Priceless
by Little Pinky
Prologue
Part One
Part Two
Prologue
"So... This is quite a record you've got here, Mr. Harris."
"Yeah, uh... I know."
"You were hired only a week ago, and yet you've already had eleven
complaints. That's not good."
"No, I guess not."
"You do realize that we can't have people like you working here?"
"People... like me...?"
"Yes, people like you. Slackers type of people. I mean, you're not really
qualified for this job, we're all aware of that, but I know how hard it can
be for young people not attending college, these days, so I decided to take
pity on you when I saw your job application."
"Whoa, wait a minute-"
"But that's no excuse anymore. I can't risk losing customers of the kind we
have in our store. I'm sorry, but I have to let you go, Mr. Harris."
"Go...?"
"Yes, effective immediately. I am really sorry."
"Oh... well... thank you, Mr. Delaney."
"Mr. Harris? Good luck."
"Yeah... Thanks."
Part One
Groaning and rolling over in bed, Spike stretched and gave a cat-like yawn,
before he blinked and shook his head. What time was it? Glancing at the
small clock standing on the bedside table, he did a double take before
bolting out from underneath the covers.
"Fuck!"
6:57 pm, which meant that the sun had set and that Xander *should* have been
home from work already. Spike practically jumped into his jeans as he
silently thanked whoever was in charge, that Xander was late from work
today.
Sneaking into the Slayerette's apartment and borrowing the bed during the
daytime was rapidly becoming a dangerous habit if he kept sleeping slate,
but nobody ever said that Spike didn't like to take risks.
As he quickly locked himself out with the extra key he knew really belonged
under the third rock from the right, second rock backwards, next to the big
tree in the backyard, the blonde vampire walked across the road to wait for
the young human.
It was rapidly becoming a habit, this. Have fun all night, then go to
Xander's apartment complex and wait in the shadow of the big oak just across
the road until the brunette left in the morning. Sneak in, sleep all day in
the huge, comfy bed, then sneak back out just before Xander got home from
work, walk back to the oak and wait for him to return, then bug him for
several minutes before leaving to have fun all night.
Only tonight, something was wrong.
Spike frowned and checked his watch again. He knew that the whelp had a job
in a rather exclusive clothes store across town and usually got home around
half past five. It was now a little past seven, and Spike was worried.
Not worried, he corrected himself. Curious.
Had something come up at work, maybe? Had Xander finally met some girl he
could take out and then give a good fuck, after Anya dumped him? And once
again, Spike told himself that the little stab he felt in his chest at that
thought wasn't jealousy, but rather envy because the whelp was out having
sex, while the vampire wasn't.
It was almost three weeks since Anya discovered the joys of weightlifters
down at the Sunnydale fitness center and unceremoniously dumped Xander,
proclaiming that he wasn't "bulky" enough for her. Whether or not she
actually managed to catch one of those "bulky" weightlifters was another
story, and a story nobody really cared for.
Glancing at his watch again, Spike was torn between staying and waiting to
ensure Xander got home safely - bug him! his mind interrupted - or just go
about his nightly routines. Finally, the vampire won over the human in him,
and he left, walking down the road at a brisk pace, lighting a cigarette.
*****
Willy's place was almost empty, the various demons and vampires of Sunnydale
not ready to start crawling out of their hiding places yet. It suited Spike
perfectly. Have a drink in a quiet bar without risking getting beat up by
other demons who felt he had betrayed their kind, and make plans for what to
do the rest of the night.
Probably destroy public property or scare the shit out of little old ladies
out for a late night walk. Possibly even finding some human bar and flash
them his game face. It was Friday night after all, and flashing his game
face was always fun, because the people who witnessed it was never certain
if they were hallucinating or if they really saw it. And nine out of ten
wouldn't order any more drinks.
Yeah, that sounded like fun, Spike mused as he walked into Willy's bar - and
froze.
Arching a scarred eyebrow at Willy who only shrugged helplessly, Spike
turned his eyes back to the Slayerette sitting by the bar, looking very sad,
very depressed and *very* drunk.
"Fancy meeting you here," Spike said cheerily as he sat down next to Xander.
The brunette only glanced at him before he returned to the glass standing in
front of him.
"While I do admire your choice of drink," the vampire said, glancing at the
half-empty bottle in front of the human, "I do believe you aren't really
allowed to be served."
Willy leaned over the bar and carefully tapped Spike's shoulder.
"He's gone crazy, man. I have no idea why, but he came in here demanding to
get something to drink, or he'd sic the Slayer at me. And I just got this
place fixed up! I can't afford any more trouble in here!"
"And just to be helpful, you served him M'kesh, eh, mate?" Spike snapped at
Willy, who quickly raised his hands in defense.
"He asked for the strongest I had, I gave him the strongest I had!"
Sighing, the vampire turned back to Xander. "Come on, pet, let's get you
home. What say, eh?"
"Leave m'lone, Spike," Xander slurred, trying to push the other man away and
failing miserably.
"Nope, sorry, I'm supposed to annoy you - it's what us vampires do," Spike
explained as he grabbed a hold of Xander, flung him over his shoulder and
headed for the door. "Thanks a lot, Willy," he said sarcastically, then
exited.
"Put m'down," Xander moaned. "Gonna be sick."
"You can get sick when you're home, luv."
"Gonna be sick *now*..."
"Puke on me and die! Go to sleep instead."
"K..."
And the next thing Spike knew, Xander was snoring softly. Shaking his head,
partly in disbelief and partly in amusement, the blonde vampire headed for
Xander's apartment.
*****
"Xander, we're ho-ome!" Spike exclaimed loudly, dropping his load
unceremoniously onto the bed. Dark lashes fluttered and two chocolate brown
eyes peered drunkenly up at the vampire.
"S-Spike?"
"That's me," Spike confirmed with a nod. "We're home. You can be sick now."
Xander froze completely for all of three seconds, before turning green and
bolting for the bathroom, Spike only a few steps behind. The vampire leaned
casually against the bathroom wall as Xander retched into the toilet bowl,
and when he was done, Spike handed him a towel.
"Clean up, mate. You got puke on your chin."
Xander merely nodded, but he gave the vampire a grateful look. Once he was
done rinsing his mouth out under the sink, Spike took his arm, led him back
to the bedroom and helped him into bed, surprisingly gently.
"Room's spinning. 'S nice..."
"I'm sure it is," Spike said, taking advantage of the situation and lighting
up a cigarette, knowing that Xander wouldn't protest in the condition he was
in. "Now, wanna tell uncle Spike what made you go out and get drunk, all
alone in a town full of nasty creatures of the night?"
"Got fired again," Xander mumbled as he fought to keep his eyes open.
"...always get fired... ev'rybody gets sick of me... sooner or later..."
The vampire felt a pang in his heart as the boy's eyes drifted completely
closed, and he sighed heavily. He was not in love with the whelp, he told
himself. He just could relate. He was used to people getting tired of him or
leaving him or both. Like Angelus. Or Drusilla.
"I know how you feel," he told the still figure on the bed quietly, before
standing up. He'd done his part and gotten the boy tucked in. No point in
staying. Right?
Pausing momentarily in the doorway, Spike gave Xander one last glance before
turning and walking away.
Great.
Now *he* needed a drink.
*****
Xander had a desert in his mouth when he woke up. And a headache larger than
life. And a seriously bad stomach.
Slowly crawling out of bed, he stumbled into the bathroom, managed to gulp
down some cold water from the sink, then stared into the mirror. A pale face
with dark rings under the eyes and the beginnings of a stubble glared back
at him.
"Jesus Christ," he muttered, and then winced at his own voice echoed in his
head.
Slowly, memories from the night before began to creep back into his mind,
and as he remembered Spike, he frowned. Spike? Why would the vampire help
him get home? Deciding that his brain wasn't quite up to hard thinking yet,
he didn't swell on it, but instead got out of his somewhat grimy clothes and
climbed into the shower on wobbly legs.
As the water cascaded down over him, he rubbed a hand over his face and took
a deep breath. Now what? He'd tried practically *everything* and he still
was out of a job. He'd been a bartender, a construction worker, phone
seller, an ice-cream seller, a store clerk - in several different stores -
he'd worked at a supermarket, a record store...
Somehow, he always managed to screw up. He was a complete failure. No matter
what he tried, it always went to hell. And could he feel more sorry for
himself?
Shaking away the depressing thoughts for now, Xander quickly washed his
hair, then got out of the shower. As he shaved and dressed, he decided he
might as well head over to visit Buffy and Willow on campus. He had glanced
at his watch before getting into the shower, and it was almost noon. And
after all, it wasn't exactly like he had anything better to do, now was it?
Except maybe search the ads in the paper for a new job...
Shaking his head once again, he headed out of the house and started walking
to the bus stop. He could try his luck as a store clerk again. After all,
there were all kinds of stores he hadn't worked in, yet. Shoes stores, for
example. He'd never worked in a shoes store.
Lost in thoughts, Xander didn't see the man until they collided, the
stranger's briefcase falling to the ground along with several papers he was
carrying.
"Aw, jeez, I'm sorry," he quickly said, mentally slapping himself for being
so clumsy.
"That's okay," the man said with a smile, and they both sat down, starting
to collect his papers.
Once Xander handed him the final paper, he picked up his briefcase and
smiled. "Thanks. You live here in town?"
Frowning a bit, Xander nodded, wondering why this man was talking to him.
Judging by both his outfit - a gray pinstriped suit - and his looks - kind
of handsome, maybe in his late thirties, with brown hair and a clean-shaved,
square jaw - he wasn't the type of guy to normally speak to Xander's type of
guy.
"I'm really from Los Angeles, I'm just passing by. Business trip."
"Business trip? In Sunnydale?" Xander asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Yeah, I've been at a meeting with the Mayor. I was just about to grab
lunch. I'm Scott, by the way. Scott Harrison. And you are...?"
"Xander Harris," Xander said, and they shook hands. "A meeting with the
Mayor, huh? Is he nice?"
"She, actually," Scott replied, looking a bit puzzled. "And yes, she seems
very nice. Why?"
"Oh, the last guy was really... not all that nice," Xander said with a
shrug. "Kinda homicidal, actually."
Scott's puzzled expression turned into a deep frown. "Oh, I'm... sad to hear
that," he said, before the smile returned. "Listen, I was just about to grab
some lunch. Do you want to join me? I'm sure you'd know of some place that
has vegetarian."
"Not really," Xander said, "but I do know of a place where they have some
pretty yummy pancakes."
"Sounds great. You'll be joining me, then?"
Xander hesitated for a moment, wondering if his stomach could handle food
right now, but then shrugged. "Yeah, sure why not. It's this way," he said,
gesturing that they should start to walk.
When Scott didn't immediately follow, he stopped and frowned. "Something
wrong?"
Scott just looked at Xander for a long while, and it unsettled the
Slayerette slightly. "What? Do I have something stuck on my face or
something? Someone write 'geek' all over my head without me noticing it?"
Chuckling, Scott shook his head and walked up to Xander. "No, no, nothing
like that. I'm just wondering... Well, I am a business man and everything...
So I was just wondering if you were interested in making a little deal,
here?"
Xander swallowed heavily as Scott's eyes met his own. "What kind of deal?"
Scott's reply was a wide grin.
Part Two
"Okay, so basically what you're saying, is that we're fighting a big donut
with legs and very, very sharp teeth?"
Giles looked a big flustered and frowned, before he took his glasses off and
shrugged. "Well, yes."
Bouncing on the balls of her feet, Buffy clapped her hands excitedly.
"Cool!"
"Do you think it's eatable?" Willow asked. "Or maybe it has that yummy
chocolate on top?"
"Jelly?" Xander suggested, smiling.
"No, I don't suppose it has," Giles said with a sigh, sitting down at his
desk.
The whole Scooby Gang, except from Riley who was on duty at the moment, had
gathered at Giles' place to plan the attack on demon that was supposed to
rise soon. It had been almost three months since Xander's run-in with Scott
Harrison, and he still couldn't believe everything that had happened in his
life, during those three months.
"So, when's this thing supposed to rise?" Xander asked.
"What?" Giles asked, looking up from his books. "Oh, yes, uh, that's mainly
why I asked you to come here tonight. That's bad news, I'm afraid, but if
I've read these transcripts correctly, it's supposed to arise tonight
already. At midnight."
Xander arched an eyebrow. "Tonight?"
"Yes. I... hope none of you have any important tests tomorrow where you need
to be at your, uh, full attention? The Mava may look like a... uh, big donut
with... no legs and sharp teeth, but it is extremely dangerous and very hard
to destroy. Obviously. Or I'm fairly certain somebody would have destroyed
it earlier."
"No big," the blonde Slayer answered easily. "We've got time, right, guys?"
"How long are we talking?" Xander asked, a hesitant note in his voice. "I
mean, are we talking an hour? Several hours? How long?"
Giles paused a bit. "Well, the only record I have of an actual fight is of a
Slayer in the 19th century. My sources states that it took her and her
Watcher almost four hours to defeat the demon, and even then they only
managed to drive it into hiding, waiting for it's next rise. So I would
imagine it would take us several hours, yes."
That brought forth a small frown on Willow's face, and she automatically
grabbed Tara's hand. "Well, wouldn't it be easier for us? You know, 'cause -
magic!" And she gestured to herself and the shy blonde sitting next to her
on the couch.
"Perhaps," Giles replied. "But I still say we should be careful."
"Over four hours, huh?" Xander mused from his seat by the stairs, grinning.
"Jeez. Give a guy some warning, huh?"
"What's the matter? You can't make it to Restfield tonight?"
"'Fraid not," the boy replied with a shrug.
"What, you have something better to do than save the world?" Buffy asked
teasingly, obviously psyched just by the thought of fighting a big jelly
donut. "Maybe like, say, a date or something?"
Blushing furiously, Xander tried to hide his face by ducking his head. "Or
something."
Gaping, Buffy gave a bright smile, then turned to the others in the room.
"Was I the only one who heard that? Xander's got a date!" Turning back to
her friend, Buffy's grin grew. "That's great, Xander!"
"Uh, Xander," Giles interrupted, "don't you think that maybe... saving the
world would take priority over-"
"Oh, nonsense!" Buffy quickly said, cutting her Watcher off. Turning to him,
she looked at him pointedly. "Xander *needs* to go out on a date, since he
haven't dated for months," she said, the hint in her voice not disguised at
all. "Not since Anya broke up with him, you remember?"
Finally the light clicked on in Giles' brain and he nodded. "Ah, I see."
"I'm sure we'll manage without him," Buffy said, before turning back to
Xander, the wide grin returning to her face. "So, tell us, is she nice? Is
it anybody we know? How did you meet? Details!"
"Ooo, want me to give you a blessing to make sure your evening goes okay?"
Willow asked.
Tara just smiled as Xander's face grew redder and redder.
"Look you guys, it's very nice of you to care, but there is such as thing as
caring too much, right?" Xander finally said, desperately wishing his face
would stop flaming. "I'll..." he started, then hesitated. "I'll tell you
later. Maybe."
Willow and Buffy gave him their best pouts, but he just shook his head and
looked down again.
"I t-think you're... r-r-right," Tara mumbled, and she gave Xander a small
grin. "I-I mean in not telling them if you don't want to."
Looking up to give Tara a grateful look, Xander looked down again as Giles
cleared his throat.
"Right. Now that we've pried into Xander's love life, maybe we can get back
to matter at hand, or what do you think, Buffy?"
The Slayer shrugged. "What more do I need to know? Big jelly donut, rising
tonight at midnight in Restfield cemetery. Big bad rises, I kick big bad's
butt, big bad is no more. Finito, right?"
"Ah, then I assume you have no use for the rest of the information?" Giles
asked, crossing his arms.
"Assuming only makes an ass out of you and me," Buffy said, shrugging
playfully. "But heck - I'll amuse you. Tell me."
Sighing and shaking his head, Giles pinched the bridge of his nose, and
Xander just *knew* that the older man wondered what he had ever done to
deserve Buffy as a Slayer. And as Giles started his explanation on how Mava
shouldn't be killed by anything metal, otherwise it would explode, the
Slayerette just sat back and watched.
*****
Whistling softly to himself, Xander reached into his pocket and fished out
the key to his apartment as he walked up his driveway, heading for the back
entrance by the kitchen. His date had gone fairly well, and although he was
exhausted - and not exactly happy - he was satisfied with himself.
Just as he turned the corner of the building, he ran smack dab into someone,
and although he wasn't walking very fast, he was caught completely off guard
and stumbled backwards, landing on his ass.
"Graceful landing," Spike said with a snort as Xander gaped at him.
"Spike?"
"No, it's the Sandman - duh!" the vampire replied sarcastically as the human
got to his feet.
"What are you doing in my backyard, Spike?" Xander asked. He was tired, and
what was left of his good mood vanished with the other man's taunting.
"I'm lurking, what does it look like I'm doing?" Spike asked, an almost
insulted note to his voice. "I may not be able to bite, maim, torture,
slaughter or kill anymore, but I can still lurk, can't I?"
"Fine, whatever," the human said with a wave of his hand. "Lurk all you
want, just don't do it in my backyard."
"Now, what's this, pet?" Spike asked as Xander started to walk around him.
"You're not gonna invite me in for a cup of blood, just for old times-"
Suddenly he stopped and grabbed the human's shoulder.
"Now you 'ang on a minute!"
Frowning, Xander watched as the vampire carefully sniffed the air, then
moved closer and - much to Xander's surprise - sniffed Xander. Then Spike
stepped back with surprise on his face, and the other man wasn't sure if the
vampire was kidding or not.
"Xander Harris?!" Spike exclaimed, clutching his hands to his chest. "What
'ave you been up to tonight, mate?"
Xander's eyes widened as he realized exactly what Spike was smelling, and he
hurriedly turned towards the door and started to unlock it, hoping the
strong blush on his face wasn't visible in the darkness.
"Look, Spike, it's late and I really want to get some sleep tonight, so if
you'll just-"
"You had sex!" the vampire said loudly. "With a guy!"
"Yes, thank you," Xander replied sarcastically, "but I don't think the
people living five blocks over heard you, so if you could just say it a
little bit louder-"
"Quite a bit, too, by the smell of it!"
"Okay, stop smellin' me!" Xander nearly screamed, spinning around and facing
the vampire. Lowering his voice, he took a menacing step towards the other
man, then waved a finger in his face. "Look, Fangface, you may think this is
hysterically funny, but I *don't,* and if you wish to keep all your body
parts, you won't say a word of this to neither Buffy or Willow or any of the
others, you got that? If you as much as drop a hint, I will personally cut
off your fucking balls and make you fucking eat them!"
Then he turned and disappeared into his apartment, the door slamming behind
him creating an echo in the night.
Spike was stunned.
It took several moments before he even dared to blink, much less move. And
when he finally could feel his body again, he still wasn't sure he could
handle something as advanced as walking back to his crypt. He made it out of
the backyard and across the road, but then he just sat down underneath the
big oak tree, his mind a chaos.
What he had seen in Xander's eyes had not been fear of the Scooby Gang
finding out that he'd slept with a guy, and it hadn't been embarrassment
over Spike's taunting. The more the vampire thought about it, the more sure
he became that what he'd seen in Xander's eyes - was shame.
Deep shame.
But why?
Spike shook his head slowly. Xander might usually come off as a goofball,
but he had a perfectly good head and a very bright mind, not that any of
those idiot Scoobies would notice. So there was no way in hell Xander would
sleep with another man and then feel ashamed of it. Maybe a tiny bit freaked
out and definitely embarrassed, but not ashamed. Not at the level Spike had
seen in his eyes.
So something must have happened afterwards. The guy threw him out? The whelp
was big on the trust thing, Spike knew that. So say that the guy he'd slept
with had seduced him, Xander had finally trusted him enough to sleep with
him - repeatedly, Spike's mind replied, much to Spike's annoyance - and then
the guy had thrown his ass out? That could be it. But then again, Spike
wasn't sure if the boy was ashamed over himself or the situation in general.
Whatever the *situation* was.
Spike knew he had to find out about this. Of course, this had *nothing* to
do with jealousy. Nothing, whatsoever. Spike just didn't want anybody else
to hurt Xander, because that was his job, right? It wasn't as if he wanted
to find out what had happened tonight because he wanted Xander for himself!
Not at all!
Scowling at how pathetic he was, Spike got to his feet and headed for
Willy's, determined to find out what was going on.
TBC
