Either Willow didn't tell Giles about 'the basement incident' or he was implementing the same denial skills he had perfected during the Anya/Xander circus of debauchery and semi-public sex. Xander was betting on the latter. The smell alone, of sex in an area as poorly ventilated as the storage room, would take days to dissipate. So he endured Willow's knowing smirks and Tara's shy smiles, yet was spare any awkwardness with Giles, for which he was deeply grateful. Dawn knew, not about the sex in the basement, or that time in the training room, or the kitchen, but she knew that Xander and Spike were more than just friends who spent a lot of time together. Xander had only one truly terrifying moment when Dawn had looked at him all wide-eyed and earnest and said "You realize you've scarred me for life, don't you?" But when that remake had met blind panic from Xander she had been unable to keep a straight face. "I'm joking you moron. Although," and her voice became so wistful that he wasn't sure if it was real or shammed. "It isn't every girl whose first two major crushes end up together, but I think I'll get over it."

June ended with a 'bugger" call. The kind of phone call where Giles said bugger loudly, and them proceeded to grill the caller for details; while the rest of them waited for him to get off the line and tell them how the world was going to end. They gathered around the research table while Giles was on the call. After a while, Willow looked at Xander with a single raised eyebrow, so he returned it with two raised eyebrows and a "humph." Dawn giggled. Spike snorted. Tara said "I'll make some tea," and when to in the small galley kitchen.

Giles was still on the phone when she returned with the tea things. Dawn took Giles a cup fixed the way he liked it and was rewarded with a smile and a nod, but he gave no sign of wrapping up the call. "Any idea what it's about?" She whispered as she perched on one of the iron stairs, on a step slightly lower than the one on which Spike was lounging. She was answered by assorted shrugs and head shakes but the focus of their attention was still Giles and his interrogation of the caller.

Tara and Willow sat at the table with Xander and fussed with the tea and cookies. Tara handed Spike the blood she had warmed. 'Go T with Martha Stewart's undead living.' Dawn had opted out of the 'at least beverages give us something to do with our hands' stall and worried the skin along her thumbnail. Willow reached over without looking and gently tugged her hand away from her mouth, but replaced it with a cookie so that it didn't count as nagging. Giles finally hung up the phone.

"Apocalypse?" Willow and Xander asked in unison, pause for a startled look and said "Jinx!" And then both hung their heads, at least appearing guilt for acting like kids.

It was Tara who voiced the question they all had been thinking. "Has something bad happened?'

'Well," Giles paused to refill his cup. 'Oh so not good, a two cup crisis, something bad has happened alright.' "Actually," Giles continued, "it seems that something bad is about to happen. Something that the Powers That Be have brought to Angel's attention, he's apparently involved in the resolution. That was Wesley, it seems Cordelia has had a vision concerning the Hellmouth."

'And, oh bonus, the LA team was road tripping it to the Hellmouth.' Xander watched Dawn for her reaction. She seemed to have come to terms, thought it had been a struggle, with the whole 'key' concept. It had helped that when she did find out, she had had a few months of real memories to back up the manufactured ones. He knew she had memories of Cordelia and Angel, and even Wesley, but had never really met them. This might just serve as a test run to what her reaction to Mr. Summers would be when he came back into her life. Xander had thought about asking Willow if there was a spell involved in his continued absence, but wasn't sure he wanted to know to know if there was. He wasn't sure how he would handle it if a complete stranger albeit her father, showed up and tried to take Dawn, but he was pretty sure how Spike would react.

Willow hadn't told Angel about the 'key', just that Glory had needed something to lower the walls between the worlds and that Buffy had stopped her, with her life. Willow had also told Xander that Angel was keeping eye on Faith, and visited her frequently in prison. Xander had been concerned about Faith himself. Not the way he worried about the gang, more along the lines of how he worried about the watchers, and the initiative 'and didn't Riley's bailing put to rest any false hope we may have had that that bunch of genocidal thugs had dispersed with the Adam catastrophe', and akin to the way he worried that Angel would one day check that pesky soul in a locker at the nearest bus station and show up one night and kill them all. Xander had always considered it wise to know who wanted to kill him and where they were, but over the years the number had grown to the point he was thinking of starting a Rolodex.

Giles decided that since the vision had been sent to Cordelia that they should wait for Angel and company to arrive before attempting any physical reconnaissance. So they hit the books checking out demonic holy days and various enigmatic prophecies. The scoobies were well ensconced in the research when the four of them strode into the shop like they were on camera. 'Sheesh, Hollywood.'

"Cordy...your hair...it makes you look..." 'OH GOD! Abort! Abort! She'll kill me. Think of something, think of something.' "Famous." Xander stammered 'and it's a fabulous save by Alexander Harris, the crowded goes wild. Well maybe not wild, but it did earn me Queen C's million dollar smile and a big hug. Wait, did she just growl? Spike? Jealous Spike? Okay in a stunning display of my ability to multitask I have warm gooshy feelings and be scared stiff at the same time, and not stiff in a good way' "Angel. Wesley." Xander nodded to each and checked out the new guy while Cordelia introduced him around. From the way he was sized him up Xander figured this Gunn must be Cordy's new boy toy. Xander wondered if she let this one be seen with her in public.

Giles and Wesley went back to the office, to exchange secret watcher handshakes or swap gossip about who was who in the 'even though we study things too weird to be believed we can still manage to make the dissertations about them and boring' club. They couldn't have been talking about the 'case' since between the limited information Cordy had, and what the rest of them had found with the research they had done so far, they had squat. Apparently Cordy's 'visions' weren't full-blown sensoround experiences like Buffy's dreams had occasionally been. Even Buffy's dreams had been open to interpretation and usually could only be completely understood it was too late. Willow and Tara, after making the polite social small talk, excused themselves, saying they were going to get some components for at scrying spell out of the storage room. Xander saw right through that and figured they were going to the storage room for the same reason he and Spike would have been if he had been quick enough to call it first.

Angel and Spike after a brief of wanker vs. psychopath had retired to neutral corners. Spike not so casually lounging on the stairs near the research table and obviously, to Xander, standing guard over Dawn. Angel lurked near the front of the shop, feigning interest in the merchandise. Xander figured Dawn's presence would forestall any bloodshed, so when Cordy had ask to see the rest of the shop he gave her and Gunn the tour, Angel having decline to take in the highlights so that he could continue to not what Spike not watch him.

Xander was preening under Gunn's praise of the training facility. He had seemed especially impressed by a storage unit Xander had installed along the wall near the backdoor. It was built in, but Xander had kept the design simple. He wondered which the tall black man was really impressed by, the functional design or the fact that one of Cordy's spoiled suburban friends had a job from which you actually got dirty and developed calluses. They hadn't been there long when Dawn rushed in and without a word began trying to pull Xander toward the backdoor. The silent tears were back and she didn't even seem to notice.

"Dawn, honey, what's the matter?" Xander soothed and began to stroke her hair with the hand attached to the arm not in the death grip. She didn't answer immediately but turned a wide-eyed suspicious stare on Gunn and then Cordy.

"Dawnie, you know me..." Cordy didn't finish, she had reached out while she spoke and Dawn stepped back out of reach and pulled Xander close.

Dawn stood up on her toes to get closer to Xander's ear and whispered in a breaking voice. "Angel...he.... Angel and Spike were arguing.... I...They went outside." Her eyes pled with him to do something, to fix it, to not let her go through yet another loss. She was scared and frustrated, and yes Xander thought looking at the deepest most basic raw emotion in her eyes, she was resigned. Resigned to the belief that Fate was yet again going to kick the legs right out from under her, and leave her broken and alone.

"You stay here, with Cordy and Gunn. I'll take care of this." Gunn made as if to come with him, but Xander just shook his head and nodded at the girls. He paused at the storage unit by the door. Most of the cubbyholes held personal items, textbooks, shoes, umbrellas and sweaters, but the two nearest the door held a supply of stakes and several flasks of holy water. Xander grabbed one of each and when out the back door.

The alley was wide and had plenty of room for a fight. As he suspected, Spike and Angel had degenerated past the name calling stage and had moved on to slamming each other against the walls. He had to stop this before someone got dusted. Angel currently had Spike pinned face forward against the wall and was growling out something about Spike's lack of brains. Xander resolutely walk over and stopped just out of reach before saying, "This stops now, right now."

"Xander, get inside. This has nothing to do with you, it's between Spike and I." But Angel had taken his attention off of Spike for a fraction of a second and it was a fraction of a second too long. Spike reared back and cracked his skull loudly against Angel's face and in a flash their positions were reversed.

Xander stepped forward, and placed his hand on Spike's bicep, not grabbing, just touching. "Spike, go inside. Please." Spike looked like he was about to argue and Xander added, "Dawn is really upset." And he went, without a word. That seemed to surprise Angel more than the broken nose. "We have to talk." Xander watched as Angel pulled out an old fashioned handkerchief and blotted his nose. 'But hey, vampire, so it'll probably heal by the end of the night.'

"I said that this is between Spike and I." Angel growled.

"Wrong. It ceased to be just the two of you when you dragged Dawn into it." Xander snapped. 'Am I insane? Well, obviously. I wonder if he'll kill me."

"Xander, he's a killer." Angel reasoned

'You know Angel I'd be more inclined to listen to you if you didn't always talk to me like I had one too many head injuries.' Xander thought, but what he said was, "So are you." 'Oh, and what's with the pained look, you supposedly spend all you time working on penance for you sins but no ones is aloud to point out the truth?'

"Xander, listen" Angel started, but Xander saw where the conversation was going and decided it would be a waste of time that they didn't have.

"No. You listen. Spike is part of the team. If that's something you can't or won't deal with you should have just called this one in and stayed in LA. Do you understand? You don't get a vote. He is one of us. Whatever is between you two, deal with it." It had taken every bit of Xander's control to keep his voice low and emotionless. He wanted nothing more than to rage at this man who seemed to posses the uncanny ability to sweep out of the shadows and mess up his life. He walked back to the door of the shop, but stopped and whispered just before opening the door, trusting that the vampire would hear him. "You selfish bastard. I know your hurting. We're all hurting. But whatever you feel it is only a fraction of what Dawn's going through. Did you even notice what you did to her?"

When Xander walked back into the main room of the store. Over at the table, Dawn was sitting on Spike's lap and someone had made hot chocolate. 'It has to be ninety degrees out, this is taking comfort food too far.' Tara and Willow had been looking for scrying supplies or at least they were smart enough to follow through with their cover story. Cordy just looked stymied as she watched Spike stroking Dawn's hair. The Spike and Dawn spoke in hushed voices as Willow bounced and explained a great idea she had 'read new spell in the testing stage everybody duck'. Gunn wasn't faking interest well and Tara had a mildly worried look, that Xander found telling and went to warn Giles.

*****
Part 11:

Angel had come back inside while Xander had gone to the office to fetch Giles and Wesley. Xander wasn't sure which had Angel more off center, the frightened glances Dawn now leveled against him, or Spikes tender nurturing of Buffy's little sister. Currently, instead of just glaring at Spike he seemed to be taking in the whole dynamics of the group's interaction, evaluating the changes which had taken place since he had left after graduation. They were none of them the same people they had been. Giles no longer treated them as students but as colleagues. Willow was more assertive, she had found her place with her witch craft and seemed more at ease in her body and the world around her. She trusted her own judgment more then when they were kids. Xander knew it was partly due to her testing her limits and not yet having found them, but mostly due to Tara's quiet faith in her and rock solid support. He knew he himself now thought more before speaking, and no longer needed to be reassure that he had a right to be there. This was his pack, and although Xander still regarded Angel, as an unpredictable predator he no longer fear that Angel would or could usurp he place.

"Breath Wills." Xander's comment earned him an annoyed glance but didn't slow down the petite red head's description, complete with gestures and diagrams of her great idea. Said great idea involved summoning an elemental, hence Tara's worried look was now accompanied by anxious lip biting. Even Wesley looked askew at Willow theory.

Giles had once told Xander that he blamed the computer for most of Willow's, how did he put it, creative catastrophes with magic. When Xander had mentioned that Giles had a built in prejudice towards the 'infernal machines' because they clashed with both his stuffy British intellectual image and his bad assed Ripper persona, Giles had said that what he had meant was that Willow tended to think of spells as programs; and that that lead to both her powerful successes and her equally spectacular crash and burns. 'So loved the whole demon magnet thing, thanks Wills.' Giles had pointed out how for most magic users spells were an extremely formal intellectual ballet with every word and gesture choreographed and the slightest deviation would change the results. One spell, one result no mucking about with it. But Willow tore spells down to their basic components and reassembled them to achive unpredictable results. Just like programmers would cut and paste pieces of various subroutines together to perform more complex functions Willow took smaller harmless spells and combined them and strung them in sequence until you got a human who could stand toe to toe with a hell god. Xander felt a rush of pride for his friend and thought he should tell her more often how impressed he was by her, unless she was going to be actually doing magic, then he should be far far away.

The elementals Willow were describing were usually harmless. It was at the word usually Giles gave Xander the look and arched one brow toward Dawn. Xander gave the look right back and arched his brow toward Willow. Briefly them were at a stalemate. Xander wondered if any of the LA crew had picked up on the silent battle of wills ranging in the same room with them. While Willow reassured Wesley that as long as they picked the right place they should not have any trouble with the gossamer like sprites which she claimed would be and excellent source of information. The trick, and the reason they had never used this solution before when research had failed, would be getting far enough from the Hellmouth that the creatures would not be influenced by its malignant power, but closed enough that they would have information about it.

The sprites were supposedly shameless gossips and excellent sources of information. The were also, often liars and very mischievous; and had all the powers of the air. Xander didn't know what that meant but he did know he didn't want to let Willow out of his sight when she stirred them up. Although he couldn't help her if they attacked magically, Giles could. He conceded defeat and dropped his gaze. Someone had to stay with Willow and someone had to stay with Dawn and in this case Giles was best suited back up for Willow. He looked over at Spike and Dawn. Spike's nod was almost imperceptible. He would watch 'Red' if it was something Giles couldn't take care of with knowledge and magic, Spike would tear it apart with brute force.

Xander walked over to Dawn and knelt down in front of her. "Hey, feel like catching a flick?" Over Spike's shoulder he saw Cordy's shocked looked, she seemed just about to let loose with one of her prom queen diatribes when something, or someone caught her eye and she swallowed it. Dawn looked at him, then she looked at Giles. She looked back at him, then turned to Spike. She swallowed, looked back at Xander and smiled.

"Sure." She got up and picked up her knapsack and added as she stopped by the do, 'Good luck with the airy things, be careful."

Xander held and gestured with his cell phone, "Call, keep us posted." Then they left.

~~~~~

When they were in the car, Dawn said she couldn't sit still for a whole movie and suggested going to her house. She said at least that if he were busy then one of them wouldn't be worrying. Xander had arrange a sub-contractor to repair the major damage Glory had done to the house, but had spent a great deal of time there recently. There was much to do fixing the general wear and tear that had accumulated in a house full of females who defined that maintenance as fixing something that was broken. Once they were at the house Dawn had wheedled him into walking her to a neighbor's to hang with her friends. She promised to stay inside and to call when she wanted him to come get her.

He called the shop to check on the progress. They were going to Lanier's Bluff outside of town, feeling the high windy area would be conducive to the summoning and far enough from the Hellmouth. He still couldn't go with them and chaffed at the restriction. They had reached an agreement shortly after the Dragon's visit that; one they were not taking Dawn on anymore Hellmouthy field trips and, two whenever possible one of them would sit out the potentially fatal activities, like parents who take separate planes to ensure that one crash does not orphan their children.

~~~

Hours later Xander vigorously scoured his hands, at the kitchen sink, with a stiff bristled brush. He had grouted Joyce's bathroom. He was running out of things to do before the appraisal. Truth be told he was putting it off, this house had been a home to him as well as Dawn. They had all talked it over, the six of them over dinner in the shop one night. They would sell the house and put the proceeds in a trust for Dawn, after paying for her education the balance would payout to her when she reached twenty-one. The contents were to be put in storage. So Xander had stalled. He didn't think Dawn was ready to go though Joyce and Buffy's things, to sort through all those memories. Hell, he wasn't ready.

Drying his hands he turned and leaned back against the sink. The memories crowed around him like a thick fog and were just as impossible to hold. Flashes of Buffy and Dawn in a mad scramble for the phone, with slayer strength and speed no match for little sister determination and whining. Joyce finding a way to make it seem like he was doing her a favor to take that last piece of pie. It all seemed so real, so now, yet he knew if he reached out to touch these memories that they would slip though his fingers as insubstantial as mist.

He tossed the towel on the counter and moved though the house like it was a museum. He stopped to look at personal knick-knacks and photos. He had been in and out of this house though out the past five years. He had past most of the items almost daily with out really seeing them. When he reached the living room he almost expected to see a younger version of himself ensconced between Willow and Buffy, watching the TV and making sarcastic comments about the age of the cast of 90210.

He had taken Dawn aside after they had decided to sell the house. He wanted to make sure that they hadn't pressured her into the decision. After all it had been such a happy home, except for near the end. She had tried to explain to him how the good memories made it seem so much more hollow and empty without Joyce and Buffy. Tonight he thought he understood.

More than ever Xander was grateful that Buffy had never returned his puppy love. Instead what she had offered him was so much more solid and lasting. Instead of memories of fleeting gropes in the back seats of cars or darken corners, like he had with Cordelia, Buffy had given him loyalty and a heart-sib's love that had offered him both her family and her home. Frequently, since Joyce had quietly slipped from their grasp, and Buffy had been yanked away, Xander had wakened with the words she had spoken in that uncanny dream from the night that the initiative had self-destructed. "I'm way ahead of you big brother." She had been, then and always. At sixteen she had opened a whole new world, not just the vampires and other creepy crawlies, but the concept that you didn't just have to lay down and take what life through at you, that you could fight back. Now again she had gone ahead, into whatever the next world held. He wondered if she was still guarding the gate, only it would be a new gate and she would be waiting for time and circumstances to reunite them all again. Once again, she was teaching him by example. That love doesn't end with death and that how we do what we do in life matters just as much, if not more, than what we do.

He was surprised when the first tears blurred his vision and relieved that Dawn wasn't there. He realized he had been holding a framed photo of the three of them, the Summers women. He didn't know how long he had been staring at it. They were laughing and not paying attention to the camera, he would have to ask Dawn for a copy of it.

He wished the others would call. He knew Will had her phone but didn't want to call for fear he would interrupt at a crucial moment. Dawn had called twice to see if they had called him and he had told her not to call Willow and that he would call her when they called him, so he didn't feel he could break his own rule, now matter how antsy he got. Xander gently placed the photo back on the end table with a sigh. When he turned he saw Spike standing there watching him, looking sad and perhaps caught up in his own memories. He was surprised to see Spike, not only because no one had called to say 'hay stop worrying we're alive' but because he remembered Willow doing the uninvite spell on Spike and did not remember him coming here since That Night.

His surprise must have shown in his face, because Spike said "Buffy invited me in" and then laughed at his look of utter confusion. "Not now, you daft git. Before... when... when we came back here to get the weapons and extra clothes for the robot."

Anything was better then the two of them thinking about That Night, so Xander teased. "Oh yeah. Your girlfriend." He smiled, no more pained nostalgia here, Spike looked ready to play. "The one you had 'programmed' for total obedience. Xander hooked his index fingers through the belt loops of Spikes jeans. In a nod to the heat wave, Spike had forgone the leather trench coat and silk shirt and was just wearing his trademark black tee shirt, and a smirk of course. Tugging Spike forward Xander backed into the couch and sat down. Spike chuckled and placed a knee on either side of Xander's thighs and straddled his body. Xander couldn't suppress a face splitting grin when he continued. "Poor Spike, I bet you miss that total obedience surrounded by such." And Spike cut him of with a kiss. Xander started to lift Spike's shirt; he wanted it off and longed for the skin to skin contact.

Xander's fingers were drinking in the touch of Spike's slim muscled body, when Spike clasp both wrist in a firm unyielding grip. He pushed Xander's hands back and pinned them against the back of the sofa. Xander looked up hungrily into his lover's laughing blue eyes and strained against his Spike prison to reach up for another kiss. "Behave, Pet." Spike added with a smirk, "time you learned some lessons."

Xander swallowed and nodded. He was winning his battle to suppress laughter and he felt he had conquered the smile, "I've been bad." His words had barley been whispered but they brought back Spikes shit eating grin.

"Not bad" Spike's words tickled against his neck as he leaned down to scrap blunt teeth against the pulse point just behind Xander's ear. Xander frantically tried to buck up and bring any sort of friction against his throbbing cock, but Spike held him like a vice and he whimpered in frustration. "You're never bad pet, just a bit naughty. You didn't even ask how things went."

"You're here. They're fine. Please touch me." 'Why is it he retains the use of language when we're having sex; I must be doing something wrong. I've degenerated into gasping babble and he wants to have a conversation.' Xander struggled to reach Spike. Spike relented with a chaste kiss, which was so not what Xander had been trying for. "Please Spike."

"You're right they're fine. Dawn called the shop as soon as we got back. All the batteries on the phones died something to do with the elementals. Red's probable still on the line with her."

"Great. Kiss me." 'Stop laughing you limey bastard' Amusing Spike was always fun, but not, at the moment, his primary goal. Xander decide it was time to go on the offensive, and leaned forward to lick what he could reach, the spot where Spikes collar bone dipped to attach to his rib cage.

"Don't you know what information they?" Spike broke off with a howl as Xander bit down hard on the spot he had been sucking. Spike pulled back but did not release Xander. Xander looked up in to his golden eyes and shivered when he growled, "You've been very wicked, Pet."

"Are you going to punish me?" Xander barely breathed the words up into the slowly lowering face of fangs and ridges. What Spike would have said when he finish his low throaty chuckle was forestalled when some noise or movement capture Xander's attention, and he glanced at the entrance to the living room, " Angel?"

*****
Part 12:

'Well, we've managed to knock him out of brood mode. Although at least when he's all soulful and sorrowful he looks like he has a brain, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that since Deadboy looks like he just got hit in the back of the head with blunt object, deep thought has been disengaged.' Spike still pinned Xander to the couch, but twisted at his waist to face Angel, snarling and growling. 'Great, out of the two of us let's make the one who has been reduced to the use of three words, fuck me now, do the talking.' Xander squirmed under Spike, not sure if he was trying to convey, let me up I'll get rid of him or, ignore the hulking vampire and shag now.

"Xander?" 'Oh good Angel's regained the power of speech, wonder if I have?'

"Yeah?" 'English, yes, good! Now what do I have to say to get him to leave?' Spike, Mr. I can assume any sexual position and still say things to make your brain explode, was oddly quiet except for the continuing low growl, which Xander felt more than heard.

"Xander, what are you doing?" Angel looked baffled.

"Grouting the bathroom." 'Score! I think I just instigated a total mind meltdown, he looks even more puzzled. And in a startling display of sympathy for the big guy, I feel guilty for getting some when he's got the whole curse thing going. Not much, but maybe I should let him off the hook.'"I, ah," struggle, squirm, 'at least let go of my hands, you smarmy bastard,' "I've been fixing up the place, before Dawn sells it." 'Yes! Right hand free. I can now take over the world.' Xander used his new freedom to stroke Spike's shoulder, arm and chest trying to sooth him out of over protective the guard dog mode. While this didn't succeed in turning Spike's suspicious yellow gaze off Angel, it did free Xander's other hand.

"Xander, he's a vampire," Since Xander had a lapful of about one hundred and fifty pounds of growling, yellow eyed, ridge faced and fang filled vampire, he considered suggesting Angel apply for a job with the watchers.

Xander looked at Angel, looked at Spike, looked back at Angel and said, "No, Really?"

"Xander?" Willow's voice came from the foyer, and she peeked around Angel's large frame. "There you are." She slipped past Angel, who was still rooted in the entrance, followed by Tara. Willow sat beside Xander, with Tara sitting on her right. "What busy work did you pretend absolutely needed to be done tonight?" She showed she was teasing but poking his ribs and giggling.

"Hey, not busy work, I re-grouted the master bath." Xander smile and thought it was lucky nothing had come out of Willow and his first, stumbling, startled recognition of 'wow look male and female' and that they had never tested out their interlocking parts. Because nobody could drive all thought of sex from his mind and body like the tiny redhead could when she looked at him with the concerned face.

Which she was giving him now as she said, "You know Xan, eventually we'll get to a point where we have to bite the bullet and call a broker." Then she turned the concern look on the room and the house in general. Tara reached over and clasps Willow's hand entwining their fingers in one of her trademark quiet shows of support. Willow sighed and then looked at Angel. "Stop looming and take a seat, I want to here what Xander thinks about the Thing."

Well the couch was out, because while not overly crowded with the three of them sitting there, after all Spike was sitting on Xander, it didn't really have room for a fourth. But the closest chair to the couch was next to Spike and that obviously wasn't going to happen. So Angel sat on the far side of the room looking as if he wanted to be anywhere else, including a short vacation back to hell. "So what do you think?" Willow asked putting away the concerned look and bouncing slightly.

"What do I think?" 'I think I probably should have asked Spike how it went out at the bluff before jumping him. Well, never let it be said my academic career was a complete waste, nobody has had more experience pretending they know what is going on than me.' "About the Thing?" 'Now if I can just figure out what the Thing is.'

"Yes, tell Red what you think about the Thing Pet." Spike's voice oozed with encouragement and he morphed from the yellow-eyed protector into the blue eyed tormentor. 'Oooh, Smug Spike, keep it up and no nookie for you wait that would mean nookie for me. That would be bad.'

"So, you think this Thing will work?" Xander ventured vaguely. 'I could just tell her I have no idea what we're talking about, it wouldn't be the first time.' After briefly considering the rest of their audience, Xander decided to wait it out; nothing was likely to come bursting through the wall, now that Glory was dead.

"Yeah, it could be helpful, unless this is a trick," and the concerned look was back and Willow bit her lip.

"No," Tara said. "It was a good idea, I think the sprites really wanted to help."

"And they gave you the Thing?" Xander asked. 'I need more information' In a subtle attempt to persuade his lapful of undead lover to help him out, Xander slid his left hand along the side of Spike's thigh until it rested on his ass. Their bodies blocked the view from the witches, but he had to move slowly so that Angel wouldn't notice.

"Well they led us to it. There's sort of a communication problem. Didn't Spike tell you?" Willow finished with a pensive tilt to her head.

"Well, Spike," Xander shrugged dismissively. "I'd rather hear your version."

"Oy!" Before Spike could launch into a diatribe of English slang, Xander squeezed hard on his butt check and transformed whatever he had been about to say into a low rumbling purr.

Willow's eyes widen and she looked at purring Spike, and she looked at panicking Xander and in true Willow form said, "Oh God we're interrupting sex."

"No!" Said Xander.

"Yes!" Said Spike. Glares were exchanged.

~~~~~

The five of them took two cars, back to the shop. Willow and Tara had stopped at the Summers' neighbors and brought Dawn a change of clothes so that she could spend the night. Spike filled Xander in on the ride over in between complaining about the interrupted sex.

Sprites were glowing, gossamer entities that dance and tumbled on air currents. They did not like vampires but did apparently like Cordelia. Spike said Giles had thought it had something to do with her visions. Since air was practically everywhere and they were basically air; Sprites were excellent sources of information. The problem was they didn't have an index. When you ask a question you had to be very careful how you worded it. It gave information overload a whole new meaning when hundreds of tiny being swirled around you trying to do a core dump on everything they knew about a given subject.

Although they had tried to keep their questions closed ended with limited answers, as close to yes or no as possible, in the excitement and open ended question had been unintentionally ask and pandemonium ensued. After becoming frustrated at the human's inability to comprehend their message the little critters had swarmed and led the humans to a thing buried beneath an ash tree. The Thing looked similar to the dracon sphere that Glory had destroyed. The etchings on it were different and Giles and Wesley were currently researching their meaning. The problem was although both agreed the marking predated both the Germanic and Celtic languages it had properties of each. Yet if the translation leaned toward Celtic it meant one thing, and if it was Germanic it meant practically the opposite. So they weren't sure if the Thing would stop whatever was tampering with the Hellmouth or if it was what the bad guys needed and would therefore come after.

More good news, when Angel had done a sweep of the old high school ruins earlier that evening, he had found signs of recent activity. Nothing definite enough to tell them who or what was prowling around but he said it felt like magic had been being used, whatever the hell that meant. Willow had wanted to set up a warding spell like the one she used to hold off the crusade that killed the Winnebago and tried to take Dawn. Giles had vetoed the idea. He said it would be too draining on Willow's vitality to keep it up for a long period. He felt that whatever it was would just wait until she was too weak to maintain it and attack when she was vulnerable.

Back at the shop Wesley launched into a detailed description of what they didn't know, which was a lot. Xander tried to stifle a yawn but Giles noticed and cut off Wesley's speculation. "We've cast spells to warn us if anything happens, tonight at least. Willow you and Tara have classes in the morning and Xander has work. Go home get some sleep, whatever does happen you'll need to be alert tomorrow." Wesley, Angel, Giles and, to Wesley and Angels obvious surprise, Spike stayed to hit the books.

Before leaving to take the witches back to the dorm Xander stopped in the kitchen, Spike was heating his dinner. "So you're doing the book thing?" Spike gave a depreciating shrug and just smiled. Since Spike and he were 'might as well admit it' living together, Xander had picked up on many signal that pointed out that Spike was highly educated and a great deal smarter that his street persona. Not only did Spike not like to admit this; he went out of his way to hide it. "When do you think you'll be home?" Before Spike could answer stopped in the entrance to the small kitchen.

"Um, sorry," Angel looked uncomfortable, and he really had no reason to be, he wasn't even interrupting sex this time. "Giles said there was..."

"Blood? Help yourself Peaches." Spike took his mug and pulled Xander out of the galley to give Angel room to get in, or maybe just as an excuse for a quick grope. 'Yeah, like he needs an excuse.'

In a blur of movement Angel grabbed Spikes wrist. "That's human." 'Let's give it up for the vampire super senses. And do you want to let go of him asshole?' Xander waited for Spike's reaction, as long as they weren't physically trying to kill each other, or upsetting Dawn, he didn't feel it was his place to interfere in whatever freaky vampire type family thing they had going.

Spike seemed more amused than angry. "That's right," he said and took a slow deliberate sip from his mug. "What did you think it would be? Pig?"

"Xander, you know about this?" Angel turned an incredulous look on Xander. 'So much for staying out of it.'

"Well it's pretty well marked. Check out the fridge. We keep most of it at home but there should be a selection of types." Xander deliberately misinterpreted the question.

Evidently two could play that game because Angel said, "You mean like cow and pig?"

"Actually I meant 'O' 'B' 'AB' and 'A'," enough sparring Xander though.He was tired and just wanted to go home and wrap himself around Spike.

Spike had other plan and threw a taunting smirk. "He takes good care of me, my Xander. Guess your humans don't care if you eat right."

Normally, Xander took exception to the possessive pronouns but he let it slid. He wasn't blind. Ever since Angel had strutted his over-gelled ass in here Spike had been giving or waves of insecurity. Xander remembered that feeling. Angel had had the same effect on him at one time. He had always felt that if there was a place for Angel in Buffy's life that there might not be a place for Xander. He should have trusted her. She had tried to let him know that they each were very dear to her in different ways.

Suddenly he felt sorry for Angel. He had missed the last two years of Buffy's life. Her starting, and finding her feet in collage. The time she suspected her roommate was a demon, and had been right. Discovering the hazards of dating and drinking on the Hellmouth. Her brief engagement to Spike. 'Snerk.' He hadn't been there to see what Xander had. What was it Giles had said about Willow 'what a wonderful young woman she had become'? Angel had missed it. He had dated and fallen in love with the girl. Xander had loved the girl and the woman. All in all Xander though he had the better deal.

"I've gotta bail, I'm beat and I still have to take the witches home. Don't kill each other; err any deader than you already are." Xander left giving Spike a semi-chaste kiss and receiving his promise to wake him when he got home.

Spike and Angel were still discussing diet issues when he left with Willow and Tara. He hoped the two of them would find away to if not get along then to at least work together.

This was the first threat of the Hellmouth nature since they had lost Buffy. A day didn't go by that he didn't miss Buffy. He missed the friend things. Like the way she would listen to him try to learn to play the harmonica without bludgeoning him to death; because she had given it to him for his birthday two years ago and should have known better than to do that to someone with no musical talent. Right now thought, he missed the slayer. He missed her take charge attitude and the way she marshaled their resources. Buffy could have had Spike and Angel working together or at least tolerating each other with a few well-placed quips. Xander had a feeling that they were going to need both of them on this and had no idea how to make it work.

He would just have to wait and see what tomorrow would bring.

*****