Days had passed since Angel and Buffy's talked about her visit to LA Pike, Angel and Caela stayed at Buffy's house as Buffy tried to go from the dorm and back to spend time with both her friends past and present. Pike had no other jobs in waiting but that wasn't the only reason keeping him there. He wanted to spend time with Buffy as well as Caela. He knew that if he were to leave her with what seemed to her at the immediate time to be strangers that she would be overwhelmed. Deciding to stay seemed to be the best way to help her adjust. Slowly.

Buffy kept up with her classes. Every single one. The hardest part was not trying to keep her mind on her work, but it was a class in particular of which she had to stay in the same room with tensed air between her and Riley. Given they had not broken up. Well, not officially it seemed, but she knew that she was hurting him by even questioning her relationship between her and him and her and Angel. Buffy's mom was due home soon according to the calendar Buffy had check off of the refrigerator.

As Buffy sat in Prof. Walsh's EX-class, she couldn't keep her mind focused on the discussion of the reading that was supposedly done as homework. All she could think about was what she was going to tell her mother when she found two men and a girl in her house. One of whom wasn't really like of reputation from Buffy's past, another an exed vampire (of which she wouldn't know about yet), and to add to the house of complications, a slayer. "Buffy!" A familiar voice broke her concentration in her deep thought. Blinking her eyes a few times she finally rejoined the coherent.

"Hm?" Looking over to Riley standing at the bottom of the stadium seating by the door.

"Class had been over for five minutes." Informing her with a discrete laugh below his breath so not to get himself into trouble. Riley had been teaching the class for the past couple of weeks since Walsh's death. He had unwantingly noticed that she had been distracted during class. "Come on I'll walk you out." He offered as he grabbed a stack of papers that needed to be graded that evening. Just as Riley had started off in front of Buffy to turn off the lights the phone in the office began to ring. Quickly, Riley raced to unlock the door as he cursed under his breath.

"Hello." Relieved that the other person on the line didn't hang up. "Yeah, she's right here." He gestured for her to come into the office. "No...May I ask what this is regarding?" Riley's expression fell as he listened to the person on the other line. "Oh my God." Releasing under his breathe.

"What?" A worried and now terrified Buffy asked with a trembling voice. He didn't look at her as she questioned the conversation of her business.

"No! I'll do it...Of course. Thank you." Riley slowly hung the phone up and hesitated to turn to face Buffy.

"Oh, God, Riley. What happened? Whats going on? Was that Willow? Giles?" Buffy stride to go on with names of people of whom would talk to him and not her if it involved Buffy. Riley looked at her, as if searching for the right words. "Riley, you're killing me here. Spill!" She couldn't take it anymore. She thought to not know would be worse torture than to know the truth.

"It's your mom..." he watched her with no obstacles in his way. A steady concentration was fixed on her eyes. "She...Buffy..." Buffy shook her head at him before he could finish.

"No. No. No." She repeated numerous times before he was finally permitted to take hold of her to keep her from collapsing to the hard tiled floor. She began to cry vigorously.

After a half an hour of releasing her tears she was able to contain herself. But not in a state that was expected nor wanted. She began to daze off. Her eyes never fixed on a singular object, they always seemed to stay in a huge shape. Riley helped her up as well as helped her walk by taking a strong grip around her waist. Driving her home was the quietest drive he had ever taken, even in the times when he drove be himself without a radio. His company this time was not entirely furnished with a welcome mat.

Upon arriving to their destination, he stepped onto the porch still half carrying Buffy at his side. He knew that she was in no condition to ask for the keys to the house, instead he knocked fiercely on the hard, wooden door. After waiting a few seconds for an answer a beautiful, brunet, Cordelia opened the door, so quickly even that the speed's air had grabbed at her hair slightly, pulling it away from her eyes, revealing a distraught Riley and a tear stained Buffy. "Oh, my God." Riley pushed his way through the doorway and helped Buffy to a seat on the couch in the comfort of her mother;s home. He wasn't sure if it would be a comfort zone for her or a painful reminder. But it seemed that neither of his hypothesis' had taken effect on her non reaction to the change of environment.

"What happened?" Cordelia rushed over to Buffy and studied her friend's condition.

"Her mother..." He wasn't sure if he should run the risk of repeating the dreadful news.

"What?" Cordelia became distracted as she looked at him, turning from Buffy.

"She was killed in a car accident." He finally released the news.

"Call Willow!" Noticing that her friend was not taking this very well. She needed as many people that she loved around her to get through this. "And everybody else. Their numbers are next to the phone." Cordelia was in control at the moment. Between the two of them she knew Buffy the best. And she had seen her react to pain like this. And the results were never good. Remembering the time when she kept her fears in about the Master after he was dead and jeopardizing her friends' lives. And when she had "killed" Angel and ran away for a summer.

Taking in his orders he turned into the kitchen and followed them through. After ten minutes or so he had returned to Buffy and Cordelia. Cordy had sat down besides Buffy and eased her head to rest on her lap. Cordy had shown more compassion towards Buffy than she seemed to have ever given to anyone in the group. Including Xander. She brushed Buffy's soft hair to help relieve some of the stress, with her hand. "Everyone's on their way. Maybe we should-"

Bringing up needless suggestions for the moment he was cut off.

"Call Angel." Looking up at him. "They went to LA to visit the oracles. Caela wanted to see them. I had to stay and clean the house, since..." Right then everyone felt the pain of losing someone they knew. Sort of.

Hesitantly he understood that she needed to be surrounded by loved ones. "Where's his number?" Waiting for an answer she reached for her purse and took out a little book, and flipped through it. Finding the right page she handed it over to Riley and Gave it to him. She tried to give a smile, letting him know that what he was doing was the right thing, but he immediately walked away.

Angel barely took the time to even put on the emergency break let alone taking off his seat belt as he pulled into the driveway of the familiar house. He was the first to enter the house leaving Pike and Caela behind. "Where is she?" Looking to Riley he seemed to be more of a mess than Buffy.

"She's upstairs, sleeping." Cordelia stood up from the couch as everyone stood in silence. The house was now filled to the brim of people, once again. Only this time everyone was on the same ground in terms. To help Buffy get through her loss.

Immediately absorbing the information he raced up the stairs, skipping every other step. Riley didn't like the idea that he was running the risk of waking her. "Wait." Riley tried to dash after him.

"No." Xander stopped him as he stepped in front of Riley, holding a hand up. "I know you're going to hate me saying this. But right now, Angel is the only one who can talk to her about this."

"But he shouldn't-" Although snapping Xander off he was cut off as well in mid sentence.

"No...Just let him be there for her." Xander stared deep into Riley's eyes letting the dirty blond know that he meant business, even though he probably was no match for him in Braun. Finally after a short focus he released the link and turned away from him, returning to his spot on the wall.

Although she was said to asleep, there was still a small doubt in the back of Angel's mind that she would be awake, only faking in order to avoid unwanted sympathy. He thought it would be best not to risk waking her if she were asleep by knocking on her bedroom door. Instead he slowly opened the door, giving her and himself for that, a gradual heads up of each other's presence. Low and behold, Buffy sat on her window seat once again as she stared out into what seemed like space to everyone else but in truth was simply the trees and grass outside. Not sure of whether she was completely aware of his entrance he closed the door with a purposed click, to announce his arrival.

At the sound Buffy flinched, and only assumed that it was Riley once again. More needless talk about her feelings, something she hated the most, aside from the predestined future she possessed. She kept her head firmly locked on her gaze away from the door. It wasn't until Angel had actually spoke that she realized who it was.

"Buffy..." Angel wasn't sure how high his voice needed to be in order to snap her out of her star, but he started off with a sweet whisper.

Her reaction was at first relieving to a certain extent. She quickly turned to see if her mind wasn't playing tricks with her. Realizing that it really was him her tears started up again. It seemed as if a dame had overflowed, salty water gushed out from every part of her eyes. In just seconds her entire face was wet and shinny from the streaks of water.

Angel knew immediately what she was thinking and why she had reacted to him the way she did. Rushing to her, he quickly knelt down on one knee beside the window seat she sat upon and circled his arms around her waist, where she too clung to him with her hands tightly wrapped his neck and shoulders. Her sobs worsened with his touch. Even though he hated to see her cry, he knew that this was what she needed. She had a lovely reputation of keeping her feelings completely confined within her own sense of being. Not allowing anyone else in. Except Angel knew how to break it down. Which was something that would take years for people to master considering Buffy's stubbornness, but Angel acquired the skill after a few months. Which scared Buffy at times. But at the same, made her love him more. She hadn't been reminded on Angel's particular gift for months now. And she had forgotten his way of soothing her agony.

After only a few minutes of embracing one another, Angel scooped Buffy up into his arms and placed her on the nearest far side of the bed. Even though she didn't dare let go of his neck and shoulders he was able to pull the covers and sheets back. Finally, she eased her death grip on Angel and he helped Buffy slid herself deep into the bed and carefully arranged pillows, while Buffy held Angel's hand with her's tightly throughout the whole process. As Angel sat up grab a seat by the bed, his hand threatened of releasement. Buffy began to panic and sat up slightly in the bed looking dead set in his eyes. Still tear stained. Angel felt sorry that he had created such a false alarm and even tried to gesture his way to be given some more slack in order to pull the chair closer. She wouldn't budge. Instead she thought to herself and began to scoot her tiny body over, slowly, to a single side of the bed. Getting the hint, Angel removed his shoes with his own feet as he slipped out of his duster. He retracted the covers once more and

hifted his body and weight for side to side in order to fit Buffy's position.

They had spent hours like that. It was only 7 pm when Angel had finally arrived from LA and helped Buffy get some rest. And now it was 3 am the next morning. Angel, who had missed dinner and was already not used to having food related attacks of famishedment, made a temporary excape to the kitchen. Steeling a banana from the fruit bowl and some water he made his way back up the Buffy's bedroom when he had finished his post midnight snack. Knowing that he would risk the chance of waking her up each time her opened and closed the door he left the door ajar ever so slightly. Finally reaching the bedroom he slowly pushed the door just enough for him to slip though. Stopping him in mid track he realized that the bed was empty. Buffy was no where to be seen in the room.

Part Ten

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