Chapter 3: Eternal Love?
(Yeah, right)

Ed

Life had never been too good to me and unlife hadn't turned out to be much better. Nothing about me was right for being a vampire. I'm average looking, you could pass me in a crowd and never even see me, I'm not aggressive, and my name is Ed. The last one was probably the most pathetic. Seriously, who ever imagined a fearsome vampire named Ed? The name Ed just doesn't inspire terror or even a sense of mystery. The guy who owns the bowling alley, that's the guy named Ed.

Lots of days I cursed my sire for making me. The idiot isn't even around any more to offer me protection from the others. The Slayer dusted him not long after I was made. I never really met the bastard. The whole five minutes it took for him to turn me weren't big on chitchat but for the ribbing I got for being of his get he was a real idiot. He probably thought when he made me that I'd be his minion. Maybe I would have been. The sire- childe bond is pretty strong. That would be the only thing worse than the way I live now. Willing lackey to an idiot, what an existence.

Still all I knew was that without a sire for even the appearance of protection I had to seek another kind of defense. There were just too many vampires in Sunnydale to be a lone wolf.

I grasped the precariousness of my situation the day after my rising. Vampires are pack animals, the weak are culled and the solo hunters can easily starve to death. I was a childe of a known imbecile, shaky ground to begin with. Then to top it off he'd gotten himself slayed. No one would care if anything happened to me. I was stuck. The high of power crashed around my ears as just how little I really had became apparent to me. Sure I was stronger, faster, and all round physically improved but that didn't mean much. I'd been a sheep, well now I was a sacrificial goat. If I joined with a master vampire and his minions I'd be cannon fodder for sure. Bye- bye Ed.

It humbled me to realize that the thing that set me apart was the one thing becoming a vampire hadn't changed, my wits. I'd been an anthropology student before my turning and I could read the hierarchy around me because of it. My knowledge let me see the trap before it sprung on me and led me to a safer alternative. Not a great one but one more likely to let me live a while longer.at least I'd thought so.

The small independent band I'd joined wasn't big enough to draw attention and I had figured that Justin, the alpha male, was just smart enough to see that rocking the boat in Sunnydale would lead to a quick end. I'd been wrong.

Exactly one week after my turning I stood in one of Sunnydale's numerous graveyards and knew that I was dust. Justin held a squirming little girl in his arms and he was grinning like an idiot. I wanted to ask God what I had done to deserve this fate but I was pretty sure that being a demon would be somewhere in his answer. I looked into the toddler's face and felt my un- beating heart drop into my stomach. Tears were streaming down her face but she wasn't screaming her head off. In a way I admired her composure. I was falling apart. 'This is utter lunacy!' Nothing would get to the Slayer more than killing kids, and I desperately didn't want to draw the attention of the Slayer.

"Fresh meat tonight boys, " Justin crowed. I looked to the two other vampires that were part of the group, hoping they'd see the insanity of this but all I saw was anticipation on their faces. 'Damn. I'm dust.'

Andy vamped out with Carl close behind him. The little girl let out a single scream and bit down on Justin's hand.

Xander

It felt weird patrolling alone after so much time hunting with Methos and Richie. I kept expecting to hear their breathing behind me or the slight crackle that Richie still gave off when he walked. Skulking in the woods of Sunnydale was also different than staying unseen in the blocks of the city and I was feeling out of my element. Soldier boy had more memories of the jungle than of America and his skills were rusty anyway. I was wishing that Adam had thought of that before he threw me out of the nest, but he was five thousand, not all knowing.

Stopping at the Henderson mausoleum, I did a quick scan of the area. The spell I'd had placed on my hood made things a little darker but with my vampy-vision I could still see just fine. Before I had left L.A. I had asked Angel if he knew of any powerful witches willing to perform a spell for me. He'd been surprised but had recommended a trio, rather reluctantly. Can't say as I blame him. The Furies were something. 'I am not going to ask him why every time I said his name they went, "Mmm, Angel." I have enough nightmares.'

The bit of bought magic I had placed on a couple of hoods was one of Darkness. If anyone, or anything, looked into the hood all they would ever see is darkness. Complete darkness. I had a secret identity and unlike some people, *ahem* Superman, I wasn't stupid enough to think a change of clothes would keep me in the secret business. 'And they say you don't learn anything from comic books.' I also had a minor spell put on so it wouldn't fall back in a fight. What good would that neat (and expensive) darkness trick be if the hood fell off revealing yours truly?

I had about twenty minutes before I had to be at Giles' so I was just doing a last sweep. Then I heard a scream. Small yet loud at the same time. 'Kid.' Without a second thought I spun and headed in the direction of the little screamer.

Ed

Justin dropped the kid when she bit him with a yelp. Smart girl that she was, she hit the ground running. She dove into a hedge of bushes that surrounded the graveyard and I could hear her stampeding away. The guys moved to chase after her. I was seriously contemplating running in the other direction and not stopping till I hit the state line. The guys got as far as the hedge.

A man dressed completely in black with a hood hiding his face jumped over the bushes. He seemed to hang in mid-air, his black coat flapping around him. Whimsically, I was reminded of those Batman cartoons I watched as a kid. I felt a chill run down my spine. I had a feeling things had just gone from bad to worse.

I was right. It went so fast I felt like if I'd blinked I would have missed it. Gravity reasserted itself and the guy landed on Justin with a heavy thud and rolled away from him. As he sprang to his feet he drew a sword from somewhere in the folds of his coat. It was the color of fresh blood and reflected a beam from a nearby streetlight.

I then did the only smart thing I could think of. I ran. About twenty feet away, I turned around. I don't know why. Maybe because the fight was like a car crash and I couldn't look away. Whatever the reason I saw the figure kick Justin in the stomach then spin and behead Carl. Justin scrambled to his feet and lunged only to get a slash across his stomach. He was too busy tying to keep his guts in to duck the swing that took his head from his shoulders. Of Andy there was no sign. The entire fight couldn't have lasted more than thirty seconds.

Then the scariest thing of all happened. The hood shot up, focusing in my direction. My stomach clenched when I looked into that hood and saw there was nothing holding the cloth up. It was empty but some how it saw me. I backed up as the thing started for me. It stopped, though, when the sound of a couple girls reached my ears. It spun around and ran for a tree. Placing one foot mid-trunk, the thing ran up it. It had just gotten out of sight when a couple of girls walked beneath the tree it was hiding in. And I gulped when I recognized the blonde. The Slayer.

Swallowing my terror I turned and crashed through the brush. I had escaped. I had escaped.

Xander

'I feel like a monkey.' I was gripping onto a couple branches and sitting spread eagled up a--I glanced at a leaf--oak tree waiting for a strolling Buffy and Willow to wrap it up and move along. I shook my head at their girl talk, their rather loud girl talk. Buffy's "innocent girls/free meal" routine wouldn't work nearly as well for me. Oh, I could play the dumb fool out for a walk but for some strange reason vamps tended to like young nubile girls better. Go figure.

One of the vamps had gotten away. Still, the little girl was all right, she'd high-tailed it out of there, and was probably in her mommy's arms right now. Yep. The wind carried the sound of a woman scolding and a little girl's voice to my ears, followed by the sound of a door slamming. She was all right.

My focus was thrown from the little girl when I heard Willow say something about Parker. I strained my ears to catch what they were saying. Too late, they were too far off and all I caught was "Bronze". I shook my head and released the branch. There was something about that boy that I just didn't like. He reminded me too much of the jocks at high school I guess.

My coat snagged on the bark a couple times as I slid down the tree's trunk. I looked at my watch. With a groan I slapped my forehead. I was going to be late.

Ed

I'd never been as happy to see anything as the sign for Willie's. I stumbled once when I let myself relax with relief. I caught myself before I hit the ground again but it was a close thing.

Willie

The loud crash was what made me look up. It wasn't uncommon for a demon or vampire to crash into my place drunk and wanting more to drink so I wasn't terribly worried, just mildly curious. The winded and dirty vampire who stumbled in, though, looked more than half wild and hysterical. Not the usual look for a vampire unless the Slayer is chasing. Hastily I looked behind him to see if she'd followed him in. So close after the Harris kid visited would be bad for my bones, and she didn't have any respect for the furniture.

But no, the vampire was alone and I was a little concerned over his continued nervousness. He glanced back at the exit several times even as he sat. Doing my job, I approached the jittery vampire who ran a dirty hand over his equally dirt face.

"Give me a shot of tequila and leave the bottle." His voice came out in a harsh whisper and suddenly I had a jolt of recognition. This vampire had been here last week with Justin. He was a newbie, Fred or something.

I set the glass in front of him and filled it up, setting the bottle next to the glass. Then, true to the role of bartenders every where I asked, "What happened to you buddy?" The vampire looked up at me in shock then started laughing. It was soft laughter touched with hysteria but it drew the attention of "people" in the bar.

"The Slayer just saved my life." After he blurted that shocking statement out he collapsed face first on my bar overcome with laughter.

Growls flitted throughout my bar and I nervously wondered if there was going to be another fight tonight. The only reason I could think of for the Slayer to save a vampire would be if he were working for her. I had a feeling that the demons had come to the same conclusion.

The demon nearest to the hysterical vampire, a Peeth demon who came here regularly to get piss drunk, and was solidly in that state at the moment, got up and yanked the vampire off his feet. The vampire hung from the Peeth's fist looking for all the world as if he'd stared death in the eye and no longer feared anything.

"What do you mean by that trash?"

I didn't dare wave my hand in front of my face to dispel the rank smell of the Peeth's breath that I smelt even across the bar. Peeths' grew to impressive standards even as demons considered such things and this Peeth was no exception.

"It fell on us. This black thing. It ripped into us like we were humans." The vampire related the fight to us blow by blow, like recalling a wrestling match.

The bar was silent with shock as the Peeth lowered the vampire back down onto his stool. The vampire grabbed his shot with a shaking hand and downed it with one gulp. It slammed down on the bar breaking the silence.

"In L.A.," a soft voice started from the corner of the bar. I swung around to focus on the speaker. It was a vampire that had recently migrated to Sunnydale that I'd been keeping tabs on because he had been compiling minions. "He cleared out 250 of us in two months." A growl of disbelief rose up from my patrons. He shook his head and kept his gaze focused on his drink. "He was everywhere. All over the city. Always with that sword." He spat the word sword with disgust. "The one that looked like it was covered in blood. He became the boogey man for us. We called him Death. Because that's what he brought, not to just demons and vampires but to humans as well. We found a building full of bodies, carved to pieces by something long and sharp." I swallowed my fear. This sounded like a major bad.

I continued listening as the vampire from L.A. went on about the force that had ripped through his city, the whole time making internal notes. 'Some one should be willing to pay for this information.'

Willow

'Parker seems nice, and normal. Normal is definitely good. Not that not being normal is a bad thing. I mean I'm a witch dating a werewolf and Buffy's a Slayer so normal isn't our strong suit but Buffy needs normal. Angel most definitely wasn't normal as a man or as vampire--'I stopped myself. I knew from experience that I could go on for hours. Turning my attention back to the real world, I watched as Buffy and Parker left the Bronze together and silently wished them luck. Buffy had been eyeing the boy for a week now but her past experiences were making her gun shy. I had the feeling that she'd need all the luck she could get.

"Hello beautiful." I smiled and twisted around to face Oz. I happily let myself be wrapped in his waiting arms. I couldn't help the blush that spread across my face at his words. 'I'm nowhere near as pretty as he says. But I like it when he says it.' "We're loading up. Meet me outside, okay?" He pulled away and gave me one of his slow smiles. I nodded, still smiling. He headed off to find Devon and I made my way through the throng of Bronzers.

Outside I hung around the entrance and waited for Oz to finish and come get me. 'It's chilly out here.' I grabbed my arms, trying to warm up.

"Willow?"

I turned, surprised at the familiar voice. I turned to see a familiar and not too welcome face. "Harmony? I haven't seen you since we graduated. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm good." Harmony hadn't changed that I could see. Her clothes looked brand new and expensive. Her face was overly done up with makeup as always and her eyes still betrayed her scorn as she looked at me--like I was beneath her and she was doing me a great service by talking to me. A few months earlier I would have let it get to me but lately I've learned to stand up to what I once shrank away from. Popularity has nothing to do with the real world. I'd seen one of the old Cordettes the other day working at McDonald's, which just strengthened that knowledge.

Knowledge doesn't keep all my nervousness at bay, after all I was subjected to years of programming to shrivel up when the popular even looked my way. I tried to wrap up the awkward conversation. "That's great." I turned back, looking for Oz, then suddenly I felt a sharp pain from my neck and strong hands holding me. I struggled. 'No! A vampire!' But soon I began feeling lightheaded and my struggles became too weak to do anything. Then suddenly the pain in my neck increased and the pressure was gone. I staggered back and saw Harmony with my blood on her lips.

"Oh, Harmony." I felt guilt wash over me and sorrow. I hadn't liked her much but even she didn't deserve this. Oz wrapped his arm around me protectively and I realized who my rescuer was.

Harmony hissed at us, her face distorted with her demonic visage and her mouth covered with my blood. Weakly I leaned back against Oz. Harmony tried to get around the cross Oz was holding in front of the both of us to ward her off but she couldn't get past. "This is so unfair!" She flipped her hair over her shoulder as I'd seen her do a million times before when she was miffed. I was haunted, as always, by seeing the familiar mannerisms of someone I used to know now belonging to a monster. Harmony continued, "Okay, fine. Hide behind your boyfriend. But I have a boyfriend too. And he's gonna be mad that you were mean to me." Then she turned and fled.

"Come on." Oz pulled me to his van. He nodded to Devon then opened the door and hustled me inside. I was still too shocked to react. My mind was blank til the second that Oz slammed his door shut. Then I snapped awake.

"Where are we going?"

"Buffy needs to know about this." Though his voice was as calm as usual I noticed a slight tremor in his hands as he started the engine. 'He was scared for you.' I reached over and placed my hand over his.

"Thank you," I said softly. I was rewarded by one of his slow smiles. Instantly I felt a warmth spread through out my body that I hadn't felt since I'd exited the Bronze.

"I love you." His voice was rough with an unusual show of emotion and I felt a shiver run down my back. He said it with such finality, as if that was all there was in the world that mattered. 'That's because to him it is.' Suddenly I felt warmer still, like there was a miniature sun inside me right where my heart was. Oz turned his eyes to the road and we were off but not before I noticed the unshed tears glistening in them.

Buffy

'Damn! Just when we were going to kiss too.' Parker and I had been walking home, discussing old emotional scars, basically working up to a kiss then Willow and Oz rushed up and reminded me of my job. At least I'd managed to confirm the party date before I had to rush up the stairs. Willow related everything that had happened at the Bronze, pausing every once in a while to gush over her hero boyfriend.

I shook my head. "Harmony? A vamp? Drat. I'm going to have to revise my estimation of just how low they'll sink to find members." A thought occurred to me. "You know, she must be dying without a reflection." Pacing back and forth I threw a glance at Willow. She was looking far too pale.

'What do you expect? She was just vamp food! Damn angry puppy.'

Oz was putting a neon green band-aid on her newest injury and looking uncharacteristically grim. "So who do you think this boyfriend is?" Willow opened her mouth but I raised my hand to stop her. "Forget it. Stupid question. Knowing Harmony it's an ex-football player with an I.Q. in the single digits and muscles the size of the balls he used to toss around."

Oz looked up from Willow. "Devon dated her for a while, but she was too flaky for him. Which, stop and marvel at the concept."

I rubbed my forehead. "Well there's nothing we can do except wait. Oz, you'd better head home. Willow, I think we'd both feel better after a good night's sleep." Oz nodded and kissed Willow on the cheek. I turned away to let them have some privacy for their goodbyes. I heard some whispering but tried to tune it out. I nodded to Oz as he left I threw myself onto my bed.

"Sorry we interrupted your moment with Parker," Willow tentatively offered her apology.

Not looking at her I blew air at the ceiling in response. I didn't really want to talk about it. Good things in my life turn bad when thought of too much. I hope things go better at the party tomorrow.

Bryan

I don't know when precisely I gave up. When I gave up my hope in escape and my disbelief of what was really happening to me. The exact second escapes me. Just as basically every moment afterward has become a blur to me. Occasionally I would be pulled back to reality, someplace I desperately tried to avoid since the only thing in it for me was pain and confusion. In my more lucid moments I figured the fuzzy quality to my thoughts was a byproduct from my situation of permanent blood loss and that only when I regained enough blood did I become semi aware. This time I was jerked back to the pain that was currently my whole world by a hand ripping my hair out of my head. I felt part of my scalp go with my hair but I only let out a low moan. It was just a new sharp pain amidst all my others. Still it was enough to jerk me back. Closing my eyes, I felt silent tears stream down my cheeks.

I felt a moment of bitter irony as I heard Harmony call me Bernie. 'Even now she can't get my name right.' Seeing Harmony, the ditziest peroxide blond to ever saunter the halls of Sunnydale High, as a vampire was perhaps the most mind warping part of this. She didn't act any differently now that she was evil incarnate. But then it had been rumored for years that she was exactly that. Harmony was blathering on about how she wanted to go to a party and kill some fresh food. I heard her making advances, trying to get her way through sex. 'She really hasn't changed.'

Things started getting foggy again and I welcomed oblivion with open arms. I was a coward but I couldn't be in this hellhole.

Xander

Anya had just left a very confused immortal boy behind her. I watched her retreating back, stunned into immobility. Then I shook it off. I re-entered Giles' place still slightly dazed. The G-Man gave me a questioning look but I pretended that I didn't see it. I had no clue what to tell him about my visitor and her blunt confessions. I sat back down amidst the multitudes of books I was sorting for a piddling amount but I couldn't focus at the task at hand. I kept going back to what Anya had just told me out on the porch.

'Her dreams! God I can't believe it. She's actually fantasying about me! That's certainly a new one for me.' Still we're not together because of a few dreams. If it worked that way than Buffy and I would have been a couple for most of high school. I remember Anya wanted me to go with her when she decided to get away before the Mayor went demon at graduation and we did go to the prom together.but I didn't know she.. So what am I going to do? She's an ex-demon-- Oh who am I to judge anyone. One of my best friends probably has her death rate beat. He did have a few more millennia to work on it after all. Before I could stop it, that thought lead to Angel. 'And you have the right to judge him?' I growled at myself and shut out that particular quandary. 'Not now. One thing at a time.'

Okay, let's think about this logically. There's the age difference for one thing. She's really robbing the cradle, but won't I be doing the same thing in a couple of decades? That brings up another one. She's mortal now. She is going to die eventually. What it boiled down to was do I really want to get involved with her? Sure, she's pretty and kind of funny in a not-on- purpose kind of way. There's some chemistry. I sighed mentally. 'Why am I'm always drawn to the demons?' I shook it off and focused on the problem. Do I want her in my life? I have so many secrets and problems. Should I lay them out for someone I'm not even sure I trust? I don't know. 'Damn.' I rubbed my forehead. 'Boy can I pick 'em. Well, in my defense this time she did pick me.' I snorted. 'If she hadn't I probably would have gone looking for her.' Shaking off thoughts of my disastrous love life, I got back to work.

I can't believe I'm actually following through with this half-baked plan. I needed the cover but this was bordering on ridiculous. Filing things for Giles is not an overly interesting job. Though from time to time I'd recognize a book that Mallory had read and his recollections would flood my mind, such as the content of the book and how he'd come by it. Not always pleasant depending on how stubbornly the previous owner had tried to keep them in their possession and the actual subject of the book. This job was teaching me the necessary skill of controlling those memories, adding on to what I had already learned to cope with-- the soldier boy's memories. Mallory's were a lot more intense because of the combination of insanity and years he had to build on to his personality. The extracurricular learning and the fact that this, along with several other jobs, were earning me enough money so that I could pretend to "buy" a car at a fictional steal made the hours of dust inhalation bearable.

I had the car sent down from one of Mallory's estates. The driver dropped it off yesterday. No questions asked. Mallory didn't hire his people for their inquisitive natures. Besides they're used to odd requests. They don't seem to care that they suddenly had a new employer as long as they got paid. I had already fired the more questionable people that were on the payroll. Assassins, torturers, and kidnappers aren't something I have much use for. Mallory kept them around because he didn't much like to play by the Rules of the Game. The only one he'd had any respect for was not fighting on Holy Ground. I think he would have broken that one if he hadn't feared another Pompeii. Accessing Mallory's assets was made easier by the fact that he was a cunning megalomaniac, and a rather paranoid one-- he had the strangest nightmares about the IRS; he'd filed everything under an assumed name. No one had ever seen "Jonathan Newman" because everything was bought and paid for through middlemen. The only people who met "Jonathan Newman" were the ones who worked directly for him and now me. They had no trouble transferring bosses due to not caring one wit what happened to their former one. I just continue running the other things through that fiction of a man Jonathan Newman.

I had the driver leave the car with a mechanic that I learned through Mallory's old information channels could refit a car for practically anything. As much as I hate to admit it, the lunatic's memories make my life a lot easier. When they're done-- at the latest next week--I'll be driving around a small, reinforced sports car that is practically brand new but doesn't look it. I got tired of walking and hitching rides. My borrowed... all right, stolen bike got smashed, along with basically all my bones, when I figured out that you really CAN'T go through a cement wall like they do in the movies. 'Of course I wouldn't have tried if that Hlylarsk demon hadn't been standing in front of it.' The bus was just too degrading for even the old me but I was still confined to my friend's perceptions and had to come up with something that fit into their view of me. A sudden sneeze ripped through me making dust fly. 'This still sucks.'

Spike

'I don't know what I was thinking when I turned that twit. Has fewer brains than Dru on her not so lucid days.' Growling, I dragged Harmony's whining ass all the way back to the hideout. Once we reached our room I released her and started pacing the room. 'How did I let her talk me into that stupid party anyway!'

"Spike! Why didn't you stay and hurt them?! Those mortals were meeean to me!" She stamped her foot and dirt rose into the air. Crossing her arms over her ample chest she started complaining. Again. "I'm sooo tired of this! We're down here digging in the dirt hiding from that little bitch and her weirdo friends! Why can't we go to the mall? You could steal me some nice things." Her tone had changed from whiny to what she thought was coy, trying to manipulate me as she used to high school boys with their raging hormones. I was sorely tempted to smack her.

Instead I grabbed her and pushed her against the wall. Right up in her face I roared. "Why? Why! Because--you silly twit--the Gem of Amara would make me invincible! It's close enough to taste and you just told the good guys the bloody plan!" She just smiled and kissed me roughly. I felt her face morphing against mine and my demon responding. I resisted for a moment then gave in to its arousal. Now I remembered why I'd turned her. Girl knew more tricks in bed than any mortal I'd ever known.

Anya

I stood outside the door to Xander Harris' room and told myself. "This has to work. It will work." Thoughts of him have been driving me insane. He's always in my head. Whispering, touching me. I need to get rid of him. He's a male; they always betray you sooner or later. This plan has to work. This body just wants him. If I give it what it wants I'll forget him. Grabbing the knob, I take a deep breath and step into his room. 'It's cleaner than I imagined.' There was clutter but the floor was visible and there was no half consumed food or beer bottles lying about, as there were upstairs. In actuality the first floor had been rather rank. Mrs. Harris, who'd let me in, seemed to not mind. She just walked over the garbage so she definitely wasn't cleaning the room for him. Xander was sitting on the couch half bent over something when I came in. He hurriedly shoved whatever it was under the couch then rose, surprise coloring his face.

"Anya? What are you doing here?"

"Your mother told me you were down here. She said to ask you to add fabric softener when the timer goes off. Can we talk some more?" I was practically pleading and I knew it. 'See what he's reduced me to?'

I saw something flash across his face but I couldn't identify it. He opened his mouth to say something then shook his head before finally saying, "Would you like something to drink?" I had the distinct feeling that wasn't what he had been about to say. "I have cran-apple." I nodded and when he turned his back to me I quickly pushed down my dress, ignoring his further questions. I had expressly worn this dress for it's easy to get out of design.

The form I currently inhabited wasn't ugly, I knew that. I'd made sure it wasn't. Cordelia would never have paid any attention to an ugly face. But when I had created my human façade in preparation for earning Cordelia's trust I didn't design it to turn a man on. At the time my hate for men had been so complete the mere idea would have made me kill whoever proposed it to me. Still I was pleased now at the shock and arousal my body obviously had on him. As I stood in the center of his room naked I pressed my advantage, outlining my plan. I watched his eyes get wider and wider as I went on.

"You.Anya I.. 'He's stuttering. If I don't make a move I could be standing here all night.' While he might enjoy it, it's cold down here. Walking to him, I made sure to walk as sinuously as I could, flaunting everything I had. 'This is taking longer than I expected. I thought he'd just jump me.' I grabbed his hand and pulled him to the bed. He seemed to shake himself out of his trance when I pushed him down onto the mattress and began unbuttoning his shirt. I never saw his hand move but all at once he had roughly stopped mine with his. Shocked, I jerked up from his chest and locked my gaze on his eyes. His eyes. They were no longer glazed over. They were full of concern.

Softly he asked me, "Are you sure this is what you want?" The intensity of his stare was almost scaring me. Then I realized. 'He's actually asking me?' I knew he wanted me, there was no question of THAT but he wanted to make sure that this was what I wanted. I felt my need intensify. I couldn't even talk as emotions bombarded me. I nodded dumbly. He pulled me close, wrapping his arms around me. Oh so gently. Then he kissed me thoroughly and completely. In that moment I knew my plan had failed just as completely. I could never forget Xander. I ignored the buzzer. Xander was a lot more important than laundry.

Buffy

'Pay phones are a bitch.' "Yeah, Spike with Harmony. If you can believe it. I couldn't figure out why he ran away but Harmony said something. Why they were here. They were looking for the gem of something... Amara."

"The gem of Amara. Are you sure?" I could practically see him reaching for his books. I rolled my eyes even though I knew he couldn't see me.

"Yeah, what's up?" Please don't let it be another apocalypse. I was really looking forward to getting back to Parker.

"Uh, oh, it's just, uh, it's not real." I heard shuffling around on the other end. 'Yep he's going for the books.' I smiled at Giles' predictability. "It's uh, the vampire equivalent of the Holy Grail. The source of some enormous power, was conveniently vague. Oh, here it is, yes. There was a great deal of vampiric interest in locating it during the, uh, oh the 10th century. Questing vampires combed the earth, but no one ever found anything. It was concluded that it never existed."

"Well, Spike seems to think it exists. And he's looking in Sunnydale." I frowned. Just because it didn't exist didn't negate the fact that Spike was back in town. Did I just think negate? Okay no more hanging around Giles, he's corrupting me.

"Yes, well, I'll research it as best I can. You've done all you can for tonight. Why don't you go to bed?" 'Yes! He's not going to make me patrol.'

"Uh, huh. Sleepy. Yawn. Bye." Now I have to find Parker and explain my mondo weird behavior. Oh joy.

Parker

'Fate lands another one into my hands. That line's almost as good as the sob story about my dear old still kicking father. Sympathy and a good dose of faked willingness to wait does it every time.' As I kissed Buffy half my mind considered how I should approach my next conquest. Name's Wanda from Minnesota. She's still in a state of culture shock. Buffy practically ripped the shirt off me. 'She likes it rough. Well those ones are fun.' I didn't believe for a second what she said about the British guy with the Billy Idol riff. There was some definite sexual tension there but the truth was I just didn't care. She tumbled backward onto my bed, already half naked. I smiled down at her and she smiled back. 'God, she's gullible. I'll have to give her the cold shoulder tomorrow though. She'll become too attached.' She pulled me down for a rough kiss. 'It will be fun while it lasts.'

Giles

I glanced at the unslept in bed once more and sternly told myself. 'You're not her father. You. Are. Not. Her. Father You bloody pillcock.' But I knew she could be walking into heartbreak and wanted to save her from that pain. 'I've seen all the tricks. Heck I used most of them.' I couldn't help it. I knew from Willow that she'd only been seeing this fellow for a few days and already she was..'You don't know that, Rupert, she could be elsewhere..'

"Why do they always hide it in Sunnydale? Giles. Giles!"

I heard her practically shout my name and shook myself sternly telling myself. 'Not her father.' "Yes, what did you say, Willow? I'm afraid I was lost in thought." I caught the eye roll she sent to the ceiling.

"Why do they always hide it in Sunnydale?"

I frowned. "Hide what?"

She gave a broad wave. "The whatever. The Glove. The Cross. The Master. Okay, well, he wasn't exactly hidden and the Hellmouth had him trapped so I suppose he had to be here. No Hellmouth anywhere else but--She stopped-- obviously realizing she'd been babbling--then started up again on her original venue. "Why here? You'd think everyone would come here looking for whatever cause they'd know it's always here. Besides all the demons and vamps come here anyway. Why hide it here of all places where it's more likely to be found." She took a deep breath at the end of her tirade. I sat in shock. Then I blinked several times in an effort to stall so I could sort through everything she'd said.

"I've never thought about it before.. Maybe it's unadorned stupidity?"

She gave me a look that said it couldn't be that easy and I shrugged. I was betting on stupidity. Always the best bet in this world.

I heard the door opening. I had to force myself to turn slowly and not yell bloody murder. I started my silent mantra all over again. 'You're not her father. You're not her father.' I managed to keep my voice calm and my face casual as I told her what I'd learned about the Gem. It was a real effort since I could plainly read the emotions on her face. Hurt. Confusion. Bewilderment. Covered by hope. 'That bugger! Whoever he is I'll-- Stop. Not her father. Not her father. Want to go Ripper. Not her father.' I managed to leave before I lost all control and started interrogating her.

Anya

Xander was still sleeping when I decided to investigate his room. There didn't seem to be much in the way of personal possessions. It reminded me slightly of my apartment. Xander had lots of magazines. Some were really strange. The gun and military ones made sense; Xander was a man and they like guns and big macho thingies. I just never imagined he'd have a subscription to New Science or the Smithsonian. Mixed amongst it all were comics. I smiled at those. 'Xander never grew up.' Xander had a few books. A beat up copy of A Tale of Two Cities caught my attention. It looked often read and well loved. I ran my hands over it and smiled. I could imagine Xander with this book in his strong hands, gently flipping pages.

I turned to his sleeping body and faced what I'd been avoiding. I wasn't over him. I was very much not over him. Every moment I spent with him or his things it got worse. The only question was what did I want to do about it? I saw this often enough in my work to recognize the symptoms. It was love or at least the beginning of it. 'And I swore I'd never fall in love like those fools who'd simper at my feet.' I sighed and leaned back into the beat up couch. I hugged the book to my chest.

'He looks so sweet wrapped up in his white cotton sheets, drool collecting at the corner of his mouth.. Boy, do I sound sappy. Xander's great in bed too.' Digging through his stuff had revealed no unsavory habits I could combat my feelings with. Xander seemed perfect. Perfectly lovable.

Thoughts were racing through my mind, colliding and confusing me. I knew I should be scared of this love, I'd been avoiding it my whole life but I wasn't. I was delighted and tingly. Trying to clear my mind I started hitting my heels against the bottom of the couch as I vaguely remember doing at the chairs in our kitchen as a little child when I was trying to make decisions. I was startled when one 'thunk' didn't sound like the others. 'What the--'

The memory of Xander shoving something under there when I first came in surfaced and curiosity took hold. Shifting the book into my left hand, I reached under the couch in the general area where I had been kicking. I grasped something smooth and cool. Pulling, I was surprised when a sword hilt emerged. I felt my eyebrows scrunching against my hairline. I moved to the floor and pulled it the rest of the way into the open. Looking at the red blade I couldn't help but gasp. It was an impressive sword, obviously not for show either. The edge was razor sharp. I glanced down and my guess was confirmed. A cleaning rag had been pulled out along with the sword. 'What is Xander doing with a sword?'

A cold feeling settled in my gut. It was irrational. There could be a thousand reasons. Xander might be using it to kill vampires. I tried to rationalize. The feeling remained. I never checked. I just granted her wish. It hadn't mattered. It wasn't a direct curse. He could be. 'And if he is?' The feeling lifted. Xander hadn't changed. He was the person I was falling for. Now though I had to worry less about him losing his life to this silly fight against the demons. 'I've done a lot worse things than behead someone. For them it's survival even. Not that I care. As long as Xander doesn't lose. If he does.oooh I don't have to play by the rules.'

"Are you going to stare at it forever?" I started and whirled around. Xander was sitting up on the bed. I felt like I'd been caught doing something really naughty, which made no sense because I never felt bad doing something naughty before. Gently I laid the sword down on the sofa.

"No. I was just wondering what it means." His eyes narrowed and he shifted on the bed. "Are you--"I stopped and gathered myself. "Are you Immortal?" He took a sharp intake of breath. Shock was written all over his face but he didn't say anything. Didn't really have to. "I take that as a yes."

Xander

Methos told me there are two low risk options when a mortal finds out what you are. You either kill them or get the hell out of Dodge. I'd already decided I didn't want to leave. My friends only had one shot at life and with the lives we lead theirs seemed destined to be short. I didn't want to miss a minute of them. Leaving Sunnydale while they were alive wasn't an option. That meant silencing the leak. The thing was, I knew I couldn't kill her. Anya was strange, unpredictable, and she'd already dug a place in my heart. It wasn't a deep niche, nothing comparing to those of Willow and Buffy or even that of Cordelia and the Weasel, but in time it might reach the same depth. So that left high-risk option number three. Come clean and stick it out.

"Yes." 'Boy, confront me with the littlest bit of evidence and I cave.' "How did you know?" Curiosity got the better of me.

She pointed to my sword. "I've run into two or four of your kind in my job. Also a few of my kind like to brag about the curses they'd gotten to stick to yours." She glared at me. "You're rather slippery in that regard."

I smiled. "That's us. Slippery when wet. I guess it isn't much fun to make a penis become covered with boils if they heal in two minutes." Anya nodded, apparently not getting the joke.

She gave me an odd look. "How old are you?"

I returned her look though I wasn't sure what the look was. "Twenty."

She frowned. "What?!"

"I was hoping you'd be as old as me."

I laughed. I laughed so hard I fell off the bed.

Tears streaming down my face, I managed to get out between laughs, "I always--" chuckle, "--thought--" chuckle, "--they wanted them--" chuckle, "- -younger--" chuckle, "--not--" chuckle, "--older." Anya's smile was on the nasty side but I understood that. In her former line of work she probably saw that stereotype a lot. Then Anya took me by surprise, again, killing my laughter in my throat. She rushed to my side, quicker that I'd have thought possible, and was touching the side of my face, a worried look occupying hers.

"Are you hurt?" I felt two fingertips caress my face. Then the pressure was gone and she was staring at her fingertips in fascination. Seeing her fingers were red I cursed. Anya jerked back from me in shock. Choosing to ignore her reaction and the churning in my stomach I reached a tissue box I leave on the nightstand. 'Why do I have to bleed tears? It's so god damn melodramatic for heaven's sake.'

"No. I'm not hurt." I looked away as I wiped the blood roughly off with a Kleenex. 'Damn me. I can't keep anything a secret!' I couldn't help the wave of fear that spread through me. I'd just started to let her in. What if she rejected me in disgust? Anya pressed her hand upon my cheek turning my face back towards her.

"What is it?" Anya just kept on throwing me. Her voice was so soft. Only my mother had ever spoken to me with such concern before. I took a deep breath then let it out. 'Can't stop halfway.' I ignored the voice that shouted 'Yes you can!' "I'm a vampire." I heard her heart stop for a second but outwardly Anya didn't react. "It was my first death. Now I'm a mishmash of the two. A little of this, a little of that, presto chango you have the one and only immortal vamp, complete with soul. Free of charge of course."

Anya tilted her head. "You're not going to lose your soul because we had sex." I couldn't tell if that was a question or not. I opened my mouth to say yes but she interrupted me. "Good because I plan on having sex with you a lot." I heard my jaw when it snapped shut.

"What?! I thought that you just wanted to forget about me." I was prepared for a fling and friendship afterwards--okay, maybe I didn't prepare too much. To be brutally honest.I'd pretty much decided earlier to turn her down flat. 'Then you pulled her into bed with you. Shows how well you stick to your plans Mr. Hormone.' I tried to stuff that sarcastic all too right part of myself into the corner of my mind. A dusty corner. It didn't seem to stick because for a second I could swear I heard chuckling resonate inside my skull.

"I changed my mind." I waited for her to continue. She didn't.

Frustrated I bit out. "Aren't you going to tell me WHY?"

Anya seemed to consider that a moment then shrugged. "The sex was good."

I felt my cheeks growing hot. 'I'm blushing! I don't blush!' My body disregarded my denial but the laugh was back. Suddenly I noticed that Anya didn't have a stitch on. For that matter neither did I since I'd fallen off the bed and out of the sheet. I glanced at her chest then hurriedly cast my eyes back up to her face. My blush grew worse. Despite all the memories of sex I had, I wasn't all that experienced. While we were.together. I hadn't thought about it but now.Anya looked down at herself then back up at me. She grinned at me then got up from her position on the floor, causing a distracting array of flesh to ripple before my eyes. I followed her movement, dazed, as she began looking for her dress. She found it crumpled next to the door. Anya slid into it then turned to me. "I'll be back." She was gone before I could form a sentence. I sat alone in my musty basement considering her parting words. 'What would you have said anyway?' The laughter echoed once more. "Oh shut up." I told myself.

Spike

I scratched covertly at my back, hoping no one was looking. It wouldn't look good if the minions saw their Master acting as if someone just put itching powder down his shirt. 'I can't believe she did that. She wrote a bloody love note on my back! Everyday it's like she gets stupider.' I glared at her. She wasn't even looking at me. She was looking at the floor and muttering to herself. 'Probably about bloody France again.' I growled and scratched again. She used permanent ink and my body was shedding the top layer of skin over and over to get rid of the bloody note. I heard crumbling as one of the crews hit pay dirt.

"MASTER!" One of my minions yelled.

"Yeah, yeah. I know we're through." Grabbing the lantern, I headed for the opening. I heard the idiot's mouth snap shut as he scrambled away from me. It was a good thing he did because I might have ripped his head off. I heard Harmony grunt as she climbed up after me. 'She's whiny, clingy, and an idiot. No sex is worth this.' I gazed around the crypt. 'Great, this place is fucking full of gems. Oh, well. It's got to be that big green one. Cause it's big.'

"Ooh, pretty. Can I take stuff?" Doesn't she ever shut up?

"Take whatever you want, I don't care." I ripped the necklace with the gem off the skeleton, sending its head flying. I heard Harmony jabbering but ignored her. I reached for a cross. 'Ow! Ow! Ow!' I grabbed my blistered hand. I wanted to hop around in pain but Master Vampires don't hop around. Harmony hadn't stopped talking. I watched her mouth go up and down, up and down, ignoring the nonsense coming out. 'Enough's enough.' I ripped a piece of wood off a stand and shoved it through her non-beating heart. The feeling of relief I got from staking her soon turned to surprise as her chest healed. 'No poof? The Gem.' I pushed her in front of the cross. She showed no sign of pain just kept talking. I ripped the ring off her finger. Paying no attention to her babbling as usual. I pushed past her. "Well now the real fun begins."

Bryan

I hated waking up because when I woke up I had to face what had happened while I was out. This time the atmosphere had changed, not literally. We were still underground, but the tension that had hung in the air for as long as I'd been held had changed to--well it felt like the end of a game when the underdog had just pulled off a major win. I could hear muffled laughter from above along with crashing. My brain wasn't firing on all thrusters but I easily figured out that the vampires were drunk. I filed this change away and continued with my ignoring.

Time passed, with me trying not to notice and praying for unconsciousness, then the party spilled into where I was kept. A group of vampires tumbled in, giggling and staggering into each other. I noticed the thousands of dollars worth of gold and gems covering them mostly because they seemed so out of place over their lightly dirt dusted clothes. Ginger was the first to focus.

"Sh." *Snort* *Giggle*. "SH!" She commanded, shoving the closest one who had ignored her hard enough into the wall that dirt showered down on him. The others quickly quieted and edged away from her, afraid she'd become angry with them.

I shivered. I couldn't blame them. Every time I moved I felt the pull of scabs. Ginger had a fondness for pain. She'd slice me up and lick the blood off me. Then.I shuddered away from the memories. Ginger was nasty. Nastier than any of the others. And they knew it. She was beautiful, with flaming red hair curling around her face and ruby red lips. I'd never been as terrified of anyone in my life as I was of her. The others would just feed on us. Sometimes mocking us first. Ginger sliced layers off and reveled in our screams.

Ginger held her glare for a few moments then turned to those of us chained up on the wall and smiled. I gulped and backed up until my back hit stone. The wounds on my back made me want to cry out but I swallowed the noise. The guy next to me started shaking and his shackles rattled, adding a tinkling sound to the silence. I was seriously wishing I wasn't conscious at this point.

"We don't need to hide in this hole anymore. The Slayer is as good as dead. We'll finish off the meat while it's still fresh." She reached over and pulled a crown out of a vampire's hands. He started to glare but looked away pretty quickly when he realized whom he was glaring at. "And let it be food fit for a King." Ginger jammed the crown onto the head of the lone female lining the walls. The girl gave a whimper in pain and I saw blood start to leak down into her ravaged blonde hair. I felt a twinge of pity for her but only a little. I hadn't wanted to know the people in Hell with me so I didn't know her. She was just another piece of furniture making up the scenery. No, I was feeling a sense of relief because I finally knew this was over.

After a few seconds Ginger tapped her feet impatiently. The other vampires shared startled looks then rushed to coat us in the jewelry they'd been decked in.

A squirrelly looking vampire who looked like a paper pusher shoved some of his rings on my fingers and draped a robe semi-around me. He didn't even look at me but kept glancing back at Ginger as if checking for her approval. A petite blonde shuffled up next. She gave me a sexy smile before slipping a string of pearls over my head. She then leaned forward and planted a kiss on my forehead. I shivered as I felt cold lips on my skin. The memories of Ginger's cold lips whispered all over my body, making my stomach clench. She pulled away and gave me a hungry smile before grabbing a huge silver bracelet from her wrist. She pulled on it and it came apart in pieces with a click. She fit it around my neck and I heard another click as it snapped shut. I blinked in surprise as the blonde sauntered way. I twisted my head a little and felt what I had assumed was a bracelet rubbing against my neck.

'I've been collared!'

I hadn't believed I could feel anything through my fear but I found surprisingly that I could. I felt disgusted. I was about to die like a trussed up ham. After weeks of being abused my soul gave one last cry then fell silent.

The vampires all pulled back and Ginger inspected their work. After a few moments of letting them fidget she gave her following a nod of imperial approval.

Ginger turned to me and took a step forward. I noticed the blonde who'd collared me looking a bit put out that Ginger had taken her meal. I kind of wished she'd got me. I joined my wall mate in shaking. This wasn't going to be pleasant.

I watched Ginger coming, feeling helpless. Around three feet away Ginger lurched forward as the room twisted. I jerked in my chains while I watched her floundering. Ludicrously I was reminded of a mime in an invisible box. When Ginger regained her equilibrium her face had become distorted, her brow ridges rippling across her forehead. Her eyes blazed yellow and fangs dropped down. I looked away. I knew I was in for it now, I'd only seen that face when she was angry, hungry, or aroused. Either way it never ended well.

"What the hell is--"A muffled boom and a loud crack interrupted her. The crack reverberated throughout the room and more followed it. The vampires who had been feeding, stumbled. The walls started screaming and crumbling.

Ginger managed to stay on her feet until the ceiling started falling. I watched, mystified, as huge chunks of stone crushed vampires and humans alike, ripping appendages off and grinding blood into the dirt.

I looked up just in time to see a boulder larger than me falling towards my head. I quickly looked back down and shut my eyes.

'God--'

Anya

When I was growing up girls didn't go to school. Boys didn't go either unless they were nobles. The only good schools were run by the church too. I looked around the campus of SDU. 'Boy, have things changed.'

I shook my head then bent to check my school map. I was headed to the administration offices. I was here for a purpose after all. I was going to enroll for the semester.

This wasn't what I'd imagined for my life. I'd had a good job, one I was pretty good at if I say so myself, and here I was wondering what to do with myself. I was bored out of my mind. So here I was. I was going to attend college for the same reason I'd stayed in high school, because it gave me something to do. It was more of a someplace to be actually because in high school I'd made sure to get the complete understanding of every subject before going to grant Cordelia's wish. Appearing stupid was not an asset to gain popularity. Even without the educational purpose going to school is supposed to fulfill, it gave me something to do everyday. It was a routine that helped cushion the loss of my powers. I'd found myself trying to create some stability to counter my feelings of loss. I was going to college now because I had found just how frustrating boredom can be.

'At least this should be more of a challenge since I don't already know everything.' Though that in itself was frustrating. For over a thousand years my powers had let me do whatever I wished. It felt like I was always reaching for something no longer there. With a sigh I shoved away the by now familiar longing.

I looked down at my map once more. 'I think I'm here, so I go that way.'

Looking up and shifting to turn I stopped in surprise at the sight of Xander barreling towards me.

"Hi, honey." He paused in front of me, leaned over and gave me a quick peck on the cheek and one of his goofy smiles. "Bye, honey. I have to go save the day."

I watched him run off, feeling stunned. 'My boyfriend is a strange man.'

Spike

'I always loved a good sucker punch.' Fighting with the Slayer was just as I remembered it. Barbs being thrown, both physically and mentally. All around jolly good fun. I smiled as I threw the confrontation the Slayer just had with her newest boy-toy back in her face. The hurt on her face made it worth it even as her fist connected with my chin. I wanted to stop and rub my hurting jaw but that would be a sign of weakness, besides she didn't know it hurt. 'Damn ring, doesn't stop it from hurting. Just from killing.' When the fact that it was actually day registered in that pretty airhead brain of the Slayer's I got another thrill at the shock on her face. That shock soon transformed into anger. The kick that landed in my stomach went a long way to wiping my smile off my face. If I had breath it would have been knocked out of me. 'Maybe making her angry wasn't such a great idea.' Even with my invincibility the Slayer was wiping the floor with me. The sun's brightness was hurting my eyes and I just wasn't used to fighting with this much light. Everything was so much more distracting and louder as well. The muscles of my back screamed as I hit a telephone pole. 'Ouch.'

Xander

After my initial obligatory useless gesture of help I found myself cooling my heels playing possum against the light post I'd been thrown into, hoping that Buffy'd find some way around the can't-be-staked-hurt-by-the-sun-or- killed-in-any-way clause that came with the Gem's warranty. I had to admit, even given whatever sense of immortality he'd gained from the ring, Buffy was kicking his ass pretty much as usual. Sure, none of the hurts were keeping him down but still she was giving him a beating. I winced as she kicked him in the groin. 'Apparently she's also using him as an anger management tool.'

Finding Buffy was the easiest part of all. I knew her schedule, and of course all I had to do was look for fighting. As I watched Spike get up from another should-be-fatal blow I cursed that Gem. Myself as well. 'There is no such thing as a myth. I should know that by now. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if the frickin' Grail did exist. Seems just as likely as a ring that can make the wearer invincible.' I'd assumed that what Giles said was good intel and hadn't checked with my other sources like an idiot. 'Damn I've been acting as smart as a jarhead! Why the hell did I set up all those contacts if I wasn't going to use them!' I know very well why. I was too relieved at the time that something that sounded just like me wasn't real. It's hard enough to imagine one vampire impervious to all vampire-like death methods but another? One without a soul? I had shuddered at the thought. It had painted an ugly picture that I hadn't wanted to delve too deeply into. Still I should have looked. Should have checked. Just because I didn't want it to be wouldn't make it not real.

Buffy

'Damn him! This is nothing like Angel. It's not.' I landed another heavy kick to his head. I growled when he just got up again. 'Well girl, how are we going to get out of this one? Can't stake him. Sun obviously isn't doing its job. Got nothing to chop him into tiny bits with. Though knowing that stupid ring he'd probably just reassemble.' I narrowed my eyes at the offending object and found myself struck by how loose it seemed on his finger. 'Hmm. It's worth a try.' Charging him, I let him think he'd gotten me trapped and as we grappled I pulled the ring off his finger. I smiled as I heard Spike start cursing. Letting go he pulled his coat up over his head and ran for the trees. I gave chase but surrendered to the inevitable when he disappeared into the sewers. I definitely didn't want to go down there during the day with all the vampires using it to hide from the sun. I'd be overrun and I'd probably never catch the bastard anyway. 'Vamp has more lives than a friggin cat.'

Giles

I can't believe it's real, and so small. The Gem of Amara was sitting on my table looking so harmless and charming, nothing like the dangerous weapon that it really was.

"I like it." Willow said.

"It's small," Oz said, echoing my own thoughts.

Xander snorted. "Really worth getting my ribs bashed in."

"It's also very dangerous. And we're destroying it," I said.

"We don't destroy it." Buffy's voice was barely louder than a whisper yet I heard it and her determination loud and clear. I glanced at Buffy. She was holding herself with a grim sense of purpose. 'I really want to kill that boy. If I can just find out who..'

"Well, Buffy, any vampire that gets his hand on this is going to be essentially unkillable." A light dawned in my head. "Oh." Of course, Angel.

"I have that gig in L.A. I could swing by," Oz offered.

Buffy nodded and gave Oz a brief smile. "Thanks Oz."

I glanced at Xander, who surprisingly hadn't said anything. I would have thought his dislike of Angel would have made him erupt but he just looked down at my questioning look. I turned back to Buffy. "Buffy, are you sure?" I wasn't entirely comfortable with the thought of any vampire being impervious to death, my own feelings for Angel aside.

Buffy nodded again and met my gaze. "He should have it." I could tell she was determined to do this so I kept my reservations to myself. Buffy was the first to leave. She rushed out like a cat on a hotplate. Willow and Oz were next, Oz stopping to pick up the gem. They gave me a nod then filed out. That left Anya and Xander. I was still slightly curious as to why Anya was here. It seemed that Xander had brought her along but why I didn't know. There had been a round of curious looks but no one asked. She stood but Xander stayed seated. She gave him an inquisitive look. He patted her hand.

"Go on, Ahn. I'll meet you later." She shot him a look then slowly nodded.

Xander conferred on me a piercing gaze. I was so surprised by the seriousness of it that I didn't think to ask why he had stayed. Then he nodded to himself and dug into his pockets. He slid a piece of paper across the table to me. I heard him stand as I looked at the paper. There was a name Parker Abrams-Stevenson Hall RM 104. I jerked up and stared into Xander's eyes. There was a wry smile on his face. I looked at the paper again and when I looked up he was gone, leaving me with three hundred questions and only one answer. 'So, Mr. Abrams, you thought you could hurt my girl and get away with it.' A Ripperish smile spread across my face as I started planning.

Buffy

This street is so deserted. 'I wanted it that way. Demons and vamps would interrupt my thoughts.' Angel deserves the Gem. He works so hard.I know that Spike was wrong. Parker isn't like Angel. I just have to get Parker to forgive me. Then I have to make him see we can be more than one night. We can be more. He's such a nice normal guy.

'What'd I do wrong?'

Harmony

I can't believe Spike left me! He tried to stake me. I thought he loved me! We were good together. Why did my platinum baby do it? If anyone should have dumped anyone it's me. He was always too soft. Didn't like killing the little children and they taste the sweetest! He bathed too much, too. After every meal for heaven's sake! I don't like my men smelling like dumpsters but he should have paid more attention to me than his hygiene. I miss our bubble baths though and the way he would comb my hair..He smoked too much. Ranted too much. He never paid enough attention to me.

'Why'd he leave me?'

Anya

I don't know where this road leads. It fits since I have no idea where I'm headed. This was not the way my life was supposed to go. Love and humanity were the farthest things from my mind--now they're the only things. Xander is as nervous as I am. Today he barely said two words to me and even those were awkward. That time he was rushing off to help Buffy aside. He picked me up for the meeting but he hardly said anything to me the whole time. 'He said he'd see you later.' Yeah but he stayed at Giles'. 'Xander seemed to have a mission in mind. He wasn't ditching me.' I sighed and kept walking. Though I know more of him than his friends, Xander remains a mystery to me. This road is lonely. I hope mine won't be.