Part 1

The sun shone high in the sky causing the sand on the blustery beach to sparkle. Two lone souls wandered down the beach headed towards each other. One a sad, lonely, and hurt girl who just wanted to be loved. The other a lonely boy trying to prove that he could make it on his own. What neither one knew that day when they woke up and began their normal mundane life was that they would collide on that beach. Their two souls would collide and cause catastrophic events that would change their lives forever.

Both were staring down at the sand walking nowhere in particular when they bumped into each other. They looked up at each other their eyes meeting for the first time. Both of them seemed to have reacted the same way. Their breaths caught in their throats. He looked down in the beautiful mossy green eyes staring up at him and he knew in that moment that he had to have this girl. He looked her over quickly noticing she had a bruise on her right cheek. The girl blanched when she noticed him observing her bruise. She reached up and covered it with her hand subconsciously and muttered and apology as she started to walk past him. Not thinking he grabbed her arm and stopped her from fleeing. "What's your name?," he asked staring down at the young petite girl noticing more bruises on the back of her neck. She stopped and turned looking at him noticing how his dark eyes sparkled in the sun. "I'm Buffy, but I have to go now. Um, I'm late," she tried to explain as she began pulling her arm from his. Unconsciously he pulled her closer to him and brushed a hand over the bruise on her face. "Are you alright?," he asked genuinely concerned for her well being. Buffy began to panic and doubled her efforts to be free of him. She pulled hard on her arm causing him to let go of it. He watched as she ran down the beach and out of his site.

The darkness enveloped the apartment. Angelus lay there sleeping on the couch. His dreams were filled with the girl he had met on the beach. He had an overwhelming desire to bring her home with him and to keep her safe forever and always. Angelus awoke to the shrill sound of the phone ringing throughout his apartment. He let it ring until his voice came on the answering machine. The familiar sound of the beep then the message was left, "Lorcan Angelus Moore answer this phone. I know you are there. Well it seems you are not going to answer. You have not called in over a month, but I see you are cashing the checks I send. We haven't heard from William either. Call me, your mother wants to speak with you." Angelus let out an exasperated sigh as he heard his fathers angry message. Every week he got a check in the mail from his father. He was sure it was really due to his mothers influence. As long as he was attending college his father normally left him alone, but when he went for long periods of time without contacting them his father would began and endless and tireless tirade of phone calls and e-mails. Angelus stood up and flipped the switch on squinting his eyes as his apartment was flooded with bright light. He looked at the clock and saw that it was only a little after seven. He decided he would take a shower then head to the bronze and see what everyone was up to down there.

Buffy was being pulled into the bronze by her red headed friend. "Come on Buffy you never go out. Your dad's out of town so you're staying with me," the red head prodded her friend. Buffy had moved to town only three months ago and she already had a group of friends that she was with regularly. She let herself be dragged over to a table in the corner where a few of her other friends were already seated. "Hey Buffy you came, hey let me introduce you to my buddy William," he said gesturing to a peroxide blonde sitting at the table. "Hey I told you call me Spike," he told the boy for the fifteenth time that night. Spike looked over at the blonde that was now seating herself at the table. Immediately he knew she was his latest conquest. Xander noticed the look Spike was giving Buffy and elbowed him in his side. Spike cast him a warning look and began to schmooze up to Buffy. "So sweets how old are you?," he asked. Buffy rolled her eyes at the man that was trying to pick up on her. "16," she said curtly. As far as he was concerned that was old enough for him, but Xander didn't think so and made it known. "Will- er I mean Spike here is 19. He goes to UC Sunnydale."

Cordelia stood up from the table and began to beam. Everyone turned to look where she was looking. Angelus had just walked into the club and was scanning the room. Xander and Spike both rolled there eyes, both used to being out staged by the man. Buffy began to fidget with her hands recognizing him from earlier that day. Spike started to engage Buffy in conversation not wanting her to swoon over his brother as well. Angelus finally saw the group in the corner and made his way over to their table. "Hey Willie mom and dad want us to call them again," he informed his brother exasperated. Spike rolled his eyes both at the mention of his parents and the childhood nickname. Angelus then looked at the blonde of earlier that day and his eyes beamed. "Hey Buffy right?," he asked pretending that the name didn't come easy. Buffy smiled and shook her head yes then continued to look down at her hands as she fidgeted with them. "I'm Angelus, hey you want to dance?," he asked ignoring the look his brother and Xander were shooting him. Buffy looked up at his chocolate brown orbs and felt that she could trust him. She shook her head yes and bit her lower lip as he took her hand and lead her out to the dance floor. The Jessica Simpson version of Take my Breath Away blared through out the club. Angelus pulled Buffy into a tighter embrace thinking that the song was the perfect song for his first dance with the girl he was sure he would be dating soon. Buffy was overwhelmed at what was happening. She decided to just relax in his embrace. Peculiarly she felt the safest she had in months in this strangers embrace.

The song ended and regretfully Angelus lead Buffy back to the table. Immediately Spike was all over Buffy trying to get her to dance. She really didn't want anything to do with the peroxide blonde and looked towards Willow for help. However, Willows boyfriend Oz had just walked up and she was preoccupied. Angelus noticed her obvious distress, " you like me to get you a drink?" Buffy shook her head yes, "I'll go with you." Spike frowned realizing that his brother wasn't going to let him near the blonde beauty he stood up and began to gaze around the bar. His eyes landed on a blonde tramp dancing in the middle of the dance floor by herself. Spike made his way over to her and began to gyrate behind her. Xander rolled his eyes at the sluttish display and turned his attention to Cordelia. "So Cordy what has Daddy bought you lately?," he began in his chauvinistic tone. The two began to banter back in forth their love hate relationship lost on everyone, but them. Angelus and Buffy arrived back at the table to Willow practically straddling Oz and Cordy and Xander fighting. Angelus took the opportunity to get to know Buffy. After a while he asked her if she wanted to go outside for some fresh air, promising that she could trust him. Willow shook her head yes approvingly and gestured for her to go with him. Buffy followed him out of the club and up the alley. "There's a park not far from here. You have to be home soon?," he asked hoping she wouldn't have to leave. "I'm suppose to stay at Willows tonight. My dad is out of town," she told him. Angelus smiled happily and lead her to the park. "So when did you move to Sunnydale?," he asked curiously. Buffy took a seat on the swing next to Angelus, "Three months ago. My mom, well she died in the middle of my sophomore year. I stayed with my aunt until I finished the school year, but now I'm out here living with my dad." She tried to explain it to him without crying, but inevitably a few tears slid down her cheeks. Angelus reached over and wiped the tears from her face. "I'm sorry about your mom. Were you two close?: he asked her. Buffy shook her head yes then took a deep breath and wiped the rest of the tears away. "I really don't want to talk about it anymore. So you like the beach?" Angelus told her that he went to the beach whenever he needed to think. Buffy and Angelus talked about things such as school when they were interrupted by Angelus cell phone ringing. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked at the display, "Its Willow." Angelus flipped the phone open and began to talk to Willow. "Yeah she's right here," he said handing the phone to Buffy. Buffy talked with her for several minutes before hanging up. "It looks like I'm staying at my house tonight. Willows staying with Oz and I'm her cover."

Angelus walked Buffy to her house. They walked up the path leading to the porch. Buffy pulled out her keys and started to unlock the door when Angelus grabbed her hand. "Tomorrow you want to do something?," he asked hoping she wouldn't turn him down. Buffy visibly blushed as she looked into the handsome face of the man before her. "That would be great. I don't like to be alone would you watch a movie with me?," Buffy asked hesitantly not ready to end the night with him. Angelus beamed and shook his head yes. He followed Buffy into the house and sat on the couch. Buffy picked a movie and put it in the DVD player and sat on the couch. Angelus wished she had sat closer, but he didn't want to push things. They had just met after all. Buffy looked over at Angelus on the other side of the couch. She started chewing on her lower lip nervously trying to figure out how she could get closer to him. "You want a soda?," she asked. Angelus shook his head yes gazing up at her as she stood up. Buffy came back from the kitchen with two sodas and sat down next to Angelus. Angelus draped his arm around her and pulled her closer. He couldn't get over how right it felt having this girl cradled by his side. When the movie ended Buffy was asleep with her head buried into his side. Gently he slid out from under her and slipped a throw pillow under her head. Angelus looked around the room and spotted a blanket draped over a chair. He arranged the blanket over Buffy's sleeping body. Angelus jotted a quick note to Buffy then slipped out of the house.

The sun glistened through the window landing on Buffy's face causing her to rouse from her sleep. She stretched her arms then sat up. She looked at the table and saw a note to her from Angelus. She picked it up and started to read it.

Buffy,I thought that today I could take you out. Give me a call at 848-7643. I had fun last night.

Call me.

Angelus

Buffy was tempted to pick up the phone right now and call him, but she didn't want to seem desperate. Instead she ate a quick breakfast then did her chores. Her dad would be home by five so she would have to make dinner for him. She looked at the clock and saw it was ten am. She picked up the phone and dialed the number Angelus had left her. She listened to it ring several times before finally hearing Angelus answer.

"Hey its me Buffy," she said into the phone.

"Hi Buffy so did you wanna go out today?," he asked hopefully.

"Definitely, but I have to be back home by four," she explained to him.

"Okay give me an hour and Ill pick you up at your place," he told her.

They said their goodbyes then got off the phone.

Angelus was excited that she was going out with him. Buffy was positively giddy as she ran up the stairs to shower and get ready for her date. Buffy was sitting in the living room waiting for Angelus to show up. Angelus bounded up the stairs and knocked on the door. Buffy opened the door immediately afterwards. Angelus' jaw dropped when he saw her. Her blonde hair was cascading around her. She was wearing a white sundress with small clover green flowers dancing around it. He lead her out to his car and opened the door for her. He drove her out to the beach where they had met the other day. "I thought you would enjoy a picnic on the beach," he explained to her as he opened his door. He grabbed some things from the trunk then lead her down to the beach. Buffy enjoyed the date with Angelus immensely. She learned of Angelus home life. Angelus father was a self-made multimillionaire who really didn't want anything to do with his sons. His mother however was quite the opposite and spoiled her sons with both her love and their fathers money. When Angelus graduated from high school he immediately moved to Sunnydale in order to take advantage of the literary program. He was currently studying to become a writer and taking several art classes. His brother graduated the next year and followed him. Every week both boys received checks for the amount of 1500. William spent his as soon as he got it, but Angelus saved most of his. They talked and talked until Buffy gasped while looking at her watch. "Its a quarter till four I have to get home," she said with panic in her voice. Angelus stood up and helped Buffy up. "Ill get you home in time don't worry," he tried to calm her while packing up the picnic basket.

Buffy rushed around the kitchen preparing dinner. She hurried into the laundry room and deposited the clothes into the dryer. Her father walked in the door and headed straight for his office not even acknowledging his daughter as he walked briskly by her. Buffy sat the spaghetti, salad, and bread sticks on the table. Nervously she walked to her fathers office and timidly knocked on the door, "Daddy dinners ready." Hank looked at his daughter acknowledging her for the first time. He got up from his desk and followed her to the dining room. Silently he sat down and filled his plate and began to eat. Buffy sat down as well and began to eat. After a half hour of silence Hank finally said something. "Did you do the laundry?," was all he asked. Buffy shook her head yes, "The last load is in the dryer. Ill fold it before I go to bed." Hank grunted in satisfaction then got up from his seat and retired to his office. Buffy let out a breath she had been holding in. She was glad her father hadn't become angry. Buffy quickly cleaned up the kitchen then folded the laundry before going up to her room. Buffy pulled out her journal and wrote about her weekend with Angelus.