White Picket Fences
Can We Keep 'Em?
Disclaimer:
little goldfish habitat thingy on my desk.
Chapter Two: Can
We Keep ‘spanspan>?
Morning
came all too quickly. The shades on the windows
didn’t let any light into the room leaving the alarm clock on the night table
as the only indication of the time of day.
The harsh beep of the alarm went off, letting the occupants of the bed
know that it was
A slim,
pale hand grabbed the clock and yanked the cord from the wall before turning on
his side and falling back to sleep. The
comforting scent that was distinctly Xander filled
his nose as he took in an unneeded breath.
Just as he was beginning to fall asleep, he was jerked back awake by a
cry from the next room. Slipping out of
the bed, Spike walked quickly to the next room to see why little
was crying.
A chubby
little hand wiped away the tears rolling down his cheeks as he sat up in the
bed, ignoring his sister’s attempts to quiet him.
arms and gripped onto the man’s white t-shirt for dear life.
“What’s
wrong?” He asked the little boy.
hair, Spike’s hand ran over the bump forming on the back of the toddler’s
head. “Did you hit your head?”
“
forcing Spike to turn around and glare at the brunette.
I’m the Big Bad and you’d best
do well not to forget it.” Spike knew
there was no point in putting up a fight when it came to the
boy. Just as Xander
was about to walk away, Spike called back to him.
Go down to the store and get nappies, will ya?
He heard the young man sigh and the jingle of house keys as he dressed
and walked out the door. There was a
small tug on his shirt. “Yes?”
bathroom.
Spike
sighed. For all he knew, last night
could have been the closest he would ever get to the object of his
affection. He really was love’s bitch
and would do anything for the young brunet Scooby.
him?” He asked the boy whose head was
resting on his shoulder. He heard the
toilet flush and the soft creak as Ariel opened the bathroom door.
guilty expression plastered on her round little face.
the kitchen. “Do you want some
breakfast?” He asked seating
counter.
“The bad men that set the
car on fire killed mommy and daddy, didn’t they mister?”
Spike
turned away from the refrigerator and placed his elbows on the counter in front
of the girl. “Yeah, they did but they
the bad men won’t come back.” A cool
hand stroked her hair lightly. “There’s
not too much to eat ‘round here. Do you
like Fruity Pebbles?” He asked trying to
change the subject to something lighter.
She nodded
and held out her arms towards
her and filled it with the multi-coloured cereal.
Lifting the
small child from his place on the counter, Spike placed
next to his older sister. “
She asked.
“I don’t
know, luv. Do
you have grandparents, aunts, uncles or cousins that you could live with?”
her head.
“I don’t
know where our grandma is.” Her lower
lip quivered as she tried to hold back her tears.
holding out a Fruity Pebble for her. “Thank
you,
She smiled and took the tiny rice puff.
Spike heard
the lock of the door click
then open. “I’m back.”
empty lounge.
“Will you
be alright by yourselves for a few minutes?”
Spike asked the two children. “Good.”
hair. If he had a functioning heart, it
would be beating a mile a minute.
quickly composed himself and met the handsome brunet in the lounge.
The brown
paper bag was placed on the floor. “I
think we need to have a chat.”
gaze on his roommate. “Why were you in
my bed last night?”
:1'> “I was
cold.” It wasn’t a complete lie.
cold. “I talked to the
her mum and da are dead.
“Can we
keep them?” Xander
asked hopefully. In the short time that
he’d known the children, Xander was already attached
to the little boy,
was getting attached to the girl.
“They’re
not dogs, pet.” Xander
looked hurt and Spike instantly wanted to take the man into his arms.
just said. “I mean whelp.”
It didn’t
matter. Xander
had caught what the vampire had called him.
“You just called me pet!”
“Did not,
whelp!”
want to keep them. You said that she
didn’t know where her family is.”
Big, brown
eyes pleaded with Spike. Finally,
knowing that there was no point in trying to resist, Spike acquiesced.
that this is your flat and not mine, right?
Don’t need my permission.” He dug
through the paper bag and found the wet naps and nappies.
as he walked out of the room.
Just as
Spike was about to plop on the couch and light a cigarette, Xander’s
head popped into the lounge. “I don’t
know how.” He admitted sheepishly.
:1'> “Watch and
learn, boy.” He said as he placed
on his bed and slid his little jeans down.
Spike’s sensitive nose was assaulted as soon as he opened the soiled
nappie. He snatched a wet nap from the
box and a dry nappie from the bag and cleaned
bottom before fastening the tabs of the clean nappie.
and threw the soiled nappie in the bathroom rubbish bin.
“They need
clothes. I could take them shopping.”
Spike went back to the kitchen.
*~*~*~
By
Spike had come to the decision that the children would be staying with them due
to their lack of living family.
was asleep on Spike’s bed while the two adults sat in the lounge with Ariel.
“I like
you. You’re nice to me and my brother.”
around her. “Why are you cold?”
“You might
as well tell her the truth.” an>
the television. When Spike said nothing,
Xander sighed and pulled the girl into his lap.
a good guy, no matter what he says. He
wouldn’t hurt anyone.”
“Vampires
aren’t real.” She stated a little unsure
of herself. “Why is your name
Spike? Did your mommy name you Spike?”
Spike
scowled at what Xander said about him but brushed it
off. He would get back at the whelp for
saying things like that. “Spike is a
nickname of sorts. My mum named me
“Are you
really a vampire?” Spike nodded.
Both men were shocked that Ariel wasn’t scared.
a small hand to gently prod at the ridges on the blonde’s forehead.
Spike
slipped back to his human visage and lit a cigarette from the packet on the end
table. Before the cigarette was even lit
it was plucked from his lips and placed back in the packet.
feel the warmth emanating from the younger man.
Xander’s close proximity to him was driving
him crazy. He didn’t know why he was so
attracted to him, he just was.
“Why don’t
you take the Niblet to the mall and I’ll stay here
with
He watched longingly as Xander and the girl
left the flat and groaned in frustration.
He got up and went to the refrigerator to fix himself a mug of blood.
*~*~*~
“Are you
going to be my new daddy?” Ariel asked
quietly. Xander
was caught off guard by her question and crouched down so he was looking
directly at her. “My daddy wasn’t very
nice when he was home. He wasn’t home
very much.”
“
warm smile. “Pick out whatever you want.
everything from jeans to jumpers but noticed that she only picked up three
items. He grabbed a few more items that
appeared to be her size and told her to go try them on.
Several hours and countless stores
later, Xander walked to the car laden with shopping
bags as Ariel walked along side him. He
even made her get a party dress and mary
remembering how her eyes lit up when he told her to pick out anything she
wanted from the toy store for her and
one. Both were tired from their
afternoon of shopping.
*~*~*~
He wanted
to prove something to Xander but he wasn’t sure what
it was that he wanted to prove but he knew there was something.
Ariel where shopping, Spike had bathed
with the baby wash that Xander had picked up.
smelling baby shampoo worked pretty well for his over processed hair.
attempted to have a nice dinner on the table when the two came back.
mother for teaching him things he thought he would never need to know.
Take away
containers were thrown into the plastic bag which was promptly slid down the
garbage shoot. He didn’t want
ranked higher than cooking on his list.
The key
slid into the lock and turned until it click causing
Spike to jump from his seat on the couch and hurry to the dining area to make
sure everything was perfect. If he had a
reflection he would have been checking to make sure his ever-gelled hair was
perfect.
The
delicious aroma of…chicken wafted up from underneath the door.
causing Xander to give her a curious glance.
“Will you
be my daddy?” Ariel’s gaze was cast down at her feet.
was born.”
“You and
have different fathers?”
a moment of thinking about the question, Ariel nodded.
thought. Being that trusting of people
would get her hurt when she got older. “Why
don’t you think about it for a day and see if you really want me to be your new
daddy, okay?” He opened the door and was
pleasantly surprised to find a very clean flat that still had the scent of glass
and wood cleaner lingering in the air. The
bags were dropped in a pile beside the door as he looked around.
or polystyrene plates but actual plates, were at each
place setting.
“You did
this?” He asked Spike who had just
appeared holding
could do something nice for a change.
Make this place look presentable.”
He drawled, rolling his eyes.
was placed at one of the settings before the blond took his seat.
Spike decided that he liked the way his Xander
looked when he blushed.
Dinner was
a quiet affair with Spike telling Xander what he did
while he was gone. Ariel had decided to
rattle off everything that Xander had bought her and
fascinated, as Spike cut up the chicken and vegetables into small enough pieces
for
Ever the
observant child, Ariel noticed the stolen glances between the two men.
maybe it was a grown up thing.
After
dinner, while Ariel was showering and brushing her teeth, Xander
cornered Spike. “You ordered the food,
didn’t you?”
“Would’ve
cooked but Man United was playing.”
“Ariel
asked if I would be her new daddy.”
couch.
“Tell
anyone I said this,
it. I think you’ll make a great
went outside the building for a smoke.
When he came back, Xander had already put
down for the night and was currently watching the telly with Ariel.
time for bed. You’ve had a long day and
you’re yawning.” He gave her a gentle
push in the direction of his bedroom; chucking her teddy bear in after her.
For a
while, Xander and Spike sat silently watching the
telly. After a while, Spike began to
notice that Xander was having a hard time keeping his
eyes open. “Off to bed with you, whelp.”
to the bedroom. As he was walking out of
the room, Spike spun around to face the sleeping man.
open at the volume and tone of the man’s voice.
“I’ve been here, what, a month and all I’ve done is try
to get your sodding attention!
flat, made you dinner several times, and when you were drunk, I sat with you ‘til
you could lift your head from the bleedin’ toilet!
confused. “I fancy you.
Shit, I fuckin’ love you.
off to, you’re in them. Should I keep
going or have you heard enough.” Spike
sighed deeply.
He had no
idea what to say to the devilishly handsome blonde.
rose from the bed and caught Spike’s slender wrist as he walked out of the
room. “You’ll wake the kids.”
his words and turned Spike to face him. Slowly,
Xander leaned down and brushed his lips over Spike’s.
moist lips.
*~*~*~
A/N: Sappy, I know
but I’ve been watching sappy movies all day.