Spike the. . . Cuddly???

Spike sat on the edge of the bed watching Xander sleep. The boy'd been through a lot lately. He'd woken up once, his hand was moving over his chest like he was looking for something that should be there. It took a moment for Spike to realize what should've been there was him. Well, kitten him anyway. He'd placed his head on the softly rising and falling chest and let Xander stroke his hair until he was fully asleep again. It had taken a huge effort for Spike to pull away from Xander's warm fingers but he'd done it. Then he resumed his watch over the sleeping scooby.

Xander began to stir again and Spike stood quickly and moved to a chair nearby, closing his eyes as if he hadn't been watching the boy all day. He pushed down the little ache inside him when he realized that he wasn't welcome to curl up into that warmth anymore. //Never thought I'd miss bein' a cat.//

"Spike." His name was breathed out in a sleepy sigh and Xander rolled closer to where his cool weight rested, so different from the warmth of the kitten he'd been.

"'m here. In one form or another. Always here."

"Spike." Giles stood in the doorway, watching the vampire carefully.

"Watcher?"

"I should have known that only you could annoy me as much as that blasted kitten was."

"Well, so much fer all that watcher knowledge." He glarred, "Thought you'd wise up sooner."

"The idea of you being a cute little 'anything' threw of my usual powers of deduction."

"S'at a fact?"

"Indeed. Now about Xander. . ."

"No need ta waste yer breath Rupes." Spike stood and cracked his neck, stiff from leaning over the boy for hours. "'M outta here when the boy comes to. Evil undead an' all."

"I think you have misjudged the situation."

"Might 'ave yeah, but I don't think so."

Giles eyes burned and he backed the startled vamp into the wall, "I never took William the Bloody for a coward. Of course Xander will be upset, he's had a shock. That doesn't mean you get to give up and blame him for your hundred and twenty year old insecurities. If you want him then fight for him, he has just as many fears as you."

"Why're ya rootin' me on ta court yer boy. Would think a watcher'd be pushing me away fast 'n far."

The human shook his head and smiled indulgently at Spike, "Because I saw how upset he was when he thought you were gone. I've watched him bury a part of himself since high school, and amazingly, I think you will be just what he needs."

"I just get yer approval ta court?"

"I beleive that is what I said."

"Bit hard ta translate watcher speak."

He shook his head, "I need to get some ingredients to insure that none of you are affected by the Fradglarn's magic when we fight it.can you stay with Xander and then bring him to the magic shop when he wakes?"

"'Ey! Jus' cause I'm workin' at bein' yer son-in-law don't mean I gotta listen to ya!"

"Actually that is exactly what it means." He smirked and left before Spike could think of how to respond to that.

"Hn. Cheeky git i'nt 'e?"

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Xander yawned adn stretched his arms in languid peace. He let his eyes slowly drift open to the soft light of //. . . wait, light?// His brow furroughed in confusion //why did I leave the light on? Spike won't settle down and sleep if. . . Spike?//

He sat up so fast that he made himself dizzy, "Oooh, not good." After the room settled again the sable haired boy stood and began searching for the platinum kitten who should have been sleeping on his chest o rpillow like always. "Spike? Come on, kitty kitty, wher are you? Spike?"

"Though yeh'd sleep fer ever."

Everything came back to him at the sight of the blond vampire. The Fradglarn, the fight, the iron fence, the vend Gnd Giles doing a spell to bring back the last o fthe demon's victims. Then, Spike. His kitten was. . .

"Oi! Doin't go faintin' again!"

"Spike?"

"S'prise." He had the decency to look sheepish at least.

"My Spike is THE Spike?"

"One of a kind I am."

"Where is Giles?"

"Want 'im ta turn me back?" Spike look half way between laughing and growling now and Xander's eyes started to look a bit shiney.

"Giles?" He called.

"Oh! Fine! Said 'e had ta go ta the shop. I'm ta take you there after dark."

The human's thoughts were racing, Spike could almost see the gears turning.

"My kitten. . ."

Spike's heart lurched. The kid looked so young, and so lost. //'At's right, 'eard th' witches talkin' while we were healin' up. 'bout Xan's cat getting offed in front o' 'im when 'e was a boy. 'E knows I was the kitten, be 'e's still lost 'is pet again.// "Can pet me if you want." Spike spoke quickly, with a lecherous grin to cover his less than big bad thoughts, "I'll even purr fer ya."

'Huh?" He blushed bright red. "Ah. . . about what I said to you, . . . when you were . . ."

Spike opened his mouth to answer but was cut off by the telephone ringing. The vampire snatched it off the cradle and pulled his arm back but Xander snatched it from him before it cound be thrown.
" "Hello?. . . oh. . . . yeah. . . we can, but. . . no. . . why don't you come. . . sure. See you then. Bye." He hung up and spoke without looking at Spike, "They're doing the spells over here, since you can't go out yet and you need to get one done on you."

"Harris. . ."

"Let's clean up a little before they get here okay?"

"Harris. . ."

"Does dust throw off magic cause maybe we should. . ."

"Xander!"

"WHAT?!"

The stood facing eachother, Spike not moving an inch and Xander looking like he was hyperventilating. "Jus' ferget it alright?"

"Forget. . ."

"Far as I'm thinkin' it never 'appened."

"Oh." Xander's voice was small but he nodded, "Yeah, sure, uh. . . well. . . I gotta clean up so. . ."

"Sure, right." Spike flopped onto the couch and closed his eyes, "Middle o' my night anyroad."

Xander left the room quickly and Spike opened troubled eyes to the ceiling. //S'way I don't do humans. Bloody complicated they are. Vamp's jus' like a cat anyway, jus' more fun s'all.// What he didn't let himself think of was the fact that since he was no longer Xanders 'kitten', he no longer had a place in Xander's home. Thoughts like that did not promote sleep, and right then, there was a Fradglarn to worry about.