"Please tell me you're joking." Cordelia glared at Xander who shrugged.

"I wish I could but Harry was sure, something attracts demons to this street."

"Something like a Hellmouth?"

"Probably not a very big one or San Francisco would have more problems. On the other hand, maybe it's got a proportional amount of problems, the population is like twenty times what Sunnydale's is. And it's possible the people are sheep here too."

"I hope not, Xander, I want to be able to tell my parents about all of this. I want us to be together properly."

"Techno vamp version of married?"

"Essentially. Don't get me wrong, it's great that you managed to find a duplex and can rent one half and my parents and I can rent the other half. As long as I officially live at home and never again tell Daddy that I'm spending the night with you, he's okay with us dating because I'm over 18, but you look 25 or so and that's how old you are legally thanks to Willow's knowledge of computers. But you're actually 18, same as me and I'd like to be able to tell him that so he doesn't worry that you're taking advantage of me. If San Francisco makes people sheeplike, that's going to be really hard to do!"

"On the other hand, if there really is something in this neighborhood that attracts demons they may end up getting the knowledge of that shoved into their faces when we're least prepared."

"Don't tempt Murphy. The asshole follows us around, you know that." Cordelia grumbled, curling into his side on his couch and letting him wrap an arm around her.

"And I'm a known demon magnet, he probably gets a lot of belly laughs from the crap that happens to me."

"Hyena possession, soldier possession, fish boy, techno vamp."

"Frankencordy."

"Fine, I'm not immune to Murphy's stupid games. When do you start your new job?"

"Monday. I've got the weekend and then Monday. Thank gods, there's a garage both here and at my job, I can avoid sunlight. I'll pack a small cooler for lunch and tuck a blood bag into the bottom, just in case I get into a situation and need it. Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it."

"What will you be doing?"

"Mostly moving inventory, but it sounds like a cool place to work."

"What's the place called?"

"Buckman's Auction House, there was a recent scandal that caused some problems. Apparently someone killed the owner and pretended to be them for awhile, then disappeared. Rumor has it they looted some stuff, as well as proceeds from sales. They need to move a lot of inventory to keep the place from being shut down."

"If you do well, they'll probably keep you. Being stronger than a normal human will help with that."

"And after work, I can practice my Magic, tomorrow I'm going to put protection spells around this place, it'll help if there is something that causes sheeplike behavior and Wards. Vampires can't get in unless invited but demons, they're hard to keep out, every single one of them needs a different Ward and so far I only know a few. I'll make the place as safe as I can, I promise."

"Good, I need to get registered for classes for this fall, I'll do that online tomorrow. Let's just veg tonight."

Xander kissed the top of her head and picked up the remote. "Anything you want, my Queen."

She smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. He might be a demon magnet and they apparently lived on a street demons were attracted to, but right now, they were just a young couple in love and happy. And if a demon dared to interrupt them they'd get the sharp edge of Cordelia's tongue verbally shredding them, something she was good at.

At Buckman's Auction House a man stepped into Prue Halliwell's office. "Prue Halliwell?"

Prue glanced up. "Yes?"

"Hi, Eric Lehman, Bay Area Weekly, Alternative Press. Have you heard of us?"

"No."

"Listen, I was hoping you might be willing to help me with s story I'm working on."

"On the auction business?"

"No, actually, on Magic."

"Magic, why would you come to me?"

"Maybe because I saw you levitate two people in the park with just a wave of your hand. I'll take that as a "no comment". So what are you, anyway? Some kind of David Copperfield, Lance Burton, freak of nature? " He laughed.

"I don't know what you're talking about, I'd like for you to leave before I call security."

"Well, tough, get over it. I had my police sources check you out. It's interesting how your name keeps popping up in all these unsolved murder cases, don't you think?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Maybe nothing. But if I wrote an article on it, it might look like something. Does your boss subscribe to my paper?"

"Don't threaten me." Prue warned him.

"What are you gonna do? Make me fly into the wall?" He laughed again. "Come on." He knocked a glass bowl on the floor. "How clumsy of me. I bet that took a lot of self-control, huh? Not to use your powers."

"You're a real credit to your profession."

"You know, that kid saw what I saw too." Prue picked up the phone. "Cops get him, he's all the corroborating evidence I need." He pressed the hang up button on her phone and smirked arrogantly at her.

"Prue, be smart. Work with me. I'm gonna break this story one way or the other. And when I do, I can either make you sound like Wonder Woman or the devil incarnate. Okay? Think about it." He left, Prue's eyes boring into his back as she restrained her Magic. Damn it, this was the last thing they needed.

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A/N Some dialog from prior page and current page taken Charmed wiki transcript.