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By Dark Childe

Angel sat quietly, waiting for his childe to get up for the evening, waiting for his family to come back to him. It was amazing. A few short weeks ago, he had thought that nothing would bring Cordelia, Wesley, and Gunn back to him. Nothing could make things the way they were. In a way he'd been right. Life, certainly wasn't the same as it had been before Darla came; it was better. They were a family now. He and his childe, Spike's lover, Cordelia, Wesley, and Gunn. He couldn't have done anything to bring about this change. It was all because Spike, a still soulless vampire, and a young human boy from his past had fallen in love. Funny how things worked.

Across town, Willow and Xander were having coffee. "Xander, I don't want to get you upset, okay, but why didn't you tell me." This question had been bothering her for quite some time. She and Tara had been in LA for almost a week now, and she still couldn't figure it out.

"I don't know Willow. I was scared. I was scared you'd tell Buffy, I was scared that he didn't love me, and I was scared that you'd think less of me. It wasn't all rational, but fear is powerful, whether it's reasonable or not. Just two or three times in our lives you've given me a look, Willow. It's a look that lets me know just how disappointed in me you are. I was afraid I'd get that look, it would have shattered me Willow." Xander spoke clearly. He knew that Willow needed to know, he just didn't know how to explain it to her, not really.

"Okay, I guess I can accept that. But Xander, don't ever run away from me again okay?" Willow answers him.

"Sure Wills, I've learned my lesson. I can tell you anything." Xander gives Willow a quick impulsive hug.

"Now, I wonder where Cordy has taken Tara. I really didn't expect that particular development." Willow giggled. Cordelia had decided to take poor Tara under her wing. The two girls had become fast friends, the shy Tara sometimes being the only one to laugh at Cordy's sometimes inappropriate comments. Cordelia liked the girl and enjoyed trying to bring her personality out. She also enjoyed the fact that Tara was up to shopping with her. Willow had been surprised by their friendship, but was glad for it. Tara had so few friends, and with Buffy behaving the way she was, she couldn't be counted among them anymore. Still it was strange.

"Yeah, who would have thought. Still, Tara is quiet, that way she can't interrupt one of Queen C's monologues. That must appeal. There they are. Hey guys, over here." Xander called out to the two girls on the other side of the room. They were both loaded down with shopping bags.

"We found the most fabulous sales today. Really Willow, you should have come with us. You could use some new clothes, and I won't even start on the state of your wardrobe Xander. What's for lunch? I hope nothing fattening, I have an audition tomorrow. When do you guys have to go home again? Wish you didn't have to, the place is much more fun with you here." Cordelia continued to rattle on, dropping in the occasional question, but never pausing for answers. Xander and Willow just looked at each other and burst out laughing. It took several minutes to get themselves back under control. while Tara and Cordelia looked on in shock.

"What was that all about?" Cordelia asked, when the two friends had finally settled down.

"Uhm nothing Cordy, inside joke." Willow couldn't suppress another small giggle.

"Yeah, guys it was nothing really. You had to be there." Xander concurred.

"Well, some people need lessons in manners don't you think, Tara." Cordelia asked.

Tara blushed and nodded never saying a word. She just shot Willow a look that promised they would talk about this later. After that, the four of them settled down into a companionable lunch. The girls would be leaving soon. They'd missed 3 days of classes already. They were staying one more week, because it was spring break but then they had to go home. Xander tried not to think about that. He didn't want to lose Willow, lose his connection to his old life. They had made promises; they'd e-mail and call and she'd visit whenever possible, but it wasn't enough. He couldn't go back there though. It was too dangerous, and besides, there was nothing there for him. Spike couldn't go back, Buffy would stake him on sight, and Xander wasn't going anywhere without Spike. He'd have to build a new life, here, with his new family.

A few hours later everyone began to drift back to the hotel, Wesley and Gunn walked in, deep in conversation. "I'm just saying man, it's getting harder to tell the good guys from the bad ones. I mean when I started all of this, the rule was vampires are bad. That was it, no exceptions. Then I meet Angel over here, and all of a sudden we say, vampires are bad unless they have a soul, oh and by the way there are a lot of other demons in the world and nearly all of them are bad too. Now we've got Junior over there, he's a soulless vampire, has killed thousands, and you're telling me he's one of the good guys, because he can't hurt people and is in love with a human. It's throwing my world a little bit here is all." Gunn and Wesley had been having this same conversation for days. It wasn't that Gunn didn't believe or trust what Angel and the rest were telling him about Spike, it just didn't fit into his world-view and he was having trouble adjusting. He would though. The difference between Gunn and Buffy, was that Gunn had already accepted that the world wasn't the black and white place he'd always believed it to be. He'd learn to see the shades of grey. He was just trying to hold desperately to a line that marked when the grey was too dark, when there wasn't enough good left. It was hard, but he was adjusting.

At first Spike had grumbled at the reaction, but Xander told him he had to look at things from their side, and he had to admit, they were taking this better than he would have expected. After all, the last time he was in town, he'd ended up torturing Angel, trying to get the gem of Amara, so he could go and kill the slayer. Not exactly endearing behaviour from their point of view. He was used to this conversation by now. Still, it was always, fun to tease them a little. Spike hid in the shadows, until Gunn and Wesley were past him. He then slipped out of his hiding place to follow closely behind, using the stealth his sire had taught him. When they were well into the interior of the building, Spike leaned in close and said, quite loudly, in Gunn's ear, "Boo!"

Gunn whirled around, and Wesley jumped straight up in the air. "Don't do that Man. You're gonna get yourself staked one of these days."

"Really Spike! One would think you could show a little restraint." Wesley was annoyed with Spike, but then that was his usual reaction to the blonde vampire.

Angel walked into the room, shaking his head, "Spike, don't annoy my friends. It's rude. I know this is difficult for you, but could you at least try to act like an adult." There was a gentleness to his tone, affection, and a little amusement as well.

Spike smirked but replied obediently, "Yes sire, won't happen again." He added under his breath, "not for a few hours anyway."

Before Angel could respond to him, Cordelia swept into the hotel, Willow, Xander, and Tara trailing after her. Cordelia was talking about the sales they had found. Willow and Xander were obviously trying not to laugh, and Tara just watched them all.

Xander walked over to stand by Spike, who immediately wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him closer. Spike quietly asked, "What's so funny pet? You and Red, look about to burst."

Xander settled back into his lover's embrace and whispered an answer. "It's nothing really. I'll tell you later." Xander was still in awe at the easy way he and Spike could interact with this group. Willow was right. He didn't have to hide from them. He wouldn't ever again, and he wouldn't run away. These people would stick by him no matter what. They were his family. He had effectively tuned out the conversation going on around them, and apparently so had Spike who was trailing feather-like kisses along his jawbone.

"Guys you are obviously enjoying yourselves, so I hate to break this up, but it's time to work." Cordelia's voice broke through their quiet reverie, and Xander pulled away.

"Sorry, just thinking. I've got some work upstairs." he leaned back in to give Spike a quick kiss, and then went upstairs to work.

Spike sighed, "Well, I guess I'll go see if I can help Peaches any, considering you ran off with my boy." He wasn't really upset, but it was always fun to tease the cheerleader.

Everyone quickly fell into their afternoon routine. After their confrontation with Buffy, the office had moved back to the Hyperion. Xander had expressed a need to feel useful, so Angel had mentioned that there were quite a few repairs the hotel was separately in need of. Xander had taken to the work quickly, and was doing a wonderful job, restoring broken up rooms to their former splendour. While Willow was here, she was helping to set up a new computer system. Somehow, Cordelia had managed to completely erase the hard drive of their last computer. Willow had talked Angel into just buying a new one. She was also teaching everyone how to properly use it and some programs that she had developed for it. One was a demon database. She had set it up for her work in Sunnydale, but it was still a little small. She showed Angel, Wesley, and even Spike how to add demons to the database. She also taught them some basics to hacking and installed a few programs that would help them. Her abilities had come in handy when they were fighting the mayor, and anytime they needed information on buildings and such. There were other ways to get that type of information, but hacking was easier. Even Spike had found a place here. Over the more than a century that he had existed, he had learned many languages, demon and human, modern and ancient. Surprisingly there was little overlap between his languages and Wesley's. He could read things that Wesley could not, but most of what Wesley did, was outside his knowledge. Combined with firsthand knowledge of a lot of demons, that made him very useful to the group. Quite simply this was home.

The next few days were happy ones. But it was soon time for Willow and Tara to return to Sunnydale. Everyone gathered in the lobby of the hotel to say goodbye. Xander hugged each girl close to him. "I love you guys. I know you have to go, but I wish you could stay. Don't forget me. Please come back." he was near tears.

Willow tried to soothe him, but it was Tara's words that finally calmed him. "We love you too Xander. We'll be back. The slayer needs us, but we don't belong to her anymore. We could never, ever forget you." Not once did she stutter. No one in the room had heard her say so many words at once. Willow beamed with pride.

Cordelia gave them each quick hugs adding her own goodbye. "Hurry back. And Tara, take that girl shopping. Get her some decent clothes. If Buffy gets to be too much just come back for a visit or to stay."

Wesley in his own stiff and rather formal way, shook hands with the girls, surprised when Willow hugged him. "You shall be missed ladies. Don't stay away too long." He then retreated away from the emotional scene.

Gunn, had really not gotten to know the girls too well. He liked them, but their leaving didn't effect him the way it obviously was the others. "Hey girls, be seeing you." He followed after Wesley.

Angel spoke next, "Willow, Tara, thank you for being here. Please keep Buffy safe. The world needs her. I want you girls to know something. When Xander and Spike came, they also brought back my friends, and we became stronger. We are a family now. You girls are part of that family. If you ever need us, just call. You are always welcome here." Angel's tone was hesitant but sincere. He had worked this whole thing out, just days before, and was unused to verbalising his feelings.

Everyone looked around for a moment. Hugs were again exchanged. Spike had still not spoken. Willow had just decided that he was not going to say goodbye. She and Tara began to walk out the door. Just as they were leaving they heard Spike's voice call out, "Girls wait. I need to say something." The girls turned around and waited patiently for Spike's words. He was pacing the floor nervously. Finally he spoke again. "I know you still don't trust me, there's no reason you should. But, thank you. Thank you for staying. It would have killed my Xander to have lost you. Come back to him." There were tears in his eyes as he said this, but Spike didn't even notice them.

Willow walked to Spike and took his hands in hers, "Spike, you love Xander. I can see that. He needs you. I may never be able to understand that, and I may never fully trust you, but I can accept it. I had to stay. I couldn't abandon Xander because he fell in love. I'll be back." She took a step away and added, "Remember what I told you Spike. If you ever hurt him, be ready for a long and painful death. I don't think you will though." With that she turned and walked out the door, ready to face what lay ahead of her. She knew it wouldn't be easy to deal with Buffy, but the girl needed her. It was time to go home.

Spike and Xander went to each other. Xander wrapped himself tightly around Spike, holding him close. "I love you Spike, we're home now."

Spike responded with a gentle, lingering kiss. They were home. It was new for Spike, he'd never really had a home and family before. He did now. He could actually get to like this.

 

~Fin~