Feadback is not only sweet, but inspiring! hint hint. . .
______________________
Buffy stared at the pale blond man sitting on the foor between Xander's legs. "You're telling me that THAT is Spike's innocence?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes."
"Giles, will it. . . you know? Bite?" Willow asked a little worried, "I mean maybe it shouldn't be so close to Xan."
The boy in question shook his head, "It's ok Will, I don't think Cat would hurt me." Xander rubbed the vampire's ears and a smile broke out over his face as a rumbling sound reached his ears, "He's purring!"
Buffy and Willow watched the vampire rub against their friend's legs and listened to the very loud purring. When the lithe figure jumped onto the couch and settled on the boy's lap, stretching out to nap, Willow had to giggle. "Cute!"
Giles held back a groan and shook his head, "Now according to this tome, a vampire's innocence can be granted to the vampire as a gift for relearning an innocent emotion. To join with the gift, he has to accept the emotion he learned."
"How?" Xander looked worried, "I mean, you can do it right?"
The watcher's familiar habit of cleaning his glasses when adgitated set Xander on edge.
"You CAN do it. Right?"
"No. Only Spike can accept his emotion and he only has one month to do it in."
"A month? Then what happens?"
"If he accepts them, they'll join and though the guilt will not be there, since that would hinder his natural ability to hunt, he will be basically as he was when he was human."
"And if he doesn't?"
"Then it would be kinder to stake them both rather than let them die in agony."
Xander stiffened and looked down at the sleeping man laying across his legs, "No!"
"A lot can be done in a month."
"But Spike is. . . SPIKE! How can he feel ANYTHING?"
"Buffy. . ."
"No. Spike can feel, he just. . . hides it." Xander nudged Cat awake and stood up, "I'll talk to him."
"Xander remember last time you 'talked' to the bad guy for us?"
"Spike isn't Faith."
"You didn't. . ."
"I did NOT sleep with Spike!" The boy was bright red, "I 'lived' in the same basement for a while but I did NOT have sex with bleached deadboy jr."
"Ok! Ok!" Buffy held up her hands.
Xander held out his hand, "Come on Pussy Cat, let's
go find the Big Bad."
________________
Spike glarred at his doppleganger when Xander came out of the watcher's flat with it. "Bloody 'ell. As if the chip wasn't enough!"
He trailed them to hius own crypt and waited as Xander knocked. //He couldn' texpect 'me' to watch the bloody thing can 'e?!//
"Spike? I wanted to talk to you. Are you there?"
He shrugged and stepped out of the shadows, "No way is that wanker staying in me pad."
Xander smiled and shook his head, "Wasn't gonna make him. I just thought you'd want to know what Giles found out about the whole 'double' deal."
"Sure, get inside."
"Now who ever said vampires were dashing?"
"Wanker."
"Fangless." Xander answered automatically and Spike grinned at the kid.
"So what'd the watcher say?"
"Cat's a present for you from the powers."
"Sure. Like the powers that be ever gave me anything."
Xander sat beside the blond and nodded, "They did! Because you learned to feel a kind emotion again."
Spike stared at him, "You're loopy! A right bloody loon."
"I'm just telling you what he said ok? He told us that you have a month to accept what you feel or both of you will die."
"And why do you care?"
Xander blushed and lowered his head slightly, "Cause you're my friend."
"Come again?"
"You always show up when I need someone, you never call my an idiot, you treat me like shit sometimes but it's just your natural defense to caring. You're my friend."
"You serious?"
"Yeah." Xander kissed his cheak and stood, "Just don't let it go to your head. Come on Pussy Cat, let's go home."
Spike stared after the boy then raised a trembling hand to his cheek. //What the fuck is happening to me?!//
~tbc~