Heading back to the hotel, he kept thinking about what he'd been told and the fact that he was going to have to go to Sunnydale. It always hurt so much to see Buffy, especially after the one day they'd had together. Then too, Spike was always near her. Angel was glad that Spike was helping to protect Buffy, but he could tell the blonde vampire cared more for Buffy than he was admitting. Ah well, time to tell Wesley and Cordelia that he had to leave for a bit.

He found them sitting in the hotel lobby, arguing as usual.

"If I can interrupt the two of you for a minute of business….."

Wesley and Cordelia fell silent, turned and looked at Angel.

"Rude much?" Cordelia asked him

"Not now, Cordy. I just found out some information about an artifact that's in Sunnydale. I've got to follow it up there to keep it out of demon hands. It's much too dangerous to let them get."

"Do you need our help?" Wesley asked.

"Yeah, but I need it here. While I'm there, I need you two to handle things here for me. I'll be leaving tomorrow night as soon as the sun sets. Right now, it's been a long night, and I'm going to get some sleep."

Angel headed up the stairs hoping he'd be able to sleep instead of worrying about seeing Buffy, or worse, seeing Buffy with Spike in tow. With a sigh, Angel undressed and crawled into bed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Giles heard a knock on his door.  Who could that be at this time of night?   Worrying that it might be Buffy, he opened the door.

"A-Angel! Hullo, what are you doing here? Is there a problem? Is Buffy ok?"

"Hello, Giles. May I come in?"

"Sorry. Of course, come in. Would you like anything?"

Giles had stepped back from the door so that Angel could enter. He'd never rescinded Angel's invitation, but the vampire always asked out of courtesy. Giles appreciated that from him.

"I'm sorry to bother you so late, Giles. But I had some disturbing information last night through one of the more friendly demon contacts I have in L.A."

"It seems that a group of demons are hunting an artifact called the Orb of Thelin. I don't know much about it other than 'whoever possesses it will have no enemies'. It sounds like it might be a rather dangerous weapon in the wrong hands, especially as we don't know exactly what it does. I was hoping you might be able to find some information on it in your books."

"I can't say it rings any bells. We can check up on it as soon as you need. Did you need to look now, or did you wish to get some rest first?" Giles was seriously hoping for the rest. He certainly needed some himself.

"No. In the morning is soon enough to look. I had a long night last night, didn't sleep well when I could finally get in, and then the drive here. I need some rest as much as you look like you do."

"Well, yes, actually, I was up late the last few nights, so sleep would help before we start looking if we have the time."

"I think we can take a few hours." Angel smiled slightly at the watcher.

"Well, why don't you take the guest room? That way when you get up, you'll be here and won't have to wait until dark."

"Thanks, Giles. I appreciate it. It's a shame Sunnydale doesn't have as good a sewer system as LA. Makes getting around a lot easier."

"Yes, quite. Well, good night, Angel. We can get on this first thing in the morning."

Angel headed off to the quest room, and Giles went to his own room. Both men were sound asleep in minutes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a few phone calls the next morning, the entire Scooby gang was in Giles's living room. All but Xander were pleased to see Angel again.

"So what kind of menace did you bring to brighten our day now, Dead-boy?"

"Hello to you too, Xander." Angel wearily told the brunette. "Buffy will be here shortly, then I'll tell everyone about the problem." He turned back to the book he'd been searching through.

Everyone just chatted quietly until they heard another knock at the door. Willow caught it, saving Giles from having to come out of the kitchen. It was Buffy and a smoldering Spike under his blanket.

"Will you bloody move, Slayer! I'm going to toast!"

"Spike, if don't stop pushing me..."

"Yeah, yeah, gonna stake me, right. Give over, Slayer."

"Well, if it isn't my wuss of a sire come to visit. Hard to tear yourself away, was it?"

"One of these days, Spike, Childe or not, I'll HOLD you for Buffy to stake."

"Oooo, can I watch!" Xander chortled

"Hi, Angel. How are you?" Buffy asked him in a quiet voice, laying a hand on his arm.

Angel covered it with his own hand. Even her touch hurt in his heart. "I'm ok, Buffy. You look tired."

"Yeah, a certain blonde idiot we both know wasn't a lot of help on patrol last night."

"Hey, Slayer! I held up my end of the job."

"Yeah, right up until the vamp tore your shirt."

"It's my bleedin' favorite shirt!"

"Spike, it's your ONLY shirt!"

"Well, that's why it's my favorite." Spike kept muttering under his breath about brassed off slayers.

Giles interrupted all of them to get their attention.

"If you could all stop snapping at each other, Angel drove up last night with a problem we all need to deal with."

"Of course he did. Dead-boy always brings us problems." Xander sniped back

Angel looked at Xander with his eyes yellow, "I've told you not to CALL me that!" he strained the words through clenched teeth. Spike was going to make him nuts. Buffy was driving him crazy just being so close and him not able to touch her. Xander he just really wanted to pound on for a while. Instead, he told them all what he knew about the Orb of Thelin, it's hinted at powers, and that there was a band of demons hunting for it on the outskirts of Sunnydale.

"Is it worth much? I do have to keep groceries in my 'fridge, you know" Spike asked.

"Spike, we're not going to sell it. We need to find it and keep it out of untrustworthy hands." Giles shot back at the blonde vampire.

"Yeah, well, I figured you could get a buck or two for it in your shop, Watcher."

"Spike, SHUT UP!" Angel and Buffy both yelled at him at the same time. They looked at each other. Angel looked a bit sheepish while Buffy just blushed.

"Angel, do you know where you need to look for the Orb?" Giles asked the older vampire.

"Not yet. I thought that Buffy, Spike and I could go patrolling for it and the demons after it. While you, Willow and Xander looked for more information on it."

"Research girl. That's me. I can do that. Right on it, Angel." Willow told him much too cheerfully for this time of day.

"Thanks, Willow."

"Buffy, Spike, we can leave, get to cover and start hitting the places we can now, until sunset. We need to find some trace of the demons that are after the Orb, so we can find the Orb," Angel was dreading having to be so close to Buffy, but he needed her help.

"Ok. Ready when you are. Brought tools with." Buffy told Angel. She was trying to be cheerful, but what she really wanted to do was throw herself in his arms. She knew she couldn't do that, knew he wouldn't let her do that. This was going to make her so wiggy! Then to have Spike along too! I swear, I will stake him before this is over if he doesn't shut up!

"Buffy, Angel, be careful and call if you get any further information." Giles told them as they were gathering up items and heading for the door.

"What, Watcher? You don't care if I'm careful or not?" Spike snapped at Giles.

"Ah, yes.. Spike, you be careful as well." Giles just shook his head as the two vampires and his slayer left his house.

"Alright, Willow, see what you can locate on that infernal machine. Xander, you can start on this stack of books while I go through these."

"Giles, it's still called a computer.." Willow teased the older man, as she got down to work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunnydale's sewer system isn't as extensive as the one in LA, but at least we can move around some now. Angel thought as they made there way through it. The three predators headed toward Willy's. The vamps and demons would often tell Willy things, so he was as good a place to start as any. As Spike started up the basement access of the bar, Angel stopped him for a second.

"Spike, go on ahead. We'll be up in a second. I need to talk to Buffy for a minute."

"Mate, if this is as bloody important as you say, now is not the time to be finding the Slayer's tonsils."

"I said TALK, Spike, that's all. Not that it's any of your business."

Spike shrugged, "Suit yourself. Acting like a bleedin' nancyboy all the time around her as it is anyway..." His voice trailed off as he complained while climbing the ladder into Willy's.

"Angel, I don't think we should be doing this." Buffy was clearly nervous about them being alone.

"Buffy, I meant what I said. Just talk. I don't trust Spike to find the Orb before we do. There's no telling what he might do with it. I just think we need to keep a close eye on him."

"Oh." Buffy replied quietly and softly. Even though she was anxious about being with Angel, some part of her really did want him to kiss her."

"Yeah, I don't think we should trust Mr.-I-need-all-the-money-I-can-find, up there either. We'll just make sure we get it first."

She headed for the ladder up into Willy's.

Angel reached a hand toward Buffy, only to let it fall back to his side.

"Buffy. This isn't any easier for me than it is for you."

"You chose to leave me, Angel. Not the other way around." Buffy told her ex-lover in a hard voice as she climbed up the ladder.

I didn't want it this way though, Love. Angel wished he could tell her what she had forgotten; what the Powers That Be had erased from their lives....

But he didn't dare. He knew how hard it was for her, for him, just having to work with each other. He didn't need to tear them both apart talking about it.

He started up the ladder with a heavy heart.

Spike was questioning Willy when Buffy and then Angel appeared at the bar.

"Great! Now I got all three of you to beat me up today. " Willy complained as Spike held him by the shirt collar.

"You don't have to get beaten up at all, Willy, just tell us what we need to know." Buffy told him in that very sweet voice she often used before she kicked someone's ass.

"So, Willy.... Who are these demons looking for the Orb? What does the Orb do exactly?"

Angel asked the bartender in that deceptively quiet way.

"Angel, long time no see. Why not keep it that way?"

Willy suddenly found himself in the grasp of two vampires in full game face as well as a very angry slayer.

"Why don't you just tell us everything and maybe you can keep all your arms and legs?" Buffy snapped back into his face."

"Hey.. Ok.. Ok, Just don't tell anybody where you got the information,"

"See, a couple of Varden demons came through here last night. Seems they left their buddies on the outskirts of town looking for some artifact while they came back to town to get something to snack on. They were talking about your Orb.” “They said that  whoever had it wouldn't have any enemies any more. That's all I know, Honest!"

"What does a Varden demon look like and what do they consider munchies?" Buffy asked, as she pulled Willy closer over the bar.

"They eat people, who ever they can get. Winos and such. The Varden are kinda gray, have a big horn on their nose, smell really bad."

"And how many of their bud's did they leave behind, Willy?" Spike demanded in a snarl.

"I don't KNOW!" the bartender was starting to squeak "Maybe six, or maybe thirty. They wasn't being clear about it!"

Angel leaned over to Willy's neck close to his ear and said very softly to him, "Where outside the city?

"East, over toward Linder Ridge!!!, That's all I know guys, Honest!"

All three of them turned Willy loose and he fell back across the bar onto the floor.

Then they headed back toward the basement access.

"Thanks, Willy, See you later." Buffy sang out to him, as if they hadn't been threatening to maim or eat him just a few seconds earlier.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back down in the sewers. They stopped to plan their next step.

"Ok, Angel, where to from here? Do you know anything about these Varden demons?"

"Not much Buffy. We can check over toward the old factory, around the area of the Bronze. Anywhere that the demons might be able to grab someone and take them to eat in peace."

"Oh, goody! We can just wander around like idiots ......."Spike growled at them.

"Well, Spike-y, if the fangs fit...." Buffy shot back at him and giggled.

Spike continued as if she hadn't spoken, "...while they find the Orb. I could get something for selling it, you know! And DON'T call me that!"

"God, Spike, you are so mercenary!  We're trying to protect people here, not make a few bucks for YOU!"

"You forget, Slayer, I'm not in this for your bloody 'cause'.  I'm in it for a nice spot o'violence and a bit of change.  Beer and cigs aren't free, ya know."

"Stop yelling at Buffy. Besides, I think a few people across town didn't quite hear you well enough. Are you trying to tell everyone where we are?!"

"I'll yell at the Slayer if I want, you wanker. You two aren't being so bloody quiet your selves."

"Jealous much, Spike?" Buffy snapped at him

"Not of you, Slayer, that's for bloody sure. It's enough to make a bloke bleedin' hurl to watch you two make sickenin' eyes at each other!"

"Can you two children keep it down to a mild roar please?" Angel snarled at them

"We won't be able to hear a thing if you keep that up!"

"I don't see you ignoring his taunts either, Angel." She turned on her heel and stalked off.

"Buffy...."

"Where are you going?"

"Where you said, Angel. Where they could grab people and hide to snack..." She kept walking.

"See, now you've gone and got the Slayer brassed off at both of us. ‘S what you get for calling her a child."

"Shut up, Spike, before I rip your tongue out." Angel stalked off after Buffy.

"Bloody Sod! Bleedin' cow-eyed wanker chasin' after the Slayer...." Spike kept up a litany of complaints as he followed the Slayer and his sire.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The three of them had walked quite a ways through the underground channels without seeing or hearing anything other than an occasional rat. Up ahead, Buffy thought she heard a scuffling noise. She grabbed both vampires' arms and motioned for them to keep still.

"I hear'em up ahead. Willy wasn't puttin' us on. They stink!" Spike said very quietly to them as he wrinkled his nose at the odor.

"I smell them too. And wish I didn't" Angel agreed with him. "Let's go quietly and see how many there are before we attack them."

Buffy and Spike agreed. Angel led the way. As they got to the bend in the tunnel, Buffy could smell the over-powering stench of the demons. She covered her nose with her hand and made a face, exclaiming a silent  "Eeeewwwwwh!"

Angel only saw two of the demons. He pulled his companions back a few feet and pulled them both closer, whispering to them.

"I only see two of them. Even with three of us, we should be careful. We don't know how they fight, how strong or anything else. Buffy do you have enough of those knives for each of us?"

"Yeah." She whispered back, reaching in the bag to hand each of them a knife about a foot long. They were more like a short sword than a knife really.

She put the rest of the bag down carefully so it made no noise, and they advanced on the demons ahead.

They rounded the corner of the tunnel and Buffy and Angel each attacked a demon. Spike flitted back and forth between each of them wherever there was an opening. They had their hands full kicking, punching and stabbing at the demons.    Their hide was gray, as Willy had told them, but very thick, almost like a rhinoceros. They needed to subdue the demons instead of killing them. Questioning a dead demon was the hard way to get information.

After several minutes, the Varden were injured enough to be held by Angel and Spike while Buffy tied to pound information out of them about where their companions were, and how many of them there were, as well as any information about the Orb.

They were getting no where fast.

"Oh, Bloody Hell! You STINK, mate, now tell me where they are!"

"No information. Not tell nothing!" The Varden Spike was holding replied.

Spike was really pissed by this time and looking to kill someone. Thinking the stinky demon would do just fine; he twisted the Varden's neck and almost ripped his head off.

"Now, unless you want the same thing. Start talking!" Angel told the one he was holding.

The Varden couldn't talk fast enough! He told them where the caves where, how to get there, what the Varden knew about the Orb. Unfortunately, that wasn't much more than the three of them had already gotten from Willy. They still had no more idea about how many of the Varden were in the caverns. It seemed that Varden didn't count. They knew one, two and many.

Angel snapped the neck of the one he was holding, dropping him to the ground. Buffy cut the heads off of both of them for safety.

"Ok, We have to go call Giles and tell him what we know."

"We don't know bloody hell to tell him, Slayer."

"Maybe not Spike, but we have to tell him what we DO know."

"Damn it all to hell and back! If we don't hurry, they're gonna get the bleedin' thing before we do."

"Been there, done that, no thanks." Angel muttered under his breath.

"Spike! Buffy needs to call Giles. Besides, he may have more information for us by now. And getting to a phone means maybe we can get to a shower to get this stink off of us." Angel argued back.

Oh, alright. If I can get this stink off of me."

They came out of the tunnel close to Buffy's house.

"I didn't know they came up there."

"How do you think I used to get to your place so quick sometimes?" Angel smiled at her.

Buffy started to smile back, then caught herself.. "We are SO not going to do this."

"Sorry." Angel apologized. Damn it! She'd just started to relax a bit around me and I reminded her again of what we can't have, damn it!

"Angel, you go call Giles, I'll catch a quick shower in my bathroom. Spike, you and Angel can use Mom's shower. She's not home. I'll look and see if I can find non-stinky clothes for both of you. We can throw those in the washer and leave." Buffy ran up the stairs to her room and closed the door. She hurried through a quick shower, and with the towel wrapped around her, quickly searched through her clothes. She found a tee shirt and a pair of jeans that Xander had left last week when he and Wil had been over and he had spilled ice cream all over himself. She and Willow had giggled a lot seeing Xander having to wear a set of Buffy's sweats home. Xander's now clean ice cream-less clothes would fit Spike.

She knew where clothes were for Angel too. Although she hated to even think about it.

He used to leave a set of clothes there in her room, in case they got gunked up like now when they were out slaying together. She got them out of the bottom of a drawer, from the back. Then she dressed quickly heading down the hallway to her mom´s bathroom.

She laid both sets of clothes on the floor outside bathroom door and knocked on it. Then headed downstairs where she heard Angel still on the phone with Giles.

By the time she got to the kitchen, she heard Angel giving Giles a cell phone number.

Cell phone? When had he gotten a cell phone?   Buffy thought, but was interrupted before she could ask him, by Spike coming down the stairs already dressed and his demon-stink clothes wrapped in the towel he'd used. He held them out in front of himself to keep the smell away. Buffy took them and threw them in the washer downstairs in the basement, along with her own, added the detergent and started it filling.

"Tell the Watcher that if it gets too close to dawn, I have a hide out close by there. We can go there for the day.” Spike took the phone. "Get showered and hurry up." He told Angel turning back to the phone to give Giles directions to where his place was out close to Linder Ridge.

"Angel, I left clothes outside Mom's bathroom door for you. They're yours from....." Buffy's voice trailed off and she turned around, hugging herself so Angel couldn't see the tears start to fill her eyes.

"Thanks, Buffy. Um, I'll hurry. Bring these clothes back down to wash?"

"Uh, yeah, wrap them in the towel like Spike did. Don't have to touch them that way."

Angel hurried up the stairs, as Spike hung up the phone.

"Gettin' all teary eyed, luv?"

"Leave me alone. Spike." She walked away into the other room.

"Bleedin´ Sod of a wanker. Going and leavin' her like that. Makes her useless every time he shows back up."

Spike went out the front door to have a smoke while he waited for Angel to finish. By the time he'd finished his cigarette, Angel was changed and back down. Buffy had pulled herself back together. She took the clothes from Angel threw them into the washer, closed the lid, ran back up the steps, and grabbed the weapon bag.

"Ready to go?" Buffy asked both Angel and Spike.

Angel just nodded and took the weapon bag from her. Spike headed for the door.

"'Bout damned time."

"Spike, can you just stop complaining?" Angel asked him.

"Gives me something to do." Spike shrugged as he headed out. "We'd better hurry. We have a long way to go before dawn.

"Angel, did Giles have any new info on the Orb?"

"Nothing yet, Buffy, but they're still looking.  Willow is tracking an obscure article she found at a Wizards Website that she thinks might refer to it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

For a while, the three hiked along quietly, each involved in their own private thoughts.

Angel couldn't get the words of a song out of his head. He'd heard it for the first time after  that day, now when he was depressed about the situation between he and Buffy, he'd listen to the CD. But he'd done that so much that he could hear it even without the CD, just play it back to himself in his head. He wished right about now he could make it stop.

It's daybreak
And you are asleep
I can hear you breathe now
Your breath is deep
But before I go
I look at you one last time
I can hear a heartbeat
Is it yours or is it mine
I look at your lips
I know how soft they can be
Do they know what they wanted
The times they kissed me
And your hands
I held in mine
Now they're reposing on the pillow
Will they ever miss me sometime

Memory was certainly a two-edged sword. Angel sighed to himself, especially when you were the only one that remembered.

Buffy was involved in her own thoughts. She had had a nagging feeling since she went to LA to see Angel last time, that there was something important she ought to know. She could forget it most of the time, yet when he was right there, as close as he was now, the feeling came flooding back to her. One of loss, of indescribable sadness, mixed with unrestrained happiness. It was so confusing!

"No, don't EVEN go there again, Summers." She muttered under her breath.

Spike, walking closer to her than Angel, heard the breathless admonition to herself.

"Not gonna' cry on us again, now are you, pet?" He knew she didn't want his sire to know how turbulent her thoughts were, so he spoke very softly to her.

"Leave me alone, Spike. Shut up and leave me alone!" Buffy pulled away from his vicinity to walk ahead of both of the vampires. One that aggravated the hell out of her and one that she'd sent to hell. How fitting! That's my life all over!

What neither of them knew, were Spike's thoughts. More confused then normal; they churned through his head, bouncing from one idea to another. He was very glad his sire had no clue what he was thinking. He was equally glad the Slayer didn't know either. Spike didn't know which one would try to beat him up the most.

Slayer's got no right to look so bleedin' cute all the time. Even cute when she'd brassed off at'em. Wasted on that poofed up nancyboy of a sire he had. Too broody to see what was in front of him. If I had the Slayer like that, I'd not be off and leavin' her. All she ever does is threaten me, beat up on me, can't see what's in front of her bleedin' face, she can't. Wonder what that Orb is worth? How can I get it from the two of them? If I can sell it, maybe I can get a few bucks to help me find something to get the Slayer to care about me. Or just take it and leave. That'd show the wankers.

Spike could tell that Angel was jealous of the time HE got to spend with the Slayer. It gave him ammunition to irritate his-oh-so-irritating sire.

The mis-matched trio walked like this unaware of the woods around them. It was a thick dark night, feeling like warm black velvet wrapped around them. The air pulsed and breathed like a living thing, the trees whispering among themselves as the three walked through it unheeding. Occasionally the clouds would part letting silvered shafts slip though to the ground, touching one or the other of them, highlighting a face or body in harsh contrasts.

The night and each other's nearness ate along their nerve endings until they were oozing sensation. Tension bit at each of them like a knife,

"How much further do we have to walk before we find this cavern?" Buffy snarled at the others first.

"I told you it was a bleedin' long way. But you had to stop to shower and use the phone." Spike snapped back at her.

"No one forced you to shower, you could have just stunk like you were." Buffy's sweet voice was showing again.

"Made it a bit nicer for the all of us that we washed that stink off." Angel mumbled at his childe

"And now, I get to put up with you two wallowing in your can't-haves . "

"You sound jealous, Spike. That's NOT a good idea." Angel snarled at him. What had he been doing with Buffy when there was no one to watch him?

"Neither one of you has any right to be jealous at all concerning me." Buffy turned on them, taking her frustrations and hurt out on the two vampires.

"Just trying to look out for you, Luv."

"Why Spike. That even sounded nice. What's wrong, your venom level too low?" Buffy lashed back at him.

"See if I get bloody concerned about you again!"

"You better stay concerned enough to watch her back!" Angel was starting to get a bit louder.

"Now who's trying to tell all the demons around that we're here? Want to say that a bit louder, Angel? Some of them might have missed hearing us."

"Sorry, Buffy. I'm just... Never mind."

"Bloody toff!" Spike was mumbling again.

"Quiet! We're almost there. We need to be listening for those Varden and not them listening AT us." Buffy shushed the two men.

As they rounded one last clump of trees, there was the opening to the cavern they were looking for in front of them.

"OK, quiet now. We don't know how many of them are in there. We've got to find them, get the orb and hurry.. We don't have a lot of time until dawn. We'll be lucky to get to Spike's place before sunrise." Angel told them, before they entered the cave.

"We need to find them, and keep the orb from them if they don't have it. If they do, we need to take it away and make sure it doesn't get activated."

"What activates it, Angel?" Buffy asked him very seriously.

"I'm not sure, Buffy. We just need to be sure that we don't do anything to it or let them do anything either."

"Got it. Do nothing. I can do that. Or not do that. You know what I mean!"

"Yeah, I do." Angel smiled at her

"So how will we know if they have activated it or not?" Spike was serious for once.

"If we don't want to pummel them senseless, they've activated it." Angel replied a bit tersely.

"Right. Well, off we go now."

The three of them entered the caves. They had to work with just the existing light from outside and the small spaced torches the Varden had placed in the walls of the cave. Fortunately all of them had good night vision, although the vampire's vision was better.

"Buffy, I'm going to change to my demon face. I can see better that way. Spike, you change too." Angel whispered to them. "Stay between us, Buffy if you're having a problem seeing."

As they slipped quietly through the cavern, the heard noises up ahead. The demons were not being as careful about sound. Then too, they had no reason to suspect they were being spied on. As Vampires and Slayer approached the sound, around an outcropping of rock they saw six more of the Varden trying to get something out of the wall of the cave.

"Look's like they found it. "Buffy barely breathed the sound.

"They're pulling something out of the wall. We have to get them before they get away with it." Spike started silently toward them.

The trio managed to get right up behind the demons before they were discovered. They jumped the Varden, fighting hard. Hopefully, now that they knew how to kill them, the fight would be short. It was too much to hope for.

The Varden fought like demons possessed. Angel managed to disable one immediately. Spike took the head off of another one with a vicious swing of the short sword. The other four had attacked Buffy. She was fighting with all her might as Angel and Spike each grabbed a demon, leaving Buffy to kick and punch at two more.

As the Slayer killed one of her two demons, Angel and Spike finished off theirs.    All Three of them quickly subdued and killed the last of the Varden. Then quickly dragged the bodies further into the cave to rid themselves of the stench of their vanquished foes.

Finally they could see what this artifact was they had been fighting for! A small but beautifully crafted box of exotic woods lay on the floor of the cavern, partially covered in a dirt clogged rotting cloth. They could tell it was banded in what appeared to be gold, silver and copper. The top of the box showed a very beautiful and ornate glyph or sigil.

Spike leaned down and picked the box up, removing the dirty wrapping. As he started to open the box, Angel quickly protested.

"Spike, stop! Don't open it! We don't know what it might do or what will activate it! We can't take that chance."

"Are you turning into the wuss again, Angel? After all this, don't you think we should at least see if we have the bleedin' right thing before we scurry away with it? What if it's not and we leave the right one here?"

"Angel, Spike's right this time. We should check it to see if we have the real thing."

As they all started arguing about it, Spike was carefully opening the box, unnoticed by Buffy and Angel.

"We don't know what it's suppose to look like, How will we know if it is the right one or not?"

"I don't know, but we need to check the bloody thing!"

"What if opening it activates it?"

You and your bleedin' 'what-ifs'. Angel...I should..."

"Just try it, Spike...."

"SHUT! UP! NOW! I swear I'm going to stake both of you just co I can get some damned quiet!" Buffy screamed at them.

The two vampires looked at her with shock and surprise on their faces!

Spike had the box open but had not removed the light pink orb from the box. As they all glared at each other, they were engulfed in a blinding bright pink burst of light. It felt like it went through their skin. It was bright enough that they thought they should have been burned inside and out. Yet, that wasn't what they were feeling.

Dazed, and confused, Spike slumped down against the wall, setting the box containing the orb on the floor of the cavern. Angel leaned against the wall and slid down it like pudding sliding down a wall. Buffy had covered her eyes, and slumped heavily between the two vampires.

"W-w-what was that!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Giles, I think I found something!" Willow almost shouted, as she jumped up from the computer. She grabbed for the printer to get the file she had just printed off the Internet.

"Let me see it, Willow." Giles told her, reaching for the paper.

"I don't know Giles, the actual spell or curse or whatever on the Orb is in a different language. You can translate it, can't you?"

"I don't know until you let me look at it, Willow." Giles admonished her.

"Oh, yeah, look. See. Read. My bad. Sorry."

"Yes, I know. It's very late, or very early. We're all tired."

"Well, not Xander. He's sleeping." They both looked at the sleeping form on the couch

Giles and Willow tried for the next hour to translate the actual spell on the Orb, but to no avail.

"Giles, let me do a quick translation spell on it."

"Yes, I think that might be needed. We're getting no where here and it's sunrise already. I only hope that they all have made it safely to Spike's hideout." Giles muttered to himself as Willow grabbed the paper and ran off to the other room to do the translation spell on it. Giles walked wearily down the hall to help her if she needed it, and if he had the energy to do so.

Half an hour later, they both looked in shock and horror at what the spell actually said!

It seems that the wizard who created the orb, had had a very unusual sense of humor. This was his idea of a practical joke! The spell was worded that  He who posses the Orb, shall have no enemies.  It was set to automatically activate whenever the orb senses any strong negative emotions within its range, which was stated to be approximately 1/2 mile if it was outside or unless stopped by something like rock walls. Then the force would be contained in the area of the orb. Once the orb was activated, it 'removed' the possessor's enemies by simply strengthening any existing feelings of friendship or love. If no such inclination existed, the orb would create it. The people affected by it would immediately become best friends, or lovers to those around them, depending on their particular orientation. The exception was the person who was actually holding the orb in their hands at the time.

Xander woke up and had come down the hall to hear the last portion of the translation.

"Giles... Buffy, Angel, Spike.. If the orb activates on it's own if strong negative emotions are around it...." She had shock on her face.

"Then with those three together, as soon as they find it, it should get set off in about two seconds." Xander finished up for her.

"Oh, dear lord! We have to find them before they find the orb! I hope it's not too late!"

Giles, grabbed the translated paper, his jacket and car keys and rushed out of the house to the car, followed closely by Willow and Xander.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy and the two vampires were dazed and felt limp. They also felt a bit odd...and happy!

"Angel, I'm sorry, I yelled at you. I didn't really mean it. I've - I've just been frustrated about all of this. I'm Soooo glad to see you." She flung herself into his arms and hissed him soundly. "I apologize, Angel."

"Buffy, it was all my fault, I was the one who upset you. I need to be the one to apologize" He kissed her right back

Buffy and Angel both felt hands on Buffy's back. Spike had crawled closer to them, trying to hug them both.

"Slayer, I'm the one that can't keep his bleeding' mouth shut. I shouldn't irritate you like that."

Buffy had turned to look at Spike as he started talking to her. He leaned over and kissed her deeply. She started kissing him back just as deeply.

Angel took Spike's arm. “Spike, my childe, I always yell at you. I just want you to be strong and ok. I don't mean to upset you. I'm so sorry." He tried to hug Spike through Buffy.

"No, No, It's my fault for getting' you riled up. I'm sorry, mate. I'll try to do better" He tried to hug Angel back with Buffy still between them.

Ummmmmm. These nice male chests rubbing against me. I could get to like this.

Buffy thought as she reached up to put a hand on both of them.

"Oh, sorry, luv. I didn't mean to squish you that way." Where upon Spike promptly leaned over to kiss her again.

"It's all my fault again, Buffy. I'm the one trying to smother you." Since Spike was kissing her lips, Angel started kissing her neck and nibbling on her shoulder and back up to her ear.

Spike could feel himself getting hard and he really wanted to apologize to Buffy even more. He was attracted to her and every time he came near her he insulted her instead. He really needed to make up for that.

"Spike, do you honestly mean that?" Buffy looked up into his face.

"Oh, I didn't know I'd said that out loud. I was thinkin' luv."

"But yeah, I mean it. I thought it, didn't I?"

Buffy threw an arm around Spike pulling him closer. Angel put a hand on her shoulder.

"I just get so upset because I can't be with you, Buffy and give you what you need, what we both need and want. So we argue instead. I'm sorry, Honey. I'll try to do better."

"Angel, I know you care. So do I. I just take my frustration out on you when I should be glad you're here." She put the other arm around him and pulled him closer.

There they sat on the floor of the cavern in a warm wiggling vampire/slayer pile, hugging each other, snuggling, kissing, nibbling... all in the name of apology.

Angel and Spike looked at each other.

"Do you smell what I smell?"

"Yeah, mate. I think the Slayer wants a bit of action about now. I'll go ahead and take her to my hideout, while you take the box to the Watcher."

"No, Spike. I'll take her to the hide out; you take the box to Giles. I DO love her, after all."

"It's my hide out, Angel. And I love her too. I should take her"

"Guys, guys..." Buffy pulled them both back down to her. "I love both of you. We can't go to Giles right now, sunrise is too close.'

"Besides, "she smiled wickedly at them both, "I'm the Slayer, you two are only vampires. I'm taking BOTH of you to the hide out with me. There is enough of me to go around. Besides, I can probably wear BOTH of you out before I'm finished."

"Now there is a challenge I can't resist, Luv." Spike starts to pick her up in his arms.

"I'll carry her Spike, you get the box with the orb." Angel said, trying to take Buffy from Spike.

"Guys, we can get there faster if we all run. Let me grab the box and then each of you take one of my arms and helps me along."

They agreed and each of them leaned down to kiss her once more, as they tried to walk out of the cavern.

The smell of dawn was not far away, so they ran to Spike's hideout, each of them hanging onto Buffy's arm helping to pull her along. Buffy held on to the box and planned what she was going to do with these two gorgeous, sexy hunks of vampire she had in her hands. Or was about to have in her hands, she snickered.

They ran as the sky gradually began to lighten. They had to stay ahead of it!

"Up around this next hill." Spike told them.

As they rounded the hill, they saw a small two-story cottage. They could tell from the outside that Spike had previously placed blackout curtains over all the windows. They stumbled on to the porch, Spike tipped a large planter over to reach under it, and pulled out a door key. He unlocked it as Angel held Buffy, caressing her arms and back.

Once the door was open they all hurried inside.

The cottage had a small but nicely furnished living room, with a small breakfast nook off to the right, then through that to the kitchen. On the other end wall, in the living room was a large stone fireplace, complete with a nice stack of firewood in a box next to it. Straight through the living room from the front door, was a set of stairs.

"The bath and the bedrooms are up the stairs." Spike told his two friends.

"Oooooo! Bath. Shower. Sounds good. Why are we still down here with it up there." Buffy sat the box with the orb on the breakfast table and headed for the stairs.

"We'll help you wash all that nasty demon stink off, Luv." Spike started up the stairs behind her.

"Let me wash your hair for you, Buffy. I've always wanted to do that." Angel headed toward the steps, shedding his shirt as he went.

There was a trail of clothes from just inside the front door, leading up the steps all the way to the bathroom. It was two very naked and very aroused, vampires that followed an equally naked Slayer into the bathroom. Three sets of hands tried to turn on the water, as two sets of them also tried to stroke Buffy while she was trying to stroke them. Finally they managed to get the shower going, amid much laughing and giggling.

It's a good thing it was a garden tub in that bath, for suddenly it had two very male vampires and a small Slayer in it, all trying to get under the water and all over each other.

Spike grabbed the bottle of body wash and squeezed out a generous handful. It wasn't the vanilla Buffy normally used, but it smelled nice and he just knew once he had it all over her, she'd smell good too.

Hell, she always smells good, even sweaty and grubby.

Angel grabbed the shampoo and once they had gotten Buffy wet all over from the shower, each of them proceeded to lather her all over. Angel washed her hair as she groaned in pleasure with the double onslaught against her senses as Spike rubbed the soap all over her back, over the tight cheeks of her butt, down her legs massaging them as he went.  Angel finished soaping her hair, running his hands through it and moved down to caress the front of her body with his soapy hands.

Buffy turned and reached out, pulling both of the men against her, rubbing her body against them, one in front of her, one behind her. She'd kiss one, then the other, exploring their mouths with her tongue as they explored her body with their hands.

Her hands were equally as busy, sliding across two hard chests, all soapy; down to grasp two firm hard cocks.

Angel and Spike groaned deep in their chests as Buffy whimpered.

They all moved and turned under the water washing the soap off of them, helping remove it with their hands. It was getting in their way!

De-soaped, they gabbed towels and assisted each other to dry off. But Spike and Angel used their mouths to help dry Buffy as much as they did the towels. She leaned over and licked the water off of one hard muscular chest, then did the same to the other, grazing small male nipples with her teeth.

Spike swept her up in his arms, carrying her to the bedroom, as Angel threw the covers off the bed. Buffy was laid in the middle of the large bed and quickly found a very aroused vampire on either side of her.

Angel was in front of her kissing her mouth so deeply that he would have found her tonsils, had he been looking for them. Instead he was seeking her tongue, to suck on, nibble, tug at her lips, explore ever crevice of her mouth with his and start all over again. All the while, his hands were kneading her breasts, rolling the nipples, and gently tugging on them.

Spike was behind her, licking a fine line of fire down her neck and spine, nipping the uppermost shoulder along it's length, pausing his tongue over the beating, throbbing pulse in her neck, caressing the feel of the warm, powerful blood rushing beneath her skin. Nibbling his way back up to the tender spot behind her ear and back down again. Hs hands were reaching down to the wet warmth of her, running through the slickness of her body, Each touch bringing her close and closer to a nerve shattering edge.

She as busy running her hands, one in front of her and one behind her, over their bodies, down to the hard erections prodding her, slipping the soft satiny skin back and forth on them, feeling the slickness at the opening of each tip, Sliding that slickness with her fingers down the shaft to the most sensitive area, gently rubbing it.

They couldn't tell who was moaning at what and just didn't care. The sounds all ran together, interspersed with growls and purrs from the two very masculine vampires. Both of them loved this warm burning woman between them and were going to make the most of it. The only desire they had was to please her and make up for all the anguish, irritation, pain and worry they had individually and together, inflicted upon her.

Buffy loved both of them, and was determined to show each of them just exactly how much she loved them

Angel licked his way down Buffy's stomach to her curls, finding Spike's fingers already there. Buffy grabbed Spike's hand, bringing his fingers to her lips. Sucking her own juices off of his fingers, as Angel nuzzled his lips and tongue into her warmth.

Spike stroked her throat, working his way down to her breasts.

It was overwhelming to Buffy's senses, to her sensitive nerve endings and with a shudder through her entire frame, she arched back into Spike grabbing his lips with her own, just as Angel had her other lips. She cried out into Spike's mouth as she flooded Angel's with wetness.

Angel turned her over onto her back completely, pulling her down to ease his length into her. Spike moved up closer to her head as she was gently but insistently tugging him closer so she could take him in her mouth. Spike moved carefully so as not to choke her, while she relaxed her throat so she could take more of him. She couldn't get close enough to him. Angel was thrusting in and out of her. She wanted more of him as well. She wanted to be so close to both of them that she could physically be a part of them as she was emotionally, and they of her.

They all moved together, instinctively knowing the rhythm they needed. The sensations poured over them like scalding liquid, fire bit along their skin. Their skin felt too tight, too confining. The energy between them rose up and crashed down over them like a wave, sweeping each of them along with it. Spike cried out, filling Buffy's mouth, as she swallowed every drop of her lover she could get.

Angel arched back and filled her with his cool semen. She came over and over, each orgasm running into the next, carrying her away in the arms of the two men she loved more than life itself.

Angel collapsed against her. Spike slid down to curl up closely on her right side. None of them could stop touching the other, even spent as they were for the moment.

Angel cupped her face, "I love you, Buffy. I've always loved you, I'll never stop loving you."

"You know I love you, Angel. You are my first love. I'd give my life before I'd let anything happen to you. I never want to every have to hurt you again. I love you."

Spike nibbled on her ear and purred at her as she and Angel declared their love.

"Slayer.....Buffy, I love you. I adore you, every inch of you. I love watching you. I'd give my life to protect you. I've wanted so much to tell you that I love you."

Spike, I love you too. I've wanted to hold you, to be with you, to tell you I love you. It would kill me if anyone hurt you, I love you so much."

Angel and Spike clasped hands on Buffy body. “I love you my childe, I've always been so proud of you. I'm so glad you can make my Buffy happy."

"OUR Buffy. I love you too, sire. I've always looked up to you and been proud of your line. You know I'll always take care of our Buffy, our little Slayer."

They each leaned down and kissed her again.

She pulled both of them to her as they purred against her and told them gently but passionately, voice husky, "You're both MY vampires. No one had better ever hurt you. I love both of you, I need both of you."

Being claimed by her was too much for them; both men were hard again with her words. New positions were found, more pleasure was had and was given, each of them trying to love this woman with every ounce of themselves.

A couple of hours later, they all laid again in a big 'puppy' pile, cooing, purring, completely sated.... At least for the moment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Giles had driven to the caverns. They went inside with their flashlights, calling and looking for Buffy, Angel, and Spike. But all they found was the dirt clotted cloth that had been around the box, a hole in the wall of the cavern, and further back, a pile of stinky, but very dead Varden demons.

They rushed back out to Giles' car and headed toward Spike's hideout.

"Oh, bloody hell!" Giles exclaimed.

When they arrive at Spike's, several hours after sunrise, panic rode in the car with them. Willow had tried to call Angel on his cell phone repeatedly, getting no answer.

They all rush up to the door of Spike's cottage and Giles knocked on the door. He kept knocking and knocking frantically.

Finally the door is thrown open by Buffy. She's wearing what appears to be Angel's shirt. Or almost wearing it. As Giles and Willow and Xander step into the darkened living room, they see Spike and Angel fastening their pants as they come up behind Buffy, each of them then putting an arm around her and leaning closer to her.

"B-B-Buffy, Angel, S-Spike, are you all ok?" Giles peers at them anxiously.

"Giles, we're just wonderful. It was so sweet of you to come check on us!" Buffy gushed.

"We tried to call Angel's cell phone all the way to the caverns and then here, but got no answer. We were worried." Willow exclaimed.

"Oh, I think it's somewhere over there." Angel waved at the trail of discarded clothes.

"Aw, Wills, you knew I'd be ok. I have my two best vampires with me." Buffy wrapped herself around Willow in a huge hug. Spike and Angel had released Buffy to hug Giles and Xander, and then trading placed to hug the other one. As Giles and Xander were each drawn into an embrace by first Angel and then Spike or vice versa, their heads started to spin from shock. Buffy released her best friend and as Willow tried to recover from the un-Buffy like hug, She was caught up in Angel's arms and bent backwards and thoroughly kissed, as he explored ever inch of her mouth. Xander looked on shocked, mouth partly opened, when he felt himself grabbed and soundly kissed, Buffy taking full advantage of his parted lips to plunder his mouth with her own. As soon as Angel released Willow, she almost fell, but Spike caught her and pulled her into an equally passionate kiss.

Once Buffy released Xander, she launched herself into her watcher's arms, plundering his mouth as well, reaching down to grasp his buttocks, pulling him closer to her, finally releasing the startled man.

"I've wanted to do that for a while." She told him with a glint in her eyes.

Spike and Angel wrapped themselves back around Buffy, nuzzling her and purring.

"A-a-ah... ah, I see you found the Orb. It obviously still functions well, and although I don't think it will harm anyone, I'll take it with me for safekeeping." Giles told her, picking the box up from the table and tucking it under his arm... He wanted to get it as far away from the three of them as possible.

"Oh, don't leave, guys. Stay here with us for a while." Buffy pleaded, pouting.

"W-we must assure your mother that you are alright, and put the Orb away, Buffy."

"I'll see you at my house, later?"

"Yeah, Watcher, We'll bring our little Buffy over there later. But we think we'll keep her for a while longer right now." Spike muttered because he was kissing Buffy again, making it hard for him to talk.

"She'll be fine with us here, Giles. We're not really ready to leave just yet.” “Besides the sun is still out." Angel said as he stopped licking Buffy's neck long enough to speak.

"Wil, you and Xander can stay with us...." Buffy told them, very distractedly.

"Ah, I can't Buffy... Tara, you know?"

"And Anya..."

Giles led Xander and Willow out the door as he closed it behind them. Willow heard Buffy tell Angel and Spike, "I'm hungry, guys. I want a vampire sandwich."

"What's a vampire sandwich, luv?"

"You know take one vampire, top with slayer and then another layer of vampire...?"

All three of them laughed and headed back up the stairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Giles, that was like. Wow. So very wow!" Willow said dreamily. "It might have been really interesting to stay, don't you think, Xander?"

"Ah, Yeah. But I don't think Tara or Anya would have ever forgiven us, Wil."

Quietly she heard him say "And I won't forgive me for not staying." then he sighed.

"Giles, They were, I mean Angel, ah, do we have a problem later?"

"No, Xander, the magick of the orb will keep Angel from losing his soul, as will the weight of the guilt he bears regardless of what he is doing currently."

"Uh, Giles....?"

"Yes, Willow?"

"Is there an antidote for that thing?"

With much suffering in his voice, he replied to her, "No. No, there is not.” “However, the effects will wear off in about 72 hours. Thank goodness!"

He reached up and touched his lips, shaking his head as he drove away.