Broken

by Kayla

Spike parked the DeSoto by the curb outside of Xander's house. Leaving the 
vehicle, he slipped around into the back yard and crept inside the basement 
door, still ajar from their hasty departure earlier. He looked around the room, 
nose wrinkling as the smell overwhelmed him. He growled, eyes flashing yellow. 

Moving to the center of the room, he looked down at the rug that bore evidence 
of the cruelty his Nummy had undergone. Snarling, he bent and scooped it up, 
walking over to deposit it in the washing machine. He couldn't stand the stench 
of it...a reminder of the horrible violation Xander had suffered. 

He stalked into the bathroom, wetting a towel and using it to wipe up the trail 
of dried blood from the floor. Rinsing it out, he checked to make sure every 
trace of the blood was gone, then tossed the towel in with the rug, dropping the 
lid with a bang. 

Searching, he found the clothes Xander had worn earlier in the evening, a 
lifetime ago. The shirt by the laundry basket he picked up, sniffing it. Ick! 
Soddin' Vithrell demons and their disgustin' slime! Not getting any clues from 
the item, he dropped it neatly into the basket. 

The pants were on the floor over by the bathroom, boxers a few feet away near 
the toilet. Spike smiled briefly at Xander's slovenliness. But neither of these 
articles of clothing bore any indication of Xander's assailant. No blood, semen, 
nothing. 

Spike frowned. That means it happened after he got back and undressed. He cocked 
his head, closing his eyes to better concentrate as he sought out some scent, 
some clue of who it had been. 

Nothing. Not one thing that wasn't familiar from the time he'd spent here over 
those few weeks. Nothing except the semen, and the still-lingering odor of his 
Nummy's blood. 

His eyes popped open. What the--? He sniffed again. Yep, blood. But not coming 
from the closed washing machine, which should contain every drop of blood and 
semen spilled down here. 

He turned his head from side to side, tracking it. Moving slowly and carefully, 
he followed the barely-there trail up the stairs into the main house. He paused 
to make sure no one was around, and picked up only a single heartbeat, coming 
from up the stairs. 

Up the stairs. Where the scent trail led. Unconsciously letting out a low, 
rumbling growl, Spike moved stealthily up the stairway. At the top, he paused to 
get his bearings. He looked at the end of the hall. 

There. That room. Something in that room had his Nummy's blood on it! 

He pushed the door open, peering into the dark room. In the moonlight streaming 
in the open window, he clearly made out the form lying passed out on the bed, 
snoring loudly. Pants half stripped off, a dark blotch covering the area around 
the zipper. 

The dark blotch. Blood. His Xander's blood! Flaking bits of it streaking the 
limp flesh of the penis that was splayed over a meaty thigh. 

A thigh belonging to Xander's father. 

Spike's face rippled, melting into its vampiric planes. Yellow eyes glowed in 
the dark, and he rushed the bed, fingers hooking into claws as he determined to 
rip this pitiful excuse for a human to shreds. 

Before he reached it, he collapsed, hissing and moaning in agony. Hands clutched 
his head, and he shuddered. Fuckin' chip! Apparently, even such a person was 
considered human enough to activate the chip. 

He stood, pacing back and forth beside the bed. Snarling in impotent fury, he 
glared daggers at the oblivious man. He winced, head pounding. 

Fuck! Can't even bleedin' defend what's mine! He backed out of the room, still 
growling. Once in the hallway, he slammed his fist through the wall, howling his 
rage. Spike pulled it out and punched again, and again. He sobbed at his 
inability to wreak vengeance, courtesy of the Initiative. He leaned his head 
forward against the wall, tears running futilely down his cheeks. 

Finally, he straightened, wiping his face harshly. He gave the still-unconscious 
man a last glare. You'll pay. I'll figure out some way to do it, I don't care 
what it takes. And you will die. Very slowly and very painfully. Your last sight 
on this earth, before I send you to Hell for eternity, will be of me, ripping 
your heart from your chest. 

Another wave of pain struck at that thought, but he ignored it. Shaking his 
head, he turned and made his way back downstairs. Back down into the basement, 
where he grabbed some loose-fitting clothing for Xander to wear later. Then, 
outside to his car, where he pulled away from the still, silent house. 



Spike drove aimlessly for a while, trying to calm himself down before returning 
to Xander. He didn't want to scare the boy, who would most likely be in a 
delicate state when he woke. It was just an hour or so before dawn when he 
pulled up to the clinic again. Parking around back this time, he hurried inside. 


Karen looked up from where she was gathering her things together. She flashed 
him a tentative smile. "Hey. I was just getting ready to leave, my replacement 
should be here soon. Let me go get Dr. Fredericks for you." 

Spike nodded, and she hurried away. Shortly thereafter, the doctor came through 
the doorway and motioned Spike to follow him. They walked a short distance, 
coming to a halt outside of a closed room. Spike made as if to enter, but was 
stopped by a hand on his arm. He narrowed his eyes, growling at the doctor. 

"Hey, I'm on your side, here. And you can go in in a minute. There's just a few 
things I'd like to say, first." 

Spike crossed his arms, leaning against the door with eyebrow raised. "Yeah?" 

"First of all, I noticed you've staked a claim on William. Considering that he's 
human, the situation is quite extraordinary, really." 

"Is there a point to this?" 

"No offense, but I have to ask this. How do I know that, by releasing him into 
your care, he won't be hurt further?" 

Spike snarled, eyes flashing. "You gonna try and stop me from takin' him?" 

Dr. Fredericks sighed, holding up his hands. "I'm just saying, he's going to 
need a lot of care, and extremely sensitive handling. Which is not something 
that vampires are noted for...at least not with humans." 

The blonde huffed, considering. Finally, he decided to be blunt. "Look, I 
couldn't hurt him even if I wanted to, ok? Which I don't! But I got this effin' 
chip in my brain that fries me if I try something with any human." 

"I...see." The doctor made a mental note to ask about that later. For now, he 
simply began to list his patient's injuries, and the care needed to deal with 
them. 

"Well, the most notable injury, the cause of the extreme loss of blood, was of 
course the large tear in the lining of William's rectum. Whoever assaulted him 
used absolutely no lubrication, or preparation of any sort. He could very well 
have died if you hadn't brought him in." He ignored Spike's angry hiss, 
continuing. 

"I was able to stitch it up without too much difficulty, and the stitches will 
dissolve in a couple of weeks. But I will have to restrict his diet, to give the 
injury time to heal. Also, I'll give you an antibiotic salve that will need to 
be applied to the wound twice a day, as well as some pills that he'll need to 
take orally. I don't want to risk any infection." 

Spike frowned. "You mean, he's gonna have to put this stuff inside himself?" 

Dr. Fredericks sighed. "Actually, I doubt he'll be able to. He also has some 
cracked ribs which have been taped, a dislocated knee that's been bandaged up, 
and other assorted contusions and muscle strains, mostly minor. I don't want him 
aggravating anything. That means, no walking, no bending, nothing. Basically, 
he'll be spending the next week lying in bed with you waiting on him hand and 
foot." He looked at the vampire challengingly. "Can you handle that?" 

Spike nodded tersely. "Yeah. He probably won't take to it, though." 

"I don't doubt it. However, I have to prescribe what's best for the patient, 
whether or not he agrees with the treatment. As for the diet...liquids. Nothing 
that can't be passed easily." 

"Not to sound ignorant, but what exactly does that include? I'm sure our ideas 
of a liquid diet are vastly different." Spike smirked. 

"Indeed. Well, essentially, he can have drinks, broths from meat stocks like 
chicken or beef, Jell-O is always a favorite. Stay away from milk products, 
though. No ice-cream or yogurt. I can give you a full list before you leave." 

Spike nodded again, glancing impatiently at the door. "That it?" 

"Basically. I'll write out detailed instructions for you, but that covers the 
highlights. Oh, and I'd like you to bring him back in a week so I can check his 
progress." 

"Can do. I can go in now, right?" 

The doctor chuckled. "Sure, go on in. I took the liberty of placing him in a 
windowless room, as I figured you'd want to stay with him, and the sun will be 
coming up soon." 

"Ta, mate." Spike opened the door, stepping inside. 

"One last thing." 

Spike looked back over his shoulder questioningly. 

"You might consider getting him to see a counselor of some sort. This...incident 
is bound to dredge up some extremely painful memories for William." 

The blonde tilted his head. "What do you mean?" 

"During the course of my treatment of him, it was rather obvious from previous 
patterns of scarring and fractures that he's been subjected to this type of 
treatment before, most likely repeatedly and probably over the course of years." 
Dr. Fredericks hesitated a moment before going on. "Generally, this indicates 
abuse in the home, usually by a relative, in this case male. He's going to need 
to deal with the trauma." 

Golden eyes narrowed to slits, and Spike bared his fangs. "I'll take care of 
him. He'll be fine." 

Dr. Fredericks just nodded. "He should sleep a while longer. I am going to catch 
a quick nap in the break room. I'll be back after he wakes. Any emergencies, 
just press the red button by his bed, and someone will come immediately." He 
left, and Spike shut the door. 

Turning to the fragile-looking mortal in the bed, he felt his heart break a 
little. "Ah, Xanpet, I wish I could've stopped him. Or killed him. But don't you 
worry, I ain't gonna leave, and no one's ever gonna hurt you again. Not while I 
live...so to speak." 

Pulling up a chair, he sat beside the still form, holding tight to a pale hand 
as he kept vigil. 




warm...safe...who? spike. mmm, spike. safe. Xander fought his way through the 
fog, not wanting to leave the comfort of unconsciousness, but...needing to 
see...to make sure. With great effort, he pried his eyelids up, searching. 

There. He felt... His hand twitched in the cool grasp, and the blonde head lying 
on the bed by his side stirred. 

Xander tried to sit up, moaning sharply as ribs protested. 

Spike's eyes shot open, and he sat up, staring intently at the pale boy on the 
bed. "Pet? You all right?" 

Xander whimpered. "hurts. spike...make it stop." 

Spike chewed on his lip, torn. "Hush, pet. I'll get the doc, and he can give you 
something to help." He made a move to stand, but the hand clasped in his 
tightened. 

Panicked, Xander refused to let go, using what little strength he had to tug the 
vampire closer. "no. don't go. please. don't leave me alone." 

"But pet --" Spike stared deep into those sad eyes, finding himself unable to do 
anything that might bring the boy any more pain...physical or mental. He sighed, 
settling back down. Scooting his chair closer to the head of the bed, he stroked 
the thick, dark hair. "Ok, Xan, I won't go anywhere. I'll stay with you." He 
continued to pet the trembling human until the scent of fear faded. 

They remained in silence, Spike gently and carefully running his hands through 
Xander's hair, down his arms. The boy sighed, inching closer. 

Spike leaned in, allowing Xander to press up against his chest. He scowled. 
You've lost it. It's over. Exit William the Bloody - Scourge of Europe, enter 
Spike the pushover - complete putty in Xander's hands. Not that I'm gonna let 
him in on that little fact. His expression softened, though, as he felt warm 
breath trickling through his shirt. 

Xander drifted, ignoring the twinges of pain in various parts of his body. As 
long as he didn't move too much... 

Spike was so intent on his study of the boy beside him that he didn't notice the 
door open and a head poke inside briefly. The hand on his shoulder a few minutes 
later startled him, and he jerked his head up, gameface on and eyes burning 
yellow as he snarled at the interloper. 

Dr. Fredericks quickly removed the offending appendage, holding his hands up in 
front of him. "Hey, easy now." He looked at Xander, who had shrunk back against 
the bed, staring at him wide-eyed. He smiled gently. "Hello William, I'm Dr. 
Fredericks. How are you feeling?" 

Xander gave Spike a confused look at the name, and the vampire just shrugged 
casually. Timidly, Xander peered up at the doctor. "um...ok. i guess." He tried 
to huddle closer to Spike without actually having to move too much. 

Spike soothed him, purring softly deep in his chest, while at the same time 
casting a baleful glare at the man who'd upset his Nummy. 

"Well, how about I give you a little something for the pain? That knee can't be 
feeling too good, and your ribs are probably bothering you as well." 

Xander winced. "no shots. don't like shots. go 'way." 

"If you'd rather, I can give you some pills. No shots, I promise." He waited 
until the boy nodded hesitantly, then opened a small bottle, extracting two tiny 
pills. He placed them in Spike's outstretched palm, then poured a glass of water 
from the pitcher beside the bed. 

Spike took the pills, then the water. Carefully lifting Xander's head up, he 
coaxed the pills into his mouth, then held the glass so he could drink and 
swallow them down. Not taking his eyes off the boy, he handed the glass back to 
the doctor. 

Dr. Fredericks replaced the glass, then took a seat in a chair on the opposite 
side of the bed from Spike. "William? Can we talk?" 

Xander looked at Spike, then over at the doctor. "i...i guess." 

The doctor held up a couple of pill bottles. "These are some medications I want 
you to take. One is a painkiller, you just had some of those. The other contains 
antibiotics. It's very important that you take these until they're gone, ok?" 
Xander nodded. "Good. The others you can have up to 8 a day, no more. If it 
isn't helping enough, I can prescribe something stronger, but I think these will 
do. 

"Now, your vampire friend has assured me he'll be able to take care of you until 
you're well enough to get around by yourself. So I'll put him in charge of 
these." The bottles were handed over, and Spike dropped them into one of the 
pockets of his duster. "This," he continued, holding up a sheet of paper, "is a 
list of foods you're allowed to consume. If it's not here, don't eat it." He 
gave Spike a stern look. 

Spike snorted, taking the list and folding it up, adding it to his pocket. He 
looked at Xander, noticing the confusion on his face. "What is it, pet?" 

Xander's eyes flickered between Spike and the doctor. "what--? i mean, he 
knows... i don't understand." His weak, plaintive voice struck a chord deep 
within the vampire, making him want to gather the mortal close and shield him 
from the world. 

Dr. Fredericks chuckled quietly. "Yes, I suppose it is confusing. Don't worry, 
we're used to dealing with clientele that is a bit...different. You wouldn't 
believe how many species come through our doors." 

The boy gave Spike a questioning look, receiving only a sheepish grin in 
response. He cleared his throat, gaze back on the doctor. "I didn't know there 
was any place like this. Never heard anything." 

"Yes, well we try to keep a low profile. The ones who need to know about us do. 
We don't need the kind of trouble that would come about if 
certain...unsympathetic parties got wind of us." 

"Unsympathetic? You're...just a clinic, right? Why would anyone care?" 

Dr. Fredericks sighed, closing his eyes wearily. "We get a lot of patients here 
who've had run-ins with...shall we say, someone who doesn't take kindly to the 
presence of demons in this town." 

A thought niggled at the back of Xander's mind. "But...aren't demons bad?" 

"Saying that all demons are bad is like saying all humans are good. It's just 
not true. A few nut cases have given the whole lot of them a bad name. Most just 
try to avoid trouble and make a living for themselves." 

Xander frowned and shifted, gasping at the renewed pain in his chest. Spike shot 
the doctor a worried look. 

The doctor stood. "Easy, now. I don't want you moving any more than absolutely 
necessary. That goes for the next week." He handed over a few pages of paper, 
along with a small tube. Looking at Spike, he went on, "There's the rest of what 
you'll need. I'd also like to speak with you privately before you take William 
away." He glanced at his watch. "It's almost sunset, you'll be able to leave 
soon." He left the room, closing the door behind him. 

Spike watched as Xander stared around the room, withdrawing from him slightly 
and pointedly refusing to look at him. He sighed deeply. "There a problem?" 

Xander twisted the sheet between his fingers as he tried to scoot away from the 
vampire. His ribs immediately protested, and he subsided. Finally meeting 
Spike's eyes, he spoke hesitantly. "What...what did he mean? When he said you 
were going to take care of me?" 

Spike debated internally over whether to tell him about the whole claiming bit, 
then decided that could wait awhile. "I can look after you, you know. I mean, 
seeing as we're chums an' all." 

Xander blinked. "We...we are?" 

"Bloody hell, would I 'ave brought you here in the first place if I 
didn't...like you?" He grimaced at how pathetic he sounded. 

"Oh." Brown eyes peeked out from under a fringe of dark hair. "So -- 
we're...friends?" 

Another sigh. "Yeah, pet. Friends." 

A small nod, accompanied by a barely noticeable grin. Then the boy steeled 
himself. 

Spike could see Xander visibly pulling himself together, a look of stubborn 
determination appearing on his face. He cursed to himself, wondering what sort 
of hare-brained stunt the whelp was going to try and pull. 

"Spike? I want to go home now." Xander stared at the vampire, daring him to say 
anything. 

Spike stared at him a moment, then shrugged. "Sure, pet. My crypt may not be too 
cozy, but it'll do 'til we find somethin' better." 

Xander gave the vampire a strange look. "Um, hello? Not your crypt, bleach boy. 
I mean my house." 

Spike's jaw dropped as he struggled for words. "What!? No way in hell I'm 
lettin' you go back there!" 

"Geez, what's your problem? Just take me home already! I'll be fine." 

Standing abruptly, Spike began to pace the room. After a few tense moments, he 
rounded on the boy. "Fine? You bloody well don't look fine to me! An' if you 
think I'm taking you back where your bastard of a father can get his hands on 
you again--" he broke off abruptly as he saw Xander's face go even paler as the 
mortal started to tremble. 

Xander shook his head. "H-H-He won't be there. He never is right after--" He cut 
himself off, then began again. "I mean, he's supposed to be out of town this 
week. There won't be anyone at home." 

"What the--? Xander, I'm bloody well not taking you back there! Not where he 
can--" 

"No! He didn't do anything! He just got mad and hit me a little, that's all. No 
biggie." Eyes wide, he started breathing faster as he rocked gently back and 
forth, still shaking his head. "Didn't do anything. Didn't do anything. I'm ok, 
nothing happened." The tuneless chant was repeated softly, and Spike just stared 
at the boy in disbelief. 

Not knowing what to do now, Spike chewed his lip in indecision. Finally, he 
stepped back to Xander's side, patting a shaking hand. "Xan? I'm...gonna go talk 
to the doc for a sec. I'll be right back, ok?" He waited, but Xander just kept 
on whispering softly, continuing his litany. 

Spike backed out of the room, turning and nearly bumping into Dr. Fredericks. 
"Geez, mate! Warn a guy!" He tossed a glance over his shoulder as he closed the 
door. "Look, something's wrong with him. You gotta fix it. He's trying to act 
like nothin' happened!" 

Dr. Fredericks nodded sadly. "I thought he might." 

"What!?" 

"He's disassociating himself. Distancing the event in his mind so he doesn't 
have to deal with it. If he doesn't think about it, doesn't acknowledge it, then 
it never really happened. It's not unusual in cases like this." He sighed. "It's 
something I wanted to talk to you about. This is a defense device, but 
ultimately, it will end up hurting more than helping. Eventually, he's going to 
have to face what happened so he can begin to heal. His body will recover 
quickly, it's his spirit that's going to need the most help." 

A hard glint appeared in the doctor's eyes. "Someone certainly did their best to 
break him. People like that are the reason this clinic is even needed." He 
snorted. "You know the saddest part? Almost every single one of our patients 
comes here because of humans. Most of them never even provoke the attacks, but 
just because they're different..." 

"The slayer," Spike muttered. "She'll go after anything that's not human. But 
you give her someone 'human' like Xa--William's dad, and she's blind." He looked 
at the doctor with something akin to desperation in his gaze. "He wants to go 
back there. I can't protect him, and he wants to go back to that bastard. I...I 
don't know what to do." 

"You mean you know who William's attacker is and he's still alive?" 

"I told you, can't do no damage to humans. No biting them, no maiming them, no 
ripping his fucking heart from his chest and feeding it to him." He snarled, 
eyes burning as pain began to build in his skull. Wincing, he tried to calm 
himself. 

"Because of the...chip?" A nod in response. "How exactly does this thing work?" 

"Don't know much, just that it zaps me with some major head pain if I hurt a 
human, or even seriously think about hurting one." 

"I'm assuming it's some kind of microchip? Implanted directly in your brain?" 

Spike nodded sharply. 

"Christ! Who would do such a thing?" 

"It was a lovely present from some psycho group called the Initiative." 

The doctor sucked in a breath. "I've...heard a lot of stories about them. Thanks 
to them, we've had an serious rise in the number patients over recent months." 
His jaw tensed angrily. "Now there is a bunch the oh-so-exalted slayer needs to 
take down." 

"Hardly, mate. She's too busy shagging one of 'em." 

That earned Spike a surprised look. "Know her personally, do you?" 

The vampire hesitated a moment, then made a quick decision. "She's a 'friend' of 
the boy's." He hissed in anger. "Some friend. Never even knew what was going on 
with him. Never cared enough." 

"I...see. Well, if you want my personal opinion, you should get your human as 
far away from his father and the slayer as soon as possible." 

"How can I if he doesn't want to go? I can't make him!" 

Dr. Fredericks sighed. "That's up to you. You've claimed him, he's your 
responsibility now." 

"Yeah, don't I know it." 

"Ah please, think about getting him to a therapist. If you need, I have some 
names. They're very good, and they genuinely care about the people they're 
helping." 

"I'll do what I can. Doc...um, thanks." Spike shuffled his feet, not used to 
being grateful to a human. 

The doctor simply nodded. "Look, whatever else happens, just make sure you keep 
him still and medicated. Start with the antibiotic pills and salve tomorrow 
night. Pills once a day, salve every 12 hours, and don't skip!" He handed Spike 
a card. "That's the number here, and my cell phone. Any emergencies, don't 
hesitate to call. I'll see you in a week." With a brick nod, he turned and left. 


Spike stuffed the slip of paper into a pocket, then turned and re-entered 
Xander's room. He could hardly believe he was looking at the same person. Xander 
seemed so...in control. 

Calm brown eyes regarded the blonde. "Spike, can we go now? I don't like 
hospital type places much." 

"I'm not taking you back there, pet." 

"Spike, don't be ridiculous--" 

"Don't bother arguing. I'm. Not. Taking. You. Back!" 




"I soddin' well can't believe I'm taking you back there! How'd you talk me into 
this?" Spike gripped the steering wheel so hard he was almost surprised it was 
still intact. 

"Don't be so uptight. I told you, no one's home." Xander grimaced as the car hit 
a pothole, jostling him. 

"Sorry, luv." Spike slowed the car down, not exactly eager to reach their 
destination. 

"I'm ok. It's not like I'm gonna break or anything." 

Spike just flicked him a glance in the rearview mirror and kept on driving. 

From his position reclining in the backseat, Xander was afforded an interesting 
view of Spike's DeSoto. He frowned at the floor. Was that--? "Spike? Why is 
there grass growing from your floor?" 

Spike shrugged. "Ambiance? And don't change the subject." 

"I'm not changing the subject, it died. It gasped out its last breath and gave 
up the fight for life. Even had a lovely funeral, you should have been there." 

The vampire ground his teeth as Xander joked, for the first time noticing how 
the boy tended to use humor to cover his true feelings, his pain. "Xander..." He 
slowed the car, making one last turn before parking it. He stared at the empty 
house. Well, the fucking bastard ain't here. Least the boy was tellin' the truth 
about that. 

"Great, we're here." Pulling himself upright, Xander bit back a moan as he went 
to open the door. 

Spike vaulted from the front seat, snatching the back door open just as Xander 
reached for it. "What do you think you're doing?" 

"Um, getting out?" 

"Not bloody likely. Doc said you don't move, then I'm bleedin' well gonna make 
sure you don't!" Carefully, he reached in and removed the human, hoisting him 
gently as he kicked the door shut. He carried Xander inside, the boy protesting 
the entire way. 

"Spike! I'm not a girl, put me down!" Xander pushed at Spike's chest, 
complaining until he was finally set down. 

Spike stood over Xander's bed, glaring down at him. "Don't. You. Move." 

Xander subsided, pouting. 

Satisfied, Spike took his duster off, slinging it over the back of a chair after 
he removed one of the papers the doctor had given him. "You hungry, pet?" 

Xander shrugged, then winced, hissing slightly. 

Spike rushed over, concern etched on his face. "What happened? You ok?" 

Xander rolled his eyes. "I'm fine. Just moved too fast." 

"Yeah, well I told you not to move." He watched the boy carefully, then slowly 
moved away. Paper in hand, he walked up the steps. "I'll get you something to 
eat, then." Before he went through the door, he glanced back. "And Xan? Just a 
couple of days, then we're out of here. Got it?" 

Sighing, Xander nodded. "Yeah, fine. Whatever." 

Leaving the door open, Spike made his way into the kitchen, flicking on the 
lights. He consulted the list, then began to search the cupboards. Eventually, 
he pulled out a box of chicken soup mix. 

Noodles. Don't see noodles on the list. He frowned, then shrugged. Well, just 
won't feed him the noodley bits. 

He read the instructions on the box, then put a large bowl of water in the 
microwave, waiting for it to boil. Once it had, he added the mix, then turned 
the microwave on again. A few minutes later, he had a bowl of steaming chicken 
soup. 

Hey, that was easy! He ladled some of the broth into a smaller bowl, trying not 
to get too many noodles, then placed the bowl and a spoon on a tray he'd found. 
Opening the fridge, he pulled out a carton of orange juice, sniffing it. It 
smelled all right, so he poured a glass of it, placing it next to the bowl. 

Picking up the tray, he balanced it so none of the soup would slosh over, and 
slowly made his way back down to the basement. 

He reached Xander, who seemed to be resting comfortably, if seeming to be a bit 
bored. He looked around the room quickly, glad he'd been able to clear up most 
traces of the...incident the night before. 

Xander sniffed the air. "Food? Smells pretty good." He began to sit up, stopped 
by a warning yelp from Spike. 

Setting the tray down, Spike grabbed a few pillows and used them to gingerly 
prop Xander in a more upright position. He sat next to him, holding the tray in 
his lap. Dipping the spoon into the soup, he blew on it. 

"Um, Spike? What are you doing?" Xander watched the vampire curiously. 

"Feeding you. What's it look like?" 

"Actually, I can feed myself. It's a talent I picked up as a child, comes in 
handy when I get hungry." 

"No moving, remember." He tested the liquid with his lips, making sure it had 
cooled off enough. 

"I seriously doubt the good doctor meant you had to spoon feed me." 

Spike just stared at Xander, not giving in. Eyebrow cocked, he raised the spoon 
to Xander's mouth. 

For a moment, Xander considered refusing. But... He's...coddling me. 
It's...kinda nice, actually. No one ever took care of me when I was sick before. 
He sighed, then opened his mouth. 

Grinning triumphantly, Spike fed him the soup, pausing occasionally to give him 
sips of orange juice. Soon, the meal was gone, and he took the dishes back 
upstairs, dumping them in the sink without bothering to wash them. 

Downstairs again, this time carrying a glass of water, he got out a couple of 
the pain pills, which Xander gratefully swallowed down. 

Spike dug out some blankets and a few more pillows. He fussed over the bemused 
boy, tucking him in. Then he pulled a recliner over to the bed, making up a 
sleeping place for himself. Really would like to share the bed, but I don't 
think he's up for that. 

Lights off, he did his best to make himself comfortable. He wasn't really 
planning on sleeping, but he might as well be cozy while he kept an eye on his 
human. 

Xander closed his eyes, drifting as the medication made the pain recede. As he 
slipped off to sleep, he murmured, "Thanks, Spike." 

Waiting until the boy's breathing had evened out, Spike leaned close and brushed 
a kiss on his cheek. "You sleep good, Xan. I'll watch over you." Eyes glowing in 
the darkness, he once more kept vigil. 




Spike stretched, working the kinks out of his back. He'd spent the entire night 
in that bloody uncomfortable chair of Xander's, but no way was he going to move. 
At every toss and turn, he'd tensed, ready to calm the boy if he'd gotten too 
restless and begun to strain his injuries. At about 5:00 a.m., he'd awakened the 
human and coaxed two more of the pain pills into him. He could probably have 
waited for Xander to awaken, but he figured this way, they wouldn't have to wait 
for the drugs to kick in. 

He squinted at the clock. 8:43. Should get some breakfast ready, I suppose. With 
a last glance at the still-sleeping boy, he quietly tiptoed upstairs, taking the 
tray and dishes with him. 

The remaining soup from the night before still sat on the counter, and Spike 
grimaced at the sight of it. Right, gotta stick that stuff in the fridge. 
Gingerly, he dumped the bowl and its contents into the sink. 

Another search through the cupboards yielded a can of tomato soup and some 
canned peach slices. Shop much, people? He snorted wryly. Looks like a trip to 
the grocery store was in order. 

Since the orange juice was just about gone, Spike poured a glass of water and 
added some ice. He placed this on the tray after depositing the dirty dishes in 
the sink. 

Hearing a small yelp from the basement, he dashed back down the stairs. Glaring 
at Xander, who was now sitting on the edge of his bed wearing a pained 
expression, he crossed his arms and tapped a foot. "And just where do you think 
you're going?" 

Xander grimaced, tossing Spike an annoyed look. "Bathroom. Must pee. It's a 
quirk we living people have." 

"Yeah, well, you better not be planning on walking there, mate." 

"I see. And how else am I supposed to get there, hmm?" 

Spike rolled his eyes, then walked over to the bed. With little effort, he 
scooped the human up, cradling him gently in his arms as he made his way over to 
the bathroom. Once there, he stopped. Now what? Doc kinda forgot to tell me 
'bout this part. 

Xander winced slightly as Spike set him down. "Yeah, well thanks. I think I can 
take it from here." 

"Pet, you can't exactly stand. I mean, the knee, and the ribs...how you planning 
on , you know?" 

"I'll manage." This through gritted teeth, and accompanied by a petulant glare. 

"Sure? I mean, I can help." Someone tell me I didn't just say that. 

"That's...ok." 

"Right then. I'll just...wait outside." 

"Yeah. You do that." He arched an eyebrow at Spike until the vampire backed 
completely out of the bathroom, then swung the door shut. 

Spike stood right next to the door, ready to bust inside should Xander have any 
difficulties. Shamelessly, he tuned his hearing in on the room, listening 
closely to the boy's every movement. When the toilet was flushed, he waited a 
few seconds to allow Xander the chance to get himself 'decent', then opened the 
door partway. "Xan? You done?" 

"Just gotta wash my hands." 

Spike entered the room, helping the limping boy over to the sink. "Lean on me, 
mate. Don't want you messing up that knee again." Once Xander had finished, 
Spike carried him back to his bed. 

"You know, you don't have to do this, Spike. I can manage." 

Spike just snorted and continued with tucking the covers back in around the 
human. Fixing Xander with a serious look, he admonished the boy. "Now, you stay 
here. No more moving, got it?" He waited for the exasperated nod, then went back 
upstairs to finish fixing breakfast. 

He looked once more at the two cans he'd left on the counter. Not that there was 
much food in the place to begin with, but that was all he could find that the 
doctor had included on his list. Not exactly appetizing. Oh, well, he'd make do. 


Following the instructions on the can of soup, he mixed it with some water and 
heated it up. A clean bowl was found, and some soup ladled into it. He covered 
the remainder with plastic wrap and stuck it in the refrigerator, along with the 
can of peaches. 

Another careful trip downstairs, and the tray was set down by the bed. "Xan? 
Breakfast." 

"What is it?" 

"Soup. Tomato." He shrugged. "Sorry, it's about all I could find." 

"Not a problem. I should have remembered the lack of food around this place. We 
could always order a pizza." His eyes widened hopefully. 

Spike narrowed his eyes, thrusting Dr. Fredericks list in front of the boy. "You 
see pizza on here, pet? 'Cause I sure didn't." 

Xander pouted. "Oh, fine." He hesitated, then obediently opened his mouth for 
the spoon that was now edging closer. 



Spike glanced up from a book, surreptitiously examining Xander. The human had 
been unusually quiet the entire day. Not that he seemed withdrawn, just...not 
talkative. Introspective, maybe. He'd answer when spoken to, occasionally toss 
in a few acerbic comments, and, less frequently, ask for help with some mundane 
task. But for the most part, he'd either spent his time watching television or 
reading one of his many comic books. 

The vampire was worried. Not that he'd ever admit that, but he somehow didn't 
think this behavior was indicative of Xander coming to terms with his assault. 
Really, it was just plain...weird. 

"Would you stop that?" Xander glanced up in semi-annoyance. 

"Stop what?" the vampire asked in all innocence. 

"Staring. I'm starting to feel like a bug or something. I'm fine. Give it a 
rest." 

Spike sighed deeply. "Sure, pet." He turned his eyes back to the pages in front 
of him, shuffling through them idly. Once he heard Xander flip a page of his 
comic, he resumed his perusal of the boy. 

"Spike!" 

"What?" Bloody hell, he's not even looking at me! 

"I can feel you staring at me! Cut it out already!" Xander set his comic book 
down and crossed his arms as he glared at Spike. "Look, why don't you go, I 
don't know, shopping or something. It's almost dark, and I need food anyway. And 
you should stop by the butcher too, pick up something for yourself." 

"I dunno. You think you're up for an outing?" 

"Who says I'm going anywhere? I'm gonna stay in bed like a good little patient. 
Doctor's orders." He grinned, snickering under his breath. 

Spike growled softly. "I ain't leavin' you here alone, pet." 

Xander sobered. "Look, Spike. We need to eat. And I'm not supposed to move. Try 
to be logical about this." He rolled his eyes. "I promise I won't go anywhere. 
But you get to change the sheets if I wet the bed." 

"But--" 

"Food! Hungry. Feed me!" 

After a few more minutes of hedging, Spike finally capitulated. He spent the 
next half-hour fussing around the basement, making sure Xander had everything he 
could possibly need within reach. Then he stood uncomfortably by the door, 
thumbs hooked in his pockets. "Right then, I guess I'll be off. You sure--?" 

"Yes, Spike. Go. I'll be fine. Oh, and uh, maybe you should see about getting a 
change of clothes." He cast a significant glance at Spike's shirt, the same 
bloodstained and punctured article of clothing he'd been wearing since the 
incident with the Vithrell demon. 

"Yeah, ok. Um, guess I'll be off then. Won't be too long." He stalled, waiting 
for some sign that he should call off the trip, but Xander just stared at him 
levelly. Finally, he heaved a sigh, and left. 



As he drove, Spike drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. He was not at all 
comfortable with having left his Num---Xander home by himself, but the boy was 
right. They did need food. Right then. Quick in and out job at the store, snag 
some blood for me, swing by crypt for some clothes, then back to the boy. He 
nodded decisively. No problem. 

The first stop was an all night grocery store. He quickly made his way down the 
aisles, consulting the doctor's list and tossing every item that fit the 
criteria into his shopping cart. Lots of soup, soft fruits, juices, and a few 
boxes of Jell-O. He thought about the popsicles, but figured they'd melt before 
he managed to get them to a freezer. 'Sides, watching Xan eat 'em would give me 
ideas, and now is not the time for that! 

After only 20 minutes, his cart was full, and he proceeded to the checkout line, 
using his ill-gotten gains to pay for the food. Once the bags were loaded into 
the trunk of the DeSoto, he sped off to purchase his own dinner. 

A short drive later, and he pulled into the parking lot of the shop where he 
normally purchased his supply of blood. A butcher's shop/convenience store to 
most people, a select few were privileged enough to be allowed...special orders. 


"Earl!" He taped a foot a bit impatiently, waiting until a balding, portly older 
gentleman came out of the back. 

"Spike. I was expecting you. The usual?" 

"Nah, got some extra dosh to blow, gimme the good stuff." 

Earl nodded, then disappeared into the back once more. Spike could hear him 
rummaging around in his walk-in cooler, uttering soft exclamations of 
satisfaction when he found what he wanted. 

"Here you go. A dozen human, assorted blood types. Even packed 'em in a carton 
with dry ice for you." 

"Thanks, mate. What'll it be?" Spike pulled out his wallet. 

"For you? Well, you don't often shell out for this stuff. How about...$200 for 
the lot?" 

Spike whistled. "Quite a deal there. You usually charge $25 a packet for these." 


Earl grinned. "Well, maybe once I get you hooked on buying my best, I'll jack 
the price up." 

"You would." Spike just shook his head in amusement, extracting the money and 
handing it over. As an afterthought, he also purchased a few packs of cigarettes 
and some matches, adding the requisite amount of cash to the pile on the 
counter. "Be seein' you, Earl." He dropped the cigarettes into various pockets, 
and picked up the carton, hefting it easily. 

"Later, Spike. Don't get dusted." 



Spike pulled up outside the cemetery. He left the car, walking quickly over to 
his crypt. Once inside, he rummaged through his things, stuffing his few 
articles of clothing into a duffel bag that he'd nicked a few days previously. 
He took a last look around the sparsely furnished place, not seeing anything 
else he really needed. I can always come back for the rest some other time. 

Back outside, he pulled the door to his crypt shut, then walked back to his car. 
Idly, he glanced down at his watch. Under an hour. Not bad. 

He climbed back into his car, revving the engine and tearing off into the night. 
He had almost made it back to Xander's place when he spied something 
sharp-looking in the road. Cursing, he wrenched the wheel around, swerving into 
the opposite lane, but still managed to hit the object. Shortly thereafter, the 
dull 'thump, thump' of rubber slapping against pavement sounded as the car 
jerked to the right. 

Growling, Spike pulled off the side of the road and stopped the car, flinging 
the door open and walking around to the other side. He glared down at the 
offending tire. "Bloody hell!" He snarled, kicking the tire repeatedly. Finally, 
he sighed, rubbing his forehead tiredly. He looked at his watch again, then 
glanced up the street. 

He was only about half a mile away. He could change the tire in under 10 
minutes, and be back on the road. No big deal. 

Fuck. Something was gnawing away at him, and he was feeling extremely 
uncomfortable. Sure, he didn't want to leave Xander alone for too long, but what 
was a few more minutes? He shuffled his feet. Aw, shit. Something was wrong. He 
knew it. He had to get back, now. 

Barely even taking enough time to lock the doors to the DeSoto, he was about to 
take off running when he heard a rustling in the bushes nearby. Stalking over, 
he pulled out the vampire hiding there, shaking him. An idea struck. "You know 
me?" 

Eyes wide, the other vampire nodded. "You're S-S-Spike," he gasped out. 

"That's right, mate. And that there is my car. See it?" He twisted the 
fledgling's head around as he pointed at the DeSoto. Another frightened nod was 
his response. "Good. Now, you're gonna do me a favor, see? you are gonna make 
sure no one touches my car, got it?" More nodding. 

Spike grinned. "Great." He let go of the vampire, setting him down and dusting 
him off. "What's your name, anyhow?" 

"Um, it-it's Thomas." 

"Well, Thomas. You take care now." He turned, then paused. "Oh, and if you screw 
up, I'll chain you down and shove sharp pieces of wood into every available inch 
of your skin, then leave you screaming in agony to await the dawn. " He flashed 
another grin, then took off. 

Thomas watched the blonde vampire go, still trembling. Why me? I just came out 
for a bit of dinner, and this happens. Sighing, he settled down to keep watch 
over Spike's beloved DeSoto, hoping with all his might that the slayer didn't 
choose this time to show up. 



Spike reached Xander's house in record time. If he'd been human, he would have 
dropped dead from sheer exhaustion. As it was, he was almost panting anyway. 
Utter panic, or as close to it as a master vampire would ever admit to coming, 
gripped him when he saw the vehicle parked in the driveway. Shit, no! 

Darting around back, he tore the door open, racing down the stairs. The scent of 
fear assailed him, and he felt himself shift into gameface in an automatic 
response to the threat against the one he'd claimed. He let out a snarl of pure 
rage at what he saw. 

Xander lay cowering in his bed, cringing back from his father, whose hulking 
form was straddled over him. 




The gang was all seated around Giles' table, sifting through stacks of books. 

"What are we looking for, again?" Buffy blinked up at the ex-Watcher, boredom 
clear on her face. 

Giles sighed. "For the eleventh time, we are researching any references to the 
Cimmerii, seeing as the prophecy Tara found this morning vaguely alludes to 
their involvement in an upcoming demonic ritual. 

"Oh. Right." She shrugged. "Sorry, I forgot." 

Giles began to massage his temples wearily. Oh, lord. Why me? He tried to ignore 
the sound of Riley's pacing, knowing that snapping at him would do absolutely no 
good. 

"Hey, Giles, think I've got something." Holding up her book, the Slayer grinned. 
"It says that these Cimmerii things are 'a mythical people purported to live in 
eternal darkness.' And, um..." she flipped a few pages, then back again. 
"Actually, I guess that's about it." 

"Well, I must say that sounds depressingly like vampires." Giles took off his 
glasses and began to polish them. "Not terribly informative, but it helps. Keep 
looking." 

The room was quiet but for the rustle of pages and the occasional cough or 
sneeze as a dusty tome was opened and searched. After long minutes, a squeal 
broke the silence. 

"Oh! I may have found another prophecy!!" Willow traced her finger over the 
passage she'd come across. "It's in Latin. 'Ecce! Cimmerii vectora luminis 
adorientur et cooperient. Et os Infernis effringebitur.'" 

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Ok. And for those of us who failed miserably in our 
foreign language class...this means what?" 

"Loosely translated? Um, gimme a sec." Willow furrowed her brow in thought, then 
said, "Oh. Uh-oh." 

"Uh-oh? What uh-oh?" Buffy sat up stiffly. 

"Um, it...seems to be another apocalypsey type of prophecy. It goes, 'Behold! 
The Cimmerii shall rise up and envelop the bearers of light. And the mouth of 
Hell shall be broken open.'" She glanced up at Giles for confirmation. 

He nodded. "That does seem to sum it up nicely, yes." 

"Oh. So...what? We up the patrols and do some major slayage? I mean, we've been 
through this whole 'evil vampire taking over the Hellmouth' deal before. What's 
the diff?" Buffy really couldn't see anything to get worked up about. Same old, 
same old. 

"Because...these 'Cimmerii' may not be your typical type of vampire. The usual 
methods might not be enough to defeat them. As a matter of fact, it's entirely 
possible that the text isn't referring to vampires at all. The prophecy isn't 
too terribly clear." 

"Whatever. I can take 'em, no worries." 

"Be that as it may, it would behoove us to keep looking for more information." 

Buffy groaned, then went back to her books. 

Tara, who'd kept pretty much to herself the entire evening, looked around the 
room. In a quiet voice, she asked Willow, "Hey, where do you think Xander is?" 

Buffy overheard. "He's probably goofing off. He hates these research fests." 

Willow frowned. "I don't know. He usually calls if he can't come, and I haven't 
heard from him since the other night. I hope he's not sick or anything." 

"I'm sure he's fine. He's a big boy, Willow. He can take care of himself." Buffy 
waved her hand dismissively. 

"I know. I just worry sometimes." She started leafing through her manuscripts 
again. A moment later, she looked up once more. "You know, Spike hasn't been 
around since that night either. You don't think maybe...he did something to 
Xander, do you?" 

Riley scoffed. "He's neutered, he can't hurt anyone. He's probably off somewhere 
licking his wounds. Figuratively speaking. It might be kind of difficult to 
achieve literally, considering their placement." 

"Yeah, I'm sure you're right. I think I'll call Xander tomorrow, though. You 
know, just in case." 

Conversation pretty much died off at that point, as they all settled back down 
into their researching. 




The sounds and smells permeating the room assailed him. Through the pulsing 
waves of fury that washed over him, Spike dimly heard what the man hunched over 
his human was saying. 

"Yeah, boy. Look at you, waiting here for me. Just beggin' for me. You want me, 
don't you? Always comin' back for more. Gonna fuck you, boy. Gonna fuck you 
raw." He fairly drooled at the sight of the battered, cringing boy who was 
frozen in fear beneath him. His fingers began to work at the buttons on his 
shirt. A low growl sounded in the room, and he paused. 

Spike stalked closer, his growls and snarls becoming louder until they echoed in 
the basement. The one hurting his human twisted around, blanching when he saw 
what was drawing near. Spike didn't even stop to think about his actions, he 
immediately pounced. Snatching the man by his neck, he flung him across the 
room, sending him crashing into a set of shelves by the opposite wall. Ignoring 
the pain that immediately started in his head, he followed, wrenching the man's 
head up and slamming it down onto the floor. 

As the body went limp, Spike fell back, clutching at his own head. He rolled on 
the floor in agony, whimpering as what felt like a jolt of lightening lanced 
through his brain. He pounded his fist against the floor, grunting as his body 
writhed and twisted. He barely noticed when his back slammed up against 
something unyielding, but the timid hand lightly stroking his neck pulled him 
back to awareness. 

Through bleary eyes, he looked up into the tear-streaked face of his human. 
Xander lay trembling on his bed, panting harshly as he stared at the vampire 
with wide eyes. "s-s-spike...i-i-i..." He worked his mouth, trying to speak but 
unable to calm down enough to do so. 

Immediately, Spike surged up, fighting off the lingering effects of the chip. He 
gathered Xander close, holding him carefully as he began to rock. "Hush, pet. 
It's ok. Shh." He rubbed the boy's clammy arms, trying to soothe his shaking 
form. 

"is...is h-h-he d-d-d--" 

"Shhh." He sniffed the air, glaring over at the unmoving person huddled on the 
floor. Listening closely, he detected a faint but steady heartbeat. "No, he's 
not dead, luv, but he won't be waking up anytime soon." 

Xander nodded jerkily, still sending off an acrid scent of fear as he stared at 
his long-time abuser. 

Spike sighed. "Xander, we gotta leave. I don't care what you say 'bout it, we're 
not stayin' here!" He clenched his jaw in determination. 

Xander's eyes fluttered shut as he sank back down into the bed, inching his way 
closer into Spike's protective embrace. Weakly, he nodded. 

Relief coursed through the vampire. He would have taken the boy away no matter 
what, but at least this way, he knew he wouldn't have to waste energy fighting. 

Wrapping a blanket around the now-shivering human, he picked him up easily and 
carried him up the stairs, coming to a halt in the middle of the kitchen. Shit! 
No car! He thought frantically, then glanced out the window at the vehicle in 
the driveway. He grinned humorlessly. It'll do. 

Instead of taking Xander out of the house and leaving straightaway, Spike 
detoured into the living room. He set the boy down on the sofa, gazing worriedly 
into glassy eyes. "Xan? I just got a few things to take care of, an' I'll be 
right back, ok?" The near-catatonic human just sat there, not responding. 

He chewed on his lip, leaving the room reluctantly. Back down in the basement, 
he dragged Xander's father into the middle of the floor, then proceeded to tie 
him up with some fishing line that had been stored down there for some reason. 
Won't hold up long, but should keep him from interrupting my little...shopping 
spree. Nodding in satisfaction, he barely restrained himself from giving the man 
a few more kicks, wishing he could get rid of the chip and show this human 
exactly how he'd earned the name of 'Spike'. 

Once he had the man safely trussed up, he searched the room and found a rather 
worn duffel bag. Going through Xander's things, he stuffed in some of the less 
repulsive clothes. He then went around the room grabbing up anything he thought 
Xander might want or need from this place, since he had every intention of 
making sure his human never returned here. 

Haivng finished with that room, he carried his spoils up the stairs and out the 
door. Fortunately, the car was unlocked, so Spike just pitched his load into the 
back seat. In the house again, he rummaged through the rooms, piling up anything 
useful he'd found onto a blanket that he had spread out on the rug in the living 
room. 

Each time he added something, he took a second to check on Xander. The boy just 
lay there, huddled in on himself as much as possible, very obviously withdrawing 
from his surroundings. Fuck! Gotta get outta here quick! 

He sprinted upstairs into the master bedroom. The sour stench of Xander’s father 
filled this room, and the vampire had a sudden urge to retch. Shaking himself, 
he pawed tough the dresser, grabbing a wallet and a set of keys, along with a 
few bits of jewelry that might prove valuable enough to hock. 

On a whim, Spike dropped to his knees, peering under the bed. A shadowy object 
lurked in the far corner by the wall, and he reached under to pull it out. 
Hefting the heavy lock-box, he shook it. Even though he couldn't hear any 
rattling that might indicate money or jewelry, he decided to take it anyway. 
Never know what people keep in these things. Could be something good, and I can 
always pitch it out. A last look around the room revealed nothing else he might 
find worth the effort of stealing, so Spike hurried back down to the living 
room. 

He placed the lock-box in the center of his pile, then folded the edges of the 
blanket up around it. Hefting it onto his back, he staggered out to the car, 
using the keys he'd retained to open the trunk and letting the contents of the 
makeshift bag spill into the compartment. He slammed it shut, then ran back 
inside. 

There were still no sounds from the basement, no signs that Xander's father was 
waking up. So Spike took his time about coaxing Xander back into his arms, 
taking a few moments to simply run his fingers through the boy's soft hair in 
what he hoped was a calming manner. "Luv, we're gonna go now. I'll just pick you 
up again, ok? Then we're out of this dump." 

Doing his best not to startle Xander and send him into panic mode, the vampire 
moved slowly and smoothly to slip his arms under the boy and lift him. Something 
flickered inside him as Xander instinctively nuzzled closer, somehow recognizing 
a source of safety. Not love. This is not love. I'm just...taking care of what's 
mine. He spoke firmly to himself, determined not to succumb. 

He settled Xander into the car, then got behind the wheel. He shifted so the 
boy's head was in his lap, then resumed petting the silky strands of hair under 
his fingertips. Starting the engine, he pealed out of the driveway, tires 
squealing loudly. 

As they drove farther away from the house, Spike felt as if a burden had been 
lifted off him. He sighed, looking down at the brunette head pillowed in his 
lap. Not love. This is definitely not love. 



Spike parked outside of the rather upscale-looking hotel, glancing down at the 
boy whose head was resting in his lap. "Xander? We're here, luv." 

Xander opened his eyes, blinking disinterestedly. 

"I'm gonna go get us a room, ok? I'll be right back." He shifted the boy's head 
onto the seat, then exited the car, making sure to lock the doors behind him. 

Once inside the hotel lobby, he strode briskly to the front desk, ringing the 
bell loudly. A cheerful, perky-looking young man quickly arrived, and Spike 
booked a room for him and Xander on the bottom floor. He paid the man, ignoring 
the not so subtle come-ons directed at him, then took his key cards, hurrying 
back out to the car. 

Shortly, he'd gotten the car pulled pulled around the lot to park just outside 
their room. Using the card, he opened the door, then went back to retrieve his 
human. Xander was quickly carried inside and placed on the large bed, and Spike 
went out to retrieve his spoils from the trunk of the vehicle. 

Leaving the majority of the stuff in an untidy heap by the door, he carried the 
duffel bag with him, unzipping it and rifling through its contents. He extracted 
the two orange bottles of pills, sighing as he rattled them quietly. 

Well, least we ain't gotta worry about these for a while. Good thing I managed 
to get Numm--Xan to take 'em before I went shopping He felt around the duffel 
bag again, his hand closing around something smooth, which he pulled out. 

Fuck. Almost forgot... 

Spike set the pill bottles down on the bedside table, chewing his lip as he 
contemplated the innocuous little tube. He chanced a look at the boy curled up 
on the bed, then stared again at the tube clutched in his fist. 

Steeling himself, he sat down next to Xander, reaching over to tap his shoulder 
lightly. Luminous brown eyes turned up to meet his, fairly screaming 
vulnerability. "Xan? The, uh, the doc gave me this medicine. To...put on you." 
He held up the tube. 

Xander gave the tube a dispassionate glance, then sort of half-shrugged. 

Spike cleared his throat. "It, um...it goes...it goes in-inside you." 

The eyes became confused, then suddenly blossomed with terror. Spike could hear 
the human's heartbeat speed up, as harsh panting filled the room. 

Cursing himself, Spike dropped the tube and reached out for the trembling boy, 
crooning softly. Gathering him close, he whispered assurances to the 
panic-stricken human. The words eventually died of into a rumbling purr, Spike's 
chest vibrating with the sound as he continued to gently stroke Xander's hair. 
"Luv, I don't wanna do anythin' you don’t want, but the doc says we have to use 
the cream so you don't get an infection and get sick. I won't hurt you. Never 
wanna hurt you. Trust me pet, please?" 

Residual tremors still raced through the pale form in his arms, but after long 
minutes, Xander gave a shaky nod. He then burrowed closer to the vampire, breath 
hitching a bit. 

Spike gave a thankful sigh, then eased Xander onto his side. This earned him 
more shaking, and he let his hand lay still on Xander's hip, not moving, not 
threatening. When he felt some of the tension release, he began to move his hand 
in a circular pattern, doing his best to keep the motion calm and soothing. 

Xander shuddered, then relaxed, melting back bonelessly. His eyes drifted shut 
as he let the feeling of being cherished wash over him. He drew in a quick 
breath when fingers slipped under the waistband of his sweatpants, tugging a 
little. Hesitantly, he lifted up enough for Spike to move the material down 
around his thighs, and he felt his cheeks heat up with shame as the hand brushed 
across his bottom. It didn't stay there, but moved down to push at his legs, 
coaxing them up until he lay in a fetal position. 

Spike gulped, then reached for the tube again, twisting the cap off and breaking 
the little metal seal. He squirted a small amount out onto his index finger, 
then tossed the tub up to the head of the bed. Taking a deep breath, he parted 
Xander's nether cheeks, bringing the violated orifice into view. He hissed at 
the condition of the boy's anus, the flesh there raw and swollen. Pushing down a 
wave of rage, he reached his lubricated finger down to the hole. 

Xander sucked in a sobbing breath as the cool digit touched him...there. He 
couldn't keep from beginning to tremble again as silent tears dripped down onto 
the bed. 

Damnit! Spike could smell Xander's misery, and wished he didn't have to do 
this...not with the boy so fragile. But the only thing he could do was finish as 
quickly as possible to end the boy's torment. He pressed his finger into the 
abused flesh, wincing as he heard a soft, choked-off cry. Being as gentle as 
possible, he advanced into the tender opening, twisting his finger to search for 
the spot. 

There. He growled softly as he felt the length of the tear, but changed it back 
to a soothing purr when he detected a rise in the scent of fear Xander was 
putting off. Taking care, he managed to get some the ointment spread along the 
length of the wound, then slipped his finger back out. Quickly, he pulled 
Xander's pants back up around his hips, the settled himself close behind him, 
not quite touching, but able to feel the body heat given off by the human. 

Spike raised the intensity of his purring, once more taking a chance on stroking 
Xander's hair. Gradually, he felt the tremors ease, and eventually Xander 
drifted off into a light sleep. 

Carefully, Spike crept out of the bed, recapping the tube and setting it down 
next to the pills. Taking care not to make much noise, he picked up the phone 
and dialed a number. 

"Gr'thek? Spike here, mate. Look, got another prezzie for you." "No, I am not 
going into the business, it's a...special case." "Yeah." "Uh-huh." "Well, could 
you come get this one?" "Fine. I'm at the big hotel over by 5th and Main." 
"Yeah, that's the one." "Great. Oh, and could you do me a bit of a favor? My 
ride got a flat and I had to leave it. Could you get one of your mates to go 
with you, maybe change the tire and bring the car up here?" "Yeah, yeah, I'll 
owe you." He gave the location of his DeSoto, then added, "Oh, by the by, I left 
a minion, name of Thomas, watching it. Just tell 'im I sent you for it and he's 
free to go back to his fun." "Thanks, mate." 

Spike hung up the phone. He checked on Xander, noting the barely perceptible 
shivering. Frowning at his thoughtlessness, he carefully moved the boy and 
pulled the covers down, tucking the boy under them. Xander murmured a little, 
then settled into a deeper sleep. 

Spike looked at him, resisting the urge to begin petting him once more. Full of 
nervous energy, he began pacing the room, waiting for the Hk'mel demon to 
arrive. 



Spike's head jerked up, the knocking on the door wrenching him away from his 
contemplation of the sleeping human. 

"'Bout bloody time," he muttered as he stalked over and jerked the door open. He 
raised an eyebrow at the blue-scaled demon. "Took you long enough, mate." 

Gr'thek snorted. "Your 'Thomas' wouldn't stop his whining and it took me forever 
to...convince him that you sent me for the car. Kept whimpering about chains and 
sunlight." He rolled his eyes. "Fledglings." 

"Yeah, tell me about it. Hey, be a pal an' help me bring in the stuff from the 
trunk." 

Gr'thek nodded, following Spike back out to the DeSoto. Between them, they made 
short work of the assorted groceries that had been stored there hours before. 
Spike was glad he'd found a decent place to stay that came equipped with a 
mini-fridge to keep his blood. No microwave, but he'd figure something out. 

Gr'thek looked around the room curiously, eyes lingering over the pile of 
goodies still heaped in the middle of the room before eventually settling on the 
restlessly sleeping figure in the bed. "So...that your human?" 

Spike nodded tersely, quickly checking to make sure Xander wasn't waking up. 

The demon frowned slightly, sniffing. "I thought you said you claimed him? He 
hasn't--" 

"Hey, look. I'll do things my way, ok? Things are...hectic right now." He glared 
at Gr'thek until the demon shrugged, holding his hands up defensively. 

"Just wondering, no need to get violent." He bent closer to Xander. "He smells 
like pain and fear." He glanced up at Spike. "What happened?" 

Spike gently sat on the edge of the bed, brushing a lock of Xander's hair away 
from his face. He sighed. "His 'father' happened. And I can't fucking do 
anything to him!" 

"You want I should get some of my boys together, arrange a little...accident?" 

The vampire seriously considered this for a minute, but then shook his head. "I 
want the pleasure of killing him myself. He's mine. " He grinned. "Tell you 
what, though. You do what you can to make his life a living hell, just make sure 
you don't kill him." 

Gr'thek responded with a toothy grin of his own. "Deal." 

"The bastard's name and address should be on the papers in his car out there." 

A low chuckle sounded. "That's his car? Spike, you...demon you!" Then he got 
serious, settling down to business. "It's a piece of junk, Spike. I'd be doing 
you a favor to take it for free." 

"It's yours, mate. I don't want the damned thing." He pulled out a cigarette, 
about to light it when he glanced down at Xander again. Sighing, he merely 
rolled the cylinder between his fingers. 

Gr'thek was shocked. His jaw gaped slightly as he stared unblinking at the 
blonde. He swallowed hard. "Um, Spike? You just...gave me the car." 

"Yeah, so?" 

"Woah. This is really affecting you if you aren't even trying to get a few buck 
out of me." He tilted his head to the side. "Are you sure you're all right?" 

"Fine," he replied shortly. "Why wouldn't I be?" His hand again strayed to the 
human's head, sifting through the fine strands of hair. 

Looking around the hotel room, Gr'thek hissed softly. "This is a pretty nice 
room, Spike. You got enough money to stay here?" 

Spike gestured toward the pile of stuff. "Got some things in there I could hock 
for a few quid. We'll manage." 

"If you're sure." He was about to say more when a muffled moan caught their 
attention. Spike shushed him with a waved hand, bending over the boy. 

Xander's eyes popped open as he gasped loudly, frantically searching the room. 
When he saw Spike, he visibly relaxed, only to tense again once he noticed the 
other inhabitant of the room. He shrank back, his breathing becoming erratic. 

Frowning, Spike edged closer to the human. "It's ok, Xan. He's a friend of mine. 
He won't do nothing to you." He slowly reached out a hand, and when Xander made 
no move to avoid it, gently brushed it along his arm. "What happened, luv? Bad 
dream?" 

Xander nodded shakily, still glancing warily at Gr'thek. He curled up, wrapping 
his arms around his torso as he started rocking slightly, never moving his wide 
eyes from the other demon. 

Spike got up, walking over to the Hk'mel. "Think you should go, mate. He don't 
seem to be too comfortable with you being here." 

Gr'thek squinted at the vampire, then allowed a tiny grin to cross his face. 
Gesturing for Spike to follow him, he made his way over to the door. "You know 
what you're getting into with him? It won't be easy." 

"Like that's ever stopped me." 

"You should claim him, you know. Officially. He needs all the protection he can 
get." 

"I will. When he's ready for it." Spike looked over his shoulder at Xander. 
"He's not exactly in the best of shape right now." 

Nodding in agreement, Gr'thek continued. "You should tell him, too. About the 
claim. He might find it reassuring." 

Spike shrugged. "Dunno 'bout that." 

"Spike. As a friend, listen to me. Don't try to keep your claim a secret from 
him; it will only hurt you both when he eventually finds out." 

The vampire's eyes flashed yellow for a brief second, then Spike let out a heavy 
sigh. "I know. And I will. Just...later." 

Gr'thek examined him closely, finally grunting in acceptance. Turning, he 
started toward his newest acquisition. 

"Gr'thek." 

The soft call halted him, and he turned. 

Spike shoved his hands into his pockets, staring at the ground crossly. 
Scuffling his feet, he lifted his head. "Thanks mate," he said quietly. 

White teeth gleamed in the moonlight as Gr'thek grinned widely. "No problem, 
Spike. Just...don't let it get around, would you? Don't want my reputation shot 
to hell." 

Spike smiled, watching as the demon got into the car and drove off. Closing the 
door, he crept back to the bed. "Xan?" He could tell by the human's breathing 
and heartbeat that he wasn't asleep, but his eyes were now screwed tightly shut. 


The blonde thought a moment, then pulled back the covers and slid in behind the 
boy. Again a hand went out to pet warm skin, soothing the human, trying to 
banish the smell of fear that had abruptly returned. "He's gone now, pet. Just 
you and me. Go to sleep, Xan. I'll watch out for you." 

Xander quivered, and Spike felt the tension leak out of him. He was surprised to 
feel the boy's body scoot back until it barely made contact with his own, but 
set his hand on Xander's hip. He chanced a brief, feather-light kiss to the nape 
of Xander's neck, resolutely ignoring the angry red bite mark that was so 
obvious there. Grateful that there was no negative reaction to his touch, he 
started purring again, hoping the sound would lull the battered human back to 
sleep. 

Feeling oddly safe and protected, Xander barely noticed when his feigned slumber 
quickly became real as the comforting sound of purring surrounded him.