Chapter 3

It had been a few days now since the war was over. The junior slayer's had all went back to where ever the hell they came from. Spike and Angel were up and walking again, and Faith and Buffy were sticking around a little longer to tie up some loose ends. Gunn was still in the hospital, but was on the fact track to a full recovery. And no one had seen Illryia since right after the fight. Buffy had told Spike that Illyria said she was concerned for him and the others, then she cocked her head and gave a blank stare before saying she needed to go deal with those new feelings. It seemed as if more and more the human side of Fred was starting to bleed into the old one.

Buffy talked with Spike and Angel and caught them up on life after Sunnydale. She told them of how Dawn was going to be going to collage pretty soon. She said that Faith, Wood, and Kennedy were helping to train the new slayers. Giles and Xander were tracking down new actives all the time, and Willow was sent to bring them in.

" It's become a real military operation now." Buffy said.

" Great, just what we need, another bleedin' Initiative." Spike snidely responds.

" That's not what I meant Spike. And what's with all the hostility? I keep feeling hostile male vampire feelings in here."

Spike and Angel looked at each other for a second, mentally discussing who was going to bring it up. Spike won.

" One word Buffy. The Immortal." Spike said with a bitter taste in his mouth.

" I think that's two words Spike." Angel said, just standing there with arms crossed.

" Who cares? She knows what I mean!"

" Yeah I do." Buffy said as she glared at Spike, " And first off, just when is my love life any of your guy's business. And secondly who the hell told you I was with him anyways?"

" We both saw you with him in Italy." Angel said.

" Come on Buffy!" Spike quickly got in, " The Immortal?!"

" I'm just going to leave it at this," Buffy said exhausted with this fight, " It' kind of complicated, and I really don't want to get into the story right now. But just to end this, I am not with the Immortal."

Both vampire's let out a sigh of relief as they heard those words.

" But if you guy's are going to jump on me about my secrets then I think its only fair to point out that vampire's in glass house's shouldn't throw stones."

" What do you mean?" both vamps said.

" I mean you both kept things from me, that I felt were important things to know. Like the fact that your alive ... or undead again." Buffy said pointing to Spike, then she turned to Angel " And the fact that you have a kid"

Angel and Spike both looked at each other again, then they hung they're heads and said, "Sorry."

The three of them continued to talk later into the night. Buffy finally went into detail about her and Immortal, Angel explained things with Connor, and Spike explained the coming back and not telling her thing. Buffy tells them both that she doesn't care about any of that stuff, and that she is just glad they are both ok.

" After all this emotional stuff I feel like I need to hit something." Spike finally said after several minutes of silence. " I think I'll go out and patrol a bit."

" I'm up for some action myself," Faith said as she came down the stairs, " I'll this kickin' back is killing me. Mind if join ya blondie?"

" Not a bit luv."

And with that, it was just Angel and Buffy. Alone.