Anything for You

<Part 5>

 

    Xander ushered his children home quickly. He didn't like
them being out on the Hellmouth at night. "Come on guys, bath then bedtime
okay?"

    "Daddy?"

    He smiled, "I'm okay. You don't die from . . . disappointment."
He refused to say 'broken hearts' his heart was NOT broken. It was cracked
is all. The boys kept it from breaking. He'd always have his boys. "Come
on, you smell like demons."

    Essej giggled, "We are demons."

    Xander pretended to look shocked. "Why, so you are!" He
pulled the little one's shirt up over his head and herded the three of them
into the bathroom. "rub a dub dub, three Garkreshin in the tub."

    A pounding on the door startled them all, making them
jump.

    "Xander!"

    The human tensed and clentched his jaw. "Guys, bath time,
the water's getting cold."

    "Xander open the bloody door!"

    "Daddy?" Ssol looked toward the front door, unsure or
what to do.

    "Just ignore it. Bath. Now."

    The climbed into the bathtub and Xander knelt on the floor
beside it.

    "Whelp if you don't open this door in ten seconds I'll.
. ."

    "What do you think you're doing? Leave that nice boy alone.
You probably woke up the little ones!"

    "Mind you own ya ol' bag. Xander open up!"

    Xander lay his head on the cool porcline tub and steeled
himself.

    "Daddy?" Yrral asked, touching his hair.

    "Wash up guys." He choked out, managing not to sob. "I'll
go tell him to be quiet."

    "But. . ."

    Xander ruffled their hair, "Wash. If you're done with
your skin in five minuets I'll wash your hair for you."

    They began washing and Xander stood up painfully slow
and walked to the front door. Just as Spike kicked it in.

    The door slammed into Xander's face and knocked him across
the room.

    "Shit!" Spike dropped down beside him and helped him sit
up, wiping the blood away from his nose. "What the Hell were you doing standing
that close to the door?!"

    Xander groaned, "Getting ready to open it."  He rubbed
his injurred nose, "Ouch!"

    "It isn't broken."

    "No thanks to you!"

    "Xan I. . ."

    "Why can't you just leave us alone? Haven't you done enough?"
He stood, swaying a bit before he got his balance again. "The kids can't
take this on again off again stuff. I can't take it!"

    "I didn't know! You never told me!"

    "You're in love with Buffy! What was I supposed to say?
'Hey now that she's dead, wanna get together and make little demonic babies?'"

    "Uh. . . don't think that's anatomically possible pet."


    

    "I'm sure Willow would know a spell." He dismissed then
realised he'd gone off track, "But that isn't the point!"

    "The point is you love me."

    "Yeah." He froze, "Wait. . . Damn it. . . Spike!"

    The vampire stepped closer, backing  Xander up against
the wall. "So tell me now."

    "Why? So you can know just how low you can crush me?"
He whispered.

    Spike growled, "Xander. Tell me."

 

    Xander frowned, tears streaking over his face. "Hey, wanna
get together and make little demonic babies." It was spoken so softly Spike
barely heard it.

    The blond reached out and cupped Xander's chin, lifting
his face so their eyes met. He grinned softly and breathed, "I'm sure Willow
knows a spell."

    "Wha. . ."

    "I love you pet." Spike's eyes begged for another chance.
"I tried to think of life without you and the li'l bits. . . I couldn't."


    "You just got used to us."

    He shook his head. "I got to know you. I admired you.
Then I wanted you, to be near you. . . then, when I hurt you I realised I
would have given everything I was to take the pain off of your face. I realised
that when I'm around you, I feel safe. It feels like I'm whole."

    "You really need to stop listening in on my stories."


 

    Spike's heart fell. This was it. He'd hurt the boy too
much this time.

    "Next time you can tell the story." Xander gave him a
watery smile.

    He had never felt so warm inside. "I have a great one.
It's about human warrior and his pack, and a silly blind vampire."

    "Does it have a happy ending?"

    Spike smiled and caught his mouth in their first real
kiss. It was akward and sloppy and broken by laughter, but it was the most
passionate thing either of them had ever felt. Spike finally pulled back
to let Xander breath. "Whelp?"

    "Hm?"

    "You promised the kids you'd wash their hair for them."


    "Oh."

    "Can I lend a hand?"

    Xander's smile lit up the whole apartment. "Come on."


__________________________

    Giles ran up the stares to Xander's apartment followed
by Buffy and Willow. He cursed the minions that had held them up with each
step. If Spike had done anything to the boy he would. . .

    "Giles?" Buffy ran up behind him and stared at the broken
door. "Oh no."

    The four of them rushed into the apartment. "Oh Goddess
what if Spike. . ."

    "He wouldn't hurt Xander." Buffy insisted.

p;&np;   "But where. . ."

    Giles heard a splash from the bathroom and pushed open
the door, ready to see the worst.

    What he saw was a bleached blond vampire half in and half
out of the tub, fully clothed, while three little demons painted his face
with soap crayons while Xander stood to the side giggling too hard to help.


    The watcher closed the door quietly and crept back to
where the others were trying to work out where Spike might have taken them.


    "Giles what. . ."

    "They're just fine."

    "They're here?! Where?! What happened?" Willow babbled
and he pointed to the bathroom.

    The witch peaked through the keyhole and stood back up,
smiling, "Come on." She ushered them out the door. "Giles' right, we can
talk to them later."

    "But what. . .?"

 &n&nbs  "I think they worked it out for themselves."

_________________________

    

   The night shadows slid across the king sized bed and Spike stared
at the three sleeping children and the dark haired angel  who slept
beside him.

    "Spike?" Xander whispered. "What's wrong?"

    "Nothing."

    Xander sat up and looked at the blond carefully. "Can't
you sleep? I know the boys roll around a. . . . . "

    "C'n sleep just fine pet."

    "Then what's wrong?"

    He smiled in the dark, "Just counting my blessings. One
Two Three Four."

    Xander blushed and Spike hugged him tighter.

    

    "And I was thinkin'."

    "Huh?" Xander asked, not takeing his face away from where
he was burrowing into Spikes embrace.

    "Ya think the watcher would like to watch to bits fer
a few some time?"

    That caused Xander to pause, "Why?"

    Spike smirked, "Because. ah'd like ta get started on those
little demonic babies you promised me."

    He blushed bright red and Spike chuckled quietly. "Well.
. ."

    "Yeah pet?"

 

    "Could we try for a girl?"

    Spike's heart was flooded with love. "Yeah."

    "Spike?" Xander yawned.

    "Hm?"

    "You are so fixing the door tomorrow."

    He chuckled. "Yes pet."

    "'kay."

    Spike hugged his love closer and smiled as Ssol, Yrral
and Essej rolled so they were laying in a snug dog-pile on top of their daddies.
As the vampire drifted to sleep one word echod in his mind.  //home.//

~end~