a.connor  a.doyle  a.lindsey  a.oz  a.spike  a.wesley  a.xander  a.other  three.somes  het.fic  character.study           
AFTER HOURS CONTINUES....
 

Oz opened his eyes. Rolling over he spotted Angel sitting next to him on the bed with his back against the head board. Oz breathed in their combined scents on the sheets and it was starting to feel even more comfortable. Angel however, looked distinctly uncomfortable. "Hey." Oz offered.

"Oz, how's the back?" Angel's eyes were hooded.

"Painful." He could feel individual levels of pain all along his spine. "Everybody go home?" Oz asked not sure if he wanted to face people yet today.

"They went home an hour ago."

Oz nodded.

"We need to talk."

Oz sat up, and turned so he was facing Angel. "Talk."

Remembering how it felt to have Angel's hands on him and the way he cleaned Oz's back, Oz had a pretty good idea what they were going to talk about.

"About last night."

Angel made no move to get out of the bed, so Oz got comfortable. Angel nodded once. Spreading his hands out flat on the silk sheets, he took a breath he didn't need. "Oz, what's going on between us?"

Oz turned it over in his head. "Not sure."

"You kissed me!" Angel exclaimed.

"I did." Oz confirmed.

"And you don't know what you meant by that?"

"Did I say that?" Oz closed his eyes for a second.

"You kissed me." Angel repeated. "And, and I think I felt something."

Oz opened his eyes. "Felt something."

Angel swung his legs off the bed. "Yeah. Maybe. Cordelia thinks there's something up between us. If there's nothing,"

Oz raised an eyebrow at Cordelia's name.

Angel put his head in his hands. "I'll always love Buffy."

"I'll always love Willow. That's not what you asked me."

Angel tried to get up. "Wait."

Oz put his hand on Angel's chest. Gently he touched lips to the vampire's. Angel awkwardly wrapped his arms around Oz, holding him in place. They let themselves thoroughly explore one another's mouths for a minute before Oz had to break free. Sucking in air he stared at Angel. "There is definitely something going on between us."

Getting up, Oz walked into the bathroom and shut the door leaving Angel on the bed. Angel placed a hand on his forehead. "But what is it?"

Oz didn't answer as the shower turned on.

*

"Angel?" Wesley pushed open the door to Angel Investigations. She caught Cordelia sitting too close to a vent. She shushed him with a hand. "What are you doing?"

Her eyes widened slightly. "I'm eavesdropping. Now get over here and listen before he comes upstairs!"

Wesley was half way to the vent when his conscious remembered what she had demanded. "We mustn't. This isn't right."

Cordelia rolled her eyes. Reaching out her hand, she grabbed Wesley and dragged him the rest of the way to the vent. Wesley heard two male voices talking intensely. "Angel and Oz?"

"Shush." Cordelia was biting on the tip of her pen in excitement. Wesley shut up.

"The bed and the shift thing are pretty much not working out." Angel was saying.

"Could he be throwing Oz out?" Wesley whispered to Cordelia.

"Not from what I've heard." Cordelia leaned a little closer. Wesley rolled his eyes. She gave him a smile with way too many teeth showing.

"Bed sharing." Oz said lightly and Wesley almost missed it because the werewolf was never loud. Wesley found himself leaning in closer then he shook himself. Coming to his senses, he dragged Cordelia away from the vent.

"They're sharing a bed! You heard them! This is *way* better than General Hospital!"

"That is a private conversation, Cordelia, we had no right to be listening in! And how can you be sure of anything you heard? They could very well be talking about adding a bed for Oz or a case." Wesley pulled his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose. "We have no idea what that was about."

Cordelia's grin was reminiscent of a certain cat who ate a certain canary. "You believe what you heard. I'll believe what I heard. But if you tell anyone about my vent, especially a certain undead employer, you're going to be the one who's dead. Get it?"

"Angel." Wesley called out, near enough to the vent to be heard. "We're here. I found out something rather interesting. Cordelia made a slashing motion across her neck. "Skkkkkkkkttt. Get it?"

"Oh, do stop threatening me." He whispered harshly. "They'll be here any moment. Do you want them up hear wondering what we've been talking about while we're up here wondering what they're on about??"

***
Oz stared up at the door. "After you." He indicated that Wesley should definitely proceed him. Wesley gave him a look. Oz offered him an earnest expression.

"Are you sure this *thing* is going to work?" Cordelia held up the lantern full of disturbing smells. I mean, yeah sure it'll keep everything living away but I thought dead and demony things liked 'ode de skunk' or whatever? Icsheesh."

"Wes, you said the spirit was going bump in the night for a specific reason?" Angel asked cutting off Cordelia before a string of nonsensical yuck sounds came out of her. "What is it bored?"

"Well yes, this particular house is well over one hundred years old. I found documentation on several prospective hauntings." They followed him into the house. "Cordelia, get in here. That thing can't protect us with you still outside."

Cordelia and Oz gave each other a look then walked in together. "This house threw me out." Oz reminded her. Cordelia grinned tightly. "And here you are again. Can you take a hint, Oz?"

"No."

Wesley glared at them and continued his lecture. "So I of course narrowed it down to two prospective ghosts. One is William N. Neville."

"Nerd." Cordelia commented.

Angel raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Cordelia glared back. "Wesley gets to ramble on about stuff for like an hour before getting to the point. The least I can do is add color commentary."

"I'm starting to realize why we leave you at the office a lot." Angel remarked. She smacked his arm.

"Shut up or I'll make you carry the skunk thing."

"It's a protection spell." Wesley growled. "And is anyone listening to me at all?"

"I am." Oz told him with the same earnest expression on his face.

"Right. So one was murdered in the house and one was shot by the pool and dragged into the house. Either one of them has the nature to become the poltergeist. As for what activated the spirit's rampage, I have several theories." Wesley lead them past the living room and up the stairs.

"Cut to the chase." Angel told him, taking the protection amulet away from Cordelia.

"Angel may have forever but the rest of us..." Cordelia glanced around her. "Why do the ghosts always haunt all the posh places? Look at those curtains! Ooh."

"Good decorator. Not Martha Stewart at all." Oz told her. She nodded.

"Alright, I get the point. I think the spirit is William and not the other spirit Jonathan because Mr. James has recently done two things, bought a cat and decided to tear out the paneling in his bedroom."

"Wesley, I don't think anyone would attempt to kill someone's wife because they got a cat." Angel tried to keep the sarcasm to a minimum.

"They would if that paneling holds the key to something. I found a picture of it in Mr. James file, the one he gave to Cordelia the day before the meeting. And the cat, well William had a cat who tripped him down the stairs one night. He spent weeks in the hospital and shot the cat."

"Shot?" Oz raised an eyebrow.

"Thirty seven times." Wesley told him.

"Extreme." Angel commented. "Okay, I'm seeing paneling. This it?"

Wesley nodded. Cordelia and Oz stared at the paneling. "Hm." They remarked.

"The paneling doesn't go with anything else in the room." Cordelia told Angel. "This room is set up as summery and airy. Paneling's too dark. Look it doesn't even match the molding."

"The blueprints, you have them on you?" Oz asked, placing his hand on the paneling. He hissed and pulled his hand off the wood.

"Splinter?" Angel asked.

"No. It's freezing." Oz held his hand palm up, a nice sheen of ice coated it.

"Gentlemen and lady, I believe we have found the source of our emanation." Wesley gingerly touched the wood. He pulled his hand back just as quickly and handed Oz the blueprints.

Oz spread them out on the bed. Angel and Wesley stared down at them. "Here we are." Oz pointed. "Paneling." He pointed to a wall. Then glanced at the room. Then he stared back down at the prints. "Huh."

Cordelia slid her hand along the paneling. Her nail caught in a seam.

"What is it?" Angel asked, holding the amulet away from them. "This thing really stinks, Wesley."

"Should. It's got several species of feces in it." Wesley responded while he frowned at the prints. "Something's off, yes?"

Sliding her fingers along the seam, Cordelia found a slight depression.

"Paneling doesn't usually need five inches." Oz tapped the wall on the drawing. "This room should be a perfect square."

"Secret compartment?" Angel asked, the other men nodded.

Cordelia pressed the wood.

Angel put a hand on the bed. "It could take hours to find the catch."

A small panel popped open with a slight hiss. "I found it!"

All three men turned to regard her. She offered them a big smile. "Now I know why it takes so long for you guys to do anything when you leave me out. Woman's touch! Saves time."

*

"I can't believe you made us carry that thing." Angel growled.

Wesley shrugged. "It protected us from the spirit, didn't it?"

"It was full of sh--."

"I know very well what was in it." Wesley cut him off. "Do you want my help analyzing this stuff or do you want to keep on about my amulet?"

Cordelia dropped the soap into the sink. It was the third time she'd washed them. Holding them up to Oz's sensitive nose, she asked, "Can you still smell it on me?"

Oz was assaulted by the scent of Dove soap. "You're clean."

She flashed him a grateful smile. Oz turned to watch Angel. He was pouring over the will and the other documents they'd found. He had a nice back, Oz admitted to himself. He turned back to Cordelia. Raising an eyebrow at her expression, he waited.

"Want to go shopping tomorrow?" Cordelia asked.

"Shopping?"

"There's this great little store. It has thirty seven different color hair dyes." She grinned.

Oz nodded, "I'm in."

"I should have my half sorted in a moment." Wesley told Angel. "I'm sure this is a bill of sale. This is definitely a contract but whatever this is, it's too badly faded for me to make out."

Angel was nodding. "I've got a book with a lot of entries. No explanations. Just numbers. Twenty-one, thirty seven...The go up for a while not in any real pattern. And this is weird. The numbers take an abrupt drop here. Oz?"

Oz walked over to the table. He stared down at all the papers. "What do you think?"

Oz took the book out of Angel's hand. Flipping a few pages he frowned. "Guy was running something. See, these aren't numbers." Oz pointed to an early page. "This is a date. And this one's a time. The dots are so faded."

"Does this really matter? Can't we just exorcise the thing?" Cordelia asked, bringing over coffee. Nobody touched it.

Wesley took the book, "You're right. Hm. Well this is interesting. If our man Neville was running something.."

"Maybe he was killed for a reason." Angel finished.

Cordelia sat down. "This is going to take a while isn't it?"

Nobody answered her.

*

Angel was reading. It was after four am. Oz was asleep on the bed. Angel watched him for a second and then slid the picture of Buffy out of the back. He stared at her green eyes and long blond hair. Sighing he bookmarked the page with her. Closing the book, he placed it on the night stand.

Pulling off his black shirt, and kicking off the shoes he'd had on all night, Angel climbed into the bed next to Oz. The wolf didn't stir. Experimentally, Angel touched the centuries younger man's shoulder. The skin was warm and smooth, Angel slid his hand along Oz's back down to the white bandage. The slit was healing nicely but all Angel could think about was the blood. Human blood was intoxicating and permission to drink it was incredible and disturbing.

He let go.

*

Oz woke up around noon. Angel was asleep next to him. Sliding out of the black covers, Oz stretched. Padding over to the fridge he grabbed his herbal blend and wandered into the bathroom.

Turning the water on in the sink, Oz frowned. His reflection stared back at him but it was different. His whole life was different. He wasn't in a band anymore. He wasn't exactly human anymore but that wasn't new: He'd had two and a half years to get used to that one but still he felt less human. And he didn't have Willow. Even when he had left her to find himself he had had her. Now all he had were memories and hope. Hope that someday he'd be with her again.

Everything felt different.

Oz washed his face and a few memories away. Here was now. New home, renewed friendships and even a new one with Wesley, new job, and then there was Angel. Not sure what they had but willing to go with it, Oz sighed. New could be good. New could be what he needed. And except for the werewolf transformation which hurt like a bitch, change was good.

The bathroom held the image of his old life in steam as he showered and dressed. But he had to leave the bathroom to get upstairs. Oz gave the sleeping vampire a once over and a gentle smile. Then he shook himself. Cordelia might be waiting.

*

"Oz! Hey!" Cordelia walked into the upstairs kitchen and caught Oz shoving cocoa cereal into his mouth. He gave her a hamster smile. "Almost ready to go?"

Oz nodded, swallowing.

"Great! I haven't had a chance to shop in days! And it's more fun with company." Cordelia's smile faltered a little. "I don't actually have any shopping friends..."

Oz dropped his bowel in the sink and filled it with water so cereal wouldn't cement to the sides. "Shopping is my new thing. I was thinking of taking it up." He turned to see Cordy's smile back in place. He gave her a halfway decent sma halfway decent smirk.

"So shop time!" Taking a chance, Cordelia took Oz's arm, when he didn't protest, she lead him out onto the street. They walked down a few blocks. "There are the neatest little shops down here. There's even an open market but the last time I was there my mind got all full of horrible images and I pretty much went in to a coma so is it okay if we skip that?"

Oz gave her a sidelong glance.

"Good." She patted his arm with her free hand.

After an hour they were both loaded down. Cordelia had even bought him a shirt he 'had to have'. Oz was actually having a good time. Cordelia's view of the world was different and surprisingly optimistic. They sat down at an outdoor café.

"So that's when Wesley showed up. I wasn't sure how I felt about him being here with how he used to moon over me in Sunnydale. But it worked out great and now you're here!" Cordelia smiled brightly and placed all her packages under the table.

"It's good to be here." Oz smiled back at her which made her smile brighter.

"Especially since you seem to be hitting it off with Angel." Cordelia said slyly. "Order the mocha it's awesome."

"Angel." Oz glanced at the menu, "Mocha."

"Okay don't get all monosyllabic on me again because you were practically giving speeches back there at the hair dye place."

"Was I?"

"Bleaching the roots and then not applying conditioners and all that stuff. You were like a hair stylist. Which should have tipped me off a long time ago." Cordelia shrugged.

"Hairstylist." Oz wasn't sure where she was going.

"To you and Angel," Cordelia grinned.

"Me and Angel."

"Oz!! I know. I'm a girl."

"Did Angel talk to you?" Oz asked.

"You both did. Well talked, I just put it together. So did you kiss him yet?"

Oz's eyes widened as the waitress came over. Cordelia smiled up at her. "Two mochachinos and um, salad?" Oz nodded. "Two salads, um French dressing." The waitress smiled and walked away.

She stared at him, waiting for an answer. Oz stared back not sure what he should say. Her smile wavered. He could tell she still wasn't sure about their status as friends. Oz shrugged, "Once or twice." He told her.

"I KNEW IT!! Wesley didn't think so but I did. I said there was something up between you and I was RIGHT. I was right." She let out a little laugh. "Yea me!"
She took a breath to compose herself. "This is so great for you! Angel needs to let go of the Buffy obsession and you're kinda needy to right now and this is...You guys, aww."

Oz relaxed into his chair. "Is this why shopping? Interrogating me on my relationship with your boss?"

"No." Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Well half and half. Shopping is it's own reward." She laughed. "And I wanted to know. Because I told you last time, he wasn't brooding as much and having facial exclamations. Like you're doing right now."

"I kissed him." Oz admitted. "Not sure what he thinks of me."

"Oh trust me he's into you. Not, "I'll love you until we both die horribly, romantically" like him and Buffy but more of a "we could be something way. But no sex." She admonished.

"The soul thing." Oz sighed. "Wasn't sure how that came into play."

"Happiness equals homicidal. Talk about a relationship stumbling block. Ooh foods here." Cordelia gave him a smile and started pulling the onions out of her salad.

Oz frowned.

*

Cordelia gave Wesley a knowing smile as she walked into the office. He was busy rummaging through the files they'd found in the Neville house. Poltergeists were a rare occurrence accept for at Cordelia's apartment, so he told himself he was too engaged in important matters to ask Cordelia for the latest gossip on Oz and Angel. "How was shopping?" He asked, pointedly not looking up.

"Shopping was great! Oz agreed that I am both a summer and a winter. I bought him a shirt with these um, little paws along the bottom in blue, such a wolfy thing to wear! And he bought us lunch. Then he walked me back here and said he had to pick up supplies from that um, music store across the street. I got this great little outfit that Oz said was this big word that meant really great. Oh! I told him I was going to remember it so I could use it on you and now it's gone straight out of my mind!" Cordelia put her hand on her hip and placed her finger against her cheek. "Now what could be so interesting that it would make me forget a cool fashion word? About me being perfect?"

Wesley deliberately turned a page in the notes. "Sounds like a nice time." He attempted to put her off, "I've found several indications that Mr. Neville had a business associate named..." He found his eyes drawn up to where Cordelia was impatiently glaring at him.

"Oh, who cares??" She demanded. "Our boss kissed Our werewolf! I was right!" She gave a little shake of girlish glee. "Oz told me that he kissed Angel, twice at least and that they are kinda sharing the bed together. The bed. Together. This is so great!"

Wesley dropped his notes and regarded her from behind his wire frame glasses. "You're certain? Oz, he told you this himself?"

"What? You're surprised he talked to me or something? We were really tight in Sunnydale..." Cordelia grabbed Wesley's hands. "Don't you think this is great? This is great."

"What's great?" Oz asked, walking in with an envelope of strings.

"Cordelia was just...Filling me in..On your lunch." Wesley tried not to be uncomfortable but he couldn't be certain if Oz had wanted Cordelia to broadcast his and Angel's relationship to the world.

Oz's expression didn't change. "Cool. New shirt." He held up the black button down with the paw prints across the bottom.

Wesley nodded. "Yes it is. Quite new." Wesley got the distinct impression that Oz was enjoying his discomfiture. Oz placed the bag on Cordelia's desk since Cordelia was busy grinning goofy at Oz and not behind the desk.

"Angel thing to, huh?" Oz asked with a half smirk.

"Perhaps..I have heard something to the effect that you and Angel are..an item?" He stated very slowly not wanting to offend Oz.

"Yep." Oz shrugged. "So what's new on the poltergeist thing?"

Wesley almost melted into the old couch with relief. Oz had a way of being completely disconcerting and completely disarming within the space of two breaths. It was quite a feet actually. Someday Wesley hoped to get a chance to ask the small fellow how he accomplished it. But the return to familiar territory called him for now.

Oz sat down on Cordelia's desk. Cordelia scooched in next to him. Wesley saw the smile edging its way onto Oz's face. The two were becoming quite the pair. Wesley fancied them both with a grin of his own. "Right."

"Neville may have had an associate named Barns." He flipped some pages.

Oz grabbed up the diary he's had the night before. "H.B.? I saw those initials in here a lot." He showed a page to Cordelia where a delicate 'h' and 'b' were written in the margins.

"August seventh, two PM, Hb." Cordelia read. "So is he our murderer poltergeist making boy? Because I'd love to get this over with before you make me carry that skunky thing again." Drawing loose strands of dark hair behind her ears, Cordelia made a face in reference to the protection spell.

"Agreed. Note to self, protection not worth it." Oz looked to the door and ten seconds later Angel walked through it. The two men nodded at each other. Cordelia and Wesley exchanged glances.

"Morning all." Angel told the room as he silently crossed to Oz's side. "What have we got?"

"Possible partner slash murderer." Oz told him and waved in the direction of Wesley.

"I've correlated several of the initials with names in this pile of papers. One Henry Barns appears more frequently than the others all together." Wesley glanced up at Angel. "We find this man, we may be able to exorcise the spirit with minimal resistance. Especially if we can prove to your lady cop to reopen the investigation."

"What if Barns is dead? The murder was years ago." Angel asked.

"It's not about that." Oz interjected, "It's about justice, being able to rest because someone knows the truth."

"Like a tabloid that gets busted open and sued to death. It's revenge but it's also name clearing, right?" Cordelia added, looking to Oz and Wesley for confirmation.

Oz nodded. Wesley afforded her a smile, "Yes exactly. We prove this man murdered Neville and Neville goes on peacefully to the afterlife or at the very least is reduced to a house guest such as Cordelia's Dennis."

"Thought though, what if William Neville never wanted anyone to find those papers. What if his attacks are just attempts to protect something, maybe this Barns guy?" Oz frowned. "Does any of this track?"

Angel leaned against a pole. "It does. Maybe we're going about this all wrong. We know he was protecting these papers. But did he want us to find his killer or bury his secrets?"

"Do we have to do both?" Cordelia asked with an annoyed glance at Oz. "Why do you have to be Point Guy?"

"Sharp hair."

Wesley had to lean forward to cover his smile. "Oh this is a tricky thing. Why don't we go back to the house and burn a page. If we remain unscathed," He shrugged. "If we're horribly attacked and brutally beaten..."

"Plan B?" Oz, Angel and Cordelia chorused.

"Am I getting predictable?"

"No but this job is. Oh yay, more pain at the hands of unstoppable foes. Oz, do not wear your new shirt tonight. Probably get blood all over it. Or worse rip holes in it or trip and get mud all down the side. Ick. I need to change before we go over there." Cordelia stood up and walked into the other room.

Angel sighed, "Mount up. Wes, don't forget that thing full of sh--"

"The protection amulet. Yes, I know." Wesley cut him off.

*

Wesley walked out of the room to change into his hunting clothes. Angel afforded him a small smile. Then turned to Oz. "You told them something was going on between us."

"They knew. Smart people working here." Oz stated not getting up from the edge of Cordelia's desk. "Is it a problem?"

"Is it?" Angel asked, staring at the doorway his two friends had just gone through. If he listened carefully he could hear them bickering over attire. He never told them how comforting it was to have them around being alive, especially when he was technically dead.

"They think it's cute."

"Cute?" Angel made a face. "Great. Brooding is definitely out, now. What did you tell them?" He leaned against the pole, facing Oz.

"Not much. Cordelia can probably hear us talking through the vents." Oz pointed at the heating vent next to her desk. "We haven't even worked out what we have."

"Well, I like you Oz. You've gotta see that. With the..." Angel wanted to say kissing but this was kind of a new situation. He'd never been involved with another male, not even Spike. "And it's not as if we can sleep together.." Angel would lose his soul if he had a moment completely free of pain and guilt.

"Do you really think it would be perfect? You're in love with Buffy." Oz told him. He was impressed that Angel thought they could have something that powerful between them. No one had ever risked their soul for time with him before.

"You're in love with Willow. And you have suppressed rage, not to mention your a werewolf. Could it be perfect for you?" Angel countered.

"Kettle, your black." Oz sniffed in amusement.

"Right. I know, I'm a vampire. I think I figured that much out about two hundred years ago. Give or take a decade."

"Pedophile." Oz's eyes sparkled.

Angel raised his eyes heavenward. "What have I gotten myself into?"

Wesley walked back in with Cordelia in tow. They were both dressed in older clothing. Cordelia in particular was wearing sweats unlike one of Buffy's work out outfits. Angel didn't flinch at the reminder but he wanted to. Oz's hand touched his arm, "We should get going."

"Right." Angel pulled on his long dark trench coat. He turned to face them and Wesley handed him the protection thing.

"Yeah, I want to watch 'Survivor' tonight, so can we hurry this up?" Cordelia asked.

Angel scowled at her. "The whole 'rescuing the innocent thing', We're going to go do that now. Is there a problem?"

Cordelia rolled her eyes, "I'm just saying, that evil should be dealt with at a decent hour not prime time."

Angel tried not to sigh. "Just get in the car. Can we all do that? Yeah? Good. Okay, we're fighting evil."

*

The house was dark. No burglar lights were needed when you had a poltergeist of your very own. Oz's back throbbed. It was almost completely healed, thanks to good genes and lycathropy but his body remembered the pain. Now they were going to go in full on Ghostbusters style. It was either talk the ghost into the light, Carol Anne or proton packs...In their case smelly amulets and chanting.

It was a new age world.

Angel gave him a once over. Oz resisted the urge to wink at the tall vampire. This was going to be the complete opposite of fun, either way.

"Opensesame." Wesley said primly and opened the door. The amulet let off the worst stench but it had helped them so far. Ghosts apparently had sensitive noses. So did werewolves and it was really hard to not give in to the stench and be driven away.

Wesley stepped into the house. Angel was right there with him. Cordelia steeled herself and walked in with Oz. They stared around the house. Angel nodded. "Upstairs?"

Wesley agreed. He was holding a briefcase in addition to the amulet. It contained the papers from the secret panel in the wall. They were going to offer them to the ghost. Maybe burn them. Hopefully the ghost would see 'destroying the evidence' against him in this life a comfort in the next...Or telling him they knew who killed him would be the comfort. Either way, Oz would rather be watching reruns.

"The manifestation should be strongest where we removed the documents." Wesley told them as he took a step onto the landing.

Oz and Cordelia let Angel drop behind them. "I don't know, that thing was pretty powerful when it tossed Oz. That wasn't even on the stairs."

Wesley frowned, "Even so, we press on."

"Easy for you to say. Don't get too far ahead with that--!" Cordelia was ripped from the stairs and sent flying. Oz leapt over the rail and onto the plush carpet. Cordelia hit the far wall. Angel was next to her and the three of them realized their mistake at the same time.

They were out if the amulet's range.

*

Angel felt the icy presence swish past his legs and go after Oz. Oz's eyes lit up and the pupils blew, growing larger as the green faded to animal brown. He skidded across the carpet to Cordelia's side. Before he could touch her he was launched in to the air. Angel caught him before the wolf could be slammed into the entertainment center.

Wesley ran down the stairs, the amulet held high. Taking one look at Oz's face and the claw tips biting through pale flesh, Wesley took a few steps to avoid him. Crashing to the floor next to Cordelia, he tapped her face lightly, "Cordelia? Can you hear me?"

Oz felt the change silver and light. Too busy to feel the pain in the half change, his eyes were drawn to the shimmer. It smelled like winter and slipped around the room. It circled Angel's chest. Oz let out a half growl. "Look out."

Angel's face hardened and his eyes flashed yellow briefly. The thing was trying to strangle him. It hurt but was pointless. Souled vampires don't need oxygen. He was lifted into the air. Hovering four feet above the floor, Angel's eyes flicked to Wesley and Cordelia and the briefcase. There was no way he could drag air in to speak now.

Unnatural wind howled everywhere. Books fell off shelves. A lamp was smashed.

Blood lust welled underneath Oz's cool exterior. He stared at his clawed hands. Shaking, he felt the rest of the change rushing up to meet him. With another shudder he forced it down and crossed the carpet to Wesley and Cordelia.

A silver knife appeared in Wesley's hand. "You are my friend Oz but I will not let you hurt her. And I should hate to have to regret anything...So...Can you understand me?"

Touching his face, Oz felt the smooth skin. No fur yet. His fingers were coated in downy fur and sharp wicked claws. Concentrating on control, Oz found it almost impossible to speak for a second. He reached out for the briefcase. Wesley's hand came forward with the knife. Before he could cut Oz, Cordelia's hand snatched Wesley's. "No. You're okay, aren't you Oz?"

"Yes." Oz stated.

Angel was slammed into a wall. The crunch was sickening. Oz turned and the change blurred things into wolf vision. The ghost showed up sickly green as it swirled around and around Angel, trying to smash him into pieces. "Papers. We should. Burn them...?"

Wesley's eyes lit up. "Yes! Yes of course. With Cordelia being hurt I had almost completely forgotten our purpose here..." Rambling on, Wesley ripped open the briefcase and held up the journal. Some of the loose pages escaped and drifted to the floor.

The ghost froze. Angel hit the carpet. "Oomph."

Oz shredded the nearest sheet. The ghost didn't move.

"What's happening?" Wesley asked. Oz stared at him with animal eyes. "It's not moving."

Wesley nodded. Pulling matches out of his pocket, he intoned, "We're destroying the evidence. Your secret is safe with us." He struck one of the matches. Cordelia took the protection amulet from him, pulling herself up into a sitting position.

The journal caught fire slowly.

The ghost watched. Oz could feel the cold burning the air around it, frosting his face. Then it launched itself into the burning pages. Wes let out a cry and the book tumbled to the carpet. It exploded into cold fire. Pieces of ice scattered across the plush carpeting.

Oz went to Angel. Wesley helped Cordelia to her feet as the wind died down then out. The ice was already melting away to nothing. Angel made a few noises. Oz sniffed at him. Then stared at his hand, concentrating. Relaxing into human, he tapped Angel's chest. "Can you stand?"

"In a minute. He snapped a few vertebrae." Angel lay absolutely still as his friends gathered above him. "If....Even one of you tries to high..light my hair..while I'm out...Kill." Then he shut his eyes.

Wesley smiled grimly. "We have to get him home and pump him full of warm blood. It'll speed up his healing process."

Cordelia abandoned the amulet. "Yech."

"Get his feet Cordelia, Oz, give us a hand..here."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Angel's eyes opened to the sound of chains snapping taunt and Wesley shouting, "Very good. Again."

Taking stock of his situation, Angel realized he was in his bed. There was a bag and drip of blood going into his arm. It smelled like day and all three of his friends were upstairs doing something that made their scents stronger. Working out?

Pulling the needle out of his arm, he pulled it off and drank the rest of the bag of O negative down in the natural way...for vampires. Shivering a little, he went to the fridge for more. He was hungry and his muscles were weak. He must have been out for a few days. Glad there was no permanent damage, he figured he could risk a shower before going upstairs. Then he heard the chains scrape across the floor again. Curiosity overcame necessity. Grabbing a bag of blood, he headed upstairs.

*

Cordelia let out a little shriek. "Why did I agree to this aiyee!!!!"

Wesley was sweating with the effort. He ignored her and kept his focus on Oz. The gun in his hands was now more precautionary than anything else. This being the third day of the exercise, he thought Oz was progressing rather nicely.

Oz dropped to the floor. Wesley uttered the command, "Human!"

Wolf eyes came up and stared at Wesley defiantly for a moment before hair receded. Naked and straining with effort, Oz stared back at him. A smug look crossed his face. Wesley smiled back. "Very good, Oz! Again!"

Oz bowed his head. His body shook with effort. The manacles around his wrists were coated underneath with fleece to prevent damage to the wrists but even still the flesh was red. Wesley made a note to stop after this go through. Oz's eyes met his like they'd trained and the pupils blew. The irises spread and turned dark. Wesley could almost fell Oz's change in the air now. Oz didn't even grab at his stomach this time. He let out a painful half growl and fur sprouted and ran down his form like water. In seconds his face was primal wolf.

That was Wesley's cue. "Attack!"

Cordelia stood perfectly still just outside the range of Oz's claws. Only, just outside the claws, almost a hairsbreadth. The girl did quite well now, holding still. Oz's wolf form hurdled down the length of the room and leapt the last few feet. Wesley gave him a second to raise his claws to her and shouted. "Friend!"

Oz snarled, reared up. "Friend!" Wesley shouted again. The wolf form turned to regard him. Then dropped to all fours. "Very good Oz." Wesley launched a piece of stake on to the floor. He snapped it up, so much like a great big dog that Cordelia relaxed and sighed. Wesley gave Oz a few seconds more and then shouted the command to change back.

Dark eyes met Wesley's almost defiantly. Then the irises fell in on themselves lightening to Oz's cat green. Skin smoothed out and faded to pale. Oz dropped to his stomach, sweat pouring off of him. Red hair slicked to his skull he stared up at Wesley, ready to do it again even though his limbs were shaking with exhaustion.

Wesley nodded at Cordelia. She rushed forward with a towel and the key to the manacles. "I thought you were going to eat me in the beginning.." She told him, releasing his wrists.

"Changing makes us both hungry." Oz commented. "Good idea to feed my other half. Not sure how I feel about the reward system." Rubbing his wrists, he moped up the worst of the sweat and dragged the towel around him, modestly. "I'm not a great Dane."

"Not even close, I assure you." Wesley was scribbling in his note book. "Much better this time. You only resisted me three times. Quite a bit of improvement there..." Wesley trailed off as the scent hit Oz. "Angel?" A smile split Wesley's face. "You're awake. Good morning!"

"Bought time you got up, sleepy head. We were starting to think you were dead...Again." Cordelia commented, helping Oz to his feet.

But Angel's eyes were on Oz. "What's up?"

"Obedience training." Oz told him. "You look better."

Angel nodded. "I saw.."

"Oh, you saw Oz responding to my commands!" Wesley stated proudly.

"I can make it happen on command." Oz agreed. "Changing back and taking orders in wolf are the hard part."

"But he's becoming quite good at it!" Wesley praised. "Oh, and Mr. James' check cleared. He sent his thanks." Wesley glanced over at Cordelia. "We could all um, do with a break. I'll take you home?"

"No way I want to see the touching re--Yeah okay." She smiled and let go of Oz. He leaned against the desk, watching Angel. Wesley lead Cordelia out. Oz was vaguely aware of them discussing hot showers and bringing dinner back to Cordelia's. It was funny to hear her talking about her ghost's taste in food.

His attentions snapped back to Angel. The vampire leaned against the pole Oz had been recently chained. "So is this working?"

Oz nodded, "Scent is next. I have to learlearn to differentiate between human as friend and other as prey. Plus your scent. I need to know it so I won't attack you."

Interested, Angel asked, "Any ideas?"

"One." Oz gave him a tight smile.

"What is it?" Angel asked.

"You eat. I'll shower. Then we can discuss it."

*

Oz wasn't sure about this. But the last few days with Angel in a healing coma had brought a lot of issues up. Oz had dealt with them, he hoped and all he had left was this. The hot water felt good. It let the smell of wolf fade. By the time he was done, he smelled all man and all dove. The house was full of moisturizing bars. Not exactly Irish spring but Oz could care less.

Stepping out of the shower, Oz dressed quickly. He didn't want to give anything away. Angel was sitting on the bed. Oz joined him. "Okay, so tell me your idea?"

Oz gave him a smirk. Then knelt down next to the bed. Pulling the paper out from under it, he showed it to Angel. Angel stared at it for a few minutes. If he'd been human the color would have drained out of his face. "This..this is my curse?"

"I called Willow." That was hard enough to admit. The conversation had been happy and painful beyond reason. He'd cried afterward. He was the only one who knew that and the only one who would, ever. Oz had to retain some male mystique somewhere. "She..."

"Why?" Angel asked, placing the papers on the bed.

"I memorized it." Oz sidestepped Angel's question. "You were out for almost a week. I had time."

Angel was still not getting it. For a smart guy, he missed a lot. "Why?" he asked again. Oz didn't answer. He just gave Angel a meaningful once over.

"I set wards. Willow said they would keep evil in. She..was curious."

"Did you tell her about us?" Angel asked gently.

"Yes." Oz remembered her surprise and the emotion that choked her voice. There was so much they had said and talked about. But she was the distant past and the distant future. Angel was the now. "I know where our hearts are."

Angel glanced away and Oz knew he was thinking of her, Buffy. He reached out and dragged Angel's face back to stare into his eyes. "It's okay. This isn't perfect. Perfect hurts too much."

"What is this?" Angel held his hand palm up. Oz placed his in the vampire's.

"This is friendship. This could be love. Or it could be comfort." Oz gave him a soft stare. "Mostly it's potential."

"Potential." Angel's lips curled into a half smile.

"And it's new for both of us. We need change." Oz touched Angel's face.

Angel stares at Oz for a few seconds. "Is this what you want?"

"Is it what you want?" Oz echoed.

Angel moved forward to cup Oz's face. Tentatively he pressed his lips against the werewolf's. It felt nice, kissing Angel. His lips were soft and tender, and they grazed slowly down Oz's neck. They sucked gently at the wolf's pulse point, and traveled down to his collarbone. When they met the fabric of Oz's collar, Angel growled softly in the back of his throat at the minor annoyance.

"You're wearing your new shirt. It looks good on you. Take it off," the vampire said in a low, gravely voice. Oz complied quickly, pulling the black material with the blue paws over his head without bothering to unbutton it.

Angel took a moment to survey Oz's pale chest, seeing each line and curve of his muscles as if for the first time. He touched the warm skin delicately, tracing over the contours with a feather like touch. The skin sizzled against Angel's hands, warmth and desire radiating off of Oz in scorching waves.

Angel bowed his head, pressing his lips to Oz's sternum, lapping at the light sheen of sweat that gathered there. He rolled the taste of the werewolf around in his mouth, savoring the musky, wild taste on his tongue, as if it were a fine wine. The vampire pebbled tiny kisses over Oz's chest, raking his teeth lightly over the younger man's sensitive nipples, and trailing his tongue down the line of the wolf's abs.

As he paused at Oz's navel, he knelt down and placed his hands on either hip. Angel looked up at Oz, his brown eyes, dark with desire, searching for consent. Oz's eyes were closed, a small frown creasing his face like a determined child's. He looked so young, so innocent, so beautiful in the dim light.

"Look at me," Angel said, a little rougher than he intended. Oz's eyes popped open, and he regarded the vampire with a look of surprise.

"Why did you stop?" Oz asked, resting his hand on Angel's shoulder.

"I want..." Angel cleared his throat, and rubbed his chin lightly against Oz 's stomach, similar to how a cat would rub against its owner's leg. The whole action had a feline quality to it, from Angel's half lidded gaze down to his poised crouch and the soft, unconscious purr in his voice. He continued, "I want you to know that it's me. Not some memory. I want you to watch."

Oz nodded, locking his gaze with Angel's. This was what Oz had wanted for days now. Angel slowly unbuckled Oz's belt, unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans. The vampire slowly slid the denim and the boxers beneath from his hips and down his thighs.

Oz's erection strained forward in the cool air of the room. Without looking away, Angel wrapped his lips around Oz and began to suck. His tongue played along the underside, licking and tasting more of Oz's distinct flavor.

Oz hissed in pleasure, unconsciously thrusting forward. His fingers dug into Angel's shoulders, letting out a strangled moan. He was panting heavily as Angel continued to suck him deeper and harder, and soon he could feel himself on the brink of orgasm.

He threw his head back as he exploded into Angel's eager mouth. Angel coaxed him down slowly. The vampire stood up and gathered Oz into his arms, cradling the shorter man to his chest.

Without a word, they slid between the sheets. He quickly disrobed and joined his partner. Oz gave Angel a lazy smile, like the certain cat who swallowed the certain canary, smug and self satisfied. "We were supposed to work on you. Test the boundaries..."

"Why rush it?" Angel kissed him gently, softly, and just as the vampire began to pull away, Oz pulled him closer, kissing him deeply, "Because I won't remember the spell forever."

They kissed until Oz reluctantly pulled away for air. Angel pulled him close, running his fingers through the wolf's spiky, unnaturally colored hair.

"We should get some sleep," Angel suggested.

"But it's after hours.." Oz argued, "Cordelia and Wesley won't be back until tomorrow. And I did memorize the spell...Wards are up..."

Angel shook his head. "Do you want to change things all at once?"

Oz stared up at him. "Maybe I do."

The scent in the sheets was new. It was mingled. It was theirs. And it was home. For now at least, Oz had a home with Angel. He was going to make the most of it.

"It's good to be wanted."


End.

Feedback