"Was anyone else seriously wigged out by that?" Buffy asked as the three men waltzed out the door.

"Me," Gunn murmured. "'Cause if I'm not mistaken, they just said they were that thing y'all need to fight the Vraiyl."

"So what do we do now?" Buffy continued. "They've turned into this thing, and we still can't use it."

"I thought they said they were the Altenalium," Connor said from the corner he'd been hiding in.

"They are, I guess," Angel told his son. "But regardless."

"Then maybe you should just ask them to fight the Vraiyl," The teen continued.

"They can't be trusted to do the job," Angel grated out.

Connor stepped forward, obviously angry. "Why not? You trusted them to go get the thing! You practically forced them to," He spat, glaring at Cordelia. "Even though none of them really wanted to. You decided they were the 'expendable' ones, so you dumped them into another dimension to do your dirty work. Now you don't like how it's turned out."

Fred glanced from Connor to Angel. The vampire was not happy that Connor was taking Wesley's side in the argument.

"Excuse me, Connor," Buffy snarled, "But we had good reasons for doing it. What would've happened if Angel and I hadn't gotten back?"

"You think you're that important?" Connor replied harshly. "That there's no one to take your place? No one else who can fight? I can understand sending the demonwho cares what happens to a vampire anyway?" He glared at his father as he said that last bit. "And I know why Cordelia and Angel weren't too concerned about Wesleyyeah, *Dad* doesn't trust him, but he also doesn't care if he dies. He wants him dead. What about Xander? What has he done to deserve this?"

Willow looked up from the table. She'd pretty much sat through the events of the past day in something of a trance. "He hasn't done anything."

Giles frowned. "No, he hasn't. However, he is quite capable of performing rather amazing feats when the situation calls for it. Also, he tends to find interesting alternatives to the usual solution for a given problem. I felt he was more than qualified to obtain the Altenalium."

"Then why were you so mean to him?" Connor accused. "You belittled him and Wesley too."

"Xander gets on Giles' nerves," Willow murmured. "And Buffy's. Angel's never liked him, and Cordelia holds a grudge. That's why they were mean to him and made him go over there." She stood up; her eyes clear for the first time in ages. "I can't believe I sat here and let you all treat them that way!"

"It's Spike!" Buffy snarled. "He's a."

"I know what he is," Willow replied. "And I know what he's not. And if you'll remember, he's not a vampire anymore. I'm not sure what he is."

"Maybe we moved too fast," Fred whispered. "I mean, we just sort of pushed them, you know?"

"You didn't say anything," Gunn reminded her. "It's not your doing."

"We let them," Fred retorted. "We could've said something."

"Like what?" Buffy growled. "Wait; let's let a bunch of people get killed while we fiddle around?"

"I had a vision," Cordelia began. "It had them."

"Yes, but was the outcome of this vision set in stone? Or did it depend upon us acting as rashly as we did?" Giles asked wearily. "Fred may have a point; we acted rather impatiently."

Connor rolled his eyes. "Nobody thought."

"No, we didn't," Giles agreed. He was ashamed, desperately so. The older man hadn't acted so irresponsibly in years, if not decades. Why hadn't he thought through this more? There was sure to be some other solution. Unfortunately, it was too late now.

"So what do we do now?" Buffy repeated.

Giles sighed. "We wait until they have rested. After that, we find out what they know about the Altenalium and how to use it against the Vraiyl."

"Then we figure out how to make it up to them," Willow murmured.

"You can't," Connor spat.

"We shall see," Giles replied quietly, rubbing his eyes.

"First, though, we've got to get Xander away from Spike and Wesley. Who knows what lines they're feeding him," Buffy stated harshly. "They're up to no good, I'm sure of it."

"Wesley shouldn't be left alone with either of them," Angel agreed.

Connor just shook his head. Holtz might have been insane with revenge, but Angel was little better.

...

"I take it your latest project is going well," Hollingsworth murmured, taking in the evil grin gracing Lilah's face.

"It's amazing how easily played the Slayer and Angel are," Lilah confirmed. "He actually thought that killing off one hacker would stop me from changing the bitch's visions."

Hollingsworth laughed. "So they have the Altenalium?"

"Oh, yes," Lilah said. "They actually sent those three idiots over there. You know, I wasn't sure they would. For a minute Angel was ready to dust Spike and throttle Wesley, just to keep them from going."

"But they did," The older man replied. "And now?"

"It's only a matter of time," Lilah hissed. "The Slayer and Angel are so intent on splitting the men up that nothing will stop them."

"Which one will die first?" Hollingsworth asked.

Lilah considered the question. "Spike. Once those two realize just how much power they've given to their favorite punching bag, he won't stand a chance."

"But you're sure you can control the other two?" He pressed.

"Easily," Lilah assured him. "Without him, they'll be unbalanced. We can help them cope. Besides, hate is an easily twisted emotion, as you well know."

The elder lawyer nodded. "I noted, however, that not all of your players seem intent on the path you've chosen for them. The Watcher, and Angel's son. The witch, too, is shaking off the compulsion you put on her."

Lilah shrugged. "She doesn't matter. By the time she gets to where she can actually do anything, the damage will already be done. Besides, the compulsions were only on her, Giles, and Angel's lackeysand they're not the ones I was worried about anyway. That was just a bit of mind clouding. Angel and the Slayer didn't need any help to get the way they are and neither did Cordelia. She is very confident about the accuracy of her visions."

"You discount Mr. Gunn and his plaything?" Hollingsworth asked curiously.

Lilah smirked. "No, but they're also easily disposed of. The right word to his old 'gang' and they'll be dead by morning. He thinks they still respect him."

"You do seem to have all the details in order," Her boss murmured. "Be sure to actually succeed this time. The senior partners have several plans that hinge on obtaining the Altenalium." He turned to leave. "And be sure to get rid of the Vraiyl. They're annoying."

...

When the sun set, Cordelia led Angel, Gunn, Fred and Connor away to get some food and rest. Supper was a tense affair; even without Angel's presence. Connor slunk away and remained as far from Cordelia as he could, obviously disgusted with her. He'd been that way ever since they'd arrived in Sunnydale. Gunn and Fred talked quietly, both troubled by the current situation. Gunn wasn't sure what to make of it and he wasn't positive that Wesley could be trusted. He knew he didn't trust Spike. Leaving so much responsibility in their hands seemed like a very bad idea. Fred was more cautious, wanting to give the men a chance.

Cordelia fumed. The Powers knew what they were doing. She had utmost faith in her visions and the connection to her bosses that they represented. After all, they were the ones who wanted her to ascend; she'd only come back to be with Angel. This situation was killing him, having to rely on two of his worst enemies. She wasn't pleased by Xander's participation, but it was required.

"Come on, we're all done here," She muttered, gathering everyone out of the dingy little diner they'd chosen for their meal. They drove back to the hotel they were staying at, trying desperately to not talk about what was on their minds.

"Cordy?" Angel murmured as she returned to his hotel room, Connor in tow. She let him go so that the teen could go sulk in a corner, while she talked to his father.

"This is going to be the death of us," She told the vampire. "We're all falling apart. Connor's worse than usual, Gunn and Fred are both worried and second-guessing themselves, and Buffy's lost all control of her people."

"I noticed," Angel said, grimacing. "We just have to resolve the Altenalium situation and get rid of the Vraiyl. Then we can go home."

Cordelia sat down next to Angel on the bed, leaning against him. They hesitated to touch each other much; despite knowing how they felt about each other, they were wary. "Just two things, huh? Something tells me it's not gonna be that easy."

"It never is," Angel confirmed. "Did I ever thank you for getting me out of the ocean?"

"Yeah, but feel free to do it again," She replied, ignoring Connor's growl. "It was a lot of work."

"How did you get the diver to not look?" He asked.

"Your coat covered the window, so there wasn't anything to see," Cordelia explained. "Gunn knew how to use the winch."

"Thanks," Angel said yet again. "And thank you."

Cordelia laughed.

...

"May we go home?" Willow asked Giles. It was well past dark and Buffy had already gone out for a quick patrol before heading home to Dawn.

Giles glanced up at the clock. "Yes, it is rather late." He stood and gathered up his papers. "A fresh mind might be of use tomorrow."

"I hope so," Willow murmured. "I can't believe I didn't think about Xander yesterday and today. What was I doing?"

Giles frowned. "You are still recovering, Willow. Such lapses are to be expected." He didn't say that he wasn't sure why he hadn't thought more about the boy, or about the situation in general. It was very odd, but perhaps to be expected considering the gravity of the situation.

...

Buffy swung through yet another cemetery, looking for something to slay. She needed to blow off some steam and get a bit of the awful tension she was feeling out of her system. The Slayer couldn't believe that Giles would question their judgment! He'd even helped them.

She was about to turn around and head home when a light-and-dark streak caught her attention. She followed the creature, tracking it as it headed for campus. The thing was fast, but not so quick she lost sight of it. Once they were well inside the campus, it slowed, watching the students walk along the pathways. Both it and Buffy were hidden in the shadows of a clump of trees.

"Hey, buddy?" Buffy called out, stepping closer to the demon. "You, ah, looking for someone?"

The demon turned around slowly. Pale gray skin glimmered in the moonlight. "Perhaps," It hissed, narrowing its eyes. "You, perhaps."

She grinned. "I don't think so, but thanks for offering." The demon took a step forward, pulling a long knife out of thin air.

"Perhaps yes," It murmured, brandishing the weapon. "You will do nicely, Slayer. I have a great need for a new concubine."

Buffy didn't wait for the demon to attack; she jumped up and swung one leg out to catch the knife. The only problem was that the knife disappeared, along with the demon. She landed and spun aroundto find herself face to face with the ugly creature. "Nice, Slayer, but slow." The demon flashed forward, whipping one hand across her face. She spun back, stunned. Drops of blood welled up on her cheek where the knife had cut her. When it came at her again, she ducked and rammed into its midsection. It huffed and fell backwards, quickly regaining its footing. She charged again, managing to get in a few good punches.

"Pretty Slayer, but still too slow," The demon commented. She was going at it with all her strength. The demon wasn't even exerting itself. Buffy growled and pushed herself harder, hating to be bested by anyone or anything.

The demon laughed and danced out of her way, easily moving beyond the reach of the stake she held. Buffy grew winded, unable to keep up the pace. Every hit she got in was met with four or five more to her own body and she was fading fast. The demon must have gotten bored, because it abruptly stated hitting harder, knocking her down and drawing more blood.

"Hey! What's going on over there?" The demon's attention was caught by the worried and curious voice that carried across the green. Buffy looked over at its sourcesome student walking across campus.

"Or perhaps not," The demon whispered as it retreated into the shadows. Buffy jumped up, searching for it, but found nothing.

"You ok?" The student asked, having run over to the girl.

"Yeah, just some overeager frat boy," Buffy said absently. "Thanks a lot, though!"

"Sure. You gotta watch those types. Walk you home?" He offered.

"Nah, I've got a car," She lied. "But thanks again. I need to get going."

She walked off quickly, thinking about that demon. It reminded her a bit too much of the drawings of the Vraiyl that Giles had shown her. If they were indeed on the move, it was a very bad thing. "And they said the Vraiyl wouldn't attack tonight. Idiots," She hissed as she walked home.

...

"Ah, Buffy," Giles greeted as the Slayer entered the shop. "I suspect that Xander and the others will arrive soon."

"Good," She muttered. "Because those demons they're supposed to be fighting? They're here."

"Good lord," He cursed. "You saw one last night?"

Buffy nodded. "Fought it, too. They're fast and strong. Smart. Bad breath," She added. "Have you figured anything out?"

"No," He admitted. "I am hoping that Xander will be able to shed some light on the Altenalium. If the Vraiyl have arrived here, we have very little time. They are sure to target the Hellmouth."

Cordelia and her coworkers showed up a few minutes later, Angel hiding under a blanket. Once again Connor took up a spot as far from the others as he could. Giles noted that none of the new arrivals looked like they'd slept much.

"Would you like coffee?" Willow offered.

"Please," Cordelia replied. "Lots of it."

"I'll help," Fred stated, following Willow into the back room.

"You don't need to," Willow murmured. "I can make coffee."

"Are you doing better?" Fred asked. "You seemed a bit down yesterday."

Willow nodded. "Yeah, I think it's just recovering, you know?" Fred and the others had been told a little about her 'problems.'

"I hope you get better soon," Fred said quietly. "Do you want me to carry anything?"

*****
Part 8:

::Why can't we mention your soul?:: Xander asked as the threesome strolled towards the Magic Box. ::'Cause I'm thinking it'll make things with Buffy an' Angel a lot easier.::

::It's none of their business,:: Wesley replied sharply. ::We don't want their pity.::

"We?" Spike murmured.

::Sorry, you,:: Wesley corrected. They'd only been joined a day or so and already it was difficult to differentiate their feelings. Spike considered his newly returned soul a rather intimate, personal issue, so telling others about it would hurt him. Those emotions spilled over into Wesley, and to a lesser extent, Xander. The younger man thought that the presence of the soul was such a good thing he was excited to tell others about it. Spike and Wesley had more reservations, however.

"So how much ya wanna bet they try separate us?" Xander inquired, changing the subject.

Spike shrugged. "We all know they're going to try."

Xander shuddered as something flickered across his eyes. He could've sworn he saw a bunch of vampires in front of him. When he blinked, they were gone. "Did you guys."

::I hear something,:: Spike thought. ::Yeah, there's something in front of us.::

They were a couple of blocks from the shop, crossing side streets and avoiding the occasional car, when a pack of fledgling vampires decided they looked like easy targets. Then again, six against three didn't seem like bad odds to most people. "Vamps," Spike said softly. Wesley nodded his understanding.

::So that's what the wiggy feeling was?:: Xander asked silently. He'd felt this weird tingle in his head, right behind his tongue on his throat. It startled him, to say the least. ::I didn't think you'd be able to tell that kind of thing, now that you're, uh. whatever it is we are now.::

::I can't, not the old way,:: Spike replied. ::But one of them's in gameface.::

::Oh,:: Xander murmured, feeling really stupid. He knew that! He really *knew* it from Spike's mind.

The young vampires approached them, acting like drunken college students. Spike moved in front of the other two men, still on automatic. He was used to being stronger and faster. When the first one reached out, pretending to stumble, he was ready. One hard fist was sent straight into the vampire's midsection, doubling him over. Wesley and Xander jumped into the fray, fighting as best they could. They both had stakes, but the weapons weren't being used effectively. All three men were too concerned with staying together.

Spike backed off the one vampire, making sure to not stray too far from the others. They were holding their own, but not for long. One vampire dragged Wesley off into an alleyway. The blonde ran towards him, shaking off a vampiric pursuer. He could already feel the pain starting to wind around his gut.

"Spike:: Xander screamed, his voice fading away as Wesley was drawn too far off. Spike lurched, his vision dimming. Damn it! He was going to have to go back to Xander; without the boy he couldn't make it to Wesley. Even if he could, what good was a blind and dumb ex-vampire? ::Spike, get back here!:: Xander begged. ::They're-::

Spike turned on his heel and ran back. He grabbed Xander's arm and pulled him away from a vampire, kicking the attacker in the groin to encourage him to leave. They staggered towards Wesley, staking two vampires on their way. The demons were sloppy, thinking they had the three men at their mercy. Still, there were four left, two of whom were about to rip Wesley's throat open.

Wesley tried to get away from the vampires holding him. It was almost impossible, without being able to see or hear them at all. The excruciating pain he was suffering didn't help either. One of the vampires yanked his head back, grazing sharp fangs down his throat. Wesley screamed hoarsely when he felt them start to slide into his skin.

Xander and Spike were about ten feet away from Wesley when they felt pressure on their throats. They ran faster, knowing they were almost out of time. Then a sharp cry burnt through the night air-and the vampires surrounding Wesley disappeared in two puffs of ash. Neither man stopped, continuing to run until they reached their third. "Wes?" Xander murmured, happy to be able to speak again.

Wesley looked up at them. "You staked them?"

"No," Xander replied. The two remaining vampires caught up to the men and they dropped their questioning and began to fight again. This time they used their position to their advantage, keeping the vampires in front of them and unable to separate the threesome as easily. The two were quickly dust, thanks to a pair of well-placed stakes.

"So, if you didn't stake them, who did?:: Wesley asked, panting. His question faded into telepathy as he tried to catch his breath.

::Dunno. You screamed, then they just sort of disintegrated,:: Spike replied. ::I'm not sure I like this weak, vulnerable thing.::

::Me either,:: Xander agreed. ::We almost died!::

Wesley shook his head. ::I believe our difficulties are because we don't understand the Altenalium.::

::Don't understand?:: Xander echoed, confused. ::Oh, we haven't really looked into what we can do now.::

::You've got a point,:: Spike conceded. ::I think we've been avoiding it.::

::Unfortunately, we do not have time to do so now. We need to get to the shop,:: Wesley replied.

::But they're gonna want to know what we-the Altenalium-can do,:: Xander protested.

::Why don't we just stop for a bit and figure it out?:: Spike suggested. ::Tell 'em we left later than we did. It might keep them from trying as hard to separate us, if we know what we're about.::

::Got any hidey holes around here?:: Xander shot back. ::Oh yeah, you do. Duh.:: He wasn't sure he'd ever get used to being able to recall all of Spike's memories.

::Shall we?:: Wesley asked, turning to walk back up the street. Spike knew of a fairly safe abandoned building they could use for an hour or so.

...

"Well, at least now we know what happened to the vamps," Xander muttered. "Opera from hell."

"Very funny," Wesley replied flatly. "We've got a lot of work ahead of us."

"If we're going to learn to use this, yeah," Spike agreed. They'd just figured out the mechanics of their newfound powers. Wesley's voice was quite the weapon-with practice he'd be able to use it to effect great destruction-or good, depending on what he wanted. Xander, likewise, could use his sight as a weapon, or as a warning. He was able to focus on possible future events, as well as on different locations in the current time. Added to that was the ability to channel the nearly infinite energy of the Altenalium through his eyes.

Spike felt a bit shortchanged; his enhanced hearing could do the same as Xander's sight in some ways-he could hear things in the future, as well as from very far away. However, instead of being able to defend himself actively, he could only use his ears to provide information. Specifically, he couldn't ever be lied to. well, not and not know about it. Handy, yes, but.

::You can still channel power,:: Wesley reminded him. ::We all can. We just didn't know how.::

::We're gonna have to practice so much,:: Xander moaned. ::So.do you think they're waiting for us at the Magic Box?::

Spike grinned. ::Let's see.:: He cocked his head and thought about the shop. Slowly but surely, he began to hear the low buzzing of voices.

"They're supposed to be."

"Probably just running."

"Never should have let Wesley go."

Spike shook his head in frustration. Yeah, he could hear voices, and even understand some of what they said, but it wasn't clear enough. ::Xander?:: He asked, having felt the boy try the same thing with his sight.

::They're all there,:: He answered, showing the others what he saw. ::But it's really fuzzy, and they move funny.::

"I believe that is where practice comes in," Wesley murmured. "We should go, now that we have some idea of what we're capable of." He stood up, automatically reaching down for the others. They snuck out of Spike's hiding place and continued on towards the shop, this time a bit more guarded about their whereabouts. It just wouldn't do for the most powerful force currently residing in their dimension to be destroyed by a few fledgling vampires.

::We'd never live down the embarrassment,:: Spike commented on Wesley's thought.

::We wouldn't care,:: Xander retorted. ::We'd be dead!::

"Oh yeah," Spike murmured. "Point."

...

"They're supposed to be here by now," Buffy said angrily. "Where are they?"

"They're probably just running late," Willow offered. "You know, 'where's my blue shirt?' 'Oh, I think it's with the dirty laundry,' that kind of thing."

"They didn't have any clothing with them," Angel replied.

"If I recall correctly, we did not set an actual meeting time," Giles murmured.

"I never should have let Wesley go with Xander," Angel growled.

Gunn, Fred and Connor congregated in a corner at the front of the shop. "Are we going back to LA soon?" Connor asked the older man.

"Yeah, I hope so," Gunn replied. "Soon as Angel gets his head out of his rear."

"I heard that," Angel shouted over his shoulder.

"It's true," Gunn retorted. "You're being a dumbass about Wesley and the others. Can't you just wait until you hear what they have to say?"

That comment was met with uncomfortable silence. Willow and Giles consulted over a dusty old book while Angel, Cordelia and Buffy commiserated in a seething heap of contempt for the three absent men. The atmosphere of the shop was completely miserable. Gunn and Fred wandered over to Willow and Giles, trying to strike up some sort of conversation. The five of them sat there for several minutes, desperately trying to think of something neutral to talk about.

"What'd we miss?" Xander chirped as he, Wesley and Spike walked into the shop.

"Where the hell have you been?" Angel demanded. "We've been waiting for hours!"

"We, ah, didn't say when we'd be here," Xander reminded the vampire. The three men leaned up against the counter, facing the others. "So, what's new?"

"The Vraiyl are attacking here in Sunnydale," Giles said quickly, hoping to cut off any possible tirades from Angel. "We need to know how to use the Altenalium. The demons are otherwise undefeatable."

The three men frowned. ::So, do we tell them we need to practice a bit, or just lie and say we can handle it?:: Xander asked the others.

::They'll want to watch,:: Spike answered.

"Hello?" Buffy said sharply, waving her hand in front of Xander's face. "Weapon? Where is it?"

"We told you before, we are the Altenalium. Can't hand it over," Xander replied absently. The three of them were still conversing mentally.

"Right, so how are we supposed to fight the Vraiyl? Let *you* do it?" Buffy sneered. "If they give me a bit of a workout, they'll slaughter you."

"It isn't your call," Xander spat.

"As Xander said, we cannot give you the Altenalium. You must let us fight the Vraiyl," Wesley added.

"You're not strong enough," Spike told the Slayer. "Nor is Angel. We're the only ones who can do it."

"I'm still not liking this 'we' stuff," Buffy muttered. "Xander, stop being such an idiot. You and those two can't beat the demons." She reached for him, grasping his arm. He resisted her, but she was the Slayer and had quite a strong pull.

"Stop it, Buffy," He hissed as she tried to drag him across the room.

"Get away from Spike!" She growled. "He's evil, remember?"

"No, he isn't," Xander said, reaching back for the others. They grabbed onto his arm and started to bring him back to them. ::Guys, more help, hmm?::

::We can't use our powers on them until we can control them better,:: Wesley replied. ::I know I'm able to make her desist, but I'm not sure how yet.::

Meanwhile, Angel moved in to help. This was the perfect opportunity to get Wesley isolated. Then he could get the smaller man to admit what was going on and stop this stupid game. He reached for Wesley, yanking the man across the room with a single pull. The smaller man was caught by surprise and let go of Xander as he flew sideways.

Xander and Spike knew instantly that Wesley was too far away. They staggered momentarily before recovering somewhat. The pain was nearly overwhelming, and they could tell that Wesley was much worse off-the ex-Watcher was in a heap on the floor, blind and deaf. ::Hold on, Wes,:: Xander thought.

"Angel!" Gunn shouted, running to intercept the vampire. "What the hell are you doing?" Fred stepped up to Wesley, trying to get him to stand. He lurched in her arms, but managed to find his feet. He hid his condition by shuffling backwards until he found a wall. He leaned against it, acting like he was more winded than he was. Between his incapacitated condition and the pain, he was almost worthless in a fight. It was far better to retreat.

"Get out of my way. This ends now," Angel growled. "I knew I shouldn't have let him come."

Cordelia reached out and restrained Angel with one hand. "No, Angel. He's part of this, whether you like it or not."

While the LA gang was fighting over Wesley, Xander and Spike were struggling against Buffy. By now Giles had joined the fray, trying to get Buffy to let go of Xander. Spike finally gained some ground by kicking low at Buffy's knees, unbalancing her enough that she lost her grip on Xander's arm. They took several quick steps backwards, away from the still fighting Slayer. Giles and Willow both moved in front of her, giving the two men a chance to get away. They immediately moved over to Wesley's side.

::Wes?:: Spike thought worriedly. ::Better?::

::Getting there,:: The man replied. ::This isn't going well.::

"Giles, move," Buffy ordered. "Whatever game they're playing has to stop. That weapon thing is making them evil! Spike kicked me and Xander's. Xander's fighting me and siding with Spike!"

"Xander?" Willow called. "Are you ok?"

Xander looked over at his friend. He saw actual light and clarity in her eyes for the first time since Tara died. "I'm ok for now, Wills, but." She walked over to him quickly, avoiding both Buffy and Angel, who were still being waylaid by Giles, Gunn and Fred. Connor, too, went to join the threesome.

"So, what is going on?" She asked the men. "I know something's weird. I can see it. You're all.fuzzy," She tried to explain. It was difficult to describe how they looked to the magically enhanced witch.

::Think she'll understand?:: Spike inquired.

::She was not very involved before,:: Wesley warned.

::She's been through an awful lot,:: Xander defended. ::And I bet she'd get more of this than the others. Except maybe Giles.:: Spike and Wesley gave the go-ahead to explain things to Willow, although they remained wary.

"Well?" She asked tentatively. Connor leaned forward, growling slightly.

"You don't look human anymore," He muttered. "Demon?"

"Not exactly," Xander said. "We weren't kidding when we said we were the Altenalium. It's more than a weapon, Wills," He continued, struggling to find words. What he and the others knew was implicit knowledge and very hard to put into words. "It's like a living thing. It changed us, permanently. It made us what it is."

Willow frowned. "It possessed you?"

"Not precisely," Wesley answered. "The Altenalium is an extremely powerful. thing. Three of us were required to get it because it is so great that one person alone, no matter how skilled, could contain it. We do not possess the Altenalium, nor does it possess us. We are the Altenalium." He knew he was bungling the description, but he couldn't help it.

However, Willow's face cleared. "Oh. So you're not human, or vampire, anymore. You're just this.thing. All three of you?"

"Yeah," Xander agreed. "Only, we're only sort of three people. I mean, yeah, we're three bodies, but we're one thing."

Willow nodded. "Tripartate. That's why you don't want to be separated." She thought for a moment. "Or is it that you shouldn't be separated?"

Xander grimaced. "The second. We have to be together, all the time."

"But you're not demons?" Connor pressed.

"Not precisely," Wesley repeated.

"We're not demons, but we're not not demons either," Spike murmured. "The Altenalium isn't a human entity, but neither is it demonic. It just is."

"So the Xsha who had it," Willow began, "It could've been anyone?"

"We're not sure," Xander admitted. "But. well, we're still learning things. We've got lots of information about it, but we're still sorting it out."

"Are you evil? Do you have a soul?" Connor inquired.

"We're not evil and we have souls," Wesley assured him.

Willow looked oddly at Spike but said nothing.

"So you're going to fight the Vraiyl?" Connor asked quickly. "Before they start killing more people?"

"Yeah," Spike replied. "That's what we're here for."

"Then ignore Angel and the girl," Connor said. "They're wrong."

The three men and Willow looked at Connor with growing respect. The young man didn't say much, most of the time anyway, but he knew what he was about. "We'll keep that in mind. Looks like the others have our hotheads cooled down a bit, though," Spike murmured. They all turned to see Angel and Buffy glowering at them from across the shop. Giles, Gunn and Fred stood around the pair, obviously not happy with their friends.

::This is going to be so painful,:: Xander moaned.

::You've got mint chocolate chip ice cream in the freezer,:: Spike reminded him.

::And hot fudge sauce,:: Wesley continued. ::So all is not lost.::

::And I won't even touch the Haagen-Daz,:: Spike promised.

::No, you won't!:: Xander swore. ::I can't hide anything, not even my prized praline ice cream.::

"Xander?" Giles said quietly. "Is there anything we should know about the Altenalium?"

*****
Part 9:

Xander glanced at the others. Spike and Wesley were supportive; they thought he was the best choice to be speaker to this mixed group. While Buffy and Angel had a low opinion of him sometimes, gods only knew why, he'd not actually offended any of them lately. "Well, Giles," Xander began, "It's complicated."

Giles grinned ruefully. "It usually is," He agreed. "But try."

The three men moved over to the table and leaned against it. "The books aren't entirely accurate."

"They're mostly wrong," Spike interjected.

Xander shook his head. "The Altenalium is a weapon, of sorts. I mean, it is the best way to get rid of the Vraiyl."

"But it isn't exactly a sword," Giles guessed. "That is what you meant yesterday."

Xander nodded. "Yeah. The Altenalium is kind of a state of being. An entity. We're not possessed or anything. It's more like we've become it. We took it into ourselves, and it took us into itself."

"So that's why you keep saying you can't hand it over?" Gunn inquired. "Because you can't separate it from yourselves?"

"Pretty much," Xander confirmed. "With a bit of practice, we'll be able to get rid of the Vraiyl. But since we're the Altenalium, it'll have to be us." He saw the scowl on Buffy and Angel's faces. "And we can handle the practicing part ourselves. It did come with something like an owner's manual."

"We just haven't had time to read though the whole thing," Spike murmured.

"But we'll get on it first thing," Wesley promised.

"You have to leave us alone, though," Xander insisted, looking right at Buffy and Angel. "We work together, always. It's a package deal, Buffy. I'm sorry you don't like this, and I can understand why you're so upset. I mean, you're depending on me, Spike and Wesley. Real confidence boosters."

"You're more than capable of this," Giles murmured. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

Xander grinned. He'd been waiting for Giles to come back. "I'm sure there is, G-man. We're not superheroes, you know. I still can't run and stake at the same time."

Willow and Giles laughed. Buffy and Angel just glared at them.

"What about the Vraiyl?" Cordelia asked. She'd been silent and had stayed out of most of the fighting. Once Angel decided to ignore her in favor of being angry at Wes, she'd backed off and sulked in a corner. She hated being ignored.

"We'll take care of them," Xander promised. "Just like your vision showed. But we have to do it our way. Hells, Cordy, you might as well go back to LA."

Gunn and Fred seemed to like that idea. "The town's not gonna stop because we're not there," Gunn reminded the seer.

Angel growled. He did not like the direction this conversation was taking. Everyone but Buffy was siding with Xander, Spike and Wesley! Even Cordelia. Of course, she'd always thought the three men were going to be doing all the fighting.

"Shut up, Angel," Cordelia muttered. "I think going back to LA is a fine idea. So far the only Vraiyl we've seen have been here. If Xander's good on his word, they'll come to LA to fight there too." She stared meaningfully at Xander, who nodded.

"So you're just going to let them go?" Buffy screeched. "Just like that?"

Giles closed his eyes and prayed for strength. "Buffy, if I recall correctly, you agreed to send them over. They did exactly what you asked them to; they retrieved the Altenalium. Now it is here and willing to fight the Vraiyl. Which, I might add, have been spotted only once. You have seen a single demon fitting their description."

"If we leave now, we can be back in Los Angeles before sunrise," Gunn reminded his group. "Angel, we ought to go. There's nothing we can do here."

"Nothing we can do?" Angel echoed.

"The Slayer's got the town under control, and the boys are gonna get right on the demon situation, right?" Gunn asked. "So we should go home and do our thing there. We're just standing around here, not doing any good."

"We'll keep you updated," Xander promised. "Phone, e-mail, you name it."

Buffy and Angel were about to protest when Giles interrupted. "I think this is a workable solution. Angel, I will make sure you have all the information we have, and I am certain that they will come to Los Angeles as soon as you find out that the Vraiyl are there causing trouble."

"Of course," Spike murmured. After all, that was why they were in their current situation.

"So can we please go?" Gunn asked.

"Yes, we can, even if we have to tie Angel up and lock him in the trunk," Cordelia swore. She reached over and grabbed Angel for the second time that night. One hard look from the seer had him following meekly behind. He knew that look. The dark vampire was in for one hell of a lecture. Maybe even with yelling. Gunn and Fred followed, with Connor bringing up the rear.

The room relaxed significantly when the LA gang had left. "I don't like-"

"We have established that you are not in favor of this course of action," Giles said as Buffy began another rant. "However it is the best one. It certainly makes up for the foolishness of two days ago."

Xander nodded. At least *now* someone was giving the three men credit. He was still wondering what had gotten into everyone. Angel's friends Gunn and Fred were almost different people today, as were Willow and Giles. How they'd all acted before worried him a lot.

"Well, we'd better be off if we're going to get ready to fight the Vraiyl," Spike said to Wesley and Xander. Buffy hissed at the former vampire as he walked by. Giles nodded, as did Willow.

"Call us!" Willow said as they left.

"Will do," Xander replied.

...

"I'm not sure that just mint chocolate chip, even with hot fudge sauce, is gonna do it this time," Xander commented as they walked home. "And why didn't we drive?"

"Felt like walking, remember?" Spike reminded him. "At least, you did."

"Yeah, that's right," Xander replied. "Still sorting out all this brain stuff. It's confusing."

"I agree. We are quite lucky all of us like chocolate, even if Xander's cravings are a bit excessive," Wesley added.

"So how long can we avoid brooding about all of that back there?" Xander inquired. "I'm hoping it's, oh, forever until we do that?"

"Fine by me, but I don't think it'll work, trying to put it off," Spike murmured.

::We all enjoy brooding too much,:: Wesley said.

::Bad habits die hard,:: Xander thought.

::Indeed they do,:: Spike agreed.

When they got home the men made short work of shaking off the obvious signs of tension they'd developed. Off came shoes and coats; stakes went flying into one corner. Wesley even managed to laugh a bit at his terrible aim, his stake bouncing off the garbage can Xander kept his stakes in. The younger man went into the kitchen to fetch beer and chocolate, as well as to order a pizza. Food was the best comfort in the world, right up there with sex.

::Sex is better,:: Spike thought while he watched Xander dish out ice cream. ::And shouldn't we be waiting for that until after the pizza?::

Xander looked down at the bowls and shrugged. ::Can if you want.:: He set the bowls in the freezer and got Wesley a glass of water. ::Sex is better, but not by much. Chocolate is very much of the good.::

"I thought the chocolate thing was more for women," Wesley commented. Xander narrowed his eyes.

"Are you calling me a girl?" He accused.

Wesley's grin was evil. "No. I know better."

Spike laughed. "Definitely not a girl!"

Xander knocked his head back against the fridge. "What is it with me? I always fall right into that stuff."

::It's a talent,:: Spike thought. ::A very funny one at that.::

::Glad you're so amused,:: Xander muttered silently. ::I'm a fucking clown.::

Wesley didn't even try to make a joke out of that. ::Xander, we're not making fun of you. It's a defense reaction.::

::Just like when you act out around Buffy,:: Spike added. ::To hide your fear-and make them all feel better.::

"You ever notice how much we slip into the mind thingy when the conversation's uncomfortable?" Xander inquired.

"We don't do it all the time, but we definitely seem to prefer it," Wesley agreed.

::Can you blame us? This is difficult to begin with,:: Spike said. ::And now we know everything about each other. I know what Xander's going to think almost before he thinks it.::

::It's damned distracting is what it is,:: Xander stated. ::I know what it's like to have sex with Buffy, Angelus, Dru, Harmony, some girl named Virginia.::

::Anya,:: Wesley returned quickly. ::And Faith, although you don't seem to remember very much of that.::

::Strangulation's not the best memory enhancer,:: Spike commented. ::Although, Wes, if Giles knew you fucked Ethan Rayne, he'd kill you.::

"Damned straight," Xander muttered.

"Not exactly," Wesley and Spike said together, grinning. They didn't mind pushing Xander a bit on that particular issue. Since they had free access to his memories they knew he wasn't entirely straight. Any hesitations they might have felt over prowling through each others' memories was overcome by the fact that they really couldn't help it-whenever they tried to access their own memories for a particular thing, their minds seemed to pull up similar stuff from the others.

::Do we have to talk about this?:: Xander moaned.

::Not now, but someday,:: Spike replied. ::It's going to become a problem, otherwise.::

Wesley nodded, understanding the blonde very well. ::We're in an unusual situation,:: He said softly.

Xander looked up. ::What? Three not-entirely-straight guys, hooked together until the end of time? Yeah, I'd say unusual. What you really mean to say is that it's only a matter of time before we start wanting to screw.::

"That too," Spike murmured. ::And while Anya would probably love to-::

::NO!:: Xander screamed mentally. ::We're not together now, and won't ever be.::

"What if she wants to reconcile, when she returns from her vacation with that vengeance demon friend of hers?" Wesley asked.

Xander closed his eyes. They knew as well as he did that he'd been wishing for a reconciliation for months now. "It can't happen. I'm not going to be with Anya, knowing that you two would pretty much be with her too. It's wrong, on all sides."

The other two men agreed that it wasn't right, but what else was there? ::So you'll stay celibate, just so that we never feel you having sex?:: Spike asked.

::What would you do, if Buffy walked in here right now and wanted to go at it?:: Xander asked bitterly.

::You already know the answer to that,:: Spike replied in a tiny mind voice. ::Didn't have to bring it up, either. You knew before.::

"Biting at each other isn't going to solve anything," Wesley said firmly.

Xander glared and turned his back on the others. He needed privacy, needed it so very badly. He'd never really understood how much he liked his alone time until now. There was so much in his head that he didn't want others to know about. So much secret stuff.

::You think that perhaps we don't have things we'd rather not share?:: Wesley asked Xander. ::What you've seen of my life that you dislike is only the beginning.::

::There's a century of vampire in there too,:: Spike added. ::I'm not proud of it, but it's there.::

::Yeah, but.:: The doorbell rang, cutting off Xander's whine.

Wesley went to the door, shadowed by the others, and paid for the pizzas. The men put their uncomfortable conversation on hold while they slurped hot cheese pizzas and drank cold beer. ::Thanks for the ice cream warning,:: Xander thought while he chewed. ::And there's actually and advantage to this! I can talk and eat at the same time!::

::Without making an awful scene, yes,:: Wesley agreed.

Spike moaned as warm, gooey cheese stuck to the roof of his mouth. Yeah, he'd eaten human food as a vampire, but this was different. Food felt and tasted different when it was actually nourishing the body. While in their new forms the guys didn't have to eat to survive, it was a lot easier that way-they didn't have to work to channel energy into keeping their bodies healthy.

::Enjoying?:: Xander asked the vampire.

::'S good,:: He replied. The night before he'd been too tired to enjoy the food. Starting with this morning, though, he'd made up for that, and for years of a blood-based diet. They'd both laughed at him for nearly crying over an omelet.

Wesley just smiled around his beer. He let himself simply experience what the former vampire was, liking the ease with which he was understanding the other man's emotions. He let his mind wander a bit, sort of sifting freely through some of the new things in his head. Soon enough he found himself looking through the memories that came with being the Altenalium.

::That's odd,:: Wesley thought, mostly to himself.

"What?" Xander mumbled around his pizza. ::Sorry, forgot about the mind thing for a sec.::

::I am not offended,:: Wesley said lightly. ::We should be able to feel the Vraiyl,:: He continued. The ex-Watcher showed the others what he'd found. The Altenalium should allow them to sense the presence of the Vraiyl, in a way that Wesley thought was similar to how a Slayer felt vampires. What the three men had sensed earlier when the vampires had neared them wasn't what they would feel when confronted by the Vraiyl. Yet they hadn't really sensed the demons at all.

::Maybe they're not close enough,:: Xander thought. ::But it shouldn't matter.:: If the Vraiyl were anywhere nearby-even miles away-they'd be able to tell.

::I suppose we need practice,:: Wesley murmured.

::Indeed,:: Spike agreed. ::Ice cream now? With hot fudge sauce?::

"I'll make an addict of you yet," Xander vowed. The aroma of hot fudge sauce filled the apartment as he topped three heaping bowls of ice cream with the creamy substance. ::And no, you can't have any JD with your ice cream,:: He told the vampire. ::To the best of our collected memories, you always overindulge.::

::Did not,:: Spike groused.

::No, you were merely performing exacting scientific tests to determine if distilled beverages could replace blood as the sole source of sustenance for a vampire,:: Wesley said dryly. ::I've done the same,:: He added. ::And while it certainly seems like the thing to do right now, I doubt that the three of us want to share the world's worst hangover.::

"Worst?" Xander asked as he brought in the ice cream.

"How much beer have you had?" Wesley asked the boy.

"One, same as you," Xander replied.

"How many do you feel like you've had?" Wesley pressed.

Xander frowned. "More than one."

::Bloody hell!:: Spike swore. Now that Wesley mentioned it, he was far more buzzed than one beer should've accounted for. ::What else to we have to share?::

"You really don't want to speculate on that," Wesley said, dipping into his ice cream. "We've already established that we share pain, fear, anger."

Xander saw exactly where this could lead. "Okay. ice cream. Mint and chocolate and fudge. Maybe a ball game on television."

::You're dodging,:: Spike accused. ::It doesn't work, remember?::

"Can we not think about it tonight?" Xander begged. ::Can we pretend, for a few minutes, that we're not living inside each other?::

Spike almost choked on his hot fudge sauce. The boy really had a way with words. ::Ah, Xander, we can try, but.::

::We can't block each other,:: Wesley warned. ::The Altenalium can't be split like that. Even when we're physically separated, our minds are one.::

"What do we do, then? Except go crazy, that is," Xander asked angrily.

"There is historical precedence," Wesley murmured. "We are not the first to be the Altenalium."

Xander saw the memories Wesley was referring to and flinched. "Not going there."

::Too late,:: Spike murmured.

"Huh? I haven't gone there," Xander insisted. "I haven't!" And he hadn't-he'd actually managed to not think about anything. Xander frowned and blinked. ::We're not talking about that either!:: He shouted. "No!"

Wesley sighed. ::We don't have to talk about it, Xander. We've already got all the memories. All the thoughts.::

Xander groaned. He so didn't want to think about it. Nope. He wasn't gonna remember that he used to watch Spike, when the vampire wasn't looking.

::Why does it bother you so much?:: Spike asked curiously. Then he knew. ::Oz? You wanted Oz?:: The werewolf didn't seem like what Xander would normally go after.

::Straight as an arrow,:: Xander said miserably. ::All over painful, ok?::

Wesley and Spike remained silent, both verbally and mentally. They both knew the pain of rejection, just as acutely as the boy. However, this was different from both of their experiences. Oz hadn't been cruel; far from it. The werewolf seemed to have let him down gently. But that didn't matter; Xander was still left crushed, confused and hurt. In the end Xander had retreated back to what he was most familiar with-chasing pretty girls.

"So, anyway, we'd better get some rest. I'm thinking that all that practicing Wes wants us to do, we're gonna need it," Xander said.

::Trade off this time?:: Spike asked Wesley.

"Quite alright," Wesley assured him. "I don't mind."

They stood and waited for Xander to join them. Fortunately they were tired from their emotionally and physically exhausting evening. Sleep would come. This time.

*****