****

"So, this is Sunnydale." Buffy said as she peered out of the window of Giles' apartment.

The town they had driven to was bigger than Faith described. From what Faith had told her, she expected to see a series of broke down shacks, and a couple of cows. Truth was, it wasn't that bad. It was a nice suburban town, and it had its possibilities.

"In a nutshell, B." Faith said.

"Cool," Buffy moved away from the window, "So, what's the dire?"

Giles cleared his throat, "Ah, it would appear that there is some sort of government military base. They are very accurate in their hunting, and take down sorts of demons back, to a lab that has no location at the moment."

Buffy frowned and looked at Angel. Then to the group, "Translation please?"

Xander frowned, "Don't look at me, I don't speak Giles."

Willow sighed, "Big army camp. Commando looking dudes capture demons to do experiments on `em. They taking `em back to the camp, and we don't know where that camp is,"

A round of "Oh"'s sounded.

"All we know is, that the comando's could possible be college students," Giles said, glancing over his notes, "Ah, have you spoken with Wesley?"

"I called but all I got was his machine," Buffy said, "I left a message."

"I might need a second pair of eyes for this," Giles sighed.

"I'll explain the rest," Faith said, "Basically, there's this guy, Riley Finn, Wills, Xand, and me have seen him around the college campus with a bunch of army guys. I was out hunting when I recognized his voice." Faith sighed, "I can't belive that I was almost intrested in that guy,"

Willow frowned, "Its okay." She latched her hands with Oz's, "Me and Oz have been searching all over the net. We've tried to figure out a location and our strongest guesses are that these military guys are some where near the college."

Oz nodded.

"Okay," Angel said, "Faith, you take Xander, Oz, and Doyle with you. Search around that area." Faith nodded, gesturing for her team to follow her as she headed out the door, "Cordelia. I want you to stay here with Giles and Willow and try to find any information you can," Cordelia nodded.

Willow raised her hand as she set up her lap top computer, "Uh.. Angel? What are you going to do?"

"Buffy and I are going to pay a visit to a very old snitch,"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When Angel and Buffy entered the bar, Willie looked like he was about to jump out of his skin. He glanced around at his cutomers, squirming even as he started to wipe down the counters.

A few demons and vampires had turned toward Angel, then started to leave immediately. Not wanting any trouble from the master vampire.

"Hey!" Willie said loudly, "Its Angel. I-I didn't hear you come in..."

Buffy glanced around the room. Demon bar... she thought, well, nothing I haven't seen before... `cept the Gary Oldman record....

"I need some information," Angel said simply.

Willie stuttered, glancing around at his customers, "I... uh.. I don't know anything..."

Angel sighed, "It involves human demon hunters. The ones that have been taking away your customers."

Willie sighed, "I don't know if I can do that, man."

"Either talk, or get your ass beaten down by Angel," Buffy said sweetly, stepping up to the bar and standing next to Angel, "Pick one."

Willie eyed the girl, "Who are you?"

"I'm the Slayer," Buffy said bluntly, "Y'know, the one from L.A.?"

At that, three more demons left. Buffy blinked. She knew she recognized one of them.

"Slayer from L.A.?" Willie repeated, "Oh, I heard a lot about ya. About the demons ya slayed and that nest of--"

"Willie," Angel interrupted, "Tell me what I need to know...."

Willie sighed, glancing back from Slayer to vampire."Okay," He took a breath, "Word on the street is...."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Faith walked along the path near the college. The others close behind. She had sworn she heard something.

"Did you hear anything?" Xander whispered.

"Shh!" Faith moved closer to the trees... and frowned... there was something up there, "Oz. Turn your flash light on there."

Oz did as she asked and she gasped at what she saw. A demon, nailed to a tree, his insides torn apart as if he was a frog in biology. Quickly she and the others turned away. Not wanting to look at the horrible sight any longer....

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Where is she?" Wesley asked as he burst through the door of Giles apartment. When he had gotten Buffy's message he had held his breath the entire ride here. His concern for his charge ran deeply within him. And he could not help but feel helpless as he drove.

Giles looked up from the computer Willow was busily typing away at. He sighed, "Wesley. Do not worry. Buffy is alright. She is with Angel. They are searching right this minute."

"Oh, thank God," Wesley sighed as he moved toward the older Watcher, "Perhaps now you can explain to me what's going on."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Angel hurried in as fast as he could. He kept Buffy's tiny frame as close to him as possible. She was so cold... He entered the mansion, bringing her shivering form onto the bed. She sat up, her arms wrapped around her body.

Willie had squeled about the new demon... or rather, 'creature', known throughout the community as 'Adam'. He told them about how Adam had been created by some military base known as the intiative. He had told them that Adam was a mixture of things he didn't quite
understand. Adam had some strange parts to him. Demon, human, and robot. A very lethal combonation.

Together, vampire and Slayer went in search and hunted down a vampire who worked with Adam. It had taken some time, but Angel finally gotten the vamp to crack, and he spilled all that he knew about Adam. From there, the couple went off in search of Adam..... and had barely escaped with their lives....

This is all my fault... Angel thought as he placed Buffy onto the bed, watching her shaking form. Adam had surprised them both. He was stronger than Buffy had expected, and because of that she had been hurt. Adam had sliced Buffy's shoulder blade when she had been
distracted. The cut was no longer as bad as it had been, but it scared Angel to think of what Adam could have done to her.

When Angel had escaped with Buffy in his arms, he had headed to the closes place possible. The mansion. It had started to pour not too long after he had made his escape and Buffy's soft whimpers as the rain touched her wound made his heart ache.

Buffy watched Angel hurry away from the room. Getting a first aid kit from the nearby bathroom. He was so tense, rigid and worried. "Angel," Buffy whispered, "I'm fine, really."

Angel came back into the room. He glanced down at the first aid kit in his hands, then at Buffy. "That doesn't make me feel less worried about you,"

"Angel," Buffy said, "I'm fine. Just... come sit with me?"

Setting the first aid kit aside, Angel moved to her, and briefly stood before her. He bent down in front of her, his eyes leveled with hers. He leaned forward and their foreheads touched. Buffy sniffed.

"I almost lost you," Angel said in a thick voice, "I... I don't know what I would have done if I had..."

"Shh," Buffy muttered, "You didn't. I'm right here."

"But the thought of los--"

"No," Buffy whispered, drawing back so she could look at him, "You didn't lose me. You'll never lose me. I'm here. With you. We're together, right? Nothing can change that,"

Angel shook his head, "Nothing."

The both breathed. Enjoying the feel of one another. Of being so close. Angel brought his arms to her back, bringing her body closer to him as she twined her arms around his neck. Shyly, she kissed him. Sweetly and soft. Wanting nothing more than to kiss his sorrows away.

The kiss grew as Buffy drew Angel onto the bed, moving back so he could lay with her. "Buffy--" Angel broke away, "Are you--" "Yes," Buffy whispered, already knowing what he was about to ask, "More than anything, yes."

With that, Angel kissed her again, and lost himself within her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Where are they?" Faith asked.

She was surprised that she was still functioning. Usually, if she had been up for twenty hours straight she would have crashed and burned by now. But she was too worried about her sister Slayer and vampire friend.

Almost everyone had fallen asleep. The sun would be rising in less than two hours, and Buffy and Angel still didn't check in. She glanced at tje sleeping bodies. Xander had fallen asleep with Anya, though Anya was awake, just trying to fall asleep. Willow was in the same situation with Oz, while the two Watchers had fallen asleep while reading.

Willow frowned, "I dunno. We're all worried, Faith,"

Anya rolled her eyes, "Oh, c'mon!"

The other two girls stared at the former Vengence demon, as she continued, "The only reason we're so worried about them is because we wanna see Angel again."

"What the--"

"That's not true--"

"Please." Anya sighed, "Angel was wearing that outfit that we all voted on as the hottie outfit, now can you all deny that?"

Willow and Faith shared a look, then answered, "No."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy moaned softly when she felt a sudden cool breeze touch her skin. Shivering a bit, she curled up against the body she layed next to... naked?!?!

Buffy's eyes shot open, panicking until she recalled the previous events, and smiled softly to herself. She snuggled deeper into Angel's chest, enjoying the feel of being so close to him. She
couldn't remember the last time she felt so... loved.

She lightly trailed her fingers along his torso under the blanket. Loving the feel of his smooth skin. She continued on until she felt a soft nudging against her forehead.

She moved her gaze from her hand under the blanket, and looked up to see Angel's face, a smile playing on his lips. Buffy returned that smile, shifting to look at him better, "Hi."

"Hi."

Buffy brought her hand up to his chest, "Mmm. That was nice."

Angel laughed softly, "Yeah. It definetly was."

"I..." Buffy shifted again, so she layed across his chest, her forehead directly in front of his, face to face, "I wanted to say that, um... that I, well, it was more than nice and that I've never
done--"

Angel silenced her babbling with a soft kiss to which she eagerly returned. Without warning, Angel touched her tickle spots and she screamed/laughed into his mouth as he brought her down to him once again. Tackling her with his fingers and his mouth.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Mmm," Buffy smiled as Angel entered the room with a large tray of breakfest. "This looks good,"

Angel smiled as he leaned forward and kissed her on her forehead. She was blanketed with the bed sheet and nothing more. While Angel had dressed in a pair of boxers and a red satin robe. "Well," He handed her a piece of toast, "I'd figure you might need some nurishment. After all," He moved to sit next to her, "you did have a hell of a work out."

Buffy shoved her elbow into him playfully as she chewed her toast up, "You are quite the cocky little vampire with a soul after sex, aren't you?"

"I can be more so," Angel said as he started to kiss her shoulder and down her back. Buffy moaned, "You're not playing fair." She grumbled as she finished the toast, "I'm trying to eat and your....."

Angel laughed softly as she arched against him, "Maybe you should finish breakfest before we do anything--"

Before Angel could finish, Buffy had launched herself onto him, kissing him sweetly and accidently kicking the tray off of the bed. Angel didn't seem to mind.

They continued happily kissing. When Buffy's hands reached the inside of Angel's robe, the phone next to the bed rang. Angel moaned, resisting Buffy and looking at the phone, "Why does this always happen?"

He leaned over and answered it, holding the phone to his ear while his other hand stayed at her waist. "Hello?"

"Angel!" Cordelia cried, "Oh, thank God! What the hell are you doing there?! I mean, I knew you'd probably go there, but God! Its the mansion! The only good things there is that fire place and--"

"Cordelia." Angel said, hurriedly as Buffy rained small kisses on his neck, her hands trailing over his shoulders and into his robe. "I'm here with Buffy. We're both safe."

"Yeah, well, that doesn't help much," Cordy huffed, "Do you know how worried I've been! I mean, Doyle had to fight me in order to stop me from hunting you down! God, you big vampire jerk!"

Angel sighed. He wasn't quite sure if it was because of Cordelia's rantings, or the fact that Buffy had moved to sit in his lap and was now kissing his chest. "Cordy, are you done?"

"Yeah, yeah," Cordy sighed, "Oh, and by the way. We need ya down here fast."

"What's wrong?"

"Y'know, big evil thing cuts up demons like bio frogs, the usual. Get your undead buns over here!." With that, Cordy hung up.

Buffy frowned as she took the phone from his hands and set it back down, "What's wrong?"

Angel laughed softly, causing Buffy to lift a brow. "Did you just lose it?"

He shook his haad, "No. No, its... almost every time I want to be closer to you, the damn phone rings."

"Something bad happen?"

"They need us back at Giles," Angel sighed, as you stood up and offered his hand to her, "We better get ready."

Buffy made a tiny whiney sound, "Do we have to?" She got up on her knees, wrapping her arms around his neck as she purred, "Its so much nicer right here..." She kissed him and he groaned.

He pulled away, shaking his head, "C'mon you little vixen."

"But its day time," Buffy pointed out.

Angel sighed, "I know. We're gonna have to use the sewers."

Buffy made a face, "Eww. How are you suppose to get into Giles' place?"

He sighed, "He has a basement that's connected to part of the sewer system. I built it a while back when we had to meet at his place."

"Oh." Buffy said.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Where have you been?!" Cordelia cried, running toward her boss and embracing him in a tight hug that would have cut off a human's breath. Angel gave Doyle a look, and quickly he grabbed Cordy and dragged her away, "She's been a lil' stressed. With you two disappearin' and all."

Buffy smiled at Angel tightening her hold on his hand. She gently pulled him toward the heavy drapped window and sat him down on a chair. She, then, took her place in his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she joined his hands, "Are you alright?" Wesley
asked. "Wes," Buffy said surprised that he was here so soon, "I'm fine."

"Yeah," Faith started, "where were you two?"

Buffy and Angel exchanged a quick look, then set their gazes back to the worried group of people, "We were at the mansion," Angel answered, we ran into some trouble. Buffy got hurt, and it was the closes place I could get her to."

Angel heard a familiar laugh and groaned when his childe came out of the kitchen, holding a mug that was filled with blood and.... wetties?

"I bet," Spike snickered.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Xander asked, confused.

Spike rolled his eyes, "Please tell me your not *that* blind." The others just stared. "They bloody shagged!"

"Spike!" Angel snarled as Buffy blushed, hiding her face in the crook of Angel's neck.

"Well, its true," Spike said, "I can smell her all over you and you on her." He sipped the blood from the mug.

The room was now filled with some slightly embarrassed looks, awkward stares, and a snickering vampire. "Oh, this isn't embarrassing at all," Buffy murmured into Angel's neck.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I can't believe it," Faith mused as she walked beside Buffy.

The sun had set not too long ago, and after Angel had told Giles about Adam, he and Wesley had decided to research a bit more and wanted Buffy, Angel and Faith out that night. Angel had told her to stay with Faith while he went to check out the sewers. She had reluctantly agreed.

Buffy rolled her eyes, "Yes, Faith. I made love with Angel." Buffy made several grunting noises to emphasis it, "Why is it so hard to believe that I'm not a virgin anymore?"

Faith laughed, "But, B. This is you." She pointed out, "The girl who wouldn't open her legs for anyone. Not even Pike,"

"How is Pike anyway?" Buffy asked, changing the subject, but Faith caught onto what she was doing.

"No, no, no," Faith shook her head, "This ain't about me. Its about you and that vamp boyfriend of yours getting it on. So, tell me, what was it like?"

"Faith." Buffy chided.

"What?" Faith laughed, "C'mon. Tell me. What was it like?"

Buffy sighed, "One word? Perfect."

Faith nodded, "Perfect. Wonder what that's--Duck!"

Buffy did, watching from her crouch as Faith sent a vampire away. She hurried toward him, ready to deck him as Buffy got back on her feet. She was about to help Faith when a large hand clamped down around her neck.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Did you find anything?" Oz asked as he gently stroked the back of Willow's back. She had been working hard on the computer, trying her best to learn about this, "Iniative" base. It was confusing and her  eyes were blurring up.

Willow sighed, "I don't know. I just keep getting a bunch of serial numbers,"

"Cryptic?" Oz asked.

"Who knows," Willow sighed, her head falling into her hands.

"Its okay," Oz said, gently stroking the back of her head, trying to calm her done. She had been working so hard, "Why don't you take a break. I cand handle it."

"Are you sure?" Willow asked.

"Yeah," Oz said, nodding, "I can."

Willow sighed, getting up and giving her boyfriend a brief hug before moving to the couch to rest her weary bones.

Oz was about to start figuring out the codes when Faith came storming in. Everyone was alarmed at the sight. Her clothes were tattered and drenched in blood. She had many bruises up her arms and face and a fat lip. She looked exhausted.

"Faith!" Willow shouted, "Oh my God... are you okay?"

"What happened?" Xander asked.

"Ambush." Faith grunted, "Adam..."

Every ecxchanged worry glances as Giles and Xander moved to help Faith into the bathroom to clean up. Willow reached for Oz's hand, nervous about her friends state, and worried for antoher, "Hey! Where's Buffy?!"

Faith let out a muffled cry, "She... Adam.... he's got her.. I dunno... I dunno what he wants with her...."

"Oh God," Willow hugged onto Oz, "Oh God..."

Cordelia exchanged a worry glance with Doyle and shuddered at the thought of what Adam could be doing, "What are we gonna do Doyle?" Cordy asked, "Adam's a big curious boy scot demon! What if Buffy--"

"Shh! Nothing's gonna happen 'Delia." Doyle gave her a short kiss, "We gotta find Angel."

Just then, Angel walked in, "Find me for what?"

Everyone looked at him, pain and worry evident in their eyes. "What? What's wrong?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy groaned softly as she felt herself being carried. She opened her eyes and found herself tied, and being carried through a sewer. She tried to will her heart to stop pounding against her chest, but it refused to listen to her.

"You don't have to pretend," Adam said from a head, "I know you're awake."

Buffy swallowed hard, "What do you want with me?"

"Simple. I want to know how you work. So, I plan on going back home." Adam explained.

"Home...??" Buffy started.

"Yes." Adam said, "Back to mother."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Its no use trying to find `er, peaches." Spike said, stopping Angel in his hurried tracks across the park, "She's as good as dead."

Before Spike could even blink, his feet was off the ground and Angel held him up by his neck, "Listen to me, you perioxide scum-sucking ineffective vampire!" He gave a sharp squeeze to the said vampire's neck, "If you ever even speak in such a tone about her, I will cut off parts of you, that you and I both know, won't grow back!"

"Guurrlk!" Spike answered before Angel sent his body flying into a tree trunk. Spike got his bearings back together, and sent his sire a nasty look, "I was just saying..."

Angel squinted down at him, "You know where she is, don't you?"

Spike tensed up a bit, but kept his cool, "Maybe I do... maybe I don--"

Angel growled.

Spike sighed, "She's in an ol' army base. Under the park....."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Ow!" Buffy cried as the vampire dumped her onto a dentist-like chair. She glared at the vampire, who simply sneered in return. Adam spoke up, "Leave us."

Buffy frowned, "Okay robot wannabe, what do you want?"

"To study you," Adam replied simply. Buffy's eyes widened while Adam looked over the chair and commanded, "Tie her down."

Out of no where, to arms clamped down on her arms. She was shocked to see a see a science person, and a young African American. Both, seemed dead, their faces as well as bodies, without a doubt, in a horrid display of distorted features and stitches.

They moved, holding her down with twice her own strength before clamping menacles onto the arm rests and around her wrists. She gasped, struggling against them, but they held her down to strongly.

Adam looked over at his two assitences, and gestured for them to hurry and work. "Why me?!" Buffy demanded, "Why not some one else?"

"You are this... Slayer?" Adam said, recalling the name, "Are you not? Why not study a being that has more power in itself than a normal human? Don't you think it would be intresting to find out the way you work?"

"Why me, though? Why not Faith?" Buffy asked. Adam had been in Sunnydale for months... hadn't he? Surely he would have heard of Faith first?

Adam laughed... if it was a laugh, "Ah, yes. That, other Slayer. She is no concern to me. She'll be dead in no time. The girl is unprepared, and no where near facing death. Unlike you who has died and lived again."

"Okay, so I've faced death and I'm still living... so what?! It doesn't make me any more special than anyone else!" Buffy shrieked even as Adam approached her, the long spear immerging from his wrist....

Then her eyes widened in shock at the long sword that pertruted from Adam's chest, a strange green substance staining the sword.

Buffy nearly screamed when he suddenly fell to the ground, the sound of curcuits buzzing loudly as Adam's body jerked wildly. Standing with the sword, her knight gazed at her worriedly.

"Angel," Buffy sobbed, wanting to jump into his arms, but couldn't. He quickly used the sword, breaking the menacles in a few quick movements. Once she was free, Buffy jumped into his arms, even as he peppered tiny kisses on her forehead, "God... Angel... I was so
scared..."

"Shh..." Angel said, "its alright. I'm here now. That's all that matters. Sshhh... please Buffy, don't cry...."

"I love you." Buffy said.

"I love you,"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

5 months later.....

Buffy and Angel laid on the sand, the moon blanketing them in a soft glow. The soft waves of the beach was their music as they enjoyed the night.

"Angel?" Buffy whispered as she peered up into the night.

"Hmm?"

"How long do you think the moon's been up there?" She asked.

"I don't know how to answer that Buffy." Angel chuckled, tracing a red plush rose over her bare shoulders.

Buffy swatted his chest, wiggling her arms as the rose tickled her, "Really, Angel."

Angel paused, "Forever."

"Forever," Buffy echoed before looking up at him, "Just like us."

Angel smiled, leaning toward her face and kissing her lovingly. Once the kiss broke they returned to their original position. Not too long after, Buffy spoke up again, "Angel?"

"Hmm?"

"The moon's been around forever, and we'll be together forever." Buffy's hand wondered from his chest, "How long do you think we could....?"

Before she knew it, Angel was above her, grinning at her, "I wouldn't say forever... but I can say that it can last as long as you can hold out."

Buffy giggled, "In that case...."

She drew him down to her, kissing him until their thoughts disappeared.

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