Chapter Seven:

"Earth to Spike, come in Spike. Man, I think the bleach has finally soaked into your brain."

Spike shot his friends a quizzical look as Xander waved a hand in front of his face.

"What? Why are you all starin'?"

"Xander asked if you'd read the latest 'Dark Devotion' novel yet? What were you thinking about?"

Oz wore only a hint of a smile and Spike looked away quickly as unbidden thoughts of a very sultry and equally unwelcome Buffy Summers merged with the confident, sexy, leather clad heroine of 'Dark Devotion'. He had to admit 'Buffy the vampire slayer' sure did have a nice ring to it, but his head definitely shouldn't go there since other parts of his anatomy were way too willing to follow.

As Spike made every effort to clear his head a knowing smile spread across Xander's face.

"No prizes for guessing what he's thinking about now, or should I say WHO he's thinking about?"

"Shut up Harris"

"Hey, I'm not saying a word. Not about the glazed over look in your eyes or the track your mind is on or the fact that she would look cardiac arrest worthy in one of those little leather outfits from the cover of the book. Nope, I'm not saying a word"

Xander's grin didn't fade once through his entire monologue, relishing the fact that he had the upper hand this time. It wasn't often that he was able to catch his best friend at an embarrassing moment and it was defiantly due time. They both gave as good as they got, but in the end they always had each others back.

"Yeah yeah, laugh it up dough boy. Just wait till I tell Anya where your mind is headed, then we'll see how much mouthin' off you do"

At Spikes clearly idol and yet equally scary threat Xander began to backpedal for all he was worth.

"Hey, what would I know? I'm so blinded by Anya's beauty that I can hardly see and by all means feel free to quote me on that at any opportune moment guys"

"And I thought Dawn was scary….Anya must really be something!"

Xander shook his head at the memory of a crazed Anya on the warpath, exacting her vengeance. That was a drama he could live without. Besides, he had been crushing on her since high school.

"You have no idea! The last man Anya caught looking at another woman had to transfer to a collage on another continent to get away from the rumors she spread. Poor Doyle, even his parents started to believe he was gay after a while."

………………..

Connor visibly shrunk back into the shadows of the tree the group was sitting under. As his brother and the rest of the football team went jogging past the park on their way to practice, the previously energetic teen took on a distinctly vulnerable look tinged with the seething anger Spike knew must be lurking in the poor kids head. Just watching, knowing what a bully Angel was, made Spikes temper flare.

"So. What's up with that poncy brother of yours?"

"He's such a jerk! Everything is always about him and that dam team, it's all my dad can talk about. It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to cover for him, writing his assignments and papers so they can keep his dumb ass on the field, I mean it's my senior year! I should be spending time on my own study and thinking about girls."

Spike gave him a semi playful growl and Connor decided to amend his last point.

"I mean respectfully planning sweet and innocent picnics and movie dates with Dawn in well lit and supervised venues that have her home by eleven?"

The last part was said more as a question than a statement and Spike couldn't help but smile, even if he knew it wasn't the whole truth it was comforting to know the kid cared enough to lie. Truthfully Spike preferred the lie. If he stopped to think what he did with the raven haired beauty of his senior year…well you just didn't think about your sister that way. At least he could be fairly confident that Dawn wasn't going to turn into a psyco, break Connors heart and leave him with some sever emotional issues.

"That's what I thought mate. But seriously, you can't keep bailing you big bro out for the rest of your lives, tell him to sod off!"

"How about you tell him to sod off and I'll watch from a safe distance. How does Spain sound? If he was half my size, not quarterback for the best team Sunnydale's had in ten years and not my dad's favorite than I would but as it stands, well I'm just happy when he ignores me!"

Xander cleared his throat as Angel and his crew of Neanderthals spotted the group.

"I suggest that since it is a day ending in Y and therefore not a day for fighting with muscled up, brain dead jocks, that you flee. Angel defiantly wouldn't take kindly to you befriending social outcasts, the lunatic fringe and his mortal enemy."

"Maybe I should just stand up to him? What do you guys think?"

Although it was understood that if Connor did want to have it out with Angel they would all fight along side him, it was clear that he was in no mood to do battle today and doing it in front of Angels team was a very bad idea, there was no way Angel would loose face with his followers. No, today was defiantly not the best time to have this 'discussion'. In an almost comical twist, Oz, Xander and Spike all responded in unison.

"Run"