Buffy sat at her and Angel's desk listening to Connor tell her about his night with Nina. They had spent the night together after a really good date and now he was nervous about the next step. "I mean, I did that with Cordelia…. Or the thing that was in Cordelia's body…. But I just couldn't bring myself to do that with Nina last night."

"I get it. I mean, my first time was pretty traumatizing, too, and I didn't trust myself with anyone else for a long time. Of course…. My second time wasn't great either." Buffy paused. "Wait, why are you talking to me about this and not your dad? Shouldn't he be the one…."

"I can't talk to him about these things! He gets all flustered." She chuckled. "Where is he anyway?"
"Oh, I abandoned him to Spike this morning."

"Why?"

"Spike came up and started in about wanting his own office. I snuck out when they started yelling."

"Get the hell away from me, Spike!" Angel growled out in the lobby.

"Oh, there they are now." Buffy grinned at Connor and he went over to sit down on the couch.

"You selfish sod!" Spike said, voice raised in anger. "The rest of your lot get to go home to their nice and cozies. Me? I gotta nest in somebody else's roost. It's not bleeding right."

"You don't work here. You haunt this place and annoy me. That's all." Angel walked into the office and turned to stop Spike from walking in.

"Job well done, eh? At least give me Wesley's office. I mean, since he's gone."

"He's not gone. He's on a leave of absence." Angel slammed the door shut. He turned his glower on Buffy. "You left me."

"Yeah, well…. Work to do. Kid to counsel."

Angel looked at Connor. "You didn't come home last night."

"He was with Nina."

The vampire's eyebrows shot up. "Oh! Uh…. Wow. You…. And Nina…. You…."

"See?" Connor gestured at Angel. "Flustered."

Buffy laughed again. "Connor, honestly, the only advice I can give you here…. Step-mom to step-son…. Do what you feel is right. When you're ready, you'll know. Nina is a decent girl. She'll respect your choices. And if she doesn't, she'll stay in her cage the next full moon till she comes around."

Connor smiled at her. "Thanks, Buffy."
Something hit the doors to the office with a loud thud. The three of them exchanged glances and Angel went over to see what had hit the doors. Spike was sprawled on the ground with a bloody nose.

"Hold on…." Spike said, looking up in shock. Behind him, the lobby was filled with the constant noise of telephones ringing. "Hey." He stood up. "I'm…." He touched his chest. "I can feel!" He reached out and touched Angel's chest.

"Hey!" Angel cried. "Stop touching me."
Spike licked his lip to discover his nose was bleeding. "Mmm! I can…." He grabbed the mug from Angel's hand and downed it.

"Hey!"

"Oh, God! It's bloody ambrosia. Is this otter?"

"Hey, what's going?" Gunn asked, making his way across the lobby towards them.

Spike grabbed the man in a tight hug. "I'm back, Charlie boy! That's what's going!"

"He's corporeal. When did this? I mean, how?"

"All very valid questions." Buffy said. "And none of them with answers."

"I got it." Spike said. "It must've been that box of flash I got in the mail."

"Box of what?" The Slayer began rubbing her ears against the noise coming from the phones.

"Harmony opened the box, it let out a big flash, and now I'm back!" He grabbed her into a tight hug, lifting her off the ground slightly.

"Put my wife down." Angel complained. "Who sent the box to you?"

"Don't know, don't care. But if you see him, give him a bloody kiss on the mouth for me."

"Harmony, what's the deal with the phones?" Buffy asked, moving away from the group by the doors.

"Nobody knows." Harmony said. "It's, like, all over the office. And all there's just 'eee!' on the other end. Plus, now my computer's freaking."

"Harm." Spike strode over and grabbed her to him, kissing her.

"Get off!" Harmony shoved Spike away. "Ew."

"That's the idea." Spike looked at Buffy. "I need to borrow your Gal Friday for a bit."

"Permission denied." Angel said.

"I wasn't asking." He grabbed Harmony's wrist and pulled.

"My God!" She yanked away from him. "Oh, my God. What? You think just cause you're all solid now, that I'm gonna go…."

"That's a very pretty skirt you're wearing."

Harmony took a moment before turning around. "Taking a long lunch, bosses!" She let Spike grab her hand again and they ran off.

"Gross." Connor said.

Once they were gone and the conversation stopped, Buffy realized how high pitched the sound that was coming from the multiple phones and computers actually was. Her ears began to ache from the constant barrage of sound and she covered them up. "Angel…."

"Kill them." Angel ordered one of the tech guys running by. "All of them. The phones, the computers…. Shut them down. Find out if we got some kind of bug in the system and who put it there." He wrapped a protective arm around her waist.

"Figure we're under some kind of attack again?" Gunn asked.

"I don't know what to figure yet."

Fred rushed down the stairs. "Angel?"

"Oh, let me guess. The lab computers are on the fritz."

"Well, yeah, but that's just the tip of the fritzberg. The needles on our atmospheric gauges suddenly started spiking into red. Totally blew out the instruments."

Angel led Buffy back into the office with everyone hot on their heels. "Sounds like some kind of electrical surge, like what's affecting our phones and…."

"Well, yeah. That's what I thought at first, but I think it might be something else."

"Never simple, is it?" He sat Buffy down and smoothed her hair down. "Are you ok? Is it better in here?"
"Yeah." Buffy rubbed her ears gently. "That noise doesn't hurt your ears?"

"It's not pleasant, but it's not physically hurting me."

Buffy looked over at Connor and he shook his head. "Guess it's another side effect of that spell. Less sleep, more power, even more sensitive hearing."

"I'll have Harmony get you some tea…."

"Uh, she's off having a nooner with Blondie Bear, remember?" Gunn said.

"She's what?" Fred asked.

"You know, 'nooner.' When you have sex in the middle of…."

"I know what a nooner is, Charles. You said she's with Spike?"

"Uh, yeah. He's corporeal again." Angel sat down next to Buffy and rubbed her back.

"Corporeal?"
"Apparently he got something in the mail." Connor said. "He said it flashed him and now he's a solid citizen again."
"Oh, my god! Why didn't anyone call me?"

"I'm sorry." Angel said. "We just, you know, we've had our hands full dealing with the glitch in the office system…. Buffy's ears hurt from the sound coming out of them…."

"Which started with Spike coming back." Connor pointed out. Everyone looked at him except Buffy.

"I can't believe I'm just getting that." Angel said. He looked at the phone and realized the noise could be heard even though it was hung up. Grabbing it, he ripped it off the chord and tossed it across the room.

"You think whatever recorporealized Spike's doing a number on the building?" Gunn asked.

"Connor's right." Buffy said. "They're definitely connected."

"Maybe when Spike's matter was reintegrated into physical form, it had some sort of ripple effect on the immediate environment." Fred said.

"I was going to say that." The Slayer muttered, making Connor laugh and Angel grin at her.

"If those gauge readings are correct, it could be the start of something bigger, like…."

"The entire universe thrown into catastrophic turmoil?" Eve said from the doorway. "Cause that's what's happening, kids."

"Great. Just what my headache needs." Buffy groaned as Eve sauntered further into the office.

"So you know what's going on?" Gunn asked.

"Only what I'm told, counselor. Corporate seers alerted me to the situation."
"Which is?" Angel asked.

"It's a harbinger."

"Harbinger?" Fred asked.

"I am beyond tired of that word." Buffy said.

"Not related to your Bringers." Eve said.
"They're not my Bringers."

"Upshot is we've got trouble with a capital T, and that rhymes with P, and that stands for prophecy. Shanshu. Maybe you've heard of it?"

"Oh, god. That again." Angel said. "Yeah, I'm familiar. So?"

"It talks about a champion. A vampire with a soul who'll play a pivotal role in the apocalypse. For good or evil. Anybody's guess. That part's hazy."

"I thought the Shanshu had to do with Angel becoming human again after…." Fred trailed off when she realized Connor had gone completely still and all the color was missing from his face. "Oh…."
"I'm sorry, what?" Connor asked. "Dad could become human?"

"For the record, the prophecy doesn't call Angel by name." Eve said.

"Hold on." Gunn said. "You're saying because Spike's back, you think he's…."

"I don't think anything. All I can tell you is his very existence is disrupting the order of things."

"No argument here." Angel muttered.

"We're going to get back to the whole 'Angel might be human one day' thing, but I feel like we're missing the obvious here." Buffy said. "There were already two souled vampires in the universe before Spike died in the Hellmouth. Why is this happening now?"

"The keyword here is 'champion.'" Eve said. "Spike gave his life to save the world. That gives him the cred. But when he died and became a ghost, case closed. Now that he's back, all bets are off, kids."

Gunn suddenly headed for the door. "Where are you going?" Angel called.

"To check on something."
"You knew this would happen." Fred accused Eve. "All that time I was working on recorporealizing Spike, you never mentioned?"

"Hey, would've said something if I'd known, sweetie." Eve defended. "My universe, too, you know. How'd you pull it off, by the way, bringing Spike back? You guys…. Did do it, right?"

"Something came in the mail for him." Buffy said.

"The mail? Like the amulet."

"Yeah." Angel said. "Never did find out who sent it."

"The senior partners, maybe?" Fred said.

"Watch the accusatory stares, kids." Eve warned. "I only know…."

"What you're told." Angel finished for her. "Right. So, the seers told you the phones and all were a harbinger. Of what?"
"Something worse. And seriously dangerous."

"What do you mean, dangerous?"

"I'm sorry, can everyone leave this office, please?" Connor suddenly said.

"We're in the middle of…." Eve started.

"Nope. Not anymore."
"Connor…." Angel started.

"You stay where you're at. And Buffy."

"We'll give you a minute." Fred said, ushering Eve forcefully out the door.

"Connor…." Angel tried again.

"Anything that comes after my name better be a damn good explanation of why you never told the two most important people in your life that there's a prophecy out there that says you're going to be human one day."

"Uh…. He told me." Buffy said.

"What?"
"He didn't mean to. Spike let it slip one night."

Connor looked at his dad. "But why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't think it was necessary because I'm still not sure it's ever going to happen."

"Why do you think it's never going to happen?" Connor asked.

"Because it's insane! I will never be human. And even if I did finally make amends for all of the horrible things I've done, it'll never be in your lifetime. So why would I ever tell the two people I love more than anything in the world that they'll never get to see this stupid prophecy come true? I didn't even want to tell Buffy about it!"

"It's not insane." Buffy insisted. "I've already told you that I think it's entirely possible that it will happen in our lifetime."

"I'm with Buffy!" Connor announced.

"Of course you are." Angel muttered.

"Look, I can't keep saying this, but the Powers That Be chose you as their champion." Buffy said. "They sent you Connor. Not Spike. Not any other vampire. Not any other champion. You. Connor is a champion of good just like you. He's growing up to be just like you. And even further back, the Powers sent Whistler to guide you to me and despite all the bad things that have happened between us, we're together now. We're fighting side by side again! You, me, and Connor. I have to think it's for a reason. This prophecy…. Shannon's shoes…."

"Shanshu."

"Yeah, that…. It's the reason, Angel."

He looked between Buffy and Connor and knew that he wasn't winning this. And maybe Buffy was right. He sometimes forgot that Whistler had found him in that alley and shown him his future on the steps of a high school. If it hadn't been for her, he wouldn't be where he was today.

"Dad?" Connor said.

"Ok. The prophecy isn't insane." Angel relented. "If you guys believe it can happen, then…. I'll try to believe it, too."

"That's all we're asking for." Buffy said.

There was a knock on the door and Angel rushed over to open it, relieved to have an out from the conversation. "Yeah?"

Medics pulled a sheet over the body of the man Jerry had killed with a fire extinguisher. Jerry, who was tied down with restraints, was being wheeled away on a stretcher. He was frantic as he yelled about being considerate and replacing the toner. Buffy, Angel, and Connor stood with Lorne, who was sitting on a box of papers near the copier holding a handkerchief to his forehead. The word "toner" was written in blood on the wall above the copier.

"Yeah, well, then I see Mr. Considerate here, covered in blood, making mashed potatoes out of this fella." Lorne said. "And before I could get to, 'What's wrong with this picture?', he clocks me right in the coconut."

"We have 2 more attacks." A security guard said to them. "One fatality."

"Ok, seal off the building." Angel said. "Nobody in or out till we know what we got here. Spell, virus, mass hysteria…."

"Yes, sir." He walked away talking into his radio. "All channels, we have a code black. Affirmative. We are closing Pandora's Box."

"Hey, say, fearless leaders, uh, if you don't mind," Lorne stood up. "What do you say I, uh, nurse this bump with an ice pack while I barricade myself in my office, huh?"

"Your call." Angel said. "Hey, Lorne, do me a favor first. Stop by the lab and tell Fred I need to know the second she figures out what's causing this."

"Yeah, gotcha." Lorne said, walking away a bit unsteadily on his feet.

"Come on, Angel. You know what's causing all this." Eve said, appearing from around the corner. "This is just the beginning. The fabric of reality is starting to unravel. For my money, it all comes down to you and…."

"Spike!" Buffy said. She'd spotted the Billy Idol doppelganger walk out of an office and close the door behind him.

"I don't know what you're putting in the water coolers around here," Spike complained. "But your secretary just started crying blood and tried to rip me a few new ones."

"Harmony?"

"Had to put her porch lights out. For the best. I'm sure you understand."

"Oh, yeah." Angel said. "You're a real hero."

"And that's our problem in a nutshell." Eve said.

"Don't you have an elsewhere to be?" Buffy griped.

"Our problem?" Spike asked.

"Eve's got this theory." Connor said.

"Fact, Jack." Eve said. "There's only supposed to be one candidate for the vampire with the soul hero part in the big show. Two of you, and the wheel of destiny starts to spin off its axis. That's why everything and everyone is going mad."

"Hold on a tick." Spike said. "You're blaming this on us?"

"No, she's blaming it on you." Angel said.

"This town might not be big enough for the both of you." Eve said.

"Well, screw this town, then. Screw this devil's funhouse, Angel. And screw you for good measure. I think I'll take the new flesh and bones across the pond back to Europe. Maybe I'll head down south and check out New Zealand. Whatever strikes my fancy." Spike turned and headed down the hallway.

"Spike, by town, I mean this entire plane of existence. You won't solve this disequilibrium by leaving. You might even make it worse."

Spike stepped back from the elevator when the doors opened. Gunn emerged looking a bit terrified. "Let's not make it worse. We don't want worse." He said. "I just went to the white room to see what the big cat had to say."

"And?" Angel asked.

"Cat's gone."

"Gone?" Eve repeated.
"The white room, too. Elevator just opened up into a howling abyss. You ever heard a howling abyss? Terrible sound."

"Cat's gone means the conduit's gone means we're alone in this. No contact with the Senior Partners. Just us and a big, gaping tear in the balance of the universe."

Buffy sighed. "Spike, please get off the elevator."

He looked at her for a long moment and then stepped off and turned his gaze on Angel. "How exactly are you gonna work this out, boss man? You tell me we're making a tear in the galaxy or whatnot…. You think you're just gonna sew that back up?"

"If there was just some way to determine which one of you the prophecy's really about…." Even said.

"Angel." Buffy and Connor said.

"You two sound certain." Spike said.

"I just read the Shanshu prophecy and I'm telling you, there was nothing in it…." Angel started, but Spike interrupted him.

"Hold on. You read the prophecy? The one you don't believe in? Uh, load of rubbish, you said? Well, isn't that bloody interesting."

"Spike…."

"No offense, Angel." Gunn said. "What we need is someone who's an expert on the Shanshu scriptures."

"Fine, but Wesley's not here." Angel said.

"No, but his department is." Eve reminded them. "Maybe somebody there can…."

"Do what? I'm telling you, I read the prophecy."

Rutherford Sirk sat at his desk glaring at Buffy and Angel sitting in the chairs in front of him. Connor, Eve, Gunn, and Spike stood behind them. "You didn't read the prophecy." Sirk insisted.

"I didn't?" Angel asked.

"You read a translation of the prophecy. It's like comparing the King James Bible with the original Aramaic, the Hebrew. Much of the flavor, the subtlety of usage, the historical context has been stripped away. Read the prophecy. You may as well have read a 12-year-old's book report on the subject."

Buffy leaned over to Angel and whispered, "I miss Wesley."

"Ok, Sirk. Point made." Angel said. "Listen, is there anything in the Shanshu that can help us with what's going on?"

"Yeah. What's it say about me?" Spike asked.

"There is a newly translated group of verses which may perhaps prove relevant." Sirk revealed. "'The root of the tree will split in two and each thing will seek nourishment from the buried river."

"Sounds like a gardening tip."

"It's metaphor. Please tell me I don't have to explain metaphor to you people."

"As co-CEO, I'm pretty sure I can fire you and take your pension, right?" Buffy threatened cheerily.

Sirked rolled his eyes. "'Storm unleashed. The balance will falter until the vampire with a soul drinks from the cup of perpetual torment.'"

"More metaphor?" Angel asked.

"No, that's real."

"So there's a cup." Eve said.

"Perpetual torment?" Spike asked. "Just know that's not gonna taste very good."

"'He will have the weight of worlds upon him, binding his limbs, grinding his bones to meal until he saves creation or destroys it.'" Sirk said, raising his voice slightly.

"Uh…. right. So, what's in it for me?"

"The vampire will have his past washed clean."

"And live again in mortal form." Angel finished. "Yeah, that part I know."

"Yeah, I bet you do." Spike said.

Buffy glared at him. "Watch it." She turned back to Sirk. "So, Angel drinks from the cup and the universe is balanced again?"

"Who says it's Angel who's supposed to take the swig?" Spike asked. "Who says it's about him at all?"

"You really think this is about you?" Connor sneered.

"Oh, why the bloody hell not? Just cause…."

"Boys, let's focus on the problem at hand." Eve said. "We don't want to be wrong about this."

"There is no wrong." Sirk insisted. "The drinking of the cup is predestined. That can't be changed. Whoever drinks from it was meant to. When one is confirmed as the central figure of the prophecy, the universe should realign itself."
"So, this cup thing," Gunn said. "Where is it? Does it say?"

"It does offer some details, yes. Housed in the hidden city of Petra. Disappears during the crusades. Surfaces again at the Vatican. Vanishes in the third year of the inquisition. Then…. yes. Interesting."

"What?" Angel asked.

"It's in Nevada."

"Nevada?" Gunn asked incredulously.

"Death Valley, to be exact. 'The earth will thrash and mark the appearance of the cup at the columns.'"

Angel and Buffy exchanged glances. He looked back at Sirk. "Columns? That sounds vaguely…."
"'And the desert will swallow cup and house whole and….' this can only be loosely translated. 'And the fat lady will sing no more.'"

"Opera."

"Opera?" Buffy asked.

"The Columns was an opera house in Death Valley. It was buried in an earthquake in '38. Made headlines in Los Angeles. That's only a few hours away. I can get there and back before…."

"Angel, we got a seriously major crisis going on here." Gunn said. "Might not be the best time to go running after some mystical cup."

"I really don't have much of a choice. If it's there, I'm just gonna have to accept that the prophecy's real, and hope that it stops this madness. In the meantime, Gunn, you're in charge. Keep this place quarantined till we get…."

"Where's Spike?" Connor asked.

Buffy groaned. "Are you kidding me?" She grabbed Angel's hand. "Come on!"

They rushed down to the motor pool and saw that the red Viper was missing. "Of course!" Angel growled.

She reached into her pocket to grab her cell phone, but it was gone. "How did he…. Spike!"

"What?" Angel asked as they slid into his black Camaro.

"He nicked my phone." Buffy sighed. "Why is he doing this? He doesn't care about being a hero."

"He's doing it because he knows it's what I want."

"Glad you've changed your tune on it."

"I had a couple little shoves in the right direction."

She smiled at him. "So, do you know any shortcuts?"

Two hours later, they were speeding down the highway into the desert. Buffy used Angel's cell to call hers again, hoping that Spike would finally answer. She was very surprised he did on this one.

"Yello!" He said cheerily.

"You know, grand theft auto is a crime." Buffy said.

"Possession's 9/10s. Oughta know that, running a law firm and such."

"That applies to married couples. Are you married to either of us?"

Angel grabbed the phone from Buffy. "You think this is a game? People are dying."

"And one of us is going to stop it. Hey, what do you know? I vote for me."

"There's no voting. It's a prophecy. And the Shanshu's not about you, Spike."

"Still can't accept it, can you? Sad, really. All these years believing you're the signified monkey, only to find out you're just a big hunk of nobody cares."

"I care!" Buffy yelled, grabbing the phone back. "I care, Spike."

"I really wished he'd stayed a ghost." Angel yelled.

"But I didn't, did I?" Spike said. "Burned up saving the world and now I'm back for real. Wonder why that is? Oh, wait. Cause I'm the one!"

"Spike, please don't do this to me." Buffy begged.

"To you!? How is this to you?"

"You're taking away the chance for Angel to be human with me!"

"Course I am! Why should he get to be the glorified one? Why should he always get the girl and get the prize? I saved the world too!"

"You saved the world once, Spike! Once! Angel has spent years fighting to atone for what he's done in the past! You have no right to just walk in and take that from him because you're feeling petty!" He hung up on her and she looked at the phone in shock. "He hung up on me!"

Angel pushed down on the accelerator again, making the car speed up just a little more. They made it to the opera house an hour later. The red Viper was parked outside, but the engine was still warm. He hadn't been there long. They made their way inside the half sunken building.

"Here we are, then." Spike said above them from a balcony. "Two vampire heroes competing to wet our whistle with a drink of light, refreshing torment."

"Is that what you think you are? A hero?"

"Your wife called me a champion."

"You're not acting like a champion right now." Buffy said.

"Suppose I'm not, but the universe is out of balance because you made me believe I was one."

"I still believe you are." Spike rolled his eyes at her. "Yes, you saved the world, but do you honestly believe that you've done enough to earn this big of a reward?"
"I died!"

"You do realize who you're talking to, right? You were there the night I sacrificed myself to save the world for the second time. Remember? Please come down here."

Spike, much to their surprise, actually did jump down to them. "Why does he deserve this more than I do?"

"Because he's spent the last eight years atoning for what he did as Angelus. Because the Powers That Be have done everything they can to keep him here and fighting. They sent a freak snow storm to Southern California to stop him from killing himself. They sent me to him, Spike. They gave us each other."

Spike paced away for a few steps, making Buffy and Angel nervous that he was going to run. "How do you know they didn't send you to me?"

"Spike…."

He growled. "I hate the idea of him always winning and me getting the short stick!"

"It won't always be that way, you know. One day it'll be your turn if that's what you really want."

Spike turned to look at her. "You don't really believe that."

"Of course I do, you jackass. I'm the only one that's ever believed that of you."

"You didn't always."

"No, I didn't, but you were trying to kill me for a good portion of the time I've known you." She reached out and took his hand. "I wouldn't have had that chip removed or elected to give you that amulet if I didn't believe it with every fiber of my being that you are a good person deep down."

He sighed and looked between Angel and Buffy before settling on Angel. "Fine. The cup's yours. Let's go find this thing."

Angel looked at Spike's retreating back in surprise. "Take it and roll with it." Buffy said, following Spike. They searched through the decrepit lobby area before walking to the theatre. On the stage was a golden chalice on a pedestal bathed in light.

"Suppose that's it?" Spike asked.

"That, or the Holy Grail." Angel said. The three of them made their way up to the pedestal and looked at the cup.

Spike clapped Angel on the back. "Have at it, Peaches! Enjoy the bold refreshing taste of eternal torment."

Angel rolled his eyes. "Thanks." He picked up the cup and sniffed it. Giving the cup a confused look, he sniffed it again and then took a sip. "It's Mountain Dew."

"I've always said that Mountain Dew was the equivalent to eternal torment." Buffy said.

"No, it's really Mountain Dew." He handed her the cup.

Buffy sniffed it warily and then took a sip. "It's really flat, too."

Spike took the offered cup and drank it, too. "Ladies and gents, we've been bamboozled."

"Looks like it." Angel said. "We need to get back."

Buffy, Angel, Connor, Gunn, and Spike were seated around Buffy and Angel's office listening to Eve update them on the situation. When they had gotten back to Wolfram and Hart, Sirk had been gone. Not long after they'd arrived, the people with the bleeding eyes and anger issues had started waking up.
"Senior partners stepped in." Eve said. "Apparently they were working on the problem since it started. They managed to temporarily stabilize the universal equilibrium."

"Temporarily?" Buffy asked. "For how long?"

"What about Sirk and this fantasy he fed us about the cup?" Angel asked.

Eve shrugged. "Partners don't know a thing about it. They're as angry as you."
"Really doubt that."

"Don't worry, Angel. Sirk can't hide for long. We'll bring him in, find out who put him up to it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go home and ice my neck."

She headed for the door, but Gunn stopped her. "Uh, Eve…. uh…. listen…. I'm really…."

"Don't sweat it, counselor. You've other things to worry about. The whole Shanshu thing's still unresolved. Still two vampires with souls. Guess that's a question for another day." Eve made a hasty retreat.

"Any more days like today, and there won't be another day."

"Yeah, well, meantime…." Spike stood up. "This souled ex-ghost vampire's got some corporeal drinking to catch up on. What do ya say, Charlie-boy? Feel like gettin' pissed?"

"No. No, my head feels like it's gonna split open and toss my toys and candy all over the floor."
"You're way ahead of me. Fair enough." Spike looked at Buffy for a moment and gave her a smile before walking out.

Connor looked over at Gunn. "Hey, man. You look pretty bad. Maybe you should have Fred check you out."

"Nah, she'll just wanna strap me down again." Gunn said, heading out of the office.

After a moment, Connor turned and looked at Buffy and Angel. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to bed."

"You didn't sleep?" Buffy asked.

"Not a wink. I was worried about you guys. What happened out there, anyway?"

"Buffy talked some sense into Spike." Angel said.

"She seems to be the only one that can."

"I noticed."

"I'm hungry." Buffy announced. "Angel, would you like to go on a lunch date with me?"

He gave her grin in return. "Let me get cleaned up and we'll head out."

"Good idea." She slipped her hand in his as the three of them headed to their private elevator.