Title: Written In The Stars, Part 15 – Poor Baby

Author: Xanfan

Rating: R/NC-17 for future chapters

Pairing: m/m

Summary: SLASH. Xander and Spike become friends after Spike gets the chip, they are both hurt and Dru rescues them and brings them to Angel to heal.

Spoilers: BtVS up through season 4 and Ats 1st season. I may however take some liberties with the exact timeline, so, any season from either show is fair game.

Warnings: SLASH

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Original Challenge: Spike has been chipped and taken in by the Scoobies. Just as he and
Xander are beginning to become friends something their both hurt and it's up
to Angel to save and care for them. The twist is its Dru that saves them
and brings them to Daddy.

A/N: I may make take some liberties with timelines from both shows. And Anya was just a onetime thing. Also, Cordy has a spare room.

Joyce looked down at the young man lying in the hospital bed.

Practically every inch of him that was visible was covered in bruises and cuts.

Joyce reached out to brush back a lock of dark brown hair from his face, careful not to touch the scrape that the hair had concealed.

Joyce eyes filled with tears; she was alone in the room with Xander, away from the group of 'youngsters' who looked at her like she was super-mom with the answers to everything. Away from their scrutiny, she let the tears fall silently down her cheeks.

My poor baby.

She wanted to grab Xander and hug him, but she knew that would just hurt him more, and she wasn't sure any of them could handle him being injured any more than he already was.

Joyce knew that Xander was considered 'just a regular guy' because he was without any super-powers. And though she worried about him and all the Scoobies getting hurt, it never really seemed like it would or could happen to Xander. But here he was, seriously injured. Hell, he had nearly died.

Joyce was harshly reminded of her own daughter's mortality.

If he could die, then so could Buffy.

Oh, Joyce knew that Buffy had died for a few moments a few years ago, but Xander had been there to bring her back, and she hadn't known about it until much later. If Xander wasn't there to be Buffy's rescuer, who would be? Would any of the others go to the lengths he went to for a friend? She knew he didn't just do it for Buffy; anyone he considered a friend got the same white knight treatment.

Joyce had always felt a little better letting her baby girl go out to fight monsters when she knew that Xander would be at Buffy's side to make sure she came home. Not that Buffy was the only reason that Joyce was upset over Xander's injuries, far from it. She valued Xander for himself, loved him and worried over him like he was her own child.

And somewhere along the way, Xander had become hers. Her son, friend, baby-sitter, hero, caretaker, lawn-boy, handy-man, whatever. At one point or another he had been all of that to her, for her. Even co-parent, once; when Dawn had been mouthing off to her one day, Xander had said, "Don't speak to your mother in that tone of voice," and suggested that the girl might benefit from some time in her room to "think about how lucky you are to have a mother that gives a damn." After Dawn had stomped up to her room, Xander had apologized for saying 'damn' and said that Dawn should appreciate her 'momness' more.

And she had tried to be the mom he needed her to be for him, but she didn't think she could ever give to him as much as he gave to her, as much as he gave to all of them.

But she could try harder. She would try harder.

Joyce wiped away her tears and straightened her shoulders, determined to be strong for Xander like he had always been for her.

A small groan brought her attention back to the bed. Xander's eyes fluttered open.

"Momma Joyce? Whatcha doin' here?" Xander asked blurrily.

"I'm here to help take care of you," Joyce said as she reached to gently take hold of his hand. She was a little surprised at her new nickname, but flattered as well.

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

Xander woozily beamed in Joyce's direction.

"Does that mean you can get me out of here?"

Joyce gave Xander a patented 'mom' look and said, "Alexander Harris, you will stay in this hospital until the doctors see fit to release you, and you won't be getting out a moment before that."

If anything, Xander's smile got even bigger and he weakly squeezed her hand a bit.

"Luv you Momma Joyce, you're the best mom ever," Xander mumbled as he fell back to sleep.

Joyce blushed a little and felt her eyes grow damp again. She wondered when the last time somebody other than herself had mothered the boy was. Sometimes she thought that people should have to be licensed to be a parent. But she knew if that were the case, that Xander wouldn't be here because there was no way his parents would have passed the test. So she was glad that licenses weren't required for parenthood, because she was very glad to have Xander Harris in her family's life.

Out in the hallway a glowering Angel walked back to the group standing outside Xander's room trailed by two very unhappy girls. The group was very happy that they hadn't been the subject of Angel's 'talk' with them, even though they were all dying to know what had been said. Even Spike, because Angel had taken the girls far enough away and spoken low enough that Spike's vampire hearing couldn't pick it up.

Riley and Tara looked at each other and sighed the sighs of the long suffering, both aware that they would probably be hearing all about it later, in great detail.

Just as Angel opened his mouth, probably to ask about Joyce, another person rushed down the hallway toward them.

"Is he okay? Where is he?"

Most of the group stared at the new person in shock.

Willow broke the stunned silence by practically shouting, "Oz?"