Her room remained silent even in the mid morning as the day began to grow. The sun did not appear, letting the clouds and rain to replace it. With the curtains drawn the night was barely missed. Since getting "enough" rest from the night he was too worked up over Buffy's stability. Angel was unable to sleep comfortably as he couldn't help observing her breathing pattern. There were times when she would apparently be having a rather disturbing dream or nightmare rather, would quicken her breathing. Each time this occurred his heart rate seemed to hyperventilate itself.

Feeling a sudden need to use the facilities he gently began to slide out from under her. Her head gradually laid onto her pillow rather than Angel's arm. Finally making it out safely he stood up and returned the covers over her body. Just as he turned to the door he heard her stir with a small moan and whimper toned in her throat. Angel quickly snapped back to make sure that she would last a few minutes on her own. Once she had settled back down he started off to the restroom once again.

Washing his hands he couldn't avoid from shifting his eyes from the sink to the mirror in front of him. His features were so very clean and handsome, he had forgotten what he looked liked. Even then the only clear picture that you could get of your own face at that time would be from that of a wishing well. Technology meant nothing in his "time." But that meant nothing to him anymore. He was no longer a puritan, nor a vampire. He was human. A human in desperate need of a shave.

Angel checked on Buffy once more and made his way downstairs. He assumed that he would get away with a good hour of free time without having to scare or worry Buffy. She did not know that he was going out, and he too, knew that if she were to wake up without him nearby she would begin to shake, in both literal and figurative.

Everyone seemed to be moving about. Caela sat on the couch with Willow and Cordelia watching TV. Riley, slumply sat in a lay-z-boy chair and didn't care much of what everyone else was doing. Being too deep in his own thoughts. Of course he then realized that not everyone was accounted for.

"Where's Pike? And Wesley?" Looking to Cordelia who seemed to be the one who was least interested in the Tom and Jerry cartoon.

"Pike's outside working on his bike. Giles took Wesley to his place to do more research on the Kis-what-a-maever." Forgetting the name of Caela's official name, she did her best to sound it out but quickly gave up.

"Oh. Hey!" With that he caught everyone's attention. "I have to go to the store and do pick up some things. Do you guys want to come with?" Willow and Cordelia were looking at one another. Although everyone knew the Cordelia would never admittedly pass up a chance to go shopping, she and Willow looked at one another, knowing that if one were to go that the other would have to stay behind to watch on Buffy. "Come on, Caela. You shouldn't have to stay cooped up in this house. Go get your coat." He seemed to talk to her as if he had already gotten used to being her guardian.

"Aysep!" Hopping off of the couch the teenager spoke excitedly a word that resembles the high pitch waves of "Okay!" And worked her way up the stairs to retrieve her coat as asked.

"Okay, you guys can stay and give me a list if you want, or you can stay here?" Giving him a reasonable look upon things.

"Thats not necessary." A small voice spoke up slightly in order to make herself hear as well as noticed. Caught off guard by her sudden presence everyone whirled around to see Buffy standing at the bottom of the staircase.

"Buffy." Riley sat up almost immediately with a sigh of relief in his voice. He finally neared close enough to hug her. She did not embrace him in return, but only leaned her head against his chest lightly as he wrapped his arms tightly around her body. Catching her arms at the bend as well since she held them close to her chest.

"Riley..." Waiting for him to pull away from her. "Go home." He gave her a deathly look. "Get some rest." Catching herself to the sound of her last comment. "I'm okay. Really." Giving him extra assurance.

"You sure?" He sent a wave of firmness to what she was asking of him. She nodded in response. "Okay. I'll call you later." Kissing the top of her head he made his way out of the house and drove away.

Caela stealthily stood behind Buffy on the opposite side of the stairs and waited for everything to pass.

"You ready?" Angel cocked his head to meet her gaze.

"Hm?" She snapped out of her day dream.

"Come on." Angel snickered to himself by Caela's reaction.

"Can I come?!" Trying to catch them before they left, Buffy perked up. Catching everyone's attention they turned around as if astounded.

"Are you sure about this? I mean you're still..." Willow didn't want to state the obvious but thats what friends were there for at times.

"Yeah. I need to get out of the house." She was dreadfully serious as she tried to meet everyone's eyes, especially Angel's. Then she finally caught Caela's. "Besides! We still have to talk about school stuff. As much as I hate the topic I am sure that you've missed a lot of school on your trip." Giving a pitiful look to Caela's expressionless face. It seemed to bring a nasty thought to her as well.

"School?" Caela was puzzled by the fact that it now seemed as if she were a part of a family. One that she could barely remember the names of everyone in.

"So, what grade are you in anyway?" Caela was questioned as soon as they arrived to the small parking center. A Walmart and Vons were joined at the side. The mall sat just across the street. Cordelia and Buffy seemed to look at each other with the same thought. A calling of some sort. To go shopping. They all pilled out of Angel's car and watched Pike pull into the parking spot next to theirs. The three women appeared to be on the same wave link, as they had conversations by just looking at one another and nodding in response.

"You know what boys?" Cordelia finally spoke up. "Why don't us, girls, go to the mall and you guys can go do your stuff and we can meet up for lunch?" Giggles came in every form from each girl except Caela, who seemed to be completely lost. "I'm wearing my cell phone, Angel. Call us when you're done." Finalizing the discussion before it was even debated upon. "Come on." Grabbing Caela by the arm they all strided off to the mall.

"Are you ever coming out? It can't be that bad." Buffy hollered into the hall of fitting rooms in Express. "You ar'n't in here, ar' ya?' Responding from her cubically built room.

"You are in California now. The U. S. of A. You have to fit in. We don't want the you-know-who's to be able to spot you out by your odd style now do we?" Buffy tried her best to reason with her new friend and partner.

"The door slowly creaked open and the sounds of socks scratched at the surface of the hard carpet. Caela's eyes finally peeked out of the corner of the extending wall. Upon seeing her at last, everyone stood up and walked over to the young teenager.

"You look delish." Cordy squealed at the appearance of her final work.

"It's not me." Caela shyly exclaimed her reasoning for cowering in the corner.

"What? Are you telling me they don't have leather in Ireland?" Buffy was still analyzing the outfit as she took time to glance off the clothing and up to Caela.

"I was never permitted to wear such clothes. The women were-"

"Yeah, well, you're in our town now. Wear what you want." Willow watch beeped at the change of hour as Buffy reassured Caela.

"What could they be doing? It's been three hours now and its one o'clock, and I'm hungry." Cordelia gave a quick complain.

"Come on, lets go get you some shoes." Buffy shrugged off Cordy's whines. The girls gathered their things and waited for Caela to give them the clothes to buy while she changed-

"Wait! Do you want to wear some of the new clothes you got at Wet Seal?" Willow thought it would be fun to show off to the guys as well as the boys during lunch. After a short debate, Caela finally gave in and changed into a white pair of jeans and a bare backed, cross stringed shirt that had a blue and white almost picnic table checkered pattern. She felt so naked by the way the shirt was of no-bra style. The rain outside of the windows showed that although it subsided the grounds were sill wet and full of puddles. The clouds disintegrated the light of the sun to almost a blackened atmosphere.

Ring...Ring..."Finally." exiting the shoe store, Cordy receive a long awaited phone call on her cell. "Hello. Cordelia Chase, speaking."

"Cordelia. We'll meet you at the...-" Looking to Pike.

"We call it the food court." Pike tried his hardest not to smile and keep a straight face at Angel's cluelessness.

"Okay. See ya in a few." Cordelia ended the conversation with a smile on her face by the thought of finally eating. She stuffed the phone back into her purse.

"They said they were going to meet us at the food court." Explaining the plans to the rest of the group.

"Caela, we really should enroll you in the nearest high school, ASAP." Buffy gave a serious look in Caela's direction, a direction that met a preoccupied girl. Curious to what she was so drawn to Buffy followed Caela's gaze.

Men looked at her as if a lion were sizing up their pray. Caela was lost in confusion to why they were staring. How dumb do I look in these clothes? Sh e asked herself as she noticed another lad drop his jaw at the sight of her.

Buffy began to smile, realizing what was on Caela's mind. "You're beautiful." Buffy whispered in Caela's ear. Snapping out of it with Buffy's words she took in the statement and focused on it for a while. Without realizing where the girls were leading her, they had come to a stop, where more people, it seemed hundreds, were dwelling with one another.

"Angel!" A loud yell ringed in her ears as she focused on Cordys' drawing tone. Caela had finally focused on the world around her. Bringing her head out of her own personal thoughts.

Angel and Pike walked side-by-side as they approached the girls. "Get what you needed to done?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah, and a few other necessities." Pike answer for him almost without permission and snickered as Angel shot him a deadly look.

"Okay. So what should we have for lunch?" Willow wanted to hurry the conversation long and move on to the eating part.

"I don't know I-" Pike stumbled on his own words as he looked down the line of women, ending with Caela. The girl of whom seemed to be everyone's interest in mystery at the time. "What are you wearing?" Pike's question came out of the blue. It wasn't in a cheerful tone either. His voice was firm and outraged.

"What do you-" Caela tried to figure out what was going on before she was cut off.

"Buffy, in Ireland, the girls like her are not allowed to flash off their...sexual appeal. Caela is too young and-" Angel too tried to speak his part but was interrupted.

"And, she is no longer in Ireland. She's a girl, Angel. Let her live a little." Buffy stood her ground for her new friend. And with that Angel shut up. Putting his hands up in front of his chest in surrender. Pike on the other hand still looked down upon Caela. Her head looked down as if she were counting the number of dots on the speckled tiled floor. From where Buffy stood she could see a tear rolling down her cheek.

"I'm sorry. I did not realize that-" Caela pleaded with the man that stood in front of her.

"No, she's not. She's not sorry. She should be able to wear what she likes. And I don't know why you are getting all worked up over this, Pike. Its not like you abide by their rules. You aren't even Irish!" Buffy was beginning to get pissed.

He appeared to be taking in her words for consideration. "I'm sorry. Oh God." He rushed forward and lifted Caela's chin. Forcing her to look at him. "I'm sorry. It's just that I'm not used to seeing you in clothes like this. You are my sister after all." Giving him an apologetic smile as he too, wiped her tears from her face so that not to embarrass her further in public.

"I know. I didn't mean to startle you." With that said, Pike pulled Caela into a hug.

"Uh, brother?" Buffy looked at Pike with a large questioned look on her face.

"Ritualistic and spiritually speaking." Quickly explaining why Buffy was confused. He then released Caela and reassured himself that she was okay by looking back into her eyes and turned to the rest of the group. "Now. Where to eat."

Everyone had gotten their choice of meals. They had joined two tables in order to sit near everyone and not separated. Buffy, not planed, sat next to Angel, who seemed to be more calm by their closeness than she. Since his napkin sat on his lap he would, every once in a while, brush his hand against her thigh. With each brush her heart skipped a beat.

"So, what high schools are close enough for Caela?" Buffy, seemed to astonish everyone with her resolute pressing of getting Caela in school. Buffy had received odd looks from everyone by the irony in her question. "What? I just know how hard it is to be a....slayer," lowering her voice for that particular word, "and to keep up in all of my classes. Not to mention that Caela has already missed five months of the work." Continuing to eat her meal.

"Although you are right Buffy, I am not sure if it would be the best idea to put Caela in school. Or at least not in the grade level you are thinking. She's been tutored all her life. She has never had teachers like we did." Pike gave his sense in the conversation.

"What do you mean, 'not in the grade level I'm thinking of?'" Buffy held the conversation.

"Lets see fifteen, that would mean sophomore right?" Receiving nods from everyone except Angel who had no idea what the answer would be. " Okay, Caela...Well, lets just say that Caela knows more than enough languages, can make Good Will Hunting look like an amateur. And the history, well, you cam just say that that was her extra curricular." Although she didn't look up Caela still began to flush red with the comments.

"Oh." Buffy fell silent as everyone looked at Caela and Pike in amazement. "But I would still like to see how she is doing with the assuredness of a teacher. I don't want get her screwed up here. Its just too important. Is that all right, Caela?" This time everyone looked at her, and her only. Her head nodded in response and with knowing that she was getting embarrassed they stopped the discussion with that agreed.

Part Twelve

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