Finding Home Part 10

Title: Finding Home Part 10

Author: Velvet Crypt

Disclaimer: Joss is God. I own nothing.

Spoilers: Season 4.

Summary: It ends.

A scooby meeting was in progress. Giles prowled through the bookcases. Willow searched the net. Tara pored through books. Buffy stared blindly at he book in front of her, turning pages every so often. Xander and Spike sat next to each other, unobtrusively playing footsie while Spike read phrases out of a Latin book and Xander wrote them down in English.

The door crashed open, causing everyone to jump. After their initial start, they leapt from their chairs. Jessica staggered in, drenched with the rain pouring outside, limping and clad in shredded clothes. She sported a freshly created black eye and split lip. Xander and Spike raced to her side, each taking an arm, and led her to the couch. They tenderly set her down and took up positions on either side.

Moments later, a bowl of warm water and a fresh towel were placed on the coffee table and Giles knelt in front of her. Carefully dipping the towel in the water, he clenched his jaw against Ripper coming out to killing the bastard she married.

“I-I’m sorry to barge in on you like this, Rupert.” She whispered. “I had no other place to go, and this time I thought he might actually kill me.” Giles placed a finger against her swollen lip and shook his head.

“You are welcome here, my dear. You are always welcome here.” He returned, replacing his finger with the warm cloth.

“Mom, what happened?” Xander choked out, clutching her hand.

“He finally noticed.” She shook her head wryly. “It’s been nearly two days since he got back. I guess Angie accustomed him to something else these last two weeks. It took him this long to realize I was different. He got a phone call tonight I can’t be sure, but I think Angie told him to eff off. He had to get his jollies somehow, right?” She smiled painfully against her lip. “When he came looking for me, he found a closet of new clothes, a drawer of new makeup, and a woman who acted nothing like the wife he slapped around two weeks ago.” She sucked in a breath.

“I was so stupid. I thought that the clothes, makeup, and hair could change me. Could make me something besides his punching bag.” Her voice broke. “He told me to get rid of everything. I told him no. So he hit me. A lot. Actually, I suppose that was for the best. I was unconscious most of the time he was shredding my clothes and crushing the makeup.” She winced and looked at Spike.

“I’m so sorry, William. You spent so much money on me and now you don’t have anything to show for it.”

Spike growled. “I have you, luv.” He took her other hand. “The clothes made you feel better about yourself. They made you see a part of yourself that you’ve been hiding for far too long. That part of you was what brought you here tonight. Not too long ago, you would have let him beat the hell out of you, apologized for pissing him off, and followed him into the bedroom for a shag.” Jessica blushed and glanced up at Giles. Spike ignored it.

“Not this time. Whatever else that money was good for, it gave you enough of yourself back to leave. To come to us. I’d say that money was well spent.” He grasped her chin. “Jessica, mum…you have to leave him.” He held up a warning hand as her mouth opened. “No. No more excuses. They’re all bullshit. Why are you staying with him? Because divorce is wrong? Because you’ve done something so horrible you deserve to be punished? Because you have to protect your son?”

He snorted. “Bollocks. Half of all marriages end in divorce nowadays. Hell, it’s fashionable, even! You’ve done nothing wrong. You are a good and beautiful person. You deserve to be loved and protected. To live in joy and happiness. Not shame and misery. And Xander is leaving with me, so you have no reason to stay to protect him.” Xander’s head shot up.

“Um, Spike, I-“

“And as for you, whelp,” Spike transferred his gaze to the younger man, pinning him with his eyes. “Why are you staying? Because he’s your father and you owe him loyalty? Because if you and your entire existence weren’t such a ‘horrible mistake’, he wouldn’t have a reason to hurt you? Because you need to protect your mum?”

He leaned forward. “Well, let me tell you something, Alexander Harris. You owe him nothing. Nothing! And how could you be a mistake when your mum loves you as much as she does? Or your friends?” ~Or me?~ “You are bright and pure. You have done nothing to deserve the pain you’re in. And your mum is coming with me, so you don’t need to stay to protect her anymore.”

Jessica met Spike’s eyes. “Very sneaky, mister.” Spike’s eyes twinkled for a moment.

Then he sighed, all traces of humor gone. “Luv, you and Xander…you’ve become my world. Not an hour of the day goes by when I’m not thinking of you in some capacity. Wondering how you are, what you’re doing, if you took your bloody vitamins.” He rolled his eyes.

“I’ve watched you change these last couple of weeks. Both of you. I’ve watched a light come into your eyes. I’ve watched you realize that you have something to share. That you are worthy of love. You may be pissed that I’ve spent money on you. But if that’s what it takes to bring a smile to your face, I’ll spend the rest of my bloody unlife with my hand in my wallet. I’ll stuff you mattress with money. I’ll line the ground with it as you walk. Just please…come with me.”

He sat back, embarrassed at the passion in his voice. “Jessica.” Buffy’s voice broke the silence. “This may be the first time I’ve said this, but I agree with Spike.” Spike shot her a glare, which she ignored. “You and Xander are amazing people. You deserve so much more than you’re getting right now. Please. Listen to Spike. Do it for you. Do it for Xander.”

Jessica looked at her hands. “William. Xander and I have no money and I refuse to spend the rest of my life living off of you. I care about you. You fell at my feet, bleeding and broken, and somehow wormed your way into my life, into my heart. I can’t do that to you. I can’t treat you like you’re just a pocketbook. You’re like my son, for God’s sake!”

Spike clenched his jaw, causing a tiny muscle to jump. “Bloody hell, Mum. Money means nothing to me. Haven’t we covered this enough? I lived in a crypt. I steal things from the dump. Money is just little pieces of paper. But how I feel about you…about both of you…that’s precious to me.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose, willing himself not to humiliate himself in front of the damn Slayer by crying.

“I…need you, Mum. I need Xander. You have become something I haven’t had in a very long time. You’ve become my family. I’m not like other vampires, Mum. I’m not a loner. I need family. I need you.” He took his hand away from his face, surreptitiously wiping a stray tear away as he did so.

“Please, Mum. If you can’t leave for you your sake, won’t leave for Xander’s sake, then please…leave for mine. I can’t lose another family. I can’t.” His voice rasped away into nothing, leaving him almost imperceptibly rocking back and forth. Jessica wiped her eyes, uncaring that she was openly crying. The girls weren’t making any attempt to hide their tears either. Even Giles sniffed once or twice. Xander just watched Spike, love shining from his eyes like the midday sun.

“All right.” Jessica whispered. “You win, William. We’ll come.” Spike threw his arms around her. Xander did the same, and no one said anything when they noticed the males’ hands creep past Jessica’s waist and touch each other.

“I suppose we need to begin looking for a place for you to stay, then.” Giles cleared his throat. They pulled away from the hug, but each man kept an arm around Jessica.

“Not necessary, Watcher.” Spike grinned. “I think you all need to come outside with me.”

___________________________________________

“Oh, my God, it’s gorgeous!” Buffy exclaimed, running her hand down the fender of the new Explorer parked two streets over. “Who’s is it?”

Spike held up a key ring and jingled it to get Xander’s attention before tossing them at him. The brunette caught them with a gasp and looked from the smiling vamp to the SUV and back to the keys. “No way.” He breathed. The vamp merely nodded.

“Well, come on, Xander!” Buffy whooped. “Let’s take it for a test drive!” Spike stepped to the passenger door and held it open for Jessica. He then moved the backseat door and held it open for the Watcher and the witches. With a grin at Buffy, he nodded toward the rear of the vehicle and they climbed in, leaning over the back seat to see everyone.

“William, what is this?” Jessica demanded.

Spike shrugged. “I told you I’d find a way to take you away from him, mum. Told you I’d take care of you. Told you that more than a week ago. Went out. Made some arrangements. Needed to get a place ready for you. Needed to get you something to get you from one place to th’other.

“Well, this is very nice, Spike…” Giles began.

“Head over to Acacia Drive, Xan.” Spike interrupted with a grin.

___________________________________________

“Pull into that driveway on the right,” Spike instructed. When the vehicle stopped, everyone poured out and swarmed on the lawn.

“What is this?” Jessica asked, falling in love instantly, hoping it was for rent.

“This, Mum, is our new home.” Spike bent to kiss her cheek softly and pressed a piece of paper into her hands. With a look of confusion, she glanced at it. As she read, her hand came up to cover her mouth and she swayed. Xander stepped up and put a concerned arm around her waist.

“What is it, Mom?” He took the paper from her and read it himself. His eyes widened and he raised his head, staring in awe at Spike’s smiling visage. “Y-you bought a house for us?” he whispered.

Spike threw an arm around each Harris. “That’s just the beginning, mate.” With an insistent tug, he pulled them to the front door. Releasing them for a moment, he dug in a duster pocket and pulled out an envelope. From within it, he withdrew two key chains, one with a ‘J’, one with an ‘X’, each complete with several keys. Handing them to Jessica and Xander, he motioned toward the door and Jessica hesitantly stepped forward.

“Here, Watcher. Thought you and the girls might like one too.” He tossed the envelope to Giles, who emptied it into his hand. Four more keys fell out and Giles dispersed them among the other scoobies. “Now, let’s go on a tour.”

___________________________________________

“I didn’t know what exactly you’d be wantin’ in your room, so I outfitted the other two in manly colors.” He grinned. “You pick which one you want and I’ll take the other one. Don’t really care which.” Xander looked at the vampire closely. He could see the telltale signs of strain around those beautiful eyes. He could tell that Spike wanted to stalk across the room and declare that Xander belonged to him and would be sleeping wherever Spike slept. And he also saw the pain that told him Spike would never do that. Because it would hurt Xander. With a gentle smile, he made his decision.

“Pick the one I want, huh?”

Spike fidgeted. “Yeah, mate. Whichever one.”

“Which one is yours?” He asked quietly. Spike gave him an ‘are you daft?’ look.

“I just told you, Xan. I haven’t picked one. I wanted you to choose where you want to be.” Xander’s smile got bigger and he stepped forward towards the smaller man. Reaching out, he tugged him into the circle of his arms. Spike immediately stiffened and looked frantically from the scooby gang to Xander’s amused expression. “What-“

“I’m choosing.” He smiled down at Spike, loving that he was holding the man he loved in front of his friends and family. “And I ask again…which one is yours?”

Spike stopped moving. He froze in his love’s arms and just stared into the warm depths of dark eyes. “Xan? Pet, what are you doing?” He whispered dazedly.

Xander chuckled. “You know, I picked up some annoying habits from my years of emersion in estrogen. I like to talk. I like to share. I like to gossip. I also like to have my friends know when I’m in love.” He kissed Spike on the forehead. “Wil, they know.”

“H-how long?” Spike managed to force out.

“As much as it pains me to remember the gory details,” Giles pulled off his glasses and wiped them thoroughly, “Since your first kiss.”

“Very adorable.” Tara smiled.

“And the first time you told him you loved him…dumbass.” Buffy grinned.

“Oh, oh, oh!” Willow bounced. “And the first time he heard you purr!” she wiggled a bit as she bounced. Spike buried his head in Xander’s chest.

“Bloody hell, this is the Hellmouth. Why won’t the floor open up and swallow you when you need it?” His voice was muffled against Xander’s shirt, but he clutched his love closer to him and smiled along with the laughter from the scoobies.

He’d found home.