Buffy slumped on her stool, expression grim. The gang had retired to the Bronze after a day of fruitless searching. Spike's crypt had appeared to be ransacked, and the vampire himself was nowhere to be found. Even his car was missing form it's usual spot, and Buffy had thought it would have been a simple thing to find considering its...uniqueness. But it seemed no one was talking if they knew anything about...*anything*. Even Willie hadn't squealed, which either meant he really didn't know -- unlikely -- or he was way more scared of talking than getting beaten up by the Slayer. *Not* a good sign.

Giles watched his charge consume yet another drink. He could see how the tension of this situation was eating away at her, but he could think of nothing that might help. The revelation about Spike had shocked them all, and they were all worried that, eventually, the vampire's forcibly repressed violent tendencies would break out, resulting in a bloodbath.

Willow just sat close to her girlfriend, sniffling occasionally. Her eyes were red from crying, and she tried desperately not to imagine what might have happened to her best friend, what Spike may have done to him.

Buffy sat up straight when she caught a snatch of the conversation from a few tables away. She stood abruptly, making her way over to the man who was telling his tale of woe. She tapped him on the shoulder, and when he turned, asked, "What did you say?"

The man looked her up and down. "Excuse me?"

Buffy smiled invitingly at him. "I heard you talking about a blonde guy who attacked you. What happened?"

Eager to impress, the man went into his spiel again. "Well, I was driving home the night before last, and this bleached blonde punk guy jumps out in the middle of the road. I slam on my brakes and get out to make sure he wasn't hurt, you know? So, there I am trying to help him, when he grabs me. His face goes all weird and, I kid you not, he grew these fangs. Fangs! Well, let me tell you, *that* was freaky enough, but then his eyes start this glowing thing like they could burn right through me. And he shakes me really hard, totally lifting me off the ground, then he tosses me about 15 feet away. He starts coming after me all growling and snarling and shit, and hey, I'm not ashamed to admit it, but I high-tailed it out of there! Yeah, buddy!" He tossed back the rest of his drink, then continued. "Well, I go back a little later, and guess what? My car is gone. That...thing stole my car! What a perfect ending to my day, huh?"

Buffy nodded as if in commiseration. "So, um, where did this happen, do you remember?" she asked nonchalantly. Her eyes grew wide when the man gave her the name of the street that Xander lived on. "Was...was there anyone else with him?"

The man shrugged. "Not so I noticed. Although I looked back once, and he was lugging this big bundle into the street. Probably a body or something."

"Um, well, thanks." Turning, she hurried back to where Giles and the witches were waiting curiously. "Jackpot!" she announced.

"What? What is it?" Willow leaned toward her, almost falling off her stool.

"That guy saw Spike out by Xander's house the other night. Spike attacked him and stole his car, and he was carrying something that could have been a person."

"Oh goddess!" Willow gasped. "You don't think he's...dead?"

Buffy patted her shoulder reassuringly. "Of course not, Wills. His father didn't say anything about Xander being killed. I'm sure Spike just knocked him out or something. Don't worry, we'll hunt down that bleached wonder and get Xander back."

Willow responded with a wavering grin. Then her jaw dropped. "Oh! A spell! Why didn't I think of that before!" She turned toward Tara in excitement. "We can do a scrying spell and find out where Spike has Xander."

"Yes, of course," Giles put in. "I believe I have just the thing in one of my books, it's just a matter of getting the proper ingredients together. Well, that and translating the spell, of course."

Buffy threw up her hands. "It would have been more helpful to think of this *before* we wasted the entire day...but better late than never. Well? What are you guys waiting for? Let's get cracking!"

Willow stood in the doorway, bag in hand. "Ok, good news and bad news." She held up the bag. "Good news is, I got all but the pickled Troglith eyes for the spell. Bad news is, none of the stores have those in stock, so I ordered some, but it will take a few days to get it in."

Frowning, Buffy ceased her pacing, wrinkling her nose. "Pickled Trog--? Never mind, I *really* don't want to know. Damn!" She glanced at her Watcher. "Giles? Are you sure we need the eyes? Maybe you translated the spell ingredients wrong."

Giles removed his glasses, polishing them thoroughly as he leveled a hard stare at the Slayer. "I hardly think you need to call my abilities into question simply because you're frustrated. Blaming me won't help any of us a bit."

Buffy flopped down onto a chair, groaning heavily. "Yeah, I know. But I'm kinda 'take-action girl' here. I *hate* waiting! Besides, who knows what's happening to Xander in the meantime?"

"In that case, I'd suggest we keep up the search for either him or Spike while we wait, since it will be days before we can implement the spell." He replaced his glasses, going over the spell translation a final time.

Grinning, Buffy cracked her knuckles. "Yep. Time to go pound some demons -- and whiney little bartenders -- for more information." She bounced up, moving over to where Willow had seated herself beside her girlfriend. "You coming?"

~~~~~~~~~~

Spike sat on the bed behind Xander, running a soft brush through the human's hair in what had quickly become a daily ritual. Each snarl and tangle was gently picked apart and smoothed out, and the vampire delighted in the feel of the silken strands between his fingers. He'd always loved brushing Dru's hair, but the vampiress was usually too impatient to sit and let him play his fill with it. //Hmm. Maybe I can convince the boy to grow it out some.//

"Spike?" The name was said in a tone just barely above a whisper.

Spike frowned slightly. He didn't like how quiet and withdrawn Xander had gotten over the last few days. He rarely spoke, and when he did, it was always in the same soft voice. There had been no inane arguments, no witty quips, no *anything*. It was like he was simply...existing.

The vampire wasn't used to Xander being so passive. Sure, it might have been amusing before to have control over one of Slutty's little lackeys, but the boy had come to be something more than that to him. And he did *not* care for this change that had come over his Nummy. Not one bit.

The vampire gave himself an internal shake. //Later, dolt!// "Yeah, Xan?" he finally responded.

Xander hesitated, then twisted about in Spike's loose grip. "Are we...are we gonna stay here?"

Spike's brow furrowed. The hotel wasn't cheap, and he'd quickly gone through the money he'd managed to acquire. And most of the junk he'd lugged away from Xander's old place ended up being virtually worthless, providing him with much less income than he'd anticipated. In short, they were almost broke. //Damn! Times like these I wish I'd listened to the pouf’s incessant nattering about investing. Could do with a stash of quid about now.//

He smoothed his face out, offering the boy a smile. "Not to worry, mate. Spike's got everything all figured out." //Liar!// "We'll look for some other place after we get out of the clinic tonight, ok?"

Xander hunched down imperceptibly. "D-do we have to go?"

Spike set the brush down, twining his fingers deeper into Xander's hair as he began to massage his scalp. "Hey, no big deal. The doc'll do a bit of a poke and prod, and you'll be good as new." He rubbed his nose against the base of Xander's neck. "I'll make sure nothing happens to you."

"How?" He relaxed as those magic fingers seemed to suck his tension away.

//Don't say it. Don't even say it you moron!//

{I'm not listening...} "Well, you know, once I've claimed you proper, the other demon types won't mess with you."

//You idiot! You said it!//

{Oh, sod off!}

//He's gonna freak when he finds out what you want to do. You *know* he will!//

{If you don't bloody well take a hike, I'll make *you* figure out what to do about our...financial straits.}

//Ooooh. Scary though. You know as well as I do that I'd end up handling that anyway. I mean, who's got the brains around here?//

{You are *one* step away--}

"Um, Spike?"

Spike jerked out of his internal dialogue. "Huh? What was that, pet?"

"I just...I asked what you meant by 'proper'." Large, liquid brown eyes gazed up at the vampire trustingly.

//Oh, it's that look... Tell him!//

{Oh my. And who's changed their tune?}

//Yeah, like you can resist when he does *that*. Please!//

"Well, it's a bit...um, you don't have to do it, not if you don't want to." He sighed. "It's...you know how vamps are made, right?"

Xander nodded, although it was apparent the he was somewhat confused.

"Yeah, the whole exchanging blood thing. Well, the strongest vampires can do something similar without actually turning someone. See, I could take a little of your blood, give you a bit of mine, and it would...mark you. Other demons will sense it, and pretty much let you be."

Xander's breath caught, and he shuddered, eyes growing wide as he stared at Spike in disbelief. "Y-you...you..." He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again. "You...want to...bite me?"

Spike gulped. "I wouldn't hurt you, luv," he assured the boy. "I would *never* hurt you." He rocked the human gently, purring softly until he felt Xander once more relax. "I'm not gonna make you...it's just...it's an option."

There was silence for long moments, then Xander sighed. "Ok," he whispered. Tilting his head up, he looked directly at Spike. "P-promise there won't be much pain?"

Spike gave him a quick hug. "Swear, Xan. Never any pain." Shifting them around, he lay Xander down on his back, efficiently removing his shirt. He lay next to the boy, hand stroking lightly on his belly. "Shh, luv. Just relax for me."

Scooting in closer, he nuzzled his head into the curve of Xander's shoulder. He scented the boy, nearly moaning at the lack of fear and the faintest glimmer of perhaps something more. Carefully, he turned Xander's face toward him, brushing a finger over slightly parted lips. He slowly leaned over the human, letting his features settle into their vampiric planes. He noticed the jump in pulse, but still detected no fear, so he lowered his head to the bared neck.

Ever so gently, Spike let his lips press against the tender skin. His tongue flickered out to lave the patch of flesh, and then he brought his fangs close. Mindful of the chip in his head, he sincerely tried to convince it that doing this wouldn't harm Xander, but would prove to be a source of protection. He figured it had worked when his fangs sliced neatly in, parting the fragile skin, and there wasn't the faintest twinge of pain in his head. He didn't bite deep, just lapped at the blood that welled from the twin punctures. He barely even took a mouthful, all told.

Reluctantly, the vampire pulled himself away from the trickle of rich fluid. Sitting up a bit, he made eye contact with Xander and brought his wrist to his lips. He bit down, opening up a small wound. Then, he offered his bloody wrist to Xander, who swallowed hard, then timidly brought the wrist to his mouth. He grimaced at first when the coppery liquid rushed into his mouth, but obediently consumed the liquid. He had only swallowed once or twice when Spike removed his wrist, unconsciously licking up the remainder of the blood that had escaped.

Relieved that the claim was now a little more binding, Spike lay down again, slinging his arm over Xander's waist. He tenderly kissed the spot just below Xander's ear, murmuring, "Sleep now, pet. Everything's gonna be fine."

Xander sighed, snuggling into the cool body next to him as he quickly nodded off.

Spike watched the sleeping boy for a few minutes, then closed his eyes as well. Smiling almost sweetly, he curved his body protectively around Xander's, joining him in slumber.

*****
Part 19:

"What's taking so long?" Buffy whined as she paced around the room, glaring every so often at the witches.

"Almost...done!" Willow beamed happily, making on last check that everything was in the proper position. Buffy bounded forward, kneeling down beside the round mirror that had been placed on the floor. Giles and Riley followed suit, and the five were soon gathered in a loose circle.

Taking a deep breath, Willow began chanting, her voice soon joined by Tara's. Their voices rose in pitch, and when the last word was spoken, there was a bright flash from the mirror. Everyone leaned forward eagerly.

In the mirror, an image was slowly emerging from black fog. It looked like a large building, and as the picture gained clarity, Willow bit back a cry of relief. "I know that place! It's that new hotel out on the north side of town. I just--" her voice hitched, "I went past it to pick up some of the supplies for the spell."

Tara held her hand comfortingly. "Y-you didn't know he was there. It'll be ok, really. You can't blame yourself."

Buffy waved a hand to shush them. "It's getting closer."

They watched as the mirror seemed to zoom in on the hotel, curving around the back and pausing just outside one of the doors. There was a flicker, then the inside of the room was shown. The picture rotated, then showed them an aerial view of the bed.

Buffy hissed when she saw Spike, curled around the missing Scooby. The hiss turned into a gasp of anger when Xander's head turned, bringing the set of fang marks on his neck into full view. "His mouth," she whispered. "There's blood on his mouth."

And there was. Faint drops of red glistening on his lower lip, a smudge of darker color at the corner of his mouth.

"Oh goddess, no," Willow whimpered, burying her face in Tara's shoulder.

Giles sat back, shocked. "It can't be," he breathed.

Jumping up, Buffy tried to suppress a growl of rage. "That bastard!" she spat. "He turned him. He turned Xander! He's fucking dust!"

"Now Buffy," Giles interjected, "We don't know that for certain. It-it could just be that...that..."

Buffy glared at her Watcher. "I know *exactly* what it is. And I'm going hunting." She grabbed up a couple of stakes, heading for the door. Riley scrambled after her, and the two were quickly gone.

Willow sobbed once, a hand over her mouth. "Not Xander," she cried softly. "Please, not Xander."

Tara held her, shooting a worried glance at Giles. "C-can't we do anything?"

Giles removed his glasses, polishing them absently. "Well, if it's true about Xander, then I'm sure Spike will shortly be dust."

"But...what about Xander?" she asked softly, patting Willow's head as another sob issued forth.

"I�I suppose we could try a soul restoration spell. If we can gather together the right components."

Willow dashed the tears from her eyes, sitting up with a determined look on her face. "Yes. Yes! Let's do it."

Biting her lip, Tara asked, "What if Buffy gets to him first?"

Willow shook her head. "No. She won't kill Xander. She *won't*!" She jumped to her feet, pulling Tara up after her. "Let's go! We need to find an Orb of Thesulah!"

~~~~~~~~~~

Xander sat in bed, staring at the door with trepidation. "I don't wanna go," he whispered.

Spike paused, arms full. Taking a look at the brunette, he unceremoniously let everything drop at his feet, quickly moving to Xander' side. "Aw, pet, I know, but we have to go. Doctor's orders, y'know." He hugged to boy close. "Don't worry, mate. Won't let no one hurt you. Ok?"

Shivering, Xander nodded. "'kay."

Spike kissed his shoulder, then stood again. "Gonna finish packin' the car. Don't move, I'll be back in a sec."

Xander watched as Spike retrieved his deposited cargo, disappearing through the door. Another two trips with the rest, and Spike was back, gently hefting the human and carrying him to the car. He set him down, buckled him up, then got in the driver's side.

"Already checked out, so say goodbye. Got a line on a new place, we'll swing by after your appointment, ok?" Spike put the car in gear and pulled out of the parking lot.

"Sure," came the soft reply. Xander peeked over at Spike, then inched his hand across the seat. The vampire glanced down, noticed, and dropped his own hand from the steering wheel, twining their fingers together as he drove.

A few minutes after they left, a blond-haired girl rounded the corner, boyfriend in tow. They headed straight for the lobby, and she planted herself in front of the large desk there.

Buffy glared hard at the young man, ignoring the wide-eyed girl by his side. She leaned forward menacingly, taking a good look at his nametag. "Jason. I'm looking for a friend," she stated.

Jason cocked an eyebrow, not in the least bit intimidated. "Really? Yes, I would suppose you'd be in need of one."

The girl, Leslie according to her tag, giggled.

Buffy struggled to reign in her temper. Through gritted teeth she continued, "It's kind of an emergency. His...brother was in an accident. He told us he was staying here with a friend, but forgot to give us the room number."

"Uh-huh." Jason just continued staring at her, noting how her face was turning an interesting shade of pink. He fully expected to see steam coming out her ears any second.

Riley stepped forward, laying a calming hand on Buffy's arm. "It really is important that we find him," he explained rationally. "His name is Xander. He's about 6 feet tall, dark hair and eyes, not skinny but not too built. Sound familiar?"

Jason shrugged. "Not in the slightest."

Buffy slapped her hand down on the desk. "Look, we know he's here, now just tell us where!"

Again, Riley spoke up. "Well, maybe you saw his friend. He's a little shorter, bleached blonde hair, blue eyes, kind of slender."

Nodding now, Jason grinned. "Yeah, him. I remember him. Checked in about a week ago. Never saw anyone with him, though."

"Which. Room." Buffy was visibly struggling to control her temper now.

"1742, around back."

"Great. Thanks *so* much," she said sarcastically, then stalked out of the lobby. Riley smiled apologetically, then followed.

Leslie frowned at Jason. "Why didn't you tell her that blondie already checked out?"

Jason snickered. "Are you kidding? She gave me the willies; she was definitely lying about that whole emergency thing. I don't think she's a friend at all." He grinned widely. "Besides, that guy was totally *hot*, and you just know he was here shacking up with his boyfriend. Probably trying to get away from *her*."

Leslie sighed heavily. "Yeah. What a waste. I wouldn't have kicked him outta my bed for eating crackers!"

Moaning in agreement, Jason slumped over the counter. "Me neither. Damn, why can't I find a man like that?"

Buffy kicked the door in, ignoring Riley's muted protest. She snarled in fury at the barren room, totally devoid of Xander, Spike, or anything else other than the usual hotel things. "Damn it! They're gone!" She kicked a chair, then went to the bed and ripped the rumpled covers off. There were a few small splotches of blood on the sheets, but nothing else. "Just missed them. Fuck! They were just here!" She pounded the bed with her fists.

Riley reached for her. "Hey, we'll find him. At least we know he's still in town."

"Yeah, for now. Who's to say he won't just run?"

"Well, he's always tried for you before. He probably turned Xander to get to you, and now he's just waiting for the right time to use it. You can't let him get you off balance."

Buffy took a deep breath. "You're right. I have to stay calm." Another few breaths, and she straightened. "Ok, back to Giles'. Time for a new plan."

~~~~~~~~~~

Spike paced outside the room. He wanted to be *in* there, with Xander. But the doc had asked for a minute alone with the boy. //Fine. But if he so much as makes him whimper, I'll...I'll...//

{What? Glare at him and call him a mean, nasty man? Chip, remember?}

//Oh, who asked you?// He continued pacing, his path growing until he was treading the length of the hall. His attention was so focused on what was happening inside that room, he didn't notice someone approaching. He simply kept walking, and reached the corner at the same time as the other person.

They collided, and the smaller man went sprawling to the floor. Spike jumped back with a growl, slipping into gameface. "Watch it!" he snarled, wincing at the warning throb in his head.

The man on the floor shook his head, sitting up and brushing himself off. A hand was run through spiky, bright red hair, and he lifted his head.

Spike frowned. He had the feeling that he knew this guy from somewhere. Something clicked, and his features smoothed out. "Dogboy?"

Oz blinked up at the vampire. "Spike," he answered calmly.

*****
Part 20:

Spike watched impassively as Oz slowly climbed to his feet. "Nice hair," he commented wryly.

Oz nodded. "I was thinking of going with green, but I didn't want to do anything too drastic," he answered seriously.

"Good planning." Spike watched as the werewolf checked himself over to make sure nothing was out of place. "So what are you doing here?"

"I help out here sometimes. You?" Oz cocked his head, leaning closer to the vampire and sniffing. "You smell like...why do you smell like Xander?"

Spike spun around at the loud crashes that suddenly came from the room he'd been pacing outside of. He could hear Xander's panicked breathing, and thought nothing of storming the door, his only thought to get rid of whatever was scaring his human.

He snarled at the sight that met his eyes.

Xander was standing near a counter, holding a glass container threateningly, face red with anger and fear. "Get away from me! Don't touch me!" He threw the container, which smashed spectacularly on the far wall as Dr. Fredericks ducked.

"What the hell?" Spike muttered.

Stumbling back, Xander knocked a few more things to the floor. His back hit a wall, and he leaned against it on trembling legs. "I hate you," he moaned softly. "Why'd you do that to me? I hate you. Don't touch me any more." His knees gave out, and he sank to the floor, huddling there surrounded by broken glass.

Spike hissed at the doctor, then stepped through the glinting mess to gather Xander into his arms. He never noticed Oz following him into the room, eyebrows lifted in what for him was an obvious display of curiosity.

"Xan? Luv, what happened? Did he hurt you?"

Xander just whimpered and buried his head in Spike's shirt.

Spike rounded on the doctor, eyes gleaming. "What the fuck did you do to him?" he demanded harshly.

Dr. Fredericks remained calm, righting his chair and nonchalantly brushing some glass shards off it. "I merely tried to determine how well his injuries were healing, and he...preferred that I didn't." He sat. "If you'd rather, I could give him something to calm him down, but I need to finish the examination."

Spike growled softly. At Xander's tremulous words, he quieted and stared intently at the boy.

"Don't want him touching me there. Why did he do that to me? I was good. Wasn't I good? He shouldn't touch me like that, it's bad to touch me like that." Xander sniffled, tears leaking down his cheeks as he looked up at Spike with glazed eyes. "It hurts. Why did he hurt me? I was bad, I made him hurt me. I'm so bad."

"No, pet. You're not bad. You were good; he's the one who was bad. He can't hurt you any more, ok?"

"I wanted him to," Xander continued to whisper, oblivious to Spike's reassurances. "He said I wanted him to. He made me like it sometimes. I didn't want to like it. Why did I like it? It hurts."

Spike was at a loss for an answer. He knew Xander hadn't truly enjoyed whatever his prick of a father had done to him, but the man had obviously enjoyed playing head games with the impressionable boy, and it his lessons had apparently stuck.

Oz had been listening to this exchange, unnoticed by the other occupants of the room. From what he'd heard, it was clear to him why Xander was here. He slowly moved closer, crouching in front of the entwined pair. "Xander. Xander, look at me." He waited until reddened eyes lifted to peer at him. "Xander, it wasn't your fault. You did nothing wrong. You did not enjoy what he did to you. The human body has strange ways of coping with things, and you had no control over your reactions. The doctor here only wants to help. Ok? Can you let him help you?"

Xander swallowed, then nodded hesitantly. "But why'd he do it?" he asked in a small voice filled with confusion. "I told him to stop, and he never would."

"Because he's a sick man, Xander. But he can't hurt you any more. Spike won't let him." He knew this was true because he'd finally realized what was so strange about Spike's scent, having noticed the same oddity about Xander's. It wasn't strong, but it was most definitely there. For some reason, the vampire had laid claim to this human.

Xander took a deep, wavering breath, turning his gaze from Oz to Spike. He searched his face intently, seemingly reassured by what he saw there. Then he took in the state of the room, blushing. "Sorry," he muttered in the doctor's general direction.

"That's quite all right. Can I continue now?" He waited for Spike to lead the boy back over to the exam table, hoping the boy's sudden movements hadn't torn or otherwise re-injured anything.

"Can...can Spike stay with me this time?" Xander whispered.

Spike just leveled a look at Dr. Fredericks that clearly challenged the man to even try ejecting him from the room again. The good doctor decided not to take him up on that. "Certainly," he replied blandly.

Oz took this as his cue to leave, and he slipped out of the room. He didn't go far, however. He merely slouched against the opposite wall, hands tucked neatly in his pants. Xander was a friend of his, and he was curious about this seemingly new development between him and the blonde vampire. Last he'd heard, Spike was pretty much on the outs with the Scoobies.

Not that he was kept in the know about the inner workings of 'Slayer and company' these days. Still, this was a major change...at least he thought so. Then again, it seemed he didn't know quite as much about Xander's life as he assumed he did, considering the little drama that had just taken place.

//How come I never realized something was going on with him? I should have been able to tell.// He cut that train of thought off before he could get too involved with self-pity.

And now...well, he had planned on keeping his return to Sunnydale quiet, but events were beyond his control at this point. All he could do was deal with the now.

He straightened when the door opened, and Spike helped a trembling Xander out, maneuvering their bodies in such a way as to be carrying the bulk of the human's weight.

Dr. Fredericks followed them out, laying a hand on Oz's shoulder and giving him a quiet 'Thank you' before moving off.

Oz followed the two out to the waiting room, where Spike gently but firmly seated Xander and went in search of a drink for the pale boy. The werewolf caught Spike in the hall on his way back in. "How is he?"

Spike stared at him appraisingly before answering. "Better. He'll be sore for a while yet, but the doc figures he's not in much danger from infection any more."

Oz nodded. "Who was it?"

Spike's jaw clenched, and he stared fixedly at a point somewhere over Oz's left shoulder. "Not my story to tell, mate."

He gave another nod of acknowledgement. "Need help killing him?"

This earned him a snort. "Nah, I'll take care of 'im when the time's right. Want that pleasure for myself."

"Fair enough." Oz cocked his head. "What about the others? Why aren't they here?"

The sound of teeth grinding was audible. "They don't have a clue about anything," Spike gritted out. "An' it's gonna stay that way!"

"Won't be easy. You'll be hiding from a Slayer, some witches, that military guy, and you really don't want to see Giles pissed. Not a pretty sight."

"Yeah, well, guess we'll just have to do a good job hiding. I *won't* let him be hurt again. Not by them, not by *anyone*."

Oz drummed his fingers against his arm. "You know, Willow's gotten pretty good at the spell thing. She could probably find you no matter where you went."

Spike swore softly, not having considered this before. The idea of using spells to hunt with was foreign to him, and he wasn't quite sure how he would deal with it.

"Where are you staying?"

The question broke into his musings, and Spike shrugged. "Dunno. Ditched the hotel earlier, figured we'd find someplace else tonight."

"Hm. How's this; I have an apartment nearby, not huge but it has a couple bedrooms. You guys could crash with me until you find something else." Oz glanced back at Xander, who didn't seem to have moved an inch. "He looks like he could use some downtime. And soon."

Spike frowned. "Why would you want to help us?"

Oz shrugged coolly. "Why not?"

"Uh-huh." Spike studied the slight man. "Doesn't solve the witch problem."

An uncharacteristic grin appeared on Oz's face, and he held out his hand. "See this?" He indicated the woven charm circling his wrist. "Got it from an...acquaintance. It distorts your aura so scrying spells can't find you. Like static, only magical."

Spike quirked an eyebrow. "Do tell. And why would you be sporting such a fascinating bit of frippery?"

"Let's just say, you're not the only one who wants to lay low right now. Point is, I have a couple extra of these, if you guys each want one."

The vampire nodded. "Ta, mate."

"Let's get to it, then. You parked out back?" At Spike's nod, he continued, "I'll bring my van around, and you can follow me over to my place. Cool?"

Spike jerked his head in acknowledgement, then moved away to give Xander the glass of water he'd gotten.

*****
Part 21:

Oz was silent as he led the way up to his apartment. Slipping inside, he quietly invited Spike in, watching as the vampire hustled Xander in and shut the door behind them.

Spike held Xander close to him as he examined the place. Sparse, but somehow still managing to put off a welcoming feel. His grip on Xander tightened as the boy's legs gave out, and he scooped him up, shooting Oz a questioning look.

Oz smiled faintly, jerking his head. "Come on, extra room's this way." He walked into the indicated room, switching on the light. Then he snorted lightly, removing the heavy chains and manacles from the chair they were draped over. "Spare set," he offered by way of explanation. He eyed the bed momentarily, then shrugged. "Should be clean enough, changed the sheets the other day when they started smelling too musty."

"It'll do." Spike carried Xander inside, setting him down on the bed. Xander curled up around a pillow, eyes closing, and Spike just sat and watched for a while, making sure he was truly asleep. Once he was satisfied that Xander wouldn't awake, he turned, noticing that Oz had left them alone, closing the door behind him. A pair of charms identical to one Oz wore had been left on the edge of the dresser.

With a shrug, Spike grabbed them, examining them closely before working to fasten one around his left wrist. He had to use his teeth to help tie the laces, but managed after a few moments. Then he lifted Xander's left arm, gently attaching the other charm to the boy's wrist.

That done, Spike skimmed out of his clothes, leaving on only a pair of boxers. Turning off the lights, he went back to the small bed, shifting Xander toward the other side. He slipped in behind him, enfolding the human's body with his own. As he held the boy gently, he set up a low-level purring, more felt than heard, hoping to ward off any nightmares.

~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy stormed back into Giles' apartment, Riley trailing in her wake. "Willow!" She whined loudly. "Wills, you have to do the spell again! They were already gone. We looked all over the place, but no Xander, and no Spike." She wrinkled her nose, nearly spitting out the vampire's name.

A worried look crossed Willow's face. "Gone? You don't think...something happened to Xander, do you?" She flushed. "I mean, something else other than what already did, because we know what already did happen, and I'm just gonna shut up now."

Buffy flopped down on the sofa with a groan. "Can you do it again? We need to find them while the trail's still warm."

Willow exchanged a look with Tara, then they both nodded. "We still have all the stuff, it won't take too long."

The next minutes were busy as all the spell components were once again assembled. At the end of the chant, however, the mirror simply filled with swirling blue sparkles. There was emerging picture, no sign of Xander.

"What's wrong? Did you break it?" Hands on hips, Buffy glared at the recalcitrant mirror.

"You don't think he's dead...do you?" Riley looked over at Giles for an answer.

"If he were no longer, er, in this plane of existence, the mirror would have remained simply a mirror." Giles frowned, taking off his glasses to polish them. "I believe this is the work of some sort of obscuring spell."

Buffy growled. "Damn! Spike knows we're on to him now, he must have done something to keep Willow and Tara from finding them." She punched the wall, sending a nearby picture crashing to the floor.

Tara squeezed her girlfriend's hand. "Well, at least w-we know he's ok."

"Yeah, if you call being vamped ok," Willow muttered, sniffling.

"I must say, it seems as if our magical avenues have been exhausted," Giles said.

"Well, if we can't find them magically, it's back to the hard way. I don't care if we have to raid every place in this town, we *will* find them." Buffy's eyes glittered with resolve.

~~~~~~~~~~

Xander woke, snuggling closer against the cool body next to him. He yawned, rubbing his eyes with a fist, then let his hand settle on Spike's still chest. He tilted his head, looking up at the sleeping vampire. He couldn't understand why Spike made him feel so safe. He thought he should feel threatened by this closeness, but instead, it served to reassure him.

Frowning slightly, Xander sat up carefully. With slow, easy movements, he crawled from the bed, staring around the bare room. Yawning again, he quietly opened the door and walked gingerly out, making sure not to pull any of his still tender injuries. He followed the scent of coffee, coming upon Oz in the kitchen.

He blinked at the sight of the werewolf, torso covered by a pink, checkered apron, standing over the stove frying up some eggs.

Without turning, Oz said, "Xander. Afternoon. Sleep well?"

"Um, yeah, I guess."

"You want some eggs?"

Xander nodded. "Ok. The d-doctor said I was allowed to eat soft foods now. I was getting really sick of soup."

"I can imagine." A slender hand snagged a couple more eggs from the carton, cracking them expertly. Soon, the frying pan sizzled with the new additions. "Wanna get the toast?" Oz nodded to the breadbox.

"Sure." Xander popped the slices into the toaster, buttering them once they had finished cooking. Two plates appeared beside him, and he sliced the toast and placed it next to the steaming eggs. He carried the plates to the counter, where Oz had already poured them each a glass of juice.

"Dig in." With that instruction, Oz practically attacked his meal with a fork, making quick work of the food.

Xander smiled. Looking down at his own plate, he stabbed the center of the eggs, watching as the yolk slowly oozed out. With great precision, he peeled back the white, exposing the runny, golden yolk. A piece of toast was torn off, dipped in the yolk, then consumed. This was repeated until the yolks of both eggs were gone, then Xander sliced up the neglected whites, laid the pieces on the remaining pieces of toast, and made a sandwich out of it.

"That was actually kind of gross to watch."

Starting at the interruption, Xander looked over at Oz, blushing. He hastily finished, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Sorry," he whispered.

Oz snorted. "Hey man, it's your meal. Eat it how you want it."

Xander's hands twisted in his lap as he stared at his now-empty plate. A curious expression came over him, and he lifted his hand, studying the charm he'd just now noticed was on his wrist.

"I gave a couple to Spike, one for each of you."

"Oh." Xander glanced over at the other man. "What's it for?"

"It makes it so no one can use magic to find you." Oz pushed his plate away, then looked directly at Xander. "You and Spike are welcome to stay here as long as you like."

"Thanks," came the soft reply.

Oz took their dishes to the sink, washing and drying them. "You know, if you want to talk about anything, I've been told I'm a decent listener."

Xander stayed silent, picking at the hem of his shirt.

"No pressure. Just so you know." Walking past Xander, he sprawled out on the couch, switching on the television. He looked back. "You're safe here. You've got a werewolf, a vampire, and a majorly warded apartment standing between you and any nasties."

Xander got up, moving to stand behind Oz. "Why are you helping like this?"

"You're my friend," Oz replied matter-of-factly. "I help friends. It's a big thing with me."

"Oh." He crept around, seating himself at the other end of the couch. He looked at the program on the television. "Can we watch cartoons?"

With a snort, Oz tossed Xander the remote.

~~~~~~~~~~

The days passed quietly. The three guys soon fell into an easy routine of eating, sleeping, and just generally spending time together. On occasion, either Spike or Oz would vanish for a few hours, returning with a bit of money and some groceries. Xander never questioned where it came from.

Usually, Spike would sleep during the day, with Oz and Xander going to bed in the wee hours of the morning, making an appearance for breakfast sometime after noon. Because of this, Xander was spending more and more time with the usually quiet werewolf, and felt like he was getting to know him a bit better. They still hadn't spoken of Xander's...situation. But Oz made it clear that he would provide a willing ear for whatever Xander did decide to get off his chest.

"Let's go shopping."

Xander looked up from his book, surprised. "Shopping? Why?"

Oz shrugged. "Well, unless you like wearing the same three outfits day in and day out, we should get you some new clothes."

"Oh." Xander looked at his slightly faded shirt. "I hadn't even thought of that."

"So? What do you say?"

Xander swallowed hard, gaze shifting uneasily away. "I-I don't know. I'd have to...go out there."

Oz blinked. "That is pretty much the idea here."

"I just...I don't think I want to go...out there. Alone."

Oz rose and walked across the room, kneeling next to Xander. He rested a hand lightly in Xander's arm. "Xander, you're not alone. I'll be there with you. You can do this."

Xander shook his head. "I don't...I can't." His breath was coming in quick little pants now.

Concerned, Oz moved in closer, lifting his hand to Xander's cheek. "Hey, you ok? We don't have to if you don't want to. No biggie." Then he gasped, choking as strong hands fastened around his neck and tore him away from Xander, flinging him to the floor.

Spike's eyes sprang open, and he bolted upright. Something was wrong. When it registered -- Xander's elevated heartbeat and a cloying scent of fear -- he shot from the bed, wrenching the door open. He snarled when he saw Oz touching -- *touching* -- his human. Scaring him. Hurting him!

He flew across the room, pouncing on the werewolf and yanking him back. He threw him down, looming over him as he growled in rage.

*****
Part 22:

Oz looked up into eyes glittering golden with a promise of death. Realizing that the vampire had interpreted the scene as either a threat toward Xander or an encroachment on his territory, he promptly went limp, baring his neck in obvious acknowledgment of Spike's authority.

Spike knelt over the submissive form, fully prepared to rip this little upstart into shreds for daring to harm his human. He growled loudly, bending forward.

Xander watched wide-eyed, not really understanding what had just happened. "S-Spike?"

Head twisting violently around at the tremulous query, Spike immediately forced his vampiric features back down when he heard Xander's gasp. He sprang away from Oz, smoothly seating himself on the couch and pulling Xander into his arms. "What happened, pet? You ok? Did the little mongrel hurt you? I can kill him for you if you want."

Oz started to get up, then decided the floor really was a nice choice when Spike bared his fangs again, snarling at him in warning. "I didn't hurt him," he told Spike quietly.

"No one asked you, mutt!" Spike hissed in response. He stroked Xander's hair lovingly, the gentle action a direct contrast to his attitude toward Oz. He felt Xander's head shake against his chest.

"I'm fine, Spike. He didn't hurt me. I just got scared, and he was trying to help." Xander let a tiny grin flicker across his face at the protectiveness Spike was displaying on his behalf.

"You sure?" He continued to rock the human, hands flittering lightly over his body as he searched for any sign of injury. "What scared you then, luv?"

"N-nothing. Not really. I just...got scared." He hedged the truth a bit, not wanting Oz to get in trouble if Spike blamed him for what had happened.

"Uh-huh." Spike clearly wasn't convinced, but he didn't want to call Xander on it. He figured he could always pry it out of the wolf.

Xander relaxed, snuggling up against Spike's lean body. The hands kneading his back were very soothing, and he yawned. For some reason, he felt so tired...

Spike stroked the boy's back as he fell asleep. When Xander began to snore softly, the vampire shifted his limp body up, carefully standing and carrying him back to their room. He'd gotten used to doing this; Xander tended to fall asleep at the oddest times, as if his energy simply ran out.

He efficiently tucked the boy in, smiling as he snuffled into the pillow Spike had recently been using. He backed out, closing the door quietly. Then he turned and stalked back to where Oz still remained immobile on the floor. He loomed over the werewolf. "Right then, let's get the real story, shall we?" He crossed his arms, glaring.

"Can I--?" Oz very carefully sat up, not making any threatening movements. "I just thought Xander might want to go shopping, get some new clothes. The idea upset him, I tried to calm him down."

Spike waited. "What, that's it?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"So, you weren't touchin' him because you were trying to make a move on him, then? An' maybe that's why he freaked?"

Oz snorted. "Hardly."

Spike's eyes blazed. "Why? You think he's not good enough? Somethin' wrong with 'im?"

Oz blinked. "Um, no." He shook his head, somewhat amused at the vampire's turnaround; first accusing him of copping a feel, then interpreting his denial as an insult to Xander's desirability. Hoping to ward off any untoward incidents that might involve his innards becoming significantly less *in*, he elaborated. "He's not really my type, you know. Besides, I don't think my boyfriend would be too appreciative of me cheating on him."

Spike sat back, genuinely surprised. "Boyfriend? When'd *you* get a boyfriend? I thought you were still stuck on the witch."

Sighing, Oz finally made his way off the floor and into a chair. "I dealt. Getting laid really helped, too." He smiled wistfully, plucking at the fraying fabric on the arm of his chair. "Kinda hard to think about ex-girlfriends when your brains are lying in a puddle on the mattress."

Spike snickered. "I'll say. I remember this time when-- Oh, you...probably didn't mean that literally."

"Ah, no."

"So how come you never said nothing 'bout the bloke before?"

Oz shrugged. "It never came up. He lives out of town; we haven't gotten together since you and Xander moved in."

"That'd explain why I never smelled 'im on you." Spike tilted his head, studying Oz. "He know about the whole werewolf thing?"

"The subject arose early in our relationship, yes. He seemed rather disappointed that my chains had a practical use; seems he just figured I was a bit on the kinky side." He smiled widely. "I had to reassure him that they had...other uses."

Chuckling, Spike waggled his eyebrows. "Likes havin' you at his mercy, eh?"

"Not...exactly." More grinning on Oz's part.

"I see..." Spike shook his head in mock disappointment. "My, my. What would your mother say?"

Oz cleared his throat. "Let's not go there."

"Have it your way, mate." Suddenly, he looked away, appearing rather embarrassed. "Erm, sorry about the whole, you know, thing. Earlier."

"Not a problem. You're just looking out for Xander, I can understand that." His expression turned serious. "Look, neither of you have said anything about what happened, but I think I have a general idea. And it's probably not healthy for him to stay cooped up in here all the time. He's going to need to interact with people again sometime."

Spike was stunned by what was probably the longest speech he'd ever heard Oz deliver. Shaking his head to clear it, he asked, "Why? I can take care of 'im; if he stays here, he won't get hurt."

"But isn't the point to help him get better? He'll never see any reason to change if you constantly coddle him."

"Well, maybe he could use a bit of coddling!" Spike snapped, barely remembering to keep his voice down. In a quieter voice, he added, "I'm not gonna let him fend for himself like his so-called friends!"

Oz groaned. "I'm not saying you have to. But you can't bubble-wrap the world for him -- it's too expensive. You *can* make sure he's equipped to handle what life throws at him, because there might come a time when you can't help. Be there for him. Give him support. Encourage him. Make sure he knows that you care, that you're not using him. That you *won't*." His expression softened. "Love him." He sniffed casually. "Unless, of course, you don't think you *can*."

Spike shot up out of his seat. "Hey, watch it, mutt! I'm gonna make him better, you just try and stop me! We'll show *you* who's got the knackers to take on the whole flamin' planet!"

Oz held back a smirk. "Good. Then you'll convince him to go shopping with me tomorrow?"

"Damn right I will! I---wait a sec." His eyes narrowed as he glared at Oz. "Oh, that was good, mate. That was *very* good."

"Fell for it, didn't you?"

Spike growled, snapping his teeth playfully. "Brat." He heaved a sigh. "How'm I gonna get him to agree, though?"

Oz rolled his eyes. "I have to do everything, don't I?"

"It'd help."

"Fine. I'll take care of it. But only if you promise not to try and kill me again for at least a week."

Spike considered that. "Deal."

~~~~~~~~~~

"No."

"But--"

"*No*." Xander crossed his arms over his chest, glaring petulantly at Oz. "You can't make me."

Oz shrugged. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that. Guess Spike will just have to get over it."

Xander frowned. "Get over what?"

"Oh, nothing much. He just kind of mentioned that his birthday was coming up next week. But I'm sure he'll understand if you don't get him anything."

Shifting uncomfortably, Xander gnawed at his lower lip. "Can't...can't you get him something for me?"

Oz huffed in amusement. "Yeah, like I know what he'd want. You're the one who's been around him, *you're* the one he's claimed. I'm just the guy who lets you two crash with him." He shrugged again. "No big deal. Like I said, he'll get over it. He's a big boy."

Xander huddled into the chair, thinking it over. "His birthday?" he asked in a small voice.

"S'what the vamp said," Oz confirmed.

His feet scuffed on the floor, heels knocking back against the chair. A sigh. More scuffing, accompanied by squeaking as he pushed a hand repeatedly at the arm of the chair, wiggling it loose. Finally, he slumped down. "Fine," he muttered. "I'll go. But just to *one* store, and *just for a present for Spike! Fifteen minutes, tops!"

"Fine. That's cool. Not a problem."

"No clothes shopping," Xander warned, giving Oz a look that stated how much he didn't trust his motives.

"Hey, we leave when you say. It's not like I can force you to shop. We'll only go where you suggest."

"Right." Xander lifted his feet onto the chair, arms wrapping around his knees. "Fine."

*****