Buffy shifted her weight in front of the mirror, she wore a light pink dress with spaghetti straps holding it up. No cleavage but her breasts were prominent and her long, slim legs were on display. The dress hugged in all of the right places and highlighted her eyes. The knee high brown leather boots only served to top off the dress. Her hair was straight and perfect. And she was nervous. Beyond nervous. She held her jacket and started to pace.

There was a knock and then her door was opening. "Hey, sweetheart, he's here." Beatrice said and Buffy blinked at her.

"This feels like a date!" She exclaimed, stomping her foot stubbornly and Beatrice raised an eyebrow.

"And I have no right to think that because he hasn't specified, and we aren't dating! But I want to and I'm so scared, seriously, I've contemplated climbing under the covers and not coming out for a week. In fact I even laid down. I can't." She said throwing her jacket on her bed and running her hands through her hair as she started to pace again and shake her head repeatedly.

Beatrice sighed, "Buffy, if you like him, ask him out. But this may be a date for him, you never know, just go and have a good time, relax." She states softly and gripped Buffy's shoulders. Buffy pouted and sighed, closing her eyes.

"Okay." She mumbles softly, her eyes were shut tightly.

"Okay, I'm going, yay." Buffy states, grabbing her jacket and leaving her bedroom, followed by Beatrice. Buffy stilled on the top step as she stared at Angel, Beatrice grunted as she was forced to a halt. Angel was talking to Riley, so he didn't notice her.

He wore a pair of black jeans that hung dangerously low on his hips, they hugged his long, powerful legs and his backside wasn't a bad view either. His t-shirt was deep red and it hugged his chest in the most tantalizing way. Yeah . . . she wasn't going out with him. Or at least, she thought she wasn't. When she tried to turn she nearly slammed into Beatrice who shook her head, they had a silent begging and refusing fight down the stairs. Both snapped to attention plastering on smiles when Beatrice spun Buffy around.

"H-hi." Buffy stuttered as she stood with her hands clasped behind her back staring up at him. A slow smile spread across his lips as he continued to stare down at her.

"Buffy . . . you look great." He says and she stares up at him, trying to find her voice, but it didn't feel like coming out. She felt awkward, she felt really, really awkward and she hated the feeling.

"Hm." Was all she got out before turning and running up the steps. She closed and locked her door. Tears filled her eyes, what was she doing? What the hell was she doing? She wasn't some normal girl that could just go out with a guy, not one she was attracted too. He needed someone that wouldn't keep him up at night or someone that would actually sleep with him and if she was being honest, she didn't know if she would.

Then there was the other chance that he didn't even want her. That would only hurt her and she was so done being hurt. "Buffy?" She heard Beatrice call, shaking her head she slid down her wall.

"No! Go away! I'm not going!" She yelled pulling her knees to her chest. A tear fell down her cheek, followed by a river of more tears. About half an hour later she heard that gentle tap on her window and blinked, she stood and opened it, Angel's face happened to be an inch from hers and before she could pull back he cupped her cheeks. His thumbs wiped her tears and she just stared with her mouth open.

"We didn't even make it out of the door." He states, jokingly, but she didn't find it funny and he sighed, licking his lips. Why? Why did he have to do that? She knew he wasn't teasing her, it was a nervous gesture she'd caught over the couple weeks she'd known him.

"Okay, princess." he sighed softly and her stomach clenched, she hadn't heard him call her that since the first time they met and she liked it.

"C'mon let's go to the Bronze." He says and she doesn't move. He stills and stares at her.

"Buffy, what's wrong? You seemed excited today? What happened?" He asked softly and she stares at him.

"Why the fuck do you want to know?!" She yells and he doesn't react, in fact he kept so calm that it nearly scared her. But she wasn't done.

"Why are you so interested in me?! Why are you my friend?! Why do you waste your time?! No one ever has before, so why you?! What do you get out of it?!" She yelled, trying to keep the tears from falling. He continued to just watch her, calmly. Her eyes searched him.

He motioned with his hand for her to come closer and she didn't move. "C'mon, Buffy, just take a walk with me." He says holding out his hand and she crossed her arms, she couldn't let him get to her and being near him, got to her. So, why in the hell did you take his hand? Well, she didn't know, but she did.

He helped her out of the bedroom and pulled her against him. As he slid down he held her against him tightly and landed easily as if he was incapable of being hurt. He set her down and they started down the sidewalk. He was silent for a little while before speaking.

"Buffy . . . I like you. Okay? I don't know why or what I'm doing, but I know that I like you and I want to get to know you. I want you . . . to be my friend." He states, his friend. Okay. She could do friends. Actually, friends might save a lot of hurt, but she didn't think it was going to last, considering the fact that as she walked ahead of him, he gripped her upper arm and spun her around, she gasped as the air around them seemed to still.

"Okay, perhaps not friends." He breathed.

"Why not friends?" She asked just as breathless. "I like friends." She added quietly and he shrugged.

"I can't be friends with someone that makes me want to kiss them by just breathing." He said, cradling the side of her head.

"Angel . . ." She trailed off shaking her head.

"Buffy." He said, smiling softly, it faltered at her frown. He pulled back, searching her.

"There are things . . . there are bad things that could really make you hate me if I do anything and you don't know about it first." She chokes out, god stop talking! Why was it so easy to talk to him?! She hated it!

"I don't think I could ever hate you Buffy. In fact, I'm seriously starting to doubt I could even dislike you." He said and she bit her bottom lip. She could do what she wanted and risk the consequences or she could walk away and live with the regret. Kate entered her mind. You cannot predict or know another's intentions or emotions . . . We no not of the future and we will never know what's in another's heart. All we have is what is in our own and use that to guide us through this life. So she did.

One arm wrapped around his neck as she pushed up on her tippy toes, pressing her lips to his. At first, she shocked him, but it took him less than two seconds to sink into the kiss. It was by far the most exhilarating thing she'd ever felt. As his soft lips moved in sync with hers, her head turned fuzzy as if she were flying. His warm breath panted against her mouth as they parted briefly. He back them both up and she went with him, willingly. When she hit the bark of the tree, he bent gripping the back of her thighs and lifted her, wrapping her legs around his waist.

She briefly wondered where the panic was, the caution that had always been inside her, reminding her when a line was crossed and when the activity needed to end. Those thoughts flew out of her mind the minute his lips were back on hers.