Chapter 12

Spike snarled as he paced in Angel's office. Angel was using his new cell phone to call Willow, while Wesley used the landline to call Giles. Even though it was harder to hear Willow over Spike's growls, Angel didn't have the heart to correct him. Xander had been missing for almost eighteen hours, and Spike hadn't slept in all that time, had almost refused to stop searching even though the sun was coming up. Only Cordelia's truthful statement about how useless he'd be as a pile of dust had called the blonde vampire inside where he'd been pacing from room to room ever since, while they regrouped and tried to collect information.

It worried them all that Xander had disappeared without a trace. Even Gunn had been out all day tracking down leads and shaking up his informants. It wasn't possible for a vampire connected to Xander's line to just disappear without anyone knowing about it. Even if he'd been staked, the word would get out. When Angel had offered that explanation to Gunn before he had headed out to find information, Spike had taken a moment to reign in his anger and search the vampiric bond he had with Xander. He could feel Angel, but only slightly since it had been so long since they'd shared blood, but his bond with Xander was strong. Xander wasn't dust yet, and they all wanted to keep it that way.

Xander had never felt pain like this before. He'd always heard that vampires enjoyed a certain level of pain. Or was it a certain type of pain? He couldn't remember and he didn't care what other vampires seemed to enjoy. This pain was not of the good. Maybe Spike could explain it to him. Oh. Wait. Spike wasn't here. Or was he? Spike wouldn't let them do the bad kind of pain. Or would he? Tired of thinking, Xander let himself sink into oblivion.

When Angel got off the phone with Willow, he told Cordelia to be prepared for her to call back, and he headed out for the sewers. If something went wrong in LA, especially if it went wrong with Angel Investigations, there was a very strong chance that Wolfram & Hart was involved, and now that Willow and Giles had been informed so that they could search through their resources, the AI team could focus on doing some actual legwork. Spike had stayed behind for now in case Xander showed up, and since Angel knew the sewer system best. Later, he and Spike would head out together, a united front in the search for Spike's childe. For now, it was time for Angel to make a statement. No one was allowed to hurt his family. Never again.

Angel returned to the hotel to deliver information and to wait for nightfall. He may not have leverage over Lindsay any longer, but that wouldn't matter after tonight. After tonight, there would be no doubt that LA was his town. He pushed open the doors to the hotel, feeling like the hero in an epic action movie.

"Spike, I have a lead. I need you to come with me to shake down some lawyers."

Spike's vampire visage came out before he could stop it. "Sounds fun."
"What about us," Wesley asked, looking at Angel with concern.

"I need you to stay here, Wes," Angel replied, placing his hand on Wesley's shoulder. "I need you all to stay here in case something goes wrong."

"Like what?"

Cordelia's question was met with a sad smile. "I'm a vampire."

Angel's statement was vague, but everyone seemed to understand.

"Just bring him back," Cordelia said firmly.

"Angel," Wesley began, then paused, seemingly at a loss for words.

"I know, Wes. We'll be back before sunrise."

Angel's smirk was darker than anyone had seen in a long time as the last lawyer passed out from fear, having given them all the information they'd need. It was so much easier to intimidate the Wolfram & Hart lawyers when Spike had his back.

That evening, when Angel and Spike left the Wolfram and Hart building three hours after sunset, Angel knew they wouldn't soon forget his visit, or why they shouldn't cross him or his family. He also knew that all the demons who were associated with those who held Xander captive were being dropped from the Wolfram & Hart client list. If any of them survived, they'd have no further protection from their favorite lawyers.

Xander had been missing for forty-eight hours. That was too long, in Spike's opinion. It was just two hours before sunrise when the two vampires found the youngest member of their little family chained to a wall, beaten, bruised, bloody, and in dire need of rescue. Angel subdued the last demon and tied him up, prepared for a long round of interrogation while Spike ran to his childe.

"Xander, can you hear me?"

"S-Spi-ike?" Spike's dead heart nearly bled at the sound of his childe's broken voice.

"Yeah. I'm here. Let's get you down from there." Spike gently freed Xander from the chains holding him to the wall, taking his childe's weight against himself when it was clear that Xander couldn't stand on his own. In the background, he could hear Angel's questions, and the demon's screams of pain, but he ignored them, focusing completely on his battered charge.

"Th-thought you w-weren't c-com-coming," Xander gasped, flecks of blood painting his lips crimson.

"I'll always come." Spike slipped into his vampire face, golden eyes blazing as he tilted Xander's face to look into his eyes. "Always," he repeated, bringing Xander's mouth to his neck.

Xander's face changed as his fangs appeared and pierced Spike's neck. Spike stroked his hair as Xander weakly sucked his sire's blood. The pulls became stronger as Xander got the much needed life-force. When Spike knew he couldn't give more blood, he disentangled himself from Xander, who, for once, didn't immediately pull away. In fact, the boy whimpered when Spike removed him from his neck, trying to keep his fangs embedded.

"There'll be more later. For now, we gotta get ya outta here."

Xander yielded, and stood when Spike pulled at his arm. When they turned towards the door, they found Angel standing over the remains of the demon's body.

Spike raised an eyebrow at the overkill.

"He had no further information," Angel said, breathing heavily as he tried to reign in his rage, wiping the blood from the ridges of his vampiric face.

Spike nodded, and his mouth twitched, but he couldn't quite muster a smirk with Xander leaning heavily against him and breathing laboriously in his ear.

"Find out who set this up?"

"Didn't know his name. Just that he's a vampire."

Spike nodded, gently readjusting his arm around Xander.

"Let's go home," Angel suggested.

Spike felt a little of the tension leave Xander, and tightened his hold on the boy, as he repeated his sire's words.

"Yes. Let's all go home."