Protective Custody (1/20)COMPLETE

(Disclaimer: We own nothing. Joss owns all. You know the drill.)


Spike needed a drink...or something...his gaze went back to Xander. Fuck...the people in front of him blocked his view for a minute. And then he saw the boy again. His hands clasped around the girl's waist, the way they'd been clasped around Spike last night. He didn't like this. Not one bit. Picking up the soda, he guzzled it down, for all the good it did.

How long did a bloody dance last anyway? Three minutes? Two had to have passed. He could wait it out and—

When her hands started wandering over Xander's chest and she raised her face up to receive a kiss, Spike found himself crossing the dance floor, zig zagging to avoid the dancers, but his gaze decidedly fixed on one couple.

Sophie grew bolder, deepening the tentative kiss her dance partner was giving her. She rose up on her tip toes and slid her hand down Xander's chest when her wrist was suddenly caught in an iron grip that made her gasp and step back. "What the hell?"

"Stop." It was an order, and Spike's voice brooked no argument. "Go away. He's not for you."

"What? I think it's for him to decide, isn't it? Xander, who is this nut? Get rid of him so we can continue snogging--"

"Snogging?" Spike made a sound of disgust. "You call that snogging. He doesn't like being kissed like that. He likes it like this."

Spike grabbed Xander's shirt, tugged him close and kissed him full on the lips. The fact that Xander had been staring open mouthed helped a lot. And the fact that the liquor slowed his reactions was a bonus as well.

Forgetting the club, the people, bloody Sophie, and the lesson he'd brought Xander to the club to learn, Spike slid his arms around the boy, dragged him up hard against his frame, and continued the deep exploration of his mouth. No one could kiss him like this. No one could satisfy him like this. If the stupid chit of a girl didn't know it then, she would know it now.

Woah...Xander wasn't sure what was going on but he liked it. He was dancing with a girl and he was kissing the girl and it was okay. Then the girl was gone and Spike was here and holymarymotherofgodthatfeltgood.
He finally drew back, his body desperate to breathe and stared wide-eyed at Spike.

"How? What? How?"

"How...what...how..." Spike echoed, taking a much needed breath. His heart was racing. Damn had he gone off-plan or what? He made an effort to control his breathing, and the desire to bloody well lose himself in another kiss so he could forget what just happened.

He took a step back. Xander was waiting for an explanation. Yeah...an explanation...yeah...one would come, any minute. He licked his lips. "She was evil, that's what. Now let's go home," he jerked his head toward the exit.

"She was what?" Xander frowned, wondering if maybe he had one too many shots. The room was swaying a bit. He looked at Sophie, who was downing something orange-coloured at the bar. She was evil? She didn't look evil. But then, neither had the Inca mummy girl or the praying mantis. "You wanan go already? But I wanna finish my dance first." He pouted.

Yeah maybe a little bit drunk. Otherwise he wouldn't be pouting at Spike. Spike who just kissed him and saved him from the evil lady. He glanced curiously at Sophie again. Evil, huh?

"Bird's gone, we should go too, yeah?" Spike was suddenly surly, and anxious to get out of there.

"I wanna finish my dance! Dance with me Spike." Xander ordered as imperiously as he could in his inebriated state.

"Huh? What? You're bloody ordering me..." he looked at Xander aghast. "You are bloody ordering me? How is that for my protection? Come on let's go..." Spike started to walk away, but saw Xander just standing there...waiting...standing his ground. No...there was nothing about his face that said "just kidding."

Scowling, Spike returned, and obeyed the order. Sort of. Instead of taking Xander in his arms to finish the slow dance, he just stood next to him, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. "There...dancing, happy?" He was going to kill the dj if this song went on and on.

"No." Xander pouted. "You're supposed to dance with me." He moved closer to Spike and took him into his arms. "Like this." He explained, letting his head rest on Spike's shoulder. "I like this." He murmured against Spike's neck.

"Mushy... too mushy," Spike ground out. The trouble was, it felt good. He could stand there as stiff as a board, or he could just hold him. Dance a little. What would it hurt anyway? As he enveloped Xander in his arms, only a few doubts remained. The boy was drunk. Tomorrow this would be a dream. Yeah... Spike's gaze slipped to evil-girl, and he unconsciously tightened his grip on Xander.

Slowly, Spike relaxed and rested his chin on top of Xander's head. He was mostly bearing the boy's weight. Now he knew how many drinks it took to knock the guy out. A small grin spread across his face. He was...happy. Why the bloody hell it was true, he didn't know. Maybe it was amazing that after all the torture he put Xander through, and after probably embarrassing the hell out of him, the boy hadn't yelled...hadn't made a scene. Hadn't bloody well hit him like Buffy probably would have. Instead, he'd asked for a dance. A dance.

He chuckled, and brushed his mouth over Xander's ear. "I'm sorry. I really am, yeah?" He wished he hadn't played that trick on him last night. That had crossed all lines. It had ripped the boy's heart out, and made Spike wonder about his own. Did he have one? Not in the physical sense...but could a person with a heart do that to someone else...someone important.

Stop psychoanalyzing, you were never any good at that.

Taking his own advice, he let himself enjoy the dance. Or maybe it was two. And then he took Xander home...half carrying him. The boy stumbled near the door, and Spike caught him and laughed. "Just don't puke...that's one bodily fluid I'm definitely not ready for." He followed the boy inside and headed for the bedroom.

Xander watched Spike go into the bedroom, trying to force his brain to think. He was pretty sure he'd done something horribly stupid but he couldn't make his head function enough to figure it out. Oh, well...he was alive and in one piece so it couldn't have been all that bad. He turned his gaze on the couch and he focused on it.

Our plan today is to get to the couch. Flop over.

He stumbled across the room and let himself tilt over onto the couch, hiding his head in the cushion.

Nice body. Good body. Sleep now.

The lights were out, but Spike found himself staring at a spot where a moon beam glanced the wall. He was relaxed, and a bit tired, but something was wrong. It took him quite a while to figure out what it was... Xander. It felt strange to be in bed without him. Not that it made sense. He'd been able to fall asleep without him before, but then the nightmares apparently came, and the only way they stopped was when the boy was with him. Now that he'd gotten stronger...it seemed he couldn't fall asleep to begin with.

He should call him. Spike licked his lips and opened his mouth to do so, then had a better idea. "Help... need help," he kicked at the blankets, and hit the headboard with his fists, shouting out for Xander to come and take away the nightmares, like he had on so many nights.

Xander lifted his head from his comfy cushion and looked at the bedroom door.

"Not coming go to sleep." He yelled and plopped his head back down.

Spike just got louder. Right... the boy was half drunk, but he had to help him, didn't he? "Help! Bloody help me!"

Xander lifted his head again and gathered enough energy to glare in Spike's general direction.

"I know you're faking! You didn't wanna kiss me, didn't wanna dance with me and now you want me in the bed? Not coming. Got to sleep!"

Giving a wobbly nod to underline his words Xander hugged the couch cushion closer and closed his eye.

Spike stared at the spot on the wall some more and muttered under his breath. "Didn't want to kiss you...I did bloody well kiss you. If I didn't like it I would have..." He'd liked it. A lot. Too much. Too much to think it was just a thing. And he liked Xander making him laugh, and making those funny expressions at the drop of a hat. And he liked the way Xander looked at him. No matter how awful he treated him, there was always forgiveness and understanding in the boy's eye and face. And a promise. Forever, no matter what, you can't push me away. No one had looked at him like that. No one.

He rolled over. This was bloody stupid. He was driving himself mad because he couldn't sleep. And he couldn't sleep because drunken-sod in the other room wouldn't move. "Xander?" There was no answer. "Xander?" he tried again.

The sound of silence irritated him to no end. This was it, he wasn't spending the rest of the night checking out a moonbeam, or staring at a digital clock. Tearing the blankets off, he stormed to the living-room. A minute later, he was carrying the object of his affection in his arms. Never mind that the lug was asleep, and had no idea what was happening.

When he got the boy into his bed, he pulled him close. Then he pulled him onto his chest. That felt right. "Whoever knew I'd need a bloody Xander-bear to go sleep." But what was this... socks and clothes...too many of them. Spike narrowed his gaze and sat up. "Cant have that, now can we."


(A/N - thanks for fun comments, enjoying them muchly. In response to some of them, without spoiling, I can say there are more ups and downs to go before we are done I hope you continue to enjoy the story.)