Part: (22?)

Writer: Az K Mello

Summery: Spike casts a spell on Angel to make him lose his soul. Things don't go as planned and instead Angel just opens up about his feelings towards Xander.

This chapter: Spike and Xander talk.

Feedback: will get you a tea party

Warning: slash

Spike watched the boy carefully as they drove. He could see the tension in the boy's shoulders and felt guilty for being the source. He loved upsetting people but he didn't want to hurt family. "I'm glad you're coming," he said softly. "These political games can get boring. You know how the night will go before it even starts. So you'll liven things up a bit. Each kitten is worth 300 hundred dollars. Each chip is for a 25th of a kitten (twelve dollars). This is an invitational only game, so there are going to be a lot of very powerful demons there. I want you next to me."

"But if it's invitees only am I allowed to be there?" asked Xander anxiously.

The blond couldn't help but laugh, "Xander, you're Angelus' mate. No one is going to argue with your being there. Everyone there is frightened of him. And then they'll see you and realize that you're human. So they'll think that you're either extremely powerful in someway or that he's completely in love with you so they won't make a move against you because one way you'll kill them and the other Angel will. You're above all of them in the pecking order. You're above me for goodness sakes and I'm the master of this town. You're my sire's mate so even I am below you, you are the most politically powerful person there tonight. And if there is a brawl you'll be able to easily hold your own. I don't understand how it's happened but you and he are moving through the stages of a bonding very quickly and I'm sure that if you were to fight someone right now you would have vampiric strength. Besides you've been patrolling with the slayer for long enough to win against any of these old gits, none of them have been in a knock down in years. But I don't want there to be a punch up on my front lawn, so stay close. And if you get bored and want to leave just make out that Angel's asked you to come home through your link. It'll freak 'em out."

Xander laughed, "Thanks for letting me tag along."

"Don't mention it," said Spike throwing his cigarette out the window. "I was surprised you wanted to come."

"Angel and Dru need some time alone."

Smirking Spike said, "And you're ok with that?"

"They aren't having sex," said Xander softly.

"No you're right. They're fucking." Spike laughed and then he said incredulously, "Wait, did you make him promise he wouldn't?"

"No," Xander shook his head and felt rather proud of himself. "I told him that it was ok if they did. I mean he's her sire, she's his responsibility and if that's what they need to be friends again I can't really argue."

"You wouldn't be upset?"

Xander thought about it truthfully. "I would be more upset if I was the cause for family troubles. I don't like the idea of them being together. But I knew what I was doing when I tied myself to Angel. I know about sires and childer. I understand that. And if it was something I couldn't deal with I wouldn't be here. But he said he wouldn't. I told him he could but he said he wouldn't." He saw Spike's smirk and said, "Ten bucks says that when we get back they will not have slept together."

"The night's winnings."

"I'm not gonna play. Just watch."

"No, you are. This is your "welcome to the family" night. My treat. So any winnings go to you if they've not shagged themselves rotten by the time we get home." Spike smiled, "Now, let's go get pizza."

Dru was ignoring him. He was slightly desperate to have her like him again. It had been so long since she had called him sire and enjoyed his presence. He couldn't treat her the way Angelus did. All he had done back then was abuse her. He loved her but he broke her into tiny pieces in the meanwhile. The soul inside of him wasn't willing to do that. He used to degrade her and worship her in equal measures and now he couldn't hurt her. And he knew that, for Dru, being hurt was as important as being comforted.

"I'm sorry, Princess," he said finally, "I'm not Angelus. But I am still your sire. I still love you. If I hurt you Xander will be sad. Do you want Xander to be hurt?"

Xander felt strangely out of his depths with the vampire. He understood that he was officially Spike's superior but he still felt stupid when faced with the vampire's company. The blond was educated, and had seen the world, and how could he possibly want to spend time with a seventeen year old? But as they walked into the slightly up market pizzeria he slid into the same side of the booth as Xander sat in.

He asked about what Xander would do in school and seemed genuinely interested in the boy's response. A waiter came over to take their order but got nervous when they requested for a pizza without garlic.

"The last time someone ordered a pizza without garlic we were six people short the next day."

"It's not like that," said Xander understanding the boy's concern. "Will's really allergic to garlic. We're going to a poker game and I don't want him puking on my shoes."

The boy studied them. He knew Xander from around school. Xander was friends with that Buffy girl who always seemed to be in the middle of all of the "garlic" related incidences. But she also seemed to always be in the right. "Ok, let me see what I can do."

Spike smiled at Xander, "allergic?"

"What? Would you have liked me to say you were a "good" guy? You aren't. Or I could have said, "It's ok his sire won't let him eat anyone," that woulda worked."

"I'm a good guy!" argued Spike with no conviction or even much interest. He wanted to tease Xander, "Why are you friends with a nongood guy?"

Xander sighed and said slowly, "Because I'm your sire and I have to love you."

The vampire nearly swallowed his own tongue. And the boy grinned widly at his reaction. Xander wasn't supposed to know that! Spike had been comfortable believing that Xander didn't know about that rule. A mate owns everything his lover owns, he has every title his lover has. But Spike didn't expect Xander to know about that. "You're not my sire!" the young vampire bluffed. And again the boy just smiled.

"Spike you have no idea how thorough the Watcher journals have been." He petted his childe's arm, "Be good and don't try to bluff your sire, boy."

Spike smiled, it was too ridiculous not to, "Christ, I glad he loves you. That it was you." Seeing Xander's confusion he explicated his words, "Can you imagine what I would do if that hideous bitch slayer was my sire?" Xander laughed feeling a lot more confident and comfortable. "I think I would have to kill meself and her. To have her in the family for the rest of eternity would be hell." The pizza came and Spike took a huge bite of a slice he saw Xander studying him, "What?"

"I wasn't sure if you could eat. Angel never has."

"Angel is a self flogging fool at times. He doesn't allow himself to eat. I guess he is too busy brooding."

"But you can do it?" Xander asked for clarification. "Do you enjoy it?"

"I love food. I mean, I don't need it, it doesn't do anything to me, but I like it."

Silence greeted his statement and then Xander said with resolve, "I'll make sure he starts eating. I'm not letting him wallow. He had enough time to hate himself."

"I'm so glad it was you," he waved for the check. "So, sire, are you paying for me?"