Spike’s eyes narrowed as he watched the scene being played out in front of him. Willow Rosenberg was cowering in front of her locker, backed up against it by one unfamiliar boy, Cordelia Chase, and one person who he’d noticed the other day.
Buffy’s boyfriend.
Spike growled under his breath, slowly ambling up behind the group and listening to what the pretty brunette girl was currently saying.
“…It’s due in two days, and I want an A. And so do Angel and Riley. We’ve all got different topics, so you’d better get to work fast, Twig, or… Well, I’m sure I don’t need to explain the various things big, strong, football players can do to a weak, nerdy, fashion-challenged little–”
“Oi, Red!” Spike had had enough. Shoving roughly past the three, he spoke only to Willow, voice calm though his eyes showed fury. “You need any help?”
The redhead smiled, relieved, and gave Spike a tiny nod. He smirked and turned to the three people who were now glaring at him. “So, I hear, you’ve been botherin’ Red here.”
The larger of the two boys, whom Spike instantly disliked, took a step closer and tried to give him an intimidating glare. “What makes you think that’s any of your business? Who the hell do you think you are?”
Spike didn’t back down. “I’m Spike, and it’s my business ‘cause Red’s my mate. And no one messes with my friends, ‘specially not idiot poofters with ridiculous hair, got it Forehead?”
Angel growled, and drew a fist back ready to punch Spike, when they were interrupted by the bell going off. Angel glanced behind him and swore. “Dammit!” The three began to back off, and Angel glared at Spike. “This isn’t over.”
Spike snorted, turning to Willow, who was frantically gathering all her books from her locker, horrified that she might be late for class. “How long have they been doing that, Red?”
Willow shrugged, finally grabbing the last of her stuff and shutting her locker. “Not that long. It’s really no big deal.”
Spike’s eyes flashed. “How can you say that! They were threatening you!”
Willow bit her lip. “Look, thanks for helping me. But, could you please not tell anyone? Please?”
Spike groaned, knowing he was making a mistake, but… “I’ll keep your secret. Jus’ tell me next time they try, alright?”
Willow beamed. “Thanks, Spike. I knew you were a good guy.”
***
Riley watched silently as Angel paced back and forth angrily. “Who the hell does that idiot think he is? Now I’m gonna get a bad grade on that report, and my dad’s gonna kill me!”
Riley remained silent, not quite as upset as Angel was. He actually liked Willow, even though he couldn’t show it due to their differences in popularity, and he’d never really felt comfortable scaring her or forcing her to do his work for him. So he was a little glad that the new guy had stepped up to her defense.
Angel suddenly stopped pacing and turned to Riley. “You know what, I think we need to teach that dork a lesson. No one stops me from getting what I want, least of all some stupid British freak!”
Riley frowned. “What do you mean? He hasn’t really done anything. I don’t think he really needs a lesson, Angel.”
Angel grinned and Riley’s heart sank. “He’s gonna get in my way sooner or later if he keeps acting like that. I think we’d better take care of him before he does something really annoying, don’t you?”
***
Buffy gossiped with Cordelia at the popular table at lunch, happily discussing the latest trends in fashion and putting down the nerds in the school. At a pause in the conversation, Buffy glanced around, confused. “Hey, where are the guys?”
Cordelia waved a hand in the air. “Oh, somewhere. I don’t know. They’ll get here soon enough… So, what’s the deal with the new guy?”
Buffy blinked in surprise. “Wh-what?”
Cordelia repeated her question. “The new guy, with the weird accent and all-black fixation? You know, who’s currently sitting with the freaks at your goth sister’s table?”
Buffy turned around in her seat and looked at the table. Sure enough, Spike was there, along with Faith, Willow, Oz, and Xander, eating some french-fries and laughing at a joke Xander was making.
Buffy quickly turned back around. “Oh, him. He just joined Faith’s lame-o band.”
Cordelia snickered. “Great, that will really improve their sound.” She rolled her eyes. “God, I can’t believe you’re even related to such a ridiculous slut.”
Buffy swallowed the indignation she felt on behalf of her twin, nodding. “Yeah, well. If I had any choice…” She trailed off.
Cordelia smiled at her, then abruptly changed the subject. “So. Have you heard the dish on Darla?”
Buffy nodded fervently. “I totally saw her macking on Angel Friday.” Not that he didn’t enjoy it… her mind added, but she shook the idea out of her head. It wasn’t any of her business whether or not her ex wanted to get back together with his ex, and besides, she had Riley and Cordelia was obviously going after Angel.
Cordelia nodded. “She is such a ho! It’s obvious Angel wants me, it’s only a matter of time.”
Buffy nodded, trying not to tune out as her best friend began to babble. Still, her mind wandered, and she found herself glancing over her shoulder at her sister’s table, where the group was once again laughing, this time at something Spike was saying. He grinned at them as he finished his story, and Buffy found herself smiling as she watched him. Suddenly, he glanced up and their eyes met, his grin slowly faded as he stared back at her.
She quickly turned around, tuning back into the conversation, which Harmony, who had just sat down, had joined.
“And then he asked me if you were going to be there, and when I said yes, he…”
***
Spike glanced up, feeling eyes on him, and his grin faded when he met the hazel eyes of Buffy Summers. She was staring at him, a small smile on her face. He stared in shock for a moment, but then she spun around quickly, turning away from him and back to her friends.
The rest of the table around him stopped laughing slowly, and he shook his head and looked back at the group. Faith was watching him. “What’s up?”
Spike shrugged. “Nothing. Your sis was staring at me, is all.”
Faith frowned, and looked behind her at the popular table. “Huh. Weird.” Inwardly she was smirking, but she acted like she had no idea why her sister would be staring at the newest addition to the Dingoes.
Spike shook his head, trying to dispel the niggling little feeling of pleasure, and picked up another french-fry, turning slightly as he listened to Willow and Xander reminiscing. He was angry at Buffy, not glad that she was staring at him. She and her pals were all stuck-up snobs. Look at how they were treating Willow!
Spike shook her fully out of his mind and chuckled when Xander blushed. “Quite the little exhibitionist, eh?” he smirked, rejoining the conversation. “Interruptin’ serious meetings by runnin’ in naked.”
Xander looked outraged and mortified. “Did we forget that I was five at the time? And besides, it wasn’t a serious meeting… It was just my mom and aunt and… the mayor… but still!”
Willow sniggered and Faith decided to finally stand up for her male friend. “Hey, don’t you start laughing, little miss ‘I read the library’s Playboy’.”
“That wasn’t – I was not!” Willow blushed and shrunk into her boyfriend’s side. “Oz… tell her.”
Spike grinned at the group’s antics. Why would he bother with Barbie when he had people like this to hang out with? He wouldn’t, it was as simple as that.
***
Spike sat in biology quietly, carving his name into the side of his desk. Xander had apparently lost his hostile attitude for no real reason, and was happily poking at the frog the two boys had been given.
Spike snatched the knife from the other boy and sliced open the frog’s belly, grinning when its guts spilled out. Xander made a face, and then began to attempt to separate them from each other.
“Okay, so this is the stomach… and it won’t come loose... Oh, shit.” Xander looked sheepishly at the now skewered frog and then to Spike. “You think that its stomach being ripped in half is gonna make a difference on our grade?”
Spike rolled his eyes. “Smart move, genius.”
Xander defended himself, “Hey, I slipped!”
“Right…” Spike grinned when the bell rang and swiftly stood. “Lets just escape before teach sees the frog, yeah?”
The two left the classroom quickly, and Spike headed out to the parking lot. Xander stopped him. “Hey, Spike.”
The bleached blonde paused, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah?”
Xander fidgeted. “Listen… Sorry about the whole drug deal suspicion thing the other day, okay? You just… seem like the kind of guy who’d do that stuff, and you weren’t exactly nice when we first met.”
The words ‘drug deal’ made Spike tense, but he shook it off and smiled. “No problem, mate. Jus’ don’t mention it again.”
***
Giles was waiting for Spike when he arrived home. Spike was grinning, running up the steps three at a time, but slowed instantly when he saw the look on his uncle’s face.
“What’s wrong? Da?”
Giles nodded. “Yes. It’s Ethan. He… was found dealing in prison.”
Spike blanched. “Bloody hell.”
Giles nodded. “He’s not getting out anytime soon now. His sentence has been elongated and he’s been moved to a maximum security prison.”
Spike nodded, head bowed. “Right.”
Giles reached out a hand. “Will…”
Spike jumped back. “Don’t call me that!” He turned and rushed away to his bedroom, locking the door behind him. Shivering, he sank onto his bed as memories assaulted him.
“What’s that, Da?”
Ethan roughly shoved his son away from the bags of white powder. “Don’t touch that! Get out of here!”
Spike blinked in surprise, a hand coming up to his shoulder where he’d hit it when Ethan pushed him. “Why should I?” he asked, instantly rebellious. His father ignored him, snatching up the last bag.
“I’m going to be gone for a few days on business. If anyone comes asking for me, I went to visit your uncle.”
Spike narrowed his eyes at his father. “It’s drugs, innit? It’s got to be. It’s obviously illegal, and I know you don’t have a real job to keep paying the bills.”
Ethan spun around, glaring at his son. “Don’t say a word about this Will, or I swear…”
Spike swallowed hard. “Mum would hate you for doing this.”
His father laughed. “She’s not here now is she? Anne’s gone, and I’m your only parent now. You’ll listen to me, or I don’t care what her last wishes were, I’m giving you away.”
Spike’s eyes closed tightly as he fought back tears. Then he opened them, and they were focused on his father. “Let me help you.”
Spike shuddered, hating his father for what he’d done, and what he’d led Spike to do. “Bloody bastard.” He murmured, tears leaking onto his pillow.
***
Downstairs, Giles paced anxiously, not knowing whether he should go after his nephew or leave him alone. He growled and silently cursed his brother-in-law. He’d always hated the bastard for taking away his little sister Anne, but when he’d learned about the other man’s drug dealing, he’d lost it.
It had been thanks to Spike he’d found out. The boy had never been able to keep a secret from his favorite uncle, who could always tell when he was lying, and so when Spike had mentioned his father, Giles knew something was wrong.
“William, I know something is going on, tell me.”
Spike shook his head. “It’s nothing. Da’s just been… busy.”
Giles growled and went to the kitchen to pour himself a drink. He hated reliving the memories of that time. Spike and he had still been in mourning over Anne, and Spike had thrown himself fully into spending time with his father… Not the best decision.
As time had passed, Spike had grown less and less comfortable talking with his uncle, afraid that he would let it slip that his father was very actively dealing drugs… and that he was helping him do so.
Finally, Giles had become worried enough to pay to fly to England and had known instantly upon seeing his nephew that something was very wrong. Spike had confessed the truth, and Giles had called in the police.
It infuriated him to no end that Ethan had managed to continue his so-called career within prison, and manage to disrupt his son’s life yet again, and even now not care.
Giles shook the thoughts forcefully out of his head. It would do him no good musing on the past, and it would do Spike even less.
Despite deciding this, he couldn’t make himself get up and stop remembering, and Giles took a large gulp of scotch and resigned himself to the memories, knowing they wouldn’t be going away any time soon.
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