The vampire’s eyes opened and he barely registered the heat from Xander’s body before the noise that woke him spilled into the living room.  He heard Angel muttering and Spike’s brow furrowed.

 

“Need it! Need it! It’s not natural to be alone! Darkness everywhere...”

 

There was a clatter and sounds of a struggle, then something hit the far wall. The blonde scented Riley and Angel at it, and that only made things more confusing.

 

//What the--why’s the Poof acting so strange?// Spike still couldn’t see much, only making out dim shadows in the gloom. He refused to move, remembering the chip’s protest earlier. If the vampire made any sudden movement, the plastic in his head would punish him.

 

He wished he could turn over and embrace Xander--the tension and anger coming off the boy in waves was unsettling.

 

“Pet? What’s going on?” His own voice was rusty and croaking, but he felt the human relax a bit.

 

“Angel’s loose--God, Riley! Did you buy the cheap locks again?” Furious, he pushed himself roughly off the couch, jostling Spike. The vampire struggled to stay limp as he rolled to the floor, cursing as he landed hard on his shoulder.

 

Xander--oblivious to Spike’s distress--was griping, and the air was filled with noise as an even larger scuffle occurred.  Nothing was clear except the occasional outburst or threat.

 

“--Get off of me, Xander!”

 

“--can’t...even...get...a moment’s...peace!” Each word was punctuated by a thump or a smack.

 

“--here but not, here but not--ow!” Something glass broke and something heavy hit the floor.

 

The creak of the door signaled someone’s arrival, and Spike listened and sniffed the air.

 

“Uh...what’s going on?” Dawn’s voice had a strange tone to it. The fight had continued, if the racket was any indication.

 

“Oh, wow!” Lance’s voice.

 

//Bugger!//

 

“Stop it! Just--Xander! Go over there! Look! No, look at Spike! He’s on the floor--are you just gonna leave him there?” 

 

//Bit really does take after the Slayer!// She sounded put out and reprimanding but not in the least bit afraid.

 

He felt his boy approach murmuring, “Sorry, Spike.” Then he was gently lifted back onto the couch. Something was definitely not right with his human.

 

He felt the rush of air as Dawn and her beau crossed the living room. “Angel? Angel! Remember me? I need you to go with Riley and let him take care of you, okay? Did he escape?” she said, finally addressing Riley.

 

“I was getting him to change clothes--he’s been in those for days--and he got away from me. I’ll be more careful, but we shouldn’t have to do this for much longer if what Xander said was right.”

 

“Of course it’s right,” Xander growled.

 

Spike experimentally lifted his own hand to rest on the boy’s shoulder.  It took a minute, but he got there without his hardware going off.

 

“Anyway, you’re really good with him,” Riley continued talking to Dawn, ignoring the interruption.

 

“Just call me the Vampire Whisperer!”

 

“Uh..vampire?” Lance’s voice was awestruck.

 

“Uh...Well, I might as well explain, since Angel was all ‘grrrr’ when we showed up...” she began nervously, trying to act like it was no big deal. “Vampires are real. We fight them--except for Spike and Angel who are good and who help us. Uh, except for now, since Angel’s crazy and Spike’s in a coma.”

 

“Shows what you know, Bit,” Spike croaked as Xander nuzzled him.

 

“Spike! You’re awake! That’s—so wonderful!”

 

“Okay, this is all a little--no, it’s a lot.” The poor teenager was trying to make sense of it all. “I’d think you were nuts if I hadn’t just seen...what the heck did I just see?”

 

“Angel in vamp face. Their faces change when they eat or when they get mad. The rest of the time, they look normal.”

 

It was bizarre. The two youths were so stoic about the subject, it was as though she was explaining a tough math problem to him.

 

“Well, that’s a letdown.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I never thought they’d be so...bumpy...in real life. I always thought they’d be like Anne Rice’s vampires.  I mean, if they were real. Which they are.” He was clearly trying to process it all.

 

“Anne Rice? That bint wouldn’t know a vampire if it bit her on the ass!” Spike had gone into game face without thinking but was pleasantly surprised when he didn’t get electrocuted.

 

“Oh, wow! Cool! Do that again!”

 

//Not the response I wanted...but at least the boy isn’t pissing himself.//

 

“Watch yourself, boy scout. I’m not a bloody sideshow...” the blonde vampire groused as he eased further into Xander’s embrace.

 

“So...you’re okay with this...with me?” The tremor in Dawn’s voice was unmistakable.

 

“Give me a little while to get used to it, and I *definitely* have some questions...but yeah.”

 

The tone was surprised but calm, and Spike knew this one was a keeper.