“Xander, phone for you,” Giles called across the room. Xander closed his book and untangled himself from Anya. He stepped over Spike’s legs; the vamp sprawled out in the comfiest chair peering intently at a book written in some demonic language. He scooched by the witches, smiling down the red and blonde heads so close together. Finally, he made his way to the counter where Buffy and Giles stood discussing an ancient dagger and Dawn looked through a crystal catalog.

“This is Xander. Oh, hi mom…what? Oh Christ, no…When? What about…both of them? Oh, God. Where are the…good, that’s good. What? What the hell are you saying, Mom? You’re not serious? You can’t do that! Aly trusted you to…that’s not the point, mom! How the fuck could you do this? No I will not watch my mouth! What you’re doing is wrong! But I would…if Aly’d asked me, I’d do it without hesitation. But she asked you…they’re not fucking puppies, Mom!”

“You tell that bloodsucking bastard that if he’s signing any goddamn papers, my name had better be on them! No! You will not do any fucking such thing, Mother! Jesus Christ, what the hell happened to you? I could understand me, you’ve never liked me, but this is Aly!…Fuck you, Mom. I’ll be there within the hour. If you say anything, do anything, think anything to hurt them more…no, I’m not like you. I’m certainly not like Dad. I have nothing else to say to you, mom. I’ll be there soon. Keep your klepto fingers out of their stuff and try not to make a scene.”

Xander hung up the phone and put his head down on his arms. The scoobies looked at each other in utter confusion, save Willow. She stood and made her way to his side. Softly, she touched his shoulder. “Xander? What happened? Is something wrong with Aly?”

Xander looked up, tears streaming down his face, pain etched into every line of his face. He threw his arms around her and rough sobs were wrenched from his chest. Willow hung on, rubbing his back and murmuring quiet nonsense things.

____________________________

Spike knew he could have moved his legs, he didn’t even really like sitting with them out. He preferred to tuck them under him when he was reading. But, that wasn’t the Big Bad thing to do. And he didn’t get to ‘accidentally’ bump into Xander’s feet every now and then. He smiled a tiny smile of victory as Xander’s leg brushed over his on his way to the phone.

He sighed. A leg brush. What a pathetic poof he was becoming. The boy-man was curled up around his demon fuck toy like they were one person, but he was all aflutter over a bloody leg brush. Wanker, he told himself. He followed the brunette’s path to the counter, wishing Xander would be as eager to get to him someday.

Now, what was this? Bad news?

Oi! He’d never heard the whelp talk to his mum like that! Who’s Aly?

What was that look? Ah, Xanderwolf…been waiting a long time to see that, wonder what finally pushed him over the edge?

 Ooooo, road trip!

Now, this isn’t right. Can smell the pain rolling off ‘im in waves. Well, Red seems to know what the hell is going on, sort of.

Bloody hell, something made my nummy cry! He growled quietly in his throat. He watched Red bring Xander over to the couch, displacing Anya. Demon bitch glared at her, and clutched Xander’s arm. The boy didn’t even seem to notice as the Watcher and Slayer gathered round.

“Xander, what is it?” Giles asked softly.

Xander sniffed loudly and wiped his eyes, with a weak smile at Red. “That was my mom.” He addressed the room in general. Spike fought his demon down as disgust, hate, sadness, anger and fear swirled together in a Molotov cocktail of emotion seeping out of Xander’s every pore. “M-my sister, Alyson, and her husband died yesterday in a house fire.”

“I didn’t even know you had a sister, Xander” Buffy said.

“She’s a lot older than me. She was the planned, cosseted, loved child. I was the mistake. I was the ‘too drunk to put on a condom’ child.” He smirked self deprecatingly. “She did everything right. She got a college degree, married her high school sweetheart, got a damn good job, and had three great kids. And never came home again.”

He sighed. “Mom was really pissed about that. Aly didn’t know that, so she left our parents guardianship of the kids in the event of her and Brent’s deaths. Mom has decided that, since her baby didn’t see fit to share the wealth or kiddies while she was alive, mom and dad owe nothing to her kids. She just told me that she’s having Aly’s lawyer draw up some paperwork to send the kids off to foster homes.”

The girls gasped. Giles wiped his glasses. Spike grit his teeth.

“I can’t let that happen. I’ll take them if mom and dad won’t. They’re family. You don’t desert family.” He snorted. “Okay, that sounds kinda stupid considering everything I’ve just said, but that’s how I feel.”

Anya looked confused. “Um, Xander? Where will you take them?”

Xander looked at her, bewildered. “Home, Anya. I’ll bring them home to live with us.”

Anya blanched. “No, you can’t do that.” She shook her head vigorously. “We don’t have enough room. I don’t have a clue what to do with children. It won’t work.”

Xander smiled. “It’s okay. We’ll just get a bigger place. And you’ll love them. Aly is…was a wonderful mom. She raised her kids to be just as fantastic.”

Anya shook her head again. “No, Xander, you don’t understand. I don’t want them. Give them to someone else.”

Xander frowned. Willow and Tara looked horrified. Buffy and Giles looked indignant. Dawn looked sad. Spike’s growl increased in volume until it caused a worried look from Giles.

“Anya, I can’t give them to someone else. Like I told my mom, they aren’t puppies. You can’t just find good homes for them.” Anya sighed.

“Of course you can. That’s what CPS is for. No, I’m putting my foot down. No children. Take them somewhere else.”

“You bloody bitch!” Spike erupted in a roar. Everyone started and Anya looked a bit frightened. ”They just lost their mum and dad. They just found out their grandfolks don’t want them. Can you show a bloody bit of compassion?” He leaped to his feet and began pacing, waving his hands about. “What they need right now is to feel like they belong somewhere. They need to be with someone who knew their mum, and loved her. They need concern, care, and time to heal. Not some bloody bint whining about them taking up too much room!”

“Spike?” Xander’s voice pulled him from his tirade. He turned to see a wary look of amazement in those brown eyes. Xander stood and smiled. “Um, w-would you mind coming with me to pick them up?’ He looked embarrassed for a moment. “I’d really like some serious back up with my folks. I don’t know what my dad will try. If he gets violent, I need someone to take the kids out fast.”

Spike gave a brief nod, pleasure shining in his own eyes. The whelp wanted him to get his back! “Course, mate.”

Anya stood, glaring. “Maybe you didn’t hear me Alexander; robably not over Spike’s speech. But, you are not bring those children to my home!” She stomped her foot. Xander’s eyes went cold. Spike barely controlled a shiver as Xanderwolf came back and turned them on Anya.

“You’re right, Anyanka.” He said quietly. “I’m not bringing them into your home. I’m bringing them to mine. You have about an hour. Pack whatever you need for overnight. Tomorrow, I’ll have the girls come over and help me pack the rest of your stuff up.  I want you out of my apartment. Tonight.”

He turned and walked out the door. With something resembling a skip, Spike followed. Grinning.

____________________________

Spike watched Xander square his shoulders and take a deep cleansing breath. The whelp smelled, oh so seductively, of fear. But he was determined. Spike smiled. Big brave donut boy.

“Er, pet? Gonna knock anytime soon, or did we just come over to admire the flower beds and great construction of the door?” Xander looked sheepishly over his shoulder and then banged on the door.

It opened to a scowling older version of Xander. He snorted and walked away, leaving the door open. Xander and Spike stepped in to find three figures sitting on the couch, very quiet and very still. Xander’s mom sat in her chair with an ever-present glass in her hand. Xander walked right by his dad, ignored his mom, and stopped in front of the three on the couch.

Two girls and a boy, Nate and Alyssa were twins, and 15. Little Eleanor, or Ellie, was only 5. All three of them looked up at him with varying degrees of distrust. He could see the pain in their eyes, so like Aly’s, and it hurt his heart.

“Hi, guys,” He said quietly. “It’s been a long time. I don’t know if you remember me. I’m your uncle, Xander.”

Nate glared up at him. “So, you’re our new owner?” Spike snorted quietly. Boy had balls.

Xander turned a glare of his own onto the older Harris’s. He turned back to the kids with a gentle smile. “No, Nate. I’m just Xander. You guys are coming home with me. We’ll be staying there until we can find a bigger apartment.”

Nate snorted. “Whatever.” He stood and shouldered his bag. With a jerk of his head to his sisters, he walked out the door. Alyssa followed, holding her sister’s hand and not making eye contact.

Xander lowered his head. After a moment, he raised his gaze back to his parents. Fury burned in his eyes. “You both disgust me.” He snarled.

Spike was impressed. He was also about to mention that the kids were still in the doorway, but from the surprised and needy look in Nate’s eye, he decided it might be in the boy’s best interests if he kept mum.

“Alexander Harris, you have no call to speak to us that way.”  His mother said, waving her glass in his direction.

“Why the hell did you have kids?” He demanded. “You hate them. You hated Aly, you hate me. You hate those three beautiful kids out there. They are the only things of Aly we have left. Because of you and your drunken idiocy, we never even got to know them. And now you want to throw them away? I never got to know how Aly might have turned out. She was my sister, but by the time you made the mistake of having me, you’d already destroyed her. And I’m not willing to watch you destroy anymore of us.”

He stalked forward and snatched the glass from his mother’s hand. With an infuriated snarl, he flung it into the wall. “Do you understand me? Are you even coherent anymore? You contact those lawyers of yours tomorrow. I want guardianship of those kids by next week. I couldn’t save Aly. I couldn’t save myself. But I’ll fucking well save them.”

He stormed past Spike and the kids and slammed the door on his way out. With a sharp look at them all standing right there, he sighed. “Get in the car. They’ll get it together in a second and start throwing heavy and breakable objects.” They hurriedly settled in to the car, and sure enough, just as Xander started it…both parents came charging out of the house armed with old, empty booze bottles. They threw them after the car speeding away.

Xander drove in silence to his place. The only sound was that of Alyssa softly crooning to Ellie. As they pulled up into the parking space Xander plastered a smile on his face. “Home, sweet, home, guys.”

He led the way to the door and got a sinking feeling in his stomach as he saw it ajar. He stepped in to a disaster area. Anya stood in the middle of the room. It looked as though she’d broken everything she could get her hands on. Xander sighed. “Spike, will you take the kids into the kitchen for a soda?”

“Sure, mate.” He ushered the kids into the kitchen, growling at Anya on his way by her.

“Anya.”

“Xander.”

“Why aren’t you gone, yet?”

“I thought I’d give you one more chance to come to your senses.”

“I am in complete control of my senses, Anya. I chose the kids. I’m sorry we didn’t work out. I’m sorry you couldn’t find enough love in your heart to care for them. I’m sorry for everything I did and everything I didn’t do. I’m sorry.”

“Yes! You are sorry! You’re a sorry excuse for a man! You have a crappy job, a crappy apartment, friends who don’t really need you, parents who hate you. I was the only good thing in your life, Xander Harris. And you threw me away for a bunch of needy parasites!”

“That’s enough Anya! Insulting me is one thing. Don’t you dare start on the kids!”

“They’re not kids, Xander. They’re vermin. They will take over your life.”

“So, are you pissed because they’ll take over my life or because that puts you out of a job?”

*Slap*

“Thanks, Anya. The folks forgot to do that when I left tonight. I was missing something.”

*Thunk* Thunk* Thud*Slap*Smash*Slam*

____________________________

Spike shut the door, but not all the way. He knew Anya was a shrew, even if Xander was determined not to believe him. He opened the fridge and pulled out three sodas and a beer. Plunking them down on the table, he spun a chair and straddled it. All three kids stared at him.

“I’m Spike.”

Nate narrowed his eyes. “Spike? What kind of stupid name is Spike?”

Spike grinned. “Bit of a story bout that. Don’t think Uncle Xanny would like me telling you bout it this soon into our ‘relationship’.”

Nate snorted. Alyssa rolled her eyes at her brother.

“He’s Nate. I’m Alyssa. This is Ellie.” She popped the top on the soda and sat at the table. “So, what’s your real name? I mean, your mom didn’t name you Spike, right?” Spike took a pull on his beer.

“Me mum named me William. Me mates called me Wil.”

“Can I call you Wil?” Ellie piped up. Alyssa tried to shush her, but Spike waved her off.

“Course you can, Nibblet. Can call me anything you like.” He shot a glance at Nate and was not surprised to see a gleam appear. “Long as you can back your choice up.” Nate nearly cracked a smile. He caught himself just in time and turned it into a sneer.

“So, what’s up with the broad?” Nate jerked his head towards the living room. Spike growled in that direction, catching himself when Ellie’s eyes got wide.

“That’s Anya. Xander’s recently ex-girlfriend.”

“He just broke up with her?” Alyssa asked looking warily at the door as the voices escalated and they began to be able to pick out a word or two.

“Bout an hour ago.”

“Why?”

Spike said nothing. That was enough. Alyssa looked broken. Nate looked hurt, but covered it with smug satisfaction.

“Don’t pay her any mind. She’s a right bitch, that one. I, for one, am overjoyed that he booted her.”

The voices grew louder.

“Yes! You are sorry! You’re a sorry excuse for a man! You have a crappy job, a crappy apartment, friends who don’t really need you, parents who hate you. I was the only good thing in your life, Xander Harris. And you threw me away for a bunch of needy parasites!”

Alyssa flinched and drew Ellie onto her lap. Nate cut his eyes at Spike, who was back to growling at the door again.

“That’s enough Anya! Insulting me is one thing. Don’t you dare start on the kids!”

“They’re not kids, Xander. They’re vermin. They will take over your life.”

“So, are you pissed because they’ll take over my life or because that puts you out of a job?”

Spike grinned for a moment. “Nice one, Harris.”

*Slap*

“Thanks, Anya. The folks forgot to do that when I left tonight. I was missing something.”

*Thunk* Thunk* Thud*Slap*Smash*Slam*

Nate looked worriedly at Spike. “Shouldn’t we do something?”

Spike was on his feet and rocking. “No. If I go out there, I’ll rip her heart out and drink her dry.” He blinked for a moment. “Um, I meant…never mind.”

The door was pushed open and a bloodied Xander walked in. He headed straight for the fridge and grabbed a beer. He looked at it for a moment, and then put it back. He shut the door and pulled a glass out of the cupboard. Filling it with tap water, he leaned against the sink.

“She gone?” Spike asked nonchalantly, sitting back down.

Xander laughed bitterly. “For now.”

“You okay?”

“Course I’m okay, Spike.” He shrugged and managed a grin through his split lip. “If I go for more than six months without getting the shit kicked out of me by someone who’s supposed to love me, I wouldn’t know what to do. Besides, in case you hadn’t noticed, I’ve been looking for a reason to break up with the Orgasm Queen for the last couple of months. It’s kind of a relief. ” 

He seemed to notice the kids for the first time since entering the kitchen and blushed.

“Sorry about that, guys. She’s gone. She won’t be back. I’m gonna go get cleaned up.”

He headed for the door. “Let me help.” Alyssa set Ellie down in her chair and followed Xander out the door.

_________________________

Xander sat on the edge of the bathtub and watched his niece putter about retrieving peroxide, cotton balls and Band-Aids. He smiled to himself in bittersweet remembrance of all the times his sister had done the same thing, patching him up after another round with his dad or his Uncle Rory.

Alyssa turned to catch him smiling. "What?"

"Just thinking how much you look like your mom, Lys."

Alyssa caught a breath and tears filled her eyes. Xander's smile melted away in concern. "What's wrong? What did I say?"

Alyssa shook her head and busied her hands with the peroxide bottle. "Nothing. It's just...mom used to call me Lys."

Xander gently caught her hands. "I'm sorry, Alyssa. I didn't mean to hurt you."

She smiled a watery smile. "Naw...I like it. Reminds me of the good times with her."

Xander nodded and let go of her hands. "I'm sorry about everything, Lys." He continued quietly. "I'm sorry Aly and Brent died. I'm sorry I didn't get to know you and Nate and Ellie during happier times. I'm sorry my parents are such assholes. I'm sorry you had to witness that whole Anya thing."

Lys grinned. "Yup, cause everything in the world is your fault, Uncle Xan." Xander looked sharply at her and she giggled. "Mom was right. You have a horrible martyr complex."

"What are you talking about?"

"Mom talked about you. About how she missed you. What you were like...How awful she felt leaving you there to grow up while she moved on with her life." She gazed away in thought. "Actually, she never said that last part. But she felt it. I could tell."

Xander closed his eyes briefly.

"She talked about how you'd save her from some stupid teenager thing she'd done, even though you were only a little kid. She never mentioned how you'd wind up paying in blood, literally, for it later. But she felt it. It burned in her heart."

Xander pulled Lys onto his lap, his injuries forgotten.

"She'd talk about the times you hid in the tree outside, talking. She didn't want anyone to see her talking to her little bratty brother. But she loved talking to you. She said you made her feel calm...capable. She said that if it weren't for those talks you had out there, she never would have been able to leave."

She looked into his pain filled brown eyes. So like her mom's. "She never said that she cried every day for you. Every day. I could hear her. She'd lock herself in the bathroom and beg your forgiveness for leaving you with them. Thank you for letting her go to find some happiness, and plead with every god she knew that you'd live to see another day."

She wiped a tear from Xander's cheek that he didn't even know had fallen. "Thank you for letting her go. Thank you for giving her to us for the time that we had her. Because of you, she knew happiness."

"Lys," his voice cracked, and he tried again. "Lys, Aly was a beautiful, wonderful woman. She was a loving and loyal sister. I never want you to think she deserted me. She wasn't like that. She had to get away. They were killing her. They were poisoning her. I remember getting up in the middle of the night to check on her to make sure that they hadn't driven her around the bend. I'd sneak in, terrified that I'd find her hanging from the ceiling or bleeding in the bathtub."

"She had no choice, kitten. I wanted her go. I needed her to go. I needed to know that, even if something happened to me, she was safe."

Lys threw her arms around him. "I love you, Uncle Xan. I miss my mom so much. I think sometimes my heart will break. I don't want to go away again. I just found you. Please don't send us away."

Xander rocked her back and forth as she cried. He rubbed soothing circles on her back and crooned promises to her. "I love you too, Lys. I won't let you go. You're safe here. You'll always be safe here. I'll take care of you."

_________________________

"So, you screwing Xander?"

Spike raised an eyebrow. "No."

"You like him though."

"Yes."

"You wanna screw him?"

"Why do you ask?"

"No reason."

Silence.

"You live here?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because until an hour ago, Xander lived with Anya. Incidentally, that's the answer to your first question too."

Nate glared at the calm, unruffled man in front of him.

"So, why are you here?"

"Xan asked me to help."

"Help with what? Did he think we'd have to be drug kicking and screaming?" Nate snorted.

"No, he was afraid he would have to...get physical with his folks to get you away from them. He needed someone to get you out safely while he took care of them."

Nate's eyebrow raised in an uncanny imitation of Spike's.

"He thought they'd hurt someone?"

Spike smirked wryly. "It's not like it hasn't happened before. He just didn't want to take any chances of them hurting you."

Silence.

"Uncle Wil?" Ellie walked over to Spike and crawled onto his lap. Nate covered his mouth to keep from laughing at the older man's bewildered expression.

"Err, Uncle Wil?" He asked. Ellie curled into a ball on his lap, her thumb firmly in her mouth. She pulled it out and looked up at him with her uncle's chocolate brown eyes.

"I'm hungry." She popped it back in again, but her needy eyes never left his.

He sighed. Damn Harris clan. "What would you like to eat, poppet?" He asked softly, his arms stealing around her tiny waist. She just blinked.

"Can we have pizza?" Nate asked, somewhat miffed that Ellie was getting such nice attention. Not that he wanted that kind of attention. Cause he wasn't some pansy assed girl or anything. But it looked nice. To be held like that. To be smiled at like what you thought mattered for the first time since your parents died.

Spike turned his gaze on the boy and smiled. "Sure. Hand me the phone and I'll call in an order. Whatcha like?"

Minutes later, 2 large pizzas with everything on them and one small cheese pizza were on their way. Spike was back to rocking Ellie quietly, staring in awe at her tiny trusting face. Nate was seething with jealousy and trying not to remember his dad holding him that way.

The bathroom door opened and Lys and Xander came out holding hands. They both looked like they'd been crying, but their smiles showed that they'd gotten past it.

"Hey, whelp." Spike said quietly, trying not to disturb Ellie. "Ordered pizza. Kids were hungry. We need to get them into rooms."

Xander nodded. "I was thinking that Nate could take the guest bedroom. It has a single. The girls can share my bed. I'll stay out here on the couch."

Spike nodded as Xander and Lys sat next to him on the couch.

"Where are you going to sleep, Wil?" Lys asked. Spike and Xander froze. Nate chuckled nastily.

"Well, luv, I don't live here. I'll go back to my cr-house after dinner." Spike choked through the lump in his throat.

"Oh. Okay." What the hell? The twit sounded sad about it? Damn Harris clan. "I just thought, since you were here...and Ellie seems to really be taken with you...but, never mind. I'm sure your girlfriend wants you home?"

What sass! The chit was trying to find out if he had a girl! He grinned.

"No, the only women in my life hate me, luv. Course that goes for the men too. I don't have anywhere else to be. I just though that you might all want to do family stuff together."

Nate stood. "My family is Lys and Ellie. We don't need family time to do family stuff. Xander isn't family; he's just the current owner. So just go the hell away and leave us with our keeper."

"Nate!" Lys gasped. Xander looked hurt, but quickly covered the expression before Nate could see it. "No, Lys. It's okay.” Xander said.  “This last week has been really hard on you guys. It's only right that Nate is a little upset. And he's right. I'm not really family. I don't really know anything about you. But I do care about you." Nate snorted. "I care about you and I want you to feel safe and happy here. I know it will take a while. But I'm willing to give you all the time and space you need. And to respect your needs and thoughts."

He fixed Nate with a steel-backed gaze. "However, please remember that you are not alone in this apartment. There is a five-year-old little girl here who is just as scared and lonely as you. She understands even less than we do, why her mom and dad were taken away. She’s going to need love and comfort. She’s going to need role models. And I'd appreciate if you watched your language around her."

Nate looked embarrassed and glanced over at Ellie. All the anger seemed to seep out of him at the sight of her little face leaned up against a strong chest. He sat back in his chair and closed his eyes.

"Wanna watch a movie?" Lys asked into the silence.

Pizza showed up 15 minutes into an eyerolling contest between Nate and Spike over which was stupider, vampire movies (Spike’s thoughts) or space alien movies (Nate’s thoughts). After settling Ellie in front of him, Xander resigned himself to never being able to watch a movie again with these two in the house. Lys solved it for everyone. She just reached over and plucked the remote from her brother’s hand, turned it to an action movie, and threatened to make everyone watch She’s All That if they didn’t shut up.

Xander snickered into his pizza. He glanced over at the two combatants who meekly got their pizza and said nothing.

As the credits rolled, Xander looked around the room at his new little family. Lys sat next to him, her head on his shoulder, sleeping. At some point, Ellie had crawled up into Spike’s lap and fallen asleep with her thumb in her mouth. Nate had moved over to the floor in front of the couch to better see the movie. He too had fallen asleep. In an effort to get comfortable, his head had fallen onto Spike’s knee.

He turned his gaze to Spike, himself. The cold-blooded killer vamp watched the credits while resting his own head on Ellie’s dark curls and rubbing small circles on her back. He also had a hand on the back of Nate’s neck, gently playing with the ends of the boy’s hair.

“Hey, Fangless,” Xander whispered. Spike turned his head. “I’m gonna get the kids’ rooms ready, take Lys?” Spike nodded and unwrapped his arm from around Ellie. He gently accepted Lys’s weight and pulled her into his grasp as well. Xander shut off the TV and disappeared into the bedrooms.

A few minutes later, he reappeared and lifted Lys from the couch. Spike eased Nate’s head onto the couch cushion and followed Xander with Ellie in his own arms. They placed the girls under the covers and Xander kissed each of them on the forehead. As he walked out, he looked back to see Spike doing the same thing before following him back out into the living room.

He watched with a tender smile as Spike headed straight for Nate. The vamp picked the teen up and carried him into the guest room. Gently placing him in the bed, Spike pulled the covers up to his chin and stared at Nate for a long moment. Almost as if the boy felt his gaze, Nate opened his eyes. He blinked sleepily at the figure by his bed.

“Dad?” He mumbled. Spike ran his hand over the boy’s hair.

“Shhhh, luv. Time to sleep. It’ll all be better in the morning.”

“Mmmkay,” Nate burrowed under the covers like a mole and fell back asleep.

Once back in the living room, Xander and Spike moved around quietly, picking up the remains of a dinner with two teenagers and a kindergartener.

“Well, I think that’s everything in the way of dinner. The disaster Anya made can wait for tomorrow. ” Xander stood, hands on hips, surveying the room. Spike nodded and reached for his coat.

“Guess I’ll see you tomorrow, whelp.”

“I’m gonna have the girls over to help. I’d like it if you could come too.” Xander looked seriously at him.

Spike smiled and ducked his head. “Yeah, sure. I’ll be round at sundown.”

The next morning a sleepy eyed trio made their way into a kitchen smelling of eggs and bacon. Xander stood over the stove, humming along with a cd and watching the bacon.

“Morning guys, breakfast is about done, have a seat.” They sat and tried to wake up.

“Where’s Wil?” Lys asked. At Xander’s confused look she clarified. “Spike. Where’s Spike?”

“Oh, he went home last night after we put you guys to bed.”

Nate snickered. “Sure he didn’t stay just a little longer? Give you any goodbye kisses?” Lys kicked him under the table and Xander raised an eyebrow in a pretty decent imitation of said blonde.

“No, he didn’t stay. And he did give goodbye kisses, but they were to the girls as he tucked them in. Eggs?”

Lys covered her mouth, but her brother stuck his tongue out at her laughter anyway.

“So what’s up for today?” She asked.

“I thought we could maybe take Ellie to the park and hit the stores for anything you guys might need. That sound okay?”

Lys nodded. Ellie bounced. Nate shrugged and looked bored.

“Good. Cause at sundown, everyone is coming over to help clean out the apartment. We need to be back by then.”

_________________________

“We need to make a trip to the dump.” Buffy grunted as she tossed yet another bag full of Anya’s crap into the middle of the living room. Anya had called Buffy late the night before and spent several long minutes bitching about how inconsiderate Xander was. Finally, she wound down enough for Buffy to get a word in edgewise and to ask what Anya wanted done with her stuff the next day.

Anya angrily stated that she wanted nothing from that house of horrors. She would rather die than take any of Xander’s poorly chosen garbage with her. Buffy interrupted her, telling her fine, she’d get rid of it all then, and was there anything else she wanted, because Buffy was really tired and she needed to go to bed. Anya huffed, informed Buffy she was leaving town and slammed the phone down.

So now, there were nearly a dozen bags of clothes, knickknacks, bathroom supplies and books piled in the floor. Xander was in the bedroom happily throwing everything Anya into more bags with Willow’s help. Tara and Dawn were going through Anya’s makeup with Lys, looking for salvageable things, while Ellie tried on every piece of Anya’s strewn clothing she could find. Buffy was designated the bag carrier and furniture lifter. Spike and Nate were on a food run.

Eventually, they had the bags stuffed into Buffy’s mom’s car, Spike’s Desoto and Xander’s Uncle Rory car. They decided to eat first and make the dump trip later, and so they all took a breather to wait for Spike and Nate.

_________________________

“So what are we supposed to be getting?” Nate asked sullenly. Spike lit a cigarette and shrugged.

“Munchies I think. Course we could pick up dinner if you prefer.”

Nate cracked a smile. “Naw, munchies are better.”

When they got to the grocery store, Nate grabbed a cart and they began their journey. He turned up his nose at the veggie and fruit aisle. Spike explained the witches’ health kick and how he didn’t want to hear it from anyone that he was trying to make the kids sick by getting nothing but chocolate. He placated Nate’s offended sensibilities by hitting the ice cream aisle next.

Loaded down with six boxes of ice cream, they wheelied the cart to the chips and snack aisle next. Grinning at each other, they each took a side and threw bag after bag into the cart. Onto the soda aisle. Three cases later, they were at the dairy area. Spike tossed cheese and yogurt in, citing the witches again, then put in two gallons of chocolate milk. He added regular milk and directed Nate to the cereal aisle. Four boxes later, and they were back to the dairy aisle to get eggs for breakfast the next day.

That led to the meat aisle for bacon and sausage, then to the bread aisle for toast makings. When they hit the checkout line, Spike stared in awe at the display on the endcap. Nate and he exchanged knowing looks and soon, the baby seat part of the cart was full of silly string. When they got outside, they stared at the parking lot and both began to laugh.

“Shit. No car.” Spike sighed, and began to push the cart.

“You know grocery stores frown on people walking off with their carts.” Nate smirked. Spike shot him a wicked look.

“We’ll take this home and then find some alley kook to give it to. That should make up for our evil deed in stealing it.” Nate laughed and stepped up on the front of the cart to let Spike push him.

The door opened and Spike rolled a laughing Nate into the living room. They began pulling bags out of the cart as everyone stared at them. When the cart was empty Spike wheeled it back out the door. Nate followed him grinning back at the baffled adults.

“We’re going to pay penance for our thieving ways. Back in a bit.”

The night went much better than expected. After taking everything to the dump, they’d all settled down to rented movies. They chose G for Ellie’s sake, but no one seemed to mind Disney. The girls all sighed over the prince. Ellie laughed at the antics of Sebastian and Flounder. Spike, Xander and Nate sat huddled around one end of the couch making quiet yet rude comments about Ariel’s attributes.

By the end, everyone seemed more at ease with each other. The girls hugged Lys and Ellie goodbye and Spike and Nate exchanged mock goodbye punches. Xander got them to bed with little to no complaint and settled himself on the couch with a smile. He glanced over at Spike who flopped into a chair. The blonde smirked.

“That Nate is something else,” He leaned his head back. “I like Lys, too.”

Xander grinned. “And Ellie?”

Spike ducked his head with a shy smile. Xander was floored. He didn’t even know Spike could be shy. “Yeah, she’s a bit of all right.” He closed his eyes. “I think they wore me out. I should get home soon.”

Xander glanced at his watch and then did a double take. “Holy Christ, Spike, it’s 5:00 a.m.! You aren’t going to have time to get all the way across town. Why don’t you just stay here?”

Spike opened his eyes and glanced around the room with an eyebrow raised. “And where am I going to stay, whelp? The girls have your room, the boy has the guest room and you have the couch. You want I should stay in the tub again?” He snorted. “No, thanks. I’d rather take my chances with a tan than ever spend another night in a bathtub.”

Xander flushed with shame. “Look, Spike. I’m sorry about all those times we crammed you in the bathtub. That was unforgivable. We were jerks. And I was an ass for tying you up to the chair too.”

Spike felt a warm lurch in his chest at Xander’s words.

“The couch pulls out into a bed. I-I don’t mind sharing. I don’t want you racing to beat the sun. I couldn’t ever forgive myself if s-something happened to you cause I was too…manly…to share a bed with you.”

Spike stared at him with eyes that saw too much. He held his breath and forced his own to show nothing but friendly concern.

“Yeah, sure, mate. I’ll bunk with ya, then.”

Xander and Spike worked together to clear out a space for the bed to open into, then took turns in the bathroom. Xander found a pair of shorts for Spike to wear and was in bed with the covers up to his chin when Spike came out of the bathroom. He had his eyes closed, but he felt when Spike lifted the covers and slid between them.

They lay in silence for long minutes. Xander tried to calm his breathing and to stop thinking about how Spike’s leg hairs tickled his own. Spike listened to Xander’s heartbeat as it thrummed in his chest and tried not to think about how badly he wanted to roll over and taste Xander’s sweet mouth.

“Xan?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for letting me stay.”

“No problem.”

“How do you want to handle tomorrow?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m rather stuck here til nightfall. That means the whole day with you and the nibblets.”

“So?”

“So, I don’t want to intrude on your time with them.”

Xander rolled over and lay on his side, looking at the vamps profile.

“Why would you think you’d be intruding?”

“It’s not like I’m family. Or even a friend. I’m just a convenient guy to have around sometime. I know that. It doesn’t even hurt anymore.” Much. “I’m also the evil undead. Kind of a party mood killer.”

“Look at me.”

Spike slowly rolled until he was also on his side, facing the boy…man.

“Spike, I can’t help the family thing. But you’re wrong. You are a friend. You’re my friend. You are convenient sometimes, yes, but that’s not why I spend time with you. That’s not why I asked you to help me get the kids. That’s not why I invited you tonight. That’s certainly not why you are laying here in a bed with me wearing my shorts.” That’s not why I want to kiss you so badly I think I’m shaking.

“But I’m still the evil undead.”

“Yes, Spike. You are the Big Bad.”

“Oi, stop placating me, whelp.”

“Sorry. Okay, so this is how it’s gonna be tomorrow. We are going to wake up, eat breakfast and talk to each other.” His voice took on a wistful tone. “Really talk. I want to have a conversation with a meal at the table, where I ask for someone to pass the milk, and talk about how much fun we had the night before. I never got to do that when I was a kid.”

Spike’s eyes drank in Xander’s features. He prompted the boy softly when it looked as though he’d lost himself in memories he never experienced.

“Then what?”

“Then, I’m going to take the kids to the store and pick up some fun things for us to do today, and we are going to stay in and amuse ourselves until the sun goes down. Then we are going out to dinner.” He smiled at Spike and pulled a hand out from under the covers to tap the vamp on the nose, gently. “And you are going to be a full participant in all said activities, mister.”

Spike returned his smile and snapped his teeth in the direction of Xander’s finger. Laughing, Xander pulled it back under the covers and snuggled down into the blankets. He closed his eyes and drifted into sleep, visions of the day ahead dancing in his head. Spike gave into his weakness and watched Xander sleep. God, the boy was gorgeous. Tanned skin, dark lashes, lock of hair falling over his forehead. Spike’s fingers twitched in a desire to smooth it down.

Xander had a tiny smile on his lips. Lips Spike would have taken a bath in holy water to kiss. Very carefully, he scooted closer to the brunette. He breathed deeply and inhaled Xander’s scent. It was heady; spicy, clean, bringing to mind autumn leaves and Indian summers. He stealthfully pressed his hand against Xander’s chest, feeling his heart beat against cool fingers.

Smiling softly, he closed his eyes and slipped into sleep himself.

Xander became aware of a pleasant coolness against his chest. Opening his eyes, he found himself gazing down into a mop of blonde curls. As he blinked awake, he realized that Spike was curled up against him, his head on Xander’s chest, his arms wrapped around Xander’s waist. He could feel the same coolness all the way down his body and he realized that Spike’s legs were twined with his.

He would have wondered what the vampire thought he was doing, had he not been clutching the smaller man to him, his arms wrapped tightly around the pale waist. He recognized that he was just as much of a culprit in the embrace as Spike was. Quietly, he pulled out of the blonde’s arms and tiptoed to the bathroom.

As the door shut behind him, he breathed a sigh of disappointment. Then he got ready for the day.

_________________________

Spike woke to the smell of eggs cooking. He cracked an eye and then jerked fully awake. Sitting on the hide-a-bed were two figures. Lys just watched him with a little smile. Ellie squealed with delight when he sat up and flung herself into his lap.

“We told her she had to wait til you woke up.” Lys explained softly. Spike nodded and looked down at the squirming bundle in his arms. He lifted his eyes back to Lys, grinning.

“Bet that was painful for both of you.” Lys returned his grin.

“Immensely. If you’re awake, breakfast is ready.”

Spike nodded. “I’ll be there in a mo. Take the wiggle-worm and get her something before she melts away into nothing.” He handed Ellie over to Lys with a kiss on her forehead and waited til the girls were in the kitchen before he flung the covers off and stood.

“Well, I guess you were wearing something after all.” Spike jumped. Nate sat curled up in a chair, glaring at him.

“Were you expecting something else?” Spike asked coolly.

“I just figured, you and Xander…sleeping together. I’d have thought there would be less clothes.”

“Maybe there would have been if we’d been doing anything but sleeping together,” Spike responded. “But since that was all we did, this was workable.”

“Did you cop a feel?”

“Nathan Michael!” Xander exploded. “Watch your mouth, buster. Spike is a guest here.” Nate flinched at the tone of authority in Xander’s voice, but recovered quickly and went back to glaring at Spike.

“Don’t you think I have anything to say about this?” He asked Xander, never taking his eyes off of Spike. “After all, you were the one who was so concerned about role models for Ellie. And here you are, having gay sex on the couch while she’s only a room away.”

Xander looked as though he were about to blow his top. Spike held up a hand to stave off any comments and faced Nate.

“First, Nate…your uncle is a grown man and can have sex with anyone he chooses, man or woman. Second, he’s concerned enough about you three that he would never have sex in the front room. Third, we didn’t have sex. We slept on the couch together in an innocent and completely nonsexual manner.” He leaned in close to Nate and smirked.

“Now, I’m going to go into the kitchen to eat. Then, I’m going to take a shower. I’ll give you all the way through breakfast to decide if I need a keeper in the bathroom to make sure I don’t jerk off where Ellie could hear me howling her uncle’s name, okay?”

Nate blushed bright red and Xander had to walk away to keep from laughing. Spike pulled his jeans on over his shorts and followed Xander into the kitchen.

_________________________

The days passed quickly. Spike became a fixture at the apartment, showing up at sundown either with dinner or movies. He played games with them, and went shopping after sundown. He never spent the night again. Both he and Xander didn’t want to deal with another morning after episode. Lys began to laugh and joke with Spike, even though she was obviously Uncle Xander’s girl. Ellie was like a burr that neither he nor Spike could set down. Not that they minded. They both agreed that their laps seemed empty without her in them.

Xander had been thrilled when Lys asked if she could call him Uncle Xander. Ellie had no problem calling Xander Uncle. She’d been calling Spike Uncle Wil from day one and it seemed only natural. Even Lys had been known to slip and call Spike Uncle once or twice. She looked embarrassed, but when no one called her on it, she fell into it with more ease. Spike always felt a warmth blossom in his chest when he heard it. Of course he rolled his eyes at his ponceyness, but he wouldn’t have said anything to make her stop.

Nate refused to call either one uncle, but at least he was addressing them by name. Xander and Wil. He seemed to be forming the kind of attachment to Spike that Lys had formed with Xander. Given the choice, he sat next to Spike. He went on errands with Spike. He asked Spike’s opinion on a subject first. He picked fights with Spike so that they could argue. He had stopped making jokes about Spike and Xander sleeping together, but he didn’t think they knew why.

He was fast becoming addicted to the way Spike and Xander treated him like an adult. He felt like his voice counted, like he was an important part of every family decision. He slowly began to let go of the chip on his shoulder. As he did so, he became more aware of the people around him. Like Spike. Like Xander. If he wasn’t reading them wrong, they had it bad for each other.

He could tell that his earlier comments still lay like a miasma of damnation. They avoided each touching each other and taking about risqué topics. But they had a special smile for each other. He didn’t think they even knew. They deferred to each other as though they were actually living together. They treated the kids like they were a married couple. Nate saw them watching each other when they thought the other wasn’t looking. And the sighs. Lord, the sighs. He really wished he’d kept his mouth shut about the gay thing.

He didn’t really care one way or the other. He liked Willow and Tara. He thought they were a great couple, lesbian or not. He wished that his uncles would just get over it and realize he was a selfish brat when he’d said those things. They were so right for each other.