"You know, they say that’s the first sign of insanity." An amused feminine voice said. Spike whirled around and saw Buffy giving him a questioning look.

"They wouldn’t be far off." The vampire muttered. "So, what brings you by? Nibblet need a sitter?" Spike asked, still distracted. He jumped about a mile when Buffy waved a hand in front of his face. "Oi! Wot?"

"Are you all right? You’re kinda spacey. I was saying that we have a meeting tonight at my house. Didn’t Xander tell you?" At the boy’s name, Spike snapped out of his daze and shook his head. "That’s funny. Willow talked to him earlier and he said he would. Wills said that he was kind of grumpy, must have had a long night." Spike gave her a startled look and then realized what she meant.

"Oh...well...yeah, guess so. What time is the get-together, pet?"

"Eight. Xander’s bringing the snacks...per usual." Buffy said, off-handedly. Her dismissal of the boy pissed Spike off, where it would normally get a snicker or smile. Buffy saw Spike’s blue eyes go from warm and friendly to cold and hard. "You’re all bad moody all of a sudden. Did I say something wrong?"

"Xander is not your bloody go-fer! Did you know that he calls himself 'the Donut Boy'? The boy thinks that the only reason you people keep him around is for the refreshments! In his mind, he is the only one without special powers, the superfluous one, the Zeppo of the Scooby gang...the one you all ignore or push aside because he isn’t like the witches or the Watcher...or you! Any of this ringing any bells, Buffy, the Vampire Slayer?" Spike growled, his gameface on as he strode towards the girl. Buffy stared at him in shock. "Too busy saving the world to know that one of your friends is in pain?"

"Xander would have said something." Buffy argued, but it sounded weak, even to her. "He would have at least said something to Willow."

"Red? In case you haven’t noticed, Slayer, Red’s been a bit busy with her lovely friend, Tara. You were involved with Captain Cardboard and I was trying to suss out this soddin’ chip. The Watcher had his own little friend over from London town and not one person who claims to be the boy’s friend even noticed a bloody thing...including me." Spike’s voice went from icy and accusing to sad and remorseful.

"Okay...wait a minute...who are you and what have you done with Spike?" Buffy asked, narrowing her eyes. "Since when do you defend Xander? I know you two didn’t become buddy-buddy when you lived with him, so what’s changed?"

"Ha bloody ha, princess. I happen to...sympathize with the whelp. I mean, I...I know what it feels like to try, but not quite fit in. See, as a human, I was a lot like the boy. Xander is kind of the square peg. He just doesn’t fit, no matter how hard he tries. Only I didn’t have the Scooby gang to patrol with or the L.A. group to help the hopeless or whatever rot it is that Angel’s crew spouts. Anyroad...the boy just wants to know he’s needed and I used to know how that feels. He uses humor to hide his feelings...I was never good at that. It’s his defense mechanism...like becoming Spike a.k.a. William the Bloody was for me." He sounded so sad that Buffy almost wanted to give him a little hug, but knew Spike didn’t want pity.

"I love Xander...we all do. I’ll go talk with the others and let them know what’s been happening. I’ll see you tonight." Buffy turned to go.

"Don’t ambush the poor kid. He’s not really the gullible type." Spike warned her, his voice soft. "He’ll see a pity party a mile away."

"Got it." Buffy gave Spike a small smile and waved as she opened the door and walked through it. The door creaked as it shut, but Spike didn’t notice. He was back to his Angel-like brooding.

Across town, Xander was on lunch break with the rest of his crew. He didn’t even taste his ham and cheese sandwich...he was too busy thinking about what had happened with Spike. He listened with one ear to one of his buddies, Marcus, talk about his latest conquest...some hot-looking, raven-haired beauty with killer legs and a great set of tits. He laughed and smiled when the others did, but he was more than a little distracted.

"Harris? Hey!" Nick Phillips poked him on the shoulder. "Jack said that Kelly and me and you can go and let the rest of these guys sweat it out. Chad said he needed the overtime. So, going to go home to that hot little blond of yours?" Xander blinked.

"Hot little blond?" He repeated, caught off guard.

"Um...Anya?" Nick saw Xander frown. "Uh-oh...you’re not seeing her anymore? Sorry, man. I never can keep up with who is with who anymore." Xander gave the man a shaky smile and shrugged. "See you later, man." He patted Xander on the back awkwardly and walked away.

"Shit." Xander mumbled, trying to purge his mind of all things Spike. Nick’s mention of a hot blond sure didn’t help matters. He put his gear away and threw his trash out and signed out and went home.

He had four messages on his machine. Deciding to check them after a shower, Xander walked into the bedroom. He stripped off his blue button-down shirt and his white wifebeater and reached for the snap on his jeans when there was a knock on the front door.

He groaned softly knowing it was Spike, but went to answer it anyway. He pulled it open and sighed, before he could ask Spike what he wanted, the vampire stepped through the doorway, throwing his thick blanket on Xander’s couch. It was smoking from the sunlight. He smoothed his hair and licked his lips.

"Shouldn’t open your door to just anyone, pet." The blond vampire cautioned, looking around the apartment before turning to look at a glowering Xander.

"I knew it was you. What the hell do you want now?"

"Were you going to tell me that there was a meeting tonight at Buffy’s? Or were you planning to make up some lame excuse as to why I wasn’t there?"

"This might come as a shock to you, Bleachboy, but the world isn’t going to fall apart if you miss a Scooby meeting...we were doing fine before you came and we will do fine after you leave!" Xander retorted.

"Oh, please...you kids couldn’t hit the side of a barn with an elephant! Luck, plain luck, pure and simple! You lot would have gotten eaten or killed way before now if it hadn’t been for me!" Spike sneered, angry at Xander’s cavalier attitude when he had defended the boy so vehemently to Buffy. It didn’t even occur to him that Xander hadn’t heard a word of that praise. "The Slayer doesn’t need you lot slowing her down. I’m the Big Bad...all she needs."

"That is it! I’m way past through with you! I hate to break it to you, O, Impotent One, but you’re not the Big Bad anymore. You’re not even the kind of naughty. You’re nothing but a waste of space! My space!" Xander’s words quickly deflated Spike’s ego and the vampire looked at him with wounded blue eyes.

"I’ll just get out of your way, then." Spike said, in the softest, most vulnerable voice Xander had ever heard him use. "Enjoy your little Scooby meeting." With stiff movements, the vampire retrieved his blanket, put it over his head, and walked out into the sunshine.

TBC...