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The More Things Change	By : slashtheboyz Category: AtS/BtVS Crossovers > Slash - Male/Male > Spike(William)/Xander > Spike(William)/Xander Views: 12377 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own BtVS or AtS. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Author: slashtheboyz
Title: The More Things Change
Chapter: 23/?
Pairing: Spike/Xander
Rating: FRAO
Feedback: Comments, email and Journal
Concrit: Comments, email and Journal
Disclaimer: The characters belong to Joss and a bunch of lawyers. I only wish they belonged to me cause I'd make em do naughty things together forever. I'm just playing with them. No disrespect intended. No reflection on real persons or places intended. I'm not making any profit from this. This is strictly for entertainment.
Warnings/Squicks: None
Summary: Xander goes to LA on a fact finding trip and finds Angelus instead. Scariness happens.
Previous chapters:here
Notes: House hunting and all the headaches that go with it, this chapter. Let me know what you think. What's good and what's not so good. As always if you spot any errors, I'll be glad to hear about them. This doesn't strictly follow canon. Sooo if you don't like that sort of thing you might want to skip this. This is my first story so feedback is very welcome.

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Looking over the property from the third floor balcony of the huge house Xander figured it was big enough with room to spare. It was a Neo Renaissance Revival style house built of big stone blocks. There was plenty of room for expansion and a wooded area off North of the house that would be perfect for training. There was also a huge area around the house that was clear of obstacles so they could see if anyone approached the main dwelling.

The entire one thousand acre estate was surrounded by a stone wall six feet thick and twenty feet high, topped with razor wire. There was a guard house at the only entrance, with thick steel gates made of one piece that slid to the side. Once the vehicle was between the gates the gate closed and locked with the vehicle trapped between them, until the guard hit the switch to open the inner gate.

The area closer to the house, fifty acres or so, was also enclosed by another inner stone wall built much the same, with yet another guard shack, and double gates, at it's only entrance. He wondered who would need that much security and then thought about their own situation. When you deal with oogedies, there's no telling what could happen. He was just happy the property was available.

"How's the basement?" He questioned as Spike joined him on the covered balcony and slid arms around his waist.

"two levels underground, dark, no windows, thick walls. Has it's own kitchen and great room down there. Has a bunch of big bedrooms and other rooms for a library/offices or whatever, and fireplaces. It's just perfect, love. There's even a tunnel that goes off toward town."

Xander craned his head around and looked at Spike in surprise."Jesus, that's a big security risk."

"Don't know if it goes all the way, we'd have to explore it and see where it goes. Smells old though, no new scents in there. There might be some cave ins somewhere down the line. The bloody thing is wide enough for a car, It'll be convenient. How's topside?" Spike nibbled Xander's ear and snuffled in the hair behind it.

Xander shivered and turned his head for a sloppy wet kiss. "Hmmm, bunches of huge rooms on this floor and the second floor, each with their own bathrooms. Thank all the Gods. There's a big ballroom, I guess that's what it is. A huge kitchen, breakfast room and dining room. Library, billiards room, den, sitting and living rooms. Jesus! How many rooms do people need to live in anyway? There's a big building out back that'll be perfect for a training room. Great big swimming pool. I think this is it. We can get Wesley, Willow and Giles over here to do a checkover for magical time bombs and talk to the realtor."

Spike pulled out his cell phone and hit a speed dial number. "Oi, let me talk to Giles." It was silent for a moment. Spike took the opportunity to slide his hand down to carress the hardnesss waiting for him in Xander's jeans; growling in satisfaction when Xander ground back against the hardness at his back and thrust forward aginst his hand.

"Rupert, think we found a place. You can call everyone else off the hunt.... Yeah, out of the city limits. Big stone monster. Plenty of room for every body. Nice basement. Room for training. Big library. And it's private; no neighbors close by. Need you, Red and watcher junior to come out and check it over for mojo.... Hold on a mo... Xander what's the address?"

Xander dug around in his pocket and pulled out a scrap of paper, peered at it and rattled off. "9000 Mort Avenue." Then laughed as Spike relayed it into the phone, with a pinch to his ass and a grin at his amusement.

While Spike talked. Xander watched, in contentment, as the late afternoon sun cast long shadows of the house on the ground, and they crept further toward the treeline. It really was peaceful here. No traffic noise, no people noise. Just perfect.

"Right then, we'll expect you in twenty minutes. Yeah, have everybody pack blankets and stuff for tonight into the vehicles, and have em ready to go as soon as we talk to the realtor. Yeah tonight. Did you think we were blowing air out our arses? Everybody needs to be out of wherever they're staying tonight, including you. Have somebody bring supplies, there's a big stone grill out back we can use for cooking until the utilities are connected. Yeah see ya in a few."

They both wove back through the house to the stairway and descended to the first floor where the realty agent was waiting for them in anxious anticipation.

Xander wandered around the room checking the cornice details and trim; and to the fireplace examining the mantle design. Spike's voice buzzed pleasantly in the background hammering out the details with the agent and then he flipped the Council credit card over to her.

They were going to rent the place month to month with the right of first option to buy, so no one could buy it out from under them while they needed it. If things went screwy they weren't tied down by property and they didn't have too much invested. And if things worked out for the best. The place could be bought for long term residence. It was a win win situation all around; and as anxious as the agent was to get it rented, it didn't look like there were that many people interested in this monstrosity.

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Setting up house wasn't too hard. They were all tired. All they had for light was candles and flashlights until the power company got out to hook up the electricity tomorrow. Giles, Willow, Wesley and Anya were out setting temporary wards. Angel and Spike went along as guards. They'd be setting stronger security in the next few days. They'd patched the basement entrance with a ward before going out to the outer stone wall.

They'd found lingering residuals from old wards on the walls and in the house but nothing that would catch them by surprise. Andrew was in raptures over the kitchen, and the outside grill. All the bathrooms and the kitchen were lined with stone and had floor drains with raised cabinetry. That made Xander a little uneasy and his imagination went on a tangent thinking about what kind of messes were big enough to need that kind of 'quick and easy' cleaning set up.

They laid a fire in the great room fireplace. Everyone settled down on pallets made of blankets and sleeping bags, chattering and laughing quietly, by the light of the fire and the candles. Xander looked around at all the girls and spotted Cordelia. "Cordy." She jumped at her name and looked around at him warily. She looked worse than he had ever seen her, her face was drawn and she had circles under her eyes. The coma she had been in had really sapped her strength. "We need you to go shopping tomorrow."

Her face brightened immediately at the prospect of shopping with someone else's money. Xander grinned at her. "We need just basics right now, okay? We need big tables to set up the war room, and for the kitchen and dining room. Beds and stuff. You know what to get. Don't get the fanciest right now, but don't get the cheapest either. But if you happen to find the really good stuff at good prices grab it."

"That I can do, Xander, better than anyone else here, I know." She said with a great deal of relief. She hadn't been able to do much since Willow had woken her from the coma, except snap at everyone and bitch about everything. The need to contribute in some way was eating away at her.

"Take Fred with you, we need computer equipment too." Cordy nodded dreamily, already thinking about tomorrow's shopping spree, with no limits mentioned. Xander swallowed his laughter.

"Fred," the mousy girl looked up at her name. "We need a few computers and some laptops. Top of the line. Hacking type equipment and internet connections that can't be traced easily. We need them installed ASAP. We also need to have telephones, and cable connected as well as a satellite dish. Can you do that while you're out with Cordy tomorrow?"

She nodded pleased that someone took her seriously for once and was giving her responsibility for something so important. Xander continued. "We also need security equipment. Some of it very visible, and some that can be hidden; for the perimenter wall, the inner wall on the property and for the tunnel under the house. Get that along with everything else."

"I..I.. can do that." She replied smiling brilliantly at him and ducking her head.

"Good, I'm counting on you. You and Cordy need to take someone with you when you go. Gunn and Angel, or me and Spike. No one leaves the property even in two's. It's a group or nothing, and everyone sticks together when they're off the property. Even two people would have a hard time with those bringer dudes. And I reckon when their attack fails at Buffy's house they're going to be on the lookout for us. Okay?"

"Gotcha," she answered in that soft Texas drawl, and drug a napsack over to her side and started rummaging in it. She brought out a pen and a legal pad and started nibbling the end of the pen as she contemplated the blank page. She started writing rapidly, pausing every so often to read what she had written.

"Buffy," we need some kind of patrols on the property and there's a big building out back that will be perfect for training. You might want to look at it tomorrow. As soon as we get everything settled a little we can go shopping for some equipment. Meanwhile you, me, Spike, Angel, Faith, Wesley, and Giles can do something with getting the girls trained. Maybe in shifts or something, I dunno. I'm leaving the patrol and training schedule up to you, but it needs to be done day and night."

Buffy nodded wearily and scrunched herself down on her pallet under the covers and pulled them up to her ears. She was so tired and had carried so much responsibility. It was nice to share the burden now, even if needing it did irritate her. The situation was bad enough that she couldn't let her personal preferences get in the way. She fell asleep almost immediately.

"Gunn," The man jerked in surprise. He'd been dozing when Xander called his name quietly. He looked at the young vampire with a wary respect. "We need a weapons inventory. What we have. What we don't. And how many of each and every kind. Can you do that for us tomorrow sometime?"

"Yeah man, I can do that with my eyes closed."

"Great, that's a big help." Xander smiled at the man. "We may need to break into the army post and liberate a few weapons for the cause." Xander grinned toothily at the ex gang leader. Gunn grinned back like a brown skinned shark. "Oh yeah. What I could do with some good stuff." His eyes glazed over as he contemplated all the goodies he could get his hands on in a raid on the army depot.

Xander looked over the group again until his eyes landed on Andrew. He sighed mentally and called softly to the boy. "Andrew."

Andrew jumped jerkily and whirled about on his pallet with a yelp. "What? I didn't do it! I swear." Xander rolled his eyes. "I haven't accused you of anything yet."

"Well, you were going to. You had that fierce look in your eye. Just like Picard dressing down one of his officers."

Xander sighed and held onto his patience. "Andrew, I need you and Anya to make up a comprehensive supply list. What we need and how much. For, ohhh a month or so. That's cleaning supplies, washing powder, all the usual household things. Food, drinks, dishes, glasses, toilet paper, bath soap, toothpaste. And with all these girls. Girly things. All that kind of stuff. Early tomorrow, preferably in the morning, so I can give a list to Cordy or whomever to take shopping. Can I trust you to do that?"

"Yeah, and like, we sooo need some things. And Buffy couldn't get everything, you know. She tried but with so many people, it was real hard for her." Andrew looked around and caught sight of Fred. Throwing his blanket off with a spastic heave, he crawled over the other girls in the way, apologizing as his knees landed on fingers and toes, until he got to Fred's side. He whispered something in her ear and she nodded and fished around in her bag and brought out another pen and pad. Andrew eeled his way back to his blankets again amongst yips and complaints. He sat there looking off into space as he began to write.

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Everyone but Xander was asleep when the ward setters came in around four in the morning. They immediately went to their blankets and rolled up in them and were asleep. Spike motioned with one hand at Xander to follow him. Xaner stood and stretched and followed Spike through the house and exited into the back yard through the kitchen door. Angel was already there. The three of them walked over to the empty pool and sat down around the rim.

They sat there in silence while Spike fished in his pockets for his cigarettes and lighter. When he lit one he took a deep drag, and blew smoke at the night sky. "Wards are set on the outer wall. Bloody lot of work that. The witch and the watchers are worn to the bone. Anya was a lot of help. Not a sign of a bringer anywhere around the wall."

Xander stretched languidly. "Good. I've asked Cordelia to go shopping today with Fred. Someone's got to go with em. Andrew's putting together a list of supplies we need for at least a month, Anya can help him in the morning. Gunn's doing weapon inventory. Fred's going with Cordy, she's in charge of electronic gadgets. Buffy is gonna put together a patrol and training schedule for the potentials."

Angel looked up at Gunn's name. Xander held up a hand. "It's something he can do Angel, and I asked him, he said yes. Either Spike and I, or you and Gunn will be going with Cordy and Fred today. I don't think it's a good idea for anyone to leave the property unless it's in a group, and I don't mean just two. Those freakin bringers travel in bunches. Two people are just not enough."

Angel nodded. "I agree. " Then he clammed up again. Xander scootched over and flapped at Spike's leg.

"What, ya barmy brat?" Spike looked at him surprised.

Xander slipped his hand under Spike's leg and urged it up. Spike folded his leg at the knee. Xander slid his butt over between Spike's thighs pulling Spike's leg down again and leaned back against his mate with a huff and a wiggle to get more comfortable. "That's better." Spike's arms went around his waist and his chin rested on top of his head. Xander looked up to see Angel trying to hide his amusement at their antics.

Angel looked up at the stars then down into the empty pool as though it held all the answers to the universe. "Xander."

Xander rolled his head lazily over on spike's shoulder to look at the older vampire. He was bonelessly content and tired. 'What fangless?"

Angel started to look irritated, and opened his mouth to say something, then he laughed rustily and shook his head. His expression turned serious again. "I'm remembering more about those days you were in LA. It comes in dreams mostly. I'm sorry. You don't know how much." His face twisted. "You have to know..even though we've never been close. I would never hurt you." He hunched over, curled in, head down, as though he were trying to protect his core self.

Xander sighed. Spike hands began petting his stomach like he was a cat. "Angel. Why do you persist in apologizing for Angelus, when you weren't even present? You know that the curse the gypsies used on you did more than tack a soul on you? Don't you?"

Angel looked up a question clear on his face.

"That curse was meant to make Angelus suffer, not the soul. It wasn't to make you good. It cursed you with a guilty conscience as well. It exposed Angelus to feelings that were unnatural for a vampire. it caused him a lot of suffering he couldn't get away from. That's why he had bat guano in his belfry when he was loose here in Sunnydale. The fact that they inflicted agony on your soul as well didn't matter them one wit. It was revenge. Pure and simple. When I had your soul stuck back in, the spell didn't include a guilty conscience, or a happiness clause. I should think that you would start feeling the difference soon, if you haven't already."

Xander started giggling and the giggles turned into outright guffaws at the look of consternation on Angel's face ".Y..y..you've b..b..been b..roooooding because...hee hee you're not feeling b..b..broody?" Xander finally gasped out as his laughter wound down. Angel looked a bit sheepish. It was surprising how silly it looked on the big lug.

Xander's laughter wound down to chuckles and he threw a leg over spike's thigh and goosed Angel in the side with his toes. Angel squawked like disturbed hen and hunched sideways to protect his side. He grabbed at Xander's toes as he wheezed with laughter that sounded more like broken accordian. But Xander kept moving his foot too fast for him to grab it. Soon he was laying on his side on the pool rim and squirming to get out of range of Xander's deadly toes.

Xander's head bounced with the movement of Spike's chest as he laughed at Angel's predicament. "Blimey but that laugh sounds like rusty bagpipes. Ya need to practice it some before you use it in public, or you'll have everybody looking for ghosties and goolies."

Angel's laughter gradually ceased and he looked at Xander with suspiciously bright eyes like a puppy that had just been rescued from the pound. "Thank you, Xander."

"Think nothing of it gramps." Xander smirked. He and Spike laughed again at Angel's idignant expression as it segued into something approaching dismay.

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The sound of girly giggles and whipering woke them. Spike pulled the pillow from beneath his head and squashed it down over his face as he groaned in protest. "Oi, night creatures trying to sleep here," he snarked. It only produced more giggles. Spike's movement jiggled Xander. And he grabbed at the pillow blindly pulling part of it down over his own ear, the one that wasn't pressed against Spike's chest.

Spike gave up and flung the pillow off his face and sat up to glare around at the offenders. He was all indignant bed head blond and pale naked chest. Xander protested groggily at the abrupt movement. His head slipped sideways off the comfortable spot and thumped down to the pillowless, mateless pallet. "Sire, make it go away," he whined pulling the covers over his head and curled up to smoosh his face into Spike's hip.

The giggles turned into laughter. Xander gave it up as a lost cause and jerked the covers off his face and uncurled to peer around the room.

The gaggle of girls sitting crosslegged in front of the fireplace staring at them, tittered again. They leaned together and whispered things that vamp ears could hear quite well. Damn but girls had dirty minds. "Oh Gods," Xander moaned ",just dust me now."

Fred came in with two mugs in her hands and took pity on them. She looked at the girls. "I think Buffy is looking for ya'll. She said something about training and patrolling." The girls sobered and suddenly decided they had somewhere else to be immediately.

Xander smelled coffee and sat up blindly reaching for a cup. "Ah Fred, you are a goddess amongst women. I worship your coffee bearing hands," he rasped out in a sleep hoarse voice. Fred blushed prettily as she handed spike one cup and Spike the other. Xander and Spike observed the hot blush with interest. Then she stammered out. "We're meeting in the ballroom. You guys are the last to wake up."

"We were the last to go to sleep." Spike said still gruff from sleep.

"Well I'll just go tell them you're awake." She babbled as she backed up still blushing. "And you'll be there soon?"

"Might as well, since the teeny boppers won't let us sleep." Xander gave Spike a gimlet stare. "We are sooo gonna have beds in the basement by tonight or else," he stated flatly as he flung the covers back. Fred eeeped, whirled around and all but ran from the room. "What's up with Tex?"

Spike rumbled with laughter. "It might have summat' to do with all your lovely manly bits on display, love."

"Oh," is the best thing Xander could come up with in his sleep fogged brain. "I guess maybe we should get dressed," he said regretfully looking around for their clothes. He ogled Spike's manly bits shamelessly as his mate threw the off the blankets and stood carefully mug in hand.

Xander cursed luridly as Spike put a little extra wiggle in his walk. Spike smirked while he sipped coffee out of his mug and threw Xander his pants and shirt.

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Xander tapped the pen against the tablet on his knee as he sipped yet another cup of the nectar of the Gods and looked over the list one more time. "So everyone knows who's doing what, when, where, and why, today?" He looked up and around and met grins, smirks and smiles. He blinked as he thought about what he just said. "Okay, so that sounded better in my head. But you know what I meant."

Spike grinned wider. "You left out whom."

"Oh no, I know, who and whom." Xander smirked back and tapped his nose.

There was chorus of ",ewwww, gross, yick, blecky," from the females in the group. The males rolled their eyes, except Angel who tried unsuccessfully to hide his own twitching mouth. Buffy gave him a lowering look. "What?" He pouted. Then he gave her puppy eyes. Willow giggled. Cordy rolled her eyes. Dawn smirked.

Xander laughed. Angel pouting? Puppy eyes Angel?

He cleared his throat gaining the group's attention again, thereby saving Angel from the Slayer of doom glare.

Andrew chose that minute to open the door and stick his head in the room.

Giles spoke up. "Yes, Andrew? What may we do for you?"

"Uh," Andrew's throat bobbed as he swallowed nervously. "I have that list of supplies. Anya helped me figure how much of everything we need. It's all here." He held the list out in front of him like it was armor.

"Well bring it here, don't stand dithering in the doorway all day." Giles said firmly. Andrew opened the door a little wider and slipped in to hand the paper to Giles and then he stood there at a loss, while Giles read it. "Yes, this all very well, was there something else Andrew?" Giles pinned him with a look over the rim of his glasses.

"Well, I was just wondering if you all wanted me to go and help with all the stuff. That's a lot of stuff. It's like we're preparing for an invasion by Klingons, and we're going to be under seige. All we need is a moat. That would be really cool. A moat. We'd be the only ones in Sunnydale with a moat." He finally tapered off looking around at all the dazed stares directed his way.

"No, Andrew, I think we have everything well in hand. Thank you for volunteering, but I don't think you should be out and visible around town at this point." Giles answered as he off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Relief flitted over the kid's face and he let out a huge breath of relief. "Oh, good. I thought I'd ask is all. It doesn't hurt to ask. I really want to help. But I can help from here. Staying here is way okay with me. I have lots of things to do. Here. In the kitchen." The last words came as he backed through the door and it shut behind him.

Silence fell over the room and Giles shook his head.

"That boy is seriously wierd." Buffy commented.

"You can say that again." Willow agreed.
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The trucks delivering furniture started arriving around two hours after Cordelia and Fred left with Angel and Gunn. You could tell she had been busy with the credit card and worked her special Cordy powers; because the delivery guys were all unfailingly polite and bright eyed as they brought the furniture in. They even carried it upstairs. They hooked up the washing machines and dryers in the laundry room without complaint; all ten washers and ten dryers.

Xander and Spike were happy as a clams. The bed was in their bedroom. The girls who had bedmaking duty made them up with crisp, clean, new sheets. They had their own refrigerator and freezer in the basement for blood. Xander snagged Willow earlier in the day and asked her to find a silence spell for the rooms. She blushed and stammered and said she'd find one. They had their own TV, phone, cable and satellite hookups and their desk was waiting for the new computer.

The electricians arrived soon after the deliveries started. Then the cable satellite dish, and telephone installers arrived. Spike was happily stalking the installers and looking like a menace. They all did excellent jobs, and in record time; looking over their shoulders nervously at Spike as they left. Xander laughed outright at Spike who was disgruntled because he didn't have anyone left to terrify. Buffy, Giles, Wesley and Willow laughed until they had to sit down. Dawn laughed at all of them.

Cordelia also arranged to have the household supplies delivered. Andrew yelled with delight. They could all hear him from the kitchen. Buffy sent some of the potentials off to the kitchen to help Andrew and Anya put things away. Everyone cheered when the lights finally flicked on, and made a run for the showers.

By the time Angel brought Cordelia and Fred back to house, just about everything had been done except dinner, Including Xander. Spike had done him in the shower. Angel brought the remaining blood from Xander's apartment and he stopped by Willie's for the next delivery. Xander was ravenous, they retired to their private kitchen and fed, then joined the others in the dining room in time for dinner.

Cordelia outdid herself with the tables. There were two long oak trestle tables, with benches for the breakfast room, and two very long dining room tables in the dining room. Each long table could sit twenty six people. there was plenty of room. Xander sighed in pleasure as he sat his tired body down in one of the comfortable overstuffed chairs. Cordy also bought a huge conference table with comfy chairs, and a big coffee urn. They had been set up in the ballroom. Fred and Willow would be hooking up all the computers tomorrow.

They were set up as well as they could be for right now. Everyone would go to bed early tonight. They would have another meeting tomorrow to hash out some plans.
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The More Things Change