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Chapter 7
“I found a place,” Angel said.
“Yes!” Cordelia cheered. For nearly a week she’d been subject to Xander and Spike making goo goo eyes at each other, holding hands, kissing. It was driving her crazy. Since when was Xander gay? He’d dated her after all, hadn’t he? He liked girls, not psychotic, evil vampires.
“You ruined me for other women,” he’d teased. Then blushed when Spike said something a lot more graphic, wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Angel’s brows drew together as he spied Spike’s touch veering into x-rated territory. His look clearly said stop it… which Spike ignored, of course. Finally, Xander, exhibiting a bit of common sense – or embarrassment – shoved Spike’s hands away and moved over a few inches on the couch out of reach.
“It’s an old hotel call The Hyperion. The ground floor can double as offices for Angel Investigations. There’s rooms, sixty-eight of them,” he said, stressing the number. Plenty for Spike and Xander and himself to never have to worry about crossing paths, or chance overhearing what he was assuming their relationship was headed towards.
“When are you moving?” Cordelia asked.
“Oi! Trying to get rid of us already?”
“Yes.”
“We gave you your bed back.”
“Well, I want my apartment back.” The lights flickered and Cordelia smiled. Dennis obviously agreed with her.
“Sorry, Cordy. Until this thing with the soldiers is finished, I want you with us.”
“But you said the soldiers probably didn’t know about this place.”
“Still, I don’t trust you being here by yourself. No offense, Dennis.”
~*~*~*~*~
“Ugh! This place is a dump!”
“Have to agree with you there, Princess.” Spike crinkled his nose in disgust. The hotel looked like it hadn’t seen the right side of a broom in darn near fifty years.
“It was deserted.”
“So it was cheap,” Cordelia said.
“Yes.”
“I’m game,” Xander said, and walked gingerly about the lobby looking around.” “Oh! Hey! Kitchen!”
“It’s not stocked yet,” Angel told him. “Figured we’d clean—”
“Clean?” Cordelia demanded, interrupting Angel. “I’ve got to clean?”
The front door to the lobby opened and Oz, Wesley, and Doyle walked in, preventing Angel from answering.
“Hey, guys,” Oz said.
“Oz! Hey!” Xander called out.
“Xander.” The two moved to a couch and sat down. Dust billowed up from the cushion causing both of them to cough and laughingly fan it away. Oz sobered almost immediately though. “I’m sorry.”
Xander smiled. “Not your fault, man. I mean, it’s not like you knew. And hey… I’m still alive.”
“Yeah.”
“So… you sticking around?”
“I left. Sunnydale, I mean.” Willow, he didn’t say. “For good. I just… I gotta get a handle on this thing.” This thing being the wolf.
“Oh.”
“I came here, not sure why.” Oz shrugged. “It was instinct, I think.”
“Spike said you’re the one that knew I was back in Sunnydale. Really knew, I mean.”
“I just sorta sensed you, ya know?”
“Does this mean we’re like brothers now? Family?”
“If you want.”
“It’ll be kinda nice. Having someone to talk to about this.”
“Yeah. About that. I am leaving. Now actually. I just wanted to say goodbye, and that I’m sorry. Again.”
“You’re really going? For good?”
“I told you. I just can’t be around other people. Knowing that I can hurt them.”
“Where will you go?”
“Don’t really know. I still have a few weeks before the next full moon. Hopefully I’ll find some place that can teach me control. I hear Tibet is nice this time of year.”
“You’ll come back, though?”
“Maybe. Anyway… I gotta run. Want to get on the road while it’s still light out.”
“Be careful.”
Oz smiled and stood.
“See you around, Xander.”
~*~*~*~*~
Cordelia, Doyle, and Wesley were drinking coffee – in Wesley’s case, tea – and eating pastries when the lobby doors were kicked in. Cordelia screamed for Angel before realizing it was Buffy. Behind her stood Giles, armed with a crossbow, and Willow.
“Buffy! What the hell?”
“Cordelia?” Buffy looked confused. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m staying here temporarily. What are you doing here? And breaking down doors for? The door was unlocked, you know.”
“We came for Xander,” Willow said.
“What makes you think he wants to go anywhere with you?” Spike asked, standing at the balcony.
“Spike!” Buffy took an aggressive step forward.
“Slayer.”
Spike swaggered down the steps and crossed to where Cordelia and the others stood. “Got any jellies left, Princess?” He snagged one out of the box and looked pointedly at the Watcher. “Suggest you lower that crossbow, mate, or Percy here is gonna put a bullet right between your eyes.”
Giles looked aghast. “Wesley, have you taken leave of your senses? Aligning yourself with that… that…”
“Vampire,” Spike offered. “And, Percy is with us. Well, with Angel, anyway. Ah, there’s the grand poo bah now. Hey, pet,” he called out, seeing Xander standing behind him.
Angel ignored Spike and stared at Buffy. “What are you doing here?”
“You’re not the only one that can do spells, Angel. We did a locator spell and tracked you here. We came for Xander, and we’re not leaving until we get him.”
“Xander doesn’t want to go,” Xander said, and started down the steps. He was still sore, the cuts on his body had scabbed over, the bruises were now a mixture of yellow and purple, and if he moved too fast, hurt.
Giles lowered his weapon. Xander wasn’t being held against his will as Buffy had alluded to.
“But why, Xander?” Willow asked.
“Because it’s not safe for him there, you bint. Slayer was told as much, but she’s too daft to listen.”
“Spike,” Angel sighed.
“Spike!” Buffy growled.
“Rupert, would you care for a cup of tea? Pastry?” Wesley asked into the tense silence.
“God, yes!” Giles set his crossbow down on a nearby table and walked over to what had once been the check-in counter.
“Giles!” Buffy whined. Stomped her foot and put away her stake. “You’re supposed to be on our side.”
“Xander?” Willow raised her hand, as if to touch him when he went by.
Xander jerked away from her, out of her reach and joined Spike. He was still skittish around everyone but the vampire.
“Breakfast, pet? Milk? Donut?”
“Yeah. Okay.”
“Go sit down. I’ll bring it over.”
Xander nodded and sat down on the couch away from everyone else. Plastered himself to Spike’s side when he sat down next to him.
Giles was too busy enjoying his tea to notice Xander’s
behavior, but Buffy did. So did Willow.
~*~*~*~*~
“Did you find out any more on the demon Frankenstein?” Doyle asked Giles.
Willow and Buffy were hounding Xander about Spike. Xander was becoming more withdrawn and Spike was getting steadily angrier. A fight was brewing and it wasn’t going to be pretty. Angel, unfortunately, was having little effect on getting Buffy or Spike to back off.
“Yes,” Giles answered. “It was why we were delayed in arriving. Apparently this thing has broken free of the base and gone off on his own. It’s killing demons, dissecting them, really. Like it’s trying to learn their anatomy. Before we left, it had killed a human boy.”
“I tried tracking it, but no luck,” Buffy said. She grimaced, recalling the boy she’d encountered in the woods.
“I really think we should pool our resources,” Giles said. “You all have an intimate knowledge of the base. If we work together, we can take down this creature and get rid of the military once and for all.”
“No bloody way. I’m not dragging Xander back to the hellmouth to chance him getting recaptured. We’re done.”
“Spike,” Angel began.
“No, Angelus!”
“Spike.” This time it was Xander. He leaned over and whispered in Spike’s ear.
“Fine. But you’re with me. Whatever plan you lot come up with, Xander goes with me.”
“No!” Buffy said.
“Fine,” Angel agreed.
“Angel!”
“Xander’s with Spike, Buffy. Deal with it, or I’ll leave them both here.” His tone brooked no argument.
Xander’s eyes widened at Angel’s defense, and he could sense Spike’s smirk. He was oddly… touched.
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