They were a very striking couple. Even in this crowd of raucous Carnival
dancers. The whirling colors and tall floats - fiery dragons and wispy
butterflies- swirled together in a myriad of hues. She laughed excitedly
and
pulled him through the crowd. He grinned and kissed her neck with a loud
smack. As the native drums overtook the writhing crowd, he pulled her into
a
rather naughty dancestep.

"You were right," she yelled above the din. "Rio is just the right place
for
us."

He grinned saucily under his shimmering make-up and face paint.  He was
lean
and tall, pressed against her body in all the right places. He was dressed
in white from head to toe, setting of his pale smooth features.. A set of
gauzy angel's wings hung from his back.  He caressed the sparkling red
devil's half-mask she wore. She wore a tight-fitting
devil's costume of red and black- a beaded red bustier teddy and black
tuxedo jacket. He jerked on her pointed red tail.  If only the people in
the
crowd knew the "ruby" choker she wore was set with real stones. She
laughed,
fingering the expensive present.

"What do you say we turn in, pet?" he yelled.

"It's so early!" she cried.

"Not for what I have in mind!" he grinned.

Willow grabbed his hand and led him back to the house they were renting.
They had been to so many places in the last few months. They bounced all
around South America- Mexico City, Buenos Aires, he had even taken her to
Lima so she could see Machu Pichu at night. But she was really beginning to
feel at home in Brazil. The air was always fragrant. And it was always so
warm, even Spike's cool skin felt human under this heat.

He kissed her wrist as they went up the walk.

"You look downright sinful in that outfit, Red," he whispered.

"I still think you should have been the devil," she said, pouting prettily.
"I wanted to wear the angel costume."

"Carnival is about illusion, sweet, not come as you are," he said,
unlocking
the door.

"Flattery will get you everywhere," she nuzzled his neck. Spike's head was
cocked as if he smelled something. He sniffed the air predatorily. "Spike?"

"Someone's here," he said, shoving her behind him.

"Rio's master?" she asked.

"He knows me, he wouldn't attack my house," Spike said, shaking his head as
he led her into the darkened house. This scent was becoming stronger and
stronger the closer he got to the house. It was familiar. So strong.

He grimaced as he turned on the lights. "Peaches."

Angel was sitting in the big comfy chair by the verandah. His feet were
propped up on their coffee table.

"Spike. Willow," he smiled and stood, straightening his wrinkled,
travel-worn clothes.

"What are you doing here?" Willow asked.

"I was in the neighborhood," he grinned sheepishly. Actually, he had been
tracking them for the last month. It sort of embarrassed him that he hadn't
been able to find them sooner.

"I see the soul anchoring worked," she said. He had probably been shagging
Buffy all this time. "Permanently."

He nodded. "You do good work."

"I take care of my friends," she shrugged non-commitally, but Angel could
see the way she was gripping Spike's hand. Spike was so torn. He was glad
Angel had least made the effort to come find her. Willow deserved that, but
he didn't want to give up his claim on the red-head just yet. He loved her
deeply, there was no doubt of that. But he knew that if Angel insisted on
his rights as her lifemate, as his childe Spike couldn't
protest.

(Please, not yet, Soul-boy,  Spike prayed. Just say a quick hullo and then
go prancing back to the Slayer. No need for poofs around here. We're doing
just fine.)

An eternity passed in a silent moment. Willow was the first to speak as
pulled her mask away.

"Angel, I'm not going to Sunnydale," she said, pushing him back into the
chair. "So if Buffy sent you, you can just go back to the hellmouthiest
place on earth and tell the Scooby Gang to stuff it."

"They didn't send me," Angel said. "I haven't spoken to Buffy in more than
two months. I came here to see you."

"Why would you want to see me?"

"Um, we're lifemated," Angel shrugged.

"I'm lifemated to Angelus, you don't have any responsibility to me."

(Atta girl, Red. Spike cheered. Make him grovel.) She and Spike had
discussed the specifics of her lifemating at length. Technically, she
belonged to Angelus, not Angel. She still had all the merits of lifemating-
immortality,eternal youth, but she could choose not to make a life with
Angel.  However, if he claimed her, Spike couldn't make a
move to stop him.

"Willow, I'm not here out of a sense of responsibility. I came here because
I want you. I remember every moment you
spent with Angelus as if it was happening to me. And Angelus was right,
you're the only person on Earth who gives both halves of me a sense of
peace. I was just blind to it, or turning a blind eye to it.
You satisfy my soul and my demon. Please-."

"I'm not giving up Spike," she said obstinantly. "Our being lifemated
-which
is up for debate- may bind me to you, but Spike's been the one that's cared
for me all this time. I won't leave him."

Spike squeezed her hand. (Thank you, pet.)

"I'm not asking you to," Angel insisted. "I missed you both. I want to be a
part of you both. I want to be part of your family. If you'll have me."

Willow took Spike's hand again. She stroked his fingers lovingly.

"It's up to Spike," she said, kissing his fingers.

"What?" Spike cried.

"WHAT-WHAT!" Angel yelped.

"Spike's never had a say in his love life, it's about bloody time he did,"
Willow said. "First you make him your little bitch, without his say-so.
Then
you bring Freud-girl into the mix, without his say-so. You get all souled
and leave him- with Freud-girl- without his say-so. And now you're trying
to
become part of his family. I think he should he should have some say-so.
Spike?"

"Well, I don't know, Red," he scratched his head and sat on the table
across
from Angel. He suddenly felt very muchon the spot. He wanted his sire back
in his b ed more than anything. But he didn't know how Angel would behave
when he had to share. And he didn't know if he liked this new Angel very
much, even if he seemed more of a combination of Angelus and the souled
poof.

"She doesn't belong to either of us," Spike said, leaning in close to
Angel.
"We belong to her. You may be her
lifemate, but she's my soulmate, got it?"

"Got it." Angel nodded slowly. He leaned closer, tentatively and brushed a
kiss across Spike's lips. Spike growled lightly and grabbed Angel's hair,
pulling him into a fierce kiss. He claimed his sire's mouth.

"Good," Spike grinned.

"Good," Willow said, tossing her jacket to the side.  She knelt between
Spike's knees, facing Angel. She kissed him,  pushing his jacket from his
shoulders.  "Then you can stay."

THE END (?)
 

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