Xander woke with a gasp. His eyes opened, and he looked around to see where he was, only to see nothing but blackness surrounding him. He panicked, feeling that tight grip of claustrophobia attacking him. Xander had tried to move all his limbs, only to find he was pinned down. Who had him tied down? He frantically pulled his arms up away from whatever was restraining him and was surprised when he actually freed his arms. Maybe the Oracles had given him super strength after all, just for the hell of it. He sat up and was surprised when he heard two loud thuds, followed by cursing.

"Bloody fucking hell," he heard the British voice coming from his right and heard a "What the hell?" coming from the left. Wait a minute. He knew those voices, his brain registered that thought as he tried to fight the fuzziness he felt from the pain medication.

"Spike? Angel? Is that you?" he asked, trying to see through the darkness and failing completely.

"Of course it is whelp. Who did you think it was?" Spike's voice still sounded pretty damned annoyed.

"I...uh...I...can someone turn on the light?" Xander stuttered, reaching out to find anything he could hold on to. "Please, I don't know where I am. The dark...it feels like it's swallowing me up, choking me."

A few seconds later the lights were turned on and the two vampires stared at Xander, watching the boy blink rapidly several times as his long black lashes fluttered up and down. His dark hair was sleep tousled yet there was that curl falling down over his forehead that Spike loved so much. Angel and Spike watched as Xander's broad chest rose and fell with each gasp as Xander tried to calm himself. They watched him put his fists to his eyes, rubbing them like a little boy. That childlike gesture only enhanced the beauty of the man sitting in front of them. Spike and Angel inched forwards, not wanting to startle him but wanting to reach out and comfort him.

"Xander, are you awake now? Do you remember where you are?" Angel asked.

Xander quit rubbing his eyes and looked around him, taking in the small nightstand, the tv sitting on a stand hanging up on the wall and the chairs lining the room before his gaze traveled back to the vampires who had come to stand at the foot of the bed. Xander's eyes misted over as he answered. "The fucking hospital, again. I hate this place. Hate the smell of it, the tv channels are all crappy and the food sucks. How could I forget? I've spent so much time in this hospital, they ought to have a wing or at the very least a room dedicated in my honor." Xander mumbled as he got up and started walking slowly towards the bathroom.

As he reached the bathroom door he found himself flanked by the two vampires. Xander looked at both of them before he raised his arms and gently pushed them both to the side saying, "Personal bubble, personal bubble."

"Where do you think you're going, Xander?" Angel asked, staring at the boy with concern. Xander had barely been able to make it over to the door on his injured leg and Angel wasn't about to let the boy fall and add a concussion to his injuries.

Xander opened the door and surveyed the small room. "Let's see. Shower. Sink. Toilet. I think that would constitute the definition of a bathroom, Angel." Xander pointed out each item as he answered Angel's question. "Now, would you like me to explain what the bathroom is used for or can I just go in there and actually use it?"

Angel scowled at the boy as Spike started to laugh at the answer Xander had given the older vampire. Xander's sarcasm was funny when it was not directed at him, even though Spike had to admit that Xander's wit was one of the many things that attracted him to Xander. He looked over to see Angel's scowl leave Xander and make it's way over to him. Spike struggled to muffle a snicker as he tried to look innocent and failed miserably. Angel rolled his eyes heavenward, wondering whatever possessed him to fall in love with two of the most sarcastic, annoying men on this planet. When his eyes fell back onto Spike and Xander his question was answered. He watched the interaction between the vampire and the boy and knew that he was gone, totally and helplessly in love with both of them.

Xander had turned to look at Spike. His eyes lit up when he saw the younger vampire actually laughing, his beautiful blue eyes twinkling mischievously as he tried to look innocent underneath Angel's scowl. It had been too long since Xander had actually heard Spike laugh like that. He had missed hearing it, had even missed seeing the patented Spike smirk. Sure there were times over the past few weeks when someone was around that you might hear Spike laugh, but not without hearing the depression and sadness that had set in due to the effects of what the Initiative soldiers had done to him. That added to the recurring nightmares had made Spike a former shadow of himself. But now Xander was looking at full out Spike and he knew why Angel had fallen in love with the vampire. There was only one word to describe Spike - gorgeous.

It made Xander happy to know that he had been the one to make Spike laugh, that he had put that twinkle in Spike's eyes, and that innocent look on his face. If Xander had been strong enough and knew that it wouldn't have caused him more pain than he already felt, he would have done a happy dance thinking about how much more happier Spike would be when Xander told him he was free of the chip. The Oracles had told him that he would see a sign, but so far he hadn't recognized one. Still he was sure it wouldn't be much longer before he could tell Spike the good news.

Xander took the few steps needed to reach Spike and put his hands on the vampire's shoulders. As Spike looked at him, Xander leaned forward until his forehead was resting against Spike's. They stood facing each other, blue eyes meeting brown for a few minutes before Xander almost whispered, "You keep annoying Angel and you won't get the surprise I was going to give you."

Spike had quit giving Angel his innocent impression as soon as he had seen Xander walking towards him. He watched in surprise as the boy leaned forward and for a moment he thought Xander was going to kiss him before he felt the warmth of Xander's forehead against his own. Spike had looked into those whisky brown eyes and gotten lost in them, Xander's whisper pulling him out of the daze he was in. Spike barely heard Xander's words as he smelled the pheromones that were coming off the boy in waves. Spike smiled as he put his hands on Xander's shoulders and had to concentrate hard to ask what he wanted to ask the boy. All he could think about was taking Xander in his arms and kissing him.

"What present? A present for me? When did you have time to shop, pet?" Spike smirked when he felt a shiver at the word pet. So Xander liked his little nicknames did he? "Bet it makes the boy feel special". Spike decided to use them more often.

"That's for me to know and you not to find out until later. That's why they're called surprises," Xander teased him, before placing a light kiss on Spike's forehead and stepping back. That was the scene that had unfolded in front of Angel and now the older vampire was doing his best to keep from walking over there and joining in. A look of hurt crossed his face as he realized he could never truly be a part of their love because of one stupid gypsy curse.

Xander saw the look and stepped away from Spike. What had he been thinking or was he even thinking at all? Xander knew that the two vampires loved each other and here he was kissing one of them in front of the other. Even if it had only been a little kiss on the forehead, Angel was sure to be jealous. Xander didn't want the older vampire to be mad at him. His friendship meant way too much to Xander and he wasn't about to fall back into his mistakes of the past with the only difference being that it was Spike in the middle instead of Buffy.

Maybe he could salvage this. Xander walked over to Angel copying his motions of before with Spike. His breath hitched as he looked into Angel's eyes. While Spike's were twinkling in merriment, Angel's was a deep brown pool of sadness.

"Don't be sad, Angel," he whispered. "I've got one for you too." Xander saw Angel's eyes shine with tears and he felt himself wanting to hold the vampire and comfort him. Xander kissed Angel's forehead and as he was backing away, he felt himself not wanting to leave the vampire's embrace. But Xander knew he had to. Even though the curse was gone, Spike was the one Angel wanted and Xander knew he would have to settle with being their friends.

He pasted a smile on his face as he walked back to the bathroom door. Xander turned to shut it and still smiling that fake smile he said, "Now you two behave while I'm gone. Don't come in unless you hear me take a nosedive in the toilet then by all means, feel free to come in and rescue me." He closed the door and leaned against it, sighing heavily before he went over and flipped the lid up. After he was done he walked over to the sink and washed his hands before cupping them together. He gathered the water in his hands and washed his face, pulling the towel off the bar and swiping his face with it before looking in the mirror. Xander wanted to punch in the mirror and could barely restrain himself from putting his fist through the glass. He hated himself.

Why was he such a fuck-up? His dad had been telling him this for years but he had fought the urge to believe him, although sometimes the old doubts came crawling back. Why did he always put himself in relationships that always ended up badly? Xander put the lid down on the toilet and sat down, resting his arms on the sink as he layed his head down. He thought of all the times he had been interested in someone. Buffy had never returned his love, well not that way. Xander was glad that he had not messed up their friendship by trying so hard to have something he could never have.

The same thing went for Willow. She had chased him for years and he had not wanted to do anything about it. Xander had always been afraid that if they got together and something happened to mess it up then he would lose the one person left that had been his friend almost his entire life. That could never happen. But it almost had when Xander had gotten jealous of Oz and had acted on his desires, not thinking about the consequences of his actions. He knew that Willow had been a part of it as well, but she wasn't the one that had hidden her feelings all those years. He had. Those few rash moments had almost cost him two very good friends and a best friend.

Faith was definitely not a relationship. He had just been in the right place at the right time. Xander had been mad when he had realized he mistook her attentions as anything more than a passing lay. Then she had tried to kill him. While he had been hurt and angry at the time, when he looked back at it now, he knew that her trying to kill him wasn't about him alone. It was years of self-loathing and a need to just be loved that had driven her to do the things she had done, and Xander felt sorry for the girl. Faith was a lot like himself, always wanting to be loved and accepted and doing whatever they could to find that, only he didn't try to kill people. Well until recently anyway. Maybe they were more alike than he thought.

Cordelia was the girl that every guy dreams about. Miss Popularity, head cheerleader and beauty queen all rolled into one. At first, Xander had been overwhelmed at the thought of himself, the geek, being able to date the golden girl. Their times in the school closets had been great too. But then their relationship had taken a turn and he had actually found himself falling in love with Cordy. All the times they had spent away from their friend's influence had made them see each other in a different light. Cordy had realized that her boyfriend wasn't just a geek but a boy that would actually listen to her opinions and thoughts, either agreeing or disagreeing with her, instead of just going along with anything she said like her supposed friends did just so they could be popular. And Xander had found the beautiful and caring part of her soul, that Queen C tried so hard to keep hidden. But again, those few moments had ended it. Xander was so glad that they were now friends. He couldn't imagine his life without Cordy in it anymore.

Anya - well, they hadn't had much time to form a real relationship. While it was true they had many nights of pleasurable sex, they hadn't made much time for just getting to know one another. Xander had come to like Anya a lot and valued her as a friend. While her brashness and honesty were sometimes overwhelming, it was also refreshing. Anya said what she thought and you never had to guess how she was feeling. Xander knew he was going to have to see Anya before he left and tell her about his new boyfriend. He hoped he could explain it to her well enough so that she wouldn’t be badly hurt. Or rather that he would be badly hurt. He felt a moment's fear at the thought of her going all vengeance demoness on him and he hoped she wouldn't turn him into a large penis or something.

Which brought him to Lindsey, Angel and Spike. Another mess he had caused, for himself anyway. If he looked at his relationship with Lindsey honestly, he would have to say that he threw himself into the relationship because of sexual attraction instead of waiting to really get to know the man, even though he had promised himself he would never do that again. He was thinking with the wrong head as Cordelia would say. Lindsey was smart, handsome, funny, talented and could be sensitive and gentle at times. Everything that Xander had dreamed of and more. It was the dark side of Lindsey that Xander had witnessed that had scared him, had made him step back and look at their relationship openly and honestly without acting like some giddy teenage boy hyped up on hormones. That and the two vampires standing outside the door.

Xander knew he had fallen for these two. He didn't know exactly when he realized he had, just that it had happened. Xander hadn't been looking for that kind of relationship, as he thought he had that with Lindsey, and he never wanted to hurt anyone like he had Cordelia, ever again. Somehow, the two vampires had quickly entrenched themselves in his heart, almost as if they were a part of him. Xander felt closer to Angel and Spike than anyone else in the world, including Willow and that thought shocked him, proved just how strong his feelings were for them.

Xander would never have believed in a million years that he would fall for a vampire, much less two of them. He regretted all the times he had been hard on Buffy for falling in love with Angel. He could see why she had now, although he felt that Angel was not the same Angel as before. This Angel interacted with people more, smiled more and even joked from time to time. Xander had known that he had been attracted to Spike and Angel for years now. Xander smiled as he remembered those words he had spoken to Willow after seeing Angel for the first time. They were standing in the Bronze, Xander trying to show Blaine how much of a ladies man he was by holding Willow and Buffy close when Buffy had pulled away to walk over to Angel, who had just appeared in the doorway.

"Who's that?" Xander had asked Willow, jealous that Buffy had left him, but noticing how handsome Angel was.

Xander remembered seeing Spike for the first time. In the back alley of the Bronze when he threatened to kill Buffy, clapping his hands in approval at the way Buffy had managed to dust a vampire that had been trying to feed on a girl. Then later in the school hallway, with of all people, Angel. Even though he had been scared, he had noticed how handsome Spike was, how raw power exuded from the vampire, along with the air of a man completely aware of how sexy he was. He remembered talking to Willow sometime after Spike had kidnapped the both of them in a wild attempt to get Dru to love him again. He had thought that Drusilla was indeed crazy to give up a man like Spike.

"It was crazy for Drusilla to give Spike up." he had said.

In love with not only Spike but Angel, too. Xander knew the two of them cared a great deal for him, but not in that way. More like a big brother sort of way.

Xander stood up and brushed the tears from his eyes before washing his face again. Why would he be stupid enough to even hope there could be more than that? There was no way that two men as handsome, smart, sexy and strong as Spike and Angel would ever look twice at a mediocre, annoying, stupid, no talent 19 year old boy, especially the way he looked now. And wouldn't Buffy kill him if she knew he was thinking that. Yet another reason to back off. He didn't want to lose a friend for something he could never have. Spike and Angel were definitely together. The Oracles had told him that much. Xander knew that as soon as he told them about Spike's chip and the curse being gone, they would leave him here in Sunnydale, in his parent's rundown basement, to lead his lost directionless life while they headed off into the sunset - one happy couple out to fight the evils of the world.

Xander looked into the mirror and saw the circles under his eyes, the scratches on his face and his dirty hair. Memories of a long ago time when he had been this dirty before began to rise to the surface and Xander backed away, shaking his head to dispel the images before they began to overwhelm him. He had to get cleaned up and talk to Angel and Spike. Xander made his way to the bathtub and leaned down, turning on the water. Just as he raised back up a sharp pain went through his left leg and stomach, causing him to fall to his knees, gasping in pain, and clutching the side of the bathtub. Xander heard a noise and looked up to see the bathroom door come crashing in revealing the worried faces of Angel and Spike. Oh shit, he was in trouble now.

Spike and Angel had watched as Xander shut the door and then they had exchanged a glance before heading for the bed. The two of them climbed onto the bed before Spike pressed the button on the bed until they were half sitting, half reclining. He had turned to Angel and asked, "What just happened? First Xander's scared when he wakes up, then he's in pain and won't let us help him, then he gets all happy and touchy feely and now he's sad. Fucking hell, the boy's emotions are all over the place and it's making me want to go out and kill something," Spike pouted as he reached for Angel's hand.

Angel took Spike's hand and rubbed it, trying to soothe the younger vampire. He knew just how he felt because even though Angel was more patient than Spike he was about to explode himself. "I can't seem to get a handle on him either. Maybe it's just the past few days catching up with him. There was the bar fight, our argument, turning a bar full of demons into a recruiting office, planning and leading the assault on the Initiative, the explosion, him killing someone and now being in the hospital. That's enough to make anyone lose control."

"I guess you're right. I wish we hadn't argued before he left. What if something had happened and Xander had...you know...the last thing he would have remembered was me calling him a 10th grade loser and saying that Buffy was better off without him. I didn't mean anything I said. I was just upset and frustrated and I said the exact things I knew would hurt him. Fuck this soddin’ temper of mine."

"I took my frustration at your situation out on him, too," Angel pointed out. "And let's not forget that Xander gave as good as he got, 'Oh impotent one'. You both have quite the mouths on you when you get angry."

"That's true. But then what does he do? Not what any normal person would do and stomp off to his boyfriend's place to get reassurances and love. No, not Xander Harris. The demon magnet of Sunnydale drives down here and takes on a bar full of said demons and attacks a bunch of soldiers just to help the person who had just put him down. He doesn't even tell the slayer so she can back him up. I don't think I'll ever understand that boy."

"That's part of the attraction. One thing I'm certain of in all this craziness is that our lives would definitely be boring without him."

"Got that right. I wish I had seen him facing off against those soldiers. From the way Wesley explained it, Xander was pissed as hell. Bet he was fucking beautiful," Spike smiled at the image of Xander fighting the soldiers, his brown eyes determined and filled with rage.

Angel nodded his head in agreement, the same image filtering through his brain. Then one of Xander bluffing the demons as Wesley watched wearing leather of all things, passed through and he started laughing. Spike looked at him in confusion. "Oh, I'm not laughing at that image. I was just thinking about Xander, 'the demon magnet' and Wesley 'the watcher in leather' standing in Willie's bar. God, those demons must have been in heaven."

"Demon magnet and leather. Heady combination." Spike joined in the laughter. After a few moments he got serious. "You do know that if any of those demons had hurt him I would have tracked them down to the ends of the earth and made them die a horrible death, don't you?"

"With me by your side," Angel agreed. "And speaking of demons, when are we supposed to fill Xander in about his boyfriend?"

"I've got a feeling we don't have to." When Angel looked at him, Spike shrugged his shoulders. "I'm just saying I think he already knew you were going to flip a gasket when you found out who Lindsey actually was and where he works. I've noticed how every time I tried to strike up a conversation about the man, Xander changed the subject. At first I thought he just wanted to keep it private, but now I'm beginning to think he knew all along what kind of reaction you would have."

"You're probably right," Angel agreed, thinking of all the times he had asked to meet Lindsey and Xander had managed to skirt the issue. "Still, he doesn't know what kind of man Lindsey is or how ruthless that law firm is. They'll step on anyone to get what they want. They don't care who they hurt."

"How well do you know this Lindsey guy anyway?" Spike asked.

"I've only met him once, but believe me when I say he made a huge impression and not in a good way. He is a nice looking man in a scumbag, demonic way, but he's a wolf in sheep's clothing."

"I don't care how attractive he is, he's not getting near Xander again if I can help it. It made my blood boil the way he was going on and on about him and Xander, making him sound like his own personal boytoy or something. I'm just worried that if this law firm is as big and bad as you say, he'll find Xander and there's no doubt in my mind that Lindsey will come looking for him."

"From what I saw a few moments ago, I don't think we have to worry about Lindsey much longer. I could see it in Xander's eyes just like I saw it in yours. Xander's falling for you whether he knows it or not."

Spike didn't seem surprised by Angel's words. Instead he put on his usual Spike smirk. "I know he is. Could smell him, even if those eyes didn't give away every emotion he ever feels. Did the same to you, didn't he?"

"I suppose. But while he seemed happy with you, I felt only sadness. I don't want to be included because he feels sorry for me, because of the curse and everything. God, I hate gypsies."

"Amen to that. And did I just say that?" Spike asked, as they both started to laugh. They leaned over and gave each other a kiss before falling into each other's arms laughing. They were so busy with each other that they didn't notice the rush of emotions coming from the boy in the bathroom until they heard the thud. Both vampires were off the bed and running to the bathroom door in seconds. Angel kicked it in and they saw Xander on his knees, clutching the side of the bathtub, his face full of pain.

Angel and Spike lifted Xander off the floor and placed him on the closed toilet seat before Spike began scolding his boy for scaring them. "What the fuck do you think you're doing trying to take a bath all by yourself?"

"I've been doing it since I can remember, Spike. You might think I'm stupid but I'm really not. I took that test when I was seven because my dad was sure I was and I quote 'a fucking retarded bastard' unquote. I proved him wrong though. Oh, I was a little slow in some stuff, mostly math and spatial relations but I certainly wasn't challenged or anything." Xander told them, images of his father in his head. He shook his head once again as the two vampires tried to figure out what he was talking about.

"No one said you were stupid, Xander," Angel clarified, wishing he could kill Xander's father for stripping the boy of any self-confidence he might have had. "We're just saying you should have yelled for us instead of trying to do it yourself."

"Didn't want to interrupt you. You sounded like you were having a good time and I wasn't going to disturb you," Xander muttered, a little jealous as he remembered the laughter he had heard coming from the other room right before he fell.

"We were just having a laugh, mate." Spike told him, his eyes meeting Angel's as knowing smiles appeared on their faces. That tone was definite jealousy. Xander again misunderstood and began to get angry as he thought about them laughing at stupid, helpless Xander.

"That's all right. Have a laugh on Xander Harris. Nothing new there." He looked at them with angry eyes and continued, "I may not have superhero powers or anything but I think I can manage a bath."

"Yeah, cause you were doing so well at it when we came in. I thought the idea of a bath was to actually sit in the water, not sit on the floor and look at it," Spike retorted as Angel left the room and came back carrying a large bowl.

"I would have managed," Xander argued, standing up and edging his way over to the bathtub. He watched as Spike put the bowl under the water, letting it fill up. "What are you doing?"

"Xander, you can't take a bath or a shower right now, not with those burns," Angel explained. "We'll wash your hair in here and then take you back to bed." Before Xander could protest Angel picked him up and sat down on the edge of the tub, tipping the boy's head back over his arm as Spike poured the water from the bowl over Xander's head.

All questions and protests left Xander's mind as he felt Spike's fingers massaging the shampoo into his hair. He had almost drifted off when he felt the water being poured over his head again and again until all the soap was out. Then he felt Spike drying his hair, and the vampire's gentle touch combined with the comforting feel of Angel's arms holding him almost lulled him back to sleep. He didn't even notice that Angel had stood up and carried him back to bed until he felt the cool mattress underneath him.

Xander's mind registered where he was and he started to get up off the bed, determined to get clean. While the shampoo had made him feel a little better, he still hadn't gotten the smell of the Initiative lab and the explosion off of him. Thoughts of Maggie Walsh lying dead on the floor, blood spilling from her chest threatened to unleash the long ago memory he had tried to dispel in the bathroom. Xander struggled to get up, only thoughts of getting clean running through his head. Angel grabbed him and held him down not allowing Xander to get up off the bed.

"Cut it out, Angel," Xander snapped, trying to get away from Angel. Another searing pain shot through him as his stomach and thigh protested the motion. "Fuck, that hurts." he groaned.

"Stop moving around, Xander," Angel told him, looking concerned. "You're only aggravating your burns."

"Please let me take a bath, Angel. I can't stand this. It's bad enough having to smell this hospital...God, the memories this place....I've got to get the smell of the Initiative and their fucking lab off my body or I'm going to go crazy," Xander pleaded, breaking off his explanation of the memories of his hospital stays before he said too much.

Angel knew Xander was probably thinking about all the times he had been in the hospital, which had been a lot if the thickness of the folder the doctor had shown them was any indication. He leaned over Xander, running his hand across Xander's cheek and then following the path down the jawbone until he reached Xander's lips. He ran his thumb across the boy's mouth, whispering, "Just hang on, okay. We're going to get you cleaned up if you'll just trust us."

Xander looked into Angel's worried eyes, felt Angel run his hand down his jaw and felt the thumb that rubbed gently across his mouth. He wanted to reach out and grab Angel and kiss him but he resisted the thought, right before he remembered what Angel had just said.

"How am I supposed to get clean when I'm lying in bed?" Angel looked at him and smiled and suddenly Xander knew exactly what they were going to do. "Oh, no. Listen, guys just put the bowl down beside of the bed and I'll wash up. You all can take a break and when you come back I'll be as good as new and smell a hell of a lot better."

Spike put the bowl, washcloth and soap down on the bedside table before turning to face the boy. He knew what Xander was thinking and there was no way Spike was going to let him get hurt again. Plus he didn't mind helping Xander out and he was pretty sure that Angel would enjoy the view too.

"Not bloody likely. You don't know how to handle those burns and the doctor told us how to, so we're cleaning you up. Now quit being bashful and get your kit off so we can help you get cleaned up." When Xander just looked at him, Spike reached over to help him remove his boxers. Xander swatted his hands away and Spike, growing impatient grabbed hold of them, tearing the material away from Xander's body.

"Geez, Spike," Xander yelped, placing his hands in front of his exposed parts as he tried to burrow under the covers. "Haven't you ever heard of a thing called privacy before?"

"Heard of it but don't really believe in it," Spike told him as he and Angel grabbed the boy and lowered the bed until Xander was laying full back in the bed, his hands still covering himself as he tried again to reach over with one hand and pulled the covers over his body. Angel's hands stilled him as Spike grabbed the covers and threw them away from the bed.

"What the fuck are you guys doing?" Xander asked, getting upset at being so exposed in front of the two men he had the hots for. Xander didn't think he could stand being touched by Angel and Spike without getting a hard on and wouldn't that just be the biggest humiliation to add onto the many he'd had in his life. "You guys are way into my personal space now."

"Live with it." Angel said simply as Spike reached out and grabbed the soap, tearing the paper off of it before lathering the washcloth. As Spike started to gently wash Xander's face, careful to not hurt the many scratches on his face he almost laughed at the boy's modesty.

"It's not like we don't have the same parts, whelp. Although I'd wager they're not as impressive as mine or Angel's," he bragged as Angel tried to get him to shut up and Xander looked at him, his face a mixture of hurt and anger. Spike saw the look in the boy's eyes and knew that his goading had the effect he wanted.

"I'll have you know I'm just as....what's the word here...endowed as the two of you. Anya always did call me a Viking in the sack," Xander stated proudly, all thoughts of modesty leaving him as he argued with Spike.

"Touchy, touchy, mate," Spike tsked as he rinsed off Xander's face before soaping the washcloth again and handing it to Angel. "You'll have to get the rest of him, Angel. If I hit one of those burns the wrong way the chip will fire and I don't need a headache trying to bathe the boy."

Angel took the washrag from Spike. By then Xander had forgotten about his embarrassment, too busy arguing with Spike to notice, which Angel figured was Spike's plan all along. He gently washed the boy's body as Xander and Spike continued trading barbs. Angel carefully washed around the bad burns on Xander's abdomen and thigh, careful to stay away from the one part of Xander's body his senses were honed in on. Angel didn't want to scare Xander, so he figured Xander could do that himself. He smiled as he heard the boy's breathing slowing down into one of sleep even as he kept muttering at Spike. Angel gently rolled Xander over on his side and washed his back and legs. He noticed a lot of scars, scars that looked like they came from a belt. Again he felt the urge to kill Xander's father. Spike looked at him, noticing his demeanor and Angel just pointed at Xander's back and ass.

Spike walked around the bed and looked at the scars, trying not to lose his human face as his anger rushed through his body. If he didn't have this fucking chip in his head, Xander's father would be dead right now. Spike knew that this was where the scars had come from. He had heard enough about Xander's childhood from the doctor and his talks with Cordelia when she had related stories about Xander's drunken relatives to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Xander noticed through his drowsiness that Spike was walking to the other side of the bed and came awake with a start. "Hey, what's with the floor show?"

Before Spike could answer him, they heard a voice from the doorway. "That's what I'd like to know."

The two vampires looked up to see a pretty blonde standing there, hands planted on her tiny waist, blue eyes snapping in anger. Xander groaned as he put his face in his hands. Oh, shit. Anya.

Angel and Spike watched as the blonde moved towards the bed and grabbed Xander's hands away from his face. They were just about to intervene when they heard Xander's voice.

"Ahn, what are you doing here? Who told you I was in the hospital?" Xander asked, thinking he was going to kill whoever it was. Angel and Spike exchanged a glance at the name. So this was the ex-vengeance demon. They stood back and watched to see how Xander was going to handle this.

"Buffy did. I went to see her and Willow to find out if they'd heard anything from you and she told me. I suggest you get your clothes on and quit playing around with the male nurses before someone else comes in here."

"What? Huh? Who?" Xander asked, snatching the covers up from where Spike had tossed them and placing them around him.

"I think she's talking about us, pet," Spike said as he indicated himself and Angel.

"We're not nurses," Angel added. "I'm a private detective and he's a..." Angel trailed off as he pointed at Spike.

"A vampire, luv," Spike told her, smiling charmingly.

Anya looked at both of them before her gaze traveled back over to Spike. "Oh, so you're Angel, then. You're Buffy's ex-boyfriend."

"Oh, hell no," Spike stated angrily, the charming smile leaving his face. "I'm not stupid enough to hook up with a slayer. He's the stupid git known as Angel," Spike finished, pointing at Angel, who looked offended at Spike's comment.

"Hey, I'm not a stupid git."

"Well, he's large and flowery isn't he?" Anya asked, looking at Angel with approval before turning to stare at Spike. "So if he's Angel, who are you?"

"Spike," he answered. "I'm a...friend of Xander's."

"Oh, well I never heard of you but I am definitely glad to meet you," Anya flirted. "That is unless you're planning on killing me and then I'll have to scream rather loudly so that everyone will come running."

"No need for screaming, Anya. Spike's got a chip in his head and he can't hurt anyone anymore. He's harmless," Xander explained, as he grabbed the washcloth from Angel's hands and started to finish his bath. It was getting cold in the room.

"Am not. I'm the Big Bad, it's just that I can't bite anyone anymore," Spike pouted as he watched Xander disappear under the covers before raising back up and looking around. "Looking for this?" Spike asked, holding up the towel he had in his hands.

"Toss it, Spike," Xander told him. When Spike hesitated, he threatened, "Don't make me come over there and get it."

"Be my guest, pet," Spike said, waggling his eyebrows at the boy,who blushed. He held the towel up in the air and was waiting for Xander to admit defeat when he felt it being jerked from his hands. "Oi, what the hell!"

"Quit teasing Xander, Spike," Anya commanded. "Can't you see he's cold?"

"P-p-please g-g-give m-m-me the t-t-towel," Xander said, his teeth beginning to chatter from the cold and the nervousness he was feeling.

"I'll wipe you off," Anya said, going over to Xander's bed and drawing the covers back. She looked over at the two vampires as she started to wipe Xander off not listening to his protests. "Go and get some new blankets and sheets for the bed. These are wet."

Spike and Angel looked at her their mouths dropped open at the way she was ordering them about. Just as Spike was about to make one of his sarcastic comments, they heard Xander yelp in pain as Anya passed the towel over his burned abdomen.

"Ow, shit, Ahn, what the fuck are you doing?"

"Oh, Xander don't be bashful. It's not like I've never seen you naked before, because I have plenty of times," she said as she continued to run the towel over his body, not paying attention to what she was doing. As she neared his leg, Angel jumped forward and grabbed the towel from her hand.

"What are you doing? I'm taking care of my boyfriend," Anya snapped.

"Right. You're being such a good nurse that you didn't bother to notice that he's got a bad burn on his abdomen and his leg? What the hell do you think he was yelling for woman!" Angel asked angrily, as he finished drying Xander off. He threw the towel to the side and he and Spike put the clean boxers that Cordelia had bought on Xander.

"Well, nobody told me he got burned now did they? I haven't seen him in months and then I find out from his friend that he's in the hospital but she didn't tell me what happened or why. How was I supposed to know?"

"Yeah, right cause the fact that you can actually see> the burns didn't give that away," Spike snorted.

Anya watched as Spike and Angel helped Xander off the bed and over to a chair before Angel went to get some clean bedding. She continued to watch Spike as he began stripping the bed. After a few minutes she walked over to Xander and knelt down beside the chair.

"Xander, I'm so glad you're home. I've been missing having sex with you," she proclaimed to the whole hospital it seemed as Xander blushed and Spike and Angel, who had just reentered the room, started laughing. Xander had always been attracted to people who stated their minds, such as Buffy and Cordelia, but Anya was a little too over the top.

"I need to talk to you about that, Anya," Xander began, uncertain how to tell her he was gay. “I...uh....well...Imetaguyandwe'resortaseeingeachother." he spit out all in one breath. Angel and Spike noticed the 'sorta' part and smiled.

"What did you just say?"

*Damn, now he would have to repeat this over again*. "I said that while I was gone I met a guy and we've been seeing each other. I'm sorry if I hurt you, it's nothing against you...you're a very beautiful girl, but we really didn't have a relationship just a sex thing and now that I'm gay, well that doesn't work too well because you're a girl and I like guys, so wrong parts," Xander babbled.

"You're gay," Anya screeched in disbelief. Xander turned a deep red and looked at Angel and Spike for help, but they were too amused to be of any help. Glad someone was finding this humorous, he thought.

"I'm...well, yeah...I don't know it's just that I tried the guy/guy thing and I found that I liked it...a lot...quite a lot...best I've ever had." He said, blushing again.

"I don't believe you, Xander Harris. I think you're lying to me."

"He is lying to you. Xander hasn't had the best yet," Spike smirked.

"Not helping, Spike," Xander growled. Spike just kept smiling as he helped Angel finish making the bed.

"You've obviously grown tired of me if you're gay now," Anya said sadly. "I mean I've seen it happen to hundreds of women over the centuries, I just never thought it would happen to me, especially my boyfriend being gay. What did I do to make you gay?"

"Anya, you didn't do anything to make me gay. I just realized that's what I wanted. There's more to a relationship than sex," Xander tried to explain to her. "Well, there should be, anyway. But that was the problem. All you wanted was the sex and I wanted more than that. A relationship is something that you work at, work through, together and we just didn't do that."

"I don't understand. I'm pretty, I'm young. Why don't you want to take advantage of me anymore? Is something wrong with your body? Is that why you're lying to me about being gay?"

"There's nothing wrong with my body, and I'm not lying," Xander told her, as Angel and Spike nodded their assent. No, there was definitely nothing wrong with that body.

"Well, there must be. I saw that wrinkled man on tv talking about erectile dysfunction."

"Whoa, hey, all systems go here," Xander said as he stood up and pointed at his body. He started over to the bed and Angel and Spike helped him in, tucking the covers around him like he was a little kid. "No function problem okay?"

"Thank goodness for that," Spike muttered as Angel snickered.

"You know, a year and a half ago I could have eviscerated you with my thoughts," Anya told Xander, as all three men looked at her in fear. "Now I can barely hurt your feelings. Things used to be so much simpler."

"I know. You take the killing for granted," Spike agreed with her, trying to calm the girl down, as the other two gave him dirty looks. "But then it's gone and you're like I wish I'd appreciated it more. Stopped and smelled the corpses you know?"

"Yeah," Anya agreed, walking over to him. "Now everything's so complicated.

"It's a terrible thing, love is. I've been there myself" Spike said, sighing heavily as he continued the act. "It ended badly."

"Course it did," Anya agreed. "It always does. I've seen a thousand relationships. First there's the love and sex and then there's nothing left but vengeance, that's how it works."

"That's the problem, Ahn. There was sex there but we weren't really in love. It was totally my fault because you know with the gay thing, and I can understand you being angry because that's normal." Xander assured her.

"Yeah, this is the normal part of ending a relationship right before the vengeance begins," Anya said angrily.

"Right...no...vengeance?" Xander asked a little fearfully. He had just realized what Anya had said.

"Relax, I'm not going to do it," Anya snapped. "I'm just trying to say that we don't have anything in common anymore since you're gay, besides both of us liking your penis and now I don't even have that. So I get to say when it's done and it's done."

"Right then. Glad that's settled. You broke up with him so no need for that nasty vengeance thing," Spike said, trying to usher the girl out the door.

"Okay, you know what? You don't deserve to be the one to walk away from this. I've put up with a hell of a lot from you, much of that in the last minute, and if anyone gets to be the one to leave it's me...which I've already done and...and am now going to do again," Xander said, getting angry now and forgetting all about the vengeance. He got out of the bed and started walking towards the bathroom.

"You're leaving me?" Anya yelled, coming to a halt and crossing her arms in disbelief as Spike tried to get her to leave.

"Does it really matter who leaves who? Relationship over. Best of luck and all that," Spike told her, still trying to make the girl leave and wondering why Xander wouldn't just keep his mouth shut, even though he did look pretty when he was mad.

"Yes, I am. That's what I've been trying to tell you for the last fucking half hour." Xander told her, totally ignoring Spike's words. You never listened to anything I ever said unless the sentence ended in sex."

"Where are you going?" Anya yelled as he continued walking off.

"To the room known as the bathroom, the washroom, the little boy's room, the loo, ....whatever," Xander snapped as he walked inside the room.

"Well, then I'm leaving too," Anya said, finally walking towards the door. "To show how much I'm not bothered by you having sex with men. Because I'll be having more sex with many more men."

"I'm having sex with men already," Xander reminded her, never one to give someone the last word.

Angel and Spike looked at each and said, "Men?"

"Well, I will too," Anya stomped towards the door ignoring them for a minute before turning and facing the vampires. "Do you all want to have sex with me?"

They looked surprised at her question before Spike shook his head no and Angel said, "Sorry, can't - gypsy curse."

"Oh, yeah," Anya said, remembering the story the Scoobies had told her about the vampire. "Too bad. You are both very handsome and I'm sure you are very well built," she sighed, before heading out the door.

Xander came out of the bathroom and laid back down on the bed, adjusting it so that he was sitting up just a little. He sure hoped that Anya didn't get her powers back or he was one dead man. Xander glanced at Angel and Spike and saw them watching him.

"I might have to run as far away as I can get after that. Angel, you've been to hell. Do they have nice apartments there?" Xander asked.

"It depends on if they come with air conditioning," Angel answered as Spike laughed and Xander rolled his eyes at the older vampire.

It had been almost fifteen minutes since Anya had left and the room remained quiet. Angel and Spike were fussing over Xander, putting lotion on his burns as Xander fumed. He was going to kill Buffy for telling Anya where he was. Why couldn't she have just lied? She knew he wasn't up to this and now he had screwed everything up. He had hoped they would part friends instead of Anya stomping out, probably looking up her old boss D'Hoffryn right now so that she could wreak her havoc.

"Feel any better, pet?" Spike asked as he adjusted the pillow for the hundredth time.

"Oh, I feel just peachy thanks," Xander snapped. He watched as Spike got a hurt look on his face and his stomach dropped. Why was he taking it out on Spike? The vampire had done everything in his power to help him, and now here he was yelling at him.

As Spike went to walk away from the bed, Xander grabbed his arm. When Spike raised his head, Xander said, "I'm fine. I'm just a little cranky is all, and I shouldn't take my mood out on you. Sorry." he muttered, staring at the two vampires.

Spike was looking at him, confusion, worry and hurt mixed together in his blue eyes. Angel stood on the other side of the bed, looking broody and miserable and Xander felt a slight tug at his heart for the pain he was causing both of them. All of them. He decided it was time to quit playing these games and lay everything out while no one else was around. Xander knew Buffy and probably the other Scoobies would not be too happy with him if they found out what he had done, but suddenly he realized he didn't seem to care about their opinions quite as much as he used to. Angel and Spike deserved to be happy after everything they had been through.

Just as Spike was about to sit down on the bed, he felt a tingle go through him and he put his hand to his head. "Shit, this was different."

"What happened, Spike?" Angel asked with concern, as he sat down on the other side of Xander. "Did the chip zap you again? Are you in pain?"

*He better not be* Xander thought angrily towards the Oracles before focusing his attention on Spike. This was the sign, he just knew it.

"No, I'm not in any pain. It was sort of a tickly type sensation that went through my whole body, starting with the chip." Spike answered him.

Xander shifted uncomfortably in the bed as he started getting excited about telling Spike and Angel about their gifts, despite the fear of losing both men. His moving around in the bed had made his burns start to flare in pain again, and he let out a moan.

Angel and Spike jumped up from the bed. "Do you need me to get you one of the pain pills the doctor left for you?" Angel asked. Xander shook his head.

"I need to be at least a little aware of what I'm saying when I say it and I want to do it before somebody else happens by. What I have to tell you shouldn't be heard by anyone but you two, unless you want to tell the others later on. It's your call. But just so I can say that I did warn you, I definitely wouldn't let Buffy or the rest of the Scoobies in on my little presents to you guys. It might get kind of ugly."

"We can wait for the presents later, Xander. You're in pain thanks to that stupid bint. I can smell it on you, see it in the way you move, can see it in your eyes. You're like an open book or something just waiting to be read," Spike told him, getting ready to move away from the bed. Xander just held him firmly by the arm until Spike quieted down.

"No. Pain.Medication. Not yet, anyway. Maybe later because I'm not good at playing the martryr role. But right now I just want you two to sit here and let me tell you something." Xander said, excited to see their reactions when he told them. Spike and Angel sat back down on the bed and Xander took Spike's left hand and Angel's right hand and held them.

Spike looked down at the feel of Xander's warm hand in his and squeezed it gently before asking, "I take it we don't have to open these presents seeing as how we've only got one free hand." Xander blushed and started to let go but both vampires held on tight. "Hey, I didn't mean it that way." Spike protested.

Xander smiled at him before he started. "You remember when I woke up the first time and I was so scared and I thought I was going to die because something was strangling me and I know you all were trying to help and all but I was scared and I blacked out?" Xander said all in one sentence.

Angel laughed at the boy's excitement. It was good to see him smiling again. "I think I know what you just said and yes we remember."

"Well, I left here. I mean I went into another reality or something. It was scary but kinda cool too. I did time travel." he said proudly.

"You mean you died?" Spike asked, knowing that couldn't be, but still scared.

Xander looked at Spike who had a death grip on his hand. He was just about to tell the vampire that it hurt when he realized it would give his surprise away, so he just let him keep on squeezing.

"No, not like that. I ended up in this place that looked like the inside of a big Greek temple. I was kinda scared at first, but then this man and woman walked out wearing togas and stuff. They said they were the Oracles. A conduit to the Powers That Be."

Angel's mouth dropped open in shock as he stared at Xander. "Are you sure that's who they were? I mean Doyle said that only a warrior with a pure heart could enter the sanctity of the temple of the Oracles."

"They were definitely higher beings. They knew everything that had happened down here. They told me that the Powers That Be wanted to know why I fought against evil, being as I'm only a mortal. At first I got angry because I thought they were going to laugh at me or something. I told them I did it to help my friends, to protect people. That's when they told me that the PTB wanted to reward me for my years of helping the slayer and destroying the Initiative. The man said that Buffy was supposed to be the one that did it, but her judgment had been clouded by...uh...heregoandherloveforRiley." he finished quickly, not really wanting to talk about his friend like that.

Angel and Spike laughed at the boy's rushed words. "So the slayer let her ego and Riley get in the way of doing what she was supposed to do and you ended up having to do her job?" When Xander nodded, amusement turned to anger. "The bloody bint could have gotten you killed."

"She didn't know, Spike. The Oracles said the PTB only guide their warriors to where they need to be. They can't tell them what to do except like when Doyle's having his visions. Oh, by the way, I told them they were being mean to Doyle by making the visions hurt and it wasn't fair to him cause he was on their side," Xander stated petulantly.

Angel shook his head. Only Xander would think to rim the Oracles out for something they did. These people were higher beings who were used to people bowing down to them and bringing them gifts, instead of questioning them. He had heard tales of the Oracles hurting people who were insolent when them, but they hadn't done that with Xander. Instead, they were rewarding him. It was totally unheard of.

"So you got onto them for causing Doyle pain? And you didn't even take them a gift?" Angel asked him.

"Was I supposed to? Cause they didn't mention anything about it." Xander said looking worried.

"No, I guess as long as they summon you instead of the other way around, you don't have to bring a gift," Angel said, watching relief flood over the boy's face. "You never answered my question about Doyle."

"Oh, that. Yeah, I guess I kinda told them what I thought about it."

"Did they get mad at you?" Spike asked, not knowing much about the Oracles except from hearsay. Yet somehow he knew that Xander had gotten away with something that most people didn't.

"Nope. The woman said that she would see what she could do about easing up on him a little. Just do me a favor and don't tell him. I don't want to get his hopes up and then something go wrong, ok?" Xander asked.

"You have our word, pet. So they gave you a reward, huh? What was it?" Spike was curious to see what the boy would say.

"They told me I could have anything I wanted including immortality or superpowers. Guess which one I picked?" Xander teased, his pain forgotten. This was fun.

"Superpowers," Angel guessed as Spike said Immortality." Either one would be good as far as the vampires were concerned.

"You're wrong, Spike," Angel looked knowingly at Spike. "I listened for two hours one day to a debate between Doyle and Xander over who had the better super powers, Spiderman or Superman. I've heard Xander go on and on about what he would do with any power. They ranged from being invisible so he could spy on people to having superhuman strength like us or Buffy. It's definitely superpowers."

"You're wrong, peaches. If Xander had immortality, he wouldn't have to worry about ever dying so he could just continue to throw himself into a fight, get killed and come back. He wouldn't need any powers to help him then." Spike argued. He thought he knew the boy better than Angel.

"Who's right?" Angel asked, prepared to say 'I told you so'"

"Yeah, tell Angel he's wrong as usual," Spike grinned, knowing he would be able to stick his tongue out at his sire and have his na-na-na-na-na-na moment.

"You're both wrong," Xander said, and watched with glee as the vampires did a double take at his answer.

"See...What?" they both asked at the same time, not believing their ears.

"I said you're both wrong. I didn't choose either one of those things, although I did think about it for a minute, well quite a few minutes actually. But I didn't destroy the Initiative to get a reward. I did it to stop them from hurting my friends. I killed a human being, so I didn't deserve a reward," Xander said, looking ashamed.

"So you're telling us that two higher beings with the powers to grant you anything you wanted offered you a reward and you turned it down?" Spike asked, angry that Xander would even think about turning his back on an offer of immortality, superpowers or anything else for that matter, just because he felt guilty for killing a woman who, in his opinion got everything she deserved. "You didn't do anything wrong, luv. That woman would have killed you if you hadn't shot her. She was the devil incarnate. Shit, you've been around the poof too long. His guilt fests are rubbing off on you."

"Hey," Angel protested. "How is it my fault? I wasn't even there? And I don't have guilt fests."

"Yes, you do. You sit around all day brooding about what you can feel guilty over and then you feel guilty for brooding all day. It's a vicious circle, mate and it needs to stop before you drive yourself crazy." Spike retorted.

"Thank you for that little bit of Psyche 101, Professor Spike," Angel snapped back. "Your check is in the mail."

"Knowing the state of your business, it will probably bounce," Spike shot back. "I accept cash only."

"Guys, guys. I don't want you to argue. I was just teasing. I didn't walk away empty handed. Do you think I'd be that stupid?" Xander asked, a little angry at that thought.

The two vampires looked totally repentant. "Of course not, pet." Spike answered before Angel's "Not in the least."

"So what did you ask for?" Spike asked.

"I got my heart's desire." Xander said proudly.

Angel and Spike exchanged glances, their argument forgotten. Xander's hearts desire would be love which would mean - Lindsey. They turned to face the boy sitting in front of them. "What's your heart's desire, Xander?" Angel asked, afraid of what he would hear. *So help me, if he says Lindsey I am going to destroy this room*.

"I had two choices really, but the Oracles helped me with one," Xander said, his voice cracking a little at the thought of Spike and Angel being together without him. *And the part of the jilted non lover goes to Xander Harris*. Xander shook his head at that thought. *I've definitely been spending too much time with Cordy*.

"Just tell us before we throttle you," Spike threatened.

"O.K. Well, I got onto them about you too, Angel. I told them it wasn't a very strategic move to have their champion walking around with a removable soul. I said it wasn't fair that you couldn't find someone and fall in love." Xander watched as Spike and Angel glanced at each other, guilty looks on their faces. The Oracles had been right. Xander knew it was the truth just by looking at them. He tried to control his emotions as he went on, "They told me something really interesting. They said your soul was permanent. Told me it had been since you went to hell."

"What are you talking about?" Angel asked, hoping he had heard Xander right, knowing that was the reason he hadn't lost his soul the other night with Spike.

"Listen, closely Angel. They merged Angel and Angelus together while you were in hell. You're one person now. There is no way you can lose your soul."

"Congratulations, peaches," Spike said, trying to sound innocent. He leaned over to hug Angel and heard the older vampire whisper, "Told you it was perfect, Spike." as he grabbed Spike and hugged the younger vampire to him before kissing Spike on the lips. The kiss started out as just a quick brush of the lips but soon it was full blown kissage. Xander watched as a mixture of jealousy and arousal threatened to wash over him. He tried his best to control it though, knowing that the vampires would sense it.

By the time the two vampires remembered where they were and who they were with it was too late. Spike reached over to grab Xander's hand but the boy pulled away before saying, "I'm happy for you two, but let me finish because I'm really ready for that pain killer now." Xander wanted to see Spike's reaction to the news of his chip being out before they left and when he said he needed that pain killer it was not only for his physical pain but emotional as well.

Spike tried not to look hurt at Xander's brush off while Angel looked concerned. "What's the news? What did you ask for then?" Spike asked.

"Before I tell you I just want you to know that I thought both of my choices were equally important. If the Oracles hadn't helped me out with Angel's problem, I'd probably still be there trying to decide."

Spike looked at the boy before his brain registered what Xander had said. Was he going to say what Spike thought he was going to say? Could he get that lucky? Could the boy be that stupid?

Xander smiled as he held out his arm. "Bite me, Spike."

Those three simple words, Xander's smile and the happiness in the boy's eyes confirmed what Spike thought he knew. He jumped up off the bed and started pacing around the room, a mixture of emotions running their course. Hope, happiness, sadness and anger. After a few minutes he whirled around to face Xander.

"Tell me you did not do what I think you did," Spike growled.

Xander looked at Spike, confusion written all over his face. What had he done wrong? He thought Spike would be happy about this. "What's wrong, Spike? Aren't you happy? You have to know what I'm trying to tell you. Remember that tingling sensation you got earlier? Did it feel like someone laying their hand on your head? Someone with power?"

Angel had been sitting in stunned surprise ever since Spike had jumped off the bed. Now he understood what Xander had done and he thought he knew exactly what Spike was thinking. He would have felt the same way if Xander had chosen having Angel's soul be permanent. But one look at Xander's face made him realize that it would crush the boy if Spike got mad. Angel stood up and made his way to Spike, hoping to get to him before he started one of his rants. He failed.

"What the fuck were you thinking? You gave up being immortal, living forever for the stupid chip? Why would you do that? Is your mind stuck on repeat? Chip, chip, chip. You're more obsessed with the bloody thing than I am," Spike yelled.

"Spike, stop it." Angel warned, grabbing Spike's arm and pulling him into a hug. He just wanted to ward off any further damage that Spike might do, not realizing that he was adding his own damage to Spike's pile by his actions.

"You ungrateful bastard! I only wanted to help you and now you're acting like I'm the one that put it in there in the first place. God, to think I've been so...I couldn't wait to...get out, both of you just get the fuck out of my hospital room. Go find another playpen to play in tonight." Xander's hurt at Spike's reaction was being replaced with anger.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Spike snapped, raising his head up off of Angel's shoulder and pulling out of his embrace.

"Exactly what I said. God, you must think I'm really stupid."

"Well, now that you mention it, yeah," Spike huffed.

"That's enough you two." Angel hissed, trying to intervene before it got worse than it already had. "We need to calm down, stop saying things we don't mean and think this through."

"Oh, that's rich coming from you," Xander snapped. "You weren't thinking about calming down the other night when you fucked Spike in my room. And how much time did you spend thinking about the consequences of your actions, Angel? Two or three seconds?"

Now he had their full attention. "How did you---" Angel began before Xander interrupted him.

"I guess you're right, Spike. You know, when you say I'm stupid. I was up there in front of the fucking Oracles going on and on about how they could have at least dropped Angel a line to let him know that his soul was permanent so that he could be with someone and that smug son of a bitch just grinned at me and said they thought he knew since you and Angel fucked each other in my hospital room right there on the floor!" Xander gestured wildly at the floor, the pain escalating. He looked upwards in the direction of the ceiling as he yelled, "Yeah, that's right! I called you a smug son of a bitch! And I'm not taking it back either!" he added childishly before covering his face with his hands.

Angel and Spike watched as Xander sat that way for a few minutes before he wiped his face with his hands and looked at them, brown eyes full of anger and repressed tears. "I'm a fool. I always place my trust in the wrong people. I am so fucking desperate to believe anything anyone tells me that I latch onto anyone that shows me the slightest amount of attention. Oh, sure trust me, be my friend, care about me and I'll care about you, I'll steer you around the curves. It lasts for awhile until someone new comes along, or they're through using you, or they get bored with you, or they get smarter than you which in my case doesn't take that long. Then it's oh, I've got plans, try tomorrow or been nice knowing you. See ya later pal. I'm done seeing how much I can get you to dance on my puppet strings. Run along, stay out of the way you'll only get hurt, just get out of my sight."

"It's my own fault you know. I've always been naive, too trusting,too fucking needy. My dad said I was unlovable, a loser and guess what? He was right. Even that asshole Principal Snyder once told me that what I said was worth nothing. To quote him, "Harris, whatever comes out of your mouth is a meaningless waste of breath. An airborne toxic event." Guess what? For once I agree with the dead jerk. I never got to tell him how glad I was he got eaten by that big snake."

Angel and Spike just looked at one another, all of Spike's anger forgotten by this Xander diatribe. They had heard Xander and Willow babble before, but this was way beyond anything they had ever heard. Xander was on his way to full blown hysteria. The vampires slowly approached the bed acting like they were trying to trap a scared rabbit.

"Pet, look I'm sorry. You know I have a temper. It's just that I got upset that you asked to have my chip removed even after you risked your life to get information that would get it out. For all you knew, the chip had already been removed, so why waste your reward on me when you could have immortality or super powers? Things that would help you in a fight. Something to help us keep you around here longer?"

"Because....because I just wanted to help you. So what if I'm the Jimmy Olsen of the group?

"The who of the group?" Angel asked.

"Actually, The Who was a group. Dru and I met them in the 70's sometime, ate a couple of their backup band members. It was a good time." Spike interrupted the flow of conversation. Xander and Angel just rolled their eyes at him before Xander answered Angel's question.

"Okay, Jimmy Olsen - Gee, Mr. White, if Clark and Lois get all the stories, I'll never be a good reporter." Xander said in a high,whiney voice, giving them his best Jimmy Olsen imitation, before spreading his arms in a ta-da gesture.

"I think I speak for both of us when I say huh?" Spike said, not getting the joke. It appeared Angel didn't either.

"Jimmy Olsen joke, sir. Pretty much gonna be lost on you all. Hey, it's okay. Nobody gets them. Let me explain this in a way I think you'll understand. I bring out two responses in people. The first one is the utter hatred where I get remarks like 'I'm gonna carve you up and serve you with gravy' or 'you piss me off, boy. Now you pay the price' or 'Let's kill Xander, it'll be fun' or the ever fun 'I'm gonna break every one of your fingers'. The second one is the 'he's the Zeppo who can't find his own ass with a flashlight so we have to protect him' response where I get remarks like 'It's best you stay out of harms way' or 'best if you stay out of trouble' or 'maybe you should hang back more to the rear' or my very favorite one ever 'you need to stop leaping into the fray. You need to be more fray-adjacent'. The Scoobies fit the second category. And it's not fair that they think of me like that. I mean it's not like I haven't helped them before. You know, I've done some quality violence for those people. Do they even think about that? I mean they act like I'm some sorta klutz."

"You're not a klutz, luv. Well, not anymore anyway." Spike tried to reassure Xander.

"Fine. What I'm trying to say is while I'm telling them we'll handle it together, that I'm there for them and they just need to tell me what I can do they send me to get doughnuts. I'm the friggin doughnut boy, the lame ass, the Zeppo, the boy who has no cool." Xander sighed. "In L.A. even though you all worried about me, I got to fight ghosts and be an undercover guy. For the first time in my life I felt needed. I thought it was different with you guys but I see now that it's not. No one respects that I can handle myself. That's why you wanted me to opt for immortality. Cause you expect me to get hurt or killed. Well, I've got news for you all. I'm human. Someday, hopefully in the very distant future, I will die. I didn't want to be immortal or have some kind of super power. I want to be loved and respected for just being Xander. So live with it guys. I'm still the expendable one."

At those words the vampires rushed Xander, grabbing him in a tight embrace, one on each side. Xander heard Angel growl, "Don't ever say that. You're not expendable, not to us. We can't lose you."

"Okay, oxygen becoming an issue here," Xander told them as he hugged them back. They sat back on the bed still holding onto his arms. "I'm glad you feel that way but it still hurts when you yell at me because I try to do something nice for you, while you two are down here doing something that could bring Angelus out to kill us all starting with yours truly. You act like you don't want me to be hurt and then you set me up to get killed."

Spike looked down at his hand that was holding Xander's as Angel tried to explain. "It was comfort sex. We were both worried about you and we did something dangerous. Spike assured me that he would protect you and the others and I believed him. As far as the chip issue goes I think I know how Spike feels. You said you had two major decisions to make, Spike's chip coming out and my being able to make love with someone - to have perfect happiness." Xander nodded his head. "You shouldn't have wasted your reward on thinking about us. You should have thought of yourself."

"But I did. I was selfish about my choice." When Angel and Spike looked at him in confusion, he explained, "I made them promise not to take Spike's chip out until I could see his face. I wanted to be the one to tell him. I wanted to see him smile and be happy like he used to before this damned Initiative shit. Like he did earlier today. I love to see you two smile. It's a good look for both of you and it's an extra added bonus when I'm the one that makes you all smile. That makes me selfish.

"I care about you both...a lot...and I just want you to be happy. I mean everyone deserves to have love in their life or to be their true self and both of you were robbed of those things. I've lived 19 years as a normal Joe, so who needs super powers or immortality? I don't care about that stuff. I care about you all." Xander blushed as he realized that he had finally said too much. Now was the moment that they would tell him that they loved him as part of their family but they loved each other in that special way - the way that didn't include him.

Spike was tired of doing this dance. It was time to take some action. He knew what Xander was trying to say in his own Xanderesque way. Xander loved them. Spike leaned over until he was nose to nose with Xander, felt the hitch in Xander's breath, heard his heart speed up and smelled the arousal. "I love that you did this for me. No one has ever given me something so freely before. I love my present and I love you." he whispered, right before he brushed his lips against Xander's.

Spike felt like he had been hit with a live electrical wire when his lips finally met the boy's, because as soon as they met Spike felt every one of his nerves in his body start to tingle from the contact. God, he had waited so long for this. After he brushed his lips across Xander's he sat back up, anxiously awaiting Xander's reaction.

Xander reached over and cupped his hand around the back of Spike's neck as he pulled him back onto the pillow with him. He positioned them so that Spike's face was buried in the crook of his neck and then he whispered, "Bite me, Spike. Please?" Xander didn't know why he wanted the bite so bad. The only time he had ever been bitten before was when that Marcus guy bit him and it had hurt like hell. Angel had told him that some vampire bites could be quite erotic and for some reason he wanted to test that theory.

Spike smelled Xander's arousal, heard his heartbeat quicken and he couldn't stop himself. His face turned into his demon visage and he leaned into Xander, slowly licking up and down Xander's collarbone before laying small, whisper soft kisses along the path he had made with his tongue. Damn, Xander tasted so good. Spike let one of his fangs trace slowly and sensuously down the same path along the boy's collarbone and he had to smile when he heard Xander moan in pleasure. Spike felt the boy thrust his hips up off the bed into the air, his cock hard and searching for contact. Spike heard Xander's moan turn into a groan of pain as the burns on his stomach and left leg started to hurt from the motion.

Spike raised up a little and as he put his hands over to still Xander so he wouldn't hurt himself he felt Angel's hand on the boy's left hip. Spike glanced over to see Angel looking at Xander, the older vampire mesmerized by the small trickle of blood on Xander's collarbone. His attention was turned back to Xander as the boy pulled Spike's head towards him again, his words begging, "Spike, please need you to bite me, want you, God I need ----" Xander's voice trailed off.

"What do you need, luv," Spike softly whispered, waiting for Xander's response.

"Need you touching me, feeling me, kissing me - God I need you," Xander answered, his mouth open and his breathing come in short gasps as he was overcome with the need to have Spike just take him right there in the hospital bed.

"Easy, pet, all in good time. Don't want to hurt your injuries. Just lay still and let me do this," Spike soothed as he leaned down and gently but firmly sank his fangs into Xander's collarbone. The taste of Xander's blood and skin earlier had been arousing but the feel of the rich liquid flowing into Spike's mouth was more than intoxicating, it was overwhelming. He took in a few long drinks before he felt Angel's hand on his shoulder. "Enough," he heard Angel tell him, his voice husky with desire. Yes, this was definitely affecting Angel as well.

Xander was shaking with desire and pain as Spike lapped up the rest of the blood and gently licked it to heal the wound. His whole body was on fire and he knew it wasn't just from the burns. Xander felt like he would explode if someone didn't relieve this aching need and soon. "Please, please stop teasing and take me, have me, do whatever you want to me." Xander was still begging, just waiting for someone to help him find his release. He had been so wound up and afraid that the bite would hurt, but instead he felt like he could cum for months, he was that turned on.

Xander's eyes were closed in ecstasy and he tried once again to thrust his cock up against the covers trying anything to relieve his over sensitized member. Just as Spike was pulling away from his collarbone, Xander looked up through hooded eyes and saw Angel leaning down towards him. Before he could register what was happening, Angel's mouth was on him, kissing his way along Xander's jawbone and making his way to Xander's mouth. Angel stopped himself before he could kiss Xander but was pleasantly surprised to hear Xander whisper, "Need you too, Angel. God, I'm so screwed. I want you both so much. Please, one of you, both of you.....take me, love me, want me.....please?"

"We want you," Angel assured him kissing the right corner of Xander's mouth, "we need you," he kissed the left corner of the boy's mouth, "and we love you." Angel finished, kissing Xander's top lip leaving his mouth hovering over the boy's. "The question is, do you really want this?"

"Yes, I do, but I don't want to get in between you and Spike. I did that once before with you and Buffy and then there's Lindsey and I don't want another Xander/Willow/Cordy/Oz moment you know. I'd like to think I've learned from my past mistakes."

"You have," Angel assured him as he leaned in and captured Xander's mouth in a passionate kiss. He wanted to erase Lindsey's name from the boy's mouth. Xander belonged with him and Spike and he was going to make sure he knew that.

Xander felt Angel's mouth on his and lost himself to the touch and taste of the vampire, all thoughts of his past mistakes leaving his mind, as his body responded to the kiss. He wrapped his arms around Angel's neck as they continued to kiss, his right hand carding through Angel's hair. When the kiss ended, Xander looked up at Angel through heavy lidded eyes and asked, "What about Spike? I love him too and so do you, right?" That thought made him come back to his senses and he shook off the arousal that was still playing inside of him. He had to have answers first.

Spike had walked over to the hospital door and locked it, making sure that no one interrupted what he and Angel had planned for Xander. He made it back to the bed just as Xander said he loved him. His heart felt like it had leaped into his throat when Xander had proclaimed his love for Spike. This day couldn't get any better. First the chip was out and now he knew that not only Angel but Xander as well, loved him. He waited for Angel to answer Xander's question.

"Yes, I love Spike just as much as I love you. I don't know how it happened, only that it did. I was so afraid that I would never be able to show you two just how much I loved you without Angelus returning but now that he's a part of me I can truly love both of you." Angel answered honestly, as he reached for Spike's hand and brought him onto the bed with him and Xander.

"What about you, Spike? Can you love both of us? I mean I know that you love Angel. I saw it that night in the bar after the fight, but can you share him with me? I know how possessive you can be, and I don't want to mess things up for you and Angel."

Spike rolled over onto the side of the bed and pulled Xander towards him as Angel spooned up behind the boy. His long, slim fingers ran up and down Xander's cheek before he ran his fingers through those silky locks he had become so addicted to. Spike felt Angel's arm encircle Xander, careful to avoid his waist, and he put his free arm over across Angel's, caressing it as he answered.

"You are what brought us here in the first place, Xander," he explained as he watched the emotions play across the boy's face. Hope, happiness, fear, arousal and most importantly, love. "I was in love with you and so was Angel, so we had a talk while you were gone and decided that we could share as long as you could, luv. Can you handle this?"

Xander lay quietly for a minute, thinking through what he had heard and how he felt. "I don't know. It's kinda scary for me. I've never been able to handle a relationship just one on one with someone, much less one on one on one or whatever. I can't imagine why two guys like you would want someone like me, but even though I'm scared I'll screw this up I've never wanted anything so much in my entire life."

"Honesty. It certainly is refreshing," Spike said, before placing a kiss on each of Xander's cheeks before he kissed him gently on the lips. When he was done, he looked into Xander's eyes and asked, "What about Lindsey? Are you saying it's over between the two of you?" Spike could have kicked himself for bringing up the attorney's name but he had to know how Xander felt about Lindsey before there could be anything between the three of them. He and Angel lay nervously waiting for Xander's answer.

"Shit, I probably should break up with him before we do anything. That would be the right thing to do, but since when have I ever done anything the right way before?" Xander asked himself.

"So you don't love Lindsey anymore?" Angel asked hopefully.

Xander turned so he was facing both vampires and sighed. "I don't think I ever really, truly loved Lindsey. I couldn't let myself. Our relationship was complicated. I don't know if I can make you all understand."

"Give it a try, Xander," Spike coaxed. "As much as Angel and I want this, we don't want to push you into something and we can't enter into this relationship with Lindsey hanging over our heads."

"Lindsey could be gentle, loving and everything I ever wanted in a lover. He made me feel like I was the most important person in the world to him and I loved that, because it was the first time in my whole entire life that I have felt that way," Xander's voice faltered at the memories of his times with Lindsey, how he had felt so special, so loved and so cared for. "But it's like he's two different people and it's that other person that I couldn't bring myself to love. He scares me."

Angel's and Spike's heads jerked up at Xander's words. Spike reached over and caressed Xander's chest before asking, "Did he do something to hurt you, pet? Is that what that note and the big basket of flowers was for?" Spike asked, ready to kill Lindsey if he had hurt Xander in any way.

Xander shook his head, before he looked over at Angel. "No, the flowers were after our argument about Angel. Angel, I know I should have told you this before, but I didn't know how. You know Lindsey and you know the law firm he works for and you don't like either one of them."

"I know," Angel stated simply.

Xander looked at him in surprise. "How? I mean you do know that he's Lindsey McDonald, but do you know that he works for Wolfram and Hart and that he was the attorney for that vampire you threw out the window?"

"Yes, and I'll tell you right now that I hate that smug son of a bitch and the law firm that he works for. Xander that place is ----" Angel began to rant before Xander reached up and put his fingers to Angel's lips to stop him.

"Weird. I know. I felt it every time I went there. But in all fairness, you can't blame Lindsey for what Wolfram and Hart is like. Sure they're a bunch of ruthless lawyers - that's one thing I hated about Lindsey. I watched him in court one time and he just changed right in front of my eyes. It was like he didn't care who he hurt as long as he won the case. I know lawyers are supposed to be ruthless sometimes but it was like he was getting off on the power."

"He probably was. Look, Xander I have to tell you something about Lindsey. I'm sorry I didn't figure out who he was until we spoke on the phone but now that I do, you really have to step back and see the whole picture."

"When did you talk to Lindsey?" Xander asked.

"Right before we came down here. I found out I could hurt demons without getting zapped by that friggin chip and I was excited. I wanted to tell you. So I called Lindsey's house." Spike told him.

"Oh, well I guess it's good that you found out who he was, but I meant to tell you Angel, really I did but it just never seemed like a good moment. I didn't want to have to defend him when I was uncertain about our relationship in the first place. I know you got mad at that vampire he was defending and everything but ---"

"That vampire killed a beautiful young woman who I was trying to protect. She got scared when she saw her name and address written down where Doyle had given it to me. She ran away before I could stop her and he killed her. He had also killed a friend of hers and he was trying to kill Cordy when I invaded his home."

"What! That vampire was going to kill Cordy? Lindsey never told me that."

"I don't know if he knew about it," Angel admitted. "However that law firm is evil and he knows that and yet he still works there. In my book that makes him evil too. I've had a lot of run ins with them. Before you came to Los Angeles, a demon kidnapped Doyle and tried to take his eyes because he's a seer. Wolfram and Hart bought him and they weren't just going to enslave him, they were going to remove his eyes and kill him. And that thing with Kate and the magic stick that made everybody go all sensitive? That was Wolfram and Hart also."

"Are you sure about this Angel? Shit, they were going to kill Doyle? And Kate - well while you were a hoot and a half to watch as Mr. Sensitive Guy, she could have been killed by that Tony guy."

"What about Angel being Mr. Sensitive Guy?" Spike asked, interested in what Angel had done.

"I'll tell you about it later," Angel said before he answered Xander's question. "Yes, it was definitely Wolfram and Hart. The mage that did the spell told me so. It wasn't just Kate that was in danger either. You were trapped in there with a bunch of killers and crazy cops too remember?"

"Yeah. I don't know what to say," Xander said, upset that what he was afraid of was true. That Lindsey was like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He saw the look on Spike's face and knew he wasn't getting the whole story. "What else did Lindsey or that law firm do, cause I know you're not telling me everything."

"I'm sorry, pet. It's just that when I called him, he started getting all smart about how good you were in bed, bragging about how proud he was when you yelled his name as you came. He was basically relating everything you do in bed with him to me, Angel, Cordy and Doyle. All he talked about was your attributes, but nothing about what's inside you. What makes you so special. I called him on it and he said he was going to make sure he found you and made you quit working for Angel or being around us anymore."

"What! He said all that stuff in front of all of you? Including Cordy? Did he know he was being heard by all of you?" When Angel and Spike nodded their head, Xander got angry and a little fearful of his lover. "I am so going to kick his ass when I see him. How proud he was when I yelled his name? Didn't it mean anything to him that I was enjoying it or was it just a game to see if he could get me to do that? And what right does he have to tell everyone how good...or not good....I am in bed?"

"From the way we understood it you are definitely good," Spike smiled. "But I said a few things too, Xander. I told him I would have you for myself. I shouldn't have spoken for you, but hell, Xander I love you and I hated hearing him talk about you like you were a possession."

Xander looked at Spike, tears forming in his eyes. "Tell me you didn't say that just to goad Lindsey. I don't want to be with someone else who just gets off on his ego."

"Xander, if I hadn't meant it I wouldn't have said it. I could have goaded Lindsey in some other way. You know how annoying I can be, especially at 4:30 in the morning." Spike teased Xander, hoping to lift the boy's spirits.

"4:30 in the morning? Were you crazy?"

"Crazy with want and need. Wanting and needing to tell you the good news, wanting and needing you to see me happy, and wanting and needing to be in your arms." Spike answered honestly. "I was happy to have peaches with me but it still felt like something was missing and that something was you."

"Xander, I have to tell you something too," Angel said, unhappy at having to tell the young man what he had said. "Uh, well I was mad...no more like furious when I figured out who Lindsey was. I accused him of dating you to get to me and that's when he started talking like he did. I guess in a way it was my fault."

Xander looked unhappy for a moment before he asked Angel the question that was running through his mind. "Did you really think that? Do you think I'm that unattractive or annoying that I can't get anyone to fall in love with me, without there being an ulterior motive?"

"God, no, Xander," Angel answered, wrapping his arms around the boy and pulling him towards him. "I've been fighting my feelings for you for a long time now. I was afraid of what would happen if we got too close. I didn't want Angelus returning. But now that we know that won't happen, I can finally admit to you and to Spike how much I love both of you."

Xander and Spike smiled at his admission before Spike said, "And I love both of you. I never thought it was possible to love two people as much as I love the both of you. And if you agree to be with us I want to celebrate by finding a bar where I can take you two out and show you off." Spike said, before he saw the look on Xander's face. "I didn't mean it that way, pet. I don't think of you as a possession like that wanker, Lindsey. I just want everybody to know that I'm the luckiest vampire in the world."

Angel cleared his throat loudly. "One of the luckiest vampires in the world. That is if Xander will have us."

Xander looked uncertain for a minute. "I know how much I care for the both of you but I still can't believe you two would want me. I'm nothing special - not like you two anyway. But if you want me, I'm yours. And I know just the place we can go to celebrate. It's a club called Caritas. It's a human/demon karaoke bar. The guy that runs it is an empathy demon. He reads you while you sing, well in all truthfulness he can read you even when you're not, you know if you're upset or emotional or something, but especially when you sing."

"When did you go there?" Angel asked, not liking the fact that Xander had gone to a demon bar even if humans were allowed too.

"Yeah, you and demons. What's up with that, Xander?" Spike asked, thinking the same thing as Angel.

Xander laughed before he answered. "I went with Lindsey. He goes there and plays the guitar and sings. Actually, he's really good. Lindsey sang a song for me one night and Lorne read him and he usually doesn't tell other people what he feels but Lorne told me because.....well, he just likes me that's all, and I probably shouldn't have brought that up right now, so just know that it's a sanctuary. No fighting or violence of any kind."

"What did this Lorne fella tell you about Lindsey, Xander?" Spike asked, suspicious at the way Xander had cut off his tale and knowing there was something he didn't want to tell them.

"He said that...well that Lindsey clearly loved me, but it was almost to the point of....uh..... obsession. I've never been obsession material before and it kind of gave me the wiggins. I want to be a lover, a friend, a partner not an obsession. That's what scared me about Lindsey. I've been thinking of breaking it off with him or asking him to give me some space, but I never got around to it." Xander explained. "As a matter of fact, I hadn't really come to the conclusion that I was going to do that until I was away from L.A. and on my way here."

"Why? Are you planning on coming back here to live? You know,instead of Los Angeles?" Angel asked, afraid Xander would stay now that the Initiative was supposedly taken care of, although he had his doubts.

"That depends," Xander answered.

"Depends on what?" Spike asked.

"On you guys. Whether you really want me to be with you. And before you answer that I don't want you saying you want me because you feel sorry for me or because you're grateful or anything. I couldn't stand that. I didn't do what I did to make you all grateful, I did it because I love you and I just want you two to be happy, even if that doesn't include me as anything more than a friend."

"Told you we loved you didn't we?" Spike asked as he pulled Xander closer to him. He felt Angel move over and turn the boy to face Spike as he laid up behind Xander. "We don't say things we don't mean, well unless we're angry."

"Does this feel like I want you to stay here?" Angel whispered in Xander's ear before he nibbled the lobe and pressed his erection into Xander.

"Not really," Xander gasped, as he pushed back into Angel. He felt Angel kissing and sucking on his neck as Spike did the same to his nipples. After a few minutes he stopped them, saying, "You've both got way too many clothes on for my liking."

"Is that right?" Spike teased, giving Xander a long, passionate kiss before pulling away and standing up, holding his hand out to Angel. "Want to give the boy a show?" Angel smiled and took Spike's hand. Spike lifted the brunette vampire off the bed and they faced one another, each of them removing the other one's shirt before coming together in a kiss. Spike's mouth parted and Angel explored his mouth, touching every corner and crevice with his tongue. Spike's tongue returned the favor and soon they were grinding into one another, hands running across chests and playing with each other's nipples until they were hardened buds.

Xander watched as Angel reached down and unbuttoned Spike's jeans before pulling the zipper down and taking Spike's cock into his hand. The younger vampire's head was thrown back in ecstasy as Angel wrapped his hand around Spike's cock and started pumping up and down in a slow, gentle motion as he laid soft kisses along the blonde's throat. Angel worked his way down Spike's body, still placing kisses along his chest and abdomen before reaching his prize.

Angel stopped the motion long enough to take Spike's leaking erection into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the head and lapping up the pre-cum that had settled there. After a few minutes, he started pumping the hard shaft while still licking and nibbling at the head. Then he placed his mouth over the head and started sucking as his hand started to speed up along the rest of Spike's shaft.

"Yes...suck me....oh, shit.....Angel.....feels so good......so fucking good.....I've got to cum.....Angel!" Spike yelled out, as he shot his load into Angel's eager mouth. Angel swallowed every drop and then licked around the edge of Spike's cock before standing and kissing Spike, letting the younger vampire taste himself on Angel's mouth.

Spike reached over and undid Angel's pants and pulled them down before throwing Angel onto the bed. Angel's head was lying next to Xander's and he looked over to see the lust, need and want in those dark brown eyes. Xander pulled him into a kiss and moaned as he tasted both Spike and Angel's essence. He reached out and played with one nipple as his head ducked down to suck and nibble at the other.

Spike licked his way up Angel's body, starting at his feet and ending at Angel's erection. The younger vampire took Angel's cock into his hand and squeezed it gently, watching the pre-cum pool at the slit,before he stuck his tongue into the crevice and teasingly lapped the fluid from Angel's shaft. Spike started stroking Angel's cock as his tongue started licking Angel's balls. Spike reached behind Angel's balls and inserted his index finger into Angel's hole. He wriggled his finger until he felt the spot he was looking for and felt Angel arch off the bed, his body searching for relief.

Angel was lost in a sea of ecstasy. The feel of Xander's lips alternating from his mouth to his nipple, the feel of Xander's fingers pinching and rubbing his other nipple, the feel of Spike's tongue on his balls and finally the feel of pleasure when Spike's finger hit his sweet spot was too much of an overload on his senses. "Xander.....Spike.....need you.....want......I want.....oh, yeah, Spike there!" Angel yelled as his orgasm swept through him. Spike raised up and engulfed Angel's cock, swallowing the older vampire's semen.

After a few minutes, Angel turned to Xander, pulling the boy close as he started to kiss him hungrily. Spike pulled Xander's boxers off before he slid up behind Xander and started to place soft, whisper like kisses along the boy's back, as Angel kept on kissing him while playing with Xander's nipples until they were like pebbles.

Now it was Xander's turn to writhe in pleasure as he felt Spike's kisses and Angel's hands do their work on his body. He put every emotion he was feeling into his and Angel's kiss. Angel was overwhelmed by Xander's passionate responses and was almost ready to cum again, just from the feeling of Xander's soft lips on his. *My God, the boy can kiss*.

Spike saw Angel's reaction to Xander's kiss and wondered just what the boy was doing to him to make Angel hard so soon after the older vampire's orgasm. Spike continued kissing down Xander's back until he came to the boy's ass. He parted Xander's ass cheeks and thrust his tongue into the spasming hole. Spike felt Xander jerk as he moaned, "Oh, fuck what the hell? That's...that's....oh, my God that is so fucking incredible, Spike."

They continued this way for a few minutes before Spike reached up and grabbed the lotion from the bedside table. He quickly uncapped the lid and squeezed some out on his hand. Spike spread the lotion liberally over his cock, making sure he wouldn't hurt Xander before he positioned himself behind the boy and thrust his cock into Xander's hole. Spike moaned as he felt Xander's warmth and felt the squeezing muscles around his cock. He lay there for several minutes before starting to gently thrust in and out of the silky channel.

Xander threw his head back against Spike's neck, moaning in pleasure as his body pushed back to meet Spike's thrusts. As Angel kissed along his jawline and neck, Spike turned Xander's head towards him and captured his mouth in a kiss. Xander reached behind him and pulled Spike closer into the kiss as if he wanted to devour the vampire. Xander kissed, licked and nibbled Spike's lips, his finger's running through the vampire's hair. In between the kisses and nibbling Xander was begging for more. "Spike.....Angel.....fuck....feels so good....God I can't...believe.....how fucking good....faster Spike....deeper.....want you in me.... so deep that I can....taste your cum in my mouth..." It was then that Spike realized just what had affected Angel. Xander was giving them everything he had, not holding back anything, no touch unanswered, no emotion unfulfilled.

Angel made his way down the front of Xander's body until he reached Xander's weeping cock. He sucked on the head, his tongue dipping into the slit and tasting the pools of pre-cum that had started forming, before he took Xander's length all the way in until his nose was against the hair on Xander's body. He felt the boy's balls tighten as he played with them and felt Xander's hands digging into his shoulders and knew that Xander was about to cum. He swallowed around Xander's cock and that's all it took before the boy was crying out, spilling his seed into Angel's mouth.

"Oh, fuck....Angel....suck me.....Spike....fuck me harder....please....gotta cum," Xander yelled as he felt the most intense orgasm of his life run through his body. Spike continued to thrust in and out of Xander's spasming channel and it was everything he could do not to cum, but he wanted this to last much longer.

Angel got up and turned around on the bed so that his hard shaft was in front of Xander's face. He felt the boy's mouth on his erection and moaned as he leaned down and started licking around Xander's balls and back towards his perineum. His hand engulfed Xander's softened cock and he played with it, rubbing and pulling it with his fingers until he felt it hardening again. Angel took his other hand and gently nudged Xander's leg up as he made his way back behind the boy's balls until he was tasting the boy's essence mixed with Spike's. Both Xander and Spike moaned as Angel added his tongue into the warm channel. Angel shuddered at the taste and feel of what he was doing mixed with Xander's mouth on his own cock.

Soon all three had developed a rhythm as Angel's tongue licked up Spike's shaft on every thrust as he filled Xander's hole, Xander's head was bobbing up and down Angel's cock, taking him in as far as he could, while swallowing around the length and Spike had his arms around Xander, playing with the boy's nipples as he kissed Xander's neck while pounding into the boy's ass. After fifteen or twenty minutes of this, Xander could not take any more and he came, ropes of cum coating his and Angel's stomach as he moaned around Angel's shaft. The vibration of Xander's moan on his sensitive cock and the feel of Xander's warm semen on his body, made Angel come next. Spike's senses were going crazy and as he heard the moans and felt Xander's tight muscles clamping around his cock as he came made Spike tilt over the edge and he came with a cry, shooting his cool seed into Xander's hot channel.

"Xander...so fucking tight...so hot....Angel....you feel so good....don't stop.." he pleaded as his orgasm felt like it would never end. All three lay there for quite a few minutes as they came down from this last orgasm. Finally, Angel turned once again and reached over to grab the washcloth from the bedside table. He cleaned himself and Xander up before he lay down and wrapped his arm around both Xander and Spike. "This is the way it's always going to be. I can't live without either one of you. You're my life and I love you both with everything I have." he told them.

"Fuck yeah. I love you both, too. I'll never let either of you go. Who thought sharing could be this wonderful?" Spike asked as he sighed a much unneeded sigh.

Xander laughed and managed to say, "I love you Spike. I love you Angel. I don't know when it happened but you two have become my world, my everything." The vampires had to strain to hear the last as Xander drifted off to sleep, a smile on his face.

"I think we wore him out," Angel grinned at Spike, before leaning over the boy to kiss the younger vampire.

"Kinda sleepy now, myself. Just want to cuddle and sleep," Spike said as he lay back down. Soon all three were cuddled together, limbs intertwined as they slept a sated sleep.