Family
By Velvet Crypt
Chapter ThirteenXander shifted until Spike was laying full length underneath him. Spike let himself be manipulated; concentrating instead on the slow burn he could see building in those dark eyes. Xander gently tugged Spike's black t-shirt out of his tight pants and slid his hands up the cool flesh.
Spike shuddered at Xander's warmth branding his skin. Xander continued to push the material up until Spike raised his arms and allowed the brunette to pull it off over his head. Xan flung the shirt over his shoulder and gazed in hunger at the man beneath him. Even under the harsh electrical lights, Spike seemed ethereal. Pale, pale skin. So fragile. So unmarred.
Xander leaned forward and indulged himself. He ran his tongue from the waistband of Spike's jeans up to his chin. Gently, so gently, he nipped that chin and followed the line of Spike's jaw with his tongue. He nipped again as he reached the blonde's ear. Spike whimpered quietly under his ministrations.
"I love you, Wil." Xander whispered warmly into his love's ear. Spike lost the little control he started with. He bucked against Xander and began tearing at the boy's clothes, desperate to press flesh to flesh. Xander dove for Spike's lips, locking his own against them. Spike wouldn't settle for that.
He thrust his tongue between Xander's lips and met the boy's tongue in a frantic duel. He managed to pull off Xander's outer shirt, but rather than break their kiss, chose to rip the undershirt open from the neck. Only then did he tear his lips from Xander's to place small love bites down the boy's neck and across his collarbone.
Two sets of hands fumbled at each other's belt buckles. Two pairs of pants were frantically pushed down. The pants rested on two sets of boots that the two men hadn't the patience to take off. Spike slid his hands around Xander's waist and cupped the brunette's ass in his hands. He tugged Xander closer, forcing their erections against each other.
Low moans came from both throats. Xander was sure he was going blind from the pleasure Spike's touch. He saw flashes through his closed eyelids. Spike knelt breathed in Xander's scent. He could feel the warmth of the boy's cock even from a distance. Xander threaded his fingers through Spike's hair and nearly wept in anticipation.
"Oh, shit!"
Xander's eyes shot open and he looked down at Spike. But Spike was looking up at him with an equally quizzical expression.
Crash. Snap. Thud.
They turned their heads as one towards the window. Spike rose to his feet, pulling his jeans up with him. Xander copied his actions and they made their way across the room. Peering out the window, they saw a figure thrashing in the rose bushes. It stood up and flashed a frightened look before turning tail and racing around the house to the street.
---
Just as Buffy finally glared the girls into silence, Ellie shuffled into the room. She was nearly lost in her 'gown', one of Xander's t-shirts. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and yawned widely. Willow reached out and tugged the little girl into her lap.
"Hey, Ellie-bear," she smiled as Ellie wrapped her arms around Willow's neck. "Whatcha doing up?" Ellie yawned again.
"Couldn't sleep. Someone was yelling," she mumbled. Buffy blushed.
"Sorry, sweetheart. We had an unwanted visitor. I was telling him to go away."
Ellie nodded and smiled. "S'ok."
But then the smile slid off of her face. She stiffened and Willow leaned back in concern to look at her. Ellie jerked, her head rocked sideways and she began to cry. Willow looked in horror from the little girl to Buffy. Buffy had no answers.
"Please…ow! You're hurting me! Stop…please…Uncle Xan! Uncle Spike!…Help!…Leave me alone!"
Ellie's thrashing worsened. The girls crowded around her and Willow, confused and scared. A low moan from the corner pulled everyone's attention away from Ellie. Tara was the first to reach Lys. The teen sat in the floor, grasping her knees, rocking and crying.
"Lys?" Tara said quietly, touching the girl's shoulder. "What is it? What do you feel?"
"Hurts…" Lys moaned. "Hurts so bad…"
"What hurts, sweetie?"
"Pain…hitting me…they're hitting me." Lys's voice broke. "Cold…so cold…scared, dirty…dirty, dirty, dirty…" She curled into a ball, whimpering, mimicking Ellie who burrowed further into Willow's arms. "No! nononono…don't touch me! Don't hurt me!"
Lys gave a keening wail and threw herself into the wall, beating her head against it repeatedly. Ellie screamed, shrill, terrified…and then passed out. Tara interposed herself between Lys and the wall. She tugged the girl into her embrace and rocked her as she cried herself out.
---Nate rolled his eyes at the description of the Taug demon's mating habits. "Whatever!"
Angel glanced over at the boy and raised the corner of his mouth in an indulgent smile. "Whatever what?"
Nate put a finger in the book to hold his place. "It says that the Taug demon has to-"
He stopped dead and frowned at Angel. "What?"
Angel raised an eyebrow. "I didn't say anything, Nate."
Nate stood up, anger flashing in his eyes. "No, you did. I heard you." He began moving toward Angel. The vampire placed his hands on the arms of the chair, non-threateningly.
"No, Nate. I didn't say anything." The boy looked confused, frightened, furious.
"Then why-" He jerked to a halt and his eyes grew wide. "Lys?" He whispered. His body twitched and he screamed. "Lys! Lys, I'm coming!"
Angel vaulted out of the chair and caught the boy as he tried to run toward the door. "Giles! Wesley!" He bellowed, trying to keep a hold of the thrashing boy. The Watchers burst through the kitchen door.
"What is it?" Giles demanded. Angel finally pinned the boy to the floor.
"I don't know, but it has to do with Lys. We need to get over there."
"I'll get the car." Wesley darted out the door.
---
"What the hell was that all about?" Xander grinned as the man tripped over the hose on his way around the house.
When no answer was forthcoming, Xander glanced over at Spike. The vamp was in game face. A low growl steadily gained in volume until it became a full-blown roar. Xander reached a hand out to his vampire and was startled to find Spike trembling so hard that he was practically vibrating.
"Spike?"
"Mine!" Spike hissed. He turned and bolted for the door. Xander, wide-eyed with confusion, watched him go. He then shook the cobwebs out of his head and raced after him.
"Spike! Stop!" He caught the vamp at the door, fighting with the lock. Seconds before Spike lost it and just ripped through the wood, Xander reached him. "Spike, stop!" He wrapped his arms around the vamp and tried to tug him backwards.
"No! Mine!" Spike growled, snapping his teeth at the boy. Xander had a moment of fear as those needle sharp fangs gnashed so close to his face. "Protect…mine!"
Xander mentally braced himself and took a better hold on the vamp. With a move Spike would have been proud of had he been in his right mind, he swept the older man's legs out from under him. Spike hit the ground with a roar and Xander had his hands full of squirming, thrashing, biting, kicking vampire.
The only thing that saved him from being ripped in two was the blessed/cursed chip. Spike elbowed him in the nose sending pain shooting through the entire right side of his face. He saw stars, or at least colored lights and felt his grip loosen. Not that it mattered. Spike curled into a fetal ball, howling and holding his head.
Oblivious to the blood pouring from his nose, Xander crawled back to the blonde. "Please, Spike…" he took the other man into his arms. "Tell me what's wrong?"
Spike looked up at him with a terrible pain in his eyes that Xander somehow knew had nothing to do with the chip. "Mine," he whispered. Then he shoved Xander off of him and rolled to his feet. He was gone before Xander had even gotten up.
Frustrated, the boy followed him out the door and stood on the sidewalk.
"Goddamn vampire," Xander bitched, vainly searching for a sign of the blonde menace. He couldn't decide if he were more pissed or scared. Either way didn't bode well for the vamp when Xander got a hold of him. "Spike!" He yelled into the empty street.Just as he had given up and was turning back to phone Giles or Willow, he heard a scream. Calling himself seven kinds of idiot, he none-the-less charged toward the sound. He wasn't surprised to find Spike kicking the crap out of someone. He just wasn't expecting it to be an 8-foot spine covered demon. He didn't expect it to be leaking what he assumed was blood all over the road; burning little pock marks wherever it touched.
He certainly didn't expect it to be screeching like a girl and cowering into a light pole to get away from the vicious vampire currently trying to disembowel it. Sighing to himself, he ran forward.
"Spike!" He hollered over the howling and growling. He interposed his body between the frothing vampire and the bleeding demon. Spike tried reaching around him and when that didn't work, he tried going through him. He got another shock to the head for his troubles.
As he dropped to his knees again, Xander shoved him over onto his back and pinned him. He looked up at the huge demon above them. "Run, dammit!" The demon stared at him with purple eyes, not seeming to comprehend. Xander waved him away, taking his hands from Spike's prone form for a precious second. "Go, go, go! Get out of here! I can't hold him for long!"
The creature either understood his hand gestures or decided on it's own to make a break for it, because it turned tail and ran back down the street. Xander turned his attention back to Spike. The vamp shook off the pain and glared up at the boy.
"Let. Me. Go." He enunciated between growls.
"Ummm…no way in hell?" Xander twined his legs around Spike's. "I want to know what the hell is going on. And I want to know now."
Spike seemed about to speak, and then narrowed his gaze. Xander felt a tingle at the base of his neck. He thought this was probably the stupidest thing he'd ever decided to do. He had one pissed off vampire glaring daggers at him. He thought his nose was probably broken. He was pretty certain that he was rolling in some of that demon blood.
All in all? Dumb, dumb Xander. What was he thinking? He was a mortal. With mortal strength. Spike was an all-powerful vampire. With vampire strength. Spike could crush him with one hand. It was hopeless. He might as well just let go and let the vampire-What the hell?
Xander shook his head slightly and tentatively 'pushed' at the feelings of hopelessness. He was alternately gratified and pissed off to sense the feeling slide off of him like water. With the last vestiges of hopelessness gone, he headbutted Spike.
"Ow! Bloody hell, Xander!"
"You sonofabitch!" Xander screamed in Spike's face. "You tried to mojo me!"
To his credit, Spike looked shamefaced for a moment, then determination set back in. "Yeah, so what if I did? Let me up. I have to get to the Slayer's."
Xander's eyes grew wide. "The kids?" he whispered. Spike nodded and Xander practically leaped off of him. He held out his hand and the vamp grabbed it. Tugging Spike to his feet, Xander drug him back to the garage and moments later, they were peeling out of the drive.
Chapter FourteenXander came out of the room the girls were sharing with a smile. The smile dropped off of his face the second the door closed. Spike appeared at his side and snaked strong arms around his human. Xander dropped his head onto Spike's shoulder and drew in a deep shuddering breath.
It was bad, Spike thought. Whatever it was that Lys needed to tell him about the shared vision that inspired the chaos of the evening was bad. He'd never seen Xan so shaken. The man looked about ready to cry. Firmly shoving his curiosity to the background, he led Xander to the couch. Dropping down onto it, he tugged Xander into his lap.
He held him, rubbing his hand over the tense muscles in Xander's back. Every now and then, he would drop a kiss on sable locks or silky skin. He breathed in the scent of his mate and accepted. He was lost. Lost in the man in his arms. And he was happy to be there.
Xander finally snuffled his nose against his arm and looked up into Spike's face. "Ellie saw Lys being raped." He stated roughly. Spike froze, his mind refusing to wrap around the concept. Xander nodded. "Ellie saw it. Lys felt it. Nate apparently heard it. That's why Angel had him there by the time we got there."
He sucked in an unsteady breath. "I don't understand why I felt nothing. All the kids did. You did. But I felt…nothing." Spike clucked at him.
"Xander, I'm glad you didn't feel anything. I can understand now why I felt the rage that I did. I was mindless. I just needed to kill something and I didn't care what. I didn't, and I know the kids wouldn't, want you to feel that." Xander sat up suddenly, looking irritated.
"That's not my point, Spike." He groused. "I'm supposed to be connected to this thing. But I wasn't. I want to know why."
Spike gnawed on his lip and stared at the unhappy man in front of him. "You calmed me down, luv." He said softly. "You took away my rage." Xander glanced up. "From what we could piece together, about the time you drug me back to myself, Ellie passed out. When she did, Lys was freed. So was Nate." Spike shrugged. "I think you didn't feel anything because you were our anchor."
Xander blinked rapidly, trying to control the tears that threatened. "But…"
Spike held his arms out and Xander flew back into them. "Ssshhh, luv. You don't have to feel guilty because you didn't take your part of the bloody pentacle of pain. You didn't desert us. You saved us. You pulled us out." He held the brunette tightly against him, loving him with all he was worth until the man/boy finally cried himself to sleep.
---
The next morning, the house seemed back to normal. Although no one spoke of any of the events of the previous night, it was evident in the small touches and tiny smiles the group gave to each other. Halfway though breakfast, the doorbell rang. Xander pushed his chair back and brushed his hand across the back of Spike's neck as he walked past. The vamp briefly closed his eyes and bent his head forward with a smile.
Xander opened the front door to a familiar face. "Donna! What a pleasant surprise. Is everything okay at the site?" Donna was his boss's wife. His smile fell as he caught sight of the two police officers and the unhappy look on Donna's face. "Donna? Has something happened to Bob? The kids?" She visibly flinched.
"Donna? What's wrong? Can I help?" He was starting to worry. Donna squared her chin and looked directly at Xander's chin.
"X-Xander. This isn't a social call. I'm here on business." Xander frowned for a moment as he tried to remember what it was that Donna did. Oh, fuck. Oh, no. Oh please nonononono. Donna worked for CPS.
"Well, then I suppose you'd better come in, then." Xander was amazed that he'd gotten anything out of his throat, it was so tight. "And you also, officers." He stepped back and waved the small group inside.
He gestured to the couch. "Have a seat. Can I get you anything to drink?" The officers shook their heads and Donna looked at the floor.
"Xander, I have an order here remanding guardianship of Nate, Ellie and Lys back to your parents until a hearing can be held to determine your competency as a guardian." It all came out in one rushed breath, as though she'd rehearsed it a dozen times and was desperate to get it out while she remembered it.
Xander's legs dropped out from under him. Luckily he was near a chair, and he sank into it, staring vaguely at Donna. "Pardon me?" He asked stupidly.
Donna squinched her face up, "I'm so sorry, Xander. Th-they submitted it this morning as soon as the courthouse opened. They brought…documentation, and some rather ugly charges. The judge…she signed it immediately. They forwarded the paperwork to my office and sent me out here to…to get the children."
Xander blinked, looking from Donna to the police and back again. Donna looked miserable. The officers looked carved in stone. Expressionless. "What documentation? What charges?" He asked woodenly.
Donna shuffled in her bag and pulled out a manila folder. "They claim that you provide a morally unsafe environment by allowing them to spend inordinate amounts of time in an occult bookstore. That you have not provided adequate care for them during the times that you are at work…"
She stopped and shot a nervous look at Xander. "They state that you and the…babysitter…have engaged in sexual activities in the presence of the children." Xander shot to his feet. The policemen's hands went for their holsters, but Xander paid no attention.
"What the hell are you talking about?" He yelled. "I can understand the moral endangerment…sort of. I can even understand them not approving of my choice of people to watch the kids. But this? This is ridiculous!"
Donna lifted a shaky hand full of several pieces of paper. "They have documentation, Xander." She whispered. Xander snatched the pictures out of her hand and stared. At himself. And Spike. Naked. On the very couch Donna and the police now sat on. He flipped through the pictures showing them in various stages of undress, of them pressed against each other, of Spike hovering over his erection.
He closed his eyes. Those fucking flashes. The man hiding in the goddamn roses. Fuck. "I agree. This looks really bad, Donna." He opened them again to stare at the pictures. "But the kids weren't here. They were spending the night with friends. Having a slumber party." He looked up, pleading in his eyes. "I would never do…this…in front of them, Donna. Surely you believe that?"
Donna gently took the pictures back. "What I believe doesn't really matter, Xander." She said apologetically. "I have a court order to take them. I have to take them. I'm sorry."
'C-can you wait outside while I get them ready?" He choked out. The police looked ready to object, but Donna shook her head shortly.
"Yes, of course." She and the officers shut the door quietly behind them, leaving Xander in shock and wondering what the hell he was going to tell the kids.
---
Concerned looks met him as he pushed the kitchen door open.
"What's wrong, Xander?" Cordy asked, setting her toast down. Xander tried to smile, but couldn't seem to focus on her. She kept blurring. He was totally unaware of the tears slipping down his face. Lys turned white and grabbed Ellie's hand. Nate stood up so fast that he threw his chair backwards. It clattered ominously in the silence of the room.
"Who's taking us away?" He demanded.
Xander supported himself on the back of his chair. "That was CPS." He began. "It seems that my parents have a court order to take the kids back while they try to prove that I'm an unfit guardian." Silence. Then Spike erupted from his chair. Xander caught him as he was headed for the kitchen door.
"Spike," he said softly. "This is beyond killing it to make it go away. We aren't in your world right now. We're in theirs." He jerked his head towards the kids. "Remember that guy last night? The one from the rosebushes?" Spike nodded, still not looking convinced.
"He took pictures, Spike." He stressed. "Pictures of…incriminating acts that support my parents claim." He faced the kids. "There's a lady outside. Her name is Donna Bartlett. She is waiting to take you to your grandparent's house. I need you all to be strong. Be patient. I'll figure out how to make this all go away and you'll be back here in no time."
He forced a smile, knowing it was a pathetic attempt. "Go get packed up. Take anything you want. music, Playstation, whatever. It's all yours. You should have it with you. Go." The kids stood in a daze. Nate moved away from his tipped over chair without righting it. Lys pulled Ellie down and herded her out of the kitchen.
Cordy stood too. "I'll help the girls get packed." She said quietly. Xander nodded a thank you and collapsed into his chair.
---
"I'll kill them." Spike growled, game face in place. He had actually restrained himself to that point, Xander admitted wryly. He had hugged Lys and given her a kiss, tickling under her chin to make her smile through her tears. He'd roughly pulled Nate against him and whispered for the boy to be strong for his sisters. That he'd take care of Xander for them until they got back.
He swept Ellie up and clutched her desperately to his chest. He breathed in her scent and briefly vamped out in the vee of her neck to stop the tears from falling. "I love you, Ellie," he'd whispered. And then he'd released her to her sister, his arms having never felt so empty.
But they were gone now. Spike and Angel had stood in the doorway, hating every ray of sunshine that stood between them and the kids. Xander, Cordy and Wesley had stood on the sidewalk waving goodbye to the kids. And they were gone. Now someone was going to pay for this, Spike swore.
"Spike, we can't. We have to jump through legal hoops to get them back." Xander said tiredly. He flinched as a plate crashed into the wall.
"Legal hoops?" Spike yelled. "I'm a Master Vampire, Xander. I'm above the law! I take what I want, when I want it. No one stands in my way!" Angel sat quietly, staring at the table. He understood the helplessness that Spike felt. And he too wanted to rip someone open for this. But he let Xander calm his mate down, knowing anything he had to say would only inflame the blonde vamp further.
"No, Spike. In this case you aren't a Master Vampire." Xander glared up at the infuriated man. "You aren't invincible. You aren't all-powerful. What you are is my illegal, gay, alien lover living in sin with me and helping me corrupt three innocent children." He slammed his fist down on the table.
"Legally, you are nobody. You don't even have a fucking driver's license. As far as the state is concerned, you don't even exist! That alone is enough to get the kids taken away. If I'm willing to let an illegal live with me, what else am I capable of?" He shoved away from the table.
"Oh, wait…I know. I'm capable of fucking said illegal alien on my fucking couch when the kids may or may not be home. And. My parents. Have. The fucking. Pictures. To. Prove. It!" Xander was, by now, screaming in his mate's face, frustration, anger, and helplessness, all evident in his expression.
Spike's own anger crumbled in light of his love's pain. All that was left was the hopelessness he saw reflected in Xander's eyes. "They took my kids, Xander." He whispered painfully.
Xander's heart twisted. He held his arms out in a parody of last night. Spike buried his face in Xander's chest. "I know, sweetheart." He whispered back. "I know."