Sweet Memories: Part Three

by Kayla



"Aren't you done yet?" Wil tapped his foot impatiently. He'd been dressed and ready to go for the last 20 minutes, while Alex seemed to be taking his own sweet time. "Come on, mate! I didn't take this bleedin' long!"

"Yeah, well, some of us have reflections, you know!" Alex called from the bathroom. "We can make sure we look good."

Wil rolled his eyes. "How did I manage to get involved with someone so prissy?" he muttered to himself. "That's one thing I'd like to remember." In a louder voice he responded, "And some of us just know we look good, don't need to spend hours fancyin' ourselves up."

Alex laughed. "You just keep telling yourself that, Wil."

Finally, finally the door opened, and Alex deigned to emerge.

Wil's jaw dropped. Where the hell did he get a pair of leather pants?! Frozen, he stared dazedly at Alex. The pants were so tight it looked as if he'd been poured into them, the supple black material set off by the skin-tight blue shirt under which he could detect every ripple of Alex's muscles. Wil dragged his gaze up to Alex's face, feeling his fingers itching to run through the carefully styled hair that hung in soft waves.

Grinning, Alex walked -- hell, he prowled -- over to Wil, closing the vampire's mouth with a finger. "You like?" he whispered huskily.

Wil swallowed hard, nodding convulsively. He looked down at his own clothes, a pair of black jeans and a loose red shirt, suddenly feeling rather drab.

Alex noticed the forlorn expression that passed over Wil's face, and he tilted the blonde's head up. "Hey, you look gorgeous." He dropped a kiss on parted lips, tasting him briefly. Straightening, he smiled. "So. Let's go. Mellie suggested this one club, it's about six blocks away. With any luck, we won't run into anything...strange on the way."

"Yeah. Sure." Wil inhaled deeply, forcing himself to relax. He watched, fascinated, and Alex went to the door. He was totally mesmerized by the sinuous flexing of those curved buttocks. And when Alex turned back, he was suddenly confronted by a very obvious leather-covered bulge.

He tore his eyes away, deciding it would be best if he didn't walk behind Alex. Shaking himself, he joined his boyfriend at the door, tentatively taking Alex's hand in his own.

Alex held back a smirk at having caught the other man ogling him, instead giving Wil another kiss before pulling the door shut behind them.



"Alex, this is a gay club," Wil informed his boyfriend. He then took a closer look at the mixed clientele that was entering the building. "Make that a gay demon club."

"Duh. What better place is there for me to grope my vamp boyfriend in public?" He grinned at Wil's embarrassed look and paid the cover charge for them both, ignoring the suggestive wink the man collecting money sent his way. He held tight to Wil's hand as they made their way through the crowd of men. "You want a drink?" he shouted to Wil over the loud music.

Wil shook his head. "Not right now," he yelled back. Grinning, he pulled Alex to the dance floor. "C'mon, let's dance!"

Alex resisted for a moment, then gave in, not wanting to put up a fight since Wil seemed to be getting into the spirit of things. Within seconds, the two of them were moving smoothly to the beat of the music, brushing up against each other as they danced.

Eyes narrowing with mischief, Wil circled his arms around Alex's neck, moving in to nuzzle his neck as he inched the lower half of his body ever closer. He brushed his groin lightly against Alex's, grinning when the man groaned and clutched at him, hands roaming down his back to rest on the swell of his ass.

Alex successfully resisted the urge to sneak his hands inside Wil's pants, contenting himself with simply groping his firm cheeks through the barrier of cloth. He could feel Wil purring against him, hands playing gently with the hair at the nape of his neck, tongue darting out to lick across his neck, hand sliding over the small of his back to squeeze his ass--

Alex frowned, mentally counting. One hand kneading his neck, one hand wriggling through his hair, one hand fondling his butt. "Wil?"

"Yeah," the blonde breathed, barely pausing in his licking.

"Your hands are around my neck, yes?"

"Mmm-hmmm."

"Then would you mind telling me who's copping a feel of my ass?"

Wil's eyes flew wide, and he ceased his torture of Alex's sensitive skin. He pulled away, leaning to peer around behind Alex. The man who'd started dancing there smiled cheerfully at Wil, not taking his hand off of Alex.

"Fuckin' wanker," Wil growled, wrenching himself out of Alex's grasp. He stalked around to the man, yanking the offending arm away and twisting it brutally. "I suggest you keep your fuckin' hands to yourself, y' bloody pillock!" he hissed, feeling his face shift and change.

The man blanched, cringing away as he whimpered from the pain of bones grinding together. "I'm sorry!" he gasped out. "I-I-I didn't know!" His entire body trembled with fear. "P-Please..."

With a snarl, Wil shoved the man away, glaring as he watched him scramble off the floor, injured arm clutched to his chest. He then turned his stony glare to the audience the incident had drawn, daring anyone there to make an issue. As the noise level again grew and faces turned away from them, Wil moved back into Alex's arms.

Alex grinned, kissing the top of Wil's head. "My hero," he murmured. "I like it when you get all possessive," he added, grinding his body against his boyfriend's.

"Yeah?" Wil calmed, his features shifting back to their human guise. He brought Alex's head down for a proper kiss, using his tongue to stake a claim of the other man's mouth.

Alex surrendered himself eagerly, welcoming the cool, wet probe with his own tongue.

The two molded themselves together for endless moments, only breaking apart when the music changed its tempo from upbeat and lively to something slow and pulsing.

Wil grinned, backing an arm's length away from Alex, gyrating his hips seductively. Alex groaned, reaching out to grab hold of those hips and drag Wil back to him. But the vampire twisted out of his grasp, turning around before backing up and replacing Alex's hands.

Alex gasped as Wil's luscious ass pressed back against him, grinding against his steadily hardening cock. He dropped his head, nibbling at the pale neck before him, sliding one arm around Wil's waist to hold the other man as they continued to sway with the music.

Wil wiggled his hips, rubbing himself against the hard mound in Alex's pants. He whimpered as Alex's other hand slid up his chest to play idly with a stiffening nipple. Tilting his head back further, he turned it to capture Alex's lips with his own, once more introducing their tongues to each other.

They continued to dance for what seemed like hours, touching, teasing, kissing, groping. They were both painfully hard, and even knowing that they weren't going any further anytime soon, they couldn't manage to keep their hands and mouths off each other.

Finally, though, they had to call a halt, both of them desperately in need of a drink. They left the floor, to the dismay of the other customers who had gathered to watch the erotic display. Making their way over to the bar, they took a couple of vacated stools.

Alex put his mouth to Wil's ear. "What do you want?" he asked.

"JD's fine, luv," Wil responded.

Alex nodded, turning to wave the rather harried-looking bartender over. After a few moments, the slim redhead made his way over to them.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"A Jack Daniel's for him, and I'll have a Red Death."

This order earned him a blank look before the bartender hurried off. It was about five minutes later when they finally received their drinks.

"Sorry," the bartender apologized in a weary voice. "It's just, I don't normally work the bar, so I had no idea how to make what you ordered. Had to look it up."

Alex took a sip of his drink. "What happened?"

"Well, the regular guy quit a couple of days ago, so Frankie's had us dancers taking turns pulling shifts at the bar." He made a face. "I suck at it. But at least the customers are being pretty cool about the whole situation." He turned as another customer called for him, hurrying over to take yet another incomprehensible order.

"Huh." Alex watched him briefly, then tossed back the remainder of his drink. "Damn," he hissed through clenched teeth. He turned his head to look at Wil, holding back a groan as he saw the vampire calmly sipping at his drink. Bottle tilted up, lips wrapped firmly around the mouth. Throat working with each swallow, bottle tilted back down. Lips releasing the glass only to be replaced by a tongue that snaked out to circle the rim, capturing any stray drops. Lips twisting into a smug grin when Wil noticed the effect he was having on Alex...

Alex snapped his mouth shut with an audible 'click', glaring at Wil. "You will pay for that, you know," he informed the vampire casually. "Someday, when you least expect it..."

"What?" Wil assumed an innocent expression. "I was just havin' a drink!"

"Uh-huh. Sure you were. No ulterior motives with that little show at all."

Wil snickered. "None whatsoever."

Alex rolled his eyes, using the movement to tear them away from where they insisted on lingering on slim, pale fingers that slowly caressed the side of the bottle... He shook himself.

A crash drew his attention, and he looked over to where the dancer/bartender had managed to upset a stack of glasses. He grimaced sympathetically, watching as the man scrambled to sweep up the mess and continue to take orders. He stood, dropping a quick peck to Wil's cheek. "Don't go anywhere," he told him.

Without really even thinking about it, Alex moved behind the bar, calmly taking an order and expertly mixing the requested drink He continued in this fashion, placing any money he received carefully under the counter. Taking the latest order, he turned to mix it, only to come face-to-face with the other bartender, who stood smiling wryly at him.

"Do this often?"

"Geez, I'm sorry. It just...you looked like you could use some help, and...I'll just go now."

"No! Heaven forbid...don't let me run you off. Please, feel free to continue." He held out a hand. "I'm Jon."

Alex shook the proffered hand. "Jon. I'm Alex."

Jon beamed at him, dimples flashing. "Well, don't mind me. Carry on."

Alex grinned back, then went on with his impromptu bartending, quickly reestablishing his rhythm of taking orders and mixing and serving drinks. He even managed to sneak in another kiss with Wil, dragging the vampire over the bar for an extended liplock when he ordered another drink. This was met with cheers, whistles, and some rather hearty applause, much to the delight of the two participants.

Things continued like this for a bit, until a loud voice behind Alex made him jump.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Alex spun around, swallowing nervously as he was confronted by a hulking figure. One he tentatively assumed was human, although it was rather difficult to tell under all the hair.

"Um, I-I-I--"

"Do you work for me?"

"Well, no, I just--"

"You mean to tell me you're out here tending my bar, and you're not an employee? Jon!"

Jon came rushing forward. "Yeah, Frankie?"

Frankie stabbed a finger in Alex's direction. "You got this boy tending my bar?"

"Um, yeah?"

Frankie grunted, scratching his beard thoughtfully. He peered intently at Alex.

Alex nibbled his lip, hoping to god that this behemoth of a man wasn't going to take offense with him.

"Why the hell aren't you an employee?" Frankie barked out.

"Um...b-because you never hired me?" Alex offered tentatively.

"A fucking inexcusable oversight on my part! Can you start regular tomorrow night? You'll get $12 an hour, plus tips."

"Oh, well I don't--"

"Alright, fine, $15 an hour, but only because you look to be a damned sight better at the job than the last miserable excuse for a bartender I hired."

"I..." Alex cast a glance back at Wil, who shrugged.

Frankie squinted. "That vampire. He your boyfriend or something?"

Alex blushed slightly, nodding.

"Hmph." Frankie brushed past Alex to stand imperiously in front of Wil. "Well, you look like a strong wind could knock you over, but your sort tend to be tough. I could use some extra muscle around here, bouncers are always needed when some of the boys start dancing and get the customers worked up. Interested?"

Wil shrugged. "Could be. What kinda dosh we lookin' at?"

"I can start you out same as your man over there, amount negotiable when I see how well you work out. No one can say I underpay my employees."

Wil exchanged a calculating glance with Alex, then nodded. "Fine then. You got us."

Frankie clapped his hands, rubbing them together delightedly. "Wonderful!" He turned back to Alex. "You can finish out the night at the bar, if you like. Then come in tomorrow around 5:00, we'll get the paperwork and whatnot all hashed out. The vampire can come in after sunset and we'll get him settled." He clapped Alex's back, nearly sending him sprawling to the floor. "Welcome to the Dark Phoenix!"

Bemused, Alex watched him go, then glanced back at Wil. The vampire smiled at him happily, giving him the thumbs-up, and he smiled back. Looked like their days of unemployment were over!


Alex woke slowly, stretching himself out on the bed. Sleepily, he reached over, frowning when he encountered only cold sheets. He sat up, looking around.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he checked the time, not surprised to find it was almost noon. It had been a late night, and they hadn't gotten home until almost 3:00 in the morning. They'd had barely enough energy for a few almost chaste kisses before succumbing to exhaustion, curling around each other like puppies as they slept.

Alex stumbled from the room, heading for the kitchen to procure some caffeine. An strong hand headed him off, leading him over to a table that held steaming waffles toped with butter and syrup, a dish of fresh strawberries, and a glass of ice-cold milk. Mumbling his heartfelt thanks, Alex proceeded to practically inhale the food. By the end of the meal, he had achieved full consciousness, and he gave Wil an abashed grin. "Sorry about the zombie act," he apologized.

Wil grinned, shrugging in response. "S'ok. I woke up earlier, thought I'd fix you some breakfast. Good?"

Alex wiped his mouth, licking the crumbs and sticky syrup off his fingers. "Very. You made these?" He looked dumbfounded at Wil's nod. "I didn't even know we owned a waffle iron."

Laughing, Wil replied, "We don't. I borrowed it from Mellie; she gave me the recipe for the waffles, too."

"That woman is an absolute saint." Alex managed to refrain from licking the plate, but it was a close call. "Remind me to let you cook any time."

Wil smiled bashfully and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Go wash up. I thought we could have a quiet day before we start work tonight."

"Yeah, good idea." Alex put his dishes in the sink, then headed for the bathroom. After a quick shower and change of clothes, he went back in the living room, where he found Wil lying on the couch, reading. With a soft laugh, he made himself comfortable in the chair, hands reaching for a pencil and mostly blank sheet of paper on the coffee table. Eyeing the blonde vampire, he hesitantly began to apply pencil to paper.

This continued for a while, the 'scritch-scritch' of pencil on paper breaking the comfortable quiet of the room.

Eventually, Wil glanced up, curious. "What are you doing?"

Alex flushed, hastily covering the paper. "Um...nothing."

Wil raised an eyebrow. "Alex," he said in a coaxing tone. "Show me?"

Alex hesitated, but couldn't say no to the blatant look of pleading on Wil's face. With a sigh, he handed the paper over, waiting for the laughter that would soon follow.

Wil gaped at the picture. "You...drew me?"

Alex shrugged, embarrassed. "Ok, I know it's not that good, but I was just...doodling, and--"

"You drew me." Wil gazed up at him, eyes shining.

Mouth snapping shut, Alex fidgeted slightly under that adoring look.

Wil smiled and pulled him close, kissing him. "I love it," he breathed. "Promise me you'll draw more?"

"Oh, well I..." He melted. "Yeah. Sure. Of course I will."

"Good." Wil stroked the paper, that devastating smile still playing about his lips.

Desperate to change the subject, Alex cleared his throat. "So...what are you reading."

"Hmm?" Wil looked up at him, questioning.

"The book? What is it."

"Oh." Wil reclaimed his seat after carefully placing the drawing on the table so it wouldn't get crumpled. "It's, um, it's a book Jenna loaned me." Now it was the vampire's turn to look embarrassed. "It's kind of...cute. I guess."

"What's it called?"

"Solo's Journey," Wil admitted.

"What? Why are you acting like that? Is it porn or something?" Alex snuggled up beside Wil, trying to sneak a glance at the book.

"No! It's...it's about, well, cats."

Alex looked doubtful. "Cats?"

Defensive now, Wil narrowed his eyes. "Yes, cats. Y'know, four feet, tail, furry, they meow and purr a lot?"

Alex whacked him on the leg. "I know what a cat is, dummy! Why are you reading about them?"

"'Cause I want to. Sod off." Pouting, Wil huddled away from Alex, shooting the human an icy glare.

"Wil..." Alex sighed, stroking Wil's leg gently. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult you." Wil just sniffed, and Alex bit his lip, feeling somewhat ashamed. Then he brightened. "Is it good?"

"Yeah," Wil muttered shortly, eyes firmly fixed on the book.

Alex wiggled closer, slipping his arm around Wil's waist as he lay his head down on the vampire's chest. "Read to me?"

Wil hesitated.

"Please? You've got such a sexy voice."

With a sigh, Wil relaxed, an arm coming up to hold Alex to him. In a quiet voice, he turned the pages back and slowly began to read. "Even in his...sleep, d-deep within the hid...hidden thickets, Solo could sense that som...something was wrong." Wil squirmed, bringing the book closer to his face as he squinted at the small print. "As he r-roused himself to the surface of...wakeful...wakefulness--"

"Wil?"

Jaw clenched, Wil set the book aside. "Yeah?" he asked shortly.

Concerned, Alex stroked a sharp cheekbone. "Is there something wrong with your eyes?"

Wil turned his face away, but the insistent fingers tilted it back. He heaved another sigh. "It's just...I can see fine when I'm all 'rrrr', y'know? But like this...things are kinda fuzzy up close."

"Maybe you should get some reading glasses."

Wil snorted. "Yeah, an' look like a bleedin ponce! No thanks!"

"Well, you know, you'd only have to wear them here. No one else would see you in them. And then you'd be able to read without straining your eyes."

"I...I'll think about it, ok?"

"Sure." Alex laid his head back down. "If it's easier, why don't you change and read to me? I still want to hear your voice."

Rolling his eyes, Wil let his vampire features settle into place. With his sight now sharp and clear, he picked up the book and started again. "Even in his sleep, deep within..."


Frankie glanced up at the knock on his office door. "Ah, you’re here! Excellent." Hefting his bulk upright, he led Alex on a quick tour of the establishment.

Alex took everything in eagerly and quickly. He blushed as a few of the dancers who'd come in early greeted him with fervent hugs and murmured thanks. It seemed as though the temporary bar help was ecstatic over being replaced.

"Now, I'd like you to come in around 6:30 or so to start gettin' things ready for the evening crowd. Bar opens at 7:30 precisely, closes at 1:00 in the morning. You get two half-hour breaks, and no drinking on the job. What you do on your own time, though, is your business. I don't care if you mingle with the customers or other employees, but by the looks of your boyfriend, I'd say that's pretty much the last thing on your mind."

Frankie shot him an appreciative leer. "You know, it sure as hell ain't gonna hurt business none havin' a coupla pretty boys like you working here. Ought to draw as good a crowd as my dancers do." He eyed Alex speculatively. "Hey, you ever think about--"

"No." He shook his head decisively. "Way no. No offense."

"Eh. Too bad. You look like you could put on a mean show." He shrugged though. "Anyway, I just have a few papers for you to sign, I'll need your boyfriend to sign his too when he gets in. Payday is every Tuesday, any tips you make are yours. No uniform, but try to dress...sexy. Draws the customers in."

"Dress sexy. Right."

"Good. Now, closing. All you have to do is wipe down the bar, put everything there away. Make sure it's clean. Usually the bouncers and other muscle take care of cleaning the rest of the place. Cash out the till, turn the money in to me. You'll almost always be out of here by 2:00. Shipments come in on the first Saturday of the month, I'll need you in early that day, noon will be fine. Place is closed on Sundays, give everyone a break before starting the next week. If you need a night off for some reason, try to let me know a couple of days in advance."

Alex nodded, absorbing all this. He signed the papers that were handed to him, filling in the requisite information needed.

"Great. Well then, familiarize yourself with the bar, get things ready to go. And Alex? Good luck!" Frankie gave him a wide grin, then lumbered back to his office.

Alex glanced out the window, calculating the time until sundown, and how long it would take for Wil to arrive. Then he shook himself and began to get the bar set up.

He didn't realize how much time had passed when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to find Jon sitting on the top of the counter, legs swinging.

"Oh man, you came back! Thank all the gods that ever existed!" Leaping down, he pulled Alex into a hug. "Man, you are a total lifesaver. Never leave. Promise me you won't go away and leave me with this evil job again."

"Um..." Alex patted Jon's back awkwardly. "Sure. Need money, not planning on going any time soon."

"Good. Great. God, I love you!" He threw his arms around Alex again, kissing his cheek.

A warning growl sounded from behind them, and Jon pulled back, glancing at the newcomer. He quickly yanked his hands away. "Not groping, just thanking! I so don't poach on someone else's territory." He walked over to Wil, who continued to glower at him. "Oh, give it a rest, sugar. You're the only thing that boy sees. Be good to him, yeah?" He kissed Wil's cheek as well, then bounced off to the dressing rooms.

Wil stalked over to Alex, grabbing his head for a claiming kiss, sucking on plush lips until they were swollen, marking the other man as his. "Gonna have to slap a 'Do not touch' sticker on your ass, looks like."

Alex laughed. "But then what would you do, Wil?"

Wil smirked. "I'm a rebel. I rarely do what I'm told."

"Mmmm." Alex stole another kiss while Wil freely groped his ass. "I think I like bad boys." He gasped at the sharp pinch. "Then again, maybe it's just you."

"Damn right, mate." He petted those curved cheeks again, then paused thoughtully. "How about 'Property of Wil'?"


The passage of days and nights had developed into a pattern for the tentative lovers. Work in the late evenings into early morning, then home to hang out for a while eating, watching movies, or reading. Going to bed around sunrise, and waking in the afternoon with a few hours to kill before heading to work again.

Neither minded the seemingly odd hours. Wil was more comfortable since he was able to be out and about at night, and Alex just enjoyed being with Wil. Plus, the neighborhood sported quiet a few all-night places as a concession to the mixed clientele, so getting groceries, renting videos, or performing any other errands wasn't a hardship for them.

And their Sundays off had been designated 'date night'. Last Sunday, they'd gone to a movie, choosing seats in the back row and holding hands through the picture. Wil had even pushed up the armrest between them so he could get that much closer to Alex. A few stolen kisses in the darkened theater had made the outing perfect.

Now another Sunday had come. They'd just finished breakfast and were relaxing on the sofa in what had become a familiar scenario. Alex was snuggled close to Wil as the vampire read aloud to him from whatever the book of the day was.

Alex watched Wil's face as he read, smiling. He'd managed to convince the blonde to purchase a pair of reading glasses by the simple expedient of dragging him to the display at Wal-Mart and waiting until he picked one out. The fact that seeing his boyfriend's wide blue eyes peeking up at him from behind the wire rims made him break out in a sweat as his groin tingled may have influenced said boyfriend's decision. Slightly.

Wil pushed his glasses back up on his nose as he read, then dropped the hand back down on Alex's head. Fingers played gently with the slightly curled locks of hair, mussing them deliciously. He could feel every breath that Alex took, the warm puffs of air drifting through the thin material of his shirt. It was...comforting.

A soft knocking at the door broke the mood, and Alex peeled himself away from Wil with a sigh. He walked over to the door, opening it. "Hey, Mellie!" he greeted the woman with a grin. "How's life?" He stepped back to allow her inside.

Mellie smiled back. "Oh, just peachy." She entered, pulling a young woman in behind her. "Hello, Wil," she chirped at the vampire who had risen to join the group. "Those spectacles make you look even cuter than usual."

Wil laughed. "I don't think you're the only one with that opinion, pet," he replied, nodding in Alex's direction.

"Oh boys, I just wanted you to meet someone." She gestured to her companion. "This is my daughter, Dana. Dana, Wil and Alex."

Everyone exchanged hellos, and the next few minutes were spent in pleasant conversation. Then Mellie cleared her throat, and the others quieted. "Boys, Dana here dabbles in magic, and I'm proud to say that she's quite exceptional at it."

Dana blushed. "Well, my blood has a lot to do with that. I'm 1/4 Kcsterk, and Kcsterki females tend to have a lot of talent for working magic. Mum's just one of the exceptions."

Mellie patted her hand. "Nonsense. You'd be just as good if you were a full-blooded human." She gave her daughter a quick hug, then turned her attention back to Alex and Wil. "Anyway, we were talking this morning when Dana came to visit, and she mentioned finding an old memory spell. I thought of you two right off, and when I explained what had happened with the Grun-thak demon, she offered to work the spell on you. If you want her to, that is."

The boys stared at their visitors blankly, mouths agape. Then Alex shook himself. "Um, would you excuse us?" At their nods, he tugged Wil into the kitchen. Biting his lip, he asked in a low voice, "You want to do this?"

Wil shrugged. "Dunno, pet. Don't like the thought of more magic, but...if it helps..."

"Yeah."

Wil plucked at the hem of his shirt. "Will you...?"

Alex waited a moment, but nothing else was forthcoming. "What is it?" he encouraged.

"I just...I..." Wil sighed, then asked softly, "Will we still be together? When we remember?"

Pulling the vampire into a fierce hug, Alex murmured in his ear, "I like you, Wil. A lot. Remembering...Before…it's not going to change how we are now. I won't let it!"

"Oh. Ok." Wil smiled and tilted his face up for a brief kiss, which Alex gave him gladly. "I say we go for it then."

"Damn right."


Mellie accompanied her daughter on the quest for the supplies needed for the spell. Dana had agreed to perform it that evening, as neither Alex nor Wil wanted to waste any time once they'd decided to go for it.

It was nearing dusk when they finally had everything they needed, including a copy of the spell itself. It wasn't that things were difficult to find, but Dana was quite picky about the quality and freshness of each component. Eventually, though, even she was satisfied, and the two women set off on the walk back to the apartment complex.

They chatted amiably as they went, occasionally making a brief pause for a bit of window-shopping. And Mellie couldn't help but dash into a candy store that sported a large, chocolate castle in the window, stating that 'the boys are sure to be famished, and they do so love their sweets!'

Dana just laughed and waved her on, used to her mother's behavior when she found someone new to coddle. Of course, that didn't stop her from holding out her free hand for a piece of the fudge that Mellie had bought.

They were only a few blocks from their destination when Mellie froze in her tracks, clutching at Dana's arm to halt her as well.

Dana frowned. "What's wrong?" she asked, worried.

Mellie jerked her head toward the slight figure just up the street.

Confused, Dana watched as the young woman accosted each passerby, shoving a piece of paper in front of them and questioning them intently. It was apparent that she was growing more and more frustrated at each headshake she received in response. Something seemed familiar about her...

Dana's eyes widened. "Isn't that the--?"

"Yes! What could she be doing here?"

"Grilling random strangers, by the looks of things. Does she really think anyone around her will tell her anything?"

"Hush now," Mellie hissed out the side of her mouth. "Let me handle this." Then she shook herself and plastered on a beaming smile just as the Slayer made her way over to them.

"Hi." Buffy gave them a weary grin as she flipped a strand of hair out of her face. "I was looking for a friend of mine, have you seen him?" The paper appeared again, and Mellie took it, examining it carefully.

She cocked her head, wondering why Alex seemed so sad in the photograph. Raising her eyes, she peered earnestly at Buffy and answered, "Oh my, no, he doesn't seem familiar in the least. Is he a good friend of yours?" Not letting Buffy get a word in edgewise, she heaved a beleaguered sigh and continued. "Oh, it's such a shame when you lose track of friends like that. Then again, young people these days are always getting it into their heads to go gallivanting off to who knows where at the drop of a hat. Never a thought for anyone who might worry about them and wonder where they've gone to." She shook her head, making 'tsking' sounds. "Why, in my day, children were brought up right. None of this 'finding yourself' nonsense. No, they learned the importance of family. Now, it's all just 'me me me'!" Mellie shrugged. "Then again, that's just this old biddy's opinion, and I'm sure you haven't much care for that. Would you like a piece of fudge?"

Buffy had followed this rambling dialogue with a dazed look, nodding and shaking her head at what seemed appropriate intervals. Blankly, she accepted the proffered sweet, then looked down at her hand as if wondering where it came from. Blinking, she glanced back up. "Um, so...you haven't seen him then?"

"No dearie. He's quite a handsome fellow, though. Is he your beau?"

Buffy wrinkled her nose. "Ew, no! He just a friend. He...went missing a few weeks ago, and we've all been trying to find out what happened."

"Well, I'm terribly sorry that I couldn't be more helpful."

"That's ok, it's not your fault. Thanks anyway." Buffy took back the picture, gave them a wave, and went on her way.

Dana waited until the Slayer was out of earshot before she spoke. "What do you suppose she wanted with Alex?"

Mellie frowned, her forehead wrinkled. "I have no idea," she replied, "but it certainly can't be good. The Slayer's 'friend' just happens to be our Alex, whose boyfriend just happens to be a vampire, and both of whom just happen to have been injured in a way that made them conveniently forget anything they might haev known about the situation."

Dana gasped. "You don't suppose she had something to do with their injury, do you?"

"I don't know. But something isn't adding up, and I can tell you that she's going to have to go through a lot of people if she wants to get at either Alex or Wil. And even the Slayer might have a tough time tangling with Sophia!"

"Now that fight I'd like to see!" Dana giggled. She sobered quickly, though. "Are you going to tell Alex that the Slayer is looking for him?"

Mellie thought for a moment, then shook her head. "No, I don't want to worry either of them. I think we should do the spell first, the Slayer can be dealt with once the boys can remember exactly what happened."

"If you're sure," Dana replied doubtfully.

"Positive."


"Total bust."

Willow slumped down in her chair at this news. "You sure you tried everywhere?"

Buffy nodded. "Hoofed it all over town, not even one person has seen him recently."

Both girls looked expectantly at the door as Riley entered. "Anything?" they asked in unison.

"Depends." He gave Buffy a quick kiss. "Drove around, didn't find any sign of his car. Then I got the idea to see if it had been impounded."

"And?"

He grinned. "Three days after he went missing, it was towed in. Had a bunch of flats, quite a few parking tickets, but was in decent shape otherwise." His face turned grim. "No idea where it was picked up, though. Seems they 'misplaced' the paperwork."

"So basically another dead end." Buffy kicked the wall, denting it noticeably.

"Well, I mean, at least we know he didn't leave town. Right?" Willow blinked up at them hopefully, clutching Tara's hand with her own.

"U-unless he took the bus, or train, or...something." Tara shrugged apologetically at her girlfriend. "Sorry," she whispered, wishing she could wipe away the desolate expression.

"It's not your fault," Willow whispered back, giving her a tearful smile. "It's just...what if something bad happened to him! He would never have left without saying something to me. I can't stand this not knowing!"

Just then, Giles returned, and he wearily tosses his jacket over the back of a chair.

Buffy perked up, almost bouncing. "Get anything out of the bleached menace? You didn't pay him, did you? It's so much easier on the bank account when you just beat the information out of him."

Giles removed his glasses and rubbed at his eyes. "Yes, well, I imagine it certainly would be more fun, but actually I did neither."

"What? You mean he just spilled? Why don't I believe that?"

"It's more bad news, isn't it?" Willow sighed resignedly. "I can take it. What'd he say?"

"Well, due to the fact that Spike's crypt was, shall we say, rather devoid of any vampire inhabitants, I'm afraid I was unable to retrieve any information for you at all."

"He wasn't there?" Buffy growled in frustration.

Giles shook his head. "It didn't even appear as if he'd been there any time recently. There were cobwebs and dust covering everything...more so than usual, that is."

"How typical. Wouldn't you just know he'd move and forget to leave his forwarding address?" Buffy rolled her eyes and snorted. "Well, good riddance. Who needs the chipped freak anyway?"

"Don't say that!" Willow cried out. "What if...what if he knows something and we can't ever find him? Or...what if he did something to Xander!"

Buffy's eyes narrowed. "Well now. That would put a whole new spin on things." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Ok, this thing has gotten way out of hand. We need help."

"What do you mean?" Tara asked quietly.

"We should hire a private investigator. One who can help us find Xander, and take care of Spike if it comes to that." Buffy grinned. "I think we should call Angel."


"This isn't gonna hurt, is it?" Alex warily perused the transformed living room.

Dana frowned slightly, her brow wrinkling. "Not much. Well, not after the first few hours. And I'm sure that blood coming out of the ears is perfectly normal." She glanced up at Alex, who had inched his way behind the sofa and was staring at her in wide-eyed horror. She giggled.

Wil glared at her as he pried Alex's fingers off his shoulder. "That wasn't funny, pet."

"Oh, sure it was! Lighten up!" Dana rolled her eyes, then went back to her task of placing the candles in their proper positions.

Alex stuck his tongue out at her before jumping over the back of the sofa to land almost on top of Wil. "Save me!" he pleaded pathetically as he burrowed his head against the vampire's chest.

Wil snorted.

Alex blinked up at him through tearful eyes. "But I'm scared...comfort me!" His lower lip poked out as he pouted.

"Yeah? An' what kind of comfortin' are you lookin' for?" Wil pressed Alex close to him as he ran a thumb over the protruding lip.

Alex smiled, kissing the finger. "What kind do you think?" he asked flirtatiously.

With a growl, Wil tugged Alex's face up and proceeded to kiss the human breathless.

Mellie sighed. "Boys." When that got no response, she barked out more sharply, "Boys!"

They jumped, turning dazed eyes to her. Alex flushed and cleared his throat. "Yes?" His voice was husky with restrained passion.

Mellie shook her head fondly. "Plenty of opportunity for that later," she admonished good-naturedly. "Everything is set up here. It's time."

"Oh." Alex reluctantly pulled away from Wil, running a hand through his hair. "Right. Guess we should, uh, do...that."

Wil grabbed his hand. "We...we don't have t'do it, luv."

Alex shook his head. "No, I want to." He brushed Wil's cheek gently. "I wanna remember everything about you that I can."

Wil turned his face toward the caressing hand, giving it a soft kiss. "Let's do it, then."

Alex pulled him up, leading him over to the circle of tall white candles.

"I need you to sit in the center. Face each other and hold hands. Make sure to keep the brazier between you." Dana waited until they were in position, then nodded to her mother. Mellie flicked the light switch off, plunging the room into darkness.

Wil held tightly to Alex, and both turned to face the flicker of light that appeared.

Dana slowly lit each candle, until a ring of light surrounded the boys. Carefully, she stepped inside the circle and used a long match to light the contents of the brazier. Almost immediately, wisps of sweetly scented smoke began to curl up around the seated figures.

In a whispered tone, Dana began the chant.

"Mnemosyne, we beseech you.
These, your children, have need of your power.
Daughter of Heaven and Earth,
Child of Uranus and Gaea,
Bestow upon us your aid."
Reaching in the hand-sewn, silk pouch, Dana removed a mixture of herbs and petals, scattering them over first Wil, then Alex.

"As you gave birth to the Muses,
So do we ask your loins to grant rebirth to these two.
Gift them with your grace,
Bless them with your power,
Bring forth in them that which was sundered."
She parted their clasped hands, depositing a small handful of the mixture in them before closing them together once more.

"Heal the minds which were broken,
Restore the memories which were stolen.
Grant unto these supplicants your gift of Memory.
Renew in them the knowledge they have lost.
Make them whole once again."
Dana pulled a small vial of oil from her pocket, unstoppering it and dabbing a drop on each of the boy's foreheads.

"This we ask.
This we plea.
And as we ask,
So let it be."
The remaining oil was poured into the brazier, and a bright blue flame shot up. Alex and Wil both flinched back, but didn't let go of each other. A gasp escaped the vampire as all the candles were abruptly extinguished, and a brisk breeze swirled through the room.

Then, the wind ceased, and there was silence.


"Are you sure?"

Buffy rolled her eyes as she spoke into the phone. "Angel, this is Spike we're talking about. How could he not have something to do with this?"

"Buffy, I--" Angel sighed. "May I speak with Giles?"

Buffy pouted, but handed the phone over to her watcher.

Giles handled the phone distastefully, obviously not wanting to speak with Angel. But for Xander's sake, he was willing to make the effort. "Yes?"

"Giles, could you just tell me what you know for certain? Without the speculation?"

Giles took a deep breath. "Well, it seems Xander simply disappeared several weeks ago. He left behind no note, only an empty basement, a distraught girlfriend, and indifferent parents. We've neither seen nor heard anything from him, although we do know his car was impounded. Also, it seems that Spike has gone missing as well, apparently around the same time. At least, the last day he was seen was when Anya discovered Xander had left the basement. However, we don't know for certain that the two disappearances are related."

Angel groaned. "But with Spike's history, you're assuming the worst."

"Quite."

There was a bit of muted conversation as Angel spoke with his associates, then came back onto the line. "Look, we don't have any cases going at the moment, so I can be there sometime tonight." A screech as heard in the background, and Angel amended his statement with a sigh. "We'll be there."

"Wonderful," Giles muttered, then thrust the phone back at Buffy.

"Angel? So, you're coming? Great, we'll fill you in on all the details when you arrive. Bye!" She hung up the phone and beamed at everyone. "This is great. We'll sic Angel on Spike, and have Xander back in no time. Who's up for a latte?"


Alex and Wil sat on the couch, holding hands. They watched as Dana poured the bits of mixture they'd held into the silk bag, then sewed it shut.

"I don't feel any different," Alex complained. "And I still can't remember anything."

"Don't worry," Dana told him calmly. "It'll come back slowly. Otherwise, your brain would get too swamped with information and overload. But it will come back to you."

"Everything?"

Dana nodded. "Every last little detail. Hope there was nothing you'd repressed during your childhood." She grinned, handing over the pouch. "Now, tie this to your headboard. Keep it there until your memories are back to normal."

Wil took the proffered item. "So, how slow is slow? Are we talking months here?"

"Oh no! A few days, a week or two at the most. You'll be as good as new in no time."

Mellie finished putting everything away, and gave the boys a hug. "Now, we'll just be heading back to my place. You two get a good night's sleep and come visit tomorrow before you head to work. Let us know how it's going." Smiling, she hurried Dana out of the apartment.

Wil snuggled up against Alex. "You sure we did the right thing?"

"Yeah. We'll be ok. You and me...we belong together."

"You think?"

Alex kissed him. "Definitely."

"Hmmm." Wil stroked along Alex's chest. "So, think we should...go to bed early?"

Alex didn't even pause to think about it, he simply stood and led the way to the bedroom. The two of them undressed to their boxers. Wil tied the pouch to the head of the bed, then Alex shut off the lights. It was early for them to be sleeping, but it was past dark, and the day's excitement had tired them out.

They cuddled up together under the covers, exchanging long, lazy kisses. Hands that stroked along bare flesh soon slowed and stilled, and the boys fell into a deep slumber.

Ander gritted his teeth in pain as he dragged himself upright. He looked up at the steep hill he'd managed to stumble down, knowing he wouldn't be able to make it back up. Not with his leg hurting like it did.

Almost fearfully, he examined the leg. He could tell it was bruised, and there was a liberal amount of blood visible, but he could only hope that the bone hadn't given. He remembered the last hunter who'd ruined his leg that way; the man had been reduced to relying on his mate to scrounge enough food for them. He hadn't lasted through the harsh winter, and the woman he'd left behind had promptly been joined with another unmated hunter.

Ander had no mate to provide him with even a cursory amount of care, and any hunter who was going to be a liability to the clan was expected to...remove himself. After all, who would want to be mated with a crippled man unable to provide for those in his care?

Grunting, he tried to lever himself up the hill, giving it up when the pain overwhelmed him. He fell back, panting harshly. He closed his eyes, shivering as the sun began to set and coldness descended.

Knowing that to fall prey to the sleep of cold was to invite eternal slumber, Ander struggled to gather together any nearby kindling. However, he gave a low cry of frustration when he discovered his flint pouch had vanished, lost in the fall that had injured his leg.

He huddled into a ball, hoping another hunter from his clan would find him soon.



A twig snapped, and Ander forced himself to wakefulness. He held his breath, listening closely, but was unable to detect any signs that one of the larger predators in the region had found him. Sill, he reached for his broken spear, taking hold of the sharp end.

There was another cracking of wood, then a man emerged from the underbrush, approaching warily. Ander bared his teeth, raising his bit of spear menacingly.

The man stopped, crouching low to the ground. He glanced around and, seeing no one else nearby and nothing to indicate that there even was anyone else around, he crept forward.

Ander snarled weakly. This man was unknown to him; not of his clan, and therefore a potential enemy. There was much competition between clans for food during this time of little rains and scarce game. It was even rumored that some clans had taken to eating their own dead.

The stranger came close, examining the pile of wood that would have been a fire. He peered closely at Ander, noting the immobile leg that was encrusted with blood. He cocked his head.

Ander's hand began to tremble as he held the spear, and his breath was coming harsher. He didn't think he could stay awake for much longer. It was so cold, and he was so tired...

There was a spark, and another, then a tiny flame appeared. The stranger bent over the new ember, blowing on it gently until it flared up and consumed the tinder, soon growing to a tiny, welcome blaze. He snuck another peek at Ander, then scooted closer. He touched his hand to his chest. "Illam," he said softly.

Ander jerked back, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. He stared at the fire, then back at the man...Illam. The man didn't appear to be a threat, and Ander knew he'd be unable to defend himself at the moment even if Illam should prove to be an enemy. He sighed. "Ander."

Illam flashed him a wide grin. He crawled over to Ander and, after pulling out a bladder of water, gently began to clean the wound on Ander's leg.

Ander watched in the flickering light, grateful that the injury proved to be small and not as serious as he'd feared. He grunted his thanks, inching his way closer to the small warmth that the fire provided.

Illam frowned as he watch Ander shiver. Swiftly, he unrolled the pack he'd carried in, shaking out a fur-lined skin. He draped it over Ander.

Ander fingered the soft skin, then looked back at Illam. He blinked, then lifted the edge. Another wide grin met this action, and Illam scooted up behind him, spooning against his back. A hand brushed his hair away from his ear, and a voice whispered, "Sleep."

Enclosed by the warmth of the skin and the other man, Ander slept.

Alex sat up with a gasp, his arms coming up to gather around Wil, who had also started awake. They stared at each other incredulously, somehow knowing that they'd shared the same dream.

"What the hell was that?!"

They gaped at each other wildly for a few seconds, then Alex closed his eyes briefly, struggling for control. "Ok, calm down. It was just a dream, right? Dreams are normal."

Wil scooted closer to him. "Yeah, but, the same one? At the same time? And what was with the jungle thing?"

"I don't think that was a jungle," Alex corrected with a grin. "Jungles are warmer than that."

"It was still weird," Wil retorted with a slight pout.

"It was a fluke. That's all. Let' just...go back to sleep."

"You sure?"

Alex pulled Wil to him, hugging the vampire close. He kissed the top of his head softly. "What else could it be?"

Wil sighed. "'Kay then." He yawned and let his eyes drift shut.

Al tied his horse up to the hitching post outside the tavern, then walked down the dusty streets of the small town toward the mercantile. He was short on supplies, but flush with...newly appropriated wealth. He figured he could make a quick stop someplace where he most likely wouldn't be recognized, load up on the necessary goods, then hole up somewhere until things cooled down a bit.

He moved through the cluttered aisles of the shop, methodically picking out food, clothing and ammunition. Quickly, eyes kept downcast, he paid for his things, then strolled casually back outside. Al figured he could stop for a quick drink before heading out of town, and his mouth began to water at the thought of getting himself a few pints of decent whisky.

A commotion across the street momentarily drew his attention. It was just enough time for him to miss seeing the other person walking his direction. The young man, also focusing on the scene across the street, plowed right into him, sending Al's supplies tumbling to the dirt.

Al cursed under his breath as he bent to retrieve them.

"Oh dear, I'm terribly sorry. I didn't see you. Are you all right? Let me help with that." Slim, uncalloused hands began to scoop up Al's things, making a neat pile of them.

"Yeah, sure, no problem. I'm fine. Thanks." He buried his annoyance and looked up. His breath caught. Something...something about the earnest, blue-eyed boy tugged at his heart, sparking a pang of recognition in him. But he'd never met this youth before, he was certain of that. Irritated with himself now, he shook off the feeling. Grabbing back his things, he stood and started to walk briskly away.

"Sir? Um, Sir?"

Al stopped with a sigh, waiting for the young man to jog up to him. "Yeah?"

"You, um, you...dropped this as well." He held out a small leather pouch that clinked loudly as the coins inside shifted around.

"Oh. Thanks." Al juggled his armful of supplies until he could take the pouch, making sure to tuck it securely away. "I'm...rather surprised you returned it. Most wouldn't have."

"But that would be frightfully dishonest," the boy replied. A grin broke out on his face. "It wouldn't do for the mayor's son to be caught doing anything remotely unsavory," he told Al with a sparkle in his eyes.

"Ah." Al studied him for a moment, then made as if to continue on his way.

"Can I buy you a drink or something? To make up for running you down like that? Oh, I'm Willard, by the way."

Al sighed, then shrugged. "Sure, why not. And it's Al."

Willard smiled again and strolled next to Al as they headed for the saloon. "We don't get a lot of stranger coming through here," he told Al conversationally. "Still, the sheriff has been sending his deputies on extra patrols ever since that...incident up at Broken Ridge last week. Have you heard about that?"

Al bit back a groan. "I...may have," he responded, his jaw clenched.

"Oh, everyone's been talking about it," Willard continued excitedly. "They say it was an entire gang of outlaws, and they stole every last penny in the entire town! Why, they even--"

"Well, well. What have we here?"

Al froze at the sound of several guns being cocked. Very slowly, he turned around, groaning inwardly at the sight that met his eyes.

"Sheriff Creed!" Willard turned his cheerful grin on the foreboding man and his deputies. "Why, I was just mentioning to Al here that--" He broke off, eyes wide as he saw the guns leveled at his companion. "Sheriff Creed?"

"Back away, Willard. No need to concern yourself here."

Willard's eyes flickered between the lawmen and Al. "I-I don't understand..."

The sheriff dismissed him, glaring at Al. "So...Albert Wilcox. We meet again. I assume you remember me?"

Al glared back just as strongly, giving the man a tight nod. "Creed. Or the Angel of Death, as you were so fondly known among...my sort."

A predatory grin lit up Creed's face. "And I just hate it when scum like you try to avoid your proper fate."

Willard stood stunned, unable to move. "A-Albert Wilcox?" he breathed in horror. "But you...you...oh dear god..."

"Now, you just come along quietly, Wilcox, and we'll make this as painless as possible."

Al cocked his head. "You know, I'd really love to, but I just hate doing things the easy way." In a lightening move, he flung his armload at the sheriff, distracting him for the crucial second he needed to make his move. One hand went for his gun, drawing it smoothly, while the other reached out to drag Willard in front of him. He calmly pressed the barrel of the gun to Willard's head. "Now," he said evenly, "I do believe Willard here mentioned something about being the mayor's son? Well, I don't suppose the good mayor would take too kindly to having his child's brains splattered all over this street, now would he?"

Creed snarled in annoyance, and his own weapon wavered slightly.

Chuckling bitterly, Al began to back up, pulling his captive with him. He positioned himself with his back against the wall of the saloon so no one could sneak up behind him. "Why don't you have one of your deputies be a gentleman and fetch my horse for me?" His finger tightened on the trigger, warning Creed not to try anything stupid.

Reluctantly, Creed motioned for one of his men to go for the animal. Once it had been brought back, Al nudged Willard into taking the reigns.

"Now, I want all of you to walk very calmly into the saloon there and have yourselves a drink. Because if I see you coming after me, then..." he rubbed the gun down Willard’s neck.

Teeth gritted with fury, Creed nonetheless complied, walking stiffly around the building and leading his men inside.

Quickly, Al holstered his gun and tossed the boy up into the saddle. He swung up behind him and dug his spurs into the horse's flanks. "Now, you behave yourself, and everything will turn out ok for you," Al murmured in Willard's ear as they raced out of town.



"Damn it." Al glared half-heartedly at his horse. The poor animal was limping pitifully, having picked up a stone that wedged itself into the fleshy part of a hoof. There was no way the nag would be able to carry the both of them any further, even if he could manage to pry the offending object out.

Eyes narrowed, Al whirled around, pulling his gun and cocking it. "I wouldn’t do that," he warned.

Willard halted, one foot still in the air from his attempt to make an escape.

"Get over here." He tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for the boy to do as he was told.

Scowling, Willard trudged back toward his captor. "What?" he muttered sullenly.

Al unbuckled the saddlebags, tossing them toward him. He snorted in amusement as Willard staggered under their weight. "We have a bit of walking to do," he informed the boy. "Best get started." He motioned for Willard to start moving, following him with weapon still drawn.

It was only a couple of hours before they came upon a small, rundown shack. Although he didn't like having to stop, he'd started to form blisters that he knew would need to be taken care of. Besides, the boy looked ready to keel over if he didn't get a rest.

Al ushered Willard into the welcome shade of the building, Almost immediately, Willard dropped the saddlebags with a groan. His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the floor. Al eyed his unmoving form for a moment, then sat and removed his boots. He rummaged through the bags, retrieving some ointment and bandages, which he used to doctor his blisters. Boots on once more, he dug out his canteen and took a deep swallow of the warm water inside. He again glanced at Willard, who was sprawled out on the floor, panting. He chuckled.

With a groan, Willard rolled over and sat up, grunting painfully. "It's not funny," he rasped out.

Al rolled his eyes. Wordlessly, he offered his canteen to the boy, who took it and drank, a look of bliss covering his face. Without asking, he tugged off Willard’s boots, causing the young man to start in surprise.

"What--?"

Ignoring any protests, Al slathered more of the ointment on the raw, blistered skin of Willard's heels.

Willard watched as Al sealed stored the container of medicine. "Why did you do that?" he questioned.

"Why not? Feels better now, don't it?"

Willard's face twisted into a grimace of anger and hurt. "Why would you care? You're...you're just a thief and a murderer! Everyone in the territory has heard about the things you've done, Albert Wilcox! And you kidnapped me, and dragged me halfway to the next county, and now I'm supposed to be grateful to you?"

Al glared. He snatched his canteen back and, while putting it away, removed a length of rope from his bags.

Willard gasped and tried to stand, but his tired muscles protested, and he crumpled again. He whimpered as he was callously manhandled against the wall, his hands and feet bound securely.

Satisfied, Al reclined a few feet away. He saw the boy's mouth open again, and spoke first. "One more word, and I'll cut your tongue out." He ignored the twinge of conscience that informed him he'd do no such thing.

Not doubting the outlaw would do as he threatened, Willard shut his mouth with an audible click. Glowering at the smirking man, he shifted awkwardly, trying to find a reasonably comfortable position.

Al tuned out the soft rustling, falling into a light doze.

It wasn't much later when his eyes snapped open and he bolted upright. "Shit." He crawled over to Willard, covering the boy's mouth with his hand. He listened with growing dread to the noises outside.

"We know you're in there, Wilcox!" Creed's voice bellowed. "Where's the boy?"

Willard bit down on Al's hand, managing to free his mouth long enough to yell out a quickly smothered cry for help.

"Give it up, Wilcox! There's only one way out of that building, and we're here waiting for you!"

Al cursed as he realized that Creed was right. He hadn't even checked for another exit, and that oversight was about to cost him. He let go of Willard and crept to the door, opening it a crack.

He ducked, and the bullet that had been fired splintered the wood just inches above his head. Taking a chance, Al returned fire, but his gun was quickly emptied of rounds. There was a lull in the gunshots from outside, and Creed spoke up again.

"You're out of ammo, aren't you? We found the stuff you bought and left behind. A man like you ought to know better than that." His voice was thick with amusement. "You just come out of there real slowly, and we can settle this without any bloodshed."

Mentally, Al weighed his chances of getting out of this encounter alive. But he knew Creed; after all, there was a reason the man had been given the nickname 'Angel of Death'. Besides, he was wanted 'Dead or Alive', and Creed would be able to collect the bounty either way.

Things didn't look too bright for him.

He sighed heavily. Well, no one had ever said this was an easy way to make a living. He did have a hostage to use for leverage, though, so perhaps all wasn't lost quite yet.

Of course, with his luck, Creed wouldn't care and would simply shoot the boy himself, then blame the murder on him. Actually, that was a real possibility, especially since there were no witnesses other than Creed's posse of 'deputies'.

He glanced over at the trembling boy huddled in the corner of the small shack. Something inside him twisted at the thought of him dying. "Aw, fuck it," he muttered, then crossed the room.

Willard cringed and squeezed his eyes shut when Al pulled a knife out. He prayed silently, knowing he was about to die. Then he felt a tugging at his wrists, and peeled his eyes open again.

Al quickly cut through the ropes that bound Willard, and the boy stared at him in complete shock.

"A-are you going to...to k-kill me?"

Al snorted. "Nah kid. It'd be a crime in itself to mess up a pretty face like yours. Besides, I may be a murderer, but I ain't never killed children. That's more Creed's style than mine."

Willard scooted himself farther away from Al, flushing with anger. "I'm not a child!" he snapped.

"No," Al mused, "I don't suppose you are." He shook his head. Quickly, he checked his weapon again, hoping insanely that more bullets had miraculously appeared in the chamber. No such luck, though. He eyed the door.

"W-what are you going to do then?" Willard asked timidly, confused by this bewildering reversal of behavior.

Al shrugged. "Go out there and make the best of it." He grinned crookedly. "It's what I do."

Willard flicked a glance toward the door, knowing that outside waited several of the best sharpshooters in the county. "If you go out there, you'll die," he whispered, wondering why that notion upset him.

Again Al shrugged. "Everyone dies sooner or later. Nothing a man can do if his number's up." He steeled himself. "Well, guess this is goodbye, then." He tipped his hat at the boy.

"A-Al?" Willard timidly crept across the floor toward him.

"Yeah?"

"I...I don't think you're a bad sort. Not really."

Hardly knowing what came over himself, Al knelt in front of Willard. He gently cupped a soft cheek, inhaling sharply as long eyelashes fluttered against his fingers. "You have yourself a good life, kid," he said gruffly. Before he could reconsider, he pulled Willard to him and pressed a fierce, passionate kiss to his lips, tongue darting briefly inside as the boy's lush mouth opened in astonishment. Then, he stood abruptly, turning his back on the wide-eyed boy and striding out the door.

Willard sat, stunned, his lips tingling. His breath came in whimpering little pants, and he raised a hand to touch lips that felt hot and swollen.

The sound of multiple gunshots snapped him from his reverie and, with an anguished cry, he jumped up and stumbled from the building.

It was quiet now, and clouds of dust were settling in the stillness. Willard let out a soft cry when he spotted the bloody, shot-riddled body on the ground. He jumped as a hand settled on his shoulder.

"You all right?"

Willard shook Creed's hand off him, and he stepped numbly to where Al lay. He dropped to his knees, startled to hear a gurgling breath come from Al. "Al?"

Al's eyes flickered open briefly, and he offered up a tortured smile. Gasping out the words, he spoke haltingly, "You make...a...much...p-prettier..." He coughed up a lungful of blood, then continued, "A-Angel of...Death that C-Creed...ever did." A shaking hand rose and ghosted lightly over Willard's lips, then fell limply back to the ground. Al gave one last, shuddering breath.

Willard felt the tears well up in his eyes. "Al?" he whispered quietly. He sniffled when he got no reply, then gasped as something wrenched inside him. It felt like his very heart had been ripped out. Without knowing why, Willard began to weep. "Al..."

Wil woke, a horrified scream stuck in his throat. He frantically fumbled for the light, then rolled over to face an equally horrified Alex. "Oh god," he whimpered, running his hands desperately over Alex, searching for any trace of injury.

"I'm ok, I'm ok," Alex panted.

Wil gave a sob of relief and pressed his face to Alex's chest. "You were...god, you were..."

"Shhh, I know. It's over now." He clutched the Wil to him, seriously rattled but still trying to offer comfort to his lover.

"Something's wrong, Alex. Something's really, really wrong. An' I don't like it!" He pulled away from Alex, glaring at him fiercely. "And if you ever do something that bloody stupid, I’ll damned well kill you myself!"

"I won't leave you, Wil. I promise."

"Yeah. Well, you better not." He sniffled. "What are we gonna do, luv? What...what's happening to us?"

"It's got to have something to so with that spell." Alex ran his hands through his hair nervously, then sighed. "That or we're going crazy." He clambered out of bed, tugging Wil after him. "C'mon, we're going to see Mellie and Dana now."


At the knocking on his door, Giles yawned and clambered to his feet. He peered through the peephole, then opened the door, stifling another yawn as the obnoxiously wide-awake group of people filed in. "Excuse the...state of affairs," Giles said as he waved a hand at the people in various states of wakefulness around the room.

It was obvious that everyone had been there for a while. Pizza boxes were stacked in a corner, and the coffee table and surrounding floor were littered with pretzels and other snacks.

Tara and Willow were huddled in a large chair, going through a stack of book on automatic. Their eyes were glazed enough to prove that they really weren't reading much at all. They blinked and gave the four newcomers tired smiles when they finally noticed the intrusion.

Buffy had stopped her mechanical pacing, and was staring at Angel wistfully.

"Buffy," Angel greeted her quietly.

Buffy nodded jerkily. "Angel. It's...good to see you."

Angel shifted awkwardly. "So, where's...um...” He waved a hand.

Buffy gave him a tiny grin. "Riley had to get back to his place. He, um, has some stuff he needs to get done."

"He wanted to avoid me, huh?"

"Pretty much, yeah. Sorry."

"I'll live. Or...not, as the case may be." He cleared his throat and changed the subject. "So, what were you all doing before we came in?"

"Honestly? Sleeping. Or trying to."

"Sorry about the time," Angel apologized. "We got here as quickly as we could." He gave Cordelia a pointed stare.

"What!? I had to pack!"

Wesley rolled his eyes, sharing a long-suffering look with Gunn, who was trying hard not to start laughing out loud at Cordelia's tone of righteous indignation.

"Hey, you plan on dragging me back to this town, you better believe I'm gonna pack the essentials!"

"You didn't actually have to come," Angel reminded her.

Cordelia snorted indelicately. "Look, I may be a little self-centered, but I want to help Xander as much as the rest of you."

Buffy stared at her strangely. "And why is that? I mean, it's not as if you actually like him."

With a frown, Cordelia struggled to explain. "He's...he's...he's Xander!" Glaring petulantly at Buffy, she sat down stiffly on the sofa.

"Look guys, all this...discussion is really fascinating, it is, but...hello? That's not why we're here!" Willow glared around the room, daring anyone to argue.

Angel nodded. "She's right."

"Very well." Wesley moved to the center of the room. "Why don't you tell us what you know so far?"

"Short version?" Buffy took up residence in an empty chair. "Anya went to Xander's, found him and all his stuff gone. His dad, who is seriously creepy by the way, has no clue where he is. His car was abandoned and impounded, but we have no way of knowing where it was picked up. We've spent the last couple of days showing his picture around town, but so far, no one is talking. And, Spike also seems to have mysteriously vanished." As she ticked each point off on her fingers, her expression grew more and more worried.

Willow raised her hand. "Oh! Tara and I stopped by Xander's work, and it turns out he was fired just before his d-disappearance." Her face crumpled as she sniffled softly, and Tara patted her arm, trying to provide some comfort.

Wesley looked around, noting the lack of a certain individual. "Where is Anya, anyway? One would think she'd be quite eager to retrieve Xander."

"Don't know, really. She told us she was going to leave town for a few days, try to get over any impulses for vengeance she might have." Willow frowned slightly. "She thinks Xander did this because he wanted to break up with her, but he would never just...go away. Not without telling anyone!"

Angel spoke again. "You're certain Spike has something to do with this?"

Buffy gave him a look. "Doesn't he always?"

Angel conceded the point. "Usually, yes." He sighed heavily. "All right, then. If you've had no luck finding Xander, let's focus on locating Spike instead."

"Ok, see, how are we planning on doing that exactly?" Gunn asked as he sat on the arm of the sofa next to Cordelia.

Angel shrugged. "He's got to eat, which means he must be getting blood from somewhere. So, we check out all the sources, find out where he's buying from."

Gunn nodded. "Sounds like a plan. Of course, it might speed things up a little if someone could...give us some inside information." He tapped his head and winked at Cordelia.

Cordelia glared back. "It's not like I can control it! Trust me, if I could, I'd make sure they were a lot more helpful, and a lot less painful!"

Gunn held up his hands. "Woah! Back off, I was just joking! Geez."

Giles stepped in, hoping to stave off the bloodshed that Cordelia's flashing eyes promised. "It's almost sunrise now, and most of us have been up the majority of the night. Perhaps we should all get some sleep and start fresh in the evening. We can reconvene here and decide what to do."


"Oh dear."

"'Oh dear'? What do you mean, 'Oh dear'? 'Oh dear' is not good. Alex, tell me she didn't just say 'Oh dear'."

Obligingly, Alex responded, "She didn't just say 'Oh dear'."

Wil groaned and slumped down onto the floor. "You're a pathetic liar, Alex. Shit. This sucks!" He glared at Dana. "I thought you were s'posed to be this great and powerful witchy type person. How could you screw this up?" He was shaking slightly now. "So what, we're just gonna go bonkers or something?

Dana gasped. "Oh, no! Of course not! I mean, the spell did work...really! It's just...um..."

Alex waited while she searched for the words. "Well? Spit it out!"

"Ok, so, you remember how I said that Kcsterki females are usually pretty powerful magically? Well, um, see...I kinda...” She chuckled nervously.

"You...what?" Alex glared at her coldly. "If Wil gets hurt because of something you neglected to tell us...” He left that sentence hanging threateningly.

"Alex! I'll thank you not to take that tone of voice with my daughter!" Mellie hovered protectively over Dana, hands on hips as she matched Alex glare for glare.

Alex wilted. "I'm sorry, Mellie," he said as he gathered Wil to him. "I just...I can't stand the thought of something happening to him. To us."

Dana cleared her throat and inched forward. "Look, nothing bad is happening. I just...sometimes have these little...burps with my magic. And things end up with a little extra...oomph."

"Oomph?" Wil blinked at her hopefully. "So, we're not goin' nutters?"

"Not at all! The spell was just a bit more powerful than I originally intended, and now it looks like you getting...all your memories back. All of them." She made sure to emphasize that point.

"What, exactly, do you mean by that?"

Dana settled into an overstuffed chair and wiggled around until she was comfortable. "Everything. You...I dunno, I guess you could call them soul memories...they're all coming back to you."

Alex pondered this. "So were talking, like, reincarnation and stuff?"

Dana nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! Those dreams you shared...they're memories of previous lives, other incarnations that your souls, your...spirit essences...have taken on since they existed."

"That's...a lot of memories."

Wil was back to looking worried. "Are you sure our brains aren't gonna explode or something? 'Cause that's a lot of stuff that's gonna try to cram itself back in."

"Well, most of it will probably fade, just like normal memories. I mean, I certainly don't remember, say, learning to walk or talk. It's natural, really, otherwise we all probably would go insane."

Alex shuddered. "Somehow, that wasn't quite as reassuring as I'm sure you intended it to be."

"Oh. Sorry."

Wil picked at a stray thread in the carpet. "So, we have no choice, huh? Can't just get back the normal memories, we gotta take everything."

"Well, not exactly." Dana played with a lock of her hair. "You could get rid of the bundle I left with you. Without that to sustain the spell, your dream memories should stop."

"But then we'd never remember, right?"

"No. Probably not."

"So, it's all or nothing." Alex nodded. With a sigh, he stood and pulled Wil to his feet. "Look, we just...I mean, you know, thanks. For trying. Even if it turned out different then we thought it would."

Mellie sighed sadly. "So, you boys are going to call it quits with the spell?"

Alex shrugged, glancing at Wil. "Dunno. We'll have to talk about it."

"Of course. Sensible of you." Mellie walked them to the door. "Well, good luck with whatever you decide."

"Thanks Mellie." The boys hugged her. "And thanks again, Dana."

When the door closed, Wil practically dragged Alex down the hallway and back into their apartment. Once inside, he slammed the door shut, locking it securely. Then he turned and eyed Alex.

Alex gulped. "Um...Wil? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Wil growled low in his throat. "I thought I'd lost you, Alex. That dream...memory...whatever. It was...real. And I thought. You. Were. Dead!"

Alex rushed forward and enfolded Wil in his arms. "It's ok, Wil. I'm here, I'm alive. We're ok, both of us."

Wil shuddered, then relaxed against him. "I need you, Alex," he confessed softly. "Please...I just...I need you."

Alex pulled back a little, examining his lover. He nodded. "Yeah," he breathed. "Let's...ummm..." He jerked his head toward the bedroom.

Wil eagerly tugged Alex into the bedroom, then shoved him down on the bed. He crawled up over him, bending down to kiss him forcefully.

Alex groaned into Wil' mouth, arching his body up to press his burgeoning erection against the similarly hardening mound in Wil's pants. He pulled his mouth away briefly and gasped out, "Clothes!" then resumed the kiss, dueling with Wil's tongue as the other man plundered his mouth.

Wil squirmed out of his pants, never removing his lips from Alex's. Not wanting them to part for even the briefest moment, he settled for simply tearing off his shirt. Alex's was next, and he moaned as he pressed against heated flesh.

Reluctantly, Alex removed his hands from where they had wandered on Wil's body. He frantically shoved at his own pants, shoving them down his legs and then kicking them off into the corner. Clad only in boxers, the two writhed against each other, rolling across the surface of the bed.

Wil was in heaven. He was finally getting to touch and taste his fill of Alex, and he was rapidly becoming addicted to the tangy, slightly sweet taste of his skin, the way it felt gliding hotly against him. He kissed his way down Alex's chest, smiling when his lover groaned sharply at the light contact to his nipples. Quickly, Wil bent to taste this new bit of his lover.

Alex whimpered as a cool tongue played over his aching nipples. Teeth nibble softly, making him arch his back in pleasure. He tugged at Wil's head, pulling the vampire up and once more engaging him in a wet, heated kiss.

Wil thrust down on Alex. "Please..." he groaned. "Alex...I...” He thrust again, grinding himself into Alex's heat and hardness.

"Wil...yes!" They continued like that for a bit until, frustrated, Alex pushed Wil away from him. He sat up and quickly peeled his boxers off, leaving himself bare to Wil's hungry gaze.

Wil devoured the sight of his naked lover. He too skimmed out of his boxers, then crept back into contact with Alex. Hesitantly, he reached out and stroked Alex's cock.

With a strangled shout, Alex fell back against the bed. He stared wide-eyed at Wil as his lover concentrated on touching him. Cool, exploratory fingers danced down his length, then back up again to circle the leaking head. "Wil!"

Wil was delighted with this part of his lover. There was no way he was going back to the previous policy of 'hardly ever look, and rarely touch' that had been established. They had been going slow enough up until today, and now it was time to have fun!

Alex dimly realized he should be doing something for Wil other than lay there passively. Not that there was anything wrong with it, but some reciprocal action would probably be appreciated. He reached up and pulled Wil on top of him.

Wil lost his hold on Alex's cock, and pouted briefly. The pout immediately turned into a satisfied moan when his own aching hardness slid over sweat-slick skin to nestle in next to Alex's. He stared in shock at Alex for a moment, then thrust experimentally.

Alex gasped and clutched at Wil, meeting his lover's wondering gaze as their cocks bumped each other. He rotated his hips, almost whimpering as he stroked against Wil's wiry bush of pubic hair. The sensation was maddening, but so very good, and he did it again. Evidently, Wil was liking this too, as he set up his own rhythm.

Soon, the two were grinding against each other in concert, and the room filled with low, husky moans and whispered endearments. The bed began to squeak softly as their movements sped up.

Alex spread his legs further apart, and Wil settled in between them. This pushed their cocks even closer and tighter together, and they each gave a broken cry of delight. Alex watched in amazement as Wil's blue eyes flickered with golden fire. Then, those eyes fluttered shut, and lips were once more descending to meet his. He let his own eyes close and wrapped his arms tight around Wil as they continued to thrust frantically together.

Suddenly, Wil stiffened. He released Alex's mouth and flung his head back. He howled Alex's name as he shuddered, cumming in violent pulses against his writhing lover.

Alex felt the wetness spurt up between them. He gasped and dragged Wil's head back down. The vampire hung onto him lovingly as he kept grinding desperately against him.

Wil laid a series of soft kisses on Alex's face and neck. He was nearly limp with pleasure, but continued to make tiny circular movements with his hips, coaxing Alex on. He reached between their sticky bodies and just barely scratched over the head of Alex's cock with his fingertip.

That simple touch was enough for Alex, and he cried out loudly, clutching Wil tight as he shuddered and came. Then, the room was quiet but for Alex's ragged panting.

It seemed like ages that they lay there, with Wil sprawled out contentedly on top of Alex. Their only movement was the gentle stroking of hands along quivering, sensitive skin. Then, Wil mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "...you were gone."

Alex sighed. "I'm here, Wil," he whispered. "I'm not going anywhere."

Wil kissed him possessively. "Promise me. Promise you won't leave me like that. I...I couldn't stand it."

"Shhh. I promise." He stroked Wil's back. "We're gonna stick, you know," he said with quiet humor.

"Don't care. Stay." Wil snuggled in even closer against Alex.

Securely entwined, the two lovers drifted off into a light doze.

Alice shivered as she crossed the room, rushes crackling under her bare feet. She dove onto the bed and quickly pulled the linens up to her chin. "Hurry up, Bella! I'm cold!"

Isabella rolled her eyes, but made short work of putting on her dressing gown. She snuffed out the candles in the room, then joined her sister in bed. The two girls lay comfortably together, sighing happily as their bodies slowly warmed.

Giggling softly, Alice pulled the coverings over her head. With a smile, Isabella ducked under as well. "Guess what?" Alice asked in a whisper.

"What?"

"Father says I have a suitor."

Isabella made noises of appropriate awe. "Who is it?"

"I'm not sure, but I overheard Father telling Mother that if things go well, I might be married by summer. Oh Bella, isn't it ever so exciting? I'll finally get to leave this musty, draughty old castle." Alice sighed dreamily. "I'm sure he'll be handsome, and charming, and absolutely wonderful!"

"Oh, I hope so." Isabella sniffled almost inaudibly.

"Bella? What is it? Why are you crying?"

"I don't want you to go, Alice," Isabella confessed. "If you get married and go away, I'll never see you again!"

Alice pulled her sister into a fierce hug. "Of course you'll see me, silly. Why, maybe my suitor will have a brother or cousin who's looking for a wife too, and then we can both get married and still be together."

"Really?"

"Well, why not? We've always been together." Isabella's voice was determined. "We were born together, and grew up together, and I'm sure that someday we'll even die together."

"You promise?"

"Of course I promise. We're twins. That means we were meant to be together forever. Never, ever parted."

Isabella smiled and gave Alice a gentle kiss on the cheek. "I love you, Alice."

"Love you too, Isabella."

Alex opened his eyes to smothering darkness. His hands clawed out, pulling the clinging material away from his face. Beside him, Wil sat up with a distressed sound and began patting himself. After a reassuring glance down at his own body -- masculine, thank whomever -- he sat up as well, reaching out for Wil.

"I was a girl!" Wil exclaimed with something akin to horror. He turned on the lamp and twisted around to stare at Alex. "You were a girl!"

Alex shuddered. "I know. It was just another dream...memory. Whatever. We're still us."

"Yeah." Wil heaved a sigh of relief. Then he snickered.

"What?"

"You were such a girl!" He clasped his hands over his heart and feigned swooning. "'Oh, he'll be so handsome, and charming, and come sweep me off my feet!' Bloody hell, what would you have done if he'd been an old, balding, toothless git?"

Alex glared. "Easy. I'd have tricked you into trading places with me. You always fell for stuff like that."

"I never! Besides, you were the one who got blamed for nicking Mother's embroidery needles when I was the one who lost them. Shows you who's dumber."

Alex's jaw dropped. "I knew that was you! Mother made me stand in the solar for hours and recite Bible pasages because of that. You little bastard!" He yanked a pillow off the bed and whacked Wil over the head with it.

"Ow! Oh, like you never made me take the fall for your stuff. Leave off!" He rolled to the side, misjudging the distance and crashing to the floor.

Alex dropped his pillow. "Wil? Are you ok?" He leaned over the edge of the bed to find Wil rubbing his hip with a grimace. He grinned. "I like you like that."

Wil glared up at him. "What, wounded? Pillock."

"No. Naked. And on the floor."

Wil flushed.

Alex watched, groaning, as the faint tinge of color crept up Wil's entire body. Licking his lips, he reached down and hauled Wil back up onto the bed.

Wil blinked as he abruptly found himself sprawled halfway on top of Alex. Then, he flushed even harder. "Um...” He swallowed, his eyes darting around.

"What, bashful now? Little late for that, isn't it?" Alex smiled as he ran his fingers through Wil's tousled hair.

"S'pose so." Wil settled against Alex, listening to the soft thumping of his heartbeat.

"You realize what we were doing, don't you?"

Wil snorted. "I may not remember having sex before, but yeah, I do think that what we did qualifies."

Alex's body shook as he laughed silently. "No, you idiot! Not that! The...just now. We were acting like that dream about us was real."

Wil thought about that. "Well, it was, wasn't it? Maybe a long time ago, but it did happen."

"Yeah, but we were being...almost comfortable with it. Like it was no big deal."

"Oh." Wil tilted his head to look at the innocuous little bundle that still hung from the headboard. "So...you think we should keep it? Let our memories come back?"

With a sigh, Alex hugged Wil close. "Can it hurt? I mean, we can always take it down later if we change our minds."

"Yeah."

They lay quietly for a while, neither wanting to disturb this newfound intimacy. Then Alex gave a grunt and shifted away from Wil, scratching his stomach with a frown. He grimaced at the flaky bits of dried fluids that came off. "I need a shower," he told Wil curtly.

"Hmmm." Wil let a hand play over his own stomach. "So do I."

"I call it first!" Alex wiggled away from Wil and out of bed.

"Alex?" Wil grinned lecherously at Alex's body as the other man turned to stare at him inquiringly. "Wouldn't you rather share?"

Alex gulped. "Oh, hell yeah."





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