Cooper tossed a sheaf of yellowed papers onto the table between the two males. Ben and Starcat appeared in the doorway as well, ever loyal to Spike. Fox and Aiden kept guard outside the door with explicit orders to let no one in but those assisting Spike in his research.

"These are from Ella's former Order," Cooper explained. "It's a personal account of the only Blood Rite Challenge to ever have been cancelled."

Interested, Spike picked up the pages and inspected them closely. He briefly scanned the first page, then shook his head. "We still need the Master whose name Damien called the Challenge in. We can't do anything without my wanker of a Grandsire."

"But we do have Angelus," Ben quietly pointed out. "You said that Alexander sent you information that proved Angelus is right here in Sunnydale."

Spike snorted. "Poof's known as 'Angel' now. He's got 'imself a soul an' a Slayer to shag."

"He could also be our only chance," Dalton retorted. He handed Ella the papers and leaned forward in his chair. "Master, if you could convince him to call the High Council of Orders together, the Challenge could be cancelled. Only he can file for a cancellation," he pressed.

Everyone turned to look at Spike, who was lost in thought. Finally, he shoved his chair back angrily and pulled on his duster. Growling, he pushed Cooper and Starcat out of his way, snarling an order to Aiden.

"Bring the DeSoto around to the front."

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Spike sat in the DeSoto glaring balefully at the house across the street. The last thing he wanted to do was reveal himself to the Slayer, but only she could tell him where to find Angel.

Ben looked at the Master vampire uneasily. "I'll go and talk with the Slayer if you would prefer, Master," he offered, choosing his words carefully so as not to anger the unpredictable blonde.

"No, I have to go. She can't hurt me because her dear chum, Xander, will die if she doesn't tell me where ol' Peaches is." Spike opened the door and stepped out into the night. "Guard the car," he ordered.

Leaving Ben in the DeSoto, Spike walked cautiously across the Summers' lawn to the front door.

A tall, middle-aged woman opened the door and smiled pleasantly at Spike. Must be 'er mum, the vampire thought, noting the family resemblance.

"Can I help you?" Mrs. Summers asked, a hint of caution in her voice.

Spike smiled disarmingly. "I hope so, ma'am," he replied, slipping out of his usual northern London drawl. "I'm Will Stuart, Xander Harris' boyfriend. I was wondering if I could speak with Buffy, if it's not too much trouble." Internally, Spike was praying for an invitation.

No such luck. Mrs. Summers merely smiled at him and called Buffy's name.

The Slayer appeared on the stairs and stared at Spike in confusion. "Will? What are you doing here?" She hurriedly came downstairs, taking her jacket off the railing. "Is Xander okay?"

"For now," Spike replied. He glanced toward the den, where Buffy's mom had retreated to. "You might want to step outside t'hear this."

Buffy hesitated, looking at Spike with suspicion. She cautiously walked onto the porch to join the Brit, making sure to never turn her back on him.

"If I wanted to kill you, Slayer, I would've done so at the Bronze," Spike said, returning to his usual accent. "I didn't come 'ere for a fight. I came for some help."

A stake appeared in Buffy's hand and she had Spike on his back with the tip of the stake digging into his flesh in an instant. "You expect me to help a vampire?" Buffy scoffed. "Nice try."

Spike shrugged. "Fine," he said nonchalantly. "Just know that if you destroy me, Xander will die."

Buffy paused at the mention of Xander's name, but she didn't let Spike up. "You're holding him hostage?"

"Quite the contrary. He had the option to refuse the Challenge, but 'e's too bloody honourable to back down." Spike glared at the Slayer with a frightening intensity in his blue eyes. "I love him, Slayer. The only one who can cancel that Challenge is Angel, so I need to know where I can find 'im."

Cautiously, Buffy let Spike up. "You're him, aren't you? The vampire whom Angel warned me about. Spike."

Spike smirked. "Got it in one," he purred. "Xander's been in my order since 'e was a babe, an' I'm not prepared to let 'im throw 'is life away," he confessed. "Now, will you 'elp me?"

The Slayer sighed. "Follow me," she said reluctantly.

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Under normal circumstances, Buffy would've never willingly gotten into a car with a Master vampire, but she did realise that it was now a race against time to save Xander's life.

As soon as Spike had revealed himself, everything had fallen into place: Xander arriving soon after the Order of Aurelius; the strange feelings she occasionally had around Xander; and, the other teen's interest in Angel. Buffy silently cursed herself for not seeing the connections before.

"Left or right, Slayer?"

Buffy jumped as Spike's gruff voice broke through her thoughts. "Um, left," she replied absently.

The other vampire who had been waiting for them in Spike's DeSoto glanced at Buffy uneasily. "I wish we had Alexander with us," he grumbled. "I don't trust her, Master."

"Neither do I, Ben, but right now, she an' Peaches are Xan's only chance."

Buffy could hear the pain and fear in Spike's voice and nearly found herself pitying him before she caught herself. He brainwashed Xander, Buffy reminded herself sternly. He doesn't deserve pity.

"Why do you need Angel anyway?" Buffy voiced the question that had been on her mind for some time. "Can't you just cancel this Challenge, or whatever it is?"

Spike glanced at her through the rearview mirror. "Doesn't your Watcher teach you anything about vampire customs?" he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "Honestly, Slayers these days just aren't as bright as they used to be."

"Just answer the question, Spike," Buffy snapped, finding the peroxide blonde more irritating than evil.

Spike merely laughed at the young woman's angry tone. The other vampire, Ben, twisted in his seat to face Buffy.

"Master Spike's Childe called the Blood Rite Challenge on Master Alexander," the soft-spoken vampire explained. "It's a fight to the death. Damien though, called the Challenge in Angelus'-"

"Angel's," Buffy corrected.

"Angel's name, " Ben allowed. "By the rules of the Challenge, only the Master whose name it was called in can cancel it."

"So what does Angel have to do?"

"He must call the High Council of Orders together and represent the Order of Aurelius. He has to petition the Council for a cancellation, and then the Council will vote on whether or not to approve his cancellation."

"It's sort of like Congress, only with less backstabbing," Spike commented dryly. He parked the DeSoto across the street from an old, abandoned mansion and looked steadily at the Slayer.

"Now, I'm perfectly willing to be civil to both you an' my tosser of a Grandsire as long as you treat me the same."

Buffy glared at the other blonde. "Fine; for now, at least."

Spike let out a feral grin. "Of course," he agreed, his voice a silky purr. "For now."

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Spike and Buffy entered the mansion side by side, neither one wanting to turn their back to the other. Despite his outward bravado, Spike was on edge internally. He was well aware that his Grandsire could easily destroy him if he so chose to.

Xander had been a constant presence in the vampire's mind ever since he had picked up on Spike's plan to talk with Angel. The vampire soon found that their bonding had strengthened the mental link between them, and that he could now receive his lover's telepathic messages more easily, though he could not send them in return.

"Spike, don't do this," Xander pleaded, his fear for Spike's safety almost a tangible substance. "You know that Angel will kill you as soon as he sees you. If you want the Challenge cancelled so badly, have Ella or Dalton talk to Deadboy!"

"Don't start this now, Xan," Spike muttered under his breath, hoping his words would be echoed in his thoughts so Xander would pick them up. "If you want to stay, then stay; but, don't distract me."

"I still don't like it."

"You don't 'ave to," Spike replied, casting a quick glance at Buffy as he spoke. If the Slayer had heard Spike's words, she didn't show any sign of it.

"Buffy! Get away from him!" A new voice roared from behind Spike and Buffy. Angel had appeared in the doorway and lunged at Spike, his gameface a snarling mask of fury. He stopped millimetres away from the smaller vamp, still viciously growling as he attempted to push Spike back.

Refusing to submit to Angel's display of dominance, Spike stood his ground, slipping into his true face and matching his Grandsire's snarl. He bared his razor-sharp canines and hissed defiantly at the souled vampire.

"Cut it out, you two!" Buffy ordered, stepping between the two men and pushing them both back. "How old are you guys? Twelve? Spike said he'd behave, Angel. He needs your help."

Angel's face shifted back to its human guise, but the glare he directed at Spike was no less intense. "Spike's also a compulsive liar," he growled.

"Oi! I am not compulsive!"

"Shut up, Spike," Buffy snapped. She stood in front of her boyfriend, effectively blocking his view of the smaller vampire. "Angel, please," she said quietly, stepping closer to the dark vampire. "You have to listen to what Spike has to say; Xander's life is on the line here."

"Xander?" Angel repeated. "Your friend Xander?"

Buffy nodded. "I don't really understand it all that well, but Spike can explain."

Spike didn't relax. He had known Angel long enough to know better than to let his guard down.

"He's got a stake in a trigger mechanism in his left sleeve," Xander sent, confirming Spike's suspicions.

"My Childe has Challenged my lifemate, Xander," Spike said, making sure to keep an eye on Angel's sleeve.

Angel's expression didn't change. "Then why do you need me?" Challenges are serious, but they're only to first blood, you know that," he growled. "It's your lack of responsibility that led to your Childe calling the Challenge. You deal with it."

Spike refused to acknowledge the insult. "He called the Blood Rite on Xan," he countered, taking grim satisfaction in seeing Angel's eyes widen in shock. "It was called in your name."

Angel closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Xander accepted?"
"Yes."

"Shit," Angel cursed, running his hands through his overly gelled hair. "Does he even know what the Challenge entails?"

"Our Order raised him from a baby. Chances are that he's mentally more vampire than human. We're the only family 'e's ever known."

"You're in love with him." It was not a question.

Fierce blue eyes met smouldering brown. "I am. He's my world, mate. I'm prepared to sacrifice anything to save him," Spike said seriously.

"Please, Angel. He's telling the truth," Buffy said quietly, surprising both vampires with her support of Spike. "I've seen him with Xander and it's obvious they're in love."

"Thanks, Slayer."

Buffy scowled at Spike. Her expression made it perfectly clear that she wasn't helping him, she was helping Xander.

Angel sighed and gave the Brit a faint smile, shaking his head in amazement. "I don't know how you manage to get yourself into these situations, Spike." The Irish vampire let out an unneeded breath and gazed intently at his wayward Grandchilde. "Get me all the information you have, and I'll call the Council together."

Spike couldn't stop the broad smile that appeared on his face. "Thanks, Peaches," he said gravely.

"Yeah, well, I'm not promising a success. Just remember that you owe me for this."

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Spike and Ben arrived back at the Order's headquarters about an hour before dawn. Spike felt physically and mentally drained from his meeting with Angel, and wanted nothing more than to curl up next to Xander and sleep for days.

Dismissing Fox and Aiden, Spike entered his quarters, shedding his clothing as he approached the bed. Xander gave him a sleepy smile and opened his arms. Gratefully, Spike crawled into the big man's embrace and pillowed his head on his lover's broad chest.

"I still don't like Deadboy."

Spike gave a throaty chuckle and kissed Xander gently, pulling back when the young telepath tried to deepen it. Xander pouted, using his big chocolate eyes to his advantage. Spike simply smiled and kissed the full lips, purring as he did so.

"You've been trying to pull that one on me since you were a baby, lovely," he rumbled. "Just sleep tonight. I want you to start training with Cooper, Starcat, and Aiden tomorrow."

"I have school."

"Dalton's calling you in sick. I want you to be prepared to fight this sodding Challenge in case Captain Forehead can't convince the Council to cancel it."

Xander gave a petulant sigh, but relaxed against Spike, burying his face in the peroxide blonde's hair. The vampire placed a gentle kiss on the younger male's collarbone and closed his eyes, knowing that nightmares would plague his dreams, but too exhausted to care.