The bitterness in Ed’s voice combined with the general weary acceptance startled Xander, and he watched as golden eyes flickered over to Al, guilt flashing heavily in their depths before an emotionless mask appeared. He had to wonder what happened to the brothers to put that guilt in Ed’s eyes, and how it was tied to the older brother’s missing arm and leg.

Apparently, Al saw the guilt because he wrapped his arms around Ed’s shoulders and held his brother close. “It’s not your fault,” Al soothed and the older brother turned to face Al with haunted eyes.

“How can you say that?” whispered Ed, his voice thick with self-loathing and guilt as he lowered his gaze. “It was my idea, but you’re the one who paid the bigger price for it.”

Reaching out, Al tipped Ed’s face up until haunted golden eyes met loving amber. “You don’t think I wouldn’t have followed you if I didn’t think it would work? Really, Brother, I was nine, not two and could have easily stopped you,” he stated with a smile on his face. “We both made wings of wax before flying to touch the sun.”

“Icarus,” mused Giles, his eyes distant behind his glasses as he searched his memory for that particular legend. “Who built wings of wax and feathers to escape his prison only to soar too close to the sun and plunged to his death when the heat of the sun melted the wax.”

Al curled his arms more protectively around his brother who seemed so much smaller now. “We intruded in God’s domain in our grief and ego, not believing that we would be punished, but we were. The price for that transgression was his leg and my body.” Al dropped his eyes to his brother’s golden hair. “He sacrificed his arm to seal my soul in that armor, and we’ve been searching for a way to regain what we lost for the past five years.”

Before anyone could say anything about the information Al had given them, Al’s stomach let out a loud growl that was echoed by Xander’s and embarrassment flooded their faces as quiet chuckles broke the melancholy mood.

“Sounds like we need food,” remarked Xander, reaching over to grab the phone. “Pizzas sound good?”

“What’s pizza?” asked Al, his face lined in confusion.

Xander stared at him for a few seconds before shaking his head. “You guys are in for a treat.”

Turning, he dialed the phone number for the Scoobies’ favorite pizza place, and as he waited for someone to pick up, he watched the brothers out of the corner of his eye. He didn’t want to be another person gawking at them, but he was curious to know what they were going to do after that exchange.

Forgive me? Asked Ed’s golden eyes as he pulled back far enough to meet his brother’s gaze.

I forgive you, replied Al before placing a brotherly kiss on Ed’s forehead and pulling him into a comforting pair of arms. The affection between them caused Xander’s heart to lurch with longing before he shoved it aside and turned around, hanging up the phone after placing their order.

Just then, there was a quiet yet polite knock on the door, and Xander jumped up, heading for the door. “I’ll get it!”

“Be careful,” warned Giles as Xander opened the door to find Joyce Summers standing there, supporting a drunk...

“SPIKE!”