Author: angellover
Disclaimer: Don't own it. It all belongs to Joss and Company. The only thing that belongs to me are the mistakes i the story.
Spoilers: AU. No demons, vampires, or any other evil. Angel is normal. Buffy is normal. And life is normal. Yeah, normal, right. Nothing's ever normal where our beloved couple is concerned. Stay tuned and you'll see what I mean. Now, with that said here's the deal. Eighteen year old Buffy Summers falls for rich Angel O'Conner, but she has a secret that may tear them apart.
Rating: NC17
Feedback: Love it.
Distribution: Notify if archived
Music: Completely by Jennifer Day
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CHAPTER 1
"Come in!" Buffy Summers called out in response to the knock on her bedroom door, and turned around just in time to see her older brother Doyle enter the room.
"Hey, Munchkin. Whatcha doing?"
"Trying on this new outfit." She replied, as she turned back to her Chevelle mirror to look at the outfit she was wearing again. "What do you think? Do you like it?"
Doyle moved to her bed, and sat down. "Well... I uhh... Is it one of your creations?"
"Just the top." She smoothed her hands over the purple and black corset style top, and tugged at the matching black leather pants. "And you never answered my question, Doyle. Do you like it?"
"Well, uhh..." He met her gaze in the mirror. "It's a little revealing, don't you think?"
"No. Everything's covered, Doyle. And for your information, this happens to be the style right now, and I have to keep up with the styles. Especially now that I'm getting OLDER." She turned around to give him a funny look. "I want to look like the woman I'm becoming."
"Am I missing something here, Sis?" Doyle asked, doing his best not to smile.
"No, I guess not." Buffy mumbled before moving to her bedroom window.
"Munchkin?"
"What?"
"Happy Birthday."
She spun around excitedly to find Doyle standing behind her with a big smile on his face, and a gold wrapped box in his hands. "You remembered!" She yelled, taking the present from him and launching herself into his arms at the same time.
"Of course, I remembered." Doyle laughed, and returned her hug. "How could I forget my baby sister's eighteenth birthday?" He pulled away to look at her. "Especially when..."
"I still can't believe you remembered." Buffy cut him off. "I mean, I hoped you would, but I wasn't sure. You've been so busy lately." She moved over to her bed and sat down. "I barely see you anymore. Between the new job and the new place... We never spend time together anymore. Not like we used."
"We see each other at school everyday, five days a week, Buffy." Doyle walked back over to the bed and sat down beside her.
"I see Mr. Summers, the sophmore English teacher, at school five days a week, Doyle. Not Doyle Summers, my brother. And even when I do see you it's just in passing." She looked down at the present in her hands to keep him from seeing the tears in her eyes. "Damn that dickhead Snyder. I don't understand why he won't let me hangout with you. I mean, what's the big deal? It's not like I take your class, and what is the difference between my hanging out with you and my hanging out with Giles? He's practically family, too. He's sleeping with our mother for christ's sake!"
Doyle nervously cleared his throat. "You don't know that, Buffy."
Buffy's head shot up, her eyes locking with her brother's flustered ones. "Oh come on, Doyle! I'm a virgin, not an idiot. Do you honestly think I don't know what goes on between Mom and Giles when they go on their all night dates? And good god, what the hell are you blushing for? It's not like you and I've never discussed sex before. In case you've forgotten, big brother you were the one that told me about the birds and the bees in the first place."
"Telling you about the birds and the bees and actually discussing our mother's sex life are two completely different matters, Buffy."
"So are you admitting she actually has one?"
"No!" He jumped up from the bed. "And even if I were I wouldn't be discussing it with you, Buffy!"
"Oh, I see..." She muttered. "This is that whole *I have to protect Buffy for her own good* thing again. You and Mom... I swear the two of you act like I'm totally incapable of talking about sex much less having it."
"Buffy..." Doyle gave her a pained look.
"Oh, forget it..." She flopped back on the bed. "I give up. I might as well just give up talking to either one of you period. It's not like either one of you are around that much to listen anyway."
"I'm here whenever you need me, Munchkin. All you have to do is pick up the phone and call me, or get in the car and drive to my apartment."
"Newsflash, Doyle! I don't have a car, remember? And that little red convertible... The one I've been dreaming about since I was sixteen isn't going to just magically appear in the driveway. Especially since Mom can't afford to buy me one and totally refuses to let me work."
"Ahhh..." Doyle crawled back on the bed and laid down beside her. "I think we're finally getting to the root of the real problem here."
"What problem?"
"This mood you've been in for months. You're still angry at Dad."
"I'm not mad at you or Giles."
"I was talking about Hank, Buffy. Let me guess, he didn't call, did he?"
She looked up at the ceiling. "Nope. And why you would even think he would is beyond me."
Doyle reached over to brush a lock of hair of her forehead. "I'm sorry, Munchkin."
"Sorry for what, Doyle? I got over that dickhead a long time ago." She looked over at him. "Besides, you got the more shittier end of the stick than I did. He just forgot about me. You... He basically tortured you for years, then forgot about you."
"People get messed sometimes, Buffy. Did you ever stop to think that maybe he has serious problems. Problems he can't talk about with anyone."
Buffy sat up. "I don't fucking believe this! You're defending him?"
"No, I'm just saying..."
"That maybe he has problems. Yeah, yeah. I heard that part, Doyle." Buffy exploded. "And my reply to you is what problems? He's rich! He lives in a million dollar house with his latest flavor of the month, drives a fancy car, and travels all over the world while Mom's here working her ass off seven days a week just trying to make ends meet because he's too fucking tight with his money to help raise us!" She shot of the bed. "But I guess you forgot about Mom, right, Doyle? Forgot it was her that raised you... Loved you."
"I havn't forgotten anything Mom has done for me, Buffy"
"Then why are you defending him?"
"I'm not defending him. I'm just saying I don't want to waste my time hating him anymore. Life is precious, Buffy. You taught me that, and I don't want to waste one second of my time hating him. Especially when I don't know the reasons why he did the things he did. Why he does the things he does."
"Money!" Buffy screamed. "Money is the root of all evil, Doyle and he's a self centered bastard who's obsessed with it! Gods! I can't believe you're stupid enough to think that there's another reason for him being the way he is! I can't believe you don't hate him! Especially after the way he treated you and Mom!" She spun away from him to try and get her rage under control.
"Do you really want to know why I can't hate him, Buffy? It's because of Mom. It's because of you. He gave me the both of you. When my real mom died the only reason he took me in was because of Mom... Joyce... She told me she fell in love with me the very first time she met me. It wasn't long after her and Dad got engaged. I came for a weekend visit. I was only two years old, but I can still remember how loving she was. How she always made me feel special everytime I visited after that, and things didn't change after her and Dad got married. She let me pick out my own bedroom when they bought this house, and she even let me help decorate it. She told me that this was my home too, even if I couldn't be here seven days and week, and gods if she hadn't been there for me after me real Mom died I don't know what would have happened to me. She may not be my biological mother, Buffy but she is my real Mom. That fact became even more true the day her and Dad went to court for the divorce. I will never ever forget what she told the judge when he asked her what she wanted from the divorce. She told him all she wanted was her kids. Not kid, Buffy. Kids. She told him she wanted you and me, and I couldn't have loved her anymore than I loved her at that moment." He stood up and moved up behind her. "And then there's you, Munchkin. He gave me you, and I know all the experts say that an older child usually hates the younger sibling, but not me. I adored you from the very first moment Mom and Dad brought you home from the hospital. I was only four years old, but I can still remember how Mom let me sit on the couch and hold you in my lap. God, you were so tiny... So tiny... And I was so terrified you would break, but then you opened those big beautiful eyes of yours and looked at me with so much trust, and I swore right then and there that I was going to be your protector. And okay, maybe I haven't always done such a great job at my duties, and yes, maybe I am a little overprotective at times, but it's only because I love you. I love you so much, Buffy and it's because I do love you and adore you that I can't hate him. Whether you like it or not he helped give you life and I could never hate anyone that gave me one of the most precious things in this world to me."
"Oh, Doyle." A sob tore from Buffy's throat, and she turned around to throw herself in his arms again. "I'm sorry. S-So sorry. I... I just... Things are s-so messed lately. S-School... A-And other stuff... I'm s-sorry."
Doyle stroked her hair in comfort. "It's not easy growing up, huh?"
"Uh uh..." She sniffled.
"It gets better, I promise." He pulled away to look at her. "Now do me a favor and dry up those tears of yours. You know I can't stand to see you cry. Besides, it's your birthday and you still have to open your present from me."
"O-Okay." She swiped her tears away and let him lead her back to the bed to sit down. "Go on." Doyle urged, gesturing to the present. "Open it."
Buffy did as he instructed, and gasped when she opened the lid to box that had been underneath the wrapping paper. "Oh my god, Doyle!" Her stunned eyes flew to his. "You shouldn't have..." She picked up the check from inside the box with shaking hands. "This is..."
"For the little red convertible fund." He grinned.
"B-But.."
"No buts, Munchkin." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Happy Birthday."
She hugged him. "Thank you. It's the best present ever. You're the best brother ever. I love you."
"I love you, too." He patted her back, then pulled away. "So... Do you have any plans for this special occassion?"
She shook her head no. "Not really. I'm just Bronzing it." She stared at the check in her hands. "I don't really want to go, but I didn't have the heart to say no to Will and Xand. They have their hearts set on helping me celebrate. What about you? Do you have any plans?"
"Actually, I do. I figured you'd have plans, so I sorta made a date with someone."
"W-What?" Buffy's startled eyes flew back to her brother. "You have a d-date?"
"Mmm..." He smiled. "My first one in over a year. I'm actually nervous."
Buffy was happy for her brother. She really was, but at the same time she couldn't help but envy him for doing what she wanted to do. Date... Have a significant other... Someone to love, and who would love her equally as much. But that was never going to happen to her, and she had finally come to terms with it. Or at least she thought she had. Especially since... And okay, she wasn't even going to go there. "A d-date. Wow."
"I know." Doyle glanced over at her. "I just I hope I remember how to do it."
"I'm sure you'll do fine." She patted his knee. "But if you're really that nervous about it maybe you should cancel. You could be my date tonight instead."
"Uh uh, Buffy. The last thing you need is your older, very overprotective brother tagging along with you tonight. Besides, I said I was nervous, not crazy. This woman... She happens to be gorgeous."
"And you're saying I'm not?"
"No, I'm not saying that, Sis. You know I think you're gorgeous, but this is a woman..." He swiped a hand through his hair. "She's a woman, Buffy. Not that I'm saying you're not a woman... And okay, how can I put this in terms you'll understand, and that won't hurt your feelings?"
"I understand perfectly, Doyle." She looked away. "I may not be an expert when it comes to the dating thing, but I do understand."
Doyle eyed her warily. "Then you're not mad?"
"No." She turned back to him. "Just a little disappointed that's all. I was sorta hoping you'd be my dance partner."
"What about, Xander?"
"He has Anya, and Will has Oz, and m-me... I'm just the fifth tire."
Doyle couldn't help but chuckle. "I think you mean fifth wheel."
"Whatever." She mumbled. "You know what I mean, Doyle."
"Don't worry, Sis. I'm sure you'll find someone else to dance with."
"I don't want someone else, Doyle." She pouted. "I want you."
"Uh uh. No way, Buffy. That's not going to work."
"What's not going to work?" Buffy asked innocently.
"That pout of yours. You know I hate it. Which is exactly why I'm leaving before I give into it." He stood up and headed for the door. "I'll call you in the morning to see how things went at the Bronze."
"You mean you'll call me in the morning to check up on me since mom's out of town." She muttered.
"That, too." He opened the door then turned around to face her. "Don't forget to deposit that check in your savings account, okay?"
Buffy looked back down at the check in her hands. "I won't."
"Happy Birthday, Munchkin. Love you." He started to leave, but then he remembered something and turned back to look at her again. "Oh, and Buffy... Just one more thing before I leave."
"What?" She stood up.
"That outfit..." His gaze traveled over her again. "It does make you look older... Like a woman... But don't you go and become a woman on me just yet if you know what I mean? Give me time to digest that you're growing up first, or we just might have a problem on our hands." With that said he disappeared out the door, leaving a blushing Buffy staring after him.
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CHAPTER 2
"Here."
"What's this?" Angelus O'Conner asked looking up from the file just thrown on his desk to the woman standing in front of him.
"You asked me to check the schools around here to find out what they lacked in funding, so I did." Cordelia Chase, Angelus' best friend, replied as she sat down in the chair behind her.
Angelus began to leaf through the papers in the file. "I can't believe you were able to do this in just a couple of days."
"Well, I did, and you are not going to believe the things I found out while I was doing it. Do you have time to listen?"
He shut the file and sat back in his desk chair. "I'm all ears."
"Well, it turns out that all the schools in Sunnydale lack funding in one way or the other, but Sunnydale High is the most desperate. They haven't had new books or computers in over five years, and the school board claims the school won't get them again this year either because there's not enough money in the budget. But that's not the most interesting part."
"What do you mean?" Angelus crossed his arms over his chest.
"Well, the board claims there's not enough money in the budget to buy much needed materials, but it appears they do have the money to buy new uniforms for their football and basketball teams every year, and pay the principal of Sunnydale High a huge salary."
"How huge?"
"The largest in the state of California. Maybe the largest in the entire United States."
"You're kidding?"
"I kid you not, my friend. It's all there on paper."
"How did you find all this out, Cordelia?"
"I found a source. A very reliable source."
"And are you going to tell me who this source is?"
"Nope. Later. I'll tell you later. Right now you have to go get ready."
Angelus eyed her across the desk. "Ready for what?"
"To take me out. We've been in this lovely city for a whole week, and all we've done is work, work, work. It's time you and I got out and acquainted ourselves with this town and the people in it. Especially since we're going to be residents here."
"I'm not going out, Cordy." Angelus picked his pen back up, and returned to working on the notes in front of him.
"Oh come on, Angelus, please! I'm totally wiped out from the move and getting the houses and office set up. I need a break, and so do you. And it just so happens that the cashier at the grocery store was nice enough to tell me about a great place where we can go and unwind. It's a club called the Bronze."
"I hate clubs. You know that, Cordy. There loud, full of drunks, and all you find there besides the drunks are a bunch of horny women looking to screw and snag a rich husband."
"So? Maybe that's what you need, Angelus." Cordelia stood up and snatched the pen from his hands. "Maybe you need to get laid to help you get that little witch bitch of an ex-girlfriend out of your system."
"I am not going to discuss Darla with you, Cordelia." Angelus swung around in his desk chair to stare at the wall. "That is one subject I refuse to discuss with anyone."
"Oh, that's right. I forgot. You don't discuss her because you'd rather spend your entire time brooding about her."
"Change the subject or go home, Cordelia."
"God damnit, Angelus!" Cordelia slapped her hand down on his desk. "I'm sick of this! I'm sick of you wasting your life brooding over some big fat ho, and that's exactly what she is, Angelus. She's a whore! She slept with your brother. Your brother for christ's sake! But if you ask me she's the one that should be brooding because she was the one that fucked up when she picked him over you! He's a loser, Angelus. And you... You are the sweetest, kindest, most loving person I have ever known. And let's not forget goodlooking, and rich to boot. Any woman would be lucky to have you, and not all of them are like her. Whether you want to believe it or not there is someone out there just waiting to love you, Angelus. Not your money. You. And maybe it's hard for you to believe that right now, but I believe it. I believe it with all my heart. That's why all this brooding upsets me. Your brooding your life away over someone who was never worthy of you to start with when you should be out there finding the woman you deserve."
"I just came out of a relationship, Cordelia. I am in no way ready to jump into another one."
"Okay, fine. Don't jump. Just look. Look while you're taking me out, and don't you dare so no to me again, Angelus because you owe me. I covered your ass with that little witch bitch for the last six months. You owe me, mister and you're going to start repaying me by taking me out tonight for a couple of mixed drinks, and some Buffalo wings."
"Buffalo wings?" Angelus turned back around in his chair to look at Cordelia.
Cordelia nodded. "You know I get the munchies when I drink, and I heard this place has the best Buffalo wings around. God, I can't wait. A night out on the town. How long has it been? A year? Two?"
Angelus could feel the guilt began to wash over him. "What time?"
"9:30 sharp." She beamed, and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. "The address is on my desk. I'll meet you there." And then she disappeared out of the office, leaving him muttering to himself about drunks, and horny women.
****
"Jesus, Angelus. Would you please lighten up. We've only been here fifteen minutes and you're already in serious brood mode."
"I'm sorry, Cordy." Angelus swiped a hand through his hair. "It's just..."
"Yeah, yeah. I know. You hate these places." Cordelia finished. "And I also know exactly what you need to get over that hate. You need a drink to loosen you up."
Angelus couldn't help but chuckle. "Is that a hint?"
"It is if you're buying." She smiled.
"Don't I always buy?" He stood up. "Okay, my lady. What does your heart desire?"
"A margarita with extra salt."
"One margarita with extra salt coming up." He turned to walk away.
"And don't forget the Buffalo wings!" She called after him.
Angelus weaved his way in and out of the crowd to the bar. He had just placed his order and sat down to wait for it when suddenly his senses were filled with vanilla, and a blur of black and purple blew past him to lean over the bar. "Oh, bartender!"
A her. It was definitely a her. He could tell by the sweetness in her voice. And the view... Gods, it was just as sweet. She was tiny. Really tiny because her feet wasn't touching the floor. And that hair of hers... It cascaded down her back in golden waves. Beautiful... Somehow Angelus just knew she was beautiful. The beauty radiated from her, and he was dying to see all of it, but he couldn't because her face was turned towards the other end of bar and the man that had taken his order just moments before.
As Angelus watched over the top of the girl's head the old man in question broke into a huge grin upon spotting her, and began to make his way back up the bar.
Angelus held his breath in anticipation as the girl's head began to turn, following the old man, but to his disappointment all he got was a peek at her beauty before she was almost completely pulled across the bar into the old man's arms. "Buffy, I've missed you, sweetie. Where have you been hiding yourself lately?"
Buffy her name was Buffy, and Angelus barely had time to digest that piece of information before he heard her sweet voice mumble into the old man's shirt. "School. School hard."
The old man laughed. "It's not that bad, is it?"
The girl pulled away, still only giving Angelus a peek of her face, but it was enough to hook him. He was completely blown away by her.
"Bad enough." Buffy muttered. "Thank god I've only got five months to go. I don't think I could put up with Snyder another year. He's a dick."
Angelus nearly laughed out loud, but caught himself just in time. "Buffy..." The old man warned. "If that brother of yours heard you talking like that he would wash your mouth out with soap."
"No, he wouldn't, Tony. He knows it's true. Besides, I said a whole lot worse to that brother of mine today, and he never said a word."
"Uh oh. Did you two have a fight?"
"You could say that." She looked down at the bar.
"What happened?" The old man tugged at the end of her hair. "Come on, little bit. You can tell ole Tony. What did you two have a fight about?"
"The bastard." She muttered.
"Ahhh..." Was the only reply the old man gave her, and Angelus could tell that whoever his little goddess was talking about, he was a very touchy subject. And okay, his little goddess? Where the hell had that come from? But once again, before he even had time to think about it his attention was immediately drawn back to her as her voice broke through his reverie.
"Just so you know, I'm not mad at him anymore. How could I stay mad at him when he says really sweet things to me that make me cry, and then to top it off gives me a thousand bucks?"
The old man whistled. "Wow, a thousand bucks. I take it that was your birthday present?"
"Uh huh. For the little red convertible fund, and as I was saying how could I stay mad at him after that?"
The old man smiled. "Honey, you never could stay mad at that brother of yours very long, and I don't think I've ever really seen him mad at you."
"No, he's just annoyingly overprotective."
"He loves and adores you, Buffy and you know it."
She sighed. "Yeah, I know."
The old man patted her hand. "So how have you been? I got worried when you quit coming around."
"I'm fine, Tony."
"Really?" The old man eyed her face.
"Really." She gave the old man a smile, and even though it was a beautiful sight, Angelus could tell it wasn't her best. Something was wrong. He could feel it. And the urge to comfort her over whatever it was that was bothering her was overwhelming him.
"If you're fine, then how come you haven't been around?" Angelus heard the old man ask her. "Did you up and get a boyfriend on me?"
"Yeah, right." She snorted. "Like that's ever going to happen in my lifetime."
The old man reached up and brushed a lock of hair from her forehead. "He's out there, honey. You just have to let go and find him."
"I don't have to let go to know there's only three men in this town worth dating. One of them happens to be my brother, and since I don't want him to go to jail for incest, and Giles is already taken by my mother that just leaves you. What do you say, Tony? Let's runaway and get married. I'm available, and I'm not jailbait anymore."
"Trust me, sweetie. You don't want me."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm not husband material. Just ask my three ex-wives."
"Okay then, we won't run away and get married. I'll just settle for us being boyfriend and girlfriend instead."
"I don't think so, honey. You know I love you, but you need someone better than me."
"There isn't anyone else." She buried her face in his chest. "Not in Sunnydale anyway. You were my last chance."
"I don't believe that, Buffy. I believe with all my heart that there's someone out there that can love and treat you the way you deserve." Angelus watched the old man kiss the top of her head then pull away to look at her. "Now, put that pretty smile back on that beautiful face of yours. It's your birthday, and I couldn't take it if you were unhappy on your birthday. And speaking of your birthday, I dropped a little something in the mail today for you. It's for the little red convertible fund."
"Tony, you didn't..." Buffy started to say, but he cut her off.
"Yes, I did." He smiled. "You and Doyle are like my kids, and I never forget my kids."
She hugged him. "Well, thank you. It means alot to me, and I promise you that you'll be the very first person I take for a cruise when I get it."
"I'll be waiting." He smiled at her. "So... What will it be? You know I always buy the birthday girl her drinks for her special night."
"Hmm..." Buffy stuck a finger to her chin in thought. "How about one of those sweet nectary drinks? You know? The kind with the little umbrellas in it?"
"You're eighteen today, Buffy not twenty one."
She giggled, and the sound of it was like music to Angelus' ears. "I was just testing you, Tony. A club soda is fine, and while you're at it could you throw in a buttery croissant?"
"One club soda, and one buttery croissant coming right up." He patted her hand again. "Have a seat, sweetie. I'll be right back."
A goner. He was a goner. Angelus knew it the moment the golden blonde sat back in the stool beside him. And Gods, he couldn't help but stare at her because she was indeed a goddess...
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CHAPTER 3
Buffy knew the moment she sat back in the stool that she was being stared at, and at first she thought it was him... But it only took her about two seconds to realize that the sensation shooting up her spine was a good tingly kind of sensation, and not the bad kind of sensation she always got whenever he was around. That's why it didn't take long before she sent her eyes seeking out the source that was behind the intense feelings rushing through her, and the moment she connected with the person behind it she instantly turned to mush. He had the most incredible eyes she had ever seen. Chocolate. They were like rivers of chocolate, and she could feel herself drowning in them. But gods, it wasn't just his eyes. It was all of him. He was beautiful. That's the only word she could think to describe him. He had brown spikey hair, marble skin, and his body... He had a body that any woman would die to get their hands on. And okay, stop it, Buffy. This guy is a total hottie. Way out of your league, and probably an asshole jock to boot. But then again, the way he was looking at her... It was almost like he was looking into her soul, and even though she kept telling herself he so wasn't her type, there was still something about him. That's why she started to speak to him, but before she could even manage to find her voice someone else's voice snapped her back to reality. "Here you go, sweetie."
She tore her gaze away from the hottie, and turned back to look at Tony, who was removing her drink and croissant from a tray. "I uhh... Thanks, Tony."
"You're welcome, sweetie."
"Well, I uhh..." Buffy stood up, and motioned behind her. "I guess I should go. The gang is waiting." She picked up her stuff. "I'll see you later?"
"You bet." Tony grinned at her.
Buffy's eyes quickly darted to the hottie, then back to Tony. "I... Okay, bye." She squeezed away from the bar on the other side of her stool, and Angelus couldn't help himself, he swung around on his own stool to watch her walk away.
"She's a real cutie, isn't she?"
"E-Excuse me?" Angelus turned back around to find the same old man setting his order down in front of him.
"The little blonde you were just checking out. She's a real cutie, don't you think?"
"Well, I uhh... I don't think cutie is quite the word I would use to describe her." Angelus answered a little flustered.
Tony couldn't help but chuckle. The stranger looked like a child who had just gotten his hand caught in the cookie jar. "It's okay, you know? You're not the first male to check her out. Almost every high school and college male in this town has been doing it since she was sixteen. Hell, even the older and married one's do it. They're just less conspicious about it. Not that it matters though. She wouldn't have them. Any of them."
Angelus took a sip of his club soda. "Is she... You know?"
Tony laughed. "God, no! She's as straight as an arrow. She just doesn't date. Especially jocks, and that's a problem considering a vast majority of the male population in this town are just that. Oh, don't get me wrong. She has male friends. Especially the brainy types, and they adore her because not only is she a true friend to them and looks out for them, she also serves as their escort when one of them needs one for an important social function."
"So do you know why doesn't she date?"
Tony leaned against the bar. "There's a couple of reasons. Alot of which she doesn't talk about, but I can tell you that one of them has to do with her bastard father. He up and ran away with his young secretary leaving his wife with nothing but two kids to raise on her own. Last I heard he was living the high life in LA."
"He doesn't help out?"
"Nope. Doesn't support them, see them, or talk to them. Doyle, Buffy's brother, worked for me for four years to help pay for his expenses at college. That's how I know her so well. She started hanging out here while he worked, and I grew to love the both of them like they were my own. But Buffy... I love her even more so. She's just got this quality about her that hooks you. She's not just pretty on the outside, she also has a great big heart. She's a good kid."
"Buffy? Buffy what?" Angelus asked, liking the way her name rolled off his tongue.
Tony eyed Angelus warily. "Why are you asking? Are you interested?"
"Maybe... And I can tell by the way your looking at me that you have your doubts about telling me, but I can assure you I'm not some homicidal maniac. I would never hurt her or anyone else for that matter. I'm new in town. Just moved here last week, and my best friend insists I need to get out and meet the people of this town since I'm going to be living here." Angelus extended his hand to the old man. "I'm Angelus, by the way. Angelus O'Conner."
Tony shook Angelus' hand. "It's nice to meet you, Angelus. I'm Tony. Tony Martin, and this is my fine establishment."
"Nice place, Tony." Angelus smiled. "For a club that is."
"Don't like clubs much, huh?"
"Hate 'em. But like I said before, my best friend insists that I need to get out and meet people, so I finally relented and agreed to come with her tonight." Angelus stood up. "And speaking of my best friend, I should get back to her. She's done nothing but talk about your Buffalo wings since we got here, and I'm sure she's probably dying to sink her teeth into them right about now."
"And you never keep a lady waiting."
"No. Never." Angelus withdrew his wallet, fished out a hundred dollar bill, and handed it to Tony. "Here, just keep the change."
Tony eyed the hundred dollar bill. "That's an awful lot of change, son. Are you sure?"
"Yeah, it's just money. Besides, I got more than my money's worth talking to you about your friend."
"Summers." Tony replied, eyeing Angelus. "Her name is Buffy Summers, and just remember I know what you look like and who you are now, so if anything should happen to her you'll be the first person I come looking for."
Angelus chuckled. "And I don't doubt that you would one bit. I'd definitely feel the same way you do if I were in your shoes...."
****
"Buffy... Hello... Earth to, Buffy." Xander Harris replied, waving a hand in front of Buffy's face.
"Huh? What?" Buffy tore her gaze away from the hottie she had been eyeing at the bar earlier, who was now sitting at a table across the room with a beautiful bruntette, and focused on her best friend. "I'm sorry, Xand. Did you say something?"
"Well, yeah. I've said alot of somethings, but apparently all of it was lost on you." Xander reached across the table and laid his hand on top of Buffy's. "What's going on, Buffy? You haven't been yourself for months, and you hardly ever hang out with me and Will anymore." His eyes glazed over with concern. "Are you..."
"No. No." Buffy shook her head. "I'm fine. It's just..."
"It's just what?"
"Alot of things. School, my mom's been on my case, pushing for me to make a decision about college, and then there's this stuff with..." Buffy realized what she was about to let slip, and quickly shut her mouth.
"Stuff with what?" Xander squeezed her hand. "Come on, Buffster. Talk to me."
She couldn't tell him tell him the secret she had been keeping for months, so she decided to tell him about something else that had been bothering her. "I feel like I don't belong here with you guys." She swallowed against the lump in her throat. "Will has Oz. You have Anya. Mom has Giles. And me... I guess I'm feeling out of place because I'm guyless. And yes, I know that it's my fault, but honestly the choices in this town... There's not one single guy that appeals to me." Okay, it was a lie. There was someone, but she didn't have a clue who he was, and from the looks of it he wasn't available. Not that she would act on her attraction to him even if he was available. She was too afraid he would turn out to be just like all the other assholes in this town.
"You need a guy."
"Maybe... No... Yes... I don't know." She muttered. "I mean, most of the time I'm perfectly happy with being guyless. Especially with all the complications in my life. But then there's my dream... Our dream. Do you remember when we were little how we used to plan out our futures?"
He nodded. "Yeah, and you were always the one that said she was going to find Prince Charming, have a fairy tale wedding, and live happily ever after."
"Yeah, but then reality set in. I grew up, and now... Now I'll be lucky to make it through college and that's what's so upsetting. I want a guy. I want what Will has with Oz, and Mom has with Giles. Hell, right now I'd settle for what you have with Anya. Do you realize I'm eighteen years old and I've never really been kissed? And I want it, Xand. I want to be kissed. I mean, knees wobbling, earth shattering, take my breath away kinda kissed. But I know it's not going to happen even if I let my guard down enough to let someone in, it would end badly. You know that."
"I know no such thing, Buffy and neither do you. I believe with all my heart that there is someone out there that can love you equally as much if not more than you would love them. You are an incredible girl, Buffy Summers and if a man can't see that then it's his loss, not yours." He squeezed her hand. "Just hang in there. You're going to find him. I know it."
Buffy blinked back tears. "How did you get to be such an expert on love?"
"My best friend taught me all about it." Xander grinned. "She's one terrific girl. In fact, you just might know her. She goes by the name Buffy."
"Xand..." Buffy started to say, but just then someone came into her line of vision that halted her words. Someone she would have given anything not to see ever again, and she felt a cold chill wash over her the moment she made eye contact with him and a big grin spread over his face. "I gotta go." She blurted out, standing up.
"What?" Xander asked in surprise as he watched her jump up from her seat.
"I gotta go, Xand. Curling iron. I just remembered I left my curling iron on and you know what that means. Curling iron, fire, house, poof. Mom will kill me if the house goes poof. I'm sorry. Tell Will, Oz, and Anya I'll talk to them later." Without another word she practically ran for the exit, but she barely made it outside before someone was grabbing her, and shoving her up against the wall of the building. The back of her head hit the brick pretty hard, and she saw stars as she slowly opened her eyes to look at her attacker.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
CHAPTER 4
"Going somewhere, Buffy?"
"Yeah, as far away from you as possible." Buffy muttered as she blinked the stars from her eyes and stared at the blonde headed jerk standing in front of her. And he was a jerk.
"I don't think so, Buffy. You and I have a little unfinished business."
Buffy began to struggle. "Let go of me, Riley."
"You know, Buffy. I'm really getting tired of you playing so hard to get. Especially when I know for a fact you want me as much as I want you." Riley grinded his erection up against her. "I mean, take inside for example. Those eyes of yours were sending me serious signals." He reached out to run a finger across the skin exposed just at the top of her bustline. "And this outfit just screams fuck me, Riley."
"The only thing that's going to be screaming is me, Riley Finn. In about five seconds to be exact if you don't let me go."
One of Riley's hand went to Buffy's hair, and threaded threw it to yank her head back. "There are all kinds of screaming, Buffy. Good kinds." His lips inched closer to hers. "How about I show you exactly what I mean?"
His lips savagely took possession of hers, bruising. And she actually wanted to throw up from the invasion, but she couldn't. Her senses told her to fight back or something worse than him kissing her was going to happen. Without another thought, she did exactly what her senses told her to do. Her knee came up connecting with his groin, and the second he let go of her and doubled over in pain she took of running. Unfortunately though, she didn't make it very far before he caught up with her, and grabbed her in another vice like grip. "You're going to pay for that you little bitch." He muttered as he began to yank her towards the alley behind the club.
"Riley, please." Buffy begged. "Please don't do this."
No matter how hard Buffy begged and struggled with him, Riley wouldn't let go of her, and eventually he managed to get her into the alley. "I want you, Buffy." He shoved her against the wall again, and pressed himself up against her once more. "I want you, and I always get what I want. You know that. Now be a good little girl and do as your told."
Buffy closed her eyes, silent tears coursing down her cheeks as his lips and blunt teeth began to nuzzle at her neck. "N-No. Riley, p-please..."
"There you are, baby. I've been looking everywhere for you."
Buffy's eyes flew open at the sound of the voice, and she couldn't believe who it belonged to. It was him... The hottie from earlier, and apparently he was talking to her because his eyes were focused entirely on her.
"Beat it, buddy." Riley muttered, spinning around to face the owner of the voice. "Can't you see the girl and I are kinda in the middle of something?"
Angelus crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm not going anywhere, boy. Especially since the girl in question happens to be MY GIRL."
"My g-girl?" Riley sputtered. "B-Buffy's your girl?"
"You're god damn right Buffy's my girl." Angelus' angry eyes nailed Riley to the spot. "And I'm waiting for an explanation from you, boy. What the hell were you doing to my girl that has her so upset?"
Riley ignored the stranger and spun back around to look at Buffy. "Buffy? Is it true? Is this guy your boyfriend?"
At first, Buffy couldn't speak. Not until her eyes flew back to the stranger's and she saw the look in them. It was like before. She felt like he was looking into her soul again. Only this time, she could almost swear she could hear him asking her to trust him, and reassuring her that everything was going to be okay if she would. And God, for some reason, she didn't know why, she knew it was true. Somehow she just knew that as long as he was here, whoever he was, everything was going to be okay. That's why she finally found the courage to speak. "Y-Yes. Y-Yes, he's my boyfriend."
"Liar!" Riley practically yelled at her.
"Okay, that's it..." Angelus took a step towards Riley. "Now you're really asking for an ass kicking, boy. It's one thing to touch my girl, but to call her a liar on top of that..."
"No!" Riley held up his hand to stop the stranger in his tracks. "I mean, I'm sorry, buddy. It's just... I didn't know Buffy had a boyfriend. How come I've never seen you before? How come no one at school knows about you?"
"Because Buffy and I like to keep our personal lives very private. And just so we understand each other and make sure that there's never another mistake made like the one you just made let me go ahead and tell you this so you can go back and tell all your little friends. Up until last week I lived in LA, but I couldn't take being away from Buffy all the time so I packed up everything and moved here to permanently be with her. And that's exactly what I want to do now. Be with her. I haven't seen her all day, and I kinda get cranky when I haven't. More than cranky. And it just so happens that I have a tendancy to take my crankiness out on whatever obstacle it is that's in the way of my being with her. Do you see where I'm going with this, boy? Disappear. Now. If you don't things could get really messy for you ." His eyes returned to Buffy. "Isn't that right, baby?"
Gods, Buffy thought, swiping at her tears. Those eyes of his... They were hypnotizing her. "Uh huh..." She finally managed to utter.
Riley stepped away from Buffy, and watched the heated exchange between her and the stranger. Intense was the only word to describe the way they were looking at each other, and it angered Riley beyond belief. But he couldn't do anything about it. Not yet anyway. "I'm sorry, buddy. There was just some miscommunication here. It won't happen again. I'll just go so you two can..." He began to inch past the stranger, but the stranger's next words halted him in his tracks. "Stay away from her, boy. I mean it. If you don't I'll kill you. And that's not a threat, it's a promise."
Angelus watched the stranger leave, and made sure he was really gone before he turned his full attention back to the terrified woman in front of him. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"
"I-I umm..." Buffy wanted to say something, she really did, but the shock of what had almost just happened finally hit her and she felt her stomach lurch. "S-Sick... Oh, God I think I-I'm going to be sick." She barely had time to spin away from him before losing the contents of her stomach.
Angelus couldn't take it. Seeing her like this. And any thought of going after the little prick that had done this to her completely flew out the window as that overwhelming need to comfort and protect her took hold of him again. He closed the distance to her and without thought placed his hand at the small of her back to soothe her until she had finished and straightened up. Instantly a hankerchief appeared before her face. "Maybe I should take you to the hospital."
"No!" Buffy screamed in panic, and stumbled back away from him.
He pointed to her arm. "He hurt you. You should see a doctor."
"No!" She continued to back away from him until she met the wall again and couldn't go any further. "No. N-No hospital. I hate th-them."
"Look, Miss uhh..." Angelus took another step towards her. "If you won't let me take you to a hospital, will you at least let me call the police?"
"I-I can't go t-to the police."
"You don't have to." He reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out a cellphone. "I'll call them from this."
Buffy's panicked gaze flew to his. "W-Who are y-you?"
"What?"
"W-Who are y-you? I-I know you said you w-wasn't from a-around here but I thought y- you were lying to g-get rid of... W-Who are y-you?"
"What does any of that have to do with my calling the police?"
"Y-You really don't h-have a c-clue, do y-you?"
"I really don't have a clue about what?" Angelus asked her in confusion.
"Oh, God... Y-You really don't. Y-You don't have a c-clue." A hysterical half laugh half sob tore from her lips, and once again the urge to protect her overwhelmed Angelus. "Buffy..."
She held up her hand to cut him off. "H-His name is R-Riley Finn, and not only is his father the m-mayor of th-this town, he p-practically owns it. S-Some people s-say he even owns the p-police department. Y-You c-can't call the p-police."
"You're scared."
Another hysterical laugh tore from Buffy's throat. "Uh huh. That's me. S-Scared Buffy. I w- was trying to r-run away and hide w-when..." She had been staring at her feet, but suddenly her head shot up, her eyes locking with his. "Y-You... H-How did y-you know?"
"I had just stepped out to get some fresh air when I saw him jerk you into the alley. I knew he was going to hurt you and I couldn't let that happen." Angelus answered honestly. "I'm just sorry I didn't get to you sooner." He pointed to her arm again, and the angry red welts that were visible even in the dimly lit alley. "You really should see a doctor for that."
"No." She held up her hands and wiggled her fingers for him. "S-See. N-No broken bones here. I-I'm fine."
"Liar." He murmured.
Her eyes widened in surprise. "E-Excuse me?"
"You're not fine. You're shaking like a leaf which is a tell tell sign that you're still in shock from the whole incident. It's okay though, I assure you." He shed his leather jacket. "You don't have to put up a brave front for me. Men like him..." He cautiously closed the distance to her and draped his coat around her shoulders. "I should have killed him. Men like him don't deserve to live."
At first Buffy was a little shocked at the fact that he had just given up his jacket for her. His very nice leather and sandalwood scented jacket, but it didn't take long for his words to filter through her shock, and once again her eyes flew back to his. "A-Are you for real? 'Cause last I heard k-knights in shining armor died off a long time ago."
"I can assure you uhh... Buffy... I'm no knight in shining armor."
"Th-Then who are you? D-Do you have a name?"
Her question brought a smile to his lips. A smile that at any other time would have taken Buffy's breath away. "Angelus. My name is Angelus."
"W-Well, I guess that explains it." Her gaze traveled over him.
"Explains what?" Angelus asked a little huskily, doing his best to hide what her eyes traveling over him was stirring up inside of him.
"Why you said you're not a knight. Angelus... Angel. You're an angel. Apparently my guardian angel, am I right?"
Angelus was a little shocked at her words, but he quickly recovered. "Trust me, Buffy I'm not an angel either."
"I know y-you probably think you're way too studly to be called Angel, but I really don't care. I like it, and that's what I'm going to call you."
Oh, he liked it, too. He liked the way it sounded on her lips, and that brought another smile to his face. "My mom calls me Angel."
"W-Well, there you go then. Why else would your mom call you Angel if she didn't think you were one?"
"Okay, you have a point. And I never argue with a lady. Especially my mom."
"Smart man." She gave him a weak smile, but even that slightest movement made her head feel like it was about to explode, and no matter how much she tried to hide her pain from him, it didn't work. His face quickly sobered, his concerned eyes meeting hers again. "He did hurt you."
"J-Just a little." She said, reaching up to rub the bump on the back of her head. "B-But hey, It could have been a whole l-lot worse. I-I'll live, and from now o-on I'll make sure I don't g-give him another opportunity to do it a-again. Which is exactly why I'm going to get going now while the g-gettin' is good. H-He'll be back, and he'll bring his friends with him when he does, so I suggest you go too. His buddies have a tendacy to be even meaner than him sometimes."
"I'm not scared of any of them. My father was a cop, and he made sure I knew how to protect myself and others if necessary. He won't hurt you again."
Buffy closed her eyes. "This has to be a dream." She murmured, then quickly opened her eyes to look at him again. "Why are you being so incredibly sweet? If it had been anyone else they wouldn't have bothered to help me. But you... You not only saved me, you stuck around even after I made a fool out of myself and puked my guts out in front of you. Why? I don't understand why you stuck around."
"What's so hard to understand? I saw some jerk about to take advantage of a very beautiful woman, and if there's one thing I can't stand it's for a woman to be mistreated. And as for the you making a total fool of yourself by puking your guts out in front of me, I say who gives a shit. I think you're handling things pretty damn good considering what you've been through." Angelus' eyes softened. "Besides, it's not like I've never seen anyone get sick before. Hell, even I've got sick before. I wasn't leaving you alone."
"Well, th-thank you. F-For everything. I uhh... Thank you."
"There's no thanks necessary, Miss uhh... Buffy."
"Summers." She gave him another weak smile. "My name is Buffy Summers."
Angelus knew that, but he didn't want to tell her for fear he would scare her. She'd already been through enough. "It's nice to meet you, Buffy Summers."
"Gods..." Buffy mumbled. "You really are sweet. Especially when you lie and tell me it's nice to meet me after what just happened."
"It's not a lie."
Okay, there it was again. Those damn eyes of his were hypnotizing her, and she could feel herself being drawn into them like a magnet to metal. Down, Buffy. He is way out of your league. Trouble with a capital T. "G-Go." She pointed to the exit out of the alley. "I r- really have to g-go."
"I really don't like the idea of you being alone, Miss uhh... Buffy. Why don't you at least let me walk you to your car."
"Sorry, Angel I'm afraid I can't let you do that, seeing as I don't have a car." She pointed to her feet. "All I've got are these babies."
"You're walking?" He frowned.
"Uh huh. But it's okay. I've done it lots of times."
"That was before." He muttered. "You're not walking. Let me take you home."
"W-What? N-No!" She couldn't let him take her home. That was a bad idea. A very, very bad idea. "N-No!" She shook her head, ignoring the pain in it. "I mean, no. It's uhh... It's okay, really. I c-can walk."
Buffy could almost swear she saw a hurt look pass across his face, but it was gone as quickly as it came. "I'm not a seriel killer or anything, Buffy. I would never..."
"No, that's not what I meant when I... I don't think you're a seriel killer, Angel."
"Then what's the problem? Why won't you let me drive you home?"
"Because... There's uhh... Girlfriend... What about your girlfriend?"
"Girlfriend?" He asked, confused again.
"Brunette, gorgeous, modely type girl I saw you sitting with earlier."
"OH... You mean Cordelia."
Buffy nodded. "I bet she's wondering where you're at right about now." I know I would be if you belonged to me, she added silently to herself. If you were mine I'd never let you out of my sight. And okay, Buffy there you go again with those bad, bad thoughts. Stop. Stop it now.
"She's not my girlfriend."
Oh boy, so not what I needed to hear Buffy muttered silently to herself again. "Sh-She's not? I-I mean, OH... Uhh... Your uhh... Wife then. You shouldn't keep your wife waiting."
"She's not my wife either. She just acts like she is most of the time." Angelus said then couldn't help but chuckle when he took note of the surprised look on Buffy's face. "She's my best friend. My very bossy, annoying best friend."
"OH... I mean, Still... Y-You shouldn't keep her waiting."
"She'll understand once I explain to her what happened. And I will..." His dark orbs locked with hers again. "Just as soon as I see you home safely."
Buffy sighed. "You're not going to let me walk are you?"
"You can walk if you want, Buffy. I won't force you to ride with me, but if you do walk I want you to know I'll be following closely behind you in my car."
"Well, this is just great." Buffy muttered under her breath. So much for trying to make a clean get away before she got reeled in by him. It was too late, she had already fallen for the dark stranger hook, line, and sinker.
"I'm sorry, what did you say?"
"Fine." Her eyes darted back to his. "I said fine. You can take me home."
"Then shall we go?" He motioned to her.
She nodded, and let him lead her out of the alley, but once they started across the parking lot she realized that had been a huge mistake as well because his hand at the small of her back was burning a permanent imprint into her skin. It was just another sign that she was in very big trouble, but if she thought the tingly sensation in her spine was bad, nothing could have prepared her for what came next...
A fucking Ferrari... When he fished his keys out of his pants pocket, and pushed the button on what she assumed was a remote to disarm the security system to his car, the headlights to a fucking Ferrari flashed, and she halted in her tracks. "Th-That's y-your car?"
"One of them." He answered, leading her to the car, and opening the passenger side door for her.
"O-One of them?" She squeaked in total shock as she slipped into the passenger seat. "J-Just exactly how many cars do you o-own?"
"Three. This one, a Mercedes Benz SUV, and the limo, but I don't drive that. Oh, and then there's my Harley Davidson motorcycle, but it doesn't really count as a car." He shut the door on her stunned face, and moved around the car to climb into the driver's side. "Okay, Miss. Summers, where to?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
CHAPTER 5
"Okay, Angelus Liam O'Conner this had better be good." Cordelia flopped down on the sofa in Angelus' living room, and stared at her best friend's back. "It's two o'clock in the morning, you up and disappear on me, leaving me at a strange club all alone, and then when you finally call me two hours later it's only to tell me to get my butt over here. What the hell is going on, and so help me God, if this is about that little witch bitch I will strangle your fucking neck."
"I met someone." Angelus murmured, staring into the fire in his fireplace.
"W-What?" Cordelia stared at him in disbelief, not quite sure she had heard him correctly.
"I met someone, Cordy." He finally turned around to look at her. "She's incredible."
"Uh huh, okay, if she's so incredible then how come you're standing her talking to me instead of off getting laid by her?"
"Buffy's not like that, Cordy. She's different."
"Buffy? What the hell kinda name is Buffy?"
Angelus' eyes darkened. "It's a very nice name thank you very much, and I happen to like it. I happen to like her. Alot... So from now on you'd better never ever badmouth her around me, understand?"
Once again Cordelia was stunned. Angelus had never threatened her before, and she had badmouthed Darla all the time. "You're serious, aren't you?"
"Very..."
She shook her head. "I don't believe this. You've been bitten."
"Bitten? I haven't been bitten by anything, Cordelia."
"Oh yes, you have, my friend. You've been bitten by the love bug. Why else would you be sitting here at two o'clock in the morning threatening to kill me over a girl you just met? You've fallen for her."
"I haven't fallen for her, Cordy. I'm just..."
"Just what?"
"Intrigued..." He swiped a hand through his hair.
"Intrigued how?" She sat back on the sofa. "Come on, Angelus. Tell me all about this intriguing girl. You know you want to."
"Well, I first saw her inside the club..." He came over to sit down on the other end of the sofa. "At the bar when I went to get our drinks, and I swear, Cordy I knew before I even saw her face that there was something about her. She's beautiful... And I don't just mean on the outside. There's beauty on the inside as well. It radiates from her. I could feel it."
"Wait a minute..." Cordelia shifted on the sofa to look at him. "You said you saw her at the bar. She didn't happen to be about this high..." She gestured with her hands. "Golden blonde, and wearing a killer outfit? She wouldn't happen to be the same girl who's ass you were oogling, would she?"
"I umm..." Angelus actually blushed. "I wasn't oogling."
"Uh huh." Cordelia grinned. "Sure you wasn't. And your eyeballs weren't about to pop out of their sockets either."
"Like I said before, Cordelia, she's beautiful. I couldn't help but stare."
"Stare, oogle, whatever, you were doing it, Angelus and I still saw it. I also noticed that there wasn't a whole lot of talking going on between the two of you, so how did you go from not talking to being smitten by her."
"I saw her again in the parking lot when I went outside to get some air. Actually, it was in the alley behind the club. I went after her when I saw some guy jerk her into it."
"She was attacked?"
"Yes. And thank God I got to her in time. If I hadn't... I don't even want to think about what would've happened to her if I hadn't gotten to her in time."
"Is she okay?"
"She claims she is, but I know she's not. He roughed her up pretty good, but she refused to let me take her to the hospital." Angelus swiped a hand through his hair again. "I wanted to kill him, Cordelia. And I very easily could have, but I was more concerned with
getting to her and making sure she was okay than I was with going after him."
"So how exactly did you manage to get rid of this prick if you didn't kill him?"
"I told him I was her boyfriend and promised him that if he so much as looked at her again I really would kill him."
"O-kay..." Cordelia snickered.
"It's not funny, Cordy" Angelus growled. "He was going to rape her."
Cordelia quickly sobered. "I'm sorry, Angelus. I wasn't laughing at that. I was laughing at you. I never seen you like this before. In fact, I never ever figured you as the jealous type."
"I wasn't jealous."
"Yeah, right." Cordelia snorted. "Come on, Angelus. Don't lie to me. You've never lied to me before."
"Okay. Maybe I was a little jealous, but it was more than just jealousy. I don't know how to describe it, but the need for me to protect her was so overwhelming. I wanted to be the one to comfort her, Cordy and I know it sounds crazy. I barely know her, but at the same time I feel like I've known her forever. It's like there's this connection between us, and it only grew stronger as the night went on."
"She threw you."
"She more than threw me, Cordy." Angelus murmured. "She totally blew me away. When I dropped her off at her house I didn't want to leave."
"By chance, did you happen to ask her out before you did?"
"Are you crazy, Cordelia?" Angelus shot to his feet. "The poor girl had already been through enough. I didn't want to spook her even more by coming on to her." He walked back over to the fireplace. "Besides, even if I had taken the chance she probably would have said no."
"How do you know, Angelus? I thought you said you felt a connection with her? Maybe she felt it, too."
"Oh, she felt it alright. I know she did. But it spooked her. That and the fact that I have money."
"You told her?"
"I didn't have to. My car sort of tipped her off. She took one look at it and barely said three words to me the rest of the way to her house. She wouldn't even let me walk her to her door."
"How do you know the fact that you have money spooked her, Angelus? Maybe she was still in shock from everything that had happened to her."
"I know it was the fact that I have money, Cordy. The bartender... The one she was talking to when I first saw her... He caught me uhh... He caught me looking at her, and it turns out he's pretty close with her and her brother. He was nice enough to share a little info about her with me, and it turns out her father is rich, but he doesn't like to share his money with others. Not even his kids. He ran off with his secretary and left her mom to raise her and her brother on her own. The bartender didn't really go into full detail, but I could tell things haven't been easy for her. I could tell that what her dad did left a big impact on her, and it doesn't help matters that the little prick that tried to... She wouldn't let me call the police because it turns out he's the mayor's son, and rumor has it that the mayor has the entire police department in his pocket because he practically owns the whole town."
"Oh, boy..." Cordelia groaned.
"Oh, boy is right." Angelus muttered before turning around to face her again. "What am I going to do, Cordelia?"
Cordelia sat up on the sofa. "What do you want to do?"
"There's something about her... In the few short hours I've known her she's made me feel things I've never felt with anyone. Not even Darla, and I was with her for three years. I want to get to know her, I do. But there's all this stuff with her. I don't handle rejection very well, Cordy. You know that."
Cordelia was liking this Buffy already. No one had ever been able to make her best friend forget the little witch bitch. Not even his mother. This girl... Whoever she was, there definitely had to be something about her to have her best friend so intrigued. Something good... And anything that was good for you should never be passed up. "Just answer me one question, Angelus."
"What?"
"What hurts more? The thought of her rejecting you, or the thought of never seeing her again?"
"The thought of never seeing her again." He answered without hesitation.
"Then I think you know what you have to do. Okay, she has issues. But the good news is you know what some of them are. You know what to avoid. I suggest you go back to your roots. Show her that money isn't everything. Show her the simple stuff in life. Simple, but important. Stuff that will have a big impact. Show her the real Angelus O'Conner I know and love, and I almost guarantee that before you know it, she'll love you just as much if not more than I do."
"Love? That's jumping the gun a little bit, Cordy. I'm not looking to fall in love. I just want to get to know the girl better, that's all."
"No one ever really looks to fall in love, Angelus. It kinda just finds you, and when it does... Wow... let's just say it will definitely wow you."
*****
Buffy was exhausted. She hadn't slept a wink the night before. She couldn't. Between the nightmares and her new problem, sleep just wasn't possible. That's why she had finally given up on it right after the sun had rose, and decided to go for a run. She had taken up running last year. It was supposed to be for her health, but she had found here lately that it was also a good outlet to relieve her stress. Well, it relieved it to some extent.
It was hard to hide what was going on with Riley from everyone. No one knew except Angel, and oh God, there she went again thinking about him. Her new problem. And he was just that, a problem... She liked him. A little too much, and that was bad. Very, Very bad. He was major league, and she was minor. Hotties like him could have anyone they wanted, and there was no way in the world he would ever want her. She was only good for one thing. That's why Riley was so obsessed with her. She wasn't girlfriend material. Wife either. And she never would be. She knew that. That's why she never dated. What was the point? No matter how lonely she got, she knew being alone was for the best. Or at least that's what she had thought until she met Angel. And he was definitely that, an angel. Not only was he gorgeous, he was also sweet, and kind to boot, and those charms of his had snapped the chains around her heart clear into. He had totally, and utterly blown every argument she had ever had about why it was best for her to be alone, out of the water. He had given her hope that maybe just maybe she didn't have to be alone after all, but just as soon as she had gotten her hopes up, they had been dashed by a fucking Ferrari. Rich! Angel was rich! Just how rich, she didn't know. She didn't want to know. Money was money. Money is the root of all evil. It frightened her more than loneliness. More than death. That's why she had gotten so spooked after she had found out Angel was rich. That's why she had fought her attraction to him, and had barely said three words to him after she had found out. She couldn't or wouldn't fall for someone who had money. It would spell doom. Hers to be exact. And that's why she had pushed him away last night.
It had hurt. Jesus, it had hurt. She had really really liked him, and hated herself for the way she had treated him, especially after what he had done for her, but she couldn't help it. She was a coward. She knew it, and she always would be. And with that realization, she shook herself out of her reverie. She needed to forget about Angelus O'Conner. She had to. Besides, she would probably never see him again, and was stupid of her to think she would. She had totally blown him off last night, and she could almost bet he had left her house praying he would never ever have to see her face again. Too bad she couldn't have that same affect on Riley Finn. If she had she would have gotten rid of him months ago. And okay, she had vowed that she wasn't going to think of him today, and she was determined to keep that promise. The pain in her arm and her head was enough reminder of what had almost happened the night before, and it was the pain that finally forced her to turn around and head back home. A hot shower. She needed a tall glass of water, and a hot shower to ease some of the aches in her body away. Unfortunately though, all she managed to get was the glass of water, because someone started ringing the god damn doorbell, and the sound of it was echoing through the house and making her miserable. She was hot, sweaty, stinky, and miserable, and it was just her luck that the very last person she would ever want to see her in her miserable state would happen to be the one standing on the other side of the door when she opened it. "A-Angel?"
"Hey, did I catch you at a bad time?"
She grimaced. He must have been reading her thoughts. "I just got back from a run." She stepped aside, and motioned for him to come in. "So I guess if you can deal with a sweaty, stinky Buffy it's not a bad time."
"You run?" He asked, stepping into the front entrance and waiting on her to shut the door.
"Three miles a day, but today it was six, seven, or eight. I'm really not sure. My body and brain kinda zoned out for a while. Stress has a tendancy to have that affect on me." She closed the door, and turned around to lean back against it. The moment she did, she saw his eyes darken at the sight of the bruises on her right arm. "Sonofabitch." He growled. "I knew I should have killed that little bastard."
"I uhh..." She tugged the sleeve of her sweatshirt down. "I-It's nothing, so don't go all psycho on me, Angel. We have enough of those around here as it is."
"Buffy..." His pained gaze returned to her face.
Buffy pushed away from the door, doing her best to keep those chains around her heart locked up nice and tight as she did. "If you're here for jacket, it's upstairs." She went to move past him. "I'll uhh... I'll just go..."
"Keep it."
"W-What?" She spun around to face him.
"I didn't come here for the jacket, Buffy but now that you've mentioned it I want you to keep it. It looks much better on you anyway."
"A-Angel... I can't..."
"You can and you will, Buffy. I don't want it. It's yours. End of story. Now tell me how you feel today? Really? And I want the truth."
Her eyes narrowed. "You know, I beginning to think that maybe your the the bossy one instead of your friend."
"And I think you're avoiding my question, and I want to know why?"
"Because it doesn't concern you." She muttered, turning away from him and heading into the living room.
"And why exactly doesn't it concern me, Buffy?" He followed her. "Is it because you don't want me involved, or is it because you don't want me around period?"
Buffy halted in her tracks. "Maybe it's a little of both."
"I'm not like whoever it is that hurt you before. I mean, besides Finn."
"I never thought..." She spun back around to face him.
"Didn't you?" He locked eyes with her. "Whether you like it or not, I'm involved, Buffy. I want to be here. I want to help you."
"I see. So that's why you're here? You're here because you want to help me? Well, here's a newsflash, Angel. I don't want or need your help."
Angel muttered something unintelligible under his breath then before she could even blink, he closed the distance to her. "No. The real reason I'm here is because of this, Buffy..." He reached for her hand and brought it up to rest over his racing heart. "You feel it too, don't you?" He asked a little breathlessly. "That's why you're pushing me away. You feel and you're afraid."
"T-Terrified." She answered back shakily, and pushed away from him. "There are things... Really complicated things..."
"Like my money for one?"
"I uhh..." She turned away from him again. "S-So you do? H-Have money, I mean?"
"Yes. And it didn't take me long to figure out that you had a problem with it, but it's not who I am, Buffy. That's why I'm here. I like you. I like you alot, and I think deep down under all that fear you like me, too. You've got issues. I understand that. I do. But I'm not him, and I'm hoping you'll give me a chance to prove that to you." He closed the distance to her again and gently turned her around to face him once more. "Spend the day with me, Buffy. One day. Give me a chance to show you the real me, and if at the end of the day you don't like what you see I'll walk away. I'll never bother you again. You have my word."
"A-Angel, a-are you asking me out o-on a d-date?" She asked, searching his face.
"No, I'm asking you to spend the day with me. Let's get to know one another, and if at the end of the day you see that you like the real me the way I like you then maybe we can discuss a date. A real date. All I'm asking for is a chance, Buffy."
Buffy chewed on her bottom lip. She wanted to. God, how she wanted to. She was so tired of being alone. But it wasn't just that. He was right. There was this connection between them. Even now she could feel it. And it was an intense connection that even with her lack of experience she knew didn't happen to everyone. He was different. She knew it. Felt it. And that was only making it harder for her to say no.
"Buffy..." Angel took a step back away from her. "Do you want me to leave?"
"N-No." She whispered. "N-No. W-Wait." She answered a little louder. "Will you wait, please? I umm... shower. I need to shower."
He broke into that sexy lopsided smile he had rewarded her with last night, and this time it did take her breath away. "I'll wait. I'll wait for as long as it takes..."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Thanks to Ryan, Christine, Court, Lauren, Kolumbyne, and Jade for their feedback on chapter 5.
CHAPTER 6
Two hours later, Buffy was standing, watching Angel spread a blanket out on the lawn of Weatherly Park. "Are you sure you don't need any help?"
"No thanks, I've got it." He finished up, and turned around to face her. "See." He smiled at her and walked over to take her hand. "Come sit with me." He lead her back over to the blanket, and helped her to sit down before taking a seat beside her. "It's beautiful here. The lady at the Chamber of Commerce said it was the best place to bring someone for a picnic."
Buffy pulled her knees up against her chest. "You know, I've lived here my whole life, and I don't think I've ever been on a picnic here. And one in January at that."
"But you have been here before, right?"
She nodded and stared out at the lake. "It's been awhile though. I think maybe the last time was when I was eleven. My mom... She used to bring me and my brother, Doyle all the time and let us hang out with other kids, and feed the ducks. When her and Hank...M-My d-dad... When they divorced she couldn't bring us anymore because she always had to work. Not that Doyle came that much there at the end anyway. He was a teenager, and thought he was too cool to hang out anywhere but the mall and the Bronze. There at the end... Before the divorce it was just me and my mom. God, I used to love those days. We would talk about everything from girl stuff to my dream of being a world famous gymnast. We very seldom get days like that anymore. She's always working, or off on a buying trip somewhere." She laid back on the blanket and looked up at the blue sky through her sunglasses.
Angel laid back beside her, then flipped over on his side so that he could look at her better. "You said you dreamed of being a world famous gymnast was that just a dream?"
"No. When I was two my mom enrolled me in gymnastics. I loved it, and I was actually pretty good at it. By the time I was ten, my coach, Mrs. Nuckols, told my parents she'd done all she could do for me. She said I needed a real coach. One that could teach me what it took to make it to the bigtime. You know, the Olympics? She really believed I had what it took and I was starting to believe it, too. Unfortunately things didn't work out though."
"What happened? Did you get hurt?"
"No, I quit. During that time Doyle wasn't doing so shabby himself. He was a baseball player. A pitcher. He really loved it and had potential, but then Hank... My dad... He got involved. Started seeing dollar signs. He began to push Doyle really hard. He wouldn't let him have any kind of life outside of baseball, and eventually it began to wear Doyle down. He began to hate baseball and everything that had to do with it. He became rebellious, and him and Hank... My dad... argued constantly. I could tell it was breaking Doyle's heart, and I hated my dad for it. I actually hated him for hurting Doyle so much. I guess I got scared that he would start doing the same to me. Take something I loved and turn it into something I hated, so I quit before he got the chance. I was eleven when I quit, and a couple of months later he left. Ran away with his young, blonde, secretary. A couple of months after he left I started thinking about going back to it, but in the end I didn't"
"Why? Because you didn't have the money?"
"Yeah, that's it. My mom didn't have the money for my training." She turned her head away from him, and he could tell she didn't want to talk about it anymore, so he changed the subject. "What were you like as a child? I mean, besides the fact that you wanted to be a world famous gymnast?"
"I was a kid." She turned back to look at him. "A kid just like any other kid."
"That still doesn't tell me anything, Buffy. How am I supposed to get to know you if you won't tell me anything about yourself?"
"I'm sorry, Angel. It's just... my childhood... It wasn't all sugar and spice and everything nice."
"I'm not asking you to tell me anything you're not ready to talk about, Buffy. I'm just asking you to tell me something... anything."
She sighed. "I umm... I guess I could tell you that my real name isn't Buffy. It's Elizabeth. Elizabeth Anne Summers. I got dubbed Buffy because Doyle couldn't say Elizabeth. He was four when I was born, and like any child he had pronunciation problems, so my mom let him call me Buffy since it's a pet name derived from Elizabeth, and it kinda stuck after that. It's not the most original name, I know, but it's better than some of the other names floating around out there."
"Where you born here?"
"Mmm... I was born on January 19, 1981 to Hank and Joyce Summers."
So, Angelus thought to himself, her birthday really was yesterday. He took that little piece of infomation and stored it away with a secret smile. "That was yesterday. Happy belated birthday."
"Thank you." She smiled. "You know, it was my 18th?"
"Eighteen's a good age. Special." Angel returned her smile. "So did you get anything special to go along with the special day?"
"Yeah." The smile disappeared from her face. "I got felt up and roughed up in the alley behind the place that used to be my favorite place to go."
"Buffy..." He reached for her hand, but she sat up before he could take it. "Gods, I'm sorry, Angel. I uhh... I swore this morning I wasn't going to dwell on Riley Finn today. Especially since he totally screwed up my birthday yesterday, and the last thing you need right now is for me to dump on you again. I'm sorry. It uhh... It just slipped."
"Buffy..." Angel sat up beside her.
"I did get something special." She said cutting him off. "A thousand bucks. I got a thousand bucks from Doyle. It's for my little red convertible fund."
Once again she was changing the subject, and he knew it was probably not best to push her if she wasn't ready to talk about Riley Finn. "Little red convertible fund?"
"Uh huh. It's another dream of mine. To own a little red convertible. Nothing fancy like your Ferrari. I just want it to be a red convertible and driveable. I started saving for it when I turned sixteen. Birthday money, my allowance. It's taking forever because my mom won't let me work, but I'm getting there."
"Speaking of your mom, what did you get from her?"
"Nothing yet. She's out of town on a buying trip." Buffy laid back on the blanket again. "She owns the local art gallery in town. She started working there after Hank left, and a few months after she did the the original owner passed away. His family put it up for sale, and she couldn't pass up the opportunity to buy it. She loved art, and seeing as she had two kids to feed she went for it. She had to take out a second mortgage on the house to do it, and money's been tight sometimes, but at least she's happy and that's all that counts."
"What about your father? Doesn't he pay child support?"
"Why pay child support for kids you don't even claim? Besides, I'm eighteen now, remember? That means his child support days are over."
"Your mom could take him to court and get back child support from him."
"That takes money, Angel. Lawyers fees, court fees. Money I just more or less told you my mom doesn't have. Besides, Hank's a prick. A prick I don't ever want to associate with or need. I already have a father. Doyle... He's my brother, but he's also my father. My real father. He's done everything a real father is supposed to do for a child. He's been there for me since the day I was born, and I know with all my heart he'll be there for me as long as I live."
"So you two are close?"
A smile reappeared on Buffy's face. "Close doesn't even begin to describe us, and alot of people can't quite comprehend what we have. Especially considering in all actuality he's only my half brother. See, his mom and Hank were involved in college. She got pregnant the middle of their senior year, and they got married right away, but it didn't work out. After the divorce she took Doyle and moved to LA. My dad...Hank... got visitation on weekends and holidays, and when he and my mom started dating my mom met and fell in love with Doyle. That's why when Doyle's real mom was killed in a car accident when Doyle was three and a half, my mom convinced Hank that they should raise Doyle instead of Maria's parents. Hank wasn't too keen on the idea at first because by that time he and my mom were married and expecting me, but eventually my mom wore him down, and Doyle came to live with them. When Hank left there was never an issue where Doyle would stay, not until it came time to go to court for the divorce. I guess Hank didn't want to pay child support for two kids, so he was more than willing to take Doyle back, but the judge saw through him. He not only awarded mom full custody of Doyle, he also allowed her to legally adopt him. That was seven years ago, and although Hank was ordered to pay child support for both Doyle and I, we haven't seen one red cent. He doesn't help support us, call us, write us, and in the last seven years we've only seen him once. I was twelve and Doyle was sixteen, and all it took was a couple of hours of having to live in the real world to send him hightailing it out of town and our lives. I guess he finally realized he wasn't father material, not that he ever really was a real father to start with. If he wasn't working, or traveling all the time, he was screwing his secretaries. He was never my real father. Never. As far as I'm concerned he was just someone who donated their sperm to give me life." Buffy looked up at Angel through her sunglasses. "I hate him, you know? I hate what he did to Doyle, because even after everything he did do Doyle still loved him and wanted him to return his love. It took a long time for Doyle to finally accept that it wasn't going to happen, and went on with his life. He's a teacher now. At Sunnydale High where I go to school, and I think his students love him almost as much as I do."
"What about your mom?" Angel laid back beside Buffy again. "I know you said she owned the art gallery in town, but that's all I know."
"Umm... Her name is Joyce. She was born and raised here. Graduated from UC Sunnydale, majoring in Art History, and when she's not busy working at the gallery, or spending time with Doyle and I, she's with Giles."
"Giles?"
"Rupert Giles. Her boyfriend of the last three years. He's the librarian at Sunnydale High, and also my surrogate father."
"So I take it you like him?"
"Love. I love him. He's great. A little stuffy sometimes. Thinks real music is the Bay City Rollers, and that tweed is the answer to ever fashion statement, but I can forgive him for those little flaws because he's English and lived a very sheltered life. Besides, I sorta owe him for always being there ... And God, listen to me. I must be boring you to tears."
"You're not." Angel turned on his side to look at her better. "I told you, Buffy I want to get to know you better and the only way to do that is for us to talk."
"Then you talk. I just realized I know absolutely nothing about you. Tell me all about Angelus O'Conner."
Angel reached over to brush a lock of hair of her cheek, and let his fingers linger there. "What do you want to know?"
"Everything." She answered a little breathlessly as his fingers begin to send serious sparkage coursing through her.
"Everything?"
"Uh huh. W-Why? Don't you want to tell me about yourself?"
"It's not that I don't want to. It's just that..."
"It's just that what?"
"Well... The truth is right now I can't think about anything except how much I want to kiss you."
"K-Kiss me? Y-You want to kiss me?"
"Very much." He murmured as he reached to remove her sunglasses so that he could look into her eyes. "Can I?"
"I uhh..." She nodded nervously. "Y-Yes. I-If you want."
Oh, he wanted alright. And he did. His lips swooped down to claim hers, and God it went way beyond anything she could have ever imagined her first real kiss to be. It went way beyond, earth shattering, knee wobbling, take my breath away. It rocked her to her very core, and she couldn't help but whimper from the loss of that feeling when he pulled away. "W-Wow." She whispered. "W-Wow..." And apparently he was thinking the same thing because she caught the stunned look on his face just before his lips closed over hers again, and they completely lost themselves in each other.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Thanks to Ryan, Carol Ann, Karin Marie, Christine, Shirley, Court, Nicole, Kolumbyne, and Linda for their feedback on chapter 6. CHAPTER 7
The ringing of the telephone woke Buffy up on Sunday morning, and she swore as she rolled over that she was going to tell whoever it was off because they had roused her from one hell of a good dream. Of course, her plans quickly changed right after she grumbled Hello and found out that the person on the other end was the exact same person she had been dreaming about. "You sound sleepy. I woke you up, didn't I?"
"A-Angel?"
"I did. I woke you up. I'm sorry. Go back to sleep. I'll call you back later."
"No!" Her eyes flew open. "Don't you dare hang up on me Angelus O'Conner!"
"My, my. Someone is extremely grouchy and bossy first thing in the morning."
"That's only because I haven't had my caffeine to jump start me yet. I need a mocchachino with extra whipped cream, but since I don't have a cappucino maker I guess I'll have to settle for coffee with cream and lots of sugar. I get much much better after I have my caffeine. I swear."
"You know, you have a tendancy to babble. It's really cute."
"It is?"
"Yes, it is." He murmured huskily. "Very cute."
Buffy glanced at her clock then flipped back onto her bed pillows. "So... Why exactly are you calling me at eight o'clock on Sunday morning?"
"Couldn't sleep."
"Why?"
"You. I realized after I dropped you off yesterday evening that we never got around to discussing whether you were going to give me a chance or not."
"Do you want me to give you a chance?"
"Buffy... You're killing me here." He muttered. "Are you going to give me a chance or not?"
"I want to."
"But? And I am sensing a but here, Buffy."
"I umm...Oh God, this is so embarrassing."
"What's embarrassing? Come on, Buffy talk to me."
"I know nothing about you except your name and that your dad was a cop, and that you have money, and yet I still let you kiss me yesterday. Lot's of times in fact, and I'm not going to deny that I enjoyed it... The kissing, I mean. Because I did. I more than enjoyed it, but now I'm afraid you might think I'm easy cause I made out with you in a public place of all places and I don't know anything about you. I'm afraid the only reason you want to go out with me is because you think I'm easy, and the truth is I'm not. The truth is I've never really dated anyone at all, and oh God, there I go again totally babbling and not making any sense."
"Buffy?"
"What?"
"I never thought you were easy. And that's not the reason I want to see you again. I thought I made that clear to you yesterday?"
"You did. It's just... I guess when it all comes down to it, I don't understand."
"Understand what?"
"Why the interest in me? I mean, you're gorgeous, Angel. Not to mention sweet, kind, and considerate. You could have anyone you want, so I guess the question is why would you want to go out with someone like me?"
"What do you mean someone like you, Buffy? What's wrong with you?"
"You mean besides the fact that I have a psycho loon who's been harrassing me for months?"
"Months!" Angel practically yelled into the phone. "You mean to tell me this guy's been beating up on you for months and you're just now telling me? Jesus Christ, Buffy!"
"Angel..."
"Stay right there." He growled.
"W-What?"
"I'm coming to get you. I'm going to cook you breakfast and then you and I are going to have a nice long talk."
"A-Angel, I'm still in bed."
"Then shower and get dressed. I'll be there in fifteen minutes."
"Fifteen minutes! Are you crazy, Angel? There is no way I can shower and get dressed in fifteen minutes. In case you've forgotten, I'm a girl. And it's absolutely impossible for a girl to look presentable in less than triple that."
"Trust me, Buffy. There is no way in hell I could ever forget you're a girl. And because you are I know that if I give you an inch, you'll take a mile. Fifteen minutes, my love. I'll be there in fifteen minutes, and you'd better by ready."
The line went dead after that, but Buffy couldn't move to hang it up on her end. My love? Now she definitely knew she needed some caffeine because she could've sworn Angel had just called her my love. No. Stop it, Buffy. Quit letting that overactive imagination over yours go jumping the gun. He's probably on his way over here right now to pick you up, cook you breakfast, then dump you. Then again maybe he's not. Maybe he really does just want to talk. Or even better, maybe he wants to kiss some more like they had yesterday. And okay, Buffy. Stop it right now. The clock is ticking, and you've only get fourteen minutes to look half way presentable for him. With that thought, she scrambled out of bed and ran into the bathroom.
She emerged from her room ten minutes later, and flew down the stairs and out the front door just in time to see Angel coming around a silver Mercedes Benz SUV, and if she thought he was tasty looking yesterday in his black slacks and black wife beater, then today he was absolutely delicious looking in body hugging jeans and a t-shirt. Hot. He was so hot. Absolutely gorgeous. And she could feel her body temperature rise, and her heart start racing as she slid to a stop and watched him walk up the sidewalk towards her. Oh boy... She drew in several deep calming breaths. Hormonal... She could already tell that today was going to be a very hormonal day.
"Hey, I see you made it with a minute to spare. Good girl."
She smiled up at him as he came to a stop in front of her. "Actually, it was four minutes to spare according to my clock, and for your information that has to be a world's record for me."
"Well then, I think the lady deserves a reward." He leaned over to feather a kiss across her lips, then pulled away and handed her a styrofoam cup with a Starbuck's logo on it. "Here you go, my lady. One mocchachino with extra whipped cream."
Buffy eyed the cup nervously. "What's wrong?" He asked, not missing her unease.
"I umm... It's just... Breakfast, a cup of coffee, and a long talk..."
Angel knew right away what she was getting at. "It's not what you think, Buffy."
She raised her gaze back to his. "It's not?"
"Your damn right it's not. I'm not going anywhere unless you're the one that tells me to leave." He leaned over to brush another kiss across her lips then rested his forehead against hers. "Do you want me to leave?"
She shook her head. "N-No."
"Good." He smiled. "Now let's go. I don't know about you, but I'm starving."
****
Buffy hopped up on the counter where Angel was chopping up green peppers on a cutting board.
"So... The Crawford Street Mansion. Wow."
Angel looked up from the cutting board. "You've already said that fifty times, Buffy. Are you uncomfortable being here? Because if you are I could take you out to eat instead. I just thought we could talk more in private here."
"I'm not uncomfortable, Angel."
He laid down the knife he was using to cut the peppers. "Then what's the problem?"
"N-Nothing. Honest. I umm... I'm just surprised is all. It's in really great shape. It was empty for a long time. Did you know that?"
"Yeah. Fifteen years. I know. The real estate agent told me."
She glanced around nervously. "Did umm... Did she happen to tell you anything else? Anything umm... interesting?"
"No." He picked the knife back up and resumed cutting the peppers. "I was to busy pointing out all the repairs that needed to be done, and because I did, I managed to get quite a bit knocked off the asking price."
He seemed so proud of himself, Buffy didn't have the heart to tell him what she knew about the house. "Well, that's umm... nice. So, these repairs... Is it alot?"
"It depends on what you mean by alot. It needs a new roof, some plumbing work, and I want to replace the heating system with a heat pump and central air. I've hired contractors to do all the repairs plus some remodeling. They start in two weeks."
"What kind of remodeling?"
"I want to enlarge the master bedroom. Make it a suite with a master bath that's equipped with a jacuzzi and seperate shower. I also want to redo the remainder of the bedrooms upstairs and turn them into guest rooms that have their own adjoining bathrooms. Down here I want to modernize the kitchen, redo the garden, and make the study a office."
"Wow, you're planning on turning this place into a real bachelor pad, aren't you?"
"No, not a bachelor pad, Buffy." He snapped. "A home. A home I plan to live in the rest of my life."
"I-I'm sorry, Angel. I d-didn't mean to..." She looked away, and he immediately regretted snapping at her. He laid the knife down again, and moved closer to her. "No, I'm sorry, Buffy. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. It's just... I sense you think that just because I have money I live a jet set life, but the truth is I don't. The truth is I'm actually a very private person. I hate that life. I'd much prefer to stay at home then go to social gatherings. I even hate clubs. The only reason I was at the Bronze Friday night was because I felt like I owed it to Cordy. She's been working really hard lately."
Buffy turned back to look at him. "If that's the case then tell me. Tell me all about the real Angelus O'Conner, Angel."
He smiled. "Where do you want me to start?"
"How about at the beginning?" She returned his smile. "Where were you born?"
"LA. Born and raised. I was born on May 16th, 1977 and named Angelus Liam O'Conner."
"And your parents? Who are they?"
"My Dad's name is Liam O'Conner. He was born in Galway, Ireland and didn't move to the states until he was eighteen. He went to UCLA for awhile. That's where he met my mom. Her name is Katherine. She's a teacher like your brother Doyle. She teaches first grade. My Dad dropped out of college his junior year at UCLA to become a cop for the LAPD. Him and my mom were married two years later right before mom started her first teaching job. They were married four years when my brother William came along, and I arrived two years later. When I was six my dad got sick. It was cancer. An inoperable brain tumor the doctors said. They gave him three months to live, but he made it nine. I don't remember very much about my childhood before then, but I do remember every thing after he got sick. How hard things were... not just for him, but for all of us. Especially mom. You know, I never actually seen her fall apart, but I know she did from time to time, and when she did she would just disappear into the bathroom, and when she re-emerged a little while later the only tell tell sign that she had broken down would be her red rimmed eyes. When she re-emerged, she would paste this great big smile back on her face and pretend that everything was just wonderful. She always kept a smile on her face when she was around him. She had one on her face the day he died. She never broke down and cried in front of him or us. He was blind and almost deaf at the end, but you wouldn't have known it by her. I can still remember that day so clearly. The way she held his hand and whispered words of love until he took his last breath, and the whole time she had a smile on her face."
Angel cleared his throat, and walked over to the sink to wash his hands. "Honestly, I don't see how she did it. How she could sit and watch him slowly be eaten away by such a horrible disease. I don't think I could do it."
Buffy swiped at her tears, and stared at his back. "You don't mean that, Angel. You wouldn't just walk away from someone you loved. Not if they were dying and needed you, would you?"
"I don't know, Buffy." Angel dried his hands and turned around to look at her. "I'm not as strong as people think I am. Especially when it comes to the people I love."
She turned her head away from him so he couldn't see the pain in her eyes. "W-William... Your brother... What's he like? Are you two close?"
"No."
"Why not?" She glanced back at him.
"We're just not, Buffy. Not all siblings have a perfect relationship like you have with yours."
"I uhh..." She stammered. "O-Okay. What about y-your mom? Are you two close?"
The mention of his mom brought another smile to Angel's lips. "As two peas in a pod. She's incredible. She has this zest for life. I think that's why she loves teaching little ones so much. They keep her young. Not that she's old, mind you. She's just... Well, she's mom. I miss her, but it helps that I can pick up the phone and call her whenever I want."
"What about growing up? What were you like growing up?"
"I guess you could say I was a nerd." He leaned back against the counter. "I was picked on alot, and even though I was trained in martial arts at an early age, I was taught never to use it unless absolutely necessary, so instead of beating up the kids that picked on me, I turned to writing stories. It was also my outlet for dealing with Dad's illness. I wrote all the time. I loved it. I even wrote at school. Stayed in trouble for not paying attention in class, but I couldn't help it. I got bored very easily, and my teachers couldn't understand how I could do so well grade wise when I never paid attention. It turns out the reason I got bored so easily was because I was a little more advanced academically wise than my fellow students. My mom was the one that eventually figured it out and had me tested. After we got the test results, I jumped from eighth grade to tenth. I graduated from high school when I was fifteen, and accepted an academic scholarship to attend Harvard where I double majored in Investment, and literature. It was during my freshman year at Harvard that one of my professor's convinced me to submit one of my stories in a writing contest. The grand prize was a contract with one of the top publishing companies in the US, and to my dismay I won. Of course, the publishing company wanted me to lengthen the story to a novel, and make alot of changes that I barely had time to do. That's how I met Cordelia. I ran an ad in the paper looking for an assistant to help with the changes in the manuscript and type it up. She applied for the job, and at first I wasn't going to hire her. She had no experience whatsoever, and I even told her that, but then she told me that her family had recently lost everything to the IRS because her Dad had evaded paying his taxes for eighteen years, and she needed the money. She said she couldn't get a job anywhere else, and then she broke down on me and cried. When she did that, I didn't have the heart to say no to her, so I hired her, and I'm glad I did now. After my first book hit number one on the best seller's list, my publishing firm started making me do appearances and book signings. I had no experience with the public whatsoever, but Cordy... She had lots. She stepped in and groomed me for society I guess you could say. Over time we became friends. Best friends, and I couldn't imagine life without her now."
"You're an author?"
Angel nodded. "I write horror/occult books. I've wrote six to be exact, and all of them are based on one character and his group of friends, who are referred to as the *Fang Gang*. And once again to my dismay they all went number one."
Buffy gasped. "Y-You're Liam Angelus?"
"I take it you've read the books?"
Buffy shook her head. "No, not me. Not enough smut. But Doyle... He's obsessed with them. So obsessed, that I nearly got killed last month at the local Books-A-Million trying to get him your latest for Christmas."
Angel grimaced. "Uh oh. This doesn't sound good. What happened?"
"Like I said, I went to the local Books-A-Million to get him your latest book, and some really big proportioned woman tried to slice and dice me with her razor sharp fingernails because I just so happened to pick up the last copy in the entire store."
"I'm sorry." Angel murmured, locking eyes with her.
"Yeah. Yeah." She waved her hand at him. "Tell that to my therapist. She thinks you're the one that should be sliced and diced for causing such a commotion."
At first Angel thought she was serious, but then she suddenly broke into a smile, the first geniune smile he had seen since he had met her, and God it was breathtaking. "Y-You know, I really should make you pay for that Miss. Summers. You really had me worried there for a moment. I thought I was going to have to move again, and I really don't want to do that. Especially now that I've met you..."
"A-And that's a good thing?" She eyed him nervously. "M-Meeting me, I mean?"
"It was..." He closed the distance to her, wedging himself between her legs. "It is... It's a very good thing."
"R-Really?" She whispered, her tongue darting out to moisten her dry parched lips.
He nearly groaned out loud at the intense desire that shot through him at the sight of her simple nervous gesture. "Really." His lips inched closer to hers. "But you seem to be having trouble believing me, so I'm thinking maybe you need a little convincing." And then his lips tenderly claimed hers, but he still wasn't close enough for Buffy. Her arms inched up and around his neck, her fingers threading through his hair, and once again she was thankful that she wasn't on her feet because he had already managed to turn her to jello.
"Okay, if she's going to become a permanent fixture around here, I would appreciate it if you would pry your lips away from her long enough to introduce us."
Angel growled low in his throat as he regrettably pulled away from Buffy and turned around to face the owner of the voice. "Cordelia, did anyone ever tell you that you have the worst timing?"
"Looks to me like I have perfect timing. If I hadn't come sooner the poor girl probably would have lost her tonsils."
A giggle erupted from Buffy, but she quickly shut up when Angel turned back around to look at her with a scowl on his face. "And what pray tell do you think is so funny, Miss. Summers?"
"Well, I uhh... I kinda see where she might would think that, Angel."
"You do, do you?"
"Uh huh." Was all Buffy could utter as she began to drown in those chocolate pools of his again.
"I don't seem to recall you complaining." He murmured huskily.
"That's because I wasn't." She answered a little breathlessly, and blushed.
He grinned, and leaned over to feather another kiss across her lips. "Didn't think you were."
"Uhh, Hello?" Cordelia waved a hand at the couple. "Third person in the room, remember? Could we please stop with the PDA's. I haven't had breakfast."
Angel growled again, and with another quick peck to Buffy's lips, helped her down from the counter. "Buffy Summers, I would like you to meet my best friend, and very annoying pain in the ass, Cordelia Chase. Cordy, this is Buffy."
Cordelia smiled at Buffy. "Hello, Buffy. It's nice to meet you."
Buffy returned her smile. "You too, Cordelia. Angel's told me alot about you."
"Angel?" Cordelia quirked an eyebrow at her best friend. "You let her call you Angel?"
"No, Cordy." Angel muttered. "I don't let Buffy do anything. She has a mind of her own and she's the one that decided to call me that."
Buffy looked up at Angel. "D-Did I do something wrong?"
"Oh, no!" Cordelia yelped as Angel shot her a dirty look. "It's just that no one has ever had the nerve to call Angelus Angel except his mom and live to tell about it."
"Oh... Uhh...A-Angel? D-Do you want me to..."
"It's okay, Buffy. You can call me, Angel." He lead her over to the kitchen table, and pulled out a chair for her to sit down.
"A-Are you sure?" She sat down and looked up at him.
"Yes, I'm sure." He leaned over and dropped another kiss on her lips. "Now get acquainted with Cordy while I cook us breakfast." He straightened and looked across the table at Cordelia. "Cordy, ham and cheese omlettes. Do you want green peppers?"
"You know it." She answered, taking a seat across from Buffy at the table.
"Buffy?" Angel reached for her hand.
"No peppers for me, thanks."
"Okay. Three ham and cheese omlettes coming up." He squeezed her hand before letting go and heading to the stove.
"So, Buffy..." Cordelia eyed the golden blonde from across the table. "Angel tells me you're still in high school, and that you graduate this year. What's your plans after that?"
"I umm... college, I guess. Maybe. I'm not for sure that I'm going to go."
"Hate school, huh?"
"No. Actually I love it, there's just a chance I might not go to college, that's all."
"If you go what do you want to major in?"
"Clothing design. I have a knack for it I guess you could say."
"You're kidding, right?"
"No. When I was eleven I took my first Home Economics class, and we had to make a dress as our first sewing assignment. We were given a whole grading period to complete it, and I knew right away exactly what type of dress I wanted to make. It was a sarong style dress. I had seen one over the summer. One of my friend's mother wore one to a Hawaiian themed birthday party, and I fell in love with it, but once I decided to make it I couldn't find a pattern for it. Then the weekend before we were to start on it I decided to try and draw it. I sat down with a sketch pad, cleared my head of everything but the dress, and began to draw it. When I opened my eyes a little while later there it was... My dress... staring back at me, but there was a very big problem. I didn't know have a clue how to get it from the paper to actually existing. That's where my teacher, Mrs. Murphy came in. She showed me how to draw a pattern piece by piece, and she even recommended a material shop where I could go get the perfect material. I was the last one to complete my assignment because once I got started I kept going back and changing something. Gods, I was so proud of that dress, and I had every right to be. I got the best grade in the entire class and Mrs. Murphy actually asked me to make her one just like it. Since then, I've done hundreds of designs. Most of them are just on paper, but I've managed to make some of them."
"Like what?"
"Umm... A little of everything. Pants, tops, suits, dresses. I've even made a wedding dress, but it wasn't my own design. I did it for a lady that works for my mom. I couldn't believe it when she asked me to do it. I was so excited because that was the one design I had always dreamed about doing, but had never gotten the chance to. I had all these ideas in my head, and I couldn't wait to put them on paper, and then turn them into the real thing. Unfortunately though, I never got the chance. The day after she asked me to do it she showed up at my house with a pattern that she liked and told me that was the dress she wanted. I was so disappointed, and quite honestly it wasn't my best work. Oh, don't get me wrong, and don't take this as me bragging, because I'm not. The dress was beautiful. What wedding dress isn't? But I just wasn't satisfied with it once I was done. I knew it could have been better. More stunning. Eloquent, you could say."
Cordelia looked across the room at Angel, who had stopped cooking to listen to Buffy. "Did you hear that, Angelus? Looks like our little Buffy here just might be the next Versaci."
"I believe she could do anything she put her mind to." Angel murmured, staring at the back of the woman in question.
"Trust me, guys. Versaci I'm not, nor will I ever be."
"Why don't you let me decide that, Buffy. I happen to be a Versaci expert, or used to be anyway." Cordelia muttered. "I'd like to see your work sometime. That's if you don't mind showing me?"
"I don't mind. Maybe I could bring some sketches with me next time I come over. I'm working on some ideas for Prom dresses right now." Buffy glanced over her shoulder at Angel, who was now gathering up three plates. "That's if there is a next time I come over."
"Oh, there will be." He answered softly as he made his way back to the table. "You can count on it."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Thanks to Lauren, Christine, Jessie, Kolumbyne, Ryan, Linda, and Stef for their feedback on chapter 7. Anita CHAPTER 8
"Buffy?"
Buffy looked up from the test she was taking to see Mr. Smith, her Physics teacher, turning away from the classroom door. "You're wanted in the office."
"B-But my..."
"I'll hold your test till you get back." He gave her a reassuring smile. "I understand it won't take long."
She stood up and took the test to him, shooting a peek and flashing a weak smile at her best friends, Willow Rosenberg and Xander Harris, before leaving the room. It wasn't until she was absolutely sure that the classroom door was closed that she finally turned to look at the girl behind her. "Let me guess, Snyder wants to see me, right."
"No. Today is your lucky day, Buffy." Amy Madison, who worked in the office that period, flashed Buffy a really big smile. "It's something good. You'll see what I mean. Come on."
Good. It was something good Buffy kept telling herself as she followed Amy down the hallway. It had nothing to do wtih Riley. Riley... She didn't even want to think about him. She had even gone out of her way to avoid him and his friends today because she didn't know if she could see him without actually physically getting sick like she had earlier that morning. She couldn't see him. She just couldn't... She entered the office behind Amy, and came to halt in her tracks, her eyes falling on the display on the front desk. "W-Wow. Who uhh... Who just left the pre-posy phase behind?"
"Well, evidently you did because their yours." Amy walked up to the desk, and turned around to hand the two dozen roses to Buffy. "M-Mine?" Buffy stared at the purple roses. "Th-These beautiful things are m-mine?"
"Uh huh. The florist made it plain and clear that these two dozen beautiful sterling roses were for one Miss. Buffy Anne Summers. He even specified that you were to sign for them personally." She took the roses from Buffy, and shoved a clipboard in her hand. "He's coming back after he finishes his last delivery to make sure you got them."
"D-Do you know who their from?" Buffy asked as she quickly signed the slip on the clipboard. "Nope. Just that there's a card." She took the clipboard, and handed the roses back to Buffy. "By the way, in case you didn't know sterling roses mean love at first sight."
Buffy stared at the card standing up in the middle of the roses. She was almost afraid to open it, and decided it was best to wait until she was alone before she did. "I umm... Is that it?"
"Yeah, that's it." Amy smiled. "You can go back to Physics and that nasty test your taking. Oh, and good luck by the way, I heard it was a real doozy."
"Th-Thanks, Amy." Buffy left the office, and waited until she was halfway back down the hallway before she stopped and finally reached for the card. There was nothing on the outside to indicate what might be inside, and that
frightened her even more. But then, her frown quickly turned into a smile as she opened the envelope and found what was written there.
Thinking of you. Always, -A-
"Okay, Summers. Maybe today isn't going to be such a bad day after all." She murmured to herself, as she leaned over and inhaled the beautiful aroma of the flowers. She was so happy, it took her several moments to compose herself enough to finally go back to class and the test waiting on her, and when she entered the classroom she could feel every eye in the room including her best friends' on her as she handed the roses to Mr. Smith, and took back her test. I'll explain later she mouthed to her friends as she took her seat, and true to her word thirty minutes later she did.
"Okay, I'm dying here. Who sent them?" Willow Rosenberg asked, taking a seat next to Buffy on the bench.
Buffy sat the roses down on the other side of her, and smiled. "I met someone."
"When you say someone, do you mean like a boy kinda someone?" Xander Harris asked from the wall behind her.
"Uh huh." Buffy answered dreamily. "Only he's not a boy. He's a man. Definitely a man. A hottie kinda man."
"Uh oh, Will." Xander leaned over to look at Buffy's face. "This is serious. Look at her. She has that look."
"What look?" Buffy asked glancing back and forth at her two best friends.
"THE LOOK, Buffy." Willow giggled. "The look of love, and you've got it."
"I-I do?"
"Uh huh." Willow smiled. "So spill. Who is he?"
"I umm... If I tell you guys you have to pinky swear that you won't tell anyone."
"Why?" Xander said, eyeing her. "What's wrong? He not the kinda guy you take home to Mommy?"
"Actually, Xander he's just the type of guy you want to take home to Mommy. In fact, he's every mother's dream."
"He has money." Xander guessed.
"Well, yeah. But I could care less about that, and that's not why I'm asking you to pinky swear. I'm asking you to pinky swear because he's sort of a celebrity."
"A-A celebrity?" Willow asked excitedly.
Buffy nodded.
"You're joking, right?" Xander asked sarcastically.
"No." Buffy shook her head. "Now are you two going to pinky swear you won't tell anyone or not?"
"We swear." Xander and Willow said in unison. "Now tell us who he is?" Willow added.
"His name is Angelus O'Conner, but you guys know him as Liam Angelus."
"LIAM ANGELUS!" Willlow squealed, then quickly quieted when Buffy shot her a dirty look. "D-Did you say Liam Angelus? The same Liam Angelus that wrote the *Fang Gang* books?"
"The one and the same." Buffy murmured.
"Isn't he like really old or something?" Xander asked from behind Buffy.
"No, Xander. He's older than me, but not really older. He's twenty three. And I don't call him Angelus. I call him Angel just like the character in his books. Which is really kinda strange if you think about it because I've never read any of his books, and well anyway, getting back to him... I met him in the parking lot outside the Bronze Friday night. I uhh... I sort of bumped into him..." Okay, she wasn't exactly being honest with them, but she couldn't tell them the truth. She couldn't tell them that Riley Finn was sexually harrassing her and had almost... She couldn't tell them. No one knew except Angel, and she planned on it staying that way. "We uhh... We got to talking after that and he ended up giving me a ride home. I don't know how to explain it, guys but we just clicked. It's like I've known him my whole life. Gods, he's so sweet. Not to mention incredibly smart and gorgeous, and the real stunner is I think he actually likes me, too."
"And why exactly is that such a stunner, Buffy?" Xander murmured. "I happen to think you're pretty damn incredible."
"Thanks, Xand. That means alot to me, but I happen to know you're impartial to me because your my best friend. Angel... Well, I'm just having a really hard time believing that someone like him could like someone like me."
"Why, Buffy?" Willow spoke up and asked. "I mean, it's pretty obvious he's interested." She pointed to the flowers. "I mean, if he wasn't why would he send those?"
"I believe he likes me, Will. I do. It's just... I'm scared. I'm afraid I'm not incredible enough to keep him."
"And you want to keep him?"
Buffy shook her head. "Oh yeah. He's definitely a keeper, Will. He came by the house Saturday morning, and he just came right out and told me that he wanted to get to know me better. He asked me to spend the day with him. Give him a chance to show me the real Angelus O'Conner, and he told me that if I didn't like what I saw at the end of the day he would walk away and never bother me again."
"I'm guessing by the glow on your face that you liked what you saw."
Buffy was practically beaming when she smiled at her best friend. "Uh huh. He took me on a picnic in the park after that. Nothing fancy. Just cheese, fruit, veggies, and a bottle of sparkling grape juice, and we talked." She blushed. "That is we talked in between umm... kissing."
"Y-You kissed him?" Xander practically yelled.
"Yes, Xander. I kissed him." Buffy scowled. "But only after he was a complete gentleman and asked me if he could kiss me first."
"So how was it, Buffy?" Willow asked grinning.
"Unbelievable." Buffy answered dreamily again. "More than unbelieveable, Will. It was more than I could ever imagine my first kiss to be like. He more than made my knees wobble. He rocked my world, literally. I've never ever felt this way about anyone. That's why I spent the day with him again yesterday. He took me to his house, and made breakfast for me and his best friend. He's an incredible cook. Then today he sends me these..." She pointed to the roses. "And on the card he wrote thinking of you. He's just so..."
"Incredible." Xander asked sarcastically again.
"Yes, he is, Xander." Buffy turned around to look at him. "And that's what scares me so much. I've only known him
three days and I've already managed to fall for him. Am I crazy?"
"No, just in love." Willow murmred.
Buffy turned back to look at the red head. "N-No. I can't be... I can't be in love with him."
"Who says, Buffy?" Willow laughed. "Haven't you ever heard of love at first sight?"
"W-What?"
"Love at first sight. I've never actually experienced it myself, but Oz said it happened to him the first time he saw me." She met Buffy's gaze. "The question is do you think maybe that's what has happened to you?"
Buffy's gaze returned to the roses beside her. "I umm... Y-Yes. Yes. I think it is..."
**** "Buffy?"
"Huh?" Buffy snapped out of her reverie, and looked up to find both her mother and brother staring at her.
"Sweetie, are you sure you're okay?" Joyce Summers laid down her silverware. "You've been picking at your food for the last ten minutes. Are you sick at your stomach?" She leaned over to feel Buffy's forehead. "Do you have a fever? Should I call..."
Buffy shrugged of her hand. "I'm fine, Mom. I'm fine. I'm just not hungry, okay? Now may I be excused?"
"Honey, this is supposed to be your birthday dinner. We scheduled this last week since I knew I wasn't going to be here to help you celebrate on Friday. Your brother missed his bowling night tonight for this dinner."
"I know, Mom. And I really appreciate it." Buffy's eyes met her brother's across the table. "I appreciate the fact that the both of you made time for me, but I'm sorry. I'm just not hungry. I think that Physics test today wiped me out more than I thought. I just want to take a shower and crash."
"It's only eight o'clock, Munchkin. Are you sure you're feeling okay?"
"I said I'm fine god damnit, Doyle!"
"Elizabeth Anne Summers!" Joyce yelled.
Buffy saw the hurt look on her brother's face, and immediately regretted what she had done. "Oh God..." She buried her face in her hands. "I'm sorry, Doyle. Mom. It's just... You're smothering me, and I was expecting a phone call... I thought he would call. He didn't call."
Doyle looked over at his mother then back at Buffy. "He? Would this happen to be the same he who sent you all those roses at school today?"
"Roses?" Joyce Summers asked a little surprised.
"Uh huh." Buffy finally looked over at her mother. "They're upstairs in my room. By my bed. I didn't get a chance to tell you or show you because you came straight in and started cooking."
"You never answered my question, Munchkin?"
"Don't you dare go all protecto guy on me, Doyle Summers. Just because I got flowers from a guy doesn't mean I have to tell you anything. I'm eighteen years old. My personal life is my business."
"Sorry, Sis. But I make your personal life my business when you go all crazy and let this guy get to you like no guy has ever got to you before." He broke into a grin. "So... Who is he?"
"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you." Buffy buried her face in her hands again. "And I don't know why I'm even bothering to tell you about him anyway. I mean, it's obvious he's not interested in me. If he was he would have called."
"What about the roses, honey." Joyce Summers pointed out. "A man doesn't send flowers unless they're interested. Trust me, I know." She reached across the table to smooth Buffy's hair. "Now come on, perk up. I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason for why he didn't call."
"Mom's right, Munchkin. And since you're not busy talking to him at the moment, I think you should spend this time telling us about him."
"Oh, okay. His name is..." Buffy started, but never got to finish because she was interrupted by the doorbell.
"Hold that thought, Sweetie." Joyce laid down her napkin, and stood up. "That could be Rupert. He said he might stop by if he got through with his meeting in time." She left the dining room, and made her way to the front door. When she opened it she found a tall, dark haired man in a black business suit, standing on the other side. "Can I help you?"
"I sure hope so." The stranger murmured softly. "I'm here to see Buffy. Is she home?"
"Yes, of course she is." Joyce stepped aside and gestured to the young man. "Please come in, and I'll go get her, Mr..."
"Angelus. Angelus O'Conner." Angel replied, entering the house. "And you must be Buffy's mom." He turned around to face an older version of Buffy, and extended his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Summers. Buffy has told me alot about you."
Joyce stared at the man standing in front of her. A man obviously older than her daughter. "That's funny because Buffy hasn't mentioned anything about..."
"Angel?"
Angel and Joyce both sought out the voice at the same time. "Buffy, hey."
"Hey." She murmured, their eyes meeting. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see you."
Joyce watched their heated exchange before turning back to the young man. "Angel? I thought you said your name was Angelus?"
Angel chuckled. "My real name is Angelus, Mrs. Summers. Angel's the shortened version that Buffy decided to call me."
"And you let her?" A male voice asked from behind Buffy.
Buffy turned around and playfully slapped the owner of the voice. "Doyle, shut up."
Doyle laughed, and stepped around Buffy. "I will just as soon as you introduce me to your FRIEND, Munchkin."
Buffy shot her brother a dirty look before turning back to Angel. "Angel, this is my brother, Doyle. Doyle, this is Angelus O'Conner."
Doyle stuck out his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Angelus O'Conner."
Angel grinned. "You too, Doyle. And to answer your question... The truth is I'm finding it really hard to say no to your sister."
"Ahh..." Doyle leaned against the doorway. "I see I've found a possible candidate for the *I Can't Say No To Buffy* club. Just answer me one question, Angel? Has she given you her pouty face yet?"
Angel glanced over at Buffy, who was shooting daggers at her brother. "No, why?"
"Because I can almost guarantee you that it will be your downfall."
"Doyle!" Buffy yelped. "I don't pout!"
"I beg to differ, Sis." Doyle's gaze returned to Angel's amused one. "Her bottom lip pokes out for about a mile, and the upper... Well, I'm not quite sure what happens to her upper lip because the truth is I can't get past how damn adorable her lower one is. It's a real killer. Gets me everytime."
"Mom!" Buffy's eyes flew to Joyce.
Joyce laughed. "Doyle, quit embarrassing your sister."
"I'm not trying to embarrass her, Mom. I just think the man should know what he's getting himself into."
"I think Angel has heard enough." Joyce turned back to Angel. "Angel, we were in the middle of eating dinner. Buffy's birthday dinner to be exact. Would you like to join us?"
"No, thank you, Mrs. Summers. I've already had dinner. Maybe some other time?"
Joyce nodded, and glanced back over at her daughter. "I take it you won't be rejoining us?"
Buffy shook her head. "If it's okay, I'd rather spend time with my company."
Joyce's gaze returned to Angel. "I want her back here at eleven o'clock sharp. It's a school night."
"Yes, ma'am." He nodded, and smiled.
Buffy bounded over and kissed Joyce on the cheek. "Thanks, Mom." Then she went over to her brother and done the same. "I'll see you in the morning."
Doyle smiled. "7:30 sharp."
She went to the coat rack, and grabbed the leather coat Angel had given her, and shrugged it on. When she was done, she grabbed Angel's hand, and pulled him out the door. "'Nite, guys."
Joyce Summers stared at the door in silence for a few moments before turning around to face her son. "He seems nice."
"But?" Doyle asked eyeing her.
"But he's older than her. That worries me."
"Trust me, Mom. You needn't worry."
Joyce raised an eyebrow. "Why? Do you know him?"
"No, not personally. But I do know of him. He's the one that wrote those *Fang Gang* books, Mom. His pen name is Liam Angelus. He's one of the richest men in America right now, and one of the most eligible. All his books have been best sellers, and he's taken the money from them and invested very wisely. But that's not all of his resume'. He's really big on education as well. Donates alot of his money to better schools. And Buffy... That's a real shocker, too. She obviously has feelings for him. Jesus, Mom. Did you get a load of her smile? I haven't seen her smile like that in..."
"A really long time..." Joyce finished, and turned back to the door. "Still... I can't help but worry."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Thanks to Trackstars06, Crystal, Vengfulvixen3, Christine, Kolumbyne, Lana, DragonQueen, Carol Ann, Ryan, April, Cooper, Emma, DragonFire, and Cristina for their feedback on Chapter 8. If you want the disclaimer it's at the beginning of chapter one! CHAPTER 9
"Why are we walking?"
"Because it's a really nice night for a walk... And the truth is I could use the air. I'm a little stressed."
Buffy glanced over at the man walking beside her. "Bad day?"
"You could say that." Angel murmured. "I had to go to LA today." He reached for her hand, and intertwined it with his. "It wasn't planned. My publisher rejected my new manuscript again."
"And you're upset about that?"
"A little, but it's not the first time they've done it, and I doubt it will be the last. I'll just try again."
"Uh huh." Her eyes narrowed as she watched the play of emotions on his face. "And I'm guessing by the way you just blew my question off that obviously that's not what has you so stressed, so would you care to tell me what does?"
"You..." Angel didn't hesitate to answer. "We never got around to having that talk yesterday because Cordy showed up."
"Oh..." Buffy stopped in her tracks, and he immediately stopped to turn and look at her. "You said he's been doing this for months, Buffy."
"N-Not that... Friday night... Th-That was the first time he's actually gotten... It was just harrassment before, Angel."
"Sexual harrassment, right?"
She turned away from him in response.
"Buffy..." He moved up behind her and pulled her back into his arms. "This little prick... What he's doing... It's gone way beyond harrassment. He almost raped you."
She flinched, but didn't say anything, so he continued. "I've been worried sick about you all day, Buffy. It's not going to stop. Not until you make it."
"I can't." She broke his grasp, and moved down the sidewalk.
"Buffy!" Angel caught up with her, and came around to block her way. "Why? I know you're scared, baby but there's no reason to be. I'm here, and I'll be here with you every step of the way. I promise."
"I can't go to the police, Angel! Even if I wanted to I can't go."
"Why not?" His face was taut. "What are you so afraid of, Buffy?"
"They don't know!" She screamed, and pushed away from him again. "My family... My friends... They don't know! I haven't told anyone, but you. I can't tell them. Especially Doyle."
Angel swept a hand through his hair in frustration. "Why? Why haven't you told them? They love you for christ sakes, Buffy! They could help you through this."
"You think that I don't know that, Angel! That's why I haven't told them. It's because I know they would want to help that I can't tell them! Especially Doyle! He's very overprotective of me, Angel. If he knew what Riley was doing he would kill him, and that's the truth. He really would kill Riley, and then he would not only go to jail, he would lose his job because of it. He's a teacher, Angel! A teacher. And that's always been his dream because his mom was a teacher. I won't take that away from him. I won't let him fuck his life up over some loser like Riley Finn. But it's not just Riley I'm worried that he'll go after if he finds out. It's Principal Snyder, too. Doyle knows that I've been to Snyder's office over Riley, but he thinks it was because Riley was picking on my friends so he didn't interfere. If he knew the truth. If he knew what a cold hearted bastard Snyder really was... And he is a cold hearted bastard, Angel. That man hates me. He thinks I'm trouble. White trash. He always has, and he never misses an opportunity to tell me that. But that's not all he tells me. The last time I went to the office about Riley he told me that if I don't lay off of Riley he would see to it that my brother never taught school again." She started to cry. "Don't you see, Angel? I can't risk getting Doyle fired. A-And Snyder would do it. I can't tell them. I w- won't stand by and let that little troll hurt the people I love. Especially Doyle. I w-won't be the one responsible for ruining his life. Not when I owe him mine!"
"Hey. Hey." Angel closed the distance to Buffy and pulled her into his arms again. "I'm sorry, baby. I didn't realize..." He stroked her hair as he held her close. "I'm sorry. Don't cry. Please don't cry. I hate to see you cry."
"I hate this, Angel." She cried into his chest. "I just want my life back. I don't know how much more I can take."
"Shh... Everything's going to be okay." Angel kissed the top of her head. "Everything's going to be okay, I promise. If you can believe anything believe that."
***
"Rupert Giles?"
"Y-Yes. I'm Rupert Giles." Giles moved around his desk. "Can I help you?"
Angel extended his hand. "I'm Angelus O'Conner. We had an appointment."
"Ahh yes, Mr. O'Conner. It's nice to finally meet you." Giles accepted his hand and shook it.
"You, too." Angel smiled. "I'm sorry I had to cancel our meeting yesterday. I had to go to LA for an unscheduled meeting, and then when I got back there was someone very important I had to see. I hope I didn't cause any problems."
"N-No. No problems. I actually ended up staying here and working. I'm in the middle of cataloging all the books in the library into the computer. Blasted machines! I still can't get used to them, and it doesn't help that their outdated on top of all that, or at least that's what one of my students tells me. She says that's why their slow accepting the information. I guess she would know. She's one of the top students in the school. Extremely bright."
"I take it you don't like computers?"
"N-No. I abhorr them. My girlfriend's daughter tells me it's because I grew up in the dark ages. Why in the world she stays on my case is beyond me. She hates the bloody things almost as much as I do."
Angel chuckled. "Sounds like Buffy."
Giles looked a little surprised. "You know Buffy?"
Angel smiled. "I met her over the weekend. We're in the getting to know each other stage. She told me about you. She's very fond of you."
"A-And I she. Doyle, too. They're like my own, but Buffy even more so. I guess that's why we're so close. I sort of stepped in behind Doyle and became another father figure to her. N-Not that I mind. This may sound cruel, but I'm actually glad Hank Summers isn't around. He was set in his ways. Gave Doyle a hard time. Harder than most parents would their kid. A-And Buffy... He hurt her terriblly too, but she tends to forget that part. Her hate for Hank is strictly because of what he did to Doyle. That's why she's so leery of people. M-Men in particular. I guess that's why I still get surprised that she loves me as much as she does. But then again, she craved love back then. Especially with everything she was going through..." Giles removed his glasses from his face. "I'm terribly sorry, Mr. O'Conner. I have a tendancy to ramble on."
"It's all right, Mr. Giles. I want to know everything there is to know about Buffy. I already know she has her hang-ups. Especially with her Dad, but she hasn't opened up enough to tell me what exactly he did to her. I hope in time she will though."
"Just a little piece of advice, Mr. O'Conner. Buffy's had a rough way to go, and she's still facing alot of possible hard times. Don't push her. If she wants you to know she'll tell you. The only reason I know is because I was one of the people involved." Giles slid his glasses back on his face, and moved back around to sit down at his desk. "Now, with that said, shall we get down to discussing the real reason you're here?"
"Of course."
Giles gestured to the chair in front of his desk. "Please have a seat."
"Thank you." Angel murmured, shedding his coat, and sitting down. "The reason I'm here is because I'm interested in discussing with you what you told my assistant Cordelia Chase last week."
"Interested in what way?"
Angel clasped his hands in his lap. "I'll get around to that in a few moments, but first there are a couple of questions I need to ask you."
Giles nodded. "Certainly. Go right ahead."
"Well first, I would like for you to give me your honest opinion on what type of person the principal of this school is?"
"I think he's a cold hearted bastard who doesn't care about the students of this school. Unless of course, your Riley Finn, that is."
"Riley Finn?" Angel asked nonchalantly.
"Yes. He's a student here. A senior like Buffy. He's also the son of the mayor of Sunnydale. He gets by with alot. More than anyone else would in this school. Not only because he's the mayor's son, but because Principal Snyder is also the mayor's best friend. Their old college buddies."
"Interesting." Angel murmured more to himself than to Giles.
"Interesting how?" Giles asked, eyeing the young man across his desk.
"Well, I was just wondering if maybe that's why the principal of this school gets such a large salary?"
"I-I don't know. I never really thought about it." Giles answered. "I guess that's possible considering that Mayor Finn also serves on the school board."
Angel sat up. "He does?"
Giles nodded. "Y-Yes. He filled a vacant seat six years ago. He's the one that recommended that..."
"That what?"
"That the board hire Snyder." Giles locked eyes with Angel. "I had completely forgotten about that."
"That's a little fishy, don't you think?"
"Y-Yes. Yes, it is."
"Okay, just one more question?" Angel sat back again. "How exactly did you know Snyder got such a large salary?"
"I didn't. Not until right before school started this year. There was talk of a teacher's strike because we were passed over for a raise again this year. Mary Miller, Principal Snyder's secretary brought it up in the teacher's lounge the morning we were told there would be no raise. She was angry because she too had gotten passed over for a raise, but she said Snyder hadn't. I assume she would know. She handles all the financial aspects of the school, including our paychecks."
"Do me a favor, Mr. Giles? Don't mention this to anyone else. I want to do a little checking into this first, okay?"
"Certainly. Anything you say."
"Good." Angel murmured. "Now, let's get down to the real reason I'm here."
"Wh-Which is?"
"The lack of educational materials in this school. I'm not sure if you're aware of who I am, but if you are then you know I take education very seriously."
"I'm well aware of who you are, Mr. O'Conner. I've got you're books here in the library, but I didn't recognize you from them. I actually saw your picture in an educational magazine the staff gets here at the school. I must say, you have quite a resume' for someone so young."
"It's nice to know that someone recognizes for who I really am for a change." Angel smiled. "And now that you do, I can tell you that's why I'm here. I want to help, but since it's obvious that the Principal's and school board's true purpose is in question, I'm turning to you."
"Me?" Giles' eyes widened in surprise. "Wh-Why me?"
"I want you to talk to the faculty and make up a list of everything they and the school lack. Once you get the list done I want you to call me and we'll schedule a meeting so that we can talk further."
"A-Anything else?"
"No. That's it for now." Angel stood up. "I would stay longer, but I need to make a very important phone call..."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Thanks to Christine, Court, Karin Marie, Ryan, Kattie S., Cristina, Isis Blue, and VengfulVixen 3 for their feedback on Chapter 9. It's people like you that keep me going! Thanks guys! CHAPTER 10
"And I was thinking we could go with a deep plum color over black tafetta. It will bring out your eyes and complexion." Buffy handed the sketch she was holding to Willow. "So what do you think? Do you like it?"
Willow's gaze locked on the sketch. "It's beautiful, Buffy. What's not to like?"
"But? You have butface, Will."
"I would love for you to make the dress for me, Buffy. But don't you think you're taking on too much? I mean, there's already your dress, and Anya's... When are you going to have time?"
"Will's right, Buff." Xander replied from his spot at the foot of her bed. "I don't see how you're going to have time to make three prom dresses in between school, friends, family, and the new boyfriend."
"His name is Angel, Xander. And I can't spend every waking moment with him even if I wanted to. I have school and he works."
"You call what he does a job?" Xander snorted.
"It made him rich, didn't it?"
"How rich?"
"W-What?"
"Just exactly how rich is he?"
"I don't know, Xander! Nor do I care. I'm with him because of him. Not his money."
"But just to ease my curiosity here, Buffy at least give me a ballpark figure."
Buffy nervously wrung her hands. "I don't know for sure, Xander. We don't talk about it, but I did do a little research in the library yesterday, and the latest article I could find estimated his worth somewhere around eighty million."
"Eighty million!" The soda that Xander had just taken went spewing out of his mouth. "Eighty million dollars?"
"Give or take a few million." Buffy squeaked.
"Wow. Wow." Was all Willow could say.
"Wow is right, Will." Xander muttered, sitting up on the bed. "And here I thought no one could be as rich as the Finns, but this guy... This guy makes the Finns look... Well... He makes the Finns look poor."
"Angel is nothing like the Finns, Xander."
"How do you know, Buffy? I mean, really? You've known him all of five days. This nice act he's pulling on you could be just that... An act. Look at Mayor Finn. On tv he's all friendly and caring, but everyone knows that in real life he's nothing but a self- centered bastard that doesn't care about anything except making his next buck, and he doesn't care who he hurts in the process to get it. That's rich people, Buff. You know it. I know it. And Willow knows it."
"Angel's different, Xander. He wasn't always rich, and he does care about others. The magazine article I read about him said that he donates alot of his money to education."
"Still doesn't prove anything to me." Xander quipped, and looked over at Buffy. "I just don't want to see you get hurt, Buffy."
"I won't get hurt, Xander. And you're wrong. I do know him. I know him better than you think. I know he has an older brother named William, and that they don't get along. And I know that his mom's name is Katherine, and that she teaches first grade. And his dad... His dad was a cop for the LAPD. His name was Liam. He was Irish. He grew up in Galway, Ireland and didn't move to the US until he was eighteen. I also know that he umm... He died when Angel was six."
"What happened to him?" Willow asked. "Was he killed?"
Buffy stood up. "N-No." She turned around to fidget with a pen on her desk. "Umm... He had cancer. A-A brain tumor. Angel was devestated. He didn't really come out and say that he was, but I could tell by the way he talked that he was." She turned back to look at them. "He umm... He doesn't know. I-I couldn't tell him. Especially after he told me about his dad. I don't want him to know. Ever. It might scare him away."
"Buffy..." Willow started to say, but was interrupted by the doorbell.
"Oops. Sorry, Will." Buffy headed for the door. "I gotta get that. I'll be right back."
She disappeared out the door, and the minute she did Willow turned to Xander and shot him a dirty look. "What?" Xander asked innocently.
"Your horns are showing, Xander Harris."
"I don't know what you're talking about, Willow."
"Sure you don't... Come on, Xander. This is me you're talking to. Lay off before you lose her altogether."
Xander left the bed. "I'm not going to stay here and listen to this."
"Fine. Don't." Willow muttered. "But I want you to keep in mind that life is short and very uncertain, Xander. Do you want to be the one to ruin what may be her only chance at love? Real love?"
***
Buffy flew down the stairs to the front door, and threw it open, a smile immediately lighting her features when she saw who was standing on the other side. "Sorry, mister. But whatever it is your saling, I'm not buying."
"Is there any chance I could change your mind, ma'am?"
"Depends."
"On what?"
"On whether your sales demo is strictly hands on or all a long winded sales pitch."
"Hands on." Angel grinned that sexy lopsided smile that always managed to turn her to mush. "It's definitely hands on."
"Then what are you waiting for?" She wiggled a finger at him. "Get your buns over her and start demonstrating."
"God, I love a bossy woman." He murmured just before closing the distance to her, and pulling her into his arms as his lips sought out hers.
Buffy immediately melted into him, her arms slipping up and around his neck just as his tongue darted out to meet and twine with hers. It didn't take long for the passion between them became intense. Too intense, and regrettablely Angel pulled away from her, and rested his forehead against hers as he struggled to breathe. "Now that's what I call a hello."
"Uh huh..." She answered a little breathlessly herself, and slowly opened her eyes to look at him. "Hey, you. What are you doing here? I thought you had another meeting today?"
"I did, but I finished up early and couldn't wait to see you. Is that okay?"
"Better than okay." She smiled happily. "In fact, you got here just in time. Willow and Xander are here, so you can finally meet them."
"Am I going to get the third degree from them, too." He asked as she pulled him into the house, and shut the door.
"I hope not. I umm... I told them. Wh-Who you are, I mean." She turned around to look at him.
He scowled. "You mean you told them I had money."
Buffy worried her bottom lip. "Th-That, too."
"Damnit, Buffy. I thought we were getting past that?"
"We are." She answered weakly.
"Then why don't you sound very convincing?" His scowl grew even deeper.
"You're mad." She blinked back tears.
"No, not mad, Buffy." His face softened when he saw her tears threatening to spill over. "I just don't know what else to do to try and convince you that there's more to me than just my money, baby."
"It's not me, Angel. Honest. It's Xander. I don't know what's with him. He's just been so weirded out lately. He's my best friend. I grew up with him. It's important to me that he like you and vice versa, but I have a funny feeling he's not going to make it easy for you and that worries me. He's even more opinionated about rich people than I was when you met me, and he's not afraid to voice his opinions."
Angel closed the distance to her, and pulled her back into his arms. "Let me worry about Xander."
Buffy looked up at him, eyeing him worriedly. "You're going to be nice, right?"
"Of course." He gave her his best smile.
"Okay. They're in my room." She pulled away, and took his hand, leading him up the stairs. The made the short trip in silence, but the moment they reached her bedroom door Angel surprised her when he pulled her into his arms and kissed her breathless again. "Wh-What was that for?"
"Luck." He struggled to get his breath again.
"You'll do fine." She reached up to caress his cheek, and give him a reassuring smile before turning to open the bedroom door. "Hey, guys look..." She stopped in her tracks when she found the room empty. "That's funny... They were here just a few minutes ago."
"Uh huh." Angel chuckled. "Sure they were."
She spun around to look at him with her hands on her hips. "They were here, Angel. I swear." She turned back around to look, and that's when she saw the sheet of paper laying on the foot of her bed. Buffy walked over to the bed to pick up it up. "Buffy, Xander and I came downstairs to see what was taking you so long. Saw you liplocked with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Gorgeous, and figured four was a crowd. Call me later, Willow." Buffy looked up at Angel and smirked. "See, I told you they were here."
"Okay, I believe you. But how did they get out without us seeing them. We sort of had the door blocked.
Buffy blushed and pointed to her window. "Tree. Comes in handy when you want to sneak in and out without anyone knowing."
"Oh, really..." Angel raised an eyebrow. "And who else besides Willow and Xander have been using that tree to sneak in and out, Miss. Summers?"
"Doyle."
"Anyone else?"
She blushed again. "I umm... I think I'll plead the fifth now."
Angel's eyes darkened. "Buffy..."
"What?" She giggled.
"Has anyone else been using that tree to get in and out of this room?"
"Why do you want to know?"
"Buffy..."
Buffy laughed again. "Why, Mr. O'Conner if I didn't know better I would almost think you were jealous."
"Maybe I am." He murmured softly.
"Maybe." She whispered.
He moved towards her. "Okay. I admit it. I'm jealous." He reached her and pulled her into his arms again. "Now will you please answer my question? Has anyone else been using that tree?"
"No."
"Is that the truth?"
Buffy untangled herself from his arms, and moved to her desk. "If you're asking me if anyone has ever used that tree to come in and get a happy, the answer is no, Angel."
"A happy, Buffy?" He frowned. "Is that how you see sex?"
"No. No." She turned away from him to fidget with the same pen she had been fidgeting with earlier. "I umm... I don't see sex at all. What I mean is I don't do sex. I umm.. I wasn't lying when I said I didn't date much, Angel. I umm... I-I've never... My mom taught me to believe that anyone could have sex. She said that making love is different, and that I should wait until I found someone that would love me enough to appreciate the gift I was giving him." She turned back around to look at him. "I've never been in love so... I've never... That's another reason why Riley won't take no for an answer. He has a thing for deflowering virgins."
"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"
"Because you're a guy." She answered honestly. "Most guys... They umm... They usually don't want to fool with you unless you umm... you know?"
Angel's eyes locked with hers. "I'm not most guys."
"I know that, Angel. I do. But before I did... I was scared. I was afraid if you knew you wouldn't want to see me anymore."
"I'm not going to lie to you, Buffy. I'm attracted to you. More than attracted. But my attraction to you is more than just physical." He closed the distance to her again, his hands coming up to frame her face. "I'm attracted to all of you. Who you are inside and out. Heart, body, and soul. And it's because I am that I can respect the fact that you want to save yourself for the right person. I would never push you into doing something you're not ready to do. Whatever happens between us it will happen because we both want it, okay?"
Her eyes welled up with tears. "Y-You know, if you keep doing stuff like this, I just might keep you?"
"I'm yours for as long as you want me, baby." He murmured just before he took her lips in tender kiss that left her giddy. "Buffy?"
"What?" She asked, laying her head on his chest.
"Do you have plans tonight?"
"Mmm..."
Angel pulled away to look at her. "You do?"
"Yes, silly." She smiled. "With you. Mom's working late putting up the shipment from her buying trip, so my evening is completely freed up for you. Why, do you want to do something special?"
"Actually, I do." He grinned.
"Are you going to tell me what it is?"
"No. Not yet." He gave her a chaste kiss. "I'll tell you in the car on the way."
***
"And he actually took your mom dinner at the gallery?"
"Uh huh." Buffy said, leaning back against the head of her bed. "Italian, too. Mom's favorite."
"Boy, I bet your mom was surprised."
"Surprised wasn't the word, Will. Of course, it didn't take her long to recover and slip back into mom mode. I think she drilled him for over twenty minutes. She even came out and asked him if he had ever done drugs."
"How did Angel handle all her questions?"
Buffy smiled. "Like a pro. He had her won over in no time. Especially after we ate, and he asked for a tour of the gallery. Turns out he's knows almost, if not more, about art than Mom does. He had her drooling all over him before the tour was half over. By the end of it, I was actually beginning to worry that she might throw Giles over and go after Angel for herself."
"Buffy..." Willow giggled.
"It's true, Willow. You should have seen them together. It was almost like I wasn't even in the room, and it didn't help things that he ended up buying over five thousand dollars worth of artwork for his house. Mom was seriously drooling when he handed her the check."
"Uh oh. Sounds to me like someone's a little jealous."
"Maybe I am." Buffy muttered. "But I'm more scared than I am jealous. I thought I was over the whole I don't fit into his world thingie, but tonight made me start to have doubts again. You know me, I've never been interested in any kind of art unless it was pictures of clothes, or my own designs. Tonight... Hearing him talk to Mom... I was completely in the dark. I felt... I don't know... Out of place. I felt like a dumb blonde bimbo. You know the type, Will? A total airhead that's only hanging on a man's arm to make him and her look pretty?"
"Buffy, does this have anything to do with what Xander said today? Because if it does you shouldn't let him plant doubts in your head. He doesn't know Angel the way you do."
"The doubts have always been there, Will. The just resurfaced full force tonight because I actually got a glimpse of what Angel's life is really like, and it's made me wonder if I'll fit into it."
"I think you should tell Angel about your doubts, Buffy. Let him help you work through them. From everything you've told me about him I think he'll understand. In the meantime I suggest you don't let anyone including Xander Harris plant doubts in that head of yours."
"Xander is just trying to protect me, Will. He's been like that all our lives. Not just with me, but with you, too. He's just a little worse with me because of..."
"Protective, my ass." Willow muttered. "Xander Harris isn't trying to protect you, Buffy. He's jealous."
"W-What?" Buffy sat up in her bed. "What do you mean he's jealous, Will?"
"I uhh... I didn't mean jealous. Not jealous in the boyfriend/girlfriend kinda way. That's not what I meant at all. What I meant was he's jealous because it's always just been us three, you know? He doesn't like outsiders."
"He didn't act that way when you started dating Oz."
"He knew Oz, Buffy. He doesn't know Angel. But I'm sure he'll come around once he does. Which brings me to a question. When do we get to meet Mr. Tall, Dark, and Gorgeous?"
"Soon, I hope. Let me talk to him and see if maybe we can all do something together. I'll get back to you just as soon as I do."
"So when do you see him again?"
"He told me he would call me tomorrow afternoon when I got home from school, but I was thinking maybe I would go by his house instead. I sort of gave him the cold shoulder after we left the gallery, and I really should apologize for the way I acted. I swear, that man has the ability to turn me on and off just like a faucett. One minute I'm all cold and the next I'm hot."
"Hot?" What exactly do you mean by hot, Buffy?"
"Let's just put it this way, Willow. He knows how to push all my right buttons."
Willow giggled again. "I have a funny feeling you're not going to be getting much sleep tonight."
"Oh yes, I am. I always heard cold showers worked for what ails me, and I'm about to find out if it's true. 'Nite, Will."
"Bye, Buffy. See you in the morning."
Buffy hung up the phone, and laid back on her pillows. Who was she kidding? She wasn't going to sleep tonight. Not after the way she had treated Angel earlier. And the thought of going through all day tomorrow without apologizing to him was almost too much to bear. She glanced over at the clock to find that it was only 11:00. It wasn't that late. Maybe just maybe Angel was still up. She started once to reach for the phone, but stopped in mid-air when the wind suddenly rustled the leaves in the tree outside her open bedroom window. It was almost like it was beckoning to her, and without so much as a thought she gave into it's call and slipped out of bed. After fixing her bed to make it look like she was sleeping in it in case her mom decided to check on her when she got home from the gallery, she turned out her bedroom light, and climbed out the window..."
...
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