Graham Miller sighed, letting himself into the apartment. This had been the first time in the year that he and Willow had been dating that the two of them had gone a whole week without seeing each other. The Initiative had been busy the last week with the demon population swelling to almost unreasonable numbers.

They'd also discovered that the Slayer really DID exist, even though Graham had known about her for a whole year. Riley Finn had taken a special interest in the tiny blonde.... Buffy, or Bunny, or something like that. Graham never could remember her name.

He knew Willow had been busy too. There was some sort of prophecy that had been discovered that involved - shock! - the end of the world. She'd been trying to stop it from happening. Sex with her human lover was just too good for the world to end.

He threw his bag down in the hallway, not caring that Willow would bitch about it when she arrived. He just wanted to pull her in his arms and sleep for a few decades.

"I don't like you."

Graham jumped and spun around. He sighed frustratingly, seeing the bane of his existence sitting on the couch. "Xander," he hissed through clenched teeth. "What the hell do you want?"

Xander smirked at the human. It angered him that Graham wasn't scared of him, but he enjoyed playing games with the human nonetheless. "I came to play."

"Where's your Mistress?" Graham remarked snidely.

Anger filled Xander's body. "She is not my Mistress! I am my own demon, thank you very much!"

Graham leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "We have this chip, back at the lab, that modifies behavior...."

Xander's eyebrow rose. "So that's would explain why you have no personality! Soldier boys took it away from you!"

"....and it keeps vamps from biting," Graham continued, ignoring the vampire's interruption.

Xander's mouth dropped open. "So the rumor is true! You can take away my bite."

"Pretty much," Graham said softly.

Xander sat back, stunned. "But that...that could kill us."

Graham shrugged, looking down. "The Initiative doesn't care."

"Do you?"

"I'm in love with Willow," Graham said. "I love everything about her. Including her bite." He frowned. "Unfortunately, I don't want you to get caught either, because it would hurt her."

Xander started laughing.

"What?" Graham growled.

"We are so pathetic, the two of us. Playing friends, all for the love of Willow."

"Especially since it's our lot in life to hunt each other," Graham said, smiling.

"Yea," Xander replied.

< Xander's not horrible, once I get past the demon, > Graham thought. He glanced at his watch. "Damn, where is she? She said 10:30. It's almost 11:00."

Xander shrugged. "Probably talking to some of the family at the Bronze."

"Oh, yea, I know how she gets when she starts talking." He walked to the couch and sat down. His head snapped up. "Oh, no, did you say Bronze?"

"Yea, why?" Xander asked.

"Shit! Riley and Forrest and Bunny..."

"The Slayer?"

"Yea. They are taking some newbies to the Bronze for a raid tonight," Graham said.

"Damn it!" Xander cried. "She's still alive, I can feel it. We gotta move fast."

"Right!" Graham said.

*-*-*-*

The vampire and human made it to the Bronze in record time. They walked into massive carnage. There was dust everywhere, and three of the eight newbies that went out that night were dead on the floor.

Willow was backed into a corner, bantering with the Slayer. At the current moment, neither of them had the upper edge.

"Miller! Vamp behind you!" Riley yelled, pulling out his weapon.

"No!" Graham cried, stepping in between Riley and Xander. "He saved my life! We can't capture him!"

Riley's mouth dropped open. "Saved your life?"

"Yea," Graham lied. "Big demon, about to eat me. Xander killed it."

"Yep," Xander grinned.

"And her," Graham said, pointing to Willow. "I want her."

Buffy turned to look at Graham. "You want a vampire?"

"Don't kill her," Graham growled. "If you do, I will kill you myself. I don't care if you are the Slayer."

Willow slipped out from between Buffy and the wall. She walked over to Graham and hugged him. "Thanks," she said softly.

"Miller..." Riley said threateningly. "What's going on here?"

"You know the elusive woman I've been dating for a year? The one you two doesn't think exists?" Graham asked.

"Yea..." Forrest said softly.

Graham wrapped his arm around Willow. "Riley, Forrest, Bunny, this is my Willow."

"My NAME is BUFFY," Buffy exclaimed. Riley wrapped his arm around her waist.

Graham shrugged. "Slayer. That's what Wills calls you."

"You are dating a vampire," Forrest said, not able to comprehend that thought.

"Her stamina is incredible," Graham smirked.

Xander stepped forward. "As much as it pains me to say this, because let's face it, humans are pretty much only good for dinner, but Graham and Willow are good together. I mean, if I can see it, surely you can too."

"And you are?" Buffy asked.

"Oh, that's Xander," Graham said. "Willow's best friend."

"You know, I can have you booted out of the Initiative for this," Riley said through clenched teeth.

Graham crossed his arms. "Riley, you know that the Initiative is one of the most important things in my life. I would never do anything to compromise that. However, I can assure you that I will spare no lengths to protect what's mine. If you deem that being in love with her is worth kicking a valuable member off the team, so be it."

Willow frowned. She knew that Graham loved being a soldier. "Has he changed any in the last year, or has he gone after demons with the same intensity?"

Riley sighed. The vampire had a point. Graham was still one of the best. "Fine This will stay between us. Come on, guys, let's go. It's been a long night. Miller, don't forget -- meeting tomorrow, 0900 hours."

Graham grinned and mock saluted. "Aye-aye, sir," he smirked.

Riley glared at him as he left the Bronze.

Graham chuckled. "Come on, let's go home."

"Thought you'd never ask," Willow smiled. The two vampires and one human walked out into the night.

END

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