Part Twenty-Six

Xander wakes with a soft whimper. Spike is lying against his back, holding the teen so tight he’s surprised he can breathe. He’s not really awake yet as he pads into the bathroom. His behind is a little sore and he glares through the doorway at the sleeping vampire. After taking care of some business Xander leaves the bathroom and looks around the unfamiliar room. The fear starts to hit and he edges toward the bed and his Mate. At the last second, he takes a deep breath and calms. He swallows nervously and creeps over to the closed door. Looking longingly at the safety of the bed he quietly heads out the door. He looks around and sees multiple closed doors down a long hallway. He walks down the staircase into the lobby. He hears a sound coming from the kitchen. He vaguely remembers hearing LA mentioned and assumes they are at Deadboy’s. Xander walks slowly toward the swinging doors, pushes one open, and peers inside. Angel is rummaging in the fridge and all you can see is his back. He finds a blood bag shoved in the crisper drawer and closes the door with a sigh. He knows Xander is in the room but he’s trying not to startle him.

"Have a seat, Xander," Angel says softly.

Despite his best efforts, Xander jumps. Angel notices his frantic look at the door.

"Nobody here will harm you. If you’ll sit down I can fix you some breakfast," Angel continues the soothing tone.

"I-I should get back to Spike…" Xander pauses when his stomach rumbles.

Angel chuckles," I think your stomach disagrees." He walks carefully over to the youth and leads him to a chair.

"But Spike…"

"Will be fine. You need to eat," Angel chides," What would you like?"

"Some toast would be of the good," Xander says as he tries to relax.

Angel pops a couple pieces of bread in the toaster and pushes the lever down.

"Would you like to talk about it, Xander?"

Xander shrugs, "Nothing much to tell. I was r-r-r-hurt and Spike helped me. I still get a little wigged but he’s never left. Then last night G-Man-"

Angel is a little startled when the teen bursts into tears.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Upstairs Spike is growling. There is something about the Mate bond that enables him to feel Xander’s distress. The impetuous vampire leaps snarling out of the bed and races game-faced down the stairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Angel looks bewildered for a moment then he gathers Xander into his arms.

This is the scene Spike sees as he stomps into the kitchen.

"Let go of me Mate!" Spike growls.

"He was remembering what happened last night, Childe. I didn’t hurt him."

"Drop ‘im, Peaches!"

"William, he will be hurt if I drop him. Now calm down," Angel growls back.

While the other two are arguing, Xander is snuffling into Angel’s neck.

Spike yanks his Mate into his own arms and glares at his Grandsire.

Angel ignores him and gets out the toast to finish fixing it.

The younger vampire shushes his Xander until the sobs quiet.

"S-Sorry," Xander sniffles.

"S’alright, Pet. ‘M here now. Rupes’ll get help."

"You can stay here as long as you need, Xander," Angel interjects. He can’t believe how broken the normally vibrant teen has become. He rolls his eyes at the daggers his Childe is shooting him with his eyes.

"Here’s your toast," Angel hands the food to Xander with a soft smile.

"Toast? Me Mate needs more’n that Poof," Spike sneers.

"That is all he asked for Spike. I do know how to feed a human."

Spike snorts and picks at Xander’s toast.

"Uh, Spike? Think I can eat that after you’re done playing with it?" Xander asks.

"Need to eat more, Luv," Spike glares.

"I would, Spike, but I’m a little nauseous after the needle you let Alex stab me with," Xander throws back.

"Needed it, whelp!"

"Did not!"

"Did," Spike snarls and flashes his fangs.

"Cheating, Bleached Wonder? I don’t have fangs," Xander smirks.

Angel just watches the two interact with amusement.

"S’not cheating. Eat yer soddin’ toast."

Xander starts chewing his toast with a grin.

"Feelin’ better? Can get a bath then."

"Don’t need one," Xander sulks.

"Xander?" Angel looks puzzled.

"Yeah, Deadboy?"

"What is this thing about baths? Spike mentioned it to me last night but I don’t really understand."

"Not the baths, I don’t like the cream," Xander mumbles.

"Whelp’s not fond of touch," Spike adds.

Angel looks sympathetic, "The only full bath is in my suite."

"Don’t need yer help, Peaches," Spike snarls.

"Evidently you need my water, Spike," Angel grins.

"Fine. You can be the help. Medicine for the water’s in the bag by the bed, two tablespoons. Need it just this side of hot," Spike smirks.

Angel sighs and walks off. He can do this for Xander.

"Don’t need one, Spike," Xander gripes as soon as Angel leaves.

"C’mon, Pet. S’posed to be twice a day. Don’t want the doc drainin’ ‘em."

"I-don’t-want-a-bath!" Xander yells with exasperation.

"Infection, Luv," Spike actually pleads.

"No," Xander plants his feet.

"Last chance, Whelp," Spike growls.

"Spike, I’ve been raped, had multiple fingers inserted in my ass - over my protests, I add - then you hold me down so the doctor could jab me. I’ve so had it!"

"Understand why yer upset, Pet," Spike commiserates, "‘Ope you understand why I’m doin’ this," he adds before he uses vampire strength and speed to pick up his Mate and races up the stairs to where he hears water running.

"Put me down!" Xander hollers.

Spike enters the bathroom and sits down on the toilet seat, stripping Xander by tearing his clothes off.

Angel watches in silent shock.

"Goin’ to stop bein’ a brat?" Spike snarls.

"Okay, so I’ll have the bath. No cream," Xander glares at the vampire as he gingerly steps into the steaming water.

Spike flashes his fangs again but doesn’t say anything.

"Stay," he orders as he tugs Angel out of the bathroom with him.

"Did you tell him he’s seeing a new doctor here?" Angel asks.

"Don’t want to upset him yet."

"Spike, he’s already upset. You carried him up here kicking and screaming."

"Know that, ya Wanker! Watcher deactivated me chip so’s I could take care of him - whether he wanted it or not."

"Do you need help?"

Spike glares and Angel backs off.

"Nobody touches ‘is arse but me."

"I am not trying to feel up your Mate, Spike," Angel sighs.

"Good, ‘cause I’d rip yer throat out," Spike threatens. "Going ta get me Pet ‘fore he wrinkles. Can leave anytime," he snarls as he grabs a thick towel and heads into the bathroom.

Angel smirks at Spike’s retreating back and stays seated in his chair by the bed. The obnoxious blonde is not throwing him out of his own bedroom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike sits on the toilet seat and holds out the towel.

"Out, Luv."

Xander looks up at the vampire then gets out. He shivers as Spike briskly rubs him dry. As soon as his Mate is finished, he leans out the door.

"Deadboy, bring my boxers?"

"Not bloody dressin’ yet! Go lay down on the bed. Gettin’ your medicine," Spike growls.

"I want my boxers, Angel!" Xander shouts.

Spike grabs the teen and pulls him into the bedroom, "Lay down!"

Xander plants his feet and crosses his arms, "No."

Angel laughs and waits to see what Spike will do. He can lay Xander down by force but when he leaves to get the cream the teen can leave.

"You could help, Peaches," Spike glares at the chuckle.

"You told me you didn’t need help, William," the older vampire grins. A movement catches his eyes, "Xander’s leaving."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Xander hitches the towel higher and walks to their room. He’ll get his own boxers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Why didn’t you stop ‘im, Pillock!?" Spike snarls as he drags the youth back.

Angel just smirks.

"Soddin’ Hell! Get ‘is medicine while I keep ‘im ‘ere," Spike says with frustration.

Angel cups one hand over his ear, "Did you ask me to help, Childe?"

"Please," Spike grits his teeth.

"So I don’t get any say?" Xander glares.

"No," Spike says as he picks the teen up and lays him on the bed.

Angel walks down the hallway, enters the boys’ room, digs the cream out of the bag and heads back.

"Spike, you so better let me up," Xander threatens.

The vampire snorts in derision, "Plannin’ ta beat me up?" He holds the teen down with one hand. Spike sees Angel come back and yanks the towel off.

"Gimme that back!"

"Cream, Poof."

Angel tosses the tube on the bed and sits down to watch the show.

"Out," Spike glares.

"I’m not leaving my room, Spike. I might need to know how to do this."

"You are so not touching me, Deadboy!" Xander comments with a shudder. He wrenches his body under Spike’s hand but doesn’t budge. He closes his eyes.

"Spike… quick please," he pleads as the familiar helplessness sets in.

Spike glares one last time at the presence of Angel then sits on the bed. He gently strokes the trembling legs. When he pushes them up, he hears a soft whimper.

"S’okay, Pet. Quick touch an’ all done for a bit," Spike says as he continues to rub his boy’s legs. When he hears the hitched breaths, he scoots up to lay beside his Mate.

Angel watches the tender scene in total silence. Soon he realizes Spike is purring. The other vampire watches in amazement as his Grandchilde pets the dark hair. The Big Bad comforting a human. He notices Spike is unscrewing the cap of the cream while he cuddles his distraught Mate.

Spike squirts some of the medicine on his finger and attempts to reach between Xander’s legs. The smaller man almost growls in frustration when he realizes his arm is too short. The second he stops petting the youth to stretch further, Xander breaks out in audible sobs. Spike steps up the purring and glares at Angel like it's his fault. He goes back to soothing his boy.

Angel quietly gets up from his chair and kneels by the bed. He motions for the cream and waits to see what will happen.

Spike growls low enough only another vampire can hear him. He looks back and forth from Xander to Angel for a few moments, then hands the tube to the other vampire with a game-face glare.

"Don’t hurt ‘im," he snarls. He gives one last concerned look at the tube in Angel’s hand then concentrates fully on Xander. He gently kisses away the tears and cards his fingers through the soft hair.

Angel squeezes out a dollop of cream and settles by the teen’s legs. He gently eases the upright legs a little further apart and gives the boy a silent apology when the tears run faster. He uses one hand to expose the tiny hole and winces at the tears. Very carefully, he applies the medication. Xander sobs brokenly as the feeling of violation returns. Angel quickly finishes and eyes Spike with new respect. His Grandchilde has been doing this twice a day, every day. And without complaint. After he re-caps the tube, he quietly leaves to give the other two some time.