Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

" Mmmprhh."

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

Buffy smacked her hand onto the bedside table, meaning to quell the cause of the annoying sound, turn over and go back to sleep. When her hand closed over the phone, she sighed and shrugged away the last heavy traces of slumber.

   "Hello." She muttered.

"Well good evening to you too Mrs Poopy!" chirped Willow.

Buffy sighed. "Argh! I'm sorry Will, I didn't mean to-" She stopped suddenly, a yawn escaping from her.

"Buffy?" Willow said in concern. "You ok? Were you taking a nap or something?"

"No…well…yeah." Buffy admitted. "But it wasn't meant to be a nap and that's if naps can classify for taking…" she glanced at the clock and raised her eyebrows. "Four and a half hours! God, how did that happen? Well, actually…." Buffy furrowed her brow, remembering. " I did a quick patrol after my last class this afternoon and had to fight SIX vamps, Will….well, dusted six vamps. This town is getting out of control; I've never had that many before and so early, too. And the patrol last night went on until past two…I swear I just sat on my bed for a minute and I was out like a light."

   "God, Buffy…that can't be good. I wonder why there's so many?" Willow asked. "How many do you normally see when you're out after school? And…the day? How does that work?"

   "It was cloudy, so no sunlight-dancing-on-the-skin induced ashiness. But normally I don't see any . I mean, after class the patrol normally takes 10 to 15, max. Tonight it took hour and a half. Same the night before. In fact, every night this week. I don't have any energy for college." Buffy sounded a little worried.

   "Well, thank the lord it's the weekend Buff." Willow smiled. "At least you don't have to worry about falling asleep in class or homework or anything. You can get some rest, you must need it."

   "That's true…but its not that that's bothering me…" Buffy chewed on her lip. "It's the vamps."

   "What about them?" Willow asked. "They haven't hurt you or anything have they?"

   "No, it's not that. Well, they haven't hurt me yet. It's just…the whole thing with them coming out in the day."

"Well, you said yourself, it wasn't sunny," Willow pointed out. "Therefore they would take advantage."

   "No but you see, they normally wouldn't." Buffy shook her head. "They wouldn't take the risk, coming out in the daytime…I don't know why, but they're getting cockier, Will. I think Angel's right; something's going to happen. And I'm worried that soon there'll be too many of them for me to handle."

    "Buffy," Willow said calmly. "I know its panicking them coming out in the day, but please don't worry. I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for it. More importantly, you need a break. I promised you earlier in the week that we were gonna have a great Friday night out, the whole gang, and that includes NOT letting you worry- about Slayer stuff, about Angel, about Riley, about anything. And I won't. We'll get Giles on the vamp problem, and in the mean time, we've got the Dingoes and the Bronze to cheer you up. "

  "As well as Angel coming along." Buffy interjected glumly.

"Well…" Willow's voice faltered. "At least Riley's not going to be there, so there won't be any problems?"

    Buffy smiled. "It's okay. I'm resigned to the fact that he's coming now- I'm just going to try and get through this week without any thoughts of "what if." And you're right, I'm incredibly glad Riley's on a mission with the Initiative coincidentally - I would've been on egg-shells the whole time if the two of them had been around me." Angel had phoned Buffy on Wednesday to inform her that he had to come back to Sunnydale. Something was going to happen this year, he informed her. He'd been notified that the Elkean scrolls were on their way to Sunnydale, which he had already informed Giles of, and he needed to read them and find out what, where and when. That was not all he had said, but that was all she had told Willow. She couldn't bring herself to talk about the other part. Buffy remembered, her heart constricting painfully, how his voice had softened when he asked her "Do you mind me coming?"

     "No," she had lied, not that she minded because she didn't want to see him of course, which was the whole point. She wanted to see him too much; she felt a need that she knew she shouldn't be feeling, especially not after all this time. It was hard enough trying to be friends with ex-boyfriends, and it wasn't helped that they were going to be around the whole week, working side by side with you as they always used to, and it was kind of bordering-on-the-unbearable if you still had deep, strong feelings for them. Part of Buffy was dreading the moment she saw him; part of her just couldn't wait.

     "I have to come." He had said simply. "I have to read the scrolls, I have to know, for practical reasons. It could be happening somewhere near me. What, I don't know. But in all reality, whatever is happening, it'll be happening in Sunnydale."

    "Oh, the pleasures of living on the Hell mouth," countered Buffy, dryly. "I thought it had been a while since an apocalypse. I miss it."

    Angel chuckled, and Buffy had felt a lump form in her throat at the sound. "It might not even be an apocalypse. All I know is that this year is an important year. However, what I was trying to say was….it'll probably happen in Sunnydale. I'm about 99% certain. But even if I was 100% certain, I would still be coming."

    "To read the scrolls?" Buffy had asked quietly, winding the phone cord around her fingers as she began to feel agitated.

     "To protect you. Buffy, if you were ever in any trouble…I don't know how I could go on if something happened to you."

   "Don't." Buffy interjected. "Please…don't start saying this…It makes it harder."

"Buffy, I know it's hard." Angel carried on, "But-"

"No!" She broke in, anger and pain rising in her throat. "No, Angel, you don't know. You don't know how it feels at all! It's been over a year since you left. You don't know what it was like for me then, picking up the pieces, while you moved on with your new life. You came back, what, twice, to spy on me and then to tell me you didn't like my boyfriend! And when I came to see you, you ordered me out of your town. I was just an ex to you. I am just an ex to you. You never call. You just cut me out! It's easy for you to say you know how hard it is when you don't have to carry on in the same old place where everything and anything can remind me of you!"

     There was a silence while Buffy had fought back the tears. Why did it feel like this? Why was the pain so fresh? It never got any easier, ever. Even when everyone around her always told her it would. "Give it time," they said. "You need time." How much time? Time was not something, as the Slayer, that she could take very lightly. And it was true, normally she could forget about it, bury it down within her, but whenever he surfaced into her life, whenever he came, whenever he called, she couldn't hide it. It came bubbling up like a black volcano and the pain covered her in floods.

    Angel finally spoke. "Buffy." He was struggling to speak as well, she had realised. "It was harder for you. I'm not saying it wasn't. And it still is. I appreciate that."

   "So why even come back anyway?" Buffy asked sharply, "To make yourself feel better? Oh, it doesn't matter that I ran out on Buffy, I can still come back and play the knight in shining armour! Even when it's too late."

   Angel took a deep breath. "Look, Buffy, maybe I deserve all this, but…I can't keep away, as much as I try. Not this time."

    "Why?" Buffy couldn't stop herself cajoling him, digging at him. She felt the same almost obsessive desperation rising within her, the need to know more. He was always so damn cryptic, even when they were together. He had never changed. "Angel, I just want to know. What could be so important that you have to come back?"

   "It doesn't matter." Once again, Angel's refusal to talk.

"Damnit Angel!" She exclaimed. "For once, can't you tell that I need to know how you feel? Maybe this is why I'm still being hurt by everything that happened, because I never understood why. Because you never told me how you felt…you were always playing Mr-Cryptic Mysterious Guy. I never knew…whether you just stopped loving me, or what. And now you're coming back and I feel the same as I always did. I'm sick of not understanding!"

   "Buffy!" Angel snapped, finally losing his temper. It had always been the nature of their relationship that she would push him and play him up until he'd tell her that she'd gone too far. "That's enough. It's hard enough as it is without you behaving like a spoilt child!"

    Buffy felt bitterly ashamed. "I'm sorry, I just…it hurts so much, sometimes…" She whispered, silently pleading with him to understand.

"I know." Angel sighed, his voice immediately becoming gentler. "Buffy, I know I was never big with the words. And you do have a right to know why I'm coming back. Its just… if there's the slightest inkling you might be in danger, I feel like I have to be there, just to check that you're safe."

   "But why do you care?" She couldn't stop herself from asking.

He began to sound exasperated again. ""You know why, so why do you want me to say it?"

"I just do." She replied stubbornly, still needing to know that he still belonged to her.

She could almost hear him rolling his eyes on the other side of the phone. He hated talking about his feelings. The silence was tense.

    "Angel?" Buffy asked quietly, wondering if she'd pushed it too far.

Suddenly he exploded. "God, Buffy, I love you! Okay? Isn't it obvious? I love you so damn much. And I couldn't survive without knowing that you're out there, somewhere, living. So even if you don't want it, you will always have my protection. And whatever else you think of me, you will always know that I would lay down my unlife for you in an instant if it kept you alive for just one more second. Okay? Is that what you wanted to hear? Does that make you feel better?" He lowered his voice angrily. "I hope it's made it easier for you, because forcing myself to talk about it makes it a damn sight harder for me."

   Buffy felt awful. What had come over her? She had a boyfriend, for God's sake! "I…that was selfish of me. I don't know what comes over me sometimes, I just…it's a struggle, knowing how far is too far, and what to say, how to act."

    Angel's voice sounded deeply frustrated as it came across the receiver. "Look, if it would make it easier for you Buffy…when I come back, we don't have to see each other."

    Buffy swallowed hard, and thought a minute. "Angel…please don't be mad. I know you never meant to hurt me... and I never meant to hurt you. We've been through this…I shouldn't have brought it up. I just can't help it some times. I'm sorry, really sorry."

  "I know." He understood her so well.

"Of course I want to see you. We always work together, the unbeatable team, right?" Buffy tried to make light of the situation. "It'll be fine."

"Good." Angel sounded relieved. "I want to see you, too. Well, I'm catching a night flight, and I'll be in Sunny D by eight o'clock Friday."

   "Oh!" Buffy remembered. "I'll be at the Bronze. I promised Will I'd go with her…why don't you come?"

  "I'm not sure…" Angel sounded doubtful.

"No, seriously!" Buffy nodded emphatically. "I'm sure everyone would be pleased to see you."

"Well, if you're sure…" Angel murmured. "I'd be honoured."

A sound on Angel's side of the phone had startled them both.

"What was that?" Buffy asked.

"It was Wes and Cordy coming back. I better go," Angel replied.

"Me too." Buffy said quietly.

"I'll see you Friday?" He asked, still checking if it was okay.
"See you then." Buffy had thought for a moment, then decided to say it. "And Angel?"

""Yes?"

"I love you too."

She had hung up the phone and cried for a while. Then she had decided to really try and be strong this week. No unnecessary outbursts, they were just embarrassing, anyway. She had a boyfriend; she had to think of Riley. She was determined.

"Buffy?" Willows voice broke into her thoughts. "Are you okay?"

"What? Oh Will, sorry, I guess I spaced out for a moment." Buffy sighed. "You're right. I'm probably just down because I'm tired and everything. Bronzing it will be a welcome relief."

    "See, what did I tell you?" Willow grinned. "It's gonna be a night full of creamy goodness. So, we'll swing by and pick you up in at about half eight?" She looked at her watch. "That gives you…45 minutes."

   "Yikes. And I'm still muddy from earlier, yech." Buffy looked at herself and pulled a face. "Well, I'll do my best to make myself look decent. See you then Will."

   "Bye Buff."

Buffy hurried off to the shower, determined to have a carefree night and enjoy herself. It was just what she needed, she decided as she turned on the hot water. Yep, tonight was gonna be great…she hoped.

***

The guard whistled as he approached the boat.

   "Hey Bert," He greeted the other guard. "I'm here, you can take off now if you want."

   "Really?" Bert replied.

  "Yeah, I know you wanna get home to Miranda. It's okay, looks like it's gonna be a quiet night anyway."

"Thanks Larry," replied Bert, clearly incredibly pleased. "Well all you gotta do is unload this ship from London. It's mainly parts for the museum, you know relics and stuff, but it's all in boxes." He jerked his thumb in the direction of a lorry in the corner of the yard by the dock. "You just load it all up in there. Pretty simple for tonight."

   "Sure," Larry smiled. "Take it easy Bert. Have a good weekend."

   "Okay. You too." Bert walked off, and then turned back quickly. "Sure you gonna be ok? You gonna be lonely?"

   "Na!" Larry shook his head fervently. "Got my newspaper and the radio to keep my company." He made a shooing gesture. "Get gone already!"

    When Bert was gone, Larry chuckled to himself. Silly kid.

   "Now what we got here?" He asked himself, going down the list of boxes on his clipboard as he opened the cargo door. He reached an arm in and fumbled for his flashlight with the other hand. "Stupid wooden crates. Why can't England use cardboard like everyone else? Always give me splinters," he grumbled, moving around blindly. He didn't notice a long leather-clad leg shoot out swiftly under his feet, all he noticed was the ground rushing up to meet him for a split second. He was out like a light.

Standing up and rearranging her clothing, she looked down onto the dockside. Biting her lip at the man sprawled on the floor in front of her, she raised an eyebrow, eyeing him critically.

   "Oh dear. Well, at least I did it neatly," she sighed. "I do hate messes. He shouldn't be out for long."

Shrugging, she looked back into the ship. "Solid ground under my feet! Now that will feel wonderful." She marvelled. Pausing only to grab a few books from the opened boxes around her and tossing them into her knapsack, she quickly jumped off the ledge onto the dock.

    She quickly scanned her surroundings, then, when she was sure the coast was clear, stretched luxuriously. She hadn't had that much room to move in weeks. Now, how to get out of here. It seemed deserted, so she supposed her best bet was to just get out of the dock as quickly as possible.

   "I made it. " It hit her suddenly and she smiled in glee. "I actually made it." *Yeah, but you won't be able to stick around if he wakes up, will you?* She reminded herself. But she remained unfazed, and instead of feeling fearful, she felt light-headed and invincible because she was really here. Grinning, she threw one last look at the man before sprinting out of the dock and into the night.