*5*

The room was quiet, not all that surprising considering it was technically after hours, as they poked their way through the files to see what else they might be able to find. Thanks to the High School yearbook they'd gotten a hold of, they now knew Keller, Mercherson -- Lee's real last name -- and Angela Randall, had been best friends since about the second grade and been near inseparable for most of their lives. They'd all been on the school's newspaper — the Advocate -- as investigative reporters. Apparently an early start at the trios' later careers.

According to various newspaper articles on the threesome, they had all continued onto college together at the nearby University of Nebraska. Miss Randall had gone into Journalism while Keller and Lee had studied Law. Lee had specialized in criminal law intending, according to several articles written about him, to go into government work. While Keller had originally planned to go into politics, he had, in the end, instead joined Lee in doing a stint in government service.

When both were accepted to the CIA there were quite a few 'hometown boys make good' articles in the local papers. Miss Randall had done well also, becoming a freelance investigative reporter and making a name for herself. But it had been a small blurb in the local paper that brought them to the county offices and bribing the clerk at the desk to let them stay until he'd finished up his after hours work instead of waiting until the next day. An engagement announcement between Angela Randall and William Mercherson.

Alyx was looking through the computer files, while the guys were wandering the stacks and trying to find any records that might point them in the right direction. They found Lee's birth certificate, which did not do much more than confirm who his parents were. According to other sources his father was a 'corn fed white boy' and his mother pure Chinese; her parents having come to the USA before she was born to escape the communist regime that was quickly stifling many people even then. Lee had simply inherited his mother's looks as opposed to his father's, and it also explained how he had learned to speak Chinese.

It also told them that Lee was really Li -- his mother's surname -- and that it obviously had become the more commonly spelled American version somewhere along the way. Perhaps simply out of the need to have a working name much like Alyx herself used, though the three who knew that truth were careful to not mention it aloud.

The room they were in was in the process of being refurbished and was a mess. When the local historical society had heard that the county was going to strip the interior of the archive room and give it a more modern and far more practical look, they had protested and eventually won the battle to keep the hundred-plus-year-old building intact. So, instead of ripping out and replacing the deteriorating staircase and railings, they were being painstakingly repaired. They had been warned to use the temporary metal staircase and to not lean against the railings on the upper levels as well as to avoid the areas roped off. The floor itself being a bit shaky in places, the stacks and files moved and squished into other areas to accommodate the repair work as a precaution.

*Okay, guys. I have an app for a marriage license from Mr. Mercherson. Looks like he came back home to marry the girl.* She looked over the date and changed her mind. *On second thought looks like they got married right after college. If the news article on his acceptance to the CIA is correct, he applied for the marriage license just two weeks before.*

*Got that, kid,* Bobby informed her as he looked over the piece of paper in his hand. *Did the deed just a week before leaving for D.C. Married Miss Randall.*

*But I thought she stayed here in Lincoln?* Darien commented from his corner of the room. He was searching through the birth certificates to see if the happy couple ever had a child or two.

*She was based here, but traveled as her work required,* Gray filled in from information he had gathered over the course of the day. He was currently buried over in land records trying to see if they had bought land or a house or anything like that.

*Well, where is she now?* Darien asked as he thumbed through the Ms with no luck.

*Green Hills Memorial Cemetery,* Bobby answered in dismay several minutes later. He'd had one of his hunches and gone to check it out. *Died in childbirth according to her death certificate.*

*Crap,* Darien muttered mentally. *I can't find a record of a kid.*

*Try under Randall, Fawkes. She may have used her maiden name,* Hobbes suggested and tried not to laugh at the sigh that wafted across the link Alyx was connecting them with.

A few minutes later Darien spoke up. *Got it. A daughter. Though no name is listed. Weird.*

Gray suddenly sent, *I think we have company.* Then the power in the room went out, the red emergency lighting kicking on seconds later. *Sil...*

*On it.* She opened her shields and searched the room. *Four of them, three up, one down here with me.* She snapped her shields shut but kept a tag on each of the unknowns to keep track of them.

*How the hell did they get in here?* Darien asked, heading out of the stacks and back towards the stairs only to be met by an entirely unexpected foot into his stomach. He crashed backwards into the shelving with a shout that alerted the others that whoever the newcomers were, they were not friendly.

"Fawkes?" Bobby yelled, heading in the direction of his partner only to be met with his own opponent. The person was dressed head to toe in black and wasted not a single moment in pleasantries before attacking. Bobby was able to defend himself, but not get the upper hand; they were well matched and he found himself not even able to take the few seconds it would require to draw his gun as the unknown forced him deeper into the stacks and further from his partner.

Darien was just trying to keep the black clad wielder of death by foot from pounding him into a bloody pulp. He managed to dodge the two punches that came flying at him, but got nailed by two swift kicks to his ribs that doubled him over. The fist or whatever the hell it was that connected with the back of his head knocked him face first onto the floor and left him dazed and barely able to breathe. "Uncle," he mumbled in hopes of keeping from being hit again and, much to his amazement, it seemed to work. His assailant leaned over him for a second, allowing him to see a pair of dark eyes, before vanishing from his line of sight and leaving him lying there trying to convince his lungs that they could indeed do the job they were designed for.

Alyx bolted from the desk she was at and headed for the temporary metal staircase that had been erected to access the upper level at Darien's shout. She knew he was getting the crap beat out of him, but couldn't do anything until she got closer. Bobby was dealing with his own battle, holding his own, and had no need of her help. And Gray... Gray suddenly appeared as she passed the landing and clattered up the top half of the staircase. He was being forced backwards by one hell of a fighter. Back towards the weakened balustrade of the upper level, and there was no way she was going to get there in time.

Halfway up she stopped and concentrated, and even then was almost too late. The stranger nailed Gray with a flying kick to his chest, knocking him backwards into the rail that was now being held together by Alyx. There he wavered, hanging there until she was forced to divide her attention in order to keep him from flipping backwards over the rail as it hit him in the lower back. His assailant didn't stop and went after him again, apparently intending to force him over and to the floor nearly 20 feet below, but a barked order in Chinese made him pause, allowing Alyx to get involved. She shoved him backward into the nearest stack of files where he slumped to the floor moaning in pain and only semi-conscious.

Gray still wavered for long seconds, fighting gravity, the railing giving off several ominous snaps and pops before finally, with a slight push by Alyx, he regained secure footing, and moved towards his assailant, who was attempting to get up already.

More Chinese was shouted and Alyx suddenly found herself grabbed by the hair and flung backwards onto the metal landing several feet below her, causing the entire staircase to ring like a broken bell. She landed awkwardly, connecting first with her lower back on the right side and then her head. She yelped in pain and forced herself to stay conscious as her assailant leapt down at her, intending to finish her off as far as she knew. She kicked out with her foot and connected with his knee, knocking him to the side, and making the entire staircase rattle with his impact into the railing. She rolled trying to get up, and he lashed out with his foot, catching her in the left shoulder blade, causing her grunt in pain and get a surprise view of the floor, as she slipped under the railing; only stopping as her shoulder slammed into the upright.

"Kid!" Bobby shouted from up above, having finally managed to get away from his attacker in time to see Gray do his amazing acrobatics and just manage to not do an imitation of a rock falling from the sky. The guy going after her changed his mind at Hobbes' shout and jumped over the railing to the floor below, heading for who knew where. There was another set of shouted orders and the trio that was still upstairs, two of whom were now injured, took off; getting out of the building by whatever way they had gotten in. Bobby bolted down the stairs, making Alyx groan; every vibration making her head ache and her side and back scream in pain. "Hell, kid, where ya hurt?"

"Back and head, Bobby," she got out through clenched teeth as the lights came back on, making her blink and her eyes to begin to tear up. Thanks to the blow to her head her control over her sight was off, making her temporarily photosensitive. "Who was that masked man?" she asked with a groan as he helped get her back onto the landing.

Bobby stifled the sudden hysteria laden laughter that tried to escape. "Have no idea. Now roll so's I can get a look at you."

"Hobbes, Fawkes is hurt," Gray called from above.

Darien staggered out from the stacks where he'd been lying and trying to convince his body that it did indeed want to get up and walk out of there. Certain that it wouldn't hurt nearly as much as it was insisting it would. His body had been right. It did hurt like hell. He had one arm wrapped about his ribs, half afraid his insides were going to spill out onto the floor, and the other on the nearest shelf trying to keep himself upright, which he couldn't quite manage. Gray got to him and helped him over to the top of the stairs and got him seated.

"What the hell was that all about?" Darien grouched, as Gray probed gently at Darien's ribs causing him to hiss in pain.

Bobby was doing the same to Alyx who was trying to fight off the waves of dizziness the whack to her head had inspired. "Have no fricking idea, Fawkes." He lifted Alyx's shirt to examine her back and whistled. "Shit kid, you've got the damn landing imprinted here."

"Tell me something I don't know, Bobby-boy," she muttered at him and then bit her lip to keep from screaming as he pressed his hand gently on the area.

"Hospital for these two," Gray stated only to have "No," shouted by all three of them.

"Can't Gray. One blood test or X-ray and ... and her secret gets out, remember?" Darien reminded him, just barely covering the fact he had no idea if Gray knew about his little talent. "Let's get to the hotel and go from there. If necessary we'll call the Keep and she can fly out and handle things. I'm pretty sure I'm only bruised, how about you Alyx?"

"I'll live... eventually." She closed her eyes and checked herself over as best as she could. Conflicts with using her abilities on herself made this painful and something she rarely did. "Just bruised, I think. Bobby, I hit my head pretty good," she trailed off swallowing hard.

"Gotcha, kid. Just try and stay awake, for now." Shifting her slowly, he helped her to her feet and supported her as they made their slow way down the stairs. Moments later they were joined by Gray and Darien. "Wonder what they were after?" Bobby mused as they made their way out of the building, only stopping long enough to grab their coats and her laptop.

"Not sure. It all happened too fast even for me," Alyx said through clenched teeth, walking hurt, her hip aching with every step. "But they were speaking Chinese."

"Think you can translate?" Gray asked her softly.

She nodded and regretted it immediately and her stomach did a loop de loop and quick roll to the left causing her to clap her free and over her mouth and swallow hard.

"Later," Darien insisted, noting the subtle tint of green her skin tone had taken on. "It can wait 'til later."

***

Alyx stepped out of the bathroom with steam trailing after her. The hot shower had, hopefully, kept the muscles of her back loose enough for Gray to give her a better exam and determine whether or not she would need that trip to the hospital after all. With the towel wrapped about her she pulled on panties and a comfortable pair of sweats while Gray waited patiently. "How's your head, Sil?"

"Better, the Tylenol worked for the most part and the nausea is gone so I don't think I have a concussion this time." She limped across the floor, climbed slowly onto the bed, and sighed as Gray felt over the lump on the side of her head with gentle fingers before pulling her hair back and swiftly braiding it for her. "Uh, how do you want to do this? Lying down would not be good."

Gray thought about it, realizing she was right. "Sit up by the headboard. Pile the pillows in front of you for support."

Alyx did as he suggested, sitting cross-legged and leaning forward to rest her forehead on her arms. The four pillows stuffed in front of her made this almost comfortable, except for the fact that her entire back ached; though the lower right was the worst of it. The simple movement of him loosening the towel from about her caused her to moan in pain.

"Sil, I can give you a painkiller now. This is going to hurt no matter how careful I am." Gray could see the bruises already forming along her left shoulder blade and the huge area that truly did have the grid of the landing imprinted on her lower right side. He was concerned she might have damaged the kidney there. The bruise disappeared below the waistband of her sweats, her limp proving she done a job on her hip as well as her side and lower back. He knew that no matter what he did she was going to be very stiff and sore tomorrow, even if there was no major internal damage.

"After, maybe. I can't help you if I'm drugged and you know it." She turned slightly to look at him. "Are you all right? You got nailed pretty good yourself."

"I'll have my own bruises, but they are minor. Now, hush tsosie-tsidi." With a gentle hand he tipped her head back down and waited until she had relaxed slightly before beginning his examination. He ignored her moans of discomfort and did what was necessary. Luckily she seemed to be no more than bruised. No heat or swelling in her abdomen, everything still nice and soft the way it should be, though he would keep a close eye on her as a precaution. "A-zay-kut tsidi?"

"Please?" she replied at a mumble. She'd put herself into neutral as he poked and prodded her, the pain bad, but not worrying. She'd dealt with worse over the years. Seconds later the scent of the homemade medicine wafted through the room making her sigh. Forget that Icy-hot or Flex-all crap, the stuff Gray made up worked so much better, and smelled wonderful. Even Tiger Balm couldn't match this stuff for efficacy or scent. When he began to knead it into her muscles she sighed. Even going over the bruises didn't bother her nearly as much, knowing that the pain would be eased and the stiffness reduced by the simple act of massaging it into the injured muscles.

Gray forced himself to not think or feel while he worked on her back. This was not the first time she'd gotten herself badly injured and he'd been the only one to care for her, and therein lay the problem -- he cared for her. He tried his best to keep the wisps of fantasies involving his hands roaming to other areas from becoming more than half formed, burying them back in that room in his mind he tried to keep them locked in.

Every soft moan of pain made him want to respond with words of comfort, words that he knew would reveal far too much. He made sure to do her entire back including the old scar tissue that lay just below her right shoulder blade and hidden under an elaborate tattoo. He knew she still had to work those muscles to keep them flexible, with all the scar tissue there she had no choice, though after all this time she had full use of the arm and little pain. Still, he had seen her abuse the damaged muscles and need to spend days after healing.

He knew when the medicine finally began to work, Alyx sighed deeply and relaxed even further, the muscles around the swelling loosening up finally and allowing her some relief from the pain.

"Gray, thank you," she mumbled into the pillow her chin rested on. His hands were making their way down her spine, catching all those tight spots she could never seem to completely stretch out on her own. She was thankful he was as skilled at massage as he was considering how often she seemed to need tight muscles loosened.

"Hush, tsidi. Relax for while. You always try to do everything..." The sound of someone clearing their throat caused Gray to turn his head to see both Darien and Bobby standing in the doorway connecting both rooms.

Bobby glanced from the sight on the bed to Fawkes, fully expecting to seen anger or jealously there, but instead saw only worry. Understandable given the lovely shade of purple the bruise on her back was already turning, and he knew it would only get worse over the next couple of days. It was one of the things the kid had always done in a big way -- bruise. He debated being embarrassed for all of an instant due to her lack of clothing, but decided not to bother as she didn't seem to be the least bit concerned, and it was plain there was no way she could wear anything with comfort right now.

"So this is why I'm smelling apple pie?" Darien limped over to the other bed and settled down slowly, until he was actually seated.

Gray chuckled and turned to look at Fawkes. "First time I've heard that one," he admitted. He held up the jar of dark yellow cream. "Heard of Tiger Balm?"

Hobbes nodded. "Yeah, great stuff. Used good old horse liniment a time or two as well. So what's in the jar?"

"Ancient Navajo secret." Gray grinned and set the jar back down.

Alyx turned her head to look at Darien. "How're you?" she mumbled, not wanting to regain full consciousness quite yet.

"He'll live. Just bruises, but I taped him up just in case," Hobbes answered as he walked over to the table noticing that her pager was blinking. "Kid, you've got some messages."

"Ignore them," she told him flatly.

"You still want the shot, Sil?" Gray asked, as he slid back away from her and over to his bag where they kept the medical supplies they always traveled with.

"Uh, yeah. Better do it, or I'm going to be miserable." Alyx sat up slowly, remembering to hold the towel in place as she did so. Gray handed her a shirt of his that would be huge on her, but would also be loose, easy to get in and out of, and not chafe the abused skin over the bruises. That lower bruise had blood-swollen welts in some sections, the skin having nearly broken open, and it wouldn't take much for it to happen. She slipped her arms slowly into the sleeves and buttoned it up with only a couple of moans escaping past her lips. "I'm gonna need to crash for a bit, couple of hours or so."

"I figured, kid," Hobbes admitted, and tried not flinch as Gray slipped down one side of her sweats to inject the contents of the syringe into her upper left buttock.

He patted her on the shoulder when he was done. "Try and stretch a bit before you fall asleep or you'll be twice as stiff tomorrow."

She moved slowly until she was off the bed and standing before Darien, but looking over her shoulder at Gray. "Yes, boss." Then she turned to meet Darien's concerned gaze.

Darien just looked at her, swallowed up by her partner's huge dark green shirt, appearing tired, sore, and incredibly young. Darien reached out for her hand and was about to speak, but was interrupted by Hobbes.

"Kid, these are from Franklin." Hobbes had her pager in his hands, and she yanked it from them without even turning to look. Her hand snapped up to catch the pager over her shoulder as it flung itself at her. Her body might be in pain, but her mind was just fine.

"I said ignore it, Hobbes," she snarled as she erased all the messages without even looking at them. "We have more important things to deal with right now." She met Darien's gaze calmly. "Including getting food for Mr. Rumbly here."

"Kid..." Hobbes started, in that tone of voice that meant his patience was wearing thin and his suspicions were aroused.

"We'll handle it," Gray broke in. "You two go... rest for a bit."

Gray may have looked bored, but Bobby caught the discomfort in his stance and tone. "Yeah, you two go lick your wounds and we'll actually work for a bit." The completely unintentional sexual innuendo caused Gray's look to tighten, the muscles of his jaw clenching, his hands to twitch as if wanting become fists, and Bobby found himself regretting his words and tried to cover it before Gray said or did something stupid. "Rest. I have the feeling tomorrow is going to be less fun than today."

Darien snorted and got to his feet. "And what would make you think that, huh? The ninja quartet?" He didn't give either of them a chance to answer and pulled Alyx along with him, the two of them limping their way across to the door that connected the two rooms.

Alyx paused and turned back to Gray. "Oh, now that my brain is functioning, the one guy was down in the adoption section and he said he'd 'found what he needed'." She shrugged and then groaned as her body told her how stupid that move was -- literally.

"We'll check into it tomorrow, kid." When it looked like she was going to argue Bobby pointed at the door and glowered at her. "I still have my handcuffs."

That earned a laugh from her, but she complied, shutting the door behind her.

Gray let out the breath he'd been holding with a soft growl of irritation.

"You're a damn lucky man, Agent Graywolf," Hobbes asserted quietly to the much larger man, as he watched the various emotions chase their way across his face.

"And how do you figure that, Agent Hobbes?" Gray moved over to the computer and turned it on, using his password to access his files on the machine.

"She trusts you, completely," Hobbes grabbed a chair and sat down beside him at the table, "and you have no idea how difficult or rare that is for her."

Gray just shook his head. Trust was not an issue; they were partners, trust was expected and necessary.

"You think it's no big deal. Well, my friend, let me tell you something; I know exactly how many people she trusts -- really trusts outside of family -- and I can't count them all on one hand. Hell, most of us are here with her, only Claire is missing." Gray had turned to face Hobbes, disbelief plain on his face. "Do you really think she'd allow just anyone to be that... intimate with her?" Hobbes asked, referring to the scene he and Fawkes had walked in on.

"She is a very... tactile person," Gray stated the obvious.

"Yes, but she is also very cautious. She don't wear those gloves for nothing." Hobbes shook his head not sure how to explain this quirk about her. "When she trusts she does it completely, no holds barred. She trusts you," then his voice dropped to a near whisper, "even knowing you care about her as more than a partner."

Gray's look darkened and he turned in his seat to face Hobbes directly.

"Care to try and deny it? Fawkes spotted it almost immediately and he tends to let things like that go flying right over his head," Hobbes pointed out in a cool voice.

Gray growled in frustration. "Yet he does nothing, why?"

"What is there to do? You're her partner and, no offense to you, but there's little chance of you separating the two of them." Hobbes figured the truth would serve better and, hopefully, ease the tension between the two men. It seemed to backfire, however.

"We'll see about that." Gray turned back to the computer screen and began typing quickly to avoid any more of this conversation. He didn't want to hear that she was ... attached to this Fawkes, this ex-con, this snake oil salesman that had to be playing her for her to care the least little bit for him, beyond, perhaps, a grudging friendship that had formed out of their previous partnership.

Hobbes sighed and dropped the subject for now, there was a battle brewing between Fawkes and Graywolf and he couldn't see a way to head it off right at the moment. He just didn't want to see the kid get even more stressed out than she already was. "So, what do you think they were after?"

Gray contained the sigh of relief that Hobbes was changing the topic since they had did have work to do. "Good question." He had accessed the county records only to be dumped to a 'temporarily out of service' screen. At a guess they had taken the system off-line thanks to the little incident earlier. "Damn it."

"Huh. Well, we could always try to break in later after the cops have left." They had managed to avoid the worst of the mess by flashing badges and claiming injuries -- which was true -- though they had promised to give statements tomorrow and left a contact number if their information was needed sooner. Apparently the clerk had been knocked out, though not seriously injured, when the bad guys had broken in. "Wonder if Lee is involved, somehow?" Hobbes mused aloud.

"Sil did say they were speaking Chinese, but if it was Lee with friends, what would he be looking for?" Gray closed the window and accessed his mailbox at the CIA and was shocked to find over a dozen e-mails from Franklin in his box. They all had the same theme, but the tone deteriorated the more recent the e-mail. All wanted know where he and Agent Silver were and direct orders to not follow up on the Lee lead they had found.

Hobbes saw this. "Oh, crap."

Gray actually chuckled. "That's an understatement. Let us go pick up dinner and I'll make a phone call or two to find out what is going on."

"Good plan." Hobbes agreed, getting to his feet and moving to get his coat from the other room. He found Fawkes staring at the TV with Alyx curled up against him looking sleepy. "We're gonna get dinner, any prefs?"

"Italian?" Darien suggested and Alyx grunted in agreement. "With salads, someone wants rabbit food." His fingers were almost unconsciously tracing random figures on her shoulder.

"Fine. We'll be back in an hour or so. Sil, be careful, you hit your head a good one," Gray reminded her, the painkiller would be making her quite tired by now, forcing her into the rest that she needed anyway.

*Nag,* she grumbled mentally at him. *Food, shush-yahz.*

"Yes, tsidi." Gray grinned and closed the door once Hobbes had passed through with his coat now in hand.

Darien turned to Alyx. "Seedy?"

Alyx chuckled then groaned as her back complained. "Tsidi," she said slowly so that he could hear the proper inflection. "It's Navajo for bird. Gray's been teaching me the language. Tsosie-li-chi-tsidi is his nickname for me. Little red bird."

"Nickname?" Darien was curious. She called him Dare, but except for the occasional 'sweets' or the like he didn't really have a pet name for her.

She picked up on what he was thinking and moved slowly, mindful of her back, until she was facing him directly. "You don't need a pet or nick name for me. You have my real name, remember?" She kissed him lightly. "You have me for as long as you want me."

His hands came up to cup her face. "Ah 'Chele..."

She smiled. "See, you get all of me." She shifted slightly as her lower back chose that moment to spasm, causing her to wince. "All of pain filled me."

Darien dropped his forehead to rest on hers. "I'll take it - you - healthy, hurt, happy, sad," He kissed her for a long moment, but pulled away when his stomach rumbled. "Damn, you still smell like apple pie."

Alyx ignored the pain and laughed. "And you are always hungry... for one thing or another."

"Definitely, but I think we're both in no shape to ease the hunger that doesn't require food." He wasn't lying. He was one large ache from collarbone to hip thanks to his round as a kicking bag earlier and he knew she was in worse shape even with painkillers helping her.

"Sadly enough that is quite true, but I don't mind. If I have to suffer at least I have good company." She lay her head back down on his chest and adjusted her position until she had achieved the most comfort her injuries would allow. "What we watching?"

"Not much." He flipped through the limited channels on the hotel TV, finally settling on whatever local station was showing Buffy the Vampire Slayer this week. "Vampires, demons, slayers, witches ... and yet no one wants to believe in Chrysalis and its never-never land ideals."

"Shoot Dare, it's a TV show. They can turn it off at the end and know it's not real, know that the boogeymen revealed are just imaginary. Hyped up CGI and SFX to please the hordes of mindless teens who like angst to go with their thrice distilled violence and mayhem. But to learn that reality is just as strange and fantastic, that the boogeyman is real? It's like believing in psychic powers and invisible men -- better left to Hollywood." Alyx's voice was tight by the time she finished.

"Hey, no need to get upset." Darien switched off the TV, not quite sure why she was suddenly reacting this way.

"Sorry, blame the meds." She sniffled a bit, refusing to let the sudden urge to cry happen. "Some days it's just a lot to deal with, not being ... normal."

Darien knew exactly what she meant. "But we do, and we will -- deal with it, that is. It's who we are and one day -- I hope anyway -- we won't be seen as different and won't have to hide from all but a select group. Why do you think I like hanging with your family, Michele? They don't care I'm the invisible man, they like me." His ill formed, completely insane idea of several days before, jumped to the forefront of his mind, but he shoved it away for now. This was not the time or the place.

"Yes, they do and not just 'cause I raised them that way. They like you." She snuggled up a bit closer, allowing him to draw her away from that edge, from being upset over something she could do nothing about anyway. "Now, put Buffy back on. I've missed quite a few eps recently."

"You sure?" When the TV blinked on by itself showing the infamous slayer battling some unnamed demon, he interpreted that as a yes. Wrapping his arm about her, cautious of her injuries, they settled in to enjoy an hour of fantasy that didn't involve their reality.