Willow answered the phone, whooping in joy as she put it back down after a second. "They dropped it," she yelled.

Oz rubbed his eyes as he came out of the bedroom. "Who did?" he asked, still not firing on all cylinders at that point in the morning.

"His parents, they dropped the suit." She hugged Xander, who was just now walking out. "They dropped it."

Xander smiled, patting her head. "Cool. We need to have a special breakfast." He looked over at the state of the kitchen from last night. "Of course, I'd have to clean first. Buffy? Were you trying to cook again last night?"

The older woman came out, sheepish look on her face. "Cooking?" she asked innocently. She looked over at the mess in the kitchen, a wonder that only she could make out of the four of them. "I guess so. I'll go clean."

Oz stopped her. "We should wait until after morning finals are done then go out to breakfast." He grinned. "I'm getting paid today and mine is this afternoon."

Willow frowned. "But then I can't go. I have back to back ones this morning and one this afternoon too." She pouted. "We could do supper."

Buffy nodded. "That's good, I can do supper. Then we'd all have more time to prepare anyway." She glanced over at the kitchen. "I think I'll need all that time to clean my mess up."

Xander smiled. "Okay, so breakfast should be drive-thruable, right?" Everyone nodded. "Go grab your stuff, I'll treat to McDonald's."

Oz shook his head. "Works for me." He grabbed a shirt off the back of the couch. "Ready."

Buffy and Willow both ran into the bedroom, needing more time to get presentable. Willow came out first as she had been almost ready since she had a final in thirty-five minutes. Buffy followed her, jeans and one of the guy's t-shirts being her morning outfit.

Oz shook his head. "I'm just going to give you that shirt. You wear it more than I do."

Buffy came over to snuggle next to him. "But then it wouldn't smell like you." She grinned. "Or be shaped like you or..." Her eyes twinkled, mischief shining out.

Xander groaned. "Keep it up, kids, and I'll have to punish Buffy by making her clean so I can cook." He grabbed his keys and his wallet out of Willow's hand. "Everyone ready?"

Everyone nodded, going out to Buffy's car as it was the better car to eat breakfast in.

' ' ' '

Xander placed the last garnish on the plate, putting it aside to finish pouring drinks for supper. Breakfast had gone over well, Willow even made it to her test on time and passed it. He smiled down at the goofy food he had fixed tonight, wanting to please everyone but still stick to his diet.

"Food!" he called, bringing the threesome from the bedroom where Oz was recuperating from hearing that he got a 'C' in a music class, the teacher being most unfair to him by calling his talent mediocre. This meal was especially designed to make him feel better.

Oz sat down at his place, still kinda pouting from the disappointment. "Food?" he asked. Xander handed him the serving platter, the casserole sculpted to mimic the Christmas presents. He laughed, looking down at the plate. He looked up at his friend, smiling. "Thanks. Which one am I again?"

Xander shrugged. "Not a clue on the original but here you're the blue one." He sat down at his seat, getting back up to get the vegetables. "Okay, now, each person is a different type of casserole. You can eat yourself or someone else." He blushed slightly, hearing what he had just said. "I meant their favorites."

Willow patted him on the arm. "Which is which?"

"You know which is Oz, so work it out from there." He grinned over at her. "You have a brilliant brain, use it."

Willow decided to figure it out the Buffy way, sticking a spoon edge down in each to see what was inside. "I'm the purple one."

Buffy looked at the exposed innards. "I'm the green so Xan must be the orange." She looked over at him. "Why orange?"

"Because it was what was up there." He looked back at Oz, who was giving him a funny look. "Eat," he said quietly.

Everyone dished up some of each person, wanting to taste the other's favorites too. They ate mostly in silence, the threesome giving each other looks across the platter, thinking that Xander didn't notice.

"So," Oz said finally. "It's time to decide on a destination for our two weeks off." He laid his fork down. "Beach of lake, beach of ocean, camping in woods, what?"

Willow pulled out her dayplanner, needing the information in it to see when the next fuzzy phase was. "Well, we can have one and a half weeks safely." She shut the slim book. "You change the Thursday of that second week."

Oz shook his head. "Okay, so we have a week and a half."

"I'll go wherever," Xander said. "I'm not going to be picky unless it's someplace gross." He looked back down at his plate.

Buffy frowned at him but looked over at her lovers. "I say we go someplace fun." She looked at the younger man. "But it has to be someplace on the inexpensive side. I didn't get to save very much for this."

Willow nodded. "Me either. Work studies don't make much money." She looked at Oz. "How about you?"

"I've got almost two hundred and fifty saved." He took another bite. "Pooling it should get us a house at the beach or maybe one near an amusement park."

Buffy ran over to the bookcase. "I know." She came back, handing over the papers for Walt Disney World. "I'm not sure if we can get reservations now or not."

Willow looked it over. "I wish we had known this earlier. We could've gotten a week each for ninety-nine." She looked up. "When did we get this?"

"Last week." She sat down again. "But I was thinking. What if we saved up over the summer, taking a week there at the end instead. Right before we start back. Not too many crowds since all the kids start back around then too."

Xander started to look interested. "What about our two weeks of vegging now?"

Buffy nodded. "Thought about that, and we could do both as long as we went someplace inexpensive." She took another bite. "That would give us all time to earn money this summer to splurge on getting a suite or something then."

Willow smiled. "That would be nice." She handed it to Oz. "What do you think?"

"I think we could do both. Rent someplace inexpensive at the beach or someplace and save some of the summer money for this. Xan?"

The younger man smiled. "When ever you want to go, just yell. I'll be packed." He nodded at the food. "Anyone want more of mine?" Willow handed over the platter. "Thanks."

Oz looked around. "Okay, that settles what to do with the two weeks of post-summer break but what about before?"

"Road trip," Xander said. He looked up as everyone looked at him. "It could be done cheaply. We could visit some of the better sights in the state." He shrugged. "Not too expensive depending on which car we took."

"We could take the van," Willow suggested. "Oz just got those two extra seats in so it would fit all of us." She smiled over at Buffy. "And we could put an air mattress in the back for emergencies like naps."

Buffy shook her head. "Yeah, but I'm not going to be needing one." She smiled back at her friend. "Will, you know you're the road trip nap queen here."

Oz patted both their shoulders. "You both are, quit fighting. It's not a bad idea, either of you. The van is relatively fuel efficient. Motels are cheap." He shrugged. "Makes sense to me."

Xander got up, grabbing the state map. "I know some places I want to visit."

Willow took it from him. "After supper. Sit down and eat your people."

"Yes, ma'am," he said semi-meekly. He took another bite of food. "Better?"

"Not until your plate is clean, young man," Oz said. "Don't make me feed you again." Xander swallowed hard, noticed only by the two men as Willow and Buffy were in the kitchen to get more soda. "Unless you want it," he said quietly.

Xander shook his head. "Was everything all right with your person?"

Oz nodded. "Just fine. You did a marvelous job, as always." He pushed his chair back some. "I meant it."

"I know, but don't." He took another bite. "Better?"

"No," Buffy said, walking up behind him to wipe off his mouth. "Now it is though. Don't talk with your mouth full." She sat back down in her chair, dishing out some more of Willow's person. "This is great Xan, you really outdid yourself this time."

He cleared his throat. "Thanks. I thought this deserved a special meal. The end of the first year of post-high school and all." He took another bite.

"Not to mention your win this morning over your parents," Oz said, noticing the pained twinge come over the expressive face.

"Yeah, that." He looked around the room. "They were, um, on the news tonight." He bit into a baby carrot before going on. "Telling everyone how evil I was and how I had corrupted a good many citizens by my presence." He took a drink to wash away the lump. "The next interview was my lawyer, telling the news people how bitter my parents were because they had thrown me away but I had prospered." He shrugged. "He gave my comment and mentioned the restraining order against them."

Oz got up, walking around the table to hug the younger man. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I wish I woulda known." He pulled him into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. "Want to talk?"

Xander shook his head. "Not really. It's no less than I expected from them in the court room." He sat on the bed, shrugging. "I know they were going to insinuate about you guys and me, and I was ready for it. Just not on the five o'clock news."

Oz kneeled down between his feet. "I'd understand if you wanted to take the summer far away from here."

"No, I just need to escape for a while. That's why I don't care where we go as long as we go someplace else for a while." He smiled, a little damply. "I got a call from the toy company too. Seems they won't hire gays, they're run by a fundamentalist family."

"Then you'll work on your own." He took the mobile hands in his. "You don't need narrow- minded individuals to tell you how right you are." He used his knowledge of pressure points to soothe him. "Lay down. I'll be back in later."

"I made pudding for dessert," Xander said quietly. "I'll come back out in a minute to serve it."

Oz grinned. "I'm not feeble." He looked over his shoulder as Willow knocked and stuck her head in. "In a minute." She nodded, pulling the door closed. "I can serve, even bring you yours."

"No, we agreed, dinners were to be a group thing whenever possible. Just give me a minute and I'll be back out." Oz gave his hands one last touch before getting up to give him the moment of privacy. Xander laid back on the bed, wondering briefly what a normal life would have been like, then got up, going back to his extraordinary one.

' ' ' '

Oz looked at his van in disgust. "I know I had it checked before we left," he muttered, bending back over to look at the engine again. "Xan," he called. "By perchance have you picked up any mechanical knowledge along with the electronics?"

"No," the younger man said, coming around the front. "I know how to change my oil but that's about it." He pulled out his cellphone again, checking to see if he could get a signal. "Not a thing here either."

Oz grunted, looking at the broken hose and the cracked whatever it was that was staring at him. "I'm getting something new when we get home," he vowed quietly.

Xander just patted his shoulder, going back to the back where the girls were laying down. "Hey," he said, sitting on the back bumper. "How are we?"

"Nauseous," Buffy said. "Food poisoning sucks." She rolled onto her side, purposely turning away from Willow, who was feeling just as bad. "Next summer, separate vacations," she said.

Xander shook his head. "Disney World," he asked.

"They cook decent food there," she pointed out. "No more greasy burgers and no more greasy waitresses to serve them." She shuddered. "She was truly horrid."

Willow smiled. "I'll protect you from the next one," she said, patting Buffy's hair down.

Oz walked back to sit beside Xander. "Not feeling any better?" A two-part groan answered him. "Sorry, I shouldn't have suggested that place." He took a drink of his water. "Now what? Anybody have any ideas?"

Willow lifted her head enough to glare at the guys. "Yeah, hike." Her head hit the air mattress hard. "Preferably before we die out here."

Xander shook his head. "If we wait, someone will come by." He turned his head. "I can hear cars they just aren't coming up this way."

Oz looked down the road, where the car noises were coming from. "We're probably only a few miles from the highway. You or I could hike down there." He looked back at Xander, who was shaking his head. "No?"

"Someone better," Buffy threatened.

"No," Xander said quietly. "We're not splitting on this." He looked down at the girls. "We can't leave them unguarded, or even spare one of us." Oz gave him a disbelieving look. "Trust me on this, all right Oz?" He walked down to the woods, going behind a tree for some privacy.

Oz looked at Buffy, who was aware enough to look back. "Do you feel anything?" She shook her head, grabbing it to stop the world from spinning again. "Would you normally?"

"Creepy feelings," she whispered. He handed her his water. "He's right." She listened to the woods around them. "Why no birds?"

"Because they died here," Willow moaned. "Just like we will."

Oz listened to the woods around them. "You're right, no nature sounds." He looked over in shock as a car started to come toward them. "Salvation."

Xander hurried up the bank, standing beside him. "Car?"

"Truck," Buffy said quietly. "Big one." She laid her head back down, resting as much as she could.

Oz stepped out to flag down the truck once it got near them. He got the trucker to stop, walking carefully over to the man. "Hey, our van's broke. Do you think you could call us a wrecker or something?"

The man picked up his radio, calling his dispatcher. When he had gotten an answer, he looked down at Oz. "They'll be here soon. Just the two'a ya?" he asked, nodding at Xander.

"No, our girlfriends have a nasty case of the flu so they're sleeping." He stepped back. "Thank you."

"Not a problem. Stay close to them. This wood's not safe for people." The man started his truck again, pulling away slowly.

Oz walked back to where Xander was leaning against the side of the van. "Not safe for people?"

"Told ya," the younger man said, going back to sit on the bumper. "No animals, no insects, no noise. Something's here."

Buffy lifted her head. "Hey, that's my job." She laid her head back down. "Don't steal it, you couldn't do all of the requirements."

Xander grinned. "Yeah, I'd have hell with the PMS one." He patted her leg. "Relax, I'm not going to take your position."

Oz sighed in relief as a Sheriff's deputy pulled up beside them. "Please tell me you heard the plea for help."

The woman got out, looking at the two in the back. "You got problems?"

"A broken hose, a cracked something, and two sick women with food poisoning." He looked at Xander, who was smiling at her. "I don't know how long we've been here."

She nodded. "Okay, the wrecker's on the way." She leaned down to check over Buffy and Willow. "Are you sure it's food poisoning?"

"Well, it started about two hours after eating at this little dinner about forty miles ago..." Xander said. He moved out of her way some, not wanting to be touched. When she noticed, giving him a funny look, he grinned. "I've had some poison ivy recently and I'm still not completely over it."

She stepped back. "Sounds like you guys have all had a rough trip. Where ya headed?"

"Around," Oz said. "It's our vacation. We're traveling to see the state."

She smiled. "You were eating over by the caves? Little place called Maz's?" Both men nodded. "Been shut down so many times it's set a record." She gave one last look at the women before walking around to look at the engine. She whistled. "I've not seen a crack this large in a few years. It's gonna take a pretty penny to fix that." She looked over at Oz, who was frowning. "Your's?"

"Oh, yeah, mine." He shook his head. "I'm getting something new as soon as we get back."

"Happens every time." She walked back to her car, checking on the progress of the wrecker.

Oz came over to stand in front of Xander. "What?"

"Later," the younger man said quietly. "Just don't let her...." He shook his head, looking over at the trees. "So," he said louder, "pretty scenery."

Oz snorted. "I've had enough of the scenery." He looked around. "It's nice enough when you're not stuck in the middle of it but right now, I'd kill for a McDonald's."

The deputy smiled. "Thirty-five miles or so, but you'll be close to it tonight when the wrecker get's you to the garage." She looked up, hearing the large vehicle coming up the road. "Speaking of which."

Soon they were hooked up, riding happier toward the nearest large town. Xander got them checked into the motel, getting a double room, while Oz got the van situated in the garage. The younger man paid the wrecker, smiling as he did so, making Oz give him a dirty look.

"Why did you smile?" the older man asked when they had settled in for the night.

"Because he saved us from another something." He sipped his soda. "She was the something."

Buffy looked over, frowning. "I thought you weren't trying to take my job."

"I'm not, I could see her eyes change. Some sort of reptilian thing." He finished his soda, stealing a chip from Oz's plate. "She had something on her skin too."

Oz shook his head. "Maybe he wants to steal Giles' job," he told Buffy, making her grin. "Wouldn't be the first time he's had the answers."

Xander shook his head. "Just looking out for my family." He looked out the window. "I wonder why the library's all lit up." Oz looked out too. "Maybe we should go check."

"Not a chance," Buffy said. "You're not leaving us here alone. I'm in no shape to fight if it comes down to it." She looked over at the sleeping Willow. "And she's out for the night."

Oz got up to answer the knock at the door. "Yes?" He was pushed back into the room.

Xander stood up. "What?"

The men looked at the women. "We want them."

"I'm sorry, but they're ill," the younger man said. "Maybe you should give us a good reason to not hurt you."

"Because we know who she is. The old one saw her." He pushed Oz aside, walking over to the bed.

Xander took out his knife, throwing it to hit the man on the head. "We said no. She's sick, no danger or help to anyone." He moved between them. "Leave now. We're doing the same as soon as possible."

The man that had been silent pulled his friend back. "We don't want no trouble."

"So leave us alone and you won't have any," Buffy said, pulling herself up weakly. "I know what you are, the same as he does. I'm not going to hurt you, well unless you count throwing up on you as harmful. We just want to pass through."

Willow woke up enough to roll over and throw up, so Buffy bent to hold her steady, pulling her hair back.

Xander looked at the men, or not men maybe. "None of us want to do this. You want to leave us alone and we want to go home. Leave us and we'll do the same as soon as we can."

"She won't come after us?"

Xander shook his head. "It's going to be days before she's able to sit up more than twenty minutes. Why would she come after you?"

"Because some of us are her enemies."

Xander pulled his shirt aside, showing the dark mark on his chest. "And some of us are her friends. Now, please leave." The two men left, not looking at Oz as they closed the door behind them. Xander sat down heavily on the bed, blowing out his breath. "I wonder if Benadryl would stop the itching?"

Oz shook his head. "You were going to share this when?"

"When they attacked us. I can tell the difference and I've only felt two non-feeders in town, one's the mechanic." He shrugged.

Oz sat down in the crappy chair. "We're going to have a talk about your early warning system," he said unhappily.

Buffy looked over at him with a wan grin. "Beats my cramps anyday."

Willow giggled. "Is that how you know?" She turned her head to see the older woman nodding. "Not good, is it."

Buffy hugged her tightly. "Want it?"

"Not me," she said, shaking her head forcefully. She leaned back in Buffy's arms, resting her head on the older woman's chest. "This isn't so bad, now."

Oz nodded. "It hasn't been a bad trip, just today."

Xander pulled out his cell phone. "Calling Joyce, anyone want to talk?" He speed dialed. "Hey, it's us. You'll never guess where we are," he said happily, "or what we've run into."

' ' ' '

Xander looked down at the receipt in his hand from the machine. "I haven't spent that much today." He looked up at his lawyer. "How did this happen?"

"Well, let's see," the older man said, pulling up his account reports. "Fees mostly." He smiled. "You've got to remember to move it around more often." He shrugged. "I can talk to them."

"Nah, I'll go do it, we'll save you for later. But fifteen hundred in fees?" He was still shocked. "I've been using that account."

The older man nodded. "So I'd heard, but that was a non-touching account. You weren't supposed to be touching it." He leaned closer, resting his hands on the desk. "Why are you sweating that much with all you have?"

"Because this is all new to me." He looked down at the paper again. "It's absolutely ridiculous." He looked back up. "Now, explain to me again, this thing with Oz?"

"Seems we can't process his name on the trust papers. We can't find his birth certificate." He pushed over the beneficiary paperwork. "Without it, the state says we can't let him inherit anything. There's been too many cases of fake Social Security numbers in your tax bracket so all new ones need both."

Xander nodded. "I can see the point to that. I'll ask him later." He shook his head. "Now what?"

"Now, you have a meeting tomorrow with someone that wants to buy your patent." He smiled. "Military."

"Uh-huh. I want Buffy, my friends, and family to be able to use it." He shook his head. "I'm fond of the organization but I'm not wanting to sell to them."

"You can always cancel but they might get insistent."

Xander nodded. "I'm man enough to tell them no to their faces." He shrugged. "What else can I do for you?"

"Do you want to sue them?" he asked quietly.

Xander bit his lip, something he had picked up from one of the others. "Not really. They don't have anything I want." He looked out the window, seeing the parking lot that he had been attacked in just a few months earlier. "Would it really help?"

"No, but if you're wanting it, the court has said that a mediator is available." He tossed over the paperwork. "Family law got the case when they tried to sue you. The judge is a nice woman, one that wants families to stay together. She's suggested that you mediate out your disagreements."

Xander shook his head. "I like the restraining order just fine."

"This is why they pulled the suit. They can refile if you become insistent on avoiding it."

Xander shook his head. "Okay, if that's best. I'm not going back and I want nothing to do with them though. You can tell the mediator that." He stood up. "I'll ask Oz about his birth certificate tonight. Anything else on that?"

"Nope, just wear something nice tomorrow, it lends credence to your no." He smiled. "Have a nice trip?"

"Want the truth or a pretty lie about the scenery?" He grinned as he walked out.

' ' ' '

Xander looked hesitantly at the man holding his first invention. "I really don't want to sell this. My friends and I need it too much."

The General nodded. "I can see how it would come in handy son, but we could use it more."

Xander shook his head. "I worry about them too much to not let them have it."

"Well, we could allow you to have so many of them, with a few assurances." He scratched his eyebrow. "How many working prototypes do you have?"

"I have seven working right now and one that I'm working on that's more advanced."

"May we see that one?"

"It's got a flaw in the design that I'm trying to fix," he said. "I'm trying to allow you to dial just one number."

The General nodded. "I see. So, would we be able to buy this one after you got a better version for your friends? Truthfully, this is really all we need."

Xander thought about it. "Wouldn't that hurt my working on updating it?" The General shook his head. "I'd like to talk to my lawyer about it first."

"We can have a contract for you tomorrow." He leaned closer. "Anything else you might want to let us in on?"

"It's not waterproof yet?" he guessed. He shook his head. "Sorry, couldn't resist. Okay, I'm working on something else, but again, it's for my friends and our safety."

"I can see how that would be important." He slapped a thick folder on the table. "Mr. Harris, it's a saying of ours to be prepared."

"I thought that was the boy scouts," he said, disquieted by the names on the folder and the infrared picture he could just barely see the edge of. "And if that's what I think it is, then you know why I'm not going to just hand this over." His resolve hardened, making him not want them to have it even more.

"Indeed we do," the Marine lawyer said. She smiled, tapping the top of the folder. "I've been looking over these things for a few days to prepare and I understand fully why you're doing this. We wouldn't want to harm them or you, or leave your friends unprepared. We just want something that will help us with our job." She smiled slightly. "But surely you can see that. You've been one of us before."

Xander swallowed hard. "I think you'd better leave now." He stood up, then sat back down. "Why? Or better yet how?"

"The Internet is a great invention of ours too," she said. "We had to have a trump card. We wouldn't want to pull you away from your more important duties but we want that small little piece of machinery. We're willing to be reasonable about this, even letting you keep the updates as long as you don't put it out on the market." She smiled. "We both think that's fair."

He nodded. "Like I said, let me think and talk to people."

"I know we can trust you," she said, getting up, leaving the folder there. "That copy's for you by the way." She and the General walked out together, him handing back the emergency beeper.

Xander sat back down at the conference table, pulling the folder over to him. He was looking at the pictures when his lawyer walked in. "Good meeting?"

Xander closed the folder before he could get a look at it. "Not really. They're playing hard and I'm resisting for now." He picked up the folder. "I'll talk to you tomorrow. After I face my roommates down over this." He walked out, thinking about how bad this was going to be.

' ' ' '

"They what!?!" Buffy screamed. She walked up to him, getting into his face. "They have *pictures* of us fighting?"

Xander handed it over, stepping back a few steps. "I didn't do this. They dropped it on me in the middle of the meeting." He stepped back farther as she looked at the pictures. "Not my bad."

Buffy frowned. "No, but not ours either." She tossed the papers against the wall. "What do they want? 'Cause I'm not going like Invisible Girl."

Willow looked confused for a second, then remembered the girl they had stopped from tearing up Cordellia. "I'm sure it's nothing like that."

Xander pulled out his locator. "It's this," he said quietly.

Buffy looked at it, then up at him. "They want it that bad?"

"Think about it," Oz said. "Covert Ops? It'd be invaluable until someone found a way to get around it or to intercept it." He looked at the younger man. "What do they *specifically* want?"

"They want this. The plans. They said I could have updates as long as I kept it among us, that this was all they really needed, but I don't believe that." He sat down on the floor, facing his friends. "They asked if I had anything else in the works too. I told them no, and when I started to back off of the negotiations they tossed down the folder. She was one scary lawyer."

Willow looked sympathetic. "Army?"

"Marine, and she was so *smooth* and *calm* and very aggressive." He shook his head. "Not someone I want to deal with again."

Buffy sat down beside him. "I'm sorry I yelled." He nodded. "I want to talk to them too. This is my life they're using as a pawn." He nodded again. "Okay?"

"Deal. You talk to the scary lady and I'll hide behind you." He grinned at her. "Just like old times."

She gave him a shove. "Not really. You always *tried* to fight." She used him as a pillow. "Now what?"

"Now, we plan," Oz said. "They want to meet again in two days, right?" Xander nodded. "Then we find out what they know. It may give us an advantage."

Xander smiled. "I have something else that might." He pulled out his newest project. "I just need to get it to work."

Buffy looked at it critically. "What is it?"

' ' ' '

Xander pointed his little device at the wall, letting it burn a small hole in it. "Not a clue why it works suddenly, but it does." He smiled at Buffy. "It's all her fault."

The Slayer smiled. "Now then, I want to know why you gathered all that stuff on me to blackmail him."

The General smiled. "That's low boy."

"No lower than endangering my friends by exposing what we do," he pointed out. "While you're right that I would do just about anything to keep that from happening, I'm not about to be blackmailed by the government."

The lawyer nodded. "We can see that, but it wasn't my idea. It's standard practice."

"Then I'd change it," Buffy said. "You still haven't answered my question."

"Your secret's safe with us. All of yours." She looked around to make sure no one was around. "My sister's kid is one that could be chosen, her father's a DEA agent that you two had a run in with last year." She cleared her throat. "As you can see, I'm not telling anyone."

"Makes me more than happy," Xander said. "So, let's deal."

' ' ' '

Xander and Buffy walked in, smiling and skipping together. "We won," they said in unison.

Willow looked at Oz. "That's scary," she told him, then looked back with a bright grin. "So, what's the deal?" She moved her feet so the others could sit down.

"I'm giving it to them," Xander said, "along with the sound beam thingie I've been working on that worked all of twice," he grinned at Oz, his helper that made sure it worked at all, "but we get to keep any updates or improvements. They have the right to make their own, but neither of us will go public with it. It stays in the family and in the military."

Buffy bounced over, sitting between Oz and Willow. "We also get a humongous sum of money for the plans." She kissed their cheeks. "And our secrets are all safe. The files were destroyed in the office as we watched."

"Backups?" Oz asked. "The military isn't that stupid."

"The lawyer's niece is one of me," she said happily. She looked at Oz. "That DEA agent was her father."

He shook his head. "Man, what a coincidence that was." He slapped himself in the forehead, before going on sarcastically. "You'd think they hadn't planned it at all."

Xander pulled on his ear, making him turn toward him. "It worked out. No one knows. Any other mention is to be not only classified as an anomaly but is to be ignored. None of them are ever to be in the service, none of us will be bothered unless I work something else out that they want and then only those two or someone that they directly tell will come to us to ask." He smiled. "We won, be happy."

"I am," he said, frowning. "I'm just worried."

Buffy handed over the diskette she had carried in. "The last copy they had. I saved it for you."

Oz looked at it, then deciding not to take a chance on putting it into the computer, broke it in his hands. He tore open the case, wrinkling and ripping the disk inside. "Okay, now I feel better." He looked at his mates. "Now what?"

"Celebrate?" Willow suggested.

Oz shook his head. "You two've about celebrated me out."

Xander laid a hand on his chest, gasping in shock. "You mean that *you* have a *limit*?" He gasped again for effect, ducking the newspaper Oz tried to smack him with. "Who'd have thought?"

Buffy and Willow laughed so hard, watching Oz chase the younger man around the room, they ended up clutching each other tightly.

"Too cute," Willow finally got out. "Much too cute to be men."

"Boys," Buffy replied, "they've never grown up." She shook her head at the tickle fight in the middle of the floor. "I hope they never do."

' ' ' '

Xander waited until he was alone before pulling out the stuff he had gotten to celebrate on his own. He slid the tape in, laying out what he would need beside him on the bed, then turned on the tape, readying himself for a wonderful time. It may not be what he wanted but it was as close as he would ever be getting.

He watched the tape, putting himself in the actor's places, trying to get lost in the need, but nothing would happen. It wasn't enough any more.

Then he heard the bad thing, someone walking in.

"Don't come in," he yelled.

Oz yelled from the other side, "Okay, tell me when it's safe. I need a shower."

Xander groaned, pulling the sheets up over himself. "Come on then," he said. He flipped off the tape at the last minute, realizing from a loud moan that it was still on.

Oz walked in, glancing at the now dark tv. "Sorry, couldn't wait." He looked at the younger man before going into the bathroom.

Xander sighed as he closed the door, slipping his hand down to touch the instrument still in him. "Yeah, have fun," he whispered. He could wait, would wait, for Oz to get out of the shower and leave again.

That thought alone sparked a fantasy image, springing fully formed into his mind. His psyche pasted together various images of Oz that he had caught from the threesome's times he had walked in on, building an Oz in his mind that was now showering too. He closed his eyes, letting it overtake him, sweep him away.

The Oz in his mind was beckoning him, wanting him in the shower with him. He even stepped aside so he could get in. The shower curtain closed itself as Oz leaned closer, taking a kiss, just like the one he had given him in the park that night. The toy in him was moved, stroking him faster and harder, making it better. Soon it was the shower Oz's fingers, then his cock, filling him like that.

Xander let out a groan, the sound making him open his eyes to make sure no one was around. The water was still running so he was okay for now. He went back to the fantasy, wanting it to go longer. The shower Oz was now pounding him hard and fast, but with many touches and strokes to his wet skin. They both came at the same time, shouting their completion.

By the time he had come down from the bright lights, Oz was sitting next to him, stroking through his sweat dampened hair. "You okay?" he asked.

Xander nodded, mute. He looked away in shame, not wanting Oz to know what he had been thinking, but the older man made him look at him. "I'm sorry," he said.

"For what? Taking your pleasure while I was in the shower or about calling my name?" He saw the blush get just a little darker. "Ah, I see it's the latter." He leaned back against the headboard. "Want to share?" He got a mute shake of a head for an answer. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Xander said, rolling onto his side. "Really, really sure." He closed his eyes, mortally embarrassed. "I didn't mean to do that."

"Do what?" He wiggled down to lie next to the younger man. "Think about me like that? Want me? You gotta tell me here, I need to know these things."

"No you don't," Xander said quietly. "It's not going to happen." He steeled himself for an assault on his resolve, but none came. He looked up to see Oz pulling on a pair or boxers. "I'm...I can't."

Oz nodded, pulling on a t-shirt. "I know. You're still scared of it." He shrugged. "I'm guessing here, but I'd say that was normal." He sat back down on the bed. "You've not had anything but a cold kinda-dead guy and he doesn't really count as a human. You're still a virgin at heart and you're scared of taking that final step." Xander shook his head. "Yeah, you are. Otherwise you'd not be so uptight about everything."

Xander shook his head. "That's not it," he said quietly. "It's wrong, I can't."

"You can't with any man though, right?" He had finally figured it out earlier that day. Xander was still insecure about his desires. He might be open about it, want it fully, but he couldn't take that last step to cross the line. Too many people had told him it was wrong; too many had beaten it into him, verbally at the least, that it wasn't the 'correct' thing men did. There might be a solution, but ten years of therapy didn't appeal to him at that moment. "I'm all right with this if you are, Xan, you know that."

Xander laid back, wincing as his rear hit the sheets. "Can you, um, look the other way for a minute?"

"Still in?" he asked, doing as he was requested.

Xander grunted as he pulled the toy out, then rolled back toward him. "Okay." He waited until Oz had turned back around. "That's not it either. You're still not getting it."

"Wrong is what we make of it," he repeated. "Nobody but us makes up the rules for us." He leaned over, kissing the younger man's forehead. "I'll be in the living room watching tv if you need something." He walked out, closing the door behind him.

Xander rolled flat again, wondering if he'd just thrown away his last chance for happiness. He closed his eyes, trying to figure out how to fix it this time. He didn't want to lose Oz or his friendship over this, especially not over this. Maybe if he gave in... but that would trivialize it and make it worse. He couldn't give in, no matter how much he wanted it. No matter how strong the need was, he could never give in. He rolled onto his side away from the door, curling up into a little ball, sure he had just ruined the best thing in his life for a few seconds of not so great gratification.

Oz watched Xander think from the doorway. He could tell that they were painful, were hurting him to even bring up to himself. He hadn't wanted to bring that up to the younger man, but it was the truth, he was right. He was sure of it. When Xander rolled into a little ball, he couldn't take it anymore. "Xan?" he said from there. "Want to talk?"

"Not really," was the quiet reply. "But I will if you want to." He uncurled some but didn't roll over.

Oz sat down behind him, taking the fragile man into his arms. That was something else he had learned. Xander was so fragile inside. He'd built defenses but they weren't enough to keep him safe anymore, maybe they hadn't been for a while. He who was always picked on or ignored never expected anything different, and would create his world to either make it true or prove it false. Which one Xander had done, he still wasn't sure. "Hey, I didn't mind. I'm actually kinda flattered." He ran his fingers through the sweaty hair. "I wouldn't worry about it, I know you're not going to do something that I don't want." He stopped to pick his words carefully. "Let me ask you something." He waited until Xander nodded. "Why me?"

Xander rolled over, inadvertently landing on the older man. When he tried to back up, he was held fast. "Oz," he said.

"No, tell me. I'm comfortable and I've felt more of you than this." He grinned. "I remember sitting in your lap and feeling more than this." He resumed his finger combing.

Xander pushed the situation out of his mind, not wanting it to get to him. "Because you care," he said finally, wanting him to know the truth if this was the end. "You understand and you've been beside me through all the shit."

Oz nodded. "What else are friends for." He pulled on the hair, making Xander look up. "I woulda been there anyway for you, attraction and love or not." He pushed the head down onto his chest.

Xander was confused. This wasn't another offer, nothing had been said about it really. This was nothing at all like he had ever known. Why did the older man want to know what he was thinking? "Why?" he asked.

"Why am I here or why do I care?" He waited for an answer.

"Both. I don't know. Forget it."

Oz shrugged. "I can do that or I can answer." He looked down. "I'm here because there's no place I'd rather be than here with you three." He stopped, letting that be absorbed in. "I care because I do. Nothing you do, no matter how stubborn you get, will change that. I care because I can and you're worth it, also because you're more than special to me. You three all are. You're not only part of my family, but part of my heart." He wiped off the soft glimmer of moisture on the younger man's cheeks. "Belongs on a Hallmark?"

"Yeah," Xander said, voice breaking. "It does." He laid his head down on the firm chest, resting it there because it felt right.

Oz let him rest for a few minutes, not wanting to look at the clock. "Xan, I got a meeting in an hour." He tapped the forehead resting on his chest, realizing that the younger man was really asleep for the first time in days. He smiled, not willing to disturb him for something as unimportant as a job.

' ' ' '

Willow walked in carrying the stuff she would need to work at home, dropping it onto the table. She knew Oz and Xander were home, their cars were outside, so she glanced into the bedroom to see two naked men, Oz reading, Xander sleeping soundly. She waved, smiling, but he shook his head. She shrugged, going back to setting up her stuff to work with.

The younger man came out a few minutes later, wrapped in his robe, to put the computer stuff together. He did it silently, not looking at her, then padded back into the bedroom.

Oz walked out as Xander walked in, passing him by turning sideways. "Going back to sleep?" The younger man nodded, crawling into the bed as he watched. He closed the door gently, going out to where his fiancee was looking at her new computer stuff. "Good meeting?"

"Yeah, how was yours?"

"I called to reschedule." He shrugged. "Xander was napping on me." She nodded. "Nothing happened though."

Willow patted the middle of her love's chest. "I know. You would have smiled at me earlier if it had." She kissed him soundly. "You want to cook tonight?" He shook his head. "I have a paycheck for all the orientation I've been doing. Want to go spend some alone time?"

He smiled, heading back into the bedroom to grab some clothes. He came out, jeans and a decent shirt on, dangling his keys. "I'll drive."

Willow shook her head, taking the keys from him. "Not a chance. I'm not sure that the van will run right now." She picked up her keys. "But since you've been such a good boy, I'll let you drive my car."

He took the keys from her fingers, letting their hands touch a little longer than necessary. "Xan, we're going out for alone times," he yelled. "Should we bring you back a doggy bag?"

"No," came the quiet reply. "Have fun." They could hear the bed creaking slightly. Xander waited until he was alone to bring out the memories of what Oz had told him. He was wanted, he knew that, but he hadn't known that it came with affection too. Nobody had ever told him that. Oz had said that he loved him, right after telling him he was scared. But then, that was something he'd known for a while now. All the hiding in the bathroom, all the leaving had been about that. He was scared. He couldn't screw this up for anything, not even love.

He rolled back up into a little ball, protecting himself even as he slept.

' ' ' '

Buffy looked through the bedroom door, seeing Xander rolled up again. Not even she could misinterpret that posture. She dropped her purse, heavy from the days trials, before going in to lay down beside him. She had just lain down when he rolled over, snuggling against her side. "Wouldn't it be more comfortable if you laid on me?" He shook his head. "Want to talk about it?"

"Not really," he said, moving back some. "How was your day?"

"Busy but boring." She shrugged. "I'm finding a lot of that in this field." She moved a little closer, seeing him move back almost automatically. "You're too tense again. Want me to work on your back? I'm not as good as Oz is with it but I'm good enough to put you back to sleep."

Xander thought hard about the offer. She would be doing the same things Oz had done a few weeks earlier, and he plainly remembered how he had reacted to those touches. When he hadn't answered, she nudged him, turning it into a caress of his shoulder. It felt so good, just the touching stuff, maybe it would be all right after all. He nodded, rolling over to his stomach.

Buffy got up, going into the bathroom for a few towels and the oil. "Here, lay this under you." She handed him one, draping the other around his waist. She waited until he was ready, then hiked up her skirt so she could straddle his hips. "Ready?"

"Only if you promise to be gentle," he said quietly.

"Xan, the only thing I ever am with you is gentle." She smiled as she warmed the oil in her hands. "No gloves, is that all right?" He nodded. "Okay, now relax." She bent down, starting at the back of his neck. "Let me ease all that nasty tension over life, let me pull it from you and toss it in the corner." He smiled, turning his head to let her get a better grip. "There?" she asked as she hit a rope of tendon. His groan confirmed her guess. She worked that one out, moving down to his shoulders to soothe the skin there over that tension too. "Man, did you lift too long?" He shook his head. "Then why are you so uptight?" He started to move under her. "Okay, I won't ask. If you want to tell me, you know I'll listen." She worked some more of his tension out, easing down his back to the spot under his shoulderblades that was a mass of tight muscles whenever he got uptight about something. She worked that area hard, kneading it with her fingers and the balls of her hands, and when that wasn't enough, her knuckles. When it still wasn't loosening enough, she climbed off his back, landing beside him on the bed. "What?"

"Nothing," he said, not moving. "Thank you."

She stopped him from getting up. "Xan, I couldn't get out those knots. Nothing I could do would loosen them. Tell me what's wrong." She pulled his head around, making him look her in the eyes. "What?"

"It's nothing," he said with a sigh. "Just some deep thinking."

"You've been doing a lot of that recently." He nodded. "What about?"

"Life and stuff." He shrugged, wincing in pain as the movement his that area. "Could you maybe try again?"

She climbed back onto his rear, watching as he visibly tried to relax. "Not while you're that tense. Come on, into a hot shower with you. Let me set up the stuff better to relax you." She got off, pulling him up after her. She set the water temperature on the shower, putting him in it. "Let it hit your back and any other soothing areas while I go set the bedroom into a relaxing space." She walked out, taking the aromatherapy candles Willow had bought for her and Oz's special baths.

Xander let the water hit him where he needed it, groaning as the heat penetrated the tightness in his back for the first time in weeks. He was just starting to relax when he heard the music come on in the bedroom, a classical piece he had always found soothing. Something by Tchaikovsky that had been made into a ballet, which he hated. He shivered in the warm water, wondering what the woman in the other room was thinking about.

When Buffy stepped back in, holding out a towel for him, he tried to take it from her hands and dry off in the shower, but she held it while helping him out. She dried him, being careful not to hit anywhere he might object to, then handed it to him before leading him back to the bed.

The room was filled with soft sounds and light. The candles she had pulled out of the emergency stores were positioned around the room to give off just enough light to see by. The aromatherapy candles sat around the bed, the cd player in the center of the headboard. She led him back to the bed, laying him on the area she had prepared, letting him settle down.

"Ready to start again?" He nodded so she climbed back on his back, the work clothes having been exchanged for a pair of bike shorts and a tank top. "Okay, now relax. Let the music flow around and through you," she said softly, helping him get into the mood. "Let my fingers work all that nasty tension from your back slowly. Relax into my hands." She looked over as someone cleared his throat from the door. "He's too tense," she told Giles. "I'm practicing what I learned in class." She started on the younger man's neck. "Can Giles come in?" Xander nodded. "Pull up a chair."

Giles brought in one of the dining room chairs. "I hadn't been aware of you taking a class in that," he said as he sat down to watch. "Xander, how are you?"

"Tense," Buffy answered for him. She moved down to the shoulders that were the definition of uptight at that moment. "So, why are you showing up?"

"Hmm? Oh, Marion and your mother are having a women's moment and wanted to know if I could hide here while inviting you."

Buffy smiled, shaking her head. "I might be over later to eat gross stuff with them." She gave her Watcher a hard look, knowing the secret they were trying to keep from her. "How are the wedding plans?"

Giles rubbed his eyebrow. "Don't ask. I haven't the faintest idea about things like flower arrangements and invitations." He shook his head. "That is something I never even thought of."

Xander smiled from his pampered position on the bed. "Yeah, I heard it can get stressful for a guy to go through all that stuff." He looked over at his friend. "You want to work on him instead?"

Buffy pushed the younger man's head back to the pillows. "Quiet." She attacked the hard area again, not knowing what she was doing wrong. "I think we need Oz to fix that." She gave up, moving down to his lower back.

"They're having aloneness right now," Xander said. "They'll be back eventually." He shrugged, almost throwing Buffy off his rear. "That's nice though."

She smiled, working harder on the recently sore area.

"I wonder if such a technique would be useful to a pregnant young girl," Giles said rhetorically.

Buffy shrugged. "All I know is that you have to be careful about where and what you hit. The teacher said we were nowhere near ready to work on a pregnant woman." She looked over at her soon to be step-father. "Why? Is Marion's back hurting again?"

Giles nodded. "She's been having a bit of trouble standing or sitting recently due to some tension in the lower regions."

Buffy nodded. "I can see that. All that extra weight on her frame must be killing her."

"She called herself an elephant the other day," Xander said. "We were looking at maternity shirts and she picked up one with a cartoon elephant. Said it looked just like her."

Giles sighed, leaning back some. "She's said that to us too." He looked around the room. "But we've heard it's common."

Buffy smiled. "I wouldn't know and probably won't."

"Don't say that," Xander said. "You'd be a great and understanding mom. After all the stuff you've been through, you'd be one of those cool mothers that actually explained things and stuff." He buried his head in the pillow. "Oh, yeah, right there." He sighed as she worked the sore spot around his spinal column.

Giles stood up quickly. "I believe I'll see a movie," he said. "I'll be back later if they're still at it." He put the dining room chair back, walking quickly out of the apartment.

"What's with him?" Willow asked, coming back into the bedroom. "He looked like you two scared him off." She looked around the room, then at Buffy, eyebrow arched. "Interrupting?"

"Not really," the other woman said. "Just trying to work the knots out and not succeeding very well." She climbed off the younger man's back. "He need's the power of Oz's fingers to fix those knots."

Oz rolled up his sleeves as he walked in. "Me?" He looked at the puddle of person on the bed. "That bad?" he asked her quietly, pulling her into the living room.

"That spot under his shoulderblades and his lower back. I managed the rest of them but I couldn't get him to relax under my fingers that much." She stole a kiss. "Italian?"

He pointed to the kitchen counter where they had left her the take out. "For you." He kissed her again, taking his time. "I'll do this, you and Willow hang."

"Actually, mom invited me over for a women's time thing with Marion. She's one too so she could probably come." She shrugged, pulling Willow over to her. "Want to go visit the pregnant ones?"

Willow shook her head. "I still don't think you're right about that. She's not showing."

"Bet me," Buffy said. "But we could always ask her." She grinned, pulling the younger woman out with her. "Be back later."

"Have fun," Oz said, walking into the bedroom. He looked at all the candles. "I like her notion of relaxing but would you like something different?"

Xander shook his head. "It's nice. Kinda too romantic for me, but nice." He looked over his shoulder. "Buffy said I should plead with you to work the kinks out of my back."

Oz stripped down to his boxers. "Okay, I'll let my magic fingers do it again." He looked around, then went into the bathroom. "Just a sec." He came back out with gloves.

"No, please," Xander said. "It doesn't feel as good."

"Yeah, but I can work a little harder without bruising you in them."

"Don't care." He laid his head back down. "But if you really want, I won't complain any more."

Oz laid them beside the limp body. "I'll only use them if I have to, okay?" The younger man nodded. "Okay, oil?" It was pointed out near the candles, warming in a little warming dish over a votive candle. "I'd forgotten she had one of those." He climbed on, settling into his spot atop Xander's rear. "You know the rules. Tell me..."

"I know. You're fine." He shifted some, wincing at the movement of his back. "But I think I've been laying too long." Oz got off, helping him stand and watched while he popped his back. "Thanks, man, for all of this." He lay back down, wiggling to get comfortable.

Oz got back on. "There's nothing that I wouldn't do for you," he reminded Xander. "Anytime you need me to, I'll gladly work on your back. As long as it's not interfering with a test or something." He scooped some of the oil out, working it into his hands. "Ready?" He got a nod in answer. "Okay, now let it flow out."

Xander thought relaxing thoughts, liking the feel of the strong hands on his back. For some reason this felt right, even when Buffy's didn't. "Very talented hands," he said softly, "you could make major bucks."

"You think? Massage therapy is supposed to be a great job." He worked steadily but slowly down the expanse of firm flesh. "She was right, you're too tense. Did she put you in the shower too?"

"While she did the room," Xander said. "Nice and hot." He shifted some, moving a leg out.

"That's normal," Oz said, wiggling some on the raised flesh. "I can put a pillow under your hips if you need it." Xander shook his head. "Okay, tell me if I need to." He indulged himself, relaxing the younger man though the use of the pressure points he knew would arouse him. By the time he was ready to tackle the first section, the younger man was almost purring under his hands. Maybe he should teach Buffy this, but it was something he wanted to keep all to himself.

The first touch of his fingers to the major tense spot in the middle of the younger man's back brought a jump, but the next one brought the flesh arching up under him. "Yeah, she's right, you're a train wreck there." He shook his head. "Is this about us?" He maneuvered the muscles around some, digging lightly into them to ease the growing tension. "I'm guessing so since you're not saying anything."

"Not really. Some of it but not the rest."

Oz nodded, having to work a little harder as the muscles tensed again under his fingers. "So what is it?" He noted the absolute tension state achieved then backed off from. "No wonder you have knots. I couldn't even dent it when you did that."

Xander chuckled briefly. "It's not that bad, just heavy thoughts." He shrugged, 'ouch'ing as the older man hit a sore spot.

"Okay, hard is out, let's try gentling the area down." He hit the nerves around the area, relaxing the surrounding flesh again. He gently worked back toward the center, spreading into and out of the eased areas as he worked. "Better?"

"Much." His body relaxed, sinking down into the mattress.

Oz shook his head, working both sides now to spread the band of non-tension. "I'd ask what, but it'd just undo all the work I just did." The back under his hands tensed briefly but went back to it's boneless state quickly.

"It's us," the younger man said finally, needing to confess it before it ate him fully. "It's not a matter of wanting it, because I do, but a matter of won't, because I can't." He turned his head. "I just can't." Oz nodded, not saying anything. "You've never been in that situation, have you? Wanting something, wanting to be part of something, but you couldn't?"

Oz took a deep breath, then thought about it, factoring all he knew about the younger man. "Not really, not something like this, no. I've pretty well made myself get in wherever I wanted. If I wanted it that bad, I'd do it. No one will get hurt either way you decide though." He grinned slightly. "I might be disappointed but I'm sure it's what you wanted."

"It's not," Xander said softly. "It's what I have to do." He hid his head back in the pillow. "That's nice," he said, referring to the light touch around the sore area on his back. "Just right."

Oz went back to his backrubbing, trying to figure out if there was anything he could say to make the younger man realize it was truly his place and that he was wanted there.

' ' ' '

Oz looked at his women, one cuddled up on either side of him. "What?" he asked finally, wanting to know why they kept looking at each other.

"Buffy thinks her mom's pregnant but she's not telling."

Buffy shrugged. "I'm sure of it but she won't tell me. It's like I'm some outsider now." She snuggled harder, trying to put it out of her mind. "Did you get the knots out of his back?"

Oz nodded. "Yeah, mostly." He looked toward the closed bathroom door. "It's us," he said softly. "We're weighing so heavily on him that he's thinking himself into pain."

Willow nipped at the hard chest. "Is it working on bringing him closer?"

"No, it's wearing him down but he's not closer." He grabbed her, pulling her up to look her in the face. "Now what?"

"Desensitization," she said. "It's the only way." She kissed her mate's lips, taking her time with them. "It's like retraining him."

Oz shook his head. "Men don't need obedience training, Willow, they need love." He hugged her tightly. "You are excellent at doing that, but it's not working through the iron of his will."

Buffy nipped him on the arm. "Maybe we need to show him." She looked up. "I can think of a few things."

Willow shook her head. "Never work. It'd send him running again." She thought back to the binding spell she had done, knowing it hadn't been touched yet. "He trusts us, just not with his heart and mind."

"We talk," Oz pointed out, "just not about things like that." He looked at the bathroom door. "You ever wonder what he does in there?"

"Ignore us," Buffy said. "He brings a book in, reads part of the time, soaks the rest while thinking."

Willow bit her lip. "I know something he doesn't. He doesn't do much of the old stuff anymore." She looked at the dark tv. "He hasn't needed the VCR recently. Not for that purpose anyway."

Oz shook his head. "Earlier, but it wasn't working for him. I almost walked in while he was trying." He shrugged. "He did it while I was in the shower."

"Did he do something else," Willow asked. She saw Oz guarding some information. "What?"

"Nothing," he said. He hugged her tightly, running a talented hand down her back. "What does my nymph want?" Buffy leaned over, trailing his hand with her tongue. "Ah, that." He let Willow go, watching as Buffy pulled her to over to lay on top of her body. "I could watch that."

' ' ' '

Xander was about to get out of the tub when he heard the first giggle from the girls. They were getting a late start tonight. He climbed back into the tub, not wanting to go break it up just because he wanted to go to bed. He leaned back onto the little pillow as he ran some more hot water, making the water he had more comfortable for a long stay. Those two were like bunnies.

He picked up his book, determined not to listen as they rutted, no matter how much he wanted to do that or watch them, and turned back to his bookmark. He would put it out of his mind again.

' ' ' '

Oz knocked on the bathroom door, worried because he hadn't heard any movements from the younger man for a while. He opened the door slowly, stopping at the sight displayed before him. Xander was asleep, his eyes closed lightly. His whole face looked different when he slept, less worried, all the new little lines that the last year had carved smoothing out.

He walked over to the tub, taking the very wet book out of the water and laying it out to dry on the toilet lid. Then he closed the door before sitting down, gently swishing his hand through the cool water, watching as the ripples washed up on the firm body. He looked for signs of the bruising that marked his body only a month ago, but there didn't seem to be anything but a Buffy sleep-hickey on the bottom of one of his pecs. He smiled as he drizzled some of the oiled water down the flesh that hadn't gotten any, watching as it ran back down to join the mass, leaving glittering trails behind. The hand to the side of the younger man's face woke him, the soft stroking through his hair telling him it was him doing it. "Hey," he said softly. "Want to come sleep beside me?"

Xander snorted, waking up more. "Yeah, maybe." He started to get up, but Oz's hand on his chest made him stay still. He looked over, seeing the look he gave the girls shining out at him now. And it just made his heart hurt worse. "Oz," he started, but a damp finger was placed across his lips.

"Shh, accept it. It's not like I can or would change it." He stood up. "Want help? You've been in there for a while now." The younger man shook his head. "Okay, I'll be outside if you need me." He walked out, closing the door gently behind him.

Xander got up, steadying himself on the curtain rod, then stepped out. He grabbed his towel, wiping his wet body off quickly in the cool air. He looked at the book, sorry he had done it to the poor thing, but apparently he had needed the nap. He grabbed his pajama bottoms but then realized they were the old ones and he hadn't brought a clean pair with him, so he wrapped the towel around his waist, going out to rummage through his drawer to find a clean pair.

"You need to do laundry," Oz said quietly. "I noticed it earlier but I thought you knew so I didn't mention it." Xander changed drawers, looking for something else to sleep in. "Pull on a pair of boxers and climb in."

"Not any of those left either," he said softly. He looked down in his underwear drawer, only seeing an ill fitting pair that he would never be able to sleep in. He thought about pulling on a pair of bikini's, but didn't want that sort of exposure, not with the control he needed but didn't have yet in the night. He looked briefly at his swim team bathing suit from high school, but it was mainly the same thing. Too skimpy when he needed as much coverage as he could get in the middle of the night to keep his body from betraying itself. "Damn," he said quietly.

"Just come to bed, Xan," Oz said. He turned out all but the nightlight. "I won't look and you know I'm not going to touch." He rolled to face the girls.

Xander pulled out his green bikini's but put them back for the metallic blue ones. They looked and fit better on him. Not that looking better should matter, or at least it shouldn't, but it did. He pulled them on, slipping in behind Oz since Buffy had spread out over his usual section again, something she did every time Willow wore her out. "Night," he said softly. He turned to put his back against Oz's and closed his eyes.

Oz smiled, having seen his debate of which pair to wear, knowing that the younger man had been arguing with himself. His plan to put all the clean pajama bottoms in the wash had been successful. Xander hadn't even realized that he hadn't worn them all. He waited until he heard the soft snores to turn over, pulling the younger man into his arms to be held all night.

' ' ' '

Xander woke warm, comfortable, and feeling safe. He tried to roll over but a pair of strong arms held him tightly, something he didn't expect. He looked down, wanting to make sure who's arms it was, but got a surprise. It wasn't *a* pair of arms, it was three arms total. Oz's and one of Willow's had found their way around his waist, holding him through the night. He lifted Willow's arm off, putting it over Oz's chest gently, then tried to reach behind himself to grab the other pair. No budging them. Nothing he did would move those arms, he was stuck pressed against Oz's chest.

Maybe be needed to start sleeping in the living room again. This couldn't keep happening if he was going to remain true to his decision. He couldn't allow this to happen. He looked up from his position of nose to breast on Oz's chest as the older man snorted. "Morning," he said quietly.

"Go back to sleep," was the quiet reply. From Buffy of all people.

The younger man tried to wiggle out of the bed again, but he got pulled even closer. The arms that he wanted, but could never have, were now wrapped tight enough to trap him, keeping him from moving any more. "Oz," he said softly, trying to wake him without doing so to anyone else. Buffy's pillow slammed down onto the side of his head, so he gave up, having to accept it for now.

It was almost eight when Buffy's alarm went off, finally waking the three sleeping people. He debated pretending to be asleep but he knew Oz would know. The older man had studied him so long and so hard that he knew when he was trying to hide something. He looked up as he felt the eyes on him. "Morning," he said quietly.

Oz smiled, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Yeah, it is kinda good." He squeezed once, briefly, then let go. "Are you all right?" He noticed the blanching of the expressive face when he had given him the hug. "Xan?"

"Fine," he grabbed his bathrobe, walking out to fix breakfast for the people that had to leave, namely Buffy.

Oz rolled over, grabbing Willow before she could get out of the bed. "So," he said, nuzzling into her neck. "What now?"

"Now we eat," she said. "Then we do whatever we need. Some of us have to start working today." She shrugged. "We'll have plenty of time later to deal with this." She licked the tip of his nose. "I need to shower."

"The nymph's in there."

Buffy stuck her head out of the bathroom. "Yeah, but she could use a backscrubber to make the day go faster." She looked down her back. "I need someone to look at it anyway, I think I'm breaking out again." She withdrew to go back to preparing for her day.

Willow looked at her man. "You or me?" He waved a hand, making her smile. "Okay, but that means you two get it later." She pinched his nipple then walked into the bathroom.

Oz looked down at his chest. "Maybe I should start going to the gym too."

Xander leaned against the door frame. "You can come with me." He tossed a pair of socks. "You left them in the middle of the table again." He walked back to the kitchen.

Oz looked down at the offending article. "They're clean," he said loudly.

"I knew that," Xander called back. "But socks don't belong in the middle of the table." He looked over from the kitchen. "Food?"

"Anything's fine," he said, getting up, stretching before putting his robe on over his nakedness. When he turned back around, Xander was still staring at him. "Hey," he said, walking out. "Want help?"

The younger man shook his head, bending over to look in the fridge. "We have juice, bagels, fruit, cereal but no milk, and syrup but not the stuff to make batter for pancakes." He stood up, just then realizing that Oz was standing behind him, looking over his shoulder. "What?" he asked slowly.

"Nothing, just wanting to assess the jelly situation." He grabbed the jar of homemade stuff Marion had made. "Bagels it is I guess."

Xander handed him the stuff, watching as he split each one evenly. "We have a cutter."

"This works better," the older man said, "less crumbs." He split another one, taking the one from the toaster. "How many?"

"One for each. If they want more, they can fix one." He watched as Buffy breezed through the room, grabbing a glass of juice and a bagel on her way out the door. He looked down at his watch. "I wonder if she knows that she has another twenty minutes before she has to leave."

Oz leaned against the counter. "Probably not, but our nymph has a flexible sense of timing anyway." He turned to take out a bagel and put another in then turned to watch Xander laying stuff out on the table. "Want help?"

"Nope, one person job." He looked back briefly, then started to fuss so he didn't have to go back into the space inhabited by Oz. "Do we need anything else?"

The older man looked over the table. "Only if the Queen's coming over, then we need tea." Xander snorted. "Ah, a joke of mine that you did get." The younger man shook his head. "Okay, sticking the bagels on a plate and in the middle?" He removed the last pair of halves from the toaster, waiting on where he should be putting them.

"Yeah," Xander said, coming in and handing him one. "We never use that one, let's do that." He walked back into the bedroom, going presumably to either call Willow to breakfast or to put on clothes.

Willow walked out a few minutes later, followed by a partially dressed Xander. "Bagels?"

"No milk," Oz said, pulling out her chair. He sat her then managed to make it to the younger man's to pull it out for him.

Xander sat delicately, not sure of the purpose of that move. "Thanks," he said. He poured some juice out, handing the pitcher over. "What are you doing today, Will?" he asked, trying to stimulate a normal conversation.

"I've got to get all my parameters set then start to program in something." She sipped her juice with a shrug. "Code all day."

Oz nodded, understanding. "Not pretty." He looked over at the younger man. "I have that meeting that I put off and he's offered to take me to the gym with him."

"Hmm, guy stuff. Have fun." She bit into the bagel, smiling at her mate. "Perfect as always."

Oz shot the younger man a glance. "And you thought my technique was funny."

The younger man shook his head. "Not really, I just wondered why you weren't using the bagel cutter." He bit into his own bagel, wanting to not have to say much more.

Willow watched him eat. "What?" she asked finally when he hadn't said anything for a while.

"Nothing."

"Bet me. What's going through that mind of yours?" She leaned closer. "Another toy for Buffy?"

Xander went back to his old ways, really quickly and easily. "Yeah, I was thinking about taking her toys and working them over to be faster and better." He grinned, but nobody at the table was buying it. "What?"

"I thought we had gone beyond that," Oz said. He leaned over a little. "Sarcasm this early in the morning? For shame. We ought to make you wear a little french maid's uniform while you clean. I know where to find one."

The younger man shook his head. "I didn't know that you liked that stuff. I'm not cleaning it though." He chewed on his bagel, shutting himself up before he went too far.

Willow reached over, slapping the back of his head. "Grumpy. Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" She looked between the two men. "Or was it something else?"

"Drop it, Willow," Xander said.

She stared at him for a bit but went back to eating breakfast.

Xander was working on his second bagel when Oz couldn't take the silence anymore. He got up, flipping on the cd player. He smiled at his mate as he changed selections, telling her what he was doing. She nodded, looking back down at her plate.

A loud and obnoxious tune blasted out of the speakers but Xander only calmly walked over to turn it down. "We have neighbors who aren't up yet," he said quietly. He sat back down in his spot.

Oz drew in a deep breath but didn't say anything. He calmly walked over to the table, sitting back down in his spot. "Sorry," he said finally.

"Nothing to be sorry for. It was just up from last night." The younger man shrugged. He finished spreading the peanut butter around. He took a bite, pulling over the paper to look at.

Willow pulled it away from him. "Want to talk?" He shook his head. "Well, I do." She put down her glass hard, sloshing some of the liquid out. "What's died in you this time?" Xander almost looked pained at the question but she went on. "Yesterday you were happily talking and everything. Today, you're silent and moody. Did we *do* something?"

The younger man shook his head. "No, I'm just thinking."

"Think less," she said, pulling the paper away from him again. "I miss the man you were in high school. All fun and light and happiness. What happened to him?"

Xander put down his food. "He grew up." He leaned back. "Why? What's so different now from who I was?"

Oz cleared his throat. "You're more defensive now. You used to laugh it off, make a joke, now you shield yourself pretty tightly." He took a drink. "I miss the fun you too. The one that used to live here before Christmas." He pushed his chair back some. "I just need to know if we're the cause."

"You're not the cause of my growing up," he said. "You may be the cause of my ill humor some mornings but you're not the cause of the rest of it." He stood up, setting his plate on the counter. "I'm going out to the gym, you can come if you want." He walked into the bedroom, gathering his bag and a shirt.

Oz looked at Willow, who nodded him toward the bedroom. "Yeah, I want," he said loudly. "Let me get some stuff together." He got up, picking out the stuff he would need to spend a few hours around heavy things that made you sweat. He walked out, Xander following calmly behind. "We'll be back soon," he said.

"Before noon," Xander added. He held the door, smiling at her as he walked out.

She shook her head. The smile was nice but it was thin and painful to look at. She looked at the dishes, finishing her meal before even thinking about dealing with them.

' ' ' '

Oz looked around the familiar equipment, seeing the overly built men that were using them. "I didn't know you went here. I thought you went to the nautilus center or something."

Xander signed them in and led the way to the locker room. "Nope, been going here all along." He set his stuff in his locker, taking out his shorts and the tape he used to protect his hands. "You can use my locker if you want." He retreated to the bathroom section to change into his shorts, coming back out with his sweats balled up.

Oz had already changed and was waiting for him. "Tape?" He looked over to where the other guys were taping their hands too. "For the weights?"

The younger man nodded, picking up his hand to tape them for him. "Yeah, it protects against slippage and blisters." He quickly wrapped Oz's talented hands then his own. "Ready?" The older man nodded. "You can work beside me if you want." He led the way out to the treadmills, setting both of them to warm them up. "It's a gently climbing course. Nothing to strenuous to start out." He started his walking, looking down at the monitors instead of looking at the other men in the gym.

Oz looked at all the different equipment, tying to figure out what he could and couldn't do right off. He looked over at Xander, just starting to sweat now. "This isn't so bad."

"Oh, it gets a little harder in a few minutes." He pushed a button and his treadmill base tilted some more, going up to about a ten degree angle. "Your's will go a little more slowly." He walked a little faster, putting on the headphones and getting absorbed into the familiar rhythm.

Oz concentrated on what he was doing, the walk getting harder each minute. When the computer finally stopped it, he stepped off, looking around to find the younger man. He spotted him working on an arm machine so went over to him to observe what he would be doing. He looked down at the weight the younger man was pushing out and groaned. He hadn't known Xander did that much weight either, he thought he was doing toning stuff for definition.

Xander pulled himself out, resetting the pin down to around twenty pounds. "Okay, all yours."

"I think I can manage more than that." He sat down, easily pushing the arm rests out.

"Yeah, but how many reps can you do?" He leaned, watching Oz do more and more reps. "Slow down. This is only the first machine." He nodded at someone he knew, heading over to their machine. "Can we have this one next?" The extremely well built man nodded, getting up. "Thanks. Oz," he looked over his shoulder. "Enough, come on." He set the machine for himself, starting on the leg curls. Oz came over to observe again, and this set the tone for the rest of the workout.

It was almost eleven when Xander stopped, again on the treadmill. Oz had followed him really well, even though he was worn out.

"Good job," Xander said. "You kept up really well." He stopped the walker, getting off by sliding off the end. "Come on, let's hit the showers then we'll go home."

"Um, I left my..."

"You can use mine." He shrugged, pulling on the really wet shirt of the older man. "Come on. I'll buy lunch since you have to go to that meeting and you won't have time to eat before it."

Oz nodded, following the younger man back to the locker room. He had noticed that the gym had emptied as the morning went on, all the really well built guys coming out of the locker room dressed in suits. "So," he asked as he grabbed his towel, "how many times a week do you do this?"

"Four. I have my martial arts class the other day." The younger man shrugged. "It's not like I have something else to do during the day besides work on my designs." He gathered his little basket of shower stuff. "It's communal," he warned, leading the way into the mass shower room. He set the basket between them, then turned on his shower.

Oz followed his lead, slinging his towel up behind the shower head and wetting down his hair. "This was nice. We don't spend much guy time together anymore."

Xander nodded, handing over the shampoo and bending over to rinse it out of his hair. "Yeah, not much." He grabbed his shower gel and the small brush. "You can have the big brush, it's easier to use." He soaped it down, handing off the bottle. "Don't use too much, that stuff lathers really well." He turned, working down his back.

Oz withheld the urge he had to help the younger man scrub his back, not wanting to bring the wrath of the natives down on his head or the younger man's. "You missed a spot he said quietly, turning to face the other direction.

Xander grunted, moving the brush back where he had missed. "Thanks." He started on his front, staying turned away from Oz. "Hurry up, I'm hungry."

Oz rinsed off, settling the brush back into the basket. "Okay, let me rinse off again." He rinsed off again, making sure all the soap was gone by lifting his arms, and running his hands down his chest and legs.

Xander turned off his shower, settling his stuff back into the caddy and pouring the water in it out. He wrapped the towel around his waist, carrying it back to his locker. By the time Oz got out there, the younger man was mostly dressed, sitting on the bench tying his shoes, minus his shirt still.

The older man dried and dressed quickly, almost beating the younger man out the door. "Hey," he said. He pulled him up beside the car. "Thanks for bringing me with you."

Xander actually smiled at him. "Not a prob, man. Get in, we'll pull through someplace."

"Burger'd be fine," he said as he got in, buckling up. He tossed his rolled up stuff in the back. "You coming out to the school soon?"

"Yeah, I have an appointment next week." Xander started the car, pulling carefully out of the parking lot. "Head Mistress Winters called personally to see when I could come up. Seems she's most anxious to meet me after all you've told her." He pulled through a chain burger place, pulling out his wallet as they waited in line. "Oops, gotta go to the atm later. Get something under five, okay?" Oz nodded. "Thanks. I forgot to go yesterday."

"Yeah, I realized that when you were looking at your wallet last night in disgust." He ordered for both of them as the speaker was on his side. They pulled around, Xander paying. "Thanks man. This was special to me."

Xander ate a fry, huge grin on his face. "We ought to spend more time like that." He pulled up outside the apartment. "Willow's not here."

"She may have been called into the regional office."

"She said she was supposed to start on some new program today."

"Search engine," Oz said. "She's been telling me about it for a few days now." He got out, grabbing his stuff out of the back, but noticed that the younger man didn't get his. "Going back later?" Xander shook his head but still didn't grab the bag. They were through the downstairs security gate before he was answered.

"I've got to go to the store later and that'll remind me of something I need to get." He shrugged, leading the way up the stairs. He opened the door, holding it open for Oz. "Come on, you've got to change, you only have an hour to get up there." He closed the door behind them, sitting down at the table.

Oz headed for the bedroom, coming back out in a respectable outfit. "Look okay?" The younger nodded. "Good. I don't want to make a bad impression."

"Would that be canceling because my head was using you for a pillow?" Xander looked up. "You didn't have to do that. You coulda moved me." He took another bite of his burger. "What do you want for supper?"

"Um, anything and you looked so peaceful that I couldn't. It looked like you hadn't slept for a few days again and were resting so comfortably." He sat down, setting the food out around him. "What's on your plate for the rest of the day?"

"Today?" The older man nodded. "Nothing major. Draw, think. Shop a little. Nothing taxing." He snapped his fingers. "Speaking of which. I need to talk to the IRS today." He looked down at his watch. "In about two hours."

Oz shook his head. "What now?"

"Nothing, they want to talk to me about doing my taxes quarterly instead of once a year and they want to know why it's not all in tax deferred shelters." He shrugged. "I don't know, the lawyer's supposed to be meeting me down there."

Oz nodded. "Sounds like a reasonable set of questions. They see you as odd because you're not ducking them yet." He shook his head. "Why, I don't know."

"Because I'm still new to all this." He waved his hand around the apartment. "All this will probably be new to me forever."

Oz grinned. "Nah, you'll get used to it and start to live in a really nice house where you'll make the basement up for us." That brought a pained expression, which worried him. "What?"

"Nothing."

"Bull. What? Is it the living together thing?" Xander shook his head. "Then why did you get that pinched 'nothing's going right' look?"

Xander smiled. "I was asked that the other day and I told them I wasn't ready to pretend to be middle class yet." He sucked up some more of his shake. "I don't think I'm ready for a house, but when I do, you guys can have your own room, you don't need to hide in the basement."

"That's sweet." He ate the rest of his fries. "But we may be supporting you by then." He patted the table. "Will and I may get a house and force you to live with us." He saw the brief pained look again. "Unless the thought of all us living together bothers you."

Xander shook his head hastily, his mouth being full again. "No," he said once he swallowed. "That's not it." He looked straight at the older man. "You know what it is, why are you even bothering to ask?" He looked back down at his food, suddenly engrossed in the sight of it.

Oz balled up his burger wrapper, hitting the side of Xander's face with it, hard. "You are so screwed up you can't even admit it to yourself." The younger man looked hurt. "You want it right?" He got a slow, almost nod. "Then why avoid it?"

"Because it's not right." He stood up, tossing his trash away. "I thought we agreed not to talk about it."

"Talk about what?" Willow said, walking in with another bag of stuff. "Had to get disks, sorry." When no one answered her, she leaned over Oz's shoulder, stealing a fry. "How was the gym?"

"Cool," Xander said, coming back for his shake. "Where are you working?"

"Bed, did you want it?"

"Nope, I just don't want to disturb you with my music." He went to his drafting table, picking up his headphones and turning the radio on. He flipped through the papers littering the surface, pulling out one and rolling the rest up. He picked up a pen then looked at it for a second before starting again.

Willow looked at her mate, worried. "What?"

"I made a joke about houses and us buying one to put him up this time. He got that hurt look." He grabbed her around the waist, pulling her into his lap. "I don't know if I can fix it anymore."

"Then let him heal on his own. He's got to come to the decision on his own, same as Buff did." She licked his cheek. "You go interview while I work." She kissed him once then got up, going into the bedroom.

Oz watched her go, watching the younger man for a minute too before leaving for his interview.

' ' ' '

Xander looked around, wondering where everyone was. He had been drawing for hours, only interrupted to go see the tax men, immersed in the process and the creative outlet he had. He could hear quiet tapping from the bedroom, so supposed that Willow was still working, but by his watch, both Oz and Buffy should be home by now. He got up, popping his back as he stretched, then wandered into the bedroom. "Hey," he said. "What do you want for supper?"

Willow didn't look up. "Whatever." She used her mouse to click on something. "Oz'll be home soon and so will Buff." She looked up briefly. "Good drawing?"

Xander leaned against the doorway. "Yeah, actually. I think that at least one of them will be a good thing and the other two I started may need some refining. How's your project?"

She frowned, clicking on something else. "Not good. It's not working for some reason."

Xander smiled. "Comma prob again?" He waited for her to get it, ducking the pillow she sent flying at him. "What? It's happened before."

"I remember, and didn't I ask you to never mention that again?" She looked up at him, big, fierce frown lining her mouth.

He nodded. "Yeah, but it's always a consideration." He walked out. "I think we have steaks and some broccoli."

"Stir fry?" she yelled. "Please, anything but that." She walked out to see Xander looking in the freezer. "Chicken?"

"Breasts, frozen." He frowned. "I should have thought to thaw something out this morning."

She walked up behind her friend, rubbing his back. "This morning was stressful, you weren't focused on supper." She pulled something out, handing it to him. "Cooks in twenty minutes. We have toppings for them in the cupboards." She stepped back, washing her hands in the sink. "I'll even help slice peppers."

He dropped the two pizza boxes onto the stove. "Okay. Leave one cheese and give the others veggie toppings?" She shook her head, pulling out the sausage he hadn't cooked yesterday. "Okay, I can do that. You pick toppings and I'll help."

Willow opened the cupboards, pulling down cans of stuff. She opened them all, putting a few in the microwave, while she sliced a few peppers to put on top. Xander slit the cartons open, presetting the oven, and browned the sausage, breaking it into little pieces. They worked in tandem, silently communicating as only old friends could.

Buffy walked through the door, dropping down into a chair at the table. "Hey, what's for food?"

"Pizza," Willow said. "I'll put your favs into a bowl so the rest of us won't have to eat them." The older woman nodded. "Bad day?"

"Well, let's see. Malistrom's church goes through the company I'm interning in." She snarled briefly. "And if that's not bad enough, he recognized me. Then I blew a hose on the way home so the car's now in the shop." She laid her head down on her arms. "Not a good day."

Willow came over, rubbing her shoulders gently. "Want to go lay down for a few minutes? It's going to be almost another twenty before food's ready." Buffy nodded, dragging herself up and into the bedroom.

Xander looked over. "Next week is a holiday." He shrugged. "I'm sure she'll be glad."

Willow smiled. "I had forgotten about the fourth. Should we be doing something special?"

"I'm on patrol that night," the blonde one yelled. "Giles said it's a good night to do that."

Xander grimaced. "Not fair, but reasonable. More people out that night to watch the fireworks." He shook his head, going back to draining the sausage. "Okay, come help me pile it on."

Willow walked in, helping him pile one of the pizzas high with toppings. "Set it in the oven." She stepped back, letting the man put it in and went back out to the couch. "I wonder what's keeping Oz?"

"He's probably stuck in traffic," Xander said, coming out to sit beside her. "Make sure I don't fall asleep?" She nodded so he laid his head on her shoulder. "This is nice."

"It could be nicer," she said softly.

"Drop it," he told her.

"All right. I won't offer." She shrugged. "Not my fault I want you."

"Will," he sighed, sitting back up. "I can't."

"You can, you won't. Fundamental difference." She turned to look at him. "Why not?"

"Because." He started to get up, but he was stopped. "Will."

"No, I want to hear your reasoning."

Xander settled back down. "Do you really?" She nodded. "Okay, here it is. I don't want to go through the same things that my grandmother did. I want people to look at me and at least see me as partly human, even if they don't think gays are. I want to be normal for a change." He shrugged, getting up and going back to the kitchen. "That's not for me."

She sighed, getting up to follow him. "Do you remember what I was like before I started dating Oz?" He nodded. "I didn't think any of this was normal. Not the love I have, not the stuff I feel for Buffy, none of it. That narrow viewpoint almost cost me everything I have now by not accepting Oz as he was." She leaned against the counter. "There's nothing that's not normal today as long as it doesn't involve children or hurting people against their will or dead people." She covered her mouth. "Oh, God, I didn't mean that like it sounded."

He just nodded, pulling down the oven door to check on the meal. "It's all right, I know that wasn't normal." He looked over his shoulder as he stood. "But neither is me joining you. At least not for me." He shrugged, handing her the oven mitts as he walked past on his way to the bathroom.

Willow watched him go, wondering if her thoughtlessness had caused him even more pain than he was already carrying around from the stuff Spike did to him. She looked up as Oz walked in, unhappy expression on her face. "I screwed up," she said. He just took her into his arms, comforting away whatever mistake she had made.

' ' ' '

Xander looked in the mirror, wondering if he would ever be normal again. After all he had been through in the last year, he was sure now he bore the marks of abnormality, the faint scars being just the outward signs of it

"Xan, supper," Oz called from outside the door.

"In a minute." He gave himself one last look, reminding himself that he wasn't going to give in, no matter how much he wanted it, then left the bathroom. "Ready?" The older man nodded, so he walked out to the table. "We did a good job, Will," he said, passing her by and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Very pretty." He sat down in his seat, waiting for Oz and Buffy to get out so they could eat.

Oz walked Buffy out, talking to her quietly. He sat her down, pulling out her chair for her, then sat himself. "I agree," he said, "very nicely laid out." He looked at the younger man. "How was your day?"

"I got lost in the drawings," Xander said, pulling a slice of pizza onto his plate and passing it on. "How was your interview?"

"Very good. I got it if I want. She was impressed by my passion for music, had actually heard me play before." He took some food, passing it on. "How was your's Will?"

The younger woman tossed down her napkin, looking at the two men. "I'm going to lock you in a room together until you're something other than socially polite to one another." She stood up, pulling on Xander's ear until he followed her into the bedroom. "What?"

"Nothing. I was making small talk. It's what we do over supper usually." He looked down at her. "Why?"

"Why am I upset that you pulled out the manners you use around non-family or why am I upset that you were being so polite and not yourself?" She put her hands on her hips, looking up at him. "'Cause the answer is both."

He closed the bedroom door, pulling her over to sit on the bed. "I'm no different than I am most nights." He kneeled down in front of her, looking her in the eyes. "You may not have noticed it but I'm still the same person."

"No, my Xander was not polite to his friends, he was himself." She shook her head. "What did we do this time?"

"Nothing, why would you have? Or better yet, what would you have?" He waited but she didn't answer. "Will, answer me."

"Nothing," she said finally. "You're just not being you and I'm worried that it's because of us."

He shook his head. "No, it's not you. It's me and always has been." He reached under the bed, pulling out the small wooden box she had hidden in the box spring. "What is this?" She swallowed but didn't answer him. "What did you bind me to do?"

"Nothing." He gave her a disbelieving look. "To not leave," she said at last.

He nodded. "That's what I thought. I don't mind it, but it's not needed. I gave you my word I wouldn't leave."

"But you are," Oz said, closing the door behind him. "Emotionally you have left us already. You're not the same Xander Harris that used to live in that body just a few months ago and I've got to say, I don't like this new guy." He leaned against the closed door. "You bound him?" Willow nodded. "I wish I had known."

She shook her head, taking the little box. "I'll undo it. It's a manipulation and it was wrong."

"No," Xander said. "It's a manipulation to make yourself feel better and I understand. I'm not mad, leave it if it makes you feel better." He stood up. "Did you hear the rest too?" The older man nodded. "Now you understand?"

Oz thought about it for a minute then shook his head. "No, not really. Times have changed since your grandmother was married. Now it's almost normal to be in a poly relationship."

"Not really. It's not even normal to be gay, being in a group thing is *way* strange still." He shook his head. "I can't unbend like that. I'm not built that flexible."

"If you say so," Oz said, moving out of the way of the door. "Leaving again?"

"No, I'm going to go eat because I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. I'd like it if we all did."

"We'll be out in a minute," Willow said. She waited until Oz was in front of her. "He's scared of being that," she said quietly. "I don't think he's accepted any of it."

Oz smiled. "No, he hasn't, but we can't force him, it'll only make it worse. He'll end up leaving again." He touched the top of the box. "I wish you had done that before Christmas."

She shook her head. "It was wrong."

"No, you were trying to save us all pain and suffering like we had went through over break." He looked down at it. "You did it then?" She nodded. "I wish you had told me, I woulda liked to have been there." He stood up, holding out a hand. "Come on, let's go deal with Mr. Normalcy again." It made Willow smile, but not much. "We'll think of something," he promised her.

Xander looked up as they walked out. "Get it settled?" Oz nodded so he went back to his food, making sure he was eating enough to pass the blood work again tomorrow.

"Doctor's?" Buffy said. The younger man nodded. "Good or bad?"

"Checkup. Blood. The usual." He shrugged, taking another bite. "How was your day besides the disasters?"

She put down her slice of supper. "Do you really want to know or is this more of the polite conversation?" She waited for him to put down his fork. "Because I'd tell you if you really wanted to know, but not the other."

Xander took her hand. "I want to know what's up with you guys. For the next month we're more diversified than ever." He took his hand back, picking back up his fork. "But if it makes you feel better to keep it in, I'll understand." He was hit by Willow's napkin. "Yes?"

"Stop it," she said. "You're scary like this."

Buffy stood up, pulling his head around to face her and the light. "No, no obvious change, it's still him. At least his body." She let him go, sitting back down. "Pod?" she asked Willow.

Oz snorted. "No, I've checked." He looked at the younger man. "It's still him, just not the usual him that we've seen everyday before this summer." He put his fork down, carefully. "I still want to know why you're acting like that."

"Like what?" Xander said, taking a bite. He looked around at the disbelieving looks on his friend's faces. "I'm not acting any different."

Buffy quietly got up, going into the bedroom. She came back out with a vial of water, and a cloth. "We'll see," she said, pulling him up and over to the futons in front of the tv. "Sit." He did as she said, not sure what she had planned. Buffy poured some of the holy water on the cloth, wiping it around his face and neck. No change. She picked up the hand Drusilla had bitten, wiping over the old scratch site. Still nothing. She looked at his face, trying to figure out what to do next. She wiped over his lips, hearing the little hiss. "So, who was it?"

Xander looked at her in alarm. "No one." He shook his head. "No one's been touching me except when I wake up surrounded by someone's arms." He looked at the table. "Really."

Buffy nodded, doing it again. And again the hiss of a dissolving something sounded. "Still there." She looked at him hard, just seeing the edge of the dark mark on his chest. She wiped over it with the cloth, hearing a soft hiss but nothing else. She went back to his lips, and the hiss was less this time, but still there. She pushed him back, looking in his eyes, seeing the confusion. "Something must have passed to you sometime, it's just been taking so long to work."

Xander shook his head. "I've been gone from the mansion now for months. Since before we found out Marion was pregnant. A week before actually." He looked at Willow. "What?" She was looking at him.

She shook her head. "I think I know but I'm not sure." She got up, grabbing his grandmother's spellbook. "This was her diary also." She flipped through the pages, stopping at one spot she had put a post-it note on so she could bring it up with Giles. "Here," she said, handing it to him.

Xander read the entry, looking at it strangely. "This isn't what I did." He looked at her. "This was nothing like mine." She nodded, pointing further down the page. "Still not me," he said, reading over it. He flipped a few pages, scanning it for other things. "This was me," he found it, pointing it out to her. "That's what I did."

Willow took the book back, reading over it. "No, if you did that, then you're in deep trouble." She looked at him. "You can still be turned, right before you die."

He sat back, remembering how the Mistress had told him it wouldn't hurt him. "But she said..."

"It's rare," Willow said. "Only having happened twice in history. It says it happens because the feeder is drawn to the other side by the ones he loved." She winced. "She says it has to be strong enough to pull him, but it might not happen if it's not reciprocated."

Xander crossed his arms. "Then it's not a prob." He looked out the small window behind the tv. "I wasn't ever in love with Spike." He shrugged. "I can drink some more holy water if you want me to." Willow shook her head. "Not the cure?"

She pointed back at the book, showing it to him. "That's the cure and it's not happening here."

Xander blanched, pulling it into his lap. "Not going to happen either." He handed it back. "I'd like to read the diary section sometime if I could." He went back to his food, seemingly not worried.

Oz walked over, curious with the fatalistic looks both the young women were wearing. He leaned down, reading the section of the book Willow pointed out to him. "See, there was a reason," he whispered, making her shake her head.

"It's not like that," Xander said. "That's not me."

"Then explain why you didn't come out of the coma for two and a half weeks," Buffy said, coming over to sit next to him. "Nobody could find a reason for it. We were all stumped." She took his hands. "Do you remember anything from that time?"

"Just a floating sensation." He shrugged, pulling his hands back. "I don't remember being any closer to what he was than normal."

Willow looked at him funny. "That's not normal. Most people see the bright light thingy."

"That's when they're dying," Oz reminded her. "He wasn't ever near death, he just didn't wake up." He looked at Buffy. "Calling 'rents?"

Willow snapped her fingers. "That's the other explanation." She flipped through the book, coming to one about seeing spells. She quickly gathered the stuff she would need, going into the bedroom to cast since she couldn't do that with Xander around. She came back out with a small pot, walking over to where he sat. "Take off your shirt," she said.

He wondered why but pulled it off, laying it across the back of his chair. He looked down at the fingers drawing symbols on his chest. "Is this..." She glared at him so he shut up.

She stepped back, watching them shift and move. "There is a spell on him, not my binding either. Been done recently." She smiled at her mate. "Now call the 'rents while I sketch what's there before it disappears." She pulled some of the younger man's drawing stuff over, quickly jotting down what she had seen.

"'Scuse me?" Buffy said. "I'm lost again."

"There's a spell on him," Oz said. "Something other than the one she's put on him."

"Willow, you put a spell on him?" The younger woman nodded, deep in what she was doing. "Which one?"

"The crabbiness one," Oz said with a smile. He pulled her close as he dialed the phone. "It was a binding." He waited for someone to answer. "Not home." He dialed a cellphone, Joyce's since she was more likely to be carrying it. "Hey, want to bring the old man over? We've just found out that Xander's got some spell action going on around him." He hung up. "About an hour."

"Could it be my blessing?" Xander asked. Willow looked over at him. "Grandma blessed us both. I remember her and the smoke and the smudging, if not the purpose." She shook her head. "Bad magic?"

Willow put down the pencil with a sigh. "Yeah, major bad magic. But I figured out the cause of a problem. It's the cause of your anemia."

The younger man shook his head. "I've had that on and off all my life. I had it in third grade when Larry regularly sent me to the nurses with bruises." He shrugged, picking back up his fork to finally finish dinner.

Oz looked at Willow then the bedroom, prompting her to follow. "What?"

"They did it. He's right, I remember him almost living in the nurse's office for half of third grade, but that's the side effect of the spell. It uses his energy to change his mind about things." She patted the side of his head. "Us type things probably and it was redone recently."

He smiled. "So then, the cause of all this protest may be..." She shook her head. "Not all?"

"It's most effective if it's indoctrinated into him too. To resist the stimuli that he's been bound against. In a way this spell is like mine, but much stronger. They bound him against something, some action or something. I can't be sure without finding the person who cast it and asking them." She smiled. "But I know most of the people that do that around here."

He shook his head. "It could've come from his mother's family. His grandmother probably wasn't the only one that worked that way." He leaned his head on her shoulder. "Another battle?"

"Another battle," she confirmed. "Let's go eat cold pizza." She gave him a quick hug, then pulled him back to the table to eat the now cold pizza. "It's supposed to be a college kid fav."

Buffy snorted. "Yeah, frat guys." She took another bite. "Not too bad microwaved though." She looked at Xander. "I'm sure it's nothing."

"Then why did it react to the holy water?" He looked at her. "Nothing good would, right?"

Giles opened the door. "Oh, dear," he said, looking at the smudges on Xander's chest. "What happened?"

"I found out why he's been anemic," Willow said, pointing to the drafting table. "I drew it out since I didn't recognize it."

He picked up the paper, reading the symbols. He looked up briefly as Marion and Joyce walked in. "Well, this is interesting, but I see one of your's too."

"I'll remove the binding if it'll help." She looked at Xander. "It was wrong to do it but that's not what's causing the problems." She handed the pizza over to the two other women. "Want some?" They both shook their head so she put the plate back on the table, just before she was pulled into the bedroom by a pissed Watcher. "What?"

"You bound him," he said slowly, his anger making his accent come out more.

"Yeah, to not leave again." She picked up the little box she had put it in. "In here." He looked down at it. "I used the extra locket his grandmother sent him and an older picture."

Giles handed it back. "I've read that book. Did you know that it probably didn't work?" He flipped through the pages, coming to a newer section. "He's the one the power passed down to, his to pass on. Let's hope his daughter will live it right." He put down the book. "There's a reason why you can't work in the same room as him." He ran a hand through his hair. "We need to undo it?" She nodded. "And you're sure it's the cause of his illness?"

She pointed to one of the symbols. "That's the one. I found it in there." She showed it to him, flipping through the book from much practice. "See?" He read it quickly. "We need to remove it. It's clouding his decisions."

"Hence making him reject you?" He looked at her. "I know that plays in there somewhere."

"We would rather have him decide on his own," Oz said from the doorway. He closed the door behind him. "He's been resisting and that's what's been wearing him out so badly." He kissed Willow's cheek. "You want first shower?"

"Not needed. We need to go get dirty," she said. She looked down at the book, then handed it to him. "Go find a nice earthy, undeveloped spot."

He looked at the spell and sighed. "Woods?"

"Lake," she said. "The water would be nice for afterwards."

"Okay, which car so I can load a bag of stuff?" He looked around the room. "Bathing suits?"

"Not." She looked at him, then slowly smiled. "We need to be as natural as possible." She turned to look at Giles. "Coming to help?"

"I'm not wading in with you but it might be a good thing to be there." He wiped a tired hand over his face. "I'll take him." He walked out, saying something quietly to Joyce and Marion, then taking Xander with him to the lake.

Oz gathered some towels and the box of herbs Willow had made up, packing them away with a vial of holy water. "Never hurts to be prepared," he told Willow, who added a few stakes. He handed the bag to Buffy. "We've got to go to the lake and get naked to deal with this. Coming?"

She smiled. "Sure, I'm all for skinny dipping." Her mother snorted from the other room. "Now," she amended.

Joyce Summers walked over to them. "I'll deal with the food, you guys go cure him without pushing him. I doubt he's strong enough to be pushed too much yet." She walk away, looking at the table as she passed.

"My mom's cool," Buffy said. She ran out, giving her a hug. "Be careful, all of you."

"I'm not pregnant, Buffy," her mother sighed.

"Of course you're not," Buffy said, with a slight smirk. "But I'm sure you'll tell me when you're ready." She headed out to the car, bag in hand.

Willow and Oz walked out, having changed into stuff that was easy into and out of. She carried the book and he walked beside her. "Later, and thanks," he called over their shoulder.

Joyce turned to her new daughter. "Do you ever wonder why it's always them?"

The young woman giggled. "Not really, I just accept it and hope it's not me when I'm their age." She picked up a piece of broccoli, sliding it onto a slice of topped pizza. "I wonder where they got it." Joyce held up a box, making a note of the name, teens could be such picky eaters.

' ' ' '

Giles turned, not looking as everyone stripped down and Willow prepared the hole they needed to touch the earth's energy in. He turned at the cleared throat.

"Are you all right," Oz asked. "You could go do the wait by the water if you want." He stepped into the hole, where Xander was sitting. "You all right?" he asked softly.

The younger man looked up. "Why are we doing this?"

"To take the spell off, you need to be in as much contact with the natural world and energies as possible 'cause it'll help you fight it. Your grandma wrote it out for us." He kneeled down. "We ready?" he called.

Willow tossed in a last few herbs. "Yup. Buffy, coming in or not?" She looked at her friend, who was sitting nearby. "Now or never."

"Period," the older woman said simply.

"Natural," Oz said. He shrugged. "Still your call."

"Gross," she said with a head shake. "I'll help if you need me to from here." She pulled her feet back. "I'll stay out."

Willow cast the circle, making the hole sacred space. She chanted for a while, then came down to smear some of the herbed dirt on the younger man. The effect was immediate, his back arched painfully, the air shimmering around his chest. He started to pant from the pain, but she kept going, drawing over the other marks, writing the release to the spell. Oz stepped in, holding Xander still while it was finished, not wanting his flailing in pain to distract Willow. He watched in fascination as the old marks that hadn't been washed off thinned then disappeared, seeming to just dissolve into thin air. When Willow was done, she uncast the circle, following the two men down to the lake. She jumped in with them, after handing over the book to Giles, to help her mate wash the dirt off the younger man's chest.

"You're free," she told him, kissing his cheek. "Free now and for always."

He was still panting, the pain almost gone now. "What about yours?" He looked sideways at her, then sank down until he was covered up to his neck by the water.

She smiled. "I can always redo it if you want." She sat down next to him, smiling as her mate took the other side. "How do you feel?"

"Less heavy. It's like a weight I didn't know existed flew off. It hurt, burned kinda."

"It's been on there for a while," Oz pointed out. "The original spell probably happened when you were really young."

"When my father caught me looking in interest at somebody?" Xander suggested. He was hugged for it. "This still doesn't change it," he said quietly, putting his arms around them. "This still isn't me."

"But now you can make the decision on your own," Willow pointed out, secretly disappointed. She had hoped that releasing him would have made him want to come to them more. She hugged him hard, squeezing him like she used to. "All we ask is that you think about it. No matter when, if you want, you can come to us." She stood up, wading out to swim some.

Oz watched her go, taking Xander's hand under the water. "She'll be okay." He looked at the younger man. "Will you?" He nodded. "Okay, just making sure. Want to swim? It'd be a shame to waste this water and the moonlight."

Xander smiled. "Too romantic for me. Go catch her." He watched the older man do it then turned his head to look up at Giles, who was wading in. "You all right?"

He frowned, but squatted down. "My disapproval shouldn't mean anything in this. This is between you four." He patted the top of the young man's head. "Go swim, I'm going home. I have the book and Buffy's on the embankment, the hole's been refilled." He waded back out, heading to his car.

Xander looked at the blonde woman, seeing her smile at the fun and games the couple were having. "I'm going to swim," he told her, moving away to where he wouldn't intercept them. He flipped over, floating slowly around on the gentle currents. He could feel someone slowly stroking over to him. "Not having fun?"

Oz flipped him over, dunking him. "Not enough." He waited for Xander to retaliate from under the water. When he came back up, he pulled on a muscular arm. "Come play with us. Nothing more." He waited, but eventually the younger man started to where they could see Willow floating by herself. "Hey," he said before he reached her. "Want company?"

She flipped over, treading water in front of him. "Sure." Xander went back to his floating, looking up at the stars. "It's a nice sight, huh?" She floated next to him. "Pretty."

"I can't find the constellations. Never could." He turned himself so he could look at her. "You were always so good at that."

She smiled, taking his hand to point out the ones she knew. "Your grandmother showed them to me." Her waist was surrounded by Oz's arm. "That had better by you, puppy." He laughed beside her ear. "Good. I'd hate to think the lake was haunted too." She pointed up. "I can see that one."

Xander squinted, playing connect the dots in his head. "Fishies?" She shook her head. "Guess we all see them differently."

She smiled, moving their combined hands to her stomach. "Yeah, we all do. Not everyone even agrees what they should be. The Chinese have different pictures than the Greeks and Romans, who stole them. We all see things differently, depending on culture and upbringing."

He smiled. "Yeah, I know." His smile disappeared. "Oz? Why are you hugging me?"

"I'm not," was the quiet reply. "Hey, um, Buffy, we're coming back in. Stay there."

They all hurried back to shore, not wanting to think about what had been touching them. They got redressed, Willow frowning at the lake. She pulled on one of the guy's t-shirts, then grabbed the holy water, pouring it into the water. She heard a soft cry and smiled. "Another nasty that's going to leave."

Buffy smiled. "Get it?" The younger woman nodded so she packed back up the towels. "Home?"

"Home," Xander said. "But where am I going to ride?"

"Trunk?" Oz suggested, hint of a grin. "I'm sure you'd fit." Willow punched him on the arm.

Buffy wrapped her arm around the younger man's waist. "Tell you what. Let's let them cuddle in the back seat and we'll travel in the front." She pulled him with her, letting the couple have some alone time.

She got him settled, handing over his wallet and keys. "Anyplace special?"

He thought about it then smiled. "I have to hit the grocery store for a few things and the bank. I'll treat for ice cream."

Willow got in, kissing the back of his hair. "Okay, but it's my turn to pick the flavor." She wiggled over, letting Oz slide in. "How's Praline sound?"

"Not bad." He kissed the side of her neck. "But I can think of a few other flavors I'd rather have."

She giggled, pulling those lips she loved up to deal with them.

Buffy shook her head as she started the car. "Buckle up and no bodily secretions on the seat. I just cleaned this car too." She pulled out, heading back downtown.

' ' ' '

Xander looked down at the drawing and sighed. Nothing was working right now. He looked around the room, seeing nobody else in the room. He balled up the draft, tossing it toward the kitchen trash can and bent back to do it again.

Oz was woken by a strange sound. He got up after seeing the light over the drafting table was still on. "Bed time," he said softly once he'd made it out to where the younger man was engrossed.

"In a minute," Xander said, distracted. He drew another line, connecting something then erased it, redrawing it another way.

"Bed, Xander," he tried again. "Come on, you can work on it tomorrow." He tugged on the t-shirt but didn't get an answer; the younger man was lost in the drawing again. He sighed, picking up a couch pillow, hitting his friend across the back of the head with it. "Bed," he tried again, still no answer.

He looked at Willow as she trudged out, turning off the work light. "Bed," she ordered them both, wandering back to do so herself.

Oz smiled, but noticed Xander was still not coming. He was now working by the streetlight coming through the window. "What do I have to do to get you to bed?"

Xander kept working. "Night, Oz," he said softly.

Oz frowned, but tugged on the shirt again. "Come on, I need you to protect me from the nighttime suckings." Nothing again. He almost gave up, was so close to going back in to be laid on, but he couldn't leave the younger man out here. "Xan," he said softly, seductively, in his ear. "Time for bed."

The younger man looked around, then over at him. "Huh?"

"Bedtime." He took the pencil, putting it back in its holder. "Come on, before Will gets up again." He pulled on the thin t-shirt, prompting him in the right direction.

Xander looked down at the drawing. "But I just figured it out. I'll lose it." He grinned, peeling the fingers out of his sleeve. "I'll be in soon."

"Sure you will," Oz said, heading back to bed. "I'm coming back out if you're not back in half an hour." He got hit by a pillow for the noise. "Sorry, Buffy," he said as he crawled in next to her.

Xander picked back up his pencil, falling back into it.

It was a few hours later when another noise woke Oz up. He groaned at the sight of the renewed light from the living room, but could hear the soft snoring this time. "Ought to leave him," he muttered as he got out of bed, going back out to the living room. "Xander," he said, coming up behind him. "You're ruining it with your drool. Come to bed." He was prepared to wait, but the younger man followed this time, too unawake to protest. He climbed into bed, then waited while the younger man did the same. "Night," he whispered.

"Good, Oz," Xander said, starting to pet the soft hair. "You sleep and I'll protect you." He snuggled down, hand still tangled in the hair.

Oz grinned, the silliness of the situation getting him to him.

"Strip," Willow said, pulling her head up. "You can't sleep in clothes, Xan." The young man did as he was told, standing up and stripping quickly, then getting back into bed to pet Oz's hair some more. "Okay, now sleep."

"Nighty-night," the younger man sighed, pulling Oz onto his chest. "Sleep now, puppy."

Oz looked startled but laid there, unsure of what was going on. His mate smiled, laying back down on her Buffy lump/pillow. "Okay," he whispered, "I'll play along." He closed his eyes, the rumbling breaths he heard around him settling him quickly back to sleep.

' ' ' '

Xander woke up, hand still tangled in Oz's hair, then realized he was naked. He looked under the sheet to make sure, but he still wasn't wearing anything. And if he was asking questions, how did he get into bed? He looked down at the man using him for a pillow, Oz's bare back to his harder chest. He smiled, thinking the situation silly, but didn't move. He couldn't without waking at least one person. He looked around the others, not seeing Buffy yet. He finally spied her, or really her head, moving on Willow's stomach. "That's going to be a pretty mark," he said quietly.

Oz snorted, waking up, shifting his hips in a most awkward way. "What?"

"Buffy's about to grab some," he said softly, moving his morning erection away from the older man's rear. "Want to move?"

Oz took note of his position. He had two options, move like he was supposed to or move like he wanted to. He did the later, moving back up some, making the younger man groan. "Problems?" he asked innocently.

"Yes, and you know what they are." He wiggled back some more, but this time the body on top of his moved with him. "Oz, move."

The older man turned over, taking the hand out of his hair. "What?" He grinned, that one little one that had captured both women's attention. He leaned down, stealing a soft, chaste kiss. "That's a normal thing for the mornings."

Xander pulled his head away, letting Oz's fall to his shoulder. "We shouldn't."

"We can. I want to," he whispered. "You want to, otherwise you'd be in different shape." He nipped at the strong shoulder. "But if you ask me nicely I'll move."

Xander was about to when a heavy weight landed on Oz's back. He looked down, seeing blonde hair poking out from the sheets. "Not you too."

Oz wiggling his hips some. "Buffy, go play with Will," he said softly. "She won't be woken up by words while she's in that state, but touch is another thing." He turned his head in time to see the older woman move down to one of her favorite spots on his mate, sucking strongly. "I'll be damned," he said. "She's never done that before."

Xander looked over, intrigued but cautious. What he saw made his mouth water, a living fantasy come to life. "What's she doing?"

"If you don't know, we're going to have a talk," Oz said, turning to grab a kiss. This time he wasn't rebuffed, the younger man was too busy watching to notice. "She's not really doing that awake either," he whispered. "She's more our playtoy than an active participant. It's rare for her to jump Willow or initiate. "

"That's because she doesn't know what to do," Xander said, distracted. "When we talked that night her mother found out about her job, she said she didn't know how." He looked down, noticing what was going on with his own body. "What were we talking about?"

"About how Buff told you that she didn't know how to do things in bed." He lay his head back down on the strong shoulder, watching to his little heart's delight. "I wonder what she's thinking about." He grabbed Willow's hands as she woke, steadying her. "Morning. Liking it much?"

"Very." She wiggled, moving the head without touching it by using her thighs to direct it. "I wonder why she can't do this when she's awake?" She looked over to see Xander watching them and blushed. "Morning."

"Hi," he said softly. He tried to get up, but the heavy body on him didn't move. "Oz, I need to get up."

"Stay," Willow said, taking one of his hands. "Please?" He nodded finally so she closed her eyes, just enjoying the rare treat. Soon she was panting, then moaning, then came with a loud sigh. "Oh, yeah." She leaned over, taking her morning kiss from her mate, not hesitating as she demanded one from Xander too.

The younger man liked it, a little too much, so pulled back. "No, Will. I can't, still." He wiggled some more, but Oz didn't move. "Oz."

"Can't, she's on me."

Xander looked down, seeing the blonde head's outline moving under the sheet. "Can't you wake her?"

"She bites when you do," Willow said. She took one of his hands. "Just close your eyes, Xan, enjoy the warmth at least."

He did as she suggested, really enjoying having the body on top of him, even if he wasn't into the circumstances. He swallowed hard when a finger started to touch him too. "No," he said quietly. Willow removed the finger with a caress of her own, putting it back onto Oz's stomach.

Oz groaned, holding the head still with his legs while he thrust up, coming loudly and waking her up finally. He pulled her up, letting her rest on his stomach. "Hey," he said. She shivered in his arms. "I liked, so did Will, but we've got to find the reason. It's not good of us to do that." She nodded, not raising her head. "You were great though." She looked up at him in disbelief. "You were. You went down on both of us like pros."

She shook her head, laying back down for a second, then realizing who they were all dogpiled on top of got up. "Sorry, Xan," she said softly.

The younger man smiled, running a gentle hand through her tangled hair. "We just need to find a reason."

He went into the bathroom and Willow rolled over onto the two people still in bed. "You were fine, dear." She took a taste, reveling in the morning tastes along with the other ones. "We'll figure this out soon."

Buffy smiled, but wasn't convinced. "Maybe hypnosis," she muttered.

"Oh, Giles knows that."

Xander walked back out of the bathroom, towel draped around his hips. "You're way perky this morning." He looked around, then down at his basket. "I need to do clothes today."

Oz shook his head. "I'll start a load while you're at the gym."

Xander looked at him, then shook his head. "Nope, I've seen how you wash clothes." He padded over to his drawers, pulling out clothes, but Buffy had beaten him back into the bathroom. "Oh, come on."

Willow smiled. "I can go find cereal," she said, climbing out of the warm spot she was in. She hurried out, giving the men a chance to be alone together.

Oz looked at the younger man for a second then rolled onto his stomach. "Go ahead and get dressed."

Xander dropped the towel and bent down to grab his underwear and put it on. He looked over in the mirror across from where he was, meeting the older man's eyes. "Oz," he said.

"What?"

"Don't watch."

"Tough." He rolled back over, settling higher up on the pillows. "You're going to get cold," he pointed out.

Xander dressed quickly, trying very hard not to let it get to him. He pulled on everything but his shirt, not ready to be that encumbered yet. "Feel better?"

"Yeah, just like the nymph," he said, small grin in place. "So, what's your day like?"

"Usual. Gym, laundry, draw, eat."

"Doctor's," Oz reminded him.

"Okay, gym, doctor's, eat, draw, laundry." He shrugged. "What do you want for food?"

"Will's got it," he said. He sat up slowly, not wanting to spook him. "What bothered you most this morning?"

Xander took a deep breath, then let it out, not saying anything. He shook his head as he walked out to the kitchen. Willow shoved him out and back to the bedroom, waiting until Buffy was out of the bedroom to lock them in. She had installed the padlock closure yesterday while the younger man was drawing, and he had never noticed. She clicked the padlock, humming as she went to feed her friend.

Oz looked at the door in wonder. His woman was amazing. "I love her," he said, simply stating what he was feeling. "Isn't she great?"

Xander shook his head. "Not funny, Willow."

"Told you I would. That's what happens when you don't listen." She knocked on the door. "I'll let you out in time for your doctor's appointment but not before." Both men could hear her walking away.

Xander looked at his friend. "This is your fault. You give her these ideas." He crossed his arms, sitting against the closed door. The older man laughed lightly, coming over to stand in front of him. "Oz? Why aren't you wearing anything?"

"Because you took them off me last night," he said. "Very efficiently I might add. You were asleep when you did it." He held out a hand. "Come on, bed's more comfortable to talk on." The younger man took the hand, getting pulled up. "Talk?" Oz asked once they were laying, facing each other, on the firm mattress.

"Sure, about?" Oz gave him a 'don't be stupid' look. "Oz, no. It's still not me."

The older man took his hand, playing with all the pressure points. "Well, it might be. You've been repressed a very long time." He looked up briefly. "How are you feeling anyway?"

"Fine. Normal." He took his hand back, rolling onto his back, letting the hand fall to his stomach. "I'm really screwed here, aren't I?"

Oz thought about answering the obvious way, but decided to be straight instead. "No, we're still in desperate want of you to come be with us. You're welcome whenever you come to your senses." He shrugged. "We want you, you want it, but you're fighting it too hard. Your decision." He moved just a little closer, edging until the younger man noticed and stopped him.

"Enough," Xander said, pushing the crunchy hair away. "Way too close."

"You didn't stop me soon enough." He laid his head on Xander's shoulder. "Want to reason it out loud? Maybe there's something I can say to show you how hard you're fighting it and hurting us."

The younger man looked down at him. "I never meant that. I *do* love you guys, even if it's not that sort." He rolled so Oz was against his chest. "Do you guys realize how hard you make this on me? How much harder I have to fight to be myself when you guys constantly offer and beg?" He rubbed over the tense muscles in the older man's shoulders, not realizing what he was doing. "Every time you offer, I have to fight so much harder, make promises to myself that I won't give in. I can't keep doing that forever, but I'm not going to let it happen." He looked down, finally noticing what he was doing. "Sorry." He tried to back off but the strong arms around his waist stopped him.

"I'm not. You're really good at that." He rested his head against the firm chest, hearing the strong heartbeat. "We don't want to hurt you, just like you don't want to do that to us, but we don't want you to be alone either." He cleared his throat. "Listen, I'm not sure if this is love on our parts or not. It's like, lust, and maybe love. Willow loves you, differently than me but it's still there and strong. Buffy and I have talked and she feels about like I do. She wants you, wants to do the comforting and caring stuff, but she's so wary of calling anything love."

"After Angel wouldn't you be?" He let his head rest against the spiky hair. "Oz, you need to wash that stuff out. It's crunchy."

The older man laughed, nipping at the bare chest. "Yeah, I know. I meant to take one last night, but Willow wanted to be held so I did." He looked up. "This is nice."

"This is it though." He squeezed the older man's chest once. "You need to shower and we need to convince Will to let us out." He backed up some. "I'm sorry, but I can't let it happen."

Oz nodded. "I understand, but I'm wondering if you do." He separated, moving back to a more comfortable distance for both of them. "The offer stands, whenever you want it." He shrugged. "But I do have a favor. I was going to ask Buff to work on my back tonight, but she's got to work so I was wondering if I could get you to."

"I'm not going to be as good."

"That's cool. I'm just tense. I don't expect you to know the pressure points or anything. I'll show you those if you need them."

The younger man thought about it for a second, then nodded slowly. "But we play by my rules."

"Of course. You tell me if it makes you uncomfortable and I'll do the same." He shrugged. "Not a prob." He rolled to face the door. "Will, can we come out now? I feel like a naughty five year old."

"Did you settle it?" she yelled back.

"Yeah," they yelled together.

She opened the door, sliding in a tray. "I've been listening, no you haven't. You just want out." She closed the door again, then opened it, tossing in a few cans of soda. "Breakfast."

Neither man was fast enough to stop her from locking them in again. "Damn," Oz said, "I knew she was sneaky but this must be a womanly thing. Neither of us would have thought of doing this." He looked over to where Xander was looking at the food. "Not good?"

"No, you're right. It's some throwback to Amazonism." He pointed at the plate. "I think it's ham."

"It's food, eat it. It's nutritious." She knocked on the door. "Step back Oz, let me get the rest of the food in." He did as she asked, getting a dirty look from the younger man. "Good boy." She slid in another tray, this one with recognizable stuff. "You have about three hours until your appointment, I'll let you out a little before it. Settle this so I don't have to." She closed and locked the door again, but Oz didn't move until she had gone.

"Oz, why didn't you try to stop her?"

"Because." He sat down on the floor, popping open a can of soda. "I want to see how far she's taking this and .. .this is incredibly arousing for me." He shivered. "I love it when she's forceful."

Xander shook his head. "If that's the effects of love, I could use a lesser dose." Oz threw a bagel at him. "What? You just let your fiancee lock us into a room." He looked at him. "Did you help her plan this?"

"No, she didn't tell me anything." He shrugged as he chugged down the cold liquid. "I don't know what that is, but it's probably better in this state than cold." He picked up one of the forks to poke at it. "Dead at least."

Xander shook his head, handing that tray over. "Give me a muffin please."

"Only when you're less formal." He held it until the younger man looked at him funny. "You just used company manners. Again."

Xander let out a deep breath. "Food, now," he grunted. "Better?"

Oz handed it over, tossing the bottle of juice with it. "Much." He poked at the unknown substance again, eating just a bite of it. "Tofu," he said, spitting it out, making a horrid face.

"Okay, so we feed it to her when she lets us out?" He smiled. "I'm not touching it otherwise."

Oz got his evil little smile out. "Yeah, a great idea there." He set the tray aside, pulling a piece of the younger man's muffin off, eating it. "Thanks."

Xander held it out. "Want some?"

"No, I was just picking at the uneaten side." He leaned closer. "I like watching you eat."

"You like watching me do most things," he reminded the older man. "What about after breakfast?"

"Shower?" Oz said, touching his hair.

"Had one," the younger man pointed out. "But you need one." He finished off his muffin and the juice, putting the pile of stuff into the trash. "No movies besides porn. No books besides porn. Cable's been off now for two days."

"Why?"

"Line updates. It's on but it's not watchable." He looked around. "Go take your shower and I'll find something to do."

"Okay, just so long as it's not clothes related." He looked down at the tight jeans the younger man was wearing. "You must really be down to no laundry if you're wearing those. You swore you were tossing them after the last time."

The younger man grinned, leaning closer. "It was torture for you for being so bad." He stood up, walking over to the bed, leaning over the bed to look in the headboard. He heard the older man groan something but didn't turn around. "Did you say something?" The next thing he knew, he was flat on the bed. "Oz?"

"Just playing, huh?" He hit a spot he knew was an arousal pressure point. "How about I play too?"

"God," Xander said, sighing under the talented fingers. "I was just getting you back for making me sleep naked last night."

"But I didn't do that," he whispered in the exposed ear. "Willow ordered you to strip and you did, then after a while you stripped me too." He licked over the tight earlobe. "I should let you suffer in those pants." He stepped back, thrilled at the moan from the loss of contact. "I'm going to go shower."

"Wait," Xander said, rolling over. "Come on. We need to set boundaries." He patted the bed beside him. "I can take it, but I'm worn out with fighting."

"So don't," Oz said as he laid down beside him. "What sort of boundaries?"

"Like the back thing you just did. I don't mind it, but I don't want it to go beyond that." He took a deep breath. "I don't mind the teasing, it's the offering that does it to me. I can withstand a tease or two."

"Liked it?" He licked over the younger man's adam's apple. "Okay, I can live with that. I won't ask, but I can tease when I work on your back. Anything else?"

"Yeah, nothing overtly sexual. Especially outside the apartment." He looked sad for a second then the steely reserve shuttered his eyes. "I don't mind the stuff that you do to take care of me here, but we got dirty looks last night at the store when you kept pointing out that I needed to eat more. I didn't know her but apparently she thinks we're sick." He shrugged. "I can't live with that."

"Why does it matter?"

"Because it does to me." He waited, but Oz nodded so he let out the breath slowly. "Thanks."

"So, let me get this straight. This morning bothered you because it was overt, but if say I touched here," he pushed in on a spot he had found the last time he's worked on the younger man's chest, "it's okay?"

"As long as it's in the proper context. I don't want you to do it out of thin air, but I don't mind it during a rubdown." Oz nodded. "Is that okay?"

Oz thought for a second. "I can live with those rules, but the first time you stop eating, I'm still going to feed you, from my lap again if necessary." Xander nodded. "Okay, I can live with that and I'll remind Will to not order you to strip fully when I have to pull you to bed." He shook his head. "Tried forever."

Xander looked interested. "I remember you telling me that you were going to bed, but nothing else. Was it hard to get me to come in?"

"I tried a few times and so did Willow, but then we gave up. When I got up again, I pulled you with me and she ordered you to strip, which you did. It was very nice I might add." The younger man blushed slightly. "It was, you have a gorgeous body. You work hard at keeping it that way and I'm proud of you and it." He stroked over a semi-defined pectoral. "I can't imagine you being one of those muscle bound guys on ESPN that competes, but this is nice."

"I don't want more definition, I want to be stronger." He looked down, tracing over the pattern on the sheet.

"You still feel weak and helpless, huh?" He gathered the young man into his arms, holding him tightly when he nodded. "I do too sometimes, but you've done some things that were incredible." He waited for the questioning look to be given. "You fought Angelus, not once, but twice, and won. The second time, you fought through massive pain and agony, yet you still managed to get him. We're all pissed that you did it, but we were amazed. Not even Buffy coulda fought in that condition." He cuddled him closer. "Plus all that you've been through physically yet you still work out and go to martial arts class. I would have given it up when I started to find the bruises until I knew what they were."

"Had them before, knew what they were." He looked down. "The working out actually helps a little." Oz pulled his head back up. "What?"

"I want you to quit this low self-esteem stuff. You're special and wonderful to us. There's no one else that could ever take your place in our hearts." He hugged him so close they could feel the other's body fully. "Now then, I want you to repeat after me. I'm special and needed. Not just as a surrogate mother, but as the person I am." Xander mumbled it. "Okay, I can live with that. For now. But not always. I expect you to become overblown of ego soon." The younger man started to laugh. "You deserve it. You've worked hard, accomplished much, in this last year. Not even the best of people would have prospered under what you've been through."

"Wasn't easy," Xander mumbled.

"No, it wasn't, but you've still done more than we ever expected." He combed through the thick dark hair with his fingers. "Think about it this way. Without you, where would we be?"

"In Buff's mother's basement?" Oz pinched him gently. "I don't know."

"We'd be lost. You are the one that makes it all work here. You're the mediator between me and Will. You're the sounding board Buff needs to grow into the woman she's becoming." He pulled on an earlobe. "Who else listens to my aimless tuning and declares it a great hit?"

Xander smiled. "It sounded good to me."

"That's what I mean. Did you know the other guys liked it?" He nodded his head when the younger man didn't. "Yeah, they did. I sat down to write words to it after that. Want to hear it?"

"Would you surprise me with it the next time you play?" He looked up, thrilled. "I'd like that."

"Sure," Oz said, pulling him close again. "Anything, you know that." He let them snuggle for a minute then pulled back by choice. "Do something while I shower?" The younger man nodded. "Lay there and look cute. You're still tired looking."

"Okay, but I've got to take off these pants."

Oz shook his head as he got off the bed, heading into the bathroom. "If you're comfortable that way, have fun."

Xander waited until the bathroom door was shut to take the constricting pants off. He tossed them across the room, smiling as they landed on the dresser. He tossed the sheet over his legs, then grabbed his book. He could be happy while Oz showered.

Oz walked back out, smiling at the picture Xander made. He looked almost debauched laying there in only briefs and a sheet, his hair all messed up, humming as he read soft porn. He walked slowly over to the bed, laying beside the younger man before he noticed he was there. "Good one?"

Xander handed it over. "Not bad. A little on the hard core side for me. Too many mentions of domination." He shrugged. "Trade ya?"

"Nope, I like my book. Of course, you could read it with me." He leaned across the younger man, grabbing the book but not before he had rubbed his still damp chest against the dry one below his. He sat back up, flipping to the page he had been on. "Come on, I make a great reading pillow." He waited until Xander was laying on him to start reading. "They..." His mouth was closed. "What?" he asked through the restraining fingers.

"Silently," the younger man said with a grin. "I can read as well as you can. I'm not five either." He removed the fingers, but not before they had been licked. "Oz? Why lick me?"

"'Cause you taste good," the older man said, settling down to read with his friend.

' ' ' '

Willow opened the door to see her two men laying cuddled together, their book tossed aside. She smiled, leaning against the doorframe. "Morning," she called softly.

Oz looked up and quieted her by putting a finger over his lips. She nodded, leaving it in his more than capable hands. He looked down at the younger man, running his fingers through the disarranged hair. "Xan," he said quietly.

"Huh?" One eye opened and he looked up. "What?" he slurred.

"Time to get up, go to the doctor's." He pinched the end of Xander's nose, bringing a smile. "You got to get up."

"Not until you let me go," he pointed out. He looked down at the arm encircling him from his back. "I can't move yet."

"I understand but I don't want you to." He licked over the strong forehead. "But we've got to get you there." He untangled himself from the younger man's body. "Better?"

"Much, but not really." He stretched, sitting up as he did so. "Are you coming with me?"

"I could if you want me too." He slid off the side of the mattress, wiggling and stretching beside the younger man's prone body. "I think I'd better get dressed to do that though."

Xander swallowed, faced with the naked and aroused body. "Um, Oz?" He looked up, tearing his eyes away. "Why?"

"'Cause it's me," he said, shrugging. "You wanted me to *not* react normally?" He grabbed a pair of underwear, sliding them up, arranging himself in them. "Come on, you're no more dressed than I am." He tossed the clean shirt Xander had been prepared to wear earlier onto his head. "You can even wear those jeans again."

Xander got slowly out of the bed, hiding his own arousal as best he could. He pulled on his shirt, wondering why they never were long enough, then walked over to grab his jeans off the top of the dresser. He turned to face away from the older man, sliding them on, noticing how snug they really were. He bent down to look through his drawers, trying to find a more comfortable pair, but nothing showed up clean. "Oh, well," he muttered, standing so he could zip them up.

"At least you'll get to take them off soon," Oz said from behind him. He slid the thick wallet down into the tight back pocket, letting his other arm come around to lower the keys slowly into a front pocket. "Put on your shoes Xan. We'll be late." He stepped back, watching as the younger man swallowed, trying to regain some control. "I'll be out kissing Willow." He heard the light groan but left, not wondering at it in the least.

Xander watched him go, whispering, "Torturer," to the retreating back. He slid into his sneakers, putting his leg up on the bed to tie them, holding his breath to do so. "Better," he said, checking his pockets one last time. "Ready?" he called as he walked out. He started to pant at the scene playing out before him.

Oz had Willow backed up against the fridge, mouth buried in hers. She was clawing his back in desperation, nails digging and scratching and all, while he played with her. She was moaning when she came up for air, nipping at the strong neck when her mate's hand made it to the place she wanted it. He worked her quickly, bringing her off with a shout and a swear. He looked over his shoulder at the younger man as he licked off his fingers. "Ready?" Oz asked.

"More than." He walked out, patting the things in his pockets on the way, ignoring the problem he was having.

Oz smiled at his mate, taking one last kiss. "We're going to his appointment. You go work. And I should feed that cold tofu to you for your sending it in." He patted the side of her face before jogging down the stairs to catch up to the younger man. He slid into the car, still licking a finger. "Thanks."

"For?"

"Waiting." He buckled up, then leaned over to whisper in the near ear. "I was torturing her for the tofu."

"I'm sure she's properly chastised," Xander said, starting the car. He turned it back off immediately, seeing the older man still trying to get all her residue off his hand. "Baby wipes are in the glove compartment. I can't drive while you do that." He waited while Oz got one out, cleaning his hand off. It was thrown away and the car restarted.

' ' ' '

Oz looked up at the doctor, having taken the low seat in the room. "So he's really all right? No change to his diet or anything?"

The older man shook his head. "Are you his diet monitor?"

Oz shrugged. "Actually that's Willow but I do it when she's not looking." He wiggled some, looking over at his roommate. "I just wanted to make sure. He's hard to control sometimes."

The Doctor snorted. "I never would have guessed. All right, Mr. Harris, you're fine, keep to the diet, substitute in whatever you want now. Your blood work looks excellent." He tapped the folder on his hand a few times. "You still need to do something about your friend though. You're wearing a few more of her marks now."

Oz pulled up his shirt. "We all are. Is that some sort of insecurity thing maybe?"

The older man sat back down. "It could be or she's dreaming about eating, but I don't do dreams so wouldn't know what that meant. She might be dreaming in a sexual way of doing that so her body acts it out. I don't know a cause. It's not medical." He shrugged. "I'd think the insecurity route would be more likely though. Try to get her to talk about it."

A small memory came back to Xander, making him remember the last time Angel had seen Buffy. "Or not. We were going to try hypnosis tonight." He looked at Oz, playing with the locket he wore. "I think I know who but not what." He hopped down, breathing fully for the first time in a few minutes.

But of course the Doctor noticed his predicament. "That's something you ought to try to fix. Pants that tight can damage your circulation."

"Laundry day," Oz said, making the older man smile. "We'll get him comfortable once we get him home." He waited until the doctor had left to pull the younger man closer. "What?"

"Remember when this all started? Right before Christmas?" Oz nodded. "That's about when Angel showed up last. He and she were talking when I left. Maybe he said something to her."

Oz frowned. "But it was weeks later..."

"None of us were sleeping next to her then and she had a few on her arms that we just threw off as bruises." He shrugged. "I think Will's idea is probably the best." He hugged the older man hard. "Thanks for coming with me."

"Hey, I like to do things like this. It's good to know you're fine." He wrapped his arm around the younger man's waist, then pulled it back, remembering their early morning agreement. "Besides, you're buying lunch." Xander patted down his back pocket, checking for his wallet. "It's in the car. Come on, I'll let you buy."

They headed out to the car, much more comfortable than they were yesterday.

' ' ' '

Xander looked up from his position on the bed where Oz had insisted that he remain most of the day. "Hey, Will?" She popped her head around the door frame. "What am I fixing for supper?"

"Oz is out getting us Italian. He said you were not to get out of that bed until we went to crash in on Joyce tonight."

Xander shook his head. "I think we should call. Giles looked really disgusted at being called again last night." He shrugged briefly. "Just a thought."

"I can do that. We might need to put it off if they're doing something." She looked at the opened door. "Hey, Oz. Xander said that we should call first."

"Maybe, he did look upset when he walked through the door." He set the paper bags on the table. "Food," he said, walking into the bedroom, stopping to steal a kiss. "It could probably wait a few more days if it has too." He walked into the bedroom, looking down at his watch. "Where's she anyway?"

"Work," Xander reminded him. "She's out at the store tonight." He patted the bed beside him. "Am I still going to try to work on your back tonight?" The older man nodded, laying down beside him. He watched Willow closing the door with a grin. "You don't have to, Will."

"Yeah I do. I still have to finish some more before I stop." She didn't lock them in this time but they were sure the padlock was sitting beside her.

"She's so mean," Xander said. He looked down at the worried face next to his shoulder. "She said I couldn't get up at all. Not even to pop my back. She gave me funny looks Oz."

"That's what I told her to do. You needed a vegging day." He shifted some, stretching out a leg. "Are you resting comfortably?"

"Yeah, but I still need to do laundry tonight." He looked over at his dresser. "I have nothing to wear to bed and only dress clothes to wear tomorrow if I don't." Oz pulled his head down. "Not going to happen, before you say it. I like sleeping in something. It makes me more comfortable."

"Keeps the nymph's mouth at bay too." He played with the neckline of the younger man's t-shirt. "I can let you out long enough to do that." He looked up briefly. "We don't want you to work or worry yourself sick. Okay?"

"Definitely but nothing here is stressing me at the moment." He patted the top of the head near his. "Or has something else happened that no one's telling me?"

"No, not really. My van's about to die again, Will's work is okay, so is Buffy's, but nothing dire." He shrugged. "I'm still debating the school's offer."

"I'd take it," Xander said. "It sounds perfect for you. You get to teach music, get the kids really into it, instead of what you were doing at the high school. You weren't really happy there anyway."

Oz nodded. "I know, but the uniform and the formalness stuff will be such a hurdle." He rolled onto his back. "I'm waffling."

"If you're a waffle, can we spread powdered sugar on you," the younger man asked, grinning brightly. He leaned down next to the older man's ear. "Oz, take it. It's perfect for you."

Oz turned his head suddenly, taking the kiss he had been thinking about all day. "I will if you'll come up too. Willow's agreed and so has Buffy but we're waiting on you."

"My interview's next week. I'll know more then." He moved back some. "Why do you persist in doing that?" He licked over his lips, tasting the garlic bread the older man had snacked on while waiting for supper.

"Because I wanted it more than I do a backrub." He grinned slightly. "Did you mind or is this a refusal on general principles?"

"Both. I wish you wouldn't do that." He cleared his throat. "It's hard to keep to what I know I want when you do that."

Oz smiled, rolling over to lay on top of the younger man. "Really? Then I ought to do it more often." He leaned down slowly, giving the younger man a chance to stop him before he gave him a deep, probing, passionate kiss. When he came back up, small smile still in place, he looked down. "All you have to do is say no, Xander, we'll never push more than this."

"Oz," he started, but shut his mouth, pulling the older man's head back down. When he managed to pull his lips away. "No more tonight or else no backrub."

"No goodnight kiss?"

Xander shook his head, then picked up a pillow to bop the older man on the head. "You're silly tonight. Any real reason?"

"My life works and right now I've got most everything I want in life. I have my music, Will, the nymph, you're the almost part. What else could I want?"

"World peace?" Xander asked.

"That's nice and important, but I can think of things that are more relevant to me right now." He wiggled on top of the sheet over the younger man some. "This is relevant, Buffy's sucking problem is relevant, Willow's work is relevant. My proposed job is relevant." He nipped the end of the younger man's chin. "World peace is nice but not what I'm thinking about right now."

Willow opened the door, poking her head in the opening. "Want to eat in here?"

"No, we can make it to the table," Oz said. He looked down at the younger man. "As long he's found some clothes."

"Nope, but I have a pair of shorts." He looked over Oz's shoulder. "In a minute." She nodded, grinning, but closed the door. "Oz, you're pushing."

"I know, but subtly?" The younger man's head shook. "No?"

"Nope, very overt. Subtle would be a stroke down the arm as you laid next to me, not diving for the tonsils I don't have." He wiggled his eyebrows. "I have to get dressed."

"Well, you could go out like that. Neither of us would mind." He rolled off, waiting until the younger man got out of the bed. "Want me to wait?"

"No, go ahead. I'll find a pair of shorts and be out." He waited until the door was closed again to wipe the sweat off his face, not wanting to have him notice. He let himself shake, coming down from the arousal peak he had just hit, then got up to pull on a pair of bike shorts, grunting at their tightness. He walked out, seeing his plate already filled. "Cool," he said, sitting down quickly.

Willow took his hand. "I'm glad you're better and next time you should start to show up as fine." She handed him the basket of bread. "Want some?"

He took a piece then handed it to Oz. "Thanks and so am I. It's good to be just me." He looked over at the older man. "What are you doing while I do my punishment and rub his back?"

Oz coughed, but Willow smiled. "I'm going to go see a movie." She looked around the apartment. "Buffy and I agreed. Oh, and I called Joyce, she asked us to wait for a few days when I told her what it was about." She ate some lasagna.

"I'm sure it can wait," Oz said, looking at the younger man. "Punishment is touching me?" he asked, pretending to be hurt.

"Yeah, for making you put me to bed last night." He grinned. "I know you didn't want to get out of bed for that." He took a bite of bread and chewed slowly. "It's not a horrible punishment but it still is torture for me really." He took the talented hand in his. "But I expect it's going to be more so for you since I have nowhere near the talent you do."

Oz shook his head. "You'll do fine and I'll be happy to punish you like this again." He looked at his mate. "Just don't make her get up. I'd hate to think what she'd punish you with."

"Me?" she asked innocently. She smiled as she looked back down at her food. "You don't want to know."

Oz shivered, making Xander laugh. "What? I love her being forceful."

Xander patted the older man's hand. "I know you do, Oz, but don't give in at the table."

"Was this morning too much?" he asked, turning his chair slightly. "'Cause I remember you not being able to drive there for a minute."

"Too much?" He took a bite to give himself time to think. "Yeah, mostly. Seeing you attacking her in the kitchen was a bit strong." He put down his fork, wiping his mouth to give him time to gather himself again. "It was a sight I'm not used to seeing outside of videos."

"You don't watch het ones," Willow pointed out.

"Oh, yeah, I do." He leaned back, letting his napkin fall into his lap to cover up his growing problem. "I watch those all the time too."

She smiled. "I haven't seen any."

He pointed over to the cabinet where they kept them. "They're in with my tapes." He shrugged, pulling closer to the table, only to feel a hand on his leg. "Oz?" he asked.

"Hmm?" The older man bent to take a bite and Xander could see both his hands, and Willow's as she was dishing out some more food. "I think we have a ghost." He looked under the table. "No Buffy so the hand must have belonged to someone else."

Willow put down the dish she was holding aloft. "Hand?" She looked under the table. "What was it doing?"

"Playing with my leg." He got very still, trying to feel it again. "I can't feel it anymore."

Willow shuddered. "No more ghosts." She pushed herself back, getting under the table. "I don't see anything."

Oz looked at Xander with a grin. "Are you sure it wasn't a desire that was playing out loud?"

"Nope, not really." He moved back some, getting down there with her. "It was thumb facing up if that helps."

"Then it was a right hand so it couldn't have been one of us." She shrugged, getting back into her seat. "If you're staying down there...."

Xander quickly got back into his chair, pulling back up to the table. "I think we've had enough strange stuff for a while. We ought to take a break and ignore it." He looked around, seeing the agreement shining out of the other two faces. "Good. I'll ignore it and whose ever hand it is will go away." He took another bite, ignoring the feeling of nails scratching down his inner thigh. "I'm going to take a shower before I work on your back," he said, his voice a little high pitched.

Willow looked under the table, seeing the outline of a form. "Nope, I'm not dealing with a ghost again." She went back to eating.

Oz looked down, seeing the outline of something. "Okay, I can ignore it if you can." He pushed himself back, watching the younger man's face as the hand moved up. "Although it is most educational."

Xander got up, carrying his plate with him. "I'm going to go soak. Yell when you want me to do your back," he said, walking out of the room.

Willow waved her hand, canceling the illusion. "Okay," she yelled. She looked over at her mate. "You'd be surprised what was in that book."

Oz shook his head, going back to eating. "Was it the first one too?" She shook her head. "So we still have a problem then. It wasn't me." He took a bite, getting up to throw his food into the microwave. "Cold," he said in explanation.

"Then there was something?" She looked down under the table again. "Okay, I'll look later." She finished up her food, looking longingly at the garlic bread. "Oz?"

"Nope, save us some of it." He walked back over, snatching the plate from her. "Both of us like that too." She reached over, taking the partially eaten piece off his plate. He put down the plate to turn and look at his mate. "Is there something you wanted to tell me?"

She looked surprised. "No, why?" She looked down at the thirds on her plate. "I missed lunch," she said, patting his hand. "It's not that. I'm not. I'm still on the pill and you're still using the condoms."

Oz nodded, sighing in relief. "Okay, I was just wondering." He leaned over, kissing her cheek. "Just making sure. Don't skip lunch again," he whispered. "I don't like that."

She turned her head, sealing her lips to his. "I know. I just got involved." She stole his newest piece of garlic bread. "You got another order for you two."

He picked up another piece and headed into the bedroom. "You're scary today. I'm going to eat in here." He closed the door with a "Happy movie," thrown over his shoulder. She laughed lightly as he locked the door. "Want company?" he asked, knocking on the bathroom. The sound he heard inside prompted him to smile and sit on the floor. He could wait until the younger man was done.

Xander opened the door a few minutes later, leaning out, hidden beyond his naked chest. "You wanted to eat in the bathroom?"

"I wanted to hide from the garlic bread thief." He stood up, walking in. "I'll talk to you while you soak and eat." He sat against the door, not watching, overtly, while Xander slid down into the running water. "Next time we need to get a larger tub."

Xander tossed a dry towel at him. "Next time we're getting more than one bathroom." He sighed as he sank down into the hot oiled water. "Ah, nice. Just right."

Oz shook his head. "You should have gills." He scraped his plate, setting it up on the edge of the sink. "What should we talk about?"

"How about how to find those spots you torture me with when you work on my back?" He covered his genitals with a hand towel. "You can come closer if you want. I'm covered."

The older man scooted closer, inhabiting his spot on the bathmat. "Okay." He pointed down at Xander's chest. "Touch that spot." He did as he was told and Oz's hand came down to help him find the correct spot. "Feel that? Most of the spots on my back will feel about like that." He rubbed their joined hands over it, nodding as he heard the groan. "I'd like to teach you this. That is if you wouldn't mind. It'd be good to have someone else that was pressure point oriented."

Buffy knocked and stuck her head around the door. "It's not my fault that I'm not good at that." She smiled. "Need anything before we go?" Both men shook their heads. "Okay, mom invited us over after the movie since we're taking Marion to get her out of the house." She pulled back. "You have probably a good three hours until we're back. I'll relock the door behind me."

"Okay," Xander shouted. "Have fun." He waited until he heard the door close. "They're leaving us alone? Like by ourselves?"

Oz snorted. "Yeah, they want to spend some just-girls time. Does it bother you?"

"Nope, just wondering why." He sank down a little lower, groaning as his movement renewed the pressure on the spot on his chest. "Um, Oz?"

The older man looked over, seeing the whitening of the knuckles. "Sorry." He eased up, moving their fingers to another spot. "This is another one, but I'm not sure if you'll be able to find it on me."

Xander looked down, seeing where the fingers were, then reached his free hand over to touch the same spot, rubbing it lightly in circles until he'd made the older man gasp. "Right there?"

Oz nodded, swallowing the sudden amount of spit in his mouth. "Yeah, right there. Trial and error works for me." He looked down but the fingers were still there, still rubbing. "Are you offering?"

"No, it's payback for all the licks you've been giving me." He leaned over, licking across the firm lips. "See?"

"Not really." He pulled back some. "This is dangerous if you want to keep it on a lower level." He looked down at their joined fingers. "Mixed signals and all aside, this is hard for me to resist as an offer."

Xander pulled him closer, stealing a brief kiss. "Never doubt that I want it," he said softly. "Never."

"You just won't give in." He frowned. "I should make you quit before you start hating yourself for doing this." He moved back a little more.

Xander leaned out, pulling him back over. "Not me. As long as I have control, I'll never go farther than this." He stroked over the side of the older man's face. "But I'm sorry if I upset you, Oz." He leaned back.

Oz shook his head. "You're a tease."

"Am not."

"Do you plan to ever give in?" The younger man looked shocked. "Then you're a cock tease." He pulled his knees up, incidentally giving Xander a great view of what he had.

Xander shivered, rearranging the small towel that seemed to be much too small now. "I'll stop if you will."

"Then you're going to be masturbating until the end of time." He shifted closer. "'Cause I'm not going to stop teasing."

"You aren't a tease by your definition," Xander pointed out, moving the cloth again. "You're going to go through with it. I'm revving you up and not going to, thereby making me a tease." He grinned, lowering his head and looking sideways at the younger man. "I'm sure Will and Buffy appreciate it though."

Oz reached over, splashing him. "Be thankful that water's not that deep. I should dunk you for that."

Xander wiped off his neck. "Okay, that I would expect." He smiled. "So, are we calling a halt to the teasing war?" Oz shook his head. "Okay." He licked his lips as he leaned back, subtly watching as the older man shifted. "Problems?"

He decided to be open about it. "Not unless you have problems with me needing to shift it around." He reached down, shifting the obvious bulge to a more comfortable spot. "Ah, I feel better now." He sat back down again, but not before he noticed the twitching towel. "Problems?"

"Yeah, the water's too cold." He used his foot to turn on the hot tap, letting out some of the old water. "When do you want me to work on your back?"

"Whenever you're ready. I can wait." He looked away so Xander could get comfortable without him watching. He waited to turn around until he heard the water shut off. He turned in time to see the younger man standing up, reaching over him to grab a towel. "Already?"

"Yeah, I'm comfortable now. No more tingling from where the whatever was touching me." He stepped past the older man, stepping around him. "Oz, you mind?" The older man stood up, a little ways away so as to not brush up against the damp skin. "Thanks. It's kind of weird seeing you sitting down there while I'm standing here drying off."

Oz shook his head. "You're really not used to much, are you?" He wrapped his arm around the younger man's waist, leading him into the bedroom. "That shouldn't have weirded you out. It should have been a great teasing sight." He shook his head. "I think we should work on what you expect from a lover."

"Warm fuzzies?" Xander guessed, getting his butt pinched for it. "Hey, no touching. We agreed."

"That's right, we did, but that deserved it." He laid down on the bed. "Come here, I want to ask you something."

Xander put his hands on his hips, not moving. "I can't work on your back while you're wearing that shirt."

"Nice avoidance, but it won't save you." He stood up, stripping slowly, wanting to haunt the younger man later with images of his body. He laid back down, grabbing the towel thrown to him to cover up. "Naked is natural, clothes aren't," he reminded him, flipping over.

Xander grabbed a pair of boxers and the oil, straddling the older man's towel covered hips. "It's safer," he reminded him. He warmed some oil in his hands, rubbing them together. "So, where?"

"My shoulders and back," Oz said, getting comfortable. "Sit a little farther back, your weight is pulling down my lower back." The younger man shifted. "Thanks." He purred as the warm hands stroked over his skin. "I was right, you do have talented hands." He wiggled, getting them where he wanted. "Right there."

"Okay." Xander worked on the requested spot, secretly working around to find those special spots. He knew he had found one when the body under him jumped, rubbing against the sheets. "Is that right?"

"More," Oz groaned.

Xander leaned down, removing his hands. "What was that?"

"You torturer you," he whispered. "I ought to make you take care of it."

Xander went back to the spot. "I can do it like this but not the other way."

"Move down about three inches and over to the mole." He felt the slippery fingers dragging down to there. "Yeah, there. Will found it the other day." He felt the body above him stiffen momentarily. "It's an anti-problem site," he said with a sigh. "Relieves the tension."

"Okay." Xander worked it, relaxing as he felt the body under his hands doing so. "Better?"

"Much." Oz turned his head. "If I asked, would you at least stay in the room tonight?" The younger man shook his head. "It's too much for you?"

"Yeah, it is." He climbed off, swinging his leg over to lay down beside him. "Besides, I'm not needed in here for that."

Oz stopped him from getting up and going into the bathroom. "I'd like it if you watched. That is, if you wanted to."

Xander smiled. "As much as I would like that, it's too hard." He shrugged, but settled down onto the bed. "How's the back, did I do okay?"

"Yeah the stuff you did was great. My shoulders feel fine and now that you know those two spots, I wish you'd do more." Xander shook his head. "Too scared of what might happen? I promise not to jump you if that makes you feel better."

Xander smiled. "Oz, I know that won't happen. It's me I don't trust, not you. I might jump you, not the other way around."

The older man shook his head. "I know you won't. No matter how much you want to, you won't." He laid a hand over top of the younger man's heart. "In here won't let you."

"That's not the problem either," he said softly. He moved the hand to the top of his head. "It's in here."

"Hey, there I can cure. We can get around there." He stroked through the dark, soft hair. "I can fix that."

"No, you can't. Only I can fix that." He moved back a little. "Want me to work on your back some more?"

"Not if it makes you uncomfortable. I could do yours though." He waited, wondering if the rejection would come again.

"Whatever," Xander said finally. He shrugged. "Yours or mine. Whichever you want."

"Yours," he said with a grin. "I like making you moan my name." He leaned over, stealing a kiss. "Drop the boxers and lay down for me." He stood up, waiting for his quiet order to be followed. The younger man did as he was told, spreading the towel over his hips. "If you're sure." He gave him one last chance to back out.

"Do your worst," Xander said, shivering as he felt the older man climb on. "No clothes?"

"Towel not enough?" He was prepared to get off but the head shake let him relax. "Oil?" The bottle was handed back. "She's going to kill you when she finds out you've been stealing her bath oil again."

"That's my bottle." He shifted then turned his head. "I like the smell. Same stuff that ends up in the bath." He looked at the older man. "Oz? Why do you put up with my problems?"

"'Cause you're worth the wait." He leaned down to whisper in the exposed ear. "Now relax. You know the drill." He sat back up, pouring some oil out to warm. "Let me show you how good I can be." He intentionally worked down all the good spots, hitting every one he knew on the way down the younger man's back. He repeatedly hit a few excellent ones, almost grinning at the bucking going on under his hips. He moved back slowly, easing himself into a position he had only dreamed about so far. "How's this," he asked quietly, removing the towel to work over the firm globes.

"Nice," Xander purred. "But that's as far down as you go." He turned his head. "Those are tense, but that's pushing the boundaries."

"What good are boundaries if they're not pushed?" He threw the towel off to the side. "You know I'm not going to do anything bad. Relax and let me work the flesh you've been working so hard to make cuter." He worked hard on the tense rear, sliding down to the thighs when they were relaxed. He played briefly with the small wrinkle of flesh that marked the transition from rear to thigh before moving down to work on the muscles he hadn't had a chance to touch before. The strong legs didn't open but he knew why so wasn't upset. "Ready for more?"

"Only if it involves that towel and my chest," he sighed, grabbing the missing cloth so he could flip over. His rear was slapped lightly before the weight was removed from his legs. "Oz," he said in exasperation. He covered himself as soon as he could, realizing he had given the older man a good peek. "Don't you want clothes now?"

"Only if my nakedness bothers you." He again straddled the towel, pouring some more oil, warming it in his hands so he could bend down to work on the shoulders. "Hmm, same problem as last time. Want to lay in my lap for a while?"

"Like against your chest?" The older man nodded. "Sure, as long as we've got some barrier between us." He sat up, pulling over the sheet to cover himself as he handed back the towel. "Too much temptation."

"I understand that." Oz laid the towel down, then pulled the younger man back to position him where he wanted him. "Good?" He got a head nod against his chest. "Okay, let me work on your shoulders and arms."

"Hands too?"

"Hands too. They're too sensitive for me too pass up." He worked down the sides, then switched back and forth between the arms, gently working all the tension from their unorthodox position out. "Better yet?" He looked down to see the younger man almost asleep, well except for one part of him. "I'd say so. Want me to stop?"

"You want to be hit with a pillow, don't you?" The younger man turned to look up. "You stop now and I'll go scream in the bathroom while you listen."

"Okay, I won't stop." He pulled up one limp hand, working over the palm. "How's that?" He hit a tasty spot, he could see the younger man's mouth water. "I'm taking that as a compliment," he said, leaning down. "But I might expect payment."

"Kiss?"

"Yeah, a good one. Like the one this afternoon when I got back." He let that hand fall, picking up the other one. "You're in that boneless, all's right with the world state, right?" The younger man nodded. "That's cool, 'cause I gotta shift some." He let one of his hands stroke over the relaxed shoulders and upper chest before going down to adjust himself under the towel. "Okay, Xander, do I work your chest and stomach or not?"

"Tummy rubs?" he asked, interested. He looked up. "Really?"

"If you want."

"Don't tickle me?"

"Nope, no tickles involved here." He dropped the relaxed hand, hearing the moan. "What?"

"I was liking that."

"Later. I'll finish up that way."

"Be honest," the younger man said. "That's not how either one of us will finish tonight."

"Yeah, but I didn't think you wanted to hear that part." He stroked through the hair that was still laying on his chest. "Are we practicing honesty here?" He got a nod. "Okay, then yes, that's how I'll finish up my massage but not my night." He pushed up some, getting out from under the younger man's body. "Oops, need the towel. We don't want my nakedness sitting on yours."

Xander handed it over, removing the sheet and using the towel to cover him. "It's too much, and way too soon for that." He looked sad. "You know..." his mouth was covered by slippery fingers.

"I understand. I wouldn't want to torture you with my rear digging down onto your body." He grinned slightly. "Not that I would mind, but I know you would. I'm not going to do anything that makes you that uncomfortable. Okay?" The fingers were licked. "That's edible?"

"Yup," Xander said, "and thanks. I know you know so I won't even worry about it." He reached over, turning on the older man's clock radio. "We need some music. Otherwise I'm just going to lay here and moan."

Oz leaned over, finding a good station. "How's that?" He wiggled as he got back up, settling himself further down into the hard body. "Too much?"

"Nope, it's okay. I kinda expected it." He shrugged. "This part I don't mind. It belongs here in this setting." He smiled softly. "We're cool here."

"Okay." He leaned down, taking a kiss as he started on the younger man's chest. "Just a prepayment."

"Interest?"

"If you want." He focused on what he was doing, working the firm chest to sensualize his feelings. He shifted in time with the music, getting deeper into what he was doing. He made it down to the towel line so moved down to the thighs, reaching up under the towel to work on the strong thighs.

"Whoa," Xander said. "Red flag on the play."

Oz looked up. "What?" He looked at the position of his hands. "I'm not touching anything but your legs. I won't work inward unless you spread them so I can work on the inner thighs." He moved his hands some. "Not nice?"

"No, very nice, just too close to the other stuff."

Oz moved his hands down some, but kept them under the towel. He let himself go back into the rhythm he was establishing with his hands, aided by the music, getting lost in it. He could feel the tension leaving the younger man's body, so he worked harder at it, getting the thighs open to work on the tender and guarded flesh.

Xander laid there, panting, as his legs were worked on. Oz was really close to what they both wanted again but he wouldn't stop him. Even while he was out in the ozone someplace the older man wouldn't take advantage of him. He relaxed as the fingers moved down to his knees, then lower, then started to arch his hips in time to having his feet worked on. He didn't know he liked that area touched, much less worked firmly, but it was all good right now.

Oz looked up, realizing that he was done. "You okay?" He moved up to lay beside the younger man, getting worried when he wasn't answered right away. "Xan?"

"Oh, yeah," he sighed, rolling onto his side to face his best friend. "More than okay." He waited for the kiss, knowing it was coming.

Oz didn't disappoint, leaning over to take his 'payment', seducing with his lips and tongue as much as he had for the last hour and a half with his fingers. When he pulled back, the younger man was flushed and breathing heavy. "Thank you," he said. "I haven't had that affect on anyone for a while."

"Oz," Xander said, still breathless. "I liked that." He closed his eyes, not wanting to have the raging desire shown.

The older man stroked over the soft flesh, making the younger man look at him. "Xander, anytime you want that, it's yours. You won't interrupt when I'm doing something important, I know that, but if you want to be teased like this, then it's yours. As much as you can handle."

Xander swallowed. "I don't think I can handle any more." He shifted back minutely. "Sorry."

"Not a prob. You're still getting used to wanting this stuff." He nodded at the head shake. "Even if you admit the want, it's another matter to admit the desire and the longings." He brushed a hand over the younger man's face. "I'm here when ever you're ready to do that."

"Thanks, Oz," Xander said, getting up. He wrapped the towel around his hips, going into the bathroom.

"Don't stay in there all night," Oz said loudly.

"Oh, it won't take me that long."

Oz smiled, laying back to listen.

' ' ' '

Willow looked around the bedroom door, wondering if it was okay for them to go in or not. Xander waved her in, putting down his book to look at her. "Hey," he said quietly. "Oz is napping off a killer backrub, if I do say so myself." He shifted some, his clean pajamas making scratchy noises against the new sheet. "Have fun?"

"Not as much as you did," Buffy said. She laid down next to him. "I got told I was too dependant by Giles. He said even they needed alone time."

"Of course, she didn't accept the obvious reason so asked." She smiled as she laid between Oz and Buffy's bodies. "Her mother told her why and she choked."

"It wasn't my fault I never thought about her that way."

"That's normal though, right?" Xander asked. Willow nodded. "I couldn't think about my parents that way either." He shuddered. "Nope, need that picture to go away."

Willow leaned over, kissing him gently, taking away the awful mind pictures. "Better?" she asked after she had pulled back.

"Much." He wiggled down under the blankets. "Sleepy time. Someone has to get up in the morning." He held up the covers, prompting Buffy to stand up and strip hurriedly. "And no chewing on me tonight. I still have oil on my chest."

She rolled to the other side of Oz. "Okay, if I must." She grinned, then set her clock and laid down to sleep so she could get up and work.

Willow leaned over him, grabbing her alarm clock to set. "We okay?"

"Very. Night, Willow." He laid down, snuggling into the fuzzy blanket. "Night, Buff."

"Night," they said together.

"Too much noise," Oz complained, grabbing both the women around the waists and pulling them in to rest on him. "Night, Xan."

"Night, Oz. Sleep and I'll make breakfast."

' ' ' '

Buffy paced around the apartment, not sure what to do. It was Saturday and the guys were at the gym together. Willow was bent over her computer and she had nothing to do. No decent new movies, nothing new from her fun job. Nothing to do. She sighed as she sat down. "Will? I'm bored."

"Watch tv," was the distracted reply. "Oz'll be home in an hour or so."

Buffy blew a bang out of her face. "I've checked, there's nothing on." She pulled her hair back, tying it into a knot. "Let's go shopping."

"Can't, got to get this done." She looked up briefly. "Why don't you go though."

"'Cause it's not fun when you're alone." She stood up, grabbing her purse. "Come on, I want to dress you."

Willow shook her head. "I'll have to stay up all night if we do. Can't you wait for an hour? I'm sure Oz and Xander would love to go with you."

"It's not the same. I want to dress you, not them. Come on, it'll be fun."

"Buffy, I said no." She bent back down to her code, checking it over for flaws.

"Fine," she said, sitting down. She crossed her legs, trying to wait. It lasted all of ten minutes.

Willow eventually got tired of being stared at and turned around. "What's up with you today?"

"I'm bored." She recrossed her legs in the other direction for the third time in the last twenty minutes. "I want to do something."

"But I'm busy." She looked at her computer. "It's going to take me all night to do this and it's due Monday."

Buffy nodded. "I can understand that, but we haven't been doing fun girl stuff much." She almost pouted. "I miss that stuff."

"We went to the movies not four days ago."

"Yeah, but my sis was there. I couldn't cuddle you at all during the romantic parts."

Willow sighed. "Fine. Let me get my purse."

"No, my treat. I got paid yesterday."

"Vacation," Willow reminded her. "Disneyland. Your idea. Ring a bell?"

"But I need fun stuff now too and I saw this killer place I'm dying to go into." She got up, pulling Willow with her. "At least I'll buy you lunch."

"And it won't be a burger either." She grabbed her purse on the way out, leaving the guys a note on the door.

Buffy pulled into the discrete shopping center, hopping out as soon as the car was stopped. She pulled Willow after her, using her new key card to get into the complex. "Isn't this cool?"

"Way pricey, but yeah." She looked in interest at the nearby displays. "What is this place anyway?"

"It's exclusive and got tons of great and fun stuff." She led her friend to the first store, all but bouncing as they crossed the threshold.

Willow pulled her up short. "Buff? A leather shop?" She shook her head. "Not us."

"Coat?"

"Nope, not us. I borrow the guys when I get that needy for leather." She pulled her friend out, going over to the lingerie store. "Maybe here."

Buffy looked inside and nodded, hurrying after her friend. "Wait for me." She caught up to her in the panties selection. She looked through them, feeling the different textures and everything. "I want to dress you," she said, handing over a bra and pantie set. "Let me?"

Willow looked down at the skimpy pieces of fabric. "I don't know..."

"Oh, please? I promise to make you look demure and cute." She gave her the deadly puppy eyes. "Please?"

Willow finally relented so Buffy picked out some stuff she would love to see her lover in. "What is that?" she asked when Buffy handed her something unusual.

"You'll see." She pulled her into the dressing room, pulling the curtain shut behind her. "Strip for me, babe," she whispered. When Willow started to look around and protest, she laid a finger across her lips. "That's what this place is about. Now strip for me, Willow." She leaned against the wall, watching as it was done.

Willow stripped down to her panties and bra. "Don't we have to pay for it?"

"Did already, I arranged this yesterday. Take them off. I'm building you from the bottom up." She licked her lips, watching as the semi-shy woman did as she was asked. "You're so open about everything but this. Why?"

"Because I am." She stepped out of her last thing and stood waiting.

Buffy walked around her, smiling at the body before her. "Okay, so how sex kitten underneath?" she asked herself. She looked down at the pile of bras and undies, picking up a good feeling pair that felt kinda fuzzy inside. "Step into them," she said, kneeling down in front of her lover. Willow did it, giving her a skeptical look. Buffy ran her fingers lightly all the way with the underwear, thrilling the younger woman with her touch. She settled them in the proper place and reached to pick up some stockings. "Okay, now these. Brace on my shoulder if you need too." She rolled one down, bunching it up so Willow could get into them.

"But my thighs rub."

"These are made for that, they have a higher inside so you won't. I'll show you once they're on." She looked up, smiling at the sight she had. "You'll be gorgeous, trust me." Willow stepped into the first, then the second, waiting for Buffy to fix them up. Buffy took some clips, attaching them to the top of the inside leg but letting them dangle for now. She wrapped a garter belt around her lover's waist, hitching by hugging her around the waist to see. "Okay, now stand still while I do this." She fastened the special clamps onto the stocking top, three to each, but still not the center ones. "Now spread those legs for me Will," she whispered. She had to wait but eventually the creamy thighs parted so she could fasten the clamps to the sides of her new undies, with much touching of delicate fingers to the damp flesh. "There, perfect." She grabbed the matching bra, standing up to put it on Willow. She brought the cups up gently under the perky, small breasts, holding them still while the younger woman slid her arms into the straps. She reached behind Willow's back to fasten it, dragging her hands along the material on the way to adjust the cups for comfort. "I like this on you." She reached inside the first, bringing the soft flesh up and rearranging how it laid in the slightly padded material. "There. Perfect." She did the other, smiling at the moan she earned as she adjusted. "Better?"

"Not enough."

Buffy kneeled back down in front of her, picking up her jeans. "Step back in for now?" Willow complied, getting redressed in her ordinary clothes. They walked out, putting their stuff into a bag on the way out of the store. Buffy dragged her down the small corridor, ending up in a nice clothing store, mostly consisting of work type clothes. "Demure enough?"

"Business stuff?" She looked around. "Not exactly the sex kitten stuff you were promising me." She smiled as the older woman nodded at one of the sales girls, bringing her into a dressing room.

"Strip for me, Willow," Buffy said again, quietly. When it was done, she walked out to find appropriate clothes for her woman. She came back a few minutes later with two outfits, one a dress, the other a suit. "Try the dress on first. I'm less sure of it." She took it off the hanger, closing the curtain behind her then turned around to watch her lover slip into the slinky material. "Does it feel good?" she asked, turning the younger woman around to look at herself. "I like this but it's not what I had in mind." She pulled it off, letting Willow see it. "Suit or is that too unsexy to you?"

"Much too unsexy. I've never looked good in one." She watched her lover go back out, leaving the other dress. Buffy came back with a slip dress sort of thing. It had small cap sleeves but it was almost sheer. "I need a slip."

"Nope, just trust me." She slid it down Willow's body, smoothing it as she went, the sensuality of the touches and situation bringing damp warmth to both of them. They looked at it in the mirror together. "So?"

"I like both really." She looked at the other dress, the knit having been comfortable and stretchy, then back at the one she was wearing, about the same material only this one had silver streaks through the royal blue/purple that was dark enough to almost be black. "I like them both. You decide."

Buffy looked at each dress then at her friend. "I like them both too. Which one do you want to wear?"

"The longer one. It's easier to get around in and the guys won't be as shocked."

"Bet me," Buffy said, taking the other dress out with the old clothes Willow had been wearing. "This one is more like what I had in mind." She walked out, coming back with a new bag. "Come on, shoes next."

Willow shook her head, pulling back on her sneakers. "Why did you even ask?"

"Because I just remembered that I wanted to take you out someplace special tonight. I want you to wear that dress then." She waved at the sales girl on the way out. "Did you really mind?"

"No, not really, just wondering. I guess this is comfortable enough to shop in, but no heels."

"Small ones?"

"Nope. I have trouble balancing if we go fast in them."

"Then we'll stroll." She slowed down, entering the shoe store. "Hi," she called, bringing a sales girl. "I need to get my girlfriend two pairs of sex kitten type shoes. I have the other dress to match too." She held up the bag and they were seated. Willow's feet were measured and the other dress looked at. Pretty soon the sales woman was back with two pairs of shoes, one of moderate heel and the other spikes. "Oooh, I think that'd be cute." She leaned over, kissing Willow on the cheek. "You'll look so mine tonight."

Willow blushed but let the woman put them on her. They fit perfectly, comfortable that instant. "Wow. I want more pairs that fit like this." She looked at her friend. "Girlfriend? You've never called me that before."

"I was working my way up to it." Buffy leaned over, pulling her lover's head over to grab a quick kiss. "See? I'm doing okay here. The regular mall might still be a challenge but tonight over dinner I'd like to hold you hand if you don't mind."

Willow nodded, a little teary all of a sudden. "Yeah, I'd like that too."

The sales woman looked up. "I remember my first outing as a couple. You'll always remember this as special." She handed Buffy her card and the receipt back. "Thank you, I needed the happiness of young love." She walked away, giving them some privacy.

Buffy got Willow up, making sure she was able to walk. "Hair?"

"Okay, you're leading this expedition." She waved her out, letting her lover stop to hand back part of the receipt. "I don't want you to spend your limit on me," she said quietly once they were in the hall again.

"I'm not. This isn't all that expensive. Tons less than the mall and everyone was really happy when I came in to arrange it because it was so cute." She walked into the beauty parlor, settling Willow before sitting down herself. "Hey," she said, smiling at the only man they'd seen so far. "This is my girlfriend Willow. I told you about her yesterday. What can you do to make her look more beautiful."

Willow blushed, heavily. "I'm not that pretty."

Buffy pulled on a lock of red hair. "Are to me, now quit arguing. You're the most beautiful woman in this building to me." She smiled, taking a quick lick of the younger woman's cheek.

The hairdresser shook his head. "I can see that you two are playful." He pointed at his chair. "And you both need it."

"I know, but I'm not here for myself." He snapped his fingers and someone else came out, setting Buffy in her chair. "Okay, if you say so."

"You have to equal this Goddess of yours when you go out. Otherwise some jealous woman might try to steal her." Willow blushed. "It's true, dear. You are beautiful. Now where's tonight's special dress?" Buffy pointed at the bag and he went over to look at it. "And what are you doing for clothes?"

"Oh, I have a silver and white dress I've been saving." She took Willow's hands. "It's kinda Greek influenced, Ancient Greek I mean." Her hairdresser nodded. "And I need it to withstand living with two guys and the hours in between." Willow gave her a look. "What? I can see Xander trying to mess it up."

Willow smiled. "Yeah, that'd be like him." She leaned back as she was lowered to have her hair washed. "I think it's clean."

"Yes dear, but it needs conditioning. Now just lay there and enjoy it." He ran the water, starting on it. "Many women fall asleep under my fingers."

' ' ' '

Buffy led Willow through the apartment door, stopping her so the two men could see them. Oz's full mouth fell, Xander's not doing much better with less food.

"Wow," Oz said. "I never..." He swallowed quickly, wiping off his fingers and mouth to walk over to his fiancee. "I love it." He looked at Buffy. "Why do this though?"

"'Cause tonight she's mine," Buffy said, pulling her toward the bedroom. She let the younger woman stop to save down her work, but then locked the bedroom door behind them.

Xander cleared his throat. "If I went to kneel at her feet would you be upset with me?"

Oz turned back around, still in shock at the transformation of his lover. "I'd be there beside you." He sat back down, sipping his soda. "Do you think they'll let us in on the secret?"

"Nope," Buffy said, walking back out. "We're going out tonight and leaving you two to your own stuff." She grabbed them some juice, stopping beside the table. "And I think she'd like it if you kneeled at her feet." She popped open her juice, sipping it delicately. "We needed the fun times too."

Xander nodded, still able to see the sex kitten in the bedroom from where he was sitting. "Wow," he said, still shocked. "Where did you find it?"

"Mall. Special mall only for women." She walked back in, locking the door behind her so they couldn't be disturbed while she was worshiping her lover.

"I wonder if I can unwrap her later," Oz mused, picking up his guitar to play some.

Xander shook his head. "Probably not. If I had dressed you like that, I wouldn't...." He headed to his drafting table. "So, now what?"

"Well, we're locked out of the bedroom and unless you like baseball enough to watch a game or three, we're pretty well bored here." He looked around the room. "Want to go do something else?"

"Shop? I need more pajamas. Buffy bit a hole in my favorite pair." He grabbed his wallet, tossing Oz his. "Come on, I'll even help you look at new cars if you want since the van is broken again."

Oz shook his head. "Used. Can't afford a new one." They walked out the door together. "Would you dress me like that?"

"Maybe someday, Oz, if I figure all this out." He wrapped his arm around the older man's shoulder briefly. "Let's go get into some trouble."

' ' ' '

Xander looked around the car lot, seeing the new Celica he'd wanted since he saw the commercial. "Hey, come look at this one with me." He pulled Oz over to the display. "What do you think?"

"I think it's flashy." He looked inside. "I also think it's got no backseat and we'd never all fit in there." He turned to see the down look on his friend's face. "But I think you ought to live a little if you want. You have the funds to buy it."

Xander shook his head, opening the door to sit inside. "No, that was a good point. I do need something that we can all fit in." He looked up. "But I wanted one so bad."

"So get it. You're allowed to splurge."

Xander smiled. "Would you like to explain it to trust fund guy?"

"Patent money?"

"Put away. All of it is." He snapped his fingers, remembering what he had forgotten to ask Oz. "My lawyer says he needs your birth certificate. I need to set up the 'in case something happens' paperwork so he needs it to get it processed."

Oz shrugged. "I have a copy at home." He walked around the car. "Why am I on that?"

"Because you all are." He looked up briefly, seeing the pissed look. "Before you open your mouth to protest, it's only if something happens to me and I die. I want you three to be taken care of and there's no one else besides Joyce and Giles that it would go to." He grinned. "I included them and Marion and the baby too before you say anything."

"So, he's making you do a will now?" Oz said slowly.

"After my last hospital stay, do you blame him?" He got out of the car, noting the lack of room. "Not my thing. No leg room." He pulled Oz out to the lot. "What?" he asked when they were alone.

"I don't want it."

"It has to go somewhere," Xander reasoned. "You can keep it in the bank and pay for someone to go to a conservatory or something. Just accept it as something to be worried about later."

Oz rubbed his forehead. "I can do that, for now, but we're going to talk about this before I give you my birth certificate." He looked at the cars. "I can't do this right now. I need some Tylenol."

"Have some in the car," Xander said, jogging back to it. He brought back the small white packet, handing it and his juice bottle over. "Here. I'm sorry if I upset you."

Oz swallowed them, sipping at the juice. "No, it's a good thing to think about I guess, it just caught me off guard. It's not a subject I choose to think of." He tossed the bottle away. "Come on, I need another something that can carry band stuff." He led the way over to the few vans on the lot, wincing at the marked prices. "Way too 'spensive for my pockets."

Xander had been wanting to talk to him about this subject, but didn't want to hurt him with the offer. "What if..." He stopped then pulled the older man aside, away from the sales man that was eyeing them. "What if I bought it...," he put a hand over the moving lips to stop the protest, "and you paid me back at a reasonable rate?" He removed the hand, stepping back slightly.

Oz watched the move with a frown. "I'm not like that."

"I know, it was unconscious." He stepped closer than he was before. "I've been trained to do that."

"I'm going to do something about your parents," Oz promised. He closed his eyes, thinking about how to put it gently. "Xan, I can't let you do that."

"It'd be just like the bank. I'd charge you interest and everything if it'd make you feel better. You'd have flexible payments and everything." Oz shook his head. "Why? Because you'd feel obligated? We both know that's crap."

Oz stopped him from walking away. "But it's not. Not to us. We want to be independent, not live off you. I appreciate the offer, but I can't let you do it for me. I'd feel kept." He put a hand on the strong shoulder. "Even if I paid you back."

"Okay, whatever," he said, walking back to the car.

Oz watched him go, not sure what he could do to make it up to him this time. There wasn't anyway he could let him do that. "Xander," he called, walking after him. He caught up to him outside their car, pushing him against the side. "Put yourself in my place. How would you have felt?"

"But I don't want it to be like that. You need a ride, I've got the cash. I'm not trying to obligate you or to make you feel less like a man, Oz, I want you to have what you need to live. That's why I haven't brought this up before. I thought a long time before making this decision." He crossed his arms. "You *know* I'd never do that to you."

"I do, but it doesn't make it any less so in my head." He pointed to the car. "Let's get inside and go someplace else. They didn't have anything here that I liked. We can talk about it then, okay?"

Xander nodded, getting in. He got back out, handing over the keys. "I'm too upset to drive, you do it for a while." He walked around, getting in on the passenger's side.

Oz got behind the wheel, starting the car. "Okay, where to now?"

"I don't care." He shaded his eyes from the light, pulling down the visor. "It's not closing time, why don't we go look at some more vans." He leaned back, putting on his seat belt.

Oz pulled out into traffic, heading to the place he wanted to go. "I'm sorry," he said again.

"I know, it's not you. I shouldn't have offered." He closed his eyes.

Oz stopped near the other side of the park. "Do you want to go home?"

"Not really." He turned his head. "Did you?"

"No, I have someplace I want to look." He turned off the engine, unbuckling so he could look at his friend. "I think we need to talk though."

"Nothing to talk about. I offered. It stands." He shrugged. "Not a big."

"For you. For me, that's a major big. This is the sort of thing that we worried about when we were fighting over spring break. We don't want the money to become an issue between us." He laid a hand on the younger man's arm. "No matter how much I like the idea and want to take it, I can't."

"Gee, that sounds familiar." He didn't open his eyes. "I'm not doing that to obligate you, to keep you, or anything besides help you get what you need to live." He shrugged. "I care, shoot me."

"I know you do, but I can't."

"Then don't," Xander sighed. "Are we going or are we going to keep saying the same things over and over?" He opened his eyes, turning to look at the older man. "Oz, I understand, I really do, but I'm trying to be nice and take care of you like always. Don't beat me verbally over it."

Oz looked around before moving his hand down to take the younger man's. "I know and I thank you, but it's not necessary. Disbursement is in another few weeks."

"You aren't getting one anymore," Xander pointed out. "The new school is a paid position and learning thing, no financial aid." He started to look around at the people passing them so Oz let his hand go. "Thanks."

"Not a problem. I understand that." He shook his head. "I'd forgotten about that." He added up his hours in his head. "I'll still be making more."

"Then let me become the bank. You can save a few months salary then start paying me back in small payments." He sighed, leaning back. "Last word on the subject. I promise."

Oz nodded. "Okay." He restarted the car, pulling back out. "I'll think about it, I'll promise that much, okay?" The younger man nodded. "Cool." He pulled up in front of the car lot he had wanted to visit. "How about that one?"

Xander looked at the van. "It's a gross color."

"I know, but repainting is cheap."

Xander pointed out another on the edge of the lot. "How about that one. It looks pretty nice." He got out, wandering over to the one he'd been looking at. "Hey, Oz, come look, it's got a kitchen in the back."

The older man walked over, smiling. "Only you would find one of those." He looked inside. "Not too bad for its age." He looked around the outside, noticing the rust. He looked up and a salesman magically appeared. "Hi, can you pop the hood?"

"Of course." He reached inside then opened the hood. "It's in great condition for its age."

"Some rust," Xander said. "Shag carpeting."

"We can repaint it and rust coat it for an extra three hundred. You'll get a year's maintenance contract with it." He walked around. "College students?"

"Yeah," Oz said. "At that private school up on the hill. I'm a part time teacher up there too." He looked down at it then over at the one he liked. "Can I look at that one too?" The man nodded, leading the way. "It'd have to be repainted too."

"There's someone bidding on this one already." He pointed to the office. "I can mention that someone else wants it too if you'd like."

Xander got down, looking under it. "I think you'd better tell them to look down here first." He crawled back out. "It's almost pure rust." The salesman had enough grace to look embarrassed. "Oz?"

"I don't know. They both have some."

"Not like that." He pointed down there, prompting the older man to get down for a look. Oz came back up with a disgusted look on his face. "Nope?"

"Nope." He walked around the other cars and vans on the lot, looking at each. "Besides that one, nothing here interests me." He turned to look at the salesman trailing them. "I'll think about the VW van but it'll be a few days before I know."

"That's fine. No one really seems interested in those anymore." He walked back into the office after handing them his card.

Oz took one last look at the two vans, shaking his head. "Too bad, I liked that green one."

Xander patted him on the shoulder. "We'll find you one like that then." He led them back to the car. "Get in, I'll buy lunch."

Oz looked down at his watch. "Didn't you have to be at the bank today? Some paperwork or something?"

"Did that yesterday. Had to move the patent money again." He shrugged. "It's actually in all our names in a tax deferred account now." Oz tapped him on the shoulder. "Let me pull over so you can yell."

Oz waited then slapped his arm, not hard, just enough to make his point. "Why did you do that? That's your money, your design earned it."

Xander looked over at him. "Because I want you guys to not need anything ever." He rubbed his arm. "Don't do that."

Oz looked alarmed. "I'm sorry. That wasn't what I meant." He rubbed the spot. "Did I hurt you?"

"No, I'm just tired of it. Don't pinch me either. You have other ways of getting my attention."

Oz shook his head. "I could lick you but we're in public." He leaned back. "You know I never meant it *that* way right Xander?"

"Yeah, I know. I just don't like it. I don't mind it occasionally but today's been a bit much so far."

Oz nodded. "I can agree with that." He looked over. "I'm sorry."

"Don't say it again," Xander warned. "I know you weren't hitting me, just getting my attention. I *do* know the difference. I know it's not meant as abuse, it's just too much today." He looked over, shifting in his seat. "This day's been one big fight since the girls got home."

"I know." He took the soft hand. "So, now what?" He looked hopeful. Xander usually had a diversion or two planned in case he wanted to duck out.

"Not a clue. No good movies, none at home and we couldn't get to the bathroom if we tried. We've mined the newest shipment where Buff works." He leaned his head against the seat back. "What do you want to do?"

"Run away?" Oz suggested.

Xander grinned. "Hey, I'm good at that." He took back his hand, laying it on the side of the older man's face. "We're okay?"

"Yeah, we're okay. I won't even apologize again." He grinned slightly. "This still leaves me without a ride though. I liked that green van."

"Yeah, but it had rust, bad rust. And not even in a small amount." He restarted the car, heading to where he'd wanted to go all along. "I have an idea." He pulled off onto the highway, taking the exit for the mall. "I know just the thing."

Oz looked at it with a deeply satisfied smile. "I like this one too." He looked around but there was no salesman around. "Huh. That's different. Usually they come if you appear too interested."

Xander leaned against the side of it, the keys dangling from his fingers. "I told them to leave you alone for a while." He tossed them over. "Take it for a drive."

Oz gave him a funny look but got into the captain's chair. He started it, listening to it purr. "Sounds good," he said, pulling it off the lot. He drove it around a few blocks, coming back to the lot after about twenty minutes. "How much," he said after parking it.

"Just under two grand." He heard the hiss. "Six point four percent interest over three years. Payments of about one hundred a month. Brings it up to around thirty-seven hundred in the end."

"I don't know whether to kiss you or to yell."

"I'd settle for the kiss, but only if you want it. It's much nicer than theirs. Theirs was nine point something for twenty four months." He shrugged. "What's money if you don't do good things for your friends with it?" He looked over. "I want you to have it. No strings. No complications. You send the payment to my lawyer, who puts it into my account. Nothing between us."

"But I don't know if I can."

"Then it's mine and you can borrow it." He grinned. "I jumped the gun. I was impatient."

Oz looked down at the extra clean dash. "How long have you been hiding this?"

"It was going to be delivered on your birthday if you hadn't found anything. Otherwise I was going to put it into storage." He looked back out the window. "Your decision. I'll see you in the car." He got out, letting the older man think about his offer.

Oz stroked the dash with one hand, pulling out his cell phone with the other. He'd leave it up to the smart one that handled the finances. "Will?"

' ' ' '

Xander looked up as Joyce walked in the apartment. "Hey," he said, taking another bite of his sandwich. He remembered his manners, wiping off his mouth. "Want one?" he said after swallowing.

She smiled, sitting down next to him. "No, not really. Marion's been driving me insane with the strange food." She looked at it. "Looks normal enough."

"Ham and bacon." He opened it, showing it off. "Not bad if a little on the cholesterol heavy side." He looked at her. "And how are we?"

She patted his arm. "I wanted to make sure before we told her. Is she back yet?"

"Buffy?" he called. "Parental type person here for you."

"In a minute," floated out from the bathroom.

He finished his lunch, handing her a glass of milk on a pass through the kitchen. "Nice soak?" he asked his roommate.

Buffy nodded, sitting down next to her mother. "Ready to confess?"

Her mother smiled. "We wanted to make sure of it and I would be all right before we told you, dear. It wasn't to exclude you." She patted the soft hands. "Your skin feels nice."

"Will found this killer lotion that kills calluses and things." She shrugged, picking up the juice bottle Xander put in front on her as he walked out to give them privacy. "This is still weird to me and all, but how far along are you?"

"Almost three months." She patted her stomach. "Are you okay with this? I know it's strange to think of your mother as pregnant at your age but we both wanted it."

"Are you going to be trendy and wait to get married until it's old enough to walk you down?"

"No, I was hoping you would do that." She smiled. "We're doing the Justice of the Peace thing now and a big reception. We'll do the proper church wedding on our one year anniversary." She pulled out the bundle of invitations from her purse. "These are for all of you."

Buffy took them, looking down at them. "I'd better be included." She frowned at the names. "You're inviting dad?" She handed it back.

"And his present girlfriend who is a grand total of twenty-five. I thought I'd warn you before hand." She smiled. "We're friends now if nothing else."

"Okay, I'll pass them out. When?" She opened hers. "Three days? Mom, that's not much warning. What should I wear?"

"That blue dress we saw you in while you were out with Willow that night." Her daughter blushed. "We decided to leave you two alone. You looked like you were being serious."

"Yeah, it's a good thing. Maybe not with another woman, but with her it's great." She smiled. "So, when should I come by to figure out the sucking problem thing?"

"Whenever, just not tonight. We're telling your sister tonight and we wanted it to be just us." She stood up. "Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"As long as I don't think about where it came from."

Her mother leaned over, kissing her cheek. "The stork, dear." She smiled as she walked out the door, past Oz and Willow. "Bye, guys. See you in a few days."

Willow closed the door. "What was that about? Your mom's not usually cryptic guy? Or woman for that matter." She sat down so Buffy pushed over the envelope with her name on it. "Oh, my God," she said, tossing it down. "They are? Finally?" She pulled her friend over for a hug.

Oz looked over his fiancee's shoulder. "Who's what?" He read the invitation. "It's about time. They've been engaged almost as long as we have." He looked down at his mate. "We're going to have to do something about that soon."

"Spring," Willow said.

"That's what you said at Christmas," Buffy pointed out. "It's summer now."

Willow smiled. "We're waiting for both of you to get over it and jump in with us." She looked up at Oz, taking his hand. "At least that's my excuse."

"Start without me," Xander said as he walked in. "Saw your mom, she's glowing nicely."

"She is?" Willow said. She leaned back, resting in the supportive arms of her mate.

"It's something in the water," Oz said.

"Well, this is the Hellmouth and all," Buffy said. "Anything's possible here." She looked at Xander. "I'm giving her away."

He nodded. "Good choice. Justice?" She nodded. "Okay, put a big note on the fridge for me." He walked back into the bedroom. "I'm going to nap."

Oz looked at Willow but called, "Have a nice one," after him. "So, presents," he asked once the door was closed. "We've got to get them something nice."

Xander opened back up the door, bringing out the box he'd stashed a while ago. "This is mine. You can add on or not." He walked back into the bedroom, closing the door softly.

Oz looked down at the box. "He's had that since he was building the emergency locator." He opened it carefully, looking down at the statues inside. "Native stuff."

Willow looked down in it. "Native American, Indian - as in continent of - , and early European. Very nice." She pulled out the Indian one. "Traditional even."

Buffy looked at it, afraid to break it. "So, do we add onto it or something else?" She turned to Willow. "And they saw us on our night out."

The younger woman nodded. "I saw them. Wondered why they didn't at least wave." She put it back in the box. "Does that bother you?"

"No, I explained it to mom. She's cool with it. Told her the truth, it's a great thing with you but probably not going to happen with anyone else." She leaned over to kiss the younger woman's cheek. "You're too special for there to ever be another."

"Oh, you made her blush," Oz said. He kissed Willow's cheek too. "I agree though." He looked down at the box. "What sort of statue should we look for?"

"Chinese?" Willow suggested. "That new store just opened near the gallery."

"We can do that. We could always scour the art district like we did for Christmas." He looked at the little grouping, seeing the dust. "Whose turn is it to clean?"

"Yours," both women said together.

He shook his head. "I'll do it later. We've got to find a present."

Willow looked inside one last time then closed the box. "I hope there wasn't another. I'd hate to duplicate."

Buffy patted her arm. "Then we'd get one too." She stood up, grabbing bags. "Mall?"

"Art district," Oz said, picking up his keys. "I get to drive."

"You're just too happy about the new van," Buffy said. She followed him out. "At least it's comfortable."

' ' ' '

Xander peeked around the doorway as he heard the others leave. He was alone again, finally, for the first time in three days. Now he could get down to having some fun alone time. He stripped quickly, laying down on the bed, and started the VCR. He laid back, watching the feel good tape once again. He soon got into it, touching himself happily, putting himself in their place and a certain green haired, this week, man in the other's.

He was loving it soon, groaning in time with the movements of his hands on his body, his eyes closed to imagine what he wanted to be happening. He could feel the touches as someone else's, purposely using the unusual hand to mimic someone else's. While he was thrusting up into one hand, the other pleasing him without him having to order it to from much practice, he heard someone come in, but couldn't stop at that point. Besides, his roommates wouldn't walk in and to everyone it would be perfectly obvious what he was doing just from the noise.

He came with a loud moan, arching his back painfully into his happies. When he came down, he could hear a gentle tapping on the door. "In a minute," he called. He grabbed the towel he had stashed under the bed, wiping himself off, then tossed the sheet over himself. "Who?"

"It's me," Giles said, sticking his head through the door. "Are you decent?"

"What a perfectly British thing to say, but yeah, I am." He sat up, pulling the sheet a little higher. "What's up? Come in, take a seat."

Giles sat down on the chair Oz had gotten for them, deciding that he needed a better place to stash Buffy when she was determined to get in his way. "I'm sorry for interrupting."

"Hey, you waited until I was done." He shrugged. "Around here, this isn't a big. Coming in during is a big, but not waiting then knocking." He flipped onto his side so he could look at the older man. "So, what can I do for you today?"

"I was wondering if you'd consider being my best man." He took off his glasses to clean them. "Joyce is asking Willow and Buffy to be her maids of honor and I was wondering if I could impose and ask you to be my best man and Oz my usher." He cleared his throat, putting the glasses back on. "I know it's short notice, but I'm sure you both have something suitable to wear."

"Oh, yeah, I have dress clothes now. Buffy took Willow shopping the other day, getting her something, and I do believe Oz has something but I can ask him later. They're all out wedding present shopping right now."

"Oh, well, I could come back later. Would supper be all right?" He stood up. "And I am sorry for interrupting your activity."

"Not a big, G-man, and we should all be here for supper. Buffy doesn't have to work tonight or tomorrow. Will's got her first project turned in, or at least the first draft of her part of the code." He looked around the room. "Oz doesn't start for another three weeks, they decided to start him this fall instead of this summer so he's been helping Willow and following me to the gym and doctor's."

"Are you ill?" He looked alarmed. "I wish you had told us."

"No, just the protein thing that was making me bruise really easily." He sat up. "I've had it on and off since I was a kid."

"Is that what Willow was talking about when she mentioned your anemia?" Xander nodded. "I'm glad it's been solved then."

"Well, not quite. I'm still a little on the protein deficient side so I have to watch my diet more carefully than some others." He wiggled around until he was sitting cross-legged under the sheet. "Why not ask a boyhood friend? I'm not sure why you're asking me to do that. Be the best man and all."

"Well," he said, sitting again, "you and Oz are both my friends, really the only ones I have right now since none of my friends back home have even tried to keep in touch. It's almost hilarious to think of one of them flying over for this when they can't bother to send a letter." He cleared his throat. "And we've gotten close over the last few years. I'd thought you both felt the same way about me."

"Well, we do," Xander said quickly, not wanting to give the wrong idea, "it's just a little strange to claim your best man is a nineteen year old man." He shrugged. "At least to me."

"Never doubt that we're friends, Xander," Giles said, getting up to lay a hand on the younger man's bare shoulder. "You and the rest of your little family here are like my own family, all of you are like my children, and I would like for you to participate." He smiled. "If you decide not to, I will understand. As you say, it would look a little odd."

"Odd? No. Oz in a tux was odd." He grinned. "Gladly. A nice suit okay?" The older man nodded, happy smile on his face. "Okay, three days, ten am, courthouse."

"I'll call that morning, just to make sure you're all up."

"Better yet, what about your wedding night?"

Giles smiled. "I'm not partial to that custom." He walked out, closing both doors gently behind him.

Xander laid back, smiling up at the new stars on the ceiling. "Yeah, this will be cool."

' ' ' '

"I need to wear a what?" Oz asked. "A suit?"

"A decent one," Xander said. "You're the head usher, I'm the best man."

"Which means you'll have to make a toast," Willow pointed out from in front of her computer. "I'm guessing I can wear one of the dresses Buffy just got me."

Buffy grinned. "Only if I get to help you dress."

Oz groaned as he turned to look at his fiance. "You did what?"

Willow got up, after hitting the keys to save her section of the project, and walked slowly over to him. "She dressed me. She slid every piece of material down my body, or up my body, not caring who could hear. She touched me with each piece of material, making sure it felt good against my skin. She personally clipped my garter belt, bra, and stockings on, touching me in the most intimate ways the whole time." She stopped in front of her fiancee. "It was a great afternoon." She licked his lips then walked into the bedroom. "Should he be able to watch us on the wedding day, Buffy?" she called over her shoulder.

The blonde woman got up, beating Oz to the door. "Maybe, but I can give him a replay now. Up to the undies that is." She grinned at Xander as she closed the door.

He picked back up his drafting pencil. "I'm sure you can," he said quietly. He flipped through the mass of materials on his table, finally finding the one he wanted and putting aside the others.

' ' ' '

Xander poked through his closet, wondering what he should wear in two days time. He had a few suits now, and some other assorted dress clothes too, but he couldn't decide what to wear. Should he go modern or classic? Should he do color or a stately black? Should he wear a tie or not, preferably not but he could make the sacrifice if he needed to. He stood staring at the mass of fabric hanging up, squished next to each other. "I have too many options," he decided. "I don't even know why I bought suits but I got too many."

Oz walked up behind him. "Yeah, you do, but I'd wear the eggplant one. It's got that mix of classic and a color that just says you." He patted the younger man on the back, heading for the bathroom.

"But Will says I look gross in it," he called. "How about the dark green?"

"Nope, it'll clash with the girls." He poked his head out. "The royal blue looked nice. Maybe with the ocean colored shirt." He pulled his head back into the bathroom while Xander considered the outfit. By the time he came back out, the requested clothes were on the bed to be stared at. "Nope, I was wrong, wrong shirt." He walked around Xander, pulling out another to lay over the suit. "Try this one." He looked at it, then nodded, walking out.

"Seems tasty," Xander said. He picked it up, walking out to the living room. "I'm going to the cleaners, am I taking someone else's stuff too?"

Buffy and Willow both rushed into the bedroom, bringing back out their outfits to hand over. Willow handed over the suit Oz had gotten, smiling at him. "They need cleaned and pressed, no starch on any of them." She sat back down in front of her computer, reading her massive amounts of email. "Which one," she asked, looking up.

"Mall. Two hour service." He shifted the bundle of clothes. "Oz, is your shirt in here?"

"It's new, not a problem." He looked up from where he was cutting vegetables for a salad. "Thanks though." He tossed the carrots in, bending back down into the refrigerator to find some more stuff. "Hey, pick up some milk and some pizza cheese while you're out, okay? I'm cooking tonight and I'm not doing anything hard." He stood back up. "That is, if you have time."

"What else am I going to do for the next two hours?" He wrote the requested items down quickly. "Anything else?" His pencil poised over the paper in anticipation of one of the girls saying something. "And before you ask, those little boxes of female stuff are not bought by me."

Willow snapped her fingers. "Shoot, I needed one of those too." She looked up. "Munchies? Nuts or something like that?"

"Walnuts as usual or some other kind?"

She licked her lips. "Yeah, that sounds good."

"Some of that peanut butter mixed flavor stuff please and some graham crackers," Buffy called out. "And could you..."

"No," he yelled. "Not me. If you want those, you go get them." He folded the list into his pocket, checking for his wallet. "Okay, anything else before I step out the door?"

"You have keys, phone, wallet," Willow asked, not looking up. "Clothes and list too?"

Xander checked again. "Nope, no phone. It's in the charger." He waved as he walked out, closing the door quietly, but reopening it so Fuzzy could go rest in Buffy's lap while she had PMS. "Have fun," he told her. "I'm sure you understand it better than I do." He ran down to his car before anyone could stop him.

' ' ' '

Oz looked down at the cat that was staring at him. "What? I'm not the one feeling nasty. She's in the bedroom." He pointed but she didn't move. "What's wrong?" he asked, setting his bowl aside to pick her up. "Did you and your human have a fight?"

"Puppy?" Willow called, walking out. "Who are you talking too?" She smiled down at the cat. "What's up, Fuzzy? Not here to comfort us?" The cat 'meow'ed but didn't move off the boy's lap. "Okay, what's up Oz?"

"Me, nothing. I'm not upset or anything." He looked around. "I know it's not Xander either, and if she's not here to be with you two then I don't have a clue what's going on." He looked out the window. "Is it something bad coming up or is it something bad right now?"

Fuzzy 'meow'ed again and rubbed up against his stomach.

"Okay, I give, call her human," Willow said, walking back into the bedroom. "Maybe he has an idea." She closed the door behind her.

Oz grabbed the phone, calling downstairs to the manager's apartment. "Hey," he said. "We were just wondering why Fuzzy's up here. None of us are in distress and she's sitting in my lap." The answer made him grin as he hung up. "She's being prickly again so he told her to take a walk for a few minutes until she calmed down." He looked down at the cat. "I can understand how that happens, I've had to take a few walks before in my life too." He scratched behind her ears with one hand, picking up pieces of salad with the other so he could finish lunching.

' ' ' '

Xander walked around the grocery store, looking down at his list and then at the shelves. He'd picked up everything he needed, but he wanted something special of his own to munch on while he soaked tonight. He stopped in front of the ice cream treats, contemplating all the sugary goodness, but decided it would get stolen by the cravings of the two women so went over to find something else. He wasn't paying attention to the people around him, not caring how they saw him right now.

He stopped in front of the nuts, thinking about those but again one of the women would steal it. He patted down his pockets, looking for his watch, then looked down at it. "Hmm, another fifteen. Might as well check out now." He headed for the nearest line, counting his items just to make sure he could use the express lane. He pulled up in front of the register, trying hard to ignore the register-woman's frown. He paid her, taking his bags, and went to his car.

Just as he climbed in, he heard something hit his trunk. He looked back, seeing a few people standing there, including a cop. He got back out carefully, not wanting there to be trouble again. "Yes?" he asked the officer.

"Mr. Harris," the old man started, stepping out of the crowd. "We were wondering why you chose to shop here." He stepped closer. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you that your kind isn't welcome here."

Xander swallowed then cleared his throat. "Since when? I've been shopping here for almost a year now and there's never been any problems." He stepped closer to his car, fingering the alarm button that Giles had made sure he had after the rock incident. "I don't want any problems, so why don't you all just leave me alone now."

The officer stepped closer. "I'm sure you don't." He sneered, pushing on Xander's chest, making him back into the side of the car. "But we don't want your kind here."

"Then I hope your store fails miserably in the next fiscal period. Anything else?" He got ready to push the button, expecting a little pain before someone got there to help him.

"No, we just wanted to make sure that you knew that you weren't welcome." The officer stepped back, pulling out his gun. Xander feared for his life, moving his thumb to push the button but the man shot out the tire he was beside instead. The crowd dispersed after that, going back into the store and around to their cars, smiling and happy now.

Xander sat down in relief. He picked up the car phone, dialing for the auto club, the cops, then home. "Hey, it's me," he said, still panting from the close call.

' ' ' '

Xander walked through the door, carrying the clothes, which Oz took from him. "What were you thinking?" he was asked quietly.

"I'm fine. Nothing more than a flat tire." He sank down into the chair in relief.

"This time," Oz said, tossing the stuff over the back of a futon, carefully at least. "Are you all right?"

"Scared shitless but other than that, yeah fine." He leaned his head back. "That sucked."

Willow walked out, grabbing the grocery bags. "Thanks, Xan," she said, walking back in.

Oz watched her go, seeing the funny look the younger man gave to her back. "They don't know," he said quietly. "I didn't want to tell them and I'm sure you didn't either." He took the shaking hand in his, soothing him. "Are you sure you're all right?"

He nodded. "Yeah, fine. Shaky, but fine. I stopped to file charges against the guy who did it." He took back his hand. "And we probably should find a better place to shop." He looked down at his watch. "What do I need to do for supper."

Oz pulled his head up. "Nothing. I want you to sit there and be calm." He rubbed his hand over the side of the younger man's face gently. "I was worried."

"Not as much as I was." He leaned over, grabbing a quick kiss. "Needed that." He walked into the bedroom. "Ladies, I'm going to soak for a good, long while. Wake me up for supper."

Oz could hear the bathroom door close, waiting on the questions that would come. Buffy walked out alone, but he could see Willow laying on the bed, looking very interested in what was about to be said. "He was almost mugged," he lied, covering it up.

Buffy nodded. "Oh, okay. I can see how that would distress him." She walked back into the bedroom, but turned to face him as she closed the door. "Bad lie, Oz, really bad lie. You need to do better." She closed the door behind her.

Xander, who had heard everything, groaned at the older woman's response. "It was nothing," he called. "I was accosted in the parking lot of the grocery store. I'm fine." He smiled as a bunch of red hair poked through the door's opening. "I'm fine," he repeated.

"We're finding someplace else to shop," Willow said simply. "And don't lie to us again." She closed the door.

Xander looked at the little bubbles surrounding him with a frown. "Yeah, sure I'll tell you what happened." He listened as he heard the front door open. "Just a minute," he called, sure it was for him. He got out, wrapping his robe around himself, and walked out. He stole a nut on the way past Willow, giving her a brave smile. "Yes?"

"Mr. Harris?" He nodded. "We'd like to verify your report."

Xander pulled them out into the hall, still not wanting the girls to know. "Did you get the tire?"

"Yes, we did, and the bullet in it also." The detective frowned. "I just need to verify your story if you could." He looked at the door. "Don't want them to know?"

"No, I don't." He sat down on the stairs, waving the man down. "What can I answer?"

"Are you sure of the officer's description?" He waited, but Xander nodded. "Would you be willing to come down to look at pictures, day after tomorrow maybe?"

"I'm in a wedding that day, the best man. I could come down tomorrow or the day after though." He shrugged. "It's one of my roommate's mothers and a friend that's helped me through a lot. I can't skip out."

"I understand that." He looked down at the forms in his hand. "I ... Could we bring some by for you to look at?" The younger man nodded. "Would tomorrow be all right?"

Xander smiled. "Yeah, and the afternoon would be perfect. Both the girls need to go do the uniform thing tomorrow afternoon." He looked around the hall. "Yep, definitely perfect. Just don't mention it to them. They're concerned enough about me as is."

He wrote something down. "I've heard of your run-in with your family over your orientation. Do you think this was part of that?"

"It might have been. Reverend Malistrom still mentions me specifically when he talks about the evil gay people." He shrugged. "Not a clue otherwise. I do know that we've never had problems before, not even when I went in alone."

"I'll make a note of that. We did confiscate the security tape and it shows us exactly who it is, but we need to make sure you're willing to press charges. I don't want to scare you, but it will make you more of a target if you do. I can promise to have you protected but I can't promise the *quality* of that protection."

Oz opened the door. "We'll be fine. All three of us know how to fight and we've got security alarms in case something else happens."

"Why didn't you use yours?" the detective asked, turning back to Xander.

"I was about to push it when he pulled the gun and I froze. It only pointed at me for a second so by the time I was able to move again, he'd already shot the tire out." He leaned against the wall. "Oz, door." The older man walked out, shutting it behind him. "Thanks."

"Not a prob, man." He sat down behind Xander, working on the tense shoulders. "Is there anything else he, or we, need to know?"

"No, just be extra careful. This attack could force retaliation and then it starts into a war and nothing ever works right again." He closed the folder. "I thank you and we'll see you tomorrow afternoon." He walked down the stairs, leaving the building.

"This sucks," Oz said. "You shouldn't have to put up with this crap."

"Yeah, but it's life." He stood up, patting the talented hands as he walked by. "I'm going back to my bath."

"Buff's in there."

"Bet me." He walked in the door, yelling as he did so, "Get your butt out of my water." He walked into the bedroom in time to see a very white body streaking toward the bed. "Thank you."

"You need to run some more," Buffy said from under the covers. "And can I at least use the facilities?" He nodded, leaning against the door frame while she went in to use it, her problem was a good enough reason to let her go in first.

' ' ' '

Oz knocked on the bathroom door, sticking his head around it. "Food."

"Yeah, in a minute." He laid down his book, stretching. "What?" he asked when the older man hadn't moved. "What, Oz?"

"Nothing, just making sure you're all right." He closed the door as he stepped in. "I wanted to tell you that I think you were brave to tell on that guy." He sat down beside the tub. "Not all of us would have done that."

"I had to. I couldn't let him do it to someone else." He stroked through the blonde, again, hair, making it stick up. "Happier?"

"Not much. No one should have to go through that sort of ordeal."

"It lasted under a few minutes," he said quietly. "I was scared, then I calmed down. I called the proper people and got everything fixed and the papers filled out so that he would be charged." He considered his next words carefully, knowing how they would sound. "Oz, I want to ask you for something hard. I want you to move to someplace else until this is over." He closed the opening mouth with his hand, which got licked. "No, listen to my reasoning before you yell."

Oz pulled his head away from the restraining hand. "I already know it and it sucks. We'd be in just as much danger there as here." He stood up. "I can't believe you asked that of us." He started to leave, but Xander got out, stopping him by pulling him back in the room and closing the door. "No, let go."

"Just listen for a second. Okay?" He waited for the grudgingly given nod. "Thank you. I don't want you three to be hurt because you live with me, I've never wanted that, but I can't protect you if you're here. Let me set up someplace safe, nearby even, just to make myself feel better." He brushed a piece of hair off the wrinkled brow. "I don't want to make you guys have to fight for me and what I am."

"What we are," he said, "and it's not going to happen. I know why you feel like that, but I'm not concerned and neither are they, even if they knew. I'm not, and you're not, going to let anything happen to them." He grabbed the younger man's arms, holding him still so he could look him in the eyes. "Listen to me. None of us are willing to let you fight by yourself. We've never been about that. Nothing that happens with you is just about you. We're already involved because those people tried to terrorize you. You are *not* alone in this and never will be." He let go of the arms, wrapping them around the wet waist instead. "I'm sorry, but we're not leaving. We're better able to protect you if we're here."

"But...."

"No buts. You want to protect us, we want to do the same for you. Nothing and no one is going to come between us again." He looked at the door because of the quiet knock. "In a minute, I'm cuddling here." He could hear the woman walking away. "Listen to me on this, we're not leaving. You're not leaving. None of us are splitting over this. They won't hurt us."

"I can't take that chance," Xander said quietly. "I won't see any of you hurt because Malistrom wants me to die." He cleared his throat. "Just do it, I'll keep in touch. I'll be close by in case you need something or me for something." He wiped over the strong lips. "For me?"

"No, for you we're not leaving. And if you bring it up again, you'll have to tell them why." He stepped back. "We should tell them something but maybe the whole truth isn't the best thing. We're not leaving you alone to face this."

Buffy stuck her head around. "Did you two forget that this room's walls are like wet toilet paper?" She frowned at Xander. "Get dressed, we're talking over dinner." She left them alone.

Xander looked at Oz and shook his head. "Please, stick with me on this," he begged quietly. "I can't live through one of you getting hurt." He was almost in tears, the imagined pain of seeing one of them in the hospital too much. "Please?"

Oz took him back in his arms, holding him tightly. "Only if there's no other way or if *I* see an indication of something about to happen." He rubbed lightly over the tense back. "Get dressed, we need to tell them something."

"The truth," Xander said. "It's the only way they'll be safe." He pulled over a towel, wrapping it around his waist. "Can I..."

"Sure, just make it quick." He walked out, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Xander dried off, pulling on his clothes quickly. He checked to make sure at least looked normal, then walked out to face his family. "Hey," he said, sliding down into his chair. Both women took his hands and squeezed them. "We've got to talk."

"What happened?" Willow asked. "I heard the cop, well some of what he said, but I didn't understand about the tire."

Oz cleared his throat. "Xander was faced with a large number of people at the grocery store after he'd come out. One of them was a cop. He shot out Xan's tire after telling him he wasn't wanted around there anymore."

Buffy choked on her juice. "He what?" she asked, really pissed. "And you were going to keep this from us why?"

"I thought it was for the best."

"Until the officer reminded him that pressing charges against the cop would make us all a target." Oz took the two women's hands, holding them tightly. "He wants to protect us."

"We're not moving," Willow said. She looked at her oldest friend. "I'm not leaving you alone for this."

"Me either," Buffy said.

"Guys, I don't want you to be hurt by them. Up 'til now, they've only made me a target."

"Mom's house," Buffy said.

"That was about Marion. This is me. They haven't said anything to you guys. I want to keep it that way." He pushed his chair back, crossing his feet. "I don't want you guys to be hurt by this either. I think it's best if we..."

Buffy tossed her slice of pizza at him, hitting him in the face. "No, all of us agree on that."

"Unless I see it's about to hurt one of us," Oz said quietly, "then I'll back him up on this." He looked down. "I don't want to be beaten anymore than he does, but I'm not going to walk away unless I have to to protect us."

Willow took her hand back. "No, no way. I'm not leaving. End of discussion." She glared at her mate. "I can't believe you would leave him alone."

"I'm not going to be alone," Xander said. Everyone looked at him. "I'd put you guys close, make sure we could still talk everyday and all." He coughed lightly. "This isn't something I just came up with, I've been thinking about it since the rock incident." He looked around at the solemn faces. "It's not something I want either, but it may be necessary for you guys to not be hurt, which is something I couldn't stand."

"Hence my decision," Oz explained. "I'm not leaving *unless* it looks like I am, or either of you are, going to be attacked or hurt." He looked down at his plate, secretly worried. "I can understand his wanting you two safe."

"All of you," the younger man said. "Not just the women, Oz, you too." He looked across the table. "I don't want to visit you in the hospital either."

"Then I'll patrol in groups," Buffy said. "No more alone nights." She shrugged, leaning over to wipe the pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings off the younger man's face. "Sorry, Xan. Hormonal moment."

"No, you had a right to get upset." He looked down at his shirt. "It's a good thing I clean easily though." Oz groaned and tossed his napkin across the table. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

Willow shook her head. "Not time to be funny, Xan, we need to think about this calmly."

"No, I've thought about this, you three need to decide." He got up, heading to clean up. "I'll be back in a minute." He closed the bedroom door behind him.

Willow looked at her mate. "Are you sure you want to take that stance?" He nodded. "Okay, I can see how that might relieve stress, but you're forgetting the major attack on women." She watched Buffy turn green. "Sorry, had to mention it."

"No, I'm not. If something like that happened, we're all moving someplace anonymous." He took a small drink. "I don't think we'd have a problem convincing him of that either."

"So why don't we all just move?" Buffy asked. She looked at the stunned faces around her. "Unlisted addy and all that good stuff."

"'Cause that's letting them win," Xander said, coming back out in clean clothes. He dropped the dirty ones into the washer, turned them on, then closed the closet door before sitting back down. "I don't want to leave. This place may be cramped but it's home." He looked around fondly. "But you're right, if it gets that bad, I'll go too."

Willow nodded. "Just get us a place with more than one bathroom and a room to work in."

"Library?" he teased. "You're just turning into the next watcher." He pulled on a piece of her hair. "That'd be nice."

"A house would be nice," Buffy said. "We could use the extra bedrooms for a gym and two work spaces and a practice area for Oz." She smiled. "Not that we mind listening but sometimes it's too much."

He nodded. "I've thought about that. I know my aimless strumming gets to you guys when you're working on something." He looked around. "I'd like the idea of a house for that purpose alone. It's good to be able to get away from each other sometimes."

Xander nodded, swallowing the drink he'd just taken. "I can see that, but houses are really expensive." Willow and Buffy gave him a disbelieving look. "What?"

"With your money?" Buffy asked. "Not that we wouldn't want to contribute, because we would."

He put a hand on her wrist. "Not a consideration. I'm still not used to thinking of myself as wealthy. This is all pretty well a lot to me." He looked around. "I still don't want to leave though."

"This place has been home to all of us for over a year now," Oz said. "None of us want to leave, but it's good to make emergency plans. Like the will thingy." The younger man looked embarrassed. "Let me guess, you never told them either?" He didn't get an answer so decided that it was as good a time as any. "Did he ask you guys for copies of your birth certificates?" Both the women shook their heads.

"Their's were on file," Xander said. "The lawyer got them the old fashioned way." He took another drink, then faced his friends. "It's been noted to me that I needed an emergency, in case I die, sort of plan for the money I have. I've signed paperwork that states that it's to go to you guys, Joyce, Giles, Marion, and her child." He took another drink. "I'm not expecting it to happen soon, but it's best to be prepared."

Willow looked really upset. "Why now?"

"It got started a few months ago, right after I got back from the hospital." He leaned nearer to her. "I want you guys to be taken care of if something happens to me." He sat back. "Now this upset Oz, because he didn't want to think about that happening, and it did to me too when it was first brought up, but it's a necessity of modern life." He spread his hands. "I'm open to yelling about it now."

"Do mom and Giles know?"

"No, not at all. I never meant to share it with you. Unfortunately, Oz's birth certificate wasn't in the records so I had to ask him for it."

Willow still looked upset, but turned to face her oldest friend. "You shouldn't. I don't want it."

"That's what he said. Personally, I think I'll be beyond caring, but I'm not leaving you guys in an unprotected state. There'll be enough after taxes to live on, hide somewhere, or finance a few kids through college."

"It's still not right. We don't want it now either."

"So leave it in an account." He shrugged. "I had to do something with it and I want you guys to be able to live." He finished off his juice, reaching for the pitcher. "What?"

Oz shook his head. "You're way calm about your own will."

"It's a piece of paper, it doesn't mean I'm going to die tomorrow." He looked around. "You're not going to knock me off to get it, right?" He got angry head shakes "Then it's part of the 'to be worried about much later' stuff." He poured himself some more juice. "Now then, let's eat so I can plan some more emergency maneuvers." He took a bite of his pizza, looking up at Oz. "What now?"

"You're way too calm about this."

"I've shaken enough for three people already. I'll do some more later. I need energy to do that though." He took another bite, putting it down as his stomach turned. "Excuse me," he said, getting up to run to the bathroom.

Oz listened to him be sick, and started to get up, but Willow's strong hand stopped him. "I should."

"He needs to be alone to process," she said. "We're here when he really needs us." She looked down at her plate. "No offense, but I'm not much into food right now either." She pushed back, going over to stare at the tv for a while.

Buffy walked over to where she was sitting. "Want company?" The younger woman shook her head. "Okay, I'm going to go lay down with the heating pad again. Yell if you want me."

Oz walked up behind her. "You're always wanted, you know that." He kissed the back of her neck. "Let me know if you need something."

"Nope, all the munchies are in there." She didn't fully close the door behind her, leaving it open a little.

Oz sat down next to his mate. "Want to yell at me?"

"No, I want to go kill someone but that's not a good thing." She looked over at him. "Why us?"

"I've thought about that. I'm thinking it's a payback for all the benefits we have right now." He shrugged. "They wouldn't be picking on someone that didn't have money, it'd be pointless. They'd just beat him."

"I know, but why him? Why can't they leave him alone?"

"Oh, I think that they will." He lay his head on her shoulder. "I think if he presses charges that they'll leave him alone after another salvo or two." He nipped at her throat. "I also think we need to be on guard until well after the trial if it comes to that. People tend to do strange things."

Willow sighed, cuddling against his solid form. "Oz, why do people do this at all? I know it's a fear that leads to unreasonable hatred but why choose to act on it in a way that hurts people? It doesn't seem right or fair or normal."

He wrapped an arm around her waist. "It's not right or fair, and it's definitely not normal. None of this is normal." He kissed the skin he was leaning against. "I can't explain it. If I could, I'd be making major bucks curing the problem."

"You know," Xander said as he came back out, "they say half the people that hate gays that way do it because they're afraid that they are or secretly know that they are, and therefore hate themselves." He sat down beside Willow, hugging him to her. "I'm fine, we're all going to be fine."

"I'm not leaving. Not even if they beat me personally." She kissed the side of his neck. "I'm going to go share the heating pad with Buffy. Are you guys sleeping out here again this month?"

Oz looked at Xander and smiled. "Yeah, I think we'd better. Buffy bites harder during her period." He looked down at the coffee table between the two couches, seeing the mess. "We'll clean up out here, I'll put the pizza up in the fridge for you guys, and we'll watch something."

Xander picked up the few dishes, carrying them into the kitchen. He started the water, waiting on Oz to clear the table so he could put up the food. When the small pile was handed to him, he quietly started to wash, looking down in the bubbles like they could tell him the future.

"What're you thinking now?" Oz asked, sneaking an arm around him as he grabbed the dish towel.

"Nothing, just wondering why it's me that they target." He rinsed off the next plate, putting it into the strainer. "I've got that part too if you want to go make the beds up."

"Nope, I want to spend some quiet time with you. We don't spend much of that anymore."

"Gym."

"Not quiet time, that's sweating guys time." He wiped off the last glass, putting it back into the cabinet. "We found a few pretty statues for their wedding present."

"Cool. Which ones?"

"Um, Chinese, Willow's, mine was South American, Buffy's was Peruvian if I remember right." He shrugged. "We checked in the box when we brought them home. You didn't have anything like it." He grabbed the first plate, wiping it down and putting it up. "So, how are we wrapping it?"

"I planned on putting it into one of those cute gift bags Will has stashed in her part of the closet." He looked toward the bedroom. "If we're going to end up moving, we're getting a room just for the clothes." Oz smiled, shaking his head. "What? I could use a few racks, or those rolling things, and a few closets instead of two would be nice. No more scrunched clothes." He looked for the pile of stuff he'd gotten cleaned. "Didn't I bring up the clothes?"

"Yeah, Willow's got them stashed over the back of the chair in the bedroom so they don't get wrinkled." He walked over to let the cat out, smiling at her retreating form. "Maybe everything's going to be okay after all."

"Yeah and maybe Malistrom's a vamp." He snorted. "Wouldn't that about beat all."

Oz dropped his towel, sliding the plate he was drying back into the strainer. "Oh, my God." He sat down on the floor, pulling his knees up. "You never see the guy in the daytime unless it's in his church, which has UV resistant, bulletproof windows." He traced the patterns on the linoleum. "He rides around all day in a tinted limo, all the back windows are darkened and are UV resistant too."

"He was in the mall that day," Xander pointed out, leaning against the counter. "Lots of skylights."

"Yeah, but not in the food court, the parking garage, or where we ran into him down by the nature store." He looked up. "You think it's possible?"

Buffy leaned against over counter. "Given the evidence, I'd say it's a possibility. It would give him a reason to hate us, mom, Giles, and Marion." She finished her trip to get a glass and some milk, carrying the quart with her. "I'll check tomorrow night. No cramps then."

"Yeah, just heavy bleeding which would draw him like a magnet," Oz said. "You're not going alone."

"Fine, whatever. I'll go to the one in a few days at the park." She closed the bedroom door behind her and soon Willow screeched and something glass was thrown against the wall.

"I'm not cleaning that," Xander called, pulling down another glass for Buffy, who was walking out with Willow. He handed it to her, watching her trudge back to the bedroom with it.

Willow bent down in front of her computer, running her specially designed program to find things out about people. She tapped her foot while it ran, watching the screen. "He has a current birth certificate and college degree, but there's a match with the death certificates for the names." She stood up and smiled. "And he's got a rally planned tomorrow night. We ought to do something after it." She headed back to the bedroom, whistling, phone in hand.

Oz looked at the date on his watch. "Damn, Willow!" She stuck her head back out. "When's the moon right?" She looked at the date on her computer. Then swore lightly. "That's what I thought. You might want to remind them of that so I can duck back here early with one of you." He looked up at Xander. "I turn fuzzy the same day as Giles and Joyce get married." He tapped himself on the forehead. "I gotta remember that I get possessive when that happens. It's always a clue."

Xander sat down beside him. "You can be possessive of me all you want." The older man leaned against his side. "Do we need to bring restraints just in case?"

"I had little eye bolts put into the back of the van. We can chain me if needed." He shivered. "Just get me out of the suit before I change."

"If I must," Xander whispered, leaning on his shoulder. "Will the PMS thingy be a prob for you?"

"Happened before, was one. I'll bring the restraints out of the closet in the morning." He yawned. "Now, it's been an exciting day and I need to cuddle someone if you wouldn't mind."

"Not at all. I could use a good cuddle." He grinned, getting up to look down at the water. "We should finish the dishes first."

"We should do many things in this life but dishes aren't a necessity." He pulled him over to the beds he had joined earlier, still not made up. "I'll go get sheets."

"I'll finish the few dishes left while you make the bed."

"You're no fun."

"Grab my pajamas while you're in there," Xander said. "They're in the top drawer, left hand side."

"Like I don't know that." He shook his head as he walked into the bedroom, ducking the wrapper thrown at him. "Hostile ladies?" He had to duck back out of the room for a minute until they had calmed down. "Sorry. Just need sheets and jammies for Xander."

Xander smiled as he went back to finish the dishes. Oz could be such a guy sometimes. He quickly scrubbed down the pizza plate and the last few dishes, letting them air dry for once. He let out the water, rinsing out the sink and his hands at the same time.

Oz came back out, carrying the needed stuff, backing out of the bedroom. "They're hostile tonight," he whispered as the younger man walked by to go to the bathroom. "Should I wait so I can watch you crawl across the bed?"

"Nope, I'm going to go do nighttime stuff." He walked into the bedroom, hurrying past the glares he got. "I'll be gone soon, just let me do my night stuff."

"No soaking," Buffy growled. "I won't allow you to stay in there tonight."

"Shh, babe," Willow said, patting the pained woman. "He won't go in there and make us stay out tonight. We'll have this whole bed to ourselves tonight and they'll have to suffer with each other." She rubbed the cramping stomach, making the older woman feel better. "Okay?"

"Yeah, he can use it for a few minutes."

"Thanks," Xander said, running in. He got his routine done in record time, coming out with toothpaste still on his face.

"Xan," Buffy called. He walked over to the bed cautiously, knowing from prior months that she could be dangerous one minute and not the next. She wiggled a finger to get him to lean down then licked off the toothpaste trails. "Toothpaste," she said quietly, patting him on the cheek. "Now go be a good man and leave us alone."

"May I have mine and Oz's books?" he asked. Willow handed them over. "And my pillow?"

"I'm using it for my back." He pouted. "Okay, but only if you agree to get me my own special pillow."

"You have one," he pointed out, backing away from the bed with his earned gains, "it's in your side of the closet under your heels." He blew kisses as he backed out, not wanting to be jumped on. After they got pissed, then they got horny, then they jumped Oz. He didn't want to be caught in that. He closed the door behind him, backing into the older man. "Hey," he said, turning around. "You okay?"

"Yeah, they didn't scare me as much as they did you." He waved at the bed. "All yours to pick a side."

Xander laid down in the middle. "I don't feel like hanging off an edge tonight."

"If you'd sleep on my side," Oz said as he stripped down and crawled in, "you wouldn't have to. I'll protect you from the big bad sucking monster and the effects of gravity." He wiggled to get comfortable, holding up an arm. "I'm sure I won't suck if you want cuddled."

Xander laid down his book, moving slightly closer. "I can't."

"I know, but you need to know that the offer's open tonight." He sighed, getting comfortable, letting an arm hang over the younger man's waist. "May I?"

"If you need to, okay." He laid still, waiting for him to move closer. "Not going to?"

"Not until you relax. You're worse than a virgin in her marriage bed." He got a smile and a head shake for that. "What? You are."

"Oz, where do you get those sayings?" Xander rolled onto his side, scooching just a little bit closer. "Better?"

"Not really." He used his experience pulling the dead weight of amps to pull the living but not moving weight of his friend closer to a more comfortable distance for his arm. "That's better." He laid his head down, watching the younger man silently read. "What's that one about?"

"Um, a mistress and the lover that she didn't want but figured out she needed." He pulled it down enough to look into the interesting eyes. "Why? Want it after I'm done?"

"No, I want it gone from your hands." He took it, folding down a page edge, then tossed it across the room. "Much better. Do the same with mine." He waited until the book was gently placed on one of the bookcases. "Thank you. Want to talk?" He reached over his head, flipping off the couch side lights. "We left the overhead on."

Xander crawled out from under the heavy arm, over the back of the couch, and turned off the main light before getting to the end of the bed. "Which pajama bottoms are these?" he asked, scratching at an itchy spot.

"The ones that were on top." He shrugged briefly. "Come to bed. You can scratch later."

"No, I can't." He started to dig where the tag was, then around the waistline. "Oz, did you do something?" The older man shook his head. "I'm going to go change out of these, maybe take a quick shower." He walked into the bedroom, grabbing another pair, but it happened again when it touched his skin. He decided on a favorite pair of flannel boxers that had never bothered him, pulling them from deep in his drawer before heading in for a shower. Of course he had to run Buffy out of the tub to do that, but she was understanding once she saw the marks where he'd been scratching. She even offered to wash them for him, but he refused her gently, steering her from the room once she'd put her protection back in - which she made him watch of course. He hopped into the shower, using the heavy soap Oz favored to wash the affected areas. He stepped out, drying off quickly since he could hear someone moving in the bedroom, and left, towel wrapped around his boxers for some added protection. He made it back to the bed without a fuss being raised, sighing as he crawled back in.

"You smell like me," Oz whispered.

"I used your soap." He laid back down, having to shift after hitting his knee in a most uncomfortable area for him. "Sorry," he said, settling back down. "Didn't mean to knee you."

"You didn't," Oz said, moving a little closer. "You just laid it on there." He moved to the pillow next to the younger man's head. "Am I okay?"

"No bad breath, you're fine." Xander closed his eyes, then they snapped back open. "Please tell me that's your hand."

Oz looked at both of his hands, only one of which was around the younger man's waist. "Well, I do have two of them, but neither is touching you beyond your shorts." He tapped the skin his hand was resting against. "There to be precise."

Xander stiffened. "Look down my leg, what is it this time?"

Oz looked down, seeing a small shimmering thing but nothing more. "A cloud?"

"Na-uh. That cloud's got fingers and one of them is touching me." He wiggled his hips trying to get away. "Get off!"

Oz reached down, poking at the cloud, which made it disappear. "It's gone, I think." He laid his head back where it had been. "Better?"

"Much." He snuggled down into his pillow, sniffing it. "Why have you been sleeping on my pillow?"

"Because it smelled like you." He shrugged, his hand going back to the soothing rubbings it was doing. "You better now?" He yawned.

"I can see your tonsils." Xander yawned. He smiled. "Don't do that, it's still early."

Oz nodded, moving the rest of his body just a little closer without moving his head. "I want to hold you. You look like you could use a good cuddle."

"As long as that's all it is," he said, closing his eyes. He felt the strong arms pull him closer, turning him so his back was against the tight front. "Nice," he said as he went to sleep.

Oz smiled at the picture his friend made in his arms, all relaxed and wanting his touch. This was what he wanted.

' ' ' '

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