TITLE: The Warriors

AUTHOR: Willie J

EMAIL: wmj166@msn.com

WEB SITE: N/A

PAIRINGS: Angel/Xander/Willow, Dawn/Wesley/Spike

RATING: NC-17

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any part of Buffy et all, not Angel the Series.

FEEDBACK: Oh please send me feedback, privately or through the list

DISTRIBUTION: List Archives

SPOILERS: BtVS S1-7, AtS 1-4

SUMMARY:

BETA'D BY: Echo and James

The Warriors
By Willie J

Xander sat at the bar, twisting his shot glass around and around, wondering about his life, and how HE of all people got roped into driving Willow up to restore Angel's soul. His lips twisted wryly, the last place he would want to be is around Angelus/Angel. But he had to get away, at least for a while.

Buffy was still caught up in her Spike infatuation, Willow had slowly starting healing from Tara's death with the help of Kennedy. Everybody seemed to be happy and they all seemed to have someone to make them happy. He snorted, maybe he really should give gayhood a try, hey, it seemed to be working for Willow. A remembrance flashed through his mind and he shuddered
back, and may NOT!

He sighed, well things seemed back to normal. He snorted, they were once again treating him like an outside, but at least he had Dawn for company now. Buffy was treating her like she was invisible and helpless too. He couldn't imagine just how much more fucked up his life could possibly get.

He felt a little warming tingle at the base of his spine, he sighed. Sheesh! I should have known not to even think something like that. Well at least it's not the burning hot pain, he had felt when they had arrived at the hotel, he thought shrugging. He didn't even turn around, when a body sat next to him at the bar, gazing into the mirror, seeing only his face and the other patrons behind him.

"So, Deadboy, you come here often," he said quietly, just wanting to get away.

"No, they sent me after you, or Willow sent me after you. By the way, Faith is going back with you," Angel said, quietly studying the boy, no the man, he corrected himself.

~Deep inside, Angelus stirred, smelling a familiar scent.~

Besides he had to get away, away from Cordy and Connor. The shock of seeing her pregnant, with Connor's child....his grandchild......he shook his head.

Angel winced as he felt Angelus stirring, glad to know that he was bound and wasn't able to get out. This time Willow had made his soul permanent.

Xander snorted, "Yeah, she would. Wouldn't want the ole helpless Zeppo to get killed or eaten by all the big nasties running around here, would we," Xander said with a bitter laugh.

"You know that's not true," Angel quietly protested, wondering what the hell had happened to make Xander get so bitter.

"I know it's not true, but it appears that Queen Buffy and the wickedly, Willow Witch seem to see me as a big, helpless dork, whose only function is to fix the house when it gets trashed," Xander said with a bitter twist to his lips, knowing that he was being unfair to at least Willow but not really
caring right now. He tossed back his drink, motioning the bartender to bring him another.

~It was him! Angelus nearly howled in glee, gripping the bars of his cage, snarling when he couldn't get free. That fucking witch, he thought murderously, just wait 'til I get free again. The second thing I'm going to do is snap her neck and kill that damn slayer bitch!~

Angel was shocked. When did they start treating Xander like that, he wondered. While he didn't exactly like the bo.., the man, he knew Xander to be one of the most courageous people he had ever met and he said so aloud.

Feeling a warm rush at the grateful glance from Xander, he was struck by the rich beauty of Xander's eyes. How alive and reflective of his every mood--wondering why was he getting so caught up in Xander eyes?!.

"Deadboy," Xander said questioningly, wonderingly what the hell was wrong with Deadboy. He had an unusually non-brooding expression on his face. Xander smirked, Wow! I've made the Broodmeister change expressions.

Angel came back to himself with a slight start wondering why he was now becoming fascinated by Xander's lips.

~Tell him! Angelus yelled~

Angel winced again, thinking there was no way in hell was he going to tell Xander that! The boy would probably stake him right here and now.

"Xander, for what it's worth, I know that you're not the helpless Zeppo that they think you are, that you think they think you are. I may not have liked you much in the past--- I did wonder what the hell was wrong with you. But by the time I left, I had come to respect you. You were the only one in the bunch, it seemed, without any special abilities but you stayed and continued to fight," Angel said awkwardly, not used to praising the bo... the man. Maybe it was because he wasn't jealous of Xander anymore, maybe it was because.....he shook the thought away quickly.

Xander sat frozen, listening to Angel, wondering if it really was Angel saying something nice to him, about him!

"Yet, no matter how many times you were knocked down, you always got back up. That was what I respected about you and in an odd way, what I always admired about you," Angel finished quietly, staring down into his glass.

Xander felt a warm rush go through him. Wow! No one's ever said anything nice like that to me except Dawn. He cast a sidelong look at Angel, leaned over and gently bumped his shoulder against Angel, bringing Angel quickly out of his brooding.

Xander flashed him a quick smile, "Thanks man, whether you believe what you said or not, it was a nice gesture." Xander turned back to his drink, knocking it back swiftly and motioning for another.

Angel frowned seeing Xander knocking back drinks so fast, he sniffed and then smiled. Xander catching his smile and looked at his glass before smiling himself.

"Get real, Deadboy, I grew up with alcoholics, do you really think I'm going to start drinking, drowning my sorrows. I've seen where that gets you," he smirked raising his glass of rootbeer, quickly drinking it and gesturing for another. "I may sloosh a little when I start walking, but hey, if any fire demon come along, I'm your man!"

They returned to companionable silence, Angel casting surreptitious looks at Xander.

He suddenly said, "You never told them, did you?" Immediately regretting his words when he saw Xander stiffen.

"No," Xander said calmly, his insides churning.

"Why," Angel wanted to know, he needed to know.

"What would have been the point," Xander said, breathing a little faster as painful memories washed over him.

Angel looked down, needing to clear the air between them. This was a rare moment that there wasn't any animosity between them that they could, maybe, speak plainly.

He began slowly, carefully watching Xander for his reaction, "You know when Willow restored my soul this time, I was briefly a part of her."

Xander tensed slightly on his stool, knowing from the way Angel was watching him, picking his words ever so carefully, that what he was going to say would somehow cause him pain. He braced himself, physically and mentally, hoping that he wouldn't lose his Willow.

"She knows, Xander, I know," Angel said quietly, sighing as he watch Xander flinch as if from a blow.

"What do you know," Xander said calmly, his hands were shaking, he placed them palms down on the counter, to still their treacherous shaking.

"We know that you lied to Buffy six years ago, that you told Buffy 'Willow said kick his ass'," Angel said carefully.

Xander slumped down, his body shaking in reaction, he knew it, he thought savagely, he was going to lose Willow over this! Barely aware that Angel was still talking as he began to prepare himself for Willow's fury.

Startled to feel a cold hand clasping his, he looked down then back up to Angel. Hardly believing the warmth and admiration he saw in Angel's eyes. He flushed and looked down.

"Xander, when Willow and I were merged for that brief time, I experienced everything she had every done.....," Angel hesitated, not really wanting to complete his sentence.

"And she experienced everything that had happened to you and Angelus," Xander said as he closed his eyes in despair. "So she knows," he half-whispered in dread, in shame, realizing what else Willow knew.

Angel nodded, smelling the shame and fear rolling off Xander, "She knows and she's waiting for you back at the hotel. She didn't want me anywhere near you, but she was too weak to stop me," Angel said, admiration in his tone for the raging witch threatening to kill him, to cut his balls off. The little fire-cracker had a very vivid imagination, she had even scared Angelus silent.

"I can imagine what she's going to say," Xander said, his head hanging low in shame. Jumping slightly at the feel of cold fingers grasping his face and turning it to face Angel's burning, angry eyes.

"You should have told them," Angel whispered furiously, almost shaking in reaction, "Yet you choose to carry this burden alone, feeling shame for something that wasn't your fault, that you had no control over." He was so angry at the boy, he wanted to kill something!

"Yeah, I could have imagine what Buffy would have said, especially when she finds out that I lied. Saying that the only reason why I lied was because I hated and was scared of Angelus," Xander spat out, wrenching his chin away from Angel's hard grip.

"Sure, I was scared of him, only a fool wouldn't have been. But I dealt, like I always do," Xander hissed, his eyes glittering with fury, "But she just couldn't understand that HE had to go, even if it meant killing you. I would have done anything for her and did, but was I willing to risk the world ending for her, for her love? Hell no!" Xander said angrily, he knew that Buffy would never understand.

There was love that accepted the good with the bad and dealt accordingly; and there was the Buffy love, blind love, the obsessive love that was willing to do anything for love, never seeing the cost of that blind belief, that love will save the fucking day!

Angel nodded soberly, he understood. "From my perspective, she should have stake Angelus, me. All the horror and pain that Angelus caused I could almost lay at her feet. If she had did her duty then....," again Angel faltered to a stop looking in Xander's eyes, seeing the pain deep in his eyes.

Xander nodded his head, his eyes never leaving Angel's, "Angelus would have never killed and hurt so many people." Xander said carefully, still avoiding the real issue. Angel looked away in shame, Xander sighed, knowing that the King of Brood was back.

"Deadboy," he said grasping Angel's shoulder and giving it a shake, "Deadboy, I accepted a long time ago that it wasn't you. I always separated the two of you. One was evil and liked to hurt people and the other was you, who people like to hurt, namely me," Xander said trying to get a smile out of Angel, feeling as if they were somehow closing a gap.

"Why are you trying to make a joke out of it," Angel snarled in frustration, "Is everything a joke with you," he said, instantly regretting his words, seeing Xander's face shut down.

"I'm sorry, I was out of line," Angel sighed, looking at the bent head. Reaching out a hand, covering Xander's remaining hand, feeling heat rush through him. "We both have our ways of coping, I brood and you make jokes to hide your feelings," he said quietly smiling when Xander head shot up in surprise at how well Angel read him. He slowly smiled, seeing the wryly amused look in Angel's eyes. And when did I become so focused on Angel's eyes, he thought confusedly, still staring at Angel.

~Tell him! Angelus screamed again, rattling the bars of his cage.

~Angel angrily yelled back, Shut up!~

They sat in companionable silence, deep in thought. Xander blinked knowing what he was about to say was going to ruin things.

"You know you need to make things right between you and Wesley," Xander said carefully.

"I know," Angel said staring ahead, his glass tilted to his mouth. A small smile twisted his mouth, "I've got bigger problems now," he said wryly.

"What's that," Xander said curiously, holding his glass.

Angel cast him a sidelong glance, "Cordy's pregnant by my son." Watching Xander choke on his rootbeer, made him feel a whole lot better.

Xander gasped and choked, trying to catch his breath. Wheezing, he turned narrowed eyes on Angel, "Deadboy, Angel, that is so NOT even funny." His eyes widen at the serious look on Angel's face. "Oh shit, you're not joking," he gasped out.

He shook his head in amazement, "Damn Deadboy and I thought my life was fucked up."

"Nope," Angel said. A short uneasy silence lay between them, broken this time by Angel.

"Does Buffy know what you are," he said without looking at Xander, staring straight ahead.

Xander's eyes narrowed, he slowly turned his head to look at Angel's profile, "What do you mean, does Buffy know what I am? Of course she knows, I'm Xander. I think being unsouled must have gotten to you, man," Xander said, trying to cover his unease with Xanderbabble. Stopping abruptly when Angel gave him a steady, level look. He dropped his eyes.

"The Powers-That-Be are still alive and well. While I was floating in the ether they showed me another warrior, not yet awaken to his full potential. They showed me you," Angel said quietly, his eyes intent. "Have you told Buffy and the others yet?"

"Nope," Xander said, lifting his glass to his lips, swallowing before he continued, "And I have no intention of telling her. Ever," his tone final.

"Why," Angel asked, totally confused. "I thought you were the one talking about being Mr. Helpless, the Zeppo. If Buffy knew....," he stopped at the slightly bitter look on Xander's face.

"She would respect me more? She wouldn't dismiss me as useless? She would need me," Xander asked quietly, a raised brow raised in mocking inquiry.

Angel blinked, nodding slowly, realizing that would be exactly what Buffy would do. She would finally give him the respect that she automatically gave every other warrior. Doing what a Slayer did best, using whatever tools they had at hand, be it a weapon or another being.

"Yeah," Xander said quietly, his eyes steady on Angel, "That's exactly what she would do, treat me as someone worthwhile for once. Someone that she feels she can count on in a battle, someone she can respect." He looked away from the understanding in Angel's eyes and took a shuddering breath, his shoulders hunching forward.

"Like you're not already someone worthy of her respect. You've survived for over 20 years living on the Hellmouth with the only physical injury being a broken arm. She should have suspected something then, but neither she nor Giles ever did," Angel said quietly, his eyes intent before looking away.

~Deep inside his cage, Angelus listened intently finally understanding why he could never break the boy. The Warrior, he breath, his eyes alight. What a beautiful pair we would have made, he thought mournfully.~

Angel sighed hearing the thought.

They sat in silence for a while both thinking their own thoughts, Angel glanced up feeling the dawn approach and reluctantly told Xander they needed to get back.

With a nod of agreement, they were off. Angel glanced sideways at the boy, man walking beside him in companionable silence, his eyes flashing gold at a couple of demons thinking them easy prey, warning them off. Glancing around he met Xander's amused eyes, and sheepishly smiled knowing that Xander would be capable of handling the demons that came their way. They walked on in silence.

Angel glanced at Xander again and spoke, "For what it's worth, he did love you." Wincing at the angry look Xander shot his way.

Xander spoke tightly, "And for what it's worth, I don't give a fuck! I don't care how much a person claims to love you, rape is still rape in the human world." And he sped up his pace, wanting only to get back to Sunnydale.

~And Angelus howled, knowing he had lost his boy forever. Never to touch that beautiful gleaming skin, never to look down into the boy's deep brown eyes, to see the pain bloom. Despite what he had said to Wesley, Xander drew him like no other. The Slayer was like every other female he had met and fucked. But the boy, the boy shone with an inner light. Always getting hit,
but never staying down, charging almost recklessly ahead. That was what first drew him to the boy. And when he had faced him down in the hospital, he knew he had found a worthy mate for himself. And now to lose him, never to touch him, it was too much for him~

Angel gasped at the pain Angelus was broadcasting, his sight wavering. Xander hearing the gasp behind him looked back, seeing Angel leaning against the side of the building, a look of pain etched on his face.

He took a couple of steps back, looking at Angel's downturned face, "Deadboy," he asked worriedly, "You okay."

"Yeah, just give me a minute," Angel said gasping under the barrage of pain. "It's just Angelus is upset about something and he's broadcasting his pain," he gasped out, bent over, groaning

Xander looked around worriedly, took a deep breath and stepped into Angel's personal space, crowding him back against the wall, his eyes eerily intent on Angel's confused expression. He touched Angel's face gently and closed his eyes, resting his forehead against Angel's.

Had anyone been looking at the curious scene, they probably had thought they were witnessing two lovers, locked in a passionate embrace, seeing Angel's arms steal around Xander's back, holding him closer. They wouldn't have seen Xander's glowing hands framing Angel's face, soothing the pain, soothing Angelus, who subside recognizing who was touching them.

Angel began purring under the warm, soothing waves washing over him. Feeling regret when Xander pulled his head back, who laughed softly at the purring vampire as he opened his eyes, meeting Angel's brown eyes, watching the smile grow in the grateful eyes.

His smile dying as he felt some sort of connection still between them, feeling a sort of heat rising in him and tried to step back. Meeting some resistance, he realized that Angel was embrac....no Angel was simply HOLDING him, that's all he was doing, Xander thought quickly, and pushed back harder against the arms around him, feeling them suddenly release him. He would have went tumbling to the ground had not Angel's quick reflexes pulled him back, flat against Angel. He froze, feeling heat burning in his cheeks, his hands trapped between their bodies, as his breath came out in little shudders, caressing Angel's face with each breath he exhaled. Watching with
wide eyes as Angel slowly licked his lips.

His eyes widen, feeling a certain stirring against his leg. Almost collapsing in relief, knowing that it wasn't hi...., he squeaked and stood absolutely still, not knowing if running away screaming or just remaining motionless, would help the situation.

Angel cast a quick look at the frozen Xander and, "It's just a bodily reaction Xander, it doesn't mean anything," hoping that Xander would accept that explanation, feeling an overwhelming relief at the softening body pressed against him, gritting his teeth against a groan, not wanting to scare the boy. Feeling the shudder ripple through Xander, he almost groaned, wondering when did he start wanting Xander.

Xander stepped back, carefully keeping his eye on Angel, feeling Angel's arms loosen around him. They warily eyed one another, before turning and heading back to the Hyperion, each sneaking surreptitious looks at the other. Wondering what the other was thinking.

Or in Xander's case, Xanderbabble, I feel like I just left reality and entered into Willowland. When the hell did I start having these strange feelings for Angel and when the hell did I turn gay. I'm pretty positive this morning when I woke up that I was 100% straight. Did I get attacked by a GayDemon when I wasn't looking? Is there such a thing as a GayDemon? And is Angel gay? I definitely felt some movement down there and it wasn't me. I thought he was totally into females, maybe he's Bi.' His eyes nearly bugged out, Maybe I'm Bi. I was attacked by a Bi-Demon, he wailed to himself, a little whimpering noise coming from his throat.

"Xander," Angel said quietly, his attention focused on the strange noises coming from Xander, "You okay," he said worriedly, hoping that his actions didn't make the bo--Xander start, he smirked, having the wiggins.

"Yeah, I'm cool, I'm cool," Xander said hurriedly, trying to convince himself of his supreme coolness. Looking up, pathetically grateful to see the Hyperion so he could get the hell home and away from the disturbing feeling Angel was arou....NO! That being near Angel was 'causing', he turned the word over in his mind suspiciously, looking for some sort of hidden meaning.

Angel saw the relieved expression on Xander's face at the sight of the hotel and was equally grateful, wanting to get away from the disturbing images of a naked Xander running around in his head. He smiled wryly, he could feel Angelus sitting on his bed, eating popcorn, watching the images play in their shared consciousness.

He opened the door, allowing Xander to enter first. Grateful to see all their friends still downstairs. He was even pathetically grateful to see Cordy and Connor standing together.

Xander entered, wanting only to make a quick goodbye, but seeing the frown on Willow's face he knew he wasn't gonna get off that easy. Quickly saying a prayer that he could get out of here without making a bigger fool of himself than usual, he quickly extended his hand.

"Hi, you must be Gunn, I've heard a lot about you," shaking the confused Gunn's hand and quickly moving on to Fred, giving her the same rapid pace greeting.

Willow and Faith exchange amused glances, knowing that Xander was extremely uncomfortable at the rate of babble that was falling from his lips.

"Wes, dude, loving the dangerous Manly Man look you got going there," Xander said waving to a frowning Wesley.

"And you must be Lorne, loving the green man, green is my favorite color. Actually I'm really kinda partial to them all," he paused frowning before moving on.

"And you must be little Connor, but not so little. Please to meet cha and don't let the old Broodmeister," he said jerking his thumb back at Angel, "Get you down. When he gets out of hand, just roll up a newpaper and smack him on the head, saying 'Bad Vampire, Bad!' he'll get the message real quick."

Angel smirked at his son's dazed expression, POW! You've just been Xanderized.

Willow tensed up as Xander stood in front of Cordy, knowing the bad blood that existed between them, because of their indiscretion.

Xander took a deep breath, not really wanting to do this, feeling a bad vibe coming off her. But she's the last one to greet and I'm so outta of here, he assured himself.

"I'm sorry, no one's introduced us," he said smiling his most charming smile at the woman, watching her eyes widen, silently cheering YES! I still got the ole Xandercharm going! "My name's Xander by the way, I'm the escort service for the those two lovely ladies over there. So, what's your name," he ended, smiling at the silent woman.

He looked around feeling an odd sort of tension fill the room. Now what did I do wrong, he thought confusedly, glancing around to see everyone looking at him.

"Uhm, Xander," Willow said gently, wondering what was wrong with Xander's eyes, "It's Cordy."

"Cordy," Xander repeated looking around the room for her, "Where's she, I wanted to see her before we left," he said before looking back at Willow and drawing back slightly at the look in her eyes.

"Xander," Wesley said smoothly, an odd tenseness filling him, "You're standing in front of her."

Xander looked swiftly at the woman standing before him and then at the murderously glaring Connor standing next to her, "Well I know that you said that she was part demon now. But I thought that the only change was the color of her hair and since when does Cordy have purple skin, not that I'm saying purple looks ugly," he said hastily a her eyes narrowed.

He jumped back in fright as the woman growled and leaped at him. He ducked, barely avoiding the dangerous claws slashing at him. He kicked her dead in her stomach giving a hearty 'HA HA' at connecting, then feeling something slam into his back as he was attacked from behind.

Falling, rolling to the ground with the crazy looking woman on him, he tried to fight her off. Feeling her hands steal around his throat despite his best efforts, tightening brutally on his neck. Tear glittered in his eyes as the agonizing pain radiated from his throat. And he did the only thing he could, he screamed for help, and deep in his mind feeling/hearing the answer, ' I'm coming'----he passed out.

Willow had frozen for half a second when Cordy jumped at Xander, with a speed belying her obvious pregnancy and her eyes began narrowing to dangerously black slits. When Xander scored a hit on the woman and Connor hit him in the back...

Willow lost it---screaming, "Illuminati" and for the first time, the creature was revealed in her glory, strangling her Xander.

Angel heard Xander's scream for help and an answering reply as he leaped at the demon- Cordy?, throwing her from Xander. But not before she lashed at Xander, scoring his chest with her razor claws.

Faith leaped at Connor, beating him back from Xander and from Angel. And this time, she wasn't gonna pull her punches like last time. Gunn, Wesley and Fred tried to attack the demon but it quickly fought them off, throwing them about like matchsticks. Whirling back to it's primary target....Xander, until Willow stepped in it's path, her eyes a seeping darkness, and it finally stopped well away from the deadly witch.

"Silly child," she/it hissed, "Do you really think you can stop me?! I could destroy you so easily," she/it purred, sidling, still trying to get to Xander.

Angel pulled the unconscious Xander closer to him, watching the action with golden eyes, as Angelus raged inside.

~MINE! That stupid bitch touched my BOY, hut my boy! Let me out, I'll make her pay!~

Willow roared, magic flying from her fingers that the creature quickly blocked before it, too, gestured and Willow was flung back, falling to the floor. The demon laughed as Faith knocked Connor out and jumped forward to challenge it, yelling to Angel to get Xander out, before the demon backhanded her across the room.

As Willow got up, a dark look on her face, the room shaking ominously,. NO ONE was going to hurt her Xander and her body began to glow, crackling energy moving throughout the room.

There was a shimmer between Xander and the demon and a glowing armored figure leaped through with silent deadly grace. Crouching and slowly standing erect, a glowing sword held in it's hand. It faced the demon silently, glancing at Willow whose magic abruptly stopped leaving her limp, before facing the demon again.

"So, I see that you are awake after all," it said mockingly, "The master will have much fun, breaking you as well as him," gesturing to the unconscious Xander. The silent figure simply lifted it's sword higher in an unspoken challenge, making the demon lose it's cold malicious grin.

"Not tonight, dearie, but soon. You and the others will soon die facing the Master's wrath and there's nothing you can do to stop it," she yelled mockingly and disappeared.

The figure stalked over to Xander but Willow moved faster reaching Xander before it, her eyes hot, a silent warning. Angel lowered Xander gently to the ground and stepped forward also, a warning growl in his voice as his face changed, revealing the demon.

The figure stopped before reaching up and pushing back it hood.

"So, I see that you do care," Dawn said to Willow, whose mouth dropped open in shock.

"Dawn?!" Willow burst out, her eyes widening as she took in the armored figure.

"You were expecting, what, the Orkin Man?" Dawn smirked at the flabbergasted look on Willow's face, before crouching quickly to Xander's prone body.

"Keep an eye on the knucklehead over there," she ordered over her shoulder to Faith.

"Uhm, which knucklehead," Faith asked baffled by the way Dawn was acting.

"You have more than one?" Dawn paused, looking at her coolly, "I mean the boy, el Stupid-O."

She could vaguely hear muttering behind her as the large black man asked Wesley who the hell was she and Wesley's answering reply. Feeling her body tingle at the sound on Wesley's voice, she glanced curiously over at him, stiffening as she met his gaze, before turning confusedly back to the unconscious Xander.

Inspecting the wound carefully, she glanced at Angel then back down to the unconscious Xander, her eyes widening as she saw the thin golden string connecting the two. By the looks of the string, the bonding process had only just begun. She bit her lip uncertainly, glancing at the vampire, based on Xander's past history with the vampire, she didn't know if he would want to be permanently bond to the vampire or if it would be better to sever the bond now before it was too late. She dithered silently over the decision since Xander was unconscious and couldn't make it, she didn't know what to do and she wished Xander was awake to help her.

She examined his wounds, wondering why wasn't he conscious yet, just then noticing the poison seeping into his body and a forcefully "Fuck!" erupted from her lips.

"Dawn Summers!" Willow exclaimed, shocked at the language from the girl, and raging with curiosity over Dawn and did Buffy know where her little sister was? Did Buffy know what her little sister was? Better yet, did she know what Dawn was? Stay tuned for this and other exciting revelations, she thought wryly.

"Sorry Willow," Dawn said absently, there was no choice now. The bonding had to be completed or Xander was going to die. Swiftly making her decision, she stood up.

"We need to get him into a bed and the wounds washed out. I need to talk to you and Wesley," she quietly said to Angel, her eyes dark and serious.

Angel nodded without taking his eyes off Xander and carefully picked the boy up, alarmed at the limpness in the boy's body. Quickly striding up the stairs, bypassing several empty rooms, unconsciously choosing his room...his bed to place Xander gently in.

Dawn watched with curious raised brows, instinctively recognizing the room as the vampire's. She eyed Angel speculatively, well, well, well, looks like the Angel had already Choosen. She could only hoped that Xander would be as easy to convince.

She sighed, who was she kidding....Xander was going to freak BIG time...he was so not gonna like the fact that he was Bond to a male! She snickered silently, remembering the time Cesear had put the moves on him......she laughed for days about that, she loved to see Xander blush...his blush went all the way down to his knees!

She eyed Wesley, damn but she wished she looked older! She knew...she just knew there was no friggin' way that Wesley was gonna touch her, especially not with her looking even younger than his shirt. And what was up with the that ugly shirt? She thought Xander was the only male that got dressed in the dark. Sighing she turned her attention back to Angel, who was returning with a basin of soapy water in his hands. She saw with alarm Willow's hands begining to glow, belatedly recognizing the healing spell Willow was getting ready to cast....oh shit at Xander!

"Hold up there, Willow," she exclaimed grabbing Willow's hand and siphoning the magic off.

Willow looked at her hands bemusedly, shaking them as if that would make them work, bringing back the magic.

"What did you do," she whispered and lifted stunned eyes to the grim, unsmiling Dawn.

"Prevented you from dying," Dawn said grimly, pointing to the bed, "See your friend, the one getting the bedbath by the vampire? Well, he's had more than enough of your magic, especially when you're using it against him. Last time you almost killed him prematurely; this time, you fire ANY magic towards him and he will kill you........ and Willow, Xander is WAY stronger than you can ever imagine," Dawn said quietly, her words at odds with her youthful appearance.

"But...but I just want him to be better," Willow said, her eyes wide and beseeching. "Would he really have killed me," she whispered quietly, looking at Xander.

"Willow, he will get better; he has Angel taking care of him and Angel's not going let anything happen to Xander," Dawn said gently to her, her heart twisting at the look of pain on Willow's face. She knew how deep the bond was between the two and she wished she could make things better, but Willow had to understand just how dangerous Xander could be....would be.

"Willow, you need to listen to me carefully, your life will depend on this....if that magic had left your fingers in his direction, he would have obliterated you....between one beat of your heart and the next, you would have been dead. He would have mourned you for a time, just as we mourn all
our friends that have passed, but you would still be dead....not vampire dead, but permanently, finally dead," Dawn said quietly, praying that Willow believed her because this time, there could be no second chances. Not for her, not for anyone. The stakes were too high at this moment, with the First and the Nameless acting in concert for the first time in ages.

Seeking to distract them, trying to weaken them before confronting them in head-to-head....... Idiots! Like that'll happen, she snorted silently to herself, glancing at Xander and the oblivious Angel. She had to make sure Xander was okay and she hoped to get back to her post in Sunnydale.

Willow stood frozen, Xander would have killed her?! Not my Xander, he loves me, she thought in protest.

~Like you loved him up on the bluff....the day you tried to kill him, destroy the world, her subconscious whispered coldly~

~But I was....I was......, Willow tried to protest~

~.....hurting and grieving, true; but in full control of your actions; but still you hurt Xander, you hurt Buffy, you hurt Giles and Dawn. Like you were the only person that had lost loved ones, that seen loved ones die in their arms, her subconscious said witheringly~

And Willow sank to the floor, one hand covering her mouth in distress and tears pouring from her eyes as she looked at the unconscious Xander. Oh Goddess, I'm so sorry Xander! And she broke down in cleansing tears, feeling the darkness rising....lifting from her soul.

Dawn knelt down and embraced the sobbing woman, stroking her back soothingly, "It's okay, Willow. It's okay, he forgave you and loves you. He still sees you as his Willow girl, his bestest friend," she said, drawing a quivering smile from Willow, "You just have to be more careful with your magic," she soothed the distraught girl.

She glanced over at Xander, seeing the poison cleansed from his system and sighed, it was time for the Talk. She patted Willow comfortingly before rising to her feet.

She stepped over to the oblivious Angel and touched his shoulder to get his attention, "Angel, Wesley we need to talk," Dawn said softly.

Angel looked up with a start, reluctantly pulling his attention away from the boy, "Uhm, I'm sorry...what did you say."

"I said we need to talk. Do you think you can pull yourself away from Xander's side and give me your attention for a few minutes, pretty please," she mock begged, making sure to give him her best Xander look, snickering audibly at the look of embarrassment on his face.

She sobered abruptly, here she was playing the fool while time was running out. She had to get Xander Awaken and in fighting form, and for that he needed to be Bonded.

"Sorry, just....," she waved an embarrassed hand before continuing, "We don't have much time for me to go into fine detail," she stated tersely, glancing from one male to the other, "I'll just give you the highlights of what's going on. The First," she nodded at Angel's suddenly grim face, "Is trying to open the Hellmouth all the way. Should it succeed then every last Hellmouth in existence will open, just like dominoes."

Angel's eyes narrowed in cold realization, "If every Hellmouth opened, releasing all the demons, the world would be swiftly overrun, with the demons becoming the dominant species," he stated quietly, watching her frown.

Dawn grimaced, "Unfortunately, it's a little worse than that," she began carefully, "All the Hellmouths are not really Hellmouths per se." She tried to figure out a way to explain what they were and suddenly brightened, "There are five pseudo Hellmouths, okay? These openings represent frozen moments in time, almost like alternate realities. Okay, now here's the tricky part...think of the world as a giant computer, with these moments acting like Restore Points in the computer; in case of an emergencies like the world ending, one of those points will open and that will become the new reality. This will allow the world, humans, to sorta restart itself, in a roundabout way. Allowing us to fix events where things went wrong."

"And if they all opened, these moments could be easily invaded leaving no way for us to start over," Wesley whispered quietly, his eyes narrowing in horror.

"Precisely," Dawn smiled approvingly, "Xander was placed in Sunnydale after the last Guardian died to safeguard this Hellmouth until I came, because this Hellmouth is like the linchpin to all the Hellmouths....if it opened, then they all go BOOM! and we won't be able to stop the demons from overrunning the place."

Willow gasped behind her, "Xander?! But he has no powers or anything like that," she said in near disbelief.

Dawn rolled her eyes witheringly at her, "Willow, if Xander wasn't what he is then every last one of you would have been dead a long time ago. Do you honestly think it was because of your superior skills at witchcraft or Buffy being Ms. SuperSlayer that you guys actually survived living on the Hellmouth?! Get a clue!" She shook her head, refocusing on the dumbfounded men, knowing her next words would cause an uproar.

So, choosing her words carefully, she began, "In the beginning there was Light separating Dark and HE said it was Good; HE created order from the chaos, HE created the Heavens and the Earth, HE created Man and Woman and gave them dominion over the creatures of the earth....."

Wesley looked at her in confusion, "Why are you trying to recite from the Bible, rather incorrectly I might add?"

Dawn could feel an unearthly wind beginning to rise, "Were you there?!" she said pointedly.

"Of course not," he said coolly, a look of annoyance on his face.

"I was, so shut up and let me finish," she snapped. She blew out an exasperated breath, ignoring their astonished gasps.

"Anyway, Lucifer aka the Morning Star, the Light Bearer blah blah. We just call him Rat Bastard and Dumbass," she grinned briefly, "He didn't like it that Man was given dominion over Earth and that technically," she stressed the word, "Technically we were supposed to obey you guys and stuff. So he got a little uppity with the Man in Command once too many time and got his ass kicked. Let me tell you, that was a nasty fight! Finally, we threw their sorry asses out; you shoulda heard them crying when they realized that HE was dead serious about not letting them back in," she looked away as she added, "I lost my sister, father and mother that day. My father and sister took Dumbass side and my mother died in battle fighting for humans. I heard later that they died also."

"So things settled down a bit with the earth filling up with you pushy little humans. Some of you were the cutest little things," she squealed, playfully pinching Wesley cheek, snickering as he jerked away in annoyance.

"Then Mr. Dumbass figured out how to create his own little fuckers, no offense Angel," she glance quickly at him, "And he somehow created those damn Hellholes, at least that was what we called them back then, and managed to push some of his demons and devils out. And the more that wiggle through managed to opened the Holes wider and wider until finally they were able to
pour through in waves; they overran the world and destroyed it."

"Wait a minute," Angel injected, "You say the world was destroyed, but we're still here, so one of those Restarting things must have been used," Angel ended grimly, he was counting.

"Restore and yes the world was restarted again. This time some of us were dispatched and sent to guard the openings," she frowned, "The only problem was that HE didn't want us screwing things up down here, so we had to assume human form and with limitations....and then to better understand *why* we needed to guard the Hellmouths, we were given the concept of souls. Which, unfortunately gave us free choice and free will, making us a little like you humans," she said with a sigh.

"And Anda'makta, one of the Guardians, choose to listen to Luc's lies and opened his Gate.....and the world was again overrun and reduced to rubble," she concluded with a grim look. Her head tilted slightly, she could hear the wind picking up.

"What?!" This time all three of them cried out in alarm, they started counting too.

"Yep, Anda'makta listened, believing that he would have some sort of power over you humans....which he did get but just not in the way he was expecting---his power was to kill and destroy humans. And for his crime, he was punished....you recognized him as the Beast," Dawn said grimly.

"Well, thankfully he's dead now," Wesley sighed, growing pale when Dawn shook her head.

"Angelus only destroyed the Anda'makta Beast's outer shell. That's was only way for him to be released from the form he was bound into," she said simply.

"You mean he played Angelus," Angel said gazing at her steadily, finally understanding the brilliant white light that Angelus saw when the Beast was destroyed. He took a deep, unnecessary breath comprehending the magnitude of the battle they were facing, he could feel Angelus grow still as he listened, feeling his chagrin at being played for a fool.

"Yep, Angelus got played like a piccolo. Angelus probably guessed that only the Knife would penetrate the Beast's hide and that's why it was allowed to fall into Angelus' hands, he knew what Angelus was planning. In that form he was bound by it's limitations, but now he's free."

"Shit!" Wesley said in helpless fury, he well remembered just how ineffectual their offense was against the Beast and now....


"When we were sent down, we were all Promised mates or companions to help us in our struggles. These mates and/or companions would allow us to become again what we were created for, allow us to effect our Change," she glanced at the unconscious Xander, "Xander and I are the only ones left unmated and it's Xander's job to fight him."

Angel felt a brief stab of grief, of loss at the thought of Xander with someone else----a feeling he ruthlessly suppressed. As if Xander could ever, would ever have anything to do with him! Though why now all of a sudden did he feel so...drawn to the boy. Even back in Sunnydale the boy's marked antagonism towards him would make him wild with rage.....made feel more alive than even being with Buffy, he paused at that thought. But I love Buffy, don't I, he thought in confusion. Xander was always an annoyance to him...but so were Cordy and Spike. Yet his response to Xander was vastly different than his response to Cordy and Spike.

"Xander?!" Willow gasped, "But why," she nearly wailed, she didn't want to anything to happen to Xander! NO ONE was gonna hurt Xander and she didn't give a damn if it was a God or a demon, her lips were pressed in a grim line.

"Because of hate....because Xander, although the youngest, was put in charge of us," Dawn said looking away, listening to the wind begin to shriek.

Angel frowned, his senses stirring, feeling some unknown force rushing towards them....and unconsciously moved closer to the bed.

"When Xander was put in charge Anda'makta was, at first happy....even though he thought the position was his, that he was to be in charge. Then quietly, Luc started whispering to him and he began listening, began believing his own hype, believing that he could do a better job, blah blah blah. When things were Restored, he was bound into that form," she paused.....

"And now he's coming for Xander."

A low vicious growl echoed through the room shocking the humans to the core, igniting every primal instinct at that deadly sound.

Running away sounded very good right now, Willow thought shakily, watching the look on Angel's face, it went waaaaay beyond his gameface.

"No," Angel repeated coldly, "Now, how do we stop him," only his eyes gave lie to his calm facade. They burned with the forces of Hell itself. Dawn nodded approvingly at what she saw, Good he will need that rage to protect himself.

Dawn raised a brow, " *You* can't stop him. The only way he can possibly be stopped is if Xander is Awake and that bitch knew what she was doing when she clawed Xander, poisoning him," Dawn spat out, she could faintly hear the wind rising, becoming audible to her.

"Now, Xander must be Bonded to his mate," she said simply.

Angel grunted softly and he gave a brief, regretful look at the long body laying in his bed, memorizing just how RIGHT the sight of Xander sprawled in his bed looked. Closing his eyes the better to savor, to hold on to that feeling of completeness for one endless, timeless moment and then he opened his eyes.....

And let go.....

The only thing that mattered now was that Xander lived. Why he felt this urge to be with, to be apart of Xander he didn't know but it was something he hadn't felt in a very long time. He finally recognized, too late, that it felt right in ways that loving Buffy never did.

"How much time do we have to find Xander's mate," he asked harshly, ignoring the look in Dawn's eyes. He suspected that she knew how he was beginning to feel about Xander, but he didn't need her sympathy or want her sympathy. While he was a warrior in for the PTB he was still a demon and he had no business wanting a being of Light....wanting Xander.

Her brow raised, "I would have thought you would have figured it out by now, Angel...can't you feel him?!" Her smiled widened slightly as Angel turned and looked first at Xander then at her as if he couldn't believe he heard her right, he was Xander's mate?!

His eyes narrowed suspiciously, "But he hates me or...at least dislikes me a lot," Angel protested but he wanted...he needed to believe her!

"Oh, he hates you alright, but he needs you too," Dawn assured him earnestly. "No, Angel you are mates," she said softly and chuckled at Angel's expression, despite the seriousness of the situation.

"But we gotta hurry 'cause he'll be here soon," she said urgently, hearing the eerie wind begin howling outside.

Willow and Wesley felt an unnamed dread slowly creeping up their spines, it was all they could do not to run, screaming out into that wind! Somehow they knew that was the way to madness....they ran out into that wind, they would die.

"What do I need to do," Angel yelled over the screaming wind, rattling the windowpanes. He could sense death approaching with the wind.

"Willow, you get downstairs and try to stall Anda'makta," Dawn screamed, feeling the protesting creaking from the hotel from the pressure being placed on it. "Do you think you can do it," she yelled to Willow.

"Yes," Willow screamed back, resolve hardening her face; if it cost her her life, she would stall like there was no tomorrow----and she knew that for her, that that was a very strong possibility. But she would find a way!

She staggered from the room, holding on to the walls for support as the hotel shook violently.

"What do you want me to do," Wesley screamed at Dawn, wondering at his role in all of this.

"Stay with me," Dawn yelled, and turning to Angel, "Hold him in front of you, facing each other."

Angel finally had Xander positioned like she ordered, struggling to maintain his balance as the shifting room made his footing extremely difficult.

She drew her sword and the screaming, howling outside increased as if it knew what she was going to do and sought to stop her. The hotel shook again under the stress, sending Wesley sprawling to the floor.

Dawn maintained her footing effortlessly and concentrated, feeling the connections with her fellow Guardians, Keys and Warriors. Smiling at their rejoicing in Xander's Binding ceremony, the love coming through the link drawing tears to her eyes.....

And she plunged her sword through Xander's heart, through Angel's undead heart....hearing them both howl in pure agony. She held on with desperate strength as they writhed on the impalement of her sword.

"Keep holding him," she screamed at the shocked Angel, pulling her sword out, and saw the beginning rage glittering in his eyes as he jerked his attention to her, a snarl of rage twisting his features.

"Remember the Beast?! The earthly form must be shred to release us," she screamed at him sensing he was about to attack......

Her words ringing in the shattering silence.....the wind had stopped.

She looked around, casting about with her senses.....he was here.

"Dawn, what have you done," Xander husked out, raising his head from Angel's shoulder and locking eyes with Angel for one brief moment before his arms were flung to the sides, his head thrown back, hanging limply in Angel's arms.....

And he SCREAMED....

His body seemed to glow from the inside, white light pouring from his mouth, his eyes, his ears....any opening the light could find. Tiny pinpricks of light began shooting out from even his pores.

Angel threw a panicky look to Dawn, trying desperately to hold the writhing body in his arms, "What do I do," he yelled above Xander's screaming as the light began to intensify.

"Just hold him, you'll know when to let go. Anda'makta is here and I need to help buy us some time," Dawn yelled over her shoulder, grabbing Wesley and dragging him from the room, just as Xander's body became a white, heatless flame in Angel's arms.

"Don't look at them," she yelled to the fascinated Watcher, wrenching his head from the glowing figures.

"But why?! They're so beautiful," Wesley breathed, feeling an awful compulsion to turn and look.

"It's dangerous for mortals to gaze upon a Warrior Change," Dawn held his face firmly, "Mortals have died from it, been driven mad or gone blind......now let's move!" She could hear the screams and yells from below as they raced down the hall to the stairs, before she came to an abrupt halt, sweeping an arm out preventing Wesley from rushing heedlessly down the stairs. Her eyes narrowing on the coldly beautiful man, effortlessly holding Gunn in the air.

"Dawn, my little Key, how are you," he man said pleasantly. "How long has it been since we seen each other?"

Wesley frowned, this was what had everyone spooked, this slender man?! He gave a wondering look at the man, seeing the long black hair trailing over a blue clad narrow shoulders, from the man's profile he looked like an extraordinarily beautiful, graceful man. And sure he was obviously strong, but why was....

Then he gasped softly as the--thing turned cold pitiless eyes on them....and he knew that he was faced with an ancient evil.

"Don't look at him for long," Dawn cautioned him quietly, before sauntering coolly down the stairs. Remembering all the lessons Xander tried to teach her.....silently chanting Attitude, Attitude, Attitude.

"Andy, how the hell are you doing? You're looking just as great as ever----NOT!" She smirked, knowing her insouciance would drive him crazy----it was the only weapon she had to keep him off balanced, she hoped.

He frowned, "Why must you and Alexander call me by that ridiculous name? I would have thought you, at least would show some dignity, remember who you are," he shook his head sadly, disturbing locks of ebony hair, still holding the struggling Gunn. "But I see that Alexander has corrupted you far too well," and he casually tossed Gunn over his shoulder.

Wesley winced at the audible crack as Gunn hit the wall, his arm bent at an unnatural angle. He glanced around for the others, blinking as he looked up and saw them dangling from the ceiling. He swallowed, how in the hell was Xander of all people supposed to defeat this creature?!

Dawn followed his eyes, tsking, tsking, "You see, that's why no one ever invites you anywhere. You just don't know how to have fun," she snapped at him, bravado covering her fear. She knew she was no match for him, all she could do was buy Xander enough time to complete his Change, her death was assured. She cast a regretful glance at the oblivious Wesley, man was I looking forward to getting better acquainted with him; she shrugged, she had no time to waste on regrets.

"But, my dear, I am having fun," he said calmly, a look of cruel amusement on his face as he gestured, laughing as Faith flew through the air screaming, hitting the wall with a sickening thud.

She drew her sword calmly, "You realize that there's no way I'm letting you past me, right?"

Anda'makta laughed and shook his head in amusement as he drew his sword, "My precious Dawn.....as if you can stop me!"

And they leaped forward simultaneously, swords flashing, glowing with every blow.

At first, Wesley reveled in watching Dawn's deadly dance, each blow sure and direct, driving the thing back with every strike. Weaving an almost impenetrable pattern in the air, each blow connecting with hard brutal force. Her deadly attack seemed to keep the creature off balance....then something seem to change and Anda'makta stopped moving, standing still as he parried her increasingly desperate strokes with contemptuous ease. He could only watch in sick horror as Anda'makta began to press his attack, easily bypassing Dawns blocks, scoring thin red lines again and again....her face, her arms, her chest began taking on the appearance of a fine wire mesh. He watched as Dawn grew increasingly weaker, her blows losing their strength, their focus; and realized that Anda'makta had been only playing with her, cutting her deliberately, like a cat with a mouse, he thought in horror.

Dawn could feel every little cut draining her, weakening her further. Waking Xander had taken too much of her strength and power, maintaining the barrier across the stairs weakening her even more. She knew that he was only playing with her and finally, her breath ragged, she dropped to her knees, weakly glaring at the smiling Anda'makta.

"We would have had so much fun," he murmured softly, trailing a sharp fingernail over her face, slicing open her cheek. "Oh well," he shrugged, raising his sword. His smile widening at the helpless fury on her face, laughing he brought the sword down on her unprotected neck.

And the sound of steel hitting steel echoed in the hotel.

"What?! No happy cries of joy for your little brother," Xander said mockingly, "Bro, where's the love? Damn man, but our family is fucked up, oh but I forgot, you are damned." He smiled wickedly and punched Anda'makta in the face, watching with extreme satisfaction as he slammed into a wall.

Chapter 2

"Oooooh, now that's gotta hurt," Xander snickered as his brother slowly pulled himself from the wall leaving a huge hole, brushing dust and pieces of the wall from himself.

Wesley gasped, brothers?! He marveled at Xander....while it seem that young Mr. Harris had lost a few pounds, it just seemed as if there was....more of him in some way. He twisted, hearing someone, softly coming down the stairs and gaped at the sight of Angel. A contented Angel, a very happy... he slowly backed down the stairs without taking his eyes off of Angel. His hands flickered nervously and a stake appeared in each hand.

"Wes, no! It's not what you think!" Angel said desperately, reaching a hand out to Wes then drawing back at the sight of the stakes. "I'm not Angelus, Xander somehow managed to permanently merge the two of us together with the soul me being dominant, so no more worries about Angelus coming out," he smiled desperately at Wesley, hoping that he would be believed.

He understood for the first time, the desperation and guts it took for Wesley to take Connor from him to protect him. After all the things that Angelus had put everyone through, it was a miracle that they still accepted him in their lives, and he could do no less for Wesley. Wesley's only crime
was trying to protect Connor from his father, Angelus' crimes were far worse than anything Wesley had ever done.

Wesley's eyes narrowed, "So this means you can have sex now," he questioned with a raised brow.

Angel's eyes drifted to Xander, "If I'm really lucky." He had a nasty feeling that it was gonna take more than luck for Xander to accept him. A lot more.

"So, little brother, it would seem that you have learned some skills," Anda'makta said softly, "but do you think it's enough to defeat me? After all, I am the one that taught you everything you know."

"Andy, Andy, did you honestly think that you were the only one to teach me," Xander said mockingly and shook his head, "I had more teachers over the years than just you, brother dear. After HE kicked your sorry ass out, I knew that you would be back. I didn't want to believe it but you've got too damn much hatred and jealousy in you to just leave shit alone."

Anda'makta rolled his shoulders, eyeing him, "Stop calling me by that ridiculous name!" he snapped before forcefully relaxing himself. "Apparently you've let your title go to your head, Alexander.... Protector of Humanity, what a laugh! You're nothing but a joke. Not even your precious friends and that so-called family of yours respect you. You willingly subject yourself to your precious Slayer's abuse for years. And as for that creature you call father, well, let's just say, we have a room ready and waiting for him."

Xander simply looked at him bored, "Blah, blah, blah, is that all you gonna do?"

He steadfastly refused to allow Andy to get to him, he had made his choice years ago and stood by his decision. The only time he had faltered was with that damn hyena thing, and that was such a surprise! The things he had done still made him squirm. He hadn't known that he could be quasi-possessed like that, becoming too complacent, letting down his guard. After a struggle he managed to kick the bitch out of him just as he was reaching for that boy, and then seeing Buffy on the roof of the car had given him some idea of what she planned to do. He gave thanks every day that Buffy was such a… non-thinker, depending more on her fighting abilities than reasoning, or she would have figured it out by now. When he had become 'Soldier Guy', if it hadn't been for Willow being around and knowing where he had gotten that stupid gun, he wouldn't have had to pretend that he was possessed that time.

The two brothers grimly eyed each other, knowing that this time only one of them would be walking away from this encounter, the tension drew tighter between them….

Wesley held his breath at the charged atmosphere vibrating between the two men, getting tighter and tighter until....

Anda'makta uncoiled in a lightning-fast attack, his sword a gleaming blur of steel!

If Xander hadn't been prepared for just such a move he would have been taken by surprise, as it was steel belled furiously as he met the attack, blade to blade.

Anda'makta couldn't believe it! Many times, he had made this movement and each time he had knocked his victims on their asses, including Xander. His eyes gleamed coldly and he took three strides with a sinuous grace, his sword flicking out with viperish speed. His eyes narrowed as each stroke was blocked with ease, and he felt his rage increase. But he harnessed the power of his rage, forcing it to serve him rather then rule him as he attacked.

He snarled silently, watching as Xander made a small beckoning motion with his hand. A tiny gesture, yet it struck him like a whiplash... it dismissed him, and dared him to do his worst.

Xander's blow came without warning, in a light-silvered blur of steel with absolutely no clue from a changing expression or tensing muscles to alert him and Anda'makta's stroke went wide. Leaving him wide open for the blow that came at him perfectly balanced, with a deadly speed and brilliance which even Wesley and Angel could appreciate.

They could barely restrain their shout of jubilation as Xander's blade flicked out almost negligently.

This was no movie version of a sword fight, each move carefully choreographed to avoid hurting each other. There were no mad dashes around the room, jumping on tables, twisting, turning to avoid a carefully time sword stroke; no director calling 'Cut'.... this was war, boiled down to it's raw form, even though it was only two combatants.

There could be only one survivor in this battle, this war.

Time seemed to slow for Anda'makta as he watched the seemingly simple, almost gentle blow, yet it felt like an axe when it hit his sword and he staggered under the sheer force of the blow. Frantically, he tried to gather himself, feeling an unfamiliar surge of panic, of fear, sweeping through him.

There was no way Xander could possibly beat him!

Steel rang again, harsh and explosive, foul with rage and hatred.

And Xander began to press his attack with a cold ruthlessness.

He faltered slightly when he spared a quick glance up and, in the grip of his fury, one thought rang through him...this had to end.

From the corner of his eye, he saw a flicker of movement as Angel and Wesley dashed over to Dawn, pulling her out of the way. He spared a quick thought to Angel, feeling the answering response before he turned his mind back to the fight.

His sword rang, impossibly quick, lashing out.

Then he slipped, leaving an opening that Anda'makta was quick to seize....

Angel and Wesley could only watched in horror as Anda'makta slipped through Xander's guard, and rammed his sword through!

Xander grunted as pain flared brightly in him, he could feel the blood on his lips as he looked up into Anda'makta, frozen face. He reached for Anda'makta sword arm and pulled himself up towards Anda'makta, pushing the sword further through his chest. Agony clawing at him with razor talons.

He grabbed his brother's shoulder and drove his own sword deep into Anda'makta' side, "I'm willing to give my life for theirs, what are you willing to give?" he gasped out through bloody lips.

As he savagely twisted the sword even deeper, he let his power surge up the blade into Anda'makta body before the other could recover.

Staggering back, he slipped to one knee pulling his blade free as he watched the energy burn through Anda'makta's body.

Anda'makta, his eyes wide in astonishment, stumbled back looking down at the white light spilling from the open wound in body. His head came up as his body jerked violently, convulsively as the turbulent rush of power tore through him---he stretched out one hand, pleadingly to Xander... before his eyes turned inward feeling the power building, growing....

He had time for one scream before his body was consumed in the white purity of the fire.

Dawn rushed to Xander's side. Throwing out her power she caught the falling figures of Willow, Fred and Connor. She had not dared to call upon their Brothers and Sisters for fear of distracting him, but now she screamed desperately for them while simultaneously, gently guiding the figures to the floor.

"Quick," she said urgently to Angel, "Hold him, he's dying! You need to give him your energy to hold him until our Brothers and Sisters get here."

"But how," Angel yelled, looking down at the bloody figure in his arms, he blinked as he felt a familiar presence fly past him within and he lost all awareness of the outside world, determined to catch and hold on to the fleeing presence. He raced desperately after the form, closer...closer... got 'em! He braced himself and held on, throwing every ounce of strength into his struggle to hold on. He huddled desperately around Xander, feeling the pull of Void trying to suck them in.

Wesley peered closely at Angel, what in the... he gasped softly as the youthful texture of Angel's face began to show the ravages of time, slowly becoming taut.

"My God," he whispered, as Angel's face began to show his true age, as whatever force that animated vampires was slowly being leeched out of him.

Dawn screamed again for her Brothers and Sisters, at last finally hearing the answer... They were coming!

She turned to Xander, ignoring the aging Angel, to check Xander's wound. She cast a quick look at the oblivious Angel and knew that whatever he was doing would not be enough. She could only hope that help would arrive in time.

Hearing a tiny sound she turned in relief as the glowing figures of the various Warriors, Guardians and Keys appeared in all their glory.

"You need to let him go now," she said quietly to Angel, gently trying to tug Xander from his grasp.

Angel growled at her, slowly opening his eyes. By the look in his eyes, letting go of Xander was something he would never do.

"Let him stay, he will need healing as well," came a melodious voice of one of the glowing figures.

Wesley jaw dropped to the floor and he felt like prostrating to the floor as well, seeing the beautiful man? woman? kneeling gracefully by Dawn's side.

He watched in awe as the all the figures took up a position encircling them and began to sing!

He saw the creation of the worlds.....

....new stars being born....

....the birth of a universe....

He saw everything and he wept at the beauty of their song.

"Now you must let him go," one of the glorious figures said to Angel, gently putting a glowing hand on the vampire's arm, and reluctantly Angel settled Xander down on the floor. Blinking as he became aware of the glowing figures. He backed away at a persistent gesture from Dawn and watched in confusion as they resettled Xander face down.

Both he and Wesley blinked in shock as Xander's back began to ripple, then on either of his shoulder blades, the skin split. In awe they watched as wet, black wings began to emerge from the slits. They moved further away as the wings buckled up, pushing softly, insistently at them. Until at last the wet leathery wings had emerged fully and began to waft gently up and down,
drying quickly.

Xander began pushing himself up with a groan of pain, feeling someone supporting him firmly until he was stable on his feet. He looked up to say thanks and froze as he met Angel's unreadable eyes. His mouth tightened. Firmly he ignored that flicker of disappointment echoing through him from Angel. Stepping carefully away from Angel's supporting grasp, he looked around, seeing his Brother's and Sister's begin to fade. He silently called out a farewell to them and felt their answering reply.

He avoided looking at Angel, resentment stirring in him at the sight of Dawn's guilty face. He wrapped his wings around himself, feeling cold. He would deal with her later. He looked around for Willow, saw her lying limply on the floor and rushed to her side.

Wesley stiffened, having forgotten the others in arrival of the other beings. He quickly made his way over to Fred and froze at the unnatural angle her neck was in. Sinking down to his knees, he gently closed her eyes.

Hiding her frozen stare.

He looked over at the unconscious Gunn and swallowed, grateful at least that he was still alive. Despite their somewhat adversarial relationship, he still called the man his friend which was the one of the reasons he did not actively pursue Fred. He gave a glance at the fallen Slayer and Connor, breathing a sigh of relief at least three were still alive. Now where was Lorne?

He looked up at the choked cry from Xander and gasped at what he saw. "My God," he whispered.

Xander cradled Willow's tiny figure in his arms, brushing her hair from her face. After his first involuntary cry at the sight of her he refused to let any sound of distress escape his lips.

"Did...we...win," Willow asked weakly, her head lolling in his arms, "I... heard... singing... was... she..fat?" A weak laugh escaped her before she coughed. She felt something wet trickle from her lips and moaned softly in pain as the movement jarred something inside of her. She was so tired that all she wanted to do was just....sleep.

Xander looked down into her ruined face, at the burnt, oozing eye sockets, "Yeah, we won," he said huskily, letting a shaky breath escape his lips. He didn't know if what he needed to do was allowed, but he was going to try.

"You know... I thought... it would hurt... a lot more," Willow gasped out, her hands clutching desperately at Xander's forearm, "But it doesn't." She already knew by the darkness that she was blind and dying. She remembered that white light coming at her, she remembered pushing Gunn out of the way and the searing pain in her face.

Angel lowered his head, he could hear her heart beating raggedly, slowing down.

She lay there and tried to move her legs, "Xander, I can't feel my legs!" she gasped, then screamed, high and shrill as every last nerve suddenly came back to life. She writhed in Xander's arms. Pain blossoming in her stomach, her sides, oh Goddess, HER FACE!

She screamed again, feeling agony viciously ripping at her insides.

Xander, his face wet with tears, pulled her to his chest and screamed along with her, not knowing if his cry for help would be answered.

"FATHER!"

Willow convulsed once, twice in his arms before sagging limply.

He drew a deep breath and screamed again, "FATHER!"

Angel and Wesley crouched down crying out in pain, holding their hands to their ears trying to block out that terrible awful scream.

Xander felt a warmth encircling him like a hug. He knew he had been heard.

He had his answer and he spread his wings wide....

....and he began to sing.

Angel and Wesley slowly uncovered their ears and looked up as first Xander and then Dawn began to sing.

They watched in awe as wet, brown wings began to emerge from Dawn's back as she knelt and gathered Fred gently into her arms.

Gently the two sets of wings began to close around the singers, around the unmoving broken bodies, hiding them from view.

How long they sang, Angel and Wesley couldn't tell, lost in that unearthly song. All they knew was that they felt better than they had ever felt before in their lives.

Slowly the two sets of wings opened as the songs began fading.

With disbelieving eyes, Wesley watched as Fred's chest rose and fell with each inhalation. Angel crawled over to Xander, ducked under a wing and peered down into Willow's face. He touched her face with trembling fingers, watching her eyes flutter open revealing green sparkling eyes!

Willow twisted her head blinking, "Uhm Xander, don't mean to scare you but there's a big black wingie thing on your back," she said hesitantly and froze, her hands swiftly moving up to her face, brushing away Angel's hands. She sat up with quickly, checking her ribs, she took a deep breath and tentatively moved her legs....they moved!

She swallowed hard, her eyes swimming with tears as she twisted around to face Xander, she touched his cheek gently and threw herself into his arms with a choked sob.

Xander simply held her, feeling tears fall down his face as well, his Willowgirl was back.

He had had thousands of friends over his lifetime and probably would have a thousand more but there something about Willow, some indescribable thing about her that called to him. That sang to him.

He had at first thought that Willow would eventually become his mate with Jesse as his Guardian/Companion but then he wound up accidentally staking Jesse. He hadn't exactly changed his mind, he had just decided to wait a while until at least Willow was a little older and more settled in her mind. Despite his seemingly cluelessness, he was well aware of Willow's feelings for him, but the time wasn't right for them. He fell for Cordy and typical male that he was, growled at the sight of Willow with Oz. Willow belonged to HIM.

After the fiasco of that fluke thing with Willow he gradually came to the conclusion that Willow was maybe meant to be his Companion and not his mate. He was philosophical about it, 'cause half a Bond was better than none after all, right? But he still wanted a mate, someone that he would be able to have children with, someone that that he could give all the love he had within him

He held her, feeling tears fall down his face as well…..his Willowgirl was back. His wings beat once in pleasure, in joy. Drawing closed around them, enfolding Willow in a warm cocoon of safety and love….closing around Angel.

And all three felt a shock race through them, circling binding them together.

The Trinity was now complete!

All three yelped and pushed violently away from each other.

"What in the name…," Willow gasped, her hand pressed to her heart.

"….was that," Angel choked out, looking at Xander.

Xander's wings snapped out in rage, and he turned to look at Dawn.

"You just couldn't friggin' wait could you," he yelled jumping to his feet glaring angrily at Dawn.

"What the hell did you want me to do, watch you die," Dawn spat out, gently placing the now conscious Fred on the floor.

"You mated me to a Demon," Xander screamed at her, clutching at his hair.

"You started the process, you friggin’ idiot," Dawn shot back, her flickering with sharp restless movements.

"I did?! Like when," Xander demanded. There was no freakin’ way he would have done that, he would have remembered.

Dawn just looked at him, "When I got here, you had already started the Bonding process. How was I to know, that you would choose the Mate Bond? You know bloody well that no one controls that but the individual."

Xander looked at her darkly, "You've been spending too much time with Spike."

Xander sighed, wondering when in the name of the Father did he Choose Deadboy, as a Mate. Why, oh why did his life have to be so screwed up?! Now, not only did he have Deadboy as a Mate but he had Willow too! He held his head and whimpered in frustration.

Dawn’s eyes were sympathetic watching the whimpering Xander, "Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll make an excellent father."

Willow and Angel glanced at each other, "Uhm, you get the feeling that we've lost part of this conversation," Willow said tentatively.

"He said, 'be fruitful and multiply'! So you tell me, Miss Smarty-Pants how am I supposed to multiply," Xander screamed at her, his mood switching back to rage.

"Oh, for pete’s sake, will you stop being so freaking human?!" Dawn rolled her eyes, "You can still have kids and Willow can too, you moron!"

Angel and Willow began to back away from the screaming Dawn and Xander. "We can have kids," Angel asked Willow in a whisper.

"Why are you asking me, I’m gay remember," Willow whispered back fiercely, keeping a wary eye on Xander and Dawn.

Xander drew in a horrified breath, "I have no intention of having kids with DEADBOY! If I wanted to have children with a demon, then I would still be with Anya."

"Well, it’s not like it was my fault," Dawn yelled, quickly going on the offensive. Her wings were flickering in reaction to her mood.

"Enough!" Wesley shouted at them, startling the screaming duo. They looked at him in shock, wings spreading in alarm.

"Might I remind you two, whatever you are, that there are still injured to be attended too," he said through clenched teeth. "I would have expected better behavior from angelic creatures but obviously I was sadly mistaken."

"Angelic?!" Xander gaped at him, moving to the unconscious Faith, his hands glowing as he lay them upon her torso.

"Angels?!"" Dawn nearly shrieked, passing a wing over the fallen Gunn. The others watched in awe as their injured comrades were restored to full health.

"We’re no angels," Xander smirked, he glanced at Dawn before they both started laughing almost hysterically.

Wesley’s eyes narrowed. His arms crossed, his foot tapping impatiently, "If you please,"" he uttered coldly, watching as their giggles died down. Clearly these were NOT angels.

"Angels! Sorry, but that was funny," Xander snickered holding on to Dawn, "I don’t know any one of us that would want to be an Angel. You have no idea how arrogant those high and mighty angels are. Noses all up in the air, like we smell bad or something." He grunted as Dawn smacked him in his chest.

"Hey, I got family on that side," Dawn said, smacking him again. "Of course, some of them are assholes," she admitted with a shake of her head.

"So then what are you," Wesley asked crossly. He saw Angel watching him and he stiffened slightly, keeping a wary eye on the vampire.

Despite what they had been through in past few days, he knew that he had a long way to go before Angel forgave him for stealing Connor. Determinedly he turned his attention to the immediate problem of Mr. Harris and Miss Summers.

"We’re not angels as you might have already figured out. We come in four different classes: Angels, Keys, Warriors and Guardians. Angels are the messengers, Keys are the links between Angels and Warriors. Obviously you know what a Warrior does and a Guardian needless to say guards objects, places and/or people. Guardians are closer to humans than any of us and can be killed; Warriors live, die and are reborn endlessly. Keys are born and live for a very long time until eventually they die and are reborn. Angels are eternal," Xander spoke quietly. He had caught that brief look that Wesley had sent Angel and knew he had to do something to resolve this situation, things were just to crucial to have dissension within this group.

Willow glanced at Xander, looked closely at Angel then looked down at herself. Nope, no imagining things here, I am somehow connected to Xander and Angel. There was a thick cord connecting the three.

"Okay, let's move on to something a little more important," she said loudly, "What the hell just happened between the three of us, and don't even bother trying to lie to me Xander Harris," she added sternly.

"Wills, I would never....," Xander began to gasp out....

"HA! If you thought it would get you out of trouble, which by the way you are in BIG time Mister, you'd lie like a...a...rug," Willow snorted.

Xander sighed, "Okay, here's the situation. For some unknown reason," he stressed glancing sidelong at Angel, "I Bonded to Angel. When the two of us with a recognized bond, touched you it triggered the secondary bond. And that's what happened."

Angel and Willow glanced at each other again, before Angel turned to Xander, "Bullshit. I can tell you are telling the truth, but you're leaving out huge parts of the story. Now tell us the whole truth!"

Crap! Xander tried again, watching the two hesitantly, "Angel and I are bonded? Willow and I are bonded? The three of us are Bonded?" he said tentatively.

Dawn quickly interrupted, flicking her wings, seeing that Angel and Willow were about to beat the daylights out of Xander, "Look it's kinda simple. Guardians, Warriors and Keys were promised Mates and/or Companions to give them encouragement in their lonely exile. Guardians typically are Companions with Warriors and they share a mate. Keys usually Mate with Warriors and share a Companion. Unfortunately, in Xander's case he has two Bonded Mates, Willow and Angel."

Willow blinked, "But I'm gay! I like women, not guys and I have a girlfriend. I'm very much into my gayness," she protested, then she thought for a minute, "So you were really serious about me hitting you with the gayness, huh, Xander?"

"NO! Hell no, I was just joking about that," Xander protested strongly, his wings snapping close around his body, "That was truly a joke! Ha ha ha! See a joke!" He paced restlessly, trying to control himself. What the hell was wrong with him? Why was he so friggin' antsy all of a sudden?

"So what do we do now," Angel said struggling to remain calm. His attention kept drifting to Xander, admiring the play of light on his wings....sleek and beautiful. He slowly paced forward, keeping a wary eye on the unpredictable Xander and subconsciously began to purr trying to soothe his temperamental Warrior. He stopped about a foot away from the suddenly motionless Xander.

Willow eyes kept drifting to the restlessly pacing Xander, admiring the play of light on his hair, his legs each time he moved. Her eyes slowly began to glaze and she began to walk forward, to Xander. Coming to herself with a startled jerk a foot away from Xander.

They formed a neat triangle and Angel began purring again, soothing both his mates.

Wesley whispered to Dawn, "What the hell is happening, why is Angel purring?"

Dawn whispered back, "Angel's trying to complete the Mating Ritual with Xander and Willow, it involves a lot of sex."

Wesley looked closely at Dawn, "Seriously, Miss Summers, what are they doing." He turned to see Xander swaying, his eyes half closed as both Willow and Angel touched him.

"I am serious," Dawn whispered back indignantly, "Angel's trying to complete the Bond and since the bond is a Mate bond, they want to mate."

"But I thought Ms. Rosenburg was gay and Mr. Harris was not," Wesley protested, he heard a noise behind him and saw Faith getting to her feet and helping Fred up to her feet."Dawn, right," Faith said, glancing at Dawn.

"Yep," Dawn replied, "In the flesh, so to speak."

Faith studied her for a few minutes, "Cool wings," before turning to help Gunn to his feet. "I suggest someone tie Connor up before he escapes," Wesley said, looking over at the boy getting to his feet.

Connor looked around for Cordy and made a dash for the door, and rebounded against an invisible barrier.

"You?" Faith gave a look at Dawn who smiled, "Girl, you got some cool mojo working."

"I try, I can only try," Dawn said modestly, looking down.

"What's up with Angel, Wes," Gunn said with a sharp gesture to the three now motionless figures.

"Miss Summers here informs me that Angel, Miss Rosenburg and Mr. Harris are officially mates and are trying to complete the Mating Ritual," Wes said coolly watching the unfolding scene.

"No way!" Faith exclaimed, "I mean, I know the boy's had some bad luck with the ladies but I didn't know he was gay." She paused looking at Xander, "Course I didn't know the boytoy had wings either."

"Angel's gay?!" Gunn was shocked. He peered closer at the three motionless figures, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but did that boy have wings when he walked in? 'Cause I'm pretty sure that he didn't and I'm good about noticing things like that." He turned to Dawn, "And I'm sure that you didn't have wings when you appeared....out of thin air." Okay, now things had gone beyond weird and we have officially entered Bizarro World.

"Someone please look for Lorne," Wesley said wearily, he simply wasn't up to rehashing this conversation, "Miss Summers, is there any way we can stop what they are doing? I really don't think we have time for them to complete their ritual."

He watched as Faith, Gunn and Fred left after volunteering to look for Lorne.

"Call me Dawn," she said absently, seeing the pulsating surges growing faster between the three. "Yeah, I can temporarily stop them so that they can think, but there's no force in this world that can stop them from completing the Ritual."

"Well, I'm sure that if someone were to put a stake through Angel's heart that'll stop the ritual," Wesley said dryly.

"True, but once he is mated with Xander, he will be a true immortal. Sunlight, stakes, crosses won't kill him. He will have achieved his Shanshu." Dawn said quietly and stepped forward. She took a couple of deep breaths....oh man oh man this was gonna hurt like the dickens.

"That's not what the prophecy states," Wesley said sharply.

Dawn gave him a look over her shoulder, "And you would know because..."

"I translated the prophecy," Wesley stated stiffly, how dare this young...., he blinked seeing the clear amusement in her eyes.

"Uhm, you know what the prophecy says," he asked quietly, watching her.

" 'That he would live until he died,' " Dawn quoted, "But Wesley, you forgot that he is a vampire. Death is the equivalent for life for them."

"But he dies, the prophecy says," Wesley protested, "And he....," he saw the quiet knowledge in her eyes. "Upstairs," he breathe, "That's why you didn't want me to look, you knew what was going to happen?"

"Yes, in order to become a mate of a Warrior, the mate must die first."

"But Miss Rosenb...," Wesley tried to protest.

"Died in Xander's arms," Dawn said quietly, she waited a beat taking in his stunned expression, "Now do you want me to stop them from mating right now or do you want to yammer at me some more?"

Wesley glared at her, knowing she was right, "Please stop them if you can."

Dawn gave him a cool look and spreading her wings and SHRIEKED! doubling over with pain at the force of her shriek. Turning around she helped Wesley back to his feet, holding his dazed face and peering into eyes, satisfied that he could stand on his own before she turned to the groaning Xander, Angel and Willow.

"Did anyone get the number of that bus that hit me," Xander muttered, pushing himself to his knees and shaking his head.

Willow and Angel helped each other to their feet, before extending a hand to help Xander up. With a grateful groan, he accepted and allowed them to pull him to his feet. All three swayed and propped each other up.

"What the hell was that," Willow moaned into Angel's chest.

"You guys were getting lost in the Mating Ritual and we need to get back to Sunnydale. You can mate there if you like but we need to get to Sunnydale," came Dawn's voice. She made no attempt to get within hitting distance of Xander.

"Oh, OH!" Willow exclaimed pushing away from Angel's chest. "Mating Ritual?! Did I forget to mention that I have a girlfriend," she said anxiously turning to Dawn, "But you already know that, right?"

"Willow take it easy, no one's forcing you to do anything that you don't want," Xander said soothingly, holding her hands. "There's no rush, no pressure, okay?"

"But Xander, I'm still gay!" Willow protested, "Remember? Me and Tara and now me and Kennedy."

Angel stood silently while the two friends argued. He knew what he wanted and he knew that both Willow and Xander responded to him.

"Do I look like I'm gay? Yet I'm Deadboy's husband for crying out loud," Xander exclaimed, releasing Willow's hand. "Whether I like it or not, I have to mate with one or both of you in order fight the First. There's no if's and's about it."

"But you just said no pressure and if that's not pressure then I don't know what is," Willow yelled.

"Well I lied," Xander spat out.

Angel began to purr, feeling both Willow and Xander instantly turned to him abruptly silenced.

"Whoa, Angel," Dawn said with a smile, "Didn't think you would catch on so fast."

Angel stopped purring, "Now enough arguing, we need to get to Sunnydale as soon as possible right," looking at Xander.

"Right, get there, kick the First's ass.....," Xander said in a daze.

"....then have wild monkey sex for days," Willow said huskily, her eyes wide. She shook her head violently, "Oh my God, did I just say that?!"

Xander came out of his daze and gave her a wide eye look, "Oh yeah, you most certainly did, I don't know about the days part but I'm down with the wild monkey sex." He leered at her, snickering softly at the blush that crossed her face. Then a surprised OW! escaped him as Willow punched him in the arm.

"Enough," Wesley interrupted. "We need to get to Sunnydale, correct? If so then are we all going or what," he said looking around, seeing Fred, Gunn and Faith coming back with Lorne.

"What in the name of Patti LaBelle was that sound," Lorne said, shaking his head. He stopped in his tracks at the sight of the winged Xander and Dawn, "Well, shut my mouth and put the cat out! Two sweet chocolate morsels," he exclaimed running his eyes over them.

With ease of long practice, Angel returned the conversation back to getting to Sunnydale, "Clearly, Faith, Xander, Willow, Dawn and I will be going to Sunnydale." He stated firmly glancing around making sure no one had any objections.

"And Wesley has to go," Xander said stubbornly, seeing the instant look of resistance on Angel's face. "He goes or you don't go," he said crossing his arms.

Angel gritted his teeth, casting a cool look at Wesley, "Agreed."

"What about us," Gunn protested, "What, now that you got Birdman and Hawkwoman you don't need us anymore?!"

"Actually, I had something in mind for you three, that is if you don't mind," Xander said hesitantly, arching his wings and sheathing them back into his body.

Everyone blinked at that display.

"Oh, please do tell us," Gunn said sarcastically, grunting at the elbow in his ribs from Fred.

"Can you find Cordy," Xander asked in a rush.

Everyone froze at that request.

"Cordy's alive?!" Both Angel and Wesley gasped that out simultaneously.

"Yeah, needless to say that wasn't Cordy, it just took her form and memories to work on Connor. Cordy's still alive somewhere, I just don't know where," Xander said, trembling in frustration, calming as Willow laid a gentle hand on his arm.

"All I know is that she still in L.A. somewhere and something or someone is hiding her," Xander growled. This time it was Angel that put a hand on Xander arm to calm him.

"Don't worry man, we'll find her," Gunn said with a determined look at Fred and Lorne, "At least we know that she's not dead."


After receiving instructions from Xander about the general direction to look, they said their goodbyes.

Xander, Willow, Angel, Faith and Wesley were all able to travel back to Sunnydale in one car; with Dawn adding instructions that Xander, Willow and Angel had to be kept separated....and Dawn left the way she arrived.

The drive back to Sunnydale was made in icy silence.

Chapter 3

The drive back to Sunnydale was made in icy silence.

Xander drove back with Wesley in the passenger seat beside him; while Faith sat between Angel and Willow. Dawn’s instructions to Wesley were very clear: until they got to the mansion, there was to be no touching between Xander, Angel and Willow.

Which of course, totally pissed Xander off.

"What?! You don’t you think I can control myself?! I’ve been controlling myself for eons missy! I am the King of friggin’ Control. Hell, I INVENTED control," Xander had snarled at her, his back stiff with outrage.

"And I don’t care WHAT you *think* saw me doing, but I'm still gay!" Willow had shouted to Dawn.

"Oh, shut up, Willow," Xander had said absently, glaring at a smirking Dawn, "You’re no more gay than I am."

"Excuse me, Mr. Let’s Play Tongue Hockey With Angel?" Willow had whirled on him, her eyes aflame.

And they began to fight, snipping and snarling at each other. Willow trying to deny the desire she felt for Xander and he, in turn, trying to deny the stirring of his body for Angel.

"Angel would you please do something about your mates," Dawn had snarled over Willow and Xander’s bickering voices.

"Please!" Wesley had exclaimed stepping away as it looked as if Willow was going to punch Xander, "Or I will give into the impulse to smack them myself!"

"Why do I have to control them, they obviously don’t want me," Angel had said quietly, hurt plain in his eyes.

"Because they belong to you," Dawn had said with a shrug of her shoulders.

Angel eyed her narrowly, then began to purr.

His eyes widen slightly at the effect. Both Xander and Willow turned to him, silenced, as their eyes began glazing over.

"Consciously, they are both fighting for their independence. Willow, because she doesn't want to be hurt again by Xander or another male and Xander because he's never contemplated himself with a *male* demon mate. Had you been female, he probably wouldn't be having such a hard time accepting you, but you're not. You need to convince them both, that male or female, the three of you belong together," Dawn had said sympathetically to Angel.

"And how do you suppose I do that," Angel had had to stop purring to ask the question.

"Personally, I would go with sex," Dawn had said with a mischievous smile before she vanished.

Faith had looked at where Dawn had been standing, "I gotta say, I like the way that girl thinks."

Xander had stalked to his car, wrenching open the door and got in, slamming the door angrily shut.

Willow, growling had stormed into the backseat of the car, her face set.

Angel had looked at his two furious mates and sighed, it was going to be an extremely long ride to Sunnydale.



They had been on the road for almost 45 minutes, with the windows up and the air conditioning going on the hot night. Wesley kept glancing over at Xander with surreptitious looks as Xander kept shifting around in his seat. He had almost caused an accident three times already.

Finally, Wesley twisted in his seat and looked back to see Angel staring at Xander and Xander staring in the mirror...again as if he could see Angel. Wesley frowned, vampires didn't have reflections so how was Xander seeing him?

"Xander! Concentrate of your driving, do you want to get us killed?!" he snapped, as they narrowly avoided a semi-truck barreling down the down.

"Sorry," Xander muttered, "You tell him to stop looking at me then!" he added angrily.

Wesley sighed, "Angel, please stop looking at Xander."

"Fine," he heard Angel say, then mutter, "He started it though."

"I did not," Xander immediately snapped back, fingers clenching on the steering wheel in frustration.

"Ya did so," Angel shot back, his eyes flaming gold.

"ENOUGH!" Wesley shouted. He clutched at his head and took a deep breath, "I will NOT sit in this car with the two of you bickering like little kids. Why can’t you be like Miss Rosenburg?"

"Uh, Wes hate to break it to you, but Willow is just a big a problem as Xander and Angel," Faith said quietly, laughter in her voice.

Wesley looked around, focusing on Faith who had a steely grip on Willow’s straining hands.

"Yeah, she's been trying to get to Angel for the past 15 minutes," Faith snickered. "Hey, I'm doing my part, you just concentrate of my boy up there."


Xander drove for another 15 minutes before pulling over, jumping out of the car and storming across the interstate. Angel in turned jumped out from his side and crossed behind the car to side of the road while Willow remained in the car, shuddering and breathing raggedly.

Finally, both men returned to the car.

Xander motioned for Wesley to drive the car, ignoring Wes' puzzled look

Xander got into the passenger seat, turned off the air conditioner and ordered everyone to roll down their windows. Immediately.

Angel slammed the back door harshly as he climbed back in.

"What wrong now," Wesley said as he began driving.

"Pheromones," Angel said tersely from the back seat.

Wesley blinked, "My apologies, Mr. Harris, I should have thought of that before. Perhaps with the wind rushing through the car, the situation will get better?" he said with little hope.

Xander just sneered at him.


Wesley drove tensely into Sunnydale in the pheromone charged car, speeding for the mansion and breathing a sigh of relief at the sight of it.

The car was still rolling to a stop as Xander, Willow and Angel open their doors, racing out of the car and rushing towards the mansion, frantically removing clothing as they ran.

Wesley and Faith sat in the car for a few seconds with their mouths dropped open.

Faith shook her head, "It's gonna be a long night, that's for damn sure," she muttered sotto voice as she pushed open her car door and stepped out.

"I think it would be for the best if we choose rooms as far away from them as humanly possible," Wesley said dryly.

"Dude, you don't have to tell me that twice," Faith snickered, "Who would have thought shy Willow could be such a horny little devil?"

"I suspect that it is part of their bond that makes her act that way," Wesley said calmly as he unlocked the trunk and started removing his bags.



Upstairs in the bedroom, Willow ghosted her fingers over Xander's copper-colored nipples. Under her fingertips she could feel the rapid beating of his heart and meeting his gaze, she knew he was not as calm as he was pretending. And a slight smile crossed her face as she marveled at his control.

That beautiful mouth was relaxed, the tender lips parted slightly and, she felt a rush of heat as she imagined that mouth stretched opened and wrapped around Angel's cock. Bending her head, she began to lap at his nipples, feeling the betraying shiver as his drooling cock grazed her belly.

Xander twisted, this time it was she that shivered, that cried out as the two men began to stroke her with long wet sweeps of their tongues, licking her all the way down to her toes. Then Angel turned her over and they began again, caressing her with liquid sweeps of their tongues, her thighs, her ass, the length of her back, brushing aside her hair to finish with a slight nip from Angel at the nape of her neck. She gasped feeling Angel's blunt human teeth worry at the flesh there.

Keening softly in pleasure, she was turned over again and her legs spread. Whimpering in need, as the fire of their Bonding began flaring hotter...the heat becoming unbearable.

She uttered a shameless moan that made Xander smile darkly against her breast as Angel buried his head between her spread thighs and a cool tongue began to exploring her soft inner folds with bold stabs and long liquid caresses that set her on fire. Angel began lapping at her, tasting her,
sipping at the essence of her, burrowing out her clit and worrying at the small fleshy nodule with his tongue. She spread her legs wider, grasping his head with a shaky hand, pressing him closer.

"Oh Goddess!" she screamed, clutching at the sheet, her back arching as his tongue plunged into her. This was ecstasy---Angel's tongue just plowing into her, licking and sucking on her clit. She undulated her hips, seeking his tongue, she wanted, no needed it tighter; she couldn't get him within her far enough to satisfy her craving, her longing to complete the ritual.

"You love this, don't you," she heard Xander whispered huskily as he suckled avidly at her breast, nipping softly at her pouting nipple.

She cried out as Xander filled his mouth with her breast, nibbling, sucking, swirling his tongue around a stiff point. Pulling greedily on her pouting nipple, she jolted upward and never lost contact with Angel's fat liquid tongue caressing, plunging into her. She gasped, her hips arching as Angel
slid two fingers deep into her wet core.

She parted her legs further needing as much of Angel's voracious attention as possible to relieve the growing ache within. It was torture to feel the two mouths, the two set of greedy hands on her at the same time. Like starving men, they feasted on her with voracious abandon, their wet sucking mouths driving her insane with pleasure.

Xander shuddered slightly as he felt cool fingers stroke across his ass, knowing who the hands belong to, still he cast a brief look downward to see Angel watching him with hot golden eyes. His face wet and rising from between Willow's legs.

Harder....faster....more...more...and more...She pushed down on Angel's tongue and fingers, arching higher into Xander's mouth. Eat me. Suck me...give me more---And with a long keening scream she came, rocketing higher and harder into a long heart-pounding slide to completion.

Xander shivered, his eyes held by Angel as the other slowly licked between Willow's eagerly spread thighs, the golden eyes closing in an expression of pure bliss and then his eyes were hidden by Willow's thighs rising and tightening around Angel's head in her climax.

And he almost came right then and there against her rippling body as she came, her hands clenched in Angel's hair, keeping him firmly between her thighs.

As her ragged breathing came under control, Xander felt cool hands on his hips, shifting him, pulling him back away from Willow and his engorged sucking of her nipples, those sweet, plump, juicy nipples.

Pulling back, he raised his head and met Angel's knowing eyes, arousal singing, burning sweetly in his veins. Meeting the hungry approach of Angel's mouth with his own hesitant lips, he gasped at feeling the cool interior within. He felt a warm hand caressing his aching shaft as he lost himself in the dual sensation of Angel's cool tongue plunging into his mouth and a warm palm stroking him.

Angel at last drew back from the tempting succulent mouth, aching with the need to be enclosed in hot tight flesh, moaning as he felt two hands wrap around his cock and began to purposely stroke him, spreading his pre-cum over his hard flesh. Greedily, he dived back into Xander's mouth, enjoying the whimper of pleasure from Xander and the moans of encouragement from Willow. MINE, was his fierce possessive thought.

He reached around and parted Xander's asscheeks, trailing his wet finger over the sensitive pucker. Circling around the tight, seductive little hole, Angel drank down the boy's gasp as he breech the beguiling, tender opening slowly, allowing the boy to become used to his finger encased in that hot tempting heat before slowly plunging his finger back and forth. He felt those supple hips bucking, rolling with his finger easy motion within the hot tightness of Xander's ass.

Releasing the sweet, luscious lips, he attacked Xander's neck, mouthing at the soft flesh. He actually had to grit his teeth to stop himself from coming from the two hands stroking him with lusty abandon and he wanted to howl with pleasure. With ruthless iron control he reined himself in, when he came, he planned to be rammed deeply within Xander's hot seductive little ass.

Reluctantly releasing Xander's lush tender mouth he maneuvered the long, supple body around and over Willow, his eyes meeting Xander's, silently indicating what was going to happen next.

Willow looked up into Xander eyes, seeing the desire, the fear and above all, the love in his eyes as he maintained his crouching position, lowering his lips to hers, kissing her with greedy need.

He knew what Angel intended to do and he couldn't help but stiffen slightly as he felt his asscheeks spread and gasped into Willow's mouth, as he felt pleasure surging through him at the cool wet licking across his clenching hole. Feeling the pliant muscle gliding in his pucker, he mewled softly and rocked against Willow at the gripping sensation.

Willow gasped at the first tiny thrust Xander made, pressing against her belly. Her hands trailed down to his clenching asscheeks and felt Angel's cold hands there, spreading Xander's cheeks for his gluttonous pleasure. Willow took a firm grip on the firm flesh and held Xander's cheeks apart for Angel's greedy delectation, as Xander's lips crushed hers with enthralling passion, their tongues dueling, caressing each other. Moaning deeply in her mouth, he began a slow shimmying movement against her writhing body.

Each time Angel moved his head, she could feel the flexing of his cheeks lightly brushing against her fingers and she just wished she could see him taking Xander with his tongue, making their lover moan and shiver in her arms.

Xander shivered as he then felt Angel's fingers drive slowly into him, gasping at the incredible fullness he felt. Whimpering in pleasure as his desire soared, his drooling cock providing a slick path and a measure of friction between him and Willow. He arched his increasingly writhing ass
into Angel's fingers and began pumping his hips in short erotic movements against Willow's wet stomach, following the viscous glide path his leaking cock had created.

Whimpering in distress, his hips pumping slowly between her legs, his aching cock caressed between them as Angel pulled his fingers out. He sighed with something akin to pleasure as he guided into Willow's welcoming flesh, groaning softly as he felt something else, something much bigger than Angel's finger began to fill him...

Xander moaned softly as Angel slowly thrust his cock deep in his ass. And for half a second his incredulous thought was 'And guys think this feels...' when Angel slow inthrust brush against something that sent jagged arc of ecstasy straight to his already hard cock.

"God!" he screamed, caught between the sweet, gripping tightness his cock was sinking in and the ramrod hard shaft in his ass, burrowing deeper into his spasming hole, touching, brushing against....

Willow screamed, then a low keening cry came from her throat as Xander sank almost impossibly deeper into her, his eyes turning a solid glowing white. She looked past Xander's tight, edged smile to meet Angel's luminous glowing solid gold eyes, unaware that hers had become a soft black, glittering with pinpricks of light as the Bonding Ritual became to surge through them. For Willow the thought of the two men locked in passion caused her to tighten deliciously around the hard shaft, ruthlessly spearing her to the bed.

Xander whined as Willow tightened around him, hissing from the twin sensation of making love to Willow, being tightly encased in her rippling tight flesh and the feeling of Angel's thick hard shaft buried deep inside him, caressing him with every stroke. And he slowly sank deep, even deeper
within her tight wet heat as Angel sank deeper into him.

All three gasping at the sensation of sheer bliss.

Angel moaned at the incredible feeling tightly gripping his cock, and holding Willow's eyes, he began to move, achingly slow within the silky hot interior.

Xander eyes widened abruptly at the surge of raw pleasure that went through him as Angel touched something deep within him, and he couldn't help but cry out in bliss, as he began driving his hips relentlessly into Willow's wetness, backing into that hard driving shaft with each movement of his body. Groaning slightly as he felt a burning sweet ache as Angel slid even deeper into him.

Willow gasped, her head thrown back, an undulating wail of ripped from her throat as heat, pleasure…her need began spiraling out of control, "Yes...yes...harder! Damn you Xander, faster...oh....oh ...yes...more...give to me harder...." her words trailing off in a babble of
nonsense as she rode the intense sensation spiraling upwards from between her legs, becoming more stimulated by the half-closed look in Xander's eyes, sensual gratification etched on his face. She raised her gaze and was locked into the bottomless pools of Angel's eyes, her body rocking under the twin thrusts of the two males.

Xander's head was thrown back, almost sobbing in pleasure at the incredible fullness as Angel's thrusts became more urgent, harder....faster. Pounding deeply into his clenching ass, riding him....taking him with an almost bruising passion, urging him to keep pressing his shimmying ass back---back onto that thick cock ramming deep inside him. He offered himself up to whatever Angel wanted him to do, writhing and moaning between the twin sensations of erotic pleasure. Circling his hips, he encouraged Angel to fuck him even deeper...harder...forever just as long as he kept making him feel like this. He could feel his release so close...so fuckin' close.... closer…. there! He came with a shout as he dove into into a hot sea of pure ecstasy.

Gasping out the Bonding Ritual, his eyes flaring with luminous intensity, "I...am...Xander, Warrior...Protector of Humanity...," he began, "I take thee, Willow Rosenburg and Angel, Vampire and Witch as Companions, as Mates....to guard, to hold, to protect. We are one...thy battles are mine, thy wars are mine!" he howled his release, feeling his cock, his cum being milked from him in Willow's hot rippling flesh.

Willow looked up with, her eyes a starry black, I...am...Willow Rosenburg, Witch, Keeper of the Magic...," she began, "I take thee, Xander and Angel, Vampire and Warrior as Companions, as Mates....to guard, to hold, to protect. Thy wars are mine, thy battles are mine, we are one!" She screamed as she toppled over into a sea of glory, her eyes blind to everything else but the fire racing through her.

Angel felt his balls beginning to tighten, the pleasure he took in Xander's body while staring into Willow's eyes was almost indescribable. It felt like Xander's body had been made for him, as if both Willow and Xander's bodies had been created just for his pleasure, dormant....waiting for him to awaken them to life with his voracious kisses and caresses.

Gritting his teeth at the incredible tightness gripping him so warmly, he could barely restrain himself for coming, feeling his body throbbing with a sense of urgency...with a primeval urge rising swiftly within him. He rammed deeper into Xander's tight fluttering hole, feeling the boy clenching desperately around him, groaning at how good it felt...and never releasing Willow from his eyes, his movements becoming increasingly urgent as he saw her climax take her.

MINE, was his possessive thought, "I...am...Angel, Vampire, Demon...," he began, "I take thee, Willow Rosenburg and Xander, Warrior and Witch as Companions, as Mates....to guard, to hold, to protect. Thy battles are mine, thy wars are mine, we are as one!" With a roar he came, spewing his cum deep within Xander's ass.

And the room glowed with a spiraling light and they cried out, their bodies still twisting, thrusting into one another as the light circled them once, twice....and on the third passage around it slammed into...

....Angel's back... slammed into Xander...slammed into Willow....

...connecting to them to each other...

....and now the bonding was complete.

Xander collapsed against Willow, surprising an Oof! from her as Angel sank bonelessly down on Xander's back.

"Off," Willow gasped out, weakly hitting both Xander and Angel. "Can't breath....get off!" My God, I just had the most incredible sex of my life with Xander and Angel and I don't even feel remotely guilty, she thought in astonishment, all I can think is WOW!

"Make Angel get off me first," Xander whined tiredly, his ass was still twitching in the afteraffects of the most intense orgasm he had ever experienced in his life...and that was saying a LOT considering just how friggin' old he was!

Angel groaned and reared back, both he and Xander hissing at the pleasure. Xander shifted with a pleasurable groan as he pulled out of Willow and collapsed face down into the bed. Both Willow and Xander breathing raggedly.

He look at the two with clear amusement, "Hey Willow, Xander, so what were you two saying about being gay?" he snickered at the looks on both their faces.

Xander said with great dignity, "I prefer the term Bi-sexual, thank you!" He would have put his nose in the air were it not for the fact that he was still lying face down.

"Yeah, what he said," Willow sighed, her body was still trembling and twitching. "I wanna tell you guys, that if every time we make love and it's always this...this mindblowing," she paused, a slow wicked smile curving her lips, "Then bring it on!"

Angel looked startled, Xander propped himself up on his elbows, both of them looking at her in bemused wonder before laughing at the leer on her face.

"Willow Rosenburg!" Angel laughed, reaching over Xander's prone body to give her a poke, "You shameless hussy!"

"Guys, I just engaged in a menage-a-trois with two very good friends and two of the sexist men I know and you expect decorum from me," Willow rolled her eyes, "Give me a break."

Her eyes turned serious, "You know, I never expected to find love again so soon after Tara's death, then to meet Kennedy...," she broke off with a frown, staring into the distance as she sat up slowly, then she snapped her eyes to Xander.

"But you never liked Kennedy did you," she breathe in shock, "You always thought she was a phony and conniving bitch, didn't you?"

Xander pushed himself to his knees, his hands resting on his thighs with an look of shock on his face.

"You never trusted her, did you? In fact, you almost hated her," Angel said softly, his eyes distant. "But you loved Tara didn't you? She was like sister to you, you loved and respected her almost as much as you love Dawn and Willow...and how the hell do I know these things," Angel said in
frustration, growling as a particularly vivid scene of Xander's father beating him for not taking out the garbage, his eyes turning to liquid gold as a memory of being left by herself for a week flashed in his mind.

Willow hissed, her eyes darkening with fury as an memory of being teased by Xander's mother for wetting the bed surged through her mind....we/he was only 5 years old. Memories of Angel's father yelling at him coming home drunk, he wasn't drunk he had been attacked by couple of bullyboys.

Xander shivered and wrapped his arms around himself as memories of Angel/Angelus surged through his mind, killing his father and taking such a dark delight in showing the overbearing fool who was stronger now...Willow parents forgetting her 13 birthday and flying to Hawii leaving her alone for two weeks.

"It's the Bond," he gasped out, "I was told that it could be intense but nobody warned me that...," he shook his head roughly, trying to hold back a whimper of fear, remembering how scared he was when he was cursed by the gypsies. No, it wasn't me, it was Angel!

Angel and Willow cried out as they/he were thrown facedown on the ground, by Angelus. Fighting desperately, freezing as PAIN ripped through them/him...shame as they/he felt Angelus thrusting into their/his unprepared body.

They crawled together and held each other as memories surged thorough their minds, faster and faster....

*Flick* Buffy lifeless in a pool of water in the Master's cave, watching as Xander breathed desperately to life...

*Flick* A small dark hair little boy swaggering into class but she could see fear lurking behind the laughing brown eyes...

*Flick* The look of joy in Tara's eyes the first time they made love...Flick...Flick....Flick

Images coming faster and faster as they held on to each other desperately, emotions surging through them..

Laughter, hatred...

Fear slammed into them as they/he felt Angelus return after making love to Buffy...

Terror, joy...

Shame hit them and they moaned as they/she looked in Xander's eyes after trying to kill him in her madness...

Love, concern...

Loneliness almost stilled their breath as they/he felt again pushed to the side by Buffy and Willow...

Emotions raged through them, one after another. Up to joy, happiness, laughter, love...their souls singing before abruptly plunging into hatred, fear, rage, sorrow. Surging almost ceaselessly, from one extreme to another, winding tighter, faster, spiraling until...until they screamed with one voice before collapsing in a tangle of arms and legs, crying.

"Xander, I never meant to make you feel like that," Willow sobbed against Angel, clinging desperately to Xander's hand, "I just felt so guilty and ashamed of myself after what I had did that summer to you, to the world. I tried to hurt everyone, I tried to kill you. God, I'm so sorry," she wailed, twisting in Angel's loose embrace to press herself against Xander.

"Willow, I never meant to hurt you with Cordy," Xander whispered brokenly. "I loved you then and I always have. I just didn't think you, I didn't think we were ready for that step. And then when we were ready, we screwed everything up, I screwed everything up...my fault, all my fault."

"Angel, I'm sorry for every mean thing I've ever said about you," Xander looked at Angel earnestly, seeing the bloody tears trailing down Angel's face, the look of bottomless pain in those beautiful golden eyes. He reached up a hand to caress Angel's beautiful face, "You've been fighting for over two hundred years on the side of the Light, but I just didn't want to believe that a demon could ever be one of the good guys. I'm so sorry that I wasted years hating you, mocking you and trying to make your life hell," he whispered pulling Angel's face to his and kissing the drooping lips gently, tenderly offering comfort.

Willow raised her head from between their bodies, regarding Angel solemnly and began kissing his cheek softly, offering him solace from his dark memories. She hadn't understood at the time Xander's strong dislike of him but he had always been good to her.

Angel sighed into their mouths, letting their love surround him as they sank back down on the bed, one on either side on him. And cradled in their love he sleep, untroubled for the first time in over a hundred years of dark whisperings from Angelus.

Wesley and Faith had moved three different times trying to find rooms far enough away from Xander, Angel and Willow’s screams and moan. Finally winding up in the basement and gratefully falling asleep in the blessed quietness.

Late morning of the next day, Xander finally stumbled from the room to the bathroom, pale, shaky and limping.

A few seconds after, Willow dragged herself out of the room, face white as the sheet she had wrapped around herself, eyes glazed in extreme fatigue as she hobbled into the bathroom as well.

They emerged from the bathroom some time later looking a little less weary and disappeared back into the bedroom.

Xander poked at Angel’s thigh as Willow shook Angel’s shoulder.

"Angel, wake up," Willow urged the almost comatose vampire.

Angel merely groaned and rolled over in the bed, ignoring them in his desperate desire for more sleep.

"Buffy’s here and she's got a stake in her hand," Xander announced calmly, watching Angel.

Angel jerked upright in the bed, looking wildly around with a panicky expression.

His eyes narrowed on the giggling Willow and smirking Xander. "That was not even in the remotest funny," he grumbled to his snickering mates.

"But you should have seen the expression on your face," Xander smiled and gasped as Angel pulled him down in the bed for a thorough good morning kiss.

"Guys, while that may be intensely hot as hell, and I dearly want to join you too, we need to call Buffy," Willow said her eyes glazing slightly as she looked at her two mates.

She gasped as Xander reached up and yanked her down in the bed, both he and Angel attacked her with long burning kisses.

With a satisfied sigh, Angel released them, "We need some clothes," he said reluctantly, gently nuzzling into Willow’s neck.

"Willow can conjure us some clothes and furniture until we can go shopping for more later today," Xander whispered, dipping his head for a kiss on Willow’s neck, sighing with pleasure as Angel, kissed his back.

"Umm, no can do, remember Evil Willow," she said with a sigh, arching her neck.

"Don’t worry about that, you’re mated now." Xander kissed Willow, really getting into it when Willow abruptly pulled back and yanked on his hair.

"What do you mean by that," she demanded.

"Let go of the hair and I'll tell you," Xander said with a wince of pain.

Willow flushed while Angel began snickering, "And you guys make fun of me about my hair," he snorted.

"Look man, she was hurtin' me," Xander whined with a mock glare.

"Excuse me, back to my question," Willow glared at Xander, her look serious.

"Willow, the reason why you went out of control was because you didn't have a balance at the time. Now, either Angel or I can act as your balance until you learn to balance yourself...by yourself. What they taught you in England was fine because that was all they knew. But with us Bonded, you don't crave the magic anymore...you can go further and do so much more with it now," Xander looked at her seriously, smiling as he felt her joy rising.

"I can do magic again," she whispered beside herself with joy. Dear Lord, she had missed it so much! It was almost like a physical ache or a missing limb.

She looked around wildly before settling on Xander and her eyes flashed...clothing him in black, tight leather pants, a blue almost halter-top shirt.

Turning to Angel, her eyes flashed again ...clothing him in distressed brown leather pants and a thin white shirt.

She screamed with joy! She didn't feel any of the dark craving to do more magic, just a sense of well-being. She jumped enthusiastically on Angel and Xander, peppering their laughing, smiling faces with kisses.


Downstair, Wesley and Faith heard Willow screaming.

"My God, again?!," Wesley groaned, covering his ears, "Where do they get the strength?"

"Hell, if I knew the boytoy was that enthusiastic, I probably would have given him another go myself," Faith muttered to herself as she covered her ears.

Surprised, they looked up as Angel, Willow and Xander strolled into the kitchen, actually Angel and Xander strolled, Willow was literally bouncing.

"I take that back," Faith muttered, "That was waaay faster than I like 'em."

Both Faith and Wesley's eyes widen at the sight of Angel, had he always been that...that beautiful was all their dazed minds could focus on.

Xander smirked, isn't it's amazing what a little Bonding could do for a fellow.

"Faith! Wesley! I can do magic," Willow cried, her eyes glowing with happiness.

Wesley and Faith started, reluctantly pulling their admiring gaze from Angel, who glanced curiously at Xander.

Xander shrugged as if he had no idea what their problem was.

Wesley raised a brow, "And what were you doing before," he asked, wondering if she had gone around the bend.

"Magic, silly...but every time I did it, it kept getting harder and harder to control it, to stop," Willow had stopped smiling, "But look," and she gestured transforming the empty kitchen into a fully functioning kitchen, complete with a hearty breakfast that had Xander eagerly diving forward.

"Willow, if I didn't love you before...this would definitely win my heart," Xander sighed as he greedily dug into hot pancakes, moaning at the fluffy goodness.

Wesley looked cautiously at a sausage link before picking one up and taking a small bite, "Ooooh, these are quite good," he said in surprise. Shrugging he grabbed a plate and started filling it, "Thank you Ms. Rosenburg."

Faith just shrugged, and said, "Girl, you got the hookup," before grabbing a plate and loading it up.

Willow just smiled as she felt Angel's arms steal around her, "What about me," he murmured.

"Look in the fridge," she kissed him quickly before grabbing a plate also and waffles.

Soon the only sound in the kitchen was contented eating.

Groaning, they all rested back in their chairs.

Xander patted his full belly, "Willow, if you can keep producing food like that, I think me and Angel may just keep you," he said genially, looking offended as everyone laughed at him.

"So, Mr. Harris, I presume there was a reason why you needed us here," Wesley said, sipping at his tea as he eyed Xander over the steaming refreshing liquid.

"Yeah," Xander sighed as Willow and Angel gave him sympathetic looks. They knew what his plan was and they all felt trepitious about the success of it.

"With the First unleashing the Bringers and a couple of ubervamps onto us, I propose that we make the mansion Slayer central. That is move all the Potentials here to the mansion for safety," Xander said reluctantly.

"And this is a problem because...," Faith said impatiently, blinking at the look Angel gave her. "Oh yeah, I forgot about you guys....," her eyes went comically wide as she remembered the moaning and screaming from last night, "Ooooh, Buffy gonna go upside somebody's head," she breathe, laughter sparkling in her eyes.

"She can try," Willow said levelly, her eyes cool. No one was going to touch her Mates.

Faith sobered as she looked at Willow and the way she was dressed, "Uh oh, somebody's been eating her Wheaties," she snickered, then waving a hand, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Look I'm not making fun of you guys...it's just that...," she shrugged her shoulders uncomfortably.

"Yeah, but you don't know how much Buffy's changed in last couple of months. I honestly think the pressure of the First is starting to get to her. She's pushing people away right and left, acting like she's the only one that can voice an opinion, that her opinion is always right even when she
knows it's wrong," Xander said in weary frustration.

"So you plan on keeping them here and safe, to protect them," Wesley looked around at the three glum faces. "Do you also plan on telling Ms. Summers the truth?"

"Yeah, and of course she's not gonna believe me since she is apparently of the belief that she's the greatest thing since sliced bread," Xander said bitterly.

"Xander Harris!" Willow snapped at him, "That is so not true and you know it!"

"Fine! Then you tell me why she's been treating me like I have nothing better to do with MY money than to pay for the upkeep of *her* friggin' house! She treats Dawn like a red-headed stepchild for crying out loud, 'n you know it!" Xander charged hotly.

Willow faltered under the memories flickering in her mind and sighed, realizing Xander had some justification in his belief.

"Xander, I still believe that the pressure is just getting to her," she said quietly, "I think that once she knows that the mansion is a safe haven, that she'll relax. After all, she won't be fighting the First, only the Bringers."

Under her soothing voice, Xander felt himself calming, cleansing the angry bitterness from him.

Angel had remained still as they spoke, seeing Xander as well as Willow's memories, he sighed, "I have a feeling that both of you may be right about Buffy. I think we're gonna just have to play it by ear."

"But in the meantime, we need to get this place outfitted for the Potentials. We'll need beds, lots of furniture, exercise equipment and food," Xander ticked off each item on his fingers.

Then a wicked gleam came in his eyes.

He got up and perched in Angel's lap, "Have I told you what a wonderful man you are," he purred, kissing Angel softly on the lips.

Willow blinked, a light dawning in her eyes and she sashayed over to Angel, rolling her hips seductively, "And such a fantastic lover," she whispered, nibbling at his ear.

"Oh for God's sake, just take my credit cards," Angel moaned under the dual caresses.

Xander hopped up, "Thanks honey," a bright smile on his face.

Angel rolled his eyes, "Men!" in tones of deep disgust.

Wesley regarded Angel thoughtfully, "Angel, while it may not be any of my business but since when have you been able to sit directly in sunlight?"


Dawn crawled wearily out of bed, knowing that Xander had already arrived at the mansion. Thank God, it was Saturday and she didn't have to go to school, she grimaced. At her age to be still in school and flunking history at that! She growled at that thought, damn history books, that was NOT how things happen. She did NOT have affairs with Anthony or Julius Cesear.

She came out of her room, for once praying that the bathroom was empty...YESSS! Thank you! Thank you! She darted into the bathroom, locking the door and tried to take the quickest shower in the history of mankind, brushing her teeth at the same time to make it even briefer when over the
water she heard the door being jimmied open.

Puzzled she shut off the water and wrapped a towel around her, her mouth tightening as she met Kennedy's mocking eyes and the open door.

"All right, I think you've had long enough in here," Kennedy snickered, growing annoyed at the continuing silence from the girl and the way she constantly ignored her baiting.

"I've only been in here for," Dawn checked the bathroom clock, "about 6 minutes so I believe I still have at least 4 minutes left," she said dryly.

"Well, us Potentials need to get first crack at the shower and the hot water so you'll have to leave now," Kennedy said arrogantly, a smirk on her face.

Dawn raised a brow, "That's all right, I was already done anyhow," she said equitably almost laughing at the frustrated rage on Kennedy's face. How she loathe the girl, half the time she hoped one of the damn Bringers would clock the bitch.

"Good!" Kennedy snapped, gritting her teeth. "Then why don't you get out of here so a real hero can wash up," she stressed the word 'hero' hoping to get a rise out of the little bitch, watching intently for any response. Nearly growling at the response she got.

"Well you are standing in front of the door," Dawn reminded her, firmly keeping her rage under control. If something wasn't done about this damn girl, SOON then she would figure out a way and take her out herself. None of this showed in her blue eyes as she strolled past the fuming Kennedy.

"Hey, bring that towel back here! Someone might need it," Kennedy said sharply, extending her hand.

"Well, considering that towels were handed out just last night, I seriously doubt that," Dawn said coolly as she continued to her bedroom.

"I said take it off," Kennedy snarled, finally she had found a way to get at the girl.

"Fine...I'll give it to you when I put on my robe," Dawn rolled her eyes.

"NO! You take it off now," Kennedy said huskily, she looked Dawn up and down, licking her lips.

Dawn turned around with her hand on her doorknob, casting a openly contemptuous look at the dark-hair Potential she said quietly, "No," and stepped into her room.

Kennedy smirked nastily, finally she had something to go on as she started forward and stop abruptly as she saw the vampire leaning against the wall, watching her with sharp attention in his cold blue eyes. She gritted her teeth knowing she couldn't do a thing to Dawn, especially not with him watching her.

The first thing she was going to do when she became the Slayer was fucking dust his dead ass!

"Sumptin' wrong Niblet," Spike said coolly, watching the fuming Potential with cold dislike. Of all the bloomin' girls litterin’ the house, she was the one that he hated the most, a wicked look came in his eyes. Ain't it too bad the Slayer had his chip removed?

"Naw, it ain't nothing I can't handle, thanks Spike," Dawn gave him a brief smile before shutting her door, leaving Spike and Kennedy alone in the hallway.

Kennedy glared at the coldly composed vampire, oh he was definitely on her list of things to kill once she became the Slayer. Now that she had Willow on her side, there was no doubt in her mind that eventually she would be able to convince the girl to do the spell that would activate only her once Buffy was dead. And since witches were borderline human...well she would cross that bridge when she needed to cross it.

With one last cold glare at Spike, she whirled and stormed away. A nasty idea had just presented itself to her on how to get back at Dawn.

Spike regarded the direction Kennedy had took off in with a thoughtful look on his face. It was driving him wild that every time he voiced a protest about Kennedy, Buffy would brush him off, making light of it. He had tried to warn her about that nasty piece of work, Kennedy but she ignored him, warning him coldly to stay out of it. While he didn't have any problems with the nasty bint pickin' at Xander and playing mind games with Red, no one had better mess with his Niblet. That was something he wasn't gonna stand for not even from Buffy! And at that thought, he frowned. When had he become so possessive with Niblet and since when did he consider her HIS? His brow cleared, it obviously had something to do with her being Buffy's sister n'all.

Dawn got dressed quickly, she had a a lot of things to get done today, one of which was the grocery shopping that seemed to have fallen on her shoulders every week, she grimaced. Those lazy girls had better get off their asses and start helping out around here, what did they think she was, their servant? She hadn't seen any of them, not once, lift a hand to clean the dishes or even to clean up after themselves, was her angry thought. They weren't Potential Slayers, they were Potential pain in the asses, she snorted to herself.

Even Spike helped washed the dishes and he only used a friggin' mug! Xander would come in tired after work and be instantly presented with a long list of things that needed to be taken care of by Buffy or Kennedy before he even had time to take off his jacket or even eat something. Her lips curved in a nasty smile, it was driving Kennedy absolutely wild that her efforts of trying to drive a wedge between Willow and Xander was proving to be highly unsuccessful. Man, she could hardly wait to see the look on both Kennedy and Buffy's faces, she hugged herself with glee.

Abruptly she lost her smile, poor Spike she sighed in regret.

She bit her lip, she knew just how Buffy was going to react to the sight of Angel. Two people were definitely going to be hurt today, only one she was going to regret seeing hurt: Spike. She hoped that there was something that she could do to help ease his pain.

She headed down the stairs to the kitchen and joined Andrew in starting breakfast. As usual they waited until the Potentials were all finished before she and Andrew began eating, trying to simultaneously restore order to the kitchen, the dining room and living room. Sighing in satisfaction
four hours later at the clean rooms, she listened with half her attention on Andrew cheerful babble until they parted. She gave him a silent look of encouragement over her shoulder, hearing the loneliness behind his words. Hopefully things were going to be looking up for him.

She ran upstairs and, grabbing her purse and the weekly shopping list made her way past the Potentials on the stairs, blinking as she saw Buffy waiting for her at the door. Casting a sideways look, she saw the smirk on Kennedy's face and the other Potentials chilling out on the couch and floor watching TV in their pajamas

"Dawn, could I have a minute before you take off," Buffy had a slight distracted frown on her face.

"Sure Buff, what's up," Dawn bounced to a stop in front of her, her eyes curious.

Buffy sighed, she knew Dawn was going to go ballistic, but she had to realize that everyone needed to pitch in around the house. She knew Dawn would be unhappy but would reluctantly do it, maybe when Xander got back they would be able to work together in getting it done, her expression brighten. Hows that expression go, lots of hands made the work lidle or something like that, she frowned, what the hell was a lidle anyway.

Spike came out of the kitchen drinking his blood, watching the two sisters curiously.

"I know you're not going to like this, but there's a shitload of clothes in the basement that need washing," Buffy said unhappily, seeing Dawn's eyes begin to cloud over.

"And your point is," Dawn said coolly, her eyes narrowing.

"And I need you to take care of washing the clothes, folding them up and distributing back to the girls," Buffy said rapidly, relieved to get all out, she ignored the disbelieving expression on Spike's face at her order to Dawn.

She turned to go and froze at Dawn's quiet one word reply.

"No."

Frowning she looked back, "What did you say," she asked slowly.

Kennedy nudged a couple of the Potentials with a wicked smile on her face. Rona and Emily both gave her a cold look of disdain that she returned with equal interest.

"I said no," Dawn said matter-of-factly reaching for the door and opening it.

Buffy pressed her hand against the door, ripping it from Dawn's grasp and slamming it shut.

"Look Dawn, I know that this is a lot to ask, but we all have to pull together on this," Buffy said reasonably, "If we don't work together around the house, taking care of things and cleaning up, pretty soon the First won't need to worry about us, because we will be dead." Her head tilted
slightly regarding her frozen face sister, trying to convince her to take on a little bit more added responsibility, it wasn't like Dawn was going out there and risking her life night after night like they were.

"C'mon Dawn," she wheedled, "I'm just asking for a little bit more extra effort from you. I know you can do it," she smiled.

Spike snorted, what was the girl thinking? Between Dawn and Willow, even those two wankers Andrew and Xander, the house stayed functional and relatively clean.

He looked behind him, sensing movement and glance down into Andrew's worried eyes. He looked away focusing back on the argument.

"Buffy," Dawn said slowly, "When was the last time you saw any of the Potential clean up after themselves? When was the last time you saw them cook a meal for everyone, take only about 20 minutes in the bathroom, unclog the toilet or the sink? When was the last time you saw anyone other than me, Willow, Andrew and Xander lift a hand to clean or do anything around the house?" Dawn regarded the flushing Buffy with cool remote eyes.

"Don't take that tone with me," she snapped at Dawn, quickly realizing her mistake, she tried to correct it, "I'm sorry I'm just tired I guess, between work, Slaying and keeping us alive is making me a little grumpy lately," she peeked at Dawn to see if the girl was buying it.

"Maybe you're right," Dawn said, "But if that's the case, then I have a right to be a little tired also considering that I'm up at 5:00 am every morning, taking a 10 minutes shower, because heaven forbid that I use up the hot water before one of the Potential wakes up, rushing downstairs to make breakfast for the house, running upstairs to get dressed for school while Xander and Andrew clean up the kitchen and living room, grabbing my bookbag and heading off to school for six hours, then rushing home to help Willow prepared dinner, clean up the house and then helping Willow wash up after dinner, before researching for five hours then running upstairs to take a cold shower, because each of the Potentials wanted to take a hot shower before bedtime. So I'm thinking that perhaps I also have a right to be a little weary," she regarded Buffy stonily.

Rona and Emily exchanged guilty looks, the girl was right...none of them had been pulling their own weight.

"Today, like every other Saturday morning I'm heading to the grocery store for this weeks adventure in shopping which should take, oh I don't know, about four hours. I will then come back and hopefully if Willow, Xander, Spike or Andrew is around I'll get help in unloading all the groceries from the car and help in putting the multitude of groceries away as your Potentials wander back and forth through the kitchen complaining about there's nothing to eat and 'when is lunch gonna be ready'. And now, you want me to also wash their clothes too," Dawn said through gritted teeth, her hands clenching into fists, her eyes flashing in rage.

"Let me guess who's brilliant idea this was," she snarled flicker a cold contemptuous look at the gloating girl on the couch, "Kennedy!"

"Don't put the blame on Kennedy," Buffy said sharply, aware that the majority of the girls were watching them and her mouth tightened angrily. Dawn needed to understand her place in their war with the First.

"Look, Dawn, right now you don't have any fighting ability so it only make sense for you to help where ever you can. The Potentials obviously had a great deal of work that occupies their time like building up their strength, their endurance and ability to protect Sunnydale and you, I might add," Buffy said coldly, staring at Dawn.

Spike snorted, "And wha're the bints doing right now," he said gesturing to the girls sitting on the floor in their pajamas. He couldn't believe Buffy had just spouted all that nonsense to the Niblet.

"Stay out of this Spike," Buffy snapped angrily, rounding on him in rage. She was the one in charge, she gave the orders and everyone needed to fuckin' well learn how to fall in line and pull together.

"No, I will not," Spike snarled, "Niblet is right. You ain't here all day when they sit n'front of the telly for five hours, you ain't here when they rummage through the fridge creatin' a mess for Willow and Andrew to clean up. They only exercise for 'bout n'hour or two a day. There's plenty of time for them to clean up afta 'emselves. Ain't nothing but a bunch of lazy layabouts, is what they are," he shouted angrily glaring furiously at her.

The phone rang as Buffy glared at Spike, despite her current feeling for him, he needed to know exactly who was in charge around here or he could get the hell out of here. There could not be two leaders in this war. They either had to fall in line or get left behind, she wearily eyed her sister, including Dawn and Xander. There would be no free rides, at least not around here.

Maybe Xander, Willow, Dawn and Andrew *were* doing a little more work around the house, but they weren't fighters and someone needed to take up the slack. She snorted, how would it look if the house was attacked and the Potential were too pooped after running around cleaning up the house to defend themselves?

Rona darted over to answer it, uncomfortable with the escalating tension in the air. Dawn and Spike were absolutely right and starting today, she was going to start pulling her share of the workload. Her mama would roll over in her grave if she saw her now!

"Hello? Xander! Where are you guys," she yelled in relief into the phone, hoping that they were on their way back. She hoped that Willow would be able to calm everyone down

The front door opened, startling Dawn as Giles, Anya and Robin stepped through.

Giles raised a brow at the looks on the two sisters faces, a little taken aback at the angry expression on Dawn’s face. He sighed wearily, very much tempted to shake some common sense into Buffy’s brain. He had no doubts that somehow, in some manner she had managed to get Dawn’s back up.

Ruefully he wondered when had he automatically began assuming that Buffy was the cause of the latest battle within the Summers’ household. He shook his head, one day soon the child would find a queue forming, all wishing to do grievous bodily harm to her. His lips quirked, and from the look on Dawn’s face, she was going to be first person in the queue.

"Perhaps someone will do the honors," he queried, raising a brow and looking around. Not in the least surprised at the babble of words from everyone, as everyone tried out yell the others, to present their side of the quarrel.

His eyes narrowed looking at the smirk on Kennedy’s face as she watched the chaos, a look that quickly disappeared when she noticed him looking at her and an expression of presumed innocence appeared.

Oh no, my girl, he thought coldly, eyeing her. I had your number the instant I met you. Had you not been so needed in Sunnydale I would have left you on the rubbish heap where I found you.

Robin stood slightly behind Giles, a little uncomfortable but firmly meeting Spike’s icy blue eyes head on. He would make no apologies about trying to kill the vampire, having since come to terms with his mother loss of life. It was her job and her duty, he just feared that Spike would revert to being back under the First’s control.

And until proven otherwise, he was going to keep a close eye on Spike, no matter what Buffy said. Just because he had a soul was no indication that he wouldn’t go off the deep end and start slaughtering everyone in their sleep. The main reason why he made sure never to sleep in this house. At least in his own apartment, Spike needed his permission to enter…something that he would never give.

Spike met Robin’s eyes, unsurprised to see the wary hostility still lurking in the man’s eyes. He nodded, good the human understood just as Giles did. Despite helping them, he was no White Hat…soul or not he was still a demon, the original Big Bad…former member of the Scourge of Europe.

He helped the Scoobies because he loved Buffy, he frowned slightly, or was it simply lust that he felt for her. If it was only lust, then why did he feel the need to stay?

Cor! did he miss the days when all he thought about was the kill...hot blood flowing down his throat and the incredible shagging that took place after a long hunt between the four of them, Darla, Angelus, Dru and himself.

"Enough," Giles shouted over Dawn and Buffy’s voices. He turned sternly to Buffy.

"Buffy, you are entirely out of line to expect Dawn to take on additional duties around this household." He cast a cold look around the room at the Potentials in various stages of undress.

"You apparently have more than enough idle hands that could be far better served in a much more constructive manner. I’ve watched and remained silent for too long, hoping that you would come to see reason, but I fear that I was wrong," he said with icy dignity, "Beginning today, I will draw up a list of household duties that *everyone* will follow, no exceptions. There will be no longer any laying about while Willow, Andrew, Dawn and Xander try to take care of things."

Buffy’s mouth had dropped open at the blistering reprimand from Giles, then she flushed angrily, "This is MY house, I make the rules around here. Weren’t you the one that said I need to learn how to command? Well, I am in command," she yelled, "I’m doing exactly what you taught me to do....Giles," she growled.

"What the hell is going on there, Rona," Xander said anxiously into the phone, listening to the yelling voices.

"Buffy apparently got up on her big ass high horse, with a little boost from Ms. My-name-is-Kennedy-and-I’m-Rich-and-better-than-you, of course," Rona said drily into the phone and then a sigh from the other end. "I think it’s just that all us girls are on top of each other, that’s all," she offered in consolation.

"Well, good news then. When they pause for breath you can tell them that Angel here and is allowing us the use of the mansion, so there will be plenty of space for everyone and lots of bathrooms too," Xander smiled at Angel over the mouthpiece.

"For real, for real?!" Rona said excitedly, almost squeaking into the phone, ignoring the argument behind her.

"Yep, we’re arranging for furniture and beds for everyone as we speak. Just tell everyone to meet us here at 5 pm, and we can give you Potentials the grand tour," Xander chuckled, ducking under the couch that was sailing over his head through the room.

He looked around the busy room at his fellow Warriors, the Keys and Guardians with their mates and companions. He didn’t know how he would have managed if he hadn’t thought to call on them for help. And they came running, eager to meet his Mates and tell all his secrets. He glared at Zeus, he was definitely gonna figure out a way to fix him as Zeus gave him a bland smile in return.

He turned back to his conversation with Rona, "Yeah, just make sure you tell them, especially Buffy, that 5 pm and no earlier, ‘K," he said firmly.

"Man, for a beds of our own," Rona laughed, "We’ll all sit on her. See ya later," and she hung up the phone as she turned back to the cold war of words between Mr. Giles and Buffy. She snickered, a war that Mr. Giles could easily win even if his tongue was ripped out.

Giles eyed Buffy with arctic politeness, "Then I assume that you have the wherewithall to continue the upkept of this household…shopping for groceries, paying the mortgage, the electric bill and the telephone bill, in the event that Xander finds that he has had enough of you and your demanding attitude,yes? Because currently I believe that Xander is paying for all these expenses considering that you seem to feel that work is somehow beneath you," he raised a brow at the now white faced Slayer.

Buffy swallowed hard, she had forgotten that it was Xander that supported this house and everyone. She tried to rally herself.

"I don’t think that work is beneath me. I do have a job, sure it's only a couple of hours but...but it’s just that with fighting the First, training the Potentials and patroling isn’t leaving much time for another job and Xander understands that," she protested uneasily.

Robin looked at her quietly, "Does he?" Man, was he glad that he wasn’t staying in this house, he would have been tempted to beat the shit out of her for that kind of attitude. How in the hell did Xander stand her? He shuddered at the close call he had on their date. Thank God he hadn’t
gotten serious with her.

"Does he really? "Anya spoke for the first time, " And how would you know what he understands, Buffy? For some reason I can’t seem to recall you ever thanking Xander for all he’s done in supporting you, supporting every lazy one of your prescious Potenials. Yes, I admit that sometimes I can be a little oblivious to what’s going on around me if it doesn’t have to do with
money, but I’ve watched you Buffy. And you know what? Even I can see a little scorn in your eyes when you look at him, and if I can see that, what do you imagine Xander sees in your eyes?"

Her question dropped like stones in the silence that rippled throughout the room.

Emily stepped forward, her head held high, "Mr. Giles what can I do to help?"

Susan came down the rest of the stairs, "Dawn, maybe I can go with you to the store and help? Make the grocery shopping easier, eh?" She smiled, her eyes ashamed.

Peggy stood up, "Well, all those clothes ain’t gonna get washed if I keep on sitting heah," she drawled and ambled down to the basement.

Giles looked with warm approval at the girls running around, each clamoring for a job assignment and gave a cool look at the stubborn look on Buffy and Kennedy’s faces. Clearly stronger measures would be needed for the two silent duo.

Buffy’s lips pressed together tightly, they were all against her! How did anybody expect to fight against the First if they were all tired after cleaning up? Don’t they realize that they were potential Slayers? They had a duty to mankind to fight evil, not evil dishes or evil dust!

Grudgingly she conceded defeat, if they wanted to get to expend all their energy cleaning house, she made a face, well, the First and his creatures was gonna teach them a lesson on the powers of conservation, that is if any survived.

Kennedy looked around thoughtfully at the girls, she knew she had better move swiftly or lose her support base. She saw the looks some of the girls were giving her and realized that she was rapidly losing ground.

"What can I do to help," she asked with feigned brightness. "I’m sorry that I didn’t see what was so obvious, Giles," she dimpled at him, "I, mean considering that you’re so much older than us, I should have listen to you."

Giles looked at her with an unreadable expression, easily reading the look of sly cunning on her face.

Behind his glasses, his eyes flashed and Spike looked on with an amused expression on his face. Humans had their own sort of demons too, he smirked at the look of cold ruthlessness in Rupert’s eyes.

Buffy eyed Giles with uncertain eyes, uh oh. She had seen that Ripper look only once before, when they were fighting Glory…uneasily recalling exactly who had put a final end to a possible return of Glory.

Rona looked at the now conciliatory Buffy and then at Mr. Giles, "That was Xander on the phone, " she announced.

"Yeah, what did he say," Buffy said eagerly, gratefully turning away from the cold look on Giles face with a shudder.

"He said some girl name Angel is letting use use her crib, uhm her mansion. He said that they’re arranging for beds and stuff and to meet him there at 5," Rona reported, a little taken aback by the look on Buffy’s face.

Spike froze, the Poofer was here?! In Sunnydale?! He eyed Buffy sourly, nearly growling at the look on her face. What…now that Peaches was back he was getting the boot? Didn’t she get it? If the bloody wanker wanted her he would have figured out a way to keep her, and not that he would ever tell ‘em but the bleeding git was right smart for a soddin’ poofer. He woulda found a way.

Buffy tried to control the near rapturious look she knew was spreading across her face…her Angel was back?! She wanted to rush right over there just to look at him, at his beautiful face. She sighed, her eyes dreamy.

Rona eyed her nervously, she thought only Kennedy and Willow were the lesbians in the group, now she gotta watch out for Buffy? She shook her head.

Giles looked startled, "Angel is here and letting us use his mansion?! I say, that is a jolly bit of luck! Perhaps it's Willow’s influence that is allowing the two to behave themselves," he looked heartened.

"I’m going over there," Buffy said with feigned casualness, "They might need some help… and… and…help." She turned and stopped abruptly, flushing at the look of derision on Spikes’ face.

Spike looked at her sardonically, well aware of why she was rushing over to the wanker. What, did she think he had suddenly become noseblind? He could smell just how wet she became when she heard Angel was in town.

"Uh uh," Rona shook her head, "Xander said not a minute before 5 pm or you ain’t gonna get in," she said firmly.

"Ha! Angel would let me in easily," Buffy smiled confidently, assured of her power over Angel despite their being apart for so many years. Afterall, he did drive all the way back to Sunnydale for her mother’s funeral, didn’t he? And didn’t he hold her until dawn approached?

"Buffy, clearly discretion is the better part of valor," Giles said firmly. "Xander, Willow and Angel obviously have things well under control…we would only be in their way if we went over there."

"But what if they need help," Buffy whined with wide puppy dog eyes.

"They have a phone," Giles said somewhat rudely, annoyed at the way she was trying to manipulate him. "And I’m quite sure that even Angel is well aware of how to use a phone," he continued drily. His lips twitching at the amused snort from Spike.

"Too right, mate," Spike snickered, "But sometimes, I do hafta wonder about the guv’nor brainbox."

"Angel and Xander will kill each other," Buffy tried a different argument this time, on surer ground now.

"That's absolutely rot!" Giles said in irritation, "If they hadn’t managed to kill each other within 30 minutes then I’m sure that we can at least count on Angel’s unique ability to ignore the provocation to kill Xander," this was said with a rueful shake of Giles’ head.

"I still say we should go," Buffy said stubbornly, her lip thrust out in a sulky pout.

"And I insist that we stay," Giles regarded her with a clear warning in his eyes.

Buffy eyed him for a few seconds before she backed down. Even generals had commanding officers, she remembered.

"Fine," she said huffily, turning away. "But I think you’re making a big mistake," and stormed up to her bedroom.

Giles turned to the numerous Potentials standing around, watching the argument. He raised a brow, "I believe that you have chores to do," nodding in satisfaction at the scrambling that immediately took place.


Chapter 4

When Xander hung up the phone, he flushed as he turned and met Angel's frozen expression while the others passed between them carrying furniture that the Family had donated to them. He bit his lip in dismay, realizing that he apparently still had issues with the whole male-to-male thing he had going with Angel.

He knew that he had hurt Angel when he had stumbled on how to introduce the vampire to his Brothers and Sisters. Oh sure, wife tripped off his tongue proudly and easily enough when he introduced Willow to them but Angel...he sadly eyed the stiff back turned to him...he had hesitated too damn long after saying Angel's name.

Slowly he trudged over to where Angel was arranging the couch to Willow's exact satisfaction, he knew the other was aware of his approach by Angel's back becoming even stiffer.

"Angel," he asked quietly, "Can we talk..just for a few minutes," he begged softly, not daring to touch Angel for fear of getting his arm ripped off and beaten with it.

"What about," Angel asked coolly, not budging an inch. "Besides, I think you've already said whatever you needed to say earlier."

Willow eyed her two men and wanted to smack both of them so freakin' HARD! Both were so stupidly stubborn that it was a miracle that nobody had killed either one of them yet. She grinned briefly, oh yeah that's right, they've both been killed a couple of times as a matter of fact. She could already see Xander starting to get steamed at Angel for being mad at him and she shook her head in weary amusement.

This obviously called for a woman's delicate touch.

"Boys," she said calmly, "Either you two settle this the easy way or the hard way. But which ever way you wanna do it, just remember that you will not be touching me until this matter is settled between the two of you." And she stared calmly at both of their horrified faces.

"Uhm, by not 'touching you' do you mean not touching in the 'Oooh more! More! or not touching in the 'Hey Xander my friend and Hi, Angel my buddy' because I can maybe handle the not touching in the friendly kinda way, because the other not touching would be...," Xander voice died out under her stern expression.

"I mean, no more nookie," Willow said firmly, crossing her arms determinedly.

"Uh oh, Xander," Angel said, watching Willow uneasily, "She's got her Resolve face on."

"Yeah, I noticed," Xander said warily, eyeing Willow with trepidation.

Willow narrowed her eyes at them and muttered, watching in wicked satisfaction as both men disappeared. Casting a couple of other spells, she rearranged the suite, adding a working bathroom and soundproofing the bedroom. Her hopes were high that the latter would definitely be needed.

"Whoa," Xander exclaimed falling back on the bed, watching as Angel stumbled against the wall.

"Yeah, you could say that again," Angel mumbled righting himself. He looked at Xander sprawled on the bed and immediately tried for the door, not wanting to be cooped up with someone that was so obviously ashamed of him. He wasn't very surprised to find the door barred and sealed, frustrated he slammed his fist into the door.

Xander jumped when Angel punched the door, and, eyeing his mate, he carefully climbed off the bed.

"Angel, I'm sorry! What more do you want me to say or to do to prove how sorry I am," Xander cried in exasperation, throwing his hands up in the air.

Angel whirled around and growled, "I would sooner NOT be married to you rather than spend my time with someone that is so obviously unwilling to seen with me in public. I refuse to be your shameful little secret behind closed doors. What?! Don't you think your family knows what we are doing up here?! They are not blind or idiots and I'm sure that they know exactly what goes on in our bedroom," he snorted in angry amusement before storming over to the window and looking out.

Xander regarded the angry back and sighing, he slowly approached Angel. Gently he caressed a stiff shoulder, undeterred as Angel swiftly shook his hand off. Sliding between Angel and the window, he pressed soft kisses on the clenched jaw.

"I sorry...I choked," he whispered between kisses. "For thousands of years, I've only been with women. Men never held any interest for me, other than as friends. My family used to laugh at me about my silly attitude, always saying that I was missing out on so much pleasure, but I didn't care. Men just didn't interest me...at least not until you came into my life."

Slowly he pressed his lips to Angel, licking languidly at the hard sealed lips until finally Angel reluctantly allowed him entrance and he groaned softly as Angel's tongue caressed his.

Breaking apart breathlessly, he continued, "You have no idea the shock it was to me to feel desire for you, to want you as much as I've want Willow. A male and a demon. To want to feel your hands touching me...holding me...caressing me," he added in a hoarse fervent whisper, feeling Angel shiver in response. He gasped softly as Angel began touching him...fingers gently gliding over his skin. His neck arched in mute surrender, a low whimper coming from his lips as cool lips pressed against his neck.

Lifting his head, he held Angel's eyes as he slowly began to unbutton his husband's shirt, pressing kisses to each inch of pale flesh revealed, as he was turned and walked backwards to the waiting bed.

"No other man attracted me until you came along. Even before our bond I was aware of you and denied even to myself how much I wanted you. Just don't ever let me go, I'm trying so hard Angel. Please don't stop loving me," he begged, feeling his heart aching at how badly he had messed things up.

Angel stopped them at the edge of the bed and looked down in glistening, wet eyes, "Don't worry, I won't stop loving you," he whispered kissing Xander's soft lips, "But Xander, I'm serious. I won't be your little dark shameful secret...either I'm your husband in the light of day with everyone's eyes on us or I won't be in the dark of night when no one is around to see us."

Xander nodded shakily, "I won't do that," he promised pulling Angel's head down into a long thorough kiss and felt himself slowly lowered to the bed. A low moan of desire came from his throat at the welcome weight of Angel between his legs.

Amid hungry kisses, soft spoken promises of untold pleasure, Angel maneuvered them on the bed driving Xander insane as he ground their hardening bulges together. He loved pulling the cries of delight from the luscious body beneath him. He chuckled hoarsely as he parted Xander's shirt and began suckling the tender, pouting nipples on the smooth chest.

"Tasty," he growled around the hardening nub before attacking it's twin and bringing it to the same rigid attention.

Mewling softly under the onslaught of Angel's ravenous mouth, Xander arched greedily under his lover, a harsh cry ripped from his throat at the tiny little nip Angel gave to the upthrust nipple in response.

With shaky hands, he attacked Angel's shirt, ripping it off of the broad shoulders in his haste to caress his mate's cool flesh, willfully ignoring the amused chuckle from Angel.

Quickly, he wiggled enticingly under Angel, removing their clothes hurriedly until they were both gloriously naked. Hard aching flesh stroking...touching...caressing each other, low cries of need, of desire coming from them as they arched mindlessly against one another.

Xander twisted and flipped them, smiling slowly down into Angel's startled face. A look of dark seductive pleasure on his face as he writhed atop of Angel, a look of smoldering sensuality on his face at the low hoarse groan of need from his husband.

This war with himself, of battling his own insecurities and doubts, would be as hard fought as any war he had ever faced. There was no way he was going to lose this beautiful man. Just because he was promised mates didn't mean that he was guaranteed to keep them, Father knew his children far to well to allow that to happen. A prize easily gained would soon lose interest in the eyes of the possessor. If they wanted mates, they would have to work to keep their mates interested in them and loving them as well.

"Angel," he breathed, leaning down for a long thorough kiss and felt soft flesh stirring... stretching...hardening beneath him. He opened his mouth wider, pouring his feelings, his need into that erotically charged kiss. Moaning at the spiraling pleasure as Angel's hands moved...caressing his chest, his nipples. Cupping his ass, a finger lazily stroking across his fluttering pucker and he hissed softly at the spark of heat that raced through him.

He leaned over and slowly licked a hard nipple. The reaction was swift---feeling Angel jam himself harder beneath him, hands clenched harder at his ass and pleasure unfurled, flowed like water through him. He reached behind him, stroking Angel purposely...he loved the way Angel hardened in his palm and how his lover convulsed in ecstasy at his touch.

He wiggled his way down Angel's body, his aching cock leaving a glistening trail as he settled himself between Angel's legs.

Angel's gasped softly, his eyes focusing on the dark eyes looking up at him uncertainly as soft fingers caressed his leaking cock.

"You don't have to do this," he managed to say, despite his desire to feel Xander's mouth closing around his shaft. He moaned softly at the soft kiss that was placed on the wet tip.

"I know," Xander whispered, his eyes widening as the taste of Angel exploded on his tongue, "But I want to."

And then he was too busy licking and sucking on Angel's cock, making further words unnecessary.

"Mmmmm," he hummed in delight, caressing Angel at the very tip of the weeping head with his wet tongue. "You belong to only me and Willow," he whispered folding the tip between his lips and sucking gently.

Tight as a drum and ready to explode, Angel nearly leaped off the bed at that first caressing touch.

"Yours and Willow's," he agreed hoarsely, watching as Xander compressed his lips again around his cock....he shuddered, it was too fuckin' much. He just wanted to be buried in Xander's tight body, watching....feeling that writhing body over him, under him....it didn't matter, just as long as he was IN him. He moaned as Xander swirled his tongue around the head of his cock, sucking on it like it was the last popsicle in the world. He stiffened, panting hoarsely as Xander took him deeper into his mouth. Feeling the pull of that hot luscious mouth....and he knew by the look in Xander's eyes that the boy knew exactly what this was doing to him.

He tried to hold on, to rein in his pleasure and he nearly lost it when Xander looked up at him with a look of ravenous hunger on his face, pink wet lips distended around his cock. And then his Xander...his lover slowly drew back with soft kittenish licks up his cock, coming up for air. He watched with glazed eyes, his hips flexing involuntarily as the dark tousled head lowered again and a soft tongue began just licking at the thick vein on the underside of his cock, before taking that, just the tip, into his hot avid mouth and making the most pleasurable, greediest sounds imaginable.

That look of sensual debauchery...of blissful delight etched on Xander's face, mouth stretched wide around his cock, would stay in his mind for days.

"God, Xander you look so beautiful," Angel couldn't help but whisper, watching as his thick, pale shaft disappeared slowly into the rounded pink circle of his lover's mouth. The hard flush of arousal...of need on Xander's face was making him lose what little control he still had. And he was powerless stop his hips from arching desperately upwards as he writhed in Xander's sultry grip. The hungry moans, that salacious look on Xander's face had him moving increasingly faster into that insatiable mouth bobbing over his cock.

He could feel Xander's lips...that ravenous tongue wrapping around him, sucking him...those hot hands that played up and down his hard shaft, pulling every ounce of pleasure from him until he could barely hold back any longer...and God where did he learn how to.....

And it was too much.

"So good," he moaned pumping his hips, driving his cock deeper into Xander's mouth. It was so good...so fuckin' good! He groaned at the low, humming sounds of greedy abandon coming from Xander's mouth, as if his mate couldn't get enough of him.

"C'mon baby, that's it...take all of it...you can do it," he mindlessly chanted, wanting to feel his cock deep into Xander's throat...to feel the muscles caressing him with each swallow.

Just one more lick...just one more soft sound of pleasure....just one more smooth glide of Xander's mouth over his aching, wet cock...just one more...just one...just...and he stiffened with a hoarse shout of pleasure, not even thinking to warn Xander in time as he came. His face rippled, eyes shifting to gold at the force of his release.

Xander could feel Angel stiffening and settled himself tighter around the writhing body, swallowing hastily as the thick shaft erupted in his mouth. Sweet salty goodness flowed over his tongue and he eagerly, hungrily feasted on the succulent flesh and the delicious fluid within.

Angel slowly came down from his climax, shaking and aware of Xander nuzzling between his legs. Licking, mouthing at his balls as if to encourage more of Angel's cum to flow out.

"Baby, you're not gonna get any more for at least 10 minutes," he said lazily, reaching down and pulling Xander up to his lips. Greedily he devoured the sultry lips, tasting himself within that luscious mouth before pulling back and nipping lightly at the full bottom lip.

Looking at the wet lips, that look of satiated pleasure on Xander's face, he felt himself stirring again, hardening under the hot flexing ass perched on his hips...and he could see from the widening of Xander's eyes that he felt the hungry stirring beneath him.

Xander moaned under the passionate kiss, "You know, if I had known how good it tasted, I probably would have done this years ago," he said jokingly and squeaked in alarm when he was suddenly flipped over and Angel's hot golden eyes glared down at him.

"The only cock that you will ever have down your throat will be MINE! The only cock that you will have in your ass will be MINE, is that clear," Angel hissed down into Xander's face.

"Yes sir," Xander said shakily, his eyes wide in lustful desire at this forceful side of Angel.

"Good boy," Angel purred, easily recognize that look in Xander's eyes, "I'm glad that we understand each other." Slowly he settled his weight over the supple body beneath him and deliberately rocked against Xander's hard drooling cock.

Leaning down, he possessively kissed Xander. Almost devouring the passion swollen lips with his intense hunger, his hand shifting Xander's leaking cock behind him as he continued his mind drugging kiss on his wanton lover. Rocking, writhing on Xander's pliant body, he moaned softly into the ravenous mouth of his mate. Longing, needing to be a part of the sultry body beneath him, he lifted his mouth and gazed down into Xander's smoldering eyes.

Xander abruptly froze, his eyes darting up to Angel's fierce golden eyes as he felt his cock slowly being encased in a cool velvety sheath. Whining slightly as Angel slid agonzingly, slowly down his shaft, muscles squeezing tightly around his cock as his lover seated himself firmly on his lap.

"Oh my God, Angel," he whispered, arching hungrily into Angel's tight ass, feeling cool flutters caressing his dick.

"You like that, baby?" Angel whispered, deliberately clenching around the solid length rammed into him. "You like having your big cock in my ass, baby?" He moaned ecstastically, his head dropping back at the incredible sensation of fullness as he slid up and down the thick pole.

Squeeze, release. Slow glide up, slow glide down, then repeat again and again.

Squeeze, release and he chuckled hoarsely at the look of blind pleasure that suffused Xander's face...moaning at a particularly hard flex of his mate's thick shaft possessing him. Carefully, he flipped them over and spreading his legs, he hooked them securely over Xander's shoulders and gave the other a burning look. Silently commanding Xander to move.

Xander caught his breath at the incredible sensation of being so tightly within Angel's tight, devouring ass and a weird thought popped into his mind: 'from beneath you it devours you', who knew the First was so prophetic, he thought wildly as he began gliding into the cool interior.

God! Being inside Angel was just about as mind blowing as being in Willow's wet heat.

And slowly he began to plunge deeper into the clenching muscle, feeling the intense grip surrounding his cock...squeezing him...caressing him. Moaning softly as he slid into Angel, trying to remember to go slow but the greedy, lusty cries he was pulling from his lover each time he rammed into Angel's hungry ass was causing a predictable reaction, making him want to just go
faster...harder...deeper into that spasming sheath.

He really wanted to make Angel beg, but it just felt too damn good to be inside that cool velvety channel...fucking him...making love to his beautiful Angel. Bracing his hands on the bed and digging in with his toes, he rolled Angel further back on his shoulders and began fucking the teasing flesh with hard, frantic jabs.

"YES! Oh God, Xander...oh God, oh God, oh God...harder...there!...right there...yes...
uhmf...faster Xander...yes, oh God YES!" Angel chanted mindlessly, as his body rocked under the long thick pole that filled him...that completed him.

Xander leaned further into Angel's body, angling his head in for a long languid kiss. Keeping up his almost brutal pace deep within his husband's horny ass. Pulling back with a loud moan as Angel began fondling, pinching his nipples. In reaction, he began to pound and slam his cock harder into
Angel's ravenous sheath, grinding his way into the cool bottomcheeks with every lunge of his body. Whimpering as Angel did something with his ass muscles that yanked a loud scream of pure pleasure from him, and he stiffen even further, and, with a shout he slammed even deeper into Angel's bucking, caressing ass.

Feeling the pressure building, rushing through his body as the tingling started in his dick, becoming stronger...fiercer.

He pulled back and rammed into Angel again.

Angel shuddered under the furious thrusts of his mate, "Yes, again Xander!" he yelled, his body shaking as he felt himself losing control.

Xander drove harder into Angel, feeling the convulsive shudders overtaking them both. He thrust again...body working within the supple channel gripping him so tightly...so sweetly. In and out...again and again, it was too good....he couldn't get enough of being inside Angel...loving him, being loved by him, by Willow...it would never be enough....

....of Angel's passionate moans...

...of the spasming cool heat around his deeply embedded cock...

His mind blanked out under the hot insistent pleasure, breaking his soul apart and he screamed as he flooded Angel's ass with his hot cum.

"XANDER!" Angel's head was arched back as he bellowed his pleasure. Cool, white cum shooting between their heaving bodies, shuddering under the force of his orgasm. His ass tightened repeatedly around the thick cock still buried in his ass. Milking Xander of every precious drop of cum.

Xander collapsed on Angel's chest and felt the long legs slide from his shoulders, their bodies becoming limp in the aftermath of their orgasms.

...it would never be enough, not for any of them.

And Angel moaned softly as the thick flesh slid gently from within him.

Trying desperately to remember how to breath, Xander drew huge gulps of air into his oxygen starved lungs.

"Okay," he finally managed to gasp out, "Okay, that was good! That was really, really good. I could go as far as saying that was fuckin' fantastic but I don't want to give you a swelled head."

Angel chuckled hoarsely and slapped Xander on the butt, "Wiseass." His hand came back and gently began caressing the smooth, flexing flesh tenderly before pulling his mate up for a long torrid kiss.

"Love you," he murmured rolling them over on their sides and caressing Xander's face with gentle fingers.

Xander smiled and kissed the fingertips tenderly, "I love you too....I don't ever want to lose you or Willow over my stupidity," he said, dropping his eyes then raising them slowly, "If I...when I do something stupid and dumb, just smack me a time or two...I'll get the message."

Angel looked at him, "Is it because of the Bond that you don't want to lose us or what?" he asked, gazing steadily into Xander's eyes, his body tensing slightly.

"Fuck the Bond," Xander said forcefully, "I don't want to lose either you or Willow. To think that I spent all this time not liking you when we could have been doing this," he grinned wickedly, arching upwards into Angel's mouth for a long, simmering kiss---full of promise, spiced with lustful
desire.

Angel pulled the lithe body tighter into his embrace. Eagerly, hungrily he searched the hot interior of Xander's mouth as his hands touched, caressed his lover everywhere in reach...and there were a lot of places in reach, he thought in lascivious delight.

Finally pulling apart as exhaustion tugged at them, Xander sat up. Grabbing his ripped shirt, he cleaned them of the sticky fluid between them before wearily pulling the sheet at the foot of the bed over them and laid his head on Angel's chest.

And they settled down for some much needed rest.

*

Slowly Angel came awake, blinking in the late afternoon sun that flooded the bedroom, thanks to the Bond with Xander he was relishing the renewed ability to feel the warmth of the sun on his flesh. Shifting slightly, aware of the heavy weight of a tousled head resting on his chest he peered at the clock: 2:30 pm.

They had plenty of time before Buffy and the rest got here.

Turning his attention to the sleeping figure wrapped around him, he smiled as he shook Xander awake, easily ignoring the shrugs to dislodge his hand.

"Xander, wake up," he said quietly, groaning softly at a resurgence of his desire as his mate slowly stretched against him, coming awake in more ways than one.

"Mmm," Xander sighed, absently caressing Angel's broad chest. "What time is it?" He blinked sleepily as he peered up at Angel.

"Two thirty," Angel murmured, easing Xander up for a long, gut clenching kiss. Rolling them over, he took a deeper possession of the luscious mouth, he moaned his approval as the long legs parted and he settled easily between them.

"Ummm, so why did you wake me up so early," Xander sighed, arching his neck into Angel's hungry mouth, squirming slowly under the arousing caress, his legs gliding up and down Angel's flanks.

"Bath, shower, take your pick," Angel muttered into the fragrant neck he was sucking on, feeling the shudders of arousal rippling through his mate.

"Too tired," Xander whined, not wanting to leave the bed and Angel's arms.

Angel smiled and rolled out of the bed. His smile growing wicked, he grabbed Xander and threw him over his shoulder, smacking the wiggling ass with a hard hand and stilling the struggle.

"Ow!" Xander yelled, trying to twist around to whack Angel back and a shuddering moan escaped him as he felt nimble fingers part his slightly loosen bottomhole and thrust home. His breath caught at the incredible sensation, his cock stirring hungrily.

"Thought that would shut you up," Angel smirked, his fingers busy in Xander's loosening sheath and his breath catching as desire slammed heavily into his gut. Hurriedly he made for the bathroom, never stopping the movement of his fingers within the greedy hot channel, his cock already drooling at the thought that soon he would inside that sweet honeyed flesh.

Opening the door, too aware of the gasping cries from Xander, he looked around frantically and his eyes lit at the wide countertop just begging to be christened with a long hard fuck.

He had Xander propped up and was deep inside the scorching sheath with one long agonizing thrust that had both of them crying out in sheer pleasure. He knew that he wouldn't last for too long, he was far too hungry for his horny lover. And grasping Xander by the ankles, he spread the long legs wide and started ramming his aching cock home.

Deep and fast...just the way they liked it.

Xander just closed his eyes, harsh screams of pleasure, of rapture coming from him as he writhed on the countertop. He could just imagine just how lewd and wanton he must look with his legs spread and his asslips stretched wide around the thick, hard shaft plunging into him.

"Sorry baby, I just...I gotta...Oh God, that's so fuckin' good," Angel moaned. jamming himself to the hilt deep into his mate's grasping hole. Looking down, he began thrusting harder as he watched his cock appear and disappear within Xander's tight, scorching body.

Grunting savagely, he bore down...Xander's screams of delight only spurring him on, his hips jerking, rooting deeper in his lover's hungry ass.

Roaring, he came deep inside Xander's tight, milking channel. Moaning softly, he released Xander's ankles before he half collapsed atop him and then sank to his knees.

Xander jerked his head back, barely noticing the pain as he slammed it into the wall when he cried out. Cool wetness enclose his aching cock, a tongue lashing delicately around the head. Whimpering he knew, like Angel, he wasn't going to last long under the wet intoxicating caress of Angel's mouth.

With a low cry he came, deep inside Angel's cool mouth. Slumping almost exhaustedly against Angel who had risen to his feet, a wicked smile on his face.

"C'mon, we need to get cleaned up before everyone arrives," he said gently, guiding Xander to the shower.

"Okay, but next time, we get Willow up here and screw her brains out, she's got plenty to spare," Xander smirked wearily. Reviving under the hot water, he could feel his energy being restore. He quickly slapped Angel's hands away from fondling and probing in his ass.

"Stop that," he laughed as Angel backed him up against the shower wall, "You're the one that said that we gotta get downstairs," he giggled as he turned his head determinedly away from Angel's kisses, trying to push the other away.

"Keep it up and I'm gonna scream," he was laughing almost helplessly as he twisted away, then lost his balance and fell to his knees in the slippery tub.

"Oooh, that's not a very good position to be in," Angel smirked before dropping to his knees behind his laughing mate, easily slipping a hand around and stroking the hardening cock. "My mistake, it's a very good position to be in," he murmured into Xander's ear, trying to nudge his cock into Xander flexing ass.

"I warned you," Xander was still giggling, trying to squirm away, "WILLOW!"

He laughed openly as Angel tried to scramble away. Seizing this opportunity to escape, Xander darted out of the tub and snatching a towel, he ran laughing into the bedroom.

"You cheated," Angel accused coming out of the bathroom dripping wet.

"You see what time it is," Xander snickered, pointing at the clock that read 4:05 pm. "They're gonna be here very soon if I know Buffy." He turned away and continued drying off as he looked in the closet for clothes to wear. He tilted his head to the side as Angel came up behind him and nibbled on his ear.

"Mmmm," he murmured, sighing as desire surged through him. He rocked slowly from the lazy thrusting Angel was doing against his ass. "We don't have time for this," he whimpered as a cool hand began fondling his cock and balls.

"I know," Angel muttered, continuing his nibbling caress, swirling his tongue in Xander's ear, feeling the shivering response before he backed off with a sigh of his own but not before giving a possessive caress to the thick rising cock.

"But after they get settled for the night, you and Willow are all mine," he said, giving Xander a hot smoldering look.

"Can't wait," Xander breathed huskily and tingled under that intense burning look. His eyes glittering with lust.

"Hey love, is it my imagination," Angel cocked his head to the side, regarding Xander, "Or have you shrunk?" His hands gestured to Xander's body and height uncertainly.

Xander smiled, "Wings make up a lot of me, gotta started 'em from somewhere. So, I lose a couple of inches and some weight, no biggie," he shrugged.

"Well, from what I can tell," Angel breathed huskily, pulling Xander to him, "The best part is still here."

Opening their minds to Willow, both instinctively smiled at the joy that radiated from their lady love. No more hesitation was going to destroy their union, not now, not today...not ever!

*

Caleb watched with puzzled eyes as the First paced back and forth. He wasn't used to seeing it so...uneasy. If it was human he would think that it was as nervous as a cat in a room full of starving dogs.

"Well, somethin' must a happen that got you pretty unsettled," he finally drawled out.

The First gave him a sharp look, "Apparently, it seems that the big guns have been called into play," it said dryly. "The last Warrior has been awoken and Bonded, as well as the Ancient One."

"Well now, that don't seem like a problem t'me," he drawled out, pushing away from the wall to sit on an overturn crate. "Alls ya gotta do is just call up some of them vamps of yours and there you have it," he said, a smug fat smile on his face at this most obvious solution.

The First stopped and gave him a cold, flat look wondering why in the name of evil had it took this idiot creature as a servant.

"Allow me to explain the situation to you," it said slowly. "The last Warrior was born... created, call it what you will, for the sole purpose of stopping my kind. With him now in the game the stakes are far higher than you can possibly imagine. If I slip up, if we make one little mistake...," it shook it head. "To put it in a language you understand, 'we are going to be in a shitload of trouble'."

"Why do you say that," Caleb looked puzzled at the continuing anger coming from the First.

"Because I already screw up once," the First shouted, turning red in rage. "I thought that I had gotten rid of the last Warrior seven years ago. There was some other stupid kid that I thought was the Warrior and I had that idiot, blonde vampiress, Darla, Turn him. And then that goofy kid with the Slayer staked him."

Storming around the deserted room, it's true form flickering in existence in its rage.

"Grrrrrr," it finally growled, resettling into its Buffy facade.

"I take it that wasn't the right one," Caleb raised a brow, smirking at the First's futile rage.

"No, 'it wasn't the right one'," it mocked him nastily. "I mean, who would have thought that a Warrior would have grown up in that type of household. Getting beaten almost daily, half starved...," it stopped and snorted, "Well, apparently not me."

"So you know who t'last Warrior is then," Caleb drawled getting to his feet, ready for the First to send him to kill the Warrior.

The First waved him to sit down dismissively, "Yeah I know, it's that goofy kid that staked the other boy, you know, that boy that hangs around the Slayer. His brother managed to get a message to me before he died. Apparently the boy's Bonded with a male vampire."

"Great Sodom 'n Gomorrah," he gasped out, "'Men lying with men, that just ain't part of God's will."

The First gave him a disbelieving look, before looking away, a sneer on it's lips...like these idiots humans could truly know of God's Will.

"So why don't we just get on up there 'n kill 'em," Caleb looked at the First still puzzled by its strange reluctance to go after the kid. It didn't seem so hard to him: Find the kid...kill the kid.

Recalling the boy's wide, dark eyes that seemed to see everything at once, a cruel smile twisted his face, he would just love to stick his thumbs right through those dark eyes, just to see how well the kid saw after that.

The First growled softly, "You don't get it...if we don't play by the rules that are set up, we are toast. There will be no reprieve or 'Get out of jail free' card to play. And if we fail," it shuddered, "There are worst things than me waiting for us."

Caleb looked indignant, "So we gotta play by their rules?"

The First smiled evilly, "There are rules and there are 'rules'," it said slyly and began chuckling. "All I have to do it figure out a way to take him out of the equation, him and his husband, and it will be game, set and match."

"So how you gonna do that," he asked raising a brow but pleased to see the First in much better humor.

"Why challenge him, of course," the First looked virtuously at Caleb. "There's nothing in the rules that say I can't challenge him. I challenge him and get him to agree to stay out of the fight should he lose. When he accepts, I step back and call on my Champion, namely you. His problem is now that he's Bonded, he can't fight you and neither can his vampire. Technically neither is human and the species in a a challenge must be near or equal to each other. Only another human can accept the challenge. And he won't dare allow any of his little playmates to fight you either."

Caleb chuckled, "So we win by default."

"Yep," the First said in fiendish satisfaction, "It's a rough plan, but it'll have to work. Then all we have to do is worry about that incompetent Slayer and those Potentials little girls with very little potential futures."

Both it and Caleb began laughing evilly.

*

Buffy was practically dancing with impatience. Why was everyone moving sooo friggin' slow, she wondered petulantly.

Looking at her watch she nearly growled, it was already 3:30! She tried to hurry them along and they ignored her! Did they forget whose was providing them with a roof over their stupid little head, she thought indignantly. Didn't they understand?! They had to seriously hurry up and get to the mansion, so she could see Ang....see Willow and Xander, make sure they were alright, she thought guiltily.

Spike eyed the restless Buffy with ill temper. He shoulda known that if the soddin' poof ever arrived, Buffy would pitch him out on 'is ear. He snorted, like his soul would make the difference in the way she saw him. He felt like a right bloody fool for even *thinking* Buffy could ever love the likes of him.

He looked at her with increasing anger, yeah she 'loved' him alright and she would 'love' him until she couldn't use him any longer then find the next poor sap to use. Spike felt like pounding his head against the wall...he had forgotten that was what a Slayer was, what she did. It's how they were trained, how they fought...they used every weapon they could find. And he should have realized that was what he was...a weapon against the First. That Harris kid had the right of it, he thought sourly, he was the real lucky one, wasn't nothing special about him for her to get ahold of in the first place.

He stirred, pushing away from the doorway and spoke, "Anxious to git to the mansion, eh luv?" He raised a cool brow at her, watching her flush with a bland look on his face.

"Ye..yeah," Buffy stuttered under the contemplative look on Spike's face before she stiffened her spine and tried to stare him down.

"Easy there, Slayer," Spike replied calmly, "No need to gitcha feathers all ruffled, jus' askin' a question, is what."

"Well, the answer to your question," Buffy said staight forwardly, "Is 'Yes', I am anxious to see how things went in L.A."

"And to see Peaches, no doubt," Spike replied, with a tilt of his head and a trace of a sneer appeared on his face as his cold eyes bored into hers.

"Angel is beside the point. Anyway with him here he will be able to increase our strength and help us defeat the First," she said strongly, her chin raised defiantly.

"No doubt, if that's what he wants to do," Spike murmured, icy eyes narrowing on her face, "But maybe he don't wanna help, maybe he might wanna take the pup back with him to L.A, you ever think about that?"

"Xander?" Buffy looked befuddled, "Why would he want to take Xander back to L.A. with him? He can't stand Xander and Xander can't stand him."

Spike looked at her mockingly, "What do you think he wants the boy for? Angel, Angelus it don't make a bit of dif'rence, they've always wanted the boy. The only dif'rence is that Angel would treat the boy a damn sight better than Angelus would."

Buffy's eyes narrowed at that, "What the hell are you saying?! That Angel is gay or something?"

"Pet, we're demons," Spike looked at her contemptuously, "Blokes or bints don't make that much of a dif'rence to us. We like t'shag, ya know."

"You're lying," Buffy spat out, trembling with rage and secretly fear, "Angel would never...I mean Angel...he's not like that," she stammered out, her eyes wide in disbelief.

She gasped as another thought occurred to her and her eyes shot to Spike's icy blue eyes, "You...Angel...Angleus and...," her words stuttered to a halt.

Spike shook his head slowly, his eyes never leaving her eyes, "Like I said, luv, we're demons, we don't much care wha' we shag and both Angel and Angelus have always wanted the boy."

With that, he turned away and sauntered back down into the basement, a slow vicious smirk crossing his face. Not so perfect after all are you now, ya soddin' wanker, he thought viciously of his grandsire.

Buffy stood trembling in the entranceway as Giles opened the door.

She turned in relief at his familiar presence, he would tell her the truth!

"Giles, Spike just told me that...uhm...that Angel is...Angelus likes gu...that vampires are gay," she finally managed to get out.

"Now, what rubbish has Spike been filling your head with now," Giles sighed before saying strongly, "Vampires are most definitely not gay! Why would he tell you such a thing is beyond me," and he shook his head sadly, wondering again at Buffy's ill-conceived notion to get involved with yet another vampire.

Buffy slumped in relief, she knew it!

"Vampires are notoriously lovers of either sex, they are demons after all," Giles said casually as he strode past, sending Buffy in shock once again.

"What do you mean by that, Giles," she asked following helplessly behind him. Her beloved Angel couldn't be gay, Xander probably was, but not Angel!

"Buffy," Giles sighed as he boiled water for tea, "Your primary opponents are vampires, correct? With other occasional demons as a sideline, one could almost say that you are one of the leading authorities on vampires and their habits. Over the years we've fought numerous demons, vampires and even a Hell Goddess. We've researched their powers, their weakness, their strengths, gathering information on these creatures with almost unparallel success thereby making you the longest living Slayer in history."

"So what's your point," Buffy said impatiently, again wondering why Giles needed to use so many big words to say what was on his mind.

"You're an idiot," Giles said calmly, pouring hot water into a cup.

Buffy gasped, "Giles!"

"Buffy, for you to ask me such a foolish question, a question that any of the Potentials can answer just goes to prove my point," Giles said impatiently. Sometimes dealing with her overbearing ego was like trying to knit fog, he thought ruefully.

Seeing Emily walking into the kitchen he asked, "Emily, a question for you: Vampires... homosexual or hetrosexual?"

Emily raised her brows, "Neither, vampires are, like, totally bi-sexual. I don't really think they care who they fu..," she stopped catching Giles stern eyes, "Who they have sex with," she finished carefully, letting out a sigh at Giles approving nod.

"Andrew," Giles rapped out seeing the young man bounce into the room, "Vampires, homosexual or heterosexual?"

"Oooooh, I know this! I know this!" Andrew bounced excitedly, then drawing himself up proudly he intoned, "'Vampires, by definition, are neither homosexual or heterosexual. Vampires are rampantly bi-sexual', or at least according to Andrespes book on Demon Compilation," he said relaxing his posture.

"But then there's a theory in Clampton's Book of Demonology that says that because of vampires very nature they are uniquely equipped for dual sexuality, not that they have two sexes, you know," he said looking anxiously around. "I think he was just saying that they don't have a
preference for either males or females when it comes to se....uhm, their potential partners. Then there's Jennson's argument about vampires...," he began to say when Giles interrupted him.

"Yes, yes, yes, we quite understand and thank you" Giles said, managing to keep the impatience from his voice and from the big smile of Andrew's face, he succeeded.

"You're welcome," Andrew chirped, going to the refrigerator and grabbing a bottle of water and bouncing out, chatting happily with Emily.

"Angel's gay," Buffy whispered, her eyes wide and stunned.

Giles rolled his eyes, "Buffy, have you listened to anything that was said?! Angel is a demon, he is a vampire...ergo he is neither homosexual or heterosexual, rather he is bi-sexual."

"But he slept with me," Buffy whined in a low voice, her eyes panicky, her breath coming fast.

"Well, perhaps at the time he was attracted to you, I don't know," Giles said, feeling highly uncomfortable with this discussion. He looked hastily around the kitchen hoping to see Willow walk through the door. maybe she could explain....he groaned silently as he remembered that she was at the mansion. A sudden thought occurred and his eyes brighten.

He said smoothly, "Why don't we go to the mansion now and you can talk to Willow or better yet, Angel."

"Spike said that Angel and Angelus both wanted Xander," Buffy turned stunned eyes to Giles and recoiled at the look on his face.

"That can not possibly be good," Giles' hand trembled, rattling the teacup.

"SPIKE!" he bellowed, making Buffy jumped.

"Blimey mate, 'old ya horses, I ain't deaf ya know," Spike came up from the basement grumbling.

"Spike," Giles said quietly, his eyes icily remote, "Buffy said that you told her that Angelus wanted Xander."

Spike raised his brow, "What, you mean the whelp never told you?!" He began to laugh and his laughter was choked off by Giles slamming him into the wall, a stake against his chest.

"You have approximately 15 seconds to answer my question," Giles breathed, frozen rage glittering in his eyes.

"What should Xander have told us," he said in a low voice, glaring into Spike's eyes.

"When Angel became Angelus, the bloody wanker took a fancy to the boy. On one of t'patrols ya took, he grabbed the boy and brought him to the mansion, wantin' to convince the kid of his love. The boy escaped the first time and made it home during the daytime."

Giles eyes burned impossibly colder, "You said the first time, how many times in all," and he shrugged Buffy irritably from him, barely aware of the other Potentials coming into the kitchen.

Spike's eyes narrowed, his grudging respect for the ex-Watcher growing, not many would have willingly challenged a Master vampire, "About five times, last time Angelus got a little too frustrated and desperate for the boy's affections, if you know what I mean."

"He raped him," Giles hissed, feeling a tremor settle in his hand and he desperately wanted to ram the stake home in Spike's heart.

"Yeah," Spike admitted in a low voice.

"Apparently the apple didn't fall far from the tree did it, now Spike," Giles growled low in his throat. No wonder Xander was so hostile towards Angel all the time! And, he to his eternal shame, remonstrated the boy for his behavior.

Spike looked away, shame filling him at how he almost became like Angelus. He silently cursed his soul for making him feel shame for his actions. He looked back as Giles released him.

"Xander is Angelus weakness, that's why the boy went up to L.A. with Willow, 'cause if Angelus is loose then he's coming straight here. And he'll kill everyone in his path to get to the boy. One reason why Angel stays away too, it's more difficult to control Angelus whenever he's around Xander," Spike said quietly, voluntarily giving up more information.

Buffy swallowed and said in a low voice, "I thought Angel stayed away because of me."

Spike's eyes softened slightly, "Pet, if Angelus got loose, you would be the first to die and then maybe Red. He'll try to Turn the boy and if that don't work then he'll make sure that the kid'll never, ever leave him. And you really really don't want to know how he would do that."

"Does Xander know about this," Giles asked quietly with icy rage still simmering in his eyes, "Because right now he's at the mansion with Angel."

"Probably not," Spike shrugged, "And I don't think Peaches realizes what he feels about the boy. Anyway, the poofer pro'ly already got that problem taken care of, ain't no way he would stay within 10 feet of the boy without some kinda guarantee Angelus ain't gonna make a surprise appearance."

Giles stood silent for a few minutes, thinking...his brow furrowed.

"Ladies, you have approximately five minutes to have yourself dressed and by the door," Giles said smoothly turning a remote face on the many half dressed girls standing in the doorway.

For a half second the room was silent before the girls erupted with squeals of alarms and then came the sound of footsteps thundering up the stairs.

Amazingly enough, it only took them four and a half minutes to get dressed and down the stairs. Some were still buttoning their shirts, putting on their shoes and zipping up pants as they assembled at the front door.

Fortunately, Anya and Robin stumbled through the door just as Giles yanked it open.

He had forgotten about them and smoothly he recovered, telling them that they were on their way to the mansion, and for them to follow along.

They reached the mansion by 4:50 pm and then were stopped by a huge, imposing golden-skinned man.

Buffy strode up to the man self-importantly. Her confidence in Angel's love for her restored, after all didn't Spike say that if Angelus came back, he would kill her? Obviously, Angel didn't want her to die so that's why he made sure he stayed away from Sunnydale. And since vampires were bi-sexual, her mouth screwed up in distaste, then obviously Angelus was gay and Angel was hedder...heterosexual.

"We're invited friends of Angel," she said as she tried to strut past the man and wondered why she wasn't moving. She looked down in shock at the hand easily holding her in place.

"I beg your pardon, but who are you," the man rumbled in a deep smooth voice.

Anya face slowly whitened in dread, recognizing that voice. She tried to hurriedly get through the mass of Potentials to stave off somebody getting killed or hurt...namely her.

"I'm the Slayer," Buffy snapped, "Now let me go before I show you *why* I'm called the Slayer!"

She frowned in puzzlement as the man just lifted a brow, looking down at her with amused eyes.

Just then an achingly beautiful woman glided into the entranceway. Long, inky black hair flowed down her back like a silken waterfall, her skin the color of sunkissed ivory, her eyes a glorious purple as she regarded the awestruck people before her.

"Sus, Faith said and I quote, 'get your big fat ass back into the living room and move the couch back where she goddamn told you to put it' end quote," she said calmly, turning her attention to her Brother Warrior.

Susanawo flushed, "But Devi, I did put it where she told me too," he protested before turning and stomping into the living room, where everyone could hear him shouting and arguing.

Devi regarded the people calmly and raised brow, "May I ask your names as you seem to be trying to invade my Brother's home."

Buffy's eyes narrowed on the woman, jealous anger beginning to stir as she looked the woman up and down. There was no friggin' way that Angel would be able to turn this woman down, any man would gladly lose his soul for her!

Her mouth opened to give the woman a withering reply just as Anya finally managed to get in front.

"Buffy!" Anya shouted, slumping in relief at stopping the snarky response she was sure was on Buffy's lips.

"Buffy, I realize that while we are not the best of friends I think that perhaps, due to my thousand years as a former vengeance demon, that I can perhaps offer you something that Giles and your mother failed to give you," Anya said slowly with a thoughtful air.

Buffy blinked, "What's that?"

"This!" She punched Buffy as hard as she could, watching with fearful satisfaction as the foolish child stumbled back and fell to the ground.

She turned to look at Devi and kowtowed, "My gracious lady of Power, please forgive the impertinent child's rash words. She knows not your magnificence, your glory or your ability to crush us all into tiny pieces of flesh."

She trembled, holding her pose praying as hard as she could that at least with her words, Devi would not kill them or at least not kill her.

Devi laughed softly, "Child, forgiveness is unnecessary, a Slayer is only a mayfly in life. Welcome to my Brother's home," she said gesturing them inside.

And taking note of how Anya acted with the beautiful woman, the Potentials carefully eased past the woman, guardedly watching her.

Giles, Spike and Robin kept a puzzled eye on Anya's odd behavior. Both Spike and Giles exchanged disbelieving looks. They never knew Anya had any tact or diplomacy skills in her bag of tricks.

Anya straightened, "Forgive my presumptuous question, my lady, but I didn't realize that Angel was your brother," she said quietly.

Devi raised a brow, "He's not," and sauntered back into the mansion.

Anya stood still, her mind racing, picking up and discarding information with increasing speed until finally only one fact remained.

"Hopping bunny rabbits! How could I have been so blind," she cursed to herself before stomping into the mansion.

Giles raised a brow at her angry back, then to Spike and Robin, "After you gentlemen."

Both men snarled at him and did a double take at their simultaneous response, then carefully ignoring each other, they walked in.

Buffy stood, her mouth hanging open at the busy, shouting people arranging furniture, laying carpet, carrying mattresses, chairs and tables.

"What the hell is going on," she whispered, then jumped at Faith's voice behind her.

"B, my girl! Wassup," Faith shouted happily. "You like what my boy is doin'," she said glancing around proudly.

"We've been working since this morning, getting things ready for you guys," she added with a slow smile at Robin.

Faith?! And out of prison and again why the hell didn't somebody tell her, Buffy wondered angrily.

"I can see that," Buffy muttered, her eyes widening as Willow and some guy coalesced out of thin air, walking towards them and talking animatedly. Buffy looked in askance at the guy's huge stomach, if she didn't know better she would swear he was pregnant! She turned her attention back to Willow and what Willow as wearing or not wearing, she thought indignantly. How dare Willow start dressing like some...some...hussy! And where in the hell did she find green leather pants and that creamy hootchie looking haltertop....that would look far better on her than Willow?

Willow looked and blinked at the sight of the Summer's household along with the adult members of the Scooby gang.

"Excuse me Deion," she murmured, "Looks like our guest have arrived. You guys staying or what?"

Deion raised a brow and regarded the fuming blonde Slayer, "Not if you offered me a painless way to give birth," he snorted.

He silently passed the message to the Family that it was time to go. Each finished rearranging the furniture and began disappearing one by one, with Deion giving a calm look around before vanishing as well.

"Hey Buffy, glad you guys got here in time and Dawnie said that she would be over with the groceries and some more clothes for everyone and we've got the bedrooms all arranged and fixed up so everyone can have their own rooms for once, but you're probably gonna have to share a bathroom anyway, cause there's not enough bathrooms in this place for everyone to have their own, ya know so we thought you guys wouldn't mind sharing, a bathroom I mean, not the bedrooms cause like I said you each have a room to yourself," Willow said in full babble mode, very much not liking the look in Buffy's eyes.

Fortunately, Angel and Xander's arrival took Buffy's attention away from her and she sighed with relief.

"Okay, maybe not a racing bike, but how about just one of the sleek babies with red and black stripes going down the side," Xander pleaded, dancing at Angel's side giving the man his best puppy dog eyes.

"No," Angel said calmly, ignoring the begging eyes of his mate. "Xander, you're not getting a motorcycle and that's final. I'm not worried about you, I'm worried about the people on the street with you astride a dangerous motorcycle."

"But Wesley has one," Xander whined, pouting at the cruel unjustness of life.

"I'm not married to Wesley," Angel retorted softly, pushing Xander subtly behind him as he got closer to Buffy. His eyes flickered to Spike, briefly turning liquid gold before returning to his human brown.

Spike eyes had narrowed at the first glimpse of Willow. He sniffed discreetly and a slow smirk appeared on his face before he cast a cold sidelong look at Kennedy.

'Ello, wot do we have here, he thought, eyeing Willow thoughtfully. Looks like the bleeding poofer done Claimed himself a right proper mate. The scent from Willow was unmistakably Angel, then he stiffened, if the bloody wanker's done Claim the Witch that means....

He inhaled softly as Angel and Xander came through the door, his brow contracting at the distinct scent of Angel's Claim on the boy, but somehow the scent was...different. His eyes shot up to Angel, seeing them flash gold and he nodded, somehow the stupid git had managed to escape the soul clause of his curse. He eyed Angel speculatively, wondering how he managed to do that and what did that mean for Buffy.

Buffy's blinked, Holy shit! When in the hell did Xander become..so..so hot! She regarded the dark blue, form fitting jeans Xander had on and the thin white shirt that fasten with just a single button. Combined with bare feet, Xander looked too fuckin' incredible. She sighed softly, watching the easy roll of his hips that stirred lots of pretty tingling sensations through her.

"Buffy, glad you guys got here in time," Angel said quietly, narrowing his eyes on Buffy before turning to Giles.

Xander and Willow sat down, each keeping a careful watch on Angel, constantly talking among themselves.

~"Okay, how are we gonna handle this," Willow asked them worriedly.~

~"Yeah, she definitely gonna go for the old standby, 'whoop Xander's ass'," Xander said with a snort.~

His expression never changed from his usual expression nor did Willow's.

~"You rather we keep this quiet until we know how she'll react?" Angel asked quietly, with a trace of hurt.~

Giles blinked as first Xander then Willow turned and fixed Angel with unreadable looks.

~"Angel, any decision you make, I am so down with it," Xander stated firmly. "I promised you that I wasn't gonna be hiding us anymore and I'm not. We're in this together! And when she tries to stake your ass, well, me and Willow will defend you." Xander vowed solemnly.~

Angel looked startled, then started laughing as he grabbed Xander into a mock headlock and ruffled the thick mop of hair.

Buffy regarded them with a blank look, then looked around the room wondering what reality she had gotten shifted into. Because in her reality Angel and Xander hated each other, they did NOT play with each other like kids.

Spike eyed Buffy sardonically, not missing the look of extreme confusion on her face. He snorted, the girl couldn't even organize a booze-up in a brewery. And this was the one that everyone was depending on to save them from the First?

He shook his head sadly, they were all gonna die.

"Buffy, did Willow tell you about what Xander and she organized, regarding the rooms?" Angel said, standing behind the couch and leaning against it.

"Actually it was Xander's idea," Willow injected softly from her seat beside Xander.

"Well, then I guess we should be thanking you then," Buffy replied, looking at Xander. "Exactly how did you manage to get Angel to agree to this idea," she added slowly glancing suspiciously between the two. Suddenly doubtful, she recalled Spike's words about Angel, Angelus and Xander.

"Yes, I would be most interested in know as well," Giles said coolly, his eyes flickering to the easy, relaxed way Xander sat below Angel. His eyes narrowed, there was something going between the two, his eyes flickered to Willow and narrowed more, between the three of them if he didn't miss his guess.

Robin watched them all with puzzled eyes, something was definitely going on and he wasn't sure if he wanted to be a part of it. He eyed Angel, so this was the vampire honey that Buffy was going crazy about. Damn, but that girl was seriously messed up in the head!

Xander opened his mouth to respond, when Dawn came running breathlessly into the mansion, "Need a little help guys!" she yelled and went back outside.

Everyone scrambled to help unload the groceries. And amid laughter, shouts and silly jokes they managed to turn the event into an impromptu party. The music was turned on....loud, the succulent smell of pizza was in the air, sodas were poured and it was party time.

*

Buffy stood with her back against the wall watching Xander in confusion, still in shock at his appearance. But what really threw her was the easy apparent friendliness between Angel and Xander. Her eyes darted to where Angel was talking to Spike, and that was another thing, why wasn't Angel trying to kill Spike. Something was seriously wrong in Whoville, her lips tightened and a gleam of determination lit her eyes, and she was just the person to find out what was wrong.

She started looking around for Willow, positive that the red-headed witch would know the answer. Wandering over the room, her eyes landed on a familiar red-headed witch moving towards Kennedy. She walked over quickly, hoping to intercept her friend reaching her and just in time to see Kennedy walk forward to kiss Willow.

"No," Willow said and stepped back, her eyes dark and shamed, glistening with tears. "You don't know what I've done, what Xander and Angel made me do."

Buffy gasped, a horrified look on her face at hearing the low shameful whisper, secretly delighted that finally Willow had been put in her place. Despite what she had said or how she had acted, she had never forgiven the witch for beating the shit out of her when Willow went evil. As far as she was concerned, Giles should have killed the bitch when he took her to England with him.

"Willow, what happened," Buffy demanded harshly, "What did Xander do to you?"

Willow looked at her, her eyes awash with tears, "Oh God, Buffy it was horrible! I never knew Xander hated me that much! He forced me to Bond him to Angel...like...like they're married or something. He and Angel came up with this crazy sex spell that would let Angel walk in daylight and allow Xander to get some of Angel's strength and power."

Kennedy was livid as she listened to Willow.

Willow broke down, sobbing, "Buffy...oh God...Buf...fy...it...it.. it hurt...me so bad...and... they..they..just laughed at meeeee," her words came out in a low wail of pain.

"But..but..the soul clause," Buffy stammered, her eyes were wide in shock and surprise.

"That's what...the...spell...did," Willow hiccuped out, "It...it..removed the c..c...clause on... Angel's....s...s..s...soul."

At that Buffy's eyes narrowed in hot burning rage, "XANDER HARRIS get your ass over here, RIGHT NOW!" she roared whirling around at the laughing, talking crowd of people.

Kennedy hid a secret smile, finally that little tie between Willow and Xander was broken for good.

And at Buffy's roar of rage, a hush came over the room and Xander looked up from talking to Giles, over to her. His eyes flickered over the three women then his mouth tightened in anger and annoyance.

Calmly excusing himself, he strolled casually over to the enraged slayer and pissed off Potential.

Coolly looking them over, his head tilted to the side as he surveyed them.

"Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I definitely don't remember inviting you here," he said quietly, feeling Angel come up behind him.

Buffy had her mouth opened to yell and rip him to shreds, blinked, "Huh? What do you mean, you called us earlier and told us to come over," she said in confusion.

Xander looked at her impatiently, "Not you, that one," he said gesturing to Willow.

Buffy turned, "Willow?" Then she blinked seeing Willow coming around the corner.

She looked at the Willow behind her, seeing a malicious smile crossed the red-headed witch's face.

"Can't blame me for trying," it said and its form shimmered into Joyce Summers.

Willow came and stood by her men, watching with cold eyes as the First appearance shimmered again, reforming into Darla's.

Buffy and Kennedy backed away quickly in alarm.

"What the...," Buffy's words were cut off as windows began shattering around the room as uber-vamps and Bringers charged into the room, throwing the Potentials into a screaming frenzy as the girls grabbed at weapons. Their attitude and posture held in an aggressive stance against the Bringers and uber-vamps. They might be going down, but not without a fight.

The First regarded Xander with a smug look, "I challenge you, Alexander by the rules Katawuyk for Sunnydale or forfeit the town."

Xander's eyes narrowed, he knew this was a trap but by the rules technically he couldn't decline, "I accept," he growled his eyes hot.

"Then I ask that my Champion fight you as my proxy," the First smiled mockingly as Caleb sauntered through the broken door.

The First shook it's head in feigned sympathy, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, too bad you can't fight a human and neither can your vampire. Your brother told me about your little Bond with the vampire. I win!"

Willow smiled coldly, "Not so fast, Numero Uno....I accept the challenge."

"What the hell do you mean, you accept the challenge?! You can't accept the challenge, only Xander or his mate can accept the challenge, you idiot!" The First said angrily.

"Too bad Anda'makta didn't last long enough to tell you that we are a Tri-bond," Willow laughed at the flummoxed look on the First's face. Xander and Angel leaned against each other as they snickered.

"That's impossible," it said flatly, "You would have to be de...," it peered at Willow closer, "Oh shit!"

Buffy and Kennedy looked back and forth between the warring party, "Uh, guys you know about TMI....well, how about a little *I*," Buffy said hesitantly, her eyes flickering nervously from Xander, to Angel and then to Willow.

"The choice is yours," Xander said mockingly, bowing to the First. "Withdraw the challenge or I'll let Willow kick your champion's ass!"

The First looked at Willow, it's eyes narrowed in thought then a cold humorless smile crossed it face....

"Enough," came a low voice.

The First stiffened in recognition at that low powerful voice.

The Potentials parted and Dawn paced coolly towards them.

Arrogance, power flowed from her with every step she took...it was all about the attitude.

"Ancient One, how pleased I am to see you," the First watched her, it's head held proudly and with a cold, set face as it stubbornly refused to bow, to show her respect.

The Bringers and the Turok-han glanced among themselves hesitantly, then slowly lowered themselves to the floor as even Xander, Willow and Angel bowed to her respectfully.

Kennedy's lips curved upward in a lurid smile, a lascivious look in her eyes as they traveled lewdly up and down Dawn's body. Her smile abruptly disappearing with the First next words...

"You are nothing," it hissed spitefully at Dawn as it glanced around at it's kneeling follower., "You have no power here. You are nothing but a little child in that form, playing at power," it laughed mockingly at her.

Buffy's mouth dropped open, her eyes rounding in shock...Dawn?!

Dawn's lips curved up in a smile that never reached her eyes, "That maybe so, but I have plenty of people that will do anything for me."

She stared coldly at the First, "Zeus!"

There was a quick flash of light and a huge inky black man appeared, "Ancient One, how may I be of service," he bowed respectfully.

Without taking her eyes off the First, Dawn rapped out, "A Potential...select one...kill her!"

"As you command," he said bowing again before turning to the disbelieving knot of Potentials.

They took one look at empty expression on his face and scattered, screaming as they tried to find weapons or a place to hide.

Giles' mouth had dropped open in shock and he took an angry step forward, but was halted by Anya's iron grip on his arm.

"Don't interfere," she hissed in warning, watching the scrambling commotion as the girls ran about in confusion.

Xander, Willow and Angel watched silently...no emotion on their frozen faces.

Wesley put out a hand restraining Spike and silently shook his head as Faith held Robin back from interfering.

Zeus looked around at the yelling, milling girls. Raising his hand, lightening lit up the room...

...and one girl was not as fast as the others.

Her anguished scream easily overrode the terrified yells of the Potentials. They turned slowly in fearful horror, their mouths closing...silenced at the ghastly sight.

Body jerking...convulsing in the hot bolt of power that Zeus slammed into her. She was lifted up in the air, jolting spasmodically... involuntary movement giving her the illusion of life...of health.

They could hear skin cracking...cooking in the deadly silence of the room.

And the stench of flesh burning filled the air and the humans gagged, their stomachs roiling from the sweet sickening smell.

Zeus closed his hand, no expression on his face as the girl fell to the floor with an audible thud. Fluids leaking from the various cracks in her skin.

He turned to Dawn his face empty of pity or remorse and his hands began to glow...to crackle with energy as he waited patiently, silently for further instructions.

Dawn merely cocked a brow at the First, silently waiting as well.

And slowly the First inclined it's upper body...bowing.

"Thaaaaat's better," Dawn said approvingly. Then her tone became grating as the First faced her implacable gaze.

"Now take your people and get the hell out of here....NOW!"

It growled low in it's throat, it's eyes slowly becoming blood-red, "This is not over, Ancient One."

"You're damn right it's not over," Dawn said harshly. "When I chop off your head, then it'll be over! Get out!"

"Challenge withdrawn," the First growled. Whirling around, the First summoned it's people with an enraged snarl and they all departed the house.

Dawn held her cold, angry stance, "Are they gone," she whispered out of the corner of her mouth to Xander.

Xander's eyes were distant as he too held his pose as he cast around the grounds, sighing in relief, "Yes."

Zeus and Dawn broke from their cold stance and rushed to the downed Potential.

Both slid to their knees on either side.

"Give me a count," Zeus shouted urgently, laying his hand over the charred unmoving body.

Dawn quickly gave him the count, her face tight with fear.

300
Deion appeared and looked on, his face cold and withdrawn. His hands held protectively over his bulging belly, feeling the minute ripples that signaled the approach of his last child.

Naolin shimmered into existence, quickly followed by almost the entire assembly of Keys.

200

Xander took a quick look at Deion, at the lines of stress that appeared on the man's face, "Willow, Angel, take Deion upstairs and help him, he's gone into labor!"

Willow looked up, startled, before rushing to Deion's side, "C'mon, let's get you upstairs. You don't need to be down here," she said softly, looking gratefully at Angel as he scooped the man into his arms.

"No, I need to stay down here," Deion announced quietly, his eyes intent on the gathering of people surrounding the downed body.

100

"I will be fine, don't worry," he said, a fake smile on his face and patted their hands comfortingly. "This is my second child, I know what I'm talking about."

Angel looked uncertain before slowly putting the laboring man down, standing protectively at Deion's side.

80

"I need you to keep the heart working," Zeus said urgently to Xander.

Xander simply nodded, "On it," and he dove deep inside, his eyes turning vague as he struggled to keep the heart moving, pumping blood through the body.

70

"Naolin, get the lungs moving," Zeus said quietly, his eyes turning distant as he focused his energy and power on the charred body.

60

Naolin ghosted his fingers in the non-functioning lungs, frantically repairing them, rebuilding cells at near impossible speed. It was rough but it would have to do.

The room grew silent except for Dawn's quiet voice counting down the seconds.

50

"Zeus, needs more energy," Deion said quietly, looking at his Brothers and Sisters.

40

Five nodded and stepped forward, connecting...feeding Zeus the necessary energy to continue repairing the damaged body, the brain and other organs.

20

"Xander's failing," Deion stated, his eyes going vague, in tune with the struggling people.

19

Eight stepped forward and Xander began siphoning their energy, sweat pouring off his body. His breath was coming hoarsely as he struggled to repair the child's heart. It can't end like this!

18

Buffy shook, trembling in reaction as she looked on, her expression one of shock at what had transpired.

15

Kennedy swallowed hard, her face was pale and she was no longer certain that she wanted to be THE Slayer.

13

Giles watched intently, this was extremely troubling. He took off his glasses and rubbed at the bridge of his nose, there was some faint memory teasing at his mind....

12

Zeus gritted his teeth, forcing more power into the body, he would NOT fail!

"Naolin is at the end of his strength," Deion's hissed between clenched teeth, his eyes closed against the intense pressure from the baby. It wanted out NOW!

11

Five more stepped forward giving new strength to the belaboring people.

10

Spike watched Niblet and the ex-Watcher the poofer brought with him, with cold narrowed eyes. He could see a connection between Dawn and Wesley, and he was definitely not pleased.

Slowly, they saw charred flesh falling from the body, revealing the unmarred skin below. The chest lift once...tthen again. Three times in slow succession. Breathing.

Xander collapsed, his head hanging low as he rested his hands on his knees. "Heart's beating," he said simply, in a ragged whisper.

"Come on, baby you can do it," Zeus whispered hoarsely, he couldn't lose his child!

Dawn sighed, "That was too close."

Blinking slowly, the body on the floor slowly sat up, "Dad, gotta tell ya, I don't ever want to do that again," he said faintly.

Zeus swept his son into a hug, "You big idiot, why didn't you shield like I told you?!" he roared pulling back and shaking Nenet.

"Dad! Dad! Remember I was dead...go easy on the shaking," Nenet stammered out, his eyes wide with fright.

He had thought it would be fun to play the role of one of the Potential when they had first come up with this plan. They all knew that the First wouldn't be able to resist Xander's return to Sunnydale. But with Dawn unBonded and somewhat powerless an alternate show of strength, of power *had* to be presented to the First. And what better way to show that while powerless, you had a whole bunch of people willing to do anything for you...even kill for you.

The only reason why he had volunteered to play a Potential was because, he figured it was time the adults recognized him as one of them...an adult. He just wanted to make it more realistic but he hadn't realized how bad it would hurt or that he would die.

He shuddered, remembering the agony that slammed into him when his father hit him with that bolt. Being a child was definitely looking better and better, he thought, eyeing his other father stalking towards him.

Deion walked forward, "Don't worry about him, you worry about ME!," he grated out. "If you ever pull another dumbass stunt like that again, you will not be leaving your room until your sister reach puberty," he shouted angrily, then yelled and doubled over in pain.

"Dad?!" Nenet jumped to his feet, long blond hair falling to the ground revealing his familiar orange striped hair.

"Deion!" Zeus jumped up in panic, clutching at his husband.

"Xander, we gotta go," he said urgently, picking the moaning Deion up in his arms before all three disappeared.

Angel helped Xander to his feet as Willow examined him from head to toe before they swept him in a hug.

"Can't breathe," he managed to rasp out from their tight embrace.

Giles regarded the three, "It was just a ruse," he said in tones of wonder.

"Yeah, we kinda figured that ole Number One was gonna show up," Dawn explained as Spike glared venomously at Wesley, pushing him out of the way and helping her to her feet.

Buffy, recovering her powers of speech, stormed forward. Sliding between Xander and Angel, she firmly tried to push Xander away. Not in the least liking their unnecessary closeness, she didn't care what the First said, Angel belonged to HER!

"What the hell is going on and why are you two being so...so...Bert and Ernie," she shouted glaring at the duo. "And what's up with you and the First," she shouted rounding on Dawn.

"Here we go again," Willow muttered with a roll of her eyes.

Xander snickered, before straightening his face, "Look Buffy, to make a very long story short, you're not supposed to fight the First. You and the Potentials are supposed to be fighting the Bringers, while me, Dawnie and our Brothers and Sisters bust up the First and his gang of Freaky Friday Night Vamps."

Buffy looked him up and down, "Yeah, and how you gonna do that, fall on 'em?" she laughed scornfully.

"In order of creation first, Angels, Keys, Warriors and Guardian. Angel's are the messengers, Keys are the link between Angels and Warriors, while Warriors mostly fight and protect, and the Guardians simply guard. Xander is last Warrior born," Dawn explained quietly, her eyes glittering with increasing wrath at her blind sister.

"Xander's some kinda superbeing," Buffy gasped out disbelievingly, then she laughed mockingly, firmly clutching at Angel's arm. Her laughter choked off into a squeak of dismay and her eyes growing wide as Xander stepped back and stretched.

Beautiful, silky black wings slowly emerged from behind his back, gently beating the air before encircling him like a cape.

"Well, not quite a superbeing," Xander said with a modest, self-depreciatingly smile. "I can still get my ass kicked by my Brothers and Sisters. But I'm just not quite as useless as you apparently believe I am," he said quietly, watching Buffy.

"I should say not," Giles said softly, regarding Xander's wings.

"And you're still holding on to our husband," Xander added softly, his eyes turning hard.

Kennedy, totally ignoring the conversation, had sidled over to Willow. "Hey baby," she murmured, she definitely didn't like the closeness between Xander and Willow.

Willow gave her a neutral look, "Kennedy," she said calmly enough, though a bit of temper was beginning to spark in her eyes.

Kennedy pretended to look Willow over thoughtfully, "Ya know, I really don't think I like that outfit on you. It makes you look...kinda slutty and whorish, doncha think," she said with feigned reluctance.

She added hastily as she saw Willow's eyes cloud over with what she presumed was hurt, "Not that I'm saying you're a slut, it's just that...ah...people might get the wrong idea."

Blinking at the cool look Willow gave her, but still, smugly waiting for Willow's inevitable babble of apologies to start.

"Well, then I have two words to say to that," Willow said slowly, her eyes glittering barely concealed anger.

"What's that baby," Kennedy said softly, confident that Willow would go and change her clothing.

"Tough shit," Willow said succinctly and turned away, dismissing Kennedy from her presence.

Kennedy's eyes widened and her mouth dropped before slowly closing, her eyes narrowing in fury. Just who did this bitch think she was?!

"Uhm...'our' husband you said," Buffy said slowly, her eyes clouding in confusion. Angel belonged to her, he would always belong to her!

"Our husband," Willow confirmed, pulling Angel away from Buffy, her eyes darkening with menace. Xander stepped between Willow and Angel, his wings enclosing the two protectively.

"He can't be your husband," Buffy sputtered, her face darkening in rage. "Besides, he's not gay," she shouted with angry conviction.

Xander raised a brow and slipped his wing from behind Willow, "Oh, for...just watch!" He grabbed Angel, wrapping his arms around Angel's neck and kissed him like there was no tomorrow. And totally lost track of the argument under the lush, torrid kisses from Angel, becoming aroused within seconds, before Angel forcefully pulled away. Xander panted heavily,
resting his head on Angel's chest, shivering as Angel buried his face in his neck.

"He's ours," he said hoarsely to Buffy, who looked like she was going faint.

Angel pulled Willow to him, kissing her just as passionately as he had consumed Xander's lips before he pulled away, leaving her with a dazed and blissful look on her face.

"And they...are mine!" he growled, his eyes dangerously cold as he regarded both the stunned Buffy and a furious Kennedy as he cradled his spouses against his sides.

"The First seemed wary of you," Giles began, ignoring Buffy to talk to Dawn, his eyes intent, "He called you Ancient One and said that you were powerless in this form."

"Well, not exactly ancient you know, just older than it," Dawn said with a slow smile. "I was the first Key ever to be given form, shape and purpose. And as for this form, it was also right, I am pretty much powerless until I'm properly Mated and Bonded."

Dawn stepped back and stretched her arms above her head and slowly, wet glistening wings emerged from her back. Relaxing her pose slightly, her wings pumped once, twice drying quickly before they snapped around her, closing over her in entirety.

Compressing about her like brown silken bonds....tighter....smaller....

....the wings quivered, rustled before bursting open in a shower of brown silky feathers over the watching people and Dawn was revealed, beautiful....glorious.

And Xander sang, his voice joining with his Brothers and Sisters in welcome of the First Dawn of Light.

That unearthly song sent warm shivers of joy down the spines of mortals and demons alike. And they all sighed in disappointment at the end of that wonderful paean.

Buffy's mouth dropped open in shock as she took in the new Dawn that was revealed, a Dawn that could easily pass as her older sister.

"The First Dawn of Light," Giles whispered in realization, his eyes stunned. "B...bu..but I always thought you were just a myth." He looked around at the Warriors, Guardians and other Keys. "Good God!"

"Yes?" came a chorus of amused voices before laughter rang throughout the room.

"Obviously, not myths. We just like to keep a low profile," Thor said casually, leaning against his wife, Indra.

"Devi, Hindu goddess of power; Susanowo, Japanese god of oceans, winds and storms; Naolin, the Aztec God of the Sun," Giles said in awe, then he looked at Anya, "That's why you were so terrified, you knew what...who they were!"

"Giles," Anya sighed, "I'm over a thousand years old, so of course, I know who they are," she snapped. "I just didn't know that Xander was one of them," and she bowed respectfully to Xander.

"I should have guessed by your name," she groused, "But who knew the Protector of Humanity was growing up in an abused home?!" she threw her hands in the air.

Xander chuckled, "I gotta say that it was kinda hard not to kill the parental units once I got old enough. But the old man did finally stop beating the shit outta me by the time I was 17, I always wondered why though," he said thoughtfully.

Angel raised his hand, "That would be Angelus, he knew you were being abused and decided to 'even things up a bit'. He told your father and mother if he ever smell blood on you again that he would pay them another 'visit'."

Xander looked up at Angel, "I guess that means I owe Angelus an apology, huh," he said with a sour twist to his mouth.

"Wait...wait! Wait a minute, so you and Dawnie are some kinda angels or something," Buffy said wanting to be clear on things.

"No, not quite," Xander said dryly, his eyes flickering to Dawn, who abruptly disappeared with both Spike and Wesley.

"We were sent here to protect and to guard the Hellmouths. Then fight with the First." Xander said. "It was never supposed to be your job, it's what we are supposed to do. You and the Potentials are gonna be busy enough trying to stop the Bringers from getting to the rest of us."

"Fighting the First is Dawn's responsibility while me and my Brother and Sister Warriors keep the Turok-han away from her," Xander concluded.

Buffy looked at Xander with narrowed eyes, "Xander, I don't think you realize exactly what you're up against," she said slowly, "There are thousands of them down there."

Xander regarded her, looked at his family before looking at her again, "We know."

Chapter 5

Xander regarded her, looked at his family before looking at her again, "We know."

And when he looked back at her, Buffy shuddered at the grim look on his face.

"But what you don't understand Buffy is that what the First has planned is a lot more dangerous than it just letting the Turok-hans loose on the world. And if we don't stop the First right here, right now...well it's gonna get bad," Xander left the rest unsaid.

"So you have a choice, Buffy. Bust up your little soapbox into a couple of old-fashioned stakes or...," Willow said quietly, leaning against Angel.

Buffy blinked before her face harden in outrage and demanded harshly, "Or what?"

"Or fight us and die," Angel finished, his voice even quieter than Willow's.

Buffy was shaken by the cold resolved faces on her former friends.

"Who the hell do you think you are," Kennedy demanded harshly. "Buffy has fought almost all her life against shitty creatures like you and came out on top! What Xander?! You and Willow think you're all that now that think you got some kinda power between you two. Do you honestly think she needs your goddamn help," she sneered at them.

"Kennedy, shut up," came low response from an unexpected source.

"NO! They've apparently forgotten who their real friends are and who you are. You are the fuckin' Slayer and they need to remember that," Kennedy yelled, rounding on Buffy angrily.

Andrew drew closer to Giles, his eyes wide at the shouting match that was going on.

"Kennedy, shut the FUCK UP!" Buffy's voice was as icy, her eyes equally cold glaring at the angry Potential.

Kennedy gasped, her face draining white at the cold rage in Buffy's eyes.

"Buf...Buffy...I wa...Buffy, I was just trying to help," Kennedy stuttered in surprise, her eyes wide at Buffy's icy expression.

"It's a help that I don't need or want," Buffy shouted angrily, turning her attention to the closed faces of both Willow and Xander.

"Besides, Xander and Willow have always known who their true friends are, and YES I do need their help. How the hell do you think I've lasted this long if not for them," she grated out.

This was all WRONG! She breathed heavily, her hands clenched at her sides as she glared at both Willow and Xander. Angel was supposed to be hers, not theirs! He was supposed to be her promised reward...HERS.

A red mist seemed to cloud her vision as she stared at the trio, seeing the unity...she could almost see the cord that bond the three together. It was so NOT FAIR!

Angel put Xander and Willow protectively behind him despite their furious protests. If Buffy attacked them, he would take the brunt of it. No matter what they said or how they claimed they felt, he knew it would cut them to the bone to hurt Buffy. They each had too many years invested in her to seriously hurt her in clear conscience.

Xander and Willow rested their heads against Angel's back, knowing he was right but sending him the message that no matter what their feeling for Buffy, he came first in their lives.

"Where do I sleep," Buffy growled to them, in her eyes stormclouds were brewing. There had to be a way to break this..unholy Trinity up. She just couldn't accept that Angel preferred someone over her. She eyed Xander, silently sneering, especially HIM!

Kennedy gaped at Buffy, "You're just gonna accept this shit from them?!" Then her face grew dark as hot anger surged through her. Willow was HERS goddamn it and she wasn't ready to get rid of her yet. And neither Xander or, her lip curled in a sneer, some vampire was going to take her away at least not until she was finished with her. Maybe it was time for her to do what Buffy apparently couldn't, she thought coldly.

Moving with every ounce of speed she had, almost like a Slayer she thought proudly, she leaped forward with a stake in one hand, the other a hard fist...

...and met a brutal backhand blow from Willow that lifted her off her feet, sending her some distance from the watching people.

Buffy snorted to herself: IDIOT! Even she wasn't stupid enough to attack Xander, especially not in front of Willow.

Kennedy got off the the floor, touching her face with disbelieving fingers and looking at the blood smeared on the digits. Her head jerked up, a snarl curling her lips as she leaped to attack Willow.

"You fucking bitch! You were nothing when I picked your skinny, geeky ass out of the garbage heap and you'll still be nothing without your magic," she hissed.

Oh no, she just did NOT say that! Andrew huffed angrily, if Willow did not give Kennedy an old fashioned beat down then he would be more than happy to do it. He still had a couple things left from when he went over to the darkside.

Willow raised a brow, then started unfastening her jacket and tossing it to the side, "Let me show you how we do it Sunnydale style."

"No magic," Kennedy looked at her narrowly.

"No magic," Willow agreed with a cold smile.

Kennedy smiled, no magic meant that she was assured of a easy victory and she attacked, supremely confident of her fighting abilities, after all wasn't she the one training the rest of the Potentials.

She didn't understand how it was possible that Willow. The shy, hesitant babble witch continuously blocked each and every one of her strikes, ducking and flowing around her with easy grace.

Kennedy charged her again and whirled to face Willow, when the girl had sidestepped her initial charge. She was barely was able to deflect and block the red-head's strikes and kicks.

Everyone mouths were gaping in astonishment at the fight taking place before their very eyes.

Andrew eyes were wide with excitement. This was this was sooo cool...just like Star Trek. Spock against Kirk, best friends in a death battle over that skanky whatshername. Not that Xander and Angel wasn't good enough for Willow to fight for especially since Kennedy was gonna kill them. All Willow and Kennedy needed now was the music which would make this even cooler. He squealed, then coughed to hide that unmanly sound as Willow put a beat down on Kennedy.

Going on the offensive, Willow backhanded Kennedy in the face and followed up with a roundhouse kick to the dark haired girl's stomach. But Kennedy recovered surprisingly fast and responded with an kick to Willow's back, forcing her to her knees with a cry.

Kennedy stomped, almost catching Willow in the face before the red head rolled quickly away.

Willow rolled into side kick, sending Kennedy crashing to the floor. The witch quickly got to her feet and slammed her foot into the Potential's face with a spinning backkick. Then she sent a left cross into Kennedy's face followed by a backhand with the same fist before swinging the dark haired girl around and head first into the wall, watching as the Potential finally slumped to the floor.

Bruised and bloody.

Defeated.

Buffy shook her head and sneered at the embattled Kennedy: Dumb and getting dumber by the second. Bored she turned away from the fight to see both Xander and Angel looking at her with closed looks. Her eyes narrowed as she realized that they had been watching her all the time as if she was a threat.

"My room," and she waited with strained patience as Willow grabbed her jacked, and gathered the rest of Potential, Giles, and the rest to her to escort them to their rooms.

Finally getting them all settled, Buffy waited with a set face for Willow to show her to her room. Gritting her teeth, she looked around for Spike. Wondering where he was, he would do fine at relieving her of her stress...after all he claimed he was so in love with her and that he would do anything she wanted. Her lips curved in a nasty smirk, and right now she wanted him to fuck her until she couldn't see Willow, Xander and Angel together.

"Where's Spike's and what room is he in," she said casually to Willow.

Willow looked at her with a bland smile, "Oh I'm sure he's around somewhere."

"And Dawn? Where is she," Buffy started, she couldn't remember when she had last since her sister and she frowned, recalling the impressive beautiful creature that was her sister.

"Oh, I'm sure she's around somewhere," Willow said carefully and looked away from Buffy.

Dawn had to do some extremely fast talking to stop Spike from trying to kill Wesley, and Wes from trying to attack Spike. Why did SHE hafta have the difficult ones, she huffed in annoyance. And glancing at the angry, glaring men, she knew she wouldn't have it any other way.

Giving Spike a quick summary of what was happening, explaining what goning to happen and what they meant to each other. Of course Wesley wanted no part in a triad relationship, especially not one with a 'bloody vampire' and with Spike snarling that no soddin' Nancy boy was gonna 'touch his Niblet'. Needless to say, Wesley snippily replied that he read the Watcher's diaries so it was a case of the pot calling the kettle black, except in his case he was brand new. The situation rapidly went downhill from there.

So Dawn did what any self-respecting female who had had ENOUGH did. Letting out a scream of pure fury, she sat down and burst into tears. She was never going to get married, she moaned softly to herself, curling up into a ball and drawing a wing over her head. Everyone else was married except her.

Spike and Wesley eyed the shuddering bundle of feathers with uneasily, before exchanging warily
looks, sinking down and laying gentle hands on the shivering wings.

"Miss Summers...Dawn, I'm sorry it just wouldn't work," Wesley said softly. "I've never contemplated sex with you or Spike. My memories of you are as a child and quite frankly, I've never felt the need to have sex with a male. Especially a vampire male."

"Niblet, I'm sorry all right?! It's just, just you kinda threw me when you changed...you know that I love your sister, and besides I just don't think of you that way," Spike floundered helplessly, giving Wesley a pleading look for help.

"You didn't even try to kiss me, so how would you know," came Dawn muffled watery voice.

The men exchanged glances of hope, feeling out of their depth but maybe this was an answer.

"Okay, if I kiss you, will you stop crying," Spike bargained cunningly, a quick kiss and the lil? bit would see that they weren't good for each other. He glared at Wesley, and neither was the bloody ex-Watcher.

"No," Dawn muttered, drawing her wing tighter about her.

"How about if we both kiss you," Spike upped the offer, glaring at Wesley in full gameface at the other start of protest.

Dawn's wing shifted a bit, a dark blue eye peeking out, "You mean it," she said suspiciously.

"Yes, now come out and give us a kiss," Spike said softly, holding out his arms and he quickly had a bundle of squirming Dawn in his arms. Very much surprised to feel...a spark ignite when he met her eyes.

Dawn smiled slowly as Spike came closer, his blue eyes flaring with an unnamed emotion that made her shiver deliciously and then he was kissing her....Spike was kissing her! Oh my God, was all she could think before her mind turned to mush and they sank, squirming onto the bed.

Spike raised he head, a dazed look in his eye, "Well, fuck me," he softly exclaimed, staring into Dawn's aroused flushed face.

Wesley blinked, his pants becoming uncomfortably tight as he took in the erotic scene, Spike...his hair sexily mussed; Dawn, lips swollen in passion. And he leaned forward almost mindlessly, gently at first then harder, kissing her, moaning into her mouth. He felt a cool hand caressing his thigh before cupping him between his legs and he rocked his hips into the hungry caress.

And they couldn't get their clothes off fast enough. The first time was quick, but their second go around....

...Dawn sat astride Wesley, her face flushed in pleasure as she glided smoothly on the thick organ stroking deep within her. A leg wrapped around Wesley even as Spike gripped her hips in a cool iron grasp.

"Oh, oh...ooooooh...oh God," she moaned as her head lolled against Spike's shoulder as he rocked his hips, his thick shaft slid slowly, deeply within her. Her eyes were half-closed as she wallowed in the thick rich pleasure she felt, having both men inside her, loving her. Feeling the Bond surging through her, through them. She held on tightly to Wesley's shoulders, silently urging them both to give in to her, to claim her for their own with each lascivious movement of her hips.

Twisting, she kissed Spike hungrily, reveling in their tumultuous greedy possession of her body even as she arched. Thrusting more of her breast in Wesley's gluttonous mouth, undulating her hips wantonly on the two shafts that slid easily into her twin openings. No wonder Buffy was crazy about Angel and Spike if sex was this good with vampires, she thought in a half-daze of incandescent pleasure.

Spikes' eyes flared with icy heat as he lunged deeper into Dawn's velvety, clenching nether hole. A low rumbling snarl came from him as he met Wesley's eyes over her sweaty shoulder as he kissed and nibbled at her neck. He groaned harshly as he felt the long slide of Wesley hard cock between the thin barrier that separated them within Dawn.

Growling low in his throat he leaned over Dawn's shoulder and greedily devoured Wesley's wet, passion swollen lips even as Dawn began frantically attacking Wesley's neck with frantic hot kisses before joining, making it a three way kiss.

Still continuing to ride the rigid poles thrusting into her.

Moaning deeply into Spike's cool mouth, Wesley continued to mindlessly to help guide Dawn's sweaty hips back and forth as she plunged up and down on him. Shuddering, opening his mouth wider to taste more of Spike, their tongues gliding wetly against each other before a third entered the sensuous playground.

And all three began moving faster, plunging deeper as they felt their orgasms approaching.

Wesley looked at Dawn in awe. The flushed, aroused face...her eyes blind with pleasure. Mouth parted and low hoarse cries falling from her lips. Moist breasts jiggling under the force of Spike's thrusts and her vigorous, writhing hips. Eyes half-closed, head back and resting on Spike's shoulder as she held his hand pressed against her stomach, wrapping her other arm around his shoulder, hair trailing in long, wet locks around the three of them...clinging to her sweaty, flushed face. Her body arching and wiggling between them.

Beautiful, he thought as his mind cleared for a brief moment before becoming lost in the tide of hungry pleasure, bending his head to take a voluptuous breast into his mouth. Nibbling, sucking a pouting nipple to a hard pebbly peak.

Ecstactic low moans came from her when Spike took its twin and subjected it to intense stimulation with his long cool fingers as his hips dipped and rammed into her harder, wringing a choked scream from her throat.

She rode faster, her back arching sleekly for Spike's increasingly hard lunges, gasping as both men hit twin spots blinding pleasure, sending waves of fiery rapture through her.

"SPIKE! Oh GOD! Oh God, Wesley! WES! WES! Oh God yes," she screamed, her eyes flaring, changing to an intense blue. The force of Spike's desperate thrusts pushed her, moaning and writhing against Wesley, forcing him on his back. Now all she could do was helplessly squirm her hips between the two men pounding into her.

"DAWN!...Oh FUCK!....YES!....Fuck niblet!" Spike yelled, slamming deeper into her grasping ass, pulling a wail of pure sensation from her. With every plunge into her ass, he could feel Wesley cock sliding against him, making him even harder and thicker in his niblet as he stared into the man's eyes, now a solid blue.

Wesley stared up into Spike's eyes, almost coming out of his lust induced daze as the other's eyes slowly became an incandescent blue. When Dawn lifted her head from his neck, he moaned softly to see her eyes were the same incandescent blue as Spike's and he closed his eyes as he felt his climax slam into him.

Screaming hoarsely, calling out both his lovers' names he came...and came.

The second tri-Bond was now complete.

*

Four days later, Xander down the stairs screaming for Angel, Wesley and Willow who all came running with shouts of 'What?!'

"They found her," Xander said breathlessly almost bouncing in joy. Yelping with excitement, he flex and his wings came into view. With a powerful jump, he was in the air, flitting around the high ceilings of the mansion with screams of joy.

Suddenly both Willow and Angel began laughing almost hysterically, hugging each other in glad joy and dancing.

"They found Cordy," Willow yelled to Wesley, who had to turn away to hide his sudden show of emotion.

Spike came down the stairs, drawn by Wesley surge of happiness and loss of emotional control, silently extending his strength and support to his mate until he was okay.

~S'right, he asked anxiously, his blue eyes worried, though he tried to hide it behind a fierce frown.~

~I'm okay, Wes replied softly, And thank you.~

~Any time, luv.~ came the soft response.

"Dawn, could you go get them," Xander asked anxiously, perching easily on the banister as Dawn was coming down. "She's probably gonna need some healing so I'll call Isis, see if she can heal her."

"I'm off," Dawn smiled and disappeared.

Xander's eyes flared and a glorious black haired woman appeared in the living room, startling the Potentials into moving away anxiously. Remembering the last time one of Dawn and Xander's friends showed up the Potential's separated and headed for the various exits out of the room. This time they wanted a head start, just in case.

Dawn flickered into view, with an unconscious Connor dangling over her shoulder and Fred, Gunn and Lorne in tow.

And a limp, white Cordelia cradled in Gunn's arms looking paler than either of the vampires.

Slowly Xander walked forward and took the limp bundle gently from Gunn with sad eyes, then a trembling smile crossed his lip as he turned to Isis and silently extending Cordy to her.

Isis' eyes soften, Xander had always been a favorite among her fellow keys and looking at the limp bundle in her arms she knew that it was good that Xander called on her. For Dawn to attempt a healing such as this would drain the Ancient Key strength and she would definitely be needing it in the upcoming battle, it the rumors were true.

Slowly her huge black, feathery wings appeared...far exceding Dawn and Xander's wingspan by two feet. Then gradually the wings began to tighten, curve around the two, sealing them away from sight. Only an eerie pulsing glow emanating and the quivers of the feathery enclosed figures belied the impression of a statue.

Everyone waited with hushed breath as the light pulsed faster, faster still.

Glowing brighter...illuminating until the wings burst open in a shower of black silky feathers...

And Ms. Cordelia Chase smiled puzzledly up at the beautiful winged woman holding her.

"Uhm, not to sound ungrateful cause I got the feeling that you did something really incredibly cool, but I'm so NOT a lesbian," she said hesitantly to the smiling figure.

At the shouts of laughter, she twisted her head and slid out of the woman's arms. Her legs instantly caved in and had it not been for the arm around her waist she would have hit the ground hard.

"Gunn and Fred are crying? Xander too! And standing next to Angel?! Okay, I'm dead, right? Did a lot of people come to my funeral," she asked anxiously, looking around at the people laughing and crying.

Gunn and Fred came rushed over to her and pulled her away from the woman. Gunn swung her into the air before trying to squeeze, what she now recognize as her life, straight out of her.

And after lots of hugs and kisses from everyone, they settled down to get her caught up on what had been happening, learning also from her what had happened.

"Me a higher being?! Oh please! I can just imagine how incredibly boring That would be. The last thing I remember is Skip talking to me. I said No to his too generous offer...I mean, I know that I'm good but that good? That was just wrong! Maybe Giles or even Joyce Summer, yeah I could understand, but me? Seriously, I could count of one hand the number of bad things I did in an HOUR...and they wanted me, Cordelia Chase to become a higher being? Uh uh, I am Hellmouth
born...and we are bred to recognize danger like that. I turned to run, I felt pain in my head and everything went black. Then I woke up and saw you guys," and she looked around at her stunned audience.

"So, what'd I miss?" With a bright smile all around the room.

She was horrified to learn what some crazy insane demoness had been doing running around looking like her, and Omigod the outfit they say she had on...with a big bulging belly?! She looked with revulsion at the bound Connor, "I changed your diapers! And you guys thought I slept with him?! That is so like...ewwww!" She shuddered and gave Angel an angry burning glare.

Angel quickly moved behind Xander and Willow, then remember that Cordy was weak and unable to stand. Carefully keeping an eye on her, he moved back to his seat.

Cordy just gave him her nastiest smile and warned him softly, "Angel, my being weak is only temporary."

Angel looked up at Xander and Willow with pathetic puppy dog eyes, and they patted his shoulders comfortingly but shook their heads. Angel was on his own in this, he should have known better.

And over the next several days, they trained and exercised, discussing battle plans with Xander pulling every scrap of information from Buffy's unwilling lips.

Already it was settled who was leading this mission and Buffy was still stewing over the fact that NOBODY recognized that she had been leading missions for almost seven years as The Slayer. She snorted eyeing Xander surrounded by the chattering Potential's, now all of a sudden Xander's Mr. Pally Wally with them, just because he knows all their names and lets them have fun?! Well, when they got hurt, they got their asses handed to them, they'll be back.

Xander eyed Buffy dancing with Angel, he snorted if you could call *that* dancing. The majority of the 50 states called it trolling for customers but it was quasi legal in at least one state. He shook his head wearily, for two freakin' weeks she had been trying with limited success to put the moves on Angel and it was only through his and Willow's effort's that Buffy was still alive.

It was time to put an end to her little Blonde Ambition Tour. Angel had given both him and Willow their orders, either they put a stop to Buffy or he will...permanently. While neither he or Willow really wanted to hurt her, they also knew Angel really didn't have a problem with snapping her neck.

He exchanged a glance with Willow when they heard a new song start and a wicked smile crossed their faces before Xander sauntered casually over to Buffy and stone faced Angel.

Gliding between the two, he began dancing with Buffy, subtly guiding her away from Angel. Smiling sweetly into her angry eyes.

//Do it do it do it do it do it, no!//

Sliding his hand up her shoulder, his hips moving in erotic counterpart to the throbbing beat, he kept moving her further away from Angel.

Buffy was initially furious at Xander when he slid between her an Angel but was careful not to show her rage. She blinked as he started dancing with her, holding her eyes and since when did Xander's eyes become smoldering, hot coals. Her brows rose in astonishment at the sensuous moves Xander was making. Holy shit, and where the hell was she when Xander became a such hottie?!

Then giving him her best smile, she began dancing almost as provocatively as he... her arms draped over his shoulders.

//I was lookin for affection
So I decided to go, swing that dick in my direction
I'll be out of control
Let's take it to perfection
Just you and me
Let's see if you can bring bring bring the nasty out
of me
Nownownow now sock it//

Far enough, Xander thought, swiftly turning around and gliding back to Angel, leaving Buffy standing in shock.

A wicked look in his eyes, a sulky pout on his lips he began a scorching bump and grind number for Angel. Mouthing the words to the song to Angel, a hot look of lust on his face.

//Ooh ahh, sock it to me like you want to
Ooh I can take it like a pro you know;
Move a long probe with the backstroke;
My hormones jumpin like a disco//

Xander crouched low, then undulated slowly up Angel's leg, his cock brushing teasingly on the corded muscle.


//I be poppin mess like some Crisco;
All you gotta say is where Xander go;
And when you say go I won't move slow//

His hips began snapping against the vampire, his eyes simmering with desire.

Buffy's mouth dropped open at the lustful adoration on Xander's face and slowly closed at the look of smoldering desire on Angel's face as he looked down into Xander's face. The truth finally slapping her in the face and she bit her lip savagely to still the betraying quiver.

//I'm at your house around midnight, don't fall asleep
It'll just be me me me, on a late night creep
I'm gonna show you things, that you can't believe
Jump in this b-e-d, won't you sock it to me//

He turned his back to Angel and writhe slowly against his crotch. His eyes half-closed and his hips moved with heavy sensuality as he pressed back into the growing bulge between Angel's legs. Feeling more than hearing the low rumble of desire coming from deep in his husband's chest.

"Ooh ahh, sock it to me like you want to; I can take it like a pro and you'll know; do a long probe with the backstroke," he mouthed the salacious words, a look of burning passion on his face.

His back arching slowly, he shimmied against the tent pole Angel had in his pants. A ragged moan was pulled from him as a burning feeling set his pucker to twitching and he knew that only Angel had the right tool capable giving him relief.

"My hormones are jumpin like a disco; I be poppin mess like some Crisco," and Angel tilted Xander's face up for a long languid kiss stopping those lush lips, that quickly grew hot enough to melt a glacier. Never breaking the connection of their mouths, he turned Xander around and pressed the sultry, swaying body against the wall, still probing the lush moist interior.

//Ooh ahh, sock it to me like you want to
I can take it like a pro and you'll know
Do a long probe with the backstroke
My hormones are jumpin like a disco
I be poppin mess like some Crisco.
And all you gotta say is that Willow go
And when you say it though I want it moved slow//

Willow inhaled noisily, her eyes glazing with desire as she took in the sight of her two boys, practically fucking right in front of everyone. She whined low in her throat as she came nearer. Angel long arm shot out and yanked her to them as Xander wrapped his legs around Angel's waist.

Pulling her into a deep hungry kiss, Angel lengthen a nail and slid the sharp point down the back seam on Xander's pants. Easing a finger slowly into the hot buttery interior of Xander's ass, enjoying the way his little warrior fastened teeth in his neck as he rubbed their aching cocks together.

Willow wormed her hand between the two bodies, frantically trying to loosen Angel's pants, to get at the hardening flesh within and whimpering in frustration as the tightening of Angel's trouser snake made the job difficult. She pulled his head down harder opening her mouth wider to take more of his delectable tongue, debating whether to just magic them away. She heard a rip, a warm air bathed her chest and a cool hand began plucking at her nipples.

"Angel! Angel! ANGEL!" Dawn screamed, her eyes widen at the writhing, trio about to have sex right in front of everyone!

Giles and the rest were dumbstruck.

Andrew was almost dancing in place as he watched the enthralling scene, trying to copy Xander's moves. How cool was that? They looked so sexy kissing and that dance that Xander just did, it was the coolest thing the way Xander just busted a move on her. He put Buffy in HER place!

Faith had grown increasingly horny and eyed Robin with a lascivious look.

Angel jerked his head up and cast a golden eyed look over his shoulder at the gaping, staring people.

"Angel," he heard Buffy say brokenly, her hand outstretched to him. Her eyes were shattered and
welling with tears.

He looked down at Willow and all three disappeared.

Dawn eyed her boys with lustful intent and then they also disappeared from the room.

Buffy gave a choked sob, and at the mingled glances of contempt and pity she ran off into the night.

Faith just thanked God that the two rooms were soundproofed. There was no need to make us poor mortal envious.

*

Xander woke up slowly, aware of a gentle nibbling on his neck that he arched into with a soft mewl of pleasure. Eagerly grasping the dark head with a low cry, he guided Angel's greedy mouth to his aching nipples, moaning in heady pleasure as a thick finger probed his hungry, ass. Gasping softly at the wet pull on his throbbing teats he squeaked slightly as Angel pulled him from the bed and over to the table.

Angel moved a chair out of the way and bent Xander over, hoarsely whispering to his mate to brace himself before he slid into the hot, velvety sheath with a long groan of pleasure.

Xander caught his breath at the first breech of Angel big shaft and released his breath with a long sigh of pure bliss.

"So tight," he heard Angel rasp out as he shuddered with hot excitement and clenched his ass around the thick, forceful thrust into him. Bracing himself on the table as Angel began to drive into him with achingly long glide alternating with short, hard strokes. Brushing against his nubbin of pleasure with every pounding movement of that thick shaft in his hot buttery ass.

"Oh, oh, ooooh Angel, oh, oh, oh..." was all he could manage to get out with his body rocking with every lunge of Angel's hips. And he just wanted this to last forever and he moaned lowed in his chest when he felt his balls begin to tighten. He gasped as he felt his hot balls massaged, then tugged firmly, pulling him away from the edge of release.

His head lulled on Angel's chest as he was pulled up, still shimming his aching, greedy ass on the huge fuckstick ramming into his needy pucker. And he almost screamed his fury as Angel pulled out of his spasming circlet of flesh. Then Xander cried out as he was lowered on the thick jutting organ and his thighs seized in hard grip, lifting his legs to dangle helplessly in the air as Angel began to lunge up into his ass.

Willow yawned as low passionate cries drew her swiftly to consciousness and her mouth went dry at the licentious, erotic sight of Xander and Angel. Her eyes dropped unerringly to the place where they were joined, that huge, veiny shaft spreading Xander's asslips wide open. And swallowing heavily, feeling moisture soaking the bed beneath her.

Angel's eyes flared gold as he sniffed the air, smelling the distinct scent of Willow's arousal also filling the air and his eyes locked on her wide-eyed gaze as he continued to thrust into Xander's tight velvety passage. The look in those bottomless green eyes made his cock even harder, something that he was sure Xander appreciated very much from the grateful moan of pleasure from the his boy.

Xander groaned as Angel seemed to get longer, thicker...harder deep within his ravenous body and his eyes fluttered open, and locked onto Willow's lascivious gaze. He never lost contact with her eyes as he whimpered in pleasure with each forceful lunge of Angel's thick shaft up into his clenching hole. It was all he could do to maintain his hold on the arms of the chair; feeling a brief flicker of embarrassment as Willow avidly gazed at them with lust fill eyes, then pleasure surged through him and he let his head fall back to rest on Angel's shoulder, howling with ecstasy.

HOLY SHIT! Was all Willow could think as she took in the steamy erotic scene...Angel sitting in the chair, Xander perched in his lap with his thighs firmly grasped in Angel's powerful grip . both men facing her. Her eyes trailed helplessly down Xander's sweaty heaving chest, to the thick length swaying proudly with every movement of Angel's hips, the soft rounded sacs dangling... bouncing wildly with every lunge...unerringly focusing on the thick, veiny pole appearing and disappearing into the distended opening.

Willow blinked, and in a lust-induced daze, crawled off the bed to the men, fascinated by the huge rod plunging into Xander helpless body. She prowled closer, eyes fixed on her main objective, or *objectives,* she thought happily, eyeing first Xander's dripping shaft then the mighty one stretching him.....

Licking slowly at the fleshy sacs with long caressing strokes of her tongue, gazing all the while up into Xander's eyes, carnal desire blazing in her eyes as she guided the swaying sac into her mouth. She hummed wickedly around her mouthful, relishing the gasping, open-mouth cries from Xander, especially when she licked up his hard length, nibbling gently at the velvety flesh. Then slowly gliding back down, soft, kittenish strokes of her tongue...caressing them both, the thick shaft burrowing into Xander's needy ass and the prettily opened lips that Angel was stuffing himself into with increasing speed.

"Oh FUCK!" Xander bellowed at the first languid caress of Will's hot tongue gliding across his opening, stretched tightly around Angel's shaft. All he could do was writhe helplessly under the wash of lewd sensations, growing impossibly harder and practically screaming when he felt Willow worm her horny little tongue into his ass along with Angel's huge cock. Never stopping the glide of her hot little hand around his cock.

"Give it back, Willow," he gasped, still writhing in Angel's lap, as Willow slid her fingers in his ass and hearing the deep moan from behind him.

"I had him first, so give him back," he couldn't help but moan as Willow's started ramming her talented fingers into him harder, stimulating his prostate with every sinful foray into his hungry ass.

Good? Hell yeah! But he still wanted Angel's cock back. He had it first, he thought sulkily, glaring down at her. Not that she don't look good like that, he smirked lecherously at the lewd sight of her cheeks ballooning around Angel's thick sausage.

"Willow," Angel moaned, arching almost helplessly into the girl's warm, sultry heat, "Not that what you're doing is bad...Oh GOD...yes!" he broke off with a shout, flinging his head back with a howl of pleasure. And all that talent wasted on Kennedy, he thought hazily.

"Fair's fair, put me back," he moaned at the sulky pout on her face.

"But Angel, I'm so hungry," Willow whined, her eyes sparkling with lascivious mischief. She ran her tongue slowly over the thick mushroom head, smirking at the fascinated gazes of both men as she began to suck just on the tip, shifting easily with every motion of Angel's hips, denying him further access to her mouth.

Only the tip.

That thick, ridge luscious tip was the only part of him allowed entrance, no matter how bad Angel wanted it...and he wanted it bad. She grinned wickedly before pulling her fingers from Xander spasming sheath and reintroduce their beloved tool of pleasure.

Chuckling softly at the ragged groan from Xander as he was filled to the brim, and she slowly lowered her mouth over his hungry, aching rod, and this time burrowed her fingers into Angel's tight ass. Smirking lewdly around her mouthful of cool flesh at Angel's bellow of pleasure.

And they settled down and began their rapid race to a turbulent climax.

Xander linked to Angel and he in turn linked to Willow, sharing their desire, the joy with one another as their pleasure grew...

Harder they thrust digits, shafts into hungry flesh.

...rising higher..

Hungrily they suckled at a tumescent organ, a cool tongue.

...and burning hotter...

Limbs were trembling, bodies straining as they sought the pinnacle of their passion, of blissful voracious hunger, love, wonder building inside them.

...and she fell, giving them her mind...and he fell, giving them his body...and he fell, giving them his
soul...

....into a scorching, volcanic eruption of raw carnal pleasure. Together.

Willow sank bonelessly to the floor, her head resting between Xander's spread thighs, idly licking his limp member clean as Angel slowly lowered his husband's legs.

Xander and Angel exchanged evil tired smiles: Payback time!

And before Willow knew what hit her, she was spread-eagle on the bed and Angel was deep inside her. Looking at the twin wicked smirks, she knew she was in for the ride of her life. Which was exactly what she planned, she smirked to herself before becoming a writhing, screaming... creaming bundle of pure sensation until she couldn't even scream, and then...then they were finished with her.

"So, wore you out, huh," Xander gasped, sprawled face down on the bed and trying to remember how to breathe.

"Whatever," Willow rasped out, tiredly wondering whether to hit Xander or not. Whimpering as even the thought of moving caused her entire body to take up arms in revolt to stop her from moving.

"Both of you shut up and go to sleep," Angel muttered and yawned, totally spent after the mindblowing fuck-a-thon his horny mates put him through.

Willow and Xander sneered at him.

~We wore HIM out, Xander snickered to Willow~

~I heard that, Angel said calmly without moving his aching body from its exhausted sprawl. Chuckling silently at the guilty hush in his mind.

"Go to sleep, we have a big day tomorrow," he said again, smiling at the tired 'K's from the two tousled heads and they felt sleep cover them in a soft blanket.

*

Buffy wandered the streets of Sunnydale, desolately. That look in Angel's eyes...that look of burning desire and love slapped her viciously in her face. She drew a shuddering breath as she looked up at an empty house and burst in.

She eyed the man trying to defend his home before mildly telling him to get out of the house, get out of Sunnydale...fast.

Maybe it was something about her, she mused as she wandered into a bedroom. Why couldn't she just be happy? Why did she have to lose everything that ever mattered to her? She knew that God wouldn't give her anything that she couldn't handle, but she just wished that he didn't trust her so much.

She had lost everything that valued to her, Xander, Willow, Dawn...Angel. She started laughing almost hysterically, hot bitter tears coursing down her face...first she ignores Xander in favor of Angel but Angel leaves her anyway. Then its Riley and when she finally decides in his favor, HE leaves. Then when SHE decides to do the leaving, leaving Spike in favor of Angel, Angel doesn't want her. Oh no...Xander and her first love betray her with each other and Willow!

And then to show EVERYBODY what a goddamn fool she was for trusting anybody, even family...when she attempted to reclaim Spike, DAWN has him on lockdown, with her and Wesley. Wesley of all people, she thought feeling indignant.

Then for Xander to embarrass her like that, in front of everybody and she KNEW it was deliberate, because he was just a jealous fuckin' slut...her throat thicken with tears...and he was supposed to be her friend, both him and Willow were supposed to be her best friends. Dawn was her goddamn sister! How could they do this to her?

"Don't they want you to be happy," came a soft sibilant voice from the shadows and the First stepped out of the shadows wearing Joyce Summer's body.

Buffy sat up with a gasp, that turned into narrow-eyed fury, "You're not my mother, now get out!"

"Oh don't be such a blonde," the First snorted, then it's body shimmered reforming into Jenny Calendar.

"Look Buffy, you're upset and rightly so, because everyone's turned their backs on you...including your Watcher. You've lost Angel to both of your so-called friends, you've lost Spike to what used to be your little sister and to that ex-wussy Watcher of yours, so I KNOW you're hurting. Maybe it's time for you to show everybody exactly what a Slayer does," it smiled evilly at her and began to talk.

And she listened. She tried to fight it, block it out, covering her ears futilely but the words wormed their way somehow into her head.

Dear God she listened to its mixture of truth and lies with fascinated eyes long into the night before it disappeared at the break of day.

And she knew what she had to do.