Summary: Buffy Summers saves Gage Patronzi from an attack from Evil Angel and then walks him home. A different take on Go Fish Episode from Season 2 of BtVS. Wentworth Miller lovers unite!

Don't Go Fish

After explaining to Gage what exactly happened, Buffy sighed and turned around to go home. All these encounters with Evil Angel were taking its toll on her cardiovascular system. Ooh, big word. Giles and Willow would be so proud she thought of it. But whatever words she used, it was still the same. Her heart was already broken and every time she saw Angel, the pieces turn to shards, the shards to slivers and eventually there'll be nothing more than microscopic specks that would need to undergo binary fission. She really needed to stop reading her biology book for recreational purposes.

"Wait!" Gage scampered over to Buffy looking embarrassed at something. "Walk me home?" Buffy sighed again and nodded.

Gage's house was on the other side of town. Buffy knew this because you can't be a supernatural bodyguard for someone if you don't even know his address. They walked silently until they reached the suburban section of town.

"So that guy, vampire, whatever," started Gage. "He said he knew you."

"He was… an acquaintance."

"Yeah, right! That guy's got it in for you. In a really bad way. He was saying all this stuff-"

"That I'm sure you agreed with," she interjected. He made that perfectly clear earlier.

"No," said Gage. Buffy gave him a look. "Well, yeah. So who was he? An ex boyfriend or something?"

"Just walk faster. I don't have all night," she snapped. She was having a bad night and she hoped that Gage wasn't going to go all PMS on her right now. Because she was doing enough of that already.

"Oh I get it," said Gage. "Bad break-up, huh? He turned into a vampire so he can kill you."

"No, can we not talk about this?" she complained. But Gage was persistent and not so dim.

"That's kind of gross. He was already a vampire?"

"Yes, okay! He was!" Buffy exclaimed. "But he didn't really fit the profile tonight because he spit out your blood. What was that about, huh, Gage?" Buffy knew she struck a nerve because Gage turned away abruptly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said stiffly and walked faster. Typical boy, thinking he can run away from conflict. But Buffy's legs were, although quite dainty, were very fast as well.

"Oh, ho! Now you're being evasive!"

"Can we just agree to disagree and change the subject?" he suggested roughly.

"Fine, as long as we're near your house."

"It's a little further away," he replied.

"Uh!" she groaned and fell into step beside him. Silence, silence, then Curious George speaks again.

"So that Bruce Lee shit you did back there?"

"What about it?"

"Can you teach me?" he asked eagerly. He looked so keen on the idea that it was a little heartbreaking to tell him the truth.

"Gage, I don't even know how I know how to do that."

"Really?" Gage looked disappointed. "So what are you, like a superhero or something?" Something like that, only not so super, she thought to herself.

"You know, I'm starting to miss Cam's ethereal views on the ocean." Buffy grumbled.

"Oh, so Cam used that line on you, huh?" Gage looked amused.

"Line? More like state of the nation address!" They both laughed and then Buffy asked, "What about you? Any insights on the largest body of water?"

"Not really," Gage answered quietly. "I hated the ocean."

"Hated?" she repeated.

"I don't know," he replied looking away. "Recently, I've been enjoying our training sessions in it. It's weird 'cause I hate all the salt and the crap people dump in it. It's like I hate the idea, but I still like being there, you know?" Buffy was still a little wigged out by his inadvertent admission of being an environmentalist, but she answered anyway.

"Sure. Yeah." They kept walking and then Gage started the conversation again. The whole day he's been spending time by himself but it seems he couldn't stop talking tonight. Must be stress.

"You know, Cam's been saying—I mean said a lot of crazy stuff about you."

"Yes. I remember it vividly because it was just yesterday. How I play mind games and keep harassing you guys."

"He's wrong." Buffy did a double take and looked at him like he grew two extra heads.

"Excuse me?" Gage looked at her and shrugged.

"You told me the truth and I'm not being harassed, now am I?" Buffy smiled and shook her head.

"I guess not," she replied. Then she looked at him again. "Unless you force me to."

Gage held his hands up and laughed.

"Hey, I'm not even gonna go there." He stopped walking and turned to Buffy. "This is my stop."

"Okay, I've done my job so I'll just-"

"Wait, I'll drive you home in my dad's car," Gage said, starting to walk towards his front door.

"Gage, no matter what the movies say, a malleable piece of metal like a car won't do you any good if the monsters come. I didn't walk halfway across town just so I can let you drive back home alone."

"Ah sorry," Gage looked sheepish. "Didn't think."

"It's okay," Buffy replied. "I'll be fine. Good night." Buffy turned around and headed back towards town. Gage went inside the house but stood behind the screen door watching Buffy walk away.