Alex closed her eyes and leaned against the alley wall. She was wearing a red tank top over a white long sleeved see through shirt and hip hugging bell bottom jeans. On her feet were one inch sandals revealing her painted black toenails to the world. Her long blond hair was in a partial pony tail with her bangs revealing her face most people would think they were alone in that deserted alley, but Alex knew better than to think that. If she hadn't approached Ved not too long ago about him following her then she might have still been slightly afraid of being followed. However now she knew that the presence coming toward her from the other side of what was once a lonely ally, was someone that cared about her and not a vampire come to claim the child of Angelus or just to feed. She looked toward him as he approached her and brushed some hair from her face. "Do you make a habit of stalking girls in alleys?"

"Do you make a habit of inhabiting dark dirty alleys when you know of the dangers in the world?"

"I'm a powerful witch that trained under Willow Rosenberg and the daughter of Angelus I am not scared of demons out there. You really think daddy would let me wander too far without some sort of protection. He does sweep the town every night when he doesn't have a date with my mother or a case to work on."

Ved nodded knowing the truth behind that. "Plus my own parents that wouldn't let anything happen to you."

Alex scoffed, "That's right because Wilbur cares about me so very much."

Ved was well aware of the animosity between this very interesting female and his own father. She had believed the worst when he told her he watched her. Spike looked on Alex as if she was his own daughter because he knew of Ved's interest in the girl. But something had happened before that had turned Alex against Spike and Ved had no idea what that had been, but it was not relevant to their relationship.

"So are we... dating?"

"Is that what you want?"

Alex shrugged not sure what to say to him. She had watched him and they had spent time together growing up. She should be more comfortable with him, but there was still fear that he was there because his father had said something to him...

"I can see those doubts spinning in your head." Ved moved to lean against the wall beside her just one side of his body and he brought his hand to the side of her face, before moving in to give her a small kiss... and that was when she heard the gasp.

Alex pulled away and turned the entrance of the alley to find her best friend shaking his head and turning to walk away from her...

Alex sat in her room thinking about what had just happened. Matt had just caught her with Ved. It wasn't really a secret, it was just something that happened. She loved Matt dearly but he hadn't said anything to her... ever. Nothing would be the same. He seemed to always just push her toward Ved every time they saw eachother. She was worried about where Matt had run off to. Ved seemed to have wandered off as well, though not after talking to her for a little while, though.

She heard a knock on her door and called for them to come in as she looked up in hopes of seeing her best friend.

Her dad stood there smiling slightly. "Hey, how's my little darling?"

Alex shook her head."You've never called me that before."

"I know, but you are smiling now, and that's what I live for. What's wrong?"

"Matt.. Caught me with Ved."

"I see. Caught you doing what with Ved exactly?"

"We were kissing. I didn't even know Matt liked me, Daddy I'm so confused. He always pushed me toward Ved and never made any indication that he had any interest in me." She brought a hand up to cover her face slightly before looking at her father once again.

Angel sat down beside his daughter and took her hand in his before he spoke, "It'll be fine, Alex. He'll make it passed this. It may take time but hopefully after he does you can be the best of friends as you were before."

"I'm not so sure about that this time." she smiled but it was weak, "I love them both daddy. I love them in different ways for different reasons. Matt's been my best friend since we were very little. I would watch Ved out of curiosity, and because he was the son of Uncle Wilbur... but he's so different from his father. And I grew to care for him, he was my friend. When we were younger it was Matt, Ellen, Vincent, Ved and myself though Matt mostly spent the time with them for me. He didn't seem to interested in Ved... I don't know what to do."

"You'll figure it out. I know you will, you're strong like your mother."

"If you have faith in me daddy, I just might."

Alex watched Ved from her perch at the top of the stairs. She was unsure of what he wanted. They had kissed yes and he had told her that he would watch her. She had never known but thinking back she was not surprised in the least. She was still very knew at this relationship stuff. She had had the easiest relationship with her best friend.

She had grown so used to watching him come home with girls on his arm. She'd never really seen him look at them the way he was looking at her now. She was unused to it, and she didn't know how to deal with it. All the feelings were so new and while that could be fun at times, others it was just damn inconvenient.

"Where did you go?" she asked him not moving. Her long blond hair was in a French braid, and she was wearing blue jeans with a black v-neck shirt with blue seams.

"I had some other things to take care of like talking to my father."

Alex nodded, she had no other choice but to believe him, he never really lied there was no real reason to. "What are we going to do? About everything? What's the master plan?"

"It will work itself out, sweet."

"I don't know what to do about Matt. He's always been there for me and he was telling me to go with you..." She was shaking her head.

"He'll get over it."

"I don't understand him, he kept pushing me toward you and when he sees it he just leaves without a word. It's just so…" she shook her head and he knelt beside her.

"If he cares about you at all he'll get over it."

"I suppose your right. You often repeat what you say?" she told him smiling.

"If you don't take it in the first time... you need to hear it."

Alex was in the library now. She wasn't sure where to look to find him, she hadn't seen him sense he caught them. She looked up as she felt someone sit beside her. It was him, her best friend. "Hey."

He looked at her for a while. "So, are you guys, like together now? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't.. I was going to, I just didn't know how."

"How long?"

"How long what?"

"How long has this been going on?"

"Not all that long. He was watching me and I talked to him... Matt it all happened so fast. I don't want to lose you."

"I'm still your friend, I just..." He stood up. "Can't be around you right now." He turned and left Alex behind, tears filling his eyes

Alex stood up and walked outside for the breeze a little while after he had left.

"Are you ok, Sweet?" She heard as Ved's strong arms encircled her waist from behind.

"I am. I just... I saw him, and I don't know how long it will take for him to talk to me or forgive me..." She shook her head and leaned agianst his chest as he embraced her.

"Just give him time, sweet. It will be fine."