Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

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Chloe had awoken to find herself alone in bed, and while it was a little odd considering she knew how much of a cuddler Angel was she felt relieved. Now that the fervor of whatever had happened last night had passed she was feeling a little embarrassed. She'd slept with both of her roommates in one day. That...well...things were definitely going to get a little wiggy from now on thanks to that. Spike and Angel barely tolerated each other on their best days, enjoyed tormenting the other, and she wasn't sure she wanted to leave her room if it meant walking in on whatever was going on between those two.

Then again, there might be stakes involved.

That got her up immediately, and as she stood on the cold floor she couldn't help but be distracted by the realization that she wasn't sore at all, which she should be all things considering. Also, the incessant need, the humming and buzz, they were all gone. She felt normal. She felt fine. She felt-she felt more than fine. She felt great. Her body was all relaxed and there was a sense of rightness and confidence she hadn't felt before.

A smile touched her lips as she went to the bathroom and bathed instead of running around with only a sheet. She washed her hair, let the warm water and lilac soap wash away everything, and felt even more refreshed as she exited the shower and put on some clothes. The blonde paused to glance at her reflection, wondering how somehow could go through such a big change and look completely unchanged.

The blonde exited her room and listened intently, eyes widening when she heard three voices coming from the kitchen below.

One of them was Lois'.

Forgetting about her worry, Chloe hurried down the stairs and raced towards the kitchen, nearly sliding on the floor as she took the corner, stopping when she saw a bruised and dirty Lois with clothes torn sitting at the counter pouting wide. "You're in the house."

Lois looked towards her and nodded. "Strange thing. The barrier, it's gone."

"What?" Chloe's eyes widened as she walked towards her cousin, ignoring the two vampires who were there as well.

"Yeah, I was, uh, walking passed here and I sensed it. All of Aunt Moira's spells on the place are gone." Lois nodded. "I'm thinking that the imbalance is starting to affect magic."

"The protection spell-." She felt horrified knowing that she'd slept in an unsafe house!

"No, that's still there. Your spells seem intact." Lois assured her, standing. "But the ones Aunt Moira cast aren't. They're gone."

Chloe froze at that, feeling shocked and yet savagely pleased at the fact that her own spells had held strong while her mother's had crumbled.

"The eclipse is still eclipsed, by the way." Spike declared, sitting on a stool and having a bowl of Lucky Charms with warmed blood.

Chloe turned towards him, relieved to see that he seemed fine despite having been somewhat unconscious the night before. "How are you?"

He smirked, licking at a trail of blood down the side of his lips. "Other than waking up on the floor with a massive backache? Great luv."

"You should eat something." Angel finally spoke, opening the fridge. "Want me to make some eggs for you?"

"Uhm, thanks." Chloe nodded, a little surprised that these two were acting so normally around each other given the fact that she knew they both knew what had happened. She might have bathed, but that sort of scent remained on skin for days.

Or so Spike had told her once.

"What about you, Lois?" Angel offered. "Sunny side up or scrambled?"

"Sunny side up." Lois smiled gratefully before turning to Chloe. "Did Angel tell you about last night?"

They failed to notice Angel tensing slightly.

Spike did though, frowning at his grandsire as he chewed his food.

"There was this power surge out there, intense. A new player is in town and he or she is bad ass." Lois ran a hand through her messed up hair. "He was sending out this insane, constant power surge that had everyone kinda...horny."

Chloe's eyes widened, blushing.

Oh dear god.

This explained what had happened to her!

"And I got it on with the Slayer." Lois shivered at the memory. "The Slayer! My sworn enemy!"

"Don't be ridiculous." Spike snorted. "She's far from your sworn enemy. You talk daily and go on patrols together." He pointed his spoon at her. "You don't bloody hold hands and fight together with your sworn enemy."

Everyone turned to face him.

"Wot?" He mumbled through a mouth-full of cereal and blood.

"Didn't you team up with Buffy once upon a time ago?" Lois pointed out.

Spike pouted at her, swallowing. "I only did that under extreme duress. Afterwards I was completely against her again." He shoveled another spoonful into his mouth and chewed viciously before swallowing. "The only reason I'm not out tearing her throat out at this very second is because my bloody chip won't let me...and Nibbles would pout." His blue gaze rose to Chloe's face as he smirked. "Can't have my little princess unhappy with me now can I?"

Angel rolled his eyes, holding a plate with eggs and toast. "Who wants the first plate?"

"Me please." Lois' hand went up. "I'm starving."

Angel slid the plate over towards her.

"Thank you." Lois grabbed the fork on the plate and began eating rabidly.

Chloe took this opportunity to look between Angel and Spike, a little confused as to why they were acting so relaxed amongst each other. Thanks to past behavior she'd expected there to be a war zone in her home, and yet they were oddly comfortable amongst each other. She was grateful for this yet very much intrigued when they both sent her small smiles, obviously noticing her confusion and finding it cute.

Green eyes narrowed on them, Chloe felt as if she'd been dropped into an alternate reality, but so far this reality was a peaceful one so she wasn't about to complain.

Spike patted his thigh invitingly.

Not exactly sure what was going on, but deciding to see it through and see where it took her, Chloe straddled that thigh, elbows on the counter as she gazed at Angel.

He raised an eyebrow at her, lips twitching with an amused smile. "Sunny side up coming right up." He went back to work.

Spike rested one arm around her hips as he offered her a spoonful of cereal and blood.

"Ewww." Chloe made up her face, shaking her head. "No thank you."

"Don't knock it till you've tried it is all I'm saying." Spike declared, taking a bite out of it, grinning a bloody grin at her.

Chloe looked away, a little queasy yet amused.

Lois ignored everyone who weren't eggs and toast.

"I talked to some old friends of mine this morning," Angel spoke as he prepared her eggs. "Whistler says the eclipse is obviously a world-wide event and the Balance is screwy everywhere. The Powers That Be are not amused with what happened here." He sent a look over his shoulder at the two girls. "Or with you two."

"Hey, the Slayer is the one who personally destroyed those rings." Lois finally looked up, swallowing. "Shouldn't she be held more accountable than us?"

"I think The Powers That Be are more pissed at the fact that you two forced down Makeda than they are at the rings being destroyed." Angel admitted. "From what Whistler heard, Makeda had been on tight lockdown and the fact that two 'teenaged Sabrinas' were able to get through that and draw her down has bruised The Powers' ego."

"Did they really call us Sabrinas?" Lois gasped, obviously quite insulted. "I consider myself much more like Elphaba!"

"Who?" Spike made a face.

"The Wicked Witch of the West." Chloe supplied, knowing that Wicked: The Life And Times of the Wicked Witch of the West was probably one of the only books her cousin reread every couple of months.

"The green bint?" He made a face.

The blonde nodded, smiling up at Angel as he passed her her plate.

"Why would you reckon yourself to be someone who could be defeated by bloody water?" Spike scrunched up his nose as he turned to Lois.

Lois began to defend Elphaba Thropp and denounced Glinda as the 'good' witch.

Spike still wasn't buying it.

Lois was red faced and passionate in her argument.

Angel leaned against the wall, watching them with amusement.

Taking this opportunity now that the attention wasn't on her, Chloe stared at the three most important people in her life, the awkwardness she'd been holding back in front of Lois betraying itself on her face.

She'd slept with these vampires.

With the both of them.

Oh dear god.

The blonde breathed in and out, in and out, calming herself because she knew that Spike and Angel would soon notice her discomfort and anxiety.

But what exactly did this mean to their overall relationship?

How was she supposed to act amongst them?

Should she really be sitting on Spike's lap?

There were just so many questions racing around in her head!

Feeling a presence nearing the house, Chloe frowned and turned her head towards it before she recognized the aura of the approaching person and blinked in intrigue. She could feel as her barriers let the person through, and then the door opened and closed loudly.

"Chloe!" Cordelia's voice rang throughout the house. "I've been trying to get into contact with Lois since last night and she's not answering! I think something-!" Cordelia appeared in the kitchen and paused when she found Lois sitting and chewing. "What happened to you? You look horrible." She then walked up to the girl and slapped her arm with her purse. "And why aren't you answering my calls? I've been worried!"

Lois flinched, giving Cordelia a sheepish smile. "Sorry, but I lost my phone last night."

"While you were wrestling a wildcat?" Cordelia made up her face as she came closer, eyeing Lois' bruises and torn clothes critically.

"Right. No. No wildcats. But a couple of demons. Three vampires. It was a slow night all things considering." Lois made a face, surveying herself and only now seeming to realize just how much of a mess she was. "Most of this is actually Buffy's fault though."

Spike looked between Cordelia and Lois with a smirk, tightening his hold around Chloe's waist as he watched.

Angel, on the other hand, seemed somewhat worried.

Chloe was fascinated by the odd look that entered Cordelia's eyes at this news.

"Did Buffy attack you?" Cordelia narrowed her eyes. "God! Has she finally gone around the bend?" She looked like she was going to rest her hand on Lois' shoulder before deciding against it after seeing how dirty the shirt was. "I knew it was going to happen any day now."

"It wasn't exactly an attack." Lois replied, the sheepishness growing. "With the adrenaline from the patrol and the major mojo making everyone go wonky last night...the Slayer and I got caught up in the frenzy."

It took a couple of seconds for Cordelia to get it, and Chloe could tell the second she did.

A displeased flush bloomed over her olive skin as her eyes narrowed and her body tensed. Jaw clenching, the leading lady of Sunnydale High folded her arms over her chest, a muscle jumping in her cheek.

Lois, who was continuing to check her clothes for damage, failed to see the warning signs. "We woke up this morning in the Dorian Crypt. It was awkward. Slayer went her way and I came here for breakfast." She looked up at Angel with a grin. "By the way, you're a good cook for a dead guy!"

Spike snorted in amusement.

Angel nodded. "I try to keep my skills up."

"I can't believe you." Cordelia was far from amused, shaking her head softly. "Buffy? Really?"

Lois turned to Cordelia, frowning slightly. "It wasn't planned."

"What about my friends?" Cordelia turned towards Lois, hands on her hips, eyes flashing with emotion. "Was your sleeping with everyone but Harmony planned or was that just spontaneous?"

Unease filtered into Lois' features. "You found out about that, huh?"

"It was hard not to when they're about to tear each other apart because of you." Cordelia poked Lois' chest angrily. "Oh, and since most of them are on the Dance Committee, not only did they end up sleeping with my parents-which, by the way, is going to scar me for life-but they did it while taunting the other about how they were the one who you liked the most!"

"Your parents?" Lois winced, standing. "Gees Cor, I'm sorry. That-that must have been rough."

"I can't look my friends in the eyes, I can't look in my parents' general direction...and now BUFFY is added to the mix?" Cordelia glared, fuming. "I can't believe you!" And without another word she stormed back out just as she'd stormed in.

Lois sent her plate of half-eaten breakfast a mournful look before snagging a slice of toast and racing out after Cordelia.

"Those two need to just shag and get over it." Spike declared, shoving another spoonful of blood and cereal into his mouth, chewing.

The sound of the phone ringing caused Chloe to sigh as she hopped off of Spike's lap and hurried to the phone mounted on the wall. "Hello?"

"Chloe." It was her mother. "Have you seen Lois?"

"Yeah. She was over for breakfast but she's gone now." Chloe had to admit that her smile was vicious. "Apparently with the mystical wackiness going on your spells weren't able to remain up. They crumbled under the pressure."

There was a moment's silence, and when Moira spoke once more it was forced. "How did she seem to you?"

Intrigued by the question, Chloe pulled a strand of hair behind her hair and leaned against the wall. "A little beat up from spending the night fighting. You shouldn't have sent her patrolling on her own, especially with the mystical upheaval going on. Luckily the Slayer and her met up during patrol and decided to help each other."

There was a pause, and then Moira's voice was confused. "So she spent the night with the Slayer?"

"Yep." Chloe coiled the phone's cord around her finger. "They parted ways when she came here for breakfast. The Slayer went to inform her Watcher of the patrol."

"But...I was so sure..." Something seemed to be bothering the older Carter. "Well, I'll talk to her when she comes to me to be debriefed."

"You do that." Chloe moved to hang up when she heard speaking and brought the phone back to her ear in time to hear the ending part of the sentence.

"...do you?"

The blonde pursed her lips, eyebrows nearly touching in a confused frown. "Can you repeat that?"

There was a groan. "You need to pay attention. It's a wonder that you're still alive on the hellmouth while being this scatterbrained!"

"Do you have something important to say or are you just going to bitch some more? Because I have more important things to do than to hear your whining and moaning." Chloe shocked herself silly.

Apparently her mother was just as surprised. "I am your mother! You show me some respect young lady!"

"I'll show you respect when you earn it." Chloe apparently was on a roll. "And another thing. Lois isn't your dog. You don't snap your fingers and she comes running, and you just cant sic her on the undead of Sunnydale. She's not the Slayer. It's not her job. It's also not in your right to get her killed. So the next time you want someone out in the thick of some mystical upheaval where the other side has a tremendous advantage...do it yourself."

And with that she hung up.

Oh god.

She felt sick with nerves immediately.

Her mother was going to be pissed!

And would most probably be soon paying a visit.

Great.

Just great.

Clapping caused her to tear away the hands she hadn't realized that she'd covered her face with.

Spike sat on the stool, now facing her, his lips a smirk, his hands clapping. "Well done, luv."

Angel came towards her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "How are you feeling?"

"Nervous as hell, and in shock that I actually said those things to her." Chloe felt the words pouring out of her rapidly, nervously. "I mean, I've always thought those sorts of things but actually tell her them? I'd never do that! I mean, she is my mother! And she's a million times more powerful than me! And she's a bitch!" Okay, so she might have been hyperventilating now. "She's not going to let me get away with that without some sort of physical confrontation! And I don't want her here! But it doesn't have to be in this house...she could meet me after school or somewhere else unexpected. Oh god! She make me go live back home just to punish me!"

"Chloe!" Angel brought his hand to cup her neck, feeling the desperately beating pulse. "You need to calm down. You're not going anywhere. She's not going to do anything to you and she's not taking you anywhere. This is your home. We're your family. Spike and I wouldn't allow her to hurt you or take you from us."

"We could kill her if you'd like." Spike seriously offered from his stool.

That caused a bark of harsh laughter to escape her lips as Chloe shook her head, bringing her hands to cover her face once more. "No killing. Anyway, you couldn't hurt her Spike, you're chipped."

"I'd bear the pain if it meant making you happy." Spike replied, once more entirely too serious.

Letting out a long breath, Chloe calmed herself enough to remove her hands from her face and look from a worried Angel to a frowning Spike. "Another thing...what happened between us...what happens now? Where do we go from here?" She leaned hard against the wall, thankful when Angel understood and let go of her, letting her have the space she needed for this conversation as she hugged herself. "Not that I'm complaining, but what's with the Brady Bunch act? Why are you two not fighting and trying to stake each other?"

Angel and Spike shared looks.

Chloe watched them with narrowed eyes.

"Needless to say, what happened between the both of us was...maybe rushed." Angel began.

"Talk for yourself mate, I've been trying my best for ages." Spike snorted, eyebrow raised. "Last night was fucking finally."

Angel sent him a look before sighing and turning back to Chloe. "There might have been some supernatural influence last night, but Spike's right, no matter how crude he is about it. It was bound to happen sooner or later."

Chloe blushed darkly. "You sound so sure."

"Because we were." Spike shrugged, leaning elbows back against the counter, fully facing her. "I thought I'd have you a little more to myself before 'Gelus got too jealous and risked losing his soul though." He sent Angel an accusing glare. "Guess I underestimated how much of the demon is in control now."

"What?" Chloe frowned, pushing away from the wall. "What do you mean the demon is in control now?" Her gaze went to Angel, remembering only now about the happiness clause. "Are you Angelus?"

"You wouldn't know because you didn't know Angel or Angelus before he became hell's bitch." Spike eyed his grandsire with a raised eyebrow. "But this vampire here? He aint either of them, not really. He's got bits of both. I'm thinking that since Red cast the spell while she was hospital-ridden and not a real witch-she botched the spell somehow. The soul is there and yet Angelus is there too." Spike snorted. "If he wasn't then 'Gel would never risk losing his pretty little soul."

Chloe turned her gaze to Angel, eyes wide. "Is this true?"

He seemed uncomfortable, not meeting her gaze.

"Angel?" Chloe tried once more, unable to believe it.

The dark haired vampire sighed as he turned towards her. "I told you my soul wasn't in danger."

The blonde leaned harder against the wall, floored. "Wow."

"I wasn't sure, it's why I never told you anything concrete." Angel pleaded for her to believe him. "But last night I knew for sure." His eyes flashed gold. "When I smelt Spike in you the demon was definitely there, uncaged...yet it was the soul. I-I really can't think of a better way of putting it."

Chloe nodded, clearing her throat as she eyed them both. "Again I go back to my original question. Why are you two acting so civilly?"

"Cuz all the uncertainty is gone." Spike replied as if this should be obvious. "Remember luv, we're vampires, and family. You've finally cemented your place in our family and our beasts are soothed by now knowing exactly position you take."

"Cemented my place in the family? You mean it wasn't clear before?" Chloe made a face, confused.

"Not really." Angel surprised her by admitting. "You fluctuated from potential consort to mother-figure to provider to ally."

"It's why usually non-vampires are never part of the 'family'." Spike agreed. "Roles can be...tricky..."

"But last night you accepted the role of our consort, you bound yourself to the both of us willingly. It makes things easier, knowing what to expect now." Angel replied. "As Spike's grandsire I am the head of this family..."

"...a role he hasn't been very good at in the past mind you." Spike pointed out.

Angel ignored him. "And Spike is the next in the chain, my right hand."

"I don't know what your right hand's been up to all these years. So let's just say I'm your second in command." Spike declared.

Angel took in a deep breath, obviously battling his ongoing annoyance with his grandchilde.

"And I'm what? The Omega of this group?" Chloe nearly growled, insulted that even here she was being considered the least important.

"We're not a bloody wolf pack Nibbles, there's no Alpha and Omega. And even if we were, you wouldn't be any bloody Omega." Spike snorted, sliding off of his stool as he came towards them. "You're our consort, you're equal to us."

She was shocked silent, eyes widening as she stared at them.

Equal.

They saw her as their equal.

Something lodged in her throat and tears prickled her eyes at the emotion that welled inside of her at that.

"Don't bloody cry." Spike sent Angel a confused look. "That's a good thing!"

Chloe smiled softly as she wiped at the tears forming in her eyes.

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"Last night, that power that surged through Sunnydale...did anyone else find it...interesting?" A demon asked as they congregated in Willy's Bar, drinking a beverage between the mayhem they were enjoying during this extended eclipse and mystical upheaval.

"Why? That the only time you've gotten anyone to sleep with your ugly mug?" Another snorted.

A couple of the other demons chuckled.

"Shut up!" The first demon seemed to blush, shaking his head at them. "Does no one else think this was a new player making himself known?"

"What? Like some sort of Mega Incubus Demon?" A third demon made a face.

A couple of others laughed.

"No, he's right." A fourth declared, standing. "I think we need to figure out where that surge of power came from. After what happened with the Seal and being Solomon's little slaves I think we can't take any of this for granted."

"I agree." Yet another announced. "We need to find out what's going on and who is behind it!"

Willy wiped the glasses behind the counter, watching the demons as they began making preparations to start searching for this new player.

He shook his head, deciding it was not his business.

It was knowing stuff like this that got him into trouble with the Slayer, with the Witch, with those Vampires...and with that Witch.

He gulped, shivering slightly at the reminder of feeling fire beneath his skin, the agony, the torture.

Honestly, if she was the "Defective Carter" then the thought of the other Witch gave him nightmares.

Shaking his head once more, preferring not to think about it at all, Willy decided for once to mind his own business.

That was...at least...until the door opened and the Mohra Demon from before entered.

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