On the Other Side
folder
BtVS AU/AR › Slash - Male/Male › Angel(us)/Spike(William)
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
30
Views:
9,095
Reviews:
40
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
BtVS AU/AR › Slash - Male/Male › Angel(us)/Spike(William)
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
30
Views:
9,095
Reviews:
40
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BtVS), nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter 16
Chapter 16
The week preceding his birthday, Spike walked on pins and needles, expecting disaster to strike at any moment and ruin his first bid at freedom. The week passed without even a minor catastrophe, however, and Spike’s excitement overshadowed his dread as the day drew nearer.
When Xander overslept, his hopes were dashed once again.
“Dad, I won’t speed!” He glanced out the window at the De Soto, nervously fingering the keys in his pocket.
Rupert came into the entryway and collected his coat, plucking the keys to the Citroen from the hook by the door. “For the last time, no.”
Xander ran up to meet them, panting from his frantic preparations.
“I thought we’d discussed this before, William. On your first solo drive, I don’t want you to be rushed. It could be very dangerous, and my answer is no.” The older man opened the door and held it as Spike and Xander exited the house.
“But Dad…”
“No, William. You’ll simply have to see that Xander wakes on time tomorrow morning. Now get in the car.”
Spike knew that, at the moment his name was mentioned, Xander’s good spirits had plummeted, and that expressive face was most likely drooping in misery. But he was pissed off, dammit, and he was not going to look.
He stomped towards the car and got in, situating himself so that he was staring out the passenger window. He wouldn’t look at either of them.
Xander’s voice broke the stillness about ten minutes into the drive. “Hey, Dad? Didn’t you say Will could drive me to Jesse’s house after school today?”
Without his consent, Spike’s head whipped around to stare at the old man.
“You are correct, Xander. After I pick you up from school, I’ll allow William to drive you to Jesse’s house for the afternoon.”
Spike glanced into the rear view mirror, meeting Xander’s hopeful gaze and offering half a smile in forgiveness.
Their moment was ruined by his father’s voice. “Hold on just one moment.”
His heart began to sink again.
“Xander, is Jesse’s mother expecting you?”
He could read the answer on Xander’s face and silently pleaded with his brother to give an…appropriate answer.
“Yeah. Sure…why wouldn’t she be expecting me? Expecting, she is…but not me, because clearly she’s not my mum, although she’s not exactly expecting in that having-a-baby way so much as in the my-son’s-friend-is-coming-over-for-the-afternoon sort of way.”
Spike blinked at the younger boy; he had no idea where all those words came from.
“Right. Well, now that this matter’s been settled, I suggest you both exit the car before you make yourselves later than you already are.”
That afternoon, Rupert picked Spike and Xander up from school, as usual, but unlike every day before, a pleasant anticipation filled the vehicle, bringing smiles to at least two of the faces in the car.
Spike barely waited for the vehicle to come to a stop before springing out the door. Rupert, as well, made a swift exit, leaving Xander in the back seat to gather up the assorted papers and other items he’d managed to strew about during the fifteen-minute ride.
“William, I’d like to have a word with you before you go, so you might as well come inside.”
Spike froze, his hand inches from the De Soto’s door. His arm dropped to his side limply as he turned and followed his father and brother into the house.
“Xander, I need to have a word with William before he drives you to Jesse’s house. Why don’t you go into the kitchen to prepare yourself a snack?”
Two sets of eyes followed the younger boy as he ran into the kitchen, then Spike felt his father’s gaze shift to him.
“Follow me.”
He climbed the steps behind the older man; his heart hammering in his chest at what he knew was going to happen when they reached the top. Of course his father would try something now, hoping to taint the first positive thing that had happened to him in years. His spine straightened; he would get through this. No matter what Rupert threw at him, he’d make it through and then get on with his day.
The week preceding his birthday, Spike walked on pins and needles, expecting disaster to strike at any moment and ruin his first bid at freedom. The week passed without even a minor catastrophe, however, and Spike’s excitement overshadowed his dread as the day drew nearer.
When Xander overslept, his hopes were dashed once again.
“Dad, I won’t speed!” He glanced out the window at the De Soto, nervously fingering the keys in his pocket.
Rupert came into the entryway and collected his coat, plucking the keys to the Citroen from the hook by the door. “For the last time, no.”
Xander ran up to meet them, panting from his frantic preparations.
“I thought we’d discussed this before, William. On your first solo drive, I don’t want you to be rushed. It could be very dangerous, and my answer is no.” The older man opened the door and held it as Spike and Xander exited the house.
“But Dad…”
“No, William. You’ll simply have to see that Xander wakes on time tomorrow morning. Now get in the car.”
Spike knew that, at the moment his name was mentioned, Xander’s good spirits had plummeted, and that expressive face was most likely drooping in misery. But he was pissed off, dammit, and he was not going to look.
He stomped towards the car and got in, situating himself so that he was staring out the passenger window. He wouldn’t look at either of them.
Xander’s voice broke the stillness about ten minutes into the drive. “Hey, Dad? Didn’t you say Will could drive me to Jesse’s house after school today?”
Without his consent, Spike’s head whipped around to stare at the old man.
“You are correct, Xander. After I pick you up from school, I’ll allow William to drive you to Jesse’s house for the afternoon.”
Spike glanced into the rear view mirror, meeting Xander’s hopeful gaze and offering half a smile in forgiveness.
Their moment was ruined by his father’s voice. “Hold on just one moment.”
His heart began to sink again.
“Xander, is Jesse’s mother expecting you?”
He could read the answer on Xander’s face and silently pleaded with his brother to give an…appropriate answer.
“Yeah. Sure…why wouldn’t she be expecting me? Expecting, she is…but not me, because clearly she’s not my mum, although she’s not exactly expecting in that having-a-baby way so much as in the my-son’s-friend-is-coming-over-for-the-afternoon sort of way.”
Spike blinked at the younger boy; he had no idea where all those words came from.
“Right. Well, now that this matter’s been settled, I suggest you both exit the car before you make yourselves later than you already are.”
That afternoon, Rupert picked Spike and Xander up from school, as usual, but unlike every day before, a pleasant anticipation filled the vehicle, bringing smiles to at least two of the faces in the car.
Spike barely waited for the vehicle to come to a stop before springing out the door. Rupert, as well, made a swift exit, leaving Xander in the back seat to gather up the assorted papers and other items he’d managed to strew about during the fifteen-minute ride.
“William, I’d like to have a word with you before you go, so you might as well come inside.”
Spike froze, his hand inches from the De Soto’s door. His arm dropped to his side limply as he turned and followed his father and brother into the house.
“Xander, I need to have a word with William before he drives you to Jesse’s house. Why don’t you go into the kitchen to prepare yourself a snack?”
Two sets of eyes followed the younger boy as he ran into the kitchen, then Spike felt his father’s gaze shift to him.
“Follow me.”
He climbed the steps behind the older man; his heart hammering in his chest at what he knew was going to happen when they reached the top. Of course his father would try something now, hoping to taint the first positive thing that had happened to him in years. His spine straightened; he would get through this. No matter what Rupert threw at him, he’d make it through and then get on with his day.