Sweet Memories

Part 28:

X'an deftly plucked the little octopus from its hiding place. With a swift movement, he partially crushed its head with a rock. The creature spasmed a few times, then died. X'an swam with his catch to a large flat rock that was mostly concealed by gently waving fronds of seaweed and ferns.

He settled himself on the rock, tail curled beside him. With a sharp claw, he plucked an eyeball from the octopus and chewed on it thoughtfully.

He felt odd. The pod was in its usual yearly frenzy, and things wouldn't settle down until one of the males finally caught and mated with the matriarch. And B'fi wasn't making the chase easy.

He didn't see what all the fuss was about, personally. B'fi was nice and all, but why such a commotion just because she was in season? X'an shook his head, confused. He nibbled on a tentacle, grinning as a small school of bright silver fish zipped by him. They were safe for the moment; the octopus was enough to slake his hunger.

Sensing movement in the weeds behind him, X'an jerked around. His eyes scanned the covering of plants, trying to pick out what had alerted him.

There. A flash of red. X'an tensed. With a flick of his powerful tail, he launched himself off of the rock, streaming with the fluid grace of a predator through the weeds. This section of the ocean floor was practically a jungle, overgrown with a lush abundance of plantlife. Colorful anemones waved gently at his passing, and he slipped through an opening in the coral.

He pulled up short, fins fluttering to hold him in place. "Hello?"

The smaller male, obviously not one of X'an's pod, bared his teeth, chittering threateningly. His tail moved stiffly, sending him back a few lengths.

X'an's eyes widened at the long, thin scratches that wound their way across the stranger's chest. They crossed over his gills, and disappeared into the bright red of his tail. "Are you...are you all right?"

The merman glared at him, shaking his head to send a cloud of his black hair covering his body. "Go 'way," he rasped out.

"I'm not going to hurt you," X'an said softly, drifting closer to the skittish male. He halted when the spines along the merman's flanks lifted in warning. Then he looked closer. Several of the spines appeared to be damaged, shorter than normal and not tapering to their usual dangerous points. Like they had been broken. "What happened?"

The red and black male gave a high pitched, keening cry that made X'an wince and back away a bit. This only steadied his resolve, though. Determinedly, he began to move in again. This time, he noticed how the other merman's eyes followed the movements of his hand. He looked, realizing that he still held the octopus. Tentatively, he held it out. "Are you hungry? I don't mind sharing."

The male twitched, his mouth dropping open a bit to taste the water. With halting, jerky movements, he drew closer to X'an, drawn by the promise of food.

X'an tore off a tentacle and held it out, watching in bemusement as the smaller male snatched it and began to gnaw at it desperately, gulping it down in only a few bites. "More?"

A hesitant nod met this query, and X'an held out another tentacle. "What's your name?" he asked as he watched the second tentacle disappear as quickly as the first.

Cool blue eyes studied him carefully as the last bite was swallowed. "S'ke," he answered after a long moment, then held out a somewhat shaky hand.

X'an grinned. He handed over the rest of the octopus, then drifted to the seabed. "I'm X'an," he said. "Why don't I find us something more to eat? And then I want to hear all about where you come from and why you're here."

Still eating hurriedly, S'ke watched the blue-green male swim away, already stalking the unlucky lobster that had scuttled by.

*****

"Danny! Welcome home!" Grinning widely, Sophia enveloped the smaller man in a tight hug, almost making his bones creak in protest.

"It's good to be back," came the breathless response.

Sophia finally released, then gave him a critical once-over. "Blue streaks? Daniel, streaks are *so* passe. Now, maybe if you had done just the tips blue instead...” She fingered his dyed hair musingly.

"Sophia, you'd be perfectly happy if I shaved my head bald, admit it."

"Oh, no! The hair *must* stay, Daniel. But, maybe something lighter next time?" She ushered him into the elevator. "Come now, we have *so* much to catch up on!" She beamed to the other passenger in the elevator. "Mellie, you remember Danny, don't you?"

Mellie smiled and patted his hand fondly. "Of course I do. I may be getting up in years, but I'm not senile." She too looked him over. "My dear boy, you need to eat more! You're positively scrawny!"

"Well, if your pie is anywhere near as good as it used to be, I'm sure that won't last long."

"Oh, isn't he a dear?" She pulled him into a quick hug. "Do drop by and visit me when you get settled. My daughter Dana is visiting too, and I'm sure the two of you will get along famously!" The elevator jerked to a stop and dinged. "Well, here's my floor." Mellie hugged the bemused young man again, pecking his forehead in a motherly manner. "Don't be a stranger!"

As her friend stepped into the hallway, Sophia called out, "Mellie, don't forget to call with that recipe you promised me yesterday!"

"Oh yes. I'll get that for you right away." She waved, then turned to walk to her apartment. "Wil, Alex. For heaven's sake, you'll wrinkle the laundry if you keep that up! Put the basket down before you start making out in the hallway." Giggling softly, she stepped into her apartment.

Daniel Osborne cocked his head and frowned as the metal panels of the elevator closed, blocking his view of the two strangely familiar men who were still ardently kissing.

~~~~~~~~~~

Alex finally managed to fumble their door open, and he about fell inside, pulling Wil and their basket of laundry in with him. He laughed breathlessly when the laundry went tumbling to the floor and they followed close after. "Wil!" he panted out, trying to nudge the door shut with his foot. "Door!"

Wil growled and kicked the door, closing it with a loud bang. Then he went back to nibbling the inside part of Alex's wrist, something he'd discovered drove the other man wild.

Alex squeaked, watching wide-eyed as Wil worked his tongue up the tender skin of his arm until he was sucking at the bend of his elbow. He let out a low cry, his body jerking with pleasure. "Wil...please. I want...” He spread his legs apart.

Wil stilled, pulling back and looking at Alex seriously. "You sure you wanna try that again, luv?"

Without hesitation, Alex nodded. "You won't hurt me. Please, Wil. I need you."

Taking a deep, steadying breath, Wil nodded. "Right then. Best get into the bedroom." He smirked. "The floor inside the doorway can wait to be christened until we get more...practiced." He stood and pulled Alex up, shoving him in the direction of the bedroom.

Alex stumbled across the room, eyes crossed in remembrance of the practicing for the shared shower experience. Dear lord, how would he survive? His knees bumped into something, and he stared with glazed eyes at the bed, which was still somewhat soiled from their sexual explorations upon wakening. He *knew* they'd forgotten something when taking the laundry down...

"Less clothes would probably be best." Wil chuckled as Alex stared at him blankly, then began to undress.

"Right. Right!" Alex bobbed his head eagerly, stripping quickly out of his clothes. Once naked, he spread himself out on the bed.

Wil stared in wonder at the man who was so easily and fearlessly offering himself to him. What had he ever done to deserve him? He shook of those musings andcrawled onto the bed. Remembering the lube this time, he grabbed the tube off the nightstand, quirking an eyebrow at its half-empty state. Looks like they might have to start investing in the economy-sized tubes.

Alex tried to turn onto his stomach, but a hand on his hip stopped him. "Wil?"

Wil licked his lips as he touched Alex's body. "Like you like this, pet," he said in a husky voice. He let his finger travel lightly across Alex's swelling cock.

"Oh." Alex wiggled, slightly embarrassed by the frank, admiring gaze that was being directed at him. "Um...do something?"

The soft, pleading words broke through Wil's reverie, and he nodded. "Yeah. Just...you're so bloody gorgeous." He laughed weakly at himself. With fumbling hands, he squirted some lube from the open tube, wondering absently if they would ever find the cap to the blasted thing. Not that looked like it would last long anyway...

Alex frowned, then bent his knees up towards his chest, holding them there. He felt somewhat exposed in this position, but it was worth it to see Wil's eyes darken with desire.

Wil tried to ignore the way his hands shook as he reached slippery fingers towards Alex, trying to prepare his lover as carefully and gently as he had been prepared.

Alex fought the urge to tense in remembrance of the pain he'd felt previously. He was glad he had when the finger slid painlessly into him, wiggling around as if seeking something.

Wil knew it had to be there. He wasn't exactly sure what 'it' was, but reason stated that if he could be driven out of his skull with pleasure by having a certain spot inside him stimulated, then Alex would surely posses a similar spot.

Alex barely had a chance to remember that nub of flesh he'd discovered inside of Wil the night before when Wil found his. He gave a very unmanly shriek, his back arching up off the bed as his eyes opened wide in disbelief. *That's* what it felt like??? There was no *way* he was going to survive this!

More sure of himself, Wil played with the spot he'd found, prodding just around it until Alex was keening helplessly, then letting the tip of his finger scrape over it. Feeling daring, he tried for two fingers, applying more lube to help ease the way. It was more of a stretch, but he did it, turning Alex's startled gasp into a moan of pleasure by burrowing in to rub over that fleshy protrusion.

Alex tried to open himself more, pulling his legs higher up. "Wil...please!"

Wil shook the beads of sweat off his face, adding more lube and a third finger, carefully stretching the tight muscle, feeling it slowly yield to his advances. He stared, fixated on the sight of his fingers disappearing into Alex's body. He trembled, unable to wait much longer. "You...you ready?"

"God yes!" Alex squeezed on the fingers inside him, then cried out as they left. Cool hands coaxed his fingers from their death-grip on his legs, and he blinked in confusion.

Wil smiled gently as he lay down next to Alex, turning the other man towards him and lifting a leg over his hip.

Alex quickly got the idea, and he let his leg curl around behind Wil's. He couldn't help thrusting forward as their cocks bumped together.

Wil hissed. "Keep that up, and you might not get what you were asking for."

Alex pouted at him, but stopped thrusting. For the moment.

Wil kissed him, then awkwardly moved his arm around so he could squeeze out more lube. He reached down and rubbed it over his aching erection, then hitched Alex's leg higher up on his waist. "Breathe, Alex," he whispered, then aligned himself and pushed forward.

Alex groaned as he felt himself stretching even wider. He gasped in a deep breath of air, staring into Wil's eyes as he felt his lover sliding slowly into him. "Oh...god...” He quivered helplessly when Wil shoved in that last little bit.

"Good?" By god, he hoped so, because he didn't want to know what would happen to him if he stopped now.

Alex gave him a jerky nod, then squeezed his eyes shut so he could concentrate on the fullness inside him. "Wil...so much...god, you fill me." Blindly, he started to press kisses against whatever part of Wil was closest to his mouth. "More...give me more," he breathed.

At those words, Wil bucked, causing Alex to yelp in pleasure. His hands stroked down Alex's back to cover his ass, dipping down to brush against where they were joined. Alex seemed to like this a great deal, if his whimpering and increased sucking on Wil's neck were any indication.

When Wil started to move gently, rocking back and forth inside him, Alex thought he'd pass out from the sheer intensity of what he was feeling. He had to find out more about that spot Wil kept rubbing over, because it was definitely a happy, happy thing. Oh yes, *very* happy. He robbed his cock against Wil's stomach as the vampire sped up a little, pulling out almost all the way before plunging back inside.

Wil dragged a hand up to Alex's head, latching onto his hair and gently but insistently pulling his head back. He kissed Alex's nose, then his chin, then his mouth, inviting his tongue out to play. He pulled back from the kiss, not really wanting to end it, but wanting...*needing* something more.

Alex squirmed as Wil nibbled at his neck. Remembering what Wil had done last night, he squeezed down around Wil's cock, enjoying the growl that escaped his lover's throat. He felt something odd against his skin, and reached up a shaking hand to touch Wil's face. The hard ridges that met his questing fingers made his eyes fly wide open. "Yes...Wil, yes..."

That was all Wil needed, and he gently bit down on the curve where Alex's neck and shoulder met, feeling his fangs carefully slice through flesh. And then it hit him. The scent, the taste, the texture. He could taste Alex's arousal in the blood that filled his mouth, and it was better than anything he could have dreamed. It was rushing through his veins, filling him with the very essence of Alex. Of his lover. His mate. His.

Alex panted harshly, shivering with desperate need as Wil suckled. Vaguely, he wondered why it didn't hurt, but Wil chose that moment to start thrusting harder, and all thought was driven from his mind.

Wil withdrew his fangs and felt his face settle back into its human features. He hummed contentedly as he licked up the few drops of blood that welled from the punctures. He felt strong, whole. He crushed Alex to him as he thrust even more vigorously.

Alex cried out as his cock was trapped between their bodies, sliding along sweat-slicked skin. He shuddered, burying his face against Wil's neck and biting down as he came, spilling his release between them.

When Alex bit him, Wil was slightly shocked. Then the convulsions of Alex's orgasm shook his body, milking his cock almost painfully in its tight sheath. With a strangled moan, Wil buried himself as deep as he could and let go of his control, cumming inside of his mate.

Alex snuggled close to Wil as his breathing started to slow. "You did it," he said in a soft, awed voice. "You bit me."

Wil looked at the marks that were already starting to close. "I did," he whispered back. He grinned. "You're mine now. Forever."

"Forever and always." Alex kissed his lover, his husband. "My Wil."

~~~~~~~~~~

Wil sighed. "I don't see what was wrong with the first three shirts. We're gonna be late to work again if you keep this up." He grinned fondly as he watched Alex try on yet another shirt, tug at the neckline, then frown and pull it off.

Alex spotted a dark blue shirt in the corner of the closet. He pulled it out and slipped it on. "Yes! Perfect." He turned to give Wil a heated smile. "I couldn't wear the others 'cause they didn't show of this." He fingered the twin marks left from Wil's claiming of him. "Gotta let everyone see that I'm a properly married man now, y'know." His eyes twinkled.

"Oh." Wil grabbed him and hauled him in for a kiss. He licked his way down to the mark, placing a gentle kiss on it. "Mmmm, all mine, you are."

"Damn right." Alex forced himself to pull away from Wil, and he swatted the vampire's ass. "Come on, we can still make it on time if we hurry."

They left the apartment, pausing only long enough to lock the door behind them. They had made it to the lobby and were almost out the door when a voice hailed them.

"Alex! Wil! Over here!"

They turned to see Sophia waving at them from across the lobby, accompanied by a rather confused-looking young man. "Have to make it quick, Pet," Wil said as the changed direction. "Don't want Frankie gettin' testy about us being late to work too much."

"Sure. We'll just say 'hi' and then get going."

Sophia smiled as they approached. "Oh good, I caught you. I wanted to introduce you to Danny, he's that werewolf I mentioned at the party back when you two first moved in."

"Right." Alex held out a hand. "The one with the handy nail polish tips." He nodded. "Hey there."

Oz rowned slightly as he shook Xander's -- Alex's? -- hand. "Nice to...meet you?" His eyes darted between him and Wil, who he was absolutely positive was really Spike. He wondered why they were acting like they'd never met. Not that he was best buddies with Spike or anything, but they did know each other. And why was Xander holding Spike's hand? "So...what's up with you guys?"

"Oh!" Sophia nearly squealed in delight as she noticed Alex's mark. "You did it! Congratulations! Oh, wait until Mellie hears." She sniffed softly. "Weddings always make me cry. I'm so happy for you two!" She hugged them, giving them an appraising look as she held them close. "Are you sure you boys don't want to--"

"No!"

Sophia sighed and rolled her eyes. "Oh, we could have made a fortune together. Pity." She stepped back. "Well, at least I still have Daniel. He's always willing to lend a hand, aren't you Danny?"

"Um, yeah. Sure thing." Oz sniffed discreetly, picking up the subtle, mingled scent of blood and sex coming from Xander and Spike. Combined with that mark, he'd be willing to bet they were mated. He wondered what Willow and Buffy thought about that.

"Hey, we were just heading to work. Kinda running late." Wil gave Sophia an apologetic grin.

"Oh, of course! Don't let me hold you up. Shoo. You can visit with Danny later."

"Cool. Catch you later, Danny!" Alex nodded at the young man, wondering absently why he kept giving him and Wil those strange looks, and why he seemed almost...familiar? He shrugged it off as he and Wil left the building, hand in hand, walking so close their legs brushed with every step.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Woo, you go Alex!" Jon clapped him on the back, waggling his eyebrows as he leaned in to examine the marks that were just visible above the neckline of his shirt.

Alex flushed a little, looked from Jon to Wil and back to Jon, then turned an even brighter red.

Jon laughed. "So, did our little chat help? Judging by your no longer single state, I'd say you got *really* lucky." He leered at Alex, who was beet-red by this time.

Wil gave Alex a curious look. "Talk? What talk?"

Alex chuckled nervously. "We were just discussing, um, stocks! And, um...investment stuff. Really boring, actually, you don't want to hear about it." He tried to tug Wil away from Jon, but the vampire resisted.

"No, it sounds interesting." He turned an interested gaze upon Jon. "Any good tips?"

Jon started to snicker uncontrollably. "You could...you could...say that!" he gasped out.

Wil cocked his head, frowning. "I don't get it. What's so bleedin' funny?"

"Oh look! Frankie wants us! Come on, Wil." Grateful for the distraction, Alex managed to drag Wil away from Jon. Jon, who was going to die soon. Alex would be nice and make it painless, since he *did* give Wil that harem outfit, and the talk, mortifying though it was at the time, did lead to Alex getting royally laid. But he was *still* going to die. It was just a matter of time.

When the reached Frankie, he grabbed their shoulders and gave them a hardy shake, beaming from ear to ear. "It's not every day one of my employees gets hitched," he said jovially. "Congratulations, you two." A slightly worried expression crossed his face. "You weren't planning on some sort of extended honeymoon, were you?"

Wil blinked. "Can't say as we were."

Relieved, Frankie smiled again. "Good, good! Well, I suppose I can see to giving you a day or two off, let Jon tend the bar while his wrist finishes mending." He ignored the minor protest Jon set up when he overhead that. "As for tonight...” Eyes gleaming devilishly, Frankie leapt nimbly up onto the bar, the very action at odds with his size. But it did serve to draw the attention of the patrons that had started to trickle in.

"May I have your attention please!" Frankie bellowed.

Wil got a very bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, and he groaned, burying his face in Alex's shoulder.

"I would like to make an announcement!" Frankie pointed at Wil and Alex, who were trying desperately to blend into the wall behind them. "You remember the dancing harem boy, also known affectionately at your friendly vampire bouncer? Well, seems he went and tied the knot with our bartender!"

At the resounding cheers and catcalls that sounded, Alex added Frankie to his mental hit list. He clutched at Wil, giving the crowd a wave and a sickly grin.

"Aren't they cute, folks?" More cheers and whistles sounded, and someone started clapping madly. Soon, the entire population of the club was applauding them loudly.

Wil lifted his head and snarled when some idiot had the nerve to yell out "Speech!" This was met with laughter, and then the chant started. "Kiss! Kiss! *Kiss*! *Kiss*!"

Wil rolled his eyes and shook his head. Then, he grabbed Alex and bent him back, dipping the man low as he planted a loud, smacking kiss on his lips.

There were more cheers, but the noise started to die down as the kiss went on...and on...and on. Finally, there was silence as the crowd watched, slightly awed.

Frankie jumped down off the bar. "All right you two, break it up! No sex in the club, you hear?" He glared at the crowd as they booed that decision, and they melted back, chagrined.

Frankie smiled at the newlyweds indulgently as they finally parted. "Drinks half price for everyone tonight!" he shouted, and the ecstatic cheers started once again.

*****

Part 29:

"Argh!"

Every eye in the room stared in bemusement at the still-quivering pencil that was now stuck at least an inch into the wall. The eyes all turned to regard the redheaded witch who was glaring at the pencil as if it were the perpetrator of all the world's troubles.

"Woah, Wills, tetchy much?" Buffy cocked her head as she looked at the pencil again. "I'm gonna have to watch out, you could start giving this Slayer a run for her money." She offered Willow a tentative grin.

Willow snorted, but she did flush a bit. She stared around at the others sheepishly. "Sorry, guys. I'm just...this is just really frustrating, you know?" She sighed and leaned against Tara, who started to stroke her hair soothingly.

"Yeah, *tell* me about it!" Cordelia crossed her arms in annoyance. "You would not *believe* the kinds of looks I was getting today! And not the good 'Wow, she's really hot!' kind of looks, either. More like 'Ew, who let that filthy animal in here?' looks. What is *up* with that?"

"They know you're not one of them," Angel said softly.

"It probably doesn't help that they know who *you* are," Wesley gestured at Buffy, "and that most of the rest of us are associated with you. I can't imagine they'd be very forthcoming with the Slayer. You know...considering..." he trailed off meaningfully.

"It's not just that," Buffy said. "Every time I mentioned the name 'Sophie' I either got a strange look and something along the lines of 'I know nothing', or a really evil glare and a message to mind my own business." She gave a little pout as she sat on the edge of the table. "I didn't even meet any nice fudge-bearing types of demony people, either."

"So they're covering?" Gunn rolled his eyes. "Figures. Kinda like no one ever wants to finger the big drug dealers and such. Too afraid of getting offed."

"They didn't seem afraid, though." Giles took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. With a sigh, he continued, "It was more like...like they were *protecting* someone."

"So what, you think this Sophie chick is respected or something? Some sort of head demon?" He shook his head and whistled softly. "Could make her tough to find. And even tougher to get to."

"Yes, thank you, I believe we managed to establish that today," Giles snapped. He had the grace to look embarrassed when Wesley gave him a rather lengthy stare. "Ah, forgive me," he apologized quietly. "It's just...I have this awful headache building, and..." he trailed of with a shrug.

"Boy, do I ever know how *that* feels!" Cordelia reached under the table for her purse. She rummaged through it for a moment, then pulled out bottle of pills. Smiling fondly at the bottle, she held it out toward Giles. "Want one?"

"Er, no. But thank you. I'll just go fix myself a hot cup of tea." He ignored the muted retching sounds from Buffy that followed that statement.

As Giles left the room, the phone began to ring. Since he was closest to it, Wesley reached over and picked it up. "Hello? Er, this is the Magic Box. May I help you?" There was a pause. "No, this is Wesley Wyndam-Price speaking. Shall I get him for you?" Another pause. "Certainly. Just a moment." He lowered the phone. "Does anyone here know a gentleman by the name of Oz?"

~~~~~~~~~~

"This is so cool." Alex was practically skipping down the sidewalk he was so excited. "Can you believe he gave us the rest of the night off? It's not even midnight yet!"

Wil grinned as he watched his elated boyfriend bounce along. "Don't forget about the mini-vacation either, luv," he reminded him.

"I *know*!" Alex grabbed Wil and spun him around, kissing his face repeatedly. "Three whole days, all to ourselves!" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Whatever shall we do with the time?"

Blinking innocently, Wil answered, "We could learn how to knit, I s'pose." He snickered at Alex's expression.

Alex whacked him lightly on the arm.

"Ouch! Bully." Wil pouted and sniffled softly, but the effect was ruined by the glint of humor in his eyes.

Alex just leered at him. "Do you have any idea how adorable you look when you do that?" he asked in a voice thick with arousal.

"Yeah?" Wil pouted more.

"Hell yeah." Alex grabbed him and pressed him up against the door to the shop they were passing, kissing him fiercely.

Loud cheering and whistles broke them from their embrace, and Alex blushed. "Damn it," he muttered. "Is *everyone* watching us tonight?"

Wil laughed as he pulled away, bowing to the small group of people that had gathered to watch them. "You gotta admit, pet," he murmured, "we probably look bloody delicious. Can't exactly blame 'em, y'know."

Alex just sighed and rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He gave the people who were slowly starting to disperse a sickly grin and a wave. Through clenched teeth, he muttered to Wil, "Let's lose the audience and get back home so I can screw you through the mattress."

Wil groaned and licked his lips. "Right," he rasped out. "Only if I get to return the favor, though."

"Deal." Alex grabbed his hand and started to walk more quickly down the sidewalk, so when Wil stopped abruptly, he almost managed to jerk them both to the pavement. He gave his boyfriend a frustrated glare. "What? Home, remember?"

"Yeah, um, I just gotta stop in here for a sec, ok?" He cocked his head towards the shop they had almost passed. "I'm supposed to pick something up. Wait here?"

Alex wondered why Wil was acting so evasive, but tried to hide his curiosity. "Sure," he replied as he released the vampire's hand. "Don't be long, though."

Wil smiled brightly at him, then darted inside the shop. He was gone for just a couple of minutes before reappearing with a nondescript package wrapped in brown paper.

"What's that?" Alex asked as he stared at the package.

Wil refused to meet his gaze. "Just...something. I'll show you later, all right?"

"Oh. Sure, I mean, that's fine. It's your stuff and everything. Not my business." Alex felt inexplicably wounded by Wil's refusal to tell him what was going on, but didn't want to make a fuss about it. Especially not in public. "So, home?"

Wil tucked the package under one arm and looped the other one around Alex's waist. "Home," he agreed.

~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy gave a happy screech and ran over, yanking the phone away from Wesley. "Oz? Oz, is it really you? Oh my god, I can't believe it's you!" She looked over at the others. "Guys, its Oz!"

Willow was sitting on the edge of her chair, wanting to leap up and run to the phone. But she restrained herself, and glanced at Tara.

Tara smiled softly. "Go on," she said. "He's your friend, too."

Willow smiled, kissed her girlfriend, then got up and hurried over to Buffy.

"So, where are you? Are you coming back soon? Really?" Buffy evaded Willow's grabbing hands, jumping up to stand on the counter.

Giles chose that moment to return, and he almost dropped his cup of tea. "Buffy!" He glared at his Slayer. "I'll thank you *not* to stand on my counters!"

Buffy just rolled her eyes. "Giles, it's *Oz*!"

Across the room, Cordelia snorted indelicately. "Gee, wonder who's on the phone?" she muttered sarcastically.

Gunn just looked confused. "Who's Oz?"

"Buffy! Let me talk to him!" Willow jumped up onto the counter next to Buffy, still trying to snatch the phone away.

"Will the both of you *settle down*!" Giles sighed heavily and went over to the phone receiver, studying it intently before decisively pressing a button.

"...figured it was time to stop by and visit some old friends. Hang out some." Oz's voice sounded loudly from the speaker.

Willow stuck her tongue out at Buffy, then carefully jumped off the counter. "Oz?" She bent over the speaker. "Can you hear me? It's Willow."

There was a pause, then, "Hey Wills. How's the girlfriend?"

Willow smiled over at Tara. "She's doing good. *We're* doing good. What about you? You need a place to stay or anything?"

Buffy tossed the phone aside and sat on the counter, hovering over Willow. "How long are you gonna be around this time, Oz?" she asked.

Even Giles felt compelled to join in. "Are you in town already? Do feel free to stop by when you get a chance. We've...the girls have missed you."

"Yeah, I just got back today. Staying with some people I know, so don't worry about me. Hey Giles, how's the store thing going?"

"Rather well, actually. You see, I--"

Buffy cut him off. "Oh, hey, we got a sort of situation goin' on here, Oz. Think you could maybe help?"

"Guess so. What's up?"

"It's Xander!" Willow shouted. Buffy clapped her hands over her ears and glared at her. "Oh, sorry. I mean, it's Xander," she repeated in an exaggerated whisper.

"Yeah, I wanted to ask you guys about that. What's up with him and Spike? They kind of had the whole oblivious thing going on earlier. Pretty...distracted. Something I should know?"

There was absolute silence in the Magic Box for about five seconds. Giles broke it by clearing his throat. "Oz? Do you mean to say you have seen both Spike and Xander?"

"Well...yeah. Is that bad?"

Willow clutched at the phone, her mouth hovering over the speaker. "Where? When? *Where*? How'd he look? Is he ok? Where is he? Oz, talk to me!"

Giles firmly removed the speaker from her grasp, setting it down on the counter again. "Oz," he explained calmly, "Xander has been missing for quite some time. We've been searching everywhere for him, Angel even brought his people from LA to help. Are you quite sure it was him you saw?"

The roomful of people was now all clustered around the phone, waiting intently for an answer. They clearly heard Oz taking a deep breath.

"You...don't know? About him and...Spike?"

Buffy growled in frustration. "No! That's why we're asking you! Did Spike do something to him? I swear, I'm gonna *stake* that bleached freak! Where did you see them, Oz?"

There was yet another long, silent pauses on Oz's part. Finally, he said, "I...think I made a mistake."

"A mistake? You mean it wasn't Xander?"

"Um, I...I gotta go now. I'll...stop by sometime, ok?"

"Oz, don't you dare hang up that--!" There was a click, and a few moments later, a dial tone sounded.

"He saw them," Willow whispered. "He's ok. Xander's ok!"

"Don't get too excited yet, Wills," Buffy cautioned. "He also said Spike was with him, and who knows what that could mean?"

~~~~~~~~~~

Oz set the phone down and stared around the mostly bare apartment. "Well...damn." He sighed and reached for the phone again.

"Sophia? Yeah, it's Oz. No, I didn't change my mind about working tomorrow night. Look, about those guys earlier...which apartment did you say they were in?"

~~~~~~~~~~

Wil stepped inside the apartment and flicked on the light switch. "Want something to eat?" He moved towards the kitchen.

"Sure," he replied, a little confused. Alex couldn't figure out why Wil had gone all nervous again. He *knew* it wasn't about the sex that they were planning on having; those issues had been dealt with quite thoroughly, thank you. The only thing he could figure is that it had something to do with the package that Wil had now set down on the table as he began to rummage trough the cupboards. He sighed quietly, hoping nothing bad was going on. "I'm just...gonna go clean up a little," he said as he headed for the bathroom.

Wil nodded distractedly as he pulled a box of cereal from one of the shelves. He poured out two bowls of cereal and set them on the counter, getting out a couple of spoons as well. From the refrigerator, he removed a packet of blood and emptied it over one of the bowls. Then he searched for the milk, sighing when he realized it had gotten shoved to the back again. He bent to try and extract it without making a mess of the other groceries.

Alex came out of the bathroom, wiping his hands on his pants. His eyes lit on the bowls. "Ooh, Fruity Pebbles!" He picked up one of the bowls and grabbed a spoon, digging in to the sweet, crunchy cereal.

Wil stood quickly and whirled around, milk jug held firmly in hand. He watched with a mixture of horror and amusement as Alex realized what he'd done.

Alex stopped chewing, rolling the cereal around in his mouth. His eyes widened dramatically, and he swallowed the mouthful down, almost choking on it. He looked at the bowl of cereal in betrayal, scooping the colorful bits aside so he could see the thick red liquid they were soaking in. "Wil?" He slowly set the bowl back down on the counter. "Please tell me that's not what I think it is."

"Um..." Wil hesitantly placed the jug of milk next to the other bowl. "That was...my bowl, Alex."

"Right." Alex took a deep breath. "That is a *very* bad thing to do to cereal, Wil. It's just...*wrong*!"

Wil glared. "Well, I didn't *tell* you to eat it, y'know!" he retorted.

"Yeah, I know. Just...gimme a minute to repress here, ok?" Alex closed his eyes, slowly counted to twenty, and then opened them. "Ok. I can handle this." He eyed the bloody cereal, using a finger to push the bowl towards Wil. Then, he drenched the other bowl of cereal in milk. Nice, safe, white, non-bloody milk.

Wil watched for a moment to make sure Alex wasn't going to decide to get sick all over their mostly clean kitchen. When the other man flashed him a somewhat weak grin and kept eating, he shrugged and started in on his own cereal.

Alex managed to finish his meal and keep it down. Actually, the 'vampire cereal' hadn't really been that bad. A surprise, yes. But it was more of an 'ick, that was unexpected' surprise than an 'oh my god, I'm gonna puke that was so disgusting' surprise. The taste of the blood, although very strong, still had that edge of familiarity that Alex noticed from the first morning when Wil had gotten him to eat the blood-dipped eggs. And it still wasn't something he wanted to dwell on for very long.

When Wil finished his own cereal, he took the empty bowls to the sink and rinsed them out. Then, before he could lose his nerve, he went over to the sofa and reached under it, pulling out a notebook. He took the notebook over to the table, where the brown package still waited. He picked up that as well and returned to Alex's side.

Alex had watched all this, his curiosity growing rapidly. He was nearly vibrating in place when Wil held the items out to him.

Wil took a steadying breath, then handed Alex the package he'd picked up at the shop earlier, along with the medium-sized notebook. "Open that first," he instructed, pointing at the package.

"A present?" Alex stared at the package, mentally castigating himself for being upset over Wil's earlier secrecy. He gave Wil a wobbly grin, suddenly catching the vampire's nervousness. "You got me a present?" With shaky fingers, he fumbled at the edges of the paper, tearing them away from the thin metal box. He blinked, running his fingers over the smooth surface. "Wil?"

"I saw you lookin' at 'em a couple times when we walked by, an' you're always doodling pictures on scrap paper an' in margins, so I figured..." He shrugged. "You, um, you like 'em?"

Alex reverently lifted the lid of the drawing kit, staring in awe at the wide assortment of pencils, chalks, charcoals, graphites and erasers. "Wil," he choked out, "it's...they're beautiful." He stroked a finger along the smooth pencils.

Wil smiled, relieved that Alex seemed to like the present. "I figured if you could draw an' all, you should have the proper stuff." He nodded at the notebook. "Got you some paper, too." He stuffed his hands inside the pockets of his jeans, nervously waiting for Alex to open it.

Alex gently set aside the container and flipped through the notebook, already imagining filling the pristine pages with various sketches of Wil. A loose piece of paper fluttered out, and he caught it reflexively. Unfolding it, he began to read.

----------

I watch you in your sleep, you know.
In the dark, I listen to your heartbeat,
And I see your chest rise and fall with each breath.
Your skin calls to me, begging for my caress,
So I touch you gently, careful not to wake you.
My fingers drift along of their own accord.
Over your chest, and your nipples crinkle up at their passing.
Up your neck, where I can feel my mark, our binding.
Higher up, running through the tangled mess of your hair,
Then tracing over your thick eyebrows.

Did you know you sometimes drool in your sleep?
When I reach out to touch it, your mouth opens.
I can't help myself; my fingers slip inside.
You're so hot and wet, and you start to suck.
I think of you doing that to other parts of me,
And I curl up against you as your tongue bathes my fingers.
I have to touch you, be close to you.
If I could, I'd crawl inside you and never come out.
To surround you, or be surrounded by you;
It's all I ever seem to want anymore.

You're mine now, as much as I'm yours.
I can't imagine what it would be like without you.
All I can remember is being with you.
We're always together, it seems, whatever life we recall.
I don't know about fate, or destiny, or higher powers.
All I know is we were meant to be together.
We must have been.
We're incomplete without each other.
Vampire, human, animal; whatever we are, we are one.
We are bound together, through love and blood.

All the books and movies say that vampires are evil.
If I am evil, then you are my sin; you've stolen away my heart.

I love you.
Wil

----------

Eyes wide, Alex looked up at Wil. "Wil? I...it's..."

Wil looked at the floor, scuffing his feet. "I know it's not real good," he said with false bravado. "Not real poetry or anything. Doesn't even rhyme, and the meter's shot. An' it--" He stopped abruptly as Alex grabbed his shoulders.

"I love you, Wil," Alex growled softly, then kissed him.

Wil groaned and wound his arms around Alex. "Love you," he gasped when his lips were finally freed.

Alex smiled as he held Wil, nuzzling his hair. "You really watch me sleep?" he asked curiously.

Shrugging, Wil muttered, "Well, yeah. Sometimes. Just, y'know, when I wake up early or somethin'."

"You like watching me, huh?" Alex's eyes took on an aroused light. "You think you wanna watch me do...other things?"

Wil stepped back and considered Alex carefully. "Other things, huh?" he mused. Then, grinning wickedly, he pounced on Alex, tumbling him onto the floor. He had just grabbed the collar of Alex's shirt, intent on ripping the material off, when a loud knocking on their door distracted him.

*****
Part 30:

Oz took a step back as the door in front of him was yanked open and a rather large, glowering figure eyed him darkly. He cleared his throat. "Um, hey."

Alex blinked. "Daniel, right? What's up?" He craned his head to see into the hallway behind the smaller man. "Is everything ok with Sophia?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, she's fine. Look, I kinda have a...confession to make." Oz took a half-step forward. "Can I...?" He gestured toward the apartment.

Alex almost refused, but something was niggling at the back of his brain, prompting him to step aside and invite the other man in. Holding back a sigh, Alex did so, closing the door behind him.

"Alex? Who was -- oh." Wil eyed their visitor. "Is something wrong?"

Alex shrugged. "He's here to confess," he told his lover.

Wil raised an eyebrow curiously. "Why? You're not a priest or something...are you?"

"No! I mean...I don't think so. I don't *feel* like a priest." Alex frowned.

Oz glanced between them, his confusion becoming ever more evident on his face. "Excuse me, but...what are you guys talking about?"

"Huh?" Wil studied Oz. "Well? What are you confessing to? Alex and I were about to...um, go to bed."

Alex coughed loudly and smoothed down the front of his shirt.

Taking no notice of the implications of that statement, Oz nodded. He ran a hand through his hair, deciding to just spit it out. "Ok, I kind of called Giles' shop, and the gang was all there. I didn't know you were trying to keep this," he waved a hand at them, "a secret. So I sort of, accidentally, spilled the beans about having seen you. Buffy sounded kinda pissed, and I think she might come looking soon." Having covered the highlights, he waited for their response.

Wil and Alex exchanged blank looks, then Alex asked, "Um, who's Buffy?"

Oz blinked, taken aback. "Who's Buffy?" he parroted. "Buffy. You know, short blonde girl, wields a mean stake, you used to have a crush on her. Buffy."

Wil gaped at Alex. "You had a crush on a girl named *Buffy*?" He asked in disbelief. "No wonder you ended up a pouf!"

Alex absently shot him a bird, ignoring the lecherous look Wil gave him in response. He shook his head at Oz. "Not ringing any bells here."

Oz closed his eyes, counted to twenty, then opened them again. "You *are* Alexander Lavelle Harris, aren't you?" he asked. "And that's William the Bloody, yes?"

Alex frowned, but nodded. "How did you know that?"

"Don't you remember me? Oz? Dated Willow for a while?" Oz stared, waiting for the light to dawn. He was disappointed.

"You dated a tree?" Wil cocked his head, considering the mechanics of that. "Don't think it's something I'd try," he finally said with a grimace.

Oz fumbled for a seat, dropping into it without his usual grace. "What's going on here? You don't have any idea what I'm talking about, do you?"

In unison, the two shook their heads. "Sorry," Alex said quietly. "We...” He looked over at Wil, and at the vampire's nod, continued. "We sort of had an accident a few weeks back. Ran into a nasty demon. Our memories got wiped. We've been working on getting them back, but not everything's there yet."

"Shit," Oz breathed. "Well that...sucks."

A thought struck Alex. "So, you know us? I mean, you can tell us about...us?" His face lit up with excitement, and he reached out and grabbed hold of Wil's hand.

Oz stared at their entwined hands. "I obviously don't know as much as I thought I did," he muttered. He opened his mouth to say more, but was interrupted by a jaw-popping yawn.

Alex hid the pang of disappointment he felt. "You're tired?"

Shrugging nonchalantly, Oz replied, "Been driving pretty much nonstop for about a week. Still need to catch up on some sleep."

"Well, I mean, we'd love to talk to you, y'know, ask some questions and stuff. But...if you're too tired..."

Oz thought about it. "This is kind of heavy," he finally said in a quiet voice. "I'm pretty bombed, and I don't know if I'll handle it without seriously messing with things that shouldn't be messed with. Maybe it should wait until morning."

Aware of his lover's disappointment over the decision, Wil patted Alex's arm consolingly. "That'll be fine, mate," he told Oz. "It can keep. We’ve managed for a while now, another few hours won't matter in the long run."

Oz nodded, took a deep breath, and stood. "Right. Um, I'll pick something up for breakfast, ok? Least I can do."

"Sure, sounds great." Alex walked him to the door.

"Oh, hey, congratulations on the claiming," Oz added as he walked into the hallway. "And sorry for interrupting...you know." He offered them a half-grin.

"No problem. See ya." Alex watched as Oz walked away. He desperately wanted to run after him, haul him back to the sofa, and pry every detail out of him that he could get. But Wil was right. It would keep until morning.

"Alex," Wil purred in a husky voice.

Oz was forgotten in the surge of lust that blossomed once more in Alex's groin. Shakily, he turned and shut the door, bolting it closed. "Yes, Wil?" he asked in as steady a voice as he could manage.

Wil bent a finger, beckoning him closer, and Alex came as if being pulled by a string. Looping his arms around the human's neck, Wil licked his mark, then breathed, "Race you t'bed." With that, he let go and bounded towards the bedroom.

Alex stared blankly for a split second, then a wide grin stretched across his face as he shot off after Wil. Damn, but his husband knew how to distract him! And Alex was ever willing to let him.

They were a perfect match.

*****

"Come on, 'Liam, let's just go. None of these people are worth our time." Alastair tried to pull his friend from where he was ensconced in a corner chair, hoping to be able to leave this dull party.

William resisted. "I can't, 'Tair. You *know* she's here tonight! I have to see her!" He sighed dreamily and whispered, "Cecily." He didn't see the anguished look that came over Alastair's face at the mention of her name.

Alastair struggled to maintain his composure, no matter how desperately he wished to haul William upright and inform him quite frankly of his feelings for him. He heart was wounded a little more each time William made mention of Cecily, and he knew deep down that William would only be hurt by his infatuation with her. If only the daft man could see what, or rather *who*, was right under his nose, waiting patiently. Suppressing an exasperated groan, Alastair smiled at his friend. "I'm going to get some punch. Would you like some?"

Shaking his head, William wrote a brief sentence on the parchment in his lap. "No," he answered distractedly, "You go. I'll be fine here."

His smile turned a bit melancholy, and Alastair reached out and brushed an errant lock of hair out of William's face. "I'll be back in a bit," he said. He didn't bother waiting for a response, knowing that William was once more immersed in his own little world.

When Alastair left, William continued to sit in the rather uncomfortable chair, staring at the piece of paper in his lap. With a sigh of frustration, he scratched out another word.

"Luminous," he uttered quietly, then shook his head. "Oh no, no, no, no. Irr-irradiant...is better." He gnawed on the end of his pen. Footsteps approached, and he looked up.

"Care for an hors d'oeuvre, sir?"

He ignored the tray that was held out. "Oh, uh, quickly. I'm the very spirit of vexation. What's another word for gleaming?"

The server gave him an odd look, so he tried to explain. "It's a perfectly perfect word as words go, but the bother is, nothing *rhymes*, you see?" The man nodded and backed away quickly. "Hmm." William dismissed the man from his mind, once more engrossed in his quandary.

The figure coming down the stairs caught his attention, and he smiled softly. "Cecily," he breathed, his eyes lighting up with pleasure. Suddenly inspired, he began to scribble down a few more words. Then, taking a deep breath, he stood and walked across the room.

He came up behind the group gathered around Cecily, starting slightly when one of the gentlemen addressed him.

"Ah, William! Favor us with your opinion. What do you make of this rash of disappearances sweeping through our town? Animals, or thieves?" Lord Huntington gave him a condescending smile.

Blushing slightly, William moved around to where he could get a better view of Cecily. "I prefer not to think of such dark, ugly business at all," he answered, chin held high. "That's what the police are for." He glanced at Cecily out of the corner of his eye, gauging her reaction.

Cecily shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, looking away a bit distastefully.

William didn't notice, continuing, "I prefer...placing my energies into creating things of beauty." He lifted the piece of paper he held as an example.

"I see. Well, don't withhold, William." The other man walked over and deftly plucked the paper way.

From across the room, Alastair watched with dread as Lord Huntington read aloud William's impromptu bit of poetry, to the great amusement of those listening. His hands clenched into fists as titters of laughter spread through the crowd, and dismay filled him as he saw William's face tighten with embarrassment before he snatched his poem back and hurried after his lady love, who had fled the scene. Even from where he stood, he could hear the parting barb that wounded him almost as badly as he could see William was wounded.

"Have you heard? They call him William the Bloody because of his bloody awful poetry!" One of the young women announced loudly.

Eyes darkening with fury, Alastair prepared to stalk over and wipe those smug looks off of their faces. When he say William disappear into a side room, though, he changed his mind and followed his friend instead.

He reached to doorway, and hovered outside, unabashedly listening.

"I love you, Cecily." It took every bit of courage he possessed for William to say those words aloud.

"Please, stop!" Cecily turned away from him, her face burning in mortification.

"I...I know I'm a bad poet. But I'm a good man. All I ask is that...that y-you t-try to see me--"

Cecily faced him again, resolved. "I *do* see you. That's the problem. You're nothing to me, William," she informed him bluntly, then stood. Looking down at the stricken man, she finished, "You're beneath me." With that, she turned and walked away.

Alastair could hardly believe his ears. He stood, frozen in shock, as Cecily swept out of the room past him. Shaking himself peered around the corner, wincing at the look of utter desolation that was on William’s face. A deep anger filled him, and he hurried after Cecily, grabbing hold of her arm and spinning her around forcefully.

Cecily gasped, staring at him in shock. "Unhand me!" she demanded.

Alastair just glared at her. "You little bitch," he hissed out, barely believing that he was speaking to a lady this way. His mother would be so disappointed in him. Nevertheless, he had to tell this woman what he thought of her. "How dare you callously stomp on his feelings like that? For god's sake, he *loves* you!" He tried not to show how much it pained him to say that.

"Is that supposed to make me *happy*?" she snapped back. "To have the 'love' of that fool?" She wrenched her arm away, sneering at Alastair. "If you admire him so much," she said scathingly, "Why don't you let him court *you*? It would be doing me a favor, I assure you!" Then, with a haughty sniff, she twirled around and marched purposefully away.

Alastair let his hand drop to his side, his mouth twisting into a pained grimace. "If only he would do so," he whispered bitterly. "At least then his affections would be returned." With a heavy sigh, he turned and made his way back to William.

Finding the room empty, Alastair felt a brief moment of panic. He quickly got a grip on his emotions, figuring that William had decided to return home. He was determined not to allow his friend to remain alone after this crushing blow to his heart, and he hurried from the party, walking quickly down the street.

The lurching figure in the distance wasn't hard to spot, and Alastair broke into a fast walk hoping to catch up to William quickly. He frowned when the other man turned into a side street, but followed him unhesitatingly. Upon entering the small stable, he blinked to allow his eyes adjust to the dimmer light. "'Liam?" he called out softly.

There was a soft sniffle. "Go 'way," came the muffled response.

Alastair ignored that and crept around the corner. His heart twisted within his chest when he saw William huddled on a stack of hay, tattered papers clutched to his chest. He walked over and seated himself next to his friend. "Fancy meeting you here," he whispered with a tiny laugh.

William peered over at him with tear-filled eyes. "Sh-sh-she said th-that I w-w-was--" a choked off sob cut him off mid-sentence.

"I know," Alastair admitted. "I heard." Carefully, he put an arm around William's shoulder and tugged gently, drawing the other man to his chest.

William leaned against him, grateful for the support. "I just want her to l-love me," he said in a grief-stricken voice. "Am I really that...pathetic?"

"No." Alastair's grip on William tightened. "No!" he repeated more adamantly. He tilted William's face up. "I could *never* lo-- be friends with anyone pathetic," he told him firmly. "You are a very special man, and someday, you'll find just the right person to be with, someone who will love you like you deserve." He blinked back his own tears, willing his voice not to break. "Until then...well, you'll always have me." He tried to make that sound more uplifting than wistful, but wasn't sure if he succeeded.

William gave a weak chuckle. "Yes, I suppose I do," he answered. He pulled away a little. "Thank you for being my friend, 'Tair," he said before leaning forward and lightly kissing Alastair's cheek. Then he sat back and turned away. "I'd like to be alone for a little while. If you don't mind."

Alastair reached up and let his hand settle over the burning skin of his cheek. "N-no, not at all," he stammered. He swallowed around the lump in his throat and stood. "I'll just...I'll wait outside."

"All right."

Inhaling deeply, Alastair left the stable, his steps only faltering the slightest bit. Once outside, he leaned against the wall and let out a shuddering breath. His fingers still strayed over the spot on his cheek where he was positive he could feel the imprint of Williams' lips. He knew it was an innocent action on William's part, but he couldn't help imagining that it had gone further. His eyes drifted shut as he was overwhelmed by the mental image of William pressing that sweet kiss to his mouth instead, perhaps darting his tongue out between those lush lips of his and licking softly.

"Well, well, looks like someone’s enjoying the evening."

Alastair's eyes flew open, and he gaped at the man looming in front of him, arm draped casually around a petite blonde woman. He coughed, clearing his throat as he straightened and tugged his coat down, willing his arousal away. "I beg your pardon?"

"We don't have time to play, Angelus," the blonde woman spoke up crossly. "Where did that demented spawn of yours get to?"

Angelus flicked his eyes towards the stable, and Alastair whirled around, faring that something might have happened to William. He tried to rush back inside, but a strong grip on his shoulder nearly crushed the bone, and he bit back a cry.

"I do believe she found her new playtoy," Angelus commented in an amused tone, cocking his head as if he were listening. "Shall we join her, Darla?"

Darla nodded regally and swept past Angelus. "Bring the boy," she ordered. "He can at least provide us with a meal before we collect Drusilla.

Alastair struggled futilely against the astonishingly strong man, but was unable to keep from being dragged into the stable. The sight that met his eyes made him gasp in horror. "No!"

Darla laughed as Angelus easily restrained Alastair, keeping him from rushing to William's side. It was too late, anyway. As they watched, clouded eyes focused briefly on Angelus' struggling captive before drifting closed.

Drusilla smiled sweetly as she lifted her bloodied mouth away from William's neck, at the same time removing her equally bloody wrist from his mouth.

"Damn it!" Angelus roared. "When I said playmate, I didn't mean *that* bumbling idiot!"

Drusilla cocked her head. "But Daddy," she crooned, "the stars sang such pretty songs about blood and screams. I killed the burning fish, and now my precious will grow up to be a splendidly wicked tiger." She rocked gently, fingering William's hair as she hummed tunelessly. Then her eyes hardened as she stared at Alastair. "You'll take him away from me," she growled. "You always take him away. Clouding his brain with buzzing flies, biting and stinging until he cries for you." She wailed loudly. "He's mine! You can't take him away now!

"You're insane," Alastair whispered, his eyes still fixated on William's limp form. "William," he whimpered softly, his body sagging as it sunk in that his friend -- his love -- was dead. A lone tear trickled down his cheek.

"Well, isn't that just precious," Angelus muttered sarcastically. He glared at Drusilla. "*You* I will deal with later. For now...” His face rippled and transformed. "It's snack time." With a snarl, he struck.

Alastair barely felt the teeth entering his jugular. His vision was filled with William, and he almost eagerly accepted the darkness than rose around him. He'd be with William again soon...

*****

Wil sat up with a gasp. "Oh god!" He panted harshly, not even feeling Alex's hands rubbing soothingly up and down his back.

"It's ok," Alex whispered. "I'm here, you're here. Everything's fine." He snorted softly. "I am gettin a little tired of dying all the time, though."

"It's not funny!" Wil twisted around and clutched Alex's shoulders. "I could feel something leaving me...and something else filling up the space. It was...” He shuddered. "And you. I saw you. When I...when I died. You were the last thing I saw." He collapsed into Alex's arms. "I remember, the last thing I thought was that I wished I'd told you I loved you."

"God, Wil." Alex held his lover tightly. "I knew. I knew you loved me. I'll always know, even if you never say it." He stiffened as he thought of something else. "Wil? That was you in the dream."

Wil pulled back, staring at Alex in confusion. "Course it was me, you git. It's always me."

"No, I mean...it was *you*. You looked like *you*; like you do now. Well, except for the hair. But it was *you*."

Wil drew in a shocked breath. "We're getting close, aren't we?" he asked in a subdued voice.

"I think so. I mean, if that was when you got turned, then..."

"We should finish remembering soon."

"Yeah." Alex pulled Wil back to him. "I love you," he said fiercely. "No matter what, ok?"

Wil smiled. "I know. You too."

They kissed each other tenderly, then lay back down. Arms wrapped around each other, they passed the rest of the night and early morning dozing lightly, secure in their love for each other, but not wanting to invite any more revelations that night.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Got it! Yes!" Willow bounced excitedly in her seat as the others crowded around her.

Giles peered at the information on the screen. "How did you manage to locate this?" he asked curiously.

Willow shrugged, ducking her head to hide the faint blush. "Well, I kinda happened to stumble into the database for the phone company, and I ran a trace on all the incoming calls to the magic shop. Once I found the number Oz called from, all I had to do was search for the address connected to it and...voila!"

Giles cleared his throat. "Is that...legal?"

"Ummm, not...strictly speaking."

"Ah. I see. Well then, perhaps you shouldn't tell me any more."

Willow beamed at him. "Ok."

Cordelia patted Willow on the shoulder. "Wow, you're a pretty good hacker," she complimented, drawing several odd looks. "What? I can say something nice, can't I? Sheesh!" She rolled her eyes and stalked across the room.

"So, what's the plan?" Gunn asked.

Buffy looked up from where she was copying down the address. "Plan? Find Oz, convince him to tell us where Xander and Spike are."

"We going now?"

"Damn right!" Willow stood, back stiff with determination. Glancing at Angel, she wilted slightly. "Oh, daylight. Um..."

Angel shook his head. "No, you guys go. Just let us know what you find out."

"Us? Who else isn't coming?"

"Much as I would like to join you, I do need to stay and run the store," Giles said.

"Oh. Well, sure, I mean, I guess. Anyone else?" No one else spoke up, and Buffy nodded. "Ok then. Let's get going.

~~~~~~~~~~

"I think this is it." A hand raised to shade her eyes, Willow squinted at the tall apartment building. "Um...I don't know what room he's in," she admitted in a defeated voice.

"So? Maybe they have a listing or something. If not, we'll check 'em all." Buffy strode forward, and the others all hurried after her. Once inside the lobby, they split up, looking for something that might list the names of the inhabitants of the different apartments. They ignored all the strange looks that were being sent their way, and quickly met up again in the center of the lobby.

"Anything?" Buffy sighed as everyone shook their heads. "Fine. Guess we do this the hard way."

Willow gasped. "Maybe not. Look!" She pointed to the figure entering the elevator.

"Oz. Bingo." Buffy grinned. "Come on!" She sprinted for the elevator, growling in frustration when it shut before she was even close. Hands on hips, she pressed the 'up' button, then tapped her foot impatiently as she watched the light crawl up the series of numbers before stopping on the '3'. "Gotcha," she muttered as the elevator made its way back down.

When the doors opened, the group piled in, and Buffy poked the button for the third floor.

"Come on, come on!" Willow said impatiently as she waited for the elevator to reach their destination. Finally, after an endlessly long minute, the doors slid open again. Willow shoved her way out, almost tripping over Buffy in her haste. "Oz?" she called.

Oz spun around, hand dropping away from the door it had been knocking on. "Willow?" His eyes widened fractionally at the crowd that emerged behind Willow. "Buffy," he greeted casually. "Cordelia." A deep breath, then, "Tara," he said softly. He frowned, thinking, then added, "Wesley." He quirked an eyebrow at the unknown man. "Sorry, don't know who you are."

"Charles Gunn. Nice to meet you."

Oz nodded. "I'm sure. What are you doing here?" he asked Willow.

"Looking for you! Well, really, we're looking for -- Xander!"

Oz held back a groan as he turned again to see Alex standing in the doorway, frowning at the multitude of people in the hall.