Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville, Supernatural, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

A/N: This series won the which vote on my facebook page as to which old series should be updated next... so here we are.

They sat together in front of the fire, eyeing the flames in silence.

"What's the plan now, luv?"

Chloe looked up at Spike, taking in a deep breath as she got up and went to put some more logs in the fire. "We can't stay together anymore, Spike. You know that. I know that." She looked up. "We both know that Dru's already planning Angel's assassination. It's her own misguided way of trying to keep the family together."

Spike nodded, not even pretending to look innocent. "I have half a mind to help her."

"Spike," Chloe whispered.

"Don't 'Spike' me ducks!" Spike snapped, fluidly rising from the chair with a snarl, face going Vamp immediately. "We had a good thing going on! We were the Big Bad! We were a family! And he goes and ruins everything! Again!" He grabbed a log and thew it against the wall. "He keeps getting his bloody soul and leaving us!"

Chloe looked up at him, sensing the resentment and accusation. "He didn't get his soul back on purpose, Spike. You know that."

"Yeah, I know that. Your bleedin' boytoy gave 'Gelus his soddin' soul so he could get you back!" Spike snarled, running a hand over his hair as he turned to face her. "But you're not only Angel's, you're ours too! It isn't fucking fair! Dru's in her room alternating from tearful hysterics to planning her beloved sire's demise! The soul is locked up in his room alternating from participating in deep self-loathing to trying to get you to leave here immediately. I'm not sure how I'm holding it together! And you! You should be the happiest person right now! You wanted the bloody soul back! But you're not happy. You're just as torn up about this as the rest of us!"

"Of course I am!" She snapped, standing and facing him. "It's been three years Spike! Three years! I haven't seen my friends or family since I was sixteen! I'm nineteen now! I've changed! I'm more vampire than I am human! I don't even know how much of my soul is still intact after all I've done!" She glare at him, tears filling her eyes. "What am I supposed to do? Everything's different! I'm not the Slayer's best friend and sidekick anymore! I've been living with you, killing with you! I've been the lover of a soulless serial murderer! An insane, psychic, psychopath is like a daughter to me! And you! You!" Chloe looked up at Spike, tears threatening to blind her as her bottom lip trembled viciously. "Spike. You're sadistic and vicious and one of the sickest most obsessive monsters out there...and you're my best friend. I couldn't have gotten through any of this without you." She stabbed at her eyes with the heels of her palms, sniffling. "And now Angel's back but he's all broken, blaming himself for me having to live like this...and he wants to leave right away...and Dru's crying because she doesn't want me to leave...what am I supposed to do Spike? What?" She pulled her hands from her face and looked up pleadingly at him. "Tell me what to do."

"Ducks," Spike whispered, reaching for her and drawing her into his arms, letting her cry into his chest as he rested his chin on the crown of her head. "This has been a bitch on you, I know that. And for the record, you've been my bleedin' best friend too these last couple of years." He held her tighter. "I don't want you to go, luv. You're family."

She clutched at him tighter, closing her eyes tightly. "You two are my family too." Her voice was half muffled by his shirt. "But Angel...he needs me...I can't...he needs to get away from here."

Spike sighed, pressing a chaste kiss to her lips. "Best get Kal to take you both now...I can't promise Dru won't do something to the Soul when she senses you both are sleeping. Or me for that matter."

Chloe pulled away slightly and looked up at Spike, tearfully. She reached up and kissed his lips, gripping tightly onto his shirt as he held her her just as tightly, kissing her back with the same degree of sadness. Finally pulling away, Chloe couldn't look him in the eye as she raced away towards room Angel had locked himself into. She entered the bedroom, and paused, seeing Angel by the window. The vampire was looking out at the night sky, agony and misery on his every feature.

He wouldn't even look at her.

He was so ashamed.

"We're leaving now," she whispered.

He tilted his head slightly in her direction and nodded, but wouldn't look at her.

She closed her eyes tightly and wiped at her tears before pulling out her cellular, calling Kal and letting him know what had happened.

In seconds he'd appeared before her, hanging up his phone. "You know, I'm not mass transportation," the Kryptonian let her know in a bored fashion, leaning against the wall, eyeing Angel with a raised eyebrow. "So he's the Soul?"

Chloe nodded.

Kal looked him up and down. "Hey. Angelus."

"My name is Angel," the vampire snapped, looking up at him with a mixture of anger and agony.

Kal raised that eyebrow higher before turning to Chloe. "I think I liked the demon better."

"Kal," she pleaded.

"Okay little cousin, I will behave." Kal had taken to calling her that now that he knew that his one and only love, Lucy, was Chloe's younger cousin. Since in Kryptonian law married or mates became one person, he'd taken Lucy's family for his own, and considered Chloe his little sister or cousin, alternately calling her by both titles. "I will take you wherever it is you need me to take you."

"Thank you," she whispered, telling him where to take them.

And that was how, hours later, Chloe took in a deep breath as she walked up to the door of the small apartment, knocking. She'd left Angel in the hotel room she'd rented, and while Angelus wouldn't have let her out of his sight, Angel only slid onto the bed and looked up at the ceiling in an unseeing way. The memory agonized her and Chloe was forced to admit that between Angelus and this version of her Angel, Chloe preferred the demon. She couldn't stand seeing Angel in so much pain, and blaming himself for everything she'd had to witness and live through these last couple of years.

Especially since she herself had adapted to her new lifestyle and thrived.

The door opened to a pretty blonde girl with long curls, green eyes watching her oddly. She was half dressed, wearing only a shirt that was way too small for her, and brief panties.

"Can I help you?"

"Yeah." Chloe nodded. She'd once been good with other humans, but she'd spent the last couple of years surrounded by demons, and their attitudes had apparently rubbed off on her. "You can go tell Sam to get his ass out here."

The girl's already wary gaze narrowed and she tightened her grip on the door. "Sam's busy. He's not up to seeing anyone tonight, so if you don't mind you can try contacting him later."

Chloe's hand reached out and stopped the door from banging shut. Her eyes were cold as they glared into the other girl's face. "Tell Sam it's Chloe. And see if he's too tired or busy to see me."

The girl, who must be the girlfriend 'Jessica' that her dad had told Chloe about, looked pissed off but intimidated, and did as told. "Wait here. I won't be long."

She turned and stalked away, disappearing into the apartment.

Chloe didn't bother going in.

She took in a deep breath and turned around, looking up at the sky as she took in a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

For some reason she was really nervous right about now.

What exactly was she doing here anyway?

Sam brought back Angel's soul, that's why.

She took in another deep breath.

Right.

She needed to...thank him...

Right.

Thank.

Sam had done some powerful magic to give her back the soul he knew she loved, and she needed to...thank him...despite the consequences of his actions.

She had to be grateful.

She had to be.

There was a loud thud inside the house, and Chloe turned around in time to see Sam as he stumbled rapidly, uncoordinatedly, into the doorway. One hand held onto the door so tightly his knuckles were white, the other pressed against the doorframe, and he took up the whole doorway. His blue/green eyes were wide and disbelieving as they seemed to devour her.

"Sam?" Jessica was calling behind him. "Sam! What is wrong with you? Who is she?"

He was in a similar state of undress as his agitated girlfriend, wearing only briefs and socks.

It gave Chloe a surprisingly enticing view of just how well the once tall, lanky and clumsy looking guy had filled out.

"Chloe," Sam whispered, voice breaking.

She managed a small smile. "Hey Sam."

"Chloe." And then he was outside, sweeping her in his arms and pulling her close to him, strong and yet gentle, as if worrying he'd hurt her.

"Sam!" Jessica cried in scandal. "You're outside in your underwear! Stop this and get inside now!"

"You're here." He ignored Jessica, lowering Chloe down only so he could have his hands free to cup her face and her body, as if making sure that she was all in one piece. "Are you okay?"

Her smile was more genuine as she nodded. "You know I'm tough as nails."

His hands rose up her shoulders to her neck to cup her face once more, gazing down at her with tenderness.

"Sam!" And then Jessica was there, nearly standing between them, giving Chloe her back. "Get a hold of yourself! What's wrong with you? Get inside now before the neighbors call the police on you!"

Chloe nodded, slipping out of Sam's hold. "She's right, you're not dressed for a night out."

"Give me two seconds," he pleaded. "I'll pull on something quickly and then I'm all yours."

"Sam!" Jessica snapped. "We were...in the middle...of something."

Chloe sent a darkly amused look in Jessica direction before giving Sam a little mock salute. "Don't let me interrupt, I just came to let you know that it worked." She walked backwards and away. "But you already knew that." She turned around and began walking away. "Bye Sammy, and thanks."

There.

She'd done it.

"Sam!" Jessica screamed in anger, and that was the only warning Chloe got before suddenly she was scooped up from behind and thrown over Sam's shoulder.

"Sam!" Chloe's cry blended with Jessica's as suddenly she felt him pull on the power that connected them to each other, and then they weren't in front of his apartment anymore.

In her apartment in San Diego, Buffy Summers pulled back a strand of dyed red hair from her face and looked at the number on her cellular. The number she had yet to call. She knew that he wouldn't have changed his number, knew that that just wasn't like him, especially-especially not if he'd been searching for her so relentlessly these last three years.

Something in her heart went wild at the thought of Rupert Giles searching for her so faithfully.

Three years hadn't been enough to remove him from her heart. If anything, the assholes she'd met during these three years had been nothing but proof that she'd met the only decent man left in Sunnydale, and he was British, and awkward, and so utterly amazing and perfect for her.

And she'd left him.

She'd left everybody.

And it was something she still couldn't forgive herself for.

Did she really deserve to call him now?

Taking in a deep breath, Buffy pressed Call, and brought the cellular to her ear, hearing the ringtone.

She was about to hang up when it was answered.

"Hello?" Giles asked, voice tired. "Who is this?"

She hesitated, she still contemplated hanging up, but her voice spoke before she could do so. "Giles?"

There was a pause, and then... "Buffy?" His voice was suddenly urgent. "Buffy! Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me," she whispered.

"Please God, tell me this isn't a dream!"

She broke down crying.

The shadows dispersed, vanishing into thin air, and Chloe found herself hanging upside-down on Sam's shoulder. The blood was rushing to her head, she was dizzy, and about to pinch him when he slowly and carefully lowered her to her feet.

"My head is killing me," she complained before slugging him. "Do you know how dangerous double teleportation is?" She snapped, tilting her head back so she could glare in his face. "Most cases end in part of the person tagging along being left behind!"

He just smiled down at her. "I know."

That just served to anger her further. "Yet you still risked it?"

"Chloe, there wasn't any risk," Sam announced, face going serious. "I wouldn't risk you. You should know that by now."

Her anger melted into uneasy confusion. "I don't...get...what you're trying to say." She frowned. "And since when do you kidnap people anyway?"

She was doing her best to keep her gaze on his face and not...lower.

"Don't you get it?" Sam shook his head. "Chloe, I've been your conduit since we were sixteen. Despite the fact that you've been gone for three years...that hasn't changed. You have an extreme connection with the hellmouth and its energies, you don't even have to be near a hellmouth anymore, wherever you are becomes a hellmouth."

She frowned, her silent worries being spoken by the last person she would have thought they'd come from, given the fact that she hadn't seen him in three years and he didn't know of all the things that'd happened to her during that time. "How did you know that?"

"Chloe, I'm connected to you. You chose me as your conduit, even if it was unknowingly, and that makes us extensions of each other." Sam tilted his head to the side as he explained this. "We're a part of each other, and that means that you're safe when teleporting with me. The only one who's safe."

She looked up at him, shocked.

She-she hadn't thought of things that way.

But now...

Wow.

It was like a slap in the face.

"I need to sit down." And it was then that she really looked around her. "Uhm, Sam? Where exactly are we?"

He looked around as well. "I'm not exactly sure." The handsome giant scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I didn't think of anywhere specific that I wanted to go. Only that I wanted us to be able to be somewhere private where we could talk and not get interrupted."

"Well, wherever it is, it's pretty." Chloe hugged herself, looking around the moonlit meadow next to the lagoon, the water sparkling like stars.

Sam nodded in agreement, although he hugged himself as well, the air chilly.

Chloe gave him a look. "Come on, there's a little cabin up there, see? You need to get out of the cold or you're going to get sick."

They walked together in silence.

TBC