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Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks to all my awesome reviewers. You make the bunnies happy. Thanks to Jackofspikes and Karyn for their wonderful support of the muse. Thanks to Tasha for betaing for me.
Buffy stared at the naked man in shock. This wasn't something she expected, but for some reason she felt that the Brachen demon belonged to her. When Buffy glanced at Spike, she could feel that he felt the same way she did. She silently directed her mate to find the unconscious man something to wear while she called Los Angeles and Cordelia.

He's gonna be fine, luv, Spike transmitted to his mate. He knew she was a little worried about Doyle. Spike dashed upstairs for one of his shirts and a pair of jeans. The Brachen demon looked slender enough to fit in Spike's clothes.

I'll take you word on it, sweetie, Buffy transmitted back while she dialed the number of Angel Investigations, But with all the demons coming out of the woodwork we really need to find us a family demon doctor. Buffy paused in her dialing. Did you let Tribble out for the night? Buffy's only answer was Spike's quiet chuckle echoing through her mind.

Buffy finished dialing the phone number, and she waited for someone to answer. She was hardly surprised when a tearful Cordelia answered the phone. "Hey Cordelia. Mind telling me how I got a naked Doyle in the middle of my kitchen at..." Buffy glanced at the nearby clock. "2 in the morning?" She pulled the phone away from her ear when Cordelia let out a whooping shriek.

"He's where, and he's what?" Cordelia demanded to know. "No. Don't tell me. I'm leaving for Sunnydale right now. I'll be there in under 2 hours." She hung up on Buffy, but not before the Slayer heard Cordelia insist on Angel's car keys.

"Cordy's on her way," Buffy informed Spike when he walked past her with one of his many black outfits in his hands. "It's a good thing I don't have any classes tomorrow, erm, today because somehow I don't think I'd be going."

Spike chuckled. He entered the kitchen, and he found that Doyle had joined the land of the concious again. Spike handed the other man the clothes. "The Slayer and 'll be in the living room, mate." Then he left Doyle alone to get dressed, and he joined Buffy back in the living room.

Doyle hurriedly dressed, and he joined the Slayer and her mate in the living room. He knew they were anxious to hear how he ended up in their kitchen. Doyle cursed the Powers for sending him to the Sultana naked.

When Doyle entered the living room he took the time to study the mated pair that the PTB had tied his life to. Spike sat sprawled on the couch with a glass of whiskey in one hand. The other hand was wrapped around Buffy's shoulders while he caressed her upper arm. The vampire looked at ease and relaxed with his new status as clan leader. Buffy sat with her feet curled under her body and her torso twisted slightly towards Spike. she could easily see Spike's face and the television screen. She leaned her head against the vampire's bicep, and she was laughing at something on the television. If Doyle didn't know better, he would swear they were just any other young couple in love.

Spike looked up to see the Brachen demon hovering in the doorway. He gestured towards one of the armchairs. "Pull up a chair, mate. Got somethin' to tell us, 'm sure."

"Yes, I do," Doyle sighed. He took the indicated seat, and he slumped bonelessly into the chair. "I'll make a long story short. I sacrificed myself, and the Powers To Be decided to elevate me." He glanced quickly over at the blond couple. When I called Buffy Mistress I was acknowledging her as the Sultana. So, now they made me a conduit directly to them for you." Doyle blinked when two sets of blazing eyes fell upon him.

"Somehow I think it would be best if you gave the long story," Buffy replied, "What exactly do you mean by 'elevate'?"

"D'Hoffryn's meddling changed the timeline," Doyle announced, "If he hadn't, Spike would be chipped and chained to the Watcher's bathtub. You, Mistress, would be dating one of the commandos."

"What?" the two blonds cried. Buffy snuggled closer to her mate, and she sighed when he gathered her in his arms. They both needed some soothing that they could only get from each other. Mine. Always mine, Spike assured his mate through the claim.

"Yes, she's always yours, Spike," Doyle said. He didn't have to hear the words to know what the vampire was thinking. "Sometimes the route to getting the girl isn't all that easy."

"I would have died like Sabina, wouldn't I?" Buffy whispered in horror. The thought of dying in such pain like the previous could-have-been Slayer Sultana, and in such urgent need of Angel, scared her just a little.

"No, Mistress," Doyle answered sadly, "You would have died saving the world from becoming Hell on Earth." He hated telling her that little tidbit. "The blackness you saw in Willow would have been the result of her resurrecting you. She would have also released the First Evil into the world. There are other dimensions that parallel this one, so I'm sure somewhere she already has and will again."

"Do any of these dimensions have anything to do with us?" Buffy asked.

Doyle tilted his head as if he was listening to something. "Not at the moment," he answered, "The Powers are being very quiet about what's happening in the other dimensions for some reason. I think some bad things are coming our way."

"As cryptic as ever," Buffy growled, "The Powers have anything to say about the commandos?" She was still peeved that somewhere versions of her mate had a chip inside his head.

"Just that you already have the inside scoop with them," Doyle replied. He watched as Spike got up to refill his glass. "Mind if I have one, too?"

"Go for it, mate." The vampire grabbed a Diet Coke out of the mini-fridge for his mate. Then, he settled himself next to her again.

"Will you be staying here in Sunnydale?" Buffy asked. She popped the top of her soda can, and she took a sip. "Or do your plans include what Cordy wants to do?" Buffy had noticed how upset the ex-cheerleader had been because of Willow's dream spell.

Doyle looked down at his hands. "I can stay, Mistress, or I can go. I am yours to command." He was so busy berating himself for getting involved with the brunette woman, even though he was thoroughly smitten, that he failed to see Buffy rise from the couch and approach him.

"Mine, huh?" Buffy asked. She looked down at the saddened demon. Ours, Spike? she asked her mate silently.

It appears so, luv the vampire chuckled, Might as well initiate him. Spike had no problems letting his mate pick all of the clan members. So far her choices had been spot on. He watched as his mate delicately picked up the Brachen demon's arm, and she brought him into the clan as their Conduit. Spike heard scratching at the door that he recognized as Tribble's. He hopped up to answer the door, and he let the furry creature amble into the house.

In the living room, Buffy answered the phone. She discovered it was Reggie, who had been up late looking through the Slayer Sultana book. "Yes, Conduit to the Powers, Reg." Buffy paused to listen to the ex-Watcher.

"Did you inform the group in Los Angeles of the Conduit's return?" Reggie asked.

"Yeah, I called Cordy already. She's on her way." Buffy paused to listen to Reggie, again.

"When do you want to drop Tribble off at your mother's house, or should we stop by your house to watch him?"

"How about you and mom stop by here about 6 p.m. If that's okay?" Buffy glanced over at Spike for confirmation. When he nodded, she replied to Reggie, "Okay, see ya then. Bye." Buffy hung up the phone, and she caught Doyle's quizzical expression. "We're going Bronzing tomorrow, and they're going to come watch Tribble for us."

"You kept the fuzzy thing?" Doyle looked at the strange creature that appeared to be sniffing his pant leg. He reached out to touch it, and after a few pats the thing was trilling much like the creature from the television show. For some reason the Brachen demon found the sound very soothing, and soon he was yawning. Doyle's body had been through the ringer between jumping through the portal in Los Angeles, the meeting with the PTB, and his reappearance in the Sultana's kitchen.

"We have no bloody clue where the runt came from," Spike drawled. When he saw Doyle yawning, he nodded his head up the stairs, and he said, "Slayer's got the guest room all set up if you wanna get some kip before the Cheerleader gets here."

Doyle nodded while he started for the stairs. Suddenly he stopped in his tracks, and his eyes flashed. Doyle spoke in a far away voice, "I am yours, Mistress, but temptations that will end this dimension are coming for Angel. Others will join the souled vampire in his fight; the ex-Watcher, the street fighter, the misplaced genuis, and the empathic one. The path will be perilous, and so I must continue to give him guidance. Cordelia will be the seer, and if she joins us the visions will not hurt her." Doyle fell against the wall in exhaustion.

Spike and Buffy carried the worn out new addition to their clan up the stairs and into the guest bedroom. They pondered what the half Brachen said, but they decided nothing could be figured out until Doyle woke up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy sat in Professor Walsh's classroom while she listened to a lecture. While the teacher droned on about communication and language, Buffy glanced around the classroom. She noticed that several of the students had bleeding holes where their hearts should have been. She nudged Willow who stared at the students in horror.

"What's going on?" Willow asked in a whisper. She knew something weird was going on because no one seem the least bit fazed about the injured people in their midst.

"Slayer dream," Buffy whispered back. They watched as the professor called two other students to the front of the classroom.

"No offense, Buffy, but you don't have to share these. They're scary."

"Sorry, Wills." Buffy's attention was drawn to the pair in front of the class.

"Don't worry. If I kiss you, it'll make the sun go down," the male student said.

"Fortune favors the brave," the female student answered. The pair kissed, and the room darkened when night suddenly fell.

Outside the classroom, Buffy and Willow could hear a little girl humming. They jumped to their feet to follow the sound to its source. They found a little blonde girl in a red flowered dress standing in the hall holding a small ornate box in her hands. Her humming turned to chanting.

"Can't even shout. Can't even cry. The Gentlemen are coming by looking in windows, knocking on doors. They need to take seven, and they might take yours. Can't call to mom. Can't say a word. You're gonna die screaming, but you won't be heard."

Someone touched Buffy and Willow both on the shoulder. They both jumped and gave twin shrieks. When they turned they saw a humanoid creature wearing a dark suit. Both girls shivered when they saw the evil face of the monster.

Buffy jolted awake from her odd dream only to hear pounding on the front door. Her vamp detector was going haywire. So, Buffy knew that Angel had accompanied Cordelia. She smiled up at her mate, and she thought, God, I love you so much, Spike. Buffy shuddered deliciously as she watched him cockily swagger to the door. Tomorrow they were going to go the tattoo parlor so that they could be marked in yet another fashion that they belonged together. Buffy heard Cordelia before she saw the brunette girl.

"I told you I don't need a chauffer, Angel," Cordelia snarled, "I've been driving since I was sixteen." She stomped into the living room, and she flopped into one of the armchairs. "Stupid vampires."

Buffy giggled at the exasperated look on Cordelia's face. "Doyle's upstairs resting. He'll be down in a minute. He has a lot to explain to both of you and Angel."

Outside the house, Commander Sid Barkley was talking into his walkie-talkie. "Yes, Professor Walsh. Two subjects, a male and a female, have entered the home of the individuals you assigned me to watch. Both are Caucasian brunettes, but the male subject is an HST." He paused to listen to the voice on the other end of the communication device. "Yes, Ma'am. I will be looking for Privates Freeman and Hayes to be joining me shortly." Barkley clicked the walkie-talkie off, and he returned to observing the house.

"You did what to me when you kissed me good-bye?" Cordelia shrieked. She stood toe to toe and nose to nose with Doyle. "Now you're telling me if I don't become part of Buffy's little crew my brains are going to dribble out my ears?"

"If I had known I was coming back I wouldn't have done it, Cordy," Doyle replied calmly, "It's not something I can take back like jewelry." He knew he had some bridges to mend before... Doyle stopped mid-thought when Cordelia threw her arms around his neck, and she smashed her lips to his.

Cordelia pulled away from Doyle. "You know you're an idiot, Doyle. Can we get this over with so we can go home? I'm tired and cranky." She smirked at Buffy. "Should have known something was up when the four of us girls could sit in one room and not insult each other." Cordelia broke away from the Brachen demon, and she flopped down on the couch next to Buffy.

"Are you sure about this, Cordelia?" Angel asked, "It's an big step, and I'm not sure you're ready to take it." Four sets of eyes turned his direction, and the vampire suddenly wondered what he had said wrong.

"So what exactly does this claiming entail?" Cordelia asked Buffy. She focused her attention on the Slayer, and she ignored the males in the room.

"Spike or I will bite you on the wrist, and then say the claiming words," Buffy answered. She nodded towards Spike. "He'll show you how to block the rest of us. That way won't hear anything embarrassing." Buffy blushed profusely when she felt, rather than saw, Spike's leer at her from his seat beside her.

"Well, that sounds better than my brains dribbling out my ears," Cordelia declared. "Let's go for it." She offered her wrist to Buffy.

"Cordy, you don't have to do it this way," Angel announced, "We'll find a way to help you." To tell the truth, he was feeling more than a little bit jealous. It appeared Spike and Buffy wanted everyone but him in their little clan. He crossed his arms, and he told himself he wasn't brooding.

"No, I don't want to wait," Cordy said. "It's my brains and my decision. I want to do this." She looked down at her lap. "I've never really belonged before. The closest I've ever come was with the Scoobies, and I want to feel that again."

Buffy let her Sultana game face slide forward while she gently grasped Cordelia's arm in her hands. She stared up into the other girl's face while she bit into the offered flesh. Buffy removed her fangs, and she whispered reverently, "I claim the, Cordelia Marie Chase, as my own, belonging to the clan of Sultan-Aurelius. Our first Seer."

"First seer, luv?" Spike asked. "Where did that come from?" He placed his hand on top of Buffy's on Cordelia's arm. "Welcome to the clan, cheerleader." Spike showed Cordelia how to block her thoughts from the others.

"I don't know." Buffy smiled up at Spike before she turned her attention back to Cordelia. If you need any of us, all you have to do is lower the shield and speak.

Wow. That's different, Cordy thought, Thank-you, Buffy. She impulsively hugged the Slayer. ''We should be getting back to Los Angeles before daylight. Come along, Doyle. You have a lot of making up to do." Cordelia rose from the couch, and she regally marched out of the house.

Doyle followed her with his gaze mesmerized by the sway of her hips. "Cordy, darling, you know I'm not a rich man," he practically whined, "There's no way I can afford the making up you are accustomed to."

Spike and Buffy chuckled at Cordelia and Doyle's actions on the way to the car. Think we should give the Brachen some dosh to spend on his woman?
Buffy chuckled. Her good mood lasted only until she saw Angel brooding and grumbling about the unfairness of it all.

Spike and Buffy mentally rolled their eyes at each other while they walked a grumbling Angel to the front door. Nothin' like not being allowed into an exclusive club to piss ole Angelus off, Slayer. Spike mentally smirked at his mate.

My fangs aren't going near anything of his, Spike. The PTB would have to beg me first.

Spike laughed internally. Damn well better not let those pretties touch his flesh, he teased. I'd be a cranky vamp, not to mention a brassed off mate.
Buffy mentally cooed and cuddled her vampire.

You're the only one for me, Spike. Just remember I chose you, to be my mate.

That you did, luv. Spike wrapped his arms around Buffy while they walked their guests to the door.





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