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Add a Little Irish to Your Game

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Standing on Buffy's hand just outside Spike's trailer door, Angel said, "Thanks for the directions. And, uh, the lift." When Buffy continued to hold Angel's small body close to Buffy's non-bosom-ly chest, Angel added, "Go ahead and go. Got this situation covered."

With a headshake, Buffy said, "Probably should stay and help. Just in case."

"No, no, the reversal for the curses is... uh... simple. Go on. Meet up later."

Buffy didn't want to leave – Leprechaun Angel and Riverdancing Spike together? All Buffy's dreams had come true – but Angel was insistent. Buffy set Angel down outside Spike's door, and turned to go.

Buffy had walked all the way back to the fence when Angel's squeaky little leprechaun voice called out, "Uh, Buffy? Little help?"

Buffy turned around, and had to stifle a laugh. Angel jumped as high as possible, but still couldn't reach the door handle. And Angel's knocking wasn't loud enough to be heard over Spike's music. Buffy hurried back and scooped Angel up, and banged on the door.

"Thanks," Angel muttered.

Buffy nuzzled Angel closer.

Spike opened the door. "Back so soon?" Spike's eyes drifted to the glowering leprechaun. "What the hell?"

"The leprechaun is Angel!" Buffy said helpfully.

"Angel?" Spike's smile grew bigger and bigger, and turned into a laugh. "Angel? Angel is a –"

"Don't say –" Angel growled.

"Angel is a –"

"Don't say –"

"Angel is a wee little leprechaun man!" Spike howled.

Angel leapt from Buffy's hand and flew at Spike, fists and obscenities flying. Spike fell from the force of the impact, still howling with laughter.

"Fighting Irish," Buffy said happily. "No need for Notre Dame shirt after all." Buffy thought about stepping in and stopping the fight, but the fight was too amusing. And... sexy. "Maybe there should be oil involved," Buffy mused.

"Listen," Angel said. Angel had pinned Spike's head to the floor, tiny fists wrapped in Spike's hair. Spike was too busy laughing to put up a struggle. "Want to end Dru's Riverdance contract or not?"

"Don't know," Spike said, still grinning. "Does Dru's way of ending the contract cancel the Riverdance contract without reversing the leprechaun curse? Slayer here was willing to find a way to end the contract. Could wait and see what solution the Slayer digs up. Angel the leprechaun is a thing of beauty, and can't see any need to end such a curse."

Buffy agreed with Spike – leprechaun Angel was a-dor-able – but Angel didn't. Buffy didn't want Angel to be sad any more than Buffy wanted Spike to be sad... "Spike," Buffy said. "Be nice. Not going to find a solution to the Riverdance contract after all. Don't want to help a meanie!"

"Vampire, here. Supposed to be mean!"

Buffy glared.

"Oh, all right. How does this reversal work, then?" Spike said to Angel.

Angel looked at Buffy. "Er... the cure is... er... private."

Spike raised an eyebrow. So did Buffy.

"The cure requires... intimacy," Angel choked out.

Spike started to protest, then sighed. "Of course. Dru's idea of a laugh, right? Get the kit off, then." With nimble fingers, Spike began to undo the white shirt's buttons.

"Intimacy?" Buffy said, too distracted by Spike's actions to understand what Angel had meant. The implication came clear, and Buffy blushed. "Oh..." A naughty idea popped into Buffy's head, and wouldn't leave. "Buffy stay and help!" Buffy said firmly.

"Buffy..." Angel protested. "Please leave."

"Nuh uh. No way."

"Look mate, if push came to shove, maybe doing the deed with a Slayer wouldn't be so bad," Spike said to Buffy-in-Riley. "But tall and bland does nothing for the libido, catch the drift? At the risk of sounding like Angel – please leave."

Buffy scooped Angel up and nuzzled Angel close, then ran a finger down Spike's now-bare chest. "Buffy help... please?" Buffy said, batting eyelashes for good measure.

Spike looked at Angel. Angel looked at Spike. Spike shrugged and said, "Makes no difference. Might even be... interesting."

Angel sighed. "Today will never be spoken of again, agreed?" Angel said.

Buffy smiled, and remembered to set Angel down before clapping hands with excitement.

Buffy had removed the green cap and shirt, and was working on the green shoelaces when there was a loud pounding at the door. "Is Buffy there? Open up!" Willow called out.

Buffy's head went side to side: no no no. Not now, not when today was about to get very... interesting.

"Liam Neeson wants to talk to you, Buffy," Xander said. "He says he has something to tell you, and it can't wait. He's right here, but he's going to have to leave if you don't hurry!"

Liam Neeson! The most amazing actor ever! Buffy put hand to mouth, torn.

"Go on," Angel said. "Be right here when get back."

Spike nodded fervently. Buffy's eyes narrowed. Was the expression on Spike's face relief?

"Hurry, Buffster!" Xander said. "He's got to leave real soon! And he brought green beer. Just for you!" Xander sniffed loudly. "He smells like Irish Spring!"

Buffy jumped up. "Hold on, hold on!" Buffy hurried to the door and went outside, then looked around. Buffy didn't see any delicious-smelling Liam Neeson. Or any delicious-tasting green beer. Only Xander, Giles, Willow, and Riley-in-Buffy. "Where's Liam Neeson?"

"Sorry, Buff, we had to find some way to get you out of there," Xander said. Xander ignored Giles' wandering hand and murmured, "Keep talking, Xander. Don't stop." Giles' hand went lower, and Xander jumped. "Um. Right. Heh heh. So, listen, good news: we found a way to reverse the body-swap."

"Oh!" Buffy said. Good news indeed. If Buffy was in Buffy, and not in Riley, Spike and Angel might be more excited about letting Buffy... help. Buffy hurried over to Riley. "Okay. Do it!"

Willow nodded, then began to chant and wave bundles of herbs, with Xander's help.

Buffy shifted impatiently from foot to foot, too distracted by the noises coming from Spike's trailer – loud enough to be heard over Spike's Irish Rovers CD! – to pay attention to the reversal spell. But the spell must have worked, because when Buffy woke back up – success! Buffy was in Buffy's body! Buffy stretched, and sighed with relief. "And the pronoun curse?" Buffy said to Willow after assuring Xander, Willow, and Giles that the reversal had worked.

"Still working on that problem," Willow said.

Riley stirred and sat up.

"Oh, good," Buffy said to Riley. "Everything okay? Back to normal?" When Riley nodded, Buffy held out a hand to shake and said, "Hope to meet again under better circumstances. Excuse the rushing off, but must go help Angel and Spike now."

Buffy waved to the other people, then hurried back into Spike's trailer. Taking in the scene, Buffy smiled. "Just in time..."

"Buffy?" Angel the leprechaun asked, eyes lighting up.

"Buffy," Buffy agreed. "Body-swap all fixed."

Spike's eyes trailed up and down Buffy's body. "Then get on over here and... help," Spike purred.

"Don't mind if do," Buffy said. "But... ugh. What the hell is this music? The Irish Rovers? Yuck."

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