"So." Xander grinned. "Use the snitch my dad obtained for *your* purposes." He nodded his head. "Very nice. I like it." Xander poked at the bound and gagged vampire, watching him squirm. He turned to look at Angel. "How will you be able to trust him? He's already betrayed you."

Angel smiled at Xander. He turned a dirty look upon Spike. "Why cant *you* think like this boy?" Angel sniffed at Spike. He turned back to Xander.

"Don't worry boy! Xander, is it? Xander! Nice name. Like it. Sounds *vampiric*. This particular vampire is now wired for sound. Aren't ya boy?" Angel poked at the vampire's ribs, watching him squeal; watching the pleading look come into his eyes over his duck taped mouth. Angel grinned and poked him again. "Yep. He's just chock full of microphoney and tracky goodness!" Angel turned to smile at Xander. "I've some really good people that handle stuff like that for me."

Spike snorted. "Yeah, Sire Angel, has turned some of the brightest minds available, Xander. Only the best for my Sire."

"It's all set up, Sire." Johnny told him, walking into the room.

"So?" Angel poked at Ken's ribs once again. "My little Judas is all ready to go, hum?"

"Ken is ready to go to the Harris Organization, Sire. But, you know, scholars have started to prove that Judas *wasn't* really a betrayer. It seems that he may have just have been-"

All eyes go to Johnny.

Spike's and Xander's in worry.

Angel's in dismay.

Ken's in hope. Maybe he has an out.

Angel pulls the Glock from his waistband, sending a bullet into the chamber, aims it, and shoots Johnny in the shoulder.

"What?! Dammit, Sire! Scholars *have* started to prove Judas wasn't really the great betrayer everyone thinks him to be!" Johnny yells, grabbing his bleeding shoulder. Angel raises his gun and shoots again. Right beneath the first shot, between Johnny's fingers.

"Fuck! Sire! Cut it out! That shit *hurts*! Dammit!" Johnny tries to stop the flow of blood with his hand.

Xander giggles. Spike gives him a *look*. "Don't *encourage* him, pet." Xander shrugs his shoulders. He can't help it if it's *funny*, can he?

"You're bleeding on my floor, Johnny." Angel states, checking his gun.

"Cause you *shot* me, Sire! You shot me!"

Angel sites his gun at Johnny's head, closing one eye to get a better site. "Yep. I shot you. Right in your shoulder. Gonna shoot you in your head if you don't leave."

"But, Sire-!"

"Right in your fucking *head*, Johnny!"

"Fine! I'm gone!" Johnny starts to stomp away.

"But not *too* far away, Johnny, my boy. We *do* have things to do."

Johnny stops. "No. Not too far away, Sire." Johnny mumbles, trying to hold back the blood.

"Well! I just *hate* back talk!" Angel took his seat. He gave Xander a look. "You'd do well to remember that, boy."

Xander smiled. "Oh, sure I'll *remember*, but I'm not sure how much good that will do. Back talk is kinda my forte."

Angel looked startled, and Spike stiffened, ready to defend his lover. Sire Angel surprised every one when he burst out in laughter.

"I *like* this boy of yours!" He told Spike. He shook his head, chuckling some more. "Let's discuss the plan. We only have a night or two, my pretties."

*****************************************************

"His whole organization you say, vampire?"

"Yes sir!" Ken grinned, even though it hurt to. The marks may have faded, but pain still radiated through his body from his punishment at the hands of his Sire. He grinned wider when he thought of what might have been. What might *still* be, if he didn't pull this off. He looked Harris, Sr. in the eye and gave his biggest, brightest grin. And *damn* it hurt. "It's to be a big celebration. All the vamps in the city will come. The Sire has given me approval to set the whole thing up."

Harris, Sr. puffed at his cheap cigar doing his best to keep it lit. "What is this celebration of evil, again, vampire?"

"La Kalima." Kenneth threw out the made up name. He kept feeling dumber and dumber with each conversation he had with this man. *What* had he been thinking?

A blood whore, thick and sweet smelling, sat on his lap, offering her neck to him. Oh. *Right*.

Harris Sr. laughed. "Sup, demon! We have much to do. You'll need a full belly for my plans." Harris Sr. rolled his fat cigar in his fingers. "So, would this demon ceremony be a mid year All Hollow's eve? Something to do with the summer solstice? Longer nights would be a cause for celebration amongst your kind, I would imagine."

"Um." Kenneth snorted in dismay, choking on the blood rushing down his throat. The nights got *shorter* during the summer, dammit! His blood whore pulled away and patted him on the back, looking at him with drug-dulled eyes. He smiled at her and then pushed the girl away. Mustn't drain the blood whores. "Um, yes. That's just what it is! Celebrating the summer solstice! More people out and about on warm nights. Plus, ah, the kalima demons. . . To celebrate the coming of, um, the kamila demons. And the, ah, the longer nights."

"The what?"

"Um." Shit! What had he said? Camilia demons? Oh fucking hell! Camellias were *flowers* weren't they? He was no fucking good at this James Bond shit! Lies were *so* very bad. Deceit was *so* wrong. *Nothing* but trouble. Why hadn't his Sire given him a decent story to tell? "The, ah, Kalima demons?" Did that sound like a question? He hoped not. He grinned at Harris Sr. Kamila. . . Kalima. Wasn't that some Hindu god? Goddess? Oh, shit! He was gonna be killed by this crazy fuck instead of by his Sire. Death. Death. Death. If he had a heartbeat he knew what it would sound like: Death-beat-Death-beat-Death.

The pudgy man grinned back at him. "You demons have so many festivals and rituals. So many unholy masses."

"Yeah. All kinds of crazy shit." Kenneth mumbled beneath his breath. He was newly converted to his vampiric race, relatively speaking, and had been raised Lutheran as a boy. As far as he could tell, religion was a pretty freaky, scary thing, no matter *who* or *what* was being worshipped.

"What was that you said, vampire?" Harris, Sr. demanded.

"Nothing, Si-uh, Sir. Nothing. Just beginning some chants. For-uh, for the festival."

"Well! None of that demon chant! We will have none of your demon chants here! I will let you know when you may speak." Harris, Sr. looked at him through the cloud of cheap cigar smoke. "Unless, you *need* to chant, of course."

*****
Part 9:

"How do you know this guy is dumb enough to fall for whatever it is Ken tells him?" Spike asked.

"Oh, my dad will listen to whatever a vampire tells him. He's got this whole 'love-hate-wanna-be-but-gotta-kill-'em-case-they-are-evil-and-maybe-God-is-watching' thing going on with vampires. But I need to call the office. I need to let Ma-"

"What? Xander! I thought you were with us? I thought I could *trust* you. Now, you wanna *call* one of them? *Warn* one of the enemy?" Angel exclaimed.

Xander looked up and into the eyes of his love's Sire. "Sire, Sir, no disrespect to you, but this person means you no harm. Aside from Spike, she has been my salvation. She is very special to me, very important to me. She is employed by my father, yes, but I feel-I *know*-that she has only stayed to keep an eye on me. I know she loves me, Sire. I wish only to warn *her*. She would never betray anything to my father."

Angel looked at Spike's love. The boy stood before him with his head bowed, supplicant, as he should be. Spike, however, glared at him. Angel knew that if the bitch Xander spoke of died, Spike would never let him rest, never let him hear the end of it. He let out a sigh and pushed the phone towards Xander. "Here. Call her. Tell her to get out."

"Thank you, Sire!" Xander picked up the phone and began to dial.

"Harris Organization. How may I help you?"

"Madge! Get out of the building!"

"Kiss my ass, fool."

"No! Madge! It's *me*! Xander!"

"Xander, sweetboy!" pleasure filled her voice. "What's up, honey?"

"Bad stuff, Madge! Get your stuff and get out of the building! Now!"

"Really? Leave your dad?"

"Yes! Leave him."

"Really? You won't feel bad or guilty if I leave him?"

"Nope! Leave his sorry ass there!"

"All right, boy. I'll get my things and get out."

"Now!"

"Yes! *Now*!" There was a pause. "Well, in a minute or two, okay? I've things to get and do. Papers to shred, stuff like that." Madge hung up the phone.

Xander put the phone back to rest in its cradle. "She has a few minutes, doesn't she? Cause Madge hates to be told what to do. She's gonna take her time, just to spite me." Xander's voice caught on a sob and he looked to Spike for reassurance. Spike drew him into a hug and held him close, looking at his Sire, over the shaking Xander's shoulder.

"Well, Sire. Are you going to kill his friend?" Spike muttered, holding Xander close. Xander's arms wrapped around Spike and pulled him closer. Spike's eyes flashed at his Sire, demon yellow.

"Well, hell, Sire!" Spike muttered, holding his lover close.

Angel grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know. I'm gonna blow up the building. If she gets out in time, it's all good, right, boy? Boy's? It's not as if I'm un*touched* by this dramatic display, because I *am*. *Deeply* touched. But, come on! This plan is in the works! It's rolling! We're ready to go! I've always planed to be there for the big boom! I want to be there to kill Harris, myself. I'm not gonna let him just get all blown up into little itsy-bitsy pieces! I'm going to *tear* him into little itsy-bitsy pieces!"

Xander raised his head from Spike's shoulder. He sniffed. "Sire? I can help. Madge wouldn't have canceled my card key access. I can still get in. If Kenny has done his job, then everyone should be in the great-room, gearing up for the big show down."

"Good thinking, Xander. I'm sure your little lovey-type thing well be fine."

Xander sniffed. He pulled away from Spike and stood up. "*Magde* is very important to me." He narrowed his eyes at Angel. "I'd be very upset if something happened to her."

Angle laughed. "Are you threatening me, boy?"

"No. It's not a *threat*." Xander turned away and headed towards the door.

Spike stuck his tongue out at Angel, before following Xander out the door.

"Oh, so *what*? I should be *worried*? Is that it? You'll *kill* me if the 'Madge-mommy-thing' dies? Is that it?" Angel shouted at their retreating backs.

Marge walked in. "Gear up, Sire. And stop yelling into the air. Makes you look nuttier that we all know you are. The big show down is at hand."

"Why can't *Spike* have the balls to threaten me? No! But he gets a *boy*friend willing to!"

Angle put on the vest Marge offered. "You coming, Marge?"

Marge grinned, pulling back her perfectly straight, perfectly red hair behind her ears. "Hell yes, I am. That's my *boy* going out there against that nut. I need to make sure he's safe."

Angel stopped. Marge turned to look at him. "What is it Sire?"

Angel pouted, thrusting his lower lip out. "Nothing."

Marge stopped. "What?!"

"Nothing!" Angel repeated, heading towards the door. Marge grabbed his arm, stopping him. She finished fastening his bullet-proof, knife-proof, kevlar vest. She stood on tip-toe and gave him a kiss. "I'd be just as upset if something happened to *you* my Sire. I just don't think anything *could* happened to you, Sire. You know you're my superman."

Angel smiled down at her and bent, wrapping an arm around her waist and hauling her up so that her lips were level with his. He gave her a hard kiss and set her down.

Marge kneed him in the groin. Angel just grinned. "Hey, you! Just because I love you does *not* give you right to *molest* me, you big creep! Touch me again an I'll tell Delia you're tryin' to put the make on me!"

Angle snickered. "Ha! What have I said? What's the policy? No dating amongst my employees! No *wonder* she doesn't listen to me!"

Marge pushed him out the door. "*I'm* not why she doesn't listen to you, Sire. It's cause she can kick your ass. *That's* why she doesn't listen to you."

"Oh. Well. That's fine, then."

"You coming, Pops?" Spike called out.

"Oh, yeah. I'm coming. Let's go get that bastard."

**********************************

Ken took in the assembled mass. "This is it, Sir? This is *all* of them?"

Not very many, and most very young. Not exactly the group *he* would have put together to take out a clan or five of vampires and demons lead by one of the meanest, most powerful vampires in the world.

"Our losses were great during our last battle with the evil that is the Angel Organization. But these are all able and *righteous* people! Ready and willing to *fight* against evil. Ready to *die* for the cause. We are blessed to have them, vampire. The evil will not expect an attack and that is to our advantage. We are well armed with wood and holy water. Good will triumph over evil, as it always does."

Ken smiled at the crazy man. Good wasn't always the winner, he knew, and there was a certain cosmic balance to that. Good and evil weren't always so easy to define. He took another look at the group of young people. They were all going to die, he knew. With their freshly scrubbed cheeks and their bright eyes, they looked like they should all be going to some church sponsored dance, or maybe out selling cookies. Instead, they were headed to a church sponsored slaughter. All of their young, and tasty blood going to waste. Ken shook his head. *This* wasn't his fault. He'd just wanted money and blood whores, maybe just a *little* power. Not this. He hadn't led these stupid kids into this. Well, okay, *literally* he had, sure. But again, this wasn't *his* fault. If it had been up to *him* they'd be out procreating; making lots more of the food supply!

". . .wouldn't you say, vampire?"

Ken focused on the crazy man again. "What? Huh? I'm sorry, Sir. What was it you said?"

"We keep to the perimeter of the room, yes? In the shadows?"

"Yes! That's right, Sir. Keep close to the walls, Sir, and no lights of any kind. I'll lead you to the entrance. I'll have you standing in the middle of the room, waiting for Angel's entrance. The net is ready for him. I tested it myself. You'll be able to kill him at your leisure. He'll have no chance for escape."

Harris, Sr. grinned and puffed at his cheap cigar.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but you'll have to put out the cigar. The, uh, vampires will be able to smell and see it."

Harris, Sr. dropped the cigar and crushed it beneath his size twelve wide Payless Shoe Source loafers. He clapped Ken on the shoulder and smiled at him. "Not a problem, my boy! I have a victory smoke in my pocket for later. Lead the way to victory, my vampire friend. Lead the way!"

Ken gave a sickly grin and led the way. He wasn't the least bit sure Angel was going to let him live after this. Not that his Sire had *said* he'd let him live, of course. Just that he *might* let him live. Ken continued to lead the lambs to their slaughter, holding Harris, Sr.'s hand. Maybe he could make a break for it once the lights came on.

"You see in this hell-like darkness, vampire?" Harris, Sr. asked.

Ken squeezed the pudgy, damp hand he held. He looked around, taking in the innumerable vampires and demons around him. He glanced at his Sire Angel, standing in the middle of the room along with the prince and the prince's little human lover. "Yeah, I can see just fine, Sir. Won't be long now. I'm about to lead you to the net. They'll be here any minute now. You ready, Sir?"

Ken had led the group so that they lined the perimeter of the room. "Break! Move arms length away from each other and hold hands!" He barked out the order. The group of young people was quick to follow his orders. He tightened his hold on the crazy man's hand and led the man before his Sire. "I leave you, Harris, Sr. to your fate." Ken pulled his hand from the crazy man's and went to stand beside Xander.

Nets came down trapping the assembled army to the walls just as the lights came on.

"You!" Harris, Sr. gasped, looking into the grinning face of Angel, Master Vampire and Sire. Leader of all assembled vampires and demons gathered here with him.

"Yes." He grinned. *Me*! Good to see you, Alex. How does it feel knowing you're about to die? What *does* that feel like?" Angel grinned and reached out a hand to pull Xander close to him. "Have you met my new son-in-law? Oh, wait! He used to be your *son*, didn't he? So you've met already."

"Xander!" Harris, Sr. made a move to run, but Angel aimed a gun and shot him in the neck with a dart. Harris, Sr. dropped to the floor, not moving. Angel stepped closer to the fallen man and kicked him in the chest. "Pretty neat, this, huh? One of *my* guys cooked it up for me. You can't *move* much, but you can still feel pain." Angel dropped to his knees and leaned down close to the other man's face. He gave a nasty grin. "And you're gonna feel *pain* Alex. You're going to feel a lot of pain." Angel smiled at the fallen man. "Alex! You can still *talk*, man! Let me have it! Preach to me, brother, father, pastor, what ever it is you call yourself. I don't want you to be *quiet*! I want to know what you *think* about all of this."

"Demon! Spawn of Satan!" The fallen man spat.

Angel bent closer, picking up Harris, Sr.'s hand and taking a finger into his mouth. He bit down and drew it out, the first knuckle missing. He smiled at the other man's screams and spit out the portion of finger he had bitten off. "Darn. Did that *hurt*? It's hard to tell what with you not trying to move. *Tell* me if it hurts!" Angel looked up and around the room. "Would you look at all these pretty little mortals. Did you bring all of these children here to die, Alex? To die for *your* cause? That was selfish of you, Alex. I'm not sure they all need to die. Some of them could be *saved*, Alex, don't you think? Faced with death or eternal life, which do you think they will choose? Hum?"

"Xander! Stake this demon now! Save me and *yourself*! You're not lost! You can be *saved*, my boy! Saved!"

Angel punched Harris, Sr. in the mouth, knocking out his front teeth. He tisked. "Shame on you! You may *not* speak to what is mine with out first gaining my permission, and Xander is *mine* now. And, Alex," Angel continued, sounding jovial. "I'm going to go ahead and deny you permission to speak to Xander right now, okay?" He grinned. "Maybe I'll let you speak to him later, before I rip out your tongue. Sound good?"

Harris, Sr. gurgled, drooling blood.

"What's that, Alex? You give him up to me?" Angel reached his hand towards the paralyzed man's mouth.

"I won't speak to him! I give him up to you!"

Angel chuckled and looked at Xander. "Just so you know boy, *I* would never give you up so easily."

Xander smiled at Angel. "I never expected my father to fight for me, Sire. I'm not hurt."

Angel nodded. "Good. Know that you will be *fought* for from now on. Not that anyone would dare harm you. You will be quite safe. Even from my Spike. He treats you wrong you just tell Marge and she'll kick his ass, or we'll have him turned over to Mistress Delia."

"This is hardly the time for this, Sire, and I would *never* do anything to hurt Xander you bloody pil-"

"As you say Spike, this is hardly the time." Angel stepped over the fallen Harris, Sr. and faced his bound and net restricted followers. He smiled at them.

"I am not the evil demon this man has led you to believe I am. I *am* a vampire, yes, this is true." He began, addressing the Harris children with his soothing vampiric voice. "I *will* kill you, if I need to. If you threaten me or mine, you *will* die. I will drain every drop of your blood. *Feed* from it, *thrive* on it, make it *mine*. *Or*, I can make you part of my family. Part of my." He stopped speaking and raised his arms, indicating the assembled group of his followers, "*Our*, organization. Protected from the likes of this parasite you've been misled into following. Vampires! Just like the army, we're just looking for a few good men." He smiled, beautifully, and chuckled. "Or women! Vampires don't discriminate! We value women just as much as we do men! A female minion starts off just as strong as a male minion, with an equal chance to advance!"

Xander elbowed Spike in the ribs, holding in his giggles.

"No!" Spike hissed to him. "I did *not* know Sire was going to turn this into a recruiting ceremony!"

"So, young people, the choice is yours! Die! Or *live* for an *eternity*! The time has come to make your choice!" Angel bent and picked up Harris, Sr., throwing him over his shoulder and walking towards the exit. ''The nets will come down. Those that wish to become vampires will be made so at the door. Those that *don't* wish to, will die at the door rather horrifically. Or fast and cleanly when this building explodes. I suggest to those that *don't* wish to become vampires that you remain in the building. You piss off the 'turners' and they'll save you for later, and I promise, you *won't* like that! Good night and good death to you."

"Oh, how fucking dramatic can you get?!" Spike snickered, heading out the door, following his Sire.

"What? I thought it was pretty cool. He's got my dad, to kill or maim as he sees fit- I *will* get to watch that won't I?- plus, he's giving all those people a *choice*! What's so wrong with that?!" Xander asked.

"Oh, come on, pet! If you had a chance to live forever *or* get blown to pieces what would *you* choose?!"

"Before I met you? I'd go for the little bitty pieces. I'd have *hated* to have been faced with ever lasting life with out you."

Spike stopped walking and grabbed Xander, pulling him towards and then slamming him against the wall. "Damn, you, Xander. You're too fucking good for me!" Spike pushed Xander hard against the wall and latched his mouth to the mortals. He thrust his tongue into Xander's, bringing his hands down to cup Xander's ass and pulling him close to his straining erection. Spike's mind was clouded with lust but he could tell Xander was fighting him. Spike pulled back in confusion. "What is it, pet? Am I hurting you? I didn't mean too."

"Isn't this building going to blow up any minute now? Not that I'm not willing to die for you, Spike. I would just rather put if off, if I can."

Spike laughed, taking his hand and leading Xander out of the doomed building. "Oh, shit! See what you do to me, pet?" He pulled Xander towards the waiting cars.

Xander tightened his grip on Spike's hand and grinned. "I *like* what I do to you!"

Spike tugged him closer, throwing an arm across his shoulders. "'Course you do, but you wouldn't have liked it if I had fucked you against the wall and it exploded."

Xander took a moment to think about that. "Okay. Maybe not the whole wall exploding part, but the rest? Oh, sure, I'd have liked it just fine!"

"I've *told* you that you're not an all together there human, haven't I, Xander?" Spike asked, leading Xander into one of the waiting cars.

"Yeah. You've said something along those lines."

Spike gave a laugh, buckling Xander in. "Come on. We can meet up with the rest of the guys at the club. We'll mingle for a bit; see who didn't die and then I'll take you home and fuck your brains out."

"I like the fuck my brains out part. Do we have to mingle?"

"Yes! My-*our*-Sire expects it."

"Won't Sire be busy torturing my dad?"

"You'd think so, wouldn't you? But no." Spike glanced at his watch. "Your dad will be all tied up in the torture room, waiting. *Waiting* for torture is one of Sire's favorite tortures. He might keep your dad there for a week or two, never even going down to look at him."

Xander nodded his head, not particularly caring about any torture that might befall his father. "Yes. I can see how that would work. We *should* go out and party!"

"Glad you think so, cause we're almost there, pet."

**************************************

Marge was standing outside the club, waiting. She gave a smile when she spotted the pair and rushed forward. She gave them both a hug, wrapping her arms around the pair and pulling them close. "I was worried! What took you so long? Never mind! I don't want to hear it!" She smiled and pulled them towards the club. "Come on! There's a big screen TV all set up, so we can watch the news coverage of the tragic, unexplained, and devastating explosion that is about to occur."

Spike and Xander snickered.

"So, who's all here, Marge?" Spike asked.

"Don't really know. I've been waiting for you guys. Sire is in there, of course. A few have come in with newbe minions that shouldn't even be *awake* yet, let alone out clubbing! What's that all about?"

Spike laughed. "Sire offered the ole 'vampire or death' thing to the Harris Organization people. Most of them chose the vampire way, I guess. Are there lots inside?"

"Yep. It's lousy with fledges! Come on though. We'll put in an appearance and then head on over to Silk's and party the night away. Just the three of us." Marge turned and headed towards the club entrance. Spike grabbed her arm, stopping her. He turned her to face him.

"You don't have to play mommy, Marge. Really. Xander and I will be fine if you want to stay and play with the newbe's." Spike told her.

Marge grinned. "You know I don't 'play' mommy, Spike, or at least I *hope* you know. I *feel* Mommy, so shut up and take it like the vampire I taught you to be!"

"Yes, ma'am, ma'am, Sir!"

Xander's eyes strayed to a woman making her way into the club. "Did you *see* her? She looked like Madge!"

"Who?" Marge asked.

"Madge! *My* mommy!" He grinned. "Actually, she looks *just* like you! I swear you two could be twins!"

"Magde, you say?" Marge asked.

"Yep." Xander nodded, excited. He grabbed Spike's and Marge's hands and began to pull them into the club. "Come on!"

The club was dim and smoky inside, but there was enough light for Xander to spy the familiar red head at the bar. She was gorgeous and already surrounded by men and women. "That's my Madge!" Xander let go of the others hands and rushed to the bar. He pushed his way past the mass of admirers and grabbed the shapely red head.

"Madge! Love!"

Madge broke her normal stoic expression and grinned widely, wrapping her arms around Xander as he picked her from her seat and swung her around. "I was so worried about you! I'm so glad you made it out! *What* are you doing here?"

"But are you happy to see me, Xan?" Madge asked, laughing, once he had placed her on her feet again. "Why'd I know I'd find you at a haven for vampires and demons, my Xander?" She smiled again and reached up to cup Xander's cheek. "You're okay?"

"Yes! I'm *fine*! I'm wonderful! I want you to meet Spike!" Xander turned to look for Spike. He raised an arm and called out to the platinum vampire. "Come here! Spike!" He turned back to Madge and hugged her again.

"Tell me this is Madge, pet. Otherwise I'm going to have to *kill* her and *beat* you."

Xander laughed. "This is *Madge*! Madge, meet Spike. Spike, meet Madge."

Spike held out his hand. "Madge. Pleasure to meet you. Happy my Sire didn't blow you up."

Madge took his hand. "Spike. The pleasure is mine. Happy I didn't get blown up by your Sire." Her eyes narrowed as she spied the person approaching them. She raised an eyebrow. "My, my, Xander. The people you meet when you run away."

Spike and Xander turned to watch Marge walk towards them.

"You're right Xander. They do look like twins. Madge, may I introduce-"

"No need for introductions. We've met. Marge."

"Madge. How have you been?"

"Fine. And you?"

"Good. Have you been in the city long?"

"A few years. Thirty or so. You?"

"About the same. Heard anything from the family?"

"No. Nothing. I haven't been trying to hear anything though. You?"

"No. The same as you, though. Not trying to."

Xander smiled. "So you two *do* know each other? Cause you look like clones!"

Madge smiled at him. "Not clones, Xander, love. Twins. We're twins."

"Yes. Twins." Marge said. She smiled. "What say I buy us all a drink. Madge? Up for talking about old times?"

Spike and Xander stood nonplused, watching the apparently long lost twins great each other without emotion.

Madge smiled. "No. I don't wan't to talk about old times, Marge." She smiled, looking at Spike and Xander before looking at her sister again. "Let's talk about *new* times."

"Yes!" Spike cleared four bar stools, knocking drunken vampires to the floor, and sat the other three down. "Bar keep! Give us a bottle of Jack!" He poured drinks all around. He glanced across the room, spying his Sire in animated conversation. He turned to Madge. "So? You looking for work? I know of an organization willing to hire you." He grinned and downed his drink. "Xan and me can put in a good word with the boss."

Marge downed her drink. "Oh, honey! Don't listen to this yahoo! You want in? *I* can get you in!" She held out her glass for another shot and then raised it to her sister for a toast. "New times?"

Madge grinned and toasted her sister. She turned her glass to the two lovers. "To new times!"

They clicked glasses, drinking and smiling at each other. New and better times awaited them all.

END!!!!!!!!