Family
By Velvet Crypt
Chapter Seventeen
Spike winced as he saw the maze of tubes and wires surrounding his little girl. He moved silently forward and gazed into her face. She slept. The lines of worry were not as evident, but Spike could still see the faint remnants of them even as her face relaxed in sleep. He leaned on the bed and gently kissed her clammy forehead.
Settling into a comfortable position, he began stroking her hair as he stared, still and silent, into her young face. Angel didn't know what he was looking for; answers? Affirmation? But he sincerely hoped his Spike would find it. He pulled up a chair and sat next to the doorway, protecting his Childe and his grandchild from interruptions.
---
Buffy tried to ignore the constant presence of the police as they walked from the parking lot to the nurse's station. She was continually reminded of being on the run from the police after Kendra's death and then after the Faith debacle. Buffy kept darting nervous glances at them until Willow pushed her to the rear of the line where they couldn't make eye contact.
Willow had been mother-henning everyone for the last few hours. Tara and Dawn could only smile indulgently at her as she told Giles how to drive and manipulated Buffy around the police. Willow had been the one to force Xander to shower and shave before leaving; telling him the hospital wouldn't let him in looking and smelling like he did. She had been the one to remind him to bring his insurance papers and Lys's medical history.
Willow was the one who drove them to the police station to meet the officers that were transporting Nate and Ellie. She was the one that convinced the police to allow them to follow them to LA and to allow Xander to have supervised contact with the kids when they were at the hospital. Tara knew it was all to keep her mind off of how terrified she was of losing Lys.
Tara didn't blame her. She loved the teenaged girl also. Not to mention that if Lys died, they lost Xander too. Tara saw the pain in Xander's eyes as the police ushered Nate and Ellie to the patrol car. The police had obviously not told the kids that the scoobies were going to be in the car behind them. They kids walked out of the station dragging their feet. Ellie shied away from the officer's helping hands, even avoiding Nate. Nate just shuffled to the car, head down, and flung himself into the seat, slumping dejectedly as soon as the seatbelt was fastened.
By the time they parked in the hospital lot, Xander was practically vibrating with the need to hold his kids. He fell out of the car and hovered around the patrol car. The officers stepped out of their vehicle with wary looks on their faces. One stood at the ready, watching Xander's every move as the other opened the back of the squad car.
Nate pushed himself out of the car first and leaned against it, waiting for the officer's iron grip to take hold of his arm. Ellie crawled out next and she jerked violently away from the officer's outstretched hand. She stood huddled against the car, staring at the ground. Officer Mark Grey of the Sunnydale Police Department clenched his jaw as he cursed, for the 100th time since they left SunnyD, the people who'd done this to these kids.
He stepped back, holding his hands up in a non-threatening way. He glanced at his partner, Officer John Thompson, and signaled that the kids were out. Thompson nodded and motioned for Xander to move forward. Grey stood ready to defend the kids from this 'monster' as the grandparents had called him. He was looking forward to slamming him into the pavement and putting him into a chokehold if he so much as looked cross-eyed at the kids.
He was surprised to see the 'monster' approach the kids with cautious care. Xander stopped a good 10 feet away and forced his face into a smile. "Hey, guys," He called softly. Nate's head jerked up and he looked around, wide-eyed until his eyes lit on Xan. His eyes filled with tears and he just stared for long moments. Ellie had no such trepidations.
She let out a squeal and darted across the interspersing distance, faster than the police who tried to stop her. Xander dropped to his knees and held out his arms. Ellie hit them with the speed of a freight train. As Xander closed them around her, the tears came. She sobbed in his arms, weakly hanging from his neck. He raised his eyes and met Nate's gaze over Ellie's head.
Nate sucked in a ragged breath. "I-is it really you, Uncle Xan?" He whispered, the agony in his voice causing tears to sting the bystander's eyes. Xan nodded.
"Yes, Nate. It's me." Xander smiled.
//I swear, Nate. It's me.// He added, casting his thoughts out toward the boy. The words hit Nate like a physical blow. The boy screwed his face up and took a tiny step in Xander's direction. He stopped and looked at Grey. The older man just smiled and nodded his head toward the boy's sister and uncle. Nate didn't ask twice. He ran.
Xander pulled one arm away from Ellie to tug Nate into their embrace. Nate threw one arm around Xander and one around Ellie. They knelt there in a tangled pile for long minutes. The scoobies were expecting it, but Grey and Thompson blinked repeatedly as a pale green glow emanated from the little group. They waited silently until Xander gently dislodged them both with a smile.
"C'mon guys. Let's go see your sister." He picked Ellie up, cradling her in one arm as he put his other arm around Nate's shoulders. Nate slipped his around Xan's waist in response and they led the way to the elevator.
---
Spike refused to move even for the nurse. After a pointed glare from his icy blue eyes, the woman wisely chose to work from the other side of the bed. Angel was ushered out of the room as the poking and prodding began, but no power in heaven or hell was going to move Spike, so Angel lurked alone in the hallway. He looked up as the elevator dinged and a smile broke over his face as Xander exited, carrying Ellie and holding Nate.
He closed the distance between them in a few strides and held out his arms. Ellie's tiny face radiated joy as she launched herself from Xander's arms into Angel's. He rocked her, briefly withdrawing a hand to tousle Nate's hair. Nate responded with a grin, but didn't let go of his Uncle. Angel furrowed his brow as the officers exited the elevator behind Xander.
They looked rather shell-shocked, Angel thought, and then went back to hugging Ellie. "Spike is in with Lys." He murmured through a mouthful of dark curls. Xander paled.
" Is she-?"
Angel shook his head. "She's fine. He just hasn't left her side the whole time he's been here." Xander visibly relaxed.
He turned to the hospital room's door and took a deep breath. Then he pushed it open. Through the door, he saw Spike sitting next to the bed, eyes closed, head next to Lys's side. Lys had her eyes open and she was gently petting her Uncle Wil's hair. When she saw Xander, her eyes lit up and she beckoned him closer.
"Shhhh…he hasn't slept in forever." She whispered. Xander nodded and moved to her other side. He pulled her close, mindful of the IV tubes and monitoring wires.
"I missed you so much, baby." He choked.
"I missed you too, Uncle Xan."
"I'm so sorry, Lys. I-"
"Shhhhh." She repeated. "It's okay. You're here now. It's going to be all okay now." Xander shuddered and didn't have the heart to tell her how wrong she was.
"Xander?"
Xander looked up at the confused voice and saw bleary blue eyes blinking owlishly at him. He smiled. "Hi, Spike. You look like shit." Spike snorted and sat up.
"Well, luv, you don't look much better." Lys lay quietly, smiling, listening to her uncles' banter with each other and feeling more contented than she had in weeks.
"The kids are outside." Xander nodded his head towards the hallway. Spike perked up immediately, but looked to Lys first. She grinned.
"Get out of here. Go see them. You've lived by my bedside for the last 24 hours. I think I won't fade away into nothing if you're gone for 10 minutes." Spike kissed her forehead and, with a tiny smile for Xander, headed to the hall.
He nearly growled when he saw Nate sitting in-between two cops. But he caught himself just as Nate looked up at him. The boy didn't even look to the officers this time. He flung himself from his seat and raced across the hall. Spike took his weight full on and lifted the boy from his feet. He knew he must have been hurting him as hard as he was holding him, but Nate didn't make a peep. Spike clutched the teenager and rocked him. He felt warm wetness seeping into his dusterless shoulder and lay a kiss on the side of Nate's neck.
"I missed you, boy." He whispered roughly. Nate just nodded fiercely against Spike's shoulder. Finally, his grip loosened and Spike let him slide to the floor. He shielded him from the other's vision as the boy wiped his eyes. Not that it mattered. Nate's eyes were red and wet and his nose was stuffed and swollen. It was obvious he'd been crying, but Spike tried to give him a bit of dignity.
Ellie squirmed in Angel's arms and the older vamp set the little girl on the ground. She bounced over to Spike, who knelt with a grin and swooped her up in his arms. "Hey there, Ellie luv. My lap's been awful empty without you around." He chucked her under the chin. She frowned up at him.
"Aren't there any other little girls to sit in your lap?" she questioned. Spike shook his head.
"Nope, honey. I've been living with Grampa Angel. There aren't any little girls there. And even if there were…" He looked her in the eye; "You have first call on my lap at all times." She smiled happily.
"Why are you living with Grampa Angel? Why aren't you living with Uncle Xander?"
An uncomfortable silence filled the room. Spike cleared his throat and tried not to look at the police officers. "Well, sweetness, your gramma and grampa Harris said Uncle Xan and I weren't very good parents. They said it had to do with us being two boys who lived together."
Ellie scrunched up her nose. "Cause you and Uncle Xander are gay?"
Silence again. Then Spike laughed wryly. "Yes, honey, that's it exactly. How do you know that word?"
She looked at him with the disgust only a five-year-old could generate. "I know lots of words."
Spike nodded seriously. "I'm sure you do, poppet. I'm sure you do. Uncle Xander is trying to get you back from your grandparents. But if I stay with him, it will be that much harder for him to do. So…I left."
Ellie looked confused. "But…why? I want to live with you both. I love you."
Spike winced. "I love you too, poppet. And I love Nate and Lys…And I love Uncle Xan." He finished quietly. "But you three kids are what's most important right now. Getting you back is first above all else. I can always visit sometimes."
Tears welled up in Ellie's eyes. "But if you love us why would you leave us?"
Spike pulled Ellie close to his and buried his face in her curls. "Ellie-luv, I love you kids more than anything in my world. But my being with Uncle Xan is keeping you with your grandparents. I can't stand that. I need to know you're safe. I need to know you're with someone who loves you. And I'm sorry…but if I have to go away to make that happen, then that's what I have to do."
Ellie's little body shook with tears and Spike sank to the floor, rocking her on his lap. Nate crept up beside Spike and the vampire freed an arm to pull him into their huddle. They sat silently, clutching each other, for a long time.
---Xander leaned against Lys's bed. "Baby, I don't know what to say." He whispered. "Why would you do this? Drugs? You never even tried a drug before…now you're in the hospital for an overdose?" Lys looked ashamed.
"Uncle Xander, it's not the drugs. I'm not an addict. I swear." Her eyes pleaded for understanding. Xander nodded and sat on the side of her bed.
"Okay. I believe you. So, tell me what it is."
Lys took a deep breath. "It's Ellie. And Grandma and Grandpa Harris. And Nate. And everyone on the street. It's the misery, the pain, the hopelessness." She clenched her fists in the sheet. "I couldn't block anyone out anymore, Uncle Xan. Ellie kept having horrible visions. Nate was full of anger and hate all the time. Grandma and Grandpa Harris hated us. They hated everything about us. I never felt even one happy emotion around either of them."
She locked eyes on Xander. "I couldn't take it anymore. So I ran away from it. Nate knew. He knew why I went. He feels it too. I think that's why he's so angry all the time. He can hear them say the things I can only feel. So I went to LA. But I didn't have any money. I stayed in a homeless shelter for a few days, but…" she shuddered. "Everyone is so full of hopelessness. It's like they've totally given up. It made me want to give up too. So I left."
She started picking at the blanket fuzz. "I met up with some girls in an alley I…was staying in. They were on something. They felt so happy, so at ease with everything. I wanted to know how to feel that again. They offered some to me. I still don't have a clue what I took. But I took it. They were so high, they didn't even realize how much they were giving me, I think. But I took too much."
Her eyes took on a dreamy cast. "It was good though. Not the drug, or even the feeling the drug gave me…but the lack of feeling I had. I could only feel myself for the first time in…well, in a long time. I wanted to stay there forever. Just forget about mom and dad dying, about the Harris grandparents from hell, about my little sister slowly losing her mind to visions she didn't understand, about my brother raging and hating and lashing out at everyone because no one had a kind thought for him."
She lay back against her pillow, exhausted, and closed her eyes. "I thought that was the closest I would ever get to peace again." She whispered, and then smiled. "It may have been the stupidest thing I've ever done, Uncle Xan…but it brought us back together. I can feel us, all of us. We're together again. The pain is gone. It's gone, Uncle Xan…It's…gone."
Xander began to panic, then looked at the heart monitor, beeping steadily, and realized that she just finally felt safe and comfortable enough to fall asleep. "My beautiful Lys." He whispered, bringing her hand up to his lips. "I promise you, Alyssa, I will get you back. You and Nate and Ellie…and goddammit, Spike too. We'll be a family again. I swear."
Chapter EighteenTwo days later, the doctors pronounced Lys well enough to be released. Spike and Xander had taken turns at her side for the past 48 hours, not just so she would always have someone with her, but also because it allowed them to avoid each other. They didn't spend more than 30 seconds at a time in each other's company. The pain was blatantly real. Even to those not close to the boys.
Officers Grey and Thompson had taken to lounging at the other end of the waiting room. Their job was to make sure that Nate didn't run and Ellie was properly cared for while in LA. It was obvious after the first hour that nothing on heaven or earth was going to move Nate from his 'Uncles' sides, and Ellie was being spoiled rotten. Her feet hadn't touched the ground once in the last day and a half.
So, they sat and watched the dynamic of the group in front of them. Their conclusion? Jessica and Tony Harris were full of shit. They hadn't liked the elder Harris couple. You didn't spend as many years on the force as Grey and Thompson had without developing a sixth sense for dishonesty. And the Harris's were about as dishonest as they came. But they had to follow orders, and so they herded two horribly unhappy children into a car and drove hours away to let them visit their sister. A sister who would rather run away with no money and overdose herself on drugs than stay home one more minute.
They were prepared to dislike Alexander Harris and his boyfriend. They were prepared to be disgusted at the sexual antics of two gay men performing in front of three juveniles. They were prepared for nearly anything. Anything but what happened. This Xander Harris wasn't a pervert. He honestly seemed to love and care for the kids as though they were his own. The officers could see the guilt and fear in his every move, but he tried to paste on a cheery face for the kids. He never lied to them, but he tried to be as positive about the whole situation as possible.
Grey and Thompson appreciated that. Too often the adult treated the kids like they were pets; too stupid to realize something was wrong. Things were sugar coated, bribes were made to stop the crying. But those things never happened. Even the other one, Spike…what the hell kind of name was Spike anyway?…he treated them like little people, not 'kids.'
He was an enigma, that one. He looked like the last person on earth to be gay, but the love he felt for he Harris boy was not questionable. Every time they looked at each other, sparks flared. They didn't hang on each other or suck face like the officers had expected. The men barely even touched each other. They had shaken hands in the hallway after Xander came out of Lys's room. Grey watched their hands tremble as they touched, but they smiled for the rest of the group and then moved apart.
They hadn't touched since. Grey was pretty sure they wanted to. Not to kiss, or grope…no, they just looked like they needed to glean comfort from each other, like they were from the kids. But neither acted on it. He knew it was because of him and Thompson. He knew that the two men wanted to show them that the kids weren't in danger from any illicit sex shows, but Grey almost wished they would hold each other. The waves of need emanating from both of them were intense.
Thompson was amazed at the kids' recuperative powers. He watched a teenaged hooligan on the road to prison do a complete 180-degree turn. They boy was now curled up next to the blonde boyfriend animatedly reading a motorcycle magazine with him. He had smiled more in the last 10 minutes than the entire week he'd been in custody. That Spike guy…Spike?…Had given the boy a right good ass-chewing, too. He lectured him for nearly 15 minutes straight, not allowing the boy to speak, on how stupid the boy's actions of the last few weeks were. Then he hugged him and they sat down together to talk about the boy's reasons and how he was planning to put this behind him.
And the little girl. She refused to be touched, by anyone. She wouldn't speak. She just sat, still and silent, like a vegetable. Now, she was lying on the floor, coloring with a large man in a leather jacket who looked all of 25 yet responded to Grampa. She laughed, she smiled, she talked. She even manipulated Grampa into buying her an ice cream before lunch. Angel had looked guilty, but not apologetic when Xander had walked out to find Ellie with vanilla ice cream smeared on her face.
Xander had sternly lectured Angel about snacks before lunch and how, as an adult, Angel should know better. Xander then turned to Ellie and frowned. The little girl had looked innocently up at him and blinked her big brown eyes. Xander sighed and knelt down to wipe her face off with a napkin. He kissed her sticky nose and stood back up. Glaring at a grinning Angel he pointed a warning finger and went to get a wet cloth.
The girl in the hospital, Lys, had not originally been given a very promising outlook. The police were told to let Nate and Ellie know that their sister was in a really bad way and were told to keep the other kids away from her if she got too tired. Yet, as soon as she saw everyone together, she'd begun improving immediately. Thompson could hear laughter ringing through the closed door at nearly anytime of the day, no matter which family member was in there.
The officers talked it over between each other. How was it that these people were so bad for the kids? How was it that these people were the 'bad guys' when they brought back the spark of light that those grandparents had nearly extinguished. Coming to a decision, they placed a call to their captain.
---Xander had mixed feelings. He was thrilled that Lys was better, that her healing had skyrocketed as soon as the pentacle had been together. But…what now? What happened when she went 'home'? They'd be back to square one. Granted, Spike had managed to talk some sense into Nate. Xander was pretty sure the boy was going the straight and narrow from now on. Spike was capable of painting very scary pictures when the need arose. Buffy said that even the police turned white at some of the things Spike alluded to.
Ellie and Lys had promised to talk about the visions and to call Willow and Tara whenever it became too much. But the problem still remained…was it enough? Would that be enough contact to keep them sane? To keep them all sane?
Finally, the hour of Lys's release arrived. Xander wheeled her out of the hospital room and out to the parking lot. Angel carried Ellie and Spike walked with his arm around Nate. The other scoobies trailed along behind, trying not to cry. Just before getting in the squad car, Grey and Thompson pulled Giles aside. They talked for a bit, handed Giles a sheaf of papers and got into the squad car with grins.
Giles hurried back to the group with a slightly bewildered, yet thrilled look on his face. "What is it, Giles?" Buffy asked for them all. Giles waved the papers in the air and then picked up Buffy in a huge bone-crushing hug. Buffy blinked owlishly in astonishment at her normally staid Watcher. As soon as he set Buffy down, he repeated his gesture with Willow. Before he set her down, he planted a smacking kiss on her forehead.
Willow's expression cause giggles to escape from nearly everyone. Even Spike looked as though he were fighting a grin. "Umm…Giles? Are you feeling okay?" Willow asked, touching her forehead warily, as though whatever it was could be catching.
"You did it, Willow!' Giles nearly shouted. "You and Spike did it!"
"What? What did we do?"
Giles thrust the papers at her and turned to look at the others. "Willow has been working with Spike everyday compiling a Harris history of abuse and unsafe parenting from the police, the hospital, witnesses, etc. They looked up case after case on the Internet, documenting and cross referencing everything and then turned it all in to CPS and the Sunnydale police."
Willow began grinning as she continued to read. Buffy growled, causing Spike to give her a grateful look. "And?"
"And, based on the information in that report and the report those two officers," he pointed behind him to the squad car, "just gave their superiors…CPS has revised their decision to place the children with Xander's parents."
The kids looked at each other, practically glowing. Xander and Spike looked as though it all might fall apart in the next moment. "Granted, the charges against Xander still need to be addressed," Giles continued, "so going home is not an option. Instead, they have appointed a neutral third party, with some knowledge of the children, as a foster guardian until the case is settled."
"So? Who is the guardian?" Buffy demanded.
Willow threw herself at Giles and wrapped her arms around him. "It's Giles!" She laughed into his jacket. "They appointed Giles!"
Tara looked confused. "Um, didn't they say that spending time at the Magick Shop was bad for the kids? How is it that Giles, the owner, can be appointed their guardian?"
Giles peeked out over the top of Willow's head. "The police pointed out to CPS that my 'Wicca religion' was my constitutional right. The Harris's were forced to withdraw the morality complaint. The only thing left is the…errr…the um, picture…thing." He faltered to a halt, turning red.
Dawn snorted. "That's dealt with easily enough. There are plenty of witnesses that can claim they hadn't screwed before then, and that Nate, Lys and Ellie were out of the house at the time."
"Dawnie!" Buffy said shocked. Dawn rolled her eyes.
"Whatever."
---Three weeks later found Giles and Xander ushering Nate, Ellie and Lys into a Family Court courtroom. The girls came in a few minutes later with a still smoking Spike under an umbrella of the girls' trench coats. He had actually worn a suit. Buffy took the liberty of closing the blinds in the courtroom. Giles looked thoroughly humiliated when the bailiff stepped up and asked her what she was doing, and she glared at him.
She announced that her friend was very photosensitive and it was possible to get burns from direct sunlight. She demanded to know if this weren't a public building and shouldn't they accommodate the public? Tara maneuvered her away from the rapidly disintegrating situation. She apologized for her friend and after 2 minutes of smiling and chatting with Tara, the bailiff shut all of the blinds and went to get Tara a cup of water.
Tara blushed at the smirk Spike gave her as she sat down, but held her head high. She was grateful, however, when officers Grey and Thompson entered the courtroom. Xander stood to shake hands with them and offer his thanks for getting his kids out of the Harris house. Not too long afterwards, Jessica and Tony Harris entered. The chill was obvious. The kids shut down immediately. They stopped laughing and poking each other and hunkered in their seats, purposefully not making eye contact.
Jessica headed straight for Xander, seeming to ignore the fact that there were two policemen in uniform. "You little bastard." She hissed. "You'd do anything to get your hands on that money, wouldn't you?"
Xander put his hands in his pockets deliberately, trying to look as non-threatening as possible. "Mom." He said calmly. "How are you?" Jessica bared her teeth and slapped him. The sound of her hand cracking against his cheek was startlingly loud in the hush of the courtroom. Spike growled and surged to his feet. Xander managed to get a hand out of his pocket before the vampire lunged at the woman and place it on Spike's chest.
Grey and Thompson each grabbed one of Jessica's arms and jerked her away from Xander.
"Congratulations, Mrs. Harris." Grey said with a slight smile. "You're under arrest for assault."
Tony Harris charged like a bull. He aimed for his son, but with his head ducked down, he didn't notice Thompson intervene. He took Thompson in the stomach. He and the officer went down in a heap with Tony screaming threats the whole way. "I'll kill you! You little faggot! You'll never get those kids! I'll make sure you never get them if I have to get rid of them!"
With the help of the bailiff, Thompson managed to throw Harris off and flip him over onto his face. He roughly cuffed him and hauled him to his feet. He then dragged Tony Harris out of the courtroom with a chuckling Grey right behind him. As soon as the door shut behind them, Xander was heading for the kids, Spike right behind him.
They pulled their kids into an embrace and sank to the ground to include Ellie. As they huddled there, a faint green glow rose from their bodies. The bailiff cleared his throat self-consciously and asked for all to rise for the Honorable Maggie Brannik. Xander and Spike forced themselves to let go and helped the kids back to their seats. As Judge Brannik settled herself into her chair, the two men moved back to their chairs.
Xander felt a cool hand brush his cheek, across the handprint that throbbed, and turned his gaze to meet Spike's. The bright blue eyes radiated concern and love. Xander briefly leaned into the touch and then it was gone, and they faced forward again. Judge Brannik asked where the elder Harris's were and the bailiff approached her bench to whisper briefly into her ear. She raised her eyebrows and nodded.
"Very well. I think it's pretty obvious that Jessica and Anthony Harris have forfeited their rights to custody with their rather frightening threats of bodily harm." She began, looking over her glasses. "Now I suppose the only thing we are here to settle today, is if Mr. Alexander Harris is any better of a choice."
"I would like to address four issues here today. First, if your home, Mr. Harris, is of adequate stature and the environment is a nurturing one. Second, what kind of daily schedule the children have, including school, your work, and weekends. Third, the relationship you have with Mr.-" She looked down at the paperwork on her desk. "Harris?" She raised another eyebrow. Xander looked confused, but Spike stood up and straightened his jacket.
"Yes, Your Honor, my name is William Harris." Judge Brannik held his gaze for a long moment and then nodded. Spike sat back down. Xander shot a look at him, but Spike refused to make eye contact.
"And finally, the children's' thoughts on their living arrangements. Are you prepared to address these issues, Mr. Harris? Mr. Alexander Harris, that is?" Xander stood himself and nodded.
"Yes, Your Honor."
"Then let us proceed."
The next hour was the most nerve-wracking Xander had ever spent. He gave the judge pictures of the house and yard, of each child's bedroom, and of his and Spike's bedroom with the two beds. He gave her a detailed list of each child's daily schedule including times at school, home, in transit. He gave her examples of how the children spent their weekends. He showed her pictures that Ellie and Spike had drawn, transcripts from school-including those with failing grades from the time they had spent at their grandparents' home.
The scoobies stood up for them stating that no children were in the home the night of the 'illicit engagement.' They also swore that to the best of their knowledge that Xander and Spike had not been intimate before that night. Then it was the children's turn to speak.
"I asked a psychologist to perform an evaluation on the children before court today." Judge Brannik stated. "I have her findings in front of me now. I would like to ask the children some questions of my own." Nate, Lys, and Ellie stood and stepped forward to the Judge's bench. She looked down on them with a smile creasing her face.
"Do you want to have your Uncle Alexander Harris as your guardian?" She asked bluntly. All three heads nodded vigorously. "Why?" Nate cleared his throat.
"We love him. He loves us. We love Uncle Wil, too. And he loves us also. We're happy with them. They take care of us. They treat us like adults. We feel safe there. We know they'll take care of us." Judge Brannik nodded then turned her eyes on Lys.
"And you?"
Lys shook slightly, but raised her chin. "Uncle Xan and Uncle Wil are the only people we'll be happy living with. They were the only ones to care about us when our parents died. They took us in and showed us someone still loved us. They provide everything we need. They may spoil us on some things, but when it comes to important things like school, or drugs…" her voice trailed off and she lowered her head. "I swear that wouldn't have happened if we were with them." She finished in a whisper.
Again, the Judge nodded. "And you, little one?"
Ellie smiled hugely. "Uncle Wil colors with me. Uncle Xan reads me stories and tucks me into bed. They don't make me cry like gramma and grampa Harris. And I have grampa Angel when I'm home." She beamed at the Judge, who couldn't help but smile back at her.
"What do you think about your 'Uncle Xan' and 'Uncle Wil' being together?"
Nate snorted. "I wish they were. They spend so much time pretending they don't love each other so they don't offend us, that it's ridiculous."
"Why would they think it would offend you?"
Nate blushed. "When we first came to stay with Uncle Xan, Uncle Wil wasn't living there yet. He came to help Uncle Xan take us away from our grandparents' house, though. I…I said some really mean things about them… being gay. I was scared; angry…I wanted to hurt them. I regretted it ever since."
"Why?"
"I think they were afraid I would think less of them if they were a couple.""And do you?"
He snorted again. "Hell, no! Umm…sorry. I mean no, I don't think any less of them. I'm happy they're together. They love each other as much as they love us." He turned to smile affectionately at his uncles.
"Alyssa? What so you think of them together?"
Lys smiled shyly. "I think it's beautiful. That they are willing to admit they love each other, no matter what society has to say proves how strong they are; how capable of love they are. I'm happy for them. As a matter of fact, Nate and I were the ones responsible for the slumber parties that night. We wanted to give them a chance to be together. We were hoping they'd…well, you know." She blushed again. The corner of Judge Brannik's mouth twitched.
"I understand that they are not together anymore though."
Lys's expression darkened. "Uncle Wil went away because he thought Uncle Xan would never get us back if they were in a homosexual relationship. He gave up Uncle Xander so we could get away from the Harris's."
The judge nodded. "What about Ellie? How do you think this is affecting her?"
Lys and Nate turned to look thoughtfully at their little sister. Ellie smiled again.
"I'm gonna to be the flower girl when they get married. It won't be l-la…le…for reals, cause Uncle Wil isn't a lady, but I get to write my name on the cer-cert…paper Auntie Willow makes for them."
Judge Brannik finally broke into a laugh. "I see. Well, I hope I get an invitation."
Everyone's breath caught. Judge Brannik turned her gaze on Xander. "Mr. Harris. I can see no feasible reason why you should not be reinstated as these children's guardian." Xander felt a cool hand slip into his and he held on for dear life. "You seem to have created the perfect home life. You have an equal balance of love and authority. You have a strong support group in your friends. You also have a very strong supporter in Mr. William Harris."
She cocked her head toward him. "It's very rare for anyone to give up their life to move into a friend's home and take care of their children, housekeep, and run the household. It's even more rare when that person isn't being paid other than in room and board. It's almost unheard of when that person is willing to give up their own happiness for that of three children on whom he doesn't even have a claim. I must say, William Harris. I am impressed."
Spike inclined his head in thanks.
"This court hereby grants custody of Nathan Hunt, Alyssa Hunt, and Eleanor Hunt to Alexander LaVelle Harris. All trust funds shall be signed back over to you, Mr. Harris, and final custody papers will be signed forthwith. As for your…relationship-" She looked at both of them seriously.
"Legally, I cannot tell you with whom to spend your life, Alexander. I cannot, as a judicial official, call any relationship moral or immoral. Unless a relationship seriously threatens a child's well being, legally, I must keep my nose out of it. However…" Xander forced himself to meet her eyes.
"As a human being, as a mother, as a wife of a man I love more than anything else on this earth, you would be completely out of your mind, Alexander, if you didn't make him come home. Court adjourned." She rapped her gavel sharply and left the room. Xander sat clutching Spike's hand, staring ahead in shock.
Willow, Buffy, Tara and Dawn were jumping up and down with Nate, Lys and Ellie; hugging, crying whooping. Giles even vocalized a few whoops, dignified whoops, but definitely whoops. Xander finally turned to look at the vampire next to him.
"We got them back." He whispered.Spike nodded. "Sure did, luv."
"No conditions."
"Nope. Not a one."
"Spike?"
"Yes, luv?"
"Will you come home with us?"
"Luv, I wouldn't go anywhere else."
Chapter NineteenXander leaned against the arm of the couch, Spike curled up in the crook of his arm. The brunette sighed in utter happiness and dropped a kiss on his love's blonde locks. At the dining room table, Giles and Nate were having a good-natured argument over the pronunciation of some demon language. Personally, Xander thought that it was impossible to mispronounce a language that had 'gurgles' and 'gargles' and 'guttural grunts' but the two of them were very adamant in their discussion.
Lys and Dawn had plopped down on the other couch, supposedly to do homework. Xander was pretty sure, though, that geometry didn't inspire the giggles that erupted from the girls. He heard whispers of 'oh, my God!' 'he said what?', and 'he's such a hottie', further lending credence to the idea that math was simply the excuse to have a bit of boy talk.
Willow and Tara were ensconced at the other end of the dining room table, watching Giles and Nate with smiles on their faces. Every now and then, one would interject a comment, but it seemed as though they were rooting for Nate. A fact that clearly annoyed Giles and thrilled Nate.
Buffy, of all people, was in the floor playing with Ellie. Ellie was kicking her ass at 'Trouble' and howling with glee whenever she sent one of the Slayer's pieces back to start. Buffy engaged in a quick bit of theatrics each time, rolling on the floor and clutching her chest.
"Penny for your thoughts, luv." Spike whispered into Xander's neck, the words ghosting across Xander's skin. Xander shivered in appreciation and clutched the vampire closer.
"I was just thinking how much I love my life." He replied with a smile. "I love my life. I love my kids. I love my friends. I love you." Spike twisted until he was facing Xander. He saw the most content expression he'd ever witnessed on a human's face. And he knew he was mirroring it.
"I love you, too." He murmured, closing the distance between his mouth and Xander's. It was a gentle kiss; a mere brushing of mouths. But it lit a fire in Spike's being. He could kiss Xander. He had the permission…nay, the order…to kiss his love, live with his love, be in love with him, from the bloody Californian courts. Granted, it meant nothing to him personally, he needed permission from nobody. But, it meant something to Xander, he could tell. And it meant something to the kids. It was like getting the scoobies blessing.
Really, they had nothing to say about it, but Spike knew that their opinions mattered to Xander in ways he couldn't even begin to imagine. No, that was a lie. He could imagine. He imagined it was similar to the blessing he'd begged from his Sire. So, between the blessing from the scoobies, and the okay from the court system, there was no one left who could lodge a protest about them being together and make it matter.
Xander's lips became more insistent. He nibbled at the corners of Spike's mouth and gave a tiny lick across his bottom lip. Spike moaned softly and ran his hand up Xander's face to tangle in his hair. Xander felt the heat begin to grow, as well as other things and regretfully pulled away. Spike blinked dazedly at him. Xander loved that he was able to steal Spike's senses away with just a kiss. Then Spike shook his head and looked embarrassed.
"Sorry, I lost track of where we were." He murmured, tucking his head under Xander's chin once again. Xander closed his eyes and drank in the feel, the smell, of this wonderful creature that loved him. Spike. William the Bloody. William…Harris?
"Spike?"
"Mmm-hmm?"
"William Harris?" He felt a chuckle run through the vampire.
"Yeah, Red decided I needed to be a real person so's I could stand by you at the hearing." Xander furrowed his brow.
"So she faked some papers?" Spike snorted.
"Our girl doesn't do anything halfway, pet. You should know that. She got into the California Bureau of Vital Statistics and gave online birth to one William James Harris, born 1969 in Greenville, California. The pampered son of James Wesley Harris of England and Natalie Ann Harris of California." He nuzzled Xander's neck again. "I have a copy of my 'birth certificate' and my 'social security' card on it's way in the mail as we speak. She set me up with a license too."
Xander was too stunned to even react to the warm nuzzling occurring under his chin. "You have a real identity?" He whispered. Spike nodded against Xander's chest. He felt the human's labored breathing and sat up in concern. Xander's eyes were wide and fragile and he looked as though he were trying not to cry.
"What's wrong, luv?"
"Y-you gave away your freedom for me. They have records of you, now. You can't hide in the shadows anymore. And you traded it away to sit next to me in a courtroom?" His voice was thick with unspoken emotion. Spike raised his hand and ran it down the brunette's face.
"No, luv. I gave away my 'freedom' because I chose to. And why would I need it anyway? I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying right here, with you, until our kids are grown…until Peaches becomes a bloody great-grandpa…until the ends of the earth, luv." He smiled tenderly into warm chocolate eyes. "And there was no power in existence strong enough to keep me from your side in that courtroom. I wouldn't have given up watching those sweet bits returned to their Uncle Xan for anything."
Xander smiled back, his thoughts swimming in circles. "So you really want to be here for the long run?" He asked. Spike sighed theatrically.
"Do I need to rent one of those banner planes, luv? Fly it across the bloody town?" Xander laughed, shaking his head.
"No. But if you're certain, then I have a present for you."
Spike's eyes lit up. "Pressies? Oooo, I like pressies!" Xander pushed the vamp off of his lap and snagged his hand.
"Willow?" He called, pulling Spike behind him as he moved toward the table. The witch looked up, saw Xander's face, and smiled hugely.
"Is it time?" She began bouncing as Xander nodded. Squealing, she turned and dug in her purse, pulling out a sheaf of papers. Spike glanced warily from Xander to Willow and back again. Xander pushed Spike into a chair and began bouncing himself, lightly on his toes.
"Nate, Lys, Ellie? Could you all come here please? I have an announcement." Nate scooted his chair next to his Uncle Wil. Willow offered Lys the one she had just vacated, and Ellie climbed up into Spike's lap. Xander took another look at the faces of those he loved more than anything else and shivered in anticipation.
"What's up, luv?" Spike demanded.
"Well, you aren't the only one who hit Willow up for a bit of sleuthing. Of course, my request had nothing to do with hacking into the United States Government," He smirked at Willow, who looked mildly embarrassed. "I just had her look up a few laws, a couple of court cases…you know, stuff."
Spike's lips twisted into a wry grin. "Stuff. Stuff for what, Xan?"
Xander took a deep breath and reached out for the papers Willow proffered. "These are adoption papers." He said quietly. Everyone's breath caught. The twins sat very still, confusion warring with hope in their eyes. "Kids, I know I can never take the place of your mom or dad. I would never want to. They were very special. Are very special. But, I do want to be an important part of your lives. I never knew how much of a hole I had in my heart until you three came along and filled it. And so, I was hoping you might say yes to becoming my kids…for real."
He waited, nervously wiping his sweating hands on his pants. Lys began to cry. But she was smiling. Nate's face broke out in a huge grin. Ellie, seeming totally unsurprised, just nodded. "Okay." She said, snuggling back into her Uncle Wil's embrace. Her calm acceptance caused a chain reaction. Lys launched herself at Xander, followed quickly by Nate. The rest of the room began laughing and crying all at once. The only one not making a sound…was Spike. Xander could see the forced smile on his face. He whispered into Lys and Nate's ears and gently pushed past them to stand at the vampire's side.
He held his arms out for Ellie, and he saw the barely covered flinch Spike made as he handed the little girl over. He looked confused when Xander passed her along to her sister, and then knelt next to Spike's chair. "Spike. Wil." He said quietly. "I took the liberty of filling out the papers already. They're only waiting for signatures." He pushed the papers into the vamps hands and waited, not breathing while Spike read the first page.
The blonde head shot up and Spike had such a look of amazement on his face that Xander had to laugh. "So, Wil, my love. Would you do me the great honor of signing that paper with me as a couple? To help me love and cherish these three kids, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, til they grow up, move out and only want to see their adopted parents for college allowance and to get you to do their laundry?" His voice grew hoarse as he recalled saying almost the same words to the vampire a million tears ago.
"You want me to adopt them with you?" Spike breathed.
"Yes, William James Harris. I want you to adopt our kids with me." Xander replied, his eyes unnaturally shiny.
Spike looked at the kids. "And you three? Do you want me to?" His answer was not verbal. He was rushed and tackled by three flying bodies. Somehow, they pulled Xander into the mix and the dog pile was complete. The scoobies weren't even surprised when the green glow began.
---
Ellie had been asleep for hours when the scoobies finally took their leave. Xander put her to bed while Spike and the twins cleaned up the living room and kitchen. When he came back out Spike was heating up a mug of blood for his real dinner and Nate and Lys were out in the living room whispering frantically. They jumped apart as soon as he walked in and looked guiltily at him. He crossed his arms and set his lips firmly.
"What are you two up to now?"
They exchanged a furtive look and Nate stepped back, pushing Lys slightly to the forefront. She glared back at him and he spread his hands, the picture of innocence. With a sigh, she approached Xander. "W-we've been discussing s-something, Uncle Xan." She began hesitantly. "And we've decided that you and Uncle Wil worry too much."
Nate snorted and Lys shot him an angry glare.
"What?" He said, rolling his eyes. "Can you come up with any more lame broaching statements?"
"Screw you, Nate! If you're such a goddamn expert, you tell him!"
"Lys, language." Xander reprimanded with a frown. "I don't care who tells me, but someone better start talking in about three seconds or two of the three of us are going to be losing some privileges."
Lys turned back to Xander, a flush on her face. "Sorry, Uncle Xan. It's just…we know that you and Uncle Wil are together. As a couple. And couples generally er…express their feelings in a…physical manner and we thought…" She trailed off helplessly and looked back to Nate, pleading.
He snorted again, but came forward and took his sister's hand, creating a united front. "What she's trying to say, Uncle Xan, is that we know you and Uncle Wil want to have sex." Xander felt his face go up in flames. "And we know that you probably won't as long as you think you'll leak over through the bond." Damn observant twerp. "So, we wanted to tell you that you won't. Leak through, that is."
Lys finally found words. "We've been discussing it and practicing also. We've found out that we're stable. You and Uncle Wil are truly our foundations now. You aren't hiding anything from each other. You aren't trying to block any one thing, leaving the other emotions open. So, unless we deliberately punch through the shields, which we would never do, or you project on purpose, which we know you would never do, there's no way that you'll send anything over into our heads."
They stood, waiting impatiently for Xander's reply. He blinked slowly. "Are you sure about this?" He asked quietly. They nodded so hard he thought one of their heads may fall off.
"Absolutely." Lys said adamantly. "We've been working with Willow and Tara on it and they agree."
Xander blushed again. "Great. Now my best friend and her girlfriend have an inside track on my love life."
Nate grinned. "They only wanted to help." Xander sighed and nodded.
"I know. And it's okay. Thank you guys for…researching this. Spike and I will…discuss it and see if we're willing to risk it. And can I stop discussing me, sex and my boyfriend with my kids, please?" He begged. The twins giggled and Lys gave him a kiss goodnight. Nate hugged him and they raced off to their bedrooms as though the lack of their presence would result in immediate action on their uncle's parts.
Xander slowly made his way into the kitchen. He expected to see Spike sitting at the table drinking his dinner. What he found was Spike, collapsed into a chair, his body shaking in silent laughter. Xander glared. "I suppose you heard all of that with your bat ears?"
Spike nodded, clutching his stomach.
"Well, what do you think of what they're talking about?"
The laughter died down. Spike sat up and stared seriously into Xander's eyes.
"Well, luv, I'd say if there's a chance in hell that I can have you I'm going to take it." He said huskily. Xander felt an answering pull in his gut. He held out a hand to his love and led him to the bedroom. Closing the door behind them, he turned to stare into those endless blue pools.
"I love you, Wil." He whispered. Spike smiled and brushed an errant curl from Xander's forehead.
"I love you too, Xan."
Slowly, they came together, lips brushing tenderly against each other. Xander licked the vampire's lower lip…just a tiny flick…then sucked the full, pink treat into his mouth. The gentle pressure caused Spike to moan appreciatively. As Xander released his prize, Spike took the opportunity to slide his own tongue into the sweet, warm cavern of Xander's mouth.
Xander began breathing through his nose so he would never, ever have to give up the feeling of Spike's cool tongue claiming his mouth. The vampire explored every crevice, every tooth, even the roof of Xander's mouth before drawing the human's tongue into a sweet duel. Breaking away, Spike began raining kisses down Xander's jawline. The brunette gave a tiny whine of displeasure at the sudden loss of his lover's mouth, but it turned into a tiny whine of something completely different as Spike left a wet trail of passion behind his amazing mouth.
Xander slid his hands up Spike's body and encountered resistance from the tucked in shirt. Carefully, he eased it out of the vampire's waistband and ran his hands up naked, cool flesh. Spike's breath hitched a bit then his attack on Xander's jaw and ear was renewed with a vengeance. Xander had just begun to anticipate Spike's flittering tongue when the vampire added a new horizon. He raked blunt teeth across Xander's throat. The human let out a soft keening wail and shuddered.
That seemed to set a match to the kindled passion lurking in both of them. Xander shoved his hands up Spike's shirt, pushing the fabric up until Spike lifted his arms to allow Xander to remove it entirely. Not to be outdone, Spike grasped either side of Xander's shirt and ripped. Buttons flew everywhere, landing with tiny 'tinks' throughout the room. He wrenched the shirt down over Xander's arms and pinned him there with the sleeves.
He gazed at Xander's chest; strong, silky, muscled flesh. Xander thrust his chest towards the vamp and groaned in pleasure when Spike took the invitation and sucked a puckered nipple into his cold mouth. Xander was sure his nipples must have a direct connection to his dick, because every nibble, every suck, every lap Spike endowed on it increased his erection. Soon his pants were so constricting that he nudged Spike's hip in request to do something. The friction of his denim encased cock rubbing against Spike's leg caused his eyes to roll up in his head.
Spike laved his way down Xander's chest, nibbling and licking a fiery trail from one side to the other. When he reached Xander's jeans he dropped to his knees. He reached around and clutched Xander's ass in his hands, squeezing reflexively, as he brought his mouth forward to the bulge in Xander's pants. He dragged his teeth over the strained denim and was rewarded with a series of minute thrustings from the human's hips.
He continued to worry at that same spot as he undid Xander's belt until there was a wet spot over the protruding area. Finally, he pulled the constricting jeans away and allowed his lover's cock to spring out in relief. He moved back in and rubbed his smooth cheek against the engorged flesh, thrilling to the sound of Xander's moans.
Xander had his eyes tightly shut, focusing on Spike's cool hands and wicked mouth as the vampire tasted and touched him. When he felt air touch his straining erection, he let out a relieved moan. It melded into Spike's name as the vamp took his into his mouth. Spike opened his throat and took Xander straight to the root, rubbing his nose into the soft hair at the base of Xander's cock.
Spike set up a rhythm of taking Xander deep into his throat on the down stroke and swallowing, then kneading the human's sac and tickling his perineum on the upstroke. Xander felt sanity slipping away from him and a tight tingling sensation begin to build. "Spike…please," he begged hoarsely. "Stop…please, I want to be in you when I come." The vampire froze for a fraction of a second, and then released his treasure with a pop.
He crawled back up the brunette's body and looked into his glazed brown eyes. What he saw made him smile. He made quick work of shucking the rest of his clothing and tugged Xander to the bed. When he felt it touch the back of his knees, he fell backwards, pulling Xander on top of him. Xander straddled his lover's thighs and watched as the moonlight fell onto his pale skin.
"You are so beautiful, Wil." He whispered. "I love you so much."
He peppered the vampire's chest with tiny love bites, reveling in the ability to make the Big Bad whimper and arch into his touch. Stroking satiny skin, he laid claim to every bit of Spike's flesh with hands and lips and tongue.
"Xan, luv…I need you…please, fuck me already." Spike groaned, writhing under his lover's deft touch. Xander stretched his arm out and tugged open the drawer on the bedside table. He pulled out a little white tube and opened it one handed. Squeezing some out onto his finger, he gently pushed up on Spike's legs. The vamp lifted them eagerly, placing his hands behind his knees to hold them there.
He hissed as the cool gel and Xander's warm finger pressed into his tight ring of muscle. Then the finger made it past and was sheathed inside him. Xander gave Spike a moment to accustom himself to the feeling and then began to move. It only took three or four thrusts before Spike was trying to impale himself. Grinning, Xander pulled the finger back out, hearing Spike growl as he did so. He coated two fingers this time and eased them into the vampire, silencing the growls.
He crooked his fingers, searching for…
"Fuck! Oh fuck, Xan…yes! More…please,"
That.
He flicked his fingers over the small nub of flesh inside his lover, beginning to rub himself on the bedcover when Spike's pleadings turned into incoherent growls. Pulling free once again, he added more lube and worked three fingers into the vamp, stretching him, preparing him.
"Xan, luv…please. Fuck me." Spike begged. Xander took pity, both on himself and the vamp, and coated his shaft this time. Kneeling in front of his love, he nudged the opening gently, but Spike was having none of that. With a gasp, he rammed his body down onto Xander's cock, moaning in delight.
Xander adjusted himself so that he hit Spike's prostate with each thrust and began picking up speed. Soon, Spike was raising his hips to mirror Xander in a violent rhythm. Both men panted for air as they clutched each other closer. Blue eyes met brown and the lover's watched their desire rise to new pinnacles. Xander snaked his had between their bodies and began jerking Spike off in counterpoint to his own thrusts.
Spike's eyes melted into yellow and his fangs dropped. Xander smiled evilly. He leaned down to kiss the vamp, slipping his tongue between panting lips. Wrapping his tongue around a fang, he began sucking. Spike yowled and vamped out, his cool semen spilling over Xander's hand and his own stomach.
Xander's eyes rolled back into his head as Spike's ass muscles clenched around his dick. Moments later, he followed the blonde over into his own orgasm. He collapsed onto Spike's chest, gasping for air. He felt the vamp's arms move around him and they lay in each other's embrace until calmed.
Spike rolled Xander to the side and kissed him softly. Xander raised a hand to Spike's cheek and tenderly ghosted the back of his hand over the sharp cheekbone.
"I love you, Wil." He murmured sleepily. The blonde vampire smiled indulgently at him.
"And I love you, Xan. Go to sleep. We need our strength to fend off questions from the kids and the gang tomorrow."
Xander chuckled and snuggled into his love's embrace. And they slept.
~Fin~