-Vineyard-
Caleb was in the wine cellar talking to someone. "You know what I figured out tonight? Every high school in this country, from one end to the other, smells exactly alike. Now, why do you suppose that is?"
The first as Buffy walked out from the shadows, "And how is our best girl?"
Caleb smiled as he remembered the school today, "They always think they should put up a fight."
"Did you lay the proper groundwork?"
Caleb put on an evil smile, "That I did. Reckon she got the message, even if she doesn't know it yet. So now the big strong slayer goes back to those girls... she's just so ready to walk them right into it. And all we have to do is give her that one final gentle..." He rammed his hand threw the first's chest, "...nudge."
The first put on an evil grin also, "Excellent."
-Summer's Living Room-
Buffy took a deep breath and decided to start from the beginning, "I went by the school today and I ended up having a visit from Caleb."
Angel gripped her hand and stared her in the eyes, "Why didn't you say anything?"
Buffy tried to calm him and everyone down, "I'm fine. I mean, it wasn't fun, but I'm fine. I'm better than fine. I - I figured something out. He kept making all this noise about the school."
Robin made the most obvious guess, "Is it the seal again?"
Willow agreed with the theory, "Do we need to try shutting it again?"
"No, that's just it. We've spent all this time worrying about the seal and the hellmouth but it got me to thinking, why isn't Caleb guarding them? Why doesn't he have someone there protecting it?"
Spike looked a little curious now because he saw the look in Buffy's eyes and that look only meant that she was onto something. "So, where is he that needs protecting?"
Conner took the mic now, "Well, once I found Buffy unconscious we thought about it all and we decided that we should check this place out ourselves. We followed a few bringers and..."
Then there was the reaction everyone was looking for from Angel, "You two did what? You guys should have called or been more armed."
Buffy actually smiled, "Don't worry Angel. We just watched them and we ran when they started chasing us. There was no danger, I promise. I wouldn't do that to Conner."
Wesley interrupted, "Please continue."
Conner obeyed Wesley and finished the story, "So when we got to the destination we found a vineyard. Defenitely heavily guarded."
Angel pondered the thought, "What do you think they're protecting?"
Buffy then went on about her theory, "This is where my neat little theory comes in. The bad guys always go where the power is. So if the seal was important Caleb and the first, they would be there right now. They're protecting the Vineyard or something at the vineyard and I say it's their power. Caleb told me he had something of mine and I know it's far-fetched but I believe him. I don't think it was the girls, I think the power at the vineyard is it's advantage against us."
Angel looked a little edgy along with Spike who actually expressed it, "So, you want us to go in there and ask him what he has of yours?"
Buffy was defensive instantly, "God no. Well that was my plan before the file. Now I think we should wait until Conner and I check out the mission. This place could have also held some sort of power that he didn't want us to find and I'm guessing that the hidden power is what got everyone killed."
Faith was into the theory a lot, "You think the powers are connected?"
"I really do!"
Angel finally took lead and took out his car keys, "I want you to take my car and leave as soon as possible. We won't do anything until you come back."
Buffy caught the keys but was stopped by Kennedy who looked at Angel, "What are we supossed to do?"
Angel looked at Kennedy and actually smiled, "You are no longer going to train the girls because I want you to start acting like one of them. You are no different. Starting tonight you girls will do nothing but train, get ready for the workout of your lives girls and if nothing else, it'll pass the time until the end."
Kennedy was instantly defensive, "You can't just say that to me."
Angel glared at her, "I just did. Get it through your head Kennedy, you are no different then those girls behind you. Faith, Spike and I will train you from now on."
Dawn actually smiled as she spoke, "What do you want all of us to do?"
Angel thought for a few seconds, "I want a group to go to the grocery place, you know, keep all of you alive."
Buffy threw her few cents in, "They're pretty much empty, everybody left."
"Good. Now I want the second team to be made of everyone best at research. We still don't know anything about that necklace and it's all we got right now. I want Wesley or Giles with the girls because I think it's best they have a watcher point of view instead of just a vampire and ex-evil slayer."
Spike scoffed and Faith smiled as Conner grabbed Buffy's hand. Buffy was in discrete pain because she knew his words were supossed to be hers but this was her fault, it was her choice to trade places with Angel. Once Giles decided to work with the girls though Buffy scoffed, "I hope they're not dating anyone because their boyfriends might just die."
Giles couldn't keep quiet about it, "In my defense you weren't dating him."
Robin agreed, "In his defense I almost killed him not Giles."
Spike stood up instantly in the principles face, "You wish you almost killed me. The only reason you got as far as you did was because of the trigger thing."
Robin didn't much care, "Well, at least it was somewhere. You deserve way more."
"What I deserve is open for interpretation but I do know for sure you are not going to be the one to tell me what I deserve." Spike then turned to look at Buffy, "Didn't you give me permission to kill this guy if he pissed me off?"
Before Buffy could answer Angel interupted with an annoyed sigh and tone in his voice, "Enough." He stared at Buffy, "Past in the past. If we're going to do this then we work together."
Spike walked over to Buffy, "You be careful, don't die and we'll talk when you get back." Buffy made him hug her in front of everybody before Spike looked at Angel, "Send the girls out back when you're done."
Buffy smiled at him, "Play nice."
Spike fake smiled as he walked towards the back door. Angel hid his jealousy, "He's not going to behave."
"Yes he will. Just keep reminding him that I have the necklace and I'm not afraid to use it."
Angel then looked at everyone else, "Alright everyone, GO!"
In seconds the living room was almost empty with the exception of Angel, Buffy and Conner. Buffy smiled at her lover, "No worries Angel. I'll watch him with my life."
Conner smiled up at Angel, "No worries Angel, I'll watch her with my life."
Angel ruffled Conner's hair before staring Buffy in the eyes, "Call Buffy, I can't stay worried for a whole 12 hours."
Buffy showed him her cell phone, "I got it covered." They hugged, "I'll miss you too."
They let go and Conner stared at his dad. They stood like that for a few seconds until Angel put out his hand to shake his which Conner returned with a smile. When they let go he looked at Buffy, "I'll meet you in the car."
Buffy nodded and watched him go out the door. Buffy couldn't help but admire him, "He's amazing Angel."
"He has never smiled that much, ever. All this is because of you Buffy Summers."
Buffy tried to be modest, "The good was in him Angel. He just needed someone to push it out of him."
"I'm really glad that was you."
Buffy gripped both of Angel's hands, "Really?"
Angel only nodded before they both leaned in for a really long kiss. It was getting pretty intense until Angel pulled away slowly, "Hurry back."
Buffy smiled and kept her hands wrapped around his neck. Suddenly Buffy had a few tears and she explained before he had a chance to ask, "When are we going to have our turn? I mean we've just done so much and been through so much. I don't understand why we can't just sit on a bed a whole day without the world ending."
Angel could have died with the desperation in her voice, "Oh Buffy, I know how you feel but you need to stay strong for me, especially now. I love you and when this is over you, me and Conner are going way for a while. I promise."
Buffy thought 'not if I die' but she said, "Good."
They went in for another passion filled kiss that didn't last as long. Buffy pulled away, "Since I'm sleeping with the boss do I get special treatment?" Both of them laughed and Buffy slowly pulled out of his embrace, "I got to go take care of your son."
Angel didn't know what he said until he said it, "Our son Buffy." Before Buffy could say anything Angel smiled, "We'll talk when you get back."
Buffy gave him one more quick kiss before slowly walking out the door and to the car. As soon as she left Faith walked in and saw him smiling. She knew the effects of Buffy Summers and decided not to ruin it with talk of them and reality. She addressed him with the reason she went in the living room, "Angel, have you seen Spike?"
-Car - Outside of House-
When Buffy got out there she wasn't surprised to see Spike leaning against the car talking to Conner. She couldn't help but laugh either when she heard what they were saying. "So then your dad takes off my coat and pushes me into the water. He started laughing and when I asked why he did it he tells me he had always wanted to see how long a drunk vampire can stay swimming for."
Conner was laughing along, "You never tried to get out of the water?"
"Nope. I too wanted to see how long a drunk vampire could stay swimming. Although when I passed out because I was the drunk vampire it was an entirely different story."
Buffy's laugh caught both boys attention and they smiled at her. Buffy walked right up to Spike, "Filling the boys head with stories of his dad."
Spike shrugged, "He's got to hear them from someone and Angel sure as hell isn't going to tell him."
"Well if that's your brother thing then so be it."
Spike looked at Conner, "Too bad, he looks nothing like me."
"That's because he takes after his dad not his brother."
Spike nodded and finally brought the convo back to reality, "It's good to see you smiling."
"Angel said the exact same thing to me."
Spike grabbed Buffy's hand, "How you really doing?"
Buffy ignored Conner's presence for a few minutes and sighed, "You know those mornings where you wake up and you suddenly feel useless and under-appreciated? Yeah well, I feel like that."
Spike gripped Buffy's hands more, "It doesn't piss you off it was Angel?" Buffy shook her head and Spike scoffed, "You serious? I mean if it was anybody I thought it would me."
"They didn't just want a leader they wanted someone they could hurt me with and they thought giving the place to Angel would do that. I think since we're practically married he'll consult me on the most important stuff."
Spike processed the word marriage, "You sensing wedding bells dear?"
Buffy shrugged, "Wouldn't be far off. Just do me a favor and don't tell Angel."
Spike nodded and looked at the house, "I should go and train the little brats." Buffy nodded back, "I'm sorry things went down like that."
Buffy shrugged, "I'll get over it Spike. Now you start training. Our fight for the necklace is coming up."
Spike winked at the slayer before walking back to the house. Buffy waited a few seconds before hopping into the car and waving at the window where Angel was watching. Angel cursed himself and watched his lover and son drive away.