It wasn't until the late night news that Buffy found out Angel and Spike had been reassigned to the Green Mask Bandit's case, and Riley and Lindsey were working on hers.

She settled back into the sofa thoughtfully. It *looked* like she was safe, but that didn't mean she was. Everything depended on what Dru had told them, and she stared at the tv with a frown before giving an almost reluctant smile. If she had to take a break from her own work, she might as well have fun elsewhere.

Her smile grew. She'd give Ethan a call tomorrow.

Next Morning:

"Anything?" Angel asked as he looked over his partner's shoulder and studied the video he was watching.

"No. The guy hasn't made a single mistake." He fell back into his chair before looking up tiredly. "I must have watched twenty of these so far. It's your turn to look at the other fifteen."

Angel nodded as he watched the video of the robber making his getaway. "I think I'll start with this one." He put a thumb drive on the desk. "It came from a restaurant a block away from First National. The guy said he thought we'd be interested in it."

Spike slid it into the machine, and they watched as an older Monte Carlo pulled up and parked in front of the store. A man got out wearing a hooded sweatshirt pulled low over his face, and when he turned toward the camera, the familiar mask looked back at them. Spike's fingers drummed on his desk. "Has Willow seen this yet?"

"No. I just picked it up."

"Okay." Spike slid it out of the machine. "I'll run it down to her and see if she can get a license plate number. You," he smirked, "can finish watching the tapes."

The brunette picked up a thumb drive dated seven months ago and sighed. It was covering old ground, but it was a necessary evil.

"Thanks," Buffy murmured into the phone as she watched a little girl playing hopscotch across the park before frowning at Ethan's question. "No. It's nothing personal. I'm just curious when he'll hit his next bank." She went silent and quickly jotted down the information she'd asked for before suddenly snorting when she was done. "I tell my opposition what I'm going to steal. I don't brag to my peers about my upcoming robberies." She listened for a moment more before hanging up the phone and starting an easy jog home.

Ethan still didn't know what she was ultimately planning, and she didn't want him to... And the more she thought about it, the more she was beginning to wonder if taking out the Green Mask Bandit wasn't a good next step to helping her achieve it.

Lindsey drew back in his chair as Walsh and Lilah Morgan faced him. He'd been called into his superior's office shortly after getting back from lunch. "The evidence pointed to..."

"Purely circumstantial," Ms. Morgan interrupted. "My client made the mistake of driving past one of Nemesis's crime scenes in a car of the same make and model as one Nemesis had recently stolen. She was photographed and handcuffed for... doing what, Mr. McDonald?" She leaned down. "Certainly not breaking the law." He was silent, and she continued, "And yet again yesterday she was brought in for questioning... because at a very well attended charity fundraiser, she was caught on camera leaving the women's restroom after a remote controlled smoke bomb went off in that area. In what rule of law do you convict someone without a trial?"

Lindsey frowned. "It was O'Conner and Pryce that cuffed her the first time. The second, she was just brought in for questioning. There wasn't any..."

Lilah held up a newspaper showing Darla and Riley under the headline 'Nemesis Unveiled'. Lindsey winced before looking up at Walsh. "It was just an interrogation," he repeated slowly. "It wasn't our fault the reporter happened to see Riley bring her in."

Lilah smiled before reading the caption under the photo. "Agent Finn proclaims Nemesis captured," she read mockingly. "Quite a statement to make, huh McDonald?" He didn't answer, and her tone turned even colder as she continued, "So tell me because we're all on pins and needles, are you done dragging my client through the mud yet?"

Lindsey looked at Lilah before looking at Walsh's disappointed frown. He dropped his eyes. "Yes."

"Good." Lilah looked at him with more than a hint of irritation. "Because at the moment, this case is a hot enough topic a jury might find your behavior acceptable. If only because they would understand your obvious distress and frustration. However," she continued, "if there's one more slip up... if her name's sullied anymore, *that* Mr. McDonald would go past the notion of your frustrated impotence."

"Frustrated impotence?" Angel laughed and looked over to where Lindsey was busy looking through files.

"Uh-huh," Spike smirked in the same direction. It had been sheer luck he'd been walking past Walsh's office when Lilah had been tearing into the other agent.

The door of the HQ opened, and they turned to watch Riley walk in before starting toward his desk, and Angel's eyes darkened as he thought about Finn's date at the charity. "Let's hope 'frustrated impotence' extends to his partner as well."

"I'd say that's a safe bet. It was Finn that brought Darla in, not McDonald," Spike started, misunderstanding Angel's meaning before his expression darkened. "Of course, it could extend to us since we're the ones that..."

"Spike," Angel cut him off with a scowl. "Don't go there."

"This isn't happening," Riley threw the pen he had a death grip on down on his desk and glanced over at his partner. He'd just left Walsh's office and gotten the same treatment Lindsey had earlier.

"Just be glad you didn't have to face Lilah, *and* Walsh." Lindsey gave a theatrical shudder. "It makes me wish I'd joined you at your dentist's appointment."

Riley shook his head before frowning as he caught sight of the two agents that used to have Nemesis's case. "We found the right woman," he stated. "All we've got to do is wait for her to issue us a challenge."

"Willow," Spike called as he and Angel walked into forensics and watched the redhead carefully scrape dirt samples from a beat up tennis shoe.

"Oh." She glanced up a little startled before twisting on the swiveling stool to give them a sheepish look. "I forgot." She motioned to the shoe. "They brought in some new evidence in the Clark case." She got up and walked to her desk before starting to sift through some of the files on it. "And I should tell you I didn't get a response to my inquiry as to who painted your car Angel, but it had to be a local job." Willow frowned when she didn't find the file she was after before noticing it on top of a file cabinet. "Here it is." She walked over to hand the sheet of paper to Spike before going back to sit in front of the tennis shoe. "Oz was able to clear up the picture of the Bandit's license plate and trace it to an L.A. address, but the car was listed as stolen."

Spike nodded before looking back at Willow. "What did you find out about Nemesis's smoke bomb Red?"

"It was a smoke machine that worked off a remote control."

"Any prints on it?" Angel asked.

"No. It was wiped clean. And needless to say, the number of women that used the bathroom has Riley twisted into knots." She grinned. "I think if he could go back he'd put a camera in the room if he thought Walsh would let him."

"It would have helped," Angel murmured before glancing up with a grin and shake of his head. "And I don't mean that in a pervy way."

Willow rolled her eyes before watching with amusement as they headed for the door.

Penn glanced at his watch as the last employees left the Sunnydale American Express Bank. It was five o'clock on the dot, and if things went as they had for the last 8 days, the employees would begin arriving at 7 am.

Getting off the park bench, he threw his hot dog wrapper into the trash and casually began to walk away. He'd seen all he needed to and was right on schedule to rob the place tomorrow night.

He smirked at the thought of the media attention he was getting... and the bragging rights that went with it before frowning. Even though he'd started tipping off his colleagues ahead of his heists, Nemesis was still stealing his thunder. She was getting too sure of herself, warning the FBI ahead of time was causing a stir.

He slipped into his recently stolen car and slid the key into the ignition. It was just a matter of time before the cops caught her. His lip curled as he pulled away from the curb. She couldn't be caught soon enough in his opinion. It wasn't that she'd shown him up... It was that anyone that failed to take the proper precautions should be prepared to take the fall for their sloppy work.

He started back toward the hotel and didn't notice the black car sitting in a parking lot across the street. He didn't notice the blonde driver watching his every move either, and she continued to watch as he drove out of sight.

There was no need to follow him. He wouldn't do anything tonight, but she had some of her own homework to do. Her attention went back to the bank and she took a sip of coffee. She'd never been interested in robbing banks, but that didn't mean she was against breaking into one.

The next morning:

Riley sat at his desk and scowled at the picture of Nemesis in Angel's pink car. It had been over a week since she'd pulled her last robbery, three days since the charity event, and she had yet to inform them of her next heist. Nemesis had made a name for herself, and he was more than anxious to beat her at her own game.

The sandy haired blonde tapped out an unconscious rhythm with a pencil. He still felt like they'd discovered who she was. Darla Chambers. It made sense that she'd want to lay low after his interrogation... not that he'd learned anything. Darla wasn't dumb. She'd barely told him anything, even after he'd tried to shake her up. He sighed and looked back at Nemesis's picture. It was a shame he didn't have enough evidence to charge her.

"Riley," Angel walked up to his desk and narrowed his eyes when he saw the picture on it. "Willow told us you had detailed information on the safes the Bandit broke into."

"I didn't give that to you?" The blonde frowned as he opened a large desk drawer and dug through several neatly filed papers. "Oh... Here it is." He handed the papers over. "The guy's an expert safecracker. His longest job so far has taken a little over 20 minutes from start to finish." Angel nodded as he glanced at the pages, but Riley stopped him from heading back to his desk. "It looks like we're in the same boat. I mean, Linds and I are waiting for Nemesis to challenge us, and you're waiting for the Bandit to hit another bank." He shrugged. "Both of our teams are down." Angel didn't reply, and Riley continued, "Care to wager on who'll catch their guy first?"

"Probably Spike and I," the brunette answered. "I mean, even if we don't catch him at a bank, there's a good chance we'll catch him driving a stolen car, or passing off marked bills..." he broke off, met Riley's eyes. "On the other hand, Nemesis doesn't seem interested in challenging you."

"She's afraid you mean," Riley clarified. "She knows we'll catch her."

Angel shook his head and turned to go before turning back. "If I were you I'd lay off Darla Chambers. *If* she turns out to be Nemesis, you're giving her way too much warning she's being watched... and if she's not, and you keep going after her, Walsh is going to have your hide." Riley's face darkened, and Angel turned to walk away.

Buffy stretched languidly as she glanced at her watch and sighed. It was earlier than she thought, only eleven am, which meant she'd only gotten about five hours of sleep. Sliding out of bed, she took a quick shower and dressed before leaving the hotel room so the maid could clean it.

She slowly made her way down the sun drenched sidewalk before slipping sunglasses on and glancing over the parking lot. There were nine cars, and she took a moment to look them over before deciding she didn't recognize any of them and climbing into her own. It had been a long uneventful night, and even though patience wasn't one of her strong points, she had to admit some things were worth waiting for.

"Angel," Lindsey walked over to the brunette as he slid out of his leather duster. "I heard Dru made an appearance at the charity this year."

"Yeah, she did." Angel hung up his coat before turning to the other agent and raising an eyebrow.

Lindsey silently groaned, this was going to be harder than he'd thought. Angel's usual aversion to Riley was evidently extending to Nemesis's case... and to him. He sighed and decided to get to the point. "I was wondering if she had any feelings about Nemesis?"

Angel dropped into his chair before turning to look at something over Lindsey's shoulder. "Spike." Angel gave a faint smile as his partner walked to his desk. "Linds wants to know if Dru picked up anything on Nemesis at the charity."

"Does he now?" The bleached blonde slid out of his jacket before settling behind his desk. "And what did you tell him?"

"That you would be the..."

"Look," Lindsey held up his hands in surrender, "I didn't want your case. I was perfectly happy trying to find the bank robber, but," he met blue eyes before looking into brown, "we should be helping each other. I mean, I know the Bandit was kicking our butts, but Nemesis was pounding you guys into the ground."

Spike snorted. "Angel wishes." Something that sounded suspiciously like a growl came from his partner, and Spike brightened as he looked at McDonald. "Dru picked up Nemesis on just about all the women there that night. Of course, most of them were dreaming about being her, with the Catwoman and female versions of Robin Hood costumes."

Lindsey nodded. "But did she get a bead on anyone specifically?"

Spike leaned back in his chair. "Darla Chambers has secrets," he repeated Dru's words, "Anya Dickerson was having fun, and Buffy Summers was laughing. Quentin Travers was also in the mix as well as," his look turned evil, "a tall brunette dressed in a Catwoman costume. She was interested," he mimicked Dru. "She wanted to pin Angel to the wall and have her way with him."

Angel rolled his eyes before winking at Lindsey. "I've got to admit, a strong forceful woman could probably work wonders in the bedroom. Take Nemesis for example, she could have her way with me anytime."

Lindsey shook his head before shooting Angel a smirk and heading back to his desk. "I thought she had been."

"Yeah," Bernie spoke over the telephone, "a 1983 green Accord. It was stolen last month." He listened with a frown as he tapped a pencil on his desk. "And the license plate number was?" He went silent as it was read off on the other end. "It's a match." He looked up to see the doors open and watched as the two FBI agents that had just entered headed for his desk. "Uh... I'll let the owner know he can pick it up sometime today if that's alright." He paused before nodding. "Thanks, Harry."

"Bernie." Spike greeted the gray haired cop as he hung up the phone. "I suppose you've heard we're working the Green Mask case?"

"Yeah," Bernie acknowledged. "And I suppose you're here about the Monte Carlo he used in his last robbery?"

"You got it." Angel sat on the edge of his desk. "Have anything yet?"

"Just that it was stolen in L.A. from a Walmart parking lot. It's a 24 hour store and the owner, a Helen Martin," he read her name from the file, "decided she needed ice cream in the middle of the night. When she got back to her car she discovered she'd locked her keys and cell in it and went back into the store to call her sister. A half an hour later, the only thing left of the car were bits and pieces of the side window the guy broke out."

"Any video?" Angel asked.

"No. The camera for that section of the lot wasn't working."

Spike shook his head. "Bad luck for her, but I suppose if it hadn't been her car it would have been someone else's." He turned to the cop. "It's nothing personal, but we want the car to go directly to our forensic team."

Bernie glanced up. "I figured you would, but don't count on finding much. It was left in a high crime area. From what I hear it was almost totally stripped."

Angel nodded. It wasn't much of a surprise. "Well, Willow's the best. If anything can be found, she'll find it."

"Um yeah," Bernie agreed as he watched them start to turn toward the door. "Has there been any breaks in Nemesis's case?"

"You mean besides the headline stating she was caught?" Spike asked before shaking his head. "No. The guys assigned to it are on pins and needles waiting for her next move."

Bernie nodded. "Most of us here are betting she won't be able to pull the next one off, but that she doesn't get caught either. They think one of these days someone's going to get smart enough to keep their eye on the item she wants to steal."

Angel forced a smile. "I'm sure with Finn and McDonald on the case it's practically a done deal."

Spike rolled his eyes before looking at Bernie. "And I think our boss agrees. She looked to be in a great mood when we left HQ." He glanced at Angel whose amusement now was real. "Well... got to go." Spinning on his heel the bleached blonde started toward the door.

"Look," Angel glanced at his partner before turning back to Bernie, "I know we're not on Nemesis's case anymore, but I'd appreciate a call if anything happens that might be related to it." He dropped a card on the scarred desk and looked at the older man expectantly.

"Will do Angel," he agreed before watching the brunette nod a thanks and follow his partner.

Buffy frowned as she looked over the selection of cards in the Hallmark store. Nothing stood out, and she'd been there for probably twenty minutes. She sighed and moved a little farther down the aisle before noticing a card with a large pink car on the front cover. Her smile grew when she picked it up and studied the illustrated car being driven through a bright sunny day, the road lined with tulips and a tree with a little bird in it. She flipped it open and found the inside was blank, just waiting for her message. Keeping the card in a gloved hand, she picked up the pink envelope with it before heading toward the cashier.

She needed to make a quick run to L.A. before getting back to Sunnydale by 10. And, she decided with a glance at her watch, was going to be a little pressed for time. Still though... her last minute decision to invite the FBI was too good to pass up.

Angel cursed when the knocking on his door brought him out of a sound sleep... and cursed again when he saw it was almost midnight. He rolled out of bed before making his way to the door where a boy that looked to be about seventeen was standing. "Can I help you?"

"Uh... yeah," the teenager stammered as he looked at Angel's rumpled glowering form. "Angel O'Connor right?"

"Last I checked," he answered.

"Great." The boy smiled nervously before holding out a pink envelope. "I was supposed to deliver this to you."

Angel frowned as he took the envelope and looked it over. His name was printed neatly on the front, and he looked back up to see the boy that had delivered it was already moving down the hall. "Hey..." he called as he ripped the envelope open. He took a moment to look at the card before catching up with the boy waiting at the elevator. "What's the rush?" he asked suspiciously.

The teenager took a step back, and Angel flipped the card open, his eyes narrowing as he read the neatly stenciled message.

Angel,

There's going to be a party and you're invited.

First National Bank

205 Main Street

Sunnydale, CA

3 am

You've got about 3 hours before you're late. And bring your partner. If you're lucky, it could be a double date instead of 2 to 1, but I wouldn't count on it.

Yours,

Nemesis

p.s. Leave the delivery boy alone. He doesn't know anything. I found him with a group of friends on the street.

He looked back at the blonde. "Who gave this to you?"

"Just some old woman," the boy stated. "She gave me $20.00 and told me to deliver it at midnight." He looked at the FBI agent uneasily. "She uh... said you would have taken your medication by now and would be calmer."

Angel studied him before deciding to let the comment go, he didn't have much time. Sunnydale was almost a two hour drive and he still had to get a hold of Spike. "How old?" he asked.

"Gray hair..." the kid shook his head. "Probably in her sixties."

Angel's eyes narrowed before he gave a nod. "Thanks," he offered before quickly starting back toward his apartment.

"Just like that?" Spike grumbled. "You let the kid leave?"

"She's never lied to us," Angel bit out. "If she said the boy didn't know anything, I don't think he did."

"Alright." The bleached blonde held up his hands in defeat before looking out the window as the last lights of the town streaked by. "Finn's not going to be happy she's still playing with us."

A smirk crossed Angel's face. "What can I say? She has taste."

Penn looked over the parking lot behind the bank with a practiced eye. It was 2 in the morning, and just like with any other job, his adrenaline was pumping. There wasn't a soul in sight, and he made his way to the bank's back door. It was easy to pick the lock, he was an expert.

The alarm was next, and he shut it off with quick efficiency before making his way toward another door. The lock clicked open, and he walked into a smaller room before freezing when he saw the gun that was being held on him. Handcuffs slapped against his chest before rattling to the floor. "Put them on," a female voice ordered.

"You won't shoot," he murmured as his hand started to move toward his coat pocket.

"Don't think so?" Buffy asked before quickly closing the distance between them. "Maybe you're right." She kicked him across the face, her small lithe body performing the move easily.

"Bitch," he snarled as he pulled a knife out of his pocket and lobbed it at her. It flew through the air and cut into her thigh before continuing to land with a thud against the wall. She sucked in a breath before kicking him again and watched as he fell backwards, hit his head, blacked out, the gun he'd been reaching for still in his hand.

"Penn?" she asked as she scooped the handcuffs off the floor before crouching beside him. He didn't respond, and she threaded the cuffs through an old radiator before snapping them around his wrists. "Have a great life in jail," she muttered before getting to her feet and kicking his gun toward the back wall.

A sharp pain in her thigh was all the incentive she needed to get moving, and she made her way out of the bank and toward the car she'd left a couple of miles outside of town.

Darla paced the room before glancing at her watch for the fourth time in twenty minutes. Penn should have been back half an hour ago... He'd promised her a night she wouldn't forget and she was tired of waiting. She picked up the keys on the nightstand before heading into the hotel parking lot.

"The door's propped open," Spike stated as Angel parked in the little lot behind the bank before they got out of the car and palmed guns.

"Yeah," the brunette agreed as he focused on the door. "If we'd been invited by anyone else, I'd think this was a trap."

Spike snorted, his attention also locked on the door... and the silent darkness behind it. "It could be mate, the way that woman likes to play games. We'll probably get in there and find it's full of reporters. Or better yet, the local police just waiting for someone to walk in so they can be arrested."

Angel took a breath before giving a reckless smile. "She does have a sense of humor, doesn't she?"

Spike nodded, his eyes twinkling as both of them began to move cautiously toward the door. "Too bad she's a player for the other team."

The smile left Angel's face as if it had never been. "But an interesting one," he answered as he scanned the dark interior. No sound was heard, no shadow moved, and he kept his gun ready as he inched through the door.

Buffy examined the cut on her thigh with a hiss as she carefully pulled the material out of the way. It looked to be about an inch and a half incision, and she scowled at the wound before quickly looking over the empty rest area she was in. No one was around, and she reached for the bag holding her first aid kit before getting out of the car.

"Well, look at this," Spike murmured with delight as he bent over a conscience and angry Penn. "Now why would a guy be in a bank after hours wearing a green mask and with a gun?"

"I don't know," Angel answered as he looked at the hooded man cuffed tightly to the radiator. "Maybe he got lost."

"I want my lawyer," Penn bit out angrily. "I'm not saying a thing until I speak to her."

"Really?" Angel asked as he glanced over the slightly disturbed room. A file cabinet was on its side. A stainless steel metal cart was sitting haphazardly against a wall. A few papers were scattered on the floor. "You don't even want to talk about who cuffed you?"

A string of curses came from the prisoner as his arms corded against Buffy's cuffs. "If I ever..." he broke off and eyed the agents. If he ever got a chance at Buffy Summers, she'd be dead, but it wasn't a good idea to advertise it.

"I called the cops and our forensic team," Angel spoke up a couple of minutes later when it was clear they weren't going to get any more out of Penn. "I think I'll take a look outside."

His partner nodded. "Sure. I'll just keep an eye on our boy here."

Spike slid his gun back into its holster before walking to the safe. He looked it over critically before turning to study the red and gold carpet. A spot of red covered some of the design, and he frowned at the blood before noticing the wicked looking switchblade lying at the base of a wall. His gaze slid farther over the floor and his eyes narrowed when he noticed the little black gun half nestled in the shadows of a small table.

A shadow moved toward the bank, and Angel slipped back into the darkness to watch. It was small... and blonde. His eyes narrowed and he couldn't stop the smile that tugged at his lips. Was she waiting to make sure they'd show? She moved closer, and he started to reach for his gun before pulling his hand away. "Come on," he murmured... half challenging and half pleading as he watched her move closer.

A police car pulled into the lot quickly followed by two others, and he frowned at the timing before lunging out of hiding and toward the woman that was now trying to escape. His hand closed over a slim arm just as a flash of light exploded from the parking lot. He looked up in surprise before realizing two of the cars that had just arrived were reporters. "Let go of me," the blonde hissed as she yanked away before turning to him furiously. "My lawyer warned you about harassment."

"What..." He turned his attention back to the woman he'd caught and scowled when he recognized Darla Chambers.

"Step away from the girl," the voice cut through the night and caused Angel to look up and notice the gun pointed at him. He held up his hands. Every dealing he'd had with Nemesis had turned out to be a public disaster. Why had he thought tonight would be any different?

"Did he threaten to take you to jail?" Lilah asked as she leaned back and frowned at the front page of the newspaper which *again* showed her client being manhandled by an FBI agent.

"No," Darla hissed over the phone. She was getting tired of this. A drive past one of Buffy Summers's jobs, and she was getting more publicity than she had in her entire life of crime. "He let me go after they snapped the picture."

Lilah frowned. "I can press charges if you want, but if we drag it through the courts, we're going to have to explain why you were at the bank at 3 am on the same day it was being robbed." The line was silent, and Lilah continued in a business like tone, "Don't forget the cameras covering the parking lot Darla, they will show you walking toward the front entrance."

"Alright," she reluctantly agreed. "Whatever you think is best."

Lilah smiled before changing the subject. "I heard you were going on a six day cruise."

"Yeah," the blonde confirmed as she studied her fingernails. "Summers was using the police charity to promote her cruise line and I got a free ticket."

"Well, that sounds like fun."

Darla agreed before they ended the conversation.

"Congratulations," Maggie Walsh looked at the two men in her office. "Less than two weeks on the case and you've managed to catch the Green Mask Bandit," she eyed them, "or someone has." Neither spoke, and she continued, "Tell me gentlemen, who do you think that someone was?"

Spike raised an eyebrow. "I didn't realize there was a question about her identity."

Walsh walked over to sit behind her desk before giving them a look of long suffering. "And who would that be?"

"Nemesis."

"And why," she mocked, "would Nemesis help the two of you?"

"I doubt she looked at it that way," Angel spoke up. "She might have just had a vendetta against the guy."

"She evidently could have caught him while he was still Finn and McDonald's case. Why would she have caught him now?" They were silent, and she pulled an envelope out of a drawer and slid it across her desktop. "I got this today," she informed. "It's from Ocean Cruise Lines. It seems you both have been given free tickets for a six day cruise that's leaving next week." They stared at her, and she narrowed her eyes. "The letter states if the timing's inconvenient, you can reschedule, but I think a vacation would be a blessing at the moment, don't you?"

"Well if you're sure," Spike spoke up as he reached for the envelope, "but I mean, I doubt I have three vacation days left..."

"Taken care of," she bit out. "Both of you are free and clear. After next Wednesday, I don't want to see either of you back in this building until," she glanced at her calendar, "June 17th."

Riley Finn stared at the only letter Nemesis had sent him. "This can't be real." He looked up at Walsh. "This isn't even..."

Tired of his partner's stuttering denial, Lindsey took the note out of his hands and quickly read through the beautiful almost stenciled lines.

Finn, McDonald,

I intend to steal a PIE in the Summer Wind's diner 'S'mores' sometime over the course of the cruise. You're welcome to try to stop me.

~Nemesis

Lindsey looked at his superior with a sheepish expression. "She, uh... must be..."

"What McDonald," Walsh questioned, "hungry?"

"It's not from her," Riley spoke up with certainty. "Why would she go to jail for stealing a pie?"

"Well, now I don't know," Walsh tapped a fingernail against her cheek, "maybe she thinks she won't get caught?"

Riley's face reddened as Lindsey sighed. "Are you giving the case back to Pryce and O'Connor? They're going to be on location."

"No." She reached into her desk and pulled out two tickets before handing them to the brunette. "You and Finn can use the tickets Ed and I won. Neither of us wants to go anywhere near that ship." She paused before her gaze traveled to the ceiling. "Maybe... just maybe... with four FBI agents on board, we can get something accomplished."

Willow made a quick notation on a notepad before moving back to her microscope. She didn't hear the soft click of the door or the quiet steps that came up behind her.

"Red..." Spike's voice cut through the quiet room, and the redhead made a startled turn that had him smirking and his partner grinning. "We were wondering if you'd found out anything new on our case."

"Um... yeah. The blood on the knife isn't Penn's, and his fingerprints are all over it."

Spike nodded. The bank's security video had shown the confrontation pretty clearly. "What about the guns?"

"Well, the gun our vigilante had wasn't loaded. It also passed the gun powder test." She moved to sit in her chair. "So we know it wasn't fired. It looks like it was just there for show."

Angel watched her, surprise evident before he gave a low whistle of admiration. "The lady lives dangerously."

Spike nodded. "She went up against a killer with an unloaded gun. I'd say the lady has guts."

"Yeah," Willow agreed, "and she got hurt." Frowns crossed all of their faces before she sighed and continued. "We couldn't find any unknown fingerprints on either her gun or cuffs. She evidently wiped them clean before entering the bank."

"Smart girl," Angel murmured.

Willow nodded and gave a faint smile. "It made the difference in this case. I mean, I'm sure she intended to leave the cuffs behind, but I doubt she intended to leave the gun. Cleaning the prints off of it was just an added precaution."

"What about registration?" Angel glanced at the little gun on Willow's desk that was enclosed in a plastic bag.

She shook her head. "It's not registered."

"So it's a dead end," he murmured thoughtfully.

"Yeah," Willow agreed. "She gave you Penn and a blood sample, and that's pretty much all you got."

"Except for the tip off on her fighting technique," Spike answered. "She's had some training somewhere."

Willow looked up with a twinkle in her eye. "So... did you hear that Riley and Lindsey got their first challenge from Nemesis?"

"Do tell," Spike prompted.

"She's going on your cruise next week. She's going to steal a pie."

"A pie?" Spike asked with disbelief as he turned to look at his partner before turning back to Willow with amusement.

"Uh-huh," she egged them on. "And since Nemesis is going to be on board, you realize so will Riley and Lindsey?" Their smiles slipped, and Willow laughed at their pained expressions. "I've heard they're supposed to watch the pies in one of the dining rooms."

Spike rolled his eyes before looking at Angel who shook his head and looked away.

June 11th dawned bright and sunny. A perfect day to start a six day cruise. The passengers were being loaded, an excited hum running through them as they started to settle in.

Quentin Travers liked the atmosphere. He'd always liked to travel, but it was more than the cruise itself that made him buy a ticket on this particular trip. Stepping on board with a smile, he took a deep breath of ocean air before making his way to one of the crew members greeting guests. There were still four hours before they launched, and he intended to take in the atmosphere... and the players that were making the trip.

Spike looked at his cabin with delight before walking into the hallway and then into the room next door. "I don't think I'm going to want to leave mate," he murmured as he flopped onto his partner's bed and watched Angel neatly arranging clothes in his closet.

"It's great, isn't it?" Angel flashed a smile before hanging up a casual shirt.

Spike got to his feet before rubbing his hands together. "I can't make up my mind what to do first. Take a swim, go to the bar, work on a tan..."

"I think I'll just take a look around." Angel zipped up his empty suitcase and set it in the bottom of the closet before sliding on sunglasses and looking at his partner. "Coming?"

Spike snorted. "In other words, you're looking for Nemesis."

The brunette gave him an innocent look. "She's Finn's case now... and we're on vacation. Why would I be looking for her?"

"Oh I don't know," the bleached blonde drawled, "maybe because she has your car," Angel shot him a look, and Spike continued, "or maybe it's the fact you're infatuated with her."

"There is that," the brunette murmured as he walked into the corridor.

Buffy leaned back on the lounge and tried to soak up the sun. It wasn't the best way to do it, not with shorts and a halter, but the little cut on her leg was too dangerous to display, at least with the FBI agents that were onboard. Besides, she shifted further into the chair, a sunburn over the fresh scar would be painful.

"Buffy."

She looked up to see Riley standing over her. He was wearing pale blue shorts and a pastel yellow top. She smiled. "Riley... I didn't know you were on board."

He gave a faint grin before taking the lounge beside hers. "It's business. Nemesis is supposed to..." he broke off.

"Supposed to what?"

"Steal a pie," he answered reluctantly.

"I'd heard she'd challenged you... but..." She shook her head and turned to him with a warm smile. "Do you really think she's on board?"

He smiled at her interest, relief flooding him that she seemed to think stealing a pie was an adventure. "She's supposed to be." He looked down the length of the deck and noticed the blonde standing at the ship's railing. "And there she is."

Buffy followed his gaze before giving a slight shake of her head. "Darla Chambers? Isn't she the one that was caught driving a stolen car?"

"Yeah, except it wasn't stolen." He hesitated, rubbed at the back of his neck. "She has to have O'Connor's stashed... or maybe she sold it. We followed her to a storage unit the other day that was large enough to hold a car." He hesitated thoughtfully before looking back at the other end of the deck. "I think we'll have the case solved by the end of the cruise."

Buffy's green eyes sparkled. "So you think you can arrest her when she steals the pie?"

"Well..." he hesitated. Walsh would have a fit if they arrested her for such a trivial job. "Not for the pie, but that's only because we need to catch her with something larger. We don't really have any evidence to tie her to the other crimes. I mean, we have a blood sample of the woman that caught Penn, and have reason to believe that may have been Nemesis, but how do you convince a jury of that?"

"I see the problem," the blonde answered with a frown before looking up when Riley leaned in toward her.

"We need to catch her with something more valuable."

"What do you have in mind?" she asked in a voice just as quiet as his.

"I'd like to challenge her to steal something more her style." He glanced down the length of the deck to see Darla was gone before looking back at Buffy. If he knew her like he thought he did, she'd help him, and Nemesis would get more than she bargained for.

Angel stood at the railing and alternated his attention between the view and the groups of people moving on the lower decks. He'd taken a casual tour of the ship earlier but hadn't been able to find the blonde he sought. If they were right about who she was though, she'd have to be on board. He glanced up as Spike moved up beside him.

"Anything?"

"No," he paused as he noticed a woman on the lower deck. "Except Darla Chambers."

"What?" Spike looked over the railing and gave a low whistle. "She does get around, doesn't she?"

"Who?" The woman that came up beside them startled them both and they turned to her even as she looked over the railing. She turned back with a knowing smile, her eyes sparkling as she cocked her head. "Nemesis maybe?"

"Anya," Spike greeted the reporter. "I didn't know you'd be on board."

"Well," she preened, "the paper's hoping I can get in on Nemesis' latest robbery."

"I'm sure you can," Angel answered politely.

"Just between you and me... and Xander," she mentioned the FBI agent she was currently living with, "I think Nemesis should consider stealing Liz Cranchaw's shoes to go with the Midnight Star. I mean, come on... the necklace is gorgeous, but can you imagine how nice it would look with diamond strapped shoes?"

They both stared at her uncertainly before Spike broke the silence, "I'm sure that would look nice."

She nodded happily. "I know. I've been thinking about suggesting it to her in one of my columns. I mean, she's got style... and if she's never seen those shoes..." She shook her head at the thought Nemesis might not know about the perfect accessory. "She really should go after them."

"Uh-huh..." Spike broke in. "Did Xander come with you?"

"No. He's too busy looking for that fugitive Walsh wants him to find. He actually came home Monday night covered in vomit. I mean, I know it's his job, but honestly, he needs to take care of his own laundry if he's going to do business with the druggies this guy's selling to."

She frowned with annoyance, and the guys nodded in sympathetic agreement, both of them giving silent thanks they hadn't been chosen for that assignment.

"And there she is," Snyder sneered as he leaned against the railing a few hours later and motioned to where Buffy was sitting on a lounge.

The man beside him nodded. "Ethan's protege," Luke murmured. "Too bad she's not smart enough to stay out of our business."

"Play stupid games, win stupid prizes." Snyder studied her for a moment before giving a shake of his head. "Hard to believe the cops can't figure out who she is."

"Too bad for her the boss isn't as dumb."

Oblivious to the men watching, Buffy pulled her sunglasses lower on her nose as Angel walked around the corner. As usual, he was gorgeous, and she eyed him appreciatively before getting to her feet. Nemesis had met him and now it was time Buffy Summers did.

She started down the deck and watched as he stood at the edge of the pool with his back to her. "Angel O'Connor?" she asked the man that was starting to peel off his shirt. She forced her eyes to his as he turned before watching him smile.

"You've got me. And you're Buffy Summers, right?"

"Yeah."

"I saw you at the charity ball. You were with Riley?"

She nodded and smiled as he dropped his shirt onto a lounge. "And you were dressed as Batman."

"Well, I figured it was appropriate since most of the women were dressed as Catwoman." He eyed her carefully. "But I noticed you were an exception."

She grinned easily before shrugging. "What can I say? I'm an X-Men fan."

He nodded and tried to keep from obviously checking her out. "I take it you're not secretly interested in being Nemesis then?"

She hesitated at what could be a pointed question. Maybe Dru had pinpointed her after all, and if she had, she'd have to be more careful in the future. That didn't have to stop her from having fun in the present though. "I'm more of a doer than a pretender," she informed as a gust of wind blew tendrils of hair across her face. She pushed them back before changing the subject. "Look, I just wanted to congratulate you on your latest arrest. It's pretty impressive to be able to catch the Bandit. I know Riley wasn't able to do much when he was on the case."

He was silent as he contemplated that she had to *know* they didn't have much to do with making the arrest. Pushing the thoughts aside, he changed the subject. "Can I take you to dinner tonight? I mean, unless you and Riley are exclusive."

The change in topics threw her before she frowned. "Riley and I are... friends. Good friends, but that's as far as it goes."

"So you're free to go out tonight?"

"Not tonight... but maybe sometime," she answered as she studied him intently.

He nodded before forcing a smile. "Alright, but you can't ignore me the whole cruise."

"No. Probably not," she answered with a faint smile.

"Buffy."

The call was unexpected, and she turned with surprise to find an old friend. "Pike," she greeted with a warm smile. "I didn't know you were on board."

He grinned and nodded to Angel before turning his attention back to Buffy. "Are you kidding? After reading about Nemesis's challenge, I couldn't resist. I was just lucky there were a few cancellations or I wouldn't have been able to book so late."

Buffy nodded. She knew there had been cancellations when it had gotten out Nemesis would be on board. She also knew the number of people wanting to go on the cruise after her challenge quickly sold it out. "So," she rolled her eyes, "you're on a hunting expedition are you?"

"Oh yeah," he agreed with a smile before turning to Angel. "I mean, come on... Nemesis would be a catch, right?"

"I'd have to agree," Angel met the other man's eyes, and Buffy couldn't stop from giving a slow smile before she shook her head in mock despair and introduced them.

"Nice to meet you," Pike said as he shook Angel's hand.

"You too," Angel answered as he released the guy's hand and watched him wrap an arm around Buffy's shoulders.

"She might not be Nemesis," Pike stated, "but she's a catch. Mind if I borrow her?"

"Go ahead," Angel forced a smile before looking down at her. "Catch you later?"

"Yeah," she answered as she met his chocolate eyes. "See you then."

Pike sighed before looking up at the blonde standing over him. She reached down and he accepted her hand as he climbed to his feet. "One of these days it'll be you on the mat."

"Keep telling yourself that." Buffy grinned at the guy that had been her first lover. They had dated for a year in high school before deciding to be friends.

"Want to go for three out of five?"

She shook her head. "It was two out of three Pike, and I won." She held out her hand and he sighed before handing her a twenty dollar bill.

"So," he waited for her to fall in beside him as they headed for the changing rooms, "any plans for tonight?"

"The usual," she glanced up, "nothing big."

He nodded before tossing an arm around her shoulders and giving her a hug as they kept moving. "I miss you, Buff."

Rolling her eyes, she glanced up at him. "And here I thought you were only onboard to find Nemesis."

He grinned. "You or her... either works for me."

"Such a charmer," she muttered with a snort and watched as his smile widened.

It was later in the afternoon when Buffy stopped at the railing and watched the water glide by that she turned her thoughts to the talk she'd had with Riley that morning. He'd surprised her with his plan to catch Nemesis by challenging her to steal a piece of her own jewelry. There was no way she'd even attempt to steal something under the conditions he'd laid out. It still bothered her though that she wouldn't be completing the challenge.

Turning to look over some of the other passengers on the deck, she caught sight of a woman that looked familiar and frowned before smiling as she got a better look. Anya, she decided. Anya Dickerson. One of the favorite reporters of The 'Gabby Gossip'. And just the one Buffy hoped would come on the cruise when she'd sent the note to the paper informing them about Nemesis' latest challenge.

Eyeing her bright outfit, Buffy's expression turned thoughtful. The dress was perfect for the light warm breezes they were having. It was also unforgettably loud. The colors were rich reds, golds, oranges, and yellows and it was set off by a pair of chunky red sandals. It would be perfect if... she broke the thought. She couldn't take Riley up on his challenge. It was too dangerous, even for her. On the other hand... she grinned, maybe she could still have a little fun. It was the 11th, and Riley was challenging her to steal the bracelet on the 13th. Two days from now. She still had a few hours to work everything out.

June 12th:

"So," Spike started the next morning as he fell in beside Angel, "have you found your blonde yet?"

Angel glanced at him. "Yeah. She found me at the pool last night."

Spike gave a low whistle before shaking his head. They didn't have any solid evidence that she was Nemesis, but things seemed to be falling into place with her presence. "And?" he prompted.

"And," Angel stopped walking and adjusted the duffel bag holding his workout clothes, "she congratulated us on capturing the Bandit."

Spike raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah." Silence fell before the brunette shook his head. "She sounded sincere, but she has to know we had little to do with it."

"Well, Nemesis would be nothing if not deceptive," Spike drawled. "And if she's not Nemesis," he slapped Angel on the shoulder, "she could have just been trying to be nice."

He snorted. "I'd rather that she'd taken me up on my dinner invitation."

"She turned you down for Finn, huh?"

Angel shrugged. "Didn't say. Only that she had plans."

Spike snorted. "Yeah. She probably had plans to pump him for information on the case." He was silent before shaking his head. "You know there's something wrong with Finn and Summers being friends. Finn and Nemesis though... she could use him, and that's something I could understand."

Angel glanced up sharply but didn't have time to say anything before Anya's voice cut through their debate.

"She had dinner with the captain last night."

"What?" Angel turned to face her.

"Buffy Summers," Anya informed. "She sat with the captain last night." Curious silence fell before she rolled her eyes and broke it. "She does own the ship."

"She owns the ship?" Angel asked incredulously.

"Yeah. She inherited everything when her parents died a year and a half ago. It was a plane crash." She leaned closer. "Buffy was in college at the time. The speculation was that their deaths caused her to drop out." She frowned thoughtfully. "From the classes she was taking, it looked like she was considering going into law enforcement... and with Rupert Giles as a mentor, she would have had a great career."

"You mean Rupert Giles the lawyer?" Spike asked.

She rolled her eyes. "That's the one. There was talk about his past activities when he started his practice, but there hasn't even been a hint of a rumor in years. " She suddenly scowled when she noticed the man standing a few feet away. "Oh my god... What's he doing here?" Her scowl deepened before she stalked across the deck to confront the geeky reporter.

Spike and Angel watched for a moment as she stood in front of the guy with her hands on her hips. "Wouldn't want to be in his shoes," Angel murmured.

"He looks familiar," Spike answered as he studied the man before looking away with a frown. "I just can't place him."

"Well, he's not Nemesis." Angel glanced over the man without interest before looking back at Spike. "So... Buffy and law enforcement?"

"Seems at least Anya thinks so." Spike looked up thoughtfully as they started to walk along the deck before shaking his head. "I know it seems like a joke that she's planning to steal a pie, but even with that, it looks like she has plans for Riley and Lindsey. She wouldn't have practically invited the press if she didn't."

Angel frowned before nodding. "That's a given, but I still don't understand what she's trying to do. There are maybe seventy women on board who were at the charity, and of those, there are probably something like thirty that fit Nemesis's description. It just doesn't seem like a smart move."

Spike snorted. "She evidently thinks Riley and Lindsey can't catch her."

"Yeah well," Angel glanced up before coming to a sudden stop, his attention riveted straight ahead. "She's probably pretty sure they're on the wrong track."

Glancing in the same direction Angel was, Spike let out a low whistle. "Well well," he murmured as he looked at the small group. "Let's go say hi."

"You'll talk to the captain about making the announcement?" Riley asked as he slid the diamond bracelet Buffy had given him into his pocket.

"Yeah," she assured as she took a sip of orange juice and looked up with a smile when Lindsey stopped at their table. "Hey," she greeted the man she'd met a couple of times.

He gave a charming smile as he sat down. "It's good to see you again, Buffy." He glanced across at his partner teasingly. "I'm pretty sure Riley agrees."

"Uh-huh..." she murmured skeptically. "And here I thought you guys were just interested in my bracelet... which the captain will soon announce is being used for Nemesis bait."

"And we appreciate it," Riley answered with a boyish grin.

"Right," Buffy agreed skeptically, "but are you going to make sure she doesn't steal it?"

He snorted. "If Pryce and O'Connor were guarding it, I'd be worried. Lindsey and I? Not a problem. We do things by the book."

"Well, that's good to know," she murmured as she looked at him with amusement.

"Yeah," Spike broke in casually, "I'm sure these two are wearing bulletproof vests as we speak."

Buffy glanced up and instantly found herself looking into Angel's eyes as Riley bristled at Spike. "There's nothing wrong with 'by the book' Spike. It's going to make all the difference in the world in catching Nemesis."

Angel smiled, his eyes still locked with Buffy's. "Good morning Ms. Summers."

"Buffy," she murmured as she felt more than a little interest run through her at his dark gaze.

He nodded. "I remember."

"Look," Riley broke in, "we're a little busy here. If you guys don't mind..."

"Oh we don't," Spike grabbed a chair from another table and pulled it so he was between Riley and Buffy as Angel slid a chair between her and Lindsey. "We were just looking for some breakfast. Don't mind us." He smiled over at her. "We'll just entertain Ms. Summers while you two discuss business."

"And you are?" she asked as she looked at him before holding up her hand to stop him from telling her. "No, wait... you were in the paper... Spike Pryce right?"

He smiled tauntingly before giving a bob of his head. "I'm honored."

"And I'm late," Buffy stood before picking up the gym bag that was beside her chair. "It was nice meeting you guys." She looked politely at Spike and Angel before looking at Riley. "And maybe you should fill them in on your challenge. I wouldn't mind if your colleagues helped you out." She glanced at Riley and shot Spike and Angel a smile before walking away.

Reluctantly turning back to the other two agents, Angel leaned back in his chair. "So... what challenge?"

"Do you believe it?" Spike ranted as he flopped down on a lounge chair in a quiet area of the deck. "They challenged her."

"Yeah," Angel muttered with an unreadable expression. "Think she'll take them up on it?"

The bleached blonde shook his head. "Your guess is as good as mine... but I guess we'll find out tomorrow."

Angel glanced at him ruefully. "I never thought I'd be working with Finn."

Spike grinned before sliding hands behind his head. "Well, it's hard to turn down Nemesis... or Ms. Summers, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Angel murmured as he slid on sunglasses and looked out over the ocean. "It is."

"Buffy," The captain of the Summer Wind looked up at the girl who had snuck into his office. "What can I do for you today?"

The blonde grinned as she stood in front of his desk. "I don't suppose you'd have a copy of the room assignments laying around, would you?"

Flutie smiled warmly at his employer. The girl never failed to amaze him. She'd taken control of the cruise line after her parents had died and she'd done it like a pro. "I think it could be arranged." He opened a desk drawer and pulled out a manila envelope before beginning to sort through the papers inside. "See a guy you like and want to pay him a visit?" he teased.

She met his eyes innocently. "I was just thinking about looking up some friends. Pike and Riley are on board, and Ms. Kern isn't happy I'm donating a piece of land to the city for a park. I should probably try to smooth things over with her."

Flutie raised an eyebrow. "She's anti-park?"

"Well... her land joins mine, and she's worried about trespassers if the park gets built." Buffy hesitated before her eyes lit up. "And... there might be a guy."

"I see," Flutie was clearly delighted with the idea of Buffy finding someone. He'd watched her grow up on her family's yearly vacations on the cruise line and had come to care for her as if she was his own. "So he has potential?"

"Serious." Her smile widened.

"Mmm." He nodded his head as he handed her a few stapled sheets of paper. "Lucky guy." He watched with casual interest as Buffy glanced at them before looking back at him.

"Can I keep?"

"Yes, Buffy," he gave a faint indulgent smile. "Now... can you tell me about this young man?"

She glanced up, a hint of mischievousness creeping into her eyes as she thought about the FBI agent that had captured her interest, everything that she'd done to him, and what she hoped to do in the future... if she won anyway. If he did, she had little doubt she'd be in jail... but she wasn't intending on letting him get the upper hand.

Buffy knocked on Anya's door again before looking over the deserted hallway. She waited patiently for a response, and when she didn't get one, she had the lock picked in seconds. It took a little time to find the dress and shoes Anya had worn the day before, but the whole operation took less than six minutes, and when she was done, she looked at the dress with satisfaction. It was a little large, but not noticeably... and the shoes fit perfectly.

She was still having fun... but she knew it was only a short respite from what was to come, what she had set in motion when she'd caught Penn. She pushed back uncertain thoughts of the future as she reached into her bag for the large woven hat she'd bought on her last trip. It was identical to several in the small convenience/souvenir shops on the ship and was perfect since she hadn't worn it yet this time around.

Smoothing the dress, she moved to the door and slid on a pair of large sunglasses before checking her watch one last time. It was 8:35 pm, and she gave a small nod of satisfaction. The whole operation should take less than fifteen minutes if all went well, and with a last deep breath, she left Anya's room.

Angel checked his watch. It was almost 9:00 and he thoughtfully took another sip of whiskey before glancing at the woman that had just entered the Ocean Breeze's cocktail lounge. "Spike," he drew his partner's attention and nodded toward the bar where Buffy was ordering a drink.

"Things are looking up," Spike murmured as he sat a little straighter and studied her.

They both watched as she accepted the vodka collins before turning to look at the tables. She smiled when she saw them and made her way over. "Hey," she greeted brightly.

"Hey," Angel replied as he looked over her little black dress with appreciation. He forced his eyes back to hers. "Um... have a seat?" He slid over and she slid into the booth beside him.

"So... where's Riley?" she asked.

Spike snorted. "Watching the pies in the diner no doubt." He checked his watch. "He should have another twenty-five minutes, at least if he leaves when it closes."

Buffy laughed softly at the jab before taking a sip of her drink and giving a shake of her head. "He's always been a little obsessive about doing things by the book."

"That's putting it mildly," Spike answered.

She let a silence fall before leaning in conspiratorially. "I think it'll pay off when he arrests Nemesis tomorrow. Don't you?"

"Maybe." Spike shot a glance at Angel before leaning in as well. "But then again, she could come up with a way to make him look like a complete fool."

Buffy shook her head. "There's *no way* that's going to happen. I mean, she'll look like a coward if she doesn't do anything... and if she shows up, she's as good as caught. I don't see how she can come out ahead... unless she manages to steal the bracelet and that's not happening."

"You don't think so?" Angel spoke up as he looked at her with interest. "But don't you think she can do anything? I mean, she's been..."

"Outsmarting you at every turn?" she filled in with a gleam in her eyes.

"Not how I was going to put it, but close enough," he acknowledged.

Her eyes sparkled with delight as she studied the good looking brunette. Both Angel and Spike were attractive, but Angel was... She broke the thought. "Close enough?" she repeated as they locked eyes. "I'd say it was a home run."

"Oh, she'll go to jail," Spike spoke up with a tight smile. "It's just a matter of time."

She nodded before finishing her drink and getting to her feet. "Well, I know I'll be on pins and needles waiting to see what happens tomorrow."

They watched her leave before Angel held up his glass. "Toast?"

"To challenges," Spike answered as he held up his glass.

"To challenges," Angel agreed, "of all kinds," he added meaningfully before they clicked glasses.

Spike gave a slow nod before draining his glass and turning a knowing smirk on his partner.

Buffy walked onto the deck with a grin before giving a feline stretch. It wasn't her best work but she was pretty sure it would give Riley a headache. She hated to think he was feeling ignored.