Title: That Damn Happiness Clause
Writer: Azure K Mello
Disclaimer- I don't own the shoes I'm currently dancing in what's the likelihood I own anything in Joss' universe? I own the original novels. . . I bought them in Borders, and I own the DVDs. I don't however make money off of this I just seem to spend a lot on it. I in no way intend to infringe copyrights. I'm just entertaining myself, honestly, I'm shocked that anyone's read it.
Setting: After Hero. Keep in mind that I am a strong believer in the fact that one little thing can change the course of history, hence cannon gets meddled with because life took a different path. Plus I've meddled with School Hard my cannon is not Joss'.
Warning: SLASH Angel/Doyle. Spike/Xander. Don't like, don't read, don't flame.
Thanks to: Poison for being the fastest Beta I've ever had! And Isaly for getting out of my hair so I would have some time to write, of course she so busy screaming about the "fecking Prot's" that she doesn't notice.
Section rating: R
Part 16/?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Sphincter, This is Spike. Spike, This is my brother Sphincter."
"Alex, no one's called me Sphincter in about 15 years."
"Well no one's called me Alex in about the same."
"You two are brothers?" Spike asked incredulously.
"Half brothers," Sphincter said. "Same mom. Different dads."
"Lucky you," Spike said coldly. He had never heard of an older brother. Why hadn't this man taken care of Xander? Why had he left his brother there?
"Spike, I've heard so much about you over the past few yea-" Xander elbowed him hard while trying to be discreet. "Months," the man amended quickly.
"Yea-months huh?" Spike said with a false smile. Xander was standing apart from him. Spike was an expert at body language: that stance said that there was nothing between them. But if the brother had heard so much about him then wouldn't he know?
"Spike's my-"
"Roommate," Spike finished for the boy. This way he gave Xander a way out without forcing Xander to lie and feel like he'd hurt Spike.
Xander gave him an odd look. "Husband," he finished his sentence. He raised his hand to Spike's face. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah . . . I'm fine, love. Ummmm . . . yeah, no I'm fine." He shook his head to clear his thoughts, nothing happened.
"Now I hate to say it. But if you hurt my little brother I'll be forced to kill you."
"Well it's nice to see someone with Xander's blood giving a damn anyway, I can't hurt or leave the boy I'm-"
"Mormon," Xander said quickly. "Spike's Mormon and his mother gave us a whole speech about not getting a divorce."
"Yep, and having a lot of kids."
"She was ok with you getting together but not getting divorced?"
"She's a cool lady meh mum."
"I was seriously wigged when she started giving us adoption agency names," Xander said.
"Yeah she's real big on grandchildren," he said smiling at Xander's brother. "Xan-pet, a word? Have a seat we'll be right back," he said nodding to their bedroom. Smiling again at Sphincter he followed Xander to their bedroom. "Gringo?" asked Spike in a whisper, Xander shook his head. "Xenophobe?" Xander nodded. "Fuck."
"I'm sorry for making you lie."
"I wasn't lying I have every intention of getting you knocked up." Xander smiled slightly and that made Spike smile. "I'm a soulless killer, lying to someone I don't know doesn't upset me." He smiled softly. "I tried to cover for you: I thought he was just a bigot." Xander smiled and rested his head on Spike's shoulder. "Yea-months huh?"
"Shut up, honey."
"So, how much does he know?"
"He came to graduation, he's been a part time demon slayer ever since. I tried to tell him it wasn't black and white. Then he had a talk with Buffy who conveniently never mentioned Angel. I told him that not all vamps are bad, he said I was being hoodwinked."
"You did it because of Jesse?" Spike asked, trying to figure it out. Xander gave him a blank look as though Spike were a total moron. "You did it in case we ever got together." Xander didn't say anything. He looked down at the floor waiting to be mocked or belittled. Slowly Spike lifted the boy's chin and claimed his lips in a gentle yet firm kiss, which lasted only a minute. As hands started pulling at shirts Spike said, "Have I told you how cute you are today?"
"About five times."
"Damn straight." He lifted the hem of Xander's tight black tee- shirt when hands stopped him.
"My brother's right outside."
"So?"
"He's the authority figure in my life."
"You've done with Angel and Doyle right outside."
"Yeah, but you know they'd do the same if the opportunity arose."
"Don't use that word when you're telling me to stop." Xander smirked at Spike's pain; he licked a line up Spike's neck as the blond asked, "So he knows everything?"
"Yep, but not about Angel and you being foreign."
"Wanta have some fun?"
"Always. Not too mean though, he is my brother, he's just misled."
"Follow my lead?"
"And again I say always."
"What's his name? I can't call him Sphincter."
"Brian: he who ascends and Alexander: the defender of mankind. Our parents had great hopes for us."
"You are the defender of mankind, ask The Scourge. And Brian is up on a high horse. And hell I'm really stubborn so it all works out."
"William means stubborn?"
"Determination, strength, resolute defender. In other words I'm bullheaded."
"It's the perfect name. They left out the fact that you have the attention span of an eight year old."
"That's a purely Spike thing," he said kissing Xander's nose. As they walked out of the bedroom Sphincter went to raise from the Jettison's chair. "Don't get up, Brian, we'll join you. Would you like a soda? We don't have anything stronger, what with being Mormon and all."
"I'm fine, thank-you."
"Did Xan ever tell how we met?"
"No."
"It's a good story. He's in the know, right?" he asked Xander. "How 'bout the slayer?" Xander nodded twice. "Ok so it's parent/teacher at Xander's school. It's also the Feast of St. Vigeous this is like Christmas to vamps. Apparently Buffy, being Buffy-esqu, has no idea of this. I'm wandering through town to see some family. I look at a calendar, start making preparations when I see the date, I hear there is a school function just before it where *the slayer* will be. I hadn't met our little Buffy and I figured it would be a hot spot, so I tag along. Naturally vamps turn up: mayhem ensues. I saw Buffy fighting and she looked more like a fledge than a slayer and she thought the same of me. So we're going at each other both thinking the other is a vampire and suddenly I get hit in the head by the wide end of an axe blade and I hear 'get the hell away from my friend.' And there is your little brother towering above me."
"Angel told me that night that you were 'goal-oriented,'" Xander said with a soft smile. He could only see Spike, Brian wasn't in the room.
"I got you didn't I? As I said that night some things don't change."
"Wow that is a great story. So I'm guessing you and Buffy aren't close friends?"
"No one with half a brain is 'close friends' with that bint," Xander said softly with a laugh. "How are Marcy and the kids? How's New York?"
"New York is fine. And from what my boss says Marcy and the kids are settling nicely in his penthouse apartment."
"Holy fuck."
"Xander, language. That's awful; do you need a place to stay?"
"No, I just came out to see my father and I heard the bad news this morning so I came to offer you a ride home, Al."
"News? What news? Ride? Why ride?"
"Oh god. I thought he would have called you."
"Who?"
"Your father . . . I don't know how to say this, Alex, oh God . . . um."
The pulse was rising in Xander's body. The best way to deal with this, thought Spike, was fast. Never sugarcoat it because it'll still be digested the same way. "You're Mum's dead, Xander," he said as he pulled the boy into his arms. Rocking the now shocked near crying boy in his arms he looked with disgust at the boy who deserved to be called Sphincter. The man couldn't even have the balls to tell his brother their mother was dead. He looked away from the man-child and down at his lover. He mumbled soothing things that made no sense into his boy's ear. Once the boy had finally calmed down a bit, Spike looked up at Sphincter. "Go back, tell them we'll come tonight?" Sphincter just nodded and left in a bemused daze. "Pet, hey? You ok for a minute? Can I call reinforcements?"
"Reinforcements?" asked Xander with a sniff, holding back tears.
"Well if we're leaving tonight Cordy needs the rest of the day to pack. Plus Angel and Doyle need to have a fight, drink a cuppa, and shag."
"You think they'll come?"
"They're your family and they love you, of course they'll come. There's no question."
"Spike, if the funeral is in the day . . ."
"Doyle wears the Gem of Amarra on a chain around his neck like his boyfriend's signet ring . . . I'm sure he'll be only too pleased to lend it to me. We'll make an excuse for Angel." He held the boy in his arms silently for a few minutes. He mused that he would never enjoy the smell of pain again. Whenever that slightly acidic smell would hit his nose he would be brought back to this moment. "What are you thinking?" he asked softly when he smelt the emotion turn to that of anger.
"That day in the hospital I vowed I would never let her upset me again. You're right, I am a fucking liar."
"Hush, pet. You're not a liar, just human," Spike said as he rocked the boy back and forth. "Everything's going to be ok. This is just a part of life."
"You're dead."
"Which makes me an expert on grief. Why don't you get some sleep and I'll make the call."
"Will you be here when I wake up?"
"Always."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The ride to Sunnydale was largely silent. Angel, Doyle, and Cordy sat in the back. No one had raised a fuss about letting Spike drive them in his Fire Dome. Xander sat close to the vampire with one of Spike's arms around his waist. Thank god for bench seats. The silence was that comfortable silence of good friends with nothing to say. Xander chain smoked all the way back. Cordelia had tried to make a fuss just to make the situation seem more normal but she couldn't muster the enthusiasm. And when eventually everyone in the car excepting her were smoking she didn't say a word. The ride was two hours of pained contemplation. Xander had been silent since he and Spike had gotten out of bed. What was it about bereavement that led to copious amounts of sex? Was it just spitting in the eyes of Death? Fuck you 'cause we're still living? That would make a lot of sense if his lover wasn't been dead and their couplings could actually bring life into the world. Did that bother him- that he would never have kids? He always thought he'd be a good dad. His thoughts were a mess about fatherhood and childhood and hating the woman whose funeral they were attending, hating her and missing her. Sensing the tension in his boy, Spike nibbled Xander's ear softly in a way that was far more comforting than sexual.
"So what're ye gonna do when we get there?" asked Doyle finally.
"Find a place to hide?" offered Xander with a smile.
"I know a great motel. A good friend o' mine recommended it," Doyle replied with a smile as he stroked the boy's shoulder. He exchanged a worried look with Angel. Neither felt competent in the situation. Angel squeezed his lover's thigh, they were there and that was as much as they could do. All they could do was try to be of some comfort to the boy in any way they could. "Cordy, you gonna see yer parents?"
"Yeah, I will once we get to the motel and get our bags out," Cor said with a yawn.
Spike looked at the black sky and at his watch. It was late enough to carry out his plan. "Sire, that thing we discussed?"
"We'll do it once we get the boys set in," Angel said with a gentle smile at his childe's impatience to get the job done.
Xander perked up. "You're doing something illegal, aren't you?" he said in a gently chiding manner. "You promised that you would obey the law while here to avoid the wrath of Buffy."
"It's purely blue-collar crime I promise, pet."
"It might not actually be illegal," Angel said contemplatively. "I mean is it private property? Does it belong to it's tenet?"
"You may be right," Spike said with a wide smile. "See, Xan- pet, totally law abiding."
Xander shook his head with a rueful smile. "Don't get caught," he said as he kissed Spike's cheek.
Five minutes later they were checked into three rooms at the same motel Xander and Spike had stayed in while visiting Xander's mum in hospital. Spike kissed the whelp's forehead and then motioned for Triple M to follow him out in the hall. "We'll be gone an hour, hour an' a half tops. Do *anything* you can to help him," he said. Doyle thought he caught the innuendo but wasn't quite sure. Spike couldn't possibly want him to . . . "*Anything*, Doyle."
"Are you asking me to seduce yer lover?" Doyle asked, somewhat mystified.
"No, I'm asking you to console your younger brother."
"By seducing him?" asked the Mick, he didn't want to step over a boundary and incur the wrath of William the Bloody.
Spike rolled his eyes and sighed heavily, "Yes." He saw the look on Doyle's face and laughed. "He needs to be loved and comforted. I'm going out. He loves you and needs you to be there for him. Just, please, make him see that you love him? He didn't even think any of you would come because he didn't think you would care. He's got the confidence thing down pat but he still thinks he's meant to be alone because of a stupid mistake."
"Jesse," guessed Doyle shaking his head at the tragedy. His thoughts flickered to Angel for a moment. The man wouldn't care he wanted Xander happy almost as much as Spike did. Odd vampire sexuality. "I'll do it."
"You'll do it?" asked Spike incredulously. "All that convincing I did and it was that simply. I almost wrote notes before this chat."
"Well ye know. It's not everyday ye get asked to sleep with a beautiful teenager who you love, oh and by the way, his lover is totally fine with it."
Smiling Spike said, "Thank you." Then he tacked on an after thought. "Leave no marks."
"What ye'll be jealous?" Doyle asked with a smirk.
"Not in the least but if the slayer sees him with bruises and bites I'll be stalked."
"Got it. No visible marks. Ye gonna tell me what ye're doin'?"
"I can't: you'll tell Xander, he's very good at using sex as a way to get what he wants." Doyle laughed, Spike smiled at the boy and kissed his forehead before turning and walking to the car where Angel was waiting. Angel smirked. "Do shut-up, Sire," Spike said as he got into the driver's side.
"Remind me why we're doing this?"
"I don't think it's illegal," Spike said, repeating his sire's words.
"Oh please, Will, of course this is illegal."
"Since when did you start following the laws? Anyway, we're doing it to make Xander happy. Which you want almost as badly as I do."
"No I don't. I want him to be happy. I love him dearly. But I don't want him happy anywhere near as much as you do. It's killing you."
"I'm already dead," Spike said coldly, keeping his eyes on the road. What did his sire want to play happy family? No thanks.
"I'm sorry, Will," Angel said softly, "I'll shut up."
"I'm sorry," Spike said upon hearing his sire's tired tone. "It's killing me. I don't remember human grief. Ours isn't the same in any way. And I'm hurting because he's hurting and I don't know what to do. All of his emotions are just so complicated, and he's listless, and I can't read him. I could always read him! I'm the only one who can so if I can't what's wrong with me?" He felt a single tear fall down his face. Damn his vainness, now he would have a black streak of eyeliner on his face.
"You're doing your best. Just be there for him. You're his whole world," Angel said in a distant, businesslike tone looking out the window and pretending not to see his childe's tears. "You have no idea how good you are for him."
"He's too good for me," Spike said as they parked.
"Shouldn't we be parked *not* here?"
"No one's awake. And if they are, it's Sunnyhell: no one will investigate," Spike said with a sneer at Angel's fear.
They quickly and silently walked to the back of the building. Silently Spike broke the window. Standing back he gestured for Angel to go first. Angel shook his head. Confusion washed over Spike's features; his sire always wanted to go first. Again he signal for Angel to lead. And again Angel shook his head. "I can't fit though that hole," he explained.
"Broad shouldered poof," Spike muttered as he dropped through the window into the basement of the building. He fell into a crouch knees bent, fingertips on floor. He scanned the room quickly and determined that no one was there.
Straightening up he heard Angel reply to his snarky comment. "This isn't my problem. I could leave you here and you would have to walk back."
"Idle threats get you no where, now shut up and help me and we'll be done in moments," he said as he passed the goods they were pilfering out through the window. They filled up three big cardboard boxes and were done with the place. Angel reached down a hand to help his childe. As he gave the man a dirty look, Spike pulled himself up under his own steam.
Writer: Azure K Mello
Disclaimer- I don't own the shoes I'm currently dancing in what's the likelihood I own anything in Joss' universe? I own the original novels. . . I bought them in Borders, and I own the DVDs. I don't however make money off of this I just seem to spend a lot on it. I in no way intend to infringe copyrights. I'm just entertaining myself, honestly, I'm shocked that anyone's read it.
Setting: After Hero. Keep in mind that I am a strong believer in the fact that one little thing can change the course of history, hence cannon gets meddled with because life took a different path. Plus I've meddled with School Hard my cannon is not Joss'.
Warning: SLASH Angel/Doyle. Spike/Xander. Don't like, don't read, don't flame.
Thanks to: Poison for being the fastest Beta I've ever had! And Isaly for getting out of my hair so I would have some time to write, of course she so busy screaming about the "fecking Prot's" that she doesn't notice.
Section rating: R
Part 16/?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Sphincter, This is Spike. Spike, This is my brother Sphincter."
"Alex, no one's called me Sphincter in about 15 years."
"Well no one's called me Alex in about the same."
"You two are brothers?" Spike asked incredulously.
"Half brothers," Sphincter said. "Same mom. Different dads."
"Lucky you," Spike said coldly. He had never heard of an older brother. Why hadn't this man taken care of Xander? Why had he left his brother there?
"Spike, I've heard so much about you over the past few yea-" Xander elbowed him hard while trying to be discreet. "Months," the man amended quickly.
"Yea-months huh?" Spike said with a false smile. Xander was standing apart from him. Spike was an expert at body language: that stance said that there was nothing between them. But if the brother had heard so much about him then wouldn't he know?
"Spike's my-"
"Roommate," Spike finished for the boy. This way he gave Xander a way out without forcing Xander to lie and feel like he'd hurt Spike.
Xander gave him an odd look. "Husband," he finished his sentence. He raised his hand to Spike's face. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah . . . I'm fine, love. Ummmm . . . yeah, no I'm fine." He shook his head to clear his thoughts, nothing happened.
"Now I hate to say it. But if you hurt my little brother I'll be forced to kill you."
"Well it's nice to see someone with Xander's blood giving a damn anyway, I can't hurt or leave the boy I'm-"
"Mormon," Xander said quickly. "Spike's Mormon and his mother gave us a whole speech about not getting a divorce."
"Yep, and having a lot of kids."
"She was ok with you getting together but not getting divorced?"
"She's a cool lady meh mum."
"I was seriously wigged when she started giving us adoption agency names," Xander said.
"Yeah she's real big on grandchildren," he said smiling at Xander's brother. "Xan-pet, a word? Have a seat we'll be right back," he said nodding to their bedroom. Smiling again at Sphincter he followed Xander to their bedroom. "Gringo?" asked Spike in a whisper, Xander shook his head. "Xenophobe?" Xander nodded. "Fuck."
"I'm sorry for making you lie."
"I wasn't lying I have every intention of getting you knocked up." Xander smiled slightly and that made Spike smile. "I'm a soulless killer, lying to someone I don't know doesn't upset me." He smiled softly. "I tried to cover for you: I thought he was just a bigot." Xander smiled and rested his head on Spike's shoulder. "Yea-months huh?"
"Shut up, honey."
"So, how much does he know?"
"He came to graduation, he's been a part time demon slayer ever since. I tried to tell him it wasn't black and white. Then he had a talk with Buffy who conveniently never mentioned Angel. I told him that not all vamps are bad, he said I was being hoodwinked."
"You did it because of Jesse?" Spike asked, trying to figure it out. Xander gave him a blank look as though Spike were a total moron. "You did it in case we ever got together." Xander didn't say anything. He looked down at the floor waiting to be mocked or belittled. Slowly Spike lifted the boy's chin and claimed his lips in a gentle yet firm kiss, which lasted only a minute. As hands started pulling at shirts Spike said, "Have I told you how cute you are today?"
"About five times."
"Damn straight." He lifted the hem of Xander's tight black tee- shirt when hands stopped him.
"My brother's right outside."
"So?"
"He's the authority figure in my life."
"You've done with Angel and Doyle right outside."
"Yeah, but you know they'd do the same if the opportunity arose."
"Don't use that word when you're telling me to stop." Xander smirked at Spike's pain; he licked a line up Spike's neck as the blond asked, "So he knows everything?"
"Yep, but not about Angel and you being foreign."
"Wanta have some fun?"
"Always. Not too mean though, he is my brother, he's just misled."
"Follow my lead?"
"And again I say always."
"What's his name? I can't call him Sphincter."
"Brian: he who ascends and Alexander: the defender of mankind. Our parents had great hopes for us."
"You are the defender of mankind, ask The Scourge. And Brian is up on a high horse. And hell I'm really stubborn so it all works out."
"William means stubborn?"
"Determination, strength, resolute defender. In other words I'm bullheaded."
"It's the perfect name. They left out the fact that you have the attention span of an eight year old."
"That's a purely Spike thing," he said kissing Xander's nose. As they walked out of the bedroom Sphincter went to raise from the Jettison's chair. "Don't get up, Brian, we'll join you. Would you like a soda? We don't have anything stronger, what with being Mormon and all."
"I'm fine, thank-you."
"Did Xan ever tell how we met?"
"No."
"It's a good story. He's in the know, right?" he asked Xander. "How 'bout the slayer?" Xander nodded twice. "Ok so it's parent/teacher at Xander's school. It's also the Feast of St. Vigeous this is like Christmas to vamps. Apparently Buffy, being Buffy-esqu, has no idea of this. I'm wandering through town to see some family. I look at a calendar, start making preparations when I see the date, I hear there is a school function just before it where *the slayer* will be. I hadn't met our little Buffy and I figured it would be a hot spot, so I tag along. Naturally vamps turn up: mayhem ensues. I saw Buffy fighting and she looked more like a fledge than a slayer and she thought the same of me. So we're going at each other both thinking the other is a vampire and suddenly I get hit in the head by the wide end of an axe blade and I hear 'get the hell away from my friend.' And there is your little brother towering above me."
"Angel told me that night that you were 'goal-oriented,'" Xander said with a soft smile. He could only see Spike, Brian wasn't in the room.
"I got you didn't I? As I said that night some things don't change."
"Wow that is a great story. So I'm guessing you and Buffy aren't close friends?"
"No one with half a brain is 'close friends' with that bint," Xander said softly with a laugh. "How are Marcy and the kids? How's New York?"
"New York is fine. And from what my boss says Marcy and the kids are settling nicely in his penthouse apartment."
"Holy fuck."
"Xander, language. That's awful; do you need a place to stay?"
"No, I just came out to see my father and I heard the bad news this morning so I came to offer you a ride home, Al."
"News? What news? Ride? Why ride?"
"Oh god. I thought he would have called you."
"Who?"
"Your father . . . I don't know how to say this, Alex, oh God . . . um."
The pulse was rising in Xander's body. The best way to deal with this, thought Spike, was fast. Never sugarcoat it because it'll still be digested the same way. "You're Mum's dead, Xander," he said as he pulled the boy into his arms. Rocking the now shocked near crying boy in his arms he looked with disgust at the boy who deserved to be called Sphincter. The man couldn't even have the balls to tell his brother their mother was dead. He looked away from the man-child and down at his lover. He mumbled soothing things that made no sense into his boy's ear. Once the boy had finally calmed down a bit, Spike looked up at Sphincter. "Go back, tell them we'll come tonight?" Sphincter just nodded and left in a bemused daze. "Pet, hey? You ok for a minute? Can I call reinforcements?"
"Reinforcements?" asked Xander with a sniff, holding back tears.
"Well if we're leaving tonight Cordy needs the rest of the day to pack. Plus Angel and Doyle need to have a fight, drink a cuppa, and shag."
"You think they'll come?"
"They're your family and they love you, of course they'll come. There's no question."
"Spike, if the funeral is in the day . . ."
"Doyle wears the Gem of Amarra on a chain around his neck like his boyfriend's signet ring . . . I'm sure he'll be only too pleased to lend it to me. We'll make an excuse for Angel." He held the boy in his arms silently for a few minutes. He mused that he would never enjoy the smell of pain again. Whenever that slightly acidic smell would hit his nose he would be brought back to this moment. "What are you thinking?" he asked softly when he smelt the emotion turn to that of anger.
"That day in the hospital I vowed I would never let her upset me again. You're right, I am a fucking liar."
"Hush, pet. You're not a liar, just human," Spike said as he rocked the boy back and forth. "Everything's going to be ok. This is just a part of life."
"You're dead."
"Which makes me an expert on grief. Why don't you get some sleep and I'll make the call."
"Will you be here when I wake up?"
"Always."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The ride to Sunnydale was largely silent. Angel, Doyle, and Cordy sat in the back. No one had raised a fuss about letting Spike drive them in his Fire Dome. Xander sat close to the vampire with one of Spike's arms around his waist. Thank god for bench seats. The silence was that comfortable silence of good friends with nothing to say. Xander chain smoked all the way back. Cordelia had tried to make a fuss just to make the situation seem more normal but she couldn't muster the enthusiasm. And when eventually everyone in the car excepting her were smoking she didn't say a word. The ride was two hours of pained contemplation. Xander had been silent since he and Spike had gotten out of bed. What was it about bereavement that led to copious amounts of sex? Was it just spitting in the eyes of Death? Fuck you 'cause we're still living? That would make a lot of sense if his lover wasn't been dead and their couplings could actually bring life into the world. Did that bother him- that he would never have kids? He always thought he'd be a good dad. His thoughts were a mess about fatherhood and childhood and hating the woman whose funeral they were attending, hating her and missing her. Sensing the tension in his boy, Spike nibbled Xander's ear softly in a way that was far more comforting than sexual.
"So what're ye gonna do when we get there?" asked Doyle finally.
"Find a place to hide?" offered Xander with a smile.
"I know a great motel. A good friend o' mine recommended it," Doyle replied with a smile as he stroked the boy's shoulder. He exchanged a worried look with Angel. Neither felt competent in the situation. Angel squeezed his lover's thigh, they were there and that was as much as they could do. All they could do was try to be of some comfort to the boy in any way they could. "Cordy, you gonna see yer parents?"
"Yeah, I will once we get to the motel and get our bags out," Cor said with a yawn.
Spike looked at the black sky and at his watch. It was late enough to carry out his plan. "Sire, that thing we discussed?"
"We'll do it once we get the boys set in," Angel said with a gentle smile at his childe's impatience to get the job done.
Xander perked up. "You're doing something illegal, aren't you?" he said in a gently chiding manner. "You promised that you would obey the law while here to avoid the wrath of Buffy."
"It's purely blue-collar crime I promise, pet."
"It might not actually be illegal," Angel said contemplatively. "I mean is it private property? Does it belong to it's tenet?"
"You may be right," Spike said with a wide smile. "See, Xan- pet, totally law abiding."
Xander shook his head with a rueful smile. "Don't get caught," he said as he kissed Spike's cheek.
Five minutes later they were checked into three rooms at the same motel Xander and Spike had stayed in while visiting Xander's mum in hospital. Spike kissed the whelp's forehead and then motioned for Triple M to follow him out in the hall. "We'll be gone an hour, hour an' a half tops. Do *anything* you can to help him," he said. Doyle thought he caught the innuendo but wasn't quite sure. Spike couldn't possibly want him to . . . "*Anything*, Doyle."
"Are you asking me to seduce yer lover?" Doyle asked, somewhat mystified.
"No, I'm asking you to console your younger brother."
"By seducing him?" asked the Mick, he didn't want to step over a boundary and incur the wrath of William the Bloody.
Spike rolled his eyes and sighed heavily, "Yes." He saw the look on Doyle's face and laughed. "He needs to be loved and comforted. I'm going out. He loves you and needs you to be there for him. Just, please, make him see that you love him? He didn't even think any of you would come because he didn't think you would care. He's got the confidence thing down pat but he still thinks he's meant to be alone because of a stupid mistake."
"Jesse," guessed Doyle shaking his head at the tragedy. His thoughts flickered to Angel for a moment. The man wouldn't care he wanted Xander happy almost as much as Spike did. Odd vampire sexuality. "I'll do it."
"You'll do it?" asked Spike incredulously. "All that convincing I did and it was that simply. I almost wrote notes before this chat."
"Well ye know. It's not everyday ye get asked to sleep with a beautiful teenager who you love, oh and by the way, his lover is totally fine with it."
Smiling Spike said, "Thank you." Then he tacked on an after thought. "Leave no marks."
"What ye'll be jealous?" Doyle asked with a smirk.
"Not in the least but if the slayer sees him with bruises and bites I'll be stalked."
"Got it. No visible marks. Ye gonna tell me what ye're doin'?"
"I can't: you'll tell Xander, he's very good at using sex as a way to get what he wants." Doyle laughed, Spike smiled at the boy and kissed his forehead before turning and walking to the car where Angel was waiting. Angel smirked. "Do shut-up, Sire," Spike said as he got into the driver's side.
"Remind me why we're doing this?"
"I don't think it's illegal," Spike said, repeating his sire's words.
"Oh please, Will, of course this is illegal."
"Since when did you start following the laws? Anyway, we're doing it to make Xander happy. Which you want almost as badly as I do."
"No I don't. I want him to be happy. I love him dearly. But I don't want him happy anywhere near as much as you do. It's killing you."
"I'm already dead," Spike said coldly, keeping his eyes on the road. What did his sire want to play happy family? No thanks.
"I'm sorry, Will," Angel said softly, "I'll shut up."
"I'm sorry," Spike said upon hearing his sire's tired tone. "It's killing me. I don't remember human grief. Ours isn't the same in any way. And I'm hurting because he's hurting and I don't know what to do. All of his emotions are just so complicated, and he's listless, and I can't read him. I could always read him! I'm the only one who can so if I can't what's wrong with me?" He felt a single tear fall down his face. Damn his vainness, now he would have a black streak of eyeliner on his face.
"You're doing your best. Just be there for him. You're his whole world," Angel said in a distant, businesslike tone looking out the window and pretending not to see his childe's tears. "You have no idea how good you are for him."
"He's too good for me," Spike said as they parked.
"Shouldn't we be parked *not* here?"
"No one's awake. And if they are, it's Sunnyhell: no one will investigate," Spike said with a sneer at Angel's fear.
They quickly and silently walked to the back of the building. Silently Spike broke the window. Standing back he gestured for Angel to go first. Angel shook his head. Confusion washed over Spike's features; his sire always wanted to go first. Again he signal for Angel to lead. And again Angel shook his head. "I can't fit though that hole," he explained.
"Broad shouldered poof," Spike muttered as he dropped through the window into the basement of the building. He fell into a crouch knees bent, fingertips on floor. He scanned the room quickly and determined that no one was there.
Straightening up he heard Angel reply to his snarky comment. "This isn't my problem. I could leave you here and you would have to walk back."
"Idle threats get you no where, now shut up and help me and we'll be done in moments," he said as he passed the goods they were pilfering out through the window. They filled up three big cardboard boxes and were done with the place. Angel reached down a hand to help his childe. As he gave the man a dirty look, Spike pulled himself up under his own steam.