Blood Ties

Blood Ties ~ Escape

“We’re gonna have to stay on the run, won’t we?”

“Yeah Pet, looks like it. We were gonna leave anyhow.”

”I know, it’s just that I’d rather not have the U. S. Army our myr my blood. Or for whatever it is they did to us.”

Xander just looked out the passenger window. They’d driven away frunnyunnydale originally, trying to lose their tail, but found roadblocks up. So it was back into town, ditching the truck for a car, and driving some more and ditching and stealing again. He felt almost numb with exhaustion; he wanted nothing more than some food and to sleep as long as possible in a real bed. He was sure he’d wake up in a day or


He sees Spike glance at him from the corner of his eyes, trying to watch him and the road at the same time.

“Out with is Spike, what’s up?”

“Hmm? Oh, just wondering when you’re gonna start babbling about what’s happened. After all you did kill someone Pet, and we’ve been in there a bloody long time.”

Xander sighed and leaned his forehead into the glass of the window. “I probably will freak Spike, in fact keep that in mind once I’ve eaten and gotten some sleep that does not occur around the color white. In fact I don’t want to see that fucking color ever again.”

Spike just keeps on looking at him, and Xander just can’t help but worry. “You okay? I mean, no problem with the chip or anything? It worked, or didn’t work that is?”

“Yeah Xan, no matter what happens that seems to be gone. I’m just…”

“What Spike? If you wore underwear I’d swear it was in a bunch.”

“Thought I could feel it yesterday, but now that we’re out and I had a decent meal, I realized I can feel Dru.” Spike paused, watching his lover carefully to see the reaction. Xander hardly even blinked. “You do realize she won’t kill you Xander, you’re family to her now, she’ll know that as soon as she sees you, if the bloody stars didn’t tell her already.”

Xander thought about it for a while, and realize that Spike was trying to find his Sire, but was afraid of his reaction. To tell the truth, before being used as a human lab rat he would have felt intimidated, but it was different now.

“Sad to say humans with guns rank higher on my freak out list than your ex being in town right now Spike. You think she was looking for us?”

“Might, dunno really. Mostly the bond between us has to be strengthened with blood, just like ours, and it’s been a year or so since I’ve seen her.”

“Well let’s find her, I don’t want these soldiers getting their hands on my Mother-in-law after all.”

Spike can’t help but feel relived that Xander isn’t going to be upset or jealous. He can smell the bone-tiredness on his boy and wants nothing more than to hide him away for a day or two to rest but he knows he’ll need help. He needs to get his boy away safe, needs to make sure what he heard was true and what could happen to Xander. There were too many what ifs, and he’d be damned before he let anything happen.

Xander falls into that half and half stage of sleep and wakefulness, just letting the car rock him into some sort of quiet and tried so very hard not to think. He knew what Spike was doing now, circling Sunnydale till he had an idea of just where his Sire was. It made Xander wonder if anyone had missed him, if his parents even noticed he wasn’t living in the basement anymore. Sure Spike’s Sire was crazy, and she had broke up with him, but it seemed that she wamilymily to Spike. Despite their history something had made her come to town, and he was sure their capture was it.

It was oddly comforting.

He felt the car come to a stop and looked up. If this was where Dru was they were in trouble.

“Bloody hell!”

“Oh shit Spike. I may be ready to face Dru but this?”

“No help for it luv, can’t let the slayer kill her either, and well, your mates were probably worried.”

“If I felt up to betting, I’d bet they think jus just killed me.”

“Not up to losing right now luv. Come on; shift your arse. The faster we get this over with the faster we can get the fuck out.”

They’d come to a stop at Giles’s condo. “Gee, what fun, I get to face the gang after weeks of being locked up, and Dru. Just tell me Deadboy isn’t in there Spike, please!”

Spike couldn’t help but laugh. He found it oh so funny that the mortal he was mated to hated his Grandsire as much as Spike himself did.

“No Luv, the Poofs not here. Come on, I won’t let them get you.”

“Husband-Mine, I’m more worried about you right now. Fuck. Let’s do this.”

Xander got out of the car reluctantly. He just knew this was going to be bad. Spike came round from the other side and just let him lean into him for a moment, trying to give his mortal lover strength.

From behind he felt Drusilla, slipping from the shadows of the house and he nudged Xander behind him.

“Dru.”

“The stars sang to me Spike, told me you and the Kitten were trapped in the ground, in the cold snow. I couldn’t find you and the stars sing of tigers and mice. Can we catch them in their own trap Spike?”

“Yeah, pet, we may just do that yet.” Spike watched as his Sire goes to his boy’s side, watched as Xander held still and Drusilla looked into his eyes and traced his cheekbone with a thin finger.

”Kitten’s all grown into a Lion Spike, protecting the pride. Blood on the sand of the jungle and won’t the cub be all pretty and sharp? He matches you well my Spike, he’s lovely.” She turned from talking to Spike to talk to Xander himself and for a moment he thinks he can almost understand what she’s talking about.

“Now, now pretty Lion, you must rest and the Tree is worried without her cat. Here, you must hold Miss Edith; she wants to listen to the heart. She’ll keep the nasty nightmares away, galloping, galloping through your head, she’s much more terrifying and has a bridle.”

Xander takes the doll that is offered and throws a bewildered look at his lover. A Spike shrug, even after years of dealing with her brand of rambling it was hard to figure Drusilla out sometimes.

“Now don’t just stand there children, we must go have tea and scones before the clotted cream melts.”

Xander and Spike followed obediently, both shocked at the strange lucidity coming from the vampire. Okay, she was still not making sense all of the time, but it wasn’t quiet as bad as usual. They got to the door to Giles condo and Xander stepped forward.

“I’d better go first guys, Giles will be less likely to stake me.”

Spike growled down deep in his chest but he knew his boy was right. However he was the one to press the bell and he stood ready to protect both his Sire and his lover. He saw the curtains at the window twitch and heard a sharp intake of breath from the other side of the door.

“Open up G-man! I’m still a living breathing boy and do I have a story to tell you!”

“Xander! Where have you been, we all thought…we’ve been very worried about you. Willow still hasn’t stopped searching even though Riley and Buffy have tried to convince…”

“That I’m dead? I’m sure Riley has. Let us in Giles. Please?” He watched as the door open and waited for the inevitable stake or crossbow to be aimed at his lover and Drusilla.

“Spike! And, and Drusilla! Xander what’s going on? I’m not letting…”

“Yes you are. I need help Giles; we need help. Look.” He stuck his arm through the doorway to prove that he didn’t need an invitation. “I can come in, but I won’t, not without them.”

He could see Giles thinking before he spoke up. “Very well, I may certainly regret this, in fact I already do, but come in, both of you.”


Spike kept a firm grasp on Drusilla but his Sire was just singing to herself, talking to the stars or what have you. He decided to let Xander do the talking; the Watcher never really would listen to him. He sat Dru down on the couch and sat beside her, blocking her from attacking the Watcher. Xander sat next to him and was quiet for a moment, running his hands over his face while trying to figure out where to start.

“Fuck Giles, I don’t know what to say. We need, we need Buffy and Willow. Not Tara or Riley though, fuck if I want to see that bastard right now. See me and Spike, we’ve kinda been at the Iniative’s version of a roach motel, and we weren’t supposed to check out.”

“Good Lord!”

***

Half an hour later and Xander felt some better. For once he had taken up the offer of a cup of chamomile tea and Giles had laced it with enough sugar to knock over a horse. That and the cheese sandwich went a long way to help Xander fell more like a human and less like a lab rat.

He hadn’t said much and for once neither had his lover. Drusihad had gone on about Kittens and Lions and killing and Xander so hoped Giles didn’t put that part together. It was enough that he was looking at Xander like he’d grown a third arm.

Xander could hear the girls coming up the walkway and he shifted nervously. Spike just laid a hand on his leg and then glared at Giles, daring him to protest. This was not going to be easy on his boy, despite drifting away from his friends since Graduation he still cared about what they thought of him.

The door opened, and Buffy and Willow came through. They were both in shock to see who was there, Xander could tell, but then he saw his Willow’s eyes light up and he knew it would be okay.

That feeling ended as soon as he saw why Buffy was still holding the door open. He had heard Giles tell Buffy it should be just her and Willow, but there stood Riley Finn.

Xander saw red, the anger and hatred that had beuilduilding up for this human since he’d been captured erupting from him. He leaped from the couch, the doll he’d still been holding at Drusilla’s urging falling to the floor as he took a swing at the blond.

It connected solidly and Riley crashed to the floor Xander following. In the back of his mind he could hear Buffy and Willow screaming, Buffy demanding that Xander was evil.

Spike had leaped up as soon as he saw the Slayer go to attack his boy. He pinned her arms to her side and by now it was obvious to the humans that the chip wasn’t working. He wanted to go to Xander, stop him, it just couldn’t be good for him to be that enraged, but he was afraid to let go.

It was his Dark Princess who came to the rescue, going to Xander’s side and shushing him.

“There, there pretty Lion, you’ve scared your Tree. Mustn’t hurt the tin soldier too badly, need him to lead us to Frankenstein. Hush Little One, hush.”

The red haze finally lifts from Xander’s eyes and he’s shaken at the damage he’s done. He hadn’t even knowingly thought about going for the other man, it just happened like a switch had been thrown. Drusilla’s hands were running through his hair and damned if it didn’t feel better than anything his own Mother had done for him.

“There now, go to your Tree, she’s missed you. Let me take care of the bad man for you.” She tugs at his ear and pushes him towards where Willow was standing with a deer in the headlights look.

“Xander where have you been, we’ve been so worried! Why did you attack Riley and oh goodness Spike’s chip is out isn’t it, did he hurt you? And why is Drusilla taking care of you? Xander what’s going on?”

Giles seems to snap out of his stupor at seeing the boy he thought he knew viscously attack someone. “Xander please sit down, take Willow with you. Buffy do not dust anyone until we figure out what’s going on. Spike, please let go of Buffy and keep her” he flings his arm out at Drusilla who is swaying before an unconscious Riley, “from doing anything insane. Now, one at a time, what is going on here?”

Spike gathers Drusilla into his arms and sits her next to Xander and stands behind the couch. He doesn’t trust the Slayer to not stake first and ask questions later. As he does so he can’t help but notice the terrified look in the witch’s eyes. Her eyes get even wider as Xander picks up the doll from the floor and hands it to the vampire with a shaky smile.

Spike figures he’ll have to start their little tale, his boy’s just too nervous after that little display.

“It’s like this Watcher. ‘Bout a week or so after the world just about ended yet again, that time with the bloody Vahrall demons at the library, Xan and me was patrolling at one of our usual places. The long and short of it is we were both caught by Captain Cardboards friends over there and used as guinea pigs, just got out early tonight.”

“It was seriously fucked up guys. They poked and prodded and I don’t know what else! It’s been weird, we don’t even know what day it is yet even.”

“It’s April Xander, April tenth. Can you tell me exactly what they did to you?”

“Maybe later G-man, okay? I am seriously tired here, and freaked. I just want to go home.”

“Oh Xander I’m so sorry we didn’t find you!! We looked, really, but my location spell just didn’t work and we couldn’t find you and your basement was empty and,” here the volume on Willow’s babble went down to where Xander could barely hear it. “Buffy was convinced Spike got the chip out and killed you. I’m sorry! If I would have known…”

Xander hugs his friend, enjoying the scent of her shampoo as he buried his face in her hair. “It’s okay Wills. You didn’t know. You haven’t walked home with me in a while; you didn’t know I haven’t really lived there this year. I understand.”

“Well I don ‘t understand!” Buffy. Xander sighed, he didn’t feel up to her questioning right now, but he knew there would be no way out of it. He watched as she paced across the room and then turned and looked at Xander. “Why did they keep you? You’re just a human, Spike they might dissect into little pieces, but they’d never get anything out of you! And why are you being so nice to Fangless and his girlfriend? What’s she doing here anyway?”

Spike watches as Xander recoils at the girl’s unintentionally harsh words. “Shut your fucking mouth Slayer! You know nothing! My Sire is here because she was looking for us, knew those of her blood needed her! While you all were convinced I’d killed my boy or just bloody well got busy and forgot him! I should just take your pet solider over there and finish off what Xander started!”

Xander can almost see the train wreck that is coming and part of his doesn’t want to stop it. It hurts that Buffy is more concerned about his status as a human than whether or not he was okay. When they first told Giles the older man had looked him over from top to bottom. Okay so Giles was probably looking for puncture marks, and they were there, at his throat, but most of his injuries were from the bruises, scrapes and cuts were from tests and samples the scientists had forced him to give.

Still he doesn’t want his lover scattered to the four winds. He lets go of Willow’s hand and joins Spike behind the couch, keeping an eye on Dru to make sure she doesn’t hurt his Wills. He lays a hand on Spike’s arm, trying to quiet him.

“Spike please, arguing isn’t going to help right now.”

Spike captures his hand, holding his boy tight. The time for hiding is over. “She just shouldn’t say anything like that about you luv.” He hears the gasps that come from three different sets of lungs and could almost grin. If he weren’t so busy looking at Xander he’d love to see their faces.

Once again Buffy makes a move as if to stake him, but his Dru is faster, protecting her Childe. “Must listen and learn. The Lion has lain with the Wolf. Run and catch! Rabbits hiding in the lettuce patch!”

“What the hell?”

“Xander!”

Xander hears the fury in Buffy’s voice, the confusion in Willow’s. Giles says nothing, only polishes his glasses and tried to look elsewhere. He probably figured it out as soon as we got here, Xander figures.

“Buffy just chill, okay? You’re not going to hurt Spike or Drusilla, they’re my family. Got it?”
hat hat announcement went over even worse than the one before. Giles sinks down into an armchair and Buffy looks like she’s going to have a stroke. Xander looks as his Willow, his best friend for so many years, still his best friend if you didn’t count Spike, which Xander did. Willow looks wide eyed and frightened, as if he’d announced he had cancer or something.

Giles finally speaks up. “I think you’d better explain yourself Xander, now.”

“It’s like this, Spike and I, we’re together, the forever kind of together. The only reason we came back to Sunnydale after last summer was to find a spell to attach my soul for when he’d turn me but then the Soldier boys got a hold of him. I am Alexander, Consort to William the Bloody, also known as Spike, Childe of Drusilla and a Master he lhe line of Aurelius.” He spoke the formal words knowing that while Buffy and Willow may not understand Giles will.

Spike wraps his arms around his mate, feeling proud. He almost laughs at the continued confusion on the two girls faces, Dru had stopped restraining the Slayer and was now petting Red, humming to herself once more. The Watcher looks as if he’d announce the Queen was really a man, he’s so shocked. Maybe they’d played their rolls as two friends that fought constantly too well.

“Good Lord Xander do you know what you’ve done! You’ve bound yourself to,SpikSpike! A soulless demon! This can be broken, I know just the spell and…” He gets up but before he can find a book but Xander is the one who stops him.

“You will not break our bond Giles! I wanted this!”

“Xander please understand, I realize the time you spent with Spike may have left you with certain feelings, sharing the same cell and all, but surely now that you’re out you will change your mind.”

“Xander please, Giles is right, I know a spell that will fix…”

Willow jumps as her oldest and dearest friend growls low in his throat at her. He will always have a special place in his heart for Willow, but Xander will allow no one to come between Spike and himself.

“It’s not something new Giles, we’ve been mated since last August, and you guys just never noticed.”