"What is this for?" Angel asked in confusion when Buffy thrust the package in his hands.
"Happy birthday," she said sweetly, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek.
"Uh, Buffy, I don't even remember what day I was born on," he reminded her gently.
She sat down next to him at the table, sipping at her coffee. "Today, exactly one year ago, you became human again. So, happy birthday."
"Oh." Angel turned the small box over in his hands. "I didn't think of it that way."
"Open it," Buffy urged. Angel smiled at her enthusiasm and carefully tore the paper away to reveal a velvet jewelry box. Curious, he opened it and blinked in surprise.
"Do you like it?" Buffy asked, suddenly shy. Angel hesitantly touched the silver crucifix lying on the cushion, his fingers instinctively flinching away from the cross. Then he picked it up.
"It's beautiful," he told her sincerely, turning it in the light. "I…I didn't know what to expect." He put it on swiftly and fingered it where it lay against his collarbone.
"Well, I figured that since you gave me a cross the first time we met, I should return the favor." Buffy reached over and touched it. "Besides, you need one. Every vampire hunter should have one. Oh, and we're going to the Bronze tonight to celebrate. No arguments."
"You told the others?" Angel asked, not sure whether to feel apprehension or appreciation..
"I thought it was a good idea," Buffy told him matter-of-factly. "We've been worrying over Glory and Faith for the past month. It's high time for some fun. And birthdays are always fun."
"Always?" Angel asked archly. Buffy rolled her eyes.
"When they aren't my birthdays." She leaned in and kissed him lightly. "Happy birthday, honey."
*****
Angel had to shoulder his way into the bar, but the other Bronze patrons made way easily enough; people were in a good mood tonight. As he leaned against the counter, he jostled the elbow of the woman standing next to him.
"Excuse me," he said quickly. "I'm very sor—Kate?" He blinked in surprise.
Her eyebrows shot up as she looked him up and down. "Angel. Wow. I was wondering where you disappeared to. It's been a year. You been here the whole time?"
"Um, yeah, actually. What—what are you doing here?"
"Not vacation, unfortunately," she said wryly. "Though I will say, Sunnydale isn't my idea of a perfect getaway spot. What enticed you away from the big city?"
"A couple of things," Angel said, still trying to get his balance. An arm slipped around his waist and Buffy appeared at his side.
"Hey, you," she said teasingly, giving Kate a sidelong glance. "You want to introduce me to the other beautiful blonde you're hanging out with tonight?"
Angel cleared his throat awkwardly and looked over at Kate, who was regarding Buffy with great amusement. "This must be one of those things, huh?" she asked.
"Buffy, this is Detective Kate Lockley with the L.A. police. Kate, this is Buffy Summers, my fiancée."
"Nice to meet you," Buffy said pleasantly.
"Likewise," Kate said, shaking Buffy's proffered hand. "So, Angel, you're definitely living up to your mystery guy persona. A fiancée. Who knew. When's the big day?"
"Not any time soon, unfortunately," Buffy replied. "Our life right now is completely insane. We're lucky to grab coffee once in a while, much less a ceremony." She tilted her head. "What brings you to the back end of nowhere, Detective Lockley?"
"A case," Kate replied. "I've tracked a suspect here from L.A, though this is where she originally started from."
"Oh?" Angel asked, suddenly curious.
"Let me buy the next round of drinks and I'll tell you what I can," Kate offered. "Maybe you have information I can use."
"Sounds fair," Buffy said. "But since the cops are around, I'd better stick to Coke. I'll be back in a minute." She stood on her tiptoes to kiss Angel's cheek.
"Where's Willow and Cordy?" Angel asked. "You left them alone together?"
"No, Doyle's with them. And Oz is done after this set so they'll have two chaperones," Buffy assured him as she headed towards the bathrooms.
As soon as she was out of hearing range, Kate leaned in and asked incredulously, "She's under the drinking age?"
Angel wasn't sure whether to be indignant or sheepish. "Um, yeah," he said after a moment. Then he added, "We started dating when she was in high school."
"What's the age difference?" Kate demanded.
"Nine years," Angel lied, using the age at which he was turned as a reference. He had been twenty-seven for a very, very long time.
"And her parents are okay with that?"
"Hey, Joyce happens to really like me, okay?" Angel said defensively. When his and Kate's beers arrived, he popped the lid off his and took a drink. "We make it work."
"Well, congratulations, anyway," Kate said with a shrug.
Buffy returned and claimed her cherry Coke, sucking on the marachino cherries as she listened to the conversation.
"You were going to tell us about your case?" Angel prompted. Kate smiled mischeviously and turned to Buffy.
"He has a last name, right?" she asked. "Did he tell you his last name? Because he won't tell me his last name."
"Angel's going to take my last name after the wedding," Buffy said mildly.
"Really?" Kate turned to Angel, her eyebrows raised. "You know, only rock stars and the Pope go by one name."
"You got me," Angel said sarcastically. "I'm the Pope. Now what about the case?"
"Okay, okay. Armed robbery and assault and battery. Showed up in Los Angeles a few weeks ago, made some noise, and headed back this way. I have a picture," Kate dug around in her purse and pulled out a grainy, black-and-white print. "Her name's Faith Lehane."
Buffy's glass shattered in her hand, startling all three of them. Kate jumped back out of the splash zone and Angel reached for some napkins, but Buffy didn't react right away.
"Are you okay?" Kate asked, kneeling to pick up glass fragments. "What happened?"
"I-I didn't mean to—i-it was an a-accident," Buffy stammered.
"You're bleeding," Angel said softly, pressing a napkin to Buffy's palm. The bartender showed up with towels, and they moved out of the way.
"From your reaction, I take it you know Lehane?" Kate inquired.
"W-we met a few times," Buffy said. "We didn't really run in the same crowds. I just never expected her to turn bad o-or anything."
"She woke from a nineteen-month coma four weeks ago," Kate told them, unaware she was repeated information they already knew. "We're not sure why she went to L.A, but we're pretty sure she came back to Sunnydale looking for the person who put her in the coma in the first place."
"W-what?" Buffy gasped. Kate missed the color leaching frm the younger woman's cheeks.
"Lehane wasa brutally beaten and stabbed. She's out for revenge. If we don't find her soon, it could get ugly."
Just then, two women slipped through the crowd to join them. One was a petite redhead, the other was a tall brunette. "Hey!" Willow said perkily. "We were looking for you. Wondered where you'd gone off to."
"I know you," Cordelia said, pointing at Kate. "You're the detective lady from Los Angeles."
"Yup, that's me," Kate said, smiling. "More friends of Angel's? Wow, he actually has a life here."
Angel rolled his eyes and replied equally sarcastically, but Willow noticed Buffy's distracted state. "What's wrong?" she asked quietly.
"Faith's back," Buffy whispered. Willow gasped, her eyes flying wide. Buffy turned to Angel and laid a hand on his arm. "Angel, I-I think I need to go. It's been a long day a-and we should get Caddie. Besides, Mom's been watching her too much and…" she trailed off and looked at him pleadingly.
"Yeah, we probably should leave," he replied. He turned to Kate. "It was great seeing you. If we hear anything about Lehane, we'll let you know."
"Appreciate it," Kate said with a nod.
"Tell the others?" Buffy said softly to Willow. "Meeting tomorrow at the shop."
"Got it," Willow replied. "Rest well."