*****

When Cordelia walked into the Hyperion the next morning she was greeted by a tomb like silence. Instead of the usual morning noise of Wesley flipping through his books and Gunn cleaning his weapons there was nothing. She paused for a moment, unsure at the strangeness before shrugging her shoulders and marching right in. If there was one thing in life Cordelia had learned it was that sitting around and waiting for things was never the way to go. She walked into Wesley's office ready to demand an explination when she stopped cold.

Wesley was slumped over his desk, his glasses lay next to his head and an empty bottle of scotch still in his hand. Gunn was sound asleep in a chair hands grasped tightly to his favorite axe. The scene was different enough for alarms bells to start ringing in her head and she started shouting.

"What the hell is going on here?" The sudden noise caused Gunn to leap from his chair and only his many years of training prevented him from decapitating Cordelia. The irate woman simply glared at him before turning to Wesley who hadn't so much as flinched at her question. Sighing heavily she walked over to the older man and with a certain malicious joy yanked his chair back from the desk causing Wesley to fall to the floor. Wesley lay there groggily for a moment before focusing bleary eyes on Cordelia.

"Bloody hell woman, what do you want?" Wesley asked, voice rough and his accent thickened. Cordelia mearly raised an eyebrow and waited somewhat impatiently for the former watcher to rise from the floor. Wesley stumbled, grabbing onto the edge of the desk to maintain his balance before throwing a glare at the prom queen and resumeing his seat.

"So, anybody gonna tell me what's going on or am I going to have to get nasty?" Cordelia asked, completly ignoring the incrediously glance Gunn and Wesley shared. She started tapping her foot when an immediate answer wasn't given. She was just about to launch into a tirade when Gunn finally spoke up.

"Bad night. Things got a little crazy and shit happened." Gunn sat back down in his chair and scanned the outer offices before once more turning his attention to the two in front of him.

"Okay and that would be?" Cordelia asked throwing confused and somewhat irritated looks at Wesley.

"Fine." Wesley said, reaching for his glasses and putting them on. He started riffling through his desk drawers as he spoke. "Last night we were going on a rescue mission, as you well know. Everything was going accourding to plan and Angel had decided to let Xander test some of his new skills. I'm not quit sure what happened next. One moment I was observing Xander getting ready to attack and the next Spike was in front of me in full game face snarling. Before I could react, Xander had jumped in front of Spike and the two proceeded to tear each other up before Angel was able to pull them apart. We came home and the three vampires proceeded upstairs and we haven't seen them since." Wesley ended, he delved deeper into a bottom drawer before letting out a small noise of pleasure. Pulling out the bottle of asprin he opened it up and swallowed two pills dry before once more placing his head on his desk.

Cordelia waited a moment longer and when it was obvious Wesley wasn't going to say anything else, rolled her eyes and sat down on the edge of his desk. "Okay, now how about you explain that to me again. First of all, why was Spike there? I thought he wasn't supposed to leave the hotel. And second, I thought Spike couldn't hurt anything anymore?"

Wesley simply raised his head and glared at her. Cordelia simply glared back. Sighing in defeat Wesley leaned back in his chair and rubbed his hands over his eyes. "We were under that impression as well but it seems either the information we were given is incorrect or Spike's chip is no longer functioning. In either case, Spike is now a danger to us and so far as I know Angel is taking care of the problem as we speak if he hasn't already." For a brief moment Cordelia thought she saw pain and loss flicker through Wesley's eyes but it was gone as quickly as it had come and she shook off the thought.

"Well, is anyone going to go check on them?" She asked. Gunn stood up from his seat but Wesley spoke.

"I don't think that's a wise idea."

"Why not? I mean, if Spike's up there and he's no longer chip boy I want to make sure there's a nice pile of ash." Cordelia said.

Again that quick flash of emotion in Wesley's eyes but she was distracted by his next words. "I don't think it wise because vampires have their own......ways of handling these situations ."

"Their own ways?" Cordelia asked, brow lifted in obvious disbelief.

"Yes, well how to explain. Hold on a moment." Wesley stood up and walked over to the bookshelves lining the back of his office. He rummaged around for a few moments before pulling an old tomb from the back. Lightly blowing off some dust he brought the book back to his desk and set it before Cordelia. He flipped it open carefully and started searching. After a few moments and some grumblings from Gunn and Cordelia he finally stopped at a picture. Turning the book around he allowed the other two to take a good look.

Gunn got a look of disgust on his face while Cordelia's eyes widened in horror. "What in the hell is that!?" She called out, standing from the desk and taking a few steps back.

"That is a picture of a Sire and Childe. The Sire is chastising his Childe for committing a crime against the lore. It is one of the ways, actually the major way, in which a Sire maintains his hold over his offspring." Wesley replied dryly, closing the book and resettling in his chair. There was silence in the room for a long moment.

"But that's so...so.." Cordelia paused looking for an appropriate word.

"Violent? Yes, it is. But after all they are vampires." Wesley said.

"Ya, but that still doesn't explain why I don't need to go up there." Gunn stated, shooting a glance to the staircase.

Wesley nodded his head and started to explain. "A Sire is the star in which Childer revolve around. You must understand vampires are some of the basest creatures, following whim or fancy as they desire. In order to maintain order of any kind, Childer need to learn that their maker's have absolute and total control over them. A Sire is gifted with certain abilities that he receives only when he has made his first Childe. Certain bites, when inflicted, help control an unruly Childe. For instance, Spike has most likely already received the 'Screaming Death'."

"Screaming Death?" Cordelia asked, nose scrunching up in confusion.

"Yes, Screaming Death refers to the ultimate bite a Sire can lay upon a Childe. Say for instance, Spike was to bite Xander. He could, if given enough time, turn Xander to ash just like he would kill either you or I. However, the bite would be no more painful than normal. When a Sire inflicts this bite on a Childe the pain is magnified a hundred fold. The Childe literally dies screaming, thus it's name."

A pregnant pause and then�..

"Oh. Wow. So that's what Angel did?" Cordelia said, voice hushed as the images began forming in her mind.

"More than likely. Spike is a threat. If his chip is, indeed, inactive than Angel would not be able to trust Spike around any of us. This is probably what he has done."

"Probably?" Gunn asked looking a little queasy.

"Well, there are several levels of bite's a Sire can inflict, ranging from a simple warning bite which is about four or five times more painful than an ordinary vampire bite all the way to the fatal one. It depends on the situation and the anger of the Sire." Wesley concluded. The aspirin was beginning to kick in and now all he wanted to do was go home and deal with all this tomorrow.

"So, Angel could possibly not have delivered this Screaming Death?" Cordelia asked a note of worry and fear creeping into her voice.

Wesley looked at her calmly before answering. "Yes there is a possibility that Spike is still alive, however, I do believe that Angel would place our lives above those of a soulless monster." Cordelia and Gunn seemed slightly mollified by this answer and Wesley stood up.

"Now if you'll excuse me for a moment, I need to use the restroom." He walked out of the room, Cordelia and Gunn's eyes firmly fixed on the staircase.

*****

Wesley shut the bathroom door behind him and slumped against it, closing his eyes as a million thoughts raced through his mind. The evening had started so well and then everything had gone wrong. Spike had been there, flashing his fangs and lunging for his throat and all he had done was stand there, paralyzed.

He walked over to the sink and turned the cold water on, splashing some onto his face. That wasn't the worst part though. Oh no, not nearly the worst part. That was reserved for the small part of him that had leapt for joy when that snarling face had come at him. The rush of pleasure and anticipation that had felt at the imminent attack. He didn't understand. Not one bit. How in all the nine hells had that happened? *Why* had it happened? Spike was supposed to be nothing but a beast. A soulless thing that should have been put down a long time ago.

*But you want him* A voice whispered to him. He tried to shut it out but it kept repeating itself. Yes, he admitted. He had felt an attraction to the vampire. How could he not? Spike was passion and fire, life and death. He was as dangerous as you could get and yet he had a gentle side. A side he had seen on a few rare occasions. His body had acknowledged Spike as a potential mate while his mind tried to deny ever thinking it.

And last night. Last night had proven beyond a doubt that he was insane for ever thinking Spike could be more than he was. The moment he had realized that he was free the vampire had attacked the nearest warm body. It hadn't mattered who it was and that cut Wesley deeper than he wanted to admit.

Sighing, he finished in the bathroom and straightened his spine, casting off his thoughts. No matter what, he would face the outcome of last night's events with calm and dignity. Whether or not Spike was dust didn't matter, couldn�t matter. He just had to find some way to convince his heart.

*****

"Wesley is good at explaining things." Angel murmured into Spike's ear. He had been up for the last hour and heard the entire conversation going on in the hotel lobby.

"Yes, he is." Spike said. His throat was still raw from screaming and he burrowed further into Angel's embrace.

"I don't think he meant it, Childe." Angel said, running a soothing hand down Spike's flat stomach. He felt the blonde vampire tremble and started purring softly.

"Yes, he did." Spike replied, only noticing the tears on his face when Angel reached up and brushed them away. "I...I love him Angel. I don't know how or why but my demon chose him and it wants him. But....I can't." His voice broke and he turned in Angel's arms, pushing his face deep into Angel's throat.

"Hush Childe. Wesley is a former watcher. A man who has spent his entire life fighting and killing our kind. He is a hard man to understand and an even harder one to read. He trusts little and believes strongly. All of these things you know. There is nothing I can say to ease your pain but this. Don't give up so readily on him. He may yet surprise you."

"He called me a...soulless monster, a beast that needs to be 'dealt' with. I know that's what I am but it's not all. How can he see anything but that after what I've done?" Spike asked, despair coloring his voice. He had never felt so vulnerable and alone as he had at this moment, not even when Dru had left him for the first time.

"The only way for him to see anything else is to show him." Angel raised Spike's face until the younger vampire looked him in the eyes. "If he is worth dying for than he is worth anything else you can give him."

"Why....why are saying this? I thought you'd want me to stay as far away from him as I could get." Spike asked, confusion marring his brow.

"Because....Xander has changed me. He has allowed me to come out of my guilt a little and see those around me without a shadow hanging over my head. I see Wesley. How alone and afraid he is. How he struggles to do the right thing no matter what but expects to fail nonetheless. I also see you. Childe born of my blood, who has been abandoned by those he should have trusted over and over again. First me and then Dru. Your family swept away. Now this chip in your head that keeps you from being what you are. It was one of the reasons I spared you."

"I thought that was 'cause Xan confessed." Spike said.

Angel chuckled lightly before guiding Spike's head to his chest. "That was the main reason. Trust me, if that confession had not been made you *would* be a pile of dust." Angel said, a slightly warning in his tone. Spike immediately bared his neck and Angel kissed it lightly before continuing. "I realized in the few months that you've been here that you�re very different from William. You still have an attitude and you still have no patience, but now you are wiser as well. You came here and with nothing but your coat and your courage you managed to worm your way into my home. And into my heart once again, as well." Angel's arms squeezed firmly before relaxing. "I never stopped loving you Will. It was myself I couldn't stand."

The confession was wrung from Angel's lips but his Childe deserved it. Needed it. And Angel knew that Spike would never allow himself to be this vulnerable to Angel again. Stress, fear, and exhaustion had lead to this moment and he wasn't going to give it up now.

"Sire....I can't. I mean...not with you anymore. I belong to Wes now whether or not he knows it. I can't be that anymore." Spike said, fresh tears marring his cheeks. He inhaled a shaky breath and clung tighter to Angel.

"Shhh. I know, Will, I know. Sleep now. We'll have a lot of explaining to do and we'll need our strength." Angel placed a kiss on Spike's forehead and closed his eyes, purring softly. They fell asleep wrapped around each other. Sire and Childe united at last.

*****

In a room down the hall, Xander smiled as he whipped the tears from his cheeks. He sat there thinking for a long time, letting the sounds of the outside world run through him. A few hours later he let out a little laugh and welcomed a brother into his heart.

*end*

A/N: Never fear, snarky Spike is still here!! Sorry for getting Spike so mushy gushy but it was necessary to the plot line that I show just how deeply Spike can feel...and that includes the non-hardass stuff. Spike will return to his regulary programed attitude in a moment. Thank You.