Healing

Part 49

"Ow! Bloody hell! Stop it!"

The sounds coming from Giles bedroom were loud enough to draw everyone’s attention. They all tried to ignore the fact that an unchipped Spike was in that room with a human being, beating him for information.

Buffy was edgy. She knew that Spike was one of the good guys now, but he was whole again, and he could kill Ethan. The slayer in her said to save the human and slay the demon, but the girl in her said to let Spike have the miserable wizard. Just get the information they needed first.

Both Willow and Tara were bothered by the noise, but not because of the fact that Ethan was human or that Spike could kill him. They just couldn't concentrate with all the screaming and yelling. They knew Spike wouldn't kill Ethan. He'd been asked not to, and they trusted the vampire.

Giles was probably in the most discomfort. He was disturbed by the noise, it made it really hard to read. Then there was the fact that Ripper wanted nothing more than to go in there and help the vampire torture the little shit who had stripped him of his power. He was finding it extremely difficult to keep Ripper in check. Each scream, every moan of pain, brought him closer to the surface.

Giles slammed his book shut and stood up. He walked away from the table and headed to the stairs. The girls watched him in a mix of fascination and utter disbelief as he picked up the lamp that Wesley had rewired, as well as the ball-gag and whistled on his way up the stairs.

It was Buffy who eventually broke the silence.

"Well, heeelllooooo Ripper."


On the way back to the apartment complex, Xander and Wesley tried to keep the mood light but things kept coming back to Angel and Angelus. Eventually Wesley got around to telling Xander what was truly bothering him.

"Angel and I will never have what you have with Spike. The way I understand it, the demon has to love in order to take a mate. Angelus does not love me, he isn't capable of that emotion."

Xander was stunned. He had no idea how Wes knew about him and Spike, they hadn't told anyone yet.

"Wes? How did you know? We only did the bonding last night and we haven't told anyone yet."

"Oh, well I was just assuming... Rupert and I were talking, he said it was possible that you two were mated, that he didn't know for sure... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

"No worries. We were gonna tell everyone today any how. What else did Giles tell you?"

Wesley, unaware of Giles's breach of confidence, told Xander what the other man had told him. He knew he had done something wrong when Xander’s eyes flashed and he growled low in his chest.

"Did I... Have I done something wrong?"

"No. You had no way of knowing. What Giles told you, was supposed to be kept a secret. It wasn't his place to tell you anything."

"Oh. Well, in his defence, he was trying to make me believe in Spike's commitment to you. I was a bit sceptical after hearing about..."

"Yeah, well it still wasn't his place. Where did you guys talk?"

Wesley was confused but answered anyway.

"In the kitchen. Why?"

"Fuck! Well now Angelus knows everything. Damn vampire hearing. I swear to God I will stake that bastard if he comes after Spike again."

Wesley stopped dead in his tracks and began muttering to himself and slapping his forehead.

"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid."

"Wes?"

"He heard everything. If Angel is still conscious, then he would have heard everything Rupert and I discussed. He knows that I had doubts. I'm afraid I've hurt him terribly. What am I going to do?"

Xander put his arm around Wesley’s shoulder and began walking them toward Giles place again.

"You talk to him. You tell him everything, tell him that you were scared, tell him that you're sorry and that you still love him. Tell him that you won't give up on him and tell him that he has to fight. He needs to stay strong until the others figure this out."

"Thank you Xander. You've grown into a fine man and I am honoured to call you a friend."

Xander grinned at Wesley and then chuckled, then he burst out laughing. When he finally calmed enough to speak again, he told Wes that he was just thinking about the look on Angel's face when he invited them on a double date with him and Spike. Wesley couldn't help but laugh too.

It was a good, mood lifting experience. The rest of the walk back was made in easy banter and Wesley felt as though the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders. Too bad it fell back on him as soon as they entered the apartment door.