What Was Lost

What Was Lost

Chapter 12

Angel led an unresisting Buffy to the couch and urged her to sit down. She was immediately joined by Willow, who pulled her close in a comforting hug, assuring her friend that they would find Spike’s stuff soon and not to worry. Not that it did any good as Buffy appeared inconsolable, crying quietly on her friend’s shoulder.

Footsteps sounded from the upper floor and Angel turned to see Giles hurrying down the steps appearing less than his usual unflappable self.

“I’ve searched the upper floor but found nothing,” Giles announced as he joined them. He ran a hand through his hair as he took in Buffy’s appearance. “We’ll keep looking, however. Some of the girls are out at the moment. I’ll check with them when they return.”

“See, Buffy?” Willow said, ever the peacemaker. “We’ll find his things. I’m sure someone just…” She let her words trail off, unsure what to say that would make the situation better. Because why would anyone go into Buffy’s room and steal Spike’s things? It would just mean that the person was either heartless or cruel.

Angel looked around the hotel. The place looked old and worn, now that the decorations had been taken down – much like he felt.

“Where’s Xander?” he said out of the blue, after a second glance revealed the boy missing.

“He left a few days ago,” Willow said. “He had to get back to work. New job and all.”

“A new job?” Angel parroted. He’d never been overly concerned about Xander, and had actually breathed a sigh of relief when he’d announced to everyone that he was leaving Los Angeles to tour the States, something that he’d apparently started after high school, but had not gotten very far with.

The two had never been the best of friends. Actually they’d never been friends. Could barely tolerate the other’s presence, if the truth be told. And it was all because they’d butted heads over a certain girl. That, and because Angel was a vampire, and Xander hated vampires.

“Yep. He flew back to Myrtle Beach about a week ago. He’s a bartender now.”

Angel didn’t hear the rest of Willow’s explanation, fixated as he was on the fact that Xander was moving to the same city Spike was in. The fact that he was a bartender was too likely a coincidence not to investigate further.

He made a vague remark, murmured under his breath, and left the lobby. Thankfully no one commented on his departure; he didn’t want to have to explain what he was coming to believe. That it was Xander that had stolen Spike’s things. That the boy had known of Spike’s whereabouts and never said a word to anyone – not even Willow – the entire time he was here.

And that was the crux of the matter. Xander’s actions didn’t fit. It was so unlike him to hold his tongue.

As much as he wanted to leave Spike to the new life he had created, Angel just couldn’t let the matter drop until he knew the truth. For that, he was going to have to make a return trip to Myrtle Beach.

~*~*~*~*~

“Prolly need to look into finding a place.”

Xander looked up from where he was cleaning glasses behind the bar to see Spike leaning against it.

“Huh?”

“Gonna be here a while, yeah? Can’t keep living in that motel. Ain’t safe for one thing.”

“I guess.” In truth, Xander hadn’t really thought about it. But, he supposed Spike made sense. He’d made the commitment to stay, and he made a decent wage – especially with the tips he received. He could afford his own apartment, surround himself with his own things. “You wouldn’t by chance—?”

“Know someplace? Wouldn’t have mentioned it otherwise.”

“Well, I’m off tomorrow night.”

“I’ll talk to Mike. Take the night off too. We can go round the place. Check it out.”

“It’s a date. Day! Deal! I mean—”

“Got it, Harris,” Spike snorted at Xander’s backpedalling. “I’ll swing by your hotel, tomorrow after dark.”

“Yeah. Okay.”

Spike wandered off, finishing up his portion of the nightly cleanup and Xander went back to straightening things behind the bar. By the time he had finished and collected his tips for the night, the place was deserted, though he knew Spike was lurking around somewhere.

Though the vampire would never admit to it in a million years, he’d become Xander’s shadow during his nightly walks back to his hotel room, making sure that no harm befell him on the trip.

Xander smiled and let himself out of the back door, mindful to lock the door on his way out. He walked to the end of the alley and turned to the corner and knew that Spike had settled in behind him, skulking from shadow to shadow so as not to be seen. Even so, he knew Spike would be back there. It put a spring in his step, gave him a confidence to walk the darkened streets that he’d not otherwise have had.

The smile stayed in place until he stepped inside his room and shut the door. He whispered a quiet “Goodnight, Spike” that the vampire no doubt heard and began pulling off his clothes as he walked towards the bathroom.

He wanted nothing more than to take a shower and crawl into bed and sleep.

~*~*~*~*~

Spike snorted at Xander’s murmured farewell and jumped down from the roof of the nearby building and headed back the way he’d come. He needed to call Scott and let him know that he and Xander would be swinging by his brother’s empty apartment tomorrow night.

He stopped suddenly and sniffed the air. Frowned at what his nose was telling him, if not his eyes.

A moment later, Angel stepped out of the alley, directly in his path.

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