In Thrall - 2/7 - B/W/T - R

["Hunter Ash" <carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx>]

In Thrall, Part 2/7
Red Moon Rising, Book 4

Author: Frau Hunter Ash 
Copyright © 2002 by Hunter Ash. All Rights Reserved.
Email: carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx Feedback welcome!!
Homepage Addy: http://www.hunterash.com/ 

Disclaimers: The characters and show all belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, 
Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, and God only knows who else. The storyline, 
however, is the sole property of the author. This story cannot be 
sold or used for profit in any way. Copies of this story may be made 
for private use only and must include all disclaimers and copyright 
notices.
F/F romance: the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship 
between people of the same gender and may even include 3 at the same 
time <G>. If this offends or is illegal for you, then please leave.  
Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed 
your laws. 

Spoilers: up to New Moon Rising

Summary: Angel and Cordelia try to figure out how to test the 
effects of Willow's spell as the others try to deal with the 
knowledge that she is handling extremely powerful magic. Buffy and 
Tara are also struggling to reconnect with Willow after her month 
long absence after fleeing Sunnydale.
Rating: R (US); 15 (UK); MA (Aus) Pairings: W/T/B, A/C, G/J, X/An

Author's Note: 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Carson settled into a chair in the darker part of the hotel bar with 
a vodka and fruit juice in front of him. Xander still glared at him 
occasionally but had settled into mostly ignoring the new vampire in 
their midst and Carson was grateful for that.  

He knew that Xander was part of Willow's family and he had the 
feeling he could like the annoying young man given time so he 
resisted growling at Xander.  

The vampire grinned as he looked up and saw Buffy, Tara and Willow on 
the dance floor together. Giles and Joyce weren't too far away and 
the ex-Watcher seemed determined to make up for his time in the 
wheelchair. Xander and Anya disappeared, presumably to their room, 
he thought.
Wesley was engaged in conversation with one of the bartenders and 
Carson wondered if the other Englishman was going to have company in 
his room that night. Given the body language and unspoken 
communication going on between the two, Carson thought it very likely 
and grinned.
He was also very pleased to see Willow relaxing and connecting again 
with Buffy and Tara. The vampire had encouraged her for the entire 
month they had been in Los Angeles to return to her lovers and now 
that she was back with them, he was more than happy to see the spark 
in her eyes. Carson was pleased with himself most of all.
The vampire hadn't felt any urge to vamp out while he was with Willow 
except when she was the werewolf. The former priest was also proud 
that he had spotted the inner spark inside the cowering, blood 
covered girl in the sewers that morning and had taken her in.
Now he was in the company of powerful witches, vampires with souls, 
and a group that was stronger than any family he had ever seen.  
Carson had a feeling he could make a home among them.
The only ones puzzling him now were Angel and Cordelia. They had 
been silent during the ride back to the hotel and had quickly made 
excuses to everyone before disappearing just outside the door to the 
hotel bar.
The vampire, far older than Angeleus/Angel, had learned to read 
people while he was still human and a priest. Living as a vampire 
who couldn't kill humans long before Angel had been cursed with a 
soul, had enhanced the gift of reading people like an open book. He 
figured if he ever got bored he could always take up psychology, he 
knew enough about human behavior to treat most anyone's problems.
Angel was deeply troubled about something and Cordelia was happy, 
scared, and confused.  

Carson had seen the lightning hit Angel but the vampire appeared 
unharmed and hadn't said anything so Carson kept quiet. Now he 
figured something was up with the other vampire and it was life-
giving or life shattering.

And at the center of all of it was Willow, he reflected.

Carson also knew that none of them, except maybe Angel and Giles, 
knew exactly what could be facing the girl or how powerful she was.
He spotted Willow making her way to the table and stood up as she 
approached. She laughed in delight at his chivalry and sat down 
across from him. Carson glanced over and saw Buffy and Tara 
continuing to dance.
"Time to talk, huh?" he asked with an impish grin.

Willow laughed and reached out to hold his hand. It was so good to 
see her laugh and smile, Carson thought.  

"Yeah," she agreed. "What are your plans now?"

"Well, I could go back to LA with Angel, work for them or grab back 
my job at the club. We still have the apartment," he pondered. "Or 
I could go back to Sunnydale and find my niche there."
"Would you work for Angel and them?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"Yes, they help people in trouble," Carson nodded. "I could do 
that. I don't know if I could join your group, Willow."
Willow frowned.

"I'm a vampire, Willow," Carson said gently. "I may not kill and 
I've never turned anyone but I'm still a vampire. I couldn't hunt 
others and kill them and that is what your group is called to do."
"But you're not a bad guy like the others," Willow protested.

"No, and given time they might not be either," he said. "I have to 
believe that my life, dead or alive, has purpose and that God put me 
here for a reason. If I can get my soul back, maybe others can too 
without the spell thing."
"You're going to try and convert vampires into being nice guys?" 
Willow asked in disbelief.
Carson shrugged, his face almost embarrassed. 

"I guess that describes it," he agreed. "I can try that in 
Sunnydale, it seems to draw the vampires or I can do that in LA."
Willow frowned, lowering her head in thought. When she looked up 
tears were filling her eyes.
"You were good to me, I don't want to lose you," she said softly.

"Then you won't," he said just as softly. "Willow Rosenberg, I will 
be your friend always. I know your friends are suspicious of my 
friendship with you and I don't blame them. I'm unique in their 
experiences but I am a man of my word. I am your friend forever."
"Can you live in Sunnydale with Buffy being the Slayer and killing 
your converts?" Willow asked.
"I don't know, maybe we can all wear the same t-shirts that 
say `don't slay me, I'm trying!' or something," he suggested.
Willow almost fell out of her chair laughing at the mental image that 
created in her head. She could just see Buffy about to stake some 
poor vampire when he ripped open his jacket to reveal his Father 
Karnstein t-shirt, guaranteed Slayer proof.
Carson grinned and Willow shook her head. He looked a lot like Oz 
but with more depth in his eyes and Willow had to remind herself that 
he was even older than Angel.
"Come back with us," she asked.

"Okay," he agreed easily and then lost his smile. "You know you're 
heading for some tempting times with that magick of yours."
"Yeah, I've talked to Giles about it. With him and Tara worrying 
over me, I should be okay," she shrugged.
"I'll be there too," he promised. "Now, go and grab your lovers and 
have a long talk with them before making love all night long."
Willow's eyes widened at his bold suggestion and he grinned.

"Rebuild your connection with them, youngling," he advised. "They 
love you very much and I know you'd die for them. This space between 
you is pointless."
"Yes, dad," she teased and pulled his hand up to her lips. "You 
know, I don't understand our friendship at times."
Carson sighed and held her hand, keeping her at the table.

"It is a night for serious discussion and events, ja," he 
muttered. "Do you believe in reincarnation?"
"Yes," Willow answered easily. "I was raised reformed Jewish but 
have expanded my views a bit."
"I have a gift, Willow," Carson said softly. "I can see where souls 
have been. It comes to me in flashes."
"Like mind reading?" she questioned.

"Not quite, it's like seeing a chopped up video in my head when I 
meet someone," he tried to explain. "Maybe I'm part of the plan that 
those Powers That Be of Angel's have. I don't know, I still believe 
in God and his unknown purpose with this world."
"Okay," Willow almost whispered, almost afraid of what he was leading 
up to.
"I've told the others about a girl I once knew," Carson said, 
slipping back into his original Germanic accent. "She was Irish, 
yes?"
Willow, sensing his discomfort and struggle slipped into German. "I 
understand you."
Father Karnstein looked relieved. "After all these years, sometimes 
it is easier in the native tongue," he muttered. "She was Irish and 
beautiful. Red hair, flaming like yours with green eyes that could 
melt an emerald."
Willow began to blush at the display of emotions from the normally 
aloof vampire.
"I fell in love with her," he admitted. "I was stunned. I had spent 
my teen years training for the priesthood and resisting normal human 
sexual behavior and then I fell in love after becoming a vampire."
Carson took a long drink of the alcohol in front of him. "Damn, they 
use cheap vodka," he muttered. "She was a werewolf," he added.
Willow jumped and her eyes widened.  

"Yes," Carson nodded. "I fell in love with the natural enemy of the 
vampire, a werewolf."
"What happened?" Willow whispered.

"She was taken from me and corrupted," Carson's head dropped 
slightly. "Siobhan came back caught up in the hunt, she liked to 
kill and she tried to kill me."
"You had to kill her?" Willow asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes, and it nearly drove me insane and the demon almost won," 
Karnstein admitted. "It was what the vampire who took her planned.  
He wanted me to lose my soul and give into the demon. I resisted by 
crawling into the deepest and darkest woods I could find in the 
Carpathian Mountains and preyed on animals for a hundred years until 
I could face people again."
"Carson," Willow said softly but Carson shook his head.

"No, I'm alright with it," he assured her. "It was very long ago."

"You think my soul is hers?" Willow asked, forcing the question out.

"Yes, you were once Siobhan," he nodded and Willow frowned.

"Are you s-saying you a-and me are supposed to be together?" she 
asked.
"No," he answered gently. "I don't believe we are soulmates, 
Willow. Your path is with those two over there and I know that. I 
think I am being given a chance to make up for losing Siobhan to the 
darkness by helping you."
"That's why you helped me that morning? You saw me hovering on the 
brink."
"Yes, after what you went through with the Initiative, you could have 
snapped and given into the wolf," he agreed.
"What else did you see?" Willow asked.

"I can't say, Willow," Father Karnstein shook his head. "Too many 
lives and&" he hesitated.
"What?" she demanded.

"You are powerful and you have been powerful," he whispered. "It will 
draw darkness to you like a moth to the flame. You already opened a 
door to the darkness by taking that werewolf curse to yourself. 
You'll find a lot of things darker than the wolf hovering outside 
that door, hoping that you open it again, even a crack will be 
deadly."
Willow couldn't speak. She knew he was right but it was hard hearing 
it from someone. Especially someone gifted with the Sight.
"I better go," she muttered and pulled out of his hands and ran for 
the door.
Carson looked up to find Buffy and Tara glaring at him and heading 
for the door behind their lover.
He finished his drink and headed to the bar for another one.  
Probably several more after that one, he thought to himself. There 
were times he cursed God for his gift of Sight and Satan for his 
curse of eternity as a vampire. It meant he had seen a lot and was 
going to see a lot more before it was over. Carson would have been 
grateful for a simple fifty years with the Gift, not several hundred.
* * *

Willow sighed when she heard the bar door open and slam behind her 
and leaned against the wall, waiting.
"Will?" Buffy's voice reached her, filled with worry.

Willow opened her eyes and smiled at Tara and Buffy as they moved 
closer but cautiously.  

"I'm okay, honest," she said and opened her arms. Both women hugged 
her and looked at her closely, judging the truth of her words and 
smiled at her in return.
"What's up with you and Carson?" Buffy asked.

"Well, I-I know we haven't had time to talk about him," Willow said, 
frowning as she put her thoughts together. "I-I really didn't know 
what drew me to h-him after he took care of me that morning. I f-
felt safe with him and it wasn't like I feel safe around Spike 
because Spike can't hurt us now because of the chip thing. It was 
more a safe warm fuzzy feeling," she rambled.
"Warm fuzzies for a vampire?" Tara asked with a grin and Willow 
shrugged, acknowledging how ridiculous that sounded even to her.
"I know but it&it's just&just okay with him," Willow struggled with 
the words. "I knew I could hide and rest with him. When Mulder told 
me the In&Initiative wasn't looking for me, I planned to come home. 
Carson encouraged me to come back."
"He says he shared your bed," Tara said softly.

"It was s-safer for him," Willow tried to smile. "I'd wake up with n-
nightmares and broke his ribs once with an energy bolt. He'd h-hold 
me," she whispered as her head dropped, unsure how her lovers would 
take to the news that she had sought comfort from a male vampire.
"It wasn't sexual," Buffy said, more of a statement than a question.

"No, nothing sexual between us," Willow agreed. "Just comfort. He f-
felt like Xander."

Buffy smiled and Willow saw the Slayer relax, that was a comparison 
that Buffy could relate to. Both Buffy and Tara knew that Xander was 
more than a brother to Willow but short of a lover and everyone was 
comfortable with that.
"What were you two talking about?" Tara asked.

"If he was going to stay in Sunnydale or go back to LA," Willow said.

"And?" Buffy asked.

"He wants to stay in Sunnydale and be my friend," Willow answered 
truthfully. "He can't be part of the gang, not like Spike or Angel.  
He&he wants to try and save some of the vampires."
"What?" Buffy asked, confusion washing over her face.

"Like religion?" Tara asked, joining in on the confusion.

"Sort of, he conquered his demon and wants to try and show others how 
to do it to," Willow tried to explain.
"I know we live on a Hellmouth but things just keep getting weirder 
by the year," Buffy complained.
"He'd like to try," Willow insisted.

"I'm game," Buffy shrugged. "Not sure how we'll work it but he's 
been good to you."
"Thanks, Buff," Willow said gratefully and considered telling them 
about the soul connection with Carson's past love but decided to mull 
that information over a bit longer herself.
Buffy leaned back into Tara's arms as the blonde witch moved closer 
behind the Slayer and Willow smiled, loving the sight of both of 
them.  

Willow lost her smile though when her heightened senses heard Angel 
and Cordelia nearby arguing and realized what they were probably 
arguing about. His soul. Willow saw Buffy frown and knew that her 
Slayer senses had heard their voices as well.
Willow moved forward slightly and ran her hand down Tara's cheek.

"I need to tell you both something," Willow said reluctantly. "But I 
need to talk to Angel and Cordelia for a minute, okay?"
"Will, what's going on? We said no more secrets," Buffy reminded her 
lover.
"I know, just give me a couple of minutes and I'll explain, I 
promise," Willow said softly and kissed Buffy and then Tara before 
dashing off towards the angry voices.
"You get the feeling we're out of the loop?" Buffy asked in a sullen 
voice.
"Yup," Tara agreed, her frown as deep as Buffy's.

* * *

Giles and Joyce looked up from their drinks and smiled at the sight 
of the two girls coming back into the bar. Both of them frowned at 
the concerned and distant looks on their faces.
"What's wrong?" Joyce asked.

"I don't know," Buffy complained. "Willow got into a really heavy 
conversation with Carson, ran out the door and says she's fine.  
Angel and Cordelia are fighting and Willow won't say what's up with 
them until she talks with them."
"I think I followed that," Giles muttered. "Willow is at the center 
of something going on with everyone and you don't know what it is 
yet."
"Exactly!" Tara agreed.

"Well, whatever it is upset Carson as well, he's over there on his 
fifth vodka and whatever," Joyce pointed out.
"Terrific, a drunk vampire," Buffy muttered.

"Well, we have seen Spike drunk a couple of times," Tara pointed out.

"Yeah," Buffy nodded. "Giles, that healing she did on you, that was 
major, wasn't it?"
"What did you see or feel?" Giles answered with a question of his own.

"It was like being caught up in a river of colors," Buffy said softly 
and found Tara reaching for her hand at the same time Buffy was 
reaching for hers.
"I c-could feel B-Buffy beside me and held onto that," Tara added.

"We could see Willow's energy at the center and focused on that, 
surrounding it," Buffy described, closing her eyes with the 
memory. "It was like chaos around us except where we were."
"Yes, it was a major working," Giles said softly, holding Joyce's 
hand. "Something I never thought she would be able to do without the 
ceremony and ritual."
"How did she get so powerful so quick?" Tara asked.

"I'm not sure," Giles admitted. "Doing that ritual to take the 
werewolf curse opened up some doors."
"Everyone keeps saying that," Buffy complained. "Willow did that 
because she loves me, not to gain power or anything evil!"
"I know, Buffy," Giles said gently. "But we have to accept the fact 
that she performed Black Magick and called on demons and evil spirits 
to accomplish that. It's like robbing a bank to pay the rent for the 
orphanage."
"The end may have been for the good but getting there was the wrong 
path," Buffy translated and Giles nodded as Buffy and Tara's eyes 
filled with tears. "Damnit! I'm tired of my friends being hurt 
because I'm the Slayer!" 

"And Willow would argue t-that she couldn't t-take you being hurt 
because of her," Tara countered. "You took t-that bite to save her."
"It's not just the spell she did, is it, Rupert?" Joyce asked.

"No, the door was unlocked and opened slightly with the transference 
spell," he explained to the two young women what Willow had explained 
earlier in the evening to him and Joyce. "When she killed that other 
werewolf, good cause or not, she tasted human blood."
He frowned and took off his glasses. "Because of her lycanthropy, 
she could have developed a taste for the hunt and human blood, her 
werewolf side turning totally evil. It didn't, thank God. You see 
it gets complicated because she's not only a werewolf but a witch, 
when she tasted the human blood it hit her magickal side and& and&"
"'Blasted the door open,' is how she described it," Joyce finished.

"What does all this mean, Giles?" Buffy demanded.

"I'm not sure what it'll mean," he frowned. "She'll need a lot of 
guidance and support."
"It's l-like a drug, Buffy," Tara said softly. "You w-work with d-
dark energies like that and it c-can be addictive and d-deadly."

"Not our Will," Buffy said firmly. "She's got us to help!"

"Then insist on total honesty," Giles advised. "No more surprise 
spells or rituals and no doing magick without thinking and talking 
about it."
Both Buffy and Tara nodded.

* * *

Angel glanced up, cutting Cordelia off in mid sentence. The brunette 
started to snap at her boss and would-be boyfriend for it when she 
realized he was watching over her shoulder. She turned and found 
Willow approaching them as they paced and argued in the parking lot.
"Angel, Cordelia, can I talk with you?" Willow asked, burying her 
fists in her jacket and looking uncomfortable.
"Sure! Why not?" Cordelia snapped. "Want to explain?"

"Yes," Willow nodded, ignoring the sarcasm in Cordelia's voice. "If 
it worked, I used the energy to heal Giles' spinal injuries and seal 
Angel's soul to his body. No more curse and no more Angeleus."
"But how do we know if it worked?" Cordelia demanded.

"The only way is to test it," Willow admitted.

"He gets happy about something and we possibly have Angeleus back?" 
Cordelia snapped. "No thanks; he was a bastard to deal with then, 
thank you!"
Willow's eyes blazed with sudden anger. "I remember that better than 
you do, Cordy! I was the one that ended up in the hospital and I 
never did tell anyone everything Angeleus did to me!"
"Easy, guys, please," Angel begged, moving almost between the two 
women. The last thing he wanted was to bring up Angeleus' past 
crimes against Buffy and her friends.
"And what if didn't work?" Cordy countered. "What do we do with 
Angeleus?"
"I have an orb and the ingredients I need for the spell to restore 
his soul with me," Willow said calmly and winced at the shock on 
Angel's face.
"You planned this? Without telling me?" he demanded.

"And get your hopes up? I didn't even know if I could include you in 
the working," Willow growled.  

"So what does this mean, we get him happy, wait and see if Angeleus 
shows up and then you do the ritual to bring back his soul and we go 
on like before?" Cordy demanded.
"I think I followed that," Angel muttered. "It's either that or we 
never test whether it worked and we go on being miserable."
"And how do we test this theory, hook him back up with Buffy?" Cordy 
snapped and Willow drew back a fist just as Angel stepped between 
them.
"Cordelia!" he growled. "Willow was trying to help me! Why are you 
attacking her? She was trying to help US!"
"Us?" Cordy questioned softly.

"Us!" Angel insisted, grabbing Cordelia by her arms. "There is 
no `me and Buffy.' She's moved on and I've moved on. I'm not her 
soulmate, Willow and Tara are."
"All I heard about for years was your tragic love for her!" Cordy 
shouted. "The doomed love affair of the ages. Vampire with a Soul 
and the Slayer, never to be together but lovers forever!"
Willow touched Angel's back and saw him nod slightly. She quickly 
moved away and headed back to the bar. She knew they'd find her 
shortly, if they could get past the old argument and wounds.
"Buffy loved me but not like she does Willow and Tara!" Angel 
insisted. "I knew she was in love with Willow for years! That's why 
Angeleus attacked Willow first and so brutally, I knew she was 
Buffy's weakness. I didn't even attack Buffy's mother, just played 
with her mind for a bit and caused tension between Joyce and Buffy. 
Willow I attacked and&and, I almost killed her."
"What did Angeleus do to Willow?" Cordelia frowned. "I know you 
almost killed her but there's more isn't there?"
"I don't know if she remembers it or not and I don't want to," he 
growled. "I'm not in love with Buffy."
Cordelia frowned.

"I've been guaranteed to be miserable and hold onto my soul because I 
can't have the woman I've fallen in love with," the vampire said 
softly.
Cordelia wiped at her tears and tried to pull out of his arms.

"If you tell me it's that Darla bitch I'm going to stake you!" she 
threatened, beginning to sob.
Angel pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.

"I love you, Cordelia Chase," he said softly. "I've loved you for a 
long time."
* * *

Willow spotted her lovers sitting with Giles and Joyce and mentally 
steeled herself. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Carson and 
his unfocused eyes, several empty glasses in front of him.
She dismissed his problems for the moment as the approached her 
family and sat down.
"What's up, Will?" Buffy asked.

"Well, I'm guessing that I've b-been the topic of conversation," she 
smiled slightly.
Giles removed his glasses and Tara looked away.

"It's okay," Willow continued to smile and reached out for Buffy and 
Tara's hands. "I expected it. Did Giles tell you what we talked 
about earlier?"
"About the magick being wide open for you now?" Buffy asked and 
Willow nodded. "Yeah, he mentioned it and that it might be a little 
rough and tempting for you."
"Yes, and I-I'll admit that scares me," Willow said. "I n-never got 
into drugs because I-I was afraid of what t-they could do. This is 
more powerful."
"We're here for you, Willow," Tara said firmly, her blue eyes showing 
her determination and love for the red-haired witch and Willow sighed 
gratefully.  

"There's more," Willow said softly.

Giles almost looked weary and his eyes showed a flash of&fear. 

"What, Will?" Buffy asked gently, glaring at Giles for a moment.

"I should probably talk to you privately first but I don't think we 
have time," Willow muttered, watching Buffy's eyes. "What do you 
feel for Angel?" she asked bluntly and Buffy blinked in surprise and 
looked confused.
"I like Angel," she said easily. "I did love him but it's like that 
was so distant, a lifetime ago. Why, Will?"
"If the healing worked, I sealed his soul. He can't lose it," Willow 
answered, watching Buffy closely.
Buffy sat back heavily in her chair, her face confused as she tried 
to process what Willow had just told her.
"No more Angeleus?" she whispered.

"No, if it worked," Willow clarified. "Only death can separate his 
soul from his body now."
"My God, Willow," Giles said softly. "Without an orb and spell, you 
just did it?"
"It wasn't that easy," the red-head frowned. "That combination of 
energy could do anything but I wouldn't want to try it again. I have 
an orb to bring Angel back if the spell didn't work and we get 
Angeleus again."
"You mean if he gets happy and loses his soul?" Tara asked.

"Yes," Willow responded.

"Why is he arguing with Cordelia?" Buffy asked.

"He's trying to explain the risks, what I did and he's telling her, I 
hope, that he loves her," Willow said, watching Buffy's reaction.
"Loves her? He's going to admit it to her?"

"You knew?" Willow asked, slightly surprised.

"Angel and I talked when we came to pick you up in LA, he admitted he 
had fallen for her but couldn't have her," Buffy said, smiling at her 
lover and noticing Willow's body relaxing relief. "Will, I love you 
and I love Tara. Angel and I have changed. My love for both of you 
is beyond what I felt for him."
"God, this is complicated," Giles complained. "The only way to see 
if it worked is to endanger everyone with Angeleus."
"Yes," Willow agreed.

"And extreme happy moments are usually done in private," Buffy 
pondered and began to blush when she caught her mother's disapproving 
glance.
They both remembered what had caused Angel to lose his soul last 
time, Buffy losing her virginity to him on her 17th birthday. Joyce 
had been less than enthused to find out about that one.
"I w-wonder how Cordelia feels about b-bondage?" Tara asked softly.

"Tara?" Willow asked, her eyes widening in surprise.

"She can bind Angel and&and if he turns&then yell for you, after 
they&."
"I get the picture!" Giles cut in, blushing himself.  

"I heard that!"

Everyone glanced up to see Angel and Cordelia almost to their table.  
Cordelia was actually smirking at their embarrassment.  

"We actually thought of that," Cordelia grinned and everyone noticed 
how Angel stood behind her and wrapped his arms around the smaller 
brunette.
"The problem is we don't have any bindings," Angel explained, 
thankful that he didn't have enough blood in his system to actually 
blush along with the rest of them.
"We do, actually," Giles said softly and turned almost bright red 
when Joyce pulled back and looked at him like he had grown another 
eye in the center of his forehead. "In the trunk under the tire, 
werewolf precaution," he muttered.
"That had better be the only thing they're for, Ripper," Joyce teased.

"Mom!" Buffy squeaked as she wanted to crawl under the table.

"What, Buffy?" Joyce asked, her face innocent but the eyes were 
playful and teasing.
"Uh, guys?" Willow said, bringing their focus back to Angel and 
Cordelia.
"So I chain good looking here down, have my way with him and see if 
we get Angeleus?" Cordelia asked and felt Angel's body jerk behind 
her in response to her words.
"Well, that's probably the plan," Buffy agreed. 

"Well, I'm not sure what to suggest then," Giles muttered. "Everyone 
go to their rooms, Willow stands by in case she's needed?"
"And if you don't hear me screaming within two hours, go to bed?" 
Cordelia suggested sweetly. "No, wait. I just might be screaming."
"Cordelia!" Joyce snapped, her eyes wide as the boldness of the 
former cheerleader and Angel managed to actually blush.
"Enough!" Willow snapped. "Listen, I'm tired. I just want to curl 
up in Buffy and Tara's arms. Everyone go to bed, if something 
happens, pound on our door."
Everyone broke into conversation but stood up to head to their 
rooms.  

* * *

Willow looked around and saw Carson's head laying on his arms on the 
table in front of him.
"Don't worry," Wesley suddenly appeared at their table. "I'll take 
him up to the room."
"You sure?" Giles asked.

"Yeah, I've handed drunken love-sick vampires before," he muttered as 
he headed towards Carson.
Everyone finally headed to their rooms. Willow, Tara and Buffy in 
one room, Cordelia and Angel in the room next to them, Wesley and 
Carson two doors down, and Giles and Joyce across from the girls.  

Willow threw herself on the bed with an exaggerated sigh getting 
giggles out of both Buffy and Tara. The blonde witch jumped onto the 
bed into Willow's arms and both looked up from the bed, grinning at 
Buffy.
"Will, you are so damned adorable," Buffy exclaimed and jumped on the 
other side of the red-haired witch.
"She's right you know," Tara said softly, leaning up on one elbow to 
lean down and kiss Willow.
Willow whimpered, one hand reaching up to play in Buffy's hair and 
the other to pull Tara closer.
"Guys?" Buffy's voice drew Tara and Willow's attention. Buffy's eyes 
were loving and yet cautious asking a question without words.
Willow glanced up into Tara's eyes, asking the same question among 
the three of them.
Tara nodded at the same time as Willow and they turned to the 
Slayer. Tara reached across Willow and drew Buffy's head closer and 
kissed her softly as Willow's hands danced in their hair, her body 
under them.
Buffy moaned and ran her hand over Willow's ribs.	

"Oh Goddess," Willow whispered and Tara turned her lips to Willow's 
and Buffy's hands moved to unbutton Willow's shirt, her hands 
trembling.
"It's been so long, Will," Buffy whispered, her voice husky with 
desire as she looked at her two lovers kissing passionately.  

Willow's back arched and Tara began nibbling on her neck as her hand 
reached out for Buffy. The Slayer pulled Tara's hand to her, kissing 
the palm gently and lightly running her tongue over the nerve endings 
in the wrist. She heard Tara gasp in surprise at the stimulation.
Moans and a small scream stilled all three of them.

"Was that a scream of pain or pleasure?" Tara asked softly.

"Pleasure, I think," Buffy frowned, sitting up.

Looking at Willow and Tara the Slayer knew the mood was broken for 
the moment as the other two sat up as well. Tara wrapped her arms 
around Buffy from behind and Willow hugged both of them.
"Does it bother you?" Tara asked Buffy as more moans came from the 
room next door.
Buffy's eyebrows rose in question. "Angel with Cordelia?"

Tara and Willow nodded.  

"No, not really," Buffy smiled at her loves. "Just weird hearing it, 
like listening to Xander watch a porn movie."
"Oh, that's just the visual I need in our bed!" Willow protested with 
a laugh.
"Well, how about we settle in for some nice snuggle time?" Buffy 
grinned. 

"Yeah, we're going to jump out of our skins at every sound tonight," 
Willow agreed.
"Okay," Tara joined in and moved to the center of the headboard.

A scream made all of them jump, just as predicted.

"That sound like pleasure," Tara commented as Buffy and Willow 
settled into her arms.
"Soon to be echoed through this room tomorrow," Buffy mumbled softly.

Tara smiled as she realized Willow was already asleep.