Title: Baby Doll
Author Restive Nature
Disclaimers: I do not own any of the characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel the Series. They belong to the almighty Joss and I just play with them for my own amusement before putting them away neatly.
Spoilers: Buffy Season Three "Amends"
Summary: A teenage girl with mysterious ties to Angel helps him with his Christmas Amends.
Chapter Ten
Recovery
"You know, from what I remember, Spike couldn’t really care less, well, you know," Angel shrugged. From what he had seen, Dru had sheltered Dylan fairly well from the more… intimate aspects of their lives. But Spike had always enjoyed teasing pretty young girls. He couldn’t see how that had changed, unless he refrained out of respect for Drusilla.
"Well, I think at another time or place, maybe in different situations he would have had a laugh," Dylan grinned. "But, injured, naked vampire, with no Dru in sight, hungry as hell and very much in pain. You see where the going ballistic comes from."
"Of course."
*****
The first sound that came from him was a groan. That was to be expected. He still seemed to be in some pain. But it had only been a day since Dru had brought him home to the factory. She’d had the presence of mind to chain Dylan to the table leg. So the girl was forced to sit with the Vampire. It puzzled her that Dru treated her like a daughter one minute, then a pet that needed to be tied up for its own good. Dylan had scooted a chair back as far as her chain would allow and tried to doze. But she had the idea that when Spike did finally wake, she’d be the first thing in his hungry line of vision. So she didn’t sleep well, as exhausted as she was. And it didn’t help that she hadn’t eaten anything the previous evening.
Spike’s mumbling brought her attention back to him. His eyes snapped open. Dylan froze. Not that she’d been moving around much. "Spike?" she whispered, hoping to reach him before he reacted. He groaned again, shifting slightly, as if to figure out the extent of his injuries.
"Wha’ the bloody ‘ell," he growled, one hand moving to his forehead. He tried to look over himself, then his gaze moved around the room, acquainting himself with his surroundings. But his eyes stopped on her. Dylan shrank a little, but returned his gaze. "Where the hell are my clothes?" he shouted. "Where’s Dru?" His eyes rolled back into his head as fresh pain swept over him. "The fire," he finally whispered. "There was a fire." He whipped his head to the side again, to demand of her, "where’s Dru? Is she okay? Tell me!"
Dylan finally managed to rise from the chair, her chain rattling loudly as she shuffled forward. "Dru is all right," she spoke softly, trying to calm him. "She brought you back and we were waiting for you to wake up. She’s out right now with the new ones, getting you some blood."
"Good, because I’m hungry," he growled. He smirked up at her. "Why don’t you come a little closer?"
"Hey," Dylan protested with a smile. "I didn’t patch you up just so you could kill me."
"You did this?" Spike demanded while gesturing at his body covered only with a thin sheet. Dylan blushed and he misunderstood. "Rule of survival around here luv. You keep your hands off Drusilla’s stuff."
"And that includes you, I got that," she rolled her eyes. "No, Dru undressed you. And fed you. She just wanted me to sit with you in case you woke up."
"All right then," Spike nodded. His memories after trying to escape Buffy and her gang were hazy. He looked up at the teen, serious again. "How bad is it?"
"I was hoping you could tell me," Dylan winced. "I mean, I know you have broken bones. And I thought you might have been hit in the head. And Dru said that the fire was pretty close to you, so there’s some burns."
"So that’s why my face feel’s like a bleedin’ fireplace," he mumbled. He quieted for a moment, stretching out his feelings. He calculated the extent of damage to his body. But it still hadn’t dawned on him, just how badly things were. He usually bounced back fairly quickly when he was injured. Still, it had only been a day since the fire. That was probably why his body was feeling heavy and slightly numb. "Broken bones, check," he mumbled. "Head’s throbbing, not a good sign. And my face is raw." He looked up at her, almost pleadingly. "How do I look?"
"Honestly?" she tried to keep a smirk from her face. He winced, then nodded.
"Homicidal." There was a trace of smile on his face. And he did look maniacal with the burn scar running down his cheek. She knew that it extended down most of the right side of his torso. And she thought there were even some burning on his legs. "I know it probably won’t do much, but I asked Dru to get you some aloe vera lotion."
"What’s that for?" he screwed up his face in distaste.
"It’ll help the burns heal a little more quickly," she shrugged. He looked ready to protest. "I know all you need is blood to heal, but Dru was really upset. So I gave her a list of things to get. It seemed to help her, to have something to do." She did smirk this time. "Aside from creating new fledglings, that is."
"The Slayer dusted the other gits then?" he rolled his eyes. He vaguely recalled some more detail of the ritual the blonde Slayer had interrupted. "Is Dru really all right? She’s strong isn’t she?"
"Strong enough to haul you home," Dylan shrugged. "And to snap the neck of the first minion she made."
"What’d she do that for?" he mumbled. His body, though recuperating, was clambering for healing sleep.
"He tried to bite me. I think she made a lesson out of him for the others."
"Dru’s good at that," he whispered as slumber began to overtake him again. "She knows how to keep her boys in line." Dylan smiled. It was obvious that he was including himself in that group.
"Sleep," Dylan whispered back, but he was already gone.
*****
"So he didn’t realize that he was unable to walk?" Angel mused. He’d never done more than taunt Spike about his limitations. Even now he didn’t bother to put himself in the other Vmapire’s shoes. It was over and done with. What did interest him was the soft smile on Dylan’s face as she talked about Spike. Had she developed something similar to Stockholm syndrome? Had she developed affection for the deadly duo? He knew she certainly hadn’t for Angelus. He tried to think back to how she interacted with the others, but he really hadn’t seen that much of her.
"That came later," Dylan confirmed. "At first, he just wanted to make sure Dru was well."
"How long before he figured it out?"
"It didn’t take him long after he woke up the second time."
*****
Dylan wasn’t as worried the second time Spike woke up. She prudently sat out of arm’s reach from him, but she was much calmer. Dru had returned and removed the chain. As soon as she had done that, she’d turned to the three new minions she’d created earlier and warned them away from her Baby Doll. They had stared at her in disbelief until she dismissed them. And as they walked away, Dylan heard the story circulating about Dru’s wrath. Dalton, the bookish Vampire had returned shortly after to beg his Mistress’s forgiveness. Apparently he’d run as soon as the Slayer had shown up. Dru, who’d been distracted by Spike’s moaning had sent him away. And the relieved Vampire ran off to take comfort in his books.
But Spike had drifted back to rest. And Dru had eventually gotten tired of sitting and waiting. So she asked Dylan to sit with him again. And the girl did. So when Spike woke, she was there, waiting. His head rolled to the side and his eyes focused on her.
"Where’s Dru?" were the first words from his lips.
"She’s resting," Dylan shrugged. She tried, but couldn’t keep a yawn from erupting. "It’s day. Do you want me to get her?" He shook his head.
"Let her rest," he decided. He hadn’t completely made the realization that Dru was fully restored and back to her old self yet. "I’m hungry. Anyone to eat around here?" Dylan grinned, then yawned again.
"Just me," she chuckled. "But first rule of survival and all." Spike stared at her uncomprehendingly for a moment, before he remembered his earlier statement.
"Damn my luck," he groaned. "Someone bloody remembers what I said and uses it against me." He glared at her. "Well, what are you waiting for? Find me something to eat." Dylan grimaced, but rose from the chair. There was no rankling chain this time and Spike registered that immediately. "Where’s your chain?" he demanded.
"Dru took it off since she was here," she explained.
"Then why the hell aren’t you running?" he barked out.
"’Cause I promised her I’d stay and help you," she offered quietly. He looked so stunned his eyes nearly crossed.
"Of all the…" he was speechless. He studied her for a moment. "You’re crazy, you know that, right?" Se grinned broadly and nodded. He stared at her a moment longer. "Why’d you promise?"
"I don’t know," she replied helplessly. "It’s hard to explain. Dru, she’s been keeping me safe. And…and she understands me. She knows things about me that no one else does. And it doesn’t bother her. For some reason, most of the time, I feel safe with her. So, I guess I figured I owed her."
"Definitely crazy," Spike grinned. That was jus like his dark Princess, to lure in an unsuspecting teen and make her like her to the point that she’d do stupid things in the name of friendship. He was oddly proud. Dru hadn’t lost her special touch.
"Besides," Dylan giggled, "you’d just chase me down and bring me back to her."
"Sure about that, are ya?" he grinned ferally. "Maybe I’d chase you down and feed, the tell Dru you got away." Her eyes widened fractionally. "In fact, why don’t we test that theory."
Dylan watched him carefully, for any sign of moment. She believed him. But when he made no effort to rise, she relaxed. Perhaps he was teasing her? Testing her? But when she looked closer, she saw that he was indeed making an effort. His stomach muscles were clutching rhythmically, but he was getting nowhere. She crept forward, concern painting her face. "Spike?"
"My legs," he groaned. "Bloody hell." He grunted and his head fell back from the strain. He tried once more, but there was nothing. He couldn’t move. And then Dylan was cowering in the corner, covering her ears against the onslaught of his voice.
*****
"I’ll tell ya," she grinned, " I learned a lot of curses that night."
"Blistered your ears, huh?" he well remembered Spike’s rages.
"They were raw for a week after," Dylan chuckled. "I think he even lapsed into some demon language for a while."
"Serves him right for what he did," Angel sniffed derisively. Dylan frowned.
"Not that I’m defending him or anything," she began carefully, "but what he did, he did mostly out of love. That it included hurting you was icing on the cake as far as he was concerned."
"You know, as much as I hate to admit it," Angel smiled back, "but Spike was right about one thing."
"What’s that?"
"You’re crazy."
Chapter Eleven
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