Fifteen minutes passed by, and the couple had yet to move. Buffy still sat atop the kitchen island, and Spike stood watching her study him. His vamp face was present, and something very strange drew Buffy to it. An urge to examine and recognize it in a way that did not inspire fear.

"Can I see?" she asked quietly.

Spike slowly opened his mouth wide to give her a better view of his teeth. They were jagged and sharp, and Buffy knew that it would be easy to prick herself on any one of the fangs if she so much as touched the right place. Instead, she framed his bottom lip with two fingers and then gently probed the front base of a bottom tooth. It was smooth and wider than his human ones, but then again, some of the fangs were smaller, too. But all were made for a predator.

She met his inquisitive eyes, and smiled with embarrassment. Curious and attentive about learning the demon in him, she hoped Spike wouldn't think her weird for being so by touching a tooth. "Sorry," she said, a blush coming up. "You um... You use them to drink-..."

A few seconds passed. Then, Spike supplied, "Blood?"

"Yeah," Buffy nodded. "Blood. With those?"

"They help." He smirked, and then gave a half eye roll. "Well, they did. Mostly jus' for show now."

"They are?"

"S'not very hard to rip open a bloodbag."

"Oh." Buffy glanced down. "You-... That's what you- Your food supply?"

"Has been since they came out," he said. "Tastes better than pig's blood, and they're microwaveable."

Buffy's lips actually curled up at the ends when he said the last, even as her nose wrinkled in distaste. After a moment of silence she asked, "So. Vampires do drink blood. Are you allergic to garlic, too?"

Spike smirked. "I actually love the stuff, adds a bit of flavor ta the bland things. But I've heard some vamps hate it."

Buffy's expression changed from curious to accepting, and she nodded. Her mouth opened on another question. "Do you-"

Spike's face shifting back to human cut her off. "Alright, let's get some things sorted, yeah?" He tilted her chin upward to see straight into her eyes. He started listing off of his fingers. "I can't fly. Holy water burns like a bitch- Don't like crosses or sunlight much either. A stake to the heart would do me in and end my unlife right quick, as would a good beheadin- And it doesn' gotta be with a silver blade to turn me into a pile of ash."

Her eyes were wide and unblinking. Buffy took a short, quick breath... then, "Mirrors?"

"You can see vamps in photograph, but a reflection is somethin we don't have."

"What about shapeshifting?"

He scoffed. "Only tossers wanna turn into a bleedin bat. Easy as cake with the right magicks, too."

"Nocturnal by choice, or by nature?"

"Both. I can be up durin the day but m'not exactly built for it."

She nodded, mentally sifting through the information she'd read earlier at the library. Most of her questions had been answered tonight, surprisingly. She couldn't be anything but grateful for that.

Still, she asked one more thing, to be clear about all she could remember to be clear on; the rest would come with time. "And you're definitely... immortal?"

Spike paused. His answer did not come readily, quick and to the point. His eyes were frozen until a streak of unease shined in them. Buffy's brow furrowed. He swallowed, and she watched as a nerve twitched in his tightening jaw. Then he replied. "Yes."

It was just that one word, and she was left to wonder why the question she'd just asked had caused such alarm. He knew she already knew- Hell, he had told her himself. But now he was shy on the subject? "Spike, is there something..." He locked gazes with her; Buffy's was searching, Spike's was sharp. "Is there something you want to tell me? Something ELSE?"

She didn't have to wait long. He sighed, then a nostril flare, and he said, "I'm gonna live forever, Buffy. S'a lot longer than your estimated lifespan."

A very quick, brimming emotional wave just hit her, like a smack in the face. So unexpected the blow, so unprepared she was for the insecurity and the feeling of inadequacy, Buffy couldn't hide her reaction. She couldn't pretend she hadn't felt the flicker of pain show on her face either, the pinching of her features. Spike saw it, too.

She jumped off the counter, prepared to leave the comfort of his arms to gain distance, but he grabbed her when her feet hit the floor. Buffy met his eyes, a color of imploring blue.

"M'not the leavin sort, you understand?" He held her arm but loosened his grip- against his better judgment -after she turned to face him fully. "I'd sooner put a chair leg through my heart than try an run from this. But you're human, and sooner or later-"

"Sooner or later what?" She snapped. "You think you're the one who has the most to lose here?"

When he said nothing, she scoffed. "Spike, I was afraid of moving here, I was afraid of knowing you. I'm afraid of losing people I care about, and that includes you. The idea of you getting hurt and passing out again doesn't really rank high on my 'Gee, that was fun, let's do it again!' list. I'm in this thing as deep as you are, for as long as-..." She paused, and lowered her voice, stepping along a thin wire of courage, "as long as you want it."

His eyes widened before being narrowed by astonishment. Then he opened his mouth to speak, but Buffy beat him to it. "The idea of living forever... It's a lot to take in, I'll admit. The whole concept is like a novelty to me. But at the same time, it doesn't make me wanna run for the hills." She took a hesitant step closer, and looked up at him, her heart poorly hidden. "I'm not going to run from you, okay?" she said, her voice tightening. "You're either gonna have to kick me out of your UNlife... or something's gonna take me out of it because I'm here, Spike. I'm here and I'm in this- Whatever it is."

He kissed her. It seemed to be all they were doing tonight. His lips locking onto hers and a sweet reaffirming, solidifying emotion running through the both of them. Spike's fangs itched while his mouth tasted and drank deep, while she gave back all that she got, and his head spun. There was a way to have this forever, a possibility he hadn't known was within reach until today. He could keep her. She could be with him, they could be together for eternity.

The concept was like a drugging dream. He wanted to be selfish, he wanted to be hers and her only. He wanted to have her in his bed, at his side like a shadow. He would never not need Buffy. His girl, the one who owned him body and heart. He loved her.

*Oh balls.*

The revelation wasn't as shocking as it might have been a few weeks ago. He'd sensed the feelings growing, and then he'd felt them solid and secure in his chest every time he laid eyes on her. Buffy was literally the life in his nonexisting one, someone more than special. Someone who'd been half broken by fate and then had risen up again, was still rising. Someone who was smart and witty and called to the passion, and the demon, as well as the poet-writing ponce inside of him. Someone who could walk with him, kneel before anyone and still never be an inch shorter. A woman who could fit into his way of life, and possibly enjoy it.

She wasn't going to ever have a house in the burbs with two and a half kids and a minivan. She never would push herself into that mold. Not after losing something she'd so loved would she adhere to the world's norms. It wasn't in her blood.

She was too strong for mere mortals, too everlasting and great to become something she didn't want to be. She'd never chose something for herself that wasn't absolutely what her heart desired.

So he would ask her. He would tell her the ability they had to make a forever of it. He would let her choose, and he wouldn't ask her of it now. He'd never pressure her at all. But he'd tell her.

And that was something.

Their mouths fell apart. Her breaths clashed into his and Spike realized he'd gotten hold of both of her arms again. Their chests were touching and her lips were swollen a rosy pink.

The vampire caught his courage, waiting for the fog in her gorgeous eyes to clear once more before he-

The front door opened, voices invaded, and a wall dropped down. He was cut off.

The moment of opportunity slipped away.

"I'm not sure the PTB didn't send us here just to catch this Flora bitch, she can climb trees like a freaking spider monkey." Blake's groan reached the couple's ears, and Buffy pulled back, looking to where several sets of heavy footsteps approached.

Spike's teeth were grinding.

"She's fast, too. Runs quicker than you do, Ace," Dylan said.

"Or maybe she just has a better sense of direction."

"Can it! You went the wrong way before I did, Blake, I was just following-"

"Like an idiot, I might add."

"Well why didn't you let Rex go after her then? He always has to fly south for the winter, he's like a compass with wings-"

"Fuck off-"

"Will you all stop bickering-"

The five hulking, tired, covered in blood-and-who-knows-what-else men all halted as they entered the kitchen. Weapons dangled from hands and looks of question came over their faces. Everybody blinked, staring at the two blondes by the island.

Stevo glanced behind him, fleetingly meeting his friends' eyes, before turning around again. "You came back," he said, and approached Spike and Buffy, grabbing a stool and sliding it away from the counter to sit down heavily.

The others slowly ambled in, Spike's expression of annoyance went unnoticed, and Buffy's eyes grew wider and rounder. "Y-Yes. I came back." She wanted to point out that he'd sounded surprised, but if they knew the story of what had happened, she couldn't exactly blame any of them for being so. Even Blake had lost his cocky air of amusement, all that was left was uncertainty.

The men slowly spread out, with Rex and Ace leaning against the counter tiredly as Blake grabbed another stool. Dylan went for his chair and said, "We weren't sure you would."

Buffy glanced at Spike, then back to his friends. "I wasn't- Um, exactly planning on... staying away-"

"Don't need to explain yourself, love." The vamp interrupted, squeezing her waist gently where he held her, in reassurance. "You're here." *You're here now and you're mine.*

The unspoken words echoed clearly in both their minds. Spike thought it, Buffy heard it, and the overwhelming feeling of belonging swept over the both of them.

Ace shrugged from where he stood, distracting their focus again. "Hey, we're just glad you decided to come back." He addressed Buffy, then looked at Rex with a grin. "You owe me twenty bucks."

Rolling his eyes, Rex dipped into his back pocket and retrieved a crumpled twenty dollar bill. He handed it over with a grimace and Ace beamed.

Buffy gaped, but didn't have time to even register her shock, or determine whether or not Spike was shocked. He probably wasn't anyhow, he knew these guys, but she didn't- yet -and she'd like to know whether she was being made into a joke or not.

"Hey! Since when was there a bet?! I wasn't told about this," Blake interjected, his expression affronted.

Rex only offered an unconvinced frown to his friend's grievance. "What side would you have chosen?"

"That is beside the point!"

Ace stuck his new bill in his pocket. "Next time we'll let you in."

"Yeah, sure ya will." Blake faced the other two who were sitting down. "Did you guys know about this?"

Stevo shook his head, unsurprised; Dylan nodded and straightened the glasses that sat crooked on the bridge of his nose. "They asked me if I wanted in, but I said no."

"Why the hell would you say no?"

"Maybe because he's not a git like you three halfwits," Spike chimed in. His tone was irritated, his expression worse. Buffy glanced up and saw; worry clambered up her nerves. She didn't want to be a problem between him and his friends, and she knew Spike wasn't getting defensive because they'd hurt HIS precious feelings.

Even if the betting thing was a bit insensitive, she couldn't take it personally, and she didn't want to start off on the wrong foot here- AGAIN. She didn't want Spike angry with them if it involved her.

If anything, his friends should be giving her dirty looks instead of betting on her, and bantering with each other over money, for the way she ran out of here earlier. Buffy wasn't going to be the girl who couldn't take a joke, and she had a suspicion that if she was going to be with Spike, she would need to hold her own with this group.

Which was just fine with her.

*The perks of being a girlfriend.*

She rested a hand over Spike's chest, mentally wriggling into the role she had accepted to play. If this was what being a... girlfriend meant, then she could do it. His friends hadn't decided to shun her or make her feel ashamed. They'd given her another chance, even if not in so many words.

Or not the expected words.

"Spike," she started, "relax. It's not a big deal." Buffy looked at Ace and Rex, giving a little half smile. "If you wanna bet on whether or not I'm here to stay, be sure to let me in on that one. I could use a little extra cash."

They blinked, caught off guard. Buffy heard Blake snicker, and she smiled. Shooting a glance at Spike, she saw him staring at her, his eyes surprised but warm.

She felt comfortable. For an instant, it was like being there before his friends wasn't worrisome, or making her feel anxious, and she wasn't on display. She just felt like she belonged. Simply a little. And it was nice.

Stevo smiled, his eyes holding a pleased glint in them as he looked at Ace and Rex's unsure-of-how-to-respond faces. He met Buffy's gaze, and said in an all too knowing tone of voice, "I don't think they'll be making that bet, honey."

She smiled at the endearment and looked down, not noticing Spike's frown.

"I would," Blake said. At the pointed reprimanding looks from all except Buffy, he quickly amended, "I would take the good side! She's staying-" He flicked her a glance. "You're staying, right?"

She nodded with a closed lip smile. "That's the plan, Blake."

"See? Now, who owes me twenty bucks?"

The guys all groaned. Ace put his forehead in a scabbed up hand and said, "Who wants to make some coffee?"

"I'll do it," Dylan offered. He stood up slowly, gritting his teeth in pain before finally sitting back down with a scowl on his features. "Okay, my ankle definitely got messed up back there."

No one reacted with much concern, Stevo simply patted his shoulder and then stood up. "I'll put a pot on."

Suddenly, everyone seemed to droop.

The faces in the room showed wear, every vibrant eye dimmed. Blake rubbed the back of his neck, Ace slid down to the ground and leaned his head gingerly against the cabinets while closing his eyes, and Rex moaned as he massaged his noticeably bruising shoulder. It was like the exhaustion had set in, and every bit of grime and dirt and blood was highlighted on the men's bodies.

They looked like a band of tired warriors.

Buffy realized she was frowning, and then quickly came to a decision. She looked up at her guy. "Do you have more towels? And maybe some healing salve?"

Spike raised a brow, and sent a fleeting glance to his friends before staring at Buffy again. "Yeah, in the bathroom. An there's some stuff that Stevo brought with him I think." Spike looked at the man in question. "Ya said you packed a bit a that herb shite right?"

He nodded. "It's in the bag I brought."

"Do- Do you mind if we use it?" Buffy asked.

The brunette turned around and raised his brows at her, but replied, "Go ahead."

Buffy stared at Spike again. "Will you go get it, and some more towels, please?" She cast a look around the room, at those surrounding her- At the questioning glances they were exchanging with each other. "I think your friends need some cleaning up."

Silence for a moment. Then, "Alright. I'll be right back."

She knew, as Spike left the room with a backward glance, that he assumed she'd been only showing concern for his friends. He wouldn't expect her to walk over to Dylan's side when the man grunted in pain, and smile when big brown eyes looked up at her in surprise.

Buffy bent to her knees and asked, "What's the worst? The ankle?"

He straightened the glasses on his nose again, and said a little hesitantly, "I bruised a few ribs... It's not a big deal."

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "What is it with you guys and bruised ribs?" she asked, rising to walk over to the sink and retrieve a large bowl from the cabinet above- And thanking God that it was in fact the right cabinet.

She filled it with hot water, and returned to Dylan's side just as Spike returned with five bath towels. She grabbed one from him before he could ask why she was on the floor, and why she was asking Dylan if she could see his glasses.

He handed them over without question, and Buffy examined. They were clearly broken.

"I have another pair," he said at her look of concern. Buffy nodded, and then handed him the towel she'd taken from Spike as she set the specs down on the table. "You've got dirt and blood all over you," she explained, then looked to the rest of the group. "You all do. And if we're bandaging wounds, they've gotta be clean."

Silence greeted the statement, and Spike wasn't... completely shocked, because of all she'd made him do simply over his head, but he was confused. As were the rest of the guys, for they all stared at her like she'd grown a second head.

These blokes were not used to being taken care of, weren't used to any real concern unless their lives were in serious danger. Wounds and scars came with the territory of what they all were, but Buffy was acting like a sister or aunt or mother or something, as if they needed band aids and coddling.

It was kind, honestly, the whole effort was that of a caregiver. And Spike was sure the guys did want to wipe off the muck leftover from the fight, but he wasn't sure that they'd adhere to Buffy's-

"Thanks." Dylan obediently dipped the towel into the large bowl of hot water and started cleaning his neck, then face.

A sure-what-the-hell- expression crossed Blake's features, and he followed by example. "Why not," he said, and stood up slowly, groaning at the muscle pull in his back. Buffy handed him a damp towel and directed him to sit back down. She asked, "You messed up your back didn't you?"

"The monkey bitch body slammed him from a tree," Rex answered, a little smirk on his face as he added, "Then you body slammed the ground."

Blake gave him a dirty look. "And how's that shoulder? Vampire Barbie leave a fang in you?"

Rex's eyes clouded with irritation. "Oh screw you-"

"Did you get bit?" Buffy asked suddenly, facing the man with a dark appearance, very dark brown hair, and a reddish-tan skin tone. He had a formidable look about him, but she wasn't afraid, because her gut was telling her that he was much more of a threat if he didn't like you.

She didn't plan on letting that happen. With all the blinding nerve she already had flowing obstinately though her veins, she wasn't going to leave until she was done with them. Forcing herself to become more comfortable around these guys by doing something extreme like playing nurse... she would take it.

Rex seemed caged while staring at her in clear surprise, as if he hadn't expected Buffy to pay him any mind. It took him a couple of seconds to answer her question. "Um... It's not horrible," he gestured to the shoulder where she could see purple and blue discoloring from beneath a wet T-shirt sleeve. "The bitch just sunk her fangs in deep."

Buffy approached him, and in a way that was not really a demand but somehow managed to sound like she was insisting, she said, "Let me see."

Rex looked around at his buddies, for help, for advice- he didn't know. But then he met Buffy's expectant eyes, and sighed before rolling up his sleeve.

Shock showed on her face. She grabbed a towel from the table by Dylan and dipped it in the water before returning to Rex's side. Not two seconds passed. "There's blood everywhere, how can you say it isn't horrible?" She immediately started cleaning the wound, Rex flinched a couple of times, not from pain but from discomfort. He looked like he was almost afraid of her. "What are you doing?"

"Cleaning it," she said, opening her eyes at him like he was stupid. She noticed him casting desperate glances behind her, presumably asking for help again, but then gradually, she felt him relax. Her grip on his elbow eased as she wiped away the blood and dirt, and Rex didn't protest again.

Of course, it wasn't long before she moved on to Stevo, who when trying to pour himself some coffee, almost dropped the pot. On his good hand he had a deep gash larger than Spike's. And Ace had a lump from some sort of battle weapon he said, on the back of his head.

Buffy helped Rex wrap his arm in gauze after retrieving a damp cloth and the healing salve for Stevo, then she went to Ace. Blake had a couple of slashes on his side, which she helped him tape bandages over. And Dylan's ankle needed icing.

"Spike told me earlier that you guys got attacked. I guess I should've expected this kind of damage after I saw his head." She finished pouring Stevo the cup of coffee which he hadn't been able to get himself, and nodded when he thanked her. "Where did all of you go exactly after you carried him inside?"

They told her a little bit more about Flora, and how she had a desire for revenge- Which was why she'd gotten some help and gone after Spike. Buffy tried not to think about the worry plaguing her mind when they explained that, and focused on Ace's explanatory voice instead of the danger. Yet it was hard to drag her eyes away from the vampire in the room, who had stood silently watching her for a while now.

Apparently, the men had tried to chase Flora down after most of her lackeys were killed, and since Spike was passed out they'd had to leave him on the couch. They knew he would be fine, vampire and all.

Such information was quickly becoming more and more normal - welcomed -to Buffy. None of Spike's friends even seemed to give a second thought to her awareness now that she was back. Which is perhaps why, when she asked, "Do you guys do this a lot?" Buffy received some chuckles.

"You could say that," Ace replied, taking a sip from his coffee mug. He winced, and gently cupped his cheek as he swallowed. "Though I don't think I've ever lost a tooth before."

"Yeah ya did-" Blake snapped his fingers, trying to recollect, "Back in... Crap, when did we take down that weird cult and their triple eyed leader with the tentacles?"

Buffy rose an eyebrow. She closed the freezer door and walked over to the sink, wrapping the ice cubes she'd just gotten into a hand towel and wetting it. She handed it to Ace, who smiled at her in surprised thanks. Spike was looking petulant in the corner, tight lipped and eyes ever focused on his girl.

"It was in... 1915," Dylan supplied.

"Right," Blake agreed. "Ace AND you lost some teeth, if I recall."

"And YOUR wing was skewered," Stevo pointed out, nodding at Rex.

Buffy finally had to speak up. "Wait... WING?" she questioned the room.

"Rex is a thunderbird," Blake said casually, taking a sip of his coffee.

Buffy looked at the man... or bird? "You're..." Rex shrugged. Then, she turned to Stevo. "And so you're really...?" The honey-eyed man smiled. Buffy blinked, and with a helpless frown, turned around, meeting each face.... and wondering. "None of you guys are just plain... human, are you?"

And from there, their background stories came.

Rex was indeed, a thunderbird. Which explained his yellow eyes- "And his pissy mood all the time," Blake added. "It's in his blood to be a-" Ace smacked him in the head, cutting him off.

Stevo got out his gypsy journal to show Buffy a sketch of the winged monster. "He'll change for you if you want," he offered, to which Rex didn't protest. "He likes showing off anyhow."

Buffy shook her head. "That's okay." She traced the picture on the page with a fingertip, eyeing the talons and feathers. "This looks like something I saw in a book about Indian legends."

Rex rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that's me."

"Except he loves to point out the flaws in his history, if you'll let him," Ace said.

"He's touchy about accuracy," Blake added.

*Well now I get that window joke,* Buffy thought, suddenly recalling the comment she'd heard at the diner, when she'd first met Dylan and Blake. She chewed on her lip, and looked at Rex again. "So... your wing. I assume it healed?" What else could she ask?

He nodded to the man standing by her side. "Stev here patched me up with some magick stuff of his. It did the trick, I was flying again within a week."

Buffy looked into the wise face of the gypsy, standing taller than her and looking down with warm expectancy in his eyes. The girl blew out a breath. "So that bracelet's real afterall, huh?"

He smirked, looking like a happy devil as he said, "Not so hard to believe now, is it?"

She shook her head. It definitely wasn't.

"Oh yeah, I heard about that," Blake started, looking at Buffy from where he sat with one hand kneading his sore back. He didn't really pay attention when she went to the sink to wet another towel. "Didn't believe in Romani magick, huh dollface?"

Spike stiffened, Buffy felt it as if she was standing right beside him. She caught his eye and tried to smile softly, reassuringly; she relaxed when he did. She had been feeling the watchfulness, the possessive heat, since she'd started helping clean wounds and bandage them. It was strange that it felt comforting.

She opened the microwave, breaking eye contact to toss a wet towel inside.

"No I didn't- Wait, Romani?" she asked aloud, still aware of Spike's gaze. Every time one of the guys called her an endearment, every time she got close to touch them, when Blake had removed his shirt to reveal the slashes on his side- Spike got tense, his spine went rigid, and Buffy could sense it.

She knew it was jealousy, but obviously the trust he had for his friends kept him from trying to bring an end to her helping and socializing. Buffy was grateful for that. She was learning about his family, and he wasn't going to discourage it.

Stevo answered her question when she faced him. "What you would know as 'gypsy.' That term is actually offensive to many people, however- Or the Romani people to be more accurate."

Buffy frowned. "Oh, I didn't-... How come?"

"Often mostly because it has a negative connotation attached to it. People who don't know the culture automatically think of... crystal balls and tricksters, thieves and untrustworthy people wearing gold hoop earrings." Stevo smiled gently all of a sudden. "Inaccurate and... nasty untruths. The Roma were often wrongfully persecuted in the past."

Buffy's brows met. The microwave beeped and she retrieved the now heated, moist towel with a dry one. She looked at Stevo as she walked towards Blake. "Should... I um-" She told Blake to lean forward, and placed the hot towel on his sore back, letting him readjust it on his own so she could face the man with bronze eyes again. "Should I not call you-... Does the term bother-"

Stevo's smirk cut her off. A combination of pride and wryness entered his eyes. "I don't mind the term like some. I actually fit the stereotype quite well, so much so that it's no longer a stereotype but fact. And my... family, and I, weren't as easily harmed by those who mistrusted us," His eyes glinted something quickly, almost wicked, before he said, "but that had to do with magick. And you may call me whatever it is you like. I don't offend easily." He encompassed the room with a glance. "I can't afford it with this group, honey."

"So... Romani, aren't all with the crystal ball reading Hollywood depiction?" Her brows rose.

He smiled. "I'm sure there've been other exceptions asides from just my little clan, but honestly, most are in the movies."

Buffy's lips made an "O" shape, and she suddenly wanted to check out some books on the subject. Her mind was brought back to the moment though, when Blake spoke up. "Stev's pretty chill, unlike Rex. You start asking him if he can change the weather, and he JUST might rip your head off."

Buffy frowned. "You can't?" she addressed the thunderbird.

His eyes darkened as they landed on Blake. "Okay Cupid, do YOU wanna explain it to her? Since you know so much about my history?"

"Eros, first of all, idiot," Blake's agitated voice caught Buffy off guard, considering she'd never heard him sound anything but blithe; she stared at him as he continued. "Second of all, he was a relative, I'm not HIM."

"Seems like I'm not the only one particular about details, then."

"Whoa, wait a minute..." Buffy cut in. "You're related to... Eros? The Greek God?"

"Of love, to be precise," Dylan added.

"Oh whatever, sex and desire go hand in hand there."

"Blake has empath abilities, he can sense people's emotions," Stevo supplied.

Buffy blinked, her eyes meeting Spike's in shocked question. He nodded, and she met the turquoise gaze of the now re-amused empath in the room. "Don't get so nervous, I usually keep what I know to myself." He leaned back in his chair, smiling.

"Sometimes," Ace corrected, and looked at Buffy. "He's not only stronger than a human, AND can sense people's feelings, but he's a real pain in the ass about it, too."

"I'm also immortal, don't forget that."

Buffy grunted in disbelief. It was hard to understand... "I didn't even think..." She shook her head. "Eros exists?"

"Existed," Blake amended. "He's still... around, but he's no longer... Dylan, what's the word?"

"Corporeal."

"Thank you! Corporeal. He's more of a 'read and believe in me' sorta guy at this stage in his existence. Not too many temples of his standing around anymore."

Buffy's wide eyes blinked, and blinked again. She turned to Stevo... and noticed a welt was starting to show on his jaw. Happily, she distracted herself  by going to Spike's freezer, retrieving a bag of peas, and handing them to the gypsy. "Is he telling the truth?"

Stevo nodded in thanks, holding the icy bag up to his face. "Every word."

Buffy shook her head again, and looked at Blake. "So you can really... sense emotions?" Honestly, that was the thing wigging her out the most. The Greek mythology-reality was shocking, but kind of cool once the idea settled. She wasn't sure how she felt about someone else being able to read her... feelings, though.

Not good was the probable answer.

"Yep," Blake replied, his expression almost smug. "As for example, Spike over there gets all tense and primitive every time I call you 'dollface.'" He gestured to the vampire with a wave of his hand, smiling when a noticeable stiffening occurred in his shoulders.

Buffy caught Spike's gaze, blushing when he just rose an eyebrow at her. She fought off a smile, and knew what he was probably thinking. *You haven't seen primitive.*

Swallowing, she exhaled shortly, and was able to grin in amusement when Ace said, "See what I mean? Pain in the ass."

"Yeah," Blake replied, "that's another thing we have in common, isn't it buddy?"

"Another thing?"

"He's talking about our Greek history."

"That pun was so intended," Blake said.

Buffy laughed a little, and then looked to Ace as he continued. "I'm part demon, my mother was human, and I'm also immortal."

"He's part Aerico," Rex explained. "A disease demon."

Ace rolled his eyes. "I can cause sickness, yadda yadda yadda, but I don't. The Aerico demon is of Greek origin."

"Oh." Buffy's eyes, yet again, took the shapes of two large saucers. "Are you... Do you have superior strength, too?" Her curious side prodded her to ask.

The man grinned. "That I do, dear. That I do."

She nodded. "Cool." A plain statement, something to describe her very near speechlessness. She was distracted though when she noticed Dylan gently touching his side, and wincing a second later.

She went over to him. "Do you want ice on those?" she asked, referring to the ribs they both knew were swollen and bruised. She smiled when he nodded. Quickly getting ice and putting it in a towel, Buffy returned to his side. A sense of relief she hadn't known she'd needed went through her when she heard the guys conversing behind her. At first, each time she helped one of them, the room fell silent as if what she was doing was wondrous and for show. Now, it seemed, they had finally grown used to it.

Dylan lifted his shirt and took the ice from her. "Thank you."

"No problem." She watched as he pressed the towel gently onto the injury. "First Spike falls down the stairs and bruises his ribs, and then you do it in a fight. You guys just love getting all beat up, don't you?"

Stevo frowned, turning to face the vampire in the room. "When did you fall down the stairs?"

Spike waved him off, eyes refocusing on Buffy. She went to pour another cup of coffee for Ace, already having realized what a caffeine junky he was, and seeing that his mug was now empty. Spike figured it was the waitress coming out.

But she did it with a genuine smile. It seemed Buffy liked being helpful in this arena, something like a mother hen. It was both unsettling and strangely pleasing. He couldn't decide how he felt about it. However, he did know exactly how he felt about her popularity with his friends.

It was so obvious they enjoyed her, and not just because she'd helped to mend their wounds tonight. Rex was actually courteous, and he talked in more than just one-syllable words. Stevo looked at her with warmth and approval. Blake flirted a bit too much for Spike's liking (which didn't have to be much at all) but was also respectful. Ace joked happily and was displaying too many friendly smiles to count. Dylan was clearly comfortable around her, and his eyes crinkled at the edges every time she came near. It was like a drug, they were all a little doped up on Buffy.

They loved explaining their pasts to her, loved telling her about themselves and each other.

Her attention was focused on them, too. She was all ears to take in what they told her, and Buffy's attentiveness to not only their injuries, but also their stories, gained her approval and affection. Spike was happy that it seemed he wouldn't have to worry about her fitting in with the group, or worry about whether or not they'd welcome her at all.

He was happy that they seemed to genuinely like her.

But another part of him wanted to steal her away every time she landed bright, curious eyes onto any one of them.

It wasn't really jealousy...

Well, okay it was, but he trusted his friends- Even Blake wouldn't seriously try to get anywhere with her now. It was just... They were fawning over her, and their eyes were glued as she took in their words and listened to all they said, gave her own. Buffy's thoughts were out and open, she was indulging in the information of his friends' lives, and soaking up a feeling of getting to know them. Spike was watching.

He wanted her all to himself, though, and he realized how childish the desire was, but he honestly couldn't really care about maturity when his girl was busy stealing the focus of several other men. Even Stevo indulged in her questions and growing comfort around them. The more time they all spent in the kitchen together and the more she learned, the more she opened up.

Spike loved seeing her enjoying herself, and every time she did offer one of those bright smiles, he felt a little lightheaded. But, like he'd said, he wanted her all to himself.

But he wouldn't ruin this for her. She was happy.

And brave enough to ask them to spill the history of how everyone in the group had met.

It was a seriously nosy question. Or one could just call it curiosity on steroids. Either way, Buffy quickly got her wish, and discovered that it was Drusilla's getting of a soul which had really started everything.

"You would think that gaining one would have only caused her worse mental instability, but it didn't. The guilt somehow managed to stabilize her, and some of the damage she'd suffered, healed- Over a period of years, of course." Stevo explained to her, and also told Buffy the relation of Drusilla to him. She'd been a cousin to people in his clan, and once a spell was put together, and the timing was fit, they'd cursed her with a soul.

"Bringing her back to us led me to Spike," he said. "Dru still received visions, and one made her want to see him again."

Stevo had gone on a search for the vampire in question, and found him saving a little girl from a demon in an alleyway one night. This information had Spike averting eye contact from Buffy when it came up, and she knew it wasn't because Stevo was telling an untruth. Spike was both embarrassed and did not feel he deserved the praise. So he ignored it.

She didn't.

She also didn't ignore the following stories, or how Dru's visions came few and far between now, but managed to bring the group together to save the world repeatedly.

"Dylan," Ace said, pointing at him, "was the last to arrive in 1910."

Buffy looked at the man still holding ice against his ribs. "Are you immortal, too?"

"Uh, well... not exactly." He scratched his head, shifting in his seat. "I'm half Brachen demon. They live quite a long time."

"You may as well be immortal," Rex said.

Dylan shrugged, looking up at Buffy. The girl bit her bottom lip, thinking... "Spike's all fangy... Ace can make people sick... Stevo is all with the magicks, Blake is an empath, and Rex can fly. What's your special something, Dylan?" she asked curiously, kindly.

He blinked his large puppy eyes at her, and then made a funny face. "Superior strength to humans, but that's most effective when I'm in demon form. And then heightened senses, speed, a few other things."

"Like you're basically a human encyclopedia," Ace declared, "Especially about supernatural stuff."

One side of Dylan's mouth lifted. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

Buffy tilted her head, curiosity yet again poking at her. The urges to ask and receive answers had been growing all night, every minute and hour she became braver. And now she wanted to know something else, see something. "Dylan... Could you-..." She nervously chewed her lip again. He stared at her expectantly, and Buffy sighed quickly before blurting out: "Could I see your demon form?"

The stunned expression that arose at her request would have been funny if she weren't so nervous about seeming nosy. She was interested in seeing another demon form other than Spike with his fangs. She wanted to get used to this world he lived in and know that others were unique in his way, as well as in completely different ways.

Dylan still hadn't answered her question. When he finally started to stutter out a reply, his cheeks turning red, Blake cut in with: "C'mon man, show her. It'll be neat watching her shriek."

Dylan's blush got darker, and before Buffy could object to Blake's comment, Spike was stepping up beside her. She looked into his eyes, and frowned at the strange unease she saw there. He hooked a finger through one of her belt loops, touching but not touching her, and tugged her close. "Are you sure you want to do this, love?" he asked, worry in his voice. "It's not as big a deal as you think. S'nothin real special, anyhow."

Buffy's frown deepened. He seemed very anxious, and she wasn't sure why-

Oh. Her face relaxed, the line between her brows smoothed out, and she got it. Spike was worried about her getting scared again.

Well, she'd show him.

As long as Dylan didn't mind, of course.

She turned to him. "Would you mind, Dylan?" She looked pointedly at Blake. "I promise I won't scream."

The half demon, with his glasses broken and once again in his hand, started to rapidly tap his foot. He hesitated for a minute or two. Then the guys, all at once- excluding Spike and Stevo -urged him to reveal his other face.

Finally, Dylan sighed, and with a quick hop to his feet and a wince at the pain it caused, he changed.

Instantly, the sweet brown eyes of the dirty blonde before her, shifted, changed to red. His skin turned green like a plant leaf and blue spikes decorated the visible areas of his body. The transformation was so unexpected- even though she'd ASKED for it -that Buffy took a step back. And of course, her eyes were huge.

He just stood there, until Ace threw in a barb. "Looks like a pin cushion doesn't he?"

Spike was still standing next to her, protective for a reason she wasn't sure whether or not was attributed to his worry over her possibly freaking out like before, or a new mistrust he'd developed for Dylan.

Which was insanity. Maybe he thought she'd faint.

That notion brought Buffy back to herself. Stuttering- c'mon, give her a break -she spoke, "Wow. Y-You're..." She stepped closer with her eyes glued to him. "Spike and Rex aren't the only ones with weird eyes."

Ace, Stevo, and Blake were laughing loudly in response to her innocent, seemingly truthful observation. Buffy looked down when their cackles invaded her curious staring, realizing what she'd blurted out. In a way it had been true, but she also knew that her temporary loss of focus had made her brave enough to say it for Dylan's sake.

The half-Brachen demon smiled, his pointy spikes didn't look so threatening right then. "You didn't scream... That's not what I'm used to."

Buffy frowned, her eyes still not leaving his face. "What do you mean?"

"Dylan has a little trouble every time a lady gets a look at what he is," Ace answered.

"Two girls I dated were... a little scared after they saw my demon side," he casually explained.

"The problem? One of those girls was a plain human, like yourself. The other was a needle phobe."

Buffy turned to Blake briefly when he'd finished, then back to Dylan. "You don't look that scary." It was the truth. Spike was much more frightening at first.

Dylan shrugged. "It's not a big deal. I've had other girlfriends." He looked over her head to his friends. "These guys just like messin with me." He stared at Spike then, with an expression that seemed to say: *See? You're in the clear.*

Buffy smiled with her lips compressed. She could see now why Dylan had been antsy to show himself. Not so much because he was insecure about who he was, but because he hadn't wanted her to get frightened; she was Spike's girl. She was important to a friend. And she'd most likely be around often now.

She looked between the vampire and the... *Broke Demon?* No, that can't be right. What had he said again?

"Um..." Buffy bit her lip, staring at Dylan as she thought hard. "What did you say you were?"

"Brachen demon."

"You can just call him the cactus if you like," Ace joked.

"I'll tell ya one thing," Rex broke in, "he may look like a cactus, but he fights like the devil when he's in this form."

Buffy was going to ask what that meant, when suddenly, she remembered Dylan's ankle. Her eyebrows shot up. "Your ankle! It's- It's..." Dylan didn't move, didn't abruptly fall into his chair groaning in pain as if he'd been enduring standing so long on an injury and had finally reached his limit. No, he stood there and offered a dimply smile.

"My ankle doesn't hurt as bad right now. I'm stronger when I'm like this. And I heal a little faster, too. Not much, but a little."

Buffy blinked and shook her head, throwing her hands up in the air- nearly hitting Spike's nose -to accompany a loud scoff. "I'm shocked!" she shouted, the sarcasm almost tangible.

This made Dylan, and the others behind her, all smirk a bit. The red-eyed man sat down, and changed back to human form.

Blake then protested, "No, stay that way! We never get to see you while you look like a porcupine."

"Except when we're fighting," Dylan said dryly.

"Which is basically every time we're together," Stevo added.

Blake rolled his aqua colored eyes and replied, "Fine. Be a bore. You both know it's always too hectic to appreciate our friend's spikes during a brawl."

The wheels in Buffy's mind started turning, and as the voices behind her joked and bantered, and she heard Spike join in with a comment or two, she realized she hadn't learned something about this Flora person.

"Spike?"

He met her eyes immediately, and the room slowly rolled into easy silence. "Why exactly does this Flora woman... vampire," she corrected herself, "want revenge on you?"

Until she said that.

The air stood still, but the tension seemed confined to a little bubble just around her and Spike. Buffy heard Ace pour himself another cup of coffee and offer one to the others. Blake declined said offer and Rex opened the refrigerator to search for food. They were all unaffected by the strain between the couple's eyes.

Spike gave her a look which she read easily enough: *I'll explain more later.*

She wasn't sure how she felt about that answer. She accepted it, only because obviously explaining the situation wasn't as simple as 'she wants to kill the Slayer of Slayers' or 'she lost a poker game to me,' which Spike had said were accurate reasons in the past for other demons coming after him. Whatever the reason for Flora being an issue, it must be personal or-

"Eh, Spike staked her brother."

It was clear, from the way her boyfriend's eyes shifted, that Spike could have gladly strangled Ace right then. But the sapphire blue gaze soon met wide hazel again, and the reality of what had just been said hit her.

Well, it didn't really hit all too hard, to be honest. Because Buffy rapidly figured out that Spike liked to hunt other vampires. She'd known he'd done so, but she hadn't known he STILL liked finding and fighting them... for sport.

He quickly rambled on about how it had to do with violence, something he enjoyed because he was a demon, he needed bloodshed and that sort of thing. Buffy's mind went over things he'd told her tonight, how vampires were soulless and evil, all of them. Yet Spike was an exception, though he did not dare admit it.

Buffy had only read the bad on vampires back in the books at the library- ALL of them, and she hadn't found one good word on the creatures of the night. And she couldn't find much wrong with Spike dusting those of his kind either. They weren't nice, they killed and enjoyed being evil, and they WERE soulless. She had no doubt the main majority deserved to be killed. And no bad feeling over what he was doing surfaced.

But Spike obviously thought she would somehow think him a villain, because he was sweating and stuttering over explanations. He was saying things she'd already mentally established in her brain. Didn't he remember telling her a while ago, in his bedroom, that no vampire was good or to be trusted? They were hunters and had no consciences, but a taste for blood and murder instead.

They could love each other sometimes, but not many of them, not many of them at all.

And they still killed no matter what. The others weren't like Spike. If they were, her guy might be a little more accepting of the kindness and heart that lurked inside himself.

So Buffy said, "Spike," in a soft voice, calming him. He quit talking, complete attention refocused; he didn't seem to notice the raised eyebrows from his friends. Buffy continued, "I just wanted to know why this vampire was after you. And... You staked her brother, who was also a vamp..." she nodded, her voice becoming almost matter-of-fact, "and she wants revenge."

The statement ended there. The reiteration stopped, and Buffy stared back at Spike as emotions finally made themselves known. She'd been avoiding it until now.

Someone actually wanted hurt him. This other vampire wanted to kill Spike, harm him in a serious way. It wasn't a prank, and this wasn't a movie, vampires existed and so did Greek Gods and amber eyes and fangs were attributes for people you thought were just people. Magick was real and red-eyed demons walked about in the world. Nothing was funny anymore, nothing carefree, because in this world there were those who wanted to take away the person who meant more to you than you'd ever thought someone could mean. Especially if you hadn't planned on letting that person in, but somehow, he'd managed it anyway.

Buffy's stomach clenched in pain. She swallowed around a suddenly tight throat, and then let her next words ring with the determination and hostility of someone who'd just had a grenade aimed at their world again.

No one would take him away from her.

Not him. "If Flora wants revenge, I'll be helping stop her from getting it."

Oh boy, that might've been the wrong thing to say.