Part Fifteen

Spike comes up the stairs gingerly carrying a full tray-coffee, orange juice, toast, eggs, sliced cantaloupe, a bowl of Wheaties, bacon, sausage, a bran muffin, and a glass of milk. Perhaps he got a bit carried away. He enters the bedroom just as Giles comes out of the bathroom, looking a lot less rumpled. Xander hasn’t moved. He’s still sitting there, blinking sleepily.

"Up an at ‘em, Pet. Time for brekkie. Got all your favorites," Spike lays the tray across Xander’s lap and tucks a napkin in his pajama top.

"Spike, did you leave any food in my kitchen? I do believe you have not only Xander’s favorites but everyone else’s in Sunnydale as well," Giles says in exasperation.

"Whelp’s still growing, Rupes," Spike says sullenly. Despite the fact that he has been wondering the same thing.

"Do get ready, Spike, we need to leave within the hour. There is an underground access in the garage. Here are the directions. I trust you can be there on time," Giles says dryly.

"Oi, Watcher, ‘m never late. Underground in the b~~~~ing? Wot kind of a doc is this bloke?" Spike says, surprised.

"He’s a friend of mine that treats more than humans. He specializes in violence trauma. There aren’t many doctors in even Sunnydale that would not blink twice at a vampire entering the office. There are no others with direct indoor access. I trust you can behave yourself. There may be other non-humans there. This establishment is a safe zone, Spike, no fighting," Giles finishes sternly.

Spike just smirks.

Xander is valiantly trying to make his way through the monster breakfast.

"Spike, please be good, for me? I want you to be able to come with me. I can’t do with without you," Xander says plaintively.

Spike melts, it wasn’t even a fair fight.

"Yer askin’ a lot, whelp. Won’t start any but if anyone attacks me..." Spike leaves the rest unsaid.

"I suppose that is the best we can possibly expect of you, Spike. Do try not to cause trouble," Giles adds.

Spike just snorts.

"Done eating, luv?" Xander nods, although it looks like the food hasn’t been touched. Perhaps he did get a little carried away. He’ll never admit that to the Watcher! "Let’s go, Pet, doc’s waiting. Feet hurt?"

Xander wiggles his toes and grimaces.

"Right then," Spike abruptly picks his mate up over vigorous protesting from both Giles and Xander.

"Spike, might I suggest you let him get dressed?"

It’s a good thing vampires can’t blush.

"Knew he wasn’t dressed, was carrying him into the bathroom," Spike mutters.

Giles allows him the little fib... for now.

"That is good of you, Spike, but his clothes are out here," Giles comments.

Spike sulks and puts Xander back down. He quickly and efficiently dresses the youth. Xander is too bemused to protest. Spike looks at Xander’s feet, thinks a minute, then puts Xander’s bedroom slippers on him. They are very soft and will work better than shoes for his sore feet. Xander wriggles his toes and grins happily as Spike picks him up again. Giles just pinches the bridge of his nose and ignores both of them. He leads the way to the garage. Spike carefully puts Xander in the backseat, buckling him in. He sits on the other side then lays Xander’s head down on his lap. Giles looks in the rearview mirror and sees Spike petting Xander, who’s lying down.

"Spike, let Xander sit up. I am sure you are both quite comfortable but it is not safe," he waits until Xander is upright before he starts the car. Spike gets the blanket out from under the seat and covers himself just as the car reaches the driveway. Giles looks in the mirror again just in time to see Xander curl up with the blanket-wrapped vampire. He sighs and decides to just drive very carefully rather than try to separate the two again. He stops near the sewer access and lets the vampire out. Xander looks longingly at Spike as he watches his vampire get out. Spike brushes his lips softly across Xander’s.

"Meet you there, luv," and he is gone. Spike wonders if Giles picked the smelliest alley on purpose. He grimaces as he lifts the manhole cover and jumps down. Reading Giles’ map he starts off.

Giles and Xander continue on their way. Giles looks in the rearview mirror and sighs when he sees Xander looking so lost without Spike.

"He will meet us there, Xander. There is an entrance in the lobby as well as one in the underground garage," Giles says reassuringly. Oh bollocks, there was no reason to make Spike get out when the underground garage would have been perfectly safe. Giles wonders why he didn’t realize that sooner and just figures, ~Oh well, maybe Spike won’t notice he didn’t need to trek through the smelly sewer.~

"I know, G-Man," then Xander says nothing more but continues to look at the door where he saw his vampire leave.

Giles pulls into the underground garage and sees Spike sitting on a low wall, smoking. He gets the two-fingered salute and figures the vampire realized it too. He has a brief impulse to run him over but one look at the forlorn figure in the back quashes it. As soon as Giles turns off the engine Xander is out his door flying at Spike. Startled, Spike catches the boy and drops the cigarette. He is surprised Xander is sobbing.

"Now, Pet, ‘m here. Not s’posed to be on those feet," so saying he picks him up and cuddles him to his chest. Spike looks at Giles but he has no answers for the vampire. Both men are hoping to find some answers here. Spike follows Giles to the stairs and they head up to the ground level office. Giles pushes open the heavy glass door and Spike enter carefully, relaxing when he sees no windows and an empty waiting room. Giles checks them in and Spike sits down in a chair with Xander on his lap. Xander is much larger than Spike but he appears smaller all curled up around the vampire. Giles sits down beside them and shakes his head at Xander’s behavior. Hopefully the psychiatrist can help Xander enough that he won’t need to be sedated tomorrow for his check-up. Giles suddenly feels very old. He’s not the only one. Spike is feeling every one of his one hundred and twenty some years. The receptionist looks sympathetically at all three. How could anyone hurt such a sweet kid? Spike growls when she looks too long and Giles glares.

"I do apologize, Sandy, Spike is still learning manners," Giles sneers. Not even here five minutes and already the vampire is going to get them kicked out.

"Its okay Mr. Giles, I’ve been growled at by his betters and I am still here," she says cheerfully.

"Oi, you bint. I am William the Bloody, a Master Vampire. There is no better," Spike snarls.

"Honey, tell your grandsire, Angelus, that Sandy says hi," she grins, "Its not like its a novelty for a Master Vampire to need psychiatric help. Dr. Romer’s ancestor had a visit from the Master before he was trapped and the Slayer offed him. Nasty tempered demon."

Spike doesn’t know what to say.

Giles just tries to hide a grin.

Her phone rings and she listens for a minute before motioning to the men to follow her. Spike picks up Xander again and follows. Giles hasn’t heard Xander say anything or even appear to be listening. Sandy shows them to an office that looks more like a living room. Soft muted greens and blues decorate the walls and furniture. There are feel good posters in English as well as various demon languages. Spike sets Xander down on the couch and suddenly Giles has a lap full of Xander. Giles gently gathers him up and rubs his back. Spike looks over at Giles and starts to growl.

"Do not even think about it, William," Giles says sternly.

Spike turns it into a snort and ignores him. The door opens and the doctor walks in. Spike stalks over to him and Giles starts to scold him again when the doctor motions him back.

"It’s alright, Rupert. Its not the first time I was approached by a vampire," he holds his hands out as if to say, do your worst.

Spike completes his earlier growl and stomps back over to his mate. This is the second human today that has failed to run screaming in terror.

"We are here for Xander’s sake, Spike. If you like we can make you an appointment for your own neuroses later," Giles says with a smirk.

The doctor forestalls the snarky comeback.

"Rupert is right. I need to talk to your mate."

The doctor sits down on the couch beside Giles, ignoring Spike’s change to game face. Giles notices Spike rubbing his temples with no small amount of satisfaction. Xander slowly lifts his head out of Giles armpit and looks at the doctor. His eyes are red from crying and he looks terrified. The doctor doesn’t look very scary. He’s rather tall but thin and is wearing street clothes. His hair is carrot-top red and he has hazel eyes. The wire-rimmed frames give him a college professor appearance. The most startling fact is he doesn’t appear to be that much older than Xander. The youth is still taking in the doctor’s appearance but he is unfolding slowly from Giles’ lap.

"Hello, Alexander. I am Dr. Romer. Do you know why you are here?" he asks softly.

"Xander. Just Xander. I’m here because G-Man and Spike made me come," he says hesitantly.

"Ah, an honest man," the doctor chuckles.

"How about you? Do you think you need to see me?" he asked Xander.

"Well... Yes, I guess I do. Be kind of hard to carry Spike and Giles around with me all my life," he smiles.

"Yes, that would be rather obvious. Why don’t we make it your goal. Today we can just talk and get to know each other. We don’t have to discuss anything specific. Now, Rupert tells me you go see Daniel again tomorrow. Would you like to talk about that?"

"Tomorrow? Spike, G-Man, it hasn’t been a week. I know it hasn’t. You didn’t tell me I was going tomorrow!" he feels betrayed and the doctor sees a familiar look come over the teen’s face. This is not the first nor will it be the last time he sees it. Maybe he can prevent this.

"Xander, I understand your anger and your fear. Let’s try not running and talk instead. The door can only be unlocked by my key so there is nowhere to go," the doctor says firmly.

Xander’s eyes dart around the room once, he’s right, there is no other way out. He looks at his feet a bit ruefully, its not like running has been working out too well. He sighs and slumps back down. Spike tries to pull him into his lap and Xander finally lets him after a brief struggle.

"Luv, Watcher an’ I changed the doc’s visit after your feet. Want to make sure we fixed ‘em right. Watcher’s worried yer sick. Ya sleep a lot an’ don’t move much. Was gonna tell you soon," Spike confesses. "Trust us, Pet, please."

Actually Giles didn’t talk to Spike at all but Xander needs solidarity.

"Okay, I guess I can see that. I suppose it’s my fault for running around without shoes. Go with me?" he begs.

"Course, luv, no doc’ll touch my mate if I’m not there," Spike snorts.

"Xander, I was going to call Daniel before the incident last night. Your physical health has me greatly concerned. You did nothing to cause me to reschedule. I told you that I have your best interests in mind whether you want to do something or not," Giles assures Xander it was not his fault.

"There, Xander, you get much further by talking to them than by running and hiding. Is there anything else you want to talk about today?" the doctor questioned.

"Yeah... I think I love Spike and G-Man’s Dad to me but sometimes I want them to touch me and other times I want them to leave me alone. Spike gives me a bath because my butt..." he colors red, "Um, sometimes it’s hard to let him," Xander is so embarrassed.

"Ah, well, that’s not an easy one. And there is no easy answer. It will be some time before you can touch and be touched without thinking about it. I’m going to recommend some touch therapy you and Spike will do together. There will be some things you can continue at home. It’s a process where you get used to touch all over again. You start out with the impersonal and over time you graduate to the more intimate. I want your doctor’s report before I prescribe therapy. I need some bloodwork done that he can get for me. I’ll check to see if you have any imbalances in your system from all of this that may require some medication for awhile. Just long enough to remind your body how to cope. I think we have talked about a lot of things today and you have a busy day tomorrow. I want you back here in two days. I should have gotten your reports by then," the doctor finishes.

"So how do you know my doctor?" Xander asks curiously. He is doing much better and simply holds Spike’s hand.

"I always know my brother. I’ve known him all my life," Dr. Romer chuckles. "His offices are upstairs and mine are downstairs. He treats the body while I fix the heart and mind. We have found it very useful since some of our clients don’t enter our building on their feet. If Daniel had not come to Rupert’s house, he would have brought you here. Any more questions?"

Xander shakes his head, overwhelmed.

"Okay then, we’ll see you tomorrow when you come through for Daniel’s visit."

He shakes hands with Giles and an amused Spike. Xander starts to get up and is picked up by Spike.

"Ah, ah, off your feet, luv," and he heads out the door with Xander firmly in his arms again.

Giles stops the doctor at the door for a private consultation.

"Will he be okay? He seems so broken," Giles says sadly.

"Rupert, he’s broken yet, but not to where he can’t be repaired. Time, love, caring, support. That’s your prescription. And I hate to tell you this, but William will have a lot to do with his recovery. Don’t let the Slayer dust that one unless you want to lose both of them," the doctor added seriously.

Giles cleans his glasses but doesn’t disagree. The doctor smiles and walks him out. Spike is sitting in the lobby glaring at Sandy who is blatantly ignoring him. Giles rolls his eyes and gathers up his two charges. It’s a pretty quiet ride home. Xander is looking out the window and valiantly trying not to think about the doctor’s visit tomorrow. Spike smells the fear and misery but is proud when his mate just grabs his hand. Spike gives it a careful squeeze and goes back to making faces Giles can’t see when he looks in his rearview mirror. The Watcher knows Spike is doing something but ignores the vampire in favor of listening to Xander snicker. It’s worth it.