Choices

"How did you guys manage to miss the fact that she was the Slayer?" Buffy asked as they lay in bed later on.

Both men turned to look at her, her question disturbing the quiet as they lain there, all three of them, staring up at the ceiling.

"M' not sure. Been asking myself that same question. Thought maybe I was losing my touch." Spike replied. "Angel?" He inquired.

"Not sure myself. If I know the Council, they must have taken precautions to make sure Faith went undetected by us."

"How the hell did they find out about me?" Buffy asked, still annoyed. It was coursing through her body. The only reason why she had agreed to lie down was because Angel and Spike had asked her to. What she really wanted to do was pound something. Preferably Faith.

"It's their job to know about all sorts of demons, vampire's, and unusual activity," Angel started to explain.

"Great, so now I'm unusual activity."

"I get the unusual part-hey! No hitting in bed." Spike admonished her, pointing his finger at her.

"Oh really? Not even if I ask for it?" Buffy teased coyly. Then when she realized what she said, her eyes widened along with Spike's. She bolted up out of bed and scrambled to stand up. She faced them as they stared up at her, lust and wonder apparent in their eyes. "Off track for a minute there. Focus. How do you know so much about the Council?" Buffy pointed to Angel.

Angel stared at her for a long moment before shaking his head as if trying to gather his thoughts, or dispense of unwanted ones. "I know someone that works for them."

"That fella Rupert, right?" Spike asked, sitting up and grabbing his butts.

Angel followed suit, sans cigarette and sat back against the headboard. "Right," he nodded.

Buffy eyed him curiously. "What exactly were you doing again before I met you?"

"I traveled."

"Care to elaborate?" She pressed.

"I did my own thing. Helped damsels in distress, met people that could help me or I could help. Rupert happened to be one of them."

"In England?"

"No, in Chicago."

"And you just happened to stumble upon him. What was he?"

"A Watcher."

Buffy's eyes popped open. "You hung out with a Watcher?"

Angel nodded. "He left soon after I met him. His Slayer died, he was deeply saddened over it and so the Council offered him a position at their Headquarters back in London. He took it."

"Does Rupert know about me?" Buffy was getting agitated.

"No."

Buffy shook her head and put her head in her hands. She dropped them and looked at her vampires. "I'm too wound up to sleep. I'm going to...do something to relive the tension that doesn't involve leaving the apartment." With that, she marched out of the room.

"She's mad," Angel whispered.

"Can't say I blame her."

"I don't blame her either. If it wasn't for them, then you two would never have been hurt. I'M mad." Spike rolled out of bed.

"Where you going?"

"I'm tense myself. Maybe I'll see what's on the telly for a bit."

Angel nodded, "I'm going to sit here and brood."

Spike stopped in the doorway, spun around and burst into laughter.

"Good on you, Peaches."

Angel smiled as he heard Spike mutter and chuckle to himself, "'sit here and brood'."

Buffy paced. She just kept walking around the small space that was the balcony, flexing her fists and trying to roll the kinks out of her neck.

"Care for some company?"

She looked up to see Spike standing in the doorway, shirtless, with silk pajama bottoms on. Yummy. Licking her lips, she shrugged.

He sauntered out and took a seat in a patio chair. He looked up at her, waiting for her to unload.

"I want to punch something," she told him matter-of-factly.

"Do you want to spar?"

"Out here?"

"Why not?"

"Too cramped."

"I want to punch Faith."

"I know."

"Don't you?"

"Of course."

"I should have known."

"How could you possibly?"

"How could I possibly not? I mean, the girl was sniffing around you, then she shows up at the gallery with Wesley, she sniffs around Angel...she was always just sniffing around. How did I miss that?"

"Wasn't looking for it."

She stopped and glared at him. "How can you be so calm?"

Spike sighed, "I'm not really all that calm. I just figure it won't help much if we're both flying off the handle."

Buffy was confused. "But, Spike...Flying off the handle is what you DO. And it's okay to do it with me. I WANT you to do it with me."

He waggled his eyebrows. "Oh really?"

She gave him a look. "Pig."

"Oink, oink."

She couldn't help it; she started to giggle. Her giggles soon gave way to big belly laughs until she had tears streaming down her cheeks. Spike joined in her laughter, not as bad as she was, but he couldn't stop. Angel appeared suddenly, looking at them as if they were crazy. The look made Buffy laugh harder and she fell to the ground, holding her stomach. God, it felt good to laugh. Soon, Angel was joining in. To see the look of joy on his face and Spike's made her swell with joy. She loved to see them smile, laugh, enjoy themselves. When their laughter finally subsided, Buffy just lay on her back on the cool deck and stared upwards. She let out a long sigh and relaxed her body as best she could. The laughing was a big help. Movements beside her caught her attention and she found Spike lying himself down next to her. She smiled at him and looked up at Angel.

"Oh, what the hell," he muttered and lay down.

"This is actually kind of nice," Buffy whispered after a few minutes of silence.

"Mmmm..." Spike moaned in agreement.

She felt Angel's hand gliding up her arm, his touch feather light. She shivered at the sensation and looked at him, wondering what he was up to. She felt her mouth go dry at the lustful look in his eyes. He was gazing at her intently, never breaking contact from her eyes as he leaned in and kissed her, languidly and yet, building with passion. That's when she felt Spike's hand sneaking up her tank and smoothing circles on her stomach. She responded boldly by pushing her rump back against Spike and sneaking her hand under Angel's black shirt. His skin was smooth and cool like porcelain. She was intrigued, she'd never explored Angel's body the way she had Spike's. Shyly, Buffy ran her hand up Angel's shirt, feeling his hard, flat stomach. Apparently deciding to accommodate her, Angel quickly undid the buttons of his shirt, his lips never leaving hers. Spike, meanwhile, was dropping kisses along the back of her neck and descending down her back, lifting the tank further to get better access. Angel helped him along by lifting the tank, pulling it over her head and discarding it. Buffy chose that moment to remember where she was and what they were doing. She covered her bare breasts by crossing her arms across her chest. "Not here!" She whispered fiercely.

Without a word, Angel stood and pulled her with him. He lifted her and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. He placed his hands under her bottom to support her and off he went. Over Angel's shoulder, Buffy reached for Spike, he took it, curling his tongue under his front teeth and grinning. Buffy smiled back, though not like the vixen, like an innocent girl putting her trust fully into their capable hands. And that was exactly how she felt. While Buffy wasn't surprised to feel Angel's hardness pressing against her, she was curious, a tad frightened, and incredibly aroused. She had never experienced this level of intimacy with Angel as she had with Spike and she hoped that he would be as patient with her as Spike had been. She looked up at him as he laid her down, smiling tenderly, and she knew he would be.

"You all right?" He asked huskily and kissed her gently.

She nodded. "Is it normal to feel a little nervous?"

Angel nodded and lay on one side of her as Spike lay on the other side.

Spike leaned in and kissed her, tracing her lips with his tongue, nibbling on her lips and cupping her breasts with his hands. She pulled back breathless and gazed at him. His expression told her anything and everything she needed to know and she felt her heart swell with love. She turned to Angel and he caressed the side of her face with his hand. He leaned in and trailed kisses from her mouth to her ear. "I want to taste you," he whispered huskily.

She couldn't form words, only nod. He chuckled, and the rumbling vibrated through her. Kissing a path down her body, Angel knelt on the bed and watched her as she cupped Spike's head to her breast as he lavished attention to her breasts. She moaned as Spike took the hardened nub in his mouth and rolled his tongue around it. It sent electric shocks through her body and she closed her eyes. They popped open again when her pajama bottoms along with her panties were discarded and she felt Angel's hands running lightly up her legs. She watched him as he watched her intently. He parted her legs and she instinctively tried to close them.

"Sshh, kitten. Let him," Spike instructed soothingly and he traced her ear with his tongue. "He loves you."

Buffy shivered and nodded and parted her legs for Angel. Angel knelt over her and kissed her on the lips, quickly, lovingly. "I love you," he whispered. "This is all for you."

"I love you too," she responded without thinking about it. It just was.

Seeming satisfied, Angel positioned himself comfortably so that he could lie between her legs. He teased her at first, giving her small kisses on the insides of her thighs.

"I can smell you, kitten. You smell delicious," Spike purred and sucked on her neck. "Angel must be excited beyond belief. You taste like heaven."

"Hmmm..." Angel agreed on a hum as he ran his tongue up her slit. The sensation of his tongue and the vibration of his hum caused her to thrust her hips forward, wanting him to get to that one sensitive spot that she knew felt so good?.

"Tell me what it feels like," Spike murmured, nuzzling her neck.

"I-I can't think," she stammered, and she couldn't stop staring at Angel between her thighs. Every so often he'd look up at her, watching her, his eyes dark with desire before he'd close them in rapture. For her. It was amazing, and still unbelievable.

"Does it feel good?" Spike whispered just as Angel found her sensitive bundle of nerves and gently bit it before swirling his tongue around it.

She hissed, "yes, oh god, yes." Then, feeling brave, she reached between her and Spike and scraped her nails across the hardened flesh between his legs. He jumped at the contact. His eyes widened and she grinned mischievously, feeling a surge of power. She undid the buttons hastily and unzipped him, releasing his hard member. Spike's eyes rolled in the back of his head and his head lolled back onto the bed.

"Buffy," he moaned as she curled her fingers around his shaft and started to pump. She did it at the same pace that Angel licked her, teased her, nibbled on her. She was so close to cumming, she couldn't think straight. The sensation of bringing Spike to pleasure, and of Angel pleasing her rocketed through her body causing her to tremble.

"Angel," she hissed, squeezing her eyes shut. "I'm going to..."

"Do it, sweetheart, cum for me." He encouraged her as he inserted his finger and bit down once again on her clit. She was undone.

"Buffy!" Spike shouted. Knowing he was about to release himself, Buffy moved her hand off him and Spike rolled to his side, away from Buffy and Angel. He released himself in his hand and on his stomach as tremors racked through Buffy's body. Buffy clutched at the sheets and balled them in her fists as Angel lapped up her juices and sent her quickly into another orgasm. Spike cleaned up his mess quickly and kissed her, attacking her mouth with vigor as Angel dropped kisses on her body on the way back up. He plopped next to her, laying on his side and caressing her face as he watched her come back down from her high.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered, leaning in and kissing her sweetly.

"Angel..."she murmured, looking up at him, feeling the need to satisfy him. This time, however, she was feeling adventurous.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"I want to...Can I?" She asked, tentatively cupping the bulge in his pants.

Angel groaned and closed his eyes, "you don't have to."

"I want to.

Chewing on her bottom lip, Buffy sat up and knelt next to Angel. She smoothed her hands flat across the hard planes of Angel's chest, watching the muscles ripple under her touch. She ducked her head and licked at his belly button and she heard him grunt. He was beautiful. While Spike was lean and muscular, with sharp muscles well defined, Angel was meatier. He was wider somehow, bigger. The contrast between the two was delectable, and she licked her lips in anticipation of what she wanted to do. Grazing her nails back over the object of her focus, looked over at Spike for guidance.

"Do you want to try sucking it, Buffy?" Spike asked. While normally his question would cause her to turn red from the roots of her hair down to her toes, she was so lost in the exploration of Angel and his body, that it didn't bother her. She was too concentrated on how to go about pleasing him that his words rolled off her. She nodded instead and unzipped Angel's pants, pulling them down and off. He was commando too. That surprised her. He grinned at her shocked expression.

"Spike's not the only one that can do it."

"I guess not," she chirped. He was about the same size as Spike. Large. She wondered how in the world that was going to fit inside her body, never mind her mouth. She also noticed something else. While Spike was circumsized, Angel was not. She had never bothered to wonder why Spike was. She had been much too caught up in the act probably to make the connection. She cocked her head to the side, gazing at it in concentration.

"Push the skin back, luv."

Immediately, she curled her fingers around her and pushed on the skin.

It slipped easily and she noticed a pearl of pre-cum on the head.

Curious, she leaned forward and flicked her tongue at it. Salty, a little bitter, but not horrendously bad. She looked up at Angel when she heard a distinctive gasp and groan coming from him. His eyes were half-open and he gazed at her, pleasure etched on his handsome face. She got on all fours, assuming position and she stroked it, studying it, the way it jumped in her hands, moved and developed the creamy pearl drops. She felt as if she were conducting a science experiment. She was unaware of the affect she was having on Angel at the moment, or that Spike had moved until she felt him behind her, tracing her labia with his finger. She gasped.

"Put it in your mouth, kitten. Angel won't cum in your mouth unless you want him to. It's just like a Popsicle. Just remember, no teeth."

She nodded, shrugged and went for it. She wrapped her lips slowly around Angels aching member and heard him groan, "Christ, Buffy."

She moaned a response, not realizing what that did until Angel bucked his hips and caused her to take more of him in her mouth. Her eyes widened for a minute and then took to it. Popsicle, she remindedherself and sucked as she went back up to the tip, remembering to keep the skin back. She stopped suddenly when she felt Spike nipping at her from behind, his finger inside her ever so gently. She moaned at the sensation, feeling a familiar tingle in her belly. She slid her mouth up and down, sucked, and swirled her tongue around the head. Coupled with the erotic knowledge that she was pleasuring Angel was the sensations Spike was creating on her body. He blew on her sex and she shivered with delight. She felt his finger inside her gently, curving it and hitting just the right spot. She took her mouth off Angel with an audible pop and turned her body ever so slightly to see Spike stroking himself as he pleasured her. The sight caused tingles through her body; she never thought the sight of a man getting himself off would be such a turn on for her, but it was. She went back to Angel and found him doing the same. She heard herself growl and pushed his hands away, enveloping him in her mouth again.

"God, Buffy...your mouth is so hot..." Angel whispered, his eyes shutting. "I'm going to cum, Buffy, if you don't want it in your mouth, you better move now!"

She didn't want to stop though. She had gone this far and the little taste she had before hadn't been all that bad, besides, she was about to cum herself and didn't want to move. Spike tapped a rhythm on her clit as his finger pumped in and out of her. She sucked harder on Angel and he shouted his pleasure as he came inside her mouth. She swallowed as fast as she could, the thick creamy substance coating the inside of her mouth. She screamed around Angel's member and clenched onto the sheets on either side of Angel's thighs. When Angel stopped cumming in her mouth, Buffy spun, and pushed Spike down on the bed. She wanted him too. His eyes popped open as she enveloped him in her mouth and it took but a moment for Spike to release himself inside her mouth.

Swiping a hand across her mouth as she moved to kneel on the bed, she took in the sight of Angel and Spike panting. She smiled. She'd done that. Who would have thought that virginal Buffy Summers would have reduced two vampires to panting? Angel grabbed her waist and brought her down to lie next to him. He smothered her in a kiss.

"Did I do okay?" She asked, breathless from his kiss.

"God, yes," he breathed.

"Bloody amazing," she heard Spike murmur against the nape of her neck.

She spun to Spike and kissed him deeply.

"You've never done that before?" Spike asked.

Now Buffy turned red. "No!"

"Not our Buffy. Saved herself for us," Angel said adoringly.

Collapsing on her back, Buffy felt her limbs gel. She let out a yawn and felt her eyes threaten to shut.

"Relaxed, kitten?" Spike asked, a smile in his voice. She looked at

Spike, her eyes about ready to close. She smiled sleepily and nodded.

"Go to sleep, kitten," he told her, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead.

"Love you," she murmured.

"Love you too, pet."

"Love you, Angel."

"Love you too, sweetheart. Don't forget that ever."

"I won't," and with that Buffy promptly fell into a deep sleep.


Chapter 44

Angel studied Buffy as she moved about the kitchen getting her breakfast ready. They'd all woken up together in the morning and Buffy had been full steam ahead about wanting to talk with Faith and Wesley.

They'd barely spoke that morning about anything that happened the night before. Not that they needed to, but as Angel saw it, Buffy was in fact a virgin despite her impressive abilities the night before, and he wondered if she had concerns or questions about what they had experienced.

"You're as bad as Spike is with the staring," she told him as she poured Equal into her coffee.

Angel shook his head to clear his thoughts, "sorry."

"What's on your mind, Angel?"

"You."

She smiled, "what about me?"

"Last night."

She didn't say anything, just immediately turned red. "What about last night?" She asked shyly, staring at the table.

He reached across the table and took her hand in his. "Are you okay with everything?"

She snapped her eyes to his, "you want to talk about it?"

He nodded, "if you want to."

"I do, I do! I just didn't know if you guys wanted to, I mean...I didn't want to do that insecure thing where I have to talk about the previous night's activities and make sure I was did okay with everything, but...was I? Okay, I mean?"

Angel smiled and nodded, "perfect, sweetheart. It was amazing."

She heaved a huge sigh and leaned back in her chair. "Phew. Huge weight off my shoulders. And you felt all right with Spike there, right?" She asked cautiously, wincing as if she still expected him to flip.

"Buffy, I've been okay with it for a while now. I'm here aren't I? I love you and I love Spike...though not the same way I love you. He's my grandchilde and my respect for him has grown in leaps and bounds over the past few months. Even the past few years, but don't tell him I said that." He grinned.

Buffy grinned, "your secret is safe with me. You know he feels the same way about you though, don't you?"

Angel nodded, "I do. It's just one of those things we don't frequently share. Once in a great blue moon, usually during a tragedy, times of that sort."

Buffy knitted her eyebrows together. "So basically performing sexual acts in front of each other is fine, but telling the other that you respect them and care about them gives you the wiggins."

"Exactly."

Buffy shook her head, "in case you didn't know, you guys are freaks."

"Takes one to know one," Angel teased.

Buffy giggled.

"Glad to hear you laughing and giggling again. Been a long time since I heard that."

She sighed heavily. "I know. I missed doing it. I find it's a great tension reliever."

"Among other things," Angel grinned mischievously.

Buffy blushed and Spike sauntered in. He pointed at Buffy. "Must be talking about sex, she's blushing."

"Spike, oh my god!" She exclaimed covering her face.

"You didn't scream for God last night like that. I must have done something wrong," Spike teased and grabbed Buffy's half-eaten bagel and took a bite.

She snatched it out of his hand and looked up at him in mock anger, "and you won't be screaming anything if you keep it up."

Spike's jaw dropped and Angel started to laugh as Buffy winked, smiling saucily and sauntered off to the shower, a sway in her hips.

"Vixen!" Spike shouted after her.

The whole vixen vibe was ruined when he heard her giggling like a schoolgirl.


Buffy sat glaring on the couch with her arms folded. She didn't like the idea of Wesley and Faith coming to HER place and invading HER space. When she agreed to even speak with them as Angel had suggested they do, instead of sending them packing, like she wanted to do, she had meant somewhere on neutral territory. The idea of Faith in her house gave her the wiggins. The woman was like a disease. So, since they were going to be there, she was going to make them feel as uncomfortable as possible. She supposed Wesley wasn't so bad, but the spineless man had lied to her. He told her he knew her mother when in actuality, he'd probably never been to Newport. He'd used her mother's memory and Angel to get close to them, to find out information about them and that was inexcusable and unforgivable in Buffy's eyes.

Spike sauntered in the room, took one look at her and shook his head.

"You know, them coming on our territory actually gives us the advantage."

"I don't care."

Spike shrugged, "all right. They're here."

"Smell them?"

He nodded and went into the kitchen, leaving Buffy to sit there like a protective gargoyle.

She heard Angel open the door, heard Faith purr something at him and that did it for Buffy. She bolted out of her seat and made for the kitchen at lightening speed. She found Wesley fidgeting and looking rather nervous while Faith smiled saucily at Spike and Angel. Buffy let out a low growl and Faith turned her smile to Buffy.

"How you doin' B?"

"I'll be better once you're out of my town."

"Tsk, tsk. Not part of the Newport's welcoming committee I see." She turned to Spike, "you on the other hand...you could welcome me any day. I don't think I'd ever leave this city-"

"Shut up!" Buffy shouted at the daring woman and stood in front Spike, glowering at the infuriating brunette.

"Yes, Faith, that is quite enough," Wesley added gently, trying to defuse a rapidly escalating situation.

Faith opened her mouth to say something and no words came out. She tried again and ended up resembling a guppy fighting for air. Buffy, Spike, Angel and Wesley's jaws dropped.

"Buffy, I think you effectively shut her up!" Spike exclaimed. He started to laugh. "That's my girl!"

"That's new," Buffy murmured.

"Very," Angel added. "Shall we move this into the living room?"

"Yes, please," Wesley replied politely and followed the trio in, Faith gesturing madly at him to do something. Wesley just patted her back gently, "yes, dear."

Spike, Buffy and Angel took the couch, the three of them in a row, facing Wesley and Faith. Faith glared at Buffy and stood, Wesley sat in a nearby rocking chair. "Miss Buffy, I am deeply sorry for what happened," he began.

"You should be," she snapped.

"Care to tell us exactly what the Council wants?" Angel cut in, cutting right to the chase. "What do they know? What have you told them already?"

"I haven't told them much of anything yet. I was first compiling my information and what interesting information it is. Angelus and Spike, the two most feared vampires in all of Europe having not only gained their souls, but having joined forces with a woman who is not a Slayer, but a warrior just the same."

"I'm not warrior," Buffy jumped in. "That sounds so...warlike."

"Just the same, you fight just like a Slayer. Was your mother a witch as well?"

Buffy bolted up, "why don't you tell me since you claimed to know what a wonderful woman she was?"

"Buffy, it's all right," Angel put his hand on her arm and coaxed her to sit back down. When she consented, Spike pulled her closer and put his arm around her, comfortingly. Faith raised her eyebrows at that and Buffy shot her an evil glare. Faith shook her head and started to stroll around the room, checking out the pictures on the wall, the knick-knacks, the room itself. Buffy kept her eyes on her, not trusting her.

"Let's start from the beginning shall we?" Wesley asked and Angel nodded. "All right, then. Two months ago the Council started hearing reports of activity occurring here. Just rumors from the outside: Vampires, witches-- things of that sort. Just a small, underground buzz that happened to be placed in the Council's ear. What they heard wasn't that there was someone wreaking havoc and mass destruction, but something quite the opposite. Quentin Travers, head of the Council-"

"I know who he is, unfortunately," Angel muttered. "A power-hungry, malicious man who uses and abuses his Slayers and Watchers. He loves to send you out to do his bidding, but not give you any extra help that may be needed, not even giving you the information you might need to survive."

Wesley fell silent for a moment and then continued. "Mr. Travers asked Faith and I to come here to find out if the rumors were true, and, if they were, who this powerful girl was and how she came to be."

"How I came to be? Like I'm some kind of freak?" Buffy challenged.

Faith opened her mouth to say something, no doubt a smartass remark.

She slammed her lips together when she realized she couldn't say a word.

Buffy's lips curved into a sly smile, "what's the matter Faith? Cat got your tongue?"

Faith turned red in the face and started for Buffy, arms outstretched.

Wesley jumped as Spike and Angel did to stop her. Faith, obviously realizing she was outnumbered, stopped struggling against them and backed off, hands in the air in surrender.

"Continue, Wesley," Angel ordered, irritation dripping from his voice, not bothering to sit anymore. He stood with his arms folded, staring down at Wesley. He'd done that stance to Buffy before and she knew it meant he was NOT happy.

"We set up ourselves here for a bit, not really sure how'd long we have to be here and what we'd actually come across."

"Sounds like the Council of Wankers, just send you out into a possible lion's den," Spike muttered.

"We started out by doing some research, rather I stared doing some research on Miss Summers. Finding out her name, residence, all the information I could find, which, wasn't much. We followed you on patrol---"

"How the hell did we miss that?" Spike asked, throwing up his arms. "Have I lost all my feelers?"

"No, you have not, sir. I know some magic, having learned under Mr. Giles, he's a, uh, member of the Council." Spike, Buffy and Angel had the presence of mind to not react to that name, knowing that it could possibly be a bad move to let them know Angel knew Rupert Giles.

"Anyway, I did a simple 'concealer' spell in which I made sure you could not sense, or see, Faith and myself. It soon became known that you were vampires and some research later, I found out exactly who you were. Simply frightening, I might add." He cleared his throat. "Once I found out that you had taken over Buffy's mothers gallery, Angel, I made up some paintings and put myself in your gallery."

"Whipped up some paintings? Those were good, Wesley. Did you steal them by any chance?" Angel gawked at him.

Wesley appeared offended, "I did not. Those are mine," he looked apologetically at Buffy. "My mother was a painter. I do it to relieve tension. Continuing on. Since you seemed ill inclined to do Buffy any harm, it became clear to me that perhaps you had your souls. Charging a simple 'soul stone', I soon confirmed my suspicions. When I met you Angel, I had placed the stone in my pocket, it lit up brilliantly when I spoke to you and I knew then that you had it. Faith took it with her when she followed Spike to a bar one evening and found that he had his as well."

Faith smirked and Buffy balled her hands into fists.

"Soon after there was influx of vampires in the area and we tried, best we could, to help by disposing of some ourselves. When a Slayer travels, vampires follow and/or migrate to that area. Everyone wants a piece of the Slayer. As you should know, Spike," Wesley said, darting a look at Spike. Spike curtly nodded. Buffy knew it was something he didn't want to think about, his soul causing guilt for past actions. And, after meeting Buffy, she knew he felt especially guilty over it, always thinking that it could have been her. Instinctively, she took his hand and squeezed it, giving him a small smile. He smiled weakly back at her and both returned their focus to Wesley.

"We did not know of the attack that happened until after the event when I heard that Buffy had been hospitalized." Wesley moved forward and looked imploringly at Buffy. "I know I have said it before, but I am deeply sorry for that Buffy."

Buffy nodded, not saying a word.

Wesley stepped back, clearing his throat again. "That is the story. All of it. We are set to return to the Council tomorrow."

"Tell them nothing," Angel said simply. "I don't want them near Buffy."

"And I don't want them near Spike and Angel," Buffy added.

Wesley nodded in agreement. "Your wish is my command."

"Just like that then? You're going to defy the Council just like that?" Spike asked suspiciously.

"For everything that has happened here, for what I have learned of the three of you, I do not wish any harm to come upon you. I am deeply regretful for the pain our presence here has caused and after meeting and well, observing Buffy for a time, I see that she is in fact an extraordinary woman that is doing just fine on her own with the legendary Spike and Angelus. She does not need the politics of the Council, a Watcher, or any of that sort."

"You're a good man Wesley," Angel said truthfully.

"And her?" Spike pointed at Faith. "Don't trust the trollop."

Buffy giggled, hiding her face in Spike's shoulder by turning into his body.

"She won't say a word, will you Faith?" Wesley asked sternly.

Faith opened her mouth and the clamped it shut. 'Do you mind?' She mouthed to them.

Buffy shrugged. "Speak," she said uncertainly.

"I won't say anything," Faith finally spoke. "Not to protect you though, B. Only for Spike and Angel."

"Uh, thank you?" Angel sputtered.

"Don't mention it. Even if you did reject me-"

"Well, of course he did you little-" Buffy started, coming towards Faith.

"I think we should see ourselves out now," Wesley said, stepping between the two women as Angel grabbed Buffy's arm and pulled her back against him.

"Good idea," Angel said.

"Good day gentlemen, Buffy. It was a pleasure to have known you." With that, he took Faith by the arm and guided her out. Just before the door closed behind them Faith shouted, "when you guys sick of her, look me up and take your chance with a real woman!"

Buffy stormed to the door and opened it. "In your dreams psycho!" She shouted after the woman and then slammed the door. She spun around to see an amused Spike and Angel.

"Geez, where does that woman shop? Ho's R' Us?"

"Somewhere in Hollywood there's a hooker missing an outfit," Spike chuckled.

Buffy and Spike started to laugh and they looked at Angel, waiting to see if had anything to add. He opened his mouth to speak and then stopped.

"Yeah, I don't have anything," he said, almost dejectedly and Buffy and Spike started to laugh harder.