Discalimer: None of the Buffy or Angel characters are mine, more's the pity. The original ones are mine though.

Thanks for the reviews. You guys are just swell. I will strive to be worthy of your praise.

Sadly there will be no Faith. But a few others will be back.

Buffy and Angel met the others outside the warehouse.

"What happened in there?" asked Wesley. "We heard a big crash and then a bunch of demons came running out. Did you put the fear of God into them? They were moving fast."

Angel shook his head. "They were ready for us; they had a magical cage to hold us until sunrise. We walked right into a trap."

"So what happened? How did you escape?"

"The Three. Turns out they're on our side. And we know two of them."

"What does that mean?" demanded Cordelia. "Who are they?"

"Lindsey, Spike and some guy named Morgan."

Silence greeted this pronouncement. Lorne broke it to ask, "Morgan you said? Medium height, dark hair, penchant for wisecracks?"

Angel and Buffy nodded.

"I think I know him. He came into Caritas a couple of times. He's half human, half demon. Sings well. My read was that he was an okay guy. But not some kind of hero."

"Well something has changed then," said Angel. "They've got these black swords. Morgan used his to reduce the cage to powder. They also caused the demons to high tail it out of there. They didn't even have to fight. All the bad guys just ran for it."

"Tell me more about the sword." Wesley had that look in his eye that meant research was about to occur.

"Okay. But not here. Let's go back to the hotel."

The Three watched them go from the roof of a warehouse.

Lindsey said, "They're going to be a problem."

"Yes they are," agreed Morgan. "Question is, why are they here? So far from home."

"Cordelia probably had a vision," said Lindsey.

Morgan nodded his head. "That's likely and if it's true it means they probably have a part to play. We're going to have to keep an eye on them so they don't get themselves killed." He turned and rested against the wall. "How do you two feel now that you've faced your own personal demons?"

Lindsey smiled. "One of the partners at Wolfram & Hart told me that I needed to find my place. Now I know I really have. There's no anger left in me."

"And you?"

Spike leaned back on the wall. "I left Sunnydale because I couldn't stay. There was nothing there. We'd gone too far to go back. The fire was still there though; it followed me here. But just now in the warehouse I realized that I feel differently. I don't know when it happened but what I feel changed. I still love her, I think I always will. But I'm no longer in love with her. The fire no longer burns."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" asked Lindsey.

"Good. It wasn't a warming fire, it just destroyed everything in its path."

Morgan stood up straight and looked out at the city. "They say that true love lasts forever. I think that's right but it's not romantic love. It's the love of friends. Lovers come and go, but friends are with you forever.

"Let's go home."

Buffy and Cordelia spent the next day site seeing and Christmas shopping. They saw the tree at Rockefeller Center, the windows at Sachs Fifth Avenue and The Empire State Building.

"I could live here," said Cordelia.

"Not me. I like a small town now. There's just too many people here."

"Are you going to stay in Sunnydale?"

Buffy nodded. "For now. Dawn is going to UC Sunnydale so for the next four years at least. After that, I don't know. It's kind of nice now that the Hellmouth is closed. I get to be normal most of the time."

"Yeah. I can see how that would be nice. You just have to find a good guy. Any prospects?"

"Not really. I have gone on a couple of dates but no one really clicked. That's okay. I think I needed a nice long break from relationships.

"The sun is setting. We should go back to the hotel."

When they reached the hotel Buffy gave Cordelia her packages. "Take those up for me. I just want to check something out."

"Where are you going?"

"I'll tell you when I get back. Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere scary."

Cordelia climbed up to their room with a frown on her face. What was Buffy up to?

Buffy pushed open the door to the demon bar they'd been to the night before. She noticed a sign on the door that read Gracie's'. A funny name for a demon bar.

Once inside she saw Morgan sitting at the bar. She sat down on the stool next to him.

"Good evening Slayer. Been doing some site seeing? Nowhere like New York at Christmas."

"What's your deal Morgan? What are you three up to?"

Raising an eyebrow Morgan said, "Up to? That implies mischief. Not our thing. And even if it were why would I tell you?"

"You seem to be the leader of your little group."

He shook his head. "No. I am the oldest, by quite a bit, so I have more experience. I also know more about magic and I have the least emotional baggage but I'm not the leader. None of us is. That's not how it works." He turned to face her. "Go back to your friends Buffy."

Buffy leaned forward and grabbed Morgan's shirt. "You are going to tell me what's going on, now."

Silence descended on the bar except for the sound of chairs scraping back. The clientele of the bar closed in.

Morgan said softly, "Be careful Dorothy, you're not in Kansas anymore."

Buffy released her hold on him. "They would protect you? But you fight demons."

"No. We fight the forces that seek destruction and chaos. There's a big difference." He waved an arm in a circle. "They know we will accept them as they are without judgement. We make no claim to be better than they are. And if any of them face danger from the darkness we will protect them. Demon and vampire killing is your gig Slayer."

Buffy slid off the stool and left the bar. Out on the street she took a big gulp of cold air. Shivering a bit she walked back to the hotel.