Graphic by Isis Blue

Sometimes Fate Takes Too Long

Author:  august528@aol.com
Rating:  NC-17
Disclaimer:  I do not own these wonderful characters but the story itself came from my crazy brain.
Summary:  Four young women who are successful in their careers but lack their soul mates. This story is a four part series. So beware it will be long
but worth it. As you watch these four couples struggle to find and maintain the love they have waited for.
Feedback:  Would love to know what you think so far. Please either email me or sign my guestbook. Thank you so much: )

Author's Note: Thanks to Isis who made this beautiful pic and background and has worked her tail off to help me with this incredible site.

Chapter One:

Buffy sat at the table with her girlfriends as they did every third Sunday. It was their day to unwind and discuss their week. It was one of Buffy’s favorite days. Not all of them still lived in Sunnydale so they had to travel in order to meet. She was one of those people but after today she wouldn’t have to take the long trip home anymore to meet the girls.

“So I told my boss there was no way I was going to date him and work underneath him.” Anya exclaimed with disgust.

“So you’re just going to have sex with him?” Willow cried out knowing Anya’s weakness when it came to men and sex.

“Pretty much.” Anya admitted with a blush to her cheeks as she sips on her margarita.

“How about you Cordelia how is your designs coming along?” Anya looked over at the unusual quiet brunette.

“I think they are going to fire me.” Cordelia answered bluntly with tears in her eyes.

“What?” The other three cried out in shock.

“Yeah, the owner said that he felt my drawings were more related to my time and date in High School. Things have changed since, like style.” Cordelia admitted as she sniffed.

“Hell, we have only been out of school for six years.” Anya defended her.

“Right. Things couldn’t have change that much. Plus you have always been the best dressed of us four.” Willow supported.

Buffy’s head pop up with a hurt look.

“Okay next to Buffy.” Willow chuckled.

“I know but I just…well..lately I have hated going to work. I mean seriously. Look at what I am wearing. I mean orange is so out but I didn’t even care. I think I need a change in jobs.” Cordelia confessed as she lean her shoulders on the tabletop and put her face between her hands.

“Why are you so quiet?” Cordelia change the subject toward Buffy who was usually bragging about her latest boyfriend or what new trick her dog could do.

“I’M MOVING.” Buffy exclaimed with excitement.

“Where?” Willow asks with fear in her heart. She and Buffy was the closest of the foursome and she didn’t want to loose her oldest friend.

“Home. I’m going back to Sunnydale.” Buffy smiled happily.

“Oh MY God!” Anya cried out excited.

“Yep. My mother called me the other day and told me that her and Bryan are going to be permanently living in England and she was going to sell our home. She wanted to know if I could put it up for sale for her. I told her hell no. Instead I bought it.” Buffy answered with a proud face.

“Uh Buffy you already own a house.” Cordelia reminded her.

“Uh, I know I sold it.” Buffy laughs.

“What are you going to do in Sunnydale?” Cordelia asks with a frown.

“What everyone else does. I’m going to live in it. Make a life for myself and when it is time to retire I will move to Florida.” Buffy jokes.

“I can’t believe you will be just a block away from me.” Willow reach over and hug her best friend.

“You two just suck.” Anya chuckled playfully as she shook her head at them.

“No, I mean career wise?” Cordelia ignored the happy part of the subject and was more curious about Buffy’s career choice. Seeing on how she was trying to figure out what she really wanted to do with her life she was curious to see what Buffy had chosen.

“Well, I still have plenty of money that father left me when he passed away in savings. Then you know I sold the three romance books I wrote so I guess I will keep writing in my spare time.” Buffy shrugged her shoulders.

“Aren’t you tired of writing about stuff that just never happens in real life?” Anya asks curiously as she twirls her straw in her drink.

“Sometimes. I hope that a reader will read the words and maybe suggest the ideals to her lover and they can rekindle that romance they are missing.” Buffy thought out loud.

“What about your romance?” Willow asks remembering that Buffy had been dating a very hot and famous chef for the last six months.

“Reily and I discuss the location change and he understood why I didn’t want to give up my childhood home. Plus he didn’t get on one knee and propose to me.” Buffy explained with a sad smile.

“Your still wanting marriage from the sorta of guys you date?” Anya snorted.

“What do you mean by that?” Buffy asks with a slight hurt look in her eyes.

“Buffy, you date guys that don’t want commitment. It’s like you purposely go into a relationship that you know will end the same way. I mean I feel like sometimes you sabotage your own relationships because you’re waiting for someone who you were meant to be with. You know like in your stories.” Anya analyzed her friend’s problem.

“Anya I don’t remember you being a counselor?” Cordelia giggles. Willow joins her but Buffy’s face was as blank as a page of paper.

“I’m not, it’s just something that I pick up from my psych classes in college.” Anya admitted with a genuine look of concern toward Buffy.

“I remember taking those classes but I swear I got nothing out of it but a C that passed me.” Cordelia laughed as she sipped on her martini.

“So you think that I am playing with men’s hearts until my mysterious soul mate shows up?” Buffy asks with a serious look.

“Pretty much. You know you want a marriage that will last forever. You don’t want to be a divorcee like your mother was. So you date, like a young woman your age should, but you won’t commit until HE shows up.” Anya said with a heavy sigh. She knew how Buffy hated to hear the truth about her self. It was one of the reasons they often argued over the silliest things in High School and later College.

“Well, look at Anya, she made the wrong job choice. Instead of being an investor she should be a talk show host, you know like on the View or a white version of Oprah.” Willow joked hoping to soften the tension she could feel between her two friends.

“Funny, Willow.” Anya rolled her eyes sarcastically but then found her lips curling into a smile at the image.

“I will give it some thought Anya.” Buffy said. She decided to change the subject. She didn’t want their afternoon to be about her lack of commitment. Plus she didn’t want to be angry with Anya.

“Cordelia why were you so curious about my career?” Buffy turns to the brunette who seemed really trouble.

“Cause I will be looking for work. I was considering opening like my own shop. But that would take money and investors and I really don’t have the credentials for all of that yet.” Cordelia admitted.

“Then when I think of designing for other people I feel nothing. I’m not excited about it like I should be. But I love to create things. You know play with patterns and color schemes.” Cordelia sighed heavily.

“Maybe you could be a decorator.” Anya suggested.

“I don’t know… she is too honest with people and way too damn pushy. She would force her ideals on her clients. Although she might be right she would still hurt their feelings.” Buffy answered as she remembered the time Cordelia had came over to her apartment and had honestly informed her that her color scheme for her living room was atrocious.

Cordelia remember that day as well and nearly spit out of her drink as she laughed.

“It’s true though. That green and that yellow did not match and it was yucky for a living room.” Cordelia defended her rudeness.

The other two girls looked at one another with a confuse expression and shrugged their shoulders.

“Well, look if you want you can come live me in Sunnydale until you figure out what you want to do. I know you can not keep up the rent on that damn expensive penthouse if you quit your job.” Buffy offered Cordelia.

“Thanks.” Cordelia answered with a surprise smile.

“Oh so you guys would let me be the only one who doesn’t live in town.” Anya teased them about being the only outsider in the group.

“You can live with me too.” Buffy laughed as the waiter came up to their table to see if they needed anything else.

The girls all order one more drink for the road.

“Willow how is your job?” Anya looked over the red head that was the brainiest of the group.

“Well, my boss is considering me for a new project. He wants to promote me from creating kids programs to some sort of security programs.” Willow admitted with a big grin on her face.

“Wow! I bet it will be something top secret.” Cordelia teased her.

“What ever.” Willow laughs as she picks up her purse and takes out of her credit card.

“What are you doing?” Buffy frowns at her.

“I’m picking up the tab. It is my turn remember.” Willow said as she set the Master Card down on the town for the waiter to pick up when he returns with their bill.

“I’m not arguing with her.” Cordelia said as she stared at her manicure nails that were in serious need of repair.

“What about the guys?” Anya asks.

“What guys?” Buffy grumbled.

“Well, we know you dump your guy but what about you two?” Anya glances at the brunette and then looked at the shy red head.

“My guy went back to his wife.” Cordelia admits with an embarrassed defeat.

“You were dating a married guy?” Willow cries out. People at the other tables glanced at them.

“Hello, can you be any louder.” Cordelia rolled her eyes.

“Yes, I was dating a guy I believed was divorcing his wife. After staying with me for nearly eight months he realized how much he missed his wife. That was what he wrote in the letter he left me.” Cordelia explained with a crushed ego.

Buffy realized that this might be the real basis for her wanting to change careers and not feeling like dressing up. She was going through rejection, which was something that Cordelia Chase never experience before now.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Buffy patted her hand supportively.

“What a jerk.” Anya replied with an angry glare toward the male waiter who picks up the bill.

“So tell me what is going on with you Ms.Willow?” Anya directed her attention toward the last one of the group.

“Honestly, I have been so busy that I can’t remember when I had my last date.” Willow answered.

Buffy caught the quick glance away when she made eye contact with them. Buffy knew that sign. Willow was lying. Willow had a secret she was keeping from them. Buffy wasn’t about to bust her in front of the group. She decided to wait until they were alone to push the issue with her.

“We seriously have to get a life and a man soon. I bet we are like the last four women in our class that isn’t married or divorced.” Cordelia said with a twisted smile.

“Hear, hear.” The girls clank their glasses together in agreement.

“So, when are you moving?” Willow asks anxiously.

“In two days. I have a moving truck arriving tomorrow morning to start packing up.” Buffy answered as she chewed on her straw.

“Wow, that was a fast move.” Cordelia gasped.

“Hey, I told you that I sold my house.” Buffy reminded her.

“Well, I will have to give you a call after you have settled in whether or not I will be moving in with you.” Cordelia stated with a serious look in her eyes.

Buffy wondered if half the reason she wanted to move away was because the married man either work with her company or lived closed by with his wife. She just couldn’t imagine how hard it would be to see a man who left you to go back to his wife and pretend nothing serious had happen.

“Well, girls I think we should call a day or we will need cabs to drive us all home.” Anya pushes herself away from the table.

“Yeah, she is right.” Willow agreed as she took her card and placed it back in her purse.

“Let me know when you get home so I can come over and help you unpack.” Willow said as she hugs her friend tightly.

“You know it.” Buffy smiled.

Each of the girls gave one another a final hug before they left the little cozy club. Each wondering what tomorrow would bring and if any of them would ever find that true happiness that Buffy was making small fortune writing about?

Chapter Two:

Buffy had settled into her new home with in the week. She was looking around her new old home and was considering making a few changes to make it more personalize. The phone rang stopping her creative thought.

“Hello.” Buffy answered happily.

“Hey Buffy, it’s me Cordelia. I heard you finally got settled in and was wondering if you minded if I came in for a visit this weekend.” Cordelia asked with desperation in her voice.

“Sure thing. What’s up?” Buffy asks with a worried frown.

“Nothing really. I just…well. I need a break.” Cordelia sobbed.

“Look, you know your welcome to come and visit me anytime. So why wait. Pack up and drive down tonight.” Buffy suggested hearing the pain in her friend’s voice.

“I will. Thanks Buffy.” Cordelia sobbed.

“No problem.” Buffy hung up the phone wondering why Cordelia was really upset? She seemed to be lost in her own world these days. She hoped she could help her find her way down the right path again.

She was beginning to head upstairs when someone knock on the door.

Buffy wearing her hair up in a ponytail wearing a pair of sweats and a plain T-Shirt open the door.

“Hello.” A handsome stranger announced.

Buffy felt her heart nearly leap out of her chest at the sight of the handsome man standing before her. Glancing down embarrassed at her own clothes she force herself to smile.

“Hello.” Buffy replied with a nervous laugh.

“Hi, I just thought I would stop by and say “hi” to the new neighbor. I moved in next door about a year ago.” The gentleman explained.

“Oh well I’m not exactly a new neighbor.” Buffy stated.

“Uh?” He looked at her with a frown. His eyes were a soft shade of brown with a glint of gold in them.

“I grew up here since I was four. I left after High School and went away to college and then move out of town where I lived for the past two years.” Buffy explained to the stranger.

“Oh. You’re the daughter that Joyce and Bryan are always talking about.” The young man said with a relieved smile on his face.

“I’m sorry I don’t know you.” Buffy looks at him with a slight blush to her cheeks.

“Oh, yes, I’m Angel Donavon. I moved here last year. Your parents made me feel right at home in the neighborhood.” He explained with a sheepish smile.

“They invited you over for Giles and Bryan’s barbecue attempts.” Buffy said with a wide grin on her face.

“Pretty much.” He admitted as he laughed with her.

Giles and Bryan, both being British had no clue what a real barbecue was supposed to taste like. It was somewhat okay but often he burnt the meat.

“I’m Buffy.” Buffy went ahead and announced although she knew he probably had heard her name mention by her parents.

“It’s nice to finally meet you.” Angel stated with a genuine look in his eyes that made Buffy’s stomach flutter.

“Come in.” Buffy offered as she moved back to let him inside.

“I see your thinking of making some changes.” Angel noticed the books of color schemes and wallpaper piled up on the coffee table.

“Yeah. I mean I love the fact that it reminds me of my childhood but I’m a grown woman and some of this stuff is just …well..Outdated.” Buffy explained.

“I understand. You want a mixture of your childhood and your adult life in the house.” Angel answered with a knowing smile.

“Yeah. So what do you do for a living?” Buffy thought to ask as she pointed to a chair for him to sit in while she sat in the other across from him.

“I work at the High School.” Angel answered proudly but with a slight look of shyness in his face.

“Why did you choose to come to Sunnydale?” Buffy asks curious knowing that the Sunnydale district did not pay their teachers nearly enough.

“I lived in L.A. and work at a few schools there for the first three years out of college but after my parents death my sister and her husband moved out here. I hated missing time with them and my nieces. So I transferred.” Angel explained with a warm glow to his cheek as he spoke of his family.

“I’m sorry to hear about your parents. So your pretty close to your sister.” Buffy stated.

“I have three of them. Abby lives in NY where our grandparents live. The middle sister, Faith lives here with her husband and girls. And then there is the youngest of us all, Dawn, she is attending her first year at Berkley.” Angel informed her.

“Would you care for something to drink?” Buffy asks as she realized she was forgetting her manners.

“No thanks. I need to head to a meeting. I just wanted to stop by while I had time. You will discover I’m hardly at home. I’m almost always on the go for one reason or another.” Angel stated.

“Why are you telling me this?” Buffy frowns at him.

“Well, I have a Harley that I drive sometimes. It’s sort of loud.” Angel looked at her with a guilty smile.

“A Harley. Wow! I’m impressed.” Buffy teased him.

“Don’t be. I inherited it from my sister once she settled down. Her husband refused to let her drive it anymore or with the kids.” Angel confessed.

“Sounds like your sister is a interesting subject.” Buffy chuckles.

“They all are. I hope to get to see you again.” Angel states as his eyes lock with hers.

“Me too.” Buffy admits with a warm feeling flowing through her veins.

“Maybe you can come over for breakfast some morning.” He offered.

“I love to cook breakfast.” Angel stated with pride.

“Just let me know when.” Buffy agreed as she walked him to the front door.

“Oh, just a warning there have been several new people moved in this neighborhood since you was here last. So you will probably get a few more visits.” He warns her.

“Thanks for the warning.” She smiled at him as he put his sunglasses on and headed across the lawn to where his black Harley was parked.

Buffy sighs. He was one hell of a looker; a teacher and he rode a Harley. He would make a perfect character in one of her novels. Hell he would make a hell of a man for her she thought to herself. Then she felt her head take over. She remembered what Anya had said. She was always attracted to a man who was not ready to settle down. Maybe it was best to just keep him as a nice neighbor whom she could talk too. She didn’t want to continue the cycle of hurting men or her self.

Chpt. 3

Buffy had just set down at her desk with a fresh cup of coffee to start on her next chapter when her doorbell rang. Buffy looked at her clothes and hair and hoped it wasn’t the gorgeous neighbor again.

“Hey girlfriend!” Xander Harrison cried out as he threw his arms around her and held her tightly next to him.

“OH MY!” Buffy screamed excitedly.

“I heard a rumor that a gorgeous ex girlfriend of mine and moved back to town. I was hurt that she had not called me up yet, begging me to take her back.” Xander half teased her.

“Well you know I figured you had a long line of groupies waiting to have their turn with you.” She smiled crookedly as she kissed him on the cheek and pulled him inside of the house.

They walked into the living room, which was a mess, cause she was unpacking and packing at the same time.

“Someone broke into your house and they made a mess.” Xander joked.

“That would be me.” Buffy laughed.

“Lets go to the kitchen. I believe it’s just about the only room I haven’t taken apart yet.” Buffy lead the way. Not that he didn’t know where it was. He knew every room in this house.

Xander had been one of the official gang members. There were six of them all together that had hung out all the time when she was in High School. Xander was one of the two guys. Oz Garrison was the other guy. He was the quiet guy but he was the cool I play in a band guy of the group. Xander was their official jester and shoulder to cry on. They had dated once but it had not gone as far as Xander would have liked. He was one of those guys that reminded you of a cute puppy dog that you just couldn’t quit playing with. However she did. She wanted him to be her boyfriend but there was no passion on her part. She loved him. Truly loved him but the feelings were rooted from friendship and nothing more.

It had broken his heart but she knew that they would continue being friends if she broke up early in the game before they had invested too much time in it.

“Here have a cup of java.” Buffy made him a cup the way he liked it and set it in front of him.

“Well, well, what made you come back to this hell mouth?” Xander asks curiously as he sipped on the coffee.

“When Mom told me that she wanted me to sell the place I just couldn’t let it go. I have so many memories in this house I just couldn’t depart from it. I guess I am mushy.” Buffy chuckled as she twirled her hair around her finger.

“Mushy? You are a softy but I don’t think you are mushy.” Xander reach out and touch her free hand to demonstrate his point.

“Haha. Funny.” Buffy pulled her hand away as she smiled from ear to ear at him.

“So, I haven’t heard too many rumors about you from Willow on our Sunday visits so you need to catch me up.” Buffy informed him, as she set with her legs in Indian style waiting anxiously for all the good gossip.

“Well, let me see. After college I went to work with my roommates Uncle who is an architect. I was okay with it until one day I went down to a site where they were short on help. Seeing it was my day off I put on a hard hat and began to work beside them. I enjoyed it. It made me buff.” Xander made a muscle showing her how much he had grown.

Buffy was impressed with the size of his arms. She noted how manly he looked from the scrawny teenager he had once been.

“I liked it so much that when ever I was off of work I would contract myself out to help work on different sites. I loved it. That is when my boss, Garrett set me down and told me that it was pretty unique to find a guy who could not only design a decent building but built it as well. He offered me a deal I just couldn’t resist. We open up a business together. We designed and I ran the construction crew. It was great. I love it. I mean there are days that I hate the hard manual work, you know the ones when your head is pounding from the lack of sleep and too many beers.” Xander smiled contently.

“You really found your calling.” Buffy said as she looked at him with a open proud look in her eyes.

“Now if I can just find the girl to go with it.” Xander sighed as he finished his cup of coffee.

“Let me get you some more.” Buffy offered as she went to get up.

“Instead of more coffee how about we go to Willies and play some pool.” Xander suggested.

“Pool?” Buffy looked at her watch and then at her appearance.

“I will let you have twenty minutes to make yourself pretty. You know you don’t even need that much time.” He shook his head playfully as she jump up excitedly and ran up the stairs to her room.

Xander looked around her living room wondering what she was going to do with the mess she had created. He found a picture of the six them sitting on top of a box. Pulling it out he stared at the young fresh face of him and all his friends. Smiling he thought of how all of them thought they knew what their future held for them. Other than Cordelia everyone else had taken a different course in careers. Xander thought he would never graduate and then his first year of school he was going to major in accounting. He found that it was too boring for his taste. Then he stumbles into a class on an architect seminar and was intrigued. He learns that all those years that he played with Popsicle sticks were a basis to his future career.

Buffy had return in less than twenty minutes.

“OH MY! I think the Buffster broke record time.” Xander joked.

“Where is my award or hell at least a trophy… a gold star maybe?” She playfully pouted.

“We will see what we can find at Willies for an award.” Xander shook his head as he grinned at her natural silly side. It was the very side that he loved the most. It was also the same side that had bonded their friendship. That and the fact that they were both compassionate toward those weaker than themselves. His was due to the fact that he was usually that weaker person and hers was because she hated bullies. Buffy hated snobs too. So it was amazing that the friendship they had included Cordelia Chase. But that was another story all together.

Hand in hand they walked the three blocks to Willies discussing the different buildings in Sunnydale and which ones he had personally had helped tear down or build. Buffy was enjoying her walk in the neighborhood that had always made her feel safe and secure. Just like Xander did.

Chpt. 4

Willies had the same look Buffy noticed and unfortunately the same smell.

“Can I believe my own eyes?” Willie exclaimed as he came around the bar toward the two customers that had just walked inside his establishment.

“If they haven’t went blind yet with the lack of light in this joint.” Xander squinted his eyes to try and focus on the gloomy looking room.

“Haha. You were always the funny one.” Willie slaps Xander’s face in a big uncle fashion.

“Buffy Summers.” Willie let out a low sexy whistle as his eyes roamed her body.

“Hey you could get arrested for that.” Buffy pointed her finger at him as she laughed.

“What are you two doing here?” Willie asks curiously as he leans back on one of the unused pool tables.

“Well, our darling Prom Queen here has return to her family home. She bought her folks house.” Xander explained happily.

“Really. Wow, must be nice to have money to buy a house. I still live over this damn bar.” Willie answered with a twinkle in his eyes.

“I really do still live here though.” Willie answered with a sigh.

“How about fixing us some drinks Willie so we can help increase your revenue.” Buffy suggested as she pulled off her blue jean jacket and set it on a empty bar stool.

All the men in the room gulp hard as they turn toward the beautiful blonde whom Willie had been talking too. She was a looker and so way out of place in a dump like this they were thinking.

“You know I will never let you tear this place down unless you’re remodeling it.” Buffy warns Xander as she picks out a pool stick.

“Deal.” Xander agrees as he sets up the balls.

Willie personally brings over two of his cleanest mugs and a pitcher of beer for his old friends.

“This one is on me the one who looses pays the rest. You know the rules.” Willie wink at Buffy knowing she usually kick Xander’s ass cause he was too busy staring at hers.

“Sounds fair to me.” Buffy agree as she started the game by breaking the balls.

“Looks like I’m going to be solids.” Buffy announced as she licked her lips and study the table.

Then it had begun. The memories began to flash before her eyes. All those years of playing pool when she was suppose to be in school or at home grounded in her room. She had went through such a rebellious stage that she nearly had lost her friends, reputation and her mother’s guardianship. It was the year that she had lost her father that she found her away here at Willies. She had came here with a fake I.D. and bought herself beers and some nights troubles. Willie always came to her rescue when the cops showed up. Not just because he knew she wasn’t old enough to drink but also because he saw the hurt in her eyes that he himself understood at a certain level. He would lecture her every time she had men or hell even women fighting because of her and yet he would let her return every time. She owed that man a lot she thought to herself.

She owed so many special people in her life. They had each had a part in making her the person she was today. She smiled proudly as she hit the eight ball in the pocket.

“Looks like you better pull out one of those fancy credit cards for the beers.” Buffy warn him as she began to shake her hips to the tune that was playing on the jukebox. Xander gulps and reminds himself that he is never going to get in those tight pair of jeans that she wears to tease the hell out of him. Instead he would only be able to keep the memories of the nights they kissed, necked, and the three times he got to play with her breast. That was as far as she had let him go. He would carry those memories to his grave. Those were some of the happiest he had ever experience so far.

“Hello, earth to Xander?” Buffy frowns at him as she stares into the blank dark eyes of her friend.

“Oh my turn?” Xander shook his head and forces the image of her perfect round breasts out of his head and tried to concentrate on keeping his pride by at least beating her once tonight.

Willie looks up to see her dancing while she waited on Xander to finish his turn and chuckles to himself. He knows that Buffy is so unaware of the affect she has on that poor sap when she is near him. If someone didn’t know her better they would think she was a little con artist. Buffy was far from it. She was too sweet and caring for that sort of crap. Instead she just acted out naturally. If anyone had to ask him to describe Buffy in one word he would have to say “Natural.” She was down to earth and gracious. Which is why he never kept her out of his club or called in her parents or cops on her. Instead he guarded her and prayed for the poor lost soul that seems to be hurting so deeply that she wouldn’t let anyone help her let go of it. It was as if she wanted to savor the pain instead of release it. He never asked her what it was that had cause the severe troubles of her heart that year, instead he just stood by and made sure she would survive to see another year.

Chapter 5

The next morning Buffy woke up feeling as if someone was trying to pound a nail through her head.

“Damn!” Buffy whined as she force her self-up and headed toward the medicine cabinet and pull out a bottle of aspirin. She turns the tap on and cupping her hand she placed just enough water in her hands to swallow the two pills.

She was going to go back to bed when she heard the loud rumbling sound of a motorcycle’s motor.

Buffy went to her bedroom window and pulled the blinds slightly apart to see that her handsome stranger was up, bright and early heading to work. She noticed that he was wearing a nice suit instead of the casual clothes she saw on him the first day they met. She was impressed that he wore such an outfit and rode that Harley too work. She wondered if it wrinkled by the time he arrived to school? With a chuckle she crawl back into bed and prayed for sleep to over take her.

Not even ten minutes later just as she was finally finding her self-falling back to sleep when her phone began to ring nonstop.

“Is there a conspiracy against me?” She moans as she fumbles to pick up the phone. Setting it next to her head on the pillow she answered it.

“Hello.” She answered hoarsely.

“Hey Buffy, it’s me Willow. How about we have lunch today.” Willow suggested with a loud perky voice.

“Why are you screaming?” Buffy frowns at the phone.

“I’m not screaming.” Willow frowns.

“Oh, it’s just the pounding in my head then.” Buffy sighs heavily.

“Are you okay? Are you sick?” Willow asks concern.

“No. I’m fine. Had a night out with Xander.” Buffy said as she rolled over on her back and put the phone to her ear. She began to rub the sleepies out of her eyes.

“That explains it. I don’t know why you two can’t ever go out with out getting one another bashed.” Willow scolded her.

“It makes it easier for us to tolerate one another.” Buffy teased.

“I think one of these days you two are going to regret it. Your going to wake up naked next to one another except this time you will have had sex.” Willow reminded her of a night that had happen in college with a smirk on her face.

“That isn’t funny.” Buffy smiled slightly at the memory.

“So get your hung over ass up and dressed and meet me at Milam’s.” Willow ordered her.

“Okay. What time?” Buffy glances at her alarm clock.

“How about eleven?” She suggests.

“You eat awful early in the day.” Buffy grumbles.

“Some of us have to get up at five each morning.” Willow reminded her that she had a job that required a certain time in and out unlike her job as a writer.

“Okay, whatever.” Buffy said with a defeated smile.

Willow hung up the phone and went back to her work.

Buffy jump in the shower and then tried to pick out something out of her half unpack suit case to wear for a lunch with her friend.

She was right on time which was a miracle for Buffy. She was famous for being late to everything. People would tease her that she would be late for her own funeral.

“Great you made it.” Willow smiles happily as Buffy sits across from her.

“You act like I was lying when I said I would come.” Buffy answers as she sips on her glass of ice water.

“You were hung over. Wasn’t quite sure if you could find your way here.” Willow smiled as she rolled her eyes at Buffy.

“So what’s up?” Buffy asks as she chews on the ice.

“I saw something yesterday while I was at the campus and I wasn’t sure if you would be interested in it but I thought it might be fun for you.” Willow began to mumble. Buffy knew that this subject was either very exciting for Willow or very awkward for her. It was the only time she stumbles or mumbles her words.

“Spit it out.” Buffy gets the waiters attention so she can get some more water.

“Alright. I saw a ad for a counselor at Sunnydale High. I thought it would be perfect for you. It’s basically a part time job and temporary. I know you enjoy writing your books but I also know you said you wish sometimes you had a real job that got you out of the house occasionally.” Willow explained with a weak smile.

“Why a counselor?” Buffy frowns at her.

“Hello. If anyone understands how hard it is to be a teenager who has been through some rough times it would be you. Plus your so good when teens. You did enjoy psyche class.” Willow reminds her with a hopeful sparkle in her eyes.

“I like it because I could use it against my mother. That and the TA was sexier than hell.” Buffy smiles as she recalls the night she spent with him after the course was completed.

“Not that again.” Willow rolled her eyes knowing what Buffy was remembering.

“What is in it for you?” Buffy picks up her fresh cup of ice water and stares hard at her as she sips slowly on it.

“What do you mean?” Willow looks confused.

Buffy smiles to her self as she can still figure Willow out after all these years. Sure, Willow is a nice person always helpful but why all of a sudden to want Buffy to participate in a career she has no prior experience at? It didn’t make sense which reminded her of the last Sunday the girls shared together when she was asked about the man in her life she went all funny.

“Nothing. I just thought you might like it. I mean you don’t have to do it. It was just a suggestion.” Willow looked upset almost wounded by her accusation.

“You’re not fooling me.” Buffy warns her as she leans her elbows on the table and stares straight into Willow’s eyes.

“Fooling you?” Willow shakes her head feigning confusion. Willow really hated when Buffy could see through her. Out of all the friends she ever had only Buffy and Xander could do it. Buffy was the best.

“First of all, why were you on campus, second of all who are you really dating, and third what is at the school that you want me there so badly?” Buffy lean back in the chair with a cocky smile picking up a piece of bread and pulling small pieces of it off and chewing on them.

Willow sighed heavily as she gave into defeat. She knew there was no winning with Buffy. It was best to be just straight up with her.

“Alright I was on campus because I applied for a professor position on computers. I’m seeing someone who I care deeply for but not quite sure where it is leading to. Because he sees me as a friend and a co-worker. So I guess you could say I’m not really technically dating him but I do see him every day at work.” Willow laughs despite the feeling of anger that she has to reveal everything to Buffy.

“The High School job was because I thought you would truly be good at it. I thought you might like to get out of the house more often.” Willow says as she fumbles with her napkin.

“Willow!” Buffy glares at her with a stern motherly look.

“Okay, the guy I like his ex-wife works there. I’m curious what she is like and if she still has feelings for him.” Willow admits with a soft blush to her cheeks.

“See, that wasn’t hard. Actually a job at the school might be fun. I doubt I would get a position mainly due to the fact that I have no prior experience in that area. I could at least try. You have to give me all the details in order to help you out. So spill. Tell the waiter we are going to need substance since we are going to be here awhile.” Buffy looked at the empty breadbasket she had suck down.

Willow laughs as she feels some relief knowing she doesn’t have to hide this secret crush of hers anymore. She has at least one person she can confide in and help her toward winning over her hero.

Chapter. 6

Buffy had been surprised that she got a call back on the application she had email to the school for the counselor position so quickly, that and the fact they even wanted to interview her. She wondered just how desperate they were for a counselor if they would even consider her for the position.

She dressed moderately; she chose her wrap around blue jean skirt with a loose sleeveless white shirt. She left her hair down and put a cute little butterfly hair clip to pull back one side. Her make up was flawless but light as if she wasn’t wearing any at all. She looked at her watch as she walked in and was pleased she was only two minutes late.

As she approach the office doors, flashbacks of the time she had to visit this office began to resurface into her mind. Shaking those memories she kept a positive image in her head and a wide happy grin on her face as she open the door.

When the receptionists turn around to greet her Buffy wanted to turn around and run as fast as she could.

“OH MY GOD! Buffy Summers is that you!” Harmony Kendall squealed.

Buffy’s face was turn away as she squinted her eyes and counted to ten before turning back toward her with a fake smile.

“Harmony. I can’t believe it.” Buffy cried out.

“What are you doing here?” Harmony skips around her desk to give Buffy a big hug, which cause Buffy to want to vomit.

Harmony was one of Cordelia’s groupies. Although Buffy and Cordelia had grown closer as friends over the years she could never accept Harmony. Harmony was so fake it was horrible. She was a follower. Always trying to imitate people’s style, speech, clothing, and hell even life.

“I’m here for a interview with the principle.” Buffy stated with a weak smile.

“I can’t believe it. I wasn’t here the day Joyce called all the interviewers. My daughter was sick so I had to take her to the doctor.” Harmony explained with a sad look in her eyes.

“You have a daughter. Wow. I gather your married then.” Buffy looked down at her ring finger which she noted there was not a ring on it. There was a great tan line where one used to be.

“Was. I married a guy I met in college. After he got his degree as an attorney he divorced me and left me and our daughter behind to marry some bimbo lawyer in his group.” Harmony explained as she rolled her eyes in disgust.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Buffy meant it.

“Yeah, well, luckily Daddy had better lawyers than him and I got a good chunk of money for my daughter but I still need to work in order to keep up the lifestyle that I had acquired.” She explains as she looks around the office with a weary look.

“So you make that good of money here?” Buffy asks curiously.

“Not really but it keeps Daddy off my back and he continues to pay my credit card bills.” Harmony confides with a snicker.

“That must be nice.” Buffy looks at her with disdain look that just flies over the ditzy blonds head.

“Harmony is my next interview here?” A male voice calls out from behind Harmony.

Buffy moves her head slightly to see who the new principal is and nearly faints at the sight before her. It was her neighbor standing in the doorway with the title principal on it.

“Yes sir.” Harmony answered.

Buffy was expecting her to salute him at any second.

“Buffy?” Angel looks as surprise as she did.

“Angel?” Buffy smiles as she feels her knees growing weak at the sight of him.

“You two already know one another?” Harmony looks between them with a concern frown.

“She is my neighbor.” Angel answers as his eyes stay locked with Buffy’s.

“I knew you said you work at the school but you didn’t say you were the big honcho.” Buffy chuckles nervously.

“I wouldn’t say that I’m the honcho around here but I do have a tab more work than the rest.” He laughs as he continues to look at her.

Harmony sees the sparks between the two and feels the pit of her stomach doing flip-flops. She can’t believe that Angel is attracted to Buffy Summers. Between Buffy and Cordelia, Harmony never got any breaks when it came to the good-looking guys.

“Come in.” Angel shakes his head as he looks over at Harmony who appears to be frowning back and forth at them.

Buffy smiles and follows him with out even looking at Harmony as she passes by her.

Angel shuts the door and sits behind his desk. Buffy already sitting in front of it, crosses her legs and places her hands on her knees.

“Wow, I didn’t think you were into counseling young teenagers? I mean, as I recall your mother said you were a writer.” Angel mentions as he leans back in his chair looking over her print out resume.

“I am a writer. To be honest with you, a friend of mine saw the ad on the college campus and knowing that I wanted a job outside of the house, preferably part time she thought this might be the sort of thing for me. We took psyche together and she recalled me enjoying the class so much.” Buffy began to explain. She was finding it harder and harder to breath in the room with this man. There was just something sexy about him that seems to make her blood boil and her brain waves go dead when she was near him.

“You would pretty much be doing the same thing as writing. I mean, you would be sitting at a desk, listening to problems and writing it down in their files. Hopefully your able to connect with the teen and able to find a solution to their problem.” Angel answered as he sat the resume down and stared straight at her with a warm smile plastered on his face.

“Why would you want to do that?” Angel asks curiously.

“I like teens. I was one, once.” Buffy shrugs her shoulders.

“Besides that.” Angel looks at her curiously.

“Honestly, if you were to pull up my file it is pretty thick. One year I went a bit crazy while attending this very school. I know what it likes to be hurt, angry, confused, and not heard as a teen. I feel I might be able to relate to the general problems that teenagers go through. If not I’m a great listener. Sometimes that’s all they need is someone to just listen to them.” Buffy states with a far away look in her eyes.

Angel is surprised to hear this part of her past but impressed with her views on the teenagers needs and wants.

“Sounds pretty good.” Angel admits as he licks his dry lips.

“So why do you need a counselor, if you don’t mind me asking?” Buffy asks curiously. It was just her nature to be curious and she couldn’t resist it.

“Mrs. Gamble is having a baby and she is having some medical problems which is going to prevent her from working through her entire pregnancy and then she is will be out for maternity leave. I fear she might not return at all.” Angel admits as he sighs.

“What would be the hours required?” Buffy asks.

Angel chuckles as he wonders who exactly is giving the interview now.

“Two to three days a week you would come in. You make your own hours. I would like you to follow up on each of your students who really have the problems. Mostly I will send them your way but your door will also be a open gateway for any of the others who feel they need some help.” Angel answers.

“My own hours uh. I like it. Do I get free coffee too?” Buffy teases him.

“Of course but I would make your own if I were you.” He looks past her to the next room. She burst into laughter as she realizes he is referring to Harmony’s lack of coffee skills.

“Harmony wasn’t much in the talent area.” Buffy admits with a compassionate smile.

“No she isn’t that. Yet she was here when I came and I couldn’t fire her. She was going through the divorce and had a three- year old daughter to raise. Plus, she is sweet and always so helpful.” Angel answers.

“Oh I bet she is.” Buffy replied with a crooked smile.

“Uh?” Angel frowns at the tone in her voice.

“Nothing. I graduated with Harmony.” Buffy stated as she glances around his office.

“I see.” Angel understands right away.

“I will be honest with you Angel, I don’t expect to get this job due to my lack of experience. So please do not feel that you have to be nice and give it to me because I’m your neighbor. If you have a better candidate than please take them. This is truly a job to help assist a trouble student. I wouldn’t want them to loose out.” Buffy informs him as she spies the resumes on top of his desk.

“Thank you for being so honest and understanding how ever I must admit that sometimes just because a person has experience at the job doesn’t mean they have the understanding that a teen needs. I need someone that a teen feels they can reach out too. Not someone who frightens the hell out of them or lectures them. They can get that at home.” Angel answers with a slight hardening of his face.

Buffy wondered if she had imagined the anger that she had briefly saw in his face and eyes?

“Well, anything else you need to know?” Buffy sighs.

“I don’t know about your finances but this job doesn’t pay much. Would that be a problem to you?” Angel asks.

“No, in fact it is one of the positive sides of hiring me. I am pretty cheap.” Buffy laughs.

Angel smiles and thinks to him self how the sound of her laughter reminds him of a warm summer day.

“That is a definite point in your favor then.” He jokes with her.

“I guess that it is all I need to know. I have a few more interviews today. I should give you a call by the end of the week either way.” Angel says as she goes to stand up.

“How about you come over instead of calling. We can put some steaks on the grill and share a few beers. Even if I don’t get the job.” Buffy suggests boldly.

Angel looks startled for a second and then finds his composure.

“Sounds great.” Angel stands up and follows her out of his office.

“Thanks for the time Angel.” Buffy smiled gently before sashaying out of the office.

Angel just stands there staring at her the spot where she had been earlier with a silly grin on his face. Harmony coughs to interrupt is thoughts.

“Your next appointment is here.” Harmony glances over at the sixty-year old lady who is frowning at the both of them.

Harmony hopes that she is the sort of woman he hires rather than Buffy. Although Harmony has no claims on her boss, she had been working hard on him ever since he started there. She was lonely, beautiful, and wealthy. She deserved a man who was intelligent and sexy like Angel. She had kept all the teachers away so far but Buffy Summers would be a harder competitor to beat. Harmony set back down at her desk and file her nails as she thought back to her years of hell in High School and prayed that one day she would get past all those horrible memories.

Chapter 7

It was Friday afternoon that Angel rang Buffy’s doorbell with a twelve pack of beers in his hands. Buffy smiled as she asks him inside.

“I didn’t expect you to bring the beers. I have the steaks on. I was surprised to hear from you today. Especially the part where I got the job.” Buffy grins from ear to ear.

“Well, I will expect a lot from you. According to Harmony I’m a slave driver.” Angel teases as he rolls his eyes.

“Lets go out on the patio.” Buffy suggests as she takes the beers with them. She pops open an ice chest and sit them inside. Then she flips the steaks she had put on just a few minutes before he arrived.

“I think you do this better than Bryan and Giles.” Angel noted as he sat down and open him self a beer.

“Watching them taught me the ten top things not to do when one grills.” Buffy announces with laughter.

“I can relate to that.” Angel recalls his afternoon with the crazy Englishman.

“So, do you miss your parents?” Angel asks as he watches her open her own beer and take a swig of it.

“Nah. My mother and I were close but when I got older I became more and more independent. We are more like friends than the typical mother slash daughter act.” Buffy confesses.

“Your father?” Angel watches her face closely.

He sees the mixture of emotions flash across her face before she pulls herself back together.

“My father died my junior year.” Buffy says as she takes another long swig of her drink.

“I’m so sorry. I never heard Joyce say anything.” Angel felt badly.

“It’s okay. My father and I were never really close. When ever we fought he bought me things to make up for being an ass or for forgetting to come to something important to me.” Buffy admits as she smiles at him with a pair of sad eyes.

Angel wants so badly at that second to reach out and pull her in his arms and tell her it would be okay he was there now. Instead he moved uncomfortably in his chair.

“Are you okay?” Buffy asks.

“Yeah, just a old hip injury from baseball.” Angel half lied.

“Baseball? I would see you as a football player.” Buffy gets back up and checks on the steaks again.

“My father would have too. Except I didn’t care much for being abused physically. Baseball was less of a contact sport. I preferred that. Except one day as I was sliding into home base I literally slide into it with my hip. I help us win the state championship but ruin my hip for the pros. So my father was not too please with me. How ever he was happy that I still went to college for an education even if I didn’t play a sport.” Angel answers with his painful memories shining in his eyes.

Both smile gently at one another with an understanding of the hurt a father could do to a child.

“So are you sure you really want me for the job?” Buffy asks him as grabs him another beer.

“Definitely. Most of the candidates were liked as old as my grandmother. The other half were too stern or just wanted a job where they sat on their ass.” Angel laughed slightly.

“What do you think I will be doing while I’m there?” Buffy teases him.

“I think you will definitely attract the guys to your office.” Angel admits with a sheepish grin.

“Why would you say that?” Buffy beams.

“Come on we both know you are one hell of a beautiful woman.” Angel answers as his eyes began to glow softly as they stare deeper into her soft green eyes.

“Thank you.” Buffy sighs as she feels her heart start to flutter from the raw look of passion she saw in those soft golden eyes of his.

“I think our steaks are just about done. I need to run in and make the salad.” Buffy says as she jumps up out of her chair and flees to the safety of the kitchen.

She tries to stay focus on the ingredients to put in the salad rather than the thought of what a man like Angel would be like in bed. She reminded herself that he was not only her neighbor but her employer as well. There were two strikes against any sort of sexual or romantic relationship between them.

She closed her eyes and force her breathing to slow down and then began to cut up the lettuce as she reminded herself that the other reason she took this job was to help get info on Willow’s crushes ex wife. Now would be the perfect time to learn more about the faculty while they were outside of the school.

She finished the salads and brought them to the patio table where he was just pulling the steaks off for them. She ran back in and grabs silver ware and plates. They finally set down to enjoy their meal when Buffy found the perfect opportunity to learn more about the ex Mrs. Wyndham-Pryce.

“So tell me about the teachers. What is your take on each of them? I mean, the kids are going to come to me with complaints against them.” Buffy explained as she slip a piece of juicy steak in her mouth.

“You probably know most of them. As I recall only about five of them were hired in the past three years before I came. The rest have either been there half way or closer to retirement.” Angel thought as he chewed.

“Tell me about the five.” Buffy asks as she grabs them both another a drink.

“Let’s see there is a new Art teacher, Franklin McCarley. He is nice. I like him. Then there is the Alice she teaches freshman math. Brady is our new P.E. coach and assistant JV football coach. Gunn is our new shop teacher. He comes off a bit scary and mean but he is a big pussy cat.” Angel laughs thinking of the fear the man sends out to his students.

“Last but not least there is Winifred. She also works part time. She is the librarian at the school and works part time at the college. She helps with some science course there. She is very extremely intelligent woman. Very shy and sweet. I think you will like her the most.” Angel admits as he smiles fondly at the thought of her.

Buffy catches that look and wonders if he was the reason Winifred left her husband suddenly. Was he the man she had the affair with and couldn’t live with herself? She stared hard at Angel, trying to picture him with this brainy woman and couldn’t see it. Shaking it out of her head she finished her food.

“Why would she work at the school as well as the university?” Buffy asks curiously.

“Well, to my understanding she started the job at the school due to a court order. I think she had to pay a public penalty and that was the price the judge put on her. Further than that even if I knew I couldn’t tell you.” Angel explains.

Buffy understands it was due to the confidentially of an employer and employee.

“Gotcha.” Buffy snap her fingers as she lean over and turn the radio on as she hears one of her favorite songs playing.

“You like the Dingo’s?” Angel asks curiously.

“Of course they are the best.” Buffy exclaims.

“They are coming to town to play at the Bronze. It is where they originally began.” He informs her.

“I know.” Buffy smiles proudly.

“What am I missing?” Angel asks.

“Oz the guitar player and sometimes drums and sometimes song writer of the group also graduated with me.” Buffy says with a low giggle.

“No way.” Angel looks astonish to learn that the band member went to the very school he works at.

“Yelp! He dated one of my closest friends. WE all hung out at the Bronze while he played. The nights they didn’t play we would either go to Willies or to the beach or to L.A. to a new hot club.” Buffy informed him.

“We were always doing something together.” Buffy’s face softens as the happier memories of her High School days flash through her mind.

“That is incredible.” Angel exclaims as he rubs his full stomach.

“Thanks.” Buffy smiles proudly.

“You know you didn’t have to cook me dinner for giving you the job.” Angel teases her.

Buffy rolls her eyes.

“I told you dinner for a job or not. I know that a bachelor like yourself probably eats out more than he should.” Buffy says as she starts to pick up the plates.

Angel reaches out to grab them from her. Their hands touch. Sparks like static electricity shoot through them. Buffy gasps as she looks up to see their faces are barely an inch apart. She wonders if it was the beer that she drank that was causing her to feel this way. Was it possible that he too was attractive to her? She gulps hard as she licks her dry lips.

“Let me do that. Growing up in a house with three sisters I still had to do my share of dishes.” He explained as he force the lump that instantly pops in his throat down. Buffy released the dishes with out a fight. She was still shaken up by the simple touch between them.

Buffy pick up the empty beer bottles while he attended to the dishes trying to keep her hands steady as she went by him to throw them in the trash. She laughed in her head as she thought about how sexy it was to see a man doing dishes. Where had she heard that before she thought to herself? Then she remembered. Her mother. It was one of the qualities that had attracted Joyce to Bryan. The way he helped around the house with out being asked too. Buffy suspected that he wasn’t just being helpful he was anal as hell. He was a bigger clean freak than her mother. The two were a match made in Heaven. Under friend, tutor, and Godfather, Giles had introduced the two of them and they had hit it off instantly. After a year of slowly courting her mother, Bryan finally proposed to her. Buffy knew her mother deserved to be happy and to have a man in her life but the two of them had been a duo for so long that it had been an adjustment having a man in the house again. Bryan had never been mean or plays the role of father toward her but she still was jealous in the beginning of his being a part of her mother’s life. He had replaced her father. A father who when they were a family was never home most of the time anyhow. She knew that her mother enjoyed the way Bryan loved doing thing as a family. Buffy tried to enjoy it as much but she was too set in her ways to change at that point. She made efforts from time to time.

How ever she also withdrew when she was not in the mood. Luckily, Bryan had been understanding and not pushy about the issue. It was that quality in itself that had won her over in the end before she left for college.

“I have the dish washer running for you. I guess I should go. I have a early appointment with my nieces in the morning.” Angel explained as he dried his hands with the kitchen towel.

“Where you going?” Buffy asks curiously. She never had a real uncle to do things with her.

“First we are heading to the Zoo then we have to stop off for ice cream.” Angel answered.

“Sounds like fun.” Buffy smiled up at him.

“Want to join us?” He offers.

“Nah. I have a book to write.” Buffy pouts.

“You remember when I mention the Dingo’s coming to town? I was curious if you would like to go with me. Since you’re in with the band and all maybe you can get me autographs.” Angel suggested a bit nervously.

“Sure.” Buffy agreed as she put her hands in her back pockets to keep them from fidgeting nervously.

They stood there in front of her door just staring at one another. Both felt the awkward quietness in the room.

Buffy sense he wanted to say something more or even kiss her but he was fighting back the urge.

“Buffy, I had a really good time. I am looking forward to working with you.” Angel says as he steps closer to her.

“Me too.” Buffy gulps, as they stand close enough that she can feel the heat from his body.

“I guess I should go now.” Angel says but his feet seem frozen in place.

“Yeah.” Buffy agrees feeling the same way.

Out of impulse Angel leans down and kisses her on the lips and then turns swiftly to open the door.

“See you Monday.” Angel calls out as he flees like a frightened young boy.

Buffy touches her lips where his briefly touch.

“Sure.” She calls out as she closes the door with a giddy feeling in the pit of her stomach.

She knew that it was not such a brilliant ideal to get involved with her boss and neighbor but there was just something about this man that made her feel so warm and tingling inside whenever they were in the same room together. She was growing addicted to that feeling. She told herself to go slowly and maybe, just maybe she could prove Anya’s theory wrong.

Chapter 8

The following day Buffy and Willow took a quick trip to the mall to pick out new clothes for Buffy’s new job. As they shopped Buffy gave Willow all the information she had so far on the ex Mrs. Pryce. Buffy was still confused why Willow was so curious to learn why the couple actually divorced and what she was like? It was not like Willow to do research on a guy she wanted to date. Anything else was a different matter.

“Willow, why do you want to know more about Winifred than Wesley?” Buffy asks as they sat down to have a cappuccino.

“He married her. So there must have been something unique or special about her that he would bend on one knee and propose to this woman.” Willow argued.

“How do know he was on one knee?” Buffy asks with a crooked smile.

“I don’t.” Willow rolled her eyes.

“So what I am picking up here is that if Wesley felt she was worthy of marriage then she is more unique than any other girl he dated. You want to make sure your as worthy or even share any of her qualities. You also want to know what went wrong so you don’t screw up things the same way. Am I getting this right?” Buffy asks as she smiles gently at her friend.

“Pretty much sums it up.” Willow agrees with an embarrassed smile.

“I understand. You must really like this guy if you’re considering him for wedding material.” Buffy informs her.

Willow’s jaw dropped open and her eyes were as wide as a saucer.

“I haven’t even dated the guy yet and you already think that I want to marry him?” Willow gasps.

“Obviously. I have never known you to research a guy like this. At least not this damn thoroughly. He must feel like your soul mate to you.” Buffy thought out loud.

“He is sexy. He is smart. He is funny in is own way.” Willow giggled.

“So you want to make a investment in this relationship one that could last a lifetime and you just want to make sure that your not setting yourself up for failure.” Buffy understood.

“Yeah, but I never thought of the word marriage.” Willow answered.

“No one does until you get to that point where you ask yourself now what? We have done this, that, and a little more of that but now we are left with the next step. With me we know how it ends. They leave, I stay behind.” Buffy sighs heavily.

“I don’t know it sounded like your enjoying your new boss and neighbors attention.” Willow watches her closely as Buffy glowed.

“He is sexy. I mean how many principals do you know ride a Harley to school? I thought that was only in the movies. Then I see him in just a pair of casual Levis and a polo shirt and he looks like the perfect boy next-door image. He is like all the guys you would date in one. Then there is this way he looks at me that just makes my brain feel fried.” Buffy shook her head.

“Then when he kissed me I was just…” Buffy began.

“HELLO? He kissed you?” Willow cries out.

“It was just a quick peck on close lips.” Buffy said trying to make it sound casual.

“OH MY!! He is attractive to you too. Do I see a work place romance going on here?” Willow warns her.

“Yeah, well look whose talking.” Buffy reminds her of the torch she carries for her co-worker.

Both girls began to laugh at the strange and similar predicament they were in with love.

“I know I’m no better. Still, you have a better shot of actually getting the guy.” Willow frowns.

“Yeah, well Willow remember my record here. I get them then they leave me. So please do not consider me any luckier than you just because I have dated more guys.” Buffy looked away as she felt the painful memories of past loves that went stale quickly.

“I know.” Willow replied.

Willow knew how badly it had hurt Buffy that men just didn’t seem to stick with her. She was the girl they all tried things with or made improvements on themselves and then the next girl that came around they committed themselves wholly to the lucky girl. Willow knew at least one guy who would sell his right eye to be married to Buffy but she knew that on the other hand Buffy would never allow that to happen.

Xander. Xander and Buffy made the cutest couple. Even though it had hurt Willow slightly to see them together, cause she had hoped Xander would notice her instead. Once she saw the way they were she understood quickly why it would have never worked between herself and Xander. Friendship. Buffy adored him but she couldn’t afford to loose his friendship. Buffy feared that Xander was getting too close and if they made any real form of commitment like sex, that if things failed between them then there would be no chance of saving the friendship.

Xander was so terribly hurt but what he didn’t know was that Buffy cried every night for three months because she had let him go. Once the awkwardness had passed between them the friendship grew stronger and stronger but with out the casual smooches.

“So tell me did it feel weird to be around Xander?” Willow thought about their excursion earlier in the week together.

“Yes and No. I had been drinking and playing pool with him like old times and I saw the way he kept staring at my ass like a starving man would a piece of fruit. I was so trying to restrain myself from taking him home and having sex with him. I mean, just to try it out, just once. Now that we are adults I was thinking maybe our friendship could handle casual sex.” Buffy admitted as she chewed on her lower lip nervously.

“BUFFY!!!” Willow exclaimed.

“I didn’t though.” Buffy reminded her as she smiled at the frighten look in Willow’s eyes.

“Still. The fact you would consider it. I mean…just sex…you would be like Anya in our circle.” Willow stated with a weary sigh.

“Oh wouldn’t want to take Anya’s place in our circle.” Buffy teased as she laughed at the shocked look still on Willows face.

“Don’t get me wrong, I adore Anya in her strange way but your not that type.” Willow said.

“What type am I then?” Buffy asks curiously as she lean back in the chair watching as Willow tried to contemplate the right answer that wouldn’t offend her.

“Your not Anya okay.” Willow gave up as she threw her arms up in the air.

“Mentioning our circle of friends, Cordelia left me another message she is definitely coming down this weekend. Something about she had some kind of immediate emergency meetings she had to attend this past weekend.” Buffy informed her.

“I feel so sorry for her. I mean I used to think she got what ever she deserved with the way she treated her boyfriends but this was just sad.” Willow explains.

“I know. I think she will pick up her pace real quick once she gets back to her old stomping grounds.” Buffy said.

“Yeah…hopefully.” Willow agreed with her.

“So do you really think it is wise to let her live with you?” Willow thought out loud.

“Nothing is wise when it comes to Cordelia but hell I could handle the company. It will be like we are in college again. Except I don’t share just one room with another female.” Buffy chuckles.

“Sounds like you have already thought this through.” Willow giggles.

“Yeah, I’m even going to give her my mom’s room because it is the biggest so that should appease her.” Buffy stated.

“You hope.” Willow laughs.

“Well, I need to get home so I can go to sleep early tonight. I have a big day tomorrow.” Buffy reminded her.

“Sure. Remember don’t mention that you know Wesley if you meet Winifred.” Willow warns her.

“Yeah, I’m sure that will just pop up in the introduction. Hi nice to meet you I’m Winifred, Wesley’s perfect ex wife whom you’re here to investigate.” Buffy answers as she cocks an eyebrow at Willow’s silly fears.

“Buffy, you’re not funny.” Willow shook her head as she grinned from ear to ear as they left the mall.

Chapter 9

Buffy had finished her first cup of coffee when her third student came strolling into her office.

“Hi.” Buffy said chirpy.

“Hi.” The teenager said as if her cat had just died.

“My name is Buffy I am your new counselor.” Buffy introduced herself as she open up a new file.

“My name is Misty. I’m not sure why Mr. Donavon insists that I need to come here.” Misty says with a frustrated tone.

Buffy stared at the girl’s appearance and noticed that she looked like she was purposely wearing clothes that were too big for her. She noted the girl had a beautiful face and definitely had money from the size of diamond earrings she wore in her ears.

“Misty, can you tell me why you think he MIGHT have suggest you to visit me?” Buffy offered as a few ideals began to pop in her head for the cause.

“NO.” Misty rolls her eyes as she lays her hands protectively over her stomach.

“Okay. Tell me about yourself then. Like which classes you like don’t like. What sort of activities you have joined up for.” Buffy offered away to start up a conversation between them.

“As you know I’m a junior here. I was the captain of the JV cheerleading team last year. I love English and History but I hate Math. I am also in Drama, on the class council and newspaper. What else do you want to know?” Misty sighs with a bored look.

“You said you were the captain of the cheerleading squad. That must have been fun. Why did you not join this year?” Buffy asks curiously. She knew from experience that once you became a cheerleader, especially a captain of a squad, you never just want to quit for the hell of it.

“I thought I should work toward my academic courses and I needed to work this year. I didn’t have time to work and cheer.” Misty explains as she shifted in her seat.

“Why did you need to work this year?” Buffy asks with a gentle smile.

“Same reasons any teens need to work. I wanted to buy a car, save money up for college.” Misty shrugs her shoulder casually.

“Misty is your last name Carrington?” Buffy asks as she writes it on her folder.

“Yes.” Misty glances around the office.

“Carrington? I know that name. You see Misty I graduated from here. I know quite a few families and particularly this one lives in a rather large mansion. Why would you need a job if you were of that family? You are, aren’t you?” Buffy taps her pencil on top of the folder and smiles at Misty. She feels extremely victorious inside. She knows that Misty is not revealing everything but she is going to get it from her before their session is up.

“Yes, so. What you don’t think that rich girls have to work?” Misty snaps at her with an angry glare at her.

“No, I have a friend who grew up in the same neighborhood who happens to work for a living today.” Buffy leaves out that she didn’t work in High School until her father was arrested for tax fraud.

“Who was she?” Misty asks curiously.

“Cordelia Chase.” Buffy replies.

“THE Cordelia Chase. The designer of Cordy’s clothes line.” Misty was impressed with Buffy’s connection.

“Yes, in fact she is moving in with me this weekend.” Buffy admitted. She was hoping she was going to get somewhere with this bit of bribery.

“Wow. She is so cool. My sister said that there wasn’t a guy alive that she couldn’t get.” Misty bragged.

“What about yourself. Your beautiful I bet you’re the same way.” Buffy commented.

She caught the sadness in Misty’s eyes and knew there was a guy or still was a guy in the picture. Maybe they were getting somewhere.

“I was. I don’t date much anymore. I don’t have time.” Misty stated using the same argument.

“Okay, so you don’t date, you don’t cheer, do you go out with friends?” Buffy asks.

“I told you I work all the time. I don’t have time for silly stuff like that anymore.” Misty snaps at her.

“Misty, I’m not here to be an enemy. I am also not here to get information for your family. I’m not going to gossip to the students and I am definitely not going to speak to the faculty about anything you and I discuss in the room. I am here for you to have an ear. When things get rough and you can’t find someone you can either trust or doesn’t listen to you then that is my job.” Buffy stated with a genuine smile on her face.

“Let me get this straight anything I tell you, you swear you won’t tell anyone.” Misty looked at her nervously as she looked at the close door.

“I swear. Unless it is a life emergency or you get in trouble with the law. Those are the only two reasons I am enforced to say anything.” Buffy promises.

“I see.” Misty chews on her lip as she looks down at her hands on her stomach.

“So please if you have a problem come to me. Don’t look at me as a teacher. I am more of a friend. Your personal shrink you can say.” Buffy set the pencil down.

Misty looked up at the clock and then down at her watch.

“I need to go to class.” Misty announces suddenly.

“Alright Misty. I will see you again on Friday.” Buffy warns her as she allows her to leave with out revealing the source of her problem.

“Thanks Buffy.” Misty says softly. Buffy spies the sadness that she is still holding onto.

“Okay.” Buffy watches as she closes the door.

She starts writing information in Misty’s folder when someone taps on the door.

“Come in.” Buffy answers.

“Hello.” Angel announces as he steps into her office.

Buffy jumps up from her seat. She pushes a loose piece of hair away from her face, while putting on a big smile for him.

“Hey! Come in.” Buffy says.

“Thanks. So how was your first day of work?” Angel asks as he leans up against the desk.

“It was different. I keep telling myself not to expect too much from the first day. I mean, I can’t just meet them and immediately be able to solve their problems. They need time to get to know me before they can trust me.” Buffy informed him with a tired yawn.

“How about I take you out for dinner to celebrate your first day at work?” Angel offered with a pair of puppy eyes.

“Alright but your going to have the faculty talking about all the favors you show toward me.” Buffy teased him.

“Trust me I have made it quite clear to the women and some of the men that I separate professional from personal. Besides your only part-time.” Angel reminded her as he winked at her.

“Oh a loophole we have found.” Buffy stated as Angel put on a clever smile.

“You’re a naughty boy Angel.” Buffy laughed as she grabbed her purse and walked out of the office with him.

They were discussing what they were in the mood to eat with one of the teachers abruptly stopped them.

“I’m sorry to do this but I need to speak to you right now.” Winifred demanded as she caught the couple walking together toward the front doors.

“Winifred we can discuss the new equipment tomorrow. I’m tired and I have plans.” He glances at Buffy.

“I wasn’t talking to you. I meant Ms. Summers.” Winifred explain with an embarrassed blush that matches Angel’s.

“I will meet you outside.” Buffy suggested as she walked away with Winifred. She was curious why this particular teacher had sought her out.

“I’m sorry I know we have barely met one another but I figured since you counsel the students you might be able to me with a problem.” Winifred explained as she chewed on her lower lip and fidgeted her glasses she had taken off and was holding in her hands.

“I will give it a try. Can’t promise success.” Buffy admitted.

“I will make this fast since you and Angel have a date.” Winifred began.

“We aren’t dating. We are having dinner.” Buffy corrected.

“Trust me he doesn’t take the faculty out to dinner. You are going on a date.” Fred snorted.

“Your problem is?” Buffy asks with a frown trying to keep them off the subject of her and Angel.

“Okay. I like this guy but I don’t know if he likes me. I think about him all the time. But whenever he is near me I act like a stumbling idiot. I don’t why? It drives me mad. How should I let him know that I am interested with out exactly being rejected?” Fred asks with a worried frown.

“I would find something that he likes to do and tell him I have a extra ticket to see if he would be interested in going with me. Or I would just simply ask him out to a movie or dinner. Trust me there is really no way to get around being rejected if the other person isn’t interested unless you never try asking them out.” Buffy offered her advice.

“I thought so.” Fred sighed heavily.

“You will never know unless you try. Isn’t that what you tell your students.” Buffy smiled softly as her as she turn to leave.

Fred watches her walk away and hated to admit it to her self but Buffy was right. Fred began to search her mind for anything that she could recall that Gunn had mention he liked doing outside of work that she too might enjoy.

Chapter 10

Buffy and Angel had enjoyed a simple Mexican dinner when the subject of Winifred pop into Buffy’s head.

“You know Winifred comes off real smart but she seems a bit lacking in the whole boy dates girl area.” Buffy says as she starts the investigation.

“What do you mean?” Angel frowns up at her with a surprise look in his eyes.

“Well, she just had me give her advice that I would give teenagers.” Buffy explained with out sharing too much of the private conversation they had.

“She was married. In fact she just recently divorced. I don’t know her that well personally but I believe the divorce was her ideal. We all went out for drinks one night and she got a bit out of it and confessed that she was not in love with her husband anymore.” Angel admitted.

“Really. Go on.” Buffy scooted closer to the table.

“What I am about to tell you stays between us counselor.” Angel warned her with a warm smile on his face.

“Go on.” Buffy agreed.

“Anyhow, she said she met her husband when she was in college. She was still young and naïve. I believe he was like a TA or something close to that. He wasn’t quite a professor when they began to date. She thought the world evolved around him. Then after college she started to see that she had lost herself in him and in supporting his career.” Angel paused as he recalled that night Fred cried on his shoulders.

“She said it wasn’t a matter of not loving him, it was the matter of not being IN love with him anymore. She felt that he could never like the new Fred who was more independent and self-reliant. He liked the one that made cow eyes at him and started her day by asking him what he needed.” Angel finished.

“Oh. So she grew up basically and discovered there was a big world out there and he didn’t like her loosing all her attention on him.” Buffy said as she saw the picture coming together.

“Pretty much. Anyway he was pretty pissed off when she filed for divorce and accuses her of having an affair. I even got accused of sleeping with her.” Angel admitted as he chuckled.

“Did you?” Buffy asks her face turning serious.

“NO. I like Fred but she isn’t my type and I don’t mess with other men’s possessions.” Angel answered.

“Possessions? We are now possessions? What happen to the term another notch on your bed post?” Buffy asks sarcastically.

“When you are married you belong to that person. Remember the saying “And two become one.” Angel reminds her of a quote used in the marriage ceremony.

“I can’t say I remember that due to the fact I haven’t been married yet.” Buffy answers with a painful smile.

“Why is that?” Angel asks curiously as he sees a slight sign of pain in her eyes.

“I’m the girl that guys try out before they find the real thing they have been looking for.” Buffy answers sadly as she makes an attempt at smiling.

“Uh?” Angel is confused.

“Guys who date me usually learn about themselves and what they really want in a woman. Then the next woman who comes along they seem to know where they want to be and whom they want to be with for the rest of their lives. I’m serious 9 out of 10 guys I have dated since High School always marries the first or second girl after me. I mean its like I prepared them for the right woman.” Buffy sighs softly.

“I think that is nonsense.” Angel shakes his head in disbelief.

“It’s true. Ask my friends.” Buffy sighs with a weak smile.

“Well, they are fools. All of them.” Angel informs her with a supportive pat on her shoulder.

“I agree.” Buffy smiles at him with sparkles in her eyes.

He is relieved to see the sadness disappear from her eyes and replaced with the happiness that seems to make her glow.

“So, I say we go home and take a hot bath.” Buffy suggests as she looks at her watch.

“Together?” Angel asks with a sheepish grin.

“Haha. So funny. That would definitely make the faculty’s tongues burn with fiery rumors.” Buffy joked at the thought but her stomach was twisting in anticipation of the thought of how wonderful that just might be.

“True. Well, I guess I will see you ….” Angel waits for an answer.

“I will try to make it in tomorrow but I have a few errands to run and if they go well then I will try to come in the early afternoon.” Buffy answered.

“Great. See you then.” Angel walked over to pay for their bill as Buffy set the tip down. They had argued about who would pay for the dinner from the beginning and she had won this much from the fight.

Buffy walked to her car and drove home listening to love songs the entire trip there. When she arrived she noticed that Angel was still no behind her? She wondered if he had other plans after their dinner? She wondered if he was seeing someone? He came off as the type to tell you only what he thought you needed to know. Reminding her self she had no claims on Mr. Donavon she walked in the house and headed upstairs for a hot bubble bath made for one.

Chapter 11:

“Cordelia have you heard of the words “Storage Facility”.” Buffy asks with a bewildered look at all the boxes that were being unloaded from the U-haul and not to mention furniture.

“Look, sweetheart if we are going to live together we need to make sure it looks like two young women live here. Not a mother of two and her gorgeous best friend. Okay.” Cordelia placed her hands on her hips firmly as she stared straight into Buffy’s eyes.

Buffy sighed, as she knew when to admit defeat.

“Only some of the stuff. It is my house so I get over all say.” Buffy warns her with her finger pointed directly at her.

Cordelia laughs as she pushes her finger away.

“Fair enough.” Cordelia reaches out and hugs her tightly.

“You know at first I thought I had to be insane for moving in with you but now I see it could be fun.” Cordelia says bluntly.

Buffy used to Cordy’s brash words had created a thick skin where she was concern many years ago.

“I know I was thinking the same thing. I mean how was I going to have explain to people that a woman of your worth was staying in my humble home.” Buffy teased her with a crooked smile as she walked by her.

“Funny. Hahaha.” Cordelia laughed as she caught on to the playful sarcasm.

“I was thinking we would have a small party here this weekend. What do you think?” Buffy suggests as she starts picking up boxes to take to Cordy’s room.

“Are you sure?” Cordy frowns up at her.

“Look, the two hottest women are back in town. I think we should let them come and celebrate our return.” Buffy offered with a twisted grin.

“I see your point.” Cordelia agreed with her own devilish smile.

“Good. Then I will let you plan the whole damn thing. Just let me know what my half will cost.” Buffy called out as she went around the corner.

“Your letting me have complete control of a party?” Cordelia came flying up the stairs screaming.

“Of course. It’s something your good at.” Buffy looks at her with confusion.

“Are you scared too?” Buffy asks with a frown.

“No, it’s just that you and I use to compete on the whole who had the better party.” Cordelia reminds her of their more edgy competitive days.

“Yeah, well it’s at my house so I get half the credit.” Buffy states with a winning smile.

“Your incredible.” Cordelia rolls her eyes as she realizes how it’s a winning situation for Buffy because it’s her house and she is paying for half of it but with out having to lift a finger.

“So many people keep telling me that. If they don’t stop I will get a big head.” She warns her.

“Too late.” Cordelia patted her head.

“Hey!” Buffy giggled as she set the box down.

“Wow, your mother somehow lived in this room?” Cordelia frowns at the size of the grand room.

“It’s bigger than it use to be. They had one of the guest rooms open up and made it bigger. Damn Cordelia how big must a room be in order to fit your standards?” Buffy cries out in despair.

“Look, sorry. I’m grateful for the room. I can make this work.” Cordelia stops herself from sounding so ungrateful. Even though she knows that Buffy expects her to act this way she doesn’t want too.

“Are you sure?” Buffy asks as she stares closer at her.

“Positive.” Cordelia says with a clap of her hands.

“Well, after you’re done with your room let me know and we can go out to the Bronze for a few drinks.” Buffy suggests.

“Please. Ivan, Patrice.” Cordelia calls down the stairs.

Buffy watches as a male and female come up the stairs-wearing nothing but black with little make up on the female.

“Can you work this?” Cordy asks them, as they look in side the empty room.

“I’m sure we can.” Ivan shook his head in agreement.

“Yes.” Patrice agreed.

“Good. See you in a few hours. You have my cell number if you need me.” Cordelia informed them as she picked up her purse and went down stairs.

Buffy follow her with her mouth still shaped like a large O.

“They are my decorators and my assistants. They didn’t want to stay with the company so I temporarily hired them to stay to help me with a few things. They won’t be living here of course. They have rooms at one of the inns.” Cordelia explained as she applied fresh lipstick to her lips.

“Are you ready?” Cordy asks as she glances up and down at Buffy’s rather sweet outfit.

“Why not.” Buffy laughs as she picks up her keys and they leave together.

Cordy made a few calls on their way there to have a few of their old friends meet them at the old hang out. All of them were thrilled at the thought of seeing one another after all these years and having a night out like they did when life was simple and rule free.

Chapter 12

The gang had arrived sitting in their old booth like the times when they were in High School.

“Okay call me old but didn’t the place use to look bigger?” Xander asks as he stares around at the club.

“Weren’t there more older people here too?” Cordelia frowns at the young teen hormones floating through out the room.

“Yeah, well you know maybe we should all get together and open up a club just for members who are 21 or older.” Buffy suggested after her second shot of tequila.

“Haha. She is already started.” Willow giggles as she sips on her margarita.

“Started what?” Buffy frowns toward them.

“Well, honey when you drink you sometimes say some incredibly odd things and every once in awhile you can be right out rude.” Cordelia warns her with sympathy in her eyes.

“That’s calling the kettle black.” Buffy laugh.

The others laughed as well.

“I hate her drunk.” Cordelia rolled her eyes and turn her head so the others couldn’t see her smile.

“When is Anya showing up?” Willow asks as she looks at her watch.

“It’s a hour drive here and not to mention afternoon traffic. She will be here.” Buffy states.

“Hello. Nine o’clock. He is definitely out of high school.” Willow states as she spots a gorgeous guy their age walk into the club.

Everyone stares in the direction she is glancing at.

“Oh, that is Lyndsey. He is a friend of mine. I invited him since we had plans to go out tonight.” Xander explained.

The girls glanced at one another and then back at Xander with a perplex stare.

“We are not dating.” Xander rolled his eyes at the girl’s sick sense of humor.

“Lyndsey, over here.” Xander called out over the music.

Lyndsey saw Xander and walked over to the small crowd of people he was sitting with.

“Lyndsey this is my friends from High School. Willow, Cordelia, and Buffy.” He introduces them.

“Wow, he never said he was allowed to have friends has pretty as you three are.” Lyndsey was impressed.

Xander shook his head at his weak attempt at flirting with the girls.

“Yeah, we showed pity on him.” Cordelia remarked as she lick her red lips.

“I bet.” Lyndsey smiled, as he looked her over from head to toe.

Buffy and Willow saw sparks flying between these two.

“Lyndsey would you care to dance?” Cordelia suggest as a slow song starts up.

“Sure, Xander order me a beer please.” Lyndsey calls out as he rushes to follow Cordelia to the dance floor.

“Was this your plan?” Willow asks as she stares at the gorgeous couple on the dance floor.

“Not at all. In fact I didn’t even consider him being turn on by any of you.” Xander answered honestly.

“Hey!” The girls threw napkins at him with a hurt look on their faces.

“I meant I didn’t try to play match maker.” Xander apologized.

“We will let it slip this time.” Buffy smiles as she downs her third tequila shot.

“Slow down tiger. Your not as young as you use to be.” Xander reminds her as he smiles sincerely at her.

“You can be my designated driver.” Buffy offers with a seductive smile.

Willow closed her eyes and prayed that nothing happen tonight that any of her friends might regret.

“So what does he do for a living?” Willow asks opening to break up the trance between the two friends.

“Oh, he is a lawyer. Yeah, he works in real estate and dabbles a bit in investments. He is pretty smart. He moved down here after his wife died.” Xander explained.

“He was married?” Buffy looks at the dance floor with a frown.

“He comes off as a real asshole or even pervert but the guy is really cool down deep inside. His wife’s death kinda left him a bit off his walker for a while. His law firm ended up putting him on permanent vacation because he rarely showed up for work and when he did they would find him at times lock in his office crying drunk.” Xander revealed.

“Wow, and you would want him to be your attorney for your company?” Willow asks a bit concern.

“That was two years ago. His sister lives here and he moved to be closer to her and that is how he came to us asking if we would like him to represent us. I like him. My partners like him too.” Xander admits with a shrug as he sips on his beer.

“He is handsome. How did his wife die?” Buffy wonders curiously.

“She was out walking the dog when a drunk driver hit her and left the scene. It had been snowing and so it took them awhile to find her body. Luckily the dog wasn’t injured badly and led them to her snow covered body.” Xander admitted with a sad look on his face.

“That sucks.” Willow sighs.

“Yeah, but please don’t say anything to him or Cordelia for that matter.” Xander pleads with them.

“WE understand.” They both agreed.

“Wow, I haven’t dance in years. You were great though.” Lyndsey complimented Cordelia.

“Thanks. Don’t feel so bad I thought you were good too.” Cordelia smiles warmly as she picks up her martini.

“Here you go.” Xander hands him his beer.

“Thanks Xand.” Lyndsey takes it and drinks half of it in one swallow.

“So tell me what do you girls do for a living.” Lyndsey asks as he sits in between Buffy and Willow.

“I work in computer programming.” Willow announces proudly.

“I’m a writer part time school counselor.” Buffy answers.

“Cordelia?” Lyndsey looks over at her. She had become extremely quiet since they sat down.

“I was in the designing business but I quit. I’m having a hard time right now with the legal battles of breaking my contract three months early.” Cordelia confesses with a guilty look.

“Why did you leave?” Lyndsey asks with his attorney look about him.

“I would rather not say at the moment.” Cordelia smiles weakly as she gets up and heads to the bar for another drink.

“I’m sorry it I was too noisy.” Lyndsey apologizes to the group.

“Honestly, we aren’t sure either.” Buffy tells him with a comforting look.

“Buffy, you said you write. What kind of books?” Lyndsey asks as he takes another drink.

“Romance. I have sold about three now and working on number four. I am counseling so I have something to do outside of my house.” Buffy answers ahead of time, knowing he will ask.

“Really, do you go under a pen name?” He asks curiously.

“Yep, I’m Summer Gates.” Buffy confesses with a nervous smile. Knowing how silly the name sounds but it was all she could come up with at the short notice her agent gave her.

“Summer Gates? Why does that author ring a bell?” Lyndsey frowns as his mind drifts.

“I know you don’t read those books, right.” Xander looks at him frantically.

“No but my sister and my wi…wife does. Did.” Lyndsey stumbles with his words as his heart begins to ache at the memory of his wife sitting in her favorite rocker reading when he would return home from work, late every night.

“I think she might have read your books.” Lyndsey admits with a weak smile.

“Wow, I guess it’s a small world.” Buffy answers nervously.

“Okay, I don’t know about the rest of you but I think it is time to dance.” Xander announces to the group.

Everyone jumps up and begins to dance crazily. All of them holding onto something that they wish either never happen or would happen in their lives. The night would have to end and real life would begin again.

Chapter 13:

When Buffy’s alarm clock went off she push it off the end table and rolled back over to snuggle up against the warm body next to her. She was just about to fall back to sleep when it suddenly dawn on her that she was single. Why was there a body next to her? With out opening her eyes she knew it was not a female so that rule out Willow or Cordelia and left only Lyndsey or Xander. She wasn’t sure which one she wished it was. Opening her eyes slowly she saw it was Xander.

Buffy pick up the end of the sheet and peek underneath. Feeling tremendous relief they were both fully dressed she rubbed her eyes as she slipped out of bed quietly.

She went straight to the shower to wash off the smell of boozes and cigarettes. Then heading downstairs in her robe she found that there was someone else in the house besides the three of them.

“Hello?” Buffy calls out as she turns the corner to head to the kitchen to make some coffee.

“Hello.” Lyndsey smiled nervously.

“Hello to you. What happen last night?” Buffy frowns. This was a unusual way to wake up after going to the Bronze for her. First of all she found Xander in her bed, thankfully clothed, and now here was another gorgeous guy sitting at her kitchen table with a fresh cup of coffee in his hands.

“Sorry, I had to have a cup before I drove home.” Lyndsey explained for intruding in her kitchen and cabinets.

“You’re forgiven as long as there is more coffee.” Buffy teased him.

“There is.” Lyndsey chuckles.

“So tell me you know more about what happen after the club than me.” Buffy yawned as she sat down across from him.

“Willow ended up driving his all home. We were all a bit drunk. Xander had to take you upstairs because you nearly fell down them. Cordelia finally found her room and fell straight to the floor where she slept all night.” Lyndsey laughed at the memory.

“And you slept where?” Buffy asks suspiciously.

“Oh, I knew I was in shape to go home nor did I want to call a cab at that time of night I just crashed on the couch.” Lyndsey assured her.

“Oh.” Buffy looks at him with relief.

“Were you afraid I might have ravished your best friend?” Lyndsey looks at her with a crooked smile.

“Hey she is a big girl. But I was a bit worried you both might have done something you would regret.” Buffy confessed.

“And you and Xander?” Lyndsey return the question toward her.

“Thankfully we were both still wearing clothes.” Buffy chuckles as she glances away nervously.

“You know he has told me the most about you out of all his friends.” Lyndsey admitted.

“We were once very close but I loved him too much to loose him as a friend.” Buffy informed him with a sad smile.

“So he made a better friend for you than a possible lover?” Lyndsey asks with an understanding smile.

“Exactly. I mean, it might have worked out but I was so young then and I had done enough damage to my own life that I didn’t want to drag him down with me.” Buffy answers as she sips on the coffee.

“Sounds rather wise.” Lyndsey comments.

“I wish I had been more wiser back then.” Buffy chuckles sarcastically.

“Remember that the mistakes we make and the lessons we learn make us the grown ups we become.” Lyndsey offer advice that he had been told once.

“I will remember that.” Buffy smiles.

“Well, I need to go home and change. I have a meeting.” Lyndsey looks at his Rolex.

“It was nice meeting you. Please don’t be a stranger.” Buffy says with a serious face.

“You too. Tell Cordelia I will give her a call soon.” Lyndsey asks as he picks up his coat and heads out the back door.

Buffy wonders he truly intends to call Cordelia or not? She wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t. If he wasn’t ready to move on from his past then he didn’t need to drag someone into a relationship that was fighting against a ghost they could not see or beat.

Buffy heard a loud roar coming from the other side of the room. She knew who it was before they entered the kitchen. Xander. He had his arms stretch out over his head as he yawn like a bear.

“Hey coffee.” Xander looked like a man who had been deserted on a island with no water as he pounced the coffee maker and pulled out a cup.

“Oh that is what they call it.” Buffy teases him.

“Does your head hurt?” Xander asks.

“No.” Buffy admits.

“Quit bragging because mine does.” Xander stated as he sipped on his morning cup of coffee.

“Hey is that today’s paper?” Xander asks as he stares at the paper on the counter.

“No today’s is still on the front porch.” Buffy stated as she got up and began to search the fridge for something to cook.

“Be back.” Xander whispered as he headed to the front porch.

He stepped out wearing only his pants and no shirt or shoes when he noticed the paperboy had missed his shot and the paper had landed on the driveway rather than the porch. Xander grumbles as he walks out to get the paper.

The sound of a Harley began to blare from behind him. Xander turn around and gave the driver a mean look. The driver of the Harley appeared to see look at him with a menacing look because his heart felt as if someone had punch him straight in the stomach. He wondered why there was this guy this early in the morning half dressed getting Buffy’s morning paper? Was he someone she was involved with? Had she mention any boyfriends he wondered? Why did he care so much? It wasn’t like he had any rights to her he told himself as he sped out of his drive way and headed toward work where he was grumpy all day.

Xander went back inside the house and asks Buffy why they guy on the motorcycle was giving him a go to hell look when the driver was the one who was rude enough to make such a noise so early in the morning.

Buffy wondered what Xander meant by that statement but just answered simply he was her new neighbor and that he was the new High School principal. She didn’t feel like adding he was also a guy who was starting to slip into her heart and soul. She wasn’t sure why but she just didn’t feel it was appropriate to talk to Xander about the other men in her life.

Chapter 14

Willow had gone into work an half hour early that morning. Unlike her friends she had drank sensibly and was bored out of her mind. She found her self constantly anxious to get to work so she could catch a glimpse at Wesley or a quick Hi or bye from him. His presence at work made her entire day. Which she told her self was pretty damn pathetic for a girl of her age and I.Q.

“Good morning Willow.” Wesley states as he carries a file in his hand and stops at her office peering inside.

“Wesley, Hi.” Willow smiles nervously at him. She puts her hands underneath her thighs so she doesn’t fidget with them.

“I was curious if you were interested in working with me on that new project?” Wesley asks with a serious face.

“Sure.” Willow agrees quickly.

“Great, how about we meet around lunch. I have a few meetings before then. I can catch up with you in the cafeteria.” Wesley suggests.

“Sure.” Willow repeats quickly again.

“Okay then.” Wesley smiles politely and then heads down the hall.

Willow shivers uncontrollably.

“Sure. Sure? What is wrong with you Willow? He is sure to think you have a brilliant mind.” Willow scolded her self for her lack of response toward his simple questions.

Willow pick up her phone and dial the Summer house.

“Good morning.” Buffy called out with a cheery voice.

“Please tell me you didn’t have sex.” Willow pleaded saying a silent prayer. It was not like her to sound this unusually happy this early in the morning after a night out at the club. Then there was the fact that she knew that Xander spent the night at her house. Willow was way beyond her own crush on Xander but she just knew that in her heart that Buffy and Xander were not soul mates. They were friends, soul friends. But never, ever were the two of these friends supposing to end up with a happy ever after. She couldn’t explain why she knew this but it was just a gut instinct that screams out to her.

“Why do you ask me that? Willow, do you still want Xander?” Buffy asks a bit defensive. Buffy was sick and tired of Willow lecturing to her that she and Xander did not belong together when she had known secretly that Willow had wanted him all for her self back in the days.

“NO. God no! Buffy, I’m sorry your right. I should keep my mouth shut. It’s just you two are my closest friends and I when I see them both heading toward a mine field I naturally want to scream out a warning to them both.” Willow explained with a sad smile.

“I hear you loud and clear but please don’t concern your self about the two of us. WE are grown adults and can handle any situation that might if EVER occurs between us.” Buffy answered with a softer tone.

“I know.” Willow agreed with a heavy sighed.

“So tell me was there any other pressing matters that you called to speak to me about?” Buffy asks curious. Buffy knew that when Willow was at work she rarely if at all made personal calls. She was anal about that policy.

“Wesley is meeting me at the cafeteria today to discuss the new program.” Willow whispered into the phone.

“NO WAY! That sounds cool. It would appear that he finds you equally intelligent as himself if he wants you to work on the program with him.” Buffy noted.

“True.” Willow said with merriment.

“Here would be a great opportunity to ask him for a drink after work.” Buffy suggested.

“NO. He would think I was asking him out.” Willow declared.

“You are Willow.” Buffy laughed merrily.

“Still. NO, if he is interested in me then he will have to ask me out.” Willow stated firmly.

“Well, then take this time to get to know him better.” Buffy offered.

“Okay. Your right.” Willow pick up a piece of paper and began to fan her face.

“Call me after work and let me know how lunch went.” Buffy says.

“Sure. Well, need to go.” Willow stared at her watch and knew she had spent more than ten minutes on the phone and felt guilty.

“Bye.” Buffy giggled.

“Bye.” Willow giggled too.

Chapter 15

Buffy went to work at the beginning of the school day so she could get a early start on the day. She knew she had at least four appointments. She wanted to give them enough time to talk to her as well as perhaps go over a few folders and make arrangements for a few other students to come see her later on during the week.

She walked into her office and began to make her own fresh coffee. She had brought her own coffee maker the second day she worked. Every time she attempted to get coffee Harmony would try to make a conversation with her, which just put her behind schedule. Plus she was sure Harmony was hunting for some kind of gossip and she wasn’t about to give her any.

She sat at her desk and opens up the first folder and was starting to read this student’s background for any clues to what might have caused him to start using drugs. They already knew he was a drug abuser even if his mother couldn’t accept it. Now they needed to find out why and if he couldn’t stop and he failed another drug test he was out of the school for the rest of the year. Buffy hated seeing anyone abuse his or her body with drugs.

Buffy heard a soft tap on her door and knew it was not time for an appointment.

“Come in.” Buffy closed the folder and put a book over it. She didn’t want people to know anything that went on in this office.

“Anya!” Buffy exclaimed.

“I’m sorry for not calling ahead of time.” Anya replied with a sad smile as she wore a pair of dark sunglasses.

“Where were you the night before?” Buffy asks as she remembers that the group waited until closing for her to show up. By the end of the night they were too drunk to think straight and had went home to crash.

“I’m afraid I ran into a few problems after work.” Anya began as she sat down in the seat across from Buffy.

Buffy notices immediately the awkward body language of this normally saucy and outgoing red head.

“What is wrong?” Buffy asks. Her stomach is knotting up as she waits to hear what could have possibly kept this friend from spending time with t them. She knew it was bad. She also wondered why she had not taken off the damn sunglasses?

“Where do I start?” Anya’s hands began to shake.

Buffy got up from her seat and lean up against the desk in front of where Anya was sitting. She reaches out to take off the glasses when Anya’s hands shot up to hold them on.

“Anya, what the hell is going on? Why do you not want me to see your face?” Buffy asks as her pulse begins to race with fear.

“Buffy..you..”Anya’s voice trembles the way her hands were.

“Anya, sweetie.” Buffy knelt in front of her and took Anya’s trembling hands and held them tightly between hers.

“Go on.” Buffy tried to soothe her pain.

“You know at our last get together how we were talking about who we were seeing. I told you guys that I was sleeping with my boss.” Anya started as she chewed on her lip.

“Yes.” Buffy shook her head in agreement.

“The company we work for has this policy that prohibits fraternizing with other employees. Especially if they are in a position that is over you. Somehow someone leak our affair to the top of the company. When Gary was called up on it he lied and said it was not true that it was just a rumor I had started.” Anya licked her dry lips.

“Then unbeknownst to me they called me in as soon as I came in to work that day. When I was asked about the situation I was honest with them. I explained that Gary made it quite clear that if I wanted to keep my position and move upward in the company that it would be the best solution for the both of us to sleep together. I didn’t even know they had discussed any of this with him yet. They told me that this is not the first time that Gary has done this. They had turned their heads before because they weren’t sure of the women who accused him of it. How ever in my two years there I had never showed any ill feelings toward any of my supervisors nor sexual advances.” Anya paused as she took a deep breath.

“So they believed you and not him.” Buffy concluded.

“Yes, they told me that they were going to terminate Gary and put me under suspension until they could discuss all of this with the board of trustees. I told them I understood. I left and went to my office and was packing my things.” Anya felt the tears slip down her face.

Buffy reach over on her desk and grab a few Kleenexes for her to use.

“Thanks, anyway Gary walks in and asks where I am going? I told him that I was on suspension. He pretends to know what happen. Then his secretary tells him that the CEO of the company wanted to speak to him right away. I finished getting my things and I left.” Anya wiped her nose.

“I was at home getting ready to come meet you guys when he showed up pounding madly at my door. I answered it and he told me that they had fired him and he would get even with me for lying about him. I told him that it was true, he knew it. That I was not going to lie about what I had done and why I did it. He began to call me names and screaming madly as he threw things around my apartment. I told him to leave before I called the police.” Anya stopped and shivered.

“It’s okay sweetie. Take your time.” Buffy rubbed her hands.

“He grabbed me and threw me over the couch and began to punch me. He told me that he would make where no one would hire me or fuck me again. I just knew he was going to rape me.” Anya began to bawl as she lean over lying her head on Buffy’s shoulder.

“Did he?” Buffy asks as the pit of her stomach twists like a pretzel.

“NO, he didn’t get the chance. Luckily my land lord had heard his screaming and my screams for help and the police broke down the door and arrested him.” Anya finished as she slowly pulled off the glasses.

Buffy felt as if the wind had been knock out of her. Anya’s eyes were swollen and black and blue. He had beaten her face severely.

“Anya…oh Anya.” Buffy pulled her into her arms and held onto her tightly as Anya let out all the tears she had been holding onto through the whole ordeal.

“That bastard better pay for what he did to you.” Buffy glares angrily at the wall behind her as she squeezes Anya tighter against her.

“Well, the company learn of what he had done and they offered me his position in the company from keeping this from becoming public news. I told them to forget it. I signed a paper promising not to say anything against the company it’s self. But I did press charges on him. I pack up a suitcase and ask my landlord if she could sublease my apartment until all of this was settled. She agreed. She even offered to send me more stuff and then storage the rest.” Anya whimpered.

“That bastard.” Buffy looked into her eyes with a deep feel of hatred toward this Gary fellow that she would shoot him if he was in front of her at this moment.

“I know. I guess I learned a valuable lesson here. Don’t have sex with your boss.” Anya attempted to joke.

“Baby, it’s not your fault.” Buffy push her hair out of her face as she looked at her with a gentle smile on her face.

“So, let me guess, now you need a place to stay.” Buffy chuckled.

“Yes, could you handle one more friend?” Anya looked at her with a deep felt sadness that Buffy knew she wouldn’t turn her down.

“You know I could.” Buffy kisses her cheek and hands her another Kleenex.

“By the way why are you here?” Anya looked around the small office.

“I work here.” Buffy announces with a twisted smile.

“You work here. The one place you dreaded to come to the most and now you work here.” Anya frowns up at her.

“I know there is some irony to this.” Buffy agreed with a low laugh.

“It’s part time. It keeps me out of the house.” Buffy explains.

“Buffy, did you get that file…” Angel tapped on the door and had open it with out waiting for her to answer. When he saw her kneeling in front of a young lady whose face was horribly beaten he froze. He felt awkward.

“I’m sorry.” Angel said swiftly as he shut the door behind him.

“Who is he?” Anya asks curiously at the quick look at the hunk she saw.

“That my dear is my boss, the principal, and my neighbor.” Buffy states proudly.

“He is to be your boyfriend isn’t he.” Anya looks at her with a crooked smile.

“He will hopefully be something in my life. What I haven’t decided yet.” Buffy admits with a sheepish grin.

“Well, I will drive over to your house. I will let you get back to work.” Anya put the glasses back on and pick up her purse.

“Cordy is there so you shouldn’t have a problem getting in.” Buffy informed her as she reach out and hug her once more before she let her go.

“Thanks Buffy. I knew I could count on you.” Anya says with a weak smile.

“Always.” Buffy vows.

Anya leaves the office and flees to her car park out front.

A few minutes later Buffy hears a knock on her door.

With her head down on her desk she answers for them to come in.

“Buffy, I’m so sorry I didn’t knock earlier.” Angel apologizes and worries that something bad had happen. He could tell it had really cause Buffy to hurt too as she continue to lay her head face down on her desk.

“No problem.” Buffy replies.

“Do you need to take some time off before your appointments today?” Angel offers.

“No, I need to keep my mind off of this and focus on helping someone.” Buffy lifted her head up and smile at him.

“Are you sure?” Angel asks again.

“Yes, I am sure.” Buffy nods her head as she swallows the large lump that had form in her throat.

“Come by and see me before you leave today.” Angel asks her.

“Yes sir.” Buffy salutes him.

Angel chuckles before closing her door to give her some time alone before her students began coming in.

Chapter 16

Buffy ended up working longer than she had intended but she had got so engrossed with a few of her students that she just couldn’t leave things half done until she got all of the information she needed in order to start focusing on their real problems when they came back to see her next. She was truly enjoying this job. She knew that it was impossible to solve all the problems of a teenager but she hoped she helped at least half of the students who entered her office each day.

“Hey, I was coming to your office.” Buffy announced as she walked up on Angel who was helping a student put up a poster for the upcoming dance.

“Cool. Let me finish helping Farah here and I will meet you there.” Angel says as he climbs up the ladder to staple the top corners.

Buffy turn on her heels and headed in that direction. She saw that Harmony was packing up her things for the day.

“Wow you were here ALL day.” Harmony cries out astonish.

“Yeah, well I enjoy my job. Plus it’s nice not to need the money.” Buffy said with pleasure in her voice. She knew that Harmony was force to work to keep Daddy’s money flowing in.

“Must be.” Harmony mumbles under her breath as she grabs her purse and keys.

Angel heads toward them.

“Angel, I made sure I faxed those papers for you and also wanted to remind you that the birthday party is this Saturday.” Harmony said with a voice that sounded like honey.

“Oh yeah. I will have to pick up the girls when I come over. I need to call my sister and remind her.” Angel scratches his forehead.

“Good. I can’t wait to meet her.” Harmony smiled from ear to ear.

“Have a good night.” Angel answered as he grabbed Buffy’s arm and yank her into his office.

“What’s wrong?” Buffy laughs as she caught the nervous flinch on Angel’s face when he agreed to go to some party at Harmony’s.

“Harmony’s throwing her daughter a birthday party and she invited me so I could bring my nieces, which means my sister will come too. I’m not stupid. I know she hopes to get in good with my sister.” Angel shook his head with frustration on his face.

“Why does she want to get in good with your sister?” Buffy pretends to not understand what he is concern about.

“She hopes by doing this she will have a way to get to know me better and perhaps date me.” Angel states looking at her like she is stupid.

“Ohhh.” Buffy giggles.

“You knew that though didn’t you?” Angel glares at her.

“Yeah.” Buffy admits with a guilty smile.

“You enjoyed making me say it.” Angel replies with a crooked smile.

“Yeah.” Buffy admits again.

“Why me?” Angel asks out loud as he throws his arms up in the air.

“Why you?” Buffy asks now really clueless to what he is speaking about.

“Why does the dingy ones have to go after me? Why do women whom I would never consider for a wife want to date me?” Angel asks as her as if he needs the answer right away.

“Uh? Hello I hardly know you. So I wouldn’t be the best person to give you advice on that theory.” Buffy coughs nervously. She can’t believe he looks at his dates as possible wife material. She now understands why he must not date often.

“You think I’m strange because I date women that I feel worthy enough to marry.” Angel states rather than asks.

“Well…I mean… I can’ t really relate to that version of choosing a date. I just go with the flow. Like do I think he is cute, does make me laugh, or hell even would I mind waking up next to him? Those are the questions that usually pop up in my head when I consider answering a guy who asks me out.” Buffy confesses. She knows she must sound pretty lame compared to his theory.

“Really. You don’t think of the possibility that he might be THE one for you?” Angel asks with astonishment and curiosity.

“No. I have already told you that I am never the girl they marry. Remember.” Buffy reminds him of a conversation they shared on that topic.

“Still, I would think a woman at your age, successful, would be now looking for the perfect guy to make your life complete.” Angel states.

“A guy doesn’t make my life complete. I would be fine if I never got married.” Buffy answers proudly. She hated when people thought if they did not get married before the age of thirty they were doom to be alone for the rest of their lives or settle for something less than they wanted just to be married.

“You probably would.” Angel says with admiration in his eyes toward her.

“So why did you really need to see me today?” Buffy feels butterflies swimming in her stomach with the way he looks at her.

“Oh, yeah, I was going to ask if you would be a chaperone at the school dance. It is in two weeks.” Angel asks.

“Sure. Do I get to kick kids out if I catch them making out or drinking?” Buffy asks with a teasing tone.

“Nah, we have to call their parents to come pick them up.” Angel admits with a chuckle.

“Damn!” Buffy snaps her fingers in disappointment.

“You’re a character I swear.” Angel shakes his head as he smiles at her.

“So how is your friend?” Angel remembers the other reason he wanted to see her.

“She will be fine. She is at my house. Which reminds me. You will probably be seeing lots of different people coming in and out. Do not call the police even if they are scary looking.” Buffy warns him with a playful grin on her face.

“I noticed that the other morning when some guy came out to grab your morning paper.” Angel mentions with a nervous look on his face.

“Xander. You must mean Xander. Cause Lyndsey didn’t get the paper.” Buffy was thinking out loud to her herself.

Angel looks flabbergasted that she had two men in her home that night.

“What?” Buffy frowns at his look of sheer terror.

“I…I mean who you have over is your business.” Angel swallows hard.

“Uh?” Buffy senses he is thinking something else but want reveal to her.

“Come on say it. Please.” Buffy stares at him puzzled by what had caused him to look at her that way.

“I just didn’t know you were into that side of sex.” Angel shrugs his shoulders as he coughs.

“That side of sex?” Buffy still looks at him baffled.

“You know the whole threesome and orgy type of thing.” Angel says with beet red cheeks.

“WHAT! OH GOD NO!” Buffy screams out as she covers her eyes with the image of what he must have thought was going on between her, Xander and Lyndsey.

“I’m sorry if I misunderstood.” Angel pulls her hands away from her eyes, as she looks totally embarrassed.

“NO, it’s just that you see a bunch of us went out to a club and we had a designated driver who drop us all off at my house. Lyndsey is a friend of Xanders who slept on the couch. Xander slept with me. Only Xander.” Buffy explained. Then dawning on her that she might have made it even worse by confessing she was in bed with Xander.

“Oh so it was just you and Xander the paper guy.” Angel released her hands and stepped back.

“He slept in my bed. Fully dressed.” Buffy says slowly trying to make sure nothing else came out sounding wrong.

“We are just friends. OLD friends.” Buffy assures him as she steps closer to him.

“I see.” Angel sighed with relief.

“You almost sounded jealous there for a second.” Buffy taunted him as she smiled like the cat that ate the canary.

“Why would I be jealous?” He asks with an embarrassed smile.

“YOU WERE!” Buffy cries out victoriously.

“I was a bit. But I reminded myself that we hadn’t established a relationship that went further than friend, neighbor and co-worker.” Angel answered as he ran his hands through his hair nervously.

“But you didn’t like the thought of someone spending the night with me?” Buffy asks with a wicked smile.

“Would you if the shoe was on the other foot?” Angel decided two could play this game.

“I don’t know.” Buffy answers as she places her hands behind her back.

“What if I were to tell you that I was going to go to Harmony’s party with my sister cause I wanted her opinion on whether or not I should date her?” Angel asks knowing in his heart that would never happen.

“You wouldn’t.” Buffy called his bluff.

“I might.” Angel challenged her.

“Then I guess you would miss out on being with me while you were with her.” Buffy teased as licked her dry lips.

“How do I know that you even want me like that? I mean Harmony has made the message clear, you on the other hand haven’t really shown any interest in me like that.” Angel stepped closer as his eyes grew dark with passion.

Buffy could have sworn the room was growing hotter by the second.

“I..I..will admit that I am curious about you. I will also say that you fascinate me.” Buffy admits as she glanced away from his face.

“But?” Angel grabbed her chin and turns her face back toward him so he could look into her dark green eyes.

“I’m scared of having a relationship a man like you.” Buffy reveals honestly.

“What is wrong with me?” Angel looks at her with a nervous smile.

“Your so different. You’re like the perfect guy. Too perfect. That frightens me.” Buffy answers.

“I have flaws Buffy. I just don’t maybe flaunt them.” Angel chuckled.

“Then there is the fact that you are my boss.” Buffy reminded him as she shivered slightly remembering the incident in her office when Anya earlier that day.

“I would never let my professional and personal feelings be mixed.” Angel promised.

Buffy believed him. Still, something was holding her back from just letting go and taking the chance on this wonderful, gorgeous guy.

“How about we take one day at a time.” Buffy offered a truce.

“Only if you let me kiss you now.” Angel said huskily.

“Uh?” Buffy felt her head already starting to spin.

Angel couldn’t wait any longer. His hands wrapped around her waist pulling her up next to him. Then tilting her chin back he looked into her eyes before he lowered his head so his lips could make contact with hers. Sliding his tongue between her lips he open her mouth and began to explore the inside. His own heart was pacing a mile a second as he tasted her, touch her, and felt himself hardening from just a mere kiss from this woman. He had never experience anything this remotely seductive in all of his life.

Buffy’s hands slid up his chest to wrap around his neck pulling him closer to her as she moaned into his open mouth. His own hands slid up and down her back until they landed on her ass. He began to squeeze each cheek as he pushes her pelvic up against his. Their bodies were grinding up against one another as the kiss started to cause them both to feel as if they would burst into flames at any second.

It was Angel’s phone ringing that broke the moment of passion between them. Buffy pulled away and panted for air. While Angel just stood there staring at her with a mystifying gaze. Buffy lick her lips, tasting where his had just been.

“I need to run. Call me later.” Buffy smiled slightly as she raced out of the office.

Angel just stood there staring at the door allowing the phone to continue to ring unanswered. He was speechless. He was feeling such a strong current of emotions that if he had been a girl he would have swore he would be weeping at this second. Then a cocky smile pops up on his face. She liked him too. The kiss told him that she was very interest in him. She was just scared of having a possible relationship that might just end up differently than all the rest. He could completely relate to that fear. Cause right at this moment he felt as if his head was on backwards. He was falling in love with the most intriguing woman he had ever known.

Chapter 17

The girls had all intervened at Buffy’s house that night. Each of the other three girls trying to soothe Anya’s pain and embarrassment. They were all furious that Gary had hurt her like that. They all agreed they would shoot him if he tried to get even a mile near her.

“I don’t think he even knows about this town. I can’t remember really mentioning it.” Anya said as she sipped on a fresh martini that Cordelia had made for her.

“Men! I swear I have had my fill of them.” Cordelia growled as she sat down on the sofa next to Anya with her fresh drink.

“It seemed you were doing okay with Lyndsey the last time I saw you two.” Willow teased her.

“Lyndsey who?” Cordelia rolled her eyes.

“He hasn’t called yet.” Buffy told Willow.

“OH.” Willow said with understanding.

“It’s not like we hit it off or anything or like he was my soul mate the second I laid eyes on him.” Cordelia rolled her eyes at the both of them.

“Mentioning soul mates, tell me more about our sexy neighbor and your boss.” Anya glanced at Buffy who had chosen beer for her taste for the night.

“Angel. He is sweet. He is a great guy. I don’t know he just really frightens the hell out of me.” Buffy shivered at the memory of the kiss they shared earlier.

“Frighten as in he is a stalker type or frighten as in he is everything you could want?” Cordelia asks.

“Everything you could want. I mean he is perfect. Too damn perfect. He told me that he has flaws he just doesn’t flaunt them.” Buffy revealed to them.

“When did you two have such a profound conversation?” Willow asks as she notices the soft blush on Buffy’s cheek.

“Today before I left work. He was teasing me because Harmony had invited him and his sister over to her daughter’s birthday party this Saturday. He told me he knew that Harmony wanted to get close to his sister so she might win him over.” Buffy answered them.

“Harmony? Our Harmony?” Cordelia looked pale at the memory of her friendship with Harmony.

“Yeah, your little groupie got married and divorced. She has a daughter whom she lives with her daddy. Daddy is making her work in order to keep her credit line going.” Buffy informed her with a smug smile.

“No shit!” Cordelia burst into laughter.

After Cordelia’s father was sentence to prison for Tax fraud Harmony was one of the first friends to snub her. It seems rather ironic that she was still living off of her father’s money.

“Yep! She is the school’s receptionist. She seems to have the hots for Angel. Luckily, the man is more into the mind than the body of a woman.” Buffy said with relief.

“Why is he wanting you then?” Anya joked for the first time that day.

“Because he can have both with me.” Buffy answered with a conceited look.

“Oh yeah.” The other three pretended to believe her as they all burst into laughter.

“So it seems that I now have two women who live in my home unemployed. What am I too do Willow?” Buffy asks while she watches the other two out of the side of her eye.

“I would hope that your house is completely clean, the lawn mowed and you should have dinner ready every day you come home.” Willow answered.

“Your right. Girls you know if you don’t plan on working for a living then you will need to work for me, here at the house.” Buffy turns to them with a serious look.

“What?” Both unemployed women cried out.

“No seriously, you two ought to do something together. I mean, Cordy you said you didn’t want to design clothes and Anya here is a smart investor. Maybe you can come up with your own business.” Buffy suggested off the top of her head.

The other three glanced at one another then back at Buffy with an odd look in their eyes.

“What do I have a booger hanging out of my nose?” Buffy asks nervously.

“No. I think we were just thinking that you might be onto something.” Anya answered as ideals began to flood her head.

“Maybe all four of us can invest in it. I mean, Buffy and I could be like silent partners to help get your funds started.” Willow offered.

Buffy stared at Willow with a frown before looking at the other two women.

“That wouldn’t be a bad ideal.” Cordelia agreed as she got up to make her self another drink.

“What could we all agree all?” Buffy reminded them that they each were different in the creative and business department.

“I’m not sure but we could make out lists of things we might be interested in doing and then we check the market for demands on these things. The one with the highest demand here in Sunnydale would of course be the most sensible choice. How ever it would have be something that we have prior experience in.” Anya thought out loud.

“I’m getting another beer while you three figure out all of this. You know me I hate the business world. I would rather write about fantasy than me stuck in a office trying to put numbers together.” Buffy stated as she left the room while the other three got excited at the prospect of owning their own small business.

Buffy open the fridge and grab a beer. Closing the fridge she heard a sound coming from next-door’s garage. She opens the back door to see Angel in his garage with his shirt off. It appeared he was doing some sort of mechanic work on the motorcycle. Buffy felt her head starting to spin again. It was a constant thing she did whenever she saw him.

“Hey!” Buffy called out as she headed toward his garage.

“Was I too loud?” Angel asks as he revs up the motor to listen to it. It was purring like a pussycat and that made him happy.

“Nah. I was in the kitchen grabbing me another beer when I heard you. What are you doing?” Buffy asks curiously as she spies the black oil on his hands.

“I was giving her a over due tune up. I know that if my sister comes by and she isn’t sounding the way she should, she will literally hit me over the head. This thing was her baby.” Angel explained with a grave face.

“Damn, I can’t wait to meet this sister of yours. She sounds incredible.” Buffy declares.

“So you now want to meet her too?” Angel teases her.

“Uh?” Buffy frowns and then turns red with embarrassment as she remembers his theory on why Harmony wanted to meet his sister.

“If she is ever over here sure.” Buffy swallowed hard.

“So what is going on over there?” Angel asks as he looks at the car full in the driveway.

“We are having a girls night. Anya and Cordelia are my two new roommates. Willow is visiting us. We use to get together every Sunday at this cozy little club in L.A. where we would meet every Sunday. It seems the new location now will be my house.” Buffy replies happily.

“The four of you must be pretty close.” Angel pointed out.

“Yeah, we didn’t always get along but we stayed together.” Buffy admits.

“Sounds great to have friends like that.” Angel answered with a sting of envy in his voice.

“What about your friends? I never see any burly looking guys over here?” Buffy says.

“You’re watching my house?” Angel asks with a crooked smile.

“NO. Obviously we know its you who stalk me. I mean you knew that there was a man over at my house.” Buffy teased him back.

“Touché. Most of my friends have gotten married or moved out of state.” He admits.

“I see. Well, you should hang out with us. I have a few male friends as you already know.” Buffy offers.

“I might do that.” Angel answers.

“Well, I should get back before the girls come looking for me.” Buffy answers as she smiles tenderly at him.

“I guess so.” Angel agrees verbally but his body is arguing with him over that fact.

“Bye.” Buffy bite down on her lip and then forces her body to move back toward the house.

“Bye.” Angel calls out although his head is screaming to call her back.

Buffy goes into the house and heads back to the living room where it was apparent that none of the girls had noticed she had been gone longer than necessary to get a beer. She was relieved.

“Let me write all of this down. Like I said we have to do a bit of research on the market as well as the location and cost of real estate.” Anya was explaining to them as they began to throw out some ideals to her.

Buffy just drank her beer and stay silent as she thought of what she was going to wear tomorrow for work. She didn’t want to drive him completely insane but she did want him to know that she wanted him to see how much she wanted him in the worst way possible.

Chapter 18

Willow had called Xander the next day to remind him that Oz was going to be in town and of course he had sent them all tickets to the concert. She also wanted to remind him if it was possible they would be going back to Buffy’s for a small get together. Xander was thrilled at the thought of seeing Oz after all these years. He was the one guy that Xander could actually like and not envy while in High School.

“So why is Cordy and Anya now living with Buffy?” Xander asks as he looks over the new sketches for the new bank they are building in Westwood.

“Well, according to Cordy she hates designing and well Anya….you would have to go by and see her to understand.” Willow bit down on the top of her pen to prevent her self from revealing everything to him. She wasn’t sure if Anya wanted him to know all the details or not. She didn’t want to be accuse of running her mouth.

“Cool. I need to go by and check on the leak in Buffy’s basement anyway. She said she swears the damn pipes are going to explode any day now.” Xander laughs.

“Okay. Well, just don’t forget about our plans this Saturday night.” Willow warns him.

“Are we like supposed to bring dates or anything?” Xander thought at the last second.

“You can if you want.” Willow answered with a frown.

“Okay. See you later.” Xander turn off his cell phone as he looked over the sketch one more time before turning it in with his approval on it.

----------------------------------------------------

Anya didn’t think much about it when the doorbell rang she open the door. Standing in the door way was her prom date. Xander Harris. The one guy who she never understood nor did she want to.

“Xander!” Anya cried out happily and threw her arms around him. Then suddenly it dawn on her how horrible her face look and she pulled away from him putting her hands partially over her face.

“What the fuck happen?” Xander demanded as he yanks her hand away from her face.

“I had a slight problem with my boss. He got fired because I told the truth about us having sex. He didn’t like me being honest.” Anya gave him the short version.

“I’ll kill the son of a bitch.” Xander growled.

“It’s okay. He is in jail.” Anya tried to calm him down. She liked hearing him sound so protective over her. She couldn’t remember the last time she ever heard a guy speak that way toward her.

“So this is why you are here?” Xander understood as he put his hands in his pockets.

“Yeah. The company offered me his job. Can you believe that?” Anya laughed sarcastically.

“I told them no thanks. They paid me for the rest of the year and allowed me to keep all of my other benefits as long as I didn’t take it public.” Anya admitted.

“I’m glad to hear you press charges against the asshole who did this to you.” Xander looked at her soothingly.

“Thanks Xander. So why are you here?” Anya asks as she changes the uncomfortable subject.

“I came by to check on the pipes in the basement. Buffy told me the other morning that she swears they are going to burst.” Xander explained.

“Go ahead take a look. How about I fix you something to drink?” Anya offered.

“A glass of ice tea would be great.” Xander replied as he headed down the basement.

Anya thought about the time she has spent with Xander. Not once did he ever show any sexual interest in her and it had insulted her. She knew that he once hit on Cordelia and that he had dated Buffy but not once had he attempted to sleep with her. She was easy too. What was it about her that turn him off she wondered? She knew she sounded crazy and a bit sluttish but there was no man she had not been able to seduce. Xander was the only one who seems to be immune to her body. She used to think it was due to his love for Buffy. Now that they were older she knew it had to be more than that reason.

Xander came back up sighing.

“She is going to need a complete new job. I’m serious. You would think the pipes were made before the house was ever dreamed of being built.” Xander swore as he took the glass of tea from her.

“Really. Sounds expensive.” Anya frowns.

“I don’t know with you two living with her now I don’t see that as being a problem.” Xander teases her.

“I have some savings that I guess I could put in toward it. I mean I might be here awhile before I find my own place.” Anya thought out loud.

“I hate that your back here under these circumstances but I’m glad your back. I have missed you.” Xander informed her as he set his empty glass down. Anya picks it up and refilled it for him.

“Really? What did you miss?” Anya asks curiously as she chews on a fingernail watching his face closely.

Xander notices that something odd is going through her head. Then of course he never could understand her out of the four girls. She was blunt but so was Cordelia, she was smart, but so was Willow, she was pretty, but so was Buffy, but there was something just a tab more unique about her that he couldn’t put his finger on.

“I don’t know exactly. I just missed the four of you together. I guess.” Xander answers with a frown.

“So you didn’t really miss just ME. You missed all of your friends.” Anya said with a painful glance away.

“Are you feeling okay? I mean are you taking something for the pain?” Xander asks.

“I’m fine.” Anya chuckles as she stands up feeling her head began to spin suddenly.

“Anya are you sure?” Xander notes the sudden paleness to her bruised face and the slight stagger of her standing.

“Maybe.” Anya whispers just as she begins to black out.

Xander jumps down to the floor to check her pulse. She had landed pretty hard on the floor before he could get to her.

“Anya. Anya.” Xander pats the side of her head to try and wake her up. He suspects she just fainted but he fears he could be dead wrong.

“Anya, darling, wake up.” Xander starts to feel pure panic course through his veins.

“Shit!” Xander lies her back down and opens his cell phone and begins to dial 911. They tell him they are on their way.

Xander is still holding her head on his lap when the paramedics come in through the back door like he had instructed them to do. They check her pulse and tell him she is still alive but they need to get her to the hospital to see why she is out cold. Then as they stare at the bruising on her face they look angrily toward Xander.

“She was beaten up by a boss that she help get fired. I swear I didn’t lay a hand on her. The guy is in jail right now. When she wakes up she will tell you that.” Xander states firmly as he understands why they would suspect him of committing such an act when he was there with her knock out.

“Anyone who needs to be called I would do it now.” The first paramedic informed him.

“Why?” Xander looked frighten.

“Just in case.” The guy answered gently as they began to carry her out of the house.

Xander ran his hands through his hair feeling as if he would faint now. Picking up his cell phone he began to dial Willow’s cell and was force to leave a message on it. Then he called Buffy’s work number and she agreed she would meet him at the hospital right way. Just as he was heading out the door Cordelia came walking in with a sack full of groceries.

“What’s going on?” Cordelia sees the fear in his eyes.

“I came over to check the pipes in the basement when Anya passed out. The paramedics took her up to the hospital. Buffy is meeting me there.” Xander explained in a hurry.

“Let me go.” Cordelia rush into the kitchen and threw the bags of food in the fridge unpack and then fled out the door with Xander.

Chapter 19

“The Doctor said she was just really dehydrated and he fears she might experience some anxiety attacks after I explained the whole ordeal. He gave me some prescriptions for her and told me to have her follow up with a psychiatrist. He says we can pick her up in the morning. She needs to get some rest.” Buffy explained to Xander and Cordelia.

“So she will be fine.” Xander said out loud as he sighed heavily.

“Yes, she is fine. Come on lets go home and fix some dinner. I’ll have the florist send some flowers to the house tomorrow to put her in a good mood. If I know Anya she is going to be pretty embarrassed about the whole ordeal.” Buffy suggested as she led them out of the hospital.

Buffy had been Anya’s next of contact and that was luckily how they were able to learn of her condition. Buffy was amazed by this little discovery when they called her cell phone right after Xander told her that she was on the way to the hospital. Buffy felt honored that Anya had considered her like next to kin.

“So tell me about those pipes.” Buffy starts up the conversation as they sit at the table trying to eat their dinner with out worrying about Anya.

“You will need them all replaced as I was telling Anya. She offers to help out with the expense.” Xander stated with a sad look in his eyes.

“Okay see that just goes to prove she wasn’t feeling well.” Cordelia jokes.

Anya was quite greedy with her money. She was a firm believer in her savings account. It was sacred to her. She never wanted to go hungry again. Her family had not been the wealthiest of families but they were exactly dirt poor but in Anya’s mind they might as well been.

“I think it is the fact that I open my home to her so easily that caused the unusual charitable offer.” Buffy answered with a humorous smile.

“So tell me I heard a strange rumor about you missy.” Xander thought all of a sudden as he looks toward Buffy.

“Ask away. I will tell no lies.” Buffy says as she takes another bite of her salad.

“I heard that you have a boss that seems to like you a little more than he should.” Xander reported.

“Angel? Oh, I guess the gossiper didn’t tell you that he happens to live next door too.” Buffy informed Xander with a devious smile.

“The guy on the Harley is the High School Principal?” Xander exclaimed.

“Yep.” Buffy grin.

“He is pretty hot too.” Cordelia puts in her two cents worth.

“An how would you know?” Buffy asks her curiously.

“Hey I look out of windows and I do leave the house from time to time.” Cordelia reminds her.

“Oh yeah. He is gorgeous.” Buffy admits with pride.

“Did you not learn anything in college? You never and I repeat never date the boss.” Xander rolls his eyes at the girls.

Buffy and Cordelia share a awful look as they were reminded of Anya and her situation with her boss. Which was not entirely the same position Buffy was in but it could be consider pretty damn close. Except he wasn’t black mailing her into dating him nor was he not allowed to date her.

“What was that look about?” Xander asks curiously.

“Nothing. Just that who I see and who I work with is my business.” Buffy says firmly as she gets up from the table.

“I know that. I’m not trying to sound like a jealous ex boyfriend, I’m trying to sound like a friend who wants to warn you.” Xander replies earnestly.

“You know, I always wondered why you and Willow never got together?” Buffy thinks out loud at how the two of them gave her the same speech this week.

“What does that mean?” Xander looks at her with a hurtful frown.

“Nothing. Just erase it from your memory.” Buffy waves her hand as she walks pass him.

Xander looks at Cordelia who is quietly chewing on her salad.

“What is going on? You girls are keeping stuff from me. I mean, why are you really here?” Xander asks with a inquisitive grin.

“Look, Xander, we are not in High School anymore. Sometimes it is better to have a problem and work it out on our own.” Cordelia answered with a sigh as she got up and went to the kitchen.

Xander sat there in the dining room wondering when did things start getting so complicated for them? Why did the girls not trust him enough to discuss their problems? Was this a you’re a guy and you can’t possibly understand things or were they just pushing him away? He got up from the table and left his plate where it set and left the house.

When the girls return with a cup of coffee for him they saw he had left without saying a word to them.

“What happen while I was gone?” Buffy frowns as she glances over at Cordelia.

“He is getting his feelings hurt because we are not revealing everything about out lives to him anymore and that we are trying to fix our own problems with out his help. I think he doesn’t like the away our lives are changing and he is unaware of those changes by our own mouths. You know?” Cordelia asks.

“Yeah, I think so. WE need to make sure we start letting him into some of the stuff we endure. I don’t want him to ever feel like we don’t need him anymore. I just don’t want him to get too close to me.” Buffy answers as she turns around to head back to the kitchen to pour out his cup of coffee.

Cordelia understood why Buffy was keeping secrets from him but she wasn’t sure why the rest of them were? Maybe it was the fact that they had all been burn recently by men and he fell under that category of GUY. Even though he wasn’t the sort of guy that would hurt them they still perhaps resented him for being in that gender. Cordelia looked at her chip nail and cursed under her breath. She was going to have a hard time finding someone who could do her nails like Lei did.

Chapter 20

Lyndsey set in his dining room staring at the four walls around him. It felt so strange to be eating alone. He wondered if he would ever get used to it again? He knew he didn’t have to but he still felt like he was married. It was hard for him to concept the fact that he was a single bachelor out in the world again. He preferred the married guy who had the perfect wife and almost perfect family. Instead here he was miles away from home. Their home.

Lyndsey thought of his new friends he had made through Xander. He liked Xander. Xander was one of the guys you just couldn’t hate. He was honest, friendly, and pretty much straight up with you. Then there was Cordelia. She was amazing. She was one of those girls he wanted to date when he was in High School. Instead he stood quietly in the background because he was just too damn shy. Then he met Lillian. Lillian was outgoing and fun. She was like a fresh air of spring. She was the one who brought out the best in him. She had supported his college years and helped him believe in him self so that he was able to succeed not only in his classes but also later in his career.

Cordelia was a darker version than Lily but she had that attitude that he found appealing. The kind that said I don’t care what you think I’m going to have fun with or with out you. She was a leader not a follower just like his Lily. Lily was gone however. Cordelia was here. What did that mean he asked himself? He knew that if his mother met Cordelia she would faint. Cordelia was one of those girls she would consider a brazen hussy.

Lyndsey had come from a small Christian family. They didn’t really like his choice in careers. Because all they had seen in Lawyers were crooks with fancy suits. Lily how ever had soften them over to accepting his choice of work by explaining that he was helping people make sure they weren’t getting robbed blind. That had appeased them enough to keep them off his back and not telling him so many lawyers’ jokes.

When Lily died it not only hurt him but also it had hurt his entire family. The adored her. They knew she was good for him and that she would protect him from all harm. She did. He had a nervous break down shortly after they had buried her and his unborn son. Seeing the way everyone kept looking at him like “How will he go on with out her?” looks had drove him insane. He started to think that no one had any confidence in him. That with out Lily they all believed he was doom for the rest of his life. He couldn’t get past the grieving because they wouldn’t let him. It had killed his parents when he lost his job and then informed them he was moving. They had begged and pleaded with him to reconsider and even had the balls to ask him “what would Lily want you to do” question.

It had been the final draw. He was a grown man who could make his own decisions. Sure, Lily, had help steer him in the right direction, sure she had supported him and most of all she had loved him even when he failed. That was the beauty of her love for him. She totally believed in her vows, for better or worse. Yet here was his own family who acted as if he was not capable of even washing his own clothes. It drove him crazy. He knew deep in his heart that Lily wanted him to move on. He also knew that she would want him to be happy and successful with what ever he chose to do with his life or live it.

He knew his parents would hold their grudge and he would just have to accept it. He was single now. True. He was no longer a part of another half of someone. True. He did not get the child he wished for with his wife. True. How ever he was alive and he had to act like it. She would have he told himself. She would have hated it but she would have done the same thing he was doing now. He would not let his parents make him feel guilty for living while she was dead. He knew it would hurt her more if he had continued living that way then the way he was now.

With that last thought he pick up the phone and dial Cordelia’s number. It couldn’t hurt to have a date with her. He wouldn’t compare her to Lily nor would he expect her to understand his relationship with Lily or his parents but he would have some damn good fun.

“Hello.” Buffy answered the phone.

“Hi, Buffy?” Lyndsey asks.

“It’s her.” Buffy agreed.

“Hi, it’s Lyndsey. Is Cordelia busy?” Lyndsey asks nervously as he keeps telling himself to stay cool and calm.

“She sure is. Just a second.” Buffy answered excitedly as she rush up the stairs and burst open Cordy’s door.

“Pick up the phone.” Buffy whispered as she held up the phone that she had her hand partially covering.

“Uh?” Cordelia looked at her like she was a crazed lunatic.

Buffy sighed then with a grunt.

“Lyndsey she is here. Just a second while she picks up the other phone.” Buffy glared at her.

“OH.” Cordelia mouth the word as she picks up her phone.

“Hello.” Cordelia replied.

Buffy stood there watching. Cordelia gave her a nasty look. Buffy realized she probably wanted some privacy. Hanging up her phone she shut the bedroom door and went back downstairs.

Buffy was pleased to see that Lyndsey had called Cordelia even if it had been several days since they had first met. She was starting to grow worried about Cordelia since she moved in. She never mentions a guy’s name or even a potential guy that she might like. It just wasn’t natural for Cordelia to not want a man in her life. She paraded them around like trophies, which was humorous now that they no longer competed for the same guys.

Chapter 21

Willow had cover over bringing some calming herbal tea for Anya a long with a sweet floral arrangement. Once she saw that Anya was truly well she yanks Buffy out to the back yard for some privacy.

“I know this sounds selfish but since this whole Anya sick scene went down I haven’t a chance to tell you about my lunch date with Wesley.” Willow exclaimed.

Buffy thought how Willow reminded her of a balloon about to pop.

“Go on.” Buffy encouraged as she gave Willow her full attention.

“Well, I got there first and I ordered my usual lunch and he came in and ordered slightly the same thing as me and then came to sit with me.” Willow giggles as she leans in closer toward Buffy.

“Anyway, he tells me about how he went over all these different employee profiles before he chose me as his lab partner. We started to discuss the project which I can’t tell you about it.” Willow smile apologetic before continuing.

“So then one of the guys that he normally works with stops by and says Hi to Wesley and asks if he ever got those Dingoes tickets. Wesley admits he tried but the place is sold out. So I see my opportunity and I tell him that I use to date the guy who plays the guitar with the Dingoes. At first he looked at me like I was lying.” Willow looks angry at the memory of the way she had felt insulted by his particular look.

“Anyway I told him that I have back stage passes and all of us were going. I invited to go with me if he liked. He asks why I wasn’t taking a date and I admitted that with work I rarely have time to meet guys or date for that matter. He told me he could so relate to that problem. Anyway he accepted the offer. He is going to meet in the front of the Bronze. Isn’t that sooo cool?” Willow squealed like a teenager.

“Okay. Willow remember we are adults now.” Buffy teased her as she smiled happily for her friend.

“I know. Still, do you know how long it has been since I’ve had a date or even sex for that matter?” Willow whined.

Buffy put her hands over ears.

“We are not going there.” Buffy said as she closed her eyes along with her ears.

Willow laughed as she pulled Buffy’s hand off of her ears.

“Seriously. I was starting to fear I wasn’t attractive anymore.” Willow confessed.

“Willow you are gorgeous. You just don’t give off the vibe you want to date. Hell, there for awhile I was starting to wonder if you spent too much time with your old room mate Tara?” Buffy confessed as she stared seriously at Willow.

“OH! Tara was sweet but trust me I would rather be BI than just straight lesbian.” Willow teased her.

“You know what that really scares me because I could see that kinky side of you.” Buffy giggled.

“Thanks.” Willow rolled her eyes.

“So lets see, you and Wesley are going, Angel and I are going and I bet Cordelia takes Lyndsey.” Buffy bites down on her lips with excitement that all three of them would have dates.

“Hold up. Lyndsey finally called Cordelia.” Willow gasps.

“Yep. She invited him to the concert. He was hyped about it. Now we just have to figure out away to get Anya to go with us.” Buffy suddenly thought about their fourth girlfriend as she looked up at her bedroom window.

“She isn’t going to be up to no blind date type of thing.” Willow warns her.

“Hey! I know. Xander. Xander is going and that way he won’t feel like a fifth wheel. Plus he is getting on my nerves the way he lectures me lately.” Buffy frowns with a frustrated look.

“What do you mean? Xander and the word lecture are never in the same sentence. Hell, I don’t think he can even spell the word.” Willow joked.

“Seriously. Someone gossip to him about Angel and me. At he time he lecture me about dating my boss. Then when I informed him that Angel was the guy next door he really flips a wig. I told him to just shut up and leave me alone.” Buffy replies.

“Oh Buffy. That was so mean. You know you did lead him on to believe he had a chance with you.” Willow reminds her of the two outings they shared recently, with the last one ending him up in her bed. Sure there was no sex or intimacy shared but Willow knew that wouldn’t stop Xander from believing he had a shot.

“I did not. Besides I told him that you two should date since you both have a tendency to lecture me lately.” Buffy frown.

“You know you did push me and Angel closer.” Buffy reminds her of the part she played in pushing Buffy into getting the job.

“I didn’t tell you to date your boss.” Willow cries out defensively.

“NO but it gave us more time to get to know one another.” Buffy states firmly.

“What ever. Look, let me talk to Xander about asking Anya to the concert. Right now I don’t think he would listen to anything you said.” Willow shakes her head at her.

“What ever.” Buffy replies with a bad valley girl accent.

Chapter 22

The night of the concert had at last came upon them and they were all excited. Not just about their dates but to see Oz after all these years. They got there about a half hour early so they could meet with him back stage.

“The gang.” Oz said solemnly as he stared at the small gathering in his room.

“Yep.” Willow smiled warmly at her ex and only lover.

“Wow.” Oz stated, as he looked at how much everyone had changed.

“Still a man with small sentences.” Xander joked.

Oz and Xander hugged first while the girls began to take turns hugging him as well. Wesley, Angel, and Lyndsey were all stunned to see that this group of people really knew Oz.

“So who are they?” Oz pointed to the newbies who looked like they were about to piss their pants at the sight of him and the rest of the band. He knew that look cause he had seen it many nights since they became popular.

“Oh, Oz, this is my new neighbor and the High School Principal of Sunnydale High, Angel.” Buffy grabbed Angel and pulled him to stand in front of Oz.

“I..i..” Angel was speechless.

“I like him.” Oz said as he smiled.

“Sorry. Normally I’m more articulate than this. I just couldn’t believe that Buffy really knew you.” He confessed with admiration in his eyes.

“Yep. They all know me.” Oz confirm with a knowing grin toward the gang.

“My turn. Oz, this is Lyndsey. He too is a big fan of yours.” Cordelia pushes past the other couple to place Lyndsey before Oz.

“A lawyer.” Oz said as he smiles awkwardly at the guy.

“Yeah, how did you know?” Lyndsey asks with a slight embarrassed look.

“Trust me in this business you can smell them.” Oz joked with him.

“OH.” Lyndsey smiled back.

Oz shook his hand and then looked past them to the last man who had yet to be introduced to him. Something told him that this guy was with Willow. It still hurt him to think she might have moved on with out him. He couldn’t blame her it was exactly what he had asked her to do.

“Oz, this is Wesley. He is a co-worker.” Willow said as she gulps hard.

“Nice to meet you Wesley.” Oz said with an awkward smile.

“It’s a great pleasure to meet you.” Wesley replies as he shakes his hand.

Willow and Oz just stared silently at one another for a second before there is a knock on the door to let Oz know the rest of the band is getting ready to go on stage.

“Hey I will catch up with you guys after the gig.” Oz calls out as he picks up his guitar.

“You bet. Lets go before someone tries to steal our seats.” Xander said as the rest of the group began to pour out of the room.

Oz grabbed Willow back as they others were heading down the hallway and toward the club.

“Co-worker?” Oz asks with a curious smile.

“Yeah.” Willow admits with a frown.

“But you want more.” Oz states.

“I want something.” Willow admits with an uncomfortable blush.

“I’ve missed you. I know it’s not fair to say it but it’s true.” Oz tells her as he rubs her cheek with the backside of his hand.

Willow feels her stomach knotting up at the familiar touch of his hand and the way she can feel his body heat through his clothes and hers.

“I know. I have missed you too.” Willow admits as she licks her dry lips.

“I will see ya later?” Oz asks rather than state like he did with the others.

“Sure.” Willow agrees with a weak smile and a pair of weak knees to go with it.

Willow forces her legs to move forward and walk past him and head to the club where the others would be looking for her soon.

It took her a few minutes to find them in the crowded dim room. When she approached she noticed that Wesley was sitting on the edge of the outside of the booth putting her on the other side of the booth. Willow wanted to be down about it but knowing Oz was about to come on stage ease the blow to her ego and heart.

The Dingoes began to play and the crowd went wild. With each song they played the more memories that flooded Willow’s mind. Her heart began to ache as she allowed herself to go down that “What if” road that she knew would have the same ending. She wanted to finish college and he wanted to go on the road. It was simple as that. No hurt feelings. There had been no real drama with their break up. It was that fact that made it so much harder to get past for Willow. She had no reason to hate Oz. He had been her first lover. Her first true love. He was once what she thought of as her soul mate. Time had changed that view but her heart still felt the same way.

Once the band finished most of the crowd headed out to the back of the club hoping for autographs as the band left. The DJ began to play music for the final hour and half of the night. Willow had caught Angel rubbing Buffy’s hand while the band was playing and she saw the way Anya had laid her head against Xander’s shoulder. Cordelia and Lyndsey had seem content and relaxed. While Wesley was the only one who seemed tense. The gang decided to get up and make a bathroom run which left her and Wesley alone at the table.

“I hope you enjoyed the concert.” Willow said casually as she fidgeted with her napkin.

“It was incredible. I must admit I thought you were pulling my leg about knowing Oz and all. He seems like a nice fellow.” Wesley comments as he coughs nervously.

“He is.” Willow agrees as she smiles warmly.

“He was your ex.” Wesley states with nervous glance around the room.

“Yes. We chose different paths.” Willow answered, as she looks straight at him with out any doubts about her choice.

“How long did it take to get past him?” Wesley asks curiously.

“Never. I mean, I will never forget him. I will never look back and regret. I look forward to falling in love again and knowing that the next time has to be even better.” Willow says wisely.

“What do you mean has to be even better?” Wesley frowns as his eyes sparkle with curiosity.

“Oz and I shared first love. True love. I’m a grown woman and I am waiting for the real thing. You know the kind of love that makes you feel complete inside. My soul mate.” Willow stated bravely.

“Really. Interesting theory.” Wesley smiled at her as his eyes showed her he was intrigue by her this theory and her.

“Thanks.” Willow smile shyly.

Wesley’s alarm went off on his cell phone.

“I’m afraid I must leave. Early morning appointment.” He explained. His eyes showed he was disappointed that he had to leave now that they were just starting to get to know one another.

“Thank you for the invite and the introduction. I guess I will see you on Monday morning.” Wesley says with a nervous twitch in his hand as he stretches it out for a handshake.

Willow looks at his hand and then at him wearing a frown.

Taking his hand she shakes it and puts on the fakest smile she could muster.

“See ya Monday.” Willow shook her head in agreement as he let her hand go and walked away from her.

“Yep, Monday at the office.” Willow mumbled under her breath.

“I see you still talk to yourself.” Oz says as he walks up behind her.

Willow jumps slightly and then turns giving him a small punch in the arm.

“You know I hate when you do that.” Willow reminds him.

“Yeah, well you know some habits are hard to stop.” Oz smiles guilty.

“Where are the others?” Oz looks around for the rest of the gang.

“I believe they went for the bathroom and drinks.” Willow answered.

“How about we dance then before they take up all my time?” Oz asks as he holds out his hand. Willow notes the irony that this is the second guy for the evening to extend their hand to her. Except this time she smiles genuinely at the man before her as she lets him lead her to the dance floor.

Chapter 23

Willow and Oz held each other tightly as the DJ announced that this next song was a dedication.

“Willow, this one goes out to you. Oz says he wishes that it could have been different. What I liked Best by Cyndi Thomson.” The DJ announced as the music began to blare from the surround sound.

Willow looked flabbergasted by the dedication from Oz. Both knew that there was no chance of a relationship between them. All they had was this moment and this night. Willow listens to the words of the song and knew she wasn’t going home alone tonight.

Where do I start?

Lying on a blanket underneath the stars

With your head on my chest

I always liked that best

I hate how times flies

I still think back sometimes

'Bout your lips on my neck

I always liked that best

That time we took a ride

Ended up down by the river side

Soft touch wet kiss

I always liked that best

I like the way you used to hold me

I like the way you came to know me

You came to know me well ,well ,well

Falling to sleep

Wearing your shirt 'cause it smelled so sweet

Who could forget?

I always liked that best

Or losing my heart every time you sang to me on your guitar

"Lady in Red"

I always liked that best

I like the way you used to hold me

I like the way you came to know me

You came to know me well, well, well

I could go on

So many things I miss now that you're gone

Your love oh yes

I always liked that best

Willow remembered it had been the song she had dedicated to him one night about a month or so after he had left town with the band. She was shocked that he had heard her dedication. She was sure he was half away across the country she called that in.

“I heard it.” Oz smiled knowing her thoughts.

“Obviously.” Willow bit down on her lip as tears stung her eyes.

“Don’t cry baby.” Oz pushes her head down on his shoulder as he whispers in her ear that he wanted to take her home tonight and make love to her. Willow looked up at him with a face that glowed.

“Sounds lovely.” Willow agreed as she thought about how this might be the last time they would ever make love again.

“Uh, what about the gang?” Willow thought suddenly as she felt Oz getting ready to yank her out of the club.

“Shit!” Oz chuckled as he considered their feelings.

“I will give them T-shirts and invite them over for brunch in the morning before we head out.” Oz suggested.

“Throw in some free cd’s and I think that should appeased them.” Willow giggled as they snuck out of the club and into the parking lot where they located her car and headed to his hotel.

Chapter 24

Buffy had spotted the situation from where she sat next to Angel. Smiling to herself she knew what had just happen. They had been ditched. Oz and Willow had snuck out for a night of lovemaking. She was pleased for them both. She knew how hard it had been for them both to be honest with each other about their dreams and parted ways to make them come true with out one another.

She had also noticed how coldish Wesley had appeared most of the night. She still wasn’t sure what Willow saw in that Brit but she wasn’t about to argue with the girl’s heart.

“Hey where did Oz and Willow go?” Xander asks.

“Did I hear a dedication from Oz to Willow?” Anya walks up behind him asking sipping on her mix drink.

“Yeah, I believe those two snuck out on us. Don’t worry when we get home there will be a message from him. He will make it up. He always did.” Buffy reminded them as they all shared a fond memory of the old days.

Lyndsey and Angel just looked at each other and shrugged.

“Let’s dance.” Cordelia suggested as she took Lindsey’s hand and led him to the dance floor with out giving him time to answer.

“She is demanding.” Xander shakes his head in disbelief that Lyndsey was falling for the likes of Cordelia. Not that she wasn’t gorgeous and had a nice body but once you got past that he didn’t see much more in her at times.

“Yeah, and you guys are so much easier.” Anya snorted as she started on her second drink.

Buffy glanced at Xander. He knew what she was pleading with him to do with out saying a word.

“Anya would you care to dance with me?” Xander asks politely.

Anya’s head pops up with open shock on it.

“Really?” Anya looks over at Buffy and then back at Xander.

“Of course. Please.” Xander pleaded while putting on a fake pout.

“Okay but quit looking like a dog.” Anya joked as she jumps up happily and followed him.

“Why do I pick up the feeling that Anya thought Xander would be asking you to dance?” Angel asks honestly as he picks up Buffy’s hand and holds it tightly between his.

“Old habit I guess.” Buffy shrug her shoulders casually.

“Old habit?” Angel asks as he scoots closer to her putting his arm around her.

“Xander and I dated once upon a time. I mean like way back a time.” Buffy admits. She starts to feel giddy inside as she feels the weight of his arms over her shoulders.

“Are talking a few months, years?” Angel feels a tinge of jealousy as he waits her answer.

“Back in High School.” Buffy says as she looks up into his face.

“So if I were to kiss you right this second he wouldn’t come over wanting to call me outside?” Angel asks with a playful glint in his eyes.

Buffy gulps hard.

“No.” She answers huskily as she licks her lips.

“Good. Cause I don’t feel much like fighting tonight.” Angel says with a fervent tone.

“What do you feel like doing tonight?” Buffy says softly as she feels her heart beating against her chest.

“Mmmm…let me think, let me demonstrate.” Angel answers.

At first when his lips touched hers, they were hesitant. What they were both about to do was an openly display of their feelings toward one another. He wondered if he she knew that once they went pass this point in their teasing he would not be able to turn back. He would want more and more until his appetite was apeased. If that was even a possibility with this woman he thought to him self.

Chapter 25

When the song had ended the dancing partners went to return to their booth just in time to see Buffy and Angel finishing a passionate kiss that ended with him pushing her out of the booth. They were heading toward the exit of the club. Cordelia was impressed while Anya hoped Buffy knew what she was doing. Xander was the only one who felt incredible pain as he watch them leave with out a word to them.

“Damn, second couple to take out on us.” Anya declared as she plot bottom on the booth and scooted to the middle. Cordelia and Lyndsey set down as well.

Xander just stood leaning against the booth staring at the exit sign.

“Xander, are you going to sit? You’re making me nervous.” Cordelia snapped at him.

Anya stared down at the melted drink she had ordered and knew that Xander was probably hurting by the sight he had just witness. Everyone at the table knew where the two had gone too and what they were going to do once they reach their destination.

“I’m getting a head ache. Move. I’m going to go call a cab.” Anya jump up pushing Xander out of her way.

Cordelia frown at Xander while he just watch her walk away from the booth.

“Hello earth to Xander!” Cordelia called out to him.

“Uh?” Xander blinked and then look at Cordelia who was giving him a look that could kill.

“Anya went to call for a cab home.” Cordelia said as she smiled weakly at him.

“Why?” Xander looked confused.

“Cause her head hurt.” Cordelia repeated what Anya had said loud enough for anyone in the room to hear.

“OH. Let me go get her. I will take her home.” Xander shook his head trying to push the pain out of his head and heart so he could concentrate on helping Anya tonight.

“So he has it bad for Buffy.” Lyndsey’s comments.

“He was supposed to be over it. She is.” Cordelia shakes her head with a tender smile.

“I can see why he likes her. She comes off real sweet.” Lyndsey states honestly.

“Really.” Cordelia frowns at him.

“Yeah, I mean she is pretty, sweet, and she seems to care deeply about all of you.” Lyndsey says.

“Who are you with tonight?” Cordelia asks him with a jealous glare in her eyes.

“Let me guess you two often competed in the past.” Lyndsey states the obvious again.

“Yeah.” Cordelia answers with a roll of her eyes.

“But you’re past that too, right.” Lyndsey teases her.

“Yeah.” Cordelia cries out.

“Good. Cause I’m here with you tonight. I didn’t forget. Even if I tried I have a feeling you would not let me.” Lyndsey teases her.

Cordelia blushes.

“No, I wouldn’t.” Cordelia agrees with a warm smile.

“Glad to hear that. Lets go dance before they close this place down.” Lyndsey takes her hand and gently squeezes it in his.

Cordelia is speechless. She just smiles like an idiot and follows his lead for the rest of the evening.

--------------------------------------

Xander got up to the bar just in time to pull the phone out of her hand and hang it up before she gave the cab company the full address.

“What are you doing?” Anya demands angrily at him.

“I brought you. I will take you home.” Xander informs her with a unyielding look in his eyes.

“Fine. Go ahead be on macho. I don’t care anymore.” Anya throws her hands up in the air with defeat.

“Good because I don’t consider myself all macho. I would like to see myself play more of the role of the gentleman.” Xander half joked with her.

Anya turns around and glared at him with daggers in her eyes.

“A gentleman wouldn’t have been gawking at his ex girlfriend whom he has never gotten over when he was sitting next to the girl he invited out.” Anya shouts at him.

Xander felt frozen in the spot he stood. He could not believe the amount of anger she had directed at him. This time he didn’t feel like the anger was about what had been done to her by her boss but more on a personal level.

“Anya, I am over Buffy.” Xander states slowly and calmly.

“Sure you are. And the Sun won’t come out in the morning.” Anya answers sarcastically.

“Why are you mad at me?” Xander asks with a hurt look on his face.

“I’m not mad at you. I’m…just…OH!” Anya turn on her heels and headed out of the club. She didn’t want everyone to witness the scene between her and Xander.

Xander followed her outside where she halted once they reach a few feet from the club and was face to face with him.

“Do you remember our prom?” Anya asks him.

“Yeah.” Xander shrugs his shoulders.

“Yeah. Yeah that was pretty much how I would sum it up too.” Anya growled as she started to walk away but halted again this time she turn around and grab him by the shirt and pulled him directly up against her body.

Xander noted their faces were merely an inch apart. He could feel her breath on his face. He was wondering what the hell was going on in her head and how much had to do with the medicine she was on?

“I need you. I need you tonight. I need you to make love to me and not once think of Buffy while your doing it. Can you do that?” Anya asks him with a serious look on her face.

“I…uh…” Xander gulps hard. He feels as if someone has just knocked him over the head with this sudden demand of one of his oldest and dearest friends.

“You can’t can you?” Anya shakes her head while her face looks disgusted at him.

She releases his shirt as tears slip out her eyes and she begins to run away from him.

Xander runs after her. Not even sure what he is going to do once he catches up to her. He finally reaches her he grabs her by the hair and pulls her to a quick halt.

“OOWWW!” Anya screams out at the sudden pain.

“Don’t run away from me.” Xander orders her as he stares into her eyes and for the first time ever he sees something there he never saw before.

Without releasing his grip in her hair he lowers his lips where they make contact with hers. A slight jolt of electricity seems to flow between their mouths as he pushes her lips apart to kiss her deeper. She slips her hands around his head as she pushes him closer to her. Her one hand sliding through his thick hair while the other one still holds his neck in a firm grip to prevent him from breaking away from the kiss.

End of Part One:

Go to: Part Two

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