A bright green beam illuminates a quiet street and a smallish, black, furred creature steps out from it, flipping back her hair.  You can tell it's a her, she's wearing a pair of black daisy duke shorts and a halter top that doesn't really conceal anything.  You can tell by her tail and her ears that she's a feline of some sort.  She turns and waves at the beam with a grin and it disappears.  "There," she said happily.  "One teleport successfully done."

"Kitty," a quiet voice said in awe and she felt a hand come up to stroke her tail, making her jump.  "Kitty?  You're a kitty?"

She looks down at the little humanoid being and nodded.  "Yeah, kid, I'm a cat.  Why?"

"Mommy!  Kitty woman!  Kitty woman!" the kid shrieked, loud enough to bring onlookers from a local construction site.  One of which runs to get Xander from the trailer.

"Kid, can you maybe not scream?  I've got sensitive ears," she complained, rubbing the one nearest him.

Xander came trotting out and looked at her.  "Hey."  He looked at the kid and squatted down, handing him an apple.  "Here, from the lunch truck."  He grinned.  "Unfortunately she's a lost kitty woman and I need to take her where she belongs.  Is that okay?"

"My kitty woman!" the kid defended, scowling at him.  He stepped in front of her so she couldn't be taken by this big, furry man who he watched ride a motorcycle every day.

Xander just grinned and poked him on the nose. "You're adorable when you do that.  Very fierce."  He looked over as the mother, or at least a female, scowling, relative joined them.  "The apple's from our lunch truck. A bribe to make him let her go.  She's a bit lost.  She belongs on our site."

"That's fine."  She took the boy's hand, watching as he bit into the apple.  "You are?"

"Xander, I'm the interior crew chief," he said, offering her his hand.  "Nice to meet you, ma'am, and thank you for your assistance.  This way," he said, nodding at her to follow him.  He waved at the kid.  "He's got a good scowl going.  Nearly Eastwoodish."  He walked her off, hand on her arm.  "We're open around here but not that open," he hissed as he walked her to the trailer.  She started to slow down and he drug her on.  "No, you can't stay out here.  The guys'll stare."

"I don't mind," she snorted.

"I do!  I'm one of the bosses!"

"Oh, sorry."  She grinned at him.  "I didn't mean to cause any trouble.  I'm here to see Throttle."

"You're halfway across the city but let me call him."  He dialed the house, getting Modo.  "Hey.  There's a four-foot-tenish black kittycat person here.  No, I'm pretty sure she's a kitty cat person.  Fur, ears, tail, little kid up the street who identified her as such."  He looked at her. "You Tranq?"  She nodded.  "Cool.  Yeah, that's her, Modo.  Please?  Because the guys'll stare and that's not good for them.  We had one woman quit because she was confused by her lust for me.  She said so," he defended at the snickering.  "That's what she said in her notice."  He hung up.  "You know Modo, right?"  She nodded.  "He'll be here to pick you up soon and lead you to the lair."

"I don't ride."

"That's fine, he'll probably let you ride behind him."  He stuck his head out of the trailer.  "Donovan?" he called. The guard looked over at him.  "Modo's coming!  Show him in!"

"Which one's he?" he called back.  Xander gave him a look so he looked at the passes he had, nodding.  "Gotcha, boss."

Xander closed the door, shaking his head.  "Some days, I kinda wonder," he sighed, looking at her.  "Don't touch anything and stay in here.  I trust my guys but I don't know them all yet.  I don't know who you'd have to beat up for trying you."  He walked out, going to shoo everyone back to work.  "She's not a scenic attraction, just a buddy of my mate.  Take a short water break and back to work!"  Everyone either reached for their drinks or went running for the lunch truck to get a new one.  Xander's word was law, even above Merle's and Trisha's.  If he said they could have a ten minute break, they could have a break.  He glared at one staring person, who sheepishly went back to his spot instead.  Apparently it wasn't that sort of break.

In the office, Tranq looked amused.  "So he's married, pity, and apparently to Modo," she said thoughtfully.  "I didn't imagine him wanting a guy.  That's as odd as Throttle wanting one."  She shook her head and looked at the pictures on the desks.  Two of them had pictures of the strange white mouse with the people she was here to see, plus two humanoid females and Rimfire.  "I miss that little dickhead."  She stroked the face over one of the pictures.  "Poor Throttle, stranded down here for a bit.  Maybe I'll offer him a *ride* home," she purred, smiling at her own cleverness.

The little boy walked up to the guard, giving the guard a confident smile.  "Can I please see the kitty woman?"

"No, sir, I'm sorry," the guard said with a grin down to him.  "There's no children allowed on this site."

"I saw one the other day."

"She came in to visit her father and stayed in the office during lunch," he explained.  "That's not you, sir.  Your parents don't work here and I can't let you on the property."  The kid scowled at him.  "While that's very fiercesome, sir, I still can't allow you on the property."  He nodded politely at the mother stomping after her child.  "He wanted to see our visitor."

"I figured he might," she complained, walking her son off by dragging him.  "It was probably just a costume for the opening or something, son. She's not a real catwoman.  They don't exist."

"She was, momma, I played with her tail," he protested.  "It had bones and it twitched."

"Then you're grounded.  How many times have I told you to not pet strange creatures and animals?"

"But, momma!" he wailed, watching as a biker rode past.  "It's one of those fuzzy bikers, momma."

"Another group you're not allowed to pet, son," she said firmly, taking him inside the house and locking the door so he couldn't get back out.  "It's lunch time, go clean up."

"I had that apple," he complained.  She glared and he scurried off to clean up.  "Yes, momma."

Modo rode into the lot, looking at the guard.  "Xander told me to come pick up someone?"

"Yes, sir, the catwoman appeared up the street and one of the local children was quite taken with her," he admitted.  "She's in the office so the guys wouldn't stare at what little clothing she's wearing."

"Thanks, man."  He rode that way, parking his bike and getting off, heading inside.  A little black bundle of fur attacked his stomach to hug, making him chuckle and hug her.  "There you are."  He patted her on the back, giving her a gentle squeeze.  "You ready?  Before Xander has a meltdown because his guys are staring again?"

"What's his problem?"

"Lots of problems and stress here on the site, plus some lawyers who are nibbling his tail."  He walked her out to his bike, letting her get on behind him.  "You're in for a treat, my lady's still down here," he called back before taking off.

"I thought he was your husband.  He told the guys I was an old friend of his mate's."

"No, that's Throttle," he assured her.

"Throttle likes boys?  Since when!"

"Ask him that," Modo teased, speeding up to get past the pointing kids at a playground.  They were going to have to watch that or they'd be hunted down for petting.  He took the fastest way home, riding her up into the lounge area.  "Tada!" he said happily.  "Home."

"This is nice," she said, looking around.  "My house isn't this nice."

"Xander designed it," Vinnie said from his former bed.  "He's good at that."  He yawned again.  "Hey, Modo, check Vic for me. I think he's cooing at his tail again."

"Sure, bro."  He got off, helping her off and onto the floor, then went to check on the baby.  "Hi, Vic.  Are you playing with your toes?" he teased, tickling the little belly.  Victor giggled and swatted him with his tail.  "That's a good boy.  Yes, you are," he promised as he picked him up.  "You're a good boy, Victor."  He saw her look. "This is Vinnie's son."

"He's adorable," she said, coming over to look at him.  "I've never seen that fur color on a mouse."

"He's got his momma's hair color," Vinnie said proudly.  "The next one'll be a white mouse."

"Bro, didn't Charley tell you if there was another one you're going to be fixed?" Modo taunted.

Vinnie nodded, yawning again.  "Remind her of that and I'm whipping your tail."

"You'll try," Throttle taunted as he came up the ramp.  "Tranq, hey.  Why're you down here?"

"An old friend can't come to visit?" she demanded.  "Not good enough since you now suck tail?"

He snorted and hugged her. "You're more than good enough and who said I suck tail?"

"She thought Xander meant me when he told some guys that she was a friend of her mate's since I was coming to get her."

"He saved me from being petted bald by some little humanoid creature."

"Down here, they're all humans," he noted, sitting down and pulling her down beside him. "Yeah, I'm with Xander.  He's a nice guy."

"How long have you liked tails?" she demanded.

"Um, I used to date Vinnie now and then," he reminded her.  "I've always been more a personality sort."

"Oh.  Pity I didn't realize that when you were dating Carbine.  We could have been good together."  She kissed him on the cheek.  "So, give, what's it like being stranded down here?"

"We're not really," Vinnie admitted. "Just needed."

"The remaining Plutarkians came back.  We're expecting them to slink back to the city anytime now," Throttle admitted.  "Xander's part of the reason we won against them the first time and got rid of the first Limburger."

"Interesting."  She got comfortable, looking around. "This is not your average bachelor Freedom Fighter pad.  So, who were the two females in the pictures on the desks?"

"The older one's Vinnie's girl.  The younger one's Xander's adoptive daughter.  He took in a friend's little sister when things got bad for her."  Throttle curled up in his usual corner.  "This is really awkward."

"We should go have a beer or somethin'," she agreed dryly.  "Help cure all that."

"Sorry, can't while we're babysitting."  He heard a bike and looked around. "Rimfire?"

"Yeah!" he called back.

"Visitor!  It's Tranq!"

He came jogging up the ramp and hugged her.  "Hey!  Long time no see!"  She grinned and slapped him on the back. "I see you've met the resident cuteness.  I take it Dawn's taking a boredom nap since she's not curled around him."

"Cramps," Vinnie told him.  "Watch out."

"No wonder I had to get her chocolate," he said dryly, grinning at her. "My girl."

"You're dating a human too?"

"Yeah, I went for personality.  She's great, just probably a bit cranky today."  He held up a finger.  "Let me deliver these things."  He jogged down the ramp, then came back up a few minutes later with Dawn, who he sat in his lap.  "This is my girl."

Dawn licked off her fingers and waved.  "Hey.  Dawn.  You?"

"Tranq," she said, grinning at her.  "I can tell you're fierce in your protection of him."

"I have to be.  Otherwise people would steal him," Dawn said dryly, making this new cat person laugh.  She grinned at Modo.  "He had the runs last night."

"He seems fine now," he said, sitting down at the other end of the couch with the baby.  "Where's Staff?"

"Helping Charley in the garage," Rimfire offered, looking at the baby, who was trying to suck on his toes. "I don't think he wants footies on today."

"It is a bit warm," Throttle agreed.

Modo nodded, stripping the baby out of his footie sleeper and letting him lounge around in his diaper.

"Oooh, that's a cute belly," Dawn teased, reaching over to tickle it.  Vic's tail wrapped around her wrist and she grinned. "Good hold, little guy, but I feel miserable today.  Can you let me go? I won't tickle you if you do."  He laughed and let her go, but then caught her finger instead.  "Very good job, Victor."  She got free and went back to sitting in her boy's lap.  "He's got a good tail grip going."

"That's my boy," Vinnie said proudly, but tiredly.  He yawned again and flipped onto his side.  "Sorry, long night, I'll nap now and be happy later."

"Sure, Vinnie, I'm down for nearly a week," she agreed.  He grinned and waved, pulling his sheet up over his head.  She reached for the ringing thing, handing it to Throttle when it made noise.

"Yeah?" he answered.  "No, visitor.  Yeah, that dark thing riding behind Modo was an old cohort, Tranq.  She's over here.  Vinnie's napping and Vic's down to his diaper so he can play with his toes."  He grinned.  "Sure, Staff."  He hung up and looked at Modo.  "She said he has to wear *some* clothes, even if it's one of those t-shirts with snaps around the diaper shirts."

"Sure."  He got up to find him something cute to wear, Dawn eventually going to get some laundry out of the dryer for him.  They'd apparently been in there a while, even the static cling was gone.  She loaded the stuff from the washer over and he sat down to dress the poor naked kid.  "There ya are, lil' fella.  How's that?"  Vic beamed and crapped his diaper. "You would have to do that to me, wouldn't you?" he teased, handing the kid off to Dawn since she was right there.  "All yours."

"Yay," she said sarcastically.  "Just think, Vinnie wants another one soon."

"He changed diapers all night," Rimfire reminded her, taking the baby to go change him in the bathroom.  No one deserved to sit in a diaper that smelly.  "Did the Karbunkle mess with the mommy, Victor?  Is that why your butt smells like a Plutarkian?" he teased, tickling his stomach.  Fortunately he managed to cover him before his tickling brought a stream of pee onto his head again.

"Don't insult the poor kid that way, he'll get a complex," Throttle called.

"It does!  Hell, that's an idea, send a bunch of dirty diapers to the Plutarkians, see them run!"

"He obviously never met the Loogey Brothers," Vinnie said dryly.  "Son?"

"Being changed."

"Mm.  Powder him well, Rimfire, we don't need a chapped tail too.  I'll never hear the end of it."

"Sure, of course, and I recreamed his butt too."  He brought the baby out and went to find him a new outfit. "Leakage," he explained at Modo's look.  He came out with the baby and a bag of microwave popcorn, handing Tranq the baby so he could go fix his snack.  "Want something, Tranq?"

"To not be a mother," she said, handing the baby to Throttle, who let him snuggle up on his stomach and chest. "You're good."

"It'll take all of us to make Vinnie's son a reasonable mouse," he said dryly. Dawn snickered, tossing a pillow at his feet.  "Thanks, but not really needed, and you're about to have a hygiene problem."

"Eww!  I wish you guys would quit doing that."  She got up and went to the bathroom, coming out a few minutes later. "There, better, daddy?  Or should I put in a tampon and use a pad?"

"I don't care as long as you don't leave blood spots anywhere," he said patiently.  "Remember how Xander freaked last time, wondering why you were hurt?"  She blushed and went back downstairs.  "Cranky," he called after her in a teasing voice.

"You'll know cranky later," she called back sweetly.  "Count on it."

"Don't get her wound up," Rimfire said from the doorway to the kitchen. "Please?  I don't want to have to deal with more than PMS."  He went back to finish making his popcorn, adding butter and some salt to it.  Then he came back out and sat down again.  "Anyone want some or can I have my own lunch?"  Vinnie held up a hand so Rimfire walked the bowl over there, letting him have a few pieces, then went back to his seat and dug in.

"You should eat better," Tranq said firmly.

"Grandmomma and momma both say so," he quipped. "They're not here."

"I can solve that," Modo threatened. "You haven't seen your nieces or patted the new one yet."

Rimfire popped another handful of popcorn into his mouth to give him time to formulate a polite, nice answer that would leave his tail unwhipped.  "The only pregnant belly I want to pat is on my girl, far in the future, when we're back on Mars permanently."

"Pity, I stopped in to see Primer and your grandmother.  She said Cell and Primer were coming down this week sometime too.  Possibly even today since I flew.  It's been two days since I left them."

"Aw, crap," Rimfire sighed, eating another handful.  "I like the women in my family but I'm going to be picked on for weeks."

"Not if you behaved," Modo taunted, smirking at him.

"I try really hard," he reminded him, sounding patient and wise.  "Who can control themselves with a girl like Dawn on their arm?"  He ate another handful.

"It'll be cute and give Vic someone to play with his own age," Throttle reminded him. "Detail and Shot could use it too."

"She named my nieces Detail and Shot?" he asked.  "Why?"

"Your momma apparently won the argument," Modo taunted. "Didn't momma tell you?"

"No, it went from 'these are pictures of your new nieces' to 'oh, Charley's in labor' and stayed there," he said dryly.  "I always thought Detail was a boy's name."

"It is," Modo agreed, getting to grab his popcorn for himself.  "You're making a pig of yourself."

"Sorry.  I was hungry."

"Then go eat," Throttle ordered, pointing at the kitchen. "You know how to microwave hotdogs."

"I'm not that hungry," he said dryly.  He looked over as Xander came up the ramp.  "Left early?"

"Water main in the street broke when the city was putting in the extension for us; it flooded the level we're working on.  Trisha and Merle are bailing and I'm tired."  He flopped down, looking at their guest.  "Hey, again."

She grinned. "Hi.  Thank you for saving me from being petted to death by the short human."

"The kid?  He tried it with me once or twice too," he admitted, waving a hand.  "It's all good."  He looked at the baby, then at his mate.  "If you wanna have one of those, all you have to do is tell me and let me help you pick out the mother," he offered gently.  "My abs don't need that sort of stretching."

Throttle chuckled.  "Not a concern for me, Xander.  We'll talk about that in a few years."

"Long after Dawnie and I move out," Rimfire added.  "I don't think we'd ever pull Dawn away from that kid."  He heard someone knock on the door downstairs and groaned.  "Who's turn is it?"

"Mine," Xander offered, getting up and heading down there to let the cop in.  "Hi, what seems to be the problem, officer?"

"Um, sir, we managed to pull some security footage from Wolfram and Hart.  I think you know why I'm here?" he suggested.

Xander shrugged.  "Not really.  Their structural integrity wasn't my job to fix.  For that matter, I have a restraining order from any of them coming nearby."

"That's him!" a man shouted, getting out of his car.  "I know it's him!  He's the only one who looks like him in this whole city!"

"Technically not," Xander sighed.  "Officer, restraining order."

"Sir, if you would please back off and honor the restraining order," he said patiently.

"He blows up our building and *I'm* the bad guy?"

"You're the one who decided to try and take my daughter's custody from me for no reason other than personal gain when her sister didn't want her back," Xander said dryly.  The lawyer glared at him so he crossed his arms and glared right back.  "Should I even mention LA and what I was witness to out there and why?"  The lawyer scrambled backward.  "Thank you," he said sweetly.  "By the way, I'm not the only pale, fuzzy creature in the city, nor am I the only pale, fuzzy creature who knows about explosives and weapons.  Plus you'll find he hates you just as much as I do for what you've done in the past.  Yeah, I was there, I was getting my personnel record that was stolen from my company from you, dipshit.  If you guys didn't have a vendetta against me, for whatever reason, I wouldn't have stepped foot in your office once."

"Vendetta?" the lawyer snorted.

"Honey, you might be amazed, but while I was retrieving my personnel record, I also found a long lost cousin, you know him as Alex, that night-loving little creature who compels all to help him?"  The lawyer went pale.  "He's in the bathroom if you wanted to see him," he said fondly.  "He was being kept in torturous conditions and lied to about me.  Officer, would you like to see him?" he asked.

"No, that's okay.  Why are they fighting against you?"

"Because a few years back I helped a group who needed me.  They needed me a lot.  This law firm happens to hate my group and what they stood for.  Since we stopped things like human sacrifices and the like they got really upset with us."  The cop shivered.  "I gave Detective Kowalski some information on them."

"Yes, sir, and he gave us a copy of the CD that redheaded guy gave him."

"Good.  I'm glad Oz did that," he agreed.  The cop looked stunned. "Oz was part of the same group.  It's pitiful when you have to take out a restraining order against *lawyers* instead of just shooting them like the Gods intended," he said, glaring at the lawyer again.  He went running back to his car and locked himself inside. "Good, stay there!"  He slammed the door.  "Let me get my big brother up.  I know I didn't make the building fall that way, we can make sure he didn't."

"Um, sir, you were seen laying a charge."

"Yeah, to blow a door," Xander admitted.  "They stole my personnel file from work.  I'm starting to think they were behind the bombs and stuff we had at the abuse shelter site."  The cop shuddered at that.  "Sorry, I was full crew lead then.  They've been messing in the company I work for as well.  Trying to buy it out and sacrifice us or something.  Did you know the last time they had workers in, sixteen of them disappeared within two weeks?  That was in this local office. Those men and women never showed up as far as I know."

"I'll look into that," he agreed.  "Do you know when that was?"

"Hmm, about four months ago?" he offered.  "Maybe just over.  Let's head upstairs."  He led the way, coughing as he came up.  "Cops."  Tranq gave him an odd look.  "Explain it to you later, dear.  Vinnie!"  He snapped awake so he gave him the 'play along' look they had worked out in the clubs.  Vinnie yawned but shrugged.  "The nice lawyer at Wolfram and Hart who's outside pissing himself said I'm the only white, furry creature around here who knows about explosives."

"No, I can set a charge," Vinnie admitted.  "I didn't.  I was busy taking care of my son."

"See," Xander offered, waving a hand at him.

The cop looked at him.  "How many more are there like you two in the city?"

Xander shrugged.  "As far as I know we're the only two fully white furry beings with explosives knowledge.  Then again, I work in construction and so does Vinnie sometimes."

"You do admit to trespassing though?" the cop asked.

Xander walked over to the briefcase he had dropped on his way inside, opening it and taking out the files he had taken.  "I went in to get my files," he repeated, handing them over.  "Go ahead and read them.  There's seven different ideas in there to kill me.  I'm keeping ahead of the assassins.  You can arrest me for that if you want," he said honestly.  "I'm sure I can bail myself out for a B&E charge."

The cop sat down to flip through them, staring at a few of the ideas, then up at him.  "They wanted to take your heart out?"

"Yeah.  Then they wanted to set fire to my chest cavity while trying to keep me alive as long as possible on an artificial heart machine," he said matter-of-factly.  "Now you see why I broke in and why I'd like to buy the guy who blew it up a round.  Though, speaking as a contractor and having snuck in there twice recently, and are you sure those films were from today? Their structure was unsound.  It had one avenue of support and that column was cracked from what the workers who made it through their last job said.  Yeah, my love tap to the door I used the plastique on could have sent a shimmy through it, but I was out of there about ten minutes before it caved."

"We found electronics and a minute amount of explosive in the upper levels of the building."

"Dude, I ride a bike, do you think I rode it all the way up there? You can tell, my sneaking today took me to the third floor. And only to the third floor.  By the way, you can have copies of those if you need them but I do need a copy for my attorney's files.  He said he was going to be acting against them again for doing this to me.  Not only this, but for aiding and abetting someone who tried to kill us all last month."  He crossed his arms, staring the cop down.  "I will cop to the B&E however.  If that'll make the prosecutor happy and content at night, then I'll gladly take my probation.  After all, it's not like I didn't have reason."

"No, you probably did," the cop agreed.  "Would you come down and make a statement out while we check on that?"

"Sure, if you want," he agreed easily enough.  "Do I ride with you or by myself?"

"No, you can ride with me, sir, I'm sure someone can come pick you up later."  He opened the next file and shuddered, putting it down.  "Autopsy photos."

"No, mock autopsy photos, officer.  There's not anyone who looks that much like me down here except for Vinnie.  Who was doing child care at that time."

"Fine," he agreed, gathering up everything.  "Did you need to pick up anything?"

"Wallet and keys," he admitted, grabbing his phone as well.  He followed him down the stairs, getting into the back of the car without handcuffs.  It'd be fine, he knew it'd be fine.  Those records were enough with the restraining order to give him reasonable cause for action and paranoia.

***

Xander looked up as Boris walked into the room he was sitting in, waving at him and putting his feet down.  "Did they give you the files?"

"They did, I'm horrified and amazed you didn't blow them for that, Xander."

"I thought about it but I didn't read them until I got back to the office, boss."

"Ah.  No wonder.  By then they were already gone."  He shrugged and sat down, looking at him.  "So."

"So?" he asked with a grin.  "Am I being arrested?"

"No.  The prosecutor went to get ill when she saw that autopsy file.  Who was that?"

"Mockups.  Computer generated.  The organs aren't quite right. They're off color and had to be a picture from the real ones I've seen.  Did you know sixteen workers disappeared the last time they had work done in their building?"

"I hadn't but I'm not surprised," he admitted, standing up.  "Come."

"Sure.  How's Faith?"

"Decent enough.  I do have copies for my records and for your records, Xander," he assured him, giving him a small smile.  "Are you done with him now?"

"We are," Vecchio agreed, giving him a look.  "You were still there.  Count yourself lucky."

"I'm just glad I got to those files before they tried to kill me this time," he said quietly.  "I don't even know what I did to piss them off.  All I know is that they suddenly attacked and I'm not sure they're not behind the abuse shelter situations my crew went through.  They're ruthless enough to kill others to get a primary target.  Watch out.  Any cop who gets in their path is a legitimate target in their mind," he said quietly.  "You're too neat to die this week either."  Vecchio nodded.  "See you around, Detective, and tell the other one Charley's probably got his car fixed, just call first.  Vic's been keeping everyone up all night."  He followed his boss out to his car, getting into the passenger's seat.  "Hey, Faith."

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I told them I'd cop to the B&E if it'd help but that I didn't set the charges.  I still say it was structural."

"It was," Boris agreed.  "I went over the plans with the cops a while ago and it was indeed structural in nature.  All it took was a small charge to the perfect spot."

"I only blew a door.  By the way, I took a bubblegum sized piece of plastique from the site, I'll replace it later this week."

"Sure," he agreed dryly, pulling out into the street.  "That was stupid."

"No, it wasn't," he said, smirking at him.  "Why are they after me?  I must be in the way of something."

"I'm hoping the Powers aren't doing it," Faith admitted.

"Not their style, they go in for torture and personal misery, like with Tara."  He glanced back, then at his boss.  "Home?"

"Throttle called me throwing a fit," he said patiently.

"Hey, I can always go pack," he said dryly.

"No, I don't think that was the reason for the fit.  The confusion thing with Vinnie was I do believe."

"I blew a certain ID.  Vinnie knew that.  We have that communication thing going."

"He told him so, repeatedly, while we were talking but your mate wasn't listening."  He pulled into the park, letting them pause to watch the incubus cop walk past, giving him a cheery wave.  "He was most impressed that you helped him. He's getting my ex wife back for me."  He drove on, parking in one of the farther and darker parking lots. "The vampire you?"

"Was in the bathroom by the garage the last I knew."

"Fine.  Do you need supplies?  Dawn fed him earlier."

"Probably, I was just going to hit the butchers."  Boris shuddered at that.  "Sorry, learned that from Angel and Spike too."

"Fine."  He turned, looking at the boy.  "Be more subtle."

He grinned.  "What makes you think I did the explosive?" he asked patiently.  "I know who did, I saw them, but it wasn't me."  He smirked at him.  "If they take fingerprints, it's still not me."  Boris gaped and Xander winked.  "Who else hates them more than most?"

"Gunn?" Faith asked. Xander looked back and smirked, then pointed at the guy sitting by the lakeside moping.  "Connor!" she shouted, getting out and running over to him.

"Faith?" he asked, catching her to hug.  He sniffed. "Why do you smell like you were rutting with vampires?"  He pushed her back to look at her.  "You're pregnant?"

"Yeah, I kinda fell into the wrong orgy and got knocked up by some."

"Man, and I thought my parents were bad," he said grimly, looking her over. "It suits you.  You'll be a whale soon but it suits you."  He looked over as Xander came over to hug him. "How are you?"

"I agreed to cop to B&E if it would help them, but I didn't blow the building."

Connor smirked.  "I know you didn't.  I saw that when I was getting my own files."  Faith gaped.  "Neither did I."  He grinned at her, chuckling a bit.  "Don't worry about it."  He patted her on the stomach.  "They're strong."

"They should be, the Powers took them over," Faith said grimly.

"Oh, hell no," he said quietly.

"Ninety percent certainty," Xander said simply.  "Any of us.  Oh, this is Boris, he's my boss at the construction company.  Please don't stake him."  Connor put his stake back.  "Thanks.  Have you seen Dawn?"

"I haven't even heard from Dawn," he complained.

Xander pulled out his phone and dialed, smirking at the growl.  "Dawn's got a visitor."  He handed the phone over, watching as Connor chuckled because of the continued growling.  "We're in the park, come growl in person, and bring Dawn and Rimfire," he called.

"Please," Connor agreed.  "I haven't seen her since she left for Cleveland."  He hung up and handed it back, going back to hugging Faith.  "I missed you.  LA's so boring."

"I know," she promised, patting him on the back.  "I'll give you one of the twits to train if you want."

"Sure, I wouldn't mind.  Since Gunn left it's pretty backed up and boring."  He looked at Xander again.  "Are you going to tell him?"

"I don't keep secrets from Throttle," he admitted.  "When and if he asks, I'll show him everything that went on today."  He glanced up at his antenna, then grinned at him again as bikes came their way.  "Sounds like most of the family came."  He looked over, waving at Dawn, then nodding at Connor.

"Oh My God!" Dawn shrieked, running over to jump on him to hug him. "Connor! Shit!  When did you get into town!"

"Xander and I met earlier in Wolfram and Hart's file room," he admitted, giving her a squeeze.  He saw the vibrating and growling mouse and let her down.  "I think your boyfriend minds."

"He's my fiance and probably," she admitted, smiling back at Rimfire.  "This is Connor, Angel's son."

"How did a vampire have a kid?" he asked calmly and quietly.

"Wolfram and Hart," Connor told him.  "My mother was dust before they interfered."  Rimfire groaned and he walked over to shake his hand.  "Nice to meet the man Dawnie considers good enough to touch her.  She never let me get more than braiding her hair."

"Good, I like that," Rimfire admitted.  "I like that a lot."

"Sorry, he's a bit jealous," Xander said dryly.  "Vinnie, did you mind what I did?"

"No, lil bro, I know you were throwing off their ID of you.  Did you?"  Xander walked over and shared everything with him, making him giggle.  "That's bad."

"Isn't it though?" he asked dryly, smirking at him, then they smirked at Throttle. "I wasn't endangering him.  I was proving a point.  It had a reason, Throttle."

"I still don't like it."

Xander walked over to him, staring into his eyes.  "Throttle, if you want to know what actually happened, I'll show you.  It's not an issue for me.  Maybe you should ask before you jump higher on that peak of conclusion you're standing on."  Throttle leaned forward with a sigh and Xander showed him, making him blink and pull back before diving in again.  Xander gave him a bland look when he was done.  "See?"

"Fine. It was still wrong to involve Vinnie that way."

"They had what they thought was a positive ID from the security footage.  I weakened it using him and killed it because I was there to get my files.  Including their mock autopsy records they were working on."  Modo shuddered at that and he shrugged. "They were.  They're trying to figure out the most useful way of killing me.  I still don't know what I'm in the way of."  He stepped back, looking at him.  "These guys are more insidious than any Plutarkian ever born or hatched or however they come to be."

"Hatched," Vinnie offered, leaning against his bike.  "Who is that?"

"Connor, Angel's son.  He was stealing his birth records as well.  We met in the file room."

"Oh, that's cool," he admitted, staring at him.  "He's not normal, is he?"

"No, he was stolen and raised in a hell dimension.  He's only a few years old technically."  He looked at Throttle again.  "For that matter, I'm not sure why they didn't think it was Vinnie totally, at which time I would have stepped in again."

"Thanks for that, bro," Vinnie said with a grin.  He flicked Rimfire with his tail.  "Go kiss her if you're that jealous."  He watched as the younger mouse went over to claim his girl from her old friend, shaking his head and looking at Modo.  "He's more possessive than Throttle is."

"He is," Modo sighed.  "That's a bad thing."  He walked over there to break his nephew and Dawn apart by grabbing Rimfire's collar and pulling them apart.  "Enough."

"Sorry, Uncle Modo," he said sheepishly.  "It came over me."

"Hey, if she was mine, I wouldn't let another guy get within looking distance," Connor offered.  "Then again, I'm more possessive than anything Xander's ever had try to kill him after dating him."

Rimfire chuckled, punching him on the arm.  "For some reason, I think I could like you a little bit, but you still can't hug her."

"Rimfire," Modo warned.

"He can't!  No one can," he said firmly.  "My bike is jealous because I am."

"Your gray furred grandmomma would be ashamed of you," he chastised, walking him off to talk to him again. It's obvious he needed a better male rolemodel and he was around again so it was his duty to his family to fix Rimfire before he went over the edge.

Xander looked over at Rimfire and shrugged.  "Know how you feel about people hugging Throttle," he admitted. "I nearly slugged a transvestite hooker for trying to hug him for being cute."

"I'm just glad you got it off me," Throttle assured him.  He pulled Xander closer, leaning against the side of his bike.  "I saw the other plans and I don't like them either, Xander."

"Honey, I'm protecting our family from some major assholes of the universe.  I'm not going to let them kill me, you, Dawn, Vic, or Vinnie.  Or anyone else.  I'm sorry I had to break bad on them to do that.  I still didn't blow up their puny building.  It was the structure itself that did it."  He stared into his eyes, moving his sunglasses on top of his hair for now.   It meant Throttle couldn't see as well but he would have to listen to him instead.  "I love you, honey, and I'm in love with you, but Giles is getting punished for what he did to me and to us.  He deserves that and it's my right to do so since no one else can or will punish him enough for that betrayal.  He was my father figure for a good few years in there.  He turned on me, was going to kill me, and I can't forgive that.  He'll get what he deserves.  My plot against Boris had a good reason and a good founding, especially with a pregnant slayer living with him about to start having mood swings."  Throttle shuddered at that.

"You can't lay blame on me for very many evil thoughts and stuff, Throttle.  I'm not like that and you know it.  I'm sorry if my breaking bad on these situations has hurt you or upset you.  I'll take out this earring right now if that's what you want, and go to a hotel tonight too.  You're a good guy, I get that.  My methods do get extreme now and then.  I get that too.  Sometimes, you gotta do it my way to get results, especially in situations like these.  If I had other methods, I'd use them, but nothing's going to be that effective to protect you, or Dawn, or Vic."

Throttle pulled him closer, giving him a hug. "You touch that earring and I'm going to strap you down and beat you until you beg," he whispered in his ear, giving him a squeeze.  "There are other methods."

"That work?"

"That may work," he admitted.

"Oh, hell no," Dawn called. "Giles gets the full out, evil bitch of hell experience," she said firmly, glaring at him.  "I don't care!  I want that man tortured, gutted, then forced to eat his own intestines and then shit them out!  I want him fucking dead after a *long* bout of torture.  He tried to kill me, he tried to kill Xander.  That's unforgivable in my book and Xander's. That would be like one of you three turning on each other.  What would you do?"

"Kill them horribly," Vinnie admitted quietly.  "I'm all for that with Giles.  This Wolfram and Hart thing needs more subtlety.  We're loud and like explosives and it's still bigger than we'd do."

"No, in this case, you've got to throw your hat in the ring.  They work behind the scenes but they don't consider you a threat unless you're very upfront about it," Connor told him, putting an arm around Dawn's shoulders.  Rimfire growled and pounced him, starting to beat his tail. "Hey!"  He kicked him off and Rimfire got him a few more times before Modo grabbed him and drug him off again. "Sorry!  No touching, got it!"  He went to hug Faith instead, she was safer.  The vampire growled but that was fine.  He could stake him.

"No staking him, he runs a few companies and they'd go to Xander," Faith whispered in his ear.

"Oohh, I'm sorry," he offered, patting her stomach again.  "How many?"

"Six.  I'm having a litter."

Dawn squealed and hugged her, then let go and went to yell at her man herself.  Connor would be bruised and his lip was bleeding.  That was too much jealousy in her book.

Xander looked at Vinnie. "Who said I'm only being obvious?" he asked.  Vinnie and Throttle both stared at him so he grinned.  "I am a very good planner, I do prefer dramatics, but sometimes the front show isn't everything, guys.   You should know I'm more complicated than that by now."

Throttle nodded.  "I do, Xan, I really do, but I'm worried that you're bringing attention down onto us."  He slid his glasses back down so he could see again.

"Actually, I'm bringing attention down onto them.  The prosecutor took those files and got a warrant to search their files for other crimes from it."

"They're going to have some interesting reading," Boris said dryly.  "I know this one here sacrifices annually to raise power for the group."

"Yeah, in four days," Xander said with a bright smile.  "Same place this year?"

"Not a clue.  You might ask the guy in the bushes."

"I heard him.  Don't worry, I'll know anyway," he said sweetly, smiling gently at him.  "I'm like that."  Boris shuddered and backed off.  "By the way, no more hitting on me, boss.  I have a man.  I have one who I'd jump if Throttle would let me.  I'm not takin' more applications for bed candy."

"I'm not bed candy," Vinnie snorted, looking hurt.

"You are if I tied you down and licked you from head to toe a few times," he said with a grin, pulling him closer to kiss him, making him moan.  "Don't you wanna be my bed candy, Vinnie?" he teased.

"I prefer a more active role," he said with a grin back. "You're being bad."

"I need caffeine."  Vinnie laughed and walked off shaking his head, going to break into Dawn and Rimfire's fight since Modo wasn't.  Xander smiled sweetly at his mate, who pulled him closer to kiss him harder, gripping him firmly.  Xander leaned against his thigh, arching into his fingers, and groaning into his mouth.  "Thank you."

"I'm welding that earring on you," he whispered. "Don't even threaten that, Xander.  It's unkind and uncool."

"I was giving you an easy out since you were so upset with me and how I was doing things.  It's not going to be a short fight.  These guys have ruled Hell's minions now for about a thousand years."

Throttle kissed him again and again Xander went limp and let him be dominant.  "I'm helping you.  Together we're better than apart."

"Sure.  Not an issue," he said, initiating the next kiss.

"No necking in the park," the incubus cop called. "I see enough of that at home."

"Oh, bite me," Xander called dryly.  "Remember, I killed a succubus for daring to touch my family.  I can do it to others."  The cop snorted and wrote out the ticket, shoving it in his pocket.  Xander smirked at him.  "Liked what you felt?  You groped long enough, *Officer*."

"Keep it up, kid," he said with a smug smirk.

"Hey, I was only tongue deep in him.  If I wanted to claim him, he'd be bent over his bike."  He took out the ticket and handed it back.  "That's not public fornication and you're thinking very loudly about how hot my tail is.  Mind stopping that?"  The cop whimpered and backed off, taking the ticket.  "Gee, still?"  The cop turned and fled.  "Thanks," he called after him, going back to his kissing.  "Interfering demons," he complained before diving in again.

"That's two nights of being tied down for correction," Throttle murmured.  "You need it."

"Ooh, spank me, daddy, spank me," Xander said in falsetto, cracking Vinnie up so much he had to grab onto Modo to stay upright.  "I've been a very bad mouse cadet.  Should I bare it for you here?"

Throttle chuckled, shaking his head.  "Bad, Xander.  Bad!"  He spanked him and Xander moaned, pressing against his thigh.  "No treats for bad Xanders."

Xander got down and opened his zipper, going to work on him.  "Said who?" he asked halfway through, smirking up at him.  Throttle pushed his head back down, holding it in place while Xander worked him.

"Damn, not again," Dawn complained.  "I don't wanna see that!  Besides, I'm now better."

"I'm not going to let you compare so it doesn't really matter," Rimfire said firmly, pulling her closer to kiss her stupid.  "No comparing."

"Yes, dear," she said, smiling and teasing his chest fur.  "Not even on the dance floor?"

"No, you're both teases and I'd hate to see you gang up on the rest of us," he pointed out, kissing her again.  Apparently not stupid enough yet.  She moaned and went limp, giving in to him.  "Home?"

"Can Connor have a room, Modo?"

"Yeah, if he doesn't have one."  He looked over and Connor shook his head.  "Sure.  You can come back with us.  Guys, we're heading home," he called.

"Xander can't hear you," Vinnie said smugly, walking over there to tease Xander's tail with his foot, making him groan and get off.  Throttle moaned and slammed into his mouth, going over as well.  "We're heading home," he said with a bright grin for the couple. "Connor's coming over too."  He walked over to his bike, getting on.  "Boris, give the kid a ride."  He took off, heading for home.  Charley needed her rest so he'd go steal the baby again.

Xander stood up, kissing his mate while he stuffed him back into his jeans.  "Love you, even when you don't understand me," he whispered.

"Love you too, Xan, and I try, but sometimes you're thinking faster than I am.  Just explain stuff to me *before* you do it," he ordered.  Xander smiled and nodded, sharing his thoughts.  "Good ideas, but need refinement.  I can help you with those if Vinnie doesn't."  He pulled him into another kiss. "Home."

"Yes, dear."  He got onto the back of Throttle's bike. "No helmet."

"Fine.  I won't complain this time."  He nodded at Connor.  "See you back there."  He spun off, taking his mate home to put him to bed.  They both needed a nap and some quiet time alone together.

Connor blinked at Faith.  "I knew Xander teased boys in the club, but he's doing a guy?"   She nodded, beaming at him, popping her gum.  "Huh.  I never realized he was checking me and Gunn out," he said, shrugging at her amused look.  "Can we go? I heard great things about it from Gunn."

"Sure, kid," Boris agreed, leading him to his SUV.  He waved at the others.  "Night, all."

"Night, Boris," Dawn called from Rimfire's arms.  "We should head too."

"I need to have a talk with Rimfire, you go back with them," Modo said, grabbing Rimfire by the ear but not losing his genial, nice guy smile.  "Go ahead, Dawn.  I trust him."  She nodded, going to climb in before Boris could take off.  Modo put his nephew on his bike.  "Head for one of the sitting spots, nephew, it's gonna be a long talk.  I shoulda been there more often for you and it's time I imparted some wisdom about being a gentlemanly mouse."  His nephew sighed and did as ordered.  He knew he had to now and at least he'd be able to feel his ear again soon.

***

Trisha looked up as Xander wandered in the next morning. "Did you blow them up?" she asked.

"No. It was a structural issue.  Ask the morning news guy, he said so too."

"I saw that," Merle agreed.  He handed Xander a form.  "From the boos. Don't know what it is, it's in Latin."

Xander looked at it, then snorted and wrote 'no turning' across it and handed it back.  "We had to make sure the company would go on since he's got a pregnant slayer living with him and about to hit mood swings with his kid."

"He's a vampire, how is he having kids?" Merle asked, looking really confused.

"Special ritual Faith fell into.  She's having six kids for five different vampires.  One's Boris' son."

"Wow," Trisha said, looking awed.  "We need a very nice baby shower gift from our crew."

"I was going to announce it today," Xander admitted.  "She's finally got her twat back after it had been magically sealed for a month to keep the baby healthy and let it start off.  Her words, not mine," he said at her opening mouth.  "She's the one who told me, not my phrasing in the least.  I liked women much more than that."

"Good!" she said firmly.  "Oh, my boyfriend's jealous of you because you get to stare at my legs all day."

"When do I have time?" he asked dryly.  "We've have problems out the ass recently.  Speaking of, next shipment?"

"Already here, checked in, and full," Merle assured him.  "Came yesterday after you left early."

"Good, then I don't have to go deal with Home Depot again."  He looked over the mail in his box, tossing something at Trisha.  "Your specialty guys."

"Thanks."  She read it, smiling happily.  "Cool.  We need them."

"You need to kick some tail," Xander snorted.  "We're catching up to you guys. Brad's like me, honey.  It'll be caught up really quickly if you don't get those lazy ones to work faster with the rest of your crew."

She smiled. "That's why I'm asking for the extra guys," she said smugly.  "To make sure we keep ahead of you over-achievers.  Brad's fantastic though.  I wouldn't mind double teaming with him again."

Merle nodded.  "Me either.  He learned a lot from Xander and from Biggers when he was working with us. The kid'll go far soon."  He looked at Xander.  "Are you staying?"

"Not sure yet," he admitted.  "I'm waiting to see how many problems this ulcer-inducer gives me.  And whether or not I'm needed at home more often to help care for Vic," he admitted.  "He's in that cranky, not gonna sleep even though I know I can, stage."  He shrugged and leaned back, putting his feet up on his desk.  "It'll be over soon hopefully.  Vinnie's been stealing him so she could sleep enough to work.  We've all been getting woken up by him."  He yawned.  "Even me," he said through it.  He shook his head.  "I'm tired."

Merle snorted.  "You probably slept too little while enjoying your husband."

"Actually, we talked most of the night while cuddling Vic.  He thought I was going just a bit too bad for his tastes," Xander said with a small shrug.  He stood up, grabbing his toolbelt.  "Let's go see what night shift left us this time. It's nearly eight."  He walked out, going to run his crew into the ground for another day.

"Him, bad?" Trisha asked.

Merle gave her a look, then glanced out the windows to make sure no one could be eavesdropping.  "He helped Boris with the fact that he didn't have a will recently.  Just in case Faith went off the deep end during a mood swing."

She shuddered. "He's a bad guy?"

"No, but sometimes he does branch out for good reasons.  Can you imagine what would happen if Boris died?"  She shuddered again.  "Besides, he's reaching and stretching himself right now to get ready for the guy who tried to kill them all that day he couldn't come in.  He's been working that out while working.  I've had a few guys wondering if Xander was going to do the stuff he's been muttering about to them.  It's gotten around that someone tried to hurt him and the family and that he's about to kill them instead, so he's just playing with ideas at the moment."

"So that's why Brad gave him the funny look," she said sarcastically.

"Probably," Merle agreed.  "Shall we follow the lunatic?"

"Yes, let's."  They got up and headed out to work with their crews.  She saw a few guys giving Xander odd looks.  "Problems?"

"He was talking about flaying someone."

"I heard someone tried to kill him," another one of the guys hissed.  Trisha nodded.  "It's against that guy?"  She nodded again.  "Then I'll help hold him.  No one should be in that sort of danger, especially not that cute son of the other white guy's."  He found his spot and started off.

Trish looked at the other guys.  "You too."  They headed off, going to get sucked in too.

***

Boris walked into the lair that night with a cooler, putting it in the refrigerator, but for one bag.  That he warmed in the microwave and headed downstairs, going to free the other vampire.  He found Connor standing in front of the door, head tipped, looking confused.  "The vampire Xander."

"Oh!"  He nodded.  "Okay."  He handed over the keys Throttle had given him.  "I was told to come unlock their new pet."

"I'm sure it was a joke," he soothed, unlocking the door.  The vampire glared at him so he held up the bag.  "Human?"  It was snatched and drank.  "There's more in the fridge, Xander.  Come, let's talk.  I'm the closest you're going to get to a master around here."

"Is Willow here?"

"I'm searching, I haven't heard yet," he admitted, leading the young man up onto the roof.  It was a pretty night.  He did have on body armor, just in case the boy tried something to him, but he pretty much trusted this Xander too.  "So, how did you come to be here?"

"Big K-Mart express."   Boris looked confused.  "Blue light special."

"Oh."  He nodded.  "That sounds like a summoning and someone had to have known that you were around probably."

"They said they were looking for evil Xander's.  The last one nearly killed them.  For some reason I worried them less."  He shifted, looking around.  "The me here seems kinda uptight."

"That's because of Wolfram and Hart.  Usually he's the biggest goofball on the planet.  Trust him, he's good at what he does, but he's still got a good sense of bad humor."  The vampire beside him smiled slightly at that and looked down.  "Do you want to go home?"

"I have the feeling that we'd be staked at home."  He looked down at himself.  "I never really thought about spending life as a sixteen-year-old guy.  It's creepy and odd, but I'd rather not die if possible."

"I understand," he agreed, patting him on the back again.  "So, we need to do something about you.  Having you in the city makes Xander more uptight.  Having you running around probably does, but shouldn't as much.  Out of sight and all that," he said thoughtfully.

"I can't do the soul crap like Puppy did.  I refuse to turn into one of my torture victims."

"I can understand that.  Besides, a soul doesn't make you repent, that's your nature kicking you in the teeth.  There's plenty who have no repentance with a soul."  He stared across the city again.  "I'd offer you and your Willow a spot in my home, but with Faith that's a bit iffy at the moment, plus you wouldn't get to torture anyone.  Chicago's very laid back most of the time.  It's a very mellow buzz, like we're all smoking the same joint."

Xander laughed.  "I'd never have taken you for someone who did that."

"You'd be surprised," he said dryly.  "I've done more than my share of whatever was hot and current for the last six hundred years."  He patted him on the back again.  "I'm surprised his mate hasn't come in to talk to you yet."

"If he's the tan one I saw him looking in at me, but nothing else.  The white guy did.  He nearly bounced me to death."  He shifted some.  "Why is he a furry demon?"

"They're not demons, kid. They're not from around here, but they're not demons.  To answer your question," he said, turning the boy to look at him.  "The Willow here did it.  She's a witch here."

"Oh."  He frowned.  "She is?"  He nodded.  "Oh."  He shook his head.  "Mine wouldn't put up with that.  Takes too much time."  He shrugged and grinned.  "So, now what?"

"Now, we have to find you a spot that's not in the bathroom," Boris said fondly, grinning at him.  He could learn to like this vampire Xander.  He was like a younger, wilder, tougher version of his Xander.  "So, what did you want to do with your life, Xander?  I know it's odd but you now have a long future if you stay here.  You've got to do something with it."

"I don't know," Xander sighed.  "All I know is that I'd like not to be staked by whoever's on the ramp."  He looked back, finding Throttle there.  "That's his man?"  Boris nodded.  "Does he hate me because I'm some sort of odd version of his husband?"

"I'm guessing he's just realized that his mate could have turned into you," he soothed, patting him on the back, grinning at Throttle, who nodded.  "You're not going to stake him, right?"

"No.  Not unless he tries to eat us."  He walked over to join them.  "You weird us out, kid.  Nothing more."

"That white one came to figure out what the difference was."

"The difference was a wish made by Cordelia, that Buffy Summers had never come to the Hellmouth," Throttle told him.

"You mean I was created by a wish demon?" he said in disgust.

"One that the you here later ended up dating and nearly marrying," Throttle admitted.  "Here Cordelia was your ex when she did it."

"I dated the prissy bitch?"

"Yeah," Throttle agreed dryly, smirking at him.  "You did."

"Eww!  I have better taste than that!"  He went to find himself, finding him on the couch with the baby.  "You dated Cordy?  The ice princess?  I have better taste than that!"

"All we did was kiss and fight," Xander said dryly, shrugging a bit.  "It got me respect from the jocks, even though she was cheating on me the whole time we were together."

"And you let her live?" he demanded.

"Not into staking the living," Xander said, staring him down.  The baby cooed up at the vampire Xander.  "No, honey, I don't think he does babies."

"No, that's Dru's thing," he admitted bitterly.  He looked at the kid, who was very cute.  "I wouldn't eat you anyway, you'd taste funny."  He looked at his older self from this realm.  "A wish demon?"

"Yeah, Cordy hated Buffy now and then because she got attention.  She wished that Buffy had never come to the patron saint of scorned women."

"Anyanka made us?  Hold on, that means you dated her?"

"She was human."

"Since when?"

"Since during that she lost her power center.  I took her to the prom too."  The vampire Xander shuddered.  "Not much choice if I wanted to go."

"Eww.  I have better taste than that."

"Hey, look at what I got when I got here," he said smugly.  "In Sunnydale my options were limited.  Now I have a strong, manly, macho stud who gives great backrubs." Vic patted him on the nose.  "Sorry, am I not paying attention to you?"  He grinned at the baby, who made cooing noises at him and grinned back.  "Hi, Vic.  Did you wanna cuddle the uncle's tummy?"  Vic snuggled in, liking that offer.  "You're such a good boy."  He stroked the fur gently, looking up at his vampire self.  "I'm content."

"I can see that. Any word on Willow?"

"I think so, I can't be sure. From what the lawyer babbled when I rescued you, I think he did but she ate one of them and escaped."

"Sounds like my Wills," he said proudly.

Boris came down the ramp. "She walked into the club and asked about you, my boy.  Let's go see your girl.  Xander?"

"Being cuddled.  Don't want her here, she'd hit on my man."

"Fine, I'll bring them both home with me."  He grinned at him.  "You look good like that.  You should have some some day."

"If Throttle wants.  I don't need to spawn, not really.  It's a bad thing if I do."  He gave him a gentle grin.  "Being an uncle's fine.  Maybe I'll adopt a few of the orphans some day."

"Sure, kid."  He tugged on Xander's sleeve, walking the vampire off to his car.  "He thinks Willow would be worse?"

"I think Willow managed to escape here in the past, but I'm not sure why I think that."

"She did," Vinnie admitted from the garage.  He stepped out.  "Yeah, let's not have Rosenburg here.  She makes some of us nervous.  You're a Xander, therefore we can pretty well gauge your reactions to things but she's creepy."

"Sure," Xander said with a bright grin.  "More for me."  He got into the car Boris pointed out.

"I left some blood in the fridge.  Go ahead and freeze it in case something else comes up."  Vinnie shuddered.  "Just put it in a plastic bag, Vincent. It's only a few bags."  He got into the car and headed off to find Willow.  They walked into the club together, finding the girl sitting at his usual table, her maroon leather catsuit was very form fitting, and most of the vampires were giving her scared looks.  "Wolfram and Hart brought her over," he said quietly.  "We will leave them alone.  They're trying to destroy me and Xander.  You'll get caught in the crossfire."  Most of the vampires nodded and backed off, going back to partying.  He sat down, smiling at her.  "Hello, Willow."

"Hey.  Who're you?  Xander?" she purred, pulling him down to kiss him hotly.  "Missed you."

"I missed you too.  Then again, I saw the me from here.  He's furry."

"Furry?  He's a demon?"

"No, or not so I've been told.  Give," he ordered, staring at the local master.

"Martian actually, not demonic."

"Ooooohkay," Willow said.  "How?"

"You."

"Ow.  I do magic?"  He nodded.  "Shit."  She shrugged.  "So very not my style anymore."  She pinched Xander's butt and grinned at him.  "Is it numb?"

"I spent the last day in my alter ego's bathroom.  It was nice enough and you could actually sleep in the tub comfortably."

"Poor baby, should I kiss it and make it better?"

"Not in public," Boris said patiently.  "We don't play those games around here, Willow.  I'd bring you home with me but I've got a pregnant slayer staying with me."

"Fun new pet?" Willow asked.

"No, she's carrying one of mine."

"Oh."  She frowned at him.  "That rite worked?"  He nodded.  "Wow.  That's kinda cool I guess.  Motel?  No one here seems very interested in our sort of fun and games."

"He said all the demons here in town are like pot smokers," Xander complained.  "No real mayhem, problems, or deaths."

"So the whole town is like disney?" Willow complained.

"We're not quite that happy.  Think of it more like a minor, older family playground."

"So what do you do for fun all day?"

"I run a few companies that employ both demons and humans.  We're mostly families here in Chicago, Willow."

"Oh, get this, I found out what we are to this realm," Xander said, sitting down next to her.  "We were created by Anyanka due to a wish made by Cordelia."

"Eww!"

"And his former self here ended up dating Anyanka when she became human," Boris agreed.  She shuddered.  "We have a different form of warfare here."

Willow looked at him.  "I wanna go home," she said in a little girl's voice.  "You're no fun to play with and you have odd rules to your games."

"I know, dear, and we're working on it.  Now, if you can promise to leave Faith alone, you two can come home with me.  Xander has said he probably couldn't put up with you at his house."

"Not if he's with Anyanka."

"Not anymore.  She died here.  He's with one of the furry people, a good guy.  Throttle's the most important thing in his life now.  Even more than work."

"Pity I can't see that.  My Xander looks great when he takes it," she purred, smirking at him.

"There's no Master here and no one's topping me now, baby," he said, pinching her on the tit.  "Remember, I turned you, not the other way around."  Boris shivered.  "So, can we borrow a room as long as we don't bug Faith?"

"Yeah, you can borrow a room as long as you don't bother Faith.  And probably stick to leaving the Xander from here alone as well."

"Sure."  He stood up and Willow did the same.  Boris put some money down.  "We pay for drinks?"

"It's a vampire bar, it doesn't hold much of a threat here.  The owner's nearly a thousand."  He walked them out to his car, letting them get the backseat together.  He saw Fred pouting at the club.  "Fred!" he snapped.  Fred gave him an adoring look.  "Get in the car."

"Yes, master.  I was just remembering.  I had fond thoughts of what the doctor used to do to me too."  He got in and looked back, waving his tentacled hand.  "Hi.  I'm Fred.  Will you hurt me?"

"I can hurt you all you want, baby," she cooed, reaching over to pull him back with them.  She wanted to get a good look at him first.  He was a mixed up little demon creature.

"Play gently with him.  He's not turned," Boris ordered as he got in.  He headed for the house, smiling when Fred cooed because Willow had just twisted his balls.  "We just got those to work for him.  His maker is presently locked up and pregnant as well.  Xander, the one from here, gave him to us for the same rite.  There was a very nice wish demon who helped him to be both and participate."

"Hmmm, I'll go talk to him later," Willow purred.  "He sounds like fun."

"As long as he doesn't miscarry," Boris cautioned.  He pulled into his garage and got out, heading inside with the new vampires.  His servants would park the car for him.  They followed into the house, whistling.  "The benefits of owning your own construction company," he said with a grand smile.  "Faith?"

"Going to kill you!" she yelled.

"Ooh, mood swing," Willow groaned.  "Not fun."  She turned and smiled at her vampire self.  "Hey, how ya doin'?"

"This reached you on Mars?" Boris asked.

"I have telltales to tell me when she gets thrown back.  After the second visit, I made sure of it."  She looked around.  "Watch out, she's got a stake," she said, backing away.  Faith came running out and Boris grabbed the stake, stopping her, staring in her eyes.  Faith burst out crying and he soothed her, leading her away to sit down and cuddle her.

"Hate you."

"I know, precious, but if you stake me a good portion of people will be unemployed," he soothed.  "Stake me later.  Right now, it's made so Xander would take over the company and watch over Megan and you guys."  He stroked her back.  "What did I do?"

"You made me fat!  I can't even do a pushup!"

"Seven more months and you'll be able to do all you want," he promised, stroking her stomach.  "I'll help you get back in shape and everything."  She sniffled and staked him, then got up and stomped off.

"Oh, shit," Willow sighed, concentrating.  "I can't bring him back.  Megan!"  She came running and Willow pointed. "Faith."

"Shit!  He didn't have a will!"

"Wolfram and Hart has something to bring him back," Willow offered.  "I don't know how.  You'd have to ask Connor."

"Um, he did have a will," the Xander admitted.  "He said something about the me here making one for him."

Megan dove for the nearest phone, calling the lair.  "Faith staked him!" she screamed.  "I don't know what to do!"  She looked at the phone.  "Not funny!"  Xander repeated his suggestion and calmly told her what was going to happen now.  She calmed down at the soothing voice.  "You're sure?"  She nodded. "Thank you, Xander."  She hung up and burst out crying, which brought her wife running.  "We've got to pick him up.  We can't leave him like that."

"We will," she soothed, patting her on the back.  "We'll go clean the dustbuster and suck him up into his favorite vase.  If there's some way of bringing him back, we will," she soothed. Megan sobbed against her chest.  "Who are you three?"  She saw Willow and flinched.  "You!"

"Me," she admitted. "I came down to offer to help send these two home.  It can wait for a few days," she offered, fading out.  "Ask Connor how they brought his mother back."   She nodded, calling the lair to talk to him.  They knew where he was.  Megan was too emotional at the moment.

TBC...

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