Riley and Buffy shut the door behind them. "They make a cute couple."

Buffy smiled up at him. "Yes, they do and they both seem happier than I can remember ever seeing them."

"So, this is a good thing, right? You’re not upset."

"Of course not. As long as they don’t make me a fashion victim by putting me in one of those ugly bridesmaid dresses. You know, like something that’s lime green with a big bow on my butt?"

"No tacky dress. Got it."

"I am starting to get a little bored though. Where the hell is this ghost?"

"It could be shy, staying away from the humans."

"I guess we’ll wait and see. So, do you know a cure for boredom?"

"Well, we could continue where we left off?" He put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "What do you say?"

"I could be talked into that." She kissed him on the mouth. "That sounds like a great idea actually. I don’t think I could take any more surprises tonight."

Angel and Spike had vamped out, unable to control their anger. Willow backed away from them, coming to stand beside Xander who trembled in his hastily thrown-on, rumpled clothes. "Willow, come here, luv. Get away from that wanker."

"No, I love him!" She shouted petulantly.

Xander pushed her from him. "No, she really doesn’t!"

"Don’t push her!" Angel snarled.

Willow, starting to enjoy herself, looked her best friend tearfully. "Y-you don’t l-love me, anymore?" Maybe you shouldn’t have kicked me out of your room earlier, eh Harris? The panties had probably slipped out of her bag, it was an added bonus. She tried to catch Xander’ eyes with her own, to coax him into playing along, but he was studiously avoiding her gaze. Willow had no fear of the vampires, they couldn’t hurt a human. "Did our lovemaking mean nothing to you?"

"Lovemaking!" He turned to the two vamps, eyes wide and earnest. "No! No lovemaking took place! Not even some likemaking."

"Your going to pretend nothing happened?" Willow promptly burst into some convincing crocodile tears. Unable to help himself, Spike strode over and held the crying redhead. Couldn’t stand seeing her cry.

"No! Nothing did happen. I promise."

Spike held Willow ‘s underwear for Harris to see. "Then how did these get off of her body?"

"I don’t know." Xander said miserably.

"How could you use her like that?" Angel said angrily. "If I didn’t have a soul, I’d probably kill you." Of course, he probably would have killed Willow, too and most of the Scooby Gang along with her. But that wasn’t the point!

"If I didn’t have a chip, I’d kill you."

"Get out of here, Harris. Go find your girlfriend."Xander flashed Willow a hurt look and dashed out into the hallway.

"Anya was here when you found my underwear?" Willow said, looking to Angel.

"Yes, she saw the whole thing."

"Oh Goddess!" Willow buried her face in Spike’s neck. "I’m a terrible person."

"Don’t be silly, luv. You’re a very good person. Though, you have bad taste in human men. He’s very ugly."’

Angel walked over to the redhead and lifted her chin. "How could you do this to us? I love you." His eyes were filled with tears, his rage spent.

"Oh no." She was unable to meet his eyes, ashamed that her wounded pride had make her act so rashly. "I, um, I may have, uh, lied."

"I know you lied to us. Having an affair with Xander behind our backs." Angel said bitterly.

"No! I lied about sleeping with Xander."

Spike snorted, he figured out what the chit had done. He’d be damned if he’d make it easier for her though. "If I slept with Xander, I’d lie about it too."

"Gross! I really didn’t sleep with him! That would be like sleeping with my own brother."

"You lied?" Angel said, still skeptical.

"Yes, the panties must have slipped out of my bag when I was here earlier." She turned to Spike. " And I only told you I loved Xander because you were being a big, macho vamp. Trying to tell me what to do."

"So, you never shagged Harris?"

"No."

"Good. I kind of like that wanker."

Willow beamed. "I like him too." Her face fell. "Oh no, Anya. I need to go explain. Again."

Angel shook his head. "No, let the boy explain. You’re only liable to provoke her now, she was very angry."

"I guess so." Willow mumbled, still worried.

Angel pulled her from Spike’s arms into his own. "It’ll all work out. Don’t worry. And don’t do that to me ever again. There will no more lies between us, darling."

"I promise." She leaned on her tiptoes and gave him a lingering kiss. She got a wicked smile on her face. "Do I really get to have you both?"

"Yes, pet. Looks like it’s the three of us. Like those poncy blokes with the swords and the horses!"

" The three musketeers?" Willow said, fighting down a laugh.

Spike nodded. "Only without the poofy names." He nodded to Angel. "Well, except for him." Angel scowled, but there was humor mixed in with it.

"Are you um. . . alright with this?" She looked from one to the other. "You guys were so angry at each other."

"We came to an understanding." Angel said. "We’d rather have part of you than none at all."

"Did that ‘understanding’ involve twister?"

Angel grinned. "Spike and I do not have a sexual relationship. We have a blood bond, more important than family. He’s my childe and I love him."

Woah! Angel loves Spike. "Not in a sexual way?"

"No, pet. There’s no sex. Unless. . .?"

"That’s okay. " She blushed furiously. "Do you love him?"

Spike cleared his throat. "He’s my sire."

"But do you love him?"

Spike looked at Angel. "Yes, I bleedin’ love the sod. Now, let’s stop before we have a ‘kodak moment’, alright?

"That’s so sweet!" Willow cried, happy that no choice had to be made. She could have them both. The two warring parts of her heart could be stilled. She could have them both.

"It’s not sweet. I’m a vampire, pet. I don’t do ‘sweet’."

"I know, you’re the ‘big bad’." Willow grinned, then her face fell. "What about Buffy?"

"She’s not in love with me,"Angel said.

"No? Well, I suppose not. But, how are we going to tell her?"

"I have no idea." Angel admitted. "We’ll figure out a way to tell her. Together."

Willow looked at Spike. "She’s not going to be happy with us together either."

"Then we’ll kill Slutty and then we can–"

"Spike!"

"Alright, luv. No killing the Slayer."

She turned to Angel. "What about your soul?"

She was pretty sure, Angel would be blushing had he not been a vampire. "Well, it’s not likely with all three of us there. It was the ‘afterglow’ that got me the first time, not really the actual sex. And. . .I hadn’t made love to anyone in a hundred years. Besides, if I lost the soul, Spike will be there to protect you. You can chain me up and give me my soul back."

She bit her lips. Chains in the bedroom? "How would that. . .uh. . . work?" Angel and Spike suddenly got some very wolfish looks on their faces.

"Would you care for a demonstration?"

Willow felt her mouth go dry. "I might like that."

"I can guarantee you will." Angel said, his voice throaty. They began to stalk her. "You know, between the two of us, we have over three hundred years of experience."

Willow fanned her face. "Goddess, help me."

Anya clutched her sheet closer to her body. "Damn human emotions. If I was still a vengeance demon, I wouldn’t get into situations like this. I wouldn’t care so much and I wouldn’t get so upset that I leave before putting on clothes. I so do not miss the toga fashions. . ." She continued her tirade as she stalked down corridor after corridor, trying to find the way out. She saw French doors at the end of the hallway. They seemed to lead out to a balcony. Maybe she could take a look around and re-orient herself. Or, maybe the balcony wouldn’t be high off the ground and then she could just hop over the rail. If she could hang onto her sheet.

Opening the doors, she discovered a man leaning over the rail, his head in his hands. "Oh. I’m sorry. Don’t mean to intrude." She looked closer. He was really upset. "You’re not going to jump are you? Because it’s not much of a fall from here. You’ll probably only manage to break something."

The man turned with confused eyes to look at the girl. Something about her was very familiar. She looked like somebody he had known back when he used to hang out with Ripper in his London days. She was staring wide-eyed at him, too. Damn, who is she?

"Nigel?" She croaked. He was the only man who had ever tried to call on her. She had explained, kindly, at the time that she only catered to females. He had been so charming, that she had relented and only threatened him with syphilis if he ever tried again. "What have you done now? I knew I shouldn’t have let you off that easy."

"Anyanka?" He croaked. "Who? How? Why?"

"Long story." She grimaced. "Out with it. What have you done now?"

"It’s Gabriella, she left me–"

"Again? I can’t believe you’re still with her. You need to find somebody else before you’re wrinkly and old. You don’t have that much time left . . ."

"I know. I just . . .love her so much." He started to cry. "I summoned this ghost to scare her boyfriend away, but something went wrong. It ran into some sort of protective barrier and now it has focused its attentions on me!"

"Well, you are a great big idiot and you deserve it." She said calmly.

"You have to help me!" He pleaded.

"I already told you, I don’t help men."

"Oh no, by the Gods. Why are you here? You’re here for me, aren’t you? She figured out what I was trying to do and she summoned you." He sank down into a pitiful heap on the floor. "Please don’t! I’m hurting enough, surely you can see that."

"All I can see is that your face is all drippy. Get up." She waved her hand impatiently. "We have to figure out how to get rid of this ghost before he hurts my friends."

"Friends?" The man looked her over more carefully, a devious gleam entering his eyes. "Where’s your amulet?"

Xander trudged down the hallway, eyes downcast. Why did Willow keep doing this to him? He hoped Anya would forgive him. Again. Maybe she would. She’d said something about jewelry and chocolate. And groveling. He could do that, anything to get her back.

He heard someone else’s footsteps behind him. "Willow, I’m not in the mood to speak with you right now!" Xander yelled, turning on his heels to face her.

No one stood behind him.

Xander’s heartbeat picked up as he whirled around and walked faster down the hall. The footsteps continued to echo right behind him. Then he heard a moan, and it wasn’t a sweaty fun time sound. It was loud and dark and right over his shoulder. "Xander. . ." The voice called.

Xander kept walking, the footsteps kept coming. "Go away!"

"I can’t. Come here." The voice said.

Xander steeled himself. "I grew up on the Hellmouth. I grew up on the Hellmouth. Whatever you are, you can’t be that bad. " He repeated as he turned to face his tormenter.

But it was that bad.

‘We’ve got to find room." Buffy said hoarsely.

"We will." Riley kissed her again, backing her against the wall.

Buffy fumbled with the doorknob next to her hand, twisting it quickly as Riley continued to kiss her. "I want you so much." She whispered against his mouth. The door opened and the two of them, still pressed against one another, went inside. Their hands pulled at each other’s clothing.

"Omigoddess! Buffy!"

"Willow!"

"And Riley!"

"And Angel!" Riley looked confused.

"And Spike! Spike, Willow, and Angel! Eww!" Buffy clapped her hands over her eyes.

"Slayer and G.I. Joe." Spike said by way of a greeting, lighting a cigarette. Willow was next to him and Angel was on her other side. The all had their shirts off and clutched the covers to their chests.

"Buffy, I didn’t mean for you to find out this way."

"You mean this isn’t some spell?" Buffy asked plaintively. "Spells make everything understandable. There should be spells, dammit!"

"Buffy-" Angel began.

"No, I don’t want to hear it! You’re here because of Willow. Scary ghost my ass!"

"You knew he was here?" Riley shouted. "And you never told me?"

"Yes." Buffy said wincing. "But nothing happened. As you can see, he’s shacked up with Willow." She said nastily.

"Well, I can understand that. You should have seen that green silk number she had."

"What?" Buffy, Spike, and Angel cried.

"Hey! What are you talking about?" Willow shouted at Riley. "You’ve never seen me in that!"

Riley held up his hands. "No, it fell out of her overnight bag."

Spike and Angel narrowed their eyes at Willow. "Lot of that going around, eh pet?"

"It really did fall out of my bag!"

"It really did!" Riley backed her up.

The Slayer stared at her boyfriend and her best friend. She believed them both, though a small part of her remembered earlier in the year when Riley had found the witch so interesting and intelligent. She needed reassurance."You both swear that nothing happened?"

"Nothing happened!" They both confirmed.

"Buffy, let me explain about this." Willow offered, gesturing to the bed.

"Did you sleep with him?" She looked fearfully at her ex-boyfriend. He didn’t appear to be Angelus.

"If you’d kindly get your skinny arse out of here, we’d be only too happy oblige your request." Spike knew he was courting a stake to the chest, but bloody hell! He’d been halfway there! Did she have any idea how long he’d been waiting?

"SPIKE!" Buffy, Angel, and Willow exclaimed.

"What about your soul?" Buffy said, concerned.

"It’s not going anywhere." Angel said, truthfully. Between the three of them they’d be safe. "We’ve worked out a plan."

"A plan?" She said sarcastically. "Last time Angelus got out, he decided to suck the world into Hell. Hope you’ve got more than just a plan."

‘We could give you details, pet. First, we’ll chain soulboy to the bed, and then Red and I will–"

"That’s enough! I get the picture."

"Really, Buffy. It’s unlikely he’ll resurface. It was the ‘afterglow’ when we made love that did it. I felt so peaceful, content with the world." He stared at his wayward childe. "It’s impossible to feel that way around Spike."

"So, the problem is fixed. . .and you didn’t come to me? I thought you loved me!" Buffy wasn’t really still in love with him, her vanity was hurt though.

"Hey!" Riley shouted.

"I’m sorry, Riley. I care about you, halfway in love with you, as a matter of fact. I just thought that I was special to him." Her eyes shown. The soldier pulled her closer in his embrace.

"You are special to me." Riley said, kissing her deeply.

"Hey, we didn’t ask for a bleedin’ peepshow! Get your own room, Slayer!"

"You don’t love me anymore than I love you." Angel said calmly.

"I know." Her eyes flashed as she took in Spike. "What about him?" She looked at Willow. "Why would you date a demon?"

"Because of my fabulous blue eyes and I’m a bloody ‘demon’ in the sack." Spike said snidely.

"SPIKE!" Willow, Angel, and Buffy cried.

The Slayer looked at Willow. "Two of them, Wills?"

"She had some other naughty things in that bag." Riley offered. "Never figured you for a bad girl." He said to Willow.

"Because I’m not!" Willow cried. Spike and Angel growled at the soldier.

The Slayer looked at the two vampires. "Hey, are you two. . .?"

"No!!" The two vampires blurted.

Buffy pressed her hands to her head. "Alright, I was just asking. Geez, take it personally. Forgive me for thinking you might be having sex when you’re naked and in bed together!" They stared down, crossing their arms over there chest. "This is just too weird. This has to be the worst day ever. Did you know that my mom and Giles were together?"

"Caught them kissing once."

"Kissing? Well, I saw the whole show." She shuddered. "And why you didn’t tell me about this earlier?"

"Figured it was band candy." Or alcohol. Or weed. Giles struck her as a reformed drug user. Buffy nodded, having at first coming to the same conclusion when she saw them earlier.

"Is this a phase?" Buffy asked looking at the three of them.

"I don’t think so. I’m sorry if it upsets you , Buffy."

"Maybe you’re more like your vampire self than you thought."

"Hey! That’s not nice!"

The Slayer grinned, finally accepting this. "Neither am I."

"You’re not gonna stake Spike?"

"Nope, he’s flaccid, remember?"

"Bloody hell! Come here, you little tart, I’ll show how just how‘flaccid’ I am! I’d put your little soldier boy to shame!"

"Spike!" Willow, Angel, Buffy, and Riley cried.

"You bet your arse it is. A bloody big one, too."

Buffy looked like she was going to be sick. "We’re gonna leave now."

"First smart thing you’ve said since you got here, chit."

"You hurt her and I’ll make you a pile of dust and sweep you into ashtray." She looked over at Angel. "That goes for you, too. This is my city." She grabbed Riley’s hand and flounced out of the room.

"Luv?" Spike gently nudged Willow.

"Yes?" She asked wearily.

"What was your vampire self like?"

Angel grinned as Willow squirmed. Willow caught the look and glared at him. Then a thought struck her. "Gay. Spike, she was very gay. Hardly any interest in men."

Spike looked completely depressed. "That’s it. We’re not vamping you. Even if we would give you your soul back. I’m not taking any chances."

"You’re one to talk. You’re the one currently in bed with a member of the same sex. " Her eyes widened. "And he’s your sire. Isn’t that incest?"

"That’s it. I’ve had enough!" Angel huffed. "Why does everybody keep bringing that up?"

"Oh, shut up, Poof."

A dangerous gleam entered Angels’ eye. "Willow?"

"Yes?"

"Did you know that Spike is ticklish?" Willow grinned. She thought about asking how Angel knew that and then thought better of it. She moved to sit on Spike’s lap to keep him from moving instead. Angel leaned over him.

"Don’t you dare . . .either of you . . .don’t! STOP THAT! Ahhhh!"

Giles climbed out of bed and tied on his bathrobe. Then he poured himself a shot of scotch and walked out onto the balcony. This is the best night of my life. He smiled and lit a cigarette. He hid his smoking habit from the kids, he didn’t want to be a bad influence. But tonight, he felt free, and he wanted a smoke. He looked around him. Nice clear night. Bright moon, shiny stars . . .peace and quiet. He could see for miles from the balcony, all along the mansions, the other balconies. He could see the lush gardens, the altar with lit candles, the smoke of the incense, Anya tied to a stake behind it . . .wait a minute . . .
 

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