Introductions

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Part 29

"Xan!" he almost shouted as he answered the phone, "Where the bloody hell ARE you? 's been HOURS, luv!"

"Uh... Will? It's Elliot. Uh, what's wrong? Where's Harris?" he sounded worried and bewildered, he was sure.

Spike groaned and thought about just hanging up. With his luck, he'd be talking to sodding Elliot when his Xan finally DID call. Then again, the bloke hadn't bothered yet so why would he now?

"Dunno," he finally allowed, trying not to sound as upset as he was. "Had a bit of a dust up, me an' my Claimed. He wandered off for some alone-time or some such rot."

"Okay... that's not good."

He growled. He didn't even try not to. "Think I already knew that, you daft git! Fucked up, didn't I? And now he's off wherever th' fuck he's gone an' I'm here an' I don't know what ta do, do I?"

A small chuckle came through the line, pulling another growl from the unsettled vampire.

"Look, Wi... Spike. I'm not laughing at you... or not really, okay? But come on. It's what? Six o'clock in the morning there? There are only two places I can think of that he'd go this early. The gym or my place. I gave him keys a while ago, remember?"

The vampire forced himself to calm down a little. Elliot was right. His Xan wasn't the type to wallow in some bar all night; especially not if he'd actually wanted to think, like he'd said. "Bloody hell," he sighed, relieved. "Yah. Right. Thanks, mate."

Another small chuckle from Elliot, then a slight throat-clearing sound. "So what did you do, anyway?"

Spike sighed again, furious with himself. "Somethin' stupid, bloke."

"Obviously," the other man agreed, "But HOW stupid?"

He shook his head even though Elliot couldn't see him. Then he told him what had happened, fully aware that he'd been an enormous git about the whole thing.

There was complete silence for almost a minute, then the slow release of a held breath. "You know, Spike, I'm not even going to remind you about his alcoholic father or the way Harris's mother used to give him booze to manipulate him. You already know those things."

Spike groaned. He did know but... his beloved was so different from the boy he'd once been that he'd... forgotten for just long enough to hurt him. "Bloody fuckin' hell..."

"Yeah, buddy," Elliot agreed. "But on the bright side, you didn't cheat on him or anything, so... unless something happened with Trev's sister that Harris hasn't mentioned...? No, Harris would have called and besides, I doubt he'd mind... you know, unless you guys left him out of it and I don't see that happening..."

It was a low, hard growl that had Elliot continuing on the original topic.

"Look, I know Harris. He's just off... licking his wounds. Of course, that's not to say he's going to come crawling back just because you're sorry, so... here's what you do..."

The vampire listened closely, his frown becoming less and less pronounced as the bloke spoke on. By the time Elliot finished, Spike was convinced he was another Einstein... although with better hair.

"Ta, mate," he finally said, sure his voice sounded lighter than it had since his Claimed had stormed from the bar earlier. "Think that's goin' ta work." He looked at the clock quickly and nodded. "An' I'm guessin' from th' time that you're callin' with an update on young Bobby."

Elliot laughed quietly. "Well, I was but I think maybe you don't want to..."

"Are you off your nut, bloke? My luv's goin' ta want ta know once I get him ta talk ta me, yah?" Of course, he didn't try to hide the curiosity and concern in his own voice. El and Trev were family, after all, and if they cared for young Bobby then that meant Spike cared too, although in a different way.

"Hold on, Will..."

Soft sounds of bare feet moving on wood, then on grass, vampiric hearing picking up the quiet shussshhhhing.

"Okay," Elliot said a little bit louder than before, "I'm away from the house now."

"Right, then. Bobby?"

Another laugh. "You know, he's going to hate it that you call him that. Or maybe not. Trev didn't get TOO upset when you started calling him Flouncy the Wonder-Ponce."

A throat clearing followed by a smirking chuckle. "Yah, well... bloke fancies me, I guess. Hardly surprisin’, seein' as he's been 'watchin' ' me for years an' all."

"Whatever, Will," Elliot said, even his voice smiling. "So anyway... Robert."

"Yah."

"He's... I don't know. I... I think I caught him checking out Trev's ass tonight and he didn't look... sick about it, y'know? Maybe... maybe that's good, right?"

A snort. "Think you know it's not bad, El. Guess that blessin's workin' then."

"Or the dreamcatchers. He's been sleeping through the night and believe me when I say that's a huge relief. He... he was getting so little sleep before that he even LOOKED grey and I really doubt that he was thinking clearly. I just... hope it doesn't go away, you know? Whatever it is that's making him feel less... fragile, I guess."

Spike smiled slightly at the relief in the man's voice even though he could also hear the continuing concern. "Might not be either," he offered, giving what comfort he could. The bloke had helped him, or tried to, earlier. He figured he owed him a bit of hope. "Might just be knowin' he's safe out there in th' middle of nowhere with just you an' Flouncy. An' if I was you, mate...? Wouldn't leave there 'til he can stand ta be touched an' luved, yah?"

Elliot sighed softly. "I wish I could do just that, Will, but... I have a feeling my work would suffer, y'know? I... I don't want to lose my job. Especially if we're going to have Robert to support too."

Another, louder snort. "Mate... for a smart bloke you're a soddin' moron. Young Bobby's goin' ta be comin' inta a soddin' fortune one day. Doubt Lily'd cut him off... not even for gettin' involved with TWO blokes instead of just one. Loves th' boy, she does. An' seein' as she already knows YOU from your time with my Claimed...? Don't see there bein' an issue."

"I know... I know you're right. But he doesn't want her to know what happened. I think... he wants to feel better and just... go back to DC. Doesn't seem like he wants... us."

It was the sorrow in the other man's voice that had Spike growling silently. Once again he was roped into being the bloody advice columnist to his Claimed's friends.

"Don't think 'Patia would have sent you an' Trev after him if he was indifferent ta you, mate. I'm not sayin' it's goin' ta be easy but... even without what happened ta th' bloke, he'd hardly be able ta pick up an' move ta New York, right? Not without leavin' our Lil an' he's just found her."

Elliot sighed again, the sound shivering through the phone line.

"Yeah... I guess. But I still have a job to do, and... but never mind. I'll have to choose, won't I? And..."

"No bloody contest, yah mate?" Spike chuckled. " 's not like Xan's goin' ta fire you even if th' publishin' house does. You're his best mate. Think that gives you a bit of room for negotiatin'." He frowned slightly and sighed one more time. "An' speakin' of negotiatin'... think I need ta go, bloke. Have ta try makin' things up with my Claimed."

"Good luck," Elliot said after a moment. "And Will... thanks. I... well, just thanks."

"Not a problem, pet. Go curl up with your luv an' young Bobby. An' give us a call tomorrow, yah? Xan's goin' ta want ta hear it all from you."

He set the cordless back in its cradle and thought for a few minutes. First things first. Figure out where his beloved was, then get to work on the plan El had outlined. Unfortunately it was light out but... it was amazing how much could be accomplished when you had money and internet access.

A quick call to Trev and El's place had him smiling as the sleepy voice of his Claimed answered. "Sorry, wrong number," he muttered in his best American accent.

Right, then. Next step.

Spike smirked just a bit as he surfed the ether, finding exactly what he was looking for in less than ten minutes. It would be a first step, but well worth it.

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A/N: MANY thanks to RemityGirl, TheShadowCat, Kat, Susan and banner for the reviews! As always, MUCH appreciated! *hugs*

RemityGirl: Yes, I know I am somewhat geared towards the angst. *grins* It's part of my (dubious) charm. *winks*

TheShadowCat: Hypatia will be showing up again soon... as for make up sex, well... we'll just have to wait and see whether Spike manages to make it up, won't we? *snerk*

Kat: Yes, I'm evil. I thought we'd established that? *sweet smile while rubbing hands together maniacally, ala Wicked Bloke about to tie innocent damsel to railroad tracks*

Susan: Yay, an addict! *grins* I am SO a pusher, I guess. *winks* As for the e-mail, send at will, if you like. I'll actually watch for it this time. *blushes* Promise.

banner: Wow... just found it and read it all in one night? I'm... honestly impressed. *nods* I know I tend to get a bit lengthy in fics, so... thank you so much for making the effort. Seriously. As for the other... that was the plan when I started this part. Unfortunately, the plot bunnies in my head sort of took over and the BD&DS intentions got kind of sidelined. There will be more of that in the next part of the series, though, so hopefully you'll bear with me for just a little while longer. *hopeful grin* As for the 'brothers', well... they'll get theirs. Eventually. Also in the next part of the series. LOL

Again, all of you, thank you so very much for taking the time and making the effort to let me know that you're not only reading but enjoying.

Your willingness to do so makes this entirely worthwhile.

You guys rock, and I mean that in the best possible sense.

~Tis