Xander stood on the balcony watching the sky. The heat was almost oppressive, but he didn't feel it. He hadn't felt the swelter of New Orleans in August for almost two years. Since the night he'd caught a stray horn in the stomach. The wound had been deep, the blood had flowed too quickly to be stopped. Spike had solved a potentially fatal problem in the simplest of manners. The transition to vampirism had been a smooth one for him; his Sire was already his trusted and beloved mate. The fact that Oz and Wes were already vampires only made it easier.

They'd been home from Sunnydale for less then eight weeks when a werewolf hunter came to town. The hunter's luck was the only thing they hadn't anticipated. A stray silver bullet had gone through Wes' back and come out his lung. Oz had ripped the hunter into unrecognizable shreds while Spike turned his mate. Oz had barely waited for Wes to wake up before demanding to be turned. After that, they had very few problems with anyone. There weren't many stupid or ambitious enough to tangle with a master vampire, a were-vampire, a vampire warlock, and a sorcerer.

Xander had made it another seven months before being turned. Poor Riley had been the only human in a house full of bloodsuckers. But the ex-soldier had handled it all very well. He'd quickly put aside the prejudice against anything non-human that the military had drilled into him. His loyalty and help had proved invaluable. Xander still missed him. It had been so comforting to stroll into the kitchen and find Spike and Riley bickering over a poker game, while Wes and Oz laughed at them from the chair they were sharing. Riley had become so much apart of their family that Spike had made it clear that if the ex-soldier were injured he would be turned. The only real fight the five of them ever had was when Riley asked Spike to promise that he would let him die.

The first Christmas after Xander was turned was an eventful one. They'd kept in contact with the L.A. group as more of a professional courtesy than anything else. Xander wasn't surprised when Tara called to tell him that she and Cordelia were moving in together. He was caught off guard when Faith was released from prison and the two of them went with her to Sunnydale. The three of them were very happy together, and they were even more effective in their work then the Scooby gang had ever been. Tara had become a powerful witch. The magic had shaped her into a skilled fighter and a fierce protector of innocents. Cordelia's visions proved to be an invaluable tool in their work. The two of them served as a grounding influence for Faith, and the once unstable young woman had become one of the most effective Slayers in history. Her reputation as "The Slayer" had already surpassed Buffy's.

Tara's phone call had been quickly followed by one from Doyle. The Irishman was delighted to inform them that they had an Uncle. When Doyle had been injured Angel had followed Spike's example and turned his lover. It was through Doyle that they learned of Giles' return from England. It was also Doyle that made the call for their help when Wolfram & Hart raised Darla. The time in Los Angeles had put the final touches on what would become a solid working relationship, and Xander had had the pleasure of watching Giles be pursued by the Host. The older man had never been chased before. Even with Ethan he had done the chasing. They were an odd couple, but Giles was happy. His eyes were no longer full of shadows, and Lorn's charm and patience had chased away the specter of Ethan Rayne in no uncertain terms.

The biggest surprise had been watching the sparks fly between Riley and Angel's newest "employee" Gunn. It had been hate on sight, or so it was to hear them tell it. Vampire senses told a different story. With the amount of pheromones they'd put off it had been everything Angel could do to keep the others from forming a pool to bet on when they hit the sheets. Xander hadn't been surprised when Riley stayed in L.A.

Cool arms circled his waist. Soft lips brushed the side of his neck.

"Come inside Pet. The sun will be up soon."

"Not for another hour."

"Still, you should get your rest. You're not gonna be getting much tomorrow."

"We're not doing anything tomorrow but sleeping late and staying in bed. You said it was the perfect way to spend a weekend off."

"So I did. Come inside...I'll show what we can do when we're not sleeping."

Xander's laughter followed them into the house. Their love and happiness followed them into their dreams. When they slept...several hours later.

The End