Xander shivered. "I like my life," he said, with emphasis. "You may not think it's worth much. But I like it. And even if it's not worth much... Even if it's only worth... A..." desperately, he tried to think of something that was worth something, anything. "A penny..." he said, triumphantly. "A penny saved..."
"Is a penny lying worthless in the drawer." Spike interrupted with a grin.
"No! Is a penny gained - as in building up wealth and... and happiness and... And my life is worth a lot more than a penny."
Spike's amusement was clear in his voice. "Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves, you reckon?"
"Yes. Something like that." Xander snapped. "Just... No! That's it! I can't cope with this. My head aches and I'm uncomfortable. And I've been kidnapped. Again. And..." He trailed off and Spike, for once, didn't push it. Silence reigned.
An hour later, Xander was getting hungry. Shaking his head at his own stupidity in even asking, he turned to Spike. "I don't suppose you'd packed any food for me?"
Spike looked across at him. He seemed pleased? That Xander was talking again. He shook his head. "Nah. Wasn't expecting to be hightailing it out of town. Thought I'd have the Watcher with me. And that just needed a trip out to the woods for a bit. Nice quiet place with no people. I wasn't interested in feeding him."
"Please" Xander pleaded. "Enough. I don't want to know what you were going to do to Giles. I don't want to know what you're going to do to me - if you even know yourself - unless it is to get me some food. I am going to concentrate on little things. Can we do that? Food? I haven't eaten since lunch."
Spike scratched his forehead, thoughtfully. "You are high maintenance, aren't you, pet?"
"High maintenance? I'm human. We get hungry. It's natural. Don't you... No, forget I started to ask."
Spike shot him a look and grinned. "Every day's, nice. Every other day's, okay. Leave it more than three or four days, and it gets uncomfortable."
"I didn't need to know that." He glared at Spike. "Why are you being so friendly?"
Spike looked like he had to think about it. "Well we're stuck here, together. Don't see the point in making it unpleasant."
"It is unpleasant. I'm tied up."
"Yeah, I know. But I'm being friendly. It could be worse."
Xander slumped back in his seat and decided to stop humouring the crazy vampire by talking to him. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the growling in his stomach. A small voice in the back of his head pointed out that if he was really scared, food would be the last thing on his mind. He ignored that and concentrated on plotting his escape. He was aware of sidelong glances from Spike, but he ignored them too. He was getting good at ignoring things.
His eyes opened with a snap, as the car veered to the right and they left the highway. "Are we there yet?"
Spike growled. "No. But there's a rest stop place here. If it'll make your body stop with those bloody disturbing, organic noises, I'll get you food."