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Alexander sat anxiously waiting to hear the words. Yesterday
it would have mattered what the words would be... Now he just
wanted to know. He had had enough time to decide that whatever
The Shamenka said, he would love Willie just the same.
But for now, all he could do was wait.
Finally The Shamenka shifted Willie in her arms and opened her
eyes. When her gaze met the worried eyes of Alexander, they
softened. "Worry not child, your son is as he was meant to be. He
has inherited a talent from you, the ability to attract spirits
and demons."
"So does this mean that Willie is possessed by Spike?"
Alexander asked in nervous anticipation.
"No, he now carries his father in the same way that you carry
the hyena and the soldier, are you possessed by them?" she asked
calmly.
"I'm not now, but I was. Now I have their memories and their
instincts, but their... consciousness isn't with me." he said,
searching for the words.
"That's exactly what happened to the young one. He, like you,
has a spirit that calls out to displaced spirits and demons, when
the child's father died his final death, he must have had a soul,
because it came into contact with your child and imprinted itself
on him. I can imagine that the combined pull of you and the child
you were carrying, would have been quite irresistible." The
Shamenka said as she began to refill the teacups on the coffee
table.
"So let me get this straight, Willie is a seamonster, human,
vampire, demon-magnet?" Alexander asked carefully.
"No, not exactly. To become a true vampire he would have to
have been made a vampire in the traditional fashion. The child is
part sea creature, which he inherits exclusively from you, part
human, which he inherits from you and his other father, and part
demon which he inherits exclusively from his other father. And by
that I mean to say that he is the spawn of a demon, not possessed
by a demon." The Shamenka said sagely.
Alexander needed a few minutes to process all that, finally he
had it all in place in his mind and asked his next question.
"What about his growing? He's not even three weeks old and he's
walking."
"I suspect that your friend Wesley is correct in his
assessment. He will most probably have growth spurts for a while.
He will grow quickly through his childhood years and probably
slow to a more normal growth rate at the onset of puberty. After
that the growth rate should slow to a near stop when he reaches
adulthood." She said speculatively.
"Um... isn't there some way to speed him through the puberty
too? I mean, that's the one phase of his life that I'm really
worried about. What with rebellion, hormones and stuff."
Alexander asked, worried.
"No, the child will need those formative experiences to make
him into whatever type of adult he will be. And you need to go
through those experiences with him." The Shamenka said with
absolute certainty, then took a sip of tea.
"Why do I have to go through it with him?" Alexander asked,
even more worried.
"Because puberty is natures way of making parents let go of
their young when the time comes... Believe me, it works." The
Shamenka said with a wide eyed, distant gaze.
After a moment of thought Alexander asked, "Since his adult
growth rate slows down so much, does that mean he's virtually
immortal?"
"From a human perspective, I suppose you could say that.
Assuming that he lives to the end of his natural lifespan... I
can only say that it would be inconvenient to measure in units
less than centuries." The Shamenka said, trying to find the
correct words.
"Okay... seamonster, human, demon-spawn, immortal,
demon-magnet... anything else I should know?" Alexander asked
warily.
"Just some small matters. It is time that he be introduced to
solid food. Basically you need to wean him off the blood, and
when you are finished he should only need blood once a week to
meet his demonic nutritional needs." The Shamenka said
professionally.
"Good, I was hoping he wouldn't feed exclusively on blood,
that would get expensive quick." Alexander said offhandedly.
"Quite. Are you still living with Liam?" The Shamenka asked
without insinuation.
"Yes, I have a room in his hotel. Why?" Alexander asked,
warily.
"The child needs examples of demons in his life, especially
vampires, to give him a sense of normalcy. This is a concern for
most children of mixed heritage who don't live with both parents.
They need to be exposed to both cultures." The Shamenka said in a
lecturing tone.
"We live with Angel... I mean, Liam. So that shouldn't be a
problem." Alexander said dismissively.
"But what the child needs is to see him in his demon form. If
he becomes used to seeing Liam in human form, he may feel that he
should be ashamed of his demon heritage, and thereby deny his
other father's legacy." she said while offering chocolate chip
cookies on a plate.
"I would never want him to be ashamed of Spike. I don't think
Angel will mind, and I'll ask Lorn if he would visit with Willie.
Lorn is a good guy." Alexander said, going into deep thought.
The Shamenka nodded with agreement.
"I guess that's all I wanted to ask, I'll take Willie home now
and tomorrow we'll start him on human food." Alexander said as he
stood to go.
"Try starting him with chunks of raw meat at body temperature,
soaked in blood. He has the teeth to handle it and it should make
the transition a little easier. Just a few bites to begin with
and his usual blood after he's eaten his solids. He may decide
that he likes it and ask for more sooner. He may not and you'll
have to push it on him. Either way, over the course of the next
few weeks, increase the solids and decrease the blood and slowly
introduce a variety of foods. He may get fussy about it, but be
persistant. Know that you are doing it for his own good." The
Shamenka said, handing Willie to Alexander and walking with him
out of the living room.
In the kitchen Angel, Wesley, Gunn, Fred and Lorn waited
nervously. Alexander entered the kitchen carrying a sleeping
Willie, he was followed by The Shamenka.
"So how is he?" Gunn asked before anyone else could think of
what to say.
"He's fine. He just has Spike's memories, he's not possessed.
Since he's able to talk, he'll probably remember other things
that Spike knew and it'll be easier to raise him." Alexander said
cheerily. The Shamenka stood aside and got an 'I wouldn't bet on
it' look on her face.
Angel noticed the look and shuddered. [Adult Spike was a
challenge to control, baby Spike... did I remember to pay the
insurance premium on the hotel?] Angel thought to himself as the
group prepared to leave.
"Liam, a moment of your time." The Shamenka said in her
motherly 'do it now' tone.
"Of course." he said to The Shamenka before turning and
saying, "I'll be out in a minute." to the group going out the
kitchen door.
"I am aware of some of your history with Spike, you need to
know that this child is not Spike, he just holds his memories. He
will say and do things that will try to... 'push your buttons'."
She said in a tone that made it apparent she didn't like using
such a contemporary phrase.
"So I should ignore him when he does?" Angel asked,
seriously.
"Hells below us! no. Never ignore his misbehaving, punish
incorrect behavior and reward correct behavior. Just don't react
to him as Spike... perhaps you could look at this as your chance
to get it right?" she finished, tidying up the coffee cups in the
kitchen.
Angel, realizing that he had been dismissed, made his way out
of the kitchen and out to the car, deep in thought.
Wesley had arrived on his motorcycle, so he went home from The
Shamenka's house. Angel dropped Gunn and Fred off at their
apartment building. As he was making the turn to Lorn's,
Alexander spoke, "Lorn, The Shamenka suggested that it might be a
good idea for Willie to be around some demons, because I'm
human... looking... and she thought he needed to be comfortable
around non-human people."
Lorn looked at him with caution and said, "No insult meant to
you or your kid, baby cakes, but I don't do well around children.
I mean, I'm just not emotionally equipped to deal with them."
Angel looked at Lorn and remembered things that only he knew.
Angel's undead heart broke as he thought of Connor and remembered
how Lorn had taken care of him as a baby.
"Lorn, would you please try, for the baby's sake. We won't
leave you alone with him or anything. He just needs to get to
know you." Angel said with uncharacteristic pleading. He would
never tell anyone his motives, but he couldn't deny Lorn this
experience; it had made Lorn so happy before. Lorn had such a
wealth of paternal instinct that it would be a crime to waste
it.
Lorn looked with surprise at Angel's request. He didn't know
that old dark and dangerous had it in him to care about a child.
"Fine, I'll stop by now and then, but remember that you promised
that I don't get left alone with him." Lorn said as they pulled
up in front of his building.
"Thank you Lorn, I really appreciate your help." Alexander
said genuinely.
Angel and Alexander arrived back at the hotel as Willie was
waking up.
"Bloody 'ell, where'm I?" Willie asked from his Poppa's
arms.
"We're back at the hotel. We went for a drive and you fell
asleep." Alexander said soothingly.
"Bloody starving, give us a mug, would'ja pop?" Willie asked
with a very Spike-like smile.
Alexander and Angel stared at each other in astonishment.
Willie had only been able to say a few words before he went to
sleep. Now he sounded like Spike... same accent, same inflection,
same vocabulary...
"Sure... Angel, would you mind heating some blood while I
bring in Willie's things?" Alexander asked in a daze.
"Yeah." Angel answered in his own daze.
"Why'm I feelin all soggy down below?" Willie asked as
Alexander juggled Willie with one arm and the diaper bag with the
other.
"If your skin dries out you'll get sick. So we've been putting
wet diapers on you." Alexander said as he struggled to get child
and diaper bag into the hotel.
"I can bloody well walk if ya let me down, pop." Willie said
in a voice that was too Spike.
Alexander let Willie down and said, "You couldn't have told me
that out at the car?"
Willie just responded with a mischievous grin and ran to the
kitchen.
Alexander dropped the diaper bag and went to follow
Willie.
"I'm too short ta git inta the fuckin chair." Willie screamed
in frustration, trying to get up to the table.
"Willie! Watch your language." Alexander said as he walked
into the room. Angel was just watching silently as the blood
heated.
"Or you'll do what?" Willie said defiantly.
Alexander thought for a moment then got an evil smile.
"Barney, Teletubbies, Blue's Clues..."
"Bloody 'ell! Alright. I'll keep me a civil tongue, just don't
do that ta me. That... that's like abuse." Willie huffed
indignantly.
Angel placed the mug of blood on the table and looked
questioningly at Alexander.
Alexander lifted Willie to stand in the chair and asked, "Do
you think you can handle a mug, or do I need to put it in a bag
for you?"
"Let me try the mug, pop." Willie mumbled as he picked it up
with both hands and carefully tipped the mug to his lips.
He quickly put the mug back down on the table, spilling a
little and with a glare at Angel said, "You got it too hot, ya
bloody wanker."
Angel was far beyond speech at this point. He just stood and
stared at the miniature Spike. Alexander however was very much
able to talk. "Willie, you apologize this minute. Angel was kind
enough to heat the blood for you and this is his house. You will
not disrespect him."
Willie considered for a moment and shyly said, "Sorry."
Alexander looked at Angel, signaling him not to talk then
asked, "What are you sorry for Willie?"
"I'm sorry I called you a wanker, thank you for heating the
blood for me. That was nice." Willie said, near tears.
Alexander nodded, then Angel said, "It's okay Willie, I'm not
angry. If you'll be nice to me, I'll be nice to you. Okay?"
"Okay." Willie mumbled.
"You're blood should be cool enough to drink now, give it a
try." Angel said quietly.
Willie carefully lifted the mug and took a drink while
Alexander went to get a towel to clean up the spilled blood.
"Do ya 'ave sumthin I could put in this? It's awfully...
liquid." Willie said with a crinkled nose.
"I know just the thing." Alexander said happily as he went to
the cupboard and got out the tin of wheat-a-bix that he had
bought... Just in case.
Willie's eyes got big when he saw the tin and he said, "Thanks
pop!"
"Definitely Spike's son." Angel said with a smile as he walked
to the sink to rinse out his mug.
"Yeah, he is." Alexander said happily.
In the darkness outside the Hyperion Hotel a figure lurked.
She had been keeping watch and had seen Alexander carrying the
child, and heard the child's words.
She mumbled to herself, "Don't worry baby, GranMum's here for
you."