New Order

Spike and Angel lay together on the chaise for a long while, slowly kissing and reaffirming their connection. They quickly checked on Xander before heading for the bathroom to clean up. Although it was tempting to start round two in the shower, they both knew that Xander could wake up at any time and they wanted to be there beside him when he did.



Angel pulled on his silk pajama bottoms and smirked as Spike tried to find something to sleep in. “S’not funny. Don’t want to scare the whelp by waking up with me starkers.” Spike finally stalked to Angel’s drawer and pulled out another pair of his sire’s pajamas. Pulling the drawstring as tight as they would go to keep the pants on his slender hips, he headed for the bed, scowling at the smirk he could still see on Angel’s face.



They each got in opposite sides of the bed and faced Xander who was between them. They could hear that his breathing was deep and even so they both settled in to get some rest. Angel woke periodically to check on both his childe, who was truly sleeping the sleep of the dead and his human, as he was beginning to think of Xander.



Angel knew that he would always feel a special connection to Xander after this. Xander was featured in one of his visions and joined the ranks of “rescued by Angel”. But that wasn’t what really made him think of Xander as his. Now that both he and Spike had tasted Xander’s blood, they were even more bound to the man. And holding Xander against him felt right. He vowed to himself to keep Xander safe from now on, as his friends seemed to be doing a poor job of it for years.



When Xander’s breathing began to shorten slightly, Angel nudged Spike, alerting him that Xander was beginning to come around. As the man’s breathing quickened and whimpers began to form, Spike started to pet Xander’s hair and speak quietly to him.



“Is alright pet. You’re safe now. Spike’s here and you’re alright. Peaches is here too. Nothing to worry about now. You’re alright whelp. We’ve got ya Xan.” As Xander’s eyes finally opened he turned his head towards Spike’s voice.



“Spike? What happened? Where am I?” Xander’s voice was still hoarse and the questions came out as a croak. Spike continued to stroke through his hair in calming touches and waited for Xander to remember. “Oh God. There were demons. And they…and then…Oh God, it hurt so bad. I didn’t think anyone would find me. And they just kept coming and poking and pulling at me. Oh God…did they?”



As Xander stuttered to a stop, Angel answered drawing attention away from his distressed childe. “No Xander. We stopped them before they did anything that you don’t already know about. You’re safe now. We’ve got you.”



Xander’s breath hitched and then he was crying, great tears seeping from his tightly closed eyes as he tried to burn the images from his mind. He felt both Spike’s and Angel’s arms close around him and he reached out to Spike. Spike quickly pulled him into his arms and Angel closed the distance between them, wrapping his arm over both Xander and Spike.



They held him while he cried, both wishing they could kill the demons all over again for causing one of theirs so much pain. When the tears stopped, Xander buried his face against Spike’s shoulder and muttered under his breath.



“Some manly man I am, crying like a big old baby. Should know better by now. This shit always happens to me. Need to learn to deal and not fall apart all the time. Suck it up, Xander. Just another average day in your crappy life”



Angel pulled Xander from his childe’s arms and into his own. “Never let me hear you say anything like that again,” he demanded. “What happened to you would cause anyone to fall apart. Learn to deal? Suck it up? What kind of attitude is that? You don’t learn to deal with some sick demon freaks violating you and you certainly don’t have to suck it up with us. You deal with this as you need to and if that means crying it out, you do it. It doesn’t make you less of a man in our eyes. Makes you more of one, one who’s not afraid to do what he needs to do to get through.”



Xander lifted his eyes to Angel’s after his speech and then lowered his face into Angel’s chest. Angel could feel more tears leaking out and wanted to do more to help. He lifted Xander’s face and slowly pressed their lips together. “I think you are one of the bravest men I have ever known. You face down the demons with no super powers. You have nothing but your courage to guide you and yet you fight for the good of those around you. God, Xander, you are so amazing.”



Spike wrapped his arms around Xander from behind and continued where his Sire had left off. “You always stood up for what was right, stood up to me when I was being a ponce and weren’t afraid to tell me so. Stood up to my Sire here too. You’re amazing because you fight for what’s right, you fight for your friends. I may not have always realized it, but I was lucky to have you fightin by my side.”



Spike placed a gentle kiss on Xander’s neck and squeezed his arms to let Xander know that he meant every word he said.



Xander moved one of his arms from around Angel, and placed it over one of Spike’s arms that was wrapped around him. “Please don’t let me go. I don’t want to feel them touching me anymore. I feel so safe here. Please don’t let me go.”



Spike and Angel answered in sync. “We won’t.”