Author's Note: Read & Review please. Special thanks to frosty600 for being my beta. Love you girly. Sorry for the wait. As always, Buffy & Angel and the rest of Joss Whedon's creative little characters aren't mine. Nor are the quotes!

Chapter Seven

Snuggled up in a cocoon of warmth, Buffy yawned sleepily as she reached up to rub sleep out of her eyes. It was the arm around her waist that threw her. Jerking upward in the bed, she started to lash out, but stopped herself when she recognized the body. She'd know that body anywhere. Even with his hair longer and hiding his face, Buffy knew it was Angel. The tattoo was gone on his naked back and his skin was tanned from the sun, but it was all Angel. Or well Liam. Reaching out, Buffy traced the muscles of his back. She could feel them flex beneath her fingertips as he shifted in his sleep. The movement of his warm skin beneath her fingers made her tremble. It had been so long since she'd been able to touch him. So long that Buffy just wanted to bask in it even though he wasn't technically her Angel.

Her Angel … It had been quite some time since she had thought like that too. Since when did he belong to her? A smile crept on her lips. He would always belong to her, just as she would always belong to him. A voice inside her sounded off with the reminder …He isn't your Angel. He doesn't even know you. Her thoughts were disturbed by the quiet whisper of her name. Glancing over at Liam, Buffy leaned over to steal a peak at his face. He was sleeping, but she swore to herself she heard her name. How did he know her name?

From the way his eyes raced beneath his lids, Buffy could tell he was dreaming. He was dreaming about her! Buffy felt like an eager child in the circle during story-time. She eased in a little closer to him and then crossed her legs Indian-style. Propping her arms on her legs, Buffy rested her face on her hands and waited just like that for something … for anything.

Tell me more.

The thought made her giggle and she had to slap a hand over her mouth to keep from giggling out loud again and waking him. No, she didn't want to wake him. It was nice to watch him sleep for a change. When Liam remained quiet, Buffy had to resist the urge to reach out and poke him in the side. It'd wake him and she'd be left feeling more disappointment.

Come on.

Chewing on the inside of her mouth, Buffy huffed impatiently and considered poking him once more. Maybe it'd work. Who was she kidding … Eyes leaving Liam, Buffy glanced toward the doorway. She could always get up, but then that would mean she would be out of the bed and Liam would be in the bed. What good was that? How many times had she wanted to stay home from school to be with Angel? It wasn't the same though. Sulking, Buffy was just about to give up when she heard it.

"I'm just tryin' to protect you. This could get outta control."

Her head jerked toward Liam's direction quick enough to cause a sharp pain to shoot up her neck.

He officially had her attention.

Buffy leaned forward so far she was quite certain she had long invaded his personal space, but what did he care … he was sleeping. He was her specimen beneath the microscope. He had Angel's memories? How could he have Angel's memories?

"This isn't some fairy tale. When I kiss you, you don't wake up from a deep sleep and live happily ever after."

Okay, now she really wanted to poke him.

Reaching out, she intended on poking him, but froze the moment those chocolate orbs rested on hers. Sleepily, Liam attempted to focus his vision and the moment his little Gypsy came into view, he smirked.

Fingers curling around Buffy's wrist, Liam brought it to his lips and then pressed his lips firmly against her racing pulse.

"Good mornin' to ye' lass, ye sleep well?"

A flush rose in Buffy's cheeks. He had caught her. The twinkle in his eyes and the knowing gaze said that much. She was definitely caught.

Tugging her wrist away, Buffy turned her head shyly. How could he make her feel sixteen all over again?

Arms coming to rest behind his head, Liam stared at the blonde that refused to look at him. There was a part of him that missed the contact of her eyes, but the rest of him needed the break from the intrusion into his soul.

Those dreams. She had been there. This time he hadn't watched from the outside. No. He had played it out like it actually happened. Did it happen? The dreams left him feeling confused and he had a feeling the gypsy knew more about him than she was letting on. Maybe she was trying to work her magic on him. Maybe she was a witch! His eyes narrowed, she had to be.

Sitting up in the bed, he swung his legs over the side and turned his back to her. He couldn't look at her. Those eyes would put him beneath her spell again.

Buffy felt the movement on the bed and had to hold her breath. Was he going to say anything? What were his plans? And just how had he gotten in the house? Certainly Doyle had locks … Had locks been invented? In that moment, she missed Angel. He would tell her. She wouldn't have to guess. Yeah he was Mr. Cryptic Guy when it all began, but over time he had opened up.

They both stood and when Buffy moved to face him so she could question him, Liam brushed by her like she wasn't even in the room.

Mouth open, Buffy tried to force her question out, but Liam stopped her. Without a word, he left the room.

Reminded of Angelus, she felt like she was standing in Angel's apartment all over again. She wasn't sure if the silence was worse than Angelus's crude remarks or not. At least he had acknowledged her existence before he left.

Following him out, Buffy grabbed his arm intending on halting his departure, but the force of his stride made her slide across the dirty floor.

Bare-feet slid all too quickly as Liam continued on walking through the home. What the hell? Buffy tightened her hold and tried to jerk him to a stop. A gasp left her mouth, the second he did stop. She hadn't stopped him by force, no, he had stopped on his own out of pure annoyance.

Looking down at her, piercing brown eyes bore into hers with questions left unasked. "Lass…"

The word made her release him. Buffy never felt so weakened and dumb in her life. The tone made her feel like a clingy ex-girlfriend or a child being scolded by someone.

She was the slayer, damnit! Wasn't she?

"Oh my God…" Backing away from Liam, she shook her head no in despair. It couldn't be. She couldn't be powerless in a place where she didn't really know anyone and a time where no one could really protect her.

The absolute horror in her eyes made Liam soften just a bit.

A hand went to her mouth in surprise as tears welled up in her eyes. What was she going to do? Liam hated her. She wasn't the slayer anymore or was she? What happened to her powers? She had them at first… What happened? What was her purpose there?

Unable to give into her tears in front of him, Buffy fled out of the house leaving behind a very confused Liam.

It was a trick. She wanted him to follow her.

Liam stared after her for a moment before the overwhelming need to protect her kicked in.

"Buffy, wait!"

Author's Note: Who misses Angel?