Hello everyone... sorry this one took me a little longer than I had wanted to post up for you to read. I just wanted it to be perfect. I believe that I accomplished that, but you'll be the better judge :)

Thank you for reading, and I will be excitingly waiting for your reviews. Enjoy!


Chapter 4

Booth caught Willow right before her head hit the floor, "Miss…?"

"Oh my God Willow…" Buffy called as she saw her pale, "Mike! Get the medical supplies meet us in the back room. Can you bring her in here?" She asked Booth.

"Of course…" he followed to where she pointed with Willow in his arms.

"Can I do something, call someone…?" the Mayor asked alarmed.

"No at all sir, thank you…" she smirked at him, "Josh…" she called the young man over, "usher the Mayor to his table please…" she instructed.

Lucky everyone seemed to be in their own little world and only the people around them had noticed the incident.

She pressed the button on her Bluetooth, "Isabel…? Please come to the entrance and take over for a couple of minutes…" She heard a 'yes ma'am' and she rushed to the room with Booth and the medical kit in hand.

He laid her down on a sofa and Buffy opened the kit looking for alcohol to bring her out of her state.

/

A series of flashes past through Willow's head…

An old scroll with the word SHANSHU in bold ancient letters….

*Flash*

A couple of spirits with gold skin and blue insignia on the body talking to Angel… "I don't want to remember anything, but I do have one request…" he'd said, "I want my son Connor, Buffy, and Cordelia…"

"Cordelia is not part of the bargain…" the woman said.

"And the other two may not come easy…" the man added, "It will take time…"

*Flash*

Buffy retiring from slaying to look for Angel all over the world… she doesn't find him.

*Flash*

Meeting at Giles' place… "Are you sure Buffy…?" he questions.

"Yes, I am… I've given my life for this world more than once. Willow said he's been reincarnated in an alternate universe. I want to go…" She turns to her pleadingly, "but I can't do it without you…"

*Flash*

"We will appear there together, not sure how, when, or how old we'll be. The spell I devised will send signs to you and me, but we probably won't remember this life… you may not even remember Angel…" Will told Buffy.

"It's okay… in a way I don't want to remember this life. It will be a clean slate. As far as Angel goes, I trust that the bond we share will bring us together…"

*Flash*

Willow wrinkled her nose at the horrible smell coming up her nose. She began to open her eyes slowly two faces looking at her intently. Buffy and Angel…

"Willow…?" Buffy caressed her hair from her forehead, "you okay sweetie…?"

Booth reached back for a glass of iced water on a table next to him, "Here you go…"

"Umm… thank you…" she responded taking the glass as her mouth felt dry. She stared at the couple stunned trying to process. What did this mean of her life now and then… was this true or did she just happen to have the oddest dream anyone could have had. She was going to have to find out…

One of the waiters approached them, "Should we call an ambulance or something, they gave me chocolate… they said if she eats something sweet when you faint it helps…"

Will sat up straight from were she was resting, "No ambulance, I'm fine…"

"But Miss…" Booth began.

"No really…" she gave him a weak smile, "I am fine… honest." She looked up at Buffy persuasively.

Buffy stared at her friend in disapproval, "Okay Will, but if I notice the slightest difference in health, you'll go to the hospital…"

"Agreed…" she took her friend's hand to stand up, "God the dinner… did I ruin…"

"Don't worry about that…" Booth told her.

"Yes…" Buffy agreed, "don't worry, you know I'm always prepared… You are what concerns me…"

"Sorry…" she whispered to her as they hugged.

"Stay in here for a while, I'll have the one of the server's bring you something to eat and some tea…"

"Buffy I…" she began but stopped when she noticed her stern look, "Okay…"

Buffy headed to the event and Booth followed, "I'll keep an eye on her if you want…" he whispered in her ear.

His breath brushed against her and she felt the hairs in her body rise as a tingle passed through her. "Thanks…" she smiled feeling her cheeks burn.

They walked into the grand hall and before she walked away he asked, "Buffy…?" she turned to face him nervously, "Who's Angel…?"

She thought for a moment, who was Angel? Why had Willow called him that, "Not sure…" she responded.

She headed to check on the event and he went to find his table. He wasn't sure what he expected of tonight, but he couldn't deny that he wanted something to happen.

/

The event continued successfully. Booth had checked in on Willow a couple of times; she seemed better and was on the floor now with Buffy. He'd been aware of her every move throughout the entire event. He was waiting for the right opportunity to ask her to dance… Thoughts of his brother crossed his mind, they were so much alike. There he was now, trying to get her attention.

Buffy had kept a concerned eye on her friend but her mind, body, and soul seemed to be aware of a certain man's presence. No matter who she was talking to, no matter what she was doing, she felt him around. She had the faint feeling that he was watching her, but she thought that was only because she wanted him to take an interest in her.

A couple of hours later, things seemed to be dying down… the band had been playing mellow music and she… seemed less busy. He got off the table reached for two glasses of champagne and headed her way…

/

"Ms. Summers… Fantastic event really, thank you…" One of the White House coordinators commented.

"Ms. Jones, no… thank you and all your wonderful resources that you put at my disposal to make all of this happen…" Buffy answered.

"Well they said you were that best, I wasn't about to restrict you on anything… This was important for the First Lady and she was really pleased with your work…"

"Well thank you…" she smiled.

"She asked to meet you in person before you go, so I'll come and find you before you leave…"

"Of course, I'd be an honor…" she answered.

"Great, well you should enjoy yourself… we're about done and should take pleasure in what you've made happen…"

Buffy grinned in response and the coordinator left.

Booth came from behind her whispering by her, "She's right Ms. Summers… you should take a couple of minutes to enjoy some of this wonderful event…"

Buffy's skinned goosed as a result of his breath on her neck, she'd practically shivered. She turned around slightly to find his attractive self holding two glasses of champagne.

She smiled shyly at him, "Work waits for no one and my job's not done till all the guests have gone…"

"Such a hard worker," he joked handing her the glass, "but you're gonna have to take a break or I may have to arrest you if you resist…" she smirked at him.

"Well that won't be a problem…" Will interjected; "I'm sure she'll go willing…" she looked at her expectantly.

Buffy looked from Will to Booth, "Well… I wouldn't want to get in trouble with an FBI agent, now would I…" she flirted beside herself.

He smiled at her response and said, "Good, then cheers…"

"Cheers…" she returned, then sipped her champagne, then suddenly chugged it.

"Uh…" Booth began, "Thirsty?"

She looked at the empty glass; "Oops…" she stared. She was pretty sure that this had to do with the fact that his presence made her nervous and she was looking for a way to calm down.

Booth heard the band announce their last song, and he thought to himself, it was now or never…

"Uh Buffy…" he asked somewhat frightened, "would you like to dance their last song with me?"

She felt herself gulp, "I… I'd love to…"

He reached for her hand and the moment their skin connected, a certain kind of force rushed between them… it was this kind of familiar sensation came over them. It was like their hands molded together in such perfection that they fitted like two pieces of a puzzle.

Buffy felt how her body almost seemed to gravitate to his… she almost felt like this magnetism pulling her towards him and that was scaring her. She didn't know his past but she knew enough of recent events that should make her want to run in the other direction and yet here she was… letting herself get swept away by him.

He was bringing her into dance floor and didn't know what she was thinking or feeling, but what he did know was that something inside him was screaming at him to not let her go ever. Like she'd mean or meant more than he could ever imagine, and having her walk out of his life would be the biggest mistake he could ever commit.

Booth had always been religious… he believed in the extraordinary, in fate, in destiny, in signs… but what seemed to be happening seemed beyond everything and anything he believed. He'd never had this feeling before… or had he…

They reached the middle of the dance floor and he pulled her in a pretty close embrace as they swayed together synchronized to the music…

He felt how his body almost instinctively surrounded her into himself, and how she seemed to just surrender to his touch…

Willow gazed at the couple from a distance and smiled, how could this be possible… These memories that kept on flooding her mind brought out so many questions. She'd been able to distract herself while working, but now when things were slowing down she seemed to get new visions here and there…

Like them dancing now to something similar in her mind, that showed a much younger version of them in what seemed like prom attire…

/

The feel of her tiny body in his arms felt so right, he could feel how all of his senses responded to her… his heart was beating so hard he thought it might actually jump out of his chest…

Rather than being focused on what she was doing to him inside… he decided to try and have a conversation, "So… what happens now that you've taken care of this event?"

She was so enwrapped in the feel of him that when he spoke, it caught her off guard, "Oh… um… well I travel a lot for event planning and such, but I mainly work out of California …"

"Oh…" he said in realization, she was not staying here and she lived elsewhere.

She must have read the expression on his face because she added.

"But I will be staying in town for a couple of days on other business I have to tend to…" She wasn't sure why she'd lied, but she somehow felt like she just couldn't leave, especially because there seemed to be hope.

He saw her smile and he smiled in return, "So are you like completely tired of a hard working day or could I interest you in a night cap…?"

"That'd be nice…" she responded all too eager.

"Okay will you still be a while… here?" he questioned.

She looked around to notice they were one of the only two couples left on the dance floor. How she had completely blocked out her surroundings, she did not know… then glanced at the time.

"Uh…" she thought, "like a half hour, forty five minutes maybe… I have to make sure everyone knows the cleaning process and visit with the First Lady before I go…" she added with an apologetic look.

He spun her around to the last beat of the song bringing her into a closer embrace, their faces about millimeters away from a kiss and he said, "Take your time…"

Booth leaned in like he was about to press his lips to hers and her breath caught, but then he gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek.

The moment he pulled back, he noticed the trace of red fill the color of her cheeks.

"Y… you…" she stuttered, "Sorry… we could meet at the Four Seasons? As soon as I finish up I'll have my driver take me…"

His eyes glistened amused at her reaction to him, "Or… I could hang around here, maybe even help you and then… I'll drive us there…"

"Okay…" she said unwillingly pulling away from his embrace, "I'll be a moment…" and walked off.

Booth saw her walk away and felt how the walls of bricks, chains, and steel that he'd put up after Hannah crumbled and fell to pieces for her… He'd bowed to never love again but in less than 24 hours, she'd gotten under his skin.

He wanted to find away to prove to himself that this was impossible, so he challenged faith. So… he thought, if she looks back at me, it means that we were meant to meet for a reason… if she doesn't then I'll know it's all in my head…

Buffy was crossing the end of the dance floor when she paused for a moment looking back at him over her shoulder seductively; an emerald ardent gaze met stunned dark auburn orbs…

There was no denying it to himself now, their lips pulled into a smile and she continued to walk away…