Disclaimer: the characters aren't mine, I just like to toy around with them. And the clip of the song, belongs to POD

Note: this is a continuation on of A Slayer Disturbed but if you didn't read it you can get the gist of what happened. Basically Buffy loses her memory, Angel gains a heart, and the Scooby Gang couldn't do anything to help either one.

Adjusting

Angel was having major problems adjusting to being alive. He had been dead for so long he had almost forgotten how to live. Now he could be in the sunlight. He caught himself once or twice sneaking through the shadows. He could breath and cry and bleed his own blood. He had gotten his first paper cut and almost had thrown a party. Buffy was still undergoing brain monitoring but she was alive. It had been at least three months since she had been hospitalized. Angel had found an apartment in Sunnydale which he now called home. Cordelia, Wes, Gunn, Fred and the business were still out in L.A., so every once in a while Angel was called out to rescue some fool, but he didn't mind. Buffy still hadn't regained her memory but she seemed constantly haunted. That was one of the reasons why he was heading to the Summers household today. He pushed a button and the top opened on his new convertible. Sure is a wonderful day. He thought as he pulled out of the parking garage. He turned on the radio and began to sing along. "I, I feel so alive, for the very first time, I can't deny you, I feel so alive." The song blasted through the sound system. I wonder what' s going on, Joyce never calls. Angel was worried, Buffy never randomly hung up the phone on him. But if she wasn't talking to him she was talking to Willow or Xander. But Buffy always called. Joyce never did. As he pulled into the driveway he saw Buffy sitting on the roof outside her bedroom window. Nothing wrong there. She always does that. He pulled the keys out of the ignition and watched her. She waved to him and then went back to a trance-like state, blankly staring at the sky. Joyce opened the door and forced a weak smile. It was one of a mother who had basically lost the daughter she knew. "Hey Joyce, What's going on?" he said walking towards the door.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh-ok." Angel stopped as he reached the doorway. "Stupid me. You have to invite me in, whatever it is won't let me return and enter whenever. Still stuck with some vampire disadvantages."

"Oh-yes, I forgot. Come in." Joyce motioned. "Sorry the house is a mess. I got a new shipment of art and haven't had time to clean. Care for something to drink?" Joyce led Angel on a make-shift path from the door to the kitchen.

"No thank you. I'm fine." He looked around. Papers, books and chairs seemed to have been thrown around the house. Art books were strewn everywhere.

"It's a mess, I know. Actually, that's why I asked you to come over."

"To clean it up?" Angel kidded.

"No, about how Buffy's, well, not adjusting. And not talking about much to anyone." Joyce hesitated. "I hate magic and all but isn't there some kind of memory spell? She's so miserable. It's driving me insane."

"You should've called Will. She's the spells gal."

"She wasn't at the dorm."

"Well, can I talk to Buffy?"

"Oh please Angel, you can always talk to her. Just try to get a decent word out of her." Joyce sat down in an empty chair looking worn out.